Spotlight: Where To?: How I Shed My Baggage and Learned to Live Free by Jennifer B Monahan

When Jennifer Monahan announced her intention to leave her well-established career as a business strategy consultant and give up her rent-controlled apartment in San Francisco to do a global walkabout for an undetermined amount of time, her friends and family thought she was insane. But Jennifer was excited about taking the time to truly explore and immerse herself in a variety of cultures, so their skepticism didn’t faze her; plus she was used to traveling alone as a woman with only one carry-on bag. What she didn’t count on was discovering all the excess baggage she had been carrying with her from her past.

WHERE TO? chronicles one year of Monahan’s life, primarily in the Guatemalan jungle, but also in Japan, Cambodia and Thailand. Living in a thatched-roof hut in a tiny village, Monahan connected with local shamans and participated in their ancient rituals, became fully integrated into the daily life of a local family, and ultimately faced down some of the greatest losses and long-buried pain she had experienced. WHERE TO? shares the six steps she took to heal and courageously create the life of her dreams and includes a workbook for readers to do the same.

Book Excerpt:

INTRODUCTION

March 1, 2017

The roars of a howler monkey outside the window of my thatched-roof hut woke me up at 4 a.m. It was my second night sleeping in the jungle of El Remate, Peten, Guatemala, and I was still adjusting to all the animal noises. As I lay awake, I thought about what a blur the past two weeks had been.

I finished up my book tour for This Trip will Change Your Life: A Shaman’s Story of Spirit Evolution in Connecticut and New Hampshire amidst the first major snowstorms of 2017. I flew home to San Francisco, packed up the last of my belongings and put everything in storage, turned in the keys for my apartment to my landlord, and then flew to Guatemala. My plan was to spend three months in Guatemala while writing my next book, and then travel around for another three months or so before returning to San Francisco.

What made me move here?

Well, in November 2014, I was hit by a minivan while walking across the street. I was out of work for a little over three months, on crutches for eight months, and wearing some form of a cast for fourteen months. My doctor didn’t think I’d walk without either surgery or a crutch or brace for the rest of my life, but I happily proved her wrong, mainly because of the shamanic work I did on myself while I was healing.

Since I was stuck on my couch for about six months, I had plenty of time to think. I realized that I wanted to live life on my terms, the way I wanted to, rather than following a prescribed path about how I should live, work, and be. I wanted to follow my heart and my life calling, and I knew that would require me to make some major changes to my life. In short, I wanted to live authentically.

Living authentically isn’t easy. It should be, but there are so many things that hold us back. For me to get to this place, and truly know who I am, I had to do quite a bit of work over a period of several years, including:

• Releasing personas that I’d adopted in life that no longer served me

• Identifying limiting beliefs that really weren’t relevant

• Discovering who I am and what makes me unique

• Figuring out my life purpose

• Learning to tap into my own personal power and trust, and

• Following my heart

Once I knew myself better, my path became clearer and I was able to move ahead…or, in this case, to Guatemala.

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About the Author

Jennifer B. Monahan is a business strategy consultant, shaman and coach who helps people all over the world live courageous lives. Her first book, This Trip Will Change Your Life: A Shaman’s Story of Spirit Evolution (She Writes Press, 2016), has won six literary awards, including two first-place Body, Mind, Spirit Book Awards and a 2017 National Indie Excellence Award. Her second book, Where To? How I Shed My Baggage and Learned to Live Free, was published in April 2019, and describes her personal journey through Guatemala, Japan, Cambodia and Thailand as she faces down some of the greatest losses in her life.

She is a regular contributor to Medium.com, Sivana East, and has had articles published on MindBodyGreen.com and Inc.com. Her podcast, Living A Courageously Authentic Life, can be found on BlogTalkRadio.com, and focuses on a variety of topics to help others be true to themselves.

She holds a BA in Mass Communications from the University of Bridgeport (CT), an MBA in Marketing from the University of Connecticut, a Masters in Natural Health from Clayton College, and completed an accredited coaching program through Coach U. Her shamanic training began with a Mayan shaman in Mexico and then expanded to include shamans in Guatemala and her own personal guides.

She currently splits her time between the United States and Guatemala when not traveling and is in the process of writing her third book, a handbook for people looking to define, create and live their courageously authentic life. You can find her online at www.SpiritEvolution.co.

Connect:

Website: www.SpiritEvolution.co

Blog: https://spiritevolution.co/blog-2/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SpiritEvol

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/SpiritEvol  and www.facebook.com/JenniferMonahanAuthor

Cover Reveal: What Comes After by Melissa Toppen

What Comes After
Melissa Toppen
Publication date: August 9th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Life is full of many things.

Love.

Loss.

Heartbreak.

Laughter.

No matter how small, each moment has value.

Then there are the big moments.

The moments that define us.

And the people who shape our very existence.

Abel Collins is that person for me.

From the very first time our eyes locked, I knew there was something about him. That he was the person that would change everything.

And he did.

But Abel isn’t just any man…

His past is his prison.

His guilt keeps him chained.

His grief defines him.

And now it’s up to me to set him free.

To make him see that life isn’t just about what we’ve lost but what we still stand to gain.

Because it’s not about what came before, but what comes after.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

—

Author Bio:

Melissa Toppen is a Bestselling Author specializing in New Adult and Contemporary Romance. She is a lover of books and enjoys nothing more than losing herself in a good novel. She has a soft spot for Romance and focuses her writing in that direction; writing what she loves to read.

Melissa resides in Cincinnati Ohio with her husband and two children, where she writes full time.

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Spotlight: Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau

Publication Date: June 25, 2019

Assassin’s Creed meets Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in this gripping, epic fantasy romance trilogy.

My heart wasn’t part of the deal when I bargained for my life,

But assassins so rarely keep their word.

Exiled Charmer Leena Edenfrell is running out of time. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts—an offense punishable by death—and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes Noc an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

Plagued by a curse that kills everyone he loves, Noc agrees to Leena’s terms in hopes of finding a cure. Never mind that the dark magic binding the assassin’s oath will eventually force him to choose between Leena’s continued survival…and his own.

Excerpt– Beast Taming

Leena

Outstretched wings coated in vibrant teals and emeralds went taut, and [the Myad] tilted his nose upward to sniff the air. Built like an oversize black panther, the lithe jungle beast exhaled, shaking his mane from left to right. The peacock streak running the length of his spine and tail shimmered in the sun. A plume of feathers exploded around his head, standing tall between his ears. Gold casings masked his ankles and heels, protecting the weak points of his legs.

I’d never seen anything so beautiful. Powerful. I took a small step forward. The brush crunched beneath my feet, and the Myad skewered me with his blazing gold gaze. Thin tendrils of blue light streamed from his eyes.

“Grundy.”

Without further prompting, plates shifted along Grundy’s body, and two fat arms pushed outward. Once his soft hooves met the earth, a shallow divot appeared in a circle around the men. As one, they gasped, crashing to the ground under Grundy’s invisible weight. Calem sputtered, lungs working overtime to keep oxygen flowing through his body. Face flat against the earth, Oz groaned into the dirt. Muscles ticked along his back as he fought against the weight to no avail. Kost cursed and dug his fingers into the ground.

Noc alone managed to remain on his knees, palms pressed flat to the earth. Fissures of pressure cracked around his fingertips. Slate eyes lanced with frustration speared my heart, and a low snarl broke free from his lips.

Such power. I was wrong. The Myad wasn’t the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Noc would always win that contest.

A rumbling growl sounded from deep in the Myad’s belly, and heavy paws thudded against the banks of the pond as he stalked toward me. Fifteen minutes, and Grundy’s gravity manipulation would fade. I mouthed an apology to Noc before turning to the beast. Palms outward, I slowed to a stop a few feet in front of the creature. No weapons. No beasts. No threat. A cool sweat misted above my lips. To be in front of something so powerful…

The Myad’s tail flicked from left to right. Pulling back his muzzle to reveal a row of elongated teeth, he growled. I willed my breath to remain steady. Blue wisps began to stream from the gold plates in his legs. He’d take flight or pounce if I wasn’t careful.

Kicking on the charm, I knelt before him. Rosewood light spilled outward, but he didn’t blink. My heart traded places with my throat, and I swallowed twice before exhaling deeply.

Step one: Blood of the murderer. With my eyes locked on his, I extracted the vial from my breast pocket. Another growl simmered in the back of his throat, and I paused.

Easy now. My heart thundered in my ears. I popped the stopper off and poured Noc’s blood into my cupped hand. The Myad’s nose twitched, and he lowered his head to sniff the substance. Slowly, his scratchy tongue grazed my skin. Sheer power thrummed from his touch. I’m sure he tasted the raw flavor of Noc’s magic in the blood. The icy heat of it threatened to sear my skin, and the scent of burnt honey and hot metal tainted the air.

Once the beast licked my hand dry, he sat back on his haunches and studied me, the corded muscles of his legs rippling beneath black fur.

Step two: A token of loyalty. Proof that, if the taming were a success, I was as much his as he was mine. That we would never abandon each other. With bloody, shaking fingers, I took my opal ring off my hand.

“Your mother left this for you.” My aunt had held out a tiny box with silver clasps. My eager fingers had wrenched it open. There, lying in a bed of violet silk, was the rose-gold ring my father had given to my mother as a promise of his love. The one I now wore at all times.

This ring was my last tie to Hireath. My last tie to a memory that I cherished above all else. My parents had died trying to tame a beast beyond their capabilities. It seemed fitting that, if this didn’t work, I’d go out the same way.

Hot tears stung the corners of my eyes, and I bowed to the Myad, extending my palm toward him. Blue tendrils of vapor streamed from his eyes and looped through the ring, lifting it to the space before him. A crown of pure gold burst through his black fur. His feathered mane shot outward, and the tendrils carried the ring to the center of the headpiece. The gold rippled and molded, allowing for the jewelry to become part of his plumage.

Fighting back cries of joy, I tossed a quick glance over my shoulder to steal one more look at Noc. Eyes wide and jaw tight, he strained against Grundy’s pressure. Muscles bulged along his neck, and his fingers trembled. The detachment he’d wielded earlier was gone, and there was nothing but concern shining in his intense stare.

My heart twisted. Too bad it took me putting my life in danger for him to look at me like that.

Turning back to the Myad, I slowly undid the belt from my breeches. The Myad tilted his head, eyeing the black leather contraption. A low warning growl rumbled at the back of his throat.

It’s not a weapon. I promise. Folding my belt, I shoved it into my mouth between my teeth. Not a single sound. I breathed deeply and focused on the beast realm. My power flooded outward, pulsating to the cadence of my heart. The Myad stood before crouching low against the ground. Tension gathered in all his muscles, and he eyed my left shoulder. Screwing my eyes shut, I clenched down on my belt.

I heard the kick-up of dirt as he lunged. The back of my head smacked against the ground, forcing my eyes open, and a blinding heat surged from my shoulder as his fangs sank easily into flesh. The world slipped out from beneath me as pain blurred the lines of the trees and the sky, blending colors in ways that shouldn’t have been possible.

***

Excerpted from Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau. © 2019 by Maxym M. Martineau. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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The Beast Charmer Series:

Kingdom of Exiles

The Frozen Prince (coming early 2020)

The Shattered Crown (coming late 2020)

About the Author

Maxym M. Martineau is an article and social media writer by day and a fantasy romance author by night. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Arizona State University, and lives with her husband and fur babies in Arizona. Connect with her at MaxymMartineau.com or through Twitter and Instagram @maxymmckay.

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Excerpt Reveal: Beautifully Damaged by Laura Pavlov

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Release Blitz: July 24th 

Peyton Kroft was his forever, until the unthinkable happened. Walking away all those years ago had been the right thing to do. But, a decade later, he was ready to put the past behind him. Moving to San Francisco and hiring his first love, the city’s top designer, was a good place to start. Seeing her again stirred up feelings he thought he’d long buried. He wanted her. Just one taste of those sweet lips. The girl like a light leading him home. She’d found a way back in somewhere she could never stay. And, the worst part—he liked her there.

~~~

Jackson Vance broke her heart. He took half of it with him on his way out of town. Picking up the pieces hadn’t been easy, but more than nine years later, Peyton is living her best life. Coming face to face with her first love is not on the agenda. Emerald green eyes that see straight to her soul. Jackson Vance is beautiful, broken, and everything she’s ever wanted. He’s not a forever guy—but when their lips touch, it feels like forever. History has a way of repeating itself. The past still hovers like a dark cloud. But every dark cloud has a silver-lining. 

Exclusive Excerpt: 

Last night he’d caught her off guard. Today—she came prepared and her walls were up. He couldn’t blame her. He’d left her. Been cruel. He'd seen her through good times and bad. She had the etiquette of a royal princess, the perfect manners of a debutante, but the girl could fight like a caged pit bull when she wanted something. 

“I think it’s best we keep things professional. I take my job very serious, and I don’t want any complications. Let’s start fresh as work associates.” Her voice as distant as her eyes. 

“Ah. So, this is how we’re going to play it,” he said with a chuckle. 

“Excuse me? I’m not quite sure how to act around you, Jackson. You show up here out of nowhere, and you’re judging my behavior?” 

“Since when do you have to act a certain way?” 

“What? I don’t. You’re taking things out of context. I’ve never had a client who happened to be an ex-boyfriend. This is a first for me.” 

“I’ve never had a problem being your first.” Yep, it would get a reaction. They needed to get past the awkward bullshit and hash it out. Forcing her to engage would be his best bet. 

She clenched her jaw. “I see you’re still an asshole.” 

 “Ahhh—There she is.” 

“Meaning?” 

“Meaning, you need to stop putting on airs.” Using his index and middle fingers on each hand and bending twice, he fought back a smile. 

“Are you seriously using air quotes on me? How ridiculous are you?” She jumped up and stormed over to her desk. 

“I’d say I’m pretty fucking ridiculous.” His fingers intertwined behind his head, he leaned back to enjoy the show. 

Goddamn, this woman only got sexier when she was pissed. He remembered how feisty she could be, but she appeared more controlled and refined now. He didn’t miss the way she struggled to rein in her emotions, jamming things into her desk drawer now. 

First, a stapler. A pencil. A couple of files. 

She picked up her water bottle and tipped her head back, taking a long, slow sip. His heart pounded in his chest. He yearned to taste her soft lips. Maybe it would get him through the next decade. No woman ever made him so greedy for more. But he wasn’t here to take anything from her. He’d taken enough. 

“Peanut.” 

“What? And stop calling me that,” she demanded, returning to sit beside him. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“What are you sorry for?” 

“I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for leaving you—for hurting you.” 

She studied him, lips pursed. “Is this really your apology?” 

“What do you want me to say? I went fucking crazy. I wasn't equipped to handle what happened. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.” 

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About Laura Pavlov

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to a couple crazy yorkies. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after.

Connect with Laura: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter 

Spotlight: Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

Lush and visual, chock-full of delicious recipes, Roselle Lim’s magical debut novel is about food, heritage, and finding family in the most unexpected places.

At the news of her mother’s death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn’t spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco’s Chinatown that she remembers from her childhood is fading, with businesses failing and families moving out. She’s even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant.

The neighborhood seer reads the restaurant’s fortune in the leaves: Natalie must cook three recipes from her grandmother’s cookbook to aid her struggling neighbors before the restaurant will succeed. Unfortunately, Natalie has no desire to help them try to turn things around—she resents the local shopkeepers for leaving her alone to take care of her agoraphobic mother when she was growing up. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, Natalie starts to realize that maybe her neighbors really have been there for her all along.

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About the Author

Roselle Lim is a Filipino Chinese writer who came to Canada from the Philippines as a young teen and learned English by watching wrestling shows on television. She has a degree in humanities and history from York University.

Spotlight: The Royal Secret by Lucinda Riley

Note to readers: In the UK, this book is published under the title The Love Letter.

In this suspenseful and heart-pounding novel from New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley, an ambitious young journalist unravels a dangerous mystery that threatens to devastate the British monarchy.

Keeping secrets is a dangerous game.

When Sir James Harrison, one the greatest actors of his generation, passes away at the age of ninety-five, he leaves behind not just a heartbroken family but also a secret so shocking, it could rock the English establishment to its core.

Joanna Haslam, an up-and-coming reporter, is assigned to cover the legendary actor’s funeral, attended by glitzy celebrities of every background. But Joanna stumbles on something dark beneath the glamour: the mention of a letter James Harrison has left behind—the contents of which many have been desperate to keep concealed for over seventy years. As she peels back the veil of lies that has shrouded the secret, she realizes that she’s close to uncovering something deadly serious—and the royal family may be implicated. Before long, someone is on her tracks, attempting to prevent her from discovering the truth. And they’ll stop at nothing to reach the letter before she does.

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About the Author

Lucinda Riley is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including The Orchid House, The Girl on the Cliff, and the Seven Sisters series. Her books have sold twenty million copies in thirty-five languages globally. She was born in Ireland and divides her time between England and West Cork with her husband and four children. Visit her online at LucindaRiley.com.