Let me tell you a little bit about Jacqui Murray and her latest book.
Jacqui Murray is an amazing woman. She is constantly researching the history and facts about how man lived on this earth from hundreds of thousands of years ago to several thousands of years ago. She has read dozens and dozens of books and articles about the evolution of the earth and how man survived in the harsh environment of nature as it was back then.
She has drawn on this research to write many novels, but if you think research has made her books dry or boring, think again. They are page turners!
Jacqui Murray has done all the work. The only thing we need to do is read and enjoy the wonderful novels she writes about the people of those times. She gives the characters personalities that we can identify with. Some are wise, some foolish, some good and caring, others vain or selfish, hardworking or lazy, skilled or unskilled. Not much different from people today. Humans had emotions and basic needs throughout history. The emotions haven’t changed. But how they reacted to those emotions and needs was sometimes very different from what we would do today.
Most of us love nature. But imagine having nothing but nature around you, and having to survive without most of the conveniences of food, shelter, and security that we take for granted nowadays. How hard would life be if the world was still in upheaval from extreme weather conditions, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, as landmasses were still forming and changing?
You can’t go to the store to buy a coat if you’re cold; there are no stores. You have little protection against wild animals, and no modern medicine for illnesses. You need to learn which animals are dangerous to your health and which plants will kill you if you eat them. There is no book to consult about these mysteries. You are basically on your own. Most of us would not survive.
The survival instinct is one of the main reasons that early man learned to work together with others of their kind, and formed groups or tribes. They knew that there is strength in numbers.
In Jacqui Murray’s books, you will love getting to know the people and you will feel their joy and their pain. Best of all, you will find yourself in a world you’ve probably never imagined. It’s as if you went back in time … WAY back in time.
Don’t miss Jacqui’s latest exciting page turner, “Badlands,” the second book of the trilogy, “Savage Land.” If you haven’t read Book One in the series, please check out “Endangered Species.” You can find both books if you click on the link below the cover image of “Badlands.”
*****
Author bio:
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes 100+ books on tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.
Social Media contacts:
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jacqui-Murray/e/B002E78CQQ/
Blog: https://worddreams.wordpress.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/askatechteacher
X: http://twitter.com/worddreams
Website: https://jacquimurray.net
Book information:
Print, digital, audio available: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0DFCV5YFT
Genre: Prehistoric fiction
Editor: Anneli Purchase
*****
Here is a sample – just a small part of Chapter One.
Chapter 1
75,000 years ago
Modern day Altai Mountains, Siberia
Yu’ung’s legs churned, arms pumped, throat straining to draw in air. Her red hair hung in damp sweaty ropes on her neck and shoulders. After narrowly escaping the cave-in and then Hyaena’s attack, time had run out. B’o was supposed to leave with or without her when Sun reached a particular spot overhead. That point had passed and now, the maelstrom was upon them. She must get to her tribe.
Running never tired her, no matter how long or far. Today was different. Driven by desperation and worry for those who relied on her, she ran too hard and slammed up against her limit.
She stumbled to a stop and bent forward, chest heaving, sucking in one mouthful of air after another. The blue-eyed Canis–the massive Ump with his dark coat, the smaller White Streak with the light colored stripe cutting her black fur from one side of her forehead to the other, and the older Ragged Ear–circled back to her, huffing and prancing. Somehow, they knew time was short. Shanadar, who seemed to be their pack leader, wasn’t even winded. He waited, patient but anxious.
She muttered, “The smoke–it’s much worse.”
Yu’ung had departed her homebase before Sun woke. She had gone there to tell the Tall One Fierce that the People would join him. The air tasted of ash then, but lightly. By the time she reached where Fierce and his Tall One band should have been, the small flakes had grown chokingly large. The Tall Ones–wisely–were gone, but her mother, Kriina, now Fierce’s pairmate, left a message in the tunnel telling Yu’ung their destination and of a possible new homebase for the People.
It was there Yu’ung would lead the People.
“I’m ready, Shanadar,” and she took off again.
