Wednesday, August 29, 2012

12.21: A Novel by Dustin Thomason

2012 apocalypse phenomenon


"From the co-author of the two-million copy mega-bestseller The Rule of Four comes a riveting thriller with a brilliant premise based on the 2012 apocalypse phenomenon--

For decades, December 21, 2012, has been a touchstone for doomsayers worldwide. It is the date, they claim, when the ancient Maya calendar predicts the world will end."

This reader copied the two statements above for this book, as it fits the plot.

This author extracted complex elements of the Mayan culture and some if it's history and traditions from the times of the ancient past and translate it into a spellbinding story. It is a tale about the possibility of a doom's day event taking place causing chaos and fear throughout the world. He created a page turning of many pages which felt like shorter to the reader, for it was a compelling tale of action and events as a scientist and Chel Manu, a Guatemalan American researcher at the Getty Museum, she is an expert of ancient languages and Dr. Gabriel Stanton travelled across the United States to the Guatemalan lands to seek a mysterious cure of an infection that was ravish human lives and stealing their escape of the precious life substance of sleep.

Humanity was on the verge of collapse and madness from the lack of sleep, and intense thirst that could not be quenched by a reasonable amount of water. Zombies waiting to die are being created and no one knows why?

Two experts join forces due to coincidences or fate to solve the dilemma before civilization is wiped out. They jeopardize everything in their lives and careers to find the key to the Pandora box.

This story was addicted because this author travels into the ancient past of the Mayan culture and described as if the action and events were actual and the story journeys through character of a scribe assigned the vital task of reporting all positive history according to the king's laws. But this scribe's consciousness is plague by guilt and he defiant the laws and writes a scroll in ancient language and in the 21st century this scroll was unburied and smuggled to the United States;

Within it verses were secrets about the truth of the King's abuse of authority and how in his royal position, he enacts a hideous tradition for the Mayan race which was horrific and caused death to many. Almost cause the society to become extinct unless brave warriors devises a plan to save the next generation of 900's A.D. and then again in the 21st century. A cycle that comes around again of massive death will be it too late. . .

The Doctor, Gabe and the language expert Chel are in a race against time, almost losing their lives to locate the antidote

This story was entertaining, educational, fantasy and a great mystery for all to enjoy. It is a heart gripping suspenseful plot for fans and perfect for readers of Steve Berry, Preston and Child, and Dan Brown as one reviewer states. This reader definitely agrees with this statement.

You will definitely be pleased with your selection. This author is educated, creative and knows how to entertain readers as he proves by his track record he is accomplished at writing spellbinding tales from previous work and now this story, of Doom's Day predictions, from a Mayan's perspective.

http://www.amazon.com/12-21-A-Novel...n/dp/0385341407

Saturday, August 25, 2012

2012 eFestival of Words Award Winners (2)


                                                                     
                                                                     
                                                                     
                                             
Readers! Eight award winners in the 2012 eFestival of Words "Best of the Independent eBook Awards" have grouped together to offer you an amazing opportunity. They've reduced the prices of their award-winning novels to 99 cents for August 27 and 28th! Whether you like to read mysteries, romance, horror, young adult, women's fiction, or fantasy, this group has it. Are you a writer yourself? Do you want to learn all about digitally publishing your next masterpiece? They've got you covered there too. Get all eight award-winning ebooks for the price of one single paperback!
Award Winners
Best Mystery/Suspense: Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice Best Non-Fiction: DIY/Self-Help: Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran Best Horror: 61 A.D. by David McAfee Best Romance: Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne Best Young Adult: The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto Best Fantasy/Urban Fantasy and Best NovelThe Black God's War by Moses Siregar III Best Chick Lit/Women's LitCarpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes Award for Best Twist ("I've Been Shyamalaned"): The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A.A. Logan
Here's a one-stop shopping link for your convenience: http://amzn.to/MO7qBY Book Blurbs
Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice Laura Carnegie gave up on the man of her dreams a long time ago. He's fashion designer Jeremy St. James, and not only is he her boss, everyone knows he's gay. When the woman who holds the company purse strings is found dead in the office, and Jeremy's arrested for the murder, everything changes. If Laura can just solve this crime, keep the cops off her tail, break up a counterfeiting ring, and get the show on the runway by Friday, she might stop being Seventh Avenue's perpetual loser. If you love Project Runway, or enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada, try Dead Is the New Black.
Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran This guide contains over 60,000 words of essays, articles, and how-to guides, as well as contributions from 33 bestselling indie authors including J Carson Black, Bob Mayer, Victorine Lieske, Mark Edwards, and many more. It covers everything from how the disruptive power of the internet has changed the publishing business forever to the opportunities this has created for writers. It gives you practical advice on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing. And it reveals marketing tips from blogging and social networking right through to competitions, discounts, reviews, and giveaways. If you are considering self-publishing, if you need to breathe life into your flagging sales, or if you want to understand why it's a great time to be a writer, Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should will explain it all.
61 A.D. by David McAfee 61 A.D. For ten years, Taras has lived in the young city of Londinium, feeding off the city’s underbelly. But now Theron, his old enemy, has come looking for revenge, and Taras’ nights of living in relative peace are about to end. Yet not even Theron can slip into town unnoticed, and the Council of Thirteen sends Ramah to deal with the two renegades once and for all. But unknown to the Council, a much older enemy is also in Londinium, and this time even the great Ramah might not be safe. Set against the backdrop of the Iceni uprising in Roman-era Britannia, 61 A.D. continues the story of Taras, Theron, and Ramah, as they fight their way through history.
Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne Nic Lamoureux's perfect movie star life is shattered by a stalker who threatens any woman close to him. When he meets photographer Lauren James, the attraction is instant--and mutual. She's exactly the sort of woman he craves, but the stalker makes deadly clear Lauren is the competition. And the competition must be eliminated. "Stock up on ice cubes because this is definitely one sizzling debut. Readers will be hooked from the first sentence- on the book and on Nic! As rich as a white chocolate cheesecake, Cayne's entrance into the suspense genre is invigorating, explosive and simply intoxicating." ~ RT Book Reviews Top Pick
The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Worse, someone has used an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But first, she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits: the school’s hotter-than-brimstone demon bad boy, Nick Marcelli. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and Ivy soon discovers it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end
The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One. Her father-king wants war. Her messianic brother wants peace. The black god wants his due. She suffers all the consequences. "Moses is a fine writer deserving of success, and I think that it will follow ... I really enjoyed Moses's work." - David Farland, NYT Bestselling Author of The Runelords
Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes Hallie Mediate was raised by her (slightly) crazy Great Aunt Grace on the wrong side of the tracks in Cincinnati. Hallie escapes her hometown and never looks back. That is, until she’s transferred back to the hometown. Not wanting her past to cross paths with her future, Hallie puts her life on hold. Aunt Grace is still up to her old tricks, but Hallie finds some sanity at a local jewelry-making class where she uncovers a hidden talent for beading. Will she keep searching for the happiness she may already have found?
The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A.A. Logan Thomas Ford is the only survivor of the car crash which killed his wife. He is also the only witness who would be willing to identify the young, reckless driver who caused the crash. But the driver would sooner see Thomas Ford dead than ever let that happen. Happy Reading!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Natalie G. Owens Contribution to the Promotion of Supernatural, Paranormal and Romance


Book Cover, Blurb, Buy links and Excerpt 1 can be found here:



About me and contact links - http://www.nataliegowens.com/p/about-me.html

Excerpt 2

Ego gave the thumbs up as shame strangled him. His knees buckled at the power of its invisible rope; but the wood of the bed stopped his fall.
“Lissy.” Her name hung on his lips, but he couldn’t say more in his own defense. His father’s face kept flashing before his eyes, tormenting him.
Finally, he admitted, “You deserve better.”
A muffled sound and she tentatively reached for his cheek, a gesture that brought with it a tide of relief.
She smiled weakly in a gesture of reassurance. “Should I agree?”
His courage bolstered, he sat down next to her, his back to the footboard, legs crossed, an arm around her shoulder.
“Remember the time I had to work sixteen hours a day for a month to finish a company-wide project before the end of the financial year?”
He felt her more than saw her smile as she leaned into his arm. “Dallas, and the VP from Nutty-ville.”
“Bingo,” he chuckled.
“I had the hardest time coping with that.”
“It wasn’t all bad. You brought dinner to me every evening because you knew I wouldn’t make it out of there before midnight. That was the highlight of my day. It’s what I looked forward to.”
“Now I can laugh about it,” she said with a grin. “I just wanted it to be over.”
He squeezed her. “You and me both. What I mean is, sometimes you get used to something so much that you can’t live without it even if it’s not perfect. Ya know, like the thing about old couples slinging insults or grumbling at each other. It’s twisted but the heck I know why, it works.”
“Marriage is not only about getting used to things. There’s a lot more to it than that, mainly to do with compromise.”
She covered his hand with hers where it rested below her shoulder – at-ease affection in that act.
“I guess when it ended, we stopped being husband and wife, we stopped being lovers. It meant we were nothing to each other anymore. I didn’t feel okay with that.”
“Then why didn’t you say so? I had my faults but we didn’t have to go through hell, you know.”
He paused to gather his thoughts. “I guess… I thought you’d be better off forgetting about me.”
She sat up, her face curious, searching. “I don’t remember you being this honest in all the seven plus years I’ve known you.” She tilted her head. “But that doesn’t change reality, or the fact that you’ve shut me out of your past.”
“Why should the past affect who we are now? It’s not that important,” he argued. “We can make it work best by looking forward, into the future.”
With vehement shakes of her head, she got on her knees and hooked a finger under his chin. “Look at me now,” she demanded. “You’re a stubborn ass and you know it. There are things that are stopping you from moving on. You’re afraid to leave this race you’re in. I’m no fool. I can see it, and until you face it nothing’s going to change.”
 “Thank you for the compliment,” he jested.
“That’s another thing. We get serious for a moment and you have to turn it into a joke. Hang on,” She sat back on her haunches and waved her hands. “Let me rephrase that. We speak about your past, and you dismiss it. Are you afraid I’d understand too much? Too little? Tell me, because I’m dying to solve this puzzle.”
“You make it sound as though I have some sick problem. I don’t.” The razor-sharp edge in his voice was a warning mostly to himself to cool it down.
“Then what?”

Excerpt 3
Lisbeth got out of bed where they’d moved from the carpeted floor, while Dane slept the sleep of the dead. She covered a yawn and contemplated the beautiful creature beside her. Twilight had arrived but there was still enough light to afford her a good look at him without having to switch on the bedside lamp.
His head rested sideways on his hand. The hard planes of his face had softened; the lines at the corners of his mouth and between his eyes eased into youthful evenness. It was true what she’d heard once – sleep reveals what a person should be.
At this angle, the corded veins in his neck spread like slender tree branches embossed on his taut skin. She wanted to trace each one with her fingers first and then with her mouth, to learn and taste him once more.
She desired nothing more than for him to touch her again.
Biting hard on her bottom lip, she turned away from that sight and thought, and drifted to the kitchen.
She switched on the pendant lamps with the dimmer. The yellow diffused lighting allowed her to pick her wits, one at a time, rather than rudely jar her into wakefulness.
The box of Earl Grey called her name so she filled the kettle and switched it on, then popped a tea bag in her vintage Norman Rockwell coffee mug. Another memory of him she would never dispose of. She and Dane had picked it up at a garage sale in Florida. It was impossible to forget that strange day when it rained buckets of hail in Tampa in the heart of summer. Completely out of character.
Like what she’d just done in the last few hours.
What the hell was she thinking? After what he’d put her through, she just followed the yellow brick road to madness.

FUN STUFF
1.      This is what the restaurant “Rhapsody” looks like in “Everything to Lose” – and is located on the same street, too – http://www.leopoldus.it/
Something very important happens in this location. If you click the “Street view” tab on the map provided on this link -  http://www.originalitaly.it/ristoranti/marche/ap/ascoli-piceno/leopoldus.html - you will be able to see the actual streets and surroundings via Google. Although I actually visited this restaurant many years ago with my Italian friend Laura, I couldn’t remember all the details. I do remember I had the most divine chocolate mousse :). It was such fun to actually see it online and refresh my memory!

2.      Dane was born and raised on a ranch in Smiley, Texas - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smiley,_Texas

3.      This is close to the area where Lisbeth lives (in Richmond, a London suburb) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/2822929570/ 

4.      This is where the mysterious Jeanette Lagrange lives - http://www.shropshire-barn.co.uk/market-drayton.html - Isn’t it cute? :)

5.      Quaint cafés and shops. The main square in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, the pulse of the city -  http://www.flickr.com/photos/rinofazzini/3996120340/in/set-72157614523057796

6.      Recipe for “Olive all’Ascolana”, a typical dish of the Marche region in Italy, which Lisbeth orders at Bottega Trasi - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtKdymsTO-0

TRIVIA – For a chance to win a copy of any of my books (reader’s choice), answer the following:  

“What type of cheese is used in the stuffing of olive all’ascolana according to the given You Tube recipe?”

Please provide your email address and state the preferred format for your prize.

I will draw a winner from the correct answers and announce it on my blog a day or two after this event (www.nataliegowens.com).




Awakening Within- A Lost Souls Novel by Michelle Ann Hollstein

Review of 

Awakened Within, A Lost Souls Novel 


Author's Words:

"With a jolt, Vienna Rossi sat straight up in bed. She ran her fingers into her thick tangled mass of hair. The room was dark and she could hear a chorus of crickets chirping outside her bedroom window. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a moment then exhaled, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart. This was the third night in a row this week that she awoke because of a nightmare. And not a series of nightly scares, but the same disturbing dream that had been haunting her for the last few weeks. It was becoming more frequent and it wasn't getting any easier to deal with."

"Vienna searched her purse for something to take for motion sickness. If she didn't take it now, she knew she'd pay for it later. Popping a little yellow pill into her mouth, and slipping on her trusty pressure point wrist bracelet for travelling, she settled in for the flight."

Vienna is a young college student who is having strange nightmares and hears a voice talking to her. She decides to follow her instincts and go to Palm Springs, California where her dad has a vacation home and solve the nagging vision that was haunting her. Seeking clues to a bloody murdered girl in the past leads her into supernatural events. She discovers secrets about her self and meets some very interesting characters along the way, a handsome man who is there one moment and gone the next. He appears out of thin air and poof he is gone again.

While she is in California she finds out her uptight dad is engaged to a woman named Bunny, Bunny a little older then Vienna, and she is not happy about her new future step-mother, and who will tell the ex -wife the bad news.
Meanwhile the nightmares are leading Vienna to dark places and isolated back alleys and possibly meeting the murderer of the haunting vision of the girl that keeps invading her dreams.

She needs help but is too embarrassed to explain about the strange events occurring in her life. She is at a crossroads in her life, she enjoys being an artist and part-time teacher, not ready to dive into an unknown supernatural realm where the unexpected occurs. Her best friend Kim and even the new step-mom surprised Vienna for they believe in ghosts and other unseen phenomenon. She discovers Kim is a paranormal investigator, news to Vienna. She herself is still sceptical but not for long. She keeps getting hit in the head with warnings and signs, and a baritone voice.

Is she about to lose it or give up, and ignore all the signs? Will Jack, her spirit guide, be able to save her in time? She is closed to his presence and he is fading fast. Without her belief in him, something wicked is about to happen and he will not be able to protect her.

He tries to get her attention, with mirror writing, static in the music, and vapours in and out of her eyesight. He is scaring the daylights out of her.
Kim arrives in town with her paranormal equipment. Of course the girls go shopping first, and then chase after the possible friend of the suspect they think may have killed the young girl. Vienna dares herself to go on a date with the murderer's co-worker to find out more information about Nathan who was the alleged suspect, he disappeared from his computer job and not been heard from since.

Meanwhile Kim is contacting the computer company to have a technician come to the house and does her own investigation. The girls are in separate locations and Vienna is in trouble and Jack can't reach her.

The story is action packed, and modern writing with an edge of haunting quality to it. It is a page turner because the characters are unique in their own personalities.

This is the author's word's

"Jack," she said. "Jack, are you here with me? Give me some sort of sign."
The lamp on the nightstand flickered.
"Okay. You're here. I wish I could see you."
Jack summoned up energy from the lamp causing it to flicker again. He conjured up just enough to make himself visible, yet transparent.

"Oh, my God." Kim placed her hand to her racing heart. "I can see you."
The bedside light flashed in response.
"Where's Vienna? What can I do?"
"She's in trouble," Jack answered, his voice barely a whisper. Kim had to concentrate to understand him. "She's with Ryan. She's been drugged. I can't wake her."

Author's words:

"Where the hell was she? She couldn't see out. Should she start screaming for help and bang on the walls? Would someone besides Ryan hear her? Or would he be the only one. That would make him angry. His bright green eyes flashed in her mind. He was going to hurt her.

What was she going to do? An even worse thought occurred to her; what was he going to do?

This was a haunting chilling supernatural tale with all the elements of the unseen from ghosts to spirit guides and everything in between. I highly recommend this book by Michelle Matkins a/k/a Michelle Ann Hollstein. She is becoming one of my favourite authors, and writes in different genres too. Psst, I heard this book will be free this weekend, go see her works and decide if she is an author you like to store in your reading library.

http://www.amazon.com/Awakened-Within-Souls-Novel-ebook/product-reviews/B0051BBHF0

Back of Book:
In order to make the nightmare stop, Vienna Rossi, realizes she must take matters into her own hands. She’s compelled by an unseen force to hop on a last minute flight to track down a murderer.

Awakened within her is a psychic gift she never knew she had, a handsome spirit guide who drives her nuts, and the ability to help lost souls crossover to the other side.

Vienna and her spirit guide, Jack, team up with Vienna’s best friend, Kim, for a dangerous, murder solving, ghost hunting adventure.
Links
Book Trailer:  http://youtu.be/lKtPxzn4pRY
Vienna's Spirit Guide, Jack
Vienna Rossi
Communicates with ghosts
She has the ability to help Lost Souls










Door opening to Vienna's psychic abilities
YouTube - Videos from this email

Thursday, August 23, 2012

All In- (Lovers and Other Strangers) by L.C. Giroux


I have been away from hot steamy romance books far too long. I won this delicious treat in the Beach Book party; written by L.C. Giroux, this one I truly enjoyed. It is about a quiet strong silent type cowboy, Current who helps a damsel in distress. She was a mousy brunette in disguise, running from the gangsters who were forcing her to work as a book keeper for them in unpleasant circumstances. She decides she had enough of their abuse and takes their money and donates it. Now the bad guy wants his money back and sent his goons after her.

She was alone, hungry and fending for herself decides to pickpocket the silent quiet cowboy's but he caught her red handed and needs to choose to turn her over to the authorities or protect the damsel in distress from the big brawny goons stalking her.

Then the story takes off from there, package with a writing style which kept this reader glued to the pages. It was sensual but not over the top, and romantic in a sweet way.

In the author's words; "He started to smile and then he felt the tug. Thank God he had reflexes like a cat. He snatched her wrist and held up her hand with his wallet in it. "Aw, sweetheart, didn't anybody ever tell you to kiss a man before reaching into his pants?" Those warm eyes went round with fear."

There even a sensitive issue in the middle of the story which is bought into modern times with a hilarious flair, the hair dresser.

Current is every girl's dream, rough and gentle at the same time, let's the damsel cry on his shoulder and like to cuddle with her, just because.

Gianna was the shy mouse that turned into a lion who knew what she wanted and it was Current but he was a bachelor and does not have time for a damsel in distress or does he?

The adventures and suspense of escaping the goons and the challenges of their escape plans places both main characters and the hair dresser into prickly situations. Question will they escape unscathed in more ways than one. You will have to read this delicious sensual treat and find out more for yourselves. Plus there are teasing previews of this author's other books at the conclusion of this one, there are so many delicious morsels of delight in between the two covers of this book.

http://www.amazon.com/All-Lovers-Other-Strangers-ebook/dp/B008THLKD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344251623&sr=8-1&keywords=All+In+Lovers+and+Other+Strangers


by Natalie G. Owens Preview Promotion for Friday August 24, 2012




    She invites all her fans and readers
    to join her as host of Friday Promotion
    Supernatural and Paranormal
    Fantasy 
    on the dark side
             No Rules. No Formulas. Just Love, Mystery...
                 and a world of surprises in between!

                                

This is her cover page of her Blog with more information about her and her books on the supernatural paranormal theme, what I have read and planning to read I agree this author has a special niche of extracting the elements of supernatural and paranormal themes into romantic and haunting tales.

Review of Something to Live For

Is a supernatural and paranormal story about two strangers who do not know each other.
Yet their paths will crossed by mysterious events.  They are two separate strangers and like two ships in the night they would of pass each other by if their restless desire to stop hurting from past memories did not ignited them to contact a dating agency owned by a woman some called psychic.  The owner has been declared a lucky matchmaker with her streak of good fortune to bring strangers together and their arrangements had developed into life -long relationships on to the path of marriage. These two strangers were so lonely they decided to be adventurous and applied to the same agency and luck or fate their were matched together for a one night tryst.

The two main characters, one is a therapist on the brink of burn out, seeking more purpose in her life, her name is Melita. Has not dated in a long time due to work commitment and a disability she received at the tender age of 14. The second character Alex Moncado, is an emotionally wounded man, he too experienced a severe loss 15 years ago on the same day.  They responded to the same dating agency and completed the paperwork to arrange a blind date and they are matched together.

Their date takes place in a secluded house. The tryst of a one night to release the frustration, desperation and not to be alone syndrome turned into a magical night of secrets and events that made this reader's heart rate increased with anticipation of their bonding together under these unusual circumstances. It was a short and delightful story about not living in the past, letting go of one's fears and face the unknown, so not to not lose an opportunity that maybe knocking on one’s door.

The author has the gift of writing to incorporate events of the past to meet the present in an enlightening tone, as the two characters meet each other and discover through their attraction and beliefs they have allot in common, enough to have closure upon their wounds of the past and strength to move towards the future together.

It is a tender romantic and humanistic story about regrets and possibilities of letting go of the past, to move on and go forth into a brighter tomorrow by the characters actions. They decided to be daring and take a chance to live life to the fullest even when they were in emotional pain. I believe this author was trying to express in all encounters of life, there is a lesson to be learned and expand upon, to become stronger and to share the victory with another. Highly recommend this book if you are into human insight and believe in the wonders of broken hearts being heal

Author's words: “The blazing fire that licked at her with his appraising look was all the encouragement she needed to slide her arms around his neck and throw herself, body and soul, into another kiss. She teetered on the edge of the stool but somehow didn’t care if she toppled them both off. His arms snaked around her and held her tight, one hand splayed across her back, the other buried under her hair to hold her head prisoner.”

To discover more about this haunting supernatural, paranormal author go to these links:

http://www.nataliegowens.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=204283292917236&id=100000067014486&aid=55682#!/profile.php?id=563297082 

A Kind of Judgment, a short tale of horror.

A Kind of Judgment

Something to Live for, paranormal contemporary romance.

Something to Live for (Moonlight Dating Series #1)


The Party Guests Are

Karli Rush, author of Seducing a Mermaid

Seducing a Mermaid

http://www.amazon.com/Seducing-a-Mermaid-ebook/dp/B008TW7ZCW

Michelle Matkins author of Awakened Within, A Lost Souls Novel

Awakened Within, A Lost Souls Novel

http://www.amazon.com/Awakened-Within-Souls-Novel-ebook/dp/B0051BBHF0





Flynn Le Cat, artist of many lens

http://www.squidoo.com/flynn_the_cat#module124996951

Kevin Macleod


Sunday, August 19, 2012

VBA for Blogging, Thank You Karli Rush

My Blog Has Been Nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award


Thank you to karli Rush for nominating my blog for the 
                         Versatile Blogger Award








http://www.wonderfulreadofthemonth.blogspot.com/


7 Random Facts About Me:

I love books, art and music
I love cats, dogs almost all creatures except bugs
I love to promote artists
I love my family
I enjoy writing stories
I enjoy swimming
I love nature and gardening, purple shamrock flowers

my  15 bloggers nominees are 

http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/easton_writes
15.is open if someone would like to be honour

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

One Hell of a Cruise. by Michelle Ann Hollstein- Preview of Friday Promotion at MTMC2FE

This description is what compelled this reader to pick this book to read next, plus I was in a mood for a fantasy cruise, a boat, colourful characters, zany humour and events that are suspenseful and now I was becoming familiar with the main character Aggie Underhill, I enjoyed the series more. Aggie is a mid aged woman with a off colour sense of humour,  a nose that can not keep out of trouble and a curiosity that would kill the cat gets herself into tricky situations as she and all the memorable characters, her dear friend Betty, Betty's cousin Roger, Aggie's daughter and her family, plus the overbearing mother-in-law who has a bitter tongue keep the reader interested to conclude the story.  this and other stories in the series will keep the sleuth in you entertain.  She is comparable to Agatha Christie, with a Britain's humour

In the author's words "With bleach blonde hair piled on top, an oversized pocketbook to match every outfit and an insatiable appetite for snooping, the ever curious Ms. Aggie Underhill and her friends embark on an eight day cruise to the Mexican Riviera." 



Review

This author took her colorful characters, Mrs. Aggie Underhill, private sleuth, her friends Betty and Roger, and placed them into a tricky, complex, and entertaining plot of enjoying a cruise to the Riviera of Mexico. She adds in colorful scenery and other details which also invite the reader to imagine what is like to travel to Mexico, and see the wonders through the characters’ eyes as they witness all the beauty and entertainment one enjoys when on a cruise ship getaway. 

Except in this book she takes her characters and places them into tricky and awkward positions. Betty is attracted to the tall man Brice who is attracted to her camera.  His younger brother, Jack the loser, is to track Pablo, who is in trouble and is looking for help. Roger, not being sensible yet wanting to get his money's worth from the thieves of the shipping industry, thinks of ways to ripped off the cruise ship merchants, and he is enjoying himself immensely with that game. Anita, the mother-in-law, is driving poor Mrs. Aggie to want do a naughty actions against her, but she has to be the mature one. If Anita says one more tsk, Mrs. Aggie will go over the edge. 

Then there is the waitress, the stalker, the grumpy old man with his wife, and the married couple who desired more than what each is receiving from one another. All these characters come together and create a delightful tale of mystery and suspense.    

Meanwhile, on this trip the author introduces two shady characters and other possible suspects. Mrs. Aggie Underhill, private sleuth, smells trouble and starts to track the shady characters and finds clues to verify what she thinks is the case, but she herself was also surprised with the outcome as they all become enmeshed in a messy situation. There are hints of adultery, back stabbing, and secrets waiting to be discovered in the darkness of the starry twinkling diamond skies.

In this comparable but hilarious plot of an Agatha Christie mystery, there is suspense and so many twists the reader had to take notes in her head to figure out the case before the conclusion of the story.  It was an enjoyable lite read, and for readers who like Whodunit Mysteries with hilarious antics and tying up the case in a nice little bundle, this and other stories written by the author are available at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Ann-Hollstein/e/B004FSAF7Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 and as of Friday, August 17th One Hell of a Cruise will be free for the weekend on Amazon Kindle.  (hint, hint) go check it out and see if this reader was correct in her choice, this is an excellent read and 5 stars.

In the author's words

"After that, she settled down in bed to read the latest book in her favorite mystery series. It was an in-between the numbers book. She couldn’t wait to see what kind of mess the protagonist happened to get herself into. A couple of chapters into the book, her eyes began to burn, the lids feeling heavy. She reached over to switch the lamp off on the nightstand next to her bed and finally gave into sleep. She’d just have to wait until another time to find out how her favorite nosy literary character would get out of her recent ordeal."
"She herself was a tall woman of 5’10 with a fairly large build. She was by no means fat, just a good-sized woman. And Anita, well, she was barely 5’1 with a teeny tiny frame and not to mention a killer metabolism. Aggie figured that she had probably gained five pounds just from watching Anita inhale all those desserts at the lunch buffet. And she wouldn’t be surprised in the least if Anita ended up losing weight by the end of the trip.

“Urrrr….” Aggie growled."

"Difficult, especially since she couldn’t tell them what she was up to in case Betty accidentally spilt the beans to Brice.

And that poor boy, Pablo, he needed her help. She had to do something to help that unfortunate boy.
Betty slumped her shoulders and scowled. She looked over at Aggie and groaned. Aggie knew why she was sulking. It was because Brice ignored her all evening. And even worse than that, Anita never asked for her camera back before Brice excused himself from the dining room."

This reader highly recommends this author and her many books in this Mrs. Aggie Underhill series; reminds this reader of the younger years reading the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries and others like it. It was fun to find a series to read which made one laugh yet able to use the dominant brain cells to figure out the case.  As a bonus she also is familiar with Gluten diet and Celiac Disease is offering her readers’ recipes to create and enjoy with this and her other books and keep their bodies feeling well. Two deals for the price of one.