Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #26 (6.1)

 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.

Seems like it's one thing after another! Just as they got rid of the baby daddy, now Vinnie and Ethan's boss calls to tell them they can't fly to Atlanta, and Sarah sees this as an opportunity for a road trip! See what's going on in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!'

Rose and Thorne 6 #26 (6.1)

I wondered if maybe Ethan would change his mind about this proposed road trip the next morning, in the cold hard light of day. But I guess his anger with James hadn’t abated overnight, so at eight AM we were all up, packing our bags into the car and getting ready to head out for Georgia. I’d never appreciate the luggage rack on top of the car before, but I surely did now.

We dropped Benny off with Brendan, along with his assorted toys and food.  Of course introductions were in order, but we kept them as brief as we could without appearing rude, but Brendan understood we needed to get on the road as soon as possible. He was just tickled to meet little Alex and oohed and aahed over him as much as he could. Sarah was disappointed that Troy wasn’t there, once she realized we actually meant the Troy McGarrett, well-known Hollywood heartthrob. But Ethan only snickered and told her she had no chance with Troy, no matter how handsome she thought he was, because at the end of the day he was still gay and very much in a committed relationship. He went on to say that I had a better chance with Troy than she did, which produced raised eyebrows from yours truly and a wink from Ethan. Sarah just stuck out her tongue at both of us and said she didn’t care, she just wanted an autograph.

One promise of an autograph later, along with Sarah’s address, where said autograph could be sent,  we headed to the gas station and filled up the tank before heading inside to see what they had in the way of breakfast.

Sarah protested as she followed us in. “What happened to going out for breakfast?” she queried her brother in obvious disappointment.

“This road trip happened,” Ethan explained as he examined the assortment of hot sandwiches on display. “What do you think Alex might like? How about a chicken sandwich on a biscuit?” Not waiting for a response, he turned to his nephew, held securely in Sarah’s arms so he wouldn’t wander off.. “Want some chicken, little man?”

Alex gave an enthusiastic yes, leaving no doubt as to how he felt about the matter. I wasn’t surprised, as I’d seen him demolish his fair share of chicken tenders while he’d been staying with us. Once breakfast had been selected, along with appropriate beverages and an assortment of snacks for the road, we headed back to the car, Ethan set the odometer at zero, and our trip began.

I offered shotgun to both Sarah and Benny, but both declined, insisting they wanted to catch up on the trip. I wasn’t about to complain at sitting by Ethan, naturally. I told him we could switch drivers in a few hours, but I suspected unless I really complained, that would never happen. In fact, I couldn’t remember a single time I’d ever been behind the wheel when we were together in the car. I always meant to remedy that, but I kept letting it slide to the point where I seldom even thought about it anymore. Ethan had taken upon himself the post of designated driver and, as usual, I had acquiesced to his wishes.

What can I say? I’d do anything to make that man happy.

to be continued

Now go hang out with the other Briefers and see what's what!

I wondered if maybe Ethan would change his mind about this proposed road trip the next morning, in the cold hard light of day. But I guess his anger with James hadn’t abated overnight, so at eight AM we were all up, packing our bags into the car and getting ready to head out for Georgia. I’d never appreciate the luggage rack on top of the car before, but I surely did now.

We dropped Benny off with Brendan, along with his assorted toys and food.  Of course introductions were in order, but we kept them as brief as we could without appearing rude, but Brendan understood we needed to get on the road as soon as possible. He was just tickled to meet little Alex and oohed and aahed over him as much as he could. Sarah was disappointed that Troy wasn’t there, once she realized we actually meant the Troy McGarrett, well-known Hollywood heartthrob. But Ethan only snickered and told her she had no chance with Troy, no matter how handsome she thought he was, because at the end of the day he was still gay and very much in a committed relationship. He went on to say that I had a better chance with Troy than she did, which produced raised eyebrows from yours truly and a wink from Ethan. Sarah just stuck out her tongue at both of us and said she didn’t care, she just wanted an autograph.

One promise of an autograph later, along with Sarah’s address, where said autograph could be sent,  we headed to the gas station and filled up the tank before heading inside to see what they had in the way of breakfast.

Sarah protested as she followed us in. “What happened to going out for breakfast?” she queried her brother in obvious disappointment.

“This road trip happened,” Ethan explained as he examined the assortment of hot sandwiches on display. “What do you think Alex might like? How about a chicken sandwich on a biscuit?” Not waiting for a response, he turned to his nephew, held securely in Sarah’s arms so he wouldn’t wander off.. “Want some chicken, little man?”

Alex gave an enthusiastic yes, leaving no doubt as to how he felt about the matter. I wasn’t surprised, as I’d seen him demolish his fair share of chicken tenders while he’d been staying with us. Once breakfast had been selected, along with appropriate beverages and an assortment of snacks for the road, we headed back to the car, Ethan set the odometer at zero, and our trip began.

I offered shotgun to both Sarah and Benny, but both declined, insisting they wanted to catch up on the trip. I wasn’t about to complain at sitting by Ethan, naturally. I told him we could switch drivers in a few hours, but I suspected unless I really complained, that would never happen. In fact, I couldn’t remember a single time I’d ever been behind the wheel when we were together in the car. I always meant to remedy that, but I kept letting it slide to the point where I seldom even thought about it anymore. Ethan had taken upon himself the post of designated driver and, as usual, I had acquiesced to his wishes.

What can I say? I’d do anything to make that man happy.


Monday, June 6, 2022

Virtual Book Tour: Daddies and Daughters Stick Together by Aissatou Balde and Diariatou Sow

 Good morning everyone! Please welcome authors Aissatou Balde and Diariatou Sow to Full Moon Dreaming! They are here to day to tell us about their beautiful new children's picture book, Daddies and Daughters Stick Together! They will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on their tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!



 

Daddies and Daughters Stick Together

by Aissatou Balde and Diariatou Sow


 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Children's Picture Book

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Diari doesn’t mind when Mommy goes into the city for work, because she and her little sister, Fatima, get to spend the whole day with Daddy.

 

From when the moon trades places with the sun until the sun trades places with the moon, daddies and daughters do everything together.

 

A day with Daddy means cooking, learning, dancing, and playing. After all, Daddy knows that with a little imagination, a sense of fun, and a lot of love, every part of a normal day can feel special!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPTS

 



 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Aissatou Balde is the creative director and editor in chief of TalesandTurbans.com, a lifestyle brand sought after by all those looking for an authentic and positive representation of womanhood, motherhood, and family. Aissatou currently lives in Indiana with her husband, Alhassane, and her two daughters, Diari and Fatima. Visit Daddiesanddaughtersco.com for more information.

 

 It’s no surprise that six-year-old Diariatou Sow would become an author at such an early age. Diari is an avid reader, eager learner, and incredibly creative kid who loves learning new languages. When she is not dancing, drawing, playing with her little sister, or writing with her mom, she is hanging out with her dad, which is her favorite thing to do.

 

Nandi L. Fernandez is an illustrator, concept artist, and animator. While she grew up in Uganda, Zambia, and Liberia, her love for travel, art, and exploring different African cultures was nurtured. Nandi has worked as a concept artist and has illustrated educational materials and various children’s books. She currently resides in the United Kingdom.

 

Instagram @DaddiesandDaughtersCo

Website www.DaddiesandDaughters.com

Facebook.com/DaddiesandDaughtersCo

 

Sales Link

Target  https://www.target.com/p/daddies-and-daughters-stick-together-daddies-daughters-stick-together-by-aissatou-balde-diariatou-sow-hardcover/-/A-84913076

Walmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Daddies-Daughters-Stick-Together-Daddies-and-Daughters-Stick-Together-Book-1-Series-1-Hardcover-9781954854529/924470438

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Daddies-Daughters-Stick-Together-Book/dp/1954854528/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=daddies+and+daughters+stick+together&qid=1645804601&s=books&sprefix=daddies+and+daughter%2Cstripbooks%2C74&sr=1-2

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daddies-and-daughters-stick-together-aissatou-balde/1139981403

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Saturday is Horror Day #64 - Black Sunday (1960)

 Black Sunday


When a witch (Barbara Steele) and her minion (Arturo Dominici) are burned at the stake after first being forced to endure the mask of Satan, they vow to wreak their vengeance. Two centuries later, two doctors,Dr Kruvajan (Andrea Checchi) and Dr Gorobec (John Richardson) are on their way to a medical conference. when their carriage breaks down. While the driver fixes the carriage, they stroll about some nearby ruins and discover a strange tomb. The older doctor recounts the strange tale of the witch and the mask. The coffin is accidentally damaged, revealing the mask and the body. They pull it off, only to discover how well preserved the body beneath is. Shrugging it off, they continue to the next town and take a room.





