#NewRelease from Tammy Lowe: The Sleeping Giant

 Author Tammy Lowe is on my blog today with her book blitz celebrating the release of The Sleeping Giant, book 2 in the Acadian Secret series. Make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post. Welcome Tammy!

The Sleeping Giant
Tammy Lowe
(The Acadian Secret, #2)
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: September 21st 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Time-Travel, Young Adult

When a tormented man begs 17-year-old Elisabeth London to travel back in time to save his life, she reluctantly agrees. Assuming Scotland is the destination, she ends up in Ancient Rome instead.
The good news is she finds the man; now a bold 17-year-old named Aquarius. The bad news is he’s an indentured slave, sentenced to death in the arena, and doesn’t even know her yet. 

Elisabeth helps Aquarius escape and becomes an outlaw herself. Armed with her wits and his rock sling, the new friends are on the run from a relentless slave dealer, Rufus Leptis.

Elisabeth soon realizes she’s not here to save Aquarius from Rufus, but from the doomed city of Pompeii. Although trying to be brave, the thought of remaining in Aquarius’ swashbuckling world a minute longer than necessary is inconceivable.

At least, it used to be.

Before that darn, happy-go-lucky slave stole her heart.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

The thundering sounds all around them seemed to fade into the distance as Elisabeth stood pinned against the side of the cliff. Her gaze darted up to the grassy overhang. There were only two ways off this ledge; the tunnel or the rushing river that would sweep them over the falls within seconds. About to hyperventilate, Elisabeth buried her face in David’s back. Every millisecond moved at an unbearable speed. She held her breath as the inevitable moment drew nearer. Their only chance would be if Rufus didn’t step outside of the tunnel, but that would take a miracle. David looked prepared to fight, but from the side of a mountain ledge with a giant of a man? That could end up a bigger disaster.

She pushed a pile of rocks aside with her foot and shuffled as far along the ledge as possible so David could step back and they’d be flush against the wall. When they heard Rufus grumbling, she knew he had to be near the end of the tunnel. Her leg muscles tightened. Elisabeth wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.

He was so close.

Too close.

She dared not look to see if he had walked onto the ledge. He would only need to step outside to see them.

What was that noise?

Hissing?

Elisabeth felt the color drain from her face, and then turned ever so slightly to look at the ground beside her.

She gasped, and the sound of her heartbeat thrashed in her ears. If anyone thought the situation couldn’t get any worse, they’d be wrong. Coiled at her feet, next to the dislodged rock, was a snake, looking as startled as Elisabeth. Her mouth fell open, repulsed, but unable to look away from the creature.

“No…no…no…” she whimpered.

Author Bio:

An adventurer at heart, Tammy has explored ruins in Rome, Pompeii, and Istanbul (Constantinople) with historians and archaeologists.

She’s slept in the tower of a 15th century castle in Scotland, climbed down the cramped tunnels of Egyptian pyramids, scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge, sailed on a tiny raft down the Yulong River in rural China, dined at a Bedouin camp in the Arabian Desert, and escaped from head-hunters in the South Pacific.

I suppose one could say her own childhood wish of time traveling adventures came true…in a roundabout way.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest

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Felony Melanie and the Prank War, based on characters from the movie Sweet Home Alabama is a laugh-out-loud #YAlit #RomanticComedy #comedy #romcom #romance

Kris Bock has a new release called Felony Melanie and the Prank War, book 3 in the Felony Melanie series of young adult comedies. Kris wrote this series with her brother Douglas J. Eboch, and based it on the movie Sweet Home Alabama which Douglas wrote. Best of luck with the new book, Kris and Douglas!

Felony Melanie and the Prank War

by Douglas J. Eboch & Kris Bock

You met her in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Now see what Melanie Smooter was like before she became hot fashion designer Melanie Carmichael.

In high school, Melanie Smooter is known as Felony Melanie, the teenage troublemaker of Pigeon Creek, Alabama. Aching to escape the boredom of small-town life, her restlessness sparks many reckless adventures. Her boyfriend, Jake, is always by her side – and the local sheriff is usually close behind.

This week, everyone in town is looking forward to the big football game against Greenville, Pigeon Creek’s hated rivals. Jake is more excited than most – as the new quarterback, he’s poised for stardom. But the lead up to the game becomes as exciting as the game itself when pranksters from Greenville steal Pigeon Creek’s pig mascot. Then Jake’s playbook goes missing, which could get him kicked off the team. Could the pranksters have stolen it as well? Melanie, Jake, and their friends embark on an undercover mission to recover the stolen mascot and find Jake’s playbook before the team is disgraced in front of the whole town.

Head back in time to the early 1990s for this laugh out loud rom com based on one of the best rom com movies of all time.

Sign up for our Rom-Com newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or Visit the Amazon series page for Felony Melanie:  Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels or find the books at other E-book retailers.

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

POP – CRACKLE – BANG!

Melanie jumped so bad she almost smeared her lipstick. It sounded like someone was setting off fireworks out in front of the school. Melanie quickly finished applying her makeup. She hadn’t seen Jake since lunch period, and she wanted to look good for him. She tapped the spot on the mirror where she had carved “MS+JP” back in ninth grade, then scrambled out of the girls’ bathroom to see what all of the fuss was about.

Sure enough, fireworks were going off in front of the sign that normally read “Pigeon Creek High,” but now had a piece of poster board taped over it that read “Go Greenville!” Roman candles shot streaks of flame skyward, while a fountain sprayed colorful sparks and tendrils of white smoke into the air.

Looked like the rivalry week pranks had begun. 

Greenville was Pigeon Creek’s biggest rival on account of two reasons: one, the town was just up the road, the closest school in their district. Two, they were a bunch of snooty rich kids. Pigeon Creek’s football team was playing them Friday night. A swell of pride filled Melanie’s chest at the thought of the game. Jake was the starting quarterback this season. He’d show those Greenville snobs that they’d better not look down on the country kids.

A dozen other students had been drawn out by the commotion. Jolene, captain of the cheerleaders, stomped up and down in her red and yellow cheerleader minidress loudly vowing revenge.

Lurlynn ran over from the practice field in her cheerleader outfit. “What’s going on?”

“Greenville prank,” Melanie said. “Kind of a lame one if you ask me.”

 Lurlynn frowned. “It’ll get worse. You know how this week goes.” “Hey,” Jolene pointed at Lurlynn. “Aren’t you supposed to be watching Oinkers?”

Oinkers the pig was Pigeon Creek High’s live mascot. Pigeon Creek’s team was called the Wild Boars, which was way more intimidating than a farm pig, but wild boars were also a lot harder to manage, so the 4-H kids supplied a stand-in each year. Lurlynn had raised Oinkers to his current chubby 150 pounds. The cheerleaders and pep squad took turns guarding him during rivalry week. Melanie had been a cheerleader for about three weeks, but it just didn’t suit, with all the practicing and silly rules and the mean ol’ coach practically trying to dictate her whole life. When the coach kicked Melanie off the team, it was a huge relief.

“I was watching Oinkers,” Lurlynn said, “but then I heard…” Her face went pale. She bolted back toward the field. Melanie followed.

Oinkers wallowed in a little chicken-wire pen until it was time to run out on the field with the team or do his patented touchdown dance, the one Lurlynn had trained him to do. But now the pen was empty. The fireworks weren’t the prank, they were a distraction.

Lurlynn crouched down, hands over her cheeks. “Oh no.”

Melanie kicked at the gate post of the empty pen. Those Greenville High kids would pay for this.

Jolene strode up. “You had one job!”

Lurlynn snuffled. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry won’t help us beat Greenville.”

“I was only gone for a second.”

Jolene sighed. “There’s a tree stump in my backyard with a higher IQ. If you had an idea, it would die of loneliness.”

Melanie felt bad for her friend, but Lurlynn had screwed up. Course that didn’t mean Jolene had to be such a jerk about it. Melanie patted Lurlynn’s shoulder.

Jake emerged from the gym wearing his football uniform for practice. Melanie ran over and gave him a kiss.

“What’s going on?” He wiped the lipstick from his mouth. “Why’s Jolene pitching such a fit?”

“Greenville kids stole Oinkers.”

“Those—”

“Quiet!” Melanie heard something, off in the woods at the edge of the field.

Oinking.

“They’re still here. Come on!” She took off in the direction of the noise.

Author Bio: 

Douglas J. Eboch is a screenwriter and author who wrote the original screenplay to the movie Sweet Home Alabama starring Reese Witherspoon. In his novel Totally Rad Wormhole, two nerds from the eighties accidentally open a wormhole to today, go to their high school reunion, and meet their future selves. Horrified at what they’ve become, they set out to change their fate.

His sister is the author of over 100 books under the names Kris Bock, M.M. Eboch and Chris Eboch. As Kris Bock, she writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven. The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. 

Sign up for our Rom-Com newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or Visit the Amazon series page for Felony Melanie:  Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels or find the books at other E-book retailers.

Visit Doug’s website or his Amazon page. Find Doug on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Visit Kris’s website, Amazon page, or her blog, the Southwest Armchair Traveler. Find Kris on BookBub, GoodReads, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram