Saturday, 11 May 2019

Book Feature: DO NO HARM by Christoph Fischer, et al

DO NO HARM is an extraordinary, limited collection of medical thrillers written by USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Amazon best-selling authors. You can order it now for .99!
Do you crave reading books with nail-biting suspense, twisted plots and great characters who get caught up in whirlwinds of crime, deception and lies? Do you love sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering who will survive…and who won’t?
background 1 vvFrom the mountains of West Virginia, to acute care hospitals, the battlefields of the Middle East and the hallowed halls of our educational system, join us for these incredible stories of healthcare gone wrong.
If you like Robin Cook, David Baldacci and Patricia Cornwell, this collection is for you! Do No Harm is a binge-readers dream – 14 medical thriller books in one! And you can only get this collection of books from this group of authors here!
Grab your copy today and find a comfortable chair!
Excerpt
The tired, small hatchback hit a rock next to the edge of the road and came to an unexpected and abrupt stop. Erica had not seen the bulky thing hidden underneath the uncut grass. She switched off the engine and got out. There seemed no significant damage to her old banger but she couldn’t care less right now, to be honest, and decided she would leave it parked here anyway. She must be close.
Quite frankly, she considered herself lucky to have made it this far; the roads had been bumpy and her car was in a dire condition, too. It wouldn’t be much longer before it would have to be scrapped. Living in London she rarely needed it and had often been tempted to sell it anyway.
This was deepest Wales, the countryside - something that the Londoner in her had not seen for years and certainly hadn’t missed. Poor phone reception, miles to the nearest supermarket with its supplies of cigarettes and bubbly: that’s what the countryside meant to her.
She guessed the car was sufficiently off the road and out of the way. Who would come here, anyway? It was unlikely that two cars would find this remote corner of Wales at the same time, she reckoned. Erica looked around: not a living soul in sight, no houses or vehicles; she was totally off the beaten track. She could see no significant landmarks; all views were blocked by large trees and hedges. It was drizzling a little and although it was past lunchtime, there was mist that reminded her of early mornings. The wind had made the spring temperatures drop more than she had anticipated and she was chilly in her inadequate city clothing.
She searched her purse for the map, which her assistant Hilda had drawn for her. It seemed as if she was in the right place; there was the small path at the foot of the hill, and the two opposing gates leading to fields with horses and sheep. Since leaving her nearby B&B, all the road junctions she had come to had been easy to recognise and here was the little shoulder by the side of the road, where Hilda had recommended she should park the car.
She assured herself once more that it was the right path and then she psyched herself up for the walk up the steep hill. The tricky part, Hilda had explained, was finding the hidden gate, which would lead her to the man himself. However, Hilda didn’t have pancreatic cancer and was not recovering from a course of chemo and so she had no idea how difficult it would be for Erica to walk up that hill. It seemed by no means the easy climb her assistant had called it. For all her recent goodness, that woman could drive her mad.
Erica looked at herself in the outside mirror of her car before getting ready to face the man. Her hair had not fallen out from the chemo but it had turned grey and made her look much older than she was. There were still crow’s feet and wrinkles despite being facially bloated – it really wasn’t fair; the worst of both worlds. People used to think of Erica as at least five years younger than she actually was, but now people thought she was five years older. Overnight it seemed, she had aged from 40 to 50 but given her current situation she would be lucky to reach 45. Additionally, she had lost a lot of weight, despite the effect that the steroids had had on her. With her mere 5’ 4’’ frame, she looked tiny and felt thin and weak.
Only this man might be able to improve her chances and she desperately hoped the trip here would be worth it. If the man really was who Hilda thought, there was a slight chance for her. If she could make him speak to her, then she was sure she could persuade him to help - if he still possessed those powers. There suddenly seemed a lot of ifs.
She locked the car and began the climb up the tree-covered hill. Her trainers slid on the moist moss, her jeans too tight for some of the big steps she had to take. There was only a tiny trodden path, which seemed easy to lose sight of, curving its way upwardly through the trees. She was glad she had the map. Hilda deserved an award for organising this; if Erica ever made it back to her position at work she would make sure to find a way of compensating her, if she had anything left after she had paid the man.
Her assistant had come here a few days ago and had scouted the place out in the manner of a gifted detective. Hilda had been an angel the last few months with an uncalled for loyalty and devotion which Erica felt she didn’t deserve.


Author: Christoph Fischer









Tuesday, 30 April 2019

A-to-Z Blog Challenge: Z is for...zarf

 
Aww, this is the last post for this year's A to Z blog Challenge and I chose a word post to complete my participation in this year's challenge.
Something I made myself, which I have been using extensively for all the writing in April.
And here is my zarf, an ornamental holder for a hot coffee cup 😁😁😁😁

Until next time!



Saturday, 27 April 2019

Book Feature: WILLOW by Grace Parks

X is for...xoxo
😍













He’s everything she’s not.
He’s serious, unsociable, unfashionable, and dead set against social media.
She decides to take him on as a client despite his refusals.
She wants the challenge, and she wants to prove to him that he needs her help.

We all need a little romance, right? 😉 Until Monday!
💜 Linzé

Friday, 26 April 2019

A-to-Z Blog Challenge: W is for...writing inspiration - a guest post by Vida Li Sik

As an avid reader, I’ve always wondered where Stephen King, a writer I greatly admire, got the ideas for his stories that scared theheebie-jeebies out of me. The same goes for James Patterson or Nora Roberts. I’m sure you can add the names of your own favourite authors too.
When it comes to inspiration, writers are often encouraged to “write what you know”. And if you’ve been on earth for a while, there certainly are plenty of life experiences to draw from.
But, for fiction writers, it’s not always that easy, especially if you have to create a new world to go with the story.
So where does one find inspiration?
When you look at the movies that Hollywood keep trotting out, you’d be amazed to see new takes on old stories. Think about it. How many modern day Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty stories have we seen in recent years? These were great stories that simply got an updated 21stcentury setting and details.
What helps me, is to ask the question “what if?” For example, we sometimes hear about men who escape from prison. You hardly ever hear about women doing the same. So what if your character decides to plan a daring prison break? This idea formed a part of the storyline for my mother/daughter story, Aching Heart.
In romance, thrillers or spy stories, why not flip the stereotype? What if your “007-type” main character happens to be female, or she is the one with the dangerous job?
The news can also be a great source of ideas. Why not turn that dastardly politician or crook into a character who becomes the villain of your thriller? We are sometimes reluctant to do so, because the real life story just sounds too unbelievable.
A few years ago, there was a big story surrounding one of the country’s police commissioners. One newspaper had all the people involved laid out in a diagram, with little biographies underneath and arrows showing their connections. I thought ‘What a great character portfolio’. And I’m not even a crime or thriller writer!
I once had a dream (two days in a row) about characters in Sweden (of all places) - a country I have yet to visit. The characters stayed with me for a few weeks, to the point where I started jotting down notes and researching the country for more information on possible settings.
Sometimes a conversation you overhear can set your imagination racing off with a million and one ideas. There are just so many different and unexpected sources for inspiration. Remember: everyone has a story to tell.
What is important to do, when inspiration strikes, is to jot down the ideas. Use a sticky note, a small notebook or the notes feature on your phone. Do it immediately before the idea disappears, as it will.
So, as a writer or would-be writer, where do you get your inspiration from?



Find her on www.vidalisik.com   👈👈👈

Thursday, 25 April 2019

Book Feature: ACHING HEART by Vida Li Sik




Available on Amazon

Nursing sister Hannah Dervain functions best by following a set routine. That leaves her little time to drown her sorrows in alcohol over what she has lost.
Her orderly life is turned upside down when her annual check-up reveals she has cancer. Now Hannah has to fight for her health and to heal her relationship with her estranged daughter, Savanna, who is in jail.
Hannah’s bombshell tugs at her daughter’s heartstrings. Overturning Savanna's ban on visiting her in prison is the easy part. Their past disappointments, hurts and pain rear up once more. They are tougher to tackle as Savanna confronts challenges of her own.
Her daughter’s latest ill-conceived scheme threatens the progress they are making. Can Hannah find the courage to take a stand and be the mother she longs to be?

Until tomorrow, when Vida joins us again with a question...

See you then!
Linzé

Wednesday, 24 April 2019

A-to-Z Blog Challenge: U is for...unbelievable

I chose unbelievable for my word today, because that is how I felt when I saw the list. Yesterday, I posted my 750th post to this blog. It's true, even though I am not sure quite how all that happened.
Number of posts
per year
I suppose it happened the usual way - one at a time! 😉
Thank you for reading and here is to the next 750. May I continue to strive to not bore you to tears 😂 Cheers! 🍸

💜 Linzé

PRIME PLEDGE by Linzé Brandon (Book 8 in the Nations of Peace series)

PreSALE offer - get the book BEFORE its release on 1 December 2024!  Wolfgang Hauer is not just a businessman, he is the Prime Alpha, pri...