Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Interview & Book Tour with Alexandra Forry - Timeless Endings With Giveaway




Welcome! Ready to ride?

GR: Tell us about your latest release...

Hello and thank-you for having me on your blog, today! My latest book release is tilted Wildflower. Wildflower is set in the heart of Sedona Arizona, It’s a delightful read about a teenage girl and her aunt opening a coffee shop in Sedona and how their life's turned upside down when they meet a billionaire and his daughter.

GR: What inspired you to start your writing journey?

I had away wanted to be a author since I was little. What got me on my writing journey when I decided to try my hand at writing a Fanfiction to the 1995 movie Casino, a short story on my interpretation of the Nicky and Ginger’s affair.  Then I thought to take it forward a generation and let their children (Ginger's daughter and Nicky's son) sift through the intrigue that colored their parents' lives. That turned out to be my first book, Omertà Affair.

GR: Who have been some authors that have inspired you along the way?

I have to say that La Vyrle Spencer, Frank Cullotta, Dennis N. Griffin, and many other wonderful author’s that wrote books that inspired me one way or another over the years. Some of my closes friends are great authors.

GR: What is one piece of marketing advice you can give to new authors?

Don’t get a agent!

GR: If we went on the ride of our life, where is one place you'd like to be sure to stop along the way?

Let’s go to Yellowstone! I been there once and always wanted to go back!

GR: Would you be afraid to ride on the back of my bike?

Oh god, yes! I don’t think it’s a great idea with my cerebral palsy.

GR: What can we expect from you in the future? Any new projects?

I am written two wonderful books right at the moment. Another mafia romantic set in today's Las Vegas and Wildflower 2!


Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I wish you the best of success and to always leave your hair blowing in the wind!


Thank you for have me and my book today!




Author Bio: 


Alexandra Forry has an incredible talent for living vicariously through the colorful and intriguing escapades of her strong female characters and successful leading men. Her first book, “Omerta Affair,” based on the true story of mafia boss Tony Torino and his paramour Evelyn Rosenberg has recently been adapted and re-released as “Timeless Endings”–romance fiction. Her latest book, “Wildflower,” is an adventure in coming of age for both a young orphan and her repressed aunt who is trapped in a destructive marriage. It is a beautiful story of life, hope, growth, and triumph and deals with many of the traumas of youth, such as bullying.

Alexandra Forry is familiar with life’s challenges. She was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she lives with her loving grandparents. Alexandra has conquered the limitations of Cerebral Palsy to write exciting and engaging novels. She has completed a number of talks and internet book tours and is a member of the Las Vegas Romance Writers and RWA.

Author Links -






Book Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: February 27, 2014




Book Description: 

Evelyn turned toward the lights of the city. The view was breathtaking as she stood looking down on Las Vegas, lovingly wrapped in Tony's arms. It was a moment she would keep deep in her heart, forever.
"Look at this-The City of Gold!" Evelyn exclaimed as Tony kissed her forehead.
"And it's all ours, Eve!"
Thus begins a heartwarming and harrowing tale of life and forbidden love lost to one generation and found in the next. Caught between a turbulent love triangle that shook the very foundations of the Mafia's Las Vegas Empire, and a deadly struggle for wealth and power, Mob Boss and "King of Las Vegas" Tony Torino, his mistress hustler and onetime showgirl Evelyn Rosenberg, and her husband top Chicago mobster Charlie "Gus" Rosenberg live and love in defiance of the violent and unforgiving laws of the Mafia. All that remains is Evelyn's carefully preserved diary left by Gus to be discovered by his daughter Adriane and Tony's son Victor as they pack up her late father's belongings. Through the vivid and brilliant use of flashbacks, juxtaposed with current events, we witness one of the most beautiful and ill-fated love stories of the last century. As Victor, a forest ranger who fled his family's Mob past, and Adriane, an attorney being pressured to work for the Mafia, read through the diary old hatreds and new alliances rise leaving us to wonder if history will repeat itself.



Excerpt:

"Adriane, look at what I found,” Victor said peering closely at the photo.
"What?" she said, walking over to him.
"It's a picture of your parents, my parents and two other couples sitting on the sofa at your old home. Hey, I remember taking this photo at a party!"
"Ah, it must have been taken before my mom went and slept with your dad," Adriane said, looking at the photo.
"Seems like your dad was trying to figure out what happened back in Las Vegas. What a coincidence this is. We were just talking about it!"
"Victor! It's a photo that my dad kept in his desk, nothing more!"
She rolled her eyes as Victor looked over at her and then down at the very bottom drawer of the desk. He bent down and pulled it open.
A look of astonishment crossed his face.
"Adriane, what if we have the story wrong about what happened in Vegas long ago?"
"Victor, did you forget? My dad told his side of the story to the person who wrote that sickening movie. My dad had no reason to lie about what happened!"
"If you say so, but I think that you need to take a look in this drawer."






Schedule


May 14 - Author Interview at Deal Sharing Aunt
May 18 - Spotlight at IndieWritersReview
May 20 - Spotlight at Jody's Book Reviews
May 22 - Spotlight at The Writers Revolution
May 25 - Interviewed at Bellevue Book Reviews
May 27 - Review & Interview at The Booksnake Etc.
May 27 - Guest Blogging at Lori's Reading Corner
May 29 - Spotlight at My Book Tour
June 1 - Reviewed at Dreams Come True Through Reading
June 3 - Spotlight at Books, Books The Magical Fruit
June 5 - Interviewed at Author CA Milson
June 5 - Guest Blogging at Infinite House Of Books
June 8 - Interviewed at My Life, Loves and Passions
June 10 - Interviewed at Bikers With Books
June 12 - 5 Things I Know For Sure at CAT Magazine
June 15 - Review & Guest Blogging at Jersey Girl Book Reviews
June 17 - Spotlight at Black Coffee, Brown Cow
June 19 - Guest Blogging at Ghost Rider Book Promotions
June 22 - XoXo Book Blog
June 24 - Interviewed at BK Walker Books Etc.
June 26 - Author 2 Author Marketing at BK Walkers Cafe
June 29 - 6 Besties at BK Walker Books









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Monday, June 1, 2015

The Prison Trilogy By Glen Aaron Interview & #Giveaway






Glen writes both fiction and nonfiction from his forty-year career and experience as a trial lawyer and consultant in international business and banking.

His nonfiction work as the observer in The Prison Trilogy tells the tales in chronological order of how he came to be a lawyer for a Wall Street Journal heiress and her gay husband and how that representation landed him in federal prison. That is the first in The Trilogy. The second book tells the story of his cell mate, Colonel George Trofimoff, serving life for spying for the KGB, and the final book of The Trilogy describes the prisoners, Glen's experiences and takes a hard look at the American criminal justice system.

 Author Links:

 http://www.glenaaron.com/


 http://www.prisonobserver.com/

 Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorGlenAaron

Twitter: twitter.com/OBSERVERauthor

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/observerauthor/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/pub/glen-aaron/16/77/566/en

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/glenaaron 

Amazon:  www.amazon.com/Glen-Aaron/e/B00936UFS4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1427123445&sr=8-1

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/aaron

Interview With Author, Glen Aaron

Welcome! Ready to ride?

GR: Tell us about your latest release...

The Prison Trilogy begins with Observer: The Ronnie Lee and Jackie Bancroft Spencer Morgan Story, a tale of people, greed, envy, manipulation – – even crime.
This is the first book in The Prison Trilogy, which tells the story of my representation as a lawyer of a Wall Street Journal heiress who married her gay interior decorator, who was also in bankruptcy. After designing a blind trust in order for the heiress to pour $40 million worth of cash and assets into it for the benefit of her new husband, I ended up with a two-year federal prison sentence. This is that entire fascinating story.

The second book in The Prison Trilogy is Observer: The Colonel George Trofimoff Story, the highest- ranking American military officer convicted of spying. This man was my cellmate, and I discovered that the FBI abused him in a sting and his trial was a sham. My source was the entire trial record from the federal court. Injustice often ranks high in our court systems at each level: prosecution, defense counsel, and judge. This expose will open your eyes.

The third book in The Prison Trilogy is Observer: The Prison People; The Prison Experience. In prison, I met some fascinating people. Some dangerous, some funny, and some sad. This third book describes them, and the experience.

GR: What inspired you to start your writing journey?

I had a 40-year career as a lawyer and international business and banking
consultant. I had written a lot of legalese but never anything else. When I spent
over a year and a cell with Colonel George Trofimoff, I decided, "now here is a
real story. I wonder if I could write it," so I tried. Before I was through, I had
written The Prison Trilogy.


GR: Who have been some authors that have inspired you along the way?

I have always been amazed how John Grisham can take a complicated injustice and tell it in a simple and intriguing plot. That is quite a talent. I have also been inspired throughout my life by the classics, such as Dostoyevsky.
GR: What is one piece of marketing advice you can give to new authors?

Belong to APSS for a broad resource, but analyze critically how a given service purchase is going to get you to your end goal of selling books. You can quickly spend yourself into poverty, if you are not careful.


GR: If we went on the ride of our life, where is one place you'd like to be sure to stop along the way?

           I would like to stop by New Orleans and hang out with my biker buddies in the
French quarter.

GR: Would you be afraid to ride on the back of my bike?

           I would prefer to be the operator.

GR: What can we expect from you in the future? Any new projects?

I am researching a potential book, The Race To Destruction, on which will destroy the earth first: nuclear proliferation or eco-annihilation.


Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I wish you the best of success and to always leave your hair blowing in the wind!

Book genre: Biography of Wall Street Journal heiress; nonfiction intrigue and crime

Publisher: Glen Aaron using Create Space

Release date: April 1

Buy link: Amazon.com



Book description: 

When Jackie Bancroft's husband died in 1952, he left her an heiress to the income and value of The Wall Street Journal and one of the wealthier women in America. Almost 50 years later, Jackie would mary Ronnie Lee Morgan, a 50 – year old gay interior decorator. Morgan was one of many clients in the active law practice of author Glen Aaron. This unusual marriage lasted until Jackie's mysterious death five years later. Throughout that period, Aaron became entwined in the personal lives and demands of the couple, along with handling many of their legal affairs. The huge money and property distributions made by Jackie to her husband, designed and handled by Aaron, resulted in a two – year federal prison sentence for Aaron. The first book in the Prison Trilogy is this story.










Excerpt One:

Ron Morgan always knew what he wanted – – to be rich and beautiful, to live in the places you see in Architectural Digest.
He knew certain things about the rich: that they were different, that they liked beautiful things, power, and influence, that, if they saw that another had something more beautiful or impressive, they had to have it, too. He also knew that every rich person would take advantage of him if given the chance. So he devised ways to reverse this probability. While making it appear that they were getting a good deal, a special deal, he always made money.
Ron had developed his expertise in interior decorating over the course of many years. It took him even longer to perfect the personality that attracted and pleased wealthy clients. His involvement as an interior decorator for the wealthy, his intuitive knowledge of how to deal with them, was an evolution of fits and starts.
Although it didn't hurt that Ron was gay, in his early life he had had difficulty figuring that out. He tried a heterosexual marriage. It didn't work.
Then, in his 50th year, in the New Mexico mountain village of Ruidoso, Ron met Jackie Bancroft Spencer ("Jackie"), a wealthy Wall Street Journal heiress possessed of a unique personality. Jackie was building a stunning theater for the performing arts in Ruidoso, for which she would pay $23 million cash. At the same time, she was caring for her terminally – ill second husband, Dr. A.N ("A. N.") Spencer. Ron Morgan came to know Jackie by creating interior decor for her home, making suggestions regarding the theater, and in assisting with A. N.'s care during his final illness.
I was Ron Morgan's lawyer for many years. On numerous occasions, I defended lawsuits and negotiated a way out of touchy problems. Ultimately, I placed Ron in bankruptcy protection in El Paso, Texas. Not long after, he introduced me to Jackie. Through numerous golf games and dinners, I became fascinated with this lady, her history and that of the Bancroft's and their ownership of The Wall Street Journal.
Two years later, Ron, a 52 – year old gay man, and Jackie, a 72 – year old heterosexual heiress, decided to marry. At the time she met Ron, Jackie, was married to Dr. A.N. Spencer; it was her second marriage. She wanted to travel the world after AN's death, and she wanted Ron to travel with her. For his part, Ron had his own designs on what this should cost Jackie. Whether pressing for marriage was a manifestation of Ron's ulterior financial desires, or whether it was at Jackie's urging is unknown. What is known is that Jackie accepted, indeed, relished, the arrangement.
While the relationship was filled with intrigue, greed and Machiavellian manipulation from within and without, the ultimate mystery for me was the nature of Jackie's illness – – the illness that led to her death – – while she and Ron were on a world cruise. It was my task to get her off the ship in the middle of the Atlantic and arrange for medical care in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That would be my last service on her behalf.
I have always been an observer of people: what motivates them to do what they do, how they view their quality of life, why and how this plays out in relationships. This book has a dual purpose: to share my observations of Jackie and Ron's unusual relationship, and to share my experiences as Jackie's some time – confidante and as Ron's lawyer until Jackie's death. Ultimately, these experiences with my last client would change my life.






Schedule


May 17 - Introduction at VBT Café Blog
May 19 - Spotlight at 3 Partners In Shopping - Nana, Mommy & Sissy Too!
May 21 - Interviewed at Author CAMilson
May 21 - Spotlight at The Voluptuous Book Diva
May 22 - Guest Blogging at The Voluptuous Book Diva
May 26 - Review at The Writers Revolution
May 28 - 6 Besties at BK Walker Books
June 1 - Interviewed at Bikers With Books
June 3 - Spotlight at Jody's Book Reviews
June 6 - Reviewed at My Life, Loves and Passions
June 8 - Author 2 Author Marketing at BookIt BK
June 10 - Spotlight at Readsalot
June 12 - Interviewed at BK Walker Books Etc.
June 15 - Spotlight at eBook Review Gal
June 17 - Spotlight at My Book Tour
June 19 - Spotlight at Black Coffee, Brown Cow
June 22 - Interviewed at Ghost Rider Book Promotions
June 24 - Interviewed at Yah Did Radio 6:30pm EST
June 26 - 5 Things I Know For Sure at CAT Magazine
June 29 - Review & Interview at Deal Sharing Aunt
July 1 - Spotlight at Tea and Book
July 3 - Spotlight at Mass Musings
July 6 - Reviewed at BK Walker Books








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Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Interview With Author Ilil Arbel - Moses Son Of Maimon Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway



Title: Moses Son of Maimon: The Life of Maimonides, 1135 to 1204 A.D.
Author Name: Ilil Arbel

Welcome! Ready to ride?

GR: Tell us about your latest release...

Moses, Son of Maimon is a biography of the great man we usually know as Maimonides, published by 21st Publishing. I consider him one of the most important and influential philosophers/scholars in Western culture. All the books about him dwell on his work – but I am a biographer, so I have created a real life story. Since I am bilingual in Hebrew, I found extremely interesting facts about his life, his family, and the places he lived. Letters, in particular, revealed much about his life that does not exist in English. I believe anyone interested in his work would find it enriching to know more about his own story – he was the most magnificent mass of contradiction you can imagine.

GR: What inspired you to start your writing journey?

Writing is my second career. I was an artist, an illustrator, for years. But I have always wanted to write and so slowly shifted my focus. I started with illustrated articles I created for a science magazine, called Science Probe.

GR: Who have been some authors that have inspired you along the way?

There were many, but I generally think Van Loon, with his book Lives, made me want to write biographies. W. Somerset Maugham made me want to write, period. Desiderius Erasmus, Thomas Mann, Charlotte Bronte, Brenda Ueland, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens… the list is long.

GR: What is one piece of marketing advice you can give to new authors?

If you are good at marketing, go for it, by all means. But don’t let it be a burden. If, like me, you are not good at it, find help from your publisher, your publicist, or a friend you can trade services with. Not everyone is a good salesperson, and it is pointless to succumb to the pressure Indies are under to become their own representatives or perish.

GR: If we went on the ride of our life, where is one place you'd like to be sure to stop along the way?

I would go back to my mid-thirties, and rethink some of my strategies for writing and publishing.

GR: Would you be afraid to ride on the back of my bike?

Yes, terrified. I have been once on the back of a motorcycle – and vowed to never do it again.

GR: What can we expect from you in the future? Any new projects?

I am working on two projects. The biography of Hillel the Elder, named The Golden Rule. Some of it is already published as a blog on my website as “a book in progress” since I believe that feedback from readers is extremely important, and also because I suspect that many books will be done like that in the future. The second project is a book I was requested to write for the Angela Thirkell Society of North America, who had published several of my books. It is a totally different field – a historical mystery occurring in the 1920’s. The book does not have a name yet – but it is the sequel to Madame Koska and the Imperial Brooch and will be her third adventure.

Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I wish you the best of success and to always leave your hair blowing in the wind!


Author Bio:

Ilil Arbel is the author of a number of fiction and non-fiction books, including biographies, memoirs, novels, and mythology/folklore. She has also written articles, short stories, and Judaic myths.

Arbel has a Ph.D. in the field of mythology and folklore but has also devoted much study to her special interest in Jewish history, biography, legends, and myths. She is currently engaged in writing the biography of Hillel the Elder, the first century B.C. leader and religious scholar.

Dr. Arbel was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. She has lived and studied in Tel Aviv, Paris, and New York and currently resides in Manhattan.

Author Links -
Publisher’s Website: http://www.21stpublishing.com/

Publisher’s Facebook Website: https://www.facebook.com/21stPublishing






Book Genre: Historical Biography
Publisher: 21st Publishing
Release Date: Feb 12, 2015
Buy Link(s): http://www.amazon.com/Moses-Son-Maimon-Maimonides-D/dp/0692339345/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424475030&sr=1-1&keywords=moses+son+of+maimon


Book Description (LONG): Born into a distinguished family in medieval Cordoba, Spain, the young Moses Maimonides was quickly recognized by his teachers for his outstanding intellectual abilities and extraordinary versatility. At the age of twelve, when his peaceful world was shattered by war and persecution and his family was forced into exile, his religious and secular studies continued. Despite the years of wandering and the harsh conditions, he also developed into a writer and wrote extensively until the end of his life.

After years of wandering and relatively short stays in Morocco and Israel, Maimonides and his family settled in Egypt. The Jewish community quickly recognized his genius, and after completing his important book, the Mishneh Torah, he was recognized internationally as the chief religious and legal authority of the entire Jewish world. He produced many books on diverse subjects such as philosophy, law, religion, and medicine that are considered extremely important to this day by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. Despite experiencing loss and controversies, Maimonides rose to eminence as both the official head of the Jewish community in Cairo and the private physician to the sultan and his court.

His world was full of contradictions. A man who abhorred excess of any kind, Maimonides nevertheless lived as a member of a glittering society. Cairo of that time was full of art, music, literature, elegant fashions, priceless jewelry, and sophisticated food. He moved among the sultan’s wealthy advisors and the elegant ladies of the royal harem during the day, and among the Jewish scholars in the evening. He was accused of supporting corporal punishment for wives, and at the same time, people gasped at his revolutionary defense of women’s rights.

