Brenda Maxfield's Blog, page 3

Welcome, Catherine DePino!

 

Greetings Friends! Please help me in welcoming Catherine DePino today! Catherine is the author of a new book for middle schoolers about bullying:  Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser: A Book about Bullying

I think that all of us who work with children and/or have children are concerned about this topic.

(Catherine is offering a $20 Amazon gift card to a random commenter, so be sure to comment below!)

Here is the blurb about Catherine’s book:

The kids at Ralph Bunche Middle School love to pick on Elliot Kravitz-Carnucci. He struggles with his weight, looks like a geek, makes top honors, and lives above the Carnucci Home for Funerals in South Philadelphia with his distant, workaholic father and Nonna, his quirky, overbearing grandmother.

Since his parents divorced, he splits spending his time with his funeral director father and his mother Rayna, who dreams of becoming the queen of commercials on the west coast.

At the hands of his peers, Elliot experiences a series of bullying episodes that escalate from entrapment in a school supply closet to a brutal “swirly” (head dunk in the toilet) that lands him in the hospital emergency room.

Elliot has a small circle of loyal friends and a mentor named Duke, an aging school custodian, who root for him to overcome his bullying issues so that he can enjoy his life as a teenager and a budding singer/performer. Can Elliot win his fight against the nasty bullies, or is he doomed forever? Read this funny, sad, and crazy book to find out.

And to give you a little taste, here’s an excerpt:

What were they planning to do to me? Had they all gone over the edge? I tried to scream, but all that came out from under the gag was Mmmmmmmmm.

Most of the teachers and staff had already left to get an early start on spring break. Duke was probably somewhere in the building, though, giving the place a final once over before locking up. His doctor had told him to slow down after the tests proved he had lung cancer, but it only made him work longer hours.

Kyle slammed me on the back. “Tell you what, promise not to open your mouth and I’ll take the gag off.”

I nodded yes like my head was going to roll off.

“Mmmmmmm…”

He untied the gag, and I heaved in a gulp of air.

“We don’t want you to suffocate when your head hits the water.”

Were they going to throw me in the river? Drown me? Could they be that crazy?

I tried to make a run for it, but Kyle caught me before I could make it to the door. His biceps bulged like baseballs from his lean arms. How I wished I’d added weight lifting to my fitness routine.

Canfield looked at his friends. “Part of the fun is the anticipation. Right, guys?”

Why couldn’t they look at me?

I heard on the news that when you’re threatened if you call a person by name, maybe he’ll act more human and be less likely to hurt you. Was it worth a try?

“Kyle, you don’t want to do this…”

An Interview with the Author:

Where are you from?

I’m from Bucks County, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. However, I consider myself more of a city person because for most of my life I’ve worked in city high schools and then at Temple University in Philadelphia as a student teaching supervisor. We also have a home in Ocean City New Jersey, which bills itself  “America’s Greatest Family Resort.”

Tell us your latest news.

I’m thinking of writing a book for pre-teens and teenagers about getting along with adults, something along the lines of How to Get Along with the Adults in Your Life When You Just Want to Tell Them to Bug Off.  With all my books, whether fiction or non-fiction, I always start with a title and then flesh out the idea. It’s easier that way. That’s how I got the idea for my book for retired women that recently came out. It’s called Fire Up Your Life in Retirement: 101 Ways for Women to Reinvent Themselves.

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing poetry as a child and dreamed of writing all my life. But raising a family and working full time left little time for writing. I began by writing essays for my local paper about womens’s issues. My first one was called “I May be Over the Hill, but I’m not Dead Yet.” At around the same time, I started writing magazine articles. My first one was a coming-of-age essay about my three daughters for Christian Science Monitor.

After retiring from my job as department head and teacher at the Philadelphia High School for Girls, one of the first all-girls public schools in the country, I queried J. Weston Walch, an educational publisher about writing a grammar book that teachers could use with middle school and ESL students. The company didn’t need a grammar book, but  asked if I would be interested in writing a study guide for the works of Cynthia Voigt, a YA writer. Of course, I said yes.  A little later, they accepted my book, Grammar Workout.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve written poetry and stories since I was a small child. I first thought of myself as a writer when I published my very first newspaper article for a weekly paper about working at the age of 13 in an ice cream parlor that was the hot spot back then. When you devoured their gigantic sundae with six mega scoops of ice cream and five syrupy toppings, capped with a mountain of whipped cream called “The Pig’s Dinner,” the restaurant awarded you a button that boasted “I was a Pig at Greenwood Dairies. “ Of course, that became my article’s title.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I consider my first book the grammar book because it was my own idea and not one the publisher commissioned. I wrote it using a sports metaphor because I’m deeply involved in exercise. I’ve Jazzercised for many years, and  Zumba is my passion these days. It exercises every part of your body, and you can lose yourself in the exotic moves and music. As with all my books, the title inspired the book. Just as exercise is fun if you find the type you love, grammar can prove rewarding too. Since that time I’ve written more grammar books. My latest one, Excuse Me, Your Participle’s Dangling: How to Use Grammar to Make Your Writing Powers Soar, targets adults and ESL students.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Whether I’m writing fiction or non-fiction, I write as if I’m sitting right next to the person reading the book and talking to that person one-on-one. With Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser, I asked myself: What would the bully say to Elliot? How would Elliot react to the kids who bugged him? I also pay particular attention to body language and gestures and try to figure out ways to enhance the story by using them to reinforce the characters’ conversations.

How did you come up with the title?

Elliot came to me as a flesh and blood person; I knew how he’d look before I wrote about him. The artist did a great job of depicting him on the cover; that’s exactly how he appeared in my mind’s eye. Then I asked myself what a bully might call Elliot based on his appearance. However, to me, Elliot is the antithesis of a loser. He’s a fighter and a winner all the way.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I want kids who read it to see that they can come out on top of a bullying situation. They have to be willing to work hard to stave off bullies, even though it’s not their fault and it’s totally unfair. They need to keep parents, teachers, administrators, and counselors informed every step of the way. Also, schools need to get involved by providing effective bully prevention programs and working with families to help bullied children. Above all, parents need to watch out for signs their child is being bullied and act quickly to take steps to stop the problem. I also want kids to know that no bullying situation is ever hopeless.

How much of the book is realistic?

Much of the book is based on bullying situations I’ve personally witnessed and about what kids told me about their own bullying problems.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? I used schools I’ve worked in as the setting. Like the assistant principal, Dr. Greely, I worked in discipline and dealt with kids’ problems, so I’ve patterned conversations with him after those that I’ve seen in the office with other disciplinarians. Mr. Boardly, Elliot’s mentor, is based on Scotty, a caring custodian I met at Lincoln High School in Philly. He always helped students and teachers whenever a problem plagued them. Tragically, he died crossing a busy highway when his car became disabled. I will always remember him. My kids tell me that I’m Nonna Elliot’s grandmother. I wonder if that’s good or bad! You be the judge.

I also want to mention that I didn’t know much about the funeral business before writing the story, much of which takes place in the funeral home where Elliot and his family live. but I found it fascinating to research the profession. I disvocvered that people who deal with death on a daily basis appreciate every moment and live life to the fullest more than most people.

What books have most influenced your life most?

My favorite writer is Shakespeare. No one was able to portray characters and the spectrum of human emotions as he has, especially in his tragedies. I also love F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writing, particularly Gatsby for its timeless wisdom and universality. J.D. Salinger’s quirky characters deeply influenced Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser. I also have to say that James Joyce’s writing is hauntingly beautiful. My favorite short story of all time is “The Dead.” I aspire to create memorable characters like the ones in his stories.

Here’s a bit more about the author:

Catherine DePino has sold thirteen books for parents, teachers, and children to mainstream publishers. She self-published her fourteenth book, Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser: A Book About Bullying because she wanted to give it a wider forum. Her background includes a BS in English and Spanish education, a Master’s in English education, and a doctorate in Curriculum Theory and Development and Educational Administration from Temple University. The author worked for many years as an English teacher, department head of English and world languages, disciplinarian, and curriculum writer in the Philadelphia School District. After this, she worked at Temple as an adjunct assistant professor and student teaching supervisor.

Catherine has also written articles for national magazines, including The Christian Science Monitor and The Writer.

For many years she served on the board of The Philadelphia Writers’ Conference.  She holds membership in the Association of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Her new self-help book, 101 Easy Ways for Women to De-Stress, Reinvent, and Fire Up Your Life in Retirement,appeared on the market in March, 2014.

Some links for you:

Website: http://www.catherinedepino.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/C.Spinelli.DePino

Fire Up Your Life: 101 Ways for Women to Reinvent Themselves

http://www.paragonhouse.com/product.php?productid=508&cat=0&page=&featured=Y

Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser: A Book About Bullying

Elliot K. Carnucci is a Big, Fat Loser: A Book About Bullying

Huge Summer Sale

Happy Summer, Friends! (In the Northern Hemisphere, that is! lol)

I’m taking part in a huge Book Bargain Sale where two of my books are featured. (Yippee!) As part of the sale, we are all sharing the post on our blogs.

DISCLAIMER:  As you know, I advertise books with a “no embarrassment factor.” Some of the books in this sale, while not erotica, appear to be of a more sensual nature. Therefore, I urge you to read the blurbs carefully to ensure you’re purchasing the heat level you’re comfortable with.

And now…………..on to the post!  :-D

We’re going to start this summer off with a BANG! I have gathered several different-genre authors (with heat-levels – but NO erotic, don’t worry!) who have all priced their books at 99 cents for this Sizzling Summer Sale! This promo goes from June 24th to the 28th.

If you find a book you enjoy, we hope you will take the time to give the author a nice review and maybe check out their other books.

 

Bella Notte (YA Paranormal)  www.jessekimmelfreeman.com/blog.html 

by Jesse Kimmel Freeman

Vampires? Check. Werewolves? Check. Death prophecy to hang over your head? Double check. Seventeen year old Emma Hutchinson struggles to find her place in the world she has been born to as she tries to decide whether she should be with Michael, the boy she has been dreaming about since she was three or if she belongs with Dominic, her betrothed.

DISCOUNT – $0.99 (Regular price $3.99) Click to buy on Kindle

 

The Sweetest Kiss (Regency Sweet Romance)

  http://mariehiggins84302.blogspot.com  

by Marie Higgins

Lord Trey Worthington isn’t about to give his heart to a

woman. He does not want a marriage like his parents. But when his mother brings

a childhood acquaintance into the home to sponsor into society, Trey has to get

Miss Faraday trained properly. The more he gets to know Judith, the more he

yearns for something he doesn’t dare reach for. Judith is after a faithful

husband—something Trey has been convinced most of his life he’ll never become.
 
