This is the one I am going with!! I mounted him on painted chipboard. I still don’t have my tassel the color I want. I will have to go shopping for more fibers!! This is stamplistic stamps and die cuts. I may need to add stickles…..oh yes. Stickles to make him shine!!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Ain’t he cute!!! This is from Stamplistic. I received this in the mail yesterday and could not wait to play with him. So of course I made a book mark!
Thanks for stopping by.
A Day In The Life
By Theodore Ficklestein
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Book Blurb:
A Day In The Life is Theodore Ficklestein’s debut novel about Nickolas Cripp, a college student finding his way in the world. Although Nick won’t admit it, he is the main focus to a young adult book that follows him from his home to college to the city, where he wants to attend an open mic.
Along his path, he encounters a teacher who asks about the apocalypse, a drunk on the train and two friends who feel writing isn’t Nick’s strong point, among others. Nick soon finds out that the funniest things in life aren’t that funny at all, and the greatest comedians never go up on stage.
As he goes through his day, one oddball character at a time, Nick starts to question if the comedy club he dreams of being in, is really for him. Should he be who he wants to be? Or who the world thinks he should be? Neither of which, he is entirely sure about.
A personal journey of self-discovery through the eyes of a youth yearning for meaning in a meaningless world; Nick learns that in life, the joke is on you
Bio:
Theodore Ficklestein is an author, blogger and poet who has written three poetry books and runs multiple blogs. His first novel A Day In The Life is due out in 2017 and his poetry has appeared in Nuthouse and Avalon Literary Review.
Pre-order page for book:
Social Media:
Twitter: @theodorefickle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Theodore-Ficklestein-255927458248393/
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115887665062372115100
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theodoreficklestein/ – theodoreficklestein
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7080428.Theodore_Ficklestein
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theodoreficklestein
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thetheodoreficklestein
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Theodore-Ficklestein/e/B00JAZSUKS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1504383312&sr=8-2
Website http://theodoreficklestein.com/
Overview
SHORTLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST BOOK PRIZE 2017
In Jerusalem’s Old City a young priest and a dominatrix converse in the dying light; on Oregon’s windswept coast a fragile woman discovers a body washed up on the beach after a storm; and in Postwar Japan a young protégé watches his master’s corpse burn, with bitter thoughts blazing in his mind.
Jerusalem Ablaze: Stories of Love and Other Obsessions collects thirteen eclectic works of dark fiction, taking the reader from Los Angeles to the eastern townships of Quebec, and from Tokyo to Jerusalem.
Ortega-Medina’s characters are flawed, broken individuals, trying their best to make sense of their lives as they struggle with sexuality, death, obsession, and religion. Sometimes bleak, occasionally violent, and often possessed of a dark humour, this major debut explores the imperfections of life and the unpredictability of death.
About the Author
Orlando Ortega-Medina is a US born British-Canadian author of Judeo-Spanish descent. He studied English Literature at UCLA and has a Juris Doctor law degree from Southwestern University School of Law. At university he won The National Society of Arts and Letters award for Short Stories. Jerusalem Ablaze: Stories of Love and Other Obsessions is his first published collection. Orlando now resides in London, where he practices US immigration law.
Interview
Q1. We noticed your cross-cultural and multi-faith upbringing has an impact on your fiction writing. What inspires you?
A1. Yes, I was born with an excess of identity. At first, it was like having a closet crammed full of costumes and not knowing which one to wear. I think it’s fair to say that my life has been about learning which costume to wear. I clothe my characters in the hand-me-downs.
Q2. Which are your favorite stories in the collection?
A2. My favorite stories are: “Torture by Roses”, “After the Storm”, “Love at Masada”, and “Invitation to the Dominant Culture”.
Q3. Who are your favorite authors?
A3. My favorite authors are Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Jown Fowles, Anthony Burgess, Jorge Luis Borges, and Yukio Mishima.
Q4. How has your law career influenced your writing style?
A4. As a lawyer, I solve problems and strategize preventative measures for my clients. As an author, I create worlds. My author-ability to think creatively and outside the box makes me a better lawyer. My lawyer-ability to think systematically, foresee problems, and create preemption regimes, makes me a better writer. I can’t imagine one without the other. On the technical side of things, my constant review of deposition and court transcripts has helped me develop a keen sense of dialogue.
Q5. What are you working on now?
A5. I’ve just completed the first draft of a novel. It’s a three-part black comedy about star worship, a search for identity and, of course, religion. It’s set the seventies and eighties in Los Angeles, Jerusalem, and Tijuana (Mexico). I’m hoping to shop it around early next year.
Q6. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
A6. I like to think that agents and publishers will recognize an outstanding manuscript when it comes across their desks. That said, publishing is generally a for-profit business. So if ones manuscript doesn’t have commercial appeal, excellent as it may be, one may expect to knock on many doors before finding someone who is willing to invest in one’s manuscript. My best advise to new writers is make sure your manuscript is professionally edited and that you consider the feedback of several Beta Readers before you even dare to send it out.
Purchase here
Links
Overview
From the NYT bestselling author comes a chilling new thriller about a ritualistic murder of a college professor that sends a small town cop back into the trauma she thought she’d put behind her.
Officer Miranda Rader of the Hammond PD in Louisiana is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis—but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from Jasper, just south of Hammond, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to leave the girl she used to be behind and earn respect in her position as an officer.
However, when Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the gruesomeness of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about a terrible night from her long-buried past. Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop, and not just any cop—Clint Wheeler, the cop who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common—except Miranda. 14 years ago.
And when her fingerprints turn up at the scene of the first murder, Miranda once again finds herself under the microscope, her honesty and integrity doubted, her motivations questioned. Alone again, the trust of her colleagues shattered, Miranda must try to trust the instincts she’s pushed down for so long, and decide what’s right—before it’s too late.
Review
Miranda has overcome a lot in her life. She was attacked when she was young, arrested for pot, sent to juvie, and basically disowned by her family. She overcame all these things to become a detective. But, her past has come back to haunt her and take her down.
Miranda was raised hard and she is a tough, no nonsense detective. So of course I related to her right away…strong women hit the right spot with me. She is living in a mans world determined to overcome and she succeeds. Then a murder occurs. One which cause so much havoc and trauma she may lose all of what she has achieved.
I hate it when innocent people are accused of something they did not do. It frustrates the devil out of me. I know this type of plot makes a good storyline and it works! I just read faster and faster trying to get Miranda out of this mess. Which is exactly what the author intended.
This is a fast paced read. If I had not been working, I probably would have finished this in one sitting. This has a wonderful rhythm. However, it is just a regular mystery. I very seldom mention the price of a book…that is up to the reader on whether it is worth their money. But, $12.99 for this ebook. Not sure it is worth that money.
I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.
Purchase here
Overview
Beloved author Molly Harper launches a brand-new contemporary romance series, Southern Eclectic, with this story of a big-city party planner who finds true love in a small Georgia town.
Nestled on the shore of Lake Sackett, Georgia is the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. (What, you have a problem with one-stop shopping?) Two McCready brothers started two separate businesses in the same building back in 1928, and now it’s become one big family affair. And true to form in small Southern towns, family business becomes everybody’s business.
Margot Cary has spent her life immersed in everything Lake Sackett is not. As an elite event planner, Margot’s rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society, and made elegance and glamour her business. She’s riding high until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong. Now she’s blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start—and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.
As Margot finds her footing in a town where everybody knows not only your name, but what you had for dinner last Saturday night and what you’ll wear to church on Sunday morning, she grudgingly has to admit that there are some things Lake Sackett does better than Chicago—including the dating prospects. Elementary school principal Kyle Archer is a fellow fish-out-of-water who volunteers to show Margot the picture-postcard side of Southern living. The two of them hit it off, but not everybody is happy to see an outsider snapping up one of the town’s most eligible gentleman. Will Margot reel in her handsome fish, or will she have to release her latest catch?
Review
Margot considers herself the best of the best when it comes to party planning. As a matter of fact, she is going to make partner! UNTIL….the flamingos and shrimp! OMG! You have to read the book to believe it! This was the first scene in the book and it had me in stitches.
Margot makes the biggest faux paus ever. She loses her job and all that’s left for her is the McCready Funeral Home and Bait shop! Yes, you heard me, McCready Funeral Home and Bait Shop! Now how southern is that. If you live in the south there is one of those on the first dirt road to the left.
Margot falls back to her family she has never met. She feels out of place. But like true southerners, her family takes her in, welcomes her, and teaches her how to drink sweet tea. Then it becomes crunch time. Is she going to stay or has she finally found her place in the world.
This is a fabulous palate cleanser, beach read or whatever read you want. This book hits the spot! This story had me in stitches from the get go! The author totally nailed the snarky comments and the wonderful southern ways. The characters were just that, characters. In the south there are lots of quirky people and the author knew exactly how to portray this. I adored this read and I expect great things from the next book!
I received this novel from Simon and Schuster as part of the #xoxperts.
Purchase Here
The Donnellys Series – Unworthy Heart; Defensive Heart; Shattered Heart
By Dorothy F. Shaw
Genre: Contemporary Romance
~Normal doesn’t always mean picture perfect~
Get up close and personal with the Donnelly family as each sibling takes a journey through the trials and tribulations of everyday life…to finally find their one true love.
The Donnelly family may be a happy “normal” one, but they are far from perfect.
https://twitter.com/DorothyFShaw
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDorothyFShaw/
Unworthy Heart:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/UHDonnellys1
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/UH1GRDS
B&N: http://bit.ly/UHDonnellysBN
Defensive Heart:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/DHDonnellys2
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/DH2GDRDS
B&N: http://bit.ly/DHDonnellysBN
Shattered Heart:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/SHDonnellys3
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SH3GDRDS
Overview
Fiona Davis, author of The Dollhouse, returns with a compelling novel about the thin lines between love and loss, success and ruin, passion and madness, all hidden behind the walls of The Dakota, New York City’s most famous residence.
After a failed apprenticeship, working her way up to head housekeeper of a posh London hotel is more than Sara Smythe ever thought she’d make of herself. But when a chance encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York apartment house The Dakota, leads to a job offer, her world is suddenly awash in possibility–no mean feat for a servant in 1884. The opportunity to move to America, where a person can rise above one’s station. The opportunity to be the female manager of The Dakota, which promises to be the greatest apartment house in the world. And the opportunity to see more of Theo, who understands Sara like no one else . . . and is living in The Dakota with his wife and three young children.
In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Two generations ago, Bailey’s grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. But the absence of a genetic connection means Bailey won’t see a dime of the Camden family’s substantial estate. Instead, her -cousin- Melinda–Camden’s biological great-granddaughter–will inherit almost everything. So when Melinda offers to let Bailey oversee the renovation of her lavish Dakota apartment, Bailey jumps at the chance, despite her dislike of Melinda’s vision. The renovation will take away all the character and history of the apartment Theodore Camden himself lived in . . . and died in, after suffering multiple stab wounds by a madwoman named Sara Smythe, a former Dakota employee who had previously spent seven months in an insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island.
One hundred years apart, Sara and Bailey are both tempted by and struggle against the golden excess of their respective ages–for Sara, the opulence of a world ruled by the Astors and Vanderbilts; for Bailey, the free-flowing drinks and cocaine in the nightclubs of New York City–and take refuge and solace in the Upper West Side’s gilded fortress. But a building with a history as rich–and often tragic–as The Dakota’s can’t hold its secrets forever, and what Bailey discovers in its basement could turn everything she thought she knew about Theodore Camden–and the woman who killed him–on its head.
With rich historical detail, nuanced characters, and gorgeous prose, Fiona Davis once again delivers a compulsively readable novel that peels back the layers of not only a famed institution, but the lives –and lies–of the beating hearts within.
Review
Bailey is struggling. She is finally out of rehab and about to really get her life together. Not as easy as it sounds. She lost her job as a designer, she has no place to live and she has no money. She falls back on her family…well, maybe not her family by blood (need to read the book!) Melinda, her “maybe” cousin gives her a job redecorating her apartment in the historical building, The Dakota.
This novel follows two storylines, Bailey set in 1985 and Sara set in 1884. Sara’s storyline is essential to following Bailey’s troubled life. I admired Sara. She is tough and hard-working. However, her story is a tale of mistakes which leads to a tragic outcome. The mystery of Bailey’s family past impacts her future.
I adored the setting of this read. The time periods and the historical building make for a very eclectic story. This book is not without problems. There are places where the conversations are stilted or a little canned. Plus, I hated Melinda. And sometimes the plot is a little “too convenient”. However, I am still giving it a five star rating. I loved the history and the mystery. I take great pleasure in a book which has me doing research and I was all over researching this building and the architecture.
I enjoyed many aspects of this read, the mystery of the trunks in the basement, the small historical details about NYC, oh….and don’t forget the insane asylum with the cameo appearance of Nellie Bly. This book is super fascinating and I cannot wait to read The Dollhouse
I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.
Purchase Here
Luna Rising
By Selene Castrovilla
Genre: Women's Fiction
About the Book
Life begins at thirty-eight for Long Island mom and writer Luna Lampanelli, when she kicks her secretly gay husband to the curb. She's got her freedom, but what she wants is love. Luna knows she doesn't need a man to exist, but try telling that to her heart. Against the advice of Sunny, her snarky best friend, and Jiminy, the cautioning voice in Luna's head who just won't shut up, Luna sets course to find a mate. Luna speed and on-line dates her way into several short-lived, surreal relationships. There's Ari, the humorless Israeli who refuses to assimilate – to America, and to humanity. There's Alex, the young and handsome ex-crackhead who informs Luna he doesn't want to be monogamous—while they're in bed. There's Memphis, the wild-eyed sadomasochist. There's Red, angry and crippled, who becomes the catalyst for Luna to join Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous. But before Luna can proceed to recovery, she meets the elusive but oh so appealing Trip. He's emotionally unavailable and has the Madonna-Whore Complex, but how can Luna (aka "whore") let him go when she enjoys his dry wit so much, and his body even more? Humorously haunting and packed with unspeakable truths, Luna Rising follows a woman's funny and heart-breaking struggle to relate with un-relatable men and an un-relatable world, and to figure out something even more un-relatable: herself.
About the Author
Selene Castrovilla debuts in women’s fiction with Luna Rising, but she’s no stranger to publishing. An award-winning teen and children's author, Selene believes that through all trends, humanity remains at the core of literature. Her novel Melt, Book One of the Rough Romance Trilogy, received six honors including the IndieReader Discovery Award Grand Prize for Fiction. Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, her third nonfiction picture book about the American Revolution, was the recipient of four awards including Booklist Top Ten Biography for Youth, International School Librarians’ Honor Book and Eureka! California Reading Association Honor Book. A companion book, Revolutionary Rogues: John André and Benedict Arnold, is hot off the presses. Selene holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from The New School and a B.A. in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons and too many cats, where she sits on her deck in the summer, fall and spring (and at her picture window in the winter) and writes. She loves the color purple and coffee. Selene plays well with others, but with words even better. She is so grateful to do what she loves. National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson calls Selene “a writer worth watching.” Visit www.SeleneCastrovilla.com.
https://www.facebook.com/SCastrovilla/
@SCastrovilla
https://www.amazon.com/Luna-Rising-Selene-Castrovilla/dp/0991626192 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32963894-luna-rising https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/luna-rising-selene-castrovilla/1125286165
Let me start by saying this was an OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCE. This was my first trip to book expo and I have plans to attend next year. I had an awesome time! I met numerous authors, fellow bloggers and bibliophiles.
One of my favorite bibliophile meets was @Mr.Book from Litsy. He is as much of a groupie as I am!
And here is the gang of Litsy buddies I met, including the guy that started it all and Eloisa James, a wonderful Historical romance author.
And this is one of my blogger pals. Traveling with T check her blog out! Lots of giveaways and great book reviews.
This right here was the highlight of the whole trip. Alan Alda!! I also met Adriana Trigiani, James Patterson, Maria Shriver, Mary Higgins Clark, just to name a few. I also saw Hillary Clinton speak. And amazing two days if I do say so myself!!
Now here is the mini album all out together.
the album I used is from Clear scraps.
There are tons of hidden pockets for all the pictures and business cards.
Thanks for stopping by!!
reecaspieces 