Library Girl Reads & Reviews

Chasing Invisible Tour Kickoff and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

From award winning children's author Karen Pokras Toz
comes the contemporary adult novel

Chasing Invisible

Could you handle life in the spotlight?

Julia Alexander is a quiet girl from a small town. Content to spend her days with her small group of friends and a pile of books, Julia thinks her future is set. When she unexpectedly meets Chase, a fellow college student and budding musician, she is unaware of just how drastically things are about to change.

Suddenly thrown into the limelight, her life is no longer her own. Relentlessly followed by the paparazzi, Julia is forced to make tough decisions about fame, love, family, and relationships. But just how much will Julia have to sacrifice to become invisible...

Buy at Amazon

Join Karen Pokras Toz for a Twitter Party

June 18 at 8 pm Eastern

#ChasingInvisible

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by the author. Giveaway is sponsored by the author who is responsible to prize fulfillment. Library Girl Reads & Reviews received no compensation for this post.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Southern Ohio Medical Center Supports Kids #monkeydo

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:49:00 +0000

The Monkey Do Project still needs your help
to provide kids with filled backpacks at a free health fair.
Read more about the project and donate at Pave the Path with Monkeys.

Local businesses and organizations often see the needs of the community better than outside organizations. Stepping up to help meet these needs makes an organization a shining star in my book. Today I want to give a huge shout out and Thank You to Southern Ohio Medical Center for their generous donation to help Monkey Do Project cover the cost of 2,000 filled backpacks for kids in Adams County, Ohio.

Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC) has been serving the community of Portsmouth, Ohio with emergency and surgical care as well as other medical services since 1954. The 222 bed 501(C)(3) not-for-profit hospital was ranked first on Ohio’s Top Employers list in 2010 and has been on the list for five consecutive years. It was also on Fortune Magazine's list of 100 Best Places to Work in America.

It is the mission of SOMC to truly make a difference in the lives of patients, employees, and the surrounding community. The goals of SOMC encompass the mission and the organization’s five strategic values which include: achieving and sustaining exceptional results in safety, quality of care, service, relationships, and financial performance.

SOMC has received recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, earning their Magnet recognition status. This status recognizes excellence in nursing and is given to only 6% of hospitals nationwide! The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) awarded Voluntary Protection Program Star Designation putting SOMC in the top 1% of hospitals nationwide in safety excellence.

Please visit Southern Ohio Medical Center on Facebook and Twitter
and let them know that you really appreciate their support of the kids in Appalachia and the Monkey Do Project.

Thank You Southern Ohio Medical Center!

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Sydney Logan talks Mountain Music and Mountain Charm

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Mountain Music

Sydney Logan

Anyone who reads my books (or just my bio) knows how obsessed I am with music. As a child, I preferred record players to Barbies, and I distinctly remember my first 45 and my first album. The first record I remember owning was Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life.” I was four years old, and I sang it ALL the time. My dad even has an old cassette recording of me singing it. The first album I ever bought was Rick Springfield’s Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet. I don’t remember much about the album (It was 1982 and I was eight years old), but I distinctly remember the dog-covered image, and I remember two songs—“Don’t Talk to Strangers” and “What Kind of Fool Am I?”

I was definitely a child of the 80s. Michael Jackson. Madonna. Stevie Nicks. But then came the 90s, and with it a shift from 80s synthesizers to 90s grunge. For me, grunge was loud and dark and didn’t really interest me at all, so my love of music shifted to country music. Living in Tennessee makes it hard to avoid country music, but I’d managed it until Reba came along. Then there was Garth Brooks and Vince Gill, and with them, my absolute devotion to country music weaved its way into my heart.

In my new book, Mountain Charm, Angelina Clark owns a music store that sells Appalachian instruments. My dad plays bluegrass and has even built a few instruments over the years, so having a character whose life is so integrated in music wasn't a real stretch for me to write. She also loves Stevie Nicks. :)

As you can imagine, choosing music for the Mountain Charm playlist was very easy. If you’re at all interested in the music that inspired me to write, you can find it on my You Tube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/SydneyLoganAuthor. You can also view the book trailer, with music provided by indie songwriter/singer Sarah Cowart.

About the Author:

Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the Romantic Interludes compilation. When she isn't reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

Her second novel, Mountain Charm, is slated for a summer 2013 release.

Connect with Sydney:
Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * The Writer's Coffee Shop

“True love and sweet whispers, till death do us part;

Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”

At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.

That is, until Dylan Thomas arrives on her front porch.

Dylan, a Nashville writer, travels to the mountain town of Maple Ridge to unearth the family’s supernatural secrets. While her clairvoyant mother is convinced that Dylan is her daughter’s soul mate, Angelina refuses to see the nosy reporter as anything more than a nuisance.

Despite their constant bickering, sparks fly.

Dylan admits he feels strangely drawn to Angelina and is in no hurry to leave Maple Ridge or publish his magazine article. Fearful that his emotions are being influenced by the spell, a stubborn Angelina struggles to fight her own budding attraction to the reporter.

The two inevitably grow closer just as her mother’s health begins to deteriorate, and Angelina is faced with the possibility of selling the family’s music shop to pay the mounting medical expenses. Desperate to help the woman he loves, Dylan explores his own family tree and finds support from an unlikely source. Can he finally prove his love is real—spell or no spell?

A story filled with love, friendship, family, and just a hint of Appalachian magic, Mountain Charm will leave you spellbound.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

The End Was Not the End: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy Tales with Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:31:00 +0000

The End Was Not the End: Post Apocalyptic Fantasy Tales
editor Joshua H. Leet

Heroes prevail… usually. You sit close to a campfire, depending on its faint, flickering light to ward off the darkness. Yet the fire cannot hold back dark memories, thoughts of your fallen kingdom, of monsters across the land, of magic gone awry. Around fires like yours are seated other travelers, refugees from catastrophes none dare mention. Kings and queens huddle shoulder to shoulder with peasants, wizards share scraps with slaves, and each wishes only to be saved.

Some will be lucky, for heroes yet remain in their lands. For others, hope was not among the provisions stuffed into a pack when fleeing home. Eventually the silence of the night grows too heavy, and someone speaks. They tell a tale of loss, of foolish pride and tragic mistake. With bravery stoked by company, others speak up, each sharing their own sorrows. Before long, there are enough tales to fill a volume.

The conversations continue through the night, and by the time dawn has filtered through the gnarled tree limbs, journeys must continue, and one by one, the strangers trudge away. Their worlds may have ended, but they have survived another night. They will continue on, seeking to rebuild upon the ruins of great dreams. Their stories linger upon the air, drifting into time like the smoke from their extinguished fires, fed only by faint embers.

This book contains eleven stories set in worlds where an apocalypse has already come, but the characters you’ll read about aren’t quite ready for the end.

This anthology includes the following authors and stories:

Deedee Davies – “The Halls of War”
Desmond Reddick – “Blood and Fire”
Scott Sandridge – “Make Way for Utopia”
Jay Wilburn – “Twenty Year Plan”
Mandi M. Lynch – “Nightmares and Dragonscapes”
Magda Knight – ”The Stone-Sword”
William Ransom – “In the Hills Beyond Twilight”
Steven S. Long – “Blade of Fire”
Bill Blume – “Waist Deep”
Darra L. Hofman – “Ben”
Nathen Gallagher – “Story’s End”

Purchase on Amazon: Paperback * Kindle

About the Editor:

Joshua H. Leet is a native of Lexington, KY. He absconded with a degree in English Literature from Transylvania University and has co-authored 3 non-fiction books, including Civil War Lexington, Kentucky: Bluegrass Breeding Ground of Power (The History Press). He currently works as a contract scopist, and he edits novels for Seventh Star Press, working with authors like Jackie Gamber and Steven Shrewsbury. He enjoys reading, watching sports, television and movies, and playing Frisbee. When he dies, he hopes to leave the world the same way he came in, screaming with a clenched fist.

My Good Life at Home with Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Fri, 31 May 2013 21:04:00 +0000

This post brought to you by Allstate. All opinions are 100% mine.

When we first contemplated the idea of me becoming a stay-at-home mom the notion was a bit scary. Would we really be able to make it on one income? What would I do during the day? and Could I handle having a kid ALL THE TIME?

We decided to make the leap and I'm so glad we did because now I'm living the good life at home with my kids. I get to be there for all the important milestones. I don't miss out on the funny things they say or the cute things they do. I get all the hugs and cuddles that they will allow me and I'm taking full advantage of that before they decide they are too big!

When things do come up like sick kids or school cancellations, I don't have to scramble to change my schedule or find someone else to watch the girls. I'm already available. This means that I can help out other moms when they have things come up and they will do the same for me. Having a community of moms is something I'm not sure I would have found if I was working. The Allstate Good Life page is filled with tips to help you navigate those little bumps in the road.

I love that my kids get me to do things I haven't done in years. I'm outside more. I'm dancing and singing more. I'm learning new things as I search to find answers to the never ending "why?" questions. I'm experiencing things for the first time again by seeing it through their eyes. They remind me of the joy to be found in the simplest things. I look forward to sharing new experiences with them and seeing how they change as they grow.

Sure we have our rocky days now and again. That is part of life. Overall though I would say life is pretty darn good.

How are you living the good life?

Author Feature: Jason S. Walters

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:06:00 +0000

Jason S. Walters is an author, essayist, and publisher best known for running Indie Press Revolution (IPR), a distributor of micro-published roleplaying games. He is also one of a small group of investors that purchased Hero Games in 2001, and serves as its general manager. After owning a San Francisco bike messenger service for 15 years, he and his wife Tina moved to Midian Ranch: a homestead near the town of Gerlach, Nevada. It is also the location of IPR’s warehousing complex. They have a daughter with Down syndrome named Cassidy and animals too numerous to mention.

Connect with Jason: Blog * Facebook

Nakba: The Civilizing War Voume 1

A thousand years ago humanity’s dissidents fled, leaving behind a peaceful, unified world content to exist in a state of perpetual hedonism. Then a daring escape plunged civilization into chaos, forcing its rulers to expand outward to maintain order. Now all that stands between a newly imperial Earth and the rest of the solar system is a loose coalition of Maasai tribesmen, cloned feminists, shape-shifting humannequins, and vengeful Berbers led by the least likely hero in human history: a young woman with Down syndrome and a bad attitude.

Buy on Amazon: Kindle * Paperback

An Unforgiving Land Reloaded

In the desert life is hard. It can also be surreal. In the absence of congestion and convention, imagination takes you by the hand: or the balls. In this macabre collection of riveting tales, ENnie Award-nominated author Jason S. Walters grabs the reins of storytelling as if it were a wild stallion, leading the reader ever deeper into the physical and spiritual wasteland of the Black Rock Desert.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society by Darien Gee

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:25:00 +0000

I received a copy of The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society by Darien Gee from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program.

Fan's of Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series are sure to enjoy The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. I loved getting to know the people of Avalon and the book certainly centers on individuals and how their stories impact those around them. I was a little concerned when I started reading that I would feel that I was missing pieces of the story because I haven't read Friendship Bread but that wasn't the case at all. I was given exactly enough detail about each character and their history to become immersed in their current story line. I loved the between the chapters sections that gave us even more details about characters who weren't the focus of this book but had a smaller role to play in influencing events.

I do not scrapbook but the way Bettie describes scrapbooking makes me want to start! The scrapbooking wasn't the focus of the story but gave the women a reason to gather and share the events of their lives. Gee included enough scrapbooking detail and terminology for an authentic experience but not so much that it is overwhelming to people like me.

I greatly enjoyed The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society and look forward to reading Friendship Bread. I hope Gee plans to return to Avalon in the future as there are certainly many more stories to be told.

About the Book:

At Madeline’s Tea Salon, the cozy hub of the Avalon community, local residents scrapbook their memories and make new ones. But across town, other Avalonians are struggling to free themselves of the past: Isabel Kidd is fixing up her ramshackle house while sorting through the complications of her late husband’s affair. Ava Catalina is mourning the love of her life and helping her young son grow up without his father. Local plumber Yvonne Tate is smart, beautiful, and new to Avalon, but finds that despite a decade of living life on her own terms, the past has a way of catching up—no matter where she goes. And Frances Latham, mother to a boisterous brood of boys, eagerly anticipates the arrival of a little girl from China—unprepared for the emotional roller coaster of foreign adoption.

Enter Bettie Shelton, the irascible founder of the Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. Under Bettie’s guidance, even the most reluctant of Avalon’s residents come to terms with their past and make bold decisions about their future. But when the group receives unexpected news about their steadfast leader, they must pull together to create something truly memorable.

By turns humorous, wise, and deeply moving, The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society is a luminous reminder that the things we hold most dear will last a lifetime.

Buy from Amazon: Kindle or Hardcover

About Friendship Bread:

In the quiet community of Avalon, Illinois, Julia Evarts wonders how to move on with her life. Though her husband and five-year-old daughter give her an abundance of love, Julia still reels from a tragedy that has left her estranged from the sister who was once her best friend. Meanwhile, across town, widow Madeleine Davis takes great pleasure in serving up delectable treats and cozy comforts at her tea salon—now, if only she had some customers to enjoy them. And famed concert cellist and recent Avalon transplant Hannah de Brisay finds herself at a crossroads when her career and marriage come to abrupt ends. The three strangers forge a friendship at Madeleine’s Tea Shop, and soon their camaraderie extends to everyone in Avalon in the guise of a unique and wonderful gift. But even as Julia becomes ever closer to her new friends, she realizes the profound necessity of confronting the painful past she shares with her sister.

Life and loss, friendship and community, food and family: Friendship Bread tells a spirited, remarkably moving tale about the triumph of hope.

Buy from Amazon: Kindle or Paperback

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Blogger Development #ArmchairBEA Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 29 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Design Credit: Emily of Emily's Reading Room

Today's Armchair BEA topic is blogger development.

For me that means
confession time:

I have been blogging for almost 5 years and I still have no idea what I'm doing. I started this blog on a whim and I've been flying by the seat of my pants ever since. When I have time to read and review that is what you see here. When I don't have the time or desire to write reviews, you get guest posts from authors (often including giveaways). I've tried to add some non book related posts once in a while as well just to change it up a bit.

I often feel like I don't really fit in with many blogging groups because my blog seems like it has an identity crisis at times. I'm not fully a book blogger anymore, although that is how I started out, yet I don't have enough other content to fit into a lifestyle or mommy blogger category either.

Although I've tried to tame it, my blogging schedule remains completely unpredictable. Other than blog tours which are scheduled in advance much of my blogging depends heavily on how much time and energy I have. My goal is to start some weekly features so visitors can know what to expect if they visit on a certain day. I even have a weekly blogging schedule written out but I haven't stayed true to it yet.

I've met two incredible groups of people who are helping me navigate this crazy blogging landscape in different ways. One is a group of authors and book bloggers who inspire me by introducing me to new books to read and by providing fantastic examples to follow. The other is a group of women bloggers in Indiana who warmly accepted this book blogger into their group. Many of these women run their blogs as businesses and give me something to strive toward. They are pushing me to move beyond my comfort zone and to think about how I can be more intentional in my blogging.

Today seems as good a day as any to set some blogging goals for the rest of the year so here we go:

Actually stick to my weekly schedule for blog posts. This doesn't mean I have to have a post on every topic every week but that I will keep reviews on review day, guest posts on tour days, etc. This also includes finally getting my children's book feature going.
Read and implement ideas from two books on blogging. I picked up My Blog Traffic Sucks! 8 Simple Steps to Get 100,000 Blog Visitors without Working 8 Days a Week (Kindle) when it was free a while back but haven't actually started working through it. Another one that I really want to read is The (Real) Truth About How Blogs Make Money: Tips and Tricks to Turn Your Blog Into a Business (without the BS) (Available at Bloggers Earn Bucks.)

I have a feeling that those two books will give me plenty to work on for the rest of the year to become a better blogger. Being part of blogging communities has been a huge support for me during the times when I have wondered if anyone was actually reading what I've been writing. It is amazing that I've managed to continue for as long as I have in such a random fashion.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

The Man in the Box by Andrew Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 29 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hey blog peeps! It's me, Taylor.

So we beat the Panthers the other night. Didn't think that would happen. After the game, Dwayne came up on the court to congratulate me, and my dad started acting like a total jerk. I guess he wanted to congratulate me, too. He had never met Dwayne, and if fact, I don't even think Dad knew I had a boyfriend. I mean, why would I tell him, right? Anyway, he just started treating him like some little kid. I mean, doesn't Dad know that Dwayne is in COLLEGE? Hello?!!

I told Dad off later that night. Of course that didn't really set well with the family. I sometimes think they just want me to be this little wall-flower of a daughter. You know, just sit there, look pretty, don't talk, do the chores and get good grades. Well, I'm not going to do that.

Melanie told me the other day that I need to really be assertive with my family and start pushing back when they shove, because I'm at that age when they will either coddle me or release me. I'd rather be released. You know?

Well, Dad's been acting weirder than ever lately. He's been sneaking downstairs a lot at night. I went down once to grab a drink from the sink and he was behind the couch, just laying in this box. I had seen the top of his head from over the couch, and was seriously was just sitting straight up in this box, eyes closed, everything. Really freaky.

My grandpa's in town visiting now, and he and Dad have been real tense around each other, which isn't surprising. But I think I side with Grandpa on this whole feud thing since he hasn't given me any reason to hate him. Mom, of course is always trying to do the patchwork for us, and she's holding up well. It sucks that she's sick. It sucks that now is the time she has cancer, when I'm trying to break free from the family. I don't know, am I being selfish? Should I be there for her first? It's just that, if I show any interest or care, Dad jumps on it like a free sample at the grocery store and totally starts to take advantage of me opening up.

He tried talking to me the other night in my room, but I refuse to open up to him. If I do, he'll take that to mean that I still rely on him and need him. I was upset that Dwayne invited me to this college party, and I knew - I just KNEW - that my parents wouldn't let me go. And there's no way I'm going to bring that up to him when I'm that vulnerable, you know?

So, I don't know... I just don't see the lure in opening myself up to someone weird enough to go sneaking downstairs every night to go sit in some cardboard box. But then, sometimes, I think, I ought to give it a try myself.

Centipedes are everywhere now. Don't know where they're coming from. I check my bed every night for them before crawling in.

The Man in the Box
by Andrew Toy

Work provided Robbie Lake the perfect escape from his family. But his life is turned upside down when he is unexpectedly fired. When he finds a new way of escape through a cardboard box, everything changes. The imaginary world of his childhood has evolved in his absence and is now more savage and hostile than even he could have dreamed. Robbie is drawn in by the excitement of his secret world, but will the cost of abandoning his family prove too high?

Buy on Amazon: Paperback * Kindle

About the Author:

Andrew Toy lives with his wife and dachshunds in Louisville, KY. He is currently editing books of nearly every genre and is a writing coach for aspiring authors. He and his wife are trying to adopt their first child, and he is using the means of writing and editing to accomplish the goal of enlarging his family. Check out some more of his writing and upcoming books on his popular blog: adoptingjames.wordpress.com

Connect with Andrew: Twitter * Facebook

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Who Am I? An #ArmchairBEA Introduction + Favorite Classics

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Tue, 28 May 2013 18:22:00 +0000

I attempted last Armchair BEA for the first time last year and it was a spectacular fail on my part. I only managed to do three of the posts for the week and didn't have time to visit as many blogs as I would have liked. I wasn't going to participate this year but some bloggy friends (I'm looking at you Cabin Goddess and Girl Who Reads) inspired me to give it another go. This year I'm heading in with much more reasonable expectations of what I can contribute so I'm hoping that will increase the enjoyment of the experience this year.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

Hello! *Waves* I'm Angela, the Library Girl here at Library Girl Reads & Reviews. I'm a former librarian turned book blogger and stay-at-home mom. I've been blogging since before my oldest was born so almost 5 years at this point. I started blogging on a whim when I was home alone during the day, pregnant and bored. I was getting a lot of reading done but didn't have anyone to talk to and then I discovered book blogs. I can't believe I've kept this little blog going this long! I have times when life means that I read and blog less but I manage to keep coming back to it.

Where in the world are you blogging from?

I'm joining Armchair BEA from Indianapolis, Indiana. Indianapolis is a big sports town with the Colts, the Pacers, and the Indianapolis Indians. We recently hosted the Superbowl and every Memorial weekend fans head in to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Indianapolis 500. This is all well and good for you sports fans out there but I prefer taking my girls to the world's largest children's museum, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and the Indianapolis Zoo in White River State Park. I have also discovered a hugely supportive network of women bloggers in Indiana!

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?

I just stared reading Wards of Faerie by Terry Brooks for the second time. It is the first book in The Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy. The final book, Witch Wraith, actually just got delivered today so I'm going to read the series straight through. (The middle book is Bloodfire Quest.) I'm always reading any number of books to Elizabeth and Victoria. Sometimes it is the same story over and over and over and other times it is a new book every night.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

Well, if you have been reading my blog regularly for the last few months you will already know this but for those of you who are new: This year I have gotten involved with a non-profit organization that helps in distressed areas of Appalachia. The Monkey Do Project has a lot of initiatives which help provide food and other necessities to those living in rural poverty. Right now they really need donations to provide backpacks with books, healthy snacks, and school supplies to kids in Adams County, Ohio when they attend a health fair. For some of these kids this check up may be the only standard medical care they receive this year! Find out more at Pave the Path with Monkeys.

What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

I'm going to twist this question a little bit and tell you a couple of literary places that I have visited. I've walked Henry David Thoreau's Walden Pond and visited Orchard House, home of Louisa May Alcott.

Design Credit: Emily of Emily's Reading Room

Classics

Sometimes I wish that I had more time to read the classics. There are some that people would expect that I've read but somehow I missed out on them at school and never got around to reading them on my own. These days it is rare that I feel alert enough to concentrate on a classic especially if it means adapting to the language and structure of times gone by.

Here are a few favorites:

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Animal Farm by George Orwell

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Summer Giveaway: $25 Amazon or iTunes Gift Card

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Tue, 28 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Summer has officially started and it's time to get reading!

Win a $25 Amazon or iTunes Gift Card

You could get this summer's funniest read:

How do you say “no” to a mob boss?

When bumbling hitwoman Maggie Lee is asked by her mob boss employer to kill a cop, she wants to say no.

When her sexy murder mentor, Patrick Mulligan tells her the cop in question is a guy she once dated, she REALLY wants to refuse.

But when her former date, Paul Kowalski tries to kill her, she changes her tune to “Hell, yes!”

Maggie and Patrick grow closer as they scramble to figure out what it is that Kowalski is looking for and what it has to do with her prison escapee father.

Maggie’s search is hampered by the presence of US Marshals hunting her father and her crazier-than-usual family.

Along with her snarky talking lizard, grammatically-challenged Doberman, and a pissy cat, she races to solve the mystery and protect her family. But nothing in Maggie’s life ever goes as planned….

Buy at Amazon, iBookstore, B&N

Chat LIVE with J. B. Lynn
Thursday, May 30 at 8 pm eastern
Twitter: #Hitwoman

Besides being a writer, JB Lynn is a compulsive reader, a runner (of sorts), an enthusiastic cook (who doesn't get the appeal of the Food Network), and someone who has an irresistible urge to eavesdrop at all times.

JB has a great love of her husband, dogs, coffee, purple ink, spiral notebooks, running gear, hot showers, and '80s music. Given enough time, all of these things will eventually show up in her books.

Connect with JB Lynn: Website * Twitter * Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A GWR Publicity event paid for by the author. Giveaway is sponsored by the author.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Four Paws: Scott Morgan on Being An Author

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post presented by Orangeberry Book Tours and The Quillective Project.

The Quillective Project's mission is to turn the power of the written word into an instrument of compassion, hope, and generosity by putting that power directly in the hands of organizations that share our principles. The 2013 Quillective Project is Four Paws, a poetry anthology featuring bestselling authors Scott Morgan, Ben Ditmars, Amber Jerome~Norrgard and Robert Zimmermann, with a "fourword" by Russell Blake. 100% of all proceeds from the sale of Four Paws will benefit The Dallas Humane Society's no-kill shelter, Dog & Kitty City. Your purchase of this book makes a difference.

Buy on Amazon: Paperback * Kindle

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Being an Author

by Scott Morgan

I’m not big on Top Ten Lists, but in this case I see an opportunity to tell aspiring authors some realism about living the life. Writers, after all, are dreamers by nature. I don’t actually like to be the bucket of ice water, but I do like getting people past their dreams and into their goals (which, as the cliché says, are goals with deadlines).

1. You need help.

No one goes it alone. To be a successful, working writer, you need people ‒‒ preferably a wealthy spouse who lets you follow your writing dreams without being a jerk about it. Wealthy spouse or not, you also need people to help you figure out how to write, find your voice, market an promote, spread the word, and help you build your base. It takes a ridiculously long time and more patience than most people have, but the more help you get, the more you will succeed.

2. You’re not a writer, you’re a salesman.

Writers today are independent businesspeople. They are entrepreneurs. They must know how to sell, how to promote, how to sell, how to market, how to sell, how to set up events, and, if I haven’t mentioned it, how to sell. It’s exhausting. If you just want to write for your own edification and don’t care about sales, more power to you. But you’re not going to make it (certainly you’re never going to get your story optioned by Hollywood) without being a really good salesman. Whenever you look at a crappy book that becomes a soaring bestseller, know that it’s not the writing that got it there, it’s the salesmanship of the author and his team.

3. Nobody cares.

A better way of saying this is, nobody cares until you make them care. That’s where sales comes in. But believe me ‒‒ nobody’s waiting on you, no matter how good your book is. And if anyone IS waiting on you, you’ve already established yourself fairly well.

4. You spend WAY more time doing everything BUT writing.

Related to the sales thing is the website maintenance and interviews and “hey, could you read my book” requests and countless other things (like Facebook) that get in the way. You will have to make time for writing amid the chaos that is everything else in your life. So the moral here is, want it. Want it very, very badly or it’ll kill you.

