Sandy Wolters's Blog, page 15

Sandy's Spotlight - BOOK REVIEW - Ties That Bind by Carolyn Arnold

Sandy's Spotlight
BOOK REVIEW
TIES THAT BIND
BY
CAROLYN ARNOLD
Click on book cover to read excerpt Book: Ties That Bind
Author: Carolyn Arnold
Genre: Crime Drama, Thriller, Police Procedural

The following is my May 28, 2012, 5 Star review:

If you like thrilling crime dramas, this is the book for you!

TIES THAT BIND is the first book in the Madison Knight series by CAROLYN ARNOLD. This book has twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing as well as the lead character, Homicide Detective Madison K...

Sandy's Spotlight - Ashley Fontainne, Zero Balance

Sandy's Spotlight
Today's Special Guest Author Is:
Ashley Fontainne
I've got a real treat for you today! I'm introducing you to Ashley Fontainne, author of the suspenseful, thrilling Eviscerating the Snake series. This series needs to be read in order. Book 1 - Accountable To None. Book 2 - Zero Balance. Both of these books were fast paced, well written stories with twists and turns in the plot that has the reader sitting on the edge of their seat just waiting to see who's going to get theirs...

Sandy's Spotlight Special - Kindle Fever Event!

Sandy's Spotlight
Announcing a special event!
#Kindlefever
Click on the Kindle picture to be taken directly to the event. May 15 & 16th
This event will go live Tuesday, May 15th at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

~~ 7 Authors ~~
~~ 14 Books ~~

Load up your Kindle with #Kindlefever!

GetTWObooksFORthe price ofONE!
Genres include:
MEN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE
MYSTERY & CRIME DRAMA
TRUE CRIME
MYSTERY & TREASURE HUNTING
CHILDREN & FANTASY
ROMANCE & PARANORMAL

There's also something available for th...

Sandy's Spotlight - Mitzi Kelly, Deadly Policy

Sandy's Spotlight
Today's Special Guest Author is
Mitzi Kelly
Mitzi Kelly I am happy to introduce you today to Mitzi Kelly, author of the humorous mystery novel, Deadly Policy. This is the second book in the Silver Sleuths Mystery Series. Classic Revenge is the first book in the series, but they do not need to be read in order.

I am hosting a Deadly Policy Book Discussion and would love to see you over there. You will have the opportunity to interact with Mitzi and ask her any questions you w...

Sandy's Spotlight - Gregory C. Randall, Toulouse 4 Death

Sandy's Spotlight
Today's Special Guest Author is
Gregory C. Randall
Gregory C. Randall If you are a fan of suspenseful thrillers, you've come to the right place! Today I've got author Gregory C. Randall and I'm featuring his novel, Toulouse 4 Death, Book 3 in The Chronicles of Sharon O'Mara series. Even though this is a series, Toulouse 4 Death is a standalone. I have not yet read Greg Randall's first two books in the series, Land Swap 4 Death and Containers 4 Death, but I enjoyed Toulouse 4...

Sandy's Spotlight - Scott Nagele, A Smile Through a Tear: Stories

Sandy's Spotlight
Today's Special Guest Author is
Scott Nagele
Scott Nagele I featured Scott Nagele and his novel, Temp: Life in the Stagnant Lane, on Sandy's Spotlight back in August 2011.  I became one of Scott's biggest fans from the very first page.  When I was done reading that book, I begged him to come back on the blog so we could take a look at some of his other work.  The time has finally come.  Today I'm featuring Scott's collection of short stories called, A Smile Through A Tear: Stories, and he's here on the video below to tell you about the book himself!  I'm also hosting A Smile Through A Tear: Stories Book Discussion.  Click on the link and join in the fun!  We'd love to hear from you.

Before I share my review of this book, I've just got to pass on some really exciting news to you.  I'd like to congratulate Scott and his lovely wife.  Very recently, they've had a new addition to their family, and I can't wait for his new blog posts on this subject.  It doesn't matter how old your kids are, if you are a parent, you will absolutely love Scott's new blog, Snoozing on the Sofa.  Although my kids have long since left our home, I've gotten many enjoyable moments reading about Scott's escapades with his young son.  We've all been there.

