Recommendations and Reviews

Be Not Afraid!

Be Not Afraid – My Review

I will be the first to admit that vampire novels and other paranormal works are not usually at the top of my list to read. I have read some, but it has been a while. And no, I haven’t read the Twilight books or seen any of the movies (sparkly vampires just aren’t my thing). So, when one of my fellow authors (K. R. Morrison) offered up the chance to read her novel Be Not Afraid, I wasn’t sure what to expect. In spite of my reservations, I was very pleasantly surprised.

The book opens with an office setting and a woman working late. She encounters Vlad, who kidnaps her and takes her to his lair where he tells her he has chosen her to be his eternal companion. Lydia, our hero, resists Vlad at every opportunity, calling upon her deep Christian faith to help her. What ensues is less typical vampire horror than a conflict between good and evil manifested in the flow of the conflict between Vlad and Lydia.

To be sure, there are some tense moments of horror, but they are used more for moving the story along and introducing the conflict than for the shock value of the horror.

This book is a rare blend of vampires, horror, and Christian fiction and is well worth the read! if vampires are your favorites, read this one!

Connect with the author:

Find K. R. Morrison on her Amazon Author Page. Since you’re visiting, please consider leaving a review! I know K. R. Morrison will appreciate it!

Connect with me:

Find me on social media! I’m on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, so let’s connect! If you enjoyed this review and don’t want to miss any others, subscribe to the blog! New friends are always welcome.

Dee Doanes and The Man With The Green Suitcase

Now this sounds like an intriguing paranormal mystery! Read on to discover more about Dee Doanes’ The Man With The Green Suitcase!! You can read more about Dee and her work below. I included many different links for you to connect with the author and purchase her book! Read and enjoy.

What does…

A prostitute

A corrupt businessman and

A disfigured young woman

Have in common with a mysterious, old homeless man who carries a green suitcase?

The old man comes into people’s lives because it is important for them to experience the visions that he is somehow able to show them—visions that even he doesn’t understand. But whoever he connects with will go through a transformation that will change the course of their life, for better or worse. The old man has no memory of who he is or even what the suitcase holds. But one day he will find out all about his own secret and dark past…

This story is magical realism, realistic with paranormal elements, a mystery that needs to be solved, and a man and woman who will finally realize that they were meant to come into each other’s lives and remain forever.

Author Bio:

Dee Doanes is the author of The Man With the Green Suitcase, her first fiction novel.

She has previously published short stories and poetry. She has a deep passion for writing and has been writing since the age of five.

Dee Doanes has a background in copywriting, communications, and social media.

She’s active in several charities and conducts a youth poetry workshop for the Atlanta Writers Club Youth Writing Camp, and is the former co-chair of the Writing in the Schools Program for Georgia Writers.

Dee Doanes lives in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys spending time with her daughter and parents. Doanes’ mother encouraged her to read and to be creative while growing up. In her spare time, she enjoys attending writing events and workshops, fitness training, collecting art, world travel, and gourmet cooking.

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/deedoanes

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/DeeDoanesAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deedoanes

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deedoanes

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/deedoanes/

Author website: www.themanwiththegreensuitcase.com

Blog: www.deedoanes.com

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/author/deedoanes

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/dee-doanes

When you read the book, please consider leaving a review!

Samantha Holt!

Today I am promoting Samantha Holt’s historical romance novel The Angel’s Assassin. I hope you will take a few minutes to check out the book and buy a copy! I listed the links below.

As a rebellion sweeps England, Lady Annabel finds her home overrun by rebels. Much to her relief, a dark knight comes to her rescue, claiming to have been sent to protect her by her uncle.

But Nicholas holds a secret about the job he was sent to do and it is a far cry from what Annabel believes it to be. As the attraction between them grows, Nicholas begins to question the dark life he has lived. But is it enough to change him and will Annabel ever trust again after learning the true nature of his sinful duty?

Author Bio:

Samantha Holt resides in Warwickshire, England, with her twin girls, having followed her soldier husband around the UK for nearly 10 years. Growing up in Hampshire, she was inspired by the authors Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, both of which lived and wrote only miles from her home town.

Samantha loves the romance genre and has been devouring romantic literature for as long as she can remember. History is another passion of hers and she loves to combine her love for history and romance into exciting and passionate tales.

Connect with the Author:

http://www.facebook.com/romanticfiction

Tweets by SamanthaHAuthor

http://www.samanthaholt.org.uk

http://www.samanthaholtauthor.blogspot.co.uk

Author Interview:

What is your book about?

The Angel’s Assassin is a medieval romance but it explores the ideas of trust and redemption. The hero, Nicholas, is the ultimate anti-hero – a man with a bad past and a sinful deed to carry out. My heroine, Annabel, is the complete opposite of him and challenges him in many ways.  She makes him want to change but whether Annabel believes him capable of change is another thing!

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I wanted to write an anti-hero and I knew I wanted to set it in early Norman England, a time when the country was still very much in turmoil It started with a baronial revolt and the story went from there really. The revolt only really plays as the backdrop for the story as the events act as the trigger but the rest of the story really revolves purely around Nicholas and Annabel.

What makes your book different than others in your genre?

My use of language is different. I know my native English tongue differs slightly but I hope that brings a sense of realism, particularly when it comes to dialogue. I love writing dialogue and I think that comes across. I’m lucky in that I’ve been able to visit places featured in my books (castles etc) and I hope to bring a sense of realism into my stories by blending my experiences into my tales.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Generally I take about three months. I write full time so I put in anything between 4-6 hours of writing a day.

What are some writing goals for the future?

I’d like to perhaps expand into a different historical era or even write some contemporary romances. For the moment, I still have some untapped medieval stories but I imagine there’s only so many you can write. Having said that, I’m always sure the one I’m working on will be my last one and then another miraculously comes along.

If you were stranded on an island which book would you bring with you?

How to Survive on a Desert Island – I’m making the gross assumption this book exists! Failing that, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.

What makes a good romance book?

The characterisation is essential. I love it when a book makes your stomach churn with fear, apprehension, excitement… If you don’t care for the characters then that won’t happen. In romance, you need to want them to get together and I love that little stomach flip you get when it finally happens.

Tonight, I have the privilege of promoting Avery Washington and his book Letters To My Daughters: Poetic Affirmations of Love from A Father. Before you learn more about Avery Washington, let’s learn a little more about the book. Below is a brief description.

A beautiful relationship of love from their father here on earth combined with the love from our Heavenly Father God, Avery shares his love and support for his daughters. He shows how instrumental the love of not only their father here on earth is, but also accepting the love of our Father God. This book is full of poetic affirmations of love and inspirational quotes. These words will give daughters of all ages’ strength, encouragement and inspiration which will give them good mental health to become strong women in the future.

I haven’t read the book, but the description tells me that the encouraging words and support of fathers is important to our children. Thanks Mr. Washington for giving it to us to read!

More about Avery Washington!

Bestselling Author / Poet Avery Washington is one of the most respected authors in the world today. He is a passionate author who has combined his great gift of storytelling and poetry into powerful collections of heartfelt writings in which we all can relate to daily. Mr. Washington allows the reader to experience every emotion. He intellectually stimulates minds with rhythm and rhyme telling stories of great inspiration, love and awareness. His first book “JUST SPEAKING MY MIND, Spoken Word Poetry Vol.1″ has maintained a five star rating from the readers. It continues to touch lives all across the country. He has performed poems from this great book at many venues.

“Different Last Names” is a poem from the book which has brought tears of joy and comfort as the author describes the pain and heartache many children who are raised in households today experience by having a different last name from the rest of the family. He also has tantalizing poems such as “Poetic Love Making,” in which the author compares his passion for writing poetry to love making. Mr. Washington has a great new book promoting self love and self respect for young women of all ages. Entitled “LETTERS TO MY DAUGHTERS, Poetic Affirmations of Love From A Father,” the book will be released in summer 2011. He is a father of three daughters. Mr. Washington feels that affirmations of love from a father can be very instrumental in building good emotional, mental and social health for daughters of all ages.

If this sounds like a poetry volume for you, give it a try! And share the book with your family and friends. Recommend it to co-workers and colleagues. Discover more about the author and his work at the links below.

Connect with Avery Washington:

• Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/averywashington
• Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/letterstomydaughters
• Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/AuthorAvery
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/averywashington
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/averywashington
• Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005F9QR1M/
• Author website: http://averywashington.com
• Blog: http://bestsellingauthoraverywashington.wordpress.com
• Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/avery-washington?keyword=avery+washington&store=ebook
• http://www.amazon.com/author/averywashington

Take a few minutes to stop by these links. Explore what promises to be a touching, poignant, and beautiful expression of a father’s love! In addition, check out his other books and pick one of them to read today. In addition, consider leaving a review when you’re finished. It doesn’t have to be long. Just a few words describing your thoughts is all it takes. I know Avery Washington will appreciate it!

Connect with me:

Do you use social media? If so, find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. I enjoy meeting new friends and appreciate new connections. This is the era of social media, so let’s start a conversation! Since you’re already here, leave me a comment and let me know if you liked the post. I want your feedback! And don’t miss a post! Subscribe to the blog and you’ll always know what I’m up to. Have a topic you want to discuss? Let me know. I’ll be happy to write a post about it! Have a book to recommend? I’ll look it up and maybe read and review it. I’m always on the prowl for new books!

Last week, I had the opportunity to do a recommendation for another author (Paula Lofting’s Sons of the Wolf). Tonight, I get to do it again for Kathleen Morris!! It is always a great thing to be able to help out a fellow writer. I like to help get the word out about their work!

Today’s recommendation is for two books by Kathleen Morris. The first book is:

Deep Bay Vengeance:

When Loretta’s only son gets killed during a bank robbery, she sets out to find his killer no matter what the cost. The story brings us to a remote fly-in-fishing camp in Northern Saskatchewan where three very different people come together for very different reasons. Together they pursue truth, discover faith, and expose corruption of the human spirit deep in the heart of Canada’s north.

Her second book is:

Deep Bay Relic:

Book Two in the Deep Bay Series. When a rustic lodge in Northern Saskatchewan becomes the nesting ground for diamond smugglers, Carla Reece finds herself in the middle. She and a myriad of others fall victim to circumstance and have to find their own way out of the wilderness. Survival becomes a quest for truth and self-discovery, with faith their only weapon against a foul ancient creature hidden in Deep Bay since the beginning.

About Kathleen Morris:

I was born and raised in Saskatchewan and love to put a little bit of it in each book I write. My favorite genre is Christian Fiction Suspense but I’ve written poems and songs as well as many plays over the years.

I look at my writing as my ministry and I like to write about ‘real’ Christian people with flaws and show how they overcome them. We are all the same basically, I think, with the same pressures in life, the same difficulties. I know I like to read about that and love to incorporate it all in my stories so we can all learn from each other.

I enjoy sitting in my office typing away. If you were a fly on my wall, you’d find me smirking, laughing, grumbling, and yes…even crying as I write my characters lives.

I consider my books as my babies…and I have two. Deep Bay Vengeance and Deep Bay Relic are two books in my first series. I thoroughly enjoyed writing both of them even though it took me ten years to get them published. I’m currently working on my next series. The Blood War Series…but for now…I will keep that a secret:)

My husband and I have raised three grown children and find that our nest is empty now since they have all moved away. But since I’ve filled it with my new babies…I never feel alone. Yes I see my grown children often and spend time with my hubby of twenty five years. I always seem to be thinking of story ideas because writing is and always will be my passion!

Links:

Deep Bay Vengeance:

Deep Bay Relic:

You can also follow Kathleen Morris at the following links:

Twitter: @storytellerkat

Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KathleenMorris

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-Morris/e/B0099WZSDY

Blog: http://bloomsblossoms.blogspot.ca/

I hope all of you will check out her books, like them, and buy a few!

My very first recommendation! It’s almost as exciting as promoting my own books! Read on to discover Paula Lofting’s Sons of the Wolf.

Sons of the Wolf:

I have a first for me! Today, I get the privilege of recommending a book from a fellow author. Paula Lofting writes historical fiction and has recently published her debut novel Sons of the Wolf. 

Synopsis (from the author):

On bloody fields he fights for his life, but sometimes the enemy is closer to home… 1054, pious King Edward sits on the throne, spending his days hunting, sleeping and praying, leaving the security of his kingdom to his more capable brother-in-law Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex. Against this backdrop we meet Wulfhere, a Sussex thegn who, as the sun sets over the wild forest of Andredesweald, is returning home victoriously from a great battle in the north.

Holding his lands directly from the King, his position demands loyalty to Edward himself, but Wulfhere is duty-bound to also serve Harold, a bond forged within Wulfhere’s family heritage and borne of the ancient Teutonic ideology of honour and loyalty. Wulfhere is a man with the strength and courage of a bear, a warrior whose loyalty to his lord and king is unquestionable. He is also a man who holds his family dear and would do anything to protect them. So when Harold demands that he wed his daughter to the son of Helghi, his sworn enemy, Wulfhere has to find a way to save his daughter from a life of certain misery in the household of the cruel and resentful Helghi, without comprising his honour and loyalty to his lord, Harold. On the battlefield, Wulfhere fights for his life but elsewhere the enemy is closer to home, sinister and shadowy and far more dangerous than any war.

Connect with Paula Lofting:

Find Paula Lofting on her Amazon Author Page, her Goodreads page, or her Facebook page. Stop by, say hi, discover more about her and her book (and maybe buy a couple). While there and consider leaving a review or comment!

Connect with me:

Find me on social media and let’s connect. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, so say hi and let’s start a conversation! Don’t miss a post either. Subscribe to the blog! Find out about The Gemstone Chronicles Book One: The Carnelian!