5. You’ll want to quit.

Like I said, if you don’t love what you do, it will kill you. If you do love it, it will still try. The more you love it the harder it will try. And some days, when you see no sales, no retweets, no repostings on Facebook, and no general interest in your existence at all, you will wonder why you bother. If you’re normal, you will see a scalding review of your work and it will make you throw a hissy tantrum like a six-year-old. You will look around and think “I have to go to accounting school or something.” Don’t. Accountants aren’t happy either.

6. You’ll make friends.

When you’re building that base of helpers, you will come to realize that you will make actual friends. People will want to come see you. People will be happy to meet you. They will share their lives with you. Embrace them. These people are gold.

7. You’ll make enemies.

Someone will always hate you. The more successful you are the more people will know your name. Some will hate you because you represent something they dislike. Some will hate you because you’re successful. Some won’t hate you but will find it hilarious to say nasty things to you. And everyone else will tell you that you shouldn’t care. I don’t care if you care or not. But I do care that you believe me when I tell you you’ll make enemies.

8. Have a hobby.

Have I given the impression that writing is hard? I didn’t mean to. I meant to give the impression that it’s ludicrously hard and potentially destructive to everything you hold dear. Which is why you need a hobby to help keep your sanity. Paint, cook, play video games, knit, whatever. Just get away from writing every once in a while.

9. Social media is vital and stupid.

You need to be on Twitter and Facebook and a bunch of other sites. And I don’t regret having been on them because I’ve made genuine friends and advanced my career. But Facebook in particular is the worst thing ever. Nothing but crazies, activists, and motivational placards. Still, you need it, so buckle up and ignore the stuff you don’t like. 10. You need a publicist and they’re expensive.

All that marketing you’re doing on Twitter and Facebook? Yeah, you’re marking to the same handful of people who are marketing to you. In essence, everyone in class has baked their own cupcakes and we’re all handing them out to each other. The cure for this is a professional. Someone who knows how to promote and market you. Of course, if most writers could afford publicists, they wouldn’t need to write for money, so don’t forget that the writer’s life is filled with hilarious irony like that.

None of that was meant to scare you. It was just meant to motivate you. Believe me, the sooner you accept the truth about writing, the better positioned you’ll be to make a career of it.

Scott Morgan is the bestselling author of Character Development from the Inside Out and How I Make A Living In Writing, and is also the author of two short fiction collections, Short Stack and Tryptic. His latest book is How To Be A Whiny Beeyotch: 71 Writing Excuses Meet the Back of My Hand.

Scott is the president of WriteHook (Write for the Jugular), an editing and writing services company for fiction and creative nonfiction. He also is a teacher, presenter, and speaker.

Connect with The Quillective Project: Website * Facebook

Connect with Four Paws: Facebook * Twitter

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion.

Deborah Carney: Photos of Buddha Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of
Deborah Carney and The Indie Exchange.

Click picture for a puzzle game to reveal the cover.

Buddha Beach is an area on the banks of Oak Creek in Sedona Arizona. The area is considered to be near one of the vortex sites, near Cathedral Rock. Cathedral Rock is probably one of the most photographed places in the United States.

Buddha Beach got it's name because people that visit Oak Creek started building rock cairns that resemble little (or big!) Buddha statues. The Buddhas are created and then changed by others visiting the area, making it a living, ever-changing rock garden.

photo used with permission of Deborah Carney

There is a sense of peace that comes over you if you stop and absorb the energy at Buddha Beach, which is also referred to as Buddha Garden. Being on the shore of Oak Creek gives you the soothing sounds of the water as you walk and enjoy the Buddhas. At some points in the creek there are actually Buddhas in the water.

The water level rises and falls in the creek, so one day the cairns are all on the sand and another day they are under water. The location is not only a place for families to go and play, but it more often is a place where people go to meditate and absorb the energy. If you need to recharge your batteries, consider a visit to Buddha Beach on Oak Creek.

See more of Buddha Beach in the photo books by Deborah Carney. The first two volumes are currently available.

Deborah Carney has been a freelance photographer for over 35 years. As a prolific photographer with an eye for details her photos involve many of her favorite subjects such as butterflies, hummingbirds and macro images of flowers, wildlife and nature of all kinds. Her latest study involves the geology and natural formation of rocks and minerals in Sedona, AZ with the manmade stone Buddha’s paired with the sayings of Buddha himself.

With the onset of color ereaders, tablets and applications, Deborah was inspired to create a multitude of high quality photo books on a large variety of subjects.

Currently she and her partner Vinny O’hare are refuges from Hurricane Sandy living south of Phoenix, AZ where they frequently go on day long photo adventures and discover new and exciting things to photograph.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Gallery * Pinterest * YouTube

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Annealed The Final Book of The Pipe Woman Chronicles by Lynne Cantwell

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

The Pipe Woman Chronicles by Lynne Cantwell is a series that I've been wanting to read since I first discovered at Cabin Goddess. Now that the final book is out I have no excuse not to get started! Be sure to enter to win the complete series and look for more from Lynne as she hits the web for a blog tour at the beginning of June.

Release Day Blitz for the Final Book in

The Pipe Woman Chronicles by Lynne Cantwell

Naomi Witherspoon lives in interesting times. At the winter solstice, she was Seized by a Native American goddess to mediate a power-sharing agreement between all the pagan gods and goddesses and the Christian God. Then, as her relationship with her new boyfriend Fissured, she Tapped a wellspring of strength – her Native American heritage.

Now, Gravid and due any day, she must conduct the mediation of her life. Will she succeed? Or will it all go up in smoke?

The answers to those questions, and more, can be found in Annealed, the final installment in the Pipe Woman Chronicles, an urban fantasy series by Lynne Cantwell.

It began at the winter solstice

And it ends

Now.

It’s zero hour…

Naomi has just two weeks to find a new home for Joseph's grandfather. The old Ute shaman is fighting for his life against a mysterious injection of toxin he received at the hands of the Norse Trickster god Loki. If Naomi is to defeat Loki once and for all, she must learn what it is he seeks under the old man's wickiup.

She has just one week before she must mediate between the Earth's pagan gods and goddesses and the Christian God. If her efforts fail, all of humankind will suffer the consequences.

And her baby is due any day.

In this, the fifth and final book of the Pipe Woman Chronicles, Naomi is in a race against the clock to balance the demands of her body, her family, and her friends – and she must do it while the whole world is watching.

Buy from Amazon: Paperback * Kindle
Add on Goodreads: Annealed * The Pipe Woman Chronicles
A taste of chapter 10:
Jehovah sighed. "White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman, I concede that much of what You have said here is true. Humanity wrestles still with its baser impulses, even as it reaches for the pinnacle of its potential. Math, the sciences, engineering. I never thought they would figure out fractal theory." He chuckled. "I love My children dearly. Soon they will reach the stars. They are ever a surprise and a delight to Me."

Lynne Cantwell's take on the excerpt:
"Naomi has finally reached the Big Mediation -- the one between the Christian God and all the pagan gods and goddesses that the whole series has been driving toward. In this scene, White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman has just outlined all the ways humanity has trashed God's Creation: ruining the environment, using Scripture as an excuse to treat other human races like animals, and so on. God acknowledges all of that. But it's also clear that He takes great delight in what He has created -- and He has a sense of humor, too."

About the Author: Lynne Cantwell

Lynne Cantwell has been writing fiction since the second grade, when the kid who sat in front of her showed her a book he had written, and she thought, "I could do that." The result was Susie and the Talking Doll, a picture book, illustrated by the author, about a girl who owned a doll that not only could talk, but could carry on conversations. The book had dialogue but no paragraph breaks. Today, after a twenty-year career in broadcast journalism and a master's degree in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University (or perhaps despite the master's degree), Lynne is still writing fantasy. In addition, she is a contributing author at Indies Unlimited and writes a monthly post for The Indie Exchange.

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOG | GOODREADS | AMAZON

Giveaway: Wax by Phil Duncan

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Yancey Muncey is dead. Or, he was. Raised from the grave by the shadowy figure of Dr. Blankenship, Yancey is now back in high school, hanging out with his best friend, and working up the nerve to ask the girl of his dreams to the upcoming Halloween carnival.

But not everything is the same as it was before: Yancey’s eyes are yellow, his skin is blue, and he’s indestructible. As if that weren’t bad enough, Dr. Blankenship has made it his life’s mission to hunt Yancey down. Because the only reason Yancey is alive again is to help the good doctor destroy his rival.

An average boy with a new lease on an extraordinary life, Yancey must battle high-trained security and high school bullies in his quest to get back to normal. What’s the worst that can happen after all? He’s already dead.

Buy Wax on Amazon

From the Strangest Places

by Phil Duncan

Let’s begin with a quick hypothetical:

Propelled by a dangerous nosey streak that often lands him in trouble, a man logs onto his girlfriend’s browser and begins casually perusing her Internet history. To his dismay, he finds bytes upon bytes of information on serial killers, the war crimes of the Peloponnesian war, and instructions for assembling a nineteenth century blunderbuss. His eyes glaze over, snot pools on his trembling upper lip, as he reads on: sustainable unicorn ranching techniques, the mating rituals of banana slugs, the pH ratio of Coca Cola. Finally, he reaches for the phone to alert the authorities when he stumbles upon a website, unapologetically entitled How to Murder Your Boyfriend in Seven Easy Steps. As he is just about to dial 9-1-1, the door of the office swings open and his girlfriend enters the room.

Though this sounds like the opening to a perfectly mediocre true crime tale, the girlfriend is far from being a felon-in-waiting or prime candidate for a straightjacket. The more likely explanation is that she is a writer; and her boyfriend just learned the consequences of snooping around in the typical schizophrenic browsing history of one who sets pen to paper. As writers, we find inspiration in just about everything -- which is why we’re often taken aback when asked by someone “so what inspired this book?” The answer is never easy, as we pull inspiration from our daily lives, our research, and from other books, films, and media. While my novel Wax is a very loose remix of Shelly’s Frankenstein, there are flecks of everything from Franny and Zooey to the “The Simpsons” to the regenerative capabilities of octopi found within its pages.

Inspiration strikes from the strangest places and it is the job of a writer to always be open to it, whether watching a French film from the ‘60s, reading a comic book, or – yes -- logging into online murderer message boards. No matter what genre or form her writing takes, the successful writer should never narrow her interests in regards to what inspires her research and, ultimately, her creative output. The more encompassing the radar, the more information the writer will receive. She may never process but a fraction of this information -- but that one character note, that one scene description, that one piece of detailed minutiae -- may be the element that ultimately determines the success of the piece.

So dirty up that browser history, but for your nosey partner’s peace of mind, consider cleaning it up once in awhile.

About the author:

Phil Duncan is the author of Wax, a young-adult novel published by RainTown Press, as well as of various short fiction published both in print and online.

Phil is a graduate of Goddard College’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program and the University of Washington’s English program. He is a former Jacob K. Javits Fellow and recently served as a Creator-in-Residence at the Tokyo Wonder Site-Aoyama in Tokyo, Japan. He currently lives in Portland, OR.

Connect with Phil: Goodreads * Twitter

Why do I keep asking for help for Appalachia? #monkeydo

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

I shared this video back in January when I introduced you to the Monkey Do Project but I think it is important enough to share it again. Please watch it and see exactly why the people of Appalachia need our help to provide the basic needs for their families.

Monkey Do Project still needs help to provide backpacks filled with books and healthy snacks to children in Adams County, Ohio. These backpacks will be given to kids when they attend a health fair where they can get routine check ups and health screenings. For some of these kids this may be the only healthcare they receive this year. Please read this post on the Monkey Do Project website to find out exactly what is needed.

I want to give a huge shout out to SOYJOY for sending boxes of SOYJOY bars to include in these backpacks!

Read more about how SOYJOY helped Monkey Do Project.

That is the good news. The bad news is that requests for donations for this project have been rejected by several U.S. companies because they are using their charitable funds for projects overseas. Currently, Monkey Do Project has not raised enough funds to purchase the backpacks or the books to go in them. So how can YOU help?

Visit Pave the Path with Monkeys and make a $26 donation to help fund this project.
Determine who in your company or organization would be responsible for making a corporate donation and share this project with them. (There are benefits for being a corporate sponsor!)
SHARE information about this project on all of your social media outlets! The more voices we have spreading the word about this project the better chance we have of being heard by people who can fulfill these needs.
Like Monkey Do Project on Facebook and follow on Twitter for the latest updates on this project and others.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

The Morph by JC Andrijeski with Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post on behalf of JC Andrijeski and Orangeberry Book Tours.

An unusual shifter romance in the new adult category, the Gate-Shifter series centers on shifters from another world altogether, called morph. Morph and Earth humans were never meant to cross paths, until Nihkil Jamri tries to save private detective, Dakota Reyes while surveying Earth for his human masters from another dimension, and ends up pulling her into his dimension with him. Part urban fantasy, part paranormal romance, part science fiction adventure, the Gate-Shifter series explores alien romance with the least likely candidates imaginable.

Summary of Book One:

Dakota Reyes, a twenty-something private eye who specializes in what she calls ‘hard-to-prosecute’ cases, finds herself in a dark alley one night, about to end up dead at the hands of a young Ted Bundy in training…that is, until a lost, shape-shifting alien named Nihkil rescues her, and inadvertently takes her home with him. The problem is, his home is in a different dimension, and Dakota has no clue how to get back to Seattle, or Earth, or even her own time period. She finds herself bound to her rescuer, Nihkil, through his ‘lock,’ a quasi-biological structure that controls whether he can shape-shift, among other things, which he needs to be able to do in order to get her back home. Only Dakota has no idea how to open Nik’s lock, and the longer she spends in his world, the more forces begin to align against them, trying to prevent her from getting home.

Buy The Morph at Amazon or Smashwords

A Day in the Life of Fiction Writer

by JC Andrijeski

So, I strongly suspect this will be purely for amusement’s sake, rather than anything that’s going to be particularly illuminating in terms of writing process, but I thought it might be funny to document one of my ‘normal’ days as a full-time fiction writer. This is partly inspired by the series Dean Wesley Smith is currently doing on ghost-writing a novel in eight days.

Although, yeah, I won’t be doing that.

Somehow, I suspect I will learn more than I want to know about myself and my process by doing this, however…ha!

Okay. So here goes…

MONDAY – April 21st, 2013

6:50am – got up, cursing because I overslept (I usually get up at 6am, was up too late watching the L-Word, my latest ridiculous, brain-candy binge on Netflix). Roommate, who is allergic to pretty much everything and hates the world in the morning is already using the coffee grinder. Damn! He seems to take it as a personal affront if I’m even in the same room with him before he’s been awake for more than two hours, so I’ll have to try and navigate around him for the next hour or so.

6:55am – Roommate jumps in the shower. I run into kitchen, throw on water for coffee, fix filter, add grinds, add sugar. While water boils, proceed to water plants, do a few dishes, change my clothes, get my computer powered up. Roommate still in shower, so can’t do the usual teeth ritual and face washing until he’s gone.

7:07am – Water is boiling. Make coffee. (CRITICAL)

7:12am – Sit down to start working. Current work in progress is THE MORPH (Book 2), but pause to fill this post out first and check email. Since I’ve been working on other things for the past two weeks, I reread the last chapter I was working on to get back into the flow of the story and characters.

8:14am – Roommate is gone. Jump up to brush my teeth, floss, wash my face, put on moisturizer…all the things I normally do at 6am. Oh, and make another cup of coffee. Finished about 800 new words so far, give or take, so my brain is waking up.

8:32am – Sat back down to write.

9:19am – Took another short break, checked email, texted a friend about getting dinner this week, logged some finance stuff. Written about 1600 words at this point. Spent a few minutes working out a title for this book, which has been nagging at me. I think I’m going to call it SEATTLE MORPH (Gate-Shifters #2)…although I wavered a bit between that and EARTH MORPH.

10:06am – I’m now at about 2,500 new words. I wander briefly around the room for a bit, stretching my limbs and doing a bit of yoga and some sit-ups.

10:13am – Sit back down to write (I do most of my new words in the morning).

12:01pm – A little more than 4,300 words, and now, okay, I’m hitting the low blood sugar portion of this program (coffee can only do so much). I also need to get out of the house for a bit, scrounge up some food since the fridge is bare, (which is why I didn’t have my customary 10am bagel and/or English muffin). It’s also a beautiful day in San Francisco, so wherever I’m going, I’m walking. I briefly try to decide if I should bring my computer, in case I want to work through lunch, and decide against it. So I back up my WIP via email (a ritual since I’m leaving my computer at home), and grab my keys.

2:47pm – Returned to the apartment after walking about 40 blocks to Best Buy before I realized the thing I wanted to return was actually purchased at Office Depot (oops!). On the way back called my sister and ended up talking to her over an hour about my impending move to Lincoln City. Badly in need of food at this point, I purchased a sandwich from Lou’s and a coke and headed home, where I’m now getting ready to watch an episode of the L-Word and eat (a rather late) lunch.

3:30pm – Finished lunch. Remembered I have a new article up on The Indie Exchange so I note it on my blog. Ended up talking to a friend while on Facebook who’s going through an intense break-up, and then answered a few emails.

4:00pm – Wrote a bit more but kind of sleepy. Around 4,800 words.

5:00pm – Woke up from a 30 minute nap. Started working on the paperback version of WAR: ALLIE’S WAR, BOOK SIX, which I’m in the process of formatting.

7:00pm – Brief break to read news and some blogs. Lunch was too late for me to want dinner, so I guess I’ll skip it.

7:45pm – Finish formatting the ‘guts’ of the paperback and start working on and finishing the cover now that I have the book’s dimensions. The big chunk of work for this is the back cover, which needs copy, etc. Luckily I’ve gotten a LOT faster with this, and I have a template for the Allie’s War books, since it’s a series.

11:20pm – Upload the finished paperback PDF (insides of book) and the cover. Finish all the meta data and so forth, and write a quick post on my blog with the new paperback cover in case anyone wants to weigh in.

12:00am – Well, I’ll probably be up for another hour or so, watching crap and winding down, but my day is more or less done.

Hope this wasn’t too terribly boring, ha!

You can see I pretty much work with breaks, rather than do a ‘normal’ (meaning 9-5) type schedule. I took a big chunk of my midday off to walk around, shop, eat, talk to friends and family…that’s pretty normal for me, actually. Then I usually work all night until 12am -1am, although often it’s more ‘publishing-type’ stuff and I’ll have a movie playing in the background if I can get away with it (although often I couldn’t tell you much about the movie afterwards and end up having to watch it again if it’s something I really want to see).

Looking this over, this is (sadly) a fairly normal day, although usually I don’t have a paperback to format every night…and naps are only occasional.

Would love to hear people’s reactions!

JC Andrijeski has published novels, novellas, serials, graphic novels and short stories, including the Allie's War series, The Slave Girl Chronicles series, and the bestselling novella, The Alien Club. Her short fiction runs the gamut from humorous to apocalyptic, and her nonfiction articles cover subjects from graffiti art, meditation, psychology, journalism, politics and history. Her short works have been published in numerous anthologies, online literary, art and fiction magazines as well as print venues such as NY Press newspaper and holistic health magazines. JC has traveled extensively and lived abroad, including two years spent at the foot of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh, India, a location she drew on a fair bit in writing the Allie's War books. She's also lived or spent considerable time in Poland, Prague, Australia, London, Vancouver BC, New York City, Los Angeles, Portland (OR), Albuquerque, Seattle, Eureka (CA) and DeLand, Florida. JC currently lives and works in San Francisco.

Connect with JC Andrijeski: Blog * Facebook * Twitter

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Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Giveaway: Fern by Amy Richie Prize Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Summer is coming and you need start putting together your reading list.

Young adult paranormal fantasy author Amy Richie hopes you will pick up her Blood Vine series.

She's offering a Prize Pack to one lucky reader, which includes a signed paperback copy of Fern.

Join Amy Richie for a Twitter Party

May 10 at 11 am eastern

Use the hashtag #Fern

Connect with the author: website * Facebook

“It’s strange how fast life changes. Just when you think you have it all figured out, a council man hands you six werewolves to take care of.”

Willow and her pack had barely settled into their new town when the council shows up again. Only this time it’s to ask for their help - to save Gage. How can Willow refuse?

Suddenly, Willow is thrust into a world of childhood nightmares. The Ancient City. But it isn’t at all what she thought it would be. In fact, Willow soon realizes that not many things are what she thought they would be and she has to figure out for herself which things are worth fighting for.

Buy the book at Amazon.

Haven't started the series yet? Buy the first book, Willow, on Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy Excerpt & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

“Nothing fills a page faster than dialogue,” the writer said.

There it is, the blank page or screen, the intimidating and recurring challenge every writer must face. The temptation is to fill that page as quickly as possible, to advance the narrative however you can. Often the easiest way to do that, even for writers who are not masters of dialogue, is to get the characters talking. A few writers are even bold enough to begin novels or stories with a line of dialogue, something I don’t recommend unless you possess the skills of the early Robert A Heinlein, who began his story “Blowups Happen” with the suspenseful line: “Put down that wrench!” Orson Scott Card also opened his popular novel Ender’s Game with a piece of dialogue that immediately rouses the reader’s curiosity: “‘I’ve watched through his eyes, I’ve listened through his ears, and I tell you he’s the one.” Writing good and convincing dialogue is usually enough of a challenge without relying on it to hook a reader right at the beginning of one’s story. Writing dialogue, whatever the difficulties, is generally easier than, for example, crafting descriptive passages, offering insights into a character’s psychology, creating vigorous and absorbing action scenes, or presenting necessary exposition in a graceful way.

Writers who harbor dreams of scriptwriting may be especially prone to fill pages with dialogue, but others also succumb, partly because dialogue is a shortcut and a very useful one. Sometimes a few well-chosen words of conversation can accomplish as much in a story as pages of description and exposition. There are also a fair number of readers who are more absorbed by stretches of repartee than by beautifully and poetically rendered descriptions. (Writers meet these people all the time; they’re the ones who tell you they skip all the dull parts, often meaning those carefully wrought passages that cost you so much effort.) Better just to cut to the chase, or in this case, drop in on the conversation.

The strength of dialogue—namely that it can be a useful shortcut—is also its weakness. Writers who rely too much on dialogue risk leaving too much out. The writer may hear the characters clearly and easily envision the scene, but that doesn’t mean that the reader will. (In a review of a novel some years back, Joanna Russ wrote that passages in that book seemed to be largely about names drinking cups of coffee, noticing the designs of ashtrays, or riffing on the furnishings in a room, the characters were so indistinguishable.) The beginning writer is likely to produce dialogue in which the reader will find it hard to tell one character from another. The useful shortcut can produce a story that is sketchy, in which too much has been left out.

About the Book:

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction and Fantasy is a collection of essays and interviews by and with many of the movers-and-shakers in the industry. Each contributor covers the specific element of craft he or she excels in. Expect to find varying perspectives and viewpoints, which is why you many find differing opinions on any particular subject.

This is, after all, a collection of advice from professional storytellers. And no two writers have made it to the stage via the same journey-each has made his or her own path to success. And that’s one of the strengths of this book. The reader is afforded the luxury of discovering various approaches and then is allowed to choose what works best for him or her.

Featuring contributions from a sensational list of writers such as Neil Gaiman, Orson Scott Card, Kevin J. Anderson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Harry Turtledove, Joe Haldeman, and many other top names in genre fiction, Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy is a highly valuable contribution to the speculative fiction community developed by Bram Stoker Award-winning editor Michael Knost.

Giveaway: Down and Out in Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Down and Out in Beverly Heels tells the story of Meg Barnes, a beloved actress who has it all and loses everything—and ends up living on the streets of Tinsel Town in her Ritz-Volvo—thanks to her newly wed con-man husband. The novel is a fun, light-hearted romance, taking us into the Hollywood social swirl, but also delves into the gritty truth of what it is to be “homeless and hiding it” in one of the most glittering, fashionable cities in the world. It’s also a story of redemption as Meg tracks down her fugitive husband and struggles to regain her reputation, career and friendships.

From Publishers Weekly:

Scott (Dark Passages), best known for her star turn on the TV show "Dark Shadows," delivers a unique novel about a Hollywood actress short on cash and down on her luck... Mystery and romance are craftily combined... Scott gives the readers a first-hand view of the fickle nature of Hollywood in a fast-paced story complete with eccentric characters and a plethora of mysterious twists and turns.

Writing and Show Business

by Katheryn Leigh Scott

I have been a published writer as long as I’ve been a working actress and there are times when my two careers unavoidably merge. While I am completely thrilled with the book reviews for Down and Out in Beverly Heels, almost all the reviewers also identify me as a “Dark Shadows” actress. Over the years I’ve come to embrace the inevitability of always being referred to as the fiancé of vampire Barnabas Collins and I drew on that in creating the character of Meg Barnes in my novel. Meg once played Jinx Fogarty, an amateur sleuth in a wildly successful TV series, which means that no matter what she does in her life or career, she will always be known as Jinx, just as I will always be remembered as Maggie Evans and Josette DuPres. Just ask Sally Field what it’s like to always be reminded she was once “The Flying Nun”!

The downside for an actress like Meg Barnes, who has some celebrity attached to her name, is the harsh glare of the media when the spotlight is attracted for the wrong reasons. The tabloid press is rife with examples of wonderfully talented, successful performers suffering career meltdowns because of problems in their personal lives. In a nutshell, Meg faces intense public scrutiny when her newlywed husband turns out to be a con man, who bilks her out of everything she owns, and she ends up living in her “Ritz-Volvo” on the streets of Beverly Hills. Worse, her friends, law enforcement and the press all think she was in on the scam.

