Thursday, July 19, 2012

Review - Cancer on the Brain

Cancer on the Brain
By: Jay Lefevers
Publisher: Emerald Book Co.
Pub Date: June 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1937110246
Pages: 240



    When I signed up to review Cancer on the Brain, courtesy of Emerald Book Company in exchange for an honest review, I really didn’t know what expect as I don’t read memoirs, but I thought I would give the memoir genre a try. Surprisingly the author never tries to push a spiritual revelation onto the reader, but instead he uses humor, and creative narration to tell his inspirational journey.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Guest Post & Giveaway with author Terri Ann Armstrong


Writing has always been in my blood. It’s only been over the last ten to fifteen years where it’s been cathartic for me. Inspiration comes from every corner of my life from health, to family and friends, to even a lack of inspiration at times. Writing is not what I do, it’s who I am. My characters drive me, they steer their stories and show me where it’s supposed to go as opposed to where I “think” it should go. 

Writing in first person has been an eye-opening experience and one that is not as easy as I thought it would be, but is indeed as rewarding as I hoped it would be. I have learned more about my characters and myself writing this way. POV, whether it be first, second or third person is very important no matter which one you use. It’s as important as tense and time-frames. Writing in first person POV is harder because the reader should feel like you’re talking directly to them, telling only them a story and if you can accomplish that, they trust what they’re reading. When trust comes into focus, the story and characters become real and that’s where the fascination with your story begins and hopefully doesn’t end until the end. It will also leave them waiting with baited breath for the next book. 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Guest Post with author Leia Shaw





10 reasons you should buy my book, Destiny Bewitched:

1.) It’s funny.

Her sister had been dragged away to some hideous supernatural version of Fight Club and she was daydreaming about the love of a demon. Someone ought to smack her.
Ow!” She rubbed her forehead where she’d just bumped it on a low hanging tree root. “Stupid karma.”

2.) It’s sexy.

They were panting and sweating, bruised and bloody and desperate as hell. He looked into her eyes, a stark look of pure lust – dark and sensual but full of possession. He was taking his war prize. And she was it.

3.) Its adventurous.

Then the worg charged. There was no way her lame protection circle would do a lick of good against such a powerful attack. So she did what every other red-blooded American girl would. She ran like hell.

Review - The Crossroads by L. Ron Hubbard



The Crossroads
By L. Ron Hubbard
Published by: Galaxy Press
ISBN: 978-1-59212-241-7
Release Date: June 28, 2010


    I recently had the opportunity to review some audio books, courtesy of Stories from the Golden Age in exchange for a few reviews. I’ve written book reviews and DVD reviews, but never an audio review, so I was intrigued and agreed to review a few of the titles. Within a week, I received a box with five audios (each on two Cds), a free copy of the ASI Magazine, and a small calendar.

    The Crossroads was originally published in the February 1941 issue of Unknown magazine. The story involves a farmer Eben Smith, who was told by the government to destroy his crop’s surplus to help stabilize the failing economy. He is tired of the government controlling everything while people are starving. He loads his wagon with fruits and vegetables and heads for the city. His plans come to halt when he comes upon a bizarre crossroads, consisting of four odd roads. Each of these roads takes Eden to different realities, where he comes across soldiers and strange beings. Just because he cannot reach the big city does not mean Eben cannot barter his goods.

Monday, July 16, 2012

An Interview with author Jamie Salisbury



What or whom inspired you to become a writer?

I have always written, but I took a creative writing class in high school. I had the most awesome teacher. She was great at inspiration and mentor to her students. She had some “out there” sort of ideas for the time (write something about a song on an album of her choosing). It had to be a short story if I recall correctly. In her eyes no one was a bad writer. She encouraged me to pursue the craft further.

What were your writing habits while writing Timeless Sojourn?

They stayed pretty much the same. I try to do all my social media, pr work, emails in the morning and spend the afternoons and evenings writing. This way if I’m really on to something in the afternoon I don’t have to quit I can continue to write well into the night.

How did you come up with the plot?

I thought it was something that needed to be written and it’s sort of autobiographical in parts. Which ones, I’ll never tell! But I spent a lot of time handwriting ideas, etc. on paper and then one afternoon I just flew with it. Once I started it, the story just evolved.