Judith Faraday is only after one thing—to marry her Naval

Officer and enjoy a life full of love. She’s doubtful her dream will ever come

true while living as the ward to the dowager duchess. However, the longer

Judith is with the dowager’s son, Trey, an attraction blossoms. Judith now

wonders if God has different plans for her life, because Trey doesn’t believe

in the sanctity of marriage…the very thing Judith cannot do without.
 DISCOUNT  - $0.99  (regular price $3.99)   click to buy on Kindle
 

Waiting For You (Ghost story / Time-travel Sweet romance) http://mariehiggins84302.blogspot.com

by Marie Higgins

When a

beautiful woman claiming to be a ghost from 1912 appears in Nick Marshal’s new

office and begs for help in solving her murder, he’s intrigued enough to

consider her plea. A scandal that rocked Hollywood almost destroyed his law

practice, so taking on a client who insists she’s dead seems a good way to

refresh his career. The more history he uncovers, the deeper he falls for the

ghost. Abigail Carlisle believes Nick is her heart’s true desire, but how can

happily ever after happen when she’s already dead?
DISCOUNT – $0.99  (regular price $3.99) click to buy on Kindle
 

Marry Me for Money (Contemporary Romance)

by Mia Kayla  www.miakayla.blogspot.com

Leaving her small town behind, Bethany Casse moves to Chicago in search of a new life. Working at a top financial bank brings her into contact with two men who are as different as night and day. 

Kent Plack, heir to Plack Industries, has no interest in being with a woman for longer than one night. A spoiled and lazy man-whore, he is completely content with his playboy lifestyle, and Beth is surprised when they form an unlikely friendship.

Brian Burcham, a finance banker, is gorgeous and respectful. A man plucked from Beth’s dreams, he is definite husband material. Unfortunately, Beth has a hard rule against dating coworkers, but Brian is determined to change her mind. 

When a deadbeat mother and money problems follow her to Chicago, Beth is offered a solution that could fix everything. Marrying for money seems simple enough, but when lines become blurred, Beth faces difficult choices, making her realize that the easy way out just made her life even harder than before. 

DISCOUNT – $0.99 (regular price $2.99)   click to buy on Kindle  B&N  ibooks  Kobo

Cornered / Ocean Mist Book Two (Young Adult)

by Brenda Maxfield  www.brendamaxfield.wordpress.com

Seventeen-year-old Courtney Phillips is striving to earn an

internship to escape from her unhappy home. But when her mother becomes ill,

Courtney is stuck caring for her rebellious sister, Tiffany, and her little

brother—until Tiffany runs off to live with their dead-beat dad.
Track star Keegan Hank’s current girlfriend is cheating on him, but

having fallen for him herself, Courtney is afraid to tell her best friend the

truth. When Keegan discovers that Courtney withheld the facts about his

girlfriend, he rejects her apologies.

Courtney finally lands an interview for her dream internship, but

mysterious calls from Tiffany spell trouble. Courtney must now find a way to

win Keegan’s love and rescue her sister without jeopardizing her own future. DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.99)  Buy on Kindle   Barnes & Noble  Smashwords

 

The Return / Ocean Mist Book Three (Young Adult)

by Brenda Maxfield www.brendamaxfield.wordpress.com

Following her mother’s death, Tiffany’s missing father reappears

intending to take control of both her and her brother. Tough and rebellious,

Tiffany doesn’t take kindly to meddling jerks and insists that neither she nor

her little brother needs help, especially from the likes of him. 
Tiffany plots her escape, but her plans become tangled when Jason,

a new student whose past is shrouded in rumors, moves to Ocean Mist. Despite

her intention to remain aloof, Tiffany falls for him and is driven to discover

his secret.
When Tiffany’s brother sides with their father, Tiffany decides to

run. But where can she go? Can she desert both her brother and Jason?

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.99)  Buy on Kindle   

 

A Little Trouble in Big Sky (sweet romance)

by Stacey Coverstone http://www.staceycoverstone.com

Taylor doesn’t expect her reluctant homecoming to include a murder, a ghost…and romance with the ranch foreman.
Photographer Taylor Young fled to L.A. following her sister’s betrayal six years ago. Now Jamie’s dead, Mama has broken a hip in a drunken fall, and Taylor’s stepfather has begged her to return to her family’s Montana ranch to make amends.
After a bitter divorce, Brett Austin, foreman of the Slash Y Ranch, believes horses are more of a sure thing than women. But undeniable chemistry with the boss’s daughter convinces him it’s time to take another chance at love.
When Taylor’s mother insists Jamie’s death was not suicide-a theory confirmed by Jamie’s ghost-Taylor wonders who could have wanted her sister dead. With a list of suspects as long as her camera strap, she needs an ally. Could that person be a tall drink of water in a cowboy hat?  DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $2.99)    Buy on Kindle 

 

Hearts on the Run (sweet romance)

by Stacey Coverstone  http://www.staceycoverstone.com

You can run, but you can’t hide from love…
Cole Roberts has been unlucky in love–twice–and he’s sworn not to get involved again. Renovating the New Mexico family horse business into a guest ranch is a good distraction, until the ranch’s new masseuse arrives. Captivating but secretive, the brown-eyed beauty intrigues him.
Three years ago, Lindy Grainger testified against a murderer and landed in witness protection. Her latest identity is masseuse at a guest ranch, but how long before she must reinvent herself–again? She can’t get involved with anyone, no matter how big-hearted and charming he is.
Cole’s heart can’t take another rejection. Lindy has to steer clear of relationships. But as their attraction grows, a murderer bent on revenge closes in, and Lindy must trust Cole with her secret or lose him. Will the truth set her free, or tear them apart?
 DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $2.99)   Buy on Kindle

Still the One (Romantic Comedy)

by Joan Reeves http://SlingWords.blogspot.com

Burke Winslow needed a wife–but he didn’t have his ex in mind for the job. This funny, sexy romp proves when there’s love, passion never dies, it just smolders away until you toss some gasoline on it. Burke and Ally provide that gasoline when they find themselves locked in a marriage of–inconvenience.

