Nickie's Views and Interviews: January 2021

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Another year of scans has begun

Today I had to go into hospital to have my first scan of the year. Per year I need 3 scans: one in January, one in May and the third one in September. I need these to see what's happening in my abdomen. After my right kidney and a rather big tumor were removed by operation, there remained some spots on my lungs and one on my pancreas. By taking Votrient (which I call my daily poison - and which was rather poisonous in the beginning!) they were largely reduced to tiny flecks - and up to now they remain this way. Got the all clear for another 4 months.

It was pretty busy in the hospital, despite it being closed to visitors due to a corona outbreak in the intensive care unit. Plus they were down one scanner, as the second one is being replaced by a newer model.

But the nurses at the day clinic were cheerful as always. I like going there. They know you by now, and there's always a friendly chat to be had. Also you get to know some of the patients who come there regularly. it

After getting the all clear I walked home (it's only a walk of about 20 minutes, because you can take a road through a park and along the municipal swimming pool). It was raining hard this morning (didn't forget my umbrella in the hospital) but now it's slowly drying up.

Feel a bit tired of spending a long time in hospital. That's always the case. Will sleep well tonight!

Monday, January 25, 2021

Shelter for Cerise

Today we welcome Nicole Flockton, author of Shelter for Cerise, a romance available since Janury 19th from Aces Press. Nicole is now doing a virtual book blast tour that runs from January 19th to January 25th.

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use this link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3626/

Blurb

After surviving a terrifying tornado, Cerise Robinson has re-evaluated her life goals. Her focus now is on, Finn, her foster son and following her dream to adopt him so that she can call him her own. A relationship is the last thing she’s looking for, yet Brodie is not only handsome and sets her heart racing, he’s also wonderful to Finn. He’s almost too good to be true.

Volunteer fire fighter, Brodie Spelling is as happy on the back of horse working on a dude ranch as he was at creating code for the very successful app he and his college buddies developed. So maybe he’s a tech millionaire. No one else needs to know. He’s finally found the balance his life needed—yet something is missing. When he meets Cerise, he discovers an attraction he isn’t expecting. Nor the connection he quickly develops with her foster son. Does he now have the lost piece to complete his puzzle?

As their relationship develops, danger lurks in the shadows waiting to take what Cerise wants most. She will stop at nothing to save Finn, even if it means putting her life on the line…and losing Brodie.

Excerpt

“I’m glad you came tonight. Did you have fun?”

Brodie stepped a little closer and brushed the back of his knuckles along her soft cheek, careful not to mess up her glitter. “Yeah, I did.”

“Even though they gave you hard time about knowing those tech millionaires but not being in the inner sanctum with them?”

“Yeah, even then. I got to spend time with you. That’s what I enjoyed the most.”

Cerise ducked her head. The urge to taste her was overwhelming him. The scent of her perfume had driven him crazy all night. Along with the way her cheeks sparkled when the light hit them. And she’d reapplied her gloss before leaving so they shone temptingly in the sparsely lit parking lot.

“I liked being with you too.”

He slipped an arm around her waist, waiting a few seconds to see if she would pull away. When she didn’t he raised his other hand and smoothed it over her head. “Can I kiss you, Sparkles?”

“If you don’t, I think I might have to hurt you.”

Author bio and links

USA Today Bestselling author Nicole Flockton writes sexy contemporary romances that sparkle. Nicole likes nothing better than taking characters and creating unique situations where they fight to find their true love.

Apart from writing Nicole is busy spreading glitter all over social media, looking after her very own hero – her wonderfully supportive husband, and two fabulous kids. She also enjoys watching sports and, of course, reading.

You can visit Nicole at her website www.nicoleflockton.com

or follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/NicoleFlockton

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NicoleFlockton?ref=h

Follow her on Amazon: http://goo.gl/ZvjHtS.

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nicole-flockton

Sign-up for her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/2JkgWzZ

Buy link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Cerise-Police-Fire-Operation-ebook/dp/B08P5HR17W

Sunday, January 24, 2021

Another wasted year?

It seems we can't get rid of corona! A third outbreak of it is threatening here in Belgium. And for the rest of Europe, it's pretty bad too. Lockdowns everywhere - just read that Great Britain extended their measures until July!

The next bad news is that we don't get the vaccins that were promised to be delivered. Pfizer and now AstraZeneca will only deliver half (or less) of what's promised. That will mean that the vaccination strategy can't go as planned. So probably we won't be vaccinated in March, as foreseen.

More and more it looks as this will be another wasted year. With wasted I mean we can't travel, can't go to a restaurant or bar, can't see a muscial or a show - can only go walking (wearing a facial mask).

