Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Excerpt from Charming Deception,by Carol Ann Kauffman



Chapter One
Confusion


Okay, where the hell am I? What happened to me? The last thing I remember is… nothing comes to mind. Nothing looks familiar here. I turn toward the window. It’s dark outside, cloudy, not a star in the big, black sky. The room is dark. I’m naked in this big, comfortable bed. Judging from the smell of the lavender scent on the perfectly ironed, high thread-count sheets and pillowcases, I’m either in a very high-end luxury hotel or in one of Martha Stewart's guest rooms.
 A snore interrupts my thoughts. Apparently, I am not alone. I glance over at the noisy lump beside me. Nope. Don’t recognize him. There's a very strong possibility that I've been teleported back to the free-loving sixties. I get up quietly to go to the bathroom. A glint of gold catches my eye from the ring finger of my left hand. I'm married? Oh, shit! When did this happen? This isn't the sixties. This must be Vegas, baby. I creep quietly into the bathroom, close the door, and snap on the light. Definitely a hotel. Plain, antiseptic bathroom. Martha Stewart's guest bathroom would have scented candles and a sense of style, hospitality, and luxury. And not so much white. White walls, white floor, white towels, white shower curtain. A rather bizarre-looking attachment on the faucet, and another one on the showerhead. I look at the mirror. I carefully touch the mirror to make sure it was a real mirror, not a…what? What else would it be? Oh, God, I’ve gone mad. I peer into the mirror. 
Yikes… well, I give that bony lump sleeping beside me credit for marrying me when I look like hell. Good grief, he must be a total loser. I examine my dull, spotty complexion, wild Einstein hair, and the bags under my blurry, bloodshot eyes. My head hurts. I check myself for bruises, scratches, and sore spots. No, nothing. Well, at least I wasn’t attacked. So, what do I tell that Bony Lump?
‘Hey, Bozo, whatever happened between us, it was just some bizarre mistake. Gather your things and get the hell out of here. I'll contact my lawyer to annul this fiasco as soon as I get home. Now go!’ Then I’ll point to the door for dramatic effect. Oh, yeah, that sounds good.
As soon as I get home. Home? Where is home? I can’t remember. I look back at the reflection in the mirror. I can't remember where I live, or how I got here. I can't remember where I work, or what kind of car I drive. I can’t remember my name. A…Amy, Ann…B…Barb…Bebe…C…Cianna… Carrie…Carol, no. 
Hmmm. did Bony Lump drug me? Did he drug me, take advantage of me, and then, marry me? No, why would he do that? That makes absolutely no sense. I wiggle the beautiful gold wedding ring with a large brilliant cut diamond in the center. Weighty. Expensive. Good fit. And… slightly familiar. Oh, look, a little tan line. Now, how can that be? This has to be a dream. 
I snap off the light and creep silently back into bed. 
Oh, crap! That might have been my last chance at escape if this lump beside me is a kidnapper. The sooner I go back to sleep, the sooner I’ll wake up, and this bizarre dream will be over. D…Diane…E… Emma …F…Franka, no G…Gigi… H…Helen… I… J…Janie…K… Katie…L…Louisa… M…M…Marie…Mena…Mmmm. 
Bony Lump rolls over and pulls me to him gently, hugging me, patting my shoulder. 
“It was just a nightmare, my love. I'm right here. You're safe,” he whispers sweetly in a sexy, sleepy voice. “Go back to sleep. You’re safe. I’ll protect you. Always.” He kisses my head gently. He has a wonderful voice. British accent. Kind. Reassuring. Gentle. Loving. Very touching. 

So, what else could I do but fall asleep in his arms, with my hand on his just-hairy-enough chest, breathing in his familiar scent.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

The Work of Helen Ansell


Dear Gentle Readers,

May I introduce you to the work of Helen Ansell? Her work is immediately recognizable by her vivid use of color and strong Australian influence. Her work is both primitive and complex, dramatic and simple, all at the same time. 







I was drawn to her work because it reminded me so much of the art pieces by our own Parker Kaufman. Bold and geometric, combined with detailed and delicate. Fearless mixes of color and shape and stroke that bring the canvas to life.

Australian-born Helen Ansell loves to paint wildflowers. She has had a affinity for wildflowers since she was a little girl helping her father collect wildflower seeds and growing them in a remote Aboriginal community outside of Wiluna, Australia.

Some of her wildflower paintings have been translated in textile designs. On her Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/helenansellart Helen shows us her process of turning photos of the natural fauna of her country into works of art. 


If the art of this amazing young woman has sparked your curiosity at all, please follow the links to learn more about her and how she creates her beautiful work.

www.helenansell.com/
www.form.net.au/project/helen-ansell-exhibition-beyond-the-fence-line/
www.andrewsand.co/helen-ansell-fine-artist/
https://twitter.com/helenansell

None of these photos are mine. I claim nothing here. They came from the links above.

Hugs,
Carol 

Monday, May 29, 2017

BESTSELLER OF THE WEEK: Charming Deception by Carol Ann Kauffman



Samantha wakes up to a perfect life, with a handsome, attentive husband she doesn't remember. She has it all: a luxury vehicle, designer clothes, beautiful jewelry, and a condo on the beach. But this isn't the life she remembers. As time go by, Samantha discovers she is the object of an elaborate deception, one large enough to include, other worlds, body doubles, time travel, world-hopping, and a galaxy guardian as cold as ice. Is her charming husband in on this deception?

Amazon Buy Link:


Sunday, May 28, 2017

Schedule for May 29 - June 2, 2017



Schedule for This Week

Mon., May 29 - Bestseller of the Week:
Charming Deception by Carol Ann Kauffman
Tues., May 30 - The Beautiful Artwork 
of Helen Ansell
Wed., May 31 - Excerpt from
Charming Deception
Thurs., June 1 - The Magical Team of Sanae Kushubiki 
and Jacky Quetard
Fri., June 2 - Reviews of 
Charming Deception




Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The Other Side of Dusk by Cherime MacFarlane


The Other Side of Dusk by Cherie MacFarlane will be released Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at https://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Dusk-Cherime-MacFarlane-ebook/dp/B071H91R6V/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495487542&sr=1-4&keywords=cherime+macfarlane

Get your copy today! I've got mine. :)

About the Author:
Meet Award-Winning, Best-Selling Author Cherime MacFarlane. A prolific multi-genre author, she has a broad range of interests that reflect her been there-done that life. Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, all sorts of characters and plots evolve from a vivid imagination.  
I came to Alaska kicking and screaming in 1976, and I never want to leave. I cut firewood on shares for money to get through the winter. I swore I would not live above the Alaska Range because it was too cold there and wound up in the Copper River Basin where it got just a cold as Fairbanks. 
My second husband, a Scot from Glasgow, was the love of my life. When I write Scots dialect, I experienced hearing it from my in-laws. Each time my husband got on the phone to Scotland after five seconds, I could hardly understand a word. I was my second husband's chief mechanic's helper and roadie.
I live in a cabin which is slowly being surrounded by the city and wish I were further out. My two cats and Husky-Collie mix dog are happy in our little slice of heaven called Alaska. In the silence of winter dreams of people and places provide a rich pool of ideas to explore. 

As a reporter for the Copper Valley Views, Cherime MacFarlane received a letter of commendation from the Copper River Native Association for fair and balanced reporting.  
Cherime won the Hardest Working Author Award from Author Classified. 

Amazon Best Selling in Anthologies and Holidays, and Fantasy Anthologies and Short Stories. 
What readers think; Listopia: Highland Light #2 in Scotland the Brave and then some. Wired For Sound #3 Best Indie Romance Suspense. The Twisted Laird #1 in Great Scots. Snagged #2 Best of Religious and Inspirational Fiction 2014. Stalking Red #2 Romance With Strong Contemporary Females and #3 Western and Native American Romance. Deirdre of the Sorrows #3 Best Traumatized Heroine. Then They Were Six #2 Best Sweet Romance Books. Heart of the Hunter #2 Army Men and Women of Romance. Cougar Hunt #1 Addiction Romances. 


Monday, May 22, 2017

It's Not Always Rainbows by Joey Paul


The LGBTQ rainbow covers people from all walks of life. Catherine and her friends all have to struggle for acceptance in their own lives. Parents, friends, teachers, pretty much everyone seems to have their opinion on how they should live.

The only people who don’t tell them what they should do are each other and the people inside the LGBTQ community.
So when people from that community start getting attacked and then murdered, Catherine feels she has to do something to stop it.

Dealing with her own issues with her religious parents is tough enough, but what do you do when who you are is the reason someone wants you dead?



Friday, May 19, 2017

Photos from the McKinley House Authors Meet & Greet



An Author Meet & Greet was held on Saturday at the McKinley House Birthplace Museum and Research Center in downtown Niles. Carrie Kibby from the McKinley Memorial Library did a great job of organizing the lovely event that was held in the upstairs conference room, accessible by elevator for those who don't like steps. We had some hometown authors and some from as far away as Cleveland.

Niece Carrie in photo above with her auntie.








Dear friend Mary Morrall (above) was on hand for company and support. 



My sweet husband is my roadie, photographer, director, and change handler. He also takes a good photo himself. Thank you, dear, for your bottomless pit of patience with me. You are appreciated.            




Here is a photo of the book display and longtime friend Tina Hoffman. It was a pleasure to see her again and catch up on what's happening in our lives.



Please support the Niles McKinley Memorial Library. It is the most beautiful building in the city. The staff is hard-working, creative, dependable, and wants to make our library the centerpiece of the city. Please remember our library gets no money from the city of Niles. Come to the library. Attend the lawn concerts and other cultural events at the library. Let's emphasize the good things we have here in Niles. 

Local Author Meet & Greet Tomorrow


Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Dying Thoughts - Fifth Secret by Joey Paul




Dear Gentle Readers,

Today I have a note for you from one of our favorite writers. British author Joey Paul has just released Dying Thoughts - Fifth Secret. The kindle format version is available on Amazon.com for $.99 until May 22, 2017. Check it out!



Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dying-Thoughts-Secret-Joey-Paul-ebook/dp/B06XCBXW3N/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495040979&sr=1-1&keywords=Dying+Thoughts+-+Fifth+Secret

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Big City Wall Art

Dear Gentle Readers,
While doing research online for something entirely different, I came across these gorgeous big city wall canvases. I was impressed with the color and detail. 

 Do you have a big wall with nothing on it? I am almost envious of you. Over the years, I've filled up every available wall space in my house. These any beautiful enough to make me want to redecorate! I left as much info on as I could, in case you want to look them up.



Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Reviews for Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life



on October 12, 2013
Echo of Heartbreak: A Recipe for Life, by Carol Ann Kauffman,is a heartwarming story of love and devotion a mother has for her unborn child. Knowing she may not live through the pregnancy or childbirth, she is still determined to bring her child into the world. So she begins to leave a legacy in the form of a journal, filled with tips of how to live a good life and adds recipes from her Italian heritage.

This is an extremely enjoyable story filled with emotion and sentiment. It shows, on every page, the love this mom has for her child, no matter what and plans ahead to teach her child about love and devotion. I also like the way the author enveloped the journal entries and the recipes in between the pages of the story, to tug our heart strings along, every step of the way.(less)
Comment|3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNoReport abuse
on September 6, 2013
This is a wonderful little novella. Carol Ann Kauffman, author of Time After Time series, has written a completely unrelated touching novella. It's letters from a dying mother to her unborn baby. She is leaving her letters on how to live her life, advice on growing up, falling in love. This book is incredibly touching. It's also filled with amazing recipes, that the mother is passing down to her child. Recipes that the family always made.

This little cookbook/ novella is wonderful, touching and a great addition to a kitchen! :)
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Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Owl Photographs by Paul Bannick

Dear Gentle Readers,

An outstanding collection of owl photographs by the wonderful Paul Bannick are presently on exhibit in the Davis Education and Visitor Center at Riverside Fellowship Gardens. 

If you get a chance to visit any day except Monday, when they are closed, you should go!






Paul Bannick is an author and wildlife photographer with a special interest in birds of North America and their habitat. The images here are from his book, The Owl and the Woodpecker, which was published by The Mountaineers Books in 2008. The book was a Washington State Book Award finalist and continues to be a best-selling bird book. 












Paul's photographs showed owls as I never saw them before and came me a new appreciation for their beauty.

I claim nothing here as my own. My photos of his photos culminated a lovely day on the park. Paul's work is important for the environment and the owl species survival. Please follow him at  

                               www.paulbannick.com

Monday, May 8, 2017

Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life: An Excerpt



A Letter to My Unborn Daughter

Hi, Sweetie! 
I’m your mama.  My name is Melina Valentina Rossetti Rosemont.  I’m thirty-three years old.  I’m a geneticist at the Harborton University Hospital.  I work in the Lab.  I am of Italian descent and a married an Englishman, the brilliant and handsome Dr. Ethan John Rosemont, who is a thirty-one year old English Literature professor at Harborton University.  We say the alphabet threw us together, because Harborton University insisted on us sitting alphabetically at all university meetings.  I hope you inherit his thick, gorgeous, blonde wavy hair and tallness and my brown eyes and sense of humor. 
And I have a very serious heart condition.  They say it needs attention yesterday.  But others in my family had the same condition and had full, productive, long lives without submitting to the knife.    So there is a very real possibility, honey, that while you’re on your way into the world, I’m on my way out.  But this is my choice.  Today all we talk about is choice, but usually the choice is to choose not to carry to full term.  That is not the choice I am making.  I choose to do this.  I choose you.
Now, there are a few things I’ve learned along the way to this point in my life, and although I completely give you permission to make your own mistakes, you might want to avoid some of the same ones I made and make a few new and interesting ones of your own!
So, consider this a recipe book.  Yes, I’m going to include some of our favorite family recipes.  But it’s also a recipe for living, for a full and happy life.

1.  It doesn’t matter what others think of you.  It matters what YOU think of you.  Wow!  If I had only figured this one out earlier!  I spent all of my high school and half of my college years trying to fit into a mold that – just didn’t fit me.  
2.  Don’t let anyone tell you that you CAN’T do something, even Ethan Rosemont, your father, unless it’s a safety issue, like running with pointy scissors.  Then you should listen to him.

3.  Love comes in all sizes, shapes, and colors.  Don’t overlook potential best friends or lovers because they are different.  Your father’s grandma didn’t like Italians.  She missed out on knowing and loving a lot of wonderful people with such closed vision.  And a whole lot of great dinner invitations and Christmas eves with the thirteen kinds of fishes, and...

Amazon Link: Echo of Heartbreak http://tinyurl.com/n2eblyu