Friday, December 28, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
THE POND - Reader's Favorite 2011 award for best mystery
People will ask me where I get my ideas for my books. Like a lot of writers, my stories have rolled around in my head since childhood. Once I have written a book, the story disappears from my mind. It no longer connects to me. It might be strange to some folks, but to a fellow writer, I'm sure it makes perfect sense.
But THE POND was created in a different way. The first chapter is based on a real event.
One day, my mother was recounting a story from her youth. This tale involved a poor neighborhood boy, who disappeared one frosty winter. His body was found in a farmer's pond - not to far from his residence. But the horror of his death came later in the fact that this boy's mother had dropped him off at a friends house for a play date and simply drove away. But the friend, a wealthy family's son, wasn't home. The family had an emergency and had left. A maid answered the boy's knock. She told this boy to go home and shut the door in his face. With no other recourse, this small boy had to walk home and cut across a farmer's field. He crossed over a frozen pond. Or so he thought....
His fate was sealed when the ice cracked.
This story took place in the 1950's when my mother was just a girl. It bother me for days as I thought about the maid and what she had done. She, in fact, had sent the boy to his icy death. Thinking on her reasoning, I came up with this tale and, in the end, a bit of justice for this boy.
http://www.outskirtspress.com/ThePond
Amazon com & Barnes & Noble
Monday, December 17, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
BOOK GIVEAWAY: WRECKER
I am giving away 10 Free E- books for review. If interested, please e-mail me at Tlawr66@yahoo.com
Web Address: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/wrecker/
Web Address: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/wrecker/
IN THE SHADOWS OF THE DAY, THE TOW MAN HIDES BUT AT NIGHT HE STALKS HIS VICTIMS IN HIS WRECKER OF DEATH
WRECKER
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
BOOK INFO:
BOOK INFO:
In the shadow of the day, the tow man hides but at night he
stalks his victims in his wrecker of death.
Twenty-six year old Tara Gibbons struggles
everyday to deal with being a tow truck driver and the stigma of being a woman
in a man’s field. Newly employed by Cole Wilson, Tara finds herself attracted
to her boss, though the pair collide in a heated clash of wills.
As the tension between Tara and
Cole mount, a hidden danger evolves. Someone is watching Tara, someone with an
ulterior motive. As Tara finds herself the object of a killer, she stumbles
upon Cole’s secret past, a past that wants to make itself known. Now Tara must
uncover the truth and face a life or death battle with a serial tow man. But
who is the killer and who can she trust?
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
KEEPING SCORE Book Review
Relationships. We start them as soon as we are born,
beginning with our parents, siblings, etc. Then comes that special someone that
you want to spend the rest of your life with. But is love enough to get you
through the ups and downs of commitment? Take a deeper look into your own
relationship and find out how you rate. KEEPING SCORE is a fun and yet serious
look into the many woes both men and women face in their relationship and the
way we look at ourselves. Take the quiz and see how you score. Is there room
for improvement? How does your significant other stack up? Do you think your
relationship will survive?
KEEPING SCORE by Marc
Brackett is a guide to love and relationships. Marc takes and in depth look
into what makes marriage or long time commitments work and why others fail.
This interesting guide is great for anyone in a committed relationship. Perhaps
you’ll find out your better off alone. In any case, KEEPING SCORE will help you take an in depth look at yourself and
bring about changes for the better.
PENNHURST - Mayflower 2nd floor
http://www.outskirtspress.com/GHOSTSOFMAYFLOWER available Barnes & Noble & Amazon.com
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
WRECKER
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Biography & Memoirs Book -- Ghosts Of Mayflower... | MyPRGenie
Saturday, June 2, 2012
BOOK REVIEWS: SELF PUBLISHED AUTHORS
As a Book Reviewer, I have read all kinds of books by many wonderful writers. Many are traditional books. But many are by self-published authors. Without the benefit of an editor, a self-published author can be alone with the editing process. A really great story can get bogged down with unnecessary wording. There is also the dreaded dangling modifier. Although writing is fun, it’s also a lot of work. Sometimes an author is too close to their story. The writer forgets that a reader needs to see what the writer wants them to see. Feel what they want them to feel. The setting, time period and characters and plot need to stand out early on so that a reader gets hooked right from the beginning. A reader needs to care about the outcome – grab onto a character and stay hooked.
Recently, I had to create a few really tough book reviews. I always try to find something good in the writing. Writers can be so sensitive. I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone. And everyone can learn. Improve. I am always learning. I find that the talent is usually there, but the stories are all over the map. I often have to re-read areas to figure out what is going on. Dig. Dig. Dig. Sometimes I will have to search through the manuscript just to find out the time period. An abundance of characters can also leave me looking to grasp onto someone, anyone. The other issue is that often writers tell a story instead of showing it through their character’s points of view. This dulls the story. The reader can’t connect with the characters.
I would suggest that a writer latch onto the many resources available for writers. If you can’t afford an editor, find a trusted friend to read your book – someone who will be honest with you. Reading groups can also be helpful. Sometimes putting your book aside for a few days or weeks can help a writer look at their manuscript with fresh eyes – often finding mistakes or areas that are questionable. You will now be able to see what your reader can’t if rushing through this process. And if you can’t see it then set the book aside again until you can. There is also Natural Reader, which will read your manuscript back to you. The Internet has great resources for writers - critique groups.
Every word should count.
As a book reviewer, I love to experience the wonderful array of books that I have had the privilege to review. Each writer is special and unique. There is so much undiscovered talent. The competition is fierce. So make your efforts count.
As writer I can benefit from my own advice. I deal with the same issues and always working to improve my craft. I have some great mentors and trusted allies. This support helps me to stay focused and to grow.
Don’t ever get discouraged. Get a backbone. And whatever you do - keep writing!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
A GIFT FROM BEYOND
GIFT FROM BEYOND
A mother of all boys, I stopped dreaming about having a daughter after my fourth son. I didn’t intend to have any more children. But fate had other plans.
So when my daughter Shannon came along, my husband and I were ecstatic. The only problem was for the first couple of weeks, I kept calling my new daughter, “Nicole.”
The name just slipped out. It was the strangest thing. Even when I thought of Shannon, I would call her Nicole.
“I think we were supposed to name Shannon, Nicole,” I finally told my husband. “I keep calling her that name. I can’t seem to stop myself.”
“She’s got the right name,” he replied. “We didn’t even have that name picked out.”
But still I repeated the name over and over to my daughter. I was sure we had given Shannon the wrong name.
When Shannon was two weeks old, my mother dropped in for a visit. She sat and rocked my baby.
“I just wish my mother knew you finally had a girl,” my mother said to me. “Oh she would have been so happy for you.”
My grandmother had died a couple of years earlier. We all missed her. I would have loved to have told her about my daughter. My grand mom had known how much I wanted a daughter.
“Oh, by the way,” my mother said. “I left a baby gift on the kitchen counter.”
I went into the kitchen and got the present. It had pictures of yellow ducks on the wrapping paper. I sat by my mother to open it.
“Who is it from?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” my mother said. “I was cleaning out my closet, and I found it. I think it might have been from your grandmother and meant as a gift for one of your brother’s girls. But they’re all older now. So I thought you might as well have it. Open it.”
There wasn’t a card on the gift. But when I opened the box, a card was laying on top of the tissue paper. I opened the envelope and pulled out the card.
To Baby Nicole,
Congratulations on your new baby girl.
Love
Grand mom, Cooper
A chill ran right down my spine. Nicole. I stared at the word. My brother’s daughters were named Kelly and Taylor. No one was named Nicole.
“Who is Nicole?” I finally asked my mother.
“I don’t know,” my mother said. “You’re grandmother was always getting everyone’s names confused. She must have gotten the name wrong.”
I opened the tissue paper. Inside was a pretty little sundress.
A smile lifted my spirit. I now knew why the name Nicole had laid so heavy in my thoughts. My grandmother was letting me know that she knew I had a daughter. Somehow she had connected to me.
After that day, the name Nicole disappeared from my thoughts and my lips just as mysteriously as it had appeared. But I have kept the card as a memento of the moment.
My grandmother had managed to give me a gift from beyond. A gift of love.
A mother of all boys, I stopped dreaming about having a daughter after my fourth son. I didn’t intend to have any more children. But fate had other plans.
So when my daughter Shannon came along, my husband and I were ecstatic. The only problem was for the first couple of weeks, I kept calling my new daughter, “Nicole.”
The name just slipped out. It was the strangest thing. Even when I thought of Shannon, I would call her Nicole.
“I think we were supposed to name Shannon, Nicole,” I finally told my husband. “I keep calling her that name. I can’t seem to stop myself.”
“She’s got the right name,” he replied. “We didn’t even have that name picked out.”
But still I repeated the name over and over to my daughter. I was sure we had given Shannon the wrong name.
When Shannon was two weeks old, my mother dropped in for a visit. She sat and rocked my baby.
“I just wish my mother knew you finally had a girl,” my mother said to me. “Oh she would have been so happy for you.”
My grandmother had died a couple of years earlier. We all missed her. I would have loved to have told her about my daughter. My grand mom had known how much I wanted a daughter.
“Oh, by the way,” my mother said. “I left a baby gift on the kitchen counter.”
I went into the kitchen and got the present. It had pictures of yellow ducks on the wrapping paper. I sat by my mother to open it.
“Who is it from?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” my mother said. “I was cleaning out my closet, and I found it. I think it might have been from your grandmother and meant as a gift for one of your brother’s girls. But they’re all older now. So I thought you might as well have it. Open it.”
There wasn’t a card on the gift. But when I opened the box, a card was laying on top of the tissue paper. I opened the envelope and pulled out the card.
To Baby Nicole,
Congratulations on your new baby girl.
Love
Grand mom, Cooper
A chill ran right down my spine. Nicole. I stared at the word. My brother’s daughters were named Kelly and Taylor. No one was named Nicole.
“Who is Nicole?” I finally asked my mother.
“I don’t know,” my mother said. “You’re grandmother was always getting everyone’s names confused. She must have gotten the name wrong.”
I opened the tissue paper. Inside was a pretty little sundress.
A smile lifted my spirit. I now knew why the name Nicole had laid so heavy in my thoughts. My grandmother was letting me know that she knew I had a daughter. Somehow she had connected to me.
After that day, the name Nicole disappeared from my thoughts and my lips just as mysteriously as it had appeared. But I have kept the card as a memento of the moment.
My grandmother had managed to give me a gift from beyond. A gift of love.
Friday, March 2, 2012
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