Book Blast: Sensible Shoes

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cindy Causey will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

At her fiftieth birthday party, Tess Thomason, a plain-Jane, divorced mother and decidedly unprepared women’s newspaper columnist, is blindsided by her well-meaning family with a stack of gift cards she interprets as meaning she’s fat, frumpy, and wrinkled. Facing a lonely future and failing career, Tess embarks on a journey of self-discovery, taking her readers along for the ride. But her resolve is nearly derailed by a hilarious season of family chaos that includes a surprise pregnancy, rushed wedding, and unexpected houseguests. In the midst of it all, Tess is drawn into a confusing new relationship with a man who is impossibly perfect for her. But if she can keep herself, her family, and her willpower firmly seated on the crazy roller coaster of her life, maybe Tess will find her own self-worth and a new love in the bargain.

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But first, I needed to think.

If I were to embark on this perilous journey of reawakening and discovery, I needed to consult my sweet muse, to experience the warmth of an old friend, to snuggle into the comfort of the familiar.

I needed a full caf, mocha hazelnut latte, with a double whip….

I leaned back in the chair, sipped on the sweet mocha froth, and sighed aloud.

“It can’t be that bad.” The sound of a rumbling male voice, laced with humor, made me turn to my right and stare at the man seated there, newspaper on the table in front of him.

“I beg your pardon?”

He leaned forward a little, and I could see traces of gray in his temples and laugh lines around his eyes. They were very nice brown eyes.

They went with his very nice face, which was perfectly proportioned and just rugged enough to be interesting. His mouth quirked up a little at one corner as if he were slightly amused.

“Whatever those cards are, they seem to be upsetting you.”

“They’re gift cards.”

“Mmm, don’t you hate those?”

I chuckled. “Not normally, but these are particularly evil.”

“Ah, gift cards for the seven deadly sins. You don’t see those every day.”

The guy was intriguing. A sense of humor. And those eyes.

About the Author:

Cindy Causey taught herself to type in the 8th grade because she couldn't write in her diary fast enough in longhand. A degree and career in advertising were the result. A fifteen-year stint as a copy chief at JCPenney Catalog led to the position of Internet Marketing Manager for JCPenney.com.

After 20 years at JCPenney, Cindy retired in December, 2007, and began working full time with her husband Scott in their multi-media production company, Dallas Media Center. They specialized in audio/video production and editing, vintage media transfer to DVD and CD, as well as website design and hosting. Cindy shuttered the company in 2021, three years after Scott passed away.

After her first book, a non-fiction work called Cherish the Gift: a Congregational Guide to Earth Stewardship, was published, Cindy began writing fiction. She found her voice in romance, the stories of the struggles two people endure on the road to happily ever-after. Her debut novel, A Different Drum was published in May 2009 by The Wild Rose Press, followed by A Hot Time in Texas that same year.

In early 2025, her latest novel, Sensible Shoes, a humorous look at a woman struggling with life after 50, was published by The Wild Rose Press. It will be followed in late 2025 by a romantic suspense novel entitled Saving Samantha.

Cindy makes her home in Dallas, Texas. In addition to writing, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her 5 grown children and 4 grandchildren. She would like to see the edges of the entire world from the deck of a cruise ship.

BLOG: https://thewidowwoman.com/
WEBSITE: https://cindycausey.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cindy.ubbencausey
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/cindycausey2
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@cucausey
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/causey3994/

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VBT: After the Red Carpet

 

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”

After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?

In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.

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EXCERPT: 

Finn took her hand and led her upstairs. As they approached the closed double doors, he said, “This is the room I had in mind for your office. It’s empty now, but my decorator is coming by tomorrow afternoon so you two can plan and scheme. When you see it, just remember we’ll redo it from top to bottom, flooring to light fixtures.”

“Oh my God,” she gasped as he opened the doors to a massive room featuring sky-high ceilings and windows to match. “It’s big enough to be a ballroom!”

He smiled. “You spend your life writing about the big topics, the big questions, and I hoped this big space might be inspiring.” She silently let her eyes follow the crown molding around the entire ceiling as she tried to catch her breath. He took her hand and continued showing her around. “There’s a full bathroom over here, and in this corner, there’s a walk-in closet. We could install some built-in cabinets and shelves. But just wait—I think you’ll really love this bit,” he said, leading her to a pair of doors. They stepped outside onto a large, furnished veranda with an outdoor fireplace, overlooking the entire back of the property. He rubbed her fingers and asked, “Do you think this will work for your office, sweetheart?”

