Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Pyjama Boy by Steven Murphy


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by
Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:
AN INSPIRATIONAL TALE OF SUCCESS AGAINST THE ODDS 
Steven Murphy spent his formative years in Sydney's Redfern.

Abandoned by his mother when only weeks old, his father left him in the care of a cruel, alcoholic stepmother while he himself was in jail. Unbelievably, the child they dubbed the "Pyjama Boy" fought his way through life to achieve his ultimate goal. His story is a poignant and haunting one that captivates its reader from the very beginning and remains long after the book has been closed.

CLICK TO PURCHASE! 
 


READ AN EXCERPT:

There was something odd about the woman driving the yellow station wagon. Her eyes darted around suspiciously. Steve watched her from his patrol car. Her 1988 Sigma moved off from his right at the green lights, to enter the late-night traffic. She had a passenger, a young man with a wispy beard. As they moved, the man looked across at the police car waiting third in line at the red light and then glanced momentarily over his shoulder into the back seat. Sparks spat along the dark surface of the road as he tossed his cigarette out the window of the car.

‘Nervy little punk, ’ remarked the older police constable next to Steve.

‘There’s something odd about both of them in that Sigma...,’ said Steve.

‘Yeah, I think we should have a chat with them.’

As lights turned green and when they were clear of the intersection, Steve pulled past the two vehicles in front of them. The Sigma had increased its pace and was nearly out of view as it turned left almost without slowing. Steve’s pulse rate rose with the revs of the police car. They swung into the side street and passed the Sigma with Red and blue lights flashing, then slowed in front of it. The older policeman put his arm out his window, indicating that the Sigma should pull up at the curb.

While the woman searched a handbag for her licence, Steve noticed that there was someone lying on the back seat of the car. Shining his torch through the window, Steve realised with a jolt that the passenger was gagged, with a tee shirt twisted and pulled tightly into an open mouth. The arms were pulled back and bound at the wrists with a leather belt.

Within minutes a second patrol car had arrived at the scene and the couple were taken into custody, their bound and gagged passenger found to be dead. Steve looked at the victim, a man in his mid-thirties and recognised the face of one who had recently ‘helped him in his enquiries.’ Soon there were detectives and forensic officers examining the car and, as the body was being removed, Steve received orders to drive to an address in a nearby suburban street.


BOOK TRAILER:



FROM THE AUTHOR:

I've never thought of myself as special-just someone who has lived through life's challenges like everyone else. But over time, I've come to see that by sharing my journey, with all its imperfections, I might offer something meaningful to others. Life moves so quickly, and the choices we make shape everything. My hope is that by being honest about my experiences, others might find encouragement or even a little clarity for their own paths.

Speaking at Schools and events across Australia has been an unexpected privilege. These moments aren't about presenting a perfect image; they're about connecting with people on a real, human level. I bring photos, videos, and documents to show the truth of my story-not to impress but to connect. When I speak openly, sharing the vulnerabilities and lessons I've learned, something powerful happens: the audience feels it, and suddenly, it's not just my story-its something they can see themselves in, too.

If you would like to have Steve speak to your School, group or organization he can be contacted through email: stevenmurphy_11@bigpond.com

You can connect with Steven Murphy through a number of platforms to learn more about his story and work.

Visit his website to view the one bedroom flats he uses to live in and show his living conditions as described in the book.

Feel free to reach out — Steven is always happy to connect with readers and share more about his journey.



GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

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


Virtual book tour services provided by



Monday, July 14, 2025

Review Tour & Giveaway: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives by Naguib Sami Kerba


ORDINARY PEOPLE,
EXTRAORDINARY LIVES
by
Naguib Sami Kerba


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by
Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Non-fiction Photo Biographies

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:


Everyone has a story. A picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes one needs words as well. ‘Ordinary people extraordinary lives,” does just that. I’ve combined a portrait with asking people four thought provoking questions about themselves. The portrait and their answers are a compelling read about life, its challenges and each individual’s journey. At the end of each chapter, each person makes one final observation learned from their journey.



READ AN EXCERPT:

At some time, you reached a fork in the road. At that time, it didn’t feel like it, but looking back, you realize it was a big moment. One that changed your life. Describe yours.
 
