ebook review - Talon by Gigi Sedlmayer

Today I am reviewing the ebook - 
Talon by Gigi Sedlmayer

Talon facebook page

Author's website

follow the author on twitter

Author's blog

Author page on Amazon

buy the paperback on Amazon

buy the kindle book on Amazon

buy this book on Barnes & Noble

all the Talon books on Barnes & Noble

Well, let's begin with a video that the author has that will give you an animated introduction to her book:

Talon, Come fly with me

Well this is an absolutely wonderful book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  It isn't too often that you run across a book that you could recommend to readers of any age, but this one is it.  One of the things that occurred to me as I was reading the book is how this book would be just great for a family reading time.  If you have ever thought about having a family reading time or already have one, this would be an excellent book for that, as it would be appealing for everyone from kids to adults.

This book is about a young girl named Matica, who has a growth problem that makes her smaller than normal for her age.  She lives in a small village up in the Andes in Peru, South America; with her mother and father and little brother.  Her family had came there as missionaries from Australia.

Now this young girl has developed a friendship with, of all things, a pair of condors.  She has a special place she goes, and she pets them, and even feeds them.  They are her friends.  Check out some quotes from the book:

Curious as he was, the condor dropped down to Matica as usual, but he wouldn’t catch the food.

She missed several heartbeats as she watched the huge bird. Is this really happening? she thought. Then her heart started to thud as if a fist was banging against her chest from the inside.

Matica couldn’t move. She was frozen stiff with fear and her face was as white as a ghost. The bird looked way bigger on the ground than he had looked on the branch. 

It's an absolutely beautiful story.   One of the things that I love about the book is the wonderfully close relationship between the girl and her father.  Here are some quotes from the book:

Daddy, Daddy!’ Matica yelled as he scooped her up with his strong arms.

Cuddling and kissing her, he said, ‘My angel, my beautiful daughter. How was your day?’ He put her down again and sat on the bench.

‘D-a-a-d, you aren’t afraid of Tamo, are you?’ said Matica. Tamo watched him.

‘Well . . .’ he said, impressed, ‘I’m not so sure.’ He could hardly believe his eyes, this huge bird beside his little, fragile daughter.

The book is full of moments like this between the whole family.  And I haven't even gotten to the real fun of the book yet.  When the egg of the pair of condors is threatened by poachers, they let Matica take their egg and hatch it for them, and help to raise their baby.   Let's check out a few more quotes from the book:

Looking at the bag in her lap as Tamo looked as well, she slowly peeled the bag away and revealed the egg. 

Her mouth dropped open in awe. It was more than double the size of a chicken egg.

Matica put the egg back into the bag then joined her father. She laid the bag with the egg gently into the basket. The birds had followed her, standing close by. 

Can you imagine raising a baby condor in your home?  Well if you get this book, you don't have to.  You can read about it!  I must admit, this part takes me back to my childhood.  I didn't raise a baby condor, but I did raise some baby chickens and some baby quail.

Well, I'm going to close with one more quote from the book, just to whet your appetite for reading it:

Tamo stood in the doorway.

Not really knowing what to do next, he looked from Mira to Aikon. Was he scared of his own boldness? But the sight of his chick pushed him on. Grunting deeply, he looked at the newborn hatchling and walked in boldly. First he kissed Matica on her cheek, then he bent his head to his chick, sniffed him and kissed him too.

Now you know you want to read it!  It's an absolutely beautiful book, and it's rare when you find a book that can be enjoyed by the whole family.   As a final gift to you the reader, I'm going to share the animated trailers for the second and third books in this series.

Talon, on the wing

Talon, flight for life

Mockingbird Lane - new show on NBC

Well, someone has finally gone and done it!  What is the it and the who, you might ask?  The who is NBC, and the what is they have went and remade the old classic tv show, The Munsters.  Now the original Munsters show aired on the CBS television network.  Which brings on the question - why didn't CBS think of this?  I mean, I think it's sort of cute.  CBS had the original show, and NBC is airing the new show tonight, October 26th.

