Who Killed Love? by Don Scribner Intriguing Psychological Suspense Mystery and Much More!

Don Scribner, Author, Also Playing Main Character,
Who Killed Love?
http://whokilledlove.com/?ref=2hqUp

"Harlan Saltz, that's me, or Harley as I am often referred to. I am just under six feet with a fairly lean muscular build that I work hard at maintaining. Teri said without my moustache I could be Christian Bale's father or with it Sam Elliot's younger brother. I am rarely without it. In a KMart an old man once mistook me for Elliot and pleaded for my autograph. I signed. He said, "You made my day. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're here. I know actors like their privacy." I smiled and told him, 'Lightning never lasts long either my friend.'
"Teri said my passion for words is 'pretentions.' I'd rather say, 'It's endless'. I like to quote William Blake, "'To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower...Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour." It exemplifies my philosophy. Live in the moment.
"Just because I strive for a philosophy doesn't mean I always live it. I've had a pity party or two. But, after reflection, I can come up with the positive and am able to move on. A flower blossoms through the dung.
"After we had been together for a couple of years I told Teri," Remember, the first brush of your lips will last my lifetime." She countered, "Why does everything have to be so pretentious with you? You're not a poet. You're not even Bukowski unless you're drinking."
"Love can sting.
"Everything you say is so dramatic. Always trying to impress people. Why don't you give it up? You're not a writer. How many things have you sold? What, a few articles?"
"She wouldn't stop and if I learned anything in the past three years, it was not to annoy her when she goes a little out of control. But I couldn't resist, stepped back and smiled.
"I still love you, medication or not."
"She erupted. 'Fuck you. I don't know why I'm wasting my time with such a loser."

~~~

Who Killed Love?

By Don Scribner

It's not often I do early promotion on a book--but that's because I've become a fan of the author, who is also an actor, singer, lover, friend and good man... Now, how do I know that? Through his book. No, I've never met him, but his book tells me a lot about him... 

You see, in addition to having a fascinating psychological murder mystery for readers to solve, this book is written as if it was a journal of the character, Harlan Saltz. And, unless Don Scribner is the best actor in the world, his book, through this journal format, shares a lot about himself as well. Sure, it will be called a literary success, but I caught the personal traits about Harley more than his quotes of great writers such as William Blake... The way he treated, say, the bartender or a woman who got him up to dance by teaching him at the same time...  Or his older neighbor who he carries to his apartment for a coffee... You know, in my experience having read thousands of fiction novels, a writer doesn't include little everyday courtesy and kindness as is found in this book--unless it also is the everyday character of the writer... Not only does Harlan Saltz love women, he treats them with respect. My personal thanks to the author for allowing this to shine in your novel... as it must surely shine in your own life...

"Another caterer arrived with a tray of hors d-oeuvres...She gave a tiny, sweet nod and continued on to another guest. For some reason, I felt like I thought Tom Selleck's Magnum P.I. character must have felt on that huge estate. Not all together confident, but secure enough about himself to be comfortable feeling that way...

"Suddenly I realized I had walked to the back of the home and stood, looking at the pool area. White roses covered the roof of the pool house and the pool itself held a blanket of red petals. Finally something that felt like a Teri touch.

Music filtered in diverting my attention. I turned to the stage area and stood transfixed.

Bocelli's Sogno, one of my favorites, echoed throughout the yard:

Go then, I will wait for you.

The flowers in the garden will mark your absence, and rejoice the day of your return.

Of my love you are so sure.

The lyrics I treasured...

~~

"At night, there was the feeling that we had come home, feeling no longer alone, waking in the night to find the other one there, and not gone away; all other things were unreal. We slept when we were tired and if we woke the other one woke too, so one was not alone. Often a man wishes to be alone and a woman wishes to be alone, too. And, if they love each other they are not jealous of that in each other because they know they have each other."

"I looked at the guests and it seemed the words and the timber of Abdul's voice consumed them all. It left me a touch uneasy, but I sucked it up and read the program. It didn't indicate the reading. She did it herself. I folded my arms, looked at the altar and everyone near it, but focused on the words of the Heminway piece. I knew the piece. We had talked about it. She had those words read to me. But, why?

Why? It didn't make sense. The ambient hum from the band seemed to also ask. Why? Why?