Bob: I aspired to become a Catholic priest from a young age. To pursue this, I entered Regina Mundi Minor Seminary in ninth grade. By the end of eleventh grade, I decided to attend a regular high school for two years before moving on to the senior seminary. On Friday, November 18, 1966, while skating at the arena in Windsor, I ran into a guy I knew from Regina Mundi who had left after ninth grade. While skating, we noticed two girls watching us from beyond the glass. After introductions, we returned to skating, and the girls went to the dance. Rick was heading to play hockey when skating ended, and I ended up at the dance with the other girl. We all decided to go out for pizza. Two weeks later, I began dating that girl. Three years later, she was diagnosed with MS. Despite being advised against marriage and having children, we got married and had two daughters who have blessed us with three grandchildren. We will celebrate fifty-two years of marriage in September 2023. Though health issues have been a concern, I have no regrets and am confident I made the right choice. A chance meeting with someone I barely knew led me to the love of my life.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

While studying photography at Sheridan College, the gender imbalance was striking: 125 male students compared to just five female students. In our small cohort of eight, there were five men and three women. Summoning my courage, I asked one of the female students, Shirley, out on a date. She kindly declined, saying, “I’m not the girl for you, but I know the perfect one for you!”
 
Not long after, on May 2, 1974, I met Donna, Shirley’s neighbour. I immediately sensed that Donna was, in fact, the one, and my dating days had ended. We were married on November 6, 1976. Our relationship has blended differences and commonalities, with Donna being my harshest critic and greatest supporter.
 
Donna and I have raised two wonderful children. Tara is a devoted mother and teacher, while Christopher is a gifted musician. Their physical appearances and intellectual abilities reflect a strange combination of Donna and me. They are exceptional individuals who positively contribute to the world. 

One of my long-standing dreams has been to publish a book of my photographs. The concept for this project has been developing for some time. Meeting individuals who can help bring such dreams to fruition is rare, but I was fortunate to forge a close friendship with Dan Bodanis, who has an impressive network. Dan connected me with the NHL Alumni group, which set the stage for my encounters with Paul Patskou, Graham McWaters, and Al Rose, all featured in this book. Dan also introduced me to Jude Pitman, the publisher at BWL Publishing Inc. (BWL).
 
This book is a heartfelt acknowledgment of the family and friends who have enriched my journey as a person, photographer, and now author. If true wealth is measured by the family, friends, and people we meet, I am indeed the wealthiest man alive.
 
The questions have been refined since the first “Essence portrait,” but the concept remains unchanged. The primary purpose is to gain a more profound understanding of the person by asking probing questions and encouraging people to share their stories and the lessons they've gleaned from their journeys.


REVIEW:

4 stars!

A loving tribute to personal heroes, inspirations, and role models. 

Ordinary People: Extraordinary Lives by Naguib Sami Kerba is an intimate and loving tribute to people in the author’s life who are personal heroes, inspirations, and role models. These are not stories of the firefighter who risked his life to pull someone out of their burning home or about the self-less acts of a stranger, but an introduction and homage to ordinary folks, friends and family members of the author’s, who may have experienced a life event that would have stopped many others in their tracks, but who took what life gave them and ran with it. 

I enjoyed how the author had each of his subjects respond to their inclusion in this project, which began as a series of blog posts, by answering a couple of introspective questions. 

       1. Who are you? Describe yourself in six words.

       2. At some time, you reached a fork in the road. At that time, it didn’t feel like it, but looking back, you realize it was a big moment, one that changed your life. Describe yours.

       3. What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?

       4. What one gem you learned on your journey that you would love to share? Alternatively, what hint would you tell a younger version of yourself? 

These questions are quite an exercise in self-reflection for anyone, and I couldn’t help considering what my answers would be. It also led me to wonder what kind of story I was creating as my legacy. 

While not tales of derring-do, each vignette is interesting and accompanied by pictures of the individual and photographs taken by the author and some of his photographically gifted subjects as well. The short and episodic nature of the entries was perfect for reading when time was limited, before turning out the light before bedtime, or when passing time waiting for an appointment. I recommend ORDINARY PEOPLE: EXTRAORDINARY LIVES to readers of memoirs, biographies, and human-interest stories.


GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Naguib Sami Kerba will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.


Virtual book tour services provided by




Sunday, July 13, 2025

Book Review: Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mystery, #6) by Lena Gregory

Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, #6)Rocky Road to Murder by Lena Gregory
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Who is trying to frame Dani for the death of one of her customers?

Rocky Road to Murder is the sixth book in veteran author Lena Gregory's consistently delightful Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series, featuring café owner and barista Dani Delaney and her tight-knit circle of friends, as well as the murder of a local woman during her annual Fourth of July soiree. Dani is elated when Cressida Rutherford hires her to provide parfait desserts for her upcoming Fourth of July dinner, not only for the business but also because she has always wanted to attend the prestigious event. However, success takes a turn for the worse when the hostess is discovered dead during the festivities with one of Dani's parfaits on the ground beside her.

This latest adventure is another delightful addition to the cozy mystery series and is somewhat unique for the genre, particularly in how the victim is introduced and the subsequent amateur investigation is conducted. While the victims in many cozy mysteries are unlikable, nasty individuals or otherwise apt targets for the fictional murder, Cressida Rutherford is a relative unknown to the reading audience, never appearing alive in the story or directly introduced to readers prior to the discovery of her corpse. Her death is handled more like a homicide in a more traditional mystery or police procedural, where the story starts with the discovery of a body, and the victim's identity is established after the fact, with the detectives building a picture of the victim as they conduct their investigation. Dani and her fellow amateur sleuths jump straight to unraveling the clues to the murderer's identity in order to clear Dani's name. While a little information about Cressida's life emerges, the case is clearly focused on the clues and disproving Dani's and Eli's possible involvement in her death. It's a fine and interesting mix of mystery subgenres, and it really worked for me. Like Dani and her friends, I was kept guessing the entire time.

With its cast of regulars, well-paced murder investigation, and romantic storyline, I recommend ROCKY ROAD TO MURDER to cozy mystery readers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

View all my reviews

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Book Review: A Camping Conundrum (Liz Adams Mystery, #5) by Stacy Wilder

A Camping Conundrum: A Liz Adams MysteryA Camping Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery by Stacy Wilder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A camping trip turns deadly!

A Camping Conundrum is the fifth book in author Stacy Wilder’s excellent Liz Adams Mystery series, which features the private investigator and her husband, Brad, attempting to enjoy a weekend camping trip to one of his much-loved childhood destinations. Brad, the last living member of his nuclear family, wanted to recapture some of the highlights of his childhood by visiting a campground that was the scene of many happy memories with his parents and younger sister, now all gone. But unbeknownst to Brad, Liz was traumatized as a child on her only camping experience, but she agrees to attend without divulging her past. While at the campground, they discover that guests have been plagued by thefts from their campsites, a factor that reminds Liz of her traumatic childhood trip, making her all the more anxious about their plans. But nature and the otherwise tranquil setting work their magic on Liz until Brad discovers the body of a local woman in the lake, and her death is no accident.

Liz and Brad are a lovely couple, and each is super responsive to the other’s emotional needs, as is their perceptive canine companion, Duke. Both husband and wife are willing to bend to accommodate the special circumstances they encounter during their trip, such as Brad’s need to re-live happier times versus Liz’s unfortunate memories from her one and only attempt at camping when she was a young Girl Scout. I enjoyed all of Liz’s shopping throughout the story, and even Brad gets some new gear; this inevitably led to her crossing paths with the unpleasant commercial landlord in Sumter.

The plot is well-paced, with the discovery of the victim occurring early in the story and unfortunately mirroring the death of Brad’s younger sister, deeply affecting him in the process. The victim was a real piece of work, so it was easy to see the writing on the wall that she was not long for this world. Her nasty attitude and interactions with her business tenants during her life created a wide pool of suspects for her murderer. Liz searches for answers in a methodical and practical manner, and even with some surprising twists, the final resolution is quickly at hand.

I recommend A CAMPING CONUNDRUM to cozy mystery readers, especially those with an interest in camping and shopping while on vacation.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.



View all my reviews

Friday, July 11, 2025

Book Review: Funerals and Familiars (Willowmere Mysteries, #1) by Carmen Radtke

Funerals and Familiars (Willowmere mysteries #1)Funerals and Familiars by Carmen Radtke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun, paranormal, cozy mystery with a mature sleuth, witchcraft, books, and a cat familiar.

Funerals and Familiars is the first book in author Carmen Radtke’s new paranormal cozy series, Willowmere Mysteries, featuring a mature and relatable amateur sleuth, witchcraft, books, and a cat familiar named Cosmo. This book was the perfect way to end a long day, leaving me with a smile on my face.

Bex Merriweather is going through a lot: a divorce, menopause, and the death of her Aunt Violet, an elderly relative with a secret or two up her sleeve, and a talking cat. (I loved the relationship between Bex and Cosmo so much!) The little town of Willowmere is the perfect small town for this paranormal cozy series, with rumors and interested parties everywhere.

The story moves at a good pace without getting bogged down as the author introduces the characters, their backstories, and the setting. When Aunt Violet’s neighbor is murdered, Bex and her friends take on the investigation. For Bex, her new magic depends on her success.

I recommend FUNERALS AND FAMILIARS to readers of paranormal cozy mysteries.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.




View all my reviews

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Arabesque by MG da Mota


 ARABESQUE
by
M G da Mota

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Historical Psychological Drama
Publisher: FlowingProse 
Publication Date: December 6, 2024
Page count: 391 pages


SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

A woman living alone in a coastal Sussex town in 1998 plants a copper beech sapling at 3 a.m. on a dark, cold night. Why?
 
A ballet dancer in 1960s East Germany is oppressed, longs for escaping with his little daughter but not his wife. Why? Will he make it? 

In 2022 Karsten von Stein, widower and principal of the Royal Ballet, with two young children, meets Ivone Benjamim, a Portuguese, newly-arrived principal dancer. They discover a magical chemistry when dancing and soon it transfers to their private lives.

Against the background of ballet and its dancers, a woman called Grace tells her story from a rehab centre. Obsessive, delusional she begins believing Ivone robbed her of the man of her dreams—Karsten. And then a skeleton is found in a garden...What connects all these people and their stories? 

You’ll be the audience facing the stage of this balletic novel.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!



ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

First Variation – Amadeus

Berlin, East Germany, July 1965
 
Amadeus gazes at his wife. Margarete or Grete, as is her preference, sleeps, exhausted from the effort of birth. Her hair appears glued to her forehead, wet from perspiration. Next to her, in a plain white hospital baby cot, their daughter is also asleep. He touches the little girl’s head gently. The baby, a small bundle inside the clothes too large for her, stirs marginally but does not wake. He arranges the cover around her slight body to keep her warm. She was born with hair, if one could call the blonde fluff hair. His chest swells. He already loves that little person with all the force of his being. Swallowing a couple of emotional tears he realises he will do anything, anything, to protect her. He wants her to grow up in peace, in freedom, to be able to make her own choices. With a heavy heart he wonders whether such wishes will ever be possible in this German Democratic Republic where democratic is a word devoid of meaning.
 
East Germany may be a lot of things but democratic is not one of them. Will he be able to adequately protect this tiny being and give her all she deserves? His chest tightens. He may have to shelter her from her own mother. Feeling shivers down his spine he recalls how his fears, his suspicions were confirmed a few months earlier, just after Grete told him she was pregnant.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M G da Mota is Margarida Mota-Bull’s pen name for fiction. She is a Portuguese-British novelist with a love for classical music, ballet and opera. Under her real name she also writes reviews of live concerts, CDs, DVDs and books for two classical music magazines on the web: MusicWeb International and Seen and Heard International. She is a member of the UK Society of Authors, speaks four languages and lives in Sussex with her husband. Her website, called flowingprose.com, contains photos and information.


GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Virtual book tour services provided by



Wednesday, July 09, 2025

Review Tour & Giveaway: Anastasia's Midnight Song by M. Laszlo


ANASTASIA'S MIDNIGHT SONG
by

M. Laszlo


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by
Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Psychological drama
Publication Date: November 10, 2024
Page count: 343 pages


SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!


SYNOPSIS:


Longing to cure her deep, hysterical fears involving a diabolical dream fox living inside her womb, Anastasia T. Grace takes a post making occult mirrors in the hope that she may someday convince herself that she commands the power to banish her nemesis into one of her creations. However, when a troubled, young Englishman grows obsessed with her beauty, she is forced to confront the pressing, all-too-real, misogynistic danger of male psychopathy.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

Kobo | SmashwordsWalmart |

ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Saint Petersburg, Russia. 27 August, 1917.
 
At dusk, Anastasia T. Grace collected the urn containing her mother’s ashes and brought the vessel to Moskovsky Prospekt Railway Station. ‘The cremation services went well,’ Anastasia whispered, holding the urn close. ‘You’ve been purified by fire, and now I’m taking you to be blessed by water. Baptised. Yes, Mama, I’ll sprinkle your remains all about the Arkhangelsk shore.’
 
A memory of their first journey to the White Sea whirled Anastasia back to the past—that time her mother had described Arkhangelsk as a harbour town. And in the days of 1907, that was all it was.
 
So, why did we travel there? A lady from the House of Fabergé asked Mama to meet a steamship out of Reykjavík. Yes, Mama aimed to collect a consignment of volcanic glass.
 
The hissing and shunting of the train brought her back to the present. It’s 1917. Clutching the urn containing Mother’s ashes, she pulled herself up into the train. Then she edged along the narrow passage and slid into the sleeping car. She placed the urn beside the bed.
 
With a rumbling of the wheels and a piercing whistle, the train set off on the long journey to Arkhangelsk.
 
Late in the night, as the train approached a deserted outpost and clanked over a section of the line lacking proper railway ties, Anastasia jerked awake. Sitting up, she looked to her lap and revisited that first journey, a decade ago, that moment the engineer had jammed on the brake and she’d been shaken awake as she had just now. What happened that night?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


M. Laszlo is the pseudonym of a reclusive author living in Bath, Ohio. According to rumor, he based the pen name on the name of the Paul Henreid character in Casablanca, Victor Laszlo.
 
M. Laszlo has lived and worked all over the world, and he has kept exhaustive journals and idea books corresponding to each location and post.
 
It is said that the maniacal habit began in childhood during summer vacations—when his family began renting out Robert Lowell’s family home in Castine, Maine.
 
The habit continued into the 1990s when he lived in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem and worked as a night clerk in a Palestinian youth hostel. In recent years, he revisited that very journal/idea book and based Anastasia’s Midnight Song on the characters, topics, and themes contained within the writings.
 
M. Laszlo has lived and worked in New York City, East Jerusalem, and several other cities around the world. While living in the Middle East, he worked for Harvard University’s Semitic Museum. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio and an M.F.A. in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.


REVIEW:

4 stars!

An atmospheric and complicated tale of madness set at the time of WWI. 

Anastasia’s Midnight Song by M. Laszlo is not a comfortable, easy book to read, yet it is riveting all the same. Told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Anastasia and Jack, I was mesmerized by what they were going through and kept off-balance by the fluidity of reality and fantasy. I turned the pages, hoping they each would find their way to peace and freedom from their hallucinations and depressions, but was unsettled by their ensuing descent further into their madnesses. 

The story’s settings are unusual, and the events of the time contribute to the characters’ problems. The author’s descriptions of 1917 St. Petersburg and the Sinai create a palpably heavy atmosphere that I felt I was constantly wading through alongside the characters. 

As the story unfolded, reality and Anastasia’s hallucinatory interactions with the arctic fox and Svetlana often merged, and I was uncertain what she was really experiencing, if there was still some reality at work. I also felt Jack’s fear of going to war was well-founded. His childhood ill-prepared him both mentally and physically for life in general; he was delusional as to his skills and future already, and a wartime posting would have been certain death, especially considering the transition the mechanics of war were undergoing during WWI. Still, his cowardice and inability to join in the conflict preyed on his mind with tragic results. 

With its character-driven plot and atmospheric imagery, I recommend ANASTASIA’S MIDNIGHT SONG to readers of literary fiction.


GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

M. Laszlo will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Virtual book tour services provided by