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I Don’t Believe it – Txting helps with Spelling

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:40 +0000

I’ll admit it. I use LOL occasionally. I also admit to w/ and b/c and JMHO. But, I also notice myself looking for the spell check button when I’m writing a hand written note. Pathetic? I think so.

Therefore I’ve always wondered if kids today are getting worse at spelling. With as much texting as they do, so many abbreviations (you’ve seen that cell phone commercial, right?) how could they possibly know how to spell well?

Evidently, I’m wrong. There are numerous studies that show that texting improves kids spelling. Amazing, huh? I’m still not sure if I believe it.

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Review: Mirror, Mirror by Karen Wiesner

Debby — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:11:23 +0000

Gwen Nicholson-Nelson has spent twenty-five years learning to deal with the visions left behind after a car accident almost claimed her life. She can see the future and she can see death. In fact, she saw her husband’s death before it happened. She has also felt a connection to another with the same powers, only this one uses them for evil, destroying and manipulating people. Agreeing to do a biography of her husband brings Dylan Mitchell back in to her life and she senses the other getting closer. When she realizes this man has targeted Dylan Mitchell and his daughter, Gwen finds all the pieces of the puzzle falling into place and she knows she must use her power to stop him.

Karen Wiesner’s style of writing keeps you glued to the pages. She deals with issues that are real and often hard to look at. Mirror, Mirror does all this beautifully, all while blending in terror and suspense. Gwen had suffered for years with her visions, but now she is beginning to realize there is more to them than just seeing the future. She needed to learn how to use her gift more effectively. Dylan and Gwen had a past together that had never really ended. Do they have the chance to finish what was started all those years ago? Read this compelling tale and find out. Karen Wiesner and Mirror, Mirror, will capture you heart and soul as you immerse yourself in its pages, unable to put it down until the last word has been read.

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Review: THE TRUTH ABOUT LORD STONEVILLE by Sabrina Jeffries

Donna — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:45:02 +0000

Hetty Plumtree is beside herself with worry over her five out of control grandchildren. It is time they married and gave her great-grandchildren, so she has declared an ultimatum. They have one year to marry or she will disinherit them. The Sharpe siblings are shaped by the mysterious death of their parents and the scandal haunts them still, twenty years later, so they are disinclined to marry.

Oliver, Marquees of Stoneville, decides to thwart his grandmother by bringing home a pretend fiancée, someone extremely unsuited, so she will change her mind. However, it is Oliver that changes when the young woman he tricks into posing as his fiancée steals his heart.

Maria Butterworth has traveled to England with her cousin to find her missing fiancé. She follows a man, carrying her fiancés briefcase, into a brothel where all hell breaks loose when her cousin snatches the case. It just so happens, Lord Stoneville is a regular at said establishment. He agrees to keep her cousin out of jail and help her find her fiancé if she will help fool his grandmother by pretending to be his own fiancée. Maria soon rues the day she met Oliver. But will her heart ever be the same?

Bestselling author Sabrina Jefferies masterfully delivers a rollicking romance that will scandalize your sensibilities, tickle your funny bone and warm your heart. It is set among the stodgy upper class in England of 1800s with unconventional characters and a fast-moving, entertaining plot. THE TRUTH ABOUT LORD STONEVILLE is only the first in the Hellions of Halstead Hall series; which promises much more amusement as we meet each member of the Sharpe family and discover how they resolve the marriage challenge set forth by their cagey grandmother. I can’t wait!

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Review: The Reckoners by Doranna Durgin

Amelia — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:49:36 +0000

THE RECKONERS begins a series where the supernatural world is thriving all around us, and this innovative book tells the specifics of those who know this usually hidden area extremely well. Doranna Durgin cleverly brings many fantasy elements to life with much imagination, leaving you wondering about what is really out there.

Her ability to converse with spirits led Lisa “Garrie” McGarrity to a career of ghost hunting, and she even has a team to help her get the answers required when she is on a case. Lately, her ability to appease those who have never left the world of the living does not make her happy, and she is thinking it might be time to do something else with her life. Before Garrie can change professions, a man shows up at one of her assignments and says he desperately needs her help. However, she is extremely busy and cannot talk at the moment, yet the man is persistent and comes to see her the next day.

The explanation given to Garrie by Trevarr as to why he needs her aid is exceedingly vague, but she is intrigued by both him and the case in San Jose. She has wanted a challenge in her life and believes this may be demanding, so she and part of her team travels from Albuquerque to the ghost infested home in order to see if she can bring any relief to the disgruntled spirits. As Garrie and her supportive team begin their investigation, they quickly discover there is much darkness associated with the structure. They also cannot get many concrete answers from Trevarr, as he seems content to let her work out any episodes by herself without any reasoning from him. As the situation becomes bleaker, Garrie and her team plus Trevarr know they have to come up with a workable plan or much could be lost.

