Paige W. Pendleton's Blog, page 8

Review of The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice!

 Worth the wait, June 2, 2013By AmandaThis review is from: The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice (The Black Ledge Series, Book II) (Kindle Edition)Saturday morning was momentous for I woke up to a message saying this book was now live. It was the moment I had been waiting months for and yes, I totally fan-girled out. I squealed and had a huge grin on my face for well over an hour. You see, The Black Ledge Series is wonderful. If you haven't read the first one, The Keeper and the Rune Stone, then you really need to. It tells the tale of four children who become "aware" of the world around them. Wakening in them the ability to see all the Beings around them that are out there. Things happen and the children are needed to help set it all right. I said it in my review of that book months ago and I'll say it again: Gunnr is my favorite character in this series. That didn't change with the second book and I'm happy to report that he's in this one even more!

The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice continues where The Keeper and the Rune Stone The Keeper and the Rune Stone (The Black Ledge Series) left off. The children, Rob, Eleanor, Jack, and Flora, are out of school for the summer and are guaranteed to get into plenty of trouble. I would say that it finds them when they least expect it but... They kind of go looking for it sometimes. All in the name of the greater good, of course.

Eleanor is working with Gunnr (a Noctivagus - read: a vampire) who, along with the Queen of the Elves and Camedon (did you know that Camden, ME is named after him? Little known fact for you there.), think she is more special than she realizes. Without giving away spoilers, since I hate reading reviews containing them, it's hard to say much about a book other than it was great. So I'll leave you with this:

Warning: This book contains Elves - some evil and some awesomely great, a Keeper that has more things to do than time, a witch that can change her appearance to suit her inner feelings, an old dragon with more bark than bite, Brownies that *try* to stay hidden, a seal that reminds me of the turtle in Finding Nemo (but smarter), and an ancient gargoyle named Motte that I'd love to be friends with.

If you want to know how all of this ties together then you should buy The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice. In fact, you should purchase both books in the series (so far) and read them for yourself, to your kids, or even start a library group reading to kids that aren't yours. You'll inspire a love of books from a tiny spark that is The Black Ledge Series.
To see Amanda's review of The Keeper and the Rune Stone, Book I in The Black Ledge Series, click HERE .


Thank you, Amanda!  We're tickled!

#ReadLocal

Mark the date! Papa J's and The Lobster Bar in Belfast, Maine will be hosting a Local Maine Authors Fest on June 30.

Vernon Baker, Paige W. Pendleton, Jeff Foltz, Jen Blood, Jo Ann Simon, and John Ford will be signing books, giving away swag/prizes, and greeting friends and readers.

Mingling, noshing, and lots of fun to be had!
Bring the family - books for every reader!  
Sunday, June 30th 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

It's Time!

Now on Amazon!



The Black Ledge Series
  The secrets of the Red Paint People have haunted Maine for 7000 years. From the vast fjords of Norway to the shores of New England, ancient standing stones mark a trail of betrayal, greed, and murder.
Book II
The Keeper and theAlabaster Chalice
He’d bonded with the child. It was foretold, and so it would be.
Black Ledge is inhabited again, but not everyone in the Realm is pleased. As the Driscolls settle into their new home they meet magical Beings, discover secrets, and exasperate the Elven Guard. They’re having a great time. 
Charm turns to alarm when they meet Doris, the Acadian Water Witch, who's removed the Alabaster Chalice from its watery grave. The Noctivagi, drawn by the artifact's Water Magyk, seek the Chalice for their own nefarious purpose, and mayhem ensues.
Eleanor, Rob, Jack, and Flora fight time and tide to return the Alabaster Chalice to the Undine Prince before the darkness steals it. 

No Kindle? No Problem!

No Kindle?  No problem!
You can still enjoy e-books from Amazon!
Amazon has free apps for most devices.  
Phones, Tablets, Laptops
You can enjoy e-books from your favorite authors in the time it takes to click.


Make your favorite reader's day. 

Gifting an e-book is as easy as sending an e-mail, and cheaper than a greeting card!

*Mine, not Vernon Baker's

.

The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.Ralph Waldo Emerson
         Peter didn't do portions. Peter gave himself so freely in life, death certainly won't contain him. He's right here. 
    We've lost someone very special. My heart hurts, and it's hard to breathe deeply, but just like Peter, the memories come right in. One after another, capturing my attention, as Peter did simply by entering a room. So many, many wonderful memories, and I smile, and even laugh. Just like Peter, because of Peter, at Peter, but always with Peter.      The Watermans and the Zanibonis have had many adventures, in many places, over many years. We've shared all the occasions families can share: births, deaths, celebrations, holidays, vacations, and the damnedest predicaments. Laughter touched every one (and shaped quite a few). Gifts, all, because Peter was there.      I posted a favorite photo of Peter and Helene on FB last night, and someone who'd only recently met Peter, saw it and wrote "Oh, that's my buddy!!!"    That sentiment trailed in Peter's wake. Peter was fun, in the truest sense of the word, but most importantly, he was there. Always. Right there, where he was invited or needed, and every place and occasion was better because of it. It wasn't what he did, but who he was.    Peter leaves a terrible hole in our hearts, but the smiles he leaves are so much larger. With every one, Peter is here. Across space and time, right here.  
  Cin Cin, Peter. Go catch tomorrow. 





Peter Zaniboni 

Children's Book Week Giveaway Hop

Children’s Book Week Giveaway Hop
Click HERE  --->  Over 130 participating blogs!
May 13th – 19thHosted by KidLitFrenzy, Mymcbooks& I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
Book II in the Black Ledge Series

is coming!!

Two First Place Winners
 receive the first e-copies from Amazon 
upon the anticipated release of ...
The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice 



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Don't Call Me Mom

      I'm not your mother.  
      No, I'm not that prickly, but .. well, okay, sometimes I am, but this is really about my mother.    
      This is a sheepish You Were Right.      
      My Mother rocked.  She defied convention.  She was smart, beautiful, practical, capable, successful, and really funny.  She was a nurse, and slaughtered chickens.  She shopped in Bloomingdales and played the ukulele.  Large dinner parties didn't phase her, nor did dead bodies.  
      She could do anything, and did.  She had many titles. 
      Mom wasn't one of them.        
      She was our mother, and that was one of her most important relationships, but her identity was not being "a mom". School "mom", community organizer "mom", team "mom", 4-H "mom", yacht club "mom", working "mom", stay-at-home "mom", one of "the moms", etc.  Article and finger quotes are intentional. You'll either get that, or you won't. If you don't, stop reading here . 

      She was a very involved parent and active in our the community, and all that that meant. She never minded fundraising, or staying up all night sewing costumes and baking cookies, or planting trees on Arbor Day. What she did mind was the patronizing label "mom", and worse, the judgemental label, "good mom".       
      We busted her chops about it, regularly.  Used the word "mom" whenever we could, in just that tone, because we were bratty.    
      Jump ahead 25 years. I get it.  "Mom" actually isn't a nice word. Mom should be a name, never a label.  Unless a child is addressing their parent, it's dismissive, objectifying, and demeaning.* 
      I first noticed it in a professional capacity, before I had children of my own. I quickly learned, when conferring with other professionals, that the phrase Mom reports is part of the professional lexicon. Mom reports is a disclaimer. It's an unspoken take this for what it's worth.  It's an unspoken this means nothing but document it anyway.       
      I regularly have doctors and teachers address/refer to me as Mom.  Having been on the other side of the professional door, I know they're not being cute, friendly, or funny, but patronizing.  Addressing me as "Mom" is patronizing to me, and referring to me as Mom to "connect" with my daughters by being cool is patronizing to my daughters.  I usually ignore it, but there have been times when I have interrupted with my name.  My daughters will attest, with eyerolls.  
      Like everything else in our society, manners have relaxed, word use changes, and slang is more common. It's a natural occurrence. Factor in the evolution of advertising with slogans/catch phrases, and language is affected. Mom is more commonly used than mother/parent. It's shorter (especially on bumper sticker statements, like "soccer mom", "honors mom").  I get it, but we've progressed to the point where the overly familiar Mom is used even when a more formal, distant word should be, like in the news. "Mom accused of drowning children." It may be shorter, but violent headlines with the word Mom are chilling. 
     Mom is overused.  It shouldn't have to multitask.  It's a name, an endearment, and the word and the person deserve some exclusivity. 



Happy Mother's Day







   *and when used by a teenager. Only a teenager can drag a three letter word out to the count of five.  

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer  &   Eve’s Fan Garden

Click HERE  --->  Over 180 participating blogs!    

Two First Place Winners win the e-book
The Keeper and the Rune Stone


One Grand Prize Winner wins a
$25.00 Amazon Gift Certificate               
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#ReadLocal

 




Paige W. Pendleton andPig Wing Press
support Maine Schools and Libraries.

Paige loves meeting with readers, and is happy to collaborate with teachers and librarians on events students and readers enjoy. 
She is available for talks, readings, and creative writing programs.

contact Paige: pwpendleton@yahoo.com

Magic and Mayhem, Free!

The Keeper and the Rune Stone  is #Free  this week on Amazon!
We're very excited for the upcoming release of Book II in The Black Ledge Series, The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice. 
Magic and mayhem on the Maine coast 
#ReadLocal

Grab it while you can!