2012 Challenges, Challenge, Mailbox Monday, Monday Memes, Musing Mondays

Monday Memes

CMash January 23, 2012 10 Comments

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
Why do you think that the Young Adult genre is so popular with even the adult readers? Do you read YA books, yourself?
My answer:
Ironically, I have been thinking the same thing myself over the past few weeks. As some of you know, I am a partner in Partners In Crime Tours, a virtual tour PR company for authors of mystery, suspense and crime novels. We have become very busy, which is a good thing, however, because of that and not wanting to over work our awesome hosts, I have been visiting a lot of blogs to read their policies to see if they might be interested in the genre we represent to send an invitation,

And I am AMAZED at how many YA blogs there are. It’s like a whole different ~~neighborhood~~, ~~community~~,~~state,~~ planet of blogs. I, for one, do not read YA only because I have this preconceived notion that Iwould not be able to relate to the characters or premise of the books. I have, however, like the question states, wondered why so many adults do read this genre. Am I missing out on some good reading because it is out of my comfort zone? But then I look at my TBR bookcase and think, I have enough books that are in my comfort zone just waiting patiently to be chosen to be my “current read”.

January is being hosted by At Home with Books

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

The Story Plant Author (WOW)

Hosted by Michelle from The True Book Addict

I am participating in the Winter Respite Read-A-Thon of 2012. Wish me luck because it never seems to fail that whenever I sign up for one, real life tends to interfere, matter of fact it already has. Of course, life’s obligations are always a priority over hobby, but I will try to do my best. I will keep a daily approximation of how many hours I put into my reading. Want to join? Click on above and it will bring you to Michelle’s sign up post. Read-A-Thon starts today and ends Jan 29th so that gives us a lot of time to read and make dents in those TBR piles. Good Luck if you have already signed up.

Giveaway, Hachette Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “GIRL LAND” by CAITLIN FLANAGAN ENDED

CMash January 20, 2012 14 Comments

JANUARY 20th to FEBRUARY 3rd, 2012

GIRL LAND

by CAITLIN FLANAGAN

SYNOPSIS:

Caitlin Flanagan’s essays about marriage, sex, and families have sparked national debates. Now she turns her attention to girls: the biological and cultural milestones for girls today, and how they shape a girl’s sense of herself.
The transition from girl to woman is an experience that has changed radically over the generations: everything from how a girl learns about her period to how she expects to be treated by boys and men. Girls today observe these passages very differently, and yet the landmarks themselves have remained remarkably constant-proof, Flanagan believes, of their significance. In a world where protections of girls’ privacy and personal freedom seem to disappear every day, the ultimate challenge modern parents face is finding a way to defend both.

Caitlin Flanagan’s GIRL LANDis perfect for moms revisiting their childhoods and moms whose daughters have or will experience the same life stages, recounted in Flanagan’s frank, provocative, and undeniably womanist voice.

THANKS TO ANNA, AND THE AWESOME FOLKS

AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP

I HAVE THREE ( 3 ) COPIES OF THIS
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.

*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: NAME ONE THING THAT YOU

THINK GIRLS OF TODAY ARE FACED WITH

THAT YOU WEREN’T WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG GIRL?*

*EXTRA ENTRIES*

*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS

BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.

*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**PER PUBLISHER**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

*GIVEAWAY ENDS FEBRUARY 3rd AT 6PM EST*

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

DISCLAIMER / RULES

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in
exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are
ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed

Aloha Friday

CMash January 20, 2012 12 Comments

Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTION:
Do you have a “comfort food”? And what is it?
MY ANSWER:
Ice cream.

2012 Challenges, Book Review, Guest Author

Guest Author Peter Leonard Review

CMash January 19, 2012 8 Comments

Today I am thrilled for a few reasons. Thanks to Mr. Lou Aronica of The Story Plant, who publishes many authors that I have grown fond of and enjoy reading, has given me the privilege and honor to host today’s guest as he begins his virtual tour with Partners In Crime Tours, and who now has been added to that list of esteemed writers that I look forward to escaping into the pages of their latest novels. After reading the book that he will be discussing today, I am looking forward to his future novels. So please help me welcome Mr. Peter Leonard.

ABOUT PETER LEONARD

Peter Leonard’s debut novel, QUIVER, was published to international acclaim in 2008 (“A spectacular debut…you will be holding your breath until the final page.”– The New York Sun). It was followed by TRUST ME in 2009 (“TRUST ME is fast, sly and full of twists.” – Carl Hiaasen, New York Times bestselling author). The Story Plant will publish Leonard’s newest novel, ALL HE SAW WAS THE GIRL, in the spring of 2012.

You can visit Peter Leonard at his website here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The year is 1971. The place is Detroit. Harry Levin, a scrap metal dealer and Holocaust survivor, has just learned that his daughter was killed in a car accident. Traveling to Washington, DC to claim the body, he learns that the accident was caused by a German diplomat who was driving drunk. This is only the beginning of the horror for Harry, though, as he discovers that the diplomat will never face charges – he has already been released and granted immunity. Enraged and aggrieved, Harry discovers the identity of his daughter’s killer, follows him to Munich, and hunts him down. What Harry finds out about the diplomat and his plans will explode his life and the lives of everyone around him.

Brimming with action and dark humor, Voices of the Dead, firmly positions Peter Leonard as a writer ever suspense fan needs to read.

Read an excerpt:

Hess found out the woman lived on P Street in Georgetown, not far from the consulate. He told the ambassador he was having dinner with potential clients, and wanted to drive himself. It was unorthodox, but plausible. He had been issued one of the embassy’s Mercedes sedans. He stopped at a bookstore and bought a map of the area, and located P Street. He drove there and saw the Goldman residence, a federal-style brick townhouse.

Hess went to a restaurant and had dinner and a couple drinks. At ten o’clock he drove back, parked around the corner on 32nd Street between two other vehicles so the license plate was not visible to anyone driving by. He walked to the Goldmans’, stood next to a tree in front of the three-storey townhouse. There were lights on the first floor. He walked to the front door and rang the buzzer. He could hear footsteps and voices inside. A light over the door went on. Hess stood in the open so whoever it was would see he was well dressed. The door opened, a man standing there, assumed he was Dr. Mitchell Goldman, dark hair, big nose, mid-forties, top of the shirt unbuttoned, exposing a gold chain and a five-pointed star. Hess smiled. “My car is on the fritz. May I use your phone to call a tow truck?”

Dr. Goldman stared at him with concern.

“I am staying just down the street at the consulate,” Hess said, smiling. Now the door opened and he stepped into the elegant foyer, chandelier overhead, marble floor.

“Mitch, who is it?” a woman said from a big open room to his right.

Dr. Goldman looked in her direction. “Guy’s having car trouble, wants to use the phone.”

“It’s ten o’clock at night.”

“He’ll just be a minute,” the dentist said.

Hess could see the woman sitting on a couch, watching television.

“The phone’s in here.” The dentist started to move.

Hess drew the Luger from the pocket of his suit jacket,and aimed it at Goldman.

The dentist put his hands up. “Whoa. Easy.”

“Who is in the house?”

“Just the two of us.”

“Are you expecting anyone?”

He shook his head.

“Tell her to come in here,” Hess said.

“What do you want? You want money?” He took his wallet out and handed it to him. “There’s eight hundred dollars in there.”

“Call her,” Hess said.

“Hon, come here, will you?”

“I’m watching ‘All in the Family.’ Can you wait till the commercial?”

Hess could hear people laughing on the television.

“Just for a minute,” the dentist said.

Hess saw her stand up and step around a low table in front of the couch, moving across the room, still looking back at the television. She turned her head as she entered the foyer and saw him holding the gun. Her hair looked darker in the dim light but he had only seen her briefly that day.

“Oh-my-god,” she said, hands going up to her face.

“We’re reasonable people,” the dentist said. “Tell us what you want.”

“The pleasure of your company,” Hess said. “Where is the cellar?”

MY REVIEW

VOICES OF THE DEAD by Peter Leonard

Published by The Story Plant

ISBN-10: 1611880327

ISBN-13: 978-1611880328

At the request of The Story Plant, an EBook Edition was sent at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from publisher): The year is 1971. The place is Detroit. Harry Levin, a scrap metal dealer and Holocaust survivor, has just learned that his daughter was killed in a car accident. Traveling to Washington, DC to claim the body, he learns that the accident was caused by a German diplomat who was driving drunk. This is only the beginning of the horror for Harry, though, as he discovers that the diplomat will never face charges – he has already been released and granted immunity. Enraged and aggrieved, Harry discovers the identity of his daughter’s killer, follows him to Munich, and hunts him down. What Harry finds out about the diplomat and his plans will explode his life and the lives of everyone around him.Brimming with action and dark humor, Voices of the Dead, firmly positions Peter Leonard as a writer ever suspense fan needs to read.

My Thoughts and Opinion: I feel I need to start this review with a caveat because even I was surprised by my thoughts and opinion of this book. If I was to solely choose this book based on the synopsis for my personal library, without the request for review, I would most likely have not picked this one up as I tend not to enjoy espionage thrillers. However, with this book, I would have missed out on a great read.

The book pulled me in quickly with the car accident and death of Harry Levin’s daughter. From that moment on, the action begins, the suspense ramps up, and the books holds you to the very last page. It takes you from Detroit to Germany to Miami during the years of 1971 and shares the memories of Harry when he was a 14 year old boy, who watches his parents executed by the Nazi regime but was one that was able to escape the atrocities of that time. The characters come to life. The settings are conveyed so that detailed imagery can be formed in one’s mind, especially of the years of 1940s. Mr. Leonard’s writing style is flawless, and the type of read that I call, a “one more chapter” and before you know it, you have read 5 more chapters. What I found amazing, was that a book with a premise of a horrific time in our history, Mr. Leonard could interweave some humor without being disrespectful.

As the synopsis states, who is this diplomat Hess, that has been given immunity, for an accident that was his fault and that resulted in the death of a young and vibrant daughter of Harry Levin? Why does this man Hess look familiar to Harry? Harry is so distraught over his daughter’s passing, he travels to Germany, where Hess resides, and what he finds, is bigger than he imagined. More deaths? But why? The hunt begins.

Highly recommend!!!!!

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,

in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive

are ever sold…they are kept by me,

or given to family and/or friends.

(2012 Challenges: Romantic/Suspense, EBooks, ARC, Mystery/Suspense, Off The Shelf, Serial Killers, Free Reads, Where Are You, A-Z, Merely Mystery, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

Booking Thru Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

CMash January 19, 2012 6 Comments

http://btt2.wordpress.com

This week’s question:
I saw this article the other day that asked, “Are you ashamed of skipping parts of books?” Which, naturally, made me want to ask all of YOU.
Do you skip ahead in a book? Do you feel badly about it when you do?
My Answer:
I can honestly say that I don’t. What would the purpose be? If it is to see the ending, then I would think that it would just take away from the pleasure of the whole story line. Or, if it is is because, you just don’t like the book, then for me, it would end at my 50 page limit and go in my DNF pile. Why would I care how it turns out if it didn’t grab me from the start?

What about you…are you a skipper of pages? Why or why not?

W.W.W. Wednesdays

W.W.W. Wednesday

CMash January 18, 2012 4 Comments

Hosted by Miz B atShould Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Guest Author

Guest Author Joel Andre

CMash January 18, 2012 1 Comment

I am quite excited about today’s guest. Matter of fact, it is an honor for me that he is visiting, talking about his latest novel and has given me the opportunity to interview him because he is one BUSY guy!!. Besides writing novels and working, he is also a reviewer for Partners In Crime Tours. So without further ado, please help me welcome, Mr. Joel Andre.

ABOUT JOEL ANDRE

Joel M. Andre was born January 13, 1981. At a young age he was fascinated with the written word. It was at fourteen that Poe blew his mind, and Andre began to dabble with darker poetry.

Between the years of 1999 and 2007 Joel was featured in various poetry anthologies and publications. In 2008 he released his first collection,Pray the Rain Never Ends.

Knowing there was something deeper and darker inside of his soul, Joel decided to take a stab at commercialism. Releasing the dark tongue in cheek, A Death at the North Pole, created a dark world among the death of Kris Kringle. Ultimately providing a tale of redemption.

October of 2008 saw Joel release his second book, Kill 4 Me. A tale in which a woman is haunted by a vengeful spirit through text messages and instant messaging.

Taking some time off and doing a lot of soul searching, Joel took things in a new direction and dabbled in the Fantasy Genre with, The Pentacle of Light. The tale dealing with five major races battling for control of Earth, and the acceptance of their God.

Finally, after missing his detective Lauren Bruni, he released the book The Return in October 2009, this time moving the action from the North Pole and placing it in the small Arizona community he was raised in.
Andre’s latest book is The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen about a dead man who seeks revenge on the woman that tormented him in peaceful Northern Arizona.

Currently, he resides in Chandler, AZ.
You can visit his website at www.joelmandre.info

INTERVIEW

*Where and what do you draw from for the premise of your books?
I let my imagination run wild with my books. Usually, a concept will come to me and I will build on it. In some cases, a title will come to me and I will build off the title.

*What kind of research do you actually do for your books?
I spent quite a bit of time researching locations, psychology and police procedures to ensure that my books have some validity to them.

*Do you draw from real life experiences?
I can answer this question with a no. Since I write horror with violent deaths, it would be a very bad thing if I was pulling the content from real life.

*Are your characters all purely fictional or do you use people that you know and build from there?
All my characters are purely fictional. I would hate to have something bad to happen to someone I know in a book as it puts it out there to the world.

*Who are your favorite authors?
Stephen King, Anne Rice and Poe. I will read a mixture of other authors as well, but those three really have never let me down over the years.

*What are you reading now?
J.A. Jance – Fatal Error

*Do you write every day? How many hours?
Since I work for www.needanarticle.com, I spend almost all day, every day writing. I do try to devote a few hours a day to my own personal stuff though. That way, I am able to continue putting out new content. I think my experience writing online content for others has helped to boost the quality of my writing and I have had the chance to learn about new topics that I can use in my books.

*Have you ever had the dreaded writer’s block? If so, what helped you to bypass it?
I think every writer has experienced this. I just write useless filler until I get past it and then revisit what I was working on. Sometimes, the filler draws out new ideas for future books.
Thank you Joel for visiting.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Synopsis (borrowed from B&N):
Detective Lauren Bruni has dealt with death for her entire life. She has watched it ruin lives, and brought people closer together. Her job taught her to separate fact from fiction. But on a cold December day, all Lauren had believed in would be shattered and tossed aside. Thrust in a world unlike any she has seen before, she investigates a prominent figure’s grisly murder, and searches for answers along a strange new set of people. With a killer watching her every move in the background ready to strike again at a moments notice. What is the secret of the death at the North Pole, and what is the larger horror at hand? Life lessons are learned and a realization that sometimes the most real things in this world, are the ones we believe in the least.

Guest Author

Guest Author Paul H. Magid

CMash January 17, 2012 2 Comments

Nicole from Tribute Books is starting 2012 by introducing us to an amazing and inspirational author. So without further ado, please help welcome, Mr. Paul H. Magid as our guest today.

ABOUT PAUL H. MAGID

Paul H. Magid started writing his debut novel, Lifting the Wheel of Karma, twenty-five years ago while still in high school. It took him so long to complete because he tried repeatedly to abandon it, but the work refused to be forsaken. Eventually he realized that sharing this story with the world was, in fact, his Dharma.

Along the way he has worked as a Wall Street financial analyst, a waiter (not a very good one), a Hollywood Agent Trainee, a real estate developer, a summer day camp director, an award winning screenwriter, and independent filmmaker—including his autobiographical film, A Life Unfinished, which screened in The Hamptons International Film Festival.

GUEST POST

Topic: researching and/or concept for premise of book.

Research takes much more legwork than premise, but it’s also hands down the easier of the two. In the case of my novel, LIFTING THE WHEEL OF KARMA, I knew I needed multiple forms of research, because I chose not only an unfamiliar locale of a horse ranch in Montana, but also predominantly in another country with over 5,000 years of history and culture.

For me, for research to be “authentic”, it must have hands on, first person experience to come alive. Just as a person who learns a foreign language only from books will always speak only an “academic” version of the language, lacking in its true texture, idioms, colloquialisms, and lively nature, I believe research is best experienced as well as studied.

For India, I read dozens and dozens and dozens of books –everything from history, to religious texts, to mythologies, to social constructs, but I knew this would only at best form an accurate foundation. No matter how many books I read, nothing compared to actually living for months in India with little more than a backpack and a Lonely Planet guidebook.

Feeling the heavy heat and intoxicating spices that filled the air only came alive by being there, and I think it’s urgently important for an author to know first hand how to convey a new environment to properly enable a reader to embark vicariously on a journey.

The same truths applied to Montana. I was lucky enough to find an amazing and authentic mentor who knew what my needs were and selflessly taught me what I needed to know.

Setting the premise of a book in infinitely harder, because once that has been established by the author, every fiber of the story must work tirelessly to achieve that goal. I think that’s one of the reasons my novel took me twenty-five years to write. It wasn’t just the amount of research required, but I knew that I had chosen a premise of such depth, that it would not be easy to properly convey.

For me, every moment of the twenty-five years it took to write LIFTING THE WHEEL OF KARMA was worth it, because readers and reviewers around the world have universally lauded how much the story touched them emotionally and how much they enjoyed reading it, sometimes more than once.
You can find Mr. Magid at the following sites:
website, Facebook, Lifting the Wheel of Karma FB, Tribute Books Blog Tours FB, Lifting the Wheel of Karma blog tour site

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Profound Spiritual Journey of Extraordinary Healing and Redemption

Joseph Connell is a gifted high school athlete from Montana, loved deeply by his family, yet tormented by nightmarish visions he can neither explain nor escape.

He believes the answer to what threatens to crush him can be found in the knowledge possessed by a mystical old wise man, who lives deep within the remote Himalayas of India.

If Joseph is ever to find the peace he so desperately seeks, he must get this wise old man to reveal what he truly knows, but that will not be easy…for this sage knows far more than he admits.

A modern tale that harkens back to the myths of antiquity. It takes you on a remarkable journey, while exploring the themes of healing, redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, and ultimately…peace within.

Paperback
Price: $15.00
ISBN: 9780984016068
Pages: 192
Release: September 23, 2011

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984016066?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com buy link
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&offerid=229293.9780984016068&type=2&subid=0

eBook
Price: $9.99

Kindle buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TJ3I4C?tag=tributebooks-20

THANKS TO AUTHOR PAUL H. MAGID,
I HAVE THREE (3) COPIES OF
THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.