Showing posts with label young adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label young adult. Show all posts

Friday, July 27, 2012

L.M. Preston - Flutter of Luv - Author Interview



Author Interview

1. Why did you choose this setting?
The setting for Flutter Of Luv is urban. It’s a setting I remembered from my childhood and wanted to share a bit of that city scenery with the reader. Also, it provided a great environment for many kids to converge together easily.

2. How is it a fundamental part of your overall theme?
The city setting speaks to Dawn, the main character’s troubled life. She has a city grit that is deeply embedded but softened by her youthful outlook on the life she could never change. Also, she glosses over the dangers of the city around her, like she glosses over the unhealthy friendship she has.

3. How challenging was it to write about?
This Young Adult Romance short story was extremely difficult for me to write. It stretched me. Before this piece I’d never really explored writing in first person. Also, although I love romance novels, writing them never held my attention long enough to consider finishing. But writing Flutter Of Luv was an experiment that grew me as a writer.

4. How did you develop your setting as you wrote your book?
I developed the scenery with the character’s development. The opening starts the reader off on Dawn’s porch. She doesn’t leave it, but observes Tony, her love interest from a safe spot. As she wants to get closer to him she progressively explores more of the neighborhood.

5. How do you transport them there through your writing?
My characters evolve with each Episode. Dawn starts off sounding and appearing rather immature for a 15 year old girl. It’s like she is fighting against becoming like the other teen girls because she doesn’t fit in. As the story progresses, Dawn’s dialogue and outlook on her relationship with Tony evolves and by the end of the story she sounds mature, thinks mature and acts mature.

6. How do you introduce them to an area they may not be familiar with?
Dawn is introduced to a wonderful place outside of the city by the character that’s helping her bloom. He gives her the courage to bloom.

7. How do you go about making the setting come alive for the reader?
To make a setting come alive I share it in pieces through the eyes of the character. Sights, sounds, and smell are the big descriptors.

About the Book
Dawn, the neighborhood tomboy is happy to be her best friend’s shadow. Acceptance comes from playing football after school with the guys on the block while hiding safely behind her glasses, braces and boyish ways. But Tony moves in, becomes the star running back on her school’s team and changes her world and her view of herself forever.

eBook
Price: $0.99
Release: June 1, 2012
Buy Link: Kindle
Other Links: Goodreads

About the Author

L.M. Preston loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. She worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. Her passion for writing science fiction was born under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds feeds her creation of multiple series for Middle Grade and Young Adult readers thirsty for an adventure. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

Links to connect with L.M.:
Web Site
Blog
Facebook #1
Facebook #2
Twitter
Goodreads
 


 





About the Blog Tour

Flutter of Luv blog tour site
and
Tribute Books Blog Tours

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Brenda Stanley - The Color of Snow - Guest Post & Giveaway



About the Book

Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?

When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.

Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.


Guest Post

The Color of Snow has been described as dark or mysterious. I feel most of my writing fits this description because I enjoy looking at the strange and unusual things in life. My novel will definitely make some people uncomfortable. I like to look at situations and issues and try to figure out how people will react. For years I was a crime reporter, so I enjoy investigating stories and learning about the parts of life most people try to hide. When I wrote The Color of Snow, I was working on a story about a young girl who went missing years ago and has never been found. I started thinking about what would happen if she were to suddenly show up now. I loved putting myself in Sophie’s shoes and seeing things for the first time.

Sophie’s relationship with Damien is both intense and tempered. Her father has raised her to believe that she will destroy anyone who truly loves her, so she is torn between her love for Damien and her fear of causing him harm.

The story changes between what is going on with Sophie and what happened in her parent’s past that brought her to where she is. I wanted readers to experience the often isolated feeling of living in a vast rural area, but also the mental confinement of a small town.

Mental illness, teen pregnancy, religious intolerance, and racism are all big parts of The Color of Snow. I like my characters to face challenges and see them grow from them. It is not only the conflicts with the other characters that keeps the story going, but also those within the person’s own mind.

***

Click here to read an excerpt.

