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/

 

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.

 

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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2. 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.

★WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS: ★

Website →  www.jenniferpricelaw.com

Twitter →  twitter.com/jennoprice

 

Blog Tour Kick Off: Christmas From the Heart by Sheila Roberts @_sheila_roberts #womensfiction

CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART
Sheila Roberts
* Women's Fiction *

Title: CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART
Author: Sheila Roberts
Publisher: MIRA
Pages: 304
Genre: Women’s Fiction

Olivia Berg’s charity, Christmas from the Heart, has helped generations of families in need in Pine River, Washington, but this year might be the end of the road. Hightower Enterprises, one of their biggest donors since way back when Olivia’s grandmother ran the charity, has been taken over by Ebenezer Scrooge the Second, aka CFO Guy Hightower, and he’s declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart.

Guy is simply being practical. Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, and when you don’t have money to spare, you don’t have money to share. You’d think even the pushy Olivia Berg could understand that.

With charitable donations dwindling, Olivia’s Christmas budget depends on Hightower’s contribution. She’s focused her whole life on helping this small town, even putting her love life on hold to support her mission.

When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he’s relieved to be rescued by a pretty young woman who drives him to the nearby town of Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is none other than Olivia Berg. What’s a Scrooge to do? Plug his nose and eat fruitcake and hope she doesn’t learn his true identity before he can get out of town. What could go wrong?

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y2tcsaog

 Barnes & Noble → https://tinyurl.com/yyod48yz

AudioBooks → https://tinyurl.com/y42jfzfs

Audible → https://tinyurl.com/y3z72gwn

iTunes → https://tinyurl.com/y65o3rzz

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The scenery on Highway 2 was travel magazine worthy. Guy had seen enough of the world to know heaven when he saw it, and Western Washington with its lush trees, sparkling waters and mountains was, indeed, heaven. Not a bad detour if you had to take one.

Guy roared through Monroe, then Sultan and Skyway, racing past forests and rivers, pastures, and barns. The snow was really starting to come down. He’d have to stop and chain up once he reached the pass.

Three miles past Gold Bar his steering lost power, turning the car from a smooth driving, purring tiger to a rhino. He checked the dash and saw his alternator light was on. What was this? He pulled over, got out and opened the hood and looked under it to discover that his serpentine belt had broken. No notice, sudden as a heart attack.

Except for that squeal. He’d heard it earlier, too, but hadn’t paid attention.

He had no choice but to pay attention now. Guy may not have been an expert on cars but he did know that without that belt, he was going nowhere.

Frowning, he pulled his cell phone out of his North Face jacket. He hoped he wouldn’t have to wait long for his towing service to get to him. Who knew where they could tow him. Would he find a garage anywhere that would have a belt for an Italian sports car?

No cell reception. Oh, yeah, it just got better and better.

“Great,” he muttered. He’d just had this baby tuned up a couple months back. He shouldn’t be stuck here in the middle of nowhere. Why had he paid extra at the foreign car dealership for all those maintenance checks if they weren’t going to check and maintain everything?

There was nothing for it. He’d have to walk back to town and find a phone.

He slammed the hood shut, pulled his boots out of the trunk and put them on, still frowning. He liked snow, he was fit enough to walk ten miles if he had to. He just didn’t want to. He wanted to reach his destination. Thanks to whatever Gremlins had hopped in his engine along the way that probably wasn’t happening today.

He was just starting his trudge to town when an older model Honda Civic passed him and then stopped. It backed up and the passenger side window slid down. “Looks like you’ve got car troubles. Would you like a lift?” offered the driver.

Hadn’t this woman’s dad ever told her never to pick up strangers? If she was his sister he’d sure rip her a new one for stopping to let some man in her car, even in a blizzard. She had green eyes, curly hair the color of honey and plump, little kiss-me lips. Any crazy would climb right in and do who knew what to her.

Guy wasn’t crazy, but he was pissed, and in no mood to make polite conversation.

 “That’s okay, I’m fine,” he said, and continued to trudge on.

Freezing his ass off. Okay, maybe he was crazy.