  ~~~

"Someone had a hand in it long before we ever
knew
Now I just can't believe you're in my arms
Heaven's smiling down on me as I look at
you tonight."
"I couldn't believe my ears. They danced to our
song--hers and mine--the song I bought. The
song I listed to. People watched with smiles, as
if it were right. This was not right.
"It was wrong. They danced so beautifully.
It seemed almost formal as if they had been
trained, like two little dolls dancing and
dancing.
"It takes my breath away just to look into
your eyes...
"Teri actually looked out during that line.
Looked in my direction. It took my breath away.
I began to dance and didn't care who watched
or what I looked like..."
~~~

Harley is a writer, and readers will enjoy how he constantly breaks into his own thoughts to jot down an idea about a cartoon, a porn story, which he whips off quickly to keep money coming in, or just a concept... He's writing a novel, perhaps Who Killed Love?

Harley is still in love with a woman from whom he's been separated for years, so when he gets an invitation to her wedding, his first thought is to decline--how could he stand to see her marry somebody else!

But he goes... And experiences one of the weirdest things ever. Things that were said between Harley and Teri were part of the ceremony... And when the wedding is over, she immediately wants to talk to him...

Was Teri's marriage the one they would have had???

Strange, right? But not as strange as her being murdered soon thereafter!

Readers will get involved as Harley's friend Whitey comes to get involved with the investigation. He's a cop and knows the investigating officer so we know everything that is considered!

A lot of action takes place in the local country-western bar and you will meet a lot of characters I've already mentioned, and also a young lady, who Harley calls "Thank you, but no Thank You" because she keeps turning him down--to dance, for a drink...whatever. In fact, you may even meet the killer... I decided I was the barkeeper... What? Don't you ever think about which character sounds like you--or that you'd like to play? Well, I had to pick her, because she spent an evening with Harley...LOL!

Anyway, aren't we all characters, playing a role? There are many in that bar, for instance, who may be the killer! Because things haven't stopped... Two women to whom Harley pays attention are having vandalism problems... Finally, Harley adds everything up and knows his home has been broken into.

And, of course, they are looking at her husband, who automatically became a citizen upon his marriage??? Then they're Terri's old boyfriend, besides Harley, who clearly hates Harley, while Teri's family now seem to all love him, although her Mom thought he was too old for her daughter... But I guarantee you will not have a real clue about who killed love...

Fun? Yes... Dancing, drinking...lots! But there's also a lot of memories as a man who still loved a woman is forced to deal with her death, her murder... It's romantic, poignant, memorable and in reading his life, his thoughts, you, too, may fall in love with him, like I did! Hey, at least until next month when Talanov comes back in his latest novel!

Don't miss this one! And, hey Don, this new fan's looking for your next novel soon...please!


GABixlerReviews

Don Scribner was born and raised in northern Wisconsin and now resides in Burbank, CA. His career began in education and segued into the arts. An accomplished actor and writer, he's appeared in numerous films and his plays have been produced in a variety of locales. Discover his film and television credits on www.donscribner.com and www.imdb.com.

Lust, Money, and Murder Pits One Woman Against...Nearly Everybody! A Great Thriller by Mike Wells!

" By the time they were back at the villa, he found his second wind. He drove his lean, hard body into the young girl, bringing her to a series of toe-curling orgasms. They lay there for a few minutes, and then he suddenly rose from the bed and started putting on his pants. “I’m buzzing with energy—I can’t sleep. Let’s go for a walk.”
 “A walk? Now?”
 “Come,” he said, pulling on her hand. “The fresh air will make you feel better.” 
“But it’s so late...” 
"He ignored her protests and helped her get dressed, making sure she wore only her own clothes and not anything that he’d bought for her. When she reached for her wristwatch, he grabbed her hand and impatiently said, “For God’s sake, cara, you’re not going to a fashion show!” It was windy outside, the sky just hinting at the coming dawn. They walked up the hill, along the cliffs...
“Isn’t the view incredible?” he said, stopping her after the path widened again. 
“Yes,” Maria said, snuggling her back up against his warm chest. Far below, the waves were exploding over the rocks, the spray filling the air with brine. He kissed the top of her head, hugging her tightly. It was a shame. She was a beautiful girl—he was already developing a paternal, protective feeling for her...
"He gently turned her around and kissed her again, aggressively, shoving his tongue deeply into her mouth. When he drew away, her eyes widened—all at once, somehow, she understood everything. He shoved her into the abyss.

