Maggie's Turn by Deanna Lynn Sletten (4.5 stars) -- Review & First Chapter Reveal

About Maggie's Turn

Maggie Harrison is a devoted wife and mother, always putting the needs of her family ahead of her own. Then, one day, without planning to, she drives away, leaving behind an indifferent husband and two sulking teenagers. Maggie goes off on a quest of self-exploration, enjoying adventures, meeting new people, and rediscovering her passions. For the first time in years, she dreams about what she wants out of life, and she realizes that her deteriorating marriage can no longer continue as it is. Can she and Andrew repair their floundering relationship, or is their marriage over?

Andrew Harrison likes his life to be in perfect order. He enjoys his work and status in the community, leaving Maggie to take care of everything at home. He knows his marriage isn’t perfect, but after twenty-three years and two kids, whose marriage is? When Maggie leaves without a word, he is forced to start paying more attention to his home life and his almost grown children, and he begins to do a little self-exploration of his own. Slowly, he begins to understand what drove Maggie away, and how important she is in his life. Is it too late to resolve their differences and save their marriage? Or will Andrew lose Maggie forever?

Purchase your copy at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Author: Deanna Lynn Sletten
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 246
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1491277289
ISBN-13: 978-1491277287

Review

Maggie Harrison gives everything to her family and friends. So much so, that she forgets to take care of herself. When she reaches her breaking point, as much a surprise to her as everyone else, she takes off and keeps going.

Her husband, Andrew, is initially blindsided. But once his anger begins to fade and he sees everything crumbling without his wife, he realizes he's about to lose the best thing that has ever happened to him. But is he too late?

Although a simple story, one that doesn't requite twists and turns and shock value, Maggie's Turn packs an emotional punch. It really spoke to me. As a reader, I can't predict where other people are when they read something, but I was in a place to really immerse myself in Maggie's life. Character-driven stories appeal to me, especially when I care about what happens to them.

Sometimes a real story, one with everyday feelings and emotions, is like a warm chocolate chip cookie for the soul. Maggie's Turn is that story. At least, I can honestly say it touched my heart and reminded me to live every day to its fullest.

Rating: 4.5 stars

First Chapter Reveal

It had not been a good morning at the Harrison household. At least not for Maggie. Her nineteen-year-old son, Kyle, had slept in late, which meant he was late showering and would be late to one of the four college courses he was intent upon failing. Because he was running behind, her fourteen-year-old daughter, Kaia, was late getting ready for school, which meant Maggie’s husband, Andrew, had to rush to shower for work. And, of course, Maggie had to rush too since she was always the last person to use the bathroom.

Kaia was pouting and stomping around, because she’d wanted to get to school early to “hang” with her friends. Kyle rolled his eyes as he went out the door to his rusted pickup truck, mumbling that it really didn’t matter if he made it to class or not. And Andrew ran through his schedule with Maggie as he rushed out the door to work.

“Remember, I have a seven o’clock meeting tonight, so make sure dinner is on time so I’m not late,” he instructed Maggie and was gone a second later.

All Maggie had time for was one long sigh as she slipped a light sweater over her head, pulled on khaki pants, and grabbed her short, red wool jacket and purse, then ran out the door, hoping Kaia wouldn’t be late for school.

Maggie stole a glance at her sulking daughter as she maneuvered her minivan through the morning traffic. Kaia was a pretty girl with long, thick auburn hair and brilliant blue eyes. Her clear skin was still lightly tanned from summer vacation. She’d be even prettier, Maggie thought, if she’d smile once in a while. Maggie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Kaia smile. Or joke, or tease. It seemed, in one instant, she’d gone from a happy, young girl to a sulking teenager. But Maggie couldn’t complain. Despite Kaia’s constant irritation with her, she was a good student, had nice friends, and wasn’t a troublemaker. Maggie knew she was fortunate for that. Both her children had turned out to be decent people, if not a little confused about life. But who wasn’t confused at their ages? Fourteen and nineteen weren’t easy. Maggie tried to understand and give them room to figure things out, but sometimes, it was so difficult. Kyle had gone from a high school honor graduate to a flunking college student, and he didn’t seem to care one bit. All he seemed to enjoy was his part-time job at the local motorcycle shop. Seven-fifty an hour seemed fine to him. He had no financial obligations other than keeping gas in his pickup and going out with friends. Maggie sometimes wondered how he thought he’d make it on his own without a decent education, but she forced herself not to obsess over it. She had so many other things she could choose to worry about.

The traffic was heavy despite the fact that Woodroe was a small, northern Minnesota town of about twenty thousand people. Maggie couldn’t help but sigh again as she followed the parade of parents in minivans and SUVs in a rush to drop their children off at school. It was only the third week of school, and she was already tired of the morning traffic in and out of the much-too-small middle school parking lot. There was no doubt at all in Maggie’s mind, parents in minivans and SUVs were the worst drivers on the planet. She found herself in near-accidents at least three times daily upon entering or driving through the parking lot. Everyone had somewhere better to be and needed to get there faster than the next person. It was the same old story, year after year.

Maggie followed the other parents in the long line entering the parking lot, waiting her turn to drop Kaia off at the front entrance. Country music blared from the minivan’s speakers—Kaia’s choice. Maggie always let Kaia choose the music when they rode together. It was much easier than fighting over the radio. Soon enough, Maggie would be able to pop in the CD of her choice as she headed home.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t get here earlier,” Maggie offered, as they pulled up in front of the school and stopped.

“Whatever,” Kaia said under her breath, as she gathered her book bag and tennis racket. “Remind Dad to pick me up after tennis practice tonight,” were her last words before slamming the van’s door and stalking off. She didn’t give her mother time to say goodbye or even wish her a good day.

Maggie tried not to take it personally, but her heart felt heavy as she turned AM to CD on the stereo and listened to Bob Seger sing “Roll Me Away”, a song about escaping down a western highway on his big two-wheeler. Maggie had bought the CD on a whim two weeks ago, remembering how much she’d loved listening to Seger years ago, before marriage, before kids, and before life took control of her instead of the other way around. His music had a freeing effect, and she’d been listening to it continuously ever since.

Maggie dutifully followed the line of cars out of the parking lot to go home. She was relieved she didn’t have to work today. Three days a week, she worked at a group home with developmentally challenged adults. It was gratifying working with her challenged friends, and she enjoyed it, but sometimes, it was exhausting meeting their needs all day, then going home to care for the needs of her family. Lately, she’d felt overwhelmed by it all—home, work, Andrew, and the kids. There never seemed to be a break in everyone’s needs and wants.

Once, a long time ago, Maggie had dreamt of being a professional photographer and owning her own shop, where she could sell photos and artwork by area artists. When she and Andrew were newlyweds, they’d talked about this often, and Andrew had said that once they were settled and had some money, it might be a possibility. But the years went by, and Maggie became so enveloped in the children’s lives, and in Andrew’s, that her dreams had been put on the backburner, long forgotten. Today, though, as Maggie sat in traffic behind other mothers and fathers leaving the middle school, she thought about her old dreams and wondered if they would ever come true.

As the music played and traffic crawled along, she let her mind drift back to the morning rush at home. Andrew hadn’t kissed her goodbye. Not even a peck on the cheek. When was the last time he had? She really couldn’t remember. Was it a year ago, two years ago? The heaviness in her chest swelled. Their relationship had changed greatly in the twenty-three years they’d been married. She remembered back to when they first began dating in college in Seattle, Washington. He’d moved there for school to experience something different from his small-town upbringing. Her father had been stationed there at a military base. Andrew had been a communications major, and she’d majored in art, focusing on photography. He’d been very conservative then, but her impulsive nature had brought out the fun side in him. She’d planned trips on a whim, dragging him along with her and her camera to rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, and romantic parks on Puget Sound. Sometimes, they drove to Lake Tahoe and stayed the weekend without even a second thought. She made him promise on the day they married that they would always allow a little wanderlust in their lives, no matter how conventional they became. And she’d believed him when he said they would.

Maggie pulled up and stopped at the red light where she was to turn north to go home. She hit the back button on the stereo to once again play “Roll Me Away”. She didn’t switch her right blinker on to signal her turn. She just sat there, looking straight ahead. The lane headed west, just as Bob said he was doing in the song. West, across the plains, over the mountains, to the ocean. She glanced at the back seat, where her Cannon camera lay in its case. Beside it, her laptop computer also sat. Wouldn’t it be fun, just for a little while, to drive a different direction and take a few snapshots? Just a few miles, not too far, not for too long. Maggie’s heavy heart lightened at the thought, and a smile lit up her blue eyes. North or west? One direction meant home, the other, adventure. North or west?
The light changed to green, and Maggie didn’t give it another thought. She turned up her stereo, smiled wide, and said out loud to no one but herself, “Roll me away.” And she rolled clean out of sight.

To read more, please visit here.

About the Author

Deanna Lynn Sletten writes women’s fiction and romance novels that dig deeply into the lives of the characters, giving the reader an in-depth look into their hearts and souls. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.

Deanna’s romance novel, Memories, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Indie Books of 2012. Her novel, Sara’s Promise, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Indie Books of 2013 and a finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Her latest book is the contemporary women’s fiction, Maggie’s Turn.

Visit Deanna at her website at www.deannalsletten.com. Or, you can connect via Twitter and Facebook.

Please visit other stops on the Maggie's Turn blog tour page.

 

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Note: I received a complimentary copy from Pump Up Your Book for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

Alyssa McCarthy's Magical Missions: From Frights to Flaws by Sunyana Prasad

About Alyssa McCarthy's Magical Missions: From Frights to Flaws

Twelve-year-old Alyssa McCarthy can no longer stand the toughness of her uncle and wants a better life. But one day she discovers not only the existence of magic, but also a villain hunting her down. The villain uses magic and magical technology to kidnap Alyssa to the Fiji Islands. As much as she wants to go home, she has to face some dangerous challenges first. Not only that, the villain himself must also be defeated. Can Alyssa succeed, even with the help of her mentors? 

 

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Author: Sunayna Prasad
Publisher: FriesenPress (August 22, 2013)
Pages: 216
 

First Chapter

 

The sound of the rain banging against the window distracted Alyssa from washing her lunch dishes. She stared out the window and watched every drop. What better way to spend a Thursday noon than to wash dishes? No hard work involved—just looking out the window.

 

Gone were the happy days of living in her uncle’s house. No more family fun. No more sweets and desserts. Just a structured life of strict and unfair rules. Alyssa longed for a normal and better life—the kind she’d lived before her parents had died in a car crash five years ago. She wanted to be like many children her age, but when would it happen? Not any time soon.

 

 Unless… she could find her godfather’s phone number and call him without her uncle knowing. One of the rules here was that all phone calls had to be earned unless there was an important reason to call someone. She hadn’t talked to her godfather ever since she’d also lost her aunt three years ago. She had never been able to find his number nor had she ever succeeded at convincing her uncle to let her talk to him. But she still remembered how sweet, fun, and caring he’d been. He even could be her legal guardian since her parents had designated him as one. If she could find his number and ask about moving in with him, her life would be happier.

 

 But now something didn’t seem right with the raindrops, which took Alyssa’s mind off of her godfather. They turned grayish blue. Huh? How could that be? That broke the laws of nature. Too distract her more, though, the blue deepened into a dark grayish blue. What could be going on?

 

 The rain now turned black, looking as if ink fell from the sky. Alyssa leaned closer, squinting her eyes to determine the shapes it formed on the window. The rain formed—letters. What? No. That was impossible. But then a message formed as the rain plopped on other parts of the window. What could be causing this? Nature couldn’t be changing its laws, right?

 

 The message finished putting itself together. Alyssa gasped at what it said.

 

Your life will never be the same, Alyssa McCarthy, as magic will interfere.

 

 What the heck—magic? Alyssa had never believed in magic. She’d even been told at a very young age that magic didn’t exist. But was now the time to change her views on reality? Was now the time to start believing in magic? Who could’ve done all that? No one on Orion Street was a wizard—at least Alyssa had thought that ever since she’d moved here, right after her parents’ deaths.

 

 Turning around, she saw her babysitter, Mrs. Hutchinson, examine the kitchen floor as her eleven-year-old cousin, Hailey, watched, since she had mopped the floor. Would Hailey get a break now? Ever since her uncle, Bruce, had hired Mrs. Hutchinson, she’d liked the way Hailey had done her chores better than Alyssa.

 

 “Hailey, you can take a break until your next chore,” said Mrs. Hutchinson. “Alyssa, get back to work. You’ve been staring at the rain for too long.”

 

 “Okay.” Alyssa turned back—only to see the message gone and the rain back to its normal transparency. What?

 

 “What did I say?” asked Mrs. Hutchinson.

 

 Alyssa sighed. “Fine, I’ll finish washing the dishes.” She scrubbed her dish and glass with dishwashing soap under warm, running water. Her eyes focused on those and that was it. No way would she want Mrs. Hutchinson to catch her looking out the window again. Even though Mrs. Hutchinson was only in her sixties, she had the irritability of a ninety-year-old. But it had taken Hailey and Alyssa a while to realize that she wouldn’t even tolerate the mildest kind of nonsense, such as getting distracted by a windowpane when having to wash dishes.

 

 After she finished washing her dishes, Alyssa put them to the side and grabbed some paper towels to dry them.

 

 “What do you think you’re doing?” Mrs. Hutchinson asked.

 

 Alyssa stopped. “I’m just—”

 

 “The last few times I was here, you’d left little bits of food on your dishes,” Mrs. Hutchinson reminded her.

 

 “But they were stuck.”

 

 “Let me inspect them. Also, if something is rubbery, you have to wash it again.”

 

 “Why?”

 

 “Because clean dishes aren’t supposed to be rubbery. And boy, did you do such a sloppy job! Look at that stain on your sweater.”

 

 Alyssa looked down.

 

 “That looks like chocolate,” said Mrs. Hutchinson.

