November 2015 edition of The Book Breeze by The Book Breeze

Reviews, Interviews, New Releases

Vol 5 Issue 11

November 2015

S H A N N O N K E N N E D Y

YA Series

turn the page c

in this issue Editor’s Greeting

Hey, it’s pumpkin pie month and the November issue of The Book Breeze!

November 2015 On The Cover ...

Shannon Kennedy author of NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND

For me the whipped cream of the issue is the interview with one of my favorite people, Shannon Kennedy. I met her several years ago at an author event and loved her enthusiasm for storytelling.

I’ve never been very good at making pie crusts. Guess that’s why I’ve alway gravitated to graham cracker crumb crusts or a real favorite chocolate cookie crumb crust. My sweet Nana made great crusts but took her secret with her when she passed. I have so many wonderful memories of her and my Papa. The crust of a good story is writng craft and who better to pass on some tasty crumbs than Mahala Church from the Barefoot Writing Academy. Don’t miss her 10% off coupon on classes in January. The tasty, creamy core of the issue is books, books, books! Reviews and new releases are plentiful in this issue.

Look to the coming year for some changes in The Book Breeze. January will focus on Indie Authors. February’s center will be romance. March is paranormal month and an interview with the talented Patricia Briggs.

As you gather with friends and family this month I hope you take some time to share stories around the dinner table. Now, shake a leg and start reading!

a Donn

Interview on Page 3

Articles Magic of Words by Barefoot Writing Academy ... Page 8 Review Columns

Young Adult Shannon’s Space . . . Page 11 Romance Jackie’s Jargon . . . Page 14

Adult Coloring Books The Eclectic Express . . . page 20 Mystery Barefoot Reviews . . . Page 7

New Releases Everywhere

YA Author Shannon Kennedy

Shannon Kennedy lives and works at her family business, Horse Country Farm, just outside of Granite Falls in Washington State. Teaching kids to ride and know about horses since 1967, she finds in many cases, she's taught three generations of families. Her life experiences span adventures from dealing cards in a casino, attending graduate school to get her Masters in Teaching degree, being a substitute teacher, and serving in the Army Reserve - all leading to her second career as a published author. She writes mainstream western romance as Josie Malone and young adult fiction as Shannon Kennedy. She currently has 15 books under contract, 13 in print and two that will be released this year. Visit her at her websites, www.josiemalone.com and www.shannonkennedybooks.com to learn about her books.

Tell us about your new release. My next release will be #4 in the Shamrock Stable series which began with the award-winning No Horse Wanted. No Horse Left Behind is the story of Dani Wilkerson who has been a secondary character in the first three books and a Christmas novella. Champion show rider, Dani Wilkerson loves her Quarter Horse mare, Lady and wants to ride Western or ‘cowgirl’ style with her friends at Shamrock Stable. However, her glory-seeking parents have other plans for Dani that include three-day eventing and an eventual career in Olympic competition. They think all her riding activities should support this goal. While she wishes they understood her need to express her individuality, she also hates to disappoint them. Then she discovers their plans to enroll her in an elite boarding school, sell Lady, and buy her an award-winning, event horse. Stunned by the betrayal, Dani knows she must stop them somehow. She isn’t a mere extension of their egos. When she fights back, she learns just how far they will go to achieve their ends.

What led you to write this book? I love this series because it provides me the opportunity to explore different aspects of the horse world. I operate the family riding stable with my mother and sometimes it feels like we’ve been doing horses forever. Being able to showcase and immortalize some of Shannon & Lady the different horses I’ve known and loved during these years sweetens the ups and downs. Like my veterinarian says, “We choose to love those who have shorter lifespans than we do,” and in this book, I was able to share Lady, the Quarter Horse mare I had for many years who could do everything perfectly – well at least that’s the way I remember her. How important is setting to your story? Setting provides a backdrop for my stories and I want people to see Shamrock Stable, the down-home riding academy that Rocky McElroy operates with her daughters. Readers need to know where things are, where Dani

goes to feed her horse organic carrots, where she grooms and saddles Lady before lessons in the indoor arena. She also rides at a high-end barn and setting allows me the chance to show the difference between the two stables. Since Dani lives in a gated community in what she refers to as the McMansion or the mausoleum with her au-pair, this is a completely different type of lifestyle than that of her friends.

Which is more important, characters or setting? While setting is important, I usually have to go back and add in those details because I fall in love with my people and want to see what they’re doing, what they’re wearing and of course what they’re saying. I hear their voices in my head and their snarky conversations which I try to write down super-quick before I forget what they said. So for me, it has to be characters, characters, characters! When I was writing this book, a friend would pop in for coffee before she went to ride her horse – shades of real life at our barn impacting the fictional one – and want to know what Dani was doing, what her parents were doing, what the housekeeper had made this week for Dani’s puppy – Topper only eats organic, home-cooked dog food – and it always came as a shock part way through the conversation when someone would remember that these weren’t ‘real’ people.

What do you do when you are not writing? I live on the family ranch, a riding stable, in the Cascade foothills of Washington State in what was once a summer vacation cabin. It’s been modernized and even has indoor plumbing – woo-hoo! I share the cabin with my two cats or maybe, they share it with me. I usually write at night after a long day on the ranch. Some days are longer and harder than others, but I still write seven days a week. As a substitute school teacher, I love the school breaks but I’m just as busy, since there are 30 horses to look after, along with other assorted animals. If I don’t go to school, my day starts with chores, feeding those horses. I help the horseshoer when he comes. If a horse is sick, I doctor it and when it requires the vet, I assist. Once the veterinarian goes, I’m the one who nurses the horse back to health – the same goes for dogs, cats and other farm critters. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Shannon Kennedy (continued)

Which book impacted you as a teenager? My mother taught me to read when I was barely four out of the newspaper. We didn’t have a TV most of the time so our recreation was weekly trips to the public library. I don’t remember much about the fiction I read as a child or tween, but in high school, I checked out the same book over and over from the library, The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer. That began my love affair with romance and it’s never ended. Do you read the same genre you write? Yes, I love YA novels, perhaps because there are so many great ones now and again I don’t recall reading the genre when I was a teenager. I jumped from children’s fiction to stories written for adults.

What’s next for you? I’m working on my next YA, this one for my Stewart Falls Cheerleader series from Black Opal Books. It’s about a girl dealing with the death of her father in combat and coming to terms with her estranged mother – a much heavier concept. I write two YA series and two mainstream western romance series as Josie Malone so there’s always another book floating in my mind. BOOK EXCERPT

NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND Chapter One Marysville, Washington Monday, February 10th, 2:45 pm While my friends headed off to basketball practice in the gym, I grabbed the garment bag out of my locker and hurried for the restroom to change for my dressage lesson. My riding instructor, Lisa Atchison had competed internationally before she retired to open her own training barn. She took my lessons seriously. That meant I had to dress as if I was already in a competition even when I was only practicing for one. I stripped off the dark blue Western Washington University sweatshirt and Lincoln High t-shirt, changing into a long-sleeved, high-collared show shirt, fastening all the buttons. I peeled out of my jeans, and took the light yellow breeches off the hanger pulling them on instead. I shrugged into last year’s classic black jacket, a wool blend. Lisa didn’t know I had a new one in my closet at home for next month’s trials and since this one had to go to the drycleaners too, I could get by with it for a while. My boots and helmet were already in Louise’s car and she would be waiting in the parking lot. I glanced at my watch. I had to hustle. It was a twenty minute drive to the stable and Lisa hated tardiness. An infraction meant an email to my parents. Since I’d talked them into letting me have a puppy last month, I didn’t want to get on their radar. Okay, so I complained a lot when they didn’t make it home for Christmas because of heavy snow, but who wouldn’t? The staff had the holiday off and it meant Louise and I hung around the house by ourselves. She was great, but it still majorly sucked. And I said so!

My ex seemed to think I was a major diva and should be glad to be their invisible child six months of the year. After all, I usually had the housekeeper, gardener, chauffer and of course, my au-pair to look after me. It wasn’t like I’d ever struggled to survive in foster care the way he had. Meanwhile, my folks worked as a team, analyzing failing businesses and helping owners, shareholders and creditors get the most out of a dying enterprise before it totally tanked. In the ongoing economic downturn, it meant they’d never been busier. They generally made it home when the horseshow season started in the spring. One of them stayed throughout the summer and both were gone in early October. The world stopped turning if I didn’t bring home blue ribbons and trophies every time I competed. Mom told me the puppy was expendable. If it interfered with my success in the show ring, it’d be sent to the pound. She said she wouldn’t let me have time to find it a new home. It would just be gone, taken away while I was at school. I knew she thought that would make me back off on the idea, but I didn’t. Instead, I made my au-pair, Louise promise to take Topper back to Robin, the friend who gave me the golden collie mix. I hastily French braided my waist-length hair, the perfect style to fit under my helmet. I switched out my earrings for little gold studs and hustled out the door. Before I made it to the exit doors, my ex who I privately thought of as Super-Gorgeous, a blond hunk in Lincoln High blue sweats, straightened from where he lounged against the wall. He’d obviously waited for me. I didn’t stop, brushing by him. “I’ve got to go, Harry. I don’t have time for this.” “Come on, Dani.” He swooped down, took my garment bag and backpack. “I’ll walk you out to the car.” “Louise will freak,” I said, pushing open the outside door. “We’re already late.” “Tell her to breathe,” Harry said. “All I want to know is if you’ll come with me to the Valentine’s dance on Friday.” “We broke up.” “Yeah, well you don’t have anybody new and neither do I. Can we go as friends?” I debated silently as we dashed through the cold rain to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Harry opened the back door, put my things inside and handed me the pair of black, leather, knee-high boots. He was always good company and the only thing we ever argued about was my parents. They weren’t around yet and wouldn’t be here this weekend, so Mom couldn’t embarrass me by saying that he was disposable in front of him, that I had more important goals than a guy. Plus, he wasn’t creepy. When I said we were through, he accepted it. He didn’t stalk me in the halls at school or send uber-nasty texts or hassle any of my friends. “Okay,” I agreed, sliding into the passenger seat. “We’ll talk about it Thursday at lunch. Now, I’ve got to go.” He nodded, turned and jogged back toward the school gym. I hoped he wouldn’t be in trouble with his basketball coach for being late to practice. Then I decided he was a big boy. He could handle it. I finished swapping out my shoes, tossed them in the back. I buckled up. Louise shot me a concerned look, then pointed to CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

Shannon Kennedy (continued)

to the distinctive bag from the sub shop. She turned the key, started the engine and we were on the road. “Eat your snack. Talk to me. Your parents - - -.” “Aren’t here yet,” I said, digging into the sack. I pulled out the sandwich. Cold cuts on dry bread. Ick! But, I didn’t dare get mayo or mustard or tomato on my clothes. “And I do like Harry Thornton. He has nearly as many issues as I do.” She laughed. “Oh yes. You and your issues. Need a hanky?” “It’s ‘tissue’, Louise. Not hanky.” “Just don’t over-egg the pudding, my dear.” “I won’t,” I promised. “That’s what got me in trouble last time.”

ROGUE WAVE

An Emma Winberry Mystery/Adventure

By Helen Macie Osterman Mystery

Released Sept by Oak Tree Press in print and ebook

Emma Winberry and Nate Sandler, her significant other, plan a vacation on a sailboat on the Caribbean. Emma has misgivings about the trip and discusses it with her Guardian Angel who tells her there will be trials ahead.

NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND by Shannon Kennedy YA fiction

Released by Fire and Ice YA in print and ebook

CHOOSING CARTER By cj petterson

Mild Contemporary Romantic Suspense Released Sept 17 by Crimson Romance in print and ebook

Bryn McKay has always tried to save her brother from his risky choices, but a neartragic truck accident landed him in prison and her in the hospital. Now, a year later, he's converted to radical Islam and escaped, vowing revenge. To clear her mind, Bryn goes on a rafting trip with her best friend, naturalist and outdoor guide Carter Danielson - and she wouldn't mind if things turned romantic. Unfortunately, Carter is a recovering alcoholic who shies away from commitment. That is, until the two of them stumble across her brother and must flee for their lives. Will Carter figure out where his heart lies, or will Bryn face her biggest fear: watching someone she loves die?

A Scottish hunter and a French secret agent find themselves on a collision course with danger—and irresistible desire—in Vonnie Davis’s new bear-shifting Highlander novel.

Romance Intrigue Danger

In the pine-dense mountains of the Scottish Highlands, shape-shifter Ronan Matheson is running free when a desperate woman parachutes out of the sky, directly onto his furry, powerful chest. Instead of clawing her to death, Ronan’s inner bear longs to keep her safe. Once he’s back in human form, Ronan is amused by the mysterious beauty’s fearless attitude—and tempted by her expertly toned physique. But what could she possibly be doing in this isolated stretch of the Highlands?

French intelligence agent Anisa Brosseau never imagined she’d be on the CIA’s bad side— until she’s framed for treason and forced to flee in a stolen drone. Hiding out in a remote cabin, Anisa just needs some time to clear her name. What she doesn’t need is a brooding, muscle-bound Scot in a kilt to drive her crazy with lust. But when Anisa’s enemies come for her, Ronan calls on a secret weapon to protect his turf and the bonny lass he’s come to love.

Barefoot Book Reviews MOVE YOUR BLOOMING CORPSE D. E. Ireland Minotaur Books Cozy Mystery

This delightful look into the world of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins’ continuing story is a tightly written, well-plotted book, and best of all, it lets us continue our fascination with the pair and their steadfast friend, Colonel Pickering. Between Eliza’s raucous father and stepmother and a host of other less than desirable company, Eliza and Henry find themselves up to their posh hats in bodies. The story is set against the backdrop of the suffragette movement in England, which became quite violent at times and emotions run high as the women fought for the right to vote. Merging the suffragettes with the racing crowd— an energetic blend of toffs and laborers—at Ascot, they are all shocked to see a victim trampled during the Gold Cup race. Dialogue is spot on and when Eliza drops into her pre Henry Higgins brogue, I could hear her voice. The team of D. E. Ireland took Eliza and Henry beyond their original story with a plausible tale, which certainly could have been pedestrian, but most definitely is not!

AND THE DARK SACRED NIGHT Julia Glass Thorndike Press Psychological Literary Fiction

Glass goes right to the heart of the question from the first page: nature or nurture. Do we have to know who gave us our gene pool to know truly who we are? For Kit Noonan, the answer would be a deliberate yes. Daily, Kit is sucked further into a debilitating depression, which his wife finally articulates with an ultimatum. He needs to uncover

by Mahala Church

the secrets his enigmatic mother has held from him for forty years. What could be so bad that his bold, independent mother can’t disclose it? He is about to discover that not all things need to be discussed, or do they? Risk taking has not been his strong suit, in fact, he avoids it religiously, but now, he must prepare for battle. And what better place to find oneself than in an isolating blizzard filled with people from his past?

This contemporary looks at the ways families in the 21st Century are made, torn asunder, reconfigured, set adrift, and remolded. How do parents keep their children feeling safe and loved in the middle of the shifting tide of emotion? How do parents keep themselves from succumbing to the confusion? A heartbreaking , yet pertinent topic written in an absorbing way that brings the reader into the story, alternately rooting for Kit and wanting to thrash him.

SMARTY BONES Carolyn Haines St. Martin’s Press Mystery/Crime

Take a town deep in Mississippi, reveal a mysterious grave where the perfectly preserved Lady in Red rests her unclaimed body, add a handful of professorial types, throw in a paramilitary group of rednecks, shake the mix with Zinnia’s society ladies, and before long, the only way to get anything straightened out is to hire Sarah Booth Delaney. This is a tightly plotted and well-paced book from Haines’ Bones series. Based on a true story in Mississippi, the book includes the right amount of history coupled with contemporary events to make the story exciting, fast-paced, and interesting. As always, Sarah Booth’s team of local dignitaries, including live-in haint, Jitty, keeps Sarah Booth on the straight and narrow, as bodies begin to turn up, abductions balloon, and Zinnia’s prominent citizens are caught in the net of accusations. All in a day’s work for the intrepid Sarah Booth Delaney.

Mahala Church is a freelance editor and writer and teaches creative writing for teens and adults through her Barefoot Writing Academy. An accomplished workshop leader and award winning author, Pushcart Prize nominee, and published editor, she enjoys all aspects of writing.

An avid reader of both literary and commercial fiction as well as biographies and memoirs, she particularly likes books set in Britain, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Deep South of the United States. You can follow her at www.lyricalpens.com.

Barefoot Writing Academy Presents: The Magic Of Words The magic of words is truly a conjuring act. In any given week, we can time-travel, immerse ourselves in another country, tap into our romantic energy, look inside history, detect horrific crimes, or visit a cat wearing a hat.

To understand true power, become an artful constructor of both the written and spoken word. Information is quick, spontaneous in the 21st Century, and that may be a good thing as it forces people to get to the point and get off their soapbox. On the other hand, I find it amazing that politicians now defend their actions with a pinch of words on Twitter, rather than launching an onslaught of news interviews that tell us what they know and how they think.

The power of the written word through non-fiction is mindboggling. What is our constitution? The Bill of Rights, the most widely read book in the world, the Bible? Words that were written in a deliberate way; words to direct the actions of our leaders and ourselves. The power of words is an author’s bread and butter. I often laugh aloud when I’m reading an author with a good sense of humor. Nora Ephron (I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman), Adriana Trigiani (Big Stone Gap) and Janet Evonovich in her Stephanie Plum series. Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper stunned me and introduced me to a subject I knew little about. Louise Penny’s series featuring Chief Inspector Gamache in Canada never fails to draw me into the lives of the characters. Penny is skilled at delivering a captivating mystery/thriller with a decidedly personal touch. If you are familiar with Jan Karon and Maeve Binchy’s work, they do the same thing, inviting you into the lives of the characters for a short stay, while sharing unique settings and alternately opening doors to study everyday living and the rewards of pondering and writing about them.

The skills of these writers, while quite different, all require the same three things: risk-taking, craftsmanship, and appreciation for human nature. Write the word GLOW on a piece of paper and list under it every word you can think of that relates to it.

How many of your words are nouns, verbs, or adjectives. Nouns use it as a topic. A glow on the horizon…. Verbs use it doing something. She glowed with the birth of her first child. Adjectives paint a picture. Glowing pinks and peaches lit the sky.

How many of your glow words could Dickens or James Patterson use? Eudora Welty or Agatha Christie? What would Carolyn Haines or Faulkner do with your list? Learning to use words correctly by definition, sentence placement (adjectives with nouns), styles that fit the

genre, and the time in history you are story takes places are imperatives every writer must be intimate with to deliver your message. Your writing style, combined with the characters and settings you create have a lot to do with how you, as a writer, perceive the world.

Glow in sci-fi may portend a change in molecular structure. Glow in fantasy may be fairy princess. Glow in a thriller may lead to a den of thieves. If Ray Bradbury in science fiction looked at your list for ideas, he would use them differently than Marilyn Johnston in mystery thrillers, or Pat Conroy in his character explorations. Rhys Bowen’s cozy mysteries would approach the words on your much as Anne Perry might, but Karin Slaughter and J. B. Bolton would flesh it out.

To be truly creative, always write with your unique voice and style. Dr. Seuss had a rough time getting publishers to recognize his genius, but the cat continued to wear the hat and the blue and red fish continued to swim until he tweaked it the way he felt was “just right,” and the rest is history.

If you saw the word glow as a light in a window, a face that needed powdering, a star on a Christmas tree, deadly aliens in the sky, a new romance, “Die” in red on a wall, candles flickering, a child’s toy, the sun on the water, or anything along these lines—Congratulations! You tapped your imagination! My popular class on Character Profiling is scheduled to begin again online in January 2016.

A new class on The Magic of Words will be taught online in February 2016.

Please visit http://editwriteteach.com to sign up for my monthly newsletter, Tea & Empathy for Writers featuring valuable information for freelancers, authors of novels, events, writing class updates, and tea recipes.

While there, sign up for the weekly Garden Party Blog, featuring 52 Book Launch tips—one a week—to help you find a larger audience, create a brand, and sell books.

10% off Coupon

The Book Breeze Readers Only January 2016 Class Register at http://editwriteteach.com

The adventures of Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) and Arthur Conan Doyle in late 19th-century. Victorian mysteries with nostalgic fun and spunky characters by speculative fiction author Roberta Rogow

THE LESSON PLAN By G.J. Prager

Crime Thriller Released by Treble Heart Books in print, ebook and audio

THE STANDOUT

w e N

le e R

s e s a SEA CHANGE By T’Gracie and Joe

Reese Cozy Mystery Published by Cozy Cat Press

Robin Bricker series

By Laurel Osterkamp

Psychological Thriller Released Nov 10 by Kindle Press

AFTER THE KILL

A Jake Roberts Novel

By Cary Allen Stone

Crime Thriller Released Aug 2015 by Fine Line Books

SILENT CATS: Deadly Dance By JD Wallace

Mystery/Thriller/Romance Released Oct 2015 by Short on Time Books n print and ebook

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS By Katherine Pritchett

THE DOCTOR’S LOUNGE By Lawrence Gold, M.D.

Spicy Mystery Released Oct by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

NOTHING AS IT SEEMS By Thomas Hall

Crime Fiction Released October by author

Medical Thriller Released November 2015 by Grass Valley Publishing Suspense Thriller Released October 2015 by Brighton Publishing THE VICTOR’S HERITAGE By Anthony Caplan Dystopian thriller Released Nov 2015 by Hope Mountain Press

THE PRIEST CHRONICLES By Louis R. Miranda RED HOURGLASS By Scarlet Risque

Romantic Thriller Released October 2015 by ScarletCorp

MISS RUFFLES INHERITS EVERYTHING by Nancy Martin Cozy Mystery Released Nov 3 by Minotaur Books

Rich and flamboyant Honeybelle, the most colorful character in Mule Stop, Texas sudenly dies a suspicious death and enrages the whole town by leaving her vast fortune to the most underserving recipient: her dog. The incorrigible Miss Ruffles is a Texas Cattle Cur, not a cuddly lapdog, and when Honeybell was alive, Miss Ruffles liked nothing better than digging up Honeybelle’s famous rose garden after breakfast, chasing off the UPS man before lunch and terrorizing the many gentleman callers who came knocking at cocfktail hour.

AWAY IN A MANGER A Molly Murphy Christmas Mystery by Rhys Bowen

Released Nov 17, 2015 by Minotaur Books

It’s Christmastime in 1905 New York City, and for once, Molly Murphy Sullivan is looking forward to the approaching holidays. She has a family of her own now: she and Daniel have a baby son and twelve-year-old Bridie is living with them as their ward. As Molly and the children listen to carolers in the street, they hear a lovely voice, the voice of an angel, and see a beggar girl huddled in a doorway, singing. Bridie is touched by the girls’ ragged clothes and wants to help. They give her a quearter only to watch a bigger boy take it from her. Molly quickly realizes that these children are not the usual city waits. As Molly looks for a way to help the children she gets drawn into an investigation that will take her up to the highest levels of New York society.

WHAT YOU SEE by Hank Phillippi Ryan Mystery/thriller Released Oct 20 by Forge

Why would a father abduct his own child? A wedding is planned in Jane Ryland’s family, but there’s a disaster instead. Nine-year-old Gracie -who was supposed to be the flower girl-has been taken by her stepdad. Where are they? Is the girl in danger? Reporter Jane Ryland learns there’s a limit to the bond of family-and learns to her peril what happens when loved ones are pushed too far.

Meanwhile, Detective Jake Brogan’s got a doozy of a case. Solving the case should be easy, but the pictures and surveillance video lead him to a dark conspiracy of extortion and stolen lives. Jane and Jake must explore where their loyalties llie - to each other? To their families? To their careers?

ORNAMENTS OF DEATH A Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery by Jane K. Cleland Released Dec 1, 2015 by Minotaur Books

Christmas lights twinkle throughout the cozy coastal town of Rocky Point, New Hampshire and Prescott’s Antiques auction venue has been transformed into a winter wonderland for Josie Prescott’s annual holiday party. Josie is especially excited this year - Ian Bennington, a recently discovered distant relative, will be joining the fun.

the party is a success and Ian is a hit. It gives Josie an unexpected thrill to have family - and unexpected dread when he vanishes along with two 17th century miniature portraits..Determined to find Ian, Josie uses her knowledge of antiques to track the miniatures. In doing so she learns the true meaning of Christmas - and the true meaning of family.

