Hi everybody! I’m thrilled this week to be doing a giveaway for The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox!

About the book:

Dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and an evil queen – all these and more can be found in The Magic Warble, an enchanting tale of adventure and friendship.

Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly feels like the most unpopular girl in her school. The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in. But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and the evil Queen Sentiz.

In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she’s honored as “the chosen one” the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz’s control. But it’s not as simple as it seems. To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous “Magic Warble” in its final resting place. And she must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen’s “zelbocks” before she reaches her destination. Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, as well as an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but her heart.

About the contest:

You can enter for your chance to win 1 of 3 available electronic copies of The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox. Entry instructions are simple. You get one entry for each item:

Follow Victoria’s blog at: http://www.victoriasimcox.blogspot.com/

Like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Magic-Warble/118277634882514

Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VictoriaSimcox

Please leave a separate comment for each entry, including your email address so I can contact you if you win. All winners will be notified by email and have 72 hours to respond accepting their prize. Instructions on how to claim your prize will be provided by the author or her representative. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, January 27, 2012

About the author:

Victoria was born in Scarborough,Ontario,Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now lives in Western Washington with her husband, Russ and their three children, Toby, Kristina, and William. Her other family members are a Chihuahua, named Pipsy and two cats, named Frodo and Fritz. Besides being an author,Victoria is a home-schooling mother of twelve years and an elementary school art teacher of eleven years. In her spare time,Victoria enjoys managing her two older children’s Celtic band. She also loves writing, reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and just simply hanging out with her family and friends.

It’s that time of year again. You’re finally starting to get sick of turkey sandwiches. You may or may not have endured the insanity of Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday/Crap, I’m broke Tuesday.

And of course, if you celebrate Christmas and have small children, it’s the time where they start thinking about Santa. My daughter is no different. She’s nine and has been a big fan of Santa since she understood who he was. Always willing to sit and talk to him, or just stare awestruck at him like when she was three. Insistent that we make cookies for him, and how dare I even suggest store bought! But what I always loved to see was how grateful she was on Christmas Day when whether she got everything on her list or not. She’d tear into each present, spend some time admiring it for what it was, not just opening it and tossing it aside to see what else she got. Always thankful to Santa for stopping by our house.

But recently, we went to the mall, just to do some walking around and window shopping, and there he was, Mr. Claus himself. I asked her if she wanted to talk to him, and she said no, she’d send a letter. I nodded and we were about to walk away when she turned to me, her beautiful blue eyes already tearing up and said, “Mommy, I need to ask you a question, and I need you to tell me the truth.”

Of course I knew what was coming next. We had the talk. I tried to soften the blow by saying Santa was real, in that the spirit of him is what is real. And when we’re nice to each other and are giving…that is what makes Santa real, that we, sort of become Santa. That stopped the tears for a while, but then we walked into a bookstore with a huge Christmas book display and the tears began anew.

Over the next few hours though, she brightened, and I was happy she that she didn’t seem too scarred by one of childhood’s greatest traumas. What took me by surprise though is what happened at the grocery store. Ours has an angel tree set up where you can get shopping lists for kids who are less fortunate. My daughter insisted we get not one, but two, because we needed to “be Santa” for people this year, we needed to make him real for other people. I told her about the angel tree at my gym and she insisted we get one of those as well, so we did. Shopping’s all done, but the other day she reminded me that Toys for Tots is on, and her school has an angel tree…the list goes on and on.

I think a lot of times we as parents dread Christmas. The bills, the rush, the other people and especially the day our kids find out the truth about Santa. It’s hard to remember that the holidays are supposed to be a fun time, a time when we can all become a little closer, nicer, and all those other clichés like in the movies. But it really can be like that and I thank my daughter for such a beautiful reminder of that, and that Santa can be very real.

Blessings to you and yours, no matter what or how you celebrate the season.

How did a something that tastes like castor oil flavored with tree bark become the sexiest drink on
earth?

Gaspare Campari invented his famous potion in 1860 by infusing sixty herbs, spices, barks and fruit
peels in a mixture of alcohol and distilled water. It became a sensation, and Campari turned into an
entrepreneur. There’s only one problem: Campari is bitter, and human beings have taste receptors for
bitterness that function as an early warning system, alerting us that we are about to consume something
that might be toxic or poisonous.

Imagine the dilemma for your brain as you take a sip of cold, refreshing Campari and soda. Part of your
mind is saying, “Don’t drink this—it might kill you!” In another sector of your cranium, though, the drink
is perceived to be sophisticated and desirable. Given that more than 27 million bottles of Campari are
sold each year, the brain has obviously found a way to disregard the potential dangers of bitterness. In
researching my book, Iconic spirits: An Intoxicating History, I spoke to scientists doing research on the
physiology of taste, and they all had a theory on how this conflict was resolved.

More importantly, though, how did Campari come to be regarded as the sexiest drink on earth?

The shimmering red potion may be infused with dozens of herbs and spices, but the advertising images
have always contained a strong dose of forbidden fruit. In its marketing materials, the company
describes Campari as a “symbol of passion” and goes on to say that this passion “expresses itself in
terms of seduction, seduction and transgression…”

The famous 1920 poster by Marcello Dudovich is a good example. Two lovers are locked in an embrace
that can only be described as smoldering, balanced precariously on the edge of a sofa and enhanced by
a background of soft crimson light. Two glasses, one half-filled with Campari, sit on a nearby table. The
woman’s hand rests on the man’s cheek in a classic gesture, pushing him away and embracing him at
the same time.

In 1998 Campari began working with the celebrated Indian director Tarsem, who created the series
of “Red Passion” ads. The campaign was the first in Italy to present female homosexuality in a
straightforward yet compelling way; from there it went on to target other social norms. In a 2005
commercial, a man stands at the bar during a reception when he spots a tall, beautiful woman on
the other side of the room. They exchange looks. The man obtains a Campari on the rocks from the
bartender and follows the woman to a secludedpart of the building. His hand slips as he approaches her,
and hesplashes Campari on her dress and cleavage. Slowly and tantalizingly, the woman removes her
top and reveals herself to be a man. The man then takes off his shirt to display his bra and the fact that
he’s actually a woman. The ad blends mystery and intrigue, explores repressed desires, and blurs the
lines of gender identity—all in sixty seconds.

So relax and enjoy a cocktail made with Campari, whether it’s a Negroni, Americano, Garibaldi (Campari
and orange juice) or a classic Campari and soda—but make sure that someone you care about is there to
enjoy it with you.

About the Author:

Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and
culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and since 2001
has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, as well as the restaurant
critic for Palm Beach Illustrated. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb
Report, Ritz-Carlton, Continental, Art & Antiques, Newsmax, Dream of Italy and Arizona
Highways. From 1999-2011 he hosted Uncorked! Radio, a highly successful wine talk show on
the Palm Beach affiliate of National Public Radio.

Mark began writing Iconic Spirits after becoming fascinated with the untold stories behind the
world’s greatest liquors. As a writer, he’s always searching for the unknown details that make his
subjects compelling and unique.His latest book is Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History.

Visit Mark’s website at http://www.iconicspirits.net.

Become a fan of Mark Spivak at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mark.spivak.3

Pick up your copy of Iconic Spirits at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
Iconic-Spirits-Intoxicating-Mark-Spivak/dp/0762779268/ref=sr_1_1?
s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434224&sr=1-1&keywords=iconic+spirits

About the Book:

Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History (Lyons Press; hardcover, $16.95), by Mark Spivak, is
a compelling portrait of twelve spirits that changed the world and forged the cocktail culture.
Some are categories and others are specific brands, but they are all amazing, resonant and untold
stories. Each chapter closes with recipes for the most popular and important cocktails.

What’s the relationship between moonshine and NASCAR? Why was absinthe considered to
be the most dangerous substance on earth? What was the cause of the Gin Craze in 18th century
London, an epidemic of mass drunkenness that continued for fifty years? How did a homeless
man become the 165th wealthiest person in America?

“These are the best types of stories,” says Spivak. “They are the kind a writer could never make
up.”
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Book Trailer:

And someday isn’t one of them. So true. I had a strange epiphany the other day. It’s something I’ve always known, but not really “known.” Time is passing, my daughter’s growing up, my husband and I are getting older and with each thing we put off till tomorrow, that’s less time we have to actually get it done.

I have to admit, I’m a pretty bad procrastinator with some things, especially my personal goals. There’s always something more important I could be doing. Each day goes by and I’m just waiting until the day that there will be enough time in the day to do whatever it is I need or want to do. But we all know that that’s never going to happen. If we want to do things, we just have to do them, nobody is going to do them for you. So, here’s me getting back to writing and blogging and MAKING the time to accomplish my goals.

