Son’s Quest for Father’s Buried Treasure Leads to Unforgettable Journey
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John “Blackie” Rinaldi had been dead for more than six years before his enigmatic letter surfaced. In it, Blackie described a cache of stolen money — hinting at its origins and its whereabouts — and prompting his son to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.
Fool’s Errand from Jeffrey S. Stephens takes readers on a fast-paced quest for riches that skillfully explores the complexities of father-son relationships through the eyes of Blackie’s son, who feels compelled to unravel the mystery his father left him to solve. Why hadn’t his father simply told him about the hidden treasure before his death?
It’s just one of many questions as Blackie’s son follows the letter’s trail of breadcrumbs from the mean streets of New York to the Las Vegas Strip, and ultimately to the South of France. Along the way, he is confronted by dangerous mobsters, dishonest relatives, suspicious friends, a mysterious woman and the risks of a journey his father may or may not have planned for him.
Each secret revealed leads to more questions, as his life-altering pursuit for answers takes thrilling twists and perilous turns until the very end.
Fool’s Errand is poignant and entertaining, humorous and exciting, romantic and mysterious — an adventure that convincingly explores the dynamic between a father and son, and the events that will eventually lead a young man to discover both the treasure and himself.
Author Jeffrey S. Stephens lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the author of the Jordan Sandor espionage thrillers, beginning with Targets of Deception and, most recently, Rogue Mission. He is also the author of the recent thriller, Crimes and Passion, the first in a planned series featuring Lieutenant Robbie Whyte.
Fool’s Errand Publisher: Post Hill Press ISBN-13: 978-1642937381 ISBN-10: 164293738X Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 954.263.6827 Direct 800.854.1134 Office [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
Fool’s Errand an Action-Packed Adventure that Poignantly Explores Complex Father-Son Relationship
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The love between a father and son is often complicated, and John “Blackie” Rinaldi’s relationship with his son was no exception. Blackie was a charming rogue who circled the fringes of organized crime, endlessly pursuing “The Big Deal” but always coming up short. His son had long suspected his father’s ties to the mob and had adeptly avoided the pitfalls of his father’s vocation, choosing instead a safe, respectable career. But when an enigmatic letter describing a cache of stolen money surfaces six years after Blackie’s death, his son feels compelled to pursue his father’s ultimate dream, and he embarks upon the adventure of a lifetime.
Fool’s Errand from Jeffrey S. Stephens is a fast-paced, mob-inspired mystery that follows Blackie’s son on his life-altering pursuit to unravel the decades-long mystery his father left him to solve. Why hadn’t his father simply told him about the hidden treasure before his death?
Blackie’s son reluctantly begins his quest, but his conviction builds as he finds there are other secrets that his father has buried. He follows the breadcrumbs from the mean streets of New York, to the Las Vegas Strip, and ultimately to the South of France. Along the way, he is confronted by dangerous mobsters, dishonest relatives, suspicious friends, a mysterious woman and the perils of a journey his father may or may not have planned for him.
Fool’s Errand is poignant and entertaining, humorous and exciting, romantic and mysterious — an adventure that explores the relationship between a father and son, and the events that will eventually lead a young man to discover both the treasure and himself.
Author Jeffrey S. Stephens lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the author of the Jordan Sandor espionage thrillers, beginning with Targets of Deception and, most recently, Rogue Mission. He is also the author of the recent thriller, Crimes and Passion, the first in a planned series featuring Lieutenant Robbie Whyte.
For more information, please visit www.jeffreystephens.com.
Fool’s Errand Publisher: Post Hill Press Release Date: December 8, 2020 ISBN-13: 978-1642937381 ISBN-10: 164293738X Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Teresa Hinojosa Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 832.569.5773 Direct 281.333.3507 Phone [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
Betrayal, Infidelity Lead to Murder in Crimes and Passion
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Elizabeth Knoebel expected her appointment that night to provide another juicy entry in her private diary, aptly entitled Sexual Rites. But a shadowy figure, watching from the edge of her property, has other plans. Instead of an evening of pleasure, Elizabeth is confronted by someone who wants to put an end to her destructive behavior — and succeeds.
Crimes and Passion is the gripping mystery-thriller from Jeffrey S. Stephens, effortlessly weaving suspense and sensuality with psychological undercurrents.
Elizabeth’s murder investigation is turned over to Lieutenant Robbie Whyte, a former New York City cop now serving on the force in affluent Fairfield County, Connecticut. Whyte understands that the appearances of the privileged gentry are often far removed from reality, and this certainly proves to be true in the case of Elizabeth Knoebel, who Whyte discovers was under the care of psychotherapist Dr. Randi Conway.
When Whyte finds Elizabeth’s diary, Sexual Rites, he uncovers explicit details of her erotic adventures with various men, many of whom may have been the husbands of the women in her therapy group. Elizabeth was a predator bent on seducing and, in some instances, humiliating these men, obsessed with a perverse mission that Whyte believes led to her murder.
The secrets of Crimes and Passion are peeled away one layer at a time as readers meet an assortment of Dr. Conway’s patients — one of whom may have been Elizabeth’s killer. With Dr. Conway unwilling to betray her patients’ confidences, Whyte’s investigation gets complicated, putting the therapist herself in more danger as Whyte gets closer to the truth, and to the doctor herself.
With a pacing that mirrors Whyte’s frantic search for the truth, Crimes and Passion keeps readers guessing as each revelation unfolds. And along the way, readers are shown glimpses into the dynamics that cause marriages to succeed, to fail or sometimes, to end in tragedy.
Author Jeffrey S. Stephens lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the author of the Jordan Sandor espionage thrillers, beginning with Targets of Deception and, most recently, Rogue Mission. Crimes and Passion is the first in a planned series featuring Lieutenant Robbie Whyte.
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The doors have now opened to a virtual island getaway where you can take in breathtaking underwater views, explore futuristic aquariums, and enjoy five-star accommodations and endless entertainment—all from the COVID-friendly comfort of your own home. There’s just one tiny catch.
The star attractions at this particular resort are the most terrifying prehistoric sharks and sea creatures that ever lived.
Sea Monster Cove (located at www.seamonstercove.com) is the latest creation from The Meg author, Steve Alten. And this time, he’s taking fans of man-eating prehistoric creatures even deeper into his imagination. Sea Monster Cove is a groundbreaking concept of storytelling that will immerse you in every aspect of an adventure like nothing you have ever experienced before. This multifaceted, interactive entertainment platform features an unfolding episodic web series, Where Sea Monsters Roam; heart-pounding aquarium and cage-diving interactions with the nastiest sea creatures on the planet; and an adrenaline-fueling (and quite addictive) video game.
The setting is Maug, a remote island in the Mariana Archipelago where eight years ago, French marine biologist Dr. Maxime Rostand and his team discovered hot mineral water feeding into Maug’s lagoon from somewhere below. When a listing Filipino fishing trawler enters the cove hauling an immense whale in its deep sea net, the scientists discover that the dead beast is actually a pregnant, 60-foot, 50,000-pound undiscovered prehistoric spe-cies of Mako, related to the Black Demon shark. An emergency C-section saves two of her 15 pups (and the future stars of Sea Monster Cove): Snowflake (an albino) and Layla (pure Black Demon). Through a series of events (which will unfold through monthly episodes of Where Sea Monsters Roam), Dr. Rostand discovers the source of the hot mineral water to be a primordial aquifer located two miles beneath the sea floor—its inhabitants dating back 380 million years.
All of the attractions at Sea Monster Cove are created using major-motion-picture-worthy 3D animation. The sharks and sea creatures look and act just like the real thing. And unlike the species housed in typical aquariums, these critters don’t just swim around in serene circles. These beasts know you’re watching them, and some clearly don’t like it.
The subscription-based site (priced well under the cost of a movie ticket) also includes an education center with tons of background information, a private library featuring enhanced versions of Alten’s novels (including curriculum materials for distance learners) and a collec-tion of Alten’s original screenplays. There’s even a PG13 membership option for younger viewers.
And the waters surrounding Sea Monster Cove are anything but stagnant. The designers tweak the animals’ behavioral patterns on a regular basis. Plus, each month a new Prehis-toric Sea Aquarium will open, containing its own menu of super predators that will appear in the web series and video game. The animals will also age from the moment you first encoun-ter them, and you won’t want to miss a single milestone. So come for a visit; stay for a bite—or two. Welcome to Sea Monster Cove!
Sea Monster Cove creator Steve Alten is the NY Times and international best-selling author of 20 thrillers, including The MEG series (with a major motion picture starring Jason Statham and the sequel, MEG-2: The TRENCH, in pre-production). Two more of his series have also been optioned as movies: The LOCH and one other underwater feature, which cannot be announced just yet (but the enhanced version of the novel is featured in the website’s private library). Alten is also the founder and director of the nonprofit Adopt-an-Author teen reading program.
Locked in the Endless Loop of Foster Care, One Desperate Boy Struggles to Break Free
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Silas Dillon enjoys a full life now. At 40 years old, he’s a married father of four, foster father of six and minister to his church’s devoted flock. The joyful background noises of his houseful of children is a stark contrast to his lonesome beginning, when his birth mother, in the throes of heroin withdrawal, abandoned him the day after he was born.
Silas Dillon of Cary County is the sobering story of Silas Dillon, who ping-ponged between eight foster homes and two attempts at re-placement with his birth mother by the time he was 14 years old.
Told with gripping authenticity by author Cliff Schrage, Silas Dillon of Cary County begins with Silas’ birth on a frigid winter night in the fictional suburb of Cary Island in the New York Bay. His life becomes a series of glimpses into different realities — some harsh and grossly neglectful; some unapologetically abusive; and some well-intentioned but unprepared. Each one serves as a gross reminder of the fractured, overwhelmed foster care system. Silas is repeatedly transplanted from house to house, but none of them becomes a home. And occasionally, his mother does just enough to satisfy a lenient judge, and he’s returned to her world of drug abuse and prostitution
Damaged, fragile and without hope, he draws the attention of conscientious young social worker Molly Fresh, and this sets the stage for Silas to one day find the nurturing family and promising future that every child deserves.
Silas Dillon of Cary County is a candid look inside a typical foster care system that outwardly champions for the best interest of the children, but in reality, caters to the see-sawing whims of biological parents. Readers will witness Silas’ growing loneliness, alienation, anger and self-destructive nature, as he struggles to cope through his youth and early adulthood. Silas Dillon represents hundreds of thousands of young ones locked in a broken system. Will he be one of the lucky few who break free?
Author Cliff Schrage is a two-time published novelist — A Fruitful Field and Silas Dillon of Cary County — and published poet: Broken Prose, Spoken Poems. He has worked as a chaplain, and he taught high school English for 33 years. He is the father of eight children — two biological and six adopted (foreign and domestic) — and has endured the trauma of losing a child to a terminal illness. He has been married to his wife, Sherry, for more than 40 years.
Silas Dillon of Cary County Publisher: Morgan James Publishing ISBN-10: 1683502833 ISBN-13: 978-1683502838 Available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and MorganJamesPublishing.com
Trish Stevens Sophie Carter Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax
Trish Stevens Terri Lynn Polk Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax
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Romance And The Old West Skillfully Melded In Short Story Collection
If you’re a stickler for historical accuracy, romance in the Old West, and just plain superb writing, Holly Bargo’s short-story collection, Satin Boots: Six Short Romances of the Old West, will more than satisfy your reading needs.
Bargo draws well-developed characters in believable situations, such as the risk-taking woman who finally runs into more trouble than she’d anticipated, a mail order bride whose husband-to-be has changed the rules of the game, and an undertaker who finds himself resurrecting a body he thought he’d be burying.
Set in the American Old West, Bargo’s Satin Boots stories are sweet, clean romances, cleverly infused with history and humor.
Here’s just a taste of these engrossing tales:
• “Angels High:” Making a living winning at a man’s game, Angelica Durant has learned to expect trouble now and then, especially when the stakes are high. But this time, she gets far more than she bargained for when trouble finds her.
• “The Mail Order Bride’s Choice:” Seeking to improve her circumstances, an indigent woman makes a perilous cross-country journey to meet her fiancé, who’s got plans for her ― and they don’t include marriage.
• “Coming Home:” Dessie Humphrey is just trying to hold on to the family farm in the face of seemingly endless hardship. When help arrives in the form of a wanted gunslinger, she’s in no position to refuse.
• “Resurrection:” Undertakers bury the dead; they don’t ordinarily bring them back to life. Antonio DiCarlo does just that when the body of a lovely Swedish immigrant lands on his doorstep.
• “Pride and Peace:” It’s an open secret on the Lazy Five that Jessie North is a woman. That doesn’t stop Daniel Harper from behaving badly when he learns, but when the proud half-breed saves his life, can Daniel overcome deep-seated prejudices?
• “The Rancher’s First Love:” When a gravely wounded Chinese woman collapses on Clint Cheswick’s front porch, he doesn’t expect to be competing with his half-breed foreman for her affection.
Author Holly Bargo works full-time as a freelance writer and editor and lives with her husband on a hobby farm in southwest Ohio. They have two children, both grown. Bargo’s writing includes fantasy and romance, often combined; and since 2014, she has published more than 20 titles, from short stories to novels. In 2019, she and bestselling author Russ Towne published Six Shots Each Gun, a collection of short westerns. While Holly Bargo is a pseudonym, she’d like readers to know that the name was also attached to a very real and temperamental Appaloosa mare.
To connect with Bargo on social media, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/HenHousePublishing1/
https://twitter.com/HollyBargoBooks
https://www.pinterest.com/henhousep/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/business-writing-editing/
Satin Boots: Six Short Romances of the Old West
Publisher: Hen House Publishing
Released: October 1, 2019
ISBN-10: 1692824422
ISBN-13: 978-1692824426
Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Terri Lynn Polk Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing)
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Out Of Darkness Puts The Bite Back In Young Adult Vampire Genre
Brian Porter’s mysterious, sudden onset obesity makes him an easy target for school bullies—physically and emotionally. Even his one-time best friend has joined in the bullying, teasing Brian relentlessly since his unexpected metamorphosis. Brian hates what he sees in his reflection, too. He hopes that summer break will offer him a reprieve.
On the first day of summer, Brian’s former best friend, Chris, challenges Brian to enter the neighborhood’s scariest house. The trade-off? Chris promises not to tease Brian all summer, and it’s a chance for Brian to impress his new female friend, Sarah. But there’s a dark, toothy reason behind the home’s evil reputation, and Brian and Chris are about to discover it.
Out of Darkness from M. A. Richards puts the bite back in young adult horror, with evil vampires who fight on behalf of Satan to enslave humanity and werewolves who are warriors, fighting for God to keep humanity free.
When Chris and Brian uncover a pair of vampires in the neighborhood “haunted house,” Chris is captured, and Brian finds himself fighting to survive a vampire attack—a battle he’d lose if not for a daring rescue by the vampires’ ancient enemies: werewolves. To save him from a deadly wound, Brian’s lycanthropic allies turn him into one of their own.
Now, Brian is a powerful young werewolf with a strong new body. He’s also become part of an ancient war to protect mankind. It’s his destiny to revitalize the Holy Warriors, a once great werewolf order sworn to protect the world from vampire domination. But the order’s leaders have become corrupt—and worse, they want Brian dead. He’d prefer to keep living.
Author M. A. Richards grew up in the country in Oregon, the fourth of five boys, and enjoyed watching monster movies. He attended the former Ricks College (now Brigham Young University—Idaho) and spent most of his life in the US Marine Corps. He currently lives in Texas with his family. Richards was recently diagnosed with a deadly disease called sarcoidosis. He wrote Out of Darkness for his children. To learn more, please visit https://www.authormarichards.com/.
Out of Darkness
ISBN-10: 151469008X
ISBN-13: 978-15146900867
Available from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
