I give author interviews as well as giving honest reviews to both children's and adult's books. I won't review erotica, gay, lesbian or poetry. I can accept books to review either in print or in .pdf file. NOTICE: The reviews posted here are my honest opinion. In no way am I getting any compensation. Any books that I recieve are for review purposes only.
Do you like the mysteries of Dan Brown? How about the Indiana Jones movies? Do religious themed books grab your interest? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you’re going to love After The Cross by Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch.
Colton Foster was a respected archeologist and linguist in his field. Now, instead of being out on archeology digs where he wants to be, he is teaching in a college. All this because he was duped by a slick black market antiquities dealer ten years ago. Will he ever live this one mistake down? It looks like everything is going to stay the same for Colton until a letter is found in Istanbul, Turkey. The eight hundred – year – old letter claims to state where the cross of Christ is.
Mallory Windom is a beautiful street smart linguist who lives by her wits. She’s teamed up with Colton to translate and date the letter. They soon find that they can’t trust anyone they thought they could before, including the man that’s funding the expedition. They soon find themselves not only running for their lives but running to find the cross of Jesus. For Mallory, finding the cross will be a big financial payoff but for Colton it’s different. He is driven by his faith. He could re-gain the respect of the archeology community once again.
As you can guess by what I’ve written, I highly recommend this book! After The Cross is slow starting but I had trouble putting the book down once the groundwork was laid. It’s a very fast – paced book full of deceipt, greed, faith, violence, political ambitions, murder and more. Oh yes, there is a sprinkling of romance in it too.
You can purchase After The Cross at several different places. You can order a copy in print or in the kindle edition at http://www.amazon.com (US) or http://www.amazon.co.uk (UK). Unfortunately, you can only get this in the print edition at http://www.amazon.ca (CA).
You can also pick this up at Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com. There the paperback is $13.28 while the nook version is $9.99. After The Cross is also available in paperback from its publisher, Ellechor Publishing LLC http://www.ellechorpublishing.com.
All Eddie Barrow, Jr. wanted to do was to write his book but his father constantly harassed him by saying things like, “get a real job and stop this foolishness.” His parents never encouraged Eddie to follow his dreams. In fact, they never showed an interest in his writing at all!
After an evening of arguing with his family, Eddie had enough. He was going to do his own thing no matter what the cost. It turns out that the cost is pretty high in this mystery. Eddie slams the door and walks back to his run - down apartment where he and his roommate/best friend, Corey can hardly make the rent or the bills. To, make matters worse, Eddie just lost his job. Now, what?
To make ends meet Eddie takes on a pretty cheesy job and witnesses a murder of a high ranking official. Then Eddie finds out that he and his best friend are framed for that murder. The race to try to clear themselves is on with the killers dogging their every move.
I loved this book and fully recommend it to any mystery lovers. In this fast paced page turner, Russell Brooks keeps you at the edge of your seat throughout the book. At every turn of the page there is a new twist. Even though Chill Run is an intriguing mystery, it shows you not to give up on your dreams no matter what hardships you have to go through. It teaches you that it will all pay off in the end. Personally, I’d like to read more of this talented author’s books!
You can purchase Chill Run at http://www.amazon.com (US). The paperback format is available at http://www.amazon.ca (CA) and Chill Run is only available in the kindle format at http://www.amazon.co.uk (UK). If you prefer, Chill Run is available at http://www.barnesandnoble.com. You can order this in paperback for $8.97 or download this great mystery onto your Nook for $.99!
Nearly every day, David hears the screams coming from the barn as his pa beats his sixteen – year – old slave, Jenkins. He knows this is wrong and wants to help Jenkins but all he can do is to sneak out of his bedroom window when the screams stop. He then hides in the shadows, goes to the barn to clean Jenkins wounds…again. But is this all he can do?
The Golden Pathway is a story of courage, determination and inner strength. It is also a story of compassion and doing the right thing when wrong is being done all around you. This is also a story of the darkest times in American history that shouldn’t be forgotten.
I highly recommend this picture book. The Golden Pathway shows that anyone can help someone else out of a bad situation in spite of the consequences to themselves.
The watercolor illustrations in The Golden Pathway are brilliantly drawn by K.C. Snider. They add to the action in this book. They also add to the atmosphere. If you would like to see more of her work just visit her webpage at: http://www.kcsniderart.com.
If you would like to learn more about Donna M. McDine, visit her website at: http://www.donnamcdine.com. You can also order The Golden Pathway there too.