What is your favorite part in Timeless Sojourn?

Probably where the main female character, Anne decides to cast aside her self doubt and look forward and accept whatever comes, rather than be chained by some of her past fears and experiences. She takes the big step and decides to live in the moment rather than in the fear of what could happen.

Review - The Sweet Life #2 : Lies and Omissions

Sweet Valley Confidential: The Sweet Life #2 : Lies and Omissions
By: Francine Pascal
Published by: St. Martin’s Griffin
ASIN: B007XSNFAE
Pub Date: July 15, 2012
Pages: 82


 The lives of the Wakefield twins and their friends continue to unravel in book two of this six-part e-serial. The sexual accusations of Bruce Patman become public, causing a media outbreak for the multi-millionaire. Elizabeth has made contact with the accuser and helped her find a safe house. She thought Bruce was the love of her life, but the more she investigates the accusations, the more she starts to question his alibi.

    Meanwhile, Jessica is trying to help Bruce’s image by having female celebrities to say how nice Bruce is and how he would never harm anyone. Elizabeth’s actor friend, Liam, is still after Jessica, especially since she has separated from her husband, Todd. After a one-night mistake with Liam, Jessica realizes that she wants Todd back even if it means sacrificing her career.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Review - The Sweet Life #1 An E-Serial

Sweet Valley Confidential: The Sweet Life #1 An E-Serial
By: Francine Pascal
Published by: St. Martin’s Griffin
ASIN: B006ZLAFXU
Pub Date: July 15, 2012
Pages: 121


After the horrible Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later novel last year, here comes six new e-serials picking up three years later. Jessica Wakefield is now a mother of a two-year-old named Jake, and she is recently separated from her husband, Todd. She now has a successful job as vice president of VERTPLUS.net and a big deal with Revlon is coming up.  She still loves Todd, but he is now dating a co-worker.

Elizabeth Wakefield is still adjusting to the whole Jessica/Todd situation, as Todd is her ex, but she is happy writing a small column for the L.A. Tribune, and spending time with her multi-millionaire boyfriend, Bruce Patman.

Win a Handmade Mennonite Quilt from @NancyMehl! RSVP for her INESCAPABLE Facebook Party 7/26!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Review: The Seduction of Phaeton Black by Jillian Stone

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine.


Shortly after the Jack the Ripper killings came to an abrupt stop, more killings start to occur in the streets of Victorian London, but this time the victims are left with two small puncture marks on their necks. Scotland Yard has no choice but to bring back their best investigator, Special Agent Phaeton Black, who was recently fired.

During his break from Scotland Yard, Phaeton has spent many of days seducing the prostitutes as he lives under a brothel. He eagerly takes on the case, which he believes a vampire is responsible for the killings. While hunting for the night creature, a beautiful woman named Miss America Jones, a half Cajun witch, runs into him as a gang of ruthless pirates, who stole her father’s shipping company, are chasing her. With no other choice, Phaeton helps America escape the pirates.

America is a smart, strong-headed young woman, unlike many of the other women Phaeton has seduced, and she may be just what he needs to catch the killer. He always shuts off his emotions when it comes to women, but there is something about America that sends his heart a racing. Could it be that he has feelings for her? On the other hand, is she just using him for her own gain?

Friday, July 13, 2012

Review - Home Fires



HOME FIRES
Written by: JANA RICHARDS
Published by:  The Wild Rose Press, Inc
ISBN: 978-1-61217-240-8
Pages: 100
Pub Date: 2012


A young British woman, Anne Wakefield, who served as a nurse during WWII, arrives in Emerald, Saskatchewan, a tiny village on the Canadian prairies to meet up with her fiancé, Anders Gustafson, a soldier whom she met during the war. To her surprise Anders doesn’t pick her up at the train station, but instead his older brother Erik, was also a solider and has a bad limp to prove it, does. He basically keeps quiet and takes her to the family farm where she meets his mother, Astrid, and his sister, Ingrid. But there is no sign of her dear Anders, all except for a letter that would change her life.

    It seems when Anders returned home, he married a local girl, Signe, and took a job in another city. Anne is embarrassed, but not as much as the Gustafson’s family, whom are left to cleanup Anders's mess.