Excerpt: The Lebrus Stone by Miriam Khan

The Lebrus Stone by Miriam Khan

Series: Lebrus Stone Book One

Release Date: November 28, 2014
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press

Genres: Fantasy

When eighteen-year-old orphan, Crystal Valdez, accepts an invitation to the small town of Blacksville, West Virginia, she hopes to have a summer to remember and a chance to learn more about her parents, to also get to know the family she never knew existed.
But the Lockes begin to act strange and erratic; eerie movements in the night fuel her vivid and gruesome nightmares. To complicate her summer further, she becomes attracted to the menacing yet handsome Cray Locke: her none blood related cousin.
He seems determined to keep his distance. The only bonus to her trip seems to be the housekeeper and gardener.
And when a local informs Crystal of the secrets buried at Thorncrest Manor, the kind consisting of a forbidden relationship and a war between hidden worlds, and witchcraft, she must decide whom to trust. Even if it means leaving behind those she has come to love.

 

EXCERPT

 

I lay back and tried not to over think things to calm the storm in my head, but a knock on my door moments later interrupted it.

"Come in!" I called out, sitting up to retrieve my book.

Syd entered, carrying in what looked like a sandwich and a glass of her homemade lemonade.

I could have done with a hot soup.

But I blew a sigh of relief it wasn't one of the Lockes.

"Isobel said to make sure you had some lunch by now," she said, placing the tray on my bedside cabinet.

"Thanks, Syd."

"Any reason why you're hiding in here?" she asked as she sat on my bed.

I tensed. Being told I was hiding annoyed me, but I wasn't annoyed at Syd, just at myself. I had come too far in life to start acting like a coward, especially over something clearly in my head.

I fingered the dog-eared cover of my book.

"I think I just need a quiet day to myself. It could be some type of…delayed jet lag." It could be partly true, I thought. It had taken two flights to get from Salt Lake City to Blacksville; six hours in total. I smiled, pleased with the conclusion. Exhaustion could have been why I had such a freakish dream.

"I see," Syd said, seeming unconvinced. "Well, do you think you'll be joining the Lockes for dinner?"

"Do I have to?" No matter how much I was becoming fond of Syd, she worked for the Lockes. They could try and make her tell me what do.

"No." She chuckled. "But I think you should try to interact. Cray's alright, by the way. A little scratch like that won't do a boy like him any harm."

Boy like him?

So, I had hurt him. My chest tightened.

"Oh, don't look so beat up about it, honey. The boy is as tough as old boots." She chuckled again. "And luckily for you, he's not as vain about his looks as you would think. He won't hold what happened against you." She patted my hand.

I gulped. "Has he…said something?"

"No. He left early this morning. He didn't say where he was going, and Isobel never dares ask these days. He's a very private person, as you've probably noticed. She respects that. We all do." She looked lost in thought for a moment, then smiled in her sad little way, and asked, "So, are you ready to talk about what happened last night?"

My mouth felt too clamped to begin

"I have to say, not many girls would have left home to meet so many strangers. I admire your courage."

Her comment only made me sound irresponsible. I gritted my teeth.

"I don't feel very courageous," I admitted. "I feel pretty stupid right now."

Thanks for the added comment to make me feel even more naive, I wanted to add.

"I don't think five months was long enough to think this through," I said.

She nodded. "Maybe. But everything happens for a reason. You followed your heart. It's all you can do in life. It's your only real compass."

I wanted us to keep talking. When Syd wasn't nicely pointing out my flaws, she had a way of calming me until I felt optimistic about my trip again. But she had dinner to prepare, so she reluctantly left me after insisting I get ready to face my evening with the Lockes.

Something about her was becoming familiar. It could have been the warmth in her eyes and how they reminded me of Selma. She had always been as hospitable and over helpful.

I still missed her. Talking to Syd was like getting back something that had been cruelly taken away, too. It wasn't just my parents I'd lost, but my pride, self-worth, my best friend, at times my composure. It had been an uphill struggle this past year or so. But I was finally feeling on top of things…I think.

