Happy Holidays to all my followers! If you didn't get the chance to watch my first video author interview with the charming Adam Giles for Mirror World News, then here's your chance. During our interview, I talk about my time travel series, what's coming up next, and give some pointers to fellow writers. It was fun to do, and although I was a tad nervous, I think I pulled off my first face-to-face interview with style and finesse! At least I hope I did! Wink.
Wishing you all the best in 2016, and thank you for investing your time by tuning into my weekly blog! I really appreciate your support and kind comments. Cheers and please enjoy! Roll'em, Adam...
Monday 28 December 2015
Monday 21 December 2015
Monday 14 December 2015
Book Review: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom…
I was looking for a book to take with me on my recent holiday
(something light and easy to read)—so when I saw the title of this book, my
heart almost stopped. Huh? Another book using the name time keeper? Perish the
thought! And not written by just any author, but by Mitch Albom who has rubbed elbows with
the rich and famous, including being Oprah’s Book Club pick. I reached for the
book and checked the publication date. To my surprise The Time Keeper was published in 2012, the same year as the first
book in my young adult time travel series, The
Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis came out through my former
publisher. Coincidence? I think not.
Here’s the gist of this novel…
The Time Keeper is a compelling fable about the first
man on earth to count the hours. The man who became Father Time.
In The Time Keeper, the
inventor of the world’s first clock is punished for trying to measure God’s
greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to
the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually,
with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a
magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two
earthly people the true meaning of time.
He returns to our world-now dominated by the
hour-counting he so innocently began-and commences a journey with two unlikely
partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a
wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must
save them both. And stop the world to do so.
After reading The Time
Keeper, I found Albom truly has a gift for words. He has a unique brand of
storytelling, one I’ve never come across before, which made this book flow
easily. The tale is original and inspirational. At first, I wasn’t quite sure
how to read Albom’s prose, but soon I found that I couldn’t put it down. I’d get
to the end of one chapter, then was hooked into the next one. Although Albom’s
spiritual convictions shine through, he’s not preachy, and leaves room for his
readers’ imagination to percolate throughout the story. I loved the way certain
myths were introduced into the mix—the Tower of Babel and Father Time—to give
the story an air of familiarity. All and all, this book is worth the investment
of your time, whether on vacation or cozying up on the couch at home.
Having read this book made me stop and think about how I spend my time
and what is truly important in my life. Trust me, when you’re on your death
bed, you’re not going to wish you could have spent more hours at work. Life is all
about relationships, how you treat others and how you treat them. Life is about
what makes you happy, what fulfills you. Just to stop and be still in the
moment—now that’s a gift you can’t count.
So what about you? Read any good books lately? Would love to hear
your comments! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
Monday 7 December 2015
Book Tour: Goth Girl, Virgin Queen by JoAnne Keltner...
Book Information:
Title: Goth Girl, Virgin Queen
Title: Goth Girl, Virgin Queen
Author Name: JoAnne Keltner
Genre(s): Young Adult Paranormal
Length: Approx. 298 pages
Release Date: December 3, 2015
Publisher: Solstice Publishing (http://solsticepublishing.com/)
Tour Schedule:
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-tour-schedule-goth-girl-virgin.html
Tour Schedule:
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-tour-schedule-goth-girl-virgin.html
Jackie Turov, a Different Kind of Psychic...
Jackie Turov (Goth
Girl, Virgin Queen) hates being called psychic.
When her friends compare her to Madam Sophie, the local fortuneteller and serious
fashion crimes offender, she swears she’s not psychic—not like her. Although Jackie denies her psychic
gifts because of the guilt she carries, she’s right in that she has different
abilities than Madam Sophie.
There are many types of psychics, which are based on the
ability they possess. For example, mediums communicate with the dead. Clairvoyants
see things that can’t be seen with the five senses. Since they can see things
that the normal person can’t, they are typically helpful in offering people guidance.
Some psychics use divination tools, such as Tarot cards and tea leaves, to
predict the future or to gain insight into a person’s life. Others can see and
interpret auras, the colorful energy fields that surround living things. Empaths
pick up the emotional states of people. Psychometrists read objects and people through
touch. And claircongnizants know things intuitively, typically by picking up a
“gut” feeling. This is just a short list of psychic types, and many psychics
have a combination of abilities.
So what kind of psychic is Jackie? Jackie is an empath and a
psychometrist. Plus, she can read auras. She absorbs the emotions of people
just by being near them and also picks up emotions and information through
touch. This information tells her things about a person’s past and about the
present. Her empathic ability is the most crippling for her because she absorbs
emotions into her body. This makes her sick, especially when the emotions are
toxically hateful or extremely sad.
Madam Sophie is a classic mind reader, plus she uses psychometry
and divination tools to gain insight.
Jason (Jackie’s best friend) argues that Jackie is psychic
in the traditional sense, that she can predict the future because she predicted
the Holy Resurrection fire. Is Jason right? Does Jackie also possess the power to
see into the future? Read Goth Girl,
Virgin Queen to find out.
Calling Jackie Turov psychic makes her cringe. But Jackie’s no normal seventeen-year-old. She picks up emotions from people and objects like a freak. The emotions make her sick, and the guilt she feels for lying to her church when she was twelve causes her to deny her psychic abilities.
So Jackie goes goth to make others stay away from her and forget her past. But her past is soon resurrected when her jealous friend Trish invites a demon, a persecutor of healers, to steal away Jason’s love for Jackie. The demon causes Jackie to be bullied for the lie she told and puts her best friend, Jason, in danger.
Jackie must learn how to use her gift to protect Jason and herself and to heal the negative energies of those around her. To do so means she must overcome her guilt and accept who she is before the demon claims her soul.
Read an Excerpt:
Some of the kids at school—the ones she didn’t hang out with—called her Goth Girl. Some, whose memories wouldn’t die, called her VQ for Virgin Queen.
Jackie preferred Goth Girl, to be one of the living dead, to be numb to the emotions that plagued her. But this was what she wanted, not what she got.
Goth Girl or Virgin Queen, she was a freak, absorbing the emotions around her like a sponge. Sometimes the emotions made her sick. Sometimes they made her see things.
Because of this, she kept to a tight-knit group of goth friends—Jason, Zeta, and Trish—and avoided social activities. She attended high school only because Mom wouldn’t let her homeschool. Mom was afraid she’d hang with Babu all day, making piroshki and doing needlepoint instead of studying. Jackie, afraid of what life offered a freak like her beyond high school, had to admit that hanging with Babu all day was tempting.
Typically, Fridays were movie nights for Jason and her, but tonight would be different. Tonight, she’d subject herself to a hodgepodge of emotions from crowds and rides and the very ground she’d walk on to protect Jason. For this, she would need physical and spiritual strength, which she sought from Babu these days.
Babu’s door was cracked, and Jackie slowly pushed the door open. “Babu?”
The room smelled of beeswax and down. A candle burned on the shrine on the dresser. The flickering flame animated the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir and cast shadows across the picture of Babu, Grandma, Mom, and Jackie. Although Babu didn’t speak English, and Jackie didn’t understand much Russian, Jackie knew Babu kept that picture on her shrine to pray for Grandma, who passed away several years ago; for Mom, who divorced Dad; and for the girl who saw the Virgin when she was twelve—for the girl she had become as a teen.
Babu sat in bed, a country quilt spread over her legs, her thumb pressed against a knot of her prayer rope, her head bowed sleepily, and her lips wording prayers.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” Jackie whispered.
Babu crossed herself and then smiled at Jackie, her gold eyetooth shining from the light of the bed-stand lamp. She patted the empty space beside her. “Sadees.”
Jackie sat down beside Babu at the edge of the bed and took Babu’s hand in hers. Babu’s hand was warm and knotted with arthritis. Jackie rubbed her thumb over the bumps on Babu’s knuckles; her black fingernails were a sharp contrast to Babu’s flour-white skin.
She wasn’t afraid to touch Babu’s hands and absorb her emotions. Jackie got a good feeling from her. Babu filled Jackie’s inner vision with white light. She renewed her spirit. And this is what Jackie needed for the commitment she had made for tonight.
“Kooda eedyosh?” Babu asked.
“I’m going out,” Jackie said as if Babu understood her. This is how they communicated: Babu telling her stuff she couldn’t understand, Jackie telling Babu stuff she couldn’t understand. Somehow they carried on fine this way.
“Eedyosh sdroozyamee?”
“I’m going with Jason.”
Babu rubbed the top of Jackie’s hand and ran her thumb over black fingernails. “Fsyevo kharoshevuh,” she said in a comforting tone and gently squeezed Jackie’s hand. Then she cupped her hands around Jackie’s jaws and pulled her forehead to her lips. Jackie imagined Babu’s kiss imprinted on her forehead and carrying Babu’s blessings and love with her tonight.