The Color of Snow can be purchased at:
Kindle
Nook
iBookstore
Google
Smashwords
PDF


Price: $2.99-$4.99 ebook
ISBN: 9780983741893, 9781476172309
Pages: 413
Release: June 1, 2012


About the Author

Brenda Stanley is former television news anchor and investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate in Eastern Idaho. She has been recognized for her writing by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, The Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is the mother of 5 children, including two sets of twins. Brenda and her husband Dave, a veterinarian, live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.

Connect with Brenda:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog Tour Site


About the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Jerome Charyn - Back to Bataan - Author Interview & Giveaway



About the Book

New York City, 1943. War is raging in Europe and the Pacific, while Jack Dalton is stuck attending Dutch Masters Day School. What Jack really wants is to enlist in the army, to fight...

Everything changes when Coco, Jack's "fiancee," throws him over for one of his classmates. Jack sees red and does something drastic. Then he runs away. Hiding out in a nearby park, Jack joins ranks with a group of vagrants and is soon under the sway of a man called the Leader, an ex-convict who is as articulate and charismatic as he is dangerous. The Leader turns Jack's world upside down. To put things right, Jack must prove himself a braver soldier than he ever imagined.


Author Interview

1. What are your thoughts on the explosion of popularity concerning the YA genre?
I think it might very well be that it started with Harry Potter, that young adult writers are trying to tell good stories and adults have moved into that kind of dream.

2. You are the master of writing across a realm of different genres, what excites you about connecting with different audiences?
I’m not so sure that these are different audiences, I think we all love stories, whether we’re children or great-grandfathers and when you move from genre to genre you are still telling a story like Scheherazade and the king is always waiting for the next tale.

3. Your writing is so precise, yet evocative – how do you work at crafting your unique style of prose?
Everything begins and ends with the word, with the music of the sentence and as Tolstoy once said, “I’m always composing.”

4. Being a published author for nearly 50 years, what do you think of eBooks?
I think that this is a kind of logical step as we move from the internet into eBooks. Publishing is changing even as we speak. I think there now will be a more complicated dance between the eBook and the printed book, and as we’ve seen recently, successes in eBooks allow the author to move into print.

5. What would be your advice to young people who aspire to a literary career?
It’s not worth the money – only write if you’re absolutely in love with it.

6. How much of your life is in Back to Bataan? How did you personally experience New York during World War II?
I think so much of the source of my writing comes from my childhood, I grew up during the War – so many of the terrors and the magic of certain films have remained with me. And all of this appears in the character of Jack.

7. Your older brother was a detective. Did your experiences with him influence the plot?
Not really, I think all writing is crime writing. And Back to Bataan is a crime novel with a very original twist.

8. Why did you decide to include the fascination with the famous as a theme – Gary Cooper, Eleanor Roosevelt, etc.?
These people were heroes to me as a child, particularly Eleanor Roosevelt, who was one of the most extraordinary women who ever lived, and of course as a child I fell in love with Gary Cooper’s face and with his very slow drawl, that seemed so exotic to me.

9. Jack finds acclaim through his writing, yet feels guilty for exploiting other people (Mrs. Fink). How does a writer starting out work to bridge this gap?
You’re always cannibalizing other people and writers when you start to write, so it’s natural that Jack should be a young cannibal.

10. How important is the New York Times in your own life? Why did you decide to make it a form of connection between Jack and the Leader?
As a child, I didn’t even know that the Times existed – I grew up in a neighborhood without newspapers and books, so that when I first fell upon the New York Times, I was very very greedy, and wanted to include it in Jack’s middle-class life.

***

Back to Bataan can be purchased at:
Kindle
Nook
iBookstore
Google
Smashwords
PDF


Price: $2.99-$4.99 ebook
ISBN: 9780985792206, 9781476119076
Pages: 98
Release: July 1, 2012


About the Author

Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him “one of the most important writers in American literature.”

New York Newsday hailed Charyn as “a contemporary American Balzac,” and the Los Angeles Times described him as “absolutely unique among American writers.”

Since 1964, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.

Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.

Connect with Jerome:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog Tour Site


About the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday

My teaser today is from:

http://backtobataan.blogspot.com

Back to Bataan
by Jerome Charyn

I couldn’t concentrate on my homework. It didn't seem important when you considered all the Japs and Germans out there. I hope General MacArthur takes me with him to Bataan. I’m not asking for a Purple Heart. I'm only asking to kill Japs. And if I have to die, I want to die near my dad...

