We Interrupt This Blog Tour . . .

. . . for something important.  Here's an announcement from author Erica Orloff:

In this little corner of the blogworld, most of us are book lovers. Book lovers and writers, people who say, "I've been writing stories since I could hold a pen," or "I was the kid holding the flashlight under the covers and reading past bedtime." In this little corner of the blogworld, we've also watched out for our own.

Merry Monteleone (Mom and More) and her family were in the midst of raging flood waters in Westchester that happened when heavy rains hit Chicago. The contents of the downstairs of her house were lost (it's been gutted), and though it's just "stuff" (lives were lost in the flooding), most of us can imagine how it would feel to watch photo albums and meaningful memories wrapped up in the "stuff" of our families . . . be carried off.

While big "stuff" can be replaced with insurance, Merry lost all her books, and a group of us decided to replace them--with Amazon gift cards, with books, with signed copies of books, with ARCs. We want to see the blogosphere flood her mailbox with good wishes and replace her library. If you love books and your TBR pile is as tall as you are, you know what they mean to her.

What can you do? Send books! Send Amazon cards! Reach out to your favorite authors and ask them to send her a signed copy! For her address or more information, contact: erica@ericaorloff.com

She has three children middle school and younger. Their books were in their bedrooms and most survived, but it would be great to get some books just for them, too!

Do something nice today. It will make you feel good.

Namaste!

About the Town

I have a new vignette titled "Sanatorium" to share with you all.  Only, it's not here.  Nope, you'll have to click on over to this new, super-terrific site, started by our good friend, Aniket Thakkar.  He has a cool idea for a community blog, in which all of us can take inspiration from a photo prompt, and work some magic via poetry or flash fiction.  Sounds like a good time, right?  Aniket is better than anyone I know at sharing his spark with others and embracing a true community of friends and writers.  I'm honored to take part.  So check it out. 

I'm not the first to take the plunge at Aniket's.  Joaquin Carvel already posted a poem over there.  I know that most of you are familiar with Joaquin's poetry.  But if, by chance, you aren't, then you're going to want to remedy that.  Like fast.  You can check out his blog, but I'd also highly recommend buying a copy of his poetry collection, Blood & Irony, either in book form or for the Kindle ($0.99? Really??).  Treat yourself.  Spring deserves some beautiful poetry.     

On the fiction front, Stephen Parrish's debut novel, The Tavernier Stones, can be pre-ordered before its May 1st publication date.  And now I'm going to let the reviewer from Library Journal take it away, because if I say anything nice about Steve, he'll just become more insufferable than he already is. 

L.J.: A reader wouldn't expect to find an Amish protagonist in an artifact adventure/thriller, but Parrish gives us exactly that in his debut novel. Cartographer John Graf, shunned by his Amish community for pursuing higher education, becomes embroiled in a mystery when the remains of 17th-century mapmaker Cellarius, the subject of centuries-old conjecture, emerge from a German bog. The discovery of his corpse and a ruby clutched in his death grip gives credence to the existence of the fabled Tavernier Stones, a cache of the world's most prized missing jewels. Graf joins forces with a gemologist-turned-grifter to solve a puzzle Cellarius encoded into his final and most famous map. As Graf approaches the solution, his life seems to unravel. Of course, Team Graf is not alone in its pursuit, and each treasure hunter has a story. VERDICT Parrish offers enough detail concerning cartography, cryptography, gemology, and Amish culture to satisfy the most rapacious fact junkie, and the puzzle is clever and the action plausible. If his subsequent novels are researched to the same degree, he could claim a legitimate position among the notables of this genre.

Kidding aside, Steve is a great writer and a natural storyteller.  It's tough to be both, but he's got it.  I can't wait to read this book.  And the next dozen or so, too.     

Okay.  Stay with me.  My long-time blogging buddy, Jaye Wells, is enjoying release week for the second book in her Sabina Kane vampire series.  This one's titled The Mage in Black and, from what I hear, is even awesomer than Red-Headed Stepchild, a novel that earned her many accolades, award nominations and slavish devotees. She's so big, she doesn't even really need me pushing her book.  But I like bringing up Jaye, so I can sigh sort of wistfully and say, "Yeah, I knew her back when . . ."

And finally, my husband, Paul, has gotten a head start on the e-book revolution presently shaking up the industry.  His three novels--Inexplicably, Love: Three Stories of Love in Real Time (my favorite), Haven, and In the Satchel, On the Train, Selling Dreams to Nancy--and his poetry collection, Such Deliberate Loveliness, are all available on the Kindle.  And for those of you lucky enough to have it, on the iPad, too.  You can also look for Such Deliberate Loveliness and In The Satchel, On The Train, Selling Dreams to Nancy in paperback.  For us old-fashioned types.   

And I know.  He's my husband.  So you can't believe a word I say about any of them.  But check them out, anyway.  

That's it!  Actually . . . that was a lot.  :)  But I think that the most rewarding parts of blogging are the friendships we make, and the support we can offer one another.  I belong to a vibrant and talented community that inspires me daily.  Thanks for being here.