Brenda Perlin's Blog, page 3
August 29, 2015
Dying Thoughts - Fourth Week by Joey Paul
Join Tara in the fourth Dying Thoughts book.
Tara has a gift that allows her to see the last moments of someone’s life when she touches something that belonged to them.
Tara’s finally close to finishing school, but then disaster strikes when Kaolin is kidnapped. Can Tara find her friend in time? Will her gift be able to save her friend before it’s too late?
What’s the point in having a gift that won’t even help save the ones you love?
My Review
Sixteen year old Tara Leverton was handed down a gift from her now deceased mother. She doesn't see this as a gift, more like a imposition, most of time. She is able to see the last moments of a dead person's life when she touches something that belonged to them. She is hired by a police inspector to figure out the murder mystery.
Dying Thoughts ~ Fourth Week by Joey Paul is another irresistible escape. A very fulfilling addition to this great series. I love how the author takes you into her Nancy Drew or Harriet The Spy like mysteries with character and charm. She has a conversational style that makes you feel as if you are next to her while she is talking and the story plays out right in front of your eyes. There is great talent in that. A talent I see going somewhere further. Maybe these stories could be made into a motion picture? It would make for great entertainment, as I see it.
Also there are surprises I didn't see coming. Clever and heartwarming! This series is a breath of fresh air as are Miss Paul's other works. I became a huge fan after reading, Lynne and Hope and then Dying Thoughts ~ First Touch.
Dying Thoughts ~ Fourth Week is surprising, quirky, adorable and mesmerizing.
Quote ~
"Dad arrived to pick me up and barely spoke to me as I got into the car. I could tell he was angry. To be honest, I couldn't blame him, but then again, what would he have done in my situation. If he told me he would have walked away and just let them bad mouth my friends and family, then he was a liar. No one has the willpower to do that, except people who don't know how to fight and cause the maximum amount of damage for the least amount of effort. It seemed to be a skill I'd acquired over the years and wasn't quite sure where I'd got it from. Whatever the reason, I liked having it. It would come in useful when I was older and chasing known murderers and such, then I could bring them down without worrying about overexerting myself."
BioJoey is 33, disabled, an indie author and a recent graduate with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. She loves to write and is at the moment working on her thirteenth and fourteenth books, as well as preparing her eighth book for publication. She started writing when she was medically retired from her job at the age of 19. Her first book was released in 2005 and after a brief time away, her second one was released in 2011. In addition to writing books, she also enjoys reading them and can often be found resting in bed with a good book, a cat and an ukulele.
Dying Thoughts ~ Fourth Week
Amazon US
Amazon UK
LinksAmazon UKAmazon Author pageTwitterFacebookBlogGoodreads
Tara has a gift that allows her to see the last moments of someone’s life when she touches something that belonged to them.
Tara’s finally close to finishing school, but then disaster strikes when Kaolin is kidnapped. Can Tara find her friend in time? Will her gift be able to save her friend before it’s too late?
What’s the point in having a gift that won’t even help save the ones you love?
My Review
Sixteen year old Tara Leverton was handed down a gift from her now deceased mother. She doesn't see this as a gift, more like a imposition, most of time. She is able to see the last moments of a dead person's life when she touches something that belonged to them. She is hired by a police inspector to figure out the murder mystery.
Dying Thoughts ~ Fourth Week by Joey Paul is another irresistible escape. A very fulfilling addition to this great series. I love how the author takes you into her Nancy Drew or Harriet The Spy like mysteries with character and charm. She has a conversational style that makes you feel as if you are next to her while she is talking and the story plays out right in front of your eyes. There is great talent in that. A talent I see going somewhere further. Maybe these stories could be made into a motion picture? It would make for great entertainment, as I see it.
Also there are surprises I didn't see coming. Clever and heartwarming! This series is a breath of fresh air as are Miss Paul's other works. I became a huge fan after reading, Lynne and Hope and then Dying Thoughts ~ First Touch.
Dying Thoughts ~ Fourth Week is surprising, quirky, adorable and mesmerizing.
Quote ~
"Dad arrived to pick me up and barely spoke to me as I got into the car. I could tell he was angry. To be honest, I couldn't blame him, but then again, what would he have done in my situation. If he told me he would have walked away and just let them bad mouth my friends and family, then he was a liar. No one has the willpower to do that, except people who don't know how to fight and cause the maximum amount of damage for the least amount of effort. It seemed to be a skill I'd acquired over the years and wasn't quite sure where I'd got it from. Whatever the reason, I liked having it. It would come in useful when I was older and chasing known murderers and such, then I could bring them down without worrying about overexerting myself."
BioJoey is 33, disabled, an indie author and a recent graduate with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. She loves to write and is at the moment working on her thirteenth and fourteenth books, as well as preparing her eighth book for publication. She started writing when she was medically retired from her job at the age of 19. Her first book was released in 2005 and after a brief time away, her second one was released in 2011. In addition to writing books, she also enjoys reading them and can often be found resting in bed with a good book, a cat and an ukulele.
Dying Thoughts ~ Fourth Week
Amazon US
Amazon UK
LinksAmazon UKAmazon Author pageTwitterFacebookBlogGoodreads
August 21, 2015
Janalya by Author Marie Godley
Today I have the pleasure of having lovely Marie Godley here with me for a little Q&A and chat about her brand new book. So let's get right to it. Marie is a very talented writer who is a champion of all Indies. She is a true giver and is a wonderful person.
Description
Janalya is an air elemental, searching for others of her kind. Katsuo is Shatara, a shape-shifting panther. History decrees that they are enemies, but fate seems to be handing them different roles. What is Janalya’s true destiny, and is it more complex than even she knew?
Age Level: 12 - 18Grade Level: 7 - 12
(BP) Please tell us a little bit about yourself, Marie.
(MG) I'm married with a teenage son and a daughter who is about to head off for university, so switching between excitement for her and feeling the loss of my best friend. Christchurch, where we live, is beautiful with ancient ruins, the sea and, practically on our doorstep, the New Forest, with its free roaming, horses, donkeys, cows and sometimes pigs.
(BP) Congratulations. I am sure you are so proud of your children. Where you live sounds glorious! So why Janalya? What was your inspiration?
(MG) Janalya came about because I wanted to write about an elemental. I love the wind. I like nothing better than standing with my face in the breeze, even if it’s in the middle of my garden on the way to get my washing in – I bet the neighbours think I’m nuts when I stand there for no reason; so Janalya became an air elemental. Now shape shifters – I like wolves but there are a lot of werewolves – shape shifting wolves about and I’ve always loved panthers, so it made sense to have my shifter become a panther.
(BP) I am certain you will make friends with tons of animal lovers from this book. Panthers are wonderful mysterious creatures and shape shifters have quite the following. Please tell us about your writing background.
(MG) I started writing children’s books but each time I wrote I found myself writing for an older audience until I started writing Young Adult. Although I may sometimes work on a short story or special project in other age groups I think YA is where I shall remain.
(BP) Nice Marie. I give you credit for going with your passion and writng for the correct audience. Is there a message that you want people to take away from reading Janalya?
(MG) Janalya isn’t about sending any particular message but if there was one it would be of friendship. When you strip away all the action and romance from the story, the characters - all with different backgrounds, powers, or species – are friends. Mainly though, I would just like people to enjoy the book.
(BP) I am excited to see people's reaction to this story. I know it is very dear to your heart. If you could choose to be any character out of any book, who would you choose? And why? (I stole this question from Georgia Rose. It’s a good one.)
(MG) It would be Kate Daniels from the books by Ilona Andrews. I like a kick butt, sassy, female who can wield a sword, take down the baddies and be herself.
(BP) So you like strong females too!!! We are in agreement. Would you share an excerpt with us?
(MG) She thought she’d made it across the fields undetected; the forest was so near she could smell the pine needles. Then she felt a prickling sensation down her left side, and the hairs on her head felt taut, as if each individual strand was standing up leaving room for ice-cold points of pain to dig into her scalp. She turned and there, running towards her with an effortless gait, even flat out, was a panther. Even from a distance she could see that his size was bigger than normal for a panther. His black fur was in sharp contrast to the stubbly yellow grass which he was ploughing through, and his penetrating eyes were fixed on her.
Her flight-or-fight reflex cut in, but which was the best option? Looking at the speed of the panther, she knew she would never outrun him. She dropped her things and stood feet apart, ready to face him. She conjured up a ball of air and poised for attack, waited for him to get closer.
(BP) Thank you! So what does Marie like to do for fun?
(MG) I love to read, as clichéd as that may sound. I read constantly as a child and that hasn’t changed much, although with a family, constantly is long gone.
Other than that, walking along the beach or in the forest and I do cross stitch. They take a long time to complete though because they’re usually at the bottom of the pile with everything else that I like (or have) to do.
(BP) Really good! Okay, almost done. What song would you pick to go with your book?
(MG) There isn’t a song that stands out for me but it would have to have a rock beat to it. I can hear drums and guitar riffs (although that could just be my love of Bon Jovi coming through) because both the elementals and my shape shifter have wild strength in the characters.
(BP) Thank you for playing with me today Marie. It was nice getting to know more about you and to share your enticing new story, Janalya with friends of this page. Did I say friends? I meant associates. ;-)
My Review
Marie Godley’s “Janalya" is a YA fantasy with shape-shifters and panthers. You watch them as they change from animal to man and back again. It's a great adventure where twists and turns keep me guessing from start to finish. This is a magical escape that people of all ages can enjoy, not just the younger generation even though this is geared towards them. As an adult I really enjoyed. It is a sweet coming of age story with a fantasy paranormal twist. I loved the characters right away and connected to the unusual story line.
This is an adventurous tale that was not at all predictable. A nice escape into an unknown world. A sweet story that is reminder to us to appreciate the earth. The wind is just one element that is so nicely explored.
Miss Godley delivers a well-written book that is done with a real life force. Powerfully moving, full of heart and humanity. Maybe now I will pay more attention to the air. I Look forward to reading more.
Quote~
The wind began to play with Janalya’s hair, tossing it around her head and shoulders. She laughed out loud as happiness bubbled into her chest. Fighting the urge to run across the rest of the field, she did quicken her pace, and before long she emerged onto a track that led her to the top of the cliff. Janalya stood arms stretched out, being buffeted by the wind, as she had done so often in the past, her stance automatically changing so that she was balanced against any sudden gusts. She remained standing on the edge with her eyes closed, breathing in a lungful of fresh air, feeling very much alive.
Bio
Marie Godley resides in Christchurch, Dorset with her family. Luckily enough to live in a town with historical buildings to roam around, as well as having the sea and the New Forest National Park nearby, she has plenty to do when taking a break from writing.
Janalya on AmazonAmazon US Amazon UK
Other Links
FacebookTwitterGoogle Marie Godley Author WebsiteMarie Godley Books Blog
Description
Janalya is an air elemental, searching for others of her kind. Katsuo is Shatara, a shape-shifting panther. History decrees that they are enemies, but fate seems to be handing them different roles. What is Janalya’s true destiny, and is it more complex than even she knew?
Age Level: 12 - 18Grade Level: 7 - 12
(BP) Please tell us a little bit about yourself, Marie.
(MG) I'm married with a teenage son and a daughter who is about to head off for university, so switching between excitement for her and feeling the loss of my best friend. Christchurch, where we live, is beautiful with ancient ruins, the sea and, practically on our doorstep, the New Forest, with its free roaming, horses, donkeys, cows and sometimes pigs.
(BP) Congratulations. I am sure you are so proud of your children. Where you live sounds glorious! So why Janalya? What was your inspiration?
(MG) Janalya came about because I wanted to write about an elemental. I love the wind. I like nothing better than standing with my face in the breeze, even if it’s in the middle of my garden on the way to get my washing in – I bet the neighbours think I’m nuts when I stand there for no reason; so Janalya became an air elemental. Now shape shifters – I like wolves but there are a lot of werewolves – shape shifting wolves about and I’ve always loved panthers, so it made sense to have my shifter become a panther.
(BP) I am certain you will make friends with tons of animal lovers from this book. Panthers are wonderful mysterious creatures and shape shifters have quite the following. Please tell us about your writing background.
(MG) I started writing children’s books but each time I wrote I found myself writing for an older audience until I started writing Young Adult. Although I may sometimes work on a short story or special project in other age groups I think YA is where I shall remain.
(BP) Nice Marie. I give you credit for going with your passion and writng for the correct audience. Is there a message that you want people to take away from reading Janalya?
(MG) Janalya isn’t about sending any particular message but if there was one it would be of friendship. When you strip away all the action and romance from the story, the characters - all with different backgrounds, powers, or species – are friends. Mainly though, I would just like people to enjoy the book.
(BP) I am excited to see people's reaction to this story. I know it is very dear to your heart. If you could choose to be any character out of any book, who would you choose? And why? (I stole this question from Georgia Rose. It’s a good one.)
(MG) It would be Kate Daniels from the books by Ilona Andrews. I like a kick butt, sassy, female who can wield a sword, take down the baddies and be herself.
(BP) So you like strong females too!!! We are in agreement. Would you share an excerpt with us?
(MG) She thought she’d made it across the fields undetected; the forest was so near she could smell the pine needles. Then she felt a prickling sensation down her left side, and the hairs on her head felt taut, as if each individual strand was standing up leaving room for ice-cold points of pain to dig into her scalp. She turned and there, running towards her with an effortless gait, even flat out, was a panther. Even from a distance she could see that his size was bigger than normal for a panther. His black fur was in sharp contrast to the stubbly yellow grass which he was ploughing through, and his penetrating eyes were fixed on her.
Her flight-or-fight reflex cut in, but which was the best option? Looking at the speed of the panther, she knew she would never outrun him. She dropped her things and stood feet apart, ready to face him. She conjured up a ball of air and poised for attack, waited for him to get closer.
(BP) Thank you! So what does Marie like to do for fun?
(MG) I love to read, as clichéd as that may sound. I read constantly as a child and that hasn’t changed much, although with a family, constantly is long gone.
Other than that, walking along the beach or in the forest and I do cross stitch. They take a long time to complete though because they’re usually at the bottom of the pile with everything else that I like (or have) to do.
(BP) Really good! Okay, almost done. What song would you pick to go with your book?
(MG) There isn’t a song that stands out for me but it would have to have a rock beat to it. I can hear drums and guitar riffs (although that could just be my love of Bon Jovi coming through) because both the elementals and my shape shifter have wild strength in the characters.
(BP) Thank you for playing with me today Marie. It was nice getting to know more about you and to share your enticing new story, Janalya with friends of this page. Did I say friends? I meant associates. ;-)
My Review
Marie Godley’s “Janalya" is a YA fantasy with shape-shifters and panthers. You watch them as they change from animal to man and back again. It's a great adventure where twists and turns keep me guessing from start to finish. This is a magical escape that people of all ages can enjoy, not just the younger generation even though this is geared towards them. As an adult I really enjoyed. It is a sweet coming of age story with a fantasy paranormal twist. I loved the characters right away and connected to the unusual story line.
This is an adventurous tale that was not at all predictable. A nice escape into an unknown world. A sweet story that is reminder to us to appreciate the earth. The wind is just one element that is so nicely explored.
Miss Godley delivers a well-written book that is done with a real life force. Powerfully moving, full of heart and humanity. Maybe now I will pay more attention to the air. I Look forward to reading more.
Quote~
The wind began to play with Janalya’s hair, tossing it around her head and shoulders. She laughed out loud as happiness bubbled into her chest. Fighting the urge to run across the rest of the field, she did quicken her pace, and before long she emerged onto a track that led her to the top of the cliff. Janalya stood arms stretched out, being buffeted by the wind, as she had done so often in the past, her stance automatically changing so that she was balanced against any sudden gusts. She remained standing on the edge with her eyes closed, breathing in a lungful of fresh air, feeling very much alive.
Bio
Marie Godley resides in Christchurch, Dorset with her family. Luckily enough to live in a town with historical buildings to roam around, as well as having the sea and the New Forest National Park nearby, she has plenty to do when taking a break from writing.
Janalya on AmazonAmazon US Amazon UK
Other Links
FacebookTwitterGoogle Marie Godley Author WebsiteMarie Godley Books Blog
August 16, 2015
The Warrior: Abe's Story, Part 1 (Spellbringers Prequels) by Tricia Drammeh
I am pleased to share that the Spellbringers Series by Tricia Drammeh has a brand new book and brand new series which starts with The Warrior: Abe's Story, Part 1 (Spellbringers Prequels) I read it this morning and loved it!
Description
When Abe is caught in a compromising position with a human girl, his father puts him on the next plane to Central. Torn from everything and everyone he cares about, he struggles to adjust to the harsh demands of the Warrior Training Bureau. After graduation he takes to the field, navigating the breathtaking landscape of Africa and slaying Hunters as he finds them. A battle in the desert results in the death of the greatest enemy the magical community has ever known, and Abe is forced to leave the place he loves more than anything in world. New travels bring new challenges, but will Abe find peace from the demons who haunt him?
My Review
"Mercy has no place in battle."
A Spellbringers Prequel, The Warrior Abe's Story: Part 1 by Tricia Drammeh was a pleasant surprise for me to see on this Sunday. A new release I didn't see coming. So glad there is now a Prequel. Abe's story is an interesting one and I loved getting more background.
Spellbringers is an alluring series, one that captivated my interest with the first book,
This book just feels like an added bonus or more like a gift to us readers from the author. I love the realistic, conversational style. Everything feels genuine even though this is pure fantasy. They do say that fantasy is better than reality. Do they not? I would have to agree, as Abe's story is riveting and intoxicating. I adored the surprises, the never-ending twists that had me reading with great anticipation.
Coming-of-age at its finest! A great adventure that takes us places and full of heart and humanity. Well worth the Spellbringers, I mean well worth the spellbinding read!
Quote ~
"My sense of humanity, compassion, emotions-all of it gone. After all, why would I need to possess a sense of humanity? I wasn't human, not in the strictest sense of the word. As for compassion, I was meant to be a killer-compassion would only cripple me. I was a warrior in training, and there was no room for kindness in the antiseptic halls of the unhappiest place on earth..."
If you haven't read The Spellbringers Series, it's a great summer escape!
%20by%20Tricia%20Drammeh%20is%20on%20Amazon!)
Spellbound (Spellbringers Book 1)
The Demon Re’Vel stalks his prey in the forest of dreams, slowly gaining control over the mind of his victim. Rachel doesn’t realize the Demon is real. In fact, she doesn’t believe in magic, Demons, Hunters, or any of the other things the Alexanders have warned her about. She resists their protection, but can’t resist her overwhelming feelings for Jace.
Alisa has been drawn to Jace since the day she saved him from a Hunter attack. A mere human in a world of Spellbringers, Alisa has been embraced by the Alexander family as a hero, but not everyone is willing to accept her. Jace’s intimidating older brother, Bryce, keeps his emotions and his secrets hidden. When Bryce confides in Alisa, it puts her relationship with Jace and the entire Alexander family at risk.
Danger, secrets, and betrayal collide, and when the Demon makes his claim, the small, southern town of Oaktree becomes a battleground for Rachel’s life.
Formerly published under the title 'The Claiming Words,' Spellbound is a completely re-written, re-vamped novel featuring added scenes, additional chapters, and a new ending.
My Review
From the opening sentence of Spellbound I was hooked. Tricia Drammeh expertly weaves a tale of great fascination. I read in a fury wanting to know more. I was enthralled with the story and indulged myself until I got to the end. I couldn't put this book down. That is how good it is.
Alisa's story touched me and I could relate to her insecurities. She is a teenager who has to deal with a constant bully who happens to be her cousin.
Written in such a way it was easy to connect to her and what she was going through.
I liked that this story shared different viewpoints, going from Alisa to Rachel. Both stories seemed to parallel the other. Really felt like I was getting into their heads. So good to get more than one perspective.
I guess you can call this a coming-of-age story yet it isn't quite what it seems. There are paranormal aspects that kept me guessing and a well developed plot line that kept me on my toes. So many twists that I did not see coming.
I don't think you have to be young to enjoy this YA story. I ate it up in one sitting. This book is fast paced, wildly entertaining and easy to escape into the unknown that was Spellbound. Highly recommend reading this book before book two, Firebound comes out. This is a great start to the Spellbringers series.
Quote ~
"My worry over Jeffrey would be a constant tickle in the back of my mind, probably for the rest of my life. I longed for days past when the only things I had to worry about were grades and college applications.I used to live in a world where magic only existed in my silly little vampire novels. Now magic followed me everywhere, and I couldn't find safety even in my dreams."
%20by%20Tricia%20Drammeh%20is%20on%20Amazon!)
Firebound (Spellbringers Book 2)
Rachel's thirst for knowledge about the family she never knew drives her to keep a secret from the Alexanders that shatters Jace's trust in her. With her renewed dream-relationship with Re'Vel, she walks a razor's edge, putting the entire Alexander family - and Alisa - in terrible danger. Alisa and Bryce are more in love than ever, but his jealousy and possessiveness threatens to push Alisa away. With his Claiming Words ringing in Alisa's ears, she tries to reconcile her sense of independence with her desperate yearning for Bryce. A dark enemy from the Alexanders’ past is out for vengeance and uses Rachel as his target to get to the family he despises. When Alisa is caught in the crossfire, Bryce is willing to sacrifice anything to save her - even his own soul.
My Review
Firebound by Tricia Drammeh is the second book in the Spellbringers series.These are such powerful books and this installment was a great addition to the first. The writing is coptivating, as well as the plot. This book invites you right in.
There is a romantic aspect to this story that made it hard to walk away from. The characters have something special. So much so that you want it to work out for them.
This is a magical story that touched me. Firebound is so entertaining that you won’t want it to end. Just thankful there is a third book in the works. I am truly looking forward to learning how things fall together.
The shocking twists and turns caught me off guard and had me reading much longer than I anticipated. I highly recommend this book and others by Tricia Drammeh. Doesn’t matter what the subject, this author knows how to grab its reader by taking us on a moving adventure. Her stories are well rounded and filled with humanity.
Quote~
"Bryce said he wanted me, but now I wasn't so sure. Rachel told me she could see the initial ties that bound him to me-ties which formed when he spoke the Claiming Words. But those ties did not constitute a real Bond. Did it? I felt changed by his claim. My soul screamed for his, but perhaps he didn't feel the same. Maybe he could sever the ties that bound us without a second thought? But for me it wouldn't be so easy. I had no magic to pledge to him, but I'd given him my heart."
%20by%20Tricia%20Drammeh%20is%20on%20Amazon!)
Unbound (Spellbringers Book 3)
Alisa and Bryce are keeping a huge secret, but when an accident illustrates how dangerous their secret has become, she's forced to make a choice between her family's expectations and the man she loves more than anything.
Rachel's past mistakes have finally caught up with her. Her continued association with Re'Vel results in unspeakable tragedy and brings to question her loyalty to the magical community. With accusations from all directions and her heart in tatters, she finds out who her real friends are and finds her true strength.
My Review
Unbound by Tricia Drammeh is an exciting escape. It's not quite like any other paranormal story I have read. The writing is sharp while the storyline is original, filled with clever turns and compelling characters.
This is the third book in the series and I have to say this could very well be my favorite but that is hard to say because I loved all these books with the different perspectives and the ongoing suspense that had me in a trance. Unbound is a wonderfully mysterious adventure that I believe not just young people will enjoy. I was amused and entertained all the way through.
The author writes in a very natural conversational style that feels realistic and relatable. I love how easy it is to get absorbed into her stories. That makes reading Unbound and all of her other books a real treat. It seems Miss Drammeh possesses a dark magic of her own.
I look forward to whatever she has planned to grace us with in the future. Sooner than later, I hope! If I was a mind reader I would predict that this book gets rave 5 star reviews. It certainly deserves the escalades.
Quote ~
"He let the chain fall, and with his other hand, caught the pendant. It dissolved into nothing the moment it touched his palm."
%20by%20Tricia%20Drammeh%20is%20on%20Amazon!)
Bio
Tricia Drammeh is a wife and mother of four children who lives in New Hampshire. Her published works include the Spellbringers series, Better than Perfect, The Seance, and The Fifth Circle. She is currently working on her eighth novel. When Tricia isn't writing, she can be found devouring books, chasing cats, or consuming vast amounts of coffee.
The Warrior: Abe's Story, Part 1Amazon USAmazon UKSmashwords
Links
Amazon Author PageTwitter Website Blog Facebook Goodreads
June 7, 2015
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Five) by Mary Ann Bernal
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Five)
In her quest for immortality, Lilly considers a Satanic covenant before the portal closes on All Hallows’ Eve in Bloodlust. When Felicity meets exotic Seth on a flight to Luxor, her fairy tale vacation is threatened by tomb robbers in Illusion. Manhunt finds Tami and Mick suspecting the newest member of their team while planning one final heist at the Diamond Exchange. Dr. Brenda Lancaster must develop a cure for a mutated pathogen before mankind becomes extinct in Pandemic. Angela plots her husband’s death in Revenge, unaware it may cost her the freedom she seeks.
My Review
Mary Ann Bernal’s Scribbler Tales Volume Five is filled with smart, suspenseful, riveting, and edge of your seat stories. Each one is a gem upon itself. I enjoyed their twists that I didn’t see coming. Very unique pieces that took me outside myself and welcomed into extraordinary adventures.
Bloodlust starts this thrill ride off in a bang. There is an intensity to the story that made me want to read at a faster pace. Grabbing and imaginative.
In Illusion, we travel to another country, the Ancient City of Thebes where romance is a must! Though Felicity could not believe her good luck, she would have to re-think that. Could this man be too good to be true? Then in Manhunt, another dark story which is swift and moves like lightning. As sinister as they get.
Pandemic is a surprising story that captivated my senses. Loved the mystery and the dark side of life which reminds you that anything is possible.
Revenge rounds this novel up nicely. A wicked tale of deceit and nothing is as it seems. A smart thriller that pulls you right in.
All these tales reads like a clever mystery suspense movie in living color. A page turner that was comfy to cosy up to on a chilly winters night. Love this stunning series.
Quote from Revenge~
“Even though Angela never challenged her husband about his illicit dealings, Jack was aware his wife had overheard a conversation involving a shipment of heroin. Assuming his wife accepted the situation, it was business as usual until Angelia had tried to divorce him. At that point, Jack’s demeanor changed when they were alone and soon, Angela started to fear for her life.”
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume One)
In “Desperate Measures,” you will learn of human cloning experiments gone awry. “Forbidden Lore” beckons Arianna and Ethan into a haunted cemetery where youwill discover how they survive the night. Star-crossed lovers who refuse to accept the inevitable rise to a surprise ending in “Forever Lost.” In “The Hourglass,” the weakness of human character is exposed when Flair makes a covenant with the Devil. “Sail with Me” is a slice of life read about the confessions of a military brat who changes his life against all the odds.
My Review
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories by Mary Ann Bernal, all dark, are written in such a way that you have to read more. The author crafts stories that pull her readers in. Wanting more but getting just enough. There is great skill that goes into her stories but she seems to write with ease. The words flow effortlessly. This is a smart collection that kept me guessing. Slices of life that no matter how far fetched feel authentic.
Desperate Measures is sharp. Hauntingly realistic. This is an interesting story about cloning. Quite chilling and entertainingly good.
Forbidden Lore is the story of Ethan and Arianna a married couple who met on 9 11. This is an intriguing story that kept me guessing and glued to the page. Nothing is as it seems and I was brought into the mystery that was Forbidden Lore.
Forever Lost is such a beautifully written, emotional tale that played out like scenes in a movie. There is love and there is deceit. This is a love story.
Sail with Me caught my attention. I love the conversational style of this story. Right in your face. A story of a military brat. This is Aaron’s story. A coming-of-age story of sorts. I was very touched.
In The Hourglass Flair knew her fate. She watched the hourglass knowing Death was at her feet. Flair held the secret from her husband Brice. This is a beautiful creative story that moved me.
Quote~
“Death’s laughter echoed sinisterly throughout the eerily still cave that rocked beneath the thunderous roar of nature’s wrath as the tempest raged outside. Flair glared at her nemesis as she removed the dagger on Brice’s belt and flashed it before her amused opponent.”
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Two)
Madeline’s personal feelings clouds her judgment in Broken Promises where she must choose between love and obeying the law. When the guilty walk, a vigilante executes the criminals in Deception. Endgame finds a government researcher running for her life after discovering a horrific CIA secret in the isolated facility. A modern day Don Juan’s life is turned upside down in Malice when he is falsely accused of rape. In The Portrait, Holliday is obsessed with a formidable ancestor whose spirit wishes to possess her soul.
My Review
Mary Ann Bernal’s second volume of Scribbler Tales is filled with stories of human nature at its finest and certainly at its worse. These pieces are sure to intrigue and inspire. The writing is flawless and the characters were all unique and yet life-like. The author has a way with words and setting a scene that makes you feel that you are among the characters. Her stories bring you to another place and are always a good escape into the unknown.
Broken Promises is a story about Madeline who has romantic feelings for her boss Nathan. This is a great story of deceit. The turns had me emotionally involved. I was swept away into the drama.
In Deception what happens when a movie star is murdered will surprise you. Waiting for this killer to make a mistake. It’s just a matter of time. This is a mystery that I was hoping would be solved.Endgame is a wildly entertaining story where nothing is as it seems. Grabbed my attention and held on until the end. This is a pretty incredible story.In Malice Andrew seems to have a lot to offer. No problem getting the attention from the opposite sex. He loved the chase but grew tired of his conquest. Somehow to his misfortune.The last story, The Portrait is a powerful read. Evil lurks! What will a woman do to preserve her dynasty? Great fun.
Quote from Endgame ~
"Sandy was running on pure adrenalin, her breathing was shallow and rapid as she edged closer to the road. She was almost there, she could see the pavement and lights - car lights. The car screeched to a halt as Sandy ran into the road, but the driver was not quick enough on the brakes, and she fell unconscious to the ground."
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Three)
When a highly classified schematic of a prototype engine is stolen, the evidence points to an inside job in Hidden Lies. In Nightmare, Melanie’s childhood demons carryover into adulthood when she returns to her ancestral home. Detective Newport races against time to apprehend a killer targeting prosecuting attorneys in Payback. The Night Stalker is not a figment of Pamela’s imagination as she tries to convince the police that her life is in danger. While trying to identify a serial arsonist, a Fire Marshall suspects a highly decorated firefighter in Turning Point.
My Review
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume 3) by Mary Ann Bernal is another great read. So enjoyed the compelling stories that are unique, well-written and filled with mystery. If you haven’t read Scribbler Tales you should pick up any one of the volumes. They are all worth it for entertainment value. The twists kept me guessing all the way through. I love that!
In Hidden Lies the intrigue starts out right away. The story plays out effortlessly.
Deception is a story had my heart racing and kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through.
Nightmare is a spooky story that was just as much gripping as it was emotional. I love how these stories come together. So smooth and unexpected. Always a big “wow” moment! That is what makes them so good.
Payback is action packed and takes you right in. There are questions that need answers. Could it be murder?
In the Night Stalker, suspense continues. Lured into another dramatic episode. Had me gasping out loud.
Lastly, Turning Point is a compelling story that pulls its reader in. Revenge is the word. Are there any good people left in the world? This story might make you wonder.
Quote for The Night Stalker ~
Pamela was quite unnerved by the time she arrived home. She parked in the driveway, looking at the second floor while walking to the front door. That was when she noticed the curtains flapping outside the window of her bedroom! Fumbling with the keys, Pamela finally opened the door, ran up the stairs and burst into her room. Someone had been in the house, her house! And they wanted her to know it. Everything was as it should be, the furniture, the closets, the only difference being the open window, which was always locked.
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Four)
"Scribbler Tales is a unique mix of genres in one anthology rich with tension, humanity and genuine emotion. Unconventional settings and unexpected twists are bound to leave you pondering long after you close this book.”
My Review
Scribbler Tales (Volume 4) by Mary Ann Bernal is rich with stories of greed, deceit and murder. I was instantly heaved into the suspenseful worlds the author has created. Leaving me speechless at times and always wowed. The roller coaster ride is a rocky one which left me wanting more. I so enjoyed the smart twists and the unexpected turns.
This book opens up with Abducted, a brilliantly told tale of messed up priorities and corruption. Insightful and intoxicating. While Cunning kept me on the edge, my curiosity was sparked with the paranormal aspects that took me by surprise.
In Enamored, biological age was of little importance as long as the mind remained young. This intriguing escape captivated my senses and drew me in. I loved this tale with its romantic undertone and mystery.
Then there is Reckless that is totally rapturing. There is a killer on the loose and the police are preparing for a standoff. Only if they can find their suspect! There is more to this story than meets the eye.
Lastly, Safeguard is an unexpected story. Sarah was lucky to be alive, yet nothing is as it seems.
I devoured this book in no time. Quick enough to move onto another Mary Ann Bernal novel. Would highly recommend!
Quote from Enamored ~
“Lady Margaret admired herself in the mirror, pleased with her appearance as her well-kept body hid her age well. And why not? She had the money and the wherewithal to remain ageless in a youth-oriented society. Jane Fonda and Cher were still in their prime, and one must not forget Helen Mirren being voted the sexiest woman alive a few years back. Biological age was of no importance, if one remained young in thought, word and deed.”
BioI fell in love with medieval England after I read Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. Then came the great Hollywood epics such as Knights of the Round Table, Prince Valiant, The Black Shield of Falworth and The Vikings, to name but a few. Add to the mix Camelot and an incurable romantic Anglophile was born!The Briton and the Dane novels are set in Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain when the formidable Vikings terrorized the civilized world. The epic adventure runs the gamut of deception, treachery, intrigue, and complicated relationships during a time of war and conquest. Resource material such as book club discussion items, glossary of terms, period maps and character lists are available for download at http://www.maryannbernal.com.
To Purchase Mary Ann Bernal's novels, visit her author page on Amazon.
Amazon US Amazon UK
Amazon France
Amazon Germany
Barnes and Noble
Links
Website
Blog
June 5, 2015
I Once Had a Farm in Ireland by Siggy Buckley
Book Details • Title: I Once Had a Farm in Ireland • Author: Siggy Buckley • Genre: Memoir • Format: eBook • Length: 233 pages • Cover Designer: Tayyana Bano • Publication Date: May 5, 2015 • Regular Price: $2.99
Synopsis
A wheelbarrow, a cable drum, gardening tools, and a pickaxe are unusual items on a wedding registry. They are what Mac and Siggy, a German professional couple, need to fulfill their dream of organic gardening. When Chernobyl blows up a few years later, they are scared enough to undertake fundamental changes in the lives of their young family to seek a simpler and healthier lifestyle in an unspoiled country.They buy a farm in Tipperary, Ireland. They give up their jobs, friends and home to raise their children in an unpolluted environment. Although Siggy shares her husband’s environmental convictions, she would prefer a warmer climate, maybe an olive farm in Tuscany.A period of intense learning and acquiring new skills follows: how to raise chickens, pluck geese, breed cattle and sheep, and how to grow all kinds of vegetables. Soon they find out that farming means a never ending workload. They almost kill themselves ─and each other─ to produce healthy food.I Once Had a Farm in Ireland not only gives advice for budding organic gardeners but it is also the story of a woman who sacrifices her own ideals for the sake of her family until she discovers her own dreams.
Excerpt
“So what was I doing on an Irish farm? I was a German city girl and a high school teacher. My then-husband — let’s call him Mac — was a CPA and accountant with a legal background and also German. We had strong leanings towards the Green party, sympathized with most environmental movements; we were both scared by news of deteriorating environmental conditions all around us at a time when we started a family. We cared about what was in our food, worried about the poison of the day, food additives, E-numbers, growth promoters, and chemicals — you name it, the whole shebang. That’s what a lot of German people did at the time, in the eighties. Like so many others, our awareness about the environment had been given a jumpstart by the nuclear disaster around Chernobyl and we were downwind.We had gone green as far as we possibly could. We had been members of Greenpeace and environmental activists for years. How much more can you do as an individual to achieve your goal of a healthy lifestyle? Escape to a remote island?”
Endorsement
“As the descendant of central Virginia agricultural families, I relate to the candor of Siggy Buckley’s words – “For almost ten years, we nearly killed ourselves — and each other! — producing healthy food.” Buckley’s book I Once Had a Farm in Ireland: Living the Organic Lifestyle is a ‘must read’ for any one who considers or views modern day homesteading as idyllic. For, enabling an organic life-style as Siggy found, can be an all consuming life altering experience. —- Sylvia Hoehns Wright, an eco-advocate, challenges all to ‘Move from eco-weak to eco-chic – green life’s garden, one scoop at a time!”Sylvia Hoehns Wright is a nationally recognized eco-advocate, contributing writer and communications specialist; in her spare time she is a passionate historian and member of the American League of Pen Women.(www.NLAPW.org). To learn more about Wright’s eco-legacy: Wright’s eco advocacy, visit web site www.TheWrightScoop.comReview: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Magnificent Story, Straight From The Heart May 28, 2015
Buy Links
Amazon USAmazon UK
About the Author
Educated in Germany with a Master’s Degree in English, Siggy Buckley lived in Ireland for over 15 years, first teaching at the University of Limerick as an adjunct professor, while building up an organic farm. She later ran her own businesses in Dublin before coming to the USA in 2003. In 2005, Siggy married an American and pursued her life-long dream of writing.
Publication History
Memoirs
• Next Time Lucky: Secrets of a Matchmaker (self-published with Createspace 2012) • Next Time Lucky: How to Find your Mr. Right, 2nd extended edition (self-published with Lightning source/Ingram) 2014 • I Once had a farm in Ireland: Living the Organic Lifestyle (self-published May/June 2015, Lightning Source) and all on Kindle.
Short Stories
• There is No Going Back (Self-published 2014) Kindle edition • Mother Knows Best (Self-published 2014) Kindle edition
Poems
• Special K, published on Akashicbooks.com
In the News
• My interview with Sylvia Hoehns Wright on Blog Talk Radio • Book trailer on Next Time Lucky • Book Trailer for I Once had a Farm in Ireland • On YouTube Interview with IT Matters Radio • On TV on Dating advice; on Home Swapping • Spreecast blog talk radio: It Matters on Home Swapping • Siggy Buckley appeared several times on local NPR with Melissa Ross’ First Coast Connect and On First Coast Living (Local TV ─ NBC) and had numerous interviews on blog talk radio. Her experience as a former Irish matchmaker makes her a welcome guest for local paper interviews. She also wrote articles for www.Opednews.com and www.Americanchronicles.com.
Contact The AuthorAmazon Author PageBlogWebsiteAuthor EmailFacebook Profile PageTwitterGooglePlusGoodreads Author PageLinkedinYoutube
May 23, 2015
THE BLUE NIGHTGOWN by Diana Stevan
THE BLUE NIGHTGOWN
When Anna, the landlady of a rooming house in the 1950s, finds a blue nightgown in a tenant’s trash, little does she know it’ll bring out the sexual longings of anyone who comes in contact with it.
Image by © Camerique/ClassicStock/CorbisMy Review
The Blue Nightgown, a novelette by Diana Steven is a delightful escape back to the fifties. An era where women were second class citizens in many ways. Woman's liberation wasn't even a consideration.
The author writes a crisp, enticing story that takes place in a rooming house in Winnipeg. She manages to bring you right into the story and somehow it seems familiar. There is an honesty to the writing as the story feels authentic.
In a way, this is a coming-of-age story. Going back to Anna, the landlord of this rooming house, in the beginnings of her married life and discovering sex. Revealing disappointments and the fantasies of what she thought her sex-life would be. Reminds me of how little I knew, as a young girl and how vague my mom was in explaining it to all me. Then there is Donna, her daughter who is coming into own and discovering herself, as well.
There is something sexy and alluring, yet very innocent about The Blue Nightgown. A nice escape back to a more simpler time. Or was it?
Quote ~
"Things were changing in the movies and everywhere. Anna found she couldn't even listen to the music on the radio without hearing words that had to do with sex. There was that song Great Balls of Fire that the announcers kept playing over and over. And look at the fuss that was made about that singer Donna liked, Elvis Presley. He was on the Ed Sullivan show, and they wouldn't shit him from his waist down because he was shaking his hips too much."
A CRY FROM THE DEEP
A Cry From The Deep is a time-slip mystery and adventure about a love so powerful it spans several lifetimes. Is it fate that we meet the right one? How do we know? And when we die, is it over?
When Catherine Fitzgerald, an underwater photographer about to cover the hunt for one of the lost ships of the Spanish Armada, buys an antique Claddagh ring, she becomes troubled by nightmares that set her on a path to fulfill a promise made centuries before. As she unravels the mystery of the woman who haunts her dreams, she has to come to grips with her own struggle to find true love.
Set in Provence, Manhattan, and Ireland, this mystery not only exposes two women’s longings, but also the beauty of the deep, where buried treasures tempt salvagers to break the law.
My Review
A Cry From The Deep by Diana Stevan is a striking book with an intriguing plot and realistic characters that came alive on the pages.
I love how the story moves from one time period to another. Just when I thought the unknown would stay that way, we go back in time, in a unique way, satisfying my curiosity. Gripping and extremely well-written, I fell into this mesmerizing tale with ease. This emotional, sentimental, suspenseful story had me reading with great enthusiasm all the way through.
Quote ~
"A sudden breeze ruffled her skirt and she turned toward the sea. A young woman in a white gown stood about fifty yards away, by one of the old headstones. Her long auburn hair danced in the air as the wind picked up and rustled the trees overhead. She looked eerily like the woman in her dreams. Catherine was about to call out when a speck of dirt flew into her right eye. By the time she blinked a few times to expel the speck, the woman was nowhere to be seen. Catherine glanced in all directions and then hurried back to the entrance, thinking she might catch the stranger, but whoever had been there had vanished."
From the Author
Having grown up in the fifties, it's a period I look back at with fondness. At that time, sex was largely kept under wraps. Though women had done their part in World War II, they were back in the kitchen by the 50s, waiting for the men to come home with their lunch boxes. They were back fulfilling their domestic duties but they were also expecting more from life than that. The double standard was still rock solid but cracks were beginning to surface. Younger women were going to secretarial college or normal school to get a teaching certificate.
Though it was an innocent time publicly, times were quickly changing, and with that freedom, came excitement and a lot of loose threads. It ushered in a time of self-examination and a questioning of the morals of the day.
I found about some of this when my family moved to a rooming house in Winnipeg when I was eight and my mother was the landlady. She gave counsel to the girls upstairs. That much is true in my story. The rest is my imagination pulling at what I know, what I heard, what I suspected, and what I imagined.
Just the other day, I heard on CBC radio that rooming houses were becoming fashionable once again in Toronto. They are no longer a haven for those suffering from addictions or mental health. With the high cost of living, more and more young people are searching for rooms to share or have for themselves. With people living in such close quarters with one another, there's bound to be more tantalizing stories. I hope you enjoyed the read.
About the Author
Diana Stevan has published poetry in the U.K. journal, Dreamcatcher, and a short story in Escape, an anthology. A CRY FROM THE DEEP, a romantic mystery/adventure, is her debut novel. THE BLUE NIGHTGOWN, women's fiction, is a novelette set in the 1950s.
Bio
Diana Stevan likes to describe herself as a Jill of all trades. Her eclectic work history serves her well in her writing. She's worked as a family therapist, a professional actor, professional model, teacher, and a freelance writer-broadcaster for CBC Televisions Sports Journal.
Diana was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics with honors and Master of Social Work, graduating on the Dean's honour list.
She's published poetry in the U.K. journal, Dreamcatcher, and a short story in Escape, an anthology. A CRY FROM THE DEEP, a romantic mystery/adventure, is her debut novel. She has also published a novelette, THE BLUE NIGHTGOWN, women's fiction.
A mother of two and a grandmother of three, Diana lives with her husband Robert on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia.
You can visit her Diana at:
WEBSITE
TWITTER @DianaStevan
Buy Links:
The Blue Nightgown
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
A Cry From The Deep
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
April 6, 2015
Hysterical Love: a novel by Lorraine Devon Wilke
Hysterical Love
Dan McDowell, a thirty-three-year-old portrait photographer happily set to marry his beloved Jane, is stunned when a slip of the tongue about an “ex-girlfriend overlap” of years earlier throws their pending marriage into doubt and him onto the street. Or at least into the second bedroom of their next-door neighbor, Bob, where Dan is sure it won't be long. It's long.
His sister, Lucy, further confuses matters with her “soul mate theory” and its suggestion that Jane might not be his... soul mate, that is. But the tipping point comes when his father is struck ill, sparking a chain of events in which Dan discovers a story written by this man he doesn’t readily understand, but who, it seems, has long harbored an unrequited love from decades earlier.
Incapable of fixing his own romantic dilemma, Dan becomes fixated on finding this woman of his father’s dreams and sets off for Oakland, California, on a mission fraught with detours and semi-hilarious peril. Along the way he meets the beautiful Fiona, herbalist and flower child, who assists in his quest while quietly and erotically shaking up his world. When, against all odds, he finds the elusive woman from the past, the ultimate discovery of how she truly fit into his father's life leaves him staggered, as does the reality of what’s been stirred up with Fiona. But it’s when he returns home to yet another set of unexpected truths that he’s shaken to the core, ultimately forced to face who he is and just whom he might be able to love.
Lorraine Devon Wilke, author of the acclaimed debut novel, After The Sucker Punch, brings her deft mix of humor and drama to a whip-smart narrative told from the point of view of its male protagonist. Hysterical Love explores themes of family, commitment, balancing creativity, facing adulthood, and digging deep to understand the beating heart of true love.
Cover design by Grace Amandes @ www.gracemandes.com Cover photograph by Lorraine Devon Wilke www.lorrainedevonwilke.com
My Review
A beautiful mix of comedy and drama, Hysterical Love is a cozy story to crawl into. Welcomed me right in. Very straight forward and smart. I enjoyed the clever storyline and the realist dialog. Read this story with great enthusiasm and a massive amount of intrigue. I am delighted by the authors writing style and how she chooses her words. She is very selective and her stories are utterly satisfying. She covers some very familiar topics but does so in an unusual way.
Dysfunctional families are something most of us can relate to. This one was filled with quirks and familiarity. Had me laughing to myself thinking about my own family and the everyday eccentricities I have dealt with. Made me think back to the time I was getting married and all of the questions I felt like asking but didn’t know where to seek the answers. Those doubts that started to weigh heavily on my brain but ignored my instincts and took it as normal jitters rather than good reason to reevaluate.
This is a 'hilarious' roller-coaster ride of emotions, filled with real feelings that resonated with me. Part pre-marital issues, dysfunctional family and self-realization, this story takes a whole unexpected direction: detective story.
Unpredictable, fascinating and deep with laughable moments that I connected to. Reality built into a fictional story. The author knows how to write a real conversation piece. There is a depth that makes this a book I will be thinking about for a long time.
I read Hysterical Love in a fury, loving every minute of it. This story not only entertains but it transforms you into someone else’s life. Reminds me why I like reading so much and why people need books in their lives. It is the best escape!
Quote ~
“Truth be told, there was part of me that wanted to marry Jane so I could contain my life, give it boundaries in which I could completely be myself and yet freely explore every possibility as a man, a husband, a friend, and a sexual partner. Boundaries always made sense to me. I needed boundaries. I was that kid who walked into Toys “R” Us and went into spasms of panic at the endless shelves of cars and trucks, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of available choices. My mother would have to handpick three possibilities, then invite me to choose one of the bunch. There was relief in that, the paring down of options, the only way my little psyche could handle the “paradox of choice.” With women? The world of available, countless, lovely women?”
After the Sucker Punch: a Novel
They buried her father at noon, at five she found his journals, and in the time it took to read one-and-a-half pages her world turned upside down… he thought she was a failure.
Every child, no matter what age, wants to know their father loves them, and Tessa Curzio – thirty-six, emerging writer, ex-rocker, lapsed Catholic, defected Scientologist, and fourth in a family of eight complicated people – is no exception. But just when she thought her twitchy life was finally coming together – solid relationship, creative job; a view of the ocean – the one-two punch of her father’s death and posthumous indictment proves an existential knockout.
She tries to “just let it go,” as her sister suggests, but life viewed through the filter of his damning words is suddenly skewed, shaking the foundation of everything from her solid relationship and winning job to the truth of her family, even her sense of self. From there, friendships strain, bad behavior ensues, new men entreat, and family drama spikes, all leading to her little-known aunt, a nun and counselor, who lovingly strong-arms Tessa onto a journey of discovery and reinvention. It’s a trip that’s not always pretty – or particularly wise – but somewhere in all the twists and turns, unexpected truths are found.
Author and longtime Huffington Post contributor, Lorraine Devon Wilke, takes an irreverent look at father/daughter relationships through the unique prism of Tessa’s saga and its exploration of family, faith, cults, creativity, new love and old, and the struggle to define oneself against the inexplicable perceptions of a deceased parent. Told with both sass and sensibility, it’s a story wrapped in contemporary culture but with a very classic heart.
[As a special BONUS that brings the plot off the page, the Epilogue includes a link to the downloadable song "written by" the protagonist of the story...or, in the non-fictional world, by Lorraine Devon Wilke and Rick M. Hirsch!]
Cover design by Grace Amandes.
Cover photographs by Lorraine Devon Wilke.
My Review
"She is a great disappointment. Not simply because she's failed up to now, but that endowed with so much talent she hasn't employed it for anything useful..."
After the Sucker Punch starts out with a note. Actually a death and then a note. A page from this girls dad's diary (actually "date book") that would change the way she would feel about this man, her father that had just died.This story raptures you right in and takes hold with it's sharp but clear dialog. The writing is smart, for lack of a better word and the story is intriguing with it's is emotional underbelly.
Lorraine Devon Wilke tells a story with such depth and great detail that you can't help but feel emotional. This could be many people's lives. It's familiar and relatable. The human existence. Imperfect people living with imperfect families.
There is just something too cool about the authors writing style. Maybe because she is also a musician. There is an artsy, anti-establishment feeling that drives her writing home even more. Her writing is as comforting as Anne Lamott's and Anne Tyler's but with a bit more edge. This was an easy story to get absorbed into.
By the way, I loved loved loved the last line in chapter 30. Thank you for the laugh!
Full of heart, the essence of life and still sheds enough light to find the message of hope. This is powerfully written and I ate it up. Sharp, cunning and real. Loved the bluntness in the authors writing voice and the honesty. This is a very good read that amused me, entertained me and pulled me in. So good to escape into someone else's dysfunctional family rather than my own for a change. Highly recommend After the Sucker Punch!
Quote ~
"As they walked to their cars, Tessa and Kate were unusually quiet. Something about the gravity of this time hit them both. They were no longer youngsters having romantic tantrums, high-strung girls getting traction with boys by creating melodrama to keep things interesting. This was real life with kids and husbands and the very real threat of divorce and broken families. Grown-up stuff."
She Tumbled Down
New Year’s Eve. It's late, well past the midnight hour. A woman looking for respite from noise, champagne, and tensions with her boyfriend steps out to clear her head. She calls out that she’ll be back shortly and heads down the quiet neighborhood street... and never comes back.
A man with too much to drink and too fast a car roars by on that same darkened road and, in a flash of motion and impact, is stunned to see the face of a startled woman smash into his windshield. When the car stops he shakes in silence, waiting for... something. But when no one approaches, no cars go by and no inquiring lights flicker on, fear and panic take over and he makes the unfathomable decision to drive away... and never look back.
“She Tumbled Down,” a short story by longtime Huffington Post contributor and author (After The Sucker Punch) Lorraine Devon Wilke, follows the ripple effects of this tragic hit-and-run, attempting to answer that unanswerable question, “Who could do such a thing?" From that first fateful moment through the months and years that follow, the narrative weaves through the lives of seemingly disparate characters, threading the initial event into another story, a love story, that ultimately links to the tragedy in unexpected ways. (Short story: 7300 words)
My Review
She Tumbled Down: a short story by Lorraine Devon Wilke pulls the reader in from the very first paragraph. The author has a fine gift of telling a story in a way that plays out in living color. There is an authentic life-force in her voice. Real heartfelt emotion that comes across as true as day.
There is lightness and there is dark. The story travels around to both sides. As a reader I wanted, hoping to know everything would turn out okay but guessing it would not. I was left to guess as I read at a feverish pace.
There are two stories paralleling each other. One was a happy story and one was not. Would they intersect? I was hoping not.
This story is written in such a way that you can't help but want more. I ate it up at a devil's pace. The suspense never subsided, nor was my ability to figure out how it would all conclude. This is a great read that packs a punch. Highly recommend.
Quote ~
"The most immediate next chapter led to her home and the cocoon of her long-neglected bed, where everything changed amidst tenderness and hard passion. It was one of those nights when the ephemera of life shifts. The walls open, the ceiling rises, the air sweetens; even the hope for a better world is suddenly imaginable. Love and sex may not possess such powers in reality, but on this night, in this bed, with this man, they were a force for good..."
Bio
Author, photographer, singer/songwriter, and Huffington Post contributor, Lorraine Devon Wilke, started early as a creative hyphenate. First, there was music and theater; next came rock & roll (big hair, '80s, great music!), then a leap into film when a feature she co-wrote (To Cross the Rubicon) was produced by a Seattle film company, opening doors in a variety of creative directions.In the years following, she wrote for and performed on theater stages, developed her photography skills, and accrued a library of well-received feature screenplays; most recently, her script, The Theory of Almost Everything, was a top finalist in the 2012 Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest. She kept her hand in music throughout - songwriting, recording, performing - leading to the fruition of the longtime goal of recording an original album (Somewhere On the Way). Accomplished in collaboration with songwriting/producing partner, Rick M. Hirsch, the album garnered stellar reviews and can be found at CDBaby and iTunes (see website for links). She continues with music whenever she can (which, she maintains, is never, ever, enough!), with her most current repertoire up at SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/lorraine-devon-wilke)... stop in for a listen!Devon Wilke's current life is split between Playa del Rey and Ferndale, California, and is shared with her husband, Pete Wilke, an entertainment/securities attorney, and son, engineer/web designer, Dillon Wilke. She's curates and manages both her fine art photography site and her personal blog (www.rockpapermusic.com), contributes regularly to The Huffington Post, and writes a column for the award-winning newspaper, The Ferndale Enterprise. To enjoy her essays and journalistic pieces, go to Contently.com, a writer's archival site (https://lorrainedevonwilke.contently.com).Her debut novel, AFTER THE SUCKER PUNCH, is available at Amazon, as is her recently published short story, SHE TUMBLED DOWN.
Follow Lorraine Devon Wilke:
Twitter FacebookGoodreadsHuffington Post Amazon Author pageHer article archive can be found at Contently, her photos at Fine Art America; details and Links to her other work at www.lorrainedevonwilke.com
You can follow Lorraine's adventures with the book at www.AfterTheSuckerPunch.comAnd don’t forget to FOLLOW THE BLOG http://rockpapermusic.com
April 4, 2015
Sweet Sorrow by Tricia Drammeh
Sweet Sorrow by Tricia Drammeh
Rowan achieves her greatest desire when she earns the part of Juliet in the school play, but it’s impossible to concentrate on her lines when her secret crush is cast as Romeo. Eddie is a fallen football hero and the subject of widespread gossip. Not only has he lost the respect of his peers, he’s also earned the open animosity of Rowan's father, the high school’s football coach. Eddie isn't the only one with a tarnished past—Rowan has secrets of her own. When the truth is revealed, will Rowan replace Eddie as the most hated student in school, or will Rowan and Eddie share the stage together?
My Review
Sweet Sorrow by Tricia Drammeh is an endearing tender story that grabbed me. Swept me up and took me in. I love the natural flow and how the author writes from a true place. There is so little that feels like fiction I would think it is a memoir but it is not. This is an emotional, gripping tale that was easy to get absorbed into making it very difficult to put down.
The author takes you back to what should be a more innocent time and does it seamlessly. She writes this from a teens perspective but it comes across authentic. I can relate to being THAT girl and experiencing those emotions. I was instantly absorbed into Rowan’s teenage life. I could identify with the insecurities and the all too familiar, self-doubt. Through it all, Rowan shows to be a warrior and this story becomes one of empowerment.
Sweet Sorrow is a coming-of-age story but so much more. There is much depth and poignant moments. This is the kind of book I like to read even though I am not a young adult. I loved the escape it allowed me to venture into. The writing is as smooth as can be and the storyline held me captive and left me wanting more. I was hooked from the start and enjoyed the twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. There is just something special about going back to your youth from a different perspective. I adored this book and plan to recommend it to my friends.
Quote ~
I refrain from rolling my eyes, but just barely. Morgan’s my best friend and I love her, but she doesn’t realize how perfect her life is. Sometimes it makes me envious. Other times, it just hurts my feelings the way she takes for granted all the things I wish I had. How she gets pissed off if she has to endure the slightest inconvenience—her car being put in the shop for a day, running out of her one-hundred dollar a week allowance before the week is through, or a simple request to babysit her brother.
Tricia Drammeh is a wife and mother of four children who lives in New Hampshire. Her published works include the Spellbringers series, Sweet Sorrow, Better than Perfect, The Seance, and The Fifth Circle. She is currently working on her eighth novel. When Tricia isn't writing, she can be found devouring books, chasing cats, or consuming vast amounts of coffee.
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April 2, 2015
Scribbler Tales: Volume Four by Mary Ann Bernal
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Four)
"Scribbler Tales is a unique mix of genres in one anthology rich with tension, humanity and genuine emotion. Unconventional settings and unexpected twists are bound to leave you pondering long after you close this book.”
My Review
Scribbler Tales (Volume 4) by Mary Ann Bernal is rich with stories of greed, deceit and murder. I was instantly heaved into the suspenseful worlds the author has created. Leaving me speechless at times and always wowed. The roller coaster ride is a rocky one which left me wanting more. I so enjoyed the smart twists and the unexpected turns.
This book opens up with Abducted, a brilliantly told tale of messed up priorities and corruption. Insightful and intoxicating. While Cunning kept me on the edge, my curiosity was sparked with the paranormal aspects that took me by surprise.
In Enamored, biological age was of little importance as long as the mind remained young. This intriguing escape captivated my senses and drew me in. I loved this tale with its romantic undertone and mystery.
Then there is Reckless that is totally rapturing. There is a killer on the loose and the police are preparing for a standoff. Only if they can find their suspect! There is more to this story than meets the eye.
Lastly, Safeguard is an unexpected story. Sarah was lucky to be alive, yet nothing is as it seems.
I devoured this book in no time. Quick enough to move onto another Mary Ann Bernal novel. Would highly recommend!
Quote from Enamored ~
“Lady Margaret admired herself in the mirror, pleased with her appearance as her well-kept body hid her age well. And why not? She had the money and the wherewithal to remain ageless in a youth-oriented society. Jane Fonda and Cher were still in their prime, and one must not forget Helen Mirren being voted the sexiest woman alive a few years back. Biological age was of no importance, if one remained young in thought, word and deed.”
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume One)
In “Desperate Measures,” you will learn of human cloning experiments gone awry. “Forbidden Lore” beckons Arianna and Ethan into a haunted cemetery where youwill discover how they survive the night. Star-crossed lovers who refuse to accept the inevitable rise to a surprise ending in “Forever Lost.” In “The Hourglass,” the weakness of human character is exposed when Flair makes a covenant with the Devil. “Sail with Me” is a slice of life read about the confessions of a military brat who changes his life against all the odds.
My Review
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories by Mary Ann Bernal, all dark, are written in such a way that you have to read more. The author crafts stories that pull her readers in. Wanting more but getting just enough. There is great skill that goes into her stories but she seems to write with ease. The words flow effortlessly. This is a smart collection that kept me guessing. Slices of life that no matter how far fetched feel authentic.
Desperate Measures is sharp. Hauntingly realistic. This is an interesting story about cloning. Quite chilling and entertainingly good.
Forbidden Lore is the story of Ethan and Arianna a married couple who met on 9 11. This is an intriguing story that kept me guessing and glued to the page. Nothing is as it seems and I was brought into the mystery that was Forbidden Lore.
Forever Lost is such a beautifully written, emotional tale that played out like scenes in a movie. There is love and there is deceit. This is a love story.
Sail with Me caught my attention. I love the conversational style of this story. Right in your face. A story of a military brat. This is Aaron’s story. A coming-of-age story of sorts. I was very touched.
In The Hourglass Flair knew her fate. She watched the hourglass knowing Death was at her feet. Flair held the secret from her husband Brice. This is a beautiful creative story that moved me.
Quote~
“Death’s laughter echoed sinisterly throughout the eerily still cave that rocked beneath the thunderous roar of nature’s wrath as the tempest raged outside. Flair glared at her nemesis as she removed the dagger on Brice’s belt and flashed it before her amused opponent.”
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Two)
Madeline’s personal feelings clouds her judgment in Broken Promises where she must choose between love and obeying the law. When the guilty walk, a vigilante executes the criminals in Deception. Endgame finds a government researcher running for her life after discovering a horrific CIA secret in the isolated facility. A modern day Don Juan’s life is turned upside down in Malice when he is falsely accused of rape. In The Portrait, Holliday is obsessed with a formidable ancestor whose spirit wishes to possess her soul.
My Review
Mary Ann Bernal’s second volume of Scribbler Tales is filled with stories of human nature at its finest and certainly at its worse. These pieces are sure to intrigue and inspire. The writing is flawless and the characters were all unique and yet life-like. The author has a way with words and setting a scene that makes you feel that you are among the characters. Her stories bring you to another place and are always a good escape into the unknown.
Broken Promises is a story about Madeline who has romantic feelings for her boss Nathan. This is a great story of deceit. The turns had me emotionally involved. I was swept away into the drama.
In Deception what happens when a movie star is murdered will surprise you. Waiting for this killer to make a mistake. It’s just a matter of time. This is a mystery that I was hoping would be solved.Endgame is a wildly entertaining story where nothing is as it seems. Grabbed my attention and held on until the end. This is a pretty incredible story.In Malice Andrew seems to have a lot to offer. No problem getting the attention from the opposite sex. He loved the chase but grew tired of his conquest. Somehow to his misfortune.The last story, The Portrait is a powerful read. Evil lurks! What will a woman do to preserve her dynasty? Great fun.
Quote from Endgame ~
"Sandy was running on pure adrenalin, her breathing was shallow and rapid as she edged closer to the road. She was almost there, she could see the pavement and lights - car lights. The car screeched to a halt as Sandy ran into the road, but the driver was not quick enough on the brakes, and she fell unconscious to the ground."
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume Three)
When a highly classified schematic of a prototype engine is stolen, the evidence points to an inside job in Hidden Lies. In Nightmare, Melanie’s childhood demons carryover into adulthood when she returns to her ancestral home. Detective Newport races against time to apprehend a killer targeting prosecuting attorneys in Payback. The Night Stalker is not a figment of Pamela’s imagination as she tries to convince the police that her life is in danger. While trying to identify a serial arsonist, a Fire Marshall suspects a highly decorated firefighter in Turning Point.
My Review
Scribbler Tales: A Collection of Short Stories (Volume 3) by Mary Ann Bernal is another great read. So enjoyed the compelling stories that are unique, well-written and filled with mystery. If you haven’t read Scribbler Tales you should pick up any one of the volumes. They are all worth it for entertainment value. The twists kept me guessing all the way through. I love that!
In Hidden Lies the intrigue starts out right away. The story plays out effortlessly.
Deception is a story had my heart racing and kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through.
Nightmare is a spooky story that was just as much gripping as it was emotional. I love how these stories come together. So smooth and unexpected. Always a big “wow” moment! That is what makes them so good.
Payback is action packed and takes you right in. There are questions that need answers. Could it be murder?
In the Night Stalker, suspense continues. Lured into another dramatic episode. Had me gasping out loud.
Lastly, Turning Point is a compelling story that pulls its reader in. Revenge is the word. Are there any good people left in the world? This story might make you wonder.
Quote for The Night Stalker ~
Pamela was quite unnerved by the time she arrived home. She parked in the driveway, looking at the second floor while walking to the front door. That was when she noticed the curtains flapping outside the window of her bedroom! Fumbling with the keys, Pamela finally opened the door, ran up the stairs and burst into her room. Someone had been in the house, her house! And they wanted her to know it. Everything was as it should be, the furniture, the closets, the only difference being the open window, which was always locked.
BioI fell in love with medieval England after I read Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. Then came the great Hollywood epics such as Knights of the Round Table, Prince Valiant, The Black Shield of Falworth and The Vikings, to name but a few. Add to the mix Camelot and an incurable romantic Anglophile was born!The Briton and the Dane novels are set in Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain when the formidable Vikings terrorized the civilized world. The epic adventure runs the gamut of deception, treachery, intrigue, and complicated relationships during a time of war and conquest. Resource material such as book club discussion items, glossary of terms, period maps and character lists are available for download at http://www.maryannbernal.com.
To Purchase Mary Ann Bernal's novels, visit her author page on Amazon.
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March 26, 2015
In Search of A Revolution by Christoph Fischer
In Search of A Revolution
In 1918 young Zacharias Nielsen boards a ship in Copenhagen to join the Red Guards in the Finnish Civil War. Encouraged by an idolised teacher with communist leanings, he follows the call for help from his Nordic Comrades, despite his privileged background. His best friend, Ansgar, has opposing political ideals to Zacharias but, for his own personal reasons, finds himself soon stuck in the Scandinavian North with Zacharias and Raisa, a Finnish nurse who helps them in their new life. Through the years that follow the brotherly war the trio see the political landscape in Finland and Europe change as Communists and Fascists try to make their mark and attempt to change the world order. Our heroes must find their own personal and ideological place in these turbulent times as friendship, honour, idealism and love triangles bring out some personal truths.
The book spans almost thirty years of history and the various Finnish conflicts: Civil War, Winter War, Continuation War and the Lapland War. Watch the political and personal self discovery of characters in search of their own revolution.
My Review
“For a real communist, countries don’t exist - there are only people.”
In Search of A Revolution by Christoph Fischer is another great book that captivated my attention right away. I have read several of this author’s books and all have resonated with me in their own way. He writes with great passion and authority. They are mind-blowing reads that are all well-written, precise and more than anything effortless to get into. This latest book is no exception. This takes you to another place and time but feels familiar and comfy. A book that is not easy to put down once you have started. I was so immersed in the life of Zacharias, Ansgar and Raisa.
From the start I was totally hooked. There is so much heart that I was caught up with emotion as I read with great vigor and interest. This story is filled with lies, deceit, and big drama. The suspense had me holding on, quickening my pace, reading is a fury! Loved the mystery that was In Search of A Revolution!
Quote ~
"Just imagine what the world will be like in a few years if we succeed? There won’t be any class differences and no divide between rich and poor. You’ll look at a man and you won’t have to worry how to address him and how to pay him the respect that society demands for his status. Everyone will get respect and address in the same fair manner, nobody will have more than their neighbour and there won’t be any more need for crimes. Nobody will look down on a farmer like you. How is that not worth fighting for?”
Bio
Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and home in Bavaria. He moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. After a few years he moved on to the UK where he now lives in a small hamlet, not far from Bath. He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family. Christoph worked for the British Film Institute, in Libraries, Museums and for an airline. He has written several other novels which are in the later stages of editing and finalisation.
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