Summer has finally arrived

 At last there's come an end to the long period of cold and rainy weather - felt more like autumn than anything else! Furthermore, this kind of weather turned you gloomy and pessimistic.

Now at last the sun has come out, and all of a sudden the temperatures went into the 20 degrees Celsius. What a relief! The past weekend was such a nice one - I'm sure the terraces will have been full and people were enjoying themselves.

We have not been enjoying the weather as we still needed to do some work in the house. When you're on a project of renovation, it takes all the free weekends there are. We fixed new doors - one in the former bedroom of our grandmother, which is now a store room annex toilet (nicely seperated) and also a new one in the bathroom. It's a sliding door there, so it takes up less space.

The weather forecast is positive for the rest of the week. On Friday we take the train to Heist, as we are going to spend next weekend at the coast. With nice weather, it's so more enjoyable. And also positive: the city has decided you don't have to wear a facemask in open spaces anymore! So now you can walk along the promenade or into the dunes without that stupid thing on your face! I've never seen the use of facemasks, as long as you keep away from other people, like we do - and have always done. We don't hug or kiss either. Never did in our family. So all these corona measures don't mean a lot to us. I can't remember ever taking my sister in my arms (would think that foolish). I'm not great in expressing feelings, but I don't mind it. I try to be polite and kind to other people, that's enough for me. 

Fully vaccinated!

Yesterday afternoon I got my second (and last) shot of Pfizer. So now I have to wait two to three weeks and then I'm fully protected against Covid19. Not that it's of a real worry, as I didn't even get the flu since I got vaccinated against Yellow Fever some odd thirty years ago (together with shots for cholera etc.) In those days, we travelled to Peru and Bolivia, Kenya and Thailand.

My sister gets her second Pfizer shot mid June. By then the corona passport should be introduced, and it would allow us to do as planned (we planned short trips in Europe, one in July and one in August). Already that long weekend in Antwerp felt like a break. And when summer starts, we may expect that the restaurants and cafés will be fully open (also inside) so that you can have lunch or dinner at ease, without having to worry about the weather conditions.

Also good news from Hilton. I got a mail, telling me I'd reach diamond status when I stay another 15 nights in their hotels. We got already three nights last weekend, and will have eight in summer. We are also looking forward to a weekend Brussels (2 nights) in September, and one in Antwerp (another 2 nights) in December. And when all plans go through, we'll have a long weekend in Birmingham (3 nights), a week in Dubai (7 nights) and a trip to Finland and Estland (9 nights). Definitely qualifies!

The vaccination campaign in Flanders is running smoothly. Our minister, Beke, had hoped to have all adults (people above 18) vaccinated by July 11th (feastday of the Flemish community) but due to problems with AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson it will only be around 85%. Pfizer is the only company you can depend on what concerns deliveries. The others always promise high number, but when the deliveries arrive, the numbers are always less.

As of next month, more will be possible in Belgium. And as the situation is improving, we'll hopefully lose the red status and go to orange or even green. When 85% of the adult population is vaccinated, the infections should lose their grip. 

Weekend Antwerp

 My sister and I spent the long weekend in the beautiful town of Antwerp. Despite the covid situation, we thought it would be worth the time and money. We had a room (or rather a suite, they went for less than the normal price for an executive room) in the Hilton, which is in the dead center of Antwerp, near the Groenplaats.

As always, the room and service were impeccable. We had a dining table, which was great for taking our breakfast (which is served in the rooms as long as the present measures go). Allowed us to have breakfast in our pyjama's as we do at home.

We had a drink in a café at the Groenplaats.

On Saturday we went shopping mostly. The weather was bad, lots of rain in the morning and around noon. While we were having lunch (on the terrace of the restaurant, because that's the only thing allowed right now) it was just pouring down! Luckily we had a good spot under a rather large umbrella, and we only caugt some lost drops of wetness. Our food - the best Flemish stew I've ever tasted, along with rice pudding like our grandma used to make - remained surprisingly warm despite the poor outside temperature. And can you believe this? The terrace was full. Even customers waiting for a table. We Belgians must be more than mad to go dining outside in these conditions! Shows how desperate everyone is after months of closure of the restaurants and cafés.

Luckily, after lunch the rain dried up - at least for a couple of hours. We even saw some sunshine. This allowed us to walk some more and explore some more shops. We returned home with a bit more luggage than on arrival! I got myself a new pair of sandals and a hoodie, while Chris equally bought a new coat and shoes.

