Dreaming in the Pages

Books ... where dreams are better than reality

Broken Pieces

Jack Canon's American Destiny

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Rebekah's Quilt by Sara Barnard @TheSaraBarnard

Springtime is my favorite time of the year, especially when it comes early.” Rebekah flung herself back onto her quilts.

“Oh my girl, you make my heart glad.”

Rebekah fiddled with a lock of her hair. “Is Pa working in the field?”

Elnora placed both hands on her back and stretched. “Yes, you know your Pa. Trying to get as much done as he can in good weather.” Elnora paused. “It’s supposed to be a mild rest of the season. But he’ll be in this afternoon for your birthday get-together.”

“Will the Graber’s be coming?” Before the words were fully off her tongue, Rebekah’s cheeks began to burn.

Pulling back a curtain, Elnora gazed out the window. “Heloise and Lucas will be coming tonight. But not Joseph.”

“Oh,” Rebekah’s voice was muted. “Why won’t he be coming?” She tried, unsuccessfully, to mask the crestfallen note in her voice.

Elnora slid open the dresser drawer and selected Rebekah’s brightest head covering. “Well,” she began, holding the gauzy bonnet out to her, “Joseph won’t be coming tonight, because he is walking up the path to our house right now.”

Rebekah’s jaw went slack. The sinking feeling in her stomach immediately began to soar,

propelling her out of bed.

RebekahsQuilt

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Genre - Romantic Historical Fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Sara Barnard on Facebook & Twitter

Author Interview – Marie Maiden

You tell in the book that, your child was born with some health problems.  What types of health problems does he have?

Yes, my child is a boy and he was born with handicaps.  He is a special needs child.

You wrote about being a teenaged mother of a handicapped child and the issues you faced raising your child.  How difficult was it being a child yourself and raising a child with special needs?

Being a teen-Mom of a handicapped child was the most difficult experience of my life. It took some time for me to accept teen-motherhood.  The fact that my child was handicapped and would always need care was an extra level of hardship that I had to overcome.

The focus of your book is your father and your desire to meet your father, a man whom you had never met.  Did you ever meet your father?

Yes, I did.  This is where it gets interesting.  There is a mystery surrounding where I found my father and the condition he was in when I found him.  Please get the book to read all about how I finally found him, it’s a thriller.

As you explain in your book, there were broken pieces and missing parts from your life.  Were you able to find what was missing from your life?

Yes, I did.  I found the plantation where my dead ancestors lived as slaves, brothers and a sister whom I didn’t know existed before I found my living father.  And most importantly, I found the answer to the most important question ever asked of me, which was where is your Father.  I can answer that question now.

You tell in the book that, your child was born with some health problems.  Where you ever told how your child’s condition occurred?

No, I was never told how it occurred but as I share in the book I didn’t receive prenatal care until I was several months pregnant. Readers can learn more about this when they read the book.

You Cannot Find Peace

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Genre - Christian/ Historical/Inspirational

Rating – G

Connect with Marie Maiden on Twitter

Friday, December 13, 2013

Author Interview – Kelly Lowe

Where do you get support from, do you have friends in the industry? My book has been favorably reviewed by the two leading periodicals in the field of Astrology, so I have met writers and reviewers that way. They have helped me raise my profile in general in the industry. I was very fortunate when I finally decided, or I should say was motivated, to write my book, “An Astrologer’s Journey,” in that I had the support of good friends.  For example, my yoga instructor, who is a very good writer herself, volunteered to edit and proof my work as I was writing.  She was also instrumental in helping me find a professional editor and publisher, with whom I became good friends.   He turned out to be a very inspirational and a motivating factor during my laborious, intense writing days. I don’t know that I would have stuck with it had it not been him.  There is something about have another person being involved or interested in your work that is motivating.

How much sleep do you need to be your best? Fortunately, I learned a long time ago to accept that I am a person who requires at least 8 to 9 hours sleep a night.  Many years ago when I had my first astrology reading, I learned that my Mars was in the sign of Pisces which was indication of a person who needed a lot of sleep.  I had always known that about myself; the astrology reading just validated it and helped to accept it.

I don’t beat myself up for it, nor do I try to keep up with people who don’t require as much sleep as I do.  I just accept that everyone has their own requirements.  What was really tuff when my son was born.  He was a child who required and still does require very little sleep.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support? I would say my mother was my biggest fan and supporter.  It wasn’t too long after my book was published that she passed away.  Fortunately, she was able to come to my first book signing.  Although she was never really into my astrology, she was completely supportive of me writing my book, “An Astrologer’s Journey.”  It didn’t really matter what I was writing about.  She was just so proud of the fact that I doing it.

She was actually very supportive of anything that I choose to do and in many cases she was right there helping me.  Although she was never a professional writer, I can always remember her journaling and keeping notes as we traveled when I was growing up.  Perhaps that is where I first became interesting writing.

How has your book benefited your career? I got some good advice early on to make the book a part of my entire package as an astrologer. I suppose the good reviews in big magazines helped but since my book came out I’ve become better known in my field, have done my workshops for bigger groups, and have been invited to places to speak, like San Francisco, where they had never even heard of me before the book came out. The book helps sell me as an astrological counselor and speaker, which in turn helps sell the book.

What motivated me to write my book? Although I have never considered myself to be a writer per se, I had always felt that I had something inside me that I wanted to share. I knew that I wanted to write a book to share my story some day. I just didn’t know when that day would be.

When my husband and I moved to the beach in 2002 I thought life would slow down and  it would be the perfect location to start my book.  But, life continued to be busy and there never seemed to be enough time or the right time to start writing it.

Then in 2010 my husband was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer.  After a very invasive surgery he faced the onset of lengthy chemotherapy treatment. I knew that this would definitely slow our lives down.  So I decided to take this time to throw myself into my writing.

As I began the process, I realized that I had actually been writing all of my life.  As a child I kept a diary and as I grew up I continued writing, only now it was called journaling. I wrote about my loves and heartbreaks and my travels, and when I started studying astrology I wrote about my observations of how the movement of planets impacted my life. After years of observing life in action and journaling about it, I knew what course the direction of my book was going to take.

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Genre – Memoir / Astrology

Rating –PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Kelly Lowe on Facebook

Website http://astrologytalk.com/

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Author Interview – Harriet Hodgson

What is your favorite color? I love blue and all shades of it.

What is your favorite place in the entire world? Being home with my husband.

What made you want to become a writer? I started out as a teacher and taught for a dozen years. When educational journals started publishing my articles, I decided to change careers and pursue writing. Today, as a grandmother, I have experiences and wisdom to share.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? I think it is style and write as if I was sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee with the reader.

Have you ever had writer’s block? Personally, I don’t believe in writer’s block. I think writers get tired, need to take a break, stretch a bit, eat something, and return to the job. Thankfully, my mind makes corrections in my sleep and I wake up in the morning with a message such as, “Paragraph two on page 35 isn’t clear.”

Walking-Woman-Cover-Reduced-JPEG

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Genre – Health / Wellness

Rating – G

Connect with Harriet W Hodgson on Twitter

Website http://harriethodgson.com/

#AmReading - Time Release by Martin J. Smith @martinsmith1121

Time Release by Martin J. Smith

Amazon

Pittsburgh, 1986: The city is gripped in a panic as a maniac slips poison onto pharmacy shelves. All of the evidence has pointed to Ron Corbett, but shoddy policework let Corbett off the hook, left the crime unsolved.
Ten years later, it’s happening again. This time, for the most personal of reasons, Detective Downing has made it his mission to see Corbett behind bars. He enlists the help of Jim Christensen, a psychologist who specializes in memory, to interview Corbett’s son, now a young man with a painful past and problems of his own. Does the boy remember his father poisoning pill containers? Has he blocked memories of a horrific crime spree enacted in his own house? As Christiansen explores the boy’s memory and Downing grows more obsessive investigating the case, both men fear that the killings now may not be as random as they once thought, and that unlocking memories may draw them too close to a vicious predator.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Rebekah’s Quilt by Sara Barnard @TheSaraBarnard

RebekahsQuilt

Who can Rebekah trust when the line between English and Amish becomes blurred?

An Amish Settlement. An English stranger. The Blizzard of 1888.

Rebekah’s mother, Elnora Stoll, is the finest quilter in all of Gasthof Village but it seems Rebekah has inherited none of her skill. It’s not until the arrival of a mysterious English stranger that a lifetime of questions are answered and Rebekah, her special friend Joseph Graber, and the entire settlement of Gasthof Village learn the true meaning of what it truly means to be Amish.

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Genre - Romantic Historical Fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Sara Barnard on Facebook & Twitter

Author Interview – Patti Larsen @PattiLarsen

What is your least favorite quality about yourself? I’m a chocolate addict. While I love the stuff, it’s my nemesis and if I could quit, I would. Maybe. Probably.

Snort. Who am I kidding?

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? Trust the Universe, Mike Dooley. I have it tatooed on my right foot. Because it is the only thing you need to know. Trust. Then leap.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? Becoming a full-time author who is actually making a living on my books. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, my very first passion. And I’m finally doing it.

What is your favorite color? Blue. All shades. There’s just something amazing about it, like it’s soul color.

What is your favorite food? I have to pick one? Chocolatepizzaburgerbutterchickenfries.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? My beautiful home, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Stunning red cliffs and beaches, deep green fields, fun and happy people who create as a way of life, not as an afterthought. I really love it here.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? I was a nerdy, geekgirl with a terrible self esteem. I lived in my head, with my characters from such a young age, it was more real to write and engage with the people of my imaginings than those in the real world.

With two extrovert sisters and a very charismatic mother, it was hard to be the quiet, melancholy one. Though I am very grateful for my geekiness now. And, as they say, trial and pain make better writing. I’m just glad the dark stuff is behind me, if not the nerdadge.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? I had never read any young adult before, raised on hard-core sci-fi and fantasy thanks to my father. But when a friend handed me a Nancy Drew mystery, I read it in two hours. Literally closed the book, looked up from it and told my parents I was going to write a book of my own.

What inspires you to write and why? My husband always tries to shush me when I say this out loud, but I ignore him. I don’t care if it sounds nuts. I hear voices. Loud and clear, badgering me almost constantly to tell their stories. Teenagers, mostly. Bossy bunch. But I wouldn’t give them up for anything.

What genre are you most comfortable writing? I have some adult and middle grade books in the pipeline, but for some reason my inner teenagers are the loudest. And until they decide their stories are told, I’ll be focusing on them.

Her mom’s a witch.
Her dad’s a demon.
And she just wants to be ordinary.

I batted at the curl of smoke drifting off the tip of my candle and tried not to sneeze. My heavy velvet cloak fell in oppressive, suffocating folds in the closed space of the ceremony chamber, the cowl trapping the annoying bits of puff I missed. I hated the way my eyes burned and teared, an almost constant distraction. Not that I didn’t welcome the distraction, to be honest. Anything to take my mind from what went on around me.

Being part of a demon raising is way less exciting than it sounds.

Sydlynn Hayle’s life couldn’t be more complicated. Trying to please her coven, starting over in a new town, and fending off a bully cheerleader who hates her are just the beginning of her troubles. What to do when delicious football hero Brad Peters–boyfriend of her cheer nemesis–shows interest? If only the darkly yummy witch, Quaid Moromond, didn’t make it so difficult for her to focus on fitting in with the normal kids. Add to that her crazy grandmother’s constant escapes driving her family to the brink and Syd’s between a rock and a coven site. Forced to take on power she doesn’t want to protect a coven who blames her for everything, only she can save her family’s magic.

If her family’s distrust doesn’t destroy her first.

· ”A great, inventive plot, a deeply flawed, self-deprecating, heroine, many wondrous sub-characters and a constantly-evolving world of madness and magic (with a goodly side order of teen angst thrown in!). What more could you want?” — Amazon reviewer Hobbitual

· ” Thank you Ms. Larsen, for an excellent read….please please please tell me there will be more about these characters!” — Amazon reviewer Michelle William

. “ …this book was incredible. I was sucked in from the very beginning. I fell in love with the characters. The plot twists and the way it was written kept me turning pages well into the night.” — Amazon reviewer Misty Harvey


Don’t miss the exciting sequels in the Hayle Coven Novels:Witch Hunt
Demon Child
The Wild
The Long Lost
Gatekeeper
Flesh and Blood
Full Circle
Divided Heart
First Plane
Light and Shadow
Queen of Darkness
Dark Promise
Unseelie Ties
Ancient Ways
The Undying
Shifting Loyalties

And Coming Soon:
Enforcer
Coven Leader
The Last Call

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA Urban Fantasy

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Patti Larsen on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.pattilarsen.com/

Author Interview – Steven O’Connor

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? Easy. Sticking at it.

Do you intend to make writing a career? Oh, if only.

Have you developed a specific writing style? Absolutely. To me, that’s what ‘voice’ is – a composite of a number of things, such as choice of syntax, content, theme, risks taken …

What is your greatest strength as a writer? My unpredictability. In my writing and in my plot. I hope so anyway.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? Nah. I’ve never had it because I don’t believe in it. Complete rubbish. Thank about it, what does that mean, writer’s block? I may not always be able to write what I want to write, or to the standard I am striving for, but I NEVER have not been able to write something. If anyone tells you they have writer’s block, just tell them you know the answer. All they have to do is sit down and start writing again.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? Do you mean my latest published book? It’s called MonuMental: The Hack’s Back and I absolutely loved writing it. I strove to make it as full of thrills, humor and thought-provoking ideas as I could. It features a number of the same characters and the world as described in EleMental: A First-person Shooter. But while I am still exploring a futuristic form of video gaming, this time instead of looking at addiction I am examining identity. The tagline, I think, says it all: ‘Do I exist or am I just a video game character? … In the future, things can get confusing.’

If interested, the book is available at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/MonuMental-The-Hacks-Back-ebook/dp/B00BK5ZOFA

Whether you buy it or not, I’d love you to check out the fabulous dragonbot on the cover!

Who designed the cover? Apart from the cover of my short story ebook (MotherCraft) which is based on a picture by my son, all of the artwork for my paperback and my two ebooks is by Aaron Pocock. I feel very lucky that he agreed when I approached him. His artwork is truly amazing.

Of all the art he has created based on my story ideas, I think he most enjoyed depicting the dragonbot from MonuMental (dragonbot, you ask? yep, half dragon, half robot). Totally off his own bat, he produced a YouTube video of himself drawing the dragonbot: http://stevenoconnorwriting.com/creating-a-monumental-dragonbot-2/

And I also sincerely recommend you check out his website and fabulous artwork, you won’t regret it. His site is called That Space Between and you can access it here: http://aaronpocock.wordpress.com/category/aaron-pocock/

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Genre – Young Adult / Science Fiction

Rating –PG

More details about the author

Connect with Steven O’Connor on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://stevenoconnorwriting.com/

Monday, December 9, 2013

The King of Sunday Morning by J.B. McCauley @MccauleyJay

 

King of Sunday Morning

The King of Sunday Morning is a geezer. Not in the traditional sense of the word as in old man. This geezer is a face, a wannabe, a top notch bloke. He is the greatest DJ that never was. He should have been. Could have been. Would have been. Now becoming a has-been.

Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.

But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.

Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.

“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”

THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, FREQUENT DRUG USE AND SEX SCENES – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE

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Genre – Thriller, Action, Suspense, Gangster, Crime, Music

Rating – PG-18

More details about the author and the book

Connect with J.B. McCauley on Facebook & Twitter

Author Interview – Shanna Hatfield @ShannaHatfield #thechristmascowboy

Image of Shanna Hatfield

How do you write – laptop, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

Most of my writing time is spent at the computer in my home office, sitting at a desk. If I’m traveling, I write on my laptop. In moments of desperation, I’ll take notes on any writeable surface. I keep notepads and pens in our vehicles and a mini notebook in my purse.

How much sleep do you need to be your best?

Seven to eight hours. Any less than that and it’s not pretty. I am, however, a morning person and generally get up bright and early.

Tell us about your new book? What’s it about and why did you write it?

The Christmas Cowboy is the story of Tate Morgan, a saddle bronc rider on his quest to earn a World Champion title, and Kenzie Beckett, a corporate trainer for a direct sales company. The idea for the story popped into my head last year when my husband (Captain Cavedweller) and I were at the airport in Las Vegas waiting for our flight home after the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Watching all the cowboys in the airport made me think about the people professional rodeo athletes meet throughout the course of the year during their travels. I started to think about what could happen if a cowboy met a girl in an airport and experienced love at first sight. The story begins with Tate sitting down next to Kenzie at an airport as they wait for a flight. He strikes up a conversation and lays on the charm and they next thing she knows, she’s giving him a kiss for luck as they go their separate ways

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?

I love to read and try to sneak in a little reading time every day. I also love to bake and enjoy cooking. I used to be a consultant for a direct sales company that sold products for entertaining at home (like serving pieces, home décor), so I really got into themed gatherings and taking our home entertaining to a new level. Party planning is a something I greatly enjoy.

How often do you write? And when do you write?

I try to write something every single day. I maintain two blogs on a mostly daily basis so even if I’m not working on a book, I am at least writing something through blog posts. I like to write in the mornings because that’s the most productive time of day for me, although when I’m involved in writing a book, I’ll write until late evening if the words are flowing on the page.

The Christmas Cowboy

"10% of the net proceeds from all my book sales December 1-24 will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund®"

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Romance (contemporary western)

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Shanna Hatfield on Facebook and Twitter

Website http://shannahatfield.com

Sunday, December 8, 2013

#AmReading - Betrothal by Mande Matthews @MandeMatthews

Betrothal by Mande Matthews

Amazon

BETROTHAL: Seventeen year old Lady Guinevere holds the crown to an ancient kingdom. Without brothers to ascend the throne, marriage to her will assure any man the right to rule.
Arthur Pendragon has won his power through battle. His legions have elected him their king and protector but he seeks to legitimize his claim to High King through marrying Guinevere.
Lancelot, a valiant knight with a broken past, is driven by his desire to protect those in need. He's joined Arthur's forces because he believes in Arthur's dream of peace for a war-torn country.
But Lancelot possesses something that Arthur can never win...Guinevere's heart.
QUEEN'S HONOR is told from the point of view of a young Guinevere as she is caught between the responsibility of her crown and the desires of her heart. This fantasy romance is imbued with Celtic lore and magic, as Guinevere discovers she holds an ancient power--a power of the old ones, the Druids. But without a reliable guide to develop her power, she finds herself caught in a dangerous web of ambition and manipulation. Queen's Honor puts a fresh spin on an age-old tale of love and honor.
Betrothal is a 70 page novella. Queen's Honor will be told in episodic books meant to be read in a few hours each. What's an episodic book? It's formatted like your favorite television show or a miniseries where an overall story is broken down into smaller, self-contained stories. Each novella is a story by itself, yet the continuing characters will return for new stories that tie to an overall story-line. For those who don't have time for longer books, this is a great shorter read, while those who love longer books will get the benefit of more episodes and a deepening story through multiple episodes.

The Curse Giver by Dora Machado @DoraMachado

Curse Giver

Lusielle’s bleak but orderly life as a remedy mixer is shattered when she is sentenced to die for a crime she didn’t commit. She’s on the pyre, about to be burned, when a stranger breaks through the crowd and rescues her from the flames. Brennus, Lord of Laonia is the last of his line. He is caught in the grip of a mysterious curse that has murdered his kin, doomed his people and embittered his life. To defeat the curse, he must hunt a birthmark and kill the woman who bears it in the foulest of ways. Lusielle bears such a mark. Stalked by intrigue and confounded by the forbidden passion flaring between them, predator and prey must come together to defeat not only the vile curse, but also the curse giver who has already conjured their demise.

Award-Winning Finalist in the fantasy category of The 2013 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Rating – PG-18

More details about the author

Connect with Dora Machado on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.doramachado.com/