⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐The Silver Falcon by David Tindell #Thriller

 


The Silver Falcon is down in the wilds of the Yukon, and the country that lost it will do anything to keep it out of the hands of anyone else.

 


 

Title: The Silver Falcon (Book 4 of the White Vixen Series)

Author: David Tindell

Pages: 292

Genre: Thriller

October 1990. A mysterious object is seen floating eastward over Alaska, resembling a silver falcon of Tlingit legend. Air Force radar can't see it. Fighter jets scramble to intercept the object, but all the pilots can do is watch it cruise across the border into Canada, where it comes down in a remote part of the Yukon Territory.
USAF special operator Jo Ann Geary, the White Vixen, is dispatched to Dawson City to assist Canadian Rangers in the search for the object in the Cloudy Range of Tombstone Territorial Park. They've barely started their hike when all radio comms with Ottawa and Washington go dead, but not before Jo is told about an unidentified aircraft dropping paratroopers north of the target's last known location. Who are they, and why do they want the Falcon?
As the weather deteriorates, Jo and the Canadian intelligence agent in command of the mission worry that the Rangers will be outnumbered and outgunned if they encounter the airborne troops, who are almost certainly Russians. At the White House, the president is told that the Falcon's technology, whether man-made or extra-terrestrial, could be so important that the invaders might possibly call in a nuclear strike from an offshore submarine if they're unable to keep the Falcon away from the allied force.
Thrust into the midst of indigenous Rangers who don't really trust her, unable to get help from Washington or Ottawa, and facing an enemy force that could be desperate enough to risk war, the Vixen must call on all her skills to survive and prevent the Falcon, whatever it is, from touching off a nuclear cataclysm.

The Silver Falcon is available at Amazon at https://bit.ly/TheSilverFalconEbook.


Book Excerpt


PROLOGUE

Verkhnaya Zaimka Air Base

Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Buryatia

USSR

July 1977

         Ilya Dubrovsky shot to his feet when the Polkovnik entered the sparse conference room. Although Dubrovsky was a Podpolkovnik himself and thus was just one rank below the colonel who was now staring at him with a file in his hand, there was no feeling of comradeship here, not in this room, not on the entire base, as far as Dubrovsky could tell. It was all business, and he had a feeling he was about to find out it was serious business indeed. Why else would he be here?

         “Colonel Lytkin!” Dubrovsky barked the name as he saluted. “Lieutenant Colonel Dubrovsky, reporting as ordered, sir!”

         Lytkin returned the salute with an irritable wave that would have bordered on insolence, had it been directed at a senior officer. “Welcome to Verkhnaya Zaimka, Dubrovnik.”

         “Thank you, sir. And, uh, it’s Dubrovsky.”

         The colonel shook his head. The younger man could see gray bags under the colonel’s eyes, indicating a recent lack of sleep. Perhaps due to this very project, whatever it might be. “Sorry,” he said. The colonel sat at the head of the table and indicated the first chair to his left. “Please, sit.”

         Dubrovsky had to order himself to relax. He slid into the chair and placed his service cap on the table in front of him. He’d already looked around the room, but now he did so again as the colonel fussed with the file. The wooden walls were decorated with stock photos of Soviet Air Force planes. His own skill as a pilot was negligible, but he knew he was here because of his expertise in aerodynamics, not as a pilot. Still, he recognized most of them. There was the MiG-25, one that he had actually flown during training. Another was the Tu-95 turboprop bomber. But there were some he didn’t know. For a moment, he feared there would be a quiz. A cold ball of panic welled up inside him. He knew NATO aircraft backwards and forwards, but his own country’s inventory was largely—

         “Let us begin, Dubrovsky,” the colonel said. “My time is valuable here, and I’m sure yours is, too, back at Gromov.”

The younger man had been posted at Gromov Flight Research Institute near Moscow for three years, ever since his superiors had taken note of his exceptional grasp of aerodynamics. “It is, sir,” he said, “but I serve the Soviet Union, wherever the Rodina sends me. How may I be of service here?”

