Taste the Book: SU-MA

"Face it," Su-Ma muttered to herself, as she reached the three steps down to the next level of the third floor, leaving that wing of the house. "You're still a screw-up. Can't even handle the switchboard. No way anybody's giving you any road assignments further away than the garage." Taking deep breaths, she focused on willing away the throbbing in her leg. In her nightmares, a bullet drilled straight through the bone, leaving fractures like a windshield hit with a cinderblock.

In reality, the bullet had only chipped her leg bone and hadn't damaged tendons or ligaments. Her doctor and physical therapists had all told her just how lucky she had been, avoiding long months of rehabilitation. When her leg ached like this, Su-Ma wondered just how anyone could call it "luck." She had the choice of walking it off or giving in and taking a pain pill. A third option would be to go to the kitchen for an ice pack and one of Brooklyn's herbal tea miracles.

Neither the tea nor the ice pack would do much good without Brooklyn to give her some sympathy and a little humor-laced advice. Or even a lecture to help her straighten out her thinking. Brooklyn was still in Harper's Point, cleaning up the mess with the mayor, a drug operation, and her brother, the sheriff. It had gotten tangled enough to involve the DEA, FBI, Joan, and Nikki. Su-Ma still couldn't get over the concept that Brooklyn had a brother, and they had worked for MI6 together, when they were younger. That was much cooler than the hints of the dark past that Vincent and George shared with McAllistair, the man she had met in Greenleaf just before Mike McCoy shot her and killed BooBoo.

"Don't go there," she snarled, and stomped the last dozen steps to the stairs.

Su-Ma focused on the phone call. She needed to report to Elizabeth right now. Maybe she should call Xander, since their lawyer friend had the unpleasant task of dealing with this problem.

Her foot slipped at the top of the stairs. She clutched at the bannister as her heart hit overdrive for a few seconds, and scolded herself to slow down. That was the key to avoiding mistakes -- slow down. Look ahead. Think. Make lists. Listen. Pay attention. Keep quiet.

Off the Book Shelf: CINDER, by Marissa Meyer

Lunar Chronicles, Book 1: CINDER, by Marissa Meyer.

At a writing conference last summer, Kathy Tyers read several opening paragraphs/scenes to give us great examples of hooks that draw the reader in and give a solid feel and image of the fantasy or SF world of the story. She read us the opening few lines of CINDER and ... the rest is history.

I just wish I hadn't taken so long getting the first few books and then reading them!

CINDER is basically a retelling of Cinderella in a science fiction setting. Yeah, "basically." Except that instead of losing her shoe, Cinder loses ... her foot. She's a cyborg -- half-robot, due to massive injuries when she was a child. In this futuristic world, cyborgs basically have no rights. They're considered property, even though they still have human minds and feelings. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of Cinder's problems and the insurmountable barriers between her and happily-ever-after with her prince.

Come to think of it, the book doesn't end with Cinder and her prince riding off into the sunset. It ends with her about to escape prison, and the last we see of her prince, who has just been crowned emperor, he's holding her broken cyborg foot.

Gotta read the next book, SCARLET, fast!
Yeah, that good. More, more, more!!

Off the Bookshelf: THE HIDDEN ORACLE, by Rick Riordan

This book starts a new series by Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan. THE HIDDEN ORACLE is Book One of the Trials of Apollo.

Instead of demi-gods going on quests and tests and fixing the things that their non-human parents either messed up or won't deal with themselves, we have Apollo, son of Zeus, who gets stripped of his powers and immortality and dropped onto Earth in the flabby body of a geeky teen.  Turns out Apollo has gotten Zeus angry with him before, so he knows the routine -- bind himself to someone he has to serve, go on a quest, perform some labors, and earn his way back to Olympus.

Only this time, it isn't going to be so easy. The world of the demi-gods is still reeling from the fallout of the battle that took up the last Percy Jackson series, and the biggest problem is that demi-gods and heroes can't go on quests without an oracle speaking -- but the oracles are either silent or missing, so someone has to go on a quest to find and fix them, but how do you go on a quest without an oracle speaking?

It gets even more complicated from there.

Everything is seen through the eyes of Apollos. I got tired of his constant whining and ego-trips. Maybe it was supposed to be funny ... this one was fun, but sorry, I'm not in any hurry to read the rest of the books.

Off the Bookshelf: BREATHING ON HER OWN, by Rebecca Waters

Like still waters, quiet books run deep. (not an intentional play on the author's name, but if the imagery fits ...)

BREATHING ON HER OWN by fellow ACFW Ohio author Rebecca Waters is a story of family tragedy and pain and growth and triumph.

Molly and Travis are loving parents and grandparents, looking forward to retirement a few years in the future. Then their quiet, comfortable life is shattered with the news that their oldest daughter, Laney, has been in a terrible accident. For a while, it seems like every step forward is followed by two steps back. Paralysis, death, possible drunk driving charges, the stress on their family, rehabilitation concerns, and all the questions that are shouted at God in times like this make Molly question her faith. As their family slowly adapts and adjusts and settles into a new way of life, everyone has growing and learning to do.

Why did God allow this tragedy to strike them? Many parents ask that question in multiple variations. Sometimes the answers don't come in this life.

Becky Waters does an incredible job with this debut novel of family pain and growth and strength. Be ready to cry and empathize and take the journey with Molly and her family.

Off the Bookshelf: DIVERGENT, by Veronica Roth

Yeah, yeah, I know -- What took me so long to read this one?

I actually DVR'd the movie months ago, maybe going on a year ago, but haven't watched it yet. That shows you just how crazy-busy my life is. Maybe I should watch it today while I have the house and the TV to myself ... but I have editing to do and book deadlines to reach and ... yeah. That's my life.

Anyway... I can see how this book and the resulting ones just took off like wildfire and why they had to be made into movies. Roth has a clean, clear, easy-to-read style, so you're not aware you're reading. You're inside Tris' mind, sharing her fears, her worries, her hurt and questions. It's a frightening futuristic world she lives in. What makes it so frightening is that the divisions of society -- factions, where people live according to the guiding principles of life and how they should interact with others -- seem so utterly rational and workable. Of course, there are people within the factions who are manipulating things for their own benefit, and some who believe sincerely that the other factions are liars and hypocrites and cheating everyone else. So since their faction is what they believe in, that justifies what actions they take. No matter who gets hurt.

Along comes Tris, at the age when children in all the factions decide if they will stay with their parents' faction or move to another, choose a different life philosophy. As Tris learns when she makes her choice, one choice will change her, and her whole world. The faction she chooses seems exciting, then frightening, then brutal and cold, when even the friends she makes are forced to work against her, and she learns the power of forgiveness, and refusing the forgive.

Can't wait until I work through the HUGE stack of YA fantasy and SF I bought a month or so ago, so I can justify buying the rest of the books in the series and see how Tris' journey ends.

Off the Bookshelf: HEARTLESS,by Marissa Meyer

Everybody knows Marissa Meyer for her Lunar Chronicles. I first heard about them -- at least where the title and the concept of the stories stuck in my head -- at the Realm Makers conference when Kathy Tyers (Firebird series) gave the opening lines of CINDER as an example of a great hook, to pull readers into the story and the story world.

CINDER, SCARLET, CRESS and the other books in the Lunar Chronicles retell classic faerie tales in an SF setting. For instance, CINDER is the story of Cinderella, but the heroine is a cyborg and the glass slipper is her mechanical foot ... go read it for yourself. I'm still waiting to read the first 3 books in the Lunar Chronicles. Yeah, I keep saying I'm not going to buy more new books until I've made a massive dent -- more like a crater -- in my to-be-read pile/bookshelves.

So why HEARTLESS? The Cuyahoga County Public Library regularly brings in authors to speak about their books and sign autographs -- and oh, yeah, get copies of their brand new books. So less than a week after this book was released, I was sitting in a jam-packed auditorium with a copy in my hands, listening to Meyers talk about the Lunar Chronicles, about HEARTLESS, about her writing process, and writing in general. Pretty cool.

HEARTLESS is a pre-history of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, where the Queen of Hearts is still a young girl, the daughter of nobility, whose dream is to have her own bakery, rather than become queen of the land of Hearts. You really can't blame her, after you've met the king. He is no prize. Cath is a great baker, and she is never so happy as when she's in the kitchen, covered in flour or dreaming up recipes. Unfortunately, her parents are determined she make a good match.

Hearts is a magical kingdom, populated by Humans as well as magical talking animals, just like in Lewis  Carroll's books, with playing cards and the Cheshire Cat, food that is somewhat dangerous to eat, and plants that invade Cath's bedroom as a result of her dreams. Which is convenient when she dreams up lemons and key limes, to go in her baking. Plus there's the Jabberwock. There is also warfare going on, in the neighboring kingdom of Chess, between the red and white queendoms. Cath gets tangled up with and thoroughly messed over by some spies who come through the Looking Glass from Chess to Hearts to obtain something to save the White Queen.

There were times I found it hard to keep reading because I liked Cath a lot, and if you've read the books and seen any of the movies, you know what the Queen of Hearts is like. So HOW did Cath get this way? Well, duh, look at the title. If you're looking for a happy ending and for true love to triumph ... *sigh* ... you should still read this intriguing, imaginative book that had me muttering a few times, "Wish I'd thought of that."

From the Bookshelf: GAME OF THRONES, by George R.R. Martin

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. The book has been around for years, the series has been around for years, millions of people are anxiously waiting for the next book, there's a hit HBO series -- and I'm only reading it NOW for the first time?

Well, I've been busy.

Found an excuse. I'm working on a big sprawling ancient civilization fantasy series, putting everything together, designing different countries and prophecies and maps and such, and I'm trying to think ahead about pitching the whole idea to my agent and to various publishers. I came up with the brilliant idea: It's like Game of Thrones!

Yeah, well, I can't say that, and know what what I've picked up about the books and TV series is true, until I've read at least one book, right? Not honestly. Not without shooting myself in the foot if I'm wrong.

WOW. The copy I got from the library was 700 pages. To get the thing read in time for another book report, some nights I had to read more than 100 pages. But once I got into it, it was enthralling. And grim. And bloody. And sometimes I just wanted to reach through the pages and slap some sense into some people. And slap more than sense into other people. And then the author goes and he KILLS Sean Bean -- sorry, he kills one of the main point-of-view characters, who is played by Sean Bean in the HBO series. Seriously? Please tell me it's a lie, and they put someone else's head on the pike, someone who only looked like Lord Stark, that he's languishing in a dungeon somewhere, and it's all a nasty trick to discourage the rebel forces.

Whew! I don't know when I'll be able to pick up the next book in the series, but I know I gotta. Despite the grimness and the cruelty and the filth and desperation and good people turning utterly nasty for survival and stupid simpering girls who betray their families and woman who have to send their sons into battle and all the wretched politics (I loathe politics) and the scheming and lying and ... yeah, it's addicting.

Have I mentioned what the book/series is about? This fantasy world has years-long seasons. The long summer is ending, winter is coming, and legendary creatures who thrive in the cold are stirring in the north. The heroic king has grown fat and too concerned with his pleasure and comfort, so he turns to his war buddy to support him, because his own family is against him -- in fact, the queen's family has been scheming from the beginning to steal the throne out from underneath him. Well, our hero, Lord Stark, would rather stay in the north, where he knows he can do some good, because he knows winter is coming, but he has to obey the king. His family is splintered, half staying in the north, half going south with the king, and rebels are raised up and psychotics are given too much power and good people trust the wrong people and ... Wow.

Off the Bookshelf: SABOTAGED CHRISTMAS, by Carole Brown

Life is way too hectic nowadays.
That's a complaint and an excuse.
This book, by a friend and fellow member of ACFW Ohio, has been on my to-be-read bookshelf, then on the table next to my bed, and in my to-be-read list on Goodreads -- and even marked as "currently reading" -- for far too long.

Aaahhhhh! The glorious feeling when you snag a couple solid hours to just lie back and read straight through, instead of just nibbling at the book, a scene here, a scene there, in between chores and obligations and activities.

