Wednesday, September 29, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT: The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (Amazon)






I claim nothing here as my own. 
For further information, check these links.

 Links:

Wikipedia - The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5371168/








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Tuesday, September 28, 2021

BOOK: Wait for Me, Time After Time, by Carol Ann Kauffman

 


Can she just pick up a relationship exactly where death stole it away from her so long ago? 

Richard and Nicole. Their everlasting love survived many lifetimes but not without sacrifice and heartache. Their relationship is never easy. After their meeting at the serene place, Blue Lake, it seems in every new lifetime fate keeps them apart until they’re ready to find each other.

When small-town Ohio art teacher Misha Lockhart answered a knock at the door, she instantly recognized her beloved husband from a previous lifetime. Richard MacKenzie traveled from London on a whim to find her. Richard, now known as Mick Kiley, a mild-mannered historian, wants to whisk her away to London. The memories of their everlasting love ignited, and her passion flared, but could she simply leave everything behind? Job. Friends. Husband?

Can she dismiss everything in her present lifetime, no matter how boring and mediocre, for the promise of a dazzling love from the past?

Amazon Buy Link:








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Monday, September 27, 2021

BOOK REVIEW: Siren’s Secret by Debbie Herbert


“ Siren's Secret"  by Debbie Herbert


Siren's Secret by Debbie Herbert is a captivating fast-paced tale of mermaids and murder. Successfully living on land with her relatives, the lovely Shelly becomes embroiled in the hideous crimes of a serial killer and fears she will become his next victim. The multi-layered main characters in the story are credible and lovable. The suspense builds and sustains to a satisfying ending. The ocean and the bayou are a beautiful backdrop to the story. If you are tired of werewolves and vampires, why not give mermaids a chance? I highly recommend "Siren's Secret" to anyone who loves action and adventure. And mermaids.








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Sunday, September 26, 2021

SCHEDULE: September 27 - October 1, 2021


 Mon., Sept. 27 - BOOK REVIEW:
Siren's Secret
by Debbie Herbert

Tues., Sept. 28 - BOOK:
Wait for Me
by Carol Ann Kauffman

Wed., Sept. 29 - ENTERTAINMENT:
The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir
(Amazon)

Thurs., Sept. 30 - ART:
Atomic Kitty
by Parker Kaufman

Fri., Oct. 1 - BOOK:
Belterra and Dark Return
by Carol Ann Kauffman










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Friday, September 24, 2021

BOOK: September Solitude, A Cat Collier Mystery by Carol Ann Kauffman



The Cat Collier mystery short story series is described as a cross between Nancy Drew and Mike Hammer. Follow Mary Catherine (Cat) Collier on her journey from small-town obituary writer for the local newspaper to big New York City detective in this series, starting with January Black Ice.

In her latest adventure September Solitude, Cat Collier, now married with two children, questions what she wants to do with the rest of her life, and where she wants to live.
Tracking down a baby girl given up for adoption over twenty years ago meets with disastrous results.

A midmorning bank heist in a nearby city implicates Nola in an armed robbery.

Old cases collide with new ones in the middle of the lobby of the Palazzo Castellano.

A murder. A runaway. Another secret society.

Personal relationships are tested to the limits.

The Skampotti Family shows Cat what ‘All for Family’ truly means.

Cat feels all alone.


Amazon Link:



September Solitude already has an Amazon Review!

"Way too much stuff going on but a great ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It reads like a big soap opera. Fun short read. When is the next installment?"

Thursday, September 23, 2021

VELLA: 47-O by Carol Ann Kauffman


 Amazon has launched a new way to sandwich some reading into your busy schedule. It's called Vella. Here is what the Kindle Vella Page says: 


Introducing Kindle Vella

Kindle Vella brings you stories released one short episode at a time, available in the Kindle for iOS app and on Amazon.com.

Things to look out for if you're new here:

Follow the stories you like to keep up with the latest from your favorite characters.

When you like an episode, give it a Thumbs Up to let the author and other readers know you liked it.

The first few episodes of every story are always free--after that, purchase Tokens  and redeem them to unlock episodes. Tokens may only be used to unlock Kindle Vella story episodes in the Kindle for iOS app and on Amazon.com.

When you unlock episodes, you will receive one Fave  a week that you can award to the story you're enjoying most that week. We'll feature Top Faved stories so other readers can find them too.


I am a big fan of Amazon Kindle. Will Vella wiggle


it's way into mainstream reading habits? I don't


know. But let's give it a try before we make decision. 


I have two stories completed on Vella, and a third 


one has its premier episode published. 







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Wednesday, September 22, 2021

NOTE FROM CAROL: The Parapet Bridge, Mill Creek Park


Parapet Bridge in Autumn
Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman



Parapet Bridge in Summer
Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman


I love this bridge! It is gorgeous in all seasons. If you are in the NE Ohio area and have the time, make a point to visit Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, Ohio. It is a breath of fresh air and a personal automatic blood pressure lowering location for me. 
There is something about the graceful arch shape of the bridge and the usage and arrangment of the dark, upright boulders that ignites the imagination. It will transport you back in time.  

Photo by Carol Ann Kauffman


 Link: https://www.millcreekmetroparks.org/visit/places/historic-structures-and-sites/









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Tuesday, September 21, 2021

BOOK: The Captain and the Ambassador by Carol Ann Kauffman

 



Ambassador Tull Redmond is looking for a quick ride home back to Earth after ending her twenty-year mission as peace negotiator. All she wants is peace, quiet, and to be left alone. She boards the Earth Starship Giuseppe Verdi with its questionable leader, Captain Ben Jacobs anyway. 

It's the fastest way home. Her quarters has a full bath, a space view window, and a large, real bed! How bad could this rule-breaking, authority-defying Captain Casanova be? High Council hates him, true, but his crew loves him. 

Surely, she's too old and tired to be drawn into this bad boy of the quadrant's personal circus. 

Will Ambassador Redmond get the quiet, uneventful ride home she craves?


Some Amazon Reviews:


"If you love Science Fiction, Romance, Adventure and a cliff hanger out of nowhere, then this book is for you. Carol Ann Kauffman writes clean romance and with her details and your own mind, you don’t need hot and sexy, it’s already there. I love that about her romance novels. She allows me to enjoy the true meaning of the story and lets my imagination do the rest.
This is about two people heading home to Earth. Neither expected love to come into play and neither expected huge trouble from an ex. But when you are told on ship that your spouse has passed away, well that gives you permission to move on, even if it is with the Captain of a spaceship.
Well there is a huge change of events with one going to jail, one being shot out of the garage shoot and one who just wants to be happy with a new life on earth. There is love making in front of a huge window looking out at the vast space and stars. There is vengeance and madness and down right evil. But there is a mystery mixed throughout it all and so many surprises along the way, especially the end.
I love Carol Ann Kauffman’s work and highly recommend her books to everyone!"



"'The Captain and The Ambassador' is an enjoyable blend of science fiction adventure, space-travel and lighthearted romance, with some well-developed mystery and drama woven through the story, infusing it with greater depth and tension.Regardless of the fact that the book is largely set beyond earth, Kauffman demonstrates the universal truths of human nature through her characters. It's easy to see that a character in a book is putting other concerns ahead of those of the heart, but on reflection, the reader understands that this is very often the sort of limitation that an individual puts on oneself for one or more different reasons. It takes only a little empathy for the reader to want the heroes of the story to end up happy, but this also carries the reminder that it's important for each individual, reader included, to choose the life that makes them happy, too. Whether it's because they have enjoyed them or because they haven't, everyone understands the value and importance of acceptance, love, personal freedom and justice, and it is those qualities that make 'The Captain and The Ambassador' a satisfying and enjoyable read."



"Kauffman gives a try at sci-fi and it's an amazing story!

Monday, September 20, 2021

BOOK REVIEW: The Case of the Screaming Beauty by Alison Golden

 


The Case of the Screaming Beauty by Alison Golden was a well written British detective mystery with great characters, a lovely little hotel with beautiful gardens, and a surprise ending. There was no shortage of suspects in the murder of a beautiful woman. This book was the introduction to Police Inspector David Graham, who is immediately likable. I highly recommend.
I’m off to start the next mystery.









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Sunday, September 19, 2021

SCHEDULE: September 20-24, 2021


 Mon., Sept. 20- BOOK REVIEW:
The Case of the Screaming Beauty
by Alison Golden 

Tues., Sept. 21-  BOOK:
The Captain and the Ambassador
by Carol Ann Kauffman

Wed., Sept. 22 - NOTE FROM CAROL:
The Parapet Bridge
Mill Creek Park, NE Ohio

Thurs., Sept. 23- VELLA:
47-O
by Carol Ann Kauffman

Fri., Sept. 24- BOOK:
September Solitude,
A Cat Collier Mystery
by Carol Ann Kauffman








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Friday, September 17, 2021

BOOK: January Black Ice by Carol Ann Kauffman



 January Black Ice, A Romantic Mystery



A strong-willed, sharp-minded woman, Mary Catherine Collier, is a journalist and obituary writer for a local newspaper. When the city’s rich and most influential lawyer, Detrick Bittmor, summons her to his penthouse apartment, she can’t say no. 

Cat, as she’s better known, has a soft spot for the old lawyer with a nasty reputation. There’s something about this man she finds charming.
 
Detrick entrusts her with a puzzling personal matter, he wants to find out who the mysterious young man is who sits on a park bench every day at noon and stares up at his apartment windows. The man resembles a young version of himself, and Detrick suspects that he could be his son from an affair he had many years ago.

He wants to find out the truth because this man could be his only heir.
Somewhat reluctantly, Cat takes on the challenge. 

She befriends the young man. She doesn't expect to fall in love at first sight. And neither of them can imagine they will stumble upon a secret that could put both their lives in danger.

This is the first in a series following a small town woman's journey from obituary writer at a local newspaper to a big city detective in New York City to... 

Ahh, ahh! You'll have to read the books to find out.

Amazon Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AH8EOVA









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Wednesday, September 15, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT: Barney Thomson (Acorn)


I have always liked Richard Carlyle. He was the adorable Scottish Constable in Hamish MacBeth. I happened upon him again in Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School, which was a delightful surprise. 


In Barney Thomson, Carlyle plays a mediocre barber in a dark but comedic story about the events surrounding an accidental death that snowballed out of control. Well written, unusual, and beautifully acted. I highly recommend.






I claim  nothing here as my own. 
References:
Wikipedia
Acorn TV







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Tuesday, September 14, 2021

BOOK: Red Sarah, A Heartfelt Dedication, by Carol Ann Kauffman

 

Red Sarah holds a special place in my heart for a happy/sad convoluted reason. My publisher Books To Go Now sent out a request for short stories with a RED element to bring together into an anthology where we are writers could donate our profits to the American Cancer Fund, in particular the Children's Cancer Hospital.

  


The anthology was called Code: Redhead.  All author proceeds were donated to our special cause and the anthology was well-received. After the first year to year and a half, our author rites were returned. I decided to publish Red Sarah on its own. 


It's a great little story. It combines romance and sci-fi and magic. It's a feel good story. But it is the heartfelt dedication this story carries that makes it so special to me.



DEDICATION

Cancer has touched all of our lives. Each of us knows someone, or loves someone, who has been affected by this horrible disease. My father, my mother, and myself have all had bouts with skin cancer. Luckily, with vigilance and a very good doctor, each instance was caught in time and dealt with effectively.

 

Not so with my favorite aunt, Aunt Rita. My Aunt Rita was the sweetest, most lovable person in the world. She was a beautiful person with a smile that lit up the room. When she married my uncle, she brought such happiness and joy into our family. Active in church and school events, working full time, she still had time to make each one of us feel special. (But I was her favorite.) She was the grounded member of a very volatile Italian family who could always remain calm and focused while the rest of the family was at fever pitch.

 

My aunt was stricken with breast cancer. But treatments back then were not as effective as they are today. She had surgery, post-surgical treatments like chemo, and a lengthy recuperation. It was a long, hard road for her. But she survived it. We all thought she was safe.

Then we heard those suffocatingly terrible words: It spread.

 

Our lives were forever changed with the loss of this sunbeam we called our Aunt Rita. When she left us, she took joy and laughter, sunshine and happiness with her. Our world lost its color and flavor.

 

I dedicate this short story, Red Sarah, to you, my beautiful aunt, Rita Chairmonte Latiano. I love you and I miss you. Hugs, Carol Ann. 









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Monday, September 13, 2021

BOOK REVIEW: The Harry Starke Novels, Book 1 by Blair Howard




Harry Starke, Book 1 by Blair Howard was a well-written private detective story with a great main character, Harry Starke. Harry is his own man and manages to get into some serious situations while solving crimes with his sometimes-girlfriend, Kate the cop. Twists and turns abound with just enough narrative to make the story come to life. I am now a Harry Starke fan and I’m off to read Book 2. I highly recommend this entertaining novel. 








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Sunday, September 12, 2021

SCHEDULE: September 13- 17, 2021


 Mon., Sept. 13 - BOOK REVIEW:
Harry Starke, Book 1
by Blair Howard

Tues., Sept. 14 - BOOK: 
Red Sarah
A Heartfelt Dedication
by Carol Ann Kauffman

Wed., Sept. 15 - ENTERTAINMENT:
Barney Thomson
(ACORN)

Thurs., Sept. 16 - ART:
NYC: Visit the Met!
 
Fri., Sept. 17 - BOOK: 
January Black Ice, A Cat Collier Mystery
by Carol Ann Kauffman







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Friday, September 10, 2021

BOOK: 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?





Dear Gentle Readers,

I wrote the beginning of Charming Deception on my phone while on our second honeymoon in Clearwater Beach, Florida. 

Our hotel was the Sheraton Resort on beautiful the Sand Key. On our honeymoon, our hotel was the only one around, surrounding by the most gorgeous white-sand beach. I promised my husband this would be a non-working vacation, just us and sun and sand. Well, you get it. I brought nothing to write on or with. 

But I awoke in the middle of the night. I felt out of sync.Too many mojitos? It was pitch black. I was in an unfamiliar room. The night sky through the spacious glass doors was incredibly beautiful, but also unfamiliar. I felt lost in the vista before me. 

I was jarred back to reality by a loud snore emitting from a naked lump next to me in the bed - my sweet husband. 

And that's basically the beginning of the book. The cover is a photo I took from the steps going down to the beach from the back of the hotel at sunset. 

Here is the beginning of Charming Deception


 


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…Beebee…C. Cianna… Carrie…Carol, no. 

Hmm. 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 solitaire 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…Iona. J…Janie…K… Katie. L…Louise. M…M…Mary…Mena.

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.



Amazon Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2Q7HOT







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