Register Now for the WriteAngles Conference!

Registration is now open for the 2016 WriteAngles Conference! The conference by writers, for writers will be held on Saturday, October 29 at Mount Holyoke College’s Willits-Hallowell Center in South Hadley, Mass. The annual event, now in its 30th year, offers participants the chance to mix with experienced writers and agents in panel discussions, face-to-face meetings and in casual networking opportunities. Carole DeSanti and Lisa Papademetriou will be keynote speakers. WriteAngles 2016 offers eight new panels and workshops, a legal clinic and opportunities for participants to discuss their work one-on-one with a literary agent. For more information, and to register, please visit writeanglesconference.com

New Release: My (Part-time) Paris Life by Lisa Anselmo

A memoir by a woman who confronts her lifelong fear of change, buys an apartment in Paris, and discovers that this one decision opens doors to a new life she never would have imagined.

Poignant, touching, and lively, this memoir of a woman who loses her mother and creates a new life for herself in Paris will speak to anyone who has lost a parent or reinvented themselves. Lisa Anselmo wrapped her entire life around her mother, a strong woman who was a defining force in her daughter’s life—maybe too defining. When her mother dies from breast cancer, Lisa realizes she hadn’t built a life of her own, and struggles to find her purpose. Who is she without her mother—and her mother’s expectations?

Desperate for answers, she reaches for a lifeline in the form of an apartment in Paris, refusing to play it safe for the first time. What starts out as a lurching act of survival sets Lisa on a course that reshapes her life in ways she never could have imagined. But how can you imagine a life bigger than anything you’ve ever known?

In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love and Wild, My (Part-time) Paris Life a story is for anyone who’s ever felt lost or hopeless, but still holds out hope of something more. This candid memoir explores one woman’s search for peace and meaning, and how the ups and downs of expat life in Paris taught her to let go of fear, find self-worth, and create real, lasting happiness.

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (October 11, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250067472
ISBN-13: 978-1250067470

Amazon
Apple iBooks
Books-A-Million
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound

Anselmo is deeply entrenched in Parisian life—writing as a Parisian correspondent for publications such as New York Magazine. Her blog has gained a dedicated following, and now, this summer, Anselmo launched her online video series with the same title: My (Part-Time) Paris Life. With her new high-quality series, produced by Nomadic Frames, Anselmo takes the viewer inside her life in Paris, to the locals-only neighborhoods tourists rarely see. The series includes interviews with Paris’s most famous baker, Christophe Vasseur, Top Chef finalist, Pierre Sang, and more. Additional info, along with a look into Anselmo’s life in Paris, can be found at myparttimeparislife.com. 

Book Spotlight: Dido's Crown by Julie K. Rose

Dido's Crown

by Julie K. Rose

Publication Date: September 29, 2016

Paperback; 340 Pages

ISBN13: 9781365316333

Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary

Set in Tunisia and France in 1935, Dido's Crown is a taut literary-historical adventure influenced by Indiana Jones, The Thin Man, and John le Carri.

Mary Wilson MacPherson has always been adept at putting the past behind her: her father's death, her sister's disappearance, and her complicated relationship with childhood friends Tom and Will. But that all changes when, traveling to North Africa on business for her husband, Mary meets a handsome French-Tunisian trader who holds a mysterious package her husband has purchased a package which has drawn the interest not only of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, but the Nazis as well.

When Tom and Will arrive in Tunisia, Mary suddenly finds herself on a race across the mesmerizing and ever-changing landscapes of the country, to the shores of southern France, and all across the wide blue Mediterranean. Despite her best efforts at distancing herself from her husband's world, Mary has become embroiled in a mystery that could threaten not only Tunisian and British security in the dangerous political landscape of 1935, but Mary's beliefs about her past and the security of her own future.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

A member of the Historical Novel Society and former reviewer for the Historical Novels Review, Julie lives in the Bay Area with her husband and rescue cats, and loves reading, following the San Francisco Giants, and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of Northern California.

Her forthcoming historical adventure novel, Dido's Crown, will be released in September 2016.

Oleanna, short-listed for finalists in the 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom literary competition, is her second novel. The Pilgrim Glass, a finalist in the 2005 Faulkner-Wisdom competition and semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, was published in 2010.

For more information, please visit Julie K. Rose's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 26
Review & Excerpt at For Oh, the Hook of a Book
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Tuesday, September 27
Review at I'm Shelf-ish

Wednesday, September 28
Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Thursday, September 29
Excerpt & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Friday, September 30
Review at Creating Herstory
Excerpt at Just One More Chapter

Monday, October 3
Review at Unabridged Chick

Tuesday, October 4
Review at Back Porchervations
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, October 5
Excerpt at Books, Dreams, Life

Thursday, October 6
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Excerpt at A Literary Vacation

Friday, October 7
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective
Interview at The Book Connection

Monday, October 10
Excerpt at A Bookaholic Swede
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

New Release: Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes

Christmas in Paris is a moving and heartwarming story about love, trust, and self-discovery. Set during the most magical week of the year, the glorious foods and fashions of the most romantic city in the world are sure to take your breath away.

Isabel Lawson is standing on the balcony of her suite at the Hotel Crillon as she gazes at the twinkling lights of the Champs Elysee and wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. She was supposed to be visiting the Christmas tree in the Place de la Concorde, and eating escargots and macaroons with her new husband on their honeymoon. But a week before the wedding, she called it off. Isabel is an ambitious Philadelphia finance woman, and Neil suddenly decided to take over his grandparents’ farm. Isabel wasn’t ready to trade her briefcase for a pair of rubber boots and a saddle.

When Neil suggested she use their honeymoon tickets for herself, she thought it would give her a chance to clear her head. That is until she locks herself out on the balcony in the middle of winter. Thankfully her neighbor Alec, a French children’s illustrator, comes to her rescue. He too is nursing a broken heart at the Crillon for the holidays. With a new friend by her side, Isabel is determined to use her time in the city of lights wisely. After a chance encounter with a fortune teller and a close call with a taxi, she starts to question everything she thought was important.

Praise

"Christmas. Paris. Star-crossed lovers. Yup, it’s the perfect holiday read!" —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dashing Through the Snow

"Gorgeously festive and evocative, this is a compelling story filled with characters you truly care about. I adored it." —Melissa Hill, USA Today bestselling author of The Charm Bracelet

"I was instantly transported back to France, once again strolling the Champs-Élysées, taking in the scents, the sights, the taste of Paris.  It doesn’t get any better than falling in love in La Ville-Lumiére, the City of Light, during the most magical time of year.  Delicious, delectable, and delightful!" —Donna Kauffman, USA Today Bestselling Author of Starfish Moon

"Hughes bring her signature combination of haute couture and high-society romance to Paris, adding a touch of magic and allowing us to live vicariously through Isabel as she falls in love in the most glamorous city in the world—and buys labels most women can only dream about. A charming modern-day fairy-tale romance."—Kirkus Reviews

ANITA HUGHES is the author of Monarch Beach, Market Street, Lake Como, French Coast, Rome in Love, Island in the Sea, and Santorini Sunsets. She attended UC Berkeley’s Masters in Creative Writing Program, and lives in Dana Point, California, where she is at work on her next novel. For more information visit anitahughesbooks.com.

Website: http://anitahughesbooks.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HughesAnita
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitahughesauthor

Musing Mondays - Oct 3

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What is your worst habit as a reader?


It is Monday again. It's going to be a cloudy and rainy day here in Massachusetts. We are still recovering from our drought, so we can't complain.

Last week was so hectic that I didn't get to blog much. This week I am heading out of town for a two-day conference on Wednesday, so not sure how much I'll be online.

I reviewed Joshua's Mission by Vannetta Chapman over the weekend. 

I'm also participating in The General's Wife by Sara R. Turnquist VBT. They are offering a $50 Amazon of Barnes and Noble gift card as a prize. You can enter here. 

I'm not sure what my worst habit is as a reader. 

Is it that I keep buying books even though I have hundreds of unread ones here?

Is it that I keep filling up my Kindle with freebies that I rarely read?

Maybe it's that I take all my paperbacks into the tub with me and risk drowning them. 

What is your worst habit as a reader? 

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: The General's Wife by Sara R. Turnquist

“Go home!” Ismene is speechless as she reads those words written in blood on the walls of her new home. The young, raven-haired Grecian beauty had traveled all the way from her homeland to marry the Pharaoh’s top general. But she never expected this. The hatred of the Alexandrian mob for their Greek rulers is right in front of her. It is the first of many threats she will receive.

Things are escalating out of control. Damaged crops and horses turned loose at night are one thing. But when Ismene receives a death threat, it becomes clear that there is a spy within her own household. She would turn to her husband to deal with this issue, except he left for battle by order of the Pharaoh. Not knowing whom to trust, she fears for her safety as well as the entire ruling class of Egypt.

EXCERPT:

“Can you please take this blindfold off?” Ismene loved surprises, but couldn't stand the waiting. Alistair had risen early to prepare a special breakfast for them and served her in bed. Then he had told her that he had something special planned for them today—a special place for them to visit.

“Not yet,” Alistair said as he gripped her waist. Their chariot went over a bump which caused him to pull her to him even more tightly. She smiled at the feel of his secure embrace; even after this short time it still caused butterflies in her stomach.

She felt the chariot continue to move down the smooth path with a little rocking here and there as the wheels found imperfections in the road.

“We're almost there, I promise,” he assured her. His voice was close to her ear and it gave her warm chills. She thought of the feel of those lips on her neck. There wasn't much time to daydream, though, because, true to his word, it wasn't much longer before she felt him slow the horses and still the chariot.

“Ready for your surprise?” he asked.

“Yes!” She feigned exasperation.

Only then did he reach up, untie her blindfold, and let it fall. “The great Library of Alexandria.”

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Generals-Wife-Sara-R-Turnquist-ebook/dp/B01A9FDT9E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453141274&sr=8-1&keywords=the+general%27s+wife

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-generals-wife-sara-r-turnquist/1123223438?ean=2940157880965

Kobo:

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-general-s-wife-1

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/606098

iTunes:

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-generals-wife/id1076223420

Sara is originally from middle TN. After a short stint in Memphis, where she earned a degree in Biology and began a career as both a Zoo Educator and a Sleep Technician, she then followed a dream to work for a large zoo in Orlando, FL as an Educator. Once she and her husband started their family, they moved back to Tennessee. Sara and her husband now enjoy a full life with their three beautiful and very active children. Sara enjoys many creative outlets – singing, piano, drawing, drama, and organizing anything. And even though she has enjoyed her career as a Zoo Educator, Sara's great love of the written word continued to draw her to write. She has always been an avid reader and, for many years, has been what she terms a “closet writer”. Her travels and love of history have served to inspire her to write Historical Fiction. Sara has made several trips overseas to the Czech Republic. Her time among the Czech people and the landscapes of the country inspired her and greatly influenced her work on her debut novel, The Lady Bornekova, set in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Sara is also a member of the ACFW.


Website/URL: saraturnquist.com
Twitter: @sarat1701
Facebook: Sara R. Turnquist, Author - www.facebook.com/authorsararturnquist
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/saravturnquist/

Sara R. Turnquist will be awarding a $50 Amazon or 

Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner

 via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Joshua's Mission by Vannetta Chapman

If you're looking for a book about family, love, overcoming hardships, forgiveness and grace, you need to pick up a copy of Joshua's Mission by Vannetta Chapman.

Joshua Kline travels from the family farm in Oklahoma to an Englisch town on the gulf coast of Texas that has been ravaged by Hurricane Orion. He brings his younger brother with him. Perhaps the change will keep Alton out of trouble.

Two young women from the Amish community of Cody's Creek will be joining them, the bishop's daughter, Becca Troyer, and her friend Sarah.

This mission trip just might teach all of them about the gifts of love and friendship and the powerful grace of God.

This is the second book in Chapman's Plain and Simple Miracles series. I reviewed the first book, Anna's Healing, here. Joshua's Mission is a stand alone novel, so you don't have to read the first book. I feel comfortable, however, recommending both of them highly.

What I truly enjoyed about this novel is how Chapman stayed focused on the purpose of the entire series, yet delivered a total fresh plot with a story told in a very different way. Anna's Healing focused on a family impacted by tragedy and how a miracle affects their lives. In Joshua's Mission, the miracle unfolds gently like a new flower unfurling its petals. The miracle is in how the mission trip changes these four young people instead of being a healing miracle or something that draws attention.

While the story starts in Cody's Creek, the majority of it takes place in Texas, making readers of the series eager to return to this Plain community in Oklahoma for the third novel, which was released in September. This also allowed for many new characters to be introduced.

There is so much to love in this novel. If I had time I would definitely read it again. This book is a keeper.

Series: Plain and Simple Miracles (Book 2)
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736956050
ISBN-13: 978-0736956055

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.


I read this book for the following challenge: