What I'm Reading Now - If I Let You Go by Kyra Lennon

Buy Link: Amazon

Madison Connor is about to lose it. Her job, that is. For three years, she’s taken care of Dominic Hartley’s five year old daughter, Tilly, but her world is flipped on its head when Dominic tells her his latest promotion is taking him to New York. With Tilly having a meltdown over the move, Madison and Dominic get into a fight that changes the entire nature of their relationship, causing Madison to ask herself a big question. Can she let him go?

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

Q:
Any books you're particularly hoping to be gifted this year? Any that you're giving as presents this Holiday season?

No books as presents this year, and I would be surprised to be getting one. Getting a gift card would be better for me, since I can get the book I want. Happy Holidays!

Emma Michaels - Owlet: Society of Feathers #1 - Guest Post & Giveaway

About the Book

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.

Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

Read-along Excerpt

“Please,” Falcon stopped abruptly, “Don’t sing the rest. Please...”

Diana stayed silent as they both watched Iris sleep peacefully. Her face was almost back to a normal color and her lips were closer to their normal shade of pink instead of the strange blue they had been.

“She will be all right,” Diana announced, sitting down on the edge of the bed and handing food and tea to Falcon from the tray she had brought up earlier, knowing he would refuse to sleep. Neither of them would be willing to rest until they were perfectly sure she was okay and had made it through the night.

“Does Roger know?” Falcon asked, sitting up to take a sip.

“I let him know. He is rushing but there is something weird going on with Caleb.” Diana saw Falcon shiver but his eyes stayed focused on Iris.

“As long as she is safe I don’t care.”

“As long as she is safe,” Diana agreed.

“Did you see her eyes?”

Diana nodded. “She didn’t seem to be able to handle the light yet. Maybe the water hurt them?”

“I don’t think so. We will see but I thought I saw a flash of orange.”

“Orange? Stryx traits are not normally physically manifested. Only members of the Eyrie have manifested traits, and none of the current members do except William, Collin and Jun.”

“Diana, I have been thinking. Why did they ask me to kill her? Why does the world think Elena and Roger’s child was born a Vermilion or Raven and died at birth? None of this makes any sense.”

“No, it doesn’t. I keep thinking the same thing. You know...that song isn’t as sad at the end as you think. After all, their love ended up being a beacon to all Stryx for eternity. It was even written in the stars of our constellations.”

“I know but...they had to die first and I can’t lose her again. Our story and theirs are just too similar. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if it had the same ending.”

“You're right. Neither would I.”

***

Owlet: Society of Feathers #1 can be purchased at:
Kindle, Nook, iPad, Smashwords, PDF

Price: $2.99-$4.99 ebook
ISBN: 9780985792213, 9781476473338
Pages: 170
Release: October 13, 2012


Guest Post

I have seen this topic a LOT lately. So hey, why not?

Here is my dream cast for Owlet if I could choose anyone in the world to play the roles (who isn’t an unknown who would be perfect. Just think of how amazing Luna was in Harry Potter or the lead in The Golden Compass!)

The number one person who I think would fit a role perfectly would be Terrence Mann as Nathaniel. Nathaniel has this odd mix of being sort of an old soul who is also an older man but still extremely young at heart and very vibrant. Terrence Mann is always able to keep such a vibrant light in his eyes and such a great hold on his character. When he is emotional, you feel it straight to your core and I just love that.

My choice for Iris would be very specific and probably not someone that anyone would expect. I am a big fan of Fringe and in the episode ‘The Day We Died’ the girl they are trying to help really caught my eye and my heart. Her name is Emily Meade and I just loved her in that episode. I think she would make a great Iris, though we would have to see if she would do well with light blonde hair. If not then maybe Lily Collins from Priest or Molly C. Quinn from Castle.

For young Iris, I think Morgan Lily from X-Men: First Class who played Young Raven would be wonderful.

My pick for Diana would be Summer Glau, because who doesn’t love Summer Glau? I have been a fan since she was in Firefly. If not Summer then Karen Gillan from Doctor Who. This is another one I would LOVE LOVE LOVE. I LOVE Alan Tudyk. I get SUCH a kick out of him but more than that, I seriously believe he could play ANY character put in front of him. I loved him in Firefly and Dollhouse and think he would make an amazing Roger. Roger has so many mixed emotions and they are subtle in a way but they are still very noticeable. I think he would be one of the actors I would trust completely to have the skill set for it.

My choice for Elena would by Lily Cole from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus because while it wasn’t my favorite movie I think she did well in it and she had such unique features. I think she would make a very striking Elena.

Jarem would be great as Nathan Fillion from Castle or Ed Quinn from Eureka.

Ramero would be Joe Morton from Eureka. Ramero is the kind of guy who is knowledgeable and if he likes you he will help you but you never want to cross him because he has both the lighter nature that attracts others and makes him friends, and the dark nature that makes you completely assured that if you crossed him, you wouldn’t be the one left standing unless he allowed you to be.

Last but not least, Falcon. This is a hard one because I can’t find a perfect fit. The closest I can find is Ben Barnes from Dorian Gray and the Narnia movies. Falcon is the light in the dark for Iris but he is still a very dark and somewhat innocent person. Not innocent in that he hasn’t seen the worst of the world, but innocent I that he doesn’t understand the good fully. He wants to but he has spent almost his entire life both being tormented and trained to try and become something he wasn’t or being completely cut off from the rest of the world except for a strange elderly gentleman and a golden retriever.

Well, there you have it! That would be my dream cast. It would be so much ‘Emma love’ in one place I just might have a heart happy attack. :-p


About the Author

Emma Michaels is the author of the ‘A Sense of Truth’ and ‘Society of Feathers’ series. Her goal with her latest YA novel 'Owlet' is to give others what she did not have growing up; a strong female protagonist with asthma. While her previous aspiration was to be a lady knight she realized that not being able to run more than a few feet might become a hindrance so turned to writing instead. Her day jobs include being a cover artist, marketing consultant and silk screen designer.

As the founder of The Writers Voice blog (http://OurBooksOurVoice.Blogspot.com) she loves to connect authors and readers. As a book blogger turned author, she was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, until she moved at eighteen to Washington State. Suddenly, the world was a new place filled with tall green trees that reached further for the sky with every moment, making her want to do the same. Ever since, she has tried to make her life something new and different from what it was before, pursuing her future career, setting high goals and reaching for them. With the support of her fiancé, Chihuahua, and her amazing blog followers and fellow bloggers, she wants to prove to the world that anything is possible and help inspire fellow literary lovers to reach for their dreams.

Connect with Emma:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads


About the Giveaway

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About the Read-along Blog Tour

Brady Christianson - The Devil's Garden - Guest Post & Giveaway

About the Book

A Marine’s past is never far behind him, but sometimes it’s a lot closer than he thinks . . .

After years of enjoying the soft, quiet, civilian, family life, former Recon Marine Brandon Colson still has a large price on his head…only his family doesn’t know it. That is, until a heavily armed squad of terrorists breaks into his house and tries to kill him and his family.

After swiftly dispatching the would-be assassins, Colson realizes the ghosts from his past have somehow managed to come back to haunt him. His worst nightmare has come true. His identity—a secret until now—has been mysteriously compromised. Something he did years ago, while on a recon mission during his tour of service, has kept anger burning in the hearts of powerful Arab adversaries. And the men who attacked his house are simply an omen of what is to come.

With his family in hiding, Colson and local detective Sam Collier set out to locate and neutralize the remainder of the terrorist cell. It’s a race against time, and the plot they uncover along the way defies all expectation.

Their fates in the balance until the last second, the two men must fight for their lives as they navigate a trail littered with bloodshed and revenge that leads straight to hell on earth: The Devil’s Garden.

Guest Post

The fog of war is a place where confusion rules, innocence dies and demons are born. Sometimes these demons come back to haunt a man and other times they simply come back to kill him. Few men would welcome the fight, which is to say, a proud and terrible few. The Devil’s Garden twists a Recon Marine’s worst nightmare into a deadly reality.

There is a saying in Recon: There is no life after Force. The lack of adrenaline and ensuing boredom will kill a warrior’s spirit. However, former Recon Marine Brandon Colson has a different kind of death to fear. After years spent in remote deserts and jungles on the other side of the planet dreaming of a quiet, civilian, family life, he finally has it. The problem is he has a large price on his head that even his family doesn’t know about: He is wanted by terrorists he worked to bring down. With revenge in their hearts and murder on their minds, Colson’s enemies plan to revisit his sins upon him, his wife and his children. When a heavily armed squad of assassins arrives at his home in the middle of the night, he quickly dispatches the men, but knows the identity he buried deep in his past is no longer a secret. With his family in hiding, he makes it his personal mission to eliminate the threat to his family and reclaim the life he’s made.

The Devil’s Garden captures the irreconcilable thoughts and trepidation of a military man turned family man who must now fight to protect his family. As Colson’s crucial mission leads him to the Devil’s Garden of Florida, a forgotten wasteland of swamps, collapsed shacks, and lost souls, he finds that the midnight attack on his home was simply an omen of what is to come. With his fate in the balance until the last second, Colson must navigate a trail littered with bloodshed and revenge.

***

The Devil's Garden can be purchased at:
Amazon
MyBookOrders.com

Price: $14.95 paperback
ISBN: 9781938690167
Pages: 391
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
Release: November 11, 2012


About the Author

Brady Christianson is a former United States Marine Corps Recon Marine whose military service and Christian faith has shaped his writing.

Connect with Brady:
Web Site
Blog Tour Site


About the Giveaway

Leave a comment with your email address to enter to win a PDF ebook of The Devil's Garden.

Ends 12/31/2012

No comments = no winner.

Ashley Dawn - Shadows of Pain - Guest Post

Making Characters Believable

When writing, I fall in love with my characters. To me they seem as real as most the people around me. Ok, so I do realize they are just these voices in my head demanding that I put their story on paper but the amount of time I spend with them makes them ‘alive’ for me.

My challenge is getting the readers to see and feel the characters in the same way that I do. It is a combination of physical description, personality, and just overall presentation. I have a literal picture in my mind of what each of my characters looks like. I describe them in detail but you still may not ‘see’ what I do. The thing that seems to make them the most real is their personality.

If someone is described as funny, you see their physical traits differently than if they are described as serious. Dialogue is key to making each and every character real. It can be tons of dialogue if they are chatty, very little if they are the strong silent type, or something in between. It is a challenge but so much fun when you achieve someone reading your book and ‘getting’ your characters.

When the reader connects to a character or when they feel the emotions the character is feeling, that is when you know you’ve succeeded. It is fulfilling to share the people in your mind with others and know that they understand and enjoy the story along the way. My hope is that good or bad, my characters come across as real and their story captures someone’s attention.

About the Book

Revenge is sweet…unless you are on the receiving end of it.

“Do you know of anyone who would want…you dead?”

Officer Daniel Jenkins was no stranger to the dangers his job posed but usually he knew who was trying to kill him. Being stalked was a completely different ball game, and he wasn’t sure there were any rules…

“…I need you.”

Terrified didn’t even begin to describe how Kami felt with the stalker targeting her. As an FBI agent you were trained to handle stressful situations, but being the victim put the whole process in a different light.

As the killer gets closer, so do Kami and Daniel, but will they live long enough to see their love bloom?

