Friday, June 27, 2025

Tour Wrap Up: Crossing Fifty-One by Debbie Russell

 



Death & Grief, Parenting, Self-Help

Date Published: 06-20-2023

Publisher: Koehler Books


 

A week before Christmas 1951, Dr. Ralph Russell risked everything to voluntarily enter a locked federal drug-treatment facility known as a "narcotic farm."

Sixty-five years later, Dr. Russell's granddaughter Debbie suffers a debilitating crisis of identity when her father (Dr. Russell's oldest son), always her biggest fan, is accepted into hospice.

Debbie's investigation into her paternal lineage reveals family secrets and ignites her mother's volatile outbursts, propelling her into therapy.

When therapy fails her, the grandfather Debbie never knew saves her, and she collaborates with her dying father one last time to make her biggest dream come true.

 

Crossing Fifty-One pulls back the curtain on the internal struggles of midlife and provides a blueprint for redefining one's self beyond the constraints of addiction and dysfunctional family dynamics.




Currently a 4.7* Rating on Amazon








Did you miss any of the stops on this Tour?


June 9 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

June 9 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

June 10 - Nana's book Reviews - Spotlight

June 11 - The Indie Express - Review

June 12 - Crossroad Reviews - Spotlight

June 13 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

June 16 - The Avid Reader - Interview

June 17 - Book Corner News and Reviews - Spotlight

June 18 - Texas Book Nook - Review

June 19 - On a Reading Bender - Review

June 20 - Momma and Her Stories - Excerpt

June 23 - Matters That Count - Spotlight

June 24 - Always Reading - Guest Post

June 25 - Novel News Network - Review 

June 26 - The Faerie Review - Spotlight

About the Author

Debbie Russell is a lawyer-turned writer. She spent twenty-five years as an Assistant County Attorney in Minneapolis, prosecuting numerous high-profile cases—specializing in those involving domestic and child abuse. At age fifty-five, Debbie took early retirement, giving up a full pension for the freedom of time. She now spends that precious time writing, restoring her property to native prairie and wetlands, and training her rambunctious retrievers.

Debbie’s first published article appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 2001. After that small triumph, her writing focused primarily on legal briefs and memoranda, which were consigned to district court files. Debbie resumed creative writing in 2014 when she began her storytelling blog by sharing personal stories and professional experiences that touched her life in a significant way. Her top-ranked December 2021 article for Elephant Journal, an online journal that celebrates the mindful life is entitled “Getting the Most out of Therapy: Easier Said than Done,” and is partially based on events in her book.

Debbie's award-winning book, Crossing Fifty-One: Not Quite a Memoir, was released in June of 2023. In 2024, she became a regular contributor to the Minnesota Star Tribune, writing about criminal justice and adjacent issues.


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Tour Wrap Up: Disgracefully Easy by William Hanchett with Thomas F. Hanchett

 

 

A B-24 Pilot’s Letters Home

 

Memoir/WWII History

Date Published: May 27, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


 

In this posthumously published collection of letters and postal cards, William “Bill” Hanchett shares his candid experiences as a flight-school cadet, and later as an Army Air Forces pilot in command of a B-24 Liberator bomber during World War II.

Through Bill’s first-hand accounts, we learn that mastering the art of flying during wartime is about more than understanding engine throttle and airspeed. It’s about wondering when you’ll be called to fight and if you’ll be asked to betray your ideals. It’s about working hard and documenting the days, dreaming about the future, and longing for home.

An extraordinary primary document, Disgracefully Easy offers us a rare glimpse inside the military in the 1940s, a time when Americans worried about the fate of their great country and looked to the brave and courageous to deliver them from fear. This unique collection will be long remembered as an important addition to the annals of aviation history.




Currently a 5* Rating on Amazon






Did you miss any of the stops on this Tour?


May 26 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

May 27 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

May 28 - The Faerie Review - Spotlight

May 29 - On a Reading Bender - Review

May 30 - The Avid Reader - Interview

June 2 - Momma and Her Stories - Excerpt

June 3 - Sapphyria's Books - Spotlight

June 4 - The Indie Express - Review

June 5 - Book Corner News and Reviews - Spotlight

June 9 - Interesting Authors - Guest Post

June 10 - Crossroad Reviews - Spotlight

June 11 - Salt and Novels - Excerpt

June 12 - Our Town Book Reviews - Spotlight

June 13 - A Life Through Books - Interview

June 17 - Matters That Count - Spotlight

June 18 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

June 19 - Novel News Network - Review

June 20 - My Bookmarked Reads - Spotlight

June 23 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

June 24 - My Reading Addiction - Interview

June 26 - Texas Book Nook - Review


About the Authors

Thomas F. Hanchett

Now retired from federal civil service, Thomas Forster Hanchett holds a bachelor’s degree in government and two master’s degrees, one in history and one in public administration. In 2016, after his father Bill’s death, he found over three-hundred letters Bill had written during WWII. Given Tom’s interest in military history, it seemed only natural that he be the one to edit and present his father’s letters in manuscript form. Tom has also written historical and educational articles for various publications. A native Californian, he resides in North San Diego County.


William Hanchett

William “Bill” Hanchett (1922-2016) grew up in a wealthy family in Evanston, Illinois. His father lost his municipal bond company business during the Great Depression, changing their family’s lifestyle drastically. Bill attended Black Mountain College, but his time there was cut short because of World War II. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces, rising from private to second lieutenant, and then to airplane commander of a B-24 Liberator bomber.  After the war, he continued his education, worked as a civilian historian for the U.S. Air Force, and taught history for over thirty years at San Diego State University. Bill authored numerous articles and historical books, including The Lincoln Murder Conspiracies (1983). He loved living in San Diego, California, where he spent time sailing on the bay.

 

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Instagram: @historiantom (Thomas Forster Hanchett)


 

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Tour Wrap Up: Luna Court by Dandy Noel

 



Nonfiction/Memoir, Adventure, Coming of Age, Drama

Date Published: March 24, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media


 

"Life on the road was a dream. Destinations were shaping up to be cold, hard, complicated realities."

The call of the open road, the music that fuels them, and the night that changed everything... In the early 1990s, amidst the gritty allure of Southern California's burgeoning music scene, 18-year-old Denver finds herself at a crossroads. Her father has been missing for over a year, leaving behind a void that haunts her every moment. After high school graduation, Denver and her best friend hit the road for a transformative journey across the country.




Currently a 4.7* Rating on Amazon









Did you miss any of the stops on this tour?


May 26 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

May 27 - My Bookmarked Reads - Spotlight

May 28 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

May 29 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

May 30 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

June 2 - Crossroad Reviews - Spotlight

June 3 - Texas Book Nook - Review

June 4 - The Avid Reader - Interview

June 5 - Sarcastically Yours, Jen - Review

June 9 - Momma and Her Stories - Excerpt

June 10 - Book Corner News and Reviews - Spotlight

June 11 - On a Reading Bender - Review

June 16 - A Life Through Books - Interview

June 18 - Novel News Network - Review

June 19 - Sapphyira's Books - Spotlight

June 23 - My Reading Addiction - Interview

June 24 - Book Reviews by Virginia Lee - Spotlight

June 25 - The Indie Express - Review

June 26 - The Faerie Review - Spotlight

About the Author

You might say Dandy’s lifelong pursuit of healing began in many places: with parents who both abandoned her in different ways; with the incredible cross-country road trip she embarked on as a teenager; or with a transcendent night in Washington D.C.

The truth is, healing is not about beginnings or about endings. It’s an invitation that beckons to every one of us.

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Friday, June 20, 2025

Tour Wrap up: Fate of the Storm by Valerie Storm

 


Demon Storm, Book Eight


Young Adult Fantasy

Date Published: 05-13-2025

Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing


 

The shadows have retreated with Raven's downfall, but darkness still curls at the edges of the world. For a moment, though, Kari and Ari have a moment of peace. There is a glimmer of light that threatens to wash away the darkness as they finally bind their fates together in a formal ceremony.

But Raven hasn't given up, and there's an older, crueler foe who hasn't forgotten Kari - the Lord of Demons, the very one who crafted the Catalyst which Raven sought to control, still trapped in an ancient Tree.

Kari's moment of joy comes to a halt as the world shakes and Taris is ripped apart.

Velthas has risen.

 








Currently a 5* Rating on Amazon






Did you miss any of the stops on this Tour?


May 12 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

May 12 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

May 13 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

May 14 - Crossroad Reviews- Spotlight

May 15 - Momma and Her Stories - Excerpt

May 16 - Ella English - Spotlight

May 19 - A Life Through Books - Interview

May 20 - Book Corner News and Reviews - Spotlight

May 21 - Texas Book Nook - Review

May 22 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

May 23 - Sapphyria's Books - Spotlight

May 26 - Book Reviews By Virginia Lee - Spotlight

May 27 - Novel news Network - Review

May 29 - The Indie Express - Review

June 2 - My Bookmarked Reads - Spotlight

June 3 - Matters That Count - Spotlight

June 4 - On a Reading Bender- Review

June 9 - Introspective Press - Spotlight

June 10 - My Reading Addiction - Interview

June 11 - Always Reading - Excerpt

June 12 - Tea Time and Books - Spotlight

June 16 - A Place in the Spotlight - Spotlight

June 17 - The Avid Reader - Interview

June 18 - Defining Ways - Spotlight

June 19 - The Faerie Review - Spotlight

 

About the Author

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Tour Wrap Up: Too Much the Lion by Preston Lewis

 



US Historical Fiction/Civil War

Date Published: 05-13-2025

Publisher: Bariso Press


 

The soldiers did the fighting; the generals, the Infighting

In the waning months of the American Civil War, a delusional Confederate commander makes a desperate attempt to change the course of the South’s dwindling hopes by invading middle Tennessee. The tragic result of Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood’s misplaced hubris devastates his Army of Tennessee and alters the lives of the citizens of Franklin, Tennessee.

In a historical novel reminiscent of The Killer Angels, Too Much the Lion follows a handful of Confederate generals, infantrymen and local residents through the five days leading up to the horrific Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. The lives of soldiers ranging from Major General Patrick Cleburne to Brigadier General Hiram Granbury and from Sergeant Major Sumner Cunningham to Corporal Sam Watkins will be forever changed by Hood’s decisions and mistakes.

Franklin civilians like apprehensive and loving mother Mary Alice McPhail and teen Hardin Figuers, desperate to serve the Confederacy but too young to enlist, are ensnared in the events that will bring death and devastation to their very doorsteps. Devout Confederate Chaplain Charles T. Quintard must reconcile his religious beliefs with his support of slavery. Slaves like the elder Wiley Howard and the inquisitive young Henry B. Free are trapped on the fault line between what has been and what could be.

Too Much the Lion offers an unvarnished account of the dying days of the Confederacy in a powerful and moving narrative of honor and betrayal, bravery and cowardice, death and survival. Told with poignancy and honesty by an accomplished novelist, Too Much the Lion achieves for the Battle of Franklin what The Killer Angels did for the Battle of Gettysburg, providing a classic fictional account of one of the Civil War’s pivotal encounters.


 








Did you miss any of the stops on this Tour?

June 2 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

June 3 - Our Town Book Reviews - Excerpt

June 4 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

June 5 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

June 6 - A Life Through Books - Interview

June 9 - My Bookmarked Reads - Spotlight

June 10 - The Indie Express - Review

June 11 - Crossroad Reviews - Spotlight

June 12 - Novel News Network - Review

June 16 - The Avid Reader - Interview

June 17 - On A Reading Bender - Review

June 18 - Sarandipity's - Excerpt

June 19 - My Reading Addiction - Interview


About the Author

Preston Lewis is the award-winning author of more than 50 western, historical, juvenile, and nonfiction works.  In 2021 he was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters for his literary achievements.

Western Writers of America (WWA) has honored Lewis with two Spur Awards, one for best article and the second for best western novel.  He has received ten Will Rogers Medallion Awards (six gold, two silver and two bronze) for written western humor, short stories, short nonfiction, and traditional Western novel.

Lewis is a past president of WWA and the West Texas Historical Association, which named him a fellow in 2016.  He holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s degree from Ohio State University, both in journalism.  Additionally, he has a second master’s degree in history from Angelo State University.  He lives in San Angelo, Texas, with wife Harriet Kocher Lewis.

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Tour Wrap Up: Saving Yukon by Bryan Burnell

 

 

Paranormal Suspense

Date Published: May 20, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


 

Matteo Ferrari has always been different. Gifted with unsettling clairvoyance, he sees shadows where others see light and hears whispers from the unknown. But when he fails to protect the ones he loves, his abilities vanish, leaving him lost and desperate. To reclaim his powers and find a new path, Matteo abandons his old life and ventures into the Alaskan wilderness.

Gabriella Valentina knows the pain of loss all too well. Once enchanted by the spotlight, she now flees from her past, seeking refuge from fear and sorrow in the same wild expanse.

When Matteo and Gabriella’s paths cross amidst the eerie beauty and hidden dangers of the Yukon, they must confront not only the shadows of their pasts but also the dark forces that lurk in the forest, waiting to claim them.




Currently a 4.8* Rating on Amazon








Did you miss any of the stops on this Tour?


May 19 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

May 20 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

May 21 - Crossroad Reviews - Spotlight

May 22 - On a Reading Bender - Review

May 23 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

May 26 - My Reading Addiction - Interview

May 27 - Book Corner News and Reviews - Spotlight

May 28 - The Indie Express - Review

June 2 - A Life Through Books - Interview

June 3 - The Avid Reader - Interview

June 4 - Novel News Network - Review

June 5 - Boys' Mom Reads - Review

June 9 - Iron Canuck Reviews - Excerpt

June 10 - Tea Time and Books - Spotlight

June 11 - Saradipity's- Guest Post

June 12 - My Bookmarked Reads - Spotlight

June 16 - Momma and Her Stories - Excerpt

June 17 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

June 18 - The Faerie Review - Spotlight

June 19 - Texas Book Nook - Review


About the Author

A graduate of UCSC and UCSB, Navy brat Bryan Burnell majored in creative writing and English literature. After selling his successful office furniture business, which he ran for three decades, he started paying more attention to the story ideas that had accumulated in his mind over the years. Free time allowed him to finally bring life to his first book, Saving Yukon. This long-time Santa Barbara resident loves the meditative aspects of swimming, gardening, golf (despite his high handicap), and an occasional shot of good bourbon. He is married with two grown children and a spoiled Labradoodle named Nelli

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook: Bryan Burnell

Instagram: @bryanburnellauthor


 

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Tour Wrap Up: Love's Bloom by Judith Keim

 


Romantic Women's Fiction 
Date Published: June 9, 2025

 


Love can make even the most fragile person bloom.

Misty Owen escapes Florida and comes home to Lilac Lake following a disastrous relationship with an emotionally and physically abusive man. David Graham runs a landscaping business with his father and has created a memorial park in town for his sister who died in cancer. Kind, gentle, he is the sort of man Misty can’t help being attracted to. But until she heals from her past, how can she move forward? She knows it’s going to take someone like David to help her, but he’s content to be just friends. When gifts of flowers start to arrive with more than friendship, Misty discovers that sometimes love blooms in the sweetest ways possible.

A spinoff book from the Lilac Lake Inn series, a sweet second-chance, small-town romance. Another of Judith Keim’s books with strong women facing challenges and finding love and happiness along the way.




Currently a 4.6* Rating on Amazon









Did you miss any of the stops on this Tour?

June 9 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

June 9 - The Faerie Review - Spotlight

June 10 - Book Junkiez - Excerpt

June 11 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

June 12 - The Indie Express - Review

June 13 - Crossroad Reviews - Spotlight

June 14 - What Is That Book About - Excerpt

June 15 - Gale Stanley - Spotlight

June 16 - Texas Book Nook - Review

June 17 - Novel News Network - Review

June 18 - Always Reading - Excerpt

June 19 - Liliyana Shadowlyn - Spotlight

June 20 - The Avid Reader - Interview



About the Author

Judith Keim, A USA Today Best-Selling Author, is a hybrid author who both has a publisher and self-publishes. Ms. Keim writes heart-warming novels about women who face unexpected challenges, meet them with strength, and find love and happiness along the way, stories with heart. Her best-selling books are based, in part, on many of the places she's lived or visited and on the interesting people she's met, creating believable characters and realistic settings her many loyal readers love.

She enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their adorable dachshund, Wally, and other members of her family.

While growing up, she loved the idea of writing stories from a young age. Books were always present, being read, ready to go back to the library, or about to be discovered. All in her family shared information from the books in general conversation, giving them a wealth of knowledge and vivid imaginations.

Ms. Keim loves to hear from her readers and appreciates their enthusiasm for her stories.

 

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