What Are You Reading Monday? #17

Books I completed in the last week are:

*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Stick It! 99 DIY Duct Tape Projects
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber



Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss
Big Girl by Danielle Steel (Audio)

Up Next:
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (audio)


Reviews posted this week:


Author Guest Posts/Interviews:
Blog Tour - The Reflections of Light for Daily Living: A Book of Affirmations for the Ambitious by Dr. Tiffany Brown Guest Blog (November 16)
Blog Tour - Sybil Baker Guest Blog – Talisman (December 14)

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Stick It! 99 DIY Duct Tape Projects
The Absent Author by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Canary Caper by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House #2) by Mary Pope Osborne
Eddie Robinson by Denny Dressman
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford
Moon River and Me by Andy Williams (audio)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Audio) by J.K. Rowling
Disney At Dawn (Kingdom Keepers #2) by Ridley Pearson
Disney After Dark (Kingdom Keepers #1) by Ridley Pearson (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
*Are You My Mother? By P. D. Eastman
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman
A Fatal Slip (Crime & Clay #3) by Melissa Glazer
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts


Giveaways on the blog this week:
Harlequin Presents winners to be announce 11/6

Happy Halloween

Sunday Link-up

Freebie Friday - Harlequin Presents(expires 11/5/10)

When Ashley me Harry…

Mischief was what Harry Clifton intended when he traveled to Australia in search of an heir.

Marriage was the last thing on Ashley Harcourt's mind when she met Harry.

But William, Ashley's enterprising young son, had other ideas! He saw Harry and decided he'd make a perfect father. To his surprise, Harry found he liked the idea of an instant family. But he'd need more than young William's help to persuade Ashley to trust in love again ....

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Lexi Harrison, one of Sydney's top international fashion models, was accustomed to being pursued by men who wanted to share her fame and fortune. It made it difficult for the beautiful woman to trust men, especially a man like Georg Nicolaos, whose arrogant countenance was simply infuriating.

But when Lexi's ex-husband tried to blackmail her by threatening to destroy her family's name and her professional reputation, Lexi was forced to turn to Georg for advice. She agreed to fall in with his plans and go along with a pretend --their pretend--engagement. But was Georg sincere in his offer to help? Or were there ulterior motives behind the charade?

--------------------------




Behaving badly...
Harriet attended the company's New Year's Eve party in all innocence. It wasn't her fault that the punch she'd been drinking was stronger than expected-so that she'd ended up confiding in a gorgeous stranger about her broken engagement. How was she to know she'd been pouring her heart out to the chairman himself, Marcus Fox?

...at the office party!
Now Harriet has to work with Marcus. Luckily, she's since changed her image, dyed her hair blond and is a model secretary. Unluckily, Marcus still recognizes her—and seems determined to punish Harriet for her reckless conduct!

----------------------------------------




Sweet nights, no promises...
After her year-long affair with Solomon Maclaine, it was clear to Roberta that she would never be anything but his mistress. Mac's first marriage had left its scars on him, but he still seemed to give most of his time to his ex-wife and spoiled daughter.

Roberta faced a hard decision; if she were to have the commitment and children she craved, she'd have to leave. But could she really give up the love she shared with Mac ? A love that brought with it no promises...but the sweetest nights of passion?

---------------------------------
Desperate Measures by Sara Craven

Philippa Roscoe needed a lrge sum of money and she needed it fast - her father's life depended on it. Wealthy French businessman Alain de Courcy needed a wife - purely for business reasons.

Alain was only too happy to provide Phlippa with the funds she required. In excange he demanded marriage and not just in name only. Thee was a little Philippa could do; she had to agree to his terms.

She had't agreed tofall uner Alain's charismatic spell. But could Philippa keep herself from falling in love or had this marriage of convenience become a desparate act.....?

Guest Blog - Dennis Finocchiaro - Finding Inspiration

As Part of the 2010 Coffee House Fiction Anthology

The short stories in 2010 Coffee House Fiction Anthology are the winners of The Fifteenth Dame Lisbett Throckmorton Fiction Writing Contest.

Dennis is writing about Finding Inspiration..

Sometimes we writers sit down to a blank page or screen and it freaks us out. Even the best writers have dry spells, to be sure, and everyone has different techniques to break out of the slump. I’m going to share the many ways in which I find inspiration.

Photographs – They really are worth a thousand words. I collect vintage photographs just for this reason; it’s nice to have a whole giant box of old photos from which to draw inspiration. I reach in, feel around a little and pull one out. I spend a little time really looking at it, analyzing it, and then I jot down notes about it and paper clip it to them. And if nothing comes to mind, I drop it back in and fish out another.

But then, old photographs aren’t for everyone. I’m really into vintage items and the past, so these work for me. There are so many other places to find photos, for instance, a little place called the Internet? Spend some time on Flickr, check out your friends’ Facebook pages, find a few photographers whose work you enjoy and follow them. Or check out some photography blogs on Blogspot or Wordpress, which can always lead to my next inspiration.

Collaborating – Make new friends! I spend so much time on Wordpress it would frighten some people. I love reading posts and checking out new photographs, and when I find an artist whose work really speaks to me, I tell them so! A comment such as, “Love your work, we should collaborate sometime!” could really open new avenues for your inspiration. I especially enjoy sending a photographer my story and seeing what photographs it inspires in them. It even pushes me to go outside of my comfort level and write about topics I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise, such as working with Danish artist Christina Molholm on our monster collaborations (which can be seen on my blog). I never pictured myself writing about a monster that lives in your mouth creating cavities but working with others opens up a writer to new ideas.

Of course collaborating works the other way as well. I enjoy finding the story in someone else’s art and writing about it. Many of my photographer friends on Facebook often open an email from me asking (or begging) that they let me use a photo they’ve taken. And of course, when they agree, I link the photograph to their blog or Flickr account and pay it forward so they get new visitors through my blog.

People-Watching – Get out of the house! I have always found that people watching is an excellent way to come up with new stories. A simple gesture, an article of clothing, a snippet of conversation or even a crazy action by a stranger can lead to all kinds of interesting characters and plots in your work. My collection in The Fifteenth Dame Lisbet Throckmorton Anthology was inspired by people-watching in random coffee shops in the Philadelphia area. Just remember, there is a fine line between people-watching and stalking, don’t follow them home!

Keep an Inspiration Book – Cheesy? Sure, but it also works. A few of my professors in grad school made us keep some sort of journal to collect anything that might inspire a story. While this doesn’t always work for me, I know plenty of people who have had a lot of success with inspiration books. Mine holds sentences I would love to use someday, photographs, work from my favorite artists, song lyrics, there really aren’t any rules to it. Just buy a book and start gluing/taping/licking and sticking anything you find inspirational into it. Then when you hit a wall in your writing, whip it out and look through it. You never know!

The number one rule of discovering inspiration is that there is no right or wrong way of finding it. Everyone becomes inspired via different avenues. So try these out if you like, but at the same time, help me add to my list: How do YOU find inspiration?




Dennis Finocchiaro is new to the world of published writing, and he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. He finds inspiration in the everyday and the mundane, as well as in the beautiful and the tragic, especially if one rubs elbows with the other. In addition to flash fiction he has just finished his first novel, The Illiterates, and is searching for an agent and publisher. His online blog can be found at Den Writes

What Are You Reading Monday? #16

Books I completed in the last weeks are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
The Absent Author by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Canary Caper by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House #2) by Mary Pope Osborne


Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Stick It! 99 DIY Duct Tape Projects

Up Next:
The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Big Girl by Danielle Steel (Audio)
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham


Reviews posted this week:
Behind -quite a few to post.

Author Guest Posts/Interviews:
Blog Tour - Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe (October 28)
Blog Tour - Finding Inspiration Guest Post by Dennis Finocchiaro (October 28)
Blog Tour - The Reflections of Light for Daily Living: A Book of Affirmations for the Ambitious by Dr. Tiffany Brown Guest Blog (November 16)
Blog Tour - Sybil Baker Guest Blog – Talisman (December 14)

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
The Absent Author by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Canary Caper by Ron Roy (Audio)
The Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House #2) by Mary Pope Osborne
Eddie Robinson by Denny Dressman
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford
Moon River and Me by Andy Williams (audio)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Audio) by J.K. Rowling
Disney At Dawn (Kingdom Keepers #2) by Ridley Pearson
Disney After Dark (Kingdom Keepers #1) by Ridley Pearson (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
*Are You My Mother? By P. D. Eastman
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman
A Fatal Slip (Crime & Clay #3) by Melissa Glazer
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts


Giveaways on the blog this week:
Will be posted on Friday

Books I completed in the last weeks are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Double Play at Short by Matt Christopher
Moon River and Me by Andy Williams (audio)
February Friend (Calendar Mysteries #2) by Ron Roy
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford



Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Children’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss
March Mischief (Calendar Mysteries #3) by Ron Roy

Up Next:
Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham


Reviews posted this week:
Masks From Around The World by Garth Dahl
70 Meals, One Trip To The Store by Kelly Donlea
Hannah’s List by Debbie Macomber
Double Play At Shortstop by Matt Christopher
February Friend (Calendar Mysteries #2) by Ron Roy
April Adventure (Calendar Mysteries #4) by Rob Roy
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) by Mary Pope Osborne
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene duBois


Author Guest Posts/Interviews:
Blog Tour - Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe (October 28)
Blog Tour - Finding Inspiration Guest Post by Dennis Finocchiaro (October 28)

Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
Eddie Robinson by Denny Dressman
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford
Moon River and Me by Andy Williams (audio)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Audio) by J.K. Rowling
Disney At Dawn (Kingdom Keepers #2) by Ridley Pearson
Disney After Dark (Kingdom Keepers #1) by Ridley Pearson (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
*Are You My Mother? By P. D. Eastman
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman
A Fatal Slip (Crime & Clay #3) by Melissa Glazer
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts


Giveaways on the blog this week:
Will be posted on Friday

Book Review - Dinosaurs Before Dark - Mary Pope Osborne

Title: Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1)
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Genre: Young Adult

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Young Adult Reading Challenge, YA Through the Decades, 1st In A Series, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 69
Published: 1992


Back Cover: Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them back to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark…or will they become a dinosaur’s dinner?

Mine: (I try to read some of the same books as my nephews ) This is one of my nephew’s favorite series and I can see why. This is wonderful for your imagination, but also has a little history thrown in. I can’t say I’m thrilled with dinosaurs, but this actually gives a wonderful introduction to them.

Book Review - The Twenty-One Balloons - William Pene duBois

Title: The Twenty-One Balloons
Author: William Pene duBois
Genre: Young Adult

Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, The Naming Convention Challenge, Book Around the States Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Young Adult Reading Challenge, YA Through the Decades, Audio Book Challenge 2010, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, 1001 Childrens book Before I Grow Up

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: Audio (192)
Published: 1947 ( Newbery Medal)


Back Cover: After years of teaching math to reluctant young students in San Francisco, Professor William Sherman Waterman wants a change. He plans a wonderful adventure: he will spend a year sailing around the world in a giant balloon. With his friends waving good-bye on a sunny day in August 1883, he gently flies his balloon above the rowas of city rooftops and floats toward the Pacific Ocean.

But only three weeks later, a freighter in the Atlantic Ocean sights a group of 20 destroyed balloons – and the professor clinging to the wreckage. His tale of a marvelous island harboring unbelievable wealth in the Pacific Ocean and a terrifying disaster there stuns the world. Could this incredible report be true?

Mine: Just like the days of Around the World in 80 Days – the balloon is the key point of the story. The Professor can hardly wait for retirement, when he can leave on his long balloon ride. His plan is to stay in the air for a year, unfortunately he doesn’t make it and lives on an mysterious island with a world of it’s own.
When the island suffers a great volcano eruption, he is sent on his way so that he can tell the story of the island and it’s riches.

Book Review - April Adventure by Ron Roy

Title: April Adventure (Calendar Mysteries)
Author: Ron Roy
Genre: Young Adult

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Monthly Mixer Mele, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge,

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 69
Published: 2010


Back Cover: April is for Adventure….It’s springtime in Green Law, and Bradley, Brian, Lucy, and Nate are on an Easter egg hunt. They search high and low and find lots of eggs. But soon it’s clear that some of the eggs aren’t just well hidden. They’re gone! Who would steal Easter eggs? It’s up to the four kids to crack this egg-cellent case.

Mine: The kids (younger siblings to the A-Z mystery characters) are off on an Easter egg hunt. There are clues along the way, but the golden eggs that they are really seeking have seemed to disappeared. They are hidden in the park, but who would take Easter eggs? The snake, the raccoons, the swans? Time will tell and the mystery will be solved.

Book Reveiw: February Friends by Ron Roy

Title: February Friend (Calendar Mysteries #2)
Author: Ron Roy
Genre: Young Adult

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Young Adult Reading Challenge, YA Through the Decades, 1st In A Series, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge


Rating: 3/5
No. of Pages: 69
Published: 2009


Back Cover: It’s a Valentine’s Day party! Bradley is passing out his class’s valentines, but one of them has no name on it. Inside, the card tells the class to look in the closet. When they open the closet door, the kids find a rabbit named Douglas in a cage! What mysterious “friend” left him there? And why? Then the bunny gets sick. It sup to Bradley, Brian, Lucy and Nate to track down his owner and figure out what is wrong with poor little Douglas.

Mine: The kids are committed to finding out who left Douglas behind for the class to take care of. The kids do manage to find the owner and realize they actually know him. He’s left Douglas, because he feels he can no longer take care of him himself. The kids help him realize that he can still take care of him.