Tony Bertauski - Jack: The Tale of Frost

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

58. Jack: The Tale of Frost by Tony Bertauski (2013)
The Chronicles of Claus Series Book 2
Length: 228 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 22 December 2014
Finished: 31 December 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Tony Bertauski for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 November 2013
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and have read and enjoyed Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by the same author in the past.

Sura is a sixteen-year-old orphan who has been living on her own since her mom died. No one at school knows Sura's true situation because if they did, she would wind up in foster care; so in the month since her mom's death, Sura has been living with her 'aunt'. So far, no one has discovered Sura's secret and she's been able to hide the fact that she lives alone with no relatives.

Having received an email from the Frost Corporation - detailing a position that she would be perfect for - Sura is determined to act professionally during her interview, and nothing like the desperately needy teenage job hunter she actually is. Mr. Frost is rather unusual; the reclusive owner of Frost Plantation whose first name is absolutely not Jack, she's told. And that's all she needed to know.

Mr. Frost's love of Christmas is over-the-top and just the slightest bit psychotic. And why not? He's become a self-made billionaire from the holiday he created. Or so he claims. Mr. Frost is very short and very fat and he likes his rooms very, very cold; almost frigid.

Rumor is that he's elven, but that's silly. Elven don't exist; they just aren't real. And even if they were, they wouldn't live in South Carolina. They wouldn't hide in a tower or go down to the basement in the middle of the night to make things.

Nonetheless, Sura will work for this eccentric little recluse. Frost Plantation is where she will meet the love of her life. It's somewhere she'll finally feel like she belongs. And it's where she'll meet someone fatter, balder and stranger than Mr. Frost. It's where she'll meet Jack. Jack absolutely hates Christmas!

I really enjoyed reading this book; it was wonderful for me to reacquaint myself with some of these characters, and to discover several entirely new ones as well. I would suggest reading Claus: Legend of the Fat Man first, but only to learn the back story - to discover how some of the characters ended up living in modern-day South Carolina, instead of the North Pole. I would give Jack: The Tale of Frost by Tony Bertauski an A! and look forward to reading the next book in this series sometime soon.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Blog Tour For Not Without my Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace by Andra Watkins From January 19, 2015 to April 17, 2015 - Come Join Us!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Andra Watkins will be touring the blogosphere to promote her Memoir Not Without my Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace. This virtual book tour is being hosted by Pump up Your Book and will last from January 19, to April 17, 2015!

Not Without my Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace Blog Tour Information:

Meet Andra Watkins

Andra Watkins lives in Charleston, South Carolina. A non-practicing CPA, she has a degree in accounting from Francis Marion University. She’s still mad at her mother for refusing to let her major in musical theater, because her mom was convinced she’d end up starring in porn films. In addition to her writing talent, Andra is an accomplished public speaker. Her acclaimed debut novel To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis was published by Word Hermit Press in 2014.

Her latest book is the memoir, Not Without My Father: One Woman’s 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace.

Connect and Socialize with Andra!

Website * Google+ * Facebook * Twitter * Tumblr * Pinterest * Goodreads

About Not Without my Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace:

Can an epic adventure succeed without a hero? Andra Watkins needed a wingman to help her become the first living person to walk the historic 444-mile Natchez Trace as the pioneers did. She planned to walk fifteen miles a day. For thirty-four days.

After striking out with everyone in her life, she was left with her disinterested eighty-year-old father. And his gas. The sleep apnea machine and self-scratching. Sharing a bathroom with a man whose gut obliterated his aim.

As Watkins trudged America’s forgotten highway, she lost herself in despair and pain. Nothing happened according to plan, and her tenuous connection to her father started to unravel. Through arguments an laughter, tears and fried chicken, they fought to rebuild their relationship before it was too late. In Not Without My Father: One Woman’s 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace, Watkins invites readers to join her dysfunctional family adventure in a humorous and heartbreaking memoir that asks if one can really turn I wish I had into I’m glad I did.

Purchase Your Copy From Amazon!

Not Without my Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace Book Publicity Tour Schedule


Monday, January 19 - First Chapter Reveal at Pump Up Your Book
Tuesday, January 20 - Interview at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Wednesday, January 21 - Guest Blogging at What Is That Book About
Wednesday, January 21 - Book Featured at Bound 2 Escape
Thursday, January 22 - First Chapter Reveal at Literarily Speaking
Monday, January 26 - Book Featured at Undercover Book Reviews
Tuesday, January 27 - Interview at The Writer’s Life
Wednesday, January 28 - Book Featured at Authors and Readers Book Corner
Thursday, January 29 - Book Featured at Confessions of a Reader
Friday, January 30 - Guest Blogging at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Friday, January 30 - Book Featured at Fallen Over Book Reviews
Monday, February 2 - Book Featured at Examiner
Tuesday, February 3 - Book Featured at CBY Book Club
Thursday, February 5 - Guest Blogging at Mommy Adventures with Ravina
Monday, February 9 - Book Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Tuesday, February 10 - Book Featured at Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, February 11 - Book Review at Perfectly Unperfect
Thursday, February 12 - Book Featured at Celtic Lady Reviews
Monday, February 16 - Interview at Fabulous and Fun
Tuesday, February 17 - Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Wednesday, February 18 - Book Featured at 2 Kids and Tired Books
Thursday, February 19 - Book Review at BookNAround
Thursday, February 19 - Guest Blogging at My Life. One Story at a Time.
Monday, February 23 - Book Review at Reccaspieces
Tuesday, February 24 - Guest Blogging at FarmGirl
Wednesday, February 25 - Book Featured at The Book Connection
Friday, February 27 - Book Review at Laura’s Interests
Monday, March 2 - First Chapter Reveal at Review From Here
Tuesday, March 3 - Book Review at The Discerning Reader
Wednesday, March 4 - Book Review and Interview at Our Families Adventure
Thursday, March 5 - Book Featured at StoreyBook Reviews
Monday, March 9 - Guest Blogging at The Busy Mom’s Daily
Tuesday, March 10 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books
Wednesday, March 11 - Book Featured at The Literary Nook
Thursday, March 12 - Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book
Monday, March 16 - Guest Blogging at Carol’s Notebook
Tuesday, March 17 - First Chapter Reveal at Literal Exposure
Thursday, March 19 - Book Featured at Maureen’s Musings
Monday, March 23 - First Chapter Reveal at As the Page Turns
Tuesday, March 24 - Book Featured at My Life, Loves and Passion
Thursday, March 26 - Guest Blogging at My Book Addiction and More
Monday, April 6 - First Chapter Reveal at Read My First Chapter
Tuesday, April 7 - Book Review at Booknerd
Friday, April 10 - Book Review at The Literary Nook
Monday, April 13 - Book Review and Guest Blogging at Chick With Books
Tuesday, April 14 - Book Review at My Book Retreat
Wednesday, April 15 - First Chapter Reveal at I’m Shelf-ish
Thursday, April 16 - Book Review at My Life. One Story at a Time.
Friday, April 17 - Not Without My Father Book Tour Highlights at PUYB Virtual Book Club

May you read well and often

Introducing Forever and Always by Kathryn Meyer Griffith!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

I was delighted to learn that Forever and Always - Kathryn Meyer Griffith's romantic short story - recently revised and released with a redesigned cover - will be available to download for free from Amazon, at least for a short time! I actually had the pleasure of reading Always and Forever - Ms. Griffith's romantic short story as it was known at that time - back in April of 2011; and here is my review.

Yes, from Thursday, January 22, until Monday, January 26, 2015, Forever and Always by Kathryn Meyer Griffith will be free to download from Amazon. So, I would advise you to grab yourselves a copy as soon as possible! :)

Meet Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-two years ago now, and have had twenty (ten romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance and three murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last five novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my dinosaur novels are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-six years; have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have three quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and Cleo, and live cat Sasha (Too), and the five of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my horror novel The Last Vampire - Revised Author’s Edition ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

Forever and Always by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2014)
Length: 26 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Forever and Always Blurb:

Emma Baker’s husband, Jonathan, has just divorced her, shattered her heart and left her and her young son, Christopher, to fend for themselves. Bitterly lonely, she accepts a girlfriend’s suggestion to go out on her first night as a newly free woman. She vows not to let a man turn her head, vows not to let love make a fool of her again.

But she never counted on meeting a charismatic and sexy nightclub bouncer like Ben Lauery, who takes her for an exciting ride on his Harley, sweeps her off her feet and steals her heart. She never counted on the fireworks that explode in the bedroom and the sweetness of his burning kisses when he gently seduces her and makes her love him forever and always. All she knows is that, in the end, she can’t resist the passion, devotion and the forever love he’s offering and she has to give love a second chance.

May you read well and often

May You All Have a Wonderful and Blessed Christmas!

Thursday, December 25, 2014



Hello everyone! :) I hope that you all have a wonderful and much blessed Christmas filled with as much friendly and family togetherness as you could wish for. :) Both Mom and I are feeling fine, although perhaps just the slightest bit blah (not necessarily ill, but just wanting to take it easy for today) - we still intend to enjoy Christmas to the fullest! :)

The kitties are really getting into the Christmas spirit - 'Santa Paws' bought them a stocking full of catnip and kitty toys, and the purrs of thanks are resounding around the room. Lollipop and Leila are currently getting into minor fistipaws over who is going to get to play with the feather bells first (I'm not sure that the twins even realize that there are actually four feather bells in the stocking, so there is one for each of the girls, plus one extra!)

Ruby is currently fascinated by the bag of catnip. Mom opened it for her and she went over the moon! :) She sniffed in the bag, jumped up and rubbed her chin between a couple of gift bags in order to get a chance to investigate a little more closely.

At some point, Leila and Lollipop found out what Ruby was doing and ambled over to see what was going on. So the party had to be moved to the floor - Ruby went over to a special little spot of her own and ate up her catnip treat; and Leila and Lollipop rolled around on the floor like a couple of kittens for a while, and then the twins finally ate their catnip. Fun was had by all - humans and kitties alike! ;)


May you read well and often

Introducing Three Short Stories by B. A. Spicer!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

I was delighted to learn that three of B. A. Spicer's short stories - Peaches in the Attic: A Rather Disturbing Tale, Angels: A Metaphysical Horror Story and Strings - will all be available to download for free from Amazon, at least for a short time! I think that I have at least two other books by B. A. Spicer already on my TBR pile, although I haven't gotten the chance to read them yet. Surprise, surprise! sigh - lol! Although I hope to at some point in the very near future.

Yes, from Friday, January 23, until Saturday, January 24, 2015, all three of these short stories by B. A. Spicer will be free to download from Amazon. So, I would advise you to grab yourselves a copy of each of these books as soon as possible! :)


Meet B. A. Spicer

Bev Spicer is the author of five ebooks and two paperbacks. If you would like to read more reviews of her books, the majority are posted on Amazon.co.uk.

Bev was born in a small market town in the Midlands, daughter to an observer for the Royal Air Force and her mother, a local beauty queen.

She was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge and became a lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University in 1997 moving to live in France with her husband and two of her children ten years later, where she writes full-time.

She is widely read and has travelled extensively, living in Crete, where she taught English and learned to speak Greek, and in the Seychelles, where she worked for the government and co-designed materials which were used to teach at secondary school level.

She is currently working on Stranded in the Seychelles, a humorous memoir and sequel to her best-selling Bunny on a Bike.


Peaches in the Attic: A Rather Disturbing Tale by B. A. Spicer (2012)
Length: 13 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Peaches in the Attic: A Rather Disturbing Tale Blurb:

Please note this is a short story. Valerie is fascinated by the stories her grandmother tells, but sometimes the line between fantasy and reality blurs...

Angels: A Metaphysical Horror Story by B. A. Spicer (2012)
Length: 26 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Angels: A Metaphysical Horror Story Blurb:

When a mother loses her daughter to bullying at school, she decides to take revenge. Angels is a story of loss and the human fascination with the metaphysical world. Please note that this is a short story.


Strings by B. A. Spicer (2012)
Length: 18 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Strings Blurb:

Please note: this is a short story. Astrophysicist, Madeleine Happer, is on the brink of a momentous discovery. But will she be too late?

May you read well and often

Emma Michaels - Owlet

Sunday, December 21, 2014

57. Owlet by Emma Michaels (2012)
The Society of Feathers Series Book 1
Length: 136 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 15 December 2014
Finished: 21 December 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Kathy at Ebooks For Review for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 18 October 2014
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and Emma Michaels is a new author for me.

For the past eight years, Iris has lived with a secret. She has amnesia but has absolutely no idea how the condition might have happened. She has never told a living soul about her lost memories - or the nightly dreams of falling white feathers and of flying to a mysterious snow-covered island - but after suffering an asthma attack one night she is forced to tell someone everything.

When she finally tells her father, and her caretaker and friend, Diana, about her situation, Iris discovers that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may actually be a memory resurfacing. Yet the more she learns about the past the more Iris realizes that the life she has been living is a lie. As the facade her father has built for both of them starts to crumble around her, Iris must decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story was fast-paced and well-developed, and I really enjoyed getting to know each of these characters. In my opinion, this was quite an interesting premise for a series, and I'm intrigued to know how The Society of Feathers Series will develop in subsequent books.

I give Owlet an A+! and despite having two other books by Ms. Michaels on my TBR pile - I think - Owlet is the first of Ms. Michaels works that I've actually read. I am so glad that I did; as I enjoyed this story immensely.

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Our Library Visit For December

Friday, December 19, 2014

Hello Everyone! How are you on this fine Friday? I'm doing just fine. :) Last Thursday, Mom and I planned to go to our local library to raid the perpetual book sale for early Christmas gifts. However, it started snowing lightly on Tuesday morning, and the weather report was claiming there was going to be a Nor'easter blowing through which would dump between two and four feet of snow by Thursday morning.

We decided to change our library visit to Friday morning and left at around 11:30 A. M. We spent a delightful one and a half hours just browsing through the library book sale and ended up going home at around 1:00 P. M. We had bought a rather modest (for us) 44 books between us.

Between us, we bought 21 hardcovers and 23 paperbacks. We spent a whopping $40 for a total of 44 books. A pretty good haul, if I do say so, myself. :)

At the moment, I'm reading Owlet by Emma Michaels - which I started Monday evening, December 15th! I received a copy of this book to read on Saturday, October 18th!

May you read well and often

Kacie Ramsey, Teenage Psychic and Paranormal Investigator With the Orion Circle, Opens up to Kimber Leigh Wheaton and to Emeraldfire's Bookmark About the Recent Changes in Her Life

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

I would very much like to welcome both Kimber Leigh Wheaton, author of the young adult Paranormal Thriller, Tortured Souls and Kacie Ramsey, a Paranormal Investigator with the illustrious Orion Circle, to Emeraldfire's Bookmark. The Orion Circle plays a major role in Ms. Wheaton's latest young adult paranormal novel Tortured Souls and with the author's permission, Kacie was nice enough to answer some questions for me about her life before and after joining the Orion Circle. Thank you so much for stopping by Emeraldfire's Bookmark, Ms. Wheaton and Ms. Ramsey, and I wish you all the best now and in the future!


Meet Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet roance. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate - not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas but has been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities and states.

Synopsis of Tortured Souls:

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option.

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts - and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before - a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

Coming to Amazon on June 28, 2014!

Meet Kassandra 'Kacie' Ramsey


I’d like to introduce Kacie Ramsey, the main character in Tortured Souls. Kacie is a physical medium and has been communicating with spirits her entire life. Welcome to Emeraldfire's Bookmark, Kacie!

Emeraldfire's Bookmark: So, Kacie, what was it like to finally find a group of people who understood and embraced your powers?

Kacie Ramsey: Heaven on Earth? Yeah, pretty close. It’s really hard going through life hiding who you really are from everyone. There were times in the recent past that I had to do a double take to make sure the person I was about to talk to was real and not a spirit -‘cause sometimes they appear almost alive. I can think of little worse than talking to a spirit only I can see in the middle of the school cafeteria…

Emeraldfire's Bookmark: Has that ever happened?

Kacie Ramsey: Not since I was a lot younger. At first I didn’t realize the spirits weren’t supposed to be there - that most people didn’t see them. I’d have long conversations with spirits. Looking back, I must have appeared crazy, talking to myself. Now that I’m older, I can tell spirits from people much easier. The spirits are always accompanied by a cool breeze - like someone cranked up the A/C. I prefer the spirits who look like ghosts should, you know transparent.

Emeraldfire's Bookmark: What was it like to be different from others around you?

Kacie Ramsey: In most instances, I say flaunt your differences. Those differences are what makes you interesting. However, since my difference could land me in a loony bin, I had no choice but to hide it. It was awful. Like the longer I held the spirits at bay, the more determined they became. I had no one to talk to. My best friend, Celia, believed in ghosts and even experienced a haunting, but she has no idea how minor that was compared to what I feel and see on a daily basis.

Emeraldfire's Bookmark: What about now? How is the Orion Circle helping you?

Kacie Ramsey: Well, first and foremost, they are teaching me how to channel my abilities in a more productive manner. Oh, and how to shield myself and block out spirits when I need to. Just the fact that I get to use my powers to help people makes a huge difference in how I feel about myself. I always thought my abilities were a curse, but now I can see them more as a gift. Through the Orion Circle, I’ve learned there are some bad things out there. I like being on the frontlines, investigating hauntings and other supernatural cases.

Emeraldfire's Bookmark: What does the future hold?

Kacie Ramsey: Hmm…I found out that my mother plans to visit for my sixteenth birthday in a couple months. I’m not sure how I feel about seeing her again. She has some kind of reconciliation planned, but I just don’t see it. Other than that, there’s never a dull moment being part of the Orion Circle. If it’s not ghosts, it’s a new coven of vampires, or an evil witch. Oh, and our new member, Blake, is stirring up all kinds of trouble with my friend, Raven. Things should be interesting.

May you read well and often

Introducing The Banshee and the Witch by Kathryn Meyer Griffith!

Monday, December 15, 2014

Hello Everyone! I was delighted to learn recently that The Banshee and the Witch by Kathryn Meyer Griffith - Book 2 in her Four Spooky Short Stories collection - will be free to download from Amazon - at least for a short time! I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing The Banshee and the Witch by Kathryn Meyer Griffith back in January of 2013, and here is my review.

Yes, from Monday, January 26, 2015 until Friday, January 30, 2015, The Banshee and the Witch by Kathryn Meyer Griffith will be available to download for free from Amazon. So, I would advise you to go grab yourselves a copy today! ;)


Meet Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-two years ago now, and have had twenty (ten romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance and three murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last five novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my dinosaur novels are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-six years; have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have three quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and Cleo, and live cat Sasha (Too), and the five of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my horror novel The Last Vampire - Revised Author’s Edition ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.


The Banshee and the Witch by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2012)
Length: 39 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

The Banshee and the Witch Blurb:

The Banshee and the Witch...

What would you do to live forever, stay young forever? To find true love again?

And if you were a white witch with the magical powers to make it happen…and the secret of how to do it, would you?

So when the banshee comes calling for you one rainy dark night you’ll do what you have to do to get what you desire the most. More time.

May you read well and often

Erik Therme - Mortom: A Novel

Friday, December 12, 2014

56. Mortom: A Novel by Erik Therme (2014)
Length: 293 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 7 December 2014
Finished: 12 December 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Erik Therme for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 June 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Erik Therme is a new author for me.

There was never much love lost between Andy Crowl and his cousin Craig Moore. Even as children, the boys had shared little beyond an innate and fiercely competitive streak; building up to a mutually self-imposed estrangement that lasted well into their adulthood. Since the two hadn't spoken in years; what happens next leaves Andy utterly mystified.

On the outskirts of the tiny town of Mortom - population 986 - thirty-three-year-old Craig Moore is found drowned in the lake. Considered by many to be a loner and the town eccentric, few attend his funeral. One week later Andy and his sister Kate arrive in Mortom, still stunned by their cousin's death and wanting to pay their respects to Craig's mother Mary. What surprises Andy the most is the revelation of what is in Craig's will: everything - all of Craig's worldly possessions - have been left to Andy.

However, Craig has hardly done him a favor. "All my worldly possessions" amounts to little more than a drained bank account and a property which is overridden with junk. All in all, this is a ramshackle and practically destitute estate...Craig was apparently barely living above subsistence level.

When Andy finds a dead rat under the refrigerator with a key in its mouth, he reaches his breaking point. He's convinced that this is all some sort of sick joke. Then he finds the letter left by Craig, written two days before his death...detailing the rules of "the game."

I must say that I really enjoyed reading this book. It certainly was quite an interesting plot; and while there weren't that many sympathetic characters in the story - I don't think there were supposed to be that many - I felt sorry for exactly three characters: Andy's sister Kate, his aunt Mary, and Craig's boss' granddaughter Debbie. Overall, I would give Mortom: A Novel by Erik Therme an A! I will certainly keep my eyes open for more books by this author to read in the future.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Introducing Ghost Brother by Kathryn Meyer Griffith!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Hello Everyone! I was delighted to learn recently that Ghost Brother by Kathryn Meyer Griffith - Book 1 in her Four Spooky Short Stories collection - will be free to download from Amazon - at least for a short time! I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Ghost Brother by Kathryn Meyer Griffith back in January of 2013, and here is my review.

Yes, from Saturday, January 17, 2015 until Wednesday, January 21, 2015, Ghost Brother by Kathryn Meyer Griffith will be available to download for free from Amazon. So, I would advise you to go grab yourselves a copy today! ;)

Meet Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-two years ago now, and have had twenty (ten romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance and three murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last five novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my dinosaur novels are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-six years; have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have three quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and Cleo, and live cat Sasha (Too), and the five of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my horror novel The Last Vampire - Revised Author’s Edition ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

Ghost Brother by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2012)
Length: 28 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Ghost Brother Blurb:

Ghost Brother…

So what happens after you die? Do you go to heaven, or hell? Or do you go to a special place fashioned just for you based on the life you’d lived in the real world? Based on how you treated people? What you did to them?

And do ghosts exist? Do they roam the earth and plague the living, persuade them to do things they shouldn’t do?

Two brothers and their tale follow; their journey through life and death.

Do you believe in ghosts? Some do.


May you read well and often

Introducing Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation by Kathryn Meyer Griffith!

Monday, December 8, 2014

So, I was delighted to learn that the third book in Kathryn Meyer Griffith's thrilling Dinosaur Lake Series, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation will be published sometime in the very near future - I believe that the book will be published as a paperback some time in early May. I would advise you to grab your own copy as soon as possible!

As a matter of fact, Ms. Griffith is currently looking for some kind people who would be willing to read and review her latest book. All that potential reviewers are required to do is send an email to Ms. Griffith - requesting a pdf, epub or mobi copy of her book to read - and then post their honest review on Amazon. Just email Ms. Griffith at rdgriff@htc.net, and she'll be delighted to send you a complimentary copy to read.

I had the pleasure of reading Book 1 - Dinosaur Lake by Kathryn Meyer Griffith - back in March of 2014 and here is my review. Ms. Griffith was also kind enough to send me a copy of Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising back in May of 2014, and I do so hope to start reading it very soon!

Meet Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-two years ago now, and have had twenty (ten romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance and three murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last five novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my dinosaur novels are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-six years; have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have three quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and Cleo, and live cat Sasha (Too), and the five of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my horror novel The Last Vampire - Revised Author’s Edition ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.


Dinosaur Lake by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2012)
Length: 451 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon and Audible!

Dinosaur Lake Blurb:

Ex-cop Henry Shore has been Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake National Park for eight years and he likes his park and his life the way it's been. Safe. Tranquil. Predictable. But he's about to be tested in so many ways. First the earthquakes begin, people begin to go missing, then there's some mysterious water creature that's taken up residence in the caves below Crater Lake and it's not only growing in size, it's aggressive and cunning and very hungry.

And it's decided it likes human beings. To eat.

And it can come up onto land.

So Henry, with the help of his wife, Ann; a young paleontologist named Justin; and a band of brave men, must not only protect his park and his people from the monster but somehow find where it lives and destroy it before it can kill again.

Now Dinosaur Lake by Kathryn Meyer Griffith is a 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* in their Suspense/Thriller category.


Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2014)
Length: 248 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon and Audible!

Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising Blurb:

Prehistoric creatures have again invaded Crater Lake National Park…and this time there’s more than one.

Henry Shore has been Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake National Park for thirteen years now and thought the days when he’d had to fight a rogue dinosaur that lived in the caves below the lake were long over.

Until one of his park rangers, to save a visitor’s life, is in a deadly struggle out in the woods with a new breed of dinosaur worse than the last one. It’s as big as a man, but this one is a young one. And growing.

Then more of the creatures begin to show up everywhere, threatening people and destroying the tranquility and safety of his beloved park.

A tourist trolley filled with fifteen people is snatched up off the crater’s rim by another version of the younger one…but this one has grown into a giant with fangs, claws and a deadly tail. And this one has wings. Ugly Gargoyles, Henry calls them. For this one isn’t alone. They’re flying beyond the park’s boundaries into the neighboring towns.

So Henry, with the help of his son-in-law, a paleontologist named Justin, and a band of brave park rangers, and a few good soldiers, must not only protect his park and his people from monsters once more but find their lair and destroy it and them before the creatures kill again.


Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2014)
Length: 285 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation Blurb:

Chief Park Ranger Henry Shore has dealt with and fought real live dinosaurs at his beloved Crater Lake National Park for over six years. With the help of his rangers, a few brave FBI friends and army soldiers he’d been victorious over a prehistoric lake creature and years later some particularly fiendish, and clever, specimens of the flying variety. He and his newspaper publisher wife, Ann, thought their park was finally rid of the monsters and they could reclaim their tranquil life in a place they cherished.

Not so. For suddenly across the park new and even more malevolent mutant species of dinosaur begin to appear and create havoc, attacking the park’s visitors and threatening its peace. And this time the primeval scourge isn’t confined to just their park. The creatures have moved into the nearby towns, across the western United States and up into Canada.

