Books

Celebrate the Season with Bookshop.org’s Fall Reading Challenge!

| C.E. Flores

Are you ready to lose yourself in the enchanting world of books this fall? Bookshop.org presents its Fall Reading Challenge, and it’s the perfect opportunity to cozy up with some captivating reads and potentially win amazing prizes. Whether you’re a seasoned bookworm or just an occasional dabbler in the world of literature, this challenge promises an exciting journey from October 1st to 31st. Let’s dive in and discover how you can be a part of this literary extravaganza!

How to Join the Challenge

Participating in the Fall Reading Challenge is as easy as picking up your favorite book. Simply follow these steps:

  • Sign Up: Head over to Beanstack and sign up for the Fall Into Reading Challenge. It’s your passport to a month filled with reading and fun activities.
  • Log Your Reading: As you devour your books, record your progress on Beanstack. Logging your reading journey is not only satisfying but also an essential part of the challenge.
  • Complete Activities: Keep an eye out for exciting activities throughout October. Completing these activities will earn you badges on a Bingo card, adding a competitive twist to your reading adventure.
  • Prizes and Treats: Brace yourself for the fantastic prizes up for grabs!

Prizes and Treats

The Fall Reading Challenge offers some incredible incentives to keep you motivated and engaged:

Grand Prize Winner:

  • A generous $250 Bookshop.org Gift Card to fuel your reading addiction.
  • An additional $250 donation to the bookstore of your choice, supporting local businesses and authors.

Gold Prize Winners (10 Lucky Readers):

  • Each gold prize winner will receive a $50 Bookshop.org gift card to expand their personal library.

Discounts for Everyone:

  • Achieve a Bingo on your card, and you’ll be rewarded with a 10% discount on your next Bookshop.org purchase.
  • Go the extra mile and complete the entire Bingo card to unlock an impressive 20% off an additional order, letting you explore even more literary treasures.

Official Rules

Before you get started, make sure to familiarize yourself with the official rules of the challenge. You can find all the details here.

Join the Challenge!

I challenge you to read with me and discover the joy of books all over again. Join the Bookshop.org (NY) Fall Reading Challenge on Beanstack by entering my friend code: 1BTXSHR. Download the app here or visit Bookshop.org on Beanstack to immerse yourself in this literary adventure.

This fall, let’s celebrate the magic of books, explore new worlds, and create unforgettable reading memories. Keep turning those pages, and who knows, you might be one of the lucky winners to take home fabulous prizes. Happy reading!

Check out Cherokee By Nature

| C.E. Flores

I am so excited to announce that Cherokee By Nature in Apodaca, Mexico, is now carrying two of my books. Take a look!

If you are looking for essential oils, crystals, incense, and more, Cherokee By Nature has you covered!

Check them out on Instagram and Facebook.

April 2021 Virtual Book Tour– Kate Larkindale

| C.E. Flores

About The Author

Having spent a lifetime travelling the globe, Kate Larkindale settled in Wellington, New Zealand fifteen years ago.  A film marketing executive and mother to two sons, she’s surprised she finds any time to write, but doesn’t sleep much.  As a result, she can usually be found hanging out by the nearest espresso machine.

She is the author of contemporary YA novels Chasing The Taillights, The Sidewalk’s Regrets, An Unstill Life and Stumped along with several others that no one is allowed to see. Yet. She has also written one very bad historical romance, which will likely never see the light of day. She is working on several more YA novels that may or may not ever be finished.

Her short stories have appeared in Halfway Down The Stairs, A Fly in Amber, Daily Flash Anthology, The Barrier Islands Review, Everyday Fiction, Death Rattle, Kissed Anthology, Just Me Anthology, Drastic Measures, Cutlass & Musket and Residential Aliens, among others.

The Latest Release

Find Chasing the Taillights by Kate Larkindale at:

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Kate Larkindale

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Excerpt from Chasing the Taillights by Kate Larkindale

And then he’s there.

He steps into the room, his huge frame filling the doorway. He starts toward the bed then stops, his lips pressing together into a thin, white line. He drops his brilliant blue-eyed gaze to the floor for a moment and swallows hard before he looks up again. The scruffy beginnings of a beard shadow his chin.

“Hey, Lucy.” He tries to smile as he crosses to the bed, but his lips tremble too hard for it to be convincing. A muscle jumps in his jaw like a tiny fish trying to escape. “Thank you for being here, Peter.”

“I wish I didn’t have to be.” Peter gets up and gives Tony a brief hug. My brother’s arms don’t move, just hang stiffly at his sides, hands clenched into fists. 

Peter lets go and moves aside to let Tony sit next to me. “I’m going to get some coffee. I’ll be back soon.”

Tony watches him go, not turning back to me until Peter’s tall, lean figure has vanished into the hallway. When he does, his eyes are red-rimmed and exhausted. Purple crescents lie beneath them. He looks like shit, but something about the way he’s studying me makes me certain I look worse.

“Oh, Jesus, Lucy.” He shakes his head, a pleading expression on his face. “I have no clue what I’m supposed to say right now.”

I blink up at him. I need him to tell me what happened. I need him to explain it to me. I try to form the words, but they won’t come. My mouth, stitched up like a quilt, won’t shape what I need to say.

“Dad?” I manage after a long battle. “…Mom’s…” I can’t say it. If I speak it aloud it’ll be true.

I’m holding my breath. My chest aches and I let it out in a gasp. The pain is back, sharp and stabbing at my side, a dull throb in my neck and shoulder. Tony reaches out and touches the side of my face. I flinch, hating myself for it when his fingers are as gentle as rain.

“They’re dead, Lucy. They’re both dead.” His eyes lock onto mine and I know he’s telling the truth. The bleak, stunned look on his face tells me more than any words could. A sob escapes him and he starts to turn away.