Riley Banks's Blog, page 20

Book Review: Soundkeeper by Michael Hervey

By Mark Combs Title: Soundkeeper Author: Michael Hervey Genre: Thriller Series or Standalone: Series (Book 1 in the Hall McCormick series) Blurb What started out as an ordinary day for Soundkeeper Gale Pickens takes a dreadful turn when she stops a barge that is polluting the pristine waters off the coast of Charleston. Beaten and […]
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Wendy is no lost girl

Australian crime author, Wendy James talks to The Writers’ Shack about her latest novel, The Lost Girls. Wendy James is the author of six books, including The Mistake (2012) and Out of the Silence, which won the 2006 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime fiction and was shortlisted for the Nita May Dobbie Award […]
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Some secrets should not stay hidden

A gripping psychological thriller by Wendy James, The Lost Girls will make you want to check the children…   In 1978, fourteen year old Angie is staying with her aunt and uncle in a quiet Sydney beachside suburb, spending her days lazing around with her two cousins, Mick and Jane. When Angie walks to the […]
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Downton Abbey meets The Selection

  Book review of Landry Park by Bethany Hagen   Landry Park was everything I never expected and more. I started reading this book without reading the synopsis, which is not how I choose my reading material, but I did. There’s this group of fourteen YA authors called the “2014 Valentines”, each one of them […]
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Fiery celebrity tempers: infographic

Which celeb has the hottest temper?     Celebrities have a habit of losing their tempers, but let’s face it: who can blame them? They’re hounded by the paparazzi, followed by their fans, and pretty much can’t put a foot wrong in public without someone catching it on film.   Australian actor, Sam Worthington, is […]
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And the Oscar goes to…

Michele Kunz explains why the Oscars continue to be Hollywood’s night of nights. Year after year, most of us tune in to watch the “Big Show”. This is the one evening when the who’s who of Hollywood come out to show off their plumage. “Oscar” is an award all actors hope to achieve; the one […]
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Juice Detoxing

What do you think of juice detoxes? Are you a lover or a despiser?   By Jessica Meddows You know what I love about juice detoxes? The sheer outrage they create. People love them or hate them. If they’re in the love camp, they’ll rant about the benefits of a juice detox like the second coming […]
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Let’s write about sex, baby

5 tips for writing sex scenes that don’t make people cringe   Once upon a time, not that long ago, there were three topics considered completely taboo at any civilized dinner table: politics, religion, and sex.   Now, thanks in some small way to authors like EL James, JR Ward and Sylvia Day, and TV […]
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Flowers to mark the start of a new journey

It is official – today marks my first official day of unemployment (at least in terms of paid employment. I’ve still got lots on for The Writers’ Shack).There was nothing untoward in leaving my present company, as attested by the large bunch of flowers I was presented at a morning tea. In fact, I stayed […]
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A Midnight Dip… Clothing Optional

Bloom Gets His Kit Off in Yellowstone by Mark H. Bloom with Jason Scholder This is truly one of my favorite stories because it reveals a rare travel discovery, one you happen upon instead of research to death. Such discoveries involve 100 percent luck and timing, things I often find in short supply on the […]
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