Straight Reading from the Library: A May Day Anthology

Thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions for a chance to review this fun book of not one, but four wonderful little stories! Christine, C.L., Rosemary and Genene will be awarding an E-Book copy of A St. Patrick's Day Tale to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour and a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop. You can see all the stops on the tour here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/05/virtaul-review-tour-may-day-anthology.html.

READ THE BLURB

The May Day has been celebrated since Roman times with dancing, baskets of flowers, and bonfires. In this collection of May Day stories, Rogue's Angels--Christine Young, C.L. Kraemer, Rosemary Indra and Genie Gabriel--continue the celebration with humor, faeries and falling in love.

Highland Miracle -- Christine Young

HURTLED THROUGH TIME, Sean Michael Sterling, landed in the midst of a May Day celebration he didn’t understand, assuming the role of Laird Sterling.

ILLIGITAMATE CHILD OF NOBILITY, Reagan Douglas searches for a way out of her half brother’s house.

Defying the Odds -- C.L. Kraemer

The night elves on the hill aren't happy without their magic. They concoct a plan to punish those who were involved in the act that rendered them almost human. Meanwhile, Uther, the rogue night elf, has returned to woo the Librarian to be his eternal mate.

Love in Bloom -- Rosemary Indra

When childhood friends reunite it takes two fairies and a matchmaking daughter to help them admit their true love for each other.

No More Poodle Skirts -- Genie Gabriel

After drifting for years in the innocent age of the 1950s, a woman struggles to join today's world by finding a career and a new love, with some help from her zany family.

READ THE REVIEW

Anthologies have always been very hard for me to review--almost invariably, there will be one story in them that didn't catch my attention or hold my interest. And, I hate singling out a story or author by saying that one just didn't work for me. Thankfully, this anthology is (as my grandmother would have said), "the exception that proves the rule." Every story in this volume is excellent--and I'm excited to have read them because they are all new authors to me.

I have to admit, however, that the final book of the four was my favorite--Genie Gabriel's "No More Poodle Skirts." Even though the main character is Daphne, who is trying to re-acquaint herself with the world after being lost mentally in the 50s for years, the secondary characters are who really stole the show in this one! I love them all, especially her sister and her sister's husband... who is always trying to invent something--with not-always-successful results. I would love to see more of this family and I hope Ms. Gabriel has plans to revisit this town soon.

READ AN EXCERPT FROM "NO MORE POODLE SKIRTS"

Life seemed much simpler when all a girl had to worry about was keeping her bobby socks and the pompom on her poodle skirt a brilliant white. Daphne Madison wiggled and gyrated into panty hose that seemed determined to twist around her like a boa constrictor squeezing its prey.

A modern woman was expected to have it all--a husband, a family, a career--with never a wrinkle in her face or her confidence.

Daphne zipped up her dress and drew a shaky breath as she stared at herself in the mirror. The form-fitting pink dress wasn't as comfortable as her skirts, and the high heels shoved her feet down into the pointy toes.

I can do this, Daphne reassured herself. She hadn't even been born in the fifties, but it seemed like such an innocent time. If she could pretend to live in that time, surely she could live in the current millennium.

Something doesn't seem just right, she thought, as she fastened a strand of pearls around her neck. However, she refused to wear the short skirts she had seen on television programs. The pencil thin skirt that ended just above her knees was as daring as she would go.

She slid her arms into the pink jacket that matched her dress and considered herself once again. Something still seemed amiss. She settled a pink pillbox hat borrowed from her sister on top of her smooth blond hair. Better.

White gloves restored her confidence even more.

With another deep breath, Daphne swept down the stairs to garner the reaction of her family. She knew her adult son, Ryan, would be of little help but to offer a gourmet breakfast gleaned from the latest cooking show on TV. A meal Daphne knew her jittery nerves wouldn't tolerate.

Her sister wouldn't be stirring yet, but Linda would be organizing the house for the day. She was the mother of Daphne's daughter's husband. Did that make her and Daphne sisters-in-law? No, that wasn't quite right, and thinking about it made her brain hurt.

She gave her head a slight shake. It didn't really matter. Linda was quite practical and had motivated Daphne out of her fantasy life. She would know if Daphne was dressed appropriately for her job interview.

"So what do you think?" Daphne turned slowly as she entered the kitchen.

MEET THE AUTHORS

C. L. Kraemer is a wanderer, a way of life started when her father served in the U.S. Marine Corp. She’s carried on the tradition seeing most of the continental United States as well as Hawaii and Alaska.

Three contemporary romance novels written under the nom de plume, Celia Cooper: Old Enough to Know Better; Sun in Sagittarius, Moon in Mazatlan; and If Only were gifts from the writing gods. A fourth novel, Cats in the Cradle of Civilization, written as C. L. Kraemer is her first venture to the mystery genre. Wings ePress, Inc. is the publisher of these four offerings.

Healthy Homicide, the October 2008 launch book for a new publishing house, RoguePhoenixPress, picks up the torch again in the mystery world. In February 2010, she contributed writings to two Valentine’s Anthologies at RoguePhoenixPress: A Valentine Anthology, with The Lending Library and A Different Kind of Valentine with The Prize.

She completed the base story in a Dragon fantasy series, Dragons Among Us, for RoguePhoenix Press. The second in the series, Dragons Among the Eagles, was released June 2011.

Meadows of Gold, another faerie story, was released March 2011 as part of A St Patrick’s Day Tale. A novel based on one of the first mass shootings, which took place in Salem, Oregon in 1981, Shattered Tomorrows, was released August 2011. Currently in the works for publication is a commuter book featuring a motorcycle poker run, Joker’s Wild, and the third in the dragon series, Dragons Among the Ice.

For more information, visit:

www.CeliaCooper.com
www.CLKraemer.com

Ever since her mom gave her a romance book when she was a teenager Rosemary Indra has enjoyed happier-ever-after stories. She has been writing her own happy endings most of her adult life. When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, reading and crafts. She has two grown children and a three year old grandson who keeps her busy. She and her husband live in a small town in Oregon.

Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

For years I've been fascinated by the puzzle of why some people collapse under life's traumas and others emerge triumphantly stronger. In a job surrounded by social workers and in my personal life, I was exposed to the darker side of life. Yet amid the stark realities of abuse, addictions, violence, and betrayal shone the bright light of strength, hope and forgiveness. These triumphs of the human spirit over the ugliest of adversities became the basis for my stories. My passion for writing became an outlet for the powerful message that people can overcome great difficulties and forge their own happy endings.

http://christineyoung-romancewriter.blogspot.com/?zx=6368908c0b6884f6
http://roguesangels.blogspot.com
http://www.roguephoenixpress.com
http://www.geniegabriel.com
http://www.clkraemer.com
http://www.rosemaryindra.com