Thank you to Charles Watson for the guest post on self-help strategies for recovering from addiction! Take it away, Charles:

Best Self-Help Strategies for People in Recovery

People are often taught to seek help when experiencing a recovery crisis. Although this is advisable at the beginning, it can also be helpful to perform some self-help strategies to boost chances of recovery. Read further to find out what you can do.

Self-help is a topic that is often explored in improving one’s wellness, business, or other individualistic pursuit. There are countless books and resources published in the topic of self-help, and it can sometimes be overwhelming which strategies are helpful for someone who has specific needs.

What is self-help?

Self-help, by definition, is using one’s own resources and will power to achieve things without the seeking the need of other people. This concept can be applied in many areas of your life while in recovery, such as forming of healthy habits, productivity, improving relationships, and many others.

Although it is understandable that you will still need the help of professionals when it comes to looking out for your health, there are some aspects of yourself that can be improved only through your choice. When you choose to better yourself, it helps you take another step towards recovery success.

What are the benefits of self-help strategies in recovery?

Self-help can supplement other recovery methods.

Self-help tools can aid your other recovery plans, such as those imposed to you if you go to a rehabilitation center. For example, a nutritionist may provide you with a diet plan that you should follow for recovery.

Accompanying this with self-help strategies to improve your sleeping habits can further aid in your health and increase your chances for recovery.

It can provide you with the motivation you need.

Many people find themselves motivated at the initial part of a rehabilitation period. However, as time goes by and the challenges to stay sober increase, it may be difficult to be on the right track.

Adopting self-help strategies could alleviate this lack of motivation and could give you the habit-forming tools to stay away from your old habits.

It can give you a strengthened mental perspective.

One of the cornerstones of self-help is discipline and control, and this is what you need on your road to recovery. Having a strong mental perspective gives you the ability to resist all kinds of temptations especially after you get away from rehabilitation centers or other controlled environments.

The ability to say “no” can be hard to achieve if you don’t have a strong mind. Acquiring a strong mind through self-help may be beneficial to your success.

Having mentioned all these self-help benefits, what are some of the best strategies in this area that can push you towards your goal?

What are self-help strategies to use for recovery?

Have a reality check about your substance abuse.

The most common hurdle for people who are undergoing addiction is their denial to the extent of their current state. As a person who is constantly taking substances, you need to admit that you have an addiction. Admitting to yourself that you need help is the first step in understanding and accepting the steps that you need to take for progress.

The most common signs that you have substance addiction are:

● Interference of drug use to your daily life

● Consistent use of substances even when it’s no longer prescribed or recommended

● Taking steps, even if morally wrong, to acquire substances such as drugs or alcohol

● Loss of control or irrational thoughts due to substance use

● Engaging in reckless behavior

● Physical health problems due to malnutrition on continued substance use

Read self-help addiction recovery material.

There are many inspirational and motivational books about addiction recovery that can help you get started with improving your mental strength. A lot of these books can vary in content–some of them contain touching stories of those who succeeded, and other have more specific steps you can take during the process of recovery.

These self-help books are meant to help you see the consequences of further addiction, make you understand how your addiction works, and what are some small habits you can pick up to keep yourself sober. Some of the top best sellers are:

● The Naked Mind: Control Alcohol by Annie Grace

● Integral Recovery by John Dupuy

● Awakening the Brain by Charlotte Tomaino

● Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy by David Sheff

Explore these titles and see which ones are applicable to you.

Attend self-help groups.

Another strategy that can help people to succeed in recovery is attending self-help groups. When it comes to fighting addiction, having a support group is essential to help build accountability towards each other.

Many self-help groups have people who did not necessarily go to rehab centers to fight their problems. A lot of them listened to others, found emotional strength through each other’s support, or found that socialization is a great occupation to keep them away from substances.

Some of the popular self-help groups are Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. If you already have a rehab center that you’re currently attending, there may be support groups available to your current demographic and personal needs. Alternatively, there are also non 12 step rehab centers offering holistic services with support groups to help those in recovery.

Replace old habits with new ones.

Addiction is not about removal, but rather replacement. When you simply remove something in your life, that specific void will always have a need to be filled. This is why going cold turkey against substances often prove to be ineffective because people fail to replace their old habits with healthy ones.

A self-help strategy that is also applied in many rehab centers is searching for habits that help people stay away from drugs and alcohol. For example, instead of taking in drugs, people can pursue other hobbies such as going to the gym, adopting a pet, or attending events. Being idle can play tricks in your head, and make you feel like there’s a sense of lack. Research shows that you need a minimum of 21 days to establish a good habit in your daily routine.

Help yourself on the road to recovery

The road to recovery is comprised of many elements–seeking help from others, following specific steps, and having the self-motivated decision to succeed. As these elements come together, you will have better chances of taking the path towards addiction recovery.

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#IWSG Plentiful Publication Pitfalls

August 1, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Happy August, writers! Join the Insecure Writer’s Support Group at Alex Cavanaugh’s blog.

Thank you to this month’s courageous co-hosts:

Erika Beebe, Sandra Hoover, Susan Gourley, and Lee Lowery!

I love this month’s question: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?

I’ve faced publication pitfalls galore so I hope that sharing them will help newbie authors avoid them. Here are beliefs that put the pain in publishing:

1) “I’ve got this writing thing.” I thought my debut novel was well-written. It wasn’t. WRITING IS A CRAFT. It takes years of developing the craft even to knock on the door of good writing. I feel more confident in my day job after over twenty years of experience, so why did I think I was competent at writing after only a few fledgling years of fan fiction? Fortunately I had the opportunity to re-edit my debut novel seven years later, so at least now I can read it without cringing.

2) “My book should hit the shelves soon.” I pride myself in finishing tasks efficiently and often feel impatient when others don’t do the same. The fact is that publishing is full of excruciating waits. Waiting for…responses to queries, publication contracts, multiple rounds of editing (fortunately my editor is super speedy–love her!), proofreading, cover design, book design, marketing materials, marketing assistants…and that’s before the book is even released. Not to mention it’s rare (and often requires years of persistence) to publish with a large publisher who gets your book on shelves.

3) “It’s clear when a book is good or bad.” Reading is so subjective! What one reader loves, another hates. Regarding one of my brash heroes, one reviewer said, “Where can I get a Dane in my life?” whereas another said, “Dane is the WORST hero I have ever read about.” I felt proud of the writing in my latest release–too bad it has been my worst seller. Considering the subjectivity and flooded market, we need to write the stories in our hearts instead of wondering what readers will like or buy.

One common thread through all of my pitfalls is expectations. I wish I could quiet my planner brain and live more in the present. I don’t know much about Buddhism, but one friend described it as “letting go of expectations”. Sounds like a good way to live and write.

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Christmas in July #NewAdult #Book #Sale #SportsRomance #.99

July 22, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Welcome to the New Adult Christmas in July Promo! This week you’ll find all these wonderful New Adult titles for $2.99 or less out on Amazon. (My book, BLOCKED, is only $.99!) Be sure to read up on each title and check them out.

Death Island

Author: Kelsey Ketch Her family name tainted by her great-grandfather’s crimes of piracy, Meriden Cummings is far from the typical 18th century woman. A social outcast, she works in a carpentry shop in a small village, where the people barely tolerate unconventional behavior. However, her life takes a turn after a gang of pirates attack her village and her blood reveals an ancient map adorned with Mayan glyphs leading to Death Island. An island legends say is ruled by the Mayan god of the underworld, Ah Puch. Her great-grandfather had sought after the island before he vanished without a trace. Now, Meriden is about to journey across the sea to understand her family history. There are only a few problems: her growing feelings toward a mysterious stranger linked to her great-grandfather’s past; a greedy band of pirates after her great-grandfather’s legendary treasure; and a contract she has unwittingly signed in blood with Ah Puch himself.

Amazon

Blocked

Author: Jennifer Lane Blocked is a New Adult sports romance. College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. ¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her. Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President. When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

Amazon

Olympian Passion

Author: Andrya Bailey Olympian Passion is the first book in the Olympian trilogy, by romance author Andrya Bailey. It is the recipient of Readers’ Favorite 5-star seal and 2016 New Apple Literary Medalist Winner in Contemporary Romance. Sabrina loves everything about Greek mythology and can’t believe when she’s accepted for an internship at the Fine Arts Museum in Houston. There, she meets the handsome Greek archaeologist Nikos Soulis, who will spend two months at the museum, and she falls head over heels for him. But the sexy professor seems too busy and already spoken for… so why does he insist on helping her with her project? Can Sabrina avoid heartbreak when she is seduced by the hot Olympian-looking god of her dreams? “A great romance that does justice to the mythological theme.”

Amazon

Tin Man’s Dance

Author: MK Schiller The one time Lilly Franklin rewards herself with a front-row concert ticket is turning into an epic fail. Not to mention the tall, cocky boy who claims her front-row seat is all wicked smiles, long legs and tug-worthy hair. Well, he’s messing with the wrong girl. But as the night wears on, Lily starts to see a softer side of former marine, James “Hutch” Hutchinson. A side that makes her shed her loner inhibitions along with her clothes. There is a difference between trouble and troubled. In Hutch, she has found both. Hutch lost more than a leg in the Iraqi desert. Returning to school on the GI Bill wasn’t exactly in the plans…but plans change. Now he only wants to meet the mysterious dancer, but he’s forgotten how to talk to women, especially one as graceful as Lilly. So armed with a plan that even a twelve-year-old would laugh at, he steals Lilly’s seat. Only fair since she stole his heart first. But Lilly has plans, too. As if Hutch’s life wasn’t already a sh*t storm of sacrifice. How can he give up the one thing that’s made him feel real?

Amazon

If We Had No Winter

Author: D.L. Pitchford Does a father who abandoned his family deserve a second chance? Can an unwanted daughter restore her faith in men? Or has Billie already sabotaged her chance at first love? After her parents’ divorce, introverted Billie Dixon buries herself in her studies. Her plan? To stay out of sight, out of mind, and out of trouble. But that plan fails when she starts at Bradford College. While hopeful to renew her relationship with her estranged father, she struggles to resist the advances of her persuasive tutoring student. But no one gets under her skin like her best friend’s playboy roommate, whose snarky smirk drives her up a wall…and into his bed. But is Billie too broken to open her heart again? If she can’t find closure with her father, she’ll close the door on love. But a huge fight with her father threatens to ruin any hope of healing her past and securing her future. If you enjoyed Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or Looking for Alaska by John Green, you’re sure to love IF WE HAD NO WINTER.

Amazon

His Dark Magic

Author: Pat Esden Its power is legendary. It can fulfill every impossible magical desire. But for one young witch seeking redemption, the Northern Circle coven will challenge her skills—and her heart—beyond measure. One tragic impulsive mistake made Chloe Winslow an outcast to her influential magic family. As a medical student, she wants to combine science with sorcery to heal those she hurt and right her wrongs. But brilliant, charismatic Devlin Marsh re-routes her plans with a once-in-eternity offer: membership in the exclusive Northern Circle, a mysterious Vermont coven known for pushing the limits. Enthralled by Devlin and their mesmerizing mutual attraction, Chloe makes a dangerous sacrifice to help the Circle’s high priestess awaken Merlin himself—and learn his timeless cures. But a foreshadowing soon causes Chloe to doubt the Circle’s real motives, as well as Devlin’s . . . Now Merlin’s demonic shade is loose in the human world, while Chloe and Devlin’s uneasy alliance will pit them against ancient enemies, malevolent illusions, and shattering betrayal. And with the fate of two realms in the balance, Chloe must risk her untried power against a force she can’t defeat—and a passion that could destroy her.

Amazon

House of Goths

Author: Maria Bernard House of Goths – Not Your Average Fraternity House Becky Sparks is a sweet, average girl who refuses to spend her college years in a lonely, soul destroying dorm, surrounded by people who don’t care enough to ask her name. Bassist Kelley Keele is a Goth with a dark past. He resides at what he and his equally eccentric bandmates, Crispin, and Dorian, like to refer to as the House of Goths. On the first day of class, these two polar opposites literally crash into each other. Mesmerized by his overwhelming persona, Becky forms an instant bond with the scary Goth with red streaks in his hair. So much so that when she spies him putting up an ad for a fourth housemate, Becky jumps at the chance to move in, away from her dreary life at the unfriendly dorm. The problem is, well, she’s a girl and a mundane one at that.

Amazon

Reckless Treasure

Author: Cecily Wolfe When her mother is sleeping with the man she loves, what’s a girl to do? Francesca is weeks away from high school graduation and the hope of escaping her self-centered, grasping family – her trashy mother and hustling twin brother. While her crush on their older neighbor holds her attention, she is blind to what everyone else can clearly see, the love her best friend Mitch carries in his heart for her. When her dead grandmother’s high school boyfriend returns to town for his class reunion, his immediate attraction to Francesca is a game changer. Can Mr. Long – and his wealth – open up undreamed of opportunities for Francesca’s future, and at what price?

Amazon

Calling California

Author: J.P. Grider A modern day story about pride and prejudice… Cali Parker is poor. She has a lot on her plate – her father is dying, she’s working to help pay the rent, and she’s two-years behind in college. Griffin Brooks is rich. He has not a care in the world – he’s acing his engineering courses, his hobby is restoring his fifty-thousand dollar classic car, and he has a different girl on his arm every week. When Cali sees Griffin on her first day of class, she’s immediately smitten and thinks she’s found the perfect guy. When Griffin sees Cali at the bank, he immediately forgets the blonde he was with that morning. Then they meet, and their worlds collide. Cali doesn’t belong in Griffin’s world, and he doesn’t understand hers. But just when Griffin convinces Cali that their two different worlds can blend, a secret is revealed that tears them apart. Is their love strong enough to bring them back together, or will their worlds drift further apart?

Amazon

Just One Summer

Author: Lynn Stevens One summer, no regrets Carly Reynolds does not want to work at her father’s Branson theater over the summer, but she has no choice. After wrecking his prized Mercedes on Prom night, she’s got to pay him back somehow before she leaves for college. Now she’s stuck working as the personal assistant to twenty-year-old Gracin Ford, former member of one-hit-wonder boy band Accentuate. Gracin is demanding, condescending, and an all-around jerk. Carly would rather eat glass than deal with a male diva who’s more famous for his stint in rehab than his music. Until she realizes that Gracin’s lonely. Once she welcomes him into her life, she starts to let him into her heart. Even though she knows it will end when she leaves for school, Carly doesn’t want to look back on her life and wonder what if. Even if it means a broken heart.

Amazon

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#IWSG July #GOALS

July 4, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Whoops I hope I’m not too late (only one day?) to post for the Insecure Writers Support Group, July version. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for starting the group–join us here!

I’m in Hilton Head with my seven-month old niece, whose cuteness supersedes any blog schedule in my mind.

Hop on over to this month’s awesome co-hosts!

Co-Hosts
Nicki Elson

Juneta Key

Tamara Narayan

Patricia Lynne

Now onto this month’s question:

What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time?

Writing started as a need to express myself, and I got lost in the characters and stories I created. Over time, more goals emerged, including the desire to inspire hope for healing and demystifying psychotherapy as one path for that healing. Another big goal has been connecting with authors and readers.

As a psychologist, I often encourage clients to focus on the process instead of the outcome. But since I’m a competitive person, I get drawn into outcome goals: sales and reviews. I wish I didn’t care as much about those, because outcome goals sometimes interfere with my enjoyment of the process. (Though a great review can sure inspire the process!)

I’m still on a writing hiatus so for now my goal is to enjoy friends and family on the weekends.

What are your #goals?

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New Release: MURDER AT THE MARINA by @Ellen_Jacobson #5starreview

June 22, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Congratulations to Ellen Jacobson on the release of her debut novel, Murder at the Marina!

First I welcome Ellen for a guest post, followed by my FIVE-STAR review. Take it away, Ellen:

Thanks for hosting me on your site today to celebrate the release of my cozy mystery, Murder at the Marina. This is the first book in the lighthearted and humorous Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery series, featuring a reluctant sailor turned amateur sleuth.

My own sailing adventures and misadventures inspired me to write this series. My husband and I bought our first sailboat in New Zealand in 2012. After a couple of years cruising in those beautiful waters, we returned to the States and bought a bigger boat which we moved onto in 2015. We’ve since cruised in Florida and the Bahamas, labored over endless boat projects, and worked to keep our cruising kitty (savings) topped up.

I wanted to reflect my experiences learning to sail, cruising and living aboard a boat, and being part of the boating community in my cozy mysteries. You could say that there’s a little bit of me in my main character, Mollie.

I thought I’d share one of the boating tidbits which I wrote about in Murder at the Marina—namely, fear of alligators and other sea monsters. When Mollie first visits Palm Tree Marina and walks down the dock, she worries about falling into the water and what dangers might lurk there. I can completely relate to this as we have alligators who make their home at our marina, swimming right next to my boat. Typically, alligators aren’t interested in attacking humans, but, unfortunately, there’s always someone who decides to feed them. Not a great idea. The gators start to associate humans with food and, more often than not, they have to be removed and destroyed.

Now that I’ve become more accustomed to alligators, I don’t freak out as much as I used to. In fact, we have a couple of babies swimming around at the marina right now and I caught myself thinking that they were adorable. Then I remembered the teeth. It will be interesting to see if Mollie does encounter alligators, crocodiles, or other creatures over the course of the series and how she reacts.

If you’d like to learn more about Mollie and her sailing adventures, you can find details about Murder at the Marinabelow.

Murder at the Marina by Ellen Jacobson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Little Sweet Potato Sleuth

What a charming debut novel!

Mollie McGhie is an intrepid journalist who has just moved to a Florida coastal town with her husband, Scooter. Scooter has some endearing nicknames for his wife, like, My Little Sweet Potato, but his 10th wedding anniversary gift is not so endearing: a ramshackle sailboat. Neither Mollie nor Scooter possesses the skills to rehabilitate the boat, much less sail the open sea.

Mollie’s disdain for the sailboat multiplies when she finds a dead body on deck. Who murdered the victim? Suspects abound in the town’s colorful cast of characters.

After Mollie overhears one suspicious conversation, her clueless question cracked me up:

“Wait until those new marks of yours find out what you sold them.”

He shook Penny by the shoulders. “You better not say anything, you hear me?”

I was left with one question—who were these new marks she was referring to?

Chocolate is Mollie’s fuel for sleuthing. Not only is she trying to identify the murderer, but also she believes one woman in town suffers from alien abduction. Good thing her “journalist” job is for the Federation of Alien Research, Outreach, and UFO Tracking. She’s determined to beat out another woman for promotion.

Mollie’s investigative efforts do not impress the police chief.

”Mrs. McGhie, what a surprise to find you here. You seem to specialize in finding bodies.” Chief Dalton raised both of his eyebrows. “That makes two bodies in just four days, doesn’t it?”

His math was correct. I guess the ability to be able to do simple arithmetic was an important skill for police officers. That’s probably why I never joined the force. I struggle with math. I’m also scared of guns.

I found the female version of Inspector Clouseau to be fun and entertaining despite the danger swirling around her. A great read!

View all my reviews

Blurb

A dilapidated sailboat for your anniversary—not very romantic. A dead body on board—even worse.

Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her husband presents her with a dilapidated sailboat. Just one problem—she doesn’t know anything about boats, nor does she want to.

When Mollie discovers someone murdered on board, she hopes it will convince her husband that owning a boat is a bad idea. Unfortunately, he’s more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set out to sea.

Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring dealing in stolen marine equipment, investigates an alien abduction, eats way too many chocolate bars, adopts a cat, and learns far more about sailing than she ever wanted to.

Can Mollie discover who the murderer is before her nosiness gets her killed?

