Friday Finds: 10-9-2009

Here are my finds this week!

Return Policy by Michael Snyder

In his second book, novelist Michael Snyder introduces us to three very unusual and distinct voices all torn by tragedy: Willy Finneran, washed-up genre novelist with an espresso maker that just won't die and a habit of avoiding conflict even if it means putting the truth on a sliding scale. Ozena Webb, single mother and Javatek's top customer service representative. She spends every evening playing board games with her twelve-year-old son who is mentally crippled from an early childhood accident. Shaq, a small and scraggy homeless man with trauma-induced blank spots on his memory, trying to piece together the story of his life while assisting Father Joe at the Mercy Mission. As their stories intersect, the narrative vacillates between hope and naivete, comic relief and postmodern ennui. Startling in its authenticity, this unforgettable novel reveals that no matter how far one has strayed from hope, there is always a way to return. (back cover)


Kiss Me Like You Mean It:
Solomon's Crazy in Love How-to Manual
by Dr. David Clarke

Goodbye, passion? Not so fast. Yes, it's true--that glorious, heart-pumping feeling of love and desire does seem to vanish in the wake of kids, careers, and, well, life. But you can reclaim that mad-for-you, crazy-in-love feeling, and this time it will be deeper and more intimate than ever before. Your guide? King Solomon, the Bible's greatest lover, who has a few secrets up his ancient sleeve about how a husband and wife can experience unending passion--and have a blast doing it. Psychologist and marriage therapist Dr. David Clarke shows you why the ardent exchanges and God-inspired, 3,000-year-old techniques of Solomon and Shulamith worked then--and still work today. You will learn how to troubleshoot problems and conflicts, put each other first, have fun, flirt, and be more playful and sensual. You got married because you were over-the-moon wild about each other, and you can experience that exhilarating passion again; the Song of Solomon reveals how! "Dr. David Clarke knows people. Dr. David Clarke knows humor. Dr. David Clarke knows his Bible. These come together in the perfect storm to put passion back in your marriage."--Dr. Woodrow Kroll, president of Back to the Bible International "Dr. Clarke's book is a call to the reality that marriage can be kept vibrant and meaningful by a romance that need never grow cold."--Harold J. Sala, PhD, founder and president of Guidelines International "If you've lost that loving feeling but would like to get it back again--and in the process take your marriage to a whole new level--then Kiss Me Like You Mean It is a book you'll have a hard time putting down."--Gary J. Oliver, PhD, executive director of The Center for Relationship Enrichment at John Brown University; author of Mad About Us Dr. David Clarke is a psychologist specializing in marriage therapy and is the author of seven books, including Men Are Clams, Women Are Crowbars and A Marriage After God's Own Heart. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, he has been in full-time private practice for over twenty years. (back cover)


Ladies of the Lake by Haywood Smith

Sisters Dahlia, Iris, Violet, and Rose—all with grown children of their own—have a complicated relationship, so when their grand - mother’s will requires them to spend the whole summer—without friends or family—“camping in” at her run-down lodge on re mote Lake Clare in order to inherit the valuable land, old rivalries and new understanding emerge, with plenty of laughs along the way. Desperate to save her Buckhead home from foreclosure after being left in the lurch, recent divorcee Dahlia must complete the summer and sell her share immediately. Practical, even-tempered Violet will be no problem, but Iris has been Dahlia’s nemesis since she learned to say, “no” to her big sister. And super-sweet, quirky Garage Sale Queen Rose is so “green” she’d test the patience of a saint. As tempers flare and old secrets are revealed, four grown women discover that the past is never truly buried. (Amazon)


What great books did you find this week?? Stop over at Should Be Reading and share yours!

Kid's Korner: All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon (Book Review)

Title: All the World
Author: Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee
Publisher: Beach Lane Books

This is a children's book which says ages 9-12, but my 4 year old liked it's simplicity and rhymes - not to mention the beautiful and detailed illustrations that grace every page. (I just found another site which places this in the 3-7 age group which I feel is more appropriate.)

It follows a family from morning until night with various places, activities, weather - all the while reaffirming that everything that happens is part of our world - yet at the same time, a part of the bigger world - so we are all really connected. Did that make sense? That is what I got out of it at least.

LIZ GARTON SCANLON’s poetry has been published widely in literary journals, and she is an adjunct professor of creative writing at Austin Community College. Her first picture book, A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, was selected by Junior Library Guild and Children’s Book of the Month Club, and was a finalist for the Children’s Crown Gallery award. She lives in Austin, Texas.

She blogs at http://liz-scanlon.livejournal.com/

MARLA FRAZEE has written and illustrated many critically acclaimed picture books, including Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild! by Mem Fox, as well as her own A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, Walk On! and Santa Claus the World's Number One Toy Expert. She lives in Pasadena, California.

All the World
Publisher/Publication Date: Beach Lane Books, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-1416985808
40 pages

ARC Arrival: Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby

Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby

Publisher: Ecky Thump Books

I received this book for review from Ecky Thump Books.

From the start of December,
to Christmas Eve night,
one chapter an evening,
wrapped up with delight.

Enter the magical festive world of the Christmas 'Tree-Dwellers', as Larry, a Christmas snowman, wakes up after the long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother missing.

Desperate to find him before Christmas, Larry, along with his girlfriend Debbie, a newcomer Splint, and Larry's companion Tinsel, break the laws of the 'Tree-Elders' and escape down the tree and away into the house, to look for clues.

Away from the safety of the tree and in an unfamiliar world, the Dwellers stumble upon a dark and sinister secret that threatens their entire world. Can Larry and the group make it back to the tree in time to warn the others, and finally uncover the truth behind the 'Secrets of a Christmas Box'? (book jacket)

Steven Hornby grew up near Preston in the north of England, and has been storytelling for over 15 years in visual effects and animated movies.

He initially planned 'Secrets of a Christmas Box' as a screenplay, after spending several years having the idea running around in his head, but instead turned it into his first novel.

He wanted to capture the magical time of Christmas and by sharing the story, hopes it will bring back those special feelings for others too, that they may have long since forgotten. (book jacket)

Secrets of a Christmas Box
Publisher/Publication Date: Ecky Thump Books, Sept 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9815883-0-8
248 pages

ARC Arrival: The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company (Hachette)

I received this book for review from Hachette Book Group.

A haunting novel of art and obsession.

A mystery spanning continents and centuries.

A love story that crosses the ultimate border.

Robert Oliver, a renowned painter, has attacked a canvas in the National Gallery of Art. What would compel an artist to try to destroy something he values beyond all else? Oliver's only words on the subject: "I did it for her."

Psychiatrist Andrew Marlow prides himself on being able to make even a stone talk, but he gets nowhere with Oliver. Desperate to understand the secret that torments this genius, he embarks on a journey that leads him into the lives of the women closest to Oliver and a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.

Elizabeth Kostova's masterful new novel takes us from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late nineteenth century to the late twentieth, from young love to last love. The Swan Thieves is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope. (back cover)

Elizabeth Kostova graduated from Yale and holds an MFA from the University of Michigan, where she won the Hopwood Award for the Novel-in-Progress. (back cover)

The Swan Thieves
Publisher/Publication Date: Little, Brown & Company, January 2010
ISBN: 978-0-316-06578-8
576 pages

ARC Arrival: White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

I received this book for review from Waterbrook Press (Random House).

The Janviers have the idyllic life--a beautiful home, great jobs, two wonderful kids--and surrounding it all is the proverbial white picket fence that protects them, offers them a serene sense of security. . .and hides all their secrets.

When her black sheep brother disappears, Amanda Janvier eagerly takes in her sixteen-year-old niece Tally. The girl is practically an orphan: motherless and living with a father who raises Tally wherever he lands--in a Buick, a pizza joint, a horse farm--and regularly takes off on wild schemes. Amanda envisions that she, her husband, Neil, and their two teenagers can offer the girl stability and a shot at a "normal" life, even though their own storybook lives are about to crumble.

Seventeen-year-old Chase Janvier hasn't seen his cousin in years, and other than a vague curiosity about her strange life, he doesn't expect her arrival will affect him much--or interfere with his growing, disturbing interest in a long-ago house fire that plagues his dreams.

Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won't make them go away.

Will Tally's presence blow apart their carefully constructed world, revealing a hidden past that could destroy them all--or can she help them find the truth without losing each other? From the author of The Shape of Mercy, one of Publishers Weekly's Best Religious Fiction Books of 2008, comes a tale of family secrets smoldering behind a white picket fence. (back cover)

Susan Meissner cannot remember a time when she wasn't driven to put her thoughts down on paper. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, winner of the Christian Book Award for Fiction, and Blue Heart Blessed. Susan and her husband, a pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, make their home in Southern California. They are the parents of four grown children. (back cover)

White Picket Fences
Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook Press, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7457-0
368 pages

ARC Arrival: Hoodoo Sea by Rolf Hitzer

Hoodoo Sea by Rolf Hitzer

Publisher: BluewaterPress LLC

I received this book for review from Pump Up Your Book Tour Promotions.

The government of the United States of America is on the verge of startling the world.

Billions of dollars had been invested in its space program.

And now, the moment of truth had arrived...

Scott Reed is the man for the historic mission. He is the Wing Commander chosen by the elite brass at NASA. The assignment to test flight the first speed of light craft, held top secret, was about to shock the world. The risk? Utter and complete failure. The reward? Being a part of the greatest human accomplishment ever known to mankind.

Major James Harrow, second in command of the four person crew, despised his Wing Commander. Harrow was a proud and patriotic American. What was NASA thinking when they selected a Canadian to pilot the voyage? There was no comparison as to who was the better skilled aviator. This was his time, his moment. Major James Harrow was about to prove to everybody they were wrong to bypass him as Commander.

The Weather conditions were perfect and lift-off for the test flight was text book. The triumphant cheers from Mission Control in Houston were echoed all the way to Cape Canaveral. The silent fear of the first hurdle of the flight had been succumbed. All systems were go! That is, until the crew and SOLT-X1 entered the Bermuda Triangle. . . (back cover)

Hoodoo Sea
Publisher/Publication Date: BluewaterPress LLC, June 2009
ISBN: 978-1604520262
260 pages

Waiting on Wednesday: When She Flew

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



When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge

Publisher/Publication Date: NAL Trade, Nov 3, 2009

A new novel about faith, family, and finding the courage to do the right thing from the author of Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe.

Police officer Jessica Villareal has always played by the book and tried to do the right thing. But now, she finds herself approaching midlife divorced, estranged from her daughter, alone, and unhappy. And she's wondering if she ever made a right choice in her life.

But then Jess discovers a girl and her father living off the radar in the Oregon woods, avoiding the comfort - and curses - of modern life. Her colleagues on the force are determined to uproot and separate them, but Jess knows the damage of losing those you love. She recognizes her chance to make a difference by doing something she's never dared. Because even though she's used to playing by the rules, there are times when they need to be broken. . .(amazon)




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

When She Flew
Publisher/Publication Date: NAL Trade, Nov 2009
ISNB: 978-0451227980
352 pages

Teaser Tuesday 10-6-2009

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!





She narrowed her eyes at him, willing him to remember. She could hardly think of anything else. He had to have felt the same giddy excitement. (p155, A Highlander's Temptation (ARC) by Sue-Ellen Welfonder)

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

Mailbox Monday/In My Mailbox 10-5-2009

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!

ARC Arrivals:

1. Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart (received from FSB Associates)
2. Trust Me by Peter Leonard (received from FSB Associates)
3. Kiss Me Again by Barbara Wilson (received from Random House)
4. Bending Toward the Sun by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie (received from FSB Associates)
5. Hot and Irresistible by Dianne Castell (received from Pump Up Your Book Tour)
6. The Last Word by Kathy Herman (received from TBB Media)
7. Catch of a Lifetime by Judi Fennell (received from Sourcebooks)
8. Legend of the White Wolf by Terry Spear (received from Sourcebooks)
   

Purchased Pages

1. Reader's Digest containing Grace, Still Life, Hell Bent and Prayers for Sale

What books found a home with you this week?

The Bible Salesman - 5 Copies to Giveaway!

The Bible Salesman by Clyde Edgerton

Thank you Hachette for making this giveaway possible!

Preston Clearwater has been a criminal since stealing two chain saws and 1,600 pairs of aviator sunglasses from the army during the Second World War. Back on the road in postwar North Carolina, now a member of a car-theft ring, he picks up hitchhiking Henry Dampier, an innocent twenty-year-old Bible salesman. Clearwater immediately recognizes Henry as smart but gullible, just the associate he needs--one who will believe Clearwater is working undercover for the F.B.I.; one who will drive the cars Clearwater steals as Clearwater follows along in his own car at a safe distance. Henry joyfully sees a chance to lead a dual life as a Bible salesman and a G-man.

During his hilarious and scary adventures, Henry grapples with doubts about the Bible's accuracy, and we learn of his fundamentalist upbringing, an upbringing that doesn't prepared him for his new life. As he falls in love with the captivating Marleen Green and questions his religious training, Henry begins to see he's being used--that he is on his own in a way he never imagined.

Clyde Edgerton was born in Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of eight previous novels, including, Walking Across Egypt and Lunch at the Piccadilly. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow, and five of his novels have been New York Times Notable Books. Edgerton teaches creative writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is a member of the Fellowship of Souther Writers. He lives in Wilmington with his wife, Kristina, and their children.

Check out the Reading Group Guide!

1. Five copies to giveaway.
   
2. Open only to U.S. and Canada.
   
3. No PO Boxes
4. All entries can be in one comment.
5. +1 For your first entry - Must leave email address in comment.
6. +2 if you are a follower.
   
7. +3 if you post this on any social network or blog LEAVE A LINK TO GET BACK TO THIS POST OR IT WILL NOT COUNT - If you post on Twitter - please use @kherbrand and link to this post.
8. Total of 6 entries possible.
   
9. Giveaway ends on Oct 23.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder Shares Her Love of Vikings!

I love Vikings.

Sometimes I suspect the feeling must be mutual because they often pop into my books. When they turn up, expecting to be included, I can’t resist them. After all, they’re bold and full of life, grand storytellers, brave and daring, romantic, and, at times, pretty darn dangerous. I’m sure you’ll agree those are all good traits for potential romance novel characters.

Having them appear suddenly, looking for a story part, is like being kissed by the writing gods.

I haven’t yet refused one.

So readers can expect to find the rare Norseman (or Norsewoman) living happily somewhere in my books’ pages. Or you can travel along when a character visits a Nordic setting. At the very least, there will be a few references-in-passing to Viking times.

A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009) has some wonderfully fun Norse characters. When heroine, Arabella MacKenzie, begins her grand adventure, you’ll meet Arnkel Arneborg, shipmaster of the Merry Dancer, the merchant cog she journeys on. Then there’s Olaf Big Nose, neighbor and friend to Arabella’s hero, Darroc MacConacher. I really adored Olaf and loved writing the scenes that took place on his isle. His womenfolk also won my heart and I hope you’ll enjoy spending time with them, too. Asa Long-Legs was especially dear to me. Look for her at Darroc’s own Castle Bane.

These colorful Viking secondaries share the pages of A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009) with some fascinating bits of Norse myth and legend.

Clan MacConacher’s fabled Thunder Rod has its roots in Nordic lore. This clan heirloom plays a strong role in A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009) and provided me with hours of deadline enjoyment. The Thunder Rod is very special. I smiled each time it appeared on my pc screen. If you don’t yet know what it is, the Thunder Rod is a polished length of fossilized wood. It’s carved with runes and is charmed – though some may say cursed – and it may or may not have been torn from the prow of Thor’s own dragon ship. There’s another, equally romantic, tale about the rod’s origins, but I’ve shared enough for now.

You can surely see that I’m fond of all things Norse.

But some of you might be wondering why I weave such things into Scottish medieval romances.

The short answer is: see above. I just love Vikings.

That’s true enough. It’s also true (again, see above) that I have so much fun writing them. Even so, there’s much more to it. You see, those Vikings have every right to be there.

The Norse ruled the Hebrides for nearly four centuries. Some historians place the earliest invasions as far back as 100 B.C. But the great age of Viking raids didn’t happen until many hundreds of years later. When it came, beginning in the late 700s, the attacks were vicious and terrifying. There isn’t any way to paint them pretty. They were what they were.

But the Vikings weren’t just blood-thirsty sea-raiders.

They were also farmers, fishermen, great shipbuilders, amazing craftsmen, and incredibly far-traveling traders, merchants, and explorers. And like so many people who raid, they eventually became settlers, bringing their own history, culture, and beliefs to the lands they’d once ravaged. Through intermarriage with locals, they also brought new and fresh blood.

Here’s a photo of me (well, my feet) enjoying a picnic at one of my favorite haunts in Shetland. Not surprisingly, a Viking settlement was excavated not far from this idyllic spot.

They obviously knew a beauty spot when they saw one.

Norse hold on the Hebrides began to crumble after the Battle of Largs in 1264. The actual battle wasn’t a grand victory for the Scots, but the weather gods joined the fray and fierce sea storms smashed the Norse longships. King Hakon retreated to Orkney where he died and Norway ceded the Hebrides to Scotland two years later, in 1266.

Scotland’s Northern Isles, Orkney and Shetland, remained under Norse rule much longer. Only in the late 1460s did Scotland gain power there.

Those are cold, hard historical facts. Dates and events carved in time and that are irrefutable.

What is also indisputable is that Viking influence remained strong.

This legacy can still be seen throughout the Hebrides, setting of A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009). To this day, you’ll find these beautiful, windswept islands brimming with Norse archaeological sites. For those who look for such things, Viking influence can be found in place names, local customs and festivals, and myth and legend. Who hasn’t heard of the fabulous sagas? To say the Norse had a way with words is an understatement.

There isn’t room to go into the pagan world of their gods or their spectacular ship burials. I could also wax poetic over how charismatic the men could be. Or sing praises of the women who were so strong and vital and held so many rights. Some of those rights are real eye-poppers for those who like to think women back then were helpless doormats.

Not Norsewomen.

They enjoyed sexual freedom that was unheard of in other societies. A woman could divorce a husband if he didn’t adequately satisfy her. Some wives who are recorded as having made use of this right are also noted as walking away with their dowries returned to them.

I like to think they were also as generous, good, and big-hearted as they were free-spirited.

That’s how I saw the Norsewomen you’ll encounter in A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009) when the story takes you to Olaf Big Nose’s isle. Asa Long-Legs’ tale is a bit different, and tinged with tragedy. But she, too, could well have existed and her fate isn’t really a stretch. Although she is entirely my own creation, as is what happens to her.

Asa hailed from Shetland and she missed her northern home. The following two photos were taken at a place she would have known. These cliffs are the northernmost point of land in Great Britain. I thrilled to walk those cliffs. Being at the very top of Shetland, they’re closer to Norway than mainland Scotland. I like to think Asa loved this place, too.

My portrayal of other Vikings in the story, namely the villainous ones, is also how I truly believe those particular sea raiders would have been. The Hebrides are vast and provided many hiding places for sea raiders. Such marauders did exist and some Hebridean isles were notorious lairs for them, the surrounding seas perilous to the traveler.

They certainly posed a danger for Arabella in A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009). But everything worked out in the end and I like to think she’s forgiven me for some of the trials she had to endure on her journey across the Hebrides. After all, if everything had gone smoothly, she never would have landed in Darroc’s arms.

So I don’t think she minded overmuch.

Although I’ll share that she blanched the day I was sitting at my desk, dreaming up her adventure, and the Black Vikings stormed into my office to announce that they were my villains.

She knew then that her path wouldn’t be easy.

She’s also been ‘working with me’ through many books (she was born at the end of my third book, Bride of the Beast (GCP, Jan. 2003) so she was aware of my affection for Vikings. She’ll have known I couldn’t have just looked the other way and pretended those fearsome, fire-in-their-eyes, sea-raiders weren’t in the room with us, demanding a piece of the action.

Obviously, Arabella trusted me to see her safely through a 450 page manuscript and into her happy ending, Vikings or no Vikings.

I’m also sure she understood their presence in her book.

With Norse legacy still such a tangible part of today’s Hebrides, imagine how strongly she would have been aware of their influence in her time, living when and where she did.

I hope you’ll agree that the Vikings you’ll meet in A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009) fit in well and add some lovely color and excitement to the story.

Here are a few Viking fun facts you might not have known:

1) They didn’t wear horned helmets. A Viking warrior’s head protection of choice was most often a simple pointed helmet with a nasal bar. These helmets sometimes had mail ‘curtains’ at the back to safeguard the neck.

2) Vikings cared about appearance. They bathed frequently, braided their hair and beards, wore colorful clothes, and were fond of jewelry.

3) They were world travelers. A runic inscription at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul shows they reached Turkey. And archaeologists in Scandinavia have uncovered countless stashes of dirhams (Arab silver coins), proving trade with those distant lands.

4) They could charm. One Norse trader was so well-liked for his engaging tales about his sea-journeys, that he was always an honored guest at King Alfred’s Anglo-Saxon court. This would have been at the height of the worst raiding years.

5) Their powerful sagas speak for themselves. These men had silver tongues. As proof: they had over a dozen beautifully evocative words just to describe the wind.

I could keep on – there are so many other fascinating bits I’d love to share - but space and time sets limits. You can probably tell already how much I love exploring the places I use as settings. And that I love, love, love research. Visiting such places first hand and learning as much as I can about something that fascinates me, is my idea of heaven.

Though just now, I should probably say Valhalla.

Question: do you enjoy research?

Or are you like some (not-to-be-mentioned) people I know who would rather have their toenails pulled out than be forced to wade through history books?

Visit my website to learn more about A Highlander’s Temptation (GCP, Oct. 2009) and see photos from my travels to sites of Viking interest in the Hebrides and Northern Isles: www.welfonder.com

Run For Your Life - Win it Here!

Run for Your Life
by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

A calculating killer who calls himself The Teacher is taking on New York City, killing the powerful and the arrogant. His message is clear: remember your manners or suffer the consequences! For some, it seems that the rich are finally getting what they deserve. For New York's elite, it is a call to terror.

Only one man can tackle such a high-profile case: Detective Mike Bennett. The pressure is enough for anyone, but Mike also has to care for his 10 children-all of whom have come down with virulent flu at once!

Discovering a secret pattern in The Teacher's lessons, Detective Bennett realizes he has just hours to save New York from the greatest disaster in its history. From the #1 bestselling author comes RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, the continuation of his newest, electrifying series.

Listen to a clip

1. Five copies to giveaway.
   
2. Open only to U.S. and Canada.
   
3. No PO Boxes
4. All entries can be in one comment.
5. +1 For your first entry - tell me your favorite James Patterson book - Must leave email address in comment.
6. +2 if you are a follower.
   
7. +3 if you post this on any social network or blog LEAVE A LINK TO GET BACK TO THIS POST OR IT WILL NOT COUNT - If you post on Twitter - please use @kherbrand and link to this post.
   
8. +3 for referrals of NEW followers - New followers - tell me who referred you and you will get those +3 also!
   
9. Giveaway ends on Oct 22.

ARC Arrival: Legend of the White Wolf by Terry Spear

Legend of the White Wolf by Terry Spear

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

About the book: His wild side comes out with a vengeance. . .

Detective Cameron MacPherson joins forces with lovely Faith O'Malley to search for his missing partners and her father's stolen research. But in the wilds of nature he encounters a mythical creature whose bite changes everything for their newfound love.

Is she the hunter, or the hunted. . .?

Faith is on the trail of a legend, and with or without Cameron, she won't be stopped.

Until the fatal moment when they both realize they must face their enemies together. . . or perish apart. . .(back cover)

About the author: A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, award-winning author Terry Spear has an MBA from Monmouth College. An eclectic writer, she dabble in the paranormal as well as writing historical and true life stories for both teen and adult audiences. Spear lives in Crawford, Texas, and is working on more Wolf stories! Her fifth lupus garou novel, Seduction of the Wolf, will be out in Spring 2010.

Legend of the White Wolf
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, Feb 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4022-1905-4
384 pages

ARC Arrival: Catch of a Lifetime by Judi Fennell

Catch of a Lifetime by Judi Fennell

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

About the book: She's on a mission to save the planet. . .

Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it's her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret. . .

When he finds out what she really is, they're both in mortal danger. . .

For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem--until he discovers she's a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line. . . (back cover)

About the author: Judi Fennell's romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com's First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests and in the third American Title contest. She lives in suburban Philadelphia and spends family vacations at the Jersey shore, the setting for some of her Mer romance series. She has joined with the Atlantis Inn Bed & Breakfast in Ocean City, NJ, and the Hibiscus House Bed & Breakfast in West Palm Beach, FL, to offer readers a chance to win one of three romantic getaways to celebrate the launch of her books. All information and links can be found on her website, www.JudiFennell.com.

Catch of a Lifetime
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, Feb 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4022-2428-7
384 pages

I Hear Another Giveaway and it is for The Sound of Sleigh Bells!

I have one copy of The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall
to pass on to one lucky reader!

Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store and serves as a contact between Amish craftsmen and Englischer retailers. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart every day, and she still wears dark dresses to indicate her mourning of her fiance. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow in an Englischer store, something deep inside Beth's soul responds, and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work.

Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after meeting Jonah, the artist, she is determined that Beth come to know this man whose hands create healing art. But it's not that simple--Beth has cut herself off from any possibility of romance. Will Lizzy's elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth new hope and a second chance at real love--or just more heartbreak? (book jacket)

Since the title of this book reminds me of Christmas - tell me what your favorite holiday tradition is (doesn't have to be Christmas tradition - any holiday). You must do this to be entered in this giveaway. You must also leave your email address so I can get ahold of you. This giveaway ends Oct 21. (US/Canada only - info added later)

That's it - start talking!