Weekend Writing Warriors – Donuts in an Empty Field 4#WeWriWa

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Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom and her best friend, Nichole. Vanessa’s mom just cried out from the other room and the girls dropped everything in their panic to make sure Mom is okay.

 

Nichole bumps into me in our haste to make sure Mom’s okay and we both fall to the floor. My world turns upside down and I bang my head against Nichole’s knee. I’m panting and scrambling to disentangle my limbs from Nichole’s. Mom still hasn’t answered.

We run out to see what happened. Mom’s in the kitchen, her hands braced on opposite sides of the sink. For a moment I’m immensely angry that she didn’t answer when I called, scaring the bejesus out of Nichole and me, but then I notice she’s crying. Shame at my anger crashes down on my shoulders.

 

Why is Vanessa’s mom upset? Tune in next week to find out.

 

Purchase the book HERE.

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Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

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Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

All About the Donuts: Local Donut Shop Review – Sunrise Donuts – Redmond, WA

Sunrise Donuts

Remond, WA

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7299 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond, WA 98052

(425) 885-6112

Website: http://eatsunrisedonuts.com/

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Review criteria:

Most popular donut at the shop: Maple Bar and Apple Fritter
Signature shop donut: “a dozen”
Most popular US donut: glazed
2nd most popular US donut: Boston crème
Donut Hole: glazed/powdered/cinnamon/and cruller (a dozen for $2 and 3 for $1)

 

What I tried:

Maple Bar, Glazed, Donut Holes, Cruller bite, Boston Crème, jelly filled

 

What to expect:

Although the shop hours are from early in the morning until 2PM, if you show up too late they may have closed shop because they’ve sold out for the day. This place is popular and sometimes sales guys or businesses will buy out the inventory and you’ll lose out, so go early! They have cruller bites, which is neat and a cool addition to the donut hole. The shop is warm and inviting, though small in physical space. The plaza they are located in has enough parking and it’s not impossible to make a left hand turn out onto the street (there’s a nifty turn lane).

 

My favorite:

Normally I’m a fan of the boring old – yet delicious – glazed donut, but after I took one bite of the jelly filled I was converted. Sunrise Donuts makes such a