Sarah Remy - Stonehill Downs: A Novel

Thursday, April 30, 2015

19. Stonehill Downs: A Novel by Sarah Remy (2014)
The Bone Magic Series Book 1
Length: 387 pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Started: 12 March 2015
Finished: 30 April 2015
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 March 2015
Why do I have it? I like historical fantasy and Sarah Remy is a new author for me.

Malachi Doyle is the King's Lord Vocent - a magus with the ability to communicate with the dead, and who relies on the assistance of the souls of the dearly departed to help him keep his kingdom safe. He is the last of his kind - highly regarded yet secretly feared by many - in his office as Royal Coroner. When he's sent to investigate a series of brutal murders in the isolated village of Stonehill Downs, he uncovers some dangerous and deadly sorcery and unleashes a killer who strikes close to home - much too close to home.

Avani is a newcomer to the Downs - one of the few survivors from the Sunken Islands - a victim of an horrifying natural disaster that swept her island home beneath the sea. Four years later, Avani is still considered an outsider living on the Downs - liked by almost everyone, yet she still values her solitude. She has innate and ancient magics of her own, and when she discovers the mutilated bodies of the first victims, she fears that the darkness which claimed them will return sometime soon. Avani's fear forces her to make an uneasy alliance with Malachi, reluctantly accompanying the eminent magus to somewhere far from home.

But Mal is distracted by the mysterious death of his mentor. Despite being present at his bedside, Mal still has his own troubling suspicions over how the the old man died. He is also haunted by his memories of the past - holding secrets within his heart that are best kept buried in his past. And Avani discovers several disturbing truths about the magus through her visions. She could free Malachi, yet first they must work together to save the kingdom from the lethal horrors that have arisen.

I really liked this story; it was a dark, action-oriented fantastic plot that I absolutely loved. Despite this being a very dark fantasy, there was still an inherently realistic element to the story that I enjoyed. Malachi and Avani are relatively similar characters, each wounded and flawed in their own ways, and unwillingly tossed together to save a kingdom that is not really their own. I give this book an A! and am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series; I want to know where the story goes from here.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Introducing Mindsharing: The Art of Crowdsourcing Everything by Lior Zoref!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Meet Lior Zoref

Lior Zoref is a crowd wisdom researcher, an international speaker, former Microsoft executive, and private consultant for crowdsourcing and digital strategy.

He teaches crowdsourcing and digital marketing to MBA students and at the Israeli Marketing Association.

He gave the first ever crowd-sourced TED talk at TED 2012 in Long Beach, California.

He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science from the Technion and currently is a PhD candidate at Bar-Ilan University.

He worked for fourteen years at Microsoft where his last role was Vice President of Marketing for Consumer and Online Services.


Mindsharing: The Art of Crowdsourcing Everything by Lior Zoref (2015)
Length: 258 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Mindsharing: The Art of Crowdsourcing Everything Blurb:

Whether we need to make better financial choices, find the love of our life, or transform our career, crowdsourcing is the key to making quicker, wiser, more objective decisions. But few of us even come close to tapping the full potential of our online personal networks. Lior Zoref offers proven guidelines for applying what he calls "mind sharing" in new ways. 

For instance, he shows how a mother's Facebook update saved the life of a four-year-old boy, and how a manager used LinkedIn to create a year's worth of market research in less than a day. Zoref's clients are using his techniques to innovate and problem-solve in record time. Now he reveals how crowdsourcing has the ability to supercharge our thinking and upgrade every aspect of our lives.

May you read well and often

Introducing Molly Lee by Andrew Joyce!

Sunday, April 26, 2015


So, I was delighted to learn that the sequel to Andrew Joyce's bestselling historical novel Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom SawyerMolly Lee - will be on sale from Amazon for $0.99. This sale will last for ten days only - from Monday, September 14, to Thursday, September 24, 2015! I would advise you to grab your own copy as soon as possible!

Meet Andrew Joyce

Andrew Joyce left high school at seventeen to hitchhike throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. He wouldn’t return from his journey until decades later when he decided to become a writer. Mr. Joyce has written three books, and a collection of almost one hundred forty short stories that is comprised of his hitching adventures, written as veiled non-fiction called, Bedtime Stories For Grownups, and his latest novel, Molly Lee. He now lives aboard a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his dog, Danny.

Andrew Joyce's latest novel, Molly Lee, is averaging 4.9 stars on Amazon.

Molly Lee by Andrew Joyce (2015)
Length: 428 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, I-Tunes, Kobo and Smashwords!

Molly Lee Blurb:

It’s 1861 and the Civil War has just started. Molly is an eighteen-year-old girl living on her family’s farm in Virginia when two deserters from the Southern Cause enter her life. One of them - a twenty-four-year-old Huck Finn - ends up saving her virtue, if not her life.

Molly is so enamored with Huck, she wants to run away with him. But Huck has other plans and is gone the next morning before she awakens. Thus starts a sequence of events that leads Molly into adventure after adventure; most of them not so nice.

We follow the travails of Molly Lee, starting when she is eighteen and ending when she is fifty-six. Even then Life has one more surprise in store for her.

Molly Lee is the sequel to the best-selling novel Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. It is the story of a woman who knows what she wants and starts out to get it. Molly is about to set off on the quest of a lifetime...of two lifetimes.


May you read well and often

Blog Tour For I, Mary by Mike Hartner From September 1, 2015 to November 27, 2015 - Come Join Us!

Friday, April 24, 2015

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Mike Hartner will be touring the blogosphere to promote his historical romance I, Mary. This is Mike's third virtual book tour with Pump up Your Book! He will be coming to a blog near you from September 1, to November 27, 2015! Come join us for all the fun!

I, Mary Blog Tour Information:

Meet Mike Hartner

Mike Hartner was born in Miami in 1965. He's traveled much of the continental United States. He has several years post secondary education, and experience teaching and tutoring young adults. Hartner has owned and run a computer firm for more than twenty-five years. He now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with his wife and child. They share the neighborhood and their son with his maternal grandparents.

His latest book is the historical romance, I, Mary.

Connect and Socialize with Mike!



About I, Mary:

Mary Crofter's first trip on the water was just after her first birthday, when her parents came from her birthplace in Kilwa to Portsmouth. She's been on several trips from Portsmouth to London and other places since. She loves the water and the water seems to love her. Can she survive on the water? Will people ever take seriously a GIRL as a sailor? Will she ever come off the water? If she does, will the lure of the ocean draw her back?

Purchase Your Copy From Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

I, Mary Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule


Tuesday, September 1 - Book Featured at The Writer’s Life
Wednesday, September 2Interview at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Thursday, September 3First Chapter Reveal at As the Pages Turn
Friday, September 4Book Featured at Bound 2 Escape
Monday, September 7Guest Blogging at Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions
Thursday, September 10Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Monday, September 14Book Review at Booknerd
Tuesday, September 15Book Featured at Stormy Nights Reviewing and Bloggin’
Wednesday, September 16Character Interview at Pimp That Character!
Monday, September 21Interview at Beyond the Books
Tuesday, September 22Book Featured at 3 Partners in Shopping
Monday, September 28First Chapter Reveal at Read My First Chapter
Wednesday, September 30Book Featured at Authors and Readers Book Corner
Monday, October 5First Chapter Reveal at The Dark Phantom
Tuesday, October 6 Guest Blogging at Literal Exposure
Wednesday, October 7Interview at Blogcritics
Thursday, October 8 - Book Featured at The Literary Nook
Monday, October 12 - Review at Deal Sharing Aunt
Tuesday, October 13 - Guest Blogging at The Writer’s Life
Wednesday, October 14 - First Chapter Reveal at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, October 15Book Featured at A Little Bit of R and R
Monday, October 19Book Featured at CBY Book Club
Tuesday, October 20Interview at I’m Shelf-ish
Wednesday, October 21 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books
Monday, October 26 - Book Review at Teatime and Books
Tuesday, October 27 - Book Featured at Maureen’s Musings
Wednesday, October 28 - Book Featured at Booklover Sue
Thursday, October 29 - Book Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Friday, October 30 - Book Review at Lita’s Book Blog
Monday, November 2 - Interview at Examiner
Tuesday, November 3 - Guest Blogging at Curling Up By The Fire
Wednesday, November 4 - Interview at As the Pages Turn
Thursday, November 5 - Book Featured at Fallen Over Book Reviews
Monday, November 9 - Guest Blogging at Around the World in Books
Tuesday, November 10 - Book Review at I Sold My Soul for Books
Wednesday, November 11 - Book Review at Laura’s Interests
Monday, November 16 - Guest Blogging at Don’t Judge, Read
Tuesday, November 17 - Book Review at The Cubicle Escapee
Wednesday, November 18 - Book Review at Review All Books
Thursday, November 19 - Guest Blogging at poseidons99
Monday, November 23 - Book Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Tuesday, November 24 - Guest Blogging at StoreyBook Reviews
Wednesday, November 25 - Book Review at Ashley’s Bookshelf
Friday, November 27 - Book Tour Highlights at PUYB Virtual Book Club

May you read well and often

Julie C. Gilbert - Never Again

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

18. Never Again by Julie C. Gilbert (2015)
Kindle Worlds Novella: The Lei Crime Series Book 1/Defining Moments Series Book 1
Length: 83 pages
Genre: Short Story
Started: 18 April 2015
Finished: 21 April 2015
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Julie C. Gilbert for sending me a copy of this book to read from Amazon.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 April 2015
Why do I have it? I like short stories and Julie C. Gilbert is a new author for me.

College junior Alana Adams would never have believed that one breakup could cause such problems; yet for her ex-boyfriend Nathan their breakup was just the beginning. It all begins when Alana catches him passionately kissing another woman after she comes home from her class. After she unleashes an angry and emotional tirade against Nate and his bleach bottle blonde bimbo, Alana promptly dumps Nathan and turns to her best friend, Michael, for advice and emotional support.

Nathan is initially shell-shocked and utterly dumbfounded by what he sees as Alana's obvious overreaction to the situation. At first, he apologizes and showers Alana with gifts in an effort to win her back. Then, as time passes, Nate convinces himself that although Alana may have had a legitimate reason for her initial treatment of him, her continued avoidance of him is becoming entirely unacceptable. Nate tries his best to get her to see reason - he tries to convince Alana that they truly belong together; that they are ultimately meant to be - yet she still insists on being stubborn.

