Jack Canon's American Destiny

Broken Pieces

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Orangeberry Free Alert - Swimming with Maya - Eleanor Vincent

 

Swimming with Maya - Eleanor Vincent

Amazon Kindle UK

Amazon Kindle UK

Genre - Memoir

Rating - PG13

Free until 1 April 2013

Previously available only in hardcover, Swimming with Maya demonstrates the remarkable process of healing after the traumatic death of a loved one. Eleanor Vincent raised her two daughters, Maya and Meghan, virtually as a single-parent. Maya, the eldest, was a high-spirited and gifted young woman. As a toddler, Maya was an angelic tow-head, full of life and curiosity. As a teenager, Maya was energetic and independent - and often butted heads with her mother. But Eleanor and Maya were always close and connected, like best friends or sisters, but always also mother and daughter.
Then at age 19, Maya mounts a horse bareback as a dare and, in a crushing cantilever fall, is left in a coma from which she will never recover. Eleanor's life is turned upside down as she struggles to make the painful decision about Maya's fate.
Ultimately Eleanor chooses to donate Maya's organs. Years later, she is able to hear Maya's heart beat in the chest of the heart recipient. Along the way, Eleanor re-examines her relationship with her daughter, as well as Eleanor's traumatic life as a child and young woman. In a story that has been called "heartbreaking and heart-healing," Eleanor Vincent illuminates the kind of courage, creativity, faith, and sheer tenacity it takes to find one's balance after unthinkable tragedy.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Author Spotlight - James Berman


Why did you choose to write this particular book? To finally have a book to assign to my NYU students--one that contained nearly everything I wanted to tell them in eBook form.

What was the hardest part about writing this book? Envisioning the right audience. And speaking to them simply but with dignity.

Did you learn anything from writing this book and what was it? That a book takes so many revisions, it will make your pencil break.

What are your goals as a writer? For my books to actually be read. That would be amazing.

What books have most influenced your life? Devil Take the Hindmost, by Edward Chancellor. It is the best chronicle of market history I have ever read. It has influenced my investment strategy more than anything except reading Warren Buffett.

Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor. Does a mentor have to actually know who you are? If not, Warren Buffett is my mentor. I admire his investment strategy and his life strategy. There will never be another like him. Interestingly, he has never written a full book, though he’s a great writer and his shareholder letters are works of art.

Who is your favorite author and why? In fiction, Graham Greene. I always thought he had the best combination of the psychological and good storytelling. For me a fiction book must have both.

What are your current writing projects now? I am working a sequel to Lessons from the Lemonade Stand that will focus on picking individual stocks.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment? Many. Having a Kindle emans I’m always reading many books at once. The one that really has my interest at the moment is When Money Dies, by Adam Fergusson, about the hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic. It’s a sobering tale.

Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest and why? It’s more topics than authors at this point. I mostly read non-fiction and its the topic that draws me.

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Business & Investing 
Rating – PG
More details about the author & the book
Connect with James Berman on Facebook & Twitter

Orangeberry Spring Fling - Dark Lady of Doona by Christine Frost


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Known as “Granía of the Gamblers,” Granía O’Malley makes a high-stakes bet to buy her freedom and the ability to continue her livelihood as pirate queen on Ireland’s west coast. She enters into a dangerous agreement with Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, and soon finds herself caught up in a web of intrigue that is plunging her country, as well as her family, into chaos. 

At war with a cruel governor while serving as one of Walsingham’s many spies, Granía struggles to maintain stability within her family and fleet and provide an enduring legacy for her heir to the seas. A story full of adventure and passion, Dark Lady of Doona portrays the life of a formidable woman who defied traditions by commanding her own fleet of ships and leading her loyal followers into rebellion.

Buy at Amazon
Genre – Historical Fiction (R)
Connect with Christine Frost on Facebook & Twitter

Orangeberry Free Alert - Black Hole Sun - David Macinnis Gill

No one, except Durango.

