Saturday, November 1, 2025

The Heaven Trilogy Series Review #GayBookPromotions

SERIES TOUR and NEW RELEASE

The Heaven Trilogy by Reni Stankova

A Queer Fantasy of Angels, Demons, and Forbidden Love 

MM Gay Epic Fantasy 

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 2 - 3 flames

The stories are best read in order.

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title: The Enemy of Heaven

Cover Artist: GetCovers

Length: 100 000 words

Release Date: second edition, February 2025

Tense/POV: third person, past tense, alternating POV.

Genres: MM Gay Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Tropes: Political intrigue, forbidden love, power couple, slow burn

Themes: No homophobia (sexuality doesn’t play a role in the plot), however, there’s in-world racism and police brutality

It can be read as a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger. It's a Happy For Now ending

Goodreads  |  Buy Links

In a kingdom ruled by angels, falling for a demon is treason.

Blurb

As an angel prince of Heaven, Raphael has spent his youth fighting for demon rights. His efforts are fruitless until he meets Dante, a demon with dangerous powers.

Seeing potential, Raphael recruits him as his royal guard, scandalizing the court, and turning a demon into his closest ally in a mission to dethrone the King of Heaven.

Dante has always hated angels, but after Prince Raphael saves him from execution, he couldn’t help but follow him. Being the only demon among the angel elite is unbearable, but for the first time, he has hope for the future.

But a coup is a dangerous game. Can Dante protect Raphael long enough for him to ignite real change? And what does it mean for the Kingdom of Heaven when an angel and a demon dare to fall for each other?

Finalist of the 2023 Indies Today Awards.

 
Image by FarfOuille from Pixabay


 Ornery Owl's Review

Rating: Four out of Five Stars 

On the positive side, the interactions between Dante and Raphael are realistic and leave the reader wondering what the eventual outcome of their relationship will be. The guardian Samuel Mitrigard is convincingly arrogant and cruel. 

The chapter describing the deaths of Dante's wards is particularly heartbreaking. Readers who would be triggered by reading about the deaths of child characters should be aware of this scene.

Aspects that could be improved include Sienna's role in the story. She has too much potential to be relegated to being Raphael's beard.

An "overweight demon" fights Raphael in the brothel. Overweight is such a boring descriptor, not to mention stigmatizing. Over what weight and why does it matter? Use heavy, heavyset, or stocky instead. If the demon is particularly large, use rotundSuch descriptors make the character more interesting.

BOOK 2

Book Title: The Secrets of Heaven

Cover Artist: MiblArt

Length:  105 000 words

Release Date: second edition, February 2025

Tropes: Quest fantasy, established couple, power couple, couple on the lam

Themes: more classism than racism in this one, travel adventure vibes

It is not a standalone story and ends on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads  |  Buy Links

 An angel and a demon defied Heaven. Now Heaven hunts them across the world.

Blurb

Five years of stolen peace in the mountains ends when Archangel Remiel, Heaven’s most elite investigator, finds Raphael and Dante’s sanctuary. Tasked with sending the fugitives to their lawful executions, she forces the couple into a life on the run.

Meanwhile, Raphael stumbles upon a clue to his mother’s lost legacy—the archeological artifact that caused her murder all those years ago might be within reach, and it might throw all of Heaven into chaos.

So, the chase is on.

Raphael and Dante travel through three continents, on their way to a secluded island in the Holy Land while evading Remiel’s elite guardian squad. With a prize for their capture, they’re forced to clash with old friends and foes, all eager to exploit their situation for personal gain, and their bond is tested in ways they never imagined.

But the closer they get to the truth, the higher the stakes become. What secrets lie buried in the Holy Land? And will Heaven survive what they uncover—or will it burn?

BOOK 3 - NEW RELEASE

Book Title: The Children of Heaven

Length:  115 000 words

Release Date: November 1, 2025

Tropes: Angels and demons, rebellion, married couple, power couple

Themes: Themes of belonging, family, tragedy

It is not a standalone story. It does not end on a cliffhanger. A Happily Ever After.

Goodreads  |  Buy Links

To build a better world, they must first burn the old one down.

Blurb

Michael Azelys has awakened a long-forgotten power, and for the first time in a thousand years, angels, demons, and virtues clash in a brutal uprising, reminiscent of the Great War.

Determined to stop his brother, Raphael becomes the key to ending the centuries-long oppression of demonkind. He will return free will to the demons, or die trying.

Far away, Dante braves the desolate Impact Land in search of other awakened demons like himself. What he discovers exceeds his wildest hopes. But will he return in time, with an army strong enough to stop Michael Azelys, and save his loved ones?

As Heaven crumbles and distance tests their bond, Raphael and Dante must face their greatest fears and decide what they’re willing to sacrifice.

Will they survive long enough to meet each other again?

Excerpt From Book #1: The Enemy of Heaven

Without saying a word, Samuel Mitrigard sunk the knife deep into Dante’s side. Piercing pain ignited his senses and weakness spread through his body. He gritted his teeth and glared at the bastard, not giving him the satisfaction of hearing his anguish. Samuel pulled the blade out without even twisting it to finish the job. He was playing.

“Drop him,” he ordered, ever so casually.

The arms pulled away and Dante fell face-first into the dirt. So, this was the end. Dante could never imagine his death, even though he had many close brushes. There were many things he hadn’t done in his life, but at least he took solace in knowing that Peter and Dianna were safe.

Samuel Mitrigard grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled Dante’s head. The edge of an impeccably clean sword lowered to his exposed throat.

“Halt!”

The guardian angels froze and gawked as a hooded figure appeared. Dante could swear he saw this hooded figure, but his vision was blurring quickly. The man walked closer and removed his hood, exposing a blond head and blue angel eyes.

“Don’t kill this demon! I order you to release him in the name of Raphael Azelys, Third Prince of Heaven!”

What did he say? Dante couldn’t trust his ears, or any of his other senses at this moment. A royal heir could not be in the ghetto. It made no sense. Though the guardians were suddenly standing to attention. Everyone but Samuel Mitrigard still held his prey by the hair, his sword still ready to slice.

“Your Highness, I don’t know why you’re here alone, but this is not the place for royalty.”

“Please, guardian Samuel, tell me exactly where my place is.”

Dante felt the body behind him tense. The soles of ridiculously expensive boots stepped close enough for him to smell the leather.

“Remove your weapon,” demanded the prince.

His voice was so calm, as though an owner was asking his dog to drop its favorite toy. The guardians were looking at each other, clueless as to what to do. Samuel Mitrigard pressed the blade against Dante’s throat, enough to break the skin, but no further. He simply did not want to let go, not even when his sovereign demanded it.

“Your Highness, this is a convicted murderer. He killed a guardian on duty—”

“Any demon’s crimes are erased should they become an honorary angel,” the prince interrupted. “I’m here to make him into one.”

“What?”

“Give him to me, guardian Samuel.”

The guardian tugged on Dante’s hair—one last act of defiance before he reluctantly let him go. Dante’s face planted back into the dirt, but the prince caught him in time.

His vision was blurry, but he could see him. His Royal Highness Raphael Azelys was kneeling before him, supporting his chin in his palm, enough so they could establish eye contact.

“From now on, you’re mine,” he said, and the world sank into darkness.

  

About the Author 

A bilingual author from Bulgaria, a dreamer, a traveler, and a gentle soul who loves writing about diverse power couples, original worlds, wholesome romance and political intrigue.

Author Links

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Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Mastering Medicare Book Blitz #rabtbooktours




Nonfiction



Mastering Medicare: 65 Things Everyone Should Know Before Age 65 is the no-nonsense survival guide to Medicare—written by a nationally recognized healthcare leader with over three decades of frontline experience.

Every day, about 11,000 Americans turn 65 and enter Medicare—most of them confused, unprepared, and unaware of costly traps that can drain their retirement savings. From missed deadlines and surprise bills to myths about what Medicare covers, the system is filled with pitfalls that even doctors struggle to understand.

Dr. Lance Coss wrote this book to make Medicare clear, practical, and mistake-proof. With 65 bite-sized lessons, real stories, and plain-English explanations, he reveals the myths, mistakes, misunderstandings, and miscalculations that cost people money—and shows you how to avoid them.

Instead of dense government jargon, you’ll find humor, clarity, and insider insights that put you back in control of your healthcare choices.

Whether you’re approaching 65, already enrolled, or helping a loved one navigate Medicare, this book will give you the confidence, knowledge, and tools to make smarter decisions and keep more money in your pocket.


✅ Key Takeaways & Benefits (Amazon Bullet Features)

● ✔ Avoid costly mistakes – Learn the 65 most common traps that derail retirees, from missed enrollment deadlines to assuming the wrong benefits.

● ✔ Know what Medicare really covers – Get clear explanations about hospital, doctor, prescription, dental, vision, and long-term care benefits.

● ✔ Plan with confidence – Compare plan options, costs, and coverage to choose the right Medicare plan for your lifestyle and health needs.

● ✔ Save money on healthcare – Discover strategies to minimize out-of-pocket costs, penalties, and billing surprises.

● ✔ Empower caregivers & families – A must-have guide for adult children helping parents navigate Medicare decisions.

● ✔ Learn from an insider – Written by Dr. Lance Coss, a nationally recognized healthcare executive with 30+ years of Medicare expertise.

● ✔ Easy, practical, and engaging – Bite-sized lessons with real stories and humor make complex rules simple and memorable.

 


👉 Perfect for: Adults ages 60–70 preparing for Medicare, caregivers helping loved ones, and early planners who want to avoid confusion before retirement.

Mastering Medicare is more than a book—it’s your roadmap to clarity, confidence, and control over one of the most important decisions of your retirement years.

 


About the Author

Dr. Lance Coss is a nationally recognized healthcare executive, Medicare expert, and award-winning author with more than 30 years of experience navigating the U.S. healthcare system. With a Doctorate in Healthcare Administration, a Master’s in Human Genetics, and a Master’s in Educational Psychology, he brings a unique blend of science, policy, and human behavior to his work.

As Executive Director of a national Medicare program, Dr. Coss leads nearly 600 professionals who manage appeals, beneficiary complaints, and quality-of-care reviews for hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. His leadership ensures patient rights are protected, timely care is delivered, and improper payments are reduced—safeguarding both beneficiaries and the Medicare Trust Fund.

Recognized as one of the Top 10 Most Admired Leaders of 2025 and a two-time recipient of CMS’s National Special Service Award, Dr. Coss is a trusted voice in healthcare reform, patient advocacy, and program accountability.

Through his Mastering Medicare platform—including his YouTube series and bestselling book Mastering Medicare: 65 Things Everyone Should Know Before Age 65—he helps people cut through the confusion and avoid costly mistakes. Whether guiding readers through enrollment pitfalls or helping caregivers support loved ones, Dr. Coss empowers people with the knowledge they need to make smarter, more confident healthcare decisions.

When not immersed in healthcare policy, Lance writes biotech thrillers inspired by his genetics background, or enjoys ranch life outside Tulsa with his partner, nine dogs, three mini pigs, and a lively flock of chickens.


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RABT Book Tours & PR

The Valentine Lines Reveal #rabtbooktours

 


Cupid trades arrows for scones in a magical screwball comedy


Romantic Comedy, Humor Novel, Light Fantasy

Tropes: Valentine’s Day romance, Small Town Romance Slow Burn Romance, Found Family, Forbidden Romance, Meddling Family

Publisher: Making Hay Press

Date Published: 12-09-2025




“The Valentine Lines” reimagines Cupid—aka Bart McGee—as an underdog ditching the corporate grind of Mt. Olympus, Inc., for small-town life in quaint Mineral Point, Wisconsin. When Bart launches a matchmaking business and falls in love with a local baker, chaos ensues as his meddling Olympus relatives crash the scene. It’s packed with snappy banter, slapstick escapades, mythological mishaps, and thoughtful explorations of love, trust, and self-discovery.

It’s a modern “Bell, Book, and Candle.” A light, literary escape for readers craving whimsy with emotional resonance.

 

No sex, politics, foul language. Manuscript winner/finalist in CIBA (humor) and Southwest Writers.

 

About the Author

 

 TK Sheffield, MA, writes stories to laugh and escape, including new a romcom "The Valentine Lines," and "Nellie’s Island," a children’s horse story set in Mackinac Island. Sheffield also writes funny cozy mysteries, "The Devil Wears Prada" meets a Wisconsin supper club, which have earned an IBPA Humor medal, a Claymore, and an IPPY. She’s on the Wisconsin Writers Association’s board, host of the Wispresso Café, an author talk show, and a member of Blackbird Writers, Sisters in Crime, and SCBWI.


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Preorder Link

On Sale for Preorders for just $0.99

Amazon


RABT Book Tours & PR

Friday, October 31, 2025

Hush Little Baby Release Blitz #rabtbooktours




Horror, Holiday Horror (various subgenres)

Release Date: October 31

 

 

Santa’s making a list. He's checking it twice. And if you've been naughty... run. Because Krampus is real...but the legend never told the whole story. In this eclectic anthology, multiple authors unleash the Alpine myth in unexpected ways. He's a monster. A protector. A lover. A nightmare. Sometimes charming, sometimes deadly, always unforgettable. From vivid poetry to spine-tingling terror to sinful spice, every story peels back another layer of the creature who passes judgment on the naughty ones...and what happens next. This multi-author collection features stories with varying tones and heat levels. Graphic content is clearly labeled for your reading pleasure.

ALL proceeds from the sale of this anthology go to Quill Cottage Wildlife, a 501c3 wildlife rehabilitation

 

Featuring Works By

Jodee Jean Daniels, Luna Nyx Frost, C.L. Hart, Spiros Katsaras, Jayce Maxwell, J. Noble, Jenna O’Malley, Kay Parquet, Melissa Power, Alyce Reads, E.L. Summers, Jason M. Spencer, Kyle Thomas, Cass Voit



Excerpt

Crimson Retribution by C. L. Hart

Hashim led Donata to a clear spot where a cluster of trees blocked the wind. After relieving herself, she returned to his side.

"All right, let's see the fabulous view you've been raving about."

"Would you like a pair of binoculars?"

"Certainly. I've always enjoyed pretending I was a bird flying above the world."

"Or an angel," Hashim proposed.

"I imagine I have a few more miles left in this aging body before God or whoever calls me home."

"Darling, you're always my angel."

"What are you angling for with all this flattery, Hashim?"

"I'm only trying to make things right, my love. I don't want a divorce. I love you, and even though Libby is biologically Javed's daughter, I've always thought of her as my own."

"No matter what happens between you and me, you will always be Libby's father. I'm open to working things out, but you need to understand that I will not put up with any more abuse, either verbal or physical, and I won't abide any more cheating."

Hashim handed Donata the binoculars.

"Gaze through your magic spectacles and tell me what appears to your wondering eyes, my snow queen."

"I believe this is what Santa sees from his sleigh as he swoops down on a quiet Christmas Eve night. There are fantastical decorations, and the multicolored lights make everything look festive."

"You always had an amazing imagination."

Hashim reached behind the seat of the sleigh, retrieving an axe.

"Picture being here with Libby on Christmas Eve. Imagine walking out on the deck with her to marvel at the lights and look for Santa flying overhead."

"Oh, there's a house with a life-size Santa on the roof! He and the reindeer seem so real. Rudolph's nose flashes bright red, and Santa is waving to the people below. I can almost hear Christmas carols playing and taste hot spiced cider."

 

About the Author


C. L. Hart, also known as The Terrible Old Woman, is an editor who writes. She enjoys creating holiday stories with a twist, usually in either the dark fantasy/horror or sweet romance genres. Her short stories have appeared in several anthologies, and she has self-published her own works as well, including four poetry volumes, a novella, a fix-up novel, and several short stories.

Ms. Hart lives in a tiny town on the Northeastern Colorado plains with her adult son, cat daughter, and cat grandson. She doesn't mind cooking, but she hopes one day to hire elves to do the housework for her.

Ms. Hart can be found online at naughtynetherworldpress.start.page

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Survival of the Wolves Release Blitz #rabtbooktours



Pack Pledged, Book 3


Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance

Date Published: 10-31-2025



We will usher in the end of all or birth a new world from its ashes. Nothing to stress about, right?

Chosen by the great wolf, Fenrir, and in possession of his amulet, my bonded and I are expected to single-handedly prevent Ragnarök. Spoiler alert, we’re just as clueless as everyone else. Turns out the gods don’t believe in leaving Cliff Notes.

Fending off attacks from the crooked Alpha and searching for a cure for the illness attacking our females, we’re pushed to our breaking point. With the Alpha hitting our vulnerable spots like a battering ram, we’re on the defensive and the run.

If we can’t expose his corruption and gain control before he turns the pack against us, it’s game over. Bringing him to heel means facing our demons, creating allies, and revealing hidden secrets. Are we powerful enough together to pull off the impossible and make the gods notice us again?

It’s a battle for the wolves we have to win.


About the Author


Surviving off coffee and tea, Ophelia Black pens stories that never make you choose. Combining her love for the paranormal, magic, and history, she weaves immersive worlds with unforgettable characters and adventure. In her worlds, love is eternal, even when the path to finding it is winding. When she’s not busy exploring the shadowy places in her mind, Ophelia daydreams, makes candles, bakes, and researches.


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Thursday, October 30, 2025

Book of Me Book Blitz #rabtbooktours




The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump


Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025



From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

Book of Me is not your average memoir. It’s a laugh-out-loud, tear-in-your-eye, one-of-a-kind true story collection from a man who has lived more lives than most of us can imagine. Factory worker. Hippie. Banker. Entrepreneur. Rockstar (sort of). Preacher. Politician. Oil tanker owner. Cancer survivor. Bipolar truth-teller. Kevin Hipes has worn all these hats—and more.

Told with warmth, humor, and heart, Kevin’s stories come alive in this unconventional autobiography. Originally recorded as a series of YouTube episodes on his channel Planet Hipes, these 66 episodes have been transformed into a compelling, easy-to-read book that invites you to laugh, cry, reflect, and recognize a bit of yourself along the way.

What you’ll find inside:
✅ Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens
✅ Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way
✅ Private struggles and surprising triumphs
✅ A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility
✅ A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a touch of inspiration, or a wildly entertaining ride through 70 years of true-life adventures, Book of Me will leave you smiling, thinking, and maybe even saying, “Hey, I’ve got a story like that too.”

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real, and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the journey. And Kevin Hipes has one hell of a story to tell.


About the Author

 

 Kevin Hipes is a born storyteller, lifelong entrepreneur, and proud New Yorker with a personality as big as the adventures he's lived. Often called “the New York Forrest Gump,” Kevin’s life has taken him from the streets of Queens to the pulpit, to business boardrooms, and even to the deck of his very own oil tanker in the Caribbean. As Kevin often says “Forrest owned a shrimp boat, but I owned an Oil Tanker and my story is true!”

With no formal writing background, Kevin still managed to turn a lifetime of unbelievable experiences into a heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human book—Book of Me. Rather than writing in the traditional sense, Kevin recorded over 100 personal episodes for his YouTube channel, Planet Hipes, then compiled them into a unique memoir filled with wit, wisdom,determination, and raw truth.

As an uneducated street kid from Queens, Kevin has lived many lives from factory worker to Hippie, to rockstar (almost), banker, preacher, restaurateur, politician and more. He shares not just the ups and downs of a seven-decade journey but speaks intimately about being a cancer survivor who also struggled through and dealt with a bipolar disorder, keeping the high energy manic side while overcoming the devastating depressions that plagued him through most of his life. You will find Kevin’s faith in God, unrelenting positive mindset and sense of humor make for a powerful story boldly told in his own words.

Kevin currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where he owns and runs HCB Real Estate, a retail commercial brokerage and development firm. Book of Me is his debut memoir and a testament to the power of authenticity, faith, and self-deprecating humor.

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the animated storyteller in action.

 

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Toil and Trouble Week Blast #rabtbooktours



Romantic Horror Anthology

Date Published: 09-22-2025

Publisher: DCL Publications



The brew is hot and bubbling over with romance and terror in this twistedly beautiful anthology that welcomes the darkness of horror and the temptation of love's veiled promises. Six remarkable tales from six incredible authors fill this book of dark shadows and ancient whispers.

 

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble - by Jennifer Patricia O'Keeffe: Enchanted pastries and spell-brewed coffee make Esmerelda's sugar-dusted counter the city's most coveted haunt—until a dangerously charming newcomer slips into her shop, immune to her magic and unraveling her carefully guarded world. As his witch-hunter heritage threatens to burn her legacy to ash, Esmerelda finds herself torn between the threat of revenge from the witch hunter's ancestors and the intoxicating truth of the connection that they share.

 

Silverwood - by Lynn Hubbard: A lonely rancher's daughter finds her isolated Wyoming homestead upended when an amber-eyed stranger ignites a mud-splattered passion that defies reason—until his supernatural secret and the vengeful ranch hands hunting her force her to choose between the man who saves her and the monster who might destroy her. Torn between fierce protectors and forbidden desire, she must trust the very darkness that could shatter her world to survive the wild frontier's deadliest threats.

 

Ivy, Lichens and Wallflowers - by James Ryan: Marketing executive Hilda finds solace from her stifling corporate life and overbearing past in the quiet companionship of Miriam, a mysterious 19th-century marble statue in a city micro-park, only to discover their connection transcends stone when Miriam begins answering her handwritten notes through cryptic poetry left in return. As their forbidden connection deepens into an intoxicating dream-bound romance, Hilda uncovers Miriam's supernatural secret: she's a cursed thaumaturge sustained by stolen life force, forcing Hilda to confront whether love can survive the devastating cost of keeping her alive.

 

A Mirror to Die For - by Cindy Lewis Smith: A desperate woman finds solace in an antique mirror that whisks her nightly to 1880s Arizona, where a charming outlaw named Johnny Ringo fulfills every fantasy—until her jealous fiancé shatters the glass and vanishes, leaving her trapped in an asylum screaming that he is the real monster, a man who shouldn't exist: Dr. John Henry Holliday, the gambler who killed Ringo a century ago. Now, with "MPR" carved into her cell walls and time itself unraveling, she'll stop at nothing to prove her sanity by proving time travel is real—even if it means unleashing the very darkness that destroyed her.

 

Flight 1031: Cosmic Turbulence - by Julian Christian: Diplomatic courier Sarah Martinez boards Flight 1031 expecting routine turbulence, not a Halloween dimensional rift that strands her at Germania International Airport—where the Greater German Reich has ruled since 1943 and perfected technology to harvest souls from parallel realities through consciousness-scanning machinery that pulses with seventeen-beat rhythms. Now trapped in a terminal that breathes like a living organism, Sarah must navigate a world where every passenger hides a secret and her resistance could either save her timeline or doom infinite versions of humanity to eternal enslavement in a Reich that spans all dimensions.

 

Dream a Little Dream - by Jae El Foster: After a near-death car crash rewires her brain, Sarah's nightmares bleed into reality: sugar on the counter forms glyphs, bats appear out of nowhere in broad daylight, and her own hands betray her—while the velvet-eyed stranger from her dreams appears in her waking hours, his urgency growing as Halloween's veil thins. Now, with her reality twisting into something surreal and an ancient language hijacking her voice, she must confront a dark truth: her soul isn't hers to keep, and the man who saved her in death is the very entity hunting her in life.

 

Excerpt


From ‘Dream a Little Dream’ by Jae El Foster

 

Sarah didn’t know where to run, where to hide, where to breathe. She drove until the city’s skyline dissolved into cornfields, until the morning thickened with minivans and convertibles carrying families on "ride in the country" escapes. Each passing car—a Jeep with muddy tires, a sedan with bike racks—anchored her to reality, the rubber soles of her sneakers still tingling with the phantom sensation of earth either holding her up or crushing her down.

A flash detonated behind her eyes: the muffled thud of dirt hitting wood, shovel after shovel, sealing her inside a coffin. She couldn’t see it, but she smelled it—the cloying stench of decay merging with rain-damp soil, the suffocating darkness pressing against her eyelids as the weight piled higher. The scent of worms and wet pine needles flooded her throat, thick as grave mold.

The vision snapped just as her car veered toward the shoulder. She wrenched the wheel hard left, tires screeching, a horn blaring from the sedan she’d nearly broadsided. Her hands locked on the steering wheel, knuckles bleaching bone-white, as she fought to drag air into her lungs. Slow. Nervous. Don’t die twice. The wreck’s ghost clawed at her ribs—she wouldn’t invite it back.

Ahead, a billboard loomed: MEMORY LANE. Beneath the town’s name, bold letters promised: Step into Memory Lane, where new memories are made! Sarah’s foot hovered over the brake pedal, ready to U-turn from the omen of that name, but her ankle refused to bend. Cemented. Her other foot slammed toward the brake—stuck. Panic surged as she crossed the town line, tires crunching over the painted border, but then the landscape unfolded: manicured lawns, white picket fences gleaming like fresh bone, and 1950s bungalows painted in cheerful pastels. A sigh escaped her—enchanted.

Chicanery, she thought, scanning the dollhouse-perfect homes. Porches draped in wisteria, hydrangeas bursting from flower beds, rocking chairs swaying in phantom breezes. It felt less like a town and more like a dream staged for tourists—a nostalgia trap with price tags hidden in the shutters. She gripped the wheel tighter, the vinyl seat sticky beneath her sweat-slicked thighs.

The yards deepened in their perfection: hedges trimmed to geometric precision, roses blooming in impossible symmetry, each white picket fence identical down to the last splinter. No cracks. No weeds. No life. The fences stood sentinel around empty yards, guarding homes with spotless windows that reflected nothing but sky.

She passed a brick schoolhouse with a rusted swing set, a park with a merry-go-round frozen mid-spin, a diner with "OPEN" glowing in neon, a barber pole coiled in red-white silence, a post office with mailboxes gleaming under noon sun. No children. No joggers. No bicycles leaning against fences. Since crossing into Memory Lane, she’d seen exactly one living thing: a crow pecking at a roadkill squirrel, its beak crimson.

"Where the hell is everyone?" she muttered, her voice raw as she scanned porches, windows, the empty stretch of road ahead. The only sound was the hum of her engine and the thump-thump-thump of her pulse in her ears.

Sarah’s hands left the steering wheel, fingers trembling as she tried to turn into a driveway for a U-turn. The wheel refused to budge—cemented. She settled back into the seat, watching it steer itself with unnatural precision. Her foot lifted from the accelerator, but the speed held steady, unwavering, until the car slowed on its own for a sharp right-hand turn onto University Boulevard. The road’s grip on her feet had vanished, yet the vehicle moved like a thing alive, hungry for the town square.

To her left, manicured university grounds sprawled beneath flowering trees, grand homes lining the boulevard like stage sets. Roses bloomed in impossible symmetry, hedges trimmed to razor edges. Sarah groaned at the street name—University Boulevard—its banality a slap in the face. Two blocks down, the car turned right onto Main Street, the tires whispering over asphalt that felt less like road and more like skin.

Ahead, the town square unfolded: businesses glowing with "Open" signs, windows spotless, a gazebo planted dead-center like a tombstone. No cars. No pedestrians. Not even a stray cat to break the silence. The air hung thick with the scent of cut grass and something sharper—ozone, like before a storm that never breaks.

Sarah’s car rolled into a parking spot near the gazebo. The seatbelt loosened with a hiss, the engine dying as the driver’s door swung open unbidden. "I don’t like anything about this…" she muttered, stepping onto pavement that felt unnaturally warm beneath her sneakers. The keys stayed in the ignition, but fear of theft never came—who would steal from a town with no one to steal?

The door shut behind her with a soft click, sealing her in the square’s suffocating quiet. She forced her breath slow, scanning the storefronts: two restaurants, a beauty parlor, a bank, antique shops, a used bookstore, and a theater dominating the square. Its marquee blazed in vintage bulbs: DREAM A LITTLE DREAM and SHE RISES AT NIGHT—titles she’d never heard, yet they hummed in her bones like half-remembered screams.

She turned toward the right-hand restaurant, heels clicking on the pavement. Instantly, its "Open" sign flickered and died. She froze, then pivoted toward the left restaurant—same result. The sign went dark as if snuffed by an invisible hand.

Sarah took a step forward, pulse hammering against her ribs. The air grew heavier, pressing into her lungs like wet soil. She didn’t need to test it again. The square wasn’t empty. It was waiting.

"What in the living hell…?"

Every storefront Sarah scanned flickered dark—the "Open" signs dying like snuffed candles—but the theater’s marquee blazed relentless: REEL AFTER REEL. Its sign burned bright despite the empty ticket booth, the glass doors yawning open onto blackness. Sarah’s skin prickled. Memory Lane felt wrong, but the theater pulsed with something hungrier, something that made her stomach drop like a stone in a well.

She stared at the theater, arms crossed tight against the chill. The marquee’s promise—DREAM A LITTLE DREAM / SHE RISES AT NIGHT—curdled in her gut. Of all places, this was where she never wanted to set foot. Yet the longer she stood frozen, the more the building breathed. Orchestra strings swelled—violins sawing a tune from silent-film days—though the theater’s modern facade held no projector room. Then came the chatter: phantom voices lining up for tickets, laughter echoing off empty pavement.

"Nope…" she muttered, squaring her shoulders. "Fuck this." She bolted for her car, sneakers slapping the pavement. The driver’s door handle wouldn’t budge—locked, keys glinting in the ignition like a taunt.


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Wednesday, October 29, 2025

The Accelerates Forty Days to Dust Book Blitz #rabtbooktours




Science Fiction

Date Published: April 24, 2025



In a world ravaged by a viral apocalypse, fifteen-year-old Ethan Mercer lives for one purpose: to protect his brother, Leo. Born from GeneCorp’s failed experiments to defeat death, Leo is a one-year-old whose body ages at a terrifying speed. Unlike the savage Accelerates, children transformed into predators by the virus, Leo clings to a fragile thread of humanity.

Together with Mia and Clara, two survivors altered by the same catastrophe, Ethan crosses a landscape of ruins and relentless danger. As they struggle to stay alive, Ethan faces the devastating truth that Leo, the last hope of redemption, may also be the instrument of humanity’s final collapse.

In a final act of sacrifice, Leo confronts his inevitable fate, altering the course of history in ways no one foresaw.

Years later, survivors gather in Leoland, a sanctuary where sunflowers grow in the rubble and memories remain alive. There, hope endures beyond all loss, proving that even in devastation, love can take root again.


About the Author

 

 Tak Salmastyan (b. 1963) is an Armenian American artist, educator, and author based in Los Angeles, originally from the Lori province of Armenia, where he was born Takvor, meaning “The King.” Admirers later called him “The King of Spiritual Hooligans,” a title that reflects his refusal to be confined by boundaries. His work has been exhibited internationally from New York to Tokyo and includes the creation of Autoplasticism and BinArtism™, approaches that merge automatism, neoplasticism, and binary code to explore the tension between technology and emotion. He has taught widely across Southern California, received numerous awards for art and film, and authored Window to Freedom, The Accelerates: Forty Days to Dust, and Echoes That Suffocate.


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Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Conventions of Dragons Teaser #rabtbooktours




LGBTQ, Dark Fantasy, Polyamorous, Shapeshifters

Date Published: October 31, 2025



When duty calls, where will the heart go?

Joel’s twin has been hurt, and Joel decides to stay with him rather than join his new lovers across the sea. But fate, and a serial killer, have other plans.

Parisa and Noah are drifting apart and without Joel they might lose everything they’ve built.

Can this new throuple fight together to win their happiness or will evil triumph?




EXCERPT

 

“Hooo-elll…”

It was Parisa’s voice, but he couldn’t touch her physically or telepathically. All Joel’s senses were blurred.

Joel wasn’t sure if he’d passed out, but everything was foggy. Not dark, since he had no concept of light beyond the meaning of the word, but misty. It was like the fog that clung to his face and arms, to his hearing and sense of smell when he’d visited England thirty years ago. He’d never forget that sensation of everything being muffled. The sound of his own voice had been right, but the tapping of his cane tip on the cobblestones in London had been oddly removed from the rest of him. He’d actually fallen a couple of times in London, not because he couldn’t feel the ground but because he had tried too hard to rely on the sound of his cane to tell him the depth of things like cracks and steps.

Now, although the sense of being wrapped in cotton persisted, he felt even more cut off from the world because he was really two people. He couldn’t attend to his own movements or speech while living in Jules’s head. Especially not when Jules was so distant from the world. His whole spirit seemed caught up in confusion and fear. So although Joel and Jules sometimes lived in each other’s heads for brief moments, there had never been such a fundamental separation from physical reality.

Dimly, he could feel a hand caressing his face. He tried to reach up and catch those fingers, but his arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. He attempted another connection with Jules, one that would allow him to communicate more than just his confusion and to feel Jules’s sense of dislocation. That, too, failed.

Someone spoke then, their voice cutting through the fog. “Joel.” It was James, the dragon guarding him. “Joel, come back. Follow me if you’re turned around.”

He clung to those words and finally managed, by trailing after them in the psychic world, to reestablish himself in the realm of touch, hearing, and scent.

The person caressing his face paused and Parisa asked, “Can you hear me, Joel?”

“Yes,” he croaked, his throat dry.

“Drink,” she answered, and he opened his mouth, unsure if he would feel a glass against his lips or her cupped hand. He registered the water as cool and drank as palmfuls were brought to his lips. From where he’d heard Parisa’s voice, he’d expected the water to come from another angle. Maybe Noah was actually giving him the refreshing liquid.

“James?” he asked between mouthfuls.

“He’s not here,” Parisa said, “although I heard him too. It was like he somehow tapped into a telepathy that could be carried to more than one person.”

“Are either of you hurt?” Joel asked.

“No,” Parisa answered after a moment. He wondered what caused the hesitation. Then she explained. “Noah is shell-shocked, I think. He’s --”

“I’m fine,” Noah said firmly. “Just… sorry about…”

Struggling to raise his head, Joel felt hands tighten on his shoulders. He fought down the instantaneous panic that clawed at his throat. “Unless there’s a reason for me to be lying on my back,” he said as gently as he could manage, “I’d rather sit up.”

The hands released him and as he sat up, crossing his legs, he felt Parisa’s breath on his shoulder blade. He was still naked. He shivered and instinctively pulled his legs up to shield his stomach and softer bits. He wasn’t afraid of Parisa or Noah, but he felt vulnerable. “What happened?”

“There was an explosion,” Noah said, and he did sound a little shocky because his voice trembled. “Over at the other house, we think.”

“Definitely not here,” Parisa put in. “Do either of you need a towel? There aren’t robes in here, and I don’t think we should leave the bathroom until we get the all-clear.”

So, that was why his bare butt was on tile. “Did you two carry me in here?”

Again, there was that momentary pause. Then Parisa said, “I helped Noah and carried you, yes.”

Their location made sense even if nothing else did. As far as Joel knew, the bathroom might be the only room in the smaller house without windows.

Not like the one that had blown inward, injuring Jules.

He shivered as that realization, sent by his twin, hit him. Jules didn’t actually know it had been a window, but he’d had glass taken out of his arm so he’d made an educated guess. Joel said, “Soon as we can, I need to get to Jules. Something’s seriously wrong with him.”

“Can you feel him?” Parisa asked, her hand warm on his back.

“Not now but…” He shivered again, unable to help himself. “He was muffled, or that’s what it felt like. Like having your head wrapped in a blanket.”

Noah began, “Did he --”

Someone interrupted, throwing open the door. “Here they are,” said James, his voice tight.

“Good,” said a voice that came out slightly tinny. “Help is on the way but it’s a good hour out. See if you can move them to this building.”

“Will do.” James crouched, his voice coming from off to Joel’s right. “Are any of you hurt?”

Joel shook his head. “I’m fine. It didn’t happen here.” He reached out toward James’s voice, but Parisa caught his hand.

“Agent Tavery,” she said softly, “you’re bleeding.”

 

About the Author

Emily Carrington is a multipublished author of male/male and transgender women’s speculative fiction. Seeking a world made of equality, she created SearchLight to live out her dreams. But even SearchLight has its problems, and Emily is looking forward to working all of these out with a host of characters from dragons and genies to psychic vampires. And in the contemporary world she’s named “Sticks & Stones,” Emily has vowed to create small towns where prejudice is challenged by a passionate quest for equality. Find her on Facebook at Shapeshifter Central or on her website.

 

Author’s Website

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

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Corporate Almighty Release Blitz #rabtbooktours



 

Political Satire/Fiction

Date Published: October 28th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing



At the turn of the next century, a corporate oligarchy rules America with an iron fist. Commercial jingles have replaced the Top Forty, babies come from factories, and the race captivating the nation isn’t between political candidates. It’s the cutthroat competition to find the formula for No-Sog Stay-Crisp Cornflakes.

The battle pits cereal titan Todd Swindell, head of Flakes Alive Incorporated, against Chad Scandalman of the Great American Flake Company. When Scandalman hires a diminutive assassin named Twinkle to bump off his rival’s top chemist, it sparks a war of the flakes that makes the bloody feud of York and Lancaster look tame by comparison.

But not everyone in the Cornflake capital of Domino, Indiana, is happy with the status quo. Ziggie Wexler, an unemployed pipefitter and all-around average Joe, knows that something is deeply wrong with his country.

All history prior to 2040 has been banned, but old-timers whisper about the days when people still voted for their leaders. After Ziggie posts fiery polemics against the state to the Clandestine Journal, he becomes a marked man. But in a world built on lies, there’s one truth he’s sure of. Somebody needs to fight back.


 

About the Author


Retired IT professional, James Owens is a trained computer engineer and technical documentation specialist who earned an A.A.S. in computer programming and a B.A. in English from Purdue University.

Immensely curious about human behavior, James spent the 1970s hanging out on the streets to observe people, many of whom became inspirations for his fictional characters. Later, he worked in cube farms at conservative insurance companies, where the idiosyncrasies of corporate personalities sparked his imagination.

James has spent the last decade reading and writing offbeat fiction about bizarre protagonists. Corporate Almighty: 2098, a dystopian tale about the rise of the corporation and the fall of democracy, follows his first two novels, Animal Candy and Pods of Bubbledumb: A Study in Mass Depravity.

Born and raised in an industrial suburb on the south edge of Chicago, James lives with his wife Sue and four cats in Evansville, Indiana.


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