T'aragam author - Jack Regan - Interview!

I want to welcome Jack Regan to Books and Needlepoint today! He is the author of the tween fantasy book - T'aragam - currently on a virtual tour.

1. T'aragam is your first juvenile fantasy in a series - The Max Ransome Chronicles. Can you tell us a little about this book?

"T'Aragam" is the story of a world in peril. The main character,
13-year-old Max Ransome, is thrust to the forefront when his father, Lord Ransome, is killed during an attack by phantors (evil, wraith-like creatures). With his father dead, the mantle of leadership falls onto Max's shoulders. "T'Aragam," the first book in the series, takes us through the first major conflict in this war of good vs. evil.


2. What a great storyline for a series. I can't wait until my son gets a little older and can enjoy reading books like these with me! Where did the title T'aragam come from and does it have any special meaning?

I wish I could say it has its roots far back in medieval culture or
something else that sounds equally cool. The truth is I just sat around and worked through word combinations in my head (and on paper) until I found something that sounded right. Boring, huh?

3. I always thought it would be cool to be able to create my own world - and words - just because I could! So I actually do think that's cool! I know this is a fantasy book - but did you do any research for it, or is it all purely imagination?

Actually, I did do some research. For instance, there is a point in the book where the characters are involved in a sea battle. There are cannon on the ships, although most of the land battles are still fought with swords and spears. Although the book is fantasy and therefore not bound by the timeline we know, the general tone is medieval, so I went and checked to make sure these weapons actually coexisted in the warfare of that era.
Fortunately, they did!

4. See - now that is probably not something I would have even thought about. . .(there are many reasons that I am not a writer!) Can you tell us about your path to becoming a published writer? Any big influences?

I think every writer I've read has influenced me. And, of course, there are those people who stood behind me and encouraged me along the way. I didn't really have a mentor, though, and I wish I would have. I think it would have made the journey a bit easier. I'm mostly self-taught, for better or worse. My main influences were the School of Hard Knocks, making
mistakes and picking up the pieces afterward, trial and error, and late-night caffeine...

5. I know that your mom was a writer and an English teacher - I bet she was a bigger influence that you know! I was reading a little about your book and came across some character
names - Gramkin, Zohar, Ariaal - then there is a serpent named Bob.... That just hit me as amusing - why Bob?

Because I thought it was hilarious. Seriously, that's it. I spent a lot of time agonizing over character names, trying to make them fantasy-ish. When I got to the sea serpent, I thought, "What the heck!" And he was christened Bob.

6. Well - I did find it funny - so it worked! Is there any other genre that you write or hope to write in the future?

I may stray from fantasy, but I think I've found my niche in children's lit. I love it. Not saying I'll never write anything else--I'm sure I will--but for now, I'm happy here.

7. While on this tour - has there been any comments or questions that have taken you by surprise?

I didn't really know what to expect, honestly. This is my first tour and I tried to approach it without expectations. What surprised me most, though, was the willingness of the host blogs to work with a new author. I figured I'd have a tougher time nailing down dates and tour stops, but it turned out to be a pleasure. And all the hosts have been professional and kind.
There've been some great stops. I'll be creating a page on my website (www.taragam.com) to keep the permanent links available, in case anyone wants to catch up on interviews, guest posts, and reviews they might have missed.

8. I cannot speak for other bloggers, but I know before my first interview I was very nervous! Growing up a reader, authors were like movie stars - and just as inaccessible then - so with all this new technology - to actually be able to visit with them has been a great experience for me! Is there anything that you would like to leave my readers with?

If anyone has a moment, I'd be honored if they were to check out my book, "T'Aragam." You can find it on Amazon.com, in both paperback and Kindle form. "T'Aragam" is also available as a free audio download on my website. On the website you can download fully half the book for free, just to make sure it's something you want before you consider purchasing. Also, there's a spiffy new fanpage on Facebook you can join to get the latest news and such. Sometimes we even give stuff away!

Most important, however, I'd like to thank you all for visiting today and would encourage everyone to support Books and Needlepoint by commenting, bookmarking, and visiting often! It's been my pleasure to be here and I want to thank you, Kristi, for putting together such great questions.

Hope to "see" you all soon,

Jack

Thank you, Jack! I look forward to reading this book and others in the series soon!

