Friday, January 31, 2014

W. LYNN CHANTALE SHARES A PEEK AT FOREVER AND TOMORROW

    Embittered by divorce, Dexter Carson resolves to live without love or family. When he arrives at a job site, the last thing he anticipates is his instant attraction to the ebony-haired client. But work comes first, and he's determined to maintain a professional distance, no matter how his body reacts to her soft scent and feminine curves.



Beautiful, intelligent, Molly Crosby, always doubted a man would love her, and now that she's forced to care for her infant niece, all hope seems lost. But when she meets Dexter the rugged contractor, she longs to discover what's behind his solemn demeanor, especially when he rewards her with a devastating smile.

    When a bombshell threatens the tender relationship that’s been fostered, will Molly's love be enough to overcome the mistakes of the past, or will Dexter walk away on his only chance at love and family?





She’d locked the door, something he advised all his clients to do until they felt comfortable enough. Dexter knocked again. 

A faint, “coming,” drifted through the door along with the quick shuffle of feet. A moment later the lock scraped back and the door flung open. 

His breath caught in his throat. Soft, tousled curls framed her face, giving her the allure of some sensual pin-up girl. Genuine delight lit her light brown eyes as her full, pouty lips were parted in greeting. He couldn’t stop himself. His body moved on its own volition and he found his mouth on hers. She curled her fingers in his shirt as he dragged her closer, molding her voluptuous curves to his lean, hard frame. 

She opened for him, receiving his kiss as if she’d been waiting for it all day. He drifted a hand down the curve of her spine until he grabbed a handful of her luscious rear. Her arms tightened around his neck as he lifted her slightly, settling in the vee of her thighs. He tangled his other hand in her hair, drawing her head back to give him better access to her mouth. 

She tasted like a promise whispered on a moonlit night. He deepened the kiss, savoring her unique flavor, allowing it to roll across his tongue and take root where he’d never be able to remove her. She made a small noise in the back of her throat as she seemed to press her lithe body even closer, grinding against his arousal. Lightning arced from his erection, through his veins. Abruptly he pushed her away. 

“I—oh God!” He dragged a hand across his head, dislodging his cap. It fluttered to the floor with a quiet thud. 

Molly clutched the counter behind her, her eyes a little unfocused. Dexter took in her dazed appearance, kiss swollen lips, and wanted to gather her in his arms again. A siren’s smile curved that sensuous mouth and he longed to sample her sweetness again. 

“I haven’t been kissed like that since high school graduation,” she murmured.

The silken rasp of her voice danced over him, making him long for a whole heart and an eternity to explore this sizzling attraction. But his heart wasn’t whole and he’d totally lost his head. With a client at that. When she extended her hand, he stumbled back. 

“Ms. Crosby. I—” he began. 

“It’s Molly, especially if you’re going to kiss me like that.” Humor filled her eyes. She stepped forward and he put more distance between them. “Dexter, please sit.” Another step. He shook his head, but stayed put. 

`“I enjoyed the kiss and I’m glad it happened.” 

Surprise coursed through him and must have shown on his face. Her smile widened. “But…” 

She stood in front of him and gently twined her fingers with his. He looked down at the way their hands fit together. They felt right. He dragged his thumb against the smoothness of her skin, reveling in the satiny softness. She’d felt so good when he held her. He stifled a groan and tried to pull away, but she retained his hand. 

“Dexter, I know you may think this is forward of me. But I want to get to know you. I felt something the first time I saw you.” 

He could only stare and shake his head. 

She moved closer, her breasts brushing his chest. “Maybe not now, but in time.” She palmed his cheek. “All 
I’m asking for is for you to give a little. I’m willing to wait.” 

`The hopeful note in her voice touched a need deep inside, where he forced all his dreams and desires. He studied her a long moment. She was being open and honest with him and where most women would’ve slapped his face, she’d embraced the kiss, offering to get to know him better. He didn’t have the right to make her wait for something that would never happen. “Molly…” 

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

UNTANGLE MY HEART BY MARIA K. ALEXANDER





Untangle My Heart
by Maria K. Alexander

GREAT NEWS! UNTANGLE MY HEART is FREE at Amazon during this tour!

