Follow Friday

It's time for the weekly hop!! If you want to join the fun, visit Alison Can Read  or Parajunkee's View for the link.



Q: Confess your blogger sins! Is there anything as a newbie blogger that you've done, that as you gained more experience you were like -- oops?

Accepting book review requests without a clear review policy! So, I was like, explaining to each and every author/agent/publisher those policies I want to implement and that's too much work as I look back. And providing a review date and then writing the review late. . . . awww.... 

As for the one major stupid thing I've done when I was starting, well, deleting all book review requests because I thought they were bogus emails. I remember getting the first review request in my 1st year of blogging and it went straight to trash without reading it!! I even turned down requests from Penguin and only realized it's PENGUIN (!) when I finally noticed the email address! LOL That was the OLD me!

Happy Friday!!!

Thursday Trailer: My Wolf's Bane: Shapes of Autumn by Veronica Blade

My Wolf's Bane: Shapes of Autumn

Author: Veronica Blade
Paperback: 386 pages
Publisher: Crush Publishing (February 7, 2013)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 552 KB
Print Length: 388 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 098534346X
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Crush Publishing, Inc. (January 27, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link

Synopsis:

Autumn Rossi thought she was a normal teenager. Suddenly, she can outrun every critter in the forest, making her wonder if she’s even human.

When the new guy at school, Zack de Luca, witnesses a questionable scene, he unfairly pins her as stuck-up. He acts like he hates her, yet he keeps bailing her out of trouble. Not only is Zack both insufferable and irresistible, he seems to sniff her anytime he gets close.


As passion flares between them, Autumn isn’t sure which is more dangerous: her psycho ex-boyfriend, or falling for Zack — who’s risking his life just by being near her.

Or if you just want one line: Different species. Mortal enemies. It'll never work, but they'll die trying.

Book Review: Morton's Fork by Dale Coy, M.D.

Morton's Fork
A Doctor's Dilemma

Paperback: 284 pages
Publisher: Chi-Towne Fiction (June 6, 2012)
Amazon Link 

Kindle Edition
File Size: 485 KB
Print Length: 284 pages
Publisher: Windy City Publishers (June 8, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link


Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Dale Coy. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

Dr. Roger Hartley is an old-school doctor. He believes that patients should get the very best medical care regardless of the patient's status in life. With or without money, even the most difficult patient, Dr. Hartley will never hesitate to see them. When he got sued by one of his many uninsured patients, he began to doubt everything that he believes in.

Morton's Fork was an easy read. The pace of the story flows just right. The story provided me greater understanding of the relationship between medical doctors and the insurance companies, and some other things about the medical care system. I can feel the building tension right from the start and throughout the story, the tension was there. Morton's Fork has too many interesting facts about the medical and legal profession, like how doctors and lawyers deal with their professional and personal problems. The story is relatable, sometimes it was almost depressing to read, especially the part when the lawsuit becomes a national issue. I believe this is a must read story, you should pick-up this book.


About the book:

MORTON’S FORK: A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO EQUALLY UNPLEASANT ALTERNATIVES

ROGER HARTLEY is a dedicated old-school physician who prides himself on knowing his patients by name and promptly returning their calls. But squeezed by the new economics of health care, his tidy world begins to unravel when an uninsured patient slaps him with a frivolous lawsuit. 

At the mercy of an unjust legal system, Hartley reaches his breaking point and commits a rash act that unexpectedly thrusts him into the center of a hot-button political issue. Chaos ensues as the worlds of law and medicine collide. The original malpractice lawsuit becomes the least of Hartley’s troubles.

Morton’s Fork is a thought-provoking social commentary that provides unique insight into the heart and soul of a doctor. Coy, with twenty years of experience as an internist, leaves the reader with a greater understanding of tort reform and the issues that derail our health care system.

About the author:

Dale Coy, M.D. went to medical school at The Ohio State University and is currently a gastroenterologist in private practice. He is an advocate of tort reform, and continues writing on the humanistic effects of modern medicine. Dr. Coy lives with his wife and four children in the Chicago suburbs. An avid outdoorsman, when not practicing medicine or fighting for legislative reform, he enjoys spending time with his family, visiting National Parks, skiing, fishing, and exploring the Alaskan wilderness.

