Books are food for my soul! Pull up a beach chair and stick your toes in the sand as the Jersey surf rolls in and out, now open your book and let your imagination take you away.
2012 has been an awesome year of reading, reviewing and hosting virtual book tour events for Jersey Girl Book Reviews. From NY Times Bestselling Authors to Indie Authors, I have read 241 wonderful books, and trying to narrow it down to my Top 10 favorites has not been easy. While I have enjoyed every book, here is the Top 10 Books I Read in 2012 that simply moved me the most.
1) Defending Jacob by William Landay
2) All The Difference by Kaira Rouda
3) Monarch Beach by Anita Hughes
4) On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
5) Twelve Months by Steven Manchester
6) Lost Girls by Caitlin Rother
7) In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano
8) The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge
9) Barefoot Girls by Tara McTiernan
10) Whole Latte Life by Joanne DeMaio
Top Series I Read This Year:
The Pam of Babylon series by Suzanne Jenkins
In 2013, I look forward to reading the next 2 books in that series:
And there you have it, my Top 10 Books + my favorite series that I read in 2012!
Stayed tuned to see what fabulous books are in store for 2013 on Jersey Girl Book Reviews!
Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes back Wayne Zurl, author of A Leprechaun's Lament: A Sam Jenkins Mystery!
Author Interview
Welcome back to Jersey Girl Book Reviews, Wayne!
Before we get to the interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Wayne Zurl grew up on Long Island and retired after twenty years with the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the largest municipal law enforcement agencies in New York and the nation. For thirteen of those years he served as a section commander supervising investigators. He is a graduate of SUNY, Empire State College and served on active duty in the US Army during the Vietnam War and later in the reserves. Zurl left New York to live in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with his wife, Barbara.
Fifteen (15) of his Sam Jenkins mysteries have been produced as audio books and simultaneously published as eBooks. Ten (10) of these novelettes are now available in print under the titles of A Murder In Knoxvilleand Other Smoky Mountain Mysteries and Reenacting A Murder and Other Smoky Mountain Mysteries. Zurl’s first full-length novel, A New Prospect, was named best mystery at the 2011 Indie Book Awards, chosen as 1st Runner-Up from all Commercial Fiction at the 2012 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist for a Montaigne Medal and First Horizon Book Award. His other novels are: A Leprechaun's Lament and Heroes & Lovers.
For more information on Wayne’s Sam Jenkins mystery series go to www.waynezurlbooks.net. You can read excerpts, reviews and endorsements, interviews, coming events, and see photos of the area where the stories take place.
How long have you been a writer?
This gets a complicated answer: All my life in one form or another. In the Army I wrote after action reports and other narratives to make the senior officers happy and keep them from thinking my merry men and I weren’t goofing off. A police department revolves around paperwork and I did more than my share for twenty years. That, of course, was all non-fiction, although several defense attorneys said my prosecution worksheets were pure fantasy. After I retired, I volunteered at a Tennessee state park writing publicity for their living history program. From that job came magazine articles. In ten years, I had twenty-six published. When I could no longer think up new and thrilling things to say about the French & Indian War in Tennessee, I decided to try fiction.
Do you have a day job, or is being an author your career?
I’m collecting three pensions. Beating the system and living longer than my former employers would like enables me to putter around as a writer and still eat regularly.
What inspired you to become a writer? Describe your journey as a writer.
Let’s look at why I chose to write fiction. I had read Robert B. Parker’s Night Passage, the first in his Jesse Stone series. I liked the premise, ex-big town detective gets a job as a small town police chief. Stone left Los Angeles for Paradise, Massachusetts. I’d been a cop and Parker wasn’t. I wondered, how hard could it be? I’d write a series with a retired New York detective getting a job in east Tennessee. I could cover two avenues under the write what you know theory.
Please give a brief description/storyline about A Leprechaun's Lament.
I think the jacket summary tells the whole story.
A stipulation of the Patriot Act gave Chief Sam Jenkins an easy job; investigate all the civilians working for the Prospect Police Department. But what looked like a routine chore to the gritty ex-New York detective, turned into a nightmare. Preliminary inquiries reveal a middle-aged employee didn’t exist prior to 1975.
Murray McGuire spent the second half of his life repairing office equipment for the small city of Prospect, Tennessee, but the police can’t find a trace of the first half.
After uncovering nothing but dead ends during the background investigation and frustrations running at flood level, Jenkins finds his subject lying face down in a Smoky Mountain creek bed—murdered assassination-style.
By calling in favors from old friends and new acquaintances, the chief enlists help from a local FBI agent, a deputy director of the CIA, British intelligence services, and the Irish Garda to learn the man’s real identity and uncover the trail of an international killer seeking revenge in the Great Smoky Mountains.
What was the inspiration for this story?
The “Murray McGuire” story represents the most bizarre and frustrating case I supervised in twenty years. Those of us who worked on it found it difficult to believe while we were living it. That’s one reason I didn’t make this my first book. I wondered if a publisher/editor would buy it. But it’s basically true; I only changed the names to protect the guilty. And I invented the beautiful Irish girl. Sam Jenkins likes to have good-looking women in his stories.
How did it feel to have your first book published?
It was a long haul getting there. I began writing A New Prospect in the summer of 2006. It was published in January 2011. When I held my free author’s copy in my hand, I loved it. I had believed in the book and through many queries and rejections, I never gave up. I felt like a prize fighter with a broken nose and a half dozen cuts. But I won.
Do you write books for a specific genre?
So far all my novels and novelettes are police mysteries. But I wrote a cross genre thing for a short story contest once. It’s called Another Prospect and is a sci-fi - time travel - western. I went way over the word limit so, I never submitted it, but people who reviewed it on an on-line writer’s workshop liked it. I’d like to try a western novel sometime.
What genres are your favorites? What are some of your favorite books that you have read and why?
Right now I read mysteries and historical fiction. I’ve read everything from Robert B. Parker and like his minimalist style, snappy dialogue, and how his heroes don’t take themselves too seriously. I like that other guy from Long Island who writes mysteries, too, Nelson DeMille. His Detective John Corey novels are chock full of quality smart-ass dialogue. Sometimes I wonder how he can keep coming up with such good fresh stuff. I’ve just discovered Scottish writer Philip Kerr and his Bernard Günter books. Bernie is like the pre-WW2 German Philip Marlowe. And then there’s James Lee Burke. His Dave Robicheaux police novels are exquisite. Burke can describe people, places, and events like few others; his stuff is poetic. But his books are dark, full of damaged individuals—train wrecks chugging down the tracks in south Louisiana looking for places and people to devastate. I’m amazed at how his mind works. Bernard Cornwell satisfies my need for historical fiction. Few people can write action scenes like him. I generally need a drink after a few pages of his battles.
Do you have a special spot/area where you like to do your writing?
I write everything on a legal pad before transposing it to a Word document. I sit in a wingback chair in our living room.
How do you come up with the ideas that become the storyline for your books?
Most all of my stories start with an idea based on a case I investigated, supervised, or just knew a lot about. Often, I composite two or more incidents and several vignettes to make one story. Then I add the requisite conflict and tension because true crime is rarely as complete or satisfying as is necessary for good fiction.
When you write, do you adhere to a strict work schedule, or do you work whenever the inspiration strikes?
For a guy who lived his life in a military or para-military organization, you’d think I’d be more structured. I’m not. I don’t devote an assigned number of hours a day to writing or revising. When an inspiration hits me, I go with it, sometimes forsaking other necessities. At my age, if I don’t get the good ideas on paper, I may forget them.
What aspects of storytelling do you like the best, and what aspects do you struggle with the most?
The most gratifying aspect of writing is character development. Plots are plots. They’re either simple and straightforward or complex and convoluted. I tend to like the former, but really don’t care where a story leads me plot-wise. But I need to create quirky characters and write with lots of realistic dialogue. Before I begin, I hold a casting call and assign real faces to the fictional characters. Some are actors, some real people from my life. That allows me to write their dialogue with the unique voice and delivery I hear from memory. The tough part is putting a message into the story. I tend to show my dislike for corrupt politicians, selfish rich people, and bullies. I need to mix up my themes a little.
What are your favorite things to do when you are not writing?
I’ve been married for almost forty-eight years. For as long as I can remember, when my grandmother was alive, she called my wife and me gypsies because we always travelled. But we don’t take common bus tours or cruises on the “love boat.” Our travel is more off beat; we’ve never lounged on a beach with a good book. With travel comes photography. I learned to take pictures by photographing dead bodies and crime scenes. After that, landscapes and wildlife are easy. I do my hunting with a camera.
What is/was the best piece of writing advice that you have received?
An award winning author helped me get my head around the rejections from agents and publishers. The first good advice he gave was, “Sometimes tenacity trumps talent.” When I bitched to myself about seeing so many famous published authors who didn’t write very good literature, I’d repeat those words. The second thing was, “Agents don’t care if you’re good, they want you to be marketable.” That helped when one agent told me, “Your protagonist, a sixty-year-old ex-New York cop working as a chief in Tennessee isn’t trendy. Why not make him a young vampire private eye in Orange County?” I stopped looking for an agent after that and wrote to any traditional publisher who would accept submissions directly from an author.
What is the most gratifying thing you feel or get as a writer?
I absolutely roll over when I receive a favorable, intelligently written review where the reader mentions the points I consider most important. I say, “Yes, you saw it, you got it. You are not a mindless twit hoping for Sam Jenkins to turn into a werewolf.” I’d rather not insult a reader’s intelligence by gratuitously stretching their suspension of disbelief. I like to present situations that are real or could easily happen and try to make them interesting and/or exciting.
How do you usually communicate with your readers/fans?
I do the Facebook / Twitter thing. It allows fans to communicate and allows me to answer everyone’s questions or make a cross comment. FB allows members to send personal messages for those who would rather communicate in private. I understand and respect that. I have no problem with getting emails about anything.
Is there anything in your book based on real life experiences or are they purely all from your imagination?
Let’s jump back to question 5 for the explanation of the inspiration for the book and then I’ll say besides the Irish woman, getting an FBI evidence response team to process Sam’s incident scene was also pure imagination based solely on his relationship with Agent Ralph Oliveri. Other than that, I still remember most of the actual dialogue between “Murray” and me. All the extremely strange things that surrounded that person’s life were real.
What authors have been your inspiration or influenced you to become a writer?
I guess Robert B. Parker has been the most influential because I like his style and can write like him. Am I as good? That’s a subjective thing someone has to decide for him/herself. I’m in awe of James Lee Burke, but doubt I could duplicate his style because my mind doesn’t work like his. I’m not remotely poetic.
What is your definition of success as a writer?
Success is a relative thing At one time, I thought only publishing with one of the “big 6” and getting interviewed by Ann Curry on the Today Show would mark success as a writer. But since then, Ann has gotten dumped (I can’t imagine why) and I’ve gotten more of a grasp of the real publishing world. Now I look at success this way: When I raised my hand and swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, I was inducted into the Army. I’d yet to fire a shot in anger, but I could still call myself a soldier. When I raised that same right hand and took an oath of office to enforce the laws of the state of New York, I hadn’t yet arrested one person, but I could call myself a cop. I’ve had eighteen pieces of fiction published by other people—none with the “big 6,” but all with professional publishers. I think I deserve to get business cards printed calling myself a mystery writer. I’m as successful as an actor who gets a TV series on cable rather than a network.
Are you currently writing a new book? If yes, would you care to share a bit of it with us?
I’m almost finished with the third round of revisions on a thing I call Pigeon River Blues. It’s a full-length novel where Sam Jenkins makes his first and probably only foray into the world of country and western music.
Here’s what I’d like to see on the book jacket:
Winter in the Smokies can be a tranquil time of year—unless Sam Jenkins sticks his thumb into the sweet potato pie.
The retired New York detective turned Tennessee police chief is minding his own business one quiet day in February when Mayor Ronnie Shields asks him to act as a bodyguard for a famous country and western star.
C.J. Profitt’s return to her hometown of Prospect receives lots of publicity . . . and threats from a rightwing group calling themselves The Coalition for American Family Values.
The beautiful, publicity seeking Ms. Proffit never fails to capitalize on her abrasive personality by flaunting her alternative lifestyle—a way of living the Coalition hates.
Reluctantly, Jenkins accepts the assignment of keeping C.J. safe while she performs at a charity benefit. But Sam’s job becomes more difficult when the object of his protection refuses to cooperate.
During this misadventure, Sam hires a down-on-his-luck ex-New York detective and finds himself thrown back in time, meeting old Army acquaintances who factor into a complicated plot of attempted murder, the destruction of a Dollywood music hall, and other general insurrection on the “peaceful side of the Smokies.”
Kathleen, Thanks for inviting me for a second visit to your blog and another review. Happy New Year to you and all your fans.
Thank you Wayne for coming back to Jersey Girl Book Reviews for another visit. Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself and your writing career with us. Happy New Year to you and your family!
About The Author
Wayne Zurl grew up on Long Island and retired after twenty years with the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the largest municipal law enforcement agencies in New York and the nation. For thirteen of those years he served as a section commander supervising investigators. He is a graduate of SUNY, Empire State College and served on active duty in the US Army during the Vietnam War and later in the reserves. Zurl left New York to live in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with his wife, Barbara.
Fifteen (15) of his Sam Jenkins mysteries have been produced as audio books and simultaneously published as eBooks. Ten (10) of these novelettes are now available in print under the titles of A Murder In Knoxvilleand Other Smoky Mountain Mysteries and Reenacting A Murder and Other Smoky Mountain Mysteries. Zurl’s first full-length novel, A New Prospect, was named best mystery at the 2011 Indie Book Awards, chosen as 1st Runner-Up from all Commercial Fiction at the 2012 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist for a Montaigne Medal and First Horizon Book Award. His other novels are: A Leprechaun's Lament and Heroes & Lovers.
For more information on Wayne’s Sam Jenkins mystery series go to www.waynezurlbooks.net. You can read excerpts, reviews and endorsements, interviews, coming events, and see photos of the area where the stories take place.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review, and for hosting a virtual book event on my book review blog site.
Book Description:
A stipulation of the Patriot Act gave Chief Sam Jenkins an easy job; investigate all the civilians working for the Prospect Police Department. But what looked like a routine chore to the gritty ex-New York detective, turned into a nightmare. Preliminary inquiries reveal a middle-aged employee didn't exist prior to 1975. Murray McGuire spent the second half of his life repairing office equipment for the small city of Prospect, Tennessee, but the police can't find a trace of the first half. After uncovering nothing but dead ends during the background investigation and frustrations running at flood level, Jenkins finds his subject lying face down in a Smoky Mountain creek bed-murdered assassination-style. By calling in favors from old friends and new acquaintances, the chief enlists help from a local FBI agent, a deputy director of the CIA, British intelligence services, and the Irish Garda to learn the man's real identity and uncover the trail of an international killer seeking revenge in the Great Smoky Mountains
Book Excerpt:
I think about the little guy often. Murray McGuire looked like a leprechaun. He played darts like a pub champion and drank stout like a soccer star. If you worked for the city of Prospect and found problems with a piece of office equipment, Murray would work tirelessly to remedy your troubles.
But after I interviewed him for thirty minutes, I could have cheerfully strangled the little bastard.
Thanks to Murray, I’ll always look over my shoulder with a modicum of trepidation. I have dreams about a beautiful redhead I could do without. And I remember an incident best forgotten every time I see a turkey buzzard.
For days I thought of Murray as the man who didn’t exist.
My Book Review:
Sixty-year old retired New York City Police Detective Sam Jenkins and wife Katherine pack up their belongings and Scottish terrier Bitsey, and relocate to the Great Smoky Mountain small town of Prospect, Tennessee. But Sam's retirement is short lived when he becomes the town's next Chief of Police. With three months under his belt as Prospect's Chief of Police, Sam's police department is approved a grant under the Patriot Act to conduct background investigations on all civilian employees who work with the police department. But the routine background investigations on the nine current civilian employees turns into a complicated mystery when one of the civilians, Murray "Typewriter Murray" McGuire, the middle-aged Irish office equipment repairman for the past twenty-eight years, has no past! When Sam and his staff investigate Murray's background, they find that there is no trace of the man before 1975, the man simply doesn't exist! And Murray isn't very forthcoming or helpful in supplying his background information, when he is confronted with his lack of past history, he provides vague responses which leads Sam to wonder what is the man hiding? All hell breaks loose and drama ensues when Murray turns up murdered and Sam finds Murray's British passport, so he calls in some help from the FBI, and the murder investigation turns into an international intrigue when the CIA, British Intelligence and the Irish Garda get involved! Who would want a little Irishman like Murray McGuire dead? Come along with Sam as he embarks on an intriguing international murder mystery investigation adventure!
A Leprechaun's Lament is the second Sam Jenkins Mystery series book that I have read, and once again author Wayne Zurl has been able to grab my attention and draw me into another intriguing mystery story featuring the witty and sarcastic Sam Jenkins. Author Wayne Zurl weaves an intriguing tale of murder and international intrigue told in the first person narrative by Prospect Police Chief Sam Jenkins, who takes the reader along for the ride on his latest investigative adventure. The author's writing style engages the reader with a story that has a mixture of humor, intrigue, drama, and romance; and enough suspenseful twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the surprising ending.
With rich details and descriptions of the Great Smoky Mountains setting in east Tennessee and the international intrigue of Ireland and Great Britain; to Sam's brash personality, witty and sarcastic humor and banter, and flirtatious ways with the ladies; to the quirky Prospect townsfolk and their equally quirky local dialect; A Leprechaun's Lament is one heck of an entertaining murder mystery adventure that you won't be able to put down!
Author Wayne Zurl utilizes his prior police experience and past case investigations to weave an intriguing Sam Jenkins Mystery series that crime/mystery fans will thoroughly enjoy!
Welcome to Oldham, CT, a small town rich in Colonial heritage while being utterly contemporary. Situated along the Connecticut River Valley, Oldham bursts with color every fall, as the leaves on its trees evolve into an unmatched palette of scarlet, orange, purple, yellow, and bronze. For more than three decades, the Gold family has been a central part of Oldham in the fall, its Sugar Maple Inn a destination for “leaf-peepers” from all over the country, and its annual Halloween party a stirring way to punctuate the town’s most active month.
But this year, more than just the leaves are changing. With the death of their parents, the Gold siblings, Maria, Maxwell, Deborah, Corrina, and Tyler, have decided to sell the Sugar Maple Inn, and this year’s Halloween party will be the last. As October begins, the Golds contend with the finality that faces them, and the implications it has for a family that has always been so close. For some, it means embracing new challenges and new love. For others, it means taking on unimagined roles. And for others, it means considering the inconceivable. Complicating it all is a series of “hauntings” that touch each of the Gold siblings, a series of benign interventions that will remain a mystery until October draws to a close.
Filled with romance, tension, and unforgettable family drama, Leaves is the first in a series of novels about a world and a family that readers will want to make their own.
In association with Buy the Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Autumn Piper, author of Trouble Won't Wait!
Author Guest Post
Creep-mance?
Sometimes those alphas get a little scary.
