Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Guest Post: CHARLOTTE MASTERSON GETS A LIFE by Carol Raj

My guest today is Carol Raj. She was born and bred in Illinois, went to college in Minnesota, and lived in both New York City and Boston before settling in New Hampshire. After forty-years, she and her husband moved to Georgia to be near family. They have been blessed with three successful children and six grandchildren. After publishing several stories for children, she published The Curious Prayer Life of Muriel Smith, a woman’s contemporary novel. Charlotte Masterson Gets A Life is her second novel and her first YA. 

Here's the blurb for the book:

 

 High school sophomore Charlotte Masterson isn't smart enough to be a nerd, musical enough to be a band geek, or pretty enough to be popular. But when the handsome quarterback unexpectedly asks her out, she becomes part of the in crowd. It's every girl's dream come true.

Too bad she still has to depend on good old Rodney, teachers' pet, for rides. Too bad her mother is so unreasonably strict. A ten PM curfew? Just because she lied? It's not fair.

But maybe there's more to other people than Charlotte realizes. And maybe she doesn't even know everything about herself. When Charlotte Masterson gets a life, life gets interesting.


💕💕💕






Now for the best part--
an excerpt!

“It’s your own fault, Charlotte.” Mom’s digging wet clothes out of the washing machine.

My fault? How can she possibly think that?

Mom continues. “We had simple rules, and you didn’t follow them. You not only didn’t follow them; you lied to us. That’s what I hate most of all. The lying. How can I ever trust you again?”

“But Mom…”

“There’s no but Mom.” She throws the clothes into the dryer like she’s pitching fastballs.

I understand that lying’s wrong. I didn’t like that Rodney lied to me about band practice. But when it comes to my mother, lying is the easiest way to avoid conflict.

“But Mom, Saturday night there’s a party for the football team. It doesn’t even start until eight. How can I be home by ten?”

“You should have thought of that before you broke the rules.” She slams the dryer door shut.

“But all the football players will be there. All the cheerleaders. All the cool kids.”

“So you’re a cool kid now?” Mom stares at me.

As long as I’m dating Tony, I’m in the cool crowd. I shrug.

“Will there be beer at this party?” Mom pushes the dryer’s start button. 

The clothes start going round and round just like my thoughts. How can I answer that question? If I say yes, I’ll be grounded. If I say no, I’ll be lying. I’m almost certain there’ll be beer. “If there is, I won’t drink any. I promise.”

“So there might be beer? Is that what you’re telling me? There might be beer at a party for underage teens?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Nobody discussed the eating and drinking arrangements with me.”

I should not have said that. Not in that tone of voice. But it’s too late to take it back.


💕💕💕


You can learn more about Carol at her website https://carolraj.com

Her book is available at:


 




 

 







Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Another Secondary Character From PATRIOT'S COURAGE


Even a hero needs a friend and Bright Moon, a Chickasaw warrior and scout, soon befriends Sergeant McGowan in  PATRIOT'S COURAGE. Bright Moon fights on the side of the Americans in General Anthony Wayne's army. Most of the time, the scout is called on to serve as a translator since he can speak the languages of many of the native tribes. He is adept at tracking, too. In his spare time, he likes to whittle.
 

Thursday, September 17, 2020

One Secondary Character in PATRIOT'S COURAGE


This is Miss Barbara Chance. Her father had hoped for a boy, but since Barbara came along instead he taught her the skills a boy needed to know back in the late 1700s. When it comes to hitting a target dead center, she's always the winner. She's a big woman, so men who long for dainty, small women are not attracted to her. She signed up to be a laundress at the fort thinking that some homesick young man would fall in love with her, but that didn't happen. Instead, she is assigned to teach Nellie Red Bird how to be a lady--a tall order for someone who isn't much of a lady herself. 

I have a great time writing about my secondary characters! Heroes and heroines need friends. Don't we all?

You can buy PATRIOT'S COURAGE just about everywhere. Check out the links below.

Amazon: 




 

Thursday, September 10, 2020

The Official Release Day of PATRIOT'S COURAGE!

 


September 11, 2020, is the official release day of PATRIOT'S COURAGE, the third book in my Patriots Series. To mark the occasion, I will be celebrating with a Facebook LIVE event at my fan page https://www.facebook.com/penelopemarzecbooks. If you can, join me at 11 a.m. tomorrow. I'll be talking about the origin of the story as well as giving away a paper edition of PATRIOT'S HEART and another paper edition of PATRIOT'S PRIDE. I will also give away an ebook edition of PATRIOT'S COURAGE. 

This will be fun! 😃


Sunday, September 06, 2020

WIN YA BOOKS at the Young Adult Bookish Event


Like young adult books? This week you've got a chance to win one of twenty-three must-read YA books. Check out all the authors at:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/bookpromos/categories/young-adult-bookish-event 

MyYA historical/paranormal book, OUTSIDE BLESSINGS, is being featured, too. I will be giving away a copy of it.  You can sign up at a Rafflecopter giveaway. The event runs from September 7 through September 11, 2020. Winners will be drawn on September 18, 2020.

Outside Blessings is set in Blessings, N.J., a seaside town with dark and dangerous secrets. Neema wants to prove her sister was murdered, that she didn't commit suicide, but the murderer is still out there, still dangerous, and Neema could be the next victim if she asks too many questions. She has a secret, one she dare not divulge, even to Emmett, the young lifeguard she falls in love with.

But Emmett has a secret of his own.

One reviewer said of the book, "...Emmett and Neema’s stories begin to weave together. They both understand that feeling of not belonging anywhere. They are outsiders, even among their own families. Emmett is trying to come to terms with who he is and what he wants, just as Neema is working to do the same...I gave this book 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who likes Historical Paranormal Romance..." 








 

Thursday, September 03, 2020

Excerpt: Meet Ryan and Lewis


PATRIOT'S COURAGE will be released on September 11, 20202, but you can pre-order it now. The book tells the tale of the twins, Ryan and Lewis, who were introduced in Patriot's Heart. They were only three years of age in that book and liable to get into trouble, though their mother kept a tight rein on them. The twins were first cousins to Agnes and Margaret. 

Here's a short excerpt from Patriot's Heart featuring young Ryan and Lewis. Enjoy!

“Where’s Jonas?” Ryan and Lewis had seen them coming and ran toward them. 

“He’s taking a nap with Edwin,” Margaret explained.

“Why is Edwin napping at this time of the day?” Aunt Sally demanded from the doorway of her house. 

“Hobart gave him strong spirits to ease the pain in his leg,” Agnes explained. 

“Your mother’s cousin is more trouble than he’s worth,” Aunt Sally pronounced.

“Edwin is nice,” Margaret stated. “Puddles likes him and so does Jonas.” 

“They are animals,” Aunt Sally sniffed. 

Agnes, Margaret, and the twins stepped into the kitchen. Margaret sliced the bread. Agnes lifted the kettle to pour the tea, but beside her mug on the table lay two pieces of a chain. The one Aunt Sally used to hang her pot over the coals. 

“The twins broke that,” Aunt Sally said as she ladled stew into the bowls. “I’ll be needing it fixed by this evening. The stew nearly burned.”

“How did they break it?” Agnes held up the chain and examined each link. 

“Ryan did it,” said Lewis.

“Lewis broke it,” said Ryan.

“There will be no trifle for either of you,” Aunt Sally scolded.

The twins lowered their heads and sobbed in perfect unison. 

Agnes did not believe they did it. They were so cute and sweet. Too tender to be so destructive. Besides, Aunt Sally seemed to watch over their every move. 

Setting the broken chain to the side of her bowl, she sat. Everyone said the blessing, and ate.


If you haven't read Patriot's Heart and Patriot's Pride, now is the time to download them! Both are available for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.