Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 95
November 11, 2023
Review: BABYSITTER’S LITTLE SISTER: KAREN’S SCHOOL PICTURE by Katy Farina
This is another cute story of a7-year-old, but, once again, some of the small text was hard to read. And whydoes Karen have to introduce the whole family and all the pets? It’s a littleannoying.
In this story, Karen needsglasses, but will it ruin her picture day? And what’s to stop the other kidsfrom making fun of her?
A cute, okay read.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: BABYSITTER’S LITTLE SISTER: KAREN’S KITTY CAT CLUB by Katy Farina
Not old enough to be in theBabysitter’s Club, Karen starts her own club instead. A Kitty Cat Club. It’scute how Karen tries to make her own flyer.
It was a nice concept in theory,but when the cats get together, things get a little hairy. Poor little kittywas getting picked up by the big, fat cat.
The cat-sitting idea is cute, butit gets a little too technical with all the planning. They basically try to doit exactly like the Babysitter’s Club. The girls obviously have quarrels likewho gets to be the president and such. Naturally, Karen wanted to be presidentsince the club was her idea. But what was the point of the cat-sitting businessif no one needed a cat-sitter? Then the girls end up fighting more than thecats. Meow!
A cute, quick read overall. Icouldn’t read some of the small text, but the pictures were nice.
Rating:3 stars
Review: CUPCAKE DIARIES: KATIE AND THE CUPCAKE CURE by Coco Simon
It’s Katie’s first day at middleschool and her best friend decided to ditch her for the new crowd of popularand mean girls. Needless to say, it was a rough first day for Katie. But theonly thing that brightened her day was a cupcake from her mom. It was thecupcake cure. This leads to a series of more cupcakes for her new friends. Andthat turns into the Cupcake Club.
Filled with cute and colorfulillustrations, story shows the trials of middle school, new friendships, andthe delicious cupcakes that are made.
A good read!
Rating:4 stars
November 10, 2023
Blog Tour: MY FAVORITE SEASON IS SPRING by Patrice Wilkerson
Children's Book
Date Published: May 1, 2023
Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
My Favorite Season is Spring is a beautifully illustrated picture book which every child will love. Through rhythm and rhyme, take a fun and exciting journey with little Susie as she describes her favorite season. She finds so many fun things to do and she loves the outdoors, and you will too! Great engaging teaching tool for children.
Excerpt
and Susie gets out of her bed.
“It’s time to get ready for school,”
her mother said.
My favorite season is spring,
When the air is fresh and clean.
The flowers bloom and the sun isbright.
I can play all day with my ball and kite.
Review: See Susie go to school and explainwhy spring is her favorite season.
The illustrations were so simple,rendered in geometric shapes that were pleasing to the eye and had thatnatural, child-like wonder. The rhymes were short and poetic and were a lovelyode to the season.
Reading this will make anyone viewspring as their favorite season as well. A nice and easy read!
Rating:4 stars
About the Author
Patrice D. Wilkerson is an MBA graduate who loves writing poetry. She has been writing poetry since she was eight years old and loves to inspire others through words. She's written a collection of poetry entitled, Through It All, I'm Going to Make It, which she published in 2010.
Contact Link
Purchase Links
Blog Tour: GREAT BIG OCEAN SKY by Kelly Byrd
Great Big Ocean Sky
by Kelly Byrd
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GENRE: Mid-grade Fantasy
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BLURB:
Book Two of the Far from Home Trilogy
Catch up with Mary Jingo as she trains with herfriends in the Great Big Ocean Sky-side city of Festdelm. She may have survivedthe danger in Luminos, the City of Lights, but new challenges await as she,Teeny, Van Clare, Corb, Mikeala, and WindRunner continue their fight to savethe Everything. When a new Shadowlander comes to LeeChee, will Mary be able totrust him—even if he is one of her closest friends?
Join Mary Jingo and her motley crew as they travelto the far ends of the world on their quest to save the Everything.
As more of LeeChee falls under Thrall, Mary mustchoose wisely. Whom will she trust? What bonds will endure? And... how did aYorkshire Terrier end up as a part of this crazy experience?
The answers, dear reader, await inside as we setsail on the Great Big Ocean Sky.
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Excerpt One:
WindRunner shot into the air, following the great ‘Dragonthrough the sky. Peregrina’s wake was strong and fast, and WindRunner puthimself in the center of her air stream. Mary looked around, sensing for theother Thoughtdragons that had attacked the Garnet Revenge, but did not feelthem.
It doesn’t mean they aren’t nearby, WindRunner said.
Really?
Do not become overconfident with this power, Mary Jingo. TheThoughtdragons are dangerous. Older even than my Kin. While I face the sametemptation as you—I am drawn to her great power—remember that Peregrina wantedto be found. Otherwise, we would not have been able to follow her.
That couldn’t be possible, Mary puzzled to herself. She hadknown where Peregrina was. Mary had made this decision to follow Peregrina,hadn’t she? A stab of doubt hit Mary in the chest. Had they walked into a trap?
Peace, Warrior, WindRunner said soothingly. Peregrina wantedus to follow her. I don’t think she will harm you. I think she wishes to speakwith you. Or, that is what Mikeala said to me before we left the boat.
You had a private Mindspan with Mikeala?
Yes. She told me I should take you if you wished to go.
Private Mindspans are rude when they are about someone else.The Father says so.
WindRunner laughed in her mind.
Suddenly, Peregrina stopped in midair and whipped around.WindRunner dove to keep from running straight into her serpentine length,ending their conversation. Peregrina beat her wings softly to stay stationary,and WindRunner flew around until he was face to face with the greatThoughtdragon.
Mary’s stomach sank. The last time she had been face to facein the air with someone like this, it had been the evil Mellie. She had wonthat battle, but only barely. She was not certain she could win a battle likethat again. Peregrina was even more terrifying than Mellie. Her head was twicethe size of WindRunner. The Thoughtdragon only needed to barely open her mouthto swallow them both whole.
WindRunner sent courage through their bond, but Mary felthis unease. He was being strong for her, just like she wanted to be strong forhim. Peregrina spoke then to them both, her voice rich, gravelly, and musical,like a bass note dropped beneath a perfect melody.
“Well, you followed me out here, Shadowlander. What is itthat you want?” She slithered her great head to the side as she said this, andMary felt and smelled the Thoughtdragon’s untamed power. It blotted out herfear.
“I need your scales. Three of them. We need them in LeeChee.The Everything is shrinking, and I am fighting with the Resistors. We aretrying to save it,” Mary said, breathing deeply. She spoke clearly and withconfidence. “Please help us, great Peregrina.”
The ‘dragon shook her head and laughed.
“Save it? Save the Everything with my scales? Child, in yourtiny mind, I might as well be the Everything. You cannot save the Everythingwith the Everything. And that world, that island, has been pitiful and beyondsaving for many annuals now. Your Keeper is the size of a child. Don’t you see?It is lost. Go home to your dark, dark world and leave us in peace. Your Peopleare causing the problem anyway.”
“My People?” Mary responded, trying to hide the hurt in hervoice.
“Yes—you Shadowlanders. The Everything is created in theShadowlands. It cycles up and up to places like LeeChee to be kept safe. Overtime, it drifts back down to the Shadowlands and the cycle continues, with theebb and flow of time. Do they not teach you anything in school down there?”Peregrina paused and turned her livid golden eyes to WindRunner.
“And you, the Lumon’s son. Bound by oath to protect a girlfrom the Shadowlands. Why have you done this?”
“She can save us,” WindRunner blasted back.
“Can she?” Peregrina replied with a grin on her giant mouth.“How? It is the greed of her People that has caused the blight in your lands.They don’t go outside anymore. They are trapped in their own heads, in theirown tribes. They don’t listen to each other. They hardly interact with anyonewho doesn’t think exactly how they do. How does one child heal rifts and tearsthat are hundreds of years old? This is why the Everything shrinks. Do you notknow, WindRunner, son of Spearwing? Or are you all much too blind to see it?”
“Mellie is to blame for the Void. Mellie has been warpingthe Everything to her own purposes,” Mary said, yelling across the distance.
“Fool! Mellie was once like your precious Mikeala. As tallas a mountain and charged with keeping the Everything and the flow of theCycles safe. She could no more turn the Everything into the Void than I can. Itis against her nature. But to regain her former strength and form, she may havebeen tempted to help someone corrupt the Everything. The Void is powerful, evenif it is unnatural. She may be helping the flow of the Void, but no, no. Shedid not create it.”
“Her scars,” Mary said to herself and WindRunner, thinkingof the marks that marred the woman’s face. “Her scars are from the Void.”
“Yes,” Peregrina said. Her hearing must be excellent toperceive Mary over such a distance. “Yes. She has paid dearly in service to theVoid.”
“You must help us,” Mary cried desperately. “Mikeala saidyou brought me out here to talk to me. Help me. I know you can.”
The giant Thoughtdragon swirled her body in the air in frontof Mary. Small flames burst from her mouth when she laughed. Mary could feeltheir heat as they crackled in the air.
“Why would I help you? As I said, the greed of your peopleis what is causing LeeChee to die. It will grow dark and cold and fade, and meand my kind will visit it no more. And your land will suffer, Mary Jingo. As wehave all suffered.”
“Please—you cannot let this happen.”
“How dare you!” Peregrina boomed. Her jaws opened wide. “Howdare you accuse me of letting anything happen. It breaks my very being to knowthat LeeChee will fall into darkness and the Void, but I cannot intervene. YourPeople, you Shadowlanders, with your pride and your lack of imagination, yourdesperation for profit. You will kill LeeChee. I allowed you to follow me herebecause I wanted to see your face before I send you back to that darkened worldof the Shadowlands. You don’t belong in LeeChee, Mary Jingo. You will only makethings worse.”
Peregrina dove towards Mary and WindRunner, spinning herlong body in the air and flapping her wings hard. WindRunner, always ready forattack, spun out of the way, as Mary gripped the handholds. She cast forPeregrina’s power, but found herself blocked from it.
WindRunner. She has shielded me. I cannot channel orcontrol.
Sensing Mary’s fear, WindRunner burst through the air, thegiant ‘dragon following swiftly behind. Peregrina was bigger, which WindRunnerused to his advantage, banking and turning quickly through the air, making ithard for the Thoughtdragon to follow. Mary found herself dizzy and out ofsorts, casting about for ideas. WindRunner blasted a mighty caw at theThoughtdragon and watched as a jet of light shot from his beak and hitPeregrina squarely between the eyes. She roared angrily, then continued her wildpursuit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Topic: What's yourfavorite scene in this book and why?
In GreatBig Ocean Sky, Mary continues her journey in LeeChee with bravery andaplomb. A new character joins her on the journey. A friend from home, BrandonSmall, is also transported to LeeChee and flies across the skies to help fightfor the Everything. My favorite scene in the book is when Mary and Brandon areunited in LeeChee. Brandon sees Mary across a crowded area and almost doesn’trecognize her, as she has grown and changed so much over her time in themagical land.
I love this scene because it is a greatcharacter-building moment for both Mary and Brandon. For Brandon, he’s in awhole new place, learning more about himself and others than he ever imagined.Mary, on the other hand, has been in LeeChee for several months, changing andgrowing. They view each other in such a different way than they’re used tointeracting at home. We get to see their excitement and love in that moment.Oh! And Mary realizes that Brandon’s grandmother’s Yorkshire Terrier has alsocome along for the journey, which just adds to the excitement.
Excerpt:
This was Sam’s sister all right, but she didn’t look like herself. Shewas bigger somehow, or taller? He couldn’t quite put his finger on it—she justseemed to take up more space. Her black hair was pushed back with a yellowheadband, and the ends hung loosely around her shoulders. Her wide,crescent-shaped brown eyes practically glowed at him, and her light tan skinsparkled in the fading light. She wore a pair of wide-legged hunter greenpants, a matching sleeveless top with a slash of contrasting color, and a pairof heavy, brown-leather sandals. Her thin mouth broke into a smile as they madeeye contact. She waved. If he were honest, she looked like she belonged here inthe motley crowd of people swirling around him. If he had passed her on thesidewalk on the way to school, he wasn’t sure he would have recognized her.
A man stood next to Mary, in a pair of black rider pants and matchingT-shirt. The bright orange bandana tied around his tight cornrows offset thedeep brown color of his skin. He had a wide nose and striking golden-browneyes. The man waved an arm over his head at Brandon and Van Clare, who Brandonfelt tense beside him.
Brandon took his eyes off Mary and the man as he and Van Clare madetheir way through the crowd. This place was crazy. People of all shapes, sizes,hair colors, and skin tones moved around him, wearing some form of the blackgarb he wore. Most of them called to Van Clare and placed their palms to theirforeheads, and she responded in kind. A few Thunderbirds perched on high woodenplatforms above them, looking down and surveying the busy scene.
Brandon and Van Clare were surrounded by a series of low, woodenstructures that men and women streamed out of. In front of them stood a massivestone building that resembled a warehouse. People rolled by on bicycleseverywhere. All kinds of bicycles—mountain bikes, slim city bikes, beachcruisers, even a Penny Farthing rolled by, which made Brandon smile to himself,its extra-large front tire and tiny back tire resembling bikes he’d seenhipsters ride in San Francisco.
The air was thick and crackling and lively, so different from thequiet, oppressive nature of the Imperial City. As Brandon watched, a Rider on alightweight urban bike in deep blues and greens pedaled a few times across thepaved road beneath them and then shot into the sky.
“Whoa!” Brandon said.
“Hey—no take offs outside of the Landing Circles—you all know therules!” Van Clare called after the retreating frame of the bicycle.
“Good to see that you’re following protocol. Well met, Captain VanClare,” the man said. Van Clare formally placed her palm against her forehead,as he reached out and pulled the Rider Captain into a quick side hug. “Who’sthis new friend you brought with you?”
“Brandon” Mary exclaimed, before Van Clare could answer. Her arms werearound his waist, as Misty clawed at their shins. “You’re here. How are youhere? Why are you here?”
“Another Shadowlander?” the man standing next to Mary said, his mouthquirking to the side with trouble. Mary released Brandon from the hug andturned to the man. Misty sniffed around the man’s boots.
“Commander Cody, I mean, Cody, this is Brandon Small. He’s my olderbrother’s best friend. And this is his grandma’s dog, Misty. And I have no ideawhat either of them are doing here.”
“You remember Misty?” Brandon asked.
“Of course!” Mary said, squatting down to rub the small dog’s ears.“She’s kept me company at so many dinners at your parents’ house.”
Brandon stopped to think about this for a moment. His parents wereclose enough friends that the Jingos came around for dinner every couple ofmonths. He’d almost forgotten that Mary came with them, since he and Sam wouldoften escape upstairs to play video games as soon as the meal was over. Hesuddenly felt a tinge of regret at overlooking her.
“Don’t feel bad, Brandon,” Mary said, standing up from scratchingMisty’s ears and looking him in the eye. “You’re Sam’s friend first. And that’sokay with me.”
“Did you just read—”
“Well met, Brandon of the Shadowlands,” Cody said, briefly touching hispalm to his forehead before removing another bandana from one of his pocketsand cleaning his hands of axle grease. “I hate to interrupt this reunion—but,Captain, who is this grom? And what in all the Cycles is he doing here?”
Brandon pursed his lips. The man named Cody judged him and Van Clarewith a coolness Brandon did not appreciate. Every time he looked at Cody,something tugged at the back of his mind, telling him that this man was not tobe trusted. A quick memory flashed through his mind of a small woman pressingher finger to his forehead. Brandon shook his head to clear it. When he lookedup, Mary’s eyes were locked on him.
“What are you doing here, Brandon?” she asked slowly.
“What are you doing here, Mary? Sam told me that you were at summer artcamp.”
Mary laughed, her voice tinkling and rolling across the dim dusk light.
“My mom and dad didn’t tell me that story. I guess it’s easier to tellPeople that than to try and explainwhere I actually am,” she said.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Stories have crept around the hallsof Kelly Byrd’s mind since she was a little girl. Not even the combined will ofher two loyal pups, her devoted husband, and all her house plants could keepher from putting this story into the world. You’ll find this happy crew inNashville. Tennessee.
Website: https://www.kellybyrd.com/
Blog: https://www.kellybyrd.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farfromhomeseries/
Buy Great Big OceanSky
This book will be onsale for only $0.99.
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/great-big-ocean-sky-kelly-byrd/20069251?ean=9781736617458
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/great-big-ocean-sky-kelly-byrd/1143479263?ean=9781736617458
IndieBound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/great-big-ocean-sky-kelly-byrd/20069251?ean=9781736617458
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GIVEAWAY :
Kelly Byrd will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes andNoble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 9, 2023
Book Blast: OUTSIDER by Monica Buchanan
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Monica Buchanan will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Monica Buchanan grew up in Jamaica. She revisits her lived experiences of abuse and neglect in early childhood and her younger adult years. Buchanan takes the reader on a palatable path that allows for reflection on one's own life. She writes about her survival journey, while looking through descriptive lens, she carefully details how exposure to early childhood abuse and neglect within her family helped form patterns, influenced choices, and shaped decisions in her adulthood.
By chronicling familial stories, the roles of parents, siblings, and community, she employs a story-telling and meaning-making approach, that is both painful and entertaining. Even though as a young child I was told I was the problem, I knew intuitively that I did not cause all my problems. I now know that what happened to me within the context of familial (and other) relationships had a name--emotional abuse and neglect.
Growing up I wished there were more people and resources that could help me make sense of my life as I struggled with low self-esteem, insecurities, felt lost, craved attention, and an overall sense of not belonging--I felt like an outsider and desperately wanted to be on the inside.
Buchanan reaffirms that: childhood experiences of abuse and neglect does not mean one has a commutable life sentence of pain and suffering. It does not matter where you are on your healing journey, you can set that stuff aside and reclaim your life. This book is for anyone who grew up in a toxic, abusive, and unhealthy home environment where they felt like they did not belong within the family unit. It is also a book about making changes, forgiveness, and letting go.
Read an Excerpt
Numerous girls (and women) survivors historically have been mistreated, abused, neglected, ridiculed, shamed, blamed, and made to feel guilty about the treatment dished out to us. We believe this is our lot in life. Eventually we internalize such treatment, and as women we either repeat such internalized patterns with our children or repeat them with ourselves. I know this internalized process extremely well; I have experienced all the above. It is from this place of knowing that I write.
I often ask myself who would want to hear what I have to say. A small inner voice tells me that I must speak my truth, I must write. The prompting empowers me to harness my voice and use it. It says to me that my story might just be your story too. This is the story of our mothers and their mothers before them. Most importantly, it is our daughters’ story. Writing about mistreatment in childhood is all of our stories interwoven in an ugly, yet beautiful, telling of what we survived.
We learn in childhood to strangle our voices and embrace silence—but who can really silence us but ourselves? We learn to give our power away at a noticeably youthful age. For instance, as newborns when we cry and scream out to our parents or caregivers, they may respond with “Hush, hush. Don’t cry.” Why must we not cry when we are frightened of the big world outside and missing the safety and security of the womb? Maybe some of us knew as newborns the truth of the ugliness that awaited us. We probably had the insight that the world is a cold, harsh, dangerous place even at that tender age.
About the Author:
MONICA BUCHANAN has a PhD in psychology, as well as a master's degree and a bachelor's degree in Women's Studies. Buchanan is semi-retired, after a long and rewarding career in counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching, she now follows her passion and live a purposeful lifestyle. She continues to be enthusiastic and committed to development of strength-based community resources for adults and youths from marginalized and under-served communities, thus she remains an active volunteer. She focuses on mindfulness and relaxation and loves to read, write, garden, and take long meditative walks.Website: https://www.monicabuchanan.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_monicab
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmonicabuchanan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmonicabuchanan
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheDrBuchanan
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 8, 2023
Blog Tour: ONE LOVE FOR LIV by Marianne Arkins
One Love for Liv
by Marianne Arkins
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GENRE: Romance
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BLURB:
Liv is out to prove her high society fiancé is cheating on her.Can she do it without breaking a nail—or falling in love with Mike, themechanic?
Olivia"Liv" Leigh, wealthy socialite and spa owner, suspects her fiancé ofcheating on her. Drastic steps are required to discover whether appearances aredeceiving. And if those steps require a bit of stalking, a change ofappearance, a hippo-sized dog named Spike, and sacrificing her manicure toclean house for a sexy-but-sloppy man whose neighbor is determined to breakseveral of the strangest Guinness World Records, why should that be a problem?
MikePeck, a happily single auto mechanic, is more than content sharing his bachelorpad with piles of laundry, dirty dishes, and a sneaky ferret. But when ahalf-crazed woman in a bad wig shows up on his doorstep, what's a nice guy todo?
Why,invite her in, unknowingly help her in her search for the truth and, in theprocess, fall head over heels with a woman who's never been less his type.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
Liv leaped back and slipped between two parked cars,squatting down to hide for a moment until she realized she couldn’t seeanything. She duck-walked up a few cars until she could lean down to peekunderneath and watch Daisy’s feet to note when she moved on.
Utterly focused on the sight before her, she had no warningbefore the driver’s door beside her swung open, clipping her sharply on thehead. She flew backward, sprawling into the street and thumping her skull onthe pavement. Tires squealed nearby as a moving car whipped around herflattened body.
“What the—?” From a million miles away, a man shouted insurprise. She heard the thump of footsteps but couldn’t seem to open her eyes.“Hey, lady.” A huge, heavy hand shook her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Something warm and wet swiped her face, both reviving anddisgusting her. She kept her eyes closed and limply swatted at it. Her hand hitfur. “Ugh.”
“Spike, back off.”
Spike? What was going on? She gave a low moan and triedagain to force her eyelids to obey her will, finally succeeding after aHerculean effort. A tanned face covered in five o’clock shadow and smears ofblack grease swam in front of her. Next to him, its neck surrounded by astudded black leather collar, sat the biggest brown dog she’d ever seen. Thecreature had drool suspended from its mouth and it looked as if it hadswallowed a sneaker with the laces hanging out. Dear heavens, was that what hadlicked her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review: In following her suspiciousinstincts and tailing her fiancé with the redhead he was with, Liv (literally)bumps into a good-looking mechanic with a chiseled chest. Liv would’ve enjoyedthe sight more if she weren’t a bruised and messy wreck.
Being that this Mike guy was theredhead’s next-door neighbor, perhaps Liv could work out an arrangement: workas a housemaid at his place so she’d be close enough to spy. That would be agreat plan if Liv was actually good at cooking and cleaning. She didn’t evenknow what went into a meat loaf. And the girl practically burns the place down.
This was generally enjoyable withsome humorous scenes. I liked the clever wit and sassy tone spread throughoutthe dialogue and prose. However, there was also a lag in it that slowed thewhole story down, making the read feel longer than it should’ve been. The bestparts were the quirky, bungling attempts. Liv spends the whole timecontemplating whether or not to ditch the fiancé. And meanwhile she gets closerto hunky Mike. Could there only be one love for Liv?
A fairly nice rom-com tale.
Rating:3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Marianne isoriginally from California but currently living in the lovely state of Utahwith her daughter, two dogs, two cats and one adorable foster hamster. Shecan’t imagine a world without romance or not having stories rattling around inher brain. There are nights when she dreams a complete story and watches itacted out in her head. Those are the times she wakes up and grabs for a notepadto jot down the important parts – without turning on the light – and hopes it’scoherent in the morning. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America andheavily involved and indebted to her group of writing friends.
https://mariannearkinsauthor.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Author-Marianne-Arkins-111996717795365/
https://www.facebook.com/mariannearkins
https://twitter.com/MarianneArkins
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1452737.Marianne_Arkins
All RetailerBuy Links: https://books2read.com/OneLoveForLiv
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
One randomly chosen winner viarafflecopter will win a $10 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 7, 2023
Blog Tour: SAVING MADONNA by Kate Bristow
Saving Madonna
by Kate Bristow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical Fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB: Isa painting worth dying for?
Inspired by real events, an unforgettable story oflove, courage and sacrifice to save a country’s heritage.
Italy 1943. As the Allies bomb Milan, ElenaMarchetti reluctantly gives up her coveted job as an art curator in the city toreturn to her family farm near Urbino. She takes up a new role assistingPasquale Rotondi, the Superintendent of Arts in the region, in protecting worksof art from all over Italy that have been hidden in the relative safety of thecountryside.
At a family celebration, Elena reunites with Luca, aclose childhood friend. A shattering event instigated by the occupying Germansdeepens their relationship, and they start planning a life together. Whenrumors surface that Italy’s art is being stolen by the German occupiers,Pasquale hatches an audacious plan to rescue the priceless paintings in hispossession. Elena and Luca are forced to make an impossible decision: will theyembark on a dangerous mission to save Italy’s cultural heritage?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ExcerptTwo:
Luca was getting frustrated. Two weeks had passed since hehad stood up for Elena during the argument about the truck, and he was nocloser to procuring her any sort of transport. He had visited all theneighboring farms, except for the one owned by Signor Bruni, to find out ifthere was any chance of borrowing a vehicle. He had not been surprised to learnthat nobody wanted to give up their precious trucks or cars. Even those who hadbeen without fuel for months still clung to the hope that somehow they might beable to find some. It did not help that very few thought that helping thesuperintendent was a priority given the more immediate issues they were dealingwith.
“I have six children to feed, two cows that are ailing, afence that needs mending, and more besides,” complained Signor Conti when Lucahad stopped to talk to him that afternoon after coming upon the farmerstruggling with barbed wire on the edge of one of his fields. “I can tell younow, moving some paintings around is not at the top of my list. I can’t imagineyou’ll find many takers in these parts, son.” Signor Conti looked at himkindly. “I am not saying I want the Germans to take them either. Don’t get mewrong.” He let off a stream of expletives, as if to emphasize how much hedespised the occupiers. “I just think we have to focus on what we can controlrather than the things we can’t.”
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What’sYour Favorite Scene In This Story and Why?
The scenesin ‘Saving Madonna’ that I am proudest of from a writing perspective are fairlyharrowing. I wanted to portray the horrors of war and the feelings of helplessnessan occupied people experience, through the lenses of characters that the reader,hopefully, will have come to care about. But I would be hard-pressed todescribe any of those scenes as my ‘favorite’ given the subject matter.
Instead Iam going to share a scene early on in the book which was a joy to write. Imagineyourself in the countryside in central Italy during World War 2. The Rossifamily are throwing a party at their farm for their beloved Nonna (grandmother)who is celebrating her 80th birthday. They have invited theirneighbors in the valley to join them for a birthday feast and dancing. It isthe fall of 1943, and the Germans have recently occupied the area, making analready difficult situation even harder. Food has been scarce for months,rationing is in place, young men continue to be conscripted to fight and thepeople are scared of what might come next. My main protagonists Luca Rossi andhis neighbor Elena Marchetti are going to meet for the first time in a yearduring this party. Elena has been away working in Milan and has just returnedhome for safety reasons due to the Allied bombing campaign in the city. So thisis a pivotal scene in the story—we see Elena first through Luca’s eyes, we getto meet her and learn a little bit about her, we see how the friends andneighbors interact with her.
This scenealso gave me an opportunity to sow the seeds of the initial friction betweenElena and Luca. Elena is working as the assistant to an art museum director andbelieves in her boss’s desire to save the priceless works of art in his carefrom being destroyed by Allied bombing or stolen by the occupying Germans.Luca, on the other hand, is a farmer and thinks that there are more pressingconcerns than art in a time of war. He is worried about keeping the farm goingto provide food for his family and the community and avoiding being draggedinto the war as a soldier. From their conversation at the party we learn alittle about each of their characters and their relationship with one another.
All thishappens with the party as a backdrop. I am lucky enough to have my home inItaly and I was able to draw on the years of outdoor parties I have eitherhosted or attended in this beautiful part of the world to create thisparticular celebration. The jam jars full of wildflowers, the long woodentables, lanterns in the trees, the plates of casciotta cheese, salami andprosciutto, homemade ravioli, honey from local hives, wine from the vinesnearby…it was fun to write about an Italian feast while also franticallyresearching what was actually available during the war and what might bepossible to make or procure in a time of deprivation.
The partyscene represents a moment when all my characters are enjoying themselves andthe company of their loved ones. Unfortunately not everyone at the party willsurvive the war. As they say in Italian ‘Vivi il momento’ (live for themoment).
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kate Bristow was born in London. She fell in lovewith reading when she got her first library card at the age of four. Her firstattempt at writing and publishing for a wide audience was a local newspapertyped laboriously at home on her mother’s typewriter while at primary(elementary) school in north London. It is surely a loss to cutting-edgejournalism that only one issue was ever produced. Kate divides her time betweenher small-but-perfectly-formed modern home in Los Angeles and herfive-hundred-year-old farmhouse just outside Sassocorvaro in Italy.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.katebristow.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katebristowauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katebristowauthor/
Universal Buy Link: https://1link.st/katebristow
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GIVEAWAY
Kate Bristow will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawnwinner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayNovember 6, 2023
Blog Tour: MAGGIE THE CAT WHO CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Julia Russo
Children’s Book
Date Published: Sept. 14th 2023
Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
Delightful illustrations bring you inside Grandpa Charlie Green’s mountainside farmhouse. Join Maggie the cat, Pip the goat, Grandpa Charlie Green, Daddy, and of course, little Wilhelmina Olive Blessing, as she tells us this sweet wintertime story. What do they do to get little Maggie home? Join the fun. Read out loud yourself or read along with others! You will love the story of Maggie, the cat who comes home for Christmas.
Excerpt
Hi. My name is Wilhelmina Olive Blessing. I am going totell you the story of Maggie. My Maggie. Maggie the cat who came home forChristmas.
Here we go.
My daddy, my little cat,Maggie, and I were on our way to visit my Grandpa Charlie Green at his applefarm in Ellijay. It’s called the Ellijay Apple Farm.
Yes, it was a cooooold andblustery day. 45 degrees to be exact. Brrrrrr. My daddy and I were climbing, climbing,climbing up the dirt road. It was very bumpy. We went bump bump and even bigger bump!
We were almost to Grandpa Charlie Green’s home,and there from the pebble road…
Could it be? Would it be?
We saw the farmhouse. Oh my! It was so pretty.It was white and had a big chimney, and it had a front porch. Coming out of thechimney was smoke — lots and lots and lots of smoke and ooooooohh did it smell good.
We pulled up, and there was Grandpa CharlieGreen in his red checkered jacket waiting on the front porch with his arms heldwide, wide open. Maggie and I both ran up the front steps and jumped right intohis arms. Grandpa Charlie Green held us both very tight and very close.
“Merrrrrry Christmas. I am so, so happy you areall here. Just five more days until Christmas.”
He whispered in my ear, “I love you all sovery, very much.”
Maggie then jumped out of my arms, ran into thefarmhouse, and ran up to the fire in the fireplace. It was so warm and cozy,and goodness it smelled soooo good. Maggie went into one circle, then anothersmaller circle, and then an even smaller one yet. She laid down right in frontof the fire and went purrrrr purrrrr purr and tightened herself up into a little tinyball. Maggie is a beautiful little Calico cat with long, full fur and a veryhappy face. She has big brown eyes and a big smile on her face. She wore acollar made of small red apples.
But wait!!! Out from the back of the house camea little goat just running and jumping all around the room and wanting to playwith little Maggie. Grandpa Charlie Green said, “That’s Pip, my goat. He lookslike he has become fast and furious friends with Maggie. Why don’t we let the two of them run outside andplay?”
Daddy opened the front doorwide, and down the front steps went Maggie and Pip.
Oh my! They were having awonderful time.
Grandpa Charlie Green is areally cool guy. He once brought his beloved little cow to my daddy’s schoolwhen my daddy was just a first grader at Blue Mountain Ridge Elementary. Hebrought the little cow, who was named Half-Pint, to the school so the littlechildren could see how milk was produced.
Later that evening, itbegan to get dark. There was Pip at the front door wanting to get back in. Butwait! There was no Maggie. Where was Maggie? Where was Maggie? There was noMaggie.
The day the little cat ranoff was a sad day. Everyone went outside and called,
“Maaaaaaaa-gie,Maaaaa-gie
Maaaaaaaa-gie,Maaaaa-gie
Where couldyou be?
Where wouldyou be?
Ohhhhh,Maggie
Please comehome to me.”
But there was no Maggie. Wewere sad, and we went back in to wait.
In the morning, I jumpedout of bed and ran to the front porch in my pajamas.
Review: This is the lovely, illustratedchapter story of a cat named Maggie. One day, the goat and the cat went outsideto play. That very night, the goat came back, but the cat had run away. Wherewas Maggie?
“Where could you be? Where wouldyou be? Ohhhh, Maggie. Please come home to me.”
Days went by as the familyprepared for Christmas with still no Maggie in site. Each morning and night,the little girl would call out for Maggie. Nothing. All she wanted was forMaggie to come home for Christmas.
All it took was a little ingenuityto get the cat to come home for Christmas.
Short and simple, this was asweet, little story. A great reading for any holiday bedtime.
Rating:4 stars
About the Author
Julia spent many winters in the mountains along with her little dog, Chloe, and her sweet husband, Kent. She continues to live in Atlanta, but her heart is really in those woods.
One of her favorite things ever was hearing her first graders read aloud. She sometimes wrote for the government and companies, and later wrote descriptions of homes. She even spent time as what is called a roustabout!
Today, she presents her first ever storybook! She hopes many children will read the story aloud! She continues to visit her mountainside cabin often. She lives in Atlanta along with Kent and two sweet cats named Rigby and Linus. One of these days, she’s hoping to get a little goat.
Contact Link
Purchase Links
November 4, 2023
Review: THE NIGHTMARE ROOM: THEY CALL ME CREATURE by R.L. Stine
It all started with finding afinger in the woods. It wasn’t from a human. It was from some kind of animal.Everything was feeling weird to Laura—the woods, the animals, and even her ownfather. What was her father working on in the shed? What was he hiding?Something incredibly scary was in those woods. Something was attacking andeating the animals. I hated that Laura’s poor dog was attacked—his poor leg allchewed up. Oh, so sick!
This was horror and mystery allrolled into one. It’s a pretty terrifying ordeal with all the animalexperiments and the hunters in the woods. Hiding in the dead dear was SO GROSS!Of course, the author had to detail every, little thing about it. A story thatcould only be concocted by a dark mind. I wasn’t too sure about the ending asit conflicted with what I read in the beginning.
In any sense, this was a good,scary read!
Rating:4 stars
