I read Anne Goodwin’s “Sugar and Snails” and loved it, as my review below shows :-).
Now you can read it for free! Get your e-copy herebefore 28 Feb 2021, and enjoy!
~ FlorenceT Title: Sugar and Snails Author: Anne Goodwin Publishers: Inspired Quill (23 July 2015) Format: Paperback ISBN-10: 1908600470 ISBN-13: 978-1908600479 Website: http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/ Twitter: @annecdotist Pages: 342 Genre: Contemporary Fiction, LGBT
What’s it about?
This is a story of a woman’s journey of self-discovery.
I am introduced to Diana through the narrative of the life she’s lived, so far filled with insecurities and fears. The story begins in the present day with a confronting scene of Diana self-harming as a result of, so it seems, her partner leaving. The vivid description of her bringing a knife to her arm, after many years of abstinence, caused me to put the book down and almost not returning to it. But I did, because I wanted to know more.
What happened in Cairo? Why is it significant? What is she hiding? Why? What? How? So many more questions asked as I followed Diana Dodsworth’s life journey…from a young kid to a professor of psychology at university. Diana’s story weaves in and out of different pasts as she held the attention of the reader, slowly and steadily divulging the story of her life. Goodwin has written real characters, not just in Diana but with each of the significant figures in Diana’s life – flawed, conflicted. As the reader, I can empathise with each of them. What are the motivations for parental love? How is one changed by childhood events? Is an adolescent capable of deciding her future? What is the value of friendship and love in shaping a life?
As a therapist, I would have loved to get greater insights and explore Diana’s psyche as she slowly comes to the realisation that she has held herself back and living in a time bubble, and that she is indeed alright. Not that it is indeed the case, or is it? I appreciate a psychological study however may not be everyone’s cup of tea. This said, my reading experience was not compromised in any way. There is enough to maintain my attention and interest. After a somewhat slow and for me, perplexing take by Goodwin in ‘jumping’ across time and events, the second half of the book provides resolutions which showed Goodwin’s skill in weaving all the threads into a coherent tapestry.
Goodwin has created an intriguing story of a person’s life, complex and filled with the confusions of a child, the pain of existence, of irrevocable decisions and the effects on the subsequent decades of her life.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. Mesmerising, especially the second half of the book, thought-provoking and sensitively written. If you enjoy reading real and flawed characters set in a contemporary background with controversial issues (still!) to boot, this is the book for you (and your book club, if you belong to one).
Ratings:
Realistic Characterization: 3.5/5 Made Me Think: 4/5 Overall enjoyment: 4/5 Readability: 4/5 Recommended: 4/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
For those of you who entered the Paperback Giveaway for one of the two Gary Gatlin Reluctant Hero books, please check your email. If I have not received a response by the end of this coming Friday, Nov. 22, a new winner will be selected. One person has already responded with the address for their book to be sent.
(Clicking the image or title will take you to the Amazon Page to pre-order the book to be released Nov. 5.)
Entries Through Veteran’s Day! (Nov. 11)
Author ROYALTIES from book sales WILL BE DONATED to the nonprofit organization ANGELS ON THE BORDER.
To enter the GIVEAWAY for one of two books, just fill out the form below. All email addresses will be deleted following the drawing of the two winners, with the exception of the two winners for contact purposes.
I do ask that you consider putting a review on Amazon and/or GoodReads.
Author ROYALTIES from book sales WILL BE DONATED to the nonprofit organization ANGELS ON THE BORDER.
His forthcoming novel, “Gary Gatlin: Reluctant Hero” (Dudley Court Press) is set in April of 1939. As 20-year-old Gary Gatlin travels from Los Angeles abroad, he cannot know that he will singularly influence the outcome of WWII. Gatlin, a friend of Japanese-immigrant farmers in California, finds himself in Formosa to learn about Japanese fruit cultivation. When he arrives on the lush island, war is in the air, and his presence begins to raise suspicion. Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Gatlin finds himself called upon by the U.S. Navy in an unpredictable battle of allegiances.
WWII veteran Carl Haupt is a first time author at 93 years old, who spends his days helping Central Americans displaced by famine and poverty at the U.S.-Mexico border, despite his advanced age and physical handicaps.
Carl F. Haupt
Author Biography
TUCSON, Arizona – Carl F. Haupt, a 93-year old retired military veteran on a government pension, has become a philanthropist who feeds the starving refugees at the U.S. border in Arizona. From a wheelchair, he works to make life tolerable for those in limbo. Just as he helped to liberate Europe during WWII and fought in the Asian Theater on the other side of the world, today, he and his wife continue, after more than 17 years, to personally help those fleeing poverty and internal strife within their home countries.
At age 15, along with a reported 1 million other boys across the country, Haupt left home during The Great Depression. He was homeless, hitching rides on freight trains, sleeping on the ground and going hungry for days at a time. Eventually, he landed in Los Angeles. In 1944, he joined the United States Navy and served his country for 22 years, including more than a decade in the United States Air Force. He retired in 1966 as a Master Sergeant.