In a nearby castle live Prince Vajda (Ivo Garrani) and his son Constantine (Enrico Olivieri) and his daughter Asa (Barbara Steele). A medical emergency requires a doctor and the two older physician is summoned. When he doesn't return, the younger doctor learns through an eyewitness that the man who came for him was a stranger, not Boris, the stablehand. Boris is later discovered murdered. Alarmed, Dr Gorobec heads to the castle.


Strange things are afoot including secret passages and various clues which lead them to believe the witch intends to be reincarnated in the body of the princess. It seems that there are vampires afoot. How can they be combated?



Despite the fairly common storyline, Black Sunday stands out for the way in which it was filmed. It's stylish and rather elegant, enhanced I feel by the black and white film, although clearly color would have been a choice in 1960.  It also stars Barbara Steele, considered to be the queen of the 1960 horror genre. The film is Italian, but I saw it dubbed, which probably detracted from the overall effect, but I had no choice. Even so, it has a very Italian Gothic feel and is not short on chills and shivers. Worth watching. I give it 4 to 4.5 Stars

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Book Review: Skip Beat! Vol 11 by Yoshiki Nakamura

 

SkipBeat! Vol 11      


Author: Yoshiki Nakamura

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: September 4, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Shojo Manga//216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Kyoko’s portrayal of Mio has caught everyone by surprise. They are beginning to acknowledge that she has talent. Ren finds himself dreaming of her at night, remembering a time when they were children and he had to tell her he was leaving, which was heartbreaking. When they arrive on the set, Mr. Yashiro enlists Kyoko’s aid in making Ren eat the way he should. Ren surprises Kyoko by telling her he wants to be like her, that he wants his portrayal of Katsuki to exceed that of the original, as Kyoko is doing with Mio. Even the original Mio thinks Kyoko’s performance is better than hers. But just when things seem to be going so well, Kyoko is shocked that a re-take has been called… on Ren! Ren never has re-takes! What is up with that?

Sho doesn’t show, at least on the outside, how much he is affected by learning that Kyoko is going to be in a movie with his biggest enemy, aka Ren Tsuruga. But he has been affected, and can’t stop imagining things, such as Kyoko making lunches for Ren, the two exchanging pet names and intimate touches. He vows to have the best girlfriend once he is on top! Could it be Kyoko? And how disturbing is that thought to him?

Ren has been told by the director to go, and to come back when he can confidently play Katsuki. The President’s worst fears have been realized. What is he to do? Kyoko realizes Ren is in trouble, but she has no idea why. As his junior, she doesn’t dare approach him with an offer of advice. But then she remembers the time she was able to help him, dressed as Bo. Maybe that could work again? How to engineer such a meeting? Fate smiles on her when she discovers him by chance, on her way to play Bo. Ren reveals that he is having problems with the love scenes because he has never fallen in love! Bo/Kyoko is shocked, but still determined to help Ren. Ren reveals there is someone he does care about, but she’s in high school, so Kyoko decides to coach him, little dreaming that he is talking about her. To be fair, Ren has no idea he’s talking to Kyoko. Mr. Yashiro plays matchmaker and maneuvers Kyoko into making dinner for Ren, but things don’t quite turn out as expected.

This series goes straight to my heart, I love it so much! I look forward to the day when both Kyoko and Ren will realize how they feel. I’m afraid some bad times are going to come in between though, since Kyoko doesn’t even known Ren is Corn, and that is bound to be an upsetting revelation. At least now that he is focusing on her, he can do his love scenes. Maybe even Lory will realize that Ren cares for Kyoko. I love to watch Kyoko’s continued growth as an actress. She may have begun this journey for the revenge, but it has become something so much more.

Can’t wait for the next volume!

 

 

Friday, June 3, 2022

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 62 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 62       


Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: November 4, 2014

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Hitsugaya continues to battle the manic Bazz-B, who threatens to take him down using only two fingers. Another Quincy, Cang Du, intervenes, reminding Bazz-B that orders were given to leave the Soul Reapers to those who stole their bankai. He has brought a stunned Matsumoto with him, and decides she and her captain should die together. Just then Uruhara reaches Kurotsuchi and tells him he’s completed his research and knows how the soul reapers can reclaim their bankai. He explains the procedure and how it makes the bankai poisonous to the Quincies, and then begins to implement his plan. His actions are just in time for Hitsugaya to turn the tide in his battle.

