I’m pleased to present the tour stop of this amazing author, Jacqui Murray. Her books are fascinating and pull you into this incredible world of prehistoric time. Enjoy!
It’s my pleasure to host accomplished writer and educator, Jacqui Murray, to celebrate the launch of the third book of her ‘Dawn of Humanity’ trilogy:Natural Selection.I’ve always been impressed by Jacqui’s research and knowledge on any topic she blogs about. And the meticulous research behind her novels brings a unique and exciting level to the intriguing characters and story drama, based on true events.
The period of history is long before Miss Livingstone’s time travel adventures, but when I started reading the first book, Born in a Treacherous Time, I was immediately immersed in the story. Murray’s extrapolation from facts and imaginative writing combine seamlessly and with extraordinary skill. Lucy and her tribe rise to a feeling of gritty reality while illuminating a world both familiar and foreign to our modern one.
Below you’ll find a summary and a fabulous excerpt from Natural Selection, as…
I’m honored to be here to share with you today. As I told our host, Jacqui Murray, I’m not an expert on Experimental fiction. I’m not certain anyone is, since it’s always changing. But I’m happy to illuminate some of the features of this unusual classification. I believe I’ve written an Experimental novel, and Jacqui asked if I might give you some tips on writing one. So, I’ll also share my writing process with you.
What is Experimental Fiction?
This genre is hard to define since its basic definition is it’s fictional writing that’s falls outside of current conventions and standard genres. But let’s consider some characteristics and examples to get a sense of what Experimental fiction is all about. READ MORE…
If you want steamy paranormal romance with wicked edge of your seat action, your day has come. N.R. Farrell’s first book in The Survival Chronicles is here! Released May 17th.
Demon hunter Devon Salomon never expected to break her family’s #1 rule, but five years of servitude to their killers have left her low on options. Her sister is still out there and if she wants to find her, escape is her only option.
Enter Rowan, sinfully attractive demon with his own grudge against the people who enslaved her. He offers her a deal – a chance at freedom and revenge. More importantly, he’ll help Devon find her little sister. Unsure why he would join a demon hunter, and against her training and better judgment, Devon accepts.
While she knows there’s no guarantee her sister still lives, Devon persists against things no human should face. Their hunt unearths secrets affecting both their races, thrusting them into a fight for their lives.
Jason Furbach of the Boston Police Department is asked to investigate an auto accident resulting in the death of the CEO of an interplanetary shipping company. But his investigation soon leads to the first manned base on Mars where a murder has taken place– and the two deaths appear to be related.
Lunar Labyrinth
An astronaut dies on Moon Base One and FBI detective Jason Furbach is sent to the Moon to investigate. But he soon learns that his wife and children back on Earth will be killed unless he lies about what he has discovered.
One of FVP’s Featured Authors, Sheri J. Kennedy, is hosting a Writing Challenge on her blog: REALITY WITH A TWIST BOOKS… Here’s the details:
Due to my love of alliteration, I’ve decided to host a writing challenge. After the rules and definitions, I’ll post my example to inspire and… well, challenge you.
Your entry must have a plot. If it’s poetry it must describe or emote with some development from beginning to end rather than an abstract observance. Think storytelling.
All words other than pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions or ‘to be’ verbs such as ‘was, is’ (so all but simple connectors) must be alliteration in keeping with your single chosen consonant sound.
Alliteration is defined as: Alliteration is a literary device that reflects repetition in two or more nearby words of initial consonant sounds. Alliteration does not refer to the repetition of consonant letters that begin words, but rather the repetition of the consonant sound at the beginning of words. For example, the phrase “kids’ coats” is alliterative; though the words begin with different consonant letters, they produce the same consonant sounds. Similarly, the phrase “phony people” is not alliterative; though both words begin with the same consonant, the initial consonant sounds are different. In addition, for alliteration to be effective, alliterative words should flow in quick succession. If there are too many non-alliterative words in between, then the literary device is not purposeful. (Thanks to literarydevices.net)
Bonus points if all of your alliterative words begin literally with the same letter.
All alliterative words – except for main character names – must be unique within the piece, so this is also a vocabulary challenge. Feel free to frequent your dictionaries and thesauruses.
Use as many unique words as you can, (sample below has nearly 200!) but you must keep the integrity of meaning in the flow of your storytelling. In other words, it must make sense.
Submit your Alliterative Literature by email to: freevalleypublishing@gmail.com by St. Patrick’s Day – March 17, 2022 Deadline. (Note: It will not be published in any other form than sharing on Reality with a Twist Books blog. Writers keep all rights to their works.)
After all entries are shared online, a winner will be chosen on consideration of number of unique alliterative words used, plot/sense continuity, overall enjoyment by the challenger, and comment responses from readers on Reality with a Twist Books blog. The winner will receive the Prestige of Plentiful Praise of their Prowess by their Peers!
And for your inspiration and challenging pleasure, I give you…
Persnickety Pursuit
Penelope, though pretty, was particularly picky and perused the proffered products at Pittsburgh’s Provincial Plaza with practiced precision to procure the perfect pair of pumps. She persisted in poking and prodding prolific piles of plastic and patent. There were paisley, pink, puce, and platinum. She was partial to the pastel purple pointy plush, but she put priority on price and pushed them to the posterior. Peeved, her pulse palpitated. “Please provide a pleasant proposition,” she pleaded to Providence. Presto! She pinpointed a perky plaid prize precariously perched on a pedestal. She was poised to pounce when a peculiar pesky patron perpetrated a perplexing play popping the pleasing platforms from their post into her pernicious paws, provoking Penelope and parting, Poof!, preventing proper pardon.
Portly Paul peered through the pane into Polly’s Posh Primping Pavilion perceiving that Penelope was profusely perturbed. He pivoted in place pounding the pavement in perpendicular patterns, patiently pacing, prepared to plod for a prolonged period.
Penelope persevered in plundering the plain and perfunctory piddle plying for the paragon of prissy polish. The purity of her pursuit produced a prime praiseworthy pick. Proud of her proficiency, Penelope pried the pittance of pence from her purse to pay the prim proprietor. “The pinnacle of palatable pretentious preference!” Polly pronounced as she presented the pristine package. Penelope preened.
Paul promptly pulled to predominant position with their Porsche and plucked his pompous paramour and her precious pearls from the public parking place. The passenger peeled her prestigious purchase from its packing and pushed in her plump professionally painted piggies. “They pinch!” she proclaimed with a perilous pang. Penelope pummeled them to a pulp and pined pathetically, “That was positively painful.”
Paul planned a prospective plane passage pronto to pamper his poor Penelope in a palatial Parisian paradise to purge the petrifying proceedings from her person. Placated, Penelope passionately purred.
Hooray! A new publication from FVP Featured Author, Victoria Bastedo.
Anythm Quest, is a two novel collection under one cover. Otterby’s Child and The Mere’s Crown are parts one and two of an Aquatic Fantasy, not to be missed!
Anthym was 14, filthy, and the ninth son of the ninth son of the ninth son. Kye had been searching for him since the lad was 3 days old. This teen had a destiny to fulfill, and Kye intended to see he did it, even if he had to drag him in. Despite his team being force-fed a diet of undersea danger, nothing mattered to Kye more than saving the city of Moonlight. At least when the journey started…
Through the Cracks is officially launched! This new novel from FVP’s Featured Author, Sheri J. Kennedy is a rich and honest relationship story with a good measure of mystery and a bit of a supernatural element. It’s also the story of three women that fall within a wide age span, so it carries a three-generation view of life and friendship, fear and trust, and growing into who you are. Get your copy today! CLICK HERE
THE BLURB: A Story of Friendship and Light… Lydia has been in dark places, and she still feels alone. So when she hears the old shopkeeper next door weeping, her heart goes out to her. She’s shocked when the rest of her follows! She falls through the still-locked door of the peculiar shop and into a new level of trouble but also finds a remarkable glimmer of hope. It feels amazing to help someone, but is this actually happening? Maybe she’s losing it again. Either way, her mom’s going to freak out.
I don’t often review books here, but I thought the wild and weird in this one might entertain those of you who follow or stop in at Reality with a Twist. This is Book II of the Echo Falls Series, but you can read it as a standalone or after Wilderness Rim.
I expected adventure when moving forward from the fun Sasquatch-meeting story in Wilderness Rim to the next in the series, Tanner’s Landing, but this book also packs way more punch. Like Scooby Doo vs. Dark Shadows – both entertaining, mysterious, and flirting with the paranormal, but one definitely wins out on the creep factor. This amp up in intensity works for me in much the way the Harry Potter series does, since both are following characters that are growing up. It makes sense that 15 to 16-year-olds would get mixed up in deeper trouble and stranger circumstances…
We’re incredibly proud of FVP Featured Author, Cristie Coffing, aka C.A. Coffing for her nomination by Flash Fiction Magazine for the Pushcart Prize for her work, “Falling”. We wish her luck and success on being chosen as one of the selected works in this year’s Pushcart Prize Anthology!
FreeValley Publishing 