Friday, November 6, 2020

BOOK: Red Sarah by Carol, Ann Kauffman




Sarah is a beautiful redhead who works for a special agency that fixes broken timelines and rescues historically significant people who are in trouble. 

She has a special set of skills that allow her to 'tap' someone out of a dangerous situation. Her present assignment is to find and rescue a prince whose son eliminates hunger and disease on his island nation. 

“Save the Prince; save the King; and save the Reds. In doing so, Red Sarah may just save herself, who knows, but what might be the cost? Moving from modern day wisecrackery to a time of romance long ago, Carol Ann Kauffman’s tale is filled with majesty and bravery. This time travel story is a gift for all.” - Amazon Review 



“Sarah has one job and that is to rescue Crown Prince Lucas of Mist from captivity in a dungeon. Yet everything is not as it seems and will Sarah be able to stop an upcoming war? 
This was an interesting book about time travel and trying not to disrupt the time continuum. I liked Sarah and it was interesting on where her and Lucas ended up.” 
-Amazon Review  






Excerpt:


Chapter One

Look What I Found in the Dungeon



Sarah approached the lifeless figure huddled on the floor. The prisoner was shackled to the wall in the small, dark, damp cell. She reached down toward his throat to make sure he was still alive.
“No,” he growled as he pulled away from her.
“Shh,” whispered Sarah. “I come to help you, not to hurt you. But you must be quiet. I cannot be detected in here.”
“They will kill you… or worse,” he whispered, “for trying to help me. I am not some poor unfortunate soul. Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Yes, I do. You are Crown Prince Lucas of the Mist Kingdom in the highland of LaMere. Let me touch your neck.” 
He moved toward her as much as he could. 
She gently touched his bearded neck. “You are very warm, Prince Lucas. I fear you have the fever.”
“I am Prince Lucas, yes, but not the Crown Prince. My eldest brother Marcus is the Crown Prince and heir to the throne of the Mist Kingdom. I wield no power, here or in the highland. If you help me, I can do nothing for you in return. Leave this rotten stink hole at once. You only put yourself in extreme danger. There is nothing you can do for me.”

“Oh, really?” Sarah laughed as she put a small flask to his lips. He sipped, then swallowed and sighed.
“Ahh, good. Thank you,” he whispered. “What is that?”
“Herb and honey infused whiskey. It will induce a deep and heavy sleep. If you are chained to the wall in here, you may as well get some rest.” Sarah gave him more of the strong, sweet liquid. “Sleep now, Prince Lucas. I will return tomorrow night, when the guards are fast asleep. I will bring you bread and cheese. Is there something else you crave?”

“Freedom from these bloody chains. A bath. Warmth. Clothing. Sunshine. Strawberries.”

“Strawberries, I can do. And maybe something for the fever.”
“Why? Why do you chance danger to bring me real food and medicine?” Lucas eyed her warily.


“Because you need to regain your strength if I am to help you escape.”
“Escape?” squealed Lucas with a surprisingly hearty laugh for a man in his depleted condition. “Are you daft?”
“Shh,” whispered Sarah. “Be quiet.”
Lucas nodded.
“You have quite the sense of humor, lovely one,” whispered Lucas. “I am chained to the wall in a filthy dungeon in the miserable, hellish depths of Marlow Castle. There is no escape for me. And where would I go? I am too weak to even make it to the drawbridge, let alone up the rugged terrain of the mountainside. I am alone. My people have abandoned me. And, in case you did not notice, this cell is locked.”
“So then… how did I get in here?” Sarah smiled.
The prince looked around in confusion.
“Now, close your eyes.”
Lucas closed his eyes.
Sarah disappeared.

The next night, Sarah appeared in the locked cell once again. “Is there anyone in here who is hungry for real food?” she whispered to the sleepy prince.
“Ahh, there you are!” He smiled at her. “When I awoke refreshed from my deep and restful sleep, I was not sure if you were real or simply a lovely vision of my imagination.”
“I assure you, I am real. Here,” she handed him a small cloth pouch with berries and pieces of bread and cheese and a flask of water. 
“I am most grateful,” said Lucas, “although I do not know why you do this.” Lucas lifted the cloth pouch to his nose and inhaled. “Smells wonderful.” He picked a strawberry from the pouch and ate it. “This is the best thing I have tasted since...since…”


 Amazon Link:

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RED SARAH!





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Thursday, November 5, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT: Enola Holmes (Netflix)

 


Dear Gentle Readers,
I couldn’t wait to see this! Milly Bobby Brown from Stranger Things AND Henry Cavil in the same movie. Throw in a little Helena Bonham Carter to the mix. Add a delightfully written and produced story where Sherlock Holmes has a little sister, who may turn out to be the best detective yet. 

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Rumor has it a sequel or spin off or some such Hollywood device is in the works. I hope so. If you get a chance to watch Enola Holmes, do! On Netflix now.

Stay safe.
Hugs,
Carol









References:
Wikipedia
Netflix
RogerEbert.com






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Wednesday, November 4, 2020

INTERVIEW:Humorous Author, Developmental Editor, and On-line Course Creator Stacy Juba,

 

Stacy Juba
Massachusetts
USA 


Good morning, Stacy, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for art and authors and those who love them.  I have enjoyed your online classes in self- editing. Because of you, my writing has improved. I've eliminated many useless words and broken my addiction to the word and, almost.  Can you tell us a little about what you've written?

I’ve written the chick lit/sweet romance novels Fooling Around With Cinderella and Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty (Storybook Valley 1 and 2), the mystery novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim, the young adult supernatural thriller Dark Before Dawn, and the young adult ice hockey novels Face-Off and Offsides. I’ve also published a patriotic children’s picture book called The Flag Keeper about the U.S. flag code, as well as the Teddy Bear Town Children’s Bundle.

In addition to writing fiction, I’m a longtime journalist and have written over 3,000 articles for newspapers, magazines, and blogs. 

 

What is your favorite genre to write? 

That has evolved over the years, but right now, I’m really enjoying writing chick lit as it’s lighthearted and humorous. 


Favorite food. 

Spaghetti and meatballs

 

You are my kind of person! We could have linch and talk books. 

Tea or coffee? 

Tea



Pizza or ice cream? 

Pizza

 

Wine or beer? 

Wine


Where would you like to visit?

Hawaii





Oh, go! Go now. I loved Hawaii. Spend some time on one of the smaller islands away from the touristy spots to enjoy some true Hawaiian paradise after you are done with Waikiki, Diamond Head, and the Hawaiian shirt factory. Go to a luau. Eat all kinds of strange things you would never eat at home. 

Favorite musical artist.  

Bon Jovi

 

Do you listen to music when you write?  What? 

Not while I write, but I listen to music while I do chores such as laundry. I listen to a lot of 1980s hard rock. I like it quiet while I write.

 

What makes you laugh? 

Watching a funny comedian on TV with my husband

 

This is an Art and Author site, so I am obligated to ask: Favorite work of art or sculpture. 

A painting of Paris that my husband and I impulsively bought from a vendor near the Arc de Triomphe on our honeymoon. It was on a rolled-up canvas, and now it is hanging framed in our dining room.

 

That is so romantic... I love it. How old were you when you started writing? 

I started writing in third grade, so I was about nine.

 

Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write? 

I plan with extensive outlines. Often the outline evolves, and I’ll update it, but I always write with a plan.




Describe your perfect evening. 

Eating takeout with my family, playing a board game together, taking a walk, having some time to read and relax, and then watching TV with my husband.


 

Where do you get your inspiration? 

Most recently, I was inspired by my love of theme parks like Disney World. Visiting them with my family inspired me to create my fictional Storybook Valley fairy tale theme park. For other books, I’ve been inspired by my interest in ice hockey, my interest in psychics and intuition, my childhood love of mystery novels, and past jobs like working as a newspaper editorial assistant and reporter.

 

What do you do when you get a writer's block? 

I’ll take a walk or do another form of exercise to clear my head. Sometimes I’ll take a day or two off. Usually the words will start flowing once I’m not trying so hard.

 

Who is your favorite author? 

Sophie Kinsella

 

Best book you ever read. 

My all-time favorite book is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. It was such a big part of my adolescence, as I read it over and over again, and I don’t think another book will ever replace it in my heart.

 

Last book you read.

American Royals by Katharine McGee

 

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer? 

I studied exercise science in college and was considering working with cardiac rehabilitation patients or pursuing a degree in physical therapy.

 

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? 

My parents fostered my love of reading. My mom and I used to walk down to the library, and I was always excited to pick out books. They took me to lots of bookstores also. Without my love of reading, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

 

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why? 

I’d love to talk to J.K. Rowling and find out how she kept track of all the details in the Harry Potter series and how much of it was outlined in advance.

 


What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer? 

I’m also a freelance developmental editor and creator of online courses for writers, and my motto is “Let’s make editing simple.” A lot of new writers spend several hundred dollars, or even over a thousand, on hiring an editor for a draft that has many basic beginner problems. They don’t realize  their book will need multiple rounds of editing that they probably won’t be able to afford. I encourage writers to improve their self-editing skills so that they can learn how to make their draft as strong as possible on their own. Then when they do hire an editor, it will be for a much stronger draft and they’ll get much more value for their money. 

 

Do you have some links for us to follow you?


Websites for readers: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/ and http://hockeyrivalsbooks.com

 

For writers: http://www.shortcutsforwriters.com

Shortcuts for Writers: Editing Made Simple Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shortcutsforwriters/

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Juba/100155471301

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjuba

 

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stacy_juba/

 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYrgMQBA-1VkSyLxE_Itcaw











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Tuesday, November 3, 2020

BOOK REVIEW: Duality by Ica Iova



At twenty-eight, Romanian army wife, DIANA ANDREI, has everything that means stability and security—a career, a loving family, a roof over her head and food on her table.But when her husband and two other men team up and escape to the West, they plunge their wives into a foreign reality brimming with secret police, then entwine their fates amongst culture shock, language barrier, betrayal, and loss while struggling to start over in Canada. Inspired by a true story, Duality offers a window in the lives of those who experience racism and alienation while struggling to find their paths in life.


 Duality by Ica Iova is the story of a Romanian woman, Diana, and her life as the wife of a soldier, daughter of farmers, mother of two, and immigrant to Canada. When her husband decides to make a run for it to North America, Diana’s well-ordered life is reduced to shambles. The plight of an immigrant family is detailed in this touching, heartbreaking, sometimes political journey toward a better life in North America. Diana’s journey, full of triumph and heartbreak, is well written with characters that are hard to forget. This story of the plight of migrant families should be mandatory reading for anyone who thinks he knows it all. 


Buy link:




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Sunday, November 1, 2020

SCHEDULE: November 2 - 6, 2020


 Mon., November 2 - ART:
Polish Street Artist
Nespoon
Tues., November 3 - BOOK REVIEW:
Duality 
by Ica Iova
Wed., November 4 - INTERVIEW:
Humorous Author.
Developmental Editor, and
On-line Course Creator
Stacy Juba
Thurs., November 5 - ENTERTAINMENT:
Enola Holmes 
(Netflix)
Fri., November 6 - BOOK:
Red Sarah
by Carol Ann Kauffman







VISIONANDVERSEDISCLAIMER:

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Vision and Verse does not use cookies. We do not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties.