For 2012 I have dedicated myself to reading 1 book a week--at least. This week I read 4 and loved them all. I know the difficulty of authors finding reviewers, and although I'm not a professional reviewer, I do know what I like, and I support all authors in their quest to entertain the world.
Want me to read your book? Leave me a one-line promo that tells me why I'll love it and as time permits I will do my very best to read and review. I will admit I prefer a good mystery, but I'm finding in my travel through the literary genius surrounding me that I can enjoy almost anything. I make no promises of review, but if your story, writing or premise deserves it--I will definitely put it up. I do not review anything less than 4 stars. My reasons--I have very little time to read, and if a book doesn't deserve at least a four star rating I'm not going to finish it, and if I don't finish a book--I'm not going to review it.
Now, tell me why I would love your book.
The world if full of mysteries.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
It's no Mystery--I'm old, and it don't take much to P*** me off!
Author - Unknown - but I've been there!
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."
The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."
She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books. But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.
We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.
Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?
Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off.
The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."
The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."
She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books. But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.
We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.
Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?
Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Featured Author - Jennifer Chase and Dead Game
Several times a week I try to feature an author outstanding in the field of both writing, as well as instrumental in helping other Independent Authors get the word out about their books. Today it's my pleasure to host Jennifer Chase. Jennifer is definitely not a novice when it comes to writing. She currently has five novels available, all sporting a 4 to 5 star average. As you'll see below, not only is she knowledgeable in the subject matter of her novels, she holds a BA and Master's in those subject.
Jennifer Chase holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology. Her intense curiosity in the psychological aspect of crime is what drives her to write crime fiction. She lives in California, where she's currently at work on her next book in the series.
Reviewer says: Emily Stone - phantom detective is a heroine worth following. Right from the start you applaud her sense of duty, honor and justice as she and her partners fight crime "under the radar" and without the restrictions of the law. The plot is outstanding! A serial killer who escalates leaving "crumbs" of evidence behind and Jennifer gives us a glimpse into the life of each victim before... well you know, they become a victim! Well done! I will definitely read the next Emily Stone novel!
OTHER BOOKS BY JENNIFER CHASE:
OTHER BOOKS BY JENNIFER CHASE:
Sunday, March 11, 2012
FEATURE - Toby Neal & Blood Orchids
Toby Neal was raised on Kauai in Hawaii. She wrote and illustrated her first story at age 5 and has been published in magazines and won several writing contests. After initially majoring in Journalism, she eventually settled on mental health as a career and loves her work, saying, "I'm endlessly fascinated with people's stories."
She enjoys many outdoor sports including bodyboarding, scuba diving, beach walking, gardening and hiking. She lives in Hawaii with her family and dogs.
Toby credits her counseling background in adding depth to her characters-from the villains to Lei Texeira, the courageous and vulnerable heroine in the Lei Crime Series.
BLOOD ORCHIDS
Fast-paced crime mystery with a touch of romance, readers call Blood Orchids "un-putdownable"!
"Sometimes in crime fiction you stumble across a character who lives on beyond the book's end by virtue of their psychological complexity, and the richness with which the author has drawn them. Will Graham, Jack Reacher, Alex Cross, and now they have a worthy female counterpart in Lei Teixera. Blood Orchids is that rarity among debut novels, in that it satisfies on every level. A powerful new talent is on the scene, whole-heartedly recommended."-Drew Cross, former police officer and author of BiteMarks
Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water—but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there’s a dark side to paradise.
Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers—one of whom she’d recently busted. With its echoes of her own past, the murdered girl’s harsh life and tragic death affect Lei deeply. She becomes obsessed—even as the killer is drawn to Lei's intensity, feeding off her vulnerabilities and toying with her sanity.
Despite her obsession with the case and fear that she's being stalked, Lei finds herself falling in love for the first time. Steaming volcanoes, black sand beaches and shrouded fern forests are the backdrop to Lei's quest for answers—and the stalker is closer than she can imagine, as threads of the past tangle in her future. Lei is determined to find the killer—but he knows where to find her first.
She enjoys many outdoor sports including bodyboarding, scuba diving, beach walking, gardening and hiking. She lives in Hawaii with her family and dogs.BLOOD ORCHIDS
Fast-paced crime mystery with a touch of romance, readers call Blood Orchids "un-putdownable"!
"Sometimes in crime fiction you stumble across a character who lives on beyond the book's end by virtue of their psychological complexity, and the richness with which the author has drawn them. Will Graham, Jack Reacher, Alex Cross, and now they have a worthy female counterpart in Lei Teixera. Blood Orchids is that rarity among debut novels, in that it satisfies on every level. A powerful new talent is on the scene, whole-heartedly recommended."-Drew Cross, former police officer and author of BiteMarks
Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water—but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there’s a dark side to paradise.
Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers—one of whom she’d recently busted. With its echoes of her own past, the murdered girl’s harsh life and tragic death affect Lei deeply. She becomes obsessed—even as the killer is drawn to Lei's intensity, feeding off her vulnerabilities and toying with her sanity.
Despite her obsession with the case and fear that she's being stalked, Lei finds herself falling in love for the first time. Steaming volcanoes, black sand beaches and shrouded fern forests are the backdrop to Lei's quest for answers—and the stalker is closer than she can imagine, as threads of the past tangle in her future. Lei is determined to find the killer—but he knows where to find her first.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Edward Lorn & Bay's End--Is there a new Stephen King in Town?
Horror has never really been my "cuppa tea", but the reviews on this one may actually make me change my mind. I've read Stephen King, I mean who hasn't? He is an icon that most authors hope to immulate--if not his skill, then his popularity and fame.
E, as his friends call him, and I have become friends on Facebook and Twitter, and I'm watching his success as he battles his way into the publishing world with a fantastic debut novel. He's already garnered eleven 5 Star reviews, and the praise for his story, as well as his skill as a writer shines through in every one of those reviews.
Quote from Big Al's Books and Pals
"Bay's End is, for lack of a better description, a horror story. I guess. The author calls himself a horror author. Amazon classifies it that way. There are monsters, although they’re the human variety, who make an appearance in the later part of the book. There are metaphorical ghosts that pop in throughout. It is that Stephen King book stripped down to its real elements."
Quotes from other reviews:
"It's hard to find an author who creates such life like characters that make you feel as if you know them. The type of writing that makes it feel like these characters are right there in the room alongside you as you read about their lives."
"The strong voice in this coming of age story blew me away. I was drawn in from the first page and didn't want to put the book down. The author does an amazing job of capturing the freedom of a twelve year old by's words and thoughts when he is among friends and the difference in the company of adults."
"Just as the blurb states, this is a story about the innocence of youth and the loss thereof. The events are harrowing, but they unfold in a way that memserizes. This book held traces of the kind of enchanting, bittersweet summer you would read about in classics such as "IT" or "Stand by Me." Much like those tales, you get the sense of impending disaster, but you can't look away."
Looking for a great read? Only $2.99
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Review of Impeding Justice by Mel Comley - From An American Point of View
This was a difficult book for me to review. I’ll start it by saying that Mel Comley and I have become friends on Facebook and other social medias. She did not ask me to read or review her book. I did so because I wanted to, and I’m glad I did. I will say, though, I do not write bad reviews, however, I write honest reviews that are my opinion. Some may agree with me, and some may not. I don’t write bad reviews simply because if I don’t like a book, I normally don’t finish reading it, and I won’t write a review on a book I haven’t read completely. I actually read Impeding Justice some time ago, but have been pondering for weeks how to write a review from an American standpoint. I’ve finally decided to just go with it.
When I first started reading this I found myself looking at words and thinking “Oh, my God, there’s typos here.” I’m a little slow sometimes so it actually took me a chapter or two before I realized “Oh, Mel Comley is a British author!” These aren’t typos, nor are they errors in punctuation. I have since found that some of the rules of writing, punctuation and spelling change in other countries.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I would like to say that by the third chapter spelling and punctuation no longer mattered to me. I was totally captivated by the story. I found myself in empathy with Lorne Simpkins, a strong-willed female in a mostly male dominated profession. It was easy to see that Lorne would have to work harder, longer and go beyond the normal one hundred percent to even get noticed. Add to that trying to be a good wife in a not so great marriage, a good mother to a rebellious teenager, and still somewhere deep down inside wanting to be a desirable woman, and you have a well-developed character that you want to see succeed in all those areas.
Having worked with and for both law enforcement agencies and the judicial system in the US I was amazed to learn the differences in the American and British systems, and appalled that British officers could not carry firearms.
This is not a cozy mystery, and not for everyone. The subject material deals with a sick criminal, and material some may find offensive. However, if you like an action-packed thriller that is hard-boiled in every sense of the word, you’ll love it. I realized after reading Impeding Justice that I had started the series in the middle. I just purchased Cruel Justice and look forward to starting at the beginning. Thank you, Mel, for an entertaining evening (yes, I read this book in one evening, because I couldn’t put it down and had to find out what happened next). Next on my list! Other Books by Mel!
When I first started reading this I found myself looking at words and thinking “Oh, my God, there’s typos here.” I’m a little slow sometimes so it actually took me a chapter or two before I realized “Oh, Mel Comley is a British author!” These aren’t typos, nor are they errors in punctuation. I have since found that some of the rules of writing, punctuation and spelling change in other countries.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I would like to say that by the third chapter spelling and punctuation no longer mattered to me. I was totally captivated by the story. I found myself in empathy with Lorne Simpkins, a strong-willed female in a mostly male dominated profession. It was easy to see that Lorne would have to work harder, longer and go beyond the normal one hundred percent to even get noticed. Add to that trying to be a good wife in a not so great marriage, a good mother to a rebellious teenager, and still somewhere deep down inside wanting to be a desirable woman, and you have a well-developed character that you want to see succeed in all those areas.
Having worked with and for both law enforcement agencies and the judicial system in the US I was amazed to learn the differences in the American and British systems, and appalled that British officers could not carry firearms.
This is not a cozy mystery, and not for everyone. The subject material deals with a sick criminal, and material some may find offensive. However, if you like an action-packed thriller that is hard-boiled in every sense of the word, you’ll love it. I realized after reading Impeding Justice that I had started the series in the middle. I just purchased Cruel Justice and look forward to starting at the beginning. Thank you, Mel, for an entertaining evening (yes, I read this book in one evening, because I couldn’t put it down and had to find out what happened next). Next on my list! Other Books by Mel!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
From Romance to Mystery - Valerie Maarten
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