Only God can save them from this unknown killer…


Tour Schedule:

December

9th Phaedra @ Identity Discovery

10th Julia @ TV Backstory

11th Lynelle @ Aspired Writer

12th Connie @ The Character Connection

13th Susan @  My Cozie Corner

14th Linda @ One Desert Rose

15th Patricia @ It’s Time To Read Mamaw

16th Rachel @ Stressed Rach

17th Pam @ TheFourHorsemenSeries Book Review

18th Ruth @ My Devotional Thought

19th Melanie @ Christian Bookshelf Reviews

What I'm Reading Now - Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach & Angela Beach Silverthorne

Buy link: Amazon

Abby needs some magic in her life, along with a white knight, respectful children, and an exciting career plan. Instead she is drowning in unfulfilled expectations, disappointments, and unmet needs. What she doesn't expect is to find the true essence of magic in the strength, friendship, power, and energy of the female spirit found in her mother and her mother's zany group of friends.

Krista cannot believe it's happening again. Her father waltzes in and announces another move. And what does her mother do? Nothing. Don't they realize she's almost thirteen, and this could mean the end of her life? In the midst of teenage melodrama, she is determined to survive a new school, defeat the annoyances of two scene-stealing sisters, and deal with out-of-touch parents. Yet she quickly realizes the double-edged sword of growing up.

Janet K. Halling - An Unexpected Angel - Author Interview & Excerpt

Author Interview

1) Who is your favorite character?
Matthew Searle

2) Why is he your favorite?
He is in a terrifying situation yet he handles himself with dignity and courage. And he shows a great deal of compassion for Ella even though her plight is not nearly as dire as his.

3) How did you come to create him?
I did a lot of research about WWII in the South Pacific and Matthew is based on some of the stories by marines who served there. He is not a representation of any one soldier, he’s a combination of all the best qualities they exemplified.

4) When did he/she first enter your mind?
I knew I needed a battlefield scene and so he was starting to take shape right at the beginning of the writing process.

5) Where was he given life in the creative process?
The scene was originally supposed to take place in the Civil War but as I got further into the book, it became obvious I had to move it. And then I had to change my character because a typical Civil War soldier is very different from a WWII marine. Once I’d settled on the time period, the character grew very naturally. And then I found this picture in the Library of Congress archives and it really just captured what I’d been envisioning – I love the look in his eyes, he’s exhausted and scared, but determined.

6) What do like the most about him/her and what do you dislike the most about him/her?
I love that Matthew is so honest and willing to admit his weaknesses. Relatively, he has quite a short scene so there’s not much time to explore his negative character traits but I think he should have been a little more fiery, a little more willing to reach for what he wanted.

An Unexpected Angel – Plot Synopsis

Ella Davies, is focused, independent, and driven. Her hard work is finally paying off and she is on the brink of great success. But what no one knows is that her frantic drive is born not from a desire to succeed, but from a need to forget – forget her past, forget her guilt, and mostly, forget the tragedy that changed her life forever.

Ella’s strategy seems to be working but on Christmas Eve she meets Cohen, a strange man with an even stranger purpose. Cohen catapults Ella back through time and forces her to confront not only her own pain, but the pain of those long since passed. In the process, Ella learns about courage and compassion and that in the darkest hour, no one is ever alone.


Tagline
Sometimes finding peace means finding a difference perspective.

Retail: $8.99

120 pages

Genre: gift/holiday, inspirational

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.

Release Date: October 9, 2012

Buy Link: Amazon

Author Bio
Janet Halling discovered her love of writing at the age of six when her story of a lonely duck won a first grade writing contest. She has a BA in Marketing Communications and lives with her family in northern Utah where she is currently working on her next novel.

Links to connect with Janet:
Web Site
Facebook
YouTube


An Unexpected Angel – Excerpt (All rights reserved)

Somewhere there was a rhythmic humming—a kind of a swooshing sound that increased and decreased in volume at regular intervals. She couldn’t remember where she was. Her whole body ached, and her head felt as if it would explode.

Ella groaned and opened her eyes. She was still in the gym, lying crumpled against the weight machine. The treadmill had stopped, and the rhythmic sound was coming from the man riding the spinning bike, which sat nearby.

Her fingers trembled as she felt the goose egg on the side of her head. Her face was on fire, probably scraped on the belt, and her knees were bloody, also from the belt.

Suddenly she stiffened. There was a man riding the bike! A man riding the bike. While she had been lying there unconscious. Had he just sauntered in and climbed on without seeing her at all or had he viewed her inert form without concern? That was cold, even for New York City. Gingerly, she turned her head to look at him.

It was the clerk from the deli, and he didn’t stop pedaling as he glanced her way. “Oh good, you’re awake.”

She stared up at him in mute astonishment.

He reached for his water bottle and took a long drink. “I’m glad you woke up on your own,” he said pleasantly. “I was about ready to pour this in your face, so you can thank me for sparing you an unexpected shower.”

Ella grasped the weight machine and pulled herself slowly to a sitting position. Her head was throbbing, and her stomach lurched. “I could sue you for failing to come to the aid of an injured person,” she snapped rather feebly.

The man studied her contemplatively. “Hmmm, yes, you would think of that, wouldn’t you? But I’m not too worried, Ella. You’re not going to sue me and we both know it.”

She opened her mouth to snarl a retort but stopped abruptly. “How do you know my name?” she demanded. “And what are you even doing here? You don’t live in this building.” She hesitated, realizing she wasn’t sure. “Do you?”

He jumped off the bike and held out his hand. “You should get up. Want help?”
She shrank away from him. “Don’t touch me! Who are you, and how do you know my name?”

“Well, it’s simple really. My name is Cohen, and I’m your guardian angel.” He broke into a brief but rapid tap dance routine and finished with flair. And with jazz hands.

