Follow Friday

The New Year is here — and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?

It wouldn't be a bad thing if I could blog about traveling to the actual locations in books - like Paris in Anna and the French Kiss.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Seventeen of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter seventeen of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE!
Holiday Special
Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
buy link
Kindle - $0.99

other available buy links
Nook - $4.95
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
"Batman & Robin" collapse a ceiling

“Hey, Beeker, let’s play Batman and Robin. Watch this.” And just like that, Joey bounced across the bed and rolled onto the floor triggering a new round of heavy coughing.

Downstairs, Beatrice was in her living room lying on the sofa. Wrapped in a bathrobe and covered with a blanket, she was quickly using up the box of tissues on the coffee table as she attempted to restrain her cough and keep her nose dry. She heard the thump caused by Joey's landing. Turning her head upward, she glared at the ceiling. “They’d better not start,” she mumbled to herself.

Beeker started to laugh and decided to keep wearing his damp Batman pajamas. The shirt was stretched up passed his belly button and the legs on the bottoms barely covered his knees. “Okay, watch me.” He climbed onto the dresser before jumping down on the bed. Rolling onto the floor, he said, “Oh, I forgot something.”

He grabbed a dirty towel, tied it around his neck making a Batman cape. Back on top of the dresser, he flew with outstretched arms onto the bed again. The Batman and Robin show was in full swing. They both began taking turns leaping from the dresser to the bed before rolling onto the floor.

Maybe it was an adrenalin rush but the characters they were pretending to be took over their psyche. Beeker and Joey, coughing and sneezing, overcame their blazing fevers turning into superheroes. Time after time, they climbed up on the dresser and flew to the bed.

Beatrice was holding her pounding head in her hands. They have one more minute to stop or else.

The bed, supported by four wooden slats across the bed frame, held together as long as it could. Then Batman made an extra mighty leap and the bed collapsed, slamming to the floor. Not only did the box spring and mattress crash to the floor, the side rails ripped from the headboard causing it to fall forward. The combination of all the parts collapsing together made for a super loud crash.

Beatrice was so startled by the crash that she vaulted up from her prone position. She accidentally rolled off the sofa smashing her head on the edge of the coffee table.

The crash was so loud—it even woke Dancer. Robin, not concerned in the least about the collapsed bed, was about to make another leap when Dancer came bursting in. Seeing the mess he hollered, “What, are the two of you crazy? Look what you did. Oh man, Teddy is gonna freak. We gotta get this fixed. Dang, I gotta go to the bathroom. I'll be right back.”

Dancer hurried to the bathroom. As he reached the living room, he felt cold water squishing between his toes and under his feet. “What the heck is going on?” He sloshed into the bathroom. The big afghan was floating in water that was spilling over the sides of the tub. “Holy crap...oh, man.”

He ran back to the bedroom yelling, “What did you do? The tub is overflowing and there’s water all over the place.”

“Uh oh, Joey, we forgot to turn the water off.”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Sixteen of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter sixteen of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE!
Holiday Special
Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
buy link
Kindle - $0.99

other available buy links
Nook - $4.95
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Going to see Aunt Vera

“Okay, so I'm not allowed to call your house? Is this a joke? Are you kidding me? What’s going on, Sarah? What, have I turned into a demon or something?”

“Stop it, Teddy. I asked you to trust me. Do you think you can do that? I'll explain everything when I see you.”

He knew it was best to leave it alone. “Okay, Sarah. Talk to you tomorrow. I love you.”

“Yeah, Teddy, I know you do.” Click.

He stood there, holding the silent receiver, suddenly feeling lost and alone. He did not know what to think. Sarah was his refuge—she listened to him, she understood him. They were in love. They were going to get married. And she didn't say, “I love you” back. It was as if she had turned on him. He had tried his best to be a man for his family and show them that everything was under control and everything would be all right. Taking the grief, the embarrassments and the fears that bombarded him over the previous six days, he tried to stuff everything inside. But the simple click of the phone became his coup de grace. Alone in Celia's back room, he started bawling.

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Fifteen of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter fifteen of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE!
Holiday Special
Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
buy link
Kindle - $0.99

other available buy links
Nook - $4.95
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"I have five orphans living above me"

Joanie came hurrying to the front door and as she got there, Dancer exited the bathroom. Joanie, seeing Miss Amon standing there, quickly put her arm around Joey's shoulder saying, “Teddy's not here Miss Amon. Can I help you with something?”

“Yes, I saw him on his way out. He ran right into me causing me to smash my head into the wall. He almost knocked me down. I was fortunate I didn’t have to be hospitalized. Thank God, Mr. Zimmerman came along. He saw the whole thing. In fact, it was he who helped me back to my apartment. Anyway enough about me, Joey told me that your lights and phone are...as he put it...broken. Is that correct?”

Dancer stepped in front of his sister. “None of your business. You just wait until my brother gets back if you want to talk to us. Right, Joanie?”

Miss Amon became angry. “That is no way to speak to a lady, young man. Where are your manners?”

“Yeah well, who said you’re a lady anyway?”

Joanie was aghast. She was still trying to process the incident with Teddy and Miss Amon and now Dancer told the woman that she was not a lady and to mind her own business. “Oh my God, Dancer. What's wrong with you? I'm so sorry, Miss Amon. Dancer, you apologize to Miss Amon right now.”

“You apologize, Joanie. I don't care. She doesn't like us. She’s trying to make trouble for us. I'm not apologizing to nobody. C'mon Joey, let's go see what Beeker is doing.”

Joanie was stunned and embarrassed by Dancer's behavior. No matter how right he was about the woman's motives, at 14, his behavior made him look like an ill-tempered juvenile delinquent. Joanie was frightened. Miss Amon never came to their door. Now in less than a week, she was there a second time. Teddy had slammed the door in her face ending her first visit. Now Dancer had insulted her. She was wishing that Teddy or Scratch would come walking up the stairs but that was not happening. Like it or not, she was in charge.

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Fourteen of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter fourteen of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE!
Holiday Special
Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
buy link
Kindle - $0.99

other available buy links
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"The keys are in Pops' leg"

Teddy headed to the back room to begin searching for the keys. His brief altercation with his brother made him momentarily forget about the box on the kitchen table. Teddy was surprised to see Joey sitting on the bed, legs crossed, hands folded, just doing nothing. “Oh hey, Joey. What's going on? You okay? Why are you back here all by yourself?”

Joey looked sheepishly at his big brother. It was if he had done something wrong, but he hadn't. Teddy simply said, “Can you help me look for Pops' keys. They’re around here somewhere. We have to get the mail.”

Without hesitating, Joey said, “They're in Pops' leg.”

Teddy froze right where he was. He looked at little Joey wondering if he really heard what he thought he heard. “What? What did you say, Joey?”

“The keys are in Pops' leg. He put them in there when he went to the hospital.”

“Joanie, get back here. Hurry up.”

Joanie ran back to the room. “What? What's wrong?”

“Okay, get this. Joey just told me that the keys are in Pops' leg. This is getting weird. First the insurance, now this.”

“C'mon Teddy, how could they be in his leg? That's crazy.”

Joey got up on his knees and yelled at his sister, “It’s not crazy. Pops told me, and Pops isn’t crazy. You shouldn't say that Joanie. That's a bad thing to say.” Then he started crying.

“Oh my God, Joey, I didn't mean...okay, okay, stop crying. Just tell us when you talked to Pops?”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Thirteen of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter thirteen of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE!
Holiday Special
Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
buy link
Kindle - $0.99

other available buy links
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"Pops' grand finale"

At nine thirty Mr. Kelly told the kids they should begin to say their goodbyes. The four of them walked up with Scratch. Beeker and Dancer went up to Pops together. Dancer's arm was around his brother's shoulder and they were both crying. Beeker reached into the casket touching Pops' hand while Dancer laid his free hand on Pops' chest. They stood together crying, their hands both seemingly frozen in place on their father. Their broken hearts were visible.

Teddy stepped up to them and guided them away placing his arms around each of them. Joanie, with Scratch at her side, went up to Pops kissing him on the forehead. She and Scratch stepped away and it was Teddy's turn. He was dreading this moment. He remembered kissing Mom on the forehead when he said goodbye to her and how cold and hard her forehead felt. He was so unnerved that he never forgot it. Nevertheless, he leaned forward, closed his eyes and kissed Pops on the forehead. Once again, that same cold, hardness greeted his lips. He stood, looked at his father's dead face and whispered, “Love you, Pops. I'm sorry about the other night. Say hi to Mom for me.”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Follow Friday

If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why?

Most likely, Harry Potter - but after Voldemort was gone, of course!

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Twelve of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter twelve of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE!
Holiday Special
Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
buy link
Kindle - $0.99

other available buy links
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER TWELVE
"I don't have any money"

Did you find any insurance papers?”

“This, here. But it says redeemed on it. What does that mean?”

“I'm not sure. Let me see.”

Joanie handed Teddy a clear plastic envelope filled with neatly folded papers. He removed the paperwork and unfolded it. There were six sheets and he slowly began to flip them over as he read through them. “Oh boy, Joanie. He cashed it in last September.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean this policy was worth $7,500, but he cashed it in. He redeemed it. I guess these things are worth some money before you die. He only got $156 for it. So, this policy is worthless. I don't even know why he kept it.”

“He must have needed the money pretty bad. That's sad. So, now what do we do?”

“Geez, Joanie, I don't know. This is all new to me. The one thing I do know is that I have to tell Mrs. Kelly. Dang, I have no idea what a funeral costs. And we're supposed to pay for it. I think I’m getting a knot in my stomach.”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Eleven of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter eleven of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE
buy links
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Father KO's "Trumpet Man"

All things being equal, it seemed fitting that they had all come out to witness a man, obviously under the influence of something besides coffee, demanding to know where Esther was. “Esther? Esther, where you at, honey? C'mon, Esther. Stop fooling around.”

The guy was quite a sight. He was about 6’ 2” and very obese. He had a full beard, long stringy hair and of course, he was wearing a New Year's party hat. In his right hand was a tarnished trumpet. He obviously had some knowledge of the instrument because his left thumb and fingers were wrapped around the valve covers and his right three fingers were on the valve buttons. Scratch was making a futile attempt to reason with him. “C'mon, buddy. This is a funeral home. There’s no Esther here. You have the wrong place. You have to leave.”

Then Scratch put his hand on the man's arm in an attempt to lead him to the door. The man shoved Scratch turning belligerent. “Don't nobody touch me, man. I'll kick your ass.”

He immediately put the horn to his mouth and began to blow, creating a racket that quite possibly could have awoken Pops. Teddy felt a sudden rage swell up, and threw a punch at the guy. The way things had been going it was only fitting that he missed his target and hit Scratch square in his nose. Scratch put his hands to his face as blood started oozing through his fingers. Joanie started screaming. “He's bleeding! Stop it! Stop it!”

Father Sullivan hurried over and the man threw a punch at him, hitting him in the chest. Father staggered backwards into the wall. Joanie kept yelling while Dancer and Beeker tried to join the fray. The man was pushing everyone this way and that, swatting them away as if they were mosquitoes. His elbow connected with Beeker’s eye. Losing his balance, Beeker grabbed Dancer's shirt as they both fell down. It was a scene of utter chaos.

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Tom Mach - An Innocent Murdered - Author Interview

My thanks to Tom Mach for stopping by City Girl Who Loves to Read for an author interview during the blog tour for his book, An Innocent Murdered.

Author Interview

1. Why did you choose this setting?
I chose two locations for An Innocent Murdered. I created a fictitious Kansas town called Rock Meadow where a good part of the action occurs. But I also have a few chapters in my book where the plot continues in Chicago. I chose a Kansas town because I live in Lawrence, Kansas, and I chose Chicago because that’s where I was born and raised.

2. How is it a fundamental part of your overall theme?
Well, the Kansas town I selected is fairly laid back, people are friendly and the pace is slower. So when a priest in An Innocent Murdered is accused of being a child molester, it rocks the entire town. People in Rock Meadow are conservative, go to church of Sunday, and are family-oriented. It was a perfect setting for the explosive reaction folks had when they learned that someone had murdered the accused priest. Chicago also plays an important part of my story because the detective finds an important clue in an abandoned building which solves a cold case murder of a young girl—a murder that happened 25 years ago and which in a strange way helps the detective solve the case of the slain priest. The reader is presented with a contrast between a small town’s horror over an accused priest and a large city’s apparent apathy about the murder of a child.

3. How challenging was it to write about?
Setting should be considered as an additional character in a novel. In my case, I had a couple of major challenges. One was in not trying to identify the fictitious town of Rock Meadow with Lawrence. I had to make Rock Meadow a composite of several towns, with the progressive feel of Topeka, the country feel of Dodge City, and the progressive feel of Lawrence. Another challenge was for me to show Chicago as it really is while hiding the identity of the actual street where the detective uncovered shocking evidence in an abandoned building. I had in mind the actual street where I envisioned this happened while hiding from the reader its true location.

4. How did you develop your setting as you wrote your book?
There are several settings in An Innocent Murdered. One, of course, was the interior of the police department. With the help of television crime episodes and the help of a real detective who shared some of his experiences with me, I was able to create a believable setting. Another was an elegant house—which reminded me of a house I once visited, although the detective’s girlfriend had a ceiling mirror in her bedroom (I had to imagine that one!) The rectory was another scene, and I have seen several rectories during my life, so it was not that difficult to imagine, although I had to create in my mind where things were located—the fireplace, the bookcase, table, chair, and the door leading to the street—among other items. The fireplace was interesting because as the log snapped and crackled while the priest was confronted with his loneliness and heartache, a deepening sense of dread permeated the air. That was the same evening he was murdered. The mysterious painting in the abandoned cellar in Chicago was another shocking experience, but I don’t want to give any detail of that here because it might give away too much of my novel.

5. How do you transport them there through your writing?
In transporting my characters to different locations, I frequently indicate the location prior to the start of a new chapter. Sometimes I indicate where a particular character will be going by mentioning the character’s intention in the previous chapter. In An Innocent Murdered, police invade a motel where the prime suspect is hiding, a detective enters a gym where a teenage boy under the detective’s charge is shooting baskets, or that detective drives with a friend down the Stevenson Expressway in Chicago to locate an abandoned building. I have characters walking, stomping, running, driving a car, or flying in a commercial jet. The reader always has a sense of where the characters are going and how they are getting there.

6. How do you introduce them to an area they may not be familiar with?
I give the reader enough description so she knows what the characters is actually seeing. I might mention unusual things like the kind of sofa the detective’s girlfriend has, how far the wet bar is from the living room, what the outside of a friend’s house looks like, or what street the detective has to get to in order to get to the crime scene where the murder occurred.

7. How do you go about making the setting come alive for the reader?
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the setting should be looked upon as another character in the novel. I do this by not only giving a physical description of the location—without getting carried away—but I also insinuate the setting by thoughts of a character or the dialogue between two characters. For instance, I have a scene where Detective Matt Gunnison is having a dinner with a friend named Susan. At first there is a physical description of the setting, but the dialogue picks up the rest to fill the scene in…

Matt and Susan shared a good view of Reagan Lake at the Equinox restaurant. The overhead lights were a light blue, almost coinciding with the color of the lake itself just out the large window. The soft strains of the instrumental music for “I Only Have Eyes For You” filtered through to the patrons relaxing at dinner. The moon beamed its bright yellow face at them.

Matt observes a sailboat about to dock at the pier. “Matt,” Susan said, “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to go sailing somewhere. Perhaps disappear for a few days.”

“You’ve never been sailing? Ever?”

The conversation later switches gears…

“I was going to take you to a restaurant where they have more of a Western flavor, but you said you wanted to try the Equinox.”

Susan tilted her head. “I enjoy country and western music, of course. My father used to accompany the Honky Tonk Oakies as a guitar accompanist. I guess that type of music’s in my blood.”

We further learn that this is a high class restaurant and we learn something about her character as well. She’s not as comfortable here as she would be in a country and western bar.

When the scene much later switches to Matt and his friend Susan searching an abandoned cellar in Chicago. The reader knows this to be a creepy place…

A scream rang out from the floor below. The cellar! Matt grabbed his lantern and ran across the room, searching quickly for the entrance to the cellar. His heart raced, and he removed his gun from his shoulder holster.

“Susan!” he shouted, kicking open the cellar door. The damp and musty smell of the cellar assaulted his nostrils. His gun was poised as he raced down the steps. “Are you all right?”

The yellow beam from a flashlight played against the brick walls. Matt pointed his gun against the source of the light. “Susan!” he screamed. “What’s going on?”

About the Book
An Innocent Murdered

Book Details:
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Murder Mystery
Format: ebook
Price: $0.99

Buy Links: Kindle

Blurb:
Father O'Fallon has been murdered, and police officer Jacinta Perez is arrested and charged. Detective Matt Gunnison, however, is not convinced and with the help of Susan, an ex-nun, he discovers a fascinating link between the priest's death and the death of a child 25 years ago. Will Matt be able to solve both murders?

Excerpt:

“What’s critically important here,” Matt said, “is the time this event happened. Mr. Zylinski, you said you knew it was about 9:13 pm when this occurred. How would you know that?”

“It’s all in the deposition, sir,” the man replied. “I checked my watch just before I got to my car. I had to be somewhere at ten and didn’t want to be late.”

The attorney leaned forward, a smile on her face. “I am sure you learned by now, Mr. Gunnison, that the bank clock was correct after all. During the day, that clock was not set back an hour for daylight savings time, but it was corrected by the bank manager at 6:00 that evening. So it really was 9:13 after all.”

Matt was a bit miffed at her know-it-all attitude. “Thank you for pointing that out to me, counselor.”

About the Author
Tom Mach

Tom Mach wrote two successful historical novels, Sissy! and All Parts Together, both of which have won rave reviews and were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011. Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. Tom’s other novels include: An Innocent Murdered, Advent, and Homer the Roamer.

His poetry collection, The Uni Verse, won the Nelson Poetry Book Award. In addition to several awards for his poetry, Writer’s Digest awarded him ninth place in a field of 3,000 entrants. He also has a popular blog for writers of both prose and verse.

Connect With Tom:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Blog

About the Tour

Goddess Fish Promotions

GIVEAWAY:

A $50 Amazon gift card to the commenter that Tom feels leaves the best comment. He will make his selection at the end of his tour. Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Tour Participants:

November 29: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
December 1: The Plot Thickens
December 2: The Character Connection
December 5: Kathryn Lively - Award Winning Mystery Author
December 6: Enjoying the Unique Flavors of Life
December 7: Sandra's Blog
December 13: Bea's Book Nook
December 15: Sarah Ballance
December 20: Rogue's Angels
December 21: Beyond Romance
December 23: Realmantic Moments

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Ten of the young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches" - NOW AVAILABLE

A sneak peek of chapter ten of The Priest and the Peaches - a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

NOW AVAILABLE
buy links
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

Coming soon:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER TEN
L-Y-N

Father read the gospel in Latin at the altar and then walked to the pulpit looking out at everyone as he read it in English. When he had finished, he signaled for everyone to sit down. Looking out at the congregation, he began his sermon. “Two days ago, a dear friend of mine and a dear friend to many of you unexpectedly passed away. His five kids are sitting right here this morning in the first pew and many of you know them also. Velemer Peach, known to his kids as Pops and to his friends as Yimey, left his mark in the world simply because he did his best to help anyone who happened to come his way. Yimey had a little acronym he always used. I'm sure some of you know it. It was L-Y-N, and it stood for love your neighbor. Instead of saying hello or goodbye, Yimey would always say, ‘Hey Joe or Jan or whoever, L-Y-N.’ It was a beautiful thing. So, on this New Year's Day of 1966, in honor of Yimey, maybe we can truly start something new. I want you all to turn to each other right now, shake hands and say L-Y-N to each other.”

Somewhat taken aback by this unprecedented directive from the priest in the pulpit, the people in the pews began to squirm. It was amazing how people packed tightly together could still maintain their own personal space. Father Sullivan had asked them to step outside of it. It was unnerving. Father continued to encourage them, “C'mon folks, just shake hands with your neighbor and say L-Y-N. I promise, no one will bite you.”

There was muffled laughter that circulated throughout the church and then the people began saying L-Y-N to each other. When they were all facing front again and the rumble of the quiet L-Y-Ns had subsided, Father Sullivan simply said, “And there you have it. The golden rule as explained by Yimey. I hope and pray that you all remember it. God bless you all. Happy New Year and L-Y-N.”

As Father left the pulpit and walked back to the altar, a delayed reaction kicked in. Teddy started to quietly sob. Joanie followed and like dominoes, so did Dancer and Beeker. Joey did not know what was going on. People in the pews near them began to wipe their eyes and soon most of the congregation was doing the same. Father Sullivan's New Year's Day homily about Pops had taken two minutes and it was memorable for its brevity. It was beautiful in its simplicity. Years later, those who were there that morning still remembered it.

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Teaser Tuesday - SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Nine of the upcoming young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches"

A sneak peek of chapter nine of The Priest and the Peaches - an upcoming young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

Look for the ebook on January 1, 2012:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER NINE
"What's a chastity belt?"

Teddy and Sarah sat next to each other on the sofa. Teddy pulled the big afghan up tucking under their necks. The only light in the apartment came from the almost dead Christmas tree. Peace and tranquility settled upon them—a welcome reprieve from a day full of chaos and confusion. After a few quiet moments, Sarah said, “I am so glad I stayed with you.”

Teddy lifted his arm and put it around her. Pulling her close he said, “Me too. Are you, okay? I mean with the not going home thing.”

“No, not really. I know she'll try to lay all this guilt on me when I get home tomorrow and…oh, just let's forget it for now. Okay? Nothing has changed anyway. I'm used to it. Just hold me. Okay?”

The sudden quiet coupled with the dim lighting quickly joined forces with their fatigue and vulnerability creating the perfect moment—and just like that they were kissing each other. Slowly, softly, their lips moved back and forth, their youthful passion springing to life. Then an unexpected voice doused the erupting flames. “Hey, what are you doing?”

Surprised, they both turned their heads to see Beeker standing next to the sofa looking down at them. “Damn it, Beeker. What are you doing up?” Teddy asked, “You're supposed to be in bed.”

“I can't sleep. I'm not tired.”

Sarah straightened up and ran her hands down over the sides of her tussled hair. “Okay, Beeker, come sit between me and Teddy. It's okay.”

She pulled the afghan aside and Beeker plopped between them. Sarah tossed the blanket over him tucking it under his chin. “So, what were you doing?” he asked again.

“Nothing, Beeker, nothing,” Teddy said. “We were just giving each other a kiss. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes, Teddy. It's okay with me.” Beeker than giggled a bit and leaned his head next to Sarah's arm. Within a minute, he was fast asleep.

Sarah said quietly, “I think it might be a good thing he came in here.”

Teddy sighed, “I know, I know. Problem is, I don't think I cared. I didn’t want to stop. When I start kissing you and holding you…well…something happens and…you know what I mean.”

“Maybe my mother’s right. We could get into trouble. We have to avoid these kind of situations.”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Eight of the upcoming young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches"

A sneak peek of chapter eight of The Priest and the Peaches - an upcoming young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

Look for the ebook on January 1, 2012:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER EIGHT
The Floating Leg

As the leg kept floating, people began pushing back, creating an impromptu path leading to the casket. When the people closest to Teddy and Joanie separated, the mystery of the floating leg was revealed. Holding Pops' artificial leg high above his head was Dancer. His face was beet red from the cold. His shirt was torn from the breast pocket down to his belt buckle. He had a nasty scrape above his left eye, and the fingers on his right hand were covered in blood that had managed to spread to his shirt and trousers. He was quite a horrific sight. He was also quite angry as he said, “Look what I found out back. Can you believe it? It was out back against the dumpster. Good thing I went out there. Pops was supposed to be wearing this. They threw it away. They threw it in the garbage.”

“Oh my God,” Joanie said. “What happened to you? You're bleeding everywhere. What do you mean…out by the dumpster? I can't believe this. Oh my God, Teddy. Pops' leg was in the garbage.”

Teddy was stunned. Suddenly he felt overwhelmed and insecure. Up until this very moment, he had been trying to be the man in charge, and he thought he was wearing his new crown quite well. Looking at his bloodied brother with torn clothes and a bloody hand wrapped around his father's wooden leg was a bit much to mentally process. What am I supposed to do? I don't know what to do. Everyone expects me to take care of this. Pops could. The thoughts stopped and his mind went blank. An unnerving sense of loneliness embraced him. Teddy started to shake.

Joanie looked at her brother and his demeanor frightened her. “Teddy, what's wrong with you?”
He did not respond, so she raised her voice, “Teddy, do you hear me? Dancer has Pops' leg. TEDDY! Did you HEAR ME?”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Follow Friday

When you’ve read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

I swap it with my book blog friends, The Plot Thickens and The Character Connection.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Seven of the upcoming young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches"

A sneak peek of chapter seven of The Priest and the Peaches - an upcoming young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

Look for the ebook on January 1, 2012:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER SEVEN
"Yimey’s New Year’s Eve Jamboree"

The Peaches never imagined that an impromptu and quite unconventional party was about to begin at Kelly's Funeral Home. A steady cast of characters was about to descend for a mixture of odd, unforeseen and even outlandish farewells ultimately defining the man Pops had been—a man his kids really did not know. These people were Pops' friends from all over the neighborhood, a man they loved as Yimey—not Pops. If there was a marquee outside, it might have read, “Yimey's New Year's Eve Jamboree, Admission free—BYOB.”

The five kids only knew their father as Pops. Yimey, the man, they did not know. Teddy had started to get a glimpse into their father’s inner world, but that insight was halted in its tracks. Joanie, her maternal instincts jump-started at the age of 13, concerned herself with Pops' behavior and stayed on him about eating properly, getting more sleep, being home more, and cutting back on the cigarettes. The one thing she truly hated was the drinking and she was relentless in voicing her feelings about it. Pops would tell her, “Joanie, stop. You're my daughter, not my mother. Get off my back.” She never did, and he loved her for it. But of course, he never paid attention.

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Six of the upcoming young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches"

A sneak peek of chapter six of The Priest and the Peaches - an upcoming young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

Look for the ebook on January 1, 2012:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER SIX
"God likes to laugh too"

Scratch started to laugh. He related how he and Teddy had been talking about Pops having a good laugh himself over his lost leg, and how the bony-faced receptionist had looked at them like they were nuts. Then Teddy started talking about how the leg had hit Scratch in the head before flipping into the front seat. Father Sullivan, laughing said, “Well, Scratch, at least it didn't kick you in the ass.”

Surprised at the priest’s colorful language, they all started laughing like crazy, even Joey, who was, of course, knew all about that particular word. Intent on changing the subject, Father began, “Okay everyone, gather around and join hands.” Forming a circle, Father bowed his head as they all did the same. He began to pray, “Heavenly Father, these young people stand before you today somewhat confused and frightened…”

Beeker and Joey were still giggling. Father looked at them and said, “C'mon, boys. Stop laughing now. We're saying a prayer.”

Joey, a bit embarrassed, said, “You said ass.”

Joanie gasped, “JOEY, stop that right now.”

Father smiled, “No, Joanie. It's okay.” He put his hand on Joey's head and said to him, “Well now, Joey, I guess I did say that. We all just needed to laugh a little. That's why I said that. God understands. Believe it or not, God likes to laugh too.”

Wide-eyed, Beeker asked, “He does?”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter Five of the upcoming young adult ebook "The Priest and the Peaches"

A sneak peek of chapter five of The Priest and the Peaches - an upcoming young adult ebook release from Tribute Books by Larry Peterson

Look for the ebook on January 1, 2012:
Kindle ($2.99)
Nook ($4.95)
iPad ($4.99)

CHAPTER FIVE
Back to the hospital

The few moments of lightheartedness ended abruptly as they walked into the hospital and approached the information desk. A thin woman with a long, bony face looked up from behind the counter. “Yes, may I help you?”

“Uh, yeah. We're looking for my father's leg.”

The woman's body froze and her eyes bulged out from behind her glasses. “Excuse me?” she asked.

Teddy started to wipe away some unexpected tears, and Scratch quickly intervened.

“I'm sorry, ma'am. His father died here the other night. Okay? He had an artificial leg and we think it was left here by mistake. We just want to get it so we can bring it to the funeral home.”

The lady breathed deeply and stared at the two young men as she processed what she had just heard. Then she replied, “Oh, I'm so sorry. Please, tell me the patient's name.”

Scratch answered, “Velemer Peach.”

“I beg your pardon.”

Scratch sighed, “Velemer. V-e-l-e-m-e-r. Peach. P-e-a-c-h. Okay?”

“Thank you.” She picked up the phone and dialed a few numbers. “Yes, this is the information desk. There is a Mr. Peach here and he is trying to locate an artificial leg that seems to have been misplaced.” There was a pause. “Yes, that's what I said. A leg. Could you come down here right away?” After another brief pause before she said, “Yes sir, I'll tell him.” She looked at Teddy and said, “Someone will be right over to see you.”

While they were waiting, Scratch said, “Hey, Teddy, do you think Pops is having fun with this leg thing?”

Teddy looked at him and slowly smiled. “Um, yeah, probably. No, definitely.”

www.ThePriestAndThePeaches.com

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Emlyn Chand - Farsighted - Author Interview

My thanks to Emlyn Chand for stopping by City Girl Who Loves to Read for an author interview during the blog tour for her book, Farsighted.



Author Interview

1. Why did you choose this setting?
Farsighted takes place in Grandon Township, a fictional Midwest town. Grandon is a lot like my hometown Oxford, Michigan. It’s very small, boring, and can be a bit suffocating, especially if you don’t fit in with the main crowd or excel at sports. The main character Alex lives a very lonely life in Grandon, which is why it means so much to him when he finally makes a friend.

2. How is it a fundamental part of your overall theme?
The setting isn’t defined by place itself but rather how that place is presented. Alex is blind, and he tells his story in the first person point-of-view, which means that visual details are completely absent, and instead we see Grandon through our ears, noses, and fingertips.

3. How challenging was it to write about?
It was difficult to cut off my senses at first, but it got easier and easier as I began to identify with Alex and his way of life. I still had to go back through and proofread multiple times and with the help of multiple readers to make sure that no accidental visual details slipped through.

4. How did you develop your setting as you wrote your book?
Since Alex is visually impaired, he doesn’t have a big world. Most of the action takes place in three primary locations: Alex’s home, the high school, and the strip mall that houses Alex’s mother’s floral shop and the neighbor’s psychic shop.

5. How do you transport them there through your writing? How do you go about making the setting come alive for the reader?
I paid special attention to describing how places and people smell. I also described the sounds of people’s voices and actions and occasionally the feel of the air. Not having visual descriptions to fall back on meant I had to be very creative in setting the scene!

6. How do you introduce them to an area they may not be familiar with?
When Alex first enters the new psychic shop, he is extremely careful. He swings his cane before him like a metronome and proceeds carefully. Of course, he still stubs his toe on a trunk and sends a crystal ball rolling across the room. When the psychic lady, Miss Teak, appears in the empty room, he is very attuned to the sound of her voice. New places are especially hard for Alex, which is why the number of settings is limited in Farsighted.

About the Book
Farsighted

Book Details:
Publisher: Blue Crown Press
Published: October 2011
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 224
Format: paperback, ebook
Price: $12.95 paperback, $0.99 ebook

Buy Links: Amazon, Kindle

Blurb:
Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

Excerpt:
Simmi and I arrive at this rally point together from Mrs. Warszynski’s to wait for Shapri. Several minutes go by. I want to suggest we leave without her but don’t think that’ll score me any points with Simmi.

“You didn’t want Shapri to come tonight, did you?” Simmi asks.

“Well, I—no, I mean, it’s fine. I’m glad she could come,” I sputter.

“You’re such a horrible liar,” Simmi teases, pushing me playfully.

“Hey, that’s not fair. I can’t hit you back. You’re a girl.”

“I’m just teasing you.” Simmi blows a raspberry and pulls her body up onto the circular wall surrounding the flagpole area. I hesitate before pulling myself up too. Simmi scootches over so we touch at the hip. She loops her hand through the crook of my arm and places her head on my shoulder. “I never would have gotten away with this in India,” she says. “But I’m glad I can here. I’m a psychic feeler. I need to be in touch with others.” She pauses and strokes my arm with her free hand. “You know, when I touch someone I can make them feel what I want them to, but I can also sense their existing emotions. It’s almost the same as being able to read minds. Everything important has to do with the heart, not logic.” She lightens her tone. “But don’t tell Dr. Brown I said that, he’d take marks off of my next chem exam out of spite.”

I laugh nervously. Is she like Miss Teak in a way? Can she read my feelings for her? If she can, why hasn’t she said anything? I contemplate reaching over and kissing her, so I can know for sure how she feels. But I’ve never kissed anyone before. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to initiate it. Do I take her out for dinner and a movie first? Or make some lengthy speech declaring my intentions? Do I kiss her, just like that? Or do I ask for her permission before making my big move?

I decide to ask if it’s okay. Simmi is a classy girl. She needs respect. I swallow, hoping the motion will open up my airway, because right now, I’m kind of having trouble catching my breath. “Simmi,” I start.

“Yeah, Alex?” She lifts her head and links her hand in mine, nudging her slender fingers in between each of mine.

“Would it be okay if I…”

“There you two are!” Shapri says, running over to us, panting heavily. “I thought we were meeting in the commons.”

“No, we agreed on the flagpole,” Simmi says, hopping down from the wall.

The moment is gone. I don’t know when I’ll get the chance and the nerve again. My opinion of Shapri transforms from cautious indifference into outright hatred. Why did she invite herself along?

Shapri clears her throat. “Did I—Did I interrupt something here? Maybe a little romance?”

“What? No, no,” Simmi says shaking her head adamantly. “Nothing like that, Alex is like a brother to me.”

Ouch. Pain. Stabbed in my heart. I’m like a brother to her? I guess this means romance is off the table…

About the Author
Emily Chand

Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit emlynchand.com for more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky!

Connect With Emlyn:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Google +
Novel Publicity

About the Tour

Goddess Fish Promotions

GIVEAWAY:

A $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Tour Participants:

November 28: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
November 29: I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
November 30: BK Walker Books
December 1: The Character Connection
December 2: The Book Sisterhood
December 5: Judge Not By The Covers
December 6: A Bookish Affair
December 7: A Pen and Fire
December 8: Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
December 9: The Plot Thickens
December 12: Fresh Pot of Tea
December 13: Reader Girls
December 14: City Girl Who Loves to Read
December 15: Dawn's Reading Nook
December 16: Good Family Reads
December 19: This is the Life
December 20: We Fancy Books
December 21: It's Raining Books
December 22: Sarah Ballance
December 23: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer