Amateur de Livre Female, 38, Married. USA

Mass Market Paperback: 624 pages
Publisher: Bantam -July 29, 2008
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553589946
ISBN-13: 978-0553589948
To purchase, please click here.
Book Synopsis:

A sixteen-year old girl holds a gun to her head at the scene of a grisly triple homicide. She claims “The Stranger” killed her adoptive family, that hes’s been following her all her life, killing everyone she ever loved, and that no one believes her. But Special Agent Smoky Barrett does. Her team has been hand-picked from amont the nation’s elite law enforcement specialists and they are as obsessed and relentless as the psychos they hunt; they’ll have to be to deal with this case.

For another vicious double homicide reveals a killer embarked on a dark crusade of trauma and death: an “artist” who’s molding Sarah into the perfect victim - and the ultimate weapon. To catch him, Smoky is going to have to put her own fragile, once-shattered life on the line. For The Stranger is all too real, all too close, and all too determined. And when he finally shows his face, Smoky had better be ready to face her worst fear.

Let me first preface this by saying - this book may not be for everyone. I am a huge fan of shows like The First 48, and growing up in Wisconsin, we have had our fair share of nasty killers, most notably Jeffrey Dahmer. Mr. McFadyen does something few authors have been able to do for me - he has actually made me cry during a portion of this book. I will not go into details, but it involves the events of Sarah’s 6th birthday - heart wrenching, to say the very least.

As strange as this may sound, this review is hard for me to write. Not because I don’t have a lot to say but because I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone. This book is being placed in my top 10 books of 2008 for sure, and without going back to check my list I would say it was in the top 2 or 3. Even though it is almost 600 pages long, once I started reading I had a VERY hard time putting it down. His prose, in my mind, is comparable to one of the greatest writers of our time - Stephen King. Like King, the description of not only the events, but of the characters, leaves no room for doubt - you feel as if you are standing there witnessing things firsthand, and like these characters are people that you really know. This is something that is a rare find in an author, and should be truly commended, whether you like the subject matter of the book or not.

I think the hardest part for me was that initially no one believes Sarah. This poor 6 year old witnesses something beyond my wildest imagination, and when trying to tell the police about it she is dismissed as confused. My heart was literally breaking for this poor innocent child. Once you read this, you will realize not only why she isn’t believed (the killer does a good job of covering his tracks and making things look other than what they are), and then you will realize how deep corruption can go. He also demonstrates how far the human mind can go without actually breaking - Sarah’s journey is fraught with such evil, and yet she somehow keeps at least a shred of sanity.

Don’t get me wrong, this book isn’t ALL about murder (although to be honest the vast majority is fairly gruesome). The relationship between Smoky and her team is fabulous - even James who is “the odd man out”. As Smoky herself says “He can peer into the mind of a killer and not blink. He can gaze at evil full in the face and then pick up a magnifying glass to get a closer look.” This is the same ability Smoky has, which makes her the best in the business. And, she needs someone with that same ability to bounce ideas off of - no matter how difficult he is to work with. Bonnie, Elaina, Alan, and Callie are all very developed and you grow to really get a feel for the relationship between all of them. And despite all of the horror they have all been through…literally…this has helped them to form a bond of friendship and love that is beautiful.

On that note, I would like to talk about something in the book that I feel was my favorite part. No, no, it really has nothing to do with the murders at all. It has to do with Matt (Smoky’s dead husband) and Smoky’s legacy to their daughter Alexa (I must read Cody’s first book to find out what happened here…I must, I must, I must!!!). They weren’t wealthy, but wanted to make sure they could leave her something if anything ever happened to them, something that maybe wasn’t worth a lot of money, but truly spoke of who they were as people. And what might that be, you ask? They create a library for her, and add to it whenever they can. I have been doing the same thing for my daughters - granted, it started before they were born because I am such a bibliophile, but I think it is such a great idea. What better gift to give anyone, than a library full of books?! Love it, love it, love it!

Truly a must read for anyone - queasy stomachs beware!

About the author:

Cody Mcfadyen was born in Texas in 1968. He designed websites before selling his first novel, Shadow Man, in 2005. He has since had a second book – The Face of Death – published. Both were international best sellers. He lives in Southern California with his two black labs, often referred to as ‘The Black Forces of Destruction.’ He drinks coffee (copiously), plays guitar (badly), and reads (voraciously). He abhors adverbs in writing, except when used in short bios like this one.

Paperback: 484 pages
Publisher: Zebra August 1, 2008
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420102761
ISBN-13: 978-1420102765
To purchase, click here.
Book Synopsis:

One by one, the victims are carefully captured, toyed with, then subjected to a slow and agonizing death. Piece by piec, his exquisite plan takes shape. The police can't yet see the beauty in his work - but soon, very soon, they will...

In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, four bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer's cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowlege that there is much worse to come...

When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she's trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide named Zane MacGregor, pries her free. Though she's grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And, if she knew what lay out there in the woods of Montana, she'd be truly terrified. Because someone is waiting...watching...poised to strike and make Jillian the next victim...

I reviewed Lost Souls a few months back and that was the first Lisa Jackson book that I had read. I knew after reading it that it wasn't going to be my last as I just loved her style and content. I also was shocked when I walked into Wal-Mart and saw the hardcover right in front of me. It was then I told my hubby, see, that's one of the books I just reviewed for Pump Up Your Book Promotion - it was really pretty cool! So, needless to say, when I was asked whether I would be willing to review Left to Die I jumped at the chance. I wasn't sure if it was going to be as good as Lost Souls but let me tell you, it was even better.

Let me first start by saying I was thrilled to see that the two lead characters are female detectives. Selena Alverez and Regan Pescoli couldn't be more different in both their personal lives and the way they approach the cases they are handed are also very different. But they fit together like two puzzle pieces and their drive and work ethic is what is sorely needed in their department to catch the sadistic serial killer that is on the loose. They were hoping to make a name for themselves but this case is quickly turning into a nightmare, with a killer that is calculating and flawless in all of his actions.

The serial killer in this book is chilling...no pun intended. He sets up his victims by shooting out their tires as they are driving through a ravine. They loose control of their vehicles and crash, causing them to be totally helpless. So, when a nice stranger rescues them and nurses them back to health, who would think that he would then lead them to an icy death, tied to a tree, naked, left to brave the elements, and essentially succumb to them.

This book had me on the edge of my seat, literally. I am so thrilled to have been given the opportunity to review two of Lisa's books and can't wait for the sequel - Chosen to Die. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in suspense and truly not being able to guess the ending.
To view and awesome book trailer see below:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V6XKjbRqF4]
About the author:

Lisa Jackson can’t keep away from murderers, especially serial killers. She’s been killing people everywhere from Savannah and New Orleans to San Francisco and the Pacific Northwest—and it’s been worth it. Her readers come back again and again, and her novels are fixtures on national bestseller lists. In fact, her book Fatal Burn was a number one New York Times paperback bestseller, and the first two of her novels to be published in hardcover, Shiver and Absolute Fear, were in the top five on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Next, readers will be looking for LOST SOULS, being published in hardcover by Kensington Books to go on sale March 25th.

Having made serial killing her business—sort of—she has put her characters through the wringer. They have been up to their necks in danger and stared death, usually a pretty gory one, right in the face. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional and downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims, and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.

Lisa began writing at the urging of her sister, novelist Nancy Bush. Inspired by the success of authors she admired and the burgeoning market for romance fiction at the time, Nancy was convinced they could work together and succeed. They sat down, determined to write and to be published.

They did and they were.

Initially they wrote together. Later, they moved in different directions. Lisa brought more and more suspense to her work and began writing much darker stories. Nancy’s writing expanded to include not just her own novels, including her highly praised Jane Kelly Mysteries, such as the recently published Ultraviolet. She also spent several years writing for one of television’s leading soap operas, even transplanting herself for a time from the sister’s Pacific Northwest roots to Manhattan. This year, they plan to work together again on a thriller set for publication in 2009.

Meanwhile, for Lisa the killing continues as this mother, daughter, workaholic and amazing writer continues her habit of making the hair stand up on the back of readers’ necks, and landing her books on The New York Times, the USA Today, and the Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.

Lisa Jackson’s novels include the upcoming LOST SOULS and the best sellers Absolute Fear, which will be published in paperback for the first time in March, Hot Blooded, Cold Blooded, The Night Before, The Morning After, Deep Freeze, Fatal Burn, and Almost Dead. Last year, Most Likely to Die was written by Lisa, Beverly Barton and Wendy Corsi Staub was published and became a number three New York Times paperback bestseller. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers and the Romance Writers of America.

For more information, please visit www.lisajackson.com

Book Synopsis:

Juana of Castile, the last queen of Spanish blood to inherit her country’s throne, has been for centuries and enigmatic figure shrouded in lurid myth. Was she the berefet widow of legend who was driven mad by her loss, or has history misjudged a woman who was ahead of her time? In his stunning new novel, C.W. Gortner challenges the myths about Queen Juana, unraveling the mystery surrounding her to reveal a brave, determined woman we can only now begin to fully understand.

The third child of Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand of Spain, Juana is born amid her parents’ ruthless struggle to unify their kingdom, bearing witness to the fall of Granada and Columbus’s discoveries. At the age of sixteen, she is sent to wed Philip, the archduke of Flanders, as part of her parents’ strategy to strengthen Spain, just as her youngest sister, Catherine of Aragon, is sent to England to become the first wife of Henry VIII.

Juana finds unexpected love and passion with her handsome young husband, the sole heir to the Habsburg Empire. At first she is content with her children and her life in Flanders. But when tragedy strikes and she inherits the Spanish throne, Juana finds herself plunged into a battle for power against her husband that grows to involve the major monarchs of Europe. Besieged by foes on all sides, her intelligence and pride used as weapons against her, Juana vows to secure her crown and save Spain from ruin, even if it could cost her everything.

I admit it. I am a history snob. I don’t know what it is, but ever since I was young I found history boring and it was always my worst subject in school. But, I have been fortunate to have seen the error of my ways, and this book is a prime example.

To be totally honest, I have never heard of Juana of Castile. This book has truly compelled me to learn more. After being part of an arranged marriage, Juana is unsure what is to become of her life. Her mother, Isabel, Queen of Castile, and Father, Fernando, King of Aragon, have worked hard to make their two countries unite and will do anything to ensure that their people are safe. They have arranged the marriage as a way of securing power and freedom for their people.

Even though Juana is less than thrilled about marrying a complete stranger, she has the same tenacity that is characteristic of her mother and agrees for the good of the country. She is pleasantly surprised when she finally meets her husband, Philip, the Archduke of Flanders. Their marriage is riddled with love and passion that most newlyweds wish for and things seem to be going exceptionally well. Until Juana catches him in bed with another woman while pregnant with her first child. Philip is flabbergasted and apologizes profusely, but this is just the start of a life of betrayal that is to be Juana’s curse.

Growing up, I think a lot of little girls (mine included) dream of being a princess. When you read a book like this, you realize that being royalty is not so much of a blessing as a burden. Everything you do is scrutinized and you are expected to act and carry yourself in a certain way. But we see, time and time again, that Juana was courageous and wouldn’t change her beliefs for anyone. Even after tragedy strikes, Juana is prepared to take her rightful place as Queen, even if it means fighting those she is closest too. In the end it just wasn’t enough. In a shocking turn of events she ends up a prisoner and is never allowed to fulfill her rightful place as Queen.

Many historians have speculated that Juana was schizophrenic and that is what led to the imprisonment that she endures for most of her life. Mr. Gortner does and excellent job of portraying a vibrant woman whose sanity was stretched to its limits by the betrayal and cruelty that would likely break any “sane” person. I applaud his efforts to show us the other side of Juana la Loca and show that maybe she wasn’t insane after all, but simply a victim of circumstances.

About the author:

C.W. GORTNER’s fascination with history, in particular the Renaissance, is a lifetime pursuit. He holds a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing with an emphasis on Renaissance Studies from the New College of California and has taught university seminars on the 16th century. In addition, he travels extensively to research his books. He has experienced life in a medieval Spanish castle and danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall; dug through library archives all over Europe; and tried to see and touch—or, at least, gaze at through impenetrable museum glass—as many artifacts of the era as he can find.

He has served on the board of the Women’s National Book Association/SF Chapter, an organization that promotes literacy, and he’s a regular contributor to the Historical Novels Review and Solander, publications of the Historical Novel Society. He is also a passionate advocate for animal rights and environmental issues.

Raised in Málaga, Spain, C.W. Gortner is half-Spanish by birth and fully bilingual. He currently lives in Northern California.

For more information, please visit www.cwgortner.com

A special thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for hosting this awesome book!

Review by Tim Gleichner

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave..." The first part of that quote seems quite an appropriate place to start the review of "The Tea House" by Paul Elwork.

The story concerns a set of twins, Emily and Michael Stewart. While their family is well-to-do, their home life is a bit mysterious and at times I sensed a bit of sadness. Emily discovers she has a unique "talent" one day, and initially has some fun with it. But once her twin, Michael, discovers her secret, he convinces Emily to expand their performances to include friends of theirs. Eventually, word of Emily's talent gets out, and Emily and Michael are drawn into the adult world, where their audiences are more than curious. And when adult curiosity about Emily's talent is mixed with genuine desperation/grief, the ending is unpredictable and shocking.

This book is extremely well written. Mr. Elwork does an excellent job of developing the story and bringing together characters in the story and the story itself in equal portions, so that the farther along the book goes, the more characters and circumstances fit together, giving the reader a more detailed understanding of the story.

The characters of Emily, Michael, and Mr. Dunne are extremely well developed. The detail given to these characters made it quite easy to conjure a picture in my mind as to what they might actually have looked like.

This book held my interest from beginning to end. I liked the story line and the author's writing style makes this a very easy read.

And here are answers to the author questions:

Who are you influenced by as an author?
The list is long, as I guess it is for everyone. I love the works of Kurt Vonnegut, James Salter, Alice Munro, John Irving, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Carver, Jhumpa Lahiri, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Flannery O'Connor, Charles Dickens... and on and on. And like any writer, my debt to them is immeasurable.

Do you plan on writing a sequel to this book, or do you have something else in the works?
I don't have any plans for a sequel to The Tea House, but I do have another novel in the works, this one set during the early days of the Holocaust in Germany. I'd say more, but that would be telling.

This book was published by Casperian Books, a small, independent company that publishes fiction. It is a single-member limited liability company that publishes fiction and operates out of a chaotic home office with some help from the other occupants of the house and a few hearty volunteers. To view their other books, please click on the link above.

A copy of The Tea House will be raffled off to a reader the first week of February. Please visit the website at www.uponfurtherreview.org and sign the guestbook under this book. Your name will be entered in the drawing.

Winners will be announced on the website under Raffle Winners. Good luck and have a great day!

January 8, 2008

Review by Tracee Gleichner

Into the Spell by Norm Applegate

It has been a long time since I have read a book and when I was finished I wanted to pick it up and read it all over again. I read A LOT of books, and some of them are very good. But there is something about this one that just made me want to keep it close in case I had the chance to read it, even if it was only a few pages at a time.

Maybe it was the fact that the heroine, Kim Bennett, is a former madam who is into S&M and domination. Even though this would normally be enough to cause some readers to think down on her, she is someone I couldn't help but like and end up cheering on throughout the book. She has had a rough life, and despite this has remained strong - her only weakness is to count letters whenever she is nervous or anxious. I applaud the fact that he didn't dwell on all of the bad things in her past. Many people go through horrible situations, but sometimes it is dwelled on to the point where it doesn't seem real anymore. She is so well developed and is such a great character, I can't wait to read Into the Basement, and Mr. Applegate's upcoming novel Into the Haven.

Or, maybe it is Titus, the villian. He has the power of mind control (hypnosis) and previously used it in a night club to draw in customers and make a living. This bored him though, as he knew he possessed a power that comes around very rarely. He has moved on to bigger and better things - well, better in his mind. Even though he is constantly warned by communication with long dead Madam Blavatsky, a world renouned psychic from the turn of the 20th century, he decides to let his dark powers surface and take over his free will. He is the kind of murderer that is truly frightening - after all, when you can control someone elses mind you don't really need to get blood on your hands and can continue with wicked ways long after the supposed killer is caught. Not only does he use hypnosis for murder, no, no, no. He also has many sexual fantasies and perversions that he likes to play out, and once again the power of hypnosis allows him to delve into his dark mind to play out whatever he chooses at the moment.

You hear about stories that send a chill up your spine, and only a few authors have EVER had that effect on me. I am the queen of horror/suspense books and it really does take a lot to spook me. This book hit me on a different level. I loved how the villian was linked to a very well known serial killer and was involved in other mind control situations that make for great material for some sequels. I know that there are skeptics out there when it comes to psychic abilities, hypnosis, etc...but even if you don't believe (which I do), this book poses a very haunting set of circumstances.

Questions for the author:

What made you focus on hypnosis as the skill for the villian?

Starting back when I was 12 or 13 I purchased a Kreskin ESP kit and was drawn into the mystical world of the unexplained, that curiousity never left. Interestingly, when I was in my thirties the opportunity presented itself to train as a hypnotist and travel throughout a number of countries. I jumped at it. Creating the villian in "Spell," required someone that could control people's thoughts, and what a perfect resource but my own past and knowledge of the subject. To add layers to the villian, I had Titus Constantin Gorsky talk to the dead, H. P. Blavatsky, she's a real person with an interesting life. Then of course connecting this to the Son of Sam made sense since David Berkowitz had always claimed it was a cult that pulled him into the crime spree we have come to know as the summer of sam.

What books do you have in the works currently?

The third in the Kim Bennett series is called "Into the Haven," and as the title suggests it's about vampires. As Kim Bennett would say "Don't be stupid vampires aren't real," however, like spell, she is pulled into a horror/thriller of a story where she questions her own beliefs. The novel is at a half way point with a scheduled release for June or July and there are lots of twists and unexpected events for poor Kim. I enjoy punishing her...
Also, I'm writing the screenplay of my first novel "Into the Basement," with Kym Wilde, another interesting individual, and we are in discussions with an Indie film director.

Who/What is your inspiration?

I have become friends with best selling author David Hagberg who writes CIA terrorist novels, his most recent "Dance with the Dragon," is an excellent read and I consider him my mentor. As for inspiration, writing fills a creative desire and that animal needs to be released.

Do you have a favorite villian from a book/movie/tv show?

Dracula, evil, erotic, powerful, and the whole blood lust thing is sexual in nature, he's the best.

To view an interview with Norm Applegate about his book "Into the Basement" click below.

Video regarding "Into the Basement".

A copy of Into the Spell will be raffled off to a reader the first week of February. Please sign the guestbook under this book at for your chance to win. Your name will automatically be entered in the drawing.

Winners will be announced on the website under Raffle Winners. Good luck and have a great day!

As always, if you have any questions or problems, please don't hesitate to contact me:)

Miguel Estes has been born with a rare genetic skin disorder called Epidermolysis Bullosa, or E.B. for short. Unsure of how much time he has left to live, his Aunt Shirley has helped him develop a To Do list - a place to keep track of all of the things he is afraid to try. She believes that it is necessary to conquer these fears to lead a more enriched existence. This certainly helps to motivate him and in spite of his daily struggles, keeps him in high spirits, after all, he can't let his aunt down. When his mother chooses to move in with her husband, Hunt, Miguel decides it is best for him to move in with his father, even though this means starting a new school, and changing doctors as well.

Aunt Shirley decides that when school starts, Miguel should start up an afterschool program called F.A.A.T. or Fear Ain't All That. She thinks that this will be a good way for him to get to know new students, and help them realize that life is what you make it, and fears are all relative. Thankfully he already has the support of his new best friend Samantha, his nurse's niece. And there is no one that needs F.A.A.T. or Miguels help more than she does.

This book was a rollercoaster ride, and it was so wonderful to read a book that was sure to inspire children and adults alike. We all fear something, but we need to look past all of that and make a To Do List - I believe it would help us all stay positive, and realize that there really is nothing to fear, anything can be overcome, even death. Thank you Clint for opening my eyes, and I think you will do the same for many people in the future.

Author Questions

How did you come up with the idea for this book, and the F.A.A.T. concept?

Honestly, I wrote DON 'T BE AFRAID OF HEAVEN as a tribute to my cat, Samantha. I named one of the main characters after her. I learned so much from Samantha, her life and the time she chose to die. Since my books all have to do with 'eliminating fear,' I decided to write about eliminating, or trying to help teens eliminate the most common fear of all, the fear of death. I hadn't seen many of these for the teen market (not novels anyway)...so I thought I'd give it a shot. In my mid-thirties, I began to feel certain that fear is something that is completely learned, not natural in any of us. I wanted the themes in all my books to be the same; lives begin to change only when fear is absent.

Do you have any books currently in the works?

Yes, I do. After having published four novels for teens, I've decided to try something different. My newest novel is a suspense thriller for adults titled, THE SEVEN RITUALS. Two plots run consecutively throughout; the two protagonists are the same person, yet one offers an innocent outlook at something rather perverse and dangerous, while the other shows incredible determination to discover the truth that will inevitably set him free.

What made you decide to have Miguel suffer from E.B., as opposed to some other ailment?

Good question. A long while ago I attended a fundraising concert in San Francisco ...not really knowing what the particular cause was. It ended up being a benefit event for kids that live with this rare disease, E.B. Shortly after the concert, I got to meet several of these brave kids. Their courage inspired me incredibly; I learned as much as I could about E.B. and I decided to continue writing about a boy living with E.B. as a tribute to them, those kids that have chosen to live without fear.

Do you have any other hobbies?

I love meeting people from as many countries as possible and learning as much as possible about their lives and their cultures. This is my favorite hobby, as well as being my greatest opportunity to learn.

A copy of this book is going to be raffled off the first week in March. To enter, all you need to do is visit www.uponfurtherreview.org and sign the guestbook under each book you are interested in.

I have always been drawn to anything involving the mind and have always been fascinated by psychics. Having been born in the caul, and having a Great-Grandmother that read tarot cards, I was ready to jump on board and read a book that dealt with the powers of the psyche. And I was not disappointed.

Don't Die Dragonfly is the first book in The Seer series. Sabine Rose is sent to live with her maternal Grandmother, Nona, after a boy dies at her school. Plagued with visions, she feels as if she let this boy down, and could have done more to prevent his death. Add a not so cooperative spirit guide and she feels totally lost. Her mother has never been able to accept the "gift" that she was born with, and seeing as how Nona has similar abilities, she feels that she is better suited to help raise her. Sabine has misled Nona into believing that her powers are gone and that she is just a regular teenager, a desception that could lead to some problems in her future (to bad she couldn't see things about herself).

Sabine was looking forward to starting a new school, and actually was leading a pretty good life for a teenager. She was on the school newspaper and was best friends with one of the cheerleaders, she figured that things would be great as long as no one found out that she was a psychic. Unfortunately, shortly after she comes to live with her Grandmother she starts having visions...terrifying visions of a girl with a dragonfly tattoo. As much as she would like to turn a blind eye, she knows that she needs to try and do better than she did at her previous school, and vows to help save this girl. She encounters many obstacles along the way, will it be too many to stop a tragedy, a tragedy only she knows about?

This is one of the most fantastic books that I have read, and was a real page turner. I don't want to go into too much detail, but if you are looking for a book to grab you and make you question what abilities might be lurking in your head, this is it.

Questions for the author:

Are there any psychics in your family?

Not that I'm aware of -- but I strongly believe in listening to my intuition and think it has saved me many times, like when I had a strong feeling not to go back to my car alone or when I was jogging down a deserted street. I've learned to trust my feelings always.

Do you believe in tarot readings, mediums, etc...or was it just something that was fun to write about?

I believe that it's more likely amazing things are possible for the simple fact that humans are more than just the bodies we wear. I love to go to psychic fairs and I've read many books on psychics. Although I've had no solid proof in my personal life that it's all real, I feel strongly that more things are possible than are not. I even suspect that my character Sabine came to me in dreams as a gift for my writing.

What hobbies do you enjoy besides writing?

I collect girl series books, love reading (of course!), taking walks, going to movies, boating, playing cards, camping, square dancing and bowling. I also love to blog and spend lots of time online.

Can we look forward to more books with Sabine et all?

There are five books in the series. #4 SWORD PLAY goes back to Sabine's previous life and reveals secrets about a student's death. At the moment FATAL CHARM is the last book and I'm working on the DEAD GIRL series, the first book DEAD GIRL WALKING comes out September 2008. If my Llewellyn publisher ever wants more THE SEER books, I'd love to write them. To stay updated with my latest book news, check out www.myspace.com/LindaJoySingleton . I hope to share my next book cover soon!

As an added bonus, a copy of Don't Die Dragonfly is to be raffled off to a reader. Enter by signing the guestbook at www.uponfurtherreview.org.

The drawing will be held the first week in February. The winner will be announced on the website under Raffle Winners.

Review by Tim Gleichner

As the father of 4 and 2 1/2 year old girls, I read quite a few children’s books. Most of the reading I do with my girls is at bedtime, so I look for a few specific qualities in the books we read. "There's an Angel in My Closet" meets all of them for me.

1. Length of story. Since I read 2-3 books an evening, stories that aren't too long to hold my girls interest are a must.

2. The quality of the story. Even though a book may be only a few pages long, I still look for stories that capture my girls attention. "There's an Angel in My Closet" is a delightfully charming tale.

3. Illustrations. My girls (and myself included) love pictures. The illustrations in this book are first rate. They are vividly colored and very engaging.

This is a wonderful children’s book that I would highly recommend to anyone.

Questions to the author:

What inspired you to write a children's book?

When my grandson, Scott was a baby I would read stories to him and thought to myself “I can do better than these” So it was that I began writing stories with him in mind. Scott is now sixteen, but the stories keep coming.

Can we look forward to more children's books in the future?

Yes, actually I’ve written eight children’s stories thus far and will get them all out as soon as I locate the perfect illustrators for them. I have been blessed as I’ve found one that has captured the essence of a mischievous little angel bear who is the lead character in one of my story series titled “The Adventures of Little Bear Blue” which has an accompanying song that I wrote called “If You Believe in You”. I hope to get this released in 2008.

Just as an aside, all my children’s stories were “given” to me. By that I mean that I’ve never sat down and thought about the story – they simply came to me in one felt swoop and I’ve not changed one single word. Some people call it channeling, or a muse - I call it a gift…

For the older children, I am writing a story for the TWEENS called “The Prophecies of Jake Little Feather” which should find its way into the marketplace by the end of 2008.

What other hobbies do you enjoy? I write music and love doing outdoor activities. Anything that puts me out in nature nourishes my soul.

What is your favorite book? TV Show? Movie? I have several favorites:

Movies- E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Lake House, just to name a few.

For TV shows – I love good comedy series such as Gilmore Girls, Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters.

My favorite books, besides my own (I write novels – LUPO-Conversations with an E.T. which is the first of a trilogy sequel with HYBRID-The Conversation Continues and KRYSTAL-The Final Saga), I enjoy self-help and metaphysical writers by a variety of authors. Some of my favorites are Sheldon Nilde, Jim Sparks, Esther Hicks (Abraham ) and of course Dr. Wayne Dyer.

Louise Aveni is part of the Triad Publishing Group - a publisher who takes self-publishing to a whole new level.

For more information, please click on their name - it is really worth checking out if you are a writer looking for a fantastic company!

A copy of There's an Angel in my Closet will be raffled off to a reader the first week of February. Please sign the guestbook at www.uponfurtherreview.org . Your name will automatically be entered in the drawing.

Winners will be announced on the website under Raffle Winners. Good luck and have a great day!