Rosepoint #Reviews – June Recap

Hello Summer!Holy Moses! Half of the year gone–poof! Waiting all this time for decent weather to grow my vegetable garden and see what survived or didn’t in the fairy garden, and now we’re into summer and spring blooms are dying. What is up with that? I’m not a fan of July heat, but with it may come more visitors and we had such fun showing our grandkids around the area, we may just do that again! (With proper heat protection this time of course.) If I suddenly go quiet, just picture the CE and I on our quaint senior deck enjoying the company of our old Navy buddies. We spent the last portion of dear hubby’s tour in Taiwan where I contracted amebic dysentery and the other wife worse. They now live in Texas where none of us have to wonder what we’re eating or whether the water was properly purified. Ahh, the good ole days!

Less you think I’m making excuses (again), I took part in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenges and #ThrowbackThursdays, as well as spotlights and book tours during the month resulting in a net of seven book reviews for June.

A Steep PriceDark LavaAs the Christmas Cookie CrumblesConfound It

America on PurposeTail of the DragonI’ve Been Watching You

So the question is, do you start a favorites list from the beginning of the year, then of necessity keep rearranging, or tackle the task at the end of the year? No, I didn’t start an Excel spreadsheet, maybe I should have. Maybe Goodreads is a good place to start? How do you go about the mission? Any suggestions?

Indie Author DayI keep scanning my resources for any information on Indie Author Day set for Saturday, October 13, 2018. Registration is now open. So far, the closest library that appears to be participating is in Lafayette, some 90 miles away. Even my previous little town of Goodyear AZ is participating and this area is far larger. We have several gorgeous, new libraries within ten miles, so I find it difficult to believe no one is organizing a local (NWI) event. There are currently more than seventeen states involved as well as three locations in Canada.

A worldwide event, libraries and organizations will welcome local Indie authors and writers for a day of education, networking, panels and more. And according to their website–free registration to all participants! Anyone participating in this event? Have you been to one before? I’d love to hear about it!

A big thank to all my new followers and as always so appreciate you who continue to read and comment! Thank you!

©2018 V Williams V Williams

Bad Time To Be In It by David Burnsworth #BlogTour #Spotlight #Giveaway

Bad Time To Be In It by David Burnsworth

I am super-excited today to provide a spotlight at my blog stop for Bad Time To Be In It by David Burnsworth on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

Book Details

Bad Time To Be In It (A Blu Carraway Mystery) by David Burnsworth
Mystery
2nd in Series
Henery Press (July 10, 2018)
Paperback 254 Pages
ISBN 9781635113587

ASIN B07C86TY8R

Book Blurb  

Bad Time To Be In It by David BurnsworthThe past is never past. Sometimes it repeats itself. And sometimes it comes back to pay a visit. Blu Carraway, flush with cash and back in business, never had it so good. Or so he thought. The reality is his love life is in shambles, his business partner is spending too much time with women half his age and not enough time on the job, and someone close goes missing. Blu’s business partner goes off the rails, his friends show their true colors, and he realizes that getting closure sometimes means walking away from everything. With a case from the past gone wrong twice, a loved one in trouble, and an unanswered marriage proposal, it’s a bad time to be in it for Blu Carraway Investigations.

 

Add to Goodreads

 Giveaway

The author will be giving away one (1)  autographed print or digital copy–winner’s choice–print copy US only in this Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

David Burnsworth - authorDavid Burnsworth became fascinated with the Deep South at a young age. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and fifteen years in the corporate world, he made the decision to write a novel. In It For The Money is his fourth mystery. Having lived in Charleston on Sullivan’s Island for five years, the setting was a foregone conclusion. He and his wife call South Carolina home.

Author Links:

Website   Facebook  Twitter   GoodReads

Purchase on Amazon

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

June 25 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

June 25 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – GUEST POST

June 27 – The Book’s the Thing – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 28 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

June 29 – Rosepoint Publishing – SPOTLIGHT

June 30 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

July 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

July 2 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 2 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 3 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 4 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

July 6 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 7 – Island Confidential – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 8 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST Great Escapes Book Tours

I was granted a spotlight date of Bad Time To Be In It by David Burnsworth through tour host Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–thank you!

©2018 V Williams V Williams

#ThrowbackThursday – The Dirty Parts of the Bible by Sam Torode

#ThrowbackThursday

Renee began the #ThrowbackThursday meme on her blog, It’s Book Talk to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books published over a year ago. Hopefully, you’ll find either a story or author that interests you and you’ll check them out. And, if you’d like to join the fun, you’re welcome to use Renee’s pic from her website. Just provide the link back to her please).

OMG, I can’t believe I’m just getting to this particular author and his book, The Dirty Parts of the Bible for a Throwback Thursday!

I previously mentioned it in an article I wrote regarding historical fiction. Sam Torode has written other stand-alone books, along with such co-authors as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oscar Wilde, and James Allen. I reviewed The Dirty Parts of the Bible on Goodreads. This novel was self-published in March 2010. Torode garnered an amazing 2,109 reviews of which more than 1,000 were five stars and was a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Amazon classifies the novel as literary fiction, humor and satire, coming-of-age.

