Blog Tour: Jack Templar Monster Hunter

So you want to be a Monster Hunter? 

Are you sure you are ready for zombies, vampires, mugwumps and more? 

WARNING! Embarking on this tour with Jeff Gunhus all but guarantees the monsters will show up on your doorstep. So you need to be absolutely sure. Perhaps a glimpse at what awaits you:

If you are serious about becoming a Monster Hunter, then you will want to visit each of these stops as you will need as much information as you can get to survive.

Tour Schedule:

Dec. 3 Kid Lit Reviews Character Guest Post

Dec. 4 Breath of Life  Review, Character guest post, and swag giveaway

Dec. 5 It's About Time Mamaw Review, Character Guest Post and swag giveaway

Dec. 6 Double the Fun Day
Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Book Reviews Author Guest Post and swag giveaway
Mom With A Kindle Character Interview

Dec. 7 Tamara's One Stop Indie Shop Guest Post and swag giveaway

Dec. 8 Loves 2 Read Review, Character Guest Post, and swag giveaway

Dec. 9 Italian Brat's Obsessions Review, Character Guest Post, and swag giveaway

Dec. 10 Alli's World Character Guest Post and swag giveaway

Dec. 11 Book Him Danno Review, Character Guest Post, and swag giveaway

Dec. 12  Double the Fun Day
Fairday's Blog! Review
The Preppy Girl in Pink Guest Post

Dec. 13 Here's The Story Review and Author Guest Post

Dec. 14 Fairday's Blog! Author Interview and swag giveaway

Dec. 15 Bunny's Review Character Interview and swag giveaway

Dec. 16 The Oaken Bookcase Review

Dec. 17 Larkin's Book Bloggers Review, Author Guest Post, and Swag Giveaway

Dec. 18 Double the Fun Day
Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's Author Interview and swag giveaway
Geo Librarian Review, Character Guest Post, and swag giveaway

Dec. 19 Double the Fun Day
Pulling Down Books Review
Girl Who Reads Author Guest Post

Dec. 20 Rumor Has It Review, Character Guest Post, Swag Giveaway

Dec. 21 Ali's Bookshelf Author Guest Post and swag giveaway

Twitter Party!

To wrap up a great 3 week tour, Jeff will be hosting a Twitter Party on Friday, Dec. 21, 6 pm - 8 pm EST. If you have survived the numerous monster attacks that you will undoubtedly face, chat with us using the hashtag #JackTemplar. The easiest way to join the party is with http://tweetchat.com/

About the Book:

Orphan Jack Templar has no memory of his parents and only the smallest details from his Aunt Sophie about how they died. The day before Jack's fourteenth birthday, things start to change for him. At first it's great: A sudden new strength helps him defend his nose-picking friend "T-Rex" from the school bully, and even his crush, Cindy Adams, takes notice. But then a mysterious girl named Eva arrives and tells him two facts that will change his life forever. First, that he's the descendent of a long line of monster hunters and he's destined to be in the family business. Second, that there's a truce between man and monster that children are off-limits...until their fourteenth birthday! Jack has only one day before hundreds of monsters will descend on his little town of Sunnyvale and try to kill him.

As if that weren't enough, things get even more complicated when Jack discovers that the Lord of the Creach (as the monsters are collectively known) holds a personal grudge against him and will do anything to see that Jack has a slow and painful death. To stay alive and save his friends, Jack will have to battle werewolves, vampires, harpies, trolls, zombies and more. But perhaps the most dangerous thing he must face is the truth about his past. Why do the other hunters call him the last Templar? Why do they whisper that he may be the "One?" Why do the monsters want him dead so badly? Even as these questions plague him, he quickly discovers survival is his new full-time job and that in the world of monster hunters, nothing is really what it seems.

Buy the Book!

The tour won't arm you with enough information, you must buy the book. Jack Templar Monster Hunter is a great middle grades fantasy adventure. I'm so convinced that my 9 year nephew will love it there is a copy going under the tree (Shh! don't tell him).

Amazon
IndieBound
Barnes & Noble


 About the Author:

Jeff Gunhus grew up in Cyprus, Greece, and Saudi Arabia where there was a distinct lack of television. He quickly found books were the gateway to incredible adventures, fascinating characters and unbelievable discoveries. Now, with five children of his own (all who watch too much television, in his opinion), he has enjoyed revisiting his old books and reliving those adventures all over again.

Get Connected:
 
It is important for Monster Hunters to band together. Jeff and Jack have created a few meeting places on the web for you to get support:
Website: www.jacktemplar.com
Twitter: @JTMonsterHunter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackTemplarmonsterhunter

Pin It!

Follow the tour on Pinterest

Get the Badge:

Now that you have decided to be a Monster Hunter, you can add this badge to your site or profile.

Grand Prize Giveaway
In addition to the individual swag packs offered at the various blogs, there will be 1 grand prize winner. Enter below for a chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
A paid publciity package was purchased by the author from GWR Publicity. Girl Who Reads is an advertising affiliate with Amazon and IndieBound; a small fee is earned when purchases are made using the above links.

Related articles

• Jack Templar, Monster Hunter Tour, Day 1 (kid-lit-reviews.com)
• Jack Templar Monster Hunter Tour by Jeff Gunhus (itlnbrt.com)
• Review ~ Jack Templar Monster Hunter by Jeff Gunhus (itlnbrt.com)

Friday Fun with Jolie du Pre

Something I love to do is meet fellow "The Walking Dead" TV show fans on Facebook and Twitter. Before an episode, we get on Facebook and chat about how excited we are to see the next show. While an episode airs, we tweet like mad and look for a new hashtag introduced during the show. After the TV show, we get back on Facebook or Twitter and chat about how much we like the episode or how much we love or hate certain characters.

We drive people who aren't into the show crazy, but we don't care. We love the show too much to care.

Note: If you’re one of the comics aficionados who hate the TV show fans, save your rants for your snobby forums. The biggest myth from you guys is that the TV show fans don't read. Hate to break it to you, but not all the TV show fans are buffoons who never open a book. I'm a rabid "The Walking Dead" TV show fangirl and an avid reader. (I've probably read more books than you.) So stop believing your own press. The comic book series is the comic book series. The TV show is a separate animal. Deal with it.

Now that that’s out of the way, TV show fans, are you ready?

For Friday Fun, I thought it would be cool to discuss "The Walking Dead" TV show characters I hate. I know you guys can relate, and I'll try not to reveal any spoilers for those who have yet to watch a season three episode.

The Governor aka Snake in the Grass

You get to meet this lovely man, and I mean that sarcastically of course, in season three. He's what I call a snake in the grass. You know? He's the type who smiles in your face and makes you think he's on the up and up. The type who everyone thinks is the smartest and the one who always does the right thing. The type who doesn't reveal his true colors until he's behind closed doors. That's the Governor. If you ever meet a person like him, God help you.

Lori Grimes aka Second-in-Command

You can find Lori in seasons one, two and three. She's Rick's wife and Carl's mother. Without revealing any spoilers from season three, suffice it to say that she's the woman who never takes a leadership role (not that you'd want her to), but then has the nerve to question the leaders.

There's other things about her that are annoying. In season one, she assumes Rick is dead. So she hooks up with Shane, Rick's partner on the job and best friend. Personally I think it was highly inappropriate for Lori to get with Shane during a zombie apocalypse. I would rather have seen her take some time to mourn her husband, who she assumed was dead, and to be there for her son. When she learns Rick is not dead, she's got Shane and Rick against each other - two guys fighting over a woman who, in my opinion, ain't worth it. And, of course, it's revealed in season two that she's pregnant. Is it Rick's kid or is Shane the baby daddy? Call me crazy, but if I'm living in a post-apocalyptic nightmare, I'm making damn sure I don't get knocked up.

Merle Dixon aka Evil, Crazy Bigot

In season one, we learn that Merle is a crazy bigot. In season three, we learn that not only is he a crazy bigot, he's just downright evil. Even if he hadn't lost his hand in season one he'd probably be evil. But unlike The Governor, Merle has always showed his true colors. We expect nothing less from Merle.

Andrea aka Opportunist

Everyone says Andrea is stupid. I don't think so. I think she's an opportunist. She's a woman who uses men to get what she wants, and she goes against those who help her if she feels it's in her best interest. Michonne saved her butt in season two, but Andrea could not care less. That's an opportunist.

