Book Tour: The Antique Picker’s Daughter

 

Book Details:

​Book Title:  The Antique Picker's Daughter by Melanie Dugan
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  250 pages
Genre: general fiction, literary fiction
Publisher: Inanna Publications & Education Inc.
Release date:  September 2026
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: because of mature themes (youth homelessness and human trafficking), and physical abuse, some rough language.  ​

Book Description:
​
​“The first thing you need to know: They’re not antiques.
The second thing you need to know: I’m not his daughter.”

Abandoned first by her father, and then by her mother, Frankie has been left in the care of her deeply religious grandmother. When her grandmother’s religious convictions tip into delusion, Frankie decides to run away.

Life on the street in Toronto is hard, and with winter coming, it gets tougher. This is when Frankie first meets Francis, a man old enough to be her father. He starts training her in “the game,” as she comes to call it; buying, stealing, and reselling “inventory” at inflated prices. Through winter, spring, and early summer, the two become a team, traveling around small towns and villages in southern Ontario.

As Frankie discovers, life on the road holds dangers she can’t anticipate, and her precarious world tips into disaster when Francis abandons her in an unfamiliar town. Betrayed, alone, and deserted, Frankie realizes she’s in a dangerous situation — will she be able to find her way out on her own?

The Antique Picker’s Daughter explores youth homelessness, human trafficking, and one young woman’s search for safety.

BUY THE BOOK:
INANNA 
Amazon ~ B&N 
Indigo
​add to goodreads

Meet the Author: 

Melanie Dugan is the author of Sometime Daughter (“A stunning debut,” The Kingston Whig-Standard), Revising Romance (“…heartwarming, amusing, and…downright sexy,” Midwestern Book Review), Dead Beautiful (“Artful and funny,” Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer), Bee Summers (“…a carefully wrought portrayal of the way we carry trauma with us through life,” Brenda Schmidt, Quill & Quire), and Hard White (“It is a very compelling and beautifully-crafted story…I highly recommend it,” Skeleton Press). 

She lived in Boston, Toronto and London, England, before settling in Kingston, Ontario, where she now lives.

She has worked in libraries and bookstores, and was Associate Publisher at Quarry Press in Kingston, and also served as Managing Editor for Poetry Canada, Quarry Magazine and Canadian Fiction Magazine. 

In 2009 she was promotions director for the inaugural Kingston WritersFest.
She has studied writing with Leon Rooke, Keath Fraser, Kim Moritsugu, Helen Humphreys and Anita Rau Badami.

Her short stories have been shortlisted for several awards including the CBC Literary Award.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads

Release: Promise of Punishment

PROMISE OF PUNISHMENT

Tara Gallina

Release Date: September 16

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

He's the memory that burns like poison. She's the obsession that devours his control.

Fable
They say angels only exist in heaven.
They’re wrong. Some are born into hell and learn to survive.

I was seventeen when I saved a beautiful stranger from dying in an abandoned garden. He promised to kill the villain in my nightmares. Instead, he shattered my life.

At twenty-three, I’m still running from the evil in my past, and the stranger who betrayed me. He’s back. Colder, and in a position to destroy me again.

I hide in a gilded mansion where elites play, falling for a masked man who makes my body come alive.

But some prisoners earn favors.
And some saviors keep deadly promises.

Wes
They say monsters are made, not born.
They’re right.

Cruelty came from my father. Survival came from the girl who healed me when I was meant to die. She was a glimmer in the darkness, then she betrayed me. Or so I was told.

Now she’s standing in front of me, a grown woman with haunted eyes and a hatred for me I don’t understand.

She doesn’t know I’m the man behind the mask, bringing her desires to life. She doesn’t know I own her world.

I was once saved by an angel, and I failed her. This time, I’ll keep my promise and reveal who I truly am.
Even if it makes her hate me more.

Grab your copy!

https://a.co/d/0hVMn3pm

Meet Tara Gallina:

Tara Gallina writes across various romance genres, from new adult and college to small town and fantasy. While most of her books are steamy, she's also penned a few sweeter titles.

Her stories blend angst, tormented heroes, a hint of humor, and the occasional tear. Many of her books come alive through settings inspired by her travels.

When she's not writing, she loves to visit gardens, New England in the fall, European castles, and Caribbean beaches. She has a fairy garden, a Lady Lair for writing, favors the color pink, and only drinks wine that tastes like melted sugar.

She lives in the Sunshine State with her husband, where she raised her two sons who are now adults. Her writing journey began in 2014 when she signed with a literary agent for a young adult retelling. Since then, she's moved on to publishing steamy romances and hasn't looked back.

To find out about Tara Gallina’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Tara Gallina and her books visit: https://www.taragallina.com/

Connect with Tara Gallina:

https://www.taragallina.com/about-me

Hosted By:

graph -->

Release: His Last Will

✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for HIS LAST WILL by @alexevansauthor! Grab it in KU! 

#OneClickHere 

https://mybook.to/HisLastWill 

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book...
🥀MMF

🥀Contracted Marriage

🥀Dark Hockey 

🥀Secret Society 

🥀Hurt/Comfort 

🥀Stalking

🥀Enemies to Lovers 

🥀Stepbrothers

I vow to make your life a living hell. 

In his last will and testament, he signed me over to him. 

Now I’m contracted to marry my dead boyfriend’s stepbrother. The new heir of The Araneae Order.

The man determined to ruin me - dismantle me, piece by piece - is now my fiancé.

A bastard claimed only for the blood running through his veins.

Aiden. Reaper for The Order. 

Known for stalking his prey from the shadows. 

Injecting them with his venom. Playing with his victims. Reveling when they break. 

A predator hellbent on seeking his revenge.

Whose sole focus is now on me.

Joining him in the shadows might be the only way I survive.

Til death do us part.

#newbookalert #mmfromance #alexevans ​@theauthor.agency

Release: Hostile Takeover

✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for HOSTILE TAKEOVER by @emmaleejaynewrites! Grab it in KU!  

#OneClickHere 

https://a.co/d/00qL0U0Y 

Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…

🔥Black Cat x Golden Retriever

🔥One Night Stand

🔥Surprise Pregnancy

🔥He Falls First

🔥Billionaire Romance

Kitty Biedermann has three rules for a layover in a bar she already hates:

1. Don't stare at the gorgeous cowboy across the room
2. Don't go home with him
3. Never, ever see him again.

She breaks all three.

It doesn't matter. He's a stranger in a state she's sworn off for good, and by morning she'll never see him again.

Except two months later, the CEO of FMJ walks into her boardroom to buy out her family's failing jewelry empire. And he's the cowboy from the bar.

Ford Langley isn't broke. He isn't a stranger. And he's not going anywhere.

The only problem?

She's carrying his baby. She can't read a word of the contract he wants her to sign. And according to the tabloids, she's already a gold-digging disaster who can't run her own company.

Ford's job is to fix things that are broken and then move on. Kitty is the first thing he's ever wanted to keep.

Too bad "hostile takeover" was supposed to mean her company. Not her heart.

#newbookalert #emmalyeejayne #billionaireromance @theauthor.agency

Tropes Reveal: Boy Meets Monster

Boy Meets Monster by Leslie McAdam releases on October 1st!

https://geni.us/BoyMeetsMonster

Read With Kindle Unlimited

You’re formally readmitted to Creelin University, known locally as “Creepin U.” The only things wilder than the monsters prowling around campus are the spicy male/male love stories unfolding between classes. Book one, Boy Meets Monster is a stand-alone m/m romance. This spicy novel is about a rich, cocky frat boy and a nerdy teaching assistant who needs lessons in confidence. Read it if you love a monster who takes one look at a human and says, “That one. I want him.” And then he spends the rest of the book proving that he’s good enough for the human. It’s part of the Creepin U: Season 2 collab series, and each book has a HEA.

Tropes:

Monster x human
Student x teaching assistant
Frat boy x nerd
Billionaire romance
Annoyance to love
Soulmates
Jealous/possessive
Anonymous connection online
A bet
Betrayal
Groveling
Slow burn

Plus:

Streaking
Lingerie
Makeover
Prehensile tail
Monster anatomy
Praise
Banana bread as penance
Crawling
Consent kings

Teaser: Gravedancer

LGBTQ Dark Fantasy Romance

Date Published: September 18, 2026

For lovers Malik and Dorian, the death of one of House Severn’s leaders just turned personal.