Omaeda goes to Sai Fon’s aid against the Quincy she is battling, explaining how she will regain her bankai. Meanwhile, Uryu is with Yhwach, who had predicted this outcome. Quincy Bambietta challenges the Soul Reapers to come out of hiding and fight her, especially the “doggy” she wanted to fight, who seems to be nowhere around. But Komamura is there, and so is Shinji. Shinji shows her what his bankai can do, which disorients the Quincy, but not long enough.

Uruhara receives a call from Ichigo, who reveals that he is ready to come back. Unfortunately, the journey back will be longer than the one he took to get there. Kiskue urges him to come as soon as possible.  Bambietta seems to have taken down Shinji. Komamura steps in, using his clan’s secret jutsu, and suddenly he is no longer a wolf but a man! But at what cost?

This volume of Bleach has so much going on! Edge of your seat stuff, too! Like, what’s going on with Shinji? He has to be okay, right? But I can’t help thinking about Kira and I know at this point anything is possible. The whole thing with Ichigo must surely be a delaying tactic in order to build up drama and suspense and bring everything to the brink of destruction, so he can swoop in and play the hero and make everything right again… right? We still don’t know what part Uryu will play in all of this. I have to believe his own innate sense of justice will not allow him to destroy the Soul Society, even though he’s been appointed crazy Yhwach’s successor. Only time will tell there. The part about Komamura is both amazing and heartbreaking.  And of course, seeing Shunsui is the icing on the cake, at least for me.

I especially loved the cover for the chapter Don’t Sleep Til You Sleep, with Renji and Ichigo and a bunch of white coffins with crosses . Kind of a vampiric vibe lol  Also, there’s a part with Ikkaku, Yumichika and Hisagi who are attacked by a guy who reminded me of a luchadore. More of him next time. 

Great volume, looking forward to the next one!

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #25 (5.4)

 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.

After Vinnie punches the baby daddy in the nose and Uncle Benny throws him out of the house, Ethan receives an unexpected call from his and Vinnie's boss. At this hour? What now? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #25 (5.4)

“Hello?” Ethan listened intensely, but I couldn’t make out what Anderson was saying, try though I might. I just knew it couldn’t be good all things considered. Our boss wasn’t one for calling us in the middle of the night just to chitchat, especially when he knew we were on the job. The expression on Ethan’s face when he hung up only served to reinforce my suspicions.

“Looks like we aren’t flying out tomorrow after all,” he said.

“Then when?” I asked in as calm, cool, collected voice as I could muster. No sense in upsetting the subject of our protection, aka Uncle Benny. And no reason to panic. At least, none that I knew of… yet.

“We’re not,” was Ethan’s surprising reply. “Apparently some kind of threat was received. He didn’t go into too much detail, other than to say it’s not safe for us to go to the airport at our intended time. Or any other.”

I frowned at that, even as Benny said, “I guess someone really doesn’t want me to testify.”

Ethan nodded. “Looks that way.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Benny shook his head.

“But if we can’t go to the airport…” I left the obvious question hanging in the air, even though I suspected I knew the answer.

“Looks like we’re going on a road trip,” Ethan replied.

Driving from Roanoke to Atlanta? That was a new one for us. The farthest we’d ever had to drive for work was up to Richmond and that was only three hours. Atlanta was a lot farther than that. I remember the flight taking about three hours.

“Good thing we have a company car,” I quipped. My mind began to race. We’d already made arrangements for Benny with Brendan, since we were going to be away from home for a few days, just until Uncle Benny was set to testify. Brendan and Troy both adored our pup and insisted on watching him for us every chance they got. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure if Troy was in town. I thought he might be off on some shoot or something, being the famous Hollywood actor that he was, leaving Brendan to keep the home fires burning. So at least we were covered there. Driving could be nice. We’d get a chance to see more of Virginia and Georgia, and all points in between. Spend time with Ethan’s uncle…

Sarah’s voice cut into my thoughts. “That’s just perfect!”

Say what?

I glanced at Ethan. He seemed every bit as confused as I was.

“What’s perfect?” he asked his twin.

“You guys driving to Atlanta, of course. You’ll be going right by Imperial, you can drop me and Alex off at Mercy’s house on your way, and in the meantime, we’ll get to visit with Uncle Benny and he can get to know his great-nephew.”

“What do you mean, right by Imperial?” Ethan sputtered. “Not hardly. That would add a good hour to our time, if not more. Not to mention, in case you’ve forgotten, Vinnie and I are working. This isn’t exactly a family reunion, this is serious business.”

Sarah’s warm smile turned into a fierce scowl in less time than it took to tell it. These two surely knew how to set each other off. Made me even happier at that moment that I never had a sibling.

“Maybe we should all take a deep breath and sleep on the idea,” I suggested. Maybe what we needed at the moment was a little distance between us. Just then a ding could be heard and we each checked out phone to see who’d received a message.

It was Sarah.

“Damn!” she exclaimed, her scowl now aimed at her phone.

That didn’t sound good.

“What’s wrong?” Ethan asked in concern.

“James says he’ll meet us at the airport and we can talk on the flight back.” Alex was squirming in her arms, and she let him down. He decided to pet Benny, to the pup’s delight

“Over my dead body,” Ethan said ominously.

Guess we were taking a family road trip after all.

 to be continued


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

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 


Virtual Book Tour: Bad Boys Don't Date Clumsy Girls by KE Strand

 Please welcome author KE Strand to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here today to tell us about her new release, Bad Boys Don't Date Clumsy Girls. KE will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.


 


Bad Boys Don't Date Clumsy Girls

by KE Strand


 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: YA Romantic Comedy

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

When the school’s bad boy infiltrates her shelter, will she lose her sanctuary or her heart?

 

Hopelessly clumsy Ava, is too focused on graduation and keeping both feet on the ground to have a boyfriend. She has enough to worry about with a less than ideal home life.

 

Bad boy Dylan can’t help but find Ava’s klutziness entertaining. That doesn’t mean he wants to date her.

 

When court-ordered community service forces them together at the animal shelter, Ava fears she’s lost her refuge. Dylan’s arrogance gets under her skin. And she finds it unforgivable the dogs prefer him after everything she’s done for them. A spontaneous water fight heats things up and suddenly she anticipates each meeting. But his reputation might be too much for her to overlook.

 

Will Ava be forced to find a new escape? Or will she stumble her way into his heart?

 

Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls is a light-hearted, clean young adult romantic comedy. The first book in the Oak Grove High series by KE Strand. It will make you cringe, cry, and cackle.

 

Buy Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls for your latest binge read today.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT:

 

 

“Hi,” I say. “You must be the new volunteer. I’m Ava and I’ll…”

 

He turns around and my words fall away as my stomach clenches. Dylan Scott. Oh no. Not him.

 

“Oh, hey. You’re the mud girl.” He chuckles and then squints. “I think. It’s hard to recognize you now that I can see you.”

 

“Oh good. You’re a comedian,” I grumble.

 

Dylan is trouble with a capital T. He skips tons of school, has been suspended a couple of times, and has a reputation as the school heartbreaker. Chloe indicating he’ll be around for a while probably means he’s serving court-ordered community service. Great.

 

Running into him in the office the other day was one thing, but having him show up here in my sanctuary with something to hold over my head is beyond upsetting. Suddenly, I’m less excited about being here.

 

“So, what is there to do around here?” Dylan pulls his hands out of his pockets and holds them out to the side to indicate the entire shelter.

 

“Let me just put my stuff away, and we’ll get started.” I store the lunch Sam packed for me in the refrigerator and shove my purse into a locker. Taking a mental deep breath, I don what I hope is a pleasant expression and turn to Dylan. “Did you put your jacket away? You’ll probably need it.”

 

“Nah, don’t have one.”

 

I look at his t-shirt, which I suddenly notice fits him really well, and simultaneously blush and frown. “You came like that? It’s like forty degrees outside.”

 

“What can I say? I’m hot.”

 

 


 

 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

KE Strand escapes within the pages of a book when real life thwarts her own outdoorsy adventures. But her favorite escape is into a story about young love. KE Strand writes clean teen romance because she loves those heart pounding moments of having a crush. The excitement, fear, and confusion of falling in love for the first time. And the relief and thrill of the first kiss. Each time you pick up a KE Strand book you’ll fall in love for the first time. You can find her on the following social media

 

Facebook: @KEStrandAuthor

Instagram: kestrandwrites

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/u8n3y3

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ke-Strand/e/B09Z16GHG6?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

 

~~Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XVPQV1Y/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 


 

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway