Review: Not-So-Perfect Princess by Melissa McClone

(A full length contemporary romance published by Harlequin)


Dutiful Princess Julianna has a secret—she's actually happiest makeup free, sailing with the sea breeze in her hair. Her attraction to rebel prince Alejandro is instant— but her intended is his brother, the proper but dull Enrique!

For the first time, Julianna's irresistibly tempted. Before long, she's spending her nights sailing with gorgeous Alejandro while the rest of the palace believes she's sleeping. Soon she'll have to choose—remain the perfect princess, or follow her heart and stop sleepwalking her way through life.…



Another of the Once Upon A Wish miniseries stories by Harlequin. Each story is based upon a fairy tale. This story is based on Sleeping Beauty.

In this story, the princess, who has been raised to always follow the dictates of her father and society, hates her life. Although she is rebellious inside, she is never allowed to show it. She is a strong minded woman, and would love to rebel, but doesn’t really know how. It is fascinating to watch as she slowly, but surely, rebels against the life she was given. She becomes the Not So Perfect Princess, making her the perfect woman.

Princess Julianna’s father has again arranged a marriage for her. Twice before, the marriages he has planned have fallen through. Although she would like to marry for love, she accepts. She has decided that she might become her own person when she marries. Her alternative is to remain at home and be unable to ever be the real Julianna.

She travels to a small kingdom on an island off the coast of Spain. There she meets her future husband, Enrique and his brother, Alejandro. She is immediately attracted to the wrong brother, but as a princess must, refrains from showing any emotion. She accepts the engagement and ignores the attraction she feels.

Although she loves the sea and sailing, her father has forbidden it, and her future husband informs her that he will forbid it too. How this sleeping beauty wakes up and does what she wants to do gives this story a delightful twist. How she manages to obtain both her love of sailing and the love of her life, is fun, interesting and shows how a person can quietly change the way she has been forced to live.

Though the story is a little predictable, it is well written. The characters become alive before your eyes, and it is fascinating to watch them all grow and change.

4/5 Flowers



FTC Disclaimer: This book is from my personal library.

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Bones by KJ Dahlen

Today we're welcoming author KJ Dahlen to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her suspense novel, "Bones". I have to admit, I've been lurking on her tour stops and really regret not reviewing thing one! Looks like I'll be buying it to add to my Nook instead. *G*

KJ is giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate, plus the chance to help her with her new book--the winner will get to write a short blurb and K.J. will write the book based on it--to one randomly drawn commenter. That's really cool!! So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author, win a GC and have bragging rights on helping plan her next book!

KJ was kind enough to answer my many questions. Thanks, KJ!

Why did you choose to write suspense?

I love suspense, the "I-can’t–wait–to-turn-the-next-page" kind of story. I don’t care for all the blood and gore but the spine tingling suspense is what I like. I write the kind of stuff I love to read. I love to put unexpected twists and turns into my stories to create the edge of the seat suspense thrill.

What kind of research went into your story to make sure the details were correct?

I write fiction, most of what I write is pure imagination but when I need facts I usually check the internet. I’m told I have a vivid imagination and I like to use every ounce to make my stories better.

Do you have any writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Not really. I usually sit down and rough out the way I want the story to go but somewhere along the line the story takes on a life of its own and goes off in a different direction. I usually write my best in the early morning when my creative juices are pumping. I have a comfortable chair and a table with my laptop and with a cup of coffee I can write for hours.

Plotter or Pantser?

I like to write out a plot but I don’t always stick to it. My characters go off and do their own thing at times and it usually works out, sometimes better than I plotted!

Anything new coming from you? If so, please share!

I’m always working on something. Right now I’m working on the second of three books titled The New Brotherhood-The Covenant. The first in the trilogy is titled The Prophet – The New Brotherhood and the third will be titled, The New Brotherhood – Reborn.

I also found four books I wrote years ago and I’m going to rewrite them and hopefully get them published. I also began a new Series titled The River Foundation Case Files.. The first story there is A Murder In Her Past…Always busy…

Anything you'd like to ask our readers?

To read my books? *G*

Also to let me know if you like them or not I always welcome feedback from my readers.

When human bones are discovered in a cave just outside of town, it’s up to Sheriff Max Reardon to find out who the bones belonged to. But someone in town doesn’t want the bones identified and they go to great lengths to try and stop Max’s investigation.

They break into Max’s house and try and destroy the evidence and when that doesn’t work they frame Max for murder. Can Max clear his name and bring the murderer or murderers to justice?

Kim lives in a small town (population495) in Wisconsin. From her deck she can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. She lives with her husband Dave and dog Sammy. Her two children are grown and two grandchildren and for that fact she feels blessed. She loves to watch people and that has helped her with her writing. She loves to create characters and put them in a troubling situation and just sit back and let them do all the work. They surprise even her at times. They take on a life of their own and the twists and turns become a story. She found she liked mystery/thrillers the best. She likes to keep her readers guessing until the very end of the book.

Email: kjdahlen1@yahoo.com
Web site: www.kjdahlen.com
She is on facebook and twitter

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: However Long the Night by David Pereda

Today we're welcoming author David Pereda to the blog on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for However Long the Night, "a contemporary mainstream novel with a romantic flair, a love triangle, suspense, a pinch of corporate shenanigans and a historical background". We loved the book, and posted a review here.

David is giving away a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today (he especially loves questions -- so ask him one!) AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

David was gracious enough to answer my questions.

Why did you choose to write suspense?

I like the genre. It’s fast, requires skillful plotting, interesting characters, and usually, definitely in my case, exotic locales. But I actually don’t really write suspense. I write thrillers.

What kind of research went into your story to make sure the details were correct?

Two types of research:

(1) I’ve either lived in, or traveled to, more than twenty-five countries. Meaning: I’ve been to all the countries I describe in my books – and However Long the Night is no exception; and (2) if some details escape me or I’m trying to describe a place I’ve never been to, like the Roncalli Lighthouse, I resort to rigorous research via Internet and libraries.

How does it feel being a male author in a genre dominated by women? Do you think it gives you and advantage or disadvantage?

Who says thrillers are a genre dominated by women? Harlan Coben, Dan Brown, John Grisham, David Baldacci, Jeffrey Archer, Joseph Finder, W.E.B. Griffin – to name a few – are all men. While more than 75% of readers are women and there are a number of outstanding suspense women writers, the thriller genre is dominated by men. It is an incredibly tough genre, by the way, since all those men are outstanding thriller writers, but I like competition. My objective is to be mentioned in the same sentence with them within the next 2-3 years, if not sooner.

There are no writing advantages or disadvantages in terms of sex. It all boils down to how good you are as a writer and how well you are able to reach your reader and make her a part of your story. If you succeed, you are a knockout artist; if you fail, you are the one being knocked out of the marketplace and ignored.

Do you have any writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

No. I’m plain vanilla when it comes to writing. In that sense I am like Dostoyevsky who, according to history, pounded away at his novels undeterred while the creditors were pounding on his front door.

Plotter or Pantser?

I’m a plotter – but once I have my plot in place and have my characters defined and know where I want to go I’m liable to change directions. My favorite motto is: do always the unexpected. I do.

Anything new coming from you? If so, please share!

I’m halfway through the third installment of my Havana Series of thrillers. This one is a departure from the previous two books in the series in that the plot takes the main characters to the Middle East – where I lived for a while too, by the way. Also, because the main focus switches from assassination and politics to the kidnapping of one of the twin girls born to Raymond and Sonia in the second book of the series. One of the twins gets kidnapped and that sets off and incredible sequence of events. The book is titled Twin Powers, and I expect to have it published in 2013.

Anything you'd like to ask our readers?

Other than have you read my books and, if not, why not?

Yes, I do. I’d like to ask your readers which are their top three favorite books and why?

To the first three who answer, I promise a signed copy of However Long the Night in return. But there’s a caveat. As you know, nothing in life is free. The three winners must agree to write a review of However Long the Night to be published in your blog at your discretion once they finish reading it.

Thank you David!

What if you found out your success was built on lies told by your father that caused great misfortune to people dear to you? What if you had the opportunity to do something about it…twenty-five years later and at the risk of your own life? Would you or wouldn’t you?

This is the dilemma award-winning Miami Architect Cid Milan suddenly faces in this 90,000-word, mainstream novel. A Cuban immigrant forced to abandon his country as a teenager during the tumultuous Mariel boatlift of 1980, Cid is a self-made man who arrived in the United States with nothing. He’s an example of what can be accomplished in America through hard work and determination. He hobnobs with the Mayor, has a sexy model for his girlfriend, and is building the most luxurious condominium on Biscayne Bay. But when his dying father, Colonel Jose Milan, a well-known political dissident, confesses to him a shocking family secret from Cuba, Cid’s life implodes.

Colonel Milan reveals that in order to ensure Cid could leave Cuba unharmed, he collaborated with Castro’s police -- willfully betraying both Cid's best friend, Joaquin, and forsaking his pregnant girlfriend Sandra. Overnight, Cid’s world is turned upside down. Trying to unravel the mystery of his own past, Cid realizes there’s only one thing he can do: return to the land he abandoned. In his quest to learn the truth, Cid rediscovers himself and his roots as he reunites with Joaquin and searches frantically throughout Cuba for Sandra and the secret she has kept from him all these years: his son. In the process, Cid learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption that changes his life forever.

Author Biography:

David Pereda is an award-winning author who enjoys crafting political thrillers and mainstream novels. His books have won the Lighthouse Book Awards twice, the Royal Palm Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Readers Favorite Awards. He has traveled extensively around the world and speaks several languages. Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching college-level courses, Pereda had a rich and successful international consulting career with global giant Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifPhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifferu, and Qatar, among others.

A member of MENSA, Pereda is the regional director of the Florida Writers Association and the co-founder of AWE (Asheville Writing Enthusiasts). He loves sports and has won many prizes competing in track and show-jumping equestrian events.
Pereda lives with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Please visit him at…
www.davidpereda.com
www.twitter.com/DavidPeredaAVL
www.facebook.com

Review: However Long the Night by David Pereda

(A full length suspense/thriller with romantic elements published by Eternal Press)

What if you found out your success was built on lies told by your father that caused great misfortune to people dear to you? What if you had the opportunity to do something about it…twenty-five years later and at the risk of your own life? Would you or wouldn’t you?

This is the dilemma award-winning Miami Architect Cid Milan suddenly faces in this 90,000-word, mainstream novel. A Cuban immigrant forced to abandon his country as a teenager during the tumultuous Mariel boatlift of 1980, Cid is a self-made man who arrived in the United States with nothing. He’s an example of what can be accomplished in America through hard work and determination. He hobnobs with the Mayor, has a sexy model for his girlfriend, and is building the most luxurious condominium on Biscayne Bay. But when his dying father, Colonel Jose Milan, a well-known political dissident, confesses to him a shocking family secret from Cuba, Cid’s life implodes.

Colonel Milan reveals that in order to ensure Cid could leave Cuba unharmed, he collaborated with Castro’s police -- willfully betraying both Cid's best friend, Joaquin, and forsaking his pregnant girlfriend Sandra. Overnight, Cid’s world is turned upside down. Trying to unravel the mystery of his own past, Cid realizes there’s only one thing he can do: return to the land he abandoned. In his quest to learn the truth, Cid rediscovers himself and his roots as he reunites with Joaquin and searches frantically throughout Cuba for Sandra and the secret she has kept from him all these years: his son. In the process, Cid learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption that changes his life forever.


I started reading this not really knowing what to expect. I only hoped I wouldn’t be bored. Well, I was far from bored, I was fascinated.

The story starts with a Cuban family being forced to leave Cuba during the boatlift of 1980. The story is focused on Cid Milan, who was a teenager when he first arrived in the United States.