Book Links:
Amazon http://amzn.to/1PZsh3T
Solstice Publishing: http://solsticepublishing.com/goth-girl-virgin-queen
Meet the Author:
JoAnne Keltner is the author of Goth Girl, Virgin Queen (Solstice Publishing, 2015) and Obsession (Musa Publishing, 2013 ed.). As an only child and avid daydreamer, she spent hours alone in her backyard on the South Side of Chicago, which she imagined to be everything from an alien planet to the Antarctic. She currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, four dogs, cat, and three chickens. When she isn't writing or freelance editing, she's obsessively streaming popular TV shows.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.joannekeltner.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JoAnneKeltnerAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6896673.JoAnne_Keltner
Twitter: @JoAnneKeltner
Monday 30 November 2015
Why Writers need R&R…
Recently, my hubby and I just got back from vacation. We went on a
Caribbean cruise for our 30th Anniversary—a trip that had been on
our bucket list for such a long time. We also spent a couple of nights in New
Orleans—love the energy and party atmosphere down there! This was also the
first long vacation we took together (read: no kids in tow) in twenty-five
years. Um, yeah. You read that right. Twenty-five years? That’s like 175 in dog
years!
In the past, vacations were usually centered around family. We
journeyed to our cottage with our son or camped up north with our daughters.
Ah, the good old days of black flies and mosquitoes! That said, when you own a
vacation home, you really become popular to family, friends, and long-lost
relatives, especially in the hot, summer months. But when it’s time to pull in
the boats and docks or put away garden furniture for the colder seasons, you
can’t see their butts through the dust. Wink.
My writing seemed to flow with the seasons too. I’d wrap up
stories and schedule a pile of blog posts by the end of June in anticipation
for school wrapping up, the hot weather, and onslaught of summer guests.
Although I loved seeing family and friends, it wasn’t much of a ‘vacation’ for
me. You know what I mean. Someone has to cook, clean, fetch drinks, feed the
pets, wash the clothes, grocery shop while others are sitting on the dock,
sunning themselves with a cold one. By mid-October, I was finally back in my
writing groove, working on the next novel, doing research, or picking up where
I left off with my story. Oh, and don’t forget about all the book promotion and
marketing an author has to do. No wonder many writers burn out!
I believe 2015 was my turnaround year—click HERE
to read the full story. Every writer needs a year that shakes up things like
one of those snow globes until everything settles and you can see clearly. What
I saw was one stressed-out author who barely kept it together. We writers can
only do so much. We need down time just as much as a doctor or accountant or a
plumber. Vacations are meant to recharge us, take us away from our same old
routines. We all need a period of renewal to calm our minds and rejuvenate our
bodies. Play time is just as important as work time, even if you can get away
for only a few days.
 |
| I found it - the 7th Arch of Atlantis! |
Since I’ve returned, I feel renewed and relaxed, and certain
things don’t bother me as much. I even unplugged from my phone during the
entire seven day cruise. Egad! And you know what? Life went on, and the world
didn’t stop turning because I wasn’t tweeting or sharing. Being away from my
keyboard also gave me a fresher perspective on my work-in-progress too, and I
was able sit down with no distractions and make a plan for the rest of the
year. I’d forgotten why I started writing in the first place—yes I want to supplement
my income (what writer doesn’t?), but also want to follow my dream, and do what
makes me happy. And isn’t that why we’re all here on Earth in the first place?
So what about you? Do you have any plans for a vacation in the
future? Are you ready to unplug and relax? Would love to hear your comments!
Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
Monday 23 November 2015
Book Tour: The Curse At Pirate's Cove by Rita Monette...
Follow the Tour for Reviews, Guest Posts, Exclusive Excerpts, and Spotlights!
“When one man’s treasure is another man’s curse"
Book Information:
Title: The Curse at Pirate’s Cove
Series: Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, Book 2
Author Name: Rita Monette
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery
Tags: Middle Grade, Adventure, Pirates, Bayou, Louisiana
Length: Approx. 208 pages
E-book: 978-1-987976-02-1
Paperback: 978-1-987976-01-4
Re-Release Date: Nov.17, 2015
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing
About the Book:
Nikki Landry is turning eleven years old, and is looking forward to riding her bike to school. That is until it falls apart. Papa can’t afford a new one. Is she doomed to ride the smelly old school bus from now on?
Hearing of an old pirate ship, and a legend about long-ago pirates burying treasure on a nearby swamp island, Nikki sees a way out. But when she makes a birthday wish for the pirate’s gold, things go terribly wrong. Did her wish trigger an ancient curse?
Join Nikki and her friends as they find themselves sailing away aboard a haunted schooner with ghostly pirates into the Gulf of Mexico … and into the year eighteen fourteen.
How will they ever find their way back home?
Pierre Part Louisiana
by Rita Monette
I have been spending the last few weeks in my home state of
Louisiana, promoting my books and visiting relatives.
Today I visited my brother in the small town of Pierre Part,
Louisiana, which also happens to be the home of Troy Landry of the Swamp People
TV series, and where my series, The Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, begins. No,
Nikki is not kin to Troy—at least I don’t think so. 
The town is about as Cajun as anywhere in Louisiana. Folks there
make their living in the bayous, where crawfish, crabs, and alligators are
plentiful.
However, I came across one man that makes his living gathering
old cypress and turning it into artistic creations. His name is Adam Morales.
He says he is blessed to be able to see things in the old remains of cypress
trees. Here are a couple of his creations...
Many folks in Pierre Part still live in houseboats, just like
they did back in 1956 where my stories begin.
This week is the release of book two, The Curse at Pirate’s
Cove, which is set in the nearby town of Morgan City, and in the Atchafalaya
Swamp, where Mr. Morales collects the cypress for his artwork.
Follow the Tour:
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-tour-schedule-curse-at-pirates.html
Purchase Links:
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1HG1d39
Mirror World Publishing:
http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/adventure/products/the-curse-at-pirates-cove
Chapters:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-curse-at-pirates-cove/9781987976021-item.html?ikwid=Rita+Monette&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-curse-at-pirates-cove-rita-monette/1120806662?ean=9781987976021
Meet the Author:
Rita Monette was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. She loves to write stories set in the beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state.
Her middle grade series, The Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, is based on tales told by her father—who made his living in those bayous—of reasons to stay out of the swamp.
She currently lives with her husband, four lap dogs, and one lap cat, in the mountains of Tennessee. Besides writing and illustrating, she loves watching the many birds that make their habitat on the Cumberland Plateau, working in the garden, and frequenting waterfalls.
Website http://ritamonette.com
Wednesday 18 November 2015
Great Giveaways for the 2015 Holiday Season...
‘Tis the season to start thinking about giving and receiving, isn’t it? So what better way to kick off the upcoming holiday season with a Goodreads Giveaway and a chance to receive a Kindle full of over fifty tween reads via the Emblazon Christmas Giveaway! Sounds like Santa is coming early, doesn’t it?
The Emblazon Kindle Christmas Giveaway begins Tuesday, November 17th
and ends Tuesday, December 1st. That’s two full weeks for a chance
to win your adolescent a new Kindle pre-loaded with over fifty ebooks for your
tween. Just visit HERE to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance win this awesome gift for your tween girl or boy!
I’ve also decided to create a Goodreads Giveaway for only Goodreads members in Canada and the United States so the winner will be able to receive a signed
copy of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch
of Atlantis in time for Christmas. The Giveway commences on November 18th
and ends December 9th, so there
will be plenty of time to mail the winner his or her copy. Wishing you all good
luck and happy holidays! Cheers!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
by Sharon Ledwith
Giveaway ends December 09, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Monday 16 November 2015
Hit your Readers in the Heart…
In order for an author to be successful, he or she must have a
successful author brand. Your brand is your name. It’s what people connect you
with or think about when your name is mentioned. For example, Stephen King =
horror, Rick Riordan = young adult myths and legends, JRR Tolkien = epic
fantasy, Kelly Armstrong = paranormal romance, and Diana Gabaldon = time travel
romance. I could go on, but you get the picture. Each name evokes a genre or a
series, and each brand is high concept.
So how do you develop your author brand (name) into a household
word that conjures creepy clowns or teen demigods or hobbits or sexy werewolves
or time traveling standing stones and kilts? You need to hit your readers in
the heart. Create a positive emotional experience so that they’ll become loyal
readers and word of mouth heralds for each book you publish.
This strategy is the basis of social media. You connect with
others because of what they say, pictures they post, or the experiences they
share. Somehow, an emotional cord is struck, and you want to reach out to
people and give them your support or a kind word or thank them for making you
laugh your ass off for posting a cute dog or kitten video. Emotion connects us
all, makes us human. And depending what you share or post, if people like what
they read or see or hear, they begin to trust you. If you’re an author who
writes books with animals as main characters, you can bet you’ll grab the
interest of animal lovers all over the world.
One way to help figure out your ‘brand’ is to create a tagline for
yourself, just as you would for a book. I did a lot of soul searching on this
and decided that I wanted to conjure feelings of nostalgia with each book I
write—give my books that ‘good old days’ spin. Who doesn’t like happy memories
of their childhood? So I came up with: Escape
to the past and have a blast. Simple and direct. I want my readers to
escape from the mundane and be drawn into a familiar world where they’ll have a
pleasurable and exciting experience. At least that’s my hope!
When you find out what makes your audience tick, you’ve hit their
sweet spot. You give them more of what they want. They need it. They crave it.
Write it for them. Make them feel through
your words. It’s what authors do. It’s what we crave.
So what about you? When it comes to reading, what hits your heart?
What do you crave? Would love to hear your comments! Cheers and thank you for
reading my blog!
Monday 9 November 2015
A Meal Fit for a High Priestess...
3½ cups peeled and diced potatoes
⅓ cup diced celery
⅓ cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup diced cooked ham
3¼ cups water 2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
½ tsp. salt, or to taste
1 tsp. ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
COMBINE potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil. Lower temp to medium heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper.
MELT butter over medium-low heat in a separate saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute.
STIR in milk lowly as not to allow lumps to form until all. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4-5 minutes. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.
SERVE immediately.
Now, while you’re waiting for the potato and ham soup to digest why not put your feet up and relax with a good book? Ready for a trip to Atlantis?
Monday 2 November 2015
Promo Feature: YA Author Lisa Orchard's The Starlight Chronicles...
“The Starlight
Chronicles”
Blurb:
Lark Singer is seventeen years old and
already on the way to a brilliant music career. But as she and her band,
Starlight, gear up for a competition, life seems to be throwing her a few curve
balls. The mysteries of her past seem to be unraveling, and she’s no longer
certain she wants to know those answers or how knowing about her past will
affect her difficult relationship with her mother. And when her best friend,
Bean, changes things between them, all her plans for a musical future are
placed in jeopardy. How can she balance her complicated personal life to keep
her musical goals on track?
BOX
SET CONTAINS ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE STARLIGHT SERIES:
Gideon Lee
Lark Singer
Starlight
Buylink:
Social
Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisaorchard1
Website:
http://www.lisaorchard.com/
Author
Bio:
Lisa
Orchard grew up loving books. She was hooked on books by
the fifth grade and even wrote a few of her own. She knew she wanted to be a
writer even then. Her first published works are the “Super Spies Series.” These
stories revolve around a group of friends who form their own detective squad
and the cases they solve. “The Starlight Chronicles,” is the next series that
Lisa created with musical misfit, Lark Singer as her main character.
Lisa resides in Michigan with her
husband, Steve, and two wonderful boys. Currently, she’s working on the next
book in the Starlight Chronicles Series along with a few new ideas that may
turn into stand-alone novels. When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time
with her family, running, hiking, and reading.
Monday 26 October 2015
Set Sail with MG author Rita Monette’s newest Nikki Landry release…
Batten down the hatches!
The pirates are coming!
The Curse at Pirate’s
Cove, the second installment in the Nikki Landry Swamp Legend series, is due to
be released next month, on November 17.
It was previously
scheduled for October 17, but was postponed due to unforeseen problems.
But Nikki and her
friends know exactly what the problem was…it was those pesky pirates…and the
curse. Yes, they’ve been at it again.
Here’s a description of
the book and what’s going on with Nikki in book two:
“When one man’s treasure
is another one’s curse.”
Nikki Landry is turning
eleven years old, and is looking forward to riding her bike to school. That is
until it falls apart. Papa can’t afford a new one. Is she doomed to ride the
smelly old school bus from now on?
Hearing of an old pirate
ship, and a legend about long-ago pirates burying treasure on a nearby swamp
island, Nikki sees a way out. But when she makes a birthday wish for the
pirate’s gold, things go terribly wrong. Did her wish trigger an ancient curse?
Join Nikki and her
friends as they find themselves sailing away aboard a haunted schooner with
ghostly pirates into the Gulf of Mexico … and into the year eighteen
fourteen.
How will they ever find
their way back home?
Here’s an excerpt from
the book:
“How do you know it’s a
pirate ship?”
“It has to be, Nikki.
Listen.” He turned toward me. “I was out at Uncle Luke’s this past weekend, and
he told me all about it.”
“I ain’t believing
there’s no pirate ship out in those swamps.” I lifted my chin.
“Just hear me out,
Tomboy.” He sounded impatient. “There’s a legend that goes along with it, see.”
He leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “There might even be a curse.”
“A legend?” He had my
attention. I prided myself in being a super legend buster ever since I solved
the one about Ghost Dog Island last year. I even got my picture in the
newspaper. “Well, tell me about it.”
“I’m trying to.” He
waved his hands in the air.
We propped ourselves
against a couple of large limbs and got out our lunch bags.
“Uncle Luke says he
first heard about it back when he was a kid. He says a friend of his
grandfather, by the name of Beco, was out trapping on Fog Island with his buddy
Clamare. They came across this here hole in the ground with a half-buried
wooden chest, see. It had a big old lock on it. There was a couple of coins in
the dirt, so Clamare picked them up and slipped them in his pocket. Beco
decided he’d go back for some tools and shovels to dig the rest of it out, and
told Clamare to stay there and watch the chest. On his way out to the edge of
the island, he saw this ragged old ship. Thinking it was kind of odd looking
for being in the swamps and all, he got a little closer. It had a broken mast
and raggedy sails.” He poked me with his elbow. “When was the last time you
ever saw a fishing boat with sails?”
I shook my head.
“Never.” I unwrapped a peanut butter and jam sandwich and took a bite. “What’d
he do?”
“Well, he started to
board it, see?” Spikes dug into his own lunch bag. “But then he heard some
talking coming out of the boat. He stopped right then and there, ’cause he
didn’t know who might be on that old wreck out in the middle of nowhere, and
there weren’t no other boats around. This one had a big old hole in the hull,
so it couldn’t have sailed there on its own. At least anytime in recent
history.”
“Then what?” I licked
some of the jam off my fingers.
“Then someone stuck his
head up over the bow, see. He had on one of them three pointed hats that
pirates always wore. Old Beco yelled a big hello, and the man took out a pistol
and shot over his head. Well, Beco took off right then and there. That night,
he went down to T-Noon’s bar and got drunk, and told some other fellows about
it. The next day, they all went back out to the island with shovels and brought
guns just in case that crazy guy in the boat was still there.”
“Was he?” I asked.
“Nope. The ship was
gone, and so was Clamare.”
“What about the
treasure?”
“They never could find
it. Not even the hole it was in.”
About the author:
Rita Monette was born
and raised in Southwest Louisiana. She loves to write stories set in the
beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state.
Her middle grade series,
The Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, is based on tales told by her father, who made
his living in those bayous.
She currently lives with
her husband, four lap dogs, and one lap cat, in the mountains of Tennessee.
Besides writing and illustrating, she loves watching the many birds that
inhabit the Cumberland Plateau.
Monday 19 October 2015
Blast from the Past: Grandma's French Soup...
So when I finally got my hands on my grandmother’s coveted French Soup recipe, I thought it fitting to share this fabulous meal. It’s so easy to put together and a bonus for those cool days or evenings. Many a tale has been told digesting this soup around the table, and my hope is that this meal will spark new conversations between you and your loved ones.
Vive la French Soup!
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato soup
1-14 oz can of green wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of yellow wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of peas (do not drain)
1 can sliced mushrooms (if desired, drained)
4 medium-large potatoes (cubed)
½ teaspoon of salt
Dash of pepper
Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste
Garlic powder to taste (if desired)
Crock pot
FRY the lean ground beef and drain.
ADD the canned vegetables, potatoes, tomato soup, drained ground beef, and seasonings into the crock pot.
COVER and cook on slow for approximately 8 hours.
SERVE with biscuits or rolls.
NOTE: Please feel free to experiment with this recipe. My mom adds one small can of tomato sauce to add flavor to the soup. The above recipe will serve a family of eight. Voila. Dinner is done. Now what will you do with all that time on your hands while the soup is cooking in the crock pot? How about indulging in one of my books from The Last Timekeepers series?
Wednesday 14 October 2015
Introducing YA author: Sara Stinson...
Thank you
for having me on your blog today, Sharon!
My name is
Sara Stinson. I have a Young Adult Fantasy I want to share with you called Night Owl. It’s Book One from the Hally Witch Series.
It will
be ready to purchase October 17th!
I’m going
to give a new twist for today’s blog. I
hope you like it!
Sam
Hopwoods is a reporter and a good friend of Skyla Hally’s in Night Owl. The book is written from Skyla’s point of
view. He’s going to interview her. In this way, you can get to know them and other
characters in the remarkable world of Magic Hollow.
INTERVIEW
Sam: Hi,
Skyla.
Skyla: Hey, Sam.
Well, here we are again.
Sam: Yeah.
I can remember the first time I interviewed you in Magic Hollow.
Skyla: Me too.
You did a great job! I know
you’ll do great today. The Pen Pusher
Newspaper will be proud.
Sam: Thanks.
I hope so. I wouldn’t want to
upset Mr. Pigsters or the Magical Council at Roddenbury Castle.
Skyla:
You’ll do fine. Let’s get started.
Sam:Wow, um, where to start?We’ve
all been through so much, you, Alec, Pennie, and me. (He says with a serious tone.)
Skyla:Yes, we have. Everything has changed since my seventeenth
birthday. My parents murdered, me moving
to live with my grandparents.
Sam: I’m sorry about your parents. Maybe that’s where we can start…with the
Deathstalkers, the monsters who killed your parents.
Skyla: Okay.
They are what brought me to
where I am. The Deathstalkers have been
after me since before I was born. They’ve
tortured and killed many of my father’s people and my mother’s. There are seven of them. They’re the seven deadly sins, and they’re
after my powers. Seems they need them to
survive.
Sam: Where
did these Deathstalkers come from?
Skyla: Over
600 years ago, these creatures were created from the Black Plague. Seven vampires, from a respected coven known
as the Vardons, fed from the sick inflicted with the disease, generating this evil
bunch. A vampire named Helfrador is their
leader.
Sam: Helfrador. I remember him. (Sam narrows his eyes. It’s more of a goofy look.) I stared Helfrador straight in the eyes when
he was coming out of the tunnel that unforgettable night.I’m not afraid of
him.
Skyla: (Laughing)
Yeah, right. I think you need to get on
with the interview and not give too much of the story away…or embarrass
yourself.
Sam: (Slumping
in his seat again and massaging his chest, Sam looks over his notes, his face
turning red.) So, after your parents
were killed, you moved from North Carolina to Madison, New Hampshire. Tell the readers what you found to be hidden
in Madison. (He leans in closer to
Skyla.) You know, the first time you
went through a portal.
Skyla: (Smiles) Grandma Lil’ and Aunt Fanny were the
first to take me through a portal. A
portal connects two places. This portal
will take you to Magic Hollow.It’s where witches and wizards can be themselves,
where candy shops come alive, and where wizards and witcheslike you and me can go
to school. Of course, you and I know,
I’m homeschooled for now.
Sam: Skyla, you are The Hally Witch of Magic
Hollow. The magical world has waited
many years for you to be born. Can you
tell the readers about this prophecy?
Skyla: When
the Deathstalkers drank blood from the sick, it gave them unbelievable
strength. They now know this strength
will not last forever. That’s why they
want mine. Taking my powers will not
only give them the strength to survive, but will stop me from stopping them. If they succeed, they will not only have
power over the mortals, but the magical world too.I have much to do and much to
learn before I can go face to face with the Deathstalkers. Grandma Lil’, Saada Byrd (A witch and helper
who lives behind the main house along with her husband Obi and their son Little
Peg), and Aunt Fanny Cornels (Grandma’s sister and owner of Fanny’s Fun Flavors) are teaching me
daily. I have lessons to read and
potions to learn. Sometimes I think my
brain’s going to implode. Oh, and I also
have help from Rigspul.
Sam: Who’s
Rigspul?
Skyla: I guess I haven’t told you about him. He’s a box, although, he doesn’t like to be
called a box. He’s more like a beautiful
antique trunk. (She giggles.) And he’s ticklish.
Sam: Um, okay.
Skyla: He
is. He’s very nice when he wants to be
and deadly when he needs to be.
Sam: I
think I’ll stay away from him.
Skyla: Probably a good idea.
Sam: Let’s
talk a little about this ghost you’ve been seeing.
Skyla: The ghost is a big part of the story. Let’s save her for the readers. (She pauses.)
I will say the ghost is known as Witch Hagnar. Believe it or not, there’s a love story
behind her. By the end of the book, the
readers will love her.
Sam: Sounds romantic, and strange, since we are talking about a ghost who was a
witch.(Sam scans his notes again.) I have one more thing I’d like for you to
talk to our readers about.
Skyla: Okay. What’s that?
Sam: (He
smiles) Alec Stone.
Skyla: (Now
her face turns crimson.) Alec comes into my life after I move to Madison. He’s very good-looking. Girls go crazy over him. (She pauses and smiles.) He has been wonderful to me. He lives with Chief Jo. Other than that, you’ll have to read to see
if there’s anything else between the handsome guy and me. (Skyla winks.)
Sam: I
understand. Don’t want to tell too
much.
Skyla: What about you, Sam? Don’t you have a special someone?
Sam: Haha. Not telling.
The readers will have to read to find out about me, too. (He playfully points at me.) Two can play that game.
Skyla: I’m
glad we met in the story, Sam. You,
Alec, Pennie, my grandparents, Obi, Saada…oh, I could go on and on. Everyone has been so kind to me, you
know? I just hope I can hold up to my
end of the bargain with this prophecy.
Sam: You
will, Skyla. All your friends and
family, we’ll be there by your side the entire way. Together, we’ll stop the Deathstalkers.
Here are two excerpts from Night Owl
Chapter 5 – Physical Changes
He gently took my hand and guided me across the
room. Mina walked over and stood with
me. I heard her footsteps and smelled
her scent.
I raised my hands slowly, removing both pieces
from my eyes. I opened them, but all was
blurry. A cloudy outline of a mirror
hung in front of me. I closed my eyes
again.
“Let them rest a few seconds,” Dr. Krumble said
caringly.
Not responding, but doing as he said, I
waited.
A minute ticked away and Dr. Krumble
spoke. “This time your vison should
improve. Don’t force it, Skyla. Be calm and take your time. Take a deep breath and slowly let it
out. That’ll get the blood circulating.”
I did as he said. I took a deep breath and as I exhaled
calmness washed over me, allowing my body to unwind from my head down to my
toes. I remained composed even after
hearing Mina gasp.
As my vision became clearer, I understood why
she was so astonished. Like my hearing,
my vision had greatly been enhanced, but startling were the physical changes of
my eyes. They were the color of a Snowy
Owl like my father’s eyes mixed with the green eyes like mother’s, causing my
features, to me, to look almost animalistic.
Chapter
Eighteen – Secrets in the Family
I started out calm. I had never raised my voice to Grandpa. Forgetting the words Little Peg had warned me
about, the panic grew quickly, and finally, anger surfaced as I responded.
“You
do? How do you know, Grandpa? How could you possibly know what I’m
feeling? I don’t know what I’m
feeling? I’m happy here, truly, I
am. Don’t ever think I’m not, but my
emotions and thoughts are becoming unmanageable and flipping on me. Even now...I don’t mean to be
so...angry. But I feel trapped. I felt this way in that room. It wasn’t that we were closed in a room like
a claustrophobic feeling,” I said, trying to explain my anger. “It was something deeper. My senses were so strong, all of them. My emotions heightened, and my vision was
stronger than ever. I saw and felt what
Hagnar felt,” I said with horror and fear showing in my eyes. “I could see through her eyes!”
“It’s
normal, Skyla, to relive moments in your visions,” Grandpa said
reassuringly.
“Normal? Is it normal to reverse the role and be the
murderer in my vision and to enjoy being the one who’s pursuing the
person? Is it normal to want to kill the
person, smelling their blood and wanting it?”
I cried, my body now severely shaking.
I enjoy creating my characters and bringing them to life. I am also writing a series called The Finger
Bones Series. Finger Bones is a ghost
who helps three energetic kids chase and send ghosts to their next
destination. At one of the schools
nearby, I had a younger student ask me if I had asked Finger Bones to have
Christmas with us. The child was
concerned Finger Bones would celebrate Christmas alone. How cute is that?
I am now retired as a Speech-Language Pathologist, but I
continue substituting. I’m married and
have two grown children, two cats, and one spoiled Yorkie named Addie.
You can also find Sara Stinson at these locations...
You can buy Sara Stinson's books on Amazon, Createspace, and Barnes &
Noble
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