Just a little bragging-- Kaya Quotes Moi on Back Cover...

Sure, I know, I'm bragging a little...but, gee, I rarely highlight myself, so I thought I'd highlight that Ben Kaya used an excerpt from my review (along with others of course) on the 2nd editiion of Voice of Conscience... Thanks Ben!

I think this new cover is fantastic and shares so much of what the book is about! If you haven't checked it out yet, read my review here or on Amazon, etc.



Click Below!

Review: The Art of Disappearing - Reality Rather Than Illusion?

The Art of Disappearing
By Ivy Pochoda
St. Martins Press
ISBN: 9780312385859
311 Pages

This is not the usual romance novel. Ivy Pochoda in The Art of Disappearing presents a fascinating escape into a different world. Whether it is real or imagined is unimportant. It is in the events, the drama, that we find ourselves hoping...

Mel Snow is a textiles consultant; she works with fabrics but also floor coverings, etc., in recommending and designing spatial areas. Her talent is superior; in fact, she selects her materials, often by the song they sing to her. Sometimes the materials call to her and her favorite place is to visit second-hand stores where each costume shares their own individual story. I highlight her story first because once you begin to read, you will be caught up into the magical life surrounding Toby Warring. But, in my opinion, this is really Mel's unique story. Some of us will recognize it as our own; others will simply enjoy it! But either way, you will remember and once again be caught up into the mystique and love that was there.

Mel Snow met Toby in a dingy bar. He said he had been there before, looking for someone for whom he could buy a drink, as he had just done for Mel. It wasn't hard for Mel to fall in love at first sight. And when it was suggested later that they had just won enough money to get married, that is what they did. Two days had past.

Toby's dream is to perform his magic in Las Vegas and since Mel could find work anywhere, they were quickly on their way there. Toby told her that she had brought new life to him and it looked that way, because he was quickly finding a following, mostly women, who had found him in the seedy part of town where gambling was most important to the male customers, but the wives found alternative entertainment. Soon they followed him around, stuffing money in his pockets, buying him drinks. He in turn would grab a bottle and start pouring from that bottle anything that the woman wanted--gin, vodka, scotch--it appeared in their glasses.

It wasn't long after they were married that Toby had confessed that his magic was--different, his magic was real. He used space in other dimensions through which he worked to create his illusions. But when a rabbit disappeared into his top hat, it never came back. One time, many years ago, his beautiful assistant had "disappeared" also. His kind of magic could be dangerous.

Quite a number of individuals also pointed out the danger--pointing out that the danger could involve Mel. They urged her to never become part of one of his magic tricks!

But the excitement, the wonder of his magic drew Mel and she loved the private shows out in the desert, where he used the sand and other earthly elements to perform just for her.

If a fan, a teenager had not fixated on becoming his new assistant, even though she knew that his former one had disappeared, it might have been a happily ever after marriage. But when the fan jumped in between a bullet and the magician and was accidentally killed, Toby realized that his career there was over. Unless...

Travel to Amsterdam with Toby and Mel to possibly start their life over. You'll have to decide whether you risk a return to Vegas, with the magician's latest trick.

A uniquely different illusion of love! Read about Toby and Mel's magical lives in The Art of Disappearing by Ivy Pochoda. You won't be sorry!

G. A. Bixler

More Poetry of Thomas Kemp, Spotlighted Author!

Face in the Mirror


Touching is what minds do best
thoughts become fingers
reaching back or forward for helping hands

Words run both ways too
but always to the center of a heart
to comfort the lonely space that wished for love

Touching is what minds do best
even echoing in the space between us
as dancing over distance brings us closer

To embrace the place
we stand on Sunday morning
looking at the face behind us in the mirror

***

Go On, Touch My Mind


I send you these words
As touches to your mind
If I were there by your side
Laying next to you
There would be no place
My lips would not touch
Nothing would escape my eyes
No place could your soul hide
But, alas, I must not come to you
Else I would never have courage to leave
For it is true, the tear that falls across two faces
Washes away the pain of the day
To announce freedom to
We who cry for each other.

copyright

Thomas Kemp

First Book, The Art of Disappearing, from Literary Ventures Received!

I just got my first book to review via SheBlogs from the Literary Ventures Fund. The book is The Art of Disappearing by Ivy Pochoda and published by St. Martin's Press. How? Just by joining SheBlogs and then watching what was happening. I first noticed an article, sign up to review The Art of Disappearing.... Ah, a book! I fumbled through the process since I didn't immediately contact Mary...but after that, everything worked very well! My review will be up probably next week! Watch for it! In the meantime, you can click on the title of this article to link to the Literary Ventures Fund...or SheBlogs.org from the link below or my widget in right column!

SheBlogs.org

is a Web service that connects women bloggers, including mom bloggers, product reviewers, fashionistas, techies and others, with the public relations and marketing professionals who issue the news and promote the products that women care about most. Connect Now:Read more: http://www.sheblogs.org/#ixzz0SE3biiVH

Literary Ventures Fund


The Literary Ventures Fund, a first-of-its-kind, not-for-profit private foundation, serves as a primary “partner-in-risk” with authors and publishers in advancing works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Using a philanthropic investment model, we provide supplementary support to literary authors and publishers by offering them our foundation’s resources, including expertise and publishing ties to bookstores and media outlets, publicity assistance, innovative marketing and sales programs, and in some cases direct cash investments as well. LVF’s efforts help ensure that exceptional works of fiction, literary non-fiction, and poetry with a potential for broad readership reach the widest possible audience and remain in print for years to come. In addition, LVF fulfills its public-policy mission by presenting programs that generate discussion about the broader literary landscape, the role of publishing in serving literary writers, and how more readers can become engaged with literature.


Press Contact:

Mary Bisbee-Beek
mbisbee.beek@gmail.com
(734) 369-8238

Review: Heaven's Keep - Great Characters!

Heaven’s Keep
By William Kent Krueger
Simon & Schuster Atria Books
ISBN: 9781416556763
321 Pages

It was there in Casper, Wyoming, that Jo O'Connor started to regret that she hadn't called her husband to say, "I'm sorry." But she proceeded to get on the small plane that would take her and her party--a committee tasked with drafting recommendations for oversight of Indian gaming casinos--to present to the annual conference of the National Congress of American Indians in Seattle.

She should have called, and she did, but he wasn't there to answer, "I'll call you later" was her only message.

William Kent Krueger, in Heaven's Keep, tells the drama of a man whose wife left on a business trip, after they'd had a quarrel that had not been resolved. When the plane goes down somewhere around Heaven's Keep, he is haunted because their last words had not been expressions of their love.

Cork O'Connor had been Sheriff of the Tamarack County Sheriff's Department in Minnesota and had since become a PI; however, his main gig was as the owner of Sam's Place, a small restaurant in an old Quonset hut built on the shore of Iron Lake. He loved that place! So much so that he was willing to fight a major builder, the Parmer Corporation, who wanted to purchase the shoreline to build a large condominium resort community.

In the process of fighting off a major legal battle, Hugh Parmer came to visit and meet the man who was opposing him. The exchange between he and Cork O'Connor resulted in immediate friendship and it was Hugh Parmer who stood with Cork as the long and dangerous search for the plane took place.

Another heartwarming, and closer relationship that developed during the search was between Cork and his son, Stephen.

But, most importantly, the long search involved so many rescue staff that, for Cork, he couldn't figure out why they weren't finding the plane. And then Stephen shared his dreams of his mother with him. And they added visions and guidance from other respected wise men, one of whom, Will Pope, unfortunately was also known for his fondness for alcohol and therefore was being totally discounted by those leading the search activities.

But Stephen wanted to follow their guidance. Cork supported his son's wishes.

Soon they realized that the plane going down was not an accident. Soon they found that the assumed pilot had not even been on the plane. Soon they knew that those on the plane had been murdered.

Mystery, suspense, and just a touch or so of the supernatural makes this a fascinating drama that highlights the ancient ways of the Native American, as well as the greed and reach for power that we all possess to a small or greater amount. Believe me, this is not the usual novel surrounding the greed of those who build and run casinos. The people involved are uniquely developed to reveal the potential of friendship and love and what it makes possible, but with great suspense. Very highly recommended--easily 5+!

G. A. Bixler

Review: Rooms is One of Best Books I've Ever Read!

RoomsBy James Rubart
B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 9780805449785
405 Pages (Galley)


Wow... Really...Wow!

James Rubart hooked me immediately in his fascinating, awesome novel, Rooms!

Micah Taylor is an energetic, innovative leader of a software company at which he has hired many creative staff. The company has not only been successful but has moved into the forefront, winning awards and receiving much publicity in trade and business magazines.

But then Micah received a letter from a long-dead uncle.

If Micah had either reached 35 or had become a very wealthy man, then he was receiving this letter because his uncle had built him a house on the west coast, near Cannon Beach, a summer place very important to the family in his early years. His father, with whom he had a somewhat estranged relationship, told him to stay away from the house.

But Micah just had to see if it was there—whether somebody had cared enough to build him a home. Of course he would sell it, especially when his business partner and romantic interest suggested it and later strongly suggested a ring better be in her future. When he got there, however, he felt like he had seen it before—it was as if his uncle and the builder had gotten into his brain and built what they knew he would build himself. He would picture it as home, thinking about getting a dog, a kite...and about building some sandcastles.

He slept through the first night in a chair and then toured the next morning. When he got hungry, he decided to leave, but noticed a room at the end of the hall, the door open and a light on. He didn’t remember there being a room there, but there it was. Actually there was two; one interior room, the door of which he had to push open, was dusty, with poor lighting, and much more. Something from his past that just couldn’t be there...

Heading back home, he noticed that his car registered having traveled over 16000 miles, obviously there was a problem. But then he met a friend with whom he had played tennis with the previous week, only to have him say that they hadn’t played for a month. His calendar confirmed that there had been no game, even though Micah remembered it. And one other strange thing, as he drove back and forth, he found himself praying, something he hadn’t done for many years.

And then there were more rooms—rooms that appeared where they had not earlier been. One was a room in which a painting, not yet finished, was displayed. Another contained guitars of all kinds; he had played when he was young, but had given it up. And then, in one of those rooms, in which there was no light, no furniture, he met...himself...

What if, early in your life, you had chosen a different path, a path that was not part of God’s plan for you?

What if He decided that you needed to stop going down the wrong path?

What if you are not a Christian? In my opinion, that doesn’t matter. If you have thought that your life was not what you thought it would be, if you wish you had chosen to make different decisions along the way, I encourage you to read this novel...to enter the terror, fear, anger, and...the happiness and love you may find in Rooms by James Rubart.

I’ve already pre-ordered three copies; there is no doubt in my mind, this may be the must-read that you’ve waited for!

G. A. Bixler