Jagged Feathers - @jansikes3 #NewRelease #RomanticSuspense #WhiteRuneSeries

MUSE MONDAY

Jan Sikes is my guest today, and one of her favorite things is mine too...Dream Catchers.

Thank you, Brenda, for inviting me to your blog site today to talk about my new book, JAGGED FEATHERS! I appreciate your generosity.

I have always loved dreamcatchers and what they signify. It was believed by the Native American tribes that both good and bad dreams filled the air at night. The dreamcatcher was designed to act as a spider's web by trapping the bad dreams or visions while allowing the good ones to filter through. The bad dreams caught in the web would get destroyed when the sunlight of morning hit the dreamcatcher, while the good dreams would filter down through the feathers and gently reach the sleeping person below. The design itself held great meaning. The circular frame represented mother earth and each intricate design within the frame symbolized different aspects of nature and spirituality.

In my book, Jagged Feathers, Vann Noble received an unexpected gift of a dreamcatcher.

EXCERPT: 

The woman followed him out. “Mister, I want to give you something for your kindness.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Well, now I know it ain’t, but humor me just a little.”

Vann shrugged. “If it makes you happy, ma’am.”

He waited while she shuffled things around in the back of the van, then dug through a box. Three pairs of frightened eyes peered over the seats, and he waved to the children. Only the smallest waved back. 

She pulled out a dreamcatcher and handed it to him. “It ain’t much, but I make these back home and sell them on the side of the road. I use only raw materials I find on the ground, so it’s all natural. This one has some jagged feathers, and I can’t sell it. Maybe it’ll bring you good fortune.”

Vann sucked in a breath when he took the piece from her. “Thank you, ma’am. You have no idea what this means.” He patted her shoulder awkwardly.

She squinted and stared for a long minute. “All I know is I can’t sell it, and I want you to have it.”

Vann nodded. Anxious to show it to Nakina, he knew the significance of the feathers in the piece would be overwhelming.

What about you? Have you ever owned a dreamcatcher, or perhaps like me, you still do. I’d love to hear from you!

BOOK TRAILER LINK: https://youtu.be/CwGRyRVMyLE 

BLURB:

Vann Noble did his duty. He served his country and returned a shell of a man, wounded inside and out. With a missing limb and battling PTSD, he seeks healing in an isolated cabin outside a small Texas town with a stray dog that sees beyond his master's scars. If only the white rune's magic can bring a happily ever after to a man as broken as Vann.   

On the run from hired killers and struggling to make sense of her unexplained deadly mission, Nakina Bird seeks refuge in Vann's cabin. She has secrets. Secrets that can get them all killed. 

A ticking clock and long odds of living or dying, create jarring risks.

Will these two not only survive, but find an unexpected love along the way? Or, will evil forces win and destroy them both? 

UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK: 

https://linktr.ee/Rijanjks 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

WEBSITE: http://www.jansikes.com

BLOG:   http://www.jansikesblog.com

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/jansikes3

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes

BOOKBUB:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-sikes

LINKEDIN:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK

Fearless Traveler by Kayelle Allen #FearlessFriday #military #travel

FEARLESS FRIDAY

I'm so happy to have the amazing author, Kayelle Allen on Discover... today. She has a great tale of fearlessness. Enjoy!

24 years old, in love, and fearless: Kayelle Allen shares her European journey 

In 1975 I was 24 years old and fearless. Which is why I made a trip to Europe without buying an airline ticket, with only $400 in my pocket.

I was active duty military back then (Navy) and so was my husband. He was stationed on the John F Kennedy, doing a cruise in the Mediterranean while I was stationed in San Diego. Each was completely half-way around the world from the other.

We'd only been married since December of 1973, and it was now October 1975. He'd left on the cruise the day before Valentine's Day. (Thank you, Uncle Sam.) So when I had the chance to take 30 days of leave and go visit him, I jumped into action.

If you're active duty, you can hop onto a military flight at no cost, as long as there's an empty seat. I paid for a flight from San Diego to Pennsylvania, got a shuttle bus to the Air Force base there, and put my name in for a flight. I was a lower priority than someone reporting for duty, but if there was an open seat, I was in.

A retired couple who'd been there for weeks trying to get a flight told me it might take a long time. I was higher priority than they were, so I had a chance. But I convinced them that I was getting on a plane that very night, and for them to check out of their hotel and stay in the airport with me. One of those gut feeling decisions that you make with no reason. I am intuitive, and I had a good feeling about it.

About 3:30 in the morning, an unexpected flight came in that was heading to Germany non-stop. I wanted to go to Naples, Italy, but Germany was a lot closer, so I said I'd go. The other couple came with me. The plane took off a little after 4:00 with empty seats. The three of us had been the only people in the airport.

Once I arrived, I met an active duty couple who were flying to Aviano, quite a long way north of Naples, but still in Italy. I got on that flight with no trouble. The couple invited me to stay overnight at their place because there were no flights scheduled for 2 days. I joined them for an evening out with friends and ate the best pizza of my entire life. I hadn't slept well in a few days, so once I stretched out and closed my eyes, I was gone.

When the next flight was scheduled, they drove me to the base, and I thanked them and checked in. I was on a flight within an hour or so. This one went straight into Naples.

An American guy who was living in Naples said he'd show me the hotel if I'd pay the taxi fare for both of us, which I did. Had a wild ride through the city. He told me that the people in Naples start their car and blow their horns. It was noisy enough that I had no trouble believing that.

Next day, I got a ride to the Navy base where the liberty launch (a smaller ship) was bringing people in for leave. I was beside myself when I saw my husband. We had quite the unforgettable reunion, believe me.

This was all back before the internet or cell phones. One call home from Italy cost us $99 because we talked so long. We didn't have text messaging. We had to communicate where we'd be and when by mail, days ahead.

Looking back, it was a gutsy thing to do. I wouldn't dream of it now. But back then, I was young, in love, and fearless.

Check out one of Kayelle's books: 

Surrender Love

An immortal alpha male. An illegal, near-blind rock musician. And twelve thousand years of lies...

Luc is the most powerful man in an intergalactic empire of 22 planets—but he's alone, life after life.

Izzorah survives by hiding both his illegal status and his blindness for fear of banishment.

Luc's immortal blood can heal Izzorah's sight—but only Izzorah's love can heal Luc's heart.

Luc might risk violating the highest law among the immortals by sharing his blood, but it means revealing the truth of what he is, and that means baring every damning secret, every twisted truth, and twelve thousand years' worth of dirty hidden lies.

With no guarantee their love can survive that kind of truth...

Amazon worldwide and Kindle Unlimited https://books2read.com/surrender-love-immortal 

About the Author

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role-playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.
Sign up for her newsletter and get free Sci-Fi stories, book recommendations, and become a Tarthian Empire citizen (and an immortal), among other reader exclusives. https://kayelleallen.com/immortality
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Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kayelle-allen
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/710889.Kayelle_Allen
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kayelle-Allen/e/B003ZRXVN8

On Helicopters, Guns, and Being Fearless by Jessica James #Fearless #Romance

FEARLESS FRIDAY

Not only is my guest today fearless, but she writes about fearless characters. Please welcome award winning author, Jessica James to Fearless Friday.

I’m the type of author who needs to feel, hear, see, and experience what I’m writing about—which often leads me to try out new, uncomfortable, outside-my-comfort-zone activities.

When I was writing Civil War fiction, I attended large battle re-enactments (and slept on the ground), so I could more realistically capture the sights and sounds.

When I began writing military suspense, I attended the Special Operations Forces International Conference in Tampa, where I stood feet away from a lifelike drill of a hostage rescue.

My most recent foray took me to the national A Girl and a Gun Conference in Burnet, TX. This involved three days of shooting shotguns, pistols, and long guns, as well as a wide array of self-defense classes.

But the best part of the conference (and the real reason I attended), was getting to target shoot with a military-grade weapon while hanging out of a fast-moving helicopter. (And when I say fast-moving, I mean the pilot came over the radio and said, “on this run, we’re going to pretend we’re being shot at).

We skimmed right over the tops of trees, zig-zagged, climbed and dove—while, at times, going over a hundred miles an hour—just like the characters in my books do.

It was one of the most amazing, albeit terrifying, experiences of my life. And if I could do it again I would jump at the chance!

Does that make me fearless?

Or crazy?

I’m not certain which one of those is true, but I’m pretty sure I have the best job in the world!

A Love Story That Spans Centuries…

My new release Lacewood, didn’t take any daredevil research….just deep soul-searching. Here’s a short blurb: Two people trying to escape their pasts find a connection through an old house—and fulfill a destiny through the secrets it shares. Part love story, part ghost story, Lacewood is a timeless novel about trusting in fate, letting go of the past, and believing in things that can’t be seen. 

Release price is $3.99. Will be $8.99 after June 25.

AMAZON BUY LINK CLICK HERE

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK CLICK HERE

You can find Jessica here:

Web Page: https://www.jessicajamesbooks.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001IYTXOG

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanticHistoricalFiction

Jessica James Bio:

Jessica James believes in honor, duty, and true love—and that’s what she writes about in her award-winning novels that span the ages from the Revolutionary War to modern day. She is a three-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and has won more than a dozen other literary awards, including a Readers' Favorite International Book Award and a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. Her novels have been used in schools and are available in hundreds of libraries including Harvard and the U.S. Naval Academy.

Reasons to Write a Book About the #Navy by Dee S. Knight #military

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Dee S. Knight as my guest blogger. It's a great post. Fun read so enjoy!

I was raised as a Navy brat. That's the long and short of it right there. My dad loved the Navy!! When he left home as a teenager, the Navy became his home and he wasn't shy about letting people know how proud he was to serve. He didn't have an easy job—he was a boiler tender, one of the men who worked in the bowels of the ship and worked with the giant boilers used to power the ship. Lots of noise, heat, and (we found out later) asbestos everywhere, used as fire retardant. He was gone at least eight months out of every year, except for his two tours of shore duty, a total of 6 years out of the 24 he served. It wasn't an easy life, but still he loved it. The reasons why are part of why I wrote Naval Maneuvers. I really wanted to highlight these three factors about military life, and especially about the Navy.

1. Military service isn't only hard on the men and women who leave their families, it's hard on the families. When a spouse is gone for months at a time, the person at home is responsible for the children, the home, the vehicles, their own jobs (because pay in the military is often not enough to support children, homes, and vehicles by itself), and everything that stuff involves. On the one hand, it's an honor to represent the service member, but on the other hand, it's like having a fist fight with one arm tied behind your back. Then, after handling everything for months by yourself, your service member comes home and expects to take back have the responsibility. That is very hard! It's difficult to hold a relationship together and those who do deserve a lot of credit and respect.

I highlighted the family situation especially in Weighing Anchor, when Mel Crandall refused to fall in love with a serviceman because of her childhood memories. Her father seemed to miss all of the important events in her life because he was away. Yup, that really happens. My dad missed holidays, birthdays, and my mom's serious illness.

2. The military isn't just a job, it's a lifestyle. On our block in Virginia Beach, only one neighbor was not in the Navy. So a certain camaraderie developed. We all knew when ships had to be met or farewells had to be made. A wife at home had support from others who went through the same trials. It wasn't the same as having the spouse at home, but every wife (or now, husband) knew there was a lifeline of sorts in others experiencing the same thing.

I highlighted this in Weighing Anchor, also. Mel's mom reminds her of the "family" they had in the service families they had around them.

3. Someone has to do the dirty job of keeping the nation safe. This has been a truth since countries first had boundaries and armies and navies to defend them. I wanted to highlight that service members are not social misfits who can't do anything else so they entered the service. Unfortunately, that is a view held by a lot of people—that if you can't get into college or learn anything else, you can always go into the service. In each Naval Maneuvers story—Weighing Anchor, Dropping Anchor, and Anchor Home—I wanted to show that whatever you do in whichever service you join, the job is an important one. A necessary one for the existence of a sovereign nation. If not our service members—and in Naval Maneuvers, obviously, our Navy—where would we be?

Now, I know that every serviceman or woman isn’t a saint. The military is, after all, a microcosm of the general population. But I also know the sacrifices members make to go to foreign lands to guard and protect our interests, and I know through experience the difficulties their families go through while they’re away. While I tried to make the book fun to read, and yes, sexy (because after all, that's fun!), I also wanted to show the three points made above.

I am unashamedly patriotic and pro-military, despite its problems and shortcomings. I was raised in the service and married a man who also was raised in the service. And, yes, I'm proud of that fact. So my life served as my muse for writing Naval Maneuvers. I hope readers enjoy it!

Blurb for Naval Maneuvers:

Men and women of the armed forces experience desire and love pretty much like everyone else. Except, well, there is that uniform. And the hard-to-resist attraction of "duty, honor, service" as a man might apply them to a woman's pleasure. All things considered, romance among the military is a pretty sexy, compelling force for which you'd better be armed, whether weighing anchor and moving forward into desire, dropping anchor and staying put for passion, or setting a course for renewed love with anchor home.

Buy links:

Amazon

BookNook

Kobo

Smashwords

Bio:

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That's how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she's lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors.

Author links:

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN