Karilyn Bentley's Blog, page 16

Go Set a #Watchman, A Book #Review @lsfabre #MFRWAuthor

After all the hype and speculation about this “sequel” to To Kill a Mockingbird, I decided not to read it neither a sequel nor prequel, but as a standalone novel by a debut author. This freed me from making comparisons or having any expectations confirmed or crushed by the work.

This book is very much a literary piece, taking place over only a few days into Jean Louise’s (Scout’s) annual two-week visit to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama. Currently twenty-six years old, she lives in New York City and returns each summer for two weeks to visit her family. Her father, Atticus, is getting old and has severe arthritis. His sister Alexandra lives with him and keeps house. Calpurnia, the African-American woman who had been the housekeeper when Scout was growing up had long ago retired. Atticus’s eccentric brother, a physician, also lives in Maycomb and has spent so much time reading Victorian literature, he appears to have lost touch with reality and what century he lives in. She also has a love interest, Henry, her father’s young law partner, who seems to be waiting for her to return and marry him.

The first third of the book provides her reflections on her life growing up in the small Alabama town, her relationship with her father and others in her life, and her assessment of race relationships in the South. At the third-way mark, she is confronted with an event that shakes her belief system to her very core, and the rest of the book involves her coming to terms with this reality.

The title is taken from Isaiah 21:6 “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees,” which is referenced later as a person’s conscience. Throughout the book, her own conscience puts her at odds with those around her. While she feels compelled to point this out, she restrains herself until she clashes with her father toward the end.

As I read the book, I found myself comparing it primarily with The Help, another story where a young Southern woman returns to her hometown and finds herself unable to re-adjust to the life she left when she went off to college. A particularly strong parallel is Jean Louise’s aunt’s insistence on inviting the local women to a Coffee (always capitalized) in honor of her visit, not unlike the bridge and country club parties depicted in The Help. Both women also find their views on race relations at odds with those in their community.

 Ms. Stockett, the author of The Help, however, had the benefit of hindsight with respect to the civil rights movement in crafting her story. Many of the events were still to come when Ms. Lee penned hers. Ms. Lee's prescience becomes even more impressive when considered in this light. Certain recent incidents involving the police and African-Americans highlight how far the country still has to go. In Go Set a Watchman, Ms. Lee raises the country’s undercurrent of prejudice and inequality to the surface and is as relevant today as it was in 1960. Her work continues to be a watchman for us all.

Does this book recall any other simliar books to mind?

Liese Sherwood-Fabre is a regular contributor to a number of Sherlock Holmes newsletters, providing insights into Victorian England and context to the Doyle stories. She woud like to invite interested readers to join her newsletter and receive a free thriller short story upon subscribing. You can check out previous articles and other free stories on her Website: www.liesesherwoodfabre.com 

Under the Princess Crown: Luanna Stewart & her new book Portrait of a Girl #romanticsuspense #MFRWorg #newbook

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Luanna Stewart now lives in Maine with her dear husband, two college boys and two cats. When she's not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious.






Speed Round:Favorite movie: anything starring Cary Grant
Favorite book:  Little Women
Last book read: His Wicked Reputation by Madeline Hunter
Favorite color:  purple
Stilettos or flip-flops:  flip-flops
Coffee or tea:  coffee
E-book or paperback:  e-book
Pencil or pen:  penFavorite song:  Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) sung by k.d. langStreak or not:  NOT!Favorite dessert:  chocolate cakeChampagne or gin:  ginParanormal or Historical:  historicalGinger or Mary Ann:  Mary AnnFavorite TV show:  PoldarkHot or cold:  coldPOV:  deep 3rd personI'd die if I don't have:  my children
An old crime and an irresistible new lead...She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him close, her soft lips laying claim to his mouth. He slid an arm around her waist, pulled her close, pressing against her heat. Her scent made him forget all the reasons why this was a bad idea.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” She nibbled at his lips, playing and teasing.
“You’re right.” He nuzzled her neck, tempted to take a bite.
“I hardly know you.”
“Exactly.”
“Why are you so agreeable?”
“One of us has to think clearly, and I’m doing my damnedest to be a gentleman.”
“Maybe I don’t want a gentleman.”
She pulled him back for another kiss, open-mouthed, tongues clashing. If the bad guys showed up right now—
He broke the kiss. They were both breathing hard, and her heart raced along with his. He had to get her out of his house. “I’ve got a deadline to meet, or I won’t get paid. I’d hate to make my landlord upset by being late with the rent.”
He felt her smile against his neck. “I happen to know your landlord, and her cat would go hungry if you were late with the rent.”
“I’d hate to be responsible for a cat going hungry. Maybe we can continue this discussion later.”
“You can count on it.”

Find Luanna Stewart at:  Website EmailFind Portrait of a Girl at: Entangled Publishing

@sloanebcollins Tribal Units #familytribes #worktribes #amwriting #MFRWorg

I found myself thinking of tribes yesterday, and how I have been a part of several very different ones over the years. Tribes evolve over the years as your yourself grows and evolve. You leave one tribe, and become involved with another tribe. 
Your initial tribe starts with your immediate family. Once you hit school, you join another tribe. I think my first outer tribe was in 9th grade, with the three friends I was closest to. 

Then high school hit, and I had a few core friends. College brought a new tribe, both girls and boys (the brothers I had always wanted). I'm blessed to be back in touch with a few of those tribal mates now. 
Then my familial tribe expanded when I became engaged. Or I should say exploded, with 6 (SIX!) sisters. The first time I met them all was at Thanksgiving. I had my then-fiancé (now husband of 27 years) tell me about each of his sisters and their families. For two days I rehearsed the sisters' names: Dee, Kathy, Donna, Patti, Brenda, Melissa. Over and over again until it became a mantra: DeeKathyDonnaPattiBrendaMelissa. DeeKathyDonnaPattiBrendaMelissa. DeeKathyDonnaPattiBrendaMelissa. It was so interesting to become a part of this tribe - one totally different from the small family I had growing up. At family gatherings I like to sit back and watch them interacting with each other.  One of these days when I write about a big family, I’m sure I’ll use my experiences with this family as inspiration.  I love this tribe like they are my own sisters. 
Not every job has had work mates become a tribe, but one dear to my heart is one I became a part of at an insurance company. I joined the support department, and we were the ones everyone turned to for a variety of tasks. That was a fun tribe and I'm still friends with several of those inmates...er, tribal members. 
My husband and I moved to Tampa in 1999, and my tribe shrank to 4 ppl (and two cats): hubby, one of my insurance company tribal mates and her husband who happened to move there right before us. I still cherish our friendship with Steve and Debra. They were an important, stable, familiar tribe as we navigated new waters in a strange, humid city. 
My next tribe was formed when I was hired as the executive assistant to the General Manager at the new Neiman Marcus store. Not only did our team bond together over opening a new store from the ground up, but we struggled thru a grand opening just four days after 9/11. They were a special group, and I'm still close with many of them today. 
Our move to Dallas brought several new tribes. I have family from both sides of my parents here, so we are blessed with another familial tribe. 
One of the strongest, closest tribal units I have are my core group of friends at work. These are women who have worked together for many, many years. I'm so blessed to be a part of this group. They are sisters of my heart. The inspiration for this blog post actually came from my friend Stacey. She stopped by my office to give me an awesome crate that she had picked up knowing I collect all things French, and it reminded her of me. 
My writing journey has brought me more close friendships, some of the best ever. As part of the Dallas Area Romance Authors chapter, I've become part of smaller tribes of the big group. From being on the board, to becoming a Plotting Princess, to my critique group, to my 2 best friends Sasha and Suzanne, they are all sisters of my heart. 
As a whole, the romance writing tribe is the biggest and most supportive group of authors. We celebrate successes, drink wine and commiserate over trials, and plot and brainstorm when help is needed. This is one tribe I never want to leave. 
Last but not least is my core tribe: my husband and four cats.  



What about you?  How many tribes are you a part of? How have they shifted over the years?

A Canine Emergency

The other day hubby and I were getting ready to go to our grandson's soccer game, and I dropped one of my prescription medications on the floor as I was filling my Sunday through Saturday dispenser. A few minutes later, I got off the chair to retrieve it, and my dog Lola was there staring up at me.

And you guessed it. The pill was gone.

You have to know that it almost takes an act of war to get her to swallow her monthly flea/heart worm pill, so I questioned whether she really had gobbled up the darn thing or not.

But it was nowhere to be found.

Being a nurse, I knew my ten pound Maltese/Bichon mix would die unless I acted fast. And I also knew that by the time I could get her to the vet, it would be too late. So when I called, they told me to get hydrogen peroxide into her until she threw up. After seven syringe-fulls and no throw up, I panicked and called them again. They instructed me to keep shoving it down her throat. Three more syringe-fulls later, she finally threw up. Although there was no visible pill, I figured the peroxide had probably dissolved it.

