Book Promo: Home Sweet Christmas

With twinkling humor and heartfelt Christmas spirit,
two friends find love in a town called Wishing Tree…

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery

Until Camryn Neff can return to her “real” life in Chicago, she’s in Wishing Tree to care for her twin sisters. She’s not looking for forever love, not here. But handsome hotelier Jake Crane is a temptation she can’t resist, so she suggests they pair up for the season. No golden rings, no broken hearts. At his side, she sees her hometown through Christmas-colored eyes. The cheer is cheerier, the joy more joyful. She thought she had put her future on hold…but maybe her real life was here all along, waiting for her to come home.

New in town, River Best is charmed by Wishing Tree’s homespun traditions and warmhearted people. When she’s crowned Snow Queen, she’s honored but wary. Dylan Tucker, her king, seems like the stuff of sugarplum dreams, but she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something big. As they perform their “royal” duties—tasting cookies, lighting trees—Dylan’s good humor and melty kisses draw her to the brink of love. But she can’t let herself fall until she uncovers his secret, even if her lack of faith means losing him forever.

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives―family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur.

“Mallery is an expert at writing about strong women, their friendships, and their romances.” —Booklist

“Mallery’s second book set in Wishing Tree (after The Christmas Wedding Guest, 2021)is just as charming, with two gentle romance story lines and a reminder that family ties can bind a little too tightly, but it’s still family. The perfect holiday confection for fans of Jill Shalvis and Sarah Morgan.”
—Booklist on Home Sweet Christmas

Home Sweet Christmas: A Novel (Wishing Tree)

ORDER IN PRINT: Amazon | B&N  | Books a Million | Bookshop | Target | Walmart

ORDER THE EBOOK: Kindle | Apple Books | Nook | Google Play | Kobo

ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK: Audible | iTunes | Libro

Book Promo ~ For Once in My Life

An absolutely perfect laugh out loud romantic comedy

Twenty-nine-year-old Lily Buckley planned to be happily married and in her dream job by now. Instead she’s been single since being left at the altar three years ago, and works at her local paper, writing about giant vegetables at the village fete and a dog who looks exactly like Chewbacca.

Not quite what she was dreaming of.

So when Lily’s given the opportunity to write her own column it’s exactly what she’s always wanted – except what she has to write about. She has to do one thing every week that scares her.

With encouragement from sexy colleague – and adrenalin-junkie – Christopher, Lily agrees. From sky-diving to haunted houses, Lily is going to be pushed to her limit. And since heartbreak has left her afraid of falling in love again, her growing feelings for Christopher might just push her past it…

But then her mum has a crisis, her column is the only thing keeping her – and her colleagues’ – jobs afloat, and Christopher’s ex arrives with her sights set on a romantic reunion.

Suddenly jumping out of a plane is the least of Lily’s problems… Can she save her family, her friends, and her heart – or will Lily let her fears hold her back?

An uplifting, feel-good story about friendship, romance, and finding the hero inside yourself. Fans of Marian Keyes, Mhairi McFarlane and Sophie Kinsella will love Colleen Coleman!

REVIEWS

‘A five-star read that will make you get your bucket list written… The end blew me away… A fantastic read and one of my favourites by this author… This is definitely one of those reads you need in your life.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘For Once in My Life had me feeling so many things!… I read this so quickly… I was dying to know how everything would end… This book had me feeling happy… I love reads that make you sit there with a smile on your face! … It was so fun going on this journey with Lily… I was rooting for her! This is a great read for taking on a holiday, or when you just want to feel all of the happy-butterflies in your tummy.’ Goodreads reviewer

About Author Colleen Coleman

Colleen was born in Canada and raised in Ireland. She is the winner of the much-coveted Novelicious Undiscovered People’s Choice Award launched to find the next ‘chick-lit star’.

She spent years teaching English and Philosophy before finally taking a deep breath, scrunching both eyes shut, putting her pen to paper and vowing not to lift it again until she wrote the words ‘the end’. As a result, her first novel, Don’t Stop Me Now was born.

Colleen lives between London, Ireland and Cyprus with her very patient husband and very,very chatty twin daughters.

