Blog Tour: SUGAR SAND LAND by Patricia Leavy

 

SUGAR SAND LAND

by Patricia Leavy

 

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GENRE: Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

For fans of Ashley Poston and Abby Jimenez, a contemporary romance—with a twist—about a media-savvy reality television star and a canceled country singer.

 

Twenty-eight-year-old beauty Emerson Blue is the second most followed celebrity on social media. A self-proclaimed “living piece of art” who rose to fame as a reality star and then parlayed her celebrity into a megabucks career as an influencer, she seems to have everything.

 

Forty-eight-year-old Grammy winner Renn Walker is a fallen country music star. Years ago, he was canceled following allegations of sexual misconduct, and he has lived in seclusion ever since. Once a beloved figure, he seems to have lost it all.

 

When Emerson and Renn meet, sparks fly. Against all odds, a star obsessed with popularity and a recluse shunned by the world fall in love. Everyone in the public and media has an opinion and thinks they know Emerson and Renn. But in a world dominated by social media—a world that blurs the lines between what’s public and private, what’s real and what’s illusion—do we ever really know anyone?

 

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Excerpt Three:

 

They smiled at each other, but the moment was broken when several people eagerly approached the pair. A lanky woman with a brown bob and red lips, sporting a black turtleneck and cigarette pants, greeted Emerson with air kisses. “Darling, you look chic as always. I promised everyone it would be a star-studded opening. Thank you for helping me keep my word.”

 

Emerson smiled politely. “Glad to do my part, Miranda. You have one of the best spaces in Tinseltown, and the best eye. I’d like you to meet my friend Renn Walker. Renn, Miranda owns this wonderful gallery.”

 

“It’s a pleasure,” Renn said, extending his hand.

 

“I’m honored you would see fit to come to our little show,” Miranda replied, shaking his hand. Her eyes lingered on him with a mix of awe and confusion. After a moment passed, she stammered, “Uh, please allow me to introduce the artist, Lars Grant.”

           

She gestured to a tall man in black leather pants, a white T-shirt with a black peace sign, and dark sunglasses. “Hey. Thanks for coming,” he said. He flipped his glasses to the top of his head and stared at Emerson. “I’m mad for you. Your artistic impulse is singular. You’re ahead of the curve. Pushing the envelope.”

           

The others in the group started adding their words of praise. “You’re the embodiment of art,” one spandex-clad woman gushed.

           

“The embodiment of embodiment theory,” another added, looking quite proud of himself.

           

“Yes, you’ve taken performative to a whole new level,” another concurred.

           

Emerson smiled. “All our lives are really works of art. Don’t you think?”

           

The group nodded along, hissing oohs and aahs at her words. 

           

A waiter walked over carrying a tray of flutes brimming with champagne and raspberry sparkling water.

           

Emerson grabbed a glass of the pink bubbly water. “Well, we’re going to take a little stroll around. Best of luck with the show,” she said, taking Renn’s hand.

 

“Nice to meet you all,” he said, and he followed Emerson through the crowd, smiling politely to people along the way as they admired the art, until they reached the back wall where they had privacy. They stood in front of a large canvas covered in rows of brightly colored paint and a clump of broken glass. Emerson leaned back on Renn, and he comfortably slipped his hands around her waist as if they had been together forever.

           

“Are those your friends?” Renn whispered.

           

“Hell no. People from the art scene,” she replied.

           

“Good,” he said, giving her waist a squeeze. “They were kind of . . .”

           

“Pretentious?” she asked.

           

He chuckled. “Yeah. I didn’t want to say anything to offend you, but . . .”

           

“What?” she asked.

           

“They’re so far up your ass. Do you think they have any idea how ludicrous they sound?”

           

She giggled. “That’s the thing about art and fame, they don’t really go together, do they?”

           

He huffed. “Funny. I never used to think about that at all. I just wrote songs, played my music. Everything else just fell into place. I never gave any of it a thought. Until it went away.”

           

“The art never goes away, though. For the real artists, that’s always there at the center. Even when the hype takes on a life of its own, at the core, in the eye of the storm, there’s always the art.”

           

“Em, you are very surprising,” he said.

           

“So, we’re up to nicknames now?”

           

“Yes,” he replied, dropping a kiss in her hair. “Is that okay?”

           

“Yes. It’s sweet actually,” she said.

           

“Good,” he said, dropping another kiss in her hair. “So, do you think art can survive fame?”

           

“It’s like this artwork.” She tilted her chin forward at the piece before them. “Miranda started a major publicity campaign to get this guy’s name out there, create buzz, brand him the next big find, and it’s all just spin. It could have been this guy or that guy or any other guy in some ways. Yet the art is real. This piece,” she said, gesturing, “it’s real.”

           

“Do you like it, this work?” Renn asked.

           

“Yes. It’s a commentary on the art world itself, or maybe even society as a whole. Pretty pictures and shattered dreams. The filtered image and the broken soul. Illusion and the crash of reality.”

           

They stood for a moment, looking at the piece, Emerson’s words in the air. Eventually Renn broke the silence and said, “Are you sure it’s not just some broken glass glued to a canvas?”

           

They both laughed.

 

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She is also the publisher and CEO of Paper Stars Press. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than fifty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book awards. Her novel Shooting Stars Above was featured on People “10 Romance Books to Read After Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry” and was the 2025 Firebird Book Award First Place Winner in Contemporary Novel, Romance, and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established “The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

 

Website: www.patricialeavy.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy  

X (Twitter): https://x.com/PatriciaLeavy

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Sand-Land-Reality-Romance/dp/B0GPDKB31P/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sugar-sand-land-patricia-leavy/1149520378?ean=9798896361565

Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Sugar-Sand-Land/Patricia-Leavy/The-Reality-Star-Romance/9798896361565

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

One randomly chosen winner will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

Blog Tour: THREE SHADES CALLED HORACE by Jinx James

 

Three ghosts.

One psychic.

Zero patience for corporate greed.

A hilarious, fast-paced romp through the supernatural underbelly of the Isle of Man!

Three Shades Called Horace

Witchery, Trickery, Love & Serendipity

by Jinx James

Genre: Humorous Paranormal Thriller

 

"delightfully twisted...offbeat supernatural romp" Amazon Review ★★★★★

"A unique and hilarious story with a lot of twists and awesome revenge. I loved the ending!" Amazon Review ★★★★★

They have the magic, the visions, and the afterlife on their side. But will it be enough to stop an ROI Reaper of the airwaves from hostilely taking over their dream?

Their "Super Moon Show" is the viral hit of the year. Too bad the stars are all dead.

Pansy Peonie is a psychic with a problem. Actually, three problems, and they’re all called Horace. As the host of the world’s craziest paranormal livestream, she spends her nights herding her team of opinionated ghosts and her days trying to keep her witch mother from accidentally summoning something worse.

But when you’re the top-rated supernatural show on the internet, you don't just attract spirits—you attract sharks.

Enter Rollo Mansell: a ruthless media mogul who doesn't care about the afterlife unless he can monetise it. He wants the show. He wants the ghosts. And he’s not above using a little corporate necromancy to get what he wants.

Now, Pansy is caught in a high-stakes tug-of-war between the living and the dead. To save her show—and her skin—she’ll have to outmanoeuvre a billionaire, survive a voodoo conspiracy, and figure out if Rollo’s assistant, Max, is actually on her side.

Featuring a new cover and a tighter, more suspenseful edit, this revised edition of Three Shades Called Horace will keep you on the edge of your seat, while laughing uncontrollably.

If you love fast-paced paranormal suspense with sharp wit, mysterious secrets, and un

forgettable characters, dive into the newly polished edition of Three Shades Called Horace ]

 

**Celebrate the relaunch and get it FREE until Oct 3rd!!**

Amazon * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

    Over on the ever-lovely Isle of Man, it’s turned out to be the most sensational evening. The Three Shades, Horace Flaccus, Horace Walpole and Horace Silver are already there, hovering in the twilight, when PP and Fenella finally arrive on Pansy’s motorbike. They’re late as usual, but The Three Shades don’t seem to mind. After all, they do have all the time in the world, don’t they?

The team is getting together at dusk, at an ancient place where they like to meet when the weather’s nice. It’s in the middle of the most beautiful circle of prehistoric standing stones on the island’s southwest. This mystical place is situated on a remote hillside, one side of which looks across to the mountains and the other down towards the sea.

Hearing the vroom of a hot, racing motorbike heading up the hill towards them, the three ghosts turn their heads expectantly. Pansy, aka PP, parks behind the largest of the enormous stones.

She appears first, walking briskly towards the Three Shades, unbuckling, lifting her helmet off and shaking out her hair. Behind her, Fenella, her older, White witch partner, picks her way over the rough ground.

‘We just have to tell all you Horaces straight away!’ says Pansy, getting excited now. ‘Barrett says the ratings for the last show were amazing!’ she gushes, adding, ‘he even told us they were “Earth-shattering!” she grins.

‘Er, would it be possible for you to explain to us what exactly that means, Ma’am?’ asks the ever-polite Walpole.

 ‘What it means, gentlemen,’ says PP, grinning, ‘is that not only are we already getting a huge worldwide audience, but it’s growing bigger and bigger with every show!’

‘And after the last one,’ Fenella butts in excitedly, ‘we’ve had so many people trying to sign up that Barrett has been overwhelmed. His computers and the social media department can’t cope. He’s having to put on more people every day to handle it!’

‘Yes, but, um, what precisely does all of this mean, Ms Pansy?’ asks Flaccus.

‘Look, I’m sure we explained it to you before, Horace. Don’t you remember? The viewers of our Supermoon show all over the world are also a part of the show, right? They’re active participants with their “Cozmics”, says Pansy.

‘Well, yes, my dear, you certainly did,’ said Flaccus, with that lovely smile of his. ‘But I’m afraid that was the part I could never quite understand,’ confesses the Roman Horace. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he adds, looking seriously embarrassed now.

‘Not to worry at all, Horace,’ says Pansy gently. Flaccus has always been her favourite, even though she always enjoys teasing him.

‘Did you know that on the next show,’ she says, ‘the Supermoon is going to be the closest it’s been to the Earth for sixty-nine years! Yes! And that means that if we can add the viewers’ Cozmics together with all of that extra Moon energy,’ she tells them excitedly, making a fingers-crossed sign.

At that point, Pansy pauses, grins, and says, ‘Well, just try to imagine the power involved!’

‘The technical guys even think we might have enough energy,’ says Fenella, ‘to maybe bring you back in full colour… and all of you at the same time!’

‘All of us in colour…  and at the same time?’ says Horace Walpole, getting really excited himself now.

‘Are you sure?’ says Horace Silver, ‘In full colour?’

‘Absolutely!’ says the by-now almost gushing Fenella! ‘Bye-bye to all that fuzzy black and white stuff, eh?’

They can all feel the excitement rippling the air between them. The psychic, the witch, and the three Horaces gathered in the magic circle of prehistoric standing stones.

‘It’s called “collective mental focus”,’ says PP. ‘And that means that if it all works out, you three guys will materialise as psychic energy through me!’

‘And that’d be sooo cool, baby! Right?’ smiles jazzman Horace Silver.

Fenella grins again and nods; ‘But, how about this? If we can get enough Cozmics from the global audience, all three of you Shades may even seem to fully come back to life for a while!’

This time, all three of them just stand there, totally gobsmacked!

‘Now, nobody is certain exactly what will happen,’ says Fel, ‘but whaddya reckon, gentlemen? Let’s give it a go, eh?’ she gushes.

By now, they’re all totally in love with the idea… and it shows.

‘I’m afraid I still don’t quite understand it,’ Flaccus says to her, almost flapping his toga with excitement, ‘but wouldn’t it be wonderful if it did actually happen? Especially for me after two thousand years in the shade!’

‘Hey, you could even really “Seize the day!” says Pansy!

 

* * *

“It is charming to totter into vogue.”

Horace Walpole

1717-1797

 ⚛︎ ⚛︎ ⚛

**FREEBIE ALERT!!**

To celebrate the relaunch of Three Shades Called Horace, the author is having an exclusive giveaway of the supernatural short story The House on Via Magliocco!

The House on Via Magliocco

by Jinx James

Genre: Supernatural Dark Fantasy

 

To be beautiful forever. Would you turn down that offer?

 

A mesmerizing one-hour dark fantasy short read.

Silvia is a top fashion model who lives for the spotlight, but the camera's love is fleeting. When she’s offered a mysterious assignment at the secluded House on Via Magliocco, it feels like the ultimate canvas for her creativity and passion for dance.

But inspiration quickly twists into a feverish obsession.

As the mansion's haunting music bleeds from her dreams into her waking life, Silvia realizes she hasn't just accepted a job—she has stepped into a beautiful trap. The house demands a performance, the wealthy owner demands perfection, and the price of eternal beauty might just be her soul.

Get this exclusive supernatural short story delivered directly to your inbox.

 

Get it FREE Here!

Bestselling dark humor fiction author Jinx James was born in the UK and lives in Australia. He has worked in music and advertising, and has always been fascinated by charisma, satire, and what makes people laugh He used to write comedy sketches for a well-known Australian TV and film star, but that was after he was in the music game, as a performer. Later came writing and producing music for advertising, and for big events like the Sydney Olympics. All that time he was trying his hand at writing fiction, mostly humorous. Eventually it became his new way of living while having fun. He writes under two author names. As Jinx James his dark humor draws on his life in show business. As dog lover Kit James, his Mutt to Megastar series features Elliott, a rescue dog who becomes a TV star.

 

Website * Website * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Three Shades Called Horace Giveaway Here

Spotlight: BEACON IN THE DARKNESS by Alicia Justice

 

A past she can’t outrun. A man who won’t let her face it alone.

Kat Dimitru didn’t come to Beacon Security just for a fresh start—she came for answers. Behind her sharp mind and unmatched forensic skills lies a mission she’s kept hidden: finding out what really happened to her sister, who vanished without a trace years ago in Romania.

Mark “Mac” McKenzie, retired Marine and co-owner of Beacon Security, has built his life on protecting others. With his loyal German shepherd, Duke, at his side and a team he trusts at his back, Mac’s used to solving other people’s problems—not questioning the motives of the newest member of his crew. But Kat’s secrets are never far from the surface.

As cases bring them closer—culminating in the high-stakes search for an abducted child—Kat and Mac find themselves drawn into a web more tangled than they ever expected. For Kat, each step forward brings her closer to a past she’s never escaped. For Mac, every choice blurs the line between partner and protector.

When Kat’s journey takes her back to Romania on the anniversary of her sister’s disappearance, Mac has a choice: let her face the darkness alone—or follow her into the unknown. But some truths wait in the shadows. And what Kat finds there will change everything.

 

 

Available on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Darkness-Security-Book-ebook/dp/B0FDNDZHG6

Blog Tour: KILLER FRIENDS by Chris Karlsen

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Chris Karlsen will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Henrietta Newell stormed into the detective bureau. She claimed her adult son was missing and feared for his safety. The detectives attempted to reassure her that the absence of a bachelor in his thirties, in a city like London, wasn’t extraordinary. Despite their efforts, she insisted an investigation be conducted, reminding them of her political connections.

Detective Rudyard Bloodstone and his partner were told to look into the matter. Their investigation reveals evidence of suspicious and unusual activity but no clues regarding the man’s disappearance. The few leads they develop take them from the world of wealthy families and into the secret society of sexual peculiarities.

The detectives discover the victim didn’t simply disappear. He was murdered. They have the evidence except for one problem, they’re missing the victim’s body.

Read an Excerpt

Newell counted to one hundred out of excess of caution in case Eric and Leo remained nearby. At one-hundred he stood by the door, delayed for a couple of seconds, searching for a way to open the door. His vision, cut off by the bag when they hustled him into the room, he was unaware the knob had been removed.

Newell kicked the lock housing. The door didn’t budge. He took a few steps back to build momentum and kicked the lock again. The force knocked him on his bum and sent a shock wave of pain from his ankle to his knee. He scrambled to his feet and, gave his kicking leg a few good jerks, hoping to shake off the pain. He couldn’t say why he thought that would help other than he’d seen workmen shake limbs after hurting themselves.

The effort didn’t ease the pain. No point in repeating another kick. He took the only option left and screamed for help.

No one came.

Outside, drunks shouted challenges and curses to each other. London was never truly quiet. The seedier the neighborhood, the louder the inhabitants. Foot traffic along the river was constant, increasing during the day, but still busy at night. Surely, someone should hear him. He yelled, loud as he could.

Nothing.

He shouted for help again and again.

No one came.

Newell’s throat felt like he’d swallowed broken glass when he finally stopped for the night. Exhausted, he curled up on the cold floor and tried to sleep. Every part of his back ached. Shoulders to his tailbone throbbed like he’d been beaten with an iron rod. The pain traveled and no matter how he positioned himself, his calves and thighs cramped. When he had found a sliver of comfort, rest continued to escape him. Questions plagued his thoughts. After a while he sat up with his arms wrapped around his knees and his head pressed to them.

Another gust of fetid air from the river wafted through the only window. Three millennia of foul matter, human and otherwise, hung like a cloud over the room. He idly wondered if there was ever a time the Thames wasn’t a filthy cesspit.

“Bloody hell.” To escape the worst of the stink, Newell moved to the far corner and slid down the wall to sit on the floor.

Initially, with all the daytime activity around the river, Newell didn’t think Eric could keep him prisoner for long. Someone would discover what Eric had done. A day passed and then another passed. He still hoped he’d be heard. He removed a shoe and pounded the wall that bordered the wharf. Between hits he and screamed and screamed, “Help me, please. Someone, help me. I’m locked inside. Help me.”

No one heard or if they did, they had no desire to heed the call. Still, someone should’ve been curious enough to investigate but who knew how thick the brick walls were? Eric was clever. It wouldn’t surprise Phillip if Eric had tested how well a scream traveled.

Newell lay in a fetal position on the floor, shivering. He began to sob as he waited for Eric’s return, waiting to beg for release. He was weeping when Eric finally arrived.

About the Author:

Chris is a Chicago native who grew up with a love of history and books.

Passionate about traveling her travels have taken her Europe, the Near East, and North Africa, in addition to most of the United States.

Chris spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two agencies. Harboring a strong desire to write, upon retiring, Chris decided to pursue her desire. She writes three different series. Her Bloodstone series, which is set in Victorian London, features homicide Detective Rudyard Bloodstone.

She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four wild and crazy rescue dogs.

Website: https://www.chriskarlsen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.karlsen.90
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FZ5ZJ39T
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-friends-books-to-go-now/1148667244
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/killer-friends-2
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243484020-killer-friends
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Killer-Friends-Audiobook/B0FXDQDL9B