Guest Post: Tim Morgan

In December of 2008 New Hampshire was hit by an ice storm that knocked power out across a wide swath of the state for nearly a week. During this time I’d bounce between work, where there was power (I was working in Massachusetts at the time) and home, where the lights were out. Going home was heart-wrenching at times, going from where there was light and heat to where it was cold, dark and quiet.

It was our first experience with a multi-day outage, and while it was happening it sure seemed like it was the end of the world. I realized how much I missed the little conveniences of daily life – my own shower; a hot cup of coffee in the morning; watching TV at night…all not possible when most of your state has no power.
This got me thinking about writing about a zombie apocalypse and the whole end-of-the-world premise. But there was more.

Instead of the world coming apart, I saw the good side of human nature. I had a coworker drive across Massachusetts with me instead of working so we could pick up a portable generator from his father’s place. Strangely enough, our managers at the time were OK with us taking off for the day on the generator quest…
I think this is part of what makes THE TRIP unique: I like to think of it as THE ROAD with hope.

When I was writing the novel, I made a very specific choice to tell the story through a trio of high school seniors. The end of high school marks a transition, a very scary time for many, as we transition from childhood to adult life. It’s a change, and change is scary. Following the adventures of a trio of friends set against the backdrop of an apocalyptic event puts, I think, a fresh perspective in the genre; it’s something that really hasn’t been done before.

But I digress. This is what I think. Pick up a copy of the book and decide for yourself.

About the Author

Tim Morgan is a self-professed geek with an artistic streak. By day he’s a mild-mannered web developer. At night (and on weekends) he’s a writer/filmmaker. You can find out more about Tim at his website.

Official web site / Amazon Link: Print Edition / Amazon link: Kindle Edition / Book Trailer (YouTube)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

"It's Monday! What are you reading?" is a fun meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. This is where we share the books we have read the last week and our reading plans for this week.

Read and Reviewed

Blood & Thunder by Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky (5-star)

Book For Review: 

Currently Reading: 

Anesthesiologist, Dr. Jenna Reiner, was blindsided on a January morning by an incident that would forever change her life. A scrub technician at her hospital was stealing narcotics from anesthesiologists, injecting those same narcotics into her veins, and returning the contaminated syringes, knowing they would be used on patients. The scrub tech was infected with hepatitis C, a deadly virus.

Unknowingly, anesthesiologists at St. Augustine Hospital were injecting their patients with hepatitis C laden syringes. When Dr. Jenna Reiner administered anesthesia, she was holding a murder weapon in her hands. Dr. Reiner was about to find out that not only was her hospital at risk, but her entire life was about to be turned upside down. The scrub tech’s addiction evolved into a public health scare, potentially affecting thousands. Unfortunately, on that fateful day, Dr. Reiner and her patient fell victim to an addict.

The ensuing medical malpractice suit filed by Allison Anders, a ruthless attorney, becomes a battle for survival for Jenna and her family. For Dr. Reiner, the lawsuit is personal. Jenna Reiner faces more demons than she thought imaginable as she fights against greed, brutality, accusations, and a corrupt legal system. Will Dr. Reiner prevail? Or will the system win? 

Inspired by true events, IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL is a story of endurance and pain beyond imagination.

Book Spotlight: Tim Morgan's THE TRIP

THE TRIP
by Tim Morgan

Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 26, 2012)
Amazon link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 488 KB
Print Length: 232 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link


Synopsis


Meghan is a senior in high school. For her senior summer, she’s planned the journey of a lifetime with her two friends: they will take a cross-country bicycle trip from their small Massachusetts hometown to Seattle, Washington.

Joining Meghan on the trip are Dave, who secretly has a crush on Meghan; and Chris, who has recently been diagnosed HIV positive as the result of a bad decision. 

As they plan their journey, a previously unidentified flu breaks out in India, beginning a relentless march around the globe. By the time Meghan and her friends are halfway across the country, the horrible truth is known: this is not a flu virus. This disease turns its victims into flesh-eating zombies. And it’s here.

Scared, exhausted and alone, the three decide to head home in a desperate race through infected territory. Can they survive THE TRIP?

Chapter 1

It’s really flat out here, and with the tailwind we’ve been making good time  across a lot of nothing since the soldiers let us through the roadblock. There hasn’t been a single car on the road since we crossed through. Sometimes I forget about the evacuations and think it’s just because we’re in the middle of nowhere that we don’t see anyone.

Every once in a while we come across an open house. If we’re lucky the electricity is still on and the water is still running, so we’ve been able to keep our Camelbaks full. Sometimes there’s food in the fridge and the stove works. We’re careful to lock all the doors and keep the lights off at night. We don’t like sleeping outside unless we really have to.

We’ve spent the last couple days resting in a house. It’s a little thing, a trailer really, but we can all sleep at night and it’s got a working toilet. According to the map and the GPS, we’re a couple miles from Goodhue. I’m scared. When the wind changes there’s this smell – this really horrible smell. You know in the summer, when the stink from the sewer plant just kind of lingers like a really bad fart? It’s kind of like that, but worse. A lot worse. 

We’ve looked all over the map – I think we should go around. I think it’s stupid for us to go there, even if it adds another week onto the trip home we should go around it. Chris disagrees. He says the easiest way through is the direct route, that the highways are jammed with abandoned cars and that by the time we get to the other side we’ll be too tired to ride any further. Dave agreed with me, but we settled things the same way we’ve been doing it since we started this trip. We put our reflectors in a helmet, shake it up and pull one out. Whoever has their name drawn gets to decide what we do. Chris won.

I want to believe he’s right, that we could cut a couple of days off the trip if we just suck it up and ride like hell. I hope that stink is the dump or the sewers or something perfectly normal, that those things that used to be human aren’t out there waiting for us. I pray this is just a bad dream and I’m going to wake up from it and you’ll be there, telling me everything is OK and wiping my tears away. But I know none of that is true, and I’m scared.

I hate to leave my blog like this, but I’m low on battery power and the sun hasn’t been cooperating. I’ll write more when we get to the other side. I have to go.

Meghan closed her laptop. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and blinked back tears as she rolled up her solar panel. Dave was in the kitchen filling the water packs. Chris kept watch from the picture window. 

“I don’t see any of them,” Chris whispered. “We can make it to the bikes.” Meghan crawled up to the window and poked her head over the edge. The bikes stood against the only tree in the yard less than thirty feet away. Last night they may as well have been on Mars. Why didn’t they park closer to the house?

A group of zombies had wandered through the yard during the night. Twelve, maybe 15 of them. Meghan couldn’t tell in the dark, and didn’t dare turn the lights on lest they draw their attention. Instead the three of them had huddled on the floor, Meghan holding Dave’s head to her chest and rocking him as she prayed the moaning flock would just go away. Chris slept lightly on the outside, a large kitchen knife in his hand.

Dave crawled to the window, water packs in one hand and a crowbar in the other. He handed out the water packs. He and Chris tried not to look at one another.

“What’s with the knife?” Meghan asked.

“If they get close we can stab them with this,” Chris said. 

Dave looked at the knife and shook his head. “What I wouldn’t give for a gun,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to go through Goodhue,” Meghan said. “That smell – it must be swarming with those things.”

“The soldiers said there’s an outpost near Rochester. We can rest up and restock there. Going around means we cut through Wisconsin. There are no outposts there and we’ll run out of food,” Chris insisted as he pulled on his Camelbak. “We drew from the helmet, and my reflector came up. Whoever gets picked makes the decision, and we all go along with it. That’s the deal.”

Dave nodded slowly. “That’s the deal.” Dave put his backpack on, then helped Meghan get hers ready.

“Those things should be long gone,” Chris said. He slowly stood up. Meghan and Dave followed his lead. Chris threw the deadbolt, then slowly opened the door. He looked both ways, then stepped out onto the front step. He waved Meghan and Dave out.

Picking reflectors was supposed to be how we chose where we slept or what we had for dinner, thought Meghan, not how you would get all of us killed. Meghan stepped out, her eyes scanning the area through her blowing hair. Dave was right behind her. They took one step, then another, when Chris froze.

“Shit!”

A sub-human groan filled the air, followed by another. And another. And another. By that point nobody was paying attention – they were all booking it toward the bikes.

“Go! Go! Go!” Chris shouted.

Dave’s hand grabbed the back of Meghan’s collar and half dragged her to the bikes. They scrambled to get their gear tied down. Meghan looked up as she strapped the laptop down with a shock chord. A mob of zombies was tearing down the road toward them, rotting arms outstretched.

“Meghan! Get on the bike!” Dave shouted. She was halfway on and throwing up the kickstand before he could finish the sentence. Dave was right beside her, Chris in front.

“Follow me – we’ll ride through them!” Chris shouted. “Single file!”

Chris took the lead, Meghan was second, Dave brought up the rear. Meghan’s legs burned as she pumped the pedals with everything she had.  They were closing on the zombies fast – faster than Meghan expected. 

The last hundred feet went in slow motion. Meghan saw Chris dart between two of the zombies. She set her eyes on that spot and followed. Rotting hands reached for her, the moans faded quickly behind her but the stench hung in her nose. Chris darted here and there, riding faster than Meghan had ever seen him ride before. She caught a glance of Dave out of the corner of her eye, slightly ahead and to her left. She kept her eyes ahead, slaloming through the mass of groaning zombies in a hellish downhill race. She lost track of Chris as she zigged and zagged and she didn’t know whether Chris made it but really didn’t care as long as she got through this horrible mess. Oh why-the-hell-did-I-do-this?

Meghan’s pulse pounded in her temples, the sickening stench of rotting flesh hanging over the zombies in a horrible cloud. One of the zombies took a step toward her, right into her path. Meghan tucked in and swerved hard, barely missing the zombie and almost smashing into Dave. A second later – Meghan didn’t think she’d even blinked – they broke free into open road. Chris was only a bike length, maybe two, ahead of them. The three kept pedaling for all they were worth. They crested a hill and lost sight of the zombies.

“We made it,” Chris said, his voice trembling. “Holy shit, we made it! Meghan, we made it!”

“We’ve gone two blocks!” Dave shouted. “No matter what happens, keep moving and for God’s sake, be careful!”

Meghan took a sip of water, desperate to quench the burning in her throat, drown the fire in her lungs, stem the tears rolling down her face. She was caught in the turmoil between a fear greater than any she’d ever known and feeling more alive than she’d ever thought possible. 

About the author

Tim Morgan is a New Hampshire based writer. By day he earns a living as a senior web developer. When he’s not writing, Tim enjoys photography and filmmaking, as well as spending time with his wife, two daughters, and dog.

AMAZON LINK (Paperback)

AMAZON LINK (Kindle) 

Giveaway Winner: Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

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Christine D. 

Confirmation email sent, please reply with your mailing details. If you didn't win, you may join another upcoming giveaway next week.

Guest Post: R.S. Carter

I’ll admit it.  I’m not ashamed.  It’s all about Daryl Dixon.

After the second season of The Walking Dead finished up last year, I realized that I, among a million other women, had developed a ridiculous crush on the crude redneck in AMC’s extremely popular show.

For a few weeks, I swooned while thinking about him.  I obsessively conducted Google image searches on him and watched a few hundred fan-made video tributes to him on YouTube.  I honestly have not acted in such a way since I was awestruck by Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing.  But that was when I was in high school.  I’m about to enter my forties and I’m suddenly thinking like a schoolgirl again.

My poor husband.  Then again - my wonderful husband.  He went out and bought me Norman Reedus movies including The Boondock Saints I and II.  Talk about enabling an addiction.

A few weeks went by after the season two finale and a little fantasy played out in my head.  That’s what readers do - we fantasize.  We think about strange things and then let them play out in our heads.  Then we follow wherever it leads.  Full stories develop, plots emerge and details are painted with vivid colors.  All in the mind’s eye.  It wasn’t long after that when I realized I had an entire story in my head, from start to finish.  

My muse was Daryl Dixon.  I always have a muse.  But this one was the best - by far.

I set to work putting pen to paper.  It didn’t take long.  I had every chapter neatly summarized in a spreadsheet.  I knew where it would take me.  I only needed the time to flesh out the characters and build the world.  The editing took more time than writing the story.  Before I knew it, Days of Love and Blood was born and the feedback thus far has been overwhelming. 

Although Daryl was my muse, this isn’t fan fiction.  His character influenced the development of my own character.  There is no crossbow, no motorcycle, no overbearing big brother.  And the zombies aren’t exactly zombies.

Passion is what drives a great novel.  I had passion for my muse.  The artistry Norman Reedus provides in acting out his enigmatic character of Daryl Dixon brought me passion.  From one artist to another, from one medium of art to another.

I said it in the acknowledgement section of Days of Love and Blood and I’ll say it once more.  Thank you, Norman Reedus / Daryl Dixon - your art became my inspiration.

Follow links:

Website:  http://rscarter.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRSCarter
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/rscarter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorRSCarter

Days of Love and Blood
by RS Carter


Paperback: 250 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 21, 2013)
Amazon Link


File Size: 459 KB
Print Length: 253 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1482042053
Publisher: R.S. Carter; 1 edition (January 16, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link



About the book:


A post-apocalyptic zombie book for women.

Without the zombies.

Worse than zombies.

The Demon Virus spreads worldwide in a matter of days leaving nothing but a few uninfected people in its path along with disease-riddled survivors who possess homicidal tendencies.

Carson drives across the country, back to her parents’ farm, with her son Ronan to begin a new life in a post-apocalyptic world. There she discovers more uninfected people like herself and attempts to build new relationships after the devastating loss of her husband.

Two men distract Carson from her grief, each possessing different characteristics that she found, loved and needed in her husband. Cooper has a bad attitude but gives Carson the space she needs with his self-sufficient, independent ways. Ben panders after her but exhibits a kindness she appreciates. Neither of them embody all of which she lost in her husband’s death.

The need for human interaction intertwines with the daily struggle of tribulation, remorse and adjustment, revolving around the constant battles between the uninfected and the last remaining homicidal maniacs. Days of Love and Blood is a story which examines the bonds created between people in times of change with an unexpected shocking end that will have you questioning your own threshold for pain.

Book Review: Blood and Thunder by Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky

Blood and Thunder 
The Grimm Chronicles Book #5

Authors: Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky
Kindle Edition
File Size: 341 KB
Print Length: 118 pages
Publisher: Brew City Press (December 7, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the authors, Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

Whoa! I just love this book #5! The story was awesome, definitely a must read for readers looking for a quick but nice read. I just love how the author wove the story incorporating the Grimm's "The Fisherman and His Wife" to Alice's "normal" life. 

Alice caught a magic fish that could grant wishes. . . one wish that she has in mind is to be free. . .  to live a normal life again and to pass the hero stuff to other people. After informing Br'er about this, the rabbit went AWOL, leaving Alice to deal with the hero stuff all by herself. 

The story had my full attention from the first page til the last. It was really fun to see Alice enjoy her life once again and be with normal people. I enjoy seeing her with friends and Seth! I love that guy! Anyway, another interesting character was introduced, Chase. There were some revelations and twists here. Absolutely no boring part, one time reading all the way!

I read about the author's rules about the romance part and was a bit disappointed. I am not that into love triangle thing-y but I think this can be a good one. I look forward to reading more from these authors!  Highly recommended for readers looking for a clean and enjoyable YA stories.

About the book:

Upon making a surprising discovery in a Corrupted's lair, Alice finds herself torn between her responsibilities as the hero and her desire to live a normal life. She's been granted a unique opportunity to leave the entire world of the hero behind. But before she can make her ultimate choice, her nightmares return ...

A ship is coming. And aboard that ship is one of the most terrifying Corrupted creatures Alice has faced yet. In order to face her foe, Alice will have to do without the help of her scorned friend, Br'er Rabbit.

At school, a miraculous recovery by the star of the baseball team prompts more questions, all of them bringing Alice back to that fateful encounter at the orphanage of doom. To make matters worse, a school bully has taken his terrorizing too far, a friend is in trouble, and the mysterious ship in Alice's nightmare holds a terrible secret ...

This story also contains:
- "The Fisherman and His Wife," by the Brothers Grimm
- Chapter one of "Moby-Dick," by Herman Melville.

About the author: 

I received my MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. I've had over a dozen short stories published.

In addition to regularly contributing literary fiction to various journals and magazines, my current project is a Young Adult series called The Grimm Chronicles. Maybe you've heard of it? No? Really? Well ...

My co-author Isabella Fontaine and I devised 3 "rules" for this Young Adult series. They're important to us.

1. There are no love triangles. We've set this as an explicit rule. Our main character might find love, but she won't be hounded by topless boys and she certainly will never spend her time deciding who to spend the rest of her life with.

2. Our hero, Alice, must use her brain to overcome her obstacles. That doesn't mean she can't kick some butt (she definitely can!), but she does have to rely on her knowledge to win the day.

3. Alice will never commit an act of violence against another human being without there being consequences. Sure, she can do battle with evil monsters ... but violence against human beings has real consequences. Too often our heroes of today cause physical pain to people around them in order to achieve victory. Alice is different. Alice respects nonviolence to solve real-world problems, and only uses violence to rid the world of the evil Corrupted.

Guest Author: Daniel Alexander

Through the Crimson Mirror

Author: Daniel Alexander
Genre: Autobiography, non-fiction, parenting

About the book

Through the Crimson Mirror is a story, an autobiography and a unique look at parenting: a view from a child’s point of view. Effective communication should be a two-way interaction, but for a long time society adopted the attitude of “children are to be seen and not heard.” Unfortunately, we are seeing the ripples of that now: depression, alcoholism, obesity, drug use, gang culture, abortions are all on the rise. There are root causes for all of these, which as a society, we are not addressing.

Often the root causes of these problems are crated when people are young, and often parents aren’t aware of this. What Through the Crimson Mirror tries to do is tell the author’s story while sharing all the lesson he wished he had learned while growing up. In addition, the feelings behind the lessons and the reasons for certain destructive behaviours in children.

The author did a lot of research to form the conclusions that are in the book. In addition, the author interviewed many people including teachers, children, parents, reformed alcoholics and drug addicts, prisoners, counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, people who work with children that have learning challenges such as ADHD and dyslexia and more.

Through the Crimson Mirror touches on many subjects including depression and mental health, loneliness, education and communication to mention a few. It appeals to a wide audience because it’s a story, an autobiography and a parenting book.

About the author

After many tempestuous years at home, the never learned the coping skills to properly survive in the real world and was susceptible to depression. This eventually led to a breakdown, which lead to the inspiration for this book: to help others have a better start to life. Since then the author has become a public speaker, talking about parenting and related topics. The author is also a radio personality in his home country, and often talks about parenting on air.

Read what others have to say about the book (reviews)

http://daniel-alexander-book.blogspot.com/2013/01/indie-book-review-through-crimson.html

http://daniel-alexander-book.blogspot.com/2012/12/indie-book-review-through-crimson-mirror.html

http://daniel-alexander-book.blogspot.com/2013/01/indie-book-review-through-crimson-mirror.html

Links

Kindle / Smashwords / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Blog 

Book Spotlight: Richard Houston's A VIEW TO DIE FOR

A VIEW TO DIE FOR
by Richard Houston

Kindle Edition
File Size: 452 KB
Print Length: 223 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
Amazon Link

Synopsis:

When the phone rings at two-thirty in the morning, it is one of three things: someone is in jail, someone has died, or in the hospital. When my phone rang that fateful Sunday, it was all of the above.

A View to Die For is a mystery novel of a divorced, over-forty, outsourced software engineer, Jacob Martin and his dog, Fred, who leave their Colorado retreat to help out family. His sister has been arrested for the black-widow murder of her fourth dead husband and his father is on life-support. Jacob tries to solve who really killed his sister's husband, but not after hunting for a stash of gold coins buried by Jesse James, and a brief love affair with a beautiful nurse.

This is the first book in a series with Jacob Martin. It's not a police or hard-crime series, but more in line with the Burglar series of Lawerence Block, or Sue Grafton's Kinsie Millhone – there is no graphic sex or violence. Readers say it makes them laugh and cry while trying to figure out who-done-it.

Excerpt

The cave itself looked more like an Anasazi cliff dwelling than the dark hole I had envisioned. It was simply a very large, deep depression in the limestone bluff. Fred had managed to make it to the cave before me – several times before me, in fact. He would run ahead, turn around and look at me as if to say, “Are you coming slowpoke?” then come back to see what was taking me so long.

That’s when I saw the footprints. A cold chill came over me and stopped me dead in my own tracks. We were not alone. The prints had to be fresh because they were as deep and visible as mine and Fred’s. There were none of the tell-tale marks of boots or tennis shoes. The stranger must be wearing street or dress shoes or the prints would have left grooves like my hiking boots. Fred stood at my side panting while I tried to listen for the intruder. “Quiet, boy,” I whispered. It did no good. I couldn’t hear anything besides Fred’s panting. Whoever had been here before us was gone now.

I followed the foot-prints to the cave. Other than a still damp spot next to the wall of the cliff where someone had recently relieved himself, there wasn’t much else to see. There were no signs of digging or anything – just the spot on the wall and ground. I went up to the wall and made my own contribution; not so much to mark my territory, but to gauge the height of the intruder. I figured he had to be less than six feet tall because his spot was several inches below mine. Of course, he could have been much more endowed than I, in which case all bets on height assessment were off.

AMAZON LINK

Guest Author: Gary Goldstein

It's still hard to accept to this day, but in retrospect, getting arrested on June 13, 1998 very well may have been a blessing in disguise.

If this is indeed true, then writing my book, Jew in Jail, served to be even more therapeutic to deal with my disease of  addiction - alcohol, drugs, and compulsive gambling - than I could ever had imagined, not to mention the low self-esteem and self-confidence I was toiling around with for years too.

I experienced a normal childhood.  My parents provided everything I ever wanted. I had a top-notch education, was an excellent athlete, popular with the girls, funny, and seemingly without a care in the world.

Little did I know or realize at the time, but I felt inferior to those around me, although I never displayed any outward signs of it.

Rather, I began to dabble with alcohol and drugs, all the while continuing to excel in school and later in the business world.

It wasn't until I started working at CBS Sports in the early 1980's and "took up" gambling that my world slowly came crashing down on me.

I figured I found something that I thought I could use my brain to succeed at where so many others before me had tried and failed.

Between my alcohol and drug use, and time spent studying statistics and trends in sports and horse racing, I quickly became consumed and lost all interest in work and women.

I went from job to job - CBS TV to NBC TV, and other media companies - until the only place I went to in June of 1998 for nearly six years was straight to jail for robbery.

My addiction had caused me to do the unthinkable: robbing some unsuspecting,  hardworking people in order to pay off my gambling debts.

While incarcerated, I did the usual stuff inmates do on a daily basis, like working out, going to the law library, hanging out in the yard, and making pennies on the dollar holding a prison job!

However, I did one thing that practically NOBODY else does while behind bars.  I wrote a book, namely Jew in Jail, which details all of the trials and tribulations I experienced as a minority behind bars while fending for myself and attempting to recover from my past addictions.

By physically writing my book as I was doing my time (under the most difficult conditions imaginable), instead of waiting until I was home a free man, it served to be very therapeutic as far as allowing me to become introspective and come to grips with why I had become an underachiever and was living with such low self-esteem.

These days, I not only promote Jew in Jail, both in person around the country, as well as via my radio interviews and guest blog posts, but also deliver motivational & inspirational speeches on recovery from addiction to help others who are either still sick and suffering from this terrible disease, or young and possibly heading down this same destructive path themselves.

It seems so silly now to think back to how I was when I didn't have much self-esteem, especially considering how I was able to land such great jobs and climb the corporate ladder with those prominent companies that I worked for in the first place.

But that is all in the past, and what I know now is that I - like everyone reading this right now - possess greatness, and can do anything I put my mind to.

My passion these days is helping others, and it gives me more satisfaction than mere words could ever describe.

So whether you spend your time writing, selling cars, keeping house, being an accountant, fashion designer, chef, secretary, or any other profession in the world, the fact remains there is nothing you cannot do either, as long as you are healthy and happy in your own skin.

A $100 bill starts out crispy when it is produced at the mint, and over time, becomes crumpled, gets stepped on, dirty, and changes hands - but NEVER, EVER loses its value.

We, as human beings, are the same way.  Throughout life, we may be bumped, bruised, stepped on, pushed around, or even locked up.

However, no matter what, we are all still valuable, unique individuals who are loved and have so much to offer society.

Therefore, always remember that there will never be another person exactly like you in this world.

It's time to be that shining star you were born to be!

JEW IN JAIL
by Gary Goldstein

CreateSpace
Pages: 719
Amazon Link

Synopsis:


JEW IN JAIL is the true story of the nearly six years that I spent incarcerated in various correctional facilities throughout the state of New York. It deals with my attempts at recovery from past addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling, as well as my efforts to turn my life around in hopes of becoming a solid citizen and successful member of society upon my release. In addition, my book also provides insight into how I, as a minority in prison, was forced to fend for myself against all of the mistreatment at the hands of the powers that be from the Department Of Correctional Services in this "world within the real world," as well as the daily grind of doing time with hardened criminals, many of whom I felt no close connection to, all the while continuing to fight for the true justice I strongly felt I wasn't afforded during my lower court proceedings.

Follow Gary Goldstein:


http://www.jewinjail.com/
http://www.facebook.com/jewinjail
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4314781
http://twitter.com/gary_goldstein
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top
http://pinterest.com/gman18nyc/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE4DFCbXRF4&feature=plcp

Blog Tour: Suzanne White's 2013 Your New Astrology. Horoscopes - Chinese And Western Predictions: The Water Snake Year Monthly Forecasts For All 24 Zodiac Signs

2013 Your New Astrology? Horoscopes - Chinese And Western Predictions: The Water Snake Year Monthly Forecasts For All 24 Zodiac Signs

Author: Suzanne White
Paperback: 358 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 22, 2013)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 1105 KB
Print Length: 359 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1481895508
Publisher: SUZANNE WHITE (November 21, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link

About the book:

Once again, Suzanne White brings us her ingenious “New Astrology” Predictions for the next 12 months. This exciting new book is offers lengthy, detailed, month-by-month horoscopes for every sign (Western and Chinese).

We each have two signs – AN ANIMAL YEAR SIGN AND A WESTERN SUN SIGN. Suzanne White’s brilliant NEW ASTROLOGY™ is the fusion of both. With this amazing book, a Leo born in an Ox year will know what will happen to her all throughout 2013 as well as what will be going on in the life of her Scorpio born Goat sweetheart and for her kids, her boss, her family, her friends and her enemies.

Suzanne White is the world renowned high priestess of Chinese and Western astrologies. She is always fun to read. And… she is uncannily accurate. This dazzling book offers readers over 100,000 words of crucial information about and forecasts for each and every astrological sign both Chinese and Western. Find out what’s in store for you and yours in the sultry, highly charged and charming WATER SNAKE YEAR 2013.


Purchase your copy:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | SMASHWORDS


About the author:

Hi, I'm Suzanne White, an American author. I live in France. Every summer I travel and write books in someone else's house. I swap my place in Provence for houses in California or Ireland or Italy or Prague or Buenos Aires or Beijing or Bangalore. I have been a college professor, a fashion model, a journalist, an interpreter, a novelist, a fireworks salesperson, director of a Parisian Couture boutique, an elevator operator, a shoe salesperson, a single mother and a simultaneous translator. Best thing I ever did was write books. My readers have dubbed me "The High Priestess" of Chinese and Western Astrologies. I am flattered. No. I am overjoyed. And proud.