“Do I think this will work?” she whispered incredulously, her voice shaking. She turned to him with tears in her eyes. “Finn, this is the nicest room in the house.”

“I think so too,” he said.

“No, I mean . . .”

“What, baby?”

“It’s just lovely beyond words that you would save this for me.”

He kissed her softly. “I’ve been picturing you here for so long, waiting to see how you would make this space your own.”

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AUTHOR :

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her last novel, The Location Shoot, was featured on Ms. Career Girl‘s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in 4 categories: Contemporary Novel, Pop Culture Fiction, Romance and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

Website: https://patricialeavy.com/

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INTERVIEW:

* Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

After the Red Carpet was very much born from my imagination, but there are always little bits of myself that slip into the pages.

* On average, how long does the writing process take? 

It’s different every time which is why I’m still in love with writing. I have one book that I drafted in ten days, another I have been writing on and off for ten years. Each book is different. That said, it usually takes me one to two months to draft a novel and then I spend ages revising. 

* When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

From the time I was five or six. My mother recently found some of my first stories, which I also illustrated and bound with old wallpaper and glue to make them look like books. On the back of one, it says I was only six years old. Despite dreaming about being an author for my entire life, I wasn’t brave enough when I was young to pursue it. I didn’t know if I could handle a life full of rejection and critique. Being an artist is tough. So, I took a different career path, became a sociology professor, and found myself writing books anyway, starting with nonfiction. Eventually, I wrote my debut novel and soon thereafter quit my tenured teaching gig and became a full-time author. 

* If you weren't an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

Sociology professor. I enjoyed it. 

* Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

Tess Lee. She’s the protagonist in a series of novels I’ve written called The Celestial Bodies Romances. We’ll be releasing a book each spring. The first book, Shooting Stars Above, comes out March 18, 2025 and is available for preorder. I also really adore Ella Sinclair, the protagonist in The Location Shoot and After the Red Carpet. I think she’s always the coolest person in the room in the best way.

* What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Develop a relationship with your work that isn’t dependent on anything external. 

* What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books? 

It’s always different. For After the Red Carpet I traveled to London to do research at a few sites. In one scene the characters attend an awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It had to be there because it’s a real awards ceremony and that is where it’s held. I went and took a group tour. My intention at the time was simply to take notes about what it looked like inside—an in-person experience is always so much more helpful than what you can find online. I thought I’d glean a little tidbit or detail that I’d be able to throw in. Little did I know, the history of the hall actually tied in perfectly to the major theme in my novel. Prince Albert wanted to create a hall to celebrate the arts and sciences, to bring culture to the people. He died before it was completed, and Queen Victoria insisted it should be named after him, which had not been the original plan. They even wove the letter A into the stairway railings and had a pricey, gold memorial statue created outside, across the road from the hall. In After the Red Carpet, Ella tells Finn this history as they are walking into the venue. Finn thinks it’s romantic, but Ella isn’t so sure. She wonders if it would have been better to honor his wishes because seeing someone for who they truly are is far more important than extravagant gifts. So, you see, sometimes when you do research, you discover so much more than you anticipated, and it makes the story even stronger.

*How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

Immediately. I get so depressed leaving a story world. I miss the characters deeply. It feels like the world’s worst breakup mixed with grief. To get over it, I start the next one. Before long, I’m swept away again.

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GIVEAWAY:

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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Book Blast: Minecraft

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Darryl Vidal will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

On the eve of the Global MindCraft Universe Challenge, Justin Turner, a teenage master of the titular virtual reality game, and his friends (known online as the Digital Mavericks) discover a sinister underbelly within the MindCraft Universe that may use artificial intelligence and virtual manipulation to end the world as we know it.

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A neon blue sky with puffy white cumuli-nimbus clouds provided the background for a grassy landscape speckled with pastel flowers. Eucalyptus trees lined the sides of some sort of football or soccer field. In the distance, hundreds of armored medieval warriors came thundering down the hills, shields and swords in hand.

They were storming toward a massive medieval castle of limestone and granite stretching across the near end of the playing field; a vast mote surrounding it. The massive walls stretched twenty to thirty feet high, which normally provided sanctuary from siege. But in this instance, a large hole had been blown through the castle walls with granite boulders, near the gates and bridge that secured entry into the castle.

A closer group of workers and warriors, commanded by the screaming artillery master and aided with oxen, moved giant catapults away from the castle walls to expose the holes for the armored warriors coming down the hill. Next, they started loading giant balls of pitch, a thick black tarry substance, to be set on fire and launched over the castle walls.

Justin Turner, in full VR regalia, used his hand controllers to assemble 3D blocks to repair the wall before the hordes of warriors arrived. The glow of the forty-two-inch curved gaming monitor cast an illuminating light on his determined expression. In the virtual realm of MindCraft, Justin went by the handle ByteMaster, due to countless strategic victories and an uncanny ability to outsmart opponents.

About the Author:

Darryl Vidal is an accomplished entrepreneur, author and education technology consultant with over 30 years of experience working with the largest school districts in Southern California. He is a futurist and fan of Artificial Intelligence, and an avid reader of the sciences, philosophy, and techno-thrillers.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Management and a Master’s Degree (MA Ed) in Education (Instructional Technology) from California State University, San Bernardino. He has also published eight critically acclaimed books on Educational Technology, Ed Tech Strategic Planning and Digital Transformation, and has developed the formal strategic planning and project management methodology known as MapIT.

Darryl has been a student and teacher of the art of Kenpo Karate for over 50 years. He has been teaching Karate in Murrieta for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department for the past 30+ years. He also founded and heads the Murrieta Stick Fighting Club (Filipino Martial Arts). This has led to him earning the highest honor given in martial arts when he was promoted to Grandmaster - Ju Dan, 10th Degree Black Belt in 2012.

He is widely known for his appearance in 1984’s The Karate Kid, playing himself in the tournament semi-finals, as well as acting as a stunt-double for Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi). He is also credited with inventing the iconic Crane Kick.

MindCraft: The Educational Singularity is Darryl’s second novel in over twenty years and his first science fiction endeavor.

Main Book Page: https://whimsillusion.com/bookshelf/buy-mindcraft-the-educational-singularity
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/MindCraft-Educational-Singularity-Darryl-Vidal-ebook/dp/B0DHHLHLTC
Hard Cover: https://whimsillusion.com/mindcraft-the-educational-singularity-hard-cover/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vidal.k.karate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockbreakerboy

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VBT: The Fate of Our Union

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GENRE: Fantasy

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BLURB:

A mountainous thundering bull breaks up battling tribesmen, summoning three struggling youths, as an insidious unseen enemy turns tribes against tribes—pitting rich against poor, sons against fathers, and men against gods. Its insatiable hunger for division threatens to plunge mankind into a dystopian realm ruled by man-eating wolves.

A miraculous seven-headed horse, a symbol of unity, assembles the struggling youths of extraordinary origin into a journey of self-discovery. There Sunu the Saxon Poet, Rufus the Roman Stoic, and Keresaspa the Sarmatian Priestess must overcome pride, aversion, and unforgiveness; there they must learn from historical heroes, philosophers, and amazingly similar gods to battle the unseen monster and its rising wolfmen.

Fated to part ways to face the demons at home, Sunu, Rufus, and Keresaspa must reunite as they bring divided peoples together to fight the source tearing everyone apart. They must heed the divine wisdom of the seven-headed horse and justly wield the seven magic weapons they’ve mysteriously been given to overcome the unseen enemy and understand the higher purpose of the mountainous thundering bull.

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EXCERPT:

Sunu meets the seven-headed, winged horse, Long Ears (CH 4 of The Fate of Our Union).

Sunu’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at a white stallion with seven handsome heads, spreading a glorious pair of wings. It towered at twenty-one hands, and its seven heads encircled its neck like temple pillars; one faced forward, one angled to the left, one angled to the right. A head was on each side, while two in the back angled left and right. “You are the one we’re speaking to,” its pink lips uttered under black nostrils, the words echoing in Sunu’s ears like a divine melody.

“It’s as if all seven were as one!” Sunu imagined the sacred horses merging, gazing breathlessly as they surrounded the seven-headed, winged stallion inside the birch grove. His heart raced in suspense, his eyes wide with wonder, as he awaited its next move.

The stallion’s seven heads repeated, “As one.”

“I’ve heard of a horse with eight legs.” Sunu imagined Woden’s horse, Sleipnir. “But never one with seven heads . . . that can speak . . . and has wings!” Visually high, Sunu gaped at every beautifully mane-draped head under the dreamily feathered wings.

The stallion’s forward-facing head replied in a deep, resonant voice, “It’s time you heard.”

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AUTHOR:

Hildebrand Hengest Hermannson’s deep-rooted fire for Indo-European culture and Western Philosophy ignites his first novel, The Fate of Our Union, the inaugural piece in a planned series. His work draws inspiration from the national epics The Saga of the Volsungs (Norse), Mahabharata (Indian), Aenid (Roman), Odyssey (Greek), Táin Bó Cúailnge (Celtic), and Shahnameh (Iranian), weaving these rich cultures into original stories featuring fantasy world-building, dynamic characters, and intricate plots and themes. His Wild Hunt of thought breathes life into his spiritual, ethical, and cultural interests, inspiring us all to strive for imperishable virtue.

Website

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GIVEAWAY 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

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Book Blast: Curveballs

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Taylor will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Here you are on the brink of a journey all about self-discovery and chasing dreams. With personal stories and tools that shaped the author's path, she focuses on embracing authenticity. You'll explore how living with purpose and passion is achievable. This personal-growth book combines cutting-edge technology and music interaction, reflecting the author's belief that music can transform and positively impact individuals and communities.

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If we could look through the ideas swimming around in virtually any person’s head, we would likely find a few limiting beliefs. We can all relate to harbouring these self-defeating thoughts; however, you could build awareness around where limiting beliefs show up for you, and remove them from your mind like gardeners remove weeds from their cherished crops.

Before we talk more about defeating the beliefs that hold you back in life, we will define “limiting beliefs.” First, the adjective “limiting” is not one you would want to use frequently if you are striving to become your best self. We can focus on perceiving our possibilities and abilities as having few limits. The second word, “beliefs,” is also important to consider. We are not talking about facts when we discuss limiting beliefs. They are not necessarily logic or fact-based thoughts, such as two plus two equals four. Beliefs, limited or not, are simply ideas you have based on your past experiences. Unfortunately, they can manifest as a thought or state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and that is what can stop you from doing certain things. They can also be formed by well-meaning people trying to protect you from hurt or embarrassment.

Limiting beliefs are something you might have adopted at an early age, accepting them as facts. You didn’t do well on a math test so decided you couldn’t work with numbers . . . ever. Nerves got the best of you during a class presentation, so you avoided public speaking for the next three decades. A Grade 3 music teacher told you you couldn’t sing, so you never sang again. This is NOT cool, but I actually met a young woman in vocal classes that experienced this, and she had a beautiful voice.

Obviously, beliefs can wield enormous power over your life. The people who have mastered the power of belief are the ones who have learned that self-fulfilling prophecies often manifest in their lives. This explains the optimistic nature of the predictions they make. I fit squarely into the optimist box, and I am constantly and affectionately informed by my husband, Harold, that I wear rose-coloured glasses. Heck, I sleep in them!

I came across this saying early in my journey: “If you think you can, you’re right, and if you think you can’t, you’re right.” How can both possibilities be true? Both possibilities consider the incredible influence your beliefs have over the outcomes. Limiting beliefs can have the power to shut down your dreams before you even start to chase them. The upside is that, once you learn to recognize these adverse beliefs, you can challenge them, which results in their losing their ability to interfere with your growth.

I have found over the years that people have limiting beliefs of various types. They tend to contain phrases like, “I cannot,” “I will never,” “There is no point in trying,” and “I tried that before and it didn’t work, so no use trying again.” They often grow stronger when they are allowed to take up permanent residence in your head. Repeated enough, they become part of you. I have one I’ll share. “I grew up in a family that had no desire for material goods, so I must be damaged for wanting a sports car or a luxury coat.” You can become so attached to these limiting beliefs that you feel threatened when something or someone challenges them.

Imagine your optimistic friend is encouraging you to go back to school (for my friends, the optimist would be me). “You would be great at operations management,” the friend says. “Think of everything you could do with that degree.”

About the Author: Gail Taylor, a Canadian songwriter, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author, is celebrated for inspiring others to take charge of their lives. With forty years of studying personal growth and peak performance, she proves that designing your own life is possible, regardless of your beginnings. Her expertise has made her a sought-after guest on numerous podcasts.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Curveballs-Unlocking-Potential-Personal-Inspirational/dp/1779622015/ref=sr_1_1

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