Shannon’s Space

YA Reviews by Shannon Kennedy Once an author invites me into their fictional world, I hate to leave. Everyone has favorite places to visit whether it’s Grandma’s house, Disneyland or the magical realms found in the pages of a book. I fell in love with Valdemar, the land of Heralds and their telepathic horses known as Companions when I read Mercedes Lackey’s debut novel, Arrows of the Queen years ago and always enjoy the opportunity to return to Valdemar to spend time with old friends. While visits to familiar places are usually fun, who wouldn’t relish the chance to enjoy a new adventure? So, it’s time to enjoy the journeys, not just the destinations in these series. CLOSER TO THE HEART Book 2 of the Herald Spy by Mercedes Lackey ~ DAW, October 2015 ~ 5 Stars

Blurb: Mags was a Herald of Valdemar. But he had once lived the brutal life of a child slave. When he was Chosen by his Companion Dallen, his young life was saved, and he slowly adjusted to being well fed, educated, and treasured as a trainee in the Herald's Collegium at Haven. Singled out by the King's Own Herald, Mags would thrive in his secret training as a spy. His unusually strong Gift—an ability to Mindspeak and Mindhear anyone, not just others who were Gifted—made him a perfect undercover agent for the king. Sequel to Mercedes Lackey's Closer to Home, this adventure continues Mags's journey as Valdemar's herald spy.

Review: A former child slave who worked as a miner, Mags has grown up since being chosen by Dallen, a charming, but slightly arrogant white horse or Companion. Mags attended school, the Collegium, with other new student Heralds, made friends, became a champion in the athletic, but brutal game of Kirball, fell in love with Amily and now works as a Herald-Spy to protect the realm of Valdemar. His adventures fill several books, yet each can also stand alone, a tribute to Lackey’s skill as a writer, but where is the fun in that? By this point in the series, new engaged Mags and Amily are committed to each other. What they want to do is get married and have some time together. However with a civil war brewing in an adjacent country, Mags must continue spying for the Crown and Amily must perfect her skills as a newly chosen advisor to the King. Readers familiar with Lackey’s work will recognize that it may seem odd to have a young woman barely out of her teens tell an authority figure what to do, but this is a frequent occurrence in the

the series. What does seem odd to me is the reappearance of Rolan, the Companion who chose Amily. Yes, he’s immortal, so why doesn’t he avoid mistakes?

Perhaps, it could have been made clearer that he is at the start of his career as the Companion to the ‘King’s Own’ and will learn more before he appears in later stories. It felt a bit contrived that he accepted the apparent accidental death of the former advisor, Amily’s father so quickly in the previous book, Closer to Home. Rolan chose Amily to succeed him. It seemed as if Rolan should at least discover if the man was truly doomed. Yes, for the purposes of the plot, it worked – but why not have a different Companion choose Amily? It still isn’t clear why she must be the most trusted advisor to the King, but perhaps it will become clearer as this series progresses. One of the joys in Valdemar is the fact that while Companions may look like beautiful, telepathic white horses, they don’t suffer from the everyday problems that equines do in the ‘real’ world such as colic and after spending a week nursing a sick pony back to health, it is wonderful to escape to such a fantastic place. Add in the fact that there is very little stall mucking and more horse owners would undoubtedly join me there. Despite this weakness, the story works. Mags and Amily both build networks of spies since each knows that knowledge is power. These two likeable, smart, strong characters will engage readers as long as the series does, especially when they head off to find the traitor fomenting a war in their homeland. The ensemble cast is so well depicted that readers will want to see them as heroes and heroines of their own tales, not simply supporting characters. The same goes for the setting. Lackey describes the city and country well enough that long time followers will recognize familiar landmarks, yet newcomers will also feel at home. Mags and Amily’s adventures don’t end on the last page of the book. Of course, there are hints of more to come, but this was an enjoyable visit to a beloved world. THE GIRL IS MURDER by Katherine Miller Haines Roaring Brook Press, May 2012 – 4.5 Stars

Blurb: Iris Anderson is only fifteen, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars.

It's the fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Shannon’s Space Continued

ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting at home watching Deanna Durbin movies, Iris is sneaking out of the house, double crossing her friends, and dancing at the Savoy till all hours of the night. There's certainly never a dull moment in the private eye business. Review: With a history degree, it becomes especially wonderful to find a YA that accurately depicts an era seldom seen in fiction. The other enjoyable part of a historical mystery is that it is acceptable to read it if it’s discovered in the local library after being out for a couple years. The Girl is Murder provides an introduction to Iris Anderson, a fifteen-year-old girl struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother and a new relationship with her father in 1942. He’s a former career Navy man crippled in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Iris and her dad have moved to a new neighborhood which also means a new school and new friends. This becomes especially difficult for Iris since she goes from a private girls’ only establishment to a public school with teens from a lower economic class who don’t exactly welcome a new girl. In addition, her father can’t support them the way he once did. He makes much less as a private detective than he did as a military officer. Iris may not appeal to some readers since she is more of a survivor than anything else, but those who like realistic heroines will enjoy her. She lies to her father, the kids at school and even the woman who owns the house where they now live. She also drinks, parties in the rough part of town and makes some huge mistakes. Although she is a liar, she is also a reliable narrator – she always tells the readers the truth even when she keeps it from those around her. Her motives are fairly altruistic. She knows that she and her father are ‘between a rock and a hard place’ – he can’t pay the rent and there aren’t very many people who would hire a one-legged man, unless they’re desperate for an investigator. One couple does when their teenage son disappears and since he is a student at her new school, Iris determines to help solve the case no matter what she has to do – hence, the lying, partying, sneaking around – none of which is acceptable for a girl of her time.

With the dark side of the World War Two home-front as a setting, we follow Iris through a journey that includes zootsuits, socially endorsed racism, egg creams – it’s a drink at the soda shop – yes, drug stores used to have them. The authentic language, slang and descriptions of war-time New York add to the story. So do the well-developed characters, each of whom has a story. As Iris investigates them, they slowly reveal their own truths which are often heartbreaking. She would have been a stronger, kinder character if she had helped others more, but she wouldn’t have been a realistic one and this is why the life lessons she learns and teaches make sense to her, even when they feel harsh to the reader.

THE GIRL IS TROUBLE by Katherine Miller Haines Roaring Brook Press, July 2012 – 5 Stars

Blurb: Iris Anderson and her father have finally come to an understanding. Iris is allowed to help out at her Pop's detective agency as long as she follows his rules and learns from his technique. But when Iris uncovers details about her mother's supposed suicide, suddenly Iris is thrown headfirst into her most intense and personal case yet.

Review: In this stronger, more entertaining sequel, Iris Anderson returns in another adventure that picks up where the previous one left off on the home front in World War Two. She thinks she and her father have come to a meeting of the minds and she’ll be able to help him with his private investigations in New York. Then, she discovers that he has only been humoring his little girl and doesn’t see her as a partner. Wow, is she justifiably angry – which means that Iris being Iris, she will snoop, lie and do whatever she feels needs doing to help him make money whether he likes it or not.

And now onto the next mystery - - -. In the last book, her mother’s suicide haunted Iris. She had no idea of what could have upset her mother so much that she took her own life and of course Iris blamed herself for being a typical, self-absorbed teenager and not seeing that there was trouble at home. Even when her mother occasionally seemed a bit distant, Iris put that down to concern over Pop. They’d just learned that he’d been injured and was in the hospital in Hawaii. Before he arrived home, Mama died. Now as Iris goes through the files in her father’s office, she discovers gruesome photos of a murder scene and horrorstricken recognizes the victim, her mother.

Iris is on the case. She’s determined to learn who killed her mother and bring the perpetrator to justice. With her new best friend, Pearl to help, how can Iris fail? While they are working on this mystery, another conundrum ensues. Someone at school seems to find it amusing to harass the Jewish students and the leader of their group wants Iris to investigate. She agrees – although she doesn’t practice her faith, little understanding that sometimes the strangest things will connect other pieces of a puzzle.

Trying to solve a murder, stop harassment of a minority, keep that same minority from picking on her friend, Pearl also keeps Iris busy. Add in more about the characters from the public school, Benny, the bad boy she starts to like, lots of lying and investigating - - well Iris has her work cut out for her. Once again, Haines manages to incorporate authentic historical detail into her story without seeming preachy – so that at the end, readers will wonder what will happen next to Iris.

THE WILD ONE: A Brooklyn Girls Novel by Gemma Burgess St. Martin’s Press, November 2015 – 3.5 Stars

Shannon’s Space Continued

a bit rushed, although somewhat believable, especially when she isn’t sure if it’s love or not. She also doesn’t know what her life plans should include – again very believable. Yet, she seems so young and at times too naïve.

Blurb: Sweet, innocent Coco has always been the good one. But she catches her when boyfriend cheating on her, she decides it's time to break bad. Coco swiftly goes from spending all her time baking and reading to working nights in (and dancing on) a bar, falling in and out of love (and lust), stealing education - and along the way discovers that she is stronger than she ever knew... In a time when her best friends are suddenly plunged into break ups, breakdowns, big breaks, and on the verging of quitting New York City altogether, it's up to Coco to keep them together and find herself along the way. Gemma Burgess' The Wild One: A Brooklyn Girls Novel is the inspiring story about the turmoil, uncertainty, and heartache that every twenty something faces and survives - with the help of her friends.

Review: The youngest of five twenty-somethings who share a brownstone in Brooklyn, CoCo is adorable whether she is trying to figure out her job at a preschool – she hates it or what to do with her cheating boyfriend – she hates him too – and her overbearing big sis as well as her overprotective father. She doesn’t hate them – she understands them a bit too much. Ever since her mother died of cancer when she was a tween, Coco has relied on them to run her world. Now, she’s thinking about what she wants to do next and she barely has a clue. Somehow, she falls into a job at an Irish bar and into a relationship with the bartender. That felt

At times, the reader may want to give her a shake and tell her to wake up and at least look to see if it’s coffee before she smells it. At others, she is able to tell her older friends what they need to do to sort out their lives. This is pretty realistic for a girl her age. The other girls who live in the house are trying to sort out their lives, careers, loves which means there is a great deal of drama between those walls. It’s good they have a senior neighbor – senior meaning at eighty-something Vic has sufficient life experience to occasionally offer guidance and Coco tends to need it.

One of the major flaws in the book is that the characters tend to run together. Yes, the other girls in the house would have a great deal in common or they couldn’t live together, but when a writer creates an ensemble cast, readers need to be able to tell the characters apart. The only difference between these girls seems to be their jobs. Pia owns food trucks and parties a lot. Angie does fashion and parties a lot. Madeline is a wanta-be singer and does accounting for a day job – oh and she parties. Julia, CoCo’s older sister, works in investment banking and of course, parties a lot. Authentic behavior undoubtedly but it becomes off-putting after a while – because one wonders how can they go to work after partying all night?

In addition, the story needs more description. There isn’t much sense of place and while the dialogue is good, layer the writing please! Let’s remember to use all the senses – not just sight when CoCo tells us about her world. After all, if there’s food, music, parties – couldn’t we please hear, taste, smell and feel what’s happening? Still, this will entertain readers who like a sit-com between the pages of their next read.

Shannon lives on the family farm, a riding stable in the Cascade foothills, where she organizes most of the riding programs and teaches horsemanship around her day-job as a substitute teacher. She writes books in her spare time, mainstream western romance as Josie Malone for SirenBookStrand and young adult novels for Black Opal Books and Fire & Ice YA. She’s a member of RWA, YARWA, the Greater Seattle RWA and Evergreen RWA chapters.

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MONTANA HEARTS: HER WEEKEND WRANGLER

Darlene Panzera Sweet Contemporary Romance

Released October 6th 2015 in ebook

Jackie’s Jargon

ROMANCE REVIEWS BY JACKIE MCMURRAY

Save My Place Olivia deBelle Byrd Mercer University Press (September 10, 2014) Historical Romance

Olivia deBelle Byrd takes the reader on an emotional ride with the ever hopeful heroine, Elisabeth Belle Sterling, a Southern woman through and through. The book is based on the real life events of a friend of the author and told from Elisabeth’s point of view. The book starts with Elisabeth’s proclamation that she will be a spinster. She’s only twenty-two, but she’s determined to stay a spinster after her college boyfriend dumps her right after graduation. She believes nothing can sway her, that is, until she meets Kincaid Patterson on a blind date.

Kincaid is a West Point graduate with a dark past, but he’s attentive towards Elisabeth and she soon discovers love can be hers again. When they married half-way through the book, I wondered what conflicts the couple would have to face and then the news came that Kincaid was being sent to Vietnam.

This seems like enough of a conflict—Elisabeth is naturally lonely and misses him like crazy. And then the author layers in some great news (I don’t want to spoil the plot) only to lead into the most difficult tragedy Elisabeth will have to face. Save My Place is a story of faith, hope, and unconditional love. The narrator’s voice is compelling and leads the reader through a maze of highs and lows in a manner that had me feeling what she felt—laughter, relief, frustration, anger, love and loss.

Virgo’s Vice Trish Jackson Soul Mate Publishing (October 21, 2015) Romantic Suspense/Thriller

Lexie King lands a job on the film crew for a reality survival show. She’s spent her whole life dealing with the symptoms of PTSD due to abuse. When her abuser ends up as one of the contestants on the survival show, it’s too late for Lexie to turn back. The contestants and the film crew are air-dropped into a remote area of Africa. When they realize the director and the rest of their supplies are not coming, they scramble to make a shelter and find food. When fellow contestants start turning up dead, they literally scramble to stay alive.

This story is unusual in that the story is told from several points of view, and even though the main characters voices are the dominant voices, I found it unnecessary to have every contestant speak in their voice. In my opinion, the story would have been stronger by using only first person.

I did like the structure of the plot and the twists and turns one expects in a suspense. The author’s take on what could happen in a remote place was interesting, especially given the fact the contestants come for a survival reality show and end up fighting for their lives. I recommend this story to readers who enjoy survival shows.

Jackie McMurray and her husband live on a macadamia nut farm on the island of Hawai'i where they feed a clowder of cats and a flock of hodgepodge chickens. In a past life, she was an elementary school teacher; currently, she writes contemporary romance from the Hawaiian Islands and beyond under her pen name, Jackie Marilla.

c j petterson

A woman’s idyllic rafting trip with the man she loves turns deadly when they encounter her terrorist brother, and she knows someone she loves could die. With saucy dialogue, a sassy heroine, a hunky hero, and terrorists stalking the Colorado mountains, Choosing Carter is perfect for readers who want a taste of adventure, justice, and a sweet ending in their romance novel.

Romantic Suspense

A small-town scientist’s world is turned upside down when she accidentally spots a top-secret satellite, and a psychopath sends an assassin to silence her. When her CIA ex-husband, whom she still loves, gets involved, things get even more complicated. Deadly Star is a contemporary suspense tale of international intrigue and danger with a touch of romantic spice.

c j petterson

WOUNDED AT THE LAKE By Mitzi Pool Bridges

ATHENA’S SECRETS by Donna Del Oro Spicy Romantic Suspense with ESP elements

Spicy Romantic Suspense Released Oct 16 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

Released October 16 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

What if you could read minds with just a touch? Would you be able to trust anyone?

Although warned to keep her powers a secret, she's recruited by law enforcement to help search for a serial killer and to uncover a terrorist cell.

She bonds with an intriguing, handsome man, Kas Skoros, who knows her secret and accepts it. Of the same bloodline, his mother is precognitive and predicts they are meant to be together…some day. Kas, a military veteran and Search and Rescue deputy, is skeptical and cynical. Life is too uncertain. Yet, he can't resist exploring his passion for Athena.

Still, they face obstacles beyond their control. Can Kas overcome the obstacles? And will Athena stay alive long enough to fulfill her dream of a normal life?

Ex-Navy SEALs Cooper and Dirk Browning’s PI firm has been hired to find out who kidnapped their teammate’s ten-year-old daughter, Christie. They are stretched thin investigating two frustrating cases, in addition to handling their flourishing military canine-training enterprise. A mysterious woman injured by a bullet wound to the head is found by Coop and his star dog-in-training, Thor. Her memory is gone. Between trying to find a clue to Christie’s kidnapper, and his efforts to find the real identity of the woman he names Lori, Coop falls in love. So does Lori. But how realistic is that? She doesn't know who she is, and Coop can't envision a life with a woman he knows nothing about. When the truth comes out will their love survive?

BROKEN By Traci L. Slatton

New Releases

Supernatural Fantasy Released by Parvati Press

BATS & BONES By Jeffrey Hickey

Collection of Spooky Stories Released October 2015 by Big-n-Boo Productions

THE ANGEL AND THE KING OF CRUEL By W.T. Shad

Horror/Romance Released Nov 2015 by Coccinella Publishing

FORBIDDEN PLAYGROUND by S.B.K. Burns

SciFi/Paranormal Romance Released by Soul Mate Publishing in print and ebook

LUCIFER’S SON By Sergey Mavrodi

Horror Released Oct 2015 by W & B Publishers Inc

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS By Tamela Miles

Horror/Paranormal Romance Released Oct by Broken Publications (Look for her interview in the January edition)

YOUNG ADULT teen New Adult

THE THREAT BELOW A Brathius History #1 By Jason Seth Latshaw

TIARE AND THE CIRCLE OF WORLDS: MYSTERIES OF THE DREAMING Book 3 By Dr. S.N.B.

RAIN SAGA By Riley Barton

ESCAPING CAMP RAVENSBROOK By R.T. Johnson

YA Post-Apocalyptic Released July by Fernweh Books in print and ebook YA Dystopian Released May 2015 by Lulu Publishing Services

TALES BY MOONLIGHT By Fatima Abdallah

Spicy YA Fiction Released Oct 2015 in print and ebook

YA Adventure Released Sept 2015 by Outskirts Press Middle Grade Historical Paranormal Released Oct 2015

MONSTERLAND By Michael Phillip Cash

Teen/YA Horror Released Oct 2015 by CreateSpace

FINDING MARYAMA By Fatima Abdallah

Sizzling YA Fiction Released Oct 2015 in print and ebook

More New Releases

THE ANTI-OFFICER: TRUE STORY By Sonja Landis Humorous Memoir of a Beertub Girl Gone Military Released October by author

Written Word

MY PET MONKEY NAMED RUE By Kathryn “Kee Kee” LaRocca Children’s Rhyming Book Released Nov by AuthorHouse in print and ebook

works with an international group of clients, providing writing and editing services.

THE AMAZING A-MUSE-ING LILLIAN: A PLAY FROM THE PAGE TO THE STAGE By Maria Boundas Bakalis, Ed.D. Children’s Released August 2015 by AuthorHouse

For more information on specific services, see Written Word pages at www.lyricalpens.com.

BUSY FOOT BINGTOOT AND THE MALADIES By Tom Ruffles Satire Released October 2015 by Outskirts Press in print and ebook

SHIELDS OF PHLEGM By G. Ernest Smith SciFi Comedy Released Sept 2015 by Porkchop Publishing

TELL THE STORY TO ITS END by Simon P. Clark

YA Fantasy Released October 2015 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Eren lives off stories and wants Oli to tell him every last one he knows. With Eren to listen, Oli starts to make sense of what’s happening to him and his family. But Eren is powerful and though he’s willing to help Oli, he’s not willing to do it for free; he wants something in return. Oli must make a choice: he can learn the truth-but he must abandon himself to Eren’s world, forever.

Specialties: • Editing manuscripts (line, copy, substantive) • Ghostwriting • Developmental coaching for fiction and non-fiction • Business writing and editing, blogging, and web articles • Press releases and marketing tools www.lyricalpens.com www.twitter.com/mahalachurch www.facebook.com/mahalachurch

BEARING IT ALL By Vonnie Davis

Paranormal Romance Released Oct 27 by Loveswept

A Scottish hunter and a French secret agent find themselves on a collision course with danger —and irresistible desire — in Vonnie Davis’s new bear-shifting Highlander novel, perfect for fans of Jennifer Ashley and Shelly Laurenston.

New Releases

BRANTLEY ARMS By Lori Lane Tarver

Historical Fiction Released Sept by highland Press Publishing

AN INNOCENT ABROAD By Romy Sommer

Spicy Historical Romance Released Nov 10, 2015 by author in ebook

SWEET DREAMS By Joan Monk Potter, CRNA

Contemporary Romance Released Aug 15 in print and ebook

DEEPER THAN PERFECT By Afton Locke

(What Happens in Scotland, Book #2)

by Kate McKinley

Historical Romance released in ebook

WANTON WIDOWS: SCANDAL OF ART By Marilyn Kelly

Adult Historical Romance (erotic) Released Oct by Ellora’s Cave in ebook

ANGEL LOST, ANGEL FOUND By Annalisa Russo

Romantic Suspense Released Nov 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

SHADOWS ACROSS TIME By Mariah Lynne

Spicy Time Travel/Paranormal Romance Released Oct by Satin Romance, a division of Melange Press

Sizzling Time Travel/Romance Released Nov 7 by author in ebook

MISSED CHANCES

SO I MARRIED A HIGHLANDER

Short Love Stories with a Hint of What Might Have Been Edited by M.R. Nelson, authors are: L.M. Montgomery, Kate Chopin, Rabindranath Tagore, Helen Hunt Jackson, and Constance Fenimore Woolson Classic Romance Released Nov 4 by Annorlunda Books

DARK MENACE MC-STONE By Tory Richards

Erotic Romantic Suspense Released Aug 2015 by author in ebook

THE GUNNY & THE JAZZ SINGER By Jane Leopold Quinn Sensual Contemporary Romance Released Nov 13 by author

LIES THAT BIND by Maggie Barbieri

THE RED STORM by Grant Bywaters

Mystery Released Nov 24 by Minotaur Books

Maeve Conlon, a single mother and bakery owner hiding dark secrets behind her cookie-cutter suburban life was first introduced in Once Upon a Lie. Now in LIES THAT BIND Maeve’s moving on when the unthinkable happens: her father dies of a massive heart attack. But on the day of his funeral, Maeve learns a shockiing secret. She might have a sister she’s never met.

Meantime, someone keeps sneaking around Maeve’s bakery. At first the signs are subtle, but then it becomes vandalism, and then it grows even more frightening.Could it be related to her search for her missing sister? Maeve will be forced to decide just how much she’s willing to risk in the name of justice.

Historical Mystery Released Dec 1, 2015 by Minotaur Books

Depression-Era New Orleans is the perfect setting for this historical mystery. Newly-minted private investigator William Fletcher is having trouble finding clientele. He’s not the only man out of work, but his past as a former heavyweight contender with a few shady connections-not to mention the color of his skin, isn’t helping lure clients to his door. Stuck without any viable alternative, he takes a case from an old criminal acquaintance, Storm. His only client assures him that the job is simplelocate his missing estranged daughter, Zella. No questions asked. What starts out simple turns the city into a bloody battleground between two rival syndicates with Zella’s safety in the balance.

Jackie Marilla’s One Order of Love

Sami Burke loves all things Christmas—the music, the children’s gift-drive, the parade, the program at her church, and the decorations. She especially loves the thought of winning the Christmas trophy for the Best Home Christmas Display in Mercy Ridge. This could be her year to win, if only she can come up with an idea better than Caroline Sauer, the reigning queen of yard decorations for three years running.

Wayne, Caroline’s husband, isn’t sure how to handle himself when Caroline decides to go to Spokane for several days to shop for her display materials. He can’t cook and ends up eating all his meals at Sami’s diner. When he realizes he doesn’t miss his wife as much as he probably should, he starts a journey of self-discovery and a second chance at love.

Long Shadows Grace DeLuca 2nd Edition

Global Silver Best Mystery Fiction 2014 Available Amazon

Eclectic Express Reviews

Eclectic

Mystery

Urban Fantasy

DOODLE ART ALLEY BOOKS by Samantha Snyder

LGBT

Paranormal

Sci-Fi

Young Adult

It looks like this is the year of adult coloring books!

Here’s a great gift idea for the kids and the kidsat-heart in your life - Doodle Art Alley Books. They come in 7 designs/subjects to inspire, uplift and generally deliver good feelings. Volume One - Imagination Will Take You Everywhere Volume Two - Mistakes Are Proof That You Are Trying The one I received for review is Attitude is Everything. Yes, I’ve been coloring. Yes, I’m having fun. And yes, it does relieve stress.

So what’s your favorite medium? Felt tips, colored pencils or crayons? Me? I’m a crayon gal all the way. Love the smell. So grab whatever your heart desires and put a smile on your face and some new art on the refrigerator!

CREATIVE HAVEN OWL COLORING BOOK by Marjorie Samat Released June 2015

THE OFFICIAL A GAME OF THRONES COLORING BOOK by George R. R. Martin Release October 2015 CREATIVE HAVEN CREATIVE CATS by Marjorie Samat Released May 2015 THE OFFICIAL OUTLANDER COLORING BOOK by Diana Gabaldon Released October 2015 And coming in 2016 ...

DOCTOR WHO COLORING BOOK by Price Stem Sloan Released Feb 16, 2016

We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Book Breeze. Contents of this emag are repeated on our blog throughout the month.