I'd also like to take a moment to say how proud I am of Scott and his recent accomplishments as an author.  His novel, A Housefly in Autumn, was recently selected as a quarter finalist in the YA Fiction Category for the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest!  Amazon has released the first 5,000 word excerpt of this novel.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, Scott!
The following is my April 5, 2012, 5 star review:

A wonderful collection of short stories - A MUST READ

If you are like me and love to read but you are so busy it's daunting trying to find the time to read a full-length novel, A SMILE THROUGH A TEAR: STORIES by SCOTT NAGELE is the book for you. The very best comparison I have to reading one of Mr. Nagele's short stories instead of a full-length novel is, it is like eating a bite-sized Milky Way instead of the full-sized candy bar. You get all of the pleasure and none of the guilt.

Each story in this collection of short stories is masterfully written and leaves the reader with a sense of fulfillment after reading them. Mr. Nagele has given the reader variety in not only humor to drama, but writing styles, and time frames from historical to futuristic. I LOVED THEM ALL!

I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys reading any genre. There's something here for everyone.
A Smile Through A Tear: Stories
Blurb:

A Smile Through a Tear is a collection of short stories featuring humorous and dramatic pieces in one volume. Five of these stories have been previously selected for publication in literary journals, including Berkeley Fiction Review.

The humorous stories include the tales of: a telephone company executive who must figure out how to use his phone before he is exposed as a fraud; a woman who has accidentally introduced a mysterious white powder into the State Capitol building; and a man whose entire job is to sit on a park bench, and who has trouble meeting that obligation.

The dramatic episodes include the stories of: a father trying to protect his kids from a lifestyle that sent him to prison; a group of WWI soldiers facing overwhelming odds; a space traveler who must make a terrible choice; and a man whose best Christmas would be anyone else's worst.

These tales and many others are brought together in one book to present the reader with A Smile Through a Tear.

The total length of A Smile Through a Tear is 82,000 words.
Temp: Life in the Stagnant Lane
Blurb:

"Local Boy Makes Good, Dies of Trying Soon After."

Fearful of this epitaph, Gary Gray seeks to avoid career pressures by working as a temp. Unfortunately, Gary repeatedly gets into trouble by being too conscientious and outperforming the permanent employees. No matter how hard Gary tries to be a meek office worker, he can't seem to stop himself from becoming a competitive threat to his co-workers and superiors. Meanwhile, Gary's girlfriend is smart and beautiful, and he just might be able to hold onto her if he can stay employed and quit accidentally mooning her mom.

Gary runs afoul of a host of difficult characters in the workplace. Marge Meko is thoroughly incompetent, but she has "the goods" on the boss, so she easily gets away with blaming her errors on Gary. Marge's boss, Steve, wants all problems swept under the rug before they become an inconvenience to his cushy position. Rae is a secretary with an overblown ego, intent on consolidating power by crushing all her perceived competitors. Gary is convinced that College President Burton is a mere figurehead, pulled from the ranks of the indigent and propped up by Rae, the power behind the throne. Through his trials Gary comes to the amazing revelation that it may actually be less painful to die trying than to live the "easy" life of the temp.
Wasted Moons
Blurb:

Wasted Moons is the story of one man's quest to find love, write a book, and maybe do a little cross country skiing in a time of increasing personal isolation, constant distraction, and ever-milder winters. To pursue his quest, he must perform many feats of strength, courage, and outright stupidity. He must argue the Bible with door-to-door religious proselytizers; he must act out Last of the Mohicans with a slightly confused senior citizen; he must watch an entire Detroit Lions game with a man named Bud; he must make turkey gravy in a strange city; but most importantly, he must stop over-thinking every romantic situation and quit tripping over his conscience at every turn. With the spirit of a recently departed blues musician along for inspiration, he is off to conquer (or at least reach a face-saving compromise with) his goals. Will he overcome the obstacles before him, or will the moon that coddles lovers still mock him for his solitude? Only the personnel department of the local library system can say, and they're having trouble making up their minds.

Wasted Moons is a novel of approximately 70,000 words.
A Housefly In Autumn - 2012 ABNA Quarter Finalist in the YA Fiction Category (5,000 word excerpt free on Amazon)
Blurb:

At 17, Anders Christiansen was a prodigy, a young man full of potential. All of his instructors believed he was destined to blossom into a leading man of letters and to enjoy a life of rich rewards.That was before the accident.One day, Anders saw a little girl fall through the ice. He plunged in after her, saving her life. In the process, he nearly drowned. He would live, but he was changed.Now, Anders's great talent lies fallow. He can't produce the complex ideas he once did. His thoughts are slow and his words simple. Like the last housefly in autumn, he finds himself alone, separated from all he once knew. The world holds no great promise for him anymore.Struggling to build a meaningful life out of the wreckage of his dreams, Anders learns the value of simple treasures. Loyalty, devotion, and even sacrifice hold rewards of their own that can renew hope after tragedy.Anders gives meaning to his life in the way he spends it. He will face great danger to protect those he loves, and though his gifts be diminished, he will share them freely with even the humblest of children.Though never sought, Anders's reward is immense and enduring, showing the millions of reasons to go on sharing even the simplest of gifts.
Other Purchase Links for Scott Nagele's Books:
Barnes and Noble
Scott's Website
We enjoy hearing from the viewers, so please leave a comment for Scott and we'd love to have you join us over at the A Smile Through A Tear: Stories Book Discussion.  If you enjoyed the blog, please tweet your peeps and Facebook your friends!

Sandy's Spotlight - From TBR to Read

Sandy's Spotlight
From the TBR Pile to the Read Pile plus a giveaway!
Sandy Wolters - Avid Reader, Author and Blogger Well, I found myself with some extra time this week, so what did I do?  That's right.  I read books from my ever growing Goodreads TBR list!  I'm very picky about my TBR.  I don't add a book unless I actually have it on my Kindle or have a print copy of it.  It's the only way I can keep track of what books I have.  I only started doing this over the last year or so since I got my Kindle, and haven't gotten around to adding all the books on my bookshelf that I have to read.  I don't even want to think about that task. 

Speaking of Goodreads, if we haven't hooked up yet, here's the link to my Goodreads Profile.  Stop by and send a friend request.  I enjoy seeing what other people read and the reviews they write.

I have a surprise for you.  I'm hosting a giveaway.  I will be giving away your pick of one of my three ebooks, Maggie Mae, Justice For Emily or A Brother's Love.  If you like contemporary romance and romance/suspense, both with a ghostly paranormal twist, these books are for you!  To enter subscribe to the blog, just fill out the form on the blog sidebar that says, "Join Our Mailing List", then leave a comment and let me know which book you prefer and what format you want.  If you are already a subscriber, it still counts, just let me know in the comment.  If we have more than ten entrants, I will give another book away.  This giveaway will end on Thursday, April 5th.

I have read so many awesome books over the last couple of weeks, and I wanted to share them with you as well as introduce you to the authors who wrote them.  So here we go!
Click on book cover to visit author's website Pepper and Longstreet Mysteries, Volume One, The Beginning by J. T. Lewis
Short Story - YA

Blurb:  Pepper Jones and her mysterious sidekick Jacob Longstreet are investigating a string of burglaries in her neighborhood when they get a little too close!

My 5 star review:

Entertaining read!

I want to thank J.T. Lewis for writing Pepper And Longstreet (Vol. 1, The Beginning). I am an avid reader. My granddaughter, however, is not. I've been trying for so long to get her interested in reading and I think J.T. Lewis just might be the answer! I can't wait to give this book to her!

I so enjoyed the interaction between Pepper and Longstreet in this short story. I can't wait until Vol. 2 comes out to see what other adventures are in store for Pepper, and if Longstreet finds his ride!

This is a wonderful YA short story and I highly recommend it. If you've been looking to get your young teenager hooked on reading, Pepper And Longstreet (Vol. 1, The Beginning) just might be the answer to your prayers.
Click on book cover to visit author's website Pepper and Longstreet Mysteries, Volume Two, The Missing Clue by J. T. Lewis
Short Story - YA

Blurb:  A snobby high school cheerleader turns to Pepper and Longstreet when her father dies. A promised special inheritance has been lost due to a fire. Can Pepper and her mysterious sidekick find the clues needed as they sift through the ashes of this girl's life?

My 5 star review:

Loved it!

Pepper and Longstreet are so much fun to read about! Volume 2 moved in a different direction for me. While Pepper and Longstreet are still solving mysteries, this mystery was about a touching love story between a father and his children. It brought tears to my eyes. This is a must read! When you're done, do what I did. Give it to your child, mine's 31, and then it will be passed to your grandchildren. I promise. They will love it as much as you do. I absolutely recommend this book for anyone of any age.
Click on book cover to visit author's website The Sunset Warrior - Nowhere Arizona by Leanore Elliott
Novel - Erotica

Blurb:  Come and visit Nowhere: Take a wet dip into the tingling Aphrodisiac waters of the Lightning Pool. The Hot Tour will continue to seduce all your senses with a lesson in The Taming Cave. Dare to take a sexy, riveting ride on a dark stallion for the most thrilling pounding of your life.

My 5 star review:

A Stunningly Beautiful Read

What can I say? I loved all aspects of this book. The scenes that MS. ELLIOTT wrote describing various parts of Arizona in her book NOWHERE, ARIZONA: THE SUNSET WARRIOR were so well written, they carried me off and I was actually able to see these beautiful places in my head. I've lived in Arizona my whole life and never has anyone come so close to describing its harsh beauty, vivid colors and the feeling of a deep rooted lore and legend that you actually feel while walking the land so brilliantly.

Madeline Sayers is not a character I would normally like. She is lost in the corporate world and nothing else matters to her. By the end of the book, I found myself rooting for this woman to become a whole person, to feel love, to give love.

This book is erotica. I must say, you just never know what you are going to get when you pick up a book labeled erotica. There were several steamy scenes in this book that were beautifully written, some even entwined lore and legend in them. Whew! HOT! HOT! HOT! This is NOT your average erotica. Arizona is a place well known for our treasure hunts, i.e. the Superstition Mountain's Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. I say, "Screw the gold. I'm going to find that Lightening Pool!" Read the story and you'll know why! You will not be disappointed!

I have the second in this series downloaded on my Kindle, and I just can't wait to get to it!
Click on book cover to visit author's website Love Unfinished by Darian Wilk
Novel - Romance

Blurb:  Soul mates from the past leave their love unfinished when a tragic accident ends their lives on their wedding day. Yet they are destined to meet again to fulfill that love in new incarnations, leading vastly different lives.

Emma thought she had chosen the right path, but too late does she realize her mistake as her husband reveals the monster behind his smile-morphing their fairytale image with loveless obligation. Trapped in a broken marriage to a powerful, abusive husband, she knows this is not the life she was destined to live. As her hope for love withers, she meets James, her love from a lifetime ago.

Emma cannot deny the love pulling her toward James, but courage to abandon her marriage wavers and unknowingly puts her love on the line. If Emma has any hope of life and love, she must trust the bond with James and be with the man destiny has spent two lifetimes guiding her toward. Are they fated to fulfill their love, or will they once again, leave love unfinished?

My 5 star review:

Beautiful heartwarming story.

LOVE UNFINISHED by DARIAN WILK is a lovely tale of two soul mates finding each other in their current life and the obstacles they face coming together as they were meant to be. If you are a lover of romance like I am, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

We meet Carol and Ted in the beginning of the book and fall instantly in love with both of them. Unfortunately for the reader, Carol and Ted have a tragic ending. Yep. I cried. Fortunately for the reader, we get to meet them again as Emma and James, both of which have some serious baggage to contend with. Throughout the book, I found myself rooting for Emma and James, but I never knew if they would be able to overcome all the obstacles in their way to find true happiness with each other.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ending of this book. There was a twist I was not expecting at all. If you enjoy romance with a touch of paranormal thrown in, you are going to love this book as much as I did. There were some grammatical errors occasionally throughout this book, but the story being told was so good they just didn't bother me. I was hooked and couldn't put it down. This book had all the elements a really great romance should have and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Click on book cover to visit author's website Accountable To None by Ashley Fontainne
Novel - Suspense

Blurb:  Glorious revenge, the dish known as best served cold. Audra Tanner has waited for five years to invite her unwitting guests to her feast of just desserts and now her dinner party approaches.

Audra was a brilliant CPA that for years, worked the grueling hours her job demanded as she made her way from lowly grunt auditor to a minority partner at a prestigious accounting firm located in the southwest. Her dedication took a tremendous toll on her not only mentally, but physically as well, and culminated the night that she met with the sadistic managing partner, Olin Kemper, to discuss her promotion to equity partner. That night, Audra learned that to become part of the 'elite' at Winscott & Associates required much more than she was willing to give. Unfortunately, that knowledge came too late and partnership was granted as a reward for her silence after her violent beating and rape.

Five years later, Audra is now an entirely different creature at work, a shell of her former self that wears the guise of partner during the day yet retreats at night to her hidden self as she plots her revenge on not only her rapist, but all those in power at the firm who knew what Olin had done to her, yet did nothing to stop him, as they were immersed in their own corrupt behaviors. Now head of the IT department and a self-taught hacker, Audra has spent the last five years perusing the firm's computers, searching and digging through the mounds of encrypted words for anything that she can use to allow her the opportunity to exact revenge on all those responsible for her pain.

What she finds changes the course of not only her life, but everyone else's as well, as her research leads her to the impending demise of the firm as well as an unsolved murder of a local college girl over thirty three years ago, both which stem from the monstrous hands of Olin. In her climactic confrontation with all the partners, Audra eviscerates all their hidden deceptions as she finally obtains her long awaited revenge and rocks the firm to its core.

My 5 star review:

AMAZING READ!

The author of Accountable To None, Ashley Fontainne, took me on an emotional roller coaster ride, feeling everything from pain and heartache of a character that the reader finds themselves wanting to wrap in a warm embrace, to the evil sense of entitlement on one of the most brutal characters I have read about in a long time. I'm exhausted. I could not put this book down. It gripped me from the very beginning and the intensity level just kept building and building. I found myself holding my breath as I read. I suggest you start this book on a Saturday morning with nothing planned for the day, because once you start, you won't be able to stop. This is an AMAZING READ! I highly recommend it.
Click on book cover to visit author's website The Black Dress & The Red Dress by Garden Summerland
Flash Fiction - Psychological Suspense

Blurb:  Two passionate flash fiction stories, each involving a dress of a different color; a black one representing sin and a red one, an all consuming lust. At the heart of each story is a woman who has in one way or another become a victim of a man she chose to love. And each one chooses a different way of dealing with these unfortunate circumstances.

My 4 star review: 

Stunning storytelling through flash fiction.

These two flash fiction pieces had me more scared for the characters in a much shorter period of time than I would have ever thought possible. What an incredible gift Ms. Summerland has to convey such depth of emotion in very short stories. I am so impressed with this author's writing that I've purchased volume one of her compilation of short stories. This author has an amazing way with words that will have you cringing as you're reading. These two flash fiction pieces were beautifully written. Click on book cover to visit author's website Bonded For Life (Class of '85) by Sharon Buchbinder
Short Story - Contemporary Romance/Suspense

Blurb:  When Lola Getz receives the invitation to her high school reunion, her first impulse is to toss it into the shredder. A terrible thing happened the day before her graduation-she never wanted to return to that dreadful place. But, when the Mexican drug wars heat up literally in her back yard, she's forced to flee her home and run to safe little Summerville.

Forty-three year-old police officer Webster (Web) Bond lives in Summerville and knows all about the bothersome reunion preparations. He has no fond memories of that time in his life when he was known as "The Dweebster." The only person Web's interested in seeing probably doesn't even remember him.

Little does Lola know when she arrives under cover of night that The Dweebster has grown up to become a hunky cop--and he has her in his cross hairs.

My 5 star review:

Action packed short story

BONDED FOR LIFE by SHARON BUCHBINDER is the first story I've read in her Class of '85 series and I can't wait to read more! This story starts out with Lola Getz, a woman who seems to have it all. She lives in a beautiful home in Mexico. She's wealthy. But as the story progresses, we learn that Lola has suffered some tremendous losses in her life.