All of this is revealed in the first few pages of the novel because what really interests me as a writer and actress is how Meg rebuilds her life in the aftermath. What happens months later when the paparazzi is no longer on her doorstep -- when she no longer has a doorstep! -- and must deal with the pain and humiliation of having been stripped of everything she’s worked so hard to achieve. How does it change you? What do you do to survive? What is it you find in yourself that allows you to pull yourself back up? For Meg, it’s even harder to bear knowing that her life of comfort and security, and the enjoyment of doing work she loves, has been ruined through no fault of her own.

I’ve been an actress since 1966, when “Dark Shadows” first went on the air, and I appeared in the new Dark Shadows film with Johnny Depp in 2012, so I know how challenging it is to sustain a long career. Reputation means everything, and so many careers have been destroyed by a negative public image. Obviously, the process of aging also takes its toll, and leaving the profession for any length of time makes it even more difficult for an actor to find work again. Meg can’t afford to lie low licking her wounds. “Homeless and hiding it,” she ends up living in her car determined to eke out an existence until she can regain her livelihood.

Writing about a show business world that I am very familiar with, I don’t make it easy for Meg. It’s a tough, unforgiving profession in which even the most talented face rejection on a daily basis, but Meg is resourceful, resilient and blessed with a wonderful, ironic sense of humor. In the end she finds redemption and retribution. I care too much about Meg not to give her a chance to confront the person who plunged her into these dire straits, and also allow her to once again shine as an actress.

About the Author:

Best known for her role as Josette DuPres, the vampire bride to the reluctant vampire Barnabas Collins in the classic TV series “Dark Shadows,” Kathryn Leigh Scott has established herself as an author and publisher. Her titles include her latest work of fiction Down and Out in Beverly Heels, her debut novel Dark Passages, and several nonfiction works. While continuing her acting career, Kathryn launched Pomegranate Press to publish books about the entertainment industry. On the acting front, Kathryn appeared last year in a cameo role in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows, starring Johnny Depp, alongside other members of the original television cast. Learn more about Kathryn at www.kathrynleighscott.com.

An Easter Bonnet for Lily Giveaway & Twitter Party

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

From children's author & illustrator Jodie Stone

Prize Pack includes:

$25 Visa gift card, Paperback copy of 'An Easter Bonnet for Lily' ,
Jodi Stone Illustrated Greeting Cards,

Jodi Stone Illustrated Paper Dolls, Magnets, bookmarks

Join children's author & illustrator Jodi Stone for a Twitter Party

Tuesday, May 7 at 11:00 am ET

#EasterBonnet

Connect with the Author: Goodreads * Facebook * website

Easter is Savannah’s favorite holiday. She loves to dress up in her fanciest of dresses and bonnets, and enjoys all of the traditions her family continues year to year. Savannah finds herself struggling though on a day that she usually loves, and finds herself feeling discouraged. Across the land in Tulip, Easter Bunnies are preparing for the big day as well, all but one: Lily. Lily is the newest Easter Bunny recruit, but struggles with one major problem: her ears. Join both Savannah and Lily on this magical Easter adventure, where they will both realize that magic is held within your heart if you just believe.

Buy the book at Amazon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. The giveaway is sponsored by the author.

Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Double-take Tales by Donna Brown #weeklyshorts

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:31:00 +0000

Weekly Shorts is a fun meme hosted by Kriss at Cabin Goddess. This is a great way to find something to read that doesn't take long and doesn't cost much. Kriss generally posts hers on Sunday but this isn't a day specific meme so you can find new reads all week long.

I received a copy of Double-take Tales by Donna Brown from The Indie Exchange as part of the April Blog Tour.

Double-take Tales is a collection of three short stories all with a bit of a twist at the end. The stories are Round Trip, Poison, and C'est La Vie.

My favorite of the three was Poison about a woman who uses her husband's nut allergy as a method of obtaining satisfaction. I thought this one had the best flow of all the stories and I could truly feel the emotion from the main character. My favorite line "Disappointment can chip away at your heart slowly until the damage is so extensive there is no suitable response."

I struggled a bit with Round Trip because most of the paragraphs were single short sentences and I couldn't quite catch the flow. I liked the idea of the story and the ending but I think I needed it to be a bit more filled in.

C'est La Vie had me rereading after the twist at the end to see if I could find clues that I had missed the first time. The story is compelling and the method of telling it is brilliant. It is a story with high anxiety and questions that you are not certain will be answered.

Double-take Tales by Donna Brown

Three dark, sardonic short stories that will have you expecting the unexpected:

In "Poison," a psychologically abused wife discovers that her husband's nut allergy may be the solution to all her problems.

In "Round Trip," a five pound note passes through desperate hands, greedy hands and tired hands before coming full circle…accompanied by a big surprise.

In "Ç'est La Vie," the police bungle a murder investigation under the watchful eye of someone uncomfortably close to the killing.

Donna is a long time book reviewer and has devoured books from an early age. She writes short stories as and when inspiration hits and is married to fantasy author David M. Brown. She is also a contributor to David's (mostly!) non-fiction book, Man vs Cat.

Donna has lived in many different areas of the UK over the last 31 years but has remained in Yorkshire for the past decade. She ardently disputes the misnomer that 'It's grim up north'. You can find Donna on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Goodreads, or visit the blogs she shares with her husband: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave, and Diary of Mr Kain

Controlling Your Fictional Character by Carolyn Moncel

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Last week I featured Donna Brown and Double-take Tales as part of the first blog tour run by The Indie Exchange. Today I have the other author on the tour, Carolyn Moncel, and her book 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover. Make sure you enter to win a copy of one of these fabulous books. There are Amazon gift cards up for grabs too.

Controlling Your Fictional Character By Carolyn Moncel

Since my oldest daughter is now a young woman and spends most of her weekends out with her friends, I find that it’s a perfect time for me to bond with my youngest daughter. One of the ways in which we do this is by watching a lot of movies on Friday nights. This week’s selection actually wasn’t my choice, but I’m happy that my daughter selected it anyway because it was a real treat. It was sweet little movie called Ruby Sparks and as a writer, I could not help but love it. Think Stranger than Fiction but instead from the author’s point of view.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a little recap of the movie’s plot. A young writer finds unexpected literary fame as an adolescent. Years later, he still struggles to write a successful follow-up novel and the pressure from his agent and publishing house to do so sends him spiraling out of control and on to a psychologist’s sofa. Having broken up with his long-time girlfriend only complicates matters. At his therapist’s suggestion, the writer creates a character for whom he would consider to be his “ideal” woman and girlfriend. The more the writer learns about her (a character who reveals herself as “Ruby Sparks”), the more she not only becomes the central character in his new novel, but also in his own life. The fun begins the day Ruby becomes a real, functioning human being, demanding a life of her own. In light of this surprising discovery, the question becomes whether or not her creator will allow her this free will to grow and evolve, or will he try to guide her every movement to the point of extinction.

I could totally relate to Calvin Weir-Fields, the writer in the movie. Take for example, my character, Julien Roulet, who is featured in the novella found in 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover. I know him better than anyone else because I created him. He is an elusive lover; distant and slightly mysterious. Tall and slim with brown hair and sparkling green eyes, he’s handsome, intelligent, creative, quick witted and tad bit irreverent. A French man who refuses to pronounce the letter “h” when speaking in English, he’s also married and a devoted family man. He’s far from perfect though – an insecure, rakish, adulterer in fact. And yet at the same time, he’s a good guy who is still deeply in love with his wife. Unfortunately, he now finds himself in an impossible situation and saving him remains my toughest challenge. The only problem being, Julien really doesn’t want to be saved. Oh, the complexity!

As authors we experience a whole host of emotions while creating characters. Just like in real life, we take up their hobbies, research their professions, record their fickle likes and dislikes, all in an attempt to better understand them. When all is going well between us, we can’t wait to visit them in their imaginary world each day. One minute we’re laughing at all of their jokes and the things that they do. And the next, we’re infuriated and downright embarrassed by their behavior. When they abandon us because they yearn for independence and space, we become fearful because we never know which direction they will take our story.

The point to all of this is this. Creating characters for which there is genuine affection is what makes writing fun and rewarding. Whenever we are able to achieve that level of love for our character, our readers are the true beneficiaries. However, as writers we also have to know when to let our characters live. We cannot become obsessed with controlling their every movement or behavior in order to achieve a desired outcome for their lives. After all, it is their lives. Even if we could changeour characters's lives, as authors we would be doing so at our own peril because our characters would lose their essence -- the very “spark” that gives us permission to love (or hate) them in the first place. And, THAT would be such a shame.

5 Reasons to Leave a Lover by Carolyn Moncel

In 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover, author Carolyn Moncel offers up a fresh batch of stories based on love and loss. As singer/songwriter, Paul Simon so eloquently suggested in a famous song from the 1970s, there are many ways to leave a lover. However, Moncel's characters demonstrate that the reasons for leaving in the first place are quite finite. Encounters in Paris` Ellery and Julien Roulet return, picking up their lives where the short story, "Pandora`s Box Revisited," ends. This time the Roulets are involved in a love triangle, and along with two other couples, must explore how love relationships are affected and splinter due to abuse, ambivalence, deception, cheating and death. This bittersweet collection of tales proves that some breakups are necessary; while others are voluntary; and still others are simply destined and beyond anyone's control.

A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2002. She received her bachelor's degree in Communications from Loyola University. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC, a bilingual Digital Project and Web Content Management firm with offices in Chicago, Paris and Geneva; and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications, a media relations training and publishing company. She has written, placed articles or been featured in such diverse publications as Entreprenuer.com, Expatica.com, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Wired News, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and Working Mother. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. Author of Encounters in Paris - A Collection of Short Stories and 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover - A Novella and Other Short Stories, her latest collection is called Railway Confessions - A Collection of Short Stories.

Through These Veins by Anne Marie Ruff

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:02:00 +0000

Through These Veins takes the reader from Ethiopia to Washington, D.C. following the journey of a plant which holds the possibility of saving countless lives. A medicine man's daughter, an Italian scientist, and an employee of a pharmaceutical research company are brought together in unexpected ways as the research becomes a personal quest.

I received a copy of Through These Veins from the publicist/author to review.

Through These Veins sounded like an intriguing book as I wondered what could connect a medicine man's daughter and an Italian research scientist beyond his time in her area of Ethiopia. While there was a connection when they met and then again later on in the book when their lives connect again, I think I was expecting more during the middle section of the book based on the description.

The best parts of the book for me were the time spent in Ethiopia, both in the beginning with Zahara and her father and then when Ruth and Stefano return and see the devastation, and the last portion of the book when Ruff takes the reader through the politics of the pharmaceutical industry. The two sections provide a great contrast and social commentary.

Unfortunately, the middle was slow going for me. As the characters moved on their own paths with seemingly no connections I found myself reading sections and wondering why the author was including some scenes at all. Now it did turn out that some of the information and detail included in that section was actually critical to events unfolding as they did later on in the book but at the time, to me, it didn't seem like important material.

Overall I enjoyed the book even through there were sections I struggled to get through.

About the Book:

In the coffee-growing highlands of Ethiopia, an Italian scientist on a plant collecting expedition discovers a local medicine man dispensing an apparent cure for AIDS. As the medicine man’s teenage daughter reveals the plants behind the cure, their lives become irrevocably intertwined. Through These Veins weaves together the dramatically different worlds of traditional healing, U.S. government funded AIDS research, and the pharmaceutical industry in an intensely personal, fast-paced tale of scientific intrigue and love, with both devastating and hopeful effect.

All profits from the sale of this book will be distributed to the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders and the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation in Ethiopia.

Purchase at Amazon: Paperback and eBook

About the Author:

Anne Marie Ruff has reported on AIDS research, drug development, biodiversity conservation, and agriculture from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa. Her work has been broadcast by National Public Radio, Public Radio International, the British Broadcasting Corporation, and PBS TV. Her articles have appeared in Time, Christian Science Monitor, and Saveur among other publications. Through These Veins is Anne Marie's first novel.

Please visit www.annemarieruff.com to learn more about the book and Anne Marie.

Connect with Anne Marie Ruff on Facebook and Twitter.

Donna Brown on Committing to the Story

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Donner) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today I am thrilled to be participating in the first book tour hosted by The Indie Exchange. I've been lucky to work with this group of authors and bloggers for over a year now. It was through this group that I first met Donna Brown and her husband David. David has been featured on the blog a few times but now it is finally Donna's turn. Double-take Tales is coming up quickly on my "to read" list and I've only heard wonderful things about these stories. Now I'll let Donna fill you in on her approach to writing and everything else. Keep reading to the end of the post to find out more about Donna's book and the other book on this tour, 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover by Carolyn Moncel. You also have an opportunity to win one of these books or an Amazon gift card.

Can I Commit to a Long Term Relationship?

I admit it: I'm flighty, sometimes impetuous, easily distracted. Life is full of so many things, I'd like to try to learn as much as possible. The phrase 'Jack of all Trades, Master of None' rings true. Since leaving high school I've studied modules in politics, Spanish, German, English, biology, chemistry, maths, animal science and social sciences. Commitment problem? Oh yes! I've studied something almost every year for the last decade and achieved good scores, yet I don't hold a degree. You want me to learn ONE thing for three years? Ouch...

The same rings true in my writing. I admire my husband's commitment in spending 10 years building a fantasy world, but it also baffles me. 2-3,000 words is more than enough time for me to introduce my characters, make things happen and then leave them to it. Do I wonder what happens next? Truthfully, no. I care deeply about my characters in the past of the back story and the present story. Not their futures. Truth be told, I don't really want my readers to care either. I write stories with a twist because I want readers to question what they read and look back, not necessarily ahead.

Even so, a character keeps haunting me. Harry Schmidt has been popping in and out of my thoughts for almost four years now. I know his story, but can I commit to this character for long enough to tell it? I really don't know. I care deeply about Harry's story and that's part of the problem. Perhaps it needs someone more committed to really do it justice. What if I sell this very very flawed character short, burying him under dark humour and terrible events, instead of offering some kind of redemption? That could be worse than never telling the story.

Recently I looked into completing my studies and turning my work so far into a Social Sciences degree. The fees are now prohibitive - that ship has clearly sailed. Maybe it's a sign that I'm not meant to be a master of any one trade. Maybe, instead, my impetuousness and lack of commitment is a gift, always taking me somewhere new. Or maybe it's a sign that sometimes you need to commit, even if you're not entirely sure. Time will tell.

MEET HARRY SCHMIDT: Excerpt from the first chapter

Harry Schmidt was forty-two when love first found him. He lived alone, having shared a house with his mother until her death two years previously. At 82 Mrs Schmidt had retained a startling amount of independence and thus Harry required far more looking after than she did. Indeed this situation would have continued for several years had it not been for the unfortunate incident with the shoe.

Despite 35 years of being told not to do so, Harry had the unfortunate habit of kicking off his shoes at the end of a working day (Harry worked as a postman and therefore his feet were begging to be relieved from his shoes after hours of walking). Regrettably, Harry often kicked off his shoes in unfortunate places; thus, during the years, Mrs Schmidt had needed to be ever more vigilant in order to avoid Harry’s wayward footwear. Many accidents had been avoided due to Mrs Schmidt’s careful approach over the years but it was, perhaps, inevitable that in the end a shoe would be her downfall.

As a postman Harry was usually home in the afternoon; however, on the ill-fated day in question he had decided to go out to watch a football match and had been delayed in getting home due to the bus breaking down. The fates would further conspire in orchestrating a fuse outage at the house, which would lead the independent Mrs Schmidt to attempt to navigate her way down the cellar stairs with only a candle to light her way. Naturally, this would also be the day that Harry had kicked off his old work shoes for the last time for just the day before he had purchased a new pair of black boots and was wearing those instead. His old shoes had been haphazardly abandoned as so many times before but this time with catastrophic consequences.

So it was that all these coincidences conspired against poor Mrs Schmidt to ensure that when she weaved her way through the small corridor to the cellar door and pulled it open, her foot clipped one of the abandoned shoes as she took her next step and this small action was enough to unbalance her. At any age a stone staircase is a difficult adversary but for 82 year old Mrs Schmidt it was a fatal one.

Harry would never know the trouble that his misplaced shoe had caused for the very step that had caused Mrs Schmidt to unbalance was the step that knocked the shoe into a tidy position. When the fuse switch was flipped and light was restored, paramedics could only conclude that Mrs Schmidt had panicked in the darkness and taken the stairs too quickly. In this way, Harry was spared from a lifetime of guilt but, sadly, not from the loss of his beloved mother.

Therefore, at forty years of age, Harry Schmidt was finally forced to stand on his own two feet and face the world. And this he did. For a while, Harry would feel quite content with his progress in the world; however, Harry Schmidt was yet to face his biggest challenge – love.

Double-take Tales by Donna Brown

Three dark, sardonic short stories that will have you expecting the unexpected:

In "Poison," a psychologically abused wife discovers that her husband's nut allergy may be the solution to all her problems.

In "Round Trip," a five pound note passes through desperate hands, greedy hands and tired hands before coming full circle…accompanied by a big surprise.

In "Ç'est La Vie," the police bungle a murder investigation under the watchful eye of someone uncomfortably close to the killing.

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Note: All opinions presented in book and product reviews are my own. Opinions presented in posts authored by others reflect the view of the author only and not necessarily my view or opinion. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Amazon and Book Depository links are affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

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