Business Travel to Singapore

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am in Singapore on business, hence the blog absence.  When you get a chance, drop me a line & tell me what you are currently reading.

This is a picture of Singapore at Sunrise- a great place to walk, think & experience growth.

Warms, CYM

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Author Spotlight: David Lichty

Jimmy Miller The Super Powerful: Forecast Acid Rain

by David Lichty

SYNOPSIS
Is the fate of the world really in the hands of one 9-year-old kid?  Find out in Jimmy Miller the Super Powerful: Forecast Acid Rain.  In this work of science fiction, 9-year-old Jimmy Miller gains super human abilities after he is unknowingly fed experimental genetically-modified food by a government funded corporation, Etyouth.  Forced to remain at the facility, Jimmy and his father eventually escape with the help of the boy’s new found powers.  Jimmy and his dad settle into a home in Battle Creek, Michigan and attempt to live as normal of a life as possible, attending school and going off to work.  Meanwhile, Etyouth refrains from pursuing Jimmy and his dad…until one year later.  Etyouth leads Jimmy and his dad into a battle away from their home, and captures the boy, incapacitating him.  While in captivity the callous, malevolent director informs Jimmy that not only was his father captured…but now is dead!  Jimmy escapes Etyouth once again, and now he has to fight off the evil corporation alone, without any parents.  Eventually, he joins up with his best friend, 9-year-old Annie Marshall, who is struggling to overcome her abusive and chaotic childhood.  The story is told in first person from the perspective of our protagonist and hero.  However, is Jimmy emotionally capable of handling these extraordinary abilities or is it too overwhelming for someone so young?

This is book 1 of a series written by first time author, David Lichty.  With plenty of action, adventure, and human interest this is a tale that will be enjoyed by all age levels.  Although not specifically for children (think PG-13 for language, situations, and violence), juvenile readers (as well as anyone who used to be a child) from 9 on up will certainly identify with the characters.

BIOGRAPHY     

David is married to the love of his life, Kerri, and the father of two boys, Kaleb and Brayden.  All his life he has resided in southwest Michigan and currently has a home in Battle Creek, a.k.a. Cereal City.  In his past he has been a social worker, possessing both a master's degree and a state license to practice.  His work (as well as his own past) has opened his eyes to the struggles that some children are faced with and the question always in his mind was--what if these kids had incredible super powers?  Would it help them or just add on to their troubles.

WHERE TO BUY
You can get a paperback version at either Amazon or Barnes and Noble (online only).  While I enjoy hard copies of any book I read, I know there are those who prefer gadgets and technology.  For those people, Jimmy Miller the Super Powerful:  Forecast Acid Rain has an e-book version for the Kindle (get it at Amazon) or for the Nook (get it at barnesandnoble.com).  The paperback version runs at $12.99 but the e-book versions are as low as 2.99.  You can also find David and like him on Facebook, just make sure you get his author page (it's the one with the book cover).  You can also get previews and some information at his bloghttp://bcdavid-jimmymiller.blogspot.com/.


Happy Holidays-
CYM

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Getting Ready for the Holidays - Book Style!

Is it really that time of year again?  I can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week & then Christmas is close behind. So, no matter what holidays you celebrate, here are some great ideas for decorating with books.

Let's start with the holiday table. You can click on an image & it will take you to the original link.

Need a few Christmas Tree & Decoration ideas?



















Let the count down begin - cute bookish advent calendar ideas.





Are you decorating with books this year?
XOXO
Beachbrights
(guest blogger)

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Dire Salvation by Charles B. Neff #Book #Review

Dire Salvation 

by Charles B. Neff 

(2012 Bennett & Hastings Publishing)

What does love mean to you? Have you ever thought about a bunch of people thrown together by chance, most of whom seek to give and receive love? If you were the writer telling their story, how would you evolve the plot lines to entice your readers to keep turning the pages? Would you bring all the stories to happy conclusions, or would you break some hearts along the way?

As an aspiring writer, I find all of these questions to be interesting. As a reader, I have learned that every story has its own lessons to teach about the craft of fiction writing. As a reviewer, I have the joy of reading the work of acclaimed best sellers and those who are trying to find their way in the fiction world (like me). In writing reviews, I always hope to communicate the learning that I derive from each story in a manner that will entice readers to also pick up the novel and form their own conclusions.

In the case of Dire Salvation, Charles B. Neff does a fine job of narrating the stories of a  cast of characters thrown together by odd murders at a salmon hatchery in Washington State. A slightly challenged youth is arrested for the murder. His half-sister Calla has tried to bring order to the boy’s life, who has existed on the edge of serious trouble through drugs and choice of  friends. The local mayor takes interest in the case and Calla. The police team from local and higher jurisdictions have their own interface. The local Ukranian cop, Greg, has a love interest working in Egypt. “How do I feel about her,” he keeps asking, wondering if she will actually come for a visit and if his interest is more than in sex.

The police suspect a known drug dealer, too slick to ever leave a trail to allow prosecution of him. He finds a long lost sister and her son, desperate in their own ways. Some of the police believe he is the murderer. Greg does not.

At the hatchery, a strange couple live in a trailer and care for the facility. The old woman seems irrelevant to the plot. Could she be the chemist who design new drugs?

Charles B. Neff does an excellent job of framing a story with interesting characters. You will enjoy thinking about their inter-relationships, as I did for sure. The story reads easily.

We all learn as we write one story after another, hear reviews, listen to readers, and study the work of others. Writing is a craft like any other creative activity. In reading Dire Salvation, I kept turning pages wanting a clear window into the personality of the characters, some of whom I found to be fascinating. Such a window also provides insight to the author, who must create the characters. The writing style Dire Salvation is highly narrative in nature, as opposed to white space dialogue, internal or external, through which a reader can have that window. In his future work, I look forward to seeing Mr. Neff open his own heart to expose that of his finely-drawn characters.

Read Dire Salvation, then look for future stories from a potentially excellent writer.

Warms, Cym  

Resource Links:

AMAZON

Review by Sheila Deeth @Gather

Review by CCLaP

Books by Neff

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Winners of Wednesday's Book Review Link-up!! I said WINNERS!!!

  

And the winner of the Amazon Gift Card ($15 value) from Wednesday's Review Party is...

(**Drums Rolling in the Background**)

Congratulations to EVERYONE WHO LINKED UP. Everyone is a winner this week and will receive a $15 Amazon eGC!!

Be sure to check out ALL the reviews and leave a comment!


Due to all the winners, I will need you to send me your email address for the Amazon eGC. That would help so much!

Book Review Wednesday's will start back up in the new year. Happy Holidays.

Warms-
CYM
cymlowell@gmail.com

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