Snatched In Gullybrook (and a giveaway)

SNATCHED IN GULLYBROOK

Three of Gullybrook's own are targeted by a group of men and women who know exactly how to get what they want. What they want are teenage girls. Where they find them is the local mall. Megan's been taking care of herself since her parents split. She feels abandoned and confused, especially at the crush she's developed on one of her new girlfriends. Normally, Megan steers clear of the mall, but her girlfriend has been eyeing a particular piece of jewelry, and it is her birthday. When Megan's plan to steal the present backfires, she's escorted by bogus mall security to a van that transports her to a new life. Candace knows nothing will ever come of the crush she has on her older first cousin. But it's looking distinctly possible that he could become her stepbrother at the rate things are going between her daddy and her aunt. When she's approached for a job at the mall, she's thrilled at the attention, and the chance to show everyone she's growing up. But her secret interview turns into her abduction. Sissy is Daddy's little princess, a romantic who's saving herself for marriage. Shopping is her safe place, especially when Mom and Daddy are fighting. Until the day a solicitous female shopper befriends her and turns her refuge into her downfall. Told through interconnecting viewpoints, Snatched in Gullybrook follows these girls as they are kidnapped, assigned new identities, and navigate the brutal world of sex trafficking. Despite the horrors of what they see and endure, they form a bond with one another. A bond that gives them strength to persevere, even when all looks lost.

My review:

Snatched in Gullybrook is written exceptionally well. It's about a topic most of us don't want to think about. The human trafficking or the sex trade really exists and needs to be brought out into the open. This book brings it to the forefront.

You feel the horror the girls feel when they are snatched. Your writhe with disgust as they are introduced into their new world. Your heart breaks for them over and over again and then you see a glimmer of hope for them. But then you crash as they fail, but you start hoping again...(I'm not going to say anymore. I don't want to be a spoiler. You'll have to read the book. I will warn you that it is very explicit.)

Kim Van Sickler is a former prosecuting attorney who prefers to use her research skills to inform her fiction rather than arguing law in a courtroom. She lives in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, with her family and rescue dog, Peter. Snatched in Gullybrook is her debut novel and is endorsed by human trafficking experts for its vivid and realistic portrayal of domestic minor sex trafficking.

Kim and I met through my blog in April. She is a delightful lady. She asked me to do a book review and sent me a PDF of her book. I thought it was such an amazing (but hard topic) book that I agreed to do the post and then decided I would buy a copy to give away.  If you would like to win a copy (from me), a signed business card and some special candy (from Kim) please tell me in the comments. To be eligible you need to follow my blog and follow Kim's blog.

If you'd like to read a sample of Kim's writing and help her win a contest you can read her awesome article about grief on the Midlife Collage Blog. If you like it and/or leave a comment it will help her win. (Be a pal...)

Here are some important links:

Kim's Blog
Kim's Website
Kim on Twitter
Snatched in Gullybrook on Goodreads (there's a giveaway here too)
Snatched in Gullybrook on Amazon (and if you can't wait to see if you win it...)

The winner will be announced on September 29th and I'm going to share some cool news on October 3rd.

CONTROL...by Lydia Kang (Swag giveaway and a Charm Winner)

What an awesome Boxing Day present! It's Lydia's book birthday! CONTROL is released today!

Congratulations, Lydia!

Zelia Benten loves working in the science lab because it gives her a sense of control.

But when she and her sister and father leave town to move to another state —an accident eviscerates their lives. 

And it’s only the beginning.

Control is a luxury Zelia may never be able to afford again.  Not unless she gives up the idea of being reunited with her sister. And her first chance to fall in love.

This is an unputdownable, intense, romantic thriller for fans of Uglies and The Maze Runner.  Set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, downloadable perfume, and guys with four arms— Control is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.

Lydia has graciously given me a swag package...I'll be randomly choosing two winners on New Year's Day.  Leave a kind comment (that's fun to say) on this post to be entered.

You can purchase CONTROL here!

***The winner of a signed copy of The Charm Anthology is commenter number 8 (chosen by Random.org) : Lenny Lee! How cool is that...Lenny has a poem in the book!

Happy Boxing Day!

A Charming Giveaway...

Why do you write? Is it because you want to be rich or famous? Is it because you have stories in you and they must come out? Does writing give you freedom?

For me, I write because I have stories inside me that have to get out.

Back in the summer, my friend Robyn Campbell shared with me a writing project called a Crock Full of Charms. Eighty-eight writers joined together with freelance editor Sally Odgers to create three volumes of short stories. We didn't do it for money or fame...well, maybe some of us did it for the darling charms that Sally sent us. You can only get a copy by contacting one of the writers who is in the book. (So if you want a copy you'll have to let me know and I'll sell it at cost plus shipping.)

My story,  A Charmed Life, is in volume 2.

Three of my critique partners are also in the Charms Anthology.  Lenny Lee and Robyn Campbell are in Volume 2 with me and Theresa Milstein (and her daughter) are in Volume 3.  It was so much fun doing this project with them. Sally tied the three books together, but they can be read separately.

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Josh, Hannah, Ash and Immy are clearing the attic when they unearth a mysterious treasure. Someone has collected dozens of charms in silver, bronze, gold and brass. Whose are they? What are they for? No one knows, but as the four are about to discover, every charm has a story...

The Charms anthology is a collection of stories for readers aged four to fourteen. It will be available in late 2013 in three age-graded volumes. Charms is an innovative project containing more than a hundred stories and poems by authors from several different countries. The stories are linked by a storyline that flows through linking and embracing the stand-alone pieces by contributing writers.

Our authors range from teenagers to senior citizens, from multi-published pros to moonlighting artists and those entering print for the first time. We were all inspired by the project and we all love to write. We look forward very much to sharing our stories with readers. The first volume is packed with stories and poems for younger readers. We have lighthearted poems, bedtime stories, pets, grandparents, friends and wild adventures.  Volume One is a sunny place, where pirates may run but they'll never catch you, and teddies find their way to loving owners.  This is the place where readers from four to eight may happily browse for hours. The last few stories may appeal more to adventurous readers or nine or ten.

The second volume has older characters and broader-ranging themes and genres. Volume Two has more excitement, stronger fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, historical stories, a few tangled dilemmas, some tears and even a few shiversome creeps. Mature readers or nine or ten will find plenty to enjoy, while young teenagers may find the later stories more to their taste. 

The third volume is mainly for the teenaged reader. Watch this page for updates. Titles of the stories can be seen here.

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I'll be giving away a copy of Volume 2 (signed by me LOL) on December 28th. All you have to do is leave a comment telling why you write.

Janna Bowman...Art Extraordinaire...Giveaway

 This is my friend Janna Bowman.  She is a wicked cool artist and I wanted to share some of her work with you.  She makes the most amazing things out of glass and she's one of my childhood friends.

 Isn't this necklace beautiful?

 How cool are these peace pendants?

 I'm telling you the girl has skills!

 She does the most fantastic mosaics!

So my wicked cool, talented, friend has a treat for you....

She is going to give away this beautiful necklace to one lucky commenter. 

 All you have to do is hop over to Janna's Etsy site to check out her other art
 & hop back and leave a comment here.

I'll announce the winner on March 7th.

 (I certainly don't mind if you tweet or share on Facebook.)

Don't you love it when you can share a friend's talents with other friends?

Tammi Sauer is in house...A giveaway...And a winner

If you know me very well, you know I am a HUGE fan of Tammi Sauer's work.  Her new book PRINCESS IN TRAINING is soooooo much fun!  The illustrations are fantastic too.

Here's my little blurb:

Princess Viola is an awesome skateboarder, but not the "perfect" princess that the king and queen would like her to be.  So what would any good parent do?  They send her away to Princess Camp where she should learn how to behave like a proper princess.  But....it's not as easy as it sounds.  Viola tries hard, but has quite a few mishaps until a dragon comes along and her unprincess like skills cause her to save the day.

It's not only a fun read, but it  shows young readers that it is okay to be different or have different skills.  I give PRINCESS IN TRAINING five stars....ahem out five stars.  :)

I met Tammi several years ago in one of her workshops.  She is an amazing writer and I hope you'll hop to the link and see all that I learned from her.  I am always trying to pick her brain (because it is amazing) so I sent her a few questions and she agreed to answer them for us.

When did you begin writing?

I have always been a writer. As a kid, I was very big on getting mail, so I joined a penpal club. But those weren’t the only letters I wrote. I spent hours sending fanmail to various celebrities, including Loni Anderson and Barbara Mandrell.  Somewhere I have a collection of retro 8 by 10 glossies to prove it.

It wasn’t until 1997, however, that I began toying with the idea of writing picture books. I would write one day. Stop for 36 days. Write again for a week. Stop for four months. I didn't make a commitment to writing until the spring of 2003 when an illustrator visited my daughter's preschool. Seeing someone who was actually in the business inspired me to get serious about writing. That day I decided to devote my kids' nap time to writing. Even if my mom called. Even if Oprah was on. One year later, I got the offer for my first book—Cowboy Camp.

Do you have an agent?

Yes, my agent is Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Can you tell us about the journey took until you reached publication?

When I first decided to try to become a children’s book writer, I would write something on Monday, send it out on Tuesday, and expect multiple offers by Friday.  Little by little, however, I learned more and more. I wrote. I read. I studied successful picture books. I attended conferences. I found a critique partner and a critique group. And those early stories? They were awful, but I never once thought of them as a waste of time. Those were my practice stories. It’s the same with sports or playing a musical instrument. The best way to get better at something is to practice.

Are all your books published by the same publisher?

I work with a variety of wonderful publishing houses—Bloomsbury, Disney-Hyperion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Simon & Schuster, and Sterling.

What one thing would you say to prepublished authors?

With a lot of perseverance, some talent, and a little luck, YOU can sell a picture book. (In my experience, an unlimited supply of frozen Milky Ways also helps.)

Do you have any special news you’d like to share???

I am really excited about my upcoming book with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt called Nugget and Fang. This book is illustrated by the oh-so-amazing Michael Slack. It focuses on the unlikely friendship between a minnow and a shark.  I am hoping Nugget and Fang make a huge splash in spring 2013.

And finally the all important question:  What is your favorite kind of cheese?

Wow, that’s like asking me who my favorite child is. I am crazy about cheese. I should totally move to Wisconsin in my support of cheese.

Here are some places you can learn more about the awesome Tammi Sauer.  (I bet that makes her blush!)

website: http://www.tammisauer.com/

blog: http://tamarak.livejournal.com/

her books

I am giving away a copy of Tammi's awesome book, CHICKEN DANCE...

and Tammi is giving away two of her PRINCESS IN TRAINING buttons (so cute) on November 15th.

Now for a winner of WE HEAR THE DEAD by Dianne Salerni:

Janet Johnson

And the winner of a signed bookmark for her upcoming book CAGED GRAVES:

Kelly Polark

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs to all!

Bigger-Than-A-Shopping Mall Giveaway! Three Cheers for Sheri!

I'm sure you know Sheri Larsen...She's everywhere in blogland.  Well, she's one of my critique partners and when she got the call, I couldn't wait to help her celebrate.  So hear are the details on an awesome giveaway celebrating her recent agent signing....

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Today, I invite you to celebrate with me!! I've signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, I'm having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! The giveaway consists of:

•      two separate Rafflecopters with multiple giveaways 
• and one grand prize Rafflecopter giveaway - to enter for the grand prize, you must enter either giveaway #1, #2, or both. 

There's only one mandatory entry. Everything else is up to you!! I know Rafflecopters can be a pain, but it was the only way to organize such a huge giveaway. The giveaway is open until September 27th. WINNERS will be announced on September 28th. (Entrants may win more than one prize!)

Thank you so much for entering, spreading the word, and celebrating with me!!

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If you haven't met Sheri, hop over to her blog and congratulate her on her good news and enter her awesome giveaway!

Giveaway #1:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway #2:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Grand Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Glacier Bay...(and a winner) updated

 This what we awoke to...We had arrived at Glacier Bay.

 We saw some smaller glaciers, but the ship stopped at this one.  On the TV they asked that you not talk while we were viewing the glacier.  It was beautiful.  The silence of the people aboard the ship allowed you to hear the cracking of the glacier and eventually the calving and splashing.

 It really was this color...

 I started watching this cathedral style hole in the glacier...

 The ice began making the cracking sounds and you could see a little of it flowing through the "window."

 When the ice breaks of the glacier it is called calving.  I had no idea as I snapped away if I was getting any good pictures.  I was super pleased when I got home and downloaded them.

 We didn't see much wildlife in Glacier Bay.

 Believe it or not, this is a black glacier.  It is black because as it has receded it takes the soil with it.  (or something like that)

 A close up of an iceberg.

 Just to put the size of the glacier into perspective...The boat you see here holds around 200 people.

Glacier Bay was exceptionally beautiful and hearing nature working was amazing.

If you missed part one or part two of my trip, click on over and check them out.  

And the winner is Miss Mooty!  Miss Mooty if you will email me your address I will put your gold flake earrings from Alaska in the mail.  

When you are out in nature, do you like silence?

Cruising Alaska...part 1 (and a giveaway)

 Several years ago we took a cruise to the Caribbean.  It was my first cruise.  I wasn't really impressed.  We had rough seas, motor issues and I was very (repeat that), very dizzy.

Lat month, we took our second cruise.  It was exceptional (although I still had some dizziness).  We flew to Seattle and boarded the MS Westerdam and cruised to Alaska.  Our trip was 2015 nautical miles. The ship was 935 feet long! It carried 2036 guests (and never felt crowded) and 807 crew members. It used 216 tons of diesel a day and 90 tons of gasoline a day.  WOW, that is a lot of fuel!

 Our cabin was lovely!

There was even a desk for me to write at, with a window view.

We were greeted with fresh flowers, fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, and champagne. 

(Nice start, right?)

We had a lovely patio, which I spent a lot of time on.

We had cruise TV.  We could watch a TV channel that showed the view from the front or rear of the ship.  (Totally cool!) We could also watch where we were on another channel and get all the ship stats.

The ship was beautiful!  It even had a retractable roof over one of the pools.

I did find time most days to work on NOT A HOLIDAY, although the beautiful views out my window were a bit distracting.

Most days we had a cute critter in our rooms when they came in to turn down our bed at night. 

This cool life boat took us to shore in one port. 

 The town was too small to have a dock big enough for our ship.

The food was beautiful and tasty.  I can't believe I forgot to photograph every meal. 

(hangs head in shame)

There were 84 people preparing food for us each day.

We consumed 11,830 lbs of meat and meat products, 3,814 lbs of poultry, 3,000 lbs of fish, 2,575 lbs of seafood, and 23,040 eggs.  (I'm pretty sure I made a big dent in the fish and seafood totals.  I had one or the other (or both) every evening at dinner.)

These were part of the crew that made sure we had a wonderful time.

My favorite thing to do while we were on the ship was to go to the piano bar.  Derek Floyd made every night exceptionally fun.  On the last night, I was exhausted, but I wanted to stop by and chat with Derek.  He was looking forward to his wife and son getting on the ship when we returned to Seattle and then he would have a week with them.  I hope he had a wonderful time.  

If you would like to hear Derek, you can hop over to this  clip.

And now for the giveaway....Jewelry was the big item on this cruise.  Every port had loads of jewelry stores, plus they sold it on the ship.  I bought this pair of gold flake earrings to give away to you guys.  I know you might be a guy and think, well what kind of fun is this?  Think of it this way...you can surprise someone you care about with these lovely earrings.

All you have to do is be a follower, comment on this post and your in...On September, 6th I'll let random.org chose a winner.

I hope you have been having a wonderful summer.