Book Title: Waiting in the Wings: How to Launch Your Performing Career on Broadway and Beyond by Tiffany Haas Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 273 pages Genre: Non-Fiction Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Release date: April 23, 2019 Content Rating: G for everyone.
Book Description:
Tiffany Haas knows how to make it on Broadway. After 72 rejections in a row she finally landed a role in Broadway’s long-running smash hit Wicked and later became “Glinda the Good.” Now she wants to share her advice for starting and nurturing a career in the theater. Waiting in the Wings is the essential guide for anyone who wants to have a theatrical career, whether they’re complete newbies or already have some professional credits.
Based on everything she learned on her journey to New York, including 10 years on Broadway, Tiffany shares the information that you need to succeed in theater. Everyone’s path is a little bit different, but the principles for success are always the same. With advice on auditions, how to become the performer they want to hire, developing relationships with cast mates, finding a reputable agent, the importance of reputation, and the best way to shape and build your career, Tiffany covers every aspect of the business. You’ll learn what it takes to be successful and where to best spend your time and effort as you navigate the “great mystery” of pursuing musical theater.
In an industry that is famed for its insider secrets, Tiffany draws back the curtain, giving readers the knowledge and tools they need to follow their dreams. If you’re one of those people Waiting in the Wings for a big Broadway career, Tiffany Haas’s book is the one resource you need to land a big role, stand in front of those footlights and let it go!
A Virginia native, Tiffany is a talented Broadway performer, concert vocalist, choreographer, author, designer and passionate entrepreneur and former Miss Ohio. In addition to her impressive 10-year career as “Glinda” in the Broadway and National Tour production of Wicked, she was the dance captain for the Tony Award-winning Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. She is the author of Waiting In The Wings: How to Launch Your Performing Career on Broadway and Beyond and Founder & Artistic Director of Destination Broadway, the premier musical theatre training program for young aspiring performers. Throughout the years, her evolving career has spanned Broadway, Symphony concerts, pageants, and sharing her many talents with others through teaching. Tiffany’s students can be seen on The Disney Channel, Sesame Street, National Tours, Broadway, Radio City Music Hall, and are currently studying at some of the most prestigious conservatories and universities in the country.
I am excited to share The Acre Series by G J Kemp and the process for creating the cover. I am a lover of cover and always curious how the final product is chosen. How about you? Can a cover make you grab a book without looking any further?
Tell us about the process for coming up with the cover.
‘Never judge a book by it’s cover.’ That’s what they say! Yet the book cover is one of the most important parts of the book itself. It’s what makes people reach for the book when they browse along the shelves.
I knew I was writing a series. This meant I needed to think well in advance of what type of style I would like for my book covers. They had to have a theme that would run through each of the covers.
Can you guess some of the decisions I made?
Here are a few.
No faces allowed to be shown. I want my readers to create their own character faces so it is important to me that I don’t influence them through the book cover, but rather the writing itself.
Each book’s colour points to the earth element. Juno is yellow as she is fire. Miles is green as he is earth. Chloe and Dimitri will have their own colours.
Always maintain the same font style and structure. I want my readers to notice another book in the series from afar.
Once I had put all of the above together, it was important to find an artist who bought into my thought process. I went onto many websites and searched for many hours. Eventually I found Andrei. I put a detailed brief together and after a month Andrei came back with some excellent submissions. From there we fine tuned the cover until we had the right style.
Now, Andrei takes half the time to put the book cover together, as he knows exactly what I need.
Its is so important to take your time when you put a book cover together. If at any point you have a feeling that it’s ‘not quite right’, then it definitely isn’t right. Go back and request changes until your book cover makes you feel proud.
Join Us for This Book Series Tour: Sep 6 to Oct 17, 2022
Book Series Details:
Book Series Title: THE ACRE SERIES by G.J. Kemp Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) Genre: Epic Fantasy Publisher: TB5 Publishing Release date: January 2022, May 2022, June 2022, August 2022 Content Rating: PG for a few fight scenes.
Book Series Description:
From their windows, balconies, and gardens, the residents of the land of Acre stare north at the ominous black clouds that crawl across their beloved skies, overshadowing their homes. Under the clouds, a darkness has befallen the majestic City of Lynn.
Within the city, a cornered Queen, once true and just, now plays a game of cat and mouse with the races of Acre. Each season, as the Queen fights for control, the ‘Unknowns’ from the North approach. With them comes the stench of evil, fear, and death.
But… there is hope. A lost legend now awakened.
A set of dormant orbs lay in the gnarled hands of an old man. One by one, the dull orbs spark and swirl to life. Somewhere within the City of Lynn, the scroll of equals remains hidden. It’s text, supplied by the gods, awaits the chosen who may one day save the land of Acre.
First off, a round of applause to Alaina Urquhart for her debut novel, The Butcher and the Wren. I am suitably impressed. I loved the title, but once I saw the cover, I had to have it. And the fact that there is something dark lurking in a Louisiana bayou, oh yeah. Just keeps getting better. I love when authors draw on their experiences to pen their work. It helps create a sense of reality, filled with accurate details, enriching my reading experience.
I love that Detective Leroux, who Wren works with to solve serial killer cases, is a bit different from the usual police officer, and you will need to find that out for yourself.
I love the way Alaina Urquhart wrote The Butcher and the Wren, because when I found out what really happened to Emily in the beginning of the book, I was about sixty percent and it hit me hard. I think I see what’s coming and it would have been too easy to see if she hadn’t written this the way she did.
Books like this is why I keep my ‘heavy’ drapes closed.
I would love for part of the book to be fleshed out more, more detail, more evil. I missed the cringing, spinetingling menace that oozes off a five star read, for me.
I must warn you, though. It isn’t a fingertip dangling cliffhanger, but you will need the next book to know the ending. I wish authors and publishers would make that known from the getgo. I look forward to seeing how Alaina Urquhart’s writing career develops and what the outcome will be for Wren and her fellow characters.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and the medical examiner following where his trail of victims leads
Something dark is lurking in the Louisiana bayou: a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation is hard at work completing his most harrowing crime yet, taunting the authorities who desperately try to catch up.
But forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of historical crimes, and years of experience working in the Medical Examiner’s office, she’s never encountered a case she couldn’t solve. Until now. Case after case is piling up on Wren’s examination table, and soon she is sucked into an all-consuming cat-and-mouse chase with a brutal murderer getting more brazen by the day.
An addictive read with straight-from-the-morgue details only an autopsy technician could provide, The Butcher and the Wren promises to ensnare all who enter.
ABOUT ALAINA URQUHART (From Amazon)
Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the chart-topping show Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. As an autopsy technician by trade, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue. Alaina hails from Boston, where she lives with her wonderful husband, John, their three amazing daughters, and a ghost puggle named Bailey. She is about 75 percent coffee, and truly believes she and Agent Clarice Starling could be friends.
Before writing her first psychological horror novel, she received degrees in criminal justice, psychology, and biology. When she isn’t hosting Morbid, she hosts the Parcast original show Crime Countdown, and a horror movie podcast called Scream! Her days are usually spent either recording or eviscerating. The way she sees it, when she hangs up her microphone for the day, it’s time to let the dead speak.
Cutter Kauai Sea Adventures (Series)Dagger Quest, Book 1 by Edward Hochsmann
GENRE: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
BLURB
Dagger
Quest
An
aging Coast Guard patrol boat is all that stands between the world and nuclear
annihilation!
The
world is on the brink of war, with NATO mobilizing to counter a Russian threat
to Poland and Lithuania and leaders openly discussing war options. In the midst
of the crisis, a Russian bomber collides with a U.S. fighter off Florida
causing the accidental launch of a nuclear-tipped hypersonic missile.
A
Coast Guard cutter on a routine patrol finds a drug-laden sailboat smashed and
adrift north of the Florida Keys. The boat’s damage is from a near miss by the
Russian missile which has not harmlessly flown deep into the Gulf of Mexico as
initially thought, but crashed somewhere in the Keys.
The
Coast Guard crew is in a race against a vicious and powerful international
crime syndicate to find and recover the Russian nuke before its discovery can
trigger a nuclear war.
Exploring
the friendship and teamwork of a typical ship’s crew, in the face of unexpected
and hazardous challenges, Dagger Quest provides a fast-paced, taut story – excellent
fare for both sea adventure and military thriller fans.
EXCERPT
Ben’s
first encounter with the 252 Syndicate ends in a high-speed chase through Key
West, Florida:
Ben
slowed and veered right onto Flagler with a screaming of tires and modest
fishtailing as he straightened on the new path. Their pursuers also swung in
behind them from Roosevelt a few seconds later.
“Floor
it! We’ll be hanging a right on Tenth in
ten blocks, same tactic. Keep hitting that horn!”
Ben
stayed on the horn, dodging through traffic at speeds approaching fifty miles
per hour.
“Counting
down,” Simmons said, “Fourteenth, Thirteenth, twelfth, Eleventh, slow down and
prepare to hang a right, NOW!”
Ben
executed another tire-squealing turn and straightened out, heading north on
Tenth, gunning the engine and leaning on the horn.
“Stand
by to hit the brakes!” Simmons shouted. “Steady, steady, NOW, hit the brakes!”
Ben
stood on the brake pedal, tires shrieked, and the anti-lock braking chattered.
After skidding to a stop in the middle of the street next to a large lagoon,
Simmons shouted, “Get down!” He opened both doors on his side of the car, using
the rear door for cover.
Ben
dropped behind the seat as their pursuer began screeching to a stop. Suddenly,
there was a tremendous crash with the sound of tearing metal and followed by a
large splash. Simmons shut the doors and said in a normal tone, “OK, let’s
roll. Back to the base, nice and easy.”
Ben
shot up and saw several figures in combat gear with guns drawn running forward
from an SUV stopped in the middle of Tenth Street. The car chasing them was
coming to rest upside down in the lagoon. “WHAT—THE—HELL!” he shouted at
Simmons.
“Come
on, friend, we need to move it. It’s handled. We’re clear now, so stay
law-abiding all the way, please.”
Ben
stared at him for a few seconds, then pressed the accelerator. The engine raced
briefly, and then, with shaking hands, Ben shifted into Drive.
“See,
you’re a natural,” Simmons said with a smile. “You didn’t even realize you
shifted into Park.”
Mission:
Five days to destroy the enemy in the Caribbean before a catastrophic weapon is
unleashed—but all he can think about is the woman he left behind…
The
deadliest nerve gas ever made has fallen into the hands of a murderous
Caribbean drug cult. The criminal 252 Syndicate has the gas in a secret lab on
an oil rig servicing ship, but the ship has been taken for ransom by the
Salinas Cartel in a violent drug war. The U.S. can’t use airstrikes and calls
on Coast Guard Officer Ben Wyporek to lead his crew through a risky covert raid
on the Salinas cult’s fortified island base. He accepts the assignment, but
remembers a previous lethal encounter with the 252s and struggles to say
goodbye to the love of his life, Victoria Carpenter.
Ben
and his crew aboard the stealth-equipped Cutter Kauai must sneak into the
harbor and tow the ship away. But if Kauai is detected and defeated, death by
gas or at the hands of vicious adversaries will follow. Now, every decision Ben
makes will determine the fate of his entire crew—and the chances of reuniting
with Victoria.
This
second book of the series builds on the friendships and teamwork of Kauai’s
crew, this time in the face of several challenging missions and one potentially
lethal encounter. It is a worthy sequel to Dagger Quest that sea adventure and
military thriller fans will enjoy.
EXCERPT
Pan-Commonwealth
Airways Flight 403 with 126 passengers and crew has dual engine failure in a
thunderstorm and is headed for a forced landing in the Atlantic over a hundred
miles north of the Bahamas:
Taylor
grabbed the intercom handset and pressed the call button. Burgess answered
immediately, “Cabin, here.”
“We’re
going in, Chief. Get them ready for it. We’re going to try for the Hudson River
scenario, so keep the aft doors closed.”
“Understood,
Captain. I have two burly beauties from the RN on guard in the last row. You
worry about bringing us in safe. We’ll be alright back here.”
Taylor
smiled slightly. I might have known. God bless you, Richard! “Well done! I’ll
ring the bell five seconds before contact. Get them moving as we come to a
stop.”
“WILCO.
Godspeed, Captain. Out.”
The
scenario Taylor referred to involved the ditching of a similar Airbus in New
York’s Hudson River when bird ingestion knocked out both its engines shortly
after takeoff from La Guardia airport. The flight crew executed a masterpiece
of judgment and skill, saving everyone on board. Not so easy this time. They
landed in the sheltered water of a river—we’ll have waves and swells to deal
with.
“Peregrine
Four-Zero-Three, Miami Center, Nassau is losing radar contact. Observe you
heading two one five magnetic, over.” Surveillance radar was limited to line of
sight, and at this distance, the aircraft dropped below the radar’s horizon at
around thirteen thousand feet. The controller would use the aircraft’s last
heading, descent rate, and speed to estimate the impact point to be passed to
rescue forces.
“Center,
Four-Zero-Three, roger, estimate six miles to contact, over.”
Four-Zero-Three,
Center, copy. Best of luck, Captain. Out.”
“No
joy, Captain,” Patel said as he took his hand off the starter.
“Right,
leave it. Give me flaps four at one thousand.” Taylor had held off the flaps
until the last possible moment. They would reduce the aircraft’s touchdown
speed dramatically, but also added significant drag. “Ring the cabin bell once
you position the handle.”
A
New Captain’s First Patrol Turns into a Fight for Their Lives
Young
Coast Guard Lieutenant Haley Reardon has not even gotten her feet on the ground
on her new patrol boat command when she finds herself and her crew supporting a
dangerous covert mission. They must insert and retrieve a Defense Intelligence
Agency operations team trying to seize a transnational criminal syndicate boss
from a small Caribbean island controlled by a front company of the Chinese
government and protected by a superior military force.
A
honeymoon period would be lovely, but, as always, the world gets a vote.
Can
Haley avoid leaving the DIA team to their fate, when attempting to rescue them
could destroy her crew and boat and lead to war?
This
third installment of the series conveys the humor, friendships, and teamwork of
Kauai’s crew from the previous books, with a new series of exciting actions
from search and rescue to combat. The crew and their new skipper must come
together for the toughest mission they have ever faced.
EXCERPT
Phillip
Murray, his wife and two daughters have been retrieved from their stricken
sailboat in the middle of Hurricane Jacob and are now en route to Kauai aboard
the cutter’s small rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB):
The
big crewman placed his hand on a grab handle and shouted, “Hold this, stay
down, and keep your arms inside the boat!” Once Murray had a firm grip, the
crewman pulled a strap across his lap, fastened it to a ring fitting on the
deck, and cinched it. The small orange boat pitched up as it climbed another
high wave, and the strap across Murray’s lap bit into him as they seemed to
come near to vertical. Then the bow suddenly pitched down for yet another
sickening drop to a tremendous splash.
That’s
it! We’re done for! Murray thought as wind and water tugged at his body. But
the boat came up again, the deck cleared, and from what he could see with his
spray-fogged eyes, everyone was still there. He looked toward Gemma, sitting
beside him with her free arm stretched across Jamie’s and Lydia’s chests, and
placed his free hand over hers on the grab handle. They rode out two more
monstrous wave events before reaching the cutter, which provided little shelter
from the gale for the tossing boat.
Murray
had turned to look at the nearby cutter when a gunshot rang out, followed by
the thump of a line on the bow. Murray surmised the winds were too high for a
standard heaving line, so the coastguardsman used a rifle to pass a line to the
boat. The big boat crewman was hauling in a thin line that Murray knew was
attached to the hook they would connect to the boat to crane it aboard. This
was the time of maximum risk—with the cutter and boat writhing in the wind and
seas, attaching the hook would be a nightmare. He leaned over to cover Gemma’s
head with his body and closed his eyes.
And
then he prayed.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Edward
Hochsmann is the pen name of a retired U. S. Coast Guard search and rescue and
law enforcement professional. The veteran mariner, aviator, college professor,
and defense analyst has added “author” to his list of experiences. Ed likes
reading, police procedurals, contemporary music on the road, and classical
music in the office. After a career traveling from Australia in the west to
Italy and Germany in the east, Ed has settled into a quiet life in the Florida
Panhandle to focus on writing (and not shoveling snow!)
Ed has two
novels published right now (plus one launching in August 2022) in the Cutter
Kauai Sea Adventures series about a Coast Guard patrol boat assigned to
“special” missions. Dagger Quest takes place in the Florida Keys and
involves an aging Coast Guard patrol boat dragooned into a search for a lost
Russian nuclear weapon in a time of international crisis. The second, Caribbean
Counterstrike, features the same patrol boat and crew, now with equipment and
training upgrades, sent to recover a deadly nerve gas from a murderous
Caribbean drug cartel. Bravely and Faithfully has Kauai, under a new captain
supporting a covert raid on a Caribbean island held by the Chinese.
Ed’s second
series, C6S: Patrol Force deals with a combined defense establishment and
constabulary for a galactic economic empire called the Confederation of the Six
Systems (C6S). Ed has published two novellas and a novel-length collection late
last year.
Join us for this tour from Sep 13 to Oct 11, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Prickly Problem: Dr. Pete the Porcupine by Cheryl DaVeiga Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 44 pages Genre: Children’s Picture Book Publisher: Waterhole Productions LLC Release date: January, 2021 Content Rating: G. This children’s book is for everyone.
Book Description:
Quirky, magic-potion-making Dr. Pete the Porcupine finds himself in a sticky situation, perplexed by a terribly tricky case. Beloved by his desert neighbors for always fixing their prickliest problems, has Dr. Pete finally found a prickly problem he can’t solve? Follow Dr. Pete through this heartwarming tale as he and his desert friends learn the power of compassion, kindness, and friendship.
I love mermaids and unicorns, so I am super excited to share The Mermaid and the Unicorns by L T Getty. Isn’t this a gorgeous cover? And how about this fantastic guest post. Horses are such an elegant animal to watch. (guest post images linked to Wikipedia)
Ten Horses found in Mythology throughout the world
The horse is so iconic in our ancient myth and folklore, when I found myself researching what I thought would be an easy topic I found myself having a hard time narrowing it down. To qualify for this list specifically, the horse itself had to have supernatural qualities or features, as opposed to the many relatively ordinary yet magnificent steeds owned by famous literary and legendary figures. I also considered characters like Shadowfax from The Lord of the Rings, but decided against more modern depictions but feel free to discuss them below.
When I was researching this article I found that there was at times a bit of conflicting information (I’m looking at you, Pegasus). For the most part I’m going to go with the most common interpretation or origin. I encourage you to read more on the articles or discuss below.
Hippocampus
The name coming from the Greek tradition, although there were similar depictions among the Picts, Phoencians and Etruscans. The mythical water horse is said have the front half of a horse, with the back half of a fish, and was said to pull Poseidon’s underwater chariot.
Pegasus
The most common greek story the winged horse was named Pegasus, which came out of the head of Medusa after Perseus slew Medusa, but today the name has become synonymous with most winged horses in the western tradition. The winged horses are found throughout the world in myth and legend, from the traditional mounts of the Norse Valkyries and the Korean Chollima, if I try to start naming them all I’m likely to forget one.
Tulpar
The tulpar was a winged or swift horse found inside Turkish folklore, and is on the official state emblem of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Bashkortostan. The wings were not necessarily to indicate flight, but speed.
4) Uchchaihshravas
A seven-headed flying horse said to be created at the churning of the milk oceans. Uchchaihshravras is said to be the greatest horse, and was taken by Indra, king of the gods and used as his own personal mount but is also recorded as the horse of Bali, king of the asuras (demons).
Sleipnir
Odin’s seven-legged horse, said to be fathered by Svaðilfari and er… “mothered” by Loki when he was in the shape of a mare. Look, if you read Norse Mythology, you’ll know that this isn’t the least weird thing Loki has done. We could circle back to an earlier tangent on Pegasus if you’d like, but moving on…
6) Centaur
Okay, this one’s a bit of a cheat. They have the body of a horse, but the upper body of a man or woman. Originating from ancient Greek mythology, centaurs were sometimes rumoured to be more like wild horses, and were often depicted kidnapping human women.
7) Kelpie
A Scottish fae creature with shape shifting abilities, could appear human or in the shape of a horse. Virtually every significant body of water in Scotland is associated with some Kelpie. In horse shape, it would bid the unsuspecting rider to mount, then would take them to the nearest body of water and drown them, or at least give them a solid dunking.
8) Each-Uisge (Ech-ooshkya) (Scottish) or Aughisky (Agh-iski) (Irish)
Very similar to the kelpie, these were the more vicious variations. These shapeshifter horses were also of a tradition to let the rider on their backs, although they could take the shape of a handsome young man to come courting. However if they smelled water, their skin would become adhesive take their rider to it and drown, and then devour them, leaving behind only their liver.
9) Quilin
Another bit of a cheat, the quilin often is depicted in the west as a Chinese Unicorn, but they often have very distinct physical differences that aliken them sometimes more similar to a dragon. The quilin is scaled and often depicted with the body like a deer or a horse, and are almost depicted with hooves, and their appearance is often associated with the impending death of a sage or ruler. They have similar depictions in the Japanese and Korean mythology where they are called Kirin.
10) Unicorn
Unicorns have become synonymous with goodness and purity, and were often hunted for their horns, which were said to be able to cure poison. The trick was luring the unicorn, in which the help of a virgin was necessary to lull it to sleep. The unicorn is often depicted as very similar to a horse, but having some key differences; almost always they are depicted with a single horn. Some times these features include the tail of a lion and the cloven hooves of a goat, as well as the depiction of wings, although a more modern term naming unicorns with wings alicorns.
These are just ten mythical horses found throughout culture, and they’ve been depicted in many tales of folklore and legend, and many are staples in fantasy movies and literature to this day. What are some of your favourites above, and not on the list? What would you like to see more of? Who are your favourite individual horses as characters? Is Starlite from Rainbow Brite really the most magnificent horse, or do you prefer She-ra’s Swift Wind? Comment below.
What an awesome post. Thanks so much for sharing L T.
The Mermaid and the Unicorns by L.T. Getty
GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure
BLURB
Daphne’s a typical mermaid, and at least according to her, that’s a problem. She’s courageous and has a beautiful singing voice, but lacks the power of an elemental, the ability to command water with the sound of her voice. Jealous of her best friend, she makes a deal with a sea-witch, only to be betrayed, in place of her beautiful tail and flukes Daphne’s left beached with a pair of human legs. The spell keeping Daphne looking human will become permanent, unless Daphne can hunt down and bring the scheming Lorelei a unicorn horn before the next full moon.
Unable to reach her friends and family for help, Daphne doesn’t know how to walk, much less where to find a unicorn or how to catch one. Even if she’s successful, Daphne’s still not sure if she can trust Lorelei and her pint-sized kraken to keep their end of the bargain and let her return to the sea.
“What’s Pass the Lumberjack’s Hat Around?” she asked Esperanza once the other girl got called to go work the front.
“Possibly the worst song in existence,” Esperanza said. “You know how sometimes songs don’t make sense? At all?”
“Yeah,” Daphne said. “But sometimes, people don’t understand the hidden meaning…”
Esperanza arched an eyebrow, cleared her throat, then began to tap her foot before singing,
“Throw the mouses in the skittle
Round and Round a hey diddle-diddle!
Rubes be dark and ducks do quack,
Shall My Lady Love turn back?”
Daphne tried not to laugh. “You just made that up.”
“It gets better,” Esperanza said, still tapping.
“Round the goose to my captain’s ball,
The goat’s favourite clover is a free-for-all!
Dirty socks all about the town,
Pass the lumberjack’s hat around!”
Esperanza stopped tapping and made a face. “Fortunately, you need a half-gallon jug filled a third to blow, three people playing the spoons, and two violins to get an idea what it’s supposed to sound like. It’s also supposed to have a cowbell and a really loud drum, but most people just clang on whatever they find.”
Daphne said, “Can you teach me a song that would be appropriate for the contest?”
“Sure. I know what a bunch of the others said they were doing, so that way you won’t have anyone singing the same thing. I can teach you Maid in Mourning or Velvet Tears in less than an hour. Is there a specific song you’d like to learn?”
“Maybe something a little less weepy,” Daphne suggested.
“Okay—how about The Forlorn Rose or Indigo Woods? You’re allowed a single person for accompaniment…”Esperanza kept talking, but Daphne overheard one of the girls whistling, and then, someone sang,
“Shoo bee doo my feet turned blue”
“Dancing round and around my nose achoo!” sang the girl, sweeping nearby.
“The Duke’s in the henhouse and the earl’s a clown,”
“PASS THE LUMBERJACK’S HAT AROOOOUND!” sang the artist, horribly, from the main room.
“I don’t pay you lot to sing!” Irene shouted from where she worked near the ovens, but like all bad songs, the little diddy had caught on like wildfire.
“Pass the Lumberjack’s hat around, hat around, hat around,
“Pass the Lumberjack’s hat around,
“Until we get some GRAVY!”
Almost everyone in the bakery was stomping and clapping. One of the girls was dancing a jig on a table because she knew Irene couldn’t see her.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
L.T. Getty is a rural paramedic from Manitoba. She enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy and generally being creative.
**images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
Hi Everyone. I had a good week. We did some yardwork and I am happy the way it turned out. We’ll get a few more bags at our next hardware store stop. I plan on going further to the left, but, for now, my goal was getting rid of the prickly vines and plants around the faucet and electrical outlet.
It took us three days and some pool time to do the yardwork. It’s still pretty hot and we don’t overwork ourselves any more. That is one of the benefits of being retired. We have all day every day…But things are so much harder to do. Thank goodness for an easy cool down.
We made a trip to the beach for the Blue Angels practice.
All these days outside have set my allergies off, so today will be all about football.
I got the idea and the motivation to start doing Tackling The TBR from All The Book Blog Names Are Taken. It has helped me to keep track of my reading shelf as far as current events and to tidy up my shelves. I feel better about my out of control TBR and have even knocked off a couple of those old ones that had been hanging around for years.
I don’t remember much about the kid but I remember the way he looked at me once we were alone. The air shifted, like the oxygen suddenly disappeared. My breath was caught in my throat. I felt like I was on fire, and I knew it wasn’t the liquor anymore making me feel this way
I swallowed hard, trying my fucking hardest to stay calm. He stood from the bed, his gaze never leaving mine as he stalked toward me.
For fourteen, he was intimidating.
He leaned down, placing his hands on either side of my head. His gaze floated across every part of my face. Time was fucking frozen, but I was spiraling.
“What are you doing?” I whispered, my voice cracking.
“Kissing you.” Before I could interject, his lips crashed down on mine.
I was done for. Melting into the bean bag chair as a wave of emotions crashed through me like an angry sea. So many thoughts were going through my head.
I’ve never kissed a boy before.
Why did I like it so much?
Where is Gabe?
Why is he kissing me?
But the main one stirring in my head was what is he going to do next?
I never got that answer.
I never would.
Because while he was kissing me, Gabe was in our dads office, loading a shot gun, putting it to his head, and pulling the trigger.
The rest of that night and so many months after were one giant blur and My life crashed and burned. I never saw that Forster kid again.
And every night since, I’ve spent my time dousing my pain with the Lords amber embrace.
—
Urban Decay – Yolanda Olson
Perfect, pretty Emily Parker.
Pathetic, patronizing Julius and Josephine Parker.
They were the family that took me in when I was a young girl. They wanted to be the picture perfect family with two beautiful daughters to show off to their prestigious friends at their prestigious gatherings.
Most of what I can remember from childhood wasn’t so bad until Julius decided that I wasn’t good enough to be his daughter, but better suited to be in his bed instead.
Secret, painful trysts that happened whenever Josephine would leave for weekends away with her high society friends.
I never got over what he would do to me under the watchful eye of the moon, but that wasn’t what got me tossed out onto my ass.
Emily Parker caught us one night when I screamed a little too loud, and daddy dearest wasn’t quick enough to cover my mouth.
She followed the painful bellow to her father’s door, slowly pushed it open, and found him on top of me, his dick buried in my ass, fucking me like a drunken frat boy.
Little Emily Parker let out a scream, threw herself at us, and began to tear at my hair and punch me as violently as she could while her father pulled his dick out of me and tried to get her out of the room.
I thought she had come in to save me, but instead, she beat me while I was already down.
Julius bought Emily’s silence by getting her an exquisite diamond necklace and matching earrings.
It worked for a while, but the more he took advantage of me in he and his wife’s bed, the angrier she became.
I thought she was mad at him, but as it turned out, she was jealous.
She didn’t understand what it was about me that made him so ravenous and she hated me for it.
So, when Josephine Parker came home one weekend from a trip to Monaco with her friends, Emily Parker told her what had been happening.
Except, she told her that I would force her father to do things to me.
And Pathetic, Patronizing Josephine believed her.
Instead of sending me back to the home they adopted me from, she had friends come take me away and dump me in the middle of Skid Row.
And this is where I’ve watched them become even more prominent in their society of bullshit politicians, lawmakers, and kiddie diddlers. This is where I’ve waited, biding my time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike them down.
But the longer I lived on the street, and the longer I let the hatred fester, I knew that the best way to get to the Parker family would be through their darling daughter, Pretty, Perfect Emily.
I grabbed Long Flight Home by Cassandra Cripps on a free day. It is available on Kindle Unlimited and it was a very pleasant surprise, and I highly recommend it.
Long Flight Home by Cassandra Cripps is sooo much more than I had hoped for.
I’m sure I grabbed Long Flight Home by Cassandra Cripps because of the location, Alaska, the wild frontier. I have watched several TV shows located in Alaska, even a couple shows about the charter business in Alaska.
Their past is tragic, but their love is forever. How they find themselves and the suffering they go through to get to the place they feel they belong is wonderful. The vivid, detailed description of the location, Alaska, made me feel the wind and the cold, and revel in the beauty. It is rare when I get lost in a romance novel that doesn’t include murder and mayhem, so this was a wonderful surprise that I highly recommend to all readers.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
TK
I live my life by rules – too many fucking rules. But, it’s the only way. I messed up once. I slept with the wrong girl. Never again. The rules are my life, my guide. Until she walks in, and one by one, they all crumble. She doesn’t creep her way in like a worm. No, she soars in, like an eagle, refusing to be ignored and digging her claws into my heart. Leaving me vulnerable, wanting more. Wanting her.
Gracie
Home. Happiness. The words used to mean something. Until that night – over a decade ago. When they were stolen from me and my parents forced us to move. Now, I’m back in Alaska, flying bush planes for Homer Air. And, I’ll fight every step I take until those words are real again. The only problem is the reclusive fisherman whom I can’t stop thinking about, despite us fighting every time I see him.
ABOUT CASSANDRA CRIPPS
We all live in the illusions of our own realities. Cassandra’s reality lies between the quiet bridge of complex and chaotic. A single mother to two amazing boys, graphic artist, industrial sewer, author, avid home gardener, baker, reader, and introvert, her hats are many. A refined goth, she’s obsessed with tattoos, shoes, hair dye, chocolate, metal and hip-hop music, and all things dark and creepy except bugs, those are too creepy. Each of her books contains a piece of her reality. Tiny fragments laced with forbidden romance, defining miniature slices of her truths.