They are so much more aggressive, smarter and hungrier than any that have come before and the infestation is spreading further and faster than Henry and Ann can even imagine. This time there’s no easy way to defeat the dinosaurs. There’s too many of them and they’re too devious. This time it’s full out war and the victor will someday claim Earth.

May you read well and often

Blog Tour For ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More by Tamara Branch From January 5, 2015 to March 27, 2015 - Come Join Us!

Friday, December 5, 2014

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Tamara Branch will be touring the blogosphere to promote her young adult Self-Esteem book ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More. This virtual book tour is being hosted by Pump up Your Book and will last from January 5, to March 27, 2015!

Ms. Branch is also doing an awesome giveaway - she is giving away a $25 ITunes Gift Card to one lucky winner at the end of her Blog Tour. Be sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form below, and I wish you all the very best of good luck in taking part!

ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More Blog Tour Information:

Meet Tamara Branch

“I believe in the power, beauty, strength and amazing potential of girls. I believe girls deserve to feel extraordinary. I believe that when girls shine their light, they are unstoppable!”

- ItGirl4Life by Tamara Branch

Tamara Branch is from New York, born and raised in the Bronx. She is thrilled to share her first book release, ItGirl4Life, kicking off the ItGirl4Life self-esteem movement to empower girls to stand up, stand out and shine bright in the world.

Tamara has worked as a professional model and actor for almost two decades. She strutted down the runway for designers Calvin Klein, Donna Karen and Christian Dior, acted in a few independent films, co-hosted PBS New York’s education series, “What’s up in Technology” and appeared T.V. commercials and print ads for Levi’s, Old Navy, Hershey’s, Colgate, Kellogg’s Special K, Revlon, Hanes, Nike and many others. A Penn State alumnus and lifelong student of personal development, Tamara is deeply passionate about uplifting the human spirit.

After graduating from Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying under Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil and some of the top health and wellness experts in the world, she was inspired to raise the bar on her own ‘self care’ and support others in living more vibrantly. She is an abstract artist and teaches a dynamic dance class, where she gets to fuse her varied background, having trained in everything from jazz, ballet and modern to Afro-Caribbean and Salsa.

Tamara was recently asked to become a Female Visionary Author guest blogger for The Brave Heart Women Global Community. She’s a SAG/AFTRA member since 1998, a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and is represented by Abrams Artists Agency.

Tamara currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband of seven years and offers ItGirl4Life workshops to assist girls on their self empowerment journey.

Her latest book is the YA/self-esteem book, ItGirl4Life.

Connect and Socialize with Tamara!


About ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More:

Writer, artist and speaker, Tamara Branch serves up 40 bite-sized chapters on how to build unshakable self-confidence, honor your life, and shine bright in the world, in ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More. Packed with sage advice, life-changing insights and affirmations to help you soar, ItGirl4Life offers ideas, tools and principles that you can reference and build upon, supporting you in becoming your best. Get ready to fall in love with your own wisdom, beauty and strength.

Purchase Your Copy From Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Pump Up Your Book and Tamara are teaming up to give you a chance to win one $25 ITunes Gift Card!

Terms and Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter.
  • This giveaway begins January 5 and ends March 27.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on Monday, March 30.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More Book Publicity Tour Schedule



Monday, January 5 - First Chapter Reveal at Pump Up Your Book
Tuesday, January 6 - Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book
Wednesday, January 7 - Book Featured at Undercover Book Reviews
Thursday, January 8 - First Chapter Reveal at The Writer’s Life
Monday, January 12 - Guest Blogging at What Is That Book About
Wednesday, January 14 - Book Review at A Simple Life, Really?!
Monday, January 19 - Book Featured at CBY Book Club
Tuesday, January 20 - Book Review and Interview at Not Now…Mommy’s Reading
Thursday, January 22 - Book Review and Guest Blogging at Our Families Together
Tuesday, January 27 - Book Featured at Bound 2 Escape
Wednesday, January 28 - First Chapter Reveal at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, January 29 - Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Friday, January 30 - Guest Blogging at Books Books the Magical Fruit
Monday, February 2 - Interview at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Tuesday, February 3 - Book Review at The Phantom Paragrapher
Wednesday, February 4 - Interview at As the Page Turns
Thursday, February 5 - Book Featured at Margay Leah Justice’s Blog
Monday, February 9 - Book Review at Books, Reviews, ETC
Tuesday, February 10 - Book Review at Must Read Faster
Wednesday, February 11 - Book Featured at Booklover Sue
Thursday, February 12 - Book Featured at Rose Wynters’ Blog
Friday, February 13 - Interview at Blogcritics
Monday, February 16 - Guest Blogging at Reecaspieces
Tuesday, February 17 - Book Featured at World of My Imagination
Wednesday, February 18 - Book Featured at Maureen’s Musings
Thursday, February 19 - Book Review at Mina’s Bookshelf
Friday, February 20 - Interview at Examiner
Monday, February 23 - Interview at The Writer’s Life
Tuesday, February 24 - Book Review at Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Wednesday, February 25 - Book Review at Authors and Readers Book Corner
Thursday, February 26 - Interview at I’m Shelf-ish
Friday, February 27 - Book Review at Deal Sharing Aunt
Monday, March 2 - Interview at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, March 3 - Book Review at Lita’s Book Blog
Wednesday, March 4 - First Chapter Reveal at As the Pages Turn
Thursday, March 5 - Book Review at Create With Joy
Friday, March 6 - Interview at Beyond the Books
Monday, March 9 - Book Featured at Fabulous and Fun
Tuesday, March 10 - Book Featured at 2 Kids and Tired Books
Wednesday, March 11 - Book Featured at StoreyBook Reviews
Friday, March 13 - Interview at The Book Rack
Monday, March 16 - Book Review at Mom Loves 2 Read
Tuesday, March 17 - Guest Blogging at Literal Exposure
Wednesday, March 18 - Guest Blogging at Bookingly Yours
Thursday, March 19 - Book Review at I’d Rather Be At The Beach
Friday, March 20 - First Chapter Reveal at Read My First Chapter
Monday, March 23 - Book Review at Emeraldfire's Bookmark
Tuesday, March 24 - Book Review and Guest Blogging at My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews
Wednesday, March 25 - Book Review at The Blended Blog
Thursday, March 26 - Book Review at The Literary Nook
Friday, March 27 - Guest Blogging at Farm Girl Books

May you read well and often

C. H. MacLean - One is Come

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

55. One is Come by C. H. MacLean (2014)
The Five in Circle Series Book 1
Length: 231 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 22 November 2014
Finished: 2 December 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 September 2014
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and C. H. MacLean is a new author for me.

For fourteen-year-old Haylwen Rightad life is harsh. Beyond harsh, if truth be told. First of all, there's her annoying sixteen-year-old brother Cadarn, who delights in endlessly teasing her. Then there are her parents, who apparently have completely forgotten just how unfair life can be when you are always the new kid in school. In her entire life, Haylwen can't ever remember a time when she has stayed in one place long enough to make even one friend, so she doesn't understand why she's currently sitting in Principal Johansen's office being disciplined for something she didn't do.

Haylwen doesn't care who actually blew up the wall of the school library, all she knows is that it wasn't her fault. However, with the principal threatening suspension, Haylwen's sure of one thing: if the principal suspends her, her parents will have to move again. And Haylwen will miss another chance to finally make some real friends.

Her parents, forced to keep their own magical past silent, are shocked to learn that their daughter is indeed a magic user. That's just not possible; especially when she tested negative. Twice! Desperate to hide Haylwen from the King of magic users, they flee, but their efforts ultimately put them all in mortal danger.

Haylwen's parents don't know anything about the prophecy of 'The One'; or that the only one who doesn't suspect that Haylwen is an extremely powerful magic user is Haylwen herself. As the King schemes with the dragon clans to remake the world, and the dragon clans quietly set their own ulterior motives in motion, the time of 'The One' draws near. And as Haylwen struggles with her feelings of loneliness and unworthiness due to her inability to make a friend, little does she realize that the fate of the entire world rests on her choices. Will she learn about her magic and true friendship in time to save her life and hopefully the rest of the world?

Despite being seriously delayed in my reading, and having to postpone my review of Two Empty Thrones for about a month - I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the characters were well-developed and sympathetic, and the story is fast-paced and engaging. I also appreciated that there was a little bit of a back story provided about Abrennin and Crystyn Rightad; and their secretive magical pasts. I found these characters extremely likeable and completely believable as people.

In my opinion, the story flowed along easily and naturally - fire-breathing dragons, magical portals and ancient prophecies didn't seem out of place at all within the plot. One is Come by C. H. MacLean was an intriguing start to a new series. I give this book an A+! and am looking forward to starting the next book in the series: Two Empty Thrones.

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often