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to our winner!
markella.whetzel [at] gmail [dot] com


Enter to win Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 by Amy Lignor, a young adult ebook release from Tribute Books.


1) Click here to add Tribute Books' upcoming YA release, Back to Bataan to your Goodreads to-read list.

2) Leave a comment with your email address.


***


Until Next Time: 
The Angel Chronicles, Book 1
by Amy Lignor


How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

http://www.the-angel-chronicles.com


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Kaitlyn Davis - Simmer: Midnight Fire Series: Book Two - Guest Post



Guest Post

Eudora Welty once said, “Every story would be another story, and unrecognizable if it took up its characters and plot and happened somewhere else… Fiction depends for its life in place.” And I couldn’t agree more! The setting of a story is absolutely crucial. Not only is it the place – the sights, sounds, and colors – all around the characters, but it is also an important tool for revealing character personalities. What situations amuse your character? How about frustrate? Is it a new place or is your character returning to a land seeped in personal history?

The decision of the setting for a novel is huge and boils down to three basic categories: a real world setting the author knows extremely well, a make-believe place the author creates or a real-life place the author is barely familiar with. Each different setting comes with its own process and complications, and the first three novels in my Midnight Fire Series display this perfectly!

The first book, Ignite, is set in Charleston, South Carolina – a place I know very well! For the first novel, I wanted to concentrate on creating wonderful characters and an intricate plot, I didn’t want to have to worry too much about researching a setting. So, I thought of a few different places where I have lived and in the end Charleston was the perfect choice. I love the city and its personality, but more importantly my characters could each form their own bonds with the place. For Kira, it is new, exciting and somewhat scary – just like her life now that she has discovered the truth about her past. For Tristan, the nostalgic city perfectly mirrors his own preoccupation with his former life – the city, like Tristan, is somewhat stuck in its history. And for Luke, the relaxed yet chivalrous vibe of the city goes perfectly with his own happy-go-lucky, protective demeanor.

In Simmer, the second book in the series, things change a bit: the setting is Sonnyville, a town I made up. Sonnyville represents Luke’s home, Kira’s new life and Tristan’s foreignness – and the setting allowed me to explore many complications and themes I introduced in the first book. Though it took a lot of brainstorming and prior planning, I truly enjoyed creating my own civilization. The greatest challenge to creating a make-believe town is ensuring that there are no loopholes. Sonnyville had to fit into the real world despite being separated from it and I needed to make it come alive for readers – a feat I hope I accomplished.

Finally, in Blaze, the third book, we’re headed to Europe – a place I don’t know very well but want my characters to visit. What does this mean to me, the writer? Research! Unlike the first two locations, I am heavily researching the towns I want Kira to visit and the history I want her to learn.

So there you have it: three books, three different settings and three different processes! I hope you check out my books -- let me know if you like the different settings I chose and places I created!

Some food for thought: what is your favorite fictional setting? Some of mine are the worlds of Graceling and The Mortal Instruments!

About the Books

Simmer: Midnight Fire Series: Book Two


Slowly, like a whisper almost blown away in the wind, two words streaked across her mind: "Kiss me."

Kira may have survived the eclipse, but her troubles are far from over. She's headed to Sonnyville with one goal in mind: to learn more about her parents. But with Luke and Tristan competing for her heart and Diana gunning for her head, time is running out on the search for her mother. And the closer Kira gets to answers, the more terrified she becomes. The conduits fear her, the vampires fear her, and Kira is starting to wonder if maybe they're right...

Simmer eBook
Price: $0.99
Release: April 4, 2012
Buy Links: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Other Links: Goodreads

Ignite: Midnight Fire Series: Book One

With one last look, one final search of the lines of his face for some sign, Kira turned and ran away from the sound of the man she loved laughing in the face of her death.

When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.

Ignite eBook
Price: $0.99
Release: October 9, 2011
Buy Links: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords
Other Links: Goodreads

About the Author

Kaitlyn Davis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars. She's been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to finally share her work with the world. She currently lives in New York City and dreams of having a cockapoo puppy of her own.

Connect with Kaitlyn:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads

 





About the Blog Tour

Simmer blog tour site
and
Tribute Books Blog Tours

2012 Debut Author Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to our winner!
chikojubilee [at] gmail [dot] com


Enter to win the young adult ebook release, Spectral from Tribute Books.


1) Click here to add Tribute Books' upcoming YA release, Back to Bataan to your Goodreads to-read list.

2) Leave a comment with your email address.


***


Spectral
by Shannon Duffy


Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.


http://www.spectralwitch.com


Thursday, May 31, 2012

My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to our winner!
dz59001 [at] gmail [dot] com


Enter to win the young adult ebook release, Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 from Tribute Books.


1) Click here to add Tribute Books' upcoming YA release, Back to Bataan to your Goodreads to-read list.

2) Leave a comment with your email address.


***


Until Next Time:
The Angel Chronicles, Book 1

by Amy Lignor


How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?


Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.


When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.


From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.


http://www.the-angel-chronicles.com

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Splash into Summer Giveaway Hop

Congratulations to our winner!
amyholbrook2003 [at] yahoo [dot] com


Enter to win the young adult ebook release, Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 from Tribute Books.


1) Click here to add Tribute Books' upcoming YA release, The Color of Snow to your Goodreads to-read list.

2) Leave a comment with your email address.


***


Until Next Time:
The Angel Chronicles, Book 1

by Amy Lignor


How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?


Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.


When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.


From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.


http://www.the-angel-chronicles.com

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Happy Book Birthday to SPECTRAL

happy birthday butterfly glitter

Celebrate Spectral's April 10th release day, by following the kick-off to the blog tour or purchasing a copy at these links:

Kindle - $2.99
Nook - $4.95
Google - $3.79
Smashwords - $4.99
PDF - $4.95

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Larry Peterson - The Priest and the Peaches - Author Interview

My thanks to Larry Peterson for stopping by City Girl Who Loves to Read for an author interview during the blog tour for his book, The Priest and the Peaches.

Author Interview

1. Why did you choose this setting?
I was born and raised in NYC (the Bronx) so the setting was ingrained in me: the people, the sights and sounds, the places, the smells, style of living, etc.

2. How is it a fundamental part of your overall theme?
The setting is in a blue-collar neighborhood of God fearing, family oriented, hard working men and women, husbands and wives and their children, who were more or less all on the same socio-economic level and for the most part were mostly Catholic (of varied ethnicities) sharing a similar value system. This value system is part of the Peach kids and the people in the neighborhood understand it.

3. How challenging was it to write about?
The challenge was in creating a sense of place. For example, in NYC there are many ethnic groups that are always interacting and fifty years ago there was a lot more of the old-world customs that were still very pronounced within these different groups. So, sometimes the interaction among the folks was strained because of "differences". Amazingly, most folks learned to get along. But some never did and that would lead to prejudices.

4. How did you develop your setting as you wrote your book?
The setting was more or less established early on in the book. It was a neighborhood in the Bronx back in the mid 1960s and the people there were more or less living comparable lives. Once that was established the setting was in place for the rest of the book.

5. How do you transport them there through your writing?
I try not to be overly descriptive because the action and dialogue and emotions might be shut down. So I think the answer to this might be through dialogue and inner emotion which I try to show using omniscience.

6. How do you introduce them to an area they may not be familiar with?
This is where description comes in. I do try to introduce the impending description through dialogue or a visual by a character. For example, Teddy and Scratch arrive at the funeral parlor and talk a bit before going in. Once inside, Scratch leaves Teddy alone and then Teddy begins looking around. Now I can describe what he is seeing which is the lobby of the funeral home.

7. How do you go about making the setting come alive for the reader?
I guess you have to try to make sure that the setting and the characters and the various scenes all come together. I mean, don't write a descriptive scene if you don't need it. It has to be part of the emotion of the moment. Who cares about "beautiful flowers up on the hill" if they have nothing to do with the story. If someone is hiding behind the flowers with a high-powered rifle, then there is a point to writing about it.

Thank you for the challenging questions. I appreciated having to answer them.


About the Book
The Priest and the Peaches

Book Details:
Price: $2.99-$4.99
Format: ebook
Published: January 1, 2012
Pages: 285
ISBN: 9780983741848
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Buy Links: Kindle, Nook, iPad, Smashwords, Google, PDF

Blurb:
Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

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.