 

House Severn is in turmoil with the mysterious death of its leader’s omega mate. No one knows how he died, and it falls on Malik Devries, the House’s resident Spiritori priest, to find answers.

Dorian Morrow was only fifteen when his family fled House Severn. He always thought his dads wanted to get away and live life free of any House ties. He’d been wrong -- so very, very wrong.

 

EXCERPT

 

Wails echoed down the hall, anguished and utterly heartbreaking.

I leaned against the wall halfway down and closed my eyes. This whole nightmare had come out of nowhere, and no one had answers. Not even me.

A few days ago, Cesar, our leader’s mate, had been healthy, laughing and smiling with the rest of us. Then everything changed almost overnight. Darrien had rushed to my chambers and begged me to come with him, which I had. Cesar had been so pale, I’d feared he was already gone. He hung onto life for another couple of days before succumbing to whatever ailed him.

As I listened to one of my best friends mourn his partner’s death, I couldn’t help but curse the gods themselves. Darrien and Cesar ruled House Severn with kindness, and to hear such gut-wrenching sorrow was surreal in this place.

A door farther down opened, and I looked toward it. Darrien’s advisor, Christian Morelock, stepped into the hall. He headed my way, his expression as torn as I figured mine to be. He sighed and leaned against the wall opposite me, hands shoved into his pockets. He closed his eyes, and neither of us said a word for a moment while we listened to Darrien’s cries.

“Send any petitioners or issues to me for the time being.”

“Understood.”

“Don’t suppose you have any clue what happened, do you?”

I wished I could’ve said I had all the answers, but I had none. “No. Doc is just as stumped. Once Cesar is delivered to the chapel, I’ll see what I can divine.”

Christian studied me for a few seconds before replying. “You think it’s magic, don’t you?”

“I do,” I admitted. “Beyond the fact that we are less susceptible to illness than humans, my gut tells me this isn’t something so easily explained away.”

He nodded. “My question is: who is behind it? Who the fuck would target Cesar? That man never harmed a fly.”

That was the crux of this situation. Darrien and Cesar honestly had no true enemies. It just didn’t make a damn bit of sense.

“Anyway,” Christian said, dragging my attention back to him, “I need to go downstairs and call a meeting. Darrien will be out of commission for a while.”

This was one reason why I avoided relationships. Beyond being a Spiritori and dealing with the issues it came with, the thought of finding love, only to possibly lose it, was more than I really wanted to face.

Christian pushed off from the wall and put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make sure Cesar’s body gets to you as soon as possible.”

“Don’t rush anything,” I said. “Give Darrien time. I’ll be here.”

Nodding, Christian continued down the hall toward the bank of elevators. He stepped into one, and the doors slid shut, leaving me alone in the hallway again.

Darrien had quieted, but I could feel the soul-deep heartbreak with uneasy clarity. This was personal. We had been friends for centuries. Cesar’s death hit us all with devastating precision.

Like it had been planned.

That thought took root in my mind, and I couldn’t shake it. I hurried to the elevators and headed down. My apartment was on the same floor as Christian’s, but I worked in the basement. I enjoyed the solitude and quiet more than the usual bustle of the rest of the complex.

As soon as the doors opened, I stepped out, only to find Seth Gates, the head of security and the fifth member of our close-knit friendship circle, waiting for me. I nodded in greeting and unlocked the door, gesturing for him to join me. The moment we were alone, I turned to him.

“You’re thinking the same damn thing.”

“I am,” Seth said. “For several reasons.”

“Talk to me,” I replied as we walked through the entryway and toward my workspace. I pressed my hand to the sensor on the wall, and the door’s lock clicked. Confident Seth followed, I headed to my lab, turning on lights as I went. Once we were alone again, Seth sat on one of the nearby stools while I booted up my computer.

“I don’t think Cesar was the actual target.”