I'm getting pretty bored with it. Three quarters of 2020 were wasted, and now more than half of 2021 will go the same way.

The only positive is, when we can't do the trips we planned, we'll save a lot of money - and that will allow us to travel to Australia and perhaps New Zealand. As we've decided to keep to two places we own once Chris takes her retirement, we had to cancel those plans. But if we can save up some thousands of euros this dream will come true after all.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Dead Silent

Today we host a virtual book blast tour for Dead Silent, a mystery, thriller, suspense (Noir Crime) novel by multiple authors. It's brought in a boxed set available January 19th, from Rukia Publishing US. It will cost 0,99$.

Three randomly drawn winners will each receive a $10 Amazon/BN GC. Please use the following link to place your comment: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3624/

Blurb

The secrets must be kept, or the body count will rise...

Are you ready for the eighteen deadly crime thrillers that will keep you up all night?

Shrouded in mystery, these thrillers by eighteen Wall Street Journal, USA Today and International Best-selling authors, will keep you turning the pages for weeks. It’s a limited time collection that will introduce you to your new favorite writers.

What made the art thieves kill? Why does the old case haunt the detective? Can the assassins be stopped?

From Los Angeles to Scotland to Prague, the twists and turns will leave you in a cold sweat, needing to know what happens next with page after page of the deadliest crimes you can imagine.

This mystery, thriller, and suspense boxset is perfect for fans of David Baldacci, James Patterson, Chris Collett, Angela Marsons, and Lisa Gray.

Excerpt from Mortuary School

I read the heading as I took it from her. Phi Sigma Eta - A Co-ed Fraternity. I laughed and immediately felt guilty. Why shouldn’t there be a fraternity for mortuary students? Hadn’t I spent hours trying to convince Gran that the death industry was a noble one? “Are you going to join?” I asked

She snorted again. “No way. My mama would kill me. On the way out the door this morning, she says,” the girl adopted an artificially high tone, “Rochelle, watch yourself, girl. There’s gonna be a lot of strange folks at that school. You’re not there for socializing.”

I nodded. I got it. I’d tried to convince Gran that funeral directors were like the pastors of their own ever-changing flocks. I’d thought this was an especially nice touch, since Gran was born again in the 1970s during the Jesus Movement. It didn’t sway her. “Yeah, my Gran isn’t too crazy about my career choice either.”

“Oh, Mama is fine with the career choice. It was hers, not mine.”

I looked Rochelle up and down critically for the first time. She didn’t look like most of the students on campus, and it wasn’t because she was Black. She was too all-American. Too clean cut. Too old, probably only a couple of years younger than me. And above all, too pretty in a TV newscaster kind of way. “Why did you agree? I mean, it’s kind of . . . Well, you gotta be into it.”

“My uncle owns a funeral home and. . . It’s a long story.” She stuck out a hand. “Rochelle.” I took it and shook. “Imogene.”

We fell into step, meandering through a swirl of leaves in the general direction of what I hoped were the classrooms.

“Where are you headed?” Rochelle asked. “Anatomy 101. How about you?”

“Same. Do you know where it is?”

I stopped walking. “No. I thought you did.”

Rochelle pulled a campus map from her backpack. “I think it’s behind the registration building.”

We looked at the map together, pivoted, then pushed our way down a narrow wind-tunnel of a path between the registration offices and the library.

Author bio and links

Books by:

Judith Lucci, Fiona Quinn, Sandra Woffington, Michelle Medhat, Dan Petrosini, Greta Boris, David Berens, J.D. Weston, Tom Fowler, Chris Patchell, L.K. Hill, Gavin Reese, K.C. Sivils, Tom Schneider, Elleby Harper, Dwayne Gill, James Harper, Jay Tinsiano & Jay Newton

Website: https://www.deadsilentboxedset.com

Universal link: https://books2read.com/DeadSilent

Individual retailer links:

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Silent-Box-Set-Collection-ebook/dp/B08LZY7LTQ/

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dead-silent-a-box-set-collection/id1527817231

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-silent-judith-lucci/1137491744

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-silent-a-box-set-collection

Facebook

Page: https://www.facebook.com/DeadSilentBoxSet

Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2849037032042041

Monday, January 18, 2021

Living at the building site

Since our neighbor Willy died, his house has been standing empty for over a year. Then there was 'For Sale' sign for a while, but when I checked online, the sale was cancelled. That was last summer. Then just before the Christmas holidays some workers (Polish or such) began breaking and banging. When we returned from Heist after the holidays, it was quiet for a week (being from the Eastern European countries, they had to go in quarantine for a week) but last Monday work began anew

Sometimes the banging was so heavy our whole house was thrilling. We saw five loads of wood being caried away, and now there's already the second container for stone and sand.

I tried to contact the municipal services for building permits. I had to try a couple of times, and at last got someone on the line this morning. They don't know anything about renovation at nr. 16 at this desk. No building permit is granted. And works such a these certainly need one! Now they are going to investigate - it's a bit difficult because nobody know who owns this house - and if they find out there will be heavy fines and perhaps an order to stop the work.

I don't care. I have always done as was requested when I renovated. I paid a couple of times for a permit, and well enough, as you can always get into trouble when you don't. The last permit was for a drainage pipe to the city network. Cost me 600 €, just to allow the rain from my roof to go down.

In the meantime, we're "enjoying" the drilling, the banging and shouting in some or other Easter European language....

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Without a Head

Today we welcome M. Glenda Rosen, author of Without a Head, a mystery available now from Level Best Books. She's doing a virtual book blast tour, which will take place on January 11 - January 15.

M. Glenda Rosen will be awarding a $30 Amazon/BN gift card 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/28e4345f3629/

Blurb

Jenna Preston is used to investigating cheating spouses, fraud, and even a murder or two in her role as a private investigator. But she’s never consulted on a case quite like the one at Darcy’s Salon in East Hampton. A killer has struck and left behind a woman’s head in the upscale salon’s shampoo sink.

As Jenna struggles to make sense of the what’s happened, she comes up against entitled and badly behaved beach dwellers, greedy parties with motives all their own, and the billion dollar beauty industry. With her loyal dog Watson at her side, Jenna pieces together clues and tracks down a killer who claims victims that are dying to be beautiful.

Excerpt

Saturday, as always was an exceptionally busy day, “in season” at Darcy’s Salon, which is why she had gotten there so early. She always wanted the salon looking perfect, ready for stylists and clients, who this day had appointments beginning at 7 am.

Located off the main avenue of this posh resort at the East End of Long Island, less than ninety miles from Manhattan, the salon was known for catering to the rich and famous, as well as some of wanna-be customers, primping for weekend parties and fundraising events.

The salon was truly beautiful with warm color tones and soft matching leather client chairs facing gold (well, fake gold), trimmed mirrors. There was a reception area with the latest issues of fashion magazines from Paris and Rome, and a few of the more popular Hampton rags, like Dan’s Papers were spread out on a marble table, next to it a coffee machine offering gourmet flavored coffee and teas

Most of the women who came to Darcy’s Salon had plenty of money, some from their own success, although others were arm candy for much older, wealthy men. Sometimes one of them would joke (maybe not) that they were “Dying To Be Beautiful” like some of the famous models and celebrities, many of who summered in The Hamptons.

“Jenna, you’ve seen how difficult and fussy they can be, and their egos—they’re constantly seeking confirmation of how beautiful they look. They want to come to a high-end salon, expecting to be treated like royalty. And believe me, we do.”

Author bio and links

Marcia Rosen (aka M. Glenda Rosen) is author of ten books including The Senior Sleuths and Dying To Be Beautiful Mystery Series and The Gourmet Gangster, Mysteries and Menus (with her son Jory Rosen). She is also author of The Woman’s Business Therapist and award-winning My Memoir Workbook. Marcia was owner of a successful national marketing and public relations agency, received numerous awards for her work on behalf of business and professional women and has given many presentations, now as Zoom Events, such as: Encouraging the Writer Within You, Writing A Mystery...Not A Mystery, Book Marketing with Zoom and Podcasts, Writing From Your Soul, Memoir Writing and The Senior Sleuths & Dying To Be Beautiful Mysteries. Member of Sisters In Crime, Southwest Writers, Central Coast Writers and Public Safety Writers Association. Board Member, 2021, National Association of Independent Writers and Editors.

Sample of Scheduled Zoom Programs: The National Steinbeck Center (6 week program on About Being an Author), Shelter Island Library, an hour marketing presentation. Public Safety Writer's Association Encouraging the Writer Within You, Central Coast Writers “About Being an Author,” Podcast Marketing for Southwest Writers, Murder on The Beach bookstore, Memoir Writing Sessions, Shelter Island and Westhampton Beach Library, “Writing Mysteries…Not A Mystery,” and other venues and topics for 2021.

http://www.theseniorsleuths.com

http://www.creativebookconcepts.com

https://www.amazon.com/M.-Glenda-Rosen/e/B06W51M2YH

https://www.facebook.com/MarciaGRosen

https://twitter.com/WriterMysteries

https://www.instagram.com/mglendarosen/

https://www.pinterest.com/marciaglendarosen/

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Q4FWFKF/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Sunday, January 10, 2021

The fight against covid-19

The corona virus is still pretty much present in our present-day life. It's especially bad in some parts of Europe and in the USA. Thousands of deaths each day.

Here in Belgium we've advanced from the worst pupil in the class to one of the better. The number of hospitalisations is still decreasing and the number of deaths decreases as well. Perhaps because our government took measures in October already and allowed only one contact outside your family bubble. Restaurants, pubs, non-essential stores have been closed since then. Contact occupations (such as hairdressers, nail artists, sauna's, etc.) are forbidden, until further notice.

Also, vaccinations have now started in earnest. By the end of this month, all the inhabitants of homes for the elderly + their attendants will be vaccinated. In February doctors, nurses and all who work in care get their shot. In March they begin with people over 65 who are still living on their own and also those over 45 who suffer certain illnesses. In April they take those people who work in an essential occupation (firemen, police, teachers, ...) As of May they begin with the rest of the population (11 million Belgians) and hope to be ready by the end of summer.

I'll get my vaccination in the course of March. I'm looking forward to it, because it will allow me to travel once more. My sister should get hers in April.

We have been given perspective once more. It will be safe to travel after summer, and hopefully we can get back to normal life as it was before corona governed the world!

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

First Light in Morning Star

Please say hello to Charlotte Hubbard, author of an Amish inspirational romance. This romance is named First Light in Morning Star, and is available from Kensington Publishing as of December 29, 2020. Charlotte is now doing a virtual book blast tour to promote this publication. The Book Blast Tour will take place January 4 - 8, 2021.

Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $15 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/28e4345f3579/

Blurb

Founded by five enterprising Amish maidels, the new Morning Star Marketplace is a joyous success. What’s even more remarkable is the gift the business bestows upon each of these unmarried women—the unexpected blessing of love . . .

Leaving Flaud’s Furniture to teach at the community’s new school is a joy for Lydianne Christner. Old Order Amish, but new to Morning Star, she’s grateful that the congregation trusts her with the position—but she panics when handsome Bishop Jeremiah Shetler asks about the life she left behind. If anyone discovers the secret she’s hiding, she would, quite rightly, be shunned.

A widower, Bishop Jeremiah admires young Lydianne’s youthful energy and skill with the children. He’s also curious about her past, and the burden he senses on her heart. When his request to court her is refused, he’s stung, and lonelier than ever. It isn’t until a crisis prompts a tearful Lydianne to confess to him that Jeremiah is faced with a choice that requires all of his faith—and teaches them both that love and forgiveness go hand in hand.

Excerpt

“Miss Christner, we’re pleased to offer you this teaching position,” Bishop Jeremiah said as he grasped her hand, “and if you need time to consider your answer—”

“Oh, no, I’ll be happy to accept!” Lydianne interrupted gleefully. “Denki so much for considering my application. What I lack in experience, I’ll make up for with careful preparation and my love of learning. I won’t let you down.”

“That thought never entered our heads,” the bishop put in. “And with Lorena Flaud and Clarence’s Lucy being in their final year of school—and with their sisters right behind them—you’ll have plenty of eager assistance as you teach the youngest ones the basics of reading and arithmetic. I anticipate a productive—and fun—year for our scholars.”

“This is so exciting!” Lydianne said as she shook each man’s hand in turn. “Maybe this sounds silly, but I still love the smell of fresh packages of notebook paper and new bottles of glue, and the joy of opening a fresh box of crayons—thinking of all the drawings and reports and projects that lie ahead of us.”

As she left the schoolhouse and drove down the road, Lydianne floated on a cloud of euphoria. After she turned off the main county highway to head for home, she paused at the sight of a little blond girl chasing a butterfly on the front lawn of Tim and Julia Nissley’s place. With the sunshine shimmering on her golden hair and upturned face, six-year-old Ella Nissley looked for all the world like a little angel. Her laughter rang out as she ran and reached eagerly for the butterfly, followed closely by a little brown puppy that yipped and yapped

Lydianne’s heart overflowed with a wave of emotions. Her dream had come true: she would now be Ella’s teacher. But she would have to be very, very careful. Ella was the apple of her adoptive parents’ eyes, and Lydianne had no intentions of interfering with their happy family.

No one else, including Tim and Julia, knew that Ella was the newborn baby Lydianne had given up when she’d been an unwed mother.

Author bio and links

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 50 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in Omaha, NE with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Vera.

Contact

www.charlottehubbard.com

Facebook -- www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Buy Links

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/First-Light-Morning-Star-Maidels-ebook/dp/B086R84P2N/ref=sr_1_2

Amazon Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/First-Light-Morning-Star-Maidels/dp/1420151827/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0