Virtual Book Tour: Slick Filth by Erato

Good morning! Please welcome author Erato to Full Moon Dreaming. She is here to tell us about her new release, Slick Filth. Erato will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on Erato's tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.

Slick Filth

by Erato

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GENRE:   historical fiction/humor

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BLURB:

It's 1737, and England is on edge: someone has tried to assassinate the King at the theatre, and every stageplay is a satire of the royal family. Enter Prime Minister Robert Walpole with a cunning scheme that will grant him power to censor anything that goes on stage -- by writing the filthiest play ever conceived.

Get ready for sex, castratos and cannibalism, because the Prime Minister is ready to shock the city!

Based on true events, Slick Filth includes a recreation of the notorious play The Golden Rump, which so offended Parliament that new censorship laws were enacted for the first time in England's history. The book is typeset in historical fonts, making you feel like you've been pulled back in time to watch the drama unfold first-hand.

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EXCERPTS

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Be taken to another ERA with ERATO.

Erato (also stylized erAto) is a Hispanic American author of historical fiction. Her stories are often set in the Georgian/Regency period, taking the characters past the traditional bonnets and balls into gritty cities, medical mishaps and painful love affairs. Her stories color in the forgotten and irregular aspects of history, and several of her books are written in the historical English of the period.

https://www.facebook.com/EratoWrites/

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1734184620/

https://www.amazon.com/Erato/e/B077QS7SD5

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Soul Eater, Vol 7 by Atsushi Ohkubo

Soul Eater, Vol 7      

Author: Atsushi Ohkubo

Publisher: Yen Press

American release date: November 11, 2014

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/manga/paranormal/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Now that the crazy Kishin is on the loose, Shinigami-sama is summoning the strongest weapons he can from around the world to locate and contain him. Justin Law, from Western Europe, is a very pious fellow who prays a lot. Azusa is in charge of East Asia and Marie Mjolnir is in charge of Oceania. Marie has visions of being married but never seems to find the right guy. Interestingly, her first love was Dr. Stein! Meanwhile Stein approaches a very dispirited Death Scythe, who is busy polishing candlesticks, and learns he is fearful that he is about to be replaced and sent away and will never be able to see Maka again.  They go to a meeting with Shinigami-sama, along with Azusa and Marie, only to find an oblivious Justin already there. Stein informs the others about the madness wavelength that the Kishin emits, which “prods and incites the madness lying deep within the human soul.” And is quite contagious. Besides this, there are other dangers possible with this wavelength, such as the awakening of dormant witches or the rise of the lost continent of Atlantis, and much more. Shinigami-same reassigns Marie to work with Stein and puts Azusa in charge of Oceania, while holding Justin in reserve for now.

A few of the DWMA students decide to play a little basketball—Kid, Patty and Black Star vs Soul, a reluctant Maka, and Tsubaki—while Stein shows Marie around and she whines about finding a husband. Shinigami-sama wants to talk to Spirit about Stein and asks him to look out for Stein, concerned that the madness wavelength might be affecting him. Afterward, he is pleasantly surprised by Maka’s request to spend time with him, unaware that is the price she has to pay for losing the basketball game.

Shinigami-same decides to admit Crona on a trial enrollment at DWMA. A concerned Sid asks Maka if maybe she can get through to Crona, since Sid hasn’t been able to. Maka reaches out to Crona and introduces him to Marie. Crona still has Ragnarok and he’s still obnoxious but he’s much less powerful and smaller than he was before. Now he’s more annoying than dangerous. A report is received from the Czech Republic about a golem wreaking havoc, so Sid sends Maka and Crona to check it out. Shinigami-sama is concerned as golems are meant to protect, not attack, so he wants Stein’s opinion on what is going on. Stein is alarmed at what he discovers but Shinigami-sama assures him that he has sent a strong ally to aid Maka and Crona.

Things are definitely picking up with Soul Eater, with the arrival of the Death Weapons and dealing with the effects of the Kishin’s escape. Of the three new arrivals, Azusa is the least annoying. Marie whines far too much about wanting to get married, and Justin is in his own little world, with his earbuds and his holier-than-thou attitude. I haven’t made up my mind about Crona, but maybe my feelings toward him are really directed toward Ragnarok, who is an utter creep. We meet another villain in this volume, who seems as though she will be a formidable foe, and we also see the return of an interesting character we’ve met before. Maka’s day with dad was great, and also not entirely unexpected in what she has to deal with. I like Spirit, despite his shortcomings. I know he means well and he loves his daughter, but he can be such a horn dog at times and so immature! The story of Maka and Crona’s trip to the Czech Republic is very interesting, as is the golem itself. All in all, a good volume, looking forward to the next one!

Wednesday Briefs: Super Trooper #5 (2.1)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Evan has gone to Partners to find some release from his obsession, aka the hot speeder, and meets up with his friends Roy and Dustin, and their friends Marshall and Lee. Imagine Evan's surprise when he runs into the very man he's trying to forget! Chan hasn't stopped thinking of the trooper all day. After he goes to his little brother's birthday party, he decides to go somewhere and unwind. Surprise, surprise! See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper! Don't forget to look for the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Super Trooper #5 (2.1)

Although Chan wasn’t as late to work as he’d feared he would be, even a few minutes was anathema to him. When he walked through the door, expecting to be called out for what he’d done, nobody even seemed to notice he was running behind—or if they did notice, they said nothing to him about it. But he was more than aware of his own tardiness—as well as the very sexy reason for it—so he threw himself into his work, took on extra tasks to help lighten his co-workers’ loads,  and didn’t take his full lunch in order to make up for lost time. He couldn’t afford to stay late, not today. He loved his family, and he wouldn’t do anything to upset either his mother or his little brother, especially on such an important day.

Despite how hard he worked, though, Chandrahas found his mind reverting far too often to the tall blond trooper who’d pulled him over. The one he’d been far too willing to drop to his knees for, although luckily it hadn’t come to that. What was wrong with him? This man was a stranger to him. And certainly on a level far above him, being a member of law enforcement. Not to mention, he was probably super straight. Chan’s experience with romance was very limited. He’d only been in two relationships, and neither one had lasted very long due to a major lack of compatibility. He’d made no attempt to introduce either young man to his family. Not that they would have belittled his choice of a partner, or looked down on him because he was gay. His mother and her husband were very open-minded, having lived in the United States all their lives, and would have been open to such a meeting. So why hadn’t he done so?  Because… well, because he didn’t find either of them suitable for such an honor.

Would he be willing to take the trooper home to meet them?

He pushed the thought aside as being ridiculous and focused on the figures on the computer screen before him instead.

After work, he picked up the birthday cake his mother had ordered from the nearby bakery, which had been specially decorated to resemble Kamal’s beloved pet guinea pig, and hurried to the home of his mother and stepfather. Chan loved spending time with his family, especially his three siblings. His own father had died when Chan was just a baby. After a few years of being alone, his mother had found love again and remarried, then had three more children with her new husband—Chan took being their older brother very seriously. He’d been ten when Laksha was born. She was eleven now and very interested in books, especially those about science. Someday, she said, she would work in the Tucker Falls Library, and would help the children who went there to love and understand science and math. Kamal, the birthday boy, was a very happy-go-lucky young man, who loved music and playing games with his friends, a group of boys of varying backgrounds and ethnicities who all lived nearby. He also loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian when he grew up. Or maybe a famous singer.  Madhubala, whom everyone called Madhu, was two and a half and as sweet as her name—in Hindu, it meant a girl as sweet as honey. She wasn’t very talkative, but she had a sunny disposition, and loved to trail her siblings around the house, content to simply be near them. Everyone loved her to death and spoiled her as often as possible. Chan couldn’t have asked for a better family.

It was still early when Chan bade his family good night, gave his brother a special birthday hug, and promised he’d come back soon to spend time with them. He would take them to the park, and they would have a splendid picnic lunch and have lots of fun. He told his parents, Maa and Pita, good-bye and headed to his car, intending to drive straight home.

But Chan was restless. And the idea of returning to his empty apartment, to his private sanctuary he was so proud of, held little interest at the moment. He wasn’t hungry… at least not for food… so going out to eat didn’t appeal to him. Maybe he would get a drink. Something to calm his nerves. Something to help him sleep better.

But where to go? Driving down Main Street, he remembered a place he’d been taken to by one of the two men he’d dated. What was its name? It was a decent enough place, nothing fancy or too expensive. Its main attraction was that most of the patrons were gay and nobody thought anything of it. Oh yes, Partners. How could he forget a name such as that?

Partners it would be. He would have a drink, soak up a little atmosphere, listen to a little music. Maybe watch the men on the dance floor. Chan didn’t really dance himself but he did like watching other people do it. He wasn’t overly fond of country western music, but living in Texas, it was something you got used to. He could live with that. Or maybe he’d get lucky and some other music would be playing.

He was slightly put off by the number of vehicles in the parking lot of Partners, but then realized he could blend into the crowd more easily, not stand out. He parked his car in the far reaches of the lot and made his way inside.

Country music. Oh well. He liked to watch line dancing, no problem. He got a bottle of lite beer and headed toward the dance floor. Searching for an empty table, he was shocked to find himself staring at the very man who’d been on his mind all day.

Chan’s heart skipped a beat when he realized the trooper was staring right back at him.

to be continued

Now go visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Wednesday Briefs: Super Trooper #4 (1.4)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Evan heads to Partners to see if he can release some... steam.... and runs into new friends Roy and Dustin, who introduce him to their friends, Marshall and Lee (yep, the very same!). See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Super Trooper #4 (1.4)

Although Partners was known to be a gay bar, and was very popular with gay men for miles around, its clientele were not restricted to them by any means. It wasn’t unusual to find couples and/or singles of all orientations there. The bar was a haven of open-mindedness and liberality in an area that wasn’t always known for either. Which didn’t mean it didn’t draw its fair share of jerks, but the owners of Partners knew how to deal with them before things got too out of hand, employing bouncers who weren’t afraid to get their message across to any troublemakers. Texas was an open-carry state, but any individual wishing to do so had to also have a license, as did those who wanted to conceal-carry. On the whole, guns were a common sight. Evan wore his, even off-duty, but he preferred to conceal it. He didn’t want any trouble when he went out, but he wasn’t one to shy away from it either.

Nodding to one of the bouncers he passed, Evan scanned the room twice before spotting Roy heading in the direction of the bar. He quickly caught up with him there. Roy Landry was almost as tall as Evan, but stockier, a veritable grizzly bear of a man that no one in their right mind would fuck with or think of disobeying. Anyone who knew him realized he was a generous man who would give you the shirt off his back without hesitation. He looked up at Evan’s approach and flashed him a warm smile.

“Hey Evan, good to see you.” He glanced around, as if checking out whether the trooper was alone or not. “I was just about to grab some beers. What can I get for you?”

“Whatever you’re having’s fine,” Evan said. “I’ll catch the next round.”

“Sounds good.” Roy gave the bartender the order. He brought out three long necks. Roy handed one to Evan and grabbed the other two. “C’mon, we’re sitting right over there.” He nodded toward a table about halfway across the room. Evan saw Roy’s significant other sitting there, along with two men he didn’t recognize.

Evan followed Roy back to the table.

“Hi Evan!” Dustin greeted him. “Pull up a chair!”

Roy set the beers onto the table and took a seat beside Dustin. The other two men, who sat across from them, already had beers. One man was considerably older than the other, but it was obvious they were together, judging by their body language. And matching wedding rings. Evan was quick to pick up on things like that. It kind of came with the territory. He wasn’t one to judge, he just liked to know his environment—it made for more informed decisions, especially in times of crisis.

The older man held his hand across the table. “Nice to meet you, Evan,” he said. “I’m Lee. And that’s Marshall.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Evan said, taking his hand in a firm shake, which he repeated with Marshall. He turned to Roy. “Didn’t mean to intrude or anything, Roy.”

“You’re not,” the sheriff assured him. “Just came out for a few beers, maybe a little dancing then heading home. What about you? You meeting someone?”

“No, just felt like having a beer myself,” Evan said, not willing to admit he had anything else on his mind. Such as hooking up.

“Evan here’s a State Trooper,” Dustin told the others with a grin. “Gotta be careful with these two”—he indicated Roy and Evan with a wave of one hand— “If we aren’t careful, they’ll get to talking shop until the cows come home.”

Roy rolled his eyes, but he didn’t bother denying the accusation and neither did Evan. When the two lawmen got together, they did tend to swap war stories. Roy had been a private investigator before he became sheriff and had some good tales to tell. “You love it and you know it.” Roy chuckled.

“Yeah, but I bet Marshall and Lee are tired of hearing the same stories they’ve probably heard a million times,” Dustin persisted, giving the couple a knowing wink.

“Don’t tar me with that brush, boy,” Lee interjected. He slid his arm around Marshall’s shoulders comfortably.  “If I get tired of hearing something, I know how to speak up for myself. ‘Sides, Roy’s stories are always interesting. I’m willing to bet Evan’s are too.”

Marshall’s snicker was obviously intended for Dustin. Evan noticed the two young men seemed close in age. They were probably good friends. Both seemed to go for older men. Not that there was anything wrong with that. He’d dated an older man or two in his time. But that had been a while back.

“I’m not so sure about that,” Evan said. “But I do like what I do. Never wanted to do anything else. I take it you aren’t in law enforcement?” He threw the question at both men.

“Roy’s got that covered,” Marshall said. “Burnham doesn’t need but one sheriff and he’s it.”

“Ah, so you all come from Burnham.” Evan lifted his glass and took a good drink.

“Indeed,” Lee said. “We have our own computer business there. Burnham’s a nice place but it’s a little short on night life. It’s nice to get out to Tucker Falls now and then.”

“I imagine so.” Evan nodded.

Just then the music changed to something a little livelier than had been playing. Evan noticed Marshall tapping his boot to the beat and giving his partner hopeful glances. When he didn’t respond immediately, the younger man said, “You’re not really going to make me bed, are you?”

Lee laughed and pushed back his chair. “Nope. C’mon boy.”

Evan watched the two men thread their way to the dance floor.

“Newlyweds,” Dustin said with a knowing look.

Time for a new round. Evan searched the floor for a server. His attention was caught by someone standing about two feet away.

Holy shit, it was the hot speeder.

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Book Blast: Australia Burns by Various Authors

Good morning everyone! Today please welcome a number of authors who have written three volumes of books to benefits those affected by the wild fires in Australia. The publisher is offering a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find other stops on the tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

AUSTRALIA BURNS

by Various Authors

BLURB:

Volume 1

Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support.

A collection of Short Stories in Mainstream Fiction,

Women's Fiction, Thrillers, and Mystery

A Solicitous Wife by Madeleine McDonald

No One Knew by Larry Farmer

Pinochle by Brenda Whiteside

The Tuesday Night Meeting by Peggy Jaeger

911, What's Your Emergency? by D. V. Stone

Tall Tales by Laura Strickland

Fare Gain by Alexandra Christle

The Note by Stephen B. King

Three Ghosts by Julie Howard

Detective Paws and Lip Gloss by Maureen L. Bonatch

The Ring by Margaret Ann Spence

Portrait of a Gunfighter by Hywela Lyn

Six Hours or So by Lisa Wilkes

Prussic Acid by Melody DeBlois

Volume 2

Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support.

A collection of Romance, Young Adult, and Women's Fiction Short Stories

Che Gelida Manina by M. S. Spencer

Recipes for Love by Carol Henry

Waiting for Caleb by Gini Rifkin

Wings of Fire by Jana Richards

A Lark by Gabbi Grey

Apple Crisp by Terry Graham

Goody Twoshoes by Mark Love

The Number by Barbara Bettis

Deadly Homecoming by Peggy Chambers

An Egg-Cellent Witness by Marilyn Barr

Season of Withered Corn by Judy Ann Davis

Beneath the Pines by Debby Grahl

Christopher Reisner by Linda Griffin

Unexpected Love: Chase Allen by Anna Lores

The Cowboy and the Lady by Jean Adams

The Heart Necklace by Amanda Uhl

The Relaxation Response by Darcy Lundeen

Dancing Through Tears by Jeny Heckman

Volume Three

Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support.

A collection of Paranormal, Horror, and Sci-Fi Fiction Short Stories.

The Pilot's Son      by CJ Zahner

The Vengeance      by Rhonda Gilmour

A Climb to Kill      by ML Erdahl

Born of Fangs      by Sydney Winward

Johnny Appleseed      by Robert Herold

Rebellion in Slot III      by Roni Denholtz

Home, Sweet Mobile Home      by Alana Lorens

The Filthy Human      by Tori V. Rainn

Baby Daddy      by Kerry Blaisdell

The Witch of Calico Island      by Cat Dubie

Stained-Glass Vision      by Mary Morgan

A Witch's Protocol      by Tena Stetler

I Choose Life      by Kristal Dawn Harris

Together Forever      by N. Christine Samuelson

Where Is Your High School Sweetheart?      by Donna Kunkel

Lost and Found      by Joanne Guidoccio

Nursery Chimes      by D.S. Lucas

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Volume One Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0848W2HQT

Volume Two Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0849MSLBT

Volume Three Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084H4J37S

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday Briefs: Super Trooper #3 (1.3)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Evan can't stop thinking about the handsome man he pulled over in the morning. As a Texas State Trooper, he can't afford to be so distracted. What can he do to ease the tension? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale!Enjoy!

Super Trooper #3 (1.3)

The rest of Evan’s workday had passed in a sort of strange haze. He was lucky it was a light day, as far as his duties went, mostly traffic citations and warnings. A lot of people didn’t realize that the Texas State troopers did more than patrol the highways, lying in wait for speeders.  They often served as law enforcement for small rural areas who didn’t have their own sheriffs, and also helped out with some of the smaller towns as well. Courtesy, Service, Protection was the motto of the Department of Public Safety, of which the troopers were a part, and Evan took those words very seriously.

But today had been different. Today his second brain had been too fully engaged for his liking, and he couldn’t get the handsome man he’d pulled over early in the morning out of his mind. Not as though he hadn’t encountered good looking men before—he most certainly had. Some of them had even come on to him, with knowing looks and subtle innuendos, or blatant promises that they could make the trooper feel better… if he just wouldn’t write up that pesky ticket. It wasn’t just men, women came onto him too. Their invitations were more easily rejected as he had no interest in the opposite sex and never had. Not that he ever told them that, as his sexual orientation wasn’t germane to the matter at hand. The thing was he never found himself tempted by any of the blandishments of the men, either… until now. He couldn’t get this one man out of his mind, and that one man hadn’t even been flirting with him, much less making suggestions of a sexual nature. He’d done nothing but obey Evan’s barked commands, complied with every request without hesitation or a word of protest.

So why was Evan so fucking turned on he couldn’t stand it?

After work, he’d retreated to his condo, which was located in one of the nicer sections of Tucker Falls, and took a cold shower with the intention of dampening his libido. That didn’t work, so he was forced to take matters in hand, so to speak, before heading out to Partners. Sure, he was going with the intention of hooking up, but it wouldn’t do to look too eager. At least that’s what he told himself as he pleasured himself in the privacy of his bedroom, Chandrahas’ image firmly fixed in his mind, his name rolling sensuously from his lips.

After he finished, he showered again, made sure everything was carefully groomed and presentable, down to his barely visible five o’clock shadow—one of the perks of being so fair—and then dressed for an evening out. Evan wasn’t partial to wearing denim, even when he wasn’t on duty, but didn’t mind khakis or other types of casual pants. He drew the line at short-sleeved shirts and wouldn’t be caught dead in a T-shirt, preferring long-sleeve button-ups, no matter what the weather. He had a tolerance for heat, even the humid-as-hell Texas kind, and often wore a jacket and tie to complete his ensemble. A former boyfriend had once told Evan that he was too uptight and just as buttoned-up as his shirts. Evan hadn’t been able to disagree with that assessment. Even so, the relationship had soured quickly thereafter.

A final glance in the mirror, a splash of Old Spice, and Evan was ready to rock and roll.

Partners, here I come.

Now in rural Texas, being gay and having a social life was a challenge. Evan was fortunate to have found the only gay night spot in Tucker Falls, one which served the needs of the gay community for miles around and had earned the grudging respect of the town.  There was less trouble at Partners compared to other bars that Evan could name and was familiar with in his capacity as state trooper.  He’d been coming there for awhile and had been with a few men he’d met there. Nothing permanent, but nothing sordid, either. In fact, although he knew about the back rooms of the establishment, he never chose to avail himself of them.

He’d become friends recently with another lawman by the name of Roy Landry, introduced to him by the sheriff of Tucker Falls, with whom Evan sometimes worked. Roy was the sheriff of a small town called Burnham, which was maybe an hour or so away from Tucker Falls. Roy was older than Evan, who was going on thirty-two, but the men had a lot in common and hit it off fabulously. Roy had recently come out as gay and had a much younger boyfriend named Dustin. Evan would sometimes hang out with them, shooting the breeze while he checked out the room.

Evan hoped they were there. He seriously needed the distraction from the subject which had pre-occupied him most of the day.  Of course he could have easily found out by giving Roy a quick call, but tonight he decided to leave it to chance. Let the chips fall where they may.

The parking lot seemed fairly full when he arrived. Surely that was a good sign. He parked his state issued vehicle where he could easily get to it in case of emergency. He knew nobody would fuck with it there.  He could hear the music from the parking lot, along with the murmur of good times. Growing more confident by the moment, he pulled open the door and entered Partners.

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Alan Veerkamp

Carol Pedroso

Virtual Book Tour: Sentenced to Shakespeare by Iris Dorbian

Good morning everyone! Please welcome author Iris Dorbian to Full Moon Dreaming. She is here to tell us about her new release, Sentenced to Shakespeare.  Iris will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on Iris's tour go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

Sentenced to Shakespeare

by Iris Dorbian

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GENRE:   Young Adult, Fiction

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BLURB:

"Sentenced to Shakespeare" is a contemporary young adult novel set in suburban New Jersey. The story revolves around Leah, a smart and sensitive 15-year-old girl who is pushed too far by a bully and snaps. Arrested for assault and battery, Leah is sentenced to an unusual form of rehabilitation-she must take and complete a Shakespeare workshop or else risk incarceration. Ostracized by her classmates, abandoned by her only friend, Leah finds comfort and solidarity with the other juvenile offenders in this same program, with one offering her something she's never experienced before--love.

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EXCERPT:

As she recounted her parents’ astonishment at her arrest, silence enveloped the session room, and Leah was stung with a pang of regret and embarrassment.

I should have kept it short and simple. Even that cranky girl, Kelly, is looking at me with pity.

 “Your parents never knew what you were going through at school?” asked Downey, breaking the lull that seemed excruciating to Leah.

“No.” 

“Why didn’t you tell them? Were you afraid of their reaction?”

Leah bowed her head, her eyes on the ground. “I didn’t want to bother them. And I didn’t want to tell my brother because I knew he would tell them.”

“So, you said nothing?”

Leah nodded her head in assent. After a minute elapsed— a minute that seemed like an eternity—she conceded, “I thought this was my problem, and I needed to think of ways to solve it. But it wouldn’t end. It still hasn’t. I’m still treated like an outcast, although no one picks on me anymore. At least not directly.”

“That’s a shame,” answered Downey.  And judging by the bobbing of the heads of a few of the teens, including Rob, Tiffany, and Jake, the rest of those in the room roundly echoed Downey’s sentiment. 

“I’m glad you smacked the hell out of that bitch,” said Kelly in commiseration, her glower yielding to a more congenial bearing. 

Leah mouthed back, “Thanks,” to her.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Iris Dorbian is a professional business and arts journalist whose credits include Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Crain's New York Business, Venture Capital Journal, Buyouts, Investopedia, DMNews, Jerusalem Report, the Forward, Playbill, Backstage, Theatermania, Live Design, Media Industry Newsletter and PR News. She is the former editor-in-chief of Stage Directions magazine and author of "Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater," which was published by Allworth Press/Skyhorse Publishing in August 2008; and "Sentenced to Shakespeare," which was published by Milford House Press, an imprint of Sunbury Press. Her personal essays have been published in Blue Lyra Review, B O D Y, Embodied Effigies, Jewish Literary Journal, Diverse Voices Quarterly, Adanna Literary Journal, ThisSpace.org, Skirt! and Gothesque Magazine. A New Jersey native, Iris has a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Website: www.irisdorbian.com

Linkedin Site: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/iris-dorbian/1/759/358

Twitter site: https://twitter.com/IrisDorbian

Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/iris.dorbian

Instagram site: https://www.instagram.com/irisdorbian/

Muckrack.com: http://www.muckrack.com/irisdorbian

Book buying links:

Publisher site: https://www.sunburypressstore.com/searchquick-submit.sc?keywords=Iris+Dorbian

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WZ6F53B/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sentenced-to-shakespeare-iris-dorbian/1132899530?ean=9781620061503&st=AFF&2sid=Goodreads,%20Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads,%20Inc

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