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July 31, 2010

Read-A-Thon Updates for Saturday

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4:30pm est:  Got a late start today :(   Real life interfered.  What's the saying about best laid plans?  Am usually up by 5:30am, but for some reason, woke up later than usual. I know with me, when that happens, it throws me off kilter.  Does that happen to you too?  Felt that the day was already 1/2 gone.  Physical therapy session from yesterday was rescheduled for this morning, so I lost 90 min. there.  I just finished Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas and will be starting The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain shortly.  However, we have a scheduled appointment later on with a certified rug installer to inspect the substandard installation from a national rug company back in March, because of damage that was caused due to flooding after days of heavy rain, and a "state of emergency" was issued.  I plan on blogging about this at a later date to spare even one person the aggravation we have gone through. 
How is your Saturday?  Did you sign up to participate in the Read-A-Thon?   Will be posting another update later on today.  Happy Reading!!
9pm est Update:  Results from carpet inspector is what we thought...and we aren't too happy but that is for another day.  I started The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain and from what I have read so far,  it is a good one.  Pulled me in with the 2 page Prologue.  Remaining night's plan...getting comfortable and continue reading.  Next update will be tomorrow morning.  Have a good night all !! 

News about my favorite debut authors (1 of 3)

SATURDAY
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Did you get a chance to see the scoop I got on a Bestselling Author, it was posted yesterday.  Mr. Zandri is my favorite Thriller Debut Author for the year.  But he has been very busy and can't be considered a "debut author" anymore, since he is on the Kindle Bestsellers List.  Check it out because this weekend Vincent Zandri, author of Moonlight Falls, his newest novel The Remains and his just released Digital Mini, Pathological will be checking in all weekend to answer any questions you have or to reply to your comments.  So come on in and join the fun !!!!!  Click on titles to get great prices for EReader editions.



And there is news, that I want to share about my other favorite debut author of Romantic Suspense, Mr. Bill Walker.  I read and reviewed his novel,  A Note from an Old Acquaintance, back on February 10th and loved it!!!  It was the kind of book where the reader gets lost in the story and befriends the characters who seem life like.  He was a "Guest Author" on March 3rd of this year while on his virtual tour with Pump Up Your Book.  If you have an EReader you are in luck.  The price for an EReader edition is only $4.99 !!!!  Read my review, click on title and then head on over to Amazon to get your copy!!!



DISCLAIMER:  I am not affiliated with Amazon in any way.  I just wanted to share this news with my followers/visitors, to let them know about these very talented and exceptional authors, and get some great books at a low and affordable price !!!!!



A Bit Of Me (2 of 3)

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Hosted by Danielle at There's A Book
From her blog:
We all leave our “footprint” on the world, in one way or another. We each, individually, do something or are someone that makes the world a little better just by being here. I created this weekly meme to get to know the blogging community I love just a bit better. To know what makes them tick, outside of books, that is. Each week I will post a question to be answered in the following week’s “A Bit of Me(Me)”. Check back each Saturday to get the info for next week’s post and link up with your current post right here.
Today's Topic:
This Weeks Question: Your absolute greatest phobia.
A Bit Of Me:
I have 2....snakes and heights.    I can't even look at snakes on the tv.  While on vacation many years ago, we went to an exhibit, not knowing what was to come.  And then there was a warning to stay seated.  And out comes an Anaconda that was 18 ft long.  I was surprised I didn't faint.  But my eyes were shut tight and my heart was pounding.  The other phobia is heights.  I have trouble getting on tall ladders lol.  While on a cruise, I never got close to the rail on the top deck because of my fear.
Now you know a little bit more about me.  What is your absolute phobia?

July Monthly Wrap-Up (3 of 3)

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Another month has flown by.  Can't believe we are heading into August.  Won't be long now for the retail stores will be decorating for Christmas (it seems to me that it gets done earlier each year).  I am pleased with my progress this month and my goal for August is to do the same or better.  As for challenges, not so good.  Back in Nov/Dec 2009, I signed up for many challenges being that this would be my first year participating.  I really thought I could get the majority completed, thinking that review requests would be far and few between.  I was mistaken but in a good way.  I have quite a few books in my "TBR Review Schedule" as you can see on my right sidebar and plan on cutting back a bit for the rest of the year until I get caught up.  I am amazed and never thought my blog would reach the level it has in 8 months, but enjoying every minute of it.  So on to the numbers:
READ:
Returning Injury by Becky Due  (Rating: 2)
Through Hazel Eyes by Heather Hummel  (Rating: 3)
Muffins & Mayhem by Suzanne Beecher (Rating: 5)
Living In The Hope Of My Imagination by William D. Simpson  (Rating: 2)
Finding Marco by Kenneth C. Cancellara  (Rating: 1)
Damaged by Pamela Callow  (Rating: 4)
Sidney Sheldon's Mistress Of The Game by Tilly Bagshawe  (Rating: 4)
Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy  (Rating: 4)
Revenge Served Cold by Jackie Fullerton  (Rating: 2)
Sweet Dreams, Miss England by Iris Blobel  (Rating:  4)
CHALLENGES:
Lisa Jackson  5/5
Awesome Author  0/3
RYOB  1/10
Romance  3/3
EBook  1/6
Reading from my Shelves 20/20
Thrillers/Suspense  12/12
Books Won  1/6
100+  39/100
FOMA 37/?
Buck A Book  39/100
Reagan Arthur 2/ongoing
50+  27/50
Summer Reading  11/12

Thoughts/Question for 2011: 
The 50+ Challenge was created by Reading By Sea blog.  However, last month she announced that she was leaving the book blogging community.  I was excited when I originally saw this challenge because even though I signed up for the 100+ Challenge, I knew that it would be out of my range.  So I am wondering if I should offer it for 2011 but not sure how to go about it...setting up a challenge, place for postings, place for reviews, challenge button, etc etc. 

What do you think?  Would you be interested?  Anyone want to assist me to become a host and get me started?  Or have you heard that another blog will be hosting?  I will be discussing this again for Slapdash Sunday but thought I would throw it out there today.

July 30, 2010

48 hour Read-A-Thon

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48 Hour Read-A-Thon hosted by Unputdownables

I found out about the Read-A-Thon late this afternoon via ExLibris' Blog and signed up.  I need an incentive to do nothing but read.  So am telling family that I am unavailable (they will probably be happy lol) and will be starting as soon as I publish this post.  And am hoping that the weather is nice this weekend because my plan is to sit by the pool and/or get on my float, with my book and an iced coffee and read.  I want to finish my current read and on to the next, and maybe even finishing that one.  So the books I will be working on are:

And if I am lucky and "real life" doesn't interfere, my next book will be:
So if I am a silent blogger this weekend, you will know why.  Want to join in.  Link provided above.  Wish me luck !!!!  Toodles....I am off to read........


Scoop on Bestselling Author (1 of 3) P.S. Check out what is happening this weekend...at bottom of post!!!


If you follow my blog, you know that I think this author is great and over the top talented.   I have even compared his works to James Patterson.   I reviewed his novel Moonlight Falls, (05/25/10) which I couldn't put down, and hosted a Guest Author  (05/10/10) posting through Pump Up Your Book.   Mr. Zandri has been a frequent visitor of my blog.   He generously gave his time one Sunday for a LIVE chat.   Recently I hosted a Guest Author (07/12/10) for his newest book, The Remains, which is currently in the Top Ten "Amazon Hot New Release".   Vin has been very busy, touring for The Remains and he also just released a "Digital Short", entitled Pathological, also available on Amazon.   Can you keep a secret?  Shhhhhh...another scoop....there is a lot more to come!!!  He is on a roll!!!!  
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Author quote for Pathological:
"Stone House and its new imprint Stone Gate want to do ten stories in all over the course of about a year, then collect them and publish them as a book. I'm really excited about the emergence of the Digital Short."
The Birth of the Mighty Digital Short
By Vincent Zandri
The new digital publishing age has brought a lot of great things to both readers and writers. Affordable books, Kindle downloads, E-Reader downloads, virtual tours, book trailers, mommy blogs, and most of all, a new selection of brand new writers who, had they been left to suck up to the mighty New York big six, might wallow in obscurity and rejection for the rest of their productive lives.

