My book review for

"Meet My Mississippi"

by

Patricia Neely-Dorsey

illustrated by Brenda Ragsdale.

Meet My Mississippi by Patricia Neely-Dorsey

This is a well written and beautifully illustrated book. A trip through Mississippi history for the young and the old. Within a few short minutes I got to visit the William Faulkner Sanctuary, Eudora Welty’s home State, Elvis Presley’s Birthplace and take a ride down the Natchez Trace. I learned about the Choctaw Nation and the Rolling hills of the Chickasaw band. I was able to dip my toes in the Biloxi sands of Mississippi’s most beautiful Beach. I took Highway 61 and traveled with The Howlin wolf and old Muddy Waters himself. I feasted on Mississippi’s fine cuisine and had a cold root beer on Mr. Barq’s front porch. I went down to Meridian and looked at some guitars and then went to visit a frog named Kermit. I traveled the rails of the Old Yellow Dog. I visited a civil rights Museum and walked down to the Old state capitol. I attended a house party at the Neshoba County Fair. I visited the Vicksburg Battlefield. I got to walk through the Pharr Indian Mounds. I got to take a ride on a carousel. I got to see the birthplace of the Singing Brakeman. I had a Coca Cola down in Vicksburg. I even found out where Pine-sol was invented. I walked down the river and gazed at the American Queen.

This book is a reminder to those that know and a history lesson for those that don’t. Open the cover and take a trip through some Mississippi history.

Simplify Your Weight Loss by Author Kevin Lansdell

 

Simplify Your Weight Loss

by

Author Kevin Lansdell 

Overview

Simplify Your Weight Loss, is the easiest to understand method of weight loss. This is so simple you will never diet again! Obesity is the number one health risk in this country, it's more than habits or lack of exercise but now with this e book available, you can truly change your life! This e book was created after research of common factors from people who were having real success in weight loss, which led to the discovery of a simple weight loss formula proven successful in my own life. I was able to shed 35 pounds in 3 months with no exercise or starving my self. People would see me eat a chili cheese dog and couldn't understand how I was loosing weight. The secrets have been in front of us the whole time but often covered up by so many confusing diet plans, or healthy ads for a product that's not that healthy. Learn the secrets of how to eat your way thin. Exercise is great, but are you willing to run 30 miles a day? Just to overcome a Big Mac, Large Fries, Large Soft Drink = 10.72 miles
With my method you will not only drop weight, but keep it off. It's not a diet it's a life change! The thinner you awaits!

Author Kevin Lansdell

with his beautiful wife Julie

Meet the Author Kevin Lansdell

After overcoming the battle of the bulge, by researching common factors in weight loss, Kevin Lansdell at the age of 38, married 19 years to his high school sweetheart and father of 2 children, shares his story with the world how he lost weight, while eating the foods he liked and no exercise. From the small town of Tupelo, Mississippi, the simplest weight loss solution ever, 2011 Simplify Your Weight Loss, was born.

BUY at AMAZON - http://www.amazon.com/2011-Simplify-Your-Weight-ebook/dp/B004KSPWZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342089834&sr=1-1&keywords=Kevin+Lansdell

BUY at Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/2011-diet-simplify-your-weight-loss-kevin-lansdell/1030832932?ean=2940012082992

Mississippian Peggy Webb's Touched By Angels

Touched By Angels

Book One of the Touched By Angels duo - Single mother Sarah Love moves to a new town determined to make a fresh start for herself and Jenny. Born special, Jenny struggles with the things other children take for granted. When the four-year-old escapes her mother's watchful eye to explore outside her yard and dashes in front of the sexy, high-powered Jake Townsend's motorcycle, Jenny and her mother are catapulted in his life. The child and her beautiful mother wrap themselves around Jake's heart. But can he forget his part in the car crash that killed his own wife and daughter? Does he dare risk loving and losing again? This is one of Peggy Webb's most beloved classic romances. Book Two of the duo is A PRINCE FOR JENNY.

A Prince for Jenny

TOUCHED BY ANGELS, SEQUEL - Born special, Jenny, an artist, has had to struggle for every achievement. The things ordinary women take for granted - love, marriage, children- are only a dream for her. When divorced businessman, Daniel Sullivan, brings his children to sit for a portrait, Jenny begins to believe that her prince has finally come. But can Daniel love a special woman without destroying her? Can she withstand the media attention that comes with his high-powered profile? Can she survive the nasty custody battle with his ex-wife? Can there be a fairy tale ending for Jenny and her prince? This unusual love story is one of the author's most heartwarming.


Southern Gurl's proudly presents Author Peggy Webb.

I recently read Touched By Angels, I had know idea the Author was so close to home. Touched By Angels touches your heart as single mom Sarah Love sets out to make a new life for her and her baby girl Jenny. Jenny has special needs but is also gifted with Talents beyond her years. She assists her mother in doll making. When Jenny escapes her mother and runs in front of Jake Townsends Motercycle their lives are changed forever. 

Jake, who is dealing with demons of his own is reluctant to follow his heart at first. But not even he can resist Jenny's charm.

This was a wonderful read, i wasn't able to put it down. Hope you enjoy!

Mississippian Peggy Webb is the author of nearly 70 books, 200 magazine columns, and two screenplays. She consistently appears on the bestseller lists and has garnered many awards, including a Romantic Times Pioneer Award for creating the sub-genre of romantic comedy. During her stint as an adjunct instructor of writing at Mississippi State University, Peggy turned her pen to murder. Under her own name, she writes the comedic Southern Cousins Mystery series, starring a basset hound who thinks he’s Elvis reincarnated. Writing as Anna Michaels, she pens literary thrillers. The Tender Mercy of Roses was hailed by Pat Conroy as “an unforgettable story written with astonishing skill and clarity by a truly gifted writer.” Peggy is a member of the professional organizations, Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Heard of Dixie RWA chapter and Southern Magic RWA chapter. Visit Peggy at her websites: www.peggywebb.com and www.annamichaels.net and follow her on Facebook.

Interview with Author Amanda M. Thrasher

Amanda M. Thrasher

Amanda M. Thrasher, born in England, resides in Fort Worth, Texas. After leaving the corporate world to spend time with her family, Amanda started writing full time. She is the author of the Mischief Patch series, ‘Mischief in the Mushroom Patch’ and ‘A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch’ and also the intermediate novel ‘The Ghost of Whispering Willow.’ She spends many hours visiting local schools, educating children about her writing and creative process, and helps raise funds through book fairs with local Barnes & Noble’s. Amanda has just completed a graphic novel, for the‘Texas Municipal Court Education Center’ (Driving on the Right Side of the Road) project, about teen driving safety. She contributes weekly to a blog, and continues to write. The third installment of the Mischief series is under way as is a novel geared toward teens.

Southern Gurl's

What compelled you to write your first book?

Like all writers I love to write, but for me it’s actually creating the story and bringing it to life that I enjoy most. Making it all work. I have written poems and short stories for as long as I can remember, but the first real manuscript that I wrote was in my early twenties. I still have it. My mom simply said, “Why don’t you write a book?” and I did. It was awful, but needed to be written. I believe everyone writes at least a couple of really bad books. Every book I write is better than the last, the writing and story-telling, I mean.

 

 

Southern Gurl's

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I have always wanted to write, but didn’t have any desire to be an author. I simply love creating a story, bringing characters to life, and making it all work. My mind races all of the time, but when I’m writing it’s engaged in a story line, plots, characters, scenes, etc., which is very relaxing for me. Writing, for me, is fun and something I will always do.

Southern Gurl's

How did you come up with your title?

