Guest Post: What influenced you to write a book about a whole family that is crazy for words?

Have you read Carol Weston's "Ava and Pip"?  You seriously should!  And if you have a kid at home, who likes to read, this is the perfect gift for him/her.

Read my 5 STAR review here!

So, then I asked the most pressing question to Carol.  This question will occur to almost everyone who reads this book.

What influenced you to write a book about a whole family that is crazy for words?

This is what she said..

My mom was born in Texas and came to New York to be a guest editor at Mademoiselle Magazine. Later she was the garden editor of House & Garden. My dad was born in Odessa (then part of Russia) and came to New York to write for radio and newspapers. Later he wrote for early network television. My parents talked about words all the time. At the dinner table, if I said, "Like, you know, he goes, 'Bla, bla, bla'..." Dad would say, "I don't know and where did he go?" My parents gently urged us to be as eloquent as possible. Le môt juste. The right word. Mom and Dad never talked about palindromes, but they did talk about words and books.

My husband, Rob Ackerman, writes plays. So he and I talk about words and stories a lot too. We've taken writing courses (Story by Robert McKee) and taught writing courses (at Middlebury College) and we play with words to amuse each other. Both our daughters are good writers too. And all of us speak Spanish. (I also speak French and our youngest also speaks Japanese.) In short, we are word people! And did I tell you that our youngest has a name that is a palindrome? Emme, E-M-M-E.

I'm so glad you liked my book, Vidya, and that you liked Ava and Pip and Bob and Anna, the family with the palindromic names. I do think it's fun that Ava learns about the power of words in AVA AND PIP. And that by helping her sister find her voice, she ends up finding her own...

Thank you for asking me these questions!

You should totally get this book for your kid.

Here is where you can buy: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

5 STAR Review: The Magic Mistake (Oh My Godmother #2) by Barbara Brauner, James Iver Mattson, Abigail Halpin

Sometimes, I crave for just a light read.  If you are like me, reading 3-4 books at a time, you will understand me.  This book has been a perfect fit for my light read time.

Original Title: The Magic Mistake

Series: Oh My Godmother #2

Author: Barbara Brauner, James Iver Mattson, Abigail Halpin

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Release Date: February 4th, 2014

Source: Review copy from the publisher

Genre: Middle Grade

After becoming the most awkward fairy godmother ever, twelve year old Lacey Unger-Ware thought that her magical duties were done for good. In fact, she's just getting started. When Lacey is invited to attend the Godmother Academy it should be a dream come true. But to Lacey it means the total opposite: she'll have to be separated from her friends and family for a hundred years. Um, no thank you! But this is an offer Lacey can't refuse. The fairy godmother Katarina knows that Lacey will be cursed forever if she doesn't complete the magical test. Now Lacey must find the true love for one special lady and arrange the perfect wedding before time runs out. With her best friends Sunny and Paige along to help, there's a glimmer of hope. But where's a fairy godmother to save the day when you need one? Oh, wait... The second book in Barbara Brauner and James Iver Mattson's middle grade series is full of heart and charm, and Abigail Halpin's black-and-white illustrations are irresistible.

REVIEW

Lacey is given a test from Godmother Academy to be a fairy godmother for Gina.  If Lacey doesn't find Gina's true love and get her married by Friday, Gina will be miserable for the rest of her life and Lacey will be hated by everyone forever.  Lacey has no choice, but to agree.  She knows Gina is her best friend, Sunny's mom, who is not ready to come out of her house, still dejected over her recently cancelled wedding.  Even with her friends, Sunny and Paige, ready to help, Lacey is not sure this is not going to work.  But, then things start interesting, when an unexpected proposal comes up to Gina..

Lacey and her friends are one awesome team.  And then there is Katarina, who is checking on Lacey on her godmother performance.  There is Scott, Gina, Lacey's parents - I can keep naming all the characters in this novel and keep telling them I loved them.  There is not even one character that I don't like and that itself is great and awesome.

The authors had built up a perfect regular children's mix with the right amount of fun, action and humour.  It works well for this light read.  The mistakes that Lacey makes every time, like making herself and her friends wear a bridal dress for a whole day, made me love her more.  Lacey is kind, friendly, loyal and true to herself.  Overall, she is a perfect protagonist for this novel.

Did I mention that the occasional illustrations are cute as well?  It is.  When you need a little break, the illustrations fills in your imaginations.

Although this seems like a series, I loved it perfectly as a stand-alone.

This is a great time-out from your busy day.  Fast, humorous, romantic and fun-filled middle grade novel, perfect both for kids and adults.

Infernal Gates by Michael J. Webb

Ethan Freeman, ex-Special Forces Ranger, wakes up to discover he is the sole survivor of a fiery commercial airline crash that killed his entire family. His nightmare is only beginning when he becomes the FBI’s prime suspect. Only Ethan knows he’s not a cold-hearted murderer, but he has no idea what happened to him–and why he alone survived.

He finds an unlikely ally in Sam Weaver, the NTSB Chief Investigator. An ex-military pilot, Sam senses Ethan is innocent. She tries to remain dispassionate in her investigation of the crash even as she finds herself attracted to the man who may be America=s worst homegrown mass-murderer.

Neither Ethan nor Sam realize that shadowy spiritual forces are at work which will alter their lives forever.

A monstrous evil, imprisoned since the time of the Pharaohs, has been released by The Nine, a sinister group of powerful men and women who believe they are the direct descendants of the Anunnaki, ancient Sumerian gods. The demon they have unleashed intends to free The Destroyer from The Abyss, the angelic prison referred to in the Book of Revelation, and unleash a worldwide reign of terror and annihilation.

Facing impossible odds, time is running out for Ethan and all of humanity as he is drawn into an ever-deeper conspiracy–millennia in the making–and learns that he is the key to stopping The Nine. Will he overcome his deepest fears and find reserves of strength he never knew he had as he confronts pure evil in order to save himself and an unsuspecting world?

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Christian Thriller, Fantasy, Adventure

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Michael J. Webb  on Facebook & G+ & Twitter

Website http://www.michaeljwebbfiction.com/

Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Dark New Adult Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG-18

More details about the author

Connect with Pepper Winters  on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.pepperwinters.wordpress.com/