Buy Links

Murder at the Marina—A Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery #1

Print ISBN 978-1-7321602-1-7
eBook ISBN 978-1-7321602-0-0
Mystery

Amazon (US) – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CHXQ29Y

Amazon (CA) – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07CHXQ29Y

Amazon (UK) – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CHXQ29Y

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-at-the-marina

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-at-the-marina-ellen-jacobson/1128516692

Apple iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1373848719

Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ellen_Jacobson_Murder_at_the_Marina

Author Bio

Ellen Jacobson writes mystery and scifi/fantasy stories. She is the author of the “Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery” series. She lives on a sailboat with her husband, exploring the world from the water. When she isn’t working on boat projects or seeking out deserted islands, she blogs about their adventures at The Cynical Sailor.

You can connect with Ellen on:

Author Website – https://ellenjacobsonauthor.com/

Author Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/EllenJacobsonAuthor/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17395138.Ellen_Jacobson

The Cynical Sailor Blog – http://thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com/

The Cynical Sailor Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/TheCynicalSailor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Ellen__Jacobson

Newsletter Sign-up – http://eepurl.com/dpy5sv

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#IWSG Writing Funk and Title Trouble

June 8, 2018 Jennifer Lane

I love summer! I was so absorbed in summer goodness that I forgot to post for June’s Insecure Writers Support Group yesterday, whoops.

Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for his clever creation. Join us here.

I haven’t written for six months and I’m wondering if my writing mojo will return. But I do still enjoy supporting fellow authors like Ellen Jacobson from The Cynical Sailor! Her cozy mystery, Murder at the Marina, is a cute hoot, and I’ll post my review on 6/22/18.

IWSG June Question: What’s harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?

I gotta go with titles. I agonized over the title of my last novel though in the end it probably didn’t matter much. For the most part I have a blast drumming up character names. I don’t have children so the characters are my babies I get to name and hold and pet.

Make sure to visit these stellar co-hosts!

Beverly Stowe McClure, Tyrean Martinson, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

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New Release: ONCE by @MiladyRonel #faerietales #collection

May 24, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Congratulations to Ronel Janse van Vuuren on the release of her faerie tale collection, ONCE!

Publication date: 23 May 2018

Universal Book Links for Afrikaans and English versions of this book:

“Eens…” https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYWzZ

“Once…” https://www.books2read.com/u/bzPPpD

Blurb:

Damsels in distress, curses, echoes of faery tales and tragic love affairs swirl together in sixteen stories found in a dragon’s lair by a curious half-fae.

Unexpected changes to reality causes more than one damsel to turn into a strong, independent woman who takes charge of her own life.

A collection of short stories about Faerie and the fae that live in the human realm. A few of the stories had won competitions and all of them had enchanted readers.

Learn their secrets and enter the realm of the fae…

ISBN EPUB: 978-0-6399476-2-4

ISBN Paperback: 978-0-6399476-3-1

My Books Page https://ronelthemythmaker.wordpress.com/my-books/

Excerpt:

Mortals cannot perceive the veil unless they are invited to – or extremely gifted. For centuries, Man and Fae have been kept apart, for nothing good ever comes from them mixing. The collection of The Adventures of Saphira the Faery Dog is proof of this.

Still, there are magical creatures that side neither with Man nor Fae.

Dragons are such creatures. They hold the knowledge of both worlds. Some even collect it in the written word, keeping it safe in their lairs.

An inquisitive half-fae once broke into the lair of a dragon known to hoard books. The knowledge she found was too much to keep to herself…

Here are a few tales, myths and legends from Faerie. Some may sound remarkably similar to legends held by mortals, while others are… well… as otherworldly as the fae themselves.

Ronel Janse van Vuuren is the author of New Adult, Young Adult and children’s fiction filled with mythology and folklore. Her dark fantasy stories can be read for free on Wattpad and on her blog Ronel the Mythmaker. She won Fiction Writer of the Year 2016 for her Afrikaans stories on INK: Skryf in Afrikaans. Her published works can be viewed on Goodreads.

Ronel can be found tweeting about writing and other things that interest her, arguing with her characters, researching folklore for her newest story or playing with her Rottweilers when she’s not actually writing.

All of her books are available for purchase on Amazon.

Connect with Ronel on:

Amazon: amazon.com/author/roneljansevanvuurenmythmaker

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@miladyronel/

Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/miladyronel/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+RonelJansevanVuurenMythmaker

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17528826.Ronel_Janse_van_Vuuren

Ronel the Mythmaker: https://ronelthemythmaker.wordpress.com/

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New Release: FOLLOW YOUR ARROW by @AMWillardAuthor #romance

May 22, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Release Date: May 22, 2018

Cover Design: MadHat Books

Synopsis

All I wanted to do was run my bookstore, forget my failed marriage, and escape my past. But life on a tiny island makes that tough, especially when rumors are swirling that Justin Albott, famous mystery writer and my first love, is returning to the island. I’ve watched his career. Stocked my bookstore with hardcovers that bear his glossy photo. There seems to be two sides to his personality. The online persona, who smiles when prompted, and the one that I remember—the thief of hearts. The one who just walked into my store and crooked that familiar grin. We’ve both changed over the years. I’m no longer married, and he’s no longer the boy who left me behind. I’d give anything to know why he’s really come back and if that kiss between us was real.

Goodreads

http://bit.ly/2GHOJBG

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2LhupXC

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2rXBZgX

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2IOibaz

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2IwJJBO

Nook: http://bit.ly/2k8OiUb

iBooks: https://apple.co/2nFCR7S

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2rW4Nr7

Kobo: Coming Soon

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5a4f98a79/?

About the Author

Bestselling Author, A.M. Willard resides in Savannah, Georgia. She joined the Peach State many years ago after leaving the crystal blue waters and sugary white sand behind from the Panhandle of Florida. She’s also known for being a wife, mother, and caretaker for her farm animals. A.M. loves anything sassy, glittery, and is a sucker for the Hallmark Channel. That last one might be the reason she believes in soulmates or it could be because she married her high school sweetheart for twenty years ago.

After releasing her first novella series back in 2014, A.M. set out on a new goal to bring her readers a broad range of romantic stories from her desk. This includes Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance, and from time to time some Sexy Romance. A.M. is an active member of RWA (Romance Writers of America).

Connect with A.M. Willard

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New Release: CHAOS by Jen Locklear @RandomCran #romance

May 17, 2018 Jennifer Lane

Title: Chaos

Series: Constellation #2

Author: Jennifer Locklear

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 17

Congratulations, Jennifer!

He’s older, sophisticated, and harboring secrets. She’s intelligent, beautiful, and emotionally numb.

On the surface, advertising executive Jack Evans has it all. Blessed with striking good looks, a thriving career, a stylish wife, and an adoring daughter, he’s still struggling with personal turmoil. And when his wife abruptly leaves, it’s up to Jack to care for his child alone while picking up the pieces of his broken past.

While doing so, Jack is drawn to the up-and-coming executive, Kathleen Brighton. She’s stunning and intuitive—and everything he needs now that the divorce is finalized. As he falls for his sexy colleague, Jack worries that Kathleen may not be able to handle the chaos of his life. Will Jack escape the mistakes of his past to capture the future he deserves?

**AMAZON * AMAZON UK**

**AMAZON CA * AMAZON AU**

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Jennifer Locklear lives in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. She married her high school sweetheart, Morgan, in 1995. She is the mother of two children, a son and daughter.

Jennifer enjoyed creative writing as an adolescent, but set aside her favorite hobby to concentrate on college studies, career and family. In 2010, she rediscovered her passion for writing when her husband recruited her to edit his own stories. They co-authored and published their debut novel, Exposure, in 2014.

Since 2000, Jennifer has been employed in fundraising and development for a non-profit organization. She has been a contributing reviewer for the “Bookish Temptations” book blog and is a founding moderator of “Argyle Empire,” an approved fan site for author Sylvain Reynard. She also enjoys participating in charitable activities, both locally and online.

Constellation is Jennifer’s first solo novel.

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