The new Munsters show is called Mockingbird Lane, and airs tonight as a Halloween special.  The new show features as it's cast:

• Jerry O'Connell as Herman Munster
• Portia de Rossi as Lily Munster
• Eddie Izzard as Grandpa (Sam Dracula)
• Charity Wakefield as Marilyn Munster
• Mason Cook as Eddie Munster
• Beth Grant as Maryanne, the paraplegic, busybody neighbor who takes a very keen interest in the strange new family next door.
• Cheyenne Jackson as Scout Master Steve, a widower and leader of Eddie's (Cook) scout troop who becomes smitten with Lily.

It should be interesting to see what NBC has come up with.  I mean, recycling old movies and tv shows is nothing new, since it has become a very popular thing to do in Hollywood.  I'm always interested in seeing what they do with it, and how they redo it, and how it compares to the old.  For more info on the show, check out Mockingbird Lane's page on the NBC website:

Mockingbird Lane on NBC

And check out these videos for more:

series preview

More about the show.

And yet more.

I look forward to seeing it.  For more on the NBC fall lineup, check out the following pdf link:  http://www.nbc.com/upcoming-shows/NBC-Fall-2012.pdf

-- jd --

Book signing event for Egret the Elephant

There will be a book signing event for the book:

Egret the Elephant by Corey Feldman

At the Cabin John Mall Atrium in Potomac, MD on Sunday, November 11, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

http://goo.gl/maps/M2889

If you wish to buy a book at the event, please email Melissa@MelissaFeldman.com and indicate how many copies you would like.  This is to ensure that they have enough copies on hand.

If you already have a copy, please bring it and the author will sign it for you. If you wish to purchase the book before the event or you are unable to attend, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Egret-Elephant-Meet-1/dp/1479170798/

The author looks forward to seeing you there, and invites you to bring your friends and family!

-- jd --

Fall tv season has begun

Well, the fall tv season is now officially underway.  What bright spots have you found on the fall tv viewing landscape?  Well, for me, one of the fall tv bright spots is Elementary on CBS.  Another show that they have that I like is Made In Jersey, which is an attorney show.  Another new show that I like, which is on NBC, is Chicago Fire.  Also, the CW network has a couple of show which I think have potential.  These are Arrow and Beauty and the Beast.  These shows have possibility, but I'm not sure how easily they will sustain my interest, especially since they aren't available via OnDemand (which is a favorite way of mine to watch weekly shows).  Another show on the CW network which might have possibility is a doctor show called Emily Owens MD.

One show on CBS this fall season which I don't get is Vegas.  Oh, and don't confuse this with the modern day Vegas show that was on for a good many seasons.  This is a new Vegas show, going back into the early days of Vegas, with mobsters and such.  I've watched the promos, but it just doesn't get my interest.  And there's another show that I would put on my iffy list, and this show it on ABC.  It is called Neighbors, and is about a normal human family who moves into a neighborhood of aliens.  Maybe this might be good, and maybe it just might be dumb too.

But I wouldn't get too attached to any of these shows.  Because you never know when the network is going to lose interest in the show and just dump it.  I've seen this happen a lot.

-- jd --

ebook review - Roses At Dusk by M.W. Russell

Today I am reviewing the ebook - 
Roses At Dusk by M.W. Russell

Where to get the book?

Amazon Kindle

Amazon UK Kindle

Other links:

The book on Goodreads

Author's facebook page

Author's website


Hannah moved to Bar Harbor, Maine to get a fresh start, away from the ashes of her old life; and I mean ashes of her old life in a quite literal way.  If you want to know more about that, I'm going to make you read the book.  But here's a quote from the book to get you started:

Hannah sat on the porch squinting into the late afternoon sun. It felt good to just sit and wallow in the few stolen moments of peace for the day. She looked down and stared vacantly at the peeling and faded deck at her feet, and toyed halfheartedly with the idea of giving it a fresh coat of paint. 

The book starts out innocently enough, but it doesn't stay that way.  When it gets wound up, it gets good and wound up.

The first chapter includes a look at an unwelcome relationship that Hannah has with a man.  But then chapter two switches to Hannah at her new job.  It takes us back, so that we can see just how she met this man, and how he came to be in her life.  In fact, this book focuses on two men in Hannah's life.  One turns her life into a torment, and is a man that Hannah cannot seem to get away from.  Check out another quote from the book:

Hannah’s heart ached with the pain of the reminders as the sun began to set. Her aching turned to anguish as she realized her alone time had come and gone. The safety of daytime was about to give way to the pain of night.

So now you have to be wondering to yourself - 'Who is this man who comes to Hannah by night and makes her life such an anguish?'  Once again, you have to read the book to find out.  After all, this is a book review, and I can't just tell you everything, now can I.

But the question you should be asking is - 'Who is the man who rescues Hannah from the nighttime man?'  What I will tell you is that his help comes from a most unexpected quarter, both to Hannah and to you the reader.  And he is a most fascinating man, not just your ordinary man.  Check out this quote from the book:

Hannah could feel the anger reverberating off Felix in molten waves. It made her feel safe, but she still had little idea of what they could do.

Don't you want to know who Felix is?  What he's so angry about?  And what makes him so special?  Then you have to read the book for those answers.  And yes, the book is well worth the purchase price you will pay to find out the answers.  I would place this book in the paranormal genre, and praise M.W. Russell for the great book she has written.

I have grown to enjoy these paranormal romance books that have risen up, but this one is more than that.  It is a paranormal-romance-thriller book, and I loved reading it.  I heartily recommend it to you.  If you are looking for a good book to read, you can't go wrong in picking this one up and adding it to your collection.

Happy reading!
-- jd --

Kaley Cuoco returns as 2013 People's Choice Awards host

*** press release courtesy of CBS ***

“THE BIG BANG THEORY’S” KALEY CUOCO TO RETURN AS HOST OF THE “PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2013”

 

The “People’s Choice Awards” to Air Live Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 on the CBS Television Network

CHEAT TWEET: The lovely @KaleyCuoco of @BigBang_CBS returns to host @peopleschoice awards on January 9 on CBS at 9:00 PM! http://bit.ly/VW61vI   

Kaley Cuoco, star of CBS’s THE BIG BANG THEORY, will return to host the PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS 2013, LIVE from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, onWednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 (9:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT), on the CBS Television Network.  

The People’s Choice Awards is the only major awards show where fans determine the categories, nominees and winners across multiple genres of movies, music and television.  Beginning Oct. 23, fans will have the opportunity to narrow down a selection of nominees in each of more than 40 categories.  Voting will take place online at www.Peopleschoice.com/nominees until Friday, Nov. 2.

"It’s an honor to return as host of the 2013 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS and kick off awards season with one of the most fun events of the year,” said Kaley Cuoco.

            "I am so thrilled that Kaley will be joining us again as host for this year's PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS," said executive producer Mark Burnett. "She is such an engaging performer who brings an undeniable energy and passion to our stage.  There is no doubt she will be a key part of what makes this year's show a can't-miss event."

Prior to her role as “Penny” on THE BIG BANG THEORY, winner of the 2010 People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy, Kaley Cuoco was best known to television audiences for her role as Bridget Hennesy in the series “8 Simple Rules,” winner of the 2003 People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy.  

This year, Cuoco starred opposite Rob Lowe in the Lifetime movie “Untouchable: The Drew Peterson Story.”  She was also seen in “The Last Ride,” an independent film which tells the story of Hank Williams’s final days, and in 2011, she co-starred in the family comedy “HOP,” with James Marsden and Russell Brand.  Recently, Cuoco wrapped production on “Scribble,” an indie comedy about a group of aspiring writers.

About People’s Choice

Now in its 39th year, the People’s Choice Awards continues to be the only major awards show voted on entirely by the public for fan favorites in music, movies and television.  The People’s Choice official website at www.PeoplesChoice.com houses the voting platform where fans determine the categories, nominees and winners for the annual awards show.  Every year, potential nominees are determined by national ratings averages, box-office grosses, music sales and PeoplesChoice.com data, then vetted through EPoll Market Research.  Fred Nelson is the President of People’s Choice, and the awards show is produced by Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc. [NYSE:PG], which is represented by MediaVest Worldwide, Inc., supervisors of the production.

Upcoming guests on CBS shows

*** press releases courtesy of CBS ***

UPCOMING GUESTS ON "THE TALK" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK, 10/10-10/12 

Monday through Friday (2:00-3:00 PM, ET; 1:00-2:00 PM, PT)

(*Denotes changes and/or additions to previous schedule, (n) Denotes new)

*Wednesday, Oct. 10	Actress Mary McCormack guest co-hosts; singer Jackie Evancho performs a song from her new album; Talk Takeaway: cost cutting tips from “America’s Cheapest Family” the Economides (n)
Thursday, Oct. 11	Actor Boris Kodjoe guest co-hosts; actress Allison Janney previews her new film; Talk Takeaway: cooking with chef Susan Feniger (n)
Friday, Oct. 12	Actor Shemar Moore guest co-hosts (CBS’s “Criminal Minds”); actress Megan Mullally; actor Zachary Knighton; Talk Takeaway: design expert Kyle Schuneman (n)

CBS’s daytime talk show features a panel of well-known news and entertainment personalities who examine current events, pop culture, contemporary issues, family, celebrity and the trending topics of the day. The daily one-hour series is co-hosted by Julie Chen, Sara

            Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood and Aisha Tyler. The hosts swap stories, challenge each other on issues and engage the studio audience and viewers at home about events in the headlines and their own homes. Show segments include guest interviews with entertainers and newsmakers, musical performances, how-to demos and appearances from extraordinary people with stories that engage and inform. The show was developed by Gilbert, who also serves as executive producer.

CBS Daytime has been #1 in the daypart for 26 consecutive years, featuring a lineup that is a balance of dramas, game shows and talk. In addition to THE TALK, the Network’s daytime line-up includes the #1 daytime drama THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, as well as THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, television’s longest-running game show THE PRICE IS RIGHT, and LET’S MAKE A DEAL. 

RATING: TV14-DL (Rating may change on day of broadcast due to specific subject matter.)

************************************************************

UPCOMING GUESTS ON THE "LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK, 10/9-10/23 

Monday through Friday, 11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT

(*Denotes changes and/or additions to previous schedule

(n) Denotes new broadcast)

Tuesday, Oct. 9       Actor Kevin James; comedian Chris Elliott; musical guest Miguel (n)

*Wednesday, Oct. 10 Actress Salma Hayek Pinault; actor Nick Offerman; musical guests KISS (n)

*Thursday, Oct. 11  Actress Lucy Liu from the CBS drama series “Elementary”; musical guests Daughter (n)

Friday, Oct. 12         Actor John Goodman; comedian Jeff Altman; musical guests Jamey Johnson with Alison Krauss (n)

Monday, Oct. 15      Actress Kaley Cuoco from the CBS comedy series “The Big Bang Theory”; Stupid Human Tricks; musical guests The Whigs

Tuesday, Oct. 16      Actor Steve Martin; musical guest Gotye

Wednesday, Oct. 17 Talk show host Stephen Colbert; medium/reality television star Theresa Caputo; musical guest Martha Wash

Thursday, Oct. 18      President Barack Obama

Friday, Oct. 19          Actress Tina Fey; former Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum

*Monday, Oct. 22     Actor Tom Hanks; musical guest Tony Bennett (n)

*Tuesday, Oct. 23    Musician Taylor Swift (n)

RATING: TV-PG (Rating may change on day of broadcast due to specific subject matter.)

***************************************************************

UPCOMING GUESTS ON "THE LATE LATE SHOW with CRAIG FERGUSON" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK, 10/9 – 10/19

(Monday through Friday, 12:37-1:37 AM, ET/PT,

Following Broadcasts of the "Late Show with David Letterman")

(*Denotes changes and/or additions to previous schedule, (n) Denotes new broadcast)

Tuesday, Oct. 9           Actor Jeremy Irons; actress Monica Potter

Wednesday, Oct. 10    Actress Nikki Reed; author Mitch Albom

Thursday, Oct. 11        Actor Neil Patrick Harris from the CBS comedy “How I Met Your Mother”; comedy by Gerry Dee

Friday, Oct. 12            Actor Dennis Quaid from the CBS drama “Vegas”; actress Ellie Kemper

*Monday, Oct. 15       Actor Jeff Goldblum; actress Sarah Paulson (n)

*Tuesday, Oct. 16      Actress Lauren Graham; author James Patterson; music by Michael Kiwanuka (n)

*Wednesday, Oct. 17 Football analyst Kay Adams (n)

*Thursday, Oct. 18     Actor Kelsey Grammer; actress Casey Wilson; comedy by Nina Conti (n)

*Friday, Oct. 19         TV host Chelsea Handler; music by Allen Stone (n)

On the Web:  http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_late_show/

RATING:  TV-14-D (Rating may change on day of broadcast due to specific subject matter.)

****************************************************************

CBS has at least 2 hits in their new series

Well in my humble opinion, CBS has scored at least 2 hits among the new shows that they have debuted this fall.  I really like both of these and hope that they do well.  So have a look at my two new favorites:

Made In Jersey

show info on CBS website

show info on internet movie database website

The show is about a working class woman, from an ordinary family, who is just starting out with a big law firm.  And she's doing it her way.  It's great.

Yeah, yeah, I know; there have been a lot of lawyer shows on.  But this one is refreshingly different.  I watched the premiere episode via On Demand  and loved it.  This is definitely a show I will be watching again.

The whole cast is great, and seem to have a real chemistry with each other.  And starting out, she has two definite circles laid out - her family circle, and her work circle.  I look forward to what they do in the season.

Elementary

show info on CBS website

show info on imdb.com

Let me begin by saying that I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan since childhood, quite literally.  So I am the perfect person to comment on this new show.  I have read the books.  Watched the other shows and movies.

About Arthur Conan Doyle on wiki

About the Sherlock Holmes on wiki

Now just recently, Robert Downey Jr. did a theater/big screen Sherlock Holmes movie.  I didn't like it, and have watched very little of it.  He just didn't pull off Sherlock Holmes to me.  But in this new tv series, Jonny Lee Miller, does an excellent job of playing Sherlock Holmes.  I would put him up there with my other favorite Holmes actor, Basil Rathbone.  I love Miller's Sherlock Holmes.

And in this version of Holmes, they throw in a twist that I think is nothing short of brilliant - Watson is a woman!  Lucy Liu gives an excellent performance as Dr. Joan Watson, the person that Sherlock's father has hired to be his sober companion.     

This Sherlock has moved to New York City, from London, where he had some problems.  One of these problems landed him in rehab, and the series premiere picks up with Sherlock having escaped from rehab on the day he was to be released.  Watson arrives to begin her job as a hooker leaves.  Now all this fits in perfectly with the character that Conan Doyle created.  Anyone who has read the many novels about Holmes will see this.  As for the rehab thing, I refer you to a book I read many years ago, called 'The Seven-Per-Cent Solution' by Nicholas Meyer.  

I just love this new updating of Sherlock Holmes.  It is classic Holmes, brought into the 21st century.  Once again he is found working as a police consultant, this time in New York City.  I highly recommend it to you.  

Imagine, Holmes with today's technology.  Well you don't have to imagine it.  You can watch it.  I will be.

-- jd --