In 1992, with his military life behind him, Carl began helping locals in Mexico with his wife, Sarah. They worked in Agua Prieta, a city across from Douglas, Arizona. Remembering his time as a homeless teen, Carl helped build over 100 homes and moved 25 donated mobile homes to families in Agua Prieta, delivering food and other necessities to struggling families.
Haupt is a first time author at 93 years old. His novel, “Gary Gatlin: Reluctant Hero” (Dudley Court Press, November 5, 2019), was inspired by a strange situation in 1987 when he woke up one morning compelled to write for 13 straight hours the story that had come to him through a dream. Now, decades later, Dudley Court Press has acquired his story for release in 2019. All author royalties from “Gary Gatlin” will be consigned to the non-profit organization Angels on the Border.
This post originally appears on my co-authors PS Bartlett’s Blog. I am personally fond of Amber Wake: Gabriel Falling, yeah, that’s the one I co-authored with her.
Author PS Bartlett
If you love adventure, action, intrigue, romance and historical fiction, these are the books for you!
Good morning…afternoon…or evening, depending on where you are in this great big, beautiful world!
In one day, I’ll be practically giving away every book in The Razor’s Adventures series on Kindle!
That’s right! You’ll get all six books for $5.00!
Just click on the graphic to go to each book in the series! Save this page so that on Friday 10/11/19, you can get them all for $5.00!!!
Author Brian P. Sheets releases his two book series Two Images of God: Quest and Two Images of God: Discontent today for Free on Kindle.
Two Images of God: Quest
The conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims is not just imaginary.
It’s very real.
In Book 1 of the Two Images of God series, Quest explores the search for peaceful co-existence between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism by revealing people who are more focused on the character of an individual rather than their religious affiliation. Members of clergy, science, medicine, and education come together to explore a common viewpoint that provides a basis for communication.
But, their comradery is short-lived as their blissful coexistence is abruptly halted by militant forces bent on seeing them destroyed. Following a deadly attack at their archaeological site in Israel, will their new-found friendships last? Or, will they revert back to the prejudices of their native religious beliefs?
Two Images of God-Quest begins a journey of discovery, gaining speed like a heavily laden train, until it arrives at breakneck pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat!
Two Images of God: Discontent
The explosion was deafening. Then, utter silence.
A baby’s whimper broke the still air. One by one, people began to move, reawakened to the Samaritan need to go to the aid of the baby in distress.
Then, quiet once again.
In this rapid-fire sequel to Two Images of God-Quest (Book 1), the author reveals a brewing conflict between the Western Alliance and the Islamic World Order, a new coalition promising global destruction. Recognizing the danger of mutual annihilation, will the leaders of the opposing armies pursue peace or war? Or, will they be overthrown by subordinates seething with hatred and a desire for total control?
Written to parallel the same time period as Book 1 in the Two Images of God series, Two Images of God-Discontent (Book 2) provides the backstory for the climax in Quest. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, with an ending you will not expect!
Get Two Images of God: Quest at Amazon for Kindle by clicking the image below.
Get Two Images of God: Discontent at Amazon for Kindle by clicking the image below.
Sorry to be posting this review earlier than I planned, but I was informed that the title was running a promotion on Bookbub on the 20th and I thought that might give everybody a good chance to get a copy if you fancy it or you want to see what you think, but it will be on offer in Goodreadsuntil the 26th too.
Here it comes!
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
October 18, 2016; Hardcover, ISBN 9781492637257
Book Info:
Title: The Other Einstein
Author: Marie Benedict
Release Date: October 18, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Praise for The Other Einstein
October 2016 Indie Next and LibraryReads Pick!
PopSugar’s “25 Books You’re Going to Curl Up with this Fall”
“The Other Einstein takes you into Mileva’s heart, mind, and study as she tries to forge a place for herself in a scientific world dominated by men.”– Bustle
“…an ENGAGING and THOUGHT PROVOKING fictional telling of the poignant story of an overshadowed woman scientist.”– Booklist
“…INTIMATE and IMMERSIVE historical novel….
Prepare to be moved by this provocative history of a woman whose experiences will resonate with today’s readers.”– Library Journal, Editors’ Fall Picks
“Many will enjoy Benedict’s feminist views and be fascinated by the life of an almost unknown woman.”– RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
“Benedict’s debut novel carefully traces Mileva’s life—from studious schoolgirl to bereaved mother—with attention paid to the conflicts between personal goals and social conventions. An intriguing… reimagining of one of the strongest intellectual partnerships of the 19th century.”–Kirkus
“In her compelling novel… Benedict makes a strong case that the brilliant woman behind [Albert Einstein] was integral to his success, and creates a rich historical portrait in the process.”–Publishers Weekly
Summary:
A vivid and mesmerizing novel about the extraordinary woman who married and worked with one of the greatest scientists in history.
What secrets may have lurked in the shadows of Albert Einstein’s fame? His first wife, Mileva “Mitza” Maric_, was more than the devoted mother of their three children—she was also a brilliant physicist in her own right, and her contributions to the special theory of relativity have been hotly debated for more than a century.
But as Albert’s fame grows, so too does Mileva’s worry that her light will be lost in her husband’s shadow forever. A literary historical in the tradition of The Paris Wife and Mrs. Poe, The Other Einstein reveals a complicated partnership that is as fascinating as it is troubling.
Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years’ experience as a litigator at two of the country’s premier law firms and for Fortune 500 companies. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College with a focus in history and art history and a cum laude graduate of the Boston University School of Law. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Sourcebooks Landmark for offering me an ARC copy of the book. I voluntarily decided to review it.
We’ve all heard the saying: ‘Behind every great man there’s a great woman’ in its many different versions. It’s true that for centuries men (or many men of the wealthy classes with access to education) could dedicate themselves to artistic, scientific or business pursuits because the everyday things were taken care of by their wives or other women in their lives (mothers, relatives, partners…) As Virginia Wolf wrote in ‘A Room of One’s Own’ women had a harder time of it, as they were expected to take care of the house, family, and ensure that their husbands came back to a place where they would be looked after and tended too. Unless women were independently wealthy and could count on the support (financial, emotional and practical) of the men in their lives, it was very hard, if not impossible, to pursue a career in the arts or the sciences.
Mary Benedict’s book explores the life of Mitza Maric, who would later become Einstein’s first wife, from the time of her arrival in Zurich (as one of only a few female students at the university) to the time when she separates from her husband. Maric is an intriguing figure (and I must admit I hadn’t read anything about her before) and an inspiring one, as she had to go against the odds (being a woman at a time were very few women could study at university, suffering from hip dysplasia, that left her with a limp and difficulty in undertaking certain physical tasks) and managed to study and be respected for her knowledge of Physics and Maths.
The book is written in the first person, and we get a close look at Maric´s thoughts, emotions and doubts. The early part of the book is a very good read, with descriptions of the social mores of the era, Mitza’s family, the development of her friendship with the other female students at the lodgings, the intellectual atmosphere and café society of that historical period, and of course, Mr Einstein, whom he meets at University. Mitza believed (like her parents) that due to her physical disability she would never marry, and lived resigned to the idea, having decided to dedicate her life to her research, studies and the academic life she craved. And then… Einstein arrives.
The Einstein depicted by the book is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character. He’s friendly, humorous and charming, and also, of course, a brilliant scientist, but can be selfish, egotistical and cares nothing for anybody who is not himself. We see more of the first Einstein at the beginning of the relationship, through their interaction, walks, scientific discussions… Einstein opens the world for Mitza, and if she had been enjoying the company of the other girls, she later neglects them for the world of scientific discussion among men, where she gains entry thanks to Einstein.
When, after much hesitation, Mitza decides to visit Einstein and spend a few days with him in Lake Como, the two of them alone, the book becomes more melodramatic and things start going very wrong. Mitza gets pregnant, Einstein keeps making excuses not to get married yet, and resentment sets in. If I mentioned that Einstein is a Jekyll and Hyde character, Mitza, who was always shy but determined and stubborn, also changes; she becomes sad, hesitant, and she seems unable to follow her own path. In the book, there is much internal discussion and debate, as on the one hand she does not like Einstein’s behaviour, but on the other, she tries to see things from her mother’s point of view and do what’s right for the child.
As some reviewers have noted (and the writer acknowledges in her notes at the back of the book), it’s a fact that they had a daughter out of wedlock, but it’s not clear what happened to her, and that makes the later part of the book, at least for me, stand on shakier grounds. That is always a difficulty with historical fiction, whereby to flesh out the story authors must make decisions, interpreting events and sometimes filling in gaps. In some cases, this is more successful than others, and it might also depend on the reader and their ability to suspend disbelief.
The author comes up with an explanation for the possible origin of the theory of relativity, closely linked to Mitza’s faith (and I know there have been debate as to how much Einstein’s wife contributed to it, and she definitely did contribute, although most likely not as much as is suggested in the book) that hinges around a dramatic event affecting their daughter, the problem being (from a historical point of view) that there’s no evidence it ever took place. That event, as depicted in the text, has a major impact in later parts of the novel and seems to underline all of the later difficulties the couple has, although Einstein’s behaviour, his reluctance to include his wife’s name in any of the articles or patents, the time he spends away, and his infidelities don’t help.
I found it difficult to reconcile the woman of the beginning of the book with the beaten down character of the later part of the book, although there are some brief flashes of her former self, like when she converses with Marie Curie. Although there is much self-justification for her continuing to live with Einstein given the circumstances (she is doing it for the children, she still hopes he will seek her ideas and collaboration and they’ll end up working together), one wonders how the strong and determined woman of the beginning can end up tolerating such a frustrating life (especially once Albert becomes well known and their financial difficulties end). There is also no evidence that she sought to rekindle her career once she was no longer with Einstein, and one can’t help but wonder if perhaps their relationship, at least early on, was also a source of inspiration for her too.
I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about Mitza Maric, and in particular about the era and the difficulties women had to face then, although I would have preferred to be more aware of where the facts ended and author creativity started whilst reading the book, as I was never sure if some of the inconsistencies within the characters were due to their own experiences and circumstances, or to the reimagining of some parts of the story, that perhaps ends up transforming it into a more typical narrative of the woman whose ambitions and future die due to marriage, children and a less than enlightened husband. (It reminded me at times of Revolution Road, although in this instance both of the characters are talented, whilst there…) The author provides sources for further reading and research at the end that will prove invaluable to those interested in digging further.
In sum, this book highlights the figure of a woman worth knowing better; it can work as the starting point for further research and fascinating discussions, and it is eminently readable. People looking for specific scientific information or accurate personal facts might need to consult other books as this is definitely a fictionalisation.
And now, if you want to check the book, you’re in luck!
Thanks so much to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and to the author for her novel, thanks to all of you for reading, and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment and CLICK!
( I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to authors Alesha Escobar and Devorah fox for making sure the copy was made available to me on NetGalley.)
BLURB
Either the wondrous or the perilous awaits us when we play a hand at magic.
A hard boiled detective chases the supernatural, unveiling a frightening world right alongside modern man’s. A mother, able to grant wishes, shows us we must be careful what we wish for. An African Orisha might just pass you in downtown Los Angeles, eager to siphon some of your energy so that he will not fade out of existence.
From heart wrenching, ghostly goodbyes to relatives, to discovering sparks of otherworldly magic permeating contemporary society, these nine tales of magical realism and paranormal fantasy come together to form this enchanting and gripping anthology.
OVERALL REVIEW OF THE BOOK
Magic Unveiled is a well put together anthology of, well, magical stories. The stories deal with wishes to witches, all of them crafted beautifully. My favourites were The Black Dagger Gods by Alesha Escobar, Journey to a new home by Jayme Beddingfield , and Gypsum Jane’s Inkscapes by H.M.Jones.
Each story is unique and deals with various topics but the one thing almost all the stories have in common are human emotions. The stories deal with loss, happiness, fear, hope among other emotions. Despite their fantastical character, the stories are highly relatable because of the emotions prevailing in them. The language and writing style of all the stories were beautiful and uncluttered enabling me to read the entire book in one sitting.
A beautiful story to start off the anthology. This story deals with loss, love and hope. The author crafts a story that teaches the reader the tragedy of loss and the need for hope. The descriptions are beautiful and the places described by the author in the story are etched in my mind. I connected with the protagonist and was able to see the story through his eyes.
Oh my Gods! I want a sequel to this story! Maybe a whole series would satisfy my appetite for this story. The plot was unique and refreshing. The story starts off with a whole lot of suspense and I loved how the whole thing played out. The writing style was very descriptive and the characters very realistic. Reading about Gods being so human-like was highly enjoyable.
Once again, I want a whole series!! The author leaves a huge part of the story to the readers imagination. While I liked the end, I don’t just want to have to imagine. I want to know! This story is a different take on witches and is interlaced with emotions. The emotions of the protagonist adds a three dimensional character to the plot that keeps the reader hooked.
The whole premise is different and intriguing. The story left me asking for more. This story deals with hell and evil souls. It was highly interesting and I personally liked Max! I love Kick-ass female characters and Max fits the description to the T.
If you thought only long novels about lost love can bring tears to your eyes,..think again. This short and sweet story pulled at my heartstrings and I teared up so much I had to take deep breaths every five sentences or so. Loved the innocence and beauty of the story so much.
Once again,I want a whole series! The premise is exciting. The protagonist’s fear seeps into us and I found myself drawn into the story. The end of the story made me feel all bold and fearless. I felt feminist power surge into me at the end of the story.
It is a story about wishes as the title denotes. Being a person who always wishes at 11:11 I totally understand the need to make wishes every chance one gets because who knows! The wish might just come true. It is a light take on wishes with a deeper moral.
It is a short and sweet story that makes the reader feel good at the end of it. It is the kind of story that puts a smile on readers’ faces. It is a story of lighthearted magic that reaches out to us during the most unexpected of times.
It is so different from all fantasy stories I’ve read so far. It is an intriguing plot that touches on father-son relationships and human emotions. The protagonist is well rounded and carries the plot forward with ease. For some reason, I really loved the quote below from the story.-
“You try and shut out the world, and the world will swallow you.”
CONCLUSION
It is an amazing collection of magical stories that are unique and different from each other. A must read!
If you like the genre of Magical Realism, then this anthology of 9 stories from authors including USA Today, Seattle Times, and Amazon bestselling authors.
Not only can you get it on Amazon but Barnes & Noble and iTunes as well. Just click any of those three to pre-order today for .99 cents. When October 13th comes around that .99 cent offer disappears.
Starting today, 7/08/2016 through 7/12/2016 you can get
The Dolan Girls by S.R. Mallery
for
FREE!
“The Dolan Girls by S. R. Mallery has it all. Set in Nebraska during the 1800s, whorehouse madams, ladies of the night, a schoolmarm, a Pinkerton detective, a Shakespeare-quoting old coot, brutal outlaws, and a horse-wrangler fill out the cast of characters. Added to the mix are colorful descriptions of an 1856 land rush, Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show, Annie Oakley, bank/train robberies, small town local politics, and of course, romance. Two, in fact!”
“The Dolan girls will pull at your heart, …”-5 Stars
“A great and exciting read. I always like a good first line.”-5 Stars
“Do you like westerns? Romances? Then The Dolan Girls is your book.”-4 Stars
We have all at some point or other gone through a significant life event, be it a love affair or marriage, parenthood, divorce, bereavement, a life-threatening illness, or a change of job. I decided earlier this year to write several short stories, originally intending them to be about birth, marriage and death. However, other important life event subjects came to mind, and I ended up with 18 stories which I put together in a collection entitled Life.
Life will be free to download from June 18th – June 22nd 2016.
Here are the first few paragraphs of ‘For All Time’, one of the stories in the collection:
FOR ALL TIME
COPYRIGHT STEVIE TURNER 2016
Fog had started drifting in from across the valley as Jack Richards eased the bus into the yard and turned off the engine. The late shifts didn’t sit well with his digestive system, and his stomach rumbled angrily. He pushed open the little payment counter to the left of his seat and stood up, emitting a loud yawn.
His last job for the night was to ensure that nobody had left any possessions on the bus. Strong floodlights in the yard picked out row upon row of empty seats until he checked at the back. There on the last row lay a small envelope, unsealed and partly spilling its contents onto the floor. Jack picked up the envelope and peered inside, noticing two photographs of an obviously overweight Siamese cat with a yellow collar around its neck. He reached down and picked up another two photos; one of the same cat, and another which he assumed was possibly the animal’s owner.
He angled the photo of the owner under the glare of a security floodlight for a better view. He did not remember seeing her on the bus at all or taking her fare. The woman looked to be somewhere in her late thirties or early forties, quite pretty with dark Italian or Spanish-type features. The corners of her mouth were upturned, and Jack found himself smiling back at her image. He gathered all the photos together and placed them back in the envelope, intending to turn them in to the girls running the lost property office the next morning.
***
By the time his next shift came around, Jack had glanced at the woman’s picture several more times, and felt as though he knew her. He had decided that he would prefer to hand the photos to her personally the very next time she stepped onto the bus, and so kept them near to him in the inside pocket of his work’s blazer and found himself looking at them quite often. In no time he had fashioned a life for her in his head, telling himself that her name was Maria Hernandez and that she had been unlucky in love, thus the reason for possessing so many photos of cats. He imagined her living alone and unloved in a small flat with just her cat for company; her flat situated just around the corner from his own. He knew that she would be so eternally grateful for the safe return of the pictures that she would invite him in for coffee and a piece of cake. Jack, just as lonely, would accept her invitation with alacrity, reasoning that fate had brought them together and that only fate alone would know what might then transpire between the two of them.
From that moment on he began to scrutinise the faces of every passenger who boarded his bus, but to his chagrin Maria did not reappear. After two months had elapsed, Jack masked his disappointment, told himself not to be so stupid, and handed the photos in to the girls in the lost property office……
Find out what happens to Jack by downloading ‘Life’….it’s not what you think!
Every hero must take the first courageous step into adventure. For Luke Callindor, it’s more of a blind stumble.
Depending more on bravery than common sense, Luke sets out to protect a royal heir who is attending the prestigious Hamilton Military Academy. With a demonic assassin in the shadows, the determined warrior will have to think on his feet to defend his charge. If only he waited long enough to find out which student is the hidden noble.
With Luke’s dream on the horizon and a deadly enemy on his path, how will he transform from a reckless adventurer to a true hero of Windemere?
Design on a Crime Ginna Aiken “Sometimes decorating can be deadly serious
Haley Farrell is taking a chance on herself. After earning her interior design certificate, she quits her retail job and opens a decorating business. But starting her own company may be tougher than she first thought. Just as Haley’s first assignment gets underway, she suddenly finds herself as the prime suspect in a murder investigation. What’s worse, the victim is Haley’s best friend and mentor, Marge Norwalk.
Reeling from Marge’s death, Haley soon realizes that the only way to prove her innocence is to find the real murderer. Before long, Haley is collecting clues and suspects like other designers collect paint chips and fabric samples. But will contractor Dutch Merrill and detective Lila Tsu be swayed by her investigative talents? Or will she be the one punished for this perfectly designed crime?”`-Amazon
Forbidden Mind Karpov Kinrade “From USA Today bestselling author Karpov Kinrade comes an award-winning series full of romance and page-turning suspense. She reads minds. He controls minds. Together, they might get out alive. I’ve seen into the minds of killers and have crawled into the darkest mental corners of humanity, but even I wasn’t prepared for this. I thought that when I turned 18 I would be released from my secret school of paranormal spies and free to follow my dreams and make my own life. That’s what we all thought. Until I met Drake. Everything changed when I linked minds with the blond-haired boy strapped to that gurney. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t have imagined the dangerous truth behind my life. And now time is running out. We must work together to save ourselves and everyone we love. Before it’s too late. “…a thrilling, dark and deeply romantic read that had me sitting on the edge of my seat and eagerly awaiting the next installment.” ~ Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews Winner of 2011 Forward National Literature Award”-Amazon
Samson’s Deal Shelley Singer “Library Journal said: “Great bar scenes, a wonderfully wry narrative, and the obvious affection between Jake and Rosie will have readers clamoring for more.” MURDER, POLITICS, AND STRANGE BEDFELLOWS… Samson’s Deal is the FIRST cozy mystery in the Jake Samson and Rosie Vicente detective series by award-winning author Shelley Singer.
