#WeekendWritingWarriors -- Phantoms!

Hello Peeps!  Sorry I missed last week, life has been kinda crazy.  Tonight, after a delicious Rosa's meal of fajitas, tamales, queso, roasted jalapenos, and soapy-pillows, we played kickball in the front yard with the grandkids.  The weather was perfect.  Love those amazing clouds--they make the best cooling shadows!  Will someone come and pry me from the bed tomorrow?  My back is already talking to me . . . and all the words consist of just four letters!  #Ouch!

Okay, enough of that, this week's snippet comes from Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge.  I love this book--the characters are so unpredictable!  They took me down many unexpected paths as I rushed to get them down on paper.  That's why I'm lowering the price to 99 cents.  I want everyone to have a chance to get to know Jase and Stevie-girl.

In fact, I'm going to make ALL THREE PHANTOM BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR ONLY .99 EACH for the rest of the summer!

This week, I pulled from the latter part of the book.  Stevie ran off in a huff, and now she's lost in the woods.  Worse yet, something is following her.  Here we go -- from Stevie's POV:

            The blackness under the bushes was the perfect shadow-cave.  I couldn’t really see anything—

            Then, suddenly, I could. 

            I could see sharp, white teeth in a black snout.  A feral smile . . .

            I began to run.  Not only did my feet unfreeze, they took on a life of their own.  It was all I could do to keep from crashing headlong into low-hanging branches and forearm-grabbing brambles.

Afterthought: That's all for this week.  For more WeWriWa Snippets, go HERE!

First Reviews Are Important Because . . .

Hello all ~ Sorry I missed the Weekend Writing Warriors bloghop this weekend.  We were attending a family reunion in another town.  It was going very well until a mysterious virus swept through the grandchildren.  I swear, I've never seen such a fast acting virus...hopefully it's a short lived one.  Temps spiked almost to 105 in a couple of the kids!

Needless to say, our trip was short, but when we got home I found this lovely review of Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge.  First reviews are so important.  They help to ease the author's mind about the finished book.  I wonder, are we all filled with insecurity, or is it just me?  Whatever the answer, I was so tickled, I just had to share it.

5.0 out of 5 stars

 Thank you, Mae Clair!

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enchanting Mystery! July 13, 2013        

By Mae Clair

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A few days ago I picked up the novella Stevie-Girl and the Phantom Pilot, when Ms. Swann offered it as a free read. I was immediately smitten by her writing style and the characters. Why hadn't I picked up this book before? I found the late 1960s setting riveting. I was a bit too young to remember it well, but much of what she touched upon resonated with me. Most of all, I was blown away by a step back into childhood, including the enchantment and whimsy of those magical years.

I was thrilled to learn this was a continuing series, skipped the middle book (though I fully intend to go go back and read it) and moved on to Stevie-Girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge. Once again the author transported me to years of discovery and adventure. This time, Stevie and her best friend Jase accompany Jase's parents on a camping trip that leads them to a mysterious bridge complete with the legend of a crying baby and a woman in white. The descriptions of the camping trip - from cookouts around the fire, to swimming in the lake, and trekking through the woods -are so vibrant it's like experiencing them first hand. There's fun, danger, adventure, and plenty of mystery. I love Ms. Swann's ability to make me experience childhood all over again.

As a kid I always had a fondness for Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, stories of spooky houses, wandering ghosts and things-that-go-bump in the night -- without them being too terrifying. The Stevie-girl stories have that same feeling of mystery and wonder. You can't help but be caught up in her life, and that of Jase. These two are perfect together, from friends to the flush of a first kiss, shared in this novel. I hope to see much more of them and their wonderful adventures. Ms. Swann has definitely made a new fan!

Okay, that's all for this post...except for the AFTERTHOUGHT: If you are one of the other purchasers of this book...and I know you're out there...how about taking a moment to chime in with your Amazon review?  Like the doc always says...it won't hurt a bit!