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.99) Buy on Kindle

Champion of the Heart (Medieval Romance)

by Laurel O’Donnell  www.laurel-odonnell.com

Fox Mercer vows revenge on those who unjustly stripped his father of his knighthood and his lands, including the Lady Jordan Ruvane whom he once called friend. Forced to abandon his rightful place in society, Fox becomes an outcast known as the Black Fox. He steals what he needs to live, hiding in the decaying ruins of a haunted castle he once called home, determined to one day regain what is rightfully his.

Lady Jordan Ruvane is the protector of the orphaned children of her village. When she loses one of her children because the Black Fox steals the medicinal herbs that would have saved the child, Jordan vows to capture her old childhood friend and bring him to justice.

In a twist of fate, Jordan is the one who becomes the captive. Old flames are ignited and an undeniable firestorm of buried passion is unleashed. But sinister secrets from their childhood are also revealed, threatening their future. Can Fox conquer the dark mystery of the past and truly become the champion of his lady’s heart?

Champion of the Heart is an exciting medieval romance filled with dark secrets and haunted castles, villainous betrayal and heartbreaking tragedy, honor and family loyalty — and a love that conquers all.

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $2.99)

By on Kindle   Barnes & Noble    iBooks    Kobo  Smashwords

Fool’s Gold (Time-travel Romance)

by Melissa Lynne Blue  www.melissalynneblue.com

Does a future exist for a man out of time? 

Charleston 1870… 

In far too deep with a dangerous man, Jacob Langston has twenty-four hours to repay hefty gambling debts or his family will be harmed. Desperate for funds, Jacob goes in search of the lost Confederate bullion rumored to be buried in the woods outside of Charleston. Trapped in a wicked storm, he soon realizes the fool’s errand he’s embarked upon. Before he can escape the woods he is caught in a bizarre cascade of events that throws him 150 years into the future. There he is given aide by the warm-hearted Sage Martin… a woman as lovely as she is kind. Jacob can’t help but be drawn to the idea of a future in her future. However, he is plagued by the threats made against his brothers, and knows he could never embrace a life in which those he loved were left to suffer because of his weakness. Though he longs to stay with Sage, Jacob remains driven to return to his own time and rectify his wrongs, whatever the personal cost. 

After a lifetime chasing after fool’s gold can he finally grasp the treasure his lonely heart has been searching for? Or is he doomed to pay the ultimate price for the foolishness of youth? 

DISCOUNT $0.99  (regular price $2.99)  Buy on Kindle 

Edge of Time (Time-travel Romance)

by Melissa Lynne Blue www.melissalynneblue.com

Jilted by her fiancé, Marissa is done with men until fate steps in and she finds that Craig Langston may be more man than she can resist. 

Marissa is a high energy independent career woman of the 21st century who finds herself on a collision course with destiny when she is thrown 144 years into the past. Confederate Officer Dr. Craig Langston is an enticing man that any woman would long to fall in love with, and now Marissa is torn between rampant desire, for the man ignites her very soul, and a longing to return home. 

Can she find it within herself to embrace a new life in the arms of her Confederate officer or will more sinister forces intervene before she can discover what may be the greatest love of all time?

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $2.99)  Buy Kindle 

Disappear (Romantic Suspense)

by Mary Martinez http://marysbooksblogger.blogspot.com/

After two years undercover as an FBI agent to infiltrate a crime organization and discover the identity of a hit man, Tyler Beckett’s cover is blown. Tyler’s new assignment is to protect the only witness who can identify the mysterious killer. If only he didn’t find her so attractive. Each day it becomes harder to keep his objective, especially since he knows the interest is mutual.
Keira Cavanaugh is the only witness to a hit ordered by a crime boss.  The safe house is compromised and the same hit man shoots Tyler. Fearing Tyler is dead, Keira plans revenge on the crime organization. She must fake her own suicide in order to survive. 
When Tyler discovers what Keira plans, he realizes he must stop her before he loses her for good. DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.99) Buy on Kindle   Barnes & Noble

iTunes  Coffee Time Romance  Kobo Smashwords

Three Brides and a Dress (Women’s Fiction)

by Mary Martinez  http://marysbooksblogger.blogspot.com/

Hi, my name is Bella and I’m one of Heidi by Design signature creations. I’m a wedding dress. Someday I’ll find a young bride with stars in her eyes and dreams of a future with her groom. I can imagine it now. The groom standing at the altar waiting, his gaze fixed to the door where his bride will appear and then walk toward him. I’ll hug her curves and she’ll shimmer and shine with the promise of what their life will be.
It all sounds simple and easy, doesn’t it?
Wrong…
My journey is more of a zig zag than a top stitch along a straight seam as I search for the perfect bride who is my soul mate.

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.99′   Buy on  Kindle  Barnes & Noble iTunes  Coffee Time Romance Kobo   Smashwords

Bareback for Cowboy (Sensual Romance)

by Lawna Mackie www.lawnamackie.ca

Champion Steer Wrestler, Cade Galloway has no time for women, and certainly no time for babysitting the ugly duckling he remembers from his youth. His mother assures him the young lady has grown up since he last saw her, but he doesn’t hear. He needs to put all his energy into winning the competition at the Calgary Stampede.Sophia Randall, strikingly gorgeous in a small black dress and stilettos departs the plane from Paris looking for her childhood crush. The cowboy who used to babysit her is to again watch out for her during this visit. She hopes the short vacation will ease the pain of losing her mother. Confident and independent, she has only one weakness. Cade. Knowing this might be her only chance with him, she throws caution to the wind.The explosive brilliance of the nightly fireworks can’t compare to the sexual sparks between them. But life calls, leaving each on a different continent. Are the hot sexy nights and days spent together enough to melt the rugged cowboy’s heart or has Sophia just added more pain to injury?  DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.72)  Buy on Kindle

Enchantment (Fantasy Romance)

by Lawna Mackie  www.lawnamackie.ca

Stumbling into the world of Enchantment brought Meeka everything she’d been searching for. Peace. Magic. A gorgeous knight in shining armor. 

Kerrigan knows he should banish her from Enchantment, it’s his duty as the dragon-shifting Enforcer. But one thing stands in the way…his overwhelming desire for Meeka. 

Can Kerrigan keep Meeka safe as his enemies strive to turn her into a weapon that will destroy all he is bound to protect? 

Or will their passion override duty?

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.81)

Buy on Kindle

 

Redeemed / The Evolution Series (Historical Romance)

by Jill Hughey www.jillhughey.com

Can a quiet widow help a damaged, secretive man find

redemption?
Doeg has only two requirements in a wife and upon meeting

Philantha he knows she is the one who will fulfill them. However, she has a

requirement of her own that tests and eventually breaks the barriers Doeg has

maintained around himself for decades. They struggle during the day to

revitalize his estate while the night-time awakening of their passion leads to

binding love and redemption beyond their wildest imaginings. When an unexpected

threat to Philantha emerges, Doeg rises to the challenge, throwing off the

shackles of his past once and for all.

Travel to Bavaria in 834 where Redeemed combines the best

elements of historical romance with an exciting new setting. Book Two in the

Evolution Series
DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $3.99) Buy on Kindle

 

Creator of Worlds / Paranormal Fantasy

by Ryan Murphy

Dr. Shirley Gallagher and her team of astronomers and analysts make the most astonishing discovery in human history. While on her way to brief the President of the United States, Shirley’s life is cut short in a horrific accident. Her death only marks the beginning of a much greater journey.

Born into her new life as a spirit, all of Shirley’s questions regarding the afterlife are answered, but they’re far from what she expected. Furthermore, she finds herself completely unprepared to learn of her purpose in this new world.

Thrust into a war with the Angeli, beings who helped create the human spirit, she learns that her spirit body has evolved, making her the only one physically capable of stopping the invading force. She must race through the heavens against time, a powerful evil spirit, alien beings, and demons to save the earth, the human race, and every human spirit from annihilation. DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $2.99) Buy on Kindle

 

The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley (Regency Romance)

by Aileen Fish http://aileenfish.com/blog

Stubborn. Hard-headed. Single-minded. The qualities that make David Lumley a successful horse breeder are put to work befriending Lady Joanna Hurst with less than noble intentions. He’s tenacious in his pursuit of the answers he seeks. 

Lady Joanna falls fast and hard for the handsome, witty and charming Mr. Lumley after her brother’s ultimatum to find a husband by the end of the Season. He is everything she imagined a husband could be, and more. Blissfully unaware of the conflict between their fathers, she believes he’ll declare his love soon. Then she overhears a conversation between Mr. Lumley and her brother, and all of Mr. Lumley’s tenacity will be needed if he’s to win back her heart.

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular price $2.99)  Buy on Kindle  and Barnes & Noble  iTunes

With This Ring (Contemporary Romance)

by E. Ayers http://www.ayersbooks.com  http://authorsofmainstreet.wordpress.com 

http://ayersbooks.wordpress.com

DeeDee Drayden doesn’t believe in a happily ever after, even

though her passion is designing wedding gowns. Cody Montgomery, heir to a

fortune, is hiding in a small town raising seven children after two failed

marriages. With his hands full, he’s sworn off women. But when Cody ends up

being a silent partner and CFO of DeeDee’s fledgling bridal business, his eyes

are on more than the bottom line. Do they dare mix business with pleasure to

find their own happily ever after?

DISCOUNT $0.99 (regular $3.99)  Buy on US Kindle   UK Kindle

 

Happy Reading!  Have you joined my newsletter gang yet? If not,  Click here!

I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment below and let me know what’s happening!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

Tagged: 99 cent sale, Amazon Sale, Book Sale, Brenda Maxfield, Cornered, The Return

Welcome, Aleshia Robinson!

Happy Summer, Friends! If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope you’re enjoying lovely weather! All of us in the Midwest are breathing a huge sigh of relief with this wonderful warm-up!

Today, I’m welcoming fellow author Aleshia Robinson.  She is the author of the Love, God, and Tattoos Bundle! Be sure and leave a comment below as she’s gifting a copy of her bundle to one lucky commenter in the US or Canada.

Here are the blurbs for each of the three books in Aleshia’s bundle:

ALCATRAZ THE LOST PEARL

Fifteen year old Alcatraz is being chased. Born and raised in a loving family, she suddenly finds herself fending for her life on the streets of Los Angeles. Consumed with anger, hurt and confusion, Alcatraz turns to the spiritual realm to find life’s answers. While experimenting with pagan spells, Buddhist chants, and yoga sutras, she continually encounters a spirit who claims He is God. The Truth she learns from this spiritual quest introduces her to the unexpected world of divine healing, acceptance and unconditional love.

ALCATRAZ THE RIGHTEOUS PEARL

After two years of spiritual searching, Alcatraz has finally decided who the One true God is for her life. But trouble soon follows. Being rejected by her new found religious organization because of her appearance and discharged from the tattoo shop for her beliefs, Alcatraz is forced to enter the Hollywood adult entertainment life with her best friend Kuriko. The nightmares she experiences living on the dubious streets of Los Angeles causes her to struggle to keep her faith.

 KURIKO THE DAMAGED PEARL

Alcatraz has desperately wanted to learn more about the mysterious past of her street-smart Japanese best friend, Kuriko. Now her wish has come true, but not in the way she expected. Kuriko handed Alcatraz a black bamboo box before the tragic accident. Inside, Alcatraz finds the diary of a nineteen-year-old girl’s struggle with sex trafficking, powerful men, abuse, betrayal, and surprisingly, a burning desire to know God. After two years of living with the secretive, over-protective high-dollar prostitute, Alcatraz learns the dark truth of Kuriko’s inhumane journey. Now she wishes the past could have been buried with her best friend.

……And here’s a taste of Aleshia’s books:

ALCATRAZ THE LOST PEARL- BOOK 1 IN LOVE, GOD & TATTOOS SERIES

Unfulfillment, boredom and anxiety overcame me every time I wasn’t tattooing someone. While I was in creative mode I was fine but as soon as I stopped it was like life wasn’t worth living anymore. My mood could change instantly. I masked my pain very well with alcohol. If it wasn’t pomegranate margaritas from The Geisha Room then I drank hard liquor at the Roxy or wherever we were that night. On the outside girls envied me for my mad abilities, but on the inside I cried myself to sleep at night like a little, insecure baby. No matter how hard I tried to party and tattoo my way out of my problems, I couldn’t let go of the pain of my parent’s death, my rape and being plucked from Valeo Academy into this Hollywood life on my own. All of those seeds were ever present in the soil of my heart waiting to be tended to. I didn’’t know how to process the pain except to pretend like it wasn’t there. Alcohol allowed me to flee from my problems gracefully and to fit in with people who made me feel loved, accepted and worthwhile.

A bit about Aleshia:

Aleshia Robinson was born in Chicago, Illinois and enjoys writing edgy inspirational fiction, traveling, decoupaging, empowering women caught in the sex trade and providing clean water for mankind.

Aleshia’s Links:

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER: @lovegodtattoos

AMAZON

B&N

APPLE

KOBO

Remember to leave a comment below — you might be the winner!

I love hearing from you. Any special June plans?

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

P.S. This is beach weather! For just 99 cents, you can escape to the sand for an hour! Click on the book cover below to be whisked away to the coast!

Tagged: Alcatraz, Aleshia Robinson, Beach, Brenda Maxfield, Love God and Tattoos, ocean, Player, teen reads, YA

Teens Teach Senior Citizens and a Freebie for You!

Greetings Friends! I always get excited when I read about good works done by teens. (And there are plenty!) This morning, I read about teens in Kansas City who are being trained with a grant from Google Fiber to teach senior citizens how to use the Internet on computers. This project matches teens with seniors for technology lessons. There is a rigorous 60-hour training for the teens before they can do the teaching. They receive a stipend for their work.

I love this idea! What a brilliant way to harness the expertise of our teenagers to benefit our senior citizens. If you’d like to read about it, the full article is here.

FREEBIE: The third book in the Ocean Mist series is FREE today! Grab your copy here.

Blurb: Following her mother’s death, Tiffany’s missing father reappears intending to take control of both her and her brother. Tough and rebellious, Tiffany doesn’t take kindly to meddling jerks and insists that neither she nor her little brother needs help, especially from the likes of him.

Tiffany plots her escape, but her plans become tangled when Jason, a new student whose past is shrouded in rumors, moves to Ocean Mist. Despite her intention to remain aloof, Tiffany falls for him and is driven to discover his secret.

When Tiffany’s brother sides with their father, Tiffany decides to run. But where can she go? Can she desert both her brother and Jason?

 

Feel free to share news with us about what the teens are doing in your community. (I love hearing from you!) Also, I’d love to hear your thoughts on The Return.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. Please share this blog post with your friends! I’d love them to grab a free copy of The Return, too!

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Free, Good clean teen read, Google, Kansas City, Ocean Mist, runaway, teens

Writing Process

Greetings, Friends! Thanks for joining me as I ruminate about writing. I’ve been tagged by my good friend, Jim Cangany. (By the way, he has two dynamite sweet romance books out, plus a Christmas story. Visit him here!) So here are my answers to the assigned questions!

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

My genre is contemporary young adult. I think one thing that sets my books apart is my effort to keep things PG rated. I’ve found that there is quite a large contingent of readers who like books without any embarrassment factor.

Why do I write what I do?

I’m lucky to spend massive time around teens, so I get an inside look into their world. These resilient young adults inspire me. I get to see the challenges they face. I see their tears of both joy and anguish. These wonderful teens are often my inspiration.

The biggest compliment to me is when my students read and enjoy my books. Sometimes, a teen will walk into class steaming about one of my characters. I love that! If I’ve brought a character to life enough that my students want to strangle him, I’ve accomplished my dream!

How does my writing process work?

My first drafts can be quite messy. I just want to get the story down. Then, my inner critic takes over and I start cleaning them up. I also find that reading my stories out loud to be unbelievably helpful. The things I hear — well, sometimes I can’t believe I didn’t see the mistakes the first three or four or five times through! Ha!

I sneak in writing time whenever I can. Early morning is best for me. I get my quota finished and then I feel a sense of accomplishment! It can get hectic, and writers (including me) often push ourselves too hard. Recently, I took a few weeks off to concentrate on other aspects of the writing business. It made me realize that breaks can be valuable!

How about you, dear readers. I know some of you are writers, too. Any thoughts to share?  I’d love to hear from you.

And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. Join my Newsletter Gang! It’s fun and free.  Click here!

P.P.S.  Read about the latest characters my students want to strangle:

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Good clean teen read, Jim Cangany, Ocean Mist, teens, The Return, Writing process

Authors in Bloom Blog Hop

Greetings, Friends!  The very thought of spring turns my thoughts toward fresh garden food. I remember when I used to live on the West Coast; we could start planting in April. But as I’ve mentioned in this blog before, sometimes planting in May can get you in trouble here in Indiana!

However, in the spirit and hope of fresh garden veggies, I’d like to share a simple recipe with you:

Strawberry and Arugula Salad

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
4 cups baby arugula (other light spring greens can be substituted
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

To Prepare:

Toast walnuts or almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. You’ll need to stir frequently. When slightly browned (3 to 5 minutes), transfer to a salad bowl to cool for 5 minutes.
Add arugula (or other greens), strawberries, pepper and salt. Toss with vinegar and oil. Serve at once.

Enjoy!!

Take time to visit the other authors participating in this blog hop! (Link below.) To be entered in the GRAND PRIZE  — we are giving away a Kindle Fire or Nook (winner’s choice) along with a $25 gift card for the same — visit every blog and be sure to leave a comment which includes your email address.

The PRIZE at this website is a $5 Gift Card from Amazon! A winner will be randomly chosen from the commenters.

I hope you’ll want to check out my latest release from the Ocean Mist Series:

For a limited time, it is merely 99 cents on Amazon. Click here and buy!

For those of you with young children, check out Lynda Raymond Books. Each book comes with a FREE video book for your child or grandchild. CLICK HERE! 

I’m eager to hear from you. Do any of you have favorite spring recipes?

HERE is the link to visit all participating blogs!!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

 

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, gift card, grand prize, Lynda Raymond Books, salad recipe, Spring, The Return

Woo Hoo! Introductory Price!

Greetings, Friends!  It’s here! Ocean Mist, Book Three!

The Return is presently on sale for only 99 cents! It will be at this special introductory price for a limited time, so grab your copy today!  Click here!

This book is about Tiffany. One of my dear friends called her the anti-hero. I’d never thought of her that way until he mentioned it. And he’s right. Tiffany is sassy, snarky, and hurting. She makes rash decisions and tries to hold everyone at arm’s length. She tough, raw, and bitter.

Not a real successful combination.

In The Return, you can climb inside her head. Escape for a few hours with Tiffany — find out whether she survives herself. And find out whether “Fresh Meat” Connor can charm his way into her heart.

Grab it here! Ninety-nine cents for a limited time!

Thank you, friends!  I hope you enjoy The Return!

Let me know what’s going on in your lives, and leave a comment below. (I love reading your comments!)

And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. Discover why two of the keywords are death and runaway.

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, contemporary YA, death, Kindle, new release, Ocean Mist, teen runaway, The Return, Washington Coast, YA

A Spring in Your Step Blog Hop

Greetings, Friends! I write this with sincere hope that we are truly moving into spring! New beginnings are always a thrill, and spring is full of new beginnings!

To celebrate the new season, here are some beautiful quotes of spring:

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”  Rainier Maria Rilke

“I glanced out the window at the signs of spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees were almost budding, the sun was almost bright.”   Millard Kaufman

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. (Sonnet XCVIII)”   William Shakespeare

“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.”  Marty Rubin

“Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.”  John Muir

And perhaps my favorite:

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”   Margaret Atwood

Of course, this is my favorite because I simply adore digging in the dirt. In Indiana, that is pretty much an impossibility during the winter. I could break a shovel trying! But when the ground thaws, you’ll find me out ankle deep in the mud. I love it! Ever optimistic, I often plant too soon. I’ve been known to run around at night putting blankets over my fragile new plants.

Which of course, is why God created tulips and daffodils and narcissus.  :-)

Wherever you live, I wish you thawed gardens and sunny skies. If you feel like taking off for the Washington Coast to enjoy a coming-of-age romance, grab a copy of Cornered. Find out if Courtney is able to save her sister, capture the guy’s heart, and still care for her ill mom who has fibromyalgia.

If you’d like to enter to win a FREE copy of Buried Truth (Ocean Mist Book One), ENTER our Rafflecopter giveaway!

To visit my fellow bloggers:

Click here!

If there are little ones in your life, you’ll enjoy visiting Lynda Raymond Books.  Click here: Lynda Raymond Books.

Tell me about your spring rituals. I love hearing from you!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

Tagged: Blog Hop, Brenda Maxfield, Cornered, fibromyalgia, gardening, good clean teen reads, Lynda Raymond Books, quotes, Spring, YA Romance

Now Released!

Greetings, Friends!  I’m over-the-moon excited to introduce you to Lizbet’s Lie. You know how some books just get to you when you read them? They wrench your emotions from the bottom of your gut?

Well, this book did that to me while I was writing it. The characters made me so mad! They would NOT cooperate. And they were downright mean. Lizbet didn’t deserve it. Not even a little.

Here’s the blurb:

Assaulted and pregnant, sixteen-year-old Lizbet Morgan is shipped off to give birth in secrecy and hand her baby over to strangers. When she returns home to her family’s strict religious community, she is expected to pick up where she left off.

But the nightmare isn’t over. Her friend Johnny isn’t the only one asking questions, and Lizbet fears that the reason for her absence will soon be discovered.  She must decide whether to tell the truth or continue to obey a religious system that forces her to tell intolerable lies.

And a little taste:

I carefully re-folded the letter and slipped it into my pocket. I left my room and nearly smacked into Susanna. I attempted to walk around her in the narrow hallway, but she blocked my path.

“Johnny is not available,” she said, her voice tight.

“No one in our community is,” I said and pushed her to the side.

“I mean it, Lizbet. You were gone, like, forever, and things changed.”

I paused at the head of the stairs, turned to her, and glowered. “I’m aware.” I stepped down the stairs, being careful to tread as if on eggshells.

Ned stood at the door of his truck, waiting for me. He seemed jumpy, as if he couldn’t wait to leave. “Got it?” he asked.

I pulled out the letter and handed it to him. “Maybe she’ll be out in the living room and you’ll see her.”

He opened the truck door and climbed into the seat. He put his face close to mine. “Maybe I’ll get lucky.”

“Momma will have a fit.”

“I told Dad I was running an errand.”

“He didn’t question you?”

“He’s not Momma.”

“She’ll die if she knows.”

“Lizbet, I’m merely delivering a letter to your former roommate. What’s so weird about that? It’s only natural you’d be close to her, considering you lived together for months. Even Momma could understand that.”

“Oh, she’d understand, but she wouldn’t approve.”

“She doesn’t know Farah’s story.”

“It’d be worse if she did.”

Ned sighed and grasped the steering wheel. He knew I was right. “I’m delivering a letter. Period.”

I took a step back so he could close the door. He rolled down the window.

“Tell her I miss her,” I said.

He nodded. “Will do.” He rolled the window back up, and I heard him shift into gear. With a light spray of gravel from the back tires, he was off.

I stood and watched him go. I wished I was in the truck with him. Not to go back to the Home — no, never. But to get away from our community, yes.

Oh, I so hope you’ll want to grab this book up!  Click Here to purchase!

Let me know what you think of it. I’d love to hear.

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

Tagged: Astraea Press, Brenda Maxfield, Good clean teen read, Kindle ebook, new release, religion, teen pregnancy, The Edgemont Series

Welcome, Laura DeBruce!

A very warm welcome to author Laura DeBruce! I’m so glad she’s visiting. We’re here to celebrate the release of her book, The Riddle of Prague! I have to admit that the title completely intrigues me because this summer I’ll be traveling to Prague for the first time. (Yay!!)

There are some special prizes to be given away during this tour! They are:

• One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

• Two randomly chosen hosts will each receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

So, remember to comment below AND enter the rafflecopter at the end of this post!!

BLURB for The Riddle of Prague:

When 18-year-old Hana Silna travels to Prague to reclaim her family’s home, she discovers a riddle that may lead to a long-last flask.

The contents of that flask could change the fate of the world. When a ruthless enemy kidnaps her family Hana has to find the flask to rescue them. On her quest she meets a mysterious man with a penchant for poetry, a Gypsy girl with a haunting past, and Alex, an all-American boy who’s trying to save his sister from a crippling disease.   It’s hard to trust anyone when the stakes are this high — especially when surrounded by experts in deception.

There’s only one flask, and Hana desperately needs to find it.

Here’s an EXCERPT for you!

JFK Airport, New York, 1991

My mother says when we face our fears, we tap into a reservoir of courage. I’m not so sure. I’m strapped to this seat like a captured beast, and all I feel is panic. The airplane screams down the runway and thrusts its 800,000 pounds of steel into the sky. We’re taking off in the middle of a thunderstorm. My seatmate, immersed in a book, seems oblivious to the danger.

He’s got curly, blond hair that’s a little on the long side and one of those perfectly sculpted noses, and he’s wearing jeans and a batik-patterned shirt. Early twenties, I’m guessing. Not much older than me. The airplane gives a sickening lunge, and I tug the seatbelt tighter. My seatmate glances over, a bit eagerly, with piercing blue eyes.

“You all right there?” he asks with a crisp, European accent of some kind.

“I’m fine.” I’m not fine at all, but I don’t want to tell him that.

“This is the amazing part.” He gestures out the window, twirling his hand as if he’s conducting the storm outside. “Look!”

“I’d rather not.” The plane shakes, and I grab the armrests.

I’m only on this flight because my mother has inherited a house in Prague. Actually she’s reclaiming a house—the one where she grew up. The one the Communists took from her family when they seized all private property. My mom and dad had to escape when the Soviets invaded Prague in 1968. Now the Iron Curtain has lifted, and the people who left can finally return without being thrown into jail. Unfortunately for my mother, now means surgery and doctors. She’s at a hospital and can barely walk down the hallway, much less haul herself onto a plane. This didn’t matter to the bureaucrats in charge of the restitution of property. If the transfer of the house doesn’t happen immediately, they say it might not happen at all. That’s why my mother is sending me, her only child, in her place. That’s why I’m on this airplane instead of at the hospital at her side, where I should be.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Laura DeBruce is a documentary filmmaker and writer. She grew up traveling all over the world thanks to her father’s work with the U.S. Embassy. She and her husband spent twelve years living in Europe including Prague, Paris, Amsterdam and London where she found inspiration to write The Quicksilver Legacy Series. In Prague she worked as a lawyer for the first private nationwide television station in the former Communist bloc.  It was there that she fell in love with the ancient city of Prague and its legends.

She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and son and an unruly Golden Retriever.

Website with blog and trailer

Buy Link on Amazon 

Facebook

Twitter

Here’s where you enter the Giveaway: 

Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC! A Rafflecopter Giveaway

I’d also love to keep in touch with you through my FREE Newsletter Gang! You’ll get all the news about the latest releases, contests, giveaways, and fun tidbits! Gain Access Here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

And as always, thanks for stopping by,

Brenda

P.S. Know a teen girl who’d like to crack the dating game?  Check out my new book Dating Advice for Girls from the Guys! Teen Guys Speak Out! It’s a quick, fun, and informative read! (I had a ball interviewing teen guys!) A perfect surprise gift!

Tagged: Amazon gift card, Brenda Maxfield, Giveaway, good clean teen reads, Laura DeBruce, The Riddle of Prague, YA Contemporary