* I received a copy of this title from NetGalley for review. I was not compensated for the review. All opinions are my honest feelings and thoughts of this title.*
The title of this book may put you off about picking it up.
The title and the cover photo are actually from a dream the author has. The
author did not disrespect Iran by physically walking around naked. Let’s face
it even in the seventies she would have been imprisoned and possibly killed for
that. So get over that. I mention it
only because I have had negative feedback regarding the title and cover.
Normally I do not include them in reviews. In reading the book you become aware of the significance
of the title.
In the opening the author speaks of the Iranians as a volatile
people. I have not found that to be true of the ones I have met. It is my
experience that Persians are some of the friendliest people in the world. The opening of the book has a bit of
negativity that almost stopped me from reading the book. I kept on and happily some of that lifted.
The author does go on to talk of friendships she made there. She does hold some
value for these and speaks well of the people.
The author does however make it known at the beginning that she dislikes
the time she lived there. I admire and welcome her honesty. I do wonder, though,
if she had a different attitude would she have enjoyed Iran more. I also have
to wonder why she did not attempt to learn some Persian knowing she would be
living there. Americans are often thought of as arrogant. This is an example of
one of the reasons why. Even as a
teenager, it would never occur to me to go to a foreign country with the
expectation that they would know English.
I can understand not learning a language just for a trip, (though I
think it a wise person who learns key words). However Ann states she knew for
four months that she was moving there for an undetermined length of time. She also mentions getting in another semester
at college. Therefore she is not an ignorant woman. I believe it is these
things that made it difficult for me to feel sympathy for Ann. I believe if she
had learned some Persian either in Kentucky or once she arrived in Tehran, she
would have enjoyed her time there more.
The author wrote as though she were telling her story to a
friend. She also wrote it as the teenager she was. Considering over thirty
years have passed this may have been difficult to accomplish. Her maturity does
come through when she speaks of being able to learn from her memories. She brings
her experience in Iran to your home. I was able to picture the things I was
reading. I especially loved reading of the bazaar and the carpet shop. I think I was as amazed as the author when
she went into the computer room at Bell and described it. I, too, could not help
thinking of how far technology has come in such a short time.
Ann speaks of many friendships she made in Tehran. Most made
through Bell, the company her husband worked for. But she does let us in on her
friendship with a Persian gentleman, Mohammed, who did not speak English well, a
beggar who knew no English, Jay, the carpet dealer. These friendships say a lot and I enjoyed the
author’s remembrance of them.
Once into this book I enjoyed reading it. The beginning is
difficult because of the negativity but I do think it necessary. It gives us a
point from which we can see how much, if any, the author grew from her experience.
The stories are interesting and at times witty. The author writes a very
interesting look at Tehran during the 1970’s. Is it biased? Of course it is.
This is the author’s memories not an unbiased investigation of Iran. I also appreciated the author’s openness
regarding her innocence, ignorance and especially her OCD. I do have to admire the way she was able to
move out of her comfort zone. It is my opinion that this book is not a depressive or angry account of being an American woman living in a country that does not favor either. Instead it is a self examination of an important time in the author's life. It is an often upbeat, witty and always honest look at a young American bride growing up in a foreign country and becoming a strong woman.
I leave you with this quote which I think summarizes the
book:
"But I learned so much about myself, Iran, the Iranian
people, and in general, people of different cultures from these kinds of
friendships that I allowed to happen."
*NetGalley is a wonderful company that invites reviewers to request a wide variety of books. They offer books from many publishing companies in a variety of genres. No compensation is given for reviews. Honest reviews are requested, be they good or bad. You can learn more about NetGalley at https://www.netgalley.com/ *
This was an interesting Zbook. It is told from Cassie's, (a teenage girl), viewpoint. She is in school, writing a note to her best friend about her crush. Pretty normal high school day. Until the principal makes an announcement for everyone to get into a classroom and the doors are to be locked. Then she watches a slow moving bloody guy make his way to her classroom and break through the window. There ends normal. This was a fun book to read. The author did an excellent job bringing back high school, crushes and humiliation. Cassie is wonderfully written. She is all at once, average, intelligent, funny, sarcastic and strangely, (as she becomes a zombie), a survivor. Normally the running, hiding and trying to find help are the live surviving people. In this book it is the bitten; though there was one unbitten survivor in the group. That provided some interesting dilemmas.
