Melanie D. Snitker's Blog, page 24

My Review of Debbie Brown's New Release: Snow Job

I'm very excited that Debbie Brown's new novel, Snow Job, has been released and I know that her fans have been waiting on the edge of their seats for it. Known for her Amethyst Eyes series, Snow Job is sure to become a favorite among her readers. 

Here's what the book's about: 
When NY divorce lawyer, Sarah Lindquist, stepped out of her office to clear her mind before her next client showed up, the last thing she expected was to come to in the middle of the Colorado Rockies, with two park rangers standing over her.
 The ex-military rangers are convinced someone wants her out of the way, but how do they find out who, without putting her life at risk and letting that 'someone' know they've missed the target?  I'll bet that's enough to pique your interest. But if you need more convincing, reading the first few pages should do it. Debbie does an incredible job of taking the reader and immediately connecting them with character Sarah Lindquist. What does this accomplish? 

When I read about Sarah waking up in the middle of nowhere out in the Colorado Rockies, I felt like it was happening to me. From that point on, the book was a page turner and having to put it down to tend to "real life" was anything but easy.

The characters in this book are incredibly well developed and memorable. The details and personalities of each of them adds to the story and makes it all the more complex. 

The story itself is one of suspense with a good mystery thrown in. From the first pages until the end, Debbie has created an amazing tale that kept me wondering what was going on. Who's trying to kill Sarah? Why are they targeting her? 

By the end, you're left with a book that you'd happily pick up and read again. This is one of those books I can see made into an action/suspense movie in the future. 

Well done, Debbie!  You can purchase Snow Job at the following:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Google Play | Smashwords | iBooks
CreateSpace | Paperback About the Author: 
All her life, Debbie has spun stories in her mind, watching the characters come to life. After working as a nurse, teacher, martial arts instructor, artist, and CIC officer in the Canadian military, her life reads like a story itself. Since graduating from the Institute of Children’s Literature, she is finally devoting herself to writing these stories down and taking us all on a ride we won’t quickly forget. Keep up to date with Debbie and her books:
Welcome to My World | Amethyst Eyes
Facebook | Twitter | E-mail

Guest: New Cover Reveal - Blue Hydrangeas by Marianne Sciucco

New Cover Reveal!
Blue Hydrangeas by Marianne Sciucco
Cover design by Perry Elisabeth What if the person who knew you best and loved you most forgot your face, and couldn't remember your name? A pair of retired Cape Cod innkeepers struggle with the wife's Alzheimer's. A beautiful love story written by a masterful storyteller who happens to be a nurse. Amazon-rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
Goodreads rated 4.11 out of 5 stars
Enter the Goodreads drawing to win a copy of Blue Hydrangeas. Readers say:
Heartbreakingly beautiful.

I felt drawn to Jack and Sara from page one and find myself wondering about them even now.

The book is very well-written and believable.

A heartfelt tender story that is entertaining and emotionally gripping!

A real page turner and it gives you insights of the daily life events living with this crushing disease called Alzheimer’s.
​
While not a "happily ever after" love story, Blue Hydrangeas is sure to be one you will ponder for some time after you have finished reading it. Purchase Blue Hydrangeas in ebook, paperback, and audiobook
Amazon
Amazon UK
Audible
Barnes and Noble
iBooks
iTunes
Kobo
About the Author
Marianne Sciucco is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she dreamed of becoming an author when she grew up but became a nurse to avoid poverty. She later brought her two passions together and writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues. Her debut novel, Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story, is a Kindle bestseller, IndieReader Approved, a BookWorks featured book, a Self-e Selection, a 5-star Readers Favorite, and winner of IndieReCon’s Best Indie Novel Award, 2014. She's currently working on a YA novel, Swim Season, about the new girl on the team who challenges a longstanding school record, to be released in 2015. A native Bostonian, Marianne lives in New York’s Hudson Valley, and when not writing works as a campus nurse at a community college. She loves books, the beach, and craft beer, and especially enjoys the three of them together.

Connect with Marianne Sciucco
Why did I Write a Book about Alzheimer’s?
An Interview with Author Marianne Sciucco
 
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Google+
Pinterest
Twitter
​
Connect with Perry Elisabeth
Website
Book Design

Night Lizards and a Story from the Past

"House Lizards"
We have a lot of geckos outside our house. Our kids call them "Night Lizards" and every night before they go to bed, we go out on the back porch and see how many night lizards we can spot. Most of the time, they tend to congregate near the windows where more insects are located because of the light from the house. 

There have been a couple of nights this summer/fall where we've only seen one. I think the most we saw in a night was seven. I'm personally a fan of lizards in general and enjoy going out to look for them as much as the kids do. 

Now, I will tell you that when I go outside, I step out carefully and look above the door for any critter that might try to sneak inside. We've seen a couple of the baby geckos in the house this summer.

Which leads to the story that has emotionally scarred me. Seriously. 

Story from the Past
In June of 2009, I was letting our dogs outside before going to bed for the night. I opened the back door and the dogs raced outside. I stood just inside waiting for them. A moment later, I felt something touch my head. I immediately thought of a lizard or something similar and reached my hand up as it moved towards the top rim of my glasses. The moment I touched it, I know something wasn't right. I stepped backwards, grabbed the creature on my head, and pulled it down. 

It turned out to be a snake that had already wrapped around my glasses. I threw the snake to the floor (In the house, mind you. Not my finest moment - out the back door would have been MUCH better) and it took my glasses with it. 

So there I am, standing in the kitchen trying to squint at the reptile on the floor in the utility room in an attempt to ID it. I'm yelling for my husband who comes in, completely shocked to see the 18-24 inch snake laying there. 

Before we could figure out what to do about it, it crawled into the cabinet housing our air conditioner. 

We called someone to come and catch it, but they were unable to find it, saying that it probably went under the house via a large opening beneath the air conditioner. We never did see it again, but it was days before we kept watching for it (and we kept heavy books or furniture covering the air conditioner vents in the floor that night just to make ourselves feel better). 

We were told this particular snake was most likely a bull snake (non-poisonous) and had probably been trying to move across the door in search of a bird's nest. When I opened the door, it lost its balance and fell on me. 

Six years later, I still can't walk out of a door - front or back - at night without looking up first. I just pray something like that never happens to me again because once in a lifetime was enough for me! 

Have you had a nightmarish run in with nature?

Recipe: Dinner in a Pumpkin

I love seasonal recipes! I got this particular recipe from my mom. I remember watching her make it a few times when I was a kid and loving it. Plus, there's just something memorable and cool about eating dinner that was baked in a pumpkin.

I try to make this for my own family once a year - usually in October when it's easier to find pumpkins the right size. It's become a fun family tradition.
Dinner in a Pumpkin Preheat the oven to 375'F
Make sure you move the rack to the lowest setting

1 medium pumpkin
2 lbs. ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups hot cooked rice
​ Cut the top of the pumpkin around the stem. Keep the top and discard the insides (or save the seeds to roast later).

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat. Add the veggies and cook them until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the other ingredients. 

Spoon the mixture into the pumpkin. 

Replace the top.

Lightly grease the center of a baking sheet or cover it with aluminum foil. 

Bake 1 hour until the pumpkin is tender. 

Scoop everything out of the pumpkin and enjoy! 

Personal notes: 
This recipe has room for a lot of variation. We use green onion, a cup of bell pepper, no added salt, and brown rice. Celery would also be a yummy addition. If you decide to make this for your own family, I'd enjoy hearing from you!

New Release: Finding Courage (Love's Compass: Book 3)

Today's the Day! I'm so excited to finally be able to share Finding Courage with you all today. It's available on Kindle as well as in paperback and I hope you enjoy it!​ Amazon

Finding Courage - Just One More Week!

By this time next week, Finding Courage will be available. I can't wait for all of you to read Duke and Avalon's story. I'm also looking forward to your meeting their dog, Khanrad. I shared before that I created him after our own Khanrad. Just look at that face over there! 

Khanrad was quite the character and one of those dogs you never forget. He was also a talented escape artist. I'm not even joking. We had a six-foot chain-link fence and he would climb up and over it whenever he wanted to get out of the yard. 

Before we realized he did that, my husband and I would be at work, and we'd come home to find Khanrad sitting on the front porch waiting for us. Neighbors would then tell us that he just wandered the area while we were gone. He could hear our vehicles and would make sure he was on the porch before we got close enough to see him. Ha!

He didn't just escape the yard. One time, he saw a dog in our front yard and he went right through the screen of the open window. I'm convinced he would have gone through the glass had it been there. He ran that dog down the street, caught up with it, pinned it to the ground, then let it up again and walked home. I think he just wanted to stress that it was his yard and the other dog was to stay out of it.

I hope you enjoy Khanrad's antics in Finding Courage. I certainly feel honored to have the opportunity to share him with all of you. 
Finding Courage is available for pre-order now and will be released October 1st. You can get it for the introductory price of $0.99 through October 4th. 

It takes courage to ask for a second chance … even more to extend one. 

For Duke and Avalon McNeil, it was love at first sight. Married within months of meeting, their feet hardly touched the ground until the reality of their haste hit home with startling clarity. 

Duke's heart shattered when Avalon vanished for nearly three weeks, fleeing their arguments and misunderstandings. Now she's back. He's happy she's home and safe, but he isn't ready to risk everything again when their bond was so easily broken. 

Avalon's relieved to be home. She's desperate to make peace between them, but returns with a secret. She can't reveal anything to Duke until she proves to him she came back to restore their relationship. 

As outside pressure continues to threaten Duke and Avalon's fragile foundation, they must find the strength to prove to each other their marriage is worth fighting for.

Clean Indie Reads Fall Sale 2015

Today is the first day of fall and that means it's time for the Clean Indie Reads Fall Sale! There's a variety of books in different genres that are on sale now through the 26th. The best part of all? You don't have to worry about excessive violence, sexual content, or language. Now that's my favorite kind of book, no matter what genre it is! 

Have fun browsing the great books on sale. You can also go to the link at the top of the page and check out the other CIR books available at regular price.  Finding Peace is on sale through the 26th for $1.99. If you haven't tried the Love's Compass series yet, this is a great time.   Finding Courage , the third book in the Love's Compass series, will be released October 1st. Pre-order it for only $0.99 through October 4th. My other books, Calming the Storm and Finding Hope (Love's Compass: Book 2) can be found at regular price. :-) 

Guest Blogger: Cover Reveal for Mercy by Katy Huth Jones

I'm excited to have Author Katy Huth Jones on my blog today as she reveals the beautiful cover of her newest book, Mercy's Gift. This is the second book in her fantasy series He Who Finds Mercy. Peace is fragile. Gifts have limits.

While Prince Valerian adjusts to marriage as well as his new title, conspiracy brews in the south among disgruntled lords who wish to separate from the north. The situation is made even more volatile by a charismatic rebel leader whose guerilla tactics are swift and brutal.

The clandestine efforts of a witch hired by one of the lords render Valerian's gift of Sight ineffective, and Merry's Healing gift is sorely tested.

It has become dangerous for a northerner living in the south, and if the gifted young royals fail to stop the growing rebellion, evil will reign in Levathia.
MERCY'S GIFT will be released September 25 The story begins in Book One, MERCY'S PRINCE: A heart of peace in a time of war

As second son of the King of Levathia, seventeen-year-old Valerian desires the quiet life of a scholarly monk. But when he fails to save his older brother in battle, Valerian must instead become crown prince.

While a traitorous knight schemes against him, Valerian meets Mercy, a pacifist Healer with whom he can speak mind-to-mind like the great dragons. Their bond emboldens Valerian to seek out the legendary dragons and ask for their help against the monsters who killed his brother.

Can Valerian survive the traitor’s assassins long enough to find the dragons? And if he does, can he convince them to lay aside their hatred of humans and help him save the land from destruction?

 Praise for MERCY'S PRINCE:

"Easily one of the best indie books I've ever read." Story Sanctuary

"A truly believable fantasy world saturated with suspense." Marcha's Two-Cents Worth

"The action is heart-stopping, the love is pure, and the emotions are real." Amazon reader

"A lovely, spiritual tale with all the adventure, mystery and romance a reader could want. Oh. And dragons!" Amazon reader 

MERCY'S PRINCE will be FREE on Amazon September 17-19 Connect with Katy on her website

Guest Blogger: Lethal Legacy in Dreamland - FREE!

Book 1 of The Dreamland Series:
Lethal Legacy in Dreamland FREE through Friday on Amazon ! What’s the ghost of Al Capone doing in Dreamland, Arkansas?