SABOTAGED CHRISTMAS is set in Carole's fictional, charming, small town of Appleton, WV. Our heroine is Toni DeLuca, a young woman who has inherited her father's construction business, and learns she has inherited a whole lot more. The only problem is that it's all wrapped up in secrets and schemes and old grudges, and people blaming Toni and her father for things they never did, making untrue accusations, and resorting to sabotage and intimidation to stop her from doing something she doesn't even know she's supposed to do.

Confused? Just imagine how Toni feels. Add to the mix college professor Perrin Douglas, who has come to Appleton with his pre-teen son, Blake, to get some writing done and get some peace from the ghosts and guilt of his past. When he reluctantly gets involved in Toni's problems, neither one of them is sure what they're feeling, what's smart, or who to trust.

I've had the privilege to hear Carole talk about further books planned in this series, and I suggest you plan on taking a trip to Appleton on of these days.

Off the Bookshelf: MIDNIGHT FOR CHARLIE BONE, by Jenny Nimmo

This is one of YA books I picked up at the Half Price Books blowout sale at the fairgrounds. I had actually been looking at the series whenever I visited the store, because there were so many of them. I figured, a series that kept going like that ... well, it must mean it's good.

Warning. There are 7 of these books (so far, could be more) about Charlie Bone and his friends with strange talents and destinies and mysterious, creepy opponents. The series is called Children of the Red King, and we're told right from the beginning that some are good, some are bad, and just because the parents are good (or evil) doesn't guarantee the children are good (or evil). They keep switching places.

Don't worry. I won't read all of the books in a row. I have to read A GAME OF THRONES and get it back to the library. Weird, huh, reading a popular book for homework? Well, I'm laying the groundwork for a fantasy series and I thought I'd pitch it as, "Like Game of Thrones," but I can't say that until I've read at least the first book and maybe watched the first season on DVD, right? But if you want to see some of the images I'm gathering for the books, it's on my Pinterest boards under "Tapestry: Servants of the Unseen." Gonna be fun!

Anyway, back to MIDNIGHT FOR CHARLIE BONE. Charlie is a little boy who thinks he's pretty ordinary. He lives with his widowed mother and two grandmothers, and his eccentric great-uncle who never comes out during the day and keeps to himself. Then one day he realizes that he can look at pictures and hear what the people in the pictures were thinking and saying. Grandmother Bone is delighted -- or not -- and she and her arrogant, nasty sisters insist Charlie has to go to Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Warning: it is not a nice place. Lots of creepiness, starting with the head of the school and his bully son. Charlie falls into a mystery, and makes friends, and learns to stand up for himself. He solves one mystery, dealing with a kidnapped little girl, but many more are ahead of him. Including evidence that his father isn't dead after all.

Seven books. I'm going to try for one each month, to kind of savor them. If you're thinking Harry Potter with this series, there are some similarities, but this story and hero stand on their own very well.

Spotlight Saturday: FINDERS KEEPERS, The Hunt Book 4

This month starts another giveaway -- that means you have a chance to win a FREE BOOK from Goodreads -- and from me, of course.

Go to Goodreads and click on the information for giveaways, and look for FINDERS KEEPERS, the 4th book in the YA fantasy series, THE HUNT.

Who are the Hunt? Children sent from an endangered world in another universe/dimension of reality, to protect them from a despot who wants to command their Talents. Given into the keeping of the Hounds of Hamin, the members of the Hunt have been separated by time as well as distance. They know each other by the scars--rows of teeth marks--on their wrists. Some have been in our world for decades, others have only been here for a few years. They have to find each other--and soon, before more enemies show up to destroy them--and find a way back home to save their world.

Finders Keepers

Iris Davenport hated the memories that came with world-shaking thunderstorms -- because she didn't want to remember she was a member of the Hunt. She was perfectly happy with her adopted parents, helping run the lodge on Smokeytop Mountain, exploring the mountainside, and doing search-and-rescue. The last thing she wanted was to face one of the Hunt and be reminded of the vows her parents had made when they gave her to the guardianship of the Hounds of Hamin.

But when a plane taking a sick boy to a a life-saving operation crash-landed on Smokeytop in a thunderstorm, Iris had to help. Even when one of the searchers turned out to be a member of the Hunt, who reminded her of everything she hoped to forget. She had her own life now -- a home, friends, parents, and a boyfriend. None of which she was willing to give up for a world she barely remembered.

Until the past caught up with them in the form of a traitor to the Hunt, and pieces of an old puzzle that could get her and her boyfriend killed if they didn't find all the clues in time.

ISBN/EAN13: 1922066656 / 9781922066657 

Off the Bookshelf: A FAIRY BAD DAY. by Amanda Ashby

I just stocked up on gobs of YA and NG books. Half Price Books had a humongous sale at the fairgrounds last weekend, where everything was $2. A bibliophile's dream! And torture, because how in the world can you look at every single title in two huge interconnected barns, filled with long rows of tables? Impossible. Especially since they restocked every day. While you're looking at the books already on the tables.

So anyway, that was just warning that I'm going to have a lot of YA and NG book reports. If you don't know what YA and NG designations are ... does it really matter? Because a good book is still a good book!

A FAIRY BAD DAY tells the trials and tribulations of Emma, who goes to a special school for the sighted -- meaning those who can see the evil magical denizens of our world. Meaning magical creatures who slipped through the gate from their own world before it was closed and sealed. These kids, at academies all over the world, are trained to hunt and fight and destroy those creatures, to protect the rest of us who aren't sighted. Emma's mother was a legendary dragon-slayer, and since Emma showed an affinity for dragons from childhood, everyone rightly assumes that will be her role.

Not so fast. When the day comes for everyone in her class to get their designations, Emma gets ... fairies. Yeah, little creatures with wings and snarky attitudes who devour Skittles and hang out at the mall, causing mayhem. Emma first gets herself in trouble when she tries to convince the principal that the tests are wrong and she is better suited to fight dragons -- then gets in even more trouble when she sees something really nasty threatening the school and nobody else can see it. When she tries to fight it, everyone thinks she's faking. Can you say "detention" and possibly even "expelled"? Then it gets even worse when she's teamed up with the cute guy who got "her" dragon designation and it's pretty clear -- to her, at least -- that he's embarrassed to be seen with her. The school's golden girl is suddenly a clod and klutz and delusional in the bargain.

Yeah, this was a fun one, and I'm gonna do some searching to find more books by this author. I sure hope she wrote more books about Emma and her gang as they finish training and protect the world from nasty things we can't see.

Off the Bookshelf: ORDINARY MAGIC, by Barbara Satow

Don't you just love watching a friend's kid grow up from newborn through middle school and high school and then graduate and go out into the wide, wonderful, sometimes frightening world?

This is how I feel about ORDINARY MAGIC.

The author is a friend. We met at a Vo-Ed school writing course and when the class ended we kept meeting with a third student from that course and pursued our writing dreams. She was there when I won Writers of the Future and I was there when she was invited to pitch script ideas over the phone to Star Trek: The Next Generation. I got to hear her work through the ideas and then the scenes and the problems and plot turns for ORDINARY MAGIC.

This is fantasy and romance, an adventure, with some humor and a mystery. Just great fun. The essential story line combines a feisty young upperclass woman who runs away from the marriage her penny-pinching bully of a brother-in-law tries to force her into (with a fat lecher), with a duke who's been accused of high treason and is trying to clear his name while preventing his best friend, the king, from making a huge mistake that could hurt the kingdom. Their flight across country, running into trouble, battling evil magic spells and interfering idiots is great fun from first to last.

And even though I knew practically every scene that was going to appear in the book, there were still some surprises, some changes, some characters and developments that all combine to make this a success.

Dang -- I stayed up until 2am reading it. Is that endorsement enough for you? Even more -- I was reading this during Game 3 of the ALCS between the Indians and Blue Jays. Well, yeah, I only read during commercials and when Toronto was batting, but still ....

I happen to be "in the know" that Barbara plans several more books in the adventures of Emma and Wesserick, their friends, their daughter, their country. Do me a favor -- after you read the book, leave comments on Facebook and other places urging (nagging) her to get the other books finished and published. I guarantee you'll want to read them, too.

Off the Bookshelf: ASHES and RISE, by A.C. Williams

Why two books by the same author?

Because they're e-short preludes to the book, NAMELESS.

The two stories are from the viewpoints of two different men on board the ship, Prodigal. Talon, the captain, and Devon, one of the team of bounty hunters.

Yeah, bounty hunters. With a super-tough chick for first mate. The shorts are very short, just detailing some "turning point" moments in the lives of the crew, taking on a new crewman and going after two fugitives to make payroll to pay the bills. Reading them will give you a hint of what is probably going to happen in the book. Might leave you feeling just a little apprehensive, and eager at the same time, with a healthy dose of, "Whoah ... okay ... interesting..."

Someone said, "Think Firefly," when they were talking about the shorts and the full-length book. Yeah, Firefly was gritty, and Serenity was even grittier, darker, messier ... and if you don't know what I'm talking about (what rock have you been living under?), first look up Joss Whedon's filmography, then rent the TV series and the movie -- in that order.

Then seriously consider reading these two shorts and the full-length book, which is in my to-be-read queue on my iPad.

It's a dark, dangerous, filthy, grim world in the future. This band of bounty hunters and their ship have caught my attention.

Spotlight Saturday: BUTTERFLY, The Hunt, Book 3

This month starts another giveaway -- that means you have a chance to win a FREE BOOK from Goodreads -- and from me, of course.

Go to Goodreads and click on the information for giveaways, and look for BUTTERFLY, the 3rd book in the YA fantasy series, THE HUNT.

Who are the Hunt? Children sent from an endangered world in another universe/dimension of reality, to protect them from a despot who wants to command their Talents. Given into the keeping of the Hounds of Hamin, the members of the Hunt have been separated by time as well as distance. They know each other by the scars--rows of teeth marks--on their wrists. Some have been in our world for decades, others have only been here for a few years. They have to find each other--and soon, before more enemies show up to destroy them--and find a way back home to save their world.

Butterfly

Beth considers herself a geek, one of the invisible and awkward in her school, too smart for her own good, part of the Gifted and Talented program. During a summer internship at a government weather station, she notices strange weather patterns. The storms remind her of the ones when she was brought to Earth by the Hounds of Hamin. Remembering that she is a member of the Hunt, Beth sets out to remake herself, to be ready when the gathering of the Hunt occurs.

When she returns to school in the fall, she is a new person, physically and mentally, and she attracts the attention of another member of the Gifted and Talented program: Tommy DiCorsi, supposedly one of the "bad boys" in town. As their friendship grows, and Tommy protects her from trouble and learns about the Hounds and the Hunt, Beth learns he isn't at all what he appears, either. Then another member of the Hunt shows up, and both their lives are changed forever.

ISBN/EAN13: 1922066648 / 9781922066640

Off the Bookshelf: APPRENTICE IN DEATH, by JD Robb

Let me start by putting in a plug for Overdrive, the app that lets me get ebooks from the library! This allows me to indulge in reading new books in series that I love, without breaking my rule (sometimes very hard to keep) that I won't buy new books until I've reduced my to-be-read pile (mountain!) by a decent percentage.

APPRENTICE IN DEATH is chilling, more than many of the books in the In Death series. Why? Because the attitude of the villains are portrayed so clearly in the news every day. The self-righteous, "the world revolves around me and I have the right to punish anyone who doesn't give me what I want" attitude. The people who insist that the world must follow their vision of it, and refuse to take responsibility for their stupid choices. The ones who get angrier and angrier when their choices just make things worse for them.

As the title indicates, the suspect is learning to kill. Or that's the first impression. A teacher skilled in killing, training up a pupil, an apprentice, in the attitude and techniques of death. Until Dallas and her team get inside the lives of the victims, and intended victims, and get access to the killers' plans. Then it's a tossup who's the apprentice and who's the master -- who's the teacher, who's leading, and who's being used as a tool.

Of course, the great character interaction is still a big draw to keep reading, the continuing development of people's lives, the friendships and partnerships, the little clashes between people who work and live together, the growth, the inside jokes. The characters are the best part -- but the police work and the struggle to identify and capture the manifestation of pure, selfish evil makes this another great book in a must-read series.

The scary part is that this scenario is too believable. Let's just hope that there are more smart, dedicated cops out there like Eve Dallas who can track down and stop more selfish, egotistical killers like this pair before more people suffer.

Spotlight Saturday: QUARTET, The Hunt, Book 2

This month starts another giveaway -- that means you have a chance to win a FREE BOOK from Goodreads -- and from me, of course.

Go to Goodreads and click on the information for giveaways, and look for QUARTET, the 2nd book in the YA fantasy series, THE HUNT.

Who are the Hunt? Children sent from an endangered world in another universe/dimension of reality, to protect them from a despot who wants to command their Talents. Given into the keeping of the Hounds of Hamin, the members of the Hunt have been separated by time as well as distance. They know each other by the scars--rows of teeth marks--on their wrists. Some have been in our world for decades, others have only been here for a few years. They have to find each other--and soon, before more enemies show up to destroy them--and find a way back home to save their world.

Quartet

Cinden Lai is a firstborn, a member of the Hunt. She found sanctuary with a reclusive old woman when the Hounds of Hamin brought her to Earth, but now her dreams and the increasing storms make her think it is time to leave her safe haven and seek out members of the Hunt.

When a rich old man claims she is his missing granddaughter, Cinden knows he is lying, but she can't prove it -- not without endangering the Hunt. He knows too much about her, and claims he has her brothers and sister. That is reason enough for her to investigate. Are the other three part of a trap, or in need of rescue?

When four members of the Hunt come together, amazing things can happen...but they also discover a traitor among them, and learn a countdown has started: Time is running out for the Hunt, and life on Earth can be fatal for them in more ways than one.

ISBN/EAN13: 192206663X / 9781922066633 

Off the Bookshelf: THE BIG BOOK OF KOMBUCHA, by Hannah Crum and Alex LaGory

A friend of mine jokes that when we made the shift from being readers to writers, we went from word addicts to pushers.

Well, that's starting to feel like the same situation when it comes to kombucha. What is it? Essentially, fermented tea -- but there's so much good stuff that enters the tea during the fermenting process, between the yeast and good bacteria.

I bought a couple bottles, after reading about kombucha when I proofread a book. Can you say YUM? Then I did some research and learned about all the health benefits. Hey, any excuse to start an addiction, y'know? Then the price started adding up, when I tried to make it a daily habit.

Then a few weeks ago, I took the big step -- I investigated making my own, instead of paying around $4 a bottle, for something I wanted to drink at least once a day for health benefits. That's when I found this book. Yeah, it is a BIG book, but it holds a whole lot more than just a guide for home brewing and flavoring.

The history and folklore is fascinating, along with the science, the steps to take, the options, the pitfalls to avoid, troubleshooting guide, and yeah, the recipes. Lots of recipes. There's more to kombucha than just drinking. There's vinegar, there's candy, salads, bread, jerky and beauty products and ... the list goes on. Considering all the uses for everything that goes into making kombucha, it's a truly self-sustaining and bio-friendly project. I just decanted and bottled my first batch, and got more going, and I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun experimenting with flavors and all the other options. I wouldn't be able to do it without the thorough education provided by this book.

Warning: Kombucha is addicting! Try it, and you'll be glad you did. Yeah, I'm a pusher now. Not that I'm going to willingly give away my precious few first bottles, but ... hmm, Christmas presents!

Can You Help an Author Out?

What a DEAL!!! Get a free book -- all you gotta do is write a review on Amazon.

Until September 20, my newest Neighborlee, Ohio novel (fantasy, humor) HERO BLUES is available on Story Cartel. If you haven't heard about Story Cartel before, it's a place to get ... taa daa ... FREE books, and a chance to win prizes, just for downloading books to read and review. Sound good to you?

Would you help me out by downloading, reading, and reviewing HERO BLUES? I guarantee you'll like it, and even laugh. Money-back guarantee (oh, yeah, that's right, you're not spending any money .... )

Here's the link. Please help me out -- and have some fun while you're at it???

https://storycartel.com/books/hero-blues-a-neighborlee-ohio-story

Book Trailer: WOLVES ON THE WEST SIDE

YA fantasy, set in Northeast Ohio!
Published by Mundania Press -- also set in Ohio!

Off the Bookshelf: THE BLOOD OF OLYMPUS, by Rick Riordan

Alas, we come to the end of the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, the further, expanded adventures of Percy Jackson and his demi-god companions from Camp Half-Blood.

The blood in the title refers to the blood of two demi-gods that must be spilled before Gaea, the earth-mother, the vicious, vindictive ancient proto-goddess can arise and essentially wipe all life off the planet. She's kind of ticked at having been put down by several generations of her offspring and if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Percy and Annabeth and Jason and Piper and the rest of their team on the Argo II face one fast-paced perilous mission after another, while Reyna and Nico and Coach Hedge are scrambling to transport the recovered statue of Athena to Camp Half-Blood before the Roman demi-gods from Camp Jupiter can attack. It seems some misguided egotistical self-proclaimed prophet believes that if the Romans wipe out their Greek cousins, then the big mental/emotional problems the gods have, constantly torn between their Greek and Roman personalities will settle down, and then they'll be able to deal with Gaea. Well, Octavian is an idiot, as is proven by his well-deserved demise.  Unfortunately, it appears that one of our seven heroes is taken out at the same time ... maybe ... prophecies aren't exactly written in stone, y'know.

Whew! Lots going on, and I have to admit I was sometimes lost, because it has been so long since I read the last book in the series, that I forgot some of the adventures referred to. Major fun. One of those books you need to set aside huge chunks of time, so you can just keep reading. Satisfying ending. Although I must admit, I wouldn't mind more adventures. Although, just like on Stargate ... how many times can they save the world before it gets kind of ... redundant? Kudos to Riordan for satisfying characters and scenarios.

Book Trailer: THE PIRATES OF SORENDAAL

A Commonwealth Universe series of stories, during the Downfall Era. Published by Writers Exchange.

Off the Bookshelf: THE PRO WRITER MINDSET, by Jennifer Blanchard

Want to read a book that gets you fired up about your writing career -- and intimidated at the same time? Want to be inspired -- and groan every time you come to the homework section of the book?

PROFESSIONAL WRITERS ... gotta do a lot of things they don't like. Face it. Yeah, it's more fun to sit in your quiet corner -- or the local coffee shop, or wherever you write best -- and just write and dream about fame and glory. Well, there's work involved in being a professional. Pull up your big girl pants and get to work! Learn to LIKE all the non-writing stuff. Make it automatic. Be a professional in your brain, attitude, and actions.

You need to think like a professional, according to the author. Put your mind in the place where you're already acting like someone who does the hard work and practices the discipline. Act "as if" -- meaning putting into action the things you want to happen, as well as already living as if your success is there.

Well, that's my interpretation of the lessons. I just finished reading the book a day ago and there's still a lot swirling around in my mind. A lot of groaning over exercises "do I GOTTA?" put into practice. One little mind trick I need to figure out how to apply is what she calls "working from" instead of "working toward." I want to be a specific place in my career, but instead of figuring out how to get there, I figure out what it's like already being there, and kind of work backwards. Okay ....

There's a lot to devour, a lot to apply, and a lot of exercises to analyze yourself and motivate yourself, packed into this little book. One big hurdle I need to overcome is my classic response to advice people give on promoting their books: "WHO has the TIME?" Well ... a professional writer makes the time for all that stuff.

Aarrgghh .....  So, here we go!

Spotlight Saturday: THE HUNT, Book 1: DAWN MEMORIES

This month, the book featured in the giveaway on Goodreads (www.Goodreads.com) is the first book in the YA fantasy series published by Writers Exchange (www.writers-exchange.com): DAWN MEMORIES.

It was a blast in more ways than one. The explosion that could have killed Dawn actually ignited a fiery trail of long forgotten memories, all leading to the point where it all began.

Yes, she remembered.

She was not from Earth at all. She was the daughter of one of the

ruling families from another world in another dimension, sent to Earth by her parents to protect her from a galactic despot who wanted all the rulers' children as hostages.

She was from The Hunt, branded as such by two thin white lines on her wrist caused by the Hounds of Hamin: interdimensional guardian beasts that held the children's wrists in their mouths as they pulled them through the vortex from their world to Earth.

But Dawn remembered something else. Someone else. Stayn, her best friend and her betrothed.

Where was he? Could he rescue her from the 'safe' house where she was currently guarded by Federal Agents? And could they rekindle what time and distance had torn apart?

Who are the Hunt? Children sent from an endangered world in another universe/dimension of reality, to protect them from a despot who wants to command their Talents. Given into the keeping of the Hounds of Hamin, the members of the Hunt have been separated by time as well as distance. They know each other by the scars--rows of teeth marks--on their wrists. Some have been in our world for decades, others have only been here for a few years. They have to find each other--and soon, before more enemies show up to destroy them--and find a way back home to save their world.

Book Trailer: VIRTUALLY DEAD

Virtually Dead is a Khybors story, during the Rebirth period of the Commonwealth Universe, the SF series published by Writers Exchange.

Off the Bookshelf: WORLD-BUILDING FROM THE INSIDE OUT, by Janeen Ippolito

Every once in a while, a book comes along that you know you're going to re-read multiple times because it's so useful and what it covers is an area where you need to keep going back and refreshing what you've learned.

This is especially true and priceless when it comes to some writing books.

WORLD-BUILDING FROM THE INSIDE OUT is one of those books. Honestly, it's common sense, but something a lot of writers (guilty!) don't think about until we run into a problem. Usually about halfway through the 2nd book in a series, or the 8th in a series we didn't realize was going to be a series until we got one of those brainstorms of, "Hey, if I change this name and this relationship and tweak this bit of history, Book A is pre-history to Book C, and they both tie into Book B, which influences what happens in Book D ..." Get the picture?

God can wing it when it comes to building worlds (because face it, He's GOD and He isn't restricted by fiddly little things like time!), but writers shouldn't. Dang, I wish I had run into Janeen a lot earlier and she had made this book available like 20+ years ago. It would have saved me a lot of contradictions and headaches trying to make history and details and geography and other fiddly details actually line up and behave, between one book and another. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

The book tackles topics that are absolutely necessary, and some that you don't think about until draft 4, when you're wondering what the hero's childhood was like, because you need something in his background to explain why he blew up over something that his friends think is trivial, but the explosion is a necessary plot point. Know what I mean? Yeah, you've been there. This is all common sense, but so many of us don't think about planning these details out ahead of time. Kind of like knowing a quote you want to use in some climactic scene, but you don't get it right and you don't realize it until your editor sends the book back to you with the quote marked in red highlighter and a note that says, "This ain't right!" And then because the quote was so mangled, you need to rewrite the whole scene. If you had done some research and checked it ahead of time, you wouldn't have that problem, would you?

Do the work ahead of time, and your world will fall smoothly into place and probably help with a lot of minor plots points at the same time. Chapters deal with: Religion, Government, Societal Structure, Art/Media, Technology, Naming, Food, Appearance and Location, with appendices covering Health and Medicine, Military, and Education.

The great thing about this world-building book is that it has an accompanying WORKBOOK. She removes even more of the headache and hassle by organizing the questions you need to ask yourself about the society you're putting together, and giving you space to brainstorm and then record it all. Organization! What a revolutionary concept. (Well, for ME, anyway...) I received both books in PDF, which made it easy to print out the workbook and put in a ringbinder, to fill in as I go through the process, and then keep for future reference.

You can get the book online, or go directly to Janeen's website for more information and resources: www.janeenippolito.com. Or Uncommon Universes Press, the publisher: www.uncommonuniverses.com

Spotlight Saturday: THE HUNT (wanna win some books?)

Starting this week, you have a chance to win print copies of THE HUNT, my YA urban fantasy series.

What do you have to do? 
Go to GOODREADS, and search through the hundreds of book giveaways they have listed to find the HUNT, and then put your name in for the prize drawing. August, September, October and November, Goodreads will randomly draw the names of the winners, give me your address, and then I will ship your book and other goodies out to you. What could be easier?

Do you KNOW about Goodreads? It's an incredible site to go to learn about books, read reviews, meet authors, join discussion groups and yeah -- WIN books! www.Goodreads.com

THE HUNT:

Who are the Hunt? Children sent from an endangered world in another universe/dimension of reality, to protect them from a despot who wants to command their Talents. Given into the keeping of the Hounds of Hamin, the members of the Hunt have been separated by time as well as distance. They know each other by the scars--rows of teeth marks--on their wrists. Some have been in our world for decades, others have only been here for a few years. They have to find each other--and soon, before more enemies show up to destroy them--and find a way back home to save their world.

In coming weeks, you'll learn about the different books as they become available for the giveaway,

Good luck!

Off the Bookshelf: BLOOD FOR BLOOD, by Ben Wolf

Okay, here's the deal -- I don't do vampires. Or zombies. They both have too much of the "ick" factor, you know? Yes, I enjoyed "Buffy" when it was first on the air, and I don't mind catching reruns when I'm feeling nostalgic and too brain-dead to write. And yes, "Van Helsing" is always fun to giggle through. But get the picture? Vampires are the BAD guys. They need staking and dusting.

So for me to read a book where a vampire is the hero? That's really out of my comfort zone. Like, double ick. So why did I read this vampire book? Well, Ben Wolf is a fellow Realmie, as well as the mastermind behind Splickety Magazine (there are three "flavors," so if you want to try flash fiction, there should be something for your taste). Reason enough to trust him.

Interesting take on the whole conundrum of what exactly a vampire is, if there is a soul left, or if the vampire has to regain his soul, and just how do you develop a 12-Step program to get off the addiction to blood? (Besides the abstinence program advocated by the vampires in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series?)

Then there's the long-lasting effects of seeking revenge, learning to forgive, doing what is right no matter how much it hurts, and ultimately trusting in and obeying God. Then there's the concept of Jesus' blood being enough to overcome a vampire's bloodlust. Quite enough twists and turns and "hmmmm" moments to make up for the ick factor. Even if you're not into vampires, you might just want to investigate this story that steps back a century or so, and investigates what happens when a lonely, desperate, hungry vampire runs into an old-school Italian evangelist and his family.

Book Trailer: THE HUNT, YA Fantasy series

The Hunt, YA fantasy series published by Writers Exchange.

Note that the cover art has been changed since this video was created. It'll be updated one of these days ...

Off the Bookshelf: WRITE YOUR NOVEL FROM THE MIDDLE, by James Scott Bell

Haven't read many books lately on writing. This has been my "book to read while waiting" book on my Kindle.

James Scott Bell bids fair to be the writing guru of this generation, with all his books on so many aspects of writing.

This short and sweet little book is quick and to the point, with a surprising number of examples to illustrate and prove the point he's making.

Writing from the middle involves answering some specific questions about the main character, the goals and problems and background and reactions. When those questions are answered, you know how your character will react to whatever situation -- good or bad -- you throw at him or her. In a sense, the story writes itself. At least, it will if your character stays true to himself.

Honestly, this is such common sense, and it's useful for the plotters as well as the pantsers. If you know your character, how he thinks, how she feels, her hopes and dreams, his secret fears, then figuring out all the other questions about the plot, the "dark moment," the resolution, the climbing action, and all the other pieces-parts of the writing craft become just that much easier.

Off the Bookshelf: EMISSARY, by Thomas Locke

My pursuit of reading all fellow Realmies' books in my possession before arriving at Realm Makers takes me to our keynote speaker's book, EMISSARY, Legends of the Realm Book 1.

Thomas Locke turns out to write "other" books under another well-known name, but since it's not SF/Fantasy ... meh, not gonna mention it. You can find out for yourself!

Must admit, this one had me neglecting my writing so I could keep devouring the book. I just wanted to know: What happens NEXT? And considering this is Camp NaNoWriMo month, that's saying something! I mean, I have multiple deadlines and goals this month, but when you need to finish reading a story, it's better just not to resist.

Hyam is our hero, a farmer who has just lost his mother to illness. He goes to deliver a message to fulfill his mother's last request, and what he is told in return turns his world upside down. Hyam isn't who or even what he thought he was, and then he isn't even permitted time to consider all the ramifications, because big trouble is coming against his friends and the kingdom. The worst part is, the trouble originates from within the kingdom. What do you do when there's rot at the heart of the kingdom? Well, sometimes you have to break some laws.

Slowly and surely, Hyam does what he knows is right -- he makes some mistakes along the way -- and puts himself on the line for truth and life. He's the quintessential hero with an agonizing secret and shame. As he lets magic work through him, he is changed, and so are the unique and admirable cast of supporting characters who gather around him.

If this sounds like I'm holding back a lot of details, I am, because that would ruin the story. Doggone it, another series I'm going to be following. When am I going to have time to write?

Up next -- because I'll be reading and finishing it before Realm Makers, even though this report will come out afterward -- BLOOD FOR BLOOD, by Ben Wolf. Why I am reading a vampire novel, I have no idea!

Book Trailer: THE COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSE

An overview of many of the storylines and series and covers in the Commonwealth Universe series from Writers Exchange.

Please note, some of the covers have been updated, while this trailer has not!!

Off the Bookshelf: A STAR CURIOUSLY SINGING, Kerry Nietz

The next book in my quest to read all the books by fellow Realmies in my to-be-read queue  before this year's Realm Makers conference.

This first book in the Dark Trench Saga is mind-blowing -- which, in the case of the culture imagined here could be actual, literal, and pretty painful.

The hero, Sand, is a debugger -- one of a group of people who have brain implants that let them touch the Stream -- essentially, the Cloud, the worldwide Internet -- touch data, manipulate and service machines, do research, all in the comfort and iffy safety of their own heads. For the Abduls (a slang term used by debuggers to refer to the repressive culture that rules the world), control of everyone's lives, their attitudes, their bodies, their very thoughts, is a top priority. Debuggers are considered property, and are controlled by pain, tweaks" that punish them whenever their free-roaming thoughts (necessary in their line of work) stray too far in the wrong direction.

And you thought Big Brother was bad.

Dark Trench is also a revolutionary, super-advanced starship. Sand is sent up to an orbital station to deal with problems relating to the first voyage of the ship, and the strange behavior of one of the advanced 'bots that service the ship and crew. What he discovers as he investigates leads to encounters with the song of the title -- am I giving too much away when I call it the song of creation, the song of truth -- essentially "the heavens are telling the glories." Whose glories? Well, the deity everyone is required to worship is called simply A. But the defective 'bot speaks of "A not A cubed." To speak of, even to think of, this particular being, reaching out through song and changing the very implant in Sand's head is considered so heretical as to deserve death.

What happens when Sand understands the 'bot's strange words and dares to think freely -- essentially, to become a freehead? What's a freehead? Read this and find out. Guaranteed not to hurt one bit when your mind is blown.

Off the Bookshelf: SPACE DRIFTERS, The Emerald Enigma, by Paul Regnier

I know I said the next book would be A STAR CURIOUSLY SINGING, by Kerry Neitz, but I've been working on this one for a while -- it's my book for reading on my iPhone in line or waiting somewhere.

To be honest, I don't know if Paul Regnier is a Realmie, and/or if he's coming to this year's Realm Makers conference. However, this one qualifies because I heard about it at last year's conference. When the publisher himself takes the time during your pitch session to tell you about the book, that's a good recommendation. So officially this is another book in my trying-to-read-before-Realm-Makers queue.

Wanna snicker? Wanna catch a lot of SF geek/fandom/series inside jokes? Wanna laugh at cliches and stereotypes? This is the book. I mean, you gotta love a book where the 1st person hero's name is Glint Starcrost, and after a really close call with death, he talks about something being "severely ouchy."

It's your classic quest SF adventure, with evil nemeses and menacing cyborgs and over-the-top space weapons and stations and a beautiful, deadly space princess (who happens to be a lot smarter and a lot tougher than the captain) and weird creatures and great names for things, like the captain's beloved gun is called a DEMOTER -- yeah, all caps.

What's the Emerald Enigma? Well, it's a green stone that everybody wants, supposed to give lots of luck -- and fortune, and revenge, and healing, and protection and whatever you want -- and grant wishes. There's a major problem with the kind of  luck given and the wishes granted, and I'm going to leave you to discover what that is.

It's guaranteed snarky, snickery, groaning, I-can't-believe-how-stupid-he-is-and-that-I'm-still-reading-this! fun. Whether it's your reading-while-waiting-in-line book or sitting on your nightstand or for reading between innings, (Go, Tribe!) Read It! You'll be glad you did. Next up -- I promise! -- is Kerry Neitz's book. Followed by a book by Tosca Lee.

Book Trailer: The SUNSINGER series

My YA series set in the Commonwealth Universe

Off the Bookshelf: FINDING ANGEL, by Kat Heckenbach

My next book in my quest to read all the books in my to-be-read pile by fellow Realm Maker alumni is the first book in the Toch Island series,

FINDING ANGEL
by Kat Heckenbach

The slugline says "Where magic and science collide."

How? Well, they've got a university, and there are scientists, and the threat to the welfare of this hidden magical island comes from man-made things, from applying scientific principles to overcome some very necessary rules of magic -- such as those who kill lose their magic ...

Angel is a foster child, found seven years ago, injured and lost, with no identification and no memory of her life before waking in the forest. Odd things happen to her, such as something always interferes when her foster parents try to adopt her, and whenever one of her foster brothers torments her by stealing things from her, she's always able to find it.

Then an odd boy, too warmly dressed for Florida, shows up in her life at the start of summer vacation. Gregor talks of magical creatures and magical things as if they were real -- ordinary parts of his life. Then when he saves Angel's life, things really get strange. She's willing to risk anything, though, when Gregor admits that he knows who she is and how she got lost in the forest, and who her parents are. He takes her to the island, and prophecy starts to unfold.

Do I need to say it? I gotta read the rest of the books in the series! Angel is too real not to wonder what's going to happen to her next.

Next up: A Star Curiously Singing, by Kerry Nietz

In the Spotlight: RESURRECTION OF HOPE, Excerpt, by Tamera Kraft

Vivian tried to hide how startled she was at Henry's proposal. Of course she remembered the quiet boy who she and James had been best friends with since childhood. He was always tall and skinny, but with all the weight he'd lost, he looked like a scarecrow. She wasn't sure she liked his short army haircut. It didn't seem like Henry for him not to have an unruly mop of dark, curly hair falling in his eyes.

"You're talking crazy. Why would you want to do a foolish thing like marry me?"

Henry's hazel gaze became intense as he started to reach out to touch her then drew back. "I was with James when he died. His last words to me were, 'Take care of Vivian.' I've always been fond of you." He bit his lip and looked away.

Vivian touched his arm. "It's not fair to saddle you with a wife because of this promise you made."

"I don't have anyone left. I want a wife and a family. I promised James. Say yes."

He made it sound so easy, and his pleading eyes compelled her to agree, but they didn't love each other. "I can't, Henry. It wouldn't be right."

"I don't know how you could say that." Henry tipped back on his heels and gave her a slight grin. "People have been getting married for centuries without love entering into it. We are friends. Isn't that a good start?"

"I don't know what to say. I'm not ready to even think about caring for anyone else. I'm still grieving James."

"If you give me a chance, we can make this work." This time Henry did hold her hand. "We'll marry, and you can move into my place. I'll provide for you, but we'll have separate bedrooms. I'll give you the time you need. When you're ready to be my wife…" He blushed. "I'll give you the time you need."

Vivian touched her chest. Her breathing shallowed until she'd become lightheaded. "Can you give me time to think on it?"

Henry grinned. "I'll be back tomorrow." He descended the stairs and turned down the hallway until he ebbed out of her sight.

His footsteps clacked against the wooden floor, the sound of hope shuffling back into her life. She wiped the tears from her face. She didn't even know why she was considering this. He didn't love her, and she didn't love him. Henry was always in the background, not the kind of man you considered marrying. Maybe she could learn to care for him that way.

When he came back tomorrow, she would say yes.

Resurrection of Hope is not available until July 11^th but will be available in the following stores:

• Desert Breeze Publishing
• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Christianbook.com
• Sony
• Kobo
• iTunes
• All Romance eBooks
• Koorong.com (Australia)

Tamera Lynn Kraft

Faith Filled Historicals For the Adventurous Heart

Coming Soon: Resurrection of Hope

A Christmas Promise

http://tameralynnkraft.net

http://tameralynnkraft.com

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