When all his subsequent efforts to win her back fail - and as Alana's rejection further sinks in - Nate concludes that the only real obstacle to their relationship seems to be Michael. Apparently, if they are to have any hope of a lasting relationship and a bright future together as a couple, Alana needed to forget about her best friend. Eventually, Nathan comes to the sobering realization that there is only one viable solution to their problem: kill Michael Stevens.

This is the first book by Julie C. Gilbert that I've ever read. In my opinion, this was a really thought-provoking, totally believable story. The plot was realistic and well-developed, filled with a poignancy that touched me. While the scenario described in the story has never actually happened to me - and I hope that it never does - this story still resonated with me.

The characters were well-developed and reacted plausibly within the story; and I truly felt that I could relate to them. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Never Again, and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Here Are Some Books That I'm Hoping to Read!

Monday, April 20, 2015

Back in January of 2015, I posted about eight books that I wanted to read to celebrate National Readathon Day on January 24th! Granted, I didn't get to finish reading that many books back on the actual day (Actually, I've since managed to read a total of five books that I highlighted back in January by the time of this posting!) yet that post did inspire me to post more about the books that I'm currently reading or hoping to read very soon. I'm hoping to do this type of post approximately every four months or so, and plan to read between two to three books that I mention In the post, before the next post. Wish me luck! Here's my potential reading list for the next few months:


Witchcraft Couture by Katarina West (2014)
Length: 312 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Witchcraft Couture Blurb:

Oscar Pellegrini is a talented fashion designer with a deadly enemy: his own critical mind. He destroys much of what he designs and has been drifting for years, gradually retreating from the fashion business he loves but holding on to his dreams of success.

A chance meeting with a former girlfriend triggers a creative crisis so deep that Oscar escapes to Russia, where he drinks and despairs like never before. Just when he thinks he has lost everything he discovers a magical machine that turns ordinary outfits into irresistible sartorial triumphs. Oscar takes the machine back to Italy – and before he knows it, he has become famous for his designs, and celebrities and socialites are fighting to be first to wear his gorgeous garments.

But the happily-ever-after ending for the fashion messiah turns into a nightmare when his dresses acquire a life of their own, gaining energy and evil as time goes on. Haunted by his creations, a dark secret he is no longer able to hide, Oscar finds himself fighting for his life and sanity, and searching for the answer to a question he never knew existed.

Is there such a thing as stolen genius, and if there is, can it turn against the very person who stole it?


This book has been sitting on my TBR pile since early January of 2015 and I originally started reading it in March of 2015, but unfortunately set the book aside for a time due to my busy schedule. I'm really looking forward to start reading this book again soon.

Awakened by a Kiss by Lila DiPasqua (2010)
Length: 357 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Awakened by a Kiss Blurb:

Three classic fairytales - Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, and Little Red Riding Hood - cleverly retold with enough sensual twists to prove wickedly ever after does exist....

Sleeping Beau: Five years ago, the notorious rake, Adrien d'Aspe, Marquis de Beaulain, was awakened by a sensuous kiss - and experienced a night of raw ecstasy that was branded into his memory. Years later, he spots his mysterious seductress - and this time, he has no intention of letting her go...

Little Red Writing: Nicolas de Savignac, Comte de Lambelle, has been assigned by the King to uncover the secret identity of the author writing scandalous stories about powerful courtiers. He never expected his investigation would lead to his grandmother's house, or to a ravishing woman who would stir his deepest hunger...

Bewitching in Boots: Elisabeth de Roussel, daughter of the King, is accustomed to getting what she wants - and she wants Tristan de Tiersonnier, Comte de Saint-Marcel, an ex-commander of the King's private Guard. A recent injury has forced Tristan to leave his distinguished position, but Elisabeth is determined to make him see he's every bit the man he once was - and more than man enough for her...

So, this book has been on my TBR pile since December of 2014 and as I'm a lover of any type of fairytale retellings, this seemed like the kind of book that I'd like. I've just dipped into the first couple of chapters of Sleeping Beau on January 18, 2015, and I think that it's going to be good.

Tortured Souls by Kimber Leigh Wheaton (2014)
Length: 227 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Tortured Souls Blurb:

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option...

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts - and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before - a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster?

This ebook has been on my TBR pile since June of 2014, and after starting to read it on August 16, 2014, I had to unfortunately set it aside for a while. I hope that I can start reading this ebook again soon.

Half Moon Girls by Corinne O'Flynn (2015)
Length: 75 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Half Moon Girls Blurb:

Even paradise has a dark side... 

When Detective Leilani Texeira begins investigating a murder on Kaua`i, she's struck by one thing: the victim looks like her. As Lei battles dark memories stirred up by the likeness, a friend calls, worried that her daughter didn't come home last night. Lei soon discovers that the dead girl and the missing girl were friends and last seen together the previous day.

Can she conquer her demons and capture a killer in time to rescue the captive?

Hidden Poppies by M. L. Doyle (2015)
Length: 83 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Hidden Poppies Blurb:

Nothing about this kidnapping makes sense.

An army colonel’s daughter isn’t a typical target, and that’s only the beginning. FBI Special Agent Marcella Scott knows that ‘unusual’ also means unpredictable and that translates to dangerous.

Just when they need to be at their sharpest, Agent Scott’s partner, Special Agent Ken Yamada suffers from personal distractions. He’s had to make painful sacrifices for his career. When the young girl’s abduction brings him face to face with one of those sacrifices, Major Chuck Mathews, Yamada begins to question his choices.

In their desperate search for the girl, the agents face foes willing to use deadly force to protect their secrets. But what was hidden before can now be revealed and the truth could change everything.

A Snake in Paradise by Eden Baylee (2015)
Length: 67 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

A Snake in Paradise Blurb:

Lainey Lee has always dreamed of going to Hawaii. It should have been her honeymoon trip, only it never happened. Now, in a poetic twist of fate, she is making the journey twenty-seven years later - following a messy divorce.

Once on the Big Island, Lainey discovers paradise, but white sand beaches and blue skies are not all Hawaii has to offer. She soon meets Julian, a mysterious stranger ten years her junior. They share an instant connection.

Lainey is eager to shed the fears that trapped her in a loveless marriage, but is Julian a tempting distraction, a new beginning, or a snake in paradise?

These three novellas are all from the Kindle Worlds Lei Crime Series, which are novellas that are all based on the mystery novels of Toby Neal. Having received them all in mid-April, I hope to read them fairly soon.

Autumn in Carthage by Christopher Zenos (2014)
Length: 332 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Autumn in Carthage Blurb:

The nether side of passion is madness...

Nathan Price is a college professor with crippling impairments, seeking escape from his prison of necessity. One day, in a package of seventeenth-century documents from Salem Village, he stumbles across a letter by his best friend, Jamie, who had disappeared six months before. The document is dated 1692 - the height of the Witch Trials. The only potential lead: a single mention of Carthage, a tiny town in the Wisconsin northern highland.

The mystery catapults Nathan from Chicago to the Wisconsin wilderness. There, he meets Alanna, heir to an astonishing Mittel-European legacy of power and sacrifice. In her, and in the gentle townsfolk of Carthage, Nathan finds the refuge for which he has long yearned. But Simon, the town elder, is driven by demons of his own, and may well be entangled in Jamie's disappearance and that of several Carthaginians. As darkness stretches toward Alanna, Nathan may have no choice but to risk it all...

Moving from the grimness of Chicago's South Side to the Wisconsin hinterlands to seventeenth-century Salem, this is a story of love, of sacrifice, of terrible passions - and of two wounded souls quietly reaching for the deep peace of sanctuary.

This book has been on my TBR pile since March of 2014, and after starting to read it on May 16, 2014, I had to unfortunately set it aside for a while. I hope that I can start reading this book again some time soon.

Fields of Elysium: A Romantic Fantasy by A. B. Whelan (2013)
Length: 424 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Fields of Elysium: A Romantic Fantasy Blurb:

CAN LOVE MEND A HEART FULL OF HATE?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. 

On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding.

Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly’s life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Would you fight to be with the one you truly love? What cost would you be willing to sacrifice for that love?

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

I downloaded this ebook for free from Amazon in March of 2015, but haven't had a chance to start reading it yet. I probably have some extremely high hopes, but I do hope to finish at least four, maybe five, of these books in the next few months...here's hoping! ;)

May you read well and often

Andrew Joyce, author of the historical novel, Molly Lee talks about when he became the 'ghost writer' for one of his own characters

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Meet Andrew Joyce

Andrew Joyce left high school at seventeen to hitchhike throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. He wouldn’t return from his journey until decades later when he decided to become a writer. Mr. Joyce has written three books, and a collection of almost one hundred forty short stories that is comprised of his hitching adventures, written as veiled non-fiction called, Bedtime Stories For Grownups, and his latest novel, Molly Lee. He now lives aboard a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his dog, Danny.

Andrew Joyce's latest novel, Molly Lee, is averaging 4.9 stars on Amazon.

Connect and Socialize with Andrew!


Synopsis from Goodreads:

It’s 1861 and the Civil War has just started. Molly is an eighteen-year-old girl living on her family’s farm in Virginia when two deserters from the Southern Cause enter her life. One of them - a twenty-four-year-old Huck Finn - ends up saving her virtue, if not her life.

Molly is so enamored with Huck, she wants to run away with him. But Huck has other plans and is gone the next morning before she awakens. Thus starts a sequence of events that leads Molly into adventure after adventure; most of them not so nice.

We follow the travails of Molly Lee, starting when she is eighteen and ending when she is fifty-six. Even then Life has one more surprise in store for her.

Molly Lee is the sequel to the best-selling novel Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. It is the story of a woman who knows what she wants and starts out to get it. Molly is about to set off on the quest of a lifetime...of two lifetimes.


Coming to Barnes and Noble on 26 March 2015, Amazon on 29 March 2015, and to I-Tunes, Kobo and Smashwords on 31 March 2015!

I would like to welcome Andrew Joyce, author of Molly Lee the sequel to his bestselling historical novel Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, to Emeraldfire's Bookmark. Mr. Joyce was kind enough to write a guest post for me and here it is below in his own words:

'How I Became a Ghost Writer For Ms. Molly Lee'
by Andrew Joyce 

My name is Andrew Joyce, and I write books for a living. Mareena has been kind enough to allow me a little space on her blog to promote my new book, Molly Lee The story is a female-driven account of a young naive girl’s journey into an independent, strong woman and all the trouble she gets into along the way.

Now you may possibly be asking yourself, What is a guy doing writing in a woman’s voice? And that’s a good question. I can only say that I did not start out to write about Molly; she just came to me one day and asked that I tell her story.

Perhaps I should start at the beginning.

My first book was a 164,000-word historical novel. And in the publishing world, anything over 80,000 words for a first-time author is heresy. Or so I was told time and time again when I approached an agent for representation. After two years of research and writing, and a year of trying to secure the services of an agent, I got angry. To be told that my efforts were meaningless was somewhat demoralizing to say the least. I mean, those rejections were coming from people who had never even read my book.

“So you want an 80,000-word novel?” I said to no one in particular, unless you count my dog, because he was the only one around at the time. Consequently, I decided to show them City Slickers that I could write an 80,000-word novel!

I had just finished reading Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn for the third time, and I started thinking about what ever happened to those boys, Tom and Huck. They must have grown up, but then what? So I sat down at my computer and banged out Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer in two months. Then sent out query letters to agents.

Less than a month later, the chairman of one of the biggest agencies in New York City emailed me that he loved the story. We signed a contract and it was off to the races, or so I thought. But then the real fun began: the serious editing. Seven months later, I gave birth to Huck and Tom as adults. And just for the record, the final word count is 79,914. The book went on to reach #1 status on Amazon twice, and the rest, as they say, is history.

But not quite.

My agent then wanted me to write a sequel, but I had other plans. I was in the middle of editing down my first novel (that had been rejected by 1,876,324 agents . . . or so it seemed) from 164,000 words to the present 142,000. However, he was insistent, so I started to think about it. Now, one thing you have to understand is that I tied up all the loose ends at the end of Redemption, so there was no way that I could write a sequel. And that is when Molly asked me to tell her story. Molly was a character that we met briefly in the first chapter of Redemption, and then she is not heard from again.

This is the description from Molly Lee:

Molly is about to set off on the adventure of a lifetime...of two lifetimes.

It’s 1861 and the Civil War has just started. Molly is an eighteen-year-old girl living on her family’s farm in Virginia when two deserters from the Southern Cause enter her life. One of them—a twenty-four-year-old Huck Finn—ends up saving her virtue, if not her life.

Molly is so enamored with Huck, she wants to run away with him. But Huck has other plans and is gone the next morning before she awakens. Thus starts a sequence of events that leads Molly into adventure after adventure; most of them not so nice.

We follow the travails of Molly Lee, starting when she is eighteen and ending when she is fifty-six. Even then Life has one more surprise in store for her.

As I had wondered whatever became of Huck and Tom, I also wondered what Molly did when she found Huck gone.

I know this has been a long-winded set up, but I felt I had to tell the backstory. Now I can move on and tell you about Molly.

As stated earlier, Molly starts out as a naive young girl. Over time she develops into a strong, independent woman. The change is gradual. Her strengths come from the adversities she encounters along the road that is her life.

With each setback, Molly follows that first rule she set against self-pity and simply moves on to make the best of whatever life throws her way. From working as a whore to owning a saloon, from going to prison to running a ranch, Molly plays to win with the cards she’s dealt. But she always keeps her humanity. She will kill to defend herself and she has no problem killing to protect the weak and preyed upon. However, when a band of Indians (for instance) have been run off their land and have nowhere else to go, Molly allows them to live on her ranch, and in time they become extended family.

This is from a review on Amazon:

A young female in nineteenth-century rural America would have needed courage, fortitude, and firm resolve to thrive in the best of circumstances. Molly Lee possesses all of these, along with an iron will and an inherent ability to read people accurately and respond accordingly.

I reckon that about sums up Molly.

I would like to say that I wrote Molly Lee in one sitting and everything in it is my pure genius. But that would be a lie. I have three editors (two women and one guy). They kept me honest with regard to Molly. When I made her a little too hard, they would point out that she had to be softer or show more emotion in a particular scene.

I set out to write a book where every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. I wanted the reader to be forced to turn to the next chapter. And I pretty much accomplished that, but I also wrote a few chapters where Molly and my readers could catch their collective breath.

One last thing: Everything in Molly Lee is historically correct from the languages of the Indians to the descriptions of the way people dressed, spoke, and lived. I spend as much time on research as I do in writing my stories. Sometimes more.

It looks as though I’ve used up my allotted word count (self-imposed), so I reckon I’ll ride off into the sunset and rustle up a little vodka and cranberry juice (with extra lime).

It’s been a pleasure,

Andrew Joyce

May you read well and often

Blog Tour For The White Knight, the Lost Kingdom, and the Sea Princess by Judy Carlson From July 27, 2015 to August 31, 2015 - Come Join Us!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Judy Carlson will be touring the blogosphere to promote her Mythical Fantasy novel The White Knight, the Lost Kingdom, and the Sea Princess. This virtual book tour is being hosted by Pump up Your Book and will last from July 27, to August 31, 2015!

The White Knight, the Lost Kingdom, and the Sea Princess Blog Tour Information:

Meet Judy Carlson

Judy Nelson Carlson grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and thus began her love affair with winter and a strong attachment to her Scandinavian roots. She received her B.A. in English from Trinity International University. Judy and her husband Tim reside in the Missouri Ozarks. 

They have six children and twenty grandchildren. Having a lifetime passion for literature and writing, at age nine she wrote her first story. Mrs. Carlson s particular love for the works of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald have permeated this novel with their characteristic sense of wonder and longing. Her greatest desire is for all to know Who goes up to heaven and comes down? Tell me, what is His name and His Son's name, if you know, (Aryel, The White Knight).

Connect and Socialize with Judy!


About The White Knight, the Lost Kingdom, and the Sea Princess:

Just as the creator of the Chronicles of Narnia decided to try his writer’s hand and imagination, I decided to try something too. And so, I have written a story of my own having been prompted by that same idea of creating a God presence in another place. No, it is not Narnia but it is a new world similar yet different from our own. Surely, as I write this, I was inspired by the man who has invited tens of thousands of readers and not a few writers to write, think and look beyond this ‘shadow land’ called earth. I have named it The White Knight, the Lost Kingdom, and the Sea Princess.

It is a story of intrigue and ever present danger in a world populated by creatures and mortals, whose destiny hangs by the threads of an Emperor’s vision, a prince’s lost love, mysterious foes, enchanting forest maidens, unlikely heroes, and a mermaid-heroine. All of this is wrapped up in a champion so invincible, yet mysterious, that he challenges the Dark Sorcerer with supernatural forces of a fascinating nature, using even the humblest of defenders. This profound love story will leave you with a taste for a country and a universe beyond your dreams and even imaginings. A world that is A fairy tale come true, and one “you will never want to end”.

IT MAY BECOME YOUR TRUEST ‘HAPPILY EVER AFTER’ STORY, AND perhaps YOUR OWN FAIRY TALE WILL NEVER END AS WELL.

Prince Lael must prove his strength and loyalty when challenged by an insidious enemy. The tragic loss of loved ones will only fortify his resolve to fight for the freedom of the lost kingdom. Clara and Ian, two kids from Minnesota, will join the adventure to free a captive Sea Princess, battle evil, and overcome lurking temptations. They will meet the legendary White Knight and along the way gain wisdom, love, and friendships.

Purchase your copy from Amazon!

The White Knight, the Lost Kingdom, and the Sea Princess Book Publicity Tour Schedule:


Monday, July 27 - Author Guest Post at The Story Behind the Book
Wednesday, July 29 - Author Interview at The Writer's Life
Friday, July 31 - Book Spotlight at The Literature Exchange
Wednesday, August 5 - Book Spotlight at Literarily Speaking
Friday, August 7 - Character Interview at Cheryl's Christian Book Connection
Monday, August 10 - Author Interview at As the Page Turns
Wednesday, August 12 - Book Excerpt and Book Spotlight at Read my First Chapter
Wednesday, August 12 - Author Interview at Straight From the Author's Mouth
Friday, August 14 - Book Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Friday, August 14 - Character Interview at Pimp That Character!
Monday, August 17 - Author Interviiew at Book Marketing Buzz
Wednesday, August 19 - Book Spotlight at Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions
Friday, August 21 - Book Spotlight at The Literary Nook
Monday, August 24 - Book Spotlight at Jersey Girl Book Reviews
Monday, August 24 - Book Review at Deal Sharing Aunt
Wednesday, August 26 - Author Interview at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Friday, August 28 - Book Spotlight at The Book Rack
Monday, August 31 - Book Spotlight at Beyond the Books
Monday, August 31 - Book Review at The Book Connection

May you read well and often

Joni Parker - Blood Mission

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

17. Blood Mission by Joni Parker (2013)
The Seaward Isle Saga Book 3
Length: 301 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started:  26 March 2015
Finished: 14 April 2015
Where did it come from? I originally downloaded a copy of this book for free from Amazon, although many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book and Joni Parker for sending me a copy of this book to read as well.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 November 2014 as an ebook; Since 11 February 2015 as a physical book.
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and I have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Lady Alexin - the orphaned half-elfin teenager and descendant of the Titans - wants to meet the Water Elves who are in her family. In order to meet her Elfin grandmother, she must make a formal request of Prince Darin, the current leader of the Water Elves and Alex's cousin. However, when Alex accidentally overhears a potential assassination plot against two of the most prominent Elves on Seaward Isle - Prince Darin of the Water Elves and Lord Odin of the Tree Elves - Alex is determined to raise the alarm as quickly as possible.

When she arrives just in time to halt the attempted assassination of both of them, Alex's original plans are temporarily delayed. Prince Darin and Lord Odin charge Alex - a young female tracker, with an incredibly dangerous yet intensely personal Blood Mission. Alex must hunt down and kill two people: the would-be assassin, as well as a former apprentice healer to Lord Odin, the rogue Elf Mellen. Mellen may be the most lethal foe Alex has ever faced; and as the main conspirator in the assassination plot, he has definitely proven himself to be a wily, yet patient opponent.

Yet Alex must complete her mission, or perish in the attempt. In this conclusion to the extraordinary fantasy trilogy, The Seaward Isle Saga, Blood Mission places the fates of kings and the safety of the inhabitants of Seaward Isle in the hands of a fifteen-year-old half-elfin warrior. Will Alex survive her mission long enough to discover her true destiny? When it seems like everyone wants her dead - or alternatively, wants to marry her - can Alex actually outwit her enemies and eventually defeat them?

I absolutely loved this entire trilogy, from start to finish. Blood Mission started off dynamically and the drama continued strongly throughout the entire story. The plot held my attention until the very end and I actually felt sad to be leaving these characters behind. I give Blood Mission by Joni Parker a definite A! and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Christine Nolfi - The Shell Keeper

Saturday, April 11, 2015

16. The Shell Keeper by Christine Nolfi (2015)
Kindle Worlds Novella: The Lei Crime Series Book 3/Lei's Magic Series Book 1
Length: 38 pages
Genre: Short Story
Started: 10 April 2015
Finished: 11 April 2015
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Christine Nolfi for sending me a copy of this book to read from Amazon.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 8 April 2015
Why do I have it? I like short stories and have read and enjoyed Treasure Me by the same author in the past.

Two weeks before she begins her assignment with the South Hilo Police Department in Hawaii, recent police academy graduate Leilani Texeira dubiously accepts a gift from her aunt Rosario. Lei's aunt has secretly booked her niece some time at a relaxing Bed and Breakfast in South Carolina, and now she expects Lei to report to her every day with Lei's 'Itinerary of Fun'. So, Lei grudgingly embarks on her vacation - with absolutely no idea that it will turn out to be an unexpectedly magical interlude.

She soon discovers that she's staying on the beach at a frothy, 'Tara'-style mansion - one that strongly resembles a baker's confection. Not only that, but this Bed and Breakfast is managed by an honest-to-goodness Southern belle hostess named Pixie. And Pixie wears enough bling to open a shop on Rodeo Drive. Pixie apparently likes to gossip as well; when she reveals that a local woman who is reputed to have psychic powers wants to meet Lei, her invitation is anything but welcome.

Lei is nothing if not cautious - actually highly skeptical, if the full truth is told. Yet, what Lei discovers about the the sorcery of belief, and the love that is promised to her in the future, may just be strong enough to begin to heal wounds that she's been carrying for way too many years.

I must say that while I have at least three books in Toby Neal's Lei Crime Series, I have yet to read any of her work. However, I did read Treasure Me by Christine Nolfi back in June of 2013. At 38 pages long, I very much appreciated that this story was so well-written. It was also a well-developed, complete story that left me fully satisfied by the end. I give this short story an A+! and I'm looking forward to reading more stories set in this world in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Book Release and Cover Reveal Blog Tour For Never Been Texted by Linda Joy Singleton From August 26, 2015 to September 3, 2015 - Come Join Us!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Linda Joy Singleton will be touring the blogosphere to promote her young adult contemporary fairytale Never Been Texted. This virtual book  release and cover reveal tour is being hosted by Leap Books and will last from August 26, to September 3, 2015!

Ms. Singleton is also doing an awesome Goodreads giveaway - she is giving away five (5) paperback copies to five lucky winners at the end of her Blog Tour. This giveaway will run from August 3rd to August 31st! Be sure to enter the Goodreads giveaway below, and I wish you all the very best of good luck in taking part!

Never Been Texted Blog Tour Information:


Meet Linda Joy Singleton

Linda Joy Singleton has published over 35 young adult and middle grade books about Goths, psychics, mermaids, aliens, cheerleaders, clones, parallel worlds, spies, dogs and ghosts. Her Young Adult series, RegenerationThe Seer and Dead Girl, were honored as YALSA Popular Paperback/Quick Picks. Her series for younger readers include, Strange Encounters and her 2015 release, Curious Cat Spy Club.

When she was 8, she wrote animal stories and by age 14 she was writing mystery novels. In 1986, she had the unique experience of co-writing a mystery, The Talking Snowman, with her favorite childhood author, Margaret Sutton (Judy Bolton Mysteries). Her goal was to have a mystery series of her own that that happened in 1994: My Sister the Ghost Series (Avon Camelot Books). Recently she’s crossed genres to publish her first picture book, Snow Dog, Sand Dog (Albert Whitman 2014).

When Linda isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, movies, country walks, camping, bowling and reality shows (she’s never missed a season of SurvivorAmazing Race or Big Brother). She also collects vintage girl series mysteries like Nancy DrewJudy Bolton and Trixie Belden and in 2014 spoke at a Nancy Drew convention. She’s a longtime member of Sisters in Crime and SCBWI, and enjoys speaking at school, libraries and writing conferences.

She lives with her husband, David, in Northern California, in a country home where she’s surrounded by horses, peacocks, dogs, wild turkeys and demanding cats.

Connect and Socialize with Linda!



About Never Been Texted:

When Ashlee’s stepdad completely forgets her birthday she takes matters into her own hands to get the one thing she really wants: her own cell phone. But text messages start rolling in from a broken-hearted boy, and though Ashlee knows not all stories end happily, she’s determined to make hers the best it can be.

Purchase your copy from Amazon!


Book Release and Cover Reveal Blog Tour Giveaway of five paperback copies of Never Been Texted Ends August 31, 2015.


Goodreads Book Giveaway


Never Been Texted by Linda Joy Singleton

Never Been Texted

by Linda Joy Singleton


Giveaway ends August 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.


Enter Giveaway


May you read well and often

Introducing the Novellas of the Kindle Worlds Lei Crime Series, Based on the Novels of Toby Neal!

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Hello Everyone! I hope that you're all having a wonderful day today. I'm delighted to introduce you all to the novellas of the Kindle Worlds Lei Crime Series. Released on April 7, 2015, each novella is set inside The Lei Crime Series of novels written by popular mystery author Toby Neal. Each author who participated in the creation of this line of novellas is a popular author in their own right - from every genre imaginable. I would advise you to grab your own copies of these novellas as soon as possible!


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, but often the cases she works activate wounds and complications from her tangled family history. Lei is affected deeply by her cases even as she solves them with persistence, obsession, and intuition. She falls in love with Michael Stevens, the charismatic detective she works with, and they make a life solving crime in contemporary Hawaii with all its beauty and deadliness.

Never Again by Julie C. Gilbert (2015)
Length: 83 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Never Again Blurb:

The breakup was just the beginning… 

When college junior Alana Adams catches her boyfriend passionately kissing another woman, she promptly dumps Nathan and turns to her best friend, Michael, for advice and emotional support.

At first, Nathan apologizes and showers Alana with gifts in an effort to win her back. He tries to get her to see they belong together, but when his efforts fail, he concludes the real problem in their relationship must be her best friend.

As Alana’s rejection further sinks in, Nathan realizes there’s only one solution to their problem: kill Michael Stevens. 


Fireweed Trail by Craig Hansen (2015)
Length: 69 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Fireweed Trail Blurb:

Before she was a detective...

Troubled teen Leilani Texeira is on the edge of self-destruction. As a last-ditch effort to reach her, Auntie sends her to the Fireweed Trail program, a wilderness therapy hike down the Oregon Coast Trail. Things go well until a fellow hiker turns up dead.

Now she's a murder suspect.

Damaged and fragile, Lei is pushed from inaction to one of the most harrowing adventures in her young life. Miles from civilization and help, she only has her own strength and determination to save herself from of a killer's wrath.

And instead of hiking, she's running for her life.



The Shell Keeper by Christine Nolfi (2015)
Length: 38 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

The Shell Keeper Blurb:

In South Carolina, magic is as plentiful as sweet tea.

Thanks to her aunt’s unwanted generosity, policewoman Lei Texeira has embarked on a vacation—of the supernatural sort. She’s staying on the beach in a frothy mansion that resembles a baker’s confection. Pixie, a Southern belle with enough bling to open a shop on Rodeo Drive, manages the place. 

When Pixie reveals a local woman reputed to have psychic powers wants to meet Lei, the invitation is anything but welcome.

What Lei discovers about the sorcery of belief, and the love promised to her future will begin to heal 
wounds she’s carried for far too long. 


A Keiki Mystery: Warrior Dog by Emily Kimelman (2015)
Length: 60 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

A Keiki Mystery: Warrior Dog Blurb:

One pack. One dog. One enemy. One mission: protect the family.

Descended from the Drover Dogs of Rome, Keiki has quite a legacy to live up to. The Rottweiler ancestors followed men into war, helped heard animals, and protected flocks from predators. All these tasks took great skill to bear the responsibility.

In the modern world, Keiki's role remains much the same. She must protect Lei and her family. They are her pack and in need of her protection.

But what can she do when the enemy is fire? How will Keiki save her family from this raging, uncontrollable beast?


Saddle Road by J. L. Oakley (2015)
Length: 103 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Saddle Road Blurb:

There's more to Hawaii than pretty beaches.

When a body shows up in Maui's Kahului Harbor, it looks like just another bad 
day for some poor soul in paradise. Detective Lei Texeira and Lieutenant Michael Stevens identify the victim as a well-respected veteran from Washington State. Soon, they find themselves in the middle of a charity scam where someone's skimming money meant for returning veterans with PTSD.

During the investigation, Stevens enlists the help of an old buddy from the Marine Corps, Tom Harleson. The clues lead Tom, Lei, and Stevens to an exotic animal hunting club on the Big Island where they encounter the killer on the high lava deserts of Saddle Road.

Half Moon Girls by Corinne O'Flynn (2015)
Length: 75 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Half Moon Girls Blurb:

Even paradise has a dark side... 

When Detective Leilani Texeira begins investigating a murder on Kaua`i, she's struck by one thing: the victim looks like her. As Lei battles dark memories stirred up by the likeness, a friend calls, worried that her daughter didn't come home last night. Lei soon discovers that the dead girl and the missing girl were friends and last seen together the previous day.

Can she conquer her demons and capture a killer in time to rescue the captive?

Hidden Poppies by M. L. Doyle (2015)
Length: 83 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Hidden Poppies Blurb:

Nothing about this kidnapping makes sense.

An army colonel’s daughter isn’t a typical target, and that’s only the beginning. FBI Special Agent Marcella Scott knows that ‘unusual’ also means unpredictable and that translates to dangerous.

Just when they need to be at their sharpest, Agent Scott’s partner, Special Agent Ken Yamada suffers from personal distractions. He’s had to make painful sacrifices for his career. When the young girl’s abduction brings him face to face with one of those sacrifices, Major Chuck Mathews, Yamada begins to question his choices.

In their desperate search for the girl, the agents face foes willing to use deadly force to protect their secrets. But what was hidden before can now be revealed and the truth could change everything.

A Snake in Paradise by Eden Baylee (2015)
Length: 67 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

A Snake in Paradise Blurb:

Lainey Lee has always dreamed of going to Hawaii. It should have been her honeymoon trip, only it never happened. Now, in a poetic twist of fate, she is making the journey twenty-seven years later - following a messy divorce.

Once on the Big Island, Lainey discovers paradise, but white sand beaches and blue skies are not all Hawaii has to offer. She soon meets Julian, a mysterious stranger ten years her junior. They share an instant connection.

Lainey is eager to shed the fears that trapped her in a loveless marriage, but is Julian a tempting distraction, a new beginning, or a snake in paradise?


May you read well and often