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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ENTERTAINMENT: Lost in Space (Netflix)

 

My initial reaction was "Well, it's no June Lockhart-Guy Williams version of Lost in Space" but it was better than the movie. The cinematography, of course, is out of this world. The storylines are outrageously good. I liked the Robot immediately. It took me a long time to warm up to the new Maureen Robinson (mom) and John (dad), but I did. Don West (Ignacio Serricchio) and his pet chicken Debbie were marvelous from Day One. Parker Posey as Dr. Smith is devilishly bad. Maxwell Jenkin's version of Will Robinson was well acted, but he left me cold. He seemed to be mis-cast. The more episodes I watched, the more I came to love this flawed, wacky Robinson family, and by the end of Season Two, I was sad to hear there will be no Season Three. I hope "they" (grrr-rr) change their mind. 

Also I changed my mind on Will Robinson. Even though he was not the little blonde cutie I was looking for, Maxwell Jenkin's is one talented actor who did an amazing job. 

  

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INTERVIEW: Women's Fiction AuthorJoy Lyn Goddard

 Joy Lynn Goddard

Belleville, Ont., Canada

Good morning, Joy, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for Art and Authors and those who love them. Can you tell us a little about what you've written?

When teaching full time, I used my experiences in elementary classrooms to write junior and young adult fiction for reluctant readers, especially teen boys. They liked my Northview Tales Series along with the books that followed as each contains sports, adventure, and coming-of-age themes with an element of danger. My characters are composites of the many students I taught from the “weirdo” to the “jock” to the “brain.” Teachers from across Canada (and in some regions of the States) continue to tell me their students recognize themselves in the characters and are eager to read the books.

 

More recently, I’ve been writing a teen/teacher blog, teaching a creative writing course for adults, and have teamed up with my husband, Dan, to create contemporary adult fiction. It has been a lot of fun. 

 

Our latest books: Buyers, Liars, Sellers and Yellers, and Moonshadow. The Keepers will be published this spring.

 MoonShadowTrailer_May20_upload.mp4  

 

 

What is your favorite genre to write?

Women’s Upmarket Fiction, a combination of literary and genre writing. 

 

Favorite food.

Potatoes! In any form

 

Tea or coffee?

Tea

 

 

Pizza or ice cream?

Ice cream with maple syrup

 

 

Wine or beer?

Wine 

 

 

Where would you like to visit?

Ireland

 

 

Favorite musical artist. 

Michael Bublé  

 

I love him! Do you ever listen to music when you write?

Never. I’m in the Zone with just white noise.

 

What makes you laugh?

Slice-of-life anecdotes 

 

 

Favorite work of art or sculpture.

The Red Maple by A.Y. Jackson

 

 

How old were you when you started writing?

I was twenty-two. I was a journalist for a few years before becoming a teacher.

 

 

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

I outline, structure, and know the ending of a book before I start to write it. I’m not a fly-by-the-seat-of-my pantser. 

 

 

Describe your perfect evening.

Dinner with friends and family at a swanky restaurant overlooking the water. No masks, no distancing. 

 

 

Soon, my lovely, I hope. Where do you get your inspiration?

Books. Movies. Slice-of-life moments. Everywhere, every day. 

 

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

I go for a long walk or play chess.

 

 

Who is your favorite author?

This is a difficult question. I like many famous authors and love discovering the hidden gems. I like Gillian Flynn, Stephen King, Linwood Barkley, Liane Moriarty. Most of all, though, Jodi Picoult.

Best book you ever read.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

 

 

Last book you read.

The book of two ways by Jodi Picoult

 

 

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

If not a fiction writer, I would like to be an international journalist. But if I weren’t a writer . . . hmmmmm . . . Nope, I can’t think of anything. 

 

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

My father, a WWll veteran. Although disabled from the war, he had a wonderful, positive outlook on life. When life gets tough, I think of him and give my head a shake. 

 

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

Charles Dickens. I’d love to meet the person behind the famous author. 

 

 

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

I’m sure an aspiring writer has heard this many times before . . . but READ, READ, READ, if you want to write. 

 

 

Do you have some links for us to follow you?

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Joy-Lynn-Goddard/e/B07T6BYJ5L

 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1814169.Joy_Lynn_Goddard

 

https://twitter.com/JoyLynnGoddard

 

https://www.facebook.com/joy.goddard.16

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Moonshadow-Joy-Lynn-Goddard-ebook/dp/B07VM6YT2Y/

Dear Gentle Readers,

My review of Joy's Moonshadow  on Vision and Verse can be found here:

https://visionandverse.blogspot.com/2020/03/book-review-moonshadow-by-joy-lynn.html

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BOOK REVIEW: Sweet Masterpiece by Connie Shelton

Sweet Masterpiece by Connie Shelton was a cozy mystery with a touch of romance, murder, magic, and cake decorating. The story moved quickly along as a woman with dreams of opening her own bakery cleans out abandoned houses to make ends meet. The two main characters, Sam and Beau, were good characters, but the others just blended into the background. Cute little story.

USA Today bestselling author Connie Shelton introduces her most delightful cozy mystery series yet—with a little romance, a little magic and a whole lot of chocolate! With nearly 2 million books sold and downloaded in more than 110 countries, see what the fuss is all about!

Samantha Sweet breaks into houses for a living. But when she encounters a dying woman in one such house and a backyard grave at another, handsome deputy Beau Cardwell shows up and—well, things get complicated.

A small mural painted inside a closet in the abandoned house provides clues and Sam is caught up in Beau’s investigation. A fortune in artwork, a bogus will, and a wooden box that seems to give Sam powers she never dreamed she possessed— it all adds up to a dynamic paranormal romantic mystery.

Then, there is all that chocolate! Sam's real goal in life is to use her elegant baking skills to open her own pastry shop, Sweet's Sweets. She's gaining quite the reputation as a baker with a magical touch, but a few obstacles stand in her way. Her grown daughter shows up on her doorstep—jobless and homeless; her bank account is at an all-time low; and trying to work from the tiny cramped kitchen in her home is becoming impossible. 

Somehow, Sam copes and she finds that her dreams might just have a chance of coming true. 

Amazon Buy Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Masterpiece-Mystery-Samantha-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00413QQ1E/ref=sr_1_1?crid=MHIB4UD69IXL&dchild=1&keywords=sweet+masterpiece+by+connie+shelton+kindle+book&qid=1611164652&s=digital-text&sprefix=Sweet+Masterpiece%2Cdigital-text%2C166&sr=1-1

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

ART: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio

The Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, is the crown jewel on Northeast Ohio. It is the beautiful, inspiring, ever-changing, and vibrant heart of the community.

Nestled on the Wade Oval Lagoon, the museum is gorgeous in every season. The Cleveland Museum of Art  was founded in 1913 as a public trust.  

ARTLENS Gallery is series of interactive displays and mobile apps allowing you to view and interact with the museum's vast digitized collection. ARTLENS is divided into four sections.

1. The ARTLENS Wall - a 40-foot display wall shows all the works displayed at the museum and some that aren't.

2. The ARTLENS Exhibition - a rotating collection of artworks with related games and activities to draw in the viewing audience.

3. The ARTLENS Studio - a series of digital studios where visitors can try their hand at creating their own artwork using the museum's collection as inspiration. 

4. The ARTLENS Mobile Application - a guide providing information on the museum itself and all of its artwork.

The Cleveland Museum of Art also conducts a series of films and public appearances relating to the Arts.   

 This statue is in my current Work-in-Progress called Raymond Layton, Man of Mystery. The two main characters in my story met in front of the Thinker. Here's a sneak peek. (Scene: Raymond is being interrogated by the bad guys.)

“As far as my wife, leave her alone. She knows nothing about all this. I met her at the  Cleveland Museum of Art in  Cleveland, Ohio, on Wade Park Oval on the east side of town.  She was fascinated by the 1916 cast of the Thinker by Auguste Rodin the entrance. I was fascinated by her.

 I walked up to her and said, “This is nice, but I’ve always preferred his ‘The Kiss’. And she said, ‘Well, I think I’ll stick with this one because I’ve spent much more time in my life thinking than kissing.’ And I said, ‘Oh, that’s too bad. Maybe we can fix that.’ She let out the sweetest giggle I ever heard. And I was hooked."

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SCHEDULE: April 5 - 9, 2021

Geneva on the Lake, Ohio   Photo by CAKauffman

Mon., April 5 - ART:

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, OH

Tues., April 6 - BOOK REVIEW:

Sweet Masterpiece

by Connie Shelton

Wed., April 7 - INTERVIEW:

Women's Fiction Author

Joy Goddard

Thurs., April 8 - ENTERTAINMENT:

Lost in Space

(Netflix)

Fri., April 9 - BOOK:

Charming Deception

by Carol Ann Kauffman

VISIONANDVERSEDISCLAIMER:

Note:

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