Happy Thanksgiving

Dreaded Thanksgiving Tradition

With the holiday season descending upon us many traditions are looked forward to. Others will be sadly missed. And still others earned at one time or another the title of:

Dreaded Thanksgiving Tradition

1960's

Every year on Thanksgiving we had special guests, Grandma and Grandpa. We could see their house from our front window but they only came to visit once a year--on Thanksgiving. And they never stayed past desert. I even remember one of my older sisters being notified to make the call. The phone call, on the party line, to Grandma and Grandpa informing them that the turkey was coming out of the oven. They were that close.

Maybe this is strange to some, but I was a child and didn't know differently. I remember asking why they never came at Christmas and being informed that they bypassed us on Christmas to go further up the lane to our cousin's house. I was miffed until Mother smoothed it over with explaining that there were two houses of grand-kids up there and none of us, including me when I got older, wanted to combine three families of rowdy kids under the age of seventeen in one house. Don't get me wrong, I love my cousins, even the boy cousins my age, but twenty kids locked indoors for hours because it is too cold outside to do play or do chores? I'll take Grandma and Grandpa on Turkey day.

Every year had a few new and interesting twists, but of one thing I could always count on--Grandpa saying the prayer. Okay, so he is the patriarch and it is his right, but we kids dreaded that prayer. In his younger years, Grandpa was the Bishop of our sprawled community. Need I elaborate?

Didn't think so.

Love the man to death but when he prayed the sun went to sleep. He mentioned every kid by name and thanked the Lord for them and especially if the youth had accomplished something important in the past year-- learned how to milk a cow, including stripping it, graduate high school the previous spring, lost a tooth, anything at all. Lest you think that isn't bad, he didn't conclude there. He prayed over every field, I seem to recall two ranches and a lot of hay and potato fields. That done he would move on to the herd of sheep notated by how many lambs the ewes had dropped last spring. From there he covered the herd of cattle, both the milk cows and the ones going to market and the livestock expected to drop more offspring in the coming year. Did I mention the chickens, the geese, the gardens and the orchards? But wait, we aren't done! He had to mention those neighbors that had weathered an overly difficult year and those whose lives were prosperous before turning his prayer to one of blessing the coming year.

I shouldn't bore you with all this except that I really need you to sympathize with me when I admit to drinking my shrimp cocktail long before the closing "amen(s)". Hey, I was a kid and I knew the turkey would be cold--again, along with the homemade stuffing, the green beans and the jell-o salad.

All I can say is that these days the turkey still doesn't taste right if it isn't room temperature. Of course, the rolls were hot as they had been kept in the warmer, but if you weren't fast, you got the frozen ones that didn't fit. Can you really blame a kid for dreading the families Thanksgiving Tradition?

I Will Sing My Songs for You by Harry McGilloway

Contemporary Romance

Simon – christened Steven Kelly, is a successful musician and front man of Simon and the Heartbeats. A song writer in need of a break, he rents a cottage in the rural Inishowen of Donegal County looking to reconnect with his art.

Full review at http://indtales.com

Subscribe for free today.

Dare to linger here on an autumn afternoon...

Aged but well kept.
What might one find in the barnyard or in the barn?

Ava's Wishes by Karen Pokras

Contemporary romance

Ava Haines is a senior at Wolfenson College pulling a double major, Art and Business, while she works as an intern in her chosen career at a thriving gallery nearby where her talents are indispensable. Max Wallis is the last nude model for the art department winter semester...

That is not the half of it. This book is nominated for a RONE which will be awarded September 2015. The competition is stiff. Check out his full review and more at http://indtales.com  While you're there, subscribe for free!.
 

Blackwood Crossing by M.K. McClintock

Historical Romance

Rhona Davidson, a Scottish lass requiring a protective escort, is forced to make a choice—loyalty to her family, meaning a marriage to a man she despises, or following her heart and becoming involved once more with a man she has vowed she would never love again. 

I loved this book with its historical background, even if I am a relatively new reader to the genre. Read the whole review at http://indtale.com  Subscribe to the e magazine for more reviews.

InD'Scribe Con

http://bit.ly/indscribe
http://bit.ly/InDConRooms

Ready? Get Set...Carve!

Not sure if I heard this somewhere before or if I came up with this, but... sharing here.

Question: Why is Halloween the first festivity of the holiday season?

Answer: So that no matter how frightful your efforts, you succeed!

We all need success, why not grab this holiday to stir up some?

So many beautiful jack-o-lantern photos on the web to share. Actually too many. No, I did not carve any of these and have no claim on any of them. My effort for this festivity is to enjoy the ones I see (and share a few here!)

The Best Medicine by Tracy Brogan

The sexy and successful plastic surgeon, Dr. Evelyn Rhodes manages to survive the ninja birthday party complete with tiara and sparkly confetti on her thirty-fifth birthday, but a call to ER to stitch up one very perfectly symmetrical Tyler Connelly puts her happily single status at odds with her raging pheromones. 

Checkout the full professional review to this fun contemporary romance at http://indtale.com

From the Frozen Depths Children of the King – Book Three by Gloria Clover

Princess Padar Lacer arrives on Dharani Island anxious to meet the people she will rule and serve but a case of hasty misunderstanding sweeps her off to a rather chilling and dangerous encounter. Her medic training has not prepared her to be a sponge to the military commander, Jym Fountayn in this Inspirational Speculative Fiction.

If you like a mixture of your genres; Inspirational, Science Fiction, Speculative and Romance this may be the perfect fix for you. If not? Well, you will still want to check this one out. Start with reading the full professional review at http://indtale.com

Playing Cupid (Heavenly Bites Novella #3) by Christine S. Feldman

For Aimee Beasley living with Grams is a joy, a choice she has happily made even if it means being Grams favorite project, as in trying to fix Aimee up with every available bachelor in the neighborhood. Aimee knows Grams means well and is anxious to return the romantic favor... 

Check out the award nominated novella's review at http://indtale.com

I loved this story!

Calling All Historical Authors!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=662825403833021&set=a.168859033229663.35699.100003167037905&type=1

This is an exciting opportunity for Historical genre authors. Share your knowledge and get exposure to other authors and readers alike. This is a continuing column so there is no specific deadline. Submit today!

Breaking News!

http://bit.ly/InDScribeFacebook

This news is so BIG we had to give you almost a whole year to save the date, reserve your lodgings, make travel plans and of course--get there!!!!!

Reviews to watch for:

Playing Cupid (Heavenly Bites Novella)    by Christina S. Feldman   Short Romance
The Best Medicine                                       by Tracy Brogan               Romance
From the Frozen Depths (Children of the King Series) by Gloria Clover   Inspirational Romance
I Will Sing My Songs for You                      by Harry McGilloway       Contemporary
Ava's Wishes                                                by Karen Poktras                Contemporary Romance
Beautiful One                                               by Mary Cope                      Young Adult - Romance

It's been a busy couple of months with reading these novels and a few more. Stop by on Sundays for a sneak peak at my full reviews where they can be found at InDTale.com
Signing up is free and there are a lot more reviews by other professionals just like me. At InDTales, we support indy authors and small publishers.At InDTales, we make quality reads easier for you to find and download.
(Download book for purchase from Amazon by clicking on cover art. Sorry, I don't feel it wise to offer the same service here.)

Happy reading!
Note: As a professional reviewer, I cannot accept requests to read and review manuscripts personally. Thanks for understanding.
But hey, if your book is polished and ready to publish, why not submit it to InDTales for a free, honest and professional review! See enclosed links for submission guidelines.

The 25th Hour by Jaye Garland

Sheridan Wells, a Houston architect, accidentally falls through the fabric of time in a way that keeps the reader searching for the cause as much as the character does in 1877. 

For full review, please visit: http://indtale.com

Cub Creek by Grace Greene

Libbie Havens likes being on her own and when she stumbles upon an old home on Cub Creek she buys it. Her cousin, Liz, isn't sure it is the right thing to do and Libbie finds her decision fraught with challenges. 

To read full review visit: http://indtale.com

Silver Linings

Drew Westfall is running from a past he is ashamed of: The cold cruelty of money. What he doesn't realize is that running isn't the answer, especially when confronted with the late winter of Bridger, Colorado. 

This is the second book from Kaylee Baldwin that I've read and mentioned here. This one out shines the last if that is possible! Her books are filled with the same spirit she radiates in person.

Please visit http://indtale.com/magazine for the full review.

Well done Kaylee!

Love's Duplicity Update

Be the first to know and it's a secret--not the one related to InD'Tale e magazine, It is on its way (okay in a round about way) to Hollywood...






(SCREAM)  
                  Hands a little jittery at the moment.
                                                                     Skeeeee!!!!!!

Blackout

Aurora Black has very little memory of her life before waking up in a box with dead bodies. She should be dead; instead her ability to survive is complicated ...

Please visit http://indtale.com/magazine for a full review.

Sign-up for free subscription.

What's the secret?

I've got a secret, (singy songy voice) but I can't share it.www.InDTale.com Check back 'cause I have a big mouth on this one and trust me, this one is BIG!

Love's Duplicity Update

May are aware, and some are not, at one time this project was slated for being published under three separate covers as a trilogy. Today it stands a a 600+ page volume, parts One, Two, and Three. Beta Readers have it in their hands, both those who have read two of the previously mentioned books and those reading this tale for the first time. Early reports are promising.
Now I have two tasks:
1) decide if I will Indie publish or submit to an agent. Hummm. Big decision.
2) Finish the review on my plate and get busy writing while the ideas are fresh and still not fleshed out...you see, I tend to get bored once I figure out all the details. I just know that the next one has several four foot critters in it. Getting you to love the critters and the characters is the puzzle to be solved on my end.

Monday Meetings

Monday and meetings seem to go together and well, let's face it--something always goes wrong.

Today our meeting included reviewers (professional) from around the globe. Our biggest glitch is getting everyone on the Google+ chat group. We failed. Okay, try another and more complicated program. (They will remain nameless) FAILURE. Back to Google+ with only ten of us. What can I say? For being located around the world, we are a pretty tight group. A family of nutysy sisters bent on a joint goal: To bring readers and Indie authors together.

I myself am a reader and writer (Obviously if you've hung out here for a bit.)

I can't share the meeting agenda with you but.... hang on. Find your favorite InD'Tale Reviewer to follow and a few awesome indie books and watch carefully. We will be releasing some major BIG news soon.

Hint: We've got to cover legal bases!!!
www.indtale.com

Tequila Mockingbird

Rachel finds the new and improved Kes gorgeous in spite of her friend's claims to his bad character. But when her sister is kidnapped, she can't turn to the police and finds herself needing Kes's help.

Please visit http://indtale.com/magazine for full review. While there, sign up for free subscription and get reviews of indie authors books every month.

The Case of the Killer Divorce

Jamie Quinn is a family law attorney nearing the end of yet another divorce case but this one has the parties in tears and issuing threats as the custody battle ensues. 

When the soon-to-be ex-husband turns up dead, Jamie finds herself in the middle of yet another murder needing to be solved. 
Please visit http://indtale.com/magazine for the full review and while you're there sign-up for your free subscription!