His fame brought controversy that is still raging—eight hundred years after his death. At certain times his books were banned and even burned at the stake. But no one could ever deny that his work was that of a brilliant innovator and scholar who could reconcile religious traditions with science and philosophy like no one else.

Book Description (SHORT): Moses Maimonides brought controversy that is still raging—eight hundred years after his death. At certain times his books were banned and even burned at the stake. But no one could ever deny that his work was that of a brilliant innovator and scholar who could reconcile religious traditions with science and philosophy like no one else.



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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Interview With Author, Cynthia Mock Burroughs - Remember Della #vbtcafetour




Welcome! Ready to ride?

GR: Tell us about your latest release...

“Remember Della” is the story of Katherine, a sixteen-year-old girl who (on occasion) has been known to have “portentous” dreams. But the dreams she has begun to have of late are different from all the rest. Repetitive, disturbing dreams of a yellow scarf and Della, a girl she barely knows, quickly escalate into full-fledged nightmares. These nightmares not only invade her sleep, they begin to affect her waking life as well. So the question is - how far will sleep-starved Katherine go to salvage her sanity and make the dreams go away? And the answer is that she will resort to about anything to regain control of her life.
In her search for answers she discovers that Della, who seems to be all but invisible to everyone, has simply vanished; and no one, including the girl’s mother and step-father, recognizes—or will admit—the fact she has disappeared.

This story is told from the point of view of an older Katherine, who takes you back to the fifties and in turn introduces you to the colorful cast of characters who come to her aid.


GR: What inspired you to start your writing journey?

I began writing as a way to deal with my grief when my mother passed.


GR: Who have been some authors that have inspired you along the way?

I have always been a voracious reader and I would have to say that every author whose book I have ever held in my hand has been inspiration to me.


GR: What is one piece of marketing advice you can give to new authors?

I’ll share with you something another author told me not long ago. She said, “You must be your book’s advocate. Just as you were your children’s advocate when they were young - you must be your book’s advocate.” And then she went on to impress upon me how important both social media and book bloggers are to an author.


GR: If we went on the ride of our life, where is one place you'd like to be sure to stop along the way?

Maybe Antelope Canyon in New Mexico.

I’ve visited the southwest several times and quite honestly can’t get enough of it. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, to name a few landmarks, but there are so many sights out that way I have yet to see.


GR: Would you be afraid to ride on the back of my bike?

Depends.

I have said numerous times how much fun it would be to travel the open roads out west on a bike. You could talk me into that in a heartbeat! But I do quake at the thought of being on a bike in heavy traffic - say like in Phoenix for example.


GR: What can we expect from you in the future? Any new projects?

I am currently working on the sequel to “Remember Della”. In fact, there is a sneak preview in the back of the book.

But . . .

Would it surprise you to learn I have been working on a manuscript (which I am dying to get back to) involving a biker? One of the bars he frequents is a favorite biker hang-out.

This book is about the biker’s son, a young boy of thirteen, who commits murder and what drove him to that point. I’m not giving anything away here, since the book opens with young Marky on trial.


Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I wish you the best of success and to always leave your hair blowing in the wind!

I thank you!

And I will most definitely take your advice to heart - both my hair and I could stand a little more “blowing in the wind”.






Title: Remember Della
Author: Cynthia Mock Burroughs
Length: 274 pages
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: November 9, 2011
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Buy Here: Amazon|Create Space

 Book Description:

Kat, a “slightly" psychic sixteen-year-old, begins having disturbingly persistent dreams. Dreams of a yellow scarf - with a seeming life of its own - which taunts her and haunts her every dream. Dreams about Della, a fellow classmate, who to this point has remained all but invisible to any and every one at school. Kat eventually comes to the realization that until she unravels the mystery surrounding that “dagblasted” creepy yellow scarf and this girl she hardly knows, she'll not have another night’s rest. What Kat soon discovers is that she is the only person in Della’s life (including the girl’s mother and stepfather) who recognizes - or will admit - Della has simply vanished, gone “splitsville"! And Kat is helpless as her life becomes indelibly intertwined with Della’s – so much so, that she will carry the emotional scars for years to come.

Kat is surrounded by an extremely colorful cast of characters. You will meet: long-time friend and recent love interest, Em; Kat’s precocious eight-year-old brother, Gordy; her feisty octogenarian neighbor, Mrs. Harper and a chain smoking waitress named Clovis. All who, for various reasons, join Kat’s desperate quest to help a girl she hardly knows and to find answers to questions that, with any luck, will bring her the peace she seeks – the biggest question on her mind being, “Why me?” 

“Remember Della” - which is predominately set in the South during the mid-fifties - is chock full of facts, trivia and slang from that era. While an entertaining read, I believe this book addresses bullying - both physical and emotional - in a fresh and unique way during a time before such issues were “labeled” as unacceptable or problematic.

 Author Bio:


I was born and raised in the South and to this day reside in South Carolina with my dashing husband, crotchety cat and nimble Jack Russell. My first novel,Remember Della, definitely reflects that Southern upbringing; and like Katherine, my main protagonist, I am also a child of the fifties.

I have enjoyed reading my entire life and relish childhood memories of long, languid summers spent in lawn chairs beneath shady old trees—my best friend and I devouring one library book after another. I hope to be proof of the old adage that everyone has at least one good book in them—but suppose that remains to be seen. You, the reader, will be the judge of that. 

Drawing and painting have always been passions of mine, but I had never tried my hand at writing until my mother passed away several years ago. During my grieving process I found that painting was not keeping my mind as busy as I would have liked. Painting allowed me too much time to think. So in an attempt to ease my sadness, I decided to try a new creative outlet. The result was a 24,000 word children's chapter book (as yet unpublished) and a newfound love—writing! In fact, I am in love with the entire writing process, especially the part where I get to tell really tall tales—and get away with it . . .


Author Links - 

Website http://www.cynthiamockburroughs.com/ 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorcynthiamockburroughs?ref=notif&notif_t=page_user_activity 
Twitter @cmburroughs 
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/cmburroughs/ 
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cynthia-burroughs/7b/a80/107
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23826688-cynthia-mock-burroughs
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Remember-Della-Cynthia-Mock-Burroughs/dp/1500199346/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420753436&sr=1-1&keywords=remember+della

Excerpt One

I sat at the kitchen table while Momma contemplated what to do
with the ground beef thawing out on the counter. She settled on
goulash and was checking the pantry to see if she had all the ingredients
when it occurred to her she hadn’t heard a peep out of Gordy.
The quietude must have alerted her to his absence.

She turned to me, “Where’s Gordy—up in his room?”

I shook my head no. “He’s not home yet.”

She checked her watch and asked, “Did you hear his bus come
by?”

“No’m. It’s probably running late.”

“Gordy should be home by now, Katherine.” She gave me a doubtful
look and asked, “You’re sure his bus hasn’t come by?”

The look of concern on her face was fleeting, and we both cringed
as Gordy heralded his arrival by slamming the front door so hard the
house shook. Momma yelled at the top of her lungs, “Gordy!” When
he came barreling through the doorway she asked, “How many times
have I told you not to slam the door like that? You’ve already taken a
minimum of ten years off my life!”
He never even heard a word she said because he was talking louder
and faster than his customary mile-a-minute. His words practically
ran together as he said, “You shoulda seen it! Sammy Spellman
throwed up all over prissy ol’ Becky Taylor on the bus! We had beets
for lunch an’ Sammy ate a whole bowl of ‘em. I bet that’s what made
him throw up. He says he likes ‘em, but I don’t believe it for a minute.
I think he just eats ‘em to show off. But the really good part is
Sammy’s throw-up was all red—like he was throwing up blood! Then
ol’ Becky started crying an’ everything, and Cindy Walker started
gagging ‘cause throw-up splattered all over her shoes an’ then she
throwed up. It was so cool! They were sitting across the aisle from
me, an’ I got to see it all. And Becky, with her weirdo-self, told Mikey
Olson she was gonna wipe throw up on him ‘cause he laughed
at her. And the bus driver had to stop the bus an’ calm everybody
down. It was Coolsville!

I could see Momma was trying to keep a straight face as she said,
“Gordy that’s enough—there’s nothing cool about someone throwing
beets up all over the place.”

“Well I couldn’t be sure, but from the smell of it I think Sammy
must’ve been sick at both ends. I tell–”

“Gordy!!!” Gordy was treading on very thin ice.

“It’s the truth! It was gross I tell ya. Gross enough to gag a maggot!
Everybody sitting around ‘em looked like they were gonna
puke—’cept me. The bus driver made everybody get off, and
the monitor had to go to somebody’s house to call for another
bus and for Sammy an’ Becky an’ Cindy’s parents to come and
get ‘em.”

“Dear Lord, I hope Sammy’s not contagious.” And in spite of the fact
we weren’t Catholic, Momma crossed herself.


Excerpt Two 

I HATED THAT despicable clock. I hated the way those two nerve-jangling,
damnable bells blasted me so urgently from sleep
every morning. I snatched the clock up, shut off the alarm
and slammed the offending thing back onto the nightstand.
Throwing the covers back and my legs over the side of the
bed, I stood unsteadily a moment before aiming my body at
the door leading to the hall. Destination—the bathroom. But as
my fingers touched the doorknob the clock began its shrill intonations
again. Oh dear Lord! That sound, so early in the morning,
was the equivalent of fingernails screeeking down a chalkboard.
Hadn’t I just turned the dad-blamed thing off? Maybe I
jarred the lever into the ‘on’ position when I, perhaps a little too
vigorously, delivered the clock back to its pocked resting place.

I retraced my steps and after turning the alarm off, again,
placed the clock on the nightstand—a little more gently
this time. And for more reasons than one, I moved a wee
bit faster for the bedroom door. I reached it a second time
and stopped cold—the God-forsaken clock was, once again,
clanging for attention! With the strangest mixture of anger,
fear and foreboding I walked back, turned the alarm off a
third time and buried ‘Baby Ben’ not only under the covers,
but both pillows as well. Then I ran back to the door, jerked
it open and took off through it.

Instead of the hall outside my bedroom door, I found myself
out on the street in front of my house—still dressed in baby
doll pajamas and walking toward my bus stop. There wasn’t
time to go home and change. The school bus had arrived
and it sat idling as a half-dozen students climbed on. I waved
and yelled for them to wait, but no one seemed to hear.

Running for the bus wasn’t even an option, for it was suddenly
as if my feet and I were slogging through knee-deep
mud. I could only watch as the door closed and the bus
pulled off without me. Oddly, I felt thoroughly and utterly
bereft—as if all my hopes and dreams had taken off with that
big yellow bus.

As the bus lumbered down the road something yellow flew
out an open window. Even from where I stood I could see it
was a scarf—a yellow scarf—lifting, floating and fluttering in
the early morning breeze.

My legs came unglued and I began running after that scarf
like my life depended upon reaching it before it touched
the ground. I caught up to it, but each time I attempted to
pluck it from the air a breeze would whisk it away, lifting it
just beyond my reach over and over again. I soon began to
tire of the game and was about to abandon the chase when
the wind picked up and blew the scarf toward me instead of
away, pressing it against the lower half of my face. Slowly,
almost as if caressing me, the scarf began to move along my
skin. It slid over my mouth, under my chin, and down my neck.
Snaking round and round my throat, it became longer and
longer, tighter and tighter—and I began struggling for air . . .



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