Sunday, June 30, 2013

Imploding

The newest offering of the Defective Amish Detective is available now! You can get Vol 6: The Sausage Log Implosion on Kindle here: http://amz.to/11MckpP


I have to say this whole experience has been a lot of fun. When Giovanni approached me about this series, I was a little hesitant. I have always known him to have an outrageous sense of humor and I knew the Amish were handled with a great deal of respect. I did not know how we would blend the two.

What came out of it was a story with lots of heart and its own kind of zaniness. I think we manage to show the proper amount of respect to the Amish. Much of the slapstick falls on the Defective Detective, who is not Amish. What is he? Something of a repentant hitman. Both of our main characters have mysterious pasts that give them unique skills to handle the cozy mysteries we throw at them.

In the end, this series is about friendship and understanding. It is about two men coming from two different worlds and overcoming their differences to work together for the greater good. It is a pleasure to write and I hope you have as much fun reading it!

About The Sausage Log Implosion“Muck is Muck,” Eli the Blacksmith says.How does the Defective Detective go from having a near perfect day to one of the worst? Simple – someone stole his sausage log. Everyone has something in life that makes them happy. For G, it is the culinary delights of the Amish, including whoopie pies and sausage logs. When his favorite market is sold out, G wants to know why. The charming, but innocent, counter girl tells him that the butcher’s meat grinder has been stolen. When something goes awry in Amish Country, G can’t let it go. He joins his stalwart companion Eli and the two of them are on the case. They have two questions to answer. What happened to the meat grinder? And, how much muck is too much muck? This is one explosive implosion!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

What's the Secret?

My friend and fellow JLB Creatives team member, Jean E. Lane, has a delightful book called Lill and Mewe and the Secrets of Mars. Well, I got a chance to read it after a rave review from my 12 year old daughter - she said it was a must read. I wanted to share my thoughts with my own short review.


Charming in its simplicity, yet surprisingly complex. There is a lot going on with this fun little story. The author has some big ideas and writes for her target audience. The secrets of Mars are revealed with a civilization hidden beneath the surface of the red planet. The focus of the story is on Lill, her younger brother and their insatiable curiosity. The story ends piquing my curiosity and leaves me ready for the sequel. Like a good series should, this first book comes to a satisfying end, but leaves the reader with a few questions. This story is perfect for middle grade and some young readers, especially if they are interested in fun and science!

About the book: When Lill, a young Martian girl, receives a telescope for her birthday and locates planet Earth, she and her water cat, Mewe, "borrow" a new space craft called the Whisper 5 and travel to Earth, where they meet a girl named Lily. Back on Mars, Lill looks for her brother Merak, who, also on a mission, has lost contact when his warp drive safety failed and may have left the galaxy. Lill later learns Merak was rescued, but by whom? As Lill watches Mewe's swim race at Frogscry River, where she competes with the other water cats, Lill discovers a glowing orb in the wall of a cave. The orb holds the thoughts of Martians who have died hundreds of years ago, along with ancient wisdom. What will she learn from the orb? Will she find Merak? What are the secrets of the history of Mars? Follow the exciting adventures of Lill and Mewe as they seek answers in a world of advanced computers, androids and artificial intelligence.

About the author: Jean E. Lane is originally from Youngstown, Ohio. She now lives in Orlando, FL with her husband Kenneth, their energetic dog Prancer, and two curious cats: Muffy and Abby.

She has worked most of her life in logistics, financial accounting, and purchasing. Her true interest lies in the almost believable aliens of the classic science fiction stories she enjoyed growing up.

Skygazing is a hobby which led her write her first children's novel, Lill and Mewe and the Secrets of Mars, the first of the Lill and Mewe series.

She uses math, science, discovery, learning, humor, and adventure in her books. But don't be scared...the math and science are great for kids ages 8 -12. Adults appreciate the content being that her writing style is highly entertaining while delivering facts so their children so they can learn while having fun.

You can get the paperback here: