FLY HIGH!

BOOK BLITZ - THE BOY NEXT DOOR BY ANNABELLE COSTA

2013-05-20T14:30:00.000+02:00

About Annabelle Costa

Annabelle Costa is a teacher, who writes in her free time. She enjoys the wounded hero genre, involving male love interests with physical disabilities, who don’t follow the typical Hollywood perception of sexy.

About The Boy Next Door

Through middle school, high school, bad dates, and an ill-advised punk phase, Tasha has always been able to count on Jason. Since the day he moved in next door, he’s gone from the weird kid in a wheelchair to Tasha’s most trusted friend. But lives change and the friends are going in different directions. When Jason and Tasha rekindle their friendship, sparks fly. After years of being a wild soul, now the ex-lead of a band turned music teacher is just looking for a relationship to last.

When none other than Jason introduces her to a man who can give her what she wants, Tasha is on the verge of throwing passion and love away just so she can forget her troubled past and settle down. But Jason isn’t ready to give her up just yet.

Excerpt

I wasn’t too happy when my parents told me that I had to try to make friends with the crippled kid who just moved in next door.

I was eight years old. For my entire life thus far, living in a suburb of Pittsburgh, our next-door neighbor was an ornery old woman named Agnes. Why are all old people named Agnes, for some reason? Not that I’m prejudiced against old people or anything. My grandmother, Nana, lived with us and was never an ornery old woman, and probably still the best cook I’ve ever known. Anyway, Agnes failed to wake up one morning, and the house got sold off to a young family with two kids.

I was initially really psyched to find out that the family had two kids, one of whom was allegedly my age. I pictured a girl with blond pigtails who would be my best friend, and we’d make each other friendship bracelets, have sleepovers, and all that fun stuff.

But then my fantasy was crushed when I found out that my new eight-year-old neighbor was a boy. And not just a boy. A boy in a wheelchair.

His name was Jason and I saw him a few times from afar. He went to a different school than I did, and there was a special school bus that picked him up. I saw him waiting with his parents at the curb for the special bus, which was about half the length of the bus that picked me up. My parents told me it was a bus for disabled kids. When it arrived, a ramp would be lowered mechanically and Jason would wheel into it, and the driver would help him get arranged in the bus. My mother yelled at me not to stare, but how could I not stare?

When the Foxes had been living next door for a few weeks, we came over for a visit and to bring them a welcome basket.

My little sister Lydia and I were dressed up in uncomfortable pink clothes, and I was firmly instructed to play with Jason. Lydia, who was only four, was totally off the hook since the older Fox child was a 13-year-old boy.

“I don’t want to play with Jason,” I whined, as my mother did up the buttons on my dress. “He’s weird.”

“Oh, stop it,” my mother said. “He’s not weird.”

“He’s in a wheelchair,” I pointed out.

“Don’t you dare mention that,” my mother snapped.

“Why not?” spoke up my Nana, who was listening in. “I’m sure the boy knows he’s in a wheelchair. It’s not a secret, is it?”

Despite everything, I giggled. I wished my mother would let Nana come along, but they were too worried about her making a comment like that. Apparently, she lost her self-censor somewhat as she got older, although Daddy said she’d always kind of been like that.

Fifteen minutes later, my mother was shoving Lydia and me in the direction of the house next door. We rang the bell and Mrs. Fox answered, greeting us warmly. “Jill!” she cried. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“This is for you,” my mother said, handing over the basket of fruit and muffins. “You met my husband, Gerald. And these are my daughters, Lydia and Tasha.”

“Nice to meet you, girls,” Mrs. Fox said. “My older son Randy isn’t here now, but Jason is very excited to meet you.”

My eyes met those of the boy sitting in a small, simple wheelchair several yards behind his mother. I could tell by his khaki slacks and lame sweater-vest that he too had been forced to dress up for the occasion. He looked just as miserable as I did.

“He’s eight, isn’t he?” Mom asked. “Tasha is eight as well.”

“Yes, that’s wonderful,” Mrs. Fox said. “They could play together.” She lowered her voice to a stage whisper that people a mile away could hear loud and clear: “Jason hasn’t been having an easy time making new friends.”

Yeah. What a shock.

With that sentiment, Jason and I were herded off in the direction of his bedroom, presumably for me to be his new best friend. We both went, sort of like lambs being led to the slaughter.

Once we were alone in Jason’s room, we both just sat there awkwardly, not saying anything to each other. We were too young to even know how to make polite conversation.

I tried not to stare at Jason, but it was hard not to. I mean, really hard. Why did he need a wheelchair anyway? Maybe he had some awful disease where he was dying. Maybe it was contagious! Maybe he had some contagious fatal disease and my mother had locked me alone in a room with him. She’d be so sorry when I died.

Although to be honest, Jason didn’t really look like he was dying. He looked pretty much like a normal kid, but he was sitting in a wheelchair. He had short brown hair that it looked like his mother had attempted to comb, yet he’d managed to get it messy again before our arrival. He had green eyes that were bright, even in spite of how clearly miserable he was at the moment. And then there were the freckles that were sprinkled down either side of his nose, although those disappeared years later.

I was perched gingerly on Jason’s bed. He had Star Wars blankets. Actually, I had to admit, he had some pretty cool toys.

My mother always bought me dolls, but the thing is, dolls didn’t do much. Maybe these days, dolls cry and piss their diapers or whatever, but back then, in the eighties, dolls were much less interesting. But Jason had toys that did cool stuff. He had toy cars and trucks, he had a rocket, and a huge box of Legos. But what really piqued my interest was that he had what looked like a huge box of TRANSFORMERS.

Confession time: I loved Transformers. I watched the TV show religiously every Saturday, rooting for the Autobots to defeat the evil Decepticons. But nobody would buy me any Transformers because I was a girl and obviously it’s not an appropriate toy for girls. So I had about half a dozen My Little Ponies and at least a dozen Barbie dolls, but no cars that turned into robots. It was a source of frustration for me. Every time I asked my mother, she’d say, “What do you want one of those awful toys for? You’re a girl!”

But Jason, he owned the mother lode.

“Um,” I said, working up my nerve. “Are those, um, Transformers?”

Jason brightened. “Yeah. You like Transformers?”

I nodded shyly.

To my delight, Jason grabbed the whole big box and dumped them out on his bed. He seriously had every Transformer in existence. He had Optimus Prime, of course, most of the Autobots, Megatron, the Decepticons including the cassette spies, plus a bunch of the newer ones like the Dinobots, the Insecticons, and even Devastator. I was majorly impressed. If I were a little older, I would have creamed myself or something.

“Oh my God,” I breathed. “You’re the luckiest person alive.”

Annabelle's Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The Boy Next Door on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Publication Date: December 11, 2012

Book Cover

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BOOKSHELF TOUR & AUTHOR GUEST POST - THE WIFE OF A LESSER MAN BY SANDY APPLEYARD + $15 AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY

2013-05-20T00:00:00.000+02:00

Like most authors, all my books have been inspired by real life experiences. The Wife of a Lesser Man is no exception. Inspiration strikes me at the strangest times. The story line for my first romance came right after reading another romance novel and eating an inordinate amount of cheese.

The Wife of a Lesser Man came to me after having a discussion with a friend about married people who have affairs. A question came to light regarding the safety of the person who has the affair. “What if the person is a stalker or serial killer or something?” We laughed about it at first, pointing out the irony, but then I thought this would make a great story.

Hence, The Wife of a Lesser Man was born. As I wrote the book, I absolutely loved the idea of writing about a police chief. Writing crime scenes, mystery, clues and suspense was such a stimulating experience that I wanted to do it again and again. And I am. The sequel has already been written and the third novel in the series is started.

Writing a mystery is a lot like writing a story backwards. You know what you want the outcome to be; you also know what clues will lead to the solution. The trick is to make the clues mesh into the story so they’re not too subtle. As I wrote the victims into the story, I used my inspiration from one or two of my not-so-favourite people. Have you ever heard the saying ‘Never upset a writer; you might end up dead in their next book’? It’s true ;-)

SANDY APPLEYARD

About Sandy Appleyard

This is Sandy's fourth self-published book and her second novel. Her first romantic mystery, Blessed and Betrayed was received very well by readers and reviewers and was given an average of 4.25 stars on Goodreads and Amazon.

Sandy wrote her first two books, which are memoirs, while her children were infants. The Message in Dad's Bottle is about her father, who tragically passed at the age of 41 from alcoholism, and I'll Never Wear a Backless Dress tells Sandy's personal story about her life with Scoliosis.

Sandy is a full time writer and when she isn't writing she's reading, exercising, playing with her children, her cat, or obsessively cleaning her house.

About The Wife of a Lesser Man

They were deeply in love, their days and nights filled with scintillating romance and passionate love making—even after 20 years of marriage. Then fate delivered a hammer blow when a heart attack led to Mark’s impotency and Shelley’s unbearable frustration.

Encouraged by a friend, Shelley becomes flirtatious and unfaithful, finding those moments of glorious intimacy for which she hungered with another man. Mark, a police chief, suspects nothing as he channels all his time and energy into tracking down a serial killer. But when the murderer leaves a terrifying final clue too close to home, only Shelley can solve the case.

Excerpt

Present Day

I stood and listened, waiting to hear anything that would tell me he was alive. I was standing in the vestibule between the waiting room and the emergency room. My ear was pressed up against the metal doors, which left only a small opening so that I could eavesdrop. My hands supported my weight; fingers spread out, knuckles white. My heart was racing, I felt like I would throw up at any second, and an incessant shiver coursed through my body. Yes, people were staring at me. But I was sure no one had just arrived with their husband showing no vital signs.

“Nurse! Get the paddles! We’re losing him again!”

“Clear!”

A bang and a strange noise, then silence.

“Again!” “Clear!” The same strange noise and more silence.

My tears began to flow. More people stared at me.

“Excuse me, Ma’am? Maybe you would be more comfortable waiting in the private room?” I heard her voice off in the distance, but I ignored it. I was waiting for the next words from the doctor.

“Ma’am? Mrs. Tame?” I looked at her but her words didn’t register.

She put her arm around my shoulder, like we were old high school chums. Her voice was comforting but firm, like when my mother used to know that I was sick and insisted I take my medicine. “Come with me, Mrs. Tame; you’ll be more comfortable in another room”. She took one step but I didn’t follow. My feet stayed firmly planted on the floor.

“Please Ma’am, you shouldn’t be here. You need to come with me.” Her voice was unrelenting. Her hand grasped my side but I broke free.

“No! You cannot take me away! I need to know!” I was yelling.

“We will update you as soon as we hear anything Ma’am, I promise.” Her words became comforting again.

“No! I’m staying right here! My husband is right in there! I’m not leaving this spot until I know!” I yelled, pointing at my feet. My tears and blubbering barely made my words understandable.

The nurse’s name tag read “Lilly”. She was plump and looked like she could restrain me if I made trouble. Lilly looked around the room, duly noting all the faces staring at me. Her point proven, she attempted once more to remove me from the door. I relented.

As we walked to the ‘private room’, Lilly picked up a tissue out of a nearby box and handed it to me. The one-ply tissue came apart the second I dabbed my eyes. Thank god I didn’t wipe my nose with it. I used the cuff of my jacket for that. The corridor that she led us down was a comforting reminder of the hospital where our kids were born. Jessica was born nineteen years ago, when I was just twenty years old. She was unexpected, or a ‘surprise’ as everyone called it. Mark and I were not engaged but we were living together and so in love.

Jennifer, our baby, was another ‘surprise’, born just a year later. The hospital where I gave birth had a unique weave pattern on the wall covering, just like this one. I ran my fingers down it as I walked, feeling the texture. It brought me back to a place where we were all healthy and celebrating new beginnings. I realized just then how much I missed my kids; they were off at college. I was alone. The thought of being alone the rest of my life was terrifying.

I willed myself not to think about it. Mark was still alive; he had to be. He was being pushed too hard down at the station; he was the police chief for his precinct over the last fifteen years and it was finally too much. The doctor had repeatedly warned him that his blood pressure and cholesterol were really high. The cardiologist put him on a strict diet and exercise program and insisted that he reduce his work hours. That was six months ago. But Mark has always been very devoted and loyal, and most of the time he spread himself too thin.

Lilly opened the door to the private room, switched on the light and gestured I should take a seat. There was a comfortable looking three seated couch on one wall, and several other waiting room style chairs along the other walls. Right in the middle of the room stood a large coffee table lined with various magazines ranging from tabloids to medical journals. There was also a phone at the end of the table. Lilly indicated that I was welcome to use that phone if I needed to do so.

I sat on the couch and immediately began chewing my nails.

“Can I get you anything Mrs. Tame?” she asked, taking a small pad and pen out of her pocket.

“Shelley,” I offered.

“Sure. Can I call anyone for you Shelley?” She asked, leaning over me, placing her hand on my shoulder.

I whispered “Um….no, I, I’m going to call my kids.”

She nodded and was about to leave when I quickly raised my head “Just please let me know the minute you have any news of my husband,” I begged, unable to stop the tears.

She nodded and closed the door behind her.

For a moment I wished Lilly would return, so I wouldn’t be alone. I slowly rubbed my face and ran my fingers through my hair. I found a box of two-ply tissues underneath the coffee table. They give the better tissues to the people who really needed it, I thought to myself. I wiped my face and blew my nose then picked up the phone. My memory failed me; I couldn’t remember Jessica’s dorm room number. She had just received a new one the other day and I hadn’t recorded it in my cell phone. I knew Jennifer couldn’t handle what was happening to her father; she had just broken up with her first boyfriend, so I thought it best to wait.

The one number I could recall was Sarah’s; my best friend since high school. She introduced Mark and me, and owned a small costume jewellery store downtown. Since it was only eight o’clock and I knew she would still be at the store, I tried her there.

“Good evening Sarah’s,” she greeted cheerfully.

“It’s me,” I said, trying to stifle a sniffle.

Sarah’s voice turned serious “Hey….is everything okay?”

“No, it’s Mark.” I began to cry again.

I could hear keys jiggling in the background “Where are you?”

“The hospital….in the private room.”

“Jesus Christ. Sit tight, I’m on my way.”

If only Mark had used our home library more in the past year, instead of cooping himself up in that office. Speaking from experience, I know that he could never get a moment’s peace in there. So many times I would call or even stop by on my way home from work, and he would be bombarded by handfuls of people constantly. It came to a point where I had to stop myself from visiting because it was unfair to him with all the pressure that he was under. He was considered a man of integrity and respect at the station, so nobody ever second guessed him and they always looked to him for direction. Mark was a strong leader at his precinct long before he made chief of police. The look on everyone’s faces told me that title was just a formality. He earned his loyalty after the shootout.

God, I’d almost forgotten about that. Mark is such a modest man that he never mentions it. It happened about ten years ago. His name was James Gruber, and he was a convicted rapist and murderer who had served his time and was free on parole. He escaped his parole officer’s watch one night and attacked an entire family. It was all over the news. Gruber was in the area of Mark’s precinct and so all hands were on deck to catch this monster. The 911 call came from a neighbour who heard screaming at 2am. Based on Gruber’s past, Mark knew he would go for the wife first. He was no pedophile, so rather than play Gruber’s game; Mark created a diversion and got the wife out first. As the rest of the team got in to free the remaining family, Mark took Gruber head on. Gruber was shot and Mark earned his rightful place shortly after as Chief of Police.

He always took his role very seriously. Sometimes I wonder how he did it. Up until a year ago, Mark had no trouble balancing family and work. Myself, well, my teaching job quickly became permanent part time after the girls were born. My balancing act was never much of a challenge. Our children have always been such a blessing; they never gave us any trouble. There was the expected teenage drama but nothing else. It was easy for me to work part time and still look after the house and the kids. Mark’s salary and mine combined led us into what most would call a charmed life.

Was this what my life would be now? Sitting alone in a room without my kids or my husband? My tears began to flow again when the door opened. It was Lilly, with Sarah in tow. Sarah came to me as Lily closed the door and left the room.

I tried to stand but it was more of a stumble since my knees had turned to jelly.

“Oh my god! What happened?” Sarah asked as she hugged me.

“I don’t know. I was just on my way home from yoga when he called me.” I said, wiping my nose with my hand.

“He sounded weird and said I better come home, that he wasn’t feeling well. And you know Mark, he never complains, so I knew it was bad.”

“So did you make it home before the ambulance came?”

“Well yeah. I mean I was already almost on our street. He hadn’t even called the ambulance yet. When I walked in he was on the floor”

Sarah embraced me tenderly.

“He wanted to call me first before the ambulance. I don’t know why. I guess he didn’t want me to worry if I got home and saw the scene without knowing. God! Why didn’t he just call the ambulance instead of waiting for me?” I stomped my foot in frustation as I let out a large sob.

“Oh sweetie, if he wasn’t well, then he probably wasn’t thinking clearly. Was he fine when you left for yoga?”

“Well, I didn’t see him before that. We spoke earlier and he said he had to work late again so I went straight to yoga after dinner. I didn’t wait to see him.” I said, thinking how selfish I was. I should have waited to see him before leaving. But how was I to know it might be the last time I would see him coherent?

“Oh honey, honey, don’t blame yourself.” Sarah rubbed my back and shook her head.

“You are not psychic. You had no idea this was going to happen. You said yourself; Mark never complains.”

I nodded.

“So what do the doctors say?”

“I’ve no idea, I’m still waiting. I…I….kn..know his heart stop-“My sobbing wouldn’t allow me to finish my sentence. Sarah took me in her arms once again.

“Do you need to call anyone?” Sarah asked.

I sniffled and dabbed my eyes “Oh God, how am I going to tell the kids?”

“You don’t have to do that. That’s why I’m here.”

“Oh, I can’t let you do that. They should hear it from me.”

“Well, let’s at least wait until we hear something. I mean, either way, you don’t want to spread panic.”

“You’re right. I need some time to compose myself.”

Suddenly, Lilly walked in with a blank expression on her face. My heart sank and I felt everything in my body let go. Sarah grabbed my arm before I hit the ground. The world went black.

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How to Encourage Young People to Read Educational Books

2013-05-19T10:33:00.000+02:00

(by guest blogger Pam Johnson) In today's world, it can be difficult to motivate young people to have a passion for reading. Yes, it is even harder when you want to get them to read educational books. How can you make this wish into a reality?

Ask Many Questions

One of the ways to inspire young people to read is to ask an array of questions. For example, let's say that you have a specific educational book that you want them to read. Ask them a lot of questions to which they can find answers in the book. You might send them on a hunt to find the answer to one specific question. After that, they may be inspired to read the book. Of course, you want to make the questions engaging and challenging to really get them involved in the process.

Some Tough Love

At first, you might need to resort to some old-fashioned methods to get them to read the book. Let's say that you are teaching a class of high school students, and you need them to read a particular educational book. Tell the students that a major test is going to be given on the book at the end of the term, and it will count for a large percentage of their grade. Knowing their grade is at stake can be enough motivation to read, and they might find that they actually love reading in the process.

Pick Their Own

While it can be a challenge to get kids interested in educational books, you can certainly take a softer approach too. Perhaps you are a parent who wants to get your child more interested in reading these types of books. Since you are not bound by state requirements or anything of that sort, take a few different educational books out of the library. Allow your child to select which one he or she would like to read. You are still requiring your child to read, but providing a choice makes it seem less daunting of a task.

Be Open-minded

You said that you want your children or students to read more "educational" books. Therefore, you need to be open-minded in terms of how you are defining "educational." For example, while you might not be able to encourage them to read a novel on the politics of the French and Indian War, you may be able to get them to read a book that describes the history of baseball or the first black women who were involved in major scientific discoveries. You need to be realize that education comes in so many different forms, and they can find many different paths of knowledge to pursue.

At first, you might have thought that it would be simply impossible to get your children or students to read more educational books. Fortunately, after reviewing these tips, you see that it is more than possible. You just need to be a little bit creative in your methods, and you need to find subjects that interest the youngsters!

Author Pam Johnson is a teacher who is always encouraging children to read. She is also a contributing writer for the Master of Education Degree Guide.

AUTHOR GUEST POST - LONDON CASEY, THE BOYS OF DOWNCRASH

2013-05-17T23:58:00.000+02:00

Writing a series isn’t quite like writing just a book. And when you throw in connecting characters, story lines, and a band… it’s like creating everything. At the end of it though, it’s quite amazing to see what’s been created.

When I first started writing The Boys of DownCrash, I envisioned the series as something fast, even novella-like. But the second I finished the first couple chapters and really got to meet the guys in the band (Tripp, Tatum, and Logan), I knew this wasn’t going to be short. Or fast. Or even easy to write.

These guys were cute, sexy, hot, and complicated. They were together as one of the most popular bands going but individually they were so very different. And maybe that’s what makes the series so fun… to write and read. I didn’t want to have the same stories appearing in each book and I didn’t want the guys in the band to be the same either.

In the first book of the series (now available: The Stronger, Safer Kind), Tripp meets and falls hard for Scarlett. But Tripp has his own demons lurking. Scarlett notices the way Tripp drinks and when she turns to the band, they reveal two things… good news, Tripp doesn’t drink like that all the time… bad news, it’s going to worse before it gets better and they won’t tell her why.

Scarlett is also given the chance to have an easy life when her best friend, Andy, confesses his love for her. He has money, he’s going to law school, and a life with him would be easy.

But Scarlett can’t keep away from Tripp and his dark secret.

Their romance collides in ways neither one thought possible because Tripp isn’t the only one with a secret.

Now, the second book in the series (Torn to Pieces due June 2013) follows the drummer of DownCrash, Tatum. He appears in the first book, along with Maggie, who is Scarlett’s roommate. It’s their turn to discover romance (and lust!), but it doesn’t come without drama… Maggie has a past that nobody knows about. A past she thought was long gone. And a past that comes crashing back with enough violence that someone may not make it out alive.

The Boys of DownCrash is a trilogy with the final book set to be released in July 2013. It’s been amazing to write these stories and I can’t wait for everyone to read all three. Each one is a stand alone book but it’s best to enjoy the series in order.

London Casey

_________________________________________________________________________________

The Stronger, Safer Kind (The Boys of DownCrash #1)

All Scarlett wanted to do was thank the sexy stranger who helped her push away a drunk, grabby college boy at a bar. When that stranger identifies himself as Tripp and then takes the stage as the lead singer and guitarist for rock band, DownCrash, everything in Scarlett's life begins to change.

Her best friend, Andy, confesses his love for her and leaves her with what should be an easy decision to make... yet each time she looks in Andy's eyes, she can't help but face her secret, nightmarish past.

The only thing that makes Scarlett feel better is Tripp... but Tripp isn't just a bad boy rockstar, he's hurt. He's in pain. He tries to hide his pain in a bottle, but Scarlett believes that, perhaps, their secrets can help each other.

Friendship and love is suddenly put to the test, and Scarlett is torn... Will she choose an easy, comfortable, happy life or a life clouded with mixed signals, raw emotion, and intense romance?

@london_casey

www.LondonCasey.com

JOURNEY OF PROMISE BY VICKIE HALL - BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY

2013-05-15T00:06:00.000+02:00

Tour Schedule

Journey of Promise When converts Richard and Leah Kenyon leave Wales and heed the call to Zion, they are unprepared for the toll exacted by the journey. To face the incredible odds mounted against them they call upon the Lord's tender mercies to see them through and strengthen their love for one another. Their story will remind you where to turn during your trials.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

All That Was Promised In 1847 Wales Methodist Minister Richard Kenyon converts to Mormonism. Richard’s newfound faith is put to the test when he faces the anger of his former congregation, his wife’s indecisiveness, his brother’s betrayal, and the murderous intentions of misinformed villagers.

Excerpt from Journey of Promise

The boat’s six boilers churned with monstrous pent-up energy, waiting to drive the steam power forward and commanding the craft up river. The strikers, men in charge of the engines, monitored their pressure gauges and all appeared within range as the firemen fed the hungry furnaces.

As the passengers neared the waiting gangplank, a deafening blast assaulted their senses. A tremendous and unexpected boiler explosion sent a third of the vessel sailing into the air. Bodies from the ship went flying in all directions, some into the river, some raining on land along with splintered shards of jagged wood and twisted bits of metal.

   Great plumes of hissing steam stretched into the sky, spraying all in its path for a considerable radius. Anyone who inhaled the steam died instantly, while others succumbed to excruciating burns caused by the heated water and sprays of steam. Screams of pain and shouts for help erupted in the aftermath as the debris from the explosion settled all around.

   Those on the bank were shocked and stunned, momentarily frozen in time as the catastrophic event unfolded before them. Gradually their senses were drawn from the shock, and they raced toward the carnage, screaming and praying.
   The furnaces of hot coals were exposed and splayed throughout the deck, making the possibility of fire a serious threat. Hissing vents of scalding steam continued to spew from the exposed boilers. The trapped crewmen screamed for help but their fates were sealed and their cooked flesh peeled from their bones without effort.

   Within minutes, chains of people were assisting the wounded from the boat. A fire erupted near the engine house, small at first, but it rapidly accelerated. The enormity of the wreckage was astounding, made even more surreal by the encroaching fire.Piteous cries could be heard from beneath the ruins. Many of the crew tried to douse the fire with buckets of water, but it soon became pointless and futile, and they abandoned the attempt. They took up axes and started to chop through the wreckage trying to free those they could. Within a few more minutes, the fire drove the men back and they were forced to desert further pains to save anyone left alive. The horrifying screams of those trapped without rescue grew to a sickening crescendo as the fire neared. They begged for mercy as the flames began to lap at their extremities and then their voices fell silent, their torturous end completed.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Vickie Hall Vickie is a native of Utah, but growing up, lived in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Nebraska. When she's not writing, she's composing music, or shopping with her sister. She loves animals of all kinds and camping with her family. Her favorite pastime is watching old movies on TCM, and unashamedly has a crush on Cary Grant.

Links:

Blog * Website Facebook * Goodreads

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/26/13

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ROCK & ROMANCE: INTERVIEW WITH KAROLYN JAMES ABOUT THE BROTHERS OF ROCK SERIES

2013-05-14T06:54:00.000+02:00

Hello and welcome, Karolyn. It is a great pleasure to have you as my guest at FLY HIGH!

I love rock music, I love romance and I love reading! So I was curious to know more about your Brothers of Rock series of books. Can you tell us more about the project?

Thanks SO MUCh for having me! J

Brothers of Rock is a romance series following the rock band, Chasing Cross. Each band memeber gets their own book and the books focus on the band off the stage. Together, on stage, they’re ‘brothers’ in the sense of music and show. But off stage they are five different men. The series doesn’t just get into romance, it also tackles several other issues... addiction, recovery, loss, abuse, etc. It’s jam packed with drama and love!

In Book 1, All Access, Jess meets Johnnie. She doesn’t recognize him as the famous lead singer of a hugely successful band. Between them is love at first sight. Do you believe in that kind of special “click” mysteriously connecting two people on their first meeting?

I do! If I didn’t, I wouldn’t write it. J

I think that there are just certain people who are meant to be in our lives and those connections are instant. It doesn’t have to just be in love either... it can be a friendship too. Sometimes it starts in grade school, sharing a pencil! Or it could be something totally random that just makes two people ‘click’.

Is Johnnie inspired to a real rock star?

Johnnie is inspired to write and perform music. For him, the ‘rock star’ life in terms of excess living has come and gone. Ten years ago, sure, he wanted to party all night. Now, he’s focused on life and what it all means going forward. But his love and passion for music never ends.

What kind of hero is he?

He’s the honest, sincere hero. In the book, he’s given the chance to do something on his own and he must face a decision and promise to Chasing Cross. And throughout the book, he refuses to call Chasing Cross ‘his band’. Just because he’s the lead singer doesn’t make it his band.

And what about Jess? Does she share any trait of your own personality?

She’s tough but vulnerable, like me. She knows when to put her foot down and to look tough (and act it), but she also loves to be needed and loves to need someone. That’s why she and Johnnie connected so well... they were both the same.

Have you ever been very fond of or even obsessed by a fictional hero or a rock star?

Not that I want to date myself here or anything... lol... but there are several rockstars that I’m fond of.

Do you usually listen to rock music or do you also like other genres? Have you got a favourite band/singer?

I love music. I’m not set on one genre at all. I’ll isten to anything. And thanks to apps I have on my iPad, I’m constantly finding new bands or even older bands that I never knew of. I generally set a playlist to my mood and what I’m writing. For the shows in the books, I’ll pull out the loud rock and for the quieter/deeper moments, I’ll go for ballads, indie music, or even classical.

Have you got a special writing routine?

I have two boys at home under the age of 5. I write when I can write! But seriously, my day usually starts at 4:30am. I *try* to get up right away and get working. I like to get as much done before the house wakes up and gets crazy. I get all I can done in the morning and then network during the afternoons and finish up the night with another writing session.

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? Or did you use to dream of being a rock star?

Writer all the way. From the time I was old enough to read, I wanted to write. And I did. Lots of silly stories and nonsense stuff... but I always wrote.

What about reading instead? What kind of reader are you?

I can’t get enough books. I read it all... usually in the romance genre. But anything subgenre like romantic suspense, inspirational romance, even Christian romance. I make sure to read at least one book a week (sometimes two). I keep a steady flow of both paperbacks and ebooks... and like I said, I can’t get enough.

Book 2 in the series is already out. What happens to Jess and Johnnie that you can tell us without spoiling too much?

Well... Johnnie has to face a MAJOR decision in his life, his career, and within the band. Falling in love with Jess is NOT part of the plan but it happens. He sneaks away with Jess during a small break in the band’s tour and when he comes back to play a show all hell breaks loose...

What ‘s next for Karolyn James?

Well, Brothers of Rock is 5 books... with the potential for more thanks to the response from the readers. I’ve got another romance series about second chances that going to have its first book out sometime in 2013. Right now, I’m just LOVING Brothers of Rock and I’m LOVING talking to the readers about it. It’s been amazing to have readers e-mailing me about the series, wanting more and more. This was just a little idea to have a band.. and now it’s my everything. J

That’s all for now, Karolyn. Thanks a lot for being such a nice and kind guest. Good luck to you and best wishes for all your future projects.

The books

With ALL ACCESS, a contemporary romance series begins that explores, life, love, and music. Join the five band members of Chasing Cross as they find that there's more to life beyond the stage

Book 1

Jess is caught off guard when a sexy stranger buys her a cup of coffee and asks her to sit with him. He's mysterious, nice, and even though he says the right things at the right time, Jess can sense that there's something hidden about him.

As Johnnie sits across from the beautiful woman, he can't believe she doesn't recognize him. Everyone does. It comes with the territory when you're the lead singer of one of the hottest bands in the world, Chasing Cross. With one more show to go before taking a small break in touring, it feels like luck is on Johnnie's side. That is, if he can find a way to tell Jess who he is, without scaring her off.

After her best friend begs her to come to a concert, Jess finds herself standing in the middle of a crowd. The lights are off, music begins, and the crowd erupts in cheers. She doesn't know much about the band, but that's all about to change. When the lights come on, Jess can't believe her eyes. The lead singer of the band is the man from the café.

Plucked from the crowd during the show, Jess makes her way backstage. The encore may have ended on stage, but the real show is just about to begin. Johnnie's passion quickly turns to romance but the more time he and Jess spend together, the more things get complicated. Johnnie has a big decision to make about himself and the band, testing his loyalty and love for the music, and when Jess's dreams start to come true, she starts to realize that true love exists, but it's not always an easy path to take.

_______________________

The second book in the Brothers of Rock series is BROKEN SOUND, where lead guitarist, Davey, is faced with life changing decisions involving love, family, and as always, music.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Rockstars expect women to show up at their hotel room, but when a woman shows up with an infant and tells Davey he is the father, his world is turned upside down.

Anna is a teacher and part-time waitress, desperate to make enough to pay off debts left to her by an ex-boyfriend who made her life a living hell. When her boss schedules her for an extra shift, he tells her it's her job to take care of a special guest... lead guitarist of Chasing Cross, Davey. The second Anna meets eyes with Davey, she feels something she's wanted for a long time. But with someone famous? That's impossible. Besides, Davey is there with a date.

When Davey returns to the restaurant, sans date, he asks to see Anna. She doesn't understand what he would want with her. He is a man with a big heart, kind eyes, and the true power that only a real rockstar could have. Then Anna learns the truth of Davey's life, from his haunted past to his rocky present. Still, she longs to be part of his future. But when Anna's own past turns potentially deadly, life and love suddenly collide in a way that could hurt everyone and leave someone dead.

You can purchase the books online HERE and HERE

The author

Karolyn James has been published over 100 times, reached bestseller lists on Amazon, and writes in both romance and erotic romance. Her two newest series are the romance hit, Brothers of Rock, and the erotic romance series, Rock Her Curves.

Twitter: @KarolynWrites

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KarolynJamesAuthor

Blog: www.KarolynJames.wordpress.com

Why Reading Classic Literature May Give Advantages in Your Education

2013-05-09T11:47:00.002+02:00

(by guest blogger Pam Johnson)

Reading classic literature has never really been your idea of fun. However, you have started to realize that doing so might have some serious advantages for your career. Instead of pushing these novels to the wayside, start to consider the possibilities that they can offer to you.

Understanding Allusions

Whether it is in modern literature, history or class in general, allusions are often made to works of classic literature. Basically, an allusion is a reference to something else in its most simple form. However, if you do not read these classic works of literature, then you are not going to understand the allusions. This lack of understanding might cause you to fall behind in the coursework or to not fully understand what it is that the professor is trying to explain.

Building Vocabulary

Some of the pieces of classic literature might introduce you to terms that were used in Old or Middle English. By reading these pieces, you will have a better understand of these languages when they come up in your classes. Of course, many classical writers use sophisticated language in general, so their word choice can help you to build your own vocabulary and to see the ways in which sentences can be formed to convey meaning. If you are a writer, you certainly understand the importance of diction and syntax.

Pre-requisites for Classes

Let's say that you are planning to obtain an even higher education in the field of literature. If you are going to work on a master's degree or even a doctoral degree, you are going to need to have completed certain pre-requisite courses. These classes will generally entail the discovery of some classic literary works, so you will need to read them to move forward. However, even if the works are not required by the university to complete a class or gain admittance into another one, you need to consider the aforementioned benefits and how they can help you to better understand other pieces.

A Worldly Perspective

Being educated is not all about going to school and learning the lessons that are taught in class. To be a truly educated and worldly person, you also must gain an appreciation of and a sense of culture. Therefore, reading classic literature can help you to achieve this status and to be a person with a more open-minded approach to other works. Even when you are not enrolled in any courses, you can still procure a list of the classic works of literature and begin to read by yourself. If the material is challenging, do not give up. Look to reputable sources on the Internet to help enhance your understanding of what these works truly represent in the larger sense of literature and the world.

Whether you are talking about a traditional education that takes place in the classroom or are looking to define education in a broader sense, classic literature truly has a great number of advantages to offer to you and to your inquiring mind.

Author Pam Johnson is a psychologist who studies the affects of reading on developing minds. If you are interested in a career like this, take a look at How Do I Become an Industrial Organizational Psychologist?

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - ANNE EASTER SMITH, ROYAL MISTRESS BLOG TOUR - IF HISTORY WERE TAUGHT IN THE FORM OF STORIES

2013-05-08T21:12:00.002+02:00

My guest today is Anne Easter Smith. A native of England, Anne spent some of her childhood in Germany and Egypt and the rest at boarding school. She came to the US in the late ‘60s for two years and is still here, living in Newburyport, MA with her husband, Scott. Anne is the author of five novels about the York family in the Wars of the Roses, all published by Touchstone at Simon & Schuster. She has been a secretary, a PBS auction coordinator, the features editor at a daily newspaper, a folksinger and the administrator at a music school. When she is not writing, Anne is usually to be found either acting or directing in community theater productions, beach-walking, practicing yoga, or watching “Mad Men.” Her latest novel, Royal Mistress has just been published and she's here today to share her passion for history, the Ricardian cause and writing with us. Join me and welcome Anne at FLY HIGH!

Welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere, Anne. It’s a pleasure and an honour to have you as my very special guest on FLY HIGH!

This is my first question. I know you love quoting Rudyard Kipling with his “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." Does that mean we can learn the truth about our past and roots reading historical novels more than or as well as researching on documents?

I wouldn’t say that! Of course you will gain far more by reading the chronicles, letters and histories of the period. But what historical fiction does is bring those people to life and perhaps give you an appetite for doing more research on your own. However, just like watching a bio-pic on TV -- you shouldn’t believe everything you see. I try very hard never to have a person in the wrong place at the wong time--I will do my best to see if there is any evidence that someone was or was not at a certain castle when I want them to be, but I will not mess with history. If I cannot find anything that says Cecily Neville never met Joan of Arc, but the research tells me these two women were in the same building at the same time (one in the royal apartments and the other in the dungeon) then I feel it’s plausible that they did meet. As a reader of Historical Fiction, I think you have to learn to recognize a writer who respects the history rather than one who, with one obvious anachronism, can have me throwing a book across a room! If you question something in an historical novel, then go and seek out the truth in the non-fiction shelves. Fiction is fiction after all!

In your opinion, what are a historical fiction writer main task and talent ?

I’ve almost answered this good question above! A love of research is key; be a seeker of truth and if you need to bend it for dramatic licence make sure you own up to that in a Author’s Note. As a writer of historical biography, I think my responsibility is to be true to the people I choose as my main characters. Do not misrepresent them if there is no evidence in history of your characterization. I like to think that I make history so palatable and accessible that readers will want to rummage in the archives and chronicles for themselves and find out more.

When and how did you come to be fascinated by the Middle Ages?

Ever since I was a little girl having fantasies or daydreams I was always in a long dress running through castles and gothic cathedrals. Don’t tell anyone but I still have them! I saw films like “Ivanhoe,” “Robin Hood” and “King Richard and the Crusaders” (very old!!) and read a book called “The Woods of Windri” by Violet Needham when I was 10 and I was hooked.

What is it that most appeals to you of that distant era?

That it wasn’t like today. I’m one of those who lives in the past (like sci-fi and fantasy readers live in the future) and I yearn for when life did not race by in frightening fashion. I like to imagine what it must be like to have total silence and darkness at night once your village or town went to bed. There is never total silence in towns today--the street lights stay on, cars roll by all night, your air-conditioner or heater hums, the phone sometimes rings, someone down the street has his TV volume too high, etc. Of course I’d want to be be a male in that period; it would be dirtier; in some ways more brutal--although after the Boston bombing (only 30 miles from me) and 9/11, I’m not sure; and diseases were terrifyingly unhealable, but you wouldn’t fear the possibility of the destruction of the whole world like we can now.

I too tend to live in the past more than in the present as a teacher of English literature as well as a fond reader of historical fiction and watcher of costume drama/movies. You do the same as an author dedicated to research and to write about the past. What I’d like to know from you is, do the lessons we get from the past more alienate us from reality or more help us to face it?

I wish more people would consult history--especially in our government. I’ve just learned from an erudite friend in Portugal that Washington State University has a research team on historical cycles that is tentatively building a theory that as living memory fades every three generations, humankind repeats the big disasters every 80 years. So I guess no, we don’t learn! (And in 20 years it will be the anniversary of WWII. Yikes!)

You are a member of the Richard III Society and your novel A Rose for the Crown is your own personal revision of the last Plantagenet king of England, Richard III . When and how did you become a Ricardian questioning Shakespeare’s portrait of Richard III?

I learned in English boarding school that we had Good Kings and Bad Kings. King John and King Richard III were pretty much The Bad Kings. And I bought it, especially after my history teacher related in gory detail how Richard murdered his adorable little nephews in the Tower. Well, at age 21, my godmother (a staunch Ricardian I found out) gave me Jospehine Tey’s Daughter of Time and I was gobsmacked. Her conclusion was that Richard didn’t murder those cuties, Henry VII (his successor) did. I began to read everything I could get my hands on about Richard, and I’ve become a pretty good expert on him and the Wars of the Roses. Okay, I’ll ‘fess up -- that is 50 years of research! You work it out.

Can you tell us about your own characterization of King Richard III in A Rose for the Crown?

As you rightly say above, my portrayal of Richard in A Rose for the Crown is revisionist, but I don’t think I make him out to be a saint. I’d rather talk about the Richard I had to portray in Royal Mistress and how incredibly difficult it was so really look at him through the eyes of a couple of people whom Richard did not treat well. Perception is reality, and whoever is doing the perceiving colors the perceived’s character. Luckily, by using omniscient narration (you are in everyone’s heads) in Royal Mistress for the first time, I was able to provide a rational explanation for Richard’s actions by seeing the situation through his eyes as well. He may not be the gentle, enigmatic young man of A Rose for the Crown, but I hope I have made him a complex, troubled man who was staying true to his staunch beliefs in God, in family and in duty.

An aspect of his personal history I’m interested in is his marriage to Anne. What do you think about it? Was it for convenience, was it for love and devotion?

My own feeling is that love grew in their marriage. They seemed to be happy together and he enjoyed living away from the intrigues of the court for most of his married life and hunkered down in Middleham, way up north, with Anne and their son. Of course I really believe in my character Kate Haute from A Rose for the Crown. I created her because we do not know with whom Richard had his two bastard children. I think he took his motto “Loyalty Binds Me” seriously enough to give up whomever he had sired the children with to live a faithful life with Anne. That says a lot about his character, I think. Anne has never particularly intrigued me as a character--came across to me as wishy-washy, and that’s why I cast about for another woman to tell Richard’s story in my first book. Sorry if I disappointed you! Are you a big Anne fan?

Well, I actually hit it off with the portrait Sharon Kay Penman did of her in The Sunne in Splendour, but historical records don't tell us much about her. So I maybe have a very romantic but deeply unrealistic image of her in my mind. Let's move to another topic. Royal Mistress, your latest novel which has just come out yesterday, May 7th, tells the story of Jane Shore. She’s another fascinating figure dating back to Richard’s brother reign, she was in fact Edward IV’s mistress. Why did you decide to make her the heroine of your new book?

My four other books about the York family in the Wars of the Roses have featured a female protagonist (that’s because I’m not really sure how men think!). I have always loved medieval women--they were strong and inasmuch as they could be in the time, they were independent. When Englishmen left home and went on crusades or fighting for the crown or their possessions in France--sometimes for years, who do you think ran the homes, businesses, farms and castles? Once England lost all its territory in France, settled into the Tudor and subsequent dynasties, women once again took a back seat. So I set about telling Edward’s and William Hastings’s stories through the eyes of a woman the two best friends both loved, Jane Shore. As with A Rose for the Crown, I loved being back with a non-royal protagonist and setting the book almost exclusively in London. London is virtually my hometown (if you don’t count being born in Hampshire, raised in Germany and Egypt until I went to boarding school). Both my parents were Londoners and my sister and brother live there still. Jane has not had a novel written about her since Jean Plaidy’s “The Goldsmith’s Wife” (which we now know is an erroneous moniker--she was a mercer’s wife) in 1970s, so I decided to write one for the 21st century.

How would you present Royal Mistress to our reader in about 50 words?

Jane Shore was King Edward IV’s favorite and final mistress. The story of her rise and fall is so dramatic--as is the period and place in which she lived --that playwrights, poets and balladeers have told it down the centuries. It would make a damn fine film!

I can’t wait to read it! Thanks Anne, that’s all. I’m really grateful to you for taking the time to answer my questions.

My pleasure indeed!

BOOK BLAST - THE TALE OF MALLY BIDDLE BY M.L. LE GETTE + $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY

2013-05-07T00:00:00.000+02:00

The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

When Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn't know she'd find a family unlike any other. Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and tends fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death ... a death that is surrounded by more questions than answers. Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and matriarchal Meriyal Boyd, and the opinionated Archibald Diggleby. Then of course there are the knights: Leon Gibbs who is slicker than a greased hog, Adrian Bayard, hot tempered and violent, and the worst of the lot: Sir Illius Molick, Captain of the Knights. And then there is Maud, a mysterious woman who just might know everything...

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Praise: "To say I loved this book is an understatement. Mally is a wonderful character and she encounters so many quirky folks on her assignment. Very well written and engaging story! And an added bonus of a love triangle! I enjoyed it from beginning to end!! I will definitely be looking for more from this author!" ~April Holgate

Author Melissa LeGette

Melissa LeGette lives in Georgia where she helps run a family farm, so her nails are a fright. The Tale of Mally Biddle is her second novel.

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ANITA B. - ROBERTO FAENZA DIRECTS ROBERT SHEEHAN AND ELINE POWELL

2013-05-05T16:09:00.000+02:00

Robert Sheehan and Eline Powell as Eli and Anita

Roberto Faenza has started shooting his new film, Anita B., in Bolzano, Italy, with an international cast: Robert Sheehan, Eline Powell, Antonio Cupo, Nico Mirallegro are among the young protagonists. The movie is based on a novel by Edith Bruck (read about her HERE), titled Quanta stella c'è nel cielo, which, for what I know, hasn't been translated into English so far.

The book

Edith Bruck won the Premio Viareggio Narrativa 2009 for «Quanta stella c'è nel cielo». There's no grammar mistake in the title. It was just meant to sound "How much star is there in the sky" in the quoted line of Sàndor Petöfi's ballad.
Anita (Eline Powell) , who's only 16, has just the great Hungarian poet's lines to warm her heart and little else sweet left in her mind. She keeps so many ripping memories inside herself, memories nobody wants to listen to. She survived the concentration camp, is beautiful and sensitive, life trials have tattoed her soul forever. She's running away from a Hungarian orphanage to join her aunt, Monika.

Nico Mirallegro, Robert Sheehan and Eline Powell

Eli, Monika's young brother-in-law, meets Anita at the border to accompany her in a journey through Czechoslovakia, where she finds herself a clandestine in a world still in turmoil.
Eli (Robert Sheehan) doesn't seem to care about her past, her wounds: the young man is attracted by her body and as soon as they start their journey in a train, overcrowded by a vagabond multitude, he starts harassing her in a cruel, cynical game. Quanta stella c'è nel cielo is full of unexpected twists and turns. It tells how the journey from death to life is possible and how the path to hope sometimes follows unforeseeable schemes.

Robert Sheehan on set in Bolzano from Robert Sheehan Web

The movie will be shot completely in English like Roberto Faenza's previous movie, "Un giorno questo dolore ti sarà utile" (Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You), which was based on Peter Cameron's best selling novel.

WORKING IT OUT BY RACHAEL ANDERSON - COVER REVEAL & $25 AMAZON CARD GIVEAWAY

2013-05-05T00:31:00.000+02:00

Author Rachael Renee Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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Working It Out

A chance encounter . . .

Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going

to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . .

Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

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How to Read Effectively and Efficiently - Tips for young readers by Jason Harter

2013-05-04T07:21:00.000+02:00

Reading is both fun and enjoyable when you are good at it. If you have trouble grasping written words, then chances are you do not enjoy it. One of the best ways to become a good reader is to find things that you actually want to read. The more you read than the better you will get. Use the following tips to help you become to most effective and efficient reader possible.

1) Read for Fun

One of the best ways to become better at reading is by practicing it. Pick of trashy books and fun magazines that pique your interest. You will be reading for pleasure, and it will teach you to become a better reader. You do not have to read things that are hard just to better understand wordy complicated texts. It will get easier with time, but only if you are willing to try and make reading fun first.

2) Scan as Fast as You Can!

Learn how to scan texts so that you can understand the main idea of a text in an efficient amount of time. If you are unsure how to begin scanning, then there are few things you need to do know first. The most important thing to remember is that you only need to understand the basic concept idea of a text and not the whole idea. Thus, you only want to scan a document when it is of little importance. Begin by focusing your eyes on the middle of the sentence. Quickly read the sides of each sentence with your peripheral vision. This may sound complicated at first, but it will get easier to do. This cuts down on your eye movement as you move them across the page. You will also want to pick up on big keywords. This will help you identify the purpose of the text. Use these scanning tips to help you become a faster reader.

3) Understand the Text

If you just plain do not understand a document or text, then you probably need to brush up on your grammar and vocabulary. Try taking a few refresher courses online or reading a vocabulary word a day. Do not be afraid to look up any words you do not understand either. It is so easy to look things up today thanks to the instant response times of the Internet. Thus, you there is not need for you to feel incompetent of stupid. Plenty of people are not at same level of reading as their peers.

The best way to becoming an efficient and effective reader is by making sure that you practice everyday for at least twenty minutes. Soon enough those twenty minutes will turn into an hour, and then you will be ready all the time for fun. Keep things light and easy at first. Then, when you are ready, move on to harder books and texts. You will be a better reader in no time.

Author Jason Harter is an English teacher who got his degree from one of the 10 Best Online Teacher's Colleges.

How did you become proficient readers? What would you suggest to young readers?

Women and Difficult choices - Blog Tour - David's Song by A.R. Talley: Guest post + giveaway

2013-05-03T00:00:00.000+02:00

For those who have not read book yet, in David's Song, the protagonist, Annie has to make a choice between her husband Jeremy and their fifteen years of marriage and David Andrews, a lost love from years before. When I wrote David'sSong, I had been contemplating the 'what ifs' of different choices earlier in my life, and ultimately decided that I was happy with the course my life had taken. But the idea still intrigued me and I wondered what another woman might choose if given the chance to revisit that 'First love.'

By nature, I think women are people-pleasers. We tend to put our own needs on a back burner, so to speak, to keep peace and make those we love happy. When we're put in a position of choice that will leave someone unhappy, it gets incredibly difficult. So in my story, I put Annie in that position. There are two men, and she loves them both, but ultimately she has to choose between them. That choice forces her to bring her own wants and needs to the forefront. When she knows that someone has to be left behind, she cannot make a choice based on another person's happiness. It requires her to examine what it is that she really wants and needs in her life. I think this is something all women can relate to. Choices that force us to be 'selfish' are always the hardest.

Fortunately for Annie, she has a good friend to guide her through the process - a friend who has a pretty objective opinion. Women tend to lean on each other for support, and sometimes that can be disastrous, and other times a lifesaver. We all need friends who can look at life from both sides and help us reach conclusions that are in our own best interest.

A. R. Talley

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David's Song Taken from the book cover: Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience. A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.

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Author A.R. Talley April R Talley was born and raised in the Rubber City, Akron, Ohio in 1959. She is the youngest of six children. She attended Brigham Young University for a time, but withdrew to work fulltime for Osmond Productions in Orem, Utah as a member of The Osmond production staff. After a brief stint working in television, she returned to Akron to finish her education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mass Media Communications in 1981. April later worked as vice president and part owner of a dance and sportswear boutique. Married in 1982, she is the proud mother of seven children and is deeply involved in volunteer work for her church. April spends her time working on future projects, caring for home and family, and traveling. David’s Song is her debut novel and the first of a trilogy.

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Praise from reviews on Goodreads.com

"Not just your typical romance novel" - Tracy Williams "David's Song is great read that leaves you thinking about the story and pondering your own relationships". - Anna Pavkov "Sucked me in from the 1st page" - Jill Walker

"Loved this book . . . could not put it down!" - Dana Vieira

Excerpt

“Are you alright?” he asked. I couldn’t believe that he was coming into perfect form and I was starting to fall apart. I couldn’t answer him. I didn’t need to. He could see the anxiety all over me. He took my face in both of his hands. “Annie, we’re back in the classroom. We’re just having fun. Winning doesn’t matter.” His smile grew wide, his blue eyes intense. “It’s just for fun!”

I nodded and tried a few more deep breaths.  Just for fun, I told myself.

          “Ladies and Gentlemen, finalist number 241!”

I forced a smile as David led me to the long right corner of the dance floor. The crowd was cheering loudly. He stood before me in waltz position, his hand extended and inviting.

          “Annie, do you want to dance?” he said quietly, a gleam in his eye.

I wanted to cry. “David, I would love to dance,” I said, and I stepped into his arms. Suddenly the audience melted away. The judges, the competition disappeared. The lights above the dance floor that had felt so intense before began to narrow and drift far away into those radiant November stars I had dreamt about.  David swept me into the trance of an exalted waltz. We were alone. Alone with the music. Alone with our steps. Alone in the grace of each other’s arms.

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13

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BOOK BLAST - THE NEWSTEAD PROJECT BY MELANIE SCHULTZ + GIVEAWAY OF A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD OR PAYPAL CASH

2013-05-01T23:09:00.000+02:00

The Newstead Project

The giant.

Joel Cranston shouldn’t exist. He just doesn’t know that yet. He’s lived a pretty normal life for the last sixteen years. If you consider being almost seven feet tall and good at about every sport you’ve ever played normal. Normal ends the day Newstead shows up with an invitation to come to their school.

The school.

Newstead is a private high school in Central Vermont by the Green Mountains. It’s a great place to hide a few hundred people who shouldn’t exist while you train them to become tomorrow’s rulers, tomorrow’s dictators, tomorrow’s gods.

The unexpected.

Rachel Newell thinks she’s just passing through. She never stays any place more than four months and with Newstead so close to Weston, she has even more reason to make this her shortest stop ever. The last thing she expects is to have a reason to stay. Together Rachel and Joel uncover the truth behind what is the newstead project.

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Book Trailer

Author Melanie Schulz

I live in Upstate New York with my husband and three children, where I’ve pretty much been planted my entire life. Which is fine, because it’s beautiful here. My only complaint is that most people assume that New York means NYC, which it doesn’t. There. I’ve done my part in exposing the truth. Truth. The truth is I’m not a writer; storyteller maybe, but not a writer. It wasn’t something I spent years dreaming of, or even what I went to school for. I’m a nurse. I love being a nurse. So why write? I don’t know. I do know when it started, though. September 3, 2010. I know this because I nature journal, and on that day Joel made it into my notes. I guess that’s fitting. Someone like him needed to be birthed out in the woods. If you were to meet me, and I hope someday you do, you would not connect me with this story. I’m a wife, a mother, a nurse. The person who wrote this should’ve been a guy, first off, secondly he should be some militaristic strategist; that’s who you’d expect to see if you were to come to a book signing, not me. But I’m there, in every line. So if I don’t have the good fortune to meet you in person, I hope to see you in THE NEWSTEAD PROJECT.

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Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/19/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author.

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SPRING FLING GIVEAWAY HOP - LET'S READ THE CLASSICS

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000+02:00

Happy Spring Time, dear readers. Do you like giveaway hops? Lots of blogs participating and a great deal of chances to win great prizes. I am a reader not a writer hosts this May giveaway. The deadline to enter all the contests in the hop is May 7th.

What can you win here at FLY HIGH? One of the classics in these pages at the Boodepository.com, one of your choice. Surf through the pages, choose your title and take your chances to win in the rafflecopter form below. Mind you, the classics you can choose among are only those shown in the pages linked HERE.

1 paperback for 1 winner is my prize, open worldwide, and... Good luck, everyone!

CLICK, CHOOSE YOUR PRIZE, THEN COME BACK AND FILL IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW. FINALLY, DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL THE BLOGS IN THE LIST BELOW!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WILL SHAKESPEARE - GIVEAWAY WINNER

2013-04-30T22:38:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone! I'm here again just to post the name of the winner of my Happy Birthday, Will Shakespeare Giveaway.

My congratulations to Elizabeth L.!!!

She wins the book of her choice from the list I proposed: Richard Paul Roe's The Shakespeare Guide to Italy: Retracing the Bard's Unknown Travels (Paperback).

Thanks to all the readers who asked to be entered in the giveaway and left their comments. There will be other book giveaway contests soon here at FLY HIGH. Just stay tuned!

ON ROBIN HOOD, HISTORICAL ACCURACY & BOOKISH MEDIEVALISTS

2013-04-30T00:00:00.000+02:00

Those of you who have been following my activity online for a while, are well acquainted with the fact that I am a teacher, that I love my job, that I also run a blog for my students and what I usually do is teaching English as a foreign language or English Literature to Italian students. What I want to share and discuss with you today is something which happened to me on LearnOnLine, after posting a lesson with video clips taken from BBC Robin Hood, addressed to a group of 15-year-old students to whom I teach grammar and language, as well as to a second group of 16-year-old students to whom I teach grammar and language but also "pills" of literature (from the origins to the Elizabethan Age).

It was not the first time I used those materials, as I usually don't teach my younger students literature or history in a very academic way. My approach is rather focused on what teenagers may like more than on the accuracy of information (which I respect as much as I can). I may be wrong, but this is what I generally do. They are not really interested in sound devices or rethoric figures at their age, they hate being forced to memorize facts and dates which they consider useless. They do like stories, legends, heroes and myths. They also like when the lesson is not merely listening to the teacher speaking or reading in front of them. That is why I use videos and music, multimedia tasks and sources quite often in my lessons.

That happened also in my lessons about the medieval popular ballads. I don't want to bore you, but I'd like you to understand before I ask you to join me in the discussion.

After reading one, Lord Randal, and after listening to a musical version of it, we summarized the main features of the ballad as a poetic form in a spidergram on the board. Afterwards I briefly told them about the different types of ballads existing, and introduced them the Cycle of Robin Hood, telling them that the original figure of the outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor, has been later on contaminated by new versions coming from authors and texts of the following centuries. Last but not least, we discussed fact that the Robin Hood they have in their minds, is probably resulting from watching modern films or cartoons.

To discuss that and much more in English is not simple for Italian native speakers, but I do my best to give them real motivations to use the foreign language they are trying to learn. And I don't teach literature just to pass them cultural and historical information but especially as a way to improve their language skills.

As for skills, I am convinced that to become a good speaker, you must be first of all a good listener.

So, I often give my students materials to listen to, either in our lab at school or as their homework at home. Even with Italian subtitles, if they are beginner listeners.

Here we are to the crucial poing: this is the goal of the activity I posted on Learnonline, which brought to me, this rare, welcome, but not very positive comment from a passionate bookish medievalist, who I totally respect. Below it, my answer.

What do you think? Is to motivate students a teacher's main goal or not? Should I use only historically accurate materials for my lessons instead? Does any of you agree with Bookish Medievalist? Do you have any good suggestion to make my lessons interesting and accurate at the same time? I'd be glad to hear your opinion about this issue.

BOOK BLITZ TOUR - SOUL TAKER BY KAREN MICHELLE NUTT

2013-04-29T00:25:00.000+02:00

The book

No soul is safe…

A vampire from the Grim Sith sept is sucking the souls out of young women from the Boston area, but this sinister crime is far worse than a vampire seeking substance. He’s selling the souls to the highest bidder and it seems business is booming.

A vampire, a werewolf and a Necromancer, are a most unlikely team, but Garran, Harrison and Isabella plan on putting a kink in the dubbed Soul Taker’s plans. It’s personal now. One of their friends has fallen victim to the Soul Taker’s charms, but to stop him from hurting anyone else, their efforts may involve raising the dead.

The author

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

Her Book, Lost in the Mist of Time, was nominated for New Books Review Spotlight Best Fantasy Book of the Year Award 2006. A Twist of Fate was a nominee for Best Time Travel P.E.A.R.L. Award for 2008. Creighton Manor won Honorable Mention P.E.A.R.L. Award 2009.

Her new passion is creating book covers for Western Trail Blazers and Rebecca J. Vickery Publishing. In her spare time, she reviews books for PNR-Paranormal Romance Reviews.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

Excerpt

The night awakened everything dark and foreboding, allowing them to walk among the humans. Garran MacLaurin would be considered such a creature, though with practice he learned to control his unusual appetite to destroy everything in his wake.
From the shadows, Garran watched Isabella Lucci lock her car, the beep of the alarm echoing in the hospital's carport. She wore a tan long-sleeve shirt with jeans, which looked tailored to fit her trim figure, and designer boots. She turned to go toward the hospital entrance, but something caught her attention. Her feet stilled. Her gaze turned toward him and apprehension crossed her delicate features. She took a hesitant step in his direction, clutching her purse like a lifeline. She scanned the parking lot, searching… For what? He stood still and waited. Finally, she turned and continued inside the hospital.
He would have to be careful. Isabella hadn't seen him, but he knew without a doubt she sensed him. Rare for a human to sense the preternatural world, but then again, if Harrison was correct in his assumptions, Miss Lucci could raise the dead. Garran waited a respected few minutes so not to run into Miss Lucci. Then he too, entered the hospital.

Soul Taker by Karen Michelle Nutt

Genre: Urban Fantasy

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Soul Taker on Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Publication Date: March 11, 2013

The Importance of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic in Early Life and Beyond

2013-04-26T07:00:00.000+02:00

(by guest blogger Pam Johnson) Educational psychologists have stressed the importance of reading, writing and arithmetic for decades. When teachers instill in their students reading, writing and arithmetic skills early on, children demonstrate higher academic achievement and even higher cognitive ability scores years later.

What is Reading?

Reading is often colloquially defined as the process of assimilating new written information. In a broader sense, however, reading is the cognitive skill that involves making sense of symbols and deriving meaning from those symbols. Both reading and writing involve sharing and disseminating information.

Structure of Language

Reading and writing depend on the early acquisition of certain skills. To show high reading proficiency and comprehension, a working knowledge of syntax, diction and semantics is necessary to cultivate early in the schooling process.

Matthew Effect

The more one reads, the more words one is exposed to. The idea behind the Matthew Effect is that early and slow reading acquisition will hamper later reading and cognitive development; alternatively, high reading acquisition will enhance later reading proficiency and cognitive development.

The Matthew Effect's namesake originates from the bible maxim that posits the rich get richer. In layman's terms this means that high reading acquisition pays cognitive dividends down the road.

CHC Theory

The prevailing theory on cognitive ability within the psychological community is the one devised by Cattell, Horn and Carroll. CHC Theory is predicated on the finding that crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence are extraordinarily important cognitive skills.

Crystallized intelligence is defined as the depth and breadth of one's knowledge and the ability to reason and communicate with that knowledge. In other words, crystallized intelligence is one's cultural understanding.

A large component of crystallized intelligence is sheer vocabulary size. Interestingly, the size of one's vocabulary is a serviceable proxy for cognitive ability. Crystallized intelligence, the size of one's vocabulary and IQ correlate very highly with one another.

In light of these findings, instilling an early enthusiasm and aptitude for reading may indirectly enhance cognitive ability by increasing one's vocabulary and crystallized intelligence.

Reading Influences Everything

The world around us is composed of words. Moreover, a knowledge of how to shape words into persuasive prose can help one achieve academic, occupational and material success later in life.

Modern research has demonstrated that early reading acquisition is correlated with a host of positive cognitive outcomes. The importance of reading, writing and arithmetic should not be underestimated in today's world of burgeoning technology and intellectual complexity.

Importantly, the American Psychological Association brings up another set of Rs in lieu of reading, writing and arithmetic. The American Psychological Association has recently found a correlation between reasoning, resilience and responsibility to later academic success.

Researchers including Sternberg have uncovered a link between reasoning, resilience and responsibility to social skills beyond content knowledge. In the APA's groundbreaking study on the new three Rs, students demonstrated higher social responsibility and willingness to learn novel material.

Perhaps interpersonal success is as important as academic excellence. There certainly is a place in tomorrow's workforce for high IQ and high EQ employees.

Author Pam Johnson is an elementary school teacher who obtained her degree from one of the Top 10 Best Online Master of Education Degree Programs.

PERIOD DRAMA VS PERIOD DRAMA: DA VINCI'S DEMONS - THE VILLAGE

2013-04-24T17:58:00.000+02:00

Tom Riley as Leonardo da Vinci

Two new costume series I'm watching, The Village (BBC1) and Da Vinci's Demons (Fox, Italian Sky TV) epitomize the difference between the old traditional way to represent history in fiction and the new tendency to spectacularise it for modern audiences to enjoy it more. I must be old (I am. Enough, at least) or ancient (Gosh! I really hope I am not) because I like it much more when it is accurate and traditional. Not that I despise innovation and originality but I tend not to hit it off with HBO's and especially Starz's style in producing costume drama.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII - The Tudors

I liked HBO's The Pillars of the Earth or World's Without End. They were both fairly good. But they left me with the impression that old tradtitional British TV would have done better. What did they lack? Depth. These shows often lack depth, i.e. character analysis.

Mind you, I have no problem at criticizing BBC when necessary. For instance, I've been betrayed by BBC more than once recently with their sudden unacceptable decisions of axing series I had loved but, anyhow, their interest in numbers and figures still hasn't killed the quality of their period drama. They usually use nudity, sexual and violent content for the sake of realism - warning the audience at the beginning of the show - but they do not try to attract viewers with nudity, sex and violence as their fundamental ingredients adding a certain quantity of CGI as their main spice, which is instead typical of the new trend started by Starz..

The Borgias - main cast

Spartacus may be their most representative product. Spectacularly gritty, stunningly beautiful at the eye, action packed, lots of nudity, dramatic stunts.

I know, a lot of people love this genre. The Tudors (Showtime), The Borgias (Showtime), Game of Thrones (HBO) are widely popular and they look amazing but they are too gritty, too dark, too "violent for violence sake" for me.

I swear that I tried, I gave them a chance but I managed to see episode 1 in series 1 of Game of Thrones and that was the end for me; then, the whole first series of The Tudors, and - I must be honest - only 20 minutes of the opening episode of the first season of The Borgias. They simply are not for me. Luckily for their producers and broadcasters they are liked by huge audiences all over the world. Numbers and figures count in showbiz.

Da Vinci's Demons

Now, do I like Da Vinci's Demons (Starz)? I didn't mind watching the pilot episode, it was fun, but I may have been biased for the presence of so many familiar British faces! Examples, the earl of Grantham from Downton Abbey, Hugh Bonneville, in all his naked splendour (see clip), opens the episode as the Duke of Milan but is immediately and irreversibly dismissed by slaughtering. The protagonist is Tom Riley, the charming young actor everything Austen lovers like me might remember for being Wickham in Lost in Austen. You think he doesn't resemble the bearded icon we all have in mind for Italian Renaissance genius Leonardo? You're right! He has sexy stabble more than the long grey beard we have in mind and he looks more like a gorgeous leather-clad superhero of blockbuster movies. Cheeky, sarky, superskilled at fighting, unforseeably smart young, Leonardo gets into Lorenzo De Medici's court thanks to his charms, not his other talents, at first. That is, seducing De Medici's mistress, Lucrezia Donati.

Laura Haddock as Lucrezia Donati

I'd better go on with my examples of familiar faces which may have influenced me: Lorenzo De Medici is Elliot Cowan, Mr Darcy in Lost in Austen, and Lucrezia Donati is Laura Haddock who was Beryl Ballard in Upstairs Downstairs, Blake Ritson (Upstairs Downstairs, World Without an End, Mansfield Park, Emma) plays arch-villain Count Riario and Lara Pulver (Robin Hood, Sherlock) is Clarice Orsini.

As I said, episode one of Da Vinci's Demons was fun. I'll have a look at episode two and then make up my mind. I have already checked the first reactions and reviews, though. Many enthusiastic comments I really can't agree with. Not yet at least.

Nico Mirallegro - The Village

What about The Village on BBC1 each Sunday night? It has had a very critical reception so far though the ratings for the opening episode were really good. Viewers accused it of being depressing and nothing like Downton Abbey. As much as I liked watching ITV Downton Abbey, when has it become parameter for quality drama? I really hope numbers and figures don't go on influencing the quality of what we are going to see on TV but I fear it will be unavoidable.

Charlie Murphy - The Village

The Village is an ambitious project, Peter Moffat would tell 100 years of English history through the story of one rural community, in 42 episodes and several series. But will BBC1 go on investing on their schedule if the ratings start being disappointing? They didn't think twice and axed so many good shows! One for all, we will never see how The Hour ends up. No third series for Ben Winshaw, Romola Garai, Dominic West and their mates. I am furious. The series ended with a cliffhanger. What now? At least give a story a proper ending!

Johnn Simm - The Village

Back to The Village, I like it a lot. Depressing? It may be, anyhow I am pretty sure the reality of a rural English village during WWI must have been rather distressing and I want to trust Peter Moffat's talent. How would the critical viewers describe that period? Omitting any tragic detail? WWI Downton Abbey style, put simply. But here the people involved are really poor: no earls no glamour. Just the ugly truth. Apparently those viewers are not so willing to face it. Or, at least, not on Sunday night.

Maxine Peake - The Village

My opinion is that the cast is exceptionally good, everybody's perfect in their own roles, John Simm and Maxine Peake, Nico Mirallegro and Bill Jones, Juliet Stevenson and Rupert Evans, Augustus Prew and Charlie Murphy, Joe Armstrong and Emily Beecham. The idea of telling about 100 years in history from a one man's perspective is touching and I hope we get to see the entire project.

I can hear a question coming from a distant curious reader: Have I ever disliked something I watched on BBC? Does that mean I sound biased? Well, I did, instead. And it is one of the most popular shows they have been broadcasting for years, Doctor Who. I tried to watch it but I just didn't like it. (Yes, I know, my unpopularity grows word after word, honesty kills!)

Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur - Camelot

And have I ever liked a Starz show, instead? Actually I have to make an effort to find one, but I liked Camelot (2010) pretty much, though I didn't find it perfect. It stars Joseph Fiennes, Jamie Campbell Bower, Tamsin Egerton, Eva Green, James Purefoy, Peter Mooney, Claire Forlani, Philip Winchester and Sinead Cusack. Guess what? It was never recomissioned after the first season got disappointing ratings. Perhaps it was because it contained too little sex scenes and too little violence? It had some, but it was meant to be more a study of character. However, you see? Apparently there must be something wrong with me. I'm doomed to be disappointed.

Ready to listen to your opinions, of course. Please, feel free to disagree with me, I love interesting discussion.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WILL SHAKESPEARE! GREAT BOOK GIVEAWAY

2013-04-23T07:11:00.001+02:00

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

The actual date of Shakespeare's birth is not known, but, traditionally, April 23, St George's Day, has been Shakespeare's accepted birthday, and a house on Henley Street in Stratford, owned by William's father, John, is accepted as Shakespeare's birth place. However, the reality is that no one really knows when the great dramatist was born. According to The Book of Common Prayer, it was required that a child be baptized on the nearest Sunday or holy day following the birth, unless the parents had a legitimate excuse. As Dennis Kay proposes in his book Shakespeare:

If Shakespeare was indeed born on Sunday, April 23, the next feast day would have been St. Mark's Day on Tuesday the twenty-fifth. There might well have been some cause, both reasonable and great -- or perhaps, as has been suggested, St. Mark's Day was still held to be unlucky, as it had been before the Reformation, when altars and crucifixes used to be draped in black cloth, and when some claimed to see in the churchyard the spirits of those doomed to die in that year. . . .but that does not help to explain the christening on the twenty-sixth (54).

No doubt Shakespeare's true birthday will remain a mystery forever. But the assumption that the Bard was born on the same day of the month that he died, April 23, gives the mystery of his life one more fascinating aspect.

Joseph Fiennes as Will Shakespeare

Giveaway : 1 book, 1 winner

To celebrate Shakespeare's genius and his 449th birthday here's a great giveaway contest for you. Choose one of the Shakespeare-related books in the list below, leave a comment with the title you would like to win, add your e-mail address and ... good luck! The books are all paperbacks. The contest is open worldwide. This giveaway ends on April 30th.

1. Alexa Schnee, Shakespeare's Lady

2. Bill Bryson, Shakespeare: The World as a Stage

3. Rex Gibson, Teaching Shakespeare

4. Gary Blackwood, The Shakespeare Stealer

5. Lisa Hopkins, Beginning Shakespeare

6. J.L. Carrell , The Shakespeare Secret

7. Richard Paul Roe, The Shakespeare's Guide to Italy

8. C. Aagesen and M. Blumberg, Shakespeare for Kids

9. William Shakespeare, Complete Sonnets and Poems

10. Any of Shakespeare's plays in this edition (choose your title in your comment)

BOOK BLAST - DAVID'S SONG BY A.R.TALLEY + GIVEAWAY OF $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD OR PAYPAL CASH

2013-04-22T00:00:00.000+02:00

Tour Schedule

David's Song (Taken from the book cover): Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience. A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.

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Author A.R. Talley was born and raised in the Rubber City, Akron, Ohio in 1959. She is the youngest of six children. She attended Brigham Young University for a time, but withdrew to work fulltime for Osmond Productions in Orem, Utah as a member of The Osmond production staff. After a brief stint working in television, she returned to Akron to finish her education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mass Media Communications in 1981. April later worked as vice president and part owner of a dance and sportswear boutique. Married in 1982, she is the proud mother of seven children and is deeply involved in volunteer work for her church. April spends her time working on future projects, caring for home and family, and traveling. David’s Song is her debut novel and the first of a trilogy.

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Praise from reviews on Goodreads.com "Not just your typical romance novel" - Tracy Williams

"David's Song is great read that leaves you thinking about the story and pondering your own relationships". - Anna Pavkov

"Sucked me in from the 1st page" - Jill Walker

"Loved this book . . . could not put it down!" - Dana Vieira

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BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - MOONLIT BY JADIE JONES + WIN A $50 GIFT CARD

2013-04-17T07:30:00.000+02:00

Moonlit Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can’t be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods. When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t. But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

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Praise

"Virginia's trees look like they're burning. Most of them blaze crimson or gold, but some still have a chokehold on their green. I wish they'd give it up already. Leaves are more beautiful when they're dying."

And so Moonlit begins. From here the story rolls from one twist to another with many vivid characters whose motives are hard to predict. I found myself being suspicious of everyone, wanting to tell Tanzy to be very careful. The deeper I fell into the plot, the more questions kept rising to the surface. But not to worry, all of my questions were answered. Appropriate for all ages, if you love paranormal fantasy mixed with suspense, mystery and other-worldly romance, you'll love this novel! ~Author Julie Ford

Prologue The first anniversary of my father’s death was even harder on my mother. Back then, I thought she was haunted most by what she didn’t know. I refused to blame her when she raged above me on our staircase that night, drunk and sad and angry. When she made me promise I’d never ride again. When she hurled a half-full bottle of vodka at my face and it exploded on the wooden stairs at my feet. I hadn’t tried to get out of the way. She had just missed. I wanted to tell her that knowledge was no solace, that what you know can burn inside you until there’s nothing left but guilt and ash. I also wanted to protect her from losing the only piece of him she had left. So I didn’t say a word.

Author Jadie Jones Georgia native Jadie Jones first began working for a horse farm at twelve years old, her love of horses matched only by her love of books. She went on to acquire a B.A. in equine business management, and worked for competitive horse farms along the east coast. The need to write followed wherever she went. She currently coaches a hunt seat equitation team that competes in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, and lives with her family in the foothills of north Georgia. When she's not working on the next installment of the Moonlit series, she is either in the saddle or exploring the great outdoors with her daughter. Moonlit is her first book.

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Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/5/13

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UPCOMING COSTUME MOVIES AND INTRIGUING NEW PROJECTS: ROMEO AND JULIET, SUMMER IN FEBRUARY AND THE INFERNAL DEVICES

2013-04-17T00:00:00.000+02:00

I won't miss these upcoming movies and I really hope they will be good. They are all set in the past and this is something I've always been charmed by. Good stories set in the past... period movies! What's in this post? A new Romeo and Juliet whose set was near my home but I unfortunately missed, Summer in February starring Dan Stevens and Dominic Cooper, as well as a fantasy YA saga set in the Victorian Age - Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices - soon to be adapted for the silver screen .

A new Romeo and Juliet

Carlo Carlei directs a new Romeo and Juliet with a stellar cast including Hailee Steinfeld as Juliet and Douglas Booth as Romeo, along with Paul Giamatti (Friar Laurence), Damian Lewis (Lord Capulet), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Benvolio), Stellan Skarsgard (Prince Escalus) and Ed Westwick. What can be said to present a new version of such a beloved classic?

Very little indeed. Will Shakespeare star-crossed young lovers capture new audience with the lovely charms of the two new protagonists? I bet they will. The costumes and the locations are simply stunning. I think young people deserve a more modern version, Zeffirelli's dates back to 1968 when even I was just a baby and Luhrman's modernization has always looked weird to me (and to the majority of my teenage students so far, who have always unexpectedly preferred the older adaptation).

By the way, I've only now discovered that this movie was partly shot in my little ancient town, more precisely the two Benedictine monasteries which make it popular among tourists visiting the area near Rome have been used as Friar Laurence's place.

Romeo and Juliet 2013 will be released in October. Meanwhile have a look at the trailer!

My stills from the trailer are HERE, HERE and HERE

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Summer in February

Dominic Cooper, Emily Browning, Dan Stevens and Hattie Morahan, star in this true tale of love, liberty and scandal.

The Newlyn School of artists flourished at the beginning of the 20th Century and the film focuses on the wild and bohemian Lamorna Group, which included Alfred Munnings and Laura and Harold Knight. The incendiary anti-Modernist Munnings, now regarded as one of Britain's most sought-after artists, is at the centre of the complex love triangle, involving aspiring artist Florence Carter-Wood and Gilbert Evans, the land agent in charge of the Lamorna Valley estate. True - and deeply moving - the story is played out against the timeless beauty of the Cornish coast, in the approaching shadow of The Great War.
Directed by Christopher Menaul the movie will be released in June 2013 (UK). Ready for Dan Stevens back in costume after he left Downton Abbey? Have a look at the trailer.

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Victorian fantasy saga to become film soon: The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Latest news about this from-book-to movie project are that Constantin Film is moving forward on the prequel series The Infernal Devices, which is a spin-off of Cassandra Clare's popular novel series The Mortal Instruments when City of Bones the film isn't in theatres until this August. That's surprising enough!
While I've read all the books in The Mortal Instruments series published so far (the 6th and final instalment will come out in March 2014) and I'm really curious to see the movie coming out next summer, I still haven't read the prequel series by Cassandra Clare but being set in the Victorian Age I doubt I'll resist long before reading the 3 Clockwork books.

Stephanie Sanditz, an actress with no real writing credits to her name, has already been hired to pen the screenplay for Infernal Devices.

The Mortal Instruments - City of Bones

The Mortal Instruments is a urban fantasy romance that follows young Clary Fray in contemporary New York. She discovers she is from a race of half angels half human beings known as Shadowhunters, who have been hunting demons for centuries. The Infernal Devices series follows the ancestors of many characters from The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, and because some of the characters are immortal, they also overlap. The three novels in the Infernal Devices prequel series are Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and the just released but already best selling Clockwork Princess.

SHEILA HANCOCK, A JOURNEY TO THE BRONTES' COUNTRY AND INTO HERSELF

2013-04-16T00:00:00.000+02:00

Perspectives: The Brilliant Brontes was on ITV at the end of March and it is still available in streaming on their iPlayer.

What was really touching while watching it was how deeply the commenter, actor Sheila Hancock, was connected both with the Brontes and with their works.

Watch the clip I've added for you below to get an idea. You can feel how moved she is, her voice broken more than once and eyes filled with tears . It is as if she is undertaking an honest journey into herself while visiting the places where the Bronte sisters lived, wrote, dreamt and died.

Impossible not to be moved by the tragic series of deaths their official biographies are charachterized by, but following Sheila Hancock in her gripping journey to Yorkshire and into herself has been much more than that.

She starts the documentary remembering how much in love she was with Laurence Olivier’s Heathcliff as a young girl and how she felt betrayed when later on she re- read the book Emily Bronte had written.

Older and wiser she realised that Hollywood had misled her, Wuthering Heights never was a sentimental love story and Heathcliff is far from the soppy romantic lead Laurence Olivier portrays in the film. She discovered Emily Bronte’s masterpiece was a dark study of the wild extremes of human obsession and her childhood heartthrob was a vicious psychopath.

Then Sheila confesses that Emily’s elder sister, Charlotte , wrote another book that tranfixed her: "a shocking Gothic romance", she calls Jane Eyre, one of the best selling books of all times.

She finally mentions Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall as one of the most brilliant Victorian novels, which scandalized the readers of that age, but is now widely considered as an early feminist classic.

She rates each of the Brontes sisters among the greatest novelists she has ever read. So, differently from many documentaries I have seen, this becomes quite an emotional experience and not a detached, objective transmission of historical and literary information.

I want to leave you with a question which is the same Sheila Hancock says she has been left with even after her journey, one which I’ve wondered about more than once myself: how did three spinsters who spent most of their lives in a remote parsonage on the edge of the moors come to write books that we still find shocking, erotic, profoundly moving and quite wonderful?

You can see the whole documentary on ITV player (15 days left)