Meet and Greet with Author R. K. Avery

This coming Saturday and Sunday, September 13 and 14 I will be appearing at Weekend of the Pooka, A Celebration of the Arts, in beautiful downtown Bedford in the Commons from 1 to 5 PM each day.  This makes the third year I have done this and it is always lots of fun. 

Here is a blurb straight from their website and I have included the link below:  The fifth annual Weekend Of The Pooka:  A Celebration Of The Arts is September 12 through the 14th.  This event showcases a myriad of art to view, buy, try, make and take and includes a fine art show, authors, live entertainment, gourmet food, and hands-on crafts. The Commons in historic Bedford comes alive with color, excitement and fun!  Free Admission! Free Parking! Free Entertainment! Free Family Fun!

Last year (if you live in the Cleveland area) well-known TV personalities Dick Goddard and Dan Coughlin were there.  This year's list is guaranteed not to disappoint.  You can check it out on their website under the Meet the Authors tab on the right side of the screen.  Look who got top billing :)  Of course it helps when your name is Avery :)

Weekend of the Pooka

I truly hope to see you there.  

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com

@rkavery1

Let Me Recommend a Good Book or Two or Three

As I mentioned in an earlier post last week, my third book was released in eBook format on August 6th.  This book is the final in the Miller Family Saga yet it is very different than the first two.

Book number one, Be Careful What You Wish For, started out as a true story and for those of you who don't know, I was almost kidnapped from a beach -- the scene eerily similar to the one described in the first chapter of Be Careful What You Wish For.  Luckily my story had a happy ending but I always wondered what may of happened if it didn't.  So I penned Be Careful What You Wish For to write my own ending.  This is a book about a simple minded uneducated woman who has four young boys and wants a little girl -- so much so that she is willing to do what ever it takes to get one.  Tormented and abused by her own father, she doesn't know what it means to love unconditionally.

After I finished writing Be Careful What You Wish For so many people asked, "What happened next?"  "What happened to David and Bea?"  So I decided to write book number two, and finish telling the story of how it all turned out.  Thus, Not My Mother's Son was created. 

This book picks up where the first one leaves off.  It gives you a more personal relationship with several of the key players and allows you to follow their lives, no matter how good and no matter how bad.  It links back to the first book many times throughout and leaves you wondering how a mother can do such a thing to her own child.  But before you pass judgement remember, things aren't always what they seem.

My third book, titled Reflection in the Mirror introduces us to a different family but several of the characters from the first two books make an appearance.  This book is about a set of identical mirror twins who are violently separated but their bond is so strong, they can still feel each other's presence.  I am so proud of it and I hope you like it too.

Like I mentioned in the first paragraph, all three books are available for sale at fine book retailers.  If you visit a book store and can't find it on the shelf, ask one of the associates and they can order it for you.  Reflection in the Mirror is only available in eBook format at this time but the print version will be coming soon.  I have included a link to several sites at the top of my blog page for easy navigation.

If you happen to purchase a copy on-line, it would mean the world to me if you would leave a review.  Whether good or bad, every review helps.  Happy Reading!

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@rkavery1

Miracles Happen Every Day - Here's Proof!

For those people out there, and I know there are many, who do not believe in a higher power, let me share a story with you.

On Tuesday of this week, my husband was driving down the turnpike and hit a patch of water.  He was in the center lane of a three lane highway and hydroplaned.  His SUV spun around and hit the concrete median which caused it to flip over.  Once it flipped, he skidded along on his roof and hood for quite a ways before it came to a complete stop.  Fearing someone else might do the same thing and hit him, he unbuckled his seat belt and climbed out the window.  Here is a picture of his car taken last night at the impound lot.

He was able to walk away from this, with only MINOR injuries.  He cut his leg which required 10 stitches and he hurt his left shoulder.  No broken bones.  No neck or back injuries.  Let me repeat, he was able to walk away from this with only MINOR injuries.  Whether you believe or not, someone was watching over him. 

You might say, "Well if someone was watching over him, why did he get in the accident to begin with?"  That answer is simple.  My husband has free will, just like all of us, and his free will allowed him to drive a little too fast in the conditions of the day.  He should have been more careful but his free will allowed him to think nothing bad would happen.  When he lost control, someone else took control and saved him from debilitating injuries or even death.  Someone else was there, there is no doubt in my mind.

We drove out to the impound lot on three occasions to gather his personal belongings.  On three occasions we called his personal cell phone and could hear it ringing clear as day, but could not find it.  It was lost somewhere in the vicinity of the dash.  It was so frustrating to hear it ringing and know that it was close but we couldn't get to it.  On the second visit we even had a nice worker from the impound lot help us and he used tools to get into the dash.  Still no success but we could hear it ringing -- the battery was still strong. 

Last night on our third and final attempt to retrieve it, I kept calling it from my phone and it kept ringing.  Three days after the crash the battery was still working.  My daughter and I worked diligently not giving up when all indications were it was lost and could not be found.  Finally, when we removed a piece of the dash, there was a small hole and I stuck my hand in (shoved it really, it was a small hole) and I felt something that moved just a little bit and I knew it was the phone.  I placed a finger on what I thought was the phone and we called it one final time and it vibrated.  I cannot tell you how thrilled we were.  By then it was past 8 o'clock in the evening and the sun was soon to set.  I took off the gloves (we were wearing gloves because there was glass everywhere!) and was able to pick it up between two of my fingers, just enough to tilt it so I could get a better grip.  Out the phone came and I was so happy I could have cried.  Three days trying to locate it, three days of hoping the battery didn't go dead, and many hours of work finally paid off.  As soon as it came out, I looked at my own phone and it was dead.  Completely dead.  No battery life left so I could no longer call it.  Someone, once again, was watching over us and gave us the tools we needed for as long as we needed them. 

So you see, I am a believer.  A believer in miracles.  A believer in the after life.  A believer in God.  How can you not be?

Open your eyes and look around.  There are miracles everywhere.

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@rkavery1

Cover Reveal - Reflection in the Mirror - Book #3

For those of you who have been watching and waiting, my third book was released in eBook format late last week.  My publisher releases the eBook version first while we still continue to work out all the kinks (if there are any) and then the print version follows in about 2 to 3 months. 

This being said, here is the cover for the new book.  There were will a few touch-ups before the hard copy comes out.  Can anyone spot the area of concern?

Here is the back cover blurb, just in case you haven't seen it before:

REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR

Identical twins, Clarissa and Marissa Wagner have more in common than their looks; they share a connection that allows them to know what each other is thinking and to feel each other’s pain; a connection that has astounded doctors, teachers and other professionals their whole life. 

A much anticipated four day weekend turns tragic when Marissa Wagner never makes it home from school.  Each time Clarissa looks in a mirror, she is reminded that Marissa is gone…and feels like the other half of her soul is missing.

June Wagner, their single mother has put her life on hold to raise the twins.  She is distraught over her missing daughter and butts heads with the Sergeant assigned to the case. 

Why aren’t they doing more?  What is taking so long?  Will I ever see my daughter again? she painstakingly wonders.

Hours turn to days, days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months as they attempt to find a witness or a clue that might guide them to where she is.  Although a longshot, the only hope is the visions and feelings a clairvoyant Clarissa Wagner has.  With the help of David Miller, Rich Butler and the Never Give Up foundation they piece together clues that shock even the most skeptical.  Along the journey, David glances in the mirror and realizes he is no longer alone.

When you look in the mirror, who is looking back at you?

Follow me on twitter for the latest updates @rkavery1

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com 

The Dream to TOP all Dreams!

Please follow me on twitter.  I just reached 800 followers!  @RKAvery1

I had the weirdest dream last night.  I dreamt we were dog sitting for my friend's dog.  We do this quite often for some of our friends and neighbors.  We went to her house and picked him up and brought him back home and it started raining.  We went into the house and my great-nephew (who is 6 years old) was there.  The house was where we lived in the dream but it wasn’t the house we live in. 

Anyway, my nephew opened the door and let the dog out.  I didn’t know it, it was growing late so we all went to bed.  The next morning, I woke up sick as a dog.  I was throwing up and sneezing and I had eye boogers and nose boogers and looked like heck!  I couldn’t decide if I should go to work, call the doctor or go to the hospital.   Time started slipping away and before I knew it, it was after noon.  I still felt awful and I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to do.  So I decided to try and call my boss and it wasn’t  my current boss, but it was a boss I had when I worked at K-Mart in the early 1980’s. 

I tried calling and calling and couldn’t get through.  So then I tried calling the doctor’s office and again, I couldn’t get through (I dream this a lot; numbers don’t work, I get a busy signal, I can’t remember the number or I just dial it wrong).  Finally, around 3 PM I told my husband I was just going to drive to the doctor’s office and see if they would see me because I was really bad off.  I got there and there were several rooms.  One room was for registration, several were examining rooms and another room was where they called you back and told you which room to go to. 

The registration room was packed, people on top of people.  I decided to just by-pass that area and go straight to where they called you back.  There were two young girls sitting behind a desk.  No one else was there and it was very Zen.  A waterfall and music softly playing – the walls were moss green and it was very calming and relaxing.  I asked them if I could see a doctor because I was really sick and they told me I had to go back out and register first.  Around this time I remembered we were watching my friend’s dog and I remembered not seeing it all day and figured it must have gotten out.  I called my husband crying hysterically; first about the dog and then the fact I felt so horrible and couldn’t get anyone to help me.  I told him I was going to come home and we needed to go out and look for the dog.

He told me not to worry about it.  He had started a neighborhood task force and if anyone saw the dog, they were supposed to call us.  He said he had it under control and to stay at the doctors until they could see me.

By this time all I wanted to do was go home.  The line at the registration area was still out of control and it reminded me of those videos you see of the people on Wall Street standing there on that giant floor making hand signals and yelling stuff out so I left.

I looked and felt like heck.  I had no make-up on except smeared raccoon eyes.  I was wearing my pajamas which were covered in puke.  I had boogers coming out of every orifice and to top it off, I was worried sick about my friend’s dog.

So I pull in the driveway and see the dog standing at our front door.  I pick him up and he nervously pees all over me.  I open the door to go into the house and people yell SURPRISE.  My husband was throwing me a surprise birthday party. 

Now is that a dream or what???

If anyone can interpret dreams, what in the world does this mean?

Have great day!

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com

@RKAvery1

Custom Ring Tones

Please follow me on twitter @RKAvery1

The funniest thing happened over the weekend.  I have blue tooth in my car so I don't have to hold on to a cell phone when I need to talk to someone.  It has it's pros and cons.  Most times people say they can hear road noise and other sounds on the other end of the line which makes it hard to hear what I'm saying.  I have given up trying to talk to my mom on it because she can't hear anything I say.  She's one of those types of people that likes to hear all about your ailments so she has something to talk to others about but when she misunderstands me, it goes from "I'm feeling good." to "I'm not feeling so good" then she tells someone else I'm not feeling well and before you know it, word has traveled and it gets back to me that I'm in the hospital on my death bed.   So now I try to call her from a land line.

But the funny thing that happened over the weekend was we were riding in the car with the sun roof open.  It was a beautiful day and I appreciate every minute of sunshine we got.  Suddenly, we hear ducks quacking.  I mean these quacks were really close, like they were diving in through the sun roof to attack us.  My husband and I both squinted and kinda covered our heads to ward off the attack when about 20 seconds later, he realized the ring tone he had set for his sister was ducks quacking.  His phone was ringing through my speakers via the blue tooth and we thought we were being bombarded by ducks!  We laughed and laughed. 

Sometimes its the littlest things that make your day!  Sunshine and attacking ducks -- what's not to love?  :)

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1

Childhood Friends Are The Best

Follow me on twitter @RKAvery1 

I would like to send a SHOUT OUT to two of my childhood friends.

Debbie used to live down the street from me about three houses and then across the road.  She was the same age as me and we went through elementary school together.  In five years we were only in the same class twice.  We both liked the same boy at one point (Mike Hendricks) but that didn't come between us.  We had a "cat call" that we used to see if each other was home.  All we did was go outside and make this funny scream.  If I heard it or if she heard it we would reciprocate and send it back and then we knew it was time to play.  They had an Alaskan Eskimo dog named Blaze.  I still remember those ice blue eyes.  She moved to Florida at one point but was back a year later but lived in a different neighborhood.  I still saw quite a lot of her and we both were wild about Shaun Cassidy.  We even saw him in concert.  How funny is that!

Yvonne lived on the same side of the street that we lived on.  There was one house between us where the Valentine's lived.  Even though Yvonne was two years younger than me, we had a lot in common.  Her mom and dad were from West Virginia and they liked Beagles, just like my mom and dad.  They had a swimming pool for a while but once the side busted open and the water flooded their backyard.  She had a chihuahua named Becky and we used to dress her up in doll clothes.  Poor Becky.  She was such a trooper.  We moved away to another neighborhood and left Yvonne behind but we still talk from time-to-time and I look forward to getting her Christmas card every year.   

I usually don't mention names in my posts and if I do, I don't mention last names to protect the privacy of those I speak about.  But both of you know who you are.  I have known you since I was 4 years old and I still consider you some of my closest friends.

Love you!

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1

A Blast From Summertime's Past

I am always amazed how hearing or smelling something can immediately take you back to another time and another place.  It happens when an old song comes on the radio.  I can remember where I was, how old I was and what I was doing the first time I heard it.  One song that immediately comes to mind when I think of this is Rosanna by Toto.  I can remember driving to school in my gold Camaro my senior year of high school, windows rolled down, radio blaring and hearing it on the radio. 

All I wanna do when I wake up in the morning is see your eyes

Rosanna, Rosanna

I never thought a girl like you could ever care for me, Rosanna

and on it goes.  For those of you who remember that song, I bet you just sang it in your head.  It's okay.  I did the same thing.

The minute I smell Coppertone I am transported back to when my family and I would go to the beach.  Living in Northeast Ohio, the ocean is not near but we do have the Great Lakes and several wonderful beaches.  Playing in the sand with my older sister while mom and dad watched with a dutiful eye.

Then you have the smell of charcoal.  I love it!  When I smell it I am reminded of when I was young and the first cookout of the summer season - hamburgers, hot dogs, and more side dishes and condiments than you can imagine.  Cookouts were one of the few times we were allowed to have actual soda pop.  Mom would bring a bottle of RC cola out, crack the lid open and that wonderful brown liquid would splash over ice cubes while my mouth watered waiting for the first taste.  We weren't raised like the kids of today.  Soda pop was only for special occasions and they all came in glass bottles.  When you bought them you had to pay a deposit for the bottles and when they were empty, you took them back to store and got your deposit back so they could be recycled and refilled.   

I remember so many mornings waking up in my bed with the windows cranked wide open as the curtains billowed with the breeze.  We didn't have air conditioning so this was the only way to keep cool.  The sound of robins chirping meant it was summer vacation and the whole day lay ahead and we could do whatever we wanted.  We went outside until lunchtime and then came in only long enough to eat.  The outdoors was our playground - riding bikes, playing hopscotch, swinging on the swing set and playing kickball. 

When you are young you can't wait to grow up.  When you are older you wish you could go back.  Enjoy each minute and make as many memories as you can. 

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1

R. K. Avery meets Reckless Roger

Since I am a starving artist (which leads me to a joke my son recently told me.  What's the difference between an author and a bench?  Give up?  A bench can support a family.) my main source of income is at a job for an insurance company.  We provide health care to a large population of the residents that live in northeast Ohio.  I have been fortunate enough to work here for almost 11 years.

Although I work for an insurance company, I do not sell insurance nor do I interact with members or patients.  I work in the finance area and process payroll for our employees.  I’ve been told by many “they couldn’t pay me a million dollars to do what you do.”  I told my boss I would take $500K and he laughed. 

Anyway, the purpose of this blog is to share a photo with you.  Because we are an insurance company, we take protecting the rights and medical information provided by our members very seriously.  Protected Health Information (PHI) is no joke.  Because of this we celebrate a Corporate Compliance and Ethics week each year.  Fun activities are planned (scavenger hunt, contests, quizzes, etc.) and treats are given out (suckers, popcorn and even ice cream!).

We have our own mascot, called Reckless Roger.  He is our "Mr. Mayhem" and creates havoc wherever he goes .  He comes to visit, poses for pictures and gives out autographs. 

So now you know what I do when I’m not spending my time in front of the computer writing a blog or working on my latest book.  Oh yeah, that and watching Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show.  He cracks me up.

Have a wonderful day. 

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com

@RKAvery1

Blatant Self-Promotion

I am the worst person in the world for promoting my own books.  I know I should talk about them and blog about them more often but I don't like shoving things down someones throat.  If you want to buy them, you will seek them out and buy them. 

Now that that's said, this is blatant self-promotion.  I currently have two books in print and in e-book format.  Some bookstores carry them but even if they don't you can go into any bookstore in the world and request them and they will order them for you.

If you would rather shop from the privacy of your own home while wearing your PJ's, there are several sites that carry my books.  Just click on one of the tabs at the top of this page and you will be redirected to the site. 

Amazon is having a sale right now and you can get both books for less than $25.  That's a pretty good deal considering if you bought them directly from me, it would cost you $26. 

If you would like an autographed copy, contact me at rkavery@rkaverybooks.com and we can work out some type of arrangement. 

In case you are not familiar with my books, the first one, Be Careful What You Wish For, starts out as a true story.  I was kidnapped from a beach when I was 25 months old.  My story, thank goodness, had a happy ending but I wanted to write a book about what may of happened if it didn't. 

Here are the back cover blurbs for both of my books.  It is a series and the third book is at the publisher as I write this.  It is due out mid-2014 so stay tuned.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Bunting Valley, North Dakota—a scenic and picturesque town where nothing dreadful ever happens—is a place where people feel safe leaving their front doors unlocked.   So when beautiful, blue-eyed, three-year-old Maggie Taylor mysteriously vanishes, the Bunting Valley Police Department begins a kidnapping investigation that uncovers unthinkable crimes spanning many years—not only in Bunting Valley, but also in surrounding states and jurisdictions.

Bea Miller is a penniless widow, living a meager existence among the town’s residents with her four young, rambunctious boys. Her entire life, she wished and dreamed of having a little girl of her own. When everything she did to have one of her own failed, Bea takes matters into her own hands and is haunted and reminded of the chilling words of her father, whom she can’t seem to escape no matter how hard she tries.

Through the handwritten journal of Bea Miller, she takes you on a journey into the mind of an individual who believes you can make your own wishes come true—at any expense; and sadly, at the expense of others.

Here is the book trailer if you are more of visual person: 

Book Trailer - Be Careful What You Wish For

My second book, Not My Mother's Son, is a continuation of book one.  It picks up where the first one left off.  The reason I wrote the second book was because I had so many fans asking me what happened to the characters and I thought the best way to tell it was to write another book.  This one was released in 2012.

                                               NOT MY MOTHER'S SON

             Devious.  Conniving.  Deceitful.  Insidious.  David Miller thought he knew his mother.  He thought kidnapping three children was the most appalling and horrendous thing any human being could do and she couldn’t possibly do anything more monstrous.  He thought there was nothing else she could do or say that would astound him.  How wrong he was.

After Beatrice Miller, David’s serial kidnapping mother, is sentenced to thirty years, David Miller moves to Phoenix, Arizona and with the help of a trust fund and an old friend, starts the Never Give Up foundation, an organization dedicated to finding and returning exploited and missing children safely to their families.  With all the bad things his mother had done, David feels it is his unspoken duty to do something worthwhile.

           

Hesitant at first but after reading his mothers journal, David is determined to mend their dysfunctional relationship.  Every time David visits Bea in prison, she comes across as deranged insisting people are trying to kill her.  She ends each brief encounter with a chilling statement, “Remember David, things aren’t always what they seem.”  What does that mean?

            As word about the foundation spreads, the services the Never Give Up are requested time-and-time-again to help where other agencies have failed.  That is, until the police come knocking on David’s door and arrest him, taking him back to Bunting Valley, North Dakota, for the murder of a newborn baby boy. 

Forced to shut down Never Give Up, David is amazed at how quickly the entire world turns their back on him.  The trial begins and his mother’s testimony is the only thing that can save him.  Telling the truth is as foreign to Beatrice Miller as giving up drugs is to an addict.  As everyone in the courtroom holds their breath, you will too…remember, things are not always what they seem.

Again, here is the link for the book trailer: 

Book Trailer - Not My Mother's Son

My third book, Reflection in a Mirror, is not a story about the Miller family, but several of the characters from the first two books make an appearance.  And I can say without them, book number three would not have happened.  I don't have the cover yet but should be getting it any day now.  I will make sure to share it when I do.

REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR

Identical twins, Clarissa and Marissa Wagner have more in common than their looks; they share a connection that allows them to know what each other is thinking and to feel each other’s pain; a connection that has astounded doctors, teachers and other professionals their whole life. 

A much anticipated three day weekend turns tragic when Marissa Wagner never makes it home from school.  Each time Clarissa looks in a mirror, she is reminded that Marissa is gone and feels like the other half of her soul is missing.

June Wagner, their single mother has put her life on hold to raise the twins.  She is distraught over her missing daughter and butts heads with the Sergeant assigned to the case.  Why aren’t they doing more?  What is taking so long?  Why is he so good looking?

Hours turn to days, days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months as they attempt to find a witness or a clue that might guide them to where she is.  Although a long shot, the only hope is the visions and feelings a clairvoyant Clarissa Wagner has.  With the help of David Miller, Rich Butler and “Never Give Up” they piece together clues that shock even the most skeptical.  Along the journey, David glances in the mirror and realizes he is no longer alone.

When you look in the mirror, what is staring back at you?

There have been numerous reviews posted and blog musings and press releases about me and my books.  Google R. K. Avery sometime when you have a moment and check them out.  In the meantime, follow me on twitter at @RKAvery1. 

Have a wonderful day!

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com

@RKAvery1

 

The Marvels of the English Language

I have always heard the English language is one of the most difficult to learn.  All the silent letters and sounds and how in one word a "c" sounds like a "k" and in another word, the same "c" sounds like an "s".  Case in point:  cat and cent.  What is up with that?

So this ignited something in my brain to write a blog about words.  Just normal everyday words that we use and we think nothing of it.  The first of which is 'yesterday'.  It is perfect normal to say yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon but why don't we say yesterday night?  No.  Instead we say last night.  But would we ever say last morning and last afternoon?  No.  What gives?

Another one that has always puzzled me is numbers.  Why don't we say one, two, three....eight, nine, ten, onety-one, onety-two, onety-three....onety-eight, etc.  When we pass the teen numbers, it starts up again; twenty-one, twenty-two, and so on.  It makes absolutely no sense.  Why are the teen numbers so special?

Something else that I always wondered was why is it perfectly acceptable to combine English with other languages in the same sentence?  Like the word deja vu.  This is a french word yet it's perfectly normal to use it in a sentence with other English words, "Oh, that was definately deja vu."  Why is that?  Why doesn't it translate to something else like most other words do?

The more I think about it, the more puzzling it becomes.  If anyone knows Rosetta Stone, can you ask her and let me know?

Have a great day!

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1

Book Blast - Still Life with Strings by Author L. H. Cosway

I am pleased to host L. H. Cosway and her novel Still Live with Strings!

About the Author

L. H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilization, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature.  She lives in Dublin city.  Her inspiration to write comes from music.  Her favorite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books!

Her latest book is the contemporary romance, Still Life with Strings.

Visit her website at www.lhcosway.com.

 

Connect & Socialize!

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

*********************************************************************************

About the Book:

My name is Jade Lennon and I stand still for money.

The night I saw Shane Arthur watching me everything changed.  A man in a suit always catches my eye, but it was the way he looked at me that was different.  Like he knew me or something.  He didn’t know me, especially not in my costume.  My sobriety rests on staying away from men, but there was something about him that made me throw caution to the wind.

After all, I was never going to see him again, right?

Wrong.

Standing still isn’t the only way I make money.  I also bartend at a concert hall.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think Shane was going to show up there.  Not only that, but he’s the most recent addition to the orchestra.  So now on a daily basis I have to resist one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever met and he plays the violin.  For me that’s one hell of a deadly cocktail.

He wants me to teach him how to live.  I’m not sure how much a twenty-six year old recovering alcoholic who works in a bar and moonlights as a living statue can teach a world class concert violinist, but I’m sure going to try.

Still Life with Strings is a story of music, art, sex, magical realism, and romance that you will never forget.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

I hope you enjoy these book spotlights I do from time-to-time.  As a writer, I never hestitate to help promote the work of other writers since I know how hard it is. 

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com

@RKAvery1

Update on Book #3 - Reflection in the Mirror

Hi there.  Thought I would take a moment to update everyone on the progress of my third book, Reflection in the Mirror.

My publisher sent it back to me last Wednesday and I printed it off and spent many hours over the weekend reading it, re-reading it, and checking for inefficiences and typos.  It's amazing how much you miss when you are the one writing a book.  When I'm in the thick of the creative process, the girl has on a pink sweater on one page and the next page she's wearing a purple sweater.  Or the character pours a cup of tea and on the next page, she dumps the remainder of her coffee in the sink.  It's little things like this that we don't see.  I always try to take a few months before going back over it because it seems like a brand new book to me and I can see and find things I wouldn't normally find if I reviewed it immediately.

But the good news is, it's done!  I emailed it back to Brighton late yesterday.  I am sure they will go through my changes again and then send it back to me for one final check before it's ready to hit the printers.  I should be getting the cover any day now and I can't wait to see it and share it with all of you.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and don't forget it's not about the Easter Bunny.  It's about the King of Kings who has risen!

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1

Book Blast - Broken Family by Author Kevin Hopson

I am pleased to host Kevin Hopson and his Broken Family Blog Tour.

About the Author

Prior to hitting the fiction scene in 2009, Kevin Hopson was a freelance writer for several years, covering everything from finance to sports. His debut work, World of Ash, was released by MuseItUp Publishing in the fall of 2010. Kevin has released several other books through MuseItUp since then, and he has also been published in various magazines and anthology books. Kevin's writing covers many genres, including dark fiction and horror, science fiction, and crime fiction.

His latest book is the crime/mystery, Broken Family.

You can visit Kevin’s blog at www.kevin-hopson.blogspot.com.

About the Book

Sheriff Joseph Mauro is summoned to a local lake in Stone County, having received a report of a dead woman along the water’s shore. With foul play a possibility, he utilizes the help of his two female deputies in questioning family members and friends. As the three of them search for clues and possible motives, the case takes an unexpected turn, and Sheriff Mauro must rely on his instincts if he is going to weed out the killer.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

 

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com        

@RKAvery1

Book Blast - Another Heaven by Author Annu Subramanian

About the Book:

Annu Subramanian's new novel, ANOTHER HEAVEN, exposes with unflinching honesty and deep psychological insight the twisted relationship between terrorism and human trafficking. ANOTHER HEAVEN may be difficult to digest in part, but its frankness and refusal to turn away from the unsparing horror of its terrible premise make the book an essential addition to the literature of terrorism and its links to international human trafficking.

Subramanian, a self-described “writer of conscience,” employs her considerable literary skills in the service of shining a bright light on human rights abuses and terrorism. In her previous novel, WAITING FOR THE PERFECT DAWN, Subramanian focused on bringing awareness about the suppression of women and domestic violence.

Purchase your copy:

AMAZON

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

About the Author:

Annu Subramanian is the director of the Writing Center at Brown School, Schenectady, New York. She co-founded Albany Women Connection, a support group in Albany, New York. She was chosen as one of four national finalists by the Norman Mailer Center and National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in 2011 for her short story, SO FAIR AND VERY LOVELY. She was chosen as Educator of Excellence in 2011 by the New York State English Council.

Her latest book is the factu-fiction, Another Heaven.

Visit her website at www.annusubramanian.com.

Connect & Socialize!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Home from Vacation!

Yesterday morning, I arrived home from my vacation to San Francisco.  I have a cousin, whom I adore, who lives there and I like to go out and visit him and his family as time (any money) allows.  It was a great trip.  It was the first time my husband and son went with me, but it was my fourth visit.

My first visit was in 1999 and I went with my cousin.  The first time you see the Golden Gate Bridge you realize how small it is compared to what you've seen all your life in pictures and movies, but it is still breath taking.  I have heard they never stop painting it.  When they finish they start all over again.  We usually view it from a nearby park instead of going onto the actual bridge.  You can't take pictures of the bridge if you are on the bridge :)

The second time I went was in 2008 when my daughter turned 15.  It was just the two of us and we had a wonderful time.  One of my favorite things to do is drive down to LA and Hollywood.  I am always hopeful I will see someone famous but I never have.  But really, if you were Jennifer Aniston, would you be walking on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in broad daylight when there are tons of people around?  I think not.

The third time I went was in 2013 with my best friend from high school.  It was just the two of us and again, we drove down to LA for a day and a half.  We went into DASH, the store owned by the Kardashians.  It is not what you would expect.  We didn't buy anything.  I saw a book I thought of buying but didn't.  It was $18 and I thought, seeing how the store was their store and the book was written by them, the least they could have done was autograph it.  I saw the exact same book at Wal-Mart upon my return for $5.00.  It wasn't autographed either.

My fourth visit was last week.  It was in celebration of my son and his 16th birthday.  Can you believe my little man is 16 years old? 

I can still remember the day he was born.  His sister came to the hospital to meet her new baby brother and when she saw me, laying on the bed with her baby brother in my arms, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.  I thought to myself, this is truly a Kodak moment.  She walked over to me and reached for the control to make the bed raise and lower.  So much for the excitement of a new baby brother. 

This trip was my first visit to Alcatraz Island.  We went on a night tour and it was extremely creepy!  Climbing in a jail cell where you know the worst of the worst had lived and breathed sent chills up my spine.  We wandered into some dark corridors with only the light from a cell phone to guide us.  The eerie sound of the birds calling was enough for me.  The entire place smelled old and musty.  If there were any ghosts hanging around, I am sure they are very angry.  We did the audio tour.  I still remember the story told by some inmate of being placed in the pitch blackness of solitary confinement.  He said in order to keep from going insane he would take a button and toss it into the air.  He would turn around three times and then get down on his hands and knees and search for the button.  Once he found it, he would do it again and again, just to occupy his mind.  Seeing the beds and toilets and the dining hall brought it all into perspective. 

This was the first time I also got a chance to drive up the coast, well my husband drove up the coast.  We took highway 1 from San Francisco up to the Redwood Forest.  It was such a beautiful view and watching the water crash onto the rocks cannot be described with a mere picture, although I will try.

At one point were were trying to find the Avenue of the Giants as we passed huge tree after huge tree.  Our GPS took us to some discreet trailer park where there were no trees.  Upon exiting the trailer park, we realized we were driving on the Avenue of the Giants the whole way.  Duh!  It is amazing how big these trees are! 

We actually took a air tram ride in the Redwoods that took us to to top of the forest for a birds eye view.  Despite the fact my son was terrified as he is afraid of heights, the view was unbelievable.  That would be the Pacific Ocean off in the distance.

Our trip ended when we caught our flight back home at 10:33 on Friday night.  It was a long night and when we finally landed 12 hours later, we found out a wonderful family friend had passed away that morning.  Talk about going from high to low, I still can't believe it.  She was the most wonderful person and took care of my children from the age of 6 weeks to when they were old enough to stay home alone.  I have her to thank for the way they turned out as she spent more day light hours with them than I did during the informative years when their brains were like sponges taking it all in.  I love you, Bobbie, and you will be missed.

Please let those around you know how you feel before it's too late.

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1




 

Just a Little Play on Words.....

Sam Frank and Frank Sam were best friends. They did everything together, and they both loved music. Sam Frank was an accomplished pianist and Frank Sam was a harpist. They spent many happy hours playing duets. They both happened to die on the same day.

Frank Sam went to heaven, but apparently Sam Frank led a life that was not as chaste, for he ended up in Hell. After a few weeks, Frank Sam began to miss his life long friend so he went to Saint Peter and asked if he could go down and visit him in Hell. Saint Peter, after much discussion agreed, but told Frank Sam he must be back before midnight. The Pearly Gates closed at the last strike of the clock, and if he wasn't back he would have to remain in Hell forever..

Frank grabbed his harp and went to visit Sam. When he got down there, he discovered that Sam Frank was doing OK in Hell. He was the manager of a disco. The two old friends had a wonderful time together. They spent the day playing duets, and that night, they danced and partied in the disco. Suddenly Frank Sam heard the clock begin to strike midnight. He ran out of the disco and flew back to heaven as fast as he could. He barely made it in before the gates closed.

Soon after he arrived, he gasped and desperately started searching for Saint Peter. When he found him, he told Saint Peter that he had to go back to Hell right away. When Saint Peter asked why, Frank Sam began to wail, "I left my harp in Sam Frank's disco..."

Ha ha.  As I head off to "San Francisco" have a great day!

R. K. Avery
www.rkaverybooks.com
@RKAvery1

Book Blast - Twelve To Murder by Author Lauren Carr

I am honored to host a guest post on my blog with author, Lauren Carr.  Here is a little bit about her:

Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Twelve to Murder is the seventh installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder. Dead on Ice (A Lovers in Crime Mystery) was released September 2012. The second installment, Real Murder will be out in 2014.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Here is the guest post I mentioned earlier:

How Bloody Is Your Mystery? How Much Violence is Too Much

By Lauren Carr

Is your book suitable for a twelve-year old?

A couple years ago, I had written a play, which was performed at a local dinner theater.  Of course, my books were on sale at the theater, and I was thrilled to be asked to sign copies for members of the audience.

At one point, a woman asked me to sign It's Murder, My Son for her granddaughter.  "Is it suitable for a twelve-year old?"

"Why of course," I replied without hesitation and signed away.

Moments later, a friend who had been standing nearby chewed me out.  My books, she asserted, are not suitable for twelve-year olds.  They include murder in them.

Gee, I thought, the grandmother had to already know the book had murder in it.  First Clue:  It's Murder, My Son.

I'm not the person to ask about if a murder mystery is suitable for a twelve-year old.  My mother read Perry Mason to me at bedtime.  I was reading Earl Stanley Gardner and Agatha Christie by the time I was ten-years old.

When asked if my books are suitable for twelve-year olds, I scan the contents in my mind:

• Sex?  Yes, there is premarital sex, but it all happens behind closed doors.  What happens behind the closed door is left up to the reader's imagination.
• Violence?  Yes, people are killed.  They are murder mysteries.  But I don't have body parts and blood flying all over the place.
• Swearing?  Not unless it is suitable to that particular character.  None of my main characters use foul language.

I have determined that my books are clean, and several reviewers have done so as well.  Numerous reviewers have expressed relief.  One reviewer said in a 5-star review on Amazon:  "It is refreshing to be able to read a nice mystery that does NOT contain foul language or sex."

Selecting a murder mystery for a twelve-year old is a difficult task.

First, we need to look at the twelve-year old in question.  How sophisticated is this pre-teenager?  The daughter of this friend who chastised me has a very sheltered life.  However, I know other twelve year olds who have read all of the Twilight series.  Does the child in question watch CSI on television, or is she still into The Big Red Dog on PBS?  That's something the author at a book event can't answer.

A parent can't simply go by the genre tag of "Mystery."  Beneath the genre of mystery, there is a whole breakdown of sub-genres, too many for me to post here.  So, whether it be for a pre-teenager or yourself if you are squeamish about gore and violence -- when looking for a mystery you need to look closely at the book and the sub-genre it falls under.

When considering what type of murder mystery is suitable for a pre-teenager, I suggest looking at the book's focus.

Is the plot line focused on the murder or the mystery of solving the murder?  I have found that some mystery sub-genres focus on the puzzle of solving the murder, like my Mac Faraday Mysteries and Lovers in Crime Mysteries.  Authors of these books seek to challenge their readers to solve the murder before the killer is revealed.  Not only does the protagonist need to solve the puzzle to catch the killer, but they are also challenged in catching the killer in such a way that the evidence will stand up in court and the killer doesn't walk away.

Cozies are almost always a safe bet.  The general rule for a cozy mystery:  Amateur Investigator and murder happens off-stage.  Among the cozies, you can find further sub-categories, which have become sub-genres of their own: bumbling detective, furry detective (I guess Gnarly can be called a furry detective), culinary detective, and hobby mysteries.  If the twelve year old has a particular hobby, most likely you can find a cozy mystery in that area.  There are tons of other murder mysteries under this sub-genre.

Other mystery sub-genres focus on the murder itself.  In an effort to thrill their readers, authors will push the envelope with graphic murders, which will happen "on-stage."  They will contain scenes of torture or rape.  Many times, these mysteries will also contain graphic sex, which may also happen "on-stage" and foul language.  Like amusement parks constantly coming out with the next biggest baddest roller coaster to outdo their last one, authors of these types of mysteries are challenged with each book to make it more suspenseful and sensational than the last one.  Generally, many mysteries that fit into this category will be stalker, serial killer books, and police procedurals.  These graphic murder mysteries will be bloody and violent -- not suitable for twelve year olds, in my opinion.

Notice, I said generally.

The wave of authors publishing independently of commerical publishes has freed mystery writers from writing inside a box forcing them to stick to the rules of genres and sub-genres.  For example, I have had reviewers refer to my books as "gritty cozies".

Because some murders do happen on-stage, they are grittier.  However, I make an effort to make these murders quick and "polite".

How do you pick a mystery for a twelve-year old?

• Think about the child in question.  Find out what he or she is reading now.  If she's reading Fifty Shades of Grey, then anything goes and you have nothing to worry about (literature-wise, that is).
• Take a look at the book you are considering.  Read the book description and study the cover.  These are both good indicators for the tone of the book.  Does it have a fluffy dog on the cover?  Or does it have a comical tone?  If so, it's probably a cozy, which is safe.
• Visit the author's website.  Websites tell a lot about the author and their books.  That's there purpose.  Often, you can download sample chapters from the author's website for free.  There is no better way to know if the book is suitable than to read part of it yourself.

I guess this also begs another question, which the friend who chewed me out was actually suggesting.  Are murder mysteries suitable for twelve-year olds?  Well, the only way I can answer that is by pointing out that I was reading murder mysteries when I was twelve and I turned out okay.

I think.

Depends on who you ask.

Visit her author website at www.mysterylady.net.

About the Book

Two people are brutally murdered in their summer place on Deep Creek Lake. Suspected of the murders, former child star and one-time teenybopper idol Lenny Frost takes innocent bystanders hostage in a local pub and demands that Mac Faraday find the killer. Can Mac save the hostages and himself from the wrath of the enraged has-been by piecing together the clues in less than twelve hours, or will it be a fatal last call at the stroke of midnight?

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

R. K. Avery

www.rkaverybooks.com

#RKAvery1