One eyebrow raised, I glanced over at him. “Okay…”

Seth shrugged. “I think we all were.”

I sat down and signed into the network. “Explain?”

“He was the only omega in Darrien’s inner circle. At least the only one anyone knew about,” he added. “He’d be the ideal target for magic, too, since he was a laicas.”

“True.” I turned to him. “Do you recall a trouble-making asshole named Jules Morrow?”

Seth scowled. “Bastard was a fucking pain in my ass. Why?”

“He and his laicas mate, Roman, struck out on their own about seven years ago. Before they left, Jules had been in touch with someone outside House Severn, asking about delayed magic.”

“How the hell did you find that out, and what the fuck is ‘delayed’ magic?”

“Let’s just say I do have contacts throughout the area,” I replied. “I can’t elaborate for their safety.”

Seth rolled his eyes. “You know you can trust me, but I get it. Now what’s ‘delayed’ magic? I thought spells hit when cast.”

“Most do, but those that are labeled as ‘delayed’ act much differently. They attach themselves to their targets and only activate when a certain event occurs or when a certain amount of time has passed. Essentially, a Magien can cast a spell on someone to activate, say, when that person hits a particular age or what have you. Follow me?”

“Sort of,” Seth muttered, though his expression said otherwise. He was a Venari, and, like laicas vamps, they tended to steer very clear of magic in general.

“Anyway, and this is a very loose hypothesis, what if Jules Morrow did something along those lines to Cesar? If your idea of all of us being the actual targets is true, then it would definitely be plausible.”

“I recall Jules being a rather jealous, vindictive shit,” Seth said. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Jealous being the keyword here,” I pointed out. “Cesar was an omega in a strong position of power. Jules was an omega with nothing but a cheating, worthless alpha.”

Seth sighed and raked a hand through his short, spiky black hair. “So what do we do?”

“I need to see if I can track down one of them.”

“That’s like searching for a needle in a haystack, Malik. How --”

“They have a son.”

 

About the Author

Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy as Katherine Cook.

He's an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

 

Author on Facebook

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Pre-Order Today

Excerpt: Fallen Rook

✨EXCERPT: FALLEN ROOK by @authorljshen releasing September 22!

#PreOrderHere 
🖤 Pre-order deluxe edition and get freebies: http://bloombooks.com/fallen-rook-preorder.html
♥️ Walmart exclusive: http://shor.by/00WF
🖤  Audiobook (full cast): http://amzn.to/4uTMVKV

I couldn’t take it anymore. 

I whirled around, stalked the short distance toward him, grabbed the back of his neck roughly, and slammed my lips against his, cutting off the incoherent stream of words. 

An awkward oomph escaped him. The taste of tobacco, beer, and undetectable sweetness invaded my senses all at once. I grabbed the back of his head, thrusting my tongue into his mouth, wedging my thigh between his legs, applying pressure to his swelling cock. I was hard, too. Of course I was hard. He was fucking gorgeous, a fact I never denied, but never let cloud my judgment, either. 

His tongue traced mine in an open-mouthed kiss, erotic and indulgent, just like the man himself. I met him with my own personality—demanding, aggressive, unhinged beneath the buttoned-down facade. I swallowed down his needy, slutty groans, dominating his mouth, his body, his soul. We grappled, him pushing at my chest to earn some of his dominance back, me returning his thrust with double the force. He grinned into our kiss, liking the way it felt being with someone his own size. I felt his smile in more than just my mouth. I waited for him to freak out and bolt, but all he did was deepen the kiss between harsh, desperate pants, bucking his hips to press his erection against my thigh in the middle of the goddamn street. 

Jesus fuck, he tasted good. Better than good. Divine. How long had it been since I’d eaten someone’s face like this? Two years? Five years? Ten?

Don’t think about it. It doesn’t matter. 

I needed to stop. 

Shit. 

Fuck. 

Dammit! 

Even though I’d been out for twenty years now, I didn’t do public displays of affection. 

More specifically, I didn’t do affection. 

Come to think about it, I did not do public, either.

#comingsoon #ljshen #theauthoragency @theauthor.agency