She expected the Angry Mountain’s destruction to clear closer to her homebase, but instead, cinders and smoke thickened and the air dimmed to a dingy gray. Uprooted trees blocked the usual passages forcing her to divert onto new, untried trails. Pockets of flames burned without pause on all sides. The grassland and forests that fed the People were almost wiped out.
*****



April 23, 2025 at 12:29 am
A wonderful introduction, Anneli! Well said. 😊 And good luck with your promotion, Jacqui. Cheers.
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April 23, 2025 at 7:12 am
Thank you, Lynette! Anneli summarized the entire series better than I could! I’m looking forward to our visit later this week.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:17 am
I’ve enjoyed all your books, Jacqui. They are great entertainment and I always find I’ve learned something I didn’t know before.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:07 am
Jacqui’s book have appeal for everyone who has ever wondered what it was like to live in those pre-historic times.
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April 23, 2025 at 3:44 am
Brilliant and another wonderful excerpt from Badlands..thanks Anneli and Jacqui. xx
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April 23, 2025 at 7:15 am
Thanks for visiting, Sally. Anneli is an amazing hostess.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:09 am
Readers are in for a real treat when they read Badlands. Thanks for visiting and commenting, Sally.
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April 23, 2025 at 9:50 am
I am sure of it Anneli, looking forward to reading soon. xx
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April 23, 2025 at 4:03 am
Thank you for giving Jacqui such a great review. Authors such as she deserve to be recognized.
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April 23, 2025 at 7:31 am
It’s always scary to publish a new book. Now, thanks to Anneli, a little less.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:40 am
Exciting in a good way mostly.
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April 23, 2025 at 10:30 am
Happy to hear that!
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April 23, 2025 at 7:54 am
It’s easy to say good things about someone as deserving and amazing as Jacqui is. Thanks for your visit and kind comment GP.
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April 23, 2025 at 4:47 am
An amazing series, so well researched and full of interesting facts.
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April 23, 2025 at 7:31 am
Thank you, Darlene. I enjoy finding out about my ancestors.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:41 am
I’m sure you’re related to Xhosa, Jacqui, from your earlier books. She was also an amazing person.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:11 am
I agree, Darlene, and at the same time we can enjoy living with our characters vicariously, without all their discomforts and fears. It’s like being a fly on the cave walls.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:12 am
What a great way to describe the reading of these books!
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April 23, 2025 at 5:03 am
I read Badlands and enjoyed it. Amazing characters, wonderful story, interesting setting!
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April 23, 2025 at 7:41 am
Thank you so much, Priscilla. That means a lot.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:12 am
If you haven’t read Endangered Species (book 1 of the series), it’s quite okay to read it without disrupting the flow of the sequence of events. I enjoyed both books very much.
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April 23, 2025 at 10:26 am
Yes, I have, great book!
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April 23, 2025 at 6:06 am
What a lovely write up! Congratulations, Jacqui!
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April 23, 2025 at 7:44 am
Anneli really understood this overall theme. Thanks for visiting, Kymber.
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April 23, 2025 at 7:58 am
Jacqui never ceases to amaze me, especially how she can turn the heavy-duty research of the reality of pre-historic times into novels about people we might relate to if we met them. We would probably want their protection if we lived in their world.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:06 am
Oh, yes, I imagine that’s true.
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April 23, 2025 at 6:43 am
Thanks for hosting Jacqui on the fantastic book tour, Anneli. Her book is fabulous.
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April 23, 2025 at 7:45 am
Thank you, Tim. I enjoyed seeing what my characters would do next! They became a willful group.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:30 am
😊
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April 23, 2025 at 8:00 am
It sure is fabulous, Tim. I love all her books because I feel like I’m right there with the characters.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:29 am
😊
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April 23, 2025 at 6:53 am
What a great way to greet a Wednesday. Thank you, Anneli. You distilled everything about the entire series. I’ll be saving this!
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April 23, 2025 at 8:14 am
It’s so easy to say good things about you and your work, Jacqui.
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April 23, 2025 at 7:06 am
Action-packed, descriptive writing. Really good, Jacqui!
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April 23, 2025 at 7:48 am
Anneli captured the themes and the spirit. Thank you to her for hosting, and to you for visiting!
