Friday, October 31, 2014

The Last Stored Cover Reveal with Sonia Poynter

TheLastStoredCoverReveal.jpg



The Last Stored by Sonia Poynter
Surge, Anaiah Press

Blurb:


After the sudden death of her parents, making it through the day is a struggle for Amber Megan Peel. In the midst of her grief, an exquisite bird perches on her garden fence and shows her visions of a vivid landscape and a dark lord slouching upon a throne. She thinks the visions are tied to her sorrow. But when a boy flies through her kitchen window to tell her she’s the Last Stored, she wonders if she’s just lost her mind.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Oden Blog Tour and Giveaway with Jessica Frances

Oden (The Invasion Trilogy #3)
By Jessica Frances
Publisher: Jessica Frances
Published: Oct. 15. 2014
ASIN: B00OKJ72TO

Amazon Synopsis:

Mattie:
A war is coming.
It will not be an Earth bound battle yet humans will have to fight for their survival.
This is no longer about fighting to take our planet back, this is a fight for our society, our way of life.
However I will not be fighting in this war, I have another I must battle against, to stop him and keep myself, Marduke and our child safe and out of his clutches. I will do anything to protect my family from this evil maniac.
Jeprow doesn't know of human’s strengths. He doesn't know how resourceful we are. How brave and cunning and smart we can be.
He thinks he’s already won and the battle between us is over, but he has no idea who he’s messing with.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Shatter Point Blog Tour and Giveaway with Jeff Altabef

Shatter Point
By Jeff Altabef
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
Published: Sept. 22, 2014
ASIN: B00N56E7ZA

Amazon Synopsis:

Maggie met Cooper at a young age, but even then she sensed something was wrong with him. His charm, good looks, and wealth could not hide the danger that burned in his sapphire eyes.

Some nightmares don’t go away. He’d been haunting her from a distance for as long as she could remember.

Now things have changed.

When her sons Jack and Tom discover she’s been taken, they set out to rescue her and uncover nefarious family secrets, explosive government conspiracies, and a series of horrific murders along the way. Only their colorful great aunt and a covert resistance group can help them navigate the dark underworld full of political subterfuge and class warfare.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Interview with Claire Bridgeman, Author of the Spellweaver Chronicles Series

Welcome to Claire Bridgeman, author of the Spellweaver Chronicles. So far on this blog I've reviewed books one and two. You can find the review of Spellweaver (book 1) here and Sun Stealers (book 2) here. Book 3 is due to be released shortly and  you can check back here for the review on that one too.

I'll be interviewing her here on Shelf Full of Books today so we can get a better idea of what this busy lady does when she's not writing. Welcome Claire, and thank you for taking time out to talk with us.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Noise Excerpt and Giveaway with Brett Garcia Rose

Noise, by Brett Garcia Rose, is a thriller/mystery centering on a deaf character's search for his missing sister. It's short, violent, but ultimately it's about love. Noise was published in June 2014 and is available for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery

Synopsis:

The world is an ugly place, and I can tell you now, I fit in just fine.

Lily is the only person Leon ever loved. When she left a suicide note and disappeared into a murky lake ten years ago, she left him alone, drifting through a silent landscape.

Or did she?

Friday, October 24, 2014

Book Review: Raven: (The Chronicles of Steele Episode 4) by Pauline Creeden

Raven: (The Chronicles of Steele Episode 4)
By Pauline Creeden
Publisher: AltWit Press
Published: October 4, 2014
ASIN: B00O6JPY66

Amazon Synopsis:

Episode 4 of a 4 part Steampunk Fantasy set in an alternate universe. Peace and safety...a promise often made but seldom kept. Can Raven trust that anyone will be able to protect the young baron as she has? 

Book Links

My Thoughts:

Episode 4 is the conclusion to the Raven series. Episode 4 continues on directly from where Episode 3 left off.

Darius has been extremely ill for days and the wood witch is in some kind of comatose state. The group has run out of food. They have to decide what to do. They choose to return down the mountain to the town only to discover that Darius’ brother Baron Solomon is on his death bed and so the Duke desperately wants Darius back home.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Love Overcomes Guest Post and Giveaway with Author Angela Schroeder


Today I am thrilled to welcome Angela Schroeder, author of Love Overcomes as my guest. Be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the page.

Guest Post: My Writing Process

Thank you for allowing me to take over the blog today. I really appreciate it. I figured that today I would talk about my writing process. It is nothing fancy or even eccentric but it gets me through.

I make sure the kids are sleeping. I pull up a playlist that I have made. For Love Overcomes I knew I needed some romantic songs. I didn’t just want ballads though. So I compiled songs from Bing Crosby, Loreena McKinnet, Lindsey Stirling, K.T. Tunstall, Bryan Adams, 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Book Review: Death's Twilight (The Meechan Chronicles B, 1) by A.J. Leavens

Death’s Twilight (The Meechan Chronicles Bk 1)
By A.J. Leavens
Publisher: A.J. Leavens
Published: Feb. 17, 2014
ASIN: B00IID41IS

Amazon Synopsis:

The first book of a bold new trilogy by up-and-coming author A. J. Leavens. 
In the future, Nuclear War has ravaged the planet. Slade Meechan, an Emissary for iCorps embarks on a Delivery to find Randy Herman - a man who's escaped from a Penal Territory. 

Beset by hurdle after hurdle, Slade must reach his Target before time runs out. His journey sends him far from his home, and into a land outside the Government. Accompanied by a loyal and mischievous Diplomatic Corps officer, and an array of mechanical gadgets, Slade crosses the world to fulfill his mandate. 

What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted? Slade will have to use all of his skills and all of his connections to stay ahead of the one who wants him dead. But is there more to the story?

Book Links

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Love Overcomes Book Trailer and Giveaway with Angela Schroeder

 Love Overcomes 
by Angela Schroeder
Anaiah Romance
Release Date:
November 4, 2014
Blurb:

Single mother Arabella Mackenzie never imagined that going to California with her sister Clara would have such a huge impact on her life. Since the end of a disastrous relationship, Arabella has been wary of wanting or needing anyone other than her family. But when she meets hunky actor, Jeremy Fowlis, she begins to have feelings for a man for the first time since her three year old son was born. Now, she needs to try to overcome her past and learn to trust again.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Hunter Book Trailer Reveal with Renee Donne

Hunter trailer reveal banner 
Anaiah Press is proud to present the trailer reveal for YA novel HUNTER by Renee Donne.

Hunter cover

Moving across the country isn’t Hunter’s ideal start to her Junior year of high school. She has no friends to hang out with, no beaches to lounge on, and she’s living just a few miles from the secluded hiking trail where her father died when she was a baby.

Living in Wyoming isn’t all bad, though, thanks to Logan, the handsome veterinary assistant at the animal clinic where she lands an after school job. And he seems just as interested in her as she is in him.

Book Review: The Unforgiveable Fix (A Justice Novel #3) by T.E. Woods

The Unforgivable Fix: A Justice Novel
By T.E. Woods
Publisher: Alibi
Published: Oct. 14, 2014
ASIN: B00JTCDAPC

Amazon Synopsis:

The killer won’t come for you, you fool. He’ll come for me.
 
Detective Mort Grant of the Seattle PD has finally decided to sell. The home where he and his late wife raised two kids feels too large and too full of old memories. His son is married and raising a family of his own, and despite desperate efforts to find her, Mort has lost touch with his wayward daughter. That is, until the day she walks back into her childhood home and begs for his help.
 
For the last four years, Allie Grant has been the lover—and confidante, confessor, and counselor—of one of the world’s most powerful and deadly men. But a sudden, rash move 

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Do I Bother You At Night Blog Tour and Giveaway with Troy Ratliff

DoIbotheryoubanner

Do I Bother You at Night_Ebook 
Do I Bother You At Night is Celebrating It's One Year Anniversary On October 4th! 

To thank all his loyal readers Troy is giving away a Caseable Kindle Folio from his new online store Tribal Style Design to one reader during the blast! 