Doranna Durgin is a notable writer, and her eclectic style is apparent all the way through THE RECKONERS. This creative author entwines numerous genres to make the story more captivating with interesting situations, and will leave you eager to see what occurs next. The paranormal genre is definitely front and center, as ghosts plus strange occurrences repeatedly crop up and even seem plausible. A real historical home is featured for much of the contemporary setting, and Ms. Durgin lets resourceful ideas make up what is not public knowledge and the outcome is cleverly believable. Toss in some fantasy aspects, add in a sprinkling of romance plus a hefty dose of humor and you have a well-balanced story which will mesmerize. The plot is certainly inventive with numerous layers, as mysteries abound and emotional issues continuously arise with way too much frequency. Numerous atypical characters star in the skillfully depicted scenarios, and their countless quirks in addition to diverse personalities make them more realistic and enjoyable. There are also the beginnings of romantic sparks between Garrie and Trevarr, with the potential for them becoming even closer expertly portrayed. Striking visuals and detailed descriptions make the surroundings more perceptible to the reader, thus causing the scenes to seem more credible. Let your imagination run free and enter the world created by Doranna Durgin, where the improbable comes across as possible. THE RECKONERS is an original paranormal adventure which will fuel your imagination on every page.

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The Making of a Romance Cover

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:02:28 +0000

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Review: Prairie Wind by Maxine Isakson

emilyh — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:02:35 +0000

Leah Worth is mourning the loss of her husband. Pregnant and in charge of the Diamond C, she must muster up all the courage she can to see her husband’s wishes carried out. When one of her employees notifies her of something strange that may have led to the death of her husband, Leah finds that her youth is making it hard for people to take her seriously.

Despite the odds, Leah is a force to be reckoned with. Even though she is with child she fights for the families that she has on her homestead. She opens her door to Louis Drake who is looking for a quiet place to focus on his writing. Louis and Leah have both had losses and find that their hearts may be open once again in each others company.

Prairie Wind explores prejudice, hope, and the faith to begin again. An intriguing tale that transplants the reader into the late 1800’s and makes you recognize the struggles that were being faced then. Maxine Isakson writes a detailed account of Leah’s journey. I embraced this character and was thoroughly pleased with where the story went. A beautifully intricate read. Put your feet up and enjoy a warm cup of cider with Prairie Wind.

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Review: A Highlander’s Homecoming (Daughters of the Glen, Book 6) by Melissa Mayhue

Amelia — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:47:47 +0000

There are compelling moments all throughout the sixth book of the Daughters of the Glen series, some resulting from danger and other times because of mounting passion, where each one is brimming with intense emotions. Melissa Mayhue knowledgeably brings the Scottish Highlands to life with an engrossing storyline featuring a diverse group of characters.

While Scottish Highlander Robert MacQuarrie was spared from death in 1272 by being transported to a future time when medical procedures could save him, he deeply regrets not being able to carry out the promise he gave to a dying friend to watch over his young daughter. When the opportunity arises for him to return once again to Scotland at the time he left, Robert believes he will finally have the chance to fulfill his pledge. Unfortunately, the period to which he arrives is twenty years later than he wished, proving Faerie Magic may let you travel to different times but you are at its mercy as to where and when you will go.

Although his plans must be changed since the one he is to protect is now a woman, Robert still hopes he will be able to aid Isabella MacGahan. When he visits the clan where she now lives, he cannot help but wonder about the unusual woman she has become, as Isabella lives a solitary life in the country because she wants to keep her Faerie abilities hidden. It also becomes quickly apparent she is a decisive player in the crucial struggle between her clan and another, and Robert knows he must offer to be her guardian and protect her during any upcoming issues. When Isabella does decide to let the brawny newcomer watch over her as she feels her choices are limited, there are those around Robert and Isabella who wish them harm. Also complicating matters is the fact Faerie Magic may have brought him to this period, but it may dearly cost him in the end.

The outstanding storytelling talent of Melissa Mayhue has crafted another captivating Scottish time-travel novel, where the paranormal aspects creatively blend with the realities of the medieval period. Life during the thirteenth century is vividly portrayed with convincing dilemmas while the appreciation of simple pleasures is also shown. When any situation exhibits a supernatural element of some form, the event comes across as totally plausible and leaves you wanting to believe in its possibility. There are an abundance of heart-pounding circumstances, and those fueled by emotional anxiety are just as gripping as any caused by escalating danger. I do not know when a story has occupied my thoughts as much as A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING, where I frequently held my breath as I awaited to see how an incidence would conclude. Ms. Mayhue repeatedly ups the dramatic anticipation in this story by depicting unspoken feelings with sincerely honest reactions, thus showing the true inner nature of a character. As the sexy hero and spirited heroine, Robert and Isabella make an unforgettable couple who will long be remembered. As the story progresses, the reader will come to understand what motivates these two, and these selfless reasons will make them even more admirable. Their sensuously intimate encounters are beautifully described with much feeling, and the candidness between them makes for several heartfelt moments. With numerous developments which do not turn out as expected plus suspenseful predicaments where anything can happen, one will be thoroughly entertained during every attention-grabbing scene. A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING is a noteworthy romantic adventure which will enchant with its magical scenarios.

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Featured Book: Audrey and the Maverick by Elaine Levine

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:26:23 +0000

In Elaine Levine’s stunning novel of the American West, a proud rancher and a determined young woman are drawn together in the lawless town of Defiance.
Virginia financier Julian McCaid has put his troubled past behind him. His plans for the future don’t include Audrey Sheridan, the extraordinary frontier woman he met just once, but it’s because of her that he’s come to the Dakota Territory to investigate problems at his ranch. And it’s all the more surprising when he discovers she isn’t the innocent he believed. Now nothing but her complete surrender will purge her from his soul.
If it weren’t for the children she cares for in her makeshift orphanage, Audrey would have left Defiance long ago. Now the sheriff is blackmailing her to distract the man who might derail his corrupt schemes—a man who can offer Audrey not just protection, but a passion bold enough to make them claim their place in this harsh and beautiful land…

“Elaine Levine is a rising star! With a masterful turn of phrase, she captures a reader’s interest, engages the emotions, and doesn’t let go until the last page is turned. I highly recommend her books to anyone looking for a superb and refreshing read. AUDREY AND THE VIRGINIAN is engaging, delightful, and superbly written, a wonderful story from beginning to end!”

–Catherine Anderson

Read the first chapter…

Audrey and the Maverick
By Elaine Levine
Available February 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4201-0552-0

Defiance, Dakota Territory, May 1868

Audrey Sheridan peeked around the corner of an abandoned store, watching her mark come closer. Her palms were damp and her hands shook. She’d practiced the maneuver she would use to steal his purse a hundred times in the last two days, but now that the time was here, she doubted her ability to see it through.

Julian McCaid was less than half a block away. He lifted his wide-brimmed Stetson and swept a hand through his thick dark hair. Resettling his hat, he scanned the street near where she stood. The energy of his gaze rolled in her direction like a hot desert wind.

Withdrawing into the cover of the alley, she listened to his boots crunch in the gravel of the dirt road. When he came even with her, she stepped in front of him and reached for his coin purse. Fast as a whip, he snatched her wrist. She gasped and looked up, in time to see shock and recognition register in his eyes.

The 5:00 p.m. Cheyenne stage had just arrived, and passengers had begun filing down the street toward them, heading for Maddie’s Boardinghouse. She yanked at her wrist and he let her go. She quickly drifted into the small crowd and slipped away, her heartbeat overriding all other sound as she began to run. She didn’t stop–didn’t dare give her conscience time to catch up to her actions. The sheriff had been very clear in describing the consequences should she fail to engage McCaid’s attention.

She took a circuitous route to the sheriff’s, careful that she wasn’t being followed. At the side stairs leading up to his apartment, one of his men stepped in front of her, blocking her. His gaze leisurely moved over her, a boldness he would never have attempted before she’d become the sheriff’s flunky. She went around him and climbed to the second floor. Her fingers gripped the neck of the small pouch until her nails dug into the palm of her hand. She pounded on his door with her fisted hand.

One of the sheriff’s men opened it. “It’s Sheridan,” he said, looking at her but speaking to someone behind him.

“Let her in.”

Audrey moved stiffly into the room. She looked at each of the five men inside–Sheriff Kemp and four gunmen, two of whom she didn’t recognize. Kemp always had new gunfighters loitering about town. It wasn’t worth getting to know them; they never stayed around long.
The sheriff leaned against his scruffy wooden table and waited for her to speak. She tossed him the leather pouch and watched as he poured it out on his desk. Light from the window at the front of the room flashed off the metal star on his chest, brightening a spot on the gritty floor as he leaned forward to count her take.