In certain social situations, we expect to meet new people, make new acquaintances, possibly launch meaningful relationships. In other situations…notsomuch. In fact, if a “strange” adult approaches a child, everyone goes on alert. Likewise when an unfamiliar man starts a conversation with a woman. Sure, if you’re out in a bar or at a party, you might expect men and women to exchange numbers.
But what if you’re a woman out alone for a walk or jog? And what if the guy approaches in an isolated spot? That’s what happens to Mandy, the heroine in Trouble Won't Wait. She’s out on a walk, alone, and goes through the cemetery to use the solitude for some soul-searching. This strange—although incredibly hunky—guy walks straight for her and strikes up a conversation…and then admits he watches her every day when she runs by his house.
Um. Creepy? Or flattering? She knows her head isn’t on straight today…too much emotional upheaval. So is that making her more willing to accept Adam’s attention, or more suspicious of him? After all, he’s just a guy, and he’s not acting like a stalker. Other than the confession about eyeballing her from his window. But if he’s really a creep, would he admit to that? Is she nuts for feeling like the whole thing is kinda romantic?
In the end, gut instinct is all she’s got to go on. She doesn’t lug around mace or a Taser, after all, and she probably couldn’t outrun a buff guy like him…even if she wanted to.
Does her instinct steer her wrong?
About The Author
I write contemporary romance with a high heat index to match their American southwest settings. Known by my writing buddies as "Angst", I have a penchant for making my characters suffer. My stories may be tributes to the old saying, "No pain, no gain", but my Hero and Heroine always get the happily-ever-after they so deserve.
I love sunny days, hot bread, the ocean, and that fluttery feeling I get inside at the first spark of a great romance. In between being a wife, mom of two teens, editor and writer, I like to read, garden, take morning walks, and make people laugh--probably succeed here when I try to jog.
For me, an excellent book has characters I can sympathize with or hate (sometimes both at once), a story I simply must see through to the end, and realistic dialogue. Give me those key elements, and I'll read any genre or time period, any author.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Buy the Book Tours.
Book Description:
Good things may come to those who wait, but trouble waits for no one…
Cheating is a dealbreaker...or so Mandy’s always thought. But when she catches her husband getting some “strange,” she realizes how hard it is to cut and run, or even file papers. She agrees to a month of counseling, which will give her time to grieve the loss of her marriage before she has to tell the world—and the kids.
Then she meets Adam, who gives her a hunky--if mysterious--shoulder to cry on, and that thirty-day waiting period seems like an eternity.
Adam has no problem confessing that he’s watched Mandy from his window for months as she runs by his house. If he told her why, though, she’d freak out for sure. He knows they’ve got a future together, if he can think of a way to explain his past. And he’s sure the rat-bastard who cheated on her is putting the moves on her again, but he won’t be the revenge guy.
The month-long cooling off period she agreed to is lasting forever, and might just be indefinite, if trouble keeps getting in their way.
WARNING: Eccentric old lady pushing salt-of-the-earth advice, bossy big brother, kooky counselor, super-secretive hunk, and perfect justice served amidst adult situations and language.
Book Excerpt:
“How many kids do you have?” The softness in his voice brings my eyes back to his. Great. I must look like a mom, even out running alone. It’s okay, the kids are worth it.
I smile. “Two. Twelve and ten, boy and girl. How ’bout you?”
“No.” He looks away, then back at me.
Why do I feel like there’s a story? It feels like an opening, a tiny doorway leading into a subterranean cavern of sad darkness. Some people might press for more, but I can’t do it, can’t deal with his big sadness. Not today.
Out of anal habit, I look at my watch.
“Do you need to get back?” he asks. “Will somebody be looking for you?”
Is he worried for me, or maybe a crazed stalker calculating how much time he has to kidnap me? I go with the optimistic scenario, and chuckle. “Not as long as the Broncos are on.” Probably not 'til dinnertime. I kick a pile of leaves and watch them scatter over 1905, which lies flat, rather than standing erect.
“You shouldn’t tell a strange man nobody’s coming looking for you, when he has you in a place like this.” His voice is even, low with warning.
My heart races. Fear, or anticipation? You can't rape the willing, as the saying goes. I swallow the fear, hoping he’s just protective. Of what? He barely knows me.
“You don’t look strange.” My flirty voice is on again, and his dimples reappear to reward me. He doesn’t feel strange to me, not at all. It feels good talking to him. “I’m glad you came out here to meet me. Come on, I’ll show you my grandparents.”
Adam follows me over, without a word. Could be he’s dreaming up a way to knock me unconscious before he drags me home under the cover of darkness. At least now we’re visible from the street. When I stop, he comes to stand beside me, very near. I can smell him, his cologne. Drakkar. I hope to God he can’t smell me and my sweat. I hope I smell like pumpkin pie or yams.
I peek sideways at Adam, whose arms are big. He’s looking at me. “You work out,” I say as casually as possible.
He gives a smiling nod. There’s a look in his eyes: the I-want-you look. I haven’t gotten it in a long time, but it feels like I’m returning it! Okay, where is this going? I’m flirting like a fool with a guy who openly admitted to watching me run by his house every day, and made it a point to come introduce himself.
He’s either a stalker, or a guy who finds me totally irresistible. Yeah, that’s a laugh. Or is it? And who am I? I’m angry and lonely, that’s what I am. Angry, yes, but a cheater, no. I won’t have my kids thinking their parents divorced because their mom was a cheater. I just won’t, though I guess it’s not a major concern for their dad.
My Book Review:
What would you do if you caught your husband in a compromising position with a neighbor's girlfriend?
For Mandy, catching her husband Mike cheating right before her eyes has turned her perfect world upside down. After fourteen years of marriage and two children, Mandy is having a hard time dealing with Mike's infidelity, and she is torn on what to do. Things become more complicated when Mandy meets a handsome mysterious man named Adam Kraft while she is out running. Adam has watched Mandy run past his home for months, and as they get to know each other they become closer, their mutual attraction is getting harder to deny. Mandy is forced to decide whether she wants to save her marriage to Mike, or choose to have a second chance at love with Adam.
Trouble Won't Wait is an emotionally charged story about a woman who discovers her husband's infidelity, the consequences that it has on her marriage, and getting a second chance at love. Author Autumn Piper weaves a poignantly raw tale written in the first person narrative told by Mandy, who takes the reader on a journey as she deals with her husband's infidelity, and the painful and destructive consequences that his actions has on their family and marriage. This emotional roller coaster ride immediately draws you into Mandy's story, you can't help but feel for Mandy as she experiences the full gamut of emotions that comes with such devastating personal issues. This story will make you ponder what would you do if you were in Mandy's shoes.
This compelling story will keep you riveted as Mandy's story unfolds and she goes through the various stages of deciding what to do with her marriage. And if that isn't enough to keep you engaged, the author adds a handsome mysterious man, Adam Kraft, into the mix as a potential new love interest for Mandy, but he has a secret past, can it get any more complicated than that? Can Adam's intense and raw devotion for Mandy be enough to sweep her off her feet? Can their mutual attraction and desire for each other sway Mandy's decision and give her a second chance at love?
With realistic and complex characters; riveting dialogue and interactions; and a storyline that has enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged; Trouble Won't Wait is one woman's emotional journey of love, loss and second chances.
In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Samantha March, author of The Green Ticket!
Author Guest Post
A Day in My Writing Life
...Is not typical. Every day is a different schedule with different tasks to complete. When I enter writing life (different than planning life, researching life, editing life, publishing life, and marketing life) I give myself daily goals for my writing. If I know that on Tuesday I have doctor’s appointments and a lunch date, I might give myself the goal of writing 1,000 words or finishing a certain scene. If I have nothing on the calendar, I might give myself the goal of writing 5,000 words. Regardless, I always have a writing goal when I am in my writing life. I fear that if I did not have these goals, the book would never get done. I am such a stickler for lists, and if I cannot cross off my writing goal at the end of the day, I am one unhappy camper. So this is something that really works for me, and if you are a fan of lists, I suggest it for you too!
I do typically complete my writing goal in the morning. My nights are too unpredictable. Sometimes the fiancé wants a spur-of-the-moment date night, or a girlfriend wants to get a manicure. I tend to get up at least one hour before I am scheduled to start working for my day job to knock the writing out, and if I cannot finish it by the time I have to log in, I work on it during my breaks or once I am off – I generally have another 45 minutes until my fiancé gets home. I only write at my desk in my office, because that offers the least distractions (such as the TV!) for me. It might not seem like I get the most amount of time to concentrate on my writing, but I do wear a lot of hats, and need to find the time to wear each one every day. Sometimes an hour or two is all I can give, but I have found if you work hard, don’t get distracted, and have clear goals set out, that novel will be written in no time!
About The Author
Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and her debut novel Destined to Fail. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
Book Description:
College junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty – manager to a successful salon and spa. Thrilled to finally have a real adult job, Alex enthusiastically jumps into the world of schedules, conference calls, and getting a massage when interviewing prospective employees. What she doesn’t expect are the very grown-up issues that comes with a demanding boss. Kevin Dohlman quickly becomes Alex’s worse nightmare – covering up his affairs, dealing with his enormous ego, and trying to protect her female staff from him becomes a full-time job in its own right. Alex has also befriended Kevin’s wife and co-owner, Dani, and is trying to keep Kevin’s secrets hidden from her. The situation only worsens when Kevin starts paying Alex off to make sure she keeps her insider knowledge to herself.
While struggling to keep her wits and stay happy with her new grown-up job, Alex is juggling college courses, a new love interest, and keeping up with her close group of girlfriends. When her roommate and best friend Lila gets offered an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and sign with an agent, Alex realizes her life truly is changing, and everyone around her – including herself - is growing up. Knowing she is faced with some hard decisions ahead, Alex struggles with keeping her job at Blissful. But does she really want to throw away what she dreamed of as a career – or will the secret-keeping for Kevin become too much to handle?
The Green Ticket is a story about morals versus money, and how one young woman navigates the shaky line between the two.
Book Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Bustling salon and spa seeking a full time manager to oversee daily operations. Job duties will include but will not be limited to: hiring and scheduling staff, assisting with appointment management, scheduling training opportunities, dealing with cash flow, marketing and advertising of the business, and ensuring salon and spa is run with class and enthusiasm. No experience in salon and spa business is required, but a business degree is preferred. Serious, enthusiastic, and hard-working individuals please email resume and cover letter to lanidohlman@blissfulsalonandspa.com. Hours will vary, pay is negotiable and based on experience.
I cracked my knuckles against my palm, tiny pops of the bad habit music to my ears. A manager at a salon and spa? This job listing was practically screaming my name. I didn’t have any experience with managing a salon - or anywhere for that matter - but I loved getting my hair done. And mani/pedis. And my bushy eyebrows needed a good hot wax job at least once every thirty days.
I bookmarked the job listing, making a note to myself on my daily to-do list sitting next to my laptop. Polish resume, I scrawled, right after 60 minutes Pilates/yoga workout 60 and finish cleaning bathroom.
Lila burst through the door at that moment, her long blonde hair flying behind her. “We must work out tonight. Please come and motivate me. I’m getting my pictures taken in two weeks and I really need to drop some weight. And tone up. Look firm. Look good. The TV adds ten pounds you know. Did you get your assignment done yet for Bater’s class? I need to work on that ,too.” Even though Lila Medlin had been my best friend for years, the speed at which she does everything could still amaze me. I watched her beautiful virgin hair (she’s a natural blonde the bitch) barely make it past the doorframe before getting slammed.
“You’re in luck. I was going to do some Pilates and yoga tonight anyways. Just do it with me. That will help firm and tighten you. Even though you know I don’t think you need it.”
“When I fit into your size two jeans, I’ll finally start listening.” Lila walked into the kitchen, opening cabinets then the refrigerator. “We have no food! Want to order a pizza or something? Ooh, maybe some wings? I’m craving hot sauce.”
I walked into the kitchen behind her, peering into the depths of our pathetic excuse for a dorm fridge. “We have food. Here’s a bag of lettuce, some carrot sticks back here, and croutons in the cabinet. I snagged some packets of ranch from the lounge yesterday. Voila–– let’s make a salad!”
Lila pulled a face, reacting like I asked her to go on Survivor and eats cockroaches. “Uh, yeah, salad sounds great if I was trying to starve myself, Alex. I’m craving real food, not rabbit food.”
I held my hands up in surrender. “You’re the one talking about toning and firming up. I’m just saying a salad will give you better odds then buffalo wings.”
Lila had a dream to be an entertainment reporter, and was itching for the chance to get out of Dodge - or rather, Iowa. Lila and I had been best friends since we came to Kaufman College in Des Moines three years ago, and had been living together for two. We wanted to move out on our own and get a house, but neither of us had the financials to support that yet. Lila was saving every penny to put towards photography sessions, voice lessons, and even acting classes. Her big goal was to head out to Los Angeles and somehow land an audition for Buzzworthy, the hottest celebrity news show. I supported her goal of being a reporter, even though I had no idea how to help her achieve it.
My goals weren’t as specific as Lila’s. Mainly, I wanted to be able to stand on my own two feet and stop relying on my sister for everything. Alicia was my big sister, married to Craig Bowersworth and living with their five kids in Seattle. Craig’s job as a political campaign manager led them to many places, but Alicia fell in love with Seattle the minute she laid eyes on the rainy landscape, so they settled down there. Alicia was a stay at home mom, but with Craig’s income, they don’t need the extra money. Alicia helped me stay financially afloat by sending me money each month. I held down stray jobs here and there, but still hadn’t quite figured out what I want to do when I grow up. I was studying Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship at college, and was still waiting to see where the wind would blow me.
“Fine, fine, a salad it is. Can you whip one up for me quick? I need to put my face on before Joel comes over.”
“What time is he stopping by?”
“He said around five. He has some study group thing tonight so he wanted to drop by and see me before that.” Joel Lohrbach had been Lila’s boyfriend for just over year, starting when we were sophomores in college. Lila fell hard and fast for Joel, and the attraction still baffled me. Joel was short and geeky, with spiked black hair and big glasses that did not make a fashion statement, and always has his nose in a book. Lila was tall, blonde and gorgeous, with ambitions to live in sunny LA and schmooze with celebrities. Joel was not agreeable to Lila’s future plans. I had no idea what would happen if Lila actually made it in the entertainment biz. I wouldn’t mind seeing them breakup. I thought Joel was a dick to Lila more than a sweetheart. But she loved him.
“Okay, get your makeup on and we’ll eat some salad and change for the gym. And you can help me look at this job I’m thinking about applying for. Tell me if you get good vibes or not.” Lila always says she gets “vibes” about certain things, such as if the elective I want to sign up for will be a brain buster or if the new Chinese restaurant in town has bugs in their food. And she’s usually pretty spot on.
“No problem. Are you thinking about leaving Tastie’s again?” Lila’s voice was muffled as she shouted out from the bathroom.
I put a healthy portion of lettuce in two plastic cereal bowls, quickly diced up the carrots and sprinkled those in, and shook the worn bag of croutons over the top. After smothering the salads with ranch dressing, officially taking them from a healthy snack to a questionable one with the rich, calorie-laden topping, I was satisfied. Finding two clean forks in our utensil drawer was somewhat of a challenge, since neither of us were big on washing dishes, and I took a seat at our two-person table shoved in the back corner of our minuscule kitchen.
“Did you hear me? Are you thinking about leaving Tastie’s?” Lila came back into the kitchen, her face glowing and her blue eyes popping, even though she looked like she had no makeup on. I had yet to master the natural look like she could–– wearing two tons of concealer, highlighter, blush, shadow, liner, and mascara, and looking like she had just woken up. Mine always ends up looking like clown makeup when I try.
I dug into my salad, loading up my fork with lettuce and a crouton. “Yeah, just thinking about it, though. I’m getting tired of all my Friday and Saturday nights getting spent with sleazy guys. But the money is really helping me build up my savings account. I can’t live off Alicia forever.”
“I know, but look how good you’re doing saving money. You won’t be a waitress forever.”
“I wish I knew what I did want to be. How hard is it to figure out a career, especially as a junior in college? Shouldn’t I have this down already so I can stop taking all these electives?”
“Some people need more time. You’ll figure it out. If you don’t by the time I hit the high road out of this state, just come to LA with me. You could probably find a job out there in a heartbeat.”
“As what?”
“A model! An actress! I could get all the exclusive scoops on which designer you’re wearing and who you’re making a sex tape with next, and we could rule the world out there.”
“Lila, I won’t be making sex tapes with anyone in the foreseeable future. And the unforeseeable future, you perv.” I dug out the last crouton from the bottom of the bowl, crunching it between my teeth. “Besides, that lifestyle just isn’t for me. I don’t like being the center of attention. I would rather be behind the scenes.”
My Book Review:
Do you remember when you were in college and were unsure of what your future goals would be? Welcome to twenty year old Alex Abrams' world! Alex is in her junior year at Kaufman College in Des Moines, Iowa, studying Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship, but she's not sure what direction she wants to go in after she graduates from college. Alex works part time as a waitress at Tastie's sports bar and restaurant with her best friend and roommate Lila Medlin, but has also been looking for another job, when she sees an ad in the classifieds for a manager's position at Blissful Salon and Spa. She applies for the position and lands it, she knows this is her dream job, but she quickly finds out that everything isn't always "blissful" at the salon and spa. The Green Ticket is Alex's coming of age story where she learns the difference between being a carefree college girl and the ups and downs of the adult business world.
The Green Ticket is a delightful coming of age story that will have the reader walking down the memory lane of their own college days. Written in a fun and easy style, author Samantha March weaves a lighthearted tale in the first person narrative told by Alex Abrams, who takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery mixed in with some good old college fun and finding love along the way. With four fabulous best girlfriends who make Alex's college experience memorable; a blossoming love interest with a genuine guy named Henry Landon; and intriguing drama and issues galore at the salon; Alex finds out who she truly is and what it's like to be an adult!
I loved the author's character development of Alex, she engages the reader to follow along on Alex's journey as she navigates the complicated path of self-discovery from being a fun-loving college girl into an adult business woman. The author does a wonderful job of drawing the reader into Alex's college life with her four best girlfriends: Lila Medlin, Carmen Morales, Emma Burton, and Hannah Lovington. The relationship that these five close friends shared brought back memories of my own college friendships, so many good times mixed in with the craziness of studying for a degree, that's what the college experience is all about and the author nailed it to a tee! I especially enjoyed getting to know each of the girls, their different personalities and individual stories added to the entertainment value of the story. I really enjoyed the blossoming love interest between Alex and Henry, it was refreshing to read about a light romance without explicit sex scenes. I think what intrigued me the most about the story is the salon and spa's drama involving owners Kevin and Dani Dohlman. Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive ... trust me, the behind the scenes issues at the salon kept me turning the pages. I really loved how Alex worked her way through the variety of dilemmas that came her way at the salon. Alex's story is one that college girls should definitely read, there really is some good examples of what it's like to transition into an adult.
The Green Ticket is an enjoyable coming of age story that has enough fun, romance and drama that will keep the readers entertained. It is a story that is lighthearted and a breath of fresh air, kudos to author Samantha March on a wonderful second novel.