I sure wasn't going to let it keep me down.

Coming to Blacksville was my new start as the new and improved me. I really had to keep believing that.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Miriam is from Cheshire, England and a family of six siblings. Her love for creativity led to acting at her local theatre before being a lead vocalist in rock bands. During those years, she often found solace penning her thoughts and feelings through lyrics or poetry. She chose not to continue singing in 2006, and two years later she woke up with the idea for The Lebrus Stone and began typing. revising and editing it for the next six years. She is now eager to see what readers will think.

Author Links:
Blog: miriamkhannovels.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9793155.Miriam_Khan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007806765011&fref=ts

 

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Promo Post: Murphy's Heist by David Chilcott

Murphy's Heist by David Chilcott 

Series: McBride Series #1

Release Date: 6th November 2014
Publisher: Smashwords Edition

Genres: Thriller

 

 

David Chilcott is the author of the up and coming John McBride series: 'Murphy's Heist' and its sequel 'Cruise the Storm'. He is currently writing the third book of the series, planning to be published in early April.

Murphy's Heist, the debut book, follows artist John McBride as he stumbles upon a series of strange events. He finds that the biggest bullion heist since the eighties is about to be committed by the small time criminal, Belfast-born Eamonn Murphy, now living in England. His cruelty and greed exceeds his ability, and results in a bungled heist. However, he does get away with twelve million pounds worth of bullion. He struggles to get the haul out of England, but will his luck hold with McBride chasing him all the way?

 

Closely following is David's sequel, Cruise the Storm. This time we follow John aboard an upmarket cruise ship, The Helena, setting sail for the Mediterranean. It is already in the Solent before the owners realise there are several members of a far right group aboard, and they might be aiming to hijack the ship, though they are sure that due to stringent security there can be no weapons aboard. Matters are discussed with MI5, and one of their operatives agrees to board the ship in Spain to monitor the situation. Encouraged by his agent to act as an art tutor, John McBride finds a role in the potential danger aboard. When the Captain learns that McBride used to be in the SAS, he thinks he might be useful if things get out of hand. Though it is not just a hijack that takes place; a rebellion by the passengers loathe to have their holiday ruined. A rare but not unknown hurricane in the Mediterranean engulfs the ship. At this point the Captain, on his last voyage before retirement, thinks life couldn't get any worse. Though with the last hijacker roaming the ship in disguise, will he kill him?

 

The third book of the series will see John McBride meeting a girl who has lost her brother. He has gone missing, and the police aren't interested because he is an adult. McBride follows the trail to a prison camp in Russia. The task isn't just about breaking out, they need to find a way back to England. The SVR are trying very hard to stop them.

 

David's inspiration comes from a few admired authors... "Firstly, the king of all thrillers, Elmore Leonard, who made writing look so easy. All his books are hard to put down before the last page is turned. Secondly, Robert B Parker is another gifted writer in the genre. Peter Temple living in Australia is one of the tops, and writes must-read thrillers. I could go on, there are many others, especially American writers". Further chat from David advises to write about what you know; if you write about something you don't know, you are in for a lot of research. Knowing about the subject gives an authenticity research will never give. This is why David's passion for thriller novels has created such success in his own work.

 

David told us about the methods of the novel writing process… "Every author uses a different technique to end up with 80,000 plus words on paper. I know some spend a lot of time on the plotting, and have everything in detail mapped out. I have the plot framework before I start to write, but it is a roughly drawn map on how to get from A to B. Then I just start writing, two thousand words a session, perhaps finishing many chapters, before going back and doing a first edit. When I finish the book, I'll spend many weeks sharpening it up before I send it to my editor".

 

 

 Having been an avid reader of fiction for a long time, David has toyed with writing a novel a few times previously. The first occasion was in his late twenties, a science fiction book that was never finished. Ten years later David completed a thriller novel, though never succeeded in getting it published. Third time lucky, with the knowledge of his ability to write thrillers, David set out to write for the e-book audience. He admits that when the first book went online, it has not undergone any editing. After this being pointed out in a review, David withdrew the book and had it edited. This resulted in him partly rewriting it, thus improving its rating to four stars!

 

Readers of David Chilcott seem to be more enticed by each book they read. Cruise the Storm has been described as "a fast, pacy read and it draws you in" as well as "a tale of deception, intrigue and crime".



 http://www.davidchilcottauthor.com/

 

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Industry Promo Post: Polish Your Prose with Viv Moriarty

Getting your writing right!

Here at Brook Cottage Books you will see lots of promo posts for authors and their writing. However, I think its nice to highlight some of the other unsung heroes in the book industry. Those people who offer wonderful services and without whose talents many books simply wouldn't make it into the hands of readers.

 

Everyone knows how important it is to have someone cast a critical eye over your work to check for errors. As a reader, we often come across books that haven't been checked over properly and are full of errors. Every writer knows that its very difficult to check your own writing properly and that it's best to call upon the services of someone else. One lovely lady who offers such a service is Vivienne Moriarty. I'll let the lady herself tell you a little about what she can offer to writers.

On my first day as a newly qualified teacher the Head said: ‘Every teacher is a teacher of English, Mrs Moriarty.” This has been the fundamental tenet of my career in education. I understand the value of clarity both as a reader and a writer. 

 

My background as an academic has allowed me an analytical approach to writing and a meticulous attention to detail for language.

 

If you require a steely eye on your work, then please consider my services. I have competitive rates and am timely. I respect your craft and appreciate your efforts involved in producing prose.  

Viv Moriarty

 

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Promo Post: Love Lonely by William C Cole

Love Lonely by William C Cole

Series: Love Lonely Novel #1

Release Date: 30th Dec 2014
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Espionage, Erotic



When an injury forced David into an early retirement from his professional hockey career, he accepted a position to oversee the operations of his father-in-law’s thoroughbred horse racing division.

 

David’s wife Sandy is referred to as one of the most influential and beautiful women in the world. However, her official role as the family’s philanthropist requires an exhaustive amount of time away from home.

 

Upon her return from a recent trip, Sandy took notice of her husband’s attraction to his assistant trainer Renée, instantly recognizing the magnetism between them.

Renée is a petite young French girl who is suddenly given the opportunity to work closely with David soon after the head trainer is forced to resign.

Now traveling companions, with each passing day, the sexual tension between the two intensifies.

Sandy knows all too well that she is on the verge of losing her husband. Will she be able to alter her existing lifestyle to save him?

Or is it too late…

 

About the Author

 

 



 

Born in Toronto and raised in Northern Ontario, I currently own a small business in the Sudbury region. My wife Diane has been by my side for 34 years, which I believe should propel her directly into sainthood. I have been blessed with an amazing and supportive family.

 

Creativity has always been a part of my journey. Writing seems to be a natural extension to my years in the music industry, where I had the pleasure of listening to songs I penned being played on the radio.

 When not working, sleeping, biking, or writing, I am on the golf course trying to keep up with my son’s Lee and Aaron.

Links: 

Website www.williamccole.com

Twitterwww.twitter.com/_williamccole

Facebook www.Facebook.com/williamccole

Blog  williamccole.blogspot.com

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33782347-william-cole

Publisher www.limitlesspublishing.com

Linkedin.com/pub/william-cole/a5/76a/779/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Post: Writing, Acting and Life by Elizabeth Housden

The Gentlemen Go By by Elizabeth Housden

Release Date: 2nd October 2014

Publisher: Housden Publishing

Genres: Historical Fiction

The three words of this title are in the wrong order, really.  But that is how it came out as I sat at my computer, thinking what to write.  It just came into my mind.    So, obviously, the living bit came first but it was not long after I was born, less than three years, to be precise, that acting came into my life for I was not quite 3 when I performed my first professional role on stage.  

