Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 79

COME WITH ME TO ALGONAC...DAY 4

Is it really Day 4? Carissa and I have officially fallen in love with Algonac. On the advice of Joan from the community museum, we decided to dedicate the first half of the day to exploring Harsens Island, which is just across the river from Algonac.
For $10 a round trip, we boarded the ferry (a first for both of us!) and traveled to the island. It's a bit trippy on the ferry because you're moving forward and can see from either side that we are indeed moving, but you can't see in front of you because the huge metal platform is up blocking your view. Felt a little strange.
Harsens Island was spectacularly beautiful. Residents live around the edge of the island along the water, while the interior is state land, marshes and forests, reserved for hunting and trapping. From the late 1800s through about the 1940s, this was the go-to place for wealthy revelers. Paddle boats and steamers would drop them off at any of the various hotels and resorts to wine and dine and mingle with the upper class. These resorts were quite luxurious. Even Teddy Roosevelt was known to come here once. Over time, these beautiful locations either burned down or were torn down, replaced by private homes. Only one still exists and is now a club.
Carissa and I stopped by the very tiny town of Sans Sousi, which means "Without A Care" in French. The entire town consists of about six buildings. That's it. We enjoyed the little gift shop there and met Chuck at the local history museum (which used to be the firehouse). Chuck gave us an incredible tour of the island's history. The massive anchors in the photo here came from the 1903 wreck of the John Glidden which blocked the river, backing up 400 boats at the time. It had to be dynamited to clear the way.
After that, we grabbed lunch at the Schoolhouse Grill on several people's recommendation. Our server, Amanda, was wonderful. And the food was  honestly some of the best we've ever had anywhere. Carissa had a build-your-own burger, including avocado, a fried egg, cheese, olives, and mushrooms. The chef called it the slipperiest burger he's ever made. She had to eat it with a knife and fork.
We also enjoyed seafood nachos, and I had a fried scallop taco (out of this world!) and a locally caught perch taco. Amanda even made me a sampler of their Tuna Poke Bowl because I wished I could have ordered that too, and when she found out we were first timers from out of state and would likely never come back, she wanted me to try it. And it was amazingly delicious!!! We were so stuffed we skipped dinner altogether.
On the way back to the ferry, we were driving along the road when suddenly Carissa shouted, "Stop the car! Turn around!" There was a little (six inches in diameter) water turtle scurrying across the road trying to reach the swamp on the opposite side. Wonder Woman Carissa leapt from the car (no others were anywhere to be seen, so she was safe) and carried the terrified little guy to safety. Way to go, Carissa!
After a lovely, long nap, we decided to go into town to enjoy the night light. We were told that Marine City a few miles down the road had a theater and more entertainment than Algonac. Well, yes and no. They have a small movie theater that plays classic films--but not open until Friday. They have a local live theater--the play opens on Friday. And, well, that's about it. So we didn't bother.
Instead, we headed back to Dairy Queen! Luckily, there was a local band performing in the park across the street with about 150 locals sitting in lawn chairs and enjoying the evening. Carissa and I found a bench on the river to enjoy our ice cream. We watched a young boy catch a fish. We watched families motoring by on their boats. Two women who were incredibly intoxicated asked us to take a picture of them posing on a streetlamp like it was a stripper pole. And we watched as big, black storm clouds rolled into view overhead. (We did spot a rainbow!) The musician assured us the storm was going to pass us by, so no worries. He lied. At 8:30pm the sky opened up and drenched us all with giant-sized raindrops. The concert came to an abrupt end as everyone quickly packed up their lawn chairs and ran for cover. It didn't last long, but in about two minutes, Carissa and I were drenched. So, true to our now nightly ritual, we have come back to our motel room to watch TV and fall asleep. Tomorrow is our final day in Algonac. We will be leaving here around 1:00pm and flying out of Flint at 4:30pm (EST) and arriving in SLC at 10:30pm (MST). I probably won't be able to post tomorrow, but you'll hear from me on Saturday for my final report on this amazing and wonderful adventure.

COME WITH ME TO ALGONAC...DAY 3

 
Day 3 in Algonac, Michigan was an exciting and enlightening one. After spending half the night online trying to figure out where my great-great grandmother Margaret Jane Reid was buried, I learned that she died in Eloise, Michigan, a town about an hour from here. I thought perhaps she was buried there as well, but my research led me only to an old asylum (for mental patients and tuberculosis patients), which no longer exists, and its creepy cemetery where 7000 unclaimed patients were buried with nothing but numbers for headstones. And the place is purported to be haunted.
I seriously hoped Margaret hadn't ended up there. She had lots of family when she died in 1944, so she certainly would have been "claimed."
My next step was to find out what other cemeteries are in that area. No luck there. Websites are pretty scarce for cemeteries in these parts, and contact information is non-existent. (How the heck does anyone arrange to bury family members around here???) I discovered that at one time cemetery info had been publicly available through the Library of Michigan but had been taken down. I called and a very nice librarian named Diane located the obituary for Margaret J. Reid, which listed the names of her family, the funeral home (no longer in existence), and that she was to be buried in Algonac. Ah ha!!!
Carissa and I drove back to the Clay County Township office armed with this information. Janet located the hand-written internment record from 1944. No Margaret Reid. Now we were getting worried. What had happened to this woman? Janet suggested that a fellow named John, who had access to more cemetery records, might be able to help. He did. He found some records that indicated that yes, Margaret Jane Reid was buried in Algonac, AND so were two additional grandchildren: Amanda and "grandchild". So, six Reids are buried right next to each other. The problem is--the records don't know who is in which plot! The only one absolutely for sure is Ross Reid because he has a headstone. I'm pretty sure I know which plot belongs to great-great grandpa James Reid. But the other four are unknown. The explanation John gave me was that record keeping back then was...well, poor. At least we know they are all there in a ten foot rectangle of earth. That, at least, is satisfying. So, after all that, Carissa and I stopped by the market for some 409, a dish scrubber, and a rag. Then we went to the cemetery and cleaned little Ross's grave. We placed flowers on the graves and took pictures. I hope my Aunt Larry knows her little angels are safe and sound.
Later in the day, Carissa and I headed over to the Algonac Community Museum where Joan and Bud told us all about the town's history and showed us photos and shared stories. We had a great time with them, and Joan convinced us that tomorrow we have to visit Harsens Island, where she grew up, just a ferry ride across the river (in Michigan, not Canada.) After that we went across the street to the Maritime Museum and met George and Terry, who debated about walleye and perch. What a funny pair they are! We learned all about Chris Craft and Gar Wood, two famous boat builders from the early 1900s.
Oh! I almost forgot! Carissa and I drove down Edgewater road in Pt. Duchene (just outside Algonac) where my great-great-grandparents' and Aunt Larry's houses were! We weren't exactly sure we were in the right place, but later we learned that yes! We had been in exactly the right place. In the 30s, Gar Wood's boat factory was right there on the water, and my family's houses were just down the street. Pretty cool.
Around town I kept seeing these fliers for the upcoming "PICKEREL TOURNAMENT"  and a couple of people mentioned it to us in passing. I kept wondering "What's a pickle tournament?" Turns out Pickerel is a kind of fish that is fished here in the river. The tournament has a parade, a court is crowned, there are games and huge prizes (they used to give away boats!), and fishing competitions, and even a parade! The cool thing is that I found out that the 1st Pickerel Tournament occurred in 1938, the very summer I want to write about.
The day ended with more fried mushrooms at Algonac Flaming Grill. (It's right next door to the Maritime Museum, so we just had to!) Now we've come back to our room to watch TV and fall asleep. Tomorrow should be fun exploring Harsens Island.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Four years ago I held a contest. Entrants suggested cool names for female characters in fantasy books. The winner's name would make it into SEER OF THE GUILDE. The winner was Emily Bennett for "Naida". Second place went to Katherine Sophia for "Ellian Roya."

Read Original Contest Post Here (entries in comments): http://laurisareyes.blogspot.com/2012/11/giveaway-interview-w-anne-stengl-author.html

"Naida" did indeed make into my book (which comes out on July 6th) as a minor character. "Ellian Roya" did not. However, good news! Katherine Sophia has since authored a series of her own and has used that beautiful name in her books! Congrats, Katherine!

COME WITH ME TO ALGONAC...DAY 2

Today Carissa and I awoke to a beautiful warm, breezy day in Algonac, Michigan. We had two tasks to complete: 1) visit the library to research Algonac, and 2) find my family's graves. 
The first task was easy. But first we ate an early lunch at Algonac Flaming Grill where we had the most delicious deep fried mushrooms ever! We loved all the food actually: roast beef dip and corned beef sandwiches, fries, and chicken dumpling soup. The best part was meeting Valerie, our waitress. Turns out she is from Huntington Beach, CA! She's lived here in Algonac for seven years and says the winters are dreadfully cold.
After lunch, Carissa and I headed for the library. I called ahead, and the very nice librarians there had already set aside a stack of books about the history of Algonac and Clay County for us. We thumbed through them, noted which ones to purchase once we got home, and then watched a video about Algonac's history. The photos from the 1930s are what really caught my attention. Also, there had been many resorts built here over the decades, and most of them burned down! We couldn't help but laugh every time the narrator said, "Such-and-such resort was built in 19--. It burned down in 19--." We lost count how many were destroyed that way.
We went back to the motel and while Carissa took a little nap, I got online to find the Algonac Cemetery. That turned out to be quite a challenge. Seems cemeteries here don't have detailed websites or even staff on hand to answer phones. I couldn't even find an Algonac Cemetery online. I knewthere was one because not only did my Aunt Larry tell me two of her children were buried there, but the owner of the motel mentioned it as well. So I knew it existed, but how would I find it?
Finally, after an hour of calling several wrong numbers (to wrong cemeteries and other cities), I was directed to the Clay County Township offices where I spoke to a lovely woman named Anita in the Treasury department. She looked up my family name, Reid, on the cemetery index and located their plots for me. When I asked where it was, she gave me directions. I asked if there was anyone on site to help me locate the graves. No, but she would give me a highlighted map of the cemetery, which was extremely helpful, as it turned out.
We stopped by the office, picked up our map, and headed to the cemetery. I think its official name is Oaklawn, though it doesn't seem to exist anywhere online, as I mentioned. I also hunted for the graves on Findagrave.com and could only locate Ross Reid. James H. Reid and Margaret Ann Reid (either of them, there are two) seemed also to not exist.
Carissa and I hunted in that cemetery for half an hour. We knew we were in the right place but we could not find any Reids. I called the office again and verified that yes, we were looking in the right place. Finally, Carissa spotted Ross Reid's headstone. Ross is my dear Aunt Larry's little boy who died in 1955 at only a year old. But to our dismay, there were no headstones for his sister, Margaret Ann Reid, or my great-great grandparents, James H. & Margaret Jane Reid. From the map, we determined that little Margaret Ann was buried to the right of her brother, and grandpa Reid was buried three plots to his left. There are three additional empty plots also owned by the family but that were never used.
Grandma Margaret Jane Reid, as it turns out, isn't buried there at all. She died in Eloise, MI, about an hour from here. So tomorrow's task will be to see if I can locate which cemetery she's buried in, and where that cemetery and her plot are located. 
As Carissa and I stood beside Ross Reid's grave and paid our respects, we couldn't help but feel a sense of incompleteness and even sadness at finding two family graves with no markers. We suspect that at the time of their deaths, perhaps their families couldn't afford the headstones. So it's understandable. But I so much wanted to see names there, I suppose for a sense of closure, and also to stand as a monument to those lives. Also, I was disappointed to realize that my great-great grandmother had not been buried beside her husband even though she had obviously purchased an entire section of plots for her family, including herself. The photo to the right is of the Reid family: on the bottom row are my great-grandpa James H. Reid and Margaret Jane Somerville Reid. My great-grandfather, Bertram Wallace Reid, is on the top row on the right end.
As this second day came to a close, Carissa and I had dinner at a nice Italian place nearby and then sat by the river to watch the sunset. We will now watch TV until we fall asleep.

COME WITH ME TO ALGONAC...DAY 1

We made it! It's hard to believe that after years of planning and hoping and saving, I am finally in Algonac, Michigan with my daughter, Carissa.
Yesterday, June 11th, I flew from Burbank, California to Salt Lake City, Utah and spent the evening with Carissa and her husband Cash. I wish I could say the flight to SLC was uneventful, but it was downright terrifying. I hadn't been on a plane in fourteen years and this flight reminded me why. The take off did some funky things to my body, and for half an hour I struggled not to black out. I broke out in a cold sweat and thought my heart was going to literally flip-flop right out of my chest. The same thing happened during our descent.
Fortunately, in between I met the fellow sitting in the seat next to mine. Chris McCormick happens to also be an English college professor and published author! (What are the odds!) He was also on his way to Michigan, where he teaches, and he grew up in Lancaster, CA, which happens to be very close to Santa Clarita. He was so kind and talked me through the landing. So I ended up okay. But the experience was so dreadful I was honestly ready to cancel the whole trip, rent a car in SLC, and drive back home. Luckily, Carissa talked me out of that.
My brother-in-law, Boris Reyes, gave me a priesthood blessing that the next flights would be all right. (He also advised me to seek medical care if needed.) I admit I was rather nervous about today's flights to Chicago and Michigan. But Carissa gave me a hefty dose of Melatonin, which relaxed me, and I sang hymns and Broadway tunes silently to myself to focus my attention away from the plane. That, along with the blessing, resulted in easy flights. Carissa got a little nauseated, but just for a few minutes.
In Chicago, during our two-hour layover, we ate at a burger shop called the Santa Monica where Carissa ordered the California burger! Then later after we landed in Flint, Michigan (a beautiful little airport!) we started down I-69 toward Algonac when we spotted a sign for Bob's Big Boy Restaurant! Well, I have fond memories of my grandmother taking me to Bob's in Los Angeles when I was a kid, but all of them (that I know of) in So. Cal have long since been closed. So for nostalgia's sake, we stopped for dinner. I had the best lemonade ever -- Desert Pear Lemonade -- and it was purple too!
My first impression of Michigan was that there are no mountains. My eyes kept playing tricks on me, trying to see mountains in the distance where there aren't any. I'm so used to seeing mountains all around me, it's weird to get used to. Next, it is very green. Trees everywhere! Not just trees, but entire pockets of natural forests. I had the urge to just pull the car over and walk through those gorgeous forests. But I didn't because Carissa said there might be ticks.
We found Algonac. There is a lot of land between Flint and Algonac. When we told the car rental lady where we were going, she said, "Nothing happens up there." We saw beautiful farm homes scattered across some of the most beautiful land I've ever seen. Carissa was already saying she'd love to live here. "Not in winter," I reminded her.
We rented a room at the Colony Motel. I had spoken to the owner, Debbie, several times over the past year about my plans to come. She was ready for us. Had the room's air conditioner running, the fridge stocked with cold water bottles and sodas, and even left us a sweet note. She charged us a very reasonable fee. The room is roomy and rustic.
After we checked in (by now, about 8:00pm Michigan time--5:00pm California time), we were exhausted. But we decided to go walk by the river. Wow. Talk about time travel. As I stepped around the motel onto the lawn by the river, I could swear I'd just stepped into a picture I have of my great-grandparents'  home in the 1930s. While the houses now are all new, it was the same curve of the river, the same narrow wooden docks. I could just picture where their house must have stood not far from where I was standing at that very moment. A family of swans swam over to check us out. Carissa kept telling me not to get too close to them because they bite. And what does she do? "Here Mr. Swan? Can I pet you?" She held out her hand and the thing nearly nipped her! Scared her good. We laughed though.
Now we are going to bed. Tomorrow we will explore the town and look for the Historic Society. I want to see if I can find out just where the Reids' home was located.
Nighty night.

BOOK REVIEW: NIGHT SCHOOL by Lee Child

*  Get my book THE CRYSTAL KEEPER - EXILE for FREE!
*  Book Review: ALL THE MISSING GIRLS by Megan Miranda
*  Book Review: THE MEMORY BOOK by Laura Avery
__________________________________
NIGHT SCHOOL (A Jack Reacher Novel, #21)
Lee Child
Random House Audio Book


It’s 1996, and Reacher is still in the army. In the morning they give him a medal, and in the afternoon they send him back to school. That night he’s off the grid. Out of sight, out of mind.

Two other men are in the classroom—an FBI agent and a CIA analyst. Each is a first-rate operator, each is fresh off a big win, and each is wondering what the hell they are doing there.

Then they find out: A Jihadist sleeper cell in Hamburg, Germany, has received an unexpected visitor—a Saudi courier, seeking safe haven while waiting to rendezvous with persons unknown. A CIA asset, undercover inside the cell, has overheard the courier whisper a chilling message: “The American wants a hundred million dollars.”

For what? And who from? Reacher and his two new friends are told to find the American. Reacher recruits the best soldier he has ever worked with: Sergeant Frances Neagley. Their mission heats up in more ways than one, while always keeping their eyes on the prize: If they don’t get their man, the world will suffer an epic act of terrorism.

MY REVIEW:

This is the 8th Jack Reacher I've listened to. I've loved them all, and trust me, I am not normally a tough guy, mystery thriller kinda gal. But there is something about Jack Reacher's no-nonsense, straight forward way of tackling problems and beating the crap outa bad guys that appeals to me. Kinda like a street-wise, American James Bond.

Night School follows Jack and his Fed friends on the trail of a guy who's just accepted $100 million from Saudi terrorists. But what the heck is worth that much money? That is the mystery. Not only that, but Jack must also find the guy who's got the goods before some other corrupt powerhouse gets his hands on them.

Don't expect literary genius or fancy gun battles. Reacher books are a fun ride just for the hell of it.



CONTENT RATING:

Profanity:  Moderate
Sexuality:  High
Violence:  High

BOOK BLITZ: WINTER IN SWEETWATER COUNTY by Ciara Knight

Title: Winter in Sweetwater CountyAuthor: Ciara KnightGenre: Sweet RomanceHosted by: Lady Amber's Reviews and PR Blurb:Lisa Mortan’s ideal life crumbles when her rich and powerful fiancé demands she ends an unwanted pregnancy. With no job or social support, she flees to a small town in hopes of finding a good family for her unborn baby, but instead finds a man who is as broken as she is.Eric Gaylord returns to his home town for a respite after a tragic loss, but when his spitfire mother takes on an unknown woman as a business partner, he is forced to face the nightmare he’d left behind or risk losing the one woman who could heal his heart. Ciara Knight writes with a ‘Little Edge and a Lot of Heart’ with her contemporary and paranormal romance books. Her most recent #1 Amazon bestselling series, Sweetwater County, has topped the charts and received acclaimed reviews. Her international best-seller, Pendulum scored 4 stars from RT Book Reviews, accolades from InD’Tale Magazine and Night Owl Top Pick. Her young adult paranormal series, Battle for Souls, received 5 stars from Paranormal Romance Guild and Night Owl’s Top Pick, among other praises.Author Links:Website: http://www.ciaraknight.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CiaraknightwritesTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/ciaratknightInstagram: https://instagram.com/ciaratknight/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5127753.Ciara_KnightAmazon: http://amzn.to/1Jc5ASNBuy Links:Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Fwwp9c Eric’s pulse raced at the black and blue mark, shaped like fingers, which Lisa attempted to cover. Clenching his teeth, he averted his gaze. Based on the size of the marks, a man had done it. Was she attacked? A boyfriend? Perhaps that was why she came to Sweetwater, to hide from an abusive husband. He reached out for a muffin, discreetly scanning her left hand. No wedding ring. Not even a tan line.This was none of his business. Mom had decided to take on this venture, as insane as it was. Starting a business with a woman that she’d never met outside of cyberspace.His mother had been right about one thing, though. Lisa Mortan was beautiful. Stuffing another muffin into his mouth, he concentrated on the warm, butter-nutty flavor and forced the thought of Lisa and her light floral fragrance from his mind.“Thanks so much for helping unpack all of our merchandise,” Lisa said, her voice soft yet not wimpy or chirpy.“My pleasure. It’s kept Mom busy…which is a good thing. The idle hands of an energetic woman, particularly when it’s your mother, are dangerous,” he teased.His mother brought the coffee pot to the table. “Lisa just arrived from New York. Seeing as how she’s new in town, perhaps we could all get together for dinner and get to know each other better.”“I need to return to the office.” Eric stood and nodded to Lisa, attempting to ignore her full lips, and big bright eyes. She pushed from the table to stand as well and her coat fell open, revealing the longest legs he’d ever seen. The heels she wore only accentuated every inch of them. Straight chestnut colored hair completed the look, shining under the Halogen pot lights he’d installed last week. “It was a pleasure, but I’m afraid I have a client meeting tonight. Don’t let Mom work you too hard.”His mother narrowed her eyes with that go-ahead-and-run-away-coward look she’d perfected. Of course, even he had to admit she was right, but it didn’t matter. The last thing he wanted was a woman in his life. Not after what happened with his last girlfriend.“I’ll walk you out,” his mother offered.He thought about dissuading her, but she wouldn’t listen anyway. With one last glance at the beauty standing in the middle of the kitchen, he bolted, with a promise to bury himself in work and stay away from Lisa Mortan.“I told you she was beautiful,” his mother whispered.“Cultured, long legs, smart, and don’t forget educated. Yes, I’ve heard it all. A few times. It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested,” Eric barked. He didn’t mean to be rude, but Judy Gaylord needed a firm hand or she’d take over quick.“I’m just saying.” His mother shrugged in a careless gesture.Eric halted at the front door, clutching the handle. “Don’t. I’m not ready. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready.”His mother’s small hand rested between his shoulder blades. “It’s been almost two years. It’s time to let her go.”“No. I-I can’t.” He turned the knob.“It wasn’t your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself.”“Yes, it was. I ignored the woman I claimed to love, and when she needed me most, I wasn’t there.”Judy stepped to his side. “You didn’t know about the baby.”“That doesn’t matter. What matters is she’s dead. The baby’s dead. There’s nothing else to talk about.” Eric shoved the door open. “I have to go.”

THE ROCK OF IVANORE ON AUDIBLE.COM!

With the cover reveal and upcoming release of SEER OF THE GUILDE (Book 3 of The Celestine Chronicles), I didn't think things could get any more exciting. But they can! And they have!

I just heard from Tanglewood Press that THE ROCK OF IVANORE is now available on AUDIBLE.COM! Listen to a sample HERE :  https://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/The-Rock-of-Ivanore-Audiobook/B00TZT03H2?qid=1496685509&sr=1-1

COME WITH ME...TO ALGONAC

I cannot believe it! In just 5 days, I'll be setting off on a journey 25 years in the making. On Sunday, June 11th, I am flying out of Burbank CA, arriving in Salt Lake City UT, then going from there to Flint MI, where I will rent a car and drive 90 minutes to Algonac MI.

This trip is truly historic for several reasons:

1) I haven't been on a plane in 14 years. I hate planes. In my life, I have flown only 8 times (including return trips). I don't do well on planes. I get motion sick. Plus, I have an intense fear of heights, which makes for white knuckling take-offs and landings. But I am determined to make the best of this trip because there really isn't any other effective way of getting to Algonac.

 [The St. Claire River in the background]
2) I have wanted to visit Algonac for 25 years. You see, Algonac is part of my family history. My great-great grandparents are buried there. My great aunt (who is soon to be 102 years old) and uncle raised their family there. It's where my grandma spent all her summers until her father died in 1939 when she was 14 years old. I have wanted to walk where they walked, to breathe the air they breathed, for a very long time.

 [My grandma, Dorothy Ann Reid Ball]
3) It has taken me 4 years to save up for this trip. I almost had enough two years ago, but then my daughter got married and I spent it all on her wedding. Well worth it. Then I started over. I didn't take a penny from my family budget or my income as a college instructor (needed for bills). This trip is 100% funded by book sales, editing jobs, and school visits--what I call my "Book Money", which isn't really much, which is why it's taken two years to save it!

4) I'm going with my daughter, Carissa. Carissa is not only my oldest child, she is also my best friend, confidante, and advisor. I can't think of anyone I'd rather share this experience with than her. Because my ancestors are her ancestors too! She is just as excited as I am about going.

 [Carissa and Me at Christmas. I'm very cold.]
5) I want to write a book. Of course. That's a given. But I want this book to be about my grandmother and her last summer in Algonac before her father died, before she and her mother moved west to Hollywood and her life drastically changed forever. I have always wanted to write grandma's story, but I could not do it justice without having first visited the place where the story happened.

So those are my reasons why this trip is historic. I'll be in Algonac for a week. During that time and for some time after, I'll be posting here about my discoveries and my journey towards finally writing this story. I hope you'll join me. Come with me to Algonac!

Here is a link to a site with some awesome vintage pics of the town: http://genealogytrails.com/mich/stclair/cityalgonac.html

COVER REVEAL: SEER OF THE GUILDE by Laurisa White Reyes

I am SOOOO EXCITED!

4 years in the making...

FINALLY...

I present to you...




Pre-order Link for Kindle: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071FV8ZBX?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660  Release Date for Print and Digital:  July 6th
If you're wondering why the cover art looks so different than the first two books in the series, the answer is simple. I could not get the original artist to do this cover. So I decided rather than try to "copy" his style (which was sure to bomb), I went a totally different direction. I wanted this book to stand out all on its own. The cover designer is the amazing Emma Michaels. I think she did an amazing job! Don't you? Chime in below. Let's send Emma some cover love!