Guest Author Rebecca Coleman

CMash September 29, 2011 Leave a Comment

Sarah from Media Muscle/The Book Trib contacted me a couple of months ago to ask if I would like to be a part of this amazing tour. Why amazing you ask? The manuscript was a semifinalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough novel competition (borrowed from press release). So without further ado, Ms. Rebecca Coleman.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca received her B.A. in Englishliterature from the University of Maryland at College Park and speaks towriters’ groups on the subjects of creative writing and publishing. Hermanuscript for THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOODwas a semifinalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition.

A New Yorker by birth, Rebecca grewup in the close suburbs of Washington, D.C. in an academic family. A year spentin Germany at age eight would later provide the basis for the protagonist’sbackground in THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD. Rebecca first learned about the WaldorfSchool movement at age 14 and quickly developed a fascination with its cultureand philosophies. After studying elementary education for several years, shegraduated with a degree in English, awarded with honors.

Rebecca lives and works nearWashington, D.C. with her husband and their four young children.

Visit www.rebeccacoleman.net.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Semifinalistin the

2010Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition

THE KINGDOM

OF CHILDHOOD

By Rebecca Coleman

An utterly absorbing look at thebreakdown of a woman and a family, THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD (MIRA Books,October 2011, $15.95 U.S./$18.95 CAN.) is the beautifully written novel by Rebecca Coleman that explores a relationshipbetween a teenager and a teacher as it veers from platonic to unsettlinglyforbidden territory.

THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD is the story of a boy and a woman: sixteen-year-old ZachPatterson, uprooted and struggling to reconcile his knowledge of his mother’sextramarital affair, and Judy McFarland, a kindergarten teacher watching herfamily unravel before her eyes. Thrown together to organize a fundraiser fortheir failing private school and bonded by loneliness, they begin an affairthat at first thrills, then corrupts, each of them. Judy sees in Zach theelements of a young man she loved as a child, but what Zach does not realize isthat their relationship is, for Judy, only the latest in a lifetime ofdisturbing secrets. As the walls close in, Zach finds himself needing todisentangle himself from premature adulthood. But the lines between adultand child have blurred, and life and sanity are unraveling faster and further thananyone could ever have imagined.

Rebecca’s exploration of thecontroversial Waldorf School movement will make THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD a much-discussed and debated novel.

THANKS TO SARAH AND MEDIA MUSCLE,

I HAVE ONE (1) BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY 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

Guest Author Rebecca Coleman

CMash September 29, 2011 3 Comments

Sarah from Media Muscle/The Book Trib contacted me a couple of months ago to ask if I would like to be a part of this amazing tour. Why amazing you ask? The manuscript was a semifinalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough novel competition (borrowed from press release). So without further ado, Ms. Rebecca Coleman.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca received her B.A. in Englishliterature from the University of Maryland at College Park and speaks towriters’ groups on the subjects of creative writing and publishing. Hermanuscript for THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOODwas a semifinalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition.

A New Yorker by birth, Rebecca grewup in the close suburbs of Washington, D.C. in an academic family. A year spentin Germany at age eight would later provide the basis for the protagonist’sbackground in THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD. Rebecca first learned about the WaldorfSchool movement at age 14 and quickly developed a fascination with its cultureand philosophies. After studying elementary education for several years, shegraduated with a degree in English, awarded with honors.

Rebecca lives and works nearWashington, D.C. with her husband and their four young children.

Visit www.rebeccacoleman.net.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Semifinalistin the

2010Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition

THE KINGDOM

OF CHILDHOOD

By Rebecca Coleman

An utterly absorbing look at thebreakdown of a woman and a family, THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD (MIRA Books,October 2011, $15.95 U.S./$18.95 CAN.) is the beautifully written novel by Rebecca Coleman that explores a relationshipbetween a teenager and a teacher as it veers from platonic to unsettlinglyforbidden territory.

THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD is the story of a boy and a woman: sixteen-year-old ZachPatterson, uprooted and struggling to reconcile his knowledge of his mother’sextramarital affair, and Judy McFarland, a kindergarten teacher watching herfamily unravel before her eyes. Thrown together to organize a fundraiser fortheir failing private school and bonded by loneliness, they begin an affairthat at first thrills, then corrupts, each of them. Judy sees in Zach theelements of a young man she loved as a child, but what Zach does not realize isthat their relationship is, for Judy, only the latest in a lifetime ofdisturbing secrets. As the walls close in, Zach finds himself needing todisentangle himself from premature adulthood. But the lines between adultand child have blurred, and life and sanity are unraveling faster and further thananyone could ever have imagined.

Rebecca’s exploration of thecontroversial Waldorf School movement will make THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD a much-discussed and debated novel.

THANKS TO SARAH AND MEDIA MUSCLE,

I HAVE ONE (1) BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY 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.

Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE "THE SANTA CLUB" ENDED

CMash September 28, 2011 Leave a Comment

SEPTEMBER 28th to OCTOBER 12th, 2011

THE SANTA CLUB

by KELLY MOSS
Illustrated by Jim Keserich

SYNOPSIS:

From the author:

A delightful book with captivating illustrations, The Santa Club transitions your child from receiving gifts to experiencing the joy of giving. With sensitivity, faith, and love, The Santa Club tackles the serious question, “Is Santa Claus Real?” To be read with your child, this wonderful book not only answers that sometimes “dreaded” question but it also addresses the questions of why Santa comes at Christmas and who was the first Santa. The Santa Club is a wonderful parenting resource and a stunning children’s book, and is sure to become an annual family favorite.

THANKS TO REBECCA AND THE SUPER
PEOPLE FROM THE CADENCE GROUP

I HAVE ONE (1) COPY 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: AT WHAT AGE DID YOU

ASK THE “SERIOUS QUESTION”?*

*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. RESIDENTS ONLY*

*NO P.O. BOXES*

**HONOR SYSTEM**

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 OCTOBER 12th 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, agent and/or 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

Guest Author

Guest Author Laura Caldwell

CMash September 27, 2011 Leave a Comment

If you have followed my blog then you know I am like a magnet to novels of mystery and suspense. I just can’t say that 2 letter word that starts with N and ends with O. So when Erin from Media Muscle/The Book Trib contacted me about today’s guest, it was an automatic Yes!! So I ask that you help me welcome the very busy, multi talented and author of many books, Ms Laura Caldwell, to the CMash blog as she visits and tells us about her latest novel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Caldwell is a former civil trial attorney, now Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Director of Life After Innocence, published author of several novels and 1 nonfiction book.

Before beginning her writing career, Laura was a partner in a Chicago law firm, specializing in medical malpractice defense and entertainment law. In 2001 she joined Loyola University Chicago School of Law and has taught Advanced Litigation Writing and International Criminal Law among others.

Laura’s began her writing career in women’s fiction and soon turned to mystery/thriller. Her first book, Burning the Map was voted as one of the best books the year by Barnes and Noble.com. Booklist declared “Caldwell is one of the most talented and inventive…writers around,” after the release of The Year of Living Famously and The Night I got Lucky. The release of her trilogy in 2009 received critical acclaim and nominations for prestigious industry awards.

While researching her sixth novel, The Rome Affair, Caldwell was led to the criminal case of Jovan Mosley, a young man charged with murder, sitting in a Cook County holding cell for nearly six years with no trial date. After hearing about his case, Caldwell joined a renowned criminal defense attorney to defend him, ultimately proving his innocence and inspiring her first nonfiction book, Long Way Home: A Young Man Lost in the System and the Two Women Who Found Him (Free Press, Simon & Schuster).

She is published in over 22 countries and translated into more than 13 languages. Laura is also a freelance magazine writer and has been publi shed in Chicago Magazine, Woman’s Own, The Young Lawyer, Lake Magazine, Australia Woman’s Weekly, Shore Magazine and others.

Inspired by Mosley’s case and his challenges of rejoining society, Caldwell founded Loyola’s Life After Innocence that assists wrongfully convicted individuals or other innocent persons affected by the criminal justice system in order to help them re-enter society and reclaim their lives.

You can visit Laura here.

ABOUT THE BOOKSYNOPSIS:

Forbidden relationships are the most tempting. And the most dangerous.

It was a crime of passion-or so the police say. Valerie Solara has been charged with poisoning her best friend. The prosecution claims she’s always been secretly attracted to Amanda’s husband…and with Amanda gone, she planned to make her move.

Attorney Izzy McNeil left the legal world a year ago, but a friend’s request pulls her into the murder trial. Izzy knows how passion can turn your life upside down. She thought she had it once with her ex-fiance, Sam. Now she wonders if that’s all she has in common with her criminally gorgeous younger boyfriend, Theo.

It’s Izzy’s job to present the facts that will exonerate her client-whether or not she’s innocent. But when she suspects Valerie is hiding something, she begins investigating-and uncovers a web of secret passions and dark motives, where seemingly innocent relationships can prove poisonous…

THANKS TO ERIN FROM MEDIA MUSCLE,

I HAVE TWO (2) COPIES OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY 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

or given to family and/or friends.

Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE "CLAIM OF INNOCENCE" ENDED

CMash September 27, 2011 Leave a Comment

SEPTEMBER 27th to OCTOBER 11th, 2011

CLAIM OF INNOCENCE

by LAURA CALDWELL

SYNOPSIS:

Forbidden relationships are the most tempting. And the most dangerous.

It was a crime of passion-or so the police say. Valerie Solara has been charged with poisoning her best friend. The prosecution claims she’s always been secretly attracted to Amanda’s husband…and with Amanda gone, she planned to make her move.
Attorney Izzy McNeil left the legal world a year ago, but a friend’s request pulls her into the murder trial. Izzy knows how passion can turn your life upside down. She thought she had it once with her ex-fiance, Sam. Now she wonders if that’s all she has in common with her criminally gorgeous younger boyfriend, Theo.
It’s Izzy’s job to present the facts that will exonerate her client-whether or not she’s innocent. But when she suspects Valerie is hiding something, she begins investigating-and uncovers a web of secret passions and dark motives, where seemingly innocent relationships can prove poisonous…

THANKS TO ERIN AND THE AWESOME

PEOPLE FROM MEDIA MUSCLE

I HAVE TWO (2 ) COPIES OF THIS

SUSPENSEFUL 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: COULD YOU DEFEND SOMEONE

IF YOU THOUGHT THEY MIGHT BE GUILTY?*

*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*

**HONOR SYSTEM**

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 OCTOBER 11th 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,

agent and/or author. This blog hosts 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

Winners

And the winners are…………

CMash September 27, 2011 Leave a Comment

………..of THE BOOK OF LIFE by Stuart Nadler

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

2	36	15

Timestamp: 2011-09-27 23:26:45 UTC

Margaret said…I’m a GFC follower Margaret 2

susansmoaks said…the part about the buried secret 36

Kaye said…GFC follower.15

An email has been sent to the winners and they have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or another winner will be chosen. Thank you to all that entered.

ADDENDUM: Due to a winner having won this book on another site, a new winner has been chosen and has 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or another winner will be chosen.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-09-28 00:55:13 UTC

Maureen said…It looks like the book explores a lot of different situations and emotions.10

Winners

And the winner is…….

CMash September 27, 2011 Leave a Comment

………..of WHO ARE YOU? by Mari McCarthy

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-09-27 23:00:55 UTC

purango said…I have kept journals. I love journals. They are very helpful. 7

An email has been sent and the winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thank you to all that entered.

10/01/11 ADDENDUM
Due to giveaway rules and regulations, another winner was chosen because of no response within 48 hours. The next winner chosen is and has 48 hours to respond:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-10-01 12:46:13 UTC

Victoria Zumbrum said…No I have never kept a journal. I should though. It helps to write down your thoughts. Please enter me in contest.

2

Guest Author

Guest Authors Amy Lewis Faircloth and Joanne Lewis

CMash September 26, 2011 Leave a Comment

The ladies at WOW are back again but this time they haven’t brought one remarkable author, NO, they have brought two amazing women writers. So without further ado, allow me to indroduce you to sisters Amy and Joanne Lewis. Welcome to the CMash blog!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

It was a chilly day in Maine when Amy received the call from her sister, Joanne, “Wanna write a book together?” Amy said yes and the journey began.

Amy is the older sister who loves her 2 sons and nephew, dogs, volunteering at the Bangor Humane Society, running, hiking, snowshoeing, surfing the web, her brown poodle Teddy, Lola, writing, reading, cycling, going to bed early, spending time with her friends and family, being outdoors when it’s nice outside and indoors when it’s not, and editing Joanne’s writing. She is a pescatarian and a lawyer in Maine.

Joanne is the younger sister who loves her 3 nephews, her grey poodle Frisco, writing, hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, cooking, traveling, Florence, Italy, anything to do with the Italian Renaissance, Michelangelo, spending time with her friends and family, and being edited by Amy. She a vegetarian and a lawyer in Florida.

Two sisters, both attorneys; as sisters, Amy and Joanne have learned to play to each others strengths—an important lesson for any co-authors.
You can find Amy and Joanne at their website or blog.

GUEST POST

How Much Trouble Can One Kid Get Into?
by Amy Lewis Faircloth

Writing Wicked Good has been a communal project beyond the two of us. We have enlisted the help of my children, various book groups, relatives and friends. We have a lot of smart friends with a lot to say. For example, my smart scientist friend suggested we nix the mad scientist seeking to kill Rory for his special DNA in our original draft of Wicked Good.

One of my smartest friends is a professor of Philosophy at an elite college in the Northeast. I was so pleased, and rather anxious, when she agreed to read a draft of Wicked Good. She invited me to lunch once she had finished reading it, telling me she had some notes about the novel which she wanted to share with me. After reminding my 18 year old son several times to pick up his 16 year old brother at 1:00, I went to lunch, my stomach churning with anxiety. I was mainly worried she hated it but would be too kind to tell me.

We ate Chinese food and exchanged pleasantries. I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Okay, what did you think?” She reached into her bag and pulled out a quarter sheet of paper covered with penciled words. I tried to read the words from the other side of the table.

“I like it, Amy.” She said. I scooted my chair to get closer to read the penciled words to learn what she really thought. There were too many words to be summarized with a mere, “I like it, Amy.”

“But there was sort of one thing . . . .” She looked down at her paper. I started to squirm.

“Rory gets in a lot of trouble.” I knew that. He drinks alcohol in school, steals a car, writes graffiti on a wall. So what was the “sort of one thing”? I leaned my head over the table to glimpse the paper.

“It doesn’t seem realistic. How much trouble can one kid get into?”

I began to attempt to explain, recognizing that many of Rory’s antics would be unbelievable had they not been based somewhat in truth. As I began to stumble over my words, my phone rang. I looked at my watch and saw it was 1:10. Thinking it was my younger son calling to complain that his brother had not come to pick him up, I searched for my phone in my purse and apologized to my friend.

“Hello” I said, seeing the word Restricted across the screen.

“Is this Amy Faircloth?”

“Yes, who is this?

“Sergeant Bell at the Bangor Police Department.” I knew Sergeant Bell.

“Is everything okay?” I looked across the table at my friend. The concern on her face scared me even more than the officer’s phone call.

“Someone called in a report about trash being tossed out of your son’s vehicle. They gave us the license plate and we thought we would check with you.”

“Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. We just want to talk to him. Do you know where he is?”

“I know where he is supposed to be ten minutes ago.” I gave the officer the location and looked at my friend. All color had drained from her face, hearing only my side of the conversation. I laughed and explained.

“Did you want to ask me that question again?” I said. “You know, about how much trouble one kid can get into?”

She took a pencil out of her purse and vigorously crossed out the penciled words on her quarter sheet of paper.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Synopsis:

Available as e-book for Kindle and Nook and in print.

No one is perfect, not even Archer—but she would like to be. As an attorney with a possible judicial seat Archer struggles to maintain balance between her professional responsibilities and her responsibilities as mother to her adopted special needs child.

Rory has Asperger’s Syndrome; he is sensitive, difficult, and stubborn. When Rory decides to go searching for his birth parents Archer has no choice but to join him. What follows is a wild journey of self discovery for both of them!

Wicked Good is full of rich characters with whom you will cry, hope, laugh, and cheer.

Just Thought You Should Know:

Jane Austin, Virginia Woolf, Hans Christian Anderson, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and George Orwell are just a few of the famous authors thought to have had Asperger’s Syndrome or a related condition.

Press Release 09/12/11:
WICKED GOOD, One blustery day two sisters decided to write a book together. What began as a blog became a hit novel! WICKED GOOD is currently #1 on Amazon in the Women’s Fiction – Mothers & Children category for print books, and has won a Reader’s Favorite Book Award 2011 in Fiction Drama!

THANKS TO THE AUTHORS, AMY and JOANNE LEWIS

I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO

THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.