~~~

Lust, Money and Murder

By Mike Wells

"For a second, Elaine felt an impulse to repress what she was feeling and try to act more “mature,” but then she realized it was just more manipulation. Everything was crystal clear to her now. “This agency is just a scam,” she said. “I know what you’re doing.” 
“And what is that?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve seen those other girls—”
 “What other girls?” “The others...” Elaine realized that she had no concrete evidence of anything this slimy man did. 
“I want my money back. I spent two thousand dollars here, and I want it back!” 
“I’m afraid that’s out of the question.” 
“Really? Then I think I’ll go to the police and tell them what you just did to me.” 
“And what was that?” he said, raising his eyebrow again. 
“You...” She realized she had very little to say. He touched my knee. 
“Yes?” he said. “I’ll—I’ll tell my father what you did. He’s six-three and weighs two hundred and fifty pounds. He’s a construction worker.” 
"Mr. Eskew’s dark complexion lost a little of its color. He watched her for a few seconds. “There’s no reason to make threats,” he said, cordially. “At Rising Star, we guarantee satisfaction.” He stepped behind his desk and crouched to one of the cabinets. She heard clicking. It sounded like he was opening a safe. “Two thousand dollars, you said?”
“That’s right.” Elaine was sure this was some kind of trick. She couldn’t believe he would actually refund her money. He shut the safe and placed two bundles of $100 bills on the desk, then pushed them towards her. She stared at them. 
“Go ahead. Take it.” 
"She picked them up before he could change his mind, putting both bundles in her purse."

~~~

Lust, Book 1, tells the early story of Elaine Brogan, the female main character...but also throws in the setup that leads on into Money... Murder...

Elaine had been Daddy's girl since the day she was born, especially after her mother left the family and ran off with another man. Her father had sent her to good schools and later when she became involved with a possibility of becoming a model, he made sure the money was provided... Unfortunately, he was stealing on the job to do that...

Elaine was also very smart, so when she reached the point when the modeling scam requiried touching, she knew enough to demand all of her money back, threatening to have her father come to get it if she didn't leave with it.

She Got the Money...

But she also got her father put in jail. The money she had been given was counterfeit and when her father had tried to deposit it, the bank caught it! The investigation also brought his earlier thefts out and he was convicted.

Then he committed suicide... Elaine could not forgive herself for having first demanded that money, and then getting counterfeit in return. Payback was her goal...

She went to school to learn all about design--of money!

She also applied for and got accepted for the Secret Service. She wanted to find the man who had given her that money and make sure he went to jail for what he'd done to both her and her father. She finished with her training and was sent to Montana...

Did I tell you that, just as the head of the model agency realized, Elaine was a beautiful woman... So much so that her new boss, well, you know, right? Elaine refused to play--she was soon on her way...

www.besttimetogo.com
The younger Bulgarian women dressed to the nines,
in short skirts, high heels, and low-cut blouses. 
They paid great attention to their hair, makeup,
 and their hands and feet—half of them wore fake
 fingernails and had eyelash extensions. It seemed
 to Elaine all the girls in Sofia were in a life-or-death
 competition with each other to see who could be the sexiest.
 There were so many beautiful women that Elain
 felt positively plain and ordinary in her boring gray
 business suits and sensible flats. One night when she, 
Nick, and two other agents—both married men—were out at
 a bar, Elaine made this observation to Nick when a girl
 walked by with a skirt so short you could see her frilly
 black stocking tops. “Life is tough here, Elaine,” 
he said. “It’s not like in the States, where you have
 all those systems in place to protect women and give them
 equal opportunities and all that. Here, women need men
 to survive, and there aren’t enough good men to go around.”
 Nick shrugged. “To get a good man, they have to tak
e full advantage of all their assets.” “And I’ll bet
 you take full advantage of their assets,” 
Elaine said. Nick glanced at the other two agents 
and grinned. “Well, you know what they say. ‘When
in Rome...’“ Elaine wanted to strangle him.
~~~

To Bulgaria! Of course, I wanted to go off on that supervisor who sexually harassed Elaine...but...it's not a new story, unfortunately...

The outcome, however, was something that man would never have anticipated. She loved her new job! She not only had excellent training, she had an eye for detail. Soon, she was known all over the world for her ability and sample bills were sent into Sofia's office, where she would easily discover whether or not it was phony... she personally improved detection of counterfeit tremendously!

She also fell in love with her boss...

They'd had their first date when Elaine was
contacted by a man she'd met during training
who worked for Treasury. Not only did he tell her that her boss was under investigation, but
he had made arrangements for immediate transfer to Washington to handle a special project reporting to him!

Readers should note that this is a series. The first three sections are now available, but another volume is already in the works.

When Elaine hits Washington is when the action spirals outward, with surprises, danger and some nasty men, including the Russian mafia, who are working to keep the ability to continue the production of counterfeited American dollars going.. 

At the same time, there was one minor character, Dmitry, a taxi driver, who was responsible for one of the most thrilling scenes in the book and for saving Elaine's life... The Hummer following Dmitry didn't make it... Hey, Elaine needed all the help she could get!

“Where’s the bridge?” she shouted at Dmitry.
 “Very near, I think.” 
“You think?” He swerved around another tree. Suddenly they were in a small clearing. They sped across the open snow and entered another section of the woods, this one much less thick with trees. The Lada picked up speed. Dmitry tried to see through the shattered windshield, then stuck his head out the window. “There!” 
"Through the cracked glass Elaine could see a narrow bridge, made of wood. It was definitely not for vehicles, but for pedestrians. “Are you sure this car will fit?” she said anxiously. 
“I think so.” 
“Dammit,” Elaine said, looking back out the rear window. The Hummer was gaining on them again—the trees were spread far enough out that it was able to follow their path now. Elaine could see the river to the right... Dmitry swerved in the other direction, away from the bridge. 
“What are you doing?” Elaine said. “We need much speed.” To the left, the Hummer was barreling towards them. Someone was leaning out the passenger window, aiming at them. Before the man could fire, Dmitry had swerved again. He fishtailed around a few more trees, and then they were headed straight at the bridge. The Hummer swerved around, following their path. Elaine dropped the pistol and grabbed hold of the dash, bracing herself for the impact. As the bridge rushed up at them, she could tell that the wooden side railings were not wide enough for the car to fit between. The Lada hit the structure dead on, the nose of the car perfectly centered between the railings. The little automobile bounced violently as they flew across the narrow walkway, a hair-raising snapping of metal as the sides of the vehicle scraped through. Dmitry’s remaining mirror and both door handles were ripped away. Then they were airborne for a half second...they sailed over a small depression on the other side of the bridge. The little car finally slammed back down to the ground, sliding sideways, out of control, Dmitry bellowing like a madman. As if moving in slow motion, it lost speed until the back end swung around, and finally, was stopped by another tree with a small, anticlimactic thump...

~~~

An interesting little tidbit that happens early in the book is that the man who ran the dance studio had died...and Elaine's desire for revenge was lost. Now that desire that she probably should have given up years ago had placed her directly in line for more than she could ever hope to handle!

And there was nobody to whom she could turn...

Whew! The further you go in this story, the complexity of Money/Power becomes unbelievable. Readers begin to think about how safe the "dollar" is--for various reasons. I was amazed at some of the information regarding product counterfeiting and how broadly these crimes apparently go! Yeah, it's fiction, but still, Wells sure taught me a lot too! I'll be looking to see what happens next. This is a "cliffhanger" thriller in the true sense of the word! Highly recommended! 


GABixlerReviews

Mike Wells

American bestselling author of the Lust, Money & Murder series and over 20 other 'unputdownable' thriller and suspense books. I live in Europe and teach part-time in the Creative Writing Diploma Program at the University of Oxford.

Related articles

• Review: Lust, Money and Murder Part 1 by Mike Wells

The Invention of Clay McKenzie--Delightful Romp Into Unique Publishing "Situation..."

"So you will help this author get discovered on your own time, not to mention mine, and for what? The satisfaction of finding a good book."
"She shrugged. "That is one way of putting it, I suppose."
"He laughed. 'And is there another way of putting it? Obviously I know little about publishing, but in my world a smart person does whatever it takes to put a deal together as long as the return is worth it--if the juice isn't worth the squeeze, then you drop it like a hot rock. In your world, it seems that those who have the least to gain do all the work, and that is, to coin a word, fucked. You are too smart to play that game for long."
"Publishing is an odd business. People get into it because they love books, and enjoy the publishing process."
"Is your love of books greater than your concern for yourself? It seems to be it is a vicarious way to go about things. You get the dog work and not the glamour."
"I have to learn to play the game before I can figure out a better way to go about things."
"Pablo sighed and threw up his up his hands. "Okay, I give. What kind of book is it anyway?" he asked. "Is it good erotica or something worthwhile like that?"
"I'd call it a contemporary Western mystery."
"Is that a real genre?"
"She laughed. "No, not really, but that is what it is."

~~~

The Invention of Clay McKenzie

By Ed Teja and

J. Reid Beckett

Writers across the world would love to have Stephanie Masters be the first reader of their manuscripts! She was ambitious, even taking the slush pile--unsolicited submissions from writers--home with her to read, hoping to find that one manuscript that would help both her as well as an unknown writer...

And she did!

Great, right? No, wrong...

The manuscript was indeed good--good enough to move it forward for the next reader...

But if she did that, it would be her one and only involvement with this great book she'd found! She wanted more!!!

"It is just common sense things," Stephanie said.
"The writer has to make his book an attractive
proposition for the publisher to consider it, and
without some of that, how do we know that we can
sell it?"
"Pablo laughed. "Yet for two days you've been
telling me that this book will sell shit loads."
"She winced. "It is one thing to convince editors.
But if the sales staff doesn't sign off on it, it won't
get published."
"To be fair to your cowboy writer," he said, "I
wouldn't have known that publishers need all
that stuff either. And I certainly wouldn't expect
to have to plan on doing all, or most, of the
marketing myself. If I sent a manuscript to a
publisher, I'd think of the process as similar to
that when an engineer develops a new product.
Someone has identified a need, he comes up with
a product to meet that need, and then the company
takes over, doing the packaging and marketing."
He scratched his head. "But you guys expect your
product designer to develop and execute the
marketing plan?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't they? They get paid royalties,
so the more books we sell, the more they make."
"Pablo  laughed. "I think I am in the wrong
business. What is it that Icon does for its share
of the money, which I presume is significant?"
~~~

If Stephanie had not been living with Pablo at the time, she may not have started it... But Pablo was rich, buying and selling businesses and he was quite willing to point out that Stephanie was intelligent but not making much money. Her bringing home manuscripts to read, rather than being available for sex whenever he wanted it, was just an example of the differences between them...

Personally I was glad when she left him...

But while she had listened, she began to dream a little, making money at what she loved doing was much better than working herself to death trying to succeed...

So she took the first step. She traveled to the home of the author, on her own time, money and without the knowledge of the company for whom she worked...

What she discovered forced the next step... 

Not only did the author know nothing about the business part of becoming a published author, he didn't want to learn!

You know, I have to believe that sometime in the past, publishers handled much more of the business part of getting a book out than they do now... But no matter how much is true in this book or another, the author is certainly not prepared and normally would never consider having to market his own book, including making all the arrangements, etc. Lots of good books are out there, believe me, that never get bought, simply because nobody knows about them...

Soooo, during the discussion with the author, there was many ideas floating around in her head... When I was working as an "author's representative" I was essentially doing what Stephanie planned... I was the individual behind the scenes submitting for authors, then negotiating with publishers on rights, etc. But Stephanie had one, much bigger problem, than most...

Her author not only did not want to do any marketing, business planning, and all the other myriad tasks that came with the actual publishing activity, he was also not an individual who "could" effectively market the book...

Clay McKenzie, author of The Sound of One Man Dying didn't exist. The author, Jerome Mortenson, had written under a different name, but had not included it in his submission. Clay McKenzie could be anybody, so I

Clay was probably younger, but I
thing Richard Boone would make
a wonderful author, don't you?

picked out somebody to play the part [on my blog at least]. Actually, an actor was hired to do just that--create the author, Clay McKenzie...

"He leaned against the back of the chair, smiling at the blonde, and thinking how pleasant the job had gotten once he mastered his fear of talking to people off the cuff about writing and being a writer. Even talking with writers and editors turned out to be far easier than he'd expected. Fun, even. Writers were a lot like actors and each had his own way of working so he couldn't really ever say anything that would mark him as a phony. As long as he knew the plot and characters of his own books, the rest was subjective. Fortunately, he had always been a reader and had a working familiarity with contemporary writers. That gave him confidence. Mortenson had given him a description of his writing process, including his goals and intentions for his books. Stone had nervously memorized every word. As his comfort grew he rephrased the information, putting his Clay McKenzie spin on things; these days he often spun things out of whole cloth giving his efforts a folksy twist. Even if he made a mistake or contradicted himself he'd learned that one of his practiced smiles earned him tolerance and forgiveness. It made him more human, therefore, oddly, more convincing.
"This scenario repeated regularly but never bored him. He imagined that it was like having a part in a long-running Broadway play only the pay was better and he got a starring role. I can't imagine ever tiring of his, Stone Thought. Lovely to have a run of the play contract...

~~~

Was all of this a scam? I think the major issue for me was that Stephanie had continued to work for the publishing company which ultimately bought the book... that was definitely a conflict of interest. Otherwise, it sounded like a process that just might work...

Except one bad apple in the planning... There were now five individuals involved, but it only takes one criminal, doesn't it... To say that the invention of Clay McKenzie started to fall apart was to trivialize what happens and the dangerous situation Stephanie was actually in! 

This is both a fun and uniquely different romp into book publishing. An ambitious individual who can look at an issue and figure out how to get things done is A future entrepreneur if...  But when it turns into one scam after another... For the reader, we sit back and laugh because of the "dumb" people who were involved. Well, no, not dumb--rather, the "trusting" people who get involved and don't immediately realize that if something does not sound right, there is, indeed, probably something that is not right. There's not too much mystery involved for readers; it's more an adventure watching to see how far this will go!

The key issue are the characters. The author, reclusive, remains true to himself. Stephanie is the main character and before long, you will be wanting to help her, maybe even slap her into recognition! Still, even if nobody slapped her, it is a wonderful and fitting ending that totally satisfies, even if it certainly is a surprising one! A totally enjoyable tale in the ever-changing world of today's publishing! Check it out!

GABixlerReviews

Ed Teja has worked as a magazine editor, poet, freelance writer, musician and boat bum. He grew up traveling the planet and never stopped. He currently is sitting still in Cambodia long enough to finish writing some new stories, learn a bit of Khmer and some tunes on traditional Cambodian instruments. Hiw previous books include The Legend of Ron Anejo, a novel about the world's very best Caribbean boat bum.


Jim Beckett grew up in a military household, living in Hawaii, Japan, Turkey and less exotic locations across the United States. After earning a degree in Organic Chemistry, Dr. Beckett began his career as a research chemist for Cities Service Company. Shortly after Cities was bought by Occidental Petroleum, Jim moved into the management and business functions, leading a group of talented professionals into developing the first commercial coalbed methane operation in Virginia among other innovations. Before retiring in 1999, Jim was involved in the environmental aspects, remediating Superfund sites for the company. Technical writing and executive communications were always an integral part of Jim's career.

Alice Cussler's Children's Book Introduces Dragon Family From Far and Wide! Draco is Visiting So Let Your Kids Know!

"I'm Draco!
















"Hello There! My name is Draco. I am only a young dragon, but I come from a large family with many relatives. They live all around the planet. Like your cousins, aunts and uncles, some of them look like me, and other ones don't.

"Even though they look different, they are still my family. I would like you to meet some of them, so that you can learn more about me and all of my relatives. Come with me, and we will take a trip through time, and around the world, to meet them!

All My Relatives are Dragons

By Alice Cussler

The first thing that caught my eye was that the front cover and narrator is a friendly little dragon that children will love. Draco is going to provide a lot of educational material for children, but they won't realize that so much since Draco has already become a friend!

But once you move on, the pictures are of real animals, which will help them begin to recognize the species...

And speaking of species, the use of words such as relatives--aunts, uncles, cousins--is, in my opinion, an excellent way to begin to learn about biology and all that good science stuff that will be part of their school days!

I don't know of any kid who has never had a set of toy dinosaurs.

My nephew would patiently tell me that this one was a Tyrannosaurus Rex, while another was... And I would pretend to repeat but choose the wrong toy... So which one is the Rex? Do you know???

Well, Draco will help you if you aren't sure! But I didn't know                                                            they had "stinky breaths!"

Now I, for one, was happy to read about what they call mythological dragons! Were they real? Well, they certainly have become a part of our world, haven't they? And who knows whether they were real except the prince who slayed them so that he could save the beautiful princess who would be his from then on! Draco made a point of saying they were quite friendly once you got to know them...

forteana-blog.blogspot.com
"My great grandma went all over China. She would look for dry farms and make it rain for the plants. She controlled
 rivers, and when she was angry she brought storms called hurricanes! Whew She was sommme lady!

Now if you haven't realized it, the kids will also be learning about ancestry as they start to look how the various dragons are related! Cool, right? In fact, this is a book that parents should possibly introduce to the children, depending upon age, so they can take the time to point out these topics!

But, you know, when Drago introduced me to his grandparents, I was a little more hesitant--I've seen some of those relatives and I'd just as soon let them live their own lives while I live mine!

"My Grandma is an alligator, and my Grandpa is a crocodile. They were alive when the dinosaurs were, and still are today. People always get then confused."


Now if I've got this right, crocs to the

left of me...

Alligators to the right...

But there is no way I'm going to spend
time to learn which are which of these dudes! Just my personal opinion, of course!


Hey, I don't mind you making fun of me if you like these relatives...But did you see the way that guy up above on the right is looking at me... And I did NOT, I reiterate, I did NOT invite him to have dinner with me!

Soooo, what am I saying? Well, as cute as little Draco is, and as important as it is to know about all his relatives, another verrrrry good reason to share this book is to talk about safety and what they need to consider if they ever see any of these relatives in their yards... Take the Iguana, for instance... No, go ahead and take him...I had one sitting on my shoulder once when I was on vacation, just to have a picture taken...which has somehow disappeared...LOL

Actually, the Iguana, the Water Dragon and Lizards of the smaller variety could be around some place where you live, so it's good to know about them. Myself, I think the chameleon is my favorite after the mythical dragons (of course). I think it is neat what ability they have to protect themselves!

I also learned about the Goanna, the Monitor Lizard, Gila Monster, and Komodo Dragon... who I didn't know much about...

But the most important thing of all if that we must all work together to make sure all of Draco's family members stick around in the future...And Drago asks for OUR help to do that! So make sure your kids know what the word, extinction, means! That's a very bad word for Draco's family! Find out why! Highly recommended for both fun and learning...


GABixlerReviews

 Alice Cussler is a mother, and a writer. She has master's degree in psychology. The books, Alice Cussler publishes, intend to develop children's self-confidence and self-esteem. Her animal stories are written to teach children to be responsible towards animals. If children learn to love and respect animals, they will become reliable and responsible adults.

Some Ghosts Are Friendly; Some Mean! Meet Them in The Ghosts of Rue Dumaine by Alexandrea Weis! A Halloween Treat!

"Pat shook her head. "That's the French Quarter, darlin'. Never a dull
 moment."
"As Pat began to go through the selection of keys on her chain, searching for the one that opened the gate, Danica took in the surrounding street.
"Directly across from the cottage was the famed Madame John's Legacy. Built in 1788, the older French Colonial style mansion was a reflection of the architectural traditions of those who had learned to adapt to the semitropical Louisiana climate. The exterior had been heavily stuccoed to keep the home insulated, while a shady, green wooden balcony ran along the second story to allow cooling breezes to flow through the living quarters during the hot summer months.

"To the left, a traditional three-story Creole Townhouse made of stucco and red brick boasted classic New Orleans decorative black wrought iron balconies on its

second and third floors.

"Nothing has changed," Danica softly said.
"Since Katrina nothing has been the same. So many people left. I couldn't keep track of the properties we had listed down here. I've never seen so much stuff going up for sale or for rent in the Quarter, and I've lived here most of my life. After that, the taxes, utilities, and insurance went sky high. What the storm didn't drive away, the city government did. Took me damn near a year to get a permit to redo my house in Lakeview, and even then the cooper wiring got stolen from the place twice, along with anything else that wasn't nailed down."
"...After a swift kick of Pat's black high-heeled shoe, the gate slowly opened with a resistant groan. "What Katrina did to New Orleans was a lot worse than any TV camera could ever capture. I'll never forget the smell after the storm. Damned stench hung over the city for almost a year. Those reporters never talked about that. I still get panic attcks when the lights go out. I spent ten grant on a generator for my house so I would never be without power again. She stepped through the open gate. I guess we all have some scars after that debacle, but life goes on..."

~~~

The Ghosts of Rue Demaine

By Alexandrea Weis

It happened on Halloween night... Did you know that could happen? I didn't... Of course, it came with a cost... Somebody died...

Danica Giles had come home. Mainly to get away from her abusive ex-husband--she had finally been brave enough to divorce him. But now she was seeking safety, a need to be home. Coming back to The French Quarter was a no-brainer and she had even been lucky enough to find "the unassuming Creole cottage" where she had once lived. It was a single floor building with yellow stucco and green shutters. Even though there had been ten different families living in the cottage since they had left, she was still...hoping...

"Danica felt her heart rise into her throat. They
saw him, too!
"Pat turned to her. "You saw the same man?"
"Danica rubbed her hands nervously together.
Every night after I went to bed. I would see a man
standing in the doorway of my room. He was a tall
black shadow and sometimes I could see his features
sometimes I couldn't; but he was never mean or
scary. I always got the impression he was standing
guard over me."
"The tenants I talked to had a different experience
completely." Pat stepped inside the cottage doorway.
I personally believe half the people old man Caruso
rented to were pretty much out of their minds to
begin with, so I never paid too much attention to
their ramblings. I don't give much credence to ghost
stories..."
~~~

As Pat was showing her around her old home which was fortunately not rented at this time, indicating that Carl Wethers lived in the carriage house and looked scary but was very friendly, Danica learned something new about the place...

Where a pool had been, it was now gone. They had discovered during renovations that there were graves under the pool! A woman and three children. At that time, they just built the pool...Now they were required to tell potential renters due to new disclosure requirements.

Danica realized the significance immediately. In passing she was willing to admit to Pat that when she was small, she had thought she had seen ghosts... But it was probably her imagination...

Pat acknowledged that this was another disclosure she was forced to share--many other people had indicated that there were ghosts in a number of the cottages... Many described a tall man with dark, angry eyes who would wake them up every night, standing at the foot of their bed!

Some of you may remember a movie that was first made in 1947, The Ghost of Mrs. Muir, and others will better remember the remake with Hope Lange and her handsome ghost...

So, if you enjoyed that movie, I think this is a must-read for you... One of the differences Weis presents is that the female star knows the ghost as a child. She felt he was watching her, keeping her safe. So, now she needed somebody after her abusive husband was out of her life. She had been strong enough to leave him, but now the trauma was setting in...

And he was there for her...

"I missed this old place," she whispered.

"A sudden rush of cold air moving down the hallway caused Danica to turn away from the bedroom door and peer into the darkness behind her. She took a few steps further down the hall until the aroma of cigar smoke mixed with a hint of brandy wafted in the air around her. Danica remembered that smell. It had always filled her bedroom whenever the dark man would appear.

"Is it you?" she softly called into the hallway. "It's me, Danica. I've come back. Just like I said I would.

"Danica walked brisky past the entrance to the master bath to the final door at the end of the hall. Without hesitation, she pushed the cypress door open and walked inside the master bedroom. The light from the large picture window overlooking the courtyard shone into the room, accentuating the deep burgundy color of the carpet beneath her feet. She stepped into the center of the room and observed the ceiling fan above. Danica waited, straining with every breath to hear the slightest stirring.

"Welcome home," a man's wispy voice resonated around her.

"A hopeful smile curled the edges of Danica's heart-shaped mouth. "Thank you Gaston. It's good to be home."

~~~

Just so you don't think this is purely romance...I must warn you that there are two deaths coming, one of which will be out to hurt Danica! Female Ghost? Now that's a vision I had to share with you! 

"Yeah, we didn't get much sleep," he
admitted as his arms fell across her
sides... He went to her front doors and
then mumbled, "My mind must be
playing tricks on me."
"What tricks?
"I could have sworn for a moment I
smelled...." He shook his head. You're
right. We're book pretty beat."...
~~~

And with New Orleans, you'll nearly always have a voodoo woman involved somehow. Fortunately, she has seen what Danica is involved with and offers guidance. Good thing! Because later the suspense gets scary when a ghost turns mean and nasty!

So, what happened on Halloween? That's called a tease... If it got your attention, this just might be a must-read for you... But remember, there's a death involved! Is it Danica? Or did she choose the new man in her life? This novel combines the love between a human and ghost as did The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, but it just takes off from there into a scary tale that you probably should not read at night... Unless you love ghost stories, like I do...! Check this one out and Enjoy!

GABixlerReviews

Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Her first novel, To My Senses, introduced readers to the world of Nicci Beauvoir and garnered numerous awards and rave reviews. Her popular second Nicci Beauvoir novel, Recovery, won the Gold Medal for Best Romantic Suspense from the 2011 Readers' Favorite Book Awards, and was named Best Romantic Suspense novel by the Spring 2011 NABE Pinnacle Book Awards. Her fourth novel, Broken Wings, won Best Contemporary Romance at the NABE Pinnacle Book Awards in 2012, and the Silver Medal at the 2012 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards for Contemporary Romance. Diary of a One-Night Stand, was released in August 2012 and was named a Paranormal Romance Guild's Best Reviewed of 2012. Acadian Waltz was a finalist in the 2013 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Best Contemporary Romance and Best Southern Fiction. A permitted wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.

website: http://alexandreaweis.com