Sharon C. Pennington's Blog, page 3

RELEASE DATES COMING SOON!

     

 

 

These are troubling times in the publishing industry, and sadly, many small indie houses are struggling. As of 9/13/2013, my books are no longer associated with or available through Draumr Publishing LLC. Although the first editions of each novel will be displayed on my website for a limited time, original cover art for Hoodoo Money has reverted back to Niki Browning at Skye Wolf Images; original cover art for Mangroves and Monsters to Rida Allen at Draumr Publishing. 

 

I'm thrilled to share the new cover designs (created by me) for the second editions of HOODOO MONEY and MANGROVES AND MONSTERS! I'll keep you posted as to release dates...

WRITE - OR WRONG? A FEW AUTHOR-FRIENDLY WEBSITES...

Like most authors, I'm always thrilled (and willing to share) when I come across, or a fellow writer introduces me to, a new online tool. Some of these tools are necessary to good writing. Some are simply great fun.

 

The following, in no particular order, are a few of the online sites I've found interesting and helpful:

 

The Purdue Online Writing Lab, or OWL - The mission of the OWL at Purdue University is to assist writers at all skill levels. Mechanics, grammar, punctuation, this site provides a wealth of information and resources. I frequently haunt the area addressing comma use. However, there are also pages to assist clients in understanding and completing specific types of writing assignments (i.e., argument and research papers, annotated bibliographies, book reports and reviews, exam essays and proposals). The OWL is definitely worth a visit. Novice or seasoned author, it seems we can never get enough structural help.

 

Wordcounter - This neat site created by Steven Morgan Friedman  (morgan@westegg.com) allows a writer to insert text and find out which words he or she uses redundantly. Quick and simple. I love it.

 

Grammarly - This is another neat site serving as an automated proofreader. Grammarly instantly finds over 250 types of grammatical errors, improves word choices and checks an author's inserted text against over eight billion documents to avoid plagiarism. Grammarly offers a free trial of its product but does require a membership fee once that trial period expires. Fees can be paid monthly, quarterly or annually.

 

Grammarly Lite - Designed for the web, this tool is free and helps writers find and fix contextual spelling mistakes, as well as detect basic grammar errors (i.e., punctuation, article use, capitalization, misused words). Currently available for Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari - not Internet Explorer. PLEASE NOTE: I haven't been able to try Grammarly Lite yet but hope to soon.

 

Free Online Spell Check - This site, powered by JSpell HTML, is free and allows a writer to check text for spelling errors. Simple and easy to use, the site also provides word and character counts.

 

Guide to Grammar and Writing - This site, sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation, is free but also a bit more complicated to navigate than some of the others. It does, however, cover a vast array of writing topics.

 

- This site is free and provides a simple writing tool to generate hundreds of fictional character first and last names using the database of the US Census.

 

- This free and fun site, created by Samuel Stoddard, aides writers in generating names suitable for fantasy. People, places, fantastical things. Pretty cool.

 

The Gender Genie - This is a simple, free and fun site sponsored by http://bookblog.net/ where an author can insert text and the GG will predict whether the writer is male or female. Have to admit, I've tried this one a few times. It's great fun.

 

The Writer's Diet Test - This page, created by author Helen Sword, is a free, automated feedback tool (and not meant to assess the overall quality of an author's work). It is, however, great fun and suggests how "fat" or "lean" the inserted text might be.

 

Sounddogs.com - This is, IMHO, a very cool site. Sounddogs.com offers free, downloadable sound effects (since 1997) and also provides an author the opportunity to listen to a particular sound (via 600,000+ online tracks) before describing it in his or her writing.

 

INCOMPETECH.com - This site offers royalty-free music in a variety of genres: blues, classical, horror, modern, silent film. Great for book trailers.

 

Copyright - This site, sponsored by the Library of Congress and US Copyright Office, covers just about every aspect of the copyright process an author could think of. And we're a pretty imaginative bunch.

 

 

 

NOTE: I sincerely tried to get this information and the corresponding web sites correct. If you discover an error, I apologize in advance.

REVIEW - TIDEWATER MURDER by C. Hope Clark

Some friends are as close as sisters. Others closer. Like melt on ice, or your first gasp of breath rising up from a river baptism. Carolina Slade, federal agriculture investigator, considers Savannah Conroy such a friend -- and Savvy’s in trouble. Falsified signatures on a six-figure farm loan, embezzlement, missing tomato crops and murder. The kind of trouble that leads straight to federal prison. Do not pass GO. Do not...

 

Humph! Not if Slade can help it.

 

A tornado of wit and warmth, wisecracking Savannah Conroy is one of the most proficient rural loan managers the South Carolina Department of Agriculture has in its arsenal to keep farmers afloat. She’s damn good at her job. In the fifteen years Slade has known her, Savvy’s never missed a stiletto-heeled step. Why now? What, in the name of butter-drenched grits, is going on? And what -- if not everything -- does Savvy’s lying, cheating, cocaine-snorting ex have to do with the predicament she’s in? That Teddy Dawson is back in Savvy’s bed and has generously provided her a luxury Mercedes convertible are undisputed facts.

 

Could it be the love and faith of a good Southern woman caused this manipulating scoundrel to change? Not likely. Once a lowlife maggot, always a lowlife maggot. At least that’s what Slade’s gut is screaming.

 

In TIDEWATER MURDER, second installment of the Carolina Slade Mystery series (ISBN10: 1611942578, ISBN13: 978-1611942576, Bell Bridge Books, April 2013, 290 pp), the gutsy protagonist launches into an unorthodox investigation and once again drags her cohort, the charming Monroe Prevatte, with her. From the rooftop of a shed imprisoning abused Haitian workers to the marshes and fields surrounding St. Helena to the dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean, author C. Hope Clark invites readers to join her on another clever, fast-paced thrill ride through the Lowcountry of her beloved South Carolina.

 

Even Slade’s beau, Senior Special Agent Wayne Largo, can’t deter her dogged slog toward justice. When it comes to guts and loyalty, the damn woman has blinders on. And Heaven knows Wayne has tried, even going so far as to have Slade officially removed from the case.

 

But homesteading a backseat has never been Slade’s forté. Not on her job. Not as the widowed single mother of two. Certainly, not in Wayne Largo’s arms. Why, on God’s green earth, would she change her modus vivendi now?

 

In TIDEWATER MURDER, Carolina Slade gives as good as she gets -- and the baddies in this mystery dish out trouble aplenty. Fans of the series will continue to love this spirited, sassy heroine. I know I do. I’m giving TIDEWATER MURDER five rousing stars and look forward to the next installment by this talented author.

 

C. Hope Clark holds a B.S. in Agriculture from Clemson University and has 25 years experience with the US Department of Agriculture. She also manages FundsforWriters.com, a weekly newsletter service she founded that reaches approximately 50,000 writers from professors and journalists to published mystery authors. To learn more about this author and her other works visit her website at http://chopeclark.com/

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: TIDEWATER MURDER by C. Hope Clark

Some friends are as close as sisters. Others closer. Like melt on ice, or your first gasp of breath rising up from a river baptism. Carolina Slade, federal agriculture investigator, considers Savannah Conroy such a friend -- and Savvy’s in trouble. Falsified signatures on a six-figure farm loan, embezzlement, missing tomato crops and murder. The kind of trouble that leads straight to federal prison. Do not pass GO. Do not... 

Humph! Not if Slade can help it.

A tornado of wit and warmth, wisecracking Savannah Conroy is one of the most proficient rural loan managers the South Carolina Department of Agriculture has in its arsenal to keep farmers afloat. She’s damn good at her job. In the fifteen years Slade has known her, Savvy’s never missed a stiletto-heeled step. Why now? What, in the name of butter-drenched grits, is going on? And what -- if not everything -- does Savvy’s lying, cheating, cocaine-snorting ex have to do with the predicament she’s in? That Teddy Dawson is back in Savvy’s bed and has generously provided her a luxury Mercedes convertible are undisputed facts.

Could it be the love and faith of a good Southern woman caused this manipulating scoundrel to change? Not likely. Once a lowlife maggot, always a lowlife maggot. At least that’s what Slade’s gut is screaming.

In TIDEWATER MURDER , second installment of the Carolina Slade Mystery series (ISBN10: 1611942578, ISBN13: 978-1611942576, Bell Bridge Books, April 2013, 290 pp), the gutsy protagonist launches into an unorthodox investigation and once again drags her cohort, the charming Monroe Prevatte, with her. From the rooftop of a shed imprisoning abused Haitian workers to the marshes and fields surrounding St. Helena to the dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean, author C. Hope Clark invites readers to join her on another clever, fast-paced thrill ride through the Lowcountry of her beloved South Carolina.

Even Slade’s beau, Senior Special Agent Wayne Largo, can’t deter her dogged slog toward justice. When it comes to guts and loyalty, the damn woman has blinders on. And Heaven knows Wayne has tried, even going so far as to have Slade officially removed from the case.

But homesteading a backseat has never been Slade’s forté. Not on her job. Not as the widowed single mother of two. Certainly, not in Wayne Largo’s arms. Why, on God’s green earth, would she change her modus vivendi now?

In TIDEWATER MURDER , Carolina Slade gives as good as she gets -- and the baddies in this mystery dish out trouble aplenty. Fans of the series will continue to love this spirited, sassy heroine. I know I do. I’m giving TIDEWATER MURDER five rousing stars and look forward to the next installment by this talented author.

C. Hope Clark holds a B.S. in Agriculture from Clemson University and has 25 years experience with the US Department of Agriculture. She also manages FundsforWriters.com , a weekly newsletter service she founded that reaches approximately 50,000 writers from professors and journalists to published mystery authors. To learn more about this author and her other works visit her website at http://chopeclark.com/

REVIEW: The Last Oracle by James Rollins

THE LAST ORACLE is, by far, the best James Rollins novel I've read. Hmmm...probably since SANDSTORM. (And I've read a few well-crafted Rollins novels.) Now, TLO starts a bit slow so I urge readers to stick with it. Once the pace picks up, the reward is nonstop action and pulse-pounding, tug-on-the-heartstrings storytelling at its finest.

 

I don't believe a thriller has ever brought me to tears as this one did.

 

When a seemingly homeless man dies in Gray Pierce's arms not far from Sigma's Washington DC headquarters, the Commander is drawn into a conspiracy of "Cold War Era" proportions. The outcome of which could change the world as he knows it. If Pierce fails in his efforts millions will die. No doubt about it. With Archibald Polk's murder and the professor's possession of an ancient coin, Pierce seeks the man's daughter to help solve the mystery - and author Rollins invites readers on a thrill-ride from Washington to India to the Ukraine.

 

As one story unfolds, so does another. In the Southern Ural Mountains, Russian Federation, a lost Sigma team member struggles to remember his past, his name even, while knowing with certainty his future lies in his ability to save three runaway children who possess artificially enhanced savant-like capabilities.

 

Rollins' THE LAST ORACLE (Harper Collins, 2009, ISBN10: 0061230952, ISBN13: 978-0061230950, pp 458) has it all: elite Russian soldiers - holdovers from a time long past - and Romani gypsies and wild animals. Tigers and bears and apes, oh my! Rollins weaves in adventure and budding romance, however subtle, gifted children and heroes galore. Loss and heartache and triumph. This author is truly a master at his craft. I'm giving THE LAST ORACLE five stars, but I'd give it additional stars if I could.

 

 

 

REVIEW: THE LAST ORACLE by James Rollins

THE LAST ORACLE is, by far, the best James Rollins novel I've read. Hmmm...probably since SANDSTORM. (And I've read a few well-crafted Rollins novels.) Now, TLO starts a bit slow so I urge readers to stick with it. Once the pace picks up, the reward is nonstop action and pulse-pounding, tug-on-the-heartstrings storytelling at its finest.

I don't believe a thriller has ever brought me to tears as this one did.

When a seemingly homeless man dies in Gray Pierce's arms not far from Sigma's Washington DC headquarters, the Commander is drawn into a conspiracy of "Cold War Era" proportions. The outcome of which could change the world as he knows it. If Pierce fails in his efforts millions will die. No doubt about it. With Archibald Polk's murder and the professor's possession of an ancient coin, Pierce seeks the man's daughter to help solve the mystery - and author Rollins invites readers on a thrill-ride from Washington to India to the Ukraine.

As one story unfolds, so does another. In the Southern Ural Mountains, Russian Federation, a lost Sigma team member struggles to remember his past, his name even, while knowing with certainty his future lies in his ability to save three runaway children who possess artificially enhanced savant-like capabilities.

Rollins' THE LAST ORACLE (Harper Collins, 2009, ISBN10: 0061230952, ISBN13: 978-0061230950, pp 458) has it all: elite Russian soldiers - holdovers from a time long past - and Romani gypsies and wild animals. Tigers and bears and apes, oh my! Rollins weaves in adventure and budding romance, however subtle, gifted children and heroes galore. Loss and heartache and triumph. This author is truly a master at his craft. I'm giving THE LAST ORACLE five stars, but I'd give it additional stars if I could.

IAN'S GIVING AWAY A KINDLE FIRE FOR CHRISTMAS!

To celebreate the holidays, the Independent Author Network is awarding a Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless tablet to one lucky reader. This exciting prize package, sponsored by The Wardstone Trilogy by M.R. Mathias, will inlcude hundreds of ebooks in a multitude of genres and penned by members of the IAN group. The contest closes on December 24th with a winner being randomly drawn. 

The Independent Author Network is a community of 600+ authors who are self-published or published by small indie presses. They share information, ideas, and experiences in and of their craft, and tirelessly work to promote each other online. To join IAN visit click here. 

To enter for a chance to win this fabulous holiday prize click here.

 

Gook luck - and happy reading!

Deer Park ISD Tax Rate Election, December 15, 2012

In October, the Deer Park Independent School District (Texas) adopted a tax rate of $1.5267 - including the rate of $1.2367 for M & O (which I assume means Management and Operations). It is this portion of the adopted rate that has spurred a special Tax Rate Election or TRE to be held on December 15, 2012. The current tax rate is $1.3967 per $100 valuation (http://insidedp.com/news2). According to an article in the Deer Park Broadcaster (Vol 55, No 39) on October 11th, if passed the TRE will result in an additional $8.8 million in local tax revenue, $2.4 million of which will be recaptured by the "Robin Hood" school finance mechanism. That's one third of the increase, folks, and would leave DPISD actually netting $6.4 million.

 

For those unfamiliar with the "Robin Hood" mechanism, this is a practice whereby when a school district exceeds its Tier I entitlement with monies levied by its tax rate, the state can “recapture” those extra funds. Recapture meaning property wealthy districts share their local tax revenue with the state to ensure that all public schools in Texas receive equitable funding. Here's the link to an article by Morgan Smith (The Texas Tribune, Marcxh 31 2011) titled "How to Navigate Texas' School Finance System" - which explains Texas school districts' financial entitlements far better than I can: http://bit.ly/eiKDuu

 

But this is a practice I've never quite understood. If a district is so rich it can afford to give money away, why not lower the tax rate for citizens in that district and put a little more money in the pockets of their families. Or better yet, give our teachers a raise. Besides, as I understood it - once upon a time - the Texas lottery was conceived to subsidize education.

 

Again, going back to the Broadcaster article, DPISD will use these addtional funds to make significant progress towards balancing the current budget deficit of over $8 million and to fund numerous non-core classes and programs that would otherwise be on the chopping block next summer. Okay. I'm not a math whiz. Never claimed to be. I write fiction, thankfully. But does this make sense? In my book, $6.4 million in increased tax revenue doesn't come close to cancelling an over $8 million deficit - let alone support any programs in jeopardy of falling by the wayside due to a lack of funding. In an article by Bobby Vasquez (InsideDeepPark.com - November 20 - http://insidedp.com/news2), the deficit is reportedly closer to $14 million.

 

I understand (again, based on information in the Broadcaster article) the average single family homeowner will see their school taxes increased by $113 per year or $9.42 per month. Granted this seems a minimal amount. But what good will it do? Will we see yet another tax increase in the not so distant future?

 

Hmmm...me thinks logic says "yes." Remember the date is December 15th, folks. Get out and vote!

Deer Park ISD Tax Rate Election

In October, the Deer Park Independent School District (Texas) adopted a tax rate of $1.5267 - including the rate of $1.2367 for M & O (which I assume means Management and Operations). It is this portion of the adopted rate that has spurred a special Tax Rate Election or TRE to be held on December 15, 2012. The current tax rate is $1.3967 per $100 valuation ( http://insidedp.com/news2 ). According to an article in the Deer Park Broadcaster (Vol 55, No 39) on October 11th, if passed the TRE will result in an additional $8.8 million in local tax revenue, $2.4 million of which will be recaptured by the "Robin Hood" school finance mechanism . That's one third of the increase, folks, and would leave DPISD actually netting $6.4 million.

For those unfamiliar with the "Robin Hood" mechanism, this is a practice whereby when a school district exceeds its Tier I entitlement with monies levied by its tax rate, the state can “recapture” those extra funds. Recapture meaning property wealthy districts share their local tax revenue with the state to ensure that all public schools in Texas receive equitable funding. Here's the link to an article by Morgan Smith (The Texas Tribune, Marcxh 31 2011) titled "How to Navigate Texas' School Finance System" - which explains Texas school districts' financial entitlements far better than I can: http://bit.ly/eiKDuu

But this is a practice I've never quite understood. If a district is so rich it can afford to give money away, why not lower the tax rate for citizens in that district and put a little more money in the pockets of their families. Or better yet, give our teachers a raise. Besides, as I understood it - once upon a time - the Texas lottery was conceived to subsidize education.

Again, going back to the Broadcaster article, DPISD will use these addtional funds to make significant progress towards balancing the current budget deficit of over $8 million and to fund numerous non-core classes and programs that would otherwise be on the chopping block next summer . Okay. I'm not a math whiz. Never claimed to be. I write fiction, thankfully. But does this make sense? In my book, $6.4 million in increased tax revenue doesn't come close to cancelling an over $8 million deficit - let alone support any programs in jeopardy of falling by the wayside due to a lack of funding. In an article by Bobby Vasquez (InsideDeepPark.com - November 20 - http://insidedp.com/news2 ), the deficit is reportedly closer to $14 million.

I understand (again, based on information in the Broadcaster article) the average single family homeowner will see their school taxes increased by $113 per year or $9.42 per month. Granted this seems a minimal amount. But what good will it do? Will we see yet another tax increase in the not so distant future?

Hmmm...me thinks logic says "yes." Remember the date is December 15th, folks. Get out and vote!

REVIEW: THE BEST GRANDPA IN THE WORLD by Marta Cappa

Proving his Grandpa Buck outbests all the other grandpas in Slumber Village becomes an exploration in pride and unconditional love for young Rowdy in Marta Cappa's THE BEST GRANDPA IN THE WORLD (ISBN 978-1452856629, 40 pages). Particularly when Rowdy's friend, Jinx, boasts that her grandfather was an astronaut. After all, the moon must be a terribly terrific place to visit - and a place Rowdy would surely love to see.

 

An astronaut? An astronaut! How in the extra-terrestrial world can Grandpa Buck top that?

 

Grandpa Buck falls asleep while telling stories. He even leaves out the best parts!

 

And no cinnamon toast for breakfast when Grandpa Buck is in charge, no yummy cereal with colorful marshmallow bits floating in the sweetened milk. Grandpa Buck's specialty is sticky, stinky gruel. Yuck!

 

Children ages 4 through 9 will delight in helping Rowdy recall the many wonderful things Grandpa Buck does with and for him, while sharing traits they love in their own grandfathers.

 

No super hero suits required.

 

From building a tree house to finding treasures washed up on the beach to something as simple as ice cream-tasting, I can only imagine the conversations spurred by this whimsical book.

 

With story-telling elegance and Cappa's own colorful and child-friendly illustrations, this author weaves an inspiring tale in THE BEST GRANDPA IN THE WORLD and teaches lessons in love, acceptance and appreciation for what you have. Then, as if a fanciful tale of "Grandpa Love" isn't enough, Marta Cappa provides a Facebook link to coloring pages for young readers. I'm giving this one five stars, and as a grandmother of five, a hearty recommendation.

 

Marta Cappa has also authored THE BEST GRANDMA IN THE WORLD and is currently working on the third installment in this series. Her books can be purchased through Amazon and other fine booksellers. To learn more about Ms. Cappa and her future projects visit http://www.storiesfromslumbervillage.com/ To obtain additional information for printing the coloring pages visit http://www.facebook.com/storiesfromslumbervillage