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With everything that's been going on this past week in my hometown of Boston, I thought I'd post something good...actually...something GREAT.

CASCADE EFFECT (FIVE STARS)

In the second book of the Physics of Falling series, called Cascade Effect, author Leah Petersen builds on the origin story of Fighting Gravity and throws our newlyweds—Jake and Pete—into the political machinations and maneuvering of the Emperor’s court. 

The future in Petersen’s universe has made peace with the subject of homosexuality, but still struggles with class as the elite of the Empire continue to scheme against the young couple.  The intricate web woven here reminded me greatly of Robert Graves’ “I Claudius,” and is a testament to Petersen’s plotting and overall storytelling skills. 

But even with the fluidity of loyalties and the complexity of the schemes afoot, Cascade Effect shines the most in scenes between Pete and Jake.  The relationship is the cornerstone of the trilogy, and the depth in which Petersen explores how the men grow together and expand their family is touching.  You will care what happens to these characters and the rollercoaster of emotions the reader will feel will leave you both exhausted and wanting the third book simultaneously. 

Petersen’s growth as an author is obvious and I look forward to more from this young writer.

Links to both Book One (Fighting Gravity) and Book Two (Cascade Effect) below. Absolutely a pick-them-up-today situation!

Peace

Book One: AMAZON                 Book Two: AMAZON

As a resident of Boston, I feel compelled to write about the tragic events that occurred at the Marathon on Patriot’s Day.

 

One of the many reasons I call Boston home is the extremely diverse population.  You want intellectual stimulation?  We have that.  Jazz clubs? No problem.  Passionate professional sports teams and their passionate fans? We have loads of them.  You want to find a Chinese New Year party or a Passover celebration? How about Ramadan or Diwali? My point is all are welcome here.

 

I want to first thank everyone for their concerned calls, texts and postings—we are fine and love you all for your concern.

 

But many people are not fine.  And three-- eight-year-old Martin Richard of Dorchester, MA; twenty-nine-year-old Krystle Campbell of Arlington, MA and Boston University student and Chinese National Lu Lingzi—will never be “fine” again.

 

As of this writing, over 80 people are still in hospital of the 170+ who were wounded as a result of this cowardly attack.  There have been, and will continue to be surgeries, amputations and long rehabilitation paths ahead. But we have top tier medical centers and professionals—so I’m confident that the best care possible will be provided to all the victims of this unspeakable act of violence.

 

Eventually, the perpetrators will be brought to justice.  It’s too soon—and quite frankly dangerous—to speculate on who may have planted the devices.

 

In Massachusetts, we have a holiday called (as I mentioned earlier) "Patriot’s Day."  It’s a 238-year old tradition dating back to the battles of Lexington and Concord.  The day reminds us of what we have fought for and the patriotism that makes us who we are. It is a celebration steeped in American History and we will celebrate the 239^th Patriot’s Day next year.  And the Boston Marathon—the oldest marathon in the states-- will be run again as well.

 

We are Bostonians.  We will argue with Yankee fans, scream at our politicians, enjoy a wicked-good Sam Adams with a  "lobstah," and help those in need.

 

And we will do it all again tomorrow.  Because that’s who we are.

 

We will mourn our dead, take care of our wounded.  And when we find out who did this….

 

Well.

 

We’ll “take care” of them too.

Welcome to Episode 30 of “The Word Count” podcast!

This is a very special ‘cast in which featured are teasers and stories from the ORANGE KAREN: TRIBUTE TO A WARRIOR anthology! 

Pick it up TODAY at AMAZON

From the book’s jacket:

 Get swept off your feet by an Internet romance

 Escape from a war-torn encampment with a mystical healer/princess

 Witness the murder of a NASCAR driver in the bathroom of local Home Depot

 Join Miss Della and Chip as they find friendship and a new zest for life in their golden years

ORANGE KAREN: TRIBUTE TO A WARRIOR is a collection of 39 stories that explore the strength and resilience of the human spirit. From the monster in the basement to the teddy bear on a young woman's pillow, each story uses the colour orange as a thematic element, revealing the power of love, friendship, and the will to live.

Karen DeLabar is a friend, author, and mother. In June of 2012, she was stricken with Toxic Shock Syndrome.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the anthology will be donated to Karen and her family, to assist with her medical expenses, and ongoing recovery.

Follow Karen's story at www.karendelabar.com, and learn more about the symptoms, effects, and treatment of Toxic Shock Syndrome at http://toxicshock.com

Acknowledgements by Christina Esdon

Foreword by JenniferGracen

Introduction by Karen DeLabar

But before we introduce our contributors from the anthology, a bit about the show:

What is The Word Count Podcast?

It is a free broadcast by writers for writers.  Simply put, a theme for each show is announced via this site, Twitter and Facebook and writers are given a week or two to write AND RECORD their stories based on said theme.

Why?

Why not, says I.  It’s a great way to practice writing and public speaking.  It’s another way for writers to get their work “out there.”  And I love to meet fellow authors and have a blast putting the show together.  It’s just that simple.

Okay.  Where can I find it?

You can listen to the latest podcast below, subscribe via iTunes or listen at the show’s site.

Our guests this week:

SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOR

Karen DeLabar

Karen DeLabar is currently a stay at home mom who is working on her paranormal romance/urban fantasy in between diaper changes and nap times.  When not reminding her daughters not to lift their skirts up over their heads in public, she can be found on Twitter conversing with like-minded dreamers or knocking back a Scotch with a good book.

Website (To learn all about what she went through and to meet the woman herself):

http://karendelabar.com

Our Author Guests:

D. Savannah George

D. Savannah George is a proud member of #TeamOrange and believes strongly in the power of community and the written word. She has been writing since she could hold a pen (or crayon, she can’t remember which) and is a multi-disciplinary artist – she also paints, crochets, takes photographs, and makes beaded jewelry, bookmarks, and notecards. She also serves as an editor for authors and several small publishers. D. Savannah currently lives in Georgia – either on the coast or in the big city of Atlanta – with her husband, dog, turtle, two cats, and a ton of art and art supplies.

http://www.dsavannah.com/readable/novel_excerpt.html

website: http://www.dsavannah.com

blog: http://www.dsavannah.com/blog/

twitter: http://www.twitter.com/davannahcreate

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dsavannahcreative

online art store: http://www.dsavannahcreative.artfire.com

goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6883909.D_Savannah_George

Gareth S. Young

Gareth S. Young was born and raised in Scotland. He packed up his kilt and moved to the United States and now does much the same as he did in Scotland only people think his accent is way cooler.

In 2010, he self-published his first full length story, a mystery/suspense novel called Monsters. In April 2013, he will have his first short story published in the "Orange Karen" anthology. In the meantime he is hard at work on his second novel, Persephone, which he intends on querying to agents.

Website (blog):  http://1000trillionsuns.blogspot.com/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/GarethSYoungAuthor

Twitter: @Spartagus

Valerie Haight

Valerie Haight is a short story writer and contemporary suspense and romance novelist. She is a member of Ozarks Writer’s League through College of the Ozarks in Hollister, MO where she placed first in the 2012 OWL Flash Fiction Contest.

Her first novella, HAPPENSTANCE, released December 13, 2012 from Turquoise Morning Press. Her short story, MAGNOLIA BRIDES, was chosen for Turquoise Morning Press’s “The Wedding Day Collection Anthology” coming in June of this year.

Blog: http://thewriteoneval.blogspot.com

Facebook author page: facebook.com/vhaightauthor

Twitter: @Valeriebrbr

Andrew F. Butters

Andrew F. Butters lives in Cambridge, Ontario with his wife and two children. He loves hockey, skiing, curling, golf, and all things Canadian. When not on daddy duty, he can be found working for a software company as a project manager, singing as part of the band Argyle Speedo, taking pictures of things that look like letters for Andrew’s Alphabet, blogging at Potato Chip Math, and writing his first novel.

Website: http://potatochipmath.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorandrewbutters

Twitter: @andrewbutters

Stephanie Fuller

Stephanie Fuller is an avid crafter (crochet and scrapbooking) and the creator of The Book Hipster Blog. She resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and daughter. She has no published works to date, but has big dreams. This is only the beginning.

Website Links: Blog - thebookhipster.com

Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/TheBookHipster

Twitter: @ImaFuller

Alex Kimmel

 From his website:

“I grew up in Los Angeles, California during those heady days when kids could still trick-or-treat outside instead of walking around from store to store inside the sterile safety of shopping malls. My friends and I could run and play without any thought of being shot or kidnapped leaving riderless skateboards spinning their lonely wheels.

Though I grew up in that relatively safe environment, the nightmares still came to find me every night. Pulling the covers over my head, I welcomed them. I enjoyed reading stories of monsters and ghosts lurking in the shadows. I loved the terror and suspense of good scary movies. Constantly daydreaming that something horrible awaited me around every street corner of this beautifully manicured suburban neighborhood.

When I wasn’t reading I played music. It took over my life, though my love affair with words never strayed far from my fingers. Writing and performing provided me with the keys to an education and the ability to see the world. With incredible luck, my musical journey brought me to a gig in a dingy Irish pub near the ocean in Santa Monica where I would meet my future wife.

Even then, the nightmares continued to flow through me. I scribbled down a poem here or wrote a song there. There were ideas for stories running through my head at all times of the day or night. Eventually my wife suggested I take writing fiction more seriously, since it featured so prominently as a creative outlet for me.

My first novel “the Key to everything” was released by, Booktrope Publishing in June of 2012. In the midst of building momentum and promotions for that, I continue to write down my nightmares and those mysterious sounds coming from just behind my shoulder.”

Website: http://www.alexkimmell.weebly.com

Twitter: @alexkimmellauth

John Moore Walker

John majored in Photography until he decided to tell stories instead of show them. He lives with his wife and animals in Austin, TX.

Website: johnmoorewalker.wordpress.com

Facebook: facebook.com/johnmoorewalker

Twitter: @johnmoorewalker

You may have noticed the Website has a bit of an orange tinge to it.

Well, I mentioned a while back that I’d had a short story accepted as a part of an anthology.  But this book, out right now, is more than an anthology.

Much, much more.

Orange Karen: Tribute to a Warrior is a work of love, admiration and quite frankly of hope for a fellow author.

Karen DeLebar—called “Orange Karen” due to her red hair—is a writer as well.  You have NO idea how good it is to use the present tense in that phrase.

See, less than a year ago she very nearly died from Toxic Shock Syndrome.  To this day, no one knows what really caused it. But the one thing friends, family and the doctors agree on, is that Karen is still with us today because of her fighting spirit, her tenacity and her strong survival instinct.

In short—she’s a warrior woman.

She still feels the effects of her struggle to this day, and you can read the details of her recovery at her site.

Everyday, this mother of two gets stronger.  Every day she survives.

But the medical bills are mounting.  And that’s where our anthology comes into play.

Thirty-nine authors and many more individuals have donated their time and their talents to build a collection of stories all written to one theme.

Orange.

The writing is top tier. The editing vicious and brilliant. The artwork stunning.  This is a book I’m honored to be a part of, and encourage you all to pick up.

Because not only are the stories worth your time, but 100% of the proceeds go to pay down the medical bills of a very brave, extremely well loved woman.

LINKS TO PURCHASE:

Paperback (US Amazon)

Kindle eBook (Amazon)