Roxy's Reviews: Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop

BAM! (Books-A-Million)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Golden is an award-winning journalist and the author of six full-length works of non-fiction and fiction.

Some of his work has appeared in the Detroit Free Press Magazine, Albany Times Union, New Jersey Monthly, Microsoft’s eDirections, Beyond Computing, Electronic Business, Midstream, The Forward and Capital Region Magazine.

Golden’s Quiet Diplomat, a biography of industrialist and political-insider Max M. Fisher made the Detroit Free Press bestseller list. Among those he interviewed were Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Bush; Secretaries of State Kissinger, Haig and Shultz; and Israeli Prime Ministers Shamir, Peres and Rabin.

With J. Stanley Shaw, Golden wrote I Rest My Case: My Long Journey from the Castle on the Hill

to Home, a memoir that chronicles Shaw’s life from his childhood years under the supervision of the
Brooklyn Hebrew Orphan Asylum in the 1930s to his career as one of the preeminent bankruptcy
attorneys in the United States.

Golden re-interviewed Henry Kissinger, George Shultz and other world leaders, including Mikhail

Gorbachev, for his nonfiction look at the Cold War, O Powerful Western Star (Gefen Publishing, May 2012).

His debut novel Comeback Love (Atria Books, April 2012) tells the story of a man and his romantic

quest to find the women he loved and lost years before in the 1960s.

Golden grew up in South Orange and Maplewood, New Jersey, and lives today outside Albany, New York with his wife and son.

Website: PeterGolden.com

@Petergolden32

Author Peter Golden

Peter Golden

Would you like to meet Peter Golden?

February 2, 2013
U ALBANY CENTER FOR JEWISH STUDIES
Jewish Federation Building in Albany, NY

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Saturday, 8 December 2012

SPOTLIGHT: Bootlicker by Steve Piacente

Hello Therians!

Bootlicker by Steve Piacente is in the spotlight today :)

SYNOPSIS

In the summer of 1959, two black teens hoping to sneak a beer in the South Carolina woods stumble on a Klan lynching led by the local judge. One bolts. The other freezes and winds up with a choice: join the man about to die, or begin hustling black support the judge needs to advance in politics. In trade, he will enjoy a life of power and comfort. Decades later, Big Ike is about to become the state's first black congressman since Reconstruction. Instead, he finds himself in the same forest, a long rope in his fist, muttering the hated nickname again and again: Bootlicker.

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About the Author

It all started in 1954.

Eisenhower was president, no one beat the Yankees, and Elvis was still an unknown. TV was three channels and two colors, black and white. Growing up, I didn’t particularly like school. I liked baseball, egg rolls and comic books, and it was Superman that got me interested in reading and writing.

Raised in New York and educated in Washington, I kept moving south after college, eventually learning all they left out at journalism school at the foot of street-smart newspaper editors in Florida and South Carolina.

In 1985, one of those editors found me presentable enough to send back to D.C., this time as correspondent for the Tampa Tribune. The job ended four years later, and I found myself in steep competition for a similar slot with the Charleston, S.C. paper. I remember pumping the Charleston editor’s hand and pleading, “Please don’t let me become a press secretary.”

The man was merciful, enabling nine more years of Washington reporting, and front row exposure to the real South, as Charleston is far deeper into Dixie than Tampa, geography be damned. As time wore on, my NY sensibilities blended with Southern convention to produce stories on intriguing topics such as public celebration of the Confederate flag, and segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond.

It was a great time until Charleston ran out of cash and shuttered its one-man D.C. bureau. Out in the cold, I – by this time a father of three ravenous, athletic, college-bound children – found warmth in a little known Federal agency. I began as a speechwriter and today head the web, new media, and graphics teams.

Though Bella is my first real fiction, some thin-skinned politicians would say the stories I wrote about them were just as fabricated. In fact, no fiction bubbled up until I earned my license to write in the Johns Hopkins Masters program in 2000. During this time, I also reentered the classroom at American University, my alma mater, and began teaching journalism classes.

My insistence on clean, tight writing did no lasting harm to the three afore-mentioned children, now taxpaying adults in the fields of public relations, web design, and engineering. It wasn’t until years later that I learned that the kids snuck secret help from their mom, Felicia Piacente, a special education administrator in the Montgomery County (Md.) Public School System.

