Guest Author, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

Guest Author David Carnoy

CMash January 12, 2013 1 Comment

Are you like me, during these cold and long days of winter, whereas you want to get warm and comfy and read a good book? Well, if so, here’s a book to read. Author, David Carnoy, is stopping by to visit, as he starts his VT with Partners In Crime Tours. Please help me in welcoming David to CMash Reads!!!!

DAVID CARNOY

While David Carnoy lives in New York City with his wife and children, his novels take place in Silicon Valley, where he grew up and went to high school (Palo Alto). His debut novel, Knife Music (2010), was a Top-10 bestseller on the Kindle and also a bestseller on the Nook. More medical thriller than high-tech thriller, to research the novel Carnoy spent a lot of time talking with doctors, visiting trauma centers, and trailed a surgeon at a hospital in Northern California to help create the book’s protagonist, Dr. Ted Cogan.
The Big Exit (2012) isn’t a sequel to Knife Music per se. However, a few of the characters from Knife Music figure prominently in the story. His second novel has more of a high-tech slant and reflects Carnoy’s experiences as an executive editor at CNET.com, where he currently works and is trying resolve his obsession with consumer electronics products. He went to college at Wesleyan University and has an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University.
Visit David at his website here or these other sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

By the acclaimed author of the remarkable debut novel, Knife Music, The Big Exit is a suspenseful crime novel that keeps the surprises coming right up to the end. Richie Forman is freshly out of prison. By night, he makes a living impersonating Frank Sinatra in San Francisco’s lounges and corporate parties. But then his ex-best friend—the man who stole his fiancée while he was in prison—is found hacked to death in his garage, and Richie is the prime suspect. In a murder mystery with the twists and turns of a microchip, Carnoy weaves his characters like a master. He has written an authentic, unputdownable thriller that is sure to chill and delight.
Purchase links: AMAZON link Barnes & Noble link

Read an excerpt:

1/THE PERFECT CANDIDATEA month before Beth Hill made her 911 call, the job posted on Craigslist.

Case assistant. Exoneration Foundation.

He’d been looking for weeks, but this was the first listing that really jumped out at him, truly suited him, and that he thought he had a shot at.

“Candidates must have strong analytic skills, attention to detail, commitment to social justice,” the ad read. “Interest in criminal justice issues, collegial and collaborative work style are a must, candidates should be skilled in writing and presenting information clearly and succinctly and dealing with emotionally charged situations professionally.”

Check, check, and check.

So there he was ten days later sitting on a worn black leather sofa, wearing a navy pinstripe suit that he’d picked up at a thrift shop. It hung off him a little loosely. He’d walked from his apartment. He was downtown, in SoMa—South of Market—on Third Street, in a small, cheerless reception area that didn’t look so different from the waiting areas of the state and city agencies he’d been obliged to visit in recent months.

The Exoneration Foundation.

He’d known about the place before he saw the ad. Some called it the “court of last resort,” but the foundation preferred a different, less dramatic description. It was a nonprofit, pro-bono legal clinic that represented prisoners whose wrongful convictions might be over- turned through biological evidence, the kind that was overlooked, misinterpreted, or botched in one way or another.

The founder was an attorney named Marty Lowenstein, a preeminent DNA expert. To prison inmates he was simply known as the DNA Dude. That’s what they called him. “Get the DNA Dude on it,” was their mantra for every guy who claimed he was actually innocent. “Dial that mofo up. He’ll get your actual ass off.” Fucking idiots. No one believed it.

Marty Lowenstein was a do-gooder. An actual one. The poor, the forgotten, the innocent schmuck on death row, the royally screwed were his meat. The irony was that he owed his reputation to representing a handful of rich pricks in high-profile cases that got big spreads in Vanity Fair. Those people you didn’t always exonerate. You got them off. You created reasonable doubt. But you didn’t get to walk a guy out of prison after twenty-two years for a crime the evidence clearly showed he didn’t commit and maybe even someone else had copped to in the meantime. That was exoneration. Lowenstein got off on it.

Richie Forman looked around. His suit fit right in. There was something a decade or two passé about the décor, a little off, a little tired. The furniture had obviously once served in another office, probably a corporate law firm.

Smack at ten, the receptionist, a young black woman with straightened hair, said the case director was coming out, she’d see him now. That got his heart going. You’re going to crush this, he thought. This one’s yours.

A moment later, a heavyset Hispanic woman with a pleasant face came out and greeted him. Her name was Lourdes Hinojosa, and after she shook his hand, she walked him back to her office. She looked fairly young, early forties, but she had a pair of reading glasses on a chain around her neck that made her look older, especially when she put them on to scan his résumé.

He sat there anxiously watching her. As she read, she nodded a couple of times but made no comment. The silence made him nervous. He crossed, then uncrossed his legs. Finally, she took off her glasses and looked at him with a renewed intensity.

“Richard—”

“Rick,” he said. “You can call me Rick.”

“Okay, sorry. Rick. I see you were in marketing at a dot-com.”

“Yes.”

“I suppose you’re looking for a more noble calling. You understand,

though, that the case assistant position is an entry-level position.”

She obviously had seen his type before—or at least the type she thought he was.

“Yes, I know. But—”

“We get a lot of people applying for this who are right out of college, including schools back East,” she said, referencing his résumé. “You’ll be doing a lot of grunt work. When was the last time you did grunt work?”

He almost said “yesterday,” but he held his tongue. He was prepared for this, the not-so-subtle age discrimination. He looked good for thirty- seven—but not that good.

“You might want to look again, Ms. Hinojosa. I was in marketing—but a long time ago.”

She put her glasses back on and looked at the sheet.

“Oh,” she said, reading the dates more carefully. “Wow. Seven years.”

She looked at him again. “What have you been doing since then?”

“Time,” he said.

Her eyes opened wide.

“Out in gold country,” he added. “Mule Creek.”

“You’ve been in prison?”

“Yes.”

He noticed her eyes zeroing in on the long scar on the right upper side of his forehead. He could have hidden the blemish better, but he kept his dark hair slicked back and parted to the other side—the left. The style was a little short to be a true pompadour, but it was longer on top and had some wave to it. She’d noticed the scar when he was in the outer office but probably thought it was some sort of athletic injury.

Now it seemed to take on new meaning for her.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what did you do?”

“Technically speaking, in the eyes of the court, I was responsible for the death of a twenty-four-year-old woman. Felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.”

“Oh.”

“But there were extenuating circumstances.”

He reached in his bag and pulled out a small sheaf of papers that he’d stapled together. They were mostly news clips, but he also had a couple reference letters thrown in at the end, both of them from the owners of restaurants where he’d worked recently.

He handed the packet to her. “In the interest of full disclosure, I thought you should have this.”

She leafed through the clips, starting with the San Francisco Chronicle piece that would forever label the post-bachelor party accident the “Bachelor Disaster,” then moved on to the San Jose Mercury News’s similarly provocative headline, TRADING PLACES, with the subhead, “Bachelor Party Boy Says He Wasn’t Behind Wheel, Friend Switched Seats After Accident.” There were pieces from the local papers, too, covering the trial and subsequent civil lawsuit.

“I vaguely remember this,” she murmured, her eyes betraying conflicting emotions: she seemed partly empathetic, partly perturbed.

“As you might imagine,” he said, “I feel uniquely qualified for the position. How many recent college graduates do you know who can say they have a corporate background and the kind of personal experience I have with this foundation’s potential clients?”

She didn’t seem to know quite how to respond. Perhaps she expected him to smile after he made his declaration, inject it with a little humor, but he didn’t. He said it with a straight face, deadly serious.

For good measure, he added: “I also have a keen understanding of what it’s like to be in a place where you don’t think you should be.”

She looked at his scar again. Then, touching the side of her forehead in the same spot, she asked:

“Did you get that in prison?”

“Yes.” He pointed to a smaller scar just under his left eyebrow. “This one, too. But on the basketball court.”

Before he was sent away, he’d been in decent shape. He ran twice a week and played some pickup games at the Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto. In the joint, though, he’d gotten ripped. He was putting up close to three hundred on the bench, which, for a guy his size— five-eleven, one seventy-five—was serious. And since getting out, he’d mostly kept up his workout regimen. The fact that he could wear the Boss suit, a size fifty, was a testament to that. Before he went up, he was two sizes smaller.

“I had six bad months behind bars, Ms. Hinojosa,” he said. “The rest wasn’t cake. But it was manageable. I helped some guys. I wrote some of the letters you probably received at one time or another. I have, as your ad says, an understanding of criminal justice issues.”

She nodded.

“And you also understand that the starting salary for the job is twenty- seven thousand dollars?”

“That’s better than I thought.”

“How much were you making before you went to prison?”

“In a good year, counting stock and bonus, multiply by ten.”

Now he did smile. And she did, too.

“Long gone,” he said. “Whatever wasn’t taken up in legal fees went to the accident victims’ families.”

Seeing her confusion, he quickly added: “A second woman was injured. Her roommate.”

“Not your fault, though. You were innocent?”

“I didn’t say that. There were extenuating circumstances.”

With that, she looked at his résumé again.

“Well, Mr. Forman,” she said. “You certainly meet the qualifications. But ultimately, I have to run this past a few other people. We have two case coordinators, one of whom isn’t here today, and a second case assistant who you’d share an office with.”

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “I’ll volunteer for a couple of weeks. You keep interviewing all the recent college grads you want. You’re not going to find anybody more grateful to do grunt work. In that folder, I’ve included my parole officer’s info, as well as the manager at a restaurant in Sacramento where I worked. I encourage you to talk to them.”

She considered his request.

“We wouldn’t be able to pay you.”

“That’s okay. I work nights. I have an income.”

“What do you do?”

“I sing. Mostly at parties. Corporate gatherings. Sometimes at the wax museum at Fisherman’s Wharf. Did a Bar Mitzvah last week.”

“What do you sing?”

“Sinatra.”

“What else?”

“Just Sinatra.”

She raised an eyebrow, not quite believing him.

“I’m a Sinatra impersonator.”

She laughed, and then looked down at his résumé again, stalling.

“Ms. Hinojosa,” he went on, “you know damn well how hard it is for a guy like me to get a corporate job, even a low-paying one. Eventually, I want to start my own company. But today I’m just looking to get back in the game somewhere. If I have to start from the bottom, I at least want to do it at a place like this, where I’m personally invested in the mission.”

She stared at him for a moment

before her mouth gradually broke into a smile. “I suppose you’d be willing to start Monday.”

“Or now,” he said.

“Monday’s okay.”

He stood up and shook her hand. The interview was over. He’d crushed it.

“Monday it is then,” he said.

Follow David’s tour here where you can enter to win a copy of The Big Exit

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.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Guest Author, Showcase, Tribute Books

Guest Author Ken Dalton and Giveaway

CMash January 11, 2013 1 Comment

Our friend Nicole from Tribute Books is back to visit and today she has another author that she would like to introduce us to. So without further ado, Mr. Ken Dalton!!

KEN DALTON

Ken Dalton was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.
Visit Mr. Dalton at his website, Facebook and GoodReads.

GUEST POST

CM: From what and/or where did you decide on this particular plot? Personal experiences?
How much and what type of research did you have to do for this novel?
Where do the plots for my mysteries come from? To be honest, plots are everywhere. What I have learned to do is recognize the obvious.

KD: Before I penned The Tartan Shroud, my wife and I flew to Scotland for an extended visit.

The first time I walked down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, I recalled Yogi Berra famous quote, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” I felt as if I had been there before. Most of the people passing me on the sidewalk had red hair and freckles, on their arms and faces. As the only kid in my family with red hair and freckles, you cannot imagine how it felt to discover there was a place in this world where I was a member of the majority.

But I was in Scotland to research a new location for my latest Pinky and Bear adventure, so after absorbing the local color of Edinburgh, we traveled to Pitlochry in the midlands.

While playing a round of golf at the Pitlochry Golf Club, (I didn’t say location research was all work) I crossed a wee burn (that’s a little creek to American’s) and the murder scene of The Tartan Shroud popped into my head. From that point on, my golf game suffered because the part of my brain that should have been concentrating on my swing was spinning through potential plot twists and turns.

A couple of days later, I spotted the dam that created Loch Faskally and the second puzzle piece of the plot fit into place.

Before we left Pitlochry and drove north into the highlands, we toured Blair Castle. While I wandered through the opulent rooms and confined corridors, the concluding chapters came into focus.

Now I had my plot, but I knew that I would need assistance from someone in Scotland who could guide me through the troubled waters of Scottish police procedures, and Scottish law. I found that man in Sergeant William MacFarlane. After some correspondence via snail mail, Willie took me under his wing, answered every question, and he even made suggestions in some sections of the manuscript where I had a problem concerning the proper police title.

So there you have it. That is how I developed the plot for The Tartan Shroud. All I had to do was wander through Scotland and recognize the obvious—from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh—to a golf course in Pitlochry—to the impressive Blair Castle, home of the Duke of Atholl.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A bulldozer unearths a young girl’s body on a golf course in Scotland but for some reason, Fergus Murray, the top crime officer in Tayside seems unwilling to pursue the case. Fergus contacts Willow Stone, his American cousin and pleads for help. Willow, Pinky’s favorite ex-wife, calls in all her chips and convinces Pinky, Bear, Flo, and Ettamae to go to the small Scottish town of Pitlochry to help her cousin find the killer. Along the way the American’s come across a forester with a wonky eye—haggis—the occasional bad weather spring day—various Scottish policeman all named McSomething—mutton pie—a near new, sixty-year-old Austin Taxi—a bathroom that could double for a freezer—the nearly indecipherable Scottish accent—many glasses of whiskey and beer—ancient records—a broadsword—and a real Duke! Ride with Bear, Flo, and Henry during their final mad dash across Scotland to try to stop the murderer before he kills again inside the hallowed halls of Blair Castle.
Purchase Links: Amazon PB Digital B&N PB

AUTHOR, KEN DALTON, IS HOSTING A GIVEAWAY FOR
TEN (10) LUCKY WINNERS. ENDS FEB 1st. U.S. ONLY ENTER BELOW

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Announcement, Events, Guest Author, Showcase, The Hachette Book Group

Book to Movie Theater…Do you have your ticket?

CMash January 10, 2013 Leave a Comment

When Marissa from Grand Central Publishing/The Hachette Book Group emailed me, I knew this was BIG!! Not only BIG, but HUGE and that you would want to know about it. So without further ado……….drum roll please………………

No. 1 New York Times Best-Selling Author Nicholas Sparks Discusses Upcoming Film Safe Haven in Live Cinema Fan EventNCM^® Fathom Events and Relativity Media Present One-Night Event with Oscar^®-Nominated Director Lasse Hallström, Stars Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough and Author in Select Cinemas Nationwide on Thursday, Jan 17, 2013

Centennial, Colo. – Dec. 20, 2012 – Unveiling a sneak peek into one of the most anticipated film adaptations of 2013, NCM^® Fathom Events and Relativity Media present “A Night with Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven: Filmmakers, Author and Stars Bring the Book to Life,” broadcast live to select cinemas nationwide on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT and tape delayed at 7:00 p.m. MT / 8:00 p.m. PT/Alaska and Hawaii. This special one-night event, broadcast live from LA Castle Studios in Burbank, Calif., will feature the No. 1 New York Times best-selling author Nicholas Sparks in a live discussion and Q&A session with fans about the cinematic adaptation of his best-selling novel, Safe Haven. Moderated by Extra TV host Maria Menounos and featuring appearances from the film’s stars Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Life as We Know It) and Julianne Hough (Rock of Ages, Footloose) as well as Oscar^®-nominated director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules), producers Marty Bowen (The Twilight Saga) and Wyck Godfrey (The Twilight Saga), fans will be treated to exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes footage of the eagerly- awaited film.

Tickets for “A Night with Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven: Filmmakers, Author and Stars Bring the Book to Life” are available now at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to more than 500 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

“This event promises to be an exciting new way to connect with fans around the country – a first for me and the talented creative team behind Safe Haven,” said Sparks. “I can’t wait to talk about the unique collaboration with Josh and Julianne, who transformed the characters in my book into living people whose loves and losses will come to life soon on the big screen. It’s been a privileged experience working with Lasse, Marty and Wyck on this film and now my readers will have a chance to share in that experience as well.”

Safe Haven will be distributed by Relativity Media in theaters nationwide on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013. When a mysterious young woman (Hough) arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight-knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex (Duhamel), a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love in this deeply moving romantic thriller. The film is directed by Oscar®-nominated Lasse Hallström, based on the novel by Sparks from a screenplay by Dana Stevens and Gage Lansky and also stars Cobie Smulders (The Avengers) and David Lyons (J.J. Abram’s Revolution). Bowen, Godfrey, Sparks and Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter)served as producers.

“Nicholas Sparks’ books always translate so well to the big screen, including such hits as The Notebook, Dear John, The Last Song – among many others,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “Fans will get a look at how these bestsellers are transformed into blockbusters before Safe Haven hits theaters in February with this special event which features the film’s Oscar®-nominated director and the film’s stars.”

For more information, please check out the Safe Haven movie Facebook and Twitter.

And for more information regarding tickets and the movie, click here.

NICHOLAS SPARKS

Nicholas Sparks is the author of 16 books. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and children.
You can visit the author’s web site at www. nicholassparks.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

THANKS TO MARISSA, FROM GCP/THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP,
I HAVE ONE (1) COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
U.S RESIDENTS ONLY

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY PAGE

Guest Author, Showcase, Tribute Books

Guest Author Frank Nappi

CMash January 7, 2013 1 Comment

I will admit I am not a big sports fan but have been surrounded by die hard sports fans with my husband and 2 sons. Before becoming empty nesters, our house saw many get togethers with my sons’ friends to watch games on TV. And having 2 sons with different “favorite” teams, it was also quite a loud house lol. So when Nicole from Tribute Books emailed me, how could I say NO, my sons would never forgive me. I ask that you help me give Mr. Frank Nappi are warm welcome to our group!

FRANK NAPPI

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, “Echoes From The Infantry,” received national attention, including MWSA’s silver medal for outstanding fiction for 2006. His follow-up novel, “The Legend of Mickey Tussler,” garnered rave reviews as well, including a screenplay adaptation (“A Mile in His Shoes”) of the touching story which aired nationwide in September of 2011 and was released on DVD in January of 2012. Frank continues to produce quality work, including “The Legend of Mickey Tussler: Sophomore Campaign,” the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story, and he is presently at work on a third installment of the unique series, as well as his first mystery /thriller entitled “Nobody Has To Know.” Frank lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony and continues to support organizations such as Autism Speaks, Best Buddies, and Challenger Baseball.
Visit Mr. Nappi at his website, Facebook, Twitter and GoodReads.

GUEST POST

Teaching on a Tight-Rope

Teaching my novel to my own students is an experience I shall never forget – thrilling yes, but only in a manner tantamount to a dream where I am walking a tight-rope stretched precariously across a ravine filled with rapacious creatures, all without the comfort of a safety net. Or perhaps clothing. Or both.

Gasp.

Not too long ago, both the English Director and the Superintendent of the school district where I teach English and Creative Writing recognized the value of my students reading my novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, in class. All of us acknowledged the unique nature of such an endeavor and proceeded with alacrity. “Your students will benefit from ‘asking the author’ about the creation of plot, characters, writer’s craft, etc.” my supervisor said. “And be given immediate, first-hand feedback. It is priceless.” The superintendent was equally ebullient. “Frank, this is a wonderful opportunity for both you and your students,” he gushed. “They get the privilege of hearing you speak about the creation of the story they are reading and analyzing it and you will be able to ascertain valuable insights into my own story as seen through the eyes of some hesitant yet inquisitive minds in return.” Hearing their spirited sentiments buoyed my own zeal. Yes, this would be a blast – an extreme alteration of the traditional classroom milieu – the pinnacle of an English teacher’s customary practice. What could possibly be more fulfilling?

Cue the tight-rope.

The first wave of trepidation came by way of a diffident, slight girl who occupied the very first seat in front of me.

“But what if we don’t like the book,” she asked in tremulous tones. “We don’t want to insult you Mr. Nappi with what we say?” I was able to ameliorate her concerns easily enough. I simply explained that we would spend some time analyzing my book in class, similar to the way we had done Huckleberry Finn, Ethan Frome, and The Great Gatsby. In an attempt to further assuage her angst, I shared that I had spoken to students from other school districts who read the book and although much of what we talked about was of the critical variety, I was still emotionally in tact and no students who voiced displeasure of any kind suffered any form of malediction. She was satisfied, but I was unmoored; the report of the shot she had fired resonated in my ears like the clashing of cymbals. What if they really don’t like it? I thought. Then what? My apprehension burgeoned exponentially and I felt the need to flee but alas, it was too late; I was in too far.

The rope was already stretched, and I had taken those first few steps. I could not bear to look down.

So I inched along warily with both arms stretched out and discovered, much to my delight, that the experience was indeed everything that those who had conceived the idea said it would be. There were some dissenters of course, those who invoked the teenage mantra of “why do we have to read anyway?” and a handful of others politely suggested that I failed to capture their interest. Truth be told, it hurt a little. Most of my students, however, were thoroughly engaged and genuinely intrigued by the process by which an idea becomes a novel. They asked provocative questions and offered insightful comments about the characters and the thematic issues explored in the novel. It was beautiful; these young readers were provided with a window into the world of the creative arts and they peered in, learning many of the intricacies germane to creative writing. And if that were not enough, teaching what I had written years before made me fall in love all over again with my characters and the circumstances in which I placed them.

I was halfway across the ravine with nary a wiggle….but then the rope began to sway.

One of my students suggested that they write reviews of the book for me as a culminating activity. These reviews ranged from high praise to tepid interest to outright disdain. Again, the more pejorative ones stung a bit, but I was grateful nevertheless for their candor, insight and observations.

I was struggling a bit now but still had my footing.

It was only after some of my students had posted their reviews on sites like Amazon and Goodreads, that I felt my knees begin to slacken and my feet give way. The less favorable assessments stung more in print and I learned that someone with ill intent suggested that I was “compensating” students for positive reviews, even though those posted represented a fairly mixed lot. I found myself under siege, my character and integrity impugned unjustifiably. I also found myself questioning my decision making abilities; why did I agree to let my students read my book in class? It exposed me in ways that no teacher should ever be.

I made it to the other side of the ravine, but I was hanging by my hands.

Some weeks later, I received several emails from both students and parents, thanking me for being “brave” enough to teach my novel. Suddenly I felt better. Maybe I could do it again, I mused, with another one of my novels. Not a bad idea I suppose, except for the nature of my latest – a mystery/thriller called Nobody Has To Know, the dark and somewhat daring story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path.

Hmmm. I may have to pass this time. That’s one tight-rope that could easily become a noose.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Legend of Mickey Tussler Book Summary:
In the late 1940s, the minor league Milwaukee Brewers are foundering yet again and manager Arthur Murphy is desperate. When he sees seventeen-year old Mickey Tussler throwing apples into a barrel, he knows he has found the next pitching phenom. But not everyone is so hopeful. Mickey’s autism—a disorder still not truly understood even today—has alienated the boy from the world, and he is berated by other players and fans. Mickey faces immense trials in the harsh and competitive world of baseball while coping with the challenges inherent to his disorder. An honest and knowledgeable book about overcoming adversity, and the basis for the television movie A Mile in His Shoes, Mickey’s powerful story shows that with support and determination anyone can be triumphant, even when the odds are stacked against him.
Purchase links: Amazon PB Digital B&N PB Digital IndieBound

Book Details:
Prices/Formats: $12.95 paperback, $12.95 ebook
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781616086589
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release: April 1, 2012

THANKS TO AUTHOR, FRANK NAPPI, AND TRIBUTE BOOKS, I HAVE
TWO (2) BOOKS, THE LEGEND OF MICKEY TUSSLER and
SOPHOMORE CAMPAIGN, TO GIVEAWAY TO ONE LUCKY WINNER
U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY PAGE.

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Guest Author, Providence Book Promotions, Showcase, The Story Plant

Guest Author Steven Manchester

CMash January 6, 2013 1 Comment

I am honored, not only to have today’s guest stop by and talk about his lastest novel, but also to kick off his virtual tour with Providence Book Promotions. I read his debut novel, Twelve Months, through The Story Plant’s Spread The Word Initiative, which I am a member of and the novel blew me away. And today I have the distinct pleasure to introduce you to Mr. Steven Manchester!!

STEVEN MANCHESTER

Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestseller TWELVE MONTHS and PRESSED PENNIES, THE UNEXPECTED STORM: The Gulf War Legacy, and JACOB EVANS, as well as several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly N ews. Recently, three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or his four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.
Visit Steven at his website or these other sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.
Read my review here.

Book Details
PUBLISHED BY: The Story Plant
PUBLICATION DATE: January 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-1611880618
GENRE: Fiction
# OF PAGES: 308

Purchase links:

Read an excerpt:

Enough time had passed for the shock of Brian’s condition to wear off. Joan had stumbled beyond the grieving process and had given up negotiating with God. She was now at a place called rage. Mama sat with her daughter at the kitchen table, trying to help her make sense of it all. “Maybe Brian’s a test from God?” Mama suggested.“Why would God test a little baby who’s never done a thing wrong? Why would He test an innocent child?” Joan snapped back.

Mama shook her head. “I didn’t say God was testing Brian,” she said evenly. There was a thoughtful pause. “Maybe He’s testing everyone around Brian?”

“I don’t want to hear that!” Joan roared. “My son will never be able to enjoy the life of other people who don’t…”

Mama slapped her hand on the Formica table, stopping Joan in mid-sentence and turning her face into that of a seven-year-old girl’s. “Not another negative word, do you hear me?” she yelled back, quickly grabbing her daughter’s hands and holding them tightly. “Positive, Joan – everything must be positive! Negative calls for negative and positive brings forth positive. Brian’s already facing some unfair challenges. We have to be positive, Joan. We just have to be!”

Joan wiped her eyes. “But what if the doctor’s right, Ma?” she muttered in a tortured voice. “What
if…”

Without letting Joan’s hands go, Mama took a deep breath and started in on her own tirade. “The doctors don’t know what the hell they’re talking about! I had a grandmother who lived her whole life as a brittle diabetic, but she ate anything she wanted. She died three days before her eighty-fifth birthday. Your grandfather supposedly had cirrhosis of the liver, but lived with his bottle for forty more years until old age took him. They don’t know beans! Besides, we need to have faith in a higher source.” She pulled her crucifix away from her neck and kissed it. “You have to believe, Joan. Before any of the healing can take place, you have to believe that it will.” She nodded and lowered her tone. “Only God knows how… and that’s enough.”

Joan placed her face in her hands and began to cry. She was now completely removed from her rage and safely returned to the stage of grief. “I’m…just… so…scared,” she stuttered, sobbing.

Mama stroked her hair. “Don’t you worry, love. They say that children are raised by a village.” She nodded her gray, curly head. “I think it’s about time we had a village meeting.”

Follow Steven’s tour here, where you can enter to win a copy of Twelve Months.

Guest Author, Showcase

Guest Author Robin Burcell

CMash January 5, 2013 Leave a Comment

Now that the holidays are over and we settle into the long, cold days of winter, what better way to spend them, than to read a great book! That’s why when Anne, from Kaye Publicity, emailed me, I wanted to meet today’s guest. So, with your help, please help me give a warm winter welcome to Ms. Robin Burcell!

ROBIN BURCELL

Robin Burcell, an FBI-trained forensic artist, has worked in law enforcement for over two decades as a police officer, detective and hostage negotiator. She is the author of the Anthony Award winning author of the Kate Gillespie novels.
Visit Robin at her website here.

Q&A with ROBIN BURCELL

-Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
Both. I was a police officer and investigator for nearly three decades, so I tend to use a lot of my experience on the job to bring some of that authenticity to my books. My main character, Sydney Fitzpatrick, is an FBI agent and a forensic artist. She becomes involved in cases that have worldwide implications. Granted, I have never had to save the world, much less the country or thousands of people from being killed due to a terrorist plot, but I figure the day-to-day stuff of being a police officer can add some exciting details and give the reader an experience of what it might really be like to actually investigate a crime or experience the rush of adrenalin when one’s life is flashing before one’s eyes!

-Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
I definitely start from the beginning and see where it takes me. Quite often I find that my beginning is actually more midway through the book, and I have to keep changing things around, as the scenes get shifted. I think that officially makes me a “panster,” as I’m writing from the seat of my pants. In other words, the frame of my story is constantly shifting. It’s a lot of fun to write this way (and frustrating at times, come to think of it), as I am constantly surprised by the turns the story takes.

-Your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
My routine is very unroutine-ish. I sit down to coffee and email in the morning, then write, then get distracted and check Facebook, then check the fluff news pieces on Yahoo!, then look at my manuscript some more. Even though I sit down early in the morning to work, I usually get most of my writing done in the evening. I should probably have my biorhythms analyzed to find out when is the best time to write. I have a feeling that I would be classified as a night owl. Must have been all those graveyard shifts I used to work!

-Is writing your full time job? If not, may I ask what you do by day?
I now write full time. Or rather, that’s what I tell my husband. Hoping he won’t see the above paragraph! I used to be a police officer and spent 27 years on the force. My experiences runs the gamut from patrol to detectives. I was a hostage negotiator, fingerprint examiner, and an FBI-trained forensic artist. Mostly the sketches I did were of suspects in crimes (robbery, homicide, etc.), but every now and then the surrounding agencies would come up with a corpse and not know who it was, and that was the forensic aspect. I’d have to do a sketch of the dead person, so that the body could hopefully be identified.

-Who are some of your favorite authors?
It depends on my mood. Just looking at one shelf in my office, random order: Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Laurie King, James Rollins, SJ Rozan, Dennis Lehane, Jan Burke. And then I have lighter mysteries on the shelf above, and a lot of wonderful science fiction and fantasy on the shelf beneath it. And that’s just my keeper shelves!

-What are you reading now?
No time to read, since I’m on deadline, and down to the wire. But as soon as I finish up my first draft (soon!), I’ll be reading: LEARNING TO SWIM by Sara J. Henry.

-Are you working on your next novel? Can you tell us a little about it?
As a matter of fact, yes! Even though I write a series, each book is standalone. However, I always like to weave in something that remains unsolved, a thread of a case that binds everything together. I’m writing those threads into my current book. If one were to start this series at the beginning, they would know that FBI Special Agent Sydney Fitzpatrick finds a bank pouch filled with numbers toward the end of FACE OF A KILLER. (Don’t worry! Not a spoiler!) She solves the crime in that book, but she doesn’t know what those numbers belong to. They’re lightly touched on in each successive book, and in the novel I’m currently writing, #5 in the series, we get to find out what they are for!

Fun questions:
-Your novel will be a movie. Who would you cast?
I rather like Stana Katic on Castle. She’d make a pretty good Sydney Fitzpatrick. But so would Mariska Hargitay of Law and Order SVU, and then there’s Gillian Anderson, who played FBI Agent Dana Scully on The X Files. As for the male lead… I need someone quiet, who doesn’t seem too threatening on first glance, but dang, watch out if anyone gets in his way! (My husband suggested Jim Caviezal of Person of Interest, but he might be a bit older than Griffin, the covert agent that Sydney works with… I really like Timothy Oliphant on Justified, but I think he’d make a better Tex Dalton, than Zachary Griffin… I don’t know! We’re obviously going to have to hold a casting call!

-Would you rather read or watch TV/movie?
Read! But there are times when a movie on the big screen is just so awesome!!!

-Favorite food?
For a meal: Thai—green curry with chicken and vegetables.
For dessert: Chocolate, preferably dark!

-Favorite beverage?
Cappuccino – if it’s made right. Half the time you order one and they give you a latte! But once a year during the holidays, I love, love, love Cranberry whiskey freeze punch. Here’s the recipe:
32 oz. Cranberry juice
1 lg can pink lemonade concentrate frozen
1 liter ginger ale
1-2 cups whiskey
{put all in large container to freeze. Leave room at top as it will expand. Scoop out like a snow cone, into glass.}
Thank you for stopping by CMash Reads and spending time with us.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A high-profile killing has brought FBI Special Agent and forensic artist Sydney Fitzpatrick to Amsterdam-even as the assassination of a prominent U.S. senator rocks the political world. Two seemingly unrelated murders are leading Sydney to the threshold of a shocking conspiracy to spread a plague of death across the globe, especially when her sketch of a killer-and possible conspirator-reveals the face of a female CIA agent believed to be dead.

The murder of a witness and the disappearance of the missing agent’s husband, covert government operative Zachary Griffin, has Sydney racing against the clock to prevent a biological nightmare of astronomical proportions. For the dark hour is rapidly approaching when all secrets will be revealed…and the lives of countless millions will hang in the balance.

The next novel in the series, THE BLACK LIST launched December 26th 2012.

THANKS TO KAYE PUBLICITY, I HAVE THREE (3)
COPIES OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Guest Author, Showcase

Guest Author Mary Burton

CMash January 2, 2013 Leave a Comment

What a fantastic way to start off the New Year…I am thrilled to be hosting today’s guest. I was so excited when Deb from Joan Schulhafer Publishing contacted me to read and review this book. Today’s author has been on my “authors to read” list for quite a while and can’t wait to read her latest novel. So without futher ado, please help me give a very warm welcome to NYTimes Best Selling author, Ms. Mary Burton!!

MARY BURTON

A Central Virginia native whose family’s Richmond roots run as deep as the nation’s, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mary Burton also resided in Alexandria, Virginia, where she is now setting her novels SENSELESS (Janaury 2011) and MERCILESS (February 2011). She graduated from Virginia’s Hollins University and began a career in marketing. After a decade she left her job and began writing. Her first novel, a romance, was published in 2000.

Following that book, Burton wrote sixteen novels and novellas for Harlequin and Silhouette before entering the dark world of multiple murderers and their motives with Senseless, Merciless, Dying Scream, Dead Ringer and I’m Watching You, as well as her novella Christmas Past, which appears in the 2008 New York Times bestselling holiday anthology Silver Bells.

Her commitment to realism has led to eye-opening interviews with law enforcement, to forensic seminars and to the firing range. She is a graduate of the Henrico County Citizens Police Academy and the Richmond FBI Citizen’s Academy, and has participated in Sisters in Crime’s Forensic University program. Recently, she attended the Writers Police Academy in Jamestown, North Carolina. There she attended seminars on autopsies, undercover work and the motives behind murder.

Mary Burton is an avid baker and an accomplished cook. When not writing, researching or baking, Mary practices yoga, enjoys her miniature dachshunds Buddy and Bella, volunteers at the University of Richmond’s Culinary Arts Program, attends professional conferences, and visits with readers and booksellers.

Mary Burton is now at work on her next novel set in Alexandria.
Visit Ms. Burton at her website here.

A Tasty Guest Post

Happy New Year!

This is my favorite time of year. I love the new beginnings and the excitement of the year ahead. This year I’m thrilled to see the release of THE SEVENTH VICTIM my seventh romantic suspense for Kensington.

THE SEVENTH VICTIM is set in Austin, Texas and tells the tale of a photographer Lara Church who is the lone survivor of a serial killer called the Seattle Strangler. She’s been moving around the country for seven years using her 150-year-old bellows camera to take images. But as the book opens, she’s decided to stop running from her tragic past and to rebuild her life. What she doesn’t realize is that the killer never forgot her and he’s now arrived in Austin to finish the job he started all those years ago. When the killer strikes again in Austin, Texas Ranger James Beck takes the case and soon a killer, who shows his victims no mercy, ties the two together.

I really enjoyed researching the Austin area. It’s a fun eclectic place that’s not only the center of government for Texas, but also home of the Texas Rangers. Recently I returned to Austin and had the chance to visit many of the places that are featured in THE SEVENTH VICTIM. I strolled down Congress Avenue just as Lara might have done, I drove down I-35 following the route my killer took and made my way into Hill Country so I could see where Lara lived.

There’s no substituting a walk in my character’s shoes down Congress Avenue, or through the halls of the state capitol, over the rugged terrain at Enchanted Rock. I pick up the sights, smells and sounds that I hope add a richness to the story.

The tradition continues! Baker extraordinaire and bestselling author Mary Burton is once again sharing her favorite holiday recipes. This treat honors the protagonist of her next novel, THE SEVENTH VICTIM, with a recipe both delicious and memorable.

Lara’s Church Lady Maple Cookies:
1/2 pound (two sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup toasted walnuts (optional)

Cream together butter and brown sugar.
Add the egg and mix well.
Add the maple syrup and vanilla.
In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt and baking soda.
Slowly blend dry ingredients into butter- sugar mixture.
Spoon cookies onto a greased baking sheet, leaving room between them because they will spread.
Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Sit back and enjoy!

It’s true. I’ve forgotten how many people I’ve killed already but the number keeps rising—least in my novels. I’m delighted to say that no one has yet expired as a result of my passion for baking.

This one’s a family favorite that the kids expect to see multiple times during the holiday season.

I hope your family and friends enjoy Lara’s Church Lady Maple Cookies as much as mine do.

Happy Holidays!
Mary

ABOUT THE BOOK

If At First You Don’t Succeed
It’s been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorized the city. His victims were all young, pretty, their lifeless bodies found wrapped in a home-sewn white dress. But there was one who miraculously escaped death, just before the Strangler disappeared. . .

Kill
Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack. What she does have is a home in Austin, a job, and a chance at a normal life at last. Then Texas Ranger James Beck arrives on her doorstep with shattering news: The Strangler is back. And this time, he’s in Austin. . .

And Kill Again. . .
He’s always craved her, even as he killed the others. For so long he’s been waiting to unleash the beast within. And this time, he’ll prove he holds her life in his hands—right before he ends it forever. . .
Be on the look out for my review in the near future.

THANKS TO JOAN SCHULHAFER PUBLISHING,
I HAVE ONE (1) COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

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.

Guest Author, Showcase, The Hachette Book Group

Celebrated Guest Author (visit to see who it is)

CMash December 31, 2012 1 Comment

When Caitlin, from The Hachette Book Group, contacted me about today’s guest, I thought what better way to usher 2012 out and celebrate 2013!! Raise your glass and help me count down…5….4….3….2…..1

Welcome James Patterson!!!!!!

JAMES PATTERSON

In January, 2010, The New York Times Magazinefeatured James Patterson on its cover and hailed him as having “transformed book publishing.” Timemagazine named him “The Man Who Can’t Miss,” and he is a two-time Children’s Choice Book Award “Author of the Year” nominee, a designation decided on by more than 15,000 children and teen readers.

In the past three years, James Patterson has sold more books than any other author (according to Bookscan), and in total, James’s books have sold an estimated 260 million copies worldwide. Since 2006, one out of every seventeen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children’s bestsellers lists and is the only author to have five new hardcover novels debut at #1 on the list in one year—a record-breaking feat he’s accomplished every year since 2005. To date, James Patterson has had nineteen consecutive #1 New York Times bestselling novels, and holds the New York Times record for most Hardcover Fiction bestselling titles by a single author (76 total), which is also a Guinness World Record.

From his James Patterson Pageturner Awards (which rewarded groups and individuals for creative and effective ways of spreading the joy of reading) to his websiteReadKiddoRead.com (which helps adults find books that kids are sure to love) to his regular donations of thousands of books to troops overseas, Patterson is a lifelong champion of books and reading. His critically acclaimed Maximum Ride series debuted on the New York Times bestsellers list at #1 and remained there for twelve straight weeks. The series has so far made ninety-four cumulative appearances on The New York Timesbestsellers lists, proving that kids of all ages love page turners. He captured the attention of boy readers with Daniel X series, and his third series for readers of all ages debuted in December 2009 with Witch & Wizard, which spent five consecutive weeks atop the New York Times bestsellers list.

Patterson is the creator of the top-selling new detective series of the past dozen years, featuring Alex Cross and including the Hollywood-adapted “Along Came a Spider” and “Kiss the Girls,” starring Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. He is also the creator of the #1 new detective series of the past five years, featuring Lindsay Boxer and theWomen’s Murder Club, from which the ABC television drama series was adapted. He has authored books behind six films on the Hollywood fast-track, including the upcomingMaximum Ride movie forthcoming from Avi Arad, the producer of X-Men and Spiderman.

He is the author of novels — from The Thomas Berryman Number (1976) to Honeymoon(2005) — that have won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, the International Thriller of the Year award, and the Reader’s Digest Reader’s Choice Award. And, he has won a Children’s Choice Book Council’s Children’s Choice Awards “Author of the Year” award (2010).

One of Forbes magazine’s Celebrity 100, James made a guest appearance on the popular FOX TV show “The Simpsons” in March, 2007.
Visit James Patterson at his website here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The next explosive book in James Patterson’s #1 bestselling Private series!

For Hannah Shapiro, a beautiful young American student, this particular nightmare began eight years ago in Los Angeles, when Jack Morgan, owner of Private–the world’s most exclusive detective agency–saved her from a horrific death. She has fled her country, but can’t flee her past. The terror has followed her to London, and now it is down to former Royal Military Police Sergeant Dan Carter, head of Private London, to save her all over again.

In central London, young women are being abducted off the street. When the bodies are found some days later, they have been mutilated in a particularly mysterious way. Dan Carter’s ex-wife, DI Kirsty Webb, is involved in the investigation and it looks likely that the two cases are gruesomely linked.

Dan Carter drawn on the whole resources of Private International in a desperate race against the odds. But the clock is ticking… Private may be the largest and most technologically advanced detection agency in the world, but the one thing they don’t have is the one thing they need–time.
Watch for my review in the near future.