Life in Mexico is becoming more and more unstable. Her personal safety is at risk from kidnapping at the hands of drug lords and opportunists wanting to earn money from the suffering of wealthy innocents. At the spur of the moment, Lola is forced to leave her home or lose her life. She finds herself heading for her high school reunion (the last place in the world she ever thought she'd be) where the reader finds out about another devastating loss she suffered while attending school in the states. Not sure where to turn or who to trust, she comes face to face with the Dweebster, Web Bond, an old friend from high school that has matured quite nicely.

I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it. BONDED FOR LIFE is a well written short story. As a reader, I could feel Lola's fear and the stress she was under. I couldn't wait to find out who was behind the assault and, I must admit, I was really angry when I did find out. It was full of sexual tension and ended on such a beautiful, thoughtful note.
Click on book cover to visit author's website Familiar Light by Sarah Ballance
Short Story - Sensual Romance/Suspense

Blurb:  Seven years of longing comes down to just one night.

Laney Kent returns to Barrier Shoals hoping to reunite with her first love, Bridger. She anticipates his reception might be chilly, but what she doesn't expect is to become the victim of a deadly obsession … or that this night with Bridger could be her last.

Bridger Jansen tangled a lot of sheets trying to forget about Laney, but his heart knew what the rest of him refused to admit: he could love no one else. He's determined not to forgive her for leaving him without explanation, but when he fails to protect her from a viscous attack, the person he can't forgive just might be himself.

My 5 star review:

Awesome read!

FAMILIAR LIGHT by SARAH BALLANCE is a beautifully written, fantastic short story! I am so impressed that Ms. Ballance could put together such a wonderfully suspenseful, sensuous read in a short story. What a talent she has. It left me breathing heavy after a particular scene at the beach and wanting for nothing, except in the Epilogue when it gives you a taste of the upcoming sequel called Tide of Lies. I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT! I WANT IT NOW! I can assure you that I will be reading much more of Ms. Ballance's work. I highly recommend this read.
Click on book cover to visit author's website Haunted by Willow Cross
Short Stories (4) Real Life Paranormal

Note:  As of the time I posted this blog, Haunted by Willow Cross is free on Amazon.  I have no idea how long it's going to be free, so click on the Amazon link above and get your copy soon!

Blurb:  Have you ever heard something go bump in the night and wondered if someone was there? Only to go looking for the cause of the noise and find nothing at all. Or how about unexplainably feeling like you're being watched when you're completely alone? Things disappearing for no reason or strange ghostly footsteps in the hall?

This book is a collage of short stories about a few of the otherworldly experiences I've had. Although they are not movie worthy, you may find them interesting. All the stories are 0 true. Nothing has been added for dramatic effect.

My 4 star review:

Do you believe?

I really enjoyed this book, HAUNTED by WILLOW CROSS. Many of us have had unexplainable experiences and they are so much fun to share. If you like "real life" ghost stories, pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

Ms. Cross shared four different incidents that happened to her and her family with the reader, The Protector, Inherited Troubles, The House on Rivermet and Dream Home, and all told as if we were sitting together having a chat. Each one of the stories brings with it a different emotion, everything from outright fear to a feeling of love and warmth.

If you are interested in the paranormal at all, this is a fun read. I recommend you pick it up.

Sandy's Spotlight - Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award

Sandy's Spotlight
I'm so thrilled to tell you that Sandy's Spotlight is the recipient of the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award.  Happy Dance!  Happy Dance!  I'd like to take a moment to thank Sharon Buchbinder for passing this award along to my blog.  It really means a lot to me. 

I am now supposed to share seven (7) random facts about myself.  So here we go!

1.  I'd rather be fishing.
2.  I can't believe Peyton Manning is going to the Broncos. :o(
3.  I'm going to be really pissed if NASCAR decides to uphold their decision against Chad Knaus and the 48 team.
4.  I'm a NASCAR junkie and proud of it.  My boys are 5 time Jimmie Johnson 48, Jeff Gordon 24, and Dale Earnhardt Jr 88.  Gotta love those Hendrick boys!
5.  Guilty pleasure - I'm hooked on the show, The Voice.
6.  I've found that hosting this blog has opened up a whole new world of reading to me.  I'm reading genres I've never thought about before and loving it!
7.  I'd rather be fishing.  I know I opened with this one but it's really true.  It helps me forget the whole Peyton Manning thing.

I hereby tag the following ten (10) blog buddies for the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award. It's their turn to spill seven secrets and pass the love along.  Have some fun learning about new blogs.  I know you'll enjoy them as much as I do!

1.    Scott Nagele - Snoozing on the Sofa
2.    Marla Madison - Reading and Writing are Fattening
3.    Ashlynne Laynne - Paranormal Romance and Beyond
4.    Dee Ernst - Author blog
5.    P.L. Blair - Author blog
6.    Markee Anderson - SweetTale Books
7.    Kristie Leigh Maguire - Author blog
8.    Jenny Milchman - Made It Moment
9.    Rebecca Forster - Author blog
10.  Sylvia Massara - Sylvia Says

Please take a moment to tweet your peeps and Facebook your friends so they can enjoy these wonderful blogs as well.  Thanks.

Sandy's Spotlight - Dal Burns, Alien Race

Sandy's Spotlight
Today's Special Guest Author is
Dal Burns
Dal Burns with Bella I have to say that I'm super excited about this feature.  Sandy's Spotlight has been a vehicle for me to grow as a reader.  It's afforded me the opportunity of broadening my genre horizons.  As most of my viewers know, I've just recently been introduced to the Sci-Fi genre.  After reading Alien Race by Dal Burns, I can't believe what I've been missing.  I'm so happy to introduce you to this wonderful storyteller today.  You're in luck because Dal has sent a really great video that I enjoyed watching immensely.  I can't wait for you to see it! 
Alien Race The following is my March 7th 4 star review:

Exciting Sci-Fi Read!

Being new to the Sci-Fi genre, I find that I'm liking it more and more with each book I read.  DAL BURNS has created a wonderful story in ALIEN RACE.  It not only pits two very different men against each other, it pits the extremes of technology and culture against each other.  There is an important message here that I think we all need to pay close attention to.

In an interview with DAL BURNS, he stated that he thought of himself as a storyteller.  I must say that I concur.  I was hooked on ALIEN RACE from the beginning all the way to the exciting conclusion.  I can't wait to read more books by Mr. Burns!  

***

If you've read Alien Race, please join us over at the Alien Race Book Discussion.  This is your opportunity to discuss anything you'd like to know about this book with the author.  If you haven't read Alien Race yet, no worries.  The Alien Race Book Discussion will remain open until March 22nd.  You have plenty of time to pick it up and join in the fun! 

Purchase links for all of Dal's books can be found on his website, DramaWorks, Inc.  Click on any book cover to be directed to the Amazon purchase link.  Alien Race can also be purchased on Smashwords.
Books and Audio CDs by Dal Burns:
Please tweet your peeps and Facebook your friends!  We look forward to seeing you over at the Alien Race Book Discussion.

Sandy's Spotlight - Marla Madison, She's Not There

Sandy's Spotlight
Today's Special Guest Author is
Marla Madison
She's Not There Today I'm introducing you to Marla Madison, author of She's Not There.  If you like suspense and thrillers, you are going to love this book!

I am also hosting a She's Not There Book Discussion, so all of you interested readers will have the opportunity to interact with Marla Madison and ask her whatever you want about the book.  If you've read She's Not There, please stop by and join in the fun.  If you haven't read the book, you have plenty of time to pick it up and read it.  The She's Not There Book Discussion will run until March 8th.  I look forward to seeing you there!

The following is my February 23, 2012, 4 star review:

She's REALLY Not There!

There are so many reasons why I enjoyed SHE'S NOT THERE by MARLA MADISON.  It is a suspense filled, believable tale of abused women disappearing.  Lisa, a psychologist working with abused women in a women's center comes across a statistical anomaly that tells her abused women are coming up missing in higher and higher numbers.  She becomes aware of this fact, just as one of her own patients goes missing without a trace.

Lisa takes this information to the police, but there is nothing that can be done.  These are women that often times want to leave the situation they find themselves in and not be found.   After all, an adult can legally leave and not tell anyone where they are going.  This fact alone makes them a very easy target for a serial killer who has no fear of the police taking the woman's missing status seriously. 

Lisa teams up with a wonderful cast of characters including a colorful retired cop, now PI, and two husbands of missing women, to gather evidence as proof the women are actually missing and take this information to the police to force them to start an investigation.

There are several twists toward the end of the book that I never saw coming and truly enjoyed.  If you like a good suspense, pick up SHE'S NOT THERE by MARLA MADISON.  You won't be disappointed.
Marla Madison, in her own words:
Marla Madison On Product, Popcorn, and Pounds

In this wonderful new age of the self-published author, everyone wants to know how to make eBook sales flourish. I'm sorry, but I don't have one more formula to give you on how to make that happen. What I can tell you is that not all methods work consistently. I've tried many that got super results for others, but nothing for my suspense book, She's Not There. There does not seem to be a guaranteed method for success, although many tout such promises in an effort to sell their own how-to books.

The best sales promotion in the world (or the costliest) won't help one iota if your product is not excellent. By excellent, I am not speaking of genre, for like John Locke, I believe everyone's stories have a potential following out there somewhere. The trick is finding that following. There are no shortcuts; building a following takes time and effort and no one way works for everyone.

Most importantly, you have to be ready when your book is noticed. Poor product marks the amateur. I've learned the hard way that sub-par editing, formatting, proofing and cover art turn off potential readers. In order to attract the audience waiting for your novel, you have to make that story one they will love reading.

Personally, I don't have what it takes in the patience department to do my own proofing and formatting—I have learned that about myself. And believe me, there is no worse feeling than being excited about finally putting your eBook up on Amazon and opening it to discover it is fraught with formatting problems and typos. If you don't have the money to pay a professional to do formatting and proofing for you, then find a method out there is easy to follow and spend whatever time and sweat it takes to turn your manuscript into a polished product.

Another question authors are asked is why they started writing. As an avid reader since I first learned to read, I was always shaping stories in my imagination.

My reading history progressed from fairy tales to romance, followed by espionage, occult, and finally suspense, which is about the only genre I read these days. I find that kind of book to be an exciting get-away from everyday life. To me it made sense to write what I love to read—suspense.

Some favorite authors are Brian Freeman, Jonathan Kellerman, Tami Hoag, Jeffrey Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, to name a few. While not claiming to have nearly her polish and talent, I'd have to say my writing style is most like Tami Hoag.

My writing history is not expansive. I wrote my first short story (a blazing romance) in a creased notebook when I was a young teenager. Over the years, most of my writing was in school or for my arbitration awards. When I retired from full-time work, I started planning a novel in my mind. It led me to a class for fiction writing. I submitted the first three chapters of my suspense novel as my project for the class. My feedback—don't quit your day job!

After that rejection, my book project sat in a drawer until a few months later when I saw an ad for a writer's critique group starting up in our area. For me, being in a critique group is what kept me motivated to write. The woman who started our group, Donna White-Glaser, author of The Ten Pounds of Christmas. It was a weekly lament about the difficulties of maintaining my weight during the holiday season. Every year I gain weight; the process begins with Halloween candy and doesn't end until I wake up ten pounds heavier on the second week of January. I added tips for my readers every week. The best outcome of the blog was what it did for me—it kept me on track this year and because of it, I only gained ½ a pound over the holidays.

Did the blog push my book to the top of the charts? I'm sorry to say I don't think my blogging sold any books. What it did do was build a list of  friends and followers, and that is what the new author has to do in order to build a social presence. This week I changed my strategy and added a blog on The Ten Things About Epublishing I Learned the Hard Way. (There were probably a lot more than ten!) So far, it's been well received.

I think the thing to take with you from my experience, is if you ePublish like I did, it will unfortunately involve a lot of trial and error. It can be discouraging, for sure. One more reason to join a group—lots of support along the way!

Right now I'm working on my second suspense novel and hope to have it available as an eBook by summer.

Please visit me at mam887@gmail.com or on my blog at http://marlamadison.blogspot.com. I'd love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Marla Madison

Donovancreed.com
Jakonrath.blogspot.com
www.deanwesleysmith.com
Donnawhiteglaser.jigsy.com

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Don't forget to join us over at the She's Not There Book Discussion!