Genre - YA

Rating - PG13

4.0 (20 reviews)

Free until 1 April 2013

Mars stinks.

IThe air reeks of burning fuel; the rivers and lakes seethe with sulfur. In the shadows, evil men plot terror and beasts hunt the innocent. Out on the barren crags of the terraformed planet, there is nowhere to hide. No one to heed a call for help.

Review: Lessons from the Lemonade Stand: A Common Sense Primer on Investing by James Berman

Lessons from the Lemonade Stand: A Common Sense Primer on InvestingLessons from the Lemonade Stand: A Common Sense Primer on Investing by James Berman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What will be your lasting impression of the subject?
How easy it is to company investing and stock to apples and oranges. This simple easy to approach method explains the complex stock market.

What did you like least?
Did not really have anything to dislike. I would enjoy reading more on the subject if Berman wrote additional books. I felt he explained this better than my economics professor from 40 odd years ago.

Was it a good book?
This was a great book. So helpful with easy to understand language.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.


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Lessons from the Lemonade Stand by James Berman


Lessons from the Lemonade Stand explains investing, stocks and bonds, risk, diversification, commodities, and other sometimes mystifying topics in the context of that most classic of all American businesses: the corner lemonade stand. 

Rooted in the fundamental truth that common sense is the best investment tool, this book slices important concepts into simple sections, sweetening them with folksy, easy-to-read language.
The trials and tribulations of lemonade stand owner Lucinda highlight every concept from interest rates to retirement accounts to leverage. Readers learn investment basics as they follow Lucinda Lemonade Inc. along its sweet (and sometimes sour) journey as a start-up, from the squeeze of the first lemon to its initial private equity deal and its eventual foray into tech, all in the tidy town of Lemonville. 

Lessons from the Lemonade Stand simplifies investment concepts without watering them down. A stock, for example, is not defined in financial gibberish but for what it truly is: a slice of the business that entitles the stockholder to a little drop of every dollar Lucinda Lemonade Inc. earns. 

The book introduces ten simple Lemonade Laws:
1) Every topic in the investment world can be broken down to the basic concept of supply and demand.
2) If someone claims an investment is risk-free, run the other way.
3) Bigger returns mean bigger risks.
4) Hedging may help, but there’s always a cost to it.
5) As Warren Buffett says, “If you’re smart, you don’t need leverage; if you’re dumb, it’ll ruin you.”
6) You may not be able to count on your stocks, but you can always count on your taxes.
7) By the time you invest in a foreign country, it shouldn’t be foreign to you.
8) Owning a home is (still) the best investment of all.
9) Investing without work is gambling: treat the market like roulette, and you’ll land on zero.
10) Counterintuition, not intuition, is the investor’s best friend.

Entertaining and fun, Lessons from the Lemonade Stand supplies readers with the ingredients they need to become savvy investors.

“By abstracting out the ‘hard’ stuff about investing and focusing on the most simple of businesses, Berman (a finance prof at NYU and an investment advisor) is able to gradually introduce more complicated concepts without overwhelming the reader with jargon. Really, Lessons from the Lemonade Stand encompasses much of an introductory finance curriculum in book form that reads, well, more like a book of fiction than one on investing.” 

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Business & Investing
Rating – PG
More details about the author
Connect with James Berman on Facebook & Twitter

Friday, March 29, 2013

Orangeberry Book of the Day - The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan



Murdered artists. Masterful forgeries.
Art crime at its worst.

A straightforward murder investigation quickly turns into a quagmire of stolen Eurocorps weapons, a money-laundering charity, forged art and high-ranking EU officials abusing their power.

As an insurance investigator and world renowned expert in nonverbal communication, Dr Genevieve Lenard faces the daily challenge of living a successful, independent life. Particularly because she has to deal with her high functioning Autism. Nothing - not her studies, her high IQ or her astounding analytical skills - prepared her for the changes about to take place in her life.

It started as a favour to help her boss' acerbic friend look into the murder of a young artist, but soon it proves to be far more complex. Forced out of her predictable routines, safe environment and limited social interaction, Genevieve is thrown into exploring the meaning of friendship, expanding her social definitions, and for the first time in her life be part of a team in a race to stop more artists from being murdered.

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Mystery
Rating – PG13
More details about the author
Connect with Estelle Ryan on Facebook

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Orangeberry Spring Fling - Playing the Genetic Lottery by Terri Morgan


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"Caitlin’s story touched me deep in my soul" ~ Marina

"Terri Morgan's depictions of the disorder are realistic as well as haunting." ~ Allizabeth Collins

At fifteen, Ava ran away from home and changed her name to Caitlin to escape the chaotic childhood of having two schizophrenic parents. However, she lives with the constant fear of what lies in her DNA. Will she succumb to the disease that robbed her of a normal childhood? Will her children be the next victims of the family curse?

"its a roller-coaster ride of emotions" ~ Sandra

Looking for an emotional and touching story of human strength and overcoming obstacles? Read Terri Morgan's fictional memoir PLAYING THE GENETIC LOTTERY.

Buy at Amazon
Genre – Fictional Memoir (PG13)
Connect with Terri Morgan on Facebook

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Orangeberry Book of the Day - Only A Glow (The White Warrior) by Nichelle Rae



What if the world was ending? What if only you had the power to save it? And what if your power wasn't in your control? Welcome to Azrel's dilemma. "Only A Glow" is the first book in an epic new fantasy series, The White Warrior. Join Azrel, her brother Rabryn, and her best friend Ortheldo as they journey across their land to try to save the world from another age of the Shadow Gods rule. Along the way they try to find out what's wrong with Azrel's magic, because her magic is the only power that will cause the Shadow Gods to stumble and fail.

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Epic Fantasy 
Rating – PG13
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Nichelle Rae on Facebook & Twitter

Orangeberry Spring Fling - Tongues of Angels by Julia Park Tracey


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Author Julia Park was married to a Roman Catholic priest for several years and heard many stories of wonder and woe. From those tales comes a novel, Tongues of Angels, an insider's view of the Catholic Church and the priesthood as it stands today.Tongues of Angels:Meet Rob Souza as he faces the challenges of the priesthood-gossip, innuendo, church politics, public scandals-and Jessica, a young woman with a secret past. Meet Lawrence, Rob's best friend, a gay priest who somehow becomes the third in this odd love triangle. While Jessica finds hope and healing, Rob and Lawrence discover that, despite their best intentions, a promise of celibacy is hard to keep. Tongues of Angels offers a peek behind the curtain of the priesthood, offering a funny, poignant look at Catholic angst and ambiguity. Based on a true story, Tongues of Angels is a canny, warm and surprisingly spiritual novel for our time.

Buy at Amazon
Genre – Romantic Suspense (PG13)
Connect with Julia Park Tracey on Facebook and Twitter

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Orangeberry Free Alert - Temptation (Under Mr.. Nolan's Bed) - Selena Kitt

undermrnolansbedtemptationare

Buy @ Amazon Kindle US

Genre - Romance

Rating - MA

4.4 (29 reviews)

Free until 29 March 2013

"Lead us not into temptation..." ~Matthew 6:13
What happens when you fall in love with your best friend's father?
Leah is a good, Catholic girl, and she and Erica have been best friends since their first communion. Sure, Erica's father is handsome and charming, but Leah spends so much time at the Nolan's--just Erica and her famous, photographer father now, since Erica's mother died--that she's practically part of the family.
Both girls have led privileged, sheltered lives and are on the "good girl" track at St. Mary Magdalene's Preparatory College, Leah pursuing her love of dance and Erica sating her endless curiosity as editor of the newspaper. Neither of them could have ever imagined that one fateful discovery will not only push the boundaries of their strict, repressive upbringing, but the bonds of their friendship as well.
Leah certainly never could have imagined finding herself torn between her best friend and her best friend's father. Sure, Leah's mother had always talked about Mr. Nolan as "a catch," but Leah herself had never thought of him as anything other than just Erica's dad--until the girls discover something darkly erotic under Mr. Nolan's bed, a deep, shameful secret that will not only lead them into temptation, but will deliver them into a far greater revelation than any of them could ever have imagined.

EXCERPT:
She danced with the memories, she danced the sin and shame of her own lust, the final acquiescence to her body's need, and the sweet triumph of reaching that peak. The dance was hers now, no longer anything she had learned. It was the pure expression of her essence, every feeling and thought that had been running through her head on some endless loop.
When she finally collapsed in a heap in the middle of the floor, breathless and panting, she felt like crying, as if her body had been filled to bursting and it must now have some sort of deliverance. The dance she had hoped would exhaust and deplete her had simply served to energize her further. Leah lifted her head, opening her eyes slowly, and saw him standing there in the shadows, like a dream.
Her heart fluttered to her throat like a trapped butterfly and her hand leapt there, as if she could catch it. He was watching her, just outside of the circle of lamplight, leaning against one of the tall supports she and Erica used to dance around that ran floor to ceiling throughout the warehouse.
"Mr. Nolan?"
She heard the click of his throat as he swallowed dryly. "You're so beautiful."
The look on his face was the one straight from her imagination, like he worshipped her, and at the same time, like the big bad wolf accosting an innocent red riding hood, like he wanted to eat her all up.
"I didn't mean to wake you." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I just... couldn't sleep..."
"So fucking beautiful."
She was stunned to silence, lips parted with words she couldn't speak, staring at him as he took a step toward her, the light on his face now, a wolfish look in his eyes making her skin bristle all over. She had never heard Mr. Nolan swear before. Ever.
"Leah..." Her name on his lips was like a caress. His gaze moved over her, no tights, no leg warmers, no toe shoes. He'd seen her like this a hundred times of course, but she had never felt so naked. The look on his face changed when he met her wide eyes. She saw the emotions cross his features, from horror and shame to something like anger. "Jesus. Go to bed."

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Playing Nice by Rebekah Crane

Martina “Marty” Hart is really nice. At least, that’s what people think.

It’s Marty’s junior year at Minster High. Minster’s a small town where making great grades, smiling pretty, helping old people, running the new-student Welcoming Committee, and putting up decorations for all the dances–including the totally awful Hot Shot fall hunting celebration–gets you … what? Marty’s not sure.

Instead of dreaming about a sororities-and-frats future at nearby University of Michigan, she’s restless, searching for a way out of the box her controlling mother and best frenemy Sarah have locked her in. When Lil–don’t call her Lily!–Hatfield transfers to Minster, Marty gets her chance. Lil’s different. She smokes, wears black, listens to angry punk records, and lives in a weird trailer with her mother. Lil has secrets–secrets that make her a target for all the gossiping and online bullying Minster can muster. But so does Marty. And Marty sees something different in Lil. Something honest. Something real.

Playing Nice is the achingly real story of a girl who’s been following the rules for so long she’s forgotten who she was when she started. It’s about falling in love with the wrong people and not seeing the right ones, about the moments in life when you step out of line, take a chance … and begin to break free.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Young Adult / Bullying

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Rebekah Crane on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://rebekahcrane.tumblr.com/

Orangeberry Spring Fling – I Have People by Taylor Dean

 

 

OB-SPRING-FLING

 

 

ihavepeople thumb

Holly Sinclair is happily married to the love of her life, Gabriel. Young and in love, Holly hopes to have their first child soon. Of course, Gabriel wants to wait till Holly’s health is restored, much to Holly’s dismay. She feels perfectly fine. So what if she just woke up from an eight-month coma? So what if some of her memories are missing? She remembers Gabe and that’s all that matters, right?

That is, until HE enters her life again . . . she forgot about HIM.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Romance (PG13)

Connect with Taylor Dean on Facebook

Website - http://www.taylordeanbooks.com/

 

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Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

 
Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas


Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.

If only it were as simple as being in love.

Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.



Praise

"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)

"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)

"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)

"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)

"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)



Blue Hearts of Mars has made it to the quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!


Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon




Author Nicole Grotepas

Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.
 


 

Tour Schedule





Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/14/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Orangeberry Book Tours – Covert Dreams by Michael Meyer

THIS INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED SUSPENSE THRILLER by Michael Meyer has been compared to Robert Ludlum’s Bourne series, and the writing style has been compared to that of Dean Koontz. #2 on Recommended Thriller/Suspense list at Goodreads

Imagine waking up remembering intimate details about a country in which you have never traveled and fluently speaking a language that you have never spoken. B.J. is living the ideal life. He has a great wife, a wonderful job. And yet he is experiencing life-like vivid dreams of Munich, a city he has never visited.

Stan Halsey is a professor in Saudi Arabia, who sends for his wife to join him. She arrives, and, in the blink of an eye, she vanishes, leaving no trace of ever being alive in either the United States or in Saudi Arabia.COVERT DREAMS is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that moves from Munich to the burning sands of Saudi Arabia. What is real, and who is responsible for the terrifying nightmare?

EXCERPT

The Munich all around her was bustling with activity. She could hear it from all directions. Munich was a wonderful city, a fun-loving place, the live and let live ebullience of the city emanating from its every nook and cranny. She had had a lovely stay here. All of it had been so adventurous, so new, so unlike life back home in Arizona. She could vividly recall the first time she had ventured into a Munich beer garden, where the liter mugs had been so huge that she had had to lift hers with both hands, and the giggles, from him, until he too had had to use both hands.

The fumbling noises he had been making came to an abrupt halt. He began stroking her cheek again. Gus looked so happy, so young, so full of life. It was so hard to imagine that he could be so heavily involved in all this horror.

Gus smiled at her once more. His eyes were soft, so gentle, so caring, so loving.

Maybe this was some kind of huge mistake. Maybe he wasn’t going to kill her after all. Maybe everything would turn out happily ever after. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.But then suddenly she saw it clearly. It was no fairy tale. There would be no maybe. This was real, as real as the mixture of sadness and fear that now flooded her brain.

And then she died, with her eyes wide open, challenging, piercing his to the end.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Suspense / Thriller

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Michael Meyer on Facebook & GoodReads

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Michael Meyer – Writing To Me Is…

Writing to Me is …

by Michael Meyer

I come from a long line of teachers. My grandmother, my dad, my mom, and most of my aunts and uncles were teachers, as are my three sisters and my wife, and many of my first cousins. My father as an English professor, and I wanted to follow in his steps. I love the higher education environment. Colleges and universities are to me like sugar water to a hummingbird.

I have always had a talent for writing, which was driven by my passion for stringing words together to say something that would make others take notice. My teachers, all through the school system, told me so. I have written my whole life. My cupboards are filled with my writing, which spans a forty-five year period. I have bits and pieces of stories, completed short stories, essays, and notes galore.

I became fascinated with books at a very young age. I must have read every CURIOUS GEORGE book out there. At the age of ten, I self-published my first book, a short synopsis of California history. My parents bought the only copy, but I was a published author at an early age. The writing bug struck me hard.

I have written my whole life. My study at home is filled with manuscripts of one sort or another. When I retired from my 40-year career as an English professor, I found that I now had the time to work on the unfinished manuscripts I had started years before. I have now published fours novels, and my fifth book is nearing completion. In retirement I have suddenly found the time I need to devote to one of my lifelong passions: writing. And I also am privileged to have the time to see things through to completion. The unfinished works in my study are quickly vanishing, to my delight.

I am not out for money. As a retired college professor, I have a nice pension. Rather, I want to write until I die. I love creating characters and plots. Writing to me is like reading. I never know precisely where things will lead. I am in good health, and my doctor told me that writing is a very healthy avocation for someone in my situation: a retiree. I love his advice.

The most difficult part of writing for me is placing the following words on my manuscript: The End. I get very involved with my characters as I write. I laugh and cry with them, and I agonize over their actions and their circumstances. They are like my own children. I am sad to see them grow up and then go off to live their lives on their own. Saying goodbye is tough, even though I know that they have found a very good home on Amazon.

When I am in the groove, which is the vast majority of the time when I am sitting at my keyboard, working on a manuscript, the characters call out to me, leading me onward, and it is exciting to me, because I never quite know where they will lead me. I have fun writing. It is pleasurable for me. The very second, though, that something seems too tough to handle at the moment, I stop. I will then go off and live my everyday life, waiting until the trigger I need pops into my head. That’s when I run back upstairs to my study and start working once again.

It is a good life. I enjoy writing immensely. Life is too short to do otherwise.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Suspense / Thriller

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Michael Meyer on Facebook & GoodReads

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Orangeberry Blast Off - Away From The Spotlight - Tamara Carlisle

away from the spotlight

In the closing weeks of law school, Shannon Sutherland meets handsome and charming Englishman Will MacKenzie. Initially swept off her feet, Shannon finds that Will has a secret that, once discovered and the consequences realized, could destroy their fledgling relationship. Will and Shannon take great pains to have a normal relationship but, ultimately, find it impossible to do so. Will the pressures of their careers and the temptations of others drive Will and Shannon apart? Can Will and Shannon live a happy life away from the spotlight?
Tamara Carlisle takes you on a romantic ride that explores the consequences of fame and a love that endures all.

Buy at Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Romance (PG13)

Connect with Tamara Carlisle on Facebook

Website - https://tamaracarlisle.com/

Check out this author’s book feature, guest post, Top 10 & interview

OB-SPRING-FLING

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Avery Snow Book Blast and Giveaway

Are you an Avery Snow fan?
The highly anticipated sequel to The Many of Lives of Avery Snow is here!
 
The Unraveling of Avery Snow 
by Christy Sloat
 
Enter below for your chance to win the ultimate fan prize pack
 
 
Chat LIVE with Christy Sloat
Twitter Party, March 26, 10 am EST
#AverySnow

And get your own copy of The Unraveling of Avery Snow
As Avery Snow settles into her life and relationships with those around her, she fights to forget her past lives. All of which she spent with Landon, who still has no recollection of who she really is. It seems better that way. Even though she still feels a draw to his soul, she chooses to ignore it.

For now everything is fine. Her boyfriend, Dallas, has opened a new restaurant. Her friends, Ianni and Kerri, are settling into their lives as well. But when news of a new Dark Guide is revealed, Avery is forced to start thinking about the life she truly leads. One that is very abnormal. One she is desperate to forget. This Dark Guide is determined to make Avery pay for the death of someone she held dear.

Now Avery’s life has gone from seemingly perfect to falling apart. What will be at stake next? Her life? Her love? And who will be there in the end to help her up off the ground?

Even the strongest love can unravel.

Will Avery be able to hold it all together, or will she just let go?
 
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Review: Covert Dreams by Michael Meyer

Covert DreamsCovert Dreams by Mike Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where did the story take place? Saudi Arabia and Munich. Both places I have never travelled to before so it felt like armchair travel to me.

Compare two of the characters in this book. Dabbie - The girl in BJ's dreams. Died in Munich 27 years ago. Valerie - Kidnapped wife of Stan. Was being brain washed.

Do you find the characters convincing? All are convincing. I believed every word of this book.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Monday, March 25, 2013

Deadly Memories by S.D. O’Donnell

Deadly MemoriesDeadly Memories by S.D. O'Donnell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Did the book end the way you expected? I wasn't sure of how any part of it would end.

Top 3 things I liked about the whole book – So much detail and so many things happening. Love a good mystery and this one was a great one. I was hooked on this book, from the very beginning.

Top 3 things I liked about the main character – Saul had many layers. He was strong and inquisitive. But he was also very tender and loving.

What I liked – I loved everything about this book.

Did you find that the cover and title represented what the story was really about? Yes, it fit the story.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Orangeberry Book Tours – Deadly Memories by SD O’Donnell

Who is the beautiful Jayne Doe? And why does someone want to kill her?

Ex-detective Saul Becker learned the hard way not to get involved in the troubles of beautiful women. But what else can he do when a barefoot, catatonic Jayne Doe turns up practically in his backyard? Who is she, and what is she so afraid of?

Jayne Doe doesn’t remember anything about her life before she crawled into a hollow tree at the lake next to Saul’s home.. All she knows is that she’s afraid of something—or someone.

Together, Saul and Jayne set out to uncover her past. But they are in more danger than they know, and it will take all of Saul’s skill and training to track down the past that’s stalking them.

Deadly Memories is a fast-paced novel with unexpected twists and a surprise ending.

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Genre – Murder / Thriller

Rating – PG13 (some foul language, a few short love scenes)

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Gallows Ascending (Stone Quest) by Leigh Podgorski

 

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Gallows Ascending continues the saga of tracker and pyschic visionary Luke Stone in Book Two of the Stone Quest Series.

It has been thirteen years since Luke’s confrontation in the desert with his nemesis, black magician Armand Jacobi. Luke’s wife Consuelo, whom he met at Eppie Falco’s Desert Inn and Café has died, and Luke has placed himself once again in exile. This time, his wanderings have brought him to the seaside village of New Camen, New Hampshire.

Into his self-imposed solitude drops Dr. Bethany Rutledge. Accused of the murder of her eight year old daughter, stripped of her license to practice medicine, her marriage to politician Adrian Mountzaire in tatters, Beth Rutledge is haunted nightly by the chilling vision of a young woman’s brutal death by hanging.

Adding to this mix is the disappearance of an adolescent boy that appears to be centered in the tiny hamlet of New Camen. Then, Adrian Mountzaire turns up dead with his estranged wife Beth Rutledge lying in the sand beside him.

Despite his best efforts to resist the temptation, Luke is falling in love with Beth Rutledge, and she with him. Beth has unlocked the frozen reaches of his heart–the heart that was frozen when his beloved Consuelo was taken by breast cancer several years before and he could do nothing to save her.

Now, Luke must not only find the lost boy, but find the real killer of Adrian Mountzaire in order to save his beloved from the same fate that haunts her restless dreams.

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Genre – Metaphysical / Mystery

Rating – PG

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Orangeberry Book Of The Day– The Symbolon (The Sibylline Trilogy) by Delia Colvin

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The Symbolon is the passionate second novel of the addictive Sibylline Trilogy!

For 3000 years, Alex has dreamt of a life with his mortal beloved, Valeria. And it appears that they will at last have a chance for a life together!

But when they approach the ancient council of immortals, for approval of the marriage,
they discover that sinister forces object to their union. Soon they find themselves faced with terrifying threats including a devastating separation that neither may survive!

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Genre – Paranormal

Rating – PG

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Website http://www.deliacolvin.com/

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Orangeberry Book Of The Day – Wildflowers by Schledia Benefield

Have you ever feared what may be hiding deep within you?

Darkness often skulks in the blood of unsuspecting victims, but Aster McGrath is acutely aware of the violence coursing through his veins. After all, he is the son of a murderer, and everyone in the town of Bayville, Mississippi says he will end up just like his father.

When Susan Blackman moves into town, Aster has already embraced his brutal nature, but her gentle spirit draws him in and slowly melts the icy exterior of his heart. Taming his savagery, she professes her love, but will the good within him be able to overcome the evil lurking deep inside? Or will the fiend break free of its fetters and seek blood?

