Randy Overbeck

31/1/2021

Welcome to Day 4 of Randy Overbeck's Blood/Crimson Tour!

Giveaways:
(1) e-book copy of BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE or CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY (Winner's choice)
(1) $10 Amazon gift card

For your chance at winning one of the awesome giveaways above, simply leave a comment below!

“One Million Children Trafficked?”

“An astounding ONE MILLION Children are victims of human trafficking worldwide.”

When I first encountered this statistic at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, a few years ago. I was stunned to silence. I was mulling around, checking out the fascinating exhibits with a group of educators, many for the first time. I remember I stood there, rooted to the spot, reading and re-reading that one sentence. One million children. I had dedicated my life to young people for more than three decades in education, committed to make sure those I touched had a better life, or at least a chance at a better life through a solid education. But one million children being trafficked?

I never shook that experience of dread and horror.

That’s why when I penned my new novel, Crimson at Cape May, I decided to use my literary voice to share my outrage about this horrible fate of one million children. You see, my new novel is advertised as an award-winning, amateur sleuth mystery with a touch of romance, all set in the quaint, old resort town of Cape May, New Jersey. And all this is true. Just check out the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

In fact, I chose the beauty and charm of this picturesque small town, with gorgeous white sand beaches and the most stunning collection of Victorian mansions and B & B’s anywhere, as a deliberate contrast to the ugly world of human trafficking occurring not very far from the city limits. Cape May sits at the end of the New Jersey Parkway, a highway, experts say, connected to the major shipping and trafficking routes on the East Coast.

Don’t get the wrong idea. The novel is no white paper on sex trafficking. In fact, based on reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, readers love the romance, mystery, suspense and even the ghost story of the novel. But Crimson at Cape May offers more. As one professional reviewer wrote “the subject matter…is important in today’s mainstream media, because sex trafficking of young girls is something that is overlooked at an unprecedented rate.” My hope is readers, when the turn the last page and finish the story, may be motivated to discover more about this horrible scourge on the human race. Some simple research will lead them to any number of the websites posting information to fight this crime. Here’s just one example of the sites set up to inform and combat human trafficking. https://www.loveneverfailsus.com

If a few more readers get the message, I will have accomplished a major goal as an author, an educator and a human being.

AUTHOR BIO

Dr. Randy Overbeck is a veteran educator who has served children as a teacher and school leader. For more than three decades, his educational experiences have included responsibilities ranging from coach and yearbook advisor to principal and superintendent and he’s lived the roles of many of the characters in his stories. An accomplished writer, he has been published in trade journals, professional texts and newspapers as well as in fiction, with his third published novel. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. When he’s not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation “Things That Go Bump in the Night,” he’s spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Twitter: @OverbeckRandy
Facebook: Author Randy Overbeck
Website: http://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com

PURCHASE LINKS
https://www.amazon.com/Crimson-Cape-Haunted-Shores-Mysteries/dp/1509231633

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crimson-at-cape-may-randy-overbeck

https://www.bookbub.com/books/crimson-at-cape-may-by-randy-overbeck

BOOK TRAILER LINK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9nWiaGO-KM

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the authors' tour page on the 4WillsPublishing site. If you'd like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE. Thanks for supporting this author and his work!

24 Comments

Rox Burkey link

31/1/2021 11:40:01 am

Randy, your books are intriguing and the covers are superb. It is good you get your insights. Robert, thank you for hosting. Take care.

Robert Fear

31/1/2021 06:44:28 pm

Rox - many thanks for stopping by and supporting Randy.

RANDY OVERBECK

1/2/2021 10:12:20 pm

Robert, Thanks so much for hosting me. Best of luck.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 01:54:55 am

Thanks for support. I hope you find either BLOOD or CRIMSON intriguing enough in full.

Yvette M Calleiro link

31/1/2021 02:59:57 pm

Human trafficking truly is a horrific tragedy. In the past few months, our FBI has found several rings and rescued the children. When my son was younger, this was always one of my fears. I cannot begin to imagine the devastation the parents go through and the horrors the children face. It's nice to see that you bring attention to this in your novel, Randy. :-)

Robert Fear

31/1/2021 06:45:49 pm

Yvette - many thanks for your comments and support of Randy's post.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 01:59:04 am

I select my issues very carefully before I decide which issue to focus my narrative upon. For the first book, BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE, I chose to focus on racial discrimination. So, human trafficking was the logical choice for CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY.

Jan Sikes

31/1/2021 10:35:59 pm

Human trafficking is horrible any and everywhere and I cringe to think of it being in our country, but know it is. I look forward to reading "Crimson at Cape May!" Good luck on your tour and thank you for hosting, Fred!

Robert Fear

31/1/2021 11:42:28 pm

Jan - thanks for supporting Randy's day on my blog.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 02:00:05 am

I'll be anxious to hear what you think.

Wendy Scott link

31/1/2021 10:48:50 pm

A heartbreaking number - when one, is too many.

Robert Fear

31/1/2021 11:43:48 pm

Wendy - thanks for your support of Randy's guest blog today.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 02:02:16 am

I was stunned when I read the statistics about sex trafficking.

Sandra Dailey

31/1/2021 11:57:43 pm

My concern for this issue is one of the reasons I loved CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY. I appreciate the fact that you bring this problem out in your book. Many people would be afraid of it. It says a lot about the kind of man you are. We need more educators like you.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 02:03:25 am

Thanks again for your wonderful review. I'm truly humbled.

Robert Fear

1/2/2021 11:28:37 am

Thanks for stopping by Sandra and for your positive comments about Randy's post.

Wanda Fischer

1/2/2021 03:36:50 am

Thanks for hosting, Robert. Randy, my daughter is an educator as well, and she has many hair-raising tales to tell. She taught for 15 years in the inner city, and some of her students might be candidates for child trafficking, based on what I have read. I am anxious to read your book. Thanks for taking on this controversial topic within a novel.

Robert Fear

1/2/2021 11:29:59 am

My pleasure Wanda. Very interested to read your comments about the subject Randy has raised in his moving post.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 10:09:42 pm

The visit to the museum was several years ago, but it stayed with me and I've contemplated how to use my voice to get the word out. When I came up with the plot for CRIMSON, the inclusion of this social issue seemed like a natural extension since Cape May is located so close to the highway system used to traffick victims.

Roberta Eaton Cheadle

1/2/2021 04:27:49 am

Human trafficking is just horrible and a topic that needs constant attention. A good topic for a book, although scary to research and write about. Thanks for hosting Randy, John.

Robert Fear

1/2/2021 11:31:19 am

Hi Roberta, thanks for visiting the blog and for your comments. It was a pleasure to host Randy today.

Randy Overbeck

1/2/2021 10:11:20 pm

I'd be very interested in hearing what you think of my treatment of the issue after you've had a chance to read CRIMSON AT CAPE MA.

Cee

2/2/2021 11:29:49 am

I find your interview very interesting. I, too, have touched upon human trafficking in my novel and trilogy series. The number of human trafficking victims from all countries around the globe is alarming. So disheartening to know the U. S. is part of these horrible statistics and the problem transcends all lines from sex trafficking to other types of human trafficking. This corruption needs to end. So glad it is being exposed.

Robert Fear

2/2/2021 09:19:12 pm

Thanks for stopping by Cee. I agree totally with your sentiments and admire authors such as yourself and Randy for exposing the human cost of this type of corruption.

Randy Overbeck

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