The Page 69 Test: *Fighter Pilot's Daughter* by Mary Lawlor #page69

 

 

 

They say if you want to really find a good book, go to page 69 (the middle and meat of the book) and you like what's there, it's definitely worth reading the whole book. For today's feature, I'm zooming in on page 69 of Mary Lawlor's memoir, Fighter Pilot's Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Fighter Pilot’s Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War tells the story of Mary Lawlor’s dramatic, roving life as a warrior’s child. A family biography and a young woman’s vision of the Cold War, Fighter Pilot’s Daughter narrates the more than many transfers the family made from Miami to California to Germany as the Cold War demanded. Each chapter describes the workings of this traveling household in a different place and time. The book’s climax takes us to Paris in May ’68, where Mary—until recently a dutiful military daughter—has joined the legendary student demonstrations against among other things, the Vietnam War. Meanwhile her father is flying missions out of Saigon for that very same war. Though they are on opposite sides of the political divide, a surprising reconciliation comes years later.

Fighter Pilot’s Daughter is available at Amazon.

The disappointment and the anger, instead of wearing Mom down or leaving her, like her mother, in the stew of depression, toughened her. She sharpened her voice and her posture on Dad’s sins. On top of
Jack’s insults, Mary Ellen Walsh, Frannie’s dear old grandmother, died.
She had been a crucial presence in Mom’s life, a source of security, particularly since her father had left Frankie. With Mary Ellen’s passing, Frannie was more alone than ever. Her statuesque “Grandma” had been a model of strong and gracious femininity. She had helped the family significantly to fashion its Irish Catholic profile as aristocratic and cultured. She had seen the prosperous household creep through the depression with balance and “class.”
Frannie was ready to step into these noble lines. But what she didn’t take from her grandmother was the bosomy, lace trimmed femininity visible in portraits of Mary Ellen. She could have picked up styles like
this from her own mother too, for Frankie was an ultra-feminine, even sexy, beauty. All the charm got her in the end, however, was a nightmare. Philip Walsh had courted her like a prince, set her up in a grand house with a Rolls Royce and polo ponies, made money hand over fist in the stock market; and then he had pulled the rug out from under her feet. No more trips to Paris to buy Worth gowns, no more maids, no parties. No more fancy car or house. No more husband. Frannie had looked around through the steam of misery that followed and seen the survivor was not her mother, but her brother—and the father she devised in a carefully maintained story. After her grandmother, it was these male figures she followed. They could stand up and move like gentlemen through the good times and in danger and want. She would emulate them.
When Jack’s squandering of money on booze and dice started looking like habit, Frannie prepared her attack. She drove to Burdine’s, at the time Miami’s most prestigious store. Skipping the clothes and the
perfume counters, she went straight to the jewelry department where she purchased an exquisite, solid gold, art deco watch with a sapphire crown. The price tag, $700. That was a lot of money in 1955, and Dad
felt it directly when she showed it to him. Turning the snaky thing in the lamp light, she growled in a low, threatening voice, “that’s how you waste good money.”

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

 

Mary Lawlor is author of Fighter Pilot’s Daughter (Rowman & Littlefield 2013, paper 2015), Public Native America (Rutgers Univ. Press 2006), and Recalling the Wild (Rutgers Univ. Press, 2000). Her short stories and essays have appeared in Big Bridge and Politics/Letters. She studied the American University in Paris and earned a Ph.D. from New York University. She divides her time between an old farmhouse in Easton, Pennsylvania, and a cabin in the mountains of southern Spain.

You can visit her website at https://www.marylawlor.net/ or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

🏰 Author Interview Featuring Paula Omokhomion, Author of 'Shape of the Sun'

Paula Omokhomion is a Master of Public Policy student at the UC Riverside School of Public Policy, though she’s fairly certain that won’t be forever. She holds a B.S. in Public Health Nutrition from UNC Chapel Hill, where she also minored in Creative Writing (Fiction) and graduated with highest honors for her 120-page thesis novella, New Age Taffeta.

Paula developed her skills and love for writing fiction in a very, very interesting Nigerian boarding school, where the lack of television meant she had to invent entertainment for everyone else. She loves reading manhwa, watching Indian TV dramas, listening to music, and writing short stories.When not doing any of those or in the classroom handling R code, she’s refining her LinkedIn or taking Instagram selfies.
She lives in California with her family, including her two fellow triplets, and is currently dreaming of a future PhD in public health—and maybe another novel.

Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

🏰Welcome to Book Bloggin’ Princess, Paula. I’d like to know more about you  as a person first. When did you start writing? What was your first published  piece? 

Thank you for having me. I started writing when I was about 13, I believe. It was a book I wrote in boarding school, and it had like two dedicated readers. The one after that, Aurora, was really my debut as it had over 100 readers as a draft; it was also my first published piece at 14. 

🏰As a published author, what has been the most pivotal point of your career?

I think it was actually knowing I could write in ways that moved people. So, Aurora was written in boarding school, and literally 100+ students were reading it at once, emoting a lot over it, and that was fascinating that I could bring those expressions on people’s faces and questions on how I did it. Then, Shape of the Sun had almost 5k readers commenting on it as a draft on Wattpad, and that was really enriching to see as an author. So, I think these little things are pivotal to me. 

🏰If you could go anywhere to write your next book, where would that be and why?

I think I would go to a town in Europe with stone buildings and roads. I’m thinking Nice, France, or Albert Camus’ hometown, since I have been there before. I am revising Aurora, and it has a lot of historical elements that envisioning such beautiful, aged places can help with the writing. But I think it's more pressing to go to New York or some other large, fast city and see how service workers live. Hint: I am making notes for a new book, and I’ll say that lead is a service worker in a fast city, at least for now. 

🏰If you had 4 extra hours of extra time today, what would you do?

I think responding to emails and revising Aurora. If this question were to move further this year, it would be something academically inclined, since I am still very much a student.

🏰Why was writing Shape of the Sun so important to you?

In many ways more than one, this is actually my second full-length work after high school. I was worried that being in college and not having the feedback I had in HS would stunt or cripple my writing, but I was able to do this as a busy junior in college and navigate online support, which was cool.  

🏰Any final words?

Shape of the Sun really is the book of reckoning. You have characters that are incredibly self-aware yet consciously unreliable, as well as a storyline that doesn’t shy from heavy material and says it as it is - romance, family saga, inheritance drama, and all. 

🏰 Author Interview Featuring Christine Amsden, Author of 'Knot of Souls'

Christine Amsden is the author of nine award-winning fantasy and science fiction novels, including the Cassie Scot Series.

Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but Christine believes great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. She writes primarily about people, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

In addition to writing, Christine is a freelance editor and political activist. Disability advocacy is of particular interest to her; she has a rare genetic eye condition called Stargardt Macular Degeneration and has been legally blind since the age of eighteen. In her free time, she enjoys role playing, board games, and a good cup of tea. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two kids.

Author Links

Website ➜https://christineamsden.com/wordpress/

X ➜ http://www.x.com/christineamsden 

Facebook ➜https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Amsden-Author-Page/127673027288664?ref=hl

 

 

🏰Welcome to Book Bloggin’ Princess, Christine. Knot of Souls offers thrills, complex characters and magical moments. Which of these was the most fun for you to write?

Complex characters, always! I'm a proud character girl, and that's at the heart of everything I write. In this case, I've forced two very different characters to work together (by trapping them in the same body) ... one is powerful but doesn't know how to trust, the other is trusting but needs to claim power. Together, they work magic (literally and figuratively). 

🏰Which of the characters from Knot of Souls do you most closely identify with and why?

Joy (the human). At the beginning of the story, she's unassertive, which is something I've struggled with in my own life. Although Shade (the Fae) has trouble trusting, which is something I've also struggled with. 

🏰What do you think sets Knot of Souls apart from other books of the same genre?

I think the situation itself is unique ... body sharing isn't exactly a fantasy trope! Even when I asked around in various fan groups, we mostly came up with Dax from Star Trek and Venom. Plus a one-off episode of Babylon 5. But all of those are science fiction. 

Knot of Souls is urban/contemporary fantasy, with a creatively re-imagined race of Fae, plenty of mystery/thrills, magic, and of course, that beautiful relationship between the souls. 

🏰Surprise me. What is something that happens in the book that would make my mouth drop without giving too much away?

Penguins. 

"We don’t all get to be what we want, or I’d be a penguin." -- Shade, Chapter 28

I actually had a lot of fun with penguins in this book. They're more flavor than plot, making this an entirely spoiler-free thing to share, but I enjoyed David Tennant's narration of  "Penguins: Spy in the Huddle" so much that I watched it twice and used what I learned to add some great details into Knot of Souls.

🏰Who is your favorite contemporary fantasy author? 

Darynda Jones. I've read her Charley Davidson series several times. 

🏰Do you think writing a contemporary fantasy novel is more complex than writing books of other genres?

Honestly, no. I think every genre has its little complications, and at a guess, I'd say historical fiction is the most complex (or at least the genre that requires the most research), but I wouldn't say urban fantasy is more or less complex than most of the others. 

🏰What’s next for you?

I'm working on short stories for a while, but I hope to get back to a novel-length work in progress soon. It’s called The Spaces in Between (working title), and it’s my first attempt at a young adult book, although I confess to having chosen the young adult genre situationally. The thing is, I lost my central vision between the ages of sixteen and eighteen (especially when I was eighteen), and my main character is going through the same thing. Stargardts can affect children as young as ten, and it can take as long as the mid-thirties to culminate, but in my life, in my lived experience, it happened fairly rapidly and mostly over the course of a single year. The book is still fantasy, despite drawing on some real experiences. 

Thanks for having me!

 Knot of Souls is available at Amazon.

🏰 Author Interview Featuring Lindy S. Hudis, Author of 'Crashers'

Lindy S. Hudis is an award winning filmmaker, author and actress. Lindy is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She also performed in a number of Off-Off Broadway theater productions while living in New York City.

She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her “Hollywood” story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. Her latest release, “Hollywood Underworld – A Hollywood Series” is the first installment of a crime, mystery series.

In addition, she has written several erotic short stories, including “The S&M Club”, “The Backstage Pass”, “Guitar God”, “The Guitarist”, and “The Mile High Club”.

Her short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, has won numerous awards, including ‘Best Short Film’ at the Paris International Film Festival, The Beverly Hills Arthouse Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival.

She is also an actress, having appeared in the indie film Expressionism, the television daytime drama “Sunset Beach”, also “Married with Children” , “Beverly Hills 90210” and the feature film “Indecent Proposal” . She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | Goodreads | IMDb | YouTube 

 

🏰Welcome to Book Bloggin’ Princess, Lindy. I’d like to know more about you  as a person first. When did you start writing? What was your first published  piece? 

Well, first I’m a mom of two from Southern California married to a former child  star. I’m constantly busy but I enjoy that. I was always a bit of a bookworm and  that is how I got into

writing. It’s almost magical how you can quite literally  escape to another world by reading a great book. SO, I have loved writing all my  life, but it was always sort of a hobby to me.  

WEEKENDS is my first published book, it’s about an innocent-sounding family  reunion at an exclusive California beach resort turns into a weekend of murder,  deceit, exposed secrets and unexpected intimate encounters. In my words, I wanted  to write a sexy, romantic California story, and transport the reader as much as  possible. I guess I am one of those writers who wants to take the reader away I live  in, and love, California Growing up in Tennessee, California was my dream, a  magical, mystical place that I used to dream about. It is so beautiful, and it is my  inspiration. The beach, the mountains, and all the artistic and creative people…I  could not live anywhere else. All my stories take place here. I guess you could say  that was my inspiration. I wanted to give the reader a romantic beach story, and  there you go.  

My late father-in-law was the English comedy writer Norman Hudis. He wrote for  BBC television writing the “Carry On” series. He also wrote for American  television shows in the 70’s, like Baretta, McMillan & Wife and McCloud. He was  very well respected in the industry, so I valued his opinion very much. Norman  told me I was a “good commercial writer”, and that is all I needed to hear! 

I grew up reading Judy Blume, Jackie Collins and Stephen King. I just fell in love  with reading, and then one day I thought “I can do that” – so I did! I nervously  showed Norman my manuscript for WEEKENDS. I was expecting him to tell me  in his distinguished English accent that I stank, lol. I was wrong, though. He told  me I was a “good commercial writer” and I “had great potential.” That was all I  needed to hear!  

It’s also very interesting that I was a theater major at New York University Tisch  School of the Arts. Having studied drama and having been an actress has greatly  helped me with character development. I find that background is most helpful  when creating a character’s motive, arc and determination.  

🏰As a published author, what has been the most pivotal point of your career? 

After I graduated NYU, I came out to Los Angeles to pursue my acting career in  film and television. I got some work in the early 90’s having appeared on the  television shows Married with Children and Beverly Hills 90210, the feature film  Indecent Proposal and the daytime soap opera Sunset Beach. I also wrote a book  about that experience in Hollywood called City of Toys! Then I went into film  distribution for a little while, then had my babies, then got back into film  production again. Writing has always been a fantasy of mine, so one day I just did  it! My husband and I have also written several screenplays and two are currently in  development with film production companies.  

🏰If you could go anywhere to write your next book, where would that be and  why? 

I’m happy right where I am! Right next to the beach in lovely Santa Monica,  California! 

🏰If you had 4 extra hours of extra time today, what would you do?  

Get to my “to read” list. I have so many books and I need to make time for them.  

🏰Why was writing Crashers so important to you?

The story is set in Los Angeles, California, the only place where this story could  have really taken place. There is SO much drama here, literally and figuratively.  There are so many cars and so much traffic here that driving is almost crazy! I was  inspired to write this story because I was a victim of auto insurance fraud, so I  came up with that idea. I learned that there are criminals out there who do this kind  of thing for a living. So, I wrote about those people, who must be horrible and  desperate.  

🏰Any final words? 

Aspiring authors – Persistence. That is the name of the game. Never give up – don’t do it! If you have a story to tell, then tell it. Don’t get discouraged, and  whatever you do, don’t let the negativity from other people put a damper on your  dreams. Get out there and finish your novel! Write just one page a day if that is all  you have time for but do it! Also, speak with other writer's and try to form a  mentor type of relationship if possible. Norman Hudis had given me wonderful  advice over the years, and he has given me amazing encouragement, too. He was a  fascinating man.  

Crashers is available at Amazon.

The Page 69 Test: *A Glimpse Too Far* by Karen Charles #page69

 

 

 

They say if you want to really find a good book, go to page 69 (the middle and meat of the book) and you like what's there, it's definitely worth reading the whole book. For today's feature, I'm zooming in on page 69 of Karen Charles' new psychological thriller, A Glimpse Too Far. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A terrifying gift. A government cover-up. And a past that won’t stay buried.

Elouise thought she had left the past behind. After a tragic accident, she woke with chilling ability to see glimpses of people’s pasts and futures. She’s spent years trying to live a normal life. But when a powerful senator pulls her into a high-stakes game of deception and control, she realizes her gift is no longer a secret—it’s a weapon. And he intends to use it.

She must make an impossible choice: play his deadly game or risk everything to expose the truth.

Danger closes in. Now, Elouise is running for her life, hunted by those who will do anything to silence her.

Who can she trust? The boyfriend who swore to protect her? Or the man who wants to own her gift—at any cost?

A Glimpse Too Far is a pulse-pounding thriller filled with menace, betrayal, and a race against time. Will the truth be uncovered before it’s too late?

To order your copy, visit Amazon and BookBaby.

Elouise stood in the luminous shafts of the morning sun, the light catching the strands of her wavy blonde hair, which was tied in a loose ponytail that swayed with her every step. The ranch stretched before her like a painting: lush green pastures framed by sturdy wooden fences, with the distant neighs of horses echoing across the hills. She inhaled deeply, the scent of hay and earth mingling with the crisp autumn air. This was her sanctuary, the only place where she felt remotely in control of the whirlwind her sixteen
year-old life had become.
“Can you hand me the syringe, Elouise?” Dr. Warren’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
The veterinarian, a lean, tall, middle-aged man with kind eyes who always seemed to understand more than he said, crouched by a gray mare.
Elouise crouched beside him, her fingers deftly passing the syringe without hesitation.
“Do you think this will work?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry as she watched the horse’s labored breathing.
“She’ll be fine. With some care and patience, animals tend to heal faster than we do,” Dr. Warren replied, glancing at her. “You’re picking up on these procedures quickly. Ever think about doing this professionally?"

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

 

 

 

 

Karen Charles is the author of Freeman Earns a Bike, a children’s book, and two thrillers based on true stories. Fateful Connections takes place in the aftermath of 9/11, and Blazing Upheaval takes place during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles and the Northridge earthquake. She has two businesses: a global company that trains international teachers to teach American English, and an Airbnb on a beautiful bay in Washington State, where she resides with her husband. Her latest book is the psychological thriller, A Glimpse Too Far.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.weaveofsuspense.com  

X ➜  http://www.x.com/karenra24229683 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/karen.rabe.7/ 

The Page 69 Test: *From Turmoil to Peace* by Delia E. Hayward #page69

 

 

 

They say if you want to really find a good book, go to page 69 (the middle and meat of the book) and you like what's there, it's definitely worth reading the whole book. For today's feature, I'm zooming in on page 69 of Delia E. Hayward's new Christian memoir, From Turmoil to Peace. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Delia Hayward, one of eight children, grew up during the Hippie Era in a dysfunctional family, for whom emotional and physical abuse was a normal occurrence of her childhood. Her marriage further deteriorated what little self-esteem she retained from her childhood.

Perhaps these torments are what made her desperately seek God and a personal relationship with Him.

When her marriage fell apart, she rose to the challenge of raising three sons alone. With the help of God and sheer determination, Delia managed to instill positive self-esteem and a love for God into the hearts of the next generation.

As you read this book, may you also find hope in the midst of your storm, and may God bring you from turmoil to peace.

Read sample here.

From Turmoil to Peace is available at Amazon and Barnes&Noble.

When I became pregnant with our second child, I was as excited as I had been with our first. Joshua was also excited about getting a baby brother or sister. My health insurance paid for all the hospital bills; I also had long-term insurance that paid me three quarters of my salary for three months while I stayed home with my newborn baby boy.
I had a natural childbirth with our second son because of what happened when I had Joshua. I didn’t want to chance becoming so sick a second time from the epidural that my baby would be kept from me, so I decided to just bear the pain. While in the hospital I started singing, “Hush, Little Baby” to him when he cried. We named our second son Jacob, and he was so cute I just wanted to eat him up.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

 

Delia Hayward is a proud mother of three wonderful sons, a beautiful granddaughter and a precious grandson. God put it on her heart to write this book “From Turmoil to Peace” so that people could benefit from her life experiences. She has been blessed and hopes her book blesses others.

You can visit her website at https://deliahayward.name/ and follow her at Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/delia.hayward.14. 

The Page 69 Test: *Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea* by Richard I. Levine #page69

 

 

 

They say if you want to really find a good book, go to page 69 (the middle and meat of the book) and you like what's there, it's definitely worth reading the whole book. For today's feature, I'm zooming in on page 69 of Richard I. Levine's new romance, Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

When they met in the fourth grade, it was love at first sight for Mitchell Brody and Jessica Ramirez. He was the freckle-faced kid who stood up for her honor when he silenced the class bully who’d been teasing her because of her accent. She was the new kid whose family moved to San Juan Island, Washington, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and whom Mitch had thought was the most beautiful girl in the world.

She was his salvation from a strict upbringing. He was her knight in shining armor who had always looked out for her. Through the many years of porch-swinging, cotton-candied summer nights, autumn harvest festivals, and hand-in-hand walks planning for the ideal life together, they were inseparable…until 9/11, when the real world interrupted their Rockwell-esque small town life, and Mitch had joined the Marine Corps.

This is not just the story of a wounded warrior finally coming home to search for the love, and the world he abandoned twenty years before. It is also the story of a man who is seeking forgiveness and a way to ease the pain caused by every bad decision he’d ever made. It’s the story of a woman who, with strength and determination, rose up from the ashes of a shattered dream; but who never gave up hope that her one true love would return to her. As she once told an old friend: “Even before we met all those years ago, we were destined to be together in this life, and we will be together again, because even today we’re connected in a way that’s very special, and he needs to know about it before one of us leaves this earth.”

Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea is available at Amazon.

“Gracias, Señora, gracias,” Corey said and ejected the chambered round. “You’re lucky, Mitch. She had the
hammer cocked and this rifle is so old there’s no safety on it.”
“You’re still a smartass,” Mitch said, letting out a sigh of relief then signaled for a helping hand.
Once on his feet, the room appeared to shimmy.
Unlike similar episodes, the nausea became more intense before it began to subside. Feeling unsteady now, he leaned back against the countertop and paused, blaming his discomfort on the heavy smell of deep-fried fritters mixed with the pungent signature of the oil-based paint throughout the entire kitchen.
“Hey, you okay there, Pal?” Corey asked. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
“Yeah, sure. I’m either dehydrated or she kicked me harder than I realized, or maybe it’s because I haven’t
eaten since breakfast. Either it’s that, or all the traveling I’ve been doing is starting to catch up to me,” he lied.
His doctor had told him to expect more of these episodes.
As he waited for things to settle, he surveyed the kitchen and noticed the changes in everything from paint scheme and window treatments to the stainless-steel appliances. However, the butcher-block countertops, a once prized possession of his mother, had remained.
Nicer than I recall, but certainly not the decorative upgrades that Sam Wyatt would ever do, he thought. His eyes narrowed when they finally fell upon the old woman’s face. He thought he knew her, but didn’t know from where.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

 

Richard I Levine is a native New Yorker raised in the shadows of Yankee Stadium. After dabbling in several occupations and a one-year coast-to-coast wanderlust trip, This one-time auxiliary police officer, volunteer fireman, bartender, and store manager returned to school to become a chiropractor.

A twenty-five-year cancer survivor, he’s a strong advocate for the natural healing arts. In 2006 he wrote, produced, and was on-air personality of The Dr. Rich Levine Show on Seattle’s KKNW 1150AM and after a twenty-five-year chiropractic practice in Bellevue, Washington, he closed up shop at the end of 2016 and moved to Oahu to pursue a dream of acting and being on Hawaii 5-O.

While briefly working as a ghostwriter/community liaison for a Honolulu City Councilmember, a Hawaii State Senator, and volunteering as an advisory board member of USVETS Barbers Point, he appeared as a background actor in over twenty-seven 5-Os, Magnum P.I.s, NCIS-Hawaii, and several Hallmark movies. In 2020, he had a co-star role in the third season episode of Magnum PI called “Easy Money.”

While he no longer lives in Hawaii, he says he will always cherish and be grateful for those seven years and all the wonderful people he’s met. His 5th novel, To Catch the Setting Sun, was inspired by his time in Hawaii.

Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea is Levine’s first foray into the romance genre.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ http://www.docrichlevine.com  

X ➜ https://www.twitter.com/Your_In8_Power 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/RichardLevineAuthor/ 

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/rilevinedc