Book Reader's Heaven

Ponder the Words of Poet Adolfo Caso...

2012-03-03T13:12:00.001-05:00

Brown-capped Rosy Finch (Leucosticte australis) (Photo credit: dominic sherony)

The Empty Nest

Adolph Caso

Guided by its own internal clock,

The brown finch

Silently and covertly

Flies by different routes

With grass blades in beak

Into the thickest branch

Of my evergreen arborvitae,

Looming strong and impenetrable

In the corner of my backyard

As though it were holding up

The house walls on each side

And protecting against

Would-be intruders or predators.

Through my kitchen window

I follow each flight of the finch,

From many directions,

Carrying its precious cargo into the tree

To build its nest.

And I feel miserable

Not knowing

Whether it is only the mother finch

Building that nest

Or with the father too

As I wished it would be,

With my other wish for her

To pause

And,

To sing me

A love-song.

The nest completed,

Evidence for a successful clutch

Was in the reduced number of flights

Into the arborvitae—

Now a surrogate

For new life-forms in the making.

I moved to my deck chair

Inconspicuously,

My back to the tree

To avoid perceived threats

To the emerging brood,

My heart in full wonderment

To see the fledglings--

As when I first saw

The beautiful face of each

Newly-born child

And all the grandchildren

Together with

An indescribable expectation

Of the great-grandchildren

Yet to come;

My emotions are overwhelming

Over this deeply-felt

Non-duplicative joy!

III

Suddenly,

A tumultuous crowing

With abrupt churning in the branches

Brought me to the outside;

Two crows dove down

Obstreperously

From the edge of the roof

Into the branch containing the nest,

And,

Before I could take any action,

They flew away with as much clamor,

My mouth wide open

As my eyes caught sight of the finch

In the nearby tree,

Going from one branch to another

Desperately waiting

For destiny

To reveal itself.

My eyes glaring

Between the finch

And the branch,

I ran to the tree.

In bringing the branch down gently,

I saw the empty nest,

Its destiny fulfilled

To my consternation

Knowing that no amount of despair

Could mitigate my affliction

And the loss to the finch,

Already poised to depart

Without

Perhaps

Knowing

The ramifications of the crows' action,

Except for me,

A member of my species

With eyes

To see more,

And ears

To hear more,

And a heart

To pump more blood

Through these weather-beaten veins,

Needing only

A small amount of brain

To perceive the pain

Of the mother finch

And to feel that pain

Deep inside my heart.

With little comfort in knowing

That neither crow nor finch

Acted with the conscience of humans,

I am left alone in my solitary thoughts

To contemplate

That no action is without consequence,

That there is little

Counterintuitive

In the existentialism of Jean Paul Sartre

Except the utter nonsense of concluding

That after having done something,

What remains is nothing,

He being an avowed Marxist

A non-party affiliate,

Whose Soviet purges

Both within the party

And through its Gulags

Pitilessly

executed countless people

and even used each victim’s soul

To define its wanton nihilism

Within the scope of their programmed
nothingness.

After having killed the body

And wiped out the God

Of more than 100 million people--

Their souls turned to nothing

According to Jean-Paul’s existentialism--

Now emboldened by the collaboration

Of Bertrand Russell--

English patriot,

Who demonstrated against an easy America

Not to side with England

Against Hitler’s World War II--

A champion of anti-Americanism

Bertrand also excoriated America

Over the victims of the Vietnam War

While saying nothing,

Not one word

Against the perpetrators

Of on-going Pol Pot genocides

Within

The various sects of his United Nations’ body

And without one word of protest

From the followers of Confucius, or Mohammad,
Ghandi or Buddha.

Russell and Sartre:

Two Marxist would-be warriors

Joined together

On behalf of peace

Conditioned by their ideology

At the expense of millions

Of innocent victims

To grease the wheels of their un-feeling

Human-made killing machines.

But,

Luckily,

The survivors continue to seek salvation

Through their religion

And a God

That can be temporarily denied but not suppressed,

Like the soul of a man!

This kind of philosophy

Has always given me pause

And

A bewilderment deepened

By my inability to understand

The behavior of the crow and of the finch

Let alone that of my fellow men

Bent on manipulating everything

Including our dreams

Be they a presage of happiness or anguish

Life or death

Or whether dreams are generated

Biologically or chemically

Without answering the basic question

Of why we dream in the first place!

Oh, Freud, such a misguided prophet

Using Eros and Thanatos to explain man-made wars

Or repressed sexual drives to explain our dreams

Or drugging his patients and self

In search of convenient man-made personal truths

Not found in nature

Without the scrutiny

Into his self-inflicted enslavement

And to that of his patients

Without ever a word on Hitler’s ultimate solutions

Or of Stalin’s raging the land,

Or of Mao’s ubiquitous purges,

Or on Einstein making decisions against Hitler--

No!

Not one word

To preserve his people and fellow man!

Dying from self-administered drugs

Freud never knew he was discovering the means

To assure his and his patients’ bondage,

And not knowing, when he should have known,

He was void of either Eros or Thanatos

And sexually barren!

What am I to think and feel about a philosophy of life

That misses the point on every crucial issue

Of human behavior and solidarity?

Is it not possible that dreaming

Is a physiological necessity that keeps us alive

Each dream reflecting a phase

Of our evolvement

As biological and social entities?

We respond to the stimuli

Of our pre-existing floating formulae—

As did all three men

Coming from the same area,

From the same people,

And from the same time:

Why did Hitler inherit his irreversible DNA?

And Einstein a different one?

And Freud still another?

Why mine!

Why your DNA!
Why the crows!

A perfect example of Sartre’s existentialism

Is in Freud’s irreversible behavior of self-destruction:
Which

Neither ended in nothing

Nor filled the nothingness of phenomenology
Nor alleviated the suicidal pain

From life-afflicting drugs

Administered as the wonder drugs

From Eros to Thanatos

As though life-forms could be explained

Through convenient formulae

As in Sartre’s existentialism.

Dreaming and dreaming are two different things,

The one,

A desire of what should be and is not

The other,

A chemical reaction

Of endless single or morphing frames

Without relevance to each other,

But interpreted

By Freud’s self-imposing personal relevance.

I sit in a triangle on my deck

Directly opposite the house

Whose walls enclose the arborvitae.

I look into my own mental images

Of waves smashing ashore

Scattering untold and countless drops of water

In every direction and just as quickly disappearing.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Ocean_waves_at_the_Asilomar_State_Beach.jpg

Which drops are carrying the DNA for new life-forms?

Which drops are destined to enhance those now living?

Which drops are rushing back

To recycle the remnants

Of those of us who have just died?

In my dreaming,

I see the Spring of next year,

The branches greener, more full and vibrant

And as an ever-inviting tree

Waiting for the finch

To make its first pass

To renovate and renew its nest,

To bring its hatchling to their first flight

And to perch on the extreme end

Of an undulating branch,

To sing the love song

Of my life.

~~~

Adolfo Caso, Friend,

Poet, Author, Photographer, Publisher

is a regular contributor to

Book Reader's Heaven...

Liquid Fear Fails to Create Memorable Story...

2012-03-02T12:45:00.000-05:00

Image via WikipediaLiquid Fear

By Scott Nicholson

I didn't get a chance to write my review immediately after finishing reading and when I picked it up again, I realized that I couldn't remember much about the book, except that it was another playoff of pharmaceutical researchers doing nasty things to people for the good of mankind...

Or rather, for the good of the mad scientist who will undoubtedly rule the world if his hypothesis can be achieved.

Books like Liquid Fear can be scary during the read and achieve some type of visceral reaction that will keep many people, including myself, reading page after page. For those who loved gore, you will probably enjoy this one. Surprisingly, for me, however, I realized after a few days that I had a distaste for the book... Not a usual reaction for me and books...

Perhaps reading Tritcheon Hash by Sue Lange overrode my earlier thoughts?

The purpose behind pharmaceutical psychological research is nearly always made to help cure humanity's problems. However, there is also almost always an aspect that pulls in the interest of the military. The reason for this research having been discontinued ten years earlier was because of funding...

And, of course, during the interim, the scientist, in this case, Dr. Sebastian Brigg's continues on his work...Once the project was funded again, it was decided to pull in as many of the original test group as possible. One of the problems in this was that they had all been affected by what had happened during the earlier trials and either did not remember what had happened or had become dysfunctional in some way.

Sooo, each of them received a small dosage of pills with the note: "Take Every 4 Hrs...or else..." And they took the drugs, just as expected...

But something had happened during that early activity so many years ago, and one of those who had participated had been killed. None of them remembered exactly what had happened and had no desire to do so... Until now... and what they were remembering was unbelievable...

None of the characters stood out as significant to the story, except of course the scientist, so there are no individuals with whom readers connect...they are treated just as they finally are when brought together--placed in a cage as the test animals they were..

If you have a clinical interest in watching people zonked out on drugs administered for specific purposes, or enjoy thrills no matter what is happening to the participants, go for it... The ending is just what you might expect for individuals who have been drugged experimentally...I just don't feel I can recommend this one.

Book Received Via

Amazon Vine

GABixlerReviews

U.K. 2nd Best-Selling Author Bringing Latest Greatest to U.S.! Check it Out!

2012-03-01T13:21:00.000-05:00

Amazon says that I'm the second-bestselling British author.
To be honest, Lee is only ahead of me because he sells so many
in the US! (from FaceBook Wall!!)

Nightfall

By Stephen Leather

There's been books and even one popular song about deals with the Devil, but Stephen Leather twisted that in an even more sinister way in Nightfall--a man chose to make a deal for "his son's" soul as opposed to his own! I must admit that I had some hesitancy in beginning since this type of horror novel can get very gruesome...

However, what actually happened is that the main character was so professionally experienced that he seemed able to approach the situation just as if it were a case. He immediately started to investigate, research and consider all options! For me, I was thankful that the horror became secondary; and what the author's choice in creating this character as he did was to actually transfer the novel into a mystery thriller that pulled me right in and kept me turning page after page to see what would happen. And the ending was perfect!

Out March 20th - you can pre-order NOW!

Jack Nightingale had lived a normal life, respected as a professional police negotiator until his last case. He had been called to try to talk a young child down from jumping and as he talked with her, he thought he was being successful since he got her to tell him that her father had been abusing her... But then suddenly she just jumped and he had been unable to stop her. It was the second phase of this case, though, that had resulted in his leaving his position.

Jack had gone to confront the girl's father. But while there, her father jumped or was pushed from the window...

Of course there was no evidence to explain what had happened and Jack was not talking. In reality, he only remembered one thing--the man had turned to him and said "You're going to hell, Jack Nightingale..." Of course everybody thought Jack had pushed him and most felt that the man deserved it and that Jack was a hero. But his reputation could not sustain through the "possibility" though he was never charged.

Two years later, Jack had begun his own private investigation office, living close to the bone from case to case when he was contacted by a lawyer who explained that his father had died and he had inherited all of his estate. Of course, Jack felt it was a mistake--he had been adopted, but his parents had never told him he was not their biological son... Jack had also begun having weird dreams...

Cutting to the chase, Jack learned that his father had made a deal for his son so that he would have a wealthy financially successful life, which he'd had. But when Jack first went into the mansion which was now his, all of the furniture, paintings, etc. were gone. He learned that his father had begun selling everything to buy books--books on magic, witchcraft, demonology... Had he been trying to get out of the deal?

The investigation and research conducted by Jack is fascinating as he delves into what his father had done when he was born, what he'd done as he was near death, and as Jack's birthday approached. Jack's soul was due on his 33rd birthday... He realized that the deal must be true, because whenever he tried to discover more from his family or others, they were already dead by the time he reached them!

I enjoyed the comment on Leather's Facebook Wall, about Lee Child selling so many books here in U.S. and that is why he's second best-selling author in the U.K. As we learn more about him and read more of his books, like Nightfall, I am sure he will begin to be more in competition with Child! Highly Recommend--I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

About the Author

Stephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Before that, he was employed as a biochemist for ICI, shovelled limestone in a quarry, worked as a baker, a petrol pump attendant, a barman, and worked for the Inland Revenue. He began writing full time in 1992. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. You can find out more from his website, www.stephenleather.com.

Book Received Via
Wunderkind PR

GABixlerReviews

Sassy SciFi Based Upon Present Earth Violence! I Would Vote "yes"!

2012-02-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Coney Island must have been a favorite place for some of the
women who first landed on the planet where they would
spend their future - separate from all males from earth!

Tritcheon Hash

By Sue Lange

Interested in a futuristic sassy little scifi? Check out Tritcheon Hash, which is titled after the main female character, a top pilot on the planet called Coney Island.

Now Coney Island, normally called just the Island, might seem a strange name for a planet, but then, this is not just any planet--it is the "female" side of the Human Race that at one time lived on Earth...

It is now the 31st century and the sexes have been split for many decades and I can certainly understand why! The domestic abuse, violence and continuous wars had led to only one solution for women--Leave!

Interestingly Coney Island is a thriving, respected planet that is favored by surrounding planets and species. They don't like to deal with human men. Much of earth is gone--destroyed by war or bad treatment of the environment, including spaces that were contaminated and are just now being able to begin to be cleansed.

Of course all of the inventions that are available are exciting "possibilities." My favorite was on earth, and provided for the air to be cleansed of pollutants and then they were used to make things. Men are mostly meat eaters and vegetables, etc., are used mostly to feed the animals.

But men are also now divided between the aggressors and pacifists! Obviously all men were not interested in constant war-like lives. One of those pacifists fell in love with Tritcheon!

It happened during a training program of young military individuals from both planets. Yes, the Island has a military component, useful for planetary exploration and interactions, etc., as opposed to aggression.Earth officials had been trying to begin reunification and the women were at least willing to discuss options. The only real contact between the two planets was the annual exchange of sperm for the male children...

Now Tritcheon has been selected to explore what was really happening on earth, as opposed to what they were being told and she made it there. But she had trouble landing and was discovered almost immediately. The commander's group who found her was all for keeping her confined but fortunately she escaped that, although she was able to see the treatment of prisoners as they wandered through yards trying to find food... Tritcheon finds her former friend and is able to proceed openly in exploring the condition of the earth at that time...and also enjoying a little of the intimate contact that had not taken place since the sexes had split.

Many readers have called this a satire--perhaps. I tend to consider it as a possible "realistic" futuristic novel. As we watch on television, young girls fighting at schools or "just playing..." and even on reality television! What I see is that the females are picking up and using the aggressive behavior more than ever before. I am afraid of what our future holds. Satire or Wake-up Call?!!! I'm ready to move to Coney Island...

Now in Kindle--if you have children, you owe it to them to consider this one...

Book Received Via
FB Reviewers Roundup

GABixlerReviews

About Sue...

TRITCHEON HASH named one of the
BEST BOOKS OF 2011
By Kirkus Reviews
"Against a vivid sci-fi backdrop, Lange brings
a light touch to heavy material, with a fast-pace,
funny story to boot." Kirkus

Sue Lange is a founding member of Book View Café (BVC), the authors’ collective that includes over 30 published writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Vonda N. McIntyre, Patricia Rice, and Sherwood Smith.

Lange’s first novel, Tritcheon Hash, was published in 2003 by Metropolis Ink. Her second novel, We, Robots, was published by Aqueduct Press in 2007. In 2009, BVC released a collection of her previously published short stories entitled “Uncategorized.” Then in 2010, BVC released her literary science fiction novel, .The Textile Planet.

A popular speaker in SF and literary circles, Sue has been featured at the Nebula Awards, Readercon, the Library of Congress, SF Signal's Mind Meld, the Prydonians of Princeton and unique fundraisers such as Author and A Movie in support of Cinema 16:9 an independent theater imporant for its historic Art Deco features Sue Lange's Engaging Sci-Fi Short Stories Come to Life in the Form of Live Theatre.

Lange lives in Pennsylvania with her partner, two cats, a dog, four sinks, two showers, and a bidet. Click on the Title of this article to visit Sue's site! Friend her at Facebook and at Reviewers Roundup There!

Close of Trilogy by Alexandrea Weis Wonderfully Satisfying!

2012-02-27T13:49:00.000-05:00

To My Senses

By Alexandrea Weis

When I had the chance to review Sacrifice, the final book in a trilogy and began to read....well, after about 20 pages, I just stopped. I knew I would not be satisfied if I didn't formally meet David Alexander, the artist who created the series of paintings that featured Nicci Beauvoir, the main female character. So I took the time to purchase this first novel--and thoroughly enjoyed reading about the love affair between Nicci and David!

Of course, there was considerable drama and suspense beyond the romance! For one, David was already involved with someone--she happened to be acting as his "patron" during his stay in New Orleans but she also happened to be the main competitor to the family scrap metal business run by her father and would have been hers one day, if she wanted it. Instead, Nicci had decided to study to become a nurse while she continued her real love to have a writing life. I might point out now that Weis has done an excellent presentation of the city of New Orleans, both before and after Katrina struck and the devastation of that time period. Readers are brought intimately into the life style, the food as well as the delightful characters she has created to tell her story! Bravo!

As the relationship with David becomes more serious, however, she realizes that David seems to know quite a bit about her father's business as well as that of his patron and while she tries to learn more, she succumbs to the family members to match her with an appropriate member of society, introducing her to Dr. Michael Fagle, who, she later discovers is quite different from the man he presents to his wealthy clients and friends with whom he seeks acceptance.

Nicci is so devastated by what has happened between her and David, that she has no concern for her life and is slowly walked into a situation with Michael that she does not want nor has the strength to escape...

Readers will quickly become both empathic as well as sympathetic as Nicci struggles to deal with all that is claiming her attention, while her emotions are caught back with David...The ending will catch readers off guard completely and will be just as dramatic to them as it was to Nicci! Having come backwards to this novel, I highly recommend that potential readers start with this book. You will see that other reviewers were also complelled to ensure they read this first book...and end with Sacrifice this is the latest and final! Kudos to Weis for an outstanding 3-book story, in my opinion!

Please take the time to read my review of Recovery here at Book Reader's Heaven if you haven't previously read Alexandrea Weis!

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-novel-set-in-karina-ravaged-new.html

Sacrifice

By Alexandrea Weis

By now readers of the trilogy will find that Nicci Beauvoir had been pulled into David Alexander's business and asked by his boss to work with one of his co-workers to find out who had murdered David...They conducted the investigation (in Recovery) while pretending that Nicci and Dallas August had fallen madly in love.

And indeed they were moving in that direction, even to the extent of living together...

But when Nicci comes back to New Orleans for her cousin's wedding, she sees a man in a crowd that she believes is David Alexander! Only she knows that she has continued to love David like no other man, even though she has become intimatey involved with Dallas. Dallas is now to a point that he wants to make final plans to spend the rest of his life with Nicci as his wife...Sometimes, even Nicci has thought she should marry him...

Even though it is unlikely that David was not murdered, especially since Nicci saw him at the morgue, she has no choice--she must make sure! In the back of her mind, she remembered that she had really not seen David's face clearly. Hope sprang once again! She would not give up until she was absolutely sure this time!

In doing so, however, she must go even deeper into the business that David was in--let me just say that it wasn't entirely legal...

And new paintings of Jenny (the series created by David with Nicci as the one and only model) have been on the market! And Nicci knows that she did not sit for them! Are they forgeries? Or is David painting them? Only Nicci can help document these new paintings as created by Alexander...and she is dangerously caught in the clutches of those who are trying to sell them... While Dallas is trying unsuccessfully to keep her out of the whole mess that has restarted!

"Sex is always part of the plan for getting anything out of a man, Nicci. You're a woman who has bedded at least two men I know who have had sizable sexual appetites. Use your experiences with David and Dallas to lure Gregory Caston to give up his secrets. Just get me what I need and don't let your principles stand in the way. He took a step toward the car in front of him. "Get in and I will have Gerard take you home." he directed in a cold tone..."

I love a completely satisfying ending, don't you? Nicci had been caught most of her life by family and then men who tried to possess her to own her, to make decisions for her future. But by doing that, all of these individuals had refused to learn and know the true Nicci! Readers will know all by the time they finish Sacrifice! And I guarantee though each book is a great read separately, you will be only totally satisfied by reading the trilogy. I know, I had to go back and start at the beginning before I even would begin to read Sacrifice! A truly exceptional romantic suspense set in the remarkable New Orleans! What more can I say?!