  Book Blurb: They say nothing ever happens in Kansas. Sylvester Petersen used to think so too. That is, until a mysterious new neighbor moves in next door, seemingly out of nowhere. His handful of friends – people who tried to help him cope with the sudden death of his wife – think that it might be an opportunity for him to get reacquainted with the world outside his farmhouse and to build a new relationship with his neighbor. 

But that idea is soon snuffed out as strange events begin to happen around him. None of them wrong. Just strange: driving in the middle of the night, the sulfur-like odor coming off of him, the fact he doesn’t talk to anyone in the area. And what about that dog? Sylvester chooses the logical explanation and ignores the peculiar behavior. But when other oddities start to happen – the kind that

Friday, October 17, 2014

The Demon Stone Blog Tour Guest Post and Kindle Fire Giveaway with Chris Datta

Today I'm excited to bring you a Guest Post and Kindle Fire Giveaway from Chris Datta. His first Novel Touched with Fire was a number one best-seller in the Historical Fiction category, and this supernatural thriller lives up to the high expectations readers have for this talented author.

The Demon Stone by Christoper Datta

demonstone1 

The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In braided narratives, Datta spins a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors. "Reading Chris Datta is like riding a rollercoaster. It’s a fast ride filled with twists and turns. His Demon Stone is scary fun. Stephen King, watch your back!" -Richard Rashke, author of The Killing of Karen Silkwood

  Amazon.comBarnes & Noble  

Guest Post by Chris Datta

We’re coming up on Halloween and this is the book you need to read to get ready for the scare! But don’t take my word for it. “Don’t read this one before you go to bed. And if you do, leave the lights on.” —Hill Rag Magazine, Washington DC The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota.

In braided narratives, I spin a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors. When Kevin volunteered to travel to a war-ravaged country in Africa to help out his childhood buddy, Bill, now a physician with Doctors Without Borders, he knew he might face danger. But he could not have envisioned the brief, nightmare encounter that would rob him of his friend, his principles, and quite possibly his sanity.

When he returns to his family in the United States, he carries with him not only survivors’ guilt, but, according to a grizzled old juju man in the service of a warlord, a powerful demon. Liz cannot understand why, precisely, she agreed to go camping with her old college friend Kevin and his sullen teenage daughter, but it was clear that in the wake of his sudden divorce and a horrific family tragedy, Kevin needed someone to lean on.

The canoeing trip in the Boundary Waters was supposed to be an escape, an opportunity to bring back the old Kevin. But once in the forests, Kevin’s behavior grows increasingly off-kilter, and Liz feels a growing sense of unease, one that ripens into fear. As the trio glide further into the wilderness, it becomes clear that someone, or something, is stalking them. I have been a civil conflict specialist with the U.S. State Department, last serving in the newly established embassy in South Sudan. In the course of a long and distinguished career, I have gone into places best known for genocide and bloody conflagration. This novel, which grows out of my experience in the field, is a provocative meditation on the nature of evil.

Giveaway

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About the Author

Chris1Debut author CHRISTOPHER DATTA is no stranger to civil conflict or the still-extant scourge of slavery. Most recently the acting ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan where he helped end a war in April of 2012, he has spent a distinguished career moving from one strife-torn country to another, including Lebanon, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. A lifelong student of the American Civil War, his research for Touched with Fire is exacting and based in part on a true story.

Author Links
Website  *  Goodreads  *  Facebook

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Book Review: Jump! by Julia Dweck

Jump!
By Julia Dweck
Publisher: Sleepy Sheep Productions
Published: Sept. 1, 2014
ASIN: B00N975GGO

Amazon Synopsis:

Jack’s little heart began to thump, 
As he prepared to take a jump. 
He swung around and then he flexed. 
His thousandth jump was coming next. 

Then tightening his coils, he sank, 
And listened to the music crank. 
He sprung out free, no longer trapped. 
His rusty spring broke loose and SNAPPED! 

What’s a Jack-in-the-box without his home? Poor Jack has never jumped out of anything before, but his worn out box. Can Barker, the neighborhood dog, prove to Jack that there are many more exciting jumps outside in the great, big world? Young readers will find lots of giggles in the rhyming text and wondrous jumps that Barker and Jack discover together. The full screen art by illustrator, Brian 

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

The Demon Stone Blog Tour Interview and Kindle Fire Giveaway with Chris Datta

Today I'm excited to bring you an Interview and Kindle Fire Giveaway from Chris Datta. His first Novel Touched with Fire was a number one best-seller in the Historical Fiction category, and this supernatural thriller lives up to the high expectations readers have for this talented author.

The Demon Stone by Christoper Datta

demonstone1 
The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In braided narratives, Datta spins a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors. "Reading Chris Datta is like riding a rollercoaster. It’s a fast ride filled with twists and turns. His Demon Stone is scary fun. Stephen King, watch your back!" -Richard Rashke, author of The Killing of Karen Silkwood

  Amazon.comBarnes & Noble  

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Do I Bother You At Night Book Blast and Tour with Troy Aaron Ratliff

DoIbotheryoubanner

Do I Bother You at Night_Ebook 
Do I Bother You At Night 
is Celebrating It's One Year Anniversary On October 4th! 

To thank all his loyal readers Troy is giving away a Caseable Kindle Folio from his new online store Tribal Style Design to one reader during the blast!

Book Blurb: They say nothing ever happens in Kansas. Sylvester Petersen used to think so too. That is, until a mysterious new neighbor moves in next door, seemingly out of nowhere. His handful of friends – people who tried to help him cope with the sudden death of his wife – think that it might be an opportunity for him to get reacquainted with the world outside his farmhouse and to build a new relationship with his neighbor. But that idea is soon snuffed out as strange events begin to happen around him. None of them wrong. Just strange: driving in the middle of the night, the sulfur-like odor coming off of him, the fact he doesn’t talk to anyone in the area.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Demon Stone Blog Tour Review and Kindle Fire Giveaway with Chris Datta

Today I'm excited to bring you a Review and Kindle Fire Giveaway from Chris Datta. His first Novel Touched with Fire was a number one best-seller in the Historical Fiction category, and this supernatural thriller lives up to the high expectations readers have for this talented author.

The Demon Stone by Christoper Datta

demonstone1
The Demon Stone
By Christopher Datta
Publisher: Christopher Datta
Published: May 4, 2014
ASIN: B00K58RT60

The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In braided narratives, Datta spins a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors. "Reading Chris Datta is like riding a rollercoaster. It’s a fast ride filled with twists and turns. His Demon Stone is scary fun. Stephen King, watch your back!" -Richard Rashke, author of The Killing of Karen Silkwood


Amazon Synopsis:

The Demon Stone is a powerful supernatural thriller that leads you from the killing fields of Africa to the quiet Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. In braided narratives, Datta spins a terrifying story about the spiritual forces—both real and supernatural—that incite the basest, bloodiest and most frightening of human behaviors. 

When Kevin volunteered to travel to a war-ravaged country in Africa to help out his childhood buddy, Bill, now a physician with Doctors Without Borders, he knew he might face danger. But he could not have envisioned the brief, nightmare encounter that would rob him of his friend, his principles, and quite possibly his sanity. When he returns to his family in the United States, he carries with him not only survivors’ guilt, but, according to a grizzled old juju man in the service of a warlord, a powerful demon. 

Liz cannot understand why, precisely, she agreed to go camping with her old college friend Kevin and his sullen teenage daughter, but it was clear that in the wake of his 

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Two Faced Release Day with Melissa Pearl

Two Faced (The Masks Series, Bk 2)
By Melissa Pearl
Publisher: Evatopia Press
Published: Oct. 9, 2014
ASIN: B00OD6D1DU

Amazon Synopsis:

Caitlyn Davies has an unusual gift. She knows exactly what people feel. She sees their true reactions, every time. Everyone wears a mask, but she can see the truth hiding behind it. This ability has changed her life, both for the better and the worse. She can choose to ignore what she sees...but what happens when it involves the guy she loves? 

Eric Shore knew getting involved with a girl who could read people was risky, but he couldn't help himself. Caitlyn is gorgeous and he loves being with her. Things have been going great...until she tells Eric that his step-brother and star basketball player, Connor, 


Saturday, October 11, 2014

Book Review: Hope Springs by Eric Walters

Hope Springs
By Eric Walters
Publisher: Tundra Books
Published: Sept. 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-1770495302

Amazon Synopsis:

Age Range: 6 - 9 years
Grade Level: 1 - 4
A drought has settled in the area around the orphanage where Boniface lives. There are long line-ups at the tiny spring where all the local people get their water, and suddenly the orphans are pushed to the back of the line, unwelcome. Boniface's houseparent, Henry, tells him that the people were mean out of fear--they feared there would not be enough water for their families. When the building of the orphanage's well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers. A lovely story of kindness and heart, this story shows that, through compassion and understanding, true generosity can spring from unexpected places.

Book Links


My Thoughts:

Boniface and his twin brother live in Kenya in an orphanage where there is a drought. The local people in the area gets their water from small spring where water slowly seeps up from the ground. One of the women waiting in the long line up for water pushes Boniface and the other orphans out of the way and tells them they are unwelcome.

At the orphanage they are building a well. Once they finally reach water, there is finally enough for all the children and the crops and animals there. Boniface asks his houseparent if they can help the people in the valley to build a well so they also have enough water too.

I loved this story because it is based on real events and real people. At the back of the book there is the story and photographs of the actual people and orphanage where it all took place. The young boy Boniface repaid the villagewoman’s fear with compassion, understanding and kindness. The village in the valley now has enough water for everyone and all the livestock as well.

The illustrations are beautifully drawn. I thought the story was well-told without sounding like the author was trying to pull on the heart-strings. This story brings to light the situation that others live in, in other places in the world.

I gave this book 5 stars out of 5.


Thank you to the publishers who provided an early review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

About the Author:

A former social worker and elementary school teacher, Eric Walters wrote his first novel, Stand Your Ground, in 1993. Since then he has written more than ninety books for children and young adults that together have won over a hundred awards. In conjunction with his writing, Eric talks to tens of thousands of students in schools and libraries across the country each year. He also founded and runs the Creation of Hope (creationofhope.com), an organization dedicated to providing care for orphans in the rural Mbooni district in Kenya. Eric has three grown children. He lives with his wife in Mississauga, Ontario.

The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie The Poodle).

Author Links

Friday, October 10, 2014

Yakmali's Gift Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveawy with Linda Covella

Please join Linda Covella on her Blog Tour with HF Virtual Book Tours for her YA historical novel, Yakimali's Gift, from October 6-10. Three $10 Amazon Gift Cards are up for grabs, please see below to enter the giveaway.

02_Yakimali's Gift
Publication Date: July 29, 2014
Astraea Press
eBook; 206p

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

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READ AN EXCERPT.

It’s 1775 in Mexico, New Spain, and 15-year-old Fernanda Marquina, half Pima Indian and half Spanish, can’t seem to live up to her mother’s expectations or fit into the limited female roles of her culture. While she tends her garden, matches wits with buyers and sellers at the weekly market, and

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Love Overcomes BookTrailer Reveal with Angela Schroeder

Love Overcomes banner
 

Love Overcomes

by Angela Schroeder




Anaiah Press is proud to present the book trailer of Angela Schroeder's contemporary romantic novel

Love Overcomes

Release date: November 4, 2014

About the book:

Single mother Arabella Mackenzie never imagined that going to California with her sister Clara would have such a huge impact on her life. Since the end of a disastrous relationship, Arabella has been wary of wanting or needing anyone other than her family. But when she meets hunky actor, Jeremy Fowlis, she begins to have feelings for a man for the first time since her three year old son was born. Now, she needs to try to overcome her past and learn to trust again. 

Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above Blog Tour - Review and Interview with Robert Polk



OPERATION TREE ROPER: AN EYE ABOVE 
By Robert Polk
Adventures, Anaiah Press

Twelve-year-old Declan Parker was only born with one eye, but all he seems to have trouble seeing in proper perspective is himself. All he wants is for kids to see him as normal before he starts a new school in the fall. To that end, he sets out to make money helping with his dad’s tree care business.

Unfortunately, when his dad lands in the hospital after a climbing accident, Declan’s surgery hopes are wrecked. His only hope remains in a neighbor girl and her uncle, a wounded army veteran. Can they help him save his dad’s business, or will Declan’s once-courageous drive turn into total despair?

Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above is a well-crafted story about a strong, dauntless young man who redefines the value of self-reflection. Declan is a character you won’t be able to forget.

Welcome to your new favorite book...

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Buy Now!


 


Read Chapter 1 Here: http://www.anaiahpress.com/Roper.html

My Thoughts:

Operation Tree Roper was an excellent adventure story for preteen children about Declan, a preteen with only one eye whose father is in the tree care business. When his father ends up in the hospital after a climbing accident, Declan is determined to help save his father’s business and his last opportunity for a surgery that in his mind will help other kids see him as normal before he starts a new school in the fall.

Declan learns a lot about himself and others in this story. The author does an exceptional job of developing the characters and telling their stories. It’s their life stories that make them who they are and the author is able to bring those across in the telling of this tale of the tree roper.

I enjoyed the definition at the beginning of each chapter. It gives the reader (whether youth or adult) a chance to expand their vocabulary of words related to tree climbing and other associated words.

I didn’t care for the swearing that Declan sometimes used in the novel. I suppose this was used so that the character was more relatable to the readers his age, but I don’t really think the lack of the swearing would have made a difference.

The pace of the book was excellent. The book moved along quickly enough to maintain interest and the plot was plausible. As a teacher of visually impaired students I think that Declan could have learned to do what he was able to do despite only having vision in only one eye. He might have had some trouble judging distances, but with care he could have conceivably have been successful.

I liked Operation Tree Roper and I think it would be very suitable for middle-grade readers (grades 5 to 7). I gave it 4 stars.


Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

Interview with Robert Polk

Thank you for having me on your blog today! It’s exciting to be able to share a little bit about OPERATION TREE ROPER with you. As you’ll see, the motivation for my book comes from a very personal source.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since 2011.

What other books, stories etc. have you published?
Operation Tree Roper is my debut, in any genre.


What makes you want to be a writer?
When I was a guidance counselor in a public elementary school in Savannah, Georgia, I saw firsthand the power that children’s literature could have in young people’s lives.  I used books (mostly picture books) to develop classroom lessons, and I knew that someday I would try to contribute to children’s entertainment and education in the same manner as the authors of the books we discussed in class.



How did you choose the topic of a tree climber for your story?
In several ways, tree climbing fit the character who’d been whispering in my ear. Climbing provided my protagonist an “escape” and at the same time, an opportunity to work with his father and make some money.


Do you have any experience yourself in tree climbing?
I was climbing trees as early as I can remember, and I grew up on four acres of wooded pasture on the edge of our small town. But it wasn’t until years later that I began using ropes and a climbing saddle. After college and a 12 year career in education, I started up my own tree care company. I ran that company for five years and preferred climbing to bucket trucks as my primary method of accessing the canopies of the trees I worked on. During that time, I held certification by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) as a professional arborist. I recently let that certification lapse, but will still climb a tree.


Why did you decide that Declan should have vision in only one eye?
Declan was initially inspired by my third child, who was born with microphthalmia. In her case, the right eye was underdeveloped to the degree that you could not tell there was any eyeball in the socket.  It causes her face to have a slight asymmetrical appearance, with the right eye noticeably smaller than the left and positioned a little lower on her face.


What kind of research did you do into his visual impairment? Do you
have any personal connection to his type of visual impairment through
a family member or a friend?
I didn’t need to do too much research, as most of the knowledge about Declan’s impairment was similar to my daughter’s, and I always listened carefully when we spoke to her medical care providers and occularist.


Was it just that Declan looked a little different that bothered him or
did it make a difference to him that he was blind in one eye and
sometimes would have had to do things differently from others that
bothered him?
Much like my daughter, Declan is smart, spirited, and sensitive. He’s bothered by the “pre-judging” he feels (correctly or not) from the strangers who focus on his face when he’s out in public. He would notice his impairment during a trip to the movie theater where he’d be watching a 3-D movie. He wouldn’t see in 3-D, and doesn’t seem to care about that anyway. Once in a while, he’s prone to bump someone or something on his blind side, but he usually compensates for that by frequently turning his head toward his blind side.
My daughter is comfortable around people she knows and one time last school year, when her teacher asked the class to “Line up and give me your eyes”, my daughter cheekily popped out her prosthesis and handed it towards her teacher. Also, just the other day my daughter told me she wishes her eye was like Mad Eye Moody’s (the character in Harry Potter.)

What is your next project in the works?
Although I’ve always got a few picture books on low heat, I’m working on a middle grade mash up that’s given me quite a fever. It’s a contemporary story with environmental science, Native American history, and science fiction elements swirling together. It’s quite a challenge, yet very exciting to grapple with! There’s much work to do with it before I can even show any drafts to critique partners yet. But it will get there.





Author Bio:

Robert Polk lives in western Nebraska where he shares his love of books and the great outdoors with his wife and seven children. He is a former school counselor, business owner, and tree climbing arborist. Robert participates in his church and local community, currently serving on several non-profit boards. 


 


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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Raven: Chronicles of Steele by Pauline Creeden - FREE Episodes

 Raven1and4Free
Human life has value. The poor living in the gutter is as valuable as the rich living in a manor. The scoundrel is no less valuable than the saint. Because of this, every life a reaper takes must be redeemed. Raven has lived by this first tenet since she was trained by her father to become a reaper. But since his death, she’s been spending years redeeming the lives she’s taken. By her count, she’s

Book Review: The Thief Taker by C.S. Quinn

The Thief Taker
By C.S. Quinn
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: Sept. 9, 2014
ASIN: B00J40FGYW

Amazon Synopsis:

The year is 1665. Black Death ravages London. A killer stalks the streets in a plague doctor’s hood and mask...
When a girl is gruesomely murdered, thief taker Charlie Tuesday reluctantly agrees to take on the case. But the horrific remains tell him this is no isolated death. The killer’s mad appetites are part of a master plan that could destroy London – and reveal the dark secrets of Charlie’s own past.
Now the thief taker must find this murderous mastermind before the plague obliterates the evidence street by street. This terrifying pursuit will take Charlie deep into the black underbelly of old London, where alchemy, witchcraft and blood-spells collide.
In a city drowned in darkness, death could be the most powerful magic of all.

Book Links

Monday, October 6, 2014

Book Review: Empty Shell by Ashley Fontainne

Empty Shell
By Ashley Fontainne
Publisher: RMSW Press
Published: September 29, 2014
ASIN: B00NCCEWO8

Amazon Synopsis:

The quiet world of Melody and Jack Dickinson is about to be turned upside down. Twenty years of marriage hangs in the balance when Melody finds out about Jack’s infidelity. The betrayal is made worse when Melody discovers his lover is Serena Rowland, a young woman who works at Melody’s law firm. 

A receipt from an overpriced hotel… 

Harsh words are exchanged before Melody storms off to work, determined to have Serena fired. But when Melody hears Serena was murdered over the weekend, everything changes. Serena’s body is found beaten and strangled with a pair of pink, silk panties, in 

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Book Review: Nester’s Mistake (The Doomsday Kids Series #2) by Karyn Langhorne Folan

Nester’s Mistake (The Doomsday Kids Series #2)
By Karyn Langhorne Folan
Publisher: K Squared Books
Published: Sept. 8, 2014
ASIN: B00MRG7ZLM

Amazon Synopsis:

The Doomsday Kids series continues with Nester’s Mistake. 

It’s a “shoot first, ask questions later” world after the apocalypse. After a perilous escape from the wreckage of their Washington, DC suburb in book one, Liam’s Promise, the surviving kids reach their destination, a mountain safe house, only to find their troubles have just begun. There are no adults and the kids are still all alone.

Fifteen-year- old Nester, whose good grades and smarts had him on the fast-track to success in the world before the bombs, has no skills for his new life: tending animals, maintaining fires and