Connect with Steve Piacente:

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Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

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Happy Reading!!

SPOTLIGHT: A Demon Lies Within by Tony Hubbard

Hello Therians!

In for a scary treat? Well today's spotlight will give you just that.

May I present A Demon Lies Within by Tony Hubbard!!

SYNOPSIS

The powers of hell that lie within are very real…

Following his murder, Andrew McMurray finds himself transported to the depths of hell. There he is indoctrinated as an apprentice to a demon master, Sonneillon. Exposing Andrew to the dark reaches of his evil powers, Sonneillon demonstrates a demons’ ability to posses, torment and control the thoughts and actions of the living. Andrew’s ultimate goal following his apprenticeship? Revenge on his wife, Katelyn and young son, Joshua, both of whom he holds responsible for his murder.

As Katelyn rebuilds her life, following her husbands’ death, she meets Michael Gordon, a recent escapee from Corporate America, who has his own troubled, tragic past. As their relationship grows, they realize they share something more than their burgeoning love for one another — the powers of hell have deeply impacted their pasts. Evil continues to insinuate itself into the pair's lives, bringing with it haunting and unspeakable horrors.

Andrew's plan of revenge begins to materialize once he inhabits Joshua, having him act out in often violent and disturbing ways. With possession of Joshua’s mind and body complete, will hell's ultimate evil goals come to pass, or can the local priest of a small Maine town exorcize Father from Son? At stake, doom-laden repercussions for all involved…and perhaps the world as a whole.

Praise for A Demon Lies Within

“This is a read that had me on edge from the very first sentence. This book gave me everything I could ask for and more. A Demon Lies Within is definitely one of the best books I have read this year and I dare anyone not to agree. Fans of Stephen King and The Exorcist will be drooling over this. It is that good. It is Horror, Paranormal, Thriller, and a Drama all mixed in a beautiful package.”

– Diana Ramsey, reviewer Offbeat Vagabond

“Mr. Hubbard’s debut novel is grotesque, chilling, and enjoyable with the perfect blend of suspense, action, and horror.”

– Dale Herring, reviewer The Geekdom of Gore

“But the more I read this book, the more I really liked it. It turned into more of, exactly what the title says, the demons that live inside of you, compared to the scary red-eyed demons that you see… or think you see. These demons were actually worse. This is one of those books that makes you kind of scared to go to sleep if you have a guilty conscience.”

– Kari Anderson, reviewer The Kari AnnAlysis

“Get ready for a dark journey…This is a difficult book to review simply because I don’t want to say something that will spoil the unbelievably riveting story for others. Several sections of this book turned my stomach due to their graphic nature. My God, but humans can be the most evil creature on earth. The writing style of Mr. Hubbard is mesmerizing and even during the most vicious sections, you can’t help but continue. This book reminded me of The Exorcist. Only better, in terms of the depth of the character portrayed and the emotional attachment I felt for them, especially the mother, Katelyn.”

– Ashley Fontainne, author of Zero Balance

“This will be considered one of the better horror books of this year, as it rightly deserves to be. It is graphic, horrific, and downright scary. If you like your horror, then do not miss this one. Tony Hubbard has written something that will see him catapult into the best sellers lists.”

– Stephen Ormsby, author of Long Lost Song

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tony Hubbard grew up like most boys in Massachusetts during the 1980’s, wanting to emulate basketball star Larry Bird and one day play for the Boston Celtics. Quickly realizing that a future as a professional athlete was something he would not achieve, he did the next best thing – became a sportswriter. As a long-time sportswriter, Tony covered high school, collegiate and professional sports, most notably covering the death of Boston Celtics’ star Reggie Lewis for The Patriot Ledger.

Growing up and reading the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, he one day aspired to publish a novel in the horror genre as his ‘writing heroes’ were famous for. After many years away from writing, leaving his professional writing career behind to make a move into the production and advertising side of the publishing business, Tony makes a return with his debut novel. Eighteen years in the making, A Demon Lies Within, releases November 2012 from Two Harbors Press.

A follower of Greek Mythology, he sees himself in the same vein as the Greek God Dionysus, the Greek God of wine, parties/festivals, madness and merriment. Dionysus not only represents the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. According to Tony, we should strive to be like Dionysus.

Massachusetts born and bred, Tony has lived all across the state throughout his life. Today he is settled in Dracut with his wife and son.

Connect with Tony Hubbard:

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Now before you go, don't forget that you can
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Friday, 7 December 2012

SPOTLIGHT: Widow's Might by Sandra Brannan

Hello Therians!

It's time for another spotlight!!

Widow’s Might is the 3^rd installment of the Liv Bergen Mystery Series by Sandra Brannan.

SYNOPSIS

With a mind for crime solving and headstrong about protecting her family – Liv Bergen finds herself trailing a vengeful killer with a crooked sense of justice.

The third Liv Bergen mystery picks up right where the second one left off: the murder of Liv’s future sister-in-law has been solved, but an older rancher has been bludgeoned to death in a style eerily reminiscent of a long-inactive killer known only as the Crooked Man. FBI agent Streeter Pierce, still on assignment in Sturgis, South Dakota, must now turn his sights on tracking down the killer – his nemesis from ten years earlier. Pierce doesn’t complain, though, he’s falling in love with Liv and sets in motion an unconventional plan to recruit her for the FBI’s training camp in Quantico as they work the case together. But is Liv falling for the brilliant, exotic agent Jack Linwood instead?

Once again, Liv’s vast knowledge of the Black Hills of South Dakota – territory made famous by the gold rush that followed General George Custer’s expedition – and the novel folk who live there leads her to unearth critical clues about the Crooked Man. But are facts enough to safeguard Liv’s sister Elizabeth and her friend, an elderly woman battling cancer who was attacked just days after her husband was murdered? Will the frail yet feisty widow recover her strength in time to help Liv thwart the Crooked Man’s murderous plans and fatal blows?

Praise for Widow's Might

In “Widow’s Might,” Sandra Brannan does a wonderful job of weaving dramatic events from Custer’s Black Hills Expedition of 1874 into a thoroughly modern mystery involving environmentalists, serial murder and a surprising twist on an age-old motive.

-- Ernest Grafe and Paul Horsted, “Exploring with Custer”

“Good and Scary.”

-- Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal

“For hardcore crime-fiction fans.”

-- Shelley Mosely, Booklist

Get your copy today:

Buy the first two books in the Liv Bergen Mystery Series

In the Belly of Jonah:

Lot's Return to Sodom:

About the Author

Sandra Brannan debuted as an author in 2010 with In the Belly of Jonah, the first installment of her acclaimed, Liv Bergen mystery series. The novel was chosen as an Indie Next List Notable by independent bookstores and librarians across the country and went into a second printing just one month after its release.

Sandra’s success in the literary world led to her being named one of the top 25 most fabulous women by Black Hills Magazine.

Much like her character Liv Bergen, Sandra has spent her career in the mining industry. Working her way up from day laborer in the company her grandfather founded to a top executive in the family business wasn’t easy, as Sandra often received threats from those opposed to mining. These life experiences gave her a first-person perspective into the high-stakes scenarios of which she writes.

Sandra was raised the seventh of nine children in loving home not far from Rapid City, South Dakota. After living in Colorado (the setting for In the Belly of Jonah), Wyoming, Washington D.C. and Washington state, Sandra returned to her hometown where she lives with her husband. Their budding family consists of four boys and three grandchildren.

The second book in her mystery-thriller series, Lot’s Return to Sodom, releases June 1 and revolves around the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Sandra’s forthcoming titles include Widow’s Might and Noah’s Rainy Day.

Connect with Sandra Brannan:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Now before you go, don't forget that you can
win a copy of Widow's Might in my

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

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SPOTLIGHT: The Uncommon Thread by R. Scott Anderson, M.D.

Hello Therians,

Today the spotlight is on The Uncommon Thread by R. Scott Anderson M.D.

SYNOPSIS

For the past three years The Uncommon Thread has been one of the most popular regular features of the JOURNAL of the Mississippi State Medical Association.

Only a state with a literary tradition as rich as Mississippi’s would dedicate a regular column to literary exploration as part of its monthly scientific medical journal. A strong literary commitment is not something new for the JOURNAL. The Uncommon Thread sprang fully formed from its progenitor Una Voce, which now continues under the pen of its founder Dr Dwalia South.

