All The Write Stuff

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

The Moldy Orange Bandage:

As much as we may love our families and friends, they possess the ability to drive us crazy!

The Moldy Orange Bandage:

Playbooks and Short Stories

by Lirio Blanco Show

Genre: Literary Fiction

As much as we may love our families and friends, they possess the ability to drive us crazy!

In this pair of theatrical playbooks (with a few short stories as an added bonus), two family-friendly plays for tweens and up showcase two different dramas.

In The Moldy Oranges, married life between an American husband and his Latin immigrant wife never proves dull . . . especially when the mother-in-law lives under the same roof. And then, when their trusted neighbor requests a mysterious brown bag be hidden in their closet, it provides the trigger for family secrets, suspicion, and intrigue. What is in the brown bag? A diary? Stolen jewelry? A secret detonator for a kitchen stove, perhaps?

Based on the events of Atlanta's 2014 ice storm, a group of middle school girls are trapped in their after-school classroom, seemingly abandoned by the last faculty member, who flees to protect her own family during the crisis. Three girls and the class bully must learn to cooperate for survival until help arrives in The Box of Bandages.

From architect/author Lirio Blanco Show, these stories provide a peek into family life with an in-law, stranded girls struggling to cope with a bully, as well as a handful of short animal stories . . . some based on true events, some completely fiction. Who dares to say which is which?

The answers lie within...

EXCERPT

“EXCERPT 1”

Terry the Chipmunk

Terry the Chipmunk was running through the mead-

ow when he caught a glance of beautiful acorns in

the distance. He was hypnotized by their beauty. The

acorns were fat and shiny. They captivated Terry’s

eyes. He did not waste time to run and start filling his

cheeks with these attractive acorns.

His two cheeks were so puffy, and they got puffier,

puffier, and puffier, until they both looked like a pair

of furry water balloons.

However, Terry wanted these acorns all for him-

self. . . So he started to plan how to conceal them inside

his cave. Realizing his neighbors would return soon,

he became frantic, his eyes swelling with the emotion

of owning these marvelous acorns.

Venus, one of his friends, approached him and he

tried to run and hide from her. Curious, she chased

him for some time until she cornered him against a

tree root.

Terry was so afraid to share his nuts that he pressed

his teeth together protectively to hide them . . . tighter,

tighter, and tighter until—Snap! Crack! Ping!

Tiny pieces of his teeth began to chip off.

Hearing a desperate yelp from Terry, Venus tried

to get a better look. Somehow, she convinced him to

open his mouth. Not only did the shiny acorns fall to

the cavern floor, but tiny pieces of pearly white inci-

sors, the two front teeth Terry had been so proud of,

tumbled all over the ground.

Terry kneeled down in disbelief and cried and cried

and cried in his distress, sobbing “What a pain, oh,

what a pain!”

Feeling compassion for her friend, despite his

greedy behavior, Venus tried to calm Terry down.

Terry couldn’t stop crying until, suddenly, he realized

among the spilled acorns, he saw all that was left of his

beloved incisors. He held his head with his two paws

in disbelief and scrambled to rapidly retrieve his trea-

sures. This time Venus clutched a few in her own paws to

challenge his attention.

She held one paw out, and Terry hesitated. Venus smiled

at him warmly, and

when Terry saw her teeth reflecting the radiant sun-

light, he remembered his own lost teeth. Terry dropped

the few acorns in his grasp and his fingers touched his

naked gums with the realization that he had lost some-

thing far more precious than a few acorns . . .

He had lost his teeth.

Venus explained that, had he not been so greedy by

trying to hide the extra acorns—more than he could

have ever eaten all winter—he would never have bro-

ken his teeth.

“But don’t worry, Terry,” she continued soothingly,

patting his quivering paw with her own, “Dr. Drill, the

Chipmunk dentist, will fix your teeth.”

Terry replied, now calm, “Thanks Venus . . . but will

you take me to him?”

“Of course,” Venus said. “But next time, Terry, you

have to remember—when we give to someone, we are

entitled to receive as well.”

Amazon * BookLogix * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moldy-Orange-Bandage-Playbooks-Stories-ebook/dp/B09J67P5D5

BookLogix: https://shop.booklogix.com/product/the-moldy-orange-bandage/

B&N: https://valsec.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-moldy-orange-bandage-lirio-show/1140257810?ean=2940162476467

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-moldy-orange-bandage-playbooks-and-short-stories-by-lirio-blanco-show

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59203907-the-moldy-orange-bandage

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/3V3NLQL4W3Y

About the Author

Albalis Vargas-Smith, a.k.a. Lirio Blanco Show, is an architect, painter, muralist, and writer from Panama. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture from Universidad Autonoma de Centroamerica in San Jose, Costa Rica. In addition, she received a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts from Auburn University, Montgomery. She has more than twenty years of experience in architecture, having worked both in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Atlanta area. She has done theatrical scene and set design as volunteer work for community theatre groups. Back in July 2016, Albalis went solo as an entrepreneur, architect, and painter, founding the Vargas-Smith Studio. The reason? To spend more time with her daughter. In 2020, she decided to finish a series of backburner short stories and theatrical plays. One of the theatrical plays is presented in this book. Currently, Albalis lives in Johns Creek, Georgia, with her daughter, husband, her dog, Toni, and a precious bird, Ruperta.

Website * X * Instagram * TikTok * Etsy * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://www.albalis.com/

X: https://x.com/Lirioblancoshow

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lirioblancoshow

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LirioBlancoShow

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21880276.Lirio_Show

Giveaway

$10 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/MoldyOrangeBandageTour

Monday, December 9, 2024

Candy Crone

Candy Crone is a Christmas Short Story standalone in the bestselling Hawthorne University Witch Series.

Candy Crone

The Hawthorne University Witch Series Book 8

By A.L. Hawke

Genre: Paranormal Holiday Fantasy

Candy Crone is a Christmas Short Story standalone following Shadow Cast in the Hawthorne University Witch Series.

While I’m enjoying a spicy caramel apple surprise at our local ice cream parlor, an old lady in rags rambles nonsense about candy canes to children waiting for Santa. That distracts me from prepping my young friend Cat for her college interview at Hawthorne University.

Christmas turns into creepy Halloween when all the local children, including Cat, disappear in the woods. Bryce and I search our forest but become spellbound. All this voracious casting heralds the arrival of a new witch in town. The Candy Crone.

As the Hawthorne Witch, I hold great power, but with my unborn baby kicking, the witch exploits my sins and vices through gluttony. Am I nothing more than my appetites and power as the Hawthorne Witch? Or can I accomplish something greater? If I can’t sort my stuff out, Cat, my unborn baby, Chandra, and all these innocent kids living in Hawthorne are toast.

Cadence Hawthorne returns in this Christmas novella taking place after Shadow Cast, book 6, in The Hawthorne University Witch Series. Candy Crone is a complete self-contained novella not ending in cliffhangers. Some spoilers cannot be avoided, but the story is a STANDALONE book that can be enjoyed without reading the preceding novels.

Content Warning: Candy Crone contains profanity, adult situations and, of course, witchcraft.

Excerpt

“Cadence! Cadence!”

Bryce and I spin around in the direction of the shouting. That was Cat’s voice! I’m forced to squint as the sun’s rays open again through a gap in the trees. But then Cat stops crying for help.

Light shines over our dirt path, winding through the trees, and I see more breadcrumbs strewn along the ground. I don’t follow the path. Instead, I walk off the trail and start gathering large fallen branches in the bushes. I pile the thickest ones and start forming a five-pointed star.

“What are you doing, Katie?” Bryce asks.

“I don’t know. I remember doing this in my dream. All this happened before, in the dream…or…I foresaw it happening. You and I first spotted breadcrumbs. So I built this sigil as a signal and as a refuge during the nightmare. I think the headmaster’s right, this witch is very powerful. She, or whoever’s possessing her, is attacking us with powerful magic. I feel like I have to build this circle for protection.”

And I drag another stick along the ice, forming a circle surrounding my pentagram. Then I gesture at my work.

Bryce nods, but then he freaks me out when he covers his eyes, squinting over my left shoulder. Turning in the direction of his gaze, I see a bright golden glow. The light is heralding a small cottage among the trees. The breadcrumb trail ends at a walkway surrounding the cottage, which has two windows with shutters and a chimney. It’s as if the cottage has always been there, hidden in the woods. Two large red poles with white stripes by the entrance appear to be the size of people. They look like huge peppermint candy canes. And beside the peppermint sticks, in the snow, are two gingerbread-like statues about half my height. The top of one of the peppermint sticks forms the outline of a girl’s face. But her expression is frozen, motionless, like a statue. An icy pathway of shiny red and green candy tiles leads to the front door. The door and the shutters are composed of a brown cake-like substance. Gingerbread? White patches on the walls form a thick plaster. On the plaster brush marks stick out in sections, reminding me of frosting. Soft red and green gems embedded in the white plaster, covered in crystalized sugar kernels, reflect the golden sunlight. Gumdrops or sugar plums. Chocolatey-brown drippings fall from the rooftops, draining into chocolate pools. And the roof is made of a cinnamon red candy–like surface.

We walk slowly along the candy path. Bryce runs a finger along the white plaster beside the door. It’s not solid, and it’s not plaster, it’s like a thick white goo.

“Frosting?” Bryce asks me with a nervous chuckle.

I nod and run my finger along the wall too. I bring the goo to my nose. It smells so sweet and delicious.

“This has to stop,” snaps Bryce. “This sick witch is controlling us like in a fairy tale. And . . . I feel drowsy, as if I’m dreaming, Kate. I think she’s putting a spell on us.”

How can she not be? We’re standing in front of a gingerbread house.

I nab a large crystalized green gumdrop the size of my palm, stuck to the white frosting, and bite into it. It tastes so good! It’s soft, full of granules of sugar, with a wonderful tangy sweet lime. And the best part is the consistency. The gob sticks in my mouth like chewing gum.

“Cadence, what are you doing!”

He tries to snatch it from my fingers, but I pull it away. I don’t know why I’m eating it, but I am. It’s like I’m compelled to eat it. But it tastes sooo good. I don’t know how Bryce is stopping himself. I’m so hungry.

“It tastes really good, Bryce,” I say with my mouth full. “Wow. You should try some.” Then I dip it in some of the wall plaster and offer him some. “Try it, babe. Just take a bite.”

“Growly, growler. Growly, growler.”

Amazon * Audible * Chirp * Spotify * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJGHH8JK

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Candy-Crone-Audiobook/B0DM6YWR52

Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/candy-crone-by-a-l-hawke

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gttUyl0mbEtdC2RmSC5hn

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/candy-crone/id6727005098

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/candy-crone-a-l-hawke/1146350695?ean=2940186140306

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DyIlEQAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/candy-crone

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1625338

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/boo9a9

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/candy-crone-by-a-l-hawke

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219877138-candy-crone

About the Author

A.L. Hawke is the author of the bestselling Hawthorne University Witch series. The author lives in Southern California torching the midnight candle over lovers against a backdrop of machines, nymphs, magic, spice and mayhem. A.L. Hawke writes fantasy and romance spanning four thousand years, from pre-civilization to contemporary and beyond.

Website * X * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://alhawke.com/

X: https://x.com/alhawkeauthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-hawke

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/A.L.-Hawke/author/B07N39TX33

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18821515.A_L_Hawke

Giveaway

$20 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/CandyCroneTour

Friday, December 6, 2024

Dark Maiden

Dark Maiden has taken a Native American legend and created the most intense story of ghosts and horror and things that go bump in the night.

Dark Maiden

by Ian Conner

Genre: Historical Dark Fantasy

Haunting and horrifying, the tale keeps readers engaged all the way to the shocking end. Intertwined with Native American lore Dark Maiden weaves a seducing chilling tale. Dark Maiden grabs you at the first page the story sets us up in 16th century Maine, Onata Village. Conner gave readers a tale of a beautiful bewitching Maiden seen by the lake by four sisters under the moonlight. Dark Maiden takes you from past to present to past to tell this horrifying curse tale. Readers need to pay attention during the time transitions, but readers will be engrossed with fantastic writing you cannot put down.
Dark Maiden has taken a Native American legend and created the most intense story of ghosts and horror and things that go bump in the night.
Although a somber tone permeates the book, there is a recurring theme of loyalty and resilience. Each character exhibits self-determination, fortitude, and resourcefulness until the conclusion. You grow to love each person as if you belong to the fight against evil forces. Full of surprises and character growth readers will love the tale.

GUEST POST

The Inspiration Behind the Books

Ian's inspiration for Dark Maiden comes from a Native American legend.

Among the Wabanaki,this blight occurs when an evil sorcerer refuses to stay dead.

Descendants of the Wabanaki still survive in Maine, which was one of the reasons

why I set the story in the locale of Nollesemic. I felt the characters were solid enough

to appeal to a large swath of readers without offending anyone. LGBTQ characters fill

in the modern twists that would not have been accepted even a few years ago.

Similarly, my vampire novel Cardinals is a new take on the Stoker legend with a large dose

of actual historical events. Fictional additions and twists on biblical and historical occurrences,

keep the story interesting, the reader engaged. I have always been a fan of the 70's vampire films

and wrote Cardinals with that in mind. I can totally see Ingrid Pitt as Asherah. I have taken a bit of

guff over casting a scandalous shadow over the catholic church, but they have given me plenty of ammunition. The faith fills in a good part of the story and fanaticism at both ends of the spectrum also gave me much to work with.

I love casting women in strong roles and minimizing the male influence. Sadly, reality has not caught up with that idea. Amy Radigan, Lilly Pham, Kellena Donnachaid, Cassie Wells, all epitomize women I have known and respect.

After being medically retired from the military in 2010, writing became a new identity for me. I take my time writing. The Long Game, for instance, took 3 years to write. Pulling from current events as I went along. Relations with China are now tenser than ever and the conflict in the south China sea is actually occurring almost following the theme of my story. I consider my readers intelligent enough to follow the multiple plot lines. I tend to keep the thrillers within the realm of possibility. Sometimes it might be a reach but nothing I write is impossible. Headlines are a big help. The saying is "You couldn't write this stuff". Well actually I can!

The political thriller is cathardic to write. Solaris is coming out in December, complicated story lines will keep the readers guessing. Horror is a fun genre for me and I have two ideas on paper that need filled out. I have dabbled with Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Cooper's Ridge was another labor of love and quite fun to write. I love space travel, aliens and first contact. Throw in some dystopian end of the world themes with a huge dose of multiple conspiracies and walah you have a novel. I am a huge Star Trek fan. I love Roddenberry's approach to everyday issues with technological spins. Solving the barriers to space travel with reverse engineering seemed obvious enough to me. The genius teenager as the underdog with a cadre of friends to help fight the faceless government what can go wrong.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Maiden-Ian-Conner-ebook/dp/B0CQKTSFV4

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dark-maiden/id6474487093

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-maiden-ian-conner/1143792907?ean=2940179184348

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-maiden-3

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1495183

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/dark-maiden-by-ian-conner

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/191230803-dark-maiden

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/JIZronuPokg

About the Author

Ian Conner is retired and spent most of his adult life as a Marine and Army Infantry Sergeant. A hundred percent disabled veteran after multiple head and other injuries, he is part of a growing number of vets classified as “neuro-diverse”, an MST survivor and have several issues such regarding comprehension, concentration, and vision issues that he has OVERCOME to write several novels. After witnessing a lifetime of destruction, the thought of creating something tangible and lasting holds great appeal.

He finds writing a cathartic way to redefine himself both in his eyes and in the eyes of others. Writing for fun, Ian has completed seven novels with an eighth near done with two more ideas in the scribble/chapter phase. He has written across four genres Fantasy, Thriller, Science Fiction and Horror.

He uses ProWritingAid, Beta Readers and professional editors keep the product readable, he has recently began querying in search of a professional agent and publisher.

Now living near San Diego California with his wife Bonnie, a cellist, and their two dogs, Cookie and Isabella. Conner spends his days fostering kittens, gardening, crafting beautiful stained glass and creating worlds on the page.

Website * LinkedIn * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://www.blackraptorbooks.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-conner-4bb1b82a8/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ian-conner

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ian-Conner/author/B08FM4KW4J

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6082559.Ian_Conner

Giveaway

$20 Starbucks Gift Card – 1 winner,

Print Copy of Dark Maiden – 2 winners!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/DarkMaidenTour

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Her Competition

Two sexy work rivals each want the prestigious promotion for Christmas, but neither expects to want each other.

Her Competition

by Maggie Blackbird

Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance

Two sexy work rivals each want the prestigious promotion for Christmas, but neither expects to want each other.

Driven and determined, Celeste Fisher won’t let anything stop her from anchoring the nightly news. She’s sacrificed a personal life, a love life, and left her Ojibway community to make it in the city. And if that means stomping all over her too-handsome and too-competitive rival to nail the position, so be it.

Casual dating and one-night stands are all Reed Dumont can spare while building what he covets most—his career. He’s not about to lose out to Celeste, no matter if he can’t keep his eyes off her sexy legs and admiring her just-as-sexy brain, because sitting in the broadcasting chair is another step up the ladder to thumb his nose at his poor Métis upbringing.

A crisis in a First Nations community sends the adversaries out on the road to cover the story. Snowed in at the hotel, rivals become humans, unable to deny their true private desires. But upon returning to the city, the new lovers face the biggest hurdle that could cost them their budding relationship when one gets the promotion and the other is left holding…frustration. Now they must decide what is worth fighting for: love or career.

EXCERPT

Reed quirked a brow. That was a fast reply. For some reason he’d classed Celeste as

the type of woman who played mind games with men. The kind of lady who perfectly

timed her response and what she’d say. Her quick and warm answer wasn’t what he’d

expected from the too-serious and too-guarded ice queen.

He typed in...

I’ll get you at seven... sharp. Have a great night.

He sat on the bed, staring at his phone, unsure what to feel.

Her message appeared.

I’ll bring the coffee. That way we won’t have to stop anywhere to retrieve any. How do

you take yours?

A surge of surprise was an electrical shock sliding down his spine. His heart jumped

from a lazy stroll to outright jogging.

Double-double. And thank you for offering.

Not a problem. I checked the weather. There’s a storm threatening to move in, but

there’s a good chance it might also pass us.

Thoughtful? Celeste? He blinked. Hmm, she did like to take control, seeing as she was

planning their business trip.

Thanks. Much appreciated. I’ll handle everything from here.

Do you mean handle by packing my Sorrels for me? And my parka? And my toque?

And my dickie?

The text also contained a winking face.

Reed pursed his lips. Was she tossing shade with that smart-aleck answer? Or was she

teasing him by sending the winking face, hoping her message wasn’t misinterpreted?

He’d find out.

I mean handle by making sure I get us safely to the reserve without incident. We have a

story to report.

Shit. Maybe he shouldn’t have used the we word. It made them sound like a team, and

they were far from a team.

Oh, I believe you have everything under control. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Have a

good night.

His thumbs were frozen mid-air over the cell phone. Was the first line a dig? Because

what she’d typed sounded like something Celeste from the office would say, not this

newly discovered Celeste from her home.

He’d best bid her goodnight. There was another chapter on his book to finish, and

morning came too soon.

At seven o’clock tomorrow, he’d unearth which Celeste would make an

appearance—the new one who resembled something close to a human being, or the tin

woman in need of a heart from the Wizard of Oz because he’d yet to witness her

bearing anything resembling a red beater on the sleeve of her blouse.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * eXtasyBooks * Bookbub * Goodreads

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL4Q451G

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/her-competition/id6737456413

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-competition-maggie-blackbird/1146474761

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Maggie_Blackbird_Her_Competition?id=25wsEQAAQBAJ&hl=en

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/her-competition

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1640539

eXtasyBooks: https://www.extasybooks.com/Her-Competition

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/her-competition-by-maggie-blackbird-2024-10-28

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220916402-her-competition

About the Author

An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Author Links

Website: https://maggieblackbird.com/

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

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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maggieblackbird.bsky.social

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-blackbird

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Maggie-Blackbird/author/B07KQP1FFG

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18176196.Maggie_Blackbird

Giveaway

$10 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://bit.ly/HerCompetitionTour

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Vincent’s Women

What if everything we think we know about Vincent van Gogh is all lies?

Vincent’s Women:

The Untold Story of the Loves of Vincent Van Gogh

by Donna Russo

Genre: Historical Biographical Women’s Fiction

Donna Russo's 'Vincent's Women' is the untold story of Vincent's loves: how they shaped his life, his art, and his death. It writes against the 'myths, ' exploring the possibility that none of them are true. It is the only novel to bring into question his sexuality, how he lost his ear, who he lost it for, and how he might have died, all through the eyes of a woman. We learn of Her; we learn all of it through Her.

The story is guided by Johanna van Gogh Bonger, Vincent's sister-in-law, as she decides to reveal the truth about Vincent to her son. We are then taken on a journey through Vincent's life, each section bringing a pivotal moment of Vincent's life alive while showing us the part she played in bringing it about. Between each woman, our guide, Johanna, gives us the transitional periods, right up to his death, which is now in question.

Hundreds of the nearly thousand letters between Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo, now considered one of the greatest documents of the human experience, were used to help construct this novel, its narrative, and dialogue, especially the dialogue of Vincent himself.

Vincent van Gogh is one of the most well-known artists of all time. The world knows of his madness, traumas, and suicide. But what if all that we know isn't true? What if this knowledge is based on rumors and nothing more? What if his true story is vastly different when based on factual material and forensic information? What if the truth of Vincent's life-his madness and his genius-is defined by his never-ending search for love?

EXCERPT

I cannot, I will not, I may not live without love.

Vincent van Gogh

ANNA CARBENTUS VAN GOGH

1853-1864

Groot Zundert, The Netherlands

She held the squalling baby in her arms, one not of this world for more than seconds. Her grasp loose and low. Its warmth like that of the March wind.

“A fine, healthy baby you have there, missus.” The plump midwife wiped her hands of the blood and fluid upon a rag. “What will you be calling him?”

Anna looked down at her second-born son wiggling in her arms. The fuzz upon his head the red clay color of the Carbentus family.

“Vincent. It is Vincent.”

“But—”

“Anna, are you sure?” Her husband stood in the doorway, his first glimpse of wife and son in his eyes. The white collar of his profession encircling his throat. “Is it wise, for you, for our son? This one lives. Should it bear the name of the one that did not?”

“It is Vincent,” Anna said. That and no more.

Months later the house echoed a repetitive refrain.

“Missus, the babe needs you.”

“I am needed elsewhere at the moment.”

Dorus had thought it too soon. He’d agreed with the doctor. The midwife.

The first Vincent had only been in the ground three months when Anna asked for the resumption of marital relations. She did not ask for the pleasure of it. She rarely thought of the pleasure. It was her duty.

Anna never spoke of her pain. The depth of it. Her melancholia a family trait. One that slayed her stoicism. Dared to tremble her stiff upper lip. She need not speak of it. She could not. Emotions, especially dark ones, were meant to be hidden. Locked away inside. It was what she had been taught. It was what she would teach.

No one ever taught her how to deal with the death of a child.

In the three months after the birth and death of the first Vincent, Anna paid little attention to visitors. Made few visits.

She often sat at the piano for hours. Often playing the same gloomy tune. Again, and again.

Dorus, a reverend three years her senior, knew. She could see the knowledge of her in his eyes. He knew her want was not of him but what he could give her.

Anna thought of another child not only as a panacea to her pain but as a replacement for what she had lost.

If only it had worked.

“Vincent,” Anna called to her young son from the shadows of the open front door. Nicely. Others could hear. She hid in the darkness of the threshold. She hid her darkness.

“How many times have I said that you are not allowed to play with the street children?” Inside the parsonage, door closed, she spoke as she pleased. “Do you refuse to listen, or do you not understand?”

Five-year-old Vincent stared up at his mother. Did she see fear or anger in his eyes? He said not a word.

“You will ruin the family name associating with those dirty urchins.”

Their good name; a cross high up on a main wall.

Vincent remained mute. Silence was an argument in itself.

Anna loved all her children. What mother did not? She did not love them all the same. She did not deny it. She did not apologize for it. She mothered them all, nonetheless. But not the same. Did she see him as a child much like the child she had been? Anna was one in this world that saw only what she wished to. She saw Vincent grow sullen and solemn, an unremitting challenge.

“If we could do whatever we wanted,” she warned him as she warned all her children, “unharmed, unseen, untroubled…wouldn’t we stray further and further from the right path?”

The child gave her not a word to whip him with.

“To the kitchen, Vincent,” she instructed. The words hissing out between her teeth. “You will scrub the floor. With your hands. On your knees.”

Vincent went without complaint. If only he had complained.

Advance Praise:

“Arresting…masterful… a provocative and compelling look at one of history’s most enigmatic artists.” -Publishers Weekly

“A symphonic novel that sheds new light on an elusive genius.” -Kirkus Reviews

“Vincent’s Women represents historical fiction at its best…astute, thought-provoking, and revealing.” -Midwest Book Review

“One of the most wonderful books about an artist I have ever read." -Stephanie Cowell, Author of Claude and Camille: a novel of Monet, and Marrying Mozart. Recipient American Book Award.

“A powerful and satisfying read." -Lynn Cullen, Bestselling Author of The Woman with the Cure and Mrs. Poe

“The writing and dialogue are all so well done, and the use of a fictional narrative makes it all feel authentic. Very highly recommended.” -Readers' Favorite 5-star Review

“This novel is not just a book; it is a masterful painting in itself, portraying the vibrant, volatile, and often tragic life of one of history's most renowned artists.” -5-Star Amazon Review

“This is historical fiction at its best…a tour de force!” -5-Star Goodreads Review

“This is easily the best book I’ve read this year!” -5-star NetGalley Review

A Foreword Reviews Editorial Selection

FINALIST Next Generation Indie Book Awards

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Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF96T2B9

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/vincents-women/id6459922073

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vincents-women-donna-russo/1143906069?ean=2940167612396

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/vincent-s-women

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/vincent-s-women-by-donna-russo-morin

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200300623-vincent-s-women

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/Tf75DPF-t4Y

About the Author

Donna Russo is the bestselling author of historical fiction, women’s fiction, and fantasy including the international bestselling Novels of Newport: Gilded Summers and Gilded Dreams as well as her latest release, Vincent’s Women. Her critically acclaimed work has been praised with multiple awards and has received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. (For more awards and reviews, please visit https://www.authordonnarusso.com/books). Additionally, Donna worked as a model and actor since the age of seventeen, working on such projects as Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and Showtime’s Brotherhood. Donna is also an award-winning screenwriter, ghostwriter, and painter. She holds two degrees from the University of Rhode Island. Her two sons—Devon, an opera singer; and Dylan, a chef—will always be her greatest works.

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