When we meet him, he's a very successful architect in Miami, and I expected the story to follow in a predictable pattern. He was handsome, wealthy, had a large company, and a beautiful girlfriend. However, he wasn’t totally content with his life. He spent very little time with his family as there was, apparently, a lot of conflict with them. This is when I began to be really hooked because there was clearly more to this than I had first believed.

When his dying father requested that he come to see him, he did so, begrudgingly. Once there, however, he found out that twenty-five years before, his father had done something to him and to someone he loved which was unforgiveable. Now he realized that he would have to return to Cuba to resolve the situation. He talks his brother into accompanying him and makes his plans.

I became totally involved now. What would happen to him when he returned? Certainly it would be extremely dangerous, but he felt he had to go. I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what would happen.

This was fascinating to me, as I discovered all the difficulties he faced as he tried to resolve all the problems his father had caused. It was so interesting to follow him in Cuba, a country which we have heard so much about, but in these past years have really not known much about and what was happening there, and how dangerous it actually was.

I was on the edge of my seat as the mystery of what had happened slowly unfolded. I was completely involved in the characters and the story. Mr. Pereda is very skiled, and his writing kept me glued to my chair, flipping pages, dying to see how everything was resolved. The result was a very unusual but very happy ending.

This story was probably one of the most well written that I have read in a long time. It really kept my interest, was well worth all the time I put into reading it, and it was something I kept thinking about long after I set my eReader aside. I would give this a 5 Plus, if that was possible.

Rated 5/5 flowers.


FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author and Goddess Fish Promotions in exchange for my honest opinion.

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: The Philip Dolly Affair by Jeffrey Ross and Jann M. Contento

Today we're welcoming authors Jeffrey Ross and Jann M. Contento to the blog on their tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for their novel, "College Leadership Crisis: The Philip Dolly Affair", a satirical look at community colleges.

The authors are giving away a novel-companion e-form [PDF] “chapbook” of poetry “voiced” by one of the novel’s characters, panish Professor Jack Frost to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a fun new book AND win!

I asked Jeffrey and Jann to tell us five things (each!) about themselves we might not guess. Take it away, Jeff and Jann!

1. Jann: I witnessed the nation-wide “ceremonial ringing” of the Liberty Bell during the country’s bicentennial year -- July 4th, 1976. I hitched a ride with some friends to Philadelphia that summer, exclusively for the event.

2. Jann: I really like shirts and ties on women-- think Annie Hall.

3. Jann: I have worked for pay in a number of physical labor-based occupations. I ingested road dirt from construction sites, cleared soot-filtered nostrils as a hot-tar roofer, maneuvered a forklift in a propane-scented warehouse, sodded grass patches on well-watered soil, and moved innumerable mattress sets and box springs up endless stairs… all after earning a baccalaureate degree.

4. Jann: I do not own a microwave, a television, or a cell phone.

5. Jann: I appreciate warm, home cooked meals made from all fresh ingredients.

*

6. Jeff: On the night of July 20, 1969, while Neil Armstrong and team were on the Moon, I was fishing in the Blue River, cane pole in hand, with my Uncle Valta and Grandpa [Sam] Ross. I remember, very clearly, sitting in tall weeds on the bank, smelling the damp Nebraska air, swatting mosquitoes, and gazing at the pock-marked Moon so far away as it listed slightly in the night sky….

7. Jeff: I rode a Yamaha 350 from Nebraska to California and back with my friends Mike and Brian (also on Yamaha 350’s). We took in Albuquerque, Phoenix, Shttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifan Diego, LA, Ely, Denver and all sights in between.

8. Jeff: I would rather have a bowl of my grandma’s hamburger and noodles than any delicacy prepared by any chef on the planet earth. Anytime, my friends.

9. Jeff: I prefer the solitude of my Quonset hut cabin to any script-drive vacation in a beach house, time share, Disknee Cruise, gym membership, theme park, or resort. I fully embrace life—not the script, not the TEXT.

10. Jeff: I don’t own a smart phone. Probably won’t. Have you noticed how everyone in the country can be seen staring at a hand held device 24/7?

While community colleges are currently receiving heightened attention, this novel provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of many whispered truths, those simmering but unspoken workplace behaviors, issues, and machinations every worker (Everyman!) will recognize. A humorous and biting read with a clever mix of satire, political intrigue, failed romances, and tragic-comedy, this novel will open your eyes to the truth about community colleges …

About Jeff and Jann:

Jann M. Contento has a broad range of experiences in higher education including student affairs administration, athletics, and institutional research. He is currently working in a community college setting and has co-authored several articles on leadership and college culture.

Jeffrey Ross, who resides in Gilbert, Arizona with his wife and son, is a writer, rockabilly musician, and former full-time community college teacher. He has had four "Views" pieces published on InsidehigherEd.com since 2007, has authored and co-authored several op-ed articles on community college identity, purposhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife, and culture, and has recently had several pieces published on the Cronk News higher education satire website.

Online Presence and Social Media Links

Facebook Page

Getting to Know Phil Dolly Blog

Twitter Account @SalinasChick\

Jeffrey Ross Creative Efforts Home Page on Web Eden (Music and More)

Jeffrey Ross Open Salon Blog—other poetry and essays

Lunar Love Blog Hop WINNER!

We ran all commenters and followers through www.random.org and the winner is:

Lauren Rura!!!!

We've emailed the winner and will get her book to her shortly.

Thanks to everyone for entering.

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Evil Ambulance by Mark Rinker

Today we're welcoming author Mark Rinker to the blog on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for his debut novel, a YA horror called "Evil Ambulance".

Mark is giving away a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

Mark was kind enough to answer my many questions. Thanks, Mark!

Why YA?

Well, my first draft of this novel was not written as a YA book. I wrote the initial version and wasn't happy with it. The story didn't, honestly, make a lot of sense, and was kind of all over the place--but I liked the basic idea and setup, and so came back to it a year or so later. At the time I was re-reading some YA books I'd enjoyed as a kid, specifically the Friday the 13th YA series by Eric Morse, and also checking out some recent YA fiction like the Twilight series and the Hunger Games, and I started considering whether Evil Ambulance might not work as a YA novel. The entire thing changed very much between that original version and the (much better) version that I ended up with. I made the character eighteen instead of twenty-nine, and re-started from there.

Why horror?

I've always loved reading and watching movies, and am a lifelong fan of horror; from my first viewings of Jaws and Halloween when I was very young, to reading Stephen King's masterpiece The Shining at age ten, I've been hooked on the genre.

Where did the idea for this story come from?

I think there's a big shortage of vehicular horror stories out there! Actually, I came up with it while driving. It's not that all that interesting; I saw an ambulance in my rear view mirror and came up with the idea of a demonic, or possessed, ambulance driving around town stirring things up.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I've been writing stories since I was a little kid, but didn't realize that's what I wanted to do until after college. I studied film and video production and found, about two years into my schooling, that I had very little talent as concerned cameras or computers, and got most of my enjoyment out of writing screenplays. I did a few of those, before concluding that I'd be more satisfied writing short stories and novels, rather than screenplays that likely would never be filmed.

Any odd/fun quirks you'd like to share with us?

I don't think there's anything TOO odd! I don't like watching TV without the volume cranked up, and I'm unable to watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High without moving my lips along with each line of dialogue.

What's one thing about you we might never guess?

I'm very interested in animals, particularly smaller ones: chinchillas, hamsters, small dogs. I've loved animals since I was a kid, and have been a vegetarian for about ten years. My chinchilla, Gizmo Giraffe, sits in his cage and watches me while I write.

Are you working on anything new?

I started work on a novel (not YA, or in the horror genre) during the period between the original draft and the revised draft of Evil Ambulance. That one is, at least for the moment, titled The King of Wolves, and is about religion, neuroses, and revenge, and is a pretty dark story. I hope to have a good draft of that completed early in the year. I also have some ideas for Evil Ambulance 2, which I'll likely start on in the next few months.

What's the book about?

Eighteen-year-old Eric Donnelly moves to a small town in Pennsylvania, to live with his uncle, Dan, while his parents finalize their divorce. Dan has recently purchased an old house which sits atop a three-mile hill overlooking the town of Riverwood; a house which is host to the decades-old presence of Victor Devlin, a homicidal ambulance driver responsible for a series of brutal murders years before. Eric soon finds himself alone, as the spirit of the ambulance driver begins to inhabit his uncle’s body, and each night Devlin’s ambulance appears in the driveway, eerily glowing, calling to Eric.

Tell us about you and where we can find you on the 'net.

Mark R. Rinker was born in California, but has spent most of his life in eastern Pennsylvania. His short story, “Dog Mask” was published earlier this year by Dark Gothic Resurrected magazine, and Evil Ambulance is his first novel.

http://www.markrrinker.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/markrrinkerpa
(twitter) @markrrinker

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Flidderbugs and Doodling by Johnathan Gould

Today we're welcoming author Jonathan Gould to the blog on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for his humor/satire novels "Flidderbugs" and "Doodling" (he calls them "daglit" - he says,"dag is Australian slang for someone who tends to go against whatever is fashionable but in a kind of funny and appealing way - and this is how I see my books. They're both quite cartoon-like in many ways, fun for children to read but with quite a bit of humor and satire that appeals to adults as well.").

Jonathan is giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow his tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of his tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I asked Jonathan to share some things we'd never guess about him.... take it away, Jonathan!

FIVE THINGS YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME.

It’s really nice to be here at It’s Raining Books. Just give me a moment to put up my bibliographical umbrella. That’s better. Now, what are five things you’d never guess about me? Gee, tough question. Given that I suspect most of you out there don’t actually know me, I could pretty much say anything I wanted to. But anyway, here are five fairly random things which, while possibly seeming a bit trivial, actually play a part in having a deep understanding of what makes me tick.

1. I’m very ordered, in a completely disorganised way. Do you see that mess on my desk? Well obviously you don’t. But believe me, it’s there. And if it wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be able to function. Within this apparently random disorder, I know exactly where everything is. If it were to be tidied up in any way, I wouldn’t have a clue what to do. (Now I just have to convince the wife)

2. I like shouting at inanimate objects. Let’s face it, they’re the most sensible thing to shout at as far as I’m concerned. And the reason is obvious. They don’t shout back. If I shout at anything vaguely animate (and I suppose I’m talking about people here), they have a disturbing tendency to respond, even (especially) if they’re my kids. And what am I supposed to do then?

3. My hair has a mind of its own. It likes to stick up in odd kinds of places and in odd kinds of ways. No matter what I might try to do to style it, it always ends up doing its own thing. My wife has suggested I invest in a comb, but hey, I don’t want to go overboard about it.

4. I always type with a pen in my hand. Don’t know why. Might be some sort of psychological need stemming from my childhood. For a while, I tried holding pens in both hands and using the ends of the pens to press down on the keyboard, but alas, it was most inefficient. So now I just hold one in my left hand while using my patented “one finger with my left hand and three fingers with my right” typing technique.

5. I really don’t care what other people think about me. No, truly, I don’t. I hope you don’t get upset about that. And I hope you don’t think it’s arrogant of me. Please let me know if the idea offends you in any way because I’d hate to think I was offending people. And if any of you have any sort of problem with anything else I’ve included in this post, please let me know so I can remove the material of concern straight away.

Neville Lansdowne fell off the world.

Actually, he did not so much fall off as let go. The world had been moving so quickly lately and Neville was finding it almost impossible to keep up.

Doodling is an engaging comic fantasy which relates the events that befall Neville after he finds himself abandoned by the world and adrift in the middle of an asteroid field. Douglas Adams meets Lewis Carroll (with just a touch of Gulliver's Travels) as Neville wanders through his new home, meeting a variety of eccentric characters and experiencing some most unexpected adventures.

As Kriffle the Flidderbug investigates why his fellow 'bugs find it impossible to agree on the pressing issue of how many points there are on the leaves of the tree on which they live, he finds that the truth is more complicated, and ultimately more terrifying, than he ever could have imagined.

Flidderbugs is a political satire, a modern fable, or maybe just a funny little story about a bunch of insects with some very peculiar obsessions.

He calls his stories "dag-lit" because they're the sort of stories that don't easily fit into the standard genres. Some might think of them as comic fantasies, or modern fairytales for the young and the young-at-heart.

Over the years, his writing has been compared to Douglas Adams, Monty Python, A.A. Milne, Lewis Carroll, the Goons, Dr Seuss and even Enid Blyton (in a good way).

http://www/daglit.blogspot.com

And he's only just entered this world of social networking - so if you meet him somewhere out there, please be nice to him.

https://twitter.com/#!/jonno_go

https://www.facebook.com/jonathangouldwriter

Purchase Doodling from:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
iBookstore
KoboSony Bookstore

Purchase Flidderbugs from:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
iBookstore
Sony Bookstore
Kobo

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Blood Rite by Melanie Atkins

Today we're excited to present as a book feature, "Blood Rite" a romantic suspense novel by Melanie Atkins as part of her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions.

Melanie is giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

Without further ado, let's hear more about the author and this book!

***

About the Author: Melanie Atkins is a multi-published author of romantic suspense. Writing is more than an escape for her—it’s a way of life. She grew up in the Deep South listening to tall tales and penning stories about her cats. Now she writes gripping stories of love, suspense, and mystery with the help of her furry little feline muses.

She is an active member of Romance Writers of America®, the Magnolia State Romance Writers (MSRW), the Published Author Network (PAN), the Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), Sisters in Crime (SinC), the Red Dog Writers, The Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA), Southern Writers, the Mississippi Writers Guild and the Byram Writers’ Group. She currently serves as Past President of MSRW.

Where to find Melanie:

Website: http://www.melanieatkins.com
Blog: http://melanieatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.face-book.com/melanie.atkins
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melanie_atkins

About the book:

Women in New Orleans are dying; women New Orleans Police detective Nick Marconi has dated. To make matters worse, they have all been found with vials of his murdered sister’s blood in their throats. Nick is walking a tightrope between depression and rage. His superiors are worried about his mental health, so they send him to see psychiatrist Gracie Simmons.

Gracie is walking a tightrope of her own. She became a psychiatrist because she wants to help people, and in addition to private practice, she also treats police and parolees. The extra work gives her flashbacks about her father, however, a bad cop arrested when she was fifteen. Then a former flame harasses her, and her best friend turns up dead. Desperate for a distraction, she makes Nick her special project. Only… he doesn’t want to be saved.

Want more? How about an excerpt?

Gracie Simmons stepped around her desk and rechecked her appointment book for the fifth time that day. Since lunch, she’d dealt with a woman with bi-polar disorder, an obsessive-compulsive fireman, and a shy teenager trying to find herself. Next up was a burned out cop.

Not the best way to wind up the day. She rubbed her tense neck. Her nerves had been on edge ever since this morning, when she’d met with him. She closed her eyes and pictured her nurse’s neat handwriting on the crisp new folder. Thirty-nine year old white male. Presenting with non-specific complaints of depression and anxiety. The description didn’t even come close.

She was afraid he was deeply disturbed. His cool, calculated answers to her questions had scared the hell out of her.

“Dr. Simmons?” Ashley, her part-time twenty-something receptionist, stuck her head in the door. Her long brown hair gleamed in the muted light. “Would you like some coffee before your four o’clock arrives?”

“Yes, thank you.” Although it would take a hell of a lot more than a brimming mug of high-octane java to get her through her next appointment. She never should have volunteered to handle cases for the police department while their regular psychiatrist was on military leave. Her dad had been a cop. A bad cop. And her childhood had been hell because of it. She certainly had no love for law enforcement professionals, especially those with problems on the job. If Dr. Myers wasn’t a good friend, she’d call him back and tell him she’d changed her mind.

Her head pounded. She reached into her drawer for an oversized bottle of ibuprofen.

Ashley came in and set a brimming cup of cream and sugar laced coffee on her desk. “Your patient’s in the waiting room.”

“Already?” Gracie eyed the sunburst clock on the wall in surprise. She’d expected this guy to balk. “He’s ten minutes early.”

Ashley shrugged. “At least you’ll get out of here on time today.”

“True.”

“Shall I send him in?”

“Give me five minutes, okay?” Gracie picked up her coffee cup and took a small sip. “I need to do some deep breathing exercises.”

“Sure.” Ashley smiled. “Yoga’s great when you’re feeling tense.”

Gracie had to agree. She downed another mouthful of steaming coffee, set down her cup, and leaned back in her chair. If only she had time to get out her mat and do some simple stretches. Her body was as tight as a bow string.

She rested her hands in her lap, palms up, and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she drew in a long breath, careful to fill her lungs and expand her ribcage. The stretch relaxed her. She held the breath for another long moment, and then slowly released a slow, steady breath.

A sense of calm enveloped her.

She repeated the action three more times, growing more relaxed with each extended breath. Her neck grew less taut. Breath in, she told herself. Breathe out.

Her cell phone rang. She muttered an ugly word.

After two more rings, she yanked it from her purse and stared down at the display. Jerry Howard. The annoying guy she had dated for a while, and was now trying to blow off. There was no chemistry between them. No attachment, at least on her part. Why wouldn’t he take no for an answer?

A brisk knock rattled the door. Gracie blinked, and struggled to orient herself.
The knock rang out again.

“Come in,” she said, quickly putting the phone on silent and dumping it back into her purse. She sat up straight in her chair.

The door opened and Ashley appeared, followed by the most handsome man Gracie had ever seen. At least, he would be handsome if he got some sleep and maybe shaved once in a while. He was tall and rugged, with short jet-black hair and glacial blue eyes. Inky stubble rimmed his taut jaw. His gray suit fit him, but his coat looked like it had been worn for a week.

“This is your four o’clock,” Ashley said, her eyes glued to the strapping man beside her despite his dishevelment. “Detective Nick Marconi.”

She stood there as if rooted to the floor.

“Thank you, Ashley.” Gracie said, rising. Her mouth was as dry as river sand.
Ashley didn’t move.

Nick’s full lips curved in a weary, knowing smile that conveyed a world of information to Gracie. Namely, that he was arrogant, smug, and didn’t want to be in her office.

Lunar Love Blog Hop and Giveaway

Celebrate the full moon with books! A huge thank you for I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Bookworm Lisa for hosting this! Now, on to the giveaway (which is US/Canada only, please)!

To win my giveaway, all I ask is that you follow my blog (make sure your email is associated with your profile). Earn a second entry by leaving me a comment with which of the books you'd choose if you win!

I'm offering the winner's choice of either an ARC of "Phantom Evil" by Heather Graham:

A secret government unit is formed under the oversight of Adam Harrison, famed paranormal investigator. The six members he's gathered know a little of the otherworldly—each has honed a psychic talent of their own.
Jackson Crow, part English, part Cheyenne, heads the group. Haunted by his experience with an ancestral ghost who saved his life as a child, and the recent murders of two previous teammates, Jackson can't tell if Adam's demoted him or given him an extraordinary opportunity. Despite his link to the realm of spirits, he's well aware that the living commit the most heinous crimes, with spiritualist charlatans existing merely to fool and seduce the unwary.

To counterbalance Jackson's careful skepticism, Adam Harrison has paired him with Angela Hawkins, a young woman who learned the painful lesson of loss at an early age. A police officer utilizing her paranormal intuition in Virginia, she already has her hands full. But Adam's call to New Orleans is strong.

The case: In a historic mansion in New Orleans's French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death from a balcony. Most think she jumped, distraught over the loss of her young son. Some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits that inhabit the house—once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.

Whether supernatural or all too human, crimes of passion, greed and desire will cast the pair into danger of losing their lives…and their immortal souls.

or the UK version of "Love In the Time of Dragons" by Katie MacAlister

If you found out you were a famous fire-breather, you’d be freaked out too.

Tully Sullivan is just like any other suburban mom—unless you count the days every year that she zones out and turns base metals in to gold. Those are weird.

And now she’s woken up in a strange place surrounded by strange people who keep insisting they’re dragons—and that she’s one too. But not just any dragon. She’s Ysolde de Bouchier, a famed figure from dragon history.

Tully can’t shape-shift or breathe fire, and she’s definitely not happy being sentenced to death for the misdeeds of a dragon mate she can’t remember. All Tully knows is that she wants her son back. So she’ll have to find a way to solve the crimes of a past she has no memory of living…

Now ... go forth and visit all the other folks participating and fill your stockings with books!

Virtual Book Tour: Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

(A full length, paranormal YA published by Blue Crown Press)



This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Emlyn is giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one lucky commenter during her tour, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!



Alex Kosmitoras’s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he’s blind. Just when he thinks he’ll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

*Overall Winner of the Dragonfly eBook Awards, 2011
*Best Young Adult Fiction, Dragonfly eBook Awards, 2011
*Best Debut Author, Dragonfly eBook Awards, 2011
*Winner of the Alternative Booker Award, 2011



I had a long list of expectations when I chose to review Farsighted. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. While this plot is engaging enough for adults, it definitely fits its intended age group. Not because it is juvenile, but because it should be looked at from a youth's perspective.

I loved the idea of a rune and prophecy at the beginning of each chapter. I was challenged to try to figure them out and was correct about 75% of the time. What fun! It really helped me become engaged in the story.

Alex, the boy who is the main character is wonderfully described. Though he's blind, he never comes across as handicapped or disadvantaged. The author's skill with words helped me really get what his life was like.

There are so many twists and turns in the story, you have to pay attention to what is going on. It is truly exciting and interesting. I enjoyed this story so much I could hardly wait to see how it ended. I was so completely invested in the characters I had to know how things worked out. It was exciting, scary, fun, and well worth reading. I loved watching the three main characters evolve and grow as the story progressed. Their story was told with much sensitivity.

The conclusion is frightening and full of tension, but wonderful. It was somewhat surprising, but a great ending. I have already recommended this story to some friends with children of this age. It's a wonderful tale.



Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

Author Website: www.emlynchand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/emlynchand
Twitter: www.twitter.com/emlynchand
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/emlynchand
Google+: www.gplus.to/emlynchand
Novel Publicity: www.novelpublicity.com
SUPER AWESOME BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/tZjskE5zjzM

Virtual Tour and Giveaway: Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

Today we're welcoming author Kenya Wright to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her urban fantasy novel, "Fire Baptized".

Kenya is giving away a $10 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter. So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I grilled Kenya with some "must know" questions, and she has graciously responded. Take it away, Kenya!

First off, what's Fire Baptized about?

Since the 1970’s humans have forced supernaturals to live in caged cities. Silver brands embedded in their foreheads identify them by species: a full moon for Vampires, a crescent moon for Shifters, a pair of wings for Fairies, and the list goes on, for each supernatural species has been tagged and categorized by humans.

Lanore Vesta is marked with a silver X, the brand of Mixbreeds, second-class citizens shunned by society. She stays to herself, revealing her ability to create fire only during emergencies. All she wants to do is graduate college and stop having to steal to survive. But when she stumbles upon a murder in progress, she catches the attention of a supernatural killer. Now all she wants is to stop finding dead bodies in her apartment.

Enlisting help from her Were-cheetah ex-boyfriend Meshach and a new mysterious friend named Zulu, she is steered through the habitat’s raunchy nightlife. But their presence sometimes proves to be more burden than help, as they fight for her attention.

While the corpses pile up, and the scent of blood fills the air, Lanore is left wondering: will she find the psycho or die trying?

Why urban fantasy?

I really enjoy reading the urban fantasy genre. Sixty percent of my books are urban fantasy so when it was time to write a book I knew I would write in that genre.

What's a normal day like for you?

I usually wake up at five in the morning and write as much as I can. Then I help my husband get the kids ready for school. Later, I head to work and sneak a couple more chapters in during my commute. After work I go to law school in the evening, and then I head home and put the kiddies to bed. If I’m not exhausted I may write some more.

I pretty much exist on coffee and the hope that one day all of this work will help me attain my dream of being a full-time writer.

Plotter or Pantser?

For Fire Baptized, I was a pantser. I just wrote without any clear outline or direction. I ended up with 180,000 words. During the revision process I cut so much stuff. Fire Baptized was complete at 68,000 words. That’s a lot of stuff I cut.

As I write the sequel which is called The Burning Bush, I’ve become a plotter. I spent two weeks putting together an outline. I’m currently on Chapter 24. I'm really enjoying being a plotter. I have clear direction and I don’t feel like I’m wasting words and time.

Any odd quirks you'd like to share?

I bite my nails a lot. It’s ridiculous because I’m always telling my kids not to bite their nails.

What are the pros and cons of being self-published?

I would say the pro is having complete control of the self-publishing process. From the cover to the formatting, it’s really fun creating the entire concept and package.

The con is actually is also having complete control of the process. Editing is a long exhausting process that takes weeks of going over the book so many times that by the fiftieth time I’m sick of the book. I use three to four editors and have several beta readers. Each time someone reads it, I go over there notes and add or take away from the story.

What's coming up from you that you'd like to share with our readers?

Next week, I’m releasing a short story collection called Caged View that involves the three main characters of Fire Baptized. In May, I will release the sequel to Fire Baptized which is called The Burning Bush. Additionally, in July I will release a YA novel named Chameleon which is also set in Fire Baptized’s world, but will have less graphic violence and language.

Any questions you'd like to ask our readers?

I would love to know if anybody has found an awesome book for 2012 yet. With all of my writing it’s hard to take the time to find a great book. Any good recommendations?

Kenya Wright always knew she would be famous since the ripe old age of six when she sung the Michael Jackson thriller song in her bathroom mirror. She has tried her hand at many things from enlisting in the Navy for six years as a Persian-Farsi linguist to being a nude model at an art university.

However, writing has been the only constant love in her life.

Now Kenya is publishing her first book, Fire Baptized, the urban fantasy novel she always wanted to read. This novel is the first book in a series.

Will she succeed? Of course.

For she has been coined The Urban Fantasy Queen, the Super Iconic Writer of this Age, The Lyrical Genius of Our Generation. Granted, these are all terms coined by her, within the private walls of her bathroom as she still sings the Michael Jackson thriller song.

Kenya Wright currently resides in Miami with her three amazing, overactive children, a supportive, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on Kenya’s head at night.

Website: http://www.kenyawright.com
Book Video: http://youtu.be/a28T5HzpGJ4

Virtual Book Tour: Love on Landing by Heather Thurmeier

(A full length, contemporary romance published by Silver Publishing)



This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Heather is giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one lucky commenter during her tour, so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!



When Tali tries to recover from a recent break-up with a trip to Paris for some retail therapy, she discovers shopping isn’t the only way to cure her broken heart. On route, she meets new pilot, Gavin. Tali and Gavin have instant chemistry and friction as their personalities clash at 30,000 feet.

One night in bed isn’t enough to quell the fireworks between Tali and Gavin and when tempers erupt, Tali’s ex-boyfriend is there to pick up the pieces. Too bad she’s finally realized what she really wants in life…and it isn’t her ex or the life her father has planned back home.

Now all Tali wants is the man who loved her enough to tell her what she didn’t want to hear, but can she win his heart back again on the trip home and find Love on Landing?



I started reading Love on Landing expecting it to be just another romance. I was pleasantly surprised! It’s different and stands on its own merits. I was hooked from the start, really enjoyed it, and couldn’t put it down once I started it.

The moment I met the heroine, I really empathized with her. She was running from heartbreak, and sadness. Having money didn’t really make her happy.

Then I met the scrappy hero, the new pilot on her private jet. I loved him from the start. The author created a well defined character and then made him the total opposite of the heroine. He is struggling to earn enough to start his own business and she is rich.

As I read, I kept thinking I knew what would happen, but each time I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. She is determined never to love again, but asks him to be her temporary escort in Paris, just so she won’t be alone.

He really doesn’t want to, and considers her a spoiled, rich girl. However, since she is his employer, he does go along with her plan. There were ups and downs to their relationship: ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, and lots of misunderstandings, but all in all I really enjoyed the story. I loved seeing the two of them slowly discovering the real persons behind their façades.

It was interesting, exciting, and enjoyable reading. Definitely earns four flowers.



Heather Thurmeier was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, but now she lives in upstate New York with her own personal romance Hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses. When she's not busy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather's hard at work on her next romance novel. She loves to hear from readers. Heart, humor, and a happily ever after.

Website: http://heatherthurmeier.com
Email: heatherthurmeier@gmail.com
Twitter: @hthurmeier
Facebook: Heather Thurmeier, author

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Louise and the Crystal Gazer by Anna MacLean

Today we're welcoming author Anna MacLean to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the historical cozy mystery, "Louisa and the Crystal Gazer." We LOVED this book and you can read our review here.

Anna is giving away a gift basket to one randomly drawn commenter (and to the host with the most comments -- so help me win! You might win, too!). Comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

Anna was gracious enough to answer my questions. Take it away, Anna!

What made you decide to write about Louisa May Alcott in this setting?

Thanks so much for hosting me! The Crystal Gazer was a setting that had simmered in my imagination for a while. I have a long-standing interest in mediums and American spiritualism (I wrote a novel about medium Maggie Fox, The Sweet By and By, under my historical novelist name, Jeanne Mackin) so I thought it would be interesting to see what my Louisa May Alcott would do at a séance. Of course, she sees the fraud and the tricks instantly, while staying open to the wonderful mystery of human nature – ever so much more interesting than a mere apparition. P.T. Barnum then wandered in my imagination, so I included him as well. Louisa, in my mystery series, is always open to a good crime investigation, and Barnum is always open to the possibility of a new act.

How much research has gone into these books? Do you ever worry about getting some detail wrong?

I love doing research and at some point have to stop myself and get on with the story. The research for nineteenth century spiritualism was especially interesting. I found an early form of do-it-yourself manual that instructed American Victorians in the art of spirit painting, creating ectoplasm, and other parlor effects. The other details of daily life do need to be right, of course. Hardest for me was studying up on Victorian manners and protocol – when a woman is allowed to remove her hat and she must keep it on, how long a visit should be, what color gloves to wear, and things like that. They were quite specific, and any misstep in manners could cause quite a nasty stir. Louisa, as a young woman of ‘respectable’ family (and very limited means) had to watch her step, while still managing to keep a fair amount of freedom for herself.

Do you have any writing quirks or habits?

I must write in the very early morning, and if I’m disturbed I am unpleasant about it, to say the least. I completely understand why Louisa preferred to write in an attic, away from the rest of the family. I also talk to myself aloud as I write, voicing the dialogue and ‘listening’ for response. If I wrote in a public space like a coffee house people would probably move away from me.

What's your writing process? Outline? Plotter? Panster?

I just dive into that empty page (screen, really) and see what’s going to arrive. Somewhere in a later revision process I tease out the outline of the story to see if everything is in its correct place, but in the first draft I much prefer to just sit and write, no outline, no judgments, no road map. The joy of writing is discovering how to get from here to there in a story. It is as much about discovery for me as it is eventually for the reader – though I may ‘discover’ the plot and characters in several versions before I settle on the one that seems best.

What your favorite thing about being an author?

When I first began writing historical fiction, mystery or otherwise, it felt to me as good as being able to live another lifetime. I could be anyone in any time and experience anything I cared to experience. I still feel that way. Writing enlarges my life and my empathy for others. It is, really, a kind of time travel.

Do you have anything new coming up you'd like to share?

I always have something in process on my desk but I’m superstitious. I don’t like to talk about it till I at least have a first draft. Sorry! When it’s ready, I’ll be sure and let you know. Thanks so much for these great questions!

What's Louisa and the Crystal Gazer about?

Gentle Reader,

In December of 1855, I found myself once again in Boston, temporarily separated from my beloved family, living as a seamstress by day and writing my secret "blood and thunder" stories by night. I welcomed the companionship of my dear friend Sylvia Shattuck, but was quite taken aback by her strange desire to contact her long-dead father through a medium.

Nevertheless, I found myself at the home of the city's most famous crystal gazer, attending a seance with none other than the notorious showman Mr. P T Barnum. But what began as an idle curiosity became a compelling investigation--for upon our second visit to the medium, Sylvia and I found she'd been murdered! And to solve the mystery of her untimely death, I first had to uncover the surprising truth about her life...

Louisa May Alcott

***

Jeanne Mackin is the author of several novels: The Sweet By and By (St. Martin’s Press), Dreams of Empire (Kensington Books), The Queen’s War (St. Martin’s Press), and The Frenchwoman (St. Martin’s Press). She has published short fiction and creative nonfiction in several journals and periodicals including American Letters and Commentary and SNReview. She is also the author of the Cornell Book of Herbs and Edible Flowers (Cornell University publications) and co-editor of The Norton Book of Love (W.W. Norton), and wrote art columns for newspapers as well as feature articles for several arts magazines. She was the recipient of a creative writing fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society and her journalism has won awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, in Washington, D.C. She teaches creative writing at Goddard College in Vermont, has taught or conducted workshops in Pennsylvania, Hawaii and New York and has traveled extensively in Europe. She lives with her husband, Steve Poleskie, in upstate New York.

Website: http://www.annamaclean.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.authorannamaclean.com

Book Link: http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781101506141,00.html?Louisa_and_the_Missing_Heiress_Anna_Maclean

Review: Louisa and the Crystal Gazer by Anna MacLean

(A full length historical cozy mystery published by Penguin Books)

A young Louisa May Alcott accompanies her friend Sylvia to visit Boston's most famous spiritual medium, Mrs. Agatha D. Percy, to contact Sylvia's long-dead father. Louisa isn't one to believe such foolishness-until one of the seer's predictions comes true.

Louisa and Sylvia visit the seer again, but Mrs. Percy's days of divination have been cut brutally short by a killer. Now, Louisa must solve the mystery of the crystal gazer's untimely death by uncovering the shocking truth about her life.


I cannot remember when I have enjoyed reading a book as much as I enjoyed this one. I felt as though it was actually written in that time and place by the real Louisa. It was so factual, and included so many little details that one would think only someone who lived in that time would have known.

Louisa became so real to me that that I felt I was actually living with her in that time. I was able to follow her thought processes as the mystery unfolded. This story actually included people who were alive then, and not just as part of the setting, they were included in the mystery. I got to know so much more than I had ever known about them before, it was an additional bonus to the story.

I followed Louisa as she moved step-by-step in her thinking process about the mystery. Because it was first person POV, it was written in a wonderfully clever way. I never once felt that I was being told a story, but that I was actually in on her thinking process as she tried to solve the murder.

The mystery involved a medium and spiritualist, of which there were many in those times. The people involved all wanted to contact a departed loved one, and of course the medium was a fraud. How she worked was important and also important was all the intertwined stories of the people who attended the séance.

Louisa determines to solve all the mysteries, while spending time working to help with Christmas presents for her family. She is so clever and, like Jo in little women, she is also writing to make a little additional money. She just can’t quit thinking and working on solving the case, even though the police think they have it solved. She is confident that they are wrong and she is right. It was so fun letting the story unfold. I found it difficult to put this book down. There were so many people that could have committed the murder, and I could not figure out who had done it. The end was a surprise in a way, but then looking back I could see how, if I had been just a bit more careful and alert, I should have known. All the clues were there for me to find.

If you enjoy reading about this time in our history, and if you loved any of the books that Louisa May Alcott wrote, you will love this one even more. I swear this author went back in time and lived in Boston while she wrote this story.

While my rating system only goes up to five, if I could give this MORE than five flowers, I would. It's that good.

5/5 Flowers