“Ten dollars. Hardly worth the trouble.” He frowned as he looked her over. “What are you dressed like that for?”

“I didn’t want McCaid to recognize me.”

A rattle of laughter started deep in his chest. He covered his mouth with his fist as if to stop himself, but by the time the sound hit the air, it was a high-pitched, dirty giggle that his fist did nothing to hide.

“Oh, he’s gonna recognize you. By the time he’s finished with you, he’s gonna know you with your clothes, without your clothes, and in any stupid getup you want to wear.” He looked at her as he fondled McCaid’s purse. “You done good, Sheridan. He’ll take the bait. I know it.”

Audrey gritted her teeth and fought to suppress a shudder. She hated this town and the sheriff and his men. She would see this terrible thing to its end, then leave Defiance. There had to be work for an honest girl in Cheyenne or Denver. There had to be someplace where she, her brother, and her foster children would be safe from his manipulations.

Sensing her resistance, Kemp narrowed his eyes. He crossed the room to her. Yanking her hat off, he dug his hand in her hair and twisted hard. “You start chattering, girl, and them kids of yours will find you with your neck slit one fine morning,” he hissed. “You’re nothing. Nothing. You hear me?”

“I hear you,” she bit out, only to have her head yanked once more.

“And if you think that half-breed sheep farmer’s gonna help you, you better think it over. Every wrong step you make will cost you a kid.” He grinned, baring yellowed teeth in a venomous smile. “I reckon you got eight chances to get it right. Then there’s still your brother.”

Audrey clamped her jaw shut both to stop its quivering and to keep from telling Kemp what she thought of him. He tightened his grip. She tried to free herself, but his hand was fisted too deeply in her hair. “You keep the breed busy for a month. You hear me, girl? I need a month.”

Trying to appear tougher than she felt, she gave him a bored glare. “I hear you.”

“Get outta here.” He flung her away, shoving her toward the door and tossing her hat after her.

“Get the hell outta here.”

Audrey picked up her hat and left Kemp’s apartment. Walking down the steps to the street, she moved blindly. Woodenly. She looked toward the far end of town, her eyes seeking solace in the white and blue mountain ridges that ripped into the sky.

There had to be more–so much more than this. Why hadn’t she seen this situation coming? She thought back over the past month, the past year. There had been plenty of signs–the drop in the number of customers who sent her their laundry, the school’s closing, the abandoned businesses on Main Street. She’d been so preoccupied caring for the kids, she hadn’t noticed the gradual shift in power from the town’s law-abiding citizens to the sheriff’s growing number of gang members.

And now it was too late.

Heavy clouds thickened across the sky, darkening the town as a spring storm quickly blew in. The air had a chill about it and a soothing damp smell she drew greedily into her lungs. It was going to pour. The street was emptying of people as the few who were about hurried out of the rain. Something across the way drew her attention. Frowning, she tried to see what it was, even as the hairs tingled at the back of her neck.

McCaid.

He stepped down from the boardwalk in front of the old hotel and stopped. He turned slowly and faced the alleyway. Four roughnecks gathered in a half circle around him. He stood there–stood still–and let them draw near.

Audrey felt sick to her stomach. The four of them would tear him apart. She looked away. It wasn’t her business. He wasn’t her business. She should keep on moving. If McCaid couldn’t handle the trouble in Defiance, he shouldn’t have come back. She looked his way again. Kemp’s boys were almost within arm’s reach of him. It wasn’t fair. She’d already hit him–there couldn’t be anything left for them to take. The wet wind brought a whisper of cruel laughter her way.
Four against one wasn’t right.

She crossed the street, determination making her heart thunder, her pace quicken. They were closing in on him. She broke into a run and reached the pack of roughnecks in time to slip between them and McCaid. Backing up against him, she glared at the four facing him. “Not today, Paul, Hammer.” She eyed the sheriff’s men warily. She knew only the two, but she’d seen the others hanging around town lately.

“Get out of the way, girl.” Hammer leaned toward her. Audrey spread her arms out at her sides, heedless of the ridiculous sight she made. The top of her head barely came to McCaid’s chin. His shoulders were twice the width of hers. Her spread arms protected only the top of his thighs.

“It’s no use,” she growled, hoping they caught her meaning.

“Shit, Sheridan! He’s only just come in.”

“Maybe if you hadn’t needed to round up a gang–” she suggested.

Anger flashed in Hammer’s bleary eyes. He grabbed her collar, lifting her toward him only to have an equally large hand twist his collar and hold him at bay.

“Let her go,” McCaid quietly ordered, “now.” Never had a man’s voice affected Audrey as his did. It was deep and resonated with quiet authority. Hammer’s eyes widened as he looked over her head at McCaid. He set her free with a string of curses and stormed away. The others followed close behind.

Audrey drew a ragged breath, finally becoming aware she hadn’t been breathing. Rain began to fall in earnest. For the length of a heartbeat, neither she nor McCaid moved. She listened to the rain plink against the adjacent building, acutely aware of him standing behind her. Slowly, careful to keep her face shadowed by her hat, she turned around. Her gaze collided with his chest, and her mind absorbed random images of him, like a patchwork. The heavy duster he wore over his gray wool suit. The coffee-colored splotches of rain spreading and connecting into ever-larger blotches at his shoulders. His hard jaw with its afternoon growth of dark beard. The water pooling on his hat brim and spilling off the back.

She felt the weight of his gaze but avoided looking at him as she glanced across the street toward the sheriff’s office. Drat it all, they could see her from here. Audrey started to edge around him.

His arm shot up in front of her, his hand locking against the side of the building. “A moment, Miss Sheridan. I’ve been looking for you. I believe you have something of mine.”

When she tried to go the other way, he blocked her with his other arm. She did look at him then. His jaw was set, his brown eyes steely. Her heart beat like a fist against her ribs. “I have nothing of yours,” she whispered. That, after all, was no lie.

He leaned toward her, bending near, close enough that she could hear the rain on his hat. “We both know you do. What game do you play?”

“It’s no game. You aren’t safe here,” she warned him. But when his arm wrapped around her waist and pinned her between his body and wall, she knew she wasn’t safe either.

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Review: EMBRACE THE NIGHT ETERNAL by Joss Ware

Donna — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:47:00 +0000

Simon Japp was the right hand man of a sadistic crime boss. The things he was expected to do made him sick, so Simon ran. He knew there was no place to hide but he had heard of Sedona and that was where he ran. Men, sent to kill him, chased Simon into some caves as the ground began to tremble and Simon lost consciousness. He awoke to a different world. It was fifty years later and the earth had undergone some violent changes which left a devastated population and other worldly creatures, that hunt humans, roaming the night. There were other men, a group of friends, in the caves with Simon so they banded together to survive. Simon was given a second chance.

Simon and his new friends make their way to a large settlement known as Envy where they join an underground group determined to discover what happened to cause the change in the world and who instigated it. There, Simon meets computer analyst Sage, a delicately beautiful woman that captures Simon’s attention immediately. Simon knows that he does not deserve a woman like Sage but when they are given an assignment to infiltrate a community, posing as a married couple, Simon’s resolve is sorely tested.

Oh my, this second book in the Awakening Heroes series, EMBRACE THE NIGHT, was well worth the wait. Simon is the brooding bad boy turned dangerously sexy good guy and he has met his saving grace in Sage. Together, they ignite our interest with their passion for each other and their determination to find the illusive Remington Truth. Mega-talented Joss Ware weaves Simon’s and Sage’s story, taking the reader one suspenseful step after another, stealing our breath away and leaving us on pins and needles anticipating what happens next. EMBRACE THE NIGHT by Joss Ware continues a gritty original series that quickly becomes addictive.

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Review: Waiting for an Eclipse by Karen Wiesner

Debby — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:38:03 +0000

Steve Thomas can’t believe how bad his personal life has become. Earning tenure and becoming an associate professor can hardly make up for his wife who has once again overdosed. His three kids are suffering in different ways and he knows he must make a change in his life if he is to save himself and his kids. Steve knows he must divorce his wife, Jesse, but how can he justify that with the promises he made in the past?

Kristina Ingram is a counselor at a drug crisis center and knows that Steve is the one man she could love forever. She also knows that Steve is a married man, even if he is in a crippling marriage. She offers him her friendship and an ear, but will that be enough?

Waiting For an Eclipse should be required reading for anyone in a relationship with an addict. Karen Wiesner realistically portrays the heart breaking effects on those around the addict. Love is never enough if the addict does not want to help themselves. Steve was a wonderful hero. He never gave up but his feeling of guilt, and helplessness needed to be changed into determination. But even with determination, will he ever be free? Read this excellent story and take a ride with Steve on the roller coaster that has become his life. Your heart will never be the same. Emotional, realistic, and gritty, Waiting For an Eclipse will capture you and not let go. The story is perfectly titled as you will find out when you pick up this keeper. Waiting for an Eclipse and Karen Wiesner does not disappoint.