Deborah Sharp to appear on the Today Show

Deborah Sharp, Author of the Mace Bauer Mystery Series is returning to NBC's Today Show! Tune in Wednesday morning, Dec. 28, sometime after 8:30. She said, "See if you can tell how terrified I am to talk live on national TV about Mama Sees Stars." Click HERE to watch her first interview, way back in 2008.

For the scoop on all her books and more, visit her website: DeborahSharp.com

 

Here's a word from Mama... she does love to have her say... "

 

Mama Has Her Say:

Well, tie me to a pig and roll me in the mud! Ms. Fancy Pants Author  Deborah Sharp can be gracious about granting me some space before she takes over this posting on Lou's blog. After all, she's the one headed back to New York City and the Today Show. Mark my words: Her head is bound to swell like Sal's big toe when he stubbed it on the concrete creche at Himmarshee's Holiday Festival of Winter Lights and Holy Christmas Celebration. I hope she sees fit to mention during her TV interview that MAMA SEES STARS is her fourth funny, Southern-flavored mystery that's all about me. If you haven't read STARS yet, you can click on an excerpt on the Wide World of the Web, right here. Of course, all my stories are available as books, and what they call downloads for those eeee-readers, too. They make mighty fine gifts. Too late for the holidays? Call it a New Year's present.

''Mama,'' maybe you're asking, ''how can I buy now?''  Well, go to your favorite bookstore, or do it on the Internet.  Click HERE for Amazon, or HERE for Barnes & Noble. Or, support small business by buying from an independent bookstore, HERE. Want Ms. Author to sign a copy of any book in the series? The nice folks at Murder on the Beach will send you one, HERE

Deborah Sharp talks about her Upcoming Appearances

Hello, Ms. Fancy Pants Author here. I've been having fun with red-carpet book signings, playing off the Hollywood-themed mystery of MAMA SEES STARS. When a big-time movie company comes to little Himmarshee, Mama gets her close-up .... with murder!

I'm so grateful to those of you who've come out to see me. I love to meet new readers, too. Check out my website Events page  to see if I'm visiting near you.

Among other appearances, I'll do a workshop on dialogue, Feb. 4 at Murder on the Beach, Florida's fab mystery bookstore.

I'll also attend a couple of large conferences this winter/spring:

Sleuthfest, March 1-4 in the Orlando area; and Malice Domestic, April 27-29, outside Washington, D.C.

If you come to a signing, do glam it up, movie-star style. My red carpet may be tiny, but we still dress BIG.

 

New Publications by Walter Manning

In November 2011, author Walter Manning’s ninth book was published and released for retail sales. The book, entitled Kingdom Living, is the first volume in a series of volumes currently scheduled, each addressing the same subject.

The foundational theme of Kingdom Living centers around one rudimentary question: How can a Christian live in the Kingdom of God while living in the kingdoms of men? To answer that question, the author examines a multitude of Scriptures with the intent of discovering applicable biblical precepts and principles.

Future volumes are targeted at a rate of one volume every six months.

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Published in March 2010 and June 2010 were Coping with Change and Facing Unemployment, respectively.

Although each of us will face change (whether emotional, physical, spiritual, or material in nature) some will cope with change better than others, Christian or not.

The basic theme of Coping with Change addresses this question: What are the biblical principles that Christians should employ in order to cope with change successfully?

Facing Unemployment was written for a wide audience, irrespective of one’s particular religious faith. The purpose of the book is to help the unemployed become gainfully reemployed. It covers such topics as: attitudes; emotions; reducing expenses; establishing a plan; writing a resume; conducting a job search; preparing for an interview; managing your finances, and preparing for a layoff.

Books can be procured in one of four ways: 1) From the publisher at trebleheartbooks.com, 2) Through amazon.com, 3) Ordering from a local book store, or 4) Purchased directly from the author at waltmanning@hotmail.com. When ordering from the author, be sure to write “Books” in the subject line of the email.

Creative Writing Class with Sunny Serafino

Sunny Serafino, award-winning author, is presenting a six-week course on Creative Writing at South Florida Community College ( it's at the SFCC Highlands Campus, 600 West College Drive, Avon Park, FL). The course runs from Thursday, January 19th through February 23rd from 1:00 to 3:00 in Building B, Room 316.  Contact No. is (863) 784-7405 or for more information (862-7388 - Lauren Redick) The cost for the course is $57.00.

Incident at the Pink Beach House by Kay Williamson

Kay Williamson, a retired elementary teacher and long time resident of Satellite Beach, Florida, has just completed her seventh mystery/suspense novel, Incident at the Pink Beach House.  You may order her books from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Brandon Sterling, a high school teacher in the small town of Lo Verde Beach, Florida, is intrigued by a two-story, pink beach house on a secluded area of the beach.  As the house holds an aura of mystery for him, he usually slows down on his daily, late afternoon jog to take a closer look. But on this particular Friday afternoon, Brandon is shocked when he sees a man shove a screaming woman from the cupola of the beach house.

Brandon and his girlfriend, Amberly, find themselves deeply enmeshed in an intriguing mystery that involves a kidnapping, complicated evil vs. good twin theories, complex characters, and an attempt on Brandon’s life.  This amateur duo help police authorities and FBI agents solve the puzzling and entertaining pink beach house mystery.

“Incident at the Pink Beach House will capture your imagination from the start.  Characters are crisp and entertaining while the reader is swept with intrigue and curiosity.  This is one of those fast reads from which you will wonder where the time went.”

                                                         ──Marshall Frank

Marshall Frank is a retired homicide detective and police captain from the Miami-Dade Police Department, in Miami, Florida where he served in many capacities including head of CSI.  He has authored ten books, including five suspense novels.   www.marshallfrank.com

Kay is published in various literary anthologies and magazines.  Her romantic suspense and murder mystery novels include: Ghostly Whispers, Bridge to Nowhere, Listen to the Heart, Time after Time, Murder at the Starlight Pavilion, and The Mysterious Woman on the Train.  www.kaywilliamson.com

Both musicians and watercolor artists, Kay, and husband, Don, entertain at nursing homes in the area and the VA hospital in MI where they spend their summers.  They enter the Splash watercolor show in Eau Gallie every February.  Don has illustrated the cover of Kay’s last two novels: The Mysterious Woman on the Train, and Incident at the Pink Beach House.

Janie Wilkins to appear at the Amelia Island Book Festival

Janie Wilkins is a featured author in the Amelia Island Book Festival February
17-19, 2012.

February 17 Friday Special Events are "Authors in Schools" Festival
Gala, "Once Upon a Book Gala" and Christa Powell Walley Scholarship

February 18 Saturday Children's Writing Workshop
Author's Luncheon Saturday Atlantic Recreation Center with keynote
speaker Paula McLain, New York Times best selling author of "The Paris
Wife."

February 19 Sunday Special Event Panel Discussion Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Zora Neale Hurston. What do the writings and friendship of these Florida authors tell us in
2012?

Janie Wilkins will be on a panel Saturday February 18, 2012, at First Presbyterian Church. The title of
the panel is " The Passionate Memoir."

Three memoir writers will discuss how they used personal passion to shape a memoir.  The panelists are  Belinda Hulin, Mary Ann Miller,and  Janie Wilkins. Belinda Hulin lives in Atlantic Beach and Mary Ann Miller lives in Jacksonville, Fl.

Janie Wilkins' memoir is her true story of her life as a wife, mother, and educator, and it is a teaching tool and self help book. It teaches one how to overcome obstacles. It is Janie's Unbelievable Journey: Inspirational Letters Written Along the Way  (volumes 1 and 2).

Pampered Pets on a Budget: Caring for your pet without losing your tail!

New book helps pet owners to cut pet costs without compromising care.

In today's economy, the costs for pet health care, food and other supplies have risen just as human health care and food costs. Fortunately, for pets, when times are tough. Americans tend to focus more on family - and since pets are family, they are often the last item a family is willing to cut from the budget. In this new book by Jeffrey L. Barnes and Kristen M. Levine uncover new ways to save on the products and services pet owners need to take great care of their pets, without compromising their pet's health or the pet owner's pocketbook.

"If your pet budget is limited, saving on pet supplies and services is imperative," points out Levine, who brings over 20 years of "paws on" expertise as a popular columnist and pet lifestyle expert for national and local media includingThe Tampa Tribune, Petside.com, the nationally syndicated Daytime morning program, as well as contributor for USA Today and  Fox News.com. "But taking care of your pet responsibly inpacts more than just our budgets. Pets are a great investment for saving money on our own health and wellness."

In Pampered Pets on a Budget, pet owners will:

• Learn the benefits of the human-animal bond to your life and your pocketbook
• Discover your pet's "Must-haves" versus "Nice to haves"
• Understand the important, irreplaceable role of your veterinarian
• Receive tips on how to save money during the lifespan of your pet
• Obtain great information on pet adoption
• Know the in's and out's of proper pet nutrition
• Properly position yourself to give your pet the best lifestyle possible

Formerly the Director of Marketing for Florida Veterinary Specialists and NYC Veterinary Specialists, and widely known for helping veterinarians  and other businesses realize success no matter the size of their organization, Barnes is intent on giving readers a starting point for the important - and very affordable - things they need to know about pet ownership. Barnes explains, "While no one book will answer all of a pet owner's questions,  Pampered Pets on a Budget is intended to make pet ownership less costly and more of what it's supposed to e...FUN!"


Both authors are from Florida and have extensive backgrounds in pet care.  For more information about the book, visit www.PamperedPetsOnABudget.com  The book is available in paperback at www.lulu.com and for Kindle at Amazon

Book News: Too Much Stuff by Don Bruns

Available today!

   

Too Much Stuff

by Don Bruns

Synopsis   It took Henry Flagler years to build a railroad to Key West. It took thirty seconds for a hurricane and a twenty-foot tidal wave to destroy it. Five hundred people were killed in that violent 1935 storm, and many more were missing. Among the unaccounted for was a finance director for the East Coast Railway, Mathew Kriegel, who had loaded one and a quarter million dollars in gold on a train that very morning. The man and the gold were never found. Newly minted private investigators Skip Moore and James Lessor have just been hired by Kriegel's great granddaughter to help her search for the lost gold. And, she may or may not have the map that leads to the treasure. Fighting off competitors, scuba diving, digging in a spooky cemetery and almost getting killed in the process is just part of their job. When two mysterious Islamorada doctors hatch a nefarious plot involving smuggling, the boys are in way over their heads. Come along for the ride, but watch your back. It's a very dangerous mission, and don't count on Skip and James for help. They can barely take care of themselves.

Praise For Too Much Stuff "Shake The Big Lebowski up in a bag with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Too Much Stuff is what will come screaming out. Slacker PI's James and Skip go after $44 million worth of Henry Flagler gold missing since the hurricane of all time swept the Keys railroad out to sea and the result is-hold on, deep inhale here-really big trouble. Four pitchers of margaritas out of four! " -Les Standiford, author of Last Train to Paradise and Bringing Adam Home. "Too Much Stuff is a fun novel, more a comedy than a mystery/thriller. The mood is light, the characters amuse themselves with entertaining banter, and the plot has just enough goofiness to offset the traditional trappings of a PI story...a nice respite from thrillers that take their tough guy heroes too seriously." Tzer Island, December 2011 "...breezy beach read for all seasons" Publishers Weekly, October 2011

 

     

 ________________________________________________

Don Bruns is a singer and songwriter, a painter, a cook, a traveler, and stand-up-comic who has not decided what to do when he grows up. He is also the author of two mystery series. His "stuff series" showcases the unstoppable yet bumbling young private investigators, Skip Moore and James Lessor, and his "music series" features rock and roll writer Mick Severs.

Don and his wife, Linda, live in South Florida.

Too Much Stuff  is available at  Amazon , Barnes and Noble and Oceanview Publishing

The Color of Lies by Donna Meredith

The Color of Lies by Donna Meredith

Forty-year-old widow Molly Culpepper believes her hometown, Alderson, Georgia, is a place of harmony, of white picket fences and harmless gossip passed along at church and the general store—until a fellow teacher chalks a racial slur on the blackboard during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

The action begins on page one of The Color of Lies and doesn’t stop until the final words. In the aftermath of the racial slur, a citizens’ group files a lawsuit alleging discrimination against the high school where Molly teaches. To address the lawsuit’s concerns over academic weaknesses, Molly joins forces with a black minister to plan curriculum improvements and a fundraiser for equipment upgrades.

Molly Culpepper’s self-effacing humor shines through as she juggles her roles as a widowed mother, daughter, and dedicated instructor, all while dealing with a dangerous, growing rift in her community.

Donna Meredith’s respect and love for her characters resonates as she spins this story of small town webs of connections that transcend color. The novel won first place for unpublished women’s fiction from the Florida Writers Association in 2010. Donna won the same award for her first novel, The Glass Madonna, in 2009.

Find out more about Donna and her writing at www.donnameredith.com.

Praise for The Color of Lies

The best novel about the complications of contemporary race relations in the South I’ve ever read. I was immediately hooked by Meredith’s oh-so-accurate depiction of a small Georgia town and her story of a vulnerable, heroic high school teacher trying to stay afloat in a flood of racial tension and family trials. I love The Color of Lies. It’s funny, wise, heartbreaking and unputdownable.” -Elizabeth Stuckey-French, creative writing professor, Florida State University, author of The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady

“The Color of Lies is billed as fictional, but as a ‘seasoned’ African American woman, I found myself in a period of personal reflection . . . painfully real and far from fictional. I lived the ‘Black and Blue Day’ sort of experience in my state’s capital city. The book is a marvelous read, and it contains enough fictional reality to stimulate those who want to work to make things better for all mankind.” -Freddie Groomes-McLendon, Ph.D., Retired administrator, Florida State University, author of The Marginal Difference

Florida Tech's Creative Writing Institute May 13-17 2012 registration now online and open!

Main page: http://411.fit.edu/cwi/

Register here: http://411.fit.edu/cwi/classes.php

Bios: http://411.fit.edu/cwi/bios.php


Prices begin at $40!

This year not only do they have returning authors from previous years teaching novel writing, poetry, playwriting, science fiction etc., but there are new courses, such as flash fiction, songwriting, the literary thriller, and How To Get a Children's Non-Fiction Book Proposal!

This year's keynote speaker is Lynne Barrett, the award-winning author of three short story collections, The Land of Go, The Secret Names of Women, and, just published, Magpies. She is co-editor of Birth: a Literary Companion and The James M. Cain Cookbook, a collection of Cain's nonfiction. She is editor of the new collection of prose poetry, flash fiction, and flash nonfiction Tigertail: Florida Flash, to be published in Oct. 2011. 

Her work has appeared in Delta Blues, A Dixie Christmas, Miami Noir, One Year to a Writing Life, Simply the Best Mysteries, A Hell of a Woman, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Painted Bride Quarterly, Night Train, The Southern Women’s Review, Mondo Barbie, and many other anthologies and journals. Her essay "What Editors Want," published by The Review Review, went on to be featured in the L.A. Times book blog and republished in Glimmer Train's digest. 

She has received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best mystery story from the Mystery Writers of America, the Moondance International Film Festival award for best short story, and fellowships from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she received her M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. She teaches in the M.F.A. program in Creative Writing at Florida International University and edits The Florida Book Review.

Florida Pirates an E-book

Florida Pirates is now available as an e-book, and will be available for sale via Amazon (on the Kindle), Barnes & Noble (on the Nook), Apple’s iBookstore (on the iPad) and also through Google’s eBookstore.

James F. & Sarah Jane Kaserman, Authors-Lecturers. For more information, check out their website at http://www.sarahjameskaserman.com

Florida Book News on Kindle Blogs.

Just in case you missed the announcement... I want you all to know that Florida Book News is now available on Kindle Blogs. That means that you can stay up-to-date on what's happening in the Florida book world by subscribing to Florida Book News for Kindle. It's just one more way I'm working to get the word out about Florida authors and their books.

A subscription to Florida Book News is just 99 cents. Once you subscribe, the posts I make to Florida Book News will be downloaded automatically to your Kindle device.  It's a great way to know what's going on and support Florida Book News at the same time.

Click here for more information or to subscribe.

Two opportunities to Write your life story. Workshops offered

Get Started Workshop at the Library

Saturday, January 14, 2012- 9:00am - 4:00pm

 

Kick off the new year in the write way and put your life on paper. This day-long workshop is a perfect way to get started writing the story only you can tell. Learn about the many approaches to writing your life story, how to retrieve long-forgotten memories, painlessly organize your stories as you write, tell an anecdote in an interesting and creative way, breathe life into those who people your stories, edit and polish your work, use list making as an tool and so much more. Join this fun, exciting workshop and walk out with the beginnings of your life story. No previous writing experience necessary. The class motto is: the only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all! Limited to 14 participants.

 

Winter Park Library - Melanson Room.
Institute members $60; nonmembers $85
Register online or call (407) 623-3279.

 

*********************
Write Your Life Story - Winter Park Library

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 -10:30am - 12:30pm

 

 You don't have to be a writer to write your life story. What? That's right! In this class, we will remove the ninth-grade English teacher with the bloody read pen from your shoulder and show you how have some fun writing the story only you can tell. Learn how to get started, identify topics you wish to write about, create pictures with words, make the people in your life real enough to walk off the page and much more. Get the support and encouragement in this class to write your life story, which will surely big hit with your family. No previous writing experience necessary. The class motto is: the only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all!

Limited to 14 participants.
Wednesdays: January 18, 25; Feb 1, 8, 15, 22;
Winter Park Library- Melanson Room,
Institute members $75; nonmembers $90 if paid before first day of class, $20 a class thereafter.
Register online or call (407) 623-3314

Writing Workshops for Tomorrow's Authors

Murder on the Beach Bookstore Presents:

FL Authors Academy

Writing Workshops for Tomorrow’s Authors

All workshops are $25 per person
held at our store 273 NE 2nd Ave in Delray Beach. 

Reservations are required. 

                                                 561-279-7790 or murdermb@gate.net

Saturday January 7, 10 am - noon

Kick Start Your Novel :Quick, common-sense tips on getting organized, getting started, and writing your first novel. Instructor: Prudy Taylor Board          

                                                                                           

Saturday January 14, 10 am - noon

The Building Blocks of Fiction: Goal, Motivation and Conflict: Understand them, use them, and turn a good idea into a great story. Instructor: Cynthia Thomason          

Saturday January 21, 10 am - noon

The Magic of Memoir: Three basic steps everyone can use to write a factual and engaging story of your life. Instructor:  Brenda Serotte           

Saturday January 28, 10 am - noon

Create Convincing Characters: Create characters who advance the plot, and engage the reader. Instructor:  Pearl Wolf      

  

Saturday February 4, 10 am - noon

     Write Dialogue That Snaps

Dialogue exercises will focus on when to use it, and how to make it sound natural. 

     Instructor:  Deborah Sharp        

Sunday February 5, Noon - 2 pm

     Kill (On the Page) Realistically with Guns, Knives, and Bare Hands

Realistic methods of killing your characters using guns, knives, and bare hands. 

     Instructor: Jeremiah Healy   

      

Saturday February 11, 10 am - noon

Plot a la Sinclair Lewis: C (PPE) + KISS: This course will show you this simple formula any writer can use to enhance their work.Instructor:  David Hagberg         

Sunday February 12, Noon - 2 pm

The Importance of Being Edited: The different levels of editing and what they mean: Developmental, line, and copy editing. Instructors: Mary Stanton & Alison Janssen  

Saturday February 25, 10 am – noon

Add Sexual Tension to Your Manuscript - Whatever You Write: Simple secrets of the best-sellers: sexual tension for your two main characters in conflict. Instructor:  Linda Conrad            

Saturday March 3, 10 am - noon

Get Your Facts Straight: Research, research, research!  How to ensure a factual read with minimum effort. Instructor: Eliot Kleinberg         

Saturday March 10, 10 am - noon

We Are Sorry, But...  How To Avoid Rejection: What are the flags that scream reject?  First learn them, then learn not to use them.  Instructor: Randy Rawls         

Saturday March 17, 10 am - noon

Build Your World: Create a Sizzling Setting: The different facets of world building as they apply to all genres, fiction or non-fiction. Instructor:  Nancy J. Cohen 

        

Saturday March 24, 10 am - noon

Get Published and Paid For It: Learn how to tell what markets are out there, and who will buy your work. Instructor: Joanna Campbell Slan     

Saturday March 31, 10 am - noon

Once Upon a Children’s Book:  The Magic of Writing For Kids: Explore new story ideas, titles, and characters for the children’s market. Instructor:  Gloria Rothstein     

For more detailed info:  www.Flauthorsacademy.com

Workshops are held Saturdays and Sundays at Murder on the Beach Bookstore, 273 NE 2^nd Avenue, Delray Beach.  All instructors are multi-published authors. Charge for each workshop is $25 per person. Cash, check or credit cards accepted.

Make Your Reservation Now! 

561-279-7790     or    murdermb@gate.net

-- 

Pirates and Cartels receives awards from the Military Writer's Association

Congratulations to Lee and Buena Vista Boyland.

In October, the Military Writer’s Association awarded Pirates and Cartels, Lee and Buena Vista's latest novel in the Office of Analysis and Solutions series, a silver medal for fiction. In November, they received a gold medal from the writer’s competition at Branson’s Stars and Flags Veteran’s Reunion.  Pirates and Cartels is a spin off from the Clash of Civilization series

If the following endorsement is any indication, this is why it won...

A terrifying rollercoaster ride through a world pummeled by terrorists, drug cartels, and piracy, Pirates and Cartels is thoughtful, charming and well-researched. The good guys are really good, the bad guys are so very bad…and the read is quick, impactful and fun.  Another winner for Lee and Vista Boyland! ~ Joyce Faulkner, President Military Writers Society of America, author of “In the Shadow of Suribachi,” “Chance … and other horrors,” “Username,” and “Losing Patience”

Lee and Beuna Vista work as a team in the development of this new series of books (Office of Analysis and Solutions). They live in Melbourne, Florida, and belong to the Florida Writers Association and the Space Coast Writers Guild.

They have received previous awards for their novels in the Clash of Civilization Trilogy.  You can purchase any of Boyland's books at Amazon.com. You can read more about Pirates and Cartels by clicking here.  It is available in paperback and through Kindle.

Florida Eco-Thriller A Finalist For “Best Books 2011” Award.

 

Mangrove Underground, former Florida journalist Tim W. Jackson’s debut novel has been named a USA Book News “Best Books 2011” Award finalist for literary fiction.

“This competition was loaded with talented authors from across the US and around the world,” Jackson said.  “I’m honored to have my name included with theirs.”

USA Book News announced the award winners and finalists November 1, 2011.  Winners were chosen from works published by Simon & Schuster, St. Martin’s Press, Random House, Penguin, Harper Collins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons and hundreds of independent publishing houses.

Set in the Florida backcountry, Mangrove Underground has its roots deep in the state’s eco-thriller tradition.  Yet it subtly subverts the expectations of the genre with its story of one man’s betrayal and redemption before a backdrop of wildfires, environmental extremism and real estate skullduggery that could have been pulled directly from today’s headlines.

A former press photographer in central Florida, Jackson gained first-hand knowledge of backcountry firefighting while accompanying fire crews battling wilderness blazes.

Following a 10-year journalism career, Jackson returned to academia to earn a Master of Arts in English at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.  His non-fiction travel writing about the Florida wilderness has appeared in the Tampa Tribune.  His short fiction has appeared, or is forthcoming, in the High Plains Literary Review, Confrontation, Palo Alto Review, Oracle Story and Letters and Conceit.

Jackson currently works as a boat captain and scuba instructor at Conch Club Divers on Little Cayman.  He is finishing a second novel, set in the Caribbean, as well as a related collection of island-based short stories.

A portion of the proceeds from copies of Mangrove Underground purchased directly through Jackson’s website, www.timwjackson.com, will be donated to the Nature Conservancy’s Coral Reef Preservation Fund, established in 2011 to benefit the study and conservation of coral reefs in Florida and the Caribbean.