Saturday, May 25, 2013

The Chronicles of Egg: "Deadweather and Sunrise" & "New Lands" by Geoff Rodkey

Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Middle Grade


Book Description:  A stunning middle-grade debut--full of heart, humor, and nonstop action

It's tough to be thirteen, especially when somebody's trying to kill you.

Not that Egg's life was ever easy, growing up on sweaty, pirate-infested Deadweather Island with no company except an incompetent tutor and a pair of unusually violent siblings who hate his guts.

But when Egg's father hustles their family off on a mysterious errand to fabulously wealthy Sunrise Island, then disappears with the siblings in a freak accident, Egg finds himself a long-term guest at the mansion of the glamorous Pembroke family and their beautiful, sharp-tongued daughter Millicent. Finally, life seems perfect.

Until someone tries to throw him off a cliff.

Suddenly, Egg's running for his life in a bewildering world of cutthroat pirates, villainous businessmen, and strange Native legends. The only people who can help him sort out the mystery of why he's been marked for death are Millicent and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy.

Come along for the ride. You'll be glad you did



Beka's Thoughts:  Deadweather and Sunrise is about a 13-year-old boy's struggle for survival.  He lives on an island that can only be described as bleak and inhabitable.  Surrounded by bloodthirsty pirates and an abusive family, Eggbert finds joy in books.  When his father and two older siblings disappear in a surprising fashion, Eggbert finds himself stranded with a rich family and their pretty daughter.  Things couldn't get any better in his mind.  But to every rose, there are always thorns.  And as Eggbert finds out, the rose he had picked has sharper and more deadly thorns than he thought.

After stowing away on a ship, Eggbert sets out on a journey to find out the real reason someone suddenly wants him dead.  

The story is wonderfully written, the details paint a perfect picture in your head and the dialogue sounds natural and not at all forced.  The main character, Eggbert (or Egg), is witty and charming.  The story is full of humor, yet it can be serious at times.  I give this book a four out of five star rating.




Book 2 is "New Lands".  It just came out this month!

Book description:  This highly anticipated sequel to Rodkey's much-praised debut is funny, heartfelt, and action-packed. Don't miss it! 
After a narrow escape from Deadweather Island, Egg and his slightly deranged partner Guts head for the remote New Lands. They’re in search of the lost Okalu tribe, who hold the key to the mysterious treasure map that Egg can't decipher. 
But the ruthless Roger Pembroke is hard on Egg's trail, and the New Lands are full of new enemies — against which our heroes only weapons are their brains, their courage...and the two dozen swear words Guts just memorized in the local tongue. 
They're going to need help. 
But who can they trust? 
Is Kira, the beautiful and heavily armed Okalu refugee, their ally…or their enemy? Is Pembroke's daughter Millicent on Egg's side…or her father's? Why on earth is the notorious pirate Burn Healy being so nice to them? And the biggest question of all: what shocking secret is Egg about to discover in the shadow of an ancient Okalu temple?












Friday, May 24, 2013

"The Little Boy Who Didn't Say 'Bless You' " by Lisa Katz - Book Review

The Little Boy Who Didn't Say The Little Boy Who Didn't Say "Bless You" by Lisa Katz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Children's Picture Book

Book Description:  This is a story about manners and what it means to be considerate. There is a common phrase that is said after someone sneezes. One day in school, Bobby's classmate sneezes, but he doesn't know that it's polite to say “bless you!”. Who knew you could learn so much from two little words!

My thoughts:  This is a very cute children's picture book dealing with manners. It is written in rhyme and flows very well.  Lisa Katz has tackled helping children learn to be polite and does so in a very non-threatening or authoritative way.

This book deals with a little boy named Bobby who sneezes in school. His classmate doesn't know that he should be considerate and say "Bless You" when someone sneezes. It explains to children that being polite and considerate go a long way in feelings of kindness and good will.