Ella stared at him in perplexed silence, unsure if he was a hallucination or just crazy. “Uh-huh. Right,” she finally said, groaning as she pulled herself to her feet. A wave of nausea hit her, and she stopped, doubling over and willing herself not to vomit. She for sure had a concussion.

She tried to think. Should she go to the hospital? Or maybe just go home and try to sleep? She didn’t know. She made a move toward the door, but Cohen tap-danced over to block her path.

“Get out of my way,” she snapped at him with more bravado than she felt.

He grinned. “Can’t do that. You and me, we have business tonight.”

For the first time, she felt a small dart of fear. Cohen wasn’t exactly menacing, but he certainly was strange. If he attacked her, would she have the strength to fight him? If only her head would stop hurting!

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I already told you, I’m your guardian angel. Well, not technically an angel, but that word will serve as well as any other. Anyway, I’m here to help.”

“Sure. Like you helped me when I was unconscious a minute ago? If that’s your kind of help, no thanks.”

“No, not that kind of help, silly.”

“Look, whatever you’re on, whatever you’re offering, I’m not interested. Just leave me alone, please? I’m sore and tired, and my head is killing me. I need to go lie down.”

“Oh, right. That.” He made some sort of vague gesture and instantly her nausea subsided and the pain in her head vanished.

Chills raced up and down her spine, and she stared at him, “Wait . . . what’s . . . what’s going on?”

“Okay, no more joking around.” Cohen looked suddenly serious. “Here’s the deal. You need help and there’s a lot you need to learn. Only you’re far too stubborn to admit it. You might not even know how much help you need. But I know; so here I am.”

The pieces were starting to fall into place. “Wait . . . Christmas Eve . . . guardian angel. This is some kind of a joke, right?” she said before adding sarcastically, “What’s the matter, Jacob Marley was busy? Clarence already got his wings? Or wasn’t he on duty tonight?”

He grinned. “Both good men. But you got stuck with me. Although, all things considered, maybe it’s me who got stuck with you. You can be quite unpleasant, do you know that?”

Ella snorted derisively. “So when does the Ghost of Christmas Past show up? Or is he waiting for me upstairs?”

“Dickens took some liberties. It doesn’t exactly work like that. At least, this time it won’t.”

“You have exactly one second to get out of my way or I’m going to start screaming at the top of my lungs!”

Cohen cocked his head to one side and gave her a brief shrug of resignation. “Okay then, you win. Can’t say I didn’t try.” He stepped smoothly to one side and swept his arm in a wide arc toward the door. “Be my guest.”

Throwing him what she hoped was a withering glare, Ella marched past him, flung open the door—and stepped into a nightmare.

What I'm Reading Now - The Walnut Tree by Charles Todd

Buy link: Amazon

"I was in Paris the day the French Army was mobilized."

In 1914, while visiting her friend Madeleine, Lady Elspeth Douglas's life is thrown into chaos when war breaks out and the Germans quickly overrun Belgium, threatening France. Having just agreed to marry Alain, Madeleine's dashing brother, Lady Elspeth watches him leave to join his unit, and then she sets out for England, only to find herself trapped on the French coast.

Caught amid a sea of stranded travelers, terrified refugees, and wounded men overflowing the port of Calais, the restless Elspeth—daughter of a Highland aristocrat whose distinguished family can trace its roots back to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots—decides to make herself useful, carrying water to weary soldiers near the Front. It is an act of charity that almost gets her killed when enemy shells begin to explode around her.

To her rescue comes Captain Peter Gilchrist, who pulls her away from the battle and leads her to safety. But before they can properly say good-bye, Elspeth and Peter are separated.

Back in London, surrounded by familiar comforts, Elspeth is haunted by the horrors she witnessed in France. She also cannot forget the gallant Peter Gilchrist, even though she has promised herself to Alain.

Transformed by her experience, Elspeth goes to London and enrolls in a nursing course, where she meets a fellow nurse in training, Bess Crawford. It is a daring move, made without the consent of Elspeth's guardian, her cousin Kenneth, a high-handed man with rigid notions of class and femininity.

Yet Elspeth Douglas is a woman with a mind of her own, which—as she herself says—is a blessing and a curse. She is determined to return to the battlefields of France to do her part . . . and to find the man she has no right to love, no matter how far Cousin Kenneth may go to stop her. But before she can set things right with Alain, he goes missing and then Peter is gravely wounded. In a world full of terror and uncertainty, can the sweetness of love survive or will Elspeth's troubled heart become another casualty of this terrible war?

A poignant, compelling tale brimming with adventure, danger, and love, The Walnut Tree is an enchanting holiday gift and a wonderful companion to Charles Todd's acclaimed Bess Crawford series.

John Catenacci - Dianna's Way - Author Interview & Giveaway

About the Book

Dianna is a young woman in her late 20’s when she meets John, a man in his late 40's. They fall in love and marry. A central feature of their life plan is to have one child to fulfill her fervent lifelong dream of being a mother.

Not to be.

Not long into their marriage, Dianna discovers she has an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Hand in hand, they begin a 17 year spiritual journey into the nature of love and healing. Along the way, she discovers and fulfills her life purpose and, in the process, takes John by the hand, gently helping him to reveal, then fulfill, his own.

In the beginning, John, being much older, thought he would be her teacher but gradually discovers in the most important dimensions of life quite the opposite is true. With Dianna’s guidance, he ultimately discovers we are all teachers, we are all students and we are all one.

Theirs is a story of courage, determination and a lightness of being, as they descend into the deepest valleys of crushing disappointment, pain and suffering only to rise again to ever higher peaks of appreciation, gratitude and love. Throughout it all, their journey is laced with light and laughter.

Even today, after her passing, they continue their relationship, piercing the Illusion that veils this reality, exploring its limits while continuing a spiritual journey without end.

Author Interview

Please tell us about your current release.
I will use the back cover copy as it works pretty well on its own.

John Catenacci is enthralled from the start by the beauty, radiance, and mystery of the much younger woman he meets at a party. Dianna “is in Technicolor and everyone else is in black and white.” Expecting to be the teacher, not the student, John is humbled by the gradual discovery that the opposite is true, in their marriage and in life. The author is profoundly awed by Dianna’s courage, determination, and lightness of being that remains entirely undiminished in the face of what becomes a seventeen-year battle with an aggressive form of breast cancer. John accompanies Dianna each step of the way, and is increasingly amazed by the undeniable healing affect she has on others. Theirs is a shared spiritual journey into the nature of love and transformation. Even after her passing, their relationship pierces the illusion veiling this reality.

Can you tell us about the journey that led you to write your book?
At some point in our life together, I began to notice Dianna was living her life in a genuinely powerful, almost mysterious (to me) way and suggested to her that I write her story. She was as delighted as any child running down the stairs on Christmas morning. But, as her health deteriorated, I became focused on care giving and put the writing aside. After she died, I was engulfed in grief and for a couple of years I just couldn’t climb out of it. One day, I happened upon a book by Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way, which I credit with guiding me back into the game.

The book is in five parts. The first four recount our life together with the fifth devoted to my personal spiritual journey of coming to terms with her leaving, my long view of who she was and what I learned from her. The first four parts flowed like water once I began to write but I struggled mightily with the last part. Yet it is this last part that weaves together the whole of her life, her message, in a way very satisfying to me.

John's wife, Dianna

Can you tell us about the story behind your book cover?
Well, originally the cover was going to be centered on the photo of Dianna that is now on the back cover. I love this photo of her – it is quintessential Dianna in an image.

However, my editor, Marly Cornell, convinced me this was going to be an ineffective cover and, after accidentally seeing the photo of Dianna and me from the rear taken by a dear friend/professional photographer, Giovanni Sanitate, she instantly said, “This is the one. Use this one.” Well, it has taken most of my life but I have finally learned to listen and follow advice when the advice comes from someone I respect. So, now, everyone gets to see my bald head instead of Dianna. More mystery, more intriguing, Marly said. Probably because anyone looking at it would wonder what this young woman is doing with this old man.

Anyway, unwilling to let it go completely, I pushed Dianna’s photo to the back cover because I wanted it to be seen and seen in color.

***

Price: $16.95 paperback
ISBN: 9780985247904
Pages: 365
Release: December 14, 2012


About the Author

After spending his youth doing cement construction work while getting his education, John Catenacci earned a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He went on to work on the Apollo 11 Project as a member of the USAF in California, then as an engineer for the Dow Chemical Company in Midland, MI, doing both process research as well as designing and building chemical plants.

Mid-career he became interested in group dynamics, leading to another 20-year career in team building that took him across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Saudi Arabia.

With a sprinkling of published short stories and articles in small magazines along the way, his abiding passion has always been writing, something now coming to fruition in this, his first book.

Connect with John:
Web Site
Facebook
Blog Tour Site

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

Q: Can you imagine not being a reader? How does it shape your life? Your perception of it?
How does being a reader affect your relationship with all those folks who are looking at it from the other side simply can't understand how you can sit and read all the time?

I can't ever imagine not being a reader, I started being interested in books at a very young age and read very early which shaped my learning in school. I love to read as relaxation to this day.Give me a book anytime.

What I'm Reading Now - Oracle by J.C. Martin

Buy link: Amazon

As the countdown begins, the body count rises.

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn’t need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they’ve got one anyway.

Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter’s disability.

Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims.

One of whom could be his own daughter.

Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer’s only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene.

What I'm Reading Now - Gilded Wings: The Angel Chronicles, Book 2 by Amy Lignor

Buy link: Amazon

The Beloved Angel/Warrior Team from Until Next Time Returns!

When Matt and Emily are sent on their second mission they have no idea how truly dark human nature can become…

Emily never wanted to face humans again. With the heartache that went on down below, she’s still trying to figure out how to save souls that don’t deserve saving. The only one she wants to see again is Jason - the young man she fell in love with who became the soulmate she simply can’t forget…

Matt was trained to protect and defend the souls down below. Longing to feel the heartfelt emotions that come from being human, Matt wants nothing more than to have just one life - one chance - to live and love the girl of his dreams…

The powerful team find themselves in a brand new century, living in the Gilded Age of New York City. Emily takes over the body of Anya, a young Russian girl who arrives on Ellis Island after a hideous tragedy. There she meets up with a strangely familiar young man by the name of Drew Parrish, who helps Anya survive in an unknown world of luxury, snobbery and…obsession.

What Anya’s inner angel doesn’t know is that the soul she loves is also back. This time around Jason goes by the name of Max Carrow. Once a quiet and kind boy, he’s now part of the ‘Four Hundred Club,’ and wants nothing more than to be among the most admired as he climbs the shaky ladder of society’s elite.

As two worlds merge, Emily and Matt struggle under the weight of their “Gilded Wings.” Not only will they have to figure out who they should fight to save, but they must also face a romantic choice that could destroy them both.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

Question:

What's your favorite place to read?
Do you have more than one?
Can you read anywhere, or do you need things to be" just right?"

My favorite place to read would be my lounge chair,where it is nice and quiet and free of distractions.

What I'm Reading Now - End of the Line by Ottilie Weber

Buy link: Amazon

When so much is lost how does one to have the strength to move on? At seventeen Lauren was prepared for yet another year of school. Then asteroids hit, killing all of those she knew except for a few other teens from her neighborhood. Joining forces with her classmate Aaron, they work together on the journey in the hopes of finding more people that are alive. On the way, threats of starvation, illness, and freezing to death don’t compare to the danger of Dean Manson. Manson is an ex-con out for revenge against Aaron. With so much working against them these teens fight for everything even if it means denying their feelings just for the chance to see a new day.

What I'm Reading Now - Under the Eye of God by Jerome Charyn

Buy link: Amazon

After decades of madness in the Bronx, Isaac Sidel visits the craziest state in the country.

Isaac Sidel is too popular to be America’s vice president. Once the New York Police Department commissioner, he became the most beloved mayor in the city’s history—famous for his refusal to surrender his Glock, and for his habit of disappearing for months at a time to fight crime at street level. So when baseball czar J. Michael Storm asks Sidel to join him on the election’s Democratic ticket, the two wild men romp to an unprecedented landslide. But as the president-elect’s mandate goes off the rails—threatened by corruption, sex, and God knows what else—he tires of being overshadowed by Sidel, and dispatches him to a place from which tough politicians seldom return: Texas.

In the Lone Star state, Sidel confronts rogue astrologers, accusations of pedophilia, and a dimwitted assassin who doesn’t know when to take an easy shot. If this Bronx bomber doesn’t watch his step, he risks making vice-presidential history by getting killed on the job.

Lisa Rumsey Harris - The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume - Guest Post

Guest Post
How do you make a character that everyone dislikes likable? 

That was my conundrum when I started writing The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume. The main character, Treasure Blume, has a family curse: everyone who meets her initially dislikes her (except children and old people).

She was born when I had a no good, very bad horrible day. That day it felt like everyone I talked to hated me. I remember closing the door and thinking, Wow, I’m glad every day is not like today. But then I started wondering, but what if it was? After my children went to bed that night, I spent hours writing background on Treasure: 20+ pages of material that never made it into the novel. After that, I really felt like I knew her. She began speaking to me, and I started to carry a notebook to capture her quips and quirks. (Sidenote: writers are the only people who think it’s a good thing when they hear voices in their heads).

But how could I make her likable? And unlikable at the same time? That was the big problem. I solved it by writing from Treasure’s perspective, so the reader could see into her heart and mind, and know her good intentions, even when she blurted out awkward comments.

But writing from Treasure’s perspective wasn’t enough. We needed to see her through someone else’s eyes. She needed someone to watch her. And that’s where Dennis, the lunch lady, comes into the story. Through Dennis, we see WHY someone would be turned off by her. And because he sees her every day and watches her in action, we also see why he would begin to like her. I knew that their love story would be unique, and more of a slow-burner than most YA insta-love stories. But it was a risk I had to take; love at first sight was NOT going to work for this romantic leading lady. I love to write about ordinary, quirky, flawed people do quiet, kind things, the kind of things I wish I would do when confronted with a problem (or a family curse). I hope Treasure accomplishes that. And I hope, that by the end of the story, the reader, like Dennis the lunchlady, has learned to love her.


About the Book

With her goofy hair, awkward manners, and love of ugly sweaters, Treasure Blume isn't your average first-grade teacher. But when you add in her family curse (or gift, as her grammy calls it), Treasure knows it's going to take a miracle for a guy to date her, let alone marry her--especially when it seems that every person she meets instantly dislikes her. That is, until she matches wits with Dennis Cameron, a divorced chef who works in the elementary school's cafeteria and whose six-year-old daughter is in Treasure's class. But just as things finally appear to be going Treasure's way, her "gift" causes unexpected problems.

Pages: 295
Publisher: Sweetwater Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort
Genre: Clean Romantic Comedy
Release date: November 13, 2012
Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble


About the Author

Lisa Rumsey Harris grew up writing stories and riding horses in Southeastern Idaho. She received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English from Brigham Young University, where she now teaches writing classes. Lisa lives in Orem Utah, with her ancient Siamese cat, her husband (who cooks nearly as well as Dennis) and her two adorable daughters. When Lisa began writing this book, her oldest daughter was in first grade. Her youngest daughter finished first grade this year.

Links to connect with Lisa:
Website/blog
Facebook 

What I'm Reading Now - Owlet by Emma Michaels

Buy link: Amazon

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.

Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

Vanessa Morgan - GPS with Benefits - Author Interview

Author Interview

1. Who is your favorite character?
My favorite character from GPS WITH BENEFITS is the GPS. This device is a character in itself; she talks, she reacts and she’s aware of her surroundings.

2. Why is he/she your favorite?
Because she’s unusual, sexy, unpredictable and funny. I’m not going to say anything more in order not to spoil it for you, but she does things you wouldn’t expect from a GPS.

3. How did you come to create him/her?
The inspiration for GPS WITH BENEFITS came to me when I was in the car with a friend. We made jokes about the GPS device and imagined what it would be like if the GPS was actually alive. I immediately knew that these ideas could be turned into a hilarious story that will have you laughing out loud.

4. When did he/she first enter your mind?
GPS WITH BENEFITS was easy to write. I've never wrote anything that quickly and that easily before. Most of the story was already in my head when I started to write. I just had to get it down on paper.

5. Where was he/she given life in the creative process?
What I like about the GPS character is that she’s unusual, sexy, unpredictable and funny. What I dislike about her is her jealous and obsessive behavior. She doesn’t know her limits.

6. What do you like the most about him/her and what do you dislike the most about him/her?
A womanizer purchases a new GPS device, but has no idea his buying one with a mind of ‘her’ own.

About the Book

In GPS WITH BENEFTIS, a womanizer purchases a new GPS device, not knowing it's one with a mind of 'her' own.

Format: eBook

Price: $0.99

Release Date: November 1, 2012
Pages: 25
Genre: Comedy

Availability: Amazon, Amazon UK 

About the Author

Vanessa Morgan is known as the ‘female version of Stephen King’. Her screenplays, A GOOD MAN and GPS WITH BENEFITS, are currently being turned into movies. She is also the author of DROWNED SORROW and THE STRANGERS OUTSIDE. If she’s not working on her latest supernatural thriller, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, blogging, digging through flea markets or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to her cat. She writes in English, Dutch and French.


Links to connect with Vanessa:
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Amazon

Diane Stringham Tolley - Kris Kringle's Magic - Guest Post

Guest Post
Kris Kringle’s Magic: Before the Snow

Many of us go to the same job, day in and day out, for thirty years or more.

We give each other awards and kudos for doing so.

But what would it be like to have the same job for hundreds of years?

A person who did that would have to really, really . . . not like being at home.

Really.

Or to love his job.

Either way, it would say something about that person.

Speak to his character.

Now Kris Kringle, for example, has been doing the same job for many, many, many years.

What a treadmill that must be.

Make toys.

Keep a record of letters and requests and good/bad children.

Load said toys.

Deliver to said children.

It could become monotonous.

For a normal person.

But Kris loves his job.

Lives for his job.

And does it well.

But what of the boy inside the man? What life experiences forged such a steady, caring, selfless individual? An individual who will spend his life thinking totally of others. With no thought of personal gain or reward.

What would it take to create such a person?

And there must be a reason he started his whole ‘gift-giving’ enterprise. There must have been a first day.

Just as there must have been a first time he saw the future Mrs. Kringle.

And there also would have to be a pretty strong motive for them to decide to move, bag, baggage and Elves, to the North Pole of all places. One of the most inhospitable areas of the earth.

Were they simply explorers, looking for the most rugged spot they could find? And realized upon seeing the great expanse of ice and snow that is the North Pole, that their search was over? Or could they have been fleeing something so horrible that any land, even one that was frozen solid, would look more welcoming.

These are the ideas behind Kris Kringle’s Magic.

At least that is my story.


About the Book

Prejudice is responsible for many horrible things. But Kris: The Legend of Santa Claus, proves that on one very rare occasion, glorious, worldwide good came of it.

Santa Claus lives at the North Pole.

With Elves.

This is accepted.

But have you ever wondered who he was and how he got there?

Through the eyes of Santa's wife, Rebecca, Kris: The Legend of Santa Claus, tells the story of the boy who becomes the legend.

Of the fatherless young man who, with his mother, is forced from their family holdings, and finally from their country.

Of the grown man who, with courage and faith and at great personal risk, fights prejudice, defends the helpless and meets the needs of the poor and destitute. A man who spends his life in giving and in loving. Unselfishly and without reservation.

His actions provide one of the greatest examples of altruistic service in our world today.

And prove that, with courage and conviction; prejudice, hate and ignorance can be overcome.

Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (October 9, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 146211105X
ISBN-13: 978-1462111053
Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
Genre: Christmas
Availability: at any LDS Bookstore
Buy Link: Amazon




About the Author

Diane Stringam Tolley was born and raised on the great Alberta prairies. Daughter of a ranching family of writers, she inherited her love of writing at a very early age. Trained in Journalism, she has penned countless articles and short stories. She is the author of four e-books and the recent Christmas story, Carving Angels, also by Cedar Fort. She and her husband, Grant, live in Beaumont, Alberta, and are the parents of six children and grandparents of twelve.

Links to connect with Diane:
Facebook
Twitter
Web Site
Blog
Video
Podcast

What I'm Reading Now - Spectral by Shannon Duffy

Buy link: Amazon

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

Christy Monson - Texting Through Time - Book Blast

Here is a brief description of the book:

Micah and Alicia are excited to meet John Taylor as a child in England. But when their phone won’t let them return to their own time, they’ll follow the prophet around the world, learning some important lessons along the way. Humorous, entertaining, and informative, this book is a wonderful introduction to church history that’s bound to be a family favorite!

Meet the Author:

My grandmother lived with us when I was young. She loved to read me stories. I would curl up in her lap or sit on the bed next to her and listen to the tales spin out before me. We cried together over Lassie Come Home and loved Madeline and her adventures. That was a magical time for me in my life. When my children were little, I loved reading to them because it kept the magic alive. Now my children are grown, I can keep the magic by writing stories for others to read.

I love to read and write stories about the pioneer prophets.

Pioneers live all over the world. I still have family in Switzerland and Poland. Where do you and your ancestors come from? Write and tell me.

I am like the pioneers because I love:
Old fashioned cooking—making butter
Pioneer games—button, button, who’s got the button?
Crafts the pioneers enjoyed—drying wild flowers

To learn more about the author and her books, you can visit her website at: www.christymonson.com

Blaize Nolynne - Firefighter Down, District One - Author Interview

Author Interview

1) Who is your favorite character?
Catisha Spadoni

2) Why is he/she your favorite?
I took a lot of time creating a powerful young woman who is determined as she is.

3) How did you come to create him/her?
After I got what she looked like down, I just began with the personality. I think to get her the way she is now it took me two months.

4) When did he/she first enter your mind?
Three years ago in the draft of the character.

5) Where was he/she given life in the creative process?
Almost immediately I changed the whole book to be based around her.

6) What do like the most about him/her and what do you dislike the most about him/her?
I like how she is very determined to follow her dreams and to search for answers. The thing I dislike about her would be the fact that she looses touch with people and she is a workaholic.

Book summary

Life isn't promised. When the tones go off you never know who needs you the most or even worst, who will you set your own life down for. My father was a captain who set his life down for me in a fire. Now it is my duty to find out how that fire started and who started it.

The guy that killed my father didn't just kill him in a normal way, he him with his worst nightmare. My father wasn't killed by a gang shooting or an accident, he was killed in the most painful way this person knew how to kill my father. He unleashed the animal on him and myself. I am not talking about an animal like a wild or domestic animal, I am talking about the elemental animal, the one known as fire. Fire is a living breathing thing that destroys and hates.

By day and trade my father was a mechanic, but by blood he was a firefighter. He may not have been the president, but he was my hero. I was proud to say my hero wore bunker pants. I always wanted to catch the guy that killed my father...

$29.99
Hardcover
330 pages
PublishAmerica
April 26, 2012
978-1462677528
Adult mystery/fiction/ firefighter
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BooksAMillion

Author bio

I am a 24 year old Maine author of a book called 'Firefighter Down, District One' the beginning of a firefighter series. (the sequel will be out in 3 months.)

I always loved writing. Right out of High School I majored in becoming a children’s author at the Institute of Children’s Literature. I graduated with high honors and wonderful knowledge of writing in June 2009, and then I decided to further my studies and write for the adult age group. In December 2009 I had a picture book out under a different penname.

I began self publishing my first adult aged book called ‘District One Stand By: The Captain’s Case’ which was the beginning of a firefighter series. It had sold over 250 copies, but I wanted my readers to be able to have more access to these books so I found a publishing company. In April of 2012 the title and cover picture had changed to ‘Firefighter Down, District One’ a story about a girl whose childhood house caught on fire due to an arson. Her father, a firefighter, died in the process of saving her. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about this case and the fire marshal never pursued it. Catisha Spadoni, the main character was fresh out of high school and getting ready for business college, but instead changed gears and went to a fire academy to become a firefighter and fire investigator to begin the search of who killed her father. In the mist of all of this she is getting death threats constantly and the worst part she has no clue who is sending them.

I decided in the beginning that part of the proceeds would go to the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation and the 9-11 Fund. I may not be able to bring the loved ones people lost back, but I wanted to help in some way, so a portion of this book and I plan to do the whole series a portion will go to these foundations.

Inspiration? Well the inspiration come from the fact that my father was a volunteer firefighter for 15 years. ( No, he really didn’t die. That is a fictional part of the book. He is alive and doing well.) I had so many extended family members that were not even blood related that I was privileged enough to call my family. I learned a lot from my childhood days of growing up in the barn and that is where the love of ‘Firefighting’ began. In my mind super heroes may not have been real, but firefighters were and they had some kind of super power to me since they save lives. As I grew up I realized that they did in a sense have super powers, they had huge hearts, courage and strength to save someone they didn’t even know.

Links to connect with Blaize

http://www.facebook.com/blaizenolynne
http://www.facebook.com/blaizenolynnefan The Fan Page
http://www.twitter.com/BlaizeNolynne

Claude Dancourt - Return to Caer Lon - Author Interview

Author Interview:

1. Who is your favorite character?
I like all my characters in RETURN TO CAER LON. I can’t point out only one as a favorite. However, I can tell you which one really gets on my nerves: Fillin. She’s such a b*** I hope you don’t mind, but I will twist your questions a bit, as I cannot say : I like this one best.

2. Why is he/she your favorite?
As I can’t point out only one, let’s talk about my villain. Wolfryth is just great. He is evil, without redemption possible. He is driven by his thirst for power, doesn’t give a damn about people, he was really fun to write because he is so 1D dimensional bad.

3. How did you come to create him/her?
When I write, I don’t plan. I have a general idea of the plot. Even the main characters are not completely defined at the beginning. For an example, Derek’s despise of porridge was a last minute thing. Gisela wasn’t supposed to appear more than once. And Fillin… No, I don’t want to talk about Fillin.

4. When did he/she first enter your mind?
RETURN TO CAER LON was born with the image of Derek storming into his mother’s laboratory and grouching about being stuck in the castle while his friends are going on a mission. Actually, the first sentence I wrote for this novel is the third line of Chapter 1: “This is intolerable!”

5. Where was he/she given life in the creative process?
As I said, I don’t plan. We (the story, the characters and me) are all growing together.

6. What do like the most about him/her and what do you dislike the most about him/her?
I like Derek and Wolfryth’s dedication to their cause. I also like how Sebastian keeps a clear head, and analyses things, despite his injuries. What I dislike the most is probably Fillin’s selfishness. She’s also rather shallow. I don’t like that. Anyway, I really don’t want to talk about her, she is way too annoying.

Book Description:

Thirty hundred years ago, Arthur Pendragon, High King of the United Kingdoms, was betrayed and the royal city of Caer Lon became a myth.

Fifteen years ago, the sorcerer Wolfryth killed King William Pendragon in his quest for power and usurped the throne of Camelot. Queen Ylianor and her five year old son fled the kingdom to take refuge in Haven at Duke Geraint's court.

Today, Prince Derek follows Geraint's beautiful daughter into a reckless mission to save her brother from Wolfryth. He will need to embrace his heritage and to trust magic if he wants to find his way back to Caer Lon and unlock its secrets before the sorcerer kills them all.

Author links:

Website: http://www.claudedancourt.webs.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaudeDancourt

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5157110.Claude_Dancourt

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Return-Caer-Lon-Claude-Dancourt/dp/0988031310/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346942533&sr=8-1&keywords=Return+of+Caer+Lon

About the author:

Claude Dancourt lives in Montreal, and wherever her job as an engineer takes her. She is fascinated by books and museums. To discover more about RETURN TO CAER LON, Claude Dancourt's work or simply drop a word, visit her website:www.claudedancourt.webs.com

Tour Schedule:

Oct:

14th Ann @ Raven's Art Shack

15th Nora @ Nora Weston

16th Elizabeth @ Stuffed Shelves

17th Louisa @ Words I Write Crazy

18th Laura @ Day by Day in our World

19th Alyson @ SnifferWalk

19th Connie @ Character  Connection (interview only)

20th Virginia @ Virginia Chandler