Who is your least favorite character from the "The Walking Dead" TV show?


Also, if you love "The Walking Dead," you love zombies. Own a blog? Then join my Zombie Blog Hop to be held on December 7th!

About the Author:

Jolie du Pre is a full-time, published author, editor, article writer and blogger. She has short stories in over 15 books, and she’s the editor of three anthologies. Jolie is the founder and editor-in-chief of Leodegraunce (Leodegraunce.com), a site for quality flash fiction of 200 words or less. She is also the founder of GLBT Promo (Glbtpromoblog.com), a promotional blog for GLBT erotica and erotic romance. Her horror/paranormal novellas are The M Series. Book One –Litria - is available now at Amazon and Goodreads. Jolie loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, running, yoga, Pilates, and monsters.

Connect with the Author:

Website: http://www.joliedupre.com/
Blog: http://www.preciousmonsters.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joliedupreauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joliedupre
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/joliedupre
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Joliedupre

Get the Book:

Who’s lurking in Layneworth?

It’s the Buscettos-a charming family who live in a nice house.

Not quite.

The Buscettos look human, but they’re not human. They’re Zxxtergins, a type of little-known monster who has roamed the Earth since the fifth century. The youngest Buscetto, beautiful eighteen-year-old Litria, is in search of gorgeous females for sex, followed by food. Her nightly behavior wrecks havoc, causing her family to fear exposure and resulting in grave concern, extra work, and late nights for Layneworth detectives.

When nude and mutilated dead women appear, almost daily, across Layneworth, Detective Brenda Martin, and her partner Robert Moretti, are on the case. The mayor, before his untimely demise, preached to beware of werewolves, and few believed him. But as the killings increase, Brenda thinks she may have more than just a serial killer on her hands. Will Brenda discover the true monsters, and what happens if she does?

Find Litria at Amazon and Goodreads


The views, beliefs, and opinions expressed by guest post authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or opinions of Girl Who Reads. Girl Who Reads is an advertising affiliate with Amazon and IndieBound; a small fee is earned when purchases are made using the above links.

Related articles

• The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 7 Recap: When the Dead Come Knocking (tmrzoo.com)
• AMC's 'The Walking Dead:' Five things we learned from 'Say the Word' (sfluxe.com)
• 'Walking Dead' Set To Introduce Fan-Favorite Character (splashpage.mtv.com)

Coming Dec. 2012: The Fiddling Feline, the Flea and the Frog et al.

Alberta Ross’s new collection of Tales offers a handful of Once Upon a Time stories. Twisted, slightly shuffled to one side and wrapped in a modern day perspectives.

Find good and evil in equal measure.
Discover greed and vanity.
Cheer the lovelorn and boo the wicked.
Observe the shape shifters, princesses and talking animals.
Watch as revenge is sought for a past time and justice demanded for an ignored crime.

Ponder the truths that can be found in all fairy tales and myths.

Take nothing for granted, these well crafted tales may sound cosy as you begin, but watch out. As a summer breeze these redefined fairy tales can turn in an instant to a tempest.

Sit back and enjoy them.

Excerpts:

From: ‘The child, the box and the trees’
Later that night, after she had heard her father’s drunken, uneven steps, listened to the raised voices, crashing of glass and Aoife’s cry of pain, after she welcomed the peace of the night's velvet darkness, Anesidora leant over the side of her bed. Her acquisitive fingers searching for, finding and tracing the intricate patterns which adorned the sides, feeling the carved catch and hinges, smoothing traceries of ancient images on the humming sides of the box.

All was well.

When the darkness arrived, it stole into the town silently, unseen; nothing warned of the disasters to come. No indication of the evil.


From: ‘Here a bite, there a bite, everywhere a bite, bite’
I miss the old fellow. Oh, I know he was a braggart and a bully but over the years we were together we grew to know each other rather well, and – just say I miss him.

When did I first meet him? Funnily enough it was back at the very beginning of his fortune’s turn. I’d been hanging around some of the other cats but they were no fun at all and I’d been watching Sith for a while. Rather enviously. He seemed to have more to him – do you understand? An unrestrained exuberance; a liveliness which promised excitement and a fizz in life which was sadly lacking in the others. Born to lead

About the Author:

Alberta spent the first part of her adult life travelling the world, the middle years studying and now has settled down to write. From the first part she has endless photographs, memories and friends. From the second a BSc Hons, an MA and friends. Now in this part everything comes together.

Over the years her interests have expanded, as has her book and music collection. A short list would include reading (almost anything) science, opera, folk, gardening, philosophy, crazy patchwork, freeform crochet, ethics, social history, cooking (and eating of course) gardening, anthropology, climate change and sustainability.

Alberta says the best gift her parents gave her, apart from a love of reading and music, was an interest and curiosity in everything which, in itself, has become a total inability to be bored and for this she is always grateful.

Connect:
http://albertaross.co.uk web site
http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com for background to the
writing of Alberta’s publications
http://www.didyoueverkissafrog.typepad.com for whatever takes her fancy
http://albertaross.wordpress.com for all things writing
Facebook
Twitter
http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/alberta-ross.html
Goodreads


Tour Schedule:

http://www.prudencemacleod.com on the 29/30 November TBC

http://thegirdleofmelian.blogspot.co.uk on the 2nd December

http://theindieexchange.com on the 3rd December

http://www.virginiajennings.webs.com on the 5th December

http://mrsbongle.wordpress.com on the 6th December

http://indiebookexchange.blogspot.co.uk on the 12th December

There will be six e-book copies of The Fiddling Feline, the Flea and the Frog et al up for grabs at the end of this mini tour – winners will be selected randomly from those who comment. I can offer print copies only to UK residents.

Book Annoucements are offered free to authors. Unless otherwise stated, all information and images have been provided by the author.

Writer Wednesday: Faye Rogers

As I sat down to write this guest post, I realised that there were many aspects of my writing, and writing in general, that I could talk about. For example, I could have divulged to you all that almost every single time I finally get inspiration to write, my very lovably cat demands attention and doesn’t allow me to write a single word. Or I could have told you that I often write better at night than I do in the morning. But these little tidbits would never have managed to bulk out to be a complete post and you all would have been staring at a one paragraph guest post wondering why I had even bothered to “pick up the pen.” So instead, I have decided to tell you all about my “gruesome” NaNoWriMo experience in 2012.

This is the third time that I’ve participated in the event. The first two novels I succeeded to finish are now sitting on my hardrive collecting dust for I haven’t looked at them since – mostly because they are terrible  pieces of work that no one should ever have to see, but also because I simply never found the time to go back to them. I’m sure eventually I’ll torture myself by re-opening the files and reading my work, so as to edit them, but for now, I think they’re better sitting where they are. But, with the knowledge that I had already completed this challenge twice, I was fairly certain that I would be able to make it to the finish line once more.

Now, since November has not yet ended, I’m not at liberty to divulge whether or not this is true. But I do know that as I write this, with only six days left of the challenge, I still have 21,000 words to write. It is going to be an incredibly challenging six days, but maybe with some inane willpower and motivation, I will still manage to complete this novel on time.

But why am I so far behind?

The answer to that question is complex, for there are many different reasons. Here is a checklist of all the things that have gone wrong since the beginning of November.

1. I did not plan. Well, that’s not entirely correct because I did plan, but on the very first day of NaNo I decided that I no longer liked my idea, I no longer felt safe writing this story in only a month and so I quickly swapped it for another. This second story, I had absolutely no plan for.
2. I was busy. Just as I was too busy to edit my older novels, trying to write a new one in such a short space of time was actually quite a lunatic thing to do. I started a new job this month, while keeping my old one and socialising and all the rest of it, simply meant very little time to write. That, or I’d come home from my new work and was just too exhausted to open up the word document and start writing.
3. I lost all motivation. Without that trusty plan I needed, I had no idea where my story was going, what I needed to write and my characters simply weren’t speaking loud enough for me to fully get the idea formulated in my head.
4. Maintaining my blog. Last year, I did have my blog while I participated in NaNoWriMo but I was just starting out, posting maybe twice a week whereas now, I post every single day, so keeping on top of that, including reading for blog tours and the like, simply crunched into my writing time.
5. It was easier to ignore it. If I just stopped remembering that I had to write words every day, I could happily crash out in the front room watching television instead of forcing my brain to work and writing a thousand or more words. This, obviously, was not the easiest way to get the novel written though.

But, fortunately, I did still get some words down. On the rare occasions that I sat down with the word document up and ready to write in it, I did manage to add to my word count. Then, just three days ago, I was suddenly struck by the perfect ending to my story and then everything else just fell into place. Scenes that need to happen before the ending were being replayed into my head, moments that needed to occur before were being written and placed in their respective places. And now, I am so full of juice and motivation that I may be horrified by the idea of writing 21k in six days, but I want to finish because I am so excited for my story now.

However, before I finish this post with all the negatives of my NaNo journey, I would like to mention some positives. There has been some great support for me when it came to this and there are a few people that I would like to thank as I know for certain that I would not have continued going if it wasn’t for them.

1. My Best Friend. My writing partner. I was all geared up and ready for NaNo but decided I simply didn’t want to go through it alone. Last year I had a great support group but since then I’ve moved towns and so I knew I wouldn’t have them around again, therefore, just a few days before the event was to start, I begged my best friend to join me in this endeavour. Fortunately, being a writer herself, she magnificently accepted! She is just as far behind as me but we are struggling through it together and she has been a brilliant support for me.
2. Twitter Friends. Bloggers, and non-bloggers alike, have all witnessed my troubles of my word count on twitter and many have sent wishes my way, while others have requested word wars with me. A lot of us are in this together and knowing there are others tapping away on their keypads at the same time has been a huge help for me.
3. Sarah Maas and Susan Dennard. The #NaNoWriMoBattle that these two lovely and magnificent authors started for this challenge has been a grand help. While I haven’t participated every day, for the reasons above, the few times I did join, I wrote like the wind with inspiration lacing off of my fingertips. These two authors are brilliant inspirations and I have a lot to thank them for.
4. NaNoWordSprints. Again, the twitter account of NaNoWordSprints has been a major support link for me. With their prompts, ideas have flown into my heads while I pounded at the keys along with many others for their quick sprints, and being glad to see my word count steadily increasing. Lord knows I wouldn’t be anywhere near 30K without them.
5. Pep Talks. Every single one that entered my inbox on the NaNoWriMo site has helped me to pick myself up and carry on writing. Everyone has their own things to say, their own pointers to add in, but every message was motivational and caring and simply wonderful. They are a large part of the reason why I am still working my way towards the end, they’re the reason I haven’t yet given up completely.

So, there we have it. NaNoWriMo is a tough challenge, but when you have so many other people participating alongside you, it seems just a little less scary. No one is selfish, wanting only themselves to win. Everyone else is rooting for you too. And when so many other people want you to succeed, how could you possibly let them down? I hope that I do manage to finish my NaNoWriMo novel, simply because the journey to the end has been one hell of an awesome ride.

About Faye

Faye is twenty-two years old and graduated from university in June with a BA in Film and Television Studies. She lives in Surrey, UK and currently works in her local library. While she has never had a book published, it is something that she wishes to achieve one day. She tries to write something every single day, and believes that practice makes perfect. She currently runs her own blog, A Daydreamer’s Thoughts, which focuses on books and films and her thoughts and opinions on them.

Connect with Faye
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

The views, beliefs, and opinions expressed by guest post authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or opinions of Girl Who Reads. 

Related articles

• NaNoWriMo Tip #25: A Little Encouragement (writingishardwork.com)
• NaNoWriMo: All downhill from here (michaelmcmullen.wordpress.com)
• #NaNoWriMo: 50,000 words isn't the end. Learn from my mistake. (chazzwrites.com)
• NaNoWriMo Tip #26: Don't Beat Yourself Up (writingishardwork.com)

Want to Read More: The Retribution

The Retribution by Val McDermid 
ebook
Published: January 2012 by Grove/Atlantic Inc.
ISBN13: 9780802194671
Source: purchased
Read: Nov. 2012
Goodreads, IndieBound, Amazon

I should mention the cover I'm showing is not the cover for the edition I read, but I like this cover so much more (the one on my ebook is boring). The Retribution was a Free Friday offer at B&N and the description was too good to pass up, though it is the 7th book in the series. Thankfully, it is more or less a stand alone book.

I really like Carol and Tony and, again, you get to know them really well though it is the 7th book in the series named for them.

The Retribution reminded me of The Line Between Here and Gone (see review) and a much better story than Broken Harbor (see review).  The two murder mystery plots were both engaging. I often find myself wanting more of one story line or other, but that wasn't the case here.

When I picked up The Retribution, I was craving a thriller and this book satisfied that craving. I look forward to picking up the other books in the series.

Girl Who Reads is an advertising affiliate with Amazon and IndieBound; a small fee is earned when purchases are made using the above links.

Related articles

• Book Review: Vanishing Point (worddreams.wordpress.com)

A Day in the Life of Sylvie Granotier

Grab a cup of tea and pull up a chair as Sylvie Granotier, author of The Paris Lawyer, shares what she's learned.

I often thank all the wonderful writers who gave me sound advice, unknowingly. They don’t know me and most of them have been dead for a long time, so I will start by quoting some of them in my own words:

• “Everyone’s capable of writing a good sentence, even a good paragraph, it’s going the length that’s difficult. The only way is to plow the ground day after day, digging the same line.”
• “One day I understood that my novels started at the second chapter. To have the right beginning, I just had to erase the first chapter I needed, not the reader.”
• “Let the reader add two and two, he’ll be eternally grateful.”
• “Any information needed for the plot to advance should not be visible as such.”
• “I never start a story without the same urgency a child feels running from school to his mother, yelling, “Mommy, mommy, I’ve got to tell you what happened…”

The rest I learned by my own experience, so thirteen novels later, here goes…

Some stories need years to mature in an underground fashion. I’ve learned to let them run their course. I rarely take notes, believing that memory is a good filter for what really counts. When I know the story is ripe, I go to work.

The first big decision consists in defining the point of view and the time structure. First or third person? One, two or more leading characters? Present, past or a mixture?

I usually start with a rough sketch of the whole plot. It’s reassuring but will eventually change as characters come alive and start ruling some of the events. With few exceptions, I’m still in pajamas when I rush to my desk, fed but unwashed. I need my apartment to be in order, the washing up done and my teeth cleaned.

I have set rules. During the first draft, I’m not allowed to leave my desk until I have produced four pages. It can be more, but never less. I need to go forward, even if the style is sketchy, the word choice poor, the outside information incomplete, until I reach the end the often comes as a surprise but helps me understand why I’m telling the story.

The best part of writing can now start. I have all the ingredients, characters I believe in and who still intrigue me, a story that is complete and alive with its fully lit parts and mysterious areas and, most important, the general pace of the novel.

It’s now a matter of editing, cutting what’s complacent, off topic, smart-alecky, verbose, choosing one adjective rather than three, tracking the fake and searching for the authentic, simplifying the sentences, etc.

I’m an actress too and was chosen to be the reader of my own novel The Paris Lawyer for the French version of the audio book. It was enlightening in terms of pace and fluidity. I had always read aloud parts I was uncertain of. Now, I take the time to read the whole thing in two or three takes and find it helpful.

I work from beginning to end three or four times, letting the novel rest in between. When I pick it up again, I have a fresh outlook. When you are too focused—with your head to the grinding stone—after a while, you don’t see clearly.

One last difficulty is deciding I’m done. No book is ever as perfect as you hope it will be from the start. It’s a subtle balance between possible improvement and the risk of destroying it by targeting an unreachable objective. Being demanding is essential, remaining modest vital.

In this, as in many other areas, I’m forever indebted to Grace Paley. Translating her stories in French and meeting her was one of the best presents life ever gave me. Her work and her person are a constant inspiration.

Once I feel I’ve reached my limits, I deliver the novel to my publisher. That’s the second round when I’m not alone any more, which comes as a great relief. Being approved, having a set date and working on final improvements is paradise. Doubts come later, but that’s another story.

One last thing, I never hesitate when the going gets rough to encourage myself with treats: if I get my pages done, I can go see a film in the afternoon, buy myself a little trinket or go ride my bicycle aimlessly through my beloved city, Paris.

About the Author:

Author, screenwriter and actress Sylvie Granotier loves to weave plots that send shivers up your spine. She was born in Algeria and grew up in Paris and Morocco. She studied literature and theater in Paris, then set off traveling—the United States, Brazil, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, ending with a tour of Europe. She wound up in Paris again, an actress, with a job and some recognition. But she is a writer at heart, and started her publishing career translating Grace Paley’s short story collection Enormous Changes at the Last Minute into French. Thirteen novels and many short stories later, Sylvie Granotier is a major crime fiction author in France. Her The Paris Lawyer (http://www.theparislawyer.com), a legal procedural that doubles as a psychological thriller, was recently published in English by Le French Book (http://www.lefrenchbook.com). Sylvie splits her time between Paris and the Creuse, in central France.

 

Book info: http://www.theparislawyer.com

Follow us on Twitter @lefrenchbook

Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/lefrenchbook

Find The Paris Lawyer at Goodreads and Amazon

Girl Who Reads is an advertising affiliate with Amazon and IndieBound; a small fee is earned when purchases are made using the above links. The views, beliefs, and opinions expressed by guest post authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or opinions of Girl Who Reads.

It's Monday, again! What are you reading?

News:

Looking for book suggestions to give or receive this holiday season? I have 10 recommendations for you, plus a giveaway, in my Holiday Buying Guide 2012.

Orangeberry Virtual Book Expo: December 7 - 16 Targeted at Christmas shoppers, the Expo hopes to increase awareness for holiday releases and for authors to showcase their current novels.

Check my sidebar for other upcoming events.

I was right about the holidays being a time for reading. I not only finished the two books I had started, but finished 2 new books, too! How about you? Did you squeeze some reading in while gorging yourself on turkey? Let me now in the comments.

Finished:

Tucker Lee Anderson’s boss needs him to check out a story over on the beachside. Not earth- shattering, it’s more of a follow up to the Ed Ventara case, he says. When Anderson, a staff reporter for a local Southern newspaper hears this, a red light goes off in his head. But wait, wasn’t Ventura the serial killer convicted of killing five children, even though they only found four bodies a few years back? Following the discovery of a child’s skeleton, what at first appears to be a straightforward case of suspected murder is anything but, when Anderson finds himself not only investigating the case, but also dabbling in ancestral research.

This laid-back divorced dad’s ordinary life soon takes a turn when in the process, he soon discovers family ties that bind him to both the present and the past—but what does this have to do with the child? Set in the Central Florida community of Brevard County, Beneath the Dune features an interesting cast of characters, and what Anderson uncovers is bound to shock a few upper class residents to the core. Steeped in suspense and blended with humor, the book has all the ingredients necessary for the making of mystery that is sure to hold you in its grip to the very end. From Goodreads.com

 Find Beneath the Dune at Goodreads, IndieBound, Amazon.

Clinical psychologist Tony Hill has had a good run. He and police detective Carol Jordan have put away scores of dangerous criminals and have a clearance rate that colleagues envy or resent. But there is one serial killer who has shaped and defined their careers, a person whose evil surpasses all others: Jacko Vance, an ex-celebrity and sociopath whose brilliance and utter lack of remorse have never left Tony’s mind in the ten years Vance has been locked up. Now Jacko has broken out of prison and, with a mind even more twisted and cunning than before, he is focused on wreaking revenge on Tony and Carol for the years he has spent in prison. They don’t know when Jacko will strike, or where. All they know is that he will cause them to feel fear like they’ve never known. From Goodreads.com

Find The Retribution at Goodreads, IndieBound, Amazon.

Orphan Jack Templar has no memory of his parents and only the smallest details from his Aunt Sophie about how they died. The day before Jack's fourteenth birthday, things start to change for him. At first it's great: A sudden new strength helps him defend his nose-picking friend "T-Rex" from the school bully, and even his crush, Cindy Adams, takes notice. But then a mysterious girl named Eva arrives and tells him two facts that will change his life forever. First, that he's the descendent of a long line of monster hunters and he's destined to be in the family business. Second, that there's a truce between man and monster that children are off-limits...until their fourteenth birthday! Jack has only one day before hundreds of monsters will descend on his little town of Sunnyvale and try to kill him.

As if that weren't enough, things get even more complicated when Jack discovers that the Lord of the Creach (as the monsters are collectively known) holds a personal grudge against him and will do anything to see that Jack has a slow and painful death. To stay alive and save his friends, Jack will have to battle werewolves, vampires, harpies, trolls, zombies and more. But perhaps the most dangerous thing he must face is the truth about his past. Why do the other hunters call him the last Templar? Why do they whisper that he may be the "One?" Why do the monsters want him dead so badly? Even as these questions plague him, he quickly discovers survival is his new full-time job and that in the world of monster hunters, nothing is really what it seems. From Goodreads.com

Tour kicks off Dec. 3. Find Jack Templar Monster Hunter at Goodreads, Amazon, and IndieBound.

Todd McCray, hero of A Dog Named Christmas, is now twenty-four years old and working at a local animal shelter, where he meets and quickly becomes best friends with Laura, a young volunteer. Laura, like Todd, has disabilities of her own, but her struggles are more physical than developmental. Their friendship is sealed when Todd—with the help of his trusted companion, the tenacious Labrador retriever named Christmas—trains a beautiful dog named Gracie to help Laura with the day-to-day life tasks that are difficult for her. 

Life seems good for Todd, but all is not well in his hometown. Struggling families unable to make ends meet are abandoning more and more dogs, and the shelter is swelling to capacity.  The local government is struggling to meet its obligations too, and in early December, on the cusp of another holiday season, Todd’s boss delivers the bad news.  Due to funding problems, the shelter will close its doors before the end of the year.  But what will happen to all the animals?  

As the Christmas holiday approaches, Todd has limited time to find homes for all the dogs. Not to mention that he needs to secure a new job and figure out what to do when his friendship with Laura takes an unexpected romantic turn. All this seems overwhelming unless you’ve got a loving family, dedicated friends, and a couple of very special dogs behind you. In which case, nothing is impossible. From Goodreads.com

 Enter the Giveaway. Find A Christmas Home at Goodreads, Amazon, and IndieBound.


Reading:

Caitlin Kane knows more about the impact of schizophrenia than most people could imagine. Both her parents were afflicted with the devastating mental illness, a disease that tends to run in families, and Caitlin and her brother grew up trying to navigate the chaos of living with two schizophrenics. Her tumultuous childhood left Caitlin determined to forge a peaceful and serene life for herself. Now 32, she is living her dream. Married to her best friend, she and her husband are raising two bright young children in the suburbs of Seattle. While her unusual upbringing has left Caitlin with emotional scars, she enjoys the love and support of her extended family and her challenging career as a pediatric nurse. But no matter how hard she tries, she can't shake the obsessive fear that the family illness will strike again, robbing her of her mind or stealing away the sanity of one or both of her children. From Goodreads.com

 Find Playing the Gebetic Lottery at Goodreads, Amazon, and IndieBound.

Girl Who Reads is an advertising affiliate with Amazon and IndieBound; a small fee is earned when purchases are made using the above links.

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Boy Who Reads: Freddy in the Fridge

Freddy in the Fridge by Brad Herzog
Hardcover
Published: December 2001 by Rigby Literacy
ISBN: 0757820530

Setting: Middle Town Middle School and refrigerator

If you like fantasy you would like this book. It's about a kid finding an elf in the fridge. The elf turns off the lights in the fridge.

I recommend this book to kids 8 - 10 years old because it does seem like a lower reading level. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book has a lot of interesting words.

*GWR Note: Freddy in the Fridge is a grade level 5 book.

Boy Who Reads is the 4th grade nephew of GWR. The above book report was chosen as one of the top 2 book reports in his class. He wanted all of GWR's readers to see it. 

Sunday Sales Page #3

Check out what is FREE and DISCOUNTED this week. You might just find your next favorite book!

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eBooks

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$100 Amazon Card or Paypal Cash

The holidays are upon us and who doesn't need a little extra cash for those wonderful gifts we plan on giving this year. Here's your chance to pocket $100 this season.

Happy Home and Family has teamed up with a group of the most amazing bloggers around to bring you this great giveaway to help you out with your holiday expenses!!

One lucky reader will be winning a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Special thanks to our co hosts - Capri's Coupons, My Mushings, Mum Writes , SaMie Designs and Din's Fashion

Giveaway details:

• One lucky reader will be winning a $100 Amazon Gift Code ( or $100 cash through PayPal )
• Giveaway is open worldwide
• The giveaway will run from November 25- December 15

Just enter the rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone!!