GABixlerReviews

Biography

Alexandrea Weis is a registered nurse from New Orleans who has been published in several nursing journals and textbooks. She has been writing novels and screenplays for over twenty years. Her first novel, To My Senses, was a finalist for commercial fiction in Eric Hofer Book Awards, a finalist for romance in the Foreword Magazine book of the Year awards, and a finalist for romance in the USA Book Awards. Her second novel, Recovery, won the Gold Medal for best romantic suspense from The Reader's Favorite Book Awards and was named best Romantic Suspense by the NABE Pinnacle Book Awards in 2011.Buyer Group International, an independent production company in Austin, has optioned the motion picture rights for Recovery.Her third book, Sacrifice, closes out the Nicci Beauvoir Series. Her fourth book, highlighting her love of rehabbing wildlife, called Broken Wings comes out in Dec 2011.

Ms. Weis is also a permitted wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and when she is not writing, Ms. Weis is rescuing orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives outside of New Orleans with her husband and a menagerie of pets.

Blog site: http://alexandreaweiscom.blogspot.com/
website: http://alexandreaweis.com

Love Adventure? Check Out Mystery Merged with Mountains!

2012-02-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

"We arrived at Casa de Piedra shortly after noon the next day.
It had been an easy hike, the trail well marked through the
snow. The rise in elevation was only a big over 1500 feet,
not demanding at all. We'd followed a dry river valley most
of the way and so far had only caught glimpses of the majestic
vistas for which the Andes are so noted. The route I'd taken
previously had been far more panoramic, even in the first days.
But from the right location here you could see Aconcagua
looming 12,000 feet above us. It was imposing, "bigger than
God," one of the climbers noted. The Polish Glacier, which
would be our route, was clearly visible on its west side,
facing the valley from which we would approach it..."

Murder on Aconcagua:

A Summit Murder Mystery

By Charles G. Irion
and Ronald J. Watkins

Those of you who enjoy winter sports and maybe even have had your sights on climbing some of the highest mountains around will be thrilled to learn of the Summit Murder Mystery series! Together the two authors have both professional and actual experience to create a realistic escape to the summit of the highest mountains in the world: Everest, Elbrus, Mt. McKinley, Puncak Jaya, Aconcagua, Vinson Massif, and Kilimanjaro.

Readers will learn of the climbing experience itself, seeing both the dangers and the exhilaration in accomplishing a major physically challenging feat...especially in the winter! Other than the professionals who hosted the climb, Scott Devlon was the only other experienced climber and he had also been brought into a surveillance job during the trip. At least Scott had been on this mountain before and had some knowledge; however, climbing during this time of the year was a lot more dangerous. Would he have tried it if there wasn't another reason for him to be there?

In fact, Devlon wasn't sure that there was anybody here who were climbing just for the pure adventure of it!

Because Aconcagua was known to be haunted...

And legend claimed that there were still descendants of the Incas when they had been driven from their home by the Spanish invaders. It was also said that there was much gold, and idols that could give great power and prosperity. But nobody knew where this city was--it was considered a "sacred place..."

But many people also lived near Aconcagua and had traveled in the area...and with the right amount of money were willing to sell anything! It was known that a number of powerful men were seeking the idols, but who was there on behalf of those political giants and who was there to steal and artifacts? The ramifications of finding and claiming ownership over these precious artifacts, if they were really found, could mean significant political disruption in the area!

The search for, finding and death that came there on Aconcagua--was it worth it? And if the idols were found where were they now?

The authors give readers an intimate look into struggling for oxygen as the mountaineers went further up into freezing temperatures, through blizzards, fighting injuries, especially to their feet... adventure lovers will be thrilled! Mystery lovers will enjoy the hunt, learning what was found and looking toward what will occur in the next book! Exhilarating setting with an exciting treasure hunt! What more could you ask for?! Highly recommended!

Book Received from
Irion Books, Inc.

GABixlerReviews

Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield Series One of Best Available!

2012-02-22T12:32:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

"Jane took two steps and turned on the bottom step to face
them. She could see that they still hadn't grasped what she
was. To them she was a lady lawyer, and they planned to
push past her and endure her look of disdain.
The first one was easy, probably because he was bigger
and faster than the other two. He didn't seem to be aware
that she could possibly be a lethal opponent. He charged
ahead, barely seeing her as he dashed to the steps. All Jane
had to do was sidestep, trip him, place one hand on his
spine and the other on the back of his head to direct his
face downward into the steps. Her push increased his
momentum enough so he hit hard and lay still.
The second man was the one who had grasped Shelby's
arm in front of the elevator, so he was ready. He didn't
try to get around her, but went straight for her with both
his hands up, preparing to throw a punch. Jane knew she
couldn't fight toe-to-toe against a male opponent who
outweighed her by a hundred pounds, so she never did...

Poison Flower:

A Jane Whitefield Novel

By Thomas Perry

I've enjoyed the stories of Jane Whitefield before, but Perry's latest has to be the most action-packed novel I've read in a long time--it seemed something major was happening on every page. Exciting, intoxicating talent and integrity of one woman. In fact, the whole series has been always fresh and original. If you enjoy having a strong female lead character to admire, Perry is one of the experts in creating Jane Whitefield!

Jane Whitefield makes her clients disappear, only she doesn't work for the government's witness protection program. In fact, most of her actions are either borderline or directly against the law...because the law doesn't always protect the innocent... When individuals are desperate, needing help the get out of an impossible situation, somehow she can be found... She uses all the modern skills available, but is grounded in the ancient traditions of her Seneca ancestors, finding the strength within her of the lone warrior on the quest...

This time, an innocent man has been framed for murder and Jane has been asked to help him break out of jail and help him disappear...and she did exactly that!

But there were more than just police guarding this man and when she succeeded in getting him away, they were right there watching and prepared to chase her down. Her client got away, but these men claimed to be police and she stopped, only to have them kidnap her. Once they had her, they wanted only one thing--where was James Shelby headed, where was she to meet him? She realized that the real killer wanted to ensure he was never found, no matter what it took!

It was only through her warrior training that she succeeded in enduring and coming through the torture that they had begun. For the first time, she would have scars received through her rescue activities... She did get away, but that only began a wild chase that required every bit of wit and stamina to keep Jane going, to reach her client, and, by the way, picking up another request from a woman to take her away from her husband. You've just got to love and admire this woman!

One happening I had missed was that Jane got married sometime in another novel! This addition added a warmer side to Jane, but showed just how much she endured this time when she finally got home and he saw the damage to her body...Her fear was only that he would no longer love and want her...

The best of Thomas Perry went into his latest which is due out in March. If you've enjoyed Perry before, then I'd have to add this as a must-read for all fans! Never read him? Start with this one if you enjoy female driven action-packed adventure. This is a Winner!

Book received via

Amazon Vine

GABixlerReviews

About the Author

Thomas Perry was born in Tonawanda, New York in 1947. He received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1969 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rochester in 1974. He has worked as a park maintenance man, factory laborer, commercial fisherman, university administrator and teacher, and a writer and producer of prime time network television shows. He lives in Southern California.

Perry is the author of 20 novels including the Jane Whitefield series (Vanishing Act, Dance for the Dead, Shadow Woman, The Face Changers, Blood Money,Runner, and Poison Flower), Death Benefits, and Pursuit, the first recipient of the Gumshoe Award for best novel.

He won the Edgar for The Butcher’s Boy, and Metzger’s Dog was a New York Times Notable Book. The Independent Mystery Booksellers’ Association included Vanishing Act in its “100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century,” and Nightlife was a New York Times bestseller.

Metzger’s Dog was voted one of NPR’s 100 Killer Thrillers--Best Thrillers Ever. Strip was chosen as a New York Times Notable Crime Book for 2010, and The Informant was a New York Times Notable Crime Book for 2011.

If You're Not Into SitCom Humor...Don't Bother...

2012-02-21T12:44:00.000-05:00

Trail of the Spellmans

By Lisa Lutz

I promise, I didn't know that this book was primarily the humor genre--I don't seem to have a sense of humor like many have, so I don't usually read the genre. I thought the book was about PI's and there was a few cases that were interesting, although all of them involved following people, except one client who had OCD and used the private investigator as a backup to make sure someone was dealing with his compulsions so he wouldn't lose his job. None of the situations take much to figure out--I had all of them resolved after the first introduction of each case...

The book was well written although the majority was about the Spellman family itself and the ongoing drama that apparently revolves around the members. The story is told from the point of view of the daughter, Isabel, who clearly has a handle on how the investigative business should be run, but also clearly, contrary to the back cover's statement, is just as dysfunctional as the rest of those who live there. I must admit that the writer's use of footnoting was, for me, completely frustrating from the reader's standpoint since the footnotes were merely attempts to increase the humor, which it didn't, in my opinion. For me, it just increased reading time and was disruptive.

Let me tell you a little more about the cases covered:

Two parents hired them to follow their daughter who had entered college, to keep track of her activities.
A wife hired them to follow her husband and keep her informed where he was and when he was to return home.
A brother hired them to follow his sister and report back to him.

But the investigator assigned the first case, made up false reports to turn in...get the idea of strange actions. Of course the investigator is the youngest daughter in the family and to punish her for what she did, had her car taken away from her, without anybody explaining why...Funny? You decide...

Isabel did have a basic and healthy attitude about how the job should be done, although the ending action was, in my opinion, quite unethical and, quite naturally backfired on her.

Sorry, I didn't even smile once. Some of the scenes were sad, such as with the client who had OCD and while Isabel did explain everything to him, they did do as much as could be expected as private investigators. I guess I have to admit that most of it was boring for me, since I don't find making fun of dysfunctional family members something that should be done. On the other hand, knowing that many people do enjoy sitcom type of humor, the book itself was fast-paced, except for the footnotes, and certainly should be considered by those who routinely enjoy the humor genre...

You decide...

Book Received Via
Amazon Vine

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Mother/Son Authors Create YA Paranormal Fantasy Gem!

2012-02-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

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..."Now it came about, when men began to multiply
on the face of the land, and daughters were born to
them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters
of men were beautiful; and they took wives for
themselves...The Nephilim were on the earth in
those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God
came in to the daughers of men, and they bore
children to them. Those were the mighty men who
were of old, men of renown..."

forbidden...

by Syrie James &
Ryan M. James

All things in heaven and earth seem to be most popular to teens and others who enjoy paranormal fantasy and forbidden is a welcome addition! Lovers of The Guardian Series, by Ruby Moon-Houldson, together with a dash of TV's "The Charmed Ones" will undoubtedly enjoy the latest from Syrie James. For me, it was a flashback but updated contemporary revisit of the love between heavenly beings and humans that I found in The Guardian Series...so I loved it!

Claire Brennan has finally turned 16, becoming a woman, and gaining so very much more! She didn't immediately know what was happening, but fortunately she had two close friends who were there during one of the first times she was affected and so she wasn't as afraid as she could have been. Doing a little research online made them realize that Claire had had a psychic vision. But what had happened and why now? She didn't connect it but finally she was given the word--she had "awakened..."

In the meantime, a new student had come to school. Alec MacKenzie had come to Emerson Academy to hide! And the first day met Claire. Almost immediately she noticed something was different about him. She also had noticed he was quite good-looking, but she'd had a crush on another boy for so long, that she didn't immediately consider Alec. But he was considering her and even her best friends realized it! Neither knew what fate had done to them, in bringing them together...

Claire knew little about her past, including who her father was, so her investigation took her into her mother's room, to use her new power to possible find out more...and she did, but she still didn't share with her mother!

And then one day there was a near-death accident and Alec had saved Claire and her friends. Only Claire saw what had actually happened, though. Alec had performed with superior strength to save them--more than possible for a human? Could he be a vampire?! Her friends laughed when she proposed that, but were even more surprised when they all discovered the truth!

When Alec's godfather gets more involved, so does a lovely lady who comes to Claire psychically and who she later discovers in a hospital in a coma! But even unconscious, she worked to save Claire when she was hunted!

Many very cool scenarios make this book exciting, timely as it moved right into high school activities, including choir, prom, selection of a king/queen court, etc. and pulls in a heavenly host of cool characters! Although there are visions of violence, little actually takes place--some of these characters just won't die!

Young adults who have enjoyed the Twilight series will be just as intrigued with what I hope will become a new series. Highly recommended.

Book received via
Wunderkind PR

GABixlerReviews

Mother/Son Authors Create YA Paranormal Fantasy Gem!

2012-02-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

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Michael Palmer's Latest Out Today!!!

2012-02-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

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:"If you are reading this letter, then I am dead...This letter is
a confession of sorts. It does, in my death, what I could not
bring myself to do while I was alive...finally to tell the truth
about..."

Oath Of Office

By Michael Palmer

Whoooa! Palmer's latest has a feel of horror...and you'd never guess why!

Dr. Lou Welcome has great empathy for medical personnel who, for whatever reason, gets hooked on alcohol or other type of substance, including drugs.

Mainly because he's been there...

In fact, part of his own rehabilitation has been to work with others who have the same type of problems. One of those men was John Meacham--and he has just gone on a rampage, killing everybody in his office, including two patients! Lou's boss wants to know what happened, but Lou wanted to know what had happened for his own reasons--he knew Meacham had been clean! So what could have set him off?

