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Martha A. Cheves's Blog (365)

Destiny's Forge - Children of the Dragon - Theresa M. Moore, Author

Destiny’s Forge – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘A small space craft rushed toward a planet orbiting a pair of white

stars, trailing a plume of sparking fire and rapidly dissipating smoke.

The meteoroid had done its work well when it smashed through the hull

of the craft at a critical point, tearing through the main engine pod

and disabling it in an instant. The pilot… Continue

Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 23, 2010 at 3:37pm — No Comments

A Case of Accidental Intersection - W. S. Gager, Author

A Case of Accidental Intersection – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘A twisted piece of fiberglass stuck in the dirt along the side of the road. A rear view mirror the color of cherry-red lipstick had busted

off the wreckage and landed some fifty feet away, along the center line

marking the…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 15, 2010 at 4:23pm — No Comments

Merryll Manning: The Health Farm Murders - John Howard Reid, Author

The Health Farm Murders – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘On re-entering my room, I saw a man

going through Zapata’s things. At first I thought one of the other

guests had got wind of Taylor’s chocolate hoard and was helping

himself. “Hold on there!” I expected the helping-hand guest to wheel

around and offer… Continue

Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 14, 2010 at 12:22pm — No Comments

The Innocent - Vincent Zandri, Author

The Innocent – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘I was their warden.

I was their keeper, their mother…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 12, 2010 at 9:30am — No Comments

Murder at Cuyamaca Beach - Sue McGinty, Author

Murder at Cuyamaca Beach – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘We settled in water up to my waist and turned to face each other. Hands intertwined, we jumped up and down in the waves like idiots in a Monte Python

movie. I relaxed a bit. Moving around definitely made me warmer.

“Oof.” Something hit me, sending a sharp pain into my side. I…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 9, 2010 at 4:00pm — No Comments

Dead Witness - Joylene Nowell Butler, Author

Dead Witness – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘A long, narrow building, beyond the small shed, blocked her view. Valerie inched past a rusty engine leaning against the hut and peeked around the

corner. Two men in black tee shirts and black pants stood at the stern

of the sleek cabin cruiser docked at the wharf. Three more men stood

on…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 7, 2010 at 10:19am — No Comments

Jobless Recovery - L. C. Evans, Author

Jobless Recovery – Second Addition – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

Dear David R. Griffin:

By now you are aware of the unprecedented opportunity Markham-Hook Conglomerate has encountered. I am sure you rejoice at our good fortune

and wish us every success in our leap forward into the global future.…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 6, 2010 at 3:11pm — No Comments

One Child - Jeff Buick, Author

One Child – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

“I had a dream last night,” Halima said, her eyes locked on her youngest sister. “Dreams are good,” her father said. “Do you remember what you dreamt?” “Yes, I do.” She licked her

cracked lips with a dry tongue. “I was someone important, I’m not sure

why, but people were…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 3, 2010 at 4:00pm — No Comments

The Rewritten Word - Aggie Villanueva, Author

The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literacy Art no Matter the Genre – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘There is more to writing than putting many words to paper and more to rewriting than rearranging those words. Dreaming about writing won’t get you anywhere,

and writing a thousand words a day won’t help unless you know what…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on November 1, 2010 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Exit - Liliana Badd, Author

Exit – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh Repeat

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is a beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty,…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 29, 2010 at 3:30am — No Comments

Reticence of Ravens - M. M. Gornell, Author

Reticence of Ravens – Review by Martha A Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh Repeat

‘Her hands were in her lap, clasped tight, as if she were a child being forced to sit quietly in church. Her yellow cotton sundress, styled…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 25, 2010 at 3:58pm — No Comments

Talented Horsewoman - L. C. Evans, Author

Talented Horsewoman – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘I turned to follow Tinker’s movement, hoping she wouldn’t head back toward Millie. As I tracked the galloping form past the barn, a bundle of rags on the

ground hardly merited my attention – until an instant later when I

realized the bundle wasn’t rages. With a jolt somewhere in the center

of my chest, I forgot…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 24, 2010 at 12:25pm — No Comments

Song of George - Jesse S. Hanson, Author

Song of George – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘Within the same week he is released by the hospital and received by the Hennington County Jail, where he is to be held until his trial. That turns out to

be a period of eleven months. He learns from his court appointed lawyer

that he apparently broke through the glass doors of a Federal Building

and vandalized an…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 23, 2010 at 3:23pm — No Comments

The Secret Life of Walter Mott - Kal Wagenheim, Author

The Secret Life of Walter Mott – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

“Men, the company is faced with a crisis; a serious threat to the well-being of every employee and every employee’s family. But before I reveal the

nature of this crisis, I must remind you that this is a top secret

matter; a matter of the utmost delicacy, which, if ever made public,

could…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 21, 2010 at 7:30am — No Comments

Memoirs From the Asylum - Kenneth Weene, Author

Memoirs From the Asylum – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘I was scared of trying things that I couldn’t do. I’m one of those people who rehearses for getting up in the morning. I go through the sequence:

what I’m going to wear, which tasks I’m going to complete, even what I’m

going to think about. If something seems too difficult, screw it. If

there’s a bunch of…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 18, 2010 at 4:14pm — No Comments

The Panamerican - Genie Bermudez, Author

The Panamerican - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘We hitchhiked down California’s scenic route

1 which skirts the coast, and spent the first night out camping off Big

Sur. The first time in what was to be our new home, our green nylon

tent. The next day we were right away given a lift by a lawyer from

L.A. who put us up for the… Continue

Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 16, 2010 at 4:30pm — No Comments

We Interrupt This Date - L. C. Evans, Author

We Interrupt This Date – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘My mother hadn’t stopped talking about my shortcomings and my need to plunge back into the dating world since the moment we’d stepped out the

door of her condo. “You’re already forty and not getting a moment

younger. Shall I tell Stanley you’re interested? I…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 15, 2010 at 5:25pm — No Comments

The Bermuda Triangle v. Captain Bob - Robert H. Stockel, Author

The Bermuda Triangle v. Captain Bob – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘Captain Bob was born and raised in…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 14, 2010 at 2:23pm — No Comments

November - J. William English, Author

November – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘It was his mother who had wanted to call him November. His father had called him Liam, after his grandfather. And there was now only one person he permitted to call him by his middle name. She could call him anything she wanted,

and she knew it. What…

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Added by Martha A. Cheves on October 12, 2010 at 7:30am — No Comments