About the Author
Larry Peterson


Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

He also has a blog (http://www.slipperywillie.com) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.


Connect with Larry:
Website/Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

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

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

NOW AVAILABLE!

buy links

Kindle - $2.99
Nook - $4.95
iPad - $4.99
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

CHAPTER TWENTY
Beatrice Amon and the Peaches

Teddy said uneasily, “Well look, Father. I can't help but think that all Miss Amon did by calling the cops was cause a whole bunch of trouble for all of us—even you.”

The priest’s exasperation with the young man's remarks was obvious. “Oh really? That's what you think, is it? Did you listen to one word I just said? Did you?”

Now Teddy was unnerved. When Father Sullivan got angry he seemed to grow two feet in height. He became very intimidating, especially for an 18 year old who knew him since the third grade. “Yes, Father, I was listening.”

“No, Teddy, you weren’t. You were too busy thinking about how much you don't like Miss Amon. Your pride has gotten in the way of your faith. L-Y-N, remember? Time to move on, Teddy. Miss Amon is not the mean-spirited person you think she is. In fact, none of you really know anything about her, do you? Now, you’re going to have to take this pride of yours and stuff it in your back pocket and sit on it. The fact is, you owe Miss Amon something.”

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.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

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

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

NOW AVAILABLE!

buy links

Kindle - $2.99
Nook - $4.95
iPad - $4.99
PDF - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.99

CHAPTER NINETEEN
Father Sullivan visits Beatrice

He pushed the doorbell and waited. He heard a faint voice coming from inside. “Oh, just a moment, please. I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm not moving very well. Hold on, please.” It sounded like someone was trapped in a deep hole calling for help as they attempted to climb out.

A few moments passed before Miss Amon slowly opened the door. She was dressed in a floor-length, gray housecoat, a maroon, button-down wool sweater and a pair of rubber boots. Her body was sort of listing to one side and she was holding an ice pack to her bruised forehead.

“Oh my, Beatrice, you look awful. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Oh no, Father. I'll be all right. It's those kids upstairs. My apartment is destroyed. I was almost killed. I don't know what happened up there or what they were doing. All I know is, I'm lucky to be alive.”

“May I come in, Beatrice?”

“Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Of course, Father, come in.”

Father Sullivan followed the slow moving, lucky-to-be-alive woman into her apartment. She immediately headed to the sofa, as she fell more than sat on it. She took a deep breath while simultaneously emitting a soft moan. Leaning her head back, she removed the ice pack, shook it to rearrange the ice inside it before placing it back on her forehead.

Father took in the entire performance. “Well, Beatrice, tell me what happened here today. And what in heaven's name happened to your head?”

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.

Monday, January 2, 2012

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

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

NOW AVAILABLE!
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Kindle version only 99 cents until January 2
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Running from the cops

“Don't do it, Dancer. Please don't leave us here alone.”

“You wanna go home, don't you?”

“Yeah, but...”

“Then be quiet and take care of Joey.”

Officer Joe was by the doorway with his back to the room talking to the nurse in the hallway. Dancer stepped quietly to the side of the unsuspecting policeman then bolted from the room. Officer Tommy, talking on the pay phone in the lobby, caught a glimpse of someone running. He turned to see Dancer headed for the exit. He dropped the phone as he ran after him but Dancer made it outside. He turned left and kept going—running faster than he ever had in his life.

Officer Tommy shouted, “Dancer, stop right now. You come back here!”

Dancer turned to see Officer Tommy gaining on him. He knew he was no match for the fleet-footed policeman. As he rounded the corner of the hospital he crashed into someone. The man instinctively raised his forearms to protect himself. He held onto Dancer preventing him from getting away. A second later, Officer Tommy grabbed Dancer by the arm. Dancer started hollering, “Leave me alone! I didn't do anything. Let me go!”

Surprisingly, Officer Tommy said, “I'm sorry. Are you all right, Father?”

Dancer turned and looked up at the man he almost knocked over. It was Father Sullivan.

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.

Friday, December 30, 2011

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.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

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.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

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.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

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.

Monday, December 26, 2011

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.