The Book Connection...

First Chapter Review: The Rockin' Chair by Steven Manchester

2013-05-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

The first chapter of The Rockin' Chair by Steven Manchester was sent to me by the author. This book is available for pre-order at Amazon.

BLURB: Memories are the ultimate contradiction. They can warm us on our coldest days – or they can freeze a loved one out of our lives forever. The McCarthy family has a trove of warm memories. Of innocent first kisses. Of sumptuous family meals. Of wondrous lessons learned at the foot of a rocking chair. But they also have had their share of icy ones. Of words that can never be unsaid. Of choices that can never be unmade. Of actions that can never be undone.

Following the death of his beloved wife, John McCarthy – Grandpa John – calls his family back home. It is time for them to face the memories they have made, both warm and cold. Only then can they move beyond them and into the future.

A rich portrait of a family at a crossroad, THE ROCKIN' CHAIR is Steven Manchester’s most heartfelt and emotionally engaging novel to date. If family matters to you, it is a story you must read.

COVER: I love it. All of the covers of Steven's books have been nice. I was looking through them at his publisher's website and see they all have a chair in them. Not sure what that's supposed to mean, but here it works well because of the title and because of the rustic feel that speaks to the setting.

FIRST CHAPTER: As Alice hides herself, her memories wander from the days of her childhood to the days when she is gray-haired and liver-spotted. But then Elle shows up and tells her it's time to go home.

KEEP READING: This is a tough one for me, because I was fairly confused through most of the first chapter. I've already read some of Manchester's work, so I know he can deliver. I feel the opening chapter is intentionally vague to relay the confusion Alice feels as she sits waiting in terror. She appears to be suffering from dementia, though that is not stated. I can only guess based upon the last paragraph of the chapter. Manchester offers the reader a lot of emotion in this opener, which is not surprising because he writes about family ties. I would definitely continue for at least another chapter, because I feel once I understand exactly what is happening, I'll be eager to continue.

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Story Plant, The (June 18, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 161188067X
ISBN-13: 978-1611880670

I received the first chapter of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: Harkness by Michael Bigham

2013-05-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Harkness is a superb edgy western murder mystery by debut novelist Michael Bigham.

Sheriff Matthew Harkness investigates the disappearance of two star-crossed teenage lovers. Secrets abound in the Oregon High Desert town of Barnesville, and Harkness must uncover a trail that leads to murder.

In Harkness, Bigham has created a conflicted hero who lives right on the edge of justice. A World War II veteran, Harkness returns to Barnesville and picks up a relationship with the woman he loves. Problem is, she's now married to the town's big-wig, who also happens to be his boss. His fairly regular routine is unsettled when Joey McIntrye, the high school's star football player, goes missing along with his girlfriend, Virginia Kelly. Having lived in Barnesville a long time, Harkness is privy to many secrets, and he must weight what to reveal in order to help him solve the crime.

The challenge with a character like Matthew Harkness is making him likable enough. In the opening pages he's in bed with the Judge's wife. He drinks too much. Some of the words he uses would curl your mother's hair. He can be a bit violent at times. But overall, Bigham did a fine job of smoothing out those edges to keep the reader rooting for him.

Before I knew I would be helping to promote this book, I had read the first chapter and was totally intrigued. As a lover of westerns and mysteries, Harkness was a great match for me. Bigham delivered a solid story that kept me turning the pages. The tension slowly built to an explosive conclusion. Along the way, there was the comic relief provided by Addison, the wiener dog that adopts Harkness. In the end, I couldn't say I liked most of the people in Barnesville, but I would definitely return for another adventure; see who else is hiding dirty secrets there.

If you like western mysteries and conflicted heroes, you should give Harkness a try.

Paperback: 198 pages
Publisher: Muskrat Press (October 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615721974
ISBN-13: 978-0615721972

I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author. The author paid me to promote this book through a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. This fee did not include a review. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

This is the 5th book I've read for the following challenge:

Interview with Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue, Author of After the Ending

2013-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Lindsey Pogue has always been a little creative. As a child she established a bug hospital on her elementary school soccer field, compiled illustrations and collages as a teenager, and as an adult, she expresses herself through writing. Her novels are inspired by her observations of the world around her—whether she’s traveling, people watching, or hiking. When not plotting her next storyline or dreaming up new, brooding characters, Lindsey is wrapped in blankets watching her favorite action flicks or going on road trips with her own leading man. Lindsey can be found online at her blog (http://lindseypogue.wordpress.com) and on Pinterest (Lindsey Pogue).

Lindsey Fairleigh lives her life with one foot in a book—as long as that book transports her to a magical world or bends the rules of science. Her novels, from post-apocalyptic to time travel and historical fantasy, always offer up a hearty dose of unreality, along with plenty of adventure and romance. When she’s not working on her next novel, Lindsey spends her time reading and trying out new recipes in the kitchen. She lives in the Napa Valley with her loving husband and confused cats. Lindsey can be found online at her blog (http://lindseyfairleigh.blogspot.com) and on Facebook and Pinterest (Lindsey Fairleigh).

The Ending Series Blog: aftertheending-ae.blogspot.com
The Ending Series Website: www.theendingseries.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AfterTheEnding
Twitter: @TheEndingSeries (twitter.com/TheEndingSeries)

Where did you grow up?

LF: I grew up in the Seattle area, first in Renton, and then in Bellevue.

LP: I’m a Napkin. Actually, we’re technically called “Napans” I think. Anyway, I was born and bred in the Napa Valley.

When did you begin writing?

LP: I’ve always been a writer in some way, shape, or form. I’ve written for the newspaper, medical journals, grant reports, and so on. But my passion has always been researching and writing fiction. Although I have a plethora of stories, ideas, and outlines I’ve started over the years, this is my first completed and published novel.

LF: I’m sort of the inverse to LP. I’ve been reading my whole life--always fantasy or science fiction of some sort. Luckily the people who matter the most--my mom and my husband--have found it in their hearts to support my...quirks. Eventually, I realized there were stories stored in my head that I wanted to read, but the only way they would find their way to paper (virtual or otherwise) would be if I wrote them down (typed...honestly, I hate writing by hand, and yes, I know that’s practically heretical for a writer to admit...).

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

LF: When the muse strikes--and by that I mean when my characters pound the inside of my skull in an attempt to get their story out--I write. I have no choice

LP: I‘m generally inspired at night when my mind is winding down. I work during the day, so I can’t write whenever I feel like it, and I have to rely on really good notes that I jot down throughout the day when I’m feeling inspired, hoping that I’ll be able to draw upon the excitement I had in that moment and remember all the tidbits floating around in my mind by the time I actually get to sit down and write.

What is this book about?

LP: There are a few non-conventional aspects to our book that we feel make it not only unique, but enjoyable to a wide variety of people. For starters, After The Ending is a post-apocalyptic story told in first person, but the catch is that it’s from two different perspectives, Zoe and Dani. I write for Zoe and LF writes for Dani. The story begins with a universally contagious, deadly virus that infects everyone, including our characters and their loved ones. After the virus wipes out most of the human population, Dani and Zoe (best friends, mid-twenties) learn they are among the few who survived the pandemic. Although adult life has sent Zoe to the East Coast and Dani’s settled on the West Coast, their friendship is one of the few remaining things they have in the virus-ravaged world...so they embark on separate journeys to meet each other at a supposed safe haven, the Colony. It’s through their individual journeys that the reader can experience what our heroines see and feel as they discover what the world after The Ending is like and, in turn, discover more about themselves as survivors.

LF: Something that we aimed to do from the get-go when writing After The Ending was to make sure the focus wasn’t entirely on the hardcore survival aspects of the post-apocalypse, but on the characters, specifically their personal struggles and relationships. The story highlights the undeniable power of friendship, love, and hope, and how they can make life worth living even when everything else is lost. There is romance, but there are also some definite science fiction elements, such as the spontaneous genetic mutations caused by the virus, leading to extraordinary abilities in survivors...or to insanity. We’ll be the first to admit After The Ending was written with a female audience in mind, as it’s very character-driven and the romance storylines aren’t negligible, but we have heard from male readers who enjoyed the book as well.

What inspired you to write it?

LP: I promised someone very important to me that I would publish one of my many stories, so when that person passed and LF and I got more serious about The Ending project, I knew this was my time to go for the gold and it feels amazing. I probably never would have taken the leap if it wasn’t for LF and our combined enthusiasm to follow our dreams.

LF: For me, a lot of what inspired me was LP. I mean, I never considered really going for it with writing until I met her. We were driving home from a book conference--this was while we still worked at Copperfield’s Books together--and we started talking about a story idea. I’d been thinking about writing something entirely epistolary that chronicled an adult woman’s post-apocalyptic experience. During the two-hour drive we toyed with the premise, tossing ideas back and forth, and by the time we arrived at LP’s house, we had characters, a rough backstory, and very general outline.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

LF: Niether. It was twisty, with lots of forks and backtracking. We went back and forth (and back and forth) on whether to pursue traditional publishing or go completely independent. We went the independent route, and since we published, we haven’t looked back. That’s not to say that we haven’t learned or that there aren’t thing’s we’ll do differently with the second book, Into The Fire, just that we’re exceptionally pleased with the results of After The Ending.

LP: Well put my friend. Twisty is a great word to describe it :)

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

LP: I’ll just say that I would’ve listened to my gut more. I’ve learned that there is a reason your conscious is trying to get your attention, so you need to take a step back and ask yourself “why?”.

LF: Hired a cover designer. For sure. I mean, I love our cover, but it took a long time. I’d rather pay someone who can do it way faster (and probably better), so I can just write.

LP: I think the process of coming up with the cover design was really fun though. There’s something to be said for seeing the entire process through--being the masterminds behind it all, being proud of all we’ve accomplished. While I know LF didn’t like doing the formatting and all the headache that comes with it, I think we can both agree the brainstorming process was SO much fun.

LF: This is true.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

LP: The book is available in three different formats: Kindle, hardcover and paperback. All are available at Amazon.com and you can also purchase the hard and paperback version at Copperfields Books and through Barnes and Nobel online.

What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?

LF: I know a lot of indie authors are questioning the merits of KDP Select right now, but I honestly think it’s one of two things that have brought us to readers' attention, the other being Goodreads giveaways. Being an unknown, never-before-published, independent author is scary, and those two services helped our “discoverability” immensely. We think.

LP: Yes!

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

LF: Write for you...the only way you’ll know if other people like (or hate) your words is if you write them down. And yes, no matter what, some people will hate them.

LP: Figure out what inspires you. For me, it’s observing nature or people. My boyfriend calls my people-watching skills “nosey”, but I call it research.

What is up next for you?

LP: I work for a non-profit as well as write, so book two in The Ending Series is my main focus right now. When I’m not at work, I’m writing my Zoe chapters for Into The Fire.

LF: I’m working on two projects right now. First, finishing up book two of The Ending Series, Into The Fire. And second, my solo debut, Echo Prophecy, the first in a PNR/historical mystery trilogy, is entering into the final editing process. I’m aiming for a late summer or early fall release with that one.

Is there anything you would like to add?

LF: Great questions! Thank you for having us!

Interview with O.S. Gill, Author of The Knights of Galaria

2013-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

O.S. Gill grew up on the Caribbean island of Barbados. He was educated at The Lodge School, a 300-year-old former British boarding school and the second oldest learning institution on the island. A certified information technology professional, he has worked for The Banks Holdings Limited, a local conglomerate that owns the local brewery (Banks Beer) and Coca-Cola manufacturing plant for fourteen years. A Systems Analyst, he has been positioned in various capacities, primarily dealing with sales and distribution, as well as the sourcing and implementation of new technologies to further business efficiency. He always had a passion for writing and published his first novel, THE KNIGHTS OF GALARIA: THE CRYSTALS OF POWER, in 2012.

You can visit his website at www.osgill.com.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a father of two. I have been working in the beverage industry for fourteen years. I love sci-fi and fantasy. And I try to play as many sports as I can, at least once.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up on the Caribbean island of Barbados.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

My fondest childhood memory is flying kites on the pasture behind my home.

When did you begin writing?

I began writing in 2011.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I write whenever I can.

What is this book about?

It is about a team of young knights on a distant world called Galaria. On the day of their graduation from the Knight Academy, there is an assassination attempt on the keynote speaker. This gives them their first assignment: to find out who is responsible. From there this leads to a much greater adventure that finds them travelling all across Galaria in pursuit of the main antagonist.

What inspired you to write it?

Well I knew I wanted to write a swashbuckling adventure set deep in space. That was my aim from the beginning. From there the characters and the world just started to take shape.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My friends definitely are!

Are you a member of a critique group? If no, who provides feedback on your work?

Informally. I had a few key people read my work and give me their notes before it was ready to be published.

Who is your favorite author?

J.R.R. Tolkien.

Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?

I don’t have one at this time. I haven’t actively tried looking for one for a while.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

Well, seeing that I am self-published, there was a lot more leg work involved in getting this novel to market. But it was worth it in the end.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

Not a single thing. It was fun all the way.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

They can get the ebook here: http://www.amazon.com/Knights-Galaria-Crystals-Power-ebook/dp/B0075LZ5MA

Or the printed copy from here: - https://www.createspace.com/3793226

What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?

I would have to say hiring a publicist. They have so much more experience in producing exposure.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

As cliché as it is, never give up. Always work hard and see your project through till the end.

What is up next for you?

The second novel in this series.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Only that this entire interview has been a pleasure. And I would encourage all of your readers to pick up a copy of The Knights of Galaria. They will totally love it!

Interview with Kraig Dafoe, Author of Search for the Lost Realm (Giveaway)

2013-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Kraig Dafoe was born in Potsdam, New York and grew up in Canton. He played high school football and joined the United States Army Reserves at the age of seventeen.

Kraig married at the age of nineteen and moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia where he worked as a Private Security officer for The Christian Broadcasting Network and also attended the Tidewater Community College for business.

After five years as a security officer, he became a Deputy Sheriff for the city of Chesapeake Virginia.

Kraig left the Sheriff’s office after nine years of service and pursued a couple of different business opportunities before he went on to publishing his debut novel.

Kraig is the father of five children and he currently resides in Kansas, raising his youngest son.

His latest book is the fantasy/adventure, Search for the Lost Realm.

Visit his website at www.kraigdafoebooks.com

Connect with Kraig:

FACEBOOK

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I never know what to say here, I feel like I’m signing up for a dating site or something. I’m a single father trying to put my imagination to good use.

When did you begin writing?

I began writing over twenty years ago but it wasn’t until just a couple of short years ago that I started to take it seriously.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I write whenever the mood hits me. If an idea pops into my head at two in the morning, so be it.

What is this book about?

This book is about a young man wanting to make a name for himself. Varan, the main character sets out to find a mystical power and soon discovers just how dangerous the world can be.

What inspired you to write it?

I used to love role-playing and after a few years of doing so, I decided to share some of my imagination with the world.

Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?

I would like an agent but the task of getting one is as difficult as getting a mainstream publisher to publish your book.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

The road was extremely bumpy and I don’t see it smoothing out anytime soon.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

Absolutely. Too many things to mention.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

The easiest way to find it is through the links on my site, www.kraigdafoebooks.com but the paperback can be ordered from any bookstore in the U.S.

What is up next for you?

I am currently working on my second fantasy novel, based on the same world as this one but with different characters.

PURCHASE:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES

Pump Up Your Book and Kraig Dafoe are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card/Paypal Cash!

Here’s how it works:

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If the Rafflecopter form doesn't load, please visit the book's tour page by clicking here.

Book Spotlight: When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Becky rocks a baby that rocked her world. Sixty years earlier, with her fiancé Drew in the middle of the Korean Conflict, Ivy throws herself into her work at a nursing home to keep her sanity and provide for the child Drew doesn’t know is coming. Ivy cares for Anna, an elderly patient who taxes Ivy’s listening ear until the day she suspects Anna’s tall tales are not just idle ramblings. They’re Anna’s disjointed memories of a remarkable life.

Finding a faint thread of hope she can’t resist tugging, Ivy records Anna’s memoir, scribbling furiously after hours to keep up with the woman’s emotion-packed, grace-hemmed stories. Is Ivy’s answer buried in Anna’s past? And what connects them to Becky?

Becky, Ivy, Anna—three women fight a tangled vine of deception in search of the blossoming simplicity of truth.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

Cynthia Ruchti is an author and speaker who tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her

novels, nonfiction, women’s events, and outlets related to the Heartbeat of the Home radio broadcast she wrote and produced for thirty-three years. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five joy-giving grandchildren.

Her latest book is the Christian fiction, When the Morning Glory Blooms.

You can learn more about Cynthia and her writing and speaking at www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Connect with Cynthia:

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Tour Schedule

Monday, May 6 – Book Spotlight at Cheryl’s Christian Connection

Monday, May 6 – First Chapter Reveal at The Writer’s Life

Tuesday, May 7 – Interview at You Gotta Read Reviews

Wednesday, May 8 – Interview at Examiner

Thursday, May 9 – Character Guest Post at Literarily Speaking

Friday, May 10 – Book Spotlight at My Cozie Corner

Friday, May 10 – First Chapter Reveal at As the Pages Turn

Saturday, May 11 – Book Review at A Peek at My Bookshelf

Sunday, May 12 – Guest Blogging at My Devotional Thoughts

Monday, May 13 – Book Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Tuesday, May 14 – Book Spotlight at The Busy Mom’s Daily

Tuesday, May 14 – Guest Blogging at The Story Behind The Book

Wednesday, May 15 – Book Review at Melina’s Book Blog

Wednesday, May 15 – First Chapter Reveal at Pump Up Your Book

Thursday, May 16 – Interview at The Writer’s Life

Friday, May 17 – Interview at Blogcritics

Friday, May 17 – Book Spotlight at The Book Connection

Saturday, May 18 – Book Review at My Devotional Thoughts

Monday, May 20 – Book Review & Book Giveaway at Queen of All She Reads

Tuesday, May 21 – Book Review at A Year of Jubilee Reviews

Wednesday, May 22 – Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner

Thursday, May 23 – Guest Blogging & Book Giveaway at 4 the Love of Books

Thursday, May 23 – First Chapter Reveal at Read My First Chapter

Friday, May 24 – Book Spotlight at Moonlight Lace & Mayhem

Friday, May 24 – First Chapter Reveal at Beyond the Books

Sunday, May 26 – Book Spotlight at Authors & Readers Book Corner

Monday, May 27 – Book Review & Book Giveaway at Create With Joy

Tuesday, May 28 – Book Review at Mary’s Cup of Tea

Thursday, May 30 – Book Review & Guest Blogging at Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Thursday, May 30 – Book Review at Lighthouse Academy

Friday, May 31 - Book Review at Thoughts From Mill Street

Guest Blogger: Allan Leverone, Author of Parrallax View

2013-05-16T09:02:00.000-04:00

It’s late in the Cold War, and the Soviet Union is slowly disintegrating.

In the midst of this uncertainty and upheaval, a mysterious group of KGB officials has concocted a desperate plan in an attempt to maintain power.

And one beautiful young CIA operative is all that stands between this shadowy cabal and the outbreak of World War Three.

Spring, 1987. CIA Special Operations agent Tracie Tanner is tasked with what should be a relatively straightforward mission: deliver a secret communique from Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

After smuggling the document out of East Germany, Tracie believes she is in the clear. She’s wrong. There are shadowy forces at work, influential people who will stop at nothing to prevent the explosive information contained in the letter from reaching the White House.

Soon, Tanner is knee-deep in airplane crashes and murder, paired up with a young Maine air traffic controller and on the run for their lives, unsure who she can trust at CIA, but committed to completing her mission, no matter the cost.

Dealing with Violence in Fiction

By Allan Leverone

A co-worker friend of mine recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Afterward, he came into work on crutches and with the knee immobilized in a brace, and was showing me the very tiny holes made in the vicinity of his knee, into which the arthroscopic devices had been inserted.

The holes were tiny. Minimally invasive.

I could hardly stand to look.

If you’ve read any of my books, you might find that assertion hard to believe. I don’t write violence just for violence’s sake, but I’ve spilled my share of fictional blood. Some would say more than my share. When the majority of your work is in the horror and thriller genres, violence and mayhem seem to naturally follow.

I’ve had people shot, stabbed, and beaten up. I’ve written car crashes, explosions, mining disasters and terrorist attacks.

And I have trouble looking at a tiny incision. In someone else’s knee.

My wife, on the other hand, enjoys watching those documentary-type TV shows about operations. You know the ones, on the Science Channel or whatever, where they show actual footage of surgeons repairing a hole in an infant’s aorta, or trying to fix the tissue trauma from a nasty gunshot wound, that sort of thing.

If I walk into the room while that kind of show is playing, I either turn around and walk right back out (okay, I run), or I ask my wife to change the channel (okay, I beg).

Why is that? How is it possible I can describe the most horrific scenes of carnage and destruction in the pages of a book, but my stomach does flip-flops at the sight of a beating heart muscle on television? How can I write about one human being shooting another at point-blank range, but when my kids were little, had to force myself not to panic beyond all reason when one of them suffered even a minor cut?

I suppose the answer would be the same thing that’s bothered human beings from the beginning of time, when we huddled in cold, cark caves hoping tonight wouldn’t be the night that pesky saber-toothed tiger prowling around outside didn’t tear us apart and eat us for dinner: fear of the unknown.

When I’m writing, no matter how gruesome the scene or how distasteful the subject matter, I can see it unfold in my head and I know where I’m going with it, more or less.

A surgical procedure taking place on TV, on the other hand, presents a cornucopia of potential outcomes, none of which are pleasing to my hyperactive imagination. Will blood start spurting from that beating heart the surgeon is holding in his gloved hand? What if he drops it? How about if he sneezes while making an incision? Will that be the end of the patient?

The same mindset applied when my kids were young and dripping blood from their cut fingers. They were injured and they were depending on me to care for them. Me! The guy who has a habit of entering rooms and forgetting why. The guy who can’t stand watching a surgical procedure on TV.

In the real world, the range of possibilities outside my control are endless, whereas when I’m writing, even if I don’t have a clear idea where I’m going in a scene, the range is limited to whatever I’m willing to write. There are lines that I know will never be crossed.

And that makes all the difference in the world.

In the case of PARALLAX VIEW, you can sense almost from the very beginning of the book that a violent confrontation – a showdown – is coming. That is the case in virtually all thrillers, so the reader knows going in to expect it and shouldn’t be terribly surprised when it happens.

What form that confrontation will take, and what outcome will result, is obviously up in the air, but a reader of genre fiction, particularly thrillers, presumably isn’t going to be turned off merely by the description of violence.

How about you? As a reader, do you tend to cringe when you come to the most explicitly violent portions of a book? Do you skip over those passages? How does your reaction to blood spilled on a page differ from your reaction to real-world violence, either televised or happening in front of you?

And can you remember why I came into this room?

Allan Leverone is the author of five novels, including the Amazon Top 25 overall paid bestselling thriller, THE LONELY MILE. He is a 2012 Derringer Award winner for excellence in short mystery fiction, as well as a 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee. Allan lives in Londonderry, NH with his wife and family, and a cat who has used up eight lives.

Visit his website at www.allanleverone.com.

Follow Allan:

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AllanLeveroneauthor and Twitter at https://twitter.com/allanleverone

Interview with Mark All, Author of The Spellcaster's Grimoire

2013-05-16T00:18:00.001-04:00

Mark All is the author of paranormal thrillers The Spellcaster’s Grimoire and Mystic Witch, published by ImaJinn Books in trade paperback and eBook formats. He has won two international writing awards and contributed to Computer Legends, Lies & Lore.

Mystic Witch received a 5 Star review from the Paranormal Romance Guild, and 3½ stars (out of 4½ possible stars) from RT Book Reviews.

Mark is a full-time author after a career as an instructional systems designer at a Fortune 16 company. Prior to his work in computer-based training, he held jobs ranging from gravedigger to FM radio announcer to professional rock guitarist.

Mark presents writing workshops and taught his “Planning Your Novel” course at the Spruill Center for the Arts.

He earned a Masters degree in computer-based education and a Bachelor of Music cum laude.

You can visit Mark All’s website at www.MarkAllAuthor.com.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I write full-time after a career in computer-based software training. Before that I had some unusual jobs, from gravedigger to FM radio announcer to playing in a rock band for a living. I still play the guitar and record at home, but traveling was a rough lifestyle, I’ll leave that for the young!

When did you begin writing?

I began writing in middle school, a short story for an English class assignment. I discovered that writing was more fun than reading or watching movies, and got a positive response from my teachers and classmates. I tried writing again after I got off the road and quit music, but dropped it to return to grad school. Then after establishing a normal career, I began writing again, and haven’t stopped.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I write in the mornings, when I’m fresh.

What is this book about?

The Spellcaster’s Grimoire is about the author of bestselling witchcraft How To books who can’t actually work the spells herself. When a dying warlock entrusts an ancient spell book to her, she must actually master the craft to prevent a vengeful witch from using the grimoire to destroy the town coven.

What inspired you to write it?

The “ancient, eldritch tome” is a trope that always gave me chill bumps, and I wanted to write about a lost book of magic for years. I love stories about a hidden or forgotten artifact that holds mystic powers both great and terrible. It can be a metaphor for the power of the unconscious mind, or our latent potential, and engenders stories about personal growth, which seems like magic—because it really is.

Are you a member of a critique group? If no, who provides feedback on your work?

I am a member of a critique group at a local bookstore, and have been in critique groups for many years. Getting other readers’ and writers’ feedback on your work really helps you improve your craft.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

The Spellcaster’s Grimoire is available from my publisher, ImaJinn Books, Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble.com, in both eBook and trade paperback:

Amazon.com - Kindle eBook: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BIY1600
Amazon.com – Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/The-Spellcasters-Grimoire-Mark-All/dp/1610261216/

ImaJinn Books – eBook: http://www.imajinnbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IB&Product_Code=TSG-DLD.pdf&Category_Code=WS
ImaJinn -Paperback: http://www.imajinnbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IB&Product_Code=TSG&Category_Code=NR

Barnes & Noble – Paperback: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-spellcasters-grimoire-mark-all/1114721624

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

Yes, you can find book descriptions, excerpts, and video book trailers for The Spellcaster’s Grimoire and Mystic Witch at www.markallauthor.com

Do you have a video trailer to promote your book? If yes, where can readers find it?

Yes, here’s the direct link to the trailer for The Spellcaster’s Grimoire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y4R8BRCPkY&feature=youtu.be

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Write more books, and get feedback from a critique partner or group. It takes most writers several books before they produce a publishable manuscript. You get better with every book. But sometimes people get their first or second book published, so you never know!

What is up next for you?

My next novel, which I’m proofing now, is a darker supernatural thriller. There’s still some humor, but it’s more serious than my two Witches of Milton County books. It’s called Penumbra, and it’s about a washed-up musician whose songwriting partner returns from the dead to finish their final album—but the music turns listeners into homicidal maniacs.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I’d like to thank you for this wonderful opportunity to visit with your readers!

Interview with Susan Maiava, Author of Fat Chance! The no-going-back Weight Loss Workbook

2013-05-15T12:41:00.003-04:00

Welcome, Susan. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks so much for the opportunity to introduce Fat Chance! The no-going-back Weight Loss Workbook to your readers. A bit about myself? Well I have had an interesting range of life experiences from being an overseas volunteer (like a Peace Corp volunteer) to being a university lecturer, from being a mother to being an author and business owner.

But my chief qualification here is that I was significantly overweight for many years, so I can identify with anyone who is overweight and wants desperately to lose weight. I was tired of the debilitating effect it had on my life and when I looked into the future I didn’t want to be like that for the rest of my life. I couldn’t keep up with my children. It was hugely embarrassing to tell the shop assistant that the XXL was too small. So I gave up shopping for clothes.

Physically I snored, I got headaches and heartburn, my skin chaffed and I was borderline pre-diabetic (all those are gone now). It was hugely embarrassing to walk at normal speed with friends, trying desperately to hide my puffing. So I dropped out of activities (or was not included). I was an observer rather than a participant and I desperately wanted to participate in life.

But for me personally one of the biggest issues was that I had a lot to contribute but was not taken seriously. I was undervalued and overlooked in my professional career. Despite my size I was invisible. I wanted to be taken seriously – that was a key motivation for me.

What made you decide to write Fat Chance! The Weight Loss Workbook?

When I was losing weight I was always looking for good advice but I never found what I was looking for on the bookshelves. There were certainly inspiring personal stories of weight loss. There were prescriptive books full of diet plans written by professionals who had never been overweight (many of these did contain good technical advice which, incidentally, overweight people already know). And there were a range of ‘wacky’ restrictive pseudo-science options.

But most focused on dieting or sticking to diets and there was nothing (in my view) that combined a comprehensive approach to changing your lifestyle, including dealing with emotional hunger, changing your thinking, habits and behaviors, eating better, working with your body and getting active, with a personal, reflective, interactive workbook format.

So after I had lost weight I decided to research and write it myself. I had written a book before and I know how to research so I decided to fill what I believe is an enormous gap in the market. So when I wrote Fat Chance! I combined the best current research with my insider knowledge of what it was like to be overweight and how overweight people think. That combination is key.

How is it different from other weight loss books on the market?

The Fat Chance! slogan sums it up in a nutshell: “Forget about how fat people diet. Focus on how slim people eat.” The key point of difference is Fat Chance! is absolutely definitely not a diet. Instead it facilitates a lifestyle change focused on learning to think and eat like a slim person, forever.

The greatest misconception people have about losing weight is that you lose weight by dieting for a certain time (and then going back to your old behavior). One of my first insights was the realization that if you eat the amount of food needed to maintain your goal slim weight every day, you would, over time, reach and maintain that weight, just as slim people do, keeping the weight off forever.

With Fat Chance! you learn to eat for your slim weight from Day 1. The new skills and strategies you adopt to do this are yours for the rest of your life. I think that is the key difference and is why this is not a diet. The end goal is to live differently. The weight-loss will happen as a result of changing your lifestyle.

The second major point of difference is the engaging, interactive workbook format. Research has shown that food journaling alone is a very effective weight loss tool but it is more than that. The question and answer format enables the reader to slow down, become much more self-aware, reflect deeply and draw out of themselves and make the changes they need to make at a very personal and individual level.

How easy is your book to use and understand for someone who hasn’t tried anything other than traditional diet plans?

I agree that it seems strange to not think you are supposed to be dieting. After all we have always been taught that is how you lose weight. But think instead of how slim people naturally maintain their slim weight.

Fat Chance! is extremely easy to use as you work through it just one day at a time. The journal style has several advantages. It provides a very safe environment in which to deal with weight issues, especially emotional issues; a sort of “dear diary.” Many people have written to me describing it as their new best friend. The workbook itself becomes the encourager, the friend who walks beside the reader on their journey each day.

Fat Chance! is well designed and organized so everything is covered. Each day of the week has a different theme: The six themes are: Thinking like a slim person, Working with your body, Establishing new habits, Dealing with emotional hunger, Getting active, Enjoying a healthy balanced diet and Day 7 is a Debrief and reflection. Groups can come together on Day 7. So each day is interesting and new but the full picture layers and builds week on week.

How much time does it take to implement the plan in your book?

Fat Chance! The Weight Loss Workbook is a colorful and stylish but very practical, interactive workbook which engages the reader every day. It can take as little as 15 minutes or up to 45 minutes a day, depending on the reader. Many prefer to delve into it both morning (to plan) and evening (to reflect).

The program is 12 weeks long, but because it is life-changing, in this sense it never ends. There is no going back to old ways. I don’t mean that you have to diet forever (a terrible thought). Instead you reach a healthy new equilibrium; a new lifestyle where you think and eat like a slim person forever.

It is important the workbook journey is undertaken one day at a time. It does take time to identify the changes that have to come from within and discipline to slowly and deeply embed those changes. The discipline is not in resisting food (we know that doesn’t work) but rather the discipline is in changing your thoughts and habits. And that is where Fat Chance! walks with you as you journal your progress.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering a lifestyle change?

Completely abandon the idea of dieting, and completely embrace the idea that you are going to change your lifestyle and there will be no going back to your old behavior. If you are not prepared to change, don’t do it!

But also know that it is absolutely possible, and Fat Chance! will be there right there beside you, showing you the way. Ask yourself (Fat Chance! asks you a lot of questions): Do I want to live differently or do I want to be fat? It really is that simple.

Where can readers purchase Fat Chance! The Weight-loss Workbook?

Readers can purchase a hardcopy of the Fat Chance! Weight Loss Workbook from Amazon or www.ShoppingMoa.com Links to the specific buying pages are found at www.fatchanceweightloss.com (note it is also called “Fat Chance! Forget how fat people diet, Focus on how slim people eat” – I like that!).

Recently I have created an interactive Online web-based version of Fat Chance! which is available globally from www.fatchance.co.nz/new-fat-chance-online-programme

Do you have anything else to add?

I’m absolutely delighted with the response Fat Chance! has been getting. As well as individuals it is being used by groups of friends (meeting on Day 7) and health professionals working with overweight clients. Apart from the fact it really works, people love the design, colors and the layout of the book which is really stylish and fun as well as practical.

I’d love your readers to read the success stories of people who have used Fat Chance! lost weight and changed their lives at www.fatchanceweightloss.com/testimonials. Some of the stories and photos are just amazing and are why I know Fat Chance! works.

Your readers can also read and download the Introduction from www.fatchanceweightloss.com/sneak-peak and everything and anything else they want to know is there as well.

Thank you for allowing me to share Fat Chance! with you.

I wish all your readers all the best in their weight loss journey!

Kindest regards,
Susan Maiava PhD.

Guest Blogger: Karina Fabian, Author of Greater Treasures (Giveaway)

2013-05-14T01:15:00.000-04:00

Being a private detective in the border town of the Faerie and Mundane worlds isn’t easy, even for a dragon like Vern. Still, finding the wayward brother of a teary damsel in distress shouldn’t have gotten so dangerous. When his partner, Sister Grace, gets poisoned by a dart meant for him, Vern offers to find an artifact in exchange for a cure. However, this is no ordinary trinket—with a little magic power, it could control all of mankind. Can Vern find the artifact, and will he sacrifice the fate of two worlds for the life of his best friend?

Purchase at: CreateSpace or a Kindle version from Amazon.

Pages: 130
ISBN-13: 978-1484848296
ISBN-10: 1484848292
ASIN B00CEH934G

Why I Love Writing Vern and Why You’ll Love Reading Him

By Karina Fabian

Once again, I have a DragonEye story to share. For those that don’t know, DragonEye stories involve Vern, a dragon who lives in our world and works as a detective, solving mysteries and saving the world when magic and technology become more than anyone else can handle. He’s a character I created somewhere around 2006 and who first appeared in “DragonEye, PI” in Firestorm of Dragons (http://www.amazon.com/Firestorm-Dragons-Michele-Acker/dp/1896944809) in 2008. Since then, Vern has provided me with a steady line of stories, from flash to novel size. Greater Treasures is a novella/novelette, incidentally.

Vern is my favorite character to write. For one, he’s a dragon, which means he considers himself a superior species. So much of my life is spent with self-doubt that it’s refreshing to immerse myself in a character who is supremely confident in himself, even when events make him feel like he’s failing. He’s also got a snarky attitude. He can say things I’ll only think, make snide remarks, and give people insulting nicknames, and it comes completely natural to him. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I do enjoy it. Of course, that is part of his charm and his humor. Even in the most serious of situations, he can find something amusing, whether a pun or an ironic twist. He does slapstick pretty well, too. I laugh when I write his stories. Finally, he’s smart—genius smart. Of course, that’s easy to write when I can Google whatever would come to his mind naturally.

Vern is different from me. If I knew him in reality, I’m not sure how close of friends we’d be. (Although in my world, he does know me, as I am his biographer.) But that is the point of writing—and reading—fiction: to escape the world and even who you are for a time, to explore someone else’s personality and problems, and hopefully, to come away refreshed and a little better than when you started the book.

I hope you feel that way after reading Greater Treasures. I know I did after writing it.

Winner of the 2010 INDIE for best Fantasy (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem), Karina Fabian has imagination that takes quirky twists that keep her--and her fans--amused. Nuns working in space, a down-and-out Faerie dragon working off a geas from St. George, zombie exterminators—there’s always a surprise in Fabian’s worlds. Mrs. Fabian teaches writing and book marketing seminars, but mostly is concerned with supporting her husband, Rob Fabian as he makes the exciting leap from military officer to civilian executive, getting her kids through high school and college, and surviving daily circuit torture…er, circuit training. Read about her adventures at http://fabianspace.com.

Find Karina at:
Website: http://fabianspace.com, http://dragoneyepi.net
Blog: http://fabianspace.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KarinaFabian
Google +: https://plus.google.com/103660024891826015212

Visit the book's tour page at http://dragoneyepi.blogspot.com/2013/04/greater-treasures-book-tour.html

Giveaway Information:

E-book: Here’s your chance to win a free electronic copy of Greater Treasures. Leave a comment or question for Karina, Vern, or Sister Grace.

Grab bag: Vern gripes about the junk in his warehouse in Greater Treasures, but he and Grace have started going through boxes, and they’ve agreed to send something to one of my readers. Leave a comment or question for Karina, Vern, or Sister Grace.

Please be sure to include your email address so Karina can contact you if you win.

Guest Blogger: Karen Leland, Author of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business

2013-05-13T00:44:00.000-04:00

Pinterest is a social bookmarking site that allows users to create a visual, online pinboard with images they love organized around topics of their choice by category. It’s the fastest growing social media site in history, the third-largest network after Facebook and Twitter and has over 25 million members and 10 million unique visitors a month.

The most recent studies indicate that nearly 20 percent of women using the Internet are on Pinterest, 72 percent of Pinterest users are female, and 66 percent of those are age 35 or older, and the average amount of time visitors spend surfing the Pinterest site is an hour.

Karen Leland, author of the new book “Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business,” has created a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide to hitting the road running and quickly making Pinterest into a valuable source of prospects, promotion and profits.

“Great business brands are about telling compelling, congruent stories, and Pinterest is at its core about storytelling in pictures,” says Leland. “Pinterest has tapped into this visceral lover of visuals, and no small business, entrepreneur or corporation can afford to miss the boat on bringing what they offer beyond words and into images.”

The "Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business” is designed to help businesses use Pinterest to its maximum potential. The book provides both beginning users and seasoned veterans with the ability to find their specific area of interest “at a glance.” It uses step-by-step how-to, sidebars, examples, case studies, expert interviews and tip sheets to show how, from setup to strategy, to use Pinterest for promotional, branding and marketing objectives.

The book explores the ins and outs of signing up and getting started on Pinterest and how to create boards that get noticed, drive traffic and convert fans into customers. Special chapters are devoted to creating a strong community and enthusiastic following through high-engagement activities, contests, social media outreach and smart pinning strategies.

In addition the book outlines specific marketing applications to small businesses, from architecture firms to theater companies.

Karen Leland is the bestselling author of nine business books including the recently released Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest For Business, which can be purchased at Amazon. She is the president of Sterling Marketing Group, where she works with small businesses and Fortune 500 on building stronger personal and team brands. She writes the Modern Marketing Blog at www.karenleland.com.

Book Spotlight: Coming Through the Fog by Tami Goldstein

2013-05-12T00:06:00.000-04:00

A mother tells the journey of her daughter’s recovery from Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder to Functioning Recovery and independent living, giving tips to parents on how to navigate the medical and educational domain. This story is an example of the unique obstacles facing a parent raising a child with Autism. The challenges they face getting supports. What is Sensory Processing Disorder, CranioSacral Therapy and Bio-Medical Therapy, and what roles they play on the road to Functioning Recovery and independent living? See actual projective trials pertaining to sensory supports. Is educational discrimination the reason there is difficulty getting help in school? As this story unfolds it provides useful tips to other parents to help them on their journey with their child. This story is notable because this mother’s daughter was successful overcoming numerous obstacles while providing useful tools, inspiration and hope to others.

Purchase:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

This journey begins with a mother’s love for her daughter. After learning her daughter was on the

Autism Spectrum Tami began to tirelessly educate herself in the sciences of: Behavioral Health, Child Psychology, Human Anatomy, Occupational Health, Pharmacology and Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and has been a parent advocate for her daughter since 1997.

In 2002, as her knowledge and passion grew, Tami began reaching out to other families in need of help. In 2005, Tami founded the Rock County Autism Support Group and she is the community resource liaison for the SPD (Sensory Processing Disorders) Parent Connections Support Group of Rock County and the surrounding areas. Since 2005, Tami has been State and National Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and in 2013 she certified in CranioSacral Therapy with the Upledger Institute in Florida.

Tami currently has two offices where she facilitates CranioSacral Therapy. Approximately 38% of her clientele are children, teenagers and young adults on the Autism Spectrum or with other neuro-developmental delays. When asked to lecture, Tami uses her personal experience, extensive knowledge, and dedication to help others learn about and understand the medical and educational aspects of Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders and SPD.

You can view his website at www.comingthroughthefog.com.

Connect with Tami:

FACEBOOK

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Coming Through the Fog Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

————————————————————

Tuesday, May 7 – Book featured at Confessions of a Reader

Thursday, May 9- Up Close and Personal at Between the Covers

Monday, May 13 – Book featured at The Book Connection

Tuesday, May 14 – Interviewed at Digital Journal

Wednesday, May 15 – Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Friday, May 17 – Interviewed at Literal Exposure

Tuesday, May 21 – Guest blogging at Allvoices

Thursday, May 23 – Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking

Monday, May 27 – Guest blogging at The Paperback Pursuer

Wednesday, May 29 – Guest blogging at Redroom

Friday, May 31 – Interviewed at Review From Here

Guest Blogger: Bruce Willis from Iced Chiffon/Killer in Crinolines by Duffy Brown (Chance to Win 1 of 2 Killer in Crinolines Tote Bags!)

2013-05-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

When Reagan Summerside is asked to make an emergency bow-tie delivery to Magnolia Plantation for a wedding, she finds the groom face-down in five-tiers of icing and fondant, a cake knife in his back and her good friend and local UPS driver accused of the murder. Can Reagan find the real killer without winding up in the local swamp as alligator meat? Will Walker Boone, pain-in-the ass attorney and once-upon-a-time gang member, help her out or feed her to the alligators himself?

Pets in Cozy Mysteries
by the other Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis here. The other Bruce Willis with ears, wagging tail and daily yard-waterer in Iced Chiffon and Killer in Crinolines.

Have you ever noticed all the pets running around in cozy mysteries? And most of them are cats! What the heck? How did that happen? Does a cat greet you at the door, get your slippers, clean the kitchen floor after you spill the bacon and eggs? No! Cats sniff, turn up their nose and prance off. Dogs have owners, Cats have staff!

Once upon a time I didn’t have such a great life so I ran away and took up living under Reagan Summerside’s front porch. Don’t know why I chose her. Maybe because at the time Reagan’s life in Savannah sucked almost as much as mine.

But she’s an okay gal, even shared her McNuggets and fries with me but kept the martinis all to herself. I mean to tell you I could do with a martini or two on these hot summer nights.

Reagan has a consignment shop on the first floor of her half-restored Victorian. She and her Auntie KiKi who lives next door were going to name me Calvin Klein to fit in with the upscale clothes she takes in. One look at my mangled left ear, crooked tail and scared snout not to mention my questionable linage and they knew I was much better suited as Bruce Willis.

Life is good right now. Reagan says I’m the worse watchdog on the planet but I sure do make a lot of friends. If I fake a limp I can usually finesse a cookie or two from the customers and if I sit in front of the fridge long enough I get my daily dog…hot dog that is. The warm fall days here in Savannah are just made for me snoozing on the porch and one day I can get a slurp of Reagan’s peach martini.

So what is your opinion on pets in mysteries? Paw up or down? Do they distract too much from the mystery? Do you like it when they have a point of view? Do you like cats or dogs best in a book? (That’s spelled d-o-g)

Let me know what you think and I’ll have Duffy put you in the drawing for the two Killer in Crinolines totes she’s giving away.

About Duffy: While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, I longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. I now have two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, and conjure up who-done-it stories of my very own for Berkley Prime Crime.

Visit me online at www.duffybrown.com and friend me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorduffybrown

Duffy is generously giving away two Killer in Crinolines tote bags. Answer her questions by posting a comment below: So what is your opinion on pets in mysteries? Paw up or down? Do they distract too much from the mystery? Do you like it when they have a point of view? Do you like cats or dogs best in a book?

Please be sure to leave your email address along with your comment so we may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. Two winners will be selected. Prizes will be shipped directly to the winners by the author or her representative. The Book Connection is not responsible for prizes lost or damaged in shipment.

First Chapter Review: Revelation the return of Mr. Breeze by Morrie Richfield

2013-05-09T01:44:00.001-04:00

Morrie Richfield is on a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book to promote the second book in his inspirational fantasy series, Revelation the return of Mr. Breeze.

BLURB: Mr. Breeze is back; so is Michael Ryan and Rover, the magical dog.

MR. BREEZE fans can rejoice. REVELATION, Morrie Richfield’s much-anticipated sequel to his novel MR. BREEZE, has arrived. Readers new to the strange but inspiring tale of a super being and his attempt to set mankind on a straight and moral path for its very survival can immerse themselves in what critics and readers alike are calling an “inspirational fantasy” with important lessons for all of us.

In MR. BREEZE, published in 2011, Richfield introduced readers to Zackary, aka Zack, aka Mr. Breeze, an ancient being who claimed to be mankind’s creator and who still exerts a powerful force on the human race and its very existence. Zack appeared on earth as a powerful man who did miraculous deeds. He chose journalist Michael Ryan to tell his story in a book that, he hoped, would show mankind how to stop its self-destructive ways and bring paradise on earth. With man’s fate hanging in the balance, Zack disappeared, leaving humans to their fate and Michael wondering what his role really is.

REVELATION moves the action two years into the future. The situation looks bleak. Mankind has slipped back into its old, destructive ways and Michael has become a dissolute recluse. There are people who view Michael as a savior and others who see him as a threat to be eliminated.

Along this strange trip, Michael meets new friends and reunites with old companions, the most significant of which is Rover, an abused dog whom Zack endowed with superpowers. Rover becomes Zack’s messenger to Michael, as Michael tries to get Zack’s original message out to the world: If mankind doesn’t straighten out, he will destroy the human race.

Richfield plays down the description of REVELATION as an “inspirational fantasy.” He calls it a “self-help book, a textbook, a reality series on paper. It is what we see when we look in the mirror.”

If MR. BREEZE focused on Zack and his message, REVELATION focuses on Michael, following his struggle to understand his role in Zack’s master plan and to find his soul, Richfield says. “Michael’s final revelation is that we just don’t learn. Without the threat of destruction, we go back to our old ways. Our time is almost up and we need to do something. We need to show Mr. Breeze the human race deserves a chance to continue to exist.”

COVER: It's neat. You get a glimpse of the back of Mr. Breeze's head with his trusty German Shepherd, Rover, glancing back at him. He appears to be looking out on a crowd of people with the Washington Monument in the background. It's got a lot going on, but it's not overly busy. Nicely done.

FIRST CHAPTER: Michael Ryan narrates this story that starts in May 2012. He brings the readers up to date on what has transpired in the two years since he first met Zackary Breeze and Rover.

KEEP READING: It's hard to say, but I plan to stick with it for now. The entire first chapter is backstory, which is not typical. Ryan briefly shares what transpired in the first novel and then goes through the fall out: his rise to fame, his crashing and burning, how the events played out locally and for him personally. It's appealing because the narrator immediately engages the reader with his conversational style. He's been through a lot; and by the end of the first chapter, you're not sure he can get much lower than he is. The author smartly ends with a cliffhanger so the reader knows change is coming to Ryan's life. What that change will be isn't known. Is he going to sink lower or is he going to pull himself up by his boot straps?

Overall, I wish this backstory had been woven in more gently and spread out in more chapters. Why not start the book with Ryan in his Maryland apartment, high and ogling his female neighbor? Then drop details of how he got to where he is. It's like the first chapter is a mini-synopsis of the first book in the series. Now, this might make sense to do, but since I haven't read the first book, I'm not positive.

That said, I'm still curious enough to continue for a while to see how things develop. Both Mr. Breeze and its sequel have received good reviews, so I'm willing to stick it out.

Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Morrie Richfield (January 26, 2013)
Language: English

ISBN-10: 0615736467
ISBN-13: 978-0615736464

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

Morrie Richfield lives in Pennsylvania with his two sons, his dogs and his cat. He is working on his next novel, and he still dreams that someday the world will be a better place for all of us to live.

Visit his website at www.mrbreezethenovel.com.

I downloaded the first chapter of this novel to my Kindle from Amazon. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: Last Chance for Justice by Kathi Macias

2013-05-08T00:59:00.000-04:00

News of her brother Myron's death brings Lynn Meyers back to Bloomfield. Still reeling from the loss of her husband, Lynn isn't eager to return to the small town she left years ago so she can settle her reclusive brother's estate.

Rachel, Lynn's daughter, has just finished Bible college. She joins her mother on the trip to Bloomfield and soon gains the attention of two eligible bachelors.

The two women become caught up in investigating a decades old mystery that was close to Myron's heart. The more time they spend in Bloomfield, the harder it seems to leave.

After years of creating powerful, heartrending faith-filled stories, Macias turns to a lighter style that remains true to her Christian readers. With Last Chance for Justice, the author has created an easy read that is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and always entertaining. Masterfully told, this is the story of two women coping with uncertainty. Lynn has already lost her husband of thirty-five years when she receives word that her only sibling has died and bequeathed his creepy home by the town's cemetery to her. Her daughter Rachel has just finished college and her temporary job fell through, so she returns home in time to learn of her uncle's death and her mother's planned trip to Bloomfield. They journey together, not knowing what to expect. While Lynn is facing issues from her past, Rachel is praying for guidance for her future.

Everything readers come to expect from one of Macias' books is here: masterful storytelling, a strong plot, engaging characters, and faith. The difference being that Last Chance for Justice is not as emotionally charged as her books on human trafficking or persecuted Christians. I like this style. Macias does well with it.

Last Chance for Justice is the fourth Bloomfield novel released by B&H Publishing. Featuring multiple authors and titles spanning a mix of traditional print and eBook-exclusive formats, these are all stand alone projects set in the small town of Bloomfield.

If you enjoy faith-based cozy mysteries, you should give Last Chance for Justice by Kathi Macias a try.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: B&H Books (May 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433677172
ISBN-13: 978-1433677175

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Blast & Giveaway: Polar Night by Julie Flanders

2013-05-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

Join Julie Flanders, author of the suspense/urban fantasy book, Polar Night, as she tours the blogosphere May 6 through May 10 on her first Book Blast with Pump Up Your Book! Julie will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC/Paypal Cash to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form on the participating blogs below anytime during the tour and good luck!

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ABOUT POLAR NIGHT

When Detective Danny Fitzpatrick leaves his hometown of Chicago and moves to Fairbanks, Alaska he wants nothing more than to escape the violence and heartbreak that left his life in pieces. Numbed by alcohol and the frozen temperatures of an Alaskan winter, Danny is content with a dead-end job investigating Fairbanks' cold cases. That all changes when a pretty blond woman goes missing on the winter solstice, and Danny stumbles upon some surprising connections between her disappearance and that of another Fairbanks woman three years earlier. Forced out of his lethargy, Danny sets out to both find the missing woman and solve his own cold case.

The investigation points Danny towards Aleksei Nechayev, the handsome and charming proprietor of an old asylum turned haunted tourist attraction in the Arctic town of Coldfoot. As he tries to find a link between Nechayev and his case, Danny's instinct tells him that Nechayev is much more than what he seems.

Danny has no idea that Nechayev is hiding a secret that is much more horrifying than anything he could ever have imagined. As his obsession with finding the missing women grows, Danny finds his own life in danger. And when the truth is finally revealed, the world as he knows it will never be the same.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON| BARNES & NOBLE

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ABOUT JULIE FLANDERS

Julie Flanders is a librarian and a freelance writer who has written for both online and print publications. She is an animal lover and shares her home in Cincinnati, Ohio with her dog and cat. Her debut novel Polar Night, a paranormal suspense thriller, is now available from Ink Smith Publishing.

WEBSITE

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Pump Up Your Book and Julie Flanders are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash!

Here's how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. This promotion will run from May 6 through May 10. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter and announced on May 11. Each blogger who participates is eligible to enter and win. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog. If you would like to participate, email Tracee at tgleichner(at)gmail.com. What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments for your blog, too! Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Polar Night Book Blast

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Participating Blogs:

Monday, May 6

Must Read Faster

Mary's Cup of Tea

Jody's Book Reviews

Books and Needlepoint

Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, and More

Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews

Miki's Hope

Margay Leah Justice

The Book Connection

Tuesday, May 7

My Devotional Thoughts

Tales of a Book Addict

Laurie Here

Parenting 2.0

My Book Addiction and More

Queen of All She Reads

Wednesday, May 8

Thoughts in Progress

My Reading Table

Authors and Readers Book Corner

Maureen's Musings

Thursday, May 9

Cabin Goddess

Mom in Love with Fiction

Janna Shay

Friday, May 10

My Cozie Corner

Celtic Lady's Reviews

The Paperback Pursuer

Blog Tour: Collapse by Richard Stephenson

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Join Richard Stephenson, author of the dystopian thriller, Collapse, as he tours the blogosphere May 6 - May 31, 2013 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

ABOUT COLLAPSE

America is falling, ready to join the Roman Empire as a distant memory in the annals of history. The year is 2027. Tired and desperate, the American people are deep in the middle of The Second Great Depression. The Florida coastline is in ruins from the most powerful hurricane on record; a second just like it is bearing down on the state of Texas. For the first time in history, the Middle East has united as one and amassed the most formidable army the world has seen since the Third Reich. A hidden army of terrorists is on American soil. This is the story of three men: Howard Beck, the world’s richest man, also diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Richard Dupree, ex-Navy SEAL turned escaped convict. Maxwell Harris, a crippled, burned out Chief of Police of a small Texas town. At first they must fight for their own survival against impossible odds. Finally, the three men must band together to save their beloved country from collapse.

Purchase:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

ABOUT RICHARD STEPHENSON

Richard Stephenson was born in 1975 in Denison, TX and spent his childhood in North Texas. In 1992, he graduated high school after only three years. He then pursued his degree at Oklahoma Christian University, once again accomplishing the task in three years. Richard then married his best friend before going off to basic training to be a military policeman with the US Army. With his new wife joining the adventure, they spent the next four years at Fort Polk, LA and had two children.

Just before his son turned five, Richard and his wife were told that their oldest child had Asperger's Syndrome. Nine years later, Richard's son would become the inspiration for the character of Howard Beck.

After leaving the armed forces, Richard continued his law enforcement career in the federal sector and has been with the Department of Justice for eleven years.

Richard enjoys many things. He reads constantly with the thanks of his trusty iPad. When he can find the time, he can be found playing Mass Effect, Fallout: New Vegas, or Modern Warfare 2. When a friend or a friend of friend needs a computer fixed, Richard is on the case

You can view his website at http://rastephensonauthor.blogspot.com.

His latest book is the dystopian thriller, Collapse.

Connect with Richard:

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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Collapse Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

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Monday, May 6 - Book featured at The Book Connection

Wednesday, May 8 - Interviewed at Examiner

Friday, May 10 - Character interview at You Gotta Read

Monday, May 13 - Guest blogging at Janna Shay

Tuesday, May 14 - Guest blogging at Working for the Mandroid

Wednesday, May 15 - Book featured at Cheryl's Book Nook

Friday, May 17 - Interviewed at Digital Journal

Tuesday, May 21 - Guest blogging at The Top Shelf

Thursday, May 23 - Interviewed at Yahoo Voices

Friday, May 24 - Interviewed at Review From Here

Monday, May 27 - First chapter reveal at My Devotional Thoughts

Tuesday, May 28 - Book featured at My Cozie Corner

Wednesday, May 29 - Book featured at Authors and Readers Book Corner

Thursday, May 30 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure

Friday, May 31 - Book reviewed at The Top Shelf

Book Spotlight: Masked Hearts by Sarah Cass

2013-05-03T11:44:00.002-04:00

Minnie Woodward lives a lie. After barely surviving the Bear River Massacre she’s lived in the white world of her guardian Mister Rawlins, her life debt keeping her tied there. The last thing she needs is Roy’s attempts to gain her favor. Her fate’s sealed. She’s never believed in hope, and not even Roy can make her start.

Roy Ornum saves Minnie every night in the traveling Wild West show. The job he took to break his gambling habit brought him a new addiction – her. He knows she doesn’t want to be rescued, but maybe he does. She’s the key to a past he lost, one he wants to find again.

As the two grow closer old wounds are reopened and their burgeoning trust is shattered. When lives hang in the balance of their choices they’ll need to work together. Otherwise everything will be lost before hope can be found.

Read an excerpt!

"You’re bleeding,” he muttered in her ear. “Did they really hurt you?”

“What?” She had heard him over the cheers, but feigned deafness to the ridiculous question. The Cheyenne wouldn’t dare harm her.

“You’re bleeding,” he repeated. The moment the yells grew quieter his hold loosened. Fresh air filled her lungs, but he didn’t let her get far. “Right here.”

She winced at the touch of his finger to her temple. The blood he showed her caused enough concern that she had to hide her frown. “I’m fine. The pins probably stuck me again. Let me down.”

“Not a chance. Rawlins doesn’t like you wandering free in an army camp. I’m to take you home.”

The kindness in his brown eyes both soothed and terrified her. Danger lived in the hope such kindness sparked. She turned her focus to the vibrant colors of the ‘Rawlins Wild West Show’ sign tied to the tent. “There’s no home. It’s a wagon.”

“Fine. Then I’ll take you back to the wagon and keep you safe. He’s having the boys do their tricks. Should keep the soldiers distracted for a while.”

“Makes no difference.” Minnie pushed against him, trying to sit of her own volition. “The moment I change out of this costume and show my true self my virtue is in jeopardy. It’s the only thing the Mister cares to protect.”

“Well, I’m concerned with protecting everything.”

“And I have no need for your concern or protection.”

“So you’ve told me.”

She shoved aside his arm and jumped off the moving horse. After a brief stumble she righted herself and lifted her chin.

“You’re a stubborn woman.”

“You’re a thick-headed man. I don’t want you to follow me.”

“I’m under orders.” The horse didn’t move from her side, but he didn’t dismount. “Before you ask, yes I do follow them. Rawlins paid my debts, I owe him.”

Exactly. He didn’t care to do this—and for that matter neither did she. Or at least she shouldn’t. No white man would see her as anything more than property.

“Minnie?”

“What?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Are you under orders to?”

The thud of his feet sounded just behind her, and she knew he’d dismounted. The soft clomps of the horse ceased a moment later. “No. This is me asking. I want to ask.”

She stopped, not daring to look over her shoulder. “Then no.”

“At least let me make sure you’re not bleeding no more.”

“I can check my own head. I told you, it’s the pins.” She ran the last ten yards to the wagon and climbed inside fast. With a slam of the door the whole wagon shook. The small room in the show wagon afforded her a cot, a vanity, and a closet. Her trunk shoved in a corner completed it.

With a sigh she dropped onto the cot and stared into the mirror. A faint trickle of blood still lingered at her left temple. It clung to the pale makeup with ferocity. Several more pins scraped her head when she ripped off the thick blond wig. A long black braid tumbled down her back. She wrinkled her nose and tossed aside the mass of fake blonde hair.

Before she could grab her handkerchief a knock echoed in the room. “Go away.”

“Brought you water. To clean off the makeup.”

Did he always have to be so nice? She stared at the pale features reflected in the mirror. If the sight of the pale makeup didn’t sicken her she’d send him right off. Then again. “Just leave it. I’ll get it in a minute.”

“Minnie.”

“Please, Roy. You must stop pestering me.” She yanked open the door, glad to see he’d at least removed the military garb. In the simple outfit he wore and the dim lamplight he looked less like one of the evil men that destroyed her true family so many years ago at Bear River. Less like one of the soldiers that left her with nothing but scars and Mister Rawlins.

“I just want to talk. I can’t read, and I got no one else to talk to.” His lip pulled up in a half smile that made him seem—almost acceptable. The pitcher of water lingered in his hands. “Please.”

“Give me the water.” She poured it into the basin, dipping her handkerchief.

The moment she started to wipe off the makeup his grin grew. “You look better without that stuff. Why do you let him put you through that? I mean, I know why I’m doing this, but what about you?”

“The story’s too long and not your business.” Fast as she could, Minnie cleaned the white off her face. Bronze skin emerged, the same color as her attackers on stage. The very savages the audience cheered the destruction of in the plays.

Under all the makeup beat the heart of a Shoshone—though a weak heartbeat now that she’d been in this show so long. Some days she couldn’t remember her own mother, the family and life she’d had before this white world had intruded.

A familiar twist of her heart threatened her calm demeanor. She slammed her hand on the table, almost relieved at Roy’s startled jump. “Don’t stare at me. Go away. I have no desire to talk to a white man.”

“You don’t talk to the other Indian’s neither.”

“Of course I don’t. They aren’t like me.”

“How so?”

She clenched her jaw. “Go away.”

“Please. What kind of Indian are you?”

“One that hates all white men.” She slammed the door in his face. Heart pounding in her chest, she flopped down face first in her pillow. What she wouldn’t give for it to be true.

Or for some other explanation as to why she didn’t hate Roy. Why she wanted to answer his questions when she didn’t with anyone else.

She was lonely. That had to be it.

Purchase at:

Sweet Cravings Website - http://bit.ly/12z5EuC
Amazon - http://amzn.to/ZYH9CP
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/18a4Gr7
All Romance Ebooks - http://bit.ly/12MaZ0K

Sarah Cass’ world is regularly turned upside down by her three special needs kids and loving mate, so she breaks genre barriers; dabbling in horror, straight fiction and urban fantasy. She loves historicals and romance, and characters who are real and flawed, so she writes to understand what makes her fictional people tick. And she lives for a happy ending – eventually. And enough twists to make it look like she enjoys her title of Queen of Trauma Drama a little too much.

An ADD tendency leaves her with a variety of interests that include singing, dancing, crafting, cooking, and being a photographer. She fights through the struggles of the day, knowing the battles are her crucible; she may emerge scarred, but always stronger. The rhythms to her activities drive her words forward, pushing her through the labyrinths of the heart and the nightmares of the mind, driving her to find resolutions to her characters’ problems.

While busy creating worlds and characters as real to her as her own family, she leads an active online life with her blog, Redefining Perfect, which gives a real and sometimes raw glimpse into her life and art. You can most often find her popping out her 140 characters in Twitter speak, and on Facebook.

Book Review: This Is How To Get Your Next Job by Andrea Kay

2013-05-02T21:29:00.002-04:00

Looking for work isn't always easy. Andrea Kay contends it has nothing to do with tough job markets, your skills, or experience. According to Kay, it's how potential employers see you.

In This Is How To Get Your Next Job, leading career expert Andrea Kay uses her years of experience combined with candid insights from real-life employers to provide readers with tips on how to influence the people in charge of hiring. A combination of exercises and information, This Is How To Get Your Next Job will make you more confident as you seek your next opportunity.

Kay goes against the idea that the jobs aren't there. It's how potential employers see candidates that often leads them not to hire them. Kay runs through important tips like:

15 Things You Should Never Do
15 Things You Should Never Talk About or Say
10 Things You Should Never Wear
15 Things You Should Never Do Once You Get a Job or in Your Career--Ever

This makes the book sound simplistic, but it's not. Kay provides a wealth of information for job seekers. She goes into great detail for each and every tip she shares. Her conversational style indicates a passion to help, and her years of experience shine through from the first page to the last.

I've been looking for a job the past few months. I can honestly say that I felt more confident going into my latest interview after reading this book than I did in the past. Following Kay's advice, I performed the exercises in the book to focus on who I am, what value I have to offer, and how I want to seem to potential employers. After leaving this week's interview, I knew I did better than before. I have a follow up interview scheduled for next week.

If you're job hunting, This Is How To Get Your Next Job can provide the tools you need to help mold your interview style so you more successfully relay to potential employers what you want them to know about you and how you can be of value to them.

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: AMACOM (April 17, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0814432212
ISBN-13: 978-0814432211

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

GAME. SET. MATCH. By Jennifer Iacopelli Blog Tour and Giveaway

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm excited to be part of this promotion for GAME. SET. MATCH. As you might remember, we visit the Outer Banks of North Carolina each summer, so when I find books set in this area, I like to share them.

Nestled along the coastline of North Carolina, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the best elite tennis training facility in the world. Head Coach, Dominic Kingston has assembled some of the finest talent in the sport. From the game's biggest stars to athletes scraping and clawing to achieve their dreams, OBX is full of ego, drama and romance. Only the strong survive in this pressure cooker of competition, on and off the court.

Penny Harrison, the biggest rising star in tennis, is determined to win the French Open and beat her rival, the world’s number one player, Zina Lutrova. There’s just one problem, the only person who’s ever been able to shake her laser-like focus is her new training partner. Alex Russell, tennis’s resident bad boy, is at OBX recovering from a knee injury suffered after he crashed his motorcycle (with an Aussie supermodel on the back). He's hoping to regain his former place at the top of men’s tennis and Penny’s heart, while he’s at it.

Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. Her parents have seven Grand Slam championships and she’s desperate to live up to their legacy. Her best friend is Teddy Harrison, Penny’s twin brother, and that’s all they’ve ever been, friends. Then one stupid, alcohol-laced kiss makes everything super awkward just as she as she starts prepping for the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.

The Classic is what draws Indiana Gaffney out of the hole she crawled

into after her mom’s death. Even though she’s new to OBX, a win at the Classic is definitely possible. She has a big serve and killer forehand, but the rest of her game isn’t quite up to scratch and it doesn’t help that Jasmine Randazzo and her little minions are stuck-up bitches or that Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and oldest brother, is too hot for words, not to mention way too old for her.

Who will rise? Who will fall?

Told from rotating points of view, GAME. SET. MATCH. is a 'new adult' novel about three girls with one goal: to be the best tennis player in the world.

PURCHASE AT:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Jennifer+Iacopelli

B&N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/game-set-match-jennifer-iacopelli?store=allproducts&keyword=game+set+match+jennifer+iacopelli

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16082871-game-set-match

Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave...ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor's degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master's in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.

Visit Jennifer online at http://www.jenniferiacopelli.com/ to learn more and to find additional book tour dates.

Use the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to...

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5/1/2013 - Release Date & Book Blitz

Page Turners - Excerpt & Review

Bewitched Bookworms – What is New Adult? & Review

Fictionators - Review

Kate's Tales of Books and Bands - Review

Read and Reviewed - Review

Book Nerds Anon - Review

IBBookBlogging - Review

Fiction Fare - Review

The Romance Bookie - Promo Post

Reading Geek - Review

YA Book Nerd - Promo Post

YA Novelties - Review

Book Loving Mom - Promo Post

Cold Opens and Meet Cutes - Review

Defiantly Deviant - Review

Finding Bliss in Books - Promo Post

Every Free Chance - Review

Snuggling on the Sofa - Review

Pink Polka Dot Book Blog - Promo Post

Ink Skies - Review

Booking It With Hayley G. - Review
Alpha Reader - Review
Looking for the Panacea - Review
Cu's eBook Giveaways - Promo Post
Bookcase to Heaven - Promo Post
On Emily's Bookshelf - Promo Post
Lost in Ever After - Promo Post
Reads and Thoughts - Promo Post
Oops! I Read a Book Again - Promo Post
Fic Talk - Promo Post
Brianna Lee Book Reviews - Promo Post
Book Labyrinth - Promo Post
MommaSez... - Promo Post
Buku-Buku Didi - Promo Post
The Cozy Reading Corner - Promo Post
Keely Dunn - Promo Post
Froggarita's Bookcase - Promo Post
A Little Bit of Spice - Promo Post
The Book Connection - Promo Post
WeaklingNo14's Wondrous Reviews - Promo Post
Sab The Book Eater - Promo Post
Living in Your Own World - Promo Post (en español)
A Book and a Lattee - Promo Post
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Bookmarked Pages - Promo Post

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Kindle Obsessed - Review

Book Spotlight: This Is How You Get Your Next Job by Andrea Kay

2013-04-30T21:38:00.001-04:00

Even in a bad economy, companies have job openings they can't fill. Considering the millions of people who are out of work or unhappily employed, how can that be? What are job seekers doing to turn off employers? And what is it that employers want but aren't finding? Leading career expert and syndicated columnist Andrea Kay asked employers one simple question: Why didn't you hire the last ten people you interviewed? What it came down to, every time, wasn't a matter of skills or experience, but how applicants seemed based on what they said or did. From lack of preparation, to pushiness, to a subtly defensive attitude, it's the simple behaviors prospective employees exhibit before, during, and after interviews that stand between them and job offers. Based on candid insights from real-life employers, and featuring a foreword by Richard Nelson Bolles, bestselling author of "What Color Is Your Parachute?", this book helps job hunters take control of how they come across to the people in charge of hiring. From "20 Things You Should Never Do" to a "Would You Hire You?" test, "This Is How to Get Your Next Job" helps readers show hiring managers who they are and why they're the perfect fit for the job they seek.

Andrea Kay is a career consultant and syndicated columnist who has helped tens of thousands of people find new jobs and take charge of their careers. She is the author of six books including Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers, and her syndicated column, "At Work," appears weekly in more than 80 newspapers and countless websites, including the online edition of USA Today. She's been interviewed in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Money, Kiplinger Personal Finance, and Redbook, and on radio and TV across the United States.

Visit Andrea online at http://andreakay.com/

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: AMACOM (April 17, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0814432212
ISBN-13: 978-0814432211

Blogger's note: I'm almost done reading this book. Look for my review coming soon!

Book Spotlight: Control: Exposing the Truth About Guns by Glenn Beck

2013-04-29T13:08:00.002-04:00

When our founding fathers secured the Constitutional “right of the people to keep and bear arms,” they also added the admonition that this right SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.

It is the only time this phrase appears in the Bill of Rights. So why aren’t more people listening?

History has proven that guns are essential to self-defense and liberty—but tragedy is a powerful force and has led many to believe that guns are the enemy, that the Second Amendment is outdated, and that more restrictions or outright bans on firearms will somehow solve everything.

They are wrong.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. In doing so, he takes on and debunks the common myths and outright lies that are often used to vilify guns and demean their owners:

The Second Amendment is ABOUT MUSKETS . . . GUN CONTROL WORKS in other countries . . . 40 percent of all guns are sold without BACKGROUND CHECKS . . . More GUNS MEAN more MURDER . . . Mass shootings are becoming more common . . . These awful MASSACRES ARE UNIQUE TO AMERICA . . . No CIVILIAN needs a “weapon of war” like the AR-15 . . . ARMED GUARDS in schools do nothing, just look at Columbine . . . Stop FEARMONGERING, no one is talking about TAKING YOUR GUNS AWAY.

Backed by hundreds of sources, this handbook gives everyone who cares about the Second Amendment the indisputable facts they need to reclaim the debate, defeat the fear, and take back their natural rights.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Threshold Editions; Original edition (April 30, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1476739870
ISBN-13: 978-1476739878

Release date: April 30, 2013, but can be pre-ordered now.

Book Review: Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia & My Magnolia Memories and Musings by Patricia Neely-Dorsey

2013-04-26T23:49:00.002-04:00

Life in the south is fascinating to me. Having lived in the Northeast my entire life, I'm used to the fast pace, the Boston dialect, and New England Clam Chowder with its thick, creamy broth. But when we visit North Carolina or Florida, the slow pace, the Southern drawl, and sweet tea are a nice change. That's part of the charm that keeps us coming back on a regular basis.

In her two poetry books, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia and My Magnolia Memories and Musings, native Mississippian, Patrica Neely-Dorsey celebrates Southern history and culture in a moving way.

Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia blends southern life, country living, childhood memories, family history, and personal reflections to come up with a beautiful collection of poems. From "Mississippi Morning" to "Baptismal Sunday," from "Nature Lovers" to "One Room School," and from "Bookworm" to "Our Place," Neely-Dorsey captures the charm, beauty, and simplicity of the south.

My Magnolia Memories and Musings follows the sentiments of the poet's first collection. Some poems appear in both books. In this new volume, readers find a mixture of poems on the seasons, bygone days, and some glimpses into Neely-Dorsey's childhood and old neighborhood. In addition, she gets personal by writing about love, loss, friends, and faith.

The descriptions used in these two volumes allow me to feel like I am at home with the poet in Mississippi. I look forward to more of Neely-Dorsey's collections.

Reflections

Paperback: 90 pages
Publisher: GrantHouse Publishers; 1 edition (February 22, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 097962942X
ISBN-13: 978-0979629426

Memories and Musings

Paperback: 114 pages
Publisher: Patricia Neely-Dorsey (February 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935316478
ISBN-13: 978-1935316473

Purchase Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia

Amazon Paperback

Barnes & Noble Paperback

Purchase My Magnolia Memories

Amazon Paperback

Barnes & Noble Paperback

Patricia's Website / Facebook

Add Patricia’s Books to Your Goodreads List:

Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia

My Magnolia Memories and Musings

I received a free copy of both books from the author through Worldwind Virtual Book Tours. These reviews contain my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Pump Up Your Book! Announces May 2013 Authors on Virtual Book Tours

2013-04-26T13:16:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:
Dorothy Thompson
Founder of Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Tours
Email: thewriterslife@gmail.com

Pump Up Your Book! Announces authors on tour in May 2013.

Pump Up Your Book is thrilled to announce their May 2013 authors on virtual book tour. In May, Pump Up Your Book features 37 authors in a variety of genres. From paranormal mysteries and romances to fantasy novels, from children’s picture books to young adult novels, and from Christian memoirs to non-fiction crime books and more, you’re sure to find a book of interest. Follow our authors to see how you can enter for a chance to win fabulous prizes like Amazon or Starbucks gift cards or the Kindle Fire HD!

Look for Book Blasts from Rita Antoinette Borg and Milly Taiden this month. Book Blasts are just one of the ways you can win great prizes.

Christian fiction titles come to you from Sandra D. Bricker, Jim Kraus, Sherry Kyle, Cynthia Ruchti, and Linda White. Kraig Dafoe tours with his fantasy adventure novel, “Search for the Last Realm,” and Julie Flanders shares her suspense/urban fantasy novel, “Polar Night.” A variety of paranormal books come to you from Mark All, Christine Amsden, Ann Gimpel, Joshua Graham, and Joseph Spencer. Richard Stephenson talks about his dystopian thriller, “Collapse,” while Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue discuss their post-apocalyptic romance novel, “After the Ending,” the first book in a planned series.

For younger readers we have a middle grade fantasy novel by Yves Robichaud, and children’s picture books from Anne Sawyer-Aitch and Nancy Stewart. And don’t miss Carlos Nicholas and his young adult paranormal, “The Sixth Power.”

Other novelists on tour in May are: Dilbruba Z. Ara, Michael Bigham, Veronica Frances, O.S. Gill, Harris Gray, Allan Leverone, Morrie Richfield, Scarlett Savage, Val Stasik, and Alana Terry.

Memoirs come to you from Emma Clay and Ash Hoden, while Tami Goldstein shares her autism awareness book, “Coming Through the Fog.” Mark Geragos and Pat Harris discuss their non-fiction crime book, “Mistrial,” and Robert Henry continues his tour for his health/fitness book, “Age-Redefined.”

Visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGI-MhH33r0 to view a video trailer introducing our clients on tour in May.

Pump Up Your Book! is a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service at an affordable price. More information can be found on our website at www.pumpupyourbook.com.

First Chapter Review: A Man of Indeterminate Value by Ron Felber

2013-04-24T09:42:00.000-04:00

A Man of Indeterminate Value is a thriller by Ron Felber. This book is due to be released in June and is now available for pre-order. The first chapter was submitted by his publicist. Felber's book, Il Dottore is the basis for the FOX TV series The Mob Doctor.

BLURB: In a world plagued by corrupt corporations and sinister forces that prowl the global landscape, John "Jack" Madson seeks salvation from deep within the man he is today and the man he aspires to be.

In the tradition of Raymond Chandler, John Grisham, and Michael Connelly, this crime fiction series launches with three noir thrillers bristling with authenticity, insight, and social commentary. From the boardrooms of Wall Street, to the steamy backstreets of Bangkok, to the secret Triads of Shanghai, award-winning author Ron Felber, originator of the FOX television series The Mob Doctor, takes his reader into the violent, surreal, and sex-crazed underbelly of 21st century America, the "empire in decline."

Witty, riveting, and diabolically clever, the heart-pounding pace, exotic locales, and unforgettable characters make the "Jack Madson" series a welcomed innovation within the genre of crime fiction.

A Man of Indeterminate Value (Book 1), introduces ex-cop Jack Madson as a disgraced Wall Street take-over artist and target of a failed suicide scam that leaves him the "most wanted" man in the Garden State of NJ. Madson is on a personal mission to take on corporate forces hell-bent on his destruction as they seek to IPO game-changing bio-medical technology to the Street worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

COVER: Dark, mysterious, edgy--everything a book in this genre should be. I like the contrast of the bold red text against the black cover. The hardened face of the man speaks to what the main character is up against and what he personally has at stake. Fabulous cover!

FIRST CHAPTER: A cab parks opposite the Benedictine Brothers monastery in Newark’s Central Ward. Slipping the driver two large bills, Jack Madson says, "You never saw me." A wounded Jack climbs the steps of the monastery and rings the bell. When the door opens, he is face to face with Father Jeremiah, his former teacher.

KEEP READING: One difference between a good writer and a great writer is how much they can say in the span of a few words. Though I've read nothing else by Felber, I already see a masterful storyteller. In under 400 words, the author provides action, suspense, mystery, and a bit of backstory for his main character, Jack Madson. His tight writing is edgy and crisp. The few details speak volumes about who Jack is and why he's arrived at the monastery. A Man of Indeterminate Value looks like it will be a fabulous read. I'm immediately adding it to my wish list.

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Barricade Books (June 16, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1569804907
ISBN-13: 978-1569804902

I received this first chapter from Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.