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Book Blog Tour: The Lost Macaw

Quote of the Day: There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The Lost Macaw, B.L. Blair, Writing Life, Book Blog Tour, CMBowen Author, Book Blogger

Book Blog Tour featuring author B. L. Blair

The Lost Macaw, B.L. Blair, Writing Life, Book Blog Tour, CMBowen Author, Book BloggerThe Lost Macaw by B. L. Blair

About the Novella

The Lost Macaw is the fourth novella in the Lost and Found Pets series. Alexandra Prescott is a licensed private investigator specializing in finding missing animals. Reuniting pet and owner is more than just a job.

A former client hires Alex to find her lost parrot. The bright colored bird has flown away before, but this time there is evidence that Molly was kidnapped. The demand is simple—the bird for the pictures.

When her client suffers a stroke, Alex is left with a ransom note, a missing bird, and some very incriminating photos. She is in a race against time to solve the mystery of the lost Macaw.

Excerpt:

“Your little old lady is quite interesting, Alex,” Halie said.

“What do you mean?”

“She didn’t exist until about thirty years ago.”

“What?!”

“I did a preliminary background search on her. In general, she is clean. No debt. The house is paid off as is her car. The one thing that jumped out at me was the fact that she had a safe deposit box at four different banks.”

Luke raised one eyebrow. I got a sinking feeling. I had noted the bank accounts but hadn’t really given them much thought.

“Yeah,” I said, “I saw those.”

“So why does an eighty-year-old woman need four safe deposit boxes?”

“Why does she need more than one?” Luke muttered.

“Exactly,” Halie said. “So I dug a little deeper.”

“What did you find?”

“About thirty years ago, Joseph and Trudy Kearns purchased the house on Carriage. Back then, it was a new neighborhood, and the prices were cheap. They paid cash. They also opened a bank account, and Joe got a job working for the city. Those are the first records I can find for either one of them.”

“Trudy would have been fifty at that time. Her husband probably a few years older. What about birth certificates? Social security cards?”

“They had them, but conveniently, they were issued from a small county in Virginia where a massive flood destroyed all their records. The county office was in the process of moving the old paper records to electronic when the flood hit.”

“Let me guess. The Kearns’s records did not survive the flood.”

“Nope.”

“So the only records for them are the ones they had in their possession.” I paused a moment. “Do they look real?”

“Yes,” Halie replied.

“So they could be authentic.”

“Or really good forgeries. In some ways, it was easier back then.”

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Not really. Lives on a fixed income of social security and a small pension from her husband’s job. It isn’t much because he only worked for the city for twelve years before he had to retire.”

“Okay, thanks, Halie.”

After ending the call, I looked at Luke. He had a perplexed look on his face that I had a feeling mirrored mine.

“Who the hell is Trudy Kearns?”

The Lost Macaw, B.L. Blair, Writing Life, Book Blog Tour, CMBowen Author, Book BloggerAvailable on Amazon, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, and Smashwords

The Lost Macaw, B.L. Blair, Writing Life, Book Blog Tour, CMBowen Author, Book Blogger

Thank you for following my blog and connecting on social media. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas! Carolyn Bowen, Author – The Writing Life
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Rioting Against The Odds

Book Blog Tour with Author Mark Kloss

Rioting Against The Odds, Adventure poems, Author Mark Kloss, Writing Life, Carolyn Bowen Author, Book Blogger

Quote of the Day: “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” Charles William Eliot


Rioting Against The Odds
Today’s spotlight is cast on poet, storyteller, and author Mark Kloss. His new book of poems, Rioting Against The Odds was just released and has quickly stormed up the charts to number one best seller.

Love adventure? Be transported to another time and place with Mark’s powerful word imagery. Read more and escape to another world that is best introduced in Mark’s own words.

Follow his blog to be in the know about his upcoming book releases, sweeps, and more!

Christmas PlainThank you for following my blog and connecting on social media. Merry Christmas! Carolyn Bowen

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Blog Tour with Author Jaci Wheeler: Silent Song

Silent Song by Jaci Wheeler, Book Blog Tour, Blogging, The Writing Life, Carolyn Bowen Author, Jaci Wheeler Author, Play it forward, Book Blogs, About the author, Inspiration, Author InterviewSilent Song coming to life by Jaci Wheeler

Notes from Author Jaci Wheeler

Many authors I know pull from events or people from their own lives for inspiration or storyline. I’ve never been that way personally. I’m an extremely private person by nature, so it’s very unusual for me to use any of myself in my books. That is actually my favorite thing about writing; I’m able to fully create worlds and people out of thin air. It allows you to become whoever you want for the moment. I usually create a main character that is nothing like me because it allows me to be and do all the things I’ve always wanted to.

I’ve had a very eventful life. Those who know me well always ask why I’ve never drawn from my real life for a novel since my life is pretty much a lifetime movie. The idea of writing anything close to home has always been completely horrifying to me. (Super private remember?)

I have a pretty unique situation where I lost my hearing at eighteen years old. (You can read more about it in my letter to the reader in Silent Song.) Deafness is one of those subjects that most people think they understand…but actually, don’t. There is so much more to deafness than not being able to hear. There are levels (decibels) of sound that is so intricate that it is much more than just you can hear or not.

A few years ago I read a book that had a deaf main character. The book was amazing, but there were so many things that weren’t accurate. It wasn’t glaringly obvious unless you were deaf, but it really bothered me. I had brought up the issue to a good author friend of mine and I’ll never forget what she said to me.

“The only way to fix this problem Jaci is to set it straight. That means you are going to have to write the story of a deaf person from their perspective. Show people not only your world but help them understand the deaf world. Who else will?”

I instantly shut her down. There’s no way I’m writing anything close my life. A few months went by and then I had to explain a few things about deafness to people that they just never knew. Like just because you speak English doesn’t mean deaf people can write in English without a struggle. Almost every hearing person I talked to didn’t know that American Sign Language is NOT English. It has its own structure and rules like any other language. ASL is my second language, but it’s the main one I use at home with my husband. It’s hard for my brain to switch back and forth between ASL and English. Because of this, I tend to change tenses when I write, which is very frowned upon in writing. I’m pretty sure I’ve driven every editor I’ve ever had to drink over this little fact.

After having to explain this to several people over a very short amount of time I finally came to terms with the fact that I was going to have to write a story with a deaf character.

Silent Song by Jaci Wheeler, Book Blog Tour, Blogging, The Writing Life, Carolyn Bowen Author, Jaci Wheeler Author, Play it forward, Book Blogs, About the author, Inspiration, Author Interview

I decided to go home and just see if I even had a story in me. I don’t outline, ever. I just start writing. I usually write the end first, then the beginning and fill in the middle. (Yeah I’m weird.) So I went home and just started writing to see if I even had a story in me…and I couldn’t stop. I wrote through the night, and all weekend long. By the time I took a break I had almost written half of the book. This is the only book I didn’t have to re-write or revise. It was trapped deep down and apparently ready to be freed. I cried more while writing this story than I have probably ever cried in my life. But it was also the most cathartic thing I‘ve ever done.

This story isn’t my own, but the feelings are completely mine. The painful feelings, fears, and passion are all mine even though the story belongs to Barrett alone.

Silent Song by Jaci Wheeler is available on Amazon today.

Thank you, Jaci for sharing the story behind your new novel, Silent Song.

Order your copy of the Silent Song today! Happy reading! 

Thank you for following my blog and connecting on social media. If you get a chance say hello or wave, thank you! Carolyn Bowen

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My Great Expectations for Bubba Blue

Quote of the Day: The 99.99% of all castles in America are located in fish tanks. Demetri Martin

Bubba Blue, The Writing Life, Bubba Blue & Tookie, Carolyn M. Bowen Author, Books, Book blogging, Online Holiday Shopping

My Great Expectations for Bubba Blue

Bubba Blue, The Writing Life, Bubba Blue & Tookie, Carolyn M. Bowen Author, Books, Book blogging, Online Holiday ShoppingIf you know me, you’ll know that I have fish named after the heroines in my novels. That is except my newest Siamese fighting fish (Betta Fish), Bubba Blue. He’s so bold and fearless – Tookie our cat with paws grasping the inside the aquarium to say good morning doesn’t scare him or me either.

Bubba Blue, The Writing Life, Bubba Blue & Tookie, Carolyn M. Bowen Author, Books, Book blogging, Online Holiday ShoppingIt’s a ritual – Tookie wakes up and greets Bubba Blue with his face smashed against the glass! For the most part, even his brother by another mother, tabby Ollie, believes his desire for closeness is overwhelming, but not for Bubba Blue. They do this kissy thing and go about their own day.

Bubba Blue, The Writing Life, Bubba Blue & Tookie, Carolyn M. Bowen Author, Books, Book blogging, Online Holiday Shopping
Tookie & Bubba Saying Hello

I decided Bubba Blue needed a water filter (contraption) for his tank and off I went to the nearest big box store to purchase one. It’s the holiday season so I waited in line for my turn and was excited about hooking it up when I got home. Note: Betta Fish are not typically required filters but I was spending way too much money buying Betta water for our tap water even with recommended products still stunk after a few days.

I excitingly opened the box and read the directions for mounting this new life breather for Bubba Blue. Only the box didn’t contain all the necessary parts as indicated on the marketing blitz on the outside of the box. I had a choice – should I go online and find and order the missing parts from a reliable source? Trust me; I’m not going to wait in line to return it!

I went to my go-to reviews for products – Amazon and found something even better that would have saved me from the get-go of buying Bubba Blue. I should have brought him home and put him in a large clear vase with the roots of a Peace Lily to munch on while we waited for our purchase to arrive. But, I didn’t!

Bubba Blue, The Writing Life, Bubba Blue & Tookie, Carolyn M. Bowen Author, Books, Book blogging, Online Holiday Shopping
Bubba Blue

The good news is that Bubba Blue will have a new home soon. It will give him the space for swimming and enjoy the aquatic plants. Tookie can watch him 24-7 with the new light filters. I can’t wait to watch them play hide-n-seek!

Just remember the folks who draw your attention to shopping at Amazon. These Affiliates strive to bring you the corner store atmosphere while providing you their best offerings from Amazon. This is their local storefront and they pay plenty for that online website privilege. You know about Amazon, in part, because of these influencers! Bookmark their pages and when you order – place it through their websites where they’ll get a commission. It won’t cost you a dime more and these are the people who have influenced buyers to shop – Amazon!  Make sure they get a piece of the pie!

My bookmark is set at Roadtrips R Us (since 2011) – making daily food holidays and history come alive with the best in travel, in-house chef-inspired food recipes, and entertainment. Check them out and bookmark their Corner Gift Shop!

Now that Bubba Blue is all set and the Kitties seem happy too, I’ll sign off for now! Happy HolidaysCarolyn Bowen

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Book Blog Tour: Game Hunter by Mark Kloss

Quote of the Day: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”  George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

Blog book tour, Game Hunter, Mark Kloss Author, Zombies, Reading books, Holiday Gifts, Online Shopping, Carolyn Bowen Author, The Writing Life

Blog book tour, Game Hunter, Mark Kloss Author, Zombies, Reading books, Holiday Gifts, Online Shopping, Carolyn Bowen Author, The Writing LifeIt’s a pleasure to introduce Mark Kloss the author of Game Hunter! Here’s a brief capture of what you can expect from this popular novel.

Game Hunter by Mark Kloss

Zombies in the deserted ruins of the City of London are an endangered species. The only thing keeping them from extermination is the hit reality TV show ‘Game Hunter,’ where people pay to go on a zombie killing safaris. Those left are hardly dangerous and viewer ratings are down unless something changes the show will be scrapped.

The Elders have convinced male and female half-zombie teenagers, reluctant Tremayne and Fiery Red, to find a further five fighters and take on seven of the most ferocious zombie hunters in a series of three gruesome rounds of Game Hunter. They will be feverishly followed by a worldwide audience and the final outcome will determine their annihilation or possible cure.

Yet with the fate of their zombie cousins at stake, a missing beloved sister to find, a budding romance, plus intrigue and conspiracy around every darkened corner, just staying alive until the first round seems to be a deadly struggle in itself.


Game Hunter: Book One of the Game Hunter series

Click the image or link above to order your copy of the Game Hunter! Happy reading!

Thank you for following my blog and connecting on social media. If you get a chance say hello or wave, thank you! Carolyn Bowen

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my social media hangouts! Drop by soon!

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Love picture ideas? Me, too.  Pinners Follow here!

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