Today we are chatting with author Joni B. Cole about her book Another Bad Dog Book: Tales Of Life, Love and Neurotic Human Behavior. Welcome to Deb's Book Nook, Joni!
1. I know, from reading your forward, how you got the idea for writing the title essay of Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love & Neurotic Human Behavior, but the readers of Deb’s Book Blog don’t. Will you tell them how you got the idea?
About a week after a publisher had rejected my partially finished collection of essays (at the time, I’d written twenty of the twenty-eight stories in the book), I happened to go to a bookstore. There, on the most prominent display table, were the new releases, including the usual assortment of books about vampires, Jane Austen, and bad-dogs. My recent rejection had left me blue and bitter, and I thought with resentment, I should write a stupid bad-dog book, given that publishers and readers can’t seem to get enough of this sort of thing. And then it occurred to me, I really should write a bad dog story since my own Chihuahua mutt is as naughty as all those other best-selling dogs. And so I bought a notebook and started writing in the bookstore. And this became the story that eventually framed my collection, earned me my book contract, and became my title essay. Of course, the piece is only marginally about my dog—it’s really about a mid-life crisis and wanting unconditional love.
2. Where did you ever get the idea for the Evil Rescue - Dog Volunteer? That whole scenario of trying to adopt Pie - Pie (Eli) was a hilarious!
The title essay actually contains a story within a story within a story, with one of those elements being a comic book takeoff about me (as Super Joni) facing off an evil rescue-dog volunteer who is trying to steal back my beloved dog Eli (whose name I always baby-fy to E-Pie-Pie). This actually happened in real life—when the rescue organization almost took back Eli because I hadn’t filled out the proper paperwork after we brought him home. When I thought we were going to lose this little dog I’d already bonded with, I really did have fantasies about being a superhero and running away with the dog so no one could take him from me.
3. This book is so personal but so outrageously funny. You seemed to bare your soul in some chapters. When you started writing Another Bad Dog book did you intend to write a memoir – type book or did it just work out that way?
I intended to write personal essays, so there was no getting around the fact that the material needed to be, well, personal. I want to add that I had no desire to simply write funny, light stories. In fact it actually surprised me when the reviews started coming in and everyone was describing the book as laugh–out-loud funny. That humor is simply an extension of how I think, my internal commentary, and of course I don’t go around thinking I’m such a hilarious person. In addition, these stories are about serious subjects—personal and professional insecurities and losses. That said, life is always a mix of serious and funny, so no wonder those two emotions are completely intertwined in a book of personal experiences.
5. The chapter that takes you back to your teens is so, so relatable! It was funny as well as a bit sad as to how teen girls see their crushes. Did the boy in question ever notice you?
That essay (The Boy of Summer) centers around my teenage heart-throb, a high school crush who was a year older than me, and probably didn’t even know my name. Still, I was obsessed with him, and romanticized his memory for years, the way people do sometimes with teenage crushes. Then, after about three decades, I actually connected with him on Facebook! But let’s just say, the reality of the man was a far cry from my teenage fantasy. It’s a funny story, but also speaks to the divisiveness in our country between people with different politics and sensibilities; even people (like me) who are vested in trying to stay connected.
6. Your memories of visiting your dad in the nursing home brought back so many memories of visiting my mom in one. It made me both laugh and head for the Kleenex. Those times are deeply personal. Were they hard for you to write these chapters or was it cathartic for you?
It was very difficult to write those stories about my parents. For an essay to have power you need to recreate the emotional impact of experience. You need to bring life to life. And the only way to do that is to re-immerse yourself in that life event. So confronting the reality of my parents aging and becoming infirm during the writing process was not fun. But yes, in a way it was cathartic.
7. Where can we purchase Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love & Neurotic Behavior?
You can pick up my book wherever books are sold in stores or online. (If your local store hasn’t stocked it, you may need to ask them to order it at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.barnesandnoble.com.
I’d love for you to visit my website and learn more about myself and my book! You can find me here: http://www.jonibcole.com.
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MY REVIEW FOR ANOTHER BAD DOG BOOK: TALES OF LIFE, LOVE and NEUROTIC HUMAN BEHAVIOR
TITLE: Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love And Other Neurotic Human
When you sit down to read Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love And Other Neurotic Human Behavior, you can’t help but feel that you’re talking with your best friend.
In her memoir, Joni B. Cole covers several different subjects with sensitivity and humor. You’ll laugh out loud (at least I did) through the chapter that contains the story of the evil rescue worker and her chapter about spray tans gone bad. You’ll both laugh and cry when she tells you about her parents. Remember your high school love? Joni does. She bares her soul telling you about him. You’ll remember those days and then you’ll think, “What was I thinking?” In short, Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love And Other Neurotic Human Behavior will make you feel like Joni was in your life.
I highly recommend reading this easy read since everyone (mainly women) can relate to these stories. They make you laugh out loud and in my case, one chapter had me running for the box of tissues. As I stated above, Another Bad Dog Book: Tales Of Life, Love and Neurotic Human Behavior will take you through a range of emotions that make you think, “Hey, I’m not the only one who did things like that!” Another Bad Dog Book: Tales Of Life, Love and Neurotic Human Behavior will make a great gift for any mother, sister or aunt!
To purchase Another Bad Dog Book: Tales Of Life, Love and Neurotic Human Behavior just surf to http://www.amazon.com (US), http://www.amazon.co.uk (UK) or http://www.barnesandnoble.com. If you don’t want to pick up Joni’s book in print, it’s available in the United States in both kindle and nook formats too!
If you would like to learn more about Joni B. Cole and her book just visit her website at http://www.jonibcole.com.
Hi today on Deb's Book Nook we're talking with Wayne Zurl author of A New Prospect. Welcome, Wayne!
1. Where did you get the idea for A New Prospect?
The basic idea came at the confluence of two occasions. I had been writing non-fiction magazine articles for ten years and, based on other things in my life, I know that’s about as long as my attention span lasts on a single interest. So, when writing about Colonial American history and the fiction of James Fenimore Cooper lost its luster, I decided to try writing fiction of my own. The second event contributing to the birth of the Sam Jenkins mysteries came during the used book sale at our local library when I picked up a copy of Robert B. Parker’s first Jesse Stone novel, NIGHT PASSAGE. I liked everything Parker had written and the idea of his new character started me thinking. Stone was an ex-LAPD detective who took a job as chief in a small Massachusetts police department. That premise opened up a world of possibilities, an important one being two diverse personalities, Jesse and the town, clashing over ideology. I thought Parker had never been a cop and I had. Why couldn’t I write about a former New York detective who retired to Tennessee and during his middle-age took a job as chief of a small PD? I moved from New York to Tennessee. I knew all about culture shock in a totally different environment. I could cover the professional angle and technicalities and the colorful venue of the Great Smoky Mountains. How hard could it be?
2. I hope I don't give anything away, but was Sam Jenkins really a Vietnam veteran?
The idea of Sam being a Vietnam War veteran has more of a subliminal importance than one that becomes apparent in all the books and stories. It’s not like we see him hanging out at the VFW or belonging to another vet’s organization. He’s having a bit of a mid-life crisis when he reluctantly takes the job at Prospect PD, and after getting a messy homicide case dropped on his shoulders, we watch him experience trouble sleeping. As the story progresses, that problem increases as the tension of the investigation heightens and aspects of the pressure he’s getting from these external forces manifest themselves in his dreams. And that tells the reader a lot about Sam. Often the dreams he recounts in the series take him back to Vietnam or other places he served as a soldier. The symbolism of the dreams is more important than the setting. But if you want to know what’s really going on inside Sam’s head, pay attention to the dreams.
In the way of fill-in biography and back-story perhaps not covered in A NEW PROSPECT, Sam’s college days were interrupted in 1967 by a letter from the draft board. Our boy ended up serving on active duty for five years, much more than the obligatory two years demanded by the Selective Service System. After separation, he continued on for another sixteen years in the reserves, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. All this information and other past police department facts comes out during subsequent stories.
3. Why was Sam given evidence about the murder by the F.B.I.?
As Special Agent Ralph Oliveri says, he heard about the Cecil Lovejoy murder by reading the Sunday newspaper. Had he not, but rather read the daily bulletins law enforcement agencies receive from a nationwide network, he would have seen that Sam’smurder victim was the same subject who surfaced in his unrelated FBI investigation. Even though communications between federal and local agencies aren’t always as coherent as they should be, there would have been some liaison work between the feds and Prospect PD. In this case, ex-New Yorker Oliver hears about ex-New Yorker Jenkins being the new chief in town and called to pass on information of mutual interest. In reality, Ralph would have been obligated to share what he had. On Television, we often see the FBI investigate incidents with no federal interest such as this local murder. There are no interstate implications yet so, in reality, the feds would not interfere with a local investigation. I had Sam and Ralph begin their friendship here. The bond I show between cop and fed is fairly unusual in law enforcement circles. Subsequently, we learn how Sam, something of a user, perpetuates the relationship by constantly tapping Ralph for favors easily obtained through the larger agency’s resources.
4. I liked the character of Betty Lambert. She's a good wife and mother. She's both feminine and strong. Can you tell us more about Bettye and did you base her character on anyone you know?
She’s a composite of two people I knew from my New York police days. A secretary I once worked with covers her administrative abilities and a female police officer accounts for her law enforcement savvy. The unconventional spelling of her name gives the reader something to remember. That comes from a woman I met in Tennessee.
Her biography comes out early in the book when Sam takes command at Prospect PD and he meets his admin officer. As is traditional with cops, the “new guy,” Sam, buys lunch and during their conversation, we learn about Bettye. She began her professional life with the city of Prospect as a court officer After her first husband, a Prospect policeman, was killed by a drunk driver, she asked to fill his spot at the PD because she needed the extra salary to bring up her two daughters. Later, she marries electrical contractor Donnie Lambert and they have a son together.
It’s easy to see that Bettye is going to be a sharp piece of work and a perfect chce for the human check valve I wanted Sam to have at work. She had to be intelligent to get his respect and competent in her job to be trusted. She’s able to communicate with him on a cop’s level and it quickly gets to a point where he allows her to influence his decisions.
During the retirement party scene, the outgoing chief says, “This little lady jest about runs the department.” That’s true. Bettye is capable of keeping PPD running smoothly through the daily obligations. Administratively, she’s as good as Sam and more genteel in her approach to other people in the city government. Her ability allows Sam to go off and play detective with a clear conscience—the office is being well cared for.
During my time as a cop, I knew a few unsung heroes like Bettye who never got the recognition they deserved for doing a job at least as worthy of commendation as the flashy work that usually gets a street cop all the medals. Sam has big plans for his new partner. A NEW PROSPECT just scratches the surface of their professional relationship.
5. You are a former police officer. Is the Sam Jenkins character based on yourself?
I’d be dishonest saying there wasn’t a bit of me in Sam. Actually, you might infer that he trudged alongside me in the Army, sat across the aisle from me in the police academy, and took the same promotional tests. But I didn’t mean these stories to be autobiographical. They’re fiction, based on what I know about being a cop. I made my writing life easier by allowing Sam to do what I would have done faced with the same professional problems or situations and let him have the same thoughts common to me or another cop. Giving him a sarcastic sense of humor was of paramount importance. I saw that a lot in the officers I worked with and certainly in me. I always believed that I (we—all cops) owed the public 100% effort, ability, and professionalism, but if we took ourselves or our professional lives too seriously, a rubber room might be in our futures. A number of reviewers seem to like Sam’s sense of humor and irony.
The dialogue in these stories has also brought a few kind words from reviewers. Having Sam speak as I would, allows me to make his dialogue natural and easy to write. That lets me focus more on developing voices for the supporting characters, which I base on people I know. With actual people I can envision cast in these fictional roles, I can “hear” how they speak and act and create a unique voice for the character the reader meets. That especially works well when writing dialogue for females.
6. Is A New Prospect based on any of your experiences when you were a police officer?
We’re into another composite of experiences with A NEW PROSPECT. Most of what I write is based on cases I worked, supervised, or just knew a lot about. The turmoil with the car club’s past president was one separate element. The sex based murder was another. I tossed in the Minton Brothers because I see them here in Tennessee occasionally. The fatal motor vehicle accident scene which gave Sam an introduction to a character, who reappears later in the story, actually happened after I retired. The bar fight and all the political pressure during the investigation, came from other New York incidents.
I’ve read all of what Joseph Wambaugh has written over the years and like how he melds together numerous police incidents to build one story. He’s a great study for anyone who writes police procedural-style mysteries. I tried to do something similar with A NEW PROSPECT.
7. Sam's wife, Katherine, played a small but important role in A New Prospect. Can you tell us about her?
Kate Jenkins is an important character in this and all the Sam Jenkins mysteries. Before we get into Kate herself, let’s take a look at their marriage. The book takes place in 2006. Kate and Sam have been married for thirty-nine years. These numbers are huge in the statistics of police marriages. He’s lucky that she remained with him after all the years of tension, long hours away from home, and in Sam’s case, the lack of detailed information he gave Kate about his days on the job; he never brought the job home with him.
She’s lucky that, unlike some cops out there, Sam came home after each tour rather than spending another “tour” in one of the cop bars prevalent in every precinct. Historically, Sam played his games of cops and robbers, but always seemed to think more of his wife than his partner. Kate acts as Sam’s advisor and Doctor Watson, since she often comes up with a good idea to help in his investigations. They also spend a lot of time together cooking.
Kate suggested that Sam apply for the Prospect chief’s job to give him a new purpose in life. With that new life, her husband ends up with a dozen new sons (the Prospect officers,) a workplace spouse in Bettye Lambert, his new “goombah,” Ralph Oliveri, and another uncommon friend for a cop in TV reporter Rachel Williamson. But the beautiful and intelligent Kate looks like she’s up to sharing her husband with all the newly acquired people in his life.
Sam Jenkins thought he was retired from the police force. After all, twenty years on the beat was enough. He’s ready for the quiet life and move to a quiet little town in Tennessee. Crimes of any kind hardly ever happen here and murder never does.
What does Sam do after a few years of living the quiet life? He steps in to fill Prospect’s opening of police chief. In no time at all, he finds himself embroiled in mystery, mayhem…and murder! Someone is murdered in a place where murder never happens. Almost everyone in this quiet little town is suspect since nobody liked the murder victim.
I thoroughly enjoyed A New Prospect and highly recommend it. This fast paced mystery is full of twists, turns and humor. Mr. Zurl paints pictures with his words so that we can actually see all the suspects, the town and the Great Smoky Mountains. A New Prospect is very easy reading that never loses the folksiness and southern charm that the citizens of New Prospect have.
Hi, This is just a short note to let you know that the virtual book tour for A New Prospect by Wayne Zurl begins tomorrow!
If you would like to follow Wayne on this VBT, just click on the banner for A New Prospect in the upper right hand corner of this page. There, you'll see the whole schedule.
According to the schedule you'll notice that Wayne will talk to us at Deb's Book Nook on December 9th. I'll also give my review of this murder mystery that day. I hope to see you then!
I know that this is a book review blog and that you were expecting one but there’s something very important that needs to be discussed. This subject is ovarian cancer.
I realize that this is breast cancer month but do you realize that this form of cancer strikes women when they least expect it? In fact some women don’t even realize they have it or that they are at risk of developing it!
There are so many forms of cancer but only a few have real awareness brought to them like breast, colon and stomach cancer. Ovarian cancer is almost unheard of. Are all the different forms of cancer in a popularity contest and breast cancer is coming out ahead? No. It’s the public relations people that bring this awareness to us. These people have done an excellent job on bringing breast cancer to the forefront.
I recently lost my sister – in – law to ovarian cancer. Now, I realize that there has to be more awareness made about this silent killer.
Here are some facts I’ve gathered about ovarian cancer. It’s the fifth leading cause of death of women in the United States. Imagine, it’s the fifth leading cause of death of women in the United States but we don’t know about it!
Ovarian cancer isn’t uncommon it’s quite the opposite, it’s just not publicized as much as other forms of cancer. Hence, this article to attempt to bring awareness to ovarian cancer. Right now, 50% of women diagnosed with it die from the disease within five years but this doesn’t have to happen. It’s estimated that over 90% of women will survive longer than those five years when ovarian cancer is detected early. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to diagnose this form of cancer.
There are four stages of this killer disease:
1. In this early stage both ovaries are affected by ovarian cancer. 2. At this point the cancer is in not only in both ovaries but it’s spread to different parts of the pelvis. 3. Now, ovarian cancer has spread through the stomach or to the lymph nodes. 4. This is the last stage. The cancer has spread throughout the body and the cancer patient is really suffering.
Who can get ovarian cancer? Any woman of any age can get this silent killer. If a woman has a family history of other types of cancer, she can get it. Even women who haven’t given birth are at risk. But the majority of women who get ovarian cancer have NO KNOWN RISK FACTORS.
So, what can you do to hopefully save your mother, sister, daughter or even yourself? Start a conversation about it with your family doctor or your gynecologist. Let them know if you have a family history of cancer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or take notes. If it’s your wife, girlfriend or daughter you’re concerned about, convince them to see their gynecologist and for them to do the same.
For more information, symptoms and current treatments visit the Responsible Ovarian Awareness Required (R.O.A.R.) site at http://www.ovarianhope.org.
