Blog Carnival Starts Monday July 28th!

Here's the link for info: http://weirdstuffinmydesk.com/?p=131

More info up on Monday! Check back.

One of the great gifts to win at the Blog Carnival is from my own store, Linda's Gifts and Decor. How about winning a $25 gift card?

Even if you don't win, you can email me at lindasgiftsanddecor@yahoo.com for a complimentary $10 gift card. (You must have a gift card to shop the store for the first time.)

Sponsors: http://bittenbybooks.com - Book Reviews
http://weirdstuffinmydesk.com - Honest E-tailer Reviews!

Hooray! Finally Back In at Blogger!

Hooray! I'm finally back into the dashboard here at Blogger! It's been FOUR LONG MONTHS since I've been able to get in here. It all started when I kept getting 404 Not Found every time I typed in www.blogger.com.

I finally found usable help at http://www.techguy.org. You can't imagine my frustration as I worked through the help provided by nitecruzr at Blogger - the ONLY help I got there, was lied to by everyone I talked to at the help desk at my cellular ISP, and then searched the web until I found TechGuy.

You're in for it now because I have a backlog of reviews and posts to get up here and at my other blogs ... right after we return from a trip to Cleveland for a family wedding.

I'm currently reading X-Rated Blood Suckers by Mario Acevedo and it is one great read. I've never been interested in vampires and don't read much fantasy, but this book is funny, intriguing, interesting, and "it could happen".

Okay, I'm off to pack.

Oh ... don't forget to check in at my website. It's new and improved with many more links for writers and readers.

Dang

The previous post was supposed to post at http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/, the swell blogger help guy's place. His name is Chuck.

However, because my blogger account/PC/ISP connection is so messed up, it posted here. But ... I can't get into the dashboard to post here. Or at any of my other blogger blogs.

Yes, I've done all the MTU/LSP/Winsock/DNS fixes. Still, this problem persists.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Linda
www.lindajhutchinson.com (re-vamped finally!)

The Real Blogger Status: BlogSpot, And The 404 Error

The Real Blogger Status: BlogSpot, And The 404 Error

An addendum to my post of June 6.

I can click on the links at the bottom of this page and be taken to the correct page.

But when I click on links on those pages that explain further, I get this message:

HTTP ERROR: $CODE$

$MESSAGE$

RequestURI=/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=642

Thought this might help explain my can't-get-in problem further. Are there other tests I can do to resolve this?

Linda

Unable to access blogger

I am having serious issues with my blogs. For months I have been unable to access my blogger accounts. I'll catch up on posts as soon as help arrives to fix the problem(s), or I move the blogs somewhere else.

Friends can access my control panel when I give them the password, but I can't get there with my laptop/ISP or my husband's laptop/ISP. (No, they are not networked together.)

Sometimes I can backdoor access to at least post an update. Most of the time I am personna non gratis.

My MTU settings have been fixed. WinSock/LSP/DNS has been fixed. I've run Norton 360 and AVG. No viruses found. I've run Ad-Aware and Spyhunter3. No malware/spyware found. I've run PC Pitstop's Optimizer to fix registries. No issues found - at least none that may have caused this problem.

So ... I'm waiting to hear from Blogger help again. If you know of anything that might work, please let me know. (I have alerts set up so I know when someone has posted a comment here and I can use the alert link to get back in. Without that link ...)

I've had to do two clean installs in the past 8 months, the first when my hard drive crashed, and the second after my IE browser was hijacked. Really don't want to do that again anytime soon. Hopefully, no one will hijack my Firefox.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Oh, my website has been completely re-vamped. Stop by www.lindajhutchinson.com

Linda

Chat with Brant Randall this Sunday at TWC

I keep hoping that google/blogger will get this issue resolved, but ... I'm still having to sneak through the back door to get into my blogs - one at a time. The dashboard seems to slap my hand every time I get near it.

If these 404 error problems persist I'll have no choice but to move this site elsewhere. Please stay tuned.

This Sunday, May 25th I'll be interviewing Brant Randall, author of Blood Harvest (and his alter-ego Bruce Cook of Philippine Fever) at The Writer's Chatroom.

Brant/Bruce is becoming one of those "old friends" and I hope he keeps pouring out the books. His writing style is one I enjoy very much whether he's in historical mode or action mode.

On June 1 I'll be interviewing J D Rhoades at TWC! I'll even admit to cyber-stalking him until he said yes.

I've completely re-vamped my website again. This time you'll find oodles of writer's and reader's aids with an abundance of live links to helpful "stuff". Take a look and let me know what you think: www.lindajhutchinson.com

I'm hoping to have more reviews up soon. Have finished Brett Battle's The Cleaner. Fabulous book! He is the only author I know who sold his first book to a major publisher.

Have also finished reading Pandora Key by Lynne Heitman, Glitter of Diamonds by N J Lindquist, and Beloved Castaway by Kathleen Y'Barbo.

And ... I made today's freelance deadline only 4 minutes late - even though the deadline had been moved up because of the holiday weekend.

Now to reward myself by going outside and pulling weeds in one of the new flower beds ... ahhhh, life is good.

I ALMOST FORGOT! Lisa Logan sent me this:

Catch the Creme de la Highlights of Behind-the-Scenes Romantic Fiction!

Ever wonder what parts of a book the writer likes best? Author Lisa Logan shares a special glimpse of her works-in-progress...by posting her favorite line written each day. http://authorlisalogan.blogspot.com/

Review of Blood Harvest by Brant Randall

Title: Blood Harvest
Author: Brant Randall
Pages: 286
Publisher: Capital Crime Press
ISBN: 13:978-0-9799960-1-6
ISBN: 10: 0-9799960-1-5

Brant Randall delivers in this historical mystery based on a story told to him by his grandmother. Although most of us think the KKK was a southern phenomenon, it had a direct hold on the New England states where this story unfolds—and in most other states across the nation.

Brought to life is 1920’s America; a time of prohibition, bootleggers, mob rule, the first sexual revolution, unionization of the workplace, the Spanish Influenza epidemic, returning war veterans of all races and ethnicities, the League of Nations’ promise of no more war, a huge influx of immigrants, speak-easies and jazz. It was a time of extravagant prosperity and extreme poverty.

Told in nine unique voices is the story of the trial and lynching of one successful immigrant, brought about by the greed and jealousy of a moonshiner rival. More intriguing is that the immigrant was married to the rival’s daughter.

How did another body show up at the death site? How much did law officials know beforehand? Was “justice” manipulated to serve specific purposes?

Although fictionalized, Blood Harvest brings us real history. How many of our direct descendants were members of the KKK in that time? Or are now? This book will beg you to search for answers to those questions.

The author’s impeccable research brings history to life. Blood Harvest is a highly recommended read!

Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Winner of a $20 Gift Card to B&N!

During the month of March, The Writer's Chatroom hosted a virtual book tour for debut author Jordan Dane. We had a great time doing it!

Those who posted comments on the blogs of VBT hosts were eligible to win one of five $20 gift cards to that fabulous bookstore.

At the "Show--Not Tell" "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th, we scrambled the names of blog visitors and randomly drew five winners.

All of the winners have been notified except for Margay who visited at Billie William's Printed Words blogsite. We'd love to send Margay the gift card. So ... if you know Margay, please contact me at linda@lindajhutchinson.com.

I've been in Hijacked Browser hell once again

I'm still attempting to repair the damage done during the last attack (which Norton seemed to not notice and IE was oblivious to).

And I'm still having issues getting signed into blogger. My issue isn't covered in any of the blog posts at the help section and trying to post a message is a nightmare.

Every time I attempt to sign into www.blogger.com I receive a 404 error code. This code tells me I've made it to the site, but can't get in. UGH! Ha! Today I found my own way in. Arduously, I might add.

Please bear with me until these challenges are resolved. I've been reading some fabulous books when not fixing my laptop. Upcoming reviews include Glitter of Diamonds, The Cleaner, Holiday Writes (which I have a story in), Blood Harvest, Beloved Castaway, and The Pandora Key.

The "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" for Jordan Dane at The Writer's Chatroom on March 30th was a hoot. We had a great time at all the stops on the virtual book tour! You go, girl! This one is destined for many years of success!

You just never know who might stop by our Wednesday or Sunday evening chats at TWC. Last Wednesday's surprise visitor was Danielle Steel!

Hope to see you soon!

Win! Win! Win!

· Visit each stop of the Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour and leave a comment (with your name). Each stop enters you into the drawing to be held at the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th. (Up for grabs are FIVE $20 gift cards to B&N bookstores.)

· Stop by Jordan’s website: Jordan Dane says, “By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins. Click on the links below for more details.”

· The Browse Inside Link: http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x)

· Visit Jordan’s contest page: http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

· Show up for the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th! Who knows what might be up for grabs there! After all is said and done, this is TWC.

Next up on the tour:
March 19 Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com
March 22 Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com
March 26 Renee’ Barnes at http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/
March 29 TWC founder Glenn Walker at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

Jordan has had plenty to say in our TWC interviews. If you haven’t already done so, visit these previous stops for some first-hand info on how to succeed as a novelist:

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com
Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/
Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

Do You Wannabe Like Jordan (Dane, that is)?

We’ve certainly had some great comments during each stop of the Virtual Book Tour for Jordan Dane.

Why was she chosen to be our first vic … I mean featured author? Because she has a very professional website. Because she has a very professional blog. Because she has a presence on MySpace and other networking sites around the ‘Net. Because she attends every writer’s conference she can possibly get to to network with successful writers, editors, agents. Because she promotes herself as a professional writer.

She isn’t resting on her laurels after having sold SIX books to Avon HarperCollins before the first one hit print.

If you’re like me and wannabe like Jordan, take a look at how you’re promoting yourself. Does your website look like a novice put it together? Do you remember to blog more than once a month? Do you network with other writers?

Or do you do like too many very good should-be-published writers … and hunker down in the corner pretending that you’ve done everything you can and the publishing world and all its agents are against you?

Think about that as you visit the next stops on The Writer’s Chatroom’s “Show—Not Tell” virtual book tour featuring debut author Jordan Dane. Jordan and Avon HarperCollins are offering opportunities to win great prizes all along the tour.

Next up:
March 19 Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com
March 22 Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

Give yourself every advantage to learn from this marketing dynamo—who just happens to also be a very good writer—and read the interviews and comments at previous stops:

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com
Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/
Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

And don’t forget to come to the “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th! There are prizes galore!

Now She's Gone and Done it!

As if offering up five $20 gift cards to B&N bookstores for the drawing on March 30th (from those who leave comments on TWC’s “Show—not tell” Virtual Book Tour) wasn’t enough ...

As if giving away hot-off-the-presses copies of NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM at the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th wasn’t enough ...

Ohhhhhhh, nooooooooooooooooo. Not good enough for debut author Jordan Dane—who is teaching us all how to launch ourselves into the world of “published author” status.

Now she’s got her publisher, Avon HarperCollins, involved in it. And they’re giving away books, too!

This just in from Jordan under the heading of “More Fun Stuff”:

New 3-Ways to Win Contest

“HarperCollins has graciously offered a wonderful incentive to promote the debut of my suspense novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM, upcoming release March 25th.”

“By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins.

Click on the links below for more details.”

Well … there was a big ol’ hurkin’ link inserted, but our very first Virtual Book Tour host Billie Williams shortened it for us. Here it is, The Browse Inside Link: http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x

And here is a link for a contest on Jordan’s website to promote the Browse Inside post, listing the three ways to win: http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

Jordan adds, “No obligation of course, but feel free to forward or post. I'd appreciate it.”

This VBT just gets better and better! The next stops on the tour:
March 15 Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/
March 19 Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Jordan has had plenty to say in our TWC interviews. If you haven’t already done so, visit these previous stops for some first-hand info on how to succeed as a novelist:

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com
Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Recap of the First Two Stops of Jordan Dane's Virtual Book Tour

What a wonderful time we've had interviewing and visiting with Jordan Dane on The Writer's Chatroom's virtual book tour!

Her first stop was at the blog home of Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com. Yesterday, Jordan was my guest right here.

If you'd like first-hand information on how to write the query that gets noticed by an agent--and several publishers--visit Billie's and my blogs to read the interviews and comments. Jordan shares information freely on how to get it done!

Next stops on the tour:March 12 Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/March 15 Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

Not only are the interviews with Jordan very large nuggets of gold, but she interacts "live" with those adding comments on the blogs. AND, everyone who comments during this tour is entered to win in Jordan's contest. The winners will be announced during the live chat at The Writer's Chatroom on March 30th.

Keep writing--and learning about the publishing industry.

Linda

Virtual Book Tour with Jordan Dane!

The Interview:

LINDA: THANK Y’ALL FOR JOINING ME TODAY as I interview debut author Jordan Dane, whose first novel is being released by Avon HarperCollins on March 25th. (She sold SIX to them prior to the first being released!)

Grab a tall cold one, sit back and enjoy the ride. Jordan will be stopping by to respond to your questions and comments.

Since Jordan has thrown a contest into the fray, your comments automatically enter you into a drawing for one of FIVE $20 gift cards to—what else?—a great bookstore. Winners will be announced at the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th at THE WRITER'S CHATROOM.


LINDA: Jordan, for those of us who’ve not yet had the experience of having our novel up for auction (being fought over by publishing houses!), please share your experience with us. How much do you feel the auction activity affected your advance for NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM and subsequent novels? And, perhaps, some additional promotion was negotiated for?

JORDAN: Some of the publishing houses bidding increased their advance offer during the process. My agent (the stylish yet tough negotiator) Meredith Bernstein stirred the pot to keep up interest. She contacted 6-7 houses via phone pitch and electronically sent my manuscript to all of them. Then it became a waiting game.

When an agent has clout like Meredith, she got into the top editors and got them to drop everything to read. And I was able to get into houses that had never seen my work. (The RWA contest circuit is limiting as far as publishing houses that are judging. Yet another reason an agent is great to have prior to selling.) It was a stressful ten days, but an amazing process to watch unfold. I was at work and my receptionist kept getting me out of meetings or transferring calls to me from my agent when she had a new offer. My co-workers were extremely excited for me.

But in the end, a house will use a P & L statement to derive what they’d be willing to pay in advance monies. This P&L statement encompasses their marketing plan, expenses and expected revenues (break out the crystal ball) with a plug number calculated for advance to be paid to the author. The higher the advance, the more in-house promotion they are planning to support the book—always a good thing.

One thing I didn’t realize was that any subsequent advances dovetailed off my first advance. My house couldn’t offer any more money at the time I sold my second 3-book thriller series (since I had no sales to show), but my agent built in a contingency for more advance dollars if my second series netted X-number of sold volumes. That way, I could earn more advance money if my next series took off.

But there is a certain amount of stress knowing that as a new author, I would be tossed into the deep end of the pool with the big guys and gals. All of my books are lead titles. No pressure, right? To stay grounded through all this, I keep writing new books and focus on the one thing I have control over—the writing.

LINDA: You’ve credited author Sharon Sala with helping you to find an agent. What were your networking activities prior to Ms. Sala stepping up to the plate? How does a new author find such support?

JORDAN: Sharon actually got me into her house at MIRA too. Her editor read the book right away and went to committee to buy it. That initial interest jumpstarted the auction process that snowballed from there. Buzz is a good thing.

I had a lucrative job in the energy industry that allowed me to spend money on contests, conference travel, memberships in various professional orgs, creating a website before I sold, pitching to editors and agents, and doing outright proposals. And I got plenty of rejections—many, many, many. My own agent rejected me a couple of times.

When I entered the Golden Heart for the first time in 2005 and became a finalist, that put me on people’s radar, but that was still a roller coaster ride. For my thoughts on contests, the highs and lows, please see my website FOR WRITERS page: http://www.jordandane.com/writers.php I’ve got a Q&A on contests there.

The support I got with Sharon came purely from Sharon’s generosity and being a local chapter mate of mine. Every year she offers anyone in our chapter a complete read (with a light critique) of a mystery/suspense manuscript as part of our chapter’s Finish the Book Incentives Program. There were other incentives there for editors and agents, but I trusted Sharon to give me her honest thoughts and I love her writing. Her version of a light critique was a breathless phone call, “Honey, where do you have this?” and it ended with a 3-M sticky note with the word FANTASTIC! on it. I framed the note and it sits on my desk.


LINDA: Your Rebecca Montgomery is a strong, self-reliant detective who finds love in NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM. Is her man Diego involved in her life in the other books in the series? No spoilers, please!

JORDAN: No. No One Heard Her Scream is more standalone. For now, Becca and Diego are in San Antonio, living at their Paseo Del Rio condo on the river and finding much deserved peace for both of them. That brings joy to my heart after what I put them through. That’s not to say that will always be the case. In the fictional world, anything can happen. For a deeper understanding of the locations I picked for this book (in my old hometown of San Antonio) with excerpts, you should visit my Story Behind the Story images at this link - http://www.jordandane.com/scream_photos.php

I can always make myself shed a little tear when I read the ending on this page—when I picture Diego and Becca together.


LINDA: You’re a self-proclaimed recovering Contest Diva. How important are contest wins when it comes to finding agent representation?

JORDAN: Some agents value this, but not enough to give you any big leg up. I had an extensive bio with my 33 contest finals/wins, but it still boils down to the story you submit. Contests do give you other unexpected surprises later that I had not anticipated. After I sold, I had many pubbed authors contact me to offer support and blurbs because they believed in what they’d seen of my writing through contests as judges. Allison Brennan has been the biggest supporter. I consider her to be a very generous mentor to me now. She’s a very generous person and a gifted author.

LINDA: Because of your background in the energy industry, will there be a series involving industrial espionage or an energy crisis?

JORDAN: I never thought I’d want to write about a career I had for so many years, but my natural instincts as a writer came into play recently when I conjured a domestic terrorism scheme that I hope to use in my Sweet Justice series. My energy industry background and my many visits to field facilities will add some authenticity to my descriptions, for sure. Having some inside info on energy and a propensity for drama and conspiracies, I can really come up with some frightening scenarios. I’m sure I’m on an FBI or Homeland Security watch list.

And because of my energy career, I got to live in Alaska (10 years), which became the adventure of a lifetime. I can’t tell you how many stories this will spawn. I’m sure it will be a bottomless pit.


LINDA: Please tell us more about what we have to look forward to in the Sweet Justice series.

JORDAN: I sold three more books to Avon in May 2007 and I just finished the first book in my Sweet Justice series, romantic thriller. I’m so excited about these books. Here is a sneak peek of the first book and at the thriller series:

“An illusive web of imposters on the Internet lures a deluded teen from her Alaskan home and launches a chain reaction collision course with an unlikely tangle of heroes. This is the initial driver to a new 3-book series from suspense author Jordan Dane and Avon HarperCollins. With an international setting, these romantic thrillers will focus on the lives and loves of three women—a bounty hunter operating outside the law, an ambitious vice cop, and a former international operative with a mysterious past.”

The first series story weaves in and out of remote areas of Alaska, (part of my energy career experience). And I really think I’ve hit a breakthrough in my writing with this book (#4) that I’m tentatively calling EVIL WITHOUT A FACE. It’s an ambitious plot and very fast paced, based on a real crime that happened in 2004 in Florida. My cast of characters is AMAZING and fun to write. I love being in their world. I’m writing book#5 (THE WRONG SIDE OF DEAD)—feeling like I’ve come home to old friends. This series electrifies me.


LINDA: Anything else you’d like to add?

JORDAN: Anyone can reach me via my contact page on my website at http://www.jordandane.com/. And I’d love to have folks sign up on my direct mailing list. I reward this behavior with special offerings & contests and my quarterly newsletter has excerpt teasers and other fun stuff.

Plus I’m a featured author with the International Thriller Writers debut program for 2008. You can check out fun articles, news, and other info by going to ITW’s website at http://www.thrillerwriters.org/. Look for the Debut Authors tab. For anyone writing mystery/suspense debut books, you’ll want to check into this great program.

And come and subscribe to my MySpace blog to see the real me—the side of “me” that my mother cringes at and blames on my dad. I’m getting a devoted following of blog subscribers from all over the world. I’m there to make friends, so you won’t see me working the sales angle hard. And I reply to emails I get through my blog or my website, so write me. I’d love to hear from you.


LINDA: Jordan, thank you for being my guest!

Since this is “SHOW—NOT TELL” month with Jordan Dane at The Writer’s Chatroom, I’d be remiss in my duties if I didn’t direct our visitors today to the next stop on the tour. Please join Kim on March 12th!

March 12 Kim Richards http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

JORDAN: Thanks so much for featuring me the way you have. As a new author, I appreciate the support.

Next Virtual Book Tour Stop of Debut Author Jordan Dane

Debut author Jordan Dane was in top form at the first stop of The Writer's Chatroom's "SHOW--NOT TELL" virtual book tour at the blog home of Billie Williams. http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Next stop? My own blog: http://www.reviewhutch.blogspot.com on March 8th.

Please feel free to leave comments. Since Jordan has thrown a contest into the fray, your comments automatically enter you into a drawing for one of FIVE $20 gift cards to—what else?—a great bookstore. Winners will be announced at the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th at THE WRITER'S CHATROOM. We'll also be drawing for those valuable first copies of NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM at the party.

Here's my review:
Title: No One Heard Her Scream
by Jordan Dane
Avon Harper Collins
ISBN: 9780061252785

Dani Montgomery is but one of the missing, and presumed dead, young women from around San Antonio, TX. She is the focus, and the force, of tough homicide detective Rebecca Montgomery. When Becca is told to stay away from the investigation into Dani’s disappearance, her boss puts her on another case—that of a body found behind a brick wall in an old theater that has been torched.

As Becca investigates the crime scene she realizes she’s being watched by more than one stranger, but one is deliciously tall, dark and dangerous. When she visits the former owner of the theater, a notorious mob boss, she is loathe to find her stranger is his enforcer.

Becca trusts her gut to tie it all together, with the help of one watchful stranger and without the help of the other.

Piecing together evidence at the theater gives rise to the title. NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM by debut author Jordan Dane is a romantic thriller with all the great elements; intrigue, debauchery, retribution and redemption—with libido to match.

Reviewed by: Linda J. Hutchinson http://www.lindajhutchinson.com

Virtual Book Tour with Jordan Dane

One year ago Jordan Dane’s name popped up on my MySpace friend request list. She had already sold three novels to a major publishing house. A few months later, she sold three more to the same house.

Her FIRST novel, NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM will be available March 25th.

Jordan Dane is “one to watch” if you’d like to see how the marketing and networking part of being an author is done—and done well.

We’ll be hosting a live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th at The Writer’s Chatroom. Plan on stopping by to meet Jordan.

In the meantime, please visit this week’s Virtual Book Tour stops as Jordan visits with Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com/ on March 5th.

The next stop will be right here on March 8th! Drop by, leave a comment to let me know you were here.

And … just to whet your whistle, here is the first of our reviews, by TWC founder Glenn Walker.

NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM
by Jordan Dane
Avon Harper Collins
ISBN: 9780061252785

When her teenaged sister disappears and is assumed dead, homicide detective Becca Montgomery is obsessed with finding out what happened. When given a different case to divert her attention she falls into the arms of a charming mob enforcer and soon they find both cases may be related.

Jordan Dane is a mistress of the metaphor and a sorceress of the simile. She uses words as a weapon and the pace never stops. Her characters and their personalities seem as if drawn by a modern day Chandler. Her sense of place is delightful as the flavor of San Antonio comes alive within the pages. This romantic suspenser is a must-read for the genre.

By Glenn Walker http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/ and http://www.comicwidows.com/

Linda
(aka J'linn Kramer)
http://www.lindajhutchinson.com/

Review of Demon: A Memoir

Title: Demon: A Memoir
Author: Tosca Lee
Publisher: NavPress
ISBN-13: 978-1-60006-123-3
ISBN-10: 1-60006-123-0
Pages: 311

A cadence of language, lush and near-hypnotic, draws the reader in before realizing this is God’s story, told through the eyes of an eternally-damned demon named Lucian. Deftly interwoven into the life of one normal and fallible man, aptly named Clay, is the story of Lucifer’s fall from grace and Lucian’s one unforgivable act.

Tosca Lee has given us the entire plan of salvation, told through the words of a demon—incredulous that God continues to forgive the inept and unworthy humans—when the fallen angels only made ONE mistake.

Realizing that Lucian has drawn on Clay's every dream and thought to lead Clay into a clever deception, he realizes too late that the only truth Lucian has told is that his story has become Clay's. Obsessed, what matters most to Clay is learning how the story ends.

Ms. Lee has written a masterpiece. If all references to Christianity were removed from this novel, the plotline would stand on its own merits, leaving the reader sated--yet wondering what if.

Fictionalized reality. A haunting delivery. Destined to be a bestseller!

Crime and Clutter by Cyndy Salzmann

TITLE: Crime and Clutter
BY: Cyndy Salzmann
ISBN-13: 978-1-58229-644-9
ISBN-10: 1-58229-644-8
Pages: 270

Liz Harris and her Friday Afternoon Club take us back to the 60’s in hilarious fashion as they wend their way through the mysterious past (and identity) of one of their own. Good eats (with recipes) are as much a part of who each of the FAC members is as is the diversity of personalities.

Cyndy Salzmann has another winner here. Without violence, gore, gratuitous sex or preaching, she leads us back to a time of war, peace marches, civil disobedience—not to mention free love, free sex, and drugs—that many of us lived through but didn’t quite understand.

Crime and Clutter is part history lesson and part psychology 101, but mostly a tale of friendship and honor, forgiveness and redemption.

Linda J. Hutchinson
Freelance writer/copywriter
www.lindajhutchinson.com
http://writerschatroom.com
www.myspace.com/lindajhutchinson


This review may be re-printed as long as the entire post is used, including the reviewer's name and contact information. Please contact reviewer with information regarding where re-print will appear.

The Grail Conspiracy by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore

The Grail Conspiracy
by Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore
ISBN: 0-7387-0787-2
Midnight Ink/Llewellyn Publications
Pages: 343

Abandoned in the Iraqi desert while covering a story for SNN, reporter Cotton Stone trudges through the night to find a way to get the hell out of there.

Happening upon an excavation site, she witnesses a to-the-death fight. One man lay dead as a dying man hands her a box and speaks to her in a language known only to her and her dead twin sister.

Cotton enlists the aid of Father John Tyler, a biblical history scholar on leave from his duties as a priest—but not from his vows—to authenticate the contents of the wooden box she has smuggled out of Iraq.

Together they deliver what is believed to be the Holy Grail to the Vatican, as Cotton finds herself overshadowing her former lover and senior in the news business, with the biggest story to hit Christiandom since the crucifixion.

A transparent battle between the forces of good and evil rages for control of the Cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper; the same Cup used to collect His blood the next day.

Cotton and Father Tyler run for their lives as those close to Cotton wind up dead, one after another. Only when the trail leads them to New Orleans after the Cup is stolen from the Vatican, do they begin to understand the forces of evil at work. Cotton’s faith in her family, even in her deceased father, is shaken as pieces of truth come to light.

Until meeting Cotton, Father Tyler had been a man on a mission, wanting to serve God, without understanding what his mission was to be. He learns that everything in his life to this point has been to prepare him to avert a sacrilegious Second Coming of Christ.

Sholes and Moore have written a fast-paced thriller devoid of boring lectures and endless pages of backstory that crashes religion, politics, and science into one gigantic ball of fire. A multilayerd tale of suspense from beginning to end. Highly recommended!

Linda J Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com

A Red Dark Night by A.P. Fuchs

A Red Dark Night
by A P Fuchs
ISBN: 0-9734848-0-2
Coscom Entertainment
Pages: 214

If you’ve ever been to summer camp … this is the “stuff” of the best campfire tales! Just don’t let your kids read it before heading off to Camp Silverway.

Fuchs leads us to a night decades ago where he introduces the nightmare of B-horror red syrupy goo, and then on to one tormented survivor’s attempts to overcome the nightmare by re-visiting the camp—this time as a counselor.

Creatures of darkness and blood multiply rapidly to engulf the camp in a dome of blood, leaving our heroine and Tarek with no place to go.

Quick pacing, intense sexuality and believable characters, make this a quick read. We travel through time and on to another world—or our world in the future or the past?—before splashing down again to re-live the past, and just maybe the future, all over again.

Linda J Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com

T: An Auto-Biography by Feather Schwartz Foster

T: An Auto-Biography
by Feather Schwartz Foster
Illistrated by Kathe Gogolewski
ISBN: 10:0-9785158-3-8
13:978-0-9785158-3-6
Red Engine Press
Pages: 68

Feather Schwartz Foster delivers yet another inspired romp through history, this time with a Model-T Ford as the narrator and star of the show.

Geared for the younger audience, T will be enjoyed by young and old alike for many years to come. This is the type of story we want to read to our children and grandchildren, and one they’ll keep asking for.

“T”, as he likes to be called, brings us full circle from the showroom floor and his first family, to his return to the fold many years later … including his long-term friendship with Gloria, a beautiful Cadillac with shiny headlights.

History gets “bent” just a bit but that, too, should open a few dialogue doors with the younguns.

This one is a keeper. Congratulations to Ms. Foster for sharing such an enjoyable ride.

Linda J Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com

Phil and The French Country Inn by Cree Forman

Phil and The French Country Inn
by Cree Forman
ISBN: 0-9748791-0-X
Pages: 178

Phil Forman began writing a cookbook at the urging of his customers. He’d managed to build and run a successful French restaurant, in a tiny North Carolina town, without ever having been to France. It’s no wonder his guests wanted those recipes immortalized.

Phil and wife Cree were able to make several trips to France over the years, but Phil passed away before he could complete his cookbook. Based on the love and trust of 47 years of marriage, Cree took on the task of completing not only the cookbook, but the story of Phil’s Country Inn, his years as a chef, his training in France, and his “Daddy” years.

With love, Cree takes us on the winding roads through the mountains and valleys of France and lets us get to know the French men and women they encountered, and those who became lifelong friends. We also meet their customers in North Carolina, and some unsavory folk both here and abroad.

This book will appeal to anyone studying French cooking, wishing to visit France, or who just wants to read about a man who never gave up on his dreams—and of the woman who loved him enough—believed in him enough—to help him realize those dreams and the completion of his book.

Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com

Review: Philippine Fever by Bruce Cook

This review may be found at Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine (FMAM).

Philippine Fever by Bruce Cook

I've gotten a bit behind on reading/reviewing while recovering from an illness and subsequent surgery. More to come soon!

Linda J. Hutchinson
Freelance Writer/Copywriter
www.lindajhutchinson.com
www.lindajhutchinson.com/blog
http://lindajhutchinson.blogspot.com
http://writerschatroom.com

New Photo for the Website

This is the new photo for my website. You can read about how it came to be at my blog.

New reviews will be posted as soon as the links are received from the publishers.

Thank you for visiting!
Linda

Review: Blue Valor by Illona Haus

Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, Blue Valor

Review of "Blue Valor", second crime/detective book out by Illona Haus. An excellent read!

Review: Steven by Marvin Curtis Reid

Review of “Steven”
Author: Marvin Curtis Reid
Publisher: iUniverse


Foreword: I’ve decided after reading this book that “street fiction” isn’t my genre of choice and that choice comes through loudly in my review. Please consider this and draw your own conclusions. ljh

I believe the subject matter of this book has been ignored much too long. I also felt a sense of ‘justice has been done’ in the ending. The ending was believable and carefully crafted. The short stories of other abused men that followed the ending should have been edited, but added credence to the basis for the story.

The remainder of the book is an “I’m telling you this!”, rather than a careful and credible showing of the events taking place, which all lead up to Steven’s near demise at the hands of a very troubled woman named Julie/Julia/Baby (although all the women he beds are indiscriminately called “Baby”). While Steven readily acknowledges his lack of sexual self-control—and his inability to take responsibility for ‘responsible and safe’ sex with women he supposedly cares about—there is entirely too much free gratis and graphic raw sex to keep the average reader interested in the real story, which this reviewer believes needs to be told, but could be told much better with some careful editing.

It reads more as a rabbit’s romp from hole to hole, culminating in—at least Steven must believe he is a stud extraordinaire— his nearly being killed for these earth-shattering-sex-capable-of-changing-the-earth’s-orbital-axis dalliances. This reviewer believes more than a few women readers, before getting to the end of this tale, would think Steven deserves to be shot for his indiscreet indiscretions.

There were numerous spelling, grammar, punctuation and other syntax errors that took away from the story. One character in Steven’s life, a co-worker, was brought into the story promising, at the very least, more backstory, but suddenly disappeared from the cast with no warning, reasoning, or satisfying explanation.

More ‘fleshing out’ of characters, plot, and places is needed—but please NO MORE SEX SCENES!

Sexploitation—5 stars
Plot—1 star
Character development—2 stars
Pacing—3 stars

Review: Crimes Against Commerce by E. D. Easley

Title: Crimes Against Commerce
Author: E. D. Easley
Publisher: Cloonfad Press
ISBN: 0-9769404-3-4
Pages: 243

E.D. Easley is a snarky guy. We belong to the same writer's group, but that isn't why I chose to review his latest book. No, that reason will only be known to you AFTER you've read the book.

Irreverant, insightful, and at times--brilliant! Where else can you find a Mafia hit man, an IRS agent, a cat that won't die, Satan, God, a beautiful woman, and an oozing monster, all in the same book? And then there's "Stretch Walker".

A fun, freaky, frolicking ride all the way through this farce! “Life is stranger than fiction”…this one is so off the wall that it could happen in real life. It just could! And sometimes…it just does.

Brought to you in the living color that is E.D.'s everyday vocabulary, "Shit happens. It just does."

If you’ve never been to hell and back, climb aboard for a round trip in hilarious fashion. Hate your ex? These characters can take care of that matter for you. Ever been audited by the IRS? Just ask for redemption here.

Written in everyman’s everyday language, this one is a fun read. Go ahead—get lost in the world of E.D. Easley’s characters. Build your world around them. They’ll take you for a ride in theirs.

From Mafia hitmen to Sho Rin Ku master Kow Pi, you’ll savor each personna Stretch meets on his way through life. Life—the way it should be.

Reviewer: Linda J. Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
03/09/06

Purchase this book at Amazon.com

Review: Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith

This review may be read at FMAM

Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith

My Reviews at Amazon.com

My Reviews at Amazon.com

Review: Killing Neptune's Daughter by Randall Peffer

Killing Neptune’s Daughter
Randall Peffer
Speck Press
ISBN 13: 978-1-933108-05-6
ISBN 10: 1-933108-05-3

This review may be viewed at Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, review of Killing Neptune's Daughter by Randall Peffer.