Clarissa Reads Even More Books

(1) Eclipse by Briane Pagel

What is it about? Claudius wanted to be the first man to reach the stars. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't... but one thing is certain: It was murder getting there.
The story opens with Claudius drifting alone in space, awaiting rescue and pondering the speck of light he can see in the distance. As events unfold, Claudius continues to drift and get more and more anxious while he thinks back along the paths that led him here, from his possibly-abusive childhood to the mutiny that caused the wreck of his mission.
In alternating chapters, Claudius' chilling story unfolds as the reader delves more deeply into his troubled mind, taking side trips to his high school, and to a mental hospital or institution where Claudius is everyone and everything. In the end, the reader is left to piece together, with Claudius, what world he actually knew.
"Eclipse" is a mind-bending Mobius strip of a science fiction story in the classic Ray Bradbury style, a book that will haunt you after you put it down.

What did I think? Wow, just wow. This short sci-fi/ horror is so different than I have ever read before. You never know what's real or what's not but you just don't care. The writing is terrific and you will think about the story long after you finish. It's one you could read over and over.

Buy it here for $0.99

(2) For Every Action There Are Conseuences by Gail M Baugniet

What is it about? "FOR EVERY ACTION There Are Consequences" is not just a murder mystery waiting to be solved, but an emotional journey into the lives of all concerned.

26-year old Pepper Bibeau is an insurance investigator for a company in Wisconsin. She experiences flashbacks after a 12-month deployment in Vietnam with the Army Nurse Corps, and she is beginning to question her decision to have her son raised by relatives in Hawaii.

Pepper is in Chicago investigating an unusual medical claim and running a background check on a life insurance beneficiary who admits to stabbing his wife. These two cases collide when murder, suicide, and a child's drug overdose all aim Pepper in one direction. But the people who should be helping her may be indirectly involved and the more she learns, the more difficult it becomes for her to sort out who's hiding what. After someone slams her head against a brick wall, sending her to the hospital, a homicide detective suggests she drop the insurance investigation and leave town. But her friend is dead and a child remains in a coma. Until Pepper exposes those responsible, she is staying.

What did I think? It's different. I can't say I was entertained throughout but there were so many wonderful things I liked about the story. It takes place in the past and because I never lived in 1968, the descriptions of the past were fascinating. Also, I just loved the description of Chicago and the culture of Hawaii. While parts of the mystery confused me, the action sequences and the deaths were interesting parts in the book. 

Buy it here for $2.99

Clarissa Reads More Books

(1) An Ozark Memory by Ann Carbine Best

What is it about? Grace Votaw Duniven sang songs that she wrote at country picnics, and slept in culverts or on the back porch of her friend Sadie's house. I first met her through my new husband's letters he wrote to me the winter after our marriage when the Berlin Wall Crisis separated us and I stayed behind in our apartment in Utah and he went to Missouri. Finally, in the spring of 1962, the army moved me to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, and soon after the move I met Grace Votaw Duniven in person in a back alley in Licking, Missouri.

What did I think? This is a funny short story that only takes a few minutes to read. I'm sure it's based on something Ann actually experienced. The character Grace, is just that: a real character. Although I wish I could have had more information on who this woman really was and why she acted the way she did, the story was delightful. Pick it up for less than a dollar.

Buy it here for $0.99

(2) Imprisoned by Ann Carbine Best

What is it about? When Svetlana Garetova flies with her four-year-old son from Moscow in Russia to Salt Lake City in America for a visit with Jimmy Rafael, she becomes very ill. He nurses her to back to health, but when she recovers, she realizes with horror that she has missed the deadline in Moscow to pay protection money for her businesses. Her distraught mother tells her that she would be safer in America, and when Jimmy says he will marry her, she accepts his proposal even though she barely knows him and has some misgivings. On their wedding night, she discovers who he really is, and that she and her son are almost prisoners in his house. She must find a way to escape, and people to help them.

What did I think? Although Ann says at the end of the book that some events have been dramatized. The story is very real. That's what makes Ann such a good writer, she writes with such honesty and truth. I know situations like this, it actually happens a lot in Mexico. And I also know that there are some wonderful people out there willing to jump at the chance to help. The story will make you laugh and want to cry and some of it might scare you. But, it's a must read.

Buy it here for $0.99

Clarissa Reads Books

Can you believe it? I'm six book reviews behind! So, I think I will post reviews on this site for the rest of the week.

(1) House of Diamonds by Karen Jones Gowen

What is it about? Marcie McGill and her sister Cindy reach a crossroads in their lives. Two women, one facing opportunity, the other tragedy. Can their bond endure? Marcie pursues her dream of becoming a published writer while Cindy faces a terrible tragedy. In this gripping story of faith, loss and the transcending nature of sacrifice, Gowen gives voice to a beloved baby who has none. She shows the incredible power that comes to families when they pull together to overcome challenges. It is at these times that a house of pain can become a house of diamonds.

What did I think? I really liked this book, as I liked the first book she wrote. It touched me, especially the situation with the baby. I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened with that boy. The only problem I had was the same with the first book, I couldn't wrap my head around some of the Mormon terminology. I could relate to Marcie as she struggles to find time to pursue her love of writing, even after hearing harsh criticism from her writing group. Karen is a very supportive writer, support her back: pick up this book today!

Buy it here for $3.99

(2) I Pray Hardest When I'm Being Shot At by Kyle Garret

What is it about? After the attack on Pearl Harbor, eighteen-year-old Robert Stuart had a decision to make: keep working at the steel mill in Warren, Ohio, or volunteer to serve his country. Anne Davis had a decision of her own to make. The girls in her high school were going to send letters to alumni who were going off to war. She looked at the list of soldiers and saw a familiar name: Robert Stuart.The letters Anne sent would mark the beginning of a relationship that would span sixty years, two marriages, two children, and three wars.Over half a century after those first letters were sent, the Stuarts' grandson, Kyle, began chronicling their life together. He would discover pieces of a family history that only he dug deep enough to learn. But in the back of his mind, one concern lingered: the story of a person's life can only have one ending, and his grandfather's health was deteriorating.

What did I think? It wasn't what I expected. I thought this would be a story about the grandfather and the wars he fought but it turned out to be more about the hardship of getting the memoir written. That disappointed me. Also, I became confused with the sudden changes in POV. There where points in the book where I didn't know who was talking or who was being talked about. That being said, there were a few passages I liked. The book isn't religious, even though the title contains the word 'prayer' but there is a short passage about prayer:

Buy it here for $9.99

Why We Speak What We Speak

I found this interesting documentary on YouTube. It's an eight part series that explains where English comes from. Based on this book.

Did you know?

• The modern Frisian language is the closest sounding language to the English used approximately 2000 years ago, when the people from what is now the north of the Netherlands travelled to what would be the United Kingdom and pushed the Celtic language (Celts) to the western side of the island. Words like "blue" can be recognized in the Frisian language. 


• The use of latin-based words in the English language is because of the Christian movement. 


• The word "rhyme" was given an "h" simply because the word "rhythm" already had one. 


• Alcohol also added a great deal of words to the English language, "bootlegging" referred to hiding a flat bottle of alcohol in the leg of a boot. "And there were literally hundreds of terms from drunk," says Bragg. "Benjamin Franklin listed 229 of them minted in America, including... 'He's wamble-cropped,' 'He's halfway to concord,' 'He's ate a toad and a half for breakfast,' 'He's groatable,' 'He's globular,' [and] 'He's loose in the hilts.'" 


• Novels were thought to be a frivolous occupation for females until Jane Austen wrote about the capabilities of such works in her own novels; her works were highly proper, often using words like "agreeable", "appropriate", "discretion", and "propriety".

Check out the rest of the series here:
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI


Source: Wikipedia

It's For A Good Cause

Margot Kinberg at Confessions of A Mystery Novelist is hosting a raffle for a very good cause.

From Margot's site:

Do you remember what happened on 22 February of this year? You don’t? Life goes by so quickly that we often forget even major events once they’ve happened. But the nearly 35,000 residents of Christchurch, as well as their friends and families, will never forget what happened on that day. Neither will many of the rest of us. A devastating earthquake struck the area, taking hundreds of lives and causing millions of dollars worth of damage. That’s the thing about disasters; we tend to roll our sleeves up while they’re making the news, but it’s hard to keep doing that when almost a year has gone by. The fact is, though, that the rebuilding in Christchurch will take years to accomplish.

Thus, she's holding a raffle for a SIGNED hardback copy of Val McDermid's Trick of the Dark.

What do you need to do? 

(1) Leave a comment with your bid on this luverly prize HERE. Please make your bid in New Zealand dollars (HERE is a currency converter if you would like one)

(2) You’ll have until Friday 18 November to bid. You are welcome to check back and see how the bidding’s going, and re-bid if you wish.

(3) The highest bidder wins Trick of the Dark. It’s that easy!

If you are the winner…. 

You’ll be asked to go to the New Zealand Government’s Christchurch Earthquake Relief site.
At that site, you’ll be asked to make a donation in the amount of your bid.
You’ll receive a confirmatory email which I’ll ask you to forward to me.
Then……. Val McDermid will personalise and send you your prize, wherever you live.

I really want this prize, but I also want to help the people of Christchurch get as much as they possible can.

So go. Go!

The link again.

Kindle Deals

Free Kindle Reads Of The Week!
(Click the pictures to be taken to amazon.com)

For the calendar lover: 

For the writer: 

Cheap Kindle Reads Of The Week!
(Click the pictures to be taken to amazon.com)

For the mystery lover: 

Cost $1.99

Cost $0.99

Cost $1.99

Cost $1.99

You can purchase all the items on this page for less than $7.00. Enjoy!

Crossing the String Bridge

STRING BRIDGE
Jessica Bell

How I read it: Kindle


What's it about? Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage--and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ...

My thoughts: It's been forever since I finished this book. Normally I forget what happens in the book after so long, but not with this one. This story sticks with you. I really related to Melody. In fact, I've made some of the same stupid mistakes she made--mistakes you look back upon for a long time with regrets. There is so much to learn from this story and the characters are so real and well-drawn, you have no choice but to wonder if they were based on real people (but they are not). A mark of a truly great writer. Pick up this book today, it's a touching story that will leave the reader considering the consequences of their decisions and the value of family.


E-books: Amazon.com or Amazon UK
Paperback: Amazon.com or Amazon UK or  Barnes & Noble  

Soundtrack: iTunes or Amazon.com or Amazon UK
Jessica's other links:

• String Bridge Website 
• Goodreads  
• String Bridge Book Trailer 
• String Bridge Merchandise 
• Website 
• Blog  
• Facebook 
• Twitter 
• Retreat & Workshop Site

Bio:

Jessica Bell is a literary women's fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter who grew up in Melbourne, Australia, to two gothic rock musicians who had successful independent careers during the '80s and early '90s.

She spent much of her childhood travelling to and from Australia to Europe, experiencing two entirely different worlds, yet feeling equally at home in both environments.

She currently lives in Athens, Greece and works as a freelance writer/editor for English Language Teaching publishers worldwide, such as HarperCollins, Pearson Education and Macmillan Education. In addition to String Bridge, Jessica has published a book of poetry called Twisted Velvet Chains.

A full list of poems and short stories published in various anthologies and literary magazines can be found under Published Works & Awards, on her website.

From September 2012 Jessica will be hosting the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca, home of Odysseus.

Have you seen...? Agatha Christie

Recently I was surfing YouTube and I came across this biopic for Agatha Christie. It talks about the eleven days she went missing (Did you know AC suffered from amnesia?) and it talks about her later in life when she attends a tenth anniversary showing of The Mousetrap.

The young Agatha is played by Olivia Williams (isn't she beautiful!?) and the older by Anna Massey. I loved Williams when she was in Jane Austen's life story. I have seen Massey in Written in Blood (an Inspector Barnaby episode) and in The Importance of Being Ernest.

You can find it here on YouTube. It's in nine parts.

Clarissa Reads Books

(1) A to Z Stories of Life and Death by D Biswas

What is it about? Twenty-six A to Z stories, based on the twenty-six letters of the
alphabet, question our moral compass: How do you judge a teacher toying
with the sexuality of her teenaged student? A boy who decides to murder
his mother? What thoughts rage inside a pedophile serial killer before
he shoots himself? They challenge the concepts of beauty, truth, and
morality, by revealing the face of the other side.

What did I think? This book was created during our special A to Z Blogging Challenge created by our friend Arlee Bird. It contains 26 short stories that are amazing starting with a woman's dilemma with snails. Each story is unique and a bit off the wall. It makes me want to do a similar concept for next year's challenge.

Buy it here for $1.99

(2) Rapid Recipes for Writers... and Other Busy People by Marsha Ward and Kay Gibson

What is it about? 31 Quick and Easy Recipes: One new thing to eat each day for a month.
Your family will never suspect that you've been slaving over a hot
keyboard all day long if you spring these quick and yummy dishes on them. This
 compilation of quick and easy recipes originated when the editor of a
small magazine, Marsha Ward, asked her regular writers to submit their
favorite easy recipes to be published in chapbook form. "Rapid Recipes
for Writers...And Other Busy People" was first published in the mid
1980s.

What did I think? I love it! None of the recipes are extreme, containing ingredients Martha Steward hasn't heard of. And they look good. I haven't tried all the recipes but there are beef and chicken and even easy desserts.

Buy it here for FREE!

(3) Clockwise by Elle Strauss

What is it about? Boy watching with her best friend would be enough excitement for fifteen year old Casey Donovan. She doesn't even mind life at the bottom of the Cambridge High social ladder, if only she didn’t have this other much bigger problem. Unscheduled trips to the nineteenth century!
When Casey gets talked into going to the Fall Dance, the unthinkable happens--she accidentally takes Nate Mackenzie, the cutest boy in the school, back in time.
Protocol pressures her to tell their 1860 hosts that he is her brother and when Casey finds she has a handsome, wealthy (and unwanted) suitor, something changes in Nate. Are those romantic sparks or is it just ‘brotherly’ protectiveness?
When they return to the present things go back to the way they were before: Casey at the bottom of the social totem pole and Nate perched on the very the top. Except this time her heart is broken. Plus, her best friend is mad, her parents are split up, and her little brother gets escorted home by the police. The only thing that could make life worse is if, by some strange twist of fate, she took Nate back to the past again.
Which of course, she does.

What did I think? First of all, what a cool cover! I don't really know the last time I read a YA novel like this. It's not really my typical genre and I wouldn't really describe this novel as chicklit. However, it's very well written. I liked it a lot. Although the main character was young and it took me awhile to remember what my life was like so, so, so long ago, I eventually found myself "getting" her. I rooted for the two main characters. Also, because this novel took the reader back in time, you learn a lot about history and what life was like for both young men and women during a Civil War. Pick it up now!

Buy it here for $2.99

IWSG - Four Steps to Letting Go

My book is almost ready for release--cover is being created, final edits are being done--and instead of being super excited, I'm going through empty-nest syndrome. I knew the time was coming and I thought that I would be prepared but I just want to hold on for just a moment longer. Please!?

I went through this with previous stories and I'll probably go through this with all the following stories, but I really don't want to.

So what can I do? What can help?

I looked up advice on real empty-nest syndrome and maybe the steps can help us writers:

1. PLAN AHEAD:

You know your novel will be leaving you at some point. Take the time now to prepare for that eventuality.

2. GET TO KNOW YOUR SPOUSE NEXT NOVEL:
Look at the positive: This is a time for you to start something new. Rekindle the love you had for a manuscript you started earlier or for the one you have bubbling in your brain.

3. TALK TO OTHER EMPTY NESTERS WRITERS:
One problem with empty-nest syndrome is that you won’t get much sympathy from those who never went through it. To them it is just a normal part of life. So look to someone who went through it fairly recently. That's what's great about writers on the WWW. It's a great place to connect with writers who know what you're going through.

4. PREPARE YOUR CHILD NOVEL:

Don't send your novel into the world incomplete and unprepared. Make sure it has everything it needs to do well. Is it properly edited? Does the cover have zing? Have you got a way to promote your book? Do you know who your target audience is?

Take from:  Six steps to surviving an empty nest

NaNo Success Everyone!

I'm not participating in NaNo this year due to other commitments but I wish all those taking part -- much success! Work hard, write fast!

And remember...

Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed.  

~Ray Bradbury~

 

But no pressure.