You can also find Jack on his blog and on YouTube!


T'aragam
Publisher/Publication Date: CreateSpace, April 2009
ISBN: 978-1442114593
286 pages

Catch Cindy Woodsmall on Tour Near You!

New York Times bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall is on tour, and she may be coming to a city near you! Don’t miss your opportunity to meet Cindy and have her sign her newest title The Hope of Refuge at one of the following events.

Tuesday, August 11 7 – 8:30pm

Barnes & Noble

5141 Peachtree Parkway, The Forum
Norcross, Georgia 30092
(770) 209-4244

Wednesday, August 12 7 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble Opry Mills

515 Opry Mills Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37214
(615) 514-5000

Thursday, August 13 6 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble

2540 Futura Pkwy. #135
Plainfield, Indiana 46168
(317) 838-7941

Friday, August 14 6 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble

1550 West 75th
Downers Grove, Illinois 60516
(630) 663-0181

Saturday, August 15 1 – 3pm

Baker Books

2768 East Paris Ave SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546-6139
(616) 957-3110

Sunday, August 16 2 – 4pm

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

3700 Rivertown Parkway Ste. 2058
Grandville, Michigan 49418
(616) 531-1825

Monday, August 17 7 – 8:00pm

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

1739 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, Ohio 43212
(614) 298-9516

Tuesday, August 18 7– 8:30pm

Joseph Beth Booksellers

2705 E. Carson Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203
(412) 381-3600

Wednesday, August 19 6 – 8pm

Hackman’s Bible Book Store

1341 Mickley Road
Whitehall, Pennsylvania 18052-4610
(610) 264-8600

Thursday, August 20 1 – 3pm

Rachel’s Country Store (Amish dry goods store)

6352 McClays Mill Road
Newburg, Pennsylvania 17240
(717) 530-9452

Can’t make the tour? You can still follow Cindy’s adventures on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. See you there!

I Can See You by Karen Rose (Book Review)

Title: I Can See You
Author: Karen Rose
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

First sentence: Homicide detective Noah Webster stared up into the wide, lifeless eyes of Martha Brisbane with a sigh that hung in the freezing air, just as she did.

My synopsis: Eve had already lived through 2 traumatic incidents that left her scarred both inside and out. The outer scars had healed or been "fixed", but on certain days, the inner scars were still fresh. She was trying to rebuild her life. By day she was a grad student studying psychology - and how one might learn confidence in real life (IRL) by "practicing" it in the virtual world via games - in this case Shadowland. By night she was a bartender working at Sal's - a bar frequented by Minneapolis police officers and members of The Hat Squad.

Shadowland was an online virtual game whose motto was "Sometimes you want to go where no one knows your name". You could do there about anything you could do IRL. You could gamble at the casino, dance at the bar, even take home 'one-night stands'. You became your avatar - and this avatar could be whoever you wanted them to be - and like in most virtual worlds - your avatar was opposite of who you were IRL - for most, it was a reflection of who they wanted to be. Eve had opened up a shop in Shadowland called Pandora's - where people came to buy their avatars. It was also her way of keeping tabs on people in her study. She was not supposed to know who these people were, but she had broken the rules of the double-blind study and had learned there real names.

The Hat Squad was a group of detectives that were given a fedora when they solved their first crime. They wore the hats as a symbol of achievement and pride. A local magazine had just run a feature on The Hat Squad, with an officer on the cover who hadn't been in shining form the last few months. This article made people even love The Hat Squad more - or hate them with a vengeance.

Because Eve knew the names of her subjects - when two women's usage in Shadowland dropped - she checked in to it - and discovered they had committed suicide. She went to her professor to try to persuade him that they needed to do more evaluations, but he did not believe that the study had anything to do with the suicides - and as she was not supposed to know names, told her to forget it - but she couldn't.

Upon checking up at one of her subjects homes, she runs into Detective Noah Webster. Noah had been a patron at Sal's for the last year - and Eve could sense it whenever he was in the bar. Because of her inner scars, she kept to herself - never venturing outside her safe zone where Noah was concerned. Noah had been going to the bar for the last year, only drinking tonic water, as he could not stop thinking about Eve. His wife and son had died years before in a car accident where he was driving - and so wouldn't allow himself to approach Eve either. When he ran into her at the homes of one of the "suicides" - he wondered if it wasn't fate.

As more women die, Eve and Noah grow closer, and the clues begin to be uncovered one by one. How many women will die before they are able to close the net around this killer - and how is it all connected?

My opinion: Once again, I was not disappointed in the latest book by Karen Rose. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers. This book was written to cover the span of about 2 weeks, and I love the way that it is split up in hours/days. Makes you realize how much can actually happen in the span of a few short hours - physically and emotionally. Her characters are flawed - and that makes them so much more real. They are able to hurt and be hurt and do not live in a perfect world. I like it that even though you could say Noah was a knight in shining armor - he was still struggling with lots of baggage. I really loved the character of Eve. Even with the rough childhood and trauma, she was shaped by very strong women - and they have rubbed off on her. Her first instinct is to help people, regardless of the cost to her. Her choice of careers - psychology and bartending - are both careers where she could listen to the problems of others. She has overcome a lot and is just getting stronger everyday.

This book is actually the second book about Eve - she was introduced in the book Don't Tell - which I have not read yet, but you can bet it is on my TBR list!

Read an excerpt of I Can See You, or watch the trailer.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a copy of I Can See You.

I Can See You
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing, Aug 5, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53834-3
480 pages

Giveaway time! - The Blue Star by Tony Earley

Thank you Valerie and Hachette Books for allowing me to giveaway 5 copies of The Blue Star by Tony Earley!

About the book: Seven years ago, readers everywhere fell in love with Jim Glass, the precocious ten-year-old at the heart of Tony Earley's bestseller Jim the Boy. Now a teenager, Jim returns in another tender and wise story of young love on the eve of World War Two.

Jim Glass has fallen in love, as only a teenage boy can fall in love, with his classmate Chrissie Steppe. Unfortunately, Chrissie is Bucky Bucklaw's girlfriend, and Bucky has joined the Navy on the eve of war. Jim vows to win Chrissie's heart in his absence, but the war makes high school less than a safe haven, and gives a young man's emotions a grown man's gravity.

With the uncanny insight into the well-intentioned heart that made Jim the Boy a favorite novel for thousands of readers, Tony Earley has fashioned another nuanced and unforgettable portrait of America in another time--making it again even realer than our own day. (Hachette)

About the author: Tony Earley is the author of four books: Here We Are in Paradise, a collection of stories; the novel Jim the Boy; the personal essay collection Somehow Form a Family; and The Blue Star, a novel released in Spring, 2008. A winner of a National Magazine Award for fiction, he was named one of the twenty best writers of his generation by both Granta, in 1996, and The New Yorker in 1999. His fiction and/or nonfiction have appeared in Harper's, Esquire, The New Yorker, The Oxford American, The New York Times Book Review, Tin House, Best American Short Stories, New Stories from the South and many other magazines and anthologies.

He is a native of western North Carolina and a graduate of Warren Wilson College and The University of Alabama. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife and daughter, where he is the Samuel Milton Fleming Associate Professor of English at Vanderbilt University. (Hachette)

Still not convinced? Read a chapter of The Blue Star.

Rules for the giveaway:

1. Five copies to giveaway.
   
2. Open only to U.S. and Canada.
   
3. No PO Boxes
4. All entries in one comment if possible (I understand that if you are posting to a blog, etc at a later date you will need an additional comment. . .)
5. +1 Must leave email address in comment.
6. +2 if you are a new or old follower - but please let me know.
7. +3 if you post this on any social network - (limit of 6 entries for this one - so you can post it as many places as you would like, but only 2 will count).
8. +3 for referrals of NEW followers - if you already follow, you will not get entries for saying someone referred you - you can however get entries for referring new people...
9. Giveaway ends on Aug 26th.

If you can come up with an original way to get entries - let me know - would love to change it up a bit!

The Blue Star
Publisher/Publication Date: Back Bay Books, Aug 2009 (reprint)
ISBN: 9780316008051
336 pages

Waiting on Wednesday: The First Star

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:




The First Star by Lars Anderson

Publisher/Publication Date: Random House - I have found mixed information on the publication date - Random House fall catalog says Oct 20, Amazon says Dec 29. . .

I chose this book this week as I am always on the lookout for books I think my husband would read. He is not a big reader, but if he finds something that sparks his interest, he will read... And you can't live near Chicago without being a football fan!

About the book: One of the most talented football players in history, Red Grange made his name at the University of Illinois in the early 1920s, scoring thirty-one touchdowns and drawing the sport’s biggest crowds. But it was what he did next that made news: he went pro. At the time, the NFL was a backwater organization—playing second fiddle to the college game, struggling to attract fan and players, and often settling for high school-age talent to fill its rosters. However, one man saw great potential. C. C. Pyle, who in his day promoted just about everything, became Grange’s agent with the wild promise of a $100,000 payday.The man who helped him make good on that promise was the Chicago Bears’ George Halas. Together, Grange, Pyle, and Halas constructed the event that tipped the balance towards pro football over college: a brutal barnstorming tour that called for Grange and his new Bears teammates to play nineteen games in seventeen cities in sixty-six days.

The 1920s were the Golden Age of American Sport, and there was no shortage of heroes, including Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey. But for a short time, Red Grange was bigger than them all, and The First Star explains why. (from Random House catalog)

The First Star
Publisher/Publication Date: Random House/Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4000-6729-9
352 pages

What are you waiting for? Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Psst... Hey you - yeah you

You've won Tamed by a Laird!

Well - that is, if your name is:
Sheila Deeth

Small Footprints

Kytaira (already won) New winner - Throuthehaze (also already won. . .) New winner - Dixie

Alyce

Karen K

Congrats winners! I will be emailing winners shortly - they will have 48 to get back to me or new winners will be drawn. Thanks for entering!!

Teaser Tuesday: 8-4-2009

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

Eve sat in the back of a police cruiser, staring at the handcuffs on her wrists, trying to stay calm and not think about the woman hanging from a rope inside the house. (p89, I Can See You by Karen Rose)





Teaser Tuesday is hosted at Should be Reading. Come on over and share your teaser, too!





I Can See You
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing, Aug 5, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-53834-3
480 pages

ARC Arrival: The Blue Enchantress by M.L. Tyndall

The Blue Enchantress (Charles Towne Belles/Book 2) by M.L. Tyndall

Publisher: Barbour Books

I received this book from the author after reading The Red Siren - Book 1 of the Charles Towne Belles. You can see my review of The Red Siren here - but know I am REALLY looking forward to reading this one! It will also be on a First Wild Card Tour later this month.

About the book: Still grieving the loss of her mother--and private tragedies of her own--Hope Westcott plays the part of a dutiful admiral's daughter. But longing for the love and acceptance she never felt at home, Hope plunges into Charles Towne society. . .and an illicit affair with Lord Falkland.

For Captain Nathaniel Mason, wealth means security, so he is determined to build his shipping business--ignoring God's call on his life to become an impoverished pastor. He also ignores his attraction to the frivolous, vain Hope Westcott.

Hope's adventure seeking lands her in the hands of an unscrupulous ship captain who wants to sell her to the highest bidder. When Nathaniel sees Hope on the auction block, will he listen to God and sacrifice his ship, cargo, and security to save her?

From the Carolina Coast to the Caribbean, through stormy seas and shipwreck, can Hope and Nathaniel put aside their painful pasts , listen to God's voice, and find true love and acceptance? (from the back cover)

About the author: M.L. Tyndall, a Christy Award finalist, lives in California with her husband, six grown children and four cats. (from the back cover)

You can also visit MaryLu on her blog - Cross and Cutlass.

The Blue Enchantress
Publisher/Publication Date: Barbour Books, August 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60260-157-4
320 pages

ARC Arrival: Dancing with Ana

Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker

Publisher: The Golden Road Press

I received this book from the author. Thank you Nicole!

About the book: Beth is a lucky girl... She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she's grown up with has the most amazing green eyes... Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.

Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?

Purchase Dancing with Ana.

Wonderful Win: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Publisher: Anchor

I won this book during the read-a-thon from Books on the Nightstand!

About the book: Meet MMA RAMOTSWE, the endearing, engaging, simply irresistible proprietress of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, the first and only detective agency in Botswana. With persistent observation, gentle intuition, and a keen desire to help people with the problems of their lives, she solves mysteries great and small for friends and strangers alike. (from the back cover)

Visit the author at his website: www.AlexanderMcCallSmith.com

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Publisher/Publication Date: Anchor; MTI edition, March 2009
ISBN: 978-0-307-45663-2
256 pages

ARC Arrival: Luv Ya Bunches

Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle

Publisher: Amulet Books

I received this from the publisher through Shelf Awareness

About the book: What do Katie-Rose, Yasaman, Milla, and Violet all have in common? Other than being named after flowers, practically nothing. Katie-Rose is a film director in training. Yasaman is a computer whiz. Milla is third in command of the A list. And Violet is the new girl in school. They’re fab girls, all of them, but they sure aren’t friends. And if evil queen bee Medusa— ’scuse me, Modessa—has her way, they never will be. But this is the beginning of a new school year, when anything can happen and social worlds can collide . . .

Told in Lauren Myracle’s inventive narrative style—here a fresh mix of instant messages, blog posts, screenplay, and straight narrative—Luv Ya Bunches, the first in a four-book series, is a funny, honest depiction of the shifting alliances and rivalries that shape school days, and of the lasting friendships that blossom from the skirmishes. (from Amazon website)

About the author: Lauren Myracle is a graduate of the Vermont College MFA program in writing for children and young adults. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Internet Girls trilogy—ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r—and ever since realizing how popular these books are with the tween set, she wanted to write an Internet series just for them. Lauren grew up in Atlanta and lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband and three children. (from Amazon website)

Luv Ya Bunches
Publisher/Publication Date: Amulet Books, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8109-4211-0
352 pages
Ages 9-13

Back to School! Already???

August - can't believe it is here already! I will be registering my daughters for high school in the next week - with one of them starting the 19th and the other one the 24th. My little one doesn't go back to preschool until after Labor Day - lucky him! But with school starting I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts that have been made available to me about - you guessed it - School! So - to start the fun:

Ten Trivia Facts You Probably Used to Know
By Caroline Taggart,
Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

You know how it is -- the kids come home from school full of enthusiasm for a new subject, ask you to explain something, and you think, "Oh, yes, I used to know that." When I started to write a book on things you'd forgotten from your schooldays, I realised that I half-knew lots of stuff. I'd heard of phrases and clauses, but did I know the difference between them? I had a vague idea about photosynthesis -- it's to do with how plants grow, isn't it? But doesn't being green come into it somewhere? And then there was the War of 1812 -- what was that all about?

So there are three Top Trivia Questions to start with; I'll answer them and then I'll give you seven more. That way, even if you can't answer the kids' questions, you can quickly change the subject and throw in some knowledge of your own.

1. Language: What's the difference between a clause and a phrase? These are the building blocks of a sentence. The difference is that a clause contains a subject and a verb. It often stands alone as a simple sentence (He loves dogs), but may also be part of a longer sentence (He loves dogs, but he doesn't own one). A phrase is a group of words in a sentence that does not contain a subject and a verb (In the afternoon, he took his mother's dog for a walk).

2. Biology: What is photosynthesis? It is -- as we suspected -- to do with how plants grow. It's the process by which they convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, using the energy they absorb from light by means of a green pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is stored mainly in the leaves and is the reason most plants are green. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere, enabling the rest of us to breathe.

3. History: The war of 1812, between the U.S. and Britain, actually lasted nearly three years, from 1812 to 1815. Britain was already at war with France (under Napoleon) and the U.S. sided with the French. American ships, trying to break a blockade that would prevent supplies from reaching France, were being seized by the British, who then coerced American seamen into the Royal Navy. On top of that, the U.S. was disputing British control of territories in Canada; New England's support for Britain complicated the issue further. This war -- the last time the U.S. and Britain fought on opposing sides -- ended in stalemate when the British defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and subsequently lifted their blockade.

4. Literature: Where does the expression 'It just growed' come from? It's a misquotation from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-96), a fiercely anti-slavery novel published in 1852, when this was the political hot potato in America. The most famous character is the slave girl Topsy, who didn't know where she came from (i.e. didn't realise that God had made her) and said, 'I s'pect I growed.'

5. Math: who was that Pythagoras guy anyway? He was a Greek mathematician and philosopher who lived in the 6^th century BC. His theorem (the word comes from the same root as "theory" but means something that can be proved) states that in a right-angled triangle "the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides." The hypotenuse is the longest side of the triangle, opposite the right angle. This theorem really really matters to mathematicians, because it is fundamental to calculations used in architecture, engineering, astronomy, navigation and the like.

6. Geography: which were the original 13 states of the Union? In alphabetical order: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia. Delaware was the first to ratify the new constitution and is nicknamed "The First State" to this day.

7. Chemistry: what's the Periodic Table of Elements? It's a way of setting out the names of all the known chemical elements so that the vertical columns contain groups or families with similar properties. It was devised in the 19^th century by a Russian chemist called Mendeleev and has been in use ever since. An element, by the way, is a substance that cannot be decomposed into a simpler substance by a chemical process. Groups of elements come together to form compounds. So, for example, a combination of the element hydrogen (H) and the element oxygen (O) can form the compound water (H₂O).

8. Physics: what are conduction, convection and radiation? These are the ways in which heat is transferred from one "body" (that is, "thing") to another. Put simply, conduction means that a cool thing -- whether solid, liquid, or gas -- is warmed up by coming into contact with a hot thing. Convection occurs in liquids and gases and is the basis of the principle that hot air rises. A hot liquid or gas is generally less dense than a cool one; as the hot particles rise, cooler ones rush in underneath to take their place. The hot particles, having risen, cool and come down again, and so on. Radiation involves the energy that all objects emit. It is the only one of the three methods that works in a vacuum and is how the sun's rays manage to warm the Earth from so far away.

9. Art: who was Jackson Pollock? He was what is called an Abstract Expressionist and he believed that the act of painting was more important than the finished product. His paintings are therefore highly colourful, often huge, and (like his life) chaotic to the point of frenzy. He died in a motor accident in 1956, aged only 44.

10. Music: why should I care about Johann Sebastian Bach? He was incredibly important in the development of classical music: without him, some say, there might have been no Haydn, no Mozart, and no Beethoven. He wrote mostly organ music, church music, and orchestral music; his most famous works include the Brandenburg Concertos, the St. Matthew Passion, The Well-Tempered Clavier, and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. He had many children, including the composers Carl Philip Emmanuel and Johann Christian.

©2009 Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

Author Bio
Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School, has been an editor of non-fiction books for nearly 30 years and has covered nearly every subject from natural history and business to gardening and astronomy. She has written several books and was the editor of Writer's Market UK 2009.

ARC Arrival: Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation

Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation by Adrian Plass

Publisher: Authentic Books

I received this book from TBB Media.

About the book: Remember alphabet soup? It’s a broth-based soup with letter shaped noodles, making it both tasty and educational. The great thing about this odd delicacy is that it lends itself to a beloved childhood game, affectionately referred to as “the alphabet soup game,” which requires a name and definition for every pasta letter in the bowl. In many ways, Adrian Plass’ new book, Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation, plays the alphabet soup game with all things Christian.

With the comfortable knowledge of a church insider and the leery insight of a seeker, Plass shines a sometimes sarcastic, often times profound, and all the time witty light on the Christian experience. With thoughts on everything from the afterlife (“a place where God will chew a straw and fill us in on how things really are.”) to Zacchaeus (“… [he] looked like Danny DeVito in a dish towel”), Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation is a raucous glossary of biblical characters, church catch phrases and pop-Christian personalities.

The inspiration for Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation came from a situation Plass shared with a dear friend in church one day. When asked what the most important thing in the world was, both Plass and his friend responded very differently. “Salvation!” cried Plass. “Bacon sandwiches!” suggested his friend. Writes Plass, “That just about sums it up. A God who can create the indescribable tastiness of a bacon sandwich must be planning something pretty incredible in the salvation line.” Somewhere within the pages of this quirky little guide one begins to find just such a God.