I can remember it, vividly, or bits of it.  I can remember the odd snapshot in my mind’s eye of what was going on around me but most noticeably, I can remember what I felt like.  I was a rabbit in a pantomime.  The dance school in which I was enrolled to study the art of ballet, was asked to provide the tots’ chorus number.  I don’t remember which pantomime it was - probably Babes in the Wood, logically, or possibly Sleeping Beauty but I can’t be sure.  I  don’t remember my costume or the steps but I remember the audience.  I remember standing on the edge of the stage on the end of the row of other rabbits, I was the littlest, and I remember staring out into the dark beyond the orchestra pit.  I wasn’t in the least shy or self-conscious.  I was curious as to why everyone was there and who they were.  I liked the dark of the men’s evening dress and the glitter of the ladies jewellery - one dressed up for the theatre in those days, not the jeans and anything goes of today.  I recall being not puzzled as to why I was there but I hadn’t expected to have all those people looking at me.  I remember, too being made to stand on a box so they could put make-up on me and I remember, very clearly, refusing point blank.  Neither my mother, who in my recollection was around, nor my dance teacher had any idea how to make me and they didn’t.  I was interviewed, it transpired later because of it, because I was the only white faced rabbit amongst all the brown ones.   I don’t remember that, though.

 

 

My overriding feelings as a child as I took on more and more acting roles was it was natural for me to be up there, looking out into the audience, wondering why all those people were there too.  That feeling didn’t go away for a long time.  I spent most of my days dreaming about being someone I was not - being a cat up a tree was a favourite of mine.  A lot of children have imaginary friends and it appeared, so did I.  But I didn’t.  They were real to me.  My Alsatian dog lived on a patch of moss under my parents’ bathroom window.  He was naughty and would pinch things - toys, flowers, apples.  There was also a very large Hare, who walked on his hind legs and he was exceptionally difficult.  Once, when my mother had mislaid some money she and my father asked me if I knew where it was.  “No,” said I, “but Hare knows.”

“Does he, darling?  Where is it?  Did he say?”

“No, he wouldn't tell me, but he took it.”

“Ask him.  Ask Hare where he put the money!”

“He won’t tell.  But he took it.  He told me he did.  I think he threw it down the drain.  He hides things there.  He thinks it is very funny.”

“It isn’t funny at all,” my father joined in the cross examination, “Which drain?  Get Hare to tell you where he put the bloody money!”

It was a ludicrous conversation.  But to me it was real.  Of course, in the end it was discovered that my mother had spent it on something she had completely forgotten all about but the serious  questioning of a four year old about a five foot tall Hare in a red jacket about where he hid the money they never forgot, it seems.  I was convincing as an actress even then, they said.  And I hadn’t seen or heard of then the incomparable film/play of Harvey.  No, all these characters were real.

 

 

Odd really, for the whole of theatre, of course, is an illusion.  The people we see on stage or screen are not what they appear.  The scenes before us are not a New York cocktail bar or Cinderella’s kitchen or an eighteenth century drawing room.  Everyone there knows it is a vast, huge confidence trick and we all are part of it.  It was not too surprising that after being a rabbit, when I knew I was really a little girl, or seeing an Alsatian dog sitting on a tuft of moss in conversation with a large hare in a red frock coat  that I would eventually become more at home on the stage than I was anywhere.

Later, I learned that that was the easy bit.  The hardest thing for an actor is to keep hold of reality and at the same time create the illusion you are whoever you are supposed to be on stage.  I remember one of my teachers at drama school, several years on from the rabbit and the hare and the dog, saying we need to play the most exhausting and emotionally charged and challenging people with one part of our mind and body and the other bit of ourselves in the real world - a perpetual ongoing schizophrenia.  We had to play Lady Macbeth, say, burning up with hatred and passion and persuasive tongue, driven in the end to lunacy by her actions with her, “Here’s the smell of blood still,  All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.  O, O, O...!” but at the same time be thinking, “What’s in the fridge for supper when I get back?  I really must stop at the supermarket and pick up some more eggs.”  We must keep one foot on the ground of reality or within days of the start of a long run, we would be finished emotionally and as mad as the character we were attempting to play.  And God alone knew who we’d turn into if we had to play a truly dreadful character such as Caligula or Sweeney Todd!  That is acting - pretending, always pretending but never forgetting who you really are, even in the middle of some of the greatest speeches ever written we must never let go of the the fact we are an illusion and a con artist.  The late wonderful John Gielgud summed it up beautifully once.  When asked advice about acting on stage by a great actor of the screen when he found himself dismayed at not getting hold of the essence of the great Shakespearean role he was attempting to portray - Method acting failing him for once, Gielgud looked at him, kindly and said, “Try acting, dear boy.”  It is the best advice an actor can ever have.

 

 

So, writing - the last and first part of this life.  All my life I have been pretending to be other people.  As the roles in theatre diminished, as they do for many of us, I knew that my second great love had moved in with me.  The first had not been ousted, how could it be, it has been with me since I was a baby and will be with me till I shuffle off this mortal coil.  No, now, it is up to ME to create the characters, spin a yarn that holds together, make the people real.  The art of illusion is holding the end of my pen as I write, or press my fingers onto the keys of my keyboard.  Suddenly I am the creator.  I have no one to fall back on, to refer to or, oh horror, to blame.  And it is not just my character that matters to me now.  In all the plays I have been in, all my fellow actors have their responsibility to the roles they play, to their fellows on stage and to the audience and I am simply part of that team, bringing to the whole my bit of the action.  It is my responsibility to the whole but
now, as a writer, I have to be all things to all men and women for I am their master.  It is my fault if the story doesn’t work, or the characters don’t.   All my characters must perform on the pages as well as I have done on stage with my one role per play.  My God!!

 

 

So...

I recall sitting at the computer for the first time when I knew I wanted to write a novel.  I had written plays - a lot of them, that was easy.  I was utterly familiar with the format, how long to make the scenes, how long to make the speeches, where to make the breaks between the acts, how to avoid a quick change for the actors, how to make it real by giving the actors enough clues with which to work.  Simple.  They worked, too for they were performed.  But this was different.  It was up to me to decide how long was to be the book, what was the subject matter, what the people looked like, felt, said, behaved and it was up to me to make them speak, and appear and simply be.  Everything was up to me.

 

 

Initially this was invigorating, liberating, I had given myself carte blanche but gradually, as I sat there, thinking, I began to embrace the enormity of the task and at the same time realise how fortunate I was.  I was fortunate because I was a trained, professional actor.  In the search to find the clues to successful playing, we look at the text, obviously but we need to see how the character speaks, what he or she says, what he or she says about others in the play, what they like, what they don’t, why and what others  say or feel about the character I am playing.  There will be subtext.  We need to find it and draw it out, make it live and be important.  Sometimes there is a back story that we can draw upon or lean upon to help with the illusion.  Take Lady Macbeth, for example.  Shakespeare gives us not too much of a back story or subtext in his plays but there are one or two clues here and there.  So, in our modern demanding way we like to find out WHY it is that one of Shakespeare’s arch-villainesses decides she wants the man she married to be a king.  What gives her the blind ambition to drive him to kill for her and why does she not do it herself, if she’s that desperate?  We know what she says of him - he is not without ambition but lacks the will to make it happen - “he is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.”  So we examine the text.  Here we see lurking there that she has had a child (“I know what t’is to love the babe that milks me”) but we know she has no children now.  So she has lost a child, maybe more than one.  That fact alone can send a woman crazy for ever.  She loved her father (“Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I’d ‘a done it!”).  So she was capable of loving as well as incitement to murder, but not the actual deed, it is to be noted.  So, in these tiny facts (real facts about her) we see a dilemma that can send her off the rails.  She is capable of remorse.  It is no wonder she walks in her sleep, horrified at the reality of what she has done and finally leads her to take her own life.  You can work back to it the other way, too.  What is it in the personality of this character that leads her to commit suicide?  We find the same clues in searching the text that way, too and it still works.  So, suddenly this “hag-like queen” is becoming real and if I can make her real, then Macbeth and the all the others in the cast will find her real, too and react to what she says accordingly.  And so will the audience.  We have the beginnings of an illusion - and illusion is our job.  

