Monday, July 14, 2025

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: Dagger’s Destiny (Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book #2) by Linnea Tanner #audiobook #blogtour



Dagger’s Destiny
(Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book #2)
By Linnea Tanner


A Celtic warrior princess accused of treason for aiding her enemy lover must win back her father’s love and trust


In the rich and vibrant tale, author Linnea Tanner continues the story of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the award-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series. Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.


War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom—even to the death. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.


Yet, when Catrin again reunites with Marcellus, she is torn between her love for him and duty to King Amren. She must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life, freedom, and humanity.


Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality to maintain power with the love he feels for Catrin?


Publication Date: September 26th, 2018
Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher LLC
Pages: 352
Genre: Historical Fantasy / Historical Fiction

Publication Date: October 7th, 2018 (audiobook)
Audiobook Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher LLC
Listening Time: 12 hrs 50 mins
Narrator: Kristin James



Praise for Dagger’s Destiny:

“Tanner is a masterful wordsmith and storyteller. There were no plot holes, everything was believable, and her characters grew as did the plot.”
~ The Audiobook Reviewer

“For those with an interest in epic fantasy, the characters and their interactions, each with their personal goals and motivations, and often in conflict with each other, Dagger’s Destiny is a book sure to keep your interest.”
~ Geoff Habiger for Readers' Favorite (GOLD MEDAL Fiction: Magic / Wizardry)

Excerpt

Click here to listen to an excerpt.

 

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The ebook is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

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Series Links:


*Audiobook Giveaway*
We have a promo code available for one lucky audiobook listener.
Please comment on our blog tour page HERE if you'd love a chance to win!
The lucky winner will be chosen at random after the end of the blog tour. All rights are reserved.

Linnea Tanner


Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. She is particularly interested in the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.

Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story Two Faces of Janus. 

A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.


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Sunday, July 13, 2025

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: A Prodigy in Auschwitz: A Holocaust Story, Book One: Simon by Fred Raymond Goldman

 

A Prodigy in Auschwitz: 
A Holocaust Story, Book One: Simon
By Fred Raymond Goldman


When Nazi Germany troops enter Krakow, Poland on September 2, 1939, fourteen-year-old Simon Baron learns two truths that have been hidden from him.


One, the people who have raised him are not his biological parents. Two, his birth mother was Jewish. In the eyes of the Germans, although he has been raised Catholic, this makes Simon Jewish. Simon's dreams of becoming a concert violinist and composer are dashed when his school is forced to expel him, and he is no longer eligible to represent it at its annual Poland Independence Day Concert. There, he had hoped to draw the attention of representatives of a prestigious contest who might have helped him fulfill his dreams.


Simon vows to never forgive his birth father for abandoning him, an act resulting in unspeakable tragedies for his family and in his being forced to live the indignities of the ghetto and the horrors of Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen concentration camps.


Throughout his ordeals, Simon wavers between his intense anger toward his birth father and his dreams of being reunited with him. Through his relationships with Rabbi Rosenschtein and the rabbi's daughter, Rachel, Simon comes to appreciate his Jewish heritage and find purpose in his life. Driven by devotion to family and friends and his passion for music, Simon holds on to hope. But can he survive the atrocities of the Nazi regime?


How do you reconcile a decision you made in the past when the world erupts in war, threatening the life of someone you love and believe you were protecting?


Publication Date: April 29th, 2025
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 368
Genre: Historical Fiction / World War II Fiction

Excerpt


Simon braced himself for what was coming. 

The rector cleared his throat, stood, and walked back and forth before them with his hands behind his back. His voice seemed apologetic when he stopped and said, “The Nazis are insisting we expel our Jewish students. The ones who came here told me they are forcing all other conservatories and universities throughout Poland to do the same. If we don’t conform, they’ll close the school.”

Simon’s chest tightened. He slowly shook his head in disbelief. A slight noise rose from his throat. He fought an impulse to leap from his chair and swipe his arm across the rector’s desk, letting the items scatter across the floor. To control himself, he squeezed his hands more tightly onto the arms of his chair. He looked at Professor Kaminski again for support. There was a look of helplessness on her face, a look of sympathy for what he must be feeling. He had grown to respect and love her dearly. The thought of losing her as his teacher devastated him.

His father raised his voice. “So, what are you saying? You’re expelling Simon?”

“It’s most unfortunate, but the Germans have tied our hands. I’m afraid the answer is yes.”

“When will this expulsion take place?” 

The rector looked down and lowered his voice. “Immediately, I’m afraid.” 

Simon’s face reddened. “Does this mean I can’t represent the school at the Independence Day Concert?” 

The rector stroked his forearm. “I’m sorry, son. I have no choice.” The rector turned to Simon’s parents. In a gentle tone, he said, “I want to repeat, Mr. and Mrs. Baron, we have the highest regard for Simon. It distresses us to have to take this action.” No one responded. The meeting ended with everyone looking dejected and unable to find the right words to say. 

Professor Kaminski and Simon walked quietly to his classrooms to collect his belongings. Other students passed Simon and nodded. Simon’s eyes averted theirs. When Simon finished, Professor Kaminski walked him to his parents. On the way she stopped, faced him, and placed her hands on his shoulders. “You’re a fine violinist, Simon,” she said. “You must never forget that. This war will be over one day, and you will resume your studies here, I hope. In the meantime, hold your head high, and keep practicing and composing. I’ll want to hear your compositions when we meet again.” They hugged each other. Simon bit his lip to hold back his tears.

Simon and his parents walked out the front door of the school with their shoulders slumped and their heads down. His father attempted to put his arm around Simon’s shoulder. Simon brushed it away and walked home ahead of his parents.

Once home, Simon retreated to his room and slammed the door. He threw his backpack on the floor and fell into his bed, stomach first. He hid his face in his pillow and cried.

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Fred Raymond Goldman


Fred Raymond Goldman graduated from Western Maryland College in Westminster, MD (now named McDaniel College) in June 1962 with a BA in psychology. Two years later, in 1964, he earned an MSW degree from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

Most of Fred's career was spent in Jewish Communal Service. He served as the administrator of Northwest Drug Alert, a methadone maintenance program at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. In this role, he also acted as a community resource, guiding individuals struggling with addiction toward Jewish services that supported abstinence, counseling, and job placement. Following that, Fred was hired as the Assistant to the Director of Jewish Family Services in Baltimore.

His final professional role was with Har Sinai Congregation, a Jewish Reform Synagogue in Baltimore, where he served as Executive Director for 23 years, retiring in October 2005.

In retirement, Fred pursued his love of hiking with The Maryland Hiking Club and spent time volunteering at The Irvine Nature Center. There, he led schoolchildren on nature hikes and assisted in the center’s nature store.

Writing had always been a passion for Fred, dating back to childhood, but it wasn't until retirement that he began to take it seriously. He started writing children's books and became a member of the Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Association.

Among the titles he wrote are: Vera and the Blue Bear Go to the Zoo, Never Bite an Elephant (And Other Bits of Wisdom), The Day the School Bus Drivers Went on Strike, If You Count, and The Day the School Devices Went on Strike.

Though none of these books has been published, Fred remains hopeful that if the CONCERTO books gain recognition, opportunities for the earlier works may follow.

Fred’s journey of writing the CONCERTO companion books began when he saw a note on a local library bulletin board about a new writer's group led by a local author. He joined and, along with nine other participants, learned the fundamentals of writing: staying in the protagonist’s point of view, building narrative tension, developing distinctive and flawed characters, and the process of writing and rewriting.

Over the course of more than four years, Fred dedicated time to writing, researching, rewriting, and submitting the manuscript. What began as a single book titled The Auschwitz Concerto was eventually split into two volumes and self-published. For a time, the manuscript was also titled The Box.

The encouragement from the group’s teacher and fellow members played a key role in shaping the novels, and Fred hopes his feedback was equally helpful to others in the group.

In the 'Author’s Notes' of the CONCERTO books, Fred outlines the goals behind sharing these stories. Prior to writing them, he had only a general understanding of the Holocaust—knowing that nine million lives were lost and that it was a horrific chapter in history. Through the writing process, he gained deeper insights into both historical events and human suffering, fostering a greater sensitivity to contemporary issues. He firmly believes that what affects one group can quickly impact everyone, and that such awareness is critical today.
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Monday, July 7, 2025

On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: An Echo of Ashes by Ron Allen Ames


An Echo of Ashes
By Ron Allen Ames


An Echo of Ashes is a story lost to time, then found again in century-old letters that lay in a tattered box.


Based on actual events taken from the pages, this story tells of when the Great War and the Spanish Influenza forever altered the lives of millions, including a family of subsistence farmers who also worked the oil fields of Pennsylvania.


Ella and Almon make their home in the backcountry. Almon and his sons work in the oil fields, just as their forefathers before them. As war and influenza break out, the parents seek to shield their family from the impending perils. Earl, the eldest son, is a gifted trombone and piano player. He is captivated by Lucile Lake, a girl from a higher social status. All he has to win her heart are his music and his words as the military draft looms in the foreground. Jack, a friend as close as a brother, faces the horrors of war at the Western Front. Albert's free spirit creates chaos as he searches for direction. Arthur's patriotism leads him to the Mexican border. Young Russell must suppress his fear to save a life, while Little Clara remains protected from the distress.


World War One and the Spanish Influenza Pandemic are most often documented separately, yet they intersected in 1918. For those who endured sacrifice and loss during this time, looking forward seemed their only choice. The sharp echo of tragedy, carried through the ashes of what once was, likely dulled but never vanished from their minds. This is just one of countless family stories from such a perilous chapter in American history.


Publication Date: March 25th, 2025

Publisher: Historium Press

Pages: 247

Genre: Historical Fiction


Excerpt

Suddenly, the rattle of machine gun fire came from nowhere. Through the sheets of smoke, chaos broke out as soldiers darted in all directions. Gunfire was everywhere. The carefully orchestrated attack had come undone.

“They are shooting at anything!” Percy screamed. In his confused state, he rushed forward, straight toward the barrage. He will get too close! Jack lunged, chasing Persey. The foot race ended when Jack caught Persey and pulled him down into a shell hole. Both men lay on their bellies with their heads down as dirt splattered over them. The earth shook as the barrage stopped moving. It was now a wall of unceasing explosions, the sound of which had culminated into one continual, deafening, thunder. A semblance of hell was the only description for such a horrific tactic.

Suddenly, it ended. The incessant sound echoed down a nearby valley until it was gone. Smoke, and the metallic smell and taste of gunpowder was all that lingered.

After a time, Jack lifted his head. The dirt fell from his helmet as he peeked over the top of the hole.

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Ron Allen Ames


Ron Allen Ames is a history enthusiast who attributes his forty-six years of life experience as a hands-on business co-owner, for giving him insight into human nature, a benefit when portraying the lives of others. The information he received, dating from 1914 to 1919, is what prompted Ames to bring this history to light in An Echo of Ashes.

Ames lives with his wife Cathy in Pennsylvania. They have two grown sons.
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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: Dagger’s Destiny (Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book #2) by Linnea Tanner #audiobook #blogtour

Dagger’s Destiny (Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book #2) By Linnea Tanner A Celtic warrior princess accused of treason for aiding her enemy l...