On Sunday we woke up to some faint sunshine, and it remained dry until late evening. We made a walk in the morning, then had lunch at De Roode Hoed. After lunch we walked along the river to Het Eilandje and MAS museum. 

Drifting

 Let's say hello to Steven M. Cross today. Steven is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for Drifting, a Contemporary YA available May 25, 2021 from Between the Lines/Liminal Press. The Book Blast Tour will take place May 24 - 28, 2021.

                                 

 

Steven M. Cross will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3761/

Blurb

Drifting brings light into the dark corners of mental health, bullying, and sexual assault.

 

Dean Knight has struggled against his personal demons for as long as he can remember. He thought he lost that struggle when he felt their knowing grip pull him deeper in the river, but he was saved. Saved for what? His memories are trapped within his mental illness. He hears his sister and father’s voices. The problem is, they’re dead, both killed in the same river that tried to claim Dean. As he struggles to remember, he discovers their voices aren’t pushing him to harm himself, but to discover the truth surrounding both their deaths. One person, Ella, has all the answers, but Dean can’t remember if she loved him or tried to kill him.

 

Roxanne “Rocky”  Rivers struggles against her own demons, not voices, but a past trauma she can’t fully remember. She only knows everyone at school thinks she’s a slut and a head-case. A razor her only release for the pain. Rocky knows no one will believe a crazy girl who tries to kill herself.

 

Dean and Rocky find a connection. Can they find the strength and trust to help each other when neither can survive alone?

Excerpt

The police won’t get here before he kills me. My mom stirs, reaches into her pocket, gets some keys. She reaches for the table she just tripped over. 

So this is the way it’s going to end? My mom gets away while her insane boyfriend murders her insane son.  Instead of fleeing though, she slips the key into one of the small drawers on the coffee table. 

A crazy thought enters my head. She’s getting one of her bottles, and this has been an elaborate ruse so they can kill me and then celebrate. They’ll say I attacked him, and the police will believe it.

Danger to self and others.

She’ll get my money. He steps in front of me with his fists balled. This guy’s going to beat me to death while my mom drinks.

In the distance, sirens shriek. They won’t make it in time. I can imagine the red lights reflecting in pools of—

Blood spatters my face and foams from his mouth opened in a big O of surprise. He drops to his knees. Through the broken glass, I see cop cars flying up our road.

A gun drops from my mother’s hand.

I wonder if the bullet has gone through Paul into me, but I don’t feel any pain. He coughs again, blood gurgles from his mouth. He crumples to the floor.

The police burst through the door with guns raised just like on a cop show, only it couldn’t be any more real.

Author bio and links

Steve Cross is an educator/freelance writer who lives in Poplar Bluff, MO. His credits include four young adult novels, two fantasy novels, and seven plays. He has optioned one script and sold another one. Plus, he's finished as a quarterfinalist in Bluecat and in Fresh Voices screenwriting competition. He and his wife have one daughter and two grandchildren with whom they spend a lot of time. Cross loves Cardinals baseball, classic rock music, and character-driven movies. His favorite films are Dead Poets Society and Field of Dreams. Cross also likes to read, everything from Young Adult contemporary novels to screenplays, to horror and fantasy. At 62 and a cancer survivor, he believes his writing career is just now getting into full swing. His favorite type of screenplay to write is a psychological drama.

 

https://www.facebook.com/steven.cross.56/

https://www.facebook.com/stevecrosswordswrite

https://twitter.com/stevecrosswords

https://www.instagram.com/stevecrosswords/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/987662.Steven_Cross 

Amazon Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Drifting-Steven-M-Cross-ebook/dp/B093WRF6FC/ref=sr_1_1

Corona passport

Yesterday evening, the EU finally reached an agreement about the corona passport for its citizens. With this passport (which you can get if you are a) vaccinated (once or twice), b) have the negative result of a recent covid test, c) have had covid-19 and have built up immunity) you will be able to travel freely in Europe, without having to take tests or go into quarantine.

The corona passport should be available by July 1st at the latest. Our government already declared they are working on it and all shall be in order in the course of June. As I'm getting my second vaccin next week Thursday, and my sister gets hers on June 14th, we'll both get our passport in time to make the trips we've already planned.

We can only hope that the number of infections goes down - as it has done for the past three weeks - and that by summer our country will no longer color red but green (or at least orange). If so, then perhaps Great Britain will also allow us to enter without quarantine. We have tickets for a concert in Birmingham for mid October, so let's hope the situation has cleared out by then! And that we can make our booked trip to the Emirates in the beginning of November. We haven't cancelled it yet, as conditions may improve. Right now you still need negative tests to enter Dubai, and on arrival you can be picked out to take a second test, going into quarantine until you show a negative result. Under such conditions, we are travelling. We've booked with the guarantee that we can get our money back if the trip is cancelled.

Belgium finally to compete in the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest

The last time our country managed to reach the final of the Eurovision Song Contest was n 2017. The two years afterwards, 2018 and 2019, were failures. 

But last night Hooverphonic, with singer Geike Arnaert, could persuade the public they are worth a place in the final. Finally!

The act was simple and straithforward. Just a great singer and two great muscians. Geike shone - her dress was set with hundreds of Swarowski crystals. The person who designed this dress is the dress adviser of Lady Gaga.

The Eurovision Song Contest is always a circus, I think. If you see some of the acts... In the semi final of yesterday evening, only two songs could make an impression on me. The one of Norway and ours. All the rest was either too much screaming, vulgar moves, false notes... Some countries seem to think they can get away with mixing all kinds of old songs to a new one. Not a lot of inspiration there. 

I'll be watching the final on Saturday night. And of course hope for a good result for Belgium. We only won this contest once, with Sandra Kim and her song "J'aime la vie". But that was a long time ago!

The Gospel According to Prissy

 Today we welcome back Barbara Casey. Barbara is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for The Gospel According to Prissy, a Mystery available now from Strategic Media Books. The Book Blast Tour will take place May 10 - 14, 2021. 

 

Barbara Casey will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3738/

Blurb

Three Army veteran misfits, a college dropout, an unmotivated high school graduate accused of murder, a controversial warden of a women's prison, and a little girl with the gift of prophesy – these are the people 31-year-old Lara Kruger invites into her life after suffering a miscarriage, a divorce from an abusive husband, and unemployment.

Excerpt

The young child skipped through the tall trees and underbrush, unaware of the puddles created by recent rains or the low-lying tree branches and vines that swiped at her coveralls and scratched her bare arms.  Hugging a doll that showed the wear of a favorite toy and a faint smudge of chocolate ice cream, the child pushed forward with determination.  She knew where she wanted to go, and her face showed the intensity and resolve of a person much older than her five years.  The black woman wearing the uniform of a prison guard struggled to keep up with her young charge.  The thick green tangle of natural forest growth and uneven turf was more of a challenge to a woman her size and stature.

The child stopped when she reached a clearing, that place in the woods that wasn’t quite so overgrown and where the wild vegetation had been pressed from previous visits.  In front of her was a tree, magnificent in size, ancient in age.  She had reached her destination.  She called it, quite simply, “the place.”  Quietly, reverently, she approached the tree, reaching out and touching the familiar rough surface and its many irregular crevices.  She squatted where some roots had pushed upward and were now gnarled and covered in bark before extending downward again deep into the soil.  It was between two of these large root formations that the child placed the doll – a throne.  Her hand explored the curvature of one darkened root, first touching the soft green moss, and then the small indented place that held water whenever it rained.  It was moist.  Satisfied, she knelt.  Then, lowering her head and folding her dimpled hands together, she started to pray.

Author bio and links

Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history.  In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service.  In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.

           

Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.

Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story.  A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina.  She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies.  Ms. Casey's essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).           

Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist.  She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003.  In 2018 Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese and Earl Gray - Reese’s best friend.

 

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Casey/e/B001K7S4IW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

 

The book will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Prissy-Barbara-Casey/dp/098524402X

Weekend away

 Thursday is one of those catholic feastdays, and thus the schools close for a long weekend. Chris and I have decided not to work on our renovations that weekend, and instead go to spend some time at the seaside.

It's been a long time since we last were there - I believe the last time was in February. The reason? You couldn't do much there (or anywhere else) with the lockdown. It's no fun having to walk when every business is closed (including cafés and restaurants) and you have your facemask on all the time. I just hate that thing! The damp gets on my glasses as soon as I put it on and I have to walk nearly blind. Furthermore, I don't see the use of such a facemask, as long as you keep distance from others or you walk alone on a street or promenade. I hope it will soon disappear!

Now there is more perspective. At least the terraces of the cafés and restaurants are open and you can go shopping once more (it's allowed to enter with two people in the shop). That way we can at last go to Knokke, do some shopping (I need a new hoodie) and consequently have a drink at either Estaminet or Izzy's. Two of our favorite pubs in Knokke. Estaminet is great to have a coffee (because you get a lot of treats with it) and Izzy's has good cocktails. 

The weather has improved some and it's not so very cold anymore. The predictions are not for the finest weather, but there will be sunshine every now and then and also some showers. Luckily at the coast, the showers are quickly gone.

It'll do us good to relax a bit, as we have been working hard the last weekends and holiday periods. The storeroom is now finished, all painted and the furniture in its place, new sunscreen attached (it's the side of the house which catches most sunlight), new floor. It look spic and span now. Later on we have to work on the two bedrooms - but all in good time. There is also some work necessary on the backside of the house. But for the coming two (long) weekends we'll take a break!

The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender

 Let's say hello to WS Carmichael today! This author is doing a virtual book tour for The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender, a romance/romantic comedy available since April 21st from Queen of the World Publishing. This tour will run April 26 - May 21.

WS Carmichael will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes&Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3674/

Blurb

Ava Moreland has it all planned out. In two months, she will marry her fiancé, Tim. She’ll continue working at Vegas’s famous Cosmopolitan bar while he runs his father’s accounting firm. Soon they’ll start a family and she’ll have the white picket life she’s always dreamed of.
Or not.

When her fairytale engagement implodes in a devastating display, Ava embarks on a quest to reclaim her identity and feminine prowess – by sleeping her way through Las Vegas. With her best friend, Jarrod, acting as wingman her plan is foolproof.
Or not.Nothing goes as planned with hilariously disastrous results. Her sexual misadventures will keep you in stitches as Ava searches for herself in Sin City, finding herself and her happily ever after in the unlikeliest of places.

Excerpt

“That’s your master plan? To become known as the slutty bartender?” Jarrod raises one eyebrow, his skepticism written all over his face. 

“Well, it sounds bad when you put it like that.” I shrug. “You’re misunderstanding the point.”

“Is the point to see how many STD’s you can rack up?”

I sigh. “No. The point is to reclaim my womanly power. The point is to live life. The point is to embrace life’s opportunities without the expectation of a happily ever after. The point is to forget about Mr. Right and enjoy Mr. Right Now.”

Jarrod shakes his head, leaves me sitting on the sofa alone and goes into his bedroom.

“I thought you’d be totally on board!” I shout to his closed door.

I mean, seriously. It isn’t as if I told him I was going to lay spread eagle in front of The Bellagio holding a sign reading ‘Free Sex’. While I’m not the type of girl to throw her cooter at every guy passing by, I see no reason to be a total prude either. I’ve decided to explore the world of one-night stands. I get hit on all the time at work. What’s so wrong with taking someone up on the offer if I find him attractive? I am no longer beholden to anyone.

A few minutes later, Jarrod jerks his door open. “Ok. I’ve thought about it. You can do this, but you need a chaperone.”

“I don’t need a chaperone.”

“Ok, A wingman, then. I’ll be personally vetting your selections to make sure there’s no psycho vibes.” He plops down next to me on the couch.

Author bio and links

WS Carmichael is attempting to write the world into romantic bliss one novel at a time. Based in upstate NY, she travels as often as her hectic schedule will allow. When she isn’t busy writing, she’s a mother, nurse and avid sportswoman.

WS Carmichael fell in love with romance at an early age when she would sneak Harlequins from her mother. A voracious reader, she eventually made the jump to writing.

Writing is her passion and she’s always jotting down new storyline and character ideas. Often, her characters take on a life of their own and don’t always cooperate with her plan for them. Creating well developed, strong alpha male characters that don’t fit into the typical romance hero mold makes her novels exciting and relatable. A woman who believes whole heartedly in happily ever after, she gives her heroes the heroine they deserve.

You can check out her blog and find out more on her website:

http://www.wscarmichael.com

I asked the author about her writing, and this is what she answered:

I took a risk when I titled my newest book, The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender by putting the word ‘Slutty’ in the title. Slutty is loaded word. Hearing it elicits some type of visceral response from everyone, and rarely is that response positive. For most, the word slutty represents a woman of low moral character, someone we should look down upon with disdain and scorn. I’ll admit, there were times in my life I thought much the same way. Calling a woman a slut is usually the result of gossip, driven by virtue signaling and insecurities. When used in a derogatory way, the moniker of slut is a badge of shame, a public declaration of a woman’s unworthiness of love and compassion. We are to believe she is dirty, unclean and impure.

Well, I refuse to continue the tradition of shaming a woman for the choices she makes with her own body. Which is why I decided to put ‘Slutty’ on the front cover, out in the open for God and everyone to see.