Learn more at https://www.colleencolemanbooks.com/

For Once in My Life

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07GR935XN
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1786814951
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1786814951

is available on
AMAZON.COM

Book Promo ~ Pardon My French

It’s the Language of Ballet:
The Adventures of Lilly Nilly

by Nancy Paris

Enter the mind of spunky and precocious 6-year-old Lilly Nilly in the delightful new children’s book, Pardon My French – It’s the Language of Ballet: The Adventures of Lilly Nilly, from author/illustrator and former NYC-based dancer and choreographer Nancy Paris.

Lilly Nilly is a wickedly smart, determined young dance student whose self-appointed mission is to figure out what the heck ballet –– and coincidentally life –– are all about. She sees the world in a unique way, wears her curiosity on her sleeve, and approaches life with a joie de vivre that kids and adults alike will find entertaining and inspiring. In her musings, Lilly asks burning questions like, “Why can’t you hang upside down on a ballet barre if it looks just like an ordinary bar?” Or, “If you’re going to travel in a carpool, should you wear a bathing suit?”

“Young readers will find Lilly’s stories funny and very relatable, especially if they are ballet students themselves,” Paris said. “Adults will find her sharp wit and strong-willed spirit a charming reminder of just how empowering a joyful approach to life can be.”

Pardon My French – It’s the Language of Ballet is complete with illustrations that only Lilly Nilly could have drawn — with a little help from Paris, of course, who used her own experiences as a professional dancer and teacher to inform her narrative. Her mission, Paris said, is to encourage all readers to trust their instincts, seek their own answers, and be kind to all.

“I want people to know that although it was written as a children’s book, I always had an adult audience in mind,” Paris added. “And — it’s funny!”

Author Nancy Paris is an alumna of The Juilliard School and has performed professionally across the U.S. and Canada. As a dancemaker, she has choreographed industrials and private events in New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Palm Springs and Puerto Rico. Most of the incidents in her stories are based on personal experience, with the names changed to protect the innocent.

Paris lives in Manhattan with her husband, Charles Yurick, and loves writing and drawing because she can do it sitting down! Pardon My French is the first of at least three books in The Adventures of Lilly Nilly series.

For more information, please visit www.lillynilly.com, or connect with Paris on Facebook at @adventures.of.lilly.nilly.

PARDON MY FRENCH – IT’S THE LANGUAGE OF BALLET
THE ADVENTURES OF LILLY NILLY

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nencil the Pencil LLC
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0578316889
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0578316888

Book Promo ~ I Was Better Last Night

A Memoir from Harvey Fierstein

available March 2022

A poignant and hilarious memoir from the cultural icon, gay rights activist, and four-time Tony Award–winning actor and playwright, revealing never-before-told stories of his personal struggles and conflict, of sex and romance, and of his fabled career

Harvey Fierstein’s legendary career has transported him from community theater in Brooklyn, to the lights of Broadway, to the absurd excesses of Hollywood and back. He’s received accolades and awards for acting in and/or writing an incredible string of hit plays, films, and TV shows: Hairspray,  Fiddler on the Roof, Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day, Cheers, La Cage Aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies, and Kinky Boots. While he has never shied away from the spotlight, Mr. Fierstein says that even those closest to him have never heard most of the tales—of personal struggles and conflict, of sex and romance, of his fabled career—revealed in these wildly entertaining pages.

I Was Better Last Night bares the inner life of this eccentric nonconforming child from his roots in 1952 Brooklyn, to the experimental worlds of Andy Warhol and the Theatre of the Ridiculous, to the gay rights movements of the seventies and the tumultuous AIDS crisis of the eighties, through decades of addiction, despair, and ultimate triumph.

Mr. Fierstein’s candid recollections provide a rich window into downtown New York City life, gay culture, and the evolution of theater (of which he has been a defining figure), as well as a moving account of his family’s journey of acceptance. I Was Better Last Night is filled with wisdom gained, mistakes made, and stories that come together to describe an astonishingly colorful and meaningful life. Lucky for us all, his unique and recognizable voice is as engaging, outrageously funny, and vulnerable on the page.  

Editorial Reviews:

“Harvey’s book is a perfect reflection of him; full of heart, chutzpah, great stories, and tons of belly laughs. And wigs.” —Andy Cohen

“Harvey is the king and queen of Broadway. He can take you on a journey with his words and he is hysterical.” —Henry Winkler

I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir

available from:

Amazon & Kindle

Barnes and Noble & NOOK

and other fine retailers

Book Promo ~ Miserable Holiday Stories

Hilarious short stories for anyone
who hates the holidays!

by Alex Bernstein

Whether your family’s favorite holiday dish is a brisket, glazed ham or Cajun catfish, it’s virtually a given that it will be seasoned with the universal flavor of December: misery.

From the sharply satirical mind of award-winning author and humorist Alex Bernstein comes Miserable Holiday Stories (20 Festive Failures That Are Worse Than Yours), a collection of quirky tales that feature Jewish Elvis impersonators, a kidnapped Santa Claus, confused parents, horrific holiday traffic, unbreakable toys and the ever-heroic Bicycle Boys.

Providing the yin to the Hallmark Channel’s yang, Miserable Holiday Stories delivers hefty doses of seasonal satire presented in the form of 20 short stories you can read while the babka is baking or anytime you need a respite from manufactured holiday merriment.

Tales include:

• “Blue Christmas”

• “Coloring Books”

• “The Unbreakable Toy”

• “The Smoking Lounge”

• “Brownie Mix” (A Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Award finalist)

• “The #$@!# Bicycle Boys Save Christmas, Again!” (Also released as a single on Amazon)

• And many more!

Sure, Christmas and Hanukkah are supposed to be full of laughter, generosity and quality time with friends and family. But everyone knows the truth: the holidays are stressful at best and downright depressing at worst. Miserable Holiday Stories offers tongue-in-cheek escapism in the form of offbeat, thought-provoking tales, that just might prompt you to appreciate something about your own holiday experiences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Bernstein is the award-winning author of the Miserableseries of books (Miserable Adventure Stories, Miserable Holiday Stories, Miserable Love Stories) and Plrknib. His work has appeared at McSweeney’s, NewPopLit, The Big Jewel, The American Bystander, Yankee Pot Roast, Swink, Litro, Back Hair Advocate, Corvus, BluePrintReview, Hobo Pancakes, Gi60, The Rumpus, The Legendary, MonkeyBicycle and PopImage, among numerous others.

He is a staff writer on the new Discovery Kids cartoon The Dog & Pony Show. An occasional stand-up comic, Bernstein performed extensively in his youth and frequently over the past several years. His book Plrknib is a memoir about being the youngest comedian in Cincinnati in 1980.

For more information, please visit http://www.alexbernstein.net, or follow the author on Facebook (AlexBernstein_author), Twitter (alexbernstein_author) or Instagram (alexbernstein_author).

Miserable Holiday Stories (20 Festive Failures That Are Worse Than Yours)

Publisher: Racehorse (a division of Skyhorse Publishing)
ISBN-10: ‎1631585819
ISBN-13: ‎978-1631585814
Available from
Amazon.com,
BN.com
and numerous other online retailers

See SAFAM, April 3 in Metuchen NJ

2016  SUSY SCHWARTZ MEMORIAL FUND BENEFIT CONCERT

Sunday, April 3, 2016 • 24 Adar II 5776

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM     Neve Shalom Ballroom

To Register Click Below

I PLAN TO ATTEND THE SUSY SCHWARTZ MEMORIAL CONCERT ON SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2016!

General Admission (Adult) Tickets ($25.00 each) in advance

http://neveshalom.shulcloud.com/2016-susy-schwartz-social.html

~~~~~

DIRECTIONS

Congregation Neve Shalom is located at:
250 Grove Avenue
Metuchen, NJ 08840

732-548-2238

Book Review: Knox Chase on the Case of the Valentine’s Day Mystery by Adam Lipsius

Sure To Become A Big Hit In Books and On The Screen,
Kids Won’t Be Able To Get Enough Of Knox Chase

Reading clubs everywhere – be on alert!  Knox Chase is making his way to bookshelves, and this super sleuth kid is winning middle-school fans across the country.  Parents love this story because it harkens back to the books they read when they were young, and it teaches kids to believe in the power of solving their own problems.

The book, Knox Chase on the Case of the Valentine’s Day Mystery by Adam Lipsius was released on January 1st, 2016.   The book is being adapted into a motion picture in association with Sean Covel (the producer of “Napoleon Dynamite”) and Casting Director Mary Jo Slater (“The Contender” and “Dumb and Dumber”) – and the producers will be holding an online casting contest, providing the opportunity for aspiring kid actors and actresses to be in the movie, maybe even one of the lead characters.

Meet KC Green, a small-town kid with a big-time imagination — and an even bigger secret.  He can see the pulp fiction detective he was named for, from the 1930s & 40s Knox Chase on the Case novels, and no one else can.

This old school gumshoe lands our hero into tons of small-time trouble, but when a mysterious stranger bumps into KC on Valentine’s Day, a crime wave hits town.

Someone is trying to steal a fortune, and they’ll hurt anyone who gets in the way.  It takes all of KC’s wits, his invisible partner, and his best friends, Cat & Ben, just to stay alive in the Case of the Valentine’s Day Mystery.

“It’s the kind of book you grew up on,” says Adam. “… Where kids face danger, make mistakes and keep fighting to save the day.”

Adam Lipsius attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.  He is an accomplished author, feature film director, producer and screenwriter.  His movie, “16-LOVE” was distributed in 2012 by Warner Bros. Digital, Gravitas Ventures and Entertainment One.  He graduated from Dartmouth College where he wrote his first book, The Birth of Dr. Seuss, and he serves on the board of the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art.  His short films and commercials have received many awards.

buy the book on Amazon
Knox Chase on the Case of the Valentine’s Day Mystery
By Adam Lipsius
Uptown 6
ISBN: 978-0615988887

Praise for Knox Chase on the Case of the Valentine’s Day Mystery:

Ransom Riggs, New York Times Best Selling Author of Ms. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: “An utterly charming adventure brimming with wit, heart and intrigue. A stellar debut!”

Brigid Pasulka, PEN/Hemingway Award Winning Author of A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True: “Lipsius brings a black-and-white hero into the vibrant world of today’s kids. Children, parents, and grandparents will find plenty to laugh about and bond over with this soon-to-be serial classic.”

Amazon Customer Review:

Great Read for Young Mystery Lovers reviewed by Elly Perl

Young readers will find it hard to put down this lively, entertaining mystery. It’s an intriguing tale that begins with a mix-up of Valentine’s cards and combines a cast of young sleuths, a few suspicious characters, and a fictional detective who appears and disappears as the plot thickens. The main character, KC Green, leads Benjy, his best friend and Cat, the girl he’d like to have as a girlfriend, on a fast-paced and very amusing adventure. The story is told with skill and humor and quite a few plot twists that keep the reader trying to figure out how it will be resolved. Very entertaining and enjoyable!

About the Author:

Adam Lipsius is an Author and a feature film Director, Producer and Screenwriter. His movie, “16-LOVE,” was distributed in 2012 by Warner Bros. Digital, Gravitas Ventures and Entertainment One. It was a day-and-date Video On Demand hit in the US, racking up over 18 months on iTunes’ best-seller lists en route to becoming WB Digital’s #1 acquisition of 2012.

Other film credits include “Making of 16-LOVE” (writer/director), “Generations” (writer/director), “Asteroid vs. Earth” (writer), “Above Water” (writer), “Star Raiders: the Adventures of Saber Raine” (producer).

His new kids mystery novel, “Knox Chase on the Case,” is represented by agent Alex Slater at Trident Media Group and is in development as a feature film in association with Sean Covel (the producer of “Napoleon Dynamite”) with Mary Jo Slater (“The Contender,” “Dumb and Dumber”) casting.

Adam is an alumnus of Dartmouth College where he wrote his first book, “The Birth of Dr. Seuss,” as a critical biography of the children’s author for his thesis. He received a Masters from USC Graduate School of Cinema-Television, where 3 of his short films played festivals around the world. He’s received numerous awards for his commercials and movies and lives in Denver, CO with his wife and kids.

Read a FREE short story ~ Visit Author Chelle Cordero on Facebook

 Starting tomorrow, Sept 2, and through the month, I will be posting my short story Pussy Cat Tales in serialized version on my Facebook page. Come back every other day for another installment.

Pussy Cat Tales (an amusing look at a lifetime with cats) is one of
the short stories in The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero.

Enjoy! Visit Author Chelle Cordero​ to follow along.

The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero

Buy Links

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Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

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Parenting is Dirty Business

Laugh Till You Cry About Blue Balls:
Parenting is Dirty Business

Sleepless nights, dirty diapers, the fear of missing out on the best preschool in town. No doubt about it, being a parent is tough.

Fortunately, there are many fringe benefits, and author Sunshine Sweet has conveniently collected some of them in Blue Balls: Parenting is Dirty Business.

Even though we try to watch what we say when little ears are present, we sometimes slip up. Colloquialisms like “blue balls,” innocent phrases like “I want a boy toy” at the fast food franchise, or “your package is huge” at the post office are just waiting to sneak into our conversations with kids.

When the adults on hand laugh uproariously, the children look at us like we’ve lost our minds, and a little moment of grace in the pressure cooker of parenthood is achieved.

Collected by Sunshine Sweet and delightfully illustrated by Emmi Ojala, Blue Balls: Parenting is Dirty Business allows us to enjoy a few chuckles while we tackle the serious work of raising kids in the 21st century.

Blue Balls: Parenting is Dirty Business
Available online everywhere in November 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0-9907852-0-0 (Print)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9907852-1-7 (E-Book)

###

Getting to know Sunshine Sweet

Q. Are you a parent yourself?  

A.Yes, I have three rowdy, yet wonderful kids: two boys and a girl, eight and under.

Q. What made you decide to write a book?

A. Because raising kids can be chaotic. Of course there are beautiful moments when your child smiles at you the first time or says “I love you.” But then you also find yourself exacerbated and wanting to pull your hair out too – everyone crying all at once, wailing that so-and-so hit them or they’ve colored the walls in the bedroom with marker during time-out (how did a marker even end up in their room), or they snuck some candy when you were not looking but the evidence is all over their face. Personally, I find humor to be the best stress reliever and it often helps make tough situations less difficult.

Q. Where do you hear all these funny things?

A. It started out with me writing phrases down that I caught myself saying to my own kids. Once I decided this would make for a great book I talked to friends and they began sending me texts and emails with their own ideas. If I’m not in the right mindset, receiving that random text can be quite shocking.

Q. What’s your favorite funny saying?

A. I’ve got several but “Lick from the bottom up” is one of my favorites – My sister sent it to me and it is SO innocent. It was a hot, summer day in the south and she’d just explained to her three-year old the best way to eat the quickly melting ice cream.

Grab your balls…

Book Review: The Trouble With Playing Cupid by Tamara Philip

The Trouble With Playing Cupid by Tamara Philip

     A Really Fun Read!

Tamara Philip’s debut novel was filled with a lot of humor and fun. I was amused by the misunderstandings and the characters were endearingly real. Ms. Philip’s descriptions of the settings were believably real and made it easy to feel as if the reader was watching the story unfold right in front of us. I look forward to more books from Tamara Philip.
(reviewed by Chelle Cordero)

Book Description

One New Year’s Eve, shy singer, December Brown drunkenly texts her talk show host pal, Trace Randall, about her long time crush on the aloof actor, Tom Elmswood. Thinking the two celebrities would make a cute couple, he unwisely decides to play matchmaker… in front of a live studio audience.

Things start to go downhill when Tom admits he’s never even heard of December before. Now what seemed like a sure fire hit quickly becomes a flop. Will these two lonely hearts ever make a love connection or has this cupid’s arrow missed its mark?

From the Back Cover

How to alienate your secret crush in less than 10 minutes: The December Brown story…

Or at least that’s the way it starts when the pop singer’s meddlesome talk show host friend tries to play cupid on live TV. The object of her affection, handsome actor Tom Elmswood didn’t know what to expect when they met, but is there still a chance at romance for these two lonely celebrities?