L.S. Murphy's Blog, page 9

Home Sweet Home – Reaper Book Event

On January 26th, I had the pleasure of signing copies of Reaper at H.E. Sever Library in Kahoka, MO. For those of you who don’t know exactly where Kahoka is… well, you aren’t alone. Kahoka is in the northeast corner of Missouri, not far from the Iowa border. It’s tiny, as in blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tiny. There’s a Blimpie’s and a Breadeaux Pizza. There’s a Casey’s. That’s about it.

Even though I live in the St. Louis Metropolitan area now, Kahoka will always be home to me. I graduated high school with the same people I started kindergarten with. I learned to drive on the gravel, and often got busted, not by the cops, but by a neighbor or family member for doing something stupid. Honestly, when you live in a small town, you tend to do a LOT of stupid things to keep yourself entertained.

Here are a few pics from the radio interview at KOKX in Keokuk, IA and the Reaper book signing in Kahoka. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with me. A special shout-out to Destiny for hanging with us and taking care of a few teachers for me.

Tagged: 2013, Authors, Books, Fun, Just for Fun, Musings, Novels, Opinion, Opinions, Paranormal Romance, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Reaper, Romance, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA, YA books, YA Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, Young Adult Books

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Published on January 29, 2013 12:52

Rockin’ Thursdays: Burn It Down by Linkin Park

I love Linkin Park. This is one of those songs that I can’t stop listening to whenever it comes on the radio or on my MP3 player.

Tagged: 2013, Fun, Just for Fun, Musings, Opinion, Opinions, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Rockin' Thursdays, Videos, Writing

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Published on January 24, 2013 03:00

Waiting on Wednesday: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, showcasing books that we are waiting to read hosted by Breaking the Spine.

When I first saw this book, I got chills down my spine. This sounds like a very intense character study!

About Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock: Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate, Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting look at a day in the life of a disturbed teenage boy, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Tagged: 2013, Authors, Books, Fiction, Fun, High School, Musings, Novels, Opinion, Opinions, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Teens, Waiting on Wednesday, Writers, Writing, YA, YA books, YA Contemporary, Young Adult, Young Adult Books

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Published on January 23, 2013 03:00

Reaper Release Party

Wow, what an amazing day on Saturday. The official release party for Reaper was a hit thanks to the wonderful guys at Heroic Adventures in Edwardsville, IL and to all the people who made the trek to celebrate with me.

Here are a few pics from the event. Thanks again to everyone who was able to make it!

Tagged: 2013, Authors, Books, Fiction, Fun, Just for Fun, Memories, Musings, Novels, Paranormal Romance, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Reaper, Romance, Teens, Weekends, Writers, Writing, YA, YA books, YA Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, Young Adult Books

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Published on January 21, 2013 05:00

Cover Reveal: Caged by J.A. Belfield

OH MY …. HOW AWESOME IS THIS COVER?

I simply cannot wait to get my hands on this book.

Caged

A Holloway Pack Story (#3)

by J.A. Belfield

Release Date: August 5, 2013

Back of the Book

If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.

For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.

Not this time.

Ethan’s reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he’s about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.

What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one.

If he survives.

Because even Ethan’s not sure he’s strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.

Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/29

Other Novels in this series include:

Darkness & Light (#1)

Blue Moon (#2)

In-between release novellas include:

Instinct (#0)

Eternal (#.5)

Resonance (#2.5)

Tagged: 2013, Authors, Books, Cover Reveal, Fiction, Fun, J.A. Belfield, Just for Fun, Musings, Novels, Opinion, Opinions, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Romance, werewolves, Writers, Writing

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Published on January 21, 2013 03:00

Goodbye, Stan

Yesterday started off great. I celebrated the release of Reaper and held my first book signing. The day ended in sadness when the St. Louis Cardinals announced the passing of Stan Musial. Instead of my intended post with photos from the event, I want to talk to you about Stan.

There is a reason my blog is called Banshees, Books, and Baseball. I like all things paranormal, will read any book, and I adore the game of baseball. It’s not unknown that my favorite team is the St. Louis Cardinals. Stan “the Man” Musial was the greatest Cardinal of them all.

Anybody can look up his stats to see what a phenomenal player he was during his 22 year tenure with the Cardinals. Yes, Stan played his entire career for one team. That is unheard of these days. Players go where the money is as Cardinal Nation learned the hard way after their World Series run in 2012. Stan was loyal to his team and to this city. That means more than his stats.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote a column last year about Yadier Molina. He called Molina the soul of the current roster. While Yadier Molina is the soul of this team, Stan the Man was the soul of the franchise.

Every Cardinal fan knows of his contributions on and off the baseball field. Even if they occurred before we were born. Musial retired several years before I was born, but my father regaled me with stories of his favorite Cardinal. My four-year-old daughter knows who Stan is, even if she doesn’t understand who he truly was. Musial was one hell of a baseball player, and he was a kind man. Stan cared about his fans and this city. He loved baseball. He loved his family. He loved life.

We can all learn from someone like Stan Musial. He was a hero because of his skills, but he was a legend because of his heart.

Rest in Peace, Stan. And thank you.

Tagged: 2013, Baseball, Cardinals, MLB, Musial, Musings, Opinion, Opinions, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, St. Louis, St. Louis Cardinals, Stan Musial

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Published on January 20, 2013 05:00

Rockin’ Thursdays: For Those About to Rock AC/DC

Isn’t everybody on the verge of rocking out? Well, I salute you!

Tagged: 2013, AC/DC, For Those About to Rock, Fun, Just for Fun, Music, Opinion, Opinions, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Rock & Roll, Videos

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Published on January 17, 2013 03:00

Waiting on Wednesday: The Moon and More

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, showcasing books that we are waiting to read hosted by Breaking the Spine.

I love Sarah Dessen’s novels. She writes such compelling contemporary YA and each one gets harder to put down. I think I’ve read every single one straight through in a single day.

About The Moon and More:

Set in the fictional beach town of Colby, where several of Dessen’s novels take place, it features 18-year-old Emmeline, who is spending her last summer before college working for her family’s vacation rental business and enjoying a summer romance with a young aspiring filmmaker.