The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano

When Lauren goes to court it's usually to defend a client, but now she's divorcing the man whose mistakes have cost her far too much. Little does she know that she'll be awarded a rundown merry-go-round. Maybe restoring the circus menagerie will bring her some normalcy. Or will it spin her in circles and teach her a few lessons before bringing her back to where she started? One thing is certain; Lauren will discover that, when she's willing to open her heart to love and forgiveness, life never fails to offer a wild ride.

Imogen's Review

A Touching Romantic Tale. The end of her marriage-her divorce-signals the beginning of a period of upheaval, both physical and emotional, for Lauren Flynn, a hard-working lawyer. A change in her financial circumstances puts an end to her solitary year-old post-separation living arrangements. Her dad moves in with her-her dad, who is still close to her now ex-husband, bringing him back into her life. Donna Fasano takes us on a captivating emotional ride as Lauren tries to move on with her life-she has to come to terms with her own deep seated feelings and misconstrued conclusions, and allow herself to accept them in order to be able to progress. This beautifully written story will hold your attention and stay with you. I read the Kindle version of this novel, which was very well formatted. I can't wait to read more of Donna Fasano's books.

About the Author

Growing up the third child of five—yes, smack dab in the middle and the only girl to boot—Donna Fasano had no idea she would one day be a published author. Her story-telling talents came to light when she conjured lively and elaborate tales of pure blarney (yes, she has a bit of Irish in her blood) for, first, her youngest brother, and years later, her children.

Donna sold her first manuscript in 1989, and since then has become a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty novels and four audio books. She writes under her own name, Donna Fasano, as well as under the pen name Donna Clayton and is known for her "smooth, polished" writing style and for creating "strong, complex" characters. Reviewers have described her stories as "poignant," "richly textured," "enticing," and "absorbing." The writing process can be extremely engrossing for Donna, so much so that she's missed appointments with dentists and doctors, lunches with friends and family, and once she even forgot her carpool run. Luckily, the people in her life love her enough to make allowances for her quirkiness.

Still happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two grown sons who have flown the coop. She and her husband share their home with Jake, a couch-potato, black and white border collie, and Roo, a spotted tan and cream Australian cattle dog that looks (and acts) like a wild dingo. Donna's spare time is spent reading, walking the countryside and beach, or trying out new recipes from one of the many cookbooks she has collected over the years. Oh, and one night a week she and her hubby nab some alone time from their busy schedules to enjoy a nice glass of wine and a video—preferably a romantic comedy. Donna also volunteers loads of hours to the children and the local missions of her small church. She divides her time between northern Delaware and Maryland's southern seashore.

Q&A with Donna Fasano

1. I am sure Lauren Flynn will strike a cord with many women, what or who was the inspiration behind her character?

There is something mysterious, even miraculous, about the writing process. I do a lot of ruminating about my stories and my characters before I sit down to write. I knew a few things about Lauren; she was a go-getter, a workaholic who felt that achievement—personal and professional—was important. I knew she would be a complex character, a difficult one to successfully create, because all too often strong women are seen as cold and calculating. So I knew, along with all those smarts and such a hunger for success, she’d need to be a loving, caring individual.

I put my faith in the creative process, and Lauren was born. She turned out to be a perfect protagonist for this story: strong and intelligent, but vulnerable, too.
2. Do you believe people can change enough and permanently to alter the dynamics of a relationship? Or is change transient, with the “real” personality emerging again after a while and the relationship going back to the way it was?
What interesting questions. I’m no Freud, that’s for sure. But I do have a couple of thoughts. If the dynamics of a relationship are permanently altered, then said relationship could be in jeopardy of becoming stagnant. No one wants a boring marriage, right? That’s why opposites often do attract. In The Merry-Go-Round, Lauren thinks what will bring her happiness is someone just like her. But what makes life exciting is the ebb and flow—the friction—of differing personality types.

I do believe that personal change is possible, up to a point. No one can really alter the core of who they are (high-achievers must achieve, sages must learn, heroes must win the day). But that doesn’t mean a once troubled relationship has to go back to being troubled. Anyone who is married or in a long term relationship knows that love isn’t all sunshine and daffodils. Compromise is the name of the game. Love is hard work, and it’s in working out the differences that each person in a relationship, as well as the relationship itself, grows.

3. What prompted the use of the merry-go-round (both as a metaphor and a physical entity) in your story?
I have a place at the beach; I love the ocean. I was thinking about my book while strolling on the boardwalk. I was close to sitting down to write. The plot was worked out, the characters felt fleshed and ready to get onstage, but something was missing. . .something that would bring everything together. I passed the merry-go-round, heard the music, saw the painted carousel animals, and everything just came together. I can only credit the magic of the creative process.

4. If your novel was turned into a movie, who would you like to see play Lauren? Greg?
Sandra Bullock would make a great Lauren. As for Greg...Josh Brolin is pretty easy on the eyes. Or George Clooney. Or Brad Pitt. I’m laughing here. I think I’ve given this far too much thought.

5. When you write, do you listen to music (if so which kind)?
I don’t. I like to have quiet because there’s all sorts of chaos going on in my head.

6. What do you like to read? Any favorite genres?
I have pretty eclectic tastes when it comes to reading. I’ll read anything that holds my interest. I like mass market authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Jonathon Kellerman; I like literary authors like Anne Tyler and Alice Hoffman; I read indie authors like you (Imogen Rose), Helen Smith, Margaret Lake, L.C. Evans, Mary McDonald, and dozens of others; I read mid-list authors like Hunter Morgan and Judith E. French. I’ll read anything and everything as long as it’s well-written and interesting.

7. Team Edward, Team Jacob…….or not?
This question made me smile. I read Twilight and thought it was good, but I didn’t catch the Meyers Fever.

8. I was fascinated to discover your impressive collection of novels written under the pen name Donna Clayton. Why did you decide to start using you own name and branch out as an indie author? Would branching out under your pen name have been more beneficial in that you have such a wide following under that name?
As Donna Clayton, I write ‘sweet’ contemporary romance novels, and any fan who reaches for a book with my pen name on it will expect just that. I sold 3 women’s fiction books, written under my own name, to my Harlequin editor for the company’s line known as NeXt. One of the books, entitled Where’s Stanley, was published; however, by the time I finished the second 2 novels, the Harlequin NeXt line had gone defunct, so the rights to the books were returned to me. I decided to publish them under my own name so I wouldn’t confuse my Donna Clayton fans.

9. Can you tell us about your forthcoming novels?
I have the other women’s fiction novel that I mentioned above. The working title is Hindsight and I’d like to get it polished up and offered for sale just as soon as I can. I have also just acquired the rights to my first 11 novels. . .all of them written under my ‘Clayton’ persona. My plans are to edit these ‘sweet’ traditional romances, expand the stories, and add some sizzle, then offer them for sale under my own name. This will take some time, but I’m really looking forward to the project. These are exciting times for me!

Links

Amazon

Website

Reining In by Dawn Judd

Khalida is a five thousand year old vampire. As technology and national security become more prominent, it becomes harder and harder for her to hide her secret from the world. In order to remain undetected by humans, she creates a network of people whose only job is to hide her identity.
But these aren't just any group of people. They are the best of the best, brought to her by chance; tied to her by a bond stronger than any she's ever known before. Being discovered by the human world isn't Khalida's only concern, however. She has made enemies in the vampire world.
When she makes a mistake that exposes her to those who want to take revenge on her, she is tossed into a whirlwind of death and destruction. She has to find out who is killing the humans who have become her family, and save those who remain.
Khalida has spent her entire life trying to protect the people she loves, but ultimately, she will have to decide between the ghosts of her past and the people who have put their lives on the line for her. Her decision may haunt her for the rest of her life.

Imogen's Review

REINING IN is an entertaining vampire story about love, romance and friendship. The story is seen through the eyes of Khalida, a five-thousand-year-old vampire stuck in a nineteen-year-old's body. Imagine five thousand years on earth; then imagine being hunted for all that time by another vampire. Khalida has not had an easy time, but here in the 21st century, she has managed to find some stability by setting up a group of hand-selected individuals to protect her. However, an unfortunate event unscrambles her carefully constructed network and she is forced to make some hard decisions.

I was immediately drawn into Author Dawn Judd's story. The story is delivered in the engaging voice of Khalida. This is a fast paced story with well-fleshed characters. There is never a dull moment. This story will appeal to teens and adults alike. The story ends leaving the reader wanting more. I can't wait to read the sequel, FINDING HOPE!

About the Author

Dawn Judd lives with her husband and three daughters in Wichita, KS. After the publication of several pieces of her poetry in anthologies, such as Timeless Voices and Touch of Tomorrow, she decided to give story writing a try. Dawn is the founder of Breakout Books Reviews.

Q&A with Dawn Judd

Khalida is such an interesting name, how did you come up with it?

I wanted something original. I started looking for names that might fit with the region she was born to. While the name is arabic, not egyptian, it did seem to fit. Given the fact that it was not her given name, but one she took later in life, I felt it was ok. The meaning is what sealed the deal, however. Immortal. That says it all.

What inspired this story line?

To start out, it was a request from my children. They wanted me to write them a vampire story. I really didn't even intend on turning it into a book at first. The story itself pretty much took on a life of its own, and is nothing close to what it started out to be.

I was very drawn to the initial Khalida/Raymond story line. Is there scope for a prequel?

It's not something I've considered before, but it is an interesting idea. I guess I will see what readers ask for when the trilogy is complete.

How involved do your daughters get with your writing? Do they contribute to the story lines?

They help with names. I like to bounce my ideas off them and get their reactions. It's interesting because they have opposing views. One is a Jake fan and the other is a Mack fan. It's fun to get their ideas though. One of the books I am working on is a collaboration with my oldest daughter.

When and why did you start writing?

I've been writing poetry for as long as I can remember. It was always my dream to have a book of poetry published. I suppose now I could, but it doesn't seem nearly as important to me. I've written tons of stories, but Reining In was the first one I ever comleted. Writing, to me, is a way to relax. I can escape to my own little world and make it up as I go.

What's your favorite vampire story (apart from your own)?

It's hard to say. I have several favorites. I guess Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Interview With a Vampire coming in at a close second.

Who would you like to see playing Khalida in a movie version of your book?

I like Patricia Valesquez, who played the Egyptian queen in The Mummy, but Khalida is younger than that. As of lately, I love Megan Fox's movies, and I think she would really bring Khalida to life.

Team Edward or Team Jacob...... or Team Eric?

Depends on the setting. In the book, team Edward and in the movie Team Jacob.

What's your favorite "vampire" music?

I like the music they played on Queen of the Damned. However, if Reining In were ever made into a movie, I would love to see the theme song be More Human than Human.

Tell us a bit about your forthcoming novels.

Of course I am working on Finding Hope, then Legacy to finish off the series. There are a few others in the works, though. My daughter and I have worked together on a book, off and on, for the past year; The Ties that bind. I don't expect it will be out soon, as it takes much longer when working with someone else. In short, it is about a group of teenagers who are drawn to each other by unseen forces. Together, they are the key to war that has been raging since long before they were ever born. There are several more, but right now they are just notes on a pad of paper and will probably remain that way for a long while.

LINKS

Amazon

Web site

FaceBook

Breakout Books

Not What She Seems by Victorine E. Lieske

When billionaire Steven Ashton couldn’t stand his high society social life anymore, he left the stress of New York on a vacation for his soul. The need to meet real down to earth people lead him to a small Nebraska town he remembered visiting as a child. He didn’t want to lie about who he was, but he couldn’t exactly tell them the truth.
Emily could have easily fallen in love with Steven, under different circumstances, but her past was catching up with her and she needed a new life. If the authorities found out about her, she could lose the one thing that meant everything, her four year old son.
Not What She Seems is approximately 67,000 words long. This book is a "sweet" romantic suspense appropriate for all ages.

Imogen's Review:
An enjoyable read. Not What She Seems tells the story of Emily, a small-town girl on the run (I won’t give away any spoilers) with her son and best friend from high school. It tells the story of Steven, a high-profile New Yorker who, after an accidental encounter with her, becomes entangled in her complicated life. This was a sweet, romantic tale. The story line was fairly predictable, but captivating. The Kindle version was well formatted.

Links:
Amazon
Blog

About the Author:
Victorine and her husband live in Nebraska where they manufacture rubber stamps for the craft industry. They own and operate Victorine Originals Rubber Stamps from their home, where they raise their four children. Victorine has a degree in Art from BYU Idaho, and designs many of the rubber stamps they sell. She has always loved to read, and in her spare time she writes.

Q&A with Victorine E. Lieske:
What/who was the inspiration behind this story?
The story started out as one idea... "a billionaire hiding out in a small town meets woman on the run." I was bored, I had hurt my back and couldn't move, and the story just unfolded as I typed. I would say my inspiration came from all of the wonderful books I have read in my life. I have always enjoyed getting lost in a story.
Who is Emily's character based on? Who would you like her to be played by in a movie version?
I don't think I based any of my characters on real people. I think Emily came from an idea of someone who is doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. She's sort of trapped in her situation and can't get out, and all she wants to do is raise her son and let him have a normal life. I think Kate Hudson would play a good Emily.
Will Emily and Steven reappear in future stories?
The way Not What She Seems ended could lead itself to another story about Emily not fitting in to Steven's life in New York. As it stands right now, I don't have any plans to write more, but I kind of left things open, in case I felt inspired to continue the story.
Who is the inspiration behind Edna's character? Who would you like to see her played by in a movie version?
Edna's sort of the busy body everyone knows, who loves to be the center of the town gossip. Kathy Bates would do a great job as Edna.
How long did it take you to write this story?
I began writing it after suffering a back injury that put me on total bed rest for a week, and I had nothing else to do. I was laying on my back in bed, and I put my laptop on my tummy and typed away. Since I couldn't move, I wrote the entire first draft in one week. But this was my first attempt at writing, so I wanted to know if it was any good. It wasn't. I spent the next four years editing and tightening up the story I had originally written. It's much better now.
How many other books have you published?
Not What She Seems is the first and only book I've published. I hope to finish my current work in progress and have it ready by the end of the year.
Can you share some of your future projects?
Yes, right now I'm working on a story that takes place on another planet. It's about a race called the Maslonians who have telekinetic powers. Their planet gets taken over by the Dykens, a technologically advanced race. The Dyken's erase the Maslonian's memories and strip them of their powers. A female Dyken falls in love with a Maslonian and has to decide where her loyalties lie.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you chose to live?
I actually really like living in Nebraska, my only complaint would be the harsh winters. I might like to live on an island that is 70 degrees all year. My kids would protest though, they love sledding.
Favorite designer?
My idea of fashion is jeans and a t-shirt... so I wouldn't even know a fashion designer to name. LOL!
Team Edward or Team Jacob?
Definitely Team Edward. But they cast a really good looking guy to play Jacob in the movies, so don't ask me right after I see Eclipse, I might not be thinking clearly.

Interview with Imogen Rose, author of Portal

Imogen is the author of the series, The Portal Chronicles. To learn more about Imogen Rose and PORTAL, visit her website ImogenRose.com

How did you come up with the idea for Portal?
PORTAL was the product of a dream. I have had vivid dreams (and nightmares) ever since I was a child. I tend to continue some of my dreams from night to night; my dream world is a virtual soap opera. I often look forward to going to sleep just to find out what happens next! I decided to write this particular one down, it was my first time ever doing so. My younger daughter read it and wanted to know what happened next, so I kept writing. She kept reading and her enthusiasm spurned me on to write what turned into a novel.

I know you mentioned that it only took a month for you to write Portal. Do you always write that quickly?
I’ve only written two so far, both first drafts in a month.

Is there a lot of editing involved afterwards, or does it just come naturally for you?
Editing is much slower. I look at it myself and then it gets sent in to Sue, my wonderful editor. After Sue is done with it, it’s time for the copy-editors to go through the manuscript and then finally my beta readers.

Was Portal always meant to be a series?
It was never really even meant to be a book. When I finished writing it, the sequel was a no-brainer. There is so much more to the story. I am now on Book Three.

You have enjoyed several small successes with Portal. What do you attribute to that success the most? Has it been a lot of work getting it noticed?
I have had a reasonably big Internet following over the years, not as a writer, but as a Hermès collector. The contacts and experiences I have gained through that have been invaluable in terms of getting out on the forum and boards and promoting myself.

Tell us about the Hermès Look Book.
I started out my “internet” life in the Hermès boards and forums. I run a private, but widely read blog called The Scarfologist. The Hermès LookBook was born from that passion. It’s a collection of people enjoying their Hermès items. A second LookBook is planned for Christmas.

Do you have any other books lined up when Quantum is finished?
MOMENTUM (Portal Chronicles Book Four) will hopefully take shape and I will be working on a children’s book based on a story I made up for my own kids.

Check out our Review of Imogen's book Portal.

Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith

Alison's job as a private detective with Mrs Fitzgerald's Bureau of Investigation takes her on a series of loosely linked adventures involving an abandoned baby, a transgenic animal and secret tunnels under The Thames. She travels from London to the seaside town of Weymouth and back again with her new best friend Taron, a girl with a hundred candle smile. But someone is betraying her. Is it Taron? Is it Jeff, the sweet-natured inventor who writes her poetry? Or are there darker forces at play?

ISBN: 978-0956517005

BLOG: Helen Smith

Q&A with Helen Smith
Who/what was the inspiration behind your main character of the book, Alison Temple?
I remember reading about an all-female detective agency – I think it was in Singapore – which operated partly to trap unfaithful husbands, and that was my starting point. I wanted to write a book about a woman who joins an all-female detective agency and set it in Brixton in south London, where I live. Although Alison is a private detective, the book isn’t detective genre, it’s a wry comedy about friendship, love, betrayal - and London. Consequently, Alison isn’t particularly good at her job. I suppose to some extent she’s based on me, though she’s a bit grumpier. I asked myself, what would it be like to be a private detective? And I realised it would be quite difficult. Someone would show you the ropes, there would be procedures to follow, but there would be very little certainty about anything.

Who/what was the inspiration behind Taron?
Taron is kooky, maddening, selfish, entertaining, inconsistent – and entirely a product of my imagination. I have never met anyone quite like her and I suppose I invented her because I thought that’s what a best friend is supposed to be like; Alison comes alive in her presence. I have had boyfriends like Taron, and I wanted to take romance out of it and just look at the relationship, though it’s true that Alison’s probably a little in love with Taron, even if she won’t admit it. I made best friends with an English girl when I went on an extended trip to Australia many years ago. We went on all sorts of adventures together and wherever we went we laughed and laughed and laughed. We were both so enamoured of Sydney that we said we’d go back to England, scrape the money together and set up home in Australia together. I remember she said she’d sew the curtains for our flat because she was good at sewing. She came back to England about two months before me and I never saw her again, though I phoned her once when I was drunk on Sherry and we had a really nice chat. Though she didn’t look anything like Taron and she wasn’t much like her in character, perhaps there’s a little of my friendship with her in Alison’s friendship with Taron.

Will we encounter these characters again, in future novels?
Some of the characters from this book turn up in the next one, Being Light, although it’s not a sequel and can be read as a standalone book. Being Light takes place in the same version of London that I created for Alison Wonderland; I like the idea of a city so small that it functions like a small village, with people criss-crossing in and out of each other’s lives and knowing each other’s business.

How long have you been writing for?
I started writing my first novel when I was about ten – before that, I used to write a lot of poetry. I never quite got the hang of poetry but I persisted with my dream of becoming a novelist. When I was eighteen I decided I should try and live an interesting life and then start writing in earnest when I was thirty. And that’s pretty much what I did, though I cheated and started when I was twenty-nine, to give myself a head start.

Has this novel been optioned for TV/film?
Yes, it has been optioned to be turned into a TV series by the BBC.

Who would you like to see play Alison? Taron?
Ooh, that’s a good question! I have no idea. I’d like Alison to be played by one of those comediennes who turn out to be really good at crying. She makes all sorts of sardonic quips in the book and there’s a hint of anger behind what she says, and comediennes have a way of conveying that so you love them for it rather than resenting them. Taron would have to be bewitching and difficult to read , so you’d never be sure whether what she was saying was going to get her and everyone around her into trouble, or whether it might save the world. If anyone reading this has read Alison Wonderland and has any ideas about who should play either character, let me know. Better yet – write to the BBC and tell them!

Do you have a favorite book/Author?
I’d find it impossible to choose just one book, and even narrowing it down to just one author is tricky so I’m going to say Peter Carey, Chuck Palaniuk, Paul Auster, Kazuo Ishiguro, Mary Carr and Dickens.

What's your favorite movie?
Is there room for more than one? I loved Baz Luhrman’s Romeo + Juliet, Strictly Ballroom, Fargo, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Some Like it Hot, Muriel’s Wedding, Sweet Charity, Children of Men, Being John Malkovitch and Synecdoche New York.

About the Author:

Helen Smith travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both-from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant–before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel. She writes novels, poetry, plays and screenplays. She's a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture and mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories. She likes knitting but she doesn't like driving. She likes dancing.

Review:

You had me at "I'm waiting for Mr. Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until, then I'm staying single." And you kept me captivated right to the end-the poignant parting words will stay with me.
I can't rave about this book enough. The Author, Helen Smith, takes us on a wondrous journey into the life of Alison Temple, a private detective based in London. Her writing is sharp and witty, her ideas totally original. All the characters in this story are interesting and peculiar in their own ways. I won't say a lot about Taron, only that you will instantly fall in love with her. I can't wait to read more from this brilliant Author.

Wrapped In a Rainbow by Delyse Rodrigues-Trink

Have you ever wondered -- what would have happened if I took that chance? Life presents to Kristy a fabulous once in a lifetime opportunity to work in the Bahamas. If she decides to go for it, will it meet, exceed, or fall short of her expectations?
Sexy, handsome Dave is wary and jaded about women. He likes his life in the beautiful Bahamas where his romantic encounters are fast and fleeting. Gorgeous Kristy catches his eye but refuses to play by those rules. In fact she has studiously avoided men like him! David is intrigued by her resistance and so relentless in his pursuit, that much to her astonishment, Kristy finds herself agreeing to go out with him.
They end up having a sensational first date, but then it all turns to shambles. Could it be that David isn’t everything he appears to be? Could it be that Kristy isn’t everything David assumes her to be? Read Wrapped in a Rainbow to find out!

Links:
Amazon

About the Author:
Author Delyse Rodrigues-Trink currently lives with her family in Ontario, Canada. She has been writing since her high school days where she enjoyed twisting the suggested titles for compositions by teachers into something unexpected. She admits to being a bookworm and in the summer she can’t wait to get all the chores done so that she can daydream and relax with a cool drink and a good book on the back deck. Her favourite genre to read is romance and she has always wanted to write one of her own. Wrapped in a Rainbow is that accomplishment. She is currently working on a mystery novel and also has plans to write a romantic suspense novel.

Review:
Wrapped in a Rainbow is great summer reading/beach book. I think at some point everyone has felt the way Kristy feels at the beginning of the book. You go through her range of emotions with her. Though there are a couple of different times where Kristy reacted much differently (and better) than I would have. Delyse describes the places in the book with such detail that you almost feel like your right there on the beaches of Bahama's too. I also really loved that there wasn't a what happened next when the story was over. I really hate being left hanging when a book ends and it isn't part of a series, this book ties up the loose ends. If your looking for a light, fun read then Wrapped in a Rainbow is the book for you.

A Whisper to a Scream by Karen Wojcik Berner

Ovulation detectors. Hormone surges. Anxiety-ridden dreams. This is the world in which Annie Jacobs is thrust when she and her husband John receive a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. A 37-year old PR executive, Annie has wanted to be a mother since she first cuddled her Baby Tenderlove at age five. She is dreading another Christmas of relatives asking when they will be hearing the pitter patter of little feet, and Uncle Joe slapping John on the back, telling him to relax and take a cruise. Lots of people get pregnant on vacation, you know.
Across town, stay-at-home mom of two, Sarah Anderson, attempts grocery shopping with a toddler intent on hurling items from the cart at passersby. She notices a box of rice heading straight for a pink-babushkaed head. Leaping across the aisle, Sarah grabs it, saving the woman from certain doom, or at least a minor head injury. Little Alex screams at being thwarted. The unknowing octogenarian shakes her head and admonishes Sarah for not knowing how to keep her child quiet in public.
"A Whisper to a Scream" is the story of two women on opposite ends of the child-bearing spectrum who come to realize the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence. A vivid portrayal of contemporary marriage and its problems, the novel speaks to a longing in all of us, a yearning that might start as a vague notion, but eventually grows into an unbearable, vociferous cry.

Links:
Official Page of Karen Wojcik Berner
Amazon
Facebook Fan Page

About the Author:
Karen Berner is a journalist and former magazine editor who knew she was destined for fiction at an early age with the production of her cardboard-bound classic, “The Car,” which chronicled the heartfelt struggle of an eight-year-old dealing with the sale of Betsy, the family Chevrolet. Although beautifully illustrated in crayon, it sold only one copy.
Many years later, Karen dabbled in fiction again, earning a double major in English and communication arts and sciences, only to realize money was required for survival in society, particularly an amount that gets one out of her parent’s house.
Shortly after the birth of her second son, the character of Sarah, the invisible mom, intruded Karen’s thoughts during a shower, which was really quite rude considering it was the only five minutes the poor woman had to herself for the entire day, with a newborn baby and five year old to take care of. Soon after, Annie came to her in a particularly vivid dream. Back in the shower, Karen could not help but wonder what would happen if Sarah and Annie met? She delved into "A Whisper to a Scream" and has been writing fiction ever since.

Dawn's Review:
A Whisper to a Scream takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotions. This tale of two women, one already a mother and one who desperately wants to become a mother, accurately depicts the raw human emotion that comes with the prospect of becoming a parent. My heart ached for both Annie and Sarah as the course of their lives was altered by cruel fate. I admired the strength they showed despite everything they encountered. They both proved that what does not kill us truly does make us stronger. Karen's writing is smooth and entertaining, leading the reader right to the heart of the story. Her words tell us of the true strength of the human spirit.