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April 23, 2025 at 8:01 am
Never a dull moment in Jacqui’s books.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:15 am
I agree!
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April 23, 2025 at 8:27 am
Well done on the summary, Anneli. Congratulations to Jacqui and thanks to you.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:38 am
Thanks for visiting, John. These are fabulous books, as I’m sure you already know. I’m always shivering as I read about these tough people trudging through cold weather without complaint, or finding shelter and setting up camp so quickly and efficiently with every tribe member doing their share. And then there are the dangerous surprises that they deal with so competently. They deserve a lot more respect than most people would give them at first glance.
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April 23, 2025 at 1:12 pm
😀
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April 23, 2025 at 8:39 am
Thank you, John!
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April 23, 2025 at 1:12 pm
😊
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April 23, 2025 at 8:40 am
What a wonderful spotlight for Jacqui’s latest! I started it last night!! Her ability to step back into that ancient time period amazes me. Thank you, Anneli for hosting, and congratulations to Jacqui!
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April 23, 2025 at 9:00 am
I almost wish I hadn’t read it yet so I could enjoy it all over again. I’m anxiously awaiting Book 3 for another thrilling read.
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April 23, 2025 at 9:25 am
This trilogy was easier than my earlier ones because Neanderthals are so like us, it was simpler to get inside their heads. Thanks for visiting, Jan!
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April 23, 2025 at 8:53 am
A wonderful post!
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April 23, 2025 at 8:57 am
Thanks, Dawn. Jacqui’s books are great.
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April 23, 2025 at 9:26 am
It is–I’m saving it! Thanks, Dawn.
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April 23, 2025 at 8:55 am
“Come with me to the Badlands” is a great post title. I don’t remember what mine was, but it was not nearly so creative for Jacqui’s book tour. 😛
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April 23, 2025 at 8:58 am
Every bit helps to steer people to these wonderful books. Thanks Ilsa.
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April 23, 2025 at 9:17 am
Here here! 🙂
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April 23, 2025 at 9:27 am
The Badlands does evoke nasty, desiccated land with little food and no water. That was it, at that time. Anneli really got that top picture right.
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April 23, 2025 at 9:46 am
That picture was taken in Montana. There’s a small part of that beautiful state that the locals call the Badlands. I walked through a part of it and got too nervous about snakes, so turned around. Can’t imagine having to go through country like that and hope to eat and find shelter and stay safe.
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April 23, 2025 at 9:16 am
It sounds like a good book to read! Thanks for this post!
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April 23, 2025 at 9:27 am
Thanks for visiting, Ursula!
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April 23, 2025 at 9:42 am
Thanks, Ursula. They are great books.
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April 23, 2025 at 10:06 am
Great intro to Jacqui and her book Anneli. And the blurb piqued my interest.
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April 23, 2025 at 10:10 am
I hope you read Jacqui’s books. They are SO fascinating. I know you’d love them.
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April 23, 2025 at 10:15 am
Thank you!
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April 23, 2025 at 11:04 am
Great post for a book I loved! Can’t wait for the third one. Thanks for hosting, Anneli:)
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April 23, 2025 at 12:56 pm
Thank you so much!
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April 23, 2025 at 2:41 pm
Same here. Thanks.
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April 23, 2025 at 12:44 pm
Badlands does sound like a page turner. Thank you for the introduction!
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April 23, 2025 at 1:01 pm
It is meant to be filled with action, but their days were. Our ancestors never rested.
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April 23, 2025 at 2:42 pm
They probably never got bored, or had patience with those who did.
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April 23, 2025 at 2:43 pm
I think you’d love this series, Belinda.
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April 23, 2025 at 5:00 pm
You’ve done a wonderful job of showcasing Badlands, Anneli! I can add my recommentation as well. Yu’ung was such a good strategist!
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April 23, 2025 at 5:48 pm
She really did. I love seeing my series through her eyes.
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April 23, 2025 at 6:51 pm
She’s learning to walk in Xhosa’s footsteps.
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April 23, 2025 at 6:51 pm
Thank you, Liz. It’s interesting how the characters have such relatable traits; ones we love to read about.
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April 24, 2025 at 5:48 am
You’re welcome, Anneli.
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April 24, 2025 at 3:36 am
A wonderful introduction to the books. The excerpt is amazing.
thank you, Anneli for the introduction and good luck, Jacqui, with the promotion.
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April 24, 2025 at 6:55 am
Thank you so much. I hope readers enjoy the books as much as I enjoyed writing them.
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April 25, 2025 at 2:58 am
I think it is fascinating to have a connection to a modern-day recognizable geographical feature in the form of the Altai mountains.
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April 25, 2025 at 7:53 am
Yes! It makes us realize that these people, or ones just like them, really lived there at one time.
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April 26, 2025 at 7:18 am
Yes. I’m finally at a time when these geographical features existed. That wasn’t always true with my 2 myo folks.
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April 25, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Another great promotional post, Jacqui. I’m glad I found Anneli’s site! Just subscribed. 🙂
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April 25, 2025 at 9:12 pm
Thanks so much, Debra.
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April 26, 2025 at 7:12 am
Anneli brings peace and understanding to many of my days. You’ll enjoy her posts.
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April 26, 2025 at 7:16 am
Thanks, Jacqui. The feeling is mutual.
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April 26, 2025 at 12:49 am
Wow Anneli I can see you really appreciate Jacqui. Now I’m even more excited for when I read Jacqui’s book. I agree that she is an extraordinary women. I wouldn’t mind being a Neanderthal. Though I’d probably regret it if it actually happened lol
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April 26, 2025 at 6:50 am
LOL! The Neanderthals had many skills and a lot of staying power, but I think you’d be shocked if you woke up one morning and looked in the mirror to see a Neanderthal looking back at you.
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April 26, 2025 at 7:11 am
Oooh, I like that thought, Anneli.
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April 26, 2025 at 7:15 am
I wonder if the early people bothered to look at their reflections in the water, and what they thought if they did.
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April 26, 2025 at 7:22 am
Well, we don’t think the Great Apes (our closest cousins) recognize their reflections, but even that is a point of discussion among scientists. I’d love to know!
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April 26, 2025 at 10:03 am
We may never know for sure. Could you write “a couple of scientists in a time machine” into one of your novels?
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April 26, 2025 at 10:34 am
Ha!
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April 27, 2025 at 11:48 pm
Hahah 😃 yeah I’d be pretty ugly. No turning back. Dragging the club along the floor. Though Jacqui says that and hair pulling are myths. Rough life
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April 28, 2025 at 8:57 am
The way Jacqui tells it, the Neanderthals in her stories are quite happy with the way they look; the heavy protruding forehead that keeps the rain out of their eyes, and all that extra hair that keeps them warm…. We’d probably look quite cute as Neanderthals … well, our faces would be dry and we’d be warm anyway.
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April 29, 2025 at 12:05 am
Hahaha 😊 I love that imagery
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April 26, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Anneli, this is an excellent and detailed review. Thank you!
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April 26, 2025 at 6:05 pm
I hope you can find time to read some of Jacqui’s books, Jennie. They are really good.
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April 27, 2025 at 4:35 am
😍
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April 27, 2025 at 7:31 am
I agree. She hit everything important. Thanks for the visit, Jennie.
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April 27, 2025 at 6:01 pm
My pleasure, Jacqui.
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April 28, 2025 at 3:05 pm
Hi Anneli,
I agree with you.. Jacqui is amazing and so was your introduction and post!!!
🙌🏽
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April 28, 2025 at 3:11 pm
Thank you so much, Cindy. Yes, Jacqui is amazing to be able to sift through so much information and then use it to make page-turner novels.
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April 28, 2025 at 3:28 pm
Thank you, Cindy!
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May 5, 2025 at 11:58 am
What a wonderful shout out for Jacqui’s amazing talent, Anneli. It’s a great read and full of fascinating research. Congrats to Jacqui on the wonderful success of her series and latest release.
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May 5, 2025 at 12:35 pm
They are quite unique and entertaining while being informative at the same time.
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