Zombified is a different take on zombies. I am very interested in seeing where the author takes this. I highly recommend this novella. I believe it is going to be a fun series. This book is older teen friendly in that there is no explicit sex or language. There is violence, (it is a zombie book), that does include an attempted rape. While I am not fond of rape scenes, (attempted or completed), I do understand that in a world turned upside down this is a reality. The author handled that graciously without the use of excessive nudity and violence.
Emily Walker is a writer with Midnight Hour Publishing who writes as Lyra Mcken for GMTA Publishing , Jewels Moss for Midnight Hour Publishing and self publishes.
Her other books:
The Eerie Vamp Stories as Lyra Mcken
The Siren's Song; Naughty Tales (Fables for Adults) and Why Yellow Jackets Can't Find The Hole as Jewels Moss
.
Long Road Full Speed Ahead; Trippin Holidays; Vital Signs;The Reluctant Succubus (Fire Rose Series Part 1); Blood Destiny The Draven Dynasty Novelette Series Book 1 and Blood Vengeance The Draven Witch Series Book 2as Emily Walker
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
I received no compensation for this review. The review is based on my honest
thoughts of this title.*
Anna is a planner. So when she discovers she’s pregnant, she
prepares for a perfect new life in Provençe, France, with her perfect new
baby-to-be. Anna’s partner, the easy-going Tobias, shouldn’t have too much
difficulty tagging along—after all, he’s a musician who rarely starts his day
before noon. But all that changes when their baby is born severely disabled.
Anna, Tobias, and their daughter, Freya, end up in a
rickety, rodent-infested farmhouse in a remote town in France—far from the
mansion in Provençe they had imagined. Little do they know that this is the
beginning of what will become an incredible journey of the heart—one during
which they learn there really is no such thing as a mouse-proof kitchen. Life
is messy, and it’s the messy bits that make it count.
I truly love this book. It made me feel. It made me think. It had me all over the emotional board. I could not stop reading, falling asleep with the Kindle open to the page I was reading.
Anna and Tobias are a happily married couple expecting a
baby. Anna’s best friend has not been able to find the right man because she
wants a marriage like Anna’s. Anna is a talented cook whose dream of owning a
restaurant are about to come true. Tobias, a composer, has been asked to write
the score for a feature-length film. It
would seem they have everything. But from the opening we know this is not true.
Anna gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. Within moments of
her birth, the baby has a seizure and they know their perfect life has ended.
Anna and Tobias go through a lot of swinging thoughts and
emotions. I can understand it. I have a child, also a girl, who was born
beautiful. Within her first year she would begin having seizures, at one point
they were counted as 80 a day. Later I had custody of my grandson, another
beautiful child. Within six months we knew something was drastically wrong.
Then I was given the diagnosis of autism.
Unless you have been there you cannot imagine all the different things
going on in your head. The author captures that mixture of denial, confusion, hunger
for knowledge and answers, the terror and ultimately the love. Everyone reacts differently but I think we
all go through certain stages. The knowledge and answer quest. What exactly is
wrong? What does that mean? What do we
do? Did I do something wrong to cause it? The denial. Oh my. No. It cannot be
this. She doesn’t look this bad. It must be something else. Something
easier. The confusion and terror. What
are they saying? How can we cope with this? It is too much. I don’t know what
to do? What if she dies? What if she needs more care than I can give her? How
will I let go if it is needed? The anger
and grief. Oh yes there is anger. It is the dark secret. No one wants to talk
about it or acknowledge it. If you do then people are aghast and judgmental. Yet how do you work through it if you cannot
express it? How do you get to the final
stages of acceptance and love if you are burying this step?
The author takes us through that. I think, hope really, that
Anna and Tobias are written of in the extreme and therefore not realistic way.
They are somewhat selfish as they repeatedly talk of abandoning Freya so they
can continue on with their perfect life. They do horrible things. Anna and Tobias are stuck in the process.
Anna tries to acknowledge the anger and talk about it. However people judge you
when you do and she gets judged. So she then keeps it to herself though we are
privy to her thoughts and feelings. I liked Anna though there were times I
wanted to shout at and shake her. Tobias
I really did not care for until the end chapters. I was horrified by some of
the things in the book but ultimately I understood a lot of it. I am not saying
I agree with the things that happened. It never crossed my mind to give up
either my daughter or my grandson, nor did I ever think my life would be better
if they passed. Though I was often stressed, (I was a single mom with a limited
support system), I never went as far as Anna. I do understand the overwhelming
stress and love combination, which the author captures.
The author brings in support characters that are likable
though not perfect. The supporting cast is well written and you come to know
them well. Anna’s mother becomes a surprising support. I also loved
Yvonne, Kerim and Ludovic, not so much
Lizzy and Tobias. I do not know any French people but if this is an accurate
portrayal of them then our country could learn a lot.
The author wrote the medical aspect with expertise. Freya
was described with knowledge. I was not at all surprised to read she has a
special daughter. After reading how beautifully she captures Freya and Anna’s
true feelings for her, I imagine the good parts of Anna are her and the magical
beauty of Freya is her daughter. I can imagine their love. What a truly lucky
pair they are.
I loved Saira Shah’s writing. She is a detailed writer,
gifted with the ability to bring you into each scene. Her description of France
brought the beauty into my mind. I could picture perfectly the kitchen, the rat
infiltration, Anna’s obsessive canning and the scene of Anna's breakdown. Saira Shah breathes life into a difficult
story.
This is a gripping book. I believe it is one of those books
you will either love or hate. I don’t see much middle ground. I believe it will make some angry, (my post
may also), but this is good. People talk when something makes them angry. This
is a book that should be talked about and analyzed. It is a book that should
make you question and examine yourself closely. I cannot recommend this book
enough. I certainly hope it makes it way to book clubs. It is destined to be
one of the top books of 2013.
As I try to do with all books I review, I Googled Saria
Shah. She is a talented woman. Saria is an author, reporter and documentary
filmmaker. Her films include Beneath The
Veil, Death In Gaza and Unholy War. I
watched all three films. The first two on You Tube and Unholy War I rented on
Amazon. They are amazing films. I am in awe of this fearless woman. When she went undercover and had to leave the
film crew behind, my heart nearly stopped. Her book The Storyteller’s Daughter is the
true story of her return to her homeland. I have it bookmarked to read.
Today I will be reviewing Kat Nove's book If I Can't
Wave Like A Princess I Must Be A Loser. But first a treat. Kat is in the house!
The tequila is flowing so be prepared. I had set out a nice little spread of
dainty teacakes and cucumber sandwiches with tea. Okay I am lying. I do not
drink tea and right now the closest you are getting to teacakes in my house is
some Samoan Girl Scout Cookies, (thank you to all the Girl Scouts who sell
these wonderful cookies every year at the local Fred Meyers). So for this
monumental meeting I set out Coronas with lime and salt and Ceviche Tostada Chips
(just top a bunch of tortilla chips with a bit of ceviche and swoon from the
deliciousness). Kat walked in with Patrón. It went uphill from there. Or
downhill. Depends on the moment.
Me: Hi Kat! Come on in and get comfortable.
Kat: Wow! your house looks nice and clean.
Me: Yeah I cleaned it just
for you. Had I known what a true slob you are I wouldn't have bothered. And
just why are you such a slob? Your spare
room sounds horrifying.
Kat: Why do you
care? It’s not like I’m ever going to
invite you over.
Me: That’s pretty rude.
Kat: No, it’s
not. I've made it perfectly clear that
visitors must sign off on my guidelines. You’re way too big a flake to sign off
and return the form.
Me: I would have signed the stupid form if I remembered where I put
it. Since I had to do this big cleaning job it is now in the garbage. Where it
belongs. By the way, do you know it is legal to shoot rude guest in Alaska?
(Disclaimer: I made this up. You cannot randomly shoot people in Alaska no
matter how much they may deserve it ...but she might not know
this).
Once we were settled we started talking about her
obsession with Johnny Depp which is clearly apparent to anyone who has read If
I Can't Wave Like A Princess I Must Be A Loser. As she spoke about John I began
to wonder if she had been drinking before she arrived or was just
delusional. If you think I am lying wait
until read her book. Then Kat said something that almost made me drop my
Corona.
Me: Wait a minute. Let me get this clear. Are you saying you do not
want to have sex with Johnny Depp? After all the space you gave him in your
book?
Kat: That’s
exactly what I’m saying. I think he’s
quite possibly the best actor living and he seems to be a genuinely fabulous
human being, but even if he had hundred dollar bills taped to his oh-so-perfect
body, I have no interest in having sex with him. I am interested in the hundred dollar bills
though.
Me: What on earth could
account for your attitude? Even straight
guys want to do Johnny Depp.
Kat: I’m deeply
committed to my menopause.
Me: Okay. I guess I get that. I also would not do John. His
brother, (writer Daniel Depp), though could probably spin some story that would
have me in another world allowing him to get his desire met. If he has desire.
They are age 40+ guys . Their desire may be to have control of the remote and
smoke while playing video games, (he could get that, too). Seems
to be a universal guy thing. Note: No one should not be upset about this as I am absolutely positive Johnny Depp does not want me either.
Speaking of sex, I can’t
believe you got stuck to a wiener dog.
Other than on porn sites, I've never heard of that happening.
Kat: I can’t
believe you go to porn sites where people are stuck to dogs. That’s sick!
Me: Actually it was on television. SP as you know Kat, is in total control of the
remote. By the way nice flipping of the subject.
(I cannot say SP's name as he has threatened me with dire consequences if I do. I must admit I almost want to say it just to know what they are)
Me: Okay so you are not going to talk about it. How about telling us what the headline would say, if
you were written about in the newspaper and it was on the front page?
Kat: KAT WRITES
PURRFECT BOOK. Hey, it’s a stupid
headline, but I can’t be held responsible for the dumbing down of America.
Me: I actually was thinking more along the lines of Writer
Kat Nove Tells All - Family Sues!
I would sue you if I were your family. Guess you lucked out with
people who love you.
Me: I can't help but think about your adventures with Jeni Decker.
After reading If I can't Wave Like A Princess and the two Waiting for Karl Rove
Books, I am interested to know what you think would be a fitting epitaph on
your gravestone? I am of course not saying that Jeni Decker is going to get you
killed on a road trip.
Kat: KAT NOVE – SHE DIED IN POVERTY SO GRAVE ROBBERS
MOVE ALONG
Me: Wow! I think that one would work for me too, with the name
changed of course. Speaking of death, I need to ask you about your recent head
spinning and pea soup spitting episode. If you don't pay your exorcist, do you
get repossessed?
Kat: First of all, I don’t have an exorcist. Second of all, I can’t afford to pay anyone
because I work retail. Finally, a demon
would have to be pretty lame to possess someone who doesn't even believe in his
boss. And for the record, even if a
demon possessed me, I still wouldn't believe in his boss. Yes, I’m THAT stubborn.
Me: That explains a lot. Just saying. So then if aliens landed in
front of you and offered you any position on their planet, what position would
you want?
Kat: CEO of Lactose Tolerant Milky Way Ice Cream.
Me: Thanks a lot. Now I will wake suddenly in the night and want
ice cream with Milky Way bars. Carrying on with our paranormal theme here, what
happens if Batman gets bitten by a vampire?
Kat: Well, it’s not as if he could become any more
angst-filled, so I imagine he would get Lucius Fox to build him a
light-resistant coffin which doubles as a submarine, sauna and spaceship.Then he could fight crime and relieve stress
during the day. Oh, wait. He never fought crime during the day anyway.I'm not sure if he relieves stress during the
day. Or how he relieves stress.I'm
thinking daily happy endings at exclusive massage parlor. Anyway, I think my
point it that Batman is nocturnal no matter what.Now why don't you ask me if Aquaman has ever
made out with an octopus or if the Flash is even capable of thinking of
baseball while having sex.Damn!I bet he's disappointed a LOT of women. Never
mind.
Me: Since you seem to have superior knowledge of super heroes,
please tell us why do all the superheroes wear underpants on the outside?
Kat: Because the inside is where they stash their
penises and/or vaginas.
Me: Well you have quickly finished off a bottle of Tequila. Not
implying anything by that. Maybe this is the time to ask you if it is true
cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?
Kat: No, it’s because polyester and pierrot whiteface
tastes like shit.
Me: I do not even want to know how you know what that taste like.
Back to If I Can't Wave Like A Princess, you devote a section to Scarlett and
Rhett from Gone With The Wind. This could make you the go to person for the
causes of the Civil War. In your opinion, what were they?
Kat: The South becoming a crop economy, States rights
vs. Federal rights, nullification, slavery, and the election of Abraham
Lincoln. Frankly, you could have Googled
the answer to this question, but far be it from me to criticize my interviewer.
Me: Just trying to pump up your intelligence. Let's face it, ( I noticed this while reading your books), you have made some decisions that have called your
intelligence into question. Let me try again. Why isn't chocolate considered a
vegetable, if chocolate comes from cocoa beans, and all beans are a vegetable?
Kat: It’s not a vegetable? I call bullshit on that and will keep eating
the recommended four servings of vegetables a day.
Me: Thank you for verifying that. I will also continue to eat the
recommended amount daily. One last shot at your intelligence. Why isn't the
number 11 pronounced as onety one?
Kat: Because Noah Webster was a humorless asshole.
Me: I read your book and
made note that you left something out. The infamous incident of 2006. Does it
still haunt you? You know. THAT incident. I will not name it as it could cause
a reaction that I am not willing to deal with. However, your readers do want to know.
They have "enquiring minds".
Kat: I never even think about it. Unless I see a nurse.
Or a doctor. Or a hospital. Or an ambulance.
Or a scalpel. Or any sharp
object. Or a commercial for antibiotics. Or a plumber
bending over. Or a nuclear power
plant meltdown.
Me: Okay I can see you winding up, (though it is debatable if the
cause was the question or your drunken state). Leave my dog alone! How about you just entertain us Remote
Control Terrorist style.
(Readers Remote Control Terrorist is Kat's SO. He
cannot be named either.)
Kat; I’m juggling cats.
Can you see me? Oh, shit. Who says cats always land on their feet? And do cats even have feet? Why don’t we say cats always land on their
paws? Okay, enough juggling. (Say the cats.) Now I’m dancing.
Kat: I’m the one
in the lemon chiffon outfit.I’m a
really good dancer.No, make that a
really great dancer.Baryshnikov, eat
your heart out and then come over and sit on my lap.Kat has something to show you.Cristina, Mikhail has requested that you avert
your eyes during this portion of the interview.Cue the completely unrelated short foreign film.
Me: Okay you have
redeemed yourself with the last video. Remote Control Terrorist enjoys some
interesting entertainment. I like Om Shanti Om though I question the cat
juggling. Due to RCT's entertainment choices, it is iffy on whether
or not I request that silly form to visit you again. While Kat entertains Mikhail I will
write up the review.
Oh look. She is passed out… I think my dog just peed on her.
(Disclaimer: Readers, I would never have permitted her to juggle some poor innocent animal and she is way too drunk to get up from the sofa so the juggling did not happen ..at my house anyway.)
If
I Can't Wave Like a Princess, I Must Be A Loser
is a slice of Kat Nove's life. As I have come to expect from Kat Nove much of
it is humorous. I can count on laughing hard when I read her writings, be it a
book or her blog. I really enjoyed reading If I Can't Wave Like A Princess as
it presented so many windows into Kat Nove. This book is a mixture of sarcasm,
humor, pain, and love. It is truly a slice of life. I recommend it though it is
not for the easily offended. If you made it this far, you are definitely the
type who would love this book. Go check it out.
If you are still not convinced I will share a couple of
excerpts from 'If I Can't Wave Like A Princess I Must Be A Loser'.
Conversation with Richard - Losing Track of Who Starts
the Guilt Trip (Part 2)
“You realize I’m almost sixty, don’t you?”
“Rolling his eyes, Richard said, “Oh, yeah.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be dead soon and you can find a
younger girlfriend.”
Richard snorted and said, “I don’t have to wait until
you’re dead to do that.
The Interrogation
This hasn’t happened to me… yet.
"Why'd you do it?" he asked.
He must be the good cop; the grandfatherly one. Too bad
he didn't know my grandfather ran away to become a Somalia pirate when I was
only two.
I maintained my stony silence.
"Are you sure you understand your rights?" he
continued. “You're entitled to a lawyer."
"I hate lawyers."
"Fair enough. Who doesn't? So, are you going to
tell us why you did it?"
I gave him the
look of contempt he deserved.
"I've had it with her, Hank," the other cop
snarled. “Give me five minutes alone with her and she'll talk."
Ah, the bad cop; younger, better looking, surly and
totally without charm. Under normal circumstances, just my type.
"Calm down, Sarge. You act like I killed your
grandmother. How about giving me a cigarette?”
He leaned over the table until our noses were almost touching. A vein
pulsed in his forehead. He did have lovely eyelashes though.
"You psycho bitch! You did kill my grandmother! I
live… lived with her."
Oops! Talk about irony.
"All I can say is she deserved killing."
Okay, maybe that was the wrong thing to say, seeing as
how it took Grandpa Cop about five minutes to remove Sgt. Takes Things Too
Seriously’s hands from my throat.
“I’ll talk. I'll talk. Just keep this son of a bitch
and his Oedipal complex off me."
"So go ahead, Ms. Nove," Grandpa Cop wheezed.
I'd say the Krispy Kremes might have had a deleterious effect on his ability to
pull the mama's boy off me.
"Let me think. It all started in the first grade,
when Johnny McDougall showed me his penis in the back of the school
bus."
"Okay, Miss Smart Ass. I'm going to let Gene have
another go at you."
"Fine. It really started about an hour before my
lunch hour. Literally. My period started; and according to God's master plan, I
had to be out of tampons. Menopause was a distant memory to my female
co-workers, so no help there. This meant a trip to the ladies room and the
pleasant feel of wadded up toilet paper. Which, I might add, is slightly less
effective than wishing on a star in broad daylight that Johnny Depp will be
waiting for me at home, naked and lying on a five-foot pile of hundred dollar
bills.”
I assume that by now alert readers has noticed all the
Johnny Depp references. For the record, menopause has insisted I don’t care
about sex anymore, but I’m hoping Mr. Depp will hear about all the times I've
mentioned him in a flattering way and buy 500,000 copies of this book. Now back
to being interrogated.
Disclaimer: In case you are under the mistaken belief I
typed all that, I must say it was copied from my Kindle. I also purchased this book. The opinions expressed are mine and I received no compensation for the review or interview. Kat Nove drank all my booze and passed out on my sofa for free.
Actually Kat Nove wrote her answers from Texas while I wrote the rest from Juneau Alaska. Had she came to visit me we both would have been looking for bail money and quite possibly had been arrested in Wasilla.
Welcome to Tom Weston's Feathered Book Blast! Here's your chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash PLUS an autographed copy of his new fantasy, Feathered: Being a Fairy Tale! Feathered is the 3rd book in the Alex and Jackie Adventure Series and we're so happy to bring you not only a great giveaway but tell you all about Tom and his new book. This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents and ends on March 29.
Whenever Alexandra Caroline O’Rourke, AKA Alex, met with trouble, she generally blamed her younger sister, Jackie. And Alex’s sudden engagement to marry a Viking prince, against her will, probably classified as trouble. If nothing else, a wedding held in 11th century Ireland would make it difficult to invite her friends from San Diego. Regardless of blame, Jackie was the only person who could help Alex, but Jackie was still in the 21st century. And Jackie had her own problems, which included uncooperative fairies and strange songs which only she could hear. But most of all, if Jackie could not find a way to make it rain, marauding Vikings would be the least of their worries, because this is Feathered: being a fairy tale and this is an Alex and Jackie Adventure.
