Sandra Cox's Blog, page 63
February 2, 2022
Did You Know
Did you know, Louisiana is split into parishes instead of counties?
February 1, 2022
IWSG Wednesday
The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.
February 2 question - Is there someone who supported or influenced you that perhaps isn't around anymore? Anyone you miss?
I’ve lost three. My mother, who was my biggest supporter (as mothers tend to be) and two writer buds, both friends of the heart, Carmen Stenfenscu and Ginny Lester. Does anyone remember either of them? They were both wonderful women and writers. I miss all three. What about you?
The awesome co-hosts for the February 2 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Jacqui Murray, Sandra Cox, and Lee Lowery!
January reviews in no particular order.
*Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore it and don’t factor it into my review.
MY MAGIC SUMMER by Brian Carmody.
On the cusp of adulthood, a young man has a magical summer.
It’s 1994 and Connor is almost seventeen. His mother has cancer and he’s sent to his Uncle Willard’s. What starts as an uncertain journey turns into a never-to-be forgotten summer filled with friendship, fantasy and adventure. While there he forms new attachments, some of them out of this world. Moon maidens, in fact.
A unique blend of normal and magic are woven together in this enchanting tale. The story touches on a young man’s first kiss with sensitivity and realism. It also shows how the protagonist overcomes his own insecurities and fears to deal with a bully and save the life of a friend.
I was thoroughly charmed.
Available at Amazon.
TIDAL FALLS, Book one in the Wounded Hearts series by Jacquie Biggar
An abused woman. A haunted Marine. A sweet little girl. And a loveable mutt.
After stealing an incriminating file from her abusive husband, Sara Sheridan takes her daughter and goes on the run.
Nick Kelley can’t get past the fact that his best friend died and he survived. Now he’s trying to find peace and a way to forget.
Both end up in Tidal Falls.
Though he fights the attraction, Nick finds himself falling for both Sara and her daughter. When the past raises its ugly head and puts Sara in danger, Nick decides it time to call in the Marines.
TIDAL FALLS is a sexy, romantic suspense. I can’t wait to find out what happens with Nick and his friends in Book Two. Great job, Ms. Biggar.
Available at Amazon.
A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS, A Gambling Hearts Short Story by Jacquie Biggar
Another winner. This short is perfect for the season. It’s heartwarming and makes the reader believe in miracles and angels. Now I have to read the Gambling Hearts series—right after I finish the Wounded Hearts series😊. Grab your cocoa, curl up in front of a cozy fire, and jump into this magical story. Biggar and Christmas story fans will love it.
Available at Amazon.
MYTHS OF THE MIRROR by D. Wallace Peach
Skyriders once rode dragons as an extension of themselves, dragon and rider one unit. Decency and kindness a way of life. Then the governors take power. Two riders die. Avarice becomes the law of the land. The dragons are imprisoned and rode with savagery, till one rider nearly dies. Recovering, he reconnects with the dragons and his life is changed. A change that could alter a village and affect everyone he holds dear.
Once again, the author spins her tale with a delicate hand, drawing the reader into a realm of fantasy that she has seamlessly crafted. A must read for D. Wallace Peach fans.
Available at Amazon.
FOR THE SOUL by Barbara Daniels Dana
Charming.
These are such dear stories. The author did a skillful job of weaving fiction and nonfiction into a lovely finished product. I found myself anxious to get to the end of each story to discover if it was a true story or a compelling fictional read. My favorite: CHAPERONE TO THE MARINES and the author’s adventures with The United States Marine Corps Wing Band.
A recommended read for anyone who wants to lose themselves in feel-good moments.
Available at Amazon.
January 31, 2022
It's Tuesday
For those, in the states, who were in the eye of the storm, have you shoveled out?
Here's a pic from Philly.
Confusion
These daffies started shooting through the soil back in January. They are totally confused, poor things.
February Calendars
Isn't D.L. Finn talented?
That's it for today. Got snow? Plants? Funny and/or inspirational calendars?
January 27, 2022
This Weekend's Read: DIRTY AIR by Joe Congel
Blurb:
Crossing the finish line from the dark side of the track can make it hard to find the winner’s circle.
The adrenaline rush is real. So is the danger.
Stock car or modified. Track or street. One can make you famous… the other can make you dead.
Tony “Razzman” Razzolito is in way over his head as he works to solve the most challenging case of his career. An up-and-coming NASCAR driver is found shot to death in an alley in uptown Charlotte. When the widow of the victim asks Tony and his partner at McHenry Investigative Services to find out why her husband was killed, the Razzman gets a quick education in a sport he knows nothing about.
His investigation soon leads him to the world of illegal street racing where he tangles with a crew led by a maniac that doesn’t like to lose.
Mix in a healthy dose of tension between Tony and a certain Homicide Detective assigned to the case and tempers as well as egos are bound to get in the way.
This is book 3 in the popular Razzman Mystery Crime Files series
Excerpt:
I leaned forward. “Robin,” I said, gently. “I’m not a big NASCAR guy. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d never heard of your husband before yesterday, and I only know the Carter-Swanson name because I’ve seen their car dealerships all over Charlotte.”
She looked at me strangely and then cut her eyes over to Scott. He glanced at me and then said to her, “He’s from New York.”
As if that would somehow explain everything.
“Look,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “I’m a baseball guy. You wanna talk batting stats, power hitters, stolen base leaders, the Yankees, or any other baseball related stuff, I’m your man.” I shook my head. “But, racing? It’s just not my thing. I’ve been to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York more times than I can count, but I’ve never been to the NASCAR Hall of Fame even once… and it’s here in Charlotte!” I sighed. “So, I’m asking you to please treat me like I don’t know anything about the race business… because I don’t.”
The room was silent. I was looking at Robin Trevino. Robin Trevino was looking at Scott. Scott was looking at me. After a minute of awkward silence, Robin Trevino stood up.
“Is there a restroom?” she asked. She was still not looking at me.
Scott stood and opened the door. “Go back down to our reception area, go out the main door to our office into the hallway and turn right. The bathrooms are between our suite and the suite next door to us.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, as she walked past Scott.
I hadn’t moved. I took in a deep breath. As I exhaled, I asked, “Think she’ll be back?”
Scott scowled at me. “Would you?”
“I’m sorry, Scott,” I said. “But it’s not a crime to not be a NASCAR fan.”
“It is if you live in Charlotte.”
I sat there thinking about that for a minute. I’m a pretty good private detective, and I’m reasonably certain that we could help Mrs. Trevino find out who killed her husband. That being said, I understood that I would need to do a lot more research into the world of NASCAR to get a feel for what may have motivated someone to shoot a young, up-and-coming driver. But then again, it just might not have anything to do with racing.
I looked up at Scott, who was still standing at the door. “To be fair, being a race fan is not a requirement for solving this murder. I’m not trying to hurt anybody’s feelings here, but I’m not gonna pretend either—”
Scott cut me off. “—here she comes.” He looked hard at me. “Be nice.”
Robin Trevino re-entered our conference room and took the same seat she was in before her bathroom break.
I tried to speak first. “Mrs. Trevino… Robin… I didn’t mea—”
“You know,” she said, interrupting me. “When I left here a few minutes ago, I had no intention of coming back in here. My first thought was that maybe I was wrong about coming here in the first place.” She paused, and I tried to speak again. She cut me off again. “Please, Mr. Razzolito, let me finish.” I sat quietly. “I mean, I had never heard of anyone that didn’t like NASCAR… or of anyone that didn’t know who my husband was.” She lowered her head and sighed. After a few seconds, she looked up, her eyes finding mine. “For the last three years, Jarrod and I have been on an amazing journey.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I… I guess we got swept up in all of it. Everywhere we went, people knew who we were. Jarrod was the new ‘it guy’ on the circuit, and he and I were both being interviewed all the time.” She shrugged. “We were royalty… it never occurred to me that you didn’t know who he was… who I was.” She lowered her head again and almost whispered. “I guess your reaction stung me.” She was slowly shaking her head back and forth.
Three quirky Foodie Facts about Tony Razzolito:
1. He loves pizza. But since he’s from NY State, he only eats authentic NY-style pies, and never from national chain pizza stores.
2. He’s kind of a beer snob. He drinks craft beers exclusively, with his favorites being the rich, amber style.
3. Although a New Yorker at heart, he’s embraced southern food and loves a good pulled pork sandwich and will put coleslaw on his hotdogs.
Bio:
Joe Congel grew up in Syracuse, NY, and currently lives in beautiful Charlotte, NC. He got his first break in the world of publishing when he illustrated the humorous book, Housetraining Your VCR, A Help Manual for Humans, published by Grapevine Publications back in the early ’90s.
A few years after Housetraining set the world on fire, Joe decided that he was better suited as a writer rather than as an artist, so he began crafting stories that allowed the reader to use their own imagination to add the visuals to the narrative.
Since he’s enjoyed reading murder mysteries and PI detective stories all his life, he felt he had a pretty good grasp on how to create an engaging character in the world of private detecting. DEAD IS FOREVER is the first book in the Razzman Mystery Crime Files series, featuring Tony Razzolito, PI. The book is set in Syracuse, NY, and Charlotte, NC, with upcoming books in the series concentrated more in and around the Charlotte area. Joe is uniquely qualified to write about both areas of the country since he lived in Syracuse for 36 years and Charlotte for the last 25 plus years.
When he’s not writing, you will most likely find him spoiling his three grandchildren.
Buy links:
Amazon:
My Amazon page: Amazon.com: Joe Congel: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
Carter Novels/Indie Book Source: Books by Joe Congel – Indie Book Source
Follow links:
FaceBook: Joe Congel Author | Facebook
Twitter: WWW.Twitter.com/JoeCongelAuthor
Blog: Joe Congel Fiction Stories
January 26, 2022
January 25, 2022
Writerly Wednesday
What's your go-to for:
Mine: Trick.
January 24, 2022
It's Tuesday
Not a lot going on here. What about in your neck of the woods?
Garden:Here's my new BDay stones. (The ones with the writing.)
Critters:
Instead of crossroads, we have cross tails.
And
For those that live in the U. S., have you ordered your free test kits? If not here's the link:
COVIDtests.gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests
Got stones? Critters? Tests?
January 20, 2022
This Weekend's Read: FOR THE SOUL
Book Blurb: Memories and fiction fill this collection with humor, heartwarming compassion, and spine-tingling fright from the author's own experiences and her imagination she can barely control. Quilts, children, and dogs have always played a large part in the author's life. Therefore, it is not surprising to find stories of warm quilts wrapped around her tales or tails. A trait the reader discovers in Barbara's writing is that much like life, nothing within the covers of this book will be what one expects.
About Barbara Daniels Dena:
Barbara Daniels Dena is a new independent author of her eclectic book debut of "For the Soul: A Collection of Short Stories," released in August 2021. Almost a memoir, this unique collection of inspiring short stories of 'good ole fashioned living,' along with many past and present memories and life experiences that tug on the heart, warming stories, and fictional tall tails delighting readers worldwide. The book is available for purchase on Amazon Books, Amazon Kindle, and many fine online book sites.
Barbara began writing at an early age as a lover of "Make-Believe." Today, her writing has developed from memories of family experiences, various compilations of events in her life, and her love of animals. She is willing to admit that her vivid imagination plays a role in her stories. The author is an Illinois native who has lived in many places; as Barb says, like a free-spirited "Gypsy," she has lived and worked in Illinois, Washington, Idaho, Georgia, but Ultimately, coming home settling back in the Quad Cities area of Illinois.
Barbara is a proud mother of two grown children. She was a business owner, ran a Temp Agency, then transitioned into her passion for floral design, opened, owned, and ran several floral shops. Her favorite flower is the "Casablanca Lily." Her favorite color is Red, and when she isn't writing, Barbara spends her free time oil painting, enjoys quilting, knitting, and reading.
Her favorite book is "Death Be Not Proud" by John J. Gunther. Her first love is and always will be playing with her fur baby, a little Yorkie named Zoe. She continues to write from her cozy nook as she gazes over a pond full of geese and ducks. On many days it is more gazing than writing.
My fav quirky food is a banana cut in half with creamy peanut butter spread in the middle of the two halves.
Many years ago, I had a business where I delivered balloons in costume.
I taught teenagers how to do a proper interview by dressing like a floozy.
Buy Link: FOR the SOUL https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Barbara-Daniels-Dena-ebook/dp/B09D8SV1S9/
Barbara is offering the e-book for .99 cents through FEB 15th, 2022.
January 19, 2022
Did You Know
Did you know that over five-thousand wild horses, of Spanish decent, used to roam the coast of North Carolina? Now only two hundred and twenty remain. The Colonial Spanish Mustang is the state horse.
January 18, 2022
Writerly Wednesday
Mine: Scatterbrain
