Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Cherokee Legend

Cherokee Legend


Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?


His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him an leaves him alone.
He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.



Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.


He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.


The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him . Maybe even some human might do him


harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat
stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!


Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his
blindfold.



It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him.


He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.




We, too, are never alone.


Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, Sitting on the stump beside us.


When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.



If you liked this story, pass it on.


If not, you took off your blindfold before dawn.


Moral of the story:


Just because you can't see God,


Doesn't mean He is not there.


"For we walk by faith, not by sight."

 


My mother-in-law sent me this email this morning - and I really needed to hear it today - so I wanted to pass it on.

I am being featured at Scene of the Blog today!


I am very honored to be featured this morning by Cathy over at Kittling: Books. Please stop by and see my blogging space and visit some of her previous Scene of the Blog posts to find some other bloggers who may be new to you. Say hi to Cathy while you are there too!

Monday, November 16, 2009

It's Monday! What are you reading? 11-16-2009


What are you reading on Mondays? is hosted by J. Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog. If you would like to participate, please leave your link with Mr. Linky at J.Kaye's blog - but you can also leave me a comment - I would love to know what you are reading!

Ok, I am almost embarrassed to admit to this - these books are STILL WAITING to be reviewed. My mom and sister are visiting this week, so I am hoping to get a little extra time to actually review these! If I wait much longer, I am going to have to reread them!
1. All About Us #5: Tidings of Great Boys: An All About Us Novel by Shelley Adina
2. Saint John of the Five Boroughs by Edward Falco
3. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Books finished last week:
1. The Peruke Maker by Ruby Dominguez (reviewed)
2. The Wildest Heart by Rosemary Rogers (reviewed)
3. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff - I finished this audiobook but it is still waiting for a review.

Currently Reading
1. Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent (Bathroom book)
2. Beg, Borrow, Steal: A Writer's Life by Michael Greenberg

On Audio:
1. The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi

Kid's Reviews
1. Christmas Fun and Mean Machines - both by Jennifer Marks

Books up next:
1. The Fruit of Her Hands: The Story of Shira of Ashkenazby Michelle Cameron
2. Touched by a Vampire: Discovering the Hidden Messages in the Twilight Saga by Beth Felker Jones
3. Thirsty: A Novel by Tracey Bateman
4. Tales for Delicious Girls by Barbara Knobova

What are you reading?

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - Audiobook Giveaway!

Thank you Hachette Books for another great giveaway! I have 3 copies of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold to giveaway!

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen.


In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets.


With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing.


In the hands of a brilliant novelist, the author narrates the THE LOVELY BONES through the eyes of her winning young heroine. This story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.



Listen to an excerpt.
Watch the movie trailer.
Visit the official movie website at LovelyBones.com.


Thanks to Hachette Books I have 3 audiobooks that I can give away. This giveaway is open to U.S./Canada only - no PO Boxes. This giveaway ends 12/7 at 11:59PM CST.


PLEASE NOTE THAT MY RULES CHANGED EARLIER THIS MONTH - BE SURE TO READ DIRECTIONS SO THAT YOU GET ALL YOUR ENTRIES.


For entries:
1. BIG RULE CHANGE - EACH ENTRY MUST BE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT/COMMENTS.
2. +1 leave a comment with your email address - must leave email address at least once for any of your comments to count. (leave one comment)
3. +1 New follower (leave one comment)
3. +2 for a Tweet - please leave link - can tweet daily. (leave 2 comments)
4. +3 Old follower (email/google/twitter/facebook/blogged) (leave 3 comments)
5. +3 for a side bar post - leave link (leave 3 comments)
6. +5 For a blog post - not a side bar - leave link. (leave 5 comments)


i.e. If something is worth 5 entries - please leave 5 comments. I am using a numbering system now on my comments to try to streamline the drawing of winners. I either have to start doing it this way - or cut down on my giveaways. I hate to cut down on the giveaways so I am transferring part of the work to you guys.

Any questions or suggestions on a better way to do this, please email me at kherbrand @ comcast . net (w/o the spaces)

New Audiobook Giveaway! Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

I have 3 copies of the audiobook Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books.

Each story in this jubilantly acclaimed collection pays testament to the wisdom and resilience of children, even in the face of the most agonizing circumstances. A family living in a makeshift shanty in urban Kenya scurries to find gifts of any kind for the impending Christmas holiday. A Rwandan girl relates her family's struggles to maintain a facade of normalcy amid unspeakable acts. A young brother and sister cope with their uncle's attempt to sell them into slavery. Aboard a bus filled with refugees, a microcosm of today's Africa, a Muslim boy summons his faith to bear a treacherous ride across Nigeria. Through the eyes of childhood friends the emotional toll of religious conflict in Ethiopia becomes viscerally clear. Uwem Akpan's debut signals the arrival of a breathtakingly talented writer who gives a matter-of-fact reality to the most extreme circumstances in stories that are nothing short of transcendent.

Listen to an excerpt
Listen to the Interview with Uwem Akpan.

Thanks to Hachette Books I have 3 audiobooks that I can give away. This giveaway is open to U.S./Canada only - no PO Boxes. This giveaway ends 12/7 at 11:59PM CST.


PLEASE NOTE THAT MY RULES CHANGED EARLIER THIS MONTH - BE SURE TO READ DIRECTIONS SO THAT YOU GET ALL YOUR ENTRIES.


For entries:
1. BIG RULE CHANGE - EACH ENTRY MUST BE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT/COMMENTS.
2. +1 leave a comment with your email address - must leave email address at least once for any of your comments to count. (leave one comment)
3. +1 New follower (leave one comment)
3. +2 for a Tweet - please leave link - can tweet daily. (leave 2 comments)
4. +3 Old follower (email/google/twitter/facebook/blogged) (leave 3 comments)
5. +3 for a side bar post - leave link (leave 3 comments)
6. +5 For a blog post - not a side bar - leave link. (leave 5 comments)


i.e. If something is worth 5 entries - please leave 5 comments. I am using a numbering system now on my comments to try to streamline the drawing of winners. I either have to start doing it this way - or cut down on my giveaways. I hate to cut down on the giveaways so I am transferring part of the work to you guys.

Any questions or suggestions on a better way to do this, please email me at kherbrand @ comcast . net (w/o the spaces)

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Win Custom Thank You Cards from Digital Room!





I am having my first non-book giveaway and I am very excited! Thanks to Digital Room, an online printing website, I have 50 - yes 50 custom Thank You Cards to giveaway to one lucky winner! These cards are 7"x5" (folded to 3.5" x 5") and come with plain envelopes.


Digital Room is an Eco-Friendly company. They use recycled paper and soy/vegetable based inks. But they do much more than just cards. You must visit Digital Room to appreciate everything they offer - door hangers, event tickets, brochures and calendars to name just a few. Be sure to also take a look at some of the different cards that they offer, in addition to the thank-you cards. Read some of the fabulous reviews they have received.

Now for the giveaway:
1. 50 Custom Thank-You cards with plain envelopes.
2. Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only - no PO Boxes.
3. This is a quick one folks - Giveaway ends Nov 21 at 6PM CST.
4. Must include your email address!
5. Be sure to leave each entry in a separate comment!


To enter - you must do both for two easy entries:
1. Visit Digital Room and tell me something else you would order besides Thank-You Cards.
2. In your comment, tell me what you would use your Custom Thank You Cards for.




Additional entries:
1. Follow me on Google Friends Connect!
2. Tweet this giveaway. (leave link)
3. Blog about this giveaway. (leave link)



*I will be receiving 50 thank you cards from Uprinting.com for hosting this giveaway.*





The Wildest Heart by Rosemary Rogers (Book Review)

Title: The Wildest Heart
Author: Rosemary Rogers
Publisher: Sourcebooks


Lady Rowena Dangerfield travels from the exotic palaces of India to the splendor of the Royal Court of London to the savage New Mexico frontier to lay claim to her inheritance and live freely as only she would dare. In the violent, untamed American Southwest, she finally meets a man as strong as she is: Lucas Cord, a dark, dangerously handsome, half-Apache outlaw. Fighting scandal, treachery, and murder, Luke is determined to have Rowena for his own, and as their all-consuming passion mounts, no one is going to stop him.


Normally I like to give my own synopsis of the book, but I did not think that I could condense this succinctly enough without giving away some of the many plots! This book was originally published in 1974 and I believe that parts of it would have been quite scandalous back then! I was very surprised at some of the twists and turns myself in 2009! I like Lady Rowena. She was like a little spitfire and was always ready with a sharp retort. She was not going to let anyone walk all over her and tried to use whatever situation she found herself in to her advantage. Whether this be as a girl in India, a young lady in London, or an heiress to a ranch in New Mexico. At over 700 pages, be ready for a ride when you open the cover. I am always scared to accept such big books for review, but this one did not disappoint. It is very complex with many plots among a myriad of characters and family members. This book contained scandals, affairs, rapes, kidnaps and a journey to understand a feud that has lasted for generations, but let's not forget the passion and romance! It would make a great movie or maybe a mini-series would be more in line for it. It is a great book and I recommend it!

The Wildest Heart
Publisher/Publication Date: Sourcebooks (original publication 1974) re-issue, Nov 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4022-2274-0
739 pages

Congratulations!


I have some new winners to announce!

The lucky ones who have won the 1 of the 5 copies of Life after Genius are:
Linna
Heather
Becca
Sarah - already won - Maria - new winner
BevE


The winners of 1 of the 5 copies of The Heretic's Daughter are:
RAnn - already won - Mariag - also already won - holdenj - new winner
Anonymous - bgcchs
Jaime
Esme - already won -Darcy O - also already won - alitareads - new winner
Belinda M


And - the last winner, for the copy of Touched by a Vampire is:
Melissa


All winners have been emailed and have until Tuesday morning to get me their information, or new winners will be drawn at that time.

Be sure to check out all my current giveaways in the right sidebar. I will be having some non-book giveaways this week too!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

In My Mailbox/Mailbox Monday 11-16-2009


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!




Until Now by Denise Skelton

Terry Meyers' life seems to be falling apart. Her husband left her and their 2 sons for a woman 10 years her junior, she has a mortgage that she can't afford, a car that stays broken more than it works and a son who's going through puberty and seems set to drive her crazy in the process. Add to that the desire to go into business with her cousin, who is adamant that that will never happen and Terry believes her life could not get much worse.

Wade Nelson has moved back to Chicago to work as the new English teacher at Jefferson High. His strained relationship with his father has kept him away for many years. What his family doesn't know is that Wade has another agenda for being back in Chicago.

As things seem to go from bad to worse, Terry decides it's time to take stock in her life. First on the list, handle her deadbeat future ex-husband. Second, find a new career. Third, swear off men, what's the point, she always chooses the wrong one, always ends up being used or hurt. . . Until Now. . .

When Wade meets feisty Terry Meyers, the last thing he's thinking about is being in a relationship with anyone, let alone a woman who has two children, but Terry has a way of finding herself in rather strange situations and he just happens to be the one there to bail her out. With a past that he has never put to rest, Wade, by no means, considered the idea of settling down, Until Now. . .(back cover)

(I received this for review from the author through Bostick Communications.)





What Your Mother Never Told You:
A Survival Guide for Teenage Girls
by Richard M. Dudum


You Don't Owe Him Jack ~

Who's Jack? Jack is not a person. When I say, "You don't owe him Jack," I mean, you don't owe him anything.

You get compliments. You get gifts. He buys you a ring. He takes you out. He tells you you're beautiful. He says all the things you want to hear. What do you owe him? NOTHING. YOU DON'T OWE HIM JACK! (back cover)


(I received What Your Mother Never Told You from the author through Bostick Communications)




Thirsty by Kristin Bair O'Keeffe

It is 1883, and all of Klara Bozic's girlish dreams have come crashing down as she arrives in Thirsty, a gritty steel town carved into the slopes above the Monongahela River just outside of Pittsburgh. She has made a heartbreaking discover. Her new husband Drago is as abusive a the father she left behind in Croatia.

