A Touch of Christmas

Saving Savanna by Sara Fitzgerald

Publisher:  Sweetwater Books (Cedar Fort Publishing)

Publication Date: October 9th 2012
ISBN:  1462111009
Genre:  Christmas / Family

Devan can’t help but blame God for his wife’s death, so the last thing he wants to do this holiday season is celebrate. But when his daughter, Savanna, makes a special Christmas wish, their little family will never be the same. Filled with faith and tenderness, this heartwarming story is sure to remind you of the real power behind the magic of Christmas.

Short, but Oh, so sweet!!!  Don't let the short length of this book turn you off, it packs so much into its 16 pages.  So sweet and heart tugging, Sara Fitzgerald knows how to tell a family story.  If you or someone you knows needs a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas, this is a must read.  What a perfect read for those of us who are busy at this time of year.

I have put this on my must share list for the holiday season.  This is one that I will pick up and read year after year.  

Sara Fitzgerald was named the 2006 Writer of the Year for the League of Utah Writers. She lives with her husband and daughter in Salt Lake City. She loves the Christmas season. To find out more about Saving Savanna and the author Sara Fitzgerald, visit her website: http://www.sarafitzgerald.com. 

It's Been a While!

Wow!  Has it really been since the end of July since I last posted?  All I can say is - I'm glad to be back!!

I moved to a new job - hired in mid July as a 3rd grade teacher.  I had been an inclusive special education teacher for the past 8 years.  I did not realize just what a change it would be.  It has been very time consuming!  And - I love it!!!  I love my 20 kids too!!!

Anyway, I am looking forward to posting again.  I will be taking part in some wonderful book tours from Cedar Fort.  I have fallen in love with each and every book I have read from this publisher!  They sure know how to pick their authors and books!!! 

The first title I will be reviewing is The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume by  Lisa Rumsey Harris.  

Click on the banner to find out more!!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB @Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

"She quickly yanked the ribbon off and flipped the box top off as well.  Inside there was a dozen roses.  They were all dead.  She screamed."

The Twenty-Twenty Players by Jim Lynch

Publication Date:  September 7th 2011

ISBN:  0615504396

Genre:  Political Thriller

Naked - Elephant Trunk - Gossip!!! What do you think??

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Cambria @ CambriaHebert.com.

Each week there will be a new question to answer and share.  This is a great way for bloggers to get to know one another.

This week's questions - something fun: 

 Would you rather go about your normal day naked or fall asleep for a year?

My Answer: I'd hate to miss out on a year, so if push came to shove and I had to pick one, I'd go around naked for a day!  I could deal with it, but I am not sure how everyone else would.  Considering I am a teacher, I'd hope this happened in the summer!!!!  

Would you rather be gossipped about or never talked about at all?

My Answer:  I would prefer to be gossiped about - at least I have done something to get noticed!!  Thinking about the first question, I am sure that would give people something to gossip about for many years to come!!!

Would you rather be born with an elephant trunk or a giraffe neck?

My Answer:  I think it would be better with an elephant trunk.  I want to be able to fit into the traditional houses and buildings, and with a long neck that could be difficult.  Wow!  what would a person do in a car with a giraffe neck?  They'd almost have to drive a convertible wouldn't they?  

These were quite interesting questions to ponder!!!  I'd love to hear everyone else's responses!!!  

Title and Cover Reveal

Several months ago I had the opportunity to read an amazing book written by Robin Waldrop called Ties to the Blood Moon.  Well today, I have the honor to be part of the title and cover reveal to sequel to that book.  Its expected release date is August 10, 2012.

Shadow of the Blood Moon 

by Robin Waldrop

Genevieve Labreck is back with a score to settle. Her mom has been kidnapped by Zane, hybrid and all-around monster.  Rumors fly that Gen’s mom is holed away in Prague, a city recognized by humans for its serene beauty and intense culture, but Gen and Will know something humans don’t. Prague is haunted by dark, evil forces.


Can Gen and Will save her mom, or will they be too late? 


Some will live, others will fall. At what price do you walk away from those you love?

Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan

Fairy Metal Thunder (Songs of Magic #1) by J.L. Bryan

Publisher:  CreateSpace

Publication Date:  September 16th 2011

ISBN:  146635190X

Genre:  YA fantasy

Book Synopsis:  A rock & roll fairy tale.


Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.


Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason is a step closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.


Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab, who sends supernatural bounty hunters to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie...a small unicorn named Buttercake.

My Thoughts:  Fairy Metal Thunder is a very original story – unlike anything I have ever read.  I read it in one sitting, and had a blast reading it.  I found it to be very creative and a different spin on a Faerie tale.


Jason is a not so popular junior in high school who has started playing in a garage band as a guitarist.  This band gets more time playing in the garage than any paying gigs.  And to top it all off, his parents do not want him to hang out with or be part of the band. So, what does Jason really gain from being part of the band? He gets to spend time with the lead singer Erin.  But, Erin has a boyfriend – how does he compete with that?


One evening while watching his little sister, something really strange happens. He is introduced to the Faerie realm, and in the end, he has the answer to the band’s problems.  He finds some amazing instruments that turn their world around.  The problem is, he did not come across these instruments honestly, and they have their own set of issues.  Will it be worth it in the end?


This was a very quick read, and very enjoyable.  It was anything but predictable. You have a high school mish-mash band trying to catch a break, a burger joint where the high school kids hang out, over-protective parents, and then throw the Faerie world into the mix.  I just found it fun, fun, fun!!!

About the Author:  J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, dogs Violet and Tiger Lily, and cats Shadow and Sue.                                                                                                                                                                    Twitter        Goodreads            Website

My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly

My Loving Vigil Keeping 
by Carla Kelly 

Publisher:  Cedar Fort, Inc.

Publication Date:  August 14th 2012

ISBN:  1599558971

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Book Synopsis:  Della’s giving up all the comforts of bustling Salt Lake City to teach school in a rural coal mining camp. Little does she know, she may soon be giving up her heart as well. But when tragedy strikes in the Scofield Mine, Della’s life will be changed forever. Based on true events, this thrilling new romance from award-winning and bestselling author Carla Kelly is a must-read!

My Thoughts:  Oh, my goodness!  I just read my all-time favorite book!  No kidding!!  I really, really loved this book! My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly is of course from my favorite genre – historical fiction & it also includes romance!!  The title comes from the lyrics of a very popular lullaby “All Through the Night” – one of my favorites as well. 

Della is a young woman who had been orphaned early on- her mother had left when she was an infant, and her father was killed in a mine accident.   She grew up in the home of her wealthy uncle, where she was looked down upon, and pretty much took care of herself.  She got herself through school and eventually earned a one-year teaching certificate.  After a couple of years teaching in a typical community/school, she goes out on a limb and applies for and accepts a position in a coal-mining community called Winter Quarters, located in Scofield, Utah. 

It’s almost as if she were returning home – there are many similarities to her childhood community.  However, the people of Winter Quarters relate her to the wealthy family that raised her and wonder why she is there.  She has to earn the respect of these people of Winter Quarters and find herself.

Owen, oh how I loved Owen!!  He is such a sweet, gentle man.  The father of a beautiful little girl who also lost her mother at a young age – her mother died giving birth.  Own is so perfect for Della.  This growing, possible romance was so great to read.  What I loved most about it was that it was not rushed. Real people with real issues and histories to overcome.  What happens in the end, I will let you read the book to find out.

You will not believe everything that goes on in this story!!!  Let me just tell you, there are many, many ups and downs.  Times I laughed and times I really cried!  I was cheering Della on throughout the whole book!  I found her to be the best protagonist I have encountered in some time.  She was just so real – emotions and actions so authentic.  The other characters – especially those in Winter Quarters – were just what I imagined.  They honestly made me want to check the place out for myself.  Sounds strange doesn’t it? Why would I want to go to an old coal-town?  Well, I was born and raised in West Virginia – where coal mining is a mainstay for many.  While I did not grow up in a family of miners, many of my friends did.  The town I grew up in was not a coal camp, but many years before I was born, that is what the town was all about!  So, many of the same characteristics and lifestyles still lingered.  Therefore, I completely related to the individuals in the novel. 

Carla Kelly definitely knows what she is doing when writing a historical fiction.  The events in the story are based in part on a very tragic mining event – the Scofield mining disaster of 1900.  Lots of chilling events – many that made my heart bleed!!!  At one point I was so angry with what was going on – or really, what I thought was going on.  I was very happily surprised with the turn of events as the story unfolded.  This is most assuredly a must-read – so don’t let it get by you!!!! 

About the Author:  Although Carla Kelly is well known among her readers as a writer of Regency romance, her main interest (and first writing success) is Western American fiction—more specifically, writing about America's Indian Wars. Although she had sold some of her work before, it was not until Carla began work in the National Park Service as a ranger/historian at Fort Laramie National Historic Site did she get serious about her writing career. (Or as she would be the first to admit, as serious as it gets.)


Carla wrote a series of what she now refers to as the "Fort Laramie stories," which are tales of the men, women and children of the Indian Wars era in Western history. Two of her stories, A Season for Heroes and Kathleen Flaherty's Long Winter, earned her Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. She was the second woman to earn two Spurs from WWA (which, as everyone knows, is all you need to ride a horse). Her entire Indian Wars collection was published in 2003 as Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army. It remains her favorite work. 


The mother of five children, Carla has always allowed her kids to earn their keep by appearing in her Regencies, most notably Marian's Christmas Wish, which is peopled by all kinds of relatives. Grown now, the Kelly kids are scattered here and there across the U.S. They continue to provide feedback, furnish fodder for stories and make frantic phone calls home during the holidays for recipes. (Carla Kelly is some cook.) 


Carla's husband, Martin, is Director of Theatre at Valley City State University, in Valley City, North Dakota. Carla is currently overworked as a staff writer at the local daily newspaper. She also writes a weekly, award-winning column, "Prairie Lite."


Carla only started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars, which figures in many of her Regency novels and short stories. She specializes in writing about warfare at sea, and about the ordinary people of the British Isles who were, let's face it, far more numerous than lords and ladies. 


Hobbies? She likes to crochet afghans, and read British crime fiction and history, principally military history. She's never happier than talking about the fur trade or Indian Wars with Park Service cronies. Her most recent gig with the National Park Service was at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site on the Montana/North Dakota border. 


Here's another side to this somewhat prosaic woman: She recently edited the fur trade journal of Swiss artist Rudolf F. Kurz (the 1851-1852 portion), and is gratified now and then to be asked to speak on scholarly subjects. She has also worked for the State Historical Society of North Dakota as a contract researcher. This has taken her to glamorous drudgery in several national archives and military history repositories. Gray archives boxes and old documents make her salivate. 


Her mantra for writing comes from the subject of her thesis, Robert Utley, that dean of Indian Wars history. He told her the secret to writing is "to put your ass in the chair and keep it there until you're done." He's right, of course. 


Her three favorite fictional works have remained constant through the years, although their rankings tend to shift: War and Peace, The Lawrenceville Stories, and A Town Like Alice. Favorite historical works are One Vast Winter Count, On the Border with Mackenzie and Crossing the Line. Favorite crime fiction authors are Michael Connelly, John Harvey and Peter Robinson. 


And that's all she can think of that would interest anyone.