About Lisa Katz: L isa Katz grew up primarily in South Florida. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Florida and continued her education to earn a Master’s degree in Reading a couple of years later. In 1993, Lisa and her husband moved to Pittsburgh, PA where she worked as a Literacy Specialist. A few years down the road, Lisa embraced her role as full-time mother. It was during this time that she began writing her first children’s book.
Lisa and her family moved to Charlottesville, Virginia and lived there for 10 years until recently settling into Gainesville, Florida in January 2012. Coming back to Gainesville after a 20-year hiatus has been a wonderful experience for Lisa. The Little Boy Who Didn’t Say “Bless You” is her debut children’s picture book. Lisa has also written a funny women’s “coffee-table” book called Jean Expressions as well as a feature-length screenplay. Look for more of her books in the near future!

Lisa also has another book out for women. It is short, about the size of a picture book and it is called "Jean Expressions".

Book Description:  “Wait, let me try them on again after I’ve had a pitcher of Sangria. Maybe then I’ll like them more.” Jeans have become an invaluable staple in everyone’s wardrobe. However, shopping for the perfect jean can truly be a disaster! Women especially love to talk with other women about their dressing room and shopping experiences. This book has captured those (often hilarious) experiences. Here you will find a compilation of comments that either I have made, friends or family have made, or that have been overheard while trying on jeans. It’s always more fun to share your experience with others - especially the funny ones!

Jane Austen Giveaway Hop (International)



I love Jane Austen books.  I love the banter between her love interests, it always makes me laugh and want to read more.  I love the sweet romance and the unlikely circumstances her main characters come together in.

Can I gush some more???

I also like retellings.  The book that I have selected is in the spirit of Jane Austen and is a modern twist to Pride and Prejudice.

Thanks to vvb32 for hosting this giveaway!


With his pride and her prejudice, what could possibly go wrong?

When the arrogant Blake Hansen steals Addie Preston's promotion at the library, he pretty much rubs her nose in it. But Addie, who dreams of being a full-fledged librarian, decides to stick it out. She loves surrounding herself with books and keeping her father's memory alive in the building where they spent so much time together.

Soon, Addie learns that her beloved library will be torn down to make room for a larger facility, and she has to make a choice. Fight, or let go?

To complicate things, she finds herself attracted to Blake, who is engaged to someone else. Will Blake and Addie ever resolve their differences?


To enter put you info into the rafflecopter form.  You must be 13 or older to enter and this is an international giveaway as long as the Book Depository ships to your country.  My giveaway policy is in the sidebar, please read or review.  When you enter  your info you are stating that you are in compliance and agree with the terms. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal ~ "Darker Days" by Jus Accardo

Jessie Darker goes to high school during the day, but at night she helps with the family investigation business. Cheating husbands and stolen inheritances? They’re your girls—but their specialty is a bit darker. Zombie in your garage? Pesky Poltergeist living in your pool? They’ll have the problem solved in a magical minute. For a nominal fee, of course...

When gorgeous new client, Lukas Scott, saunters into the office requesting their help to find a stolen box, it sounds like a simple case—until the truth comes out. The box is full of Sin.

Seven deadly ones, in fact.

They’ve got five days to recapture the Sins before they're recalled by the box, taking seven hijacked human bodies with them. Easy peasy—except for one thing...

There’s a spell that will allow the Sins to remain free, causing chaos forever. When the key ingredient threatens the life of someone she knows, Jessie must make the ultimate choice between love and family—or lose everything. 



About Jus Accardo:  JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her path lay with fiction, not food, and passed on the spot to pursue writing. Jus is the bestselling author the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing and is currently working on the first book in a new adult series due out summer 2013. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.

Find her at:  



Read an Excerpt!

*********************

“So not your biggest fan at the moment,” I said, closing the office door behind me. The runofffrom my jeans had soaked my sneakers pretty good. With each step, I gave a slight squishing noise accompanied by an annoying squeak against the old tile floor.
From across the room, Mom stared. “What happened to you?”
            “It attacked me.” Tossing my bag on the couch, I sank into her chair and made sure to grind my butt into the cushion. Got it nice and wet. I was all about sharing the love—and right now, the love was soggy.
            She laughed, waving a folder in my direction. “Surely you’re overreacting. It was one little zombie. They don’t attack people.”
            “I’m serious, Ma. It tried to drown me. And the client assaulted me with ugly footwear. As far as punishments go, I’d say we’re probably square. I’ve learned my lesson.”
            “You’re serious?” Amused expression now replaced by concern, she crossed the room and leaned over her desk to get a better look at me.
            “As a coronary.” Once I was sure the chair had sponged up all it could, I stood and huffed past her. Pulling at my favorite T-shirt—the word Fate inside a blood red heart, is a four letter word on the back—I said, “Child welfare would not be happy to hear you tried to feed your only child to a walking corpse…”
“But why would it attack? Did you provoke it?” Folding her arms, she frowned. “Insult it, perhaps?”
            I winked at her. “Provoke it? Sure. I went and wiggled my ass in front of it yelling lunch just to see what’d happen.” I’d called it Stinky, but that didn’t count as an insult. Something couldn’t be considered an insult if it was true, right?
            Right eyebrow twitching, she fought against a smile. “But you’re okay, right? No bites, broken bones, head injuries, possessions…?”
I smiled and did a little twirl. “All in one piece and still me.”
Mom had a checklist she went through at the end of each job. I was known for taking almost as much damage as I inflicted.
“Oh, and you’re probably going to get a call from the client. I sorta smashed her fence in the process.”
            Mom groaned. “I told you to be more careful.”
            “It’s not like I tried to break anything.”
            “Something tells me you didn’t try hard enough not to break anything, either.”
            “In my defense, it wasn’t a simple trap and slap…”
            “We can’t afford this.” She reached down and pulled a white envelope out from under a stack of papers. “This is the bill for that Mercedes you smashed.”
            “Oh! So not my fault. How was I supposed to know that Spring Heel was gonna land on the car? If it makes you feel any better, I think he was aiming for my head…”
            “If you keep this up, we won’t even be able to afford the rent.”
            She was right, of course, and it made me feel horrible. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a wrecking ball wrapped in blue jeans. Take my cut of this job and put it toward the repairs. Keep my paycheck for the next month, too.” A good start, but it didn’t feel like enough. Sure, it would cover the damages—I hoped—but I felt guilty about upsetting her. The bills that were piling up kept her awake at night. This was only going to make things worse. We got a fair amount of business, but the overhead in our line of work was sky high.
As much as I hated the idea, I knew what would cheer her up. “I’ll even throw in pet possessions for the next month.”




*********************

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Blog Tour ~ "The Siren's Secret" by Heather Ostler



Julia’s life has gone from complicated to nearly impossible! When Julia loses her shapeshifting powers and her appearance changes in alarming ways, she flees to Sirenity, where she learns an incredible secret about her mother. In this thrilling sequel, Julia must take greater risks and make bigger sacrifices as she discovers who she really is and what she can really become.


My thoughts:  The Siren's Secret picks up where "The Shapeshifter's Secret" left off.  In fact, the first chapter or so is a recapping of the first book.  It was a great review to bring me back up to speed for this book.

Julia has a complex life.  She is a were-shifter.  She has a father who commands in the military and a mother who is a traitor.  Her mother seeks her out and  causes many problems and dangerous situations for Julia.

When a siren seeks her out and says that she has a secret to share with Julia, she is immediately packed up and find herself in her home realm of  Ossai and back to school, Lockham Castle.  Her first clue that all was not right was the guard who did not recognize her as a werecat and questioned her right to enter.

I loved The Shapeshifter's Secret and looked forward to the sequel.  I have to say that Heather did not disappoint me.  She has a very vivid and clear writing style that paints her picture well.  Her characters are likable and it is easy to follow them in the story.  She incorporates a good mix of action and romance.

Before you pick up the book, I would recommend reading the first book, first.  This  book's content is appropriate for all ages.

About HeatherHeather Ostler grew up near the mountains with a rambunctiously entertaining family. She majored in English at Utah Valley University and soon began composing stories about masquerades, water nymphs, and shapeshifters. She and her husband, Kellen, reside in Highland, Utah, with two remarkably pleasant pugs.


To see all the tour stops, visit Cedar Fort's Tour Page!


I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley.

This book will be available on June 11th.  Pre-order your copy today!
 

The First book is available at The Book Depository!


Book Blast ~ "Above Rubies: by Jaclyn M. Hawkes

above rubies tour  

above rubiesAbove Rubies

His chivalry was strangling her. He thought he was helping her—and in truth, he was. She was in desperate straits. But as honorable as he was, he was also breaking her heart. Her attraction was drowning him. When World Champion rodeo cowboy Rossen Rockland and his friends rescue a young runaway who has been abused by her foster father and take her home to his parents’ ranch, he expects her to turn out to be a pain in the neck. And sometimes she is. It doesn’t take him long to figure out that she has way more than her allotment of troubles—and far more than her share of gifts. Lovely, talented, and ravingly brilliant, Kit Star is too young, unbelievably humble, and oh, so loveable. Knowing that she needs his protection and time to grow into her potential, Rossen also figures out that what she really is, is a pain in the heart. Watch for more of the Rockland Ranch Series!  

Praise for Above Rubies:

I absolutely could not put this book down. It had me laughing, crying, angry and pretty much every other emotion. I can not wait for the next one in the series to come out. Keep them coming!!! ~Addicted to Books This is the second book in the Rockland Ranch Romance Series. It can be read as a stand alone or copies of Peace River can be supplied if you would also like to review it.  

peace riverPeace River (Book 1)

The police didn't understand the danger, but she did. Her father had always been abusive, but now, with a ten million dollar Thoroughbred farm on the line, and a powerful bookie leaning on him, her father had become out of control. But how do you get away and take a world famous stallion with you? Carrie was getting desperate when a handsome and honorable but thoroughly cynical rodeo cowboy from Wyoming happened to show up with a horse trailer. He didn't ride a white horse, but he was definitely a knight in shining armor. He'll protect her from the mob, but can she survive falling in love with a bull rider?  

Praise for Peace River

"Give me a clean romance, humor and a good looking cowboy and I'm a happy girl. LDS fiction isn't always my favorite but I really enjoyed the characters and adventure in this book." ~Carol - Goodreads "There was plenty of action, adventure and danger to keep me guessing just how everything was going to turn out. I didn't want to put it down until I finished! Jaclyn Hawkes is one of my favorite LDS romance authors. You really can't go wrong with any of her books that you pick up!" ~Cathy -Goodreads
 

jaclynAuthor Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She got a bachelor’s degree, had a career and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the out of doors, the youth and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.
  Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/11/13   a Rafflecopter giveaway Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

"Day After" by Emi Gayle ~ Blog tour (Guest Post/Giveaway)


Demon crypts. Vampire lairs. Glowing angels. Sexy sirens. The stuff of fiction. 

Or so Winn Thomas always thought. 

Since being accepted into the fold of the supernatural, he knows better. None of what he imagined is true, but everything he feared is, and binding himself to his Changeling girlfriend until her nineteenth birthday will give him an education far beyond what he’d get at his human high school. 

Luckily, Winn’s not giving up, he won’t back down, and he definitely isn’t going to run away with his tail between his legs. After all, only werewolves have tails. Right? 

In this, the second of the 19th Year trilogy, Winn’s facing the challenge of one lifetime. If he doesn’t learn the truth about mythological creatures, his girlfriend Mac Thorne won’t either. That means, in six months, when she chooses her final form, she won’t know what to pick. 

