J.D.R. Hawkins

One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Archive for the month “February, 2023”

28 Feb 2023

Release Day Blitz – Bad Girl Gone Wicked

Everyone knew that when she stepped up to the crease, she always came out swinging…

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Tara Wadhwa, Captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket team, was living the dream. She got to play the sport she loved and to live close to her friends, the family of her heart. But when her friends start to fall in love, a sliver of loneliness works its way into her heart pushing her to make a reckless mistake.
Nikhil Upadhyay, owner of a pristine reputation and the nation’s best fixer, is called in to save the day. Fix Tara’s reputation and babysit her till she brings home the World Cup. A dream assignment for a man who otherwise spent way too much time cleaning up far messier situations. Until he met his newest client and the dream turned into a nightmare…
Can Tara work past her childhood grooming to see that there could be a life beyond the game? Can Nikhil see the value of the girl behind the polished façade he was working on presenting to the world? And will the two of them ever stop fighting long enough to allow their simmering attraction a chance to come out and play?

For when the Bad Girl met the Good Boy, she realised, that just this once, she wanted to let her inner ‘wicked’ out to play. And we all know what happens when Tara Wadhwa steps up to the crease…

Book Links:
Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com

Reads an Excerpt from Bad Girl Gone Wicked

“Tara, this is beyond damage control. For the next few months, you will do whatever Nikhil asks you to do. No arguments, no semantics.”
The weight of what they were asking of me started to press down on my shoulders, but I just squared them and tried to act unaffected by it all. Like I always did. Like I always would. No one needed to know what it cost me. Not because I was ashamed of it but because they didn’t care.
“Okay,” I murmured, letting my public persona slide back into place. My tiny spurt of rebellion had been duly squashed. Now it was time to make amends. My entire future, my entire life was at stake. Because I was nothing without this game. “When do we begin?”
“Now.” Manisha said, moving towards the door.
“Now?” Panic flared inside me as I stared at the door. “I haven’t even changed out of the clothes from last night’s fiasco or had a chance to wash up or-”
“Tara.” Manisha’s firm voice cut off my rising hysteria. “He doesn’t care if you look a mess. That’s what he’s here for. This is his job. To clean up the mess. All of it.”
Like I was what a puppy had pooped out in the middle of the living room rug. And this nerdy looking guy was going to clean it up and hide the evidence. Temper was starting to spark again eating into my resolve to be well behaved. Wonderful. I’d lasted all of five minutes and I hadn’t even met this fixer guy yet. How was I going to keep this up for months?
“Now,” Manisha said. “I’m not going to say it again. Behave.”
When had she said it before, I wondered, as the door opened almost in slow motion. And Black Suit walked in.
My gaze travelled from his perfectly polished black shoes to his perfectly pressed black suit. Was he wearing the same outfit as his resume picture, or did he just own replicas of one outfit which he wore every day? God, this guy gave new meaning to the definition of nerd.
And then my gaze rose further and met amused chocolate brown eyes set in a face that devoid of life had been ordinary but lit up with spark and laughter like it was right now…
Hot nerd. Black Suit was a very hot nerd.  

About the Author:

Shilpa Suraj.jpeg

A published author with Harlequin India – Mills & Boon India Collection and Juggernaut, Shilpa Suraj’s books have hit both the Hot New Releases and Bestseller lists on Amazon. Her next novel, tentatively titled ‘Wrong,’ has been contracted by Rupa Publications and will release later this year. She is also part of the Flipped Anthology by Harper Collins and had an audiobook book Insta Reddy release with Storytel.

She is, amongst other things, currently working on ‘Frazzled and Fabulous,’ a humorous, true-to-life parenting story that is part memoir and part nonfiction.

An avid reader with a passion for creative writing and storytelling saw her participating in writing competitions at school and dabbling in copy writing for an ad agency as a teenager. Twenty years in the corporate space, including a stint in Corporate Communications for Google, India, and a spell at entrepreneurship all hold her in good stead for her multiple current roles of author, mother and Head of Human Resources & Public Relations at an architecture and interior design firm.

Contact the Author:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Newsletter

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22 Feb 2023

Review for A Beckoning Hellfire

I came across this review for my novel, A Beckoning Hellfire, that I wanted to share. A Beckoning Hellfire is the second book in the Renegade Series, and tells the story of a family from north Alabama and how the war impacts them. A Beckoning Hellfire centers around the son, David Summers, as he enlists with J.E.B. Stuart’s Confederate cavalry. Thank you for the review, Scarlett Jensen!

Scarlett Jensen

What a cruel thing is war

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Copyright © 2021 by J.D.R. Hawkins. A Beckoning Hellfire.  Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. This is a widely researched historical novel.

A Beckoning Hellfire follows the same family as in her previous book, A Beautiful Glittering Lie. With her novels, you’re doing more than just reading; you experience. It is recommended to fiction lovers even if historical is not your favorite.  You are transported into the human side of war.