As times change and social norms evolve, being called a slut no longer carries with it the negative connotations it once did. For many, a slut is merely a woman who chooses to reject the patriarchal ideology that a woman touched is a woman ruined while men are free to dip their wick in any willing receptacle without damage to their reputation or social standing. What was once a shameful label is now looked at as a symbol of pride by some.

The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender is a story about a woman empowering herself (or at least attempting to) by no longer allowing anyone to tell her how she should behave or how she should conduct her private life. The main character, Ava, has been turning herself inside out for several years trying to become the person her fiancé and his stuffy parents would approve of. When her engagement collapses in a heap of shock and lies, she realizes she has lost herself in the outdated and suffocating perception of what makes a woman valuable. In an effort to regain her essence, she embarks on a mission to embrace life my having a series of one night stands. She theorizes the only way as a young, single woman to recapture her lost zest for life is to welcome all Vegas has to offer, including casual sex. It isn’t the sex she is necessarily after, but instead she is chasing the freedom to decide what – and who – she does and when she does it. Unfortunately for her, her escapades rarely live up to her fantasies. Each attempt is more hilariously disappointing than the last, thus making her a wannabe slut. Don’t worry. She eventually gets the HEA all women deserve.

My hope is that in addition to being entertaining, The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender conveys the message all women are fabulous, worthy and fierce, regardless of their sexual practices. There is no longer room in a woman’s underwear for societal judgement.

Make no mistake, I am in no way advocating the women of the world suddenly start tossing their cooters at every man passing by. In addition to being an author, I have also been a nurse for over twenty years. While I am all for women having total control over their goodies, my medical training demands I urge you to use good judgement and be safe.

Whether you have one partner or a hundred, you deserve to be valued for the awesome and beautiful person you are. 

Social Links:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/wscarmichaelauthor/#

Twitter:      https://twitter.com/RomanceWSC

Website:     http://www.wscarmichael.com/

 

Amazon buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Misadventures-Wannabe-Slutty-Bartender-ebook/dp/B08RBFP2J

Last day of winter!

 Hopefully... It's been like winter for the past months, so cold I haven't experienced it in my lifespan. And then there's that talk about the warming up of the earth...

But it looks like today will be (hopefully) the last days of this ice period. The temperature today won't go any higher than 12°Celsius, but as tomorrow we'll finally get temperatures around 20°. We are still wearing winter cl othes right now, and our warm jackets to go out. I'm longing to wear skirts and t-shirts as you normally do in May. And only a cardigan or hoodie when it gets a bit cooler.

As the terraces of the cafés and restaurants will be allowed to open as of tomorrow morning 10 am, I expect that they'll draw a lot of attention! The breweries have been very busy this past week, preparing everything for the big day. And we're glad that the number of infections is steadily going down as well, just as the hospitalisations and people in intensive care. By the end of this week, minister Beke expects that 40% of the Flemish will have had at least one shot of vacination. And by the weekend after 50%. His goal is that by July 11th (the national holidays for the Flemish region) all the adults will be vacinated and that Flanders will get that degree of immunity of over 70% as is proposed. I think the degree will be even higher as most people want to get their injection. I've never met someone who claimed he/she didn't want a vaccin. In Brussels and Wallony this situation is different, as there are more antivaxers living there. And of course groups of people who are difficult to reach, who live in tight communities.

Justice

 Let's say hello to Tracy Tappan today! Tracy is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for Justice: A Choose A Hero Romance™, a Romantic suspense available now from B. Reed Publishing. The Book Blast Tour will take place May 3 - 7, 2021. 

 Tracy Tappan will be awarding one "Hero" coffee mug: Keith or Brayden or Pete, winner's choice which one. (US only shipping) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3735/

Blurb

A star athlete with a notorious reputation, Justine “Justice” Hayes is offered the chance to join the United States’ elite Special Operations Forces. SOF is standing up three new units called “Special Missions,” and Justice’s past as a master thief makes her perfect to lead one of these intelligence-gathering teams.

But an impossible condition stands between her and her dream job.

She has to survive the Navy’s most intensive and grueling SPECWAR training program: BUD/S.

Despite opposition, Justice soon finds herself wearing the rank of a Navy ensign and competing with some of America’s toughest men. Two of these SEAL candidates will come to test her mind and her heart, as much as her will to keep business and pleasure firmly separate. Temptations multiply when she crosses swords with the cocky helicopter pilot who commands her Special Missions flight crew.

Her vow to maintain a professional distance is finally shaken when an unorthodox training exercise goes terribly wrong. In the brutal aftermath, she needs a man who cares about her to help her fully heal. But which hero will ultimately win her...?

The gentleman? The leader? The wild one?

YOU CHOOSE!

In this unique Choose A Hero Romance™, the reader decides which hero will earn a happily ever after with Justice Hayes. 

Love every hero in his own way?

You can have as many happily-ever-afters as you want! 

When you’re finished with one ending, simply choose another and keep reading.

All endings are available NOW

 

Excerpt

“Do you realize how close I came to a medical rollback today, and all because you couldn’t mind your own damned business? 

Keith crossed his arms and spoke with an edge. “I didn’t realize the welfare of my boat team wasn’t my business.”

There was enough sarcasm in his tone to make her want to rip it out of his larynx. She gave him an acid glare. “You need to learn to pay attention when I say I’m good.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “A flap of your skin was hanging down.”

“I don’t give a damn!” she yelled.

“I do!” he thundered back. “It would’ve been grossly negligent of me not to send you to medical.”

She clenched her teeth, nausea bubbling at the back of her throat. The length of her esophagus felt like it was covered in road-rash. How awesome would it be if she puked, then fainted in the middle of this argument?

Keith shook his head. “Look at you, Justice. You’re gray.”

She thrust a tautly knuckled fist against her lips. Get through this…get through this… “Before I lose my mind,” and consciousness, “I need to make sure you understand something. On my completely hosed journey to BUD/S, I almost didn’t make it out of PTRR. If I’m rolled back there a second time for an injury, I might not ever escape. So I need you to stop being an overprotective jerk and treat me like a regular candidate—like we agreed—and I need you to do it right now—like I told you yesterday.”

He regarded her flatly. “No.”

Author bio and links

Tracy Tappan is a bestselling and award-winning author and the creator of the Choose A Hero Romance™ reading experience, a brand-new concept in storytelling where the reader controls the ending. You can find out more about this exciting new trend at www.chooseahero.com.

Tracy’s books in paranormal and military romance have earned both bronze and gold medals in the Readers’ Favorite contests, have finaled for the USA Book News and Kindle Book Awards, and won both the HOLT Medallion and the Independent Publishers Book Award (IPPY) bronze medal for romance.

Tracy holds a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, Child Counseling (MFCC), loves to play tennis, enjoys a great glass of wine, and talks to her Labrador like he’s a human (admittedly, the wine drinking and the dog talking probably go together).

A native of San Diego, Tracy is married to a former Navy helicopter pilot, who retired after thirty years of service and joined the diplomatic corps. He and Tracy currently live in Rome, Italy.

Visit her website and join the gang on her monthly newsletter for giveaways, publication updates, and other fun and sexy news. www.tracytappan.com.

 

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Goodreads:

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Amazon Author Page:

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Website:

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Choose A Hero website:

https://chooseahero.com

Daring to travel again

Now that both my sister and I will be fully vaccinated by mid June, we at last dare to make a reservation for a trip abroad.

No that far away, as travels outside Europe (and even in it) are not always possible. We plan to go to Luxemburg for a couple of days. Belgians are already welcome nowadays in our neighboring country, and the terraces of restaurants and cafés were already opened two weeks ago. Next to that, you don't need a negative PCR test to come into Luxemburg - at least if you travel by car or by train. 

We expect that trips into the EU countries should be possible as of summer. The EU wants to introduce a green vaccin pass, which would allow free travel in all the states of the EU. To get this pass, you need to have had your vaccinations, or have the result of a recent negative PCR test, or having had corona recently. 

By the end of this month, we'll probably have a better view on what's possible for August. We really long to make some trips, as we have been forced to stay at home for over a year!

Next Saturday, the terraces will also open in Belgium. And they expect that the weather is at last going to improve - we've had really cold days in April. By next weekend they expect more that 20° Celsius. We plan to go to the seaside for the long weekend for the long weekend (May 12th-May 17th) and then the next weekend (also a prolonged one) to Antwerp. 

The corona situation is slowly improving. The number of hospitalisations is going down, and also the number of infections - at last. More and more people get their vaccin. The vaccination centra at last work at full capacity and most of the older population (up to 60 years old) has been vaccinated already. Hight percentages to, above 90% - especially in Flanders. We're doing better than the Brussels area and Wallony. In Flanders they have started with the eldest people and they go down in age. By mid July, they expect that all of the adults will have had their vaccin and they can already start with the 16-18 year olds.