AWRW Book Review: Maud’s Line by Margaret Verble @HMHBooks #CherokeeNation #BookReview #HistoricalFiction #WomensFiction

FINALIST FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE

A debut novel chronicling the life and loves of a headstrong, earthy, and magnetic heroine

Eastern Oklahoma, 1928. Eighteen-year-old Maud Nail lives with her rogue father and sensitive brother on one of the allotments parceled out by the U.S. Government to the Cherokees when their land was confiscated for Oklahoma’s statehood. Maud’s days are filled with hard work and simple pleasures, but often marked by violence and tragedy, a fact that she accepts with determined practicality. Her prospects for a better life are slim, but when a newcomer with good looks and books rides down her section line, she takes notice. Soon she finds herself facing a series of high-stakes decisions that will determine her future and those of her loved ones.

Maud’s Line is accessible, sensuous, and vivid. It will sit on the bookshelf alongside novels by Jim Harrison, Louise Erdrich, Sherman Alexie, and other beloved chroniclers of the American West and its people.

Hardcover, 294 pages

Published July 14th 2015 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Historical Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, 20th Century Literature

Literary Awards:

Pulitzer Prize Nominee for Fiction (2016)

Goodreads

Photo Credit: April L Wood

MAUD’S LINE is a great debut novel by Margaret Verble. It takes place in Oklahoma, in 1928, on a parceled allotment in Eastern Oklahoma — (given to the Cherokees after the Trail of Tears). The heroine, Maud Nail, is a Cherokee woman who works hard from sunrise to sunset, caring for her temperamental father, Mustard, and sensitive brother, Lovely. She tends to the chickens and other farm animals, as well as caring for their home. While she does her daily duties, she dreams of indoor plumbing and plaster on the walls, and sees a glimmer of hope in such a future, when a peddler rides through selling books.

I would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the author for providing me with a hardcover copy in exchange for a book review.🙂

This novel reminds me of all the great pioneer novels of the early 20th century that I enjoyed reading growing up. I haven’t read a book like this in a long time and I didn’t realize how much I missed reading historical fiction about Native Americans until I read this story. I would like to thank the author for reacquainting me with a genre I missed!

I absolutely loved protagonist Maud Nail and her temper often had me in hysterics. I loved her fiery nature! My favorite part of the book was when she was upset with Billy for peeing on the front lawn, and they got into a shouting match about how even chickens know enough not to foul their nests… oh my God… it was hilarious! She was hilarious!

The ending surprised me and I’m not sure what to think about it. I definitely wasn’t expecting that twist. I hope she got her happily-ever-after through the decision she made.

Highly recommended.🙂  

PURCHASE — Amazon, USA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margaret Verble, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, has set her novel on her family’s Indian allotment land near Ft. Gibson, OK. She currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Writer Wednesday: Hashtags That Every #Writer, #Blogger, and #Reader Should Be Using #WW #WriterWednesday #WednesdayWordsofWisdom

#Hashtags for #Writers, #Readers, and #Bloggers! Build your platform!

Author April L Wood

Hashtags! Anyone who doesn’t understand their purpose likely finds them strange. The truth is, they are great for separating topics on social media — including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hashtags can also help you build your platform as an author or blogger. The following is a quick hashtag lesson.

A hashtag is a word, or words, preceded by a pound, or hash, sigh. Next time you see a hashtag, click on it. Once you do, you will find a slew of public tweets/posts relative to the hashtag. This is great for writers, bloggers, and readers who want to connect through social media.

For example: On Instagram, if I post a photo of a book, I’m lucky if a few of my friends like it. Now, if I hashtag it with: #Bookstagram #Instabook  #AmReading — and other relevant tags — wooo hooo! Look at all the likes pour in! Since I…

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AWRW Snippet Sunday: The Education of Lord Hartley, by Author Daphne du Bois @MsDaphneduBois #SnippetSunday #HistoricalRomance #AmBlogging #IndieBooksBeSeen #SundayBookBlogMeme

Snippet Sunday is a chance to showcase lines from the book you are currently reading. The rules are simple: pick an intriguing line from the book you are reading and post it to interest like-minded readers. Hashtag your post with #SnippetSunday and please link back to my blog! You may use the graphic, below.🙂

I’ve just cracked into the historical romance novel, The Education of Lord Hartley, written by Author Daphne du Bois! Being a fan of Ms. Daphne du Bois’s writing, I have no doubt I will enjoy this novel.

SNIPPET SUNDAY

“Running away gives one the opportunity for freedom, but it does not necessarily make one free. In order to truly be free and independent one must be able to take a chance, a leap of faith. One must be able to admit to making the wrong choices, to changing one’s mind.” — Author Daphne du Bois, from THE EDUCATION OF LORD HARTLEY.

A traditional Regency romance in the style of Georgette Heyer…

She will settle for nothing less than love…

Miss Margaret Dacre dreams of two things: creating the gowns she’s been dreaming up in her sketchbooks and winning the love of Lord Hartley. And neither of these will come true if her father has his way and she marries her dreadful cousin Kingsley Stanhope.

But Maggie is not one to give up without a fight: she decides that she’s long-overdue an adventure and nothing less than Paris will do.

As Maggie and her dearest friend Cecile begin to establish their new identities in the most romantic city in the world, she discovers that love isn’t so easily left behind – especially when you’re trying to ignore it.

But will Lord Hartley ever see her as more than his best friend’s little sister? Or would the handsome conductor Sir Lucian Blake make for a better match?

Add to your Goodreads TBR List

Kindle Edition, 231 pages

Published October 27th 2014 by Daphne du Bois

Genre: Historical Romance

PURCHASE – AMAZON, USA

I think I’m really gonna like this one.🙂 Review to follow!

 

AWRW Book Review: Under Your Spell: A Romance Boxed Set of Masked Balls, Haunted Gardens, Magic, and More @AmandaGaleBooks

Fall under the spell of ten up-and-coming romance authors. When the clock strikes midnight on Halloween, you’ll want to read every one of these all-new, original novellas.

From enchanted gardens to mystic curses, you’ll find something to make your spine shiver and your heart beat faster. Fall in love with a cursed werewolf, a heartbroken ghost, a true southern gentleman, and many more.

There’s something for everyone, with contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal and shifter romance.

Everyday is Halloween with this spellbinding collection!

Kindle Edition, 648 pages

Published September 1st 2016 by SkySpark Books

Genre: Romance, Supernatural Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, Anthology

Authors:  Elana Johnson, Amanda Gale, G.G. Andrew, Sara Spencer, Rachel Shane, Bryn Donovan, Nicole Zoltack, Jessica Arden, Saskia Blake, Elizabeth Cole

Add on Goodreads

THE KILLING TOUCH by Elana Johnson: When the worst firestorm in Wisconsin history sweeps across the frontier, it takes thousands of lives, but it does something worse to Robert Williams. After the ashes cool, he’s immune to hunger and cold, invisible to everyone—and cursed with a killing touch. Anna Crane, the woman Robert once hoped to marry, is the only one who can see him. Can they figure out how to overcome his living death to find a future together?

“She exhaled one final time and gave everything she had to the man she loved.”

I really liked THE KILLING TOUCH and found it to be a good opener to set the mood for the rest of the short stories featured in this haunting, supernatural romance anthology. Full of suspense, THE KILLING TOUCH kept me at the edge of my seat.

ONE TOUCH OF SILVER by Elizabeth Cole: Silver Salem arrives in New Jersey with her telepathic cat, looking to help a man (with the manners of a Viking) with his translations. When she learns the text she is to translate is a spellbook, she first refuses. After all, magic is not to be trifled with. What has she gotten herself into?

“Demons always taste so delicious.”

I really liked this shifter, paranormal romance and took a particular interest in the rituals to remove the curse of Bahor. The telepathic cat was a nice addition, too!

SWEET LAVVY by Amanda Gale: On a blustery Maine winter’s night, an old man tells Nick the story of Lavinia, who is buried in the local cemetery. After her husband Theodore was lost at sea in 1857, Lavinia insisted he returned in ghostly form and lived out her days as if he were with her. The townspeople thought she was mad with grief–but did Theodore actually return? And what lessons will Nick learn from this tale of eternal love?

SWEET LAVVY — a tale of eternal love — was my favorite by far out of the collection. I loved how the author painted a picture of the wintry cemetery with her words. I also loved how she connected this story to her contemporary-romance book series, MEREDITH. It was fun to revisit the characters I love so much and to see them in a totally different light. Bravo!

TO HELL WITH LOVE by G.G. Andrew: Daisy has the perfect night with the perfect guy–only to wake and find he’s sold his soul to the Devil and has no memory of her. Now she’s got to navigate the underworld, unbalanced goddesses and unpleasant demons–not to mention a cute med student posing as Charon–to meet the Devil and reverse the curse…and discover that what she really wants may be something else entirely.

“Daisy still vowed to wish upon every star for her own happy ending.”

Another favorite of mine! Daisy wants her happily-ever-after, even if she has to go to hell to find it. I really liked Daisy and was surprised by the lengths that she would go to save Derek’s soul – whether he appreciated it or not.

MONTGOMERY MANSION by Sara Spencer: Getting over a recent breakup, Alice isn’t too thrilled when her best friend Tara invites her to a party at a haunted mansion. Not only is Alice afraid of the dark, she’s terrified of any spiritual beings she may run into there. When Alice meets Elliot at the party, her fears temporarily disappear until she and the hot teacher are thrown into a horrifying situation that ends up being just what she may need to move on with her life.

OMG, this one actually had a lot of humor to it and I was laughing hysterically when Alice nearly died from the spicy dip at the party. And, of course, she’s mortified when an extremely good looking man catches her practically frothing at the mouth. Haha! I really liked this story.🙂

GRAVEBOUND by Rachel Shane: Delilah York is a witch lawyer on the Las Vegas Strip who breaks up marriages by day and breaks curses…also by day. When a sexy gambler barges into her office claiming he’s cursed to bury himself alive, she bets everything to try to save him, even though it means putting her own life on the line. Together they must figure out who cursed Cole, all while trying not to fall for each other.

Oooh, this was another really good story about contracts, blood, and magic! Delilah is a divorce attorney who also reverses potions and curses! Loved it!

WICKED GARDEN by Bryn Donovan: After a painful breakup, Nicole moves to a house in Savannah, resolving to be single. Aaron, her new neighbor, is a true Southern gentleman who tempts her to forget that plan. But the house’s evil history haunts the garden and Nicole’s dreams… and Aaron has secrets of his own. To end the curse, Aaron and Nicole will have to overcome their past fears and give their relationship a chance to bloom.

Another favorite of mine! A haunted garden where the camellias smell like… corpses! I loved the romance between Nicole and Aaron.❤

OF SCARES AND SMOOCHES By Nicole Zoltack: Handyman Ryder has his work cut out for him when he signs on to help the beautiful Jade restore her newly inherited southern plantation. Not only are the premises completely rundown, something otherworldly seems to be haunting the house… and Jade. As the couple grows closer together, and closer to the truth, the greater the likelihood that neither will survive.

“This haunted ruination of my family legacy.”

LOVED this one! Witches and curses abound in this supernatural romance about a woman who inherits a haunted house and hires a handyman to restore it. I loved (handyman) Ryder and he made me laugh so hard when he, Jade, and Katrina are thrown from the house and he comments, “Well, that didn’t go well.” Hahaa!

THE SKEPTICS’ GUIDE TO THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE by Jessica Arden: Grad student and New Orleans ghost tour operator Julie would do anything to complete her thesis research and exonerate infamous murderess Sophia Durocher. Anything except further harass Sophia’s spotlight-weary family. But when Julie accidentally switches books with Sophia’s infuriatingly handsome grandson, Griffin, she finds herself getting much closer to her research subject than anticipated. Is getting the information she craves worth losing the guy who’s making her believe love isn’t the stuff of superstition after all?

Ghost tours, otherworldly sightings, allure, and mystery! This story has it all.🙂 I loved how Julie and Griffin came together.❤

UNMASKED by Saskia Blake: Julia is over the moon when she gets a gig waitressing a masked Hallowe’en party at the mysterious Willingdon Manor, especially when she discovers that her college crush, Jason, will be one of the VIP guests. But when a violent thunderstorm knocks out the power and everything is cast in candlelight, things take a surprising turn that Julia can only describe as otherworldly…

Last, but certainly not least, is UNMASKED by Saskia Blake. I loved the dark and stormy night theme and the pleasant attitude of the party-goers who suggested that the lights going out would be like fancy camping.🙂 I would love to explore a large manor such as the one described in this story so I lived a little vicariously through Julia!

OVERALL, I enjoyed this anthology. Since it’s described as Halloween themed, I was under the impression that this was more of a horror anthology. However, I wasn’t at all disappointed when I realized it was more of a supernatural-romance anthology. With that being said, this anthology can be enjoyed at any time of the year by fans of paranormal and supernatural romance! Also, some of these stories have a little bit of heat, so if you like hot, supernatural-romance, you need to buy this set, today! It’s a steal at 99 cents!

5/5 stars.

PURCHASE, AMAZON USA

ABOUT THE AUTHORS (Click on photos to visit author profiles!)

       

Writer Wednesday – Take Care Of Yourself #WednesdayWisdomForWriters #amwriting #wellness

Bellatrix Press Author, Jennifer Allis Provost, discusses the importance of self-care for authors and how to avoid the dreaded con crud. #SelfCare #WednesdayWisdomforWriters #WriterWednesday

Author Jennifer Allis Provost

Recently, I was discussing con crud with a writer friend. What’s con crud, you ask? I assure you, it’s just as gross as it sounds.

This ailment got its vivid name because it tends to pop up among conference and convention goers a few days after the event in question has ended. Typical symptoms include congestion, cough, and a general feeling of malaise. I know, makes you want to sign up for even more conferences, amiright?

For years I thought that con crud was the inevitable result of being packed into a hotel or other public facility, breathing in the same recycled air as hundreds if not thousands of others, subsisting on stale coffee and cookies, and sleeping less than usual. Many anecdotal cures promise to cure the crud, ranging from taking high doses of vitamin C to eating raw garlic. They never worked, at least not for me.

But…

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AWRW Book Review: Cutting Up The Competition (Horror High Series II) by Author Carissa Ann Lynch #YA #Cheerleading #Horror @CarissaAnnLynch @LimitlessBooks

Day one of sophomore year, and Horror High is already living up to its name…

Amanda Loxx isn’t your stereotypical cheerleader. Her life has never been perfect. Her father is dead, and her mother is a drug addict. Now she is forced to live with her kooky grandma Mimi, who happens to be a former Las Vegas showgirl. Sophomore year is supposed to bring normal back to her life.

We’ve got murder, yes we do! We’ve got murder, how about you?

A string of pranks including a haunting chant sets everyone on alert. The girl who taunted the cheerleaders last year is locked away in juvenile hall. Amanda and her friends think it’s just a prank…a copycat looking for attention or a freshman hoping to scare off the competition.

When a cheerleader is found dead and another one attacked, everyone is certain history is set to repeat itself…

If Amanda and her friends hope to survive another year at the infamous Horror High, they’ve got to figure out who is behind these new attacks. Is it the freakishly talented new freshman hoping to carve her way to a varsity spot, or the person sending Amanda threatening letters? Whoever it is, she’s…

Cutting Up the Competition

Kindle Edition: 215 Pages 

Published May 24th, 2016 by Limitless Publishing

Genre: Horror, YA, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Horror High Series

After reading Cheerleading Can Be Murder, Book I of Carissa Ann Lynch’s Horror High Series, I was eager to read Book II, Cutting Up The Competition. I found this novel to be just as thrilling and mysterious as the first!

Amanda Loxx is a sophmore at Harrow High and she is eager to make the cheerleading squad — unfortunately, someone else is eager too… eager enough to kill for it.

But, the killer is already locked away in juvenile hall… right? Is it a copycat terrorizing the teens? Or was the wrong girl sent away?

Cutting Up The Competition, Horror High II, by Carissa Ann Lynch, is a fast paced, murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end!

I loved all the creeptastic chants and the clever plot twists. I loved how Amanda wasn’t your stereotypical cheerleader — her mother was a drug addict and her father was dead. Carissa Ann Lynch really brought Amanda Loxx alive with her complex backstory.

But now, I’m left to wonder, will there be another story? Gosh, I hope so.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: I love this author’s writing style. Whether it be a story about a creepy town called Flocksdale, or a killer roaming the halls of Harrow High, she always has me lost in her worlds! I highly recommend the Horror High series to fans of mystery and suspense!

Go Dragons!

5 out of 5 pom poms!

PURCHASE

Amazon, USA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Besides my family, my greatest love in life is books. Reading them, writing them, holding them, smelling them…well, you get the idea. I’ve always loved to read, and some of my earliest childhood memories are me, tucked away in my room, lost in a good book. I received a five dollar allowance each week, and I always — always — spent it on books. My love affair with writing started early, but it mostly involved journaling and writing silly poems. Several years ago, I didn’t have a book to read so I decided on a whim to write my own story, something I’d like to read. It turned out to be harder than I thought, but from that point on I was hooked. My first and second books were released by Sarah Book Publishing: This Is Not About Love and Grayson’s Ridge. I’m a total genre-hopper. Basically, I like to write what I like to read: a little bit of everything! I reside in Floyds Knobs, Indiana with my husband, three children, and massive collection of books. I have a degree in psychology and worked as a counselor.

 

 

 

 

AWRW Book Review: Mirror of Hearts, by Author Trisha J Wooldridge #DarkFantasy #Horror @BroadUniverse @NEHorrorWriters

Roger Hunter has served the Lady White for longer than his life span should have allowed, at a cost higher than his conscience should have allowed, yet he has only questioned orders once, a long time ago.

The one time he decided to listen to his own heart.

And it wasn’t enough to break the spell he submitted to: The power of another heart’s song.

Now, his heart is drawn to the lovely Melody Devonshire, Lady White’s orphaned niece, but will the whispers of love be loud enough to overcome the call of power over life, itself?

Or must another heart be sacrificed before Roger can see his true destiny?

Kindle Edition, 57 pages

Published May 18th 2013 by Pole to Pole Publishing (Second Edition)

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror, Mythology & Folktales

Add to your Goodreads TBR List

“Mel often wondered why someone as beautiful as the lady was hardly seen; it seemed quite the shame…”

Snow White meets Countess Bathory in this dark fairy tale retelling inspired by the gothic looking glass, that gives you a whole new perspective on the phrase, “I give you my heart”.

Melody Ann Devonshire, an orphan, arrives at the White Manor where she notices her Uncle Edward is out and about with his wife, Lady Nieve White, in the gardens. This seems very strange to her because Lady Nieve White never leaves her quarters. She ponders why someone so beautiful is often kept hidden away.

When Melody discovers something she shouldn’t have, she confides in Lady Nieves’s servant, Hunter Roger. Only, she doesn’t realize the mistake she’s made by revealing this to him — nor the course of events that soon follow after this discovery.

Lady Nieve’s servant, Hunter Roger, has a peculiar relationship with her. Even Lady Nieve’s husband notices something is amiss. The Hunter will do anything for her, but her latest request gives him pause.

Will he remain loyal?

“Two ribs down, two inches from the sternum…”

Mirror of Hearts by Trisha J Wooldridge is a tale of forbidden love, a bloodthirsty Gothic vanity, and dark deeds that culminates in an startling ending that the reader will not see coming!

This novella kept me guessing until the very last page! I wanted to go rounds with Hunter Roger, and found myself yelling at him like a maniac. The ending was INSANE!

I absolutely loved how this story centered around an antique piece of furniture. I love antique furniture and have often wondered about it’s previous owners and the history behind each piece. This story absolutely enthralled me. While I’m glad that I don’t personally own a bloodthirsty, inanimate object — reading about one and living vicariously through the main character is pretty darn cool.🙂

The setting of this story was intense, too. Whether strolling through one of the rose gardens in autumn, (picture sharp, barbed stems wrapped around trellises), or inside the manor itself (smoky incense, velvet in colors of mauve and purple), it was such a fun experience to read this story. The author paints a picture with her words, making the reading experience feel REAL — as if it was actually happening!

If your looking for a short, horror read look no further!

Side note: I also really liked the dedication to her challenging writing instructors who pushed her to be a better writer.🙂

5 out of 5 beating hearts for Mirror of Hearts by Trisha J Wooldridge!

“A tense and creepy twist on the tale of Snow White … a fairy tale turned murder mystery seen through the dark, distorted glass of a Victorian funhouse mirror.” ~ Anthony Francis, Author of the Skindancer Series: Frost Moon and Blood Rock

PURCHASE

AMAZON, USA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trisha J. Wooldridge (pictured above holding the artwork for Mirror of Hearts – to the right) is the current president of Broad Universe and a senior editor for Spencer Hill Press. She’s also a member of New England Horror Writers, the HWA, and SCBWI. Under her full name, she writes grown-up horror short stories that occasionally win awards, like the EPIC 2008, 2009 for anthologies BAD-ASS FAERIES 2: JUST PLAIN BAD and BAD-ASS FAERIES 3: IN ALL THEIR GLORY, and you can also find her in EPITAPHS, WICKED SEASONS, CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY?, HOLIDAY MAGICK, and ONCE UPON AN APOCALYPSE. She has co-produced the Spencer Hill Press anthologies UNCONVENTIONAL and DOORWAYS TO EXTRA TIME. In her child-friendly persona of T.J. Wooldridge, she’s published three novels: THE KELPIE, THE EARL’S CHILDE, and SILENT STARSONG. As if she weren’t busy enough, Trish is also the writing partner for the webcomic AURELIO at http://www.thevampireaurelio.com. Find out more at http://www.anovelfriend.com.

Heath, Cliffs & Wandering Hearts, by Author Laura Barnard @BarnardLaura #CoverReveal #YA

Life for sixteen year old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on to tell the truth is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he get hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between them…right?

Available soon!

 

Why We Write

“I can’t say for certain that fictional stories make the world a better place, but they certainly make my world a better place. There are moments in my past that were only tolerable because I was able to lose myself in a book. It was just like magic. The real world with all its problems suddenly didn’t exist anymore. Only this new story existed, and it was more important to me than just about anything. And I try my best to access that same source of magic whenever I write a new book.” — Author Jacqueline E Smith

A Platform of Sorts

In all my years spent reading, I have always been drawn to fiction.  My sister loves to read anything and everything, from history to psychology to autobiographies.  I read such books for school, of course, and occasionally for fun, but I always, always go back to fiction.  And for most of my life, I never really knew why that was.  After all, non-fiction is fascinating.  It’s true.  It’s relevant.

But the cool thing about fiction, I realized one day while discussing our varied taste in reading material with my sister, is that it is a world of the writer’s own creation.  Authors of fiction could write anything, and yet they chose to right that particular book.  Those stories and characters would not exist were it not for the author’s decision to write them.  That makes each fiction book, at least in my opinion, something very, very remarkable.

What is…

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AWRW Book Review: Tea with Mr. FuzzyPants, by Author Trisha J Wooldridge #MiddleGrade #Horror #KindleShortReads

“Inviting a dead bunny to tea wasn’t Dad’s first mistake…”

Portia is sick and tired of being the “good little sister”, the “supportive little sister,” for Mercedes, who is eighteen and has special needs. Not only does Mercedes need all the attention, but she causes all sorts of problems–like when her stupid pet rabbit, Mr. Fuzzypants, dies and Daddy has to make things better. Yet nothing Daddy or anyone does, not even getting a new bunny, helps.

Mercedes wasn’t even this bad when Mom died a few months ago…

In fact, Daddy is so tired, he’s not thinking straight. He’s promised Mercedes a tea party with a back-from-dead Mr. Fuzzypants. Portia is suspicious and worried–and not just because the dumb tea party is during her time with Daddy.

If Daddy can bring Mr. Fuzzypants back from the dead, why couldn’t he bring Mom back?

Genre: Middle Grade, Horror, Kindle Short Reads, Fiction

Page Count: 51 Pages

Published by Pole to Pole Publishing: July 18th, 2016

Author Trisha J Wooldridge brings something original to the table with her middle-grade horror novella, Tea With Mr FuzzyPants!

Portia is ten years old and upset with her older, special-needs sister, Mercedes, who monopolizes ALL of their father’s attention. When Mercedes’s beloved bunny, Mr FuzzyPants, dies, Mercedes is beside herself – throwing tantrums and acting out even worse than when their mother died. Their father promises to use magic to bring Mr FuzzyPants back for a tea party… Portia wonders what her father is planning, and how he’s going to bring back a dead rabbit?

Meanwhile, the dead rabbit distracts them from the true evil lurking in their midst.

This novella definitely has the potential to scare the socks off middle-grade age readers.🙂 Young horror lovers will be delighted, frightened, and thrilled by this horror tale of magic, suspicious tea, and an undead rabbit. Certainly, this novella can be enjoyed by readers of any age, but the target audience in my opinion is definitely middle-grade.

I was hooked on page one and was eager to learn more about the family life of the characters. The author peppers in this information throughout the story, keeping the whisper of horror always present. The ending is not a happily-ever-after — which is consistent with most horror novels– but, at the same time it isn’t a sad ending either. There is an edge to their triumph, giving a feeling of resolve to the reader.

For parents: This novel is clean (no swears) and isn’t gory. Tea With Mr FuzzyPants is age appropriate (10 – 14 years old) but can be enjoyed by adults, too! I loved this story and I finished it within one sitting. I definitely recommend it.🙂

PURCHASE

AMAZON, USA

AMAZON, UK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trisha J. Wooldridge is A Novel Friend. Since her grammar school days of proudly running home to read vocabulary sentences to her mother, Trisha knew that writing would be a major part of her life. She spent high school editing the school paper, then attended UMass Dartmouth and completed a double Commonwealth Scholar Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and history, adding a minor in Spanish within the 4-year program. When life forced her away from writing studies or careers, she found ways to work in the magic of words. In retail management, stolen moments were spent proofreading signage and scribbling fiction or poetry on receipt paper. Between customer service calls at a financial firm, she edited company guidelines and contracts–and hand-wrote a fantasy novel.

In 2005, she finally followed her heart and moved to a freelance lifestyle. Her first professional publications were stories about the Bay State Equine Rescue (BSER), but she quickly moved onto more gigs writing about food, wine, entertainment, music, and Tarot, in addition to horses. She also started editing both fiction and non-fiction regularly and started working as a part-time online tutor.

Fiction–particularly genre fiction, however, is Trisha’s first love. She co-authored two short stories for the EPIC-award winning Bad-Ass Faeries anthology, has sold both fiction and poetry to various magazines, and is currently editing the convention-themed anthology,UnCONventional, for Spencer Hill Press. In addition, Trish has several novels she’s working on and shopping out.

Her work in genre fiction, particularly in helping other women, led her to join Broad Universe, an international non-profit dedicated to promoting, honoring, and celebrating women who write science fiction, fantasy and horror. She is currently the president of the organization.

Trish calls herself A Novel Friend because she believes that a good relationship is at the heart of any business, but especially when working with writing. Some writers share their soul on paper while others find writing painstakingly difficult. A Novel Friend treats subjects, assignments, clients, and their words as friends–with respect, care and dignity.

Website