#Excerptweek – Silly Willy goes to Cape Town by Robbie Cheadle

August 1, 2017August 1, 2017 / robbiesinspiration / 38 Comments

SW book 1 cover

Silly Willy goes to Cape Town is a light hearted and humorous story about going on holiday with two small, and very different boys. The story is told through the eyes of Cautious Craig, an eight year old boy, and includes hilarious accounts of his views on life with his naughty younger brother. The story is for children aged 7 to 12 years old.

The book includes recipes and instructions on how to make five fun children’s party cakes as well as instructions on how to make the various illustrations, made out of fondant, in the book.

The blurb

When the George family go on holiday to Cape Town, Cautious Craig cannot believe what he has to endure at the hands of his naughty and wilful younger brother, Silly Willy. Willy throws tantrums at the most embarrassing and inappropriate times, causes a commotion on the aeroplane and tries to steal a chameleon from Butterfly World. What is a poor older brother expected to do in these situations?

Extract from Chapter 1: At the airport

We all had to walk through a funny doorway. Mom, Willy and I all walked through the doorway quickly and with no problems. The doorway made a huge beeping noise when each of my Nana and my Dad walked through. It turns out that my Nana has titanium hips. Very interesting, I wonder if she was a superhero before she was my Nana – metal hips sounds like some kind of super power to me. Dad had forgotten his pen knife in his pocket. He had to give it to the man at the doorway who took it away forever. Mom was cross because she had given Dad that pen knife as a special Christmas present and now it was gone.

After that, there was more walking through the airport to get to the waiting area for our aeroplane. Willy was tired of walking and started falling over so that Mom ended up half dragging him for a few steps every five minutes. She didn’t like this at all, her mouth got very straight and she “looked like a thundercloud”, as Dad commented. Easy for him to say things, I suppose, as he wasn’t the one pulling along naughty Willy. After what seemed like absolute ages, we reached the waiting area for our aeroplane. The other passengers were already standing in a line, waiting to go through the gate and get on the bus that would take us all to our aeroplane. The gate wasn’t a gate at all. It was just an open doorway which we walked right through. I was glad that we didn’t have to wait for very long before getting on the bus. I was feeling very tired and thirsty.

Chapter 1 includes instructions on how to make the boy on the suitcase.

Purchase Silly Willy goes to Cape Town

https://www.amazon.com/author/robbiecheadle

http://tinyurl.com/zdokqjr

Follow Robbie and Michael Cheadle

Blog: robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle

Facebook: @SirChocolateBooks

Plus.google: https://plus.google.com/105609586198905397891

Twitter: @bakeandwrite

Excerpt Week—Medici Protectorate Series by Staci Troilo

August 1, 2017July 31, 2017 / Staci Troilo / 37 Comments

I’m honored to have been asked to participate in Excerpt Week. Marcia, thank you for arranging this and letting me hop into the schedule.

I’m finishing up my Medici Protectorate series. Book 3 is with the publisher and will release soon. Book 4 is partially written, and then I have to say goodbye to this beloved series. Instead of providing you with lengthy excerpts from the novels, I’m going to give you a teaser from each of the three completed ones and a printed excerpt from the fourth.

Book 1, Bleeding Heart

Book 2, Mind Control

Book 3, Body Armor

And finally, from my WIP, a never-before published excerpt…

Book 4, Tortured Soul

She opened the door and glanced at the water. Coz treaded in the deep end, but mercifully, he faced the windows, his back to the door.

Good luck or consideration? She wasn’t sure, but she was grateful for the opportunity to divest herself of the roomy shirt and slip into the water unnoticed.

The cool water felt refreshing on her overheated skin. When she surfaced in front of him, she again took in his shirtless torso, distorted by the rippling water yet no less appealing. His light blond hair, slicked back and wet, had darkened to champagne and his bright blue eyes deepened from the reflection of the pool.

Adonis, come to life.

Her face heated, and she dipped under the surface with the pretense of getting her hair out of her face. Even immersing herself in the cool water didn’t soothe her burning cheeks.

As she came up, she was only inches from him, and the proximity caused her to suck in too soon. She got a lungful of water, then choked and sputtered while trying to catch her breath.

He grabbed her waist, and she flinched. “Can’t you tread? We can go to the shallow section.”

His hands on her did nothing to settle her breathing. “I can tread. I love to swim. Just somehow managed to suck down some water.”

Coz raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply. Instead, he flipped onto his back and swam toward the opposite end of the Olympic-sized pool, pulling Toni along on top of him as he sliced through the water.

The motion was far more erotic than she was prepared for. It wouldn’t have surprised her if steam billowed around them.

There you have it—a brief look at the four novels of the Medici Protectorate series, a saga about four sisters who discover they are Medici descendants, the warriors sworn to protect them, and the diabolical forces determined to use them… or destroy them.

I hope you enjoyed these quick peeks. You can find out more about the series or the individual books by clicking on any of the links above. And if you have any questions or comments, leave them below and we’ll talk about it. Thanks!

Connect with Staci: Website | Blog | Newsletter | Social Media

#ExcerptWeek Reminder

July 31, 2017July 31, 2017 / Marcia Meara / 11 Comments

Just wanted to remind everyone to use the Hashtag #ExcerptWeek in your post title, and to include both your name and the name of your book there, too. It will help people find you. Also, don’t forget to use #ExcerptWeek as your category, and to list some tags to help others find the post, too. For instance, your name, the title of your book, the category (Romantic Suspense, Fantasy, etc), and anything else suitable that might make this post pop up during a search of the blog.

We want to get as many folks learning about you and your work as possible. Now go forth and have a great Excerpt Week.

#ExcerptWeek–Excerpt from Legends of Deceit by Rebekkah Ford

July 31, 2017July 31, 2017 / Rebekkah / 11 Comments

Legends of Deceit - Amazon

Immerse yourself in a magical world where fairies and werewolves exist alongside each other and an ordinary, foul-mouth 22-year old college student named Haven Evergreen is destined to rule.

Fans of fantasy and paranormal will be captivated by this thrilling and spellbinding new series by Rebekkah Ford.

*This excerpt is the tail end of the first chapter from Legends of Deceit*

Our ranch style house was nestled in the center of a grove of trees at the end of the street, away from the other houses due to my father purchasing two lots on either side. We liked our privacy, and my father loved his workshop on the south side of the house. I was glad to be home, looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. I noticed all the lights were off, including the one on the porch. Mom always left it on when I was out after dark. How odd. Maybe they went to a movie I guessed as I pulled into the driveway. I turned the headlights off and cut the engine.

Silence.

The air was even still.

My stomach dropped.

Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my gut. I stepped out of the car. A thick, earthy concrete scent engulfed me—a sign of rainfall. As I approached the front door, I reached in my pocket for the pepper spray, pulled it out, and opened the front door. “Mom. Dad. I’m home.” The whole house was dark. I pulled my cell from my pocket and turned the flashlight app on so I could see. There was a lingering burning smell like burnt plastic. I crossed the short hallway, the bright beam from my cell pointed straight ahead, brushing over the family pictures on the wall. I stepped into the kitchen that branched off to the left and flipped the switch on and off several times.

Nothing.

What the . . . ?

“Mom, are you home?” I called, moving my phone in front of me so I could see. Ick. There must have been a dozen dead flies on the tiled floor, reminding me of the ones in the abandoned farmhouse. I stepped around the island in the center of the room. The toe of my shoe caught something. I tripped but grabbed the edge of the counter while jerking my cell down, illuminating the floor. I screamed and jumped back. In an instant, my throat tightened and the tears flowed. “Noooo!” I quickly backed across the room and collapsed to the floor. My heart raced and broke all at the same time. With shaking fingers I dialed 9-1-1. Several sobs escaped my lips.

“Nine-one-one. Can I help you?”

My shaky fingers fluttered to my lips, the tips pressing on them.

“Can I help you?”

“I’m Haven Evergreen and . . . and . . .”

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

My heart split in half, and I bawled. “I . . . I . . . I just came home from Vegas and f-f-f-found my mom in the kitchen . . . on the floor . . . without her head.”

What readers are saying about Legends of Deceit:

Grabbed me from the first page! I found it impossible to put down. ★★★★★

I loved this story! The characters are well developed and I didn’t want to stop reading! Rebekkah Ford is a wonderful storyteller. I’m looking forward to more in this series. ★★★★★

Author Bio:

Rebekkah Ford is an award-winning author who writes paranormal, fantasy fiction. She believes her fascination with the unknown derives from her childhood. When her parents were married, they were the directors of the UFO Investigator’s League. They also investigated ghost hauntings and Bigfoot sightings in addition to extraterrestrial cases. Rebekkah’s upbringing, knowledge, and experiences with the paranormal world, along with her colorful imagination, aid her in creating her stories.

Rebekkah has an irreverent sense of humor, and she believes having a dirty mind makes boring conversations more interesting. 😉

Grab your copy today!

Amazon US–>http://amzn.to/2u0qAwt
Amazon UK–> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07374MKJ3/
Barnes & Nobleà https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legends-of-deceit-rebekkah-ford/1126635394?ean=2940158583926
Smashwords–>https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/732091

Stalker Links:

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rebekkah-Ford/e/B00896OMB0/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6180865.Rebekkah_Ford
Landing Page: Author Rebekkah Ford: http://rebekkahford.com/
Blog: http://themusingwriter.blogspot.com
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/RebekkahFord2012
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebekkahFord
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/rebekkahford/
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/102242636096208798568/posts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorrebekkahford/?hl=en

Join Rebekkah’s newsletter. Get sneak peeks on what Rebekkah is working on, top secret information, exclusive giveaways, and much moreà http://rebekkahford.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=06bbb5773fe9e17e6ba0e860e&id=51f0af6e94

Thank you Marcia for creating excerpt week. I’m excited to read everyone’s creative work. 🙂

#ExcerptWeek The Chocolatier by Brenda Scruggs

July 31, 2017July 31, 2017 / Brenda Scruggs / 4 Comments

I would like to thank Marcia for this excerpt week. I look forward to seeing all the great talent and interesting books that will be posted.

new Chocolater cover.jpg

Chocolate has a reputation of healing a broken-heart. Swirl through the pages of this sweet romance of two unlikely people, one a chocolate heir and the other not fond of chocolate, to see if chocolate holds true to its reputation.

Charles Riviera an heir to a chocolate empire was perfectly content as Director of Marketing over Riviera Chocolate until, he literally bumps into Charlene Callaway. Would she melt his heart like heat melts chocolate?

Charlene Callaway finds herself far from home after finding her fiancé with another woman on their wedding day. The move had its challenges especially when she goes to work for a Chocolate Company and her new handsome boss.

When Charlene is abducted, her only thoughts were of Charles, The Chocolatier.

Excerpt:

“So, you like chocolate, I assume,” Charles asked.

Charlene’s thoughts twisted in her mind and she tried not to fidget. “Do I lie or tell the truth.” She paused and remembered honesty is the best policy. She looked him in the eye to appear confident. “No, not really. But, it’s the type of job that I feel qualified in doing and I believe I have a lot to offer this company.”

Charles held his brow as it wanted to rise in surprise. She wasn’t fond of chocolate. What woman doesn’t like chocolate? He interrupted. “So, you don’t like chocolate, that’s odd.”

“It’s not that I don’t like chocolate,” she answered, as she slightly shrugged. “I’m just not fond of chocolate. And, I realize this could hamper me getting the job but honestly, I don’t see it being a problem since I meet all the requirements of an assistant. I’m a hard, dedicated worker and feel I can be an asset to this company. I will give it my best and as you can see, I had been an assistant in a big-name oil company in Bartlesville for several years.”

Charles leaned forward and rested his hands on the desk, now he was very curious about her. She knew how to promote herself for the position, her portfolio was impressive, and she had experience. But, what surprised him the most was her honesty about not liking chocolate. He leaned back in his chair thinking she met all the requirements and had determination or else she would have left with the coffee accident but not a chocolate lover.

A challenge whisked through his thoughts. This would be good for him personally. If he could convince her to fall in love with chocolate, then he had accomplished being the best Sales Marketer he could be. He closed her portfolio and stood buttoning his suit jacket. “Be here tomorrow. I want to show you something.”

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brendascruggs-author

Website: brendascruggs.wordpress.com

Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06Y22VDYT

Instagram: @brendascruggs

BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Chocolatier-Brenda-Scruggs/dp/1542569028/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1501503433&sr=8-1-spell

#ExcerptWeek Update!

July 31, 2017July 31, 2017 / Marcia Meara / 14 Comments

You guys are GREAT! I’ve gotten many, many more emails from folks wanting to take part in Excerpt Week than usual, and I’m NOT complaining, believe me. Just wanted you all to know that, if need be, I’ll extend this event another week, to be sure everyone has a chance to take part. I can’t wait to see what all you plan to share!

Thanks so much!

#ExcerptWeek – Poem from Summer Magic by Marcia Meara

July 31, 2017July 30, 2017 / Marcia Meara / 26 Comments

The first half of this little book contains a series of poems featuring my Wake-Robin Ridge hero, MacKenzie Cole, as a boy of ten, exploring his beloved North Carolina mountains each summer, with his dad. The second half contains poetry about Life. And Love. (Hence the line at the bottom of the cover. 😀 I’ve chosen to share one of Mac’s poems, since the Perseid meteor shower can be counted on to show up right around August, every year. I hope you enjoy it.

Look Dad, he cries,
Look how many!
I see a hundred,
Maybe a thousand!
I see them, too,
Dad says,
And together, they laugh,
Delighted!
Joy shared,
And excitement
Doubled.

Come see the meteors,
Dad said, as he
Shook him awake
Just before dawn.
He crawled from the tent,
Rubbing his eyes,
Then staring in wonder.
With the sky still a midnight black,
And bright stars wheeling overhead,
The fireworks came.
Racing toward Earth,
One after another,
The Perseids.
The miracle of hot August nights.
A late-summer light show
That electrified his soul.
His young heart transfixed
By the sight of the universe,
Lit with streamers
Of flame.

A meteor shower,
Dad tells him again,
But he knows nothing
So beautiful has a name
So ordinary.
Stars, he thinks, pulled loose
From the fabric of the sky,
And flung toward earth,
Trailing silver and gold,
And bringing pieces of Heaven
To those watching below.

He holds up his hands,
Cupped reverently,
To catch one of his own.
To be blessed by
This summer magic.
He holds his breath, waiting
For the illumination
Of his soul to begin.
Falling stars,
Falling from the
Summer sky,
For him.

Since my bio and photo are already on display in several places on this site, I’m going to skip that, and just share a couple of lovely reviews, instead.

“What beautiful, sensory poems! In Summer Magic, Marcia Meara writes that “Sometimes I think I’m drowning in a sea of words . . . Words have the power to make us laugh and cry . . . They lift us up in joy or slam us to the ground in misery . . . Amazing things, words.” And her beautiful poems use words to do just that. When I read the poems of Mac at Ten, I’m there with that little boy, not just seeing, but feeling it all––the magic of a sunrise, the fun of collecting treasures, the beauty of a meteor shower, the freedom of a carefree summer.”
~Elizabeth Vollstadt

” . . . a perfect read for a languid summer’s day or a long weekend like this one. Taking a breather from grilling and eating, reading the book is like dangling your toes in a cool, rippling brook. It’s not just her poems that reflect the childhood joy of plunging into cool green waters from a “Rope Swing,” or the ‘drip-drip’ of “Showers” on a rainy day that will give you that creekside, summer experience. “Summer Magic” the first poem, and the one that gives the book its title, is awash in words that conjure summer. My favorite lines from the poem:

There! A thin curve of molten red!
A far away sliver of fiery light
Breaks the horizon.”
~SUMMER

You can download Summer Magic here.

The Perseids

#ExcerptWeek Is Coming Up Again!

July 28, 2017July 28, 2017 / Marcia Meara / 45 Comments

It’s here again! Yep, starting Monday, 7/31 and running through Sunday, August 6, it will be #ExcerptWeek here on The Write Stuff. A lot of you know how this goes, but for those who don’t, this is your chance to share an excerpt from one of your published books or a work in progress, with your Book Blurb, Author Bio, Buy Links, and Social Media Links. It’s a great chance to tell everyone why they should buy your book, so don’t miss out!

If you are already a contributing author on this site, feel free to post at will, on any day that works for you. And you may post more than once during the week, though only once a day, please. If you are not already a contributing author, you will have to email me to find out how to take part. My contact info is in the Menu at the top of the page under About/Contact Me.

Whether or not you decide to participate by sharing one of your own excerpts, we do ask that you share the excerpts of others, please. The whole purpose is for us to help each other get the word out about our books and books-to-be. This is always such a fun time, seeing what others have written, and helping share their work. Hope LOTS of you take part, otherwise, you’ll be reading a ton of MY excerpts! 😀 I do intend to post a couple, but hopefully, there will be so many posted by others, I won’t have to fill in any gaps.

As an aside, I won’t be posting any of my usual features the week, so as to allow lots of space for you guys.

My only restrictions are no political, religious, or erotic content. If you aren’t sure, email me, and I’ll guide you.

Other than that, have fun! We are all waiting eagerly (dare I say with “bated breath?”) to read your work, and to share it far and wide! Roll on, Monday!!

#ExcerptWeek – Linda Bethea @Nutsrok1

October 15, 2016October 19, 2016 / Marcia Meara / 35 Comments

We are wrapping up our extended #ExcerptWeek with a contribution from popular blogger Linda Bethea, which I know you’re going to enjoy! Thanks for taking part, Linda. The floor is yours!

~~~

Everything Smells Just Like Poke Salad

Excerpt from Chapter Twelve
Special Times

Most farm business was conducted in Cuthand, but Daddy would sometimes catch a ride with the mailman or hire a ride to go to Clarksville by himself to take care of things. However, on a few, glorious occasions I would awaken before daybreak to find Mama putting breakfast on the table and hurriedly packing food in the blue-banded, enamel water bucket. This could only mean one thing. We were all going to Clarksville! It didn’t matter what went in the bucket. The occasion made everything special.

A family trip to Clarksville was rare and logistics had to line up just so. The weather had to be right, conditions perfect, and the need great. A pleasurable jaunt for the entire family was certainly not sufficient reason for a trip to town. As we loaded into the wagon, Mama casually mentioned something to Daddy about meeting for the noon meal in the wagon yard after she talked to the doctor. What in the world could she have to talk to the doctor about? We didn’t even know the doctor in town. The few times we’d had a doctor, it had been grumpy old Dr. Bohl.

“Mama, what do you have to talk to the doctor about?” I asked.

“Oh, nothing for you to worry about. Just a little woman trouble.” That sounded good to me. Maybe Mama was going to ask the doctor about getting us a baby. I’d always heard the stork brought babies, but after hearing whispers at school, had begun to suspect it had something to do with doctors. I always wanted a baby sister.

“Mama, can you ask the doctor about getting us a baby?” Continue reading →

#ThatDarkestPlace Teaser & Catching Up

October 15, 2016 / Marcia Meara / 7 Comments

That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3
Coming January, 2017

Hurricane Matthew clean-up goes on. Mark has taken Monday & Tuesday off to finish up, and I’m digging out from under a ton of emails, and playing catch up on my blogs. Bear with me, if you would. Hopefully, life will be approaching normal very soon.

In the meantime, I’m also trying to write a book! Made this meme a little bit ago, to let folks know it’s coming, even though slightly later than originally scheduled. Would love to have you share, if you have time. Thanks so much!

And a double thank you for being so patient while I’ve been gone. I have one more Excerpt to get out today, and I can put #ExcerptWeek away until next time. So stay tuned, as I get things settled again. THANKS!