The validity of war, as well as Hiram’s death in the Battle of Fredericksburg, motivates David to convince his best friend, Jake, to go with him and enlist in the Confederate army, more to avenge his father than for idealism.

Expressing horror, suffering and cruelty of war the author recounts the human side of this war. Historical facts that mix with a look into how the war is seen from the eyes of a young soldier, tell the story of a family from north Alabama. But what a cruel thing is war. To separate and destroy families and friends and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world. To fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world…My heart bleeds at the death of every one of our gallant men. —Robert E. Lee, letter to his wife, December 25, 1862.

Things  taken for granted before: Impending darkness engulfed David’s heart. Feeling the need for solitude, “I’ve heard tales as many as half a dozen from this county alone, died fighting with Hiram.”

Resentment and hostility simmered throughout the county. The Northern invaders had taken David’s father, and all he could think about was his own vendetta.

Excerpt:

“Fightin’ for the grand ole Southland. And of you. He talked about you all the time, David. How much of a man you’d become, and how you hoped it would last long enough to see his intentions through. I see it, you’re the next of your pa’s kin to pay for his mistake.” 

What with the Yankees breathin’ down our necks? David plans to join  the army. “What about the crops? Jake will git in with the cavalry. Ma, how will we kill any Yankees ? God’s purpose is something different from the purpose of either party – and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to affect His purpose. Ma’s voice softened his heart and calmed him, like an angelic phenomenon.

David wanted a chance to avenge Pa’s death. He had already committed a murder. Captured before he reached Virginia, runnin’ from, he thought to himself. He would run away for now, fight for his father’s honor, and deal with this whole awakening in the people of the highest emotions and qualities of the human soul.

We have a tale demonstrating the strife cultivating feelings of patriotism, virtue, and courage. Instances of self-sacrifice and of generous soldiers of the Confederate States of America, to give an oath of allegiance.

For David, this could be the last time he’d ever see Alabama again. He already felt homesick. David was on the run.  Was Jake an accomplice to a murder by David?

The war: Yankees  had exhilaration in their hearts that bubbled out into hilarity. Some damn Yankee tyrants, men in combat screamed, slashed, and cursed. Bullets whizzed, and thousands of hooves thundered. This story reminds you of the glorious land of Dixie, and proves that they were of noble race and lineage In the history of the country.

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16 Feb 2023

Awesome Review from Diabolic Shrimp

I received an awesome review last week for my novel, Double-Edged Sword, from Diabolic Shrimp. If you are unaware of Diabolic Shrimp, it is a website run by Josh Grant to advertise his books, and post reviews of other books as well. He also does many wonderful things, including helping to fund ocean exploration, supporting UNICEF and homeless single moms, and numerous other humanitarian interests. He has a line of comic books that he writes too, so check out his website!

Double-Edged Sword

JDR Hawkins

JDR Hawkins brings us a really interesting and human look at the Reconstruction era with Double-Edged Sword!  With the end of the Civil War, ex Confederate David Summers returns to a war torn home and begins to attempt to pick up the pieces.  But when a confrontation erupts with an old enemy, David is forced to stand trial.  Hawkins always brings the past to life so vividly and seamlessly, and seeing Reconstruction through David and his family’s eyes was very deep and intriguing!  I especially found the court case and the arguments around fairness in a postwar Union to be particularly fascinating, and I honestly had to keep flipping forward to figure out what would become of David!  If you love historic fiction, the Civil War era, or even court dramas, definitely dive back into the deep South with Double-Edged Sword!

https://diabolicshrimp.com/2023/02/02/double-edged-sword-review/

This book is also being featured on Diabolical Shrimp’s footer ad space, along with my other books in the Renegade Series.

https://diabolicshrimp.com/2023/02/16/a-beautiful-glittering-lie/
https://diabolicshrimp.com/2023/02/16/a-beckoning-hellfire/
https://diabolicshrimp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp5fRXb9o-yIOgzZsjl8BCw

https://www.fiverr.com/gran7973

Thank you, Josh, for featuring my books, and for writing your review!

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13 Feb 2023

Release Day Blitz – The American Outsider

“A charming read with characters who come to life on the page—and who live for a cause whose urgency shines through the story.” – Booklife Review

Tessa Walker is a veterinarian with a strong, emotional connection to animals. As a teen, she witnessed the brutal slaughter of dolphins, and as an adult, she decides to do something about it. She leaves her home in Los Angeles and travels to Japan to speak out for them, but little does she know that she is embarking on an adventure that will change her life forever. From the urban metropolis of Tokyo to the historic Kyoto to the culinary city of Osaka, and the seaside town of Taiji, Tessa is determined to help Japanese activists stand up for her beloved mammals.

Along the way, the friendships and bonds that she builds with people in Japan, and the unconditional love of a stranger named Toshiro, open her eyes to a complicated society of conventions and traditions. Yet, her limited knowledge of the language and customs doesn’t deter her from taking on a dangerous mission that could land her in jail.

Book Links:
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/88079111-the-american-outsider
amazon.in – https://amzn.to/3HWpjhm
amazon.com – https://amzn.to/3YAPW2o

Read an Excerpt from The American Outsider

At the Japanese garden, Tessa watched butterflies drink the nectar of flowers. She fed the fish in the koi pond and stood on a bridge to take several shots of the picturesque scenery. Less shaken, she headed to the French garden she had heard so much about and began sauntering down a sycamore-lined path. She sat on a bench and pulled out her beautifully wrapped bento box, chopsticks, and jasmine tea. Inside, the box cradled an artistically arranged mini-feast of multigrain rice, white rice, marinated tofu, and colorful vegetables. It almost looked much too pretty to eat. As she enjoyed her meal and drank her fragrant tea, Tessa took in her surroundings. A mother pushed a toddler in a stroller and carried her younger child in a strap wrapped around her. An elderly man sat at a bench and sketched the landscape. Two trendy-looking girls wearing miniskirts and hats chatted and sniggered. A group of middle-aged women used fanciful umbrellas to keep the sun from aging their flawless complexions. Showing off one’s legs by wearing miniskirts was common in Japan, but showing one’s shoulders and cleavage was taboo. Wearing hats and using umbrellas was favored because having a fair complexion was important and desirable for many Japanese women. Tessa, on the other hand, loved the sun and a good tan. Funny, how everyone’s perspective is so different, she thought. When she finished eating, Tessa placed her trash in a plastic bag and put it in her handbag. In Japan, it was rare to see public trash cans. People carried around small plastic bags to put their trash in until they could discard it at home. To outsiders, Japan’s trash etiquette is complex and one of the reasons why landlords do not like to rent apartments to foreigners.

Homa Pourasgari spent hours in her father’s home office, writing, reading and letting her imagination carry her to unseen worlds. She moved to Los Angeles, California, at a young age. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in business, she went to Paris for a year to study literature at the Sorbonne. Before becoming a full-time writer, she ran her own boutique, worked at a bank and a CPA firm, was a personal trainer and even taught spinning and cardio kickboxing. When she is not writing, she is stumbling, miming and pointing to find her way in a foreign country. Her latest novel, The American Outsider, is based on her travels in Japan.

Homa on the Web:

Website – https://www.homapourasgari.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088472221231
Twitter – https://twitter.com/homapourasgari

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08 Feb 2023

A Few More Five-Star Reviews for A Beautiful Glittering Lie

Here are a few more five-star reviews that my novel, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, recently received. This book is the first one in the Renegade Series, which tells the story of a family from north Alabama, and how the Civil War impacts them. Thank you so much, A. Cannady, Amy K. and Hamza, for your five-star reviews!


A Cannady

5.0 out of 5 stars A great story!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 18, 2023

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A Beautiful Glittering Lie: A Novel of the Civil War is a fantastic story around a family’s struggle during the civil war. The storyline is great and the scenes were set up very vividly with great character representation. I enjoy good history books and this one was definitely right up there with the best of them. I highly recommend this book to all history buffs and war buffs.

Amy K.

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 17, 2023

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“A Beautiful Glittering Lie: A Novel of the Civil War,” by J.D.R. Hawkins is the first book in the Renegade series. This book is highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of historical fiction. This book really takes you back in time and will truly leave you highly engaged and wanting more with every turn of the page.

Hamza

5.0 out of 5 stars The struggles surrounding Civil War

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 17, 2023

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“A Beautiful Glittering Lie: A Novel of the Civil War (The Renegade Series Book 1)” is a historical tale that narrates the civil war in America. From being enlisted in Army to numerous sacrifices for the sake of the family, the novel offers a fascinating action packed storyline. The story is portrayed from the perspective of a mother, a solider and the youth of the present time. The book makes you understand the Civil War goes beyond Slavery. The writer has provided a strong revision of history through enlightening storytelling. Overall it is an emotional and delicate recap of America’s Civil War.

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02 Feb 2023

More Five-Star Reviews for A Beautiful Glittering Lie

Recently, I received more five-star reviews for my novel, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, and I wanted to share them. This book is the first one in the Renegade Series. It tells the story of a family from north Alabama, and how the Civil War impacts them. Thank you so much for the reviews!

Nicki

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compelling Story on Civil War from the Viewpoint of the Confederate

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 14, 2023

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This is a beautiful story of a family’s sacrifices and struggles as they stand up to a belief and their country. While we, as readers, encounter all the perils of the war, some ugly truths also surface, that make us question about the many facts and legends associated with the Civil War.

Michele Klawitter

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful lies for sure

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 13, 2023

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This book is a historical fiction centered around the Civil War. Not for the weak hearted. The POV in this is from the south so keep that in mind. Not for everyone but a good read. Great job to the author.

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