The new digital publishing model has changed all that. It’s allowed writers who have been constantly rejected from New York as being “unmarketable” to now earn an audience. A global audience. It’s also helped writers like me who have previously been published by major New York publishers but who didn’t earn our a mid-six-figure advance, to once again enter into the game, but this time with books that will remain in print and in electronic form, forever and ever.

But the digital age has also offered us something more. Something very mighty, yet at the same time, very small in length. I’m talking about the Digital Short. Known to most of us as the plain old short story, the Digital Short is more than that. Written to read like a short novel or novelette, the DS is published by your traditional book publisher with its own striking cover, and alluring product description. When you go to Amazon.com to checkout a new DS for the first time, you feel like you’re looking at brand new, novel- length book. But in reality, the story might comprise 5000 words or even less.

Unlike traditional short stories, the Digital Short, as it’s name implies, will never see print. It will however be made available to legions of fans who either already by that author’s books or who are curious about that author and want to get a taste of his or her work without spending too much money. Speaking of money, the beauty of the DS is that it costs less than a buck. For less than a small, rancid cup of coffee at your average roadside gas station you can enjoy a lifetime of reading and viewing pleasure from a Digital Short. All you get from the pricier cup of coffee is heartburn.

My new Digital Short, Pathological, published by Stone House Ink, is actually adopted from a crime short that was previously published it two literary journals. It’s not only mean to keep my faithful readers happy but it’s also used as a marketing tool to lure more readers to my full-length fiction. And the story seems to be popular. After only one day on Amazon and Smashwords, Pathological, is already approaching bestselling numbers. It is solidly propping up my brand new bestselling thriller, The Remains, and will continue to do so for months, up until and including the novel’s Trade Paperback publication and audio publication come this November.

So, what are the four main ingredients to a successful Digital Short?
Just like a full-length novel it requires:
  -A striking cover
  -A great price
  -A catchy but brief product description
  -A great, great, great story

Both me and my publisher plan on digitizing more of my short fiction and creating a series of Digital Shorts. When we have published ten of them, we’ll put them together in a full-length publication that will be as striking as the original, individual stories themselves.

The price will be right, the cover will rock, and the product description will make you want to die before not buying the book.

And of course, the stories will be great!
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Pathological:
http://www.amazon.com/Pathological-ebook/dp/B003XIJ5CA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1280432244&sr=1-4

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The Remains:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Remains-ebook/dp/B003TSEN0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1280432286&sr=1-1

If you like heart pounding, page turning, can't put down, read late into the night thrillers, mysteries and suspense, then check out these 3 reads, I promise, you won't be disappointed!!!!!

***I just got the word......the very busy, Vin Zandri, has generously offered to stop by all weekend to answer any questions you may have or reply to any comments.  So grab a seat, get comfy and ask away !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ***

Aloha Friday ( 2 of 3)

FRIDAY
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Hosted by An Island Life
From An Island Life:
    In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
   If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!
My Question?
On Wednesday my mom celebrated her 89th birthday!! 
 So my question is:  How do you celebrate your birthday?
My Answer:
On my 29th, 34th, 42, 49,  birthday, hubby and I usually go out to eat with
 our 2 sons and their gfs, and then stop some where for an after dinner drink. 
   And hubby always surprises me with a great gift!!  


Friday Book Blog Hop (3 of 3)

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS 

   In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!
   The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!
   Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.
   If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!
This week's twist:
To answer the weekly question, my favorite new-to-me author is actually a debut author whose first novel I couldn't put down.  It was phenomenal!!!  And ironically, today I am hosting him as a "Guest Author" (see post 1 of 3) and the above post is an early exclusive!!!  The author is, Vincent Zandri, and if you like thrillers, than you are in for a treat when you read his books!!  I was introduced to him in May when I read and reviewed Moonlight Falls. (all links in Post #1) and have been a fan since.

July 29, 2010

Review "Sweet Dreams, Miss England" (1 of 2)

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Sweet Dreams, Miss England by Iris Blobel
ISBN 978-0-646-51737-7
At the request of the author, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (from back of book): She could still hear Daniel's grandmother saying, "Sometimes we meet people but not to share the rest of our lives with them, but merely for them to guide us onto a different path".
  Set in London and Dublin we follow the life of Nicky, a young mother of two who is married to Shane, an actor whose work requires him to be in Los Angeles. When Nicky meets Daniel, a fun-loving, spontaneous man from Ireland, she realizes how much joy and passion are missing from her marriage, and consequently her life. Nicky is torn between her marriage to Shane and her love for this Irish charmer.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: After finishing and digesting this book, I sit here very torn. I will try to write this review solely on the book and not the interjection of my beliefs. I will, however, say that I do not condone the main character, Nicky's, actions. I found it very hard to relate with the character Nicky because of the story line but once I took a step back and analyzed just "the book", I could see that she did have some good qualities. The author's writing style quite surprised me as a debut author. She wrote this story with a fluid, flowing and detailed account of the plot. The narrative, characters, emotions and descriptions of the settings were written in such a seasoned style that her words were conveyed with the ability to form vivid imagery. The relationships between characters profound and meaningful on many levels . I thought that this would be another typical love story and would know the ending, but, the author delivered an unexpected twist which left me with thought provoking questions. (I will not include spoilers in this review). Overall, a very well written novel from a very talented writer.
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DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold...they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.


Booking Through Thursday (2 of 2)

THURSDAY
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Today's Question:
Which fictional character (or group of characters) would you like to spend a day at the beach with? Why would he/she/they make good beach buddies?
My Answer:
Great question!!!  I recently read and reviewed (06/16/10) Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer.  For those who haven't read the book or the reviews, it is about 3 sisters who go home, to Nantucket, one summer to deal with past and present issues in their lives.  The "sisters" came to life on the pages to the point that I felt I knew them.  Even though each one had their quirks and problems, they were also fun loving.  And the descriptions of Nantucket, beautiful, whereas I could picture the island that I have always wanted to visit.  So my beach buddies would be the Fox sisters, Abbie, Emma and Lily and it would have to be on the quaint island of Nantucket!


July 28, 2010

And the winners of "The Nobodies Album" are............

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Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
23
3
Timestamp: 2010-07-28 22:06:13 UTC

Nancye said... 23 I am a brand new follower. I am glad I found this blog!
Bookventures said... 3 Cheryl, I would love to win this one. I am an old follower
Emails have been sent and winners have 48 hrs to respond with their mailing addresses or another winner(s) will be chosen.








Giveaway "New Tricks" by David Rosenfelt

NEW TRICKS
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by David Rosenfelt

 July 28th to August 4th

New Tricks Synopsis:
Attorney Andy Carpenter is about to represent an adorable Bernese mountain dog puppy, whose owner was brutally murdered, in a custody fight. Few can rival Andy's affection for dogs, and he's determined to keep Waggy from falling into the wrong hands. But this playful pup possesses a valuable secret that some people will resort to violence to obtain. It will take more than Andy's usual courtroom theatrics to save Waggy, including help from the lawyer's golden retriever, Tara. Andy soon discovers that everyone around him is in danger, including his longtime girlfriend, Laurie--and only some high-risk new tricks will save those he cherishes most.
THANKS TO VALERIE AND THE AWESOME
PEOPLE AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP
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I HAVE 3 (THREE) COPIES OF
THIS GREAT BOOK TO GIVE AWAY!

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE


W.W.W. Wednesday (2 of 2)

WEDNESDAY
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Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading
**What Are you currently reading? 
**What did you recently finish reading?

**What do you think you’ll read next?


July 27, 2010

Guest Author Claire Cook

On her many stops on her virtual tour, author Claire Cook, is visiting here today. Please help me welcome her and take a minute to read about her new book Seven Year Switch that is getting rave reviews.
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About Claire Cook
  Claire Cook is the bestselling author of seven novels, including Must Love Dogs, which was adapted into a Warner Bros. movie starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, The Wildwater Walking Club, Life’s a Beach, and her latest, Seven Year Switch. Her reinvention workshops have been featured on The Today Show, and she has been a judge for the Thurber Humor Prize and the Family Circle fiction contest. Her books have been featured on Good Morning America and in People, Good Housekeeping, Redbook and more. She has two kids, seven brothers and sisters, and one husband. She lives in Scituate, MA.
  Visit her website and find reinvention and writing tips at http://www.ClaireCook.com. Find her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/ClaireCookbooks/. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ClaireCookbooks/.
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About Seven Year Switch
  Jill Murray is content living a man-free existence. She’s got Anastasia, her ten-year-old daughter, and a sweet little bungalow to call home. Life as a cultural coach didn’t turn out quite the way she planned, but between answering phones for Great Girlfriend Getaways and teaching Lunch Around the World classes, the dust in this Jill-of-all-trades life is starting to settle.
  Then her ex-husband comes back.
  They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, and Jill has long ago stopped wishing her deadbeat husband would return. Now she has to face the fact there’s simply no way she can be a good mom without letting Seth back into their daughter’s life. But why can’t she seem to hold herself together around him? And then there’s Billy, the free-spirited, bike-riding entrepreneur who hires Jill as a consultant. When their business relationship seems destined for something more Jill’s no-boys-allowed life is suddenly anything but.
  It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help Jill make her choice — between the woman she is and the woman she wants to be. It’s a wild ride, sure to thrill Claire Cook’s many fans, complete with laughter, revelations, and one heckuva big tarantula.
Read the Excerpt!

Chapter One


I sailed into the community center just in time to take my Lunch Around the World class to China. I hated to be late, but my daughter Anastasia had forgotten part of her school project.

“Oh, honey,” I’d said when she called from the school office. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow? I’m just leaving for work.” I tried not to wallow in it, but sometimes the logistics of being a single mom were pretty exhausting.

“Mom,” she whispered, “it’s a diorama of a cow’s habitat, and I forgot the cow.”

I remembered seeing the small plastic cow grazing next to Anastasia’s cereal bowl at breakfast, but how it had meandered into the dishwasher was anyone’s guess. I gave it a quick rinse under the faucet and let it air dry on the ride to school. From there I high-tailed it to the community center.

Though it wasn’t the most challenging part of my work week, this Monday noon to two o’clock class got me home before my daughter, which in the dictionary of my life, made it the best kind of gig. Sometimes I even had time for a cup of tea before her school bus came rolling down the street. Who knew a cup of tea could be the most decadent part of your day.

I plopped my supplies on the kitchen counter and jumped right in “In Chinese cooking, it’s important to balance colors as well as contrasts in tastes and textures.”

“Take a deep breath, honey,” one of my favorite students said. Her name was Ethel and she had bright orange lips and I Love Lucy hair. “We’re not going anywhere.”

A man with white hair and matching eyebrows started singing “On a Slow Boat to China.” A couple of the women giggled. I took that deep breath.

“Yum cha is one of the best ways to experience this,” I continued. “Literally yum cha means “drinking tea,” but it actually encompasses both the tea drinking and the eating of dim sum, a wide range of light dishes served in small portions.”

“Yum-yum,” a man named Tom said. His thick glasses were smudged with fingerprints, and he was wearing a T-shirt that said Tune in Tomorrow for a Different Shirt

“Let’s hope,” I said. “In any case, dim sum has many translations: ‘small eats,’ of course, but also ‘heart’s delight,’ ‘to touch your heart,’ and even ‘small piece of heart.’ I’ve often wondered if Janis Joplin decided to sing the song she made famous after a dim sum experience.”

Last night when I was planning my lesson, this had seemed like a brilliant and totally original cross-cultural connection, but everybody just nodded politely.

We made dumplings and pot stickers and mini spring rolls, and then we moved on to fortune cookies. Custard tarts or even mango pudding would have been more culturally accurate, but fortune cookies were always a crowd pleaser. I explained that the crispy, sage-laced cookies had actually been invented in San Francisco, and tried to justify my choice by adding that the original inspiration for fortune cookies possibly dated back to the thirteenth century, when Chinese soldiers slipped rice paper messages into mooncakes to help coordinate their defense against Mongolian invaders.

Last night Anastasia had helped me cut small strips of white paper to write the fortunes on. And because the cookies had to be wrapped around the paper as soon as they came out of the oven while they were still pliable, I’d bought packages of white cotton gloves at CVS and handed out one to each person. The single gloves kept the students’ hands from burning and were less awkward than potholders would have been.

They also made the class look like aging Michael Jackson impersonators. A couple of the women started to sing “Beat It” while they stirred the batter, and then everybody else joined in. There wasn’t a decent singer in the group, but some of them could still remember how to moonwalk.

After we finished packing up some to take home, we’d each placed one of our cookies in a big bamboo salad bowl. There’d been more giggling as we passed the bowl around the long, wobbly wooden table and took turns choosing a cookie and reading the fortune, written by an anonymous classmate, out loud.

“The time is right to make new friends.”

“A great adventure is in your near future.”

“A tall dark-haired man will come into your life.”

“You will step on the soil of many countries, so don’t forget to pack clean socks.”

“The one you love is closer than you think,” Ethel read. Her black velour sweat suit was dusted with flour.

“Oo-ooh,” the two friends taking the class with her said. One of them elbowed her.

The fortune cookies were a hit. So what if my students seemed more interested in the food than its cultural origins. I wondered if they’d still have signed up if I’d shortened the name of the class from Lunch Around the World to just plain Lunch. My class had been growing all session, and not a single person had asked for a refund. In this economy, everybody was cutting everything, and even community center classes weren’t immune. The best way to stay off the chopping block was to keep your classes full and your students happy.

I reached over and picked up the final fortune cookie, then looked at my watch. “Oops,” I said. “Looks like we’re out of time.” I stood and smiled at the group. “Okay, everybody, that’s it for today.” I nodded at the takeout cartons I’d talked the guy at the Imperial Dragon into donating to the cause. “Don’t forget your cookies, and remember, next week we’ll be lunching in Mexico.” I took care to pronounce it Mehico.

“Tacos?” T-shirt Tom asked.

“You’ll have to wait and see-eee,” I said, mostly because I hadn’t begun to think about next week. Surviving this one was enough of a challenge.

“Not even a hint?” a woman named Donna said.

I shook my head and smiled some more.

They took their time saying thanks and see you next week, as they grabbed their takeout boxes by the metal handles and headed out the door. A few even offered to help me pack up, but I said I was all set. It was faster to do it myself.

As I gave the counters a final scrub, I reviewed today’s class in my head. Overall, I thought it had gone well, but I still didn’t understand why the Janis Joplin reference had fallen flat.

I put the sponge down, picked up a wooden spoon, and got ready to belt out “Piece of My Heart.”

