Author Spotlight: 72 Virgins by Avi Perry

72 Virgins is a novel about Jihad terrorism and the security agencies’ struggle to thwart its stratagem and trounce the perpetrators. Abu Musa is an Islamic Terrorist with an agenda, a ticking bomb inside the US. Arik Golan is an Israeli who tries to bring him down and pull the plug on his terror organization. Stanley Cramer is an FBI agent on a hunting mission, seeking to place both Abu Musa and Arik within his crosshair. The FBI, the Israeli Mossad, the US-based Iranian clandestine terror network, and the Islamic Jihad fraternity are engaged in a timeless conflict, playing out to a crescendo that comes to a head before the dramatic conclusion.

The story offers an ample dose of realism, a cast of intense characters who engage in love, lust, and violence. It portrays the Jihad culture with its rationale and the volcano that breeds an irrational obsession with death. Moreover, it builds on the Jihadists’ motivation for targeting so many innocents and exploiting the victims’ massacre as a stepping-stone to their dream of eternal paradise next to Allah’s throne.

The real question is not whether Jihad terrorists’ plots will ever cease to emerge – there is no chance of that. The question the book seeks to answer is—will the next one be stopped before it’s too late?

72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

Although 72 Virgins is a suspense-thriller, focusing on a countdown to a terror attack on US soil, it is, nevertheless, highly instructive. The story and its associated subplots are fiction, but the setting is real, the places where conspiracy is instigated are fictional, even though they’re based on genuine events; the characters are deep and distinctive, while at the same time, they embody their unmistakable cultural heritage. Ronald L. Donaghe, winner of the 2008 Jim Duggins out-standing Mid-Career Novelist Award., characterized it best—”Perry was able to combine reality with fiction in a way that has made the book—one to remember. Perry’s style and approach, makes for a great, entertaining read, in addition to being suspenseful and intriguing, from start to finish”.


Avi Perry grew up in Israel. As a teenager and throughout his college years, he was a professional musician. He financed his student life with numerous gigs, playing with his Israeli band, writing songs, playing the various keyboard instruments, and enjoying listening to his performances on the Israeli radio (there was no MTV in late 60s Israel). He still plays and writes music, but as a hobby (at home), rather than as a line of work. During the Six-Day-War in 1967, he served in the Israeli military, in the field intelligence unit, and gained valuable and relevant experience in covert communications technology and a variety of spy craft and methods.

He has spent the past four decades in the US, first as a Ph.D. student, then as a professor at Northwestern University, a Bell Laboratories – distinguished staff member, and finally as Vice President at NMS Communications. He signed for early retirement in 2004 with the intention of writing a technical book. The title Fundamentals of Voice Quality Engineering was published by Cambridge University Press in 2007 and became very popular. Readers praised the book for its thoroughness and for my refreshing, unique and entertaining writing style, atypical among technical writers. Throughout Avi’s tenure at NMS, he wrote many short (humor-packed, peppered with company culture) satires, technical reports, white papers (published on company website), press releases, and more.

One may find more information on his websites (www.aviperry.org and www.aviperry.com).

Avi’s latest book 72 Virgins is built on life experiences that combine technology know-how, familiarity with spy craft and human intelligence (HUMINT), understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and history, a great sense of humor, and a talent for writing—all breathe authenticity into the setting.

To see where Avi stops next on his virtual book tour, please visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Young Guns by Robert Tuchman - Book Review

Superb! Informative. Filled with great advice. All these terms and more can be used to describe the powerful new business/entrepreneurship book Young Guns: The Fearless Entrepreneur's Guide to Chasing Your Dreams and Breaking Out on Your Own.

At the age of 25, Tuchman founded TSE Sports and Entertainment out of his one-bedroom apartment. TSE went on to appear on Inc. 500's list of America's Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies. Tuchman had a vision, and he made it happen.

So can you!

"Why Not Me?" This is the question Tuchman says you should ask yourself. The author reminds his readers that successful entrepreneurs build a sense of mission into their lives.

Tuchman shares why he made the Big Decision not to continue working for someone else, a dream many of us probably have, but one that we continue to deny because of our fears. Young Guns isn't a how-to book on starting your own business. This is a book that will empower the entrepreneur in you and move you toward what you've always dreamed of.

In this book you'll learn how to:

- formulate your great idea
- identify your strengths
- make your business stand out in a crowded marketplace...

and so much more!

I especially enjoyed Chapter 5, The Partner Principle, which discusses the importance of choosing the right partner: what you should look for, what roles a partner should perform, and how costly choosing the wrong partner can be.

The one thing I must say about Young Guns is that the author's passion is visible and overflowing right from the beginning. I dare anyone to read this book and not start working toward making his own Big Decision right away. While this book is targeted more toward college graduates, anyone who has dreamed of owning his/her own business will learn much from it.

There are books out there about entrepreneurship, and then there is Young Guns, a highly motivating, passionate and inspiring book that will energize you from the very first page.

Buy it today!


Title: Young Guns: The Fearless Entrepreneur's Guide to Chasing Your Dreams and Breaking Out on Your Own
Author: Robert Tuchman
ISBN-10: 0-8144-1070-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8144-1070-7
SRP: $21.95 (U.S.)

Also available in a Kindle edition.

Bickering with My Editor by Rolf Hitzer, Author of Hoodoo Sea

Joining us today is Rolf Hitzer, author of the supernatural science fiction book Hoodoo Sea.

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 has 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…



"Bickering with My Editor" by Rolf Hitzer

When I had penned, Hoodoo Sea, I had put my heart and soul into the creation of the story. Upon completion, it was time to find out if the novel was worthy for print. I prepared a query letter; made multiple copies and mailed them to as many literary agents I could locate throughout North America.

A stream of rejection letters followed, but one agent said she would give the manuscript a look. The moment of truth had arrived. Several months later I received a response. Her letter started with the book having potential, but I was unknown and I would need to shorten the length of the novel. She had also recommended additional changes, and then I was welcome to return the rewrite for another look and she would consider signing me on with their agency.

Oh boy! I needed help. I tracked down an editor, a professional. The first word, sentence and paragraph, he boldly told me to delete. What, this was my dear creation? The battle was on. You see, I had to defend my honor, not to mention my ego.

Our healthy debate continued through the entire editing process with my rewrite. This guy was beginning to really annoy me. In fact, for three weeks he was relentless on how I should change one of my main characters in the book. How dare he? To be honest, I don’t know why I gave into him, but I did. My editor, Norm Asher, I will always be grateful for his insight and help, he was right all along.

Rolf Hitzer was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1959 and raised by his parents, Erna and Julius Hitzer.

Rolf attended Princess Margaret Elementary School, John Pritchard Junior High and Graduated from Kildonan East Regional Secondary School where he had majored in Culinary Arts.

Rolf is married to his wife Irma since 1997. Together they have a wonderful blended family with Rita and Clark Bodoano and Grand children, Alexandria, Patrick and Braeden. Jason and Leah Tutlies, and Grandson Easton. Mandel Hitzer, and the youngest Jessica Hitzer. Clearly the growth of his family is still a work in progress.

Rolf Hitzer has several passions besides writing, they include being at the log cabin on weekends. Spending time on the water with a fishing pole in hand. Wildlife viewing and especially Moose calling during the fall rut. Playing a range of Poker card games and a variety of board games.

Rolf is a Member of the Winnipeg Real Estate Board, The Manitoba Real Estate Association and the Canadian Real Estate Association. He is currently working on his second novel.

For more information on his book visit: http://www.hoodoosea.com/.

Follow Rolf Hitzer's virtual book tour by visiting http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ every weekday in October.

Pushing Yourself Over the Edge by Gary Morgenstein, Author of Jesse's Girl

Today's guest blogger is Gary Morgenstein, author of the thriller Jesse's Girl.

How much should a parent sacrifice for a troubled child? In Gary Morgenstein’s taut new thriller, Jesse’s Girl, the answer is – anything.

Anchored around a floundering father-son relationship, finding roots and re-uniting vanished bonds, this timely novel about teen addiction and adoption follows a desperate father’s search for his son, who has run away from a wilderness program to find his biological sister in Kentucky.

Available exclusively from Amazon.com, Jesse’s Girl opens as a jarring phone wakes lifelong Brooklynite Teddy Mentor well after midnight. It’s the Montana wilderness program saying that his 16-year-old adopted son has vanished – and they haven’t a clue where he’s gone. Only two weeks ago, Jesse had been taken to the program by escorts to deal with substance abuse problems.

Jeopardizing his flagging PR job in New York, Mentor rushes across the country to find Jesse, who is off on his own quest: to find Theresa, the sister he’s never known. When Teddy finally discovers Jesse at a bus stop in Illinois, he is torn between sending him back or joining his son on a journey to find this girl in Kentucky. He decides to go. They become embroiled in a grisly crime when Theresa’s abusive husband Beau attacks her – Jesse stabs the big beast of a man, leaving him for dead.

Given Jesse’s misdemeanor criminal record, Teddy can’t go to the authorities without risking his son’s arrest. However, Beau is not dead, merely wounded, and he hunts them down, thirsty for revenge. Teddy, Jesse and Theresa flee across the Bluegrass State with Beau in hot pursuit. Seeking safety but finding trouble, their story leads them to an ultimately shattering question: is Theresa really Jesse’s sister or has he been scammed?

"Pushing Yourself Over the Edge" by Gary Morgenstein

A writer must push his comfort level. What else is writing but descending/ascending into that abyss/summit where your strange imagination lives in a parallel world? It is painful and scary. But we’re not alone. While pressing against our own internal boundaries, we’re also inviting the reader along for the ride.

In Jesse’s Girl, I ripped out my creative spleen. After all, this is a thriller about a family in crisis, the trifecta of parenting, addiction and adoption. A widowed guilt-ridden father, Teddy Mentor, has his troubled adopted teenage son Jesse escorted to a drug treatment program in Montana. Their relationship is fractious and intense to read. The turmoil of the violent plot -- their lives are in danger from a brutal killer -- is not intended for the faint of heart. No Saw V for goodness sakes, but real people get hurt.

Real people, especially teenagers battling addiction, swear. Check out an AA meeting sometime. The language can be rough. I had a couple of adoption bloggers refuse to review the book because of that. Not sufficiently family friendly. I mean, really, what world do they live in? The one where adoptees don’t suffer trauma? Where’s that, a right turn past Neptune?

But the harshness comes not from saying %$# or the bloodshed. It comes from the emotions. Jesse’s Girl is about parenting. I’m a father. There is nothing, other than religion, which evokes such a strong consuming response. To write about being a parent means letting go and allowing all the ugly, shameful conflicts pour out. Unless you think raising a kid is tickling your infant and saying kitchy kitchy goo? That world’s a left past Pluto.

You can’t write wrapped in self-censorship. You’re cheating the reader and cheating yourself. I wouldn’t do that to my characters. Nor my fans. Teddy is angry and confused. You parents understand the inherent conflict. You love your child unconditionally and want them to do well and, when they don’t, you beat yourself up emotionally.

Teddy loves and hates his son. He wants to help Jesse and is furious because Jesse won’t help himself; hello, addiction is a disease. Teddy wants Jesse home and he wants to send him away so he doesn’t have to deal with him anymore. Many of his thoughts embarrass him. How can a father think like that?

Because the core of Jesse’s Girl is that Teddy loves his son so much and will make any sacrifice to save him; his very emotional being is a seething cauldron of conflict and contradiction. In some scenes I brought tears to my eyes, forgive the egregious egotism, by what I’d written about Teddy and Jesse. As a father-novelist, the book at times was very difficult to write.

Perhaps some readers will wince at the naked emotions of the novel. But I think anyone who has ever been a child or a parent will appreciate the honesty. And honesty is what writing is all about.

READ THE REVIEWS:

"Gary Morgenstein is a master at twists and turns. His latest work, Jesse's Girl is a masterpiece. The characters are exquisite. The plot will capture the reader's attention and hold them captive until the last page." - Readers Favorite

"...'Jesse's Girl' by Gary Morgenstein, is a thrilling, engrossing page-turner from the very beginning right through the end. But along the way, the author shares serious and wise observations concerning the relationships between the very lifelike characters and challenges the reader to come to a deeper understanding of the bonds between people and the bondage of addiction. The drama is real, and the geographic setting is depicted in vivid and accurate detail. The nature of addiction and the power of the parental bond are central issues in the book, but this in no way detracts from the excitement of the plot, which is a non-stop thrill ride all the way through. The language is quite coarse at times, but the characters are people who are, at best, on the edge, and this makes the language quite realistic for the situations. There is nothing gratuitous about the language; nor is there any gratuitous violence. In fact, there is little in this taut drama that is wasted...I emphatically recommend this book, and look forward to reading other works by this author, who may well come to be regarded as one of the keenest voices in contemporary fiction." - John Balchunas, Psychologist


Novelist/playwright Gary Morgenstein is the author of four novels. In addition to Jesse’s Girl, a thriller about a widowed father’s search for his adopted teenage son who has run away from a drug treatment program to find his biological sister, his books include the romantic triangle Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman, the political thriller Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and the baseball Rocky The Man Who Wanted to Play Center Field for the New York Yankees. His prophetic play Ponzi Man performed to sell-out crowds at a recent New York Fringe Festival. His other full-length work, You Can’t Grow Tomatoes in the Bronx, is in development. He can be reached at www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Morgenstein/1011217889.

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms by Jane Doiron--Book Review

Enjoy cooking again!

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms is perfect for those moms who constantly find themselves answering the dreaded what’s for supper question or for those whose family’s schedules make it impossible to whip up a meal quick enough before running off to the next practice or meeting. Moms will find themselves enjoying cooking again because these are meals that can be: made a day ahead, partially made a day in advance, or made and then frozen.

I've tried a couple of these recipes and they turned out great and saved me time in the kitchen. I'm also looking forward to using the "easy make-ahead recipe" for a Flaky Pie Crust, as church wants to take pie orders this year.

I absolutely love this cover. Cover art is such an important selling point, but I think even more so with cookbooks because if the meals don't look appetizing, no one will ever attempt them, and therefore, won't be buying that book.

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms starts off with an introduction from the author and also provides helpful tips on freezer storage, items that are easy to prepare a day ahead and how to save money by purchasing alternate volumes and versions of ingredients you don’t often use. The recipes are broken down into sections: Appetizers, Breakfast and Brunch, Dessert, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, and Soup. There are also measurement equivalents and a weight conversion chart, along with an index of the recipes by section to make finding your favorites a quick and easy task.

Don’t let the title fool you, however; all families, no matter what size will enjoy the quick and easy way to prepare food found in this book. It will also simplify holiday menu planning and preparation

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms by Jane Doiron might just become my all-time favorite cookbook!

Interview with Melissa Burmester, Author of the YA Fantasy Novel Ginger High

Joining us today is the talented author behind the young adult fantasy novel, Ginger High. We’ll talk to Melissa Burmester about her debut release, the challenges of being a young novelist and what her future plans are.
Welcome to The Book Connection, Melissa. We’re excited to have you here.

Why don’t you start by telling our readers a bit about yourself? When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t remember but I have always been writing short stories. It just comes out, sometimes I don’t even know that I am writing.

Now at 14, you’ve already published your first novel. How do you feel about that? Is it all exciting or are there parts about being published so young that are scary too?

I feel… normal about it. I feel the same like before I published it. When I get a bad review I get sad but a couple of minutes later I just shrug it off. The scariest part is if I have to do a live interview either on the phone or on television. I am really shy and I don’t talk much unless I feel really comfortable around someone.


Tell us about Ginger High?

Ginger High is about a school that is for students with powers. Some of them can control air, fire, and some come heal. There is also an alternate universe called Animist where the people with powers reside. In this book, a group of students and their friends have to solve a murder that has been happening for years.

Where did you find the inspiration for this story?

Mew Mew Power. This anime show was my inspiration for the alternate world. Also I watched Angel and I loved it.

How long did it take you to bring this book from the first draft to the final published product?

It took about two years for everything. For the first draft I worked with it for a year then another year for the second draft and the editing.

Tell us about your main characters. Why will readers relate to them? What will they like about them?

Some readers might find some of the characters relationships like their own. There are a lot of friend problems between some of the characters. Also, some will not give up a relationship even if the other person wants them to.

Where can readers purchase a copy of Ginger High?

You can go to amazon.com.

Do you have a website or blog?

My website is www.gingerhigh.com.

What is up next for you? Any plans to release another book in the future?

I am working on the rewrite of Ginger High 2 right now. After that I might rewrite two other books that I wrote last year.

Thanks for spending time with us Melissa. I hope you’ll come back and visit us again soon. Good luck with your book!

READ THE REVIEWS:

"This is a fast moving story with plenty of twists and just enough action and adventure to keep the pages flowing." - Nelaine Sanchez, Blogger and Book Reviewer

"Fourteen year old, Melissa Burmester has written a fast paced debut novel; combining horror, mystery and fantasy." - Reviewthebook.com

The Impact of Mental Illness on the Family by Stella Mazzucchelli

Our guest blogger is Stella Mazzucchelli, author of Silk Flowers Never Die: Love, Death, Mental Illness and Courage in an Internationally Renowned Family.

Silk Flowers Never Die is an important and intensely personal memoir, powerfully showing with humanity and humor, the difficulties that exist for any family trying to cope with schizophrenia and mental distress. In a compelling story that reveals how much stranger than fiction fact is, Stella Mazzucchelli describes her determination to preserve her son from the worst effects of mental illness, while his young wife is dying of cancer.

In the process of trying to rise to these challenges, Stella is transformed from a beautiful, over-protected Society woman with alcohol issues, to an impressive, courageous earth-mother who now campaigns to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness by using her privileged position to positive effect. This moving book is informative on a host of subjects, ranging from the lifestyle of the International Super-Rich to the profundities of facing terminal illness and mental disease. Due to its intelligence, insight, and compassion the appeal of this amazing story and struggle should be universal.


IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON THE FAMILY by Stella Mazzucchelli

The impact of mental illness on the family varies. The person that is most influenced is the closest member of the family, which is usually the mother. Can any mother turn a blind eye to their child's suffering? Not that I know of. Being an on-going condition, the mother has to come to terms to live on a daily basis with a heart wrenching, mind debilitating illness that never lets go. Initially there is the shock as most people do not have the faintest clue what schizophrenia represents, only the violence we hear over the media. Due to society's ignorance and brushing the subject beneath the carpet, we automatically think that our loved one might turn into a dagger throwing killer. It does not take long to realize that nothing really changes in our child except the torment, the voices, the hallucinations and his escape to a fantasy world which can sometimes be very cruel. After the initial shock subsides we then have to affiliate ourselves with the invisible demon that torments our loved ones mind, try to understand it's function, how to beat it, how to buffer the suffering it causes. After that stage, which I can assure you is complicated and tedious for the strongest, we have to then hide behind the 'stigma'. Having to deal with the 'stigma' is maybe the most difficult of all. It isolates and degrades us. As I can do nothing to contribute towards a cure, I can at least campaign against its reputation, that is why I have written my book and donated my proceeds to the U.K. based charity SANE.

Stella Metaxa Mazzucchelli was born in Athens, Greece and married, aged eighteen, Riccardo Mazzucchelli, the famous Italian businessman. During their twenty-two year marriage, they lived in Zambia and London, where she became a well-known figure on the social scene, and had a brief and successful modeling career at the unusual age of 28. Fedele is their only child. After their divorce, Riccardo married Ivana Trump in 1995, though the marriage was short lived. Stella now lives in Athens where she brings up her granddaughter Katerina. As well as being involved in the property and renovation business, which ensures she maintains connections with London, she is also a tireless campaigner for the better understanding of schizophrenia and mental illness. Silk Flowers Never Die is her first book.

You can find Stella online at www.dynastypress.co.uk and at her blog www.dynastypress.co.uk/news.html.

Daughter of Narcissus by Lady Colin Campbell

Daughter of Narcissus: A Family's Struggle to Survive Their Mother's Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a stunning analysis by Lady Colin of her own dysfunctional family positioned at the heart of upper class Jamaican society from the middle of the 20th century to the present day. Covering the end of the British Colonial Age and the rise of a liberated generation, whilst addressing the narcissistic personality of her mother, the author brilliantly interconnects the sociological, political and personal. As she dissects the family dynamics lying beneath the appearance of wealth and power, Lady Colin’s understanding of personality disorder is revelatory: compelling the reader to comprehend the destructive and tragic reality concealed by rational language and behavior.

Set against a backdrop of glamour, wealth and fame, this compulsive book is both a fascinating history of one socially prominent family, and a uniquely detailed analysis of narcissism, its manifestations and how to survive them in order to lead a purposeful and affirming life.


Lady Colin Campbell is a highly successful and prolific author of several books, including London and New York Times bestsellers, and has been a prominent and often controversial figure in royal and social circles for many years. She perhaps is best known for her international bestselling book Diana in Private, 1992, and her subsequent extended and revelatory biography of the Princess of Wales, The Real Diana published in 2004. She has written books on the Royal Family, been a long term columnist and appeared numerous times on TV and Radio as an experienced Royal Insider and expert on the British aristocracy. In 1997 she published her autobiography, A Life Worth Living, which was serialized in The Daily Mail. Born in St Andrew, Jamaica, she was educated there and in New York, where she lived for seven years. She is connected to British royalty through common ancestors and marriage. She has two sons and lives in London.

You can visit her publisher online at www.dynastypress.co.uk.

To see where Lady Colin Campbell stops next, visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

The Friendship Factor by Joy DeKok

Today's guest blogger is Joy DeKok, author of the contemporary women's fiction novel, Rain Dance.

Jonica is infertile. Stacie chooses an abortion. One is prolife the other prochoice. Both are suddenly alone in misunderstanding, facing hypocrisies in their belief systems, and grieving – one the death of a dream and the other the death of her child. As their hearts break where in the world will they find healing and grace? Can shattered dreams be part of the plan?

The Friendship Factor by Joy DeKok

Writing an issue based book is difficult when the writer is able to keep her distance. When the author and her friends are intimately involved, it’s painful. It also labels the author as a rule breaker. Author intrusion is not encouraged.

When I started to write Rain Dance my main concern was how the character who is most like me would come across to readers. When I tried to make Jonica more heroic, she annoyed me so I had to let her be herself. Her struggles mirrored mine and so I walked through the hurt again.

Then came Stacie. She startled me with her beauty, determination, and pain. While she is not modeled after one of my friends, she is a combination of several. Her pain is also theirs.

Writers are often asked what they’re working on. When I’m with people who are genuinely interested, I’ll tell them. I have a short description ready. During the writing of Rain Dance I’d answer, “A novel about two women. One is infertile and the other chooses an abortion. They’re both grieving.” Every time I said these words at least one friend in hearing distance would contact me later to tell me they knew Stacie’s story intimately. Friends. Women I knew well who kept this choice in their lives a secret shrouded in shame.