Winn, though, has his own ideas about Mac’s final selection—plans she knows nothing of. 

He intends to have her pick human. 

Whether she can or not.



I asked Emi if she could go any point in time, where would she go and who would she go with?

Here is her response:
*********************

If I could choose any point in time, to travel, I’d go to tomorrow. Yep. Tomorrow. Why tomorrow? Because there’s always a tomorrow so I could, in theory, continue to go to tomorrow since tomorrow is always a term for the next day and that would invariably give me a complete eye into the future.

Theoretically, that is.

Of course, getting back is a WHOLE ‘nothing concept and how to do that ... well I have no idea.

You see though, I want to know the future, but only to an extent. I don’t want to know what will happen in another 100 years when I won’t be around. That’s just not for me. Sure, it would affect my kids, but I don’t wanna know. I just want to work now to make that far of the future better.

So tomorrow. Yup. Tomorrow. That’s what I want to see.

********************

About Emi:  Emi Gayle just wants to be young again. She lives vicariously through her youthful characters, while simultaneously acting as chief-Mom to her teenaged son and searching for a way to keep her two daughters from ever reaching the dreaded teen years.

Ironically, those years were some of Emi's favorite times. She met the man of her dreams at 14, was engaged to him at 19, married him at 20 and she's still in love with him to this day. She'll never forget what it was like to fall in love at such a young age — emotions she wants everyone to feel.


Visit her at her WEBSITE.

Read an Excerpt:
********************
Sitting in front of the twelve most powerful non-humans on the earth would have shaken a lesser guy. In my case, I’d almost thrown up. Twice.

‘Don’t worry,’ Mackenzie Thorne, my girlfriend, had said. ’'It’s just a formality.

She hadn’t known I’d have to go alone.

Only the intake and exhalation of air in the room made any sound. Eerie light flickered from the tips of candles mounted along dark, oak-paneled walls.

I refused to look anywhere but ahead of me. To the long, wooden, medieval-length table.

Waiting.

Watching.

Holding my own breath.

For a moment, it seemed the walls began to close in on me.

At almost midnight on the first day of the year, I prepared to accept a fate no other human had ever taken on, been given or even offered. In response, sweat pooled under my armpits as alternating cold and hot ran through me.

The scratch of wood against wood had heads turning. Mine included.

Nahir, the oldest of the twelve, rose from his chair. “Winford Richmond Thomas, please rise.” His voice had a gravelly, hoarse sound.

I did as requested, my knees pressing against each other.

Nahir moved closer to me, his grandfatherly, human form disappearing under protruding scales of deep green. His arms lengthened into dinosaur-like paws and hit the rock floor, making the room around us shake. Thick wings extended from his body, and a tail lashed out against the wall behind him, rattling the candles.

A dragon, in the color of tropical ocean water, stood before me, huffing air from horse-sized nostrils.

Oh. God. I’m going to die.

Not going to die. It’s part of the test. Remember, you have to see them all. Mac’s words flowed through my mind. 

Keep breathing.

“Master Thomas.” Josie, a siren and one of the most beautiful women I’d ever met, rose, her long flowing gown matching the color of her reddish-gold hair. I couldn’t help but stare at her. “You’ve been asked by our current changeling, Miss Maya Mackenzie Thorne, to be her teacher. Have you willingly agreed to take on this duty?” As Josie talked, she stalked forward, shimmering, shifting, the already-pretty woman becoming deadly man-hunting female—according to the legends I’d read.

Vibes ebbed from her like the rocking tide. If she sang, throwing up would be the least of my worries. I’d be dead by sexual self-implosion.

With a rough cough, I gathered my wits. “Yes. I have accepted. Willingly.” Every nerve ending in my body urged me to go to Josie, to let her take me and do with me whatever she wanted. A groan built in my throat, tension straining my limbs, most particularly, my crotch. Not now! The need to shift what grew sent heat to my cheeks even as Mac’s words played through again. Force yourself not to react to any of them. They’ll think you’re stronger than you are since you’re only human.

Only human. Problem number one. 

********************


Watch the Trailer:



Enter the Tour Giveaway:  Emi is sponsoring this giveaway.  To gain an entry by commenting, go to this link.
a Rafflecopter giveaway










The Trouble With Toads ~ Book blast!

  trouble with toadsThe Trouble with Toads Once upon a time a young girl wanted revenge. But first, she wanted to be beautiful. Twelve-year-old Bettony has read enough stories that begin with ‘Once upon a time’ to know what happens to the ugly stepsisters at the end, and she’s determined to escape that fate by any means necessary—even by magic. Unfortunately, when it comes to magic, there is no place for regret, refunds, or exchanges. Even if you accidentally turn your older sister into a toad. If Bettony wants her Happily Ever After to end well, she’s going to have to find a way to turn her sister back into a person before their mother finds out she’s been dabbling with magic and grounds her for life. Tracking down the family magic turns out to be surprisingly easy. Now, if only it came with directions . . . THE TROUBLE WITH TOADS (45,000 words) is the first book in a new upper MG series The Secret Stepsister Society. The second book will be released Summer 2013.
  danyelleAuthor Danyelle Leafty Danyelle Leafty writes upper MG and YA fantasy, and is the author of THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA series. Danyelle has always loved fairy tales, and prefers stories where someone gets eaten, or at the very least, transmogrified. Much of her inspiration has come from fairy tales, because as G.K. Chesterton so aptly states, "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." In her spare time, she collects dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers. She also collects books, and one day hopes to make a house out of them. She enjoys learning languages, fiddling with her harp, and perfecting the fine art of mothering. (It's a lot like trying to herd chickens during a lightning storm while a goat stampede is going on.) One of her heroes is Albert Einstein, particularly for the following quote: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The most important thing is not to stop questioning."
Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/10/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway   Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Book blast~ Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen
Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia is the reason why!
His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?
Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?
 
Praise for Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen
O’Rourke creates a world that defies cynicism and demands suspension of disbelief – even in this age of doubt and hyper-realism. Sheer escapism at its best. Clever, charming and affectionate. ~Jocelyn Bury …the reader must tenaciously read on rather than put the book down to satisfy their hunger for the story to resolve, which it does in characteristically Jane Austen fashion. ~Erin Murdock
In Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen, author Sally Smith O’Rourke creates a compelling story that investigates what and who might have inspired Jane Austen. While the story line is certainly far-fetched, it is a truly unique idea, one that captivated this reader until the very last page. ~Meg Massey
 
Purchase
 
 
Author Sally Smith O'Rourke Sally Smith O’Rourke is a surgical scrub nurse at the City of Hope national cancer research hospital in Duarte, California and resides in the near-by Victorian village of Monrovia. With her late husband, author Michael O’Rourke (aka F.M. O’Rourke) Smith O’Rourke owned and operated a medical advertising company where she used her diverse talents to produce and co-write teaching films and videos. Working not only with major medical and surgical manufacturing companies but also network television. These endeavors ultimately led to a collaboration on two feature films (direct to video) and three published novels. The wife and husband writing team of Sally Smith and Michael O’Rourke, being long-time fans of Jane Austen, wrote The Man Who Loved Jane Austen released by Kensington Books in 2006. Kensington followed that very successful effort with The Maidenstone Lighthouse in 2007 and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage in 2009, both also collaborative projects by Smith and O’Rourke. Published after her partner and spouse’s untimely death in 2001, the publisher chose not to use the names Michael O’Rourke and Sally Smith (as the manuscripts were presented), releasing all three books under Sally Smith O’Rourke. Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen is Sally Smith O’Rourke’s first solo novel.
Yours Affectionately tour
Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/6/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway