Friday, March 21, 2014

The Bridge Over Cedar Creek by Michael W. Paul


Use the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon. Link here.
 
Meet the author on Monday, April 14th on The Doug Dahlgren Show- a weekly radio show every Monday at 7PM Eastern on Artist First Radio Network and tune in your computer to listen live.
 
 
 
See What They Are Saying On Amazon Reviews.
 
 
About the book:
 
The Bridge (Over Cedar Creek), constructed during a distant summer over a small Colorado stream by a boy and two curmudgeonly old men, serves as a metaphor for timeless life lessons learned and the beginning of the boys coming of age. Although fiction, the book is taken from real events and some real people. Others are composites taken solely from the imagination of the writer and distant memories. Written in the vernacular of the time, the characters come to life with the help of the authors vivid description. The reader can feel the cool breeze off the river, smell the scent of pine and see the brilliance of the sequined mountain night sky. The Bridge Over Cedar Creek will appeal to all readers except the most cynical.
 
 
 
The story of a youngster coming of age in the late “fifties”, a worn out three wheel Cushman baggage scooter that had long since been used up by Eastern Airlines, and a kind wise old man who reached out and changed the direction of the boy’s life. 

It opens after midnight in early June 1958 on a desolate Louisiana state highway, with a young passenger riding on a decrepit old Greyhound bus travelling alone to Colorado to spend the summer working on a cattle ranch.  

That seminal summer taught the boy that life is all about choice. It is not the people or events that make the difference, but how one thinks about them. 
 
About the author:


 
Clayton Library Book Signing
 
 
Michael Paul is a lifelong dreamer, a lover of learning and new experiences. In this, his first book, he tells of a boy awakening and beginning his ascent into manhood with the guidance of a wise and thoughtful adult. He lives in Buford, Georgia with his wife of forty seven years, his faithful rescue dog Katie and a Cat.
 
 
Links:
 
Amazon paper-back
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

"Saving Our Pennys" by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch




 Buy the book or check the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon by clicking here.


Saving Our Pennys, was released  February 17, 2014.  One of the main characters in this book is a dog named Lab, based on the author's own dear companion named Mickey who is now running with his friends somewhere in doggy heaven. I am all about the dogs and have just purchased my copy on Kindle.

This is Roy Dimond's third book. Roy was featured on this blog  September 13, 2013, with the release of "The Rubicon Effect".  Want to read that post? Click here .

About The Book:


Ever been overwhelmed by the everyday burdens of life? And yet, everyone else turns to you for support and guidance.

You see a person sitting next to you laughing, enjoying life. How did they get there? The universe seldom takes the straight path. Seeing someone filled with simple joy can often provide the opportunity for a profound experience. Our long journey is often twisted with depression, angst, dread... But IF we have the energy to keep our eyes open, then solutions may appear in the strangest of places.

Mentors are everywhere, waiting patiently... IF we look for them. Heroes take many forms, one may be the small child laughing on a swing and another may be the old man smiling contentedly beside you on a bus, or perhaps even in the people who look to you for help and guidance. Is it possible to help someone else while helping yourself?

Set in the fast paced, ultra busy world of multitasking, schools are an eruption of both heroes and victims. One teacher, feeling overwhelmed, chooses to look beyond himself and seek a mentor, someone to show him another way. But as is the nature of all redemption stories, he must earn his enlightenment and that always leads to the unexpected.

The quest from Shadow to Substance to Spirit is long, difficult and enriching...

Are you brave enough to take your journey?


About The Authors:



Roy Dimond
 
Roy Dimond lives with his wife in Pender Harbour, a small fishing village on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Locals call it "Penderdise." In his first life, Roy had the honor of helping at risk children and their families. In his second life, he pursues his love of travel and writing. Having explored four continents from Cuzco to Kyoto, Santorini to Tsumago, his wanderings have all found a way into his stories. Roy's first book The Singing Bowl and is now in a Second Edition. His second novel is called, The Rubicon Effect.  Saving Our Pennys is his third book, and first work of non-fiction.




Jeff Leitch
 
Jeff Leitch lives with his family in Maple Ridge, a proud community at the base of the majestic GoldenEarsMountain in British Columbia, Canada. Honoured to be a teacher in his native Coquitlam, British Columbia, Jeff’s passions include his wife Linda, and their three kids, Amanda, Matthew and Adam, “all his families” and friends, and the great stories they share. You can find him at any sporting venue, or live theatre, with coffee in hand, cheering and coaching those who display courage and dare to chase greatness. Along with writing occasional articles for local papers, Jeff’s current restlessness has him dreaming of many more novels, while writing at least one musical hit as he goes beyond the three chords he knows on his acoustic guitar.


What People Are Saying About Saving Your Pennys:

A tale of redemption in finding life guides and mentors in the least expected places, while we learn the power of acceptance and the life’s daily message.
 
“Unlock the doors of a heart and let that heart begin to feel again.”

Links:

Amazon and Kindle

Roy Dimond Amazon Author

Authors Promotion Website - Interview Jeff Leitch

Roy Dimond Website

Interview with Authors' Curtilage with Darmie Orem

Roy Dimond Facebook Page

Author's Den

Jeff Leitch Author Blog




 

Friday, February 28, 2014

Audrey Frank Writing Again At 85 Has Three Books On Amazon

Meet Margret Helms


Margret, the lovable curmudgeon you will meet and take to heart in "Under Margret's Wing" has a way of popping up in the author's writing.  A trilogy starting with this book, moving into her second novella, "Whispering Angels" and a third book that will be in print by late spring. Margret has a way of loving from beyond and taking care of those who need her help the most. You can peek inside on Amazon just click on the links below the books.


The Books:

 
Available on Amazon and Kindle
 
Love Can Guide You From Beyond If You Listen With Your Heart “Under Margret's Wing” is a coming of age novella by St. Augustine, Florida, author Audrey Frank. A perfect read for young adults and adults who are young at heart. It is a story that will stay with you long after you finish it and make you want to tighten the bonds with your loved ones. Margret Helms was an old spinster who liked her privacy and was comfortable with her quiet life. A knock on her door was about to change everything around her, including her crusty attitude. “Aunt Maggie?” A pregnant teenage girl greeted her. No one had called her Maggie except for the sister she lost touch with years ago. “And you are?” “Annie Duggin. I'm your great-niece.” So begins a relationship that will span space and time between the two.
 
 Available on Amazon and Kindle

Margret Helms felt a strange sensation. She’d been dead for years. A quick death at eighty-five. She had returned for awhile to help Annie. Now she felt herself being pulled back, but to what? This could only mean trouble. Annie? And so starts the journey back to St. Augustine, Florida and her beloved great-niece, Annie. Danger and troubles surround Annie and her friends. Can Margret help with it all?

Look for the final in the trilogy late spring early summer.




Available on Amazon and Kindle

Stories on love lost and found again with a sprinkle of murder tossed in to add flavor. This collection of eight short stories is a fast paced journey through the hearts and minds of a variety of characters that will draw you in and keep you reading. From an ethereal young boy to a demon child, from a wheel chair ridden young woman to a motorcycle lover, the action and dialog zip along.


Meet The Author:



 
After a life-time of raising children, pursuing a career as a  professional photographer, and pioneering the craft of art rubber stamping with her shop Stamp Augustine, Audrey Frank is back to her roots as a writer. Her early years of writing included many  published children’s stories in religious magazines and adult fiction in true confession magazines.

A romantic at heart, her stories for young adults, and grownups who like old-fashion romance, have recently been published in Nostalgia  Magazine, The Oxford So & So Magazine, and on many online sites, including A Quick Read  (a short stories app for the Android phone), Stepping Stones Magazine (a web based journal showcasing artists and writers) and Dew  On The Kudzu.
In 2012, her essay Haunted  tied for grand prize in the Share Your St. Augustine Story contest and she won honorable mention in the St. Augustine Record  short story holiday contest.

At eighty-five, Audrey Frank writes from her historic home in St. Augustine, Florida. Her books are available on Amazon and Kindle.

Member of the Florida Writers Association (FWA).


Links:

Author's Web

Author's Blog

Thursday, November 14, 2013

"The Catcher" by Gary Towers and Genevieve Frazier


Available on Amazon and Kindle.
View the Look Inside feature on Amazon.
 
 
About the Book:
 
     Organized predators snatch children in this boisterous thriller.
 
     Scarred of body and heavy of heart, legendary private eye Clayton Russell retreated to his woodland compound in Georgia to sharpen his deadly knife-throwing skills and forget the world's cruelty with his brainy Airedale Terrier, Winston. Then Pamela Waters, Clayton's ex-partner and estranged lover, scolds him out of retirement to find a vanished sixth-grader.
 
     Pam would help, but her hands are full finding holy relics stolen from the Dalai Lama, who graciously offers a cameo, along with his pal Queen Elizabeth. All clues lead to an Amsterdam-based criminal outfit called De Blauwe Organization.
 
      Clayton mobilizes his vast rolodex of mercenaries and miscellaneous cronies, including a madam with a heart of gold, to take down DBO. But he hasn’t factored in Fionna Marceau, DBO’s top “catcher,” who lures in children by dressing as a policewoman or a nun, and lures in men by parading around topless on yachts. 
  
     Gorgeous, amoral and wry, she's a stealthy killing machine to rival Clayton himself.
 
     Towers and Frazier keep their prose brisk, their characters colorful and their action scenes nimble, with plenty of henchmen for Clayton and Winston to maul in creative ways.  -   Kirkus Reviews


"The initial inspiration was a short story I wrote, 'Fast Tracks', which is basically a platform for Clayton Russell, a reclusive detective who is extremely adept at finding things, especially people. The short story won a national award, so 'The Catcher' was created, based on core characters from that story." ... Gary Towers


 

About the Authors:
 
 
Gary Towers, A Man Of Mystery
 
Gary Towers has two college degrees, despite prior occupations as a carpenter, veneer splicer, subway assembler, bellhop, mortician's assistant, billboard painter, camp counselor and night watchman. His white collar profession was in advertising. Gary lives on a 20-acre estate farm with three horses, two parrots, four cats and two dogs. Author of two non-fiction books, The Catcher is his first novel.


Genevieve Frazier spent her childhood in Dalton, Georgia, where she graduated as Valedictorian of Valley Point High School, Class of 1971. She attended undergraduate school at the University of Georgia with a major in Entomology. She graduated magna cum laude in 1974. Following college, Ms. Frazier received her law degree from Emory School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in ‘wrongful death’ suits.
 
 
 
Goodreads

Contact Gary Towers via e-mail

Reviews on Amazon  

A Five Star Rating On Amazon! What they are saying about The Catcher:

...The main character, Russell and his dog Winston, proved to be an unusual but loveable team.

... A remarkable and memorable first novel. The authors have clearly done their homework, taking the reader on a journey into the dark recesses of human evil and the trafficking of children. Colorful characters, startling plot twists, with a finish that will have you calling for more.

... You'll make an immediate connection with Clayton Russell-a very Bond like character.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Peg Brantley "The Sacrifice"

 
Available on Kindle
 
 
About the Book:
 
Former lawman Mex Anderson is trying to cope with the horrific murders of his family as best he can. Moving from his small, Mexican town to the snowy mountains of Colorado has helped, however it seems nothing can ever take away the gut-wrenching pain of his loss. When the head of the drug cartel responsible for the killings approaches him with an offer that would reveal the individuals behind the murders, it might lead to the one thing that would allow Mex to heal: revenge.

The Sacrifice: a novel of guilt and redemption that proves there is always hope for tomorrow even in the midst of unconscionable evil.


What They Are Saying About "The Sacrifice":



“Peg Brantley’s latest, THE SACRIFICE, accomplishes that rare feat of being both heartfelt and suspenseful. A gripping tale of murder and revenge, it ultimately becomes something much, much more.
— Dennis Palumbo, author of the Daniel Rinaldi mystery series


“Peg Brantley has done it again. Her third book (after THE MISSINGS and RED TIDE) is another thrill ride, a hyperventilation-inducing thriller about evil and power and endangered innocence. And MAYBE a new (and very interesting) sustaining female character. Mex Anderson may have companionship in the next book or two.”
—Timothy Hallinan, Edgar-nominated author of the Poke Rafferty and Junior Bender series

 
 
 
About The Author:
 
 
Peg Brantley
 
 
A Colorado native, Peg is a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and Sisters In Crime. She and her husband make their home southeast of Denver, and have shared it with the occasional pair of mallard ducks and their babies, snapping turtles, peacocks, assorted other birds, foxes, a deer named Cedric and a bichon named McKenzie.

Read Peg Brantley's guest post on The Henderson Files Five Simple Truths for Indie Authors.
 
 
Links:
 
 
Peg Brantley's Amazon Author Page (see her other books)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Twitter  @PegBrantley
 
 
 
Upcoming Author Appearances (click here for details)
 
2013 Mile High Holiday Mart -Denver, Co. -  Nov 22, 2013
 
Left Coast Crime - Monterey, Ca, - March 20.2013
 
 
 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Valerie Joan Connors "In Her Keeping"

Available on Amazon, Kindle and Barnes & Noble
Bell Bridge Books (August 15, 2013)

From Valerie Connors: About the book and the inspiration behind the story.
 
My inspiration for the book was an eight-week old, 20 pound tiger cub named Meka, that my husband and I met in September of 2010 on a weekend visit to North Carolina.  I got to feed the cub a bottle, and it was an amazing experience that would change my life forever, but also tugged at that empty place in my heart that always longed for children of my own.  In the days and weeks that followed, I couldn't get the cub out of my head.  I began to do research about tigers in captivity in the United States, and the dwindling number of tigers remaining in the wild.  I discovered a whole new world, most of it sad, some of it tragic.  But in the midst of it all were a whole group of kind-hearted individuals who devote their lives to caring for these animals in accredited sanctuaries. They rescue tigers and other big cats from abuse and neglect, and give them a safe place in which to live out their lives as comfortably as possible in spite of their captivity.  It never really occurred to me that such a problem existed.  But people engage in some really cruel behaviors with these animals, taking them away from their mothers too soon in order to let people handle them all day long for photo ops, or thinking that they would make a really great pet, only to discover later, when the animals weigh 400 pounds and could kill you in an instant, that they really hadn't thought it through.  Sometimes these animals, the lucky ones, end up in sanctuaries where trained and responsible handlers love and care for them.  What happens to the others is very sad indeed.
 
The plight of tigers in captivity in the United States is something most people are unaware of.  It’s an unfortunate result of shortsightedness and uninformed decision making over a long period of time.   Sadly, unless something is done, these magnificent creatures will soon disappear from the world entirely.  That loss will be significant.
 
In Her Keeping is about one of the good sanctuaries, and a woman who desperately wants a child of her own.  But after eight years she has tried and failed to accomplish it.  But when she finds herself caring for a tiger cub instead, she learns that motherhood can take many forms.
 
 
 
About The Author:
 
 
Author Valerie Joan Connors
 
 
In Her Keeping is Valerie Connors' second novel, but first through a traditional publisher, Bell Bridge Books.  In 2010 she self-published Give Me Liberty, the story of a young woman’s journey in 1953 from a small town in Michigan to New York City, where she struggles to fulfill her destiny. 
 
Valerie Connors is working on two more novels and hopes to get on in the loop for publication in 2014. During normal business hours she is employed by an architectural design firm as their Operations Manager, which deals with IT and Human Resources. In May of this year she was installed as the President of the Atlanta Writers Club after serving on the board for two years. She and her husband live in the Metro Atlanta area.
 
 
What They're Saying About In Her Keeping:
 
 
"A warm and inspiring novel of second chances, starting over, and learning that happiness comes in all forms and all (tiger) stripes.    ...New York Times bestselling author, DEBORAH SMITH
 
 
"Valerie Joan Connors scores a home run with her wonderful story about two fascinating subjects:  true love and tigers." …New York Times Bestselling Author, HAYWOOD SMITH
 
 
"Valerie Joan Connors knows her tigers, both real and ephemeral. In Her Keeping is a cinematic tale of love lost, and love found."   ...JESSICA HANDLER, author of Braving The Fire: A Guide to Writing Through Grief and Loss, and Invisible Sisters: A Memoir.
 
 
"Valerie Connors' novel offers a refreshing variant on a woman's journey of self-discovery. On the surface In Her Keeping appears to be about Sylvia Holt re-channeling her desire for motherhood by nurturing big cats. Deep down, however, this is a story about her reconnection with people and her renewed trust in the wisdom of the heart." .... GEORGE
WEINSTEIN, author of Hardscrabble Road.
 

Meka

 
 
Links:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Book signing with husband and members of the Atlanta Writers Club

 

Friday, September 13, 2013

Roy Dimond New Release "The Rubicon Effect"

 

New release from author Roy Dimond September 9, 2013. Available on Amazon and Kindle . Use the Look Inside feature on Amazon to read pages from the book.



“I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.” —Buddha
 


About the Book:

A new Pope, a new US President, and the end of the world. What happens when we cross the Rubicon, and there is no going back to the way things used to be? How do you solve problems with no solutions? These are the questions author Roy Dimond dares to ask in his new thriller.

Two seemingly unrelated events will soon affect the entire world! The Holy Church has just ordained the first South American Pope. Born into poverty and raised on the mean streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the new leader of the Holy Church intends to bring the church kicking and screaming into the 21st century. While at the same time, the death of the Venezuelan President has opened the door to a new, rising political star and her plan to inspire an entire world. The Pope finds himself cleverly trapped in a web, from which he cannot escape, when the Republican nominees for President and Vice President of the United States of America, Richard Delaney, and his stunning running mate, Michelle Yakin, propose a horrific solution. However, three visionaries: a mysterious Elder from the Andes Mountains, who calls himself Older Brother, the second term, lame duck, President of the United States of America, and an environmentalist, see another way . . . Unfortunately, the time to act is running out. Mother Nature may have crossed the Rubicon and there is no turning back. The Apocalypse, the End of Days has arrived and humanity is to be judged.

Published by Raven's Wing Books, an imprint of Grey Gate Media, LLC. ISBN 978-1618071002



About the Author:




Author Roy Dimond


Roy Dimond was featured on Book Talk on August 15, 2013 with his novel The Singing Bowl. You can read that post by clicking  here. We welcome Roy back today with his new release this month, The Rubicon Effect.

From a recent interview, Roy talks about his main character in The Rubicon Effect. You can read the full interview on the Authors Promotion (Authors Promotion and Books Marketing, a new blog on WordPress.com site)


Sam Albright, my main character, doesn’t suffer fools and seldom has doubts. He’s an environmentalist who knows what’s coming, Armageddon, and worse, he knows that it is already too late to affect Global Climate Change. 

 However, at a deeper level, I think the main character is really the psyche of mankind. Behind the scenes, it is really all humanity that drives my characters. From the newly elected Pope, to the second term lame duck President, from the new President of Venezuela, to the Republican right-wing they really only represent the needs, desires, and dreams of humanity. None of my characters got to where they are on their own; humanity raised them to the positions they have. That’s why I say my story is really about what drives mankind… hope or fear.


And a little personal information about the author from the same interview.

Before I was a writer I was working with at-risk families as a Youth Worker. It was there that I found so many enriching and fascinating people and I often draw from that experience to find characters and plots for my novels.  I then began traveling, and have had the good fortune to find many interesting places. Again these experiences have often found a way into my writing.

 In my spare time I hike and am fortunate enough to live with my wife in one of the most beautiful places on the planet aptly named Garden Bay, on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada.


 Links:

Author Website

Author Interview

Amazon

Kindle

Facebook Author Page

Grey Gate Media

Smashwords

Goodreads