EMBITTERED JUSTICE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08

Join Michaela Riley, author of the fiction novel, Embittered Justice (Publish America, Jan. ‘08), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in May on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

Michaela Riley was born in 1960 and grew up in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in a town that borders the Ohio River and is surrounded by beautiful rolling hills.

As a child Riley would spend most of her time reading every book she could carry home from the school library. She admits, “Being a writer was a fairytale for someone else’s life. Then I found a story that needed to be told.”

Riley left West Virginia to join the Army in 1981 and quickly realized that the quiet life of West Virginia was very different than the screaming platoon sergeant. She decided early in her military career that she would go to college and that law was her first career choice.

During her college years and after completion of her active duty tour during the Gulf War, she supported herself in a variety of healthcare positions. She plans on retiring from the Army Reserves this year and smiles as she says, “It was the best job and career I have ever had. I love my country.”

Nearly twenty six years later Riley has completed a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and a Master of Business Administration degree. She has been practicing as a Registered Nurse for almost twenty years and is the CEO of her own Professional Development Company.

Riley began to pursue writing when she was had the misfortune of spending time in a local court room. Research revealed increasing rates of plea bargaining and malicious prosecution. “I have always been an advocate for people in need. When your right to speak for yourself is prevented, something has to be done. The story must be told, everyone has a story. Writing has become something I am passionate about and I am working on two other fiction novels.”

Riley lives near the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She has a son (born in 1977) and a Labrador retriever. When not writing, Michaela gardens, cooks, and enjoys the outdoors with her family. Her favorite pastime is spent reading, going to movies or walking on the beach.

You can visit her website at http://www.michaelariley.com/.

Embittered Justice Synopsis:

What if everything in your life was changed because you opened a mysterious package?

Jennifer Campbell is a beautiful, talented woman with ambition and drive to succeed in corporate America. Moving to Virginia into the tightly knit community of Norfolk was a dream come true. A house on the beach, famly and security for the first time in many years providing the comfort and serenity Jennifer had searched for.

All is well, until the fateful day Jennifer received a telephone call. “Jennifer, go someplace and hide; don’t trust anyone. You can’t trust the police or internal affairs. Just go somewhere you can’t be found. I’ll call you in a few hours.”

Read the excerpt!

The pressure of defendants to accept a Plea bargain can actually persuade them to admit to crimes they didn’t actually do. Stress, financial concerns, loss of employment and a lengthy trial are all reasons for defendants to accept responsibility for a crime they did not commit. Plea bargaining can put excruciating and constant pressure on the accused to bear false witness against himself in the case when the accused is innocent.

When plea bargains are based upon the promise to give a reduced sentence if the defendant agrees to plead guilty is immoral and unethical. It can be compared to agreeing to give your wallet to a robber in exchange for your life.

What is everything in your life was changed because you were coerced into accepting a plea agreement to end the uncertainty you faced. Would you admit to something you new was untrue to prevent a prison sentence.

The plea in this case is not voluntarily given and should be enforceable by the court. Convicting and innocent defendant is much easier in when plea bargaining is permitted (Gorr, 2000).

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EMBITTERED JUSTICE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on May 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Michaela’s tour in progress, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in May. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this tour page on May 30!
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Michaela Riley’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/ and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson.

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