“Singer has a good ear for dialogue among the witless … It’s fun to watch [Jake and Rosie] work together, and the bad guys eventually get their satisfying comeuppance, after an interesting plot twist that keeps things hopping till the very end.” —San Francisco Bay Guardian
Ex-Chicago-cop Jake Samson is tired of the rat race. He’s living in laid back Oakland, California with a couple of cats and just enough savings to eat canned oysters and accept collect calls from his bemused parents, when an old friend–a progressive political science professor–calls with an enticing offer. Seems the professor’s wife was found dead in the backyard of their Berkeley home, and he wants to pay Jake ten thousand dollars (plus expenses) to figure out whodunit.
The police pick up the usual leads; jealousy, dirty politics, and an estate worth killing for. Naturally, since the professor is the dead woman’s spouse, he’s the primary suspect. Samson doesn’t like the guy much, but the case heats up—quite literally—when the professor’s office is set afire by a radical right wing activist group, of which, it turns out, the wife was a member.
With his good friend Rosie, and her justice-dispensing two-by-four, Samson follows a twisted trail that leads through the Bay Area’s bizarre cultural labyrinth, from pop meditation ashrams to neo-Nazi rallies, to the startling but all too human truth.
“A fast-paced and often frightening look at the insidious attraction of the extreme right. Even though most of those drawn to the group may be on the lower end of any IQ chart, their sense of dedication to the mistaken idea that they possess a genetic and racial superiority is enough to make them very dangerous. This Shelley Singer novel is recommended.” -Bookbrowser
“…one of the nicer guys in the private eye business, who operates in a relaxed, casual style without need for macho posturing.” -Washington Post
WHO WILL LIKE IT: Fans of Parnell Hall’s Stanley Hastings series, Tony Dunbar’s Tubby Dubonnet series, Bill Pronzini’s “Nameless” Detective series, Marcia Muller’s Sharon McCone series, Susan Dunlap’s Jill Smith series, Julie Smith’s Rebecca Schwartz series … and vintage TV series like COLUMBO, THE ROCKFORD FILES, HARRY O, MAGNUM, and HAWAII FIVE-O.
Shelley Singer is the author of ten mysteries, two science fiction novels, one mainstream fiction, and many short stories.”-Amazon
You’ve probably read some posts recommending audiobooks as the next big thing. And you probably know that if you live in the US or the UK you can use ACX to either upload your e-books and sell them (through Audible, Amazon, i-Tunes), or to find a producer/narrator (either by paying or by offering split royalties) and get your book made into an audiobook.
Patrick Jones, an author friend has also been working hard on his novels and audiobooks and he shared a very interesting post about an easy way to try and market your audiobooks. (He shared a post within ACX itself. Here is his link. And as you’ll be in his blog, check his fabulous stories and videos. Patrick and his wife Sandy are great.)
I had a go at it, and it works. But let me explain. If somebody is not an Audible client (it’s a subscription service like Amazon Unlimited, or Oyster… Or quite a few others, but for Audiobooks. By paying around $15 you can get a new audiobook per month, cancel at any time…) they can get a free audiobook by signing for a 30 day free trial. (For the author, is somebody signs on via your book, you get an extra bonus)
The idea with this method is you can get a link to a page that offers your audiobook for free, and once you get the link to that page, you can use it to promote your audiobook.
If you read the above post, you’ll see it seemed to cause some confusion. So this is my easy version.
Get the ASIN for your audiobook. If you’re like me you’ll keep a list with links to all versions of your book, so you’ll probably know where to find the ASIN for your book in Audible.com. But if you don’t, here I show you a screen capture of one of mine, so you can see where to find the ASIN (If you put your title in the search box, remember to click the title once it comes up). You can click in the picture to see it bigger.
Here where the 1 is and the red marker, the ASIN for the audiobook
Note: A word of warning, this method does not work for Audible.co.uk (at least not yet or using the same method).
This one doesn’t come up for free ever! Get it now. I got mine.
HETTA COFFEY IS A SASSY TEXAN WITH A SNAZZY YACHT, AND SHE’S NOT AFRAID TO USE IT! Just Add Water, winner of the National EPPIE Award for BEST MYSTERY.
Hetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she’s not afraid to use it!
A globe-trotting engineer with attitude, a penchant for trouble, and a yacht, Hetta is back, and this time she’s steering us into hot Mexican waters. Miffed that vacation plans with her chronically absent boyfriend, Jenks Jenkins, have gone awry, she accepts a job in Baja.
So what, if she and her friend Jan are spectacularly unqualified to take her yacht on a thousand-mile cruise in the eastern Pacific Ocean during hurricane season?
Hiring a handsome, if somewhat fishy captain for the trip might keep them off the rocks, but probably won’t do the same for her future with Jenks. Meanwhile, a little eye candy on board can’t be all bad.
Hetta’s fierce independence impels her to tackle a very profitable (if environmentally and politically incorrect) project south of the border. True to form, her irreverent nature and disregard for danger soon swamps her in a sea of mayhem, illegal aliens, a pesky whale, and a menacing Mexican machinator.
Set sail for Baja Mexico’s Magdalena Bay as Hetta Coffey leads us once more into a morass of intrigue that will keep you laughing, breathless, and wanting more.
Top Most Useful Review
“When I finished the first book in the series, I realized I had Hetta withdrawals. I hurried to Amazon and purchased Just Add Salt. I would advise reading the first book first because it supplies the background – where it all began. But I enjoyed the second book even more than the first. There is danger from the get-go and tension on every page. I love a mystery with a touch of romance, and this book has it all. What it doesn’t have is over-the-top graphic violence or explicit sex. The Hetta Coffey mysteries are a refreshing change and I look forward to reading more. “– Laurie Hanan, author of the Louise Golden Hawaiian mysteries
P.S. BARTLETT WITH HER SHORT NOVELLAIVORY DAWN
A PREQUEL TO HER AWARD WINNING BLUE DIAMOND: THE RAZOR’S EDGE
Ivory Shepard didn’t want to be a pirate when she grew up but she didn’t plan on being orphaned and alone at thirteen with her three cousins either. After a Spanish raid in Charles Towne left them with nothing, Ivory held her cousins together, trained them to fight for their lives and led them to a life of quiet refuge on the banks of the Ashley River. Believing they were out of reach of the hands of unscrupulous men, they found life on the farm a tolerable substitute for the traditional alternatives life would force onto them—until the night the pirates showed up. Unfortunately for the pirates, these handy young women were ready, and they weren’t going anywhere without a fight.
Top Most Useful Review
“The last thing he will see is my eyes before the Devil welcomes him home.” Oh, how I missed you Ivory! This was my second read by P.S. Bartlett and she doesn’t know the meaning of disappointment! Thank you so much for sending me a file, you made my day! This short story is a prequel of my first read, Demons & Pearls, and it was fascinating to learn how Ivory got granted passage onto Barclay’s ship. I must admit, that I missed him too. I only got a short time with him on the last book but I’m glad I got a little more of his banter with Ivory in this one. This was a hilarious quick read and I love how the bond these women have is as strong as ever. They seem to be extensions of themselves and they trust each other completely which is easily seen. Only con is that it’s too short, but that’s just because I will never get enough of Ivory and her adventures! I can’t wait to read more. I am addicted to pirate stories now!”-Cassandra Carpio-Serious Book Reviewer. Her Site.
Hetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she’s not afraid to use it!
A globe-trotting engineer with attitude, a penchant for trouble, and a yacht, Hetta is back, and this time she’s steering us into hot Mexican waters. Miffed that vacation plans with her chronically absent boyfriend, Jenks Jenkins, have gone awry, she accepts a job in Baja.
So what, if she and her friend Jan are spectacularly unqualified to take her yacht on a thousand-mile cruise in the eastern Pacific Ocean during hurricane season?
Hiring a handsome, if somewhat fishy captain for the trip might keep them off the rocks, but probably won’t do the same for her future with Jenks. Meanwhile, a little eye candy on board can’t be all bad.
Hetta’s fierce independence impels her to tackle a very profitable (if environmentally and politically incorrect) project south of the border. True to form, her irreverent nature and disregard for danger soon swamps her in a sea of mayhem, illegal aliens, a pesky whale, and a menacing Mexican machinator.
Set sail for Baja Mexico’s Magdalena Bay as Hetta Coffey leads us once more into a morass of intrigue that will keep you laughing, breathless, and wanting more.
Top Most Useful Review
“When I finished the first book in the series, I realized I had Hetta withdrawals. I hurried to Amazon and purchased Just Add Salt. I would advise reading the first book first because it supplies the background – where it all began. But I enjoyed the second book even more than the first. There is danger from the get-go and tension on every page. I love a mystery with a touch of romance, and this book has it all. What it doesn’t have is over-the-top graphic violence or explicit sex. The Hetta Coffey mysteries are a refreshing change and I look forward to reading more. “– Laurie Hanan, author of the Louise Golden Hawaiian mysteries
P.S. BARTLETT WITH HER SHORT NOVELLAIVORY DAWN
A PREQUEL TO HER AWARD WINNING BLUE DIAMOND: THE RAZOR’S EDGE
Ivory Shepard didn’t want to be a pirate when she grew up but she didn’t plan on being orphaned and alone at thirteen with her three cousins either. After a Spanish raid in Charles Towne left them with nothing, Ivory held her cousins together, trained them to fight for their lives and led them to a life of quiet refuge on the banks of the Ashley River. Believing they were out of reach of the hands of unscrupulous men, they found life on the farm a tolerable substitute for the traditional alternatives life would force onto them—until the night the pirates showed up. Unfortunately for the pirates, these handy young women were ready, and they weren’t going anywhere without a fight.
Top Most Useful Review
“The last thing he will see is my eyes before the Devil welcomes him home.” Oh, how I missed you Ivory! This was my second read by P.S. Bartlett and she doesn’t know the meaning of disappointment! Thank you so much for sending me a file, you made my day! This short story is a prequel of my first read, Demons & Pearls, and it was fascinating to learn how Ivory got granted passage onto Barclay’s ship. I must admit, that I missed him too. I only got a short time with him on the last book but I’m glad I got a little more of his banter with Ivory in this one. This was a hilarious quick read and I love how the bond these women have is as strong as ever. They seem to be extensions of themselves and they trust each other completely which is easily seen. Only con is that it’s too short, but that’s just because I will never get enough of Ivory and her adventures! I can’t wait to read more. I am addicted to pirate stories now!”-Cassandra Carpio-Serious Book Reviewer. Her Site.
Price: FREE (Click the Book Cover for your Kindle Copy at Amazon! And HERE for the UK!)
Genres:Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Drama
Languages:English and SpanishAvailable.
Pink is a smart, mature teenager. Is Pink her real name? Well that’s something in the book, now isn’t it? I didn’t read this book to do a review at first. I just read it because Olga, yes, Olga the LWI team member wrote it. She didn’t know I had read it until I had finished it and told her how much I liked it. She didn’t ask for a review. But if you like a book, review it, right?
I mean the price was right. FREE. I love a free book. And it’s still FREE. Angelic Business 1. Pink Matters is about high school senior Pink and her extremely odd relationship with a couple of angels. Okay, one angel might, just might be a fallen angel. Pink deals with everything else a normal high school girl has to deal with. Let me count the ways. Idiot best guy friend. Girl friends who are in their own worlds and of course have their own ideas about what Pink should do about boys.
Pink is smarter than they realize. She has her head on straight and her eyes on the prize. Then in walks the angels, or floats, or pops.
I’m being somewhat cavalier with this review because I enjoyed it so much I don’t want to go overboard with praise for the story itself. But there are areas that drew my attention away from being able to stay lost in the world of the story. The scene is west coast USA, but there is often very much British phrasing. This goes as far as to some basics of USA culture not coming off quite right. (I try avoid saying American culture because there are so many American countries that I see it as almost rude to commandeer the word.) But once you take those instances into stride then you can drift away.
As a book reviewer, even when reading this as a reader, I could not help but notice those moments and they did give me pause each time. I think as someone from the USA they gave me pause, not just the book reviewer part.
Did it ruin it for me? I bought the other two books in the trilogy. Yes, I BOUGHT books. I don’t have money, but I could afford the slight bit they did cost. I NEEDED to know what happened next. Of course now, alas, I am broke again. Once you see the prices at Amazon when you visit her author page you will be amazed at my poor standing.
The story in the next two books are very good, and the final is excellent for certain, with one weird twist thrown in there. There are some proofreading issues in those two books, especially the final one, as of my readings, but I have mentioned these to Olga. The first book in regards to typos was very nice. A very clean read.
Honestly the only thing I can find at fault with the first book is the British phrasing. I still enjoyed all three books.
Why?
There were some interesting views about Heaven and Hell and God’s role in things. What demons are and what choices they make. Being a person of faith I of course wanted to know where Olga would go with this and the twists and turns were . . . as I said, interesting. And above all made a great deal of sense in their own way and moved the story along and gave the story a purpose.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to just about any age. Olga handles several issues very well, with a thoughtful approach in considering her readers. There were many things I think young women/girls, as well as boys, could learn from this book about self-identity.
The scoring below is for the first book.
Character Believability: 4 Flow and Pace: 3.5 Reader Engagement: 3.5 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 4 Overall Rate: 3.8
With the British phrasing and USA cultural aspects taken care of three of the five categories would have been higher. Click the Book Cover to go to Amazon for your Free Kindle copy at Amazon. And HERE for the UK!
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From the Author
After reading several exciting YA books I had an idea for a series. I wrote the first book and started publishing some of my other books. Over the last 3 years I wrote the other two books in the series and became more and more fascinated by the subject of angels, realising that there are sculptures, works of art, books, movies… everywhere. So I’m finally adding my own. I hope you enjoy them. And don’t forget to check the other two books in the series!
About the Author
Writer, translator, psychiatrist, fitness enthusiast, recently converted to mindfulness, avid reader and reviewer, lover of movies, plays and owls, I’m originally from Spain but have lived in the UK for over twenty years. I write in all kinds of genres and also read in a variety of them.
Always happy to connect with readers and other writers.
Ronovan is an author, and blogger who shares his life as an amnesiac and Chronic Pain sufferer though his blog RonovanWrites.WordPress.com. His love of poetry, authors and community through his online world has lead to a growing Weekly Haiku Challenge and the creation of a site dedicated to book reviews, interviews and author resources known as LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com.
Sourabh has put his short story for free on Amazon right now for a short period of time. What’s better than free and quick, right?
“Author Sourabh Mukherjee’s “Nargis – Through My Summers” is a love story that goes beyond a conventional ‘happily ever after’ ending and offers realistic views of the variety of emotions one goes through when love comes calling. The story deals with human emotions that readers will relate to. Many of us have found love when we least expected to, nurtured unprofessed love in our hearts for years, and have struggled to cope with lost love. A slice of life in the true sense, the book takes us on a soulful journey as we relive loves lost or found or nurtured unprofessed in the deepest recesses of our hearts. ‘I had two things which not many had—an impossible dream that made every tomorrow worth waiting for, and a pain that not everyone was blessed with.'”~From the Book Description on Amazon
Title: Sugar and Snails
Lit World Interviews 