Except, pissed as he was, he’d generate more than enough steam to keep warm.

She sure was cute though.

She coasted along beside him, backwards. “Not that you don’t look fit enough to walk, but it’s a ways in either direction. Cell phone reception can be spotty.”

He’d already discovered that.

“Maybe you’re afraid of girls?” she teased.

Not this girl. She had a smile like a magnet. Did he really want to walk back to Gold Bar?

He got in. “Thanks. I appreciate the lift.”

“Where are you headed?”

“Idaho. Christmas with the family.” Step-family.

“Oh, my. You took the long way.”

“I had to stop in Arlington and pick up something for my mom.”

She nodded and smiled, obviously impressed by what a good son he was. Was this woman always so trusting?

He felt compelled to ask, “You don’t always go around picking up strangers, do you?”

“Oh, no.” She smiled. Man, those lips.

“That’s good. Cause you never know what kind of crazies are out there.”

“You didn’t look like one.”

“Ted Bundy probably didn’t either. Ever hear of him?” Okay, that sounded creepy.

Her smile faltered momentarily.

“I promise I’m not a serial killer,” he said in an effort to uncreep himself.

The smile returned full force. “I didn’t think so. I’m a good judge of character.”

“Yeah?” Suddenly he was feeling a little less pissed.

“Oh, yes,” she said with a nod that made the curls bounce.

He was a sucker for curly hair. You hardly ever saw women with real curly hair anymore. Why was that?

“And what makes you such a good judge of character?” he teased. She smelled like peppermint. He wondered if this little cutie was taken. Hard to tell since she was wearing gloves. There had to be a ring on that left hand. She looked about thirty, and by their thirties hotties like this one were never single. Or if they were they came with baggage.

“I deal with a lot of people. You get so you know.”

“Yeah? What do you do?” Coffee shop waitress, perhaps? Judging by the car she was driving, nothing that paid much.

“I run a non-profit.”

Oh, no. One of those. A person out to help others … using someone else’s money, of course. The memory of his unpleasant encounter with Olivia Berg arrived on the scene, irritating as jock itch. He could feel his jaw tightening.

This woman isn’t Olivia Berg. Don’t take your irritation out on her. “What’s the name of your organization?” he asked, the very image of diplomatic courtesy.

“Christmas from the Heart.”

“Christmas from…?” Oh, no. This wasn’t happening. This was some sick dream.

“Have you heard of it?”

“Uh, yeah.” The last thing he wanted was to be captive in a car with this woman. “Hey, any place you can drop me where there’s a phone will be great.” In fact, let me get out of this car right here, right now.

“I can do better than that. We’re not far from Pine River where I live,” she said. “We’ve got a garage there and Morris Bentley is an excellent mechanic. They can tow your car and have it fixed in no time.”

The sooner the better.

“My name’s Olivia Berg. My friends call me Livi.”

He would not qualify for friendship once she learned who he was. As far as this woman was concerned he was the devil incarnate.

She gave him an encouraging glance. And your name is?

Oh, boy. He could feel the sweat sneaking out of his pores. He’d been perfectly justified in cutting loose her little charity. He had no cause to feel guilty. None. But there she was smiling at him like they were on the road to friendship. Little Olivia Berg, the great judge of character. And here he was, feeling like Scrooge in front of a firing squad. With no blindfold.

Even though he had nothing to be ashamed of he couldn’t seem to spit out his name. Lie.

“Joe.” Yeah, Joe. Good, old everyman Joe.

Her expression asked, “Joe What?”

Joe…Joe… Why was this woman so pushy?

A truck rolled past, sending up a rooster tail of snow. “Ford,” he added. “Joe Ford.”

“Nice to meet you, Joe.”

She wouldn’t be saying that if she knew who he was.

 

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Best-selling author Sheila Roberts has seen her books published in a dozen different languages and made into movies for both the Hallmark and Lifetime channels. She’s happily married and lives in the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not hanging out with girlfriends, speaking to women’s groups or going dancing with her husband she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

★WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS★

Website → http://www.sheilasplace.com

Twitter →https://twitter.com/_Sheila_Roberts

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

Goodreads → https://tinyurl.com/y34aruj8

 

Blog Tour Kick Off: Dead Reckoning by Caitlin Rother @caitlinrother #truecrime #deadreckoning

DEAD RECKONING
Caitlin Rother
* True Crime *

Title: DEAD RECKONING
Author: Caitlin Rother
Publisher: WildBlue Press
Pages: 504
Genre: True Crime

Tom and Jackie Hawks loved their life in retirement, sailing on their yacht, the Well Deserved. But when the birth of a new grandson called them back to Arizona, they put the boat up for sale. Skylar Deleon and his pregnant wife Jennifer showed up as prospective buyers, with their baby in a stroller, and the Hawkses thought they had a deal. Soon after a sea trial and an alleged purchase, however, the older couple disappeared and the Deleons promptly tried to access the Hawkses’ bank accounts.

As police investigated the case, they not only found a third homicide victim with ties to Skylar, they also uncovered an unexpected and unusual motive: Skylar had wanted gender reassignment surgery for years. By killing the Hawkses with a motley crew of assailants and plundering the couple’s assets, the Deleons had planned to clear their $100,000 in debts and still have money for the surgery, which Skylar had already scheduled.

Now, in this up-to-the-minute updated edition, which includes extensive new material, New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother presents the latest breaking developments in the case. Skylar, who was ultimately sentenced to death row for the three murders, transitioned to a woman via hormones while living in the psych unit at San Quentin prison. Recently, she legally changed her name and gender to female, apparently a strategic step in her quest to obtain taxpayer-subsidized gender confirmation surgery and transfer to a women’s prison. Combined with Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent moratorium on executions, this only adds insult to injury for the victims’ families, who want Skylar to receive the ultimate punishment for her crimes.

“Rother gives readers compelling insight to an unthinkable American nightmare. A gripping read… frank and frightening… it sizzles.”
—Aphrodite Jones, host of True Crime on Investigation Discovery and bestselling author

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y3jr7mk3

 WildBlue Press → https://tinyurl.com/yyj9xlvk

 

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PROLOGUE

Alonso Machain was unemployed, with bills to pay, so he took up his friend Skylar Deleon’s offer to help restore a family boat at the Cabrillo yard in Long Beach, California.

As they were sanding the Hatteras together, Skylar boasted about his plans for fixing up his new toy, which he’d gotten from his grandfather. Then Skylar offered his twenty-one-year-old buddy a much more lucrative job.

“How much are you talking about?” Alonso asked.

“A couple million dollars,” Skylar said.

“Wow. How do you make a couple million dollars without it being illegal?”

“Well,” Skylar said, “it’s not really illegal, unless you get caught.”

As Skylar’s plan evolved in the coming days of October 2004, the promised payoff for Alonso soon increased to “several million” dollars to help Skylar “take care” of some people who had done something bad and pissed somebody off.

Skylar wasn’t usually paid for these gigs, he said, but he got to keep the assets of the “targets,” who were typically well-off. His first contract, for example, was a guy who’d been selling drugs in Huntington Beach schools and owed money to the wrong people.

Skylar said he’d split the proceeds of his next job with Alonso, but didn’t give him much time to mull it over.

“So, you want to do it or not?” Skylar asked a couple days later.

Alonso wasn’t really sure what to think. Skylar was always talking about how rich he and his family were, and Alonso believed him. Although he knew Skylar liked to tell stories, he never stopped to consider that the few times Skylar had thrown him a mere twenty dollars for the boat restoration work, they’d had to drive to an ATM to get it.

After Alonso decided to take the job, Skylar went into more detail about the plan, showing him photos of a yacht called the Well Deserved, whose wealthy owners had put it up for sale. Alonso’s role was to help Skylar get “in” with the owners, Tom and Jackie Hawks, then hold them down.

The fifty-five-foot trawler was moored in the upscale community of Newport Beach in Orange County, a sharp contrast to the sprawling mix of urban, industrial, and suburban areas of Long Beach, where Skylar lived with his wife, Jennifer, in neighboring Los Angeles County.

Unlike the spacious homes in Newport, decorated in the mute beiges and sandstone of the wealthy, home for Skylar and Jennifer was a cramped converted garage behind her parents’ duplex. Space was so tight the Deleons had to stack their belongings on the floor and hang their clothing from a pole lodged between two dressers next to the bed. It was a far cry from the opulent mansions featured on The Real Housewives of Orange County and The O.C.

Contrary to the story he’d told Alonso about the $3 million a month he’d earned working with Ditech Funding, Skylar had been fired from his job as appraiser’s assistant there and looked at his wealthier neighbors in “The O.C.” with envy. He coveted their waterfront homes, boats, and private planes that he couldn’t afford, and he lied to persuade folks that he could.

Although he wasn’t anywhere near as smart or capable as Bernie Madoff in building a complex financial scheme, Skylar’s scam was just as—if not more— deceitful. And when it came to lying and manipulating people, Skylar was pretty good at that, too.

The next time he and Alonso met, Skylar said he’d analyzed photos of the boat’s interior for radios and weapons, such as spearguns, and had determined the best way to overcome the couple. Using stun guns and handcuffs, Alonso would grab Jackie in the galley while Skylar took down Tom in the stateroom, where no one could hear him scream.

Skylar said he’d considered taking Tom scuba diving and finishing him off underwater, but he’d realized that would preclude the Hawkses from signing over the boat title and power-of-attorney documents he was going to draw up.

“What I’ll do is just take them out to sea and toss them overboard,” he said.

They purchased two stun guns together, then Skylar sent Alonso, a former jail guard he’d befriended while serving time for armed burglary a year earlier, to buy two pairs of handcuffs.

The next day, November 6, Skylar said it was time to do the deed. By now, Alonso felt it was too late to extricate himself from the situation. If twenty-five-year-old Skylar really was a hit man, what would prevent him from harming Alonso?

As they drove to the dock, Skylar stopped a couple blocks away to scope out who was aboard, then called Tom to pick them up in his dinghy. The Hawkses were expecting them.

On board, Tom proudly gave them a tour of his home, but Alonso could see from Skylar’s tone of voice and body language that he’d changed his mind. Skylar seemed far too relaxed to kill anyone as he chatted with Tom for forty-five minutes about possible modes of payment. Before they left, Skylar made sure that Tom and Jackie knew he was definitely interested in purchasing the vessel and would be back for a lesson on how to operate it.

Skylar told Alonso afterward that he’d changed his mind once he’d realized that Tom was too muscular for the two of them to overpower alone. They really needed a third man. Skylar also sensed some discomfort on the Hawkses’ part, so he called Jennifer on his cell phone as soon as they got back to the car.

“Hey, you need to come down, take a look at the boat, to make these people feel a little more at ease,” he told her.

After sending Alonso on his way, Skylar and his pregnant wife went back on board, pushing their ten-month-old daughter, Haylie, in a stroller, to do just that.

 

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New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored 13 books, ranging from narrative nonfiction to memoir and crime fiction. Her latest titles are the true-life thriller Hunting Charles Manson and her memoir short, Secrets, Lies, and Shoelaces. A former investigative reporter at daily newspapers for 19 years, Rother has been published in Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe and Daily Beast. She has appeared more than 200 times on TV, radio and podcasts internationally, including Australian Broadcast Corp’s “World News,” “Crime Watch Daily,” “People Magazine Investigates,” “Nancy Grace,” “Snapped,” and dozens of shows on Netflix, Investigation Discovery, Oxygen, A&E, Reelz, C-SPAN and various PBS affiliates. Rother also works as a writing-research coach and consultant, leads writing workshops, and plays keyboards and sings in an acoustic group called breakingthecode. She is working on two new books, one titled “Justice for Rebecca,” about the Rebecca Zahau death case, and one about the San Diego Zoo’s Frozen Zoo. Please visit her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or visit her website at https://www.caitlinrother.com.

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