Trixie’s willing to live and let live, but he doesn’t seem to be so tolerant! 

Trixie Blake barely remembers her small hometown or the grandfather who left her  the Quimby Building on the antiquated town square. Newly-widowed and at loose ends, she treks to Dreamland to look for a fresh start. It takes less than twenty-four hours to discover she’s in the path of a shadowy development company’s plans to take over all of Dreamland’s historic downtown. That is, if they can persuade the three hold-outs to sell and move on. When Trixie decides to become hold-out number four, her already precarious situation deteriorates rapidly.

She finds an odd assortment of allies: the Drummond sisters, two feisty senior citizens  who run the Sunshine Style Shoppe on the first floor of Trixie’s building;  Rudy James, a former high school classmate (now the proprietor of the Twilight Bar and Grill); Glen Ellard, the long-time mayor who owns the town’s only hardware store; Hetty Green, a retired teacher who keeps her fingers on the pulse of the town; Danny Jefferson, who doesn’t let his Down Syndrome define him; Mitch Langley, whose connection  to the development company is too close for comfort; and Candace King, self-appointed head of the Dreamland Historic Association, who knows the town’s dark secrets.

On top of everything else, Trixie’s great-grandfather’s buddy Al Capone seems to be still in residence on the Quimby Building’s second floor. Does he also get out and about to vandalize Trixie’s hotel room, slash her tires, and make threatening phone calls? And why does Police Chief Doug Everton want Trixie out of town sooner than later?

Has Al met his match in Trixie Blake, or is he just a bystander in a seedier plot?
Find  Lethal Legacy in Dreamland  on Amazon Follow Trixie’s saga with  Desperate Deception in Dreamland  and  Ghostly Gambit in Dreamland .

Judy Nickles blogs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at
The Word Place

Follow her blog for writing tips, research links,
book-related information,  and the occasional freebie offer.

Visit her website to learn about her other books including the popular

Penelope Pembroke Cozy Mystery Series

Not too sweet and not too spicy!
Connect with Judy Nickels at: 
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Edit Your Life

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog post I titled Just Be Held. I shared about how overwhelmed and frustrated I'd been feeling and how God used a song to remind me that sometimes we have to quit holding onto so many things and just allow ourselves to be held instead. 

I posted that first thing on a Sunday morning.  Ironically, my family went to church a couple of hours later and I discovered that the message was centered around editing your life. 

I hadn't even heard the message yet and knew that it was meant for me. You see, as soon as I saw those words, I thought about how I'm right in the middle of the editing process for Finding Courage.

There's a lot that goes into editing a novel, but one of the most painful parts is cutting text. When I personally write, seeing that word count increase is a big encouragement. Word count is important. But when it comes time to edit, often the best thing an author can do is to delete text. 

We delete words, sentences, and sometimes *gulp* even paragraphs that are unnecessary or don't fit with the story. It's painful. After all, it took a whole lot longer to write those sections than it did to backspace them from existence.

But guess what? When it's all said and done, the story is stronger without them. 

I think the same is true of our lives. I know I personally allowed so many things to build up as the day progressed that I couldn't possibly keep up.

It's been helpful to reduce some of the things on my to-do list. But what's helped me more than anything else is releasing myself from my own expectations. Which isn't nearly as easy as it sounds. Because that means giving up a measure of control. Surely, if I map out every part of my day to make sure my to-do list is in place, it'll help make the day go more smoothly. 

Except it never worked out that way. Inevitably, something went off schedule and things I just had to do began to pile up. At the end of the day, I felt exhausted. It meant shoving even more items to the to-do list for the following day, and so the trend continued.  I went to bed feeling behind and that's never a good thing. 

In the last couple of weeks, I've found that if I don't wake up with this big list of things to do in my head, I still manage to get almost everything accomplished as they come up through the day. The benefit? I'm not nearly as stressed! If something doesn't get done? Well, it doesn't seem to be nearly as big of a deal if it wasn't waiting there on a list waiting for me to place a check mark next to it. 

Just like editing a novel can strengthen a story, editing our lives can leave us with more time for the important things that we might miss otherwise. 

Does this mean I won't ever have stress in my day? I know myself well enough to realize that won't be the case. 

But in the words of L.M. Montgomery, "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" 

Praise God for that!