But, for two years a madman held Una Voce captive while its true author was serving as the president of the Association and then engaged in both her own and her husband’s battles with cancer. By the time she recovered and returned to restore sanity to her own column, the editors were stuck trying to find someplace to put a stream of consciousness gadfly that somehow continued to charm at least as many readers as he antagonized.

Thus The Uncommon Thread was born. So, try a story or two, if you don’t like them, read a few more. Because, in here, you never know what’s going to show up next.

Get your copy today:

Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Russell Scott Anderson M.D. is a Radiation Oncologist who serves as the Medical Director of Anderson Cancer Center in Meridian, Mississippi. He is a former Navy diver who worked in operations in the Middle East, Central America, and in support of the Navy’s EOD

community, SEALS, the US Army’s Green Berets, the Secret Service, and the New York Police Department at various times during his time in the service.

Dr. Anderson received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and

his M.D. degree from UA’s School of Medicine in Birmingham. The father of seven has written the family oriented literary columns Una Voce and The Uncommon Thread in the JOURNAL of the Mississippi State Medical Association as Scott Anderson M.D. for the past five years. He has also written as screenwriter R. S. Anderson on several feature films, and author Russell Scott on his debut novel Time Donors Wanted (IsoLibris, 2011, Murder Mystery) and forthcoming novel The Hard Times.

Three of Dr. Anderson’s stories in The Uncommon Thread collection were nominated for the

small press Pushcart Prize award.

Having spent some years in San Diego and Virginia Beach, the author lives once again in the

Southeast and has settled for the past twenty years in the state of Mississippi with his wife and

children.

Author Blog: DocAsblog

Website: IsoLibris.com

@RussellScott3

IsoLibris

Russell Scott

Now before you go, don't forget that you can
win a copy of The Uncommon Thread. in my

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

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Thursday, 6 December 2012

SPOTLIGHT: 2:32am by Emily Ford

Hello Therians!

It's time for another spotlight, and this time I'm featuring Emily Ford's 2:32 A.M, the first book in The Djinn Master's Legacy trilogy!

SYNOPSIS

In the early morning hours nearing her 17th birthday, Cat Townsend woke to the sudden blur of a mysterious unknown man sitting on the edge of her bed. She did not feel fear – rather a strange calmness overtook her. In an instant their eyes locked, he lightly touched her hand, and then he disappeared into the nothingness of night.

Caught in that undefined place between asleep and awake, the moment felt hazy and surreal. A chill ran down Cat’s spine as she glances at the time – it’s 2:32 a.m.

What unfolds in the first book of The Djinn Master’s Legacy trilogy, is young Cat’s personal struggle with the overwhelming choice to accept a destiny of magic. As she contemplates the merits of unparalleled power, her new and ordinary world in Savannah, Georgia is understandably shaken. The closer her decision gets, the more twisted her life with family, friends and boyfriend becomes. Will she choose to give up everything she cherishes?

Find out, in 2:32 A.M. The time everything happens.

Praise for 2:32 A.M.

“2:32am – The Djinn Master’s Legacy” is featured in the latest Big Blend Magazine ‘Champagne Sundays’ as a great read for young adults!

“A seemingly ordinary teenage girl might just become a creature of legend in the first volume of debut author Ford’s young-adult fantasy trilogy.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“These days, genre fiction for young adult readers focus heavily on vampires, werewolves and zombies. However, what was most refreshing about 2:32 a.m. was the absence of the usual paranormal phenomena. 2:32 a.m. intrigues readers with the mystery and power of genies. Ford leaves the reader at the edge of seats, waiting and hoping the next book will be available soon. It is an excellent portrayal of a modern day teenager who is trying to find herself in the midst of her high school years, with a twist – and a great one at that. For those who love mystery, magic, and love, this is a must read.”

– Tamar Mekredijian, Pacific Book Review

“An addicting Djinn novel complete with romance, danger and something a little different. From start to finish it was tough to put down. This author draws you in with the characters and tightly woven storyline. Emily Ford writes an addicting novel. I can hardly wait to read the next one!

– Lisa Fox, Top Book Reviewers

Get your copy of 2:32 A.M: