Archive for April 4, 2018

A Hole In One by Judy Penz Sheluk ~ Blurb Blitz And Giveaway

Posted: April 4, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery
Tags: , ,
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A Hole In One

A Glass Dolphin Mystery

by Judy Penz Sheluk

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Genre: Mystery

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Synopsis

Hoping to promote the Glass Dolphin antiques shop, co-owners Arabella Carpenter and Emily Garland agree to sponsor a hole in one contest at a charity golf tournament. The publicity turns out to be anything but positive, however, when Arabella’s errant tee shot lands in the woods next to a corpse.

 

They soon learn that the victim is closely related to Arabella’s ex-husband, who had been acting as the Course Marshal. With means, opportunity, and more than enough motive, he soon becomes the police department’s prime suspect, leaving Arabella and Emily determined to clear his name—even if they’re not entirely convinced of his innocence.

 

Dogged by incriminating online posts from an anonymous blogger, they track down leads from Emily’s ex-fiancé (and the woman he left Emily for), an Elvis impersonator, and a retired antiques mall vendor with a secret of her own.

 

All trails lead to a mysterious cult that may have something to do with the murder. Can Arabella and Emily identify the killer before the murderer comes after them?

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Enjoy this glimpse inside:

Arabella Carpenter let the others go first. All three managed to clear the pond with their tee shot and land on the green, but not one was anywhere close to getting a hole in one. Arabella breathed a sigh of relief—since they were sponsoring the contest, their foursome might not be eligible to win, but it still freaked her out to think someone else might. She went through her mental prep, took her swing, and watched as her ball went directly into the woods.

“Hey, you made it over the water,” Hudson said, hopping into his cart. “For someone just starting out, that’s not a bad shot.”

Arabella caught Emily’s look and smiled. He really was a nice guy. “Thanks, Hudson. Whether I can find my ball is an entirely different story. Why don’t I look for it while you guys putt in? I’m sure one of you will be able to make the shot.”

They crossed the pond on a wooden bridge just wide enough for their golf carts, parked on the path next to the hole, and grabbed their putters. Luke, Hudson, and Emily went to the green and began debating which ball to hit. Arabella trundled over to the woods, feeling stupid and hoping like hell it wasn’t infested with poison ivy. The woods were thicker than she’d expected. She walked in a couple of feet, using her putter to push the branches aside.

That’s when she started to scream.

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Author Judy Penz Sheluk

AHoleInOne author

An Amazon international bestselling author, Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries (THE HANGED MAN’S NOOSE and A HOLE IN ONE) and The Marketville Mysteries (SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC). Her short crime fiction appears is included in several collections, including LIVE FREE OR TRI.

Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Regional Representative for Toronto/Southern Ontario.

Find Judy on her website/blog at www.judypenzsheluk.com, where she interviews and showcases the works of other authors and blogs about the writing life.

Social Media Links

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Amazon

Buy Links for A HOLE IN ONE:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / iTunes / Barking Rain Press

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Kid’s Korner #30 ~ Dog Toys & Squirrel’s Bad Day

Posted: April 4, 2018 in Children's books, reviews
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m sharing a couple of adorable children’s books that will have your kids begging you to read them again.

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This first book I’m sharing today, Dog Toys is free as an eBook on Amazon. Just click on the cover to grab a copy.

Dog Toys

by Darcy Neils

Genre: Children’s Book

Grade Level – P – 6

Age Level – 3 – 13

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My Review

Dog Toys isn’t just the title of the book, it’s also the name of the star character. Dog Toys is a good dog. He enjoys living with Andrew and playing with his toys. But there are no dogs in his neighborhood. Now he and Andrew are going to the beach. Will he meet other dogs? Will they play with him? He can’t wait to get out in the world and see for himself.

This was such a cute and fast read. Each page is a full color illustration. I really enjoyed how the author told the story along with showed it. And there’s many things to spot on each page. Dog Toys shares about what he sees and smells. I always wondered what my dog was thinking when he ran around, stopping to smell things, and what he might be seeing when he hung his head out of the car window. Makes me want to pack us up in the car and head to the beach.

This is one I recommend to dog lover’s of all ages. Dog Toys is a delight and so are the lessons learned and colorful illustrations.

Star Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-MasStar Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-MasStar Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-MasStar Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-Mas

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Synopsis

When a dog with an unusual name leaves his whimsical, dog-less neighborhood for a beach vacation, he hopes to meet other dogs to play with- but making friends isn’t always easy. Children will be encouraged never to give up and just go out, be themselves, and enjoy life, as they follow the antics in DOG TOYS.

Look for BUGS & INSECTS in the pictures, and meet the spying CAT next door. Follow a SNAIL all the way to the BEACH, look for a ladybug- find a grasshopper, cricket, bumblebee, butterfly, hummingbird, and an ant too! Find an orange tabby cat on the cover and a black cat inside! Look for seagulls, ducks, pelicans, birds, a rabbit, hawk and a raccoon in the background for all who like ANIMALS.

Created and Made in the U.S.A. by Golden Imprint Publications,
CHILDREN’S ANIMAL BOOKS featuring CATS & DOGS as main characters.

Amazon

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One To Ten: Squirrel’s Bad Day

by Carole P. Roman

Illustrated by Mateya Arkova

Genre: Children’s Book

Grade Level – K – 4

Age Level – 4 – 8

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My Review

Poor squirrel tripped and lost all of her acorns. Her forest friends help her see that it might not as bad as she thinks.

I’ve had lots of days like Squirrel’s. Things don’t go according to plan and I let it ruin my whole day. I remember my mother saying to count to ten and calm down, things weren’t as bad as I thought they were. I thought it was clever and fun to see Squirrel’s friends make a game of it and give examples of their bad days and how they rated from 1 to 10 how bad they were or weren’t. And each example has some fun, colorful illustrations.

I think this is a good teaching tool along with a fun adventure. Children will learn about counting, coping, and have fun looking at the pretty pictures.

Star Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-MasStar Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-MasStar Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-MasStar Yellow Christmas Star Christmas X-Mas

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Synopsis

Squirrel is rushing along a tree limb when she trips, losing all her acorns into the rushing water of the river below. Angry and frustrated, she doesn’t know what to do. Her good friend, Rabbit, lends both a sympathetic ear as well as a solution. Rather than get angry, Rabbit tells her, rate the problem on a scale of one-to-ten. By identifying and realizing the true importance of the issue, the issue may not seem so overwhelming. Adorable forest creatures help the sad squirrel put everything into perspective so he does not to get stuck in a rut over something that may not be a big deal after all.

Amazon / B&N

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

The Trina Ryan Novels ~ Guest Post and Giveaway

Posted: April 4, 2018 in giveaways, Guest Post, YA
Tags: , , ,
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Seven  Days to Goodbye
A Trina Ryan Novel #1
by Sheri Levy
Genre: YA Coming of Age Fiction
 
After Trina’s beloved dog dies, she swears she’ll never get another
one. But then she learns about service dogs, and realizes that if she
becomes a puppy raiser, she could train puppy after puppy and never
worry about them dying. But like all great ideas, this one has a
serious flaw: her first service puppy must be returned to his kennel
at the end of their week-long summer vacation. And saying goodbye to
Sydney is going to be much tougher than she ever imagined.
Trina’s last week with Sydney is made that much harder by her newly strained
friendship with her best friend, Sarah, who’s become so
over-the-top boy crazy that she’s almost like a stranger. Sarah is
determined to have them hang out with every boy at the beach, but
when a boy named Chase takes an interest in Sydney and Trina, it puts
an even bigger strain on the friendship.
It’s hard enough to deal with losing Sydney, but now she may lose her best
friend, too. And even if she manages to patch things up with
Sarah—and figures out what to do about Chase—she still must face
a daunting decision: is she strong enough to take on another service puppy?
“Author Sheri S. Levy deftly taps adolescent themes of love, loss and
friendship through the added lens of a service dog’s life-changing
effects on her young trainer. A fresh twist on the familiar
coming-of-age tale. Well done!”
— Jennifer Leeper, author, Padre: The Narrowing Path
“Trina’s foray into the world of boys, friendship, and fashion while focusing
on the important task of training service dogs strikes just the right
balance. This canine-inspired coming-of-age tale is a poignant but
fun summertime story.”
— Val Muller, author, the Corgi Capers series and The Scarred Letter
 

 
 
Starting Over
A Trina Ryan Novel #2

Trina Ryan’s challenging summer starts off with a puppy-fueled energy
burst as she takes on another service dog for training—an
eight-week-old black Labrador named Colton. And to help explore
another dream, she’s taken a job at the barn next door in exchange
for riding lessons with the barn’s schooling horse. Before long,
Trina butts heads with Morgan Hart, an ill-tempered but skilled rider
with a gorgeous thoroughbred named Knight.

Adding to the list of frustrations is the difficulty in maintaining a
long-distance relationship with Chase, her first boyfriend from last
summer, while trying to deal with unwanted attention from a new boy
in her puppy training class. At least best friend Sarah still has her
back, but as Trina wearies of Morgan’s constant insults and her
heartless treatment of Knight, she decides to use her dog training
skills to look underneath Morgan’s hostile attitude and develop a
sense of trust.

Slowly, Morgan’s angry shield cracks enough to where she’s able to share
a troubling family secret. Can Trina help Morgan confront her family
problems and make a fresh start?

“Levy is on sure ground in this enjoyable page-turner for young adults.
Readers see the world through the eyes of Trina Ryan, a freckle-faced
redhead with a big heart for horses, service dogs, and people in
need. Trina learns some of life’s most important lessons: that
people are not always what they seem, growing up involves tough
choices, and a first crush can be more exciting than she ever
dreamed. Poignant, fun, and adventuresome.”

— Peggy Jo Shaw, award-winning journalist, PR specialist, and book
author/editor

“Starting Over is a book you’ll want to give your daughter. A story about
best friends, boyfriends, enemies, and how to handle them all. Throw
in horses and puppies, and you have the perfect mix for an
entertaining, self-evolving read.”

— C. Hope Clark, author, Carolina Slade Mysteries and Edisto Island Mysteries

“How do you help a friend and stay true to yourself? Trina Ryan’s
struggles to cope and regroup should ring true for teens. Most people
probably never dream so much is involved. Teens who love to read
about animals should truly enjoy Starting Over.”

— Lisa Williams Kline, author, Eleanor Hill, Princesses of Atlantis, Write Before
Your Eyes, and the Sisters in All Seasons series

“There’s a lot going on in Trina’s life, but Levy weaves each thread
seamlessly. I especially enjoyed the detail about how to train a
service dog, as well as her experience in the barn mucking out
stalls, caring for the horses, and learning to ride. A must-read YA
novel for anyone who loves dogs and horses.”

— Judy Sheluk, author, The Hanged Man’s Noose and Skeletons in the Attic

“Dogs! Horses! Boys! What could be better? An energetic puppy learning to be
a service dog, a sweet-tempered horse, an absentee boyfriend, and
Trina, the girl who has to make some difficult decisions about all of
them. A lovely, thoughtful coming-of-age novel.”

— Ellyn Bache, author, Kaleidoscope, The Art of Saying Goodbye, and Safe Passage

 
 
 
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Enjoy the Guest Post from Author Sheri S. Levy
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How did you become involved with Service Dog organizations?
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Years ago, I decided to write a dog story, but didn’t want to use a pet. After meeting therapy dogs and watching their interactions with children in a classroom or visiting in a hospital, I met a young boy, Hayden, who had a Diabetic Alert service dog. Hayden shared his experience on their training wit h his organization. After three weeks of intense training together, they qualified as a team and he took his dog home as his life companion.
A friend of mine had learned, Club House Magazine wanted an article on the benefits of young person having a service dog and contacted me. I had already interviewed Hayden and had written my story. I connected with Club House Magazine and, ‘Scent with Love,’ was published, July, 2010.
For the first time, I entered ‘Scent with Love,’ into The Dog Writers of America Association. And it won!
Hayden and I received trophies and I received a cash prize. This gave me confidence to continue writing and I explored the idea of using a service dog in my novel.
I had reached out to Hayden’s organization for more information and found they had disbanded. Unfortunately, four years later, Hayden could no longer attend school with his dog as a companion. The lucky dog had been rescued from a shelter but never had x-rays to see about his hips. This forced me do more research on service dogs and their organizations.How did you get involved with PAALS, (Palmetto Animal Assisted Living Services)?Needing more information before I wrote my novel, I called all around the U.S to talk with people involved with service dog organizations. One day I found PAALS. I spoke with the founder, Mrs. Jennifer Rogers, and learned her organization was an hour and a half from where I lived.
I began driving down to watch and took notes on how they trained teens and adults to be Puppy Raisers. After these trainers qualified, the puppies were able to be trained in their homes. I kept notes on the training they used for autism, mobility and PTSD, and interviewed one young puppy raiser. She became my inspiration for my story and main character, Trina Ryan.
The founder of PAALS, Jennifer Rogers, and Mitzie Renick, Developing Coordinator, have helped me use the correct information in my stories.
After seeing the life changing effects of a service dog, I was hooked. It has been a thrill to be involved with a reputable organization and be able to share the dangers of incompetent organizations.
Since PAALS have many puppies, they use a men’s correctional institution to help train some of the puppies Monday through Friday. The puppies go to foster homes over the weekend for socialization. This has been a wonderful chain reaction for the men. A few men have been paroled and have earned a Department of Labor Certificate; an Apprentice Certificate, giving them the opportunity to gain jobs training dogs with PAALS. See www.PAALS.org. for more information.
Through donations, PAALS has grown this organization into an amazing program. A few weeks ago, I attended their biggest fund raiser. I watched in awe as hundreds of supporters donated thousands of dollars. Trained service dogs are given freely to military persons, people working in service jobs, and to other clients with the above issues.
Mrs. Jennifer Rogers has the only ADI accredited program based in South Carolina. She has created a remarkable platform.
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Sheri, a California gal, moved to Greenville, SC, & taught special
education. Her goal was to instill the love of books. When Sheri
retired, her students had created a desire for her to write. She
joined SCBWI, & Dog Writers Association. After years of enjoying
Edisto Beach with her Aussie and Black Lab, it became the setting for
her first YA novel, Seven Days to Goodbye. 
Seven Days to Goodbye involves a service dog connecting with a child with
autism, girls learning about the importance of friendships and trying
to keep theirs intact while flirting with guys for the first time. A
loggerhead turtle helps bring the girls together. The story has humor
and plenty of puppy love in both varieties. The second book in the
series will be, Starting Over.
 
 
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for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE