Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Cover Reveal and Giveaweay - Silenced in the Surf by Kate Dyer-Seeley


Welcome to the cover reveal for Silenced in the Surf by Kate Dyer-Seeley! This is book three in the Pacific Northwest Mystery series and releases March 29th, 2016.

About the Book:
Covering a windsurfing competition should have been a breeze for reporter Meg Reed, but with a killer in the curl, she's headed for rough waters…

Hood River in the Columbia River Gorge is the windsurfing capital of the world, and Meg is stoked to cover the King of the Hook event for Portland's Northwest Extreme magazine. Before the competition gets under way, Meg has a chance to try some windsurfing on her own. But when the current sweeps her downriver, she spots a body snagged on the rocks. The dead man is Justin Cruise, aka Cruise Control, a celebrity windsurfer and not exactly a nice guy. It's soon clear his death was no accident, and Cruise had no shortage of enemies. As Meg dives right in to discover who wiped out the windsurfer, she'll need to keep her balance--or she too may get blown away.

Praise For Scene Of The Climb

"A splendid overview of the greater Portland and Columbia River Gorge region, perfect for travel buffs. Her protagonist shows promise with her determined attitude and moxie." --Library Journal

"A fun, terrific adventure." --Suspense Magazine

Includes Adventure Guides!
Goodreads |  Amazon | B&N

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Don't miss out on the first two books, Scene of the Climb and Slayed on the Slopes!



About the Author:

Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing. The first

book in the series, Scene of the Climb, features the rugged landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge and a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme.

Her work has appeared in a variety of regional and international publications including: The Columbian, The Vancouver Voice, Seattle Backpacker, Portland Family Magazine, and Climbing Magazine.

Kate lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.


Giveaway:

Signed copies of Scene of the Climb and Slayed on the Slopes, Windsurfing Barbie kit,  Pink inflatable pool float, Clif bars, Burt’s Bees Pink Grapefruit lip balm, Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate bar with raspberry
US only
Ends August 27th
Prizing provided by the author, hosts are not responsible in any way.

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Guest Post: Collecting Vintage Children's Books

Guest Post: Collecting Vintage Children's Books



I really enjoyed writing a guest post today for Mother Daughter Book Reviews.  You'll find the link above, and I hope you'll stop by and leave a comment!   Pictured above -- Ramona the Pest, Henry Huggins, and Ribsy the dog, all from one of my favorite authors, Beverly Cleary.

Music Monday - "Li'l Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs (1966)

"Li'l Red Riding Hood" was a novelty hit in 1966. It made it to number 2 on the Billboard Top 100.  This song was sung by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.  Sam the Sham was actually Domingo Samudio.  He  hauled his music equipment in a 1950's vintage hearse!  Here is a fun performance video from 1966, interspersed with an old Betty Boop cartoon.  I thought this fun, quirky song would be a good music break today.  

Do you remember this tune?   What is your favorite novelty song?

Author Interview and Giveaway: Black Cat and the Accidental Angel by Elaine Faber

Black Cat and the Accidental Angel
Cozy Mystery
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Elk Grove Publications (April 1, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1940781112
E-Book ASIN: B00W4J9ZVU
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Synopsis:
When their carrier is left behind following an MVA, Thumper awakes with amnesia. His companion says, “Call me Angel, I’m here to take care of you.” Why she won’t share their history or tell him his real name is a mystery.

No sooner than the cats are taken in by John and his daughter, Cindy at a vineyard and Emu farm, strange and progressively harmful pranks begin to occur, threatening Cindy’s safety.

A surprising discovery and an unexpected meeting with a stranger brings about changes to their lives. Black Cat (Thumper) struggles to remember his past and yearns to return to his family, but Angel insists they must stay and help John resolve his financial troubles. As the summer progresses, Black Cat experiences despair, shame, loss, and finally acceptance and joy. But, when a final threat to Cindy arises, Angel risks her life to protect the child she has come to love, and Black Cat learns there are more important things in life than knowing your own name.
hi-res-Elaine-Boots 
Birdhouse Books Interviews Elaine Faber 

Birdhouse:  When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?


Elaine:  I think I’ve been a writer since I was a child, writing poems for my mother.  I began writing short stories in high school on my little manual typewriter. I still have a folder full of brown, dog-eared pages from this time. One of these days, I’ll look them over, revise some of them and spring them on an unsuspecting world.

Birdhouse:  What was your favorite book as a child? 

Elaine:  I read Heidi and Little Women as a young girl, and To Kill a Mockingbird as a teen, but the book that most influenced my writing career  was Paul Gallico’s Silent Meow, a book with photographs of Mr. Gallico and his wife and a cat that ‘took over’ the family. The book is supposed to be written by the cat! It was the first book I ever read from the cat’s point of view and the concept fascinated me. I think the concept for my novels, Black Cat’s Legacy, Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, and Black Cat and the Accidental Angel, where Thumper tells part of the story from his point of view, came from this early exposure to Mr. Gallico’s wonderful book. Yes, it’s still on my shelf in a place of honor.

Birdhouse:  What is your writing day like? Do you have any interesting writing quirks?


Elaine:  I suppose I’m a pretty boring writer. Don’t get up at 4:00 AM to write. Don’t write longhand in a yellow tablet or use a manual typewriter any more. Don’t play the Grateful Dead in earphones.  Writing is supposed to be fun. I write new stories when the mood strikes. I’m at my desk every day, either writing, editing, promoting, working on a guest post, beseeching cooperative bloggers for interviews (LOL) or whatever else the day requires. I work on my ‘craft/business’ every day in some manner, but have no particular requirement for XX number of words per day. That doesn’t sound like fun to me.

Birdhouse:  What was the most surprising thing you learned while creating this book?


Elaine:  As with all my books, the characters surprise me with their unexpected twists and turns. Often the characters behave in ways that I had not planned. We know that in a Cozy, you can’t kill a cat or a child, but there is a scene in Black Cat and the Accidental Angel, where a character is in a life-threatening situation with seemingly no way out. I always figure it out, but there are times when I may sit with chill bumps on my arms, scratching my head and saying, “Now, what the heck shall I do?”

Birdhouse:  Who are your favorite authors?

Elaine:  I love Elizabeth Peters, who writes a mystery in Egypt during 1930-40’s. Of course, Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen are favorites. I love John Steinbeck who can turn a phrase so beautifully. I love many cozy mystery writers too numerous to name. 

Birdhouse:  What is your next writing project?

Elaine:  My current WIP, a humorous mystery, Mrs. Odboddy, Home Town Patriot, is scheduled for next spring. It is set during WWII in hometown United States. I’ve added many little-known historical facts about that era with the humorous exploits of an elderly eccentric lady who sees conspiracies and Nazi spies around every bush. As she attempts to bring the scoundrels to justice, she encounters stolen Hawaiian money, six chickens, a casket company and an old lover from WWI. 

Thanks for the opportunity to share my books with your readers. I hope they will check them out on Amazon.


About The Author
Elaine Faber’s short stories are published in magazines and multiple anthologies. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Elaine is author of the Black Cat Mysteries involving Thumper, the cat who solves mysteries with the aid of his ancestor’s memories: Black Cat’s Legacy; Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, and Black Cat and the Accidental Angel. 

Elaine lives in Elk Grove with her husband of 51 years. (That’s a marriage of 51 years, not a husband of 51 years). They share their home with four house cats, the inspiration for her Black Cat Mysteries. A portion of the sales proceeds goes to animal rescue programs. 

Author Links
Website: www.mindcandymysteries.com
Facebook:  http://facebook.elainefaber2 

Purchase Links
Amazon
Shop Indie Bookstores B&N

Book 2 in this Series



Giveaway:  
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Saturday, August 15, 2015

Weekend Window Shopping at Birdhouse Book: Vintage Children's Books and Valentines

Happy weekend, vintage friends!

Just stopping by with the latest news from Birdhouse Books.

I am clearing my shelves with some community cookbooks, fiction, nonfiction, and old state fair ribbons.   I will be listing these items between now and 8/31 as free shipping auctions.   I hope you'll bookmark the following link and stop by to browse (and browse again!):   Clearance items with free shipping (new items added regularly through 8/31/15):  click here to visit Birdhouse Books.

I also have some cute new items to share with you.  These are all found at Birdhouse Books on eBay.  (I will be adding them in to Etsy and Bonanza soon!)

Cute 1960's vintage Valentine with stick figure children.   "Our hearts belong together dear, on Feb. 14."

 Little birds sing on this vintage Valentine.  "A Valentine Note for you!"
 A little girl wears a devil costume on this vintage Valentine.  "A red hot Valentine to say I like you."
 A cat holds a big red heart on this vintage Valentine.  "You're one in a million, hon.  Say you're mine!"
 This cute vintage Valentine features a bear cub holding a pink heart.  "You're grrreat - be my Valentine."
 A little dressed bear cub juggles hearts.  "Be mine on Feb. 14th!"
 Pooh Goes Visiting and Pooh and Piglet Nearly Catch a Woozle is a cute little picture book with story by A.A. Milne and illustrations by Ernest Shepard.
 Arthur and the Purple Panic is a British children's book by Alan Coren.
 The Night the Scarecrow Walked is a Halloween picture book by Natalie Savage Carlson.
 What Makes a Clock Tick? is a fascinating nonfiction book for children by Chester Johnson.
I hope you found some vintage goodies of interest.   Will look forward to touching base again next week!