Sitting in my living room I told an especially close friend about my current writing project. That evening I was on a bit of a high – the characters were coming together and I felt like the story had a life of its own – I was simply the messenger. I was on a bit of a verbal roll when she quietly said, “I had an abortion a long time ago.” Who knew a writer’s passion would make it safe? Not me. I listened as she told me her story.

And, it continued through the whole writing process – everywhere I went women opened their hearts to me. I watched in wonder as they spoke. Although regret lingered, they shed the chrysalis of their shame as they released their story into my life.

These brave and generous friends became the heart beat of the book and then they did more. They encouraged me when I was ready to give up. They cheered when I wrote over a hump or through a slump. They listened to my pain as I shared Jonica’s and prayed for me as I did my best to represent theirs to our future readers. Ours. Theirs and mine.

Along the way, I discovered the simple truth: while our experiences and choices were vastly different, our pain was surprisingly similar. We had more in common than our gender and faith. We were sisters in sorrow.

A reader who is neither a Jonica or a Stacie recently wrote, “Rain Dance is so real I felt like I was reading a biography of two women.”

I grinned realizing that while I’d broken one writing rule (I fully intruded), I obeyed perhaps the most common one taught: Write what you know. I could only do that when I was able to factor in my friend’s stories. If Rain Dance is a success, it is ours to share – mine and theirs.



Joy DeKok and her husband, Jon, live in Minnesota on thirty-five acres of woods and fields. Joy has been writing most of her life and as a popular speaker shares her heart and passion for God with women. In addition to writing novels, she has also published a devotional and several children’s books.

Visit Joy online at: http://www.joydekok.com/, http://www.raindancebook.com/, http://www.believe4kids.com/ and http://www.gettingitwrite.net/.

To see where Joy stops next on her virtual book tour, please visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

My Son, John by Kathi Macias - Book Giveaway!

You've read the review. You've read the article. Now enter to win your copy of My Son, John.


Murder. Could there be a more chilling word? Could it be any more horrible than to have a loved one killed, brutally and heartlessly, without obvious reason or motive? When Liz Peterson’s elderly mother is found viciously beaten to death in her home, Liz and her husband, Charles, along with their grown son, John, and teenage daughter, Sarah, are horrified beyond words. Their previously predictable, respectable lives seem to have vanished without a trace, as they struggle to make sense of a senseless act.

And then a second blow—more devastating, if possible, than the first—rocks them to their core. John is arrested for his grandmother’s murder. As what’s left of the Peterson family begins to crumble under the weight of loss and accusation, the Petersons’ longstanding Christian faith is put to the test in a way they could never have imagined, and unconditional love is stretched to its limits. Can God’s grace reach even to the deepest agony of the soul and bring healing to a family torn apart by murder and betrayal?

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley. Look for her new Blog Talk Radio show, coming soon!

Visit Kathi’s website at http://www.kathimacias.com/ and her blog at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/. Stay tuned to Kathi’s website for news of her upcoming Blog Talk Radio show.

My Son, John is available as a trade paperback and a Kindle edition.

Here's how to enter:


1) Comment here with your working email address so that we can contact you if you win.

2) Get one additional entry for blogging about this contest. Leave a comment here telling us where you blogged about it.

3) Get two additional entries for tweeting about this contest. Don't forget to let us know here that you tweeted!

This giveaway will run from today until 11:59 p.m.(Eastern) on October 31st. A winner will be announced in early November.

This contest is open to all residents of the United States and Canada.

Faith and Fiction...a Biblical Connection by Kathi Macias, Author of My Son, John

Joining us today is a talented author who I am happy to call a treasured friend. Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books--some of which we've reviewed here--and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley.

Kathi is currently on a virtual book tour to promote her contemporary novel, My Son, John. In this book, the Peterson family's once normal life is shattered when Liz Peterson's mother is brutually murdered and her son John is arrested for the crime. As what’s left of the Peterson family begins to crumble under the weight of loss and accusation, the Petersons’ longstanding Christian faith is put to the test in a way they could never have imagined, and unconditional love is stretched to its limits. Will family ties and relationships withstand such a crushing blow, or will evil succeed in dividing and conquering this once close and inseparable family?

Faith and Fiction…a Biblical Connection Kathi Macias


When I first got into this “Christian bookselling business/ministry” back in the early 1980’s, fiction was scarcely a consideration for me. I was primarily interested in writing articles for various publications, though I also took a job at Gospel Light Publications, working in the editorial department for adult curriculum. While there, I was approached by one of the editors in their book division about co-authoring a nonfiction book with her. I liked the idea, accepted, and the rest is history, since that book went on to become one of that publisher’s all-time bestsellers.

About that same time, however, I began to have this nagging sense that I’d like to write a novel. In fact, I had a very specific idea and topic in mind, but I couldn’t imagine why I should bother, as Christian fiction really wasn’t exactly a hot-button item. Catherine Marshall and Grace Livingston Hill had what little market there was sewn up, so why bother?

And yet I felt the topic that I was sure God had placed on my heart was worth exploring in fiction form. So I began to write a chapter here and there, and before I knew it, Yesterday, Today, and Forever was completed. It was time to submit it to publishers. It took awhile, as few were doing fiction, but at last a small publisher picked it up, and my first novel soon became a reality.

I later did another novel called Shooting Star, which I co-authored with Rosey Grier, and a collection of short fiction stories in two book compilations for children, but other than that I stuck to nonfiction. By the late 1990s, however, the climate was changing, and I decided to give fiction another try. Soon my Matthews mystery trilogy released from B&H, and my love for writing fiction had become unquenchable.

Since that time, though I have written several more nonfiction books, my heart has been to write “fiction with a purpose”—meaning more than just “nice fiction” that omitted cursing and included a presentation of the gospel somewhere between the front and back cover. In other words, I believed it was necessary to follow the biblical connection to fiction by adhering to Jesus’ example in His telling of the parables if I wanted to justify calling my novels “Christian fiction.”

Jesus used parables to teach the masses, telling stories His listeners could relate to and easily understand. But though He no doubt entertained them in the process, entertainment was not His primary goal. He had a purpose in telling each story, and that was to help His listeners better understand the Kingdom of God and to be drawn closer to the Father’s heart. And He never apologized for that or tried to hide His agenda. For that reason, I try to keep that same focus when I develop my own stories.



My Son, John is a classic example. Though readers tell me that once they started the book they couldn’t stop until they were finished, they also tell me that it moved them to tears, caused them to seek reconciliation in broken relationships, drew them back to the Lord, even nudged them to get involved in jail/prison ministry or some other outreach to the hurting and rejected they might otherwise not have considered. That’s what tells me I was successful in this endeavor.

Though My Son, John is told primarily from the viewpoint of a middle-aged woman named Liz who is already a Christian, the story carries the readers through Liz’s shock and grief at her mother’s murder, her devastation and denial at her son’s arrest for the crime, and her long, dark hours of wrestling with God over all the implications of finding herself in the middle of such an unbelievable triangle of pain and horror. It’s a sort of “coming of age” faith book for believers who, like Liz, thought they had already come of age years earlier—only to find themselves challenged at the very root of their belief system.

So does faith have a place in fiction? Absolutely! In fact, without it, I question the reason for even bothering to write such stories. If all we want is “good, clean entertainment,” then let the “good, clean” unbelievers write it. Can the story be told without including the need for Jesus? Then it can be told apart from those of us who know we need Him just to breathe.

At least, that’s the way I see it. And the eight novels I currently have in the works for 2010-2011 release will continue to carry that crucial component and message at their very heart. It’s a biblical connection I simply can’t ignore.

Visit Kathi’s website at http://www.kathimacias.com/ and her blog at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/. Stay tuned to Kathi’s website for news of her upcoming Blog Talk Radio show.

To find where Kathi Macias is stopping next on her virtual book tour, please visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Interview with Deputy Tempe Crabtree from Dispel the Mist by Marilyn Meredith

I've been a huge fan of Deputy Tempe Crabtree since I first discovered her in Judgment Fire. I followed her along through Kindred Spirits, and now she's back solving another crime in Dispel the Mist.

We're going to give you a bit of insight into Deputy Tempe Crabtree's character with this interview performed by her creator, author Marilyn Meredith.

Q. In earlier books, Detective Morrison was far more hostile to you than he is this time around. Why do you think that happened?

Tempe: (Laughing) Maybe he finally realized that you catch more flies with honey. Actually, I think he finally realized that I could be helpful to his investigations—though he has an unrealistic expectation as far as expecting me to get more information from Indians because I am an Indian too. The reality is, because I don’t live on the reservation and I wear a uniform, with few exceptions, the Indians are as wary of me as they are of any law enforcement office.

Q. You seem to be having more and more dreams that predict the future than in the past. Do you find them helpful?

Tempe: Unfortunately, no. The dreams are often dark and disturbing, but so enigmatic I never know quite what they mean until after whatever they predicted has happened.

Q. Why do you think you are having these dreams?

Tempe: Nick Two John believes it’s because I’ve opened myself up to the spiritual world, but frankly, I have no idea.

Q. Nick is quite helpful to you, isn’t he?

Tempe: Nick is an interesting person. He is so enigmatic…and I might add, frustrating. He never answers any of my questions directly, in fact, he often answers with another question. I believe he could be more direct and clear things up for me in a much simpler manner, but he always wants me to figure things out for myself.

Q. Nick is an Indian too. At one time your husband, Hutch, seemed to be jealous of him.

Tempe: Fortunately, that’s no longer a problem. In fact, Hutch and Nick have become good friends despite having different spiritual beliefs.

Q. The legends your grandmother told you as a child play an important part in your life during this investigation. Do you want to tell me about that?

Tempe: My grandmother played an important role in my life when I was growing up as a child. She lived with us until she died. I loved sitting on her lap and listening to her stories. Unfortunately, in my teenage years I was ashamed of being an Indian. Grandma passed away and I felt guilty about my feelings. I tried to forget all that. My memories of the legends are just now coming back.

Q. The legend of the Hairy Man plays in important part in the book. He seems to be a similar to Big Foot. Tell me, do you think the Hairy Man is real?

Tempe: If you’d asked me this earlier I would have told you no. You’ll have to read the book to learn what changed my mind.

Q. Thank you for answering my questions about Dispel the Mist. I understand that it’s available as an e-book and trade paperback directly from the publisher: www.mundaniapress.com as well as all the usual online bookstores. It also can be ordered through regular bookstores too.

Tempe: To read the first chapter of Dispel the Mist and learn more about other books in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, visit author Marilyn Meredith’s website.

Marilyn and I are on a virtual book tour to promote Dispel the Mist. If you want to see where we stop next, visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Daughter of Narcissus Virtual Book Tour October 2009

Author Lady Colin Campbell journeys the blogosphere in October 2009 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations to discuss her latest biography, Daughter of Narcissus.

Daughter of Narcissus is a stunning analysis by Lady Colin of her own dysfunctional family positioned at the heart of upper class Jamaican society from the middle of the 20th century to the present day. Covering the end of the British Colonial Age and the rise of a liberated generation, whilst addressing the narcissistic personality of her mother, the author brilliantly interconnects the sociological, political and personal. As she dissects the family dynamics lying beneath the appearance of wealth and power, Lady Colin’s understanding of personality disorder is revelatory: compelling the reader to comprehend the destructive and tragic reality concealed by rational language and behavior.

Set against a backdrop of glamour, wealth and fame, this compulsive book is both a fascinating history of one socially prominent family, and a uniquely detailed analysis of narcissism, its manifestations and how to survive them in order to lead a purposeful and affirming life.

Praise for Daughter of Narcissus:

“A tremendous accomplishment and a great self help book. It will enhance the reader’s life as much as it elevates the author’s reputation, and will achieve the distinction of being a popular bestseller that also becomes a medical reference work. Unsurpassable.” -- Dr Anna Brocklebank, MD


Lady Colin Campbell is a highly successful and prolific author of several books, including London and New York Times bestsellers, and has been a prominent and often controversial figure in royal and social circles for many years. She perhaps is best known for her international bestselling book Diana in Private, 1992, and her subsequent extended and revelatory biography of the Princess of Wales, The Real Diana published in 2004. She has written books on the Royal Family, been a long term columnist and appeared numerous times on TV and Radio as an experienced Royal Insider and expert on the British aristocracy. In 1997 she published her autobiography, A Life Worth Living, which was serialized in The Daily Mail. Born in St Andrew, Jamaica, she was educated there and in New York, where she lived for seven years. She is connected to British royalty through common ancestors and marriage. She has two sons and lives in London.

You can visit her online at www.dynastypress.co.uk or at her blog http://ladycolincampbell.blogspot.com/.

If you would like to follow Lady Colin Campbell on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Lady Colin’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.

My Son, John Virtual Book Tour October 2009

Author Kathi Macias returns to the blogosphere in October 2009 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations. During Kathi’s second virtual book tour she’ll talk about her contemporary novel, My Son, John.

Murder. Could there be a more chilling word? Could it be any more horrible than to have a loved one killed, brutally and heartlessly, without obvious reason or motive? When Liz Peterson’s elderly mother is found viciously beaten to death in her home, Liz and her husband, Charles, along with their grown son, John, and teenage daughter, Sarah, are horrified beyond words. Their previously predictable, respectable lives seem to have vanished without a trace, as they struggle to make sense of a senseless act.

And then a second blow—more devastating, if possible, than the first—rocks them to their core. John is arrested for his grandmother’s murder. As what’s left of the Peterson family begins to crumble under the weight of loss and accusation, the Petersons’ longstanding Christian faith is put to the test in a way they could never have imagined, and unconditional love is stretched to its limits. Will family ties and relationships withstand such a crushing blow, or will evil succeed in dividing and conquering this once close and inseparable family?

Praise for My Son, John:

“‘My Son, John’ is a compelling story that offers hope when hope is humanly impossible to find, and reminds us how to love unconditionally—“no matter what.” A beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness written by a gifted author.” -- Diane Moody (Kingston Springs, TN)

“…one of the strongest examples of unconditional love, forgiveness, grace and mercy I've come across in some time.” -- Peg Phifer (Las Vegas, NV)


Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley. Look for her new Blog Talk Radio show, coming soon!

Visit Kathi’s website at www.kathimacias.com and her blog at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/. Stay tuned to Kathi’s website for news of her upcoming “Write the Vision” Blog Talk Radio show.

“I was thrilled when I found out Kathi was touring with us again,” says Cheryl Malandrinos, Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion. “I fell in love with Kathi’s work years ago and she’s never disappointed this reader.”

If you would like to follow Kathi on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Kathi’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.

Rain Dance Virtual Book Tour October 2009

Author Joy DeKok travels the blogosphere in October 2009 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations to discuss her contemporary novel, Rain Dance.

Jonica is infertile. Stacie chooses an abortion. One is prolife the other prochoice. Both are suddenly alone in misunderstanding, facing hypocrisies in their belief systems, and grieving – one the death of a dream and the other the death of her child. As their hearts break where in the world will they find healing and grace? Can shattered dreams be part of the plan?

Praise for Rain Dance:

“This book is a must read for all women. Although it is a fictional story the author has brilliantly captured the many issues that women struggle with and offers hope that can only be found in Jesus. She also shows how looking beyond our own circumstances can bring blessings into our lives and the lives of others. I’ve ministered to broken women for over twenty years and I’m thankful for resources like ‘Rain Dance’ that will reach women who are hurting and give them hope.” -- Sue Liljenberg, International Director, Healing Hearts Ministries International


Joy DeKok and her husband, Jon, live in Minnesota on thirty-five acres of woods and fields. Joy has been writing most of her life and as a popular speaker shares her heart and passion for God with women. In addition to writing novels, she has also published a devotional and several children’s books.

Visit Joy online at: www.joydekok.com, www.raindancebook.com, www.believe4kids.com and www.gettingitwrite.net.

If you would like to follow Joy on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Joy’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.

The Broken Teaglass Virtual Book Tour October 2009

Author Emily Arsenault travels the blogosphere in October 2009 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations to talk about her debut novel, The Broken Teaglass.

The dusty files of a venerable dictionary publisher . . . a hidden cache of coded clues . . . a story written by a phantom author . . . an unsolved murder in a gritty urban park–all collide memorably in Emily Arsenault’s magnificent debut, at once a teasing literary puzzle, an ingenious suspense novel, and an exploration of definitions: of words, of who we are, and of the stories we choose to define us.

In the maze of cubicles at Samuelson Company, editors toil away in silence, studying the English language, poring over new expressions and freshly coined words–all in preparation for the next new edition of the Samuelson Dictionary. Among them is editorial assistant Billy Webb, just out of college, struggling to stay awake and appear competent. But there are a few distractions. His intriguing coworker Mona Minot may or may not be flirting with him. And he’s starting to sense something suspicious going on beneath this company’s academic facade.

Mona has just made a startling discovery: a trove of puzzling citations, all taken from the same book, “The Broken Teaglass”. Billy and Mona soon learn that no such book exists. And the quotations from it are far too long, twisting, and bizarre for any dictionary. They read like a confessional, coyly hinting at a hidden identity, a secret liaison, a crime. As Billy and Mona ransack the office files, a chilling story begins to emerge: a story about a lonely young woman, a long-unsolved mystery, a moment of shattering violence. And as they piece together its fragments, the puzzle begins to take on bigger personal meaning for both of them, compelling them to redefine their notions of themselves and each other.

Praise for The Broken Teaglass:

“…a fascinating mystery filled with suspense that hooks the audience…” –Harriet Klausner, Genre Go Round Reviews


Emily Arsenault has worked as a lexicographer, an English teacher, a children’s librarian, and a Peace Corps volunteer. She wrote The Broken Teaglass to pass the long, quiet evenings in her mud brick house while living in rural South Africa. She now lives in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, with her husband. You can visit Emily Arsenault’s website at www.emilyarsenault.com.

If you would like to follow Emily on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Emily’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.

Emily the Chickadee Virtual Book Tour October 2009

Children’s author Carol Zelaya travels the blogosphere in October 2009 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations to talk about the first installment in her picture book nature series, Emily Waits for Her Family.

Read Emily Waits for Her Family and follow the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl, from first meeting to leaving, from new life to old friends. This story is told in a timeless, three-part series, with an easy-reading rhyme, and is certain to delight and touch your heart.

Praise for Emily Waits for Her Family:

“While there are other authors known for their portrayals of nature and animals, they have not promoted the scientific observation techniques that are used and included in a chart at the end of this book.” -- Jane Herbst, NYSUT teacher


Carol Zelaya is a former nurse, recently widowed, and mother of two grown children. She grew up in the Chicago area, where she eventually met and married her husband and where they raised a family. Having relocated to Oregon in 1996, Zelaya began her love affair with nature and its beautiful creatures. Inspired by her surroundings, she started taking pictures and writing. Writing poetry led to writing three children’s books, of course, in rhyme. Zelaya’s Emily the Chickadee books are the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl and the true meaning of family.

You can visit Carol online at www.emilythechickadee.com.

If you would like to follow Carol on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Carol’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.

Silk Flowers Never Die Virtual Book Tour October 2009

Author Stella Mazzucchelli travels the blogosphere in October 2009 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations to talk about her biography, Silk Flowers Never Die.

Silk Flowers Never Die is an important and intensely personal memoir, powerfully showing with humanity and humor, the difficulties that exist for any family trying to cope with schizophrenia and mental distress. In a compelling story that reveals how much stranger than fiction fact is, Stella Mazzucchelli describes her determination to preserve her son from the worst effects of mental illness, while his young wife is dying of cancer.

In the process of trying to rise to these challenges, Stella is transformed from a beautiful, over-protected Society woman with alcohol issues, to an impressive, courageous earth-mother who now campaigns to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness by using her privileged position to positive effect. This moving book is informative on a host of subjects, ranging from the lifestyle of the International Super-Rich to the profundities of facing terminal illness and mental disease. Due to its intelligence, insight, and compassion the appeal of this amazing story and struggle should be universal.

Praise for Silk Flowers Never Die:

“A must-read...a moving, informative, and humorous account of living through personal tragedy amidst great privilege...shows how common sense and a good heart are more important than all the money in the world.” – Lady Colin Campbell, author of Diana in Private and The Real Diana


Stella Metaxa Mazzucchelli was born in Athens, Greece and married, aged eighteen, Riccardo Mazzucchelli, the famous Italian businessman. During their twenty-two year marriage, they lived in Zambia and London, where she became a well-known figure on the social scene, and had a brief and successful modeling career at the unusual age of 28. Fedele is their only child. After their divorce, Riccardo married Ivana Trump in 1995, though the marriage was short lived. Stella now lives in Athens where she brings up her granddaughter Katerina. As well as being involved in the property and renovation business, she is also a tireless campaigner for the better understanding of schizophrenia and mental illness. Silk Flowers Never Die is her first book.

You can find Stella online at www.dynastypress.co.uk and at her blog www.dynastypress.co.uk/news.html.

If you would like to follow Stella on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Stella’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.

Deputy Tempe Crabtree is Back with a New Mystery to Solve in Dispel the Mist

Author Marilyn Meredith returns to the blogosphere in October 2009 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations. During Marilyn’s fifth virtual book tour she’ll talk about the latest release in her award-winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, Dispel the Mist.

A Tulare County Supervisor, with both Native American and Mexican roots, dies under suspicious circumstances. Because of Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s own ties to the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, she’s asked to help with the investigation. To complicate matters, besides the supervisor’s husband, several others had reason to want the woman dead.

Tempe has unsettling dreams, dreams that may predict the future and bring back memories of her grandmother’s stories about the legend of the Hairy Man. Once again, Tempe’s life is threatened and this time, she fears no one will come to her rescue in time.

Praise for other books in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series:

“A smashing story, and ending." -- Gay Tolti Kinman, DorothyL on Kindred Spirits.

“Meredith’s latest work is richly textured with interesting, well developed characters and a story line that leaves you guessing to nearly the last page.” -- Claudia Elliott, Editor, Southern Sierra Newspaper on Kindred Spirits

“Marilyn Meredith takes us into the spiritual world of the American Indian while she weaves Tempe’s story of arson and murder to a surprising conclusion in a well written book that’s over before you would like." -- Wanda C. Keesey, author of “Lost In The Mist” on Judgment Fire an EPPIE 2008 Finalist


Marilyn Meredith is the author of over twenty-five published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Dispel the Mist from Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series. No Sanctuary is the newest from Oak Tree Press.

She is a member of EPIC, four chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, WOK, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville CA, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and at her blog - http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/.

“It is always wonderful to have Marilyn joining us on tour,” says Cheryl Malandrinos, Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion. “I found ‘Dispel the Mist’ to be engaging, and it might just be Marilyn’s greatest book yet.”

If you would like to follow Marilyn on her virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Marilyn’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com. Sign up for our 12 Days of Christmas Tour Special! Deadline to register is October 30, 2009.