Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off: Witchwood and Seabound by Ethan Proud #Fantasy


wiTchwOOD and SEABOUND

ETHAN PROUD

* Fantasy *


Title: WITCHWOOD AND SEABOUND
Author: Ethan Proud
Publisher: Proud Brothers Publishing
Pages: 492
Genre: Fantasy




Gripping and tense, Witchwood tells the tale of a witch and sheriff turned unlikely allies to stop the town of Northgate from being destroyed by dark forces.
Sheriff Ruckstead reluctantly asks his nemesis Artemisia Corax, the woodwitch, for help when a string of murders unsolvable by mundane means occurs in one night.  As he cooperates with the witch, his reputation is called into question and he faces conflict with one of the wealthier business families of Northgate.
While Sheriff Ruckstead faces his own challenges, Artemisia discovers that she will need aid in bringing the murderers to justice and enlists the support of a demon. When the interplanal denizen escapes her control, she finds that she and Ruckstead have more on their plates than they bargained for. Including the wrath of a goddess.

Order YOur COpy

Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y3t7ep4j

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TeaseR



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Prologue

The morning dew clung to the sage and native grasses in the pasture, their scents mingling pleasantly in the air. However, a stronger odor corrupted the tranquil morning. The tang of iron and stench of fetid greenery overlay all other smells. In one corner, the buck rail pasture had been knocked over and the occupants were nowhere to be seen. Look a little further to the west, however, and a macabre sight covered nearly a quarter acre. Six of the highland cattle were dead. Only their hooves and horns remained untouched. The rest of them was strewn across the field or carried off by the murderer.
Willem Cronley stood horrorstruck in the crisp air. Half of his livelihood had been destroyed, and the other half was either lost in the woods or had met a similar end. He heard a gasp as his wife, Helen, came up behind him.
“Keep the kids inside,” he said, his voice hoarse.
Helen picked up her skirts and hurried to stop her children from witnessing what she just had. She nearly made it through the door of the cottage before her breakfast demanded it be let loose. Her boots would need another polish before she started her daily chores. But without the cows to milk, there would be no butter to churn and she would have to start in the chicken coop before tending to their modest garden.
“What is it, Mother?” Her youngest stepped outside, and before she could usher him back inside he screamed at the top of his lungs. His siblings came running, and they too screamed.
From somewhere in the forest, a low mournful cry echoed back to them.



Chapter One

The knocking at Artemisia’s door was incessant. She knew without a doubt it was the sheriff. People in her profession rarely got any respite from superstitious lawmen. She took her time, carefully grinding the mugwort root into a paste with her mortar and pestle. When it was completed to her liking, she stood, brushed her long blonde hair behind her ear and rose to answer the door.
“Miss Corax,” the man said as politely as he could through gritted teeth. He wore his hair loose and shoulder length, had a well-groomed mustache, and a five o‘clock shadow along his jawbone. His gray eyes further demonstrated how disappointed he was to be making this house-call. He wore black trousers, knee high polished boots — a wise choice in the infernally muddy town of Northgate — and a steel gray peacoat.  As she suspected, it was Sheriff Ruckstead.
“And to what do I owe this untimely surprise?” Artemisia lilted. Her own brown eyes reflected the same attitude as the lawmen on her doorstep.
“I’m afraid it isn’t to incarcerate you this time. I have something I need your help with,” he said reluctantly.
She smiled broadly. “I refuse.”
The sheriff shot out one of his dark hands to stop the door from closing in his face. “Something happened down at the Cronley’s farm. Something killed half of their cattle and the other half escaped. They think it’s the work of some demon.”
“And naturally you come to me for aid,” she said demurely, but nonetheless pulled on a heavy woolen jacket. From her pocket she extracted her riding gloves. “I will only need a minute to prepare my horse.”
“Of course,” Ruckstead said amiably enough. But just being in the woman’s presence made his skin crawl. The door and window frames of her home were covered with wolf lichen, the bright green fungus pinned up with nails before it had taken to its new substrate. Along the south side of her home was a vegetable garden, half of the plants in it poisonous. In two planters in the front of her house were crops of nettle. Why she grew the plant escaped the sheriff — unless it was to deter visitors. Lining the well-worn path to her front door were numerous shaggy mane mushrooms. Their soft, scaly caps were already beginning to blacken at the edges and some had begun to drip dark tendrils as the fungi consumed itself.
The sound of leather stretching and groaning alerted him that Artemisia was ready as she adjusted her weight in her saddle. Her horse seemed impossibly large for her, Ruckstead was certain it was part draft. The animal’s glossy white coat matched with the woman’s blonde hair made for an ethereal pairing straight from an old wives’ tale, but the sheriff knew better. Artemisia had plenty of dark secrets, a few of which, he was loath to admit, had substance familiar to him.
He mounted his own jug-headed, buckskin horse, easily swinging one long leg over the saddle to settle in the right-hand stirrups. A quarter-mile down the path they intersected a cobblestone path and turned their steeds south. The evergreens gave way to aspen trees, which in turn gave way to supple saplings, reaching greedily towards the sun. Oak brush dotted the landscape as it became more and more sparse, yet a few grew to tree-like status. Paintbrush, flax, and other wildflowers swayed easily in the breeze from between bunch grasses. A mill could be seen growing larger in the distance, a wheel noisily splashing water as it generated movement for the machinery within.
Artemisia grimaced, the sight of such industry so close to her home always struck a chord, though she was on good terms with the owner of the mill and found him and his wife to be extremely pleasant. Soon the natural landscape was broken by the monocultures of food production. It was equally as beautiful as the forest she lived in, but Artemisia would never feel at home among the crops.
Sheriff Ruckstead nodded to some of the familiar faces he saw tending the fields. Many of them were indentured servants, slaving away until they could afford to strike out on their own. Of course, that would never happen. His eyes picked up the trickle of irrigation ditches meandering throughout the field, running their courses happily until they were diverted and spilled across the soil surface. Potatoes, corn, soybeans, and squash were common staples of farmers’ fields, not to overlook the cereals: wheat and barley. Three years ago, ergot infected much of the wheat yield, and as such few farmers had been bold enough to replant. The Cronley’s were one such family, and no doubt their recent tragedy would cause a flurry of rumors. Witchcraft, demons, and more. Ruckstead turned a wary eye onto the witch next to him. Artemisia claimed she was a simple herbalist, but most of the town knew otherwise. Her business was a front for her darker rituals.
“Something on your mind, Sheriff?” She broke the silence with a cold drawl.
“Nothing different from the usual,” he muttered darkly.
“Ah, so nothing,” Artemisia purred and kicked her horse into a canter.
Ruckstead scowled, and urged his horse, Wineae, to follow the pearlescent gelding ahead of her. The sun struggled to peer through the heavy haze of clouds that left Northgate in a perpetually sun-starved state. If the growing season wasn’t so long, the crops would surely produce meager yields year in and year out. It took weeks for the plants to even grow two inches once they had burst from the soil, and nearly a month until they were knee high. Yet the farmers tended their fields lovingly, and somehow produced enough crop to feed their family and the town. Perhaps it was the rich soil. It was said that nearly three hundred years ago a great battle was fought. The blood and bones of the First Peoples fed the ground that they now stood on.
Suddenly the town was before them, the wood shingled roofs and shuttered windows only increasing the drab look of the buildings. Everything was painted in dreary grays, mournful blues, and sickly greens. It might have just been the moss and lichen clinging to the houses that tricked the hues into shining a little more emerald than they had been intended to be. Chamber pots were emptied into the streets, and drunkards could be seen teetering dangerously close to the gutters. The town of Northgate was by no means large, but its population still fell prey to the sins of a larger city. They crossed from the Main Road onto Raven’s Barrow, and Artemisia scrunched her nose as they passed by a series of apartments.
Her younger cousin, Mission, lived in one of them. She didn’t know which. It was a point not to visit his apartment, but he was frequently invited to her forest dwelling. He brought her supplies from town so she could maintain her status as a hermit, and she gave him tinctures and salves to sell at a discounted rate to the poor in the community. If she had to guess, she would say he lived in the Oyster Shell block, judging by its seedy reputation.
It only took twenty minutes to cross the entire town. A few more miles southwardly they came to a crossroad and turned right, to the west. The Cronley Farmstead was only a half-mile further. There wasn’t much to the farm, a few outbuildings and the main house. A single windmill stood alone against a dark hillside, its sole purpose to mark the watering hole for the livestock.
The Cronleys were a poor family and soon the richer businesses would buy them out and send indentured servants out to tend the fields that the Cronley family had had for six generations. Willem, Helen, and their six kids did their best, but it was simply not enough to keep them afloat. And now half of their livestock had disappeared, the other half massacred. Like vultures sensing death, the businessmen and investors would no doubt swoop in at the promise of an easy bargain.
Willem stood by the open gate, wringing his hands nervously. He was an ugly man, with thick eyebrows, a hooked nose broken many times over, hair like straw, and a smile so crooked a drunk couldn’t even walk its line. Luckily for his children, they had inherited his wife’s plain beauty and had large, baleful, brown eyes, high cheekbones and curly, dark hair.
“Sheriff Ruckstead,” he said and nodded respectfully. He broke into a smile he quickly tried to hide when he saw Artemisia. “Milady.”
“Malady is more like it,” Ruckstead said sourly under his breath. Artemisia snickered.
“Willem, I wish the circumstances of our meeting were on better terms.” Artemisia looked past him to the six children pressing their faces against the glass.
“It is always a pleasure when you visit our humble home. The children are still overjoyed with the gifts you brought them last time, and the crops-” Willem was cut off as the woman lifted a hand to stop him.
“Careful now, we wouldn’t want our good sheriff to cart you off to jail,” she warned.
Willem stammered for a moment but Ruckstead harrumphed to voice his displeasure.
“We only arrest criminals and witches.”
At that the farmer blanched. Ruckstead sighed and continued, “Let’s get to the heart of this matter, though. Where are the poor beasts?”
“I left them as they lay.” Willem turned and led them towards the closest pasture. How his entire family hadn’t been woken by the slaughter of the animals was beyond the sheriff and the witch. They were assaulted by the smell before they had a glimpse of the massacre. As they crossed the pastureland, Artemisia caught a glimpse of something white gleaming from its burrow in the grasses. She reined in Newt, her horse, and slipped gracefully to the ground. She saw the pupil as she brushed the green blades from overtop of it. The gentle brown color of the iris made the eye seem peaceful even in death. She scooped it from the ground and held it aloft in her gloved hand. Without an explanation, she dropped the eye into a pouch held at her hip. She didn’t bother climbing back into the saddle, but instead lead Newt by the reins towards the epicenter of the bloodshed.


All





 

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TEASER

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Meet The Author

Ethan Proud
Ethan Proud was raised in Pinedale, Wyoming and that is where he fell in love with reading, writing, and the outdoors. He published his first series the Rebellion Trilogy with his older brother, Lincoln. Ethan is an avid adventurer, whether it is on the page or in nature and when he is not writing or reading he can be found backpacking, rock climbing, or snowboarding.

website & SOcial Links

Website → www.proudbrotherswriting.com

Facebook →  https://www.facebook.com/proudbrotherswriting



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Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off: Tetrastatum by Dr. Richard & Tim Smith @DrRichard_ISTAR #timetravel #thriller

TETRASTATUM

Dr. Richard & Tim Smith
* Time Travel Thriller *


Title: TETRASTATUM
Author: Dr. Richard & Tim Smith
Publisher: Epigraph Publishing
Pages: 300
Genre: Time Travel Thriller

In their debut novel TETRASTATUM, authors Dr. Richard and Tim Smith combine heady concepts about the universe with a thrilling science fiction story about the search for a new kind of time travel. The result is a stunning mixture of dense cosmology and old-fashioned storytelling that will appeal to a wide readership, from science professionals to lay fans of science fiction.

“Dr. Richard” and “Tim Smith” are the pseudonyms of Dr. Richard Connor and Marcus Rodriguez, respectively.

TETRASTATUM (‘the fourth state’) is the culmination of my 30 years working in the field of photonics,” Dr. Richard says. “I am an avid reader of sci-fi, and I wanted to create a new type of work that is both educational and entertaining in the genre. TETRASTATUM gives the reader a unique understanding of the existing laws of physics and extends them to provoke further thought from novice readers as well as advanced experts in the field.”

Kirkus Reviews notes that “authors Dr. Richard and Smith … tell their cerebral story with a heady mix of dense theory and absurdist humor.”

The Independent Review of Books declares:  “TETRASTATUM is like nothing you have ever read before. This is an impressive work of science fiction …”

The San Francisco Book Review adds that, “These recurring themes of characterization and distortion feed into the concern that is being voiced over the current state of our political climate…The layering of these themes is ultimately what gives TETRASTATUM a relevance that will keep readers turning pages and asking questions.”

“The book ultimately explains how human perceptions alter the future and puts forth a model based on quantum physics to explain ‘reality’,” Dr. Richard continues.  He calls science fiction “the perfect genre to explore socio-political ideas within the context of futuristic technologies and scientific theories.”

Dr. Richard and Smith are currently working with Norith Soth on adapting TETRASTATUM into a screenplay. Mr. Soth has penned work for Justin Lin (“Fast and Furious”), Stephen Chin (“War Dogs”), and Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead”).

order your copy below

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EXCERPT


“Well, Dr. Smith, your colleague…uhm, whom you claim is watching us on some monitor-type device, has quite an imagination.  Images, imagination, create that which brings wonder into the realm of understanding.  I concede that I didn’t contemplate the idea of two spheres and two sets of waves when I derived my equations.  I missed the duality, nature’s constant.  But I confirm that this appears to be mathematically accurate and a plausible theory as to the nature of reality, itself.”  –Dr. Erwin Schrödinger




 

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meet the author


Dr. Richard has been involved in the field of Photonics for over 30 years. He received his BA in physics (honors) from the University of California Fullerton. He was in a full scholarship PhD program in physics at the University of California Irvine and a PhD program in philosophy at Claremont Graduate School. Dr. Richard completed his two dissertations (involving human interpretations of laser and electro-optical images) while under top secret clearance. He also has an advanced placement teaching credential, an advanced certification (from the University of Wisconsin) in laser and optical design; and other advanced certifications in fiber optics, computer programming, technology business development, financial products, dance, anatomy and physiology.

website & social links

WEBSITE → https://www.tetrastatum.com

FACEBOOK → https://www.facebook.com/istarsfx



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Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off: Widow's Run by TG Wolff @tg_wolff #thriller #blogtour



WIDOW'S RUN
TG Wolff
* Thriller *


Title: WIDOW’S RUN
Author: TG Wolff
Publisher: Down & Out Books
Pages: 236
Genre: Mystery/Thriller



One night in Rome. One car. One dead scientist. Italian police investigate, but in the end, all they have are kind words for the new widow. Months later, a video emerges challenging the facts. Had he stepped into traffic, or was he pushed? The widow returns to the police, where there are more kind words but no answers. Exit the widow.

Enter Diamond. One name for a woman with one purpose. Resurrecting her CIA cover, she follows the shaky video down the rabbit hole. Her widow’s run unearths a plethora of suspects:  the small-time crook, the mule-loving rancher, the lady in waiting, the Russian bookseller, the soon-to-be priest. Following the stink greed leaves in its wake reveals big lies and ugly truths. Murder is filthy business. Good thing Diamond likes playing dirty.

"TG Wolff's novel is for crime-fiction fans who like it action-packed and hard-edged. Written with feisty panache, it introduces Diamond, one of the most aggressive, ill-tempered, and wholly irresistible heroines to ever swagger across the page." --David Housewright, Edgar Award-winning author of Dead Man's Mistress

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y3eaf8ro

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“Dixon.” It was the resigned statement you used when a kid straight up beat you at your own game.
“Hey Diamond.” Chips crunched in my ear. “How’s Italy?”
“How’d you get this phone number?”
“I called myself from it last night.” A bag crackled in the background.
“When and where was I?”
“When you went to the bathroom. You said make yourself comfortable.”
I wasn’t gone three minutes, not three minutes. “And you took it as an invitation to steal my phone number?”
“You know, for emergencies and stuff.” Either he had shoved another fistful of chips into his mouth or he had wadded up the bag into a ball and was gnawing on it.
“Dix, you put one more chip in your mouth and I’m going to swim across the Atlantic and give you a chip bag colonoscopy.”
He laughed. “That’s something old people get, right? Something like a camera up the butt?”
It’s hard to physically intimidate someone who lived day in, day out with violence. You know. Been there, done that, got the black eye. The one he’d gotten for his birthday still had days until it would fade.
“Yeah, Dix. I hear it comes with good drugs though. So, who is she?”
This time he glugged liquid, finishing it with a sloppy lip slap. “Who is who?”
“You know who.”
“Do who know you?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Dix, you’re making my head spin. You texted me you know ‘who she is.’ Tell me who she is while I’m still young enough to care.”
“Oh. Her. Ilsa Dumanovskaya. I’m not making it up either. Musta sucked to spell her name in kindergarten. Least her parents gave her a short first name.”
I leaned against an ice-cold plaster wall, prepared to commence head pounding. “Why should I care?”
“Because of Doc.” Doc. That was the nickname the kids at the YPF gave Gavriil. He liked the stories I brought home and showed up one afternoon. It wasn’t even “take your husband to work day.” I found him arguing with the science teacher over a chemical equation. They got past their chalkboard differences, created a bouncy-ball polymer, then had contests to see which formula bounced higher. The kids loved it. Gavriil came in once a week for lecture and the occasional spontaneous laboratory experiment.
“She’s the woman he met in Rome.”
My chin snapped up. My heart beat in double time. I had her face, now I had her name. I signaled Carlo for pencil and paper. “Give it to me.”
“She owns a bookstore. I have the address for her store and her apartment. Do they call them flats?”
“No idea. Give me the address.” My mouth watered with the taste of deep-fried quarry.
“Three-twenty-one valle Didochachiata.”
My pencil stayed still. “That can’t be right.”
“Maybe I’m not saying it right. Three-twenty-one Vya Deedoshakiata. Better?”
“No. Carlo? Can you figure out this address?” I handed over the phone and recommenced pacing.
Carlo alternated between speaking and listening. Then he laughed. Of course, he and Dix would understand each other. Gibberish was an international language.





 

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TG Wolff writes thrillers and mysteries that play within the gray area between good and bad, right and wrong. Cause and effect drive the stories, drawing from 20+ years’ experience in Civil Engineering, where “cause” is more often a symptom of a bigger, more challenging problem. Diverse characters mirror the complexities of real life and real people, balanced with a healthy dose of entertainment. TG Wolff holds a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

★ WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS: ★

Website → www.tgwolff.com

Twitter → @tg_wolff

Facebook → www.Facebook.com/tina.wolff.125






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Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied by Preston Howard



JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED
Preston Howard
* Crime Thriller *


Title: JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED
Author: Preston Howard & Anne Howard
Publisher: PHP
Pages: 335
Genre: Noir Crime Thriller




Retired attorney Preston Howard obsesses about the newly elected, bombastic and narcissistic president, and three corrupt Austin police officers whom he represented and saved from capital murder charges and execution ten years before. After his wife divorces him and his drinking reaches gargantuan proportions, Howard’s thoughts turn to murderous impulses as the only way he can stamp out one, or both of his fixations. Howard and his co-author, daughter Anne Howard, tell the story, often with hilarious observations, of compulsion, addiction, love, and in the end, the search for justice.
Praise:
“I thought Preston Howard’s first book was terrific, but Justice Delayed is Justice Denied is a home run! One of the best books I’ve read in years.” – John P. Davis, Knoxville, Tennessee
“Preston Howard’s writing and insights into politics and the legal system keep getting better and better. Justice Delayed is hilarious and on point!” – Amy Margulies, Austin, Texas

order your copy below

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2oPsovi


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I cackled while watching The Donald in June, 2015, as he descended the elevator at Trump Tower like an Arabian potentate, Melania walking below him in one of her bazillion-dollar outfits (or more...can there be more than a bazillion?).
Right off the bat, I figured no rational person would listen to this clown as he ranted about Mexican rapists, recapturing oil in the Mideast, jobs lost to China and Mexico, blah, blah, blah. Right after the Great Bloviator announced his candidacy, Jon Stewart licked his chops and rubbed his hands together in glee but expressed sorrow that he would soon be leaving The Daily Show, unable to skewer this phony poohbah in Jon’s inimitable style.

Boy oh boy, did Jon and I ever get this one wrong, as did most of the elitist commentators—the FOX reporters impostering as legitimate media excluded, of course. And as well did the multiple Republican candidates, who scorned Trump as a laughable huckster not worthy of consideration. His list of gaffes during the campaign mounted day by day, but the Trumpster shrugged them off like water off a duck’s back each time and just kept lying all the way to victory and the White House.


I wonder often how many times after the Republican Convention, Jeb Bush and Marco “Trump has little hands” Rubio asked themselves, “How the fuck did this nimrod beat me?” And Hillary, bless her heart, she must wake up every day thinking “I deserved to win; I was entitled. How could all those deplorables snatch away my victory? How dare they?”



 

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Preston Howard has retired from his rewarding profession as a labor lawyer, where he represented law enforcement officers not only in Texas but across the country. As a renowned expert, he spoke at meetings and conferences about topical labor law issues not only in the United States, but in other countries as well.  He now lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he spends his time writing novels.
His first book, “The Sheltering Palms,” was highly praised. One reviewer said, “…had me hooked right from the start.” Another person wrote, “…storytelling at its best.”

His latest effort, “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied,” tracks his struggles with retirement: a divorce from his wife, alcoholism, and thoughts of murder either of the president or three corrupt police offices he represented ten years before. As he wrestles with these concerns, he also dips his foot into the dating scene, meeting an attractive senior lady. As in his first novel, Preston Howard’s observations about the human condition are hilarious and on point.

website & social links

Website → https://prestonhowardauthor.com

Facebook →  https://www.facebook.com/prestonhowardauthor/



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Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off: Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical by Stephanie Bentley #audiobook


LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL

Stephanie Bentley




Combining a titillating collection of romance tropes, LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL, created and composed by Stephanie Bentley, and performed by a multitalented musical cast from the Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade, makes a surprising and innovative contribution to the audiobook listening experience. With 20 original songs inspired by ’90s pop music and a spicy story penned by erotica ghostwriter Miranda Ray at its core, the musical parody pushes the limits of sexual innuendo right to the edge before tipping over into the throws of uproarious ridiculousness.

When sassy Raleigh Jackson interviews for a six-week contract to be the fake girlfriend of Trystan Lay—schmillioniare playboy, politician, ex-Navy Seal, songwriter/astronaut, and “the world’s most perfect human”—she knows the outcome will change her life.

A student/waitress/intern living with her obligatory best friend, Kim, Raleigh overcomes her medical condition—chronic clumsiness—and snags the job, thus beginning a whirlwind of extravagant travel and glitzy events.

LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL covers the span of romance novel clichés from the brooding playboy to the fake romance with sprinkles of paranormal love. The story is sultry, silly, snarky—and hilarious. Chapter titles are sung in harmonies invoking the R&B group En Vogue. The characters voice their own dialogue and routinely burst into song, as they fumble through pillow talk, and relive steamy memories in songs such as “Talkin’ Dirty” and “50 Shades of Lay.”

The creator’s inspiration for LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL came from her unusual day job. “I’m a romance audiobook narrator by day and a musical theater performer by night. Every day in the booth, I giggle at the same tropes coming up again and again. Then these song lyrics just started coming to me, “The models in my bed don’t keep me warm at night,” for example. I started writing and pretty soon, the whole musical just came tumbling out!”

LUSTILY EVER AFTER: THE AUDIOBOOK MUSICAL has an e-book companion containing the story and all of the lyrics, and there may be plans for a sequel: “I thought we had hit most of the tropes, but now I realize we may have only just begun,” Stephanie says.

Book Info:
Audiobook, $6.95; 2 hours 37 minutes; ISBN: 978-1089023753
E-book, $2.99; 104 pages
Publication date: August 2019
Published by Stephanie Bentley

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2VA47Fw

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TeaseR




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Listen to a sample of the audiobook here: https://www.lustilyeverafter.com.

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TEASER


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Meet The Author



Stephanie Bentley is the creator and composer of Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical, a funny, sexy love story inspired by romantic fiction and ’90s pop music. Stephanie is a musical theater/musical improv comedy performer and audiobook narrator with experience acting in television and film. She studied improv at Upright Citizens Brigade and has performed all over Los Angeles and New York.

Stephanie and her cast are available for live performances of pieces from the book.

Visit her website at https://www.lustilyeverafter.com.



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Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off: EmpowerEd by Jennifer Oneal Price @jennoprice


EmpowerEd
Jennifer Oneal Price Esq.
* Mystery/Memoir *


Title: EMPOWERED: USING REAL CASE EXAMPLES TO LOOK DEEPER INTO IEP MANAGEMENT
Author: Jennifer Oneal Price
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 107
Genre: Nonfiction




This book outlines the progressive steps taken to address the educational needs of an exceptional child. From the Child Find process to filing a Due Process complaint, courts have addressed many legal issues. This book goes through court cases on some key issues from 2018 with an included workbook-style composition section after the cases. Parents and educational advocates will be able to read the cases and use the Thought Questions and composition space to take notes to better analyze their own case and advocate for their child’s educational rights.

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2q0Ql2Q

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Introduction
I know the story. Your child is having issues in school and you suspect it’s not because s/he is “being bad.” You request an evaluation to see if s/he qualifies for an accommodation or special education services. The test takes awhile. Why does it take so long to get an evaluation? Then, you learn your child qualifies for special education services. What comes next? Then, you get your child’s Individualized Education Program, a.k.a. IEP. Why isn’t the school following it? You try to have meetings with the school, only to be met with obstinance. You walk in the meeting. You see a room full of people on the “school’s side.” Who is there for you? You feel overwhelmed and alone. I know the story because, as an attorney who represents children with disabilities, I’ve heard it too many times.
The ultimate purpose of this book is to empower parents (and anyone else working as an educational advocate) about how courts rule on education cases concerning children who have disabilities - intellectual, behavioral, or physical. I include specific points of reference so you can use this as a resource guide for your own situation. Statistically, most parents in a due process hearing represent themselves in these types of legal disputes. The one consistent comment I’ve heard is that by the time things become this contentious with the school district, they feel overwhelmed and uninformed.
By law, public schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The issue is that there are extensive and complicated statutes governing children with disabilities. There are individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 Service Agreements. Both are created for children with disabilities, but they are designed to address different areas of need. This short book sorts out your options, offers court cases as examples, and explains the steps you can take if you are not happy with the plans made for your child’s education.
As an attorney now in private practice, I spend part of each day answering telephone calls on questions from parents who are frustrated over what their school is or is not doing for their children, and concerned about what should be their next steps.
I left a District Attorney’s Office after seeing worst-case scenarios in juvenile court: when learning accommodations were not made, or plans were not implemented for children with disabilities. I realized that while these were similar stories told from different situations, the common thread in all of them was either IEP or 504 Service Agreement management. After some research and talking to colleagues, I decided to go into private practice to focus on representing children with disabilities. One major hurdle I quickly learned was the lack of information many parents and advocates have, including not knowing that their children even have legal rights when it comes to education. That is why I decided to write this book. It is meant to be a guide and a starting point.
While this cannot serve as legal advice, my goal is to help parents feel a little more empowered than before they read it. This guide is designed to get you past the basics by using real court case examples to show the practical side of how courts have ruled on familiar issues. In the end, the goal is to set your child up for educational success. This book is broken up into four steps that build on each other. There is a glossary at the end to help keep track of some of the terms parents may encounter in their journey, as well as full case citations.
To you and your child’s success!
Step One
What Is Child Find?
Child Find is a term of art that places a legal requirement on schools to identify, locate, and evaluate your child, but this process can also start with you, the parent. (Throughout the rest of this book, I use “parent” but I’m referring to parents, guardians, and educational advocates.)
As the parent, you know your child better than anyone else. If you see your infant son or daughter struggling to hold an object, you know whether the response will be frustration (throwing it down) or curiosity (picking it up each time it falls). You know this because you’ve been paying attention. This parental observation remains true for noticing developmental delays. I put Child Find as the first step for parents for a few reasons. You will know whether a behavior is typical or atypical. You’re with your child from the beginning, so you become a first line of defense. This places you in the best position to be proactive and address any potential developmental delays as early as possible.
Early diagnosis has been attributed to improving a child’s long-term educational success. Since your child may not see a teacher until three or four years of age, getting a diagnosis beforehand could reduce the number of interventions or aids your child may need during school-age years. A diagnosis before elementary school can be done by your pediatrician. Schedule an appointment and raise any concerns immediately. Give detailed information explaining exactly what you notice so the pediatrician can either run the appropriate test(s) or direct you to the right specialist.
If your child has already started school—no matter the age—the school is required to conduct a Child Find. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes regulations (34 C.F.R. Section 300.111(a)(1)(i)) that require schools to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all children “who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located, and evaluated.”
Child Find applies to all children residing in any state, even if that child is homeless or is a ward of the state. It also applies to children who are suspected of having a disability or might need special education, even if the child is advancing from grade to grade. The regulatory requirements affect schools because states receive federal funds to assist with paying for education. Schools, therefore, receive federal funds, through their respective state governments, to pay for special education expenses. These expenses include paying teachers, teacher aides, and supplemental materials necessary for instruction. As a result of receiving federal funding, the schools must comply with the federal regulations.
Child Find is significant. Even if you don’t suspect a disability in your child, a teacher is legally required to notice it. Once again, the earlier the diagnosis and knowing whether there is a disability, the sooner you can help your child. It’s also important to remember that your child may still have a disability even if advancing from one grade to the next. Early diagnosis and an IEP can set your child up to maximize potential, not just get by.

Case Example (Child Find)
Montuori v. District of Columbia School District
A.M. (minors’ names are disguised in court cases) was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A.M. had been under a 504 Service Agreement since elementary school. (This agreement details how a school will provide the necessary supports and remove any barriers so a child can access the general curriculum with their classmates). When A.M. entered middle school, another psychological reevaluation was conducted, and another 504 Service Agreement was implemented. The school wanted to offer a 504 Service Agreement, and conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to address A.M.’s escalating behavioral issues. However, the parents wanted an IEP, so they filed a due process complaint (an IEP allows for additional specialized instruction outside the regular curriculum).
The issue before the court was: Had the school district violated its Child Find obligations by not also evaluating A.M. for an IEP? The court found for the parents, that the school had failed to timely evaluate A.M. for an IEP, thus constituting a Child Find violation. Why?
The answer is because Child Find is an “affirmative obligation,” meaning it was a requirement of the school to identify A.M. as a child who may be in need of special education services, and thus should have sent a Permission to Evaluate form to the parents to have the school conduct an evaluation. The school district believed it was relieved of its Child Find obligations when the parents and school officials agreed at a school meeting to proceed with a 504 Plan in lieu of initiating IDEA services.  However, the court noted that even if A.M.’s parents had been content with having only the 504 plan, the school should have sought permission from the parents to do the required testing but failed to do so.

Thought Question:
  1. Do you think your school has violated its Child Find obligations with your child? If so, what evidence do you have? For young children, remember to distinguish between behaviors consistent with other children the same age and behaviors consistent with the disability. These are the factors a court will consider and the school district will use in its defense.
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Case Example (IDEA and “child with a disability”)
Durbrow v. Cobb County School District
C.D. was diagnosed with ADHD in third grade. Nevertheless, he advanced from elementary school through to his junior year of high school, and excelled in advanced academic programs and standardized tests. He was admitted into a select magnet school with accelerated courses, where he received accommodations through a 504 plan. His junior-year teachers dismissed the parents’ suggestion that C.D. also needed an IEP. Two teachers even wrote him letters of recommendation to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, C.D.’s academic performance plummeted his senior year. He amassed late and incomplete work throughout the year, which culminated in five failing grades. The school continued to change his 504 plan with different accommodations, but his grades continued to decline. His parents requested that the school begin the process to evaluate their son for an IEP, and said that C.D. was IDEA-eligible based on his failure to submit his assignments on time. The special education supervisor also believed C.D.’s incomplete work was due to his ADHD, but C.D. himself and his senior-year teachers attributed the failing grades to his procrastination. His parents filed a due process hearing complaint alleging the school district failed in their Child Find obligations. The issue before the court was: Did the IDEA compel the public school district to provide special education to C.D., a student with ADHD, who displayed vast academic potential but struggled to complete his work?
Under the IDEA, a child with a disability is defined as someone with “intellectual disabilities…other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities; and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.” One such health impairment is ADHD that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Therefore, to establish entitlement to a FAPE, a student with ADHD must show that the chronic condition adversely affects academic performance, and thus special education is needed.
The court found the school district did not deprive C.D. of a FAPE because he did not need special education and, therefore, did not qualify as a child with a disability. Additionally, the school district did not breach its Child Find obligations because the IDEA requires schools to identify, locate, and evaluate only children with disabilities. The court concluded C.D. was not a child with a disability because he did not, on account of ADHD, require special education; instead, he met or exceeded academic expectations. He had been admitted to a selective magnet program based on his achievements in math and science and had demonstrated college readiness by excelling on the PSAT. Until his senior year, he passed all of his classes in an advanced academic program, including Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Additionally, C.D.’s teachers testified that special education was inappropriate for him, and none attributed his poor grades to low ability. Although C.D. had difficulty with time management and organization, so too did many of his classmates, particularly at the demanding magnet program.

Thought Questions:
Two key questions to consider if you notice failing grades:
  1. When did your child’s grades start declining?
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  1. What other reasons could cause your child’s grades to decline other than the disability?
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Answers to this second question will allow you to take a broader view of issues that you may have overlooked or forgotten, and will also allow you to anticipate the school’s response.






 

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Jennifer Price is a special education attorney in the Pittsburgh metro area who has received awards for her legal skills and advocacy.  As a former prosecutor, Attorney Price is very familiar with the courts and believes in making sure every child has an opportunity to succeed both in school and in life.  Her boutique law firm provides services protecting and defending against abuses of the criminal justice system, as well as the educational systems.  With 10 years of experience, Attorney Price’s advocacy has resulted in successes, including getting criminal charges withdrawn, preventing children from getting expelled out of school and federal civil rights lawsuits. Aa a speaker, she has presented at seminars and workshops and has also made regular television appearances for her legal opinions.

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