When I opened my mouth, a chill danced the full length of my spine. I looked up. A man was standing just outside the doorway. He had dark, wavy hair cascading almost to his shoulders and pale, freckled skin. He was tall and a little too thin. His long fingers gripped the doorframe, as if a strong wind might blow him back down the hallway.

He was wearing faded jeans and the deep green embroidered Guatemalan shirt I’d given my husband just before he abandoned us seven years ago.
No. Way.

Excerpted from Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook.
Copyright © 2010 CLAIRE COOK. All rights reserved.
Published by VOICE, an imprint of Hyperion.
Watch the trailer

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Thank you Ms. Cook for stopping by.  My review for Seven Year Switch will be posted in the coming weeks.

Teaser Tuesday (2 of 2)

TUESDAY
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Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My Teaser:
Nicky grew nervous, remembering her promise to Jamie that she wouldn't do anything foolish.
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page 66


July 26, 2010

Review "Revenge Served Cold" by Jackie Fullerton

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Revenge Served Cold by Jackie Fullerton
Published by Thomas House Publishing
ISBN 13: 978-0-9843815-0-0
ISBN 10: 0-9843815-0-3
At the request of The Cadence Group, an ARC PB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (back of book): Kathy Spence awakens in the middle of the night and finds herself in a living nightmare. Her husband has been run down and she is the primary suspect. With an eyewitness to the crime and proof that her car was the murder weapon, it appears to be an open-and-shut case.
  Terrified for her future, Kathy turns to amateur sleuth, Anne Marshall, for help. Believing in Kathy's innocence, Anne launches her own investigation, uncovering proof of a conspiracy that reaches from Kathy's past and threatens her own life.
  In a race against time, Anne must count on her close friends and even the ghost of her father to help her bring a killer to justice before it's too late.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: In my opinion, and my opinion only, this was a light cozy mystery. The story line reminded me of a smaller version of the movie Ghost. At times the suspense grabbed and held me but then at other times it was quite predictable. I thought that the dialogue was simplistic. I also found that the characters were hard to relate to due to the lack of realism, which consisted of the main character, Anne, a court reporter and law student, and the ghost of her father who shows up to help solve a crime. On the same note of being unrealistic, Anne figures out, hunts down the murderer, finds witnesses, and assists the local law enforcement, whereas the police are depicted as incompetent at a basic level. Overall it was an easy read. Ms. Fullerton was a "Guest Author" on July 20th.
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DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold...they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.


Musing Monday (1 of 3)

MONDAY
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Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading
Today's Topic:
Do you review books? If so, for who?  If not, have you ever thought about doing so? Why, or why not?
My Response:
I started  officially accepting " requested review books" in December, which is when I made my blog public, after the encouragement of some fellow bloggers, and I consider will be my "anniversary".  Before that my blog was used as a "personal review" of books I had read and to participate in challenges and memes.  I originally thought that "review requests" would be far and few between.  I was wrong.  Since then I have developed working relationships with quite a few publishers, authors and agents.  I am reluctant to start naming them in case I miss a few but am totally amazed at how many there are.  I never thought my blog would reach that kind of level.  I am also, pleasantly surprised, when an independent agent or author contacts me regarding a book, it's a hmmmm moment as to how they found me.  Reviewing and blogging have become a huge part of my life, which I thoroughly enjoy!!  

Mailbox Monday / Ad (2 of 3)

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Hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page
Mailbox Monday is one of my favorite memes.  I love visiting other blogs to see what they received in their mailbox, if they got some of the same books as me and to see what books they now added to their tbr pile.  Since I started accepting requests to review, I don't think my mailbox is big enough to hold all the books that get delivered, as you will see, so have been contemplating buying a bigger  mailbox, to hold all the great books that I receive.
07/ 19  Monday
                                        (Best sellersworld)         (Gallery/Pocket Books)
                                            
07/20  Tues
       (Doubleday)        
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07/23 Fri
(Book swap with Julie from Reading Without Restraint)