About the author: Adrian Plass is a writer and speaker who has produced over thirty books in the last twenty years. Known for his satirical style and cheeky British wit, Plass puts an original mark on everything he touches. A bemused Anglican, Adrian lives with his wife and daughter in a small market town near the Sussex South Downs, England. (all info from publicity email from TBB media)

Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation
Publisher/Publication Date: Authentic Books, Oct 2008
ISBN: 978-1-934068-76-2
240 pages

ARC Arrivals: Truth or Dare and All That Glitters

Truth or Dare: Scenarios 1 and All That Glitters: Scenarios 2 by Nicole O'Dell

Publisher: Barbour Books

I received these books for a First Wild Card Tour Aug 21.

About the books: Truth or Dare - Decisions, decisions! How is a girl supposed to choose? Lessons of right and wrong are put to the test in the Scenarios series, where you can test your decision-making abilities in an eye-opening, but safe, way. Each book follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

All that Glitters - Decisions, decisions! How is a girl supposed to choose? Lessons of right and wrong are put to the test in the Scenarios series, where you can test your decision-making abilities in an eye-opening, but safe, way. Each book follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

Scenarios books in general - Tween readers make the choice in this interactive story and see how the consequences change Drew’s life. Includes a contract and prayer to remind the reader of the importance of making godly decisions. (from Amazon website)

About the author: Nicole O'Dell lives in Illinois with her husband and six children, three of whom are triplets. With a heart for young girls and a special passion for the relationship between mothers and daughters as they approach the teen years. Nicole created the Scenarios: Interactive Fiction for Girls series to help girls develop sound decision making skills. Her writing also includes devotionals and Bible studies for women of all ages. (from publicity material)

Truth or Dare
Publisher/Publication Date: Barbour Books, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60260-399-8
192 pages

All That Glitters
Publisher/Publication Date: Barbour Books, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60260-400-1
192 pages

Book Tour: Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton

Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton
(touring Aug 3 - Sept 25)
Publisher: Berkley Trade

About the book: Knit shop owner and sorcerer’s daughter Chloe Hobbs felt the Fates finally got it right when she met Luke MacKenzie. And no one could have convinced her otherwise—including the trolls, selkies, or spirits who also call Sugar Maple, Vermont, home. But then out of nowhere Luke’s ex-wife suddenly shows up, claiming to see the spirit of their daughter, Steffie—a daughter Chloe knows nothing about.

Steffie’s spirit is being held hostage by a certain Fae leader. And if Chloe weaves a spell to free her spirit, her nemesis will also be free—free to destroy her yarn shop and all of Sugar Maple. But if she doesn’t, Steffie won’t be the only one spending eternity in hell. Chloe’ll be joining her, cursed with a broken heart.

About the author: Barbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. Her most recent title, Laced With Magic, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world and have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.

Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.

Her awards include both Reviewer’s Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.

Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.

You can visit Barbara on her blog at http://bmafb.blogspot.com or connect with her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/barbarbretton.com.
(all information from Pump Up Your Book Tour Blog)

Read an excerpt of Laced With Magic.

Please come back and visit me on Sept 18 for a guest post by Barbara and Sept 22 for my review!

Laced with Magic
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Trade, Aug 2009
ISBN: 978-0425227527
352 pages

Book Tour: A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn

A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn
(touring Aug 3-Aug 28)
Publisher: Ballantine Books

About the Book: Dramatic, moving, and exquisitely written, A Better View of Paradise explores the tender bond between fathers and daughters, ponders the delicate nature of healing, and celebrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and love.

Thirty-six-year-old Stevie Pollack has come into her own as a celebrated landscape architect. Her designs, famed for their evocative natural beauty, reflect her upbringing amid the splendor of Hawai‘i. But when critics blast her latest efforts and her boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, Stevie seeks solace in her roots among the dazzling flowers, and comforting traditions of the islands and their calming waters. Still, in the back of her mind, Hawai‘i holds troubling memories of a childhood with Hank, her emotionally distant father, and a reserved British mother.

Despite her irascible father’s presence, the trip home promises Stevie a welcome departure from her trials on the mainland. But the shocking news that Hank is dying forces the pair’s reunion into high gear. As father and daughter attempt to rekindle their bond, Stevie discovers sides of Hank she never knew, including family secrets that have shaped their lives. And what started as a holiday escape for the beleaguered architect becomes a chance for transformation, one as exciting as it is uncertain. Inspired by her father’s insight, and energized by the attentions of an attractive local veterinarian, Stevie learns to surrender her inhibitions and seize the day.

About the author: Randy Sue Coburn is a former newspaper reporter whose articles and essays have been published in numerous national magazines. She is the author of Owl Island and Remembering Jody, and her screenplays include Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, the critically acclaimed Cannes Film Festival selection that received five Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Screenplay. She lives in Seattle.
(all info is from Pump Up Your Book Promotion Blog)

Read an excerpt of A Better View of Paradise.

You can find more information about Randy and her new book at these participating blogs: Come back here Aug 20th for an interview with Randy and Aug 21st for my review!

Blogcritics l This Book for Free l A Bookish Mom l The Writer’s Life l Cafe of Dreams l One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books l As the Pages Turn l You GOTTA Read This l Bookin’ with Bingo l Between the Lines l Dear Author l Beth’s Book Blog l Luxury Reading l Books and Needlepoint l First Chapters l A Book Blogger’s Diary l Bookworm with a View l A Book and a Chat Radio Show with Barry Eva l The Review from Here l Marta’s Meanderings l Falling Off the Shelf l The Minding Spot

A Better View of Paradise
Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0345490360
368 pages

Book Tour: The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall (and giveaway!)

The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall - on tour Aug 3-11! Find out more about the book here and enter to win a copy!

I am only about 20 pages into this book and am hooked already! Right away you meet Cara and find she is running with her daughter from an abusive man. She has fleeting memories of a place she went once with her mother, but hasn't been able to pull the entire memory back. I am already pulling for her!

About the book: Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.



Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim’s sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stoltzfus. Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose–or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything–including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life? (publicity info)

About the author: Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

The Hope of Refuge
Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook Press, Aug 11, 2009
ISBN: 978-1400073962
352 pages

For the giveaway - Has anyone ever visited an Amish community? Just let me know yes or no and what your experience was. Please leave an Email Address! Giveaway open to US only and will end Aug 24!

The Husband Project Giveaway

I have one copy of The Husband Project to give away courtesy of the author Kathi Lipp. Thanks Kathi!

I had every intention of starting this "project" myself this month - but I haven't had a chance to read through the book and take notes on what my plan/projects would be. I am going to revise my schedule and try to start it on Sept 1. I also don't have anyone right now to hold me accountable, so I am praying as to who that should be! But I still wanted to offer the extra copy up as a giveaway this month. So from now until Aug 23 tell me how your husband or significant other lets you know they love you! That's all you have to do to enter - and leave your email address. Only one entry per person - and US only.

Mailbox Monday/In Your Mailbox 8-2-2009

Mailbox Monday is hosted at The Printed Page or In Your Mailbox at The Story Siren. Please stop by those posts and take a look at what packages everybody else got this week!

I want to clarify something first - The last couple of weeks are not typical weeks for my mailbox. I feel like I have been playing catch up all summer on getting books posted! With a couple of more posts scheduled for Monday, I believe I am finally caught up! (Of course, this doesn't include the 13 books that I just picked up at our monthly library sale!) My desk is looking clearer anyway!

Wonderful Win

1. Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke
2. Beginner's Greek by James Collins
   
3. Mommy Grace by Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman
   
4. Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
   
5. The Road Home by Rose Tremain
   
6. Your Best Life Now: For Moms by Joel Osteen
   
7. Prime by Nate Kenyon
   

ARC Arrivals

1. The Pravda Messenger by Robert Cornuke
2. Lost Mission by Athol Dickson
3. The Cross by Arthur Blessitt
4. Blue Jean Baby by Sally Parmer
5. Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz by Belinda Acosta
6. A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve
7. hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
8. Never the Bride by Cheryl McKay
9. Abide with Me by John Parker and Paul Seawright
   
10. A Highlander's Temptation by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
    
11. Chosen by Desire by Kate Perry
12. Love You to Death by Shannon K. Butcher
    
13. Lucan by Susan Kearney
    
14. Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
    
15. Tall, Dark and Fangsome by Michelle Rowen
    
16. God Has Never Failed Me by Stan Toler
17. The Buzzards are Circling by Stan Toler
18. A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn
19. Not So Fast by Ann Kroeker
20. Abbeville by Jack Fuller

What books did you get last week?