I came up with the Mischief title simply because Jack (one of my characters), is mischievous but in a great way. The fairies in the series live in a mushroom patch, put them together and it had a nice ring to it. I accidently started the ‘rhyming thing’ with ‘A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch.’ ‘The Ghost of Whispering Willow’ title is just perfect. There’s actually more than one ghost, yet the title doesn’t indicate that. A nice surprise as the story builds. The ghost children love to play in the Whispering Willow Wood, so the title seemed to me ‘made’ for my story, which is how it should be.

Southern Gurl's

Tell us briefly about your latest book.

Stewart has seen a ghostly figure out of the corner of his eye. This leads him, and his friend, Andy, on an investigation. The boys experience a physical encounter with a ghost! They are forced to join forces with Krista, Ally, Kendall and Maggie, who have also encountered a ghost sighting. The kids soon find that the ghost they encountered isn’t alone, and is in imminent danger. He desperately needs the children’s help. Complete with a kidnapping, ghost village and feud, the kids try to devise a plan in order to help the ghost children reunite with their lost family? But can they do it? ... Um, as they say, “You’ll have to read the book.”

Southern Gurl's

What are you working on at the moment?

I have just written a graphic novel for ‘The Texas Municipal Court Education Center,’ (on behalf of ‘Driving on the Right Side of the Road’ program), about teen driving safety. I am very excited about this project. Illustrators are sending samples of their work to the department in order to bring the story I have written to life. It’s a ghost story, perfect fit for the schools that I will speak to anyway, but also delivers a very important message, driving safely, and the consequences if you don’t. It’s not another ‘do not’ book. It’s a graphic novel that’s a little scary, edgy, and yet one that we believe the kids will actually read. This was the point of delivering the message in this particular way. We shall give this book away across the State of Texas for free, and it will be translated into Spanish as well. I can’t wait to share this book with the schools that I visit, since the message is an important one.

I’m also working on a teen novel that deals with an issue that is relevant to teens and what they deal with today (I like this piece, it’s flowing well), and my only issue right now is time. Finally I’m writing the third installment of the Mischief series, but my other novel is taking precedent at this time because I think it’s an important piece.

Southern Gurl's

Do you have a favorite character? Why is s/he your favorite?

My favorite character (at this time), without a doubt is Margaret-Rose. She is out of the book ‘The Ghost of Whispering Willow.’ She is beautiful, child-like, but dead. She’s not even a main character, but to me, makes an impression on the reader that is lasting. She understands that she’s gone, but because she truly is ‘child-like’ she never thinks about it. She does the most normal child-like things such as, playing with her doll, wrestling with her brother, skimming pebbles across the water, chasing fire-flies, and even crying when she’s sad. I can picture her so clearly in my minds eye; she is just the neatest little ‘dead girl,’ even though she’s a character.

Southern Gurl's

Do you have a favorite character? Why is s/he your favorite?

My favorite character (at this time), without a doubt is Margaret-Rose. She is out of the book ‘The Ghost of Whispering Willow.’ She is beautiful, child-like, but dead. She’s not even a main character, but to me, makes an impression on the reader that is lasting. She understands that she’s gone, but because she truly is ‘child-like’ she never thinks about it. She does the most normal child-like things such as, playing with her doll, wrestling with her brother, skimming pebbles across the water, chasing fire-flies, and even crying when she’s sad. I can picture her so clearly in my minds eye; she is just the neatest little ‘dead girl,’ even though she’s a character.

Southern Gurl's

How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?

I felt that I had accomplished what my mother had requested of me; it was a task that was done, but once that had sank in, it was the realization that I had written a book. “I wrote a book, this book.” Very scary moment when you share ‘your’ story with the world, and it’s for this reason that I tell all of the kids that I visit, “If you share your work, love your story. You can’t possibly please everyone, but if you love your story, someone else will like it.”

Side Note: I don’t like all of my stories, but a couple of them I do love. Not that the story is amazing to anyone else but me, but it’s usually the characters that leave an impression, I like that the plot works and the story builds as I narrate. (This is a constant learning process, for me). Typically once a piece of work is completed, I am writing at least two more. I move on and I’m done with the one I’ve just finished. I usually don’t fret over the story, it’s done, it’s out there, and I hope my readers enjoy it. If not, maybe they’ll like the next piece that I write. 

 Southern Gurl's

The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?

Once I wrote a story where a character was based on me, but I didn’t even realize it. It was that first manuscript, Miranda, (now I can see it), was the characters name. My dad read the story and said, “This is you. I recognize everything that you did.” I thought I was building a story based on a fictional character that incorporated childhood memories that I’d had. The other characters that I have created, no, they are all not like me at all (that I know of).

 

 

Southern Gurl's

When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?

As a child my favorite book was‘The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe’ by C.S. Lewis. It actually still sits on my desk today, the one my mom bought me as a kid. It’s taped now, and the pages are yellow, but I still have it. I read this book so many times. I eventually read the entire series, but always went back to ‘The Lion, the Witch& the Wardrobe.”

Amanda Thrasher has a beautiful sweet spirit and loves children, it shows in her writing. Here are some of her works.

Mischief in the Mushroom Patch

Have you ever wondered where fairies get their fairy dust? Lilly and Boris are two mischievous young fairies who leave their home in the mushroom patch without permission.

Boris has flown too fast and tumbles to the forest floor, where he injures his ankle and bends his wing. Meanwhile, the fairy dorm monitor realizes the naughty little fairies are missing and organizes a search party. Once the two are escorted safely back home, Boris is admitted into the infirmary and Lilly is put to bed.

To punish them, Lilly and Boris are put to work for a few days in the fairy dust factory. The factory is an incredible place, producing more fairy dust than any other. Lilly and Boris witness the magic of fairy dust coming to life as they watch it dance and sparkle in the large storage barrels.

The two learn a valuable lesson about this wonderful dust that they have always taken for granted and vow to never be so careless with it again.

A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch

Lilly, Boris, and Jack are back. Join them in a brand new fairy adventure, A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch. The rainy season has arrived early and everyone is unprepared. The unexpected damage to the patch is extensive, leaving the colony in danger. Can the Master Engineers devise a plan to save their home? In addition to the unexpected damage, the fairies' "Kick a Berry Match" has been delayed. The playing field is underwater. Leaf rafting has taken the place of berry kicking, until the pitch dries out. Join Lilly, Boris and Jack in another exciting tale in the mushroom patch.

The Ghost of Whispering Willow

 Ghost alert! In The Ghost of Whispering Willow, Stewart sees a ghostly figure out of the corner of his eye. This leads him and his friend, Andy, on an investigation. The boys experience a physical encounter with a ghost!

They are forced to join forces with Krista, Ally, Kendall and Maggie, who have also encountered a ghost sighting. The kids soon find that the ghost they encountered isn't alone, and is in imminent danger. He desperately needs the children's help.

Can the kids devise a plan to help the ghost in time? Will they be able to reunite a ghost with his lost family? Complete with a ghost village and a feud, this story takes on a life of its own.

Amanda M. Thrasher lives in the Fort Worth, Texas area, and is the author of the Mischief series: Mischief in the Mushroom Patch, A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch, and is currently writing the third installment, A Spider Web Scramble in the Mushroom Patch.

She speaks to thousands of kids about children's literature, helps raise money for schools at book fairs and is writing a graphic ghost story for the Texas Municipal Court Education Center, about teen driving safety

Author Amanda Thrasher's Mischief In The Mushroom Patch

Mischief In The Mushroom Patch

By

      Amanda Thrasher      



Have you ever wondered where fairies get their fairy dust? Lilly and Boris are two mischievous young fairies who leave their home in the mushroom patch without permission.

Boris has flown too fast and tumbles to the forest floor, where he injures his ankle and bends his wing. Meanwhile, the fairy dorm monitor realizes the naughty little fairies are missing and organizes a search party. Once the two are escorted safely back home, Boris is admitted into the infirmary and Lilly is put to bed.

To punish them, Lilly and Boris are put to work for a few days in the fairy dust factory. The factory is an incredible place, producing more fairy dust than any other. Lilly and Boris witness the magic of fairy dust coming to life as they watch it dance and sparkle in the large storage barrels.

The two learn a valuable lesson about this wonderful dust that they have always taken for granted and vow to never be so careless with it again.

Amanda Thrasher

Born in England, moved to Fort Worth, Texas, when she was fourteen and resides there still. Author of the Mischief Patch series, 'Mischief in the Mushroom Patch' and 'A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch' and the 'The Ghost of Whispering Willow.' She is writing a graphic novel, ghost story, for the Texas Municipal Education Center, about teen driving safety, which will distributed across the State. She contributes weekly to an author blog, and is working on two novels at this time.

Look for the upcoming interview with Author Amanda Thrasher coming soon...

Happy Reading!!!

The Ghost of Whispering Willow by Amanda Thrasher

The Ghost of Whispering Willow

Ghost alert! In The Ghost of Whispering Willow, Stewart sees a ghostly figure out of the corner of his eye. This leads him and his friend, Andy, on an investigation. The boys experience a physical encounter with a ghost! They are forced to join forces with Krista, Ally, Kendall and Maggie, who have also encountered a ghost sighting. The kids soon find that the ghost they encountered isn't alone, and is in imminent danger. He desperately needs the children's help. Can the kids devise a plan to help the ghost in time? Will they be able to reunite a ghost with his lost family? Complete with a ghost village and a feud, this story takes on a life of its own. Amanda M. Thrasher lives in the Fort Worth, Texas area, and is the author of the Mischief series: Mischief in the Mushroom Patch, A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch, and is currently writing the third installment, A Spider Web Scramble in the Mushroom Patch. She speaks to thousands of kids about children's literature, helps raise money for schools at book fairs and is writing a graphic ghost story for the Texas Municipal Court Education Center, about teen driving safety. 



Amanda M. Thrasher

Born in England, moved to Fort Worth, Texas, when she was fourteen and resides there still. Author of the Mischief Patch series, 'Mischief in the Mushroom Patch' and 'A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch' and the 'The Ghost of Whispering Willow.' She is writing a graphic novel, ghost story, for the Texas Municipal Education Center, about teen driving safety, which will distributed across the State. She contributes weekly to an author blog, and is working on two novels at this time.

A Charmed Place By Antoinette Stockenberg

 A Charmed Place  

 By 

 Antoinette Stockenberg

A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE. It's a deep, aching need for anyone whose heart has ever been broken. Maddie Regan and Dan Hawke were college lovers who were compelled to go separate ways after a horrific event for which Dan was blamed. She settled down and raised a family; he roamed the planet as a war correspondent. But a near death experience brings Dan in search of the only woman he has ever loved. His plan to win Maddie is simple: take up residence in a lighthouse just a stone's throw from her family's summer home, and then make her fall back in love with him. He knows her family will object and suspects that her daughter might; but he refuses to believe that Maddie herself -- the woman who has haunted his dreams for two decades -- can be any less in love with him than he is with her.

It's not that simple for Maddie. She has a jealous ex-husband to deal with ... a feisty, resentful teenager ... a widowed mother unable to emerge from mourning ... and the ongoing heartbreak of her father's unsolved murder. Is it possible to throw all of that aside for the chance to be happy?

Antoinette Stockenberg



MEET THE AUTHOR
Antoinette Stockenberg grew up wanting to be a cowgirl and have her own horse (her great-grandfather bred horses for the carriage trade back in the old country), but the geography just didn't work out: there weren't many ranches in Chicago. Her other, more doable dream was to write books, and after stints as secretary, programmer, teacher, grad student, boatyard hand, office manager and magazine writer (in that order), she achieved that goal, writing over a dozen novels, several of them with paranormal elements. One of them is the RITA award-winning EMILY'S GHOST.