America the Beautiful

America the Beautiful

On this holiday, I find myself reflecting on a bevy of things: choices, experiences, failures, success, goals, summer leisure, etc. And I know the only reason I’m able to live the life I live is because I live in the greatest country in the world! Don’t get me wrong, I have severe qualms about the current administration and the direction of society, but today isn’t about that. It’s about a desire for freedom so strong it spouted a country. A desire for freedom so great, our forefathers stood up to a tyrannical administration centuries ago. Freedom our brave soldiers have fought and died to maintain. Freedom the courageous men and women of our military willingly risk their lives every day to protect.

So what does that mean in 2014? People have the freedom to choose a life, any life they want. It’s a truly beautiful thing. In the USA, you really can be anything you want, IF (this is a BIG ASS IF) you work hard enough. Now, that is not to say everyone who works hard will succeed, and I think this misnomer has brought about confusion and spouted a disgusting sense of entitlement. There will be times, you may work incredibly hard, and still fail.  Think about our forefathers’ fight. No one handed this country over to them. It cost blood, sweat and tears, intermingled with strategies, failures and successes. Failure doesn’t necessarily mean the desired goal isn’t attainable; it just means it’s going to be complicated to achieve. It may take multiple attempts again each time growing and learning more. Think of it as success preparation. Achieving success is all about the willingness to persevere; to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again, and again, and again as many times as needed.

So what is success? How will I know I’ve become successful? The idea of success, for each individual, can (and should) be different, because we are all unique individuals. Even the most basic forms happiness and success (money, love, family, power, peace, etc) come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Personally, there are days when success is not being an asshole or punching anyone in the face. Most of the time, I’m successful, and I haven’t had to punch anyone yet! In all seriousness, the freedom to choose my own form of happiness and success allows me to adapt and grow.

America the Beautiful, where reaching your desired success is possible. It all depends on your level of commitment. America the Beautiful, where you are free to grow, change, learn, adapt, succeed, fail, love, laugh, live. America the Beautiful, the greatest country in the world!

HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!

Latest Reads: 3 INDIE and 2 BIG PRESS

Latest Reads: 3 INDIE and 2 BIG PRESS

This summer kicked off with a bang! Thankfully, so has the writing! Three weeks into summer, I have a 16,000 word count total, bringing the next Ruby Hood (The Twistedly True Guardian Tale) to a whopping 28,000 words. In this sequel, Snow White’s soul has just been stolen, the witch wants the diamonds to change the past, Robin Hood thinks he’s a Guardian, and now I need to bring Kent and Kayla back from Africa with their uncle to wrap-up this story. THEN, I will go back and add my details/descriptions, and make sure I’m showing not telling (a weakness for me, but I’m improving). However, there are some days my prolific nature eludes me and I have to write words like DESCRIBE in the middle of a page to remind me to come back to that particular moment/event in the story. At those moments, I just couldn’t envision my description, but I needed to continue move the story forward, so I leave my reminder!

Writing has been quite enjoyable lately, and I’ve become consumed by this story. I’m very excited about the next phase in Ruby Hood’s life. She’s growing up, changing and learning about herself, as young woman and as a Guardian. I like to think I’m also growing as a writer (yes, I see the parallels). I’ve learned so very much since I wrote my first story, which incidentally is a HOT ASS unpublished MESS, BUT it was the catalyst that propelled me to this point, along with so many other amazing experiences and supportive people in my life. Believe me, I truly understand how incredibly blessed I am! There aren’t many people who get to spend the majority of their days doing things they love, which of course always includes reading, and the original purpose of this rambling blog: Latest Reads.

In this edition, I have three INDIE books and two BIG PRESS books. Incidentally, two of the INDIE books are zombie books, and both are pretty good! (Just between you and me, I don’t really feel the love for zombies…they freak me out…just a personal thing, but I like to stay on top of current reading trends, and zombies are trending.) In fact, every book kept me guessing and I like that in a story; plus there were some very original storylines. Please read on and enjoy my thoughts on these five ‘latest reads’.

INDIE

Tonight the World Dies by Amber White

In this zombie apocalyptic novel, four friends survive an earth-shattering virus, only to scramble for food shelter and escape zombie attacks. Eventually, they meet a small group living in a compound, and they decided to try out a more stable life. And that’s about the time things go from bad to worse for these friends, all with a dramatic end. The author took a new and unique turn on the traditional zombie story with good pace and likable characters.

Final thought: I enjoyed it.

Hunting the Moon by Becca Boucher

In this story, we meet widowed Lilly and the very handsome Daemon. To refer to these two as star crossed lovers, wouldn’t even come close to describing the problems and road blocks they encounter. Boucher weaves paranormal goodness into the budding relationship and heat between the two main characters. She keeps the reader engaged with plot twists and action, not to mention the exciting and interesting pull Daemon and Lilly feel toward each other. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next one!

Final thought: It’s a good read, especially for the paranormal romantic!

Reinfection by Cynthia Melton

This is the fourth book in this zombie series and I will say I have enjoyed all of them. In this book, the wayward group of survivors think they are about to have a place to settle down and rebuild, but Melton has other plans for the characters.  As readers, we see a new spin on the classic zombie tale. Something about the latest zombies is different and beyond frightening for this cast of characters. That being said, I have always enjoyed the main characters, Colton and Chalice. They really are just kids, but they have turned into leaders many look up to for safety, security, protection and, most importantly, hope! Looking forward to the next one.

Final thought: I am big Melton fan and enjoy reading her stuff!

BIG PRESS

Confessions of Murder Suspect by James Patterson

In this young adult thriller, we see a new side of James Patterson. As an avid Patterson fan and a YA writer, I just had to check this out. I was not disappointed, as his take on wealthy children and murdered parents was new and fresh. Four siblings find their parents murdered, but they are the only ones who had access to the house. As this mystery unfolds there are multiple twists and turns. The oldest living female child, Tandy, is determined to solve this mystery, even if she turns out to be the killer (Tandy both narrates the story and speaks to the readers in second person at certain points). Of course, when you are a wealthy, high intelligent, somewhat famous family, nothing is as it seems. The deeper Tandy digs into the murder, the more she learns about herself and her family. A dramatic end, which I didn’t see coming!

Final thought: I will definitely check out more of Patterson’s YA books!

Defending Jacob by William Landay

In this novel, we follow ADA Andy Barber as he begins investigating the local murder of a fourteen year old boy. Soon his son, Jacob, becomes the prime suspect. As you can imagine this leads to a bevy of problems and impressive twists and turns. The reader watches as two parents vehemently defend their child, and the different ways they cope with this murder charge. Landay weaves a tale that keeps the reader on the edge of the seat. And the ending is as dramatic and tragic as they come; one I certainly didn’t see coming.

Final thought: This ending still haunts me, but I will certainly check out more of Landay’s work.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Coming next to ‘Latest Reads’

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Looking for Alaska by John Green

?????

American Gothic Part 3: Final Installment

Let me preface with: I LOVE SUMMER!

Hard to believe I’m a week into summer and still haven’t accomplished much! In my defense, things haven’t exactly worked out the way I anticipated. I did some unscheduled dog sitting. And just for the record…5 Labrador retrievers in one house is a total chore…just walking from one room to another is an ordeal! Then there was a massive issue with one of my pups, Divot (he’s missing a chuck of his ear, hence the name). Apparently, he has some birth defects. One in which his diaphragm didn’t form properly and his intestines have been sliding between his abdomen and chest cavity for years. Imagine his regular vet’s surprise when she saw his intestines floating around his heart in an x-ray! So a semi-serious surgical procedure was needed. Thankfully, he survived the surgery and is recovering!

So as you can see, other things have gotten in the way of my original plan. BUT I have managed to write 3,500 words on the next Ruby Hood, bringing the total word count up to 16,000 words. Ideally, I would love to have the second book finished by the end of June and off to my editor. I’m shooting to have it released in Oct. 2014 (a year after the first). And I must say, this one is good…lots of twists and turns. In The Twistedly True Guardian Tale (working title that I don’t love), we meet my version of Snow White, the 7 Dwarves and Robin Hood. Questions about Kayla’s heritage also get answered, and the budding relationship between Kent and Ruby will blossom (or wilt…I haven’t decided yet). Then I’ll add in some more strife and conflict to propel the characters onto a third book!

But since the school year has officially ended, I thought I should post the final segment of the American Gothic project I did with the kiddos. In case you missed the first two parts, follow the links to check them out: Part 1 and Part 2.

Enjoy the final installment of my short story, American Gothic!

PART 3

“Oh good heavens!” the young woman exclaimed. “What on earth brings you to our quaint little town?”

“Sadly, a missing child.” Agent McClint added.

“Well, please come in. I’d be happy to help.” Lilia responded.

 “Would you care for a cold drink of lemonade on this particularly warm spring day?”

Agent McClint beamed. “That would be lovely, ma’am. It has been a long day.

Maude settled the very handsome man at the kitchen table with an icy cold beverage, and was about to sit down when a phone rang. “Please excuse me while I grabbed the phone,” She said smiling affectionately, before she walked to the foyer to answer the ringing phone. The moment she stepped into the room, the ringing stopped. Maude paused and looked around. An odd sensation made her shiver. She brushed it off and turned to head back to the handsome FBI agent.

Once Lilia returned to the kitchen, her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. Clark McClint was standing over the stove, peering into her potion pot.

“Agent McClint, how does my grandmother’s homemade allergy medicine smell?” Lilia composed herself and walked into the room smiling.

Clark rubbed his eyes and turned to face the young blonde. “Umm, it smells interesting.” He said before he sneezed. “I guess, I could use some. May I try it?”

“I’m sorry, Agent McClint, but it must simmer for several more days before it’s ready for human consumption. How long will you be here?” Lilia asked .

“I hope not very long, but it depends on how quickly I can solve this case.” The agent responded.

“Well, tell me how I can help.” Lilia said sweetly and gestured to the kitchen table for them to sit.

Clark choose a chair and Lilia sat next to him. “There is a little missing girl, Macie Trims. She was last seen in the woods between your farmhouse and the Cummings’ farm to the east of you. She is about 10 with brown hair and green eyes. I’d like to know if you have any information about this little girl. Anything you can provide might help.”

“Oh, that is just terrible!” exclaimed Lilia. “Those woods are dense and terrifying for me and I’ve lived here my whole. I can only imagine how scary they would be for a little girl who’s new to the area. Have you searched the woods?” Lilia asked as concern dripped from her lips.

“We have. Our dogs picked up a scent near the edge of the Cummings property, but we found nothing.” Agent McClint said dismayed.

“Hmmm…” Lilia got up to stir her potion and refill the agent’s lemonade. “I assume you’ve searched the bomb shelter old Mr. Cummings built in the 40’s.”

“Huh?”

“The bomb shelter. He built it back during World War II.” Lilia turned to look at the agent. Her cobalt eyes held his firmly.

Clark pulled a notebook out of his pocket and looked through his notes. “I don’t have any information about a bomb shelter.” Agent McClint furrowed his brow in confusion before he looked backed to the young woman.

Lilia said, chuckling. “Of course not, Agent McClint. Old man Cummings wasn’t known for sharing that sort of information with the city. I’d be happy to show you, if you have some time.”

As the two walked through the woods, conversation flowed easily. The two exchanged stories about their childhood, books, movies and the weather.

Lilia stopped abruptly when they neared the underground bomb shelter. She could find it with her eyes closed, as a child this is often where she went to get away when she needed some time to herself, especially those difficult high school years.

Clark McClint followed her lead and froze. He brought his finger to his mouth, and pulled out his gun, listening intently.

A faint crying could be heard, when the birds weren’t chirping and the leaves weren’t rustling in the breeze. “Oh no!” Lilia shouted, before bolting into a broken and battered barn.

“WHOA! Where are you going?” Agent McClint shouted as he holstered his gun and ran after her.

Within moments, Lilia leapt like a gazelle over two roof beams that had fallen down and ducked under a doorway that was about to collapse before her eyes. She grabbed the trap door in the floor, pulled it open with ease and disappeared down the dark rickety ladder to the bottom.

Agent McClint mumbled under his breath as he climbed down the wooden ladder, which creaked with every step. The agent huffed at every splinter that dug further into his skin. He groaned as his feet touched solid earth. After grabbing his flashlight, he turned around and gasped in surprise.

In the corner, Lilia sat holding a little girl on her lap. “Sshhh, it’s okay now, sweetie. You are safe.” She cooed as she cradled the young girl, gently wiping away the little girl’s tears.

“I want my mommy,” the little girl whimpered.

“I know, darling, and we’ll get you home soon.” Lilia said softly before she looked up and smiled at Agent McClint.

Clark returned her smile and sighed, then he grabbed his two way radio and called it in to his boss. “We found her. I repeat the girl has been found!” There was a loud rejoicing in the background. The agent then leaned down next to the little girl. “Are you Macie Trims?” He asked and the child nodded in agreement. “How’d you get here, sweetheart?”

The little girl snuggled closer to Lilia. “I don’t know. I just woke up here.” She whimpered.

“OK, kiddo. We can talk about it more once we get you home. Are you ready to see your mom?” The agent asked and held out his hands to take the little girl, but she shook her head and clung tighter to Lilia.

“I’ve got her,” Lilia said as she deftly stood up with the young girl in her arms. The three carefully climbed the battered ladder back to the warm sunlight spring day.

*****

Ending: Wrap up loose ends and provide closure. If you intend to end with a cliff hanger, you MUST resolve the first part, and then introduce a new problem to be dealt with in the next segment.

BEEP BEEP BEEP…the alarmed sounded and Lilia bolted out of bed. She had been having some odd dreams lately and last night’s was super strange. She stretched and shook off the eerie feeling. Today was the day she was going to meet the little girl that had just moved onto the Cummings Farm, Macie Trims. Macie and her family had just moved to town, and she had promised Mrs. Trims she would show the little girl around, especially the woods. They were scary for Lilia and she had lived here her whole life. That must have been where that bizarre dream had come from.

“Lilia, hurry up dear. I made breakfast. You are due to meet the Trims in 30 minutes. Hurry up, Darlin’” Grandma shouted from the kitchen.

“Coming,” Lilia shouted as she pulled her long blond hair into a ponytail on the top of her head and grabbed her running shoes on the way out the door. She hopped down the steps toward the succulent smell of bacon and pancakes.

Before she walked into the kitchen she stopped and looked at the picture over the fireplace. This painting had a special place in her heart. ‘Good morning Mom and Grandpa. I miss you terribly.” She said sadly. Lilia had lost her mother and grandfather almost a year ago in a terrible barn fire on the Cummings’ farm. Her unselfish and brave mother and grandfather had rushed into the barn to rescue the animals trapped inside moments before the burning barn collapsed. After their death, Gran M had this painting made from a picture to keep their memory alive. In the picture her mother and grandfather stood stoically in front of the farmhouse. Like father like daughter, both were people of few words and forget a smile for any sort of picture. It always made Lilia smile; she kissed her forefinger and lightly tapped the painting before the hurried into the kitchen.

“Morning, Gran M.” The 20 year-old said before she kissed her grandmother’s cheek and snuck a piece of bacon.

“Morning, Darlin’, grab a quick bit and get moving. I ran into Mrs. Trims at the market this morning and Macie is anxious to meet you.” Grandma Maude said absently.

“I had the strangest dream about the little girl and you last night, Grandma. The little girl had gone missing and you were an evil old witch sold her soul for youth.” Lilia said and then laughed, as she grabbed a to-go coffee mug.

“Heavens dear!” Grandma exclaimed. “You know your powers will be in full force on your 21^st birthday next week when the Blood Moon rises. You need to be careful. That may have been a premonitions that something terrible is coming.”

“Grandma! Be serious! I know you think I am destined to become some powerful witch, but really? I’m sure it was just a reminder to be careful in the woods, especially with a kid. Besides, what could possibly happen in Farmtown? You worry too much!” Lilia said as she dismissed her grandmother’s warning and headed out the door and bound down the front steps. “I’ll be back later,” she called and headed off, humming a soft tune, completely oblivious to the unfamiliar van parked at the neighbor’s house.

A sinister voice snickered. “Have fun with Macie Trims today, Lilia. I have her kidnapping set for this evening. That will give me a chance to get close to you before you come into your powers next week. I will have those powers. You won’t even know what hit you, witch!” Clark McClint spoke to himself and watched the young woman in the rearview mirror. Laughing, he pulled off his sunglasses and his eyes blazed red.

The End

Coming Soon: Latest Reads

Hunting the Moon by Becca Boucher

Reinfection by Cynthia Melton

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Mona Lisa and American Gothic (Part 2)

It’s the Friday of a three day weekend and I’m getting ready to grade. Sound like a good time? Go ahead and laugh…I’m 12 days away from having 10 weeks off and damn near losing track of time…hehehe!

In all seriousness, I had to stop grading and give a shout out to my class. I’m reading their Mona Lisa stories and I AM IMPRESSED! They all worked tremendously hard on this project and it shows. Their work is creative, witty, dynamic, and engaging! In all honesty, the end result is why I do what I do. I thoroughly enjoyed this project and look forward to many more like it in the very near future!

To inspire the kids, I wrote a story for them with a different picture, American Gothic (you know the one with the old man, holding a pitchfork and standing in front of a farmhouse with his daughter). It’s aptly titled American Gothic. Sadly, that’s the best working title I’ve got at the moment, but I’m open to suggestions! (To access previous blog, click here: American Gothic Blog: Part 1)

Without further adieu here is the second installment of my portion of the picture/story, language arts/art, 4^th grade collaborative project.

Middle: Use points of action to construct your plot or storyline. Make sure one thing leads to the next.

Maude hummed a happy tune as she ground up the last of the eye of newt before she dropped it into the boiling black steel cauldron. In fact, she was so relaxed she let her wrinkles show. At this point in the cycle it took so much effort to show her younger face. She was old. There was no denying that; Maude had already had a long life. She placed the lid on the potion simmered on the stove, when she heard it again.

“Mommy, please help me. What have I done wrong? I promise I won’t do it again.” The little voice cried.

Maude shook her head tried to push the sad childish voice away. Then walked to the window to think about her life.

She had been born at least a century before. She wasn’t exactly sure when or where. There had been so much magic in the early years, it was sometimes hard for her to differentiate between what was real and what had just been a magical illusion. Something tugged at the back of her mind. Something she felt very close to understanding. Just when she was on the cusp of figuring it out a cloud of dust off in the distance distracted her. With the full corn fields, she had no idea what to expect.

“He’s coming for you! We told you he would!” Bonnie shouted from the painting.

Maude shot a menacing look through the large spacious farmhouse to the painting. She snarled and narrowed her eyes, sending a small red flare into the painting above the fireplace. The gray barn in the background went up in flames.

But Bonnie, only laughed as the fire quickly went out. “You can’t hurt us anymore, old woman.”

“That’s right, Maude. It’s you who put us here.” Clyde said stiffly.

“Oh, SHUT UP!”Maude yelled. Her old gray hair fell around her head, and she seemed more wrinkled than ever. Her blue eyes shifted from bright and lively to dead and black. Catching a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the window, she gasped in horror at what she saw: a monster.

As the car approached the home, Maude could tell it was a sedan, and it had a siren on top. Frantic, she had no idea what to do. The car stopped and a man jumped out. He was young and he was handsome. His sunglasses and business suit alarmed Maude even more. He took the steps two at a time with ease, and wrapped on the door as he called out.

“Maude. Maude Clemins. Ma’am, are you home?” The man  paced to the front windows and peaked in before he banged on the front door. When no one answered, he began to pace around the porch, which wrapped around the house. With every step he got closer and closer to the back kitchen window, to seeing the real Maude Clemins. The evil witch, who would do just about anything to stay young, including banishing her husband and daughter into a painting. She neared the point of desperation when, the timer buzzed.

For an ancient woman of 100+ years, she had the grace of the youth of a ballerina, as she bounded over to the simmering pot, grab a large ladle and took a gulp of her potion. She moaned with relief and the pain of old age left her body. Her soft golden hair returned, along with her ocean blue eyes and her smooth skin.

“Just a moment. I was in the shower.” Maude cupped her hand around her mouth and hollered projecting a melodic voice through the house, then she snapped her fingers, turning her hair wet and a fresh pair of shorts with a new black tank top.

The footsteps on the porch stopped, paused and turned toward the front door.

Grinning her herself, she walked toward the door with a swagger, stopping only to pull the American Gothic painting off the wall. This was not the time to have her husband or daughter yapping in her ear about her choices. “I’ll deal with you two later,” she muttered as she shoved the painting into the closet.

With a flickity flick of her wrist, a copy of Van Gogh’s ‘A Starry Night’ filled the void over the fireplace. Maude took the last step to the door and pulled it open flashing her gorgeous grin. “Hi there, can I help you?”

The handsome man took off his sunglasses, revealing his emerald green eyes. A friendly smiled covered his critical eye, “Why, hello, ma’am. Are you Maude Clemins?”

The young blond tossed her head back and giggled a bit, “Goodness, no. That was my grandmother. She passed on a few years ago. I’m Lilia, Lilia Hawkins, so nice to meet you.” She held out her hand and smiled kindly.

The young man smiled and shook her hand before he spoke. “Nice to meet you, Lilia. My name is Agent Clark McClint and I’m with the FBI.”

To be continued…

Latest Reads: Spring 2014

Latest Reads: Spring 2014

Happy May…er…Spring! I don’t even know where to go from here…seriously…where does the time go??? This started off as a ‘March/April Latest Reads’ and now it’s turned into a ‘Spring’ edition, because it’s MAY! I don’t even know what to say, except…’it’s beyond me’! Honestly, I’m baffled! I mean, I knew time flew faster when you got older, but this is out of control! Time goes too damn fast!

So what happens when one actually has time???

Sadly, not as much as one would hope! Lots of school work and minimal writing, which is LAME! But the REAL world demands certain expectations. Regardless, I dig what gets thrown at me (for the most part), so I’m always looking for new adventures/opportunities! AND thankfully…no matter what comes my way, there is ALWAYS a good book to inspire/entertain/distract me! Without further adieu, please enjoy my thoughts on some of my latest great books!

JHappy ReadingJ

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

I LOVED this book! It was well written and engaging the entire time. In this story, we meet a variety of people whose lives will all intertwine quite dramatically. I’ll be honest, I had ‘the husband’s secret’ figured out early, but I was not deterred in the slightest. In fact, the author lets the readers in on ‘the secret’ about halfway through the story. Then the reader must learn how exactly that secret with effect the lives of all the characters. And I saw the ending coming a mile away, so I was ready to give it four stars…until the prologue! At the very end the author outlines all of the different scenarios that could (or could not) have happened, along with other other secrets that may (or may not) have been kept. Let’s face it, we all have secrets and some are definitely better left buried.

Final thought: All in all, it was a great read!

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

In this story, we follow a young, Mormon, teenage girl. She leads a sheltered life complete with an alcoholic abusive father and a submissive mother. As the eldest, she is responsible for caring for her younger sisters, but her body begins to change and hormones begin to rage. Suddenly family, responsibility and religion aren't her top priorities any more. In fact, she begins to question everything in life, while making some very grown-up choices, which of course come with a bevy of consequences. I couldn’t put this book down, until the end, which I HATED!

Final thought: I gave this book four stars because of the ending. I hope the author has something better planned for the sequel!

Lone Survivor by Marcus Lutrell and

I loved this one as well. This is the story of the Navy SEAL team that went into Afghanistan and only one came out, hence the name. It is a long story, and it took me months to read. (Not because I had trouble keeping interest, but because it has very long chapters, and I read by chapters. Very rarely do I have 45-60 minutes to sit down and read). However, I recently took a trip and I was able to finish it in 6 hours of travel…all I needed was time! This story story whirled and twirled me through a bevy of emotions. In fact, it got out of control. At one point, I was sobbing like an infant on the plane and the flight attendant had to ask me if I was OK. In this story, we follow Marcus through SEAL training, then on his mission to Afghanistan, where he details every event that took place. There are times when I was VERY angry at people and cultures. AND there were also time when my faith in humanity was restored. An incredible read!

Final thought: I look forward to seeing if Mark Wahlberg can do Marcus Lutrell justice on the big screen.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (a.k.a J.K. Rowling)

I should probably start this with…I LOVE HARRY POTTER! I have fond memories of lying in bed or on the couch reading many HP books cover to cover...just amazingly well written! BUT I went into 'Cuckoo' with a full understanding that this was NOT ‘Harry Potter’. It is not even remotely close to fantasy. It is realistic fiction/mystery to the nth degree. I have the utmost respect for J.K. Rowling. She is my idol and I aspire to be like her one day, but this story fell short for me. I had the killer pegged early on. AND…I’ll be honest…it really pissed me off I had to wait until the middle of the book to understand the significance of the ‘Cuckoo’! Don’t get me wrong…there were GREAT parts! I LOVE the private eye, Corman Strike, and his secretary (I’ve already put the next book on my wish list!), but there were also many other parts that fell short for me.

Final thought: Will I continue to read her books? YES! She’s an icon and she has an incredible talent. I admire her for getting out of her comfort zone!

So far on the next on the 'Latest Reads' list:

Dances with Dragons by George R.R. Martin: The LAST published Game of Thrones book. In all honestly, Martin had better hurry up with the rest! So far, I hate to put this one down!

Reinfection by Cynthia Hickey: The 4^th zombie novella in a series, written by a friend of mine, is keeping me VERY intrigued!

THEN: I’m not sure….I have a ton downloaded that I must choose from…I will NOT download any new books! I will NOT download any new books! I will NOT download any new books! 
Be sure to check back to see what comes next (and whether or not I can restrain myself from uncontrollable downloads)!

Until then….

JHAPPY READINGJ

FREE DOWNLOAD: "If the Silver Slippers Fit..."

“If the Silver Slippers Fit…”

FREE PROMO DATES: April 16^th and 17th, 2014

If The Silver Slipper Fits…
Two feisty witches.
Two wickedly impossible dilemmas.
Two modern day realms infused with a little mischievous magic.
One pair of totally awesome and very sassy shoes.

"If The Silver Slipper Fits" begins with a story about Glinda, a teenage witch, who, like any other teenager in the modern world, is envious of another woman’s pair of shoes. However, these shoes belong to her sister. After stealing the shoes for her hot date, she trips on a crack in the Yellow Brick Road, falls through a portal and lands smack in the middle of New York City. Of course, she lost her grip on the shoes when she fell and now Glinda not only has to find her sister’s Silver Slippers in a city of 8 million people, but she has to find another portal to get herself back home in time for her date. Unfortunately, a subway train full of degenerates, a Naked Cowboy and herd of anorexic fashion models stand in her way. And to top it all off, the shoes change their look as the owner’s personality changes.

The second story takes place many years later, and centers around Glinda’s youngest daughter Giselle, who already has way too much baggage for a normal 20-something. She has been banished to Las Vegas because she set her college on fire, and to make matters worse, she supposedly is the recipient of a Goblin Curse. To top off her really crummy year in exile, a Blood Moon shows up at the wrong time, making her powers go out of control. She steals her Aunt’s Silver Slippers (sound familiar?) and suddenly her luck, and the shoes, begins to change…for the worse. Can Giselle’s Lightning Power save the ones she loves most? Or is it really all just about the shoes? 

Click to get yours now from Amazon!

JHappy ReadingJ

American Gothic

Recently, I got to collaborate with our amazing art teacher on a project. In art class, the kids created their own Mona Lisa, and in writing we wrote stories about the newly created Mona Lisa. Since writing is one of my favorite hobbies, I wrote a story along with them. I used ‘American Gothic’ as my source of inspiration (I did not partake in the artistry…I don’t have a single ounce of artistic ability…my stick people are sad and scary). It was fun and it may go somewhere…who knows? At least, it held the attention of 90+ fourth graders and it’s really not a kiddie story. J

Part 1 of American Gothic by Stephanie Greenhalgh

(along with some teacher notes):

Beginning: Introduce characters and setting. Use words and descriptions to create pictures.

Maude looked out the window. She inhaled a breath of fresh air. She loved the spring time in Farmtown, IL. The blooming trees and floral scents always made her glad she moved back to farmhouse she grew up in over a century ago.

A cool breeze blew through her open window and the curtains flapped wildly. Maude jumped at her own reflection in the mirror behind the coat rack. Her smooth skin wrinkled and crinkled before her eyes. Her ocean blue eyes darkened to a deep ominous gray, like storm clouds rolling in, just before they reddened and lit up like flames.

“I’m coming for you, old woman,” a wicked voice crooned before the mirror shattered into a million pieces, sending shards of glass flying through the room. Maude hunched over and covered her face, as glass littered the room.

Once the flying glass ceased, Maude stood up. With a flick of her wrist, she restored the shattered mirror and her ageless young skin returned, along with her icey blue eyes. She stalked across the room to the painting above the fireplace and smirked. Glaring at the painting of the old man and woman in front of her farmhouse, she spoke in a loud screeching voice.

“DON’T YOU DARE THREATEN ME, BONNIE AND CLYDE! I WILL BE YOUNG FOREVER!” Maude cackled and stalked to the kitchen to finish her potion.

Meanwhile, a small little voice, locked a dungeon whimpered, “I want my mommy.”

End of Part I

I’ll be posting the rest of the story in increments. Hopefully, you enjoyed it and will check out the rest! Plus I’ve got a ‘Latest Reads’ coming up! I’m currently totally hooked on “The Husband’s Secret” by Liane Moriarty…GOOD!

JHappy ReadingJ