Tales From The Laundry Pile by Kathleen Kole (Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Tales From The Laundry Pile by author Kathleen Kole!

Author Guest Post

A few tales from my own laundry pile, or 16 things (one for each year) I’ve learned since I became a mother.

1. As much as you and your husband love each other, you will both fake sleep to make the other get up in the night with the kids.

2. You will not correct your child when he/she mispronounces a word, just because you find it so darn cute and/or funny. Sometimes you’ll forget to correct them at all and then they will give you grief later for not being corrected and they said such word in public (you can’t win.)

3. You will guard a special toy/blanket with your life if it is the one thing that brings your child joy/security.

4. You will become a proponent of the 3/5/10 second rule.

5. If money is tight, you will willingly go without Christmas presents if it means the money goes toward your children’s gifts.

6. You will work your backside off to make them laugh.

7. Even though you said you wouldn’t (when you didn’t have kids) you will make/modify meals so everyone gets what they like and they will eat.

8. You will count to three. (And hope you never have to get to three and make good on your threat.)

9. You will feel a bond with humanity you never had before your children were born.

10. You will apologize to your mother.

11. You will be brought to tears by so many more things than you did before they were born.

12. You will discover that nothing brings you more joy than that of your child’s joy. Nothing.

13. Watching your children grow and become themselves will be the most mesmerizing experience of your life.

14. You will have days where you will want to be nowhere else and you will have days where you’d like to be anywhere else.

15. The songs from their children’s shows will stay in your memory looong after they’ve stopped watching them. So long, in fact, you’ll fear they are permanently lodged in your brain. (They probably are.)

16. You will learn more from them than they ever will from you.

 Thank you, Kathleen, for inviting me to be a guest on your blog and doing me the honor of participating in the blog tour for Tales from the Laundry Pile. Cheers! xxx

About The Author

Kathleen Kole is the author of Breaking Even, Dollars to Donuts, Favorable Conditions and her new release, Tales from the Laundry Pile.

Kathleen lives with her husband, son and dog in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada.


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Tales From The Laundry Pile by Kathleen Kole ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours

Book Review

Tales From The Laundry Pile by Kathleen Kole

Publisher: Sublime Coyote Media

Publication Date: April 7, 2013

Format: Paperback - 293 pages / Kindle - 379 KB / Nook - 560 KB

ISBN: 0986895695

ASIN: B00C92TNKK

Genre: Chick Lit / Women's Fiction

BUY THE BOOK: Tales From The Laundry Pile

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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:

Claire Jamieson has moved back home to Boxwood Hills... And, she's not alone. Trailing behind her overworked laundry basket is her husband and their energetic twin boys.

Claire had always thought that once she'd left the nest, she'd never return. Now that she has, she's wondering what type of bird that makes her... Cuckoo?

When she has a moment to pause and catch her breath, she'll let you know.

Tales from the Laundry Pile, an engaging, thoughtful story of motherhood, family tangles, new friendships and self-discovery.

The Boxwood Hills novels take place in the same picturesque mountain town, they have been written to stand alone; each story one in a set of many. That being said, don’t be surprised to see characters you recognize from other books within each other’s tale. They love to make cameos. Welcome to Boxwood Hills!


Book Excerpt:

Claire’s sandals slapped sharply against the pavement as she walked stiffly behind Noah and Evan, the cat still in her grasp. The two of them chatted back and forth to one another, oblivious to the fact that their mother was becoming more and more vexed the further they walked. Under normal circumstances, Claire might have been admiring the thick foliage in her neighbor’s yards and appreciating the way the warm yellow sunshine dappled across the green leaves. Or, she might have been savoring the sweet smell of blooming lavender on the breeze. Possibly, she’d even be enjoying the melodic song being sung by the robins in the treetops. But, she wasn’t. Instead, tension pulled across Claire’s shoulders as Evan and Noah led her not down their own street, but around the corner and into the neighboring, skeleton key shaped crescent that backed on their own.

My God! They were so far from home! Claire was becoming increasingly concerned she might start to hyperventilate if they didn’t soon stop walking. They were in so much trouble for wandering off. She wanted to jump up and down and stamp her feet in agitation. However, first things first. The cat, or evidence as she’d been starting to think of it, needed to be dumped.

“Over there.” Noah pointed ahead of himself, while skipping along the hot sidewalk in his red and black Velcro sneakers.

“The cool looking one,” Evan added, his legs moving at speed as he gave it his all to match Noah step for step.

Claire glanced at the homes on the street. In her opinion, they all were pretty ‘cool’ looking. Much like the houses on her block, the residences were cottage style with brightly painted, shutter framed windows, deep front porches, cobblestone paths, lots of green grass and flowers....

Well, all except for that one up ahead on the right.

Claire grimaced as they traipsed closer to the house. With its weathered grey paint, dirty windows and peeling white frames, it had definitely seen better days. And the yard? Whew. Branches from overgrown oak trees swept across the front sidewalk, weeds were growing between the path stones, gnarly looking bushes sat in unkempt clumps, the lawn hadn’t seen a mower in a good long while; the entire property appeared to have been left to do as it pleased.

Evan and Noah halted on the sidewalk and turned around to face Claire.

“Whoops!” She was unprepared for their abrupt stop and swiftly stepped to the left so as not to run right smack into them and send them tumbling down onto the pavement. She squinted into the sunshine as she read the expectant expressions on their identical faces and sighed. Of course. She took one more glance at the derelict house and asked, “This is the cool one, right?”

My Book Review:

In Tales From The Laundry Pile, author Kathleen Kole provides the reader with an entertaining tale that follows Claire Jamieson as she juggles the trials and tribulations of motherhood and family.

After four years of living in the city, Claire and husband Jake pack up their four year old twin sons Noah and Evan, and move back to their hometown of Boxwood Hills. But moving back to the small town proves to be anything but a stress free experience when Claire finds herself constantly running after her energetic twin sons, handling household obligations, and dealing with family ... all the while striving to provide a perfect and orderly life!

Author Kathleen Kole has created a lighthearted story that portrays a mother's desire to have a perfect and orderly life for her family, only to discover that her obsessive desire is unrealistic when life throws curve balls, leading her to change the way she views and handles her relationships and daily obligations in life.

This is a story that everyone can relate to, especially mothers. We all desire to have a perfect life, but life has a way of sneaking up on us and kicking our butts back into reality with daily trials and tribulations, the goal is to learn how to manage the stress and enjoy our lives. In a sense, the author's humorous tale pokes fun at the stressors, obsessions and insecurities in our lives, while playfully reminding us to lighten up, go easy on ourselves, and to stop and smell the roses along our life's journey.

With a quirky cast of characters who provide a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, silly mishaps and madcap adventures, and a familiar setting with cameo appearances from characters in previous books, Tales From The Laundry Pile is a refreshingly fun and whimsical tale about dealing with the craziness that occurs in one's life!

RATING: 4 STARS ****

Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway

Win 4 Print Copies of Kathleen Kole's Books!

Breaking Even ~ Dollars to Donuts ~ Favorable Conditions

Tales From The Laundry Pile

***

Bonus Prize: Win A $20 Amazon Gift Card

Contest Dates: July 8-29, 2013

Everyone who leaves a comment on Tales From The Laundry Pile by Kathleen Kole ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours will be entered to win a four print books from Kathleen! Titles are: Breaking Even, Dollars to Donuts, Favorable Conditions and Tales From the Laundry Pile. One bonus winner will win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Tales From the Laundry Pile before July 29 and sends their receipt to Samantha@ChickLitPlus.com, will get five bonus entries.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

 Tales From The Laundry Pile by Kathleen Kole ~ Virtual Book Tour Page

Tour Schedule:

July 8 – Books Etc – Review 

July 11- Books Etc – Guest Post 

July 15 – The East Village – Review 

July 15 – Change the Word – Review 

July 16 – Chick Lit Goddess – Review & Guest Post 

July 17 – Karma for Life Chick – Review 

July 18 – Lost in Literature – Review & Excerpt 

July 19 – Change the Word – Q&A 

July 22- Keep Calm and Blog On – Review 

July 23 – Chick Lit Central – Q&A & Giveaway 

July 24 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt 

July 25 - Every Free Chance Book Reviews – Q&A & Excerpt 

July 26- Steph the Bookworm – Review 

July 29 – Chick Lit Plus – Review

Riversong & Riverbend (The River Valley Collection) by Tess Thompson (Book Review)

Book Review

Riversong by Tess Thompson

Book 1: The River Valley Collection

Publisher: Booktrope

Publication Date: March 30, 2011 - 1st Publishing / January 15, 2013 - 2nd Publishing

Format: eBook - 278 pages / Kindle - 578 KB / Nook - 2 MB

ASIN: B004WDRYVE

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

BUY THE BOOK: Riversong

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Book Description: 

Author Tess Thompson assembles a colorful cast of endearing small-town characters and takes you on a journey that will make you believe in the possibilities of life - even in the face of overwhelming adversity and unimaginable grief.

Lee Tucker is the kind of woman you find yourself rooting for long after the last page is read. When her husband commits suicide, he leaves her pregnant and one million dollars in debt to a loan shark. Out of options, she escapes to her deceased mother's dilapidated house located in a small Oregon town that, like her, is financially ruined, heartbroken and in desperate need of a fresh start. Lee's resilience leads to a plan for a destination restaurant named Riversong, to new chances for passion and love, and to danger from her dead husband's debt as her business blooms.

A surprising mix of romance, humor, friendship, intrigue and gourmet food, Riversong entertains while reminding you of life's greatest gifts.


My Book Review:

Lee Tucker is a woman who has had her share of hard times growing up with an alcoholic mother, and as soon as she was able, she left her past behind for a new life in Seattle. Years later, just as she thinks she has found happiness as an adult, tragedy strikes. Her husband Dan, overwhelmed by the one million dollar debt that he has kept hidden from her, runs from the loan sharks and commits suicide. Dealing with the loss and the debt that Dan has left in his wake, Lee also realizes that she is pregnant. With no option left, Lee has no choice but to return to her childhood home of River Valley, a small town in Oregon. Lee's negligent mother has succumbed to alcoholism and has passed away, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and a house in ruins. All Lee has is that house, she decides to fix the house up and sell it in order to pay off the debt. Lee's return to the small town she never felt comfortable in, now offers her a new start. Hoping to turn her life around, Lee accepts a job as the manager of Riversong, a struggling restaurant, and is determined to make the restaurant a success.

Riversong is a heartwarming tale about one woman's journey of second chances at coming home, rebuilding her life, and finding love and happiness.

In her debut novel, Tess Thompson has written a very entertaining novel that is full of lovable small town folk, friendship and love, it is a wonderful story of renewal and hope, with a heroine you can believe in. The story has a little bit of everything: there is romance, crime, intrigue, drama and suspense that keeps the reader turning the pages. The characters are realistic, they are ordinary people facing the same sets of circumstances in life that you may come across. The author gives the reader a gentle reminder that sometimes love is right there in front of your face, that family and friends are found in the most unlikely places, and you can go home again!

Riversong is a poignant portrayal of loss, hope, second chances, redemption, renewal, strong bonds of friendship, and the power of love that makes everything in life possible.


RATING: 4 STARS ****

Book Review

Riverbend by Tess Thompson

Book 2: The River Valley Collection

Publisher: Booktrope

Publication Date: May 19, 2013

Format: Paperback - 272 pages / Kindle - 496 KB / Nook - 2 MB

ISBN: 1620151421

ASIN: B00CLDQT2W

Genre: Romantic Suspense

BUY THE BOOK: Riverbend

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Book Description: 

“Tag. I found you.”

Just as Annie Bell’s reputation as one of the best chefs in the Pacific Northwest grows to new heights, she receives a threatening phone call from her abusive ex-boyfriend. Marco is out on parole and hungry for revenge, blaming her for his ten-year imprisonment. Fearing for her life and that of her young son, Annie reluctantly accepts help from Drake Webber, a cold and wealthy recluse hiding a dark history of his own. Supported by the gang of misfits from their restaurant Riversong, Annie forges ahead despite her growing terror that Marco will appear at any moment and make good on his threats.

Author Tess Thompson reunites the colorful cast of endearing small-town characters from her bestselling novel Riversong and takes you on a journey that will renew your faith in love, friendship and the power of community – even in the face of seemingly insurmountable grief and fear. You’ll find yourself once again cheering for the residents of River Valley, especially the big-hearted and compassionate Annie Bell.

Escape with a blend of love, laughter, friendship, suspense and gourmet food while remembering it’s never too late for second chances.


Book Excerpt:

Marco’s knife glimmered in the light as he brought it to her neck. Tag, I found you. Annie awakened right at that moment, screaming. The clock read 2:12 a.m. She lay there for a moment, staring into the darkness. Then, breaking through the silent night was the sound of the coyote’s howl. In the next moment, it was silent, not even a cricket chirping or a breeze rustling pine needles. She went to the window, pulling back the shade. In silhouette, near the rose garden, under a full moon, stood the coyote. The summer night was still, the stars close. As she had before, she put her hand upon the window. The coyote turned and looked at her for a moment. She met his gaze, her other hand over her heart, before he loped into the trees, disappearing into the purple forest.

She crossed the sitting area and opened the door to the hallway. Alder’s room was dark, as was the one with the music. But a light shone through the crack between the floor and the door of what she now thought of as the billiard room. She stood, listening, but heard nothing. After a moment, she crossed the hallway and let herself quietly inside Alder’s room. He was asleep, his face peaceful in the moonlight that filtered through the window.

In the hallway once again, she hesitated. Unable to explain why, she moved towards the strip of light. Once there, she put her palm on the door, just as she’d done on the window only moments before. She heard footsteps coming towards her but she remained, despite all the reasons to flee.

“Annie,” came Drake’s voice behind the door. “Are you all right?” She heard what sounded like him sitting down on the floor—a plopping sound and a sigh. The door shook slightly. Perhaps he was sitting against it? 

“Yes.” She hesitated, tugging at the collar of her damp pajamas. “No. Another nightmare.” She slid to the floor as well, leaning against the door with her back. Could she feel the warmth from his body through the wood? Pure imagination, of course, but still she could not shake the image of him on the floor with his legs spread out before him instead of cross-legged as she was. “Did you sleep at all?”

“Some, yes.” Silence, before the door moved slightly. Perhaps he was adjusting his position? “Then a nightmare. I hope I didn’t wake Alder.”

“I checked on him. Fast asleep. Always, like a rock.”

“Did you ever read him the story about the donkey that makes a wish that turns him into a rock?”

“Oh, yes. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. One of Alder’s favorites.”

There was silence from the other side of the door for a long moment. And then Drake’s voice, with the same lonesome quality of her friend the coyote, only soft instead of a howl. “Don’t you wish it were true?”

“What’s that? A magic stone to make wishes come true?”

“No. That people lost to you could come back.”

“Yes, that would be good,” she said, an ache at the back of her throat. Who would he bring back? His mother? “I once heard this famous actress interviewed on Oprah say the meaning of life was loss. That always stuck with me because it made me want to cry out, no, it can’t be loss. It’s love. Surely it’s love.”

“With love comes loss. Whether it’s today or years from now, eventually we all have to leave one another.”

“It’s true.”

The door shifted. “I’m so tired. But sleep doesn’t come.”

“Do you want me to make you something? Warm milk, maybe? I could put a shot of whiskey in it.”

“Nothing works. I’ve tried it all.” There was another long space of quiet. “Now, please, you must go back to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning. Okay?”

“All right. Good night then.”

She got up from the floor and went to her room. But she didn’t sleep for at least an hour, thinking of Drake and his wanderings. What did he do behind the closed doors of the secret rooms? How could she help him? Perhaps there was nothing to be done? But how she wished there were. Finally, she fell asleep.

My Book Review:

In Riverbend, the second book in The River Valley Collection, author Tess Thompson once again weaves an entertaining tale that transports the readers back to the small town of River Valley, Oregon, where they revisit with the unforgettable townsfolk and follow the story of Annie Bell.

The reader was introduced to Annie Bell in the first book of the collection, Riversong, where she is the gourmet chef at the restaurant. Now in this book, Annie's abusive past is catching up with her when the restaurant's success is in the media, drawing danger and drama her way.

With a continuity of characters (old and new) and subtle revisiting of the storyline from the first book, the author weaves an intriguing story filled with flashbacks to Annie's traumatic past with ex-boyfriend Marco, who resurfaces in an attempt to get revenge and destroy her new life. Annie sought to create a new life for herself and her ten year old son Alder in River Valley, now with their life in danger, she finds refuge and love with the mysterious wealthy recluse Drake Webber. Both Annie and Drake are hiding dark secrets from their pasts, and as their relationship develops, they slowly realize they are falling in love with one another. The story is filled with enough secrets, danger, suspense and romance that keeps the reader guessing and turning the pages.

Once again author Tess Thompson has written another heartwarming story filled with romance, secrets, drama and suspense that keeps the reader wanting more. Riverbend is a wonderful story of community, friendship, hope, love, and the ability to overcome even the most traumatic of life experiences.

Fans of The River Valley Collection will get another visit to this wonderful Oregon town with the story of Drake's sister Bella in the third book of the collection, Riverstar, that will be released on August 28, 2013!


RATING: 4 STARS ****

BUY THE COLLECTION: The River Valley Collection

Book 1: Riversong

Book 2: Riverbend

Book 3: Riverstar - (publication date: August 28, 2013)

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About The Author 

Tess Thompson is a novelist and playwright with a BFA in Drama from the University of Southern California. In 2011, she released her first novel, Riversong, which subsequently became a bestseller. Like the characters in Riverbend, Tess is from a small town in Oregon. She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her two young daughters, Emerson and Ella. She is inspired daily by the view of the Cascade Mountains from her home office window.


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I'll Be Home For Christmas by Jessica Scott (Virtual Book Cover Reveal Event)

In association with author Jessica Scott, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book cover reveal event for I'll Be Home For Christmas by author Jessica Scott!

I'll Be Home For Christmas by Jessica Scott

A Coming Home Series (Novella)

Publisher: Forever Yours / Hachette Book Group

Publication Date: November 5, 2013

Format: eBook - 100 pages / Kindle / Nook

ISBN: 1455554243

ASIN: B00DG8ZY9K

Genre: Contemporary Romance

BUY THE BOOK: I'll Be Home For Christmas

*Pre-Order - Publication Date: November 5, 2013 - $.99*

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Book Description:

Sergeant Vic Carponti takes everything as a joke, even the war. And yet, as he leaves on this latest deployment, even the resolute struggles to keep everyone around him smiling. As Carponti faces his darkest fear, it is his wife Nicole's steadfast love and support that will get him through.


Book Excerpt:

Chapter One

Fort Hood, Texas Early 2007

Sergeant Vic Carponti paused outside his company operations office, taking a deep breath. It was funny how their corner of Fort Hood felt deserted the night before a deployment. The company colors had already been cased. They would uncase them in a few weeks, once they got settled into their new home across the ocean in the middle of the war.

He didn’t know why this deployment was bothering him so much. It wasn’t his first time heading off to war, so he knew what to expect when the shit hit the fan in combat. But there was something hanging over his head this time. A fear that maybe this time his luck would run out.

He sighed and rubbed his face with both hands before walking into the company ops. The only thing they’d left up was the plaque that bore the names of their fallen brothers from the last deployment. The commander—Captain Trent Davila, a man Carponti had known for years—was planning on carrying that with him personally so it couldn’t ever get lost.

And so no one would ever forget. Carponti reached up and took it gently off the wall, then strolled into his company commander’s office with a nonchalance painted on his face that he damn sure didn’t feel. But people expected him to laugh and joke and make them forget the bad shit all around and so that’s what he was going to do.

“Don’t forget this,” he said, placing the plaque on Trent’s desk. He plopped down in a chair, then kicked his feet up on Trent’s desk. “Are you coming out with us tonight?”

Captain Trent Davila lifted one eyebrow at Carponti’s feet and said nothing. Carponti looked at his commander and longtime friend, then at the plaque next to his boots.

“Fine,” he said with a sigh, dropping his feet to the floor. “So answer the question.”

Trent sighed. “I can’t go out with you guys. I’m the company commander. I’m not allowed to have fun,” Trent grumbled. “Besides, my boss would have my nuts in a sling if anything happens while I'm there.”

“It’s the last day before our deployment. You’re allowed to have fun. You can just say you’re supervising all of us miscreants.” Carponti took the last Dr. Pepper out of Trent's fridge. “The deployment hasn’t even started and you already look stressed the hell out. You should be working your lieutenant to death instead of trying to do everything yourself.”

Trent shook his head and pushed his glasses to the top of his head. “Yeah, well, my new executive officer seems to think he’s God’s gift to the army. He’s good but he’s not as good as he thinks he is.”

“Oh, the boys just love him,” Carponti said.

“Really?”

“No, not really. He’s an arrogant fuck who believes his own press. Personally, I can’t stand him, but luckily I don’t have to deal with him much. I just sic Sarn’t Garrison on him.”

Trent grinned and reached for the plaque, sliding his hat on top of it so he wouldn’t forget it. “Yeah, Garrison has a way with words.”

Garrison was Carponti’s platoon sergeant. Garrison and Trent had been squad leaders many moons ago when Trent had still been enlisted. In Carponti’s world, it meant a whole lot that Trent had stayed close with his enlisted friends even after he’d crossed over to the dark side and become an officer.

“I’m swinging by his place on my way home. He needs to go out before someone shoots his grumpy old ass. He’s been a complete buzz kill since his wife left him.”

“Your sympathy is astounding,” Trent said dryly. He grinned and shook his head. “Why do we put up with you?”

“Because I’m charming and funny and good in a firefight?” Carponti said with a grin.

“Pretty much. You can make anyone laugh.”

“It’s an important life skill. Like balancing a checkbook. So seriously, find a babysitter and come out with us. Your wife could use some fun before she has to spend the year dealing with all the spouses in the Family Readiness Group and chasing your kids around while you’re off on another fun adventure.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call going to combat a fun adventure.” Trent rubbed his chest. There was a scar there, Carponti knew. A scar that had damn near killed Trent several years ago. Carponti wondered just how much stress his commander was carrying and not telling anyone. Trent’s face flushed when he realized Carponti had caught him rubbing his scar and he tapped the pencil hard enough to snap the eraser off. “You know, you’re right. Let me see if we can’t find a sitter.”

“Excellent. We’ll be congregating by the bar when you get there. Now I just have to go convince Garrison to come out with us.”

“Good luck with that,” Trent said, pulling his glasses down. “He’s on the verge of becoming a warrior monk.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Carponti mumbled as he strolled out of his commander’s office. He wished he hadn’t seen the flicker of worry that flashed in his commander’s eyes when he’d mentioned his wife. He’d thought that Laura and Trent were one of the strongest couples he knew. She’d put up with him deploying back to back to back since he’d almost died a few years ago.

But that flicker of worry? Yeah, Carponti hadn’t missed it. There were problems there, hopefully small ones that Trent would take time to fix after this rotation into the sandbox.

Carponti looked down at his own wedding ring. It was his last night home and his last night with his wife.

He was glad he’d convinced her to come out with him and the boys. That way he could make sure they had a most excellent party and spend time with Nicole at the same time. He was going to spend part of the night chaperoning his guys to make sure they made the most of it—which meant making sure no one ended up in jail—but then? Then the time he had left was going to be spent making his wife laugh.

Because try though he might, he couldn’t shake the quiet dread that settled in the pit of his stomach that tonight was the last night of normalcy he had on this earth.

About The Author

Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and is currently a company commander stationed at Fort Hood.

Most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.


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Birthdays of a Princess by Helga Zeiner (Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Birthdays of a Princess by author Helga Zeiner!

Author Guest Post

My novel Birthdays of a Princess is set against the sinister background of child beauty pageants. The evil my protagonist encounters stems from the premise that parading a young child on stage, dressed as a mini-adult to be judged by total strangers is not only harmful for her development but can also be dangerous.

Is that so? Did my writer’s imagination run wild and create an unfair judgement of the mothers (and fathers) who are involved in such pageants? Did I go overboard when assuming that this circus is a haven for pedophiles?

Surely many of you have occasionally watched an episode of “Toddlers & Tiaras”. All you need to do is picture in your mind the costumes, the poses, the make-up and hair styles of those little girls. Are they age-appropriate? No way. They are presented as mini seductresses, tiny little toy things, and we all don’t need much imagination to understand what will go on in the twisted minds of some adults when they “look at that those pretty little things”.

In my psychological thriller I explore the mind-set of a mother who uses her daughter to fulfill her own dreams, and the long term effects this exploitation has on the young girl as she grows up. It is a difficult subject, and many readers have told me that there were passages that were quite shocking to read in a novel as “I am pulling no punches” but I felt that they were necessary to expose the clandestine and dark side of child pageants. I have avoided excessively graphic descriptions, but the end-result is certainly not a cute, little princess story. Again, I’m told by many readers that it is an intense read, one they couldn’t put down.

Hopefully, once they finished the last page, they not only had a thrilling read-ride, but will in future look at the “Toddler & Tiaras” and related TV shows with a very different perspective.

By Helga Zeiner, author of Birthdays of a Princess

About The Author

Born and educated in Germany, author Helga Zeiner left her home country when she was 18 to travel the world and experience the magic of life she was passionately reading about.

She spent the next 15 years in exotic places like India, Thailand, Australia and Hong Kong, where she worked her way up into excellent managerial positions in large international companies. To achieve this she had to further her education and enrolled at night classes at the 'Chinese University of Hong Kong' for her Diploma in Management Studies.

Love eluded her for many years. She was nearly 40 when she finally met her dream man and settled in Canada, where she now lives, neatly tucked away in the wilderness.

She has previously written several suspense novels which have been published in Germany. Her first novel written and published in English is Section 132. A thrilling fact-based page-turner about a young girl forced into a polygamous marriage that has received countless 5-star reviews. Birthdays of a Princess is her second novel and was published in May 2013.


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Birthdays of a Princess by Helga Zeiner ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

Book Review

Birthdays of a Princess by Helga Zeiner

Publisher: POW WOW Books, Canada

Publication Date: May 9, 2013

Format: eBook - 290 pages / Kindle - 507 KB 

ISBN: 9780986879876

ASIN: B00CPS0DAW

Genre: Psychological Thriller

BUY THE BOOK: Birthdays of a Princess

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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 Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours. 

Book Description:

To be famous and be admired by total strangers can be very dangerous.

Her little girl has always been her princess. In fact, she was so lovely, Melissa entered her toddler into child beauty pageants, making her a star from an early age. But her dreams and hopes are shattered one October morning, when Melissa watches a breaking news story on television. A young girl has been filmed by bystanders, committing a brutal assault in broad daylight in a downtown Vancouver Starbucks…and it looks like the girl is her daughter.

From this moment on, a story unfolds, so shocking, that it will hold you captive and you will find yourself reading faster and faster into the night.


In Birthdays of a Princess, Helga Zeiner has captured the inner thoughts of an abused teen with amazing sensitivity. From my own experiences in 25 years of Forensic Psychiatry both in private practice and at Youth Forensic Services the psychopathology of the characters is accurate and realistic.
~ Dr. Paul Janke Forensic Psychiatrist, M.D., F.R.C.P., Vancouver, BC


Book Excerpt: 

Prologue

She wakes up earlier than usual. It’s not even eight yet. The apartment feels empty, but that doesn’t surprise her, because it is empty most mornings. To make sure, she gets out of bed, opens the curtains, waddles down the narrow hallway, stops at the second bedroom and listens briefly. Not a sound. Of course not. She would have heard the flat door open, no matter how late. She is a light sleeper.

The kitchen greets her with familiar comfort. Welcome, my lonely friend. Make yourself a cup of tea. Sit down by the window. Look out, check the weather, think about what to wear for work. Stop listening. Nobody is home but you.

Just another day in the big city.

Vancouver is still sleepy. Yawning and slowly stretching like a lazy lion, rubbing its exhausted eyes, waiting for the helpers to brush the filthy remains of last night’s excitement from the concrete floor of its den.

The water kettle switches itself off and she pours the boiling water over the tea bag and waits one minute, standing in front of the kitchen counter. It has to be exactly one minute, no point in doing anything else but stare at the twirling surface inside her cup. Sixty seconds later–the second dial on her kitchen clock is within her periphery—she discards the bag, heaps three generous spoonfuls of sugar into the cup, followed by so much cream that the tea instantly cools to drinking temperature, and sits down at the kitchen table.

Still thinking it’s just another day.

A gentle traffic hum outside, no sound inside her kitchen. Correction: no sound inside her flat, this two bedroom, one bathroom borderline apartment. Borderline because its location touches a good neighborhood and the Eastside. The street she lives on stops the filthy guts of downtown spilling over into suburbia. Her kitchen window points toward the high-rise monuments of downtown Vancouver. Very pretty at night, not so attractive at daytime when the not-so-high and not-so-modern buildings that envelope the skyscrapers become visible. She doesn’t want to look at the decaying grey buildings any longer that provide a battle ground between city planners who want to sell it to developers and Eastsiders who have occupied them.

Just another day. And it is so quiet.

Melissa turns on the TV, not realizing that it is exactly eight o’clock now. The channel is set on CTV and there is a ‘Breaking News’ banner flashing in bright orange below the female morning anchor. She increases the volume. The excited voice of the lady anchor fills her kitchen. She takes a sip of her sweet, sweet tea and leans back a little.

“We have a developing story of a brutal attack on a customer at Starbucks coffee shop on Robson Street. Apparently a young woman has stabbed another woman inside Starbucks. Our reporter Emily Jackson is on location. Emily, what can you tell us…?”

The upper body of a reporter, holding a microphone in one hand and fighting her wind-swept hair with the other, comes into the picture. Melissa hadn’t noticed that it is quite windy outside. Well, it’s October, at least it’s not raining. Behind the reporter a yellow band is restricting access to the crime scene. She sounds overly excited. “From what we have learned, a young woman has suddenly attacked a woman inside the coffee shop you see right behind me. We don’t know yet if the customer was already seated or still standing in line to place her order. We also don’t know the identity of the attacker or of the victim yet or have any information about the motive. Apparently the attacker suddenly produced a knife and threw herself at the woman, yelling obscenities on top of her voice. As you can see behind me, police have cordoned off the area and are processing the scene.”

The anchor interrupts her. “Do we have any information about the condition of the victim? Is she badly hurt? Or…”

An autumn gust blows hair over the reporter’s face. She nearly loses her microphone, trying to control the strands with both hands, but fumbles it back into position when she realizes that the camera is focused on her again. One side of her pretty face is completely covered with hair. It looks ridiculous and Melissa catches herself thinking the reporter would look a lot prettier if she had a different hairstyle.

“The ambulance has transported the victim to the emergency ward of St Paul’s…”

The reporter’s voice travels along Melissa’s attention span and loses its grip. Background noise quality. She likes that. And God, her tea is good.

Another developing story news-flash banner demands her attention again. The anchor sounds triumphant: “We have just received a video-clip from one of our viewers. We would like to warn you that some viewers may find the content of this video-clip offensive in nature…”

The clip starts. The picture is shaky, the filmmaker hassling for a good position between other coffee-shop customers who have jumped up to look what is going on in the middle of the room. The back of shoulders and heads pop in and out, screams of horror and confusion can be heard. Their unedited sound quality provides an unnerving authenticity to the unfolding drama.

An arm rises up in the air and down again, in kind of a wood chopping motion. Up and down, in one swift move, no hesitation whatsoever. In fact, the chopping goes on. Up and down, up and down—accompanied by ‘Oh my God’s’ and ‘Oh no, oh no’s’. The filmmaker edges closer, seems to get up on a chair, because he is above the scene now, holding his iPhone or whatever device he’s got, high above the center of the customer-circle that inched away from the dangerous situation. The victim of the attack is on the floor now, mercifully blurred by the rapid movements of the inexperienced cameraman, or maybe by CTV’s editing. The attacker, the young woman, wearing a black hoodie, is over her and chops into her with such vengeance that Melissa can feel the force of her hatred, furious and powerful. The victim is trying to protect her face and chest with crossed hands. The mad attacker continues to stab her wherever she can—face, arms, torso, it is impossible to make out exactly in the shaky clip where her knife slices into.

Bodies pop in and out of the picture and mercifully block most of what is going on. Several of them finally muster enough courage to intervene. The picture goes even more shaky and blurry. Then the anchor speaks again.

“We have word from the police that the victim you have just seen being attacked inside Starbucks on Robson about an hour ago is in critical condition. The young woman has been overpowered by three heroic young men…”

and now it happens, it’s not ‘just another day’ any longer

“they were performing a citizen’s arrest and held her captive until the police arrived…”

the anchor’s voice fades, just like the reporter’s before, because all of Melissa’s focus concentrates on what she sees on the screen. Meanwhile the filmmaker has managed to muscle himself closer to the group of guys who have pulled the young women off her victim and have now pinned her to the ground. Her face appears. The filmmaker zooms in. She smiles victoriously straight into his camera, as if she has achieved a very special feat.

Melissa is standing now, holding on to her cup of tea, frowning with the exhausting task of connecting what she sees on the screen with the reality of her life. It can not be. It can not be. But it is.

The tea cup slips from her weak hands, falls to the floor, spills its content on the cheap vinyl kitchen floor before rolling under the table.

It is. It is.

It is…her daughter.

My Book Review:

Birthdays of a Princess is a fascinating yet very disturbing story of the traumatic manipulation and exploitation of a child. Author Helga Zeiner weaves an intense and gut wrenching psychological thriller that follows the traumatic and dysfunctional life of fifteen year old Tiara Brown.

Written in alternating chapters in the first person narrative by Tiara aka Princess Tia, and the third person narrative by the police detectives and Tiara's mother Melissa, Tiara's horrific story of exploitation and sexual abuse unfolds from infancy through her early teenage years as she endured the Texas child beauty pageant circuit and later child pornography at the hands of her neglectful mother and manipulative aunt. Tiara commits a heinous stabbing attack upon an innocent woman at a Vancouver Starbucks. Through the help of Psychologist Dr. Stanley Eaton, Tiara goes on a journey of healing by documenting her traumatic and emotional life story in a journal by each birthday year. Through her journal entries, long repressed childhood memories surfaces and the truth about her childhood filled with unspeakable exploitation and pedophilia/pornography is revealed.

Birthdays of a Princess is a riveting but emotionally intense and difficult story to digest. The author captivates the reader's attention from the beginning of the story, and takes them on a chilling roller coaster ride filled with tension and surprising twists and turns. This painful and shocking story documents the horrific and vivid accounts of unspeakable trauma that Tiara suffered throughout her childhood, you can't help but feel the full gamut of emotions for this teenage stabbing suspect, she is ultimately the real victim. Author Helga Zeiner has written a compelling and powerful story that provides much food for thought in regard to child beauty pageants and child pornography, and its potential for perpetrating the harmful manipulation and exploitation of innocent young children.

Birthdays of a Princess is a heart wrenching and realistic story of child exploitation that will resonate with you long after the last word has been read.


RATING: 4 STARS ****

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Birthdays of a Princess by Helga Zeiner

Contest Dates: July 22-29, 2013

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Just My Luck by Rosalind James (Virtual Book Cover Reveal Event)

In association with Reading Addiction Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book cover reveal event for Just My Luck by author Rosalind James!

Just My Luck - Cover Reveal PROMO Blitz

By Rosalind James

(Escape to New Zealand #5)

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 7/13/2013

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A little distraction can be a wonderful thing.

Nate Torrance has a job to do, and the biggest rugby boots in the world to fill. He can’t afford to lose his focus, especially not to a brown-eyed Canadian who pushes all his buttons and looks much too good in a climbing harness.

Allison Villiers may not know what she wants to do with her life, but she’s clear about one thing. She’s not impressed by the new captain of the All Blacks, however big a deal he is to the rest of New Zealand. If only her unfortunate taste for adventure didn’t keep leading her astray . . .

EXCERPT

“How are you finding Wellington so far?” Nate asked when they were out on the water. He’d managed to launch them from the beach with a shove, and even climb in again behind her without any mishaps. Ally was actually a little sorry. She’d been half-anticipating going over, and enjoying the prospect of teasing him about it. He definitely needed it.

“I love it,” she said, keeping up a steady stroke and feeling the calm that always came over her when she was surrounded by sea and sky, enjoying the effort, the rhythmic motion. She was going to be out here with him for a while, so she might as well keep this pleasant. She didn’t even have to look at him, after all. You couldn’t really turn around in a double kayak without tipping the thing, which was probably for the best in this case. “I’ve been wandering around getting happily lost, and finding my way home again. It’s a lively place, isn’t it? Lots of outdoor stuff to do too, and as you know, that’s my favorite thing.”

“It can get a bit wet and windy,” he cautioned.

“I’ve heard,” she said, unable to keep the amusement from her voice. “I’ve had a few discussions about the weather already, you see.”

She heard him groan. “I’m rubbish at chatting girls up,” he admitted, surprising a laugh from her. “I never know what to say. Everything’s either dull, or it sounds like a pickup line. I generally end up opting for dull.”

“Honesty works, though,” she told him. “That was pretty good right there.”

“Really.” He sounded surprised. “I should throw myself on your mercy, you think?”

“Definitely. A strong man being endearingly awkward . . . I like it. It’s an approach, anyway.”

“Better than spilling a beer on her, I reckon,” he said.

“Much better." She realized that she was paddling along with a smile on her face. Why hadn’t she met this guy before? She liked him.

“I’ll try again, then,” he said. “Did you spend Christmas here as well, on the Coromandel?”

“No, in Auckland. And it rained one day, but otherwise the weather was good. Just to anticipate you.”

He laughed. “Do anything special?”

“I did, actually. I bungy jumped off the Sky Tower. Kristen’s Christmas present.”

“Crikey. This is me shuddering back here."

“No, really?” she asked in surprise. “It was amazing. You should try it.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” he decided.

“You don’t like thrills?”

“I love thrills. Know how to get them, too. And it’s not by jumping off buildings.”

Wow. She didn’t think she’d pursue that one. Maybe he meant rugby. Yeah, right. He hadn’t meant rugby.

About The Author

Rosalind James

Author Bio:

Rosalind James is the author of the bestselling “Escape to New Zealand” series, as well as "Welcome to Paradise," her first book in the new U.S.-based "Kincaids" series.

Rosalind divides her time between California and New Zealand.

Authors Links

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