Lola continued to vomit periodically for all that day and the next, but I'm happy to report that she's fine now. Quick action saved her life.

I guess the moral of the story is that you have to be as careful around your pets as you are around small children. I wondered how I could relate this experience to anything else in my life, and I came up with this.

I am a habitual procrastinator. Had I reached down and picked up the pill right when I dropped it, I wouldn't have this story to tell, and my little sweetheart wouldn't have had to go through all that misery.

So I made a vow to myself to work on this problem--to try to get better. Now I'm wondering how many fellow procrastinators I have out there. And if you are one, has it ever caused grief in your life? And if you aren't, any advice to those of us who are?

And just so you know, my newest book released last Monday. MISSION TO KILL is available in digital and print and will release in audio soon.

.@VickiBatman - The Big Goof and The Return #Longmire #MFRWorg #Netflixshows #RssosSisters #MFRWorg

I loved Longmire; so when in 2014, word filtered through that the superb Western had been cancelled at the end of three seasons, yep, that was just wrong
I was shocked! So were a lot of other folks. I began watching this superb show because it wasn’t about housewives, or chef cook-offs, or a badly behaving bridezilla. Nope, Longmire was about a sheriff, his staff, family, and friends who lived in a small Wyoming town. The series is based on the books written by Craig Johnson.
It seemed the viewer-ship was primarily the average age of 60 versus 48, that the "demographics" weren't there. What a crock!
But thanks to folks like the Longmire Posse...
Netflix rode to the rescue and the show continues. 
Handsome and I have been doling out episodes instead of binge watching. We want to make this last. 

Are you a Longmire fan? Have you been a fan of a show and it was cancelled with you wanting more? 
And if you like Longmire, consider tweeting: #LongLiveLongmire  or #LongmireSeason4

@kellyleefiction To swag, or not to #swag. That is the question. #bookpromo

There's nothing quite like the release day of a book you've toiled over. Nothing quite like it, except when you have two of them release within two months. In July, Murdering Eve was released with a new publishing house, and just a few days ago, Battle Heat, the second book in the series, was also released.


But here's the kicker. Both of these books have been released before with a different publisher, and I've got literally boxes of "old cover" swag, like bookmarks. Here's the old cover bookmark for Battle Heat, of which I have, like, a thousand. They're similar, but not identical by any means.



In today's environment, especially with indy-published novels, authors are freshening up their older tomes by repackaging and doing new covers, even though it's the same book.

 So author friends, and distinguished readers, I would very much like your perspective. 

1. Do you find it confusing when the same book gets a new cover, even if the title stays the same?
2. Does it bother you if the swag you may pick up somewhere, like a bookmark, contains slightly different art than what you see when you purchase or download the book?
3. What's the final verdict on my old swag.... do I chunk it in file 13 or keep it because, let's face it, there's a lot of chest muscle going on.. 

Inquiring minds want to know.

Hugs,
Princess Kelly

Battle Heat Blurb:

    Holly Okeanos is alone, held against her will by the immortal that destroyed her people. Desperate for revenge, she vows to fight until her last breath to regain her freedom.
    The beast inside Ares must feed. His family knows darkness lies within him and they equally fear and hate him for it, but he’s the first they call when the Olympus throne is threatened. He’s struggled to control the bloodlust since the dawn of time, but only carnage sates the monster within.
    With an escalating rebellion and a resurrected Scarab to defeat, Ares doesn’t have time to deal with his infuriatingly beautiful captive, whose mere presence strangely calms the beast and settles his mind. She detests the very air he breathes, but he finds himself assailed by feelings that haven’t surfaced in over a millennia. Could Holly be the woman to finally quiet the beast inside him?

Buy links:

@kellyleefiction #NewRelease Today!

Happy Labor Day Weekend
 RELEASE DAY CELEBRATION!!!BATTLE HEAT…. A sexy new release in the Four Realms Series



  



BATTLE HEAT -  AVAILABLE NOW The heart-pounding story of Holly, the reluctant assassin you loved to hate in MURDERING EVE — and Ares, the God of War who destroyed her whole world.
By Kelly L Lee
Holly Okeanos is alone, held against her will by the immortal that destroyed her people. Desperate for revenge, she vows to fight until her last breath to regain her freedom. 
The beast inside Ares must feed. His family knows darkness lies within him and they equally fear and hate him for it, but he's the first they call when the Olympus throne is threatened. He's struggled to control the bloodlust since the dawn of time, but only carnage sates the monster within.
With an escalating rebellion and a resurrected Scarab to defeat, Ares doesn't have time to deal with his infuriatingly beautiful captive, whose mere presence strangely calms the beast and settles his mind. She detests the very air he breathes, but he finds himself assailed by feelings that haven't surfaced in over a millennia.
Could Holly be the woman to finally quiet the beast within?
Brief Excerpt:“I’m not going to punish you, though I probably should.”Relief washed through her, and Holly blurted the obvious question. “Why not? I distracted you and caused your defeat.”“Don’t flatter yourself, Titaness.” Ares scoffed and kicked the broken end of the spear at his foot. “Your girly little scream was a mild annoyance, not a distraction so monumental I would allow myself to get killed over it.”Holly bristled at the word girly. She was many things, but girly was not one of them. Given half a chance, she’d make him eat the word, along with a mouthful of putrid arena sand.Ares arched a brow at her, wiped the dagger’s blade on his leathers, and shoved it into a hidden boot  sheath as he spoke again. “However, I don’t advise barging into my sparring session again, lest you find yourself dragged into my pit. Though I admit, I have half a mind to do that now, considering you want to feed me sand.”Try me, you smug shithead.The instant the thought snapped into her brain, she wanted to kick her own ass. He spent the last several minutes reading her mind. Did she honestly think he would let the insult go?Ares flipped his gaze up to meet hers, anger burning brightly within the depth of his molten chocolate irises. His lip twitched with a hint of satisfaction.“Come down here and say that.”Amazon Barnes & Noble   Kobo  All Romance Books Bookstrand  
MURDERING EVE -  AVAILABLE NOWExiled to magic-barren Earth Realm, Whit Blackstone has resigned himself to never seeing his family or clan again. But when a mysterious woman appears, wielding as much power as the goddess who banished him, primal desire and his desperation to return home collide.Immortal… After twenty-nine years of believing herself human, Eve Moore can’t wrap her brain around the word. But even immortals can’t always cheat death, especially if a bloodthirsty God of War threatens your soul. Betrayed and hunted by a relentless assassin, newly immortal Eve Moore has no choice but to trust the heart-stopping stranger she’s been tasked to find and return to Olympus.As their chemistry ignites, Eve discovers the depth of her emerging powers, and the inescapable connection she and Whit share.  When the time comes, will Eve hand him over and walk away? Or will the long buried secrets of her past doom both their lives, and their very souls?Read the award-winning first book in the Four Realms series Murdering Eve
Amazon  or  Barnes & Noble 
Iron Defiance - Release date coming soon!Book 3 in the Four Realms series 
Amelee, a princess of the Seelie Court, is engaged to one man out of duty, but desperately loves another. She’s accepted her fate, willing to deny the deepest longings of her heart in service to her queen.
Arganos has secretly loved Amelee since the beginning of time, but she is Fey royalty and he is a hardened warrior, reviled by her kind for the sins committed by the God of War he serves. Though Arganos is prepared to sacrifice his own happiness to ensure Amelee’s, he refuses to intervene even though he knows her fiancé isn’t what he seems.
But when tragedy strikes, Amelee turns to Arganos, the forbidden war captain, instead of her fiancé for help. Fueled by Faery Court politics and a treacherous Queen’s rule, will the secrets they discover drive Amelee and Arganos apart forever, or will they defy everything for love?
 Find Kelly Lee at:
 Contact:   kellyleefiction@gmail.comWebsite:  www.kellyleefiction.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-L-Lee-Author/280502515297151 Twitter: @kellyleefiction Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2539862.Kelly_L_Lee
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kellyleefiction/
Blogs: www.kellyleefiction.com/blog

#MovieReview #ManFromUNCLE

I love going to the movies. From buying my tickets to the smell of fake buttery popcorn and the faint stick of my shoes to the theater floors, I love the entire experience. I go in hoping to get completely wrapped up in the cinematic storybook I'm about to view.
Sometimes this is an epic failure.
But not this time.
I adored The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Everything about it. The zippy dialogue. The setting. The costumes. The music - oh, the music. And the characters. Especially this one:
Yes, Armie Hammer is just about the most beautiful man in existence right now. But his character, Illya Kuryakin--for me--puts him in a new non-cape wearing class of superhero. Illya is introduced actively, there is no doubt he is the bad guy. He chases our hero (a dashingly handsome and totally rakish Henry Cavill) in a rather Terminator meets Russian spy mash-up that made me more than a little intimidating. But this raw, barely-controlled creature has many layers. And I loved watching those layers come to light. His back-story was intriguing and heart-wrenching, as was the motivation for everything he does. Yes, I fell a little in love with Illya. *sigh*
As the original television series was before my time, I had no point of comparison. And I'm thankful for that. This was a completely new cast of characters and I enjoyed every single one of them.
So, if you're looking for something to do this weekend, buy a ticket, get your popcorn, and sit back and ENJOY the show. You won't be sorry.
Curious? Here's the trailer:

Under the Princess crown with #mystery author Nancy Haddock #crafting #BerkleyPrimeCrime #amreading #MFRWorg

Under the Princess Crown with
Nancy Haddock is an award-winning, national bestselling author. Basket Case is the first book in the Silver Six Crafting mysteries with Berkley Prime Crime. Her earlier books are La Vida Vampire , Last Vampire Standing, and Always The Vampire, and feature Gidget with fangs.
Speed Round:Favorite movie: Father Goose
Favorite book: Way too many to name!
Last book read: Magic and Macaroonsby Bailey Cates
Favorite color: Aqua
Stilettos or flip-flops: Flip-flops or barefoot
Coffee or tea: Both
E-book or paperback: Both
Pencil or pen: PenFavorite song: “Surfin’ USA”Streak or not: NotFavorite dessert: Coconut meringue pieChampagne or gin:
The trouble Nixy expects in little Lilyvale, Arkansas is not the kind of trouble she finds. 
As I climbed the front stairs, I spotted my five-foot-nothing Aunt Sherry standing behind two folding tables that blocked the front door. A coatrack held small baskets of woven hemp and willow, and a swath of blue gingham fabric lay around the fallen baskets, the edges fluttering as if agitated by the swirling emotions instead of the mild breeze . . .Opposite my aunt stood the snarling star of the showdown in progress. She leaned over the folding table, her blood red fingernails scary long and lethal-looking as she pointed at Sherry.“You’ll come to an agreement with me, Mrs. Cutler, and you’ll do it soon or you’ll be very sorry.”“But, Ms. Elsman,” my aunt began.“No buts,” the Elsman woman interrupted. “I want that option on your land, and I will by God have it.”She tucked her asymmetrically cut black hair behind an ear, lifted a stiletto-shod foot, and deliberately speared one of the medium-sized hemp baskets lying on the porch.My temper flared in a sonic boom of fury. “Back up and back off, lady,” I snarled.The woman casually turned and arched a brow. “My name is Elsman. Ms. Jill Elsman, and I suggest you stay out of this. It does not concern you.”“Actually, it does.” The black-haired, black-eyed demon woman towered over me, but I stood straight and let her have it. “It so happens that Mrs. Cutler, the woman you just threatened, is my dearest aunt.”
Find Nancy at: Website     Email
Find Basket Case at: Amazon      Barnes & Noble

Wow, Nancy, so wonderful to get to know you some more. So do you have a great recipe for coconut pie?

Under the Princess Crown with B K Nault & her book, The Kalideoscope #fiction #newbook #MFRWorg

The Princesses welcome author 
B K Nault writes both fiction and nonfiction (also as Beverly Nault). Empty-nested and downsized, she and husband Gary live full time in their RV they call Flight Risk - nicknamed “Fly.” Gary power-glides in "The Gnat" while Beverly safely explores new horizons on her Kindle, and banging the keyboard creating new worlds from her offbeat imagination.
Speed Round:Favorite movie: Gone With the Wind
Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Last book read: How to Catch a Russian Spy
Favorite color: Peach
Stilettos or flip-flops: Flip flops
Coffee or tea: Coffee
E-book or paperback: E-book
Pencil or pen: PencilFavorite song: MoondanceStreak or not: NOTFavorite dessert: Carrot CakeChampagne or gin: champagneParanormal or Historical: paranormalGinger or Mary Ann: Mary AnnFavorite TV show: The AmericansHot or cold: HotPOV: ThirdI'd die if I don't have: A loaded e-reader
“The Kaleidoscope” spins computer nerd Harold Donaldson’s world 
from black-and-white boring into Technicolor adventure.
Find B K Nault at: Website
Find The Kalideoscope at: Amazon

***the publisher has planned a .99 ebook sale for the week of, August 24-28, so your readers will be able to purchase at the sale price!***

Wow, B K, what a great cover. How did you come up with Kaleidoscope for a title?