Originally posted April 27, 2016

Book Blurb:

The Dirty Parts of the Bible is a humorous adventure across America during the Great Depression–a rollicking tale of love and liquor, preachers and prostitutes, trains and treasure, sure to appeal to fans of O Brother Where Art Thou?, Water for Elephants, Mark Twain, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash.

Publishers Weekly says:
“While the title suggests a raunchy read, this rich and soulful novel is actually a rather well-done bildungsroman [coming-of-age story] steeped in wanderlust and whimsy that at times recalls The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and at others a tamer On the Road. The story begins in 1936 as 19-year-old Tobias is thumbing his way from Remus, Mich., to his uncle’s farm in Glen Rose, Tex., to find a hidden bag of money, after his father, a Baptist pastor, drunkenly slams his car into the church and is removed from the parsonage. The author does an excellent job in making well-charted territory (riding the rails; scavenged campfire meals under the stars) seem vibrant and new. Snippets of scripture, Southern spirituals, and folk ballads lend context and flavor to the text. Most impressive are the jangly dialogue and the characters’ distinctive voices, which are authentic and earthy but not remotely hoary. When Tobias finally arrives at his uncle’s, the surprises that await him are more than enough to keep his–and readers’–interests piqued.”

Continue reading “#ThrowbackThursday – The Dirty Parts of the Bible by Sam Torode”

What is the Fascination of the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son? Do Seven Daughters Count?

The Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - Is it Magic?

Yes! The fascination of the seventh son of a seventh son! Is it more than folklore? More than the 1988 Iron Maiden album that stemmed from the folklore? I suspect there may have been more seventh sons born last century than this, but still, it conjures powerful visions of mystical or even biblical significance, doesn’t it? According to Wikipedia, it can go so far as to be broken down by regions:

  1. Ireland – believed to be a healer
  2. France – believed to have curative properties
  3. Latin America – believed to be a werewolf
  4. Italy – believed to be a charmer of snakes
  5. U.S. – believed to garner riches

Well, that last was borne of a book written in the year 1807-08 by Edward Kendall regarding his visit to the Newgate copper mine. Indeed, a radio drama aired in 1980 on the CBS Mystery Theatre called “The Iron Horse” by Sam Dann played off that account of mining discoveries. Jimmy Stewart starred in a 1940 movie called “The Philladelphia Story” that noted the legend and as recently as 2014 the fantasy-adventure film Seventh Son has as the main character a seventh son of a seventh son that featured Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore. (Gees, never heard of it!)

Theatrical poster for Seventh Son from Wikipedia

To be authentically a seventh son of a seventh son, however, there must not be a female sibling separating the numbers. (Therefore, singer Perry Como could not legitimately claim the distinction. Lyle Lewis Aley, radio announcer was an unproven seventh, and Len Dawson, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs claimed the distinction without acknowledging where his dad stood in the family line. Como, however, could make musical magic with the best of them.)

Still, there are many books written that include the folklore theme as a plot–all fiction in the fantasy or science fiction genres, so who is to say it may or may not magically bestow super-human properties, cause I could find no non-fiction references.

Several popularly noted fiction books with the theme include:

harry potterAnd, of course, the granddaddy, blockbuster of them all–the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowlings, including Deathly Hallows (#7) 2009, which includes the 7th child of the 7th child (Ginny Weasley), a girl! (And the females have magical powers of their own.) These books were written for the 9-12 years age group. That’s fine–it got ALL ages to reading again!

  • And if you really want to have some goosebumps, try Comic book superhero Johnny Thunder who obtained his magical birthright by virtue of being the seventh son of a seventh son and was also born at 7 am on July 7 (the seventh day of the seventh month), 1917. Unfortunately, it didn’t have quite the fire of the Potter series.

With all the time and research, however, I was not able to find one non-fictional account of a real seventh son biography, memoir, or story. Still, we do love our folklore and stories handed down and wonder how the stories got started. If you’ve come across some true accounts, I’d love to hear them!

©2018 V Williams (Photo attribution for title pic: Pexels, Theatrical poster for Seventh Son from Wikipedia)V Williams

I’ve Been Watching You – a #BookReview

I've Been Watching You by K A Richardson

Title: I’ve Been Watching You by K A Richardson

Genre: Currently #2960 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle eBooks, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Police Procedurals

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Publication Date: June 23, 2016

Source: Bloodhound Books and NetGalley

Title and Cover: I’ve Been Watching You (The Forensic Files Book 1) – Appropriate setting for subject

Ben Cassidy is a CSI with Sunderland City who is raising four-year-old daughter Grace by herself. She lives with Aunt Aoife who took her in as a child when her parents died in an accident. She has moved back home after living in Dunham and brings with her baggage she is yet to completely resolve. She must wrestle with the lingering psychological and physical damage while Aunt Aoife has a secret of her own.

Jacob Tully is ex-military with experience in combat and physical and mental trauma, but is coping by lecturing in Digital Forensics when Ben attends a class as part of her continuing education. He still wrestles with an occasional flashback or bout of PTSD, though has been making progress. The IUD damage to his leg will continue to cause him pain. Both are damaged individuals and seem destined to find each other. Continue reading “I’ve Been Watching You – a #BookReview”

#ThrowbackThursday – The Devil’s Grin by Annalie Wendeberg

#ThrowbackThursday-Summer

Renee began the #ThrowbackThursday meme on her blog, It’s Book Talk to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books published over a year ago. Hopefully, you’ll find either a story or author that interests you and you’ll check them out. And, if you’d like to join the fun, you’re welcome to use Renee’s pic from her website. Just provide the link back to her please).

The Devil's Grin by A WendebergThis week I am highlighting Annalie Wendeberg, another terrific, prolific author who The Devil’s Grin #1 (or 2?) of the Anna Kronberg Thriller series, which I reviewed on Goodreads. She has actually written six in the series, but also other series as well. This novel was originally self-published on CreateSpace, March 24, 2013. (Numerous dates for ebook as well as covers listed.) She consistently runs approximately 4.3+ stars for any of her books sold on Amazon. Sometimes the author’s own story is as fascinating as her books–check out her bios.)

Originally posted May 26, 2016

Book Blurb:

(Amazon) London 1889. A dead man is found floating in the city’s waterworks. Fearing an epidemic, the Metropolitan Police call upon bacteriologist Dr Anton Kronberg to examine the body. All signs point toward cholera having killed the man…but for faint marks around wrists and ankles.

Evidence for a crime is weak, and the police lose interest in the case. But Kronberg suspects that the dead man’s final days had been steeped in cruelty. Soon, a second victim is found, and Kronberg gets embroiled in a web of abduction, abuse, and murder.

But catching a killer and staying alive would be easier if the doctor didn’t have secrets of…her own.

Warning: medical procedures are depicted without apology.

**********ACK!!!*********

(Goodreads)At the turn of the 19th century, bacteriological research has made a tremendous leap. When epidemics were still untamed and claimed thousands of lives, Pasteur and Koch isolated deadly bacteria to develop vaccines. Biological warfare was but a small step away…

In Victorian London’s cesspool of crime and disease, a series of murders remains undiscovered until a cholera victim is found floating in the city’s drinking water supply. Dr Anton Kronberg, England’s best bacteriologist, is called upon to investigate and finds evidence of abduction and medical maltreatment. While Scotland Yard has little interest in pursuing the case, Kronberg pushes on and crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes. The detective immediately discovers Kronberg’s secret – a woman masquerading as a man in order to practice medicine – a criminal deed that could land her in prison for years to come. But both must join forces to stop a crime so monstrous, it outshines Jack the Ripper’s deeds in brutality and cold-bloodedness.

Warning: This book contains foul language, non-explicit sex-scenes, explicit dissection scenes, violence, and considerable female power. Continue reading “#ThrowbackThursday – The Devil’s Grin by Annalie Wendeberg”

Tail of the Dragon (A Zodiac Mystery) by Connie di Marco #BookTour #BookReview #Giveaway

Tail of the Dragon by Connie di Marco

I am super-excited today to provide a review at my blog stop for Tail of the Dragon by Connie di Marco on her Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

Book Details

Tail of the Dragon (A Zodiac Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Midnight Ink (August 8, 2018)
Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738751061
Digital ASIN: B075W42GWP

Book Blurb

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought murder would be part of her practice, but when her former boss and current client asks for help she agrees to go undercover at his law firm. Three people have received death threats and the only common denominator between them is a case long settled–the infamous Bank of San Francisco fire. Julia’s astrological expertise provides clues but no one wants to listen. Before she can solve the mystery, two people are dead and her own life is in danger. Julia must unmask the killer before he, or she, takes another life. Continue reading “Tail of the Dragon (A Zodiac Mystery) by Connie di Marco #BookTour #BookReview #Giveaway”

American on Purpose – a #BookReview

american-on-purpose-cell

Title: American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot

Genre: Currently #27 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle eBooks, Humor & Entertainment, Humor, Political

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Publication Date: September 22, 2009

Source: BookBub

Title and Cover: American on PurposeCraig Ferguson mixing metaphors

It’s true–I’ve had this one on my TBR for so long I don’t actually remember how I got it. It’s embarrassing, but suffice it to say, it must have been a (free?) BookBub offering, as I can’t usually be spending a lot on something I can’t eat or that keeps the electricity on.

And, just a head’s up, this is vintage Craig Ferguson. (You know Craig Ferguson, and what that means!) If you’ve ever had the misfortune of insomnia or are just a natural late night person, then unless you are 12, you no doubt watched Craig Ferguson on his late night show. (The show ended abruptly December 2014.)

Craig Ferguson - Talk show host, author

He is Scottish

     Profane

            Compelling Continue reading “American on Purpose – a #BookReview”

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