New Beginnings

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. 

Norman Maclean

December 23, 1902: Norman Maclean did not begin writing fiction until he retired from his work as a professor at the University of Chicago—he published his first novel, A River Runs Through It, at age 73.

Hope everyone is having a glorious holiday season.  My Christmas has been wonderful, filled with grandchildren! 

To start the new year off right, I chose the above quote regarding one of my favorite movies of all time -- 

A River Runs Through It.  I only wish I'd read the book -- a novella actually -- before seeing the movie.  Not that it really matters, I'm just partial to print.

But the reason I'm posting it now is because the details in the quote seem very appropriate for beginning a new year.  Beginning a publishing career at the age of 73 is quite something if you ask me.  It gives me hope that it's never too late to start something new.

Now, about those resolutions...

Afterthought:  I think I'll save those for next time!  

By the way, the GIVEAWAY HAS EXPIRED.

WINNERS WERE: 

SUSAN GRISCOM ~> Kindle Fire 7″ HD. 

ELI PANTALONESDEBASURA THOMAS ~> $200 Amazon Card

CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS, AND EVERYONE WHO PLAYED! 

Kindle Fire Giveaway for Christmas (or $200 gift card!)

Dec 10 - 25

Here's the short link to the giveaway page: http://ow.ly/rvD38  Here's the long link: http://www.thekindlebookreview.net/kindle-fire-christmas-giveaway/ Here's the Rafflecopter link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YmNlMGFmNmFiNmJmN2M2MzRlZmY3NjMyNDgxOGExOjE3/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Release - The Soul of Jesus by Doug Simpson - 5 Prince Publishing

Genre: Non-fiction/ Christian/ Historical

Release Date: February 6, 2014
Available at http://www.5princebooks.com

Digital ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-89-9   ISBN 10: 1-939217-89-X

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-90-5     ISBN 10: 1-939217-90-3

The Soul of Jesus

As part of His preparations for the long-prophesied birth of our Savior, God selected a devout group of primarily Jewish Essenes to oversee this monumental undertaking. The Soul of Jesus delves into numerous details surrounding these readily-available but little-known preparations which preceded the birth of Jesus, and then carries on to share delightful snippets concerning the birth and life of Jesus before the commencing of His Ministry, Jesus’ Healings and other Miracles, His Apostles, relatives, friends and the group of seventy disciples, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, His activities after the Resurrection, and Jesus’ Ascension, that are not recorded in the Scriptures.

The surprises do not stop there. The Soul of Jesus saves the block-buster news until the very end – the soul of Jesus had a number of historical incarnations before its final incarnation, commencing many centuries back in time as the soul of Adam in the Garden of Eden.

Cover Reveal - The Library by Carmen DeSousa

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Ghosts

Release Date: December 12, 2013
Will be available at http://www.5princebooks.com

Digital ISBN 13: 978-1-63112-000-8  ISBN 10: 163112000X

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-63112-001-5     ISBN 10: 1631120018

The Library

When Mark Waters decided to be a detective, he didn't plan to investigate ghosts.

But as he sifts through evidence of a supposed suicide by train, he learns a murder that took place eighty years ago may directly affect his case.

Six months after the strange occurrences at The Depot, there’s another murder. This time, The Library holds secrets of several murders, and the dead won’t rest until the murderer checks out too. 

FREE Audio Review Copies!

Psst ~ I had so much fun with Venture Galleries when they interviewed me about audio books and book tours and . . . oh, a little bit of everything. http://shar.es/Dq3JP 

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving ~ we had the traditional turkey/ham and all the trimmings with twenty or so family members, then the Dude and I took off for Austin to attend the Braun Family Thanksgiving Get Together at The Moody Theater (home of Austin City Limits).  It was a great show.  In addition to Papa Braun, we also saw Reckless Kelly and Micky and the Motorcars all onstage together.  I love live music, especially from singer/songwriters such as these (give a listen to RK's Wicked, Twisted Road, it's one of my all time favorite songs), and you seriously can't beat strolling weird downtown Austin just for fun.

When we returned, I was pleased to find that ACX has provided me with numerous copies of the AUDIO version of STUTTER CREEK (She went looking for an old flame and found a serial killer instead) which was narrated by the bestselling author, Stephen Woodfin.  Go here to listen to a sample, http://ow.ly/r7MM0

I also have FREE AUDIO copies of ALL FOR LOVE (contemporary fiction) and STEVIE-GIRL AND THE PHANTOM PILOT (ghost story) in exchange for reviews.  http://tinyurl.com/l62zjek

Seriously, how can you possibly go wrong with a deal like that?  Just leave me a comment at the bottom of this post telling me which book you want to review...

Afterthought: Did you do any Black Friday shopping?  Folks (read that as adults) at one of our local Wal-Mart stores were pepper sprayed for fighting.  No, I wasn't there, just saw the video, but sheesh how ridiculous.  Wait, did I really say adults?

Thankful

What are you thankful for this year?  

Family, friends, a good job, nice home, plenty to eat?  How about the freedom to worship as you please, or the freedom to walk down the street, wearing anything you want, anytime of day or night?  How about the freedom to marry whomever you wish, to have as many children as you wish, without penalty?

I have all of these things and so much more,

 and for this I am very, very thankful.

Afterthought: Venture Galleries interviews yours truly about audio books and book tours and . . . oh, a little bit of everything. http://shar.es/Dq3JP 

Doctor Sleep Review

I was very fortunate to see Stephen King speak at George Mason University a couple of years ago (thanks Cuz!). He talked about writing Doctor Sleep, and he read from it. He said he knew it was risky to revisit the remains of the Overlook Hotel because, as he wrote in the author's note to the book, “I like to think I’m still pretty good at what I do, but nothing can live up to the memory of a good scare, and I mean nothing, especially if administered to one who is young and impressionable.”  I say Amen to that. I was a young, impressionable secretary when I first read The Shining. It scared the willies out of me. Working part time in a one girl office, I was all alone when I read it. And even though it was full daylight, I was quite certain the woman in Room 217 was coming for me every time the branch of a tree scratched across the old tin roof of my little freight company office.  But Doctor Sleep isn't that kind of a scare. In this one, Danny is grown, but he has suffered. And now he is being visited by a young girl who shines even harder than he ever did. And she needs his help to stop a pack of vampiric killers who prey on other kids with the shining.  The name Doctor Sleep comes from Dan's (no longer Danny, he's grown now) ability to help folks cross over to the other side--peacefully.  This is where King shines. Check out this passage from one of Dan's moments of helping an old guy cross over (I even marked the place, something I never do in books). This is King's version of seeing someone's life flash before his eyes--since he is connected to the patient, he sees what the old guy sees:  “He saw Charlie’s wife pulling down a shade in the bedroom, wearing nothing but a slip of Belgian lace he’d bought her for their first anniversary; saw how her ponytail swung over one shoulder when she turned to look at him, her face lit in a smile that was all yes. He saw a Farmall tractor with a striped umbrella raised over the seat. He smelled bacon and heard Frank Sinatra singing “Come Fly with Me” from a cracked Motorola radio sitting on a worktable littered with tools. He saw a hubcap full of rain reflecting a red barn. He tasted blueberries and gutted a deer and fished in some distant lake whose surface was dappled by steady autumn rain. He was sixty, dancing with his wife in the American Legion hall. He was thirty, splitting wood. He was five, wearing shorts and pulling a red wagon. Then the pictures blurred together … At times like this, Dan knew what he was for.” And this, my friends, is why I gave the book 5 Big Stars. Especially that line about the rain in the hubcap. (less)