         Lytkin pushed the file across the table. “I am told you are familiar with these first two aircraft,” he said.

         Dubrovsky opened the file and immediately recognized the airplane in the first photo. What had been an airplane at one time, anyway. “This is an American U-2 spy plane,” he said, noting the remains of the long, narrow fuselage and the even longer wing. Wait, could this be…? He held up the photo to take a closer look. “This is the one we shot down in ’61, isn’t it?”

         “It was 1960, to be precise,” Lytkin said, “but yes, it is the one piloted by the American spy, Powers.”

         “A credit to our air defenses at the time, to bring down the plane the Americans considered invulnerable.”

         Lytkin smiled. “Yes, our defenses were able to shoot him down, but we knew Powers was coming, almost from the moment he took off from Pakistan. Our radar network saw him over Uzbekistan, but he flew another two thousand kilometers before the SAMs took him down near Sverdlovsk. Two thousand kilometers, Dubrovsky. If it had been a bomber, Moscow itself might have been obliterated without us firing a shot. I’m sure you studied the case at Voronezh.”

         Dubrovsky nodded but couldn’t prevent a nervous swallow. He was well aware of the capabilities of the American B-52 strategic bombers, but unlike the U-2, the bombers could not fly above the range of Soviet interceptors. Thankfully, the S-75 Dvina missiles had done their job to bring down Powers. Dubrovsky had indeed become familiar with the U-2 incident at Voronezh Military Aviation Technical School, the Soviet equivalent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, without the pretty mountains in the distance.

         In any event, in the years since Powers, the USSR and its main adversary had grown to rely on intercontinental ballistic missiles for their primary means of retaliation, in case the other side decided to shoot first. Dubrovsky liked to think his country’s leadership had never seriously considered such a thing. As for the Americans, well, they hadn’t fired a shot yet, had they?

The U-2 was certainly interesting, but he still had no idea why he had been brought here, to this remote area near Lake Baikal in the south-central region of his vast country. He suspected it didn’t have anything to do with a seventeen-year-old aircraft that was now obsolete, besides being in pieces somewhere in a Soviet military hangar. Perhaps the second photo would provide some enlightenment. He set the U-2 picture aside and considered the next one. It was a color photo of something that looked right out of Star Wars, the new American science fiction film. Dubrovsky had seen a bootlegged copy just two weeks ago. He studied the photo, and then the realization hit him. “Sir, is this the new American stealth fighter?”

         “It is,” Lytkin said, “and I caution you that it is not to be spoken of outside this room, and only during this meeting. Our friends at KGB will not be pleased if they find out you told anyone about this photo.”

         “Of course, sir,” Dubrovsky said, fighting to tamp down his excitement. He looked at the picture. Even standing still on the floor of a hangar, the swept-winged beauty looked ready to leap into the sky. “Are there any other photos?” he asked. “We have been working on a similar design, but this appears to be much further along than our research has taken us.”

         “There are no other pictures, unfortunately. I am told this is an experimental airframe that will fly within six months. It was built by their Lockheed company. The code name is HAVE BLUE.”

         Dubrovsky was thunderstruck. Soviet engineers were at least seven, probably eight years away from producing a stealth-capable airframe that could do anything other than look good in drawings. “They are that far ahead of us?”

         “Unfortunately, yes,” Lytkin said. “I know you have been working on our own stealth project, in particular an airframe that would allow for high-altitude reconnaissance to a degree Powers and his CIA superiors could only dream of.” He reached forward and took the file, closing it as he brought it closer to his chair. Dubrovsky almost protested, catching himself at the last moment. There were more photos in the file. What might they show? More secret American planes? Perhaps their latest space vehicle? Now, that would be truly exciting. Like every Russian boy, Dubrovsky had at one time dreamed of being a cosmonaut, but his skill as a pilot was not nearly enough to qualify him to go into space. Truly a pity.

         “As you could see, there are more photos in here,” Lytkin said, “but I think you should come with me. Seeing, as they say, is believing, and what I am about to show you, Dubrovsky, is, I would say, best experienced in person.”

         “I am…well, ‘intrigued’ is not quite adequate enough of a word, Colonel.” In truth, the young engineer was also feeling something a bit more pressing: a growing urge to relieve himself.

         Lytkin smiled. “I thought you might be.” He stood, followed quickly by the younger officer. “Follow me.”

         “Yes, sir. And, if I may ask, where is the nearest latrine?”    

***

         Lytkin led him outside, where a UAZ-469 vehicle awaited, engine running, a sergeant standing at the ready. He opened the left rear door as the officers approached and Dubrovsky squeezed himself into the back seat, followed by Lytkin. “Hangar 10,” the colonel ordered when the sergeant was behind the wheel, and no time was wasted as the driver threw the machine into gear and jammed on the accelerator.

         It only took a minute to reach a small hangar, which had a feature Dubrovsky hadn’t seen anywhere else on the base: armed guards. The UAZ pulled to a stop in front of the main entrance and the sergeant got out to open the door for Lytkin. Dubrovsky took it upon himself to exit the vehicle on the passenger side, where he encountered a stern-looking pair of guards wearing the insignia of the Devyatka, from KGB’s Ninth Chief Directorate. He’d seen them before, and knew they were deployed around the nation to guard the country’s most sensitive military installations, including nuclear weapons storage facilities. Could that be what was inside this hangar? He doubted it. Why would Lytkin want to show him a hydrogen bomb? Still, he felt goose bumps on his forearms, in spite of the warm weather.

         The colonel was in command of this base but still had to issue a password for the guards to let him through, and they demanded to see Dubrovsky’s identification. He dutifully produced his propiska, the internal passport every Soviet citizen over sixteen was required to carry at all times. They also examined his Soviet Air Force identification card. Satisfied, they nodded to the colonel and Lytkin led the way into the hangar.

         At an internal doorway there was another check of documents, and this time Lytkin had to produce his as well. They proceeded into a small room and the outer door closed behind them with an audible sucking sound. Dubrovsky turned around in surprise. “A climate-control system,” Lytkin said. “Nothing to be alarmed about.” There was yet another door in front of them, looking like something Dubrovsky might have seen on a submarine. Next to it was a small panel with what appeared to be a radio and a touchpad similar to one of the newer telephones being introduced in the West. Dubrovsky had seen them on a West German TV show a few months ago, when he was on leave in Vienna.

         Lytkin paused as he reached out for the pad. “Dubrovsky, I trust you understand that what I am about to show you is classified ‘Most Secret’?”

         “Of course, sir.”

         The colonel gave him a stern look. “If you were to speak of this to anyone outside of this base, in fact to anyone other than to me personally, our Devyatka friends outside, or some equally determined comrades of theirs, would take you away to someplace that I assure you would be most uncomfortable. And then they would come for me.”

         “I understand, sir. I do have a very high security clearance, as you know.”

         “Yes, but for this, I still had to get confirmation from my superiors at 1st Red Banner Air Army, and they had to get it from Moscow, from the very top. That should give you an indication of the importance of what I am about to show you.” The colonel paused, for what might have been dramatic effect, but the younger man sensed something else: a tinge of fear. The colonel’s eyes flitted to the inside door, and then back to Dubrovsky. The fear was gone now. Dubrovsky recalled that the general had been a decorated aviator in the Great Patriotic War. There’d been a photo in the conference room of a dashing young pilot in the cockpit of his Yak-3 fighter, with six German crosses on the hull below him. A man who had stared down death in the skies, and yet was still fearful of something in this hangar? Dubrovsky had to make an effort to keep his hands from shaking.

Back in full command now, the colonel said, “You are to have a new assignment. You will be working for me, here, on a project that is considered extremely vital to the interests of the Soviet Air Force and the Rodina herself. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

         “Yes, sir.” Dubrovsky felt his knees beginning to weaken. What could possibly be more important than what he had recently begun working on, which was the aerodynamics of the first Soviet spaceplane?

         It was as if the colonel was reading his mind. “Your work on Project BURAN has been duly noted. We are in need here of a talented aerodynamics engineer. You are said to be one of the best in the Soviet Union.”

         “Thank you, sir. May I ask what it is that I will be working on?”

         Lytkin paused, took a deep breath, and stared at the inner door. He appeared to contemplate something, then turned back to Dubrovsky. “You are aware that we are close to Lake Baikal.”

         “Yes, sir. I flew over it on the approach to the base. Very beautiful.”

         “Yes, and very deep, as well. The deepest lake in the world, in fact. And very large, with more water than all of the Great Lakes of North America combined. Its maximum depth is over sixteen hundred meters.”

         “That is…very deep indeed, sir.”

         “Yes. Consider, Dubrovsky, that the nuclear submarines of our Red Banner fleets typically cruise at five hundred meters.”

         “I see, sir.” In fact, Dubrovsky was now becoming confused. What did his work as an aerospace engineer have to do with submersibles? Feeling at least a little more self-assured now that Lytkin had decided to take him into this supreme confidence, he said, “I must confess, sir, that I am at a loss to understand how I may be of service for a project that involves deep diving in a lake.”

         “Oh, that part is over with,” Lytkin said with a smile. “Our Navy comrades were most helpful in the first phase of our project. You see, Dubrovsky, it was something that we found in the lake that brought you here.”

         “’Found,’ sir?”

         “Yes. Fortunately, it was not in the lake’s deepest part. It rested on the bottom at about a thousand meters, well within the capabilities of our brave sailors to recover.” He chuckled. “You know, I have been in the cockpit of our best high-altitude interceptors, at over ten thousand meters of altitude. That MiG-25 you saw in the photo, in the conference room? That was mine. Ten thousand meters up, though, is a lot different than a thousand meters underwater, in my opinion. Even at ten thousand meters, I could bail out from my aircraft and survive. Theoretically, anyway. Powers ejected at nineteen thousand meters, and he made it. But try escaping from a submersible at a thousand meters, and…”

         “We would be crushed, instantly,” Dubrovsky said.

         “Exactly. So, you can understand that the commander of the naval detachment that performed this very dangerous mission received not just one, but two bottles of very expensive vodka from me when he brought his catch to my base.”

         “I…”

         “Well, enough of this chatting. It is time for me to show you what you will be working on for me, my young friend.”

         Lytkin punched a code into the number pad. Dubrovsky heard gears turning from somewhere in the wall, and then the door released with a hiss and swung outward. The colonel gestured toward the doorway. “After you.”

         Lieutenant Colonel Ilya Dubrovsky stepped through the door and encountered the future.

– Excerpted from The Silver Falcon by David Tindell, KDP Select, 2025. Reprinted with permission.


About the Author
 

David Tindell lives in northwest Wisconsin, where he dabbles in radio, trains in the martial arts and studies the warrior ethos. His White Vixen and Quest series have earned stellar reviews. With his wife Sue he travels the world, seeking out new places to feature in his next thriller. He blogs at www.davidtindellauthor.com. Connect with him at X at www.x.com/davidtindell1 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/DavidTindellAuthor

 





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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Unorganized Crime Series by Judy Serrano #MafiaRomance

Secrets have a way of revealing themselves like a towel falling off of a naked body...



Title: Unorganized Crime (Unorganized Crime Series Book 1)

Author: Judy Serrano

Pages: 283

Genre: Mafia Romance/Crime Fiction/Romance/Adventure

As Jazz finds herself falling from a helicopter, Gage St. Claire comes to her rescue. Organized crime is once again the culprit of her parents’ situation, and as usual, she is caught in the crossfire. Gage pulls her out of the water and helps her escape to safety. The love between them is undiscovered as he tries to leave her behind in an attempt to keep her safe and move forward with his black ops pursuit. Jazz becomes an undercover cop with wiping out organized crime forever as her goal. After Jazz exposes one of the largest crime families in the country, quite by accident, she is hired to expose crime syndicate leader Michael Giambetti Jr., otherwise known as Achilles. Achilles earned his nickname because he has no weaknesses. He has no weaknesses, that is until he meets Jazz. Achilles has been untouchable, and if she were to break this case, she could finally prove herself as a serious undercover officer. Her job is not an easy one, and people around her are not who they appear to be. Will Gage come back for Jazz, or will he be lost to her forever? Will she crack the case on her own? Read as this courageous upstart stumbles through another adventure.

Here’s what reviewers are saying about Unorganized Crime!

Serrano is brilliant! Her words grab your interest. This is a real page turner, and one you can’t put down. Serrano’s writing is very versatile. This story combines action, romance, and suspense with many twists and turns. She will have you at the edge of your seat and keep you guessing where the adventure will lead. I highly recommend!

— Bonnie Still

This book was so exciting to read . Judy Serrano is a talented person and author. She writes books in a way that draws you into the story from the first page to the last. I love the characters in Unorganized Crime. It is a stand alone book but if you have not read the Easter’s Lilly series you need to. The way she writes her book makes you feel like you are part of the story and I absolutely like that. The way she makes you feel connected with the character’s. I hope to read more books about Jazz and Gage !!!

— Myra Sharp

Unorganized Crime is available at Amazon.


Title: Unorganized Secrets (Unorganized Crime Series Book 2)

Author: Judy Serrano

Pages: 294

Genre: Mafia Romance/Crime Fiction/Romance/Adventure

With Achilles still on the run, Gage and Hawk do what they can to protect their own. Gage and Jazz make their relationship official, while Hawk decides it’s time to do the same. When Hawk shows up at Elizabeth’s doorstep, she is gone, and his son, whom he has never met, is also missing. The mystery surrounding Elizabeth takes Hawk to a dark place. When he opens the door to Elizabeth’s past, who will he find behind it?  

Unorganized Secrets is available at Amazon.


About the Author
 

Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce with a master’s degree in English. She is the owner of Make Cents Editing Services and is an English teacher at a local high school. Judy writes romantic suspense, Mafia romance, and paranormal romance. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, Ivy Vines, Visions and the Unorganized Crime series. Although originally from New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband and six cats.

Website & Social Media:

Website www.judyserrano.com 

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/AuthorJSerrano 

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/JudySerranoAuthor/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4792103.Judy_Serrano



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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐The Whispering Witch & Nobody Important by Lee J. Mavin #Children

 


Two beautifully written and illustrated children's books...

 


Title: The Whispering Witch

Author: Lee J. Mavin

Pages: 50

Genre: Children's Picture Book (ages 4 - 12 years)

The Whispering Witch starts with a fading world. The trees are turning grey and the islands are sinking beneath the rising seas. Men of earth continued with their bickering and wars and all hope withered. A young girl came from the soil with one purpose, to heal the sick world. She regrew the glaciers and sprinkled down seeds into the rainforests and even brought the dinosaurs back, hatching from new eggs. The infant reptiles stretch out and play in the modern new world and the children adore them. However, the men cry out in object and gather their swords to bring her down. The leaders of earth witnessed these changes and only wanted to maintain order and control. But the leaders of mankind feared her touch. Distrustful of the power they could not control, they cast her away, determined to maintain their rule. Yet the witch did not come for them. Her message was for their children—the next generation, still untouched by the greed and ruin that plagued the old.

So, the powerful leaders of earth hunted her down and cursed her name. She did not fight them and returned back below, beneath the soil. However, she whispered to all the children of the world and asked them all to put away their father’s swords and look to the gardens, watering the world with hope.

Here’s what reviewers are saying about The Whispering Witch!

The Whispering Witch is a beautifully crafted story that blends fantasy with a powerful message about nature, hope, and the dangers of greed. When the earth is on the brink of ruin, a mysterious witch rises to restore balance, but those in power, driven by fear, reject her. Yet, her wisdom is not meant for them—it is for the children, the ones who still have the power to create change. The writing is captivating, drawing readers into a world both magical and deeply relevant. The illustrations bring every page to life, making this a book that will be cherished and revisited time and time again. A must-read for families who love thought-provoking stories with heart and meaning.”

Irina Smirnova

“A deeply moving tale with anime-esque visuals and a profound message to save the planet, this work of art earns four out of five stars. Suitable for readers 7 and up who love nature and advocate positive change, this is the tale of a witch like no other. The only question left to ask is: Will you be the one to listen?”

– Dakota Love

The Whispering Witch is available at Amazon.


Title: Nobody Important

Author: Lee J. Mavin

Pages: 50

Genre: Children's Picture Book (ages 3 - 12 years)

Nobody could have known that the Evil Ones would attack so suddenly from the North. They came with fire and folly, mounted on wild beasts, and the poor Underlings, who were very much undersized and unprepared, cried out for help across the Western Lands. They tried to broadcast the terror to the world and the Higher Elders and Wise Chieftains devised plans to strike back. As the war grew and grew the innocent Underlings watched in horror, hoping for someone to save them. One of those Underlings was Nobody Important (yes that was his actual name), and he came up with an unrealistic plan to stop the Evil Ones.

What was this unrealistic plan and how could somebody named Nobody Important bring an end to the war?

Here’s what reviewers are saying about Nobody Important!

“I really loved this book! This is perfect for children aged 4 to 12 and the illustrations are fantastic. At first the playful words and quirky characters seem to be fun and amusing, however as the story develops, the characters take on a darker side. Nobody Important is clearly reflecting a deeper meaning of current events and gives us hope. Maybe a simple poet like Nobody Important can bring peace?”

Mario Chinwa

Nobody Important is available at Amazon.


About the Author
 

Lee J Mavin is the author of 11 books. He is also a teacher and father. He has a Masters in Creative Writing and am solely focused on writing fiction (fantasy and horror) and poetry. He is now in collaboration the illustrator Karolina Piotrowski, a Polish artist who has brought many stories to life. He has worked and studied in China and Japan and studied with Dr Xiaohuan Zhao (a master of Chinese poetry) to complete his book Li Bai’s Shadow, at the University of Sydney. He has two children who are both avid readers, so he is always in the loop with trends in children’s fiction. He is married and lives in Sydney, where he teaches English. 

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.Leejmavin.com 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/lee.mavin.925 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223234005-the-whispering-witch

TikTok ➜ https://www.tiktok.com/@leemavin4  

Instagram http://www.instagram.com/Mavin798 

 



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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Raising the Dead by Jayne Lisbeth #Women #Friendship

Raising the Dead is the journey of a naive young woman who grows to maturity through the love and mentoring of friends, both living and dead...



 

Title: Raising the Dead

Author: Jayne Lisbeth

Pages: 330

Genre: Coming of Age/Ghost Fiction/Mystery/Supernatural/Women's Friendship

Jayne Lisbeth's second novel, Raising the Dead,  is a coming of age book which delves into the importance of friendship between women and men, strangers and spirits. 

Raising the Dead, bookmarked in the year 1979, is the exploration of a young bride's struggle towards maturity and overcoming the depths of grief.  Ms. Lisbeth's beautiful, poetic prose weaves history, love, friendship, reading,  culinary arts, crafts and the beauty of nature into the development of Emeline, the protagonist of this remarkable work. 

Synopsis: 

 Emeline, a new bride, has been  transported from her beloved home in the California Delta by her husband with their move to his mother's home city, Charles Town, in Virginia.  Marooned in grief after the deaths of her beloved parents. a mysterious elderly woman, Felicity, befriends her. Through Felicity Emeline learns to love reading, cooking. She also becomes confident enough to reach out to others and form new friendships. Felicity teaches Emeline the craft of chair caning, which becomes a lucrative enterprise which further assists Emeline in her search for independence and maturity. When Emeline is most dependent on Felicity her friend mysteriously disappears. With the assistance of her new-found friends Emeline searches and discovers for her lost friend. Through the love of  friendship, her husband and her friends assist Emeline in her search for Felicity, Emeline’s mentor and "other mother,"  Emeline discovers a frightening spiritual reality which uplifts her in unimaginable ways. Through friendship she learns the value of love and the enduring spirit of those who have touched her life, even if they are no longer among the living.

Raising the Dead is a mystery to be unearthed by the reader in these poetic pages.  Loveable and quirky characters, both living and dead, entrance and entertain. Reviewers of Raising the Dead  “can’t put this book down” until they discover how and where Emeline finds her dear friend. Emeline’s  friendships, the development of her relationship with her husband and her search for Felicity help this young bride to move into her future. Emeline is a beloved heroine worthy of the most sophisticated and avid readers.

Raising the Dead is available at Amazon.

 


Book Excerpt

Em breathed in the scent of fresh towels. “Smells like the delta, doesn’t it? Remember how pretty our farm was?” The look that Randy dreaded returned to her eyes.

“It’s going to be alright, Em. I promise. This is a new life for us. This was a good move. We’ll be happy here, you’ll see.” He stepped over the cats and left the little bathroom to retrieve more boxes from the truck.

At the moment, the large obstacle in his mind was not just Em’s continuing sorrow and lack of enthusiasm, but her meeting with Margret. He knew his mother could be difficult and her overwhelming love of Randy could be territorial. Randy hoped his mom would see past Em’s timidity which could make her seem standoffish and cold. He hoped his mom wouldn’t take Em’s timidity the wrong way. On the other hand, he hoped Em wouldn’t blow up over some off-hand innocent remark his mom might make. He had a vague feeling of unease, knowing the two most important women in his life could change in a heartbeat from sweet to sour. He wanted everyone to see Em the way he did: his pretty little bride of two years, with blond curls, violet eyes, curvy body and sweet demeanor. He wished Em could see the good in herself, the essence of who she was, rather than the ignorant delta girl she believed herself to be.

This is a good move, definitely, he reminded himself with each box he unloaded. What could go wrong? They had everything they needed. They had each other. The future looked as bright as any dream he had hoped for in his life with Emeline.

– Excerpted from Raising the Dead by Jayne Lisbeth, Austin Macauley, London, UK, 2023. Reprinted with permission.


About the Author
 

Jayne Lisbeth was born in NYC and continued her life’s journey from Long Island, to New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, California and Tampa, all places featured prominently in her writing.  Her first book, a memoir, Writing In Wet Cement has been published internationally by London based publisher, Austin Macauley. Jayne’s second book, Raising the Dead, a work of historical fiction, mystery, friendship and the supernatural, was published in 2023, also by Austin Macauley.  Ms. Lisbeth publishes monthly “Food for Thought” blogs on her website, Jaynelisbeth.com. Her “Food for Thought” blogs are based on her reflections of  life, friendship, love, and topical subjects of interest. Ms. Lisbeth’s non-fiction, poetry, and short stories have been published from Vermont to California to Tampa, Florida where she has received awards at the local level. She has been published locally in Pages of Our Life, volumes I and II which is currently part of the USF, Tampa, Geriartic Studies Programs. Ms. Lisbeth’s short stories have been published in the LEC Phoenix Anthologies, 2015-2023. Jayne’s interests include writing, reading, exploring, traveling, calligraphy, gravestone rubbing, entertaining and cooking.  Jayne’s author’s website is Jaynelisbeth.com. Ms. Lisbeth and her artist husband, Tim Gibbons, are the owners and founders of Funky As A Monkey Art Studio, providing art in public places and launching new and emerging artists in exhibiting their art.

Author Links  

Website | Amazon Website | Publisher’s Website | Facebook | Instagram



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