You would think that now we are going to investigate how he might have obtained some illegal substance, taking it without even realizing it perhaps. But what that substance is and where his investigation leads is much more scary than some type of new drug... Especially as other people also begin doing illogical activities..

Welcome begins his investigation by learning that Meacham had said only one thing, "No Witnesses!" As he pieced things together, he learned that he had become angry with a dangerously obese patient and got her so upset that she had ran out of the office. With Meacham's last words being "No witnesses" Welcome had to assume that Meacham feared that a complaint would be made against him and he would lose his license permanently. That seemed to make a little sense, except that, Roberta Jennings, the woman he had verbally attacked, was still alive...Meacham was not acting rationally in killing everybody else except her.

In the meantime, in Washington D.C. the President of the United States once again had not shown up for an event that was sponsored by the First Lady. She was very interested in a food program for children. Obviously disturbed, she nevertheless went on with the program, but received a message about an old friend, the former Secretary of Agriculture, who had been fired. She had always felt he had been framed and so went to a secret meeting to learn more... And, she learned more than she had ever expected!

Welcome's investigation took him to Meacham's home town next to talk to his wife Carolyn. Meacham had died and now he was riding with Carolyn, only to have her begin to act strangely. She became fixated on a car ahead of them with a back light missing...chasing after it to prevent an accident, only to cause them to have one themselves!

More and more strange behavior was identified and it seemed to be most happening there in the town where the Meacham's had lived.

When they began to think it may be something around that town, it all began to come together, but what was it and how were they going to identify what it was and who was involved?

Reading about what people were doing in that town adds the feelings of horror...doing the exact opposite of what would really be the most logical thing to do...Michael Palmer has topped his other books in this one! The realism of the plot is so potentially possible and probable that you can't help but be hooked, turning the pages, wanting to know more, but becoming even more horrified as more is discovered! Could it really happen? Not the exact activities within this novel, but something else? This one will leave you afraid...and will not be easily dismissed or forgotten. And how is the President and his family involved?!

Forewarned is forearmed? Palmer is sharing a potential reality for all of us. Even if it's fiction, you need to read this one, in my opinion... A thriller like no other!

GABixlerReviews

MICHAEL PALMER is the author of sixteen novels of medical suspense, all international bestsellers. His books have been translated into thirty-five languages. In addition, Palmer is an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society Physician Health Services, devoted to helping physicians troubled by mental illness, physical illness, behavioral issues, and chemical dependency. He lived in eastern Massachusetts.

Time Travel Romance Merges with Paranormal for Wonderful Tale...

2012-02-13T12:28:00.001-05:00

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The year is 1602 when Neil and Mora return to Scotland,
along with Fergus who at the last minute had chosen to jump
through the time portal as well...and thankfully he did because
he had brought his gadgets and had already saved Neil's life
once! Now they were on their way to the castle of The
MacDonald. Their research and Neil's memories were fast
coming as he came closer and closer to where Naill was
imprisoned. In fact, Neil was taking on all of the pain and
suffering, need for food and water that Naill was experiencing!

Somewhere My Lass

By Beth Tressel

I enjoy the paranormal and Tressel brings in much to like! Not only do we have time travel, but a number of psychics to add to the fun! Of course, it might also have been just a bit of magic from the ancient Celtics?

Our main character, from the past, is Mora Campbell, who is found at the scene of the murder of the housekeeper for Neil MacKenzie. The problem, of course, is who is she, where did she come from, and why is she dressed in clothes that are clearly from another country and from long ago...

When Mora awakens she identifies herself as Neil's betrothed! Although she calls him Niall... and says that she was chased there by The MacDonald! In the meantime, Neil and everybody else thinks she has been hurt during the chase and is apparently the relative of his housekeeper they had been expecting...

However, as Mora shares about her life, Neil begins to pick up memories nudged by what she tells him about their relationship--that they were to marry, but he had disappeared and now she was to marry his younger brother...

Neil's friend and business partner Fergus is one of the most likable characters...he's a brilliant nerd that uses all things electronic...never leaving his home, using lighting to create night skies to sleep under and all the electronic gadgets that can possibly be used for "some" reason. Mora, of course, thinks he's a magician. It is his mother that is psychic and helps them locate "the portal"

The well-written fantasy is almost a fairy tale; merging the present together with the past in a seamless movement, using what they had brought from the present to help Mora be reunited to Naill in 1602...

Of course that meant that if history was changed, then Neil of the present would no longer exist!

There really wasn't any choice...by that time, Neil loved Mora and would do anything to make her happy...
Tressel gives us a dangerous adventure, suspense, a little Fergus humor, but most of all provides a story of unending love that does last... But wait!?! What about The MacDonald?!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! Surely romance lovers will find it a wonderful way to spend the weekend! Highly
recommended!

GABixlerReviews

About Beth

I’m a historical/light paranormal romance author with the Wild Rose Press. I have seven releases out with more to follow. Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley with children and multiple animals. The rich history of Virginia and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration.
My fascination with Colonial America, particularly stirring tales of the frontier and the Shawnee Indians, is an early and abiding one. My English, Scot-Irish ancestors had interactions with this tribe, including family members taken captive. These accounts inspired my passion. Intrigued with all things Celtic, much of my writing features these early Scot-Irish forebears who settled in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and surrounding mountains, spreading into Tennessee and the Carolinas.

This absorption with Colonial America also extends to the high drama of the Revolution. My ancestors fought and loved on both sides of that sweeping conflict. My research into the Southern face of the war was partly inspired by my great-great-great grandfather, Sam Houston, uncle of the famous Sam, who kept a journal of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, 1781, that is used by historians today.

Moreover, I am ever intrigued by ghost stories, and Virginia has more tales than any other state. I find myself asking if the folk who’ve gone before us are truly gone, or do some still have unfinished business in this realm? And what of the young lovers whose time was tragically cut short, do they somehow find a way? Love conquers all, so I answer ‘yes.’

Thus began my ‘Somewhere’ series. In book two of that series, Somewhere My Lass, I journeyed back to 1602 Scotland and more deeply explored my Scottish roots. In Red Bird’s Song (out fall of 2010) I honed in on my early American roots in a story featuring the Scots-Irish and an Indian attack that happened to my ancestors in the colonial Virginia frontier. More recently, I ventured back into my British ancestry with my first historical set in England, Into the Lion’s Heart.

Turning Back to Yesterdays...

2012-02-12T12:22:00.000-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Gang

A King in a Court of Fools

By Larry Enright

Do you remember "Our Gang"? Or maybe you are a fan of "A Christmas Story" and, like my sister, watch it over and over every year? Yes, I'm one of those individuals who believe that the past was a happier, more friendly time. We weren't afraid to go off on our own to explore the surrounding neighborhood or the woods nearby. Even better, our parents thought nothing of allowing us to go!

Larry Enright has done an amazing job in capturing all those early moments for us to remember as he introduces the Caswell Gang to us. Interestingly, he presents the story from the youngest member of the Gang:

"...That leaves you with me to piece this together. You have to keep in mind that I was only in first grade at the time, so my reading skills were limited. Simple chapter books were easy, but not six grade Tom-ese...How did we get our hands on Tom's secret journal?..."

Of course most of the group are siblings, with the oldest boy the leader; but it is apparent that, just as we remember it, our friends were just like family members and we cherished that bond. If you are a Baby Boomer, you will find yourself remembering. Another plus for me was that the setting is nearby Pittsburgh, where memories of the steel mills as we traveled still are clear in my mind.

If you are younger and have at least once heard, "Oh, the good ole days..." and never quite believed it...then I highly recommend you consider this story. It pulls you in and I read it in a day, while spending a little time remembering as well!

Enright certainly has a wonderful memory...or maybe we all would if we stopped to remember more about our early life. Curiously, you wonder how much is fiction or how much is from his own story. Perhaps that is not important, because it is so well written that you think he might have been keeping a journal, as is included in the story...and just pulled that journal out one day and molded it into a novel...Realistic and memorably full of yesterdays...I thoroughly enjoyed the day he provided.

And, in addition, a mystery is even included! And just as the characters did, I pictured being Nancy Drew or working with the Hardy Boys to solve the mystery surrounding "The Pink Lady" whose car the Gang found in the woods, together with the clothes and even the wallet of the owner. What had happened to her? The Caswell Gang is on the trail--but then the car is gone! But that doesn't stop them. In fact, it gets them further into action, meeting and making friends with a veteran neighbor and stopping to help him with the chores that he could no longer handle himself...

But they persist until the crime has been totally solved!

This is a wonderful book for children--but I have to say that many adults will be the ones that truly will be thankful for the time spent enjoying their youth once again...I loved it!

Biography

Larry Enright was born to Irish Catholic first-generation immigrants and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After college, he moved to the Philadelphia area where he has filled his life with many careers including teacher, musician, computer programmer, researcher, and writer.

He has published three novels: the best seller "Four Years from Home" (09/2010),
"A King in a Court of Fools" (09/2011), and "Buffalo Nickel Christmas" (11/2011).

GABixlerReviews

Read Only If You Dare...

2012-02-09T12:50:00.002-05:00

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One Voice Too Many

Paul Martin Midden

Many of us have heard on the news, when a tragic murder has occurred, that neighbors claim that the individual involved as always been quiet, a good neighbor, or something similar, though now expressing their amazement or dismay learning that somebody they knew was guilty of such an action(s)...

But surely, if we are willing to admit it to ourselves, we all do things that so go against our nature, that we later realize that we shouldn't have done it, and maybe even wonder what led to our being so emotionally involved that we, for a moment, snapped. Fortunately for most, that situation may never arise again and everybody soon forgives and forgets.

Sometimes, however, when that break occurs, for whatever reason, something happens in the brain of that individual... Or, maybe, something had already been wrong, but had never been triggered...
If you dare, enter into the life of Jeremy...

Jeremy worked in construction. In fact, an accident occurred the day he met Macy and Macy could have been seriously hurt but there was an attraction between them that soon turned into a relationship and, later, marriage.

Jeremy had been mostly a loner although he enjoyed his job. Still, Friday meant that he could look forward to going home and not having to be around people. But, now they were married and Macy wanted a home. They had been living in a small apartment and it had been hard for Jeremy to adjust to how close it was when all three, including Macy's daughter, were all home. Jeremy cared for both of them deeply, but when Macy wanted to buy a home, even though it was not what Jeremy really wanted, he had agreed. Once there, he realized that having more space was much better, but...

Jeremy began having dreams...

And then one day, he turned to see who was talking to him, but nobody was there. He knew he was awake, but he knew he had heard somebody... That wasn't the last time and soon he started answering back...

What IS that breaking point that triggers aggressive actions towards others. I admit I was fascinated to read One Voice Too Many, meeting Jeremy and watching as his psychosis was affected as his home life changed and he felt he was losing control of his life, until he began to change enough that his closest family members began to see what was happening and became afraid. Could individuals who show early symptoms have been helped if his psychological issues had been detected during his childhood? Were they even apparent to his parents? Midden doesn't take readers into that period of Jeremy's life, but meeting Jeremy in Midden's novel allows readers to begin to understand how some individuals turn to criminal activities, including those against people.

This book won't be for everyone. If you are not intrigued by the psychological makeup of criminals, this one isn't for you. You've been warned...

True crime enthusiasts, those who love psychological drama (like Criminal Minds, for instance), practitioners, are those who will find learning more about Jeremy's progression to his break from reality very informative.But stops short so that readers do not really see a significant amount of his aggression. Midden spends enough time sharing Jeremy thoughts and changes, while he leaves the conclusion open-ended. If it were a routine thriller, I might think that it was a setup for another novel...This time, I'm not sure...Will Jeremy ever be well again? This novel is extremely thought-provoking and a potential intimate look into a "criminal mind" as it develops and ultimately snaps into actions. Highly recommended for those who seek to learn, to explore the fascination with criminal activities and why.... What happens and what might be behind the actions of those we see on television, having just killed another individual? Is it learned behavior or definitely mental health? No answers are provided, but Dr. Madden has certainly helped us in seeing the background and evolution... You decide whether you want to meet Jeremy. I was...and I'd even like to know what happened to him?

Book Received Via
http://maryglenn.com/.

GABixlerReviews

Paul Martin Midden is a practicing psychologist and the author of two previous novels. His literary interests include developing interesting characters who are confronted with the challenges of modern life. He lives and works in Saint Louis, Missouri, where he experiments with different approaches to fiction.

Take A Drink and This Novel to Your Man-Cave for Long Weekend Read!

2012-02-07T13:11:00.002-05:00

Coast Guard and Stiletto (Photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard)

..."The Elbow ascended from the ocean floor like a mountain, its peak culminating
just below the sea's surface. At its sandy threshold lay the remains of centuries
of boats and ships that were lost or disabled. The mighty craft of kings,
admirals, and pirates, built of ancient timbers, milled wood, polished steel and
shiny Fiberglas now lay twisted, splintered, and decaying on the ocean floor.
Fortunes were won and lost running gold, guns, rum and other contraband
through this fragile link in America's border. This unforgiving path of the ocean
was located right in the heart of the Gulf Stream, the waters occupying the
territory between the Florida Keys and the western boundaries of the
Bahamas...
"Amidst the turbulence, a lone 30-foot center console powerboat lay anchored
securely to the bottom. The bullet-shaped craft was custom-built for speed,
dark blue and gray with a tubular, canvas-covered top mounted to its helm.
Its name, Island Girl...sported three high-powered outboards that laid firmly
off her transom, the back of the boat, like sleeping dogs ready for the kill..."
Bobby Alazar was waiting for the delivery, one that he would take on to the
next step where the drugs would be delivered. Instead...

Mid Ocean

T. Rafael Cimino

Are you a boating enthusiast? Or do you like to delve directly into the action and watch as criminals plan, organize and carry through their activities? What we seen on television or in movies normally involves a set "case" that we see begin and end. In Mid Ocean, however, Cimino takes us directly into the drug business. We all know that drugs are illegally brought into the country. We may even sit back after a movie or watching the news on TV and wonder why so much makes it here. Yes, we deplore that the "demand" is clearly living high in our good ole USA, but, for me, I had not fully realized and experienced the full scope and complexity of those men who are in this business...

What amazed me most was the breadth of involvement of individuals working for the drug business! Readers will watch as people are flying, for instance, to pick up the load...then one or more speed boats are put into action, while another man takes out the electricity for another step, while a worker at an elite country club for yachts arranges for the arrival of an incoming yacht...then a railroad car takes it the next step...and on and on!

At the same time, though, the FBI, the local police, the Coast Guard and other law officials are working not so publicly to track, indict, and capture those involved!

Mid Ocean moves steadily through all this maze of activity to arrive at an explosive action-packed, very satisfying ending, even though we know that the drug trade will go on and on... The reason I mentioned boat enthusiasts earlier is because of the detail provided for the involved boats, how they are made, put into the water, only to possibly be destroyed on their first use. The detail was a bit tedious for me, given I know little about boating; however, guys, if you have a man-cave to which you go to read as well as watch your favorite games, I highly recommend you take a drink with you and settle in for a novel deep with drama and true-life crimes!

Book Provided by
Akula Media Group

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Related Article

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2011/12/sometimes-your-past-wont-let-you-go.html

Biography

T. Rafael Cimino was born in Wayne, New Jersey in 1963. He is an American writer and film producer and is the youngest member of the Cimino Family of American film producers. He has been credited contributing to such films as "Lost in Translation", "A Love Song for Bobby Long", and "The Other Boleyn Girl" and the television series "Miami Vice" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Cimino has also authored "MidOcean", Table 21", and "River Town." In 2008 he signed a five year contract with Akula Films and in 2009 started pre-production of "Table 21" as a major motion picture. He currently resides in Florida, New York, and Sofia, Bulgaria.

T. Rafael Cimino is the nephew of famed film director/ writer Michael Cimino.

A "New" Classic Fairy Tale Series Becomes Must-Read For Me!

2012-02-02T14:14:00.001-05:00

The Land of Darkness:

A Fairy Tale By
C. S. Lakin

Have any of you been watching "Once Upon A Time" or "Grimm" on television? I am enjoying both of them, especially watching how pieces of the original stories as I knew them are used as the basic story, while the creators have taken much liberty in taking the concepts and moving on to an entirely different tale! C. S. Lakin has done something similar--as her latest novel opens we meet a young girl with two sisters and a mother who hates her new daughter...sound familiar as Cinderella? But almost immediately you will forget the touch of that fairy tale and move into a new world, one you will never have heard of--The Land of Darkness!

"It is not the land that is dangerous, Callen. The danger lies in your heart. Others have lost their lives searching for the bridge. Are you certain that you are prepared to pay that price?"

And you must travel through that Land to find The Bridge...

"Now, his mind raced with a dozen warnings, but they came too late. For he was a stranger to this part of the world. He had never heard of the tales whispered in dark corners over mugs of ale, or told as harsh threats to badly behaved children. He had set out as many do, to find his fortune. But now he would find only misfortune, for fate or carelessness or stupidity--it didn't matter which--had led him to the Land of Darkness...He stepped into the maw of blackness as if he had been swallowed whole; he left no footprint behind...No one who entered that bewitched land ever came back out."

We meet Callen first, a young carpenter apprentice. But his skill was especially in creating those marvelous engravings, those designs that a talented individual would carve into what once was a piece of plain wood. Beren, his mentor and the man for whom he worked had allowed him to work on beyond his other apprentices, finding designs in the shop and copying them so that they appeared just as originally sketched...

But one day he found a very old sketch that Beren had told him he must have picked up in his youth. It was a bridge, one that had been carved just as he would carve a chest or table--it had to be made of wood, but how could a bridge be made of wood? Then he noticed that there was nothing under the bridge for support. Rather, it was suspended from above... Callen became obsessed as he studied the drawing--he had to find that bridge!

While nearby a little girl, Jadiel, was alone with her father, Ka'rel, after her mother had died.But then he met Huldah, an outsider who was not known in the community and Ka'rel had changed, as if he were bewitched. Although he loved Jadiel so much, as soon as Huldah drew him near, he would forget anything else and seemed under her spell. Jadiel was old enough to realize that Huldah did just that every time Ka'rel was going to talk or sit down with Jadiel.

But then Jadiel noticed something about her stepmother and began looking at her strangely. Huldah noticed her studying her and immediately realized what was happening! Jadiel had to go! She began to send her out on dangerous trips to bring something back for her stepmother. The latest one would require her to be gone for a long time and she had no guidance where she could find the tree that had been requested. At that point, Huldah made it quite clear that if she didn't return with the tree leaves, Huldah would kill her father!

It doesn't take long for Jadiel to meet dangerous men. Fortunately for her, Callen had chosen to begin his search in the same direction and he saved her! Then discovers they have a connection and decide to do their search together...

And then the adventure begins!

What a creative genius! C. S. Lakin's Series, in my opinion, will ultimately be included in what we refer to as Classic...I haven't had a chance to read the first two, but The Land of Darkness is timeless, has a moral to share for all readers, no matter their background and no matter their age. At a time when Fairy Tales are "big in literature, tv, and movies, C. S. Lakin has to be considered one of the top writers in the field.The entire series will be a must-read for me...Highly recommended for your consideration!

Full of Action and Suspense - A Great Read!

2012-02-01T14:03:00.001-05:00

"Beth moved toward Lucy's head. "Can't let her roll."
Which was exactly what Lucy had in mind. The mare
turned onto her back. Hooves flailed in the air. Beth
jumped to the side, but not before a thrashing hoof
caught her on the calf. Her leg went out from under
her, and she fell onto her hip in the straw. Another
hoof missed her skull by inches. Beth ducked and
rolled out of the way, coming up against the wall
hard...

She Can Run

By Melinda Leigh

Nobody knew who Elizabeth Baker was or why she had been hired...

She had shown up at the Pennsylvania estate ready to take on her new job and, at least, she had the knowledge and easy way with the horses that showed she could indeed run the estate. But her new boss had died since she had been hired...

Nephew Jack O'Malley, has been injured and retired for the moment but his former position as a homicide detective leaves him confused and wanting to know what has been happening! He had been selected by his uncle to receive the estate, but even that had a condition to it...staying there...and he wasn't sure that was what he wanted for the future...But the place had been his home for long visits throughout his life and he was still dealing with the loss of his uncle.

Shocked to find her new boss gone, Elizabeth began to immediately consider where she and her two children could go. She had already cut off all ties to where they had last stayed, knowing that it was no longer safe for the man who had opened his home to her. But where could they go and not be found--she knew that her husband, with all his connections politically, would find her, and she feared what would happened to her and the children!

Jack decided to have Beth stay, and tried to ignore the attraction he had felt from the first time he saw her. While Beth just refused to admit her own attraction. But the children loved living there, helping with the chores and horses and having lots of land to explore. Things seemed to be working out...

But then the body of a woman is found...they believe he is a serial killer!

and Beth seems to be having accidents...

Had her husband found her? Would they be forced to leave? While keeping everything inside of her, she wonders what to do; but there are people around her, trying to help, although they don't know the whole story!

The action builds and more players get more and more involved...all watching, circling, tracking Beth! Will she ever find a safe haven? Readers will need to pay attention to who, how, and what is happening and can easily get lost--truly a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end! I loved this one!

Received from
Amazon Vine

GABixlerReviews

A Personal Note From Michael Palmer...On His Latest Novel...

2012-01-30T12:31:00.000-05:00

Warm Regards from the North Coast of Boston.

Thank you for your offer to review my 18th thriller, Oath of Office. Media and blogger reviews are an important and fun way for me to engage with the reading and writing community and get the word out about the book. I appreciate your feedback and the opportunity for OoO to be features on your website.

As you may already know, the book expands upon the political and medical ethical themes in A Hearbeat Away, The Lost Surgeon and The First Patient. It was inspired by Robert Kenner's 2008 brilliant documentary Food, Inc. and explores the hidden realities behind food mass production and genetic modification. My hope is that my book will make readers more aware about the importance of being educated in the areas of labeling and the genetic modification of what we eat. I am hosting discussions about these issues on my Facebook and Twitter pages.

Thanks again for taking the time to read and write about my book. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Regards,

Michael Palmer

Website: www.michaelpalmerbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michaelpalmerthrillers
Twitter: www.twitter.com/michael_palmer

What if a well respected doctor inexplicably goes on a murderous rampage?

When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself.

The blame falls on Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Meacham years before as a counselor after John's medical license had been revoked for drug addiction.

Lou knew that John was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and fought hard for his license to be restored. After hearing the news of the violent outburst, Lou is in shock like everyone else, but mostly he's incredulous. And when he begins to look into it further, the terrifying evidence he finds takes him down a path to an unspeakable conspiracy that seems to lead directly to the White House and those in the highest positions of power.

I'm Enjoying Oath of Office right now...watch for my review soon!

Football, Espionage Merged For Great Thriller!

2012-01-28T13:28:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

"Times were still tense between the
United States and the Soviet Union, so they
needed to be sure the teams understood
that this was an exhibition and not
WWIII..."
"It was the first time a Russian team had
scored a touchdown on American soil.
If the two governments could have seen
the camaraderie between the players
and the coaches, the Cold War might
have been something in the past.
"Sports had a way of bringing people
together that no other activity could. It
was the pure competition, man on man,
team on team, that made it so
special..."

Teamwork

Bob Robustelli

When I was working one of the positions held was head of Facilities Management at a local university, which included the responsibility to coordinate and negotiate the use of institutional facilities, including all those used for both academic and athletic activities. I was pleasantly surprised then, when I started to read Teamwork and learned that much of the activities regarding football was that conducted in the background. In this case, the final goal was to host the third game of the NFL in Russia!

Let's just say that Mickey Rossetti had never planned on being sent to Russia, living there and then having a major role at the chosen stadium where the game was to be held!

Nor did he ever imagine what was actually happening while he was coordinating with Russian representatives to get their athletes prepared to play football--training, selection of teams, scheduling games within the EFL, etc.

At the same time that football was being introduced to athletes, government officials, and citizens, there was much more happening in Russia! It had been discovered that nukes had been stolen and were soon going to be used!

Suddenly Mickey and many others from both the United States and Russia were forced into becoming operatives, seeking and passing intelligence between players from both countries, merged as a team to save mass destruction across the world...

This picture selected by me, no names were
actually used in this book...
"In the middle of January, two of the most
powerful people in the world sat down for
the first time to discuss the nuclear arms race,
the state of the Soviet economy, and fourteen
nuke cases that had gone missing...
"...But the most important development
during that time period never made the
headlines of any paper or newscast:
somewhere on the Eurasian Steppes, in
the southwestern part of the USSR, two
scientists and a colonel detonated a nuke
suitcase by remote control..."http://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/6/66/Reagan_and
_Gorbachev_hold_discussions.jpg

As readers enter the ravaged country so affected by the cold war, they share the devastating lack of food and proper facilities along with the high cost of getting anything from other countries, if they could get anything at all. But all activities regarding bringing football to Russia, and hopefully improving the economy would be supported by the government.

An investment for the future?

Football fans will certainly enjoy watching new teams being formed and moving toward expansion of their favorite game into other countries...But be prepared to begin watching one of the most intriguing games of international espionage, headed personally by the presidents of the two countries, that is based upon potential and actual events which happened during the 80s.

I enjoyed delving into the history of that time period and other lovers of history fiction and espionage novels may also be as intrigued... Talk about writing what you know--check out his bio below! The merge of football within international history is, in my opinion, seamless and lends a more personal, a warmer touch to these dramatic events, drawing readers in, matching their memories of what took place against the author's story. Me, I just enjoyed a great thriller that was uniquely presented, while I have NO idea whether any football games ever took place there in Russia--anybody know?

Note: Somewhere this author saw I enjoyed reading Richard Doetsch so he sent me the above Yep, I wanted to read it too! Cool Marketing on his part, don't you think?

About the Author: After his college days at the University of Connecticut, Bob Robustelli worked in the family corporate travel and sports marketing business. His responsibilities included promoting American football in Mexico, Europe and Russia. Robustelli's father played for the New York Giants and is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, credentials that helped with his associations with football. Throughout his travels, which took him to all parts of the world, he read thrillers and always thought his job was a good cover for a CIA agent. The idea for Teamwork had been formulating with Robustelli for some time, when three years ago he committed to writing it, taking courses at the Westport Writers Workshops and attending numerous seminars. He's enjoyed the process of learning the trade, but realizes there is much more to learn. He's looking forward to the journey.

Book Received
from Author

GABixlerReviews

Francis Hamit' s Alternative History Featuring The Queen of Washington Creatively "Possible"

2012-01-26T13:14:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

"My career died right there," Robert's bitter voice
brought her back to her present difficulty. And so
did your ambitions. Greed, Rose. Greed was your
undoing...and mine...
"She flinched. Never had he spoken to her so
harshly, but never had she given him such cause.
She had betrayed their marriage by allowing a
flirtation to go too far. It was her fault, but not
entirely. She could not let the accusation pass
unchallenged. That wasn't fair..."

The Queen of Washington

By Francis Hamit

I had thoroughly enjoyed The Shenandoah Spy telling the story of the first woman in American history to be formally commissioned an Army officer. While Hamit's series focuses on the Civil War era, his decision to move backward and create an alternative history for some of the key players during the war is a delightful fun read (while being historically informative).

Mainly because today's political environment includes spotlighting the sexual activities of those working in government that often becomes world-wide news...

While Hamit hypothesizes that sex was routinely used by women, in particular, during that time to gain vital information, especially for the South, or for gaining personal power or positions for their husbands, And the most famous Rose Greenhow became the one they crowned as Queen. She started by becoming an active participant of the social set that centered in Washington D.C. and was wife of the Translator and Librarian for the U.S. State Department where he ranked third to the Secretary. But while his position lowered as he got into activities of the Land Commission, traveling west into Mexico and California, Rose spent most of her time in Washington garnering more and more political influence.

But she went too far and had a child to one of her lovers and brought her into their home...she had broken trust with her husband, Robert!

She was definitely a spy for the South. But Hamit posed the question was she a spy earlier for the French, the English and many others--perhaps anybody who would willingly share "pillow-talk" which included gifts and financial support to keep her in the home she needed and hosting the many events that were necessary to keeping her image in front of the Washington set...

Robert became friends with Judah
Benjamin, later to become a
Senator...
"He and Robert drank in silence for
several minutes, and then Judah said
sympathetically, "Your wife, eh?
That's grounds for a suit at law."
"That would mean scandal, and the
Greenhows are very political.
It's the family business, you see.
We don't do scandal..."
"Revenge is a dish best tasted cold"
http://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/File:Judah_Benjamin.jpg

There were also several truly treasonous or criminal actions that she had convinced her husband should be done. However, when her affair resulted in a child, it affected their relationship in both personal and political ways.

Going back to 1850 to begin this story, Francis Hamit has pulled in significant issues that could indeed have been part of or even important background reasons for the Civil War. The author has obviously researched the time period and has effectively merged true historical events together with a viable and entertaining alternative story surrounding both of the Greenhows but especially Rose. You might want to check out the picture on my earlier announcement which shows her and her daughter being held in prison prior to finally being sent back into the territory controlled by the South.

I thoroughly enjoyed Hamit's second novel--a much more personal and intimate look into the life of the "female" spies active during the time of the Civil War. Somehow it seemed "permissible" at that time, while today's scandals just seem...sordid...What do you think? History buffs, I think, will enjoy as much as I did...Maybe a must-read? You decide!

A "heartwarming, real, passionate and often hilariousl" Read! Plus Excellent Writing!

2012-01-24T13:04:00.001-05:00

Image by Vaguely Artistic via Flickr

"They made her a Driving to Florida Long
Journey Room Survival Kit..."

tuesday night miracles

Kris Radish

This book touched me personally, but having worked for over 40 years and meeting a lot of women in both professional and social settings, I earlier stated that I wished I could get this book into the hands of every woman. After finishing it, I still feel the same way, and maybe even more so. I would also recommend it for men, even though all of the primary characters are women since readers will also see how husbands involved with those women reacted. Read the blurb of the book for more specific info; I do not want to share much of the book itself so readers will have the benefit of learning along with the group member characters...

Even more so, both men and women are susceptible to the stresses of today's world. Yes, those stresses often become too much to handle. We know about some of the results by learning about domestic violence and other actions that "make the news" but I know there are many times that nobody knows what has or is happening to a woman or man who is trying to face her life situations and deal with them--trying to make it through...

I had never read Radish before, but find the titles of her other books quite intriguing. Nor do I know her professional background as I began to read, but I found her lead character, Dr. Olivia Bayer totally realistic and knowledgeable in her role as a clinical psychologist. Tuesday Night is the night that most of the group sessions for Dr. Bayer's latest mandated court were held for four women who had, as they say today, snapped...

"The beds are against the back wall in all three cells, which are identical. There's a toilet at what any sane
person would use as the foot of the bed, and it's screened from the cell across from it by a huge metal sink.
The thick brown walls are cracked at the top and appear to be solid concrete.
Leah places her ear against the wall to her right, thinking that perhaps voices were trapped inside the
last time the place was painted.
"Who do you two think stayed in these cells?" she asks, keeping her ear to the wall.
Both Kit and Grace reach out to touch one of the walls. They are cold, and whatever traces of life were
left her have long since been painted over, scrubbed off, erased...
Before she {Dr. Bayer} turns to leave, Kit blurts out, "Are there any ghosts in here?"

Each of the women are facing criminal charges for what they did and will be put in jail if they fail to complete an anger management class and associated requirements. But there is something different with this class. Dr. Bayer has been considering retirement and, perhaps, is being pushed to do so. She wants to discard traditional group session methods and try what she believes is a better model. She agrees with her boss that if the class doesn't work, she will definitely retire...

The only thing I wondered at the end of the book is whether her process is actually being used--or whether it is only the writer's imagination that created it. I found myself slowly being pulled into the activities, not actually stopping to do them, but to stop and ponder my own reactions. What I do know is that this book will not be one that I read and pass on. Right now I've already made some life decisions based upon the book and believe that I'll be referring to the book over and over.

It has been my experience that many women, and men snap during their daily lives. It may be a minor incident or, worse, a series of small incidents will make an individual sad or angry...and the feelings resulting from those incidents will build up to what can be a major event, such as taking physically aggressive actions as the women in the book did... It is my personal opinion that, in today's world, we have all experienced some form of stress-related response to someone else's action. If you know this to be true for yourself, or even have considered that you could reach the point of saying or acting out on your feelings, then I highly recommend you read Tuesday Night Miracles and see if you find yourself there, like I did, or feel that you just might one day see yourself in a similar situation...

This is fiction; however, I felt it was or could be a self-help type of book if you need it to be. Are you sad, angry, agitated, afraid, screaming, drinking...whatever...at times? Please....read this book if you use similar adjectives to describe your personal feelings. And God Bless...

Book Received Via

Kelley and Hall Book Publicity

GABixlerReviews


Biography
Kris Radish grew up dreaming about living a Nancy Drew-like life and always held her own passion for writing very close to her heart. A former journalist, nationally syndicated columnist, magazine writer and university instructor, Radish also loves to tell stories about the times she picked nighcrawlers, served beer to cowboys, worked on a tomato farm and hung out of the side of a fast moving helicoper.

Radish is now the bestselling author of six novels and has captured the hearts of legions of fans with her heartwarming, real, passionate and often hilarious novels. Her stories focus on the important bonds of female friendship and celebrate the common feelings, heartaches, loves, and struggles that all women share. She loves to call her work "true fiction" because she addresses the real emotions that women live and share every day.

She is also the author of two non-fiction books, writes poetry, is the mother of two young and very fiesty adults, is known for her wild laugh and wilder hair, and is working on her seventh novel.

Continuing on My Personal Review Process...Join the Discussion!

2012-01-19T15:23:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia
Click on the first link below to go to first blog entry...

I appreciate all the comments! It isn't often when I initiate my sometimes controversial opinion that I get people involved! There are many valid comments about my process. To verify, yes, I am a book blogger--there are many of us out there! Still others only review for Amazon or some other online bookstore. I do, however, know that there are many individuals that I personally have tracked down when I see a low rating on what are award-winning books and find there is no pic and they often have only one or two reviews. I know that Meghann has many more, but, I'm sorry if I doubt "the who" when I find short negative sentences.

I have always made a simple assumption about low ratings and, then, affirmed my final decision. This was mainly based upon what I found for myself. I've found that there are MANY award-winning books that I don't personally like! What that made me realize was that giving my personal opinion was indeed unfair and biased...simply put, what good was my personal opinion alone? It only meant that this one person, me, didn't like the book. Yet...there were many others raving about the book, so unless I could explain in a fair and unbiased manner, why the book was not a book I could recommend, I was not really helping potential readers.

One time I read a book that was fantasy. One image within the book was personally extremely offensive to me...it involved child sexual mutilation... I gave it a low score and posted it. I was immediately bombarded so much so that school students were texting all their school friends and getting them to go post against my review. I took it down fairly soon, mainly because I had to accept that my personal opinion about one issue did not negate the fact that the book was good overall. I also had to admit that I personally didn't enjoy some fantasy. That taught me much about what value my personal opinion provided...You know what I was told the most? That it was fantasy and that the mutilation had never happened to the real boy...which it had indeed said in other parts of the book. I knew there was a reason I didn't like some fantasy writings!

I've also received a number of books that have blasted Christianity. They were extremely hard for me to read! But I realized that to be fair I could not use my personal faith issues in providing my review.

My point in sharing these two examples was that I learned the hard way that, if I could learn to set aside my personal opinion, and try to be fair--most books are good books basically, if you don't apply personal opinion. What that meant to me is that I should grade/rank based upon the quality of the book, but that I would use my words to share my personal opinion. So, when you read my reviews, you will see something like, Those of you who enjoy fantasy...or Readers, you will have to decide whether this book is for you...or recently in my blog but not yet posted her because a book is not out yet, ...This book falls short for me...

I know, I know...with all of the reality shows that forces Americans to choose The Voice, or America's Idol, or the best dancer, model, chef, etc., most of us are being forced into a situation where we routinely choose who is best based upon our personal opinion... But when I watch those shows, I realize, there as well, that there are many talented people on those shows. Did the winner of the $5M contract on the XFactor really deserve that much money in relation to the top 12 or so...personally I can't accept that as logical...and that also has influenced me in deciding to review and give the ranking based upon quality of writing and the book itself as opposed to whether it is my personal opinion.

Meghann, you note that you thought I woud consider it illogical to accept the sexuality issues in this book...I couldn't even consider it as logical or not given that people do do these things...I flip through some of the daytime shows such as Jerry Springer and some of the milder talk shows and I'm personally amazed at what people do!!! People do strange things, sometimes they may later regret them. But, frankly, in today's world as I see it in the media...it is quite logical to have exactly what happened in the book, actually happen (no matter what my opinion of their choices might be) which is another whole issue...Let me go back to identity of the individual. Sure, I believe it is important for people to establish a solid identity online. I've been scammed out of money from a supposed long-term friend whose email identity had been stolen, I've been approached by people for activities in which I have no interest...and when there is no picture or I don't know them, I try to find out more about them before I'm willing to connect. There are many dangers online. From a reviewer or any other professional who is working online, all of the experts recommend you establish your identity in order to establish credibility. You may think it is to drive individuals back to their sites...sure it is! But, like I said, if you looked beyond my "rating/ranking" process, and actually read my reviews, I think you would find that getting a supporting RANK response is not continually accolades...

I worked with an author as an editor who said he didn't want to seek other reviews because all he had now were 5-starred reviews...and I see on television that many top movies or books claim 4 out of 5 stars...and I always wonder, if they are making millions why aren't they 5 out of 5...

Neither or these make sense to me...but, then, I personally believe that celebrities should not be making millions while the teachers that taught them barely make a living wage...you can see that I just don't understand how you can make decisions except on the basis of quality, quantity, or value of the work--not on personal opinion... Yet America does it continuously classified "entertainment" or "sports" "administrators/bosses/CEO's/politicians" ...Just my personal opinion...

Note: This discussion started on Amazon Re Book, Megan's Way...Comment there, on my blog, or at any of the sites where you might be reading this!

I'm Reading Now and Already Want to Share With All Women!

2012-01-19T12:29:00.000-05:00

"Radish exhibits a deep understanding of and compassion for women who opt for fight rather than flight in tough situations. She does not trivialize them, their crimes, or the painful process of recovery, she has a keen eye for the good and bad in female relationships...the strong personalities will resonate for many readers."

--Publishers Weekly

This month, bestselling author Kris Radish returns with her poignant and transformative new novel, Tuesday Night Miracles. From road rage to physical violence, from Amanda Knox to Casey Anthony, arrests for serious crimes committed by women are in the spotlight more than ever; yet you don't have to be on the nightly news to experience the negative effects of anger. Every day women face pressures, from work to family to female friendships, that can cause disproportionate levels of anger. In this uplifting story, five unique women are united by an anger management class, navigating personal minefields and exploring the healing power of self-reflection and the bonds that it can create.

Free-spirited psychologist Dr. Olivia Bayer suspects she'll need a miracle to help the four wildly different women in her anger management class. Grace, Jane, Kit, and Leah aren't typical participants in a court-ordered anger-management program. They're ordinary women who are motivated by family and careers and people they love. But when the pressures of their daily lives cause each of them to snap, Dr. Bayer must use an unconventional plan to steer them back on the right track. The class goes everywhere from a bowling alley to a shooting range, and the women's Tuesday meetings transform from tense, reluctant gatherings into richly rewarding experiments in female bonding. As Grace, Jane, Kit, and Leah open up--revealing secrets, swapping stories, and recovering long-lost dreams--old wounds begin to heal, new friendships are forged, and miracles manifest in the most surprising ways.

Full of humor, heartache, and ultimately happiness, Tuesday Night Miracles will resonate with women everywhere.

~~~~~

My Review Coming Soon...

Personal Attack Reminds Me to Republish My Review Process Philosophy...

2012-01-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia
James Patterson Versus Nora Roberts

Versus Dean Koontz Versus Stephen

King...et. al.

How Does Your Work Rank Against the

Top Fiction Authors?

An Informal Review of My Ranking Philosophy

Defending My Credibility...

Let's Talk about reviews

and reviewers...

Do you have a right to question? Sure...!!!!!

So there I was routinely submitting a review, this time for Megan's Way... when I later got the notification of a comment on Amazon...if you're interested you can check earlier comments out online...

I take this type of opportunity to remind myself that I need to share my review philosophy from time to time, so I've just posted most of my own "last" comment since I took the time to respond in defense of what the individual said about my reviews... I did change a few things, but not much...

Meghann, I don't know what a number of your comments relate to so I'll just ignore them and comment about your comments/critique of me personally as the reviewer.

Meghann, I have published a paper on my feelings regarding grading/ranking books... Briefly, in my opinion, it has no value whatsoever. In is illogical for me to attempt to take a top number, i.e., 5, and use it to select a number to equate the work of, say, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, Robert B. Parker, and so many other top authors that I routinely read... I review each book individually and rarely consider ranking, unless I am forced to put one in on sites that mandate it.

Here is my method for grading in a realistic manner, or at least it works for me... One or two stars. I get many requests for books that I refuse to read based upon my posted parameters...too many errors, poor writing, routine publishing issues that should have prevented the book being published. I refuse to read these books beyond 50 pages. Some are so bad that I don't even read beyond the 1st or 2nd chapters. The fact that I refuse to then take my time to proceed to Amazon and report it is apparently what you would expect me to do. Frankly, I consider it a waste of my time, since the whole grading system is faulty and I refuse to play the game when I would be lying if I submitted a review for something I will not read.

Your review giving for instance a one or two...could be based entirely on your own process, as is that of every other individual. The fact that you don't know about those books I've refused to read and either returned or otherwise as agreed by the requester is, frankly, your problem, not mine, since you chose to look at how I grade overall.

Anyway, by process of elimination the ranking of three is my lowest rating for books I have completely read. I point out that I use, based upon my working at a small publishing company where I had a chance to work on every detail of the publishing process, an evaluation of publishing issues, cover, format, writing and grammar issues as well as story line, so something that gets a 3 will have an explanation for that within my review. If a book has been well done and has a logical story for the most part, but there is something that detracts from an overall satisfying book, it normally will get a four with some reason stated. What that results in is that the top grade is what is left!!!! That does not mean that I personally liked one book versus the other! That's why the grading activity is an unrealistic method for scoring. Meghann...read my words to see what I personally felt about the book!!!!!

If I would be forced to really get serious, then I would have to demand that I be permitted to use a ranking so that I could give, award-winning authors, say 100, millions (What do those stars means!!!) and then go downward to those I would still refuse to read at, say, 1-5... I think you might begin to understand that I pay little attention to how my review rankings compare to yours or anybody else. I've published my philosophy, my process, and I'm willing to share that at any time.

By the way, my personal opinion is rarely used to give a "ranking." I feel I have a responsibility to be able to read and fairly review a book totally opposing my personal views and still give a fair review. When this occurs, I normally go back to the requester and, you know what, none of them have ever disagreed with my review... except, maybe, those I refused to read...but, then, I have my written policy to support my reasons and can explain those reasons to the requester.

Now, regarding your issue with the sexuality content of the characters in this book. Frankly it is obvious to me that this is a personal issue with you. I'm sorry that the book offended, perhaps, your personal opinions. But frankly, the sexuality of these individuals really, in my opinion, had little to do with the overall intent of the book. I could easily defend myself and say that perhaps my writing made it easy for you to misunderstand...but the truth is that those issues were never even a part of my conceptual review material...that the author chose to create these characters that way were really only relevant to the story if the reader decided they were, as you apparently have. I am personally appalled by some of the real sexuality issues that are daily displayed on television and other media...and as much as I hate the thought of sex slavery, sexual abuse, etc., that is indeed rampant in today's world, This is where I would place my personal thoughts, but thousands of authors/screenwriters, etc., continuously write about those issues, and are legally permitted to do so. I would include these issues for information, but would not consider these issues as part of the ranking process unless they bordered on pornography, which I have publicly stated I will not review.

As for sexuality? You really have no right with today's laws to question that a gay and straight had sex. In fact, they have a word for it-- bisexuality...Legally, in my opinion, I am not permitted to question the law as a reason for my review activities. Indeed, I state publicly that my reviews do not discriminate on all those issues covered by law, including sexuality. Regardless, I still repeat that, for me, the sex was not relevant to the overall conceptual story line--and you are blind to today's world if you don't think that the "real" sexual issues happening to our children and teens are not worldwide, but like I said before, the sexual activities were not the thrust of my understanding of the story. My review title clearly shows that I felt Death and Dying within the family was being spotlighted. I believe this "could" be considered to happen across the world? At least in my knowledge of "this" world. Although I do admit to including statements often connecting the overall story line to real world issues. For me, that's part of how I read a book and believe it may be helpful to potential readers.

Meghann, as an aside to all this, it is clear to me that you are not regularly reviewing, so I thought I'd mention that there are millions of books given free for reviews every single day!!!!! Amazon does it through their own program, but every book site has them routinely. But if you can give me a valid, legal reason to stop this and get every publisher, author, publicist, etc., to stop providing them, sure, I'd be happy to review the books I've purchased that sit stacked to be read and enjoyed, I'd be happy to change my activities. By the way, you should also know that the government got involved in all this several years ago and I've handled my tax issues in accordance with IRS regulations and filed them appropriately and on time for many years. And...the reason you know that all my books are provided free is because I follow government regulations to display that... but if you look hard enough, some of my books have been purchased...but I rarely have time to read those books because of the number of requests I routinely get...

If you have any other thoughts on my credibility, hey, just ask. I've had to put a notice up that I'm not accepting any new requests for six months due to the backlog I routinely have. And my ratings for whether they are "helpful" here on Amazon by readers is apparently satisfactory according to statistics...enough to have Amazon keep me in their program and as an associate.

Now, could I ask you one thing...why don't you include a picture? Are you for real? Can I find you anywhere else on the internet? How do we know who you are, who throws out poor ratings so freely?

I note that you often rank low with innuendo and sarcasm and with your supposed intelligence which is compared to those that felt differently than you about a given book... Hmmm, I wonder why your choice of books is not much better? I would think you'd take more time with your purchased selections. But then, I note that many have been "bought" when they are being given free? Kind of ironic, don't you think?

And, yes, the last two paragraphs are meant to be sarcastic. But then, I'm not reviewing a book where I try to be fair and unbiased. Apparently you don't bother with that... I do...

Lies, Prejudice, Truth...and Love... and Much More!

2012-01-17T12:21:00.002-05:00

Melanie Amaro - Winner of $5M X-Factor Contract!
http://www.gossipcop.com/melanie-amaro-winner-
x-factor-december-22-2011-votes-results/

White Lies, Black Blood:

An Epic Tale of Love
and Race

By Trevor Ennis

As I started to read the debut novel by Trevor Ennis, I soon flashed to the night that Melanie Amaro revealed the true Melanie as she broke down, sometimes speaking with her Jamaican accent, and cried, telling about her past, her home, her struggle to eliminate her accent so that she would be better accepted. Before that night we loved her voice, but after that night where we met her more personally, we loved her even more...

Many times, we are all like that, we withhold a connection to somebody new, until we know them better, while others show some of their underlying prejudice(?) through jokes and innuendo (see related article below)...

But there are many who still have deep-seated prejudice--in fact, in Ennis' novel, set in 2009, we are taken to Kentucky where Angelica has grown up with a prejudiced father and now attends an all-white college. Based upon what she learned growing up, readers meet a woman who has totally adopted her learned prejudice and freely acts on it whenever she meets someone who is black...

An early warning, this review covers Book 1...I hope this will reduce a little of your disappointment when you find that you are so involved with the story that stops just under 500 pages! But this is indeed epic and readers need to have been placed within the setting to fully appreciate the impact of what is to happen... I'm soooo looking forward to reading what comes!

There are many clues spread liberally within the pages, but you have to "think" about them--much like the article I mentioned about Melanie. Where one individual jokes about the accent, I thought about how sad it was that she knew she would need to learn how to speak American English...

So when two exchange students from Jamaica are sent to Angelica's school and winds up in classes with Angelica, she not only participates, but instigates much of the actions against the students! Which continued until they finally fought back. The segue to what happens later is very effective, although I'm hoping that it includes more about the two Jamaican students... The sad thing for me is that while the novel is fiction, I'm not quite sure that some or all of these actions do not still occur somewhere in America...

One bright spot in Angelica's family is James, still innocent and free from the bias his father routinely displays. One activity he enjoys is to "play" at picking winners so that he forces his family members to choose who is going to "win" and often his champion did become the winner. And so, it was while they all watched Olympic sports and the 4-year-old boy had finally talked everybody into choosing who they believed was going to win the race, that James announced his choice: "the one in black, yellow, and green with number one on his vest..."

"...the tall, black one?" and Angelica proceeded to gives her thoughts on his choice... only to later actually meet the athlete when they passed at the airport...where Angelica's friends started a familiar game of racial bullying... But something happened...Angelica couldn't forget him! So much so that when her family started to discuss their vacation, she chose and convinced them to go to Jamaica...

Where Angelica and...Kazeem... became...acquainted...and more...

Lies, prejudice, fear...and, finally, love... come together as Angelica is forced into facing what she learned from her parents versus what she sees in actions by other people, versus what she herself begins to feel and believe... Ennis has effectively portrayed what the results are when prejudice lives in the hearts and minds of some individuals--some is not easily read if you've seen such actions, or have heard the results from people who have experienced them. At the same time, the awakening of his main female character is so realistic that you will experience the doubt and confusion as a young girl finds that her essence, her "self" might have been based upon false information!

There has been enough provided already to know that the book is going to include more violence and that the sins of the father will undoubtedly come out in, to some, unexpected ways... Frankly I can't wait to read it! There is much to learn from White Lies, Black Blood...but, no way around it, there is a hot steamy love story that plays a central role! Highly recommended!

Book Received Via
Bostick Communications

GABixlerReviews

The Land of Darkness by C. S. Lakin - Review Coming Soon!

2012-01-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

A new fairy tale in the Gates of Heaven series
explores the heart of darkness
Book three in Lakin's series for adults delves deep into mystery as her characters hunt for clues to a mystical bridge, a rare tree with leaves for healing, and an enigmatic promise...

Already highly acclaimed and taking the forefront in allegorical fantasy, The Gates of Heaven series, written by prolific author and copyeditor C. S. Lakin, weaves a rich, compelling fantasy world in which characters embark on dark troubled journeys both outward and inward.

Lakin continues her collection of Fairy tales with The Land of Darkness which follows the story of two characters--Jadiel, a twelve-year-old girl sent out under threat by her wicked stepmother to find leaves of an elusive tree, and Callen, a woodworking apprentice obsessed with finding a strange, evocative bridge with odd lettering scrolled upon it. They join in their quests, as their objectives overlap, unknowingly beginning a perilous and mystifying undertaking that leads them to the forbidden Land of Darkness, where they must face the greatest dangers of all--what lies in their hearts.

"Fairy tales have long taught us concepts like right and wrong, good and evil," Lakin, the author of eleven books says. "But I want to explore a bit deeper, search out the darker corners of our hearts to face our fears and conquer--which has always been the task of fairy tales."

Each book in the series tells a unique fairy tale in a different locale and featuring different characters, although people and places overlap. Each of the seven proposed novels feature a different "sacred site"--a gate of heaven that was established ages ago to prevent evil from gaining a stronghold in the world of men. The sites, though, have been desecrated, abandoned, and have fallen into disrepair, allowing evil to flourish. The overarching story weaves through all the books to culminate in the final novel, which will draw in characters from all six prior

books.

Check out More on the Gates of Heaven Series!

About the Author

I grew up in the Big Orange, when there were still orange groves in the Los Angeles basin. My first novel, A Rip in the Redwood Curtain, was picked up by the first agent who read it, Ben Kamsler -- Elmor Leonard's agent at the time.

While running a bed and breakfast inn, raising two daughters, and breeding dozens of pygmy goats, I wrote another two novels. One--Innocent Little Crimes--made the top 100 in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest, with Publisher's Weekly calling it "a page-turning thrill-ride that will have readers holding their breaths the whole way through." Ten years later, I decided to start writing novels again, and in 2006 wrote my first fantasy book, now published with AMG/Living Ink Publishers. I has since written seven more novels, five of which have been contracted for publication.

I currently work as a freelance copyeditor and writing coach, and also teach workshops on writing at confereces. I belong to numerous writing and editing groups, and occasionally guest blog and contribute articles on websites that focus on the craft of writing.

Murder on Aconcagua by Irion and Watkins - Review Coming Soon!

2012-01-14T11:44:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Murder on Aconcagua

By Charles G. Irion and Ronald J. Watkins

"A gripping heart-pounding climbing adventure, combined with intrigue, danger, betrayal, legents, and mystery! Get ready to feel like you're on the climb of your life. Take an exciting journey up Mt. Aconcagua, one of the seven summits!"

This is the exciting, action-packed fifth novel in the Summit Murder Mystery Series! Hero Scott Devlon is once again sent by the U. S. Defense Intelligence Agency on another climbing expedition. This time the mountain is Aconcagua, the highest in South America. His mission is to confirm a report that three Inca golden idols have been discovered and are headed to Venezuelan strongman, Hugo Chavez. Legend says he who possesses them is invincible. Scott's assignment is to prevent that from taking place but he quickly learns that there are those who will stop at nothing, including murder, to get their hands on the idols. Join Scott Devlon as he battles not only the brutal elements of the Aconcagua summit, but the determined greed of a murder in Murder on Aconcagua!

Second India Hayes Mystery Falls Short For Me...

2012-01-13T13:08:00.000-05:00

http://oldfashionedclothing.com/
dressupdresses.htm

Murder in a Basket:

An India Hayes Mystery
(Advance Proof)

By Amanda Flower

I don't think I've ever shared my main philosophical thoughts about a book I'm reviewing. Often I've seen individuals make statements about the story as conceived by the writer, sometimes even suggesting how it should have been written. This doesn't make sense to me because the creator is the only one that must decide what the message of that story is to be. So I may be disappointed with the ending, for instance,from time to time, but, in general, I can accept it and eliminate my personal disappointment in completing the review.

Only one rule for me can change that process--when something within the book as written, is illogical, given what has actually been published. Please note that this review is based upon the advance proof provided by the publisher.in October and that I felt so strongly about the issue that I wrote both the author and editor at Cengage on November 1, 2011. Since I never received a response, I'm proceeding to publish my review of the Advance Proof that was originally provided.

"I received strange looks from students as I
scurried across campus, so I pulled my mobcap further
down, hoping to hide my fact. I scolded myself for
stopping at the library before going to the practice
football field where the festival would be held. As a
consequence, I had to parade my pioneer self in
front of the underclassmen, who probably thought
this was how librarians dressed every day...
I looked at the people around me and the vast
majority were wearing shirts...Where is their
pioneer garb?"
"I moved on to my booth, hoping the festival wouldn't
flop as it had in past years. If it did, my gingham
humiliation would be in vain..."

I thoroughly enjoyed Maid of Murder (see my review!), the first novel in this cozy mystery series. Set on a college campus, it brought back memories of many visits to the various library facilities at the university where I worked for many years.

India Hayes is a college librarian and also a struggling artist. In this novel, the latter is spotlighted when she is talked into managing a face-painting booth at the local Founders' Day Festival, where she also exhibits her paintings. A problem for India is that her sister also talked college administrators to provide campus space for the Festival--placing her right in the midst of things when she discovers that a basket weaver, Tess Ross, as been murdered. Especially when she learns that Tess was the sister of her college provost!

Added to that is the fact that she is also mother of Derek, a young student who works in the library and has a crush on India. I thought this was a cute idea so I early started enjoying the interaction with this minor character, only to find he became much more important...

First a field scheduling conflict, then a dead body, with the added bonus that it directly affected her provost, and India knew she had to get involved in discovering who had killed Tess! This turned out to be even more of a problem when India discovers that Tess was the primary caretaker of a dog who has inherited $2M! And she is asked to take care of him until further arrangements can be made, which never seem to be completed.

With a wacky neighbor to help, her sister and family very much involved, while having to also be responsive to college administrators, India starts her own investigation much to the chagrin of Detective Rick Mains who, of course, wants her to stay out of it...but India really had no choice, especially when she had already agreed to investigate after Derek begged her to find out what happened!

The novel is humorous, but complex enough to keep readers working along with India, to discover exactly what happened! My concern for the story line logic comes only at the end. Up to that point, I was thoroughly enjoying this second book in the India Hayes Mystery Series...So, readers, on this one you'll have to decide for yourself. A fun, enjoyable book, but I couldn't get past the illogic of what finally happened... If you pick up on the issue that concerned me...write and let me know what you think. If you don't discover it, I hope you enjoyed the overall book as much as I did...

Book Provided by
Publisher

GABixlerReviews

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