Award winning writer and film-maker, Tom Weston, returns to the fantasy genre for his 3rd novel in the Alex and Jackie Adventure series, FEATHERED: BEING A FAIRY TALE. Originally from England, Tom now resides in Boston, Massachusetts. Before turning his hand to fiction, Tom had a successful career as the CEO of a consulting company, conference speaker and writer of industry articles and business books. But determining that the business world lacked a sense of humor, Tom decided to hand in his jacket and tie and instead turned to the world of literature. His novel, FIRST NIGHT, set in Boston during the New Year’s Eve festival, introduced the unlikely heroines, Alex and Jackie, and the ghost of a 17th century Puritan named Sarah Pemberton. FIRST NIGHT won an Honorable Mention in the Middle-Grade/Young Adult category, in the Writers Digest 17th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards. The sequel to FIRST NIGHT, called THE ELF OF LUXEMBOURG, was published in January, 2010. As with FIRST NIGHT, THE ELF OF LUXEMBOURG is also a supernatural mystery, with a blend of humor and history that has become Tom’s trademark. Following the publication of THE ELF OF LUXEMBOURG, Tom turned to the medium of film to produce and direct the award winning animated short, THERE BE MONSTERS!, (watch a clip below), based on one of his TALES FROM THE GREEN DRAGON TAVERN. Tom also wrote the critically acclaimed and award winning, Historical Fiction novel, FISSION, based on the true life story of scientist, Lise Meitner. Tom is now working on a new animated short called DANCING DAISY DAY.
And now for the GIVEAWAY!!! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win a $25 Amazon GC or Paypal Cash and an autographed copy of his book, FEATHERED!!!
(Ends March 29, 2013)
As her family's sole survivor in a car crash, she is left with
a broken arm and a few scrapes and bruises. But these are only outward marks;
inside, her heart is broken and the pieces scattered.
Whisked away to Alaska, to an aunt she’s never met, Emma starts over. Secrets
unveil themselves and now…she doesn't even know who or what she is.
A centuries old prophecy places Emma in the heart of danger. Creatures of
horrifying and evil proportions are after her, and it will take Emma, her aunt,
and six, gorgeously captivating Guardians to keep her safe. But, if she can
survive until her eighteenth birthday... things will change.
“Thanks guys. I’m gonna miss you SO much,” I said, as tears
stung my eyes again.
“We’re going to miss you too! What are we going to do without you our last,
crucial year? We’re finally going to be seniors,” Lia said, her eyes tearing as
soon as she saw mine.
Jeremy looked at me, and a single tear grazed his cheek. He quickly turned away
and lifted his glasses, quickly wiping his face with his shirt. That was the
first time I’d ever seen Jeremy get emotional.
“You guys will be fine. And it won’t be forever. I promise to email and send
pictures.”
“You better,” Lia said, wagging her finger at me.
And then… something happened. A sudden euphoric feeling; an unexplainable heat
shot through every cell in my body. My pulse quickened, along with my breath,
and tingles pricked my skin. A
rush of adrenaline flooded my veins and my surroundings began to haze. I
grasped onto the edge of the bed, taking in long, deep breaths.
“Hey, are you okay?” Jeremy asked, scooting over to me, grabbing hold of my
shoulders.
“Emma, what’s wrong?” Lia called, jumping behind me, pounding my back.
Hello! I’m not choking! I wanted to speak those words, but I couldn’t answer
them. It was like all the breath had been sucked out of my lungs.
Then…there was a knock at the door, and we all turned to look.
Cameo Renae was born in San Francisco, CA, was raised in
Maui, Hawaii, and recently moved with her husband and two teenage children to
Alaska.
She loved reading from as long as she can remember. C.S.
Lewis’ - Chronicles of Narnia - sparked a fire in her soul which made her want
to create her own wondrous, magical worlds, and awesome characters to go on
adventures with.
Writing is her passion, and right now, her head is stuck in
the YA genre. Her debut novel, In My
Dreams, was picked up by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing and
was re-published December 14, 2012.
Her newest novel, Hidden
Wings (Book 1 in the Hidden Wings Series) was also published with Crushing
Hearts and Black Butterfly on January 18, 2013.
One day she hopes to find her own magic wardrobe, and ride
away on her magical unicorn... Until then... she’ll keep writing!
.
