Tommy Nelson; 32 pages; $14.99; Amazon

Though Halloween is a lot closer than Christmas, I'm more in the mood for the Yuletide season than I am for All Hallows Eve, which might explain why I'm once again reading another Christmas title.

What did I read this time?

Well, yesterday I read One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens. Published by Tommy Nelson (a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers), the book will be available to purchase on September 27th in either a hardcover or a board book for "little ones."

One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story centers on a small donkey (the donkey's name is never mentioned) who wants to be tall and brave like the horse he sees marching in the grass each and everyday.

Then one day his master, Joseph, calls for him. It seems Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, are planning a trip to Bethlehem and it's the small donkey's responsibility to help carry Mary across the land.

When Mary goes into labor, Joseph knocks on the doors of every home in the city, hoping to find shelter. However, nobody will take them in. Luckily, they do find a manger just in the nick of time. 

Now available to purchase from Burnt Stilettos Press is the sexy contemporary romance “Secret Destiny” by the USA Today & NY Times Bestselling Author Kathy Kulig. The author has taken a few minutes out of her busy schedule for a Q&A about her newest novel.


When did you become interested in storytelling?

Since I was pretty young, my storytelling skills got me in trouble a few times where I was scolded for making up stories. I wasn’t trying to lie; my imagination just got carried away. Later, I tried writing short stories a few times for Science Fiction magazines and gave up when I felt I had no idea what I was doing. (I didn’t back then) I took some creative writing classes, read books about writing, got encouragement from a teacher who said I should write a book.

What was your first book/story published?

I first had an erotic contemporary romance novella published in a small print press publisher in 2004, then I published a few short stories. My first novel was in 2007 with Ellora’s Cave. It was a paranormal adventure romance. I’ve published over a dozen novels and novellas, plus and number of short stories.

What inspired you to write Secret Destiny?

A couple things inspired me to write this book. I lived in South Florida where the book and series takes place. I remember years ago when they were filming the movie Striptease with Demi Moore. Someone pointed out the mansion along the Intercoastal where she lived during the filming. In that movie, the heroine is in a desperate situation—a single mom who needs money to regain custody of her daughter. In Secret Destiny, my heroine is in a desperate situation. She’s a law student and about to lose the home she’s inherited from her parents. She accepts an indecent proposal from a billionaire to entertain wealthy and powerful men. During my research I actually met a stripper who also did a similar side job to what Destiny and her boyfriend does in my book.

What character in Secret Destiny is the most/least like you, and in what ways? 

I think we can’t help to include some aspects of ourselves in our books. I do like complicated characters. Ones who are good in some ways and bad in others, but are motivated or are placed in difficult situations to act in not so appealing way. It makes for interesting characters and stories and they have to deal with the consequences don’t they? Destiny is like me in that she’s tenacious and won’t give up when she sets her mind to something. She’s kind-hearted and hard working. But she’s not like me when she crosses a number of lines to get what she wants and has to decide if the risks and consequences are worth it.

Cover Artist: Seneca Featherstone

What is your favorite part in Secret Destiny?

Waterbrook; 352 pages; $14.99; Amazon

I know I have written about when and how I became interested in reading the Amish fiction genre several times on here, but I don't believe I ever mentioned that Cindy Woodsmall was the second author I had read in the genre. For some reason or another, her titles have been hard to find in my area (There's only a small Walmart in my town!), so it has been awhile since I have read any of her works.

When I saw her newest book, Fraying at the Edge, was available to review, I eagerly signed up to review back in early July. The book must have got lost in the mail as I never received a copy; though I did receive replacement after I contacted the publisher about the situation.

Fraying at the Edge is actually book two in The Amish of Summer Grove series. And, no, this isn't a standalone series as from my understanding it does continue with the same characters and storylines from the first novel (Ties That Bind); so it took me several chapters to figure out who was who and what was what.

Anyhow, Fraying at the Edge centers on Ariana Brenneman, a young woman who raised in the Old Order Amish, but recently learned she had been switched at birth twenty-years-ago. She had left her home and ventured into the real world (known as the Englischer world to the Amish) to get to know her biological parents. While her new life is full of wonders, she has a difficult time adjusting to the Englischer's way of life.

Meanwhile, Skylar Nash (aka the girl Ariana was switched with at birth), is determined to reject her Amish biological family. Well , that is until she is given a choice of spending time in the Amish country or being sent to rehab for illegal prescription drug addiction.

TV-Y; 137 minutes; $19.99; Amazon

Now available to own on DVD from Walt Disney Home Entertainment is The Lion Guard: Unleash The Power, featuring six exciting episodes from the hit Disney Junior animated series. There are no special features or bonus features on the two-disc set, but it does come with a free Power Necklace with changeable discs.

The Lion Guard is sequel series to the classic animated film The Lion King. The series centers around Kion, the son of Siba and Nala, After learning Kion has the ability to channel the roars of his ancestors, Siba makes him the leader of the new Lion Guard, a position that once held by Siba's evil uncle. Kion's first assignment was to enlist other lions to join the Lion Guard, but instead he choices other animals to join - Bunga the honey badger, Beshte the hippopotamus, Fuli the cheetah, and Ono the egret.

The episodes on this disc are:

"Fuli's New Family" -The rest of the Lion Guard feels sorry that Fuli doesn't have a family, so they keep inviting her to activities; though all Fuli wants is to be left alone.

"Bunga The Wise" - After averting a flood, the animals of the Pride Lands believe Bunga is the wisest animal.

"Eye Of The Beholder" - After defending a herd against the hyena clan, Ono loses the vision in his left eye.

"Follow That Hippo!" - Beshte gets his very own fan - a young elephant named Mtoto, who follows him everywhere he goes.

"The Search For Utamu" - On their way to find Utamu grubs, Bunga tells the story of how he met Timon and Pumbaa.

TV-14; 788 minutes;$39.98; Amazon

Now available to own on DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is Empire: The Complete Second Season, featuring all 18 episodes on a 5-disc set with 53 minutes of special features.

Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Empire is set in the hip hop music industry and centers on Lucious Lyon (played by Terrence Howard), a former drug dealer who is now the CEO of Empire Entertainment. After being diagnosis with ALS, he makes the decision to take one of his sons - Andre z(played by Trai Byers), Jamal (played by Jussie Smollett), and Hakeem (played by Bryshere Y. Gray) - under his wing, so one of them can one day take over the family business.

Then out of nowhere, Lucious's ex-wife Lucious' ex-wife Loretha "Cookie" Lyon (played by Tarji P. Henson) is released from prison after 17-years and she demands half of the company.

Season Two picks up three months after the first season finale, where Lucious was arrested. Sookie puts together a star-studded #FreeLucious concert in the hopes of freeing Lucious. Meanwhile Jamal attempts to take over the Empire, which puts a bigger drift between him and his brothers. All of this leads to Cookie, Andre and Hakeem launching their own record label called Lyon Dynasty.

Of course nothing will keep Lucious away from his family & business, and soon enough he is released on bail.


Special Features on 5-disc set are:

• Empire around the Globe: USO Tour Freda Gatz Music Video

• Studio Sessions

• “Heavy”

• “Never Love Again”

• “Born to Lose”

• “Do Something With It”

• “Sorry Just Don’t Cut It”

• “Supernatural”

Little, Brown, and Company; 369 pages; $28

James Patterson is one of the busiest authors as it seems like he has a new title out every few weeks, from kids books to adult thrillers. Plus, he just launched the new Bookshots novellas.

For the last few days, I've been reading Bullseye by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge, which I believe is the 9th installment in the "Michael Bennett" series (minus the "Chase" novella). I hate to admit this, but I haven't read every book in the series, though I do own a copy of each book.

The series focuses on a NYC police detective named Michael "Mike" Bennett, who is always finding himself hunting down serial killers, assassins, and crazies. When Mike isn't chasing down criminals, he's trying to be a good father to his ten adopted kids! Yep, I said ten kids. His wife had died several years ago, so he relies on his elderly priest grandfather, Seamus, to help out with the kids from time to time. Then of course there is the nanny, Mary Catherine, who just happens to be Mike's girlfriend/significant other.

Bullseye opens up with Mike having to leave his family on a Saturday morning as a major international crises was in the making - a possible planned assassination attempt on newly inaugurated President of the United States, who is currently flying on Air Force One and will make a stop in New York City.

Why would someone want to harm the President?

Well, it happens to involve starting another Cold War with Russia.

Rated G; 85minutes (theatrical version);$39.99; Amazon

Being released this Tuesday from Walt Disney Home Entertainment is Disney's Beauty and the Beast: 25th Anniversary Edition Signature Collection 2-disc set (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD, featuring four different versions of the film - Original Theatrical, Special Edition, and a Sing-Along version (on Blu-ray and Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere)). A Work-In-Process version is available on Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere.

Originally released to theaters in 1991, Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film to receive an Academy Award nomination for best picture. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, the film features the voice talents of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bradley Michael Pierce, Rex Everhart, Jesse Corti, Hal Smith, and Jo Anne Worley.

Based on the fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Beauty and the Beast tells the story of a Prince Adam who had refused to let a beggar into his castle; in return for his rudeness a curse was put upon him, turning him into a beast. The beggar gives him a magic mirror and a magical rose. He has until his 21st birthday to find a woman that will fall in love with him, despite his beast-like looks. If he fails to do so, he will remain a beast forever.

Ten years later, a man named Maurice takes shelter inside the castle, but unfortunately this upsets the Beast, who tosses the man inside a dungeon. Shortly later, the man's daughter, Belle, finds his horse, Phillipe, and goes searching for him. She stumbles upon the castle and finds her father, but she also finds the Beast. Being a loving daughter, Belle offers to replace her father as prisoner, and the Beast agrees to her terms.

After being put in the dungeon very briefly, the Beast has a change of heart and gives Belle her own room. This is where she learns that a curse had been put on the Beast's servants (Lumière the candlestick, Cogsworth the clock, Mrs. Potts the teapot, and her son Chip the teacup) too. All the servants instantly like Belle, and they all help her see the good side of the Beast.