 

 

So... writing.  For each character there has to be a back story.  I invent them.  The villain of the piece, for example - what makes him violent towards women or a control-freak or collect them like trophies?  What makes him desire the heroine to the point of enticing her to his house, manipulating his wife out of it?  How can he ignore the fact that his son is in love with this young woman and not care?  Each one of those who people my books is real to me.  There is nothing secret in their past lives to me.  I may not mention one quarter of what I KNOW about them, it may not be relevant to
the story but it is relevant to making them what they are.  I imagine scenes where they talk in friends’ kitchens about how to make a stew, talk to builders about how to refurbish a bathroom, talk to secretaries, bus conductors, taxi drivers.  Anything about them.  What were they like at university?  What were their lovers like?  What makes them popular with the public and loathed in private?  Nothing is hidden from ME.  As long as my readers know enough to make them real then all these other scenes and conversations with past lovers, fellow workers or bell hops don’t matter.  They would be uninteresting and not part of the story.  All they serve is for me to paint a real picture and make them necessary to the plot and real to the reader - my audience.  And I read every word of it out loud.  It’s how I edit it.  It is invaluable.

 

 

I have done a lot of work with young people, as an actor and teacher.  People note particularly about the conversations my young characters have with each other and how they differ from those they have with adults.  I have been privileged to see both.  They are real to me.   I am particularly fond of the children in my book Passion’s Slave.  None, indeed no one, is modelled on a real person, I find the idea rather horrid and insulting, actually.  Insulting to me, that is, as a creator!  I have no need at all to borrow real people and put them in my books, I have the imagination to create them for myself and, because I am an actor, the ability, I hope, to make them live. I was born, I acted and now I write and as a writer I draw on my acting to make my people live.  An odd life, of course but the only one I have.  “A poor thing, sir, but mine own,”  And for that quote I have to thank the greatest writer of all time, William Shakespeare.   And he was an actor, too.

 

 

Elizabeth Housden is married to an international banker, Michael and they have 4 children between them, two sons and two daughters.  She also has 6 grandchildren. She has written several plays and 5 novels to date.

Passion’s Slave

Brief Candle

Natural Allies

Tigers of Wrath

The Gentlemen Go By

 

All are available on Amazon UK and US

She has two websites. www.misruletheatrecompany.com

(her website that concerns her theatre company

 

www.housdenpublishing.co.uk (concerning her writing)

 

 

http://www.authoramp.com/



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Review and Giveaway: Seaside Sunsets by Melissa Foster

Seaside Sunsets by Melissa Foster

Series: Love In Bloom: Seaside Summers. Book 3

Release Date: (16 Dec 2014)
Publisher:World Literary Press 
Genres: Contemporary Fiction

Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sensual, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the blond beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.

I have been thoroughly enjoying this series of books by Melissa Foster and Seaside Sunsets was no exception. It did not disappoint. I adored it! From the first time Jessica met eyes on Jamie, albeit in a very unconventional way, I was hooked. It was great to meet up with the Seaside Sisters once again and Melissa Foster has created such a warm and funny group of women through them. I love that each one has their own story to tell. There's always a hint of a back story with them and it just piques your interest in the forthcoming books in the series. Although Seaside Sunsets is part of a series it could be read as a stand alone novel but if I were you I'd read them all...........only because they are fantastic!

Jessica was an interesting character for me. She's so innocent yet so incredibly gorgeous and alluring all at the same time. She doesn't even know it! It was lovely to see her blossom in the book. Jamie is so clearly smitten with her and their interactions were hot!! From the scene on the beach to Jamie delivering breakfast to her to............oh I'm not going to spoil it for you. Lets just say, from the expression on my face when I was reading the book, my husband knew it was time for a cold shower for me! The sex scenes are tasteful but oh so sexy!  Well done to Melissa Foster for continuing with this series in such a way that it just gets better and better. I'm really looking forward to the next book!

        a Rafflecopter giveaway
  

About Melissa Foster

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the  World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine. 

Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Authors Links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Sign up for Melissa's newsletter to stay up to date with releases and giveaways

http://www.melissafoster.com/newsletter/

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