In Kristin Bair O'Keeffe's debut novel, Klara's life unfolds over forty years as she struggles to find her place in a new country where her survival depends on the friends who nurture her: gutsy, funny Katherine Bekavac, who isn't afraid of Drago's fist; BenJo, the only black man in Thirsty to have his own shop; and strangely enough, Old Man Rupert, the town drunk.

Thirsty follows a chain of unlikely events that keep Klara's spirit aloft: a flock of angelic butterflies descends on Thirsty; Klara gives birth to her first child in Old Man Rupert's pumpkin patch; and BenJo gives her a talking bird. When Klara's daughter marries a man even more brutal than Drago, Klara is forced to act. If she doesn't finally break the cycle of violence in her family, her granddaughters will one day walk the same road, broken and bruised. As the threads that hold her family together fray and come undone, Klara has to decide if she has the courage to carve out a peaceful spot in the world for herself and her girls. (back cover)

I received Thirsty from Phenix Publicity)



Tales for Delicious Girls by Barbora Knobova

D for daring, E for enchanting, L for loving, I for inspiring, C for captivating, I for intriguing, O for outgoing, U for unique, S for sophisticated: DELICIOUS.

what's in a word? Anything you want there to be!

Twenty-five exhilarating real-life stories about delicious women, eccentric men and stubborn dogs.

"Tales for Delicious Girls" offers witty, refreshing, clever and ironic insight into relationships between men and women from all points of view. The book is a modern relationship manual, providing answers to the most pressing dating and friendship questions that strong, independent, modern women want to know. "Tales for Delicious Girls" deals with wishes, desires and dreams - as well as hilarious mishaps and dating disasters.

However, "Tales for Delicious Girls" is not simply a humorous book. In addition to entertaining the readers, the tales inspire women to think about their life and relationships, see themselves through different eyes and realize that they are their own best friend, the pillar of their own life, and the only person they can always count on. "Tales for Delicious Girls" encourages women to love, respect and appreciate themselves, to live the life thy have always wanted, and become aware of their true uniqueness and deliciousness. It helps them to realize their own strength and power and overcome difficult life and relationship situations.

With over fifty beautiful, original illustrations.

This book will make you laugh until there are tears in your eyes. It will become your faithful companion, and will help you find yourself. It was written for you because you're delicious - the most delicious girl in the world. (back cover)

(I received this book from Pump Up Your Book Tour.)





Deadly Codes: A Gallagher Novel by JP O'Donnell

Daniel Cormac Gallagher, Jr., a Boston private eye, is hired to investigate the death of Jennifer Clark, tragically killed in a car bombing in her own driveway.

Gallagher has been commissioned by Jeanne Campbell, Jennifer's twin sister, to find a mysterious woman - Jennifer's secret lesbian lover who vanished immediately after the bombing. While the authorities continue to pursue their suspicions that the terrorist act may have been intended for Jennifer's husband, Bill, who holds a top-secret position in the counter-intelligence division of the National Security Agency, Jeanne reveals intricate details to Gallagher that intrigue him enough to take on the case. While Gallagher begins searching for the missing woman, he has no idea that a bounty has been placed on his own head - two hired gunmen are plotting to kill him. Gallagher's search takes him to Washington D.C., where he discovers that the car bombing is only a backdrop to a complex, treasonous scheme to sell code-breaking formulas to a hostile enemy nation.

As the violent mystery unravels, Gallagher finds himself under deadly attack from two shocking but powerful forces - one he knows and another he never expects. (back cover)

(I received this book from Author Marketing Experts.)






Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta

Latina Ivy League grad Milagro de Los Santos can't find her place in the world or a man to go with it. Then one night, at a book party for her pretentious ex-boyfriend, she meets an oddly attractive man. After she is bitten while kissing him, she falls ill and is squirreled away to his family's estate to recover. Vampires don't exist in this day and age - or do they? As Milagro falls for a fabulously inappropriate man, she finds herself caught between a family that has accepted her as one of its own and a powerful, clandestine organization that refuses to let the undead live and love in peace. (back cover)

I won this at Reading with a Bite - thanks Lindsay!





Maggie Rose by Sharlene MacLaren

1904 ~ New York, New York

Maggie Rose, the spunky, friendly, twenty-year-old middle daughter of Michigan resident Jacob Kane, feels compelled to leave her beloved hometown of Sandy Shores to pursue what she feels in her heart are God's plans for her life - in New York City.

Maggie Rose adjusts to her new life at Sheltering Arms Refuge, an orphanage that also transports homeless children to towns across the United States to match them with compatible families. Most of the children have painful pasts that make Maggie aghast, but she marvels at their resiliency. As she gets to know each child, her heart blossoms with new depths of love and compassion.

When a newspaper reporter comes to stay at the orphanage in order to gather research for an article, Maggie is struck by his handsome face - and concerned by his lack of faith. She can't deny their mutual affections though. Will she win the struggle to maintain her focus on God and remain attuned to His guidance? (back cover)

(I won this book at Cross and Cutlass - thanks Mary Lu!)





My First Read and Learn Book of Prayers
by Dr. Mary Manz Simon


In My First Read and Learn Book of Prayers you'll find ideas and suggestions for special days and specific situations. Most importantly, these prayers will help a young child begin a lifelong conversation with God. (back cover)

(I won this at Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports - thanks Marina!)




The Keys to the Vault: A Caroline Baker Adventure
by Jim Colombo


Caroline Baker is having a day like no other.

While playing hooky from her job as an independent soybean trader at the Chicago Board of Trade, she is approached by a man looking for a lift into the city.

As they are driving to his downtown office, the stranger makes another request; he needs her help in retrieving a sensitive file from his office. Caroline agrees and easily collects the file, filling the rest of her day with bathing suit shopping, fending off attempted purse snatchings and giving a philandering boyfriend the boot.

It is only after this very long, very strange day that Caroline finally opens the mysterious file. Its contents will not only spring unlucky-in-love Caroline into the romance of a lifetime, it will plunge her headlong into an international adventure with the fate of the entire international banking system at stake! (back cover)


(I won this at Cafe of Dreams - thanks April!)





Dinosaurs for Kids by Ken Ham

Peek inside a dinosaur egg, discover what dinosaurs really ate, and learn how dinosaur tracks are made - all in this awesomely-illustrated book!

Dinosaurs for Kids share the unique world of dinosaurs and their true history like never before as you:
  • meet the most unusual creatures to ever walk the eart, stalk the seas, or soar across the sky!
  • discover how dinosaur bonebeds are made, and other kinds of fossils beyond just bones!
  • learn the truth behind museum exhibits and flawed evolutionay timelines!
Within these pages kids will uncover the facts about dinosaur history from the Creation to recent discoveries. Let Ken Ham take you on a journey through time to explore these awesome wonders of God's design. From wehre dinosaurs lived to what scientists assume they know about these great creatures, dinosaurs have bever been this exciting, revealing, and simply amazing! (back cover)

(I received this book for a First Wild Card Tour.)






Friday, November 13, 2009

The Peruke Maker by Ruby Dominguez (Book Review)



Title: The Peruke Maker: The Salem Witch Hunt Curse
Author: Ruby Dominguez
Publisher: Outskirts Press


My synopsis: This story starts out in the 17th century during the Salem Witch Hunt. It includes the hysteria, the accusations, the torture that these women went through during this terrible time in our history. Bridget Cane was one of the young women accused of being a witch. Her mother had also been killed for being a witch when she was younger, but the guard had let her go.

She is convicted, tortured and killed and hung at Gallows Hill. Her father is the Peruke Maker and he gathers her remains for burial. She had been a beautiful girl with lustrous long red hair. This hair had been twisted to the point where it "scalped" her. Her scalp was nailed on a tree at Gallows Hill also. A Peruke Maker is a wig maker, so her father takes her hair and makes it into a wig and places a curse on it.

Now we go to the present day where a young red headed woman, Sarah, has just been in a terrible car accident. It destroys her face and hair and her life. She slowly regains the use of her limbs, but will not leave her apartment because of the disfiguring scars and her now wispy red hair. She has a great idea to order a wig. Unbeknownst to her, the wig maker she connects with is the ghost of Bridget Cane's father - she receives the cursed wig.

My thoughts: This book was written as a screen play. Now, the only plays that I have ever read were Shakespeare's (except for the school plays/community plays that I was in). So you have to get into a rhythm of reading this and must be able to fill in a lot of the settings that a normal novel would lay out for you. The author wrote it with the thought that it would become a movie. It did have some descriptive gore that would make for a scary movie. The story was original and it did suck me in. At first I didn't think that I would finish it, just because of the unusual way in which it was written - but then I discovered that I wanted to find out how it would play out. If you like reading plays or have a great imagination you might enjoy this, but I don't think it would be for everybody.

To find out more about the author, please visit my interview with her.


*This book was provided for review by Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book Tour.*

The Peruke Maker
Publisher/Publication Date: Outskirts Press, March 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4327-1782-7
124 pages

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Interview with the author of The Peruke Maker - Ruby Dominguez




I would like to welcome Ruby Dominguez to Books and Needlepoint today. She is the author of the novel/screenplay - The Peruke Maker.









Can you start us off a little by telling us about your new novel The Peruke Maker and why you decided to write it as a screenplay?




AUTHOR: THE PERUKE MAKER – The Salem Witch Hunt Curse is a compelling and suspenseful story that focuses on the infamous Salem Witch Hunt Curse, an ancient and evil practice which is unearthed from necromancy and violates the course of natural events in a modern day world.


Inspired by true events, The Peruke Maker is a well researched screenplay about the spiritual and emotional journeys of Bridget Cane, a stunning 17th century red haired beauty, and Sarah, a thoroughly 21st century woman. Their paths become inextricably bound across time and space as Thomas Cane’s vengeful curse continues to threaten the virtuous during this relentless quest for an avenger of innocent blood.


Like the book’s 21st century time traveler, Sarah, the author’s readers are introduced to this earlier, frightening world by the startling image of Bridget Cane, scantily clad, frozen in fear, her own imminent death portended by the Banshee’s bloodcurdling cries, set against the background of a witch hunt that has reached a feverish pitch in a society where the fear of sorcery and the devil is as real as God.


The story builds with heightened tension and conflict and fittingly ends in present day New York City when Sarah’s journey ultimately comes full circle as Michael’s love for her triumphs over the evil she must face in 17th century Salem. The suspense leading to her final redemption climaxes in a dramatic and magical act of rebirth which transcends the grave at the exact stroke of midnight on the Autumnal Equinox.


This is a beautiful illustration which captures the very essence of what this story is all about: love and forgiveness.


I decided to write this story in screenplay format because I was basically directing a story in my mind. It went where it did and I wrote it frame by frame as delivered on a silver screen..



This sounds like it will be a gripping book. I am anxious to see how the two worlds will lend themselves to each other.


If it went on to become a movie, who would you have play the lead characters?


AUTHOR: The principal characters are all strong, distinct, well formed and memorable. These roles will pose a challenge for gifted actors.


The dialogue is natural and believable. A good fit for not only the major characters but all of the other cast of supporting characters.


I have not seriously ponder any actor in particular for the female lead character named "Bridget" but the physical likeness of a young version of a Nicole Kidman would be apt for the role.


Nicole Kidman actually played a witch in the late 90's movie Practical Magic with Sandra Bullock.


You did research for a year on this book - did this involve travel of any kind or how was this research done?


AUTHOR: Majority of my researched was internet based. I printed old and new maps of Salem, and photos of historical locations and places to geographically picture in my mind the events as they were happening at that time period. Actual travelling to Salem came just recently during my book signing event at the Cinema Salem Café last October 30th. Thereafter, I was able to visit places that were relevant to my story such as the Witch’s House, Old Town Hall Derby and the infamous Gallows Hill wherein I had some eerier experiences while there.

I think it would be difficult to write about a place just based on information from books and internet. It must have been very satisfying to finally get to go there and "live" your book!


If you could have any job in the world, other than author, what would that be?


AUTHOR: Life comes in stages and you need to prepare for each act. Writing is my retirement plan.


However, acting, music and dance are still in my repertoire and wouldn’t mind an opportunity if it comes knocking at my door.


I have always dreamed to be on stage, the theater! I loved the instant gratification of the audiences’ reaction and mind you, I have not let go of that dream.


Good luck with your dream! Please let all your reader's know when you are on stage!


Is there any book/movie out there that you wish you had written?


AUTHOR: Dan Brown’s work were novels I wish I could have written about. But the musical producer Andrew Llyod Webber and Tim Rice productions, I wish I was a part of.


I remember growing - a girlfriend and I used to listen to the soundtrack of Jesus Christ, Superstar, over and over and over.


What was the most fun about writing The Peruke Maker?


AUTHOR: Nothing fun about it. Mostly hair-raising and spine crawling sensations while writing it.

What was the hardest part about writing The Peruke Maker?


AUTHOR: It would be when my mind created the story and had to back it up with history.

Was there any books/movies/authors that had a big influence on you growing up?


AUTHOR: I feel that the musical movies such as Jesus Christ: Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera have greatly influence my teen age years.

What is currently on your nightstand (or in your DVD player)?


AUTHOR: The Phantom of the Opera DVD!

In my English class in high school, we had the opportunity to see a few plays on the "big" stage in Des Moines. Phantom of the Opera was one of them!


Has anything unexpected happened on this tour for you?


AUTHOR: When I personally visited the Witch’s House, Old Town Hall Derby and the infamous Gallows Hill, I experienced some eerie situations such as the green door to the Old Town Hall slammed open wide with no one there and a sudden onset of a dizzying headache on my way out of Gallows Hill.


That does sound creepy! Would have been very neat to go there though, knowing all the history! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for me today.


Readers - come back Friday for my review of The Peruke Maker.


BIO:

The author, Ruby Dominguez is challenged by the conflicting complexities of the past and future. Undeterred, she strokes with pen the somber and bright hues of her visions. She currently resides in San Francisco and works in the field of property management/leasing. She has been a recipient of the "Editor's Choice Award," by the National Library of Poetry in 1999 and 2007 for her published poems in the SHELTER OF SHADE. Visit her website at: www.outskirtspress.com/theperukemaker, and blog at www.salemcurse.wordpress.com




Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Kid's Korner: Christmas Fun and Mean Machines















Title: Mean Machines: A Spot-it Challenge
Author: Jennifer L. Marks
Publisher: A+ Books/Capstone Press


Title: Christmas Fun: A Spot-it Challenge
Author: Jennifer L. Marks
Publisher: A+ Books/Capstone Press

These books have provided hours of entertainment already for my (soon to be/tomorrow) 5 year old. If he had to pick between the two - Mean Machines would be the winner. He is a bonafide car fanatic. Each book contains 12 individual spot it challenges, having you find such things as a naughty squirrel - which leads you to this little squirrel standing on top of a tipped-over Christmas tree. Mean Machines has a challenge called School Bus Rush in which everything is yellow! These are fun pictures to just look at - and they can be challenging. But, if you do happen to find (and memorize) all the items in each picture, you only have to open to the back to find additional lists provided for each one. If this still isn't enough there is an extreme challenge at the back of each book. If this STILL isn't enough you can go on the Internet with the book's ID number and find even more games and challenges.

If you haven't figured it out - I am a big fan of these books. I also have fun trying to find the items with my son. And I know it won't be long before he is reading them and finding them all on his own!

*I received these books for review from Molly at Capstone Press*

Christmas Fun: A Spot-it Challenge
Publisher/Publication Date: A+ Books, April 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4296-2219-6
32 pages
PreK - 2

Mean Machines: A Spot-it Challenge
Publisher/Publication Date: A+ Books, April 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4296-221-9
32 pages
PreK - 2

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...