Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Cash Giveaway
Here's a chance to win $50 in Paypal cash from Fae Books There will be two $50 winners and 1 $10 dollar winner Give it a try!http://www.faebooks.co.uk/2013/12/CashGiveaway.html
Monday, December 9, 2013
13: Book 1 of Tallent & Lowry Series
Here's a book that you may want to read. It sounds fascinating. I'll read it and review sometime in the next couple of months.
Title: 13
Series: Tallent & Lowery
Author: Amy Lignor
Formats
Available In: Digital and Print
Publication
Date: 11/30/2012
Blurb: In 1902, in a dark room on the fifth floor of Carnegie Hall,
thirteen people came together to continue a tradition that had been set in
stone thousands of years before.
In 2012, Leah Tallent is Head of Research at the New York Public Library. Stoic and stable, brilliant and cynical, she has forever enjoyed her existence among the book stacks. But even with her unparalleled intellect, there was no way to know that on the historic steps between America's famous lions, she would become involved with a crazy man on a fanatical quest.
Gareth Lowery has spent his life searching for the ultimate artifact that he is certain exists. His life's pursuit has been to retrieve twelve keys hidden by men whose job it was to protect the single biggest secret ever kept. To find the keys he must enlist the help of an unwilling guide who, unfortunately, knows much more than he bargained for.
From the first page to the last word, this fantastic duo become immersed in a whirlwind treasure hunt with historical and passionate repercussions. From the strange and eerie Winchester House to the blustery darkness of Loch Ness, Gareth and Leah will quickly learn that the theory of duality is correct: For every bad there is a good and, for Heaven, there most assuredly exists...Hell.
In 2012, Leah Tallent is Head of Research at the New York Public Library. Stoic and stable, brilliant and cynical, she has forever enjoyed her existence among the book stacks. But even with her unparalleled intellect, there was no way to know that on the historic steps between America's famous lions, she would become involved with a crazy man on a fanatical quest.
Gareth Lowery has spent his life searching for the ultimate artifact that he is certain exists. His life's pursuit has been to retrieve twelve keys hidden by men whose job it was to protect the single biggest secret ever kept. To find the keys he must enlist the help of an unwilling guide who, unfortunately, knows much more than he bargained for.
From the first page to the last word, this fantastic duo become immersed in a whirlwind treasure hunt with historical and passionate repercussions. From the strange and eerie Winchester House to the blustery darkness of Loch Ness, Gareth and Leah will quickly learn that the theory of duality is correct: For every bad there is a good and, for Heaven, there most assuredly exists...Hell.
Excerpt:
Leah glanced at the staircase leading to
the main floor of the library. She could see Gareth out of the corner of her
eye. His head was bowed and his eyes were shut tight, as if he was
contemplating the jail cell that awaited him.
Talk about complete confusion. Leah should
run; she knew that. But the sixth sense she’d trusted all her life was telling
her to stay. Reaching across the table she picked up the heavy book. Checking
to make sure her “kidnapper” wasn’t making any new threats, Leah began thumbing
through the pages; dark and light sat side by side, and she attempted to decipher
clues from the past.
From Egyptian handwriting that reminded her
of a book she’d once read about the lost Library of Alexandria, to a strange
map with Latin text that looked like it came from the secret vaults of the
Vatican Library, Leah found herself sucked into every amazing page. There were
unbelievable signatures at the bottom of each sheet that she couldn’t wrap her
mind around: Plato, Socrates and, oddly enough, one that she could’ve sworn
read, Merlin. The librarian in her was exhilarated beyond belief.
Leah paused when the strangely familiar
words met her gaze. On the ‘good’ side of the book, there was a hand drawing of
Christ dying on the cross. But above it, instead of scripture, were the words
to the song, Rock of Ages.
“Without the book,” she began. “Without
these clues…how could you possibly have found the first six?”
“I thought I was going to jail,” came
Gareth’s sarcastic reply.
Leah tried not to smile at the man who now
sounded like a petulant teenager. Flipping through the ‘evil’ side of the book,
she quickly passed over the strange scenes of slithering serpents, and victims
with mouths open wide in silent screams. She’d rather not dwell on those; she
feared knowing too much about the worst possible side of humanity.
But when she came across the familiar
slanted handwriting, she stopped dead in her tracks. On the ‘dark’ page,
opposite the sketch of what she’d assumed was ancient Alexandria, was a
childlike drawing done in white chalk. The lines looked like rooftops; spires
and steeples rose up into the blackness. Scrawled on each triangular eave was
the number ‘13’ and, on the largest one, there as a chalk outline of a human
being. A bullet-hole had been drawn dead center in the person’s chest.
Leah blocked out the sirens that erupted
inside her brain, and read the words at the bottom of the page:
To me, a book is a message from the gods to
mankind…A. Crowley
Closing the cover of the strange book
that’d been buried for over a hundred years in the basement of her favorite
place, Leah turned to the defeated man sitting quietly beside her. For the
first time in her life Leah had no idea what she was doing. It was as if
Crowley, himself, was daring her to solve his riddle; taunting her with the
fact that she just wasn’t as smart as he had been.
She sighed heavily. Like her father, Leah
had to go further than the rest. She had to excel. It wasn’t a choice—it was a
necessity for her. Research, books, words…they were like a drug. She absolutely
had to know.
If her father had been sitting beside her,
Leah knew exactly what he’d say. He’d tell her that a gift had been dropped in
her lap—a chance to literally step away from the books, go into the unknown,
and solve a mystery that a true historical ‘devil’ had left behind.
Making a mental note to find a psychiatrist
for herself as soon as possible, Leah reached over and touched Gareth’s arm,
causing him to practically jump out of his skin. “You own a laptop?”
He grunted. “They have some at my
hotel…why?” His eyes came alive with hope.
The computer clicked and beeped inside
Leah’s brain, searching her own database for the answer to the first clue that
she knew was designed to take her into the darkness.
Standing up, she stretched her back and
grabbed her leather coat. Turning, Leah stared into the confused green eyes.
“Let’s go.”
Friday, December 6, 2013
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Ho Ho Ho
KIDZ KORNER
I love the holidays. I love Christmas books. I have a few for you that I think you’ll
enjoy but first here are some easy projects.
I was always a proponent of handprint/footprint projects when I was
teaching so I’ll give you some ideas I came across recently.
You can make a tree from cut
out handprints too. Just trace them on construction paper and cut them out. Then curl the
fingers up a little and glue them on in a triangle shape(make sure you start at
the bottom and work your way up) and Voila!
You have a Christmas tree.
After you’ve done your
project, read one of these stories.
Spot is pretty irresistible since he is so cute and curious. He’ll find all kinds of Christmas goodies in this lift- the- flaps book. Spot and his mom have a good time getting ready for the holiday. I would read this book to kids 6months-5years.
That’s Not Santa by Leonard
Kessler
How the Grinch Stole
Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Have a merry time with these
books and until next week, keep on reading.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Guest Blog by Ann Harrison
What motivated me to create my first book you ask?
Firstly I have to point out that I was never going to be a
writer - I was more than happy reading like the book nerd I am without adding
to my workload. My plan worked well for many years until that morning when I
woke up with a sentence rolling around and around in my head. Gah! I thought I was losing my mind. It wouldn't go away and it seemed to grow with a life of its own. Soon I was researching and locking myself in the spare room with orders of 'do not interrupt me,' unless the house is burning down.
It was an interesting year when not one, but three books in a series were given life. Sadly I had a lot to learn as a writer and no, the big publishers didn't want to pay me mega bucks for the story. They loved my voice, they loved the plot but, it wasn't for them.
Dejected I decided young adult might not be my thing and gave romance a shot. Yes, that was more in my line. I might have been a little bit slow on the uptake but I found my niche. My first rural romance was contracted within twenty four hours of being submitted to a publisher. Now I have ten books published and there is no stopping the stories rolling around in my brain.
I recall telling a fellow writer, once the first book is underway, it's as though someone turned on a tap. The stories keep coming to me, sometimes faster than I can write them down. I spend my days attached to my laptop trying my best to keep up with the voices in my head.
Oh, and those young adult books, they found a home.
My latest release, From the Outback you can read here: http://www.amazon.com/Outback-Ann-B-Harrison-ebook/dp/B00G1SIOAI
You can find me here: http://www.annbharrisonromance.com/
https://www.facebook.com/annb.harrison.7
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
No Horse Wanted by Shannon Kennedy
RATED 4.5 STARS
The only thing that Robin Gibson wants for her sixteenth birthday is a 1968 Presidential Blue Mustang. Following their family tradition, what her parents promise her is a horse of her own, one with four legs, not four wheels. Mom competes in endurance riding, Dad does calf roping, her older brother games and her older sister loves three-day eventing, but Robin proudly says that she doesn't do horses. She'll teach her controlling family a lesson by bringing home the worst horse she can find, a starved, abused two-year-old named Twaziem.
*************************
Robin Gibson belongs to a family of horse lovers, but the only horse she’s interested in is a 1968 Mustang in Presidential blue. She is hoping to buck the family tradition of getting a horse on your 16th birthday and getting the car instead.
Robin is a typical teen in
most respects. She is a little mouthy, a
little homework shy, a little unsure about boys and a little diva-ish. She is a good hearted soul though who loves
to care for animals and find the strays homes.
I liked that Robin had chores
to do at home and varied interests including cross country running. She made friends with girls she didn’t think
she’d like because of her caring heart.
Her brother, Jack, was a
typical teasing older sibling and her parents were supportive without being
overindulgent. Her older sister made a
brief appearance but she was mostly away at college.
Robin’s friend, Vicki, was a
girl stuck in an all too familiar situation.
Her parents divorced, mom is overloaded with her job schedule and she
expects Vicki to pick up the slack. I liked the way Robin stood up for her
friend so she could continue her cheerleading.
Robin also ended up being
friends with Olivia, another cross country teammate who started out as an adversary
and with Danielle, a girl she got to know at the stables where they both
trained.
Any girl who has a secret or
not so secret desire to own a horse will enjoy this story. It is a great combination of teenage life and
practical information about owning a horse. I think even preteens as young as
12 would enjoy this story very much.
Even if you aren’t a horse
fan, I recommend this book for the compelling story of this group of friends.
Note: There are some mild curse words in the story.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Note: There are some mild curse words in the story.
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