 

 Alyssa blushed and arched her eyebrows. Washing dishes was no slice of peach cobbler. Yet Mrs. Hutchinson just had to embarrass her as if she were a messy five-year-old child.

 “Hey—it’s just water,” Alyssa said, covering the stain at the bottom of her sweater’s V-neck with her hand.

 

 But Mrs. Hutchinson held up her index finger. “Don’t you ‘hey’ me, Alyssa,” she warned, waving her finger. “That’s very rude. In my days kids respected their elders. We never would dare talk to them that way unless we didn’t mind them smacking our bottoms.”

 

 “Things change,” said Alyssa.

 

 “Yeah, yeah,” said Mrs. Hutchinson. “Let me do my inspection.”

 

 Great—an inspection! How long would Mrs. Hutchinson take? She might take a couple of minutes, or maybe twenty minutes. Alyssa crossed her arms and tapped her foot. She wanted her break now. She wanted to read, rest, do a small craft—anything but wait for Mrs. Hutchinson to finish her silly inspection.

 

 “Mrs. Hutchinson,” Alyssa started.

 

 “Whatever you need to say, wait till I’m done,” she insisted.

 

 Alyssa sighed. She continued to watch Mrs. Hutchinson run her finger down the middle of the front of the dish. She then rubbed it back and forth. When she put it down and nodded, Alyssa figured out that that the dish had nothing on it.

 

 After a few minutes of running her finger down the glass, Mrs. Hutchinson put it down and turned to Alyssa. “You’re good. Now what did you want to tell me?”

 

 “Um… if I tell you, can you not give me a hard time?”

 

 “Okay.”

 

 “There was writing on the window.”

 

 Mrs. Hutchinson pursed her lips and tilted her head, as if Alyssa had spoken Ancient Chinese. “Writing?”

 

 “Yeah.”

 

 “Nonsense,” said Mrs. Hutchinson.

 

 “No, really, it was there,” Alyssa said.

 

 “There was nothing here when I came, and there’s nothing there right now. So don’t tell me stories.”

 

 “But it’s not a story.”

 

 “I don’t want to hear any more,” said Mrs. Hutchinson.

 

 “Now it’s time for your next chore.”

 

 “Aw, but I wanted my break,” said Alyssa.

 

 “Too bad,” said Mrs. Hutchinson. “You have to go vacuum the living room.”

 

Alyssa dragged her feet towards the living room and took the vacuum from the corner. While vacuuming, she thought about that writing and how Mrs. Hutchinson wouldn’t believe her. Would a nicer babysitter believe her? Mrs. Hutchinson had babysat her and Hailey for three years, and not once, did she smile or use kindness. Alyssa wanted her out of the house.

 

After vacuuming the carpet for about ten or fifteen minutes, Alyssa decided that it looked clean enough and stopped vacuuming. She put the vacuum away.

 

 “Hailey, you and Alyssa need to go get the mail now!” Mrs. Hutchinson called, facing the staircase.

 

 “Coming!” cried Hailey.

 

 Another rule Uncle Bruce had placed on Alyssa and Hailey was they could not go outside by themselves. He worried about people taking them or some animal attacking them, even though they were older. Alyssa would be turning thirteen next month, so childhood would end for her. But that rule had been placed because a few months ago, Uncle Bruce had heard about a seventeen-year-old boy who got shot while skateboarding in his neighborhood. Violence could even happen here in Bursnell, New Jersey.

 

 Hailey and Alyssa headed to the closet and put on their raincoats until Mrs. Hutchinson said, “It stopped raining outside.”

 

 “Already?” asked Alyssa.

 

 “Yes,” said Mrs. Hutchinson. She walked towards the bathroom.

 

 The girls walked outside towards the mailbox. Alyssa pulled the mail out of the mailbox and walked back towards the door. Then, all of a sudden, she spotted some mud bubbling from the ground right near the house. It piled up, looking like horse manure, and grew as more mud emerged. Alyssa dropped her jaw and stared at it.

 

 “Alyssa, what’s going on?” Hailey asked.

 

 “No idea,” said Alyssa.

 

 The mud stopped piling up, but it continued to bubble, and the bubbles spread throughout the whole pile. This also had to be caused by magic because mud couldn’t just bubble on its own.

 

 The bubbles stopped popping up and down. Alyssa and Hailey gasped as they expanded. They kept their mouths open as the bubbles merged together. Each bubble attached to another bubble, forming a single bigger bubble. Alyssa and Hailey stepped back as the now-one giant bubble swelled. And to their horrors, it… popped! Particles of exploding mud landed on the girls, causing them to shriek. A few seconds later, the front door opened to reveal a glowering Mrs. Hutchinson.

 

 “What the heck have you two been doing?” she screamed.

 

 “T-the mud… it e-exploded,” explained Hailey.

 

 “Nonsense!” growled Mrs. Hutchinson. “Get inside!”

 

 The girls headed inside, pulling and wiping the mud out of their hair. Alyssa could easily spot the mud in her straight, pale blonde hair, unlike Hailey, who needed more patience to search for globs in her elbow-length red hair. But Alyssa’s hair fell to her tailbone, a few inches past her hips, so cleaning out the mud would take longer, even with the shorter layers in the front.

 

 “How could dirt explode?” yelled Mrs. Hutchinson, stomping her feet.

 

 “I-I think it was magic!” exclaimed Alyssa.

 

 “There’s no such thing as magic!” screamed Mrs. Hutchinson. “Alyssa, you’re twelve years old. You’re too old to say things like that!”

 

 “But nothing else can make mud explode!” Alyssa pointed out.

 

 “Mrs. Hutchinson, we swear it did!” whined Hailey.

 

 “Enough!” retorted Mrs. Hutchinson. “You and Hailey—go upstairs and take showers!”

  Alyssa followed Hailey up the stairs and heaved a sigh. How else would the mud have gotten all over the two of them? Mrs. Hutchinson couldn’t have thought they’d play in the mud. They weren’t small children anymore.

 

 “Alyssa, can I shower first?” asked Hailey.

 

 “Sure,” said Alyssa.

 

 As Hailey strode into the bathroom, Alyssa strode into her room. She scratched more mud off her skinny jeans (the only thing she’d wear ever since they’d come into style) and the back of her left hand.

 

 Standing by her bed, since she didn’t want to get dirt on it, she thought about the writing on the window and the exploding mud. Why did they happen? Someone wanted magic to interfere with her life, but who, and why?

 

 Also, why hadn’t she ever seen magic before? Why would her parents and others tell her that magic didn’t exist? Could magic be new to the earth? Had it been hidden somewhere? There had to be some reason why no one had ever believed in magic.

 

 Alyssa thought about the possibility that maybe magic would only interfere if she stayed here in her uncle’s house. Maybe she’d be safe if her godfather could arrange with his lawyer to let her move in with him. Or would it? Unlike science, anything could be possible with magic, which meant that magic could follow her wherever she went. How could she find out more about it? Right now there were no options available.

 

 The sound produced by the shower ended, which let Alyssa know that Hailey had finished. Now she could have a turn. She walked towards the bathroom as Hailey stepped out with a towel wrapped around her body. After heading inside she took off her clothes and stepped into the hot shower.

 

 After five minutes Alyssa stepped out and headed back to her room. She put on leggings and a long shirt, but she gasped when something appeared out of nowhere, onto her bed. What on earth? Now that had to be caused by… magic. Approaching it, she saw that it was a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and read it.

 

Hello Alyssa McCarthy,

 

 You must be wondering about the writing on your window, the exploding mud, and the note that appeared here. Who was responsible for them? You’ll find out at some point.

 

Anonymous

 

 Anonymous? What in the Milky Way—how dare someone create incidents and not say his or her name? To make matters worse, Alyssa couldn’t report that person to the police without a name. But she needed to know. She didn’t want strange, magical occurrences to keep happening. The only way to tell this mysterious person to stop was to find out a name.

 

 Regardless of that, now she had proof to Mrs. Hutchinson that the writing and exploding mud had occurred. Mrs. Hutchinson had seen her write before, and this looked nothing like her own handwriting. She wrote in a half-print and half-script style. This writing, however, was pure print.

 

 Jogging down the stairs, Alyssa carried the note.

 

 “Mrs. Hutchinson, I have something to show you!” she cried.

 

 “Not right now, Alyssa,” said Mrs. Hutchinson, striding out of the kitchen. “You and Hailey have to go wash my car.”

 

 “But it’s quick,” said Alyssa.

 

 “You can show me after you’re done with washing my car,” said Mrs. Hutchinson. She turned to Hailey, who emptied the dishwasher and put dishes away. “Are you almost done?”

 

 “I think so,” said Hailey.

 

 “How many dishes do you have left?” asked Mrs. Hutchinson.

 

 “Uh…” Hailey looked into the top rack. “Four.”

 

 “Okay, hurry up,” Mrs. Hutchinson ordered. She turned to Alyssa. “Why don’t you go put that piece of paper away?”

 

 “But this is what I need to show you,” said Alyssa.

 

 “Do I have to repeat what I said before?” asked Mrs. Hutchinson.

 “But—”

 

 “Alyssa, do as you’re told,” demanded Mrs. Hutchinson, pointing at the staircase.

 

 Alyssa sighed. This note contained so much crucial information. It was the only piece of evidence that those incidents happened.

 

 After putting the note back in her room, Alyssa headed down the stairs and walked with Hailey towards the garage. The two of them grabbed sponges, buckets, and soap for washing cars. They filled the buckets with water and soap and then scrubbed Mrs. Hutchinson’s car.

 

“I wish we had another babysitter,” muttered Alyssa.

 

“What was on the piece of paper?” asked Hailey.

 

Alyssa told her.

 

“Who wrote it?” asked Hailey.

 

“There was no name on it,” said Alyssa. “Just ‘anonymous.’”

 

 The sound of whistling turned Alyssa’s attention away from the car. She leaned her head towards the sidewalk and saw her friend from school, Madison Jennings, riding her scooter.

 

 “Hi, Alyssa,” said Madison, as the wind blew her long, dark brown waves across her face. But when she stopped at Alyssa’s driveway, her hair went limp. Hailey and Alyssa ran up to greet her and ask how she’d been.

 

 “I just moved onto Draco Drive a few days ago,” said Madison, mentioning a street off of Orion Street.

 

 “So how do you like the middle school?” asked Alyssa.

 

 “Oh, I go to Catholic school now,” said Madison. “What about you?”

 

 “Hailey and I are homeschooled now,” said Alyssa. “I never got to tell you.”

 

 “That’s okay,” said Madison. “So you guys want to come over to my house on Saturday?”

 

 “What time?” asked Alyssa.

 

 “I’ll ask my mom,” said Madison. “Okay, bye.” She rode back in the direction she’d come from as Hailey and Alyssa said goodbye to her.

 

 After washing the car for half an hour longer, Alyssa and Hailey cleaned up and walked back inside. The sound of snoring suggested to Alyssa that Mrs. Hutchinson slept. Huh? Why would she sleep now? She never slept while babysitting.

 

 Striding towards the living room, Alyssa saw Mrs. Hutchinson asleep on one of the couches.

 

 “Why is Mrs. Hutchinson sleeping?” asked Hailey.

 

 “I don’t know,” said Alyssa.

 

 “Can you show me the note?” asked Hailey.

 

 Alyssa nodded and led her up the stairs. But when she opened her door, she gasped. The note that she’d left on her bed was gone.

 

 “Where’s the note?” asked Hailey.

 

 “It was right there,” said Alyssa, pointing at her bed.

 

 But then another piece of paper appeared onto her bed. Alyssa picked it up and read it.

 

Hello again, Alyssa,

 

 I have put your babysitter to sleep again to reveal magic to you. You’ll find out why she is sleeping later.

 

Anonymous

 

 “Not again,” mumbled Alyssa. “Why won’t they say their name?” She showed the note to Hailey.

 

 “Let’s go call my dad before anything else happens,” declared Hailey.

 

 How much worse could this get? Alyssa thought as she followed Hailey down the stairs.

About the Author

Sunayna Prasad has been writing stories for over thirteen years, starting at the age of six. Now nineteen, she will start her junior year of college this fall, and will study accessory design as well as continue to write for children. Aside from that, Sunayna also likes to cook, watch movies, and draw. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her family.

 

Her latest book is the middle grade fantasy, Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions: From Frights to Flaws.

 

Visit her website at www.SunaynaPrasadBooks.com.

 

Connect & Socialize with Sunayna!

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 Please visit other stops on the Alyssa McCarthy's Magical Missions: From Frights to Flaws.

 

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

My Year as a Clown by Robert Steven Williams -- Teaser Reveal & Thoughts

About My Year as a Clown

Silver Medal Winner for Popular Fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards.

 

With My Year as a Clown, Williams introduces us to Chuck Morgan, a new kind of male hero—imperfect and uncertain—fumbling his way forward in the aftermath of the abrupt collapse of his 20-year marriage.

 

Initially, Chuck worries he’ll never have a relationship again, that he could stand in the lobby of a brothel with a hundred dollar bill plastered to his forehead and still not get lucky. But as his emotionally raw, 365-day odyssey unfolds, Chuck gradually relearns to live on his own, navigating the minefield of issues faced by the suddenly single—new routines, awkward dates, and even more awkward sex.

 

Edited by Joy Johannessen (Alice Sebold, Michael Cunningham, Amy Bloom), My Year As a Clown will attract fans of the new breed of novelists that includes Nick Hornby, Jonathan Tropper and Tom Perrotta. Like others in that distinguished group, Robert Steven Williams delivers a painfully honest glimpses into the modern male psyche while writing about both sexes with equal ease and grace in a way that’s both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time.

 

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

 

Check out a teaser here.

 

Teaser Review

 

Chuck Morgan goes from excited reunion with his wife to a man unceremoniously dumped. She's leaving, and soon. With little time to digest the end of his marriage, Chuck's emotions are all over the place.

 

After reading the teaser, I have to admit that I wanted to know more. The author has quite the storytelling gift, moving from intensely sad moments to witty and humorous ones. All without skipping a beat. 

I was so caught up in Chuck's story, and the snippets with his brother and mother, that I was jolted by the last page. Guess I'll have to pick up a copy to make sure Chuck discovers a new life. I feel pretty confident that I would be as invested in the rest of the novel as I felt in the first few pages. Please take a moment and read the teaser linked above. I bet you'll feel the same way.

 

About the Author

 

 

Silver Medal Winner for Popular Fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards.

With My Year as a Clown, Williams introduces us to Chuck Morgan, a new kind of male hero—imperfect and uncertain—fumbling his way forward in the aftermath of the abrupt collapse his 20-year marriage.

Initially, Chuck worries he’ll never have a relationship again, that he could stand in the lobby of a brothel with a hundred dollar bill plastered to his forehead and still not get lucky. But as his emotionally raw, 365-day odyssey unfolds, Chuck gradually relearns to live on his own, navigating the minefield of issues faced by the suddenly single—new routines, awkward dates, and even more awkward sex.

 

Edited by Joy Johannessen (Alice Sebold, Michael Cunningham, Amy Bloom), My Year As a Clown will attract fans of the new breed of novelists that includes Nick Hornby, Jonathan Tropper and Tom Perrotta. Like others in that distinguished group, Robert Steven Williams delivers a painfully honest glimpses into the modern male psyche while writing about both sexes with equal ease and grace in a way that’s both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time.

 

His latest book is My Year As A Clown.

 

Connect & Socialize with Robert!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Please visit other stops on the My Year as a Clown blog tour page.

 

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Note: I received a complimentary copy from Pump Up Your Book for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

Gem City Gypsy by Kristin Kuhns Alexandre -- Spotlight, Chapter Reveal, and Giveaway

 

About Gem City Gypsy

 

Title: Gem City Gypsy
Genre: New Adult Fiction
Author: Kristin Kuhns Alexandre
Publisher: Sisterhood Publications
Pages: 158
Language: English

Purchase at AMAZON

When you read “Gem City Gypsy” you must conceptualize a whole world.

Gypsies.

Socialites.

The Wright Brothers.

The KKK.

Industrialization leading to WWI.

So many vivid elements. The story is about a gypsy girl who must leap over bodies to survive the sinking Lusitania and escape murderous Germans who kill her mentor in Ireland. She later returns to her hometown, recreated as a wealthy woman trying to meld into the upper class.  Neci Star captures our imagination and heart as she claws her way out of one class and into the abyss of another.

Chapter One

She didn’t like the way he looked at her.

Nineteen-year-old Neci Stans scurried around the small cottage, tidying things that looked out of place, and trying not to make eye contact with Graham Moore. She tried to pretend he didn’t make her nervous or self-conscious, because she knew that was exactly what he was trying to do.

He gave her looks. Those looks. Neci had seen gazes like this before, from men just like Graham Moore. Perhaps she was even used to them. She knew what they meant; what they wanted. But unlike other times in her life, Neci felt safe; protected.

She knew this was because of Lord Pool, and how he treated her. The whole reason she was here, safe, and living in Kinsale, Ireland, was because of Lord Pool. She owed him everything. He’d rescued her from more than death, when they both survived the sinking of the Lusitania after it was torpedoed by a German sub. He’d rescued her from a life she didn’t want to live, teaching her to be a proper young lady, to speak correctly; dress correctly; act correctly.

She’d already been on her way, traveling with the Hubbards–as a maidservant–on the Lusitania to what she was sure was a new life and bigger and better things. Things didn’t end up the way she planned. While at first it was terrifying, the end result was even better than she could have planned. Neci was no longer just a “wild gypsy” girl. She had become a proper lady. It was all she had ever wanted.

Lord Pool lost his family in the horrible event. He watched them die, and was helpless to save them. Then an explosion knocked him overboard and he awoke on a small fishing boat to find Neci caring for him.

Neci knew she’d become a substitute for his lost wife and daughter. But she didn’t mind, or care. She was all he had, and he was there to help her achieve her dreams. She had him and her beloved dog, Theda, and they took the place of her family back in the States.

For the past two years they had lived peacefully in Kinsale, Ireland. Neci had escaped the gypsy camp—a rather dramatic escape,  she thought ironically, remember her time floating in the water escaping the sinking Lusitania–and now she had learned the finer things in life from the elegant, refined, and kind-hearted Lord Pool. Graham Moore wasn’t going to change that, even though she was pretty sure he wanted to do just that.

She didn’t care what she had to do. This man she did not trust, with his quick tongue and his fiery eyes, had an agenda. Even though he was ruggedly handsome, despite the horrible war trench scar that ran from his left eye to his chin. It made him look very dangerous, which was appropriate, because Neci knew he was not to be trusted. She could sense it. She had, after all, been born a gypsy girl with a gypsy heart.

“He was in love with my daughter,” Lord Pool had explained one evening soon after Graham arrived, and after he had retired for the evening and Neci was left alone with her mentor.

“That is why I allowed him to come visit. He and I have her in common. I never really considered him appropriate for Nelly, as it seemed he was more interested in the family estate and the family money more than my lovely daughter.”

“So why let him stay? And why did he come now?” Neci asked.

“I let him stay because seeing him brings a little bit of her back,” Lord Pool explained gently. “It’s not much, but it’s all I have. And I suppose he thinks he will inherit from me now that I have no family left.”

“But that’s a horrible thing to do,” Neci had proclaimed. “To just show up so he can get in your good graces and inherit your money.” She wanted to cry out, “But you have me,” even though she knew this was not appropriate. She bit her lip to keep from talking.

Lord Pool only laughed. He looked upon Neci as an innocent. She knew this.

“Don’t you worry, Neci. I am a smart man, and I know people. Graham Moore will not be getting any money from me.”

But what could he get–or try to get–from Neci?

She didn’t dare tell Lord Pool about the night before, when Graham had followed her into her bedroom, long after Lord Pool had retired for the evening.

“I beg your pardon,” she said. “What are you doing in here?”

“Just came in for a little visit,” he said, a devilish grin edging up the corners of his sensual mouth.

“This isn’t proper, and you know it. Please leave my quarters.”

“Proper? Let’s be honest, here, Neci,” he said, moving toward her. She backed away until she was trapped by the wall, and could go no further. He continued to advance toward her.

“Proper? You’re anything but proper. Underneath that exterior, I sense a hunger in you. A wildness. You’re no lady. You’re a wild girl…no, not a girl. You’re a wild woman.”

He pushed his body up against hers, and she could feel his desire, pressing through his trousers, hard. Strange emotions raced through her.  She didn’t like Graham. Not at all. She sensed he was greedy and selfish, but he was a handsome man with a fine physique. Neci didn’t like the way her body reacted. It seemed a betrayal of all she had been through and struggled to learn.

“I know you want it,” he said, bending forward toward her. He reached a hand up to raise her chin, tilting her head backward until her lips were almost perfectly aligned with his, the back of her head against the wall. “I can see the desire in your eyes.”

Neci shivered and tried to push him away. “I am a lady,” she said vehemently. “If I scream, Lord Pool will hear and come throw you out.”

“But you won’t scream, will you Neci? Because I would tell him that you lured me in here. Tried to seduce me. And who would he believe? You? Or me? I think we both know the answer to that.”

He leaned in closer, and his lips grazed hers. All sorts of fireworks went off inside her stomach, and Neci wanted to scream at her body for the betrayal. She did not like Graham.

She did not want to react to him.

“I. Will. Scream,” she whispered.

“Yes, of course you will.” He took his right hand off her chin and moved it to her breasts, running his hand across first the right, then the left, then cupping the firmness of the right one, touching her in a place that no man had ever touched.

He tried to push aside the material covering her breasts, and he stepped back. Neci took advantage of the temporary distance between them and raised her knee hard, connecting with his groin.

Graham went to the ground, quickly retreating into a fetal position, groaning in pain, and she quickly moved around him and out the door.

About the Author


Kristin Alexandre was raised in Dayton, Ohio where she worked as a feature columnist for The Dayton Journal Herald and the Kettering Oakwood Times. She has written two previous books: Nuncio and the Gypsy Girl in the Gilded Age,  a graphic novel that was featured at the 2011 NY City Comic Con; and Find a Great Guy: Now and Forever.

Alexandre was a co-founder of Earth Day 1970 and worked on staff with House Beautiful Magazine and as a contributor to Town & Country Magazine, The Christian Science Monitor and The Daily News. Her celebrity luncheon series for the Chairman of Ammirati & Puris Advertising at The New York Yacht Club was acclaimed, and she has also worked as a co-host and producer of Enough Is Enough a syndicated talk show for WLIW-TV, a PBS affiliate in NYC. Alexandre has worked as a publicist for The Economic Development Association of Puerto Rico and Champion International U.S. Plywood. She is a NJ Board Member of The Humane Society of America and resides in Delray Beach, Fl. and Nantucket , Ma. with her husband DeWitt.

Her latest book is the new adult fiction, Gem City Gypsy.

You can connect with Kristin on her website, Twitter, and Facebook.

Giveaway

Kristin Khuns Alexandre is giving a $100 Amazon Gift Card/Paypal Cash!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $100 Amazon Gift Certificate or Paypal Cash.
• This giveaway begins August 5 and ends October 31.
• Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, November 4, 2013.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour. Visit more stops on the Gem City Gypsy blog tour page.