In addition, Maria will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour!

UNTANGLE MY HEART Blurb:

When her marriage ended in tragedy, Kate DiFrancesco rebuilt her life, but has never gotten over the pain of what she lost. Seeking the help of an ex-lover ignites feelings she’s promised never to have again. She’ll need to untangle herself from dangers in her past in order to break the hard shell around her heart.

Edward Weston has a lot to prove, both to his stuffy upper-crust British family, and to himself. Working alongside Kate, a woman he had a casual relationship with, stirs unexpected feelings. Helping her family makes him realize what he's missing. For the first time, he wants more than a one-night stand.

When Kate is threatened, Edward must overcome feeling unworthy to protect the woman he loves and fight for the family he never thought he’d have.


FREE at Amazon 1/28 - 1/31 



UNTANGLE MY HEART Excerpt:

“Privacy is a hard thing to find around here, so you may want to lock the door. Especially when you’re wearing only a towel and my sister is on the prowl.”

“I’ll have to remember that,” Edward said, taking a step toward her. “I knew she was smitten, but didn’t think she would be waiting in the room after my shower. I was struggling with a tactful way of getting her out.”

“I’m sure you’re not accustomed to asking a woman to leave your room.”

He gave her an unapologetic grin. “No, usually not.”

“I guess it’s partly my fault. I told her I don’t have any claims to you. Apparently she took that to mean it was open season to pursue you.”

“Yet you stopped by. Why?”

“I wanted to thank you again for your help today. You dropped everything to come and help my family and that means a lot to me.”

He took another step toward her until he stood directly in front of her. “You mean a lot to me. I’d do anything I could to help you.”

She nodded in acknowledgement, not sure she could trust her voice to speak with him all but touching her.

“And you’re wrong about not having a claim on me.”

His hands found their way to her waist. Her heart thumped and she knew she should pull back, wanted to pull back. But his blue-gray eyes held her in a hypnotic state and she couldn’t move.

Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B00GVKRLOG


Maria K. Alexander, Author


A romantic at heart, Maria K. Alexander spent hours as a young girl getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. Books gave her the ability to go to another world where she loved meeting new characters, learning about their problems, and watching them fall in love.

Maria blogs and shares her writing journey with her critique partners at: http://thevioletfemmes.com.

When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.

 You can keep in touch with her at: http://mariakalexander.com.

Web Links


The Violet Femmes Blog: http://thevioletfemmes.com







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Monday, January 27, 2014

WELCOME M L RYAN AND SPECIAL ATTRACTION!



SPECIAL ATTRACTION Synopsis
The weirdness continues….

Thanks to a magical transplant from an inter-dimensional enforcer, Hailey Parrish can transform into a hawk. When someone begins dismembering hikers along the Appalachian Trail, the enforcers make use of her feathery talents to pursue the killer.  Unfortunately, like most things in Hailey’s life, there is nothing ordinary about the assignment.  Their target turns out to be maddeningly elusive, they rescue a stray dog that makes a sewage treatment plant seem pleasantly fragrant, and stopping the murders turns out to be the least of their worries.

SPECIAL ATTRACTION, the third book in the Coursodon Dimension series, combines paranormal romance, urban fantasy, a bit of science fiction and a healthy dose of quirky humor.



SPECIAL ATTRACTION Buy Links
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HBJ6340

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/388212

CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4574172
M.L. Ryan is a professional woman - which is not to say that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job that reflects her one-time reluctance to leave school and get "real" work – and she spends a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical material.

She has many stories rolling around in her head, and she finally decided to write some of them. She prefers literature that isn’t saddled with excruciating symbolism, ponderous dialogue or worldly implications. She also doesn’t like plots so reliant on love at first sight that it makes her feel like her head might implode.

She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and an adopted desert tortoise.

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Friday, January 24, 2014

GREG KIHN SHARES TALES OF ROCK AND ROLL CELEBRITIES IN RUBBER SOUL!




Rubber Soul



Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn


Greg Kihn is a rock star, seasoned radio host and author. Rubber Soul, his latest novel is inspired by intimate interviews that he conducted with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best, Yoko Ono and Patti Harrison. Though RUBBER SOUL is fiction, as Greg says it is “100% historically accurate” and a, Ringo Starr candid glimpse of the phenomenon that is The Beatles.


Rubber Soul is a an innovation in the Rock Thriller genre, taking readers on a rollicking ride through The Beatles legacy from the early days in Liverpool to six sold out shows per night in Hamburg and full-fledged Beatlemania.


Dust Bin Bob runs into some lads from Liverpool at his second hand shop on Penny Lane. The lads: John, Paul, George and Ringo and Dust Bin Bob become firm friends, sharing vinyl that will spark a revolution. Murder, mystery and Beatlemania mayhem ensues—with the boys narrowly avoiding an international incident and an attempted assassination. It’s the ultimate Beatles story that could have happened!




Praise

There’s no one more qualified to write a rock-and-roll novel than Greg Kihn. He’s the real deal and at his Kihntillating best in this book.” – Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist of Apple


Rubber Soul is a magical mystery tour de force by Greg Kihn, a rocker who obviously has a way with words as well as music. His imagined story about the Beatles is fast-moving, full of twists and tension, and musical nuggets and insights. Great story-telling set to a Fab-four beat.” – Ben Fong Torres


Rubber Soul captures what Rock-n-Roll is all about – and Greg Kihn would certainly know! This nearly-true story of the Beatles is pure magic and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” – Eddie Money


Greg Kihn is the most compelling author who ever had a top five singing career. Rubber Soul is a fantastic story by Greg, with an historical back beat. I urge you not to miss this.” – Joan Jett


“I’m happy to report that Rubber Soul, the latest work by my pal Greg Kihn, has correct punctuation, complete sentences, even full paragraphs – some of the exact same literary devices that can be found in the greatest novels our culture has ever produced! It’s also written in English, which happens to be one of my very favorite languages.” – “Weird Al” Yankovic


While the RIAA may not be able to certify Kihn’s work with a gold disc, fans of Kihn and The Beatles, as well as those who long for the simpler yet magical time of the 1960’s will thoroughly enjoy and fall in love with Rubber Soul. They certainly don’t write ‘em like this anymore.” – Chris Shapiro, RetroPulse



Rubber Soul Tour

greg

Author Greg Kihn


NBC called Greg Kihn “Rock’s True Renaissance Man” and for good reason. As part of the eponymous band he has: toured the globe, had hit records, been inducted into the San Jose Rock Hall Of Fame, opened for the Rolling Stones and jammed with Bruce Springsteen. You may have heard of his smash worldwide #1 hit “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song”, not to mention the parody written by Weird Al Yankovic.


Being a famous and successful rock star is only one part of the mosaic that is Greg’s story. In the 90s Greg poured his passion for lyrics into writing fiction—publishing four novels, one of which “Horror Show” was nominated for the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel.


In this vein, Greg merged his love of writing with Rock and Roll and wrote “Rubber Soul”—a unique rock murder mystery featuring The Beatles. The inspiration for this novel came from Greg’s interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best, Yoko Ono and Patti Harrison. In this way Greg gained exclusive access to the biggest band ever to exist. “Rubber Soul” is a work of fiction, but it is 100% historically accurate and a story that only rock veteran Greg Kihn could have written.



BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/10/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

LOVE SPELL BY STAN CROWE



Love spell tour




Love spell updated



Clint Christopherson’s love life is a running joke. When a crazed gypsy curses him with the best wish he could ever ask for, the punchline stops being funny. Now, even his barest touch drives girls mad for him. Desperate to reverse the curse, he turns to his last hope: an attractive private investigator who may be able to locate his missing gypsy. If only Clint knew who it was he just hired...


stan crowe
Author Stan Crowe

Stan had a pretty normal, middle-class American youth. He was lucky enough to change that by convincing an exceptional woman to marry him in 2000, setting him on a much more fulfilling life course.
Four years later, Brigham Young University awarded him with a Bachelors of Science in civil and environmental engineering. He then he spent several years designing homes, prescribing work for bridges, and even exploring the mortgage industry.

In the midst of all this, he produced two science fiction anthologies in 2006 and 2007. In 2012, Breezy Reads Publishing picked up his romantic comedy The Cinderella Project. And thus he transformed himself from Captain Kirk into Don Juan.

Stan lives with his wife, children (final count to be determined) and two cats in Utah.
Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/9/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or PayPal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

Sunday, January 19, 2014

SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME!

SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME

Ah, the meandering descriptions of the past. La la la, the breeze, the sky, the birds, the rippling brook. The sky was blue, the sky was cloudy, perhaps it would rain, it was a dark and stormy night. The family was impoverished, the family was wealthy and now impoverished, her dress was . . . you get the idea. Yawn.

If you read the classics or even many popular novels from the mid-20th century, you notice that usually considerable opening time is spent building the world. Descriptions of scenery, mood, and time period may be lengthy. Authors of old sometimes used pages to set up the book and characters. Personally, I like these wandering set ups, but will most of today’s readers tolerate them? No, no, no!

Today’s reader is too busy for such lengthy niceties. Television, cell phones, and the internet have taught us to expect instant gratification. We are busy, busy, busy! Most of us live at a hectic pace with little time to spare for relaxation. Grab us from the start with action and/or dialog or we close the book (or e-reader) and move on. So, today I’m talking about the importance of first lines. Here are three from  my published books:



“Sonofabitch! The bastards are burying me!”
Nate Bartholomew braced against the coffin sides and grappled the terror that pumped through him.

Do these lines draw the reader into the story for answers? I certainly hope so. Why is Nate in a coffin? Why is he being buried alive? I wanted to raise questions to tantalize the reader to keep reading. Does it work? I have to admit writing that activated my claustrophobia.


From THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, available from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/TEXANS-IRISH-BRIDE-McClintocks-ebook/dp/B008V1UG54/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1390181287&sr=1-7&keywords=caroline+clemmons, at Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/212689,  and other online stores and in the boxed set NINE WAYS TO FALL IN LOVE:

Dallas McClintock sprawled on the ground, three rifle barrels pointed at his chest. He reckoned his luck had run out, but damned if he knew why.

Again, I wanted to raise questions in the reader’s mind that he or she would insist on answering by continuing to read the story. Why had Dallas’ luck run out? Why was he on the ground? Who pointed rifles at him and why? Are you intrigued enough to keep reading? Again, I hope so.

 

and singly from Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/227618 
and in Audio Book from www.audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes.

Poison!
One question whirled through Hope Montoya’s mind: Who wants me dead?

Without a question to be answered, there is no reason for us as readers to continue unless we know the author and want to support a friend. If the first paragraph is dry and boring, we decide the rest of the book will follow that pattern, even though sometimes that’s incorrect. Occasionally a book gets off to a slow start, but becomes interesting later.

Who will read long enough to find out? Perhaps a reviewer, but not you or me. As the saying goes, “So many books, so little time.” And for most of us, our time is too precious to waste, isn’t it?

For this reason, first lines are the key to the rest of the book. They set the tone. Will this be an adventure, mystery, frightening ghost story, or searing romance? As you can tell from the lines above, my romances always include some form of mayhem. We live vicariously through the characters in books. Don’t we need an exciting time?

For my other releases, please see my author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1390181287&sr=1-2-ent


Happy reading. And I hope you’ll include my books in your reading.


Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

INTERVIEW WITH BABETTE JAMES

Please welcome Babette James to the blog. Babette, tell readers something about yourself.

Babette: I was born in New Jersey and raised in Southern California. I have one brother and he still lives in California with his family. I was the shy, nose-in-a-book kid, and even got in trouble for refusing to go to recess in Kindergarten because I wanted to read instead. We lived in a rural, hilly area outside of Malibu which was wonderful for hiking and playing and dreaming up adventures, and I loved going on camping trips to the mountains and to the Colorado River with my family. I moved back to New Jersey after college. I have a wonderfully patient husband who supports my writing and while, sadly, we were not blessed with children, we are owned by two extremely spoiled cats.

Caroline: We have children, but our two cats and dog believe they rule the house. Wait, they do. ☺ And you live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Babette: I have many favorite authors, but among my favorites are: J.R.R. Tolkien, Inez Kelley, Toni Blake, and Eloisa James. I love them all for their story-telling and vivid description. My favorite genres to read are romance and fantasy.

Caroline: When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

Babette: When not dreaming up stories, I enjoy reading stories with a satisfying happily ever after, playing with new bread recipes, dabbling with paints, and I try to keep up with the weeds in the garden beds.  I like to travel and I enjoy visiting my mom every summer in Florida. I hope to someday go to Ireland.

Caroline: Our favorite trips have been to Ireland and Scotland. I hope you can go soon. Describe yourself in three or four words.

Babette: Creative, quiet, curious.

Caroline: Would you like to share any guilty pleasures that feed your muse?

Babette: A spa day. I love getting a massage and pedicure and just totally relaxing.

Caroline: I’d love a massage right now! How long have you been writing?

Babette: I’ve been writing all my life and romance has played a part in all my stories, even in those childhood days, when I used to act out epic fantasy tales with my dolls (my Barbies had swords and knew how to use them) and scribble out bits of those stories, but it wasn’t until 2004 that I wrote my first full draft of romance novel.

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Babette: I write on laptops and occasionally on my phone. I’m lucky to have a room to myself for my office, with shelves for all my books, a big desk, and an old, soft upholstered chair that belonged to my grandmother in the corner, originally meant for me to curl up in and read, but that my cat Pookie keeps warm instead while I write at the desk. I arranged the desk so I face the bay window with a view of our maple tree and the sky, and in the summer, when the tree is green, I can imagine I’m in some retreat in the woods. I like to write with music playing and I make playlists for my different books.

Caroline: Your view sounds lovely. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Babette: I’m definitely a pantser, writing as the story hits me. I start with a scene and a character and the story grows like Topsy in every direction until I discover how it all works out. I do create an outline as I go deeper into the story to keep track of scenes and start to build the synopsis, but the story came first and outline second. I am trying to become more of a planner, marking out where I need story points to occur and building the outline as I go. I’m working on several novellas, and planning is coming in very handy as I learn to work in this shorter story form. I’m using Scrivener now and I really like how it works for organizing my story and helps me work more efficiently, while still letting me be fluid in my writing process.

Caroline: I’ve heard a lot about Scrivner but haven’t tried it. Do you do your research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?

Babette: Being a pantser, I have no idea where I’m going before I begin, so I do most of my research as I go along, and then at the end to clean up any last questions.

Caroline: Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?

Babette: I don’t have a strict schedule, but I like to write daily, early in the morning before work and in the evening. I usually write while in an online chat with my critique group and other writing friends. We’ll often do timed challenges to work on writing or editing and share snips of our work. This year I’m working on keeping to a daily word count goal. I’m finding it’s trickier than targeting a weekly or monthly goal amount, but I’ve met the goal more often than not so far.

Caroline: Goals keep us grounded and hold us accountable. Do you write full time or do you have a day job. If you have a day job, what is it?

Babette: I still have the day job. I’m a teacher. I love encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their growing abilities. My class cheers when it’s time for their spelling test!

Caroline: Tell us something about yourself that might surprise readers.

Babette: I’ve played with a tiger in my front yard. A friend of my dad’s had owned one, and he brought it over for us to see. It was not full grown yet, but it was very large, very soft, and bounded around the yard with us like a happy dog. (I have a feeling it considered my brother and I to be interesting new kitty toys)

Caroline: Interesting. A friend researched tigers for her novel and learned there are more tigers in captivity in Texas than free. What is something unusual you learned while researching and writing this book?

Babette: I needed to look up the history of baseball and was surprised to learn just how old of a game it was. The first known American reference to baseball appears in a 1791 Pittsfield, Massachusetts, town by law prohibiting the playing of the game near the town's new meeting house.

Caroline: Hmm, do you suppose a broken window caused that law to be written? What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Babette: I want my readers to have enjoyed the story. That to me is the most important part of storytelling. I loved writing and discovering my characters and I hope readers enjoy my hero and heroine’s journey to love as much as I do.

Caroline: What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Babette: My favorite tip is "Just write." Pour that story out and let your characters talk. Also, most importantly, never give up on your dreams.

Caroline: Tell us about your latest release.

Babette: SUMMERTIME DREAM is my new spicy contemporary romance novel from The Wild Rose Press, which is currently available on Kindle. This is the second novel in my River series, which began with CLEAR AS DAY. I had enjoyed writing Christopher and Margie as friends of my hero and heroine in CLEAR AS DAY, but they were already married and happily in love and I was busy working on the sequel to CLEAR AS DAY, where again they were only minor characters. I never intended to give them their own story or write a prequel. Best laid plans… I made the mistake of asking my characters how they met. My sweet happy couple had shadows in their pasts and problems to resolve before they reached their happily ever after. I absolutely loved writing their novel and watching the two learn what they needed in their lives as they dealt with the house, Margie’s family, the mystery of Christopher’s grandmother, and fell headlong into love.

Blurb for SUMMERTIME DREAM:

The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun.

An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk’s Bend. He’s carved a week from his demanding schedule to list his great-grandparents’ house for sale and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life— love.

A recent brush with death shook Margie’s life, but not her dreams and she’s ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn’t easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother’s mysterious past should be a harmless fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, how can her small town dreams work with his big city life?


Excerpt from SUMMERTIME DREAM:

Margie touched his shoulder and had him turn away from the mess to focus on the view toward the river.

Here the picturesque natural beauty of the property began: the land sloped gently down past the ancient summer house and purple martin houses to the reedy pond where a duck flew in and landed with a quack, and stretched on through weedy tangles of wild blackberry and rogue saplings to the ancient apple and plum trees sagging with unripe fruit, and beyond to the river invisible in the distance, marking where the Engberg’s farm began on the far bank.

Appreciation softened his tense face.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? I fell so in love with this place when I was little and dreamed I’d live in a house like this someday.” Margie laughed. “Of course, in my dreams it was a bit less rundown.”

“I’d imagine so. Interested in buying?”

“Oh, if only I could, I would in an instant. I’m sure the property alone is worth far more than I can afford. It’s a huge piece of land. And the repairs and restoration...” Longing swelled. She sighed. Someone else would buy and live in her dream home.

Quiet fell between them for a while. Bees buzzed in the clover. Birds sang, chirped, and flitted. A hummingbird whizzed past. Two more ducks joined the first amid quiet bickering quacks. Dandelion fluff drifted by on an unfelt breeze.

A truck rattled down the lane, breaking the moment.

“Suppose we ought to head back...” Christopher turned, so close their arms brushed, but instead of retreating, he hesitated. Their eyes locked. Where dismay and frustration had filled his green eyes, want simmered. The heavy air electrified.

You need a change.

On a surge of bewildering crazy courage, she stretched up and kissed him. The brief brush of lips to lips left her shaken and her heart pounding, like she had just come up for air.

His eyes widened in his serious, craggy face.

No, oh, no. Blowing out an unsteady breath, she pressed a hand to her stomach. She’d carried her day’s adventure one impetuous step too far. Her heroines were the daring part of her. She’d never even kissed on a first date before, and this wasn’t even a date.

Before the apology fluttering in her mind could break free, he cupped her cheek and touched his mouth down on hers.

Thinking faded as feeling soared. His gentle touch sweet and fascinating, his lips warm and firm played over hers, unhurried in his caresses and enticing brushes. He laced his fingers into her hair, cradling her head in his hand. He tenderly nipped her lip and licked at her mouth, inviting her rather than taking.

She sighed, delighting in this lovely, reckless rush. Yes. Yes. Yes. Forget that they had just met. She could want again.

Gripping his shoulder, she accepted the heady invitation, and the kiss deepened into perfect.

Come fall in love at the river:

Summertime Dream is available on Amazon: http://viewBook.at/SummertimeDream

“Summertime Dream is a perfect glass of Lemonade on a hot day. Simple, elegant and beautifully written. I enjoyed each scene. Loved the chemistry between the characters and the house. Great story!” ~ Deborah Diez

Clear As Day, (★★★★½ RT Book Reviews, ★★★★★ Top Pick The Romance Reviews) is available at:



And at all other eBook retailers

Babette James, Author


You can find Babette at:






Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B007KDJWV8



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Friday, January 10, 2014

TIME TRAPPED - A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL BY RICHARD UNGAR


time trapped tour


The high-octane sequel to TIME SNATCHERS.

Caleb thought he'd escaped Uncle's clutches and could have a normal life in 1968, but no such luck. After being forcibly returned to Timeless Treasures and his old job of stealing valuable objects from the past, he learns that things have gotten even more sinister. Training the new kidnapped recruits doesn't seem very important to Frank, Uncle's evil lackey, even though a few of these kids have amazing thieving skills and genius for new technology. But then Caleb figures out it's because Frank doesn't plan on keeping them around very long - or keeping them alive.

Stakes are high for all of the time snatchers. If only Caleb can convince the new ones to stop having fun with the technology and use it to save their own lives.


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TIME TRAPPED REVIEW 
by Bea Smith, Middle School Librarian
Fort Worth TX ISD

 TIME TRAPPED is the sequel to the well received YA book TIME SNATCHERS by Richard Ungar.

            Caleb is a likeable reluctant hero who genuinely cares for other people and is bothered by his role as a thief and a kidnapper. He just wants to lead a normal life. The main characters were well rounded. As with most tween and YA novels, they seemed to be older and more mature than their actual age. I liked that Caleb and his crew of time snatchers went to places with real historical figures. The scenes were described very well, and I hope that the historical allusions will spark an interest in history with the readers. Perhaps some of them will be motivated to find out more about the historical people and places Ungar mentions as the crew travels through time. Each chapter has a date and a setting so as not to become confusing to the reader.
            Suspense was well paced. When the recruits decided to try to escape, I couldn’t wait to see if they made it and how everything would possibly work out for everyone. The twist near the end came as a surprise, and I was impressed with the way Ungar managed to wrap up everything. 
TIME TRAPPED is clearly a sequel, not a stand-alone. I wanted to know more about how Caleb came to live with Uncle. That aspect of the book reminded me very much of Oliver Twist. Since the United States had been conquered by China, and New York was now called New Beijing, I wanted to know details about how this reality had come to be and how long it had been instead of just getting one or two sentences in passing. It did concern me a bit that not all the children escaped unharmed, but perhaps this aspect is a product of the post Hunger Games norm. I found that one of the characters, Razor, was too grating. Instead of an endearingly irresponsible and eccentric rebel, she was just obnoxious and I didn’t like how her actions put everyone else in danger.
            Overall, I definitely enjoyed TIME TRAPPED. It’s well paced and well written. I want to read TIME SNATCHERS now. I think the novel will appeal both to tweens and teens. It doesn’t contain anything that would be unsuitable for more advanced elementary readers but it’s long enough for middle schoolers. I would definitely put both books on the shelves of my middle school library. 


Praise for TIME TRAPPED
"Ungar’s follow-up to Time Snatchers (2012) offers more exceptionally good world building and character development—along with heaps of suspense..." - Booklist Online

"In the exciting follow-up to TIME SNATCHERS (Putnam, 2012), Caleb has been pulled back into Uncle’s band of time-travelling thieves—snatchers, as they call themselves. ...Readers of the first volume will certainly be interested in the continuing saga. Captivating characters, including a computer with human DNA convinced she is not a computer, and technological prodigies enhance the plot." - VOYA Magazine






EXCERPT - TIME TRAPPED

“Wait! What’s your name?” I call after her.

She’s going to disappear into the crowd. The beautiful girl with no name. And I’ll be left wondering . . . Or worse, she’ll say her name and I won’t hear it. Because the noise level in the hall is increasing and a hundred inane conversations are going on around me and despite strict orders from my brain, my ears are picking up random words like belch and freight train, and pumpkin, and I’m afraid that when she finally says her name, I’m going to hear mustard instead and then what will I do—

“It’s Abbie!” she calls out.

Abbie. I’ve got it. Abbie. Abbie. Abbie. Three times should do it. Just in case, I whip open my memory book to jot it down. A scrap of paper flutters out.

I pick it up and gaze at the big loopy letters. She gave me a note! I can’t believe it. I unfold the paper.

Meet me in the park at 4:00 P.M. We need to talk in private.

We do? A beautiful girl needs to talk to me. And not only does she want to talk to me, but in private too. My dreams are coming true. This is incredible. It can take years to get a note like this from a girl, and I’ve done it in just over thirty minutes. A school record. Heck, maybe even a state record. My picture is going to be in Sports Illustrated. Right next to the girl who shot three holes in one during her sophomore year.

I look up to see if I can spot her. But Abbie is gone.


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Author Richard Ungar


I was born in Montreal, Quebec. When I was young I wanted to be either an artist or a lawyer when I grew up. Now that I am almost grown up I still can't decide between the two. So I do both.

I also like to write and began writing stories to have something to go with my pictures. But now I just write…even without pictures.

Three of my four picture books (the “Rachel” series) take place in the mythic village of Chelm. Once you have visited Chelm, it is very hard to leave. You see, the people there are very silly. And, when you spend half your day being a serious lawyer, silliness is welcome.

I’m very excited about my latest project. It’s a middle grade science fiction/time travel adventure series, published by G.P Putnam’s Sons. The first novel in the series, published in 2012, is called TIME SNATCHERS and the sequel, published on September 26, 2013, is called TIME TRAPPED.

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of time travel and I wanted to write about it. In its earliest stages, TIME SNATCHERS started as a writing exercise in one of Peter Carver’s writing classes. The exercise was to write a story based on one of the images in Chris Van Allsburg’s picture book, THE MYSTERIES OF HARRIS BURDICK. I chose the picture called “Another Place, Another Time” showing children riding a sail-propelled handcar along a railway track that seemed to go on forever. For whatever reason, that picture screamed “Time Travel” to me.

I did quite a bit of historical research for both my middle grade books which was a lot of fun. In researching TIME SNATCHERS I learned a lot about ancient China, including how to fire porcelain in a kiln. For TIME TRAPPED, a trip to Scotland in 2012, taught me much about Scottish history, people and customs that I wove into my novel.

I’ve been asked which I like better – painting or writing. That is a tough question to answer. They are both important to me and I derive different but equal amounts of satisfaction from both. I have many ideas in my head for future picture books as well as novels.

The other thing I love to do is present my books to children, including doing storytellings. I’ve made author visits to most of the major cities in Canada and have also done readings in New York City, Tucson, Arizona and Shanghai, China. Connecting with my readers is one of the things I love most most about being a children’s author.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Published Works

TIME TRAPPED, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2013)
TIME SNATCHERS, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2012
EVEN HIGHER, Tundra Books, 2007
RACHEL'S LIBRARY, Tundra Books, 2004
RACHEL'S GIFT, Tundra Books, 2003
RACHEL CAPTURES THE MOON, Tundra Books, 2001

Honours and Awards
• 2013 One of the Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College, New York for TIME SNATCHERS
• 2012 Year’s Best, Resource Links Magazine for TIME SNATCHERS
• 2012 Booklist, Starred Review for TIME SNATCHERS
• 2009 Storytellers World Resource Award for EVEN HIGHER
• 2007 National Jewish Book Award for EVEN HIGHER
• 2007 Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice Selection for EVEN HIGHER
• 2004 Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice Selection for RACHEL'S LIBRARY
• 2003 Notable Book for Younger Readers (Association of Jewish Libraries) for RACHEL'S GIFT
• 2003 Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice Selection for RACHEL'S GIFT
• 2002 Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice selection for RACHEL CAPTURES THE MOON
• 2001 Notable Book for Younger Readers (Association of Jewish Libraries) for RACHEL CAPTURES THE MOON
• 2001 One of the Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College, New York for RACHEL CAPTURES THE MOON

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