Do you have any goals that you’ve been putting off? What are they? What are you going to do to get back on track?

Why NOT Clichés

Sam used to call her when he was on a stakeout to tell her how much he loved and missed her. Before hanging up, she would tell him she was settling in for a long winter’s nap. During Sam’s last stakeout, Sally was pregnant; hearing her use that phrase helped to put him at ease.

What codes do you and your loved ones use to make sure all is well when you can’t exactly talk? I bet it’s a clichés.

or

After his shower, he placed a Band-Aid on his elbow then settled on his bed for “a long winter’s nap.” Sam smiled. Sally loved Christmas. So much so, she would use that line from time to time as a sign that all was well with her.

Does your significant other have a saying that he or she can whisper in your ear or say out loud even that only you know what is being said? Is it a clichés?

or

It meant her odds of getting out of there had increased, even if only a little. Now that Lisa’s hands were free, she knew she needed to find a way to activate her tracer without bringing everyone in the building down on her. It was an easy enough task. But to turn it on, she had to give up playing possum.

Whether you are a kid or an adult, I know you, at some time, have played possum.

or

“No.” She tried to frown and shake her head. Acting wasn’t one of her strong suits. Playing dumb was something she had even less experience with, but it seemed she was convincing them. “Somfhin for pain?”

When you are being questioned about something that went wrong at work or if your parents are asking you how the cake got cut before dinner do you play dumb and ask “what are you talking about. Or was I even there or something to that effect? That’s called playing dumb and we have all done it.

All of those examples are clichés and they can all be found in Betrayal and Forgiveness. I use clichés in all my writings but I don’t go around talking in clichés. I find that there is a time when speaking in code is sexy or can be used to make a person have peace of mind or shock them into motion; the list goes on. The paragraphs above are just a few reasons and examples of how I use clichés.

We all can remember a clichés that made the news that faithful day of 9/11. “Let’s rock and roll.” Those are the last words that wife will ever hear her husband say but those words gave her strength. Those four powerful words told her that he was not going to go down without a fight. Those four words can make her smile or maybe they make her cry; whatever emotion they invoke reminds her of her husband’s minutes on earth. That clichés served its purpose from him to her.

That’s the role of clichés. I don’t think we should avoid clichés for fear people will think we don’t have much to say. I don’t believe that is true. I think proper use of a good clichés can take your story far.

ABOUT LINDA ARMSTRONG-MILLER

Linda Armstrong-Miller is a retired registered nursed. She leaves inGa. With her husband Mike and daughter Cayla. Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is the way the truth and the light. I Believe.

Linda’s latest book is Betrayal and Forgiveness.

ABOUT BETRAYAL AND FORGIVENESS

In the Bible, the Lord asked that we not make promises unless we are sure that we can keep them. Lisa made a promise and has done everything in her power to keep that promise. a lesson her father needed to learn. Before he was able to practice keeping his promise, he lost the love of his daughter, his best friend, and he was about to lose the love of his son. Time was running out for all of them, but they didn’t know it.

Sometimes we got those cosmic nudges, if not a 2X4 slap across the face, to change.  Sometimes what appears on the surface to be bad news, may in the end result in a positive change.  Next time you are challenged with a change, stop to ask how the change will serve a higher purpose.  Will the change shift you to a better place?  The 2X4 slap and subsequent change may be a blessing in disguise.

I faced such a cosmic slap a few times, the hardest ones coming as I lost a job and went through a divorce.  Though I didn’t seek out either change, as I came out the other side, I could see that the changes were necessary to get me to a new and better place.  I dealt with some deeply buried wounds, cleared some self-limiting beliefs, and found new faith and strength I could never imagined having.

Now I no longer fear change or uncertainty because I know that what I’m going through will get me to a better place.

Depending on how ready you are for change, how much you think the change will help you, and how successful you feel you’ll be making the change, you may welcome or avoid change.

If you intentionally want to change some aspect in your life, you can follow some concrete steps to navigate through the change.  I’ve developed a process called Transformational EmpowermentTM to support people making change.  These ideas came from working with my coaching clients and my workshops over the last six years. The Transformational Empowerment process uses some basic spiritual principles to support you in making profound and lasting changes.

If you are looking to make a job or life change, and truly want the change to stick, I invite you to use these steps for Transformational Empowerment.  Visit my website (www.lindajferguson.com) to receive a free series of handouts and videos that will help you in your change process.  You’ll receive a series of emails where I’ll share stories that describe how each of the steps work.

Try out the ideas of Transformational Empowerment and you’ll be well on your way to create a significant life shift, to reach your goals, or to fulfill your heart’s desire.

Embrace the journey.  The change may do you good.

Linda J. Ferguson is an author, coach, consultant and seminar leader for personal growth and professional development.

Now available!! Linda’s new book, “Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand” – Click here to order.

Jo Linsdell is the author and illustrator of the rhyming children’s picture book OUT AND ABOUT AT THE ZOO. Find out more about her at www.JoLinsdell.com

Finding the time is one of the most difficult aspects of being a writer.

Only got 10 minutes to spare? Brainstorm some new ideas, speed write the next scene of your novel or write a blog post. You’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish in such a short amount of time.

As a mum to a 4 year old and a 9 month old my days are pretty full. I’ve learnt to make the most of any time I get to work on my writing and marketing efforts. I get most done late morning when my eldest is at preschool. If I’m lucky my youngest will take a nap and give me a window of time to concentrate on articles for clients or writing blog posts.

I often have my computer turned on so I can hop on and off throughout the day. This is when I tend to work on my marketing and building my online presence. In just a couple of minutes I can search for a few useful links to share with my followers, share some of my recent blog posts on twitter, post an update on Facebook, comment on one of my LinkedIn groups, etc…

Once I get the kids to bed (usually around 9pm) I have the evening to work on my bigger projects. this could mean anything from increasing my word count on my work in progress to editing and formatting or working on illustrations for my children’s books. The stuff I need to be able to sit down and concentrate on.

In order to keep my projects organised and not have to waste time during the day, I write a to-do list at night before going to bed. Sometimes this is just a few must-do tasks for the next day. Other times it’s a more detailed list breaking down bigger tasks into bite-size chunks. My list helps me focus on what needs to be done and allows me to quickly see what I can do in the short amounts of time I get.

Finding the time isn’t easy but if you really want to succeed in being a writer you need to be able to make the most of opportunities as they arise.

Yes, I’m a writer. For better for worse, whether I ever see a dime for my work or not…I’m a writer. I’m also 35, which is the perfect age to have a mid-life crisis-what am I doing with my life-freak out moment. Which is, well, sort of what I’ve been doing internally lately. I’ll comfort myself by saying we’ve all had/are currently having those moments. Right?!

Please don’t get me wrong. My life is pretty great considering what it could be, and possibly what it almost was at certain points. I have an INCREDIBLY supportive, loving and understanding husband, the best kid in the world (I know, I’m biased), I live where it’s warm, I have a job where I’m allowed to work from home, and I’m pretty healthy most of the time, at least physically. I’m very blessed.

But my writing is something that takes a back seat most days. And most days it probably should. Obviously my priorities lie with my family and my paycheck. We all have responsibilities. But we also have dreams and desires, and my dreams, (like anybody else’s) are not so easily crushed. I’m not a terribly disciplined writer these days, but I never forget about it. Not a day goes by that I don’t at least think of the various stories I have in progress or my characters, or what a great feeling it was to get acknowledgement of my work. (Honorable Mention from Writer’s Digest for my short story “Dandelions.”) So as much as I’m tempted to say, “Forget it, I’ll never be a REAL writer,” I just can’t. I’ve known some of my characters since before my daughter was born. They’re a part of me and the urge to write will never go away.

Why this sudden declaration? I’m glad you asked. I read a blog by fellow writer, Jeff Goins. He’s got a lot of useful and inspiring information. Some people and their work just speaks to you. He’s one of those people for me. Right now, he’s conducting a 15 day writing challenge in which I’m participating. I urge you to check it out too. Day 1 is declaring yourself to be a writer. 

So there. I’ve done it. Now the whole world knows. Or at least the 3 people who will read this. And that’s fine. Leading up to participation in this challenge, I came to a realization. It’s something I knew all along, but as people do, I made excuses. And some of them may have been valid, some not, but the only person who can really do anything about your life, is you. Just like Dorothy with her ruby slippers, who could have gone back to Kansas at any time (even though that would have been a super short story) if she’d just clicked her darn heels together, I can write. And I don’t need special shoes, a special place, a lady in a pink frock and magic wand (though that would be awesome!). Nobody is going to do this for me and I’ll never get rid of the stories and characters bouncing around in my head so I’d better just write this stuff down and see what happens.

The idea for the novel, Plant Teacher, was born on a lazy evening at a small guest house in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I had arrived in the country several days earlier, and, as so often happens when we travel, I immediately bumped into a colorful character. “Greg” was a retired U.S. army colonel who had come to eastern Bolivia to research a book about the Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara.

As we lounged in the private patio, sitting under unfamiliar constellations of the southern hemisphere, and enjoying a warm breeze that played across the palm fronds, Greg regaled me with the story of his ayahuasca experience.

Ayahuasca, also known as caapi, is a psychotropic concoction brewed by indigenous people in the Amazonian regions. Under the guidance of a shaman, people imbibe (or sometimes inhale) ayahuasca in order to experience its hallucinogenic effects. The hallucinations caused by ayahuasca, and the plants that cause these hallucinations, are known as “plant teachers” because they supposedly impart spiritual guidance and knowledge.

Greg’s trip had, in his opinion, been a good one. He described to me seeing dozens of snakes and feeling that the snakes were benevolent. He had beckoned them to come and entwine themselves around him, and although this scenario would cause most people to break into a cold sweat, Greg enjoyed this bonding with his serpentine plant teachers. He valued the experience as something which had brought him closer to the natural and spiritual worlds, and he felt that he had attained a degree of enlightenment via the encounter.

I listened to Greg’s story with frank skepticism. I recalled a girlfriend who, years earlier, had also experimented with indigenous drugs while studying anthropology in Latin America. Her drug use had been followed by a manic outbreak and, ultimately, chronic bipolar disorder. While the two events, the drug use and the bipolar disorder, could not be causally correlated, I wondered. I knew that I would never try a hallucinogenic plant unless the infusion was forcefully shoved between my unwilling lips.

As Greg and I left the patio that evening and retired to our respective bungalows, I considered the possibility that an ayahuasca trip might speak to both ends of a spectrum. Suppose the “student” took away both positive and negative experiences from the hallucinogenic episode? Suppose the plant teachers did, indeed, impart wisdom, but there was a price that came with that wisdom?

Two years later, I found myself revisiting these questions as I typed, reflected, and plotted out the actions, choices, and destiny of one of the main characters in Plant Teacher, Martin Banzer. With the omnipotence of the fiction writer, I forced Martin to try ayahuasca, and then I watched where his experimentation took him. Now, I invite the reader to also follow Martin’s journey and, at the same time, to entertain the question, Does wisdom come at a price?

Author Bio:

Caroline Alethia is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, on radio and in web outlets. Her words have reached audiences on six continents. She lived in Bolivia and was a witness to many of the events described inPlantTeacher.

You can visit her website atwww.plantteacherthebook.net.

About the Book:

Hailed by Huffington Post contributor Joel Hirst as a compelling and powerful story, Plant Teacher begins in 1972 when a hippie in Oakland, California flushes a syringe of LSD down a toilet. Thirty-five years later, the wayward drug paraphernalia has found its final resting place in Los Yungas, Bolivia, the umbilical cord between the Andes and Amazonia.

Enter into this picture two young Americans, Cheryl Lewis, trying to forge her future in La Paz and Martin Banzer, trying to come to terms with his past in the same city. The two form an unlikely friendship against the backdrop of a country teetering at the brink of dictatorship and revolution.

Bolivia sparks the taste for adventure in both young people and Martin finds himself experimenting with indigenous hallucinogenic plants while Cheryl flits from one personal relationship to another. Meanwhile, the syringe buried in the silt in a marsh in Los Yungas will shape their destinies more than either could anticipate or desire.

Plant Teacher takes its readers on a fast-paced tour from the hippie excesses of Oakland, to the great streams of the Pacific Ocean and to the countryside, cities, natural wonders and ancient ruins of Bolivia. It reveals­ the mundane and the magical, and, along the way, readers glimpse the lives of everyday Bolivians struggling to establish equanimity or merely eke out a living during drastic political crisis.

I often hear from fans who start by praising my writing before politely asking the hard question, “What made you decide to self-publish?”

I am happy to explain. Some aspiring authors never find an agent willing to read their manuscripts, let alone represent them. I’ve had three. I won’t bore you with the sorry details of near-miss sales, including a full year spent doing rewrites for a senior editor at Putnam Penguin, who was fired in a downturn. My third and last agent belonged to one of the largest and most prestigious literary agencies in the world and represented a long list of famous authors. The day I received word that she loved Exceeding Expectations and my writing, and wanted to represent me, I literally danced around the room. Unfortunately, in 5 years under contract she sold nothing of mine. I don’t blame her for trying to stay afloat by concentrating all her time and energy on her A-list authors. The stories she shared, of desperate authors and long-negotiated contracts not signed at the last minute, are heartbreaking

As readers, you probably know that publishing isn’t the business it was twenty years ago. It isn’t the business it was three years ago. It’s changing so fast the principals don’t know how to react. At one time, recently demised Borders had 1,200 stores. Consider the impact of closing 1,200 major retail outlets on publishers. It’s been attacked on all sides, not only by the Great Recession but also by the continuing growth of its major competitor, Amazon. Perhaps the greatest blow came from eBooks, coupled with the unprecedented success of self-published eBooks. In March, 2011, almost 1 out of 3 of Amazon’s 50 top selling eBooks sold for less than $3.99 – the overwhelming percentage self-published. Apparently, price matters to buyers. With the ability to read the first 30 pages free before buying, and an easy return policy, readers no longer automatically dismiss self-published authors. That movement continues growing. I didn’t need a crystal ball. April 1, 2011 I severed my contract with my agent. July 1st, 2011, I joined the eBook revolution with Dangerous Lies. Exceeding Expectations officially launched Jan. 1, 2012.

Author Lisa April Smith lives with her husband, He-who-wishes-to-remain-anonymous, in Eternal Playland,Florida, a delightful spot just off I-95. Ms. Smith describes Eternal Playland as: “a little piece of level heaven with occasional dampness, where the bugs are plentiful but respectful, and even the smallest strip mall contains at least one pizza place and a nail salon.”

Before discovering a passion for writing, Ms. Smith sold plumbing and heating, antiques, taught ballroom dancing, tutored, modeled, designed software and managed projects for IBM and returned to college multiple times to study anthropology, sociology and computer science, in which she holds degrees, as well as psychology, archeology, literature, history and art. Combine those widely diverse interests with a love of travel and a gift for writing page-turners and it’s easy to understand one reviewer’s unbridled praise for Exceeding Expectations, “She (Ms. Smith) has a brilliance for conveying characters, and the intellectual capacity to place them in historical settings that sparkle with glamorous detail. . . that make it fun to read . . . ” But it takes much more than lush settings, an eye for detail and a love of history to write a page-turner. Read what another reviewer said about Exceeding Expectations: “Lisa April Smith . . . has woven an intriguingly rich tapestry of delightful well-developed characters into a perfectly balanced plot bursting with riveting mystery, crimes of the petty and the horrible sort, suspenseful twists, and romantic tension complete with love scenes that sizzle and pop.”

For more about the author, her books, and upcoming projects visit her website: http://www.LisaAprilSmith.com

About Exceeding Expectations

It’s 1961 and Palm Beach socialite, irresistible rascal and devoted father Jack Morgan encounters genuine danger while staging his suicide to shield his beloved daughters from disgrace. Next, meet his daughter Charlotte (Charlie), an over-indulged 23 year-old struggling to cope with the traumatizing loss of her beloved father, her sister’s resulting mental breakdown and the discovery that she’s suddenly penniless. Fortunately Raul, an admiring young attorney, appears to offer assistance. As terrified as she is about daily survival, Charlie soon realizes that she has to learn what drove her father to kill himself. With Raul’s much needed ego-bolstering, the drive of necessity and unforeseen determination, Charlie finds a practical use for her annoyingly lean 5’ 11” frame. In time, this career finances her hard-wrought independence, her sister’s costly treatment and an emotional eye-opening journey to Paris.

Jumping back in time to romantic pre-WWII Paris readers meet young Alan Fitzpatrick – aka Jack Morgan – lack-luster artist, expert lover, irresistible rascal, and the bewitching girl who will become the mother of his children. Not even Charlie’s relentless detective work will uncover all Jack’s secrets, but in a fireworks of surprise endings, she discovers all that she needs to know and more:  disturbing truths about her father, hew own unique talent, crimes great and small and a diabolical villain.