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Genre – YA Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG13

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Blog http://schlediabenefield.blogspot.com/

Orangeberry Book Tours – Kaleidoscope World by Tomica Scavina

A collector of kaleidoscopes and lousy relationships, Dahlia Kasper leaves her possessive alcoholic mother and moves from New York to Barcelona. In search of lost bits of her childhood, she starts living in an apartment where her father was murdered when she was four. As soon as she enters the apartment, strange things begin to happen.

Her favorite kaleidoscope becomes a gateway to another dimension where she encounters a ghost of a famous physicist from the 19th century who tries to persuade her that reality is like a moth-eaten sweater – full of holes. He needs her to help him plug up these holes and save the world from vanishing, while the only thing Dahlia really wants to save is her sanity.

This is just a part of Dahlia’s problems. An elderly cello-playing neighbor turns her emotional world upside down and her longing for lost home takes her further than she ever imagined she could go. To collect all the scattered kaleidoscope-bits of her life together, Dahlia needs to go through an intense inner transformation that takes courage and a sharp sense of humor.

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Genre – Psychological Thriller

Rating – PG

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Website http://www.tomicascavina.com/

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Tomica Scavina – Can A Book Save Your Life?

How you would describe your typical working day? I write in my study room in the mornings, usually from 7 till 10. This is the only time I can write, because later on, real people’s stories drag my attention away from my fictional stories. I work as a psychotherapist and conduct a writing therapy program, which is really fulfilling, but also demanding, so whenever I can, I run over to a nearby café Laganini (which means Easily). In Laganini I often think about the plot and characters or write answers to an interview (as I am doing now) into my yellow-green notebook. In the evening, I usually watch a movie with my boyfriend or hang out with friends.

What was the hardest part about writing this book? When I wrote two thirds of the novel and realized that I had to start leading the story towards an end, I faced some kind of an emotional wall. It always happens to me at this stage of writing. I feel disconnected from the inner world of my heroine and need some time to collect myself. I know her world will become alive again in the mind of a reader, but the process of creation will end, and when I see this from my heroine’s perspective, it’s like facing the end of the world. The borders will be set, the creative movement will stop. For me, this is disturbing.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? I was nine years old and I wanted to share a secret with my father. I wrote it on a piece of paper and gave it to him. He didn’t really get it, but the paper did. The paper had fully accepted what I wrote – without distortion, without judgement, without advice. I think this was the seed of my love towards writing, which later evolved into writing diaries, poetry and prose.

How did you develop your plot and characters? The idea for Kaleidoscope World was “kaleidoscopic” from the very beginning. First I had the pieces: kaleidoscope as a magical object, cellist with a missing finger and a half-crazy heroine. These pictures/ideas were somehow magnetic to me, and when I put them together, they created the main idea: kaleidoscope as a tunnel to another dimension. Which dimension is real – this one or that one? I won’t explain the cellist’s role, because I don’t want to spoil the reading. What I want to point out is that the plot somehow created itself. I just had to shake up the kaleidoscope bits, and the whole picture was there. Once I had it, I dove into it and wrote Kaleidoscope World pretty smoothly in less then a year.

What five adjectives would describe your book the best? Intriguing, funny, mystical, brave and crazy.

When did you first know you could be a writer? The first idea came when I was twelve. Until then I was writing children’s poetry about mom, dad, autumn and blue sky, and then I started to write a five-page long “novel” with a waitress as a main character. I remember this feeling. A fulfilling feeling of being someplace else – in the fiction.

When I was nineteen, I started to write my first “real novel” The Age of Splicing. It had no structure or consistency in style, but had a protagonist with tangled vocal cords and a dwarf with garlic-colored hair, which was cool enough to impress my younger sister and several friends. This was so encouraging that I had to write another novel – Basvik. The title was a name of an imaginary town with a whole array of lovely, weird characters. My favorite was a fortune-teller who could see the future from the way people laughed.

At this time I was pretty sure that I was a writer, even though many years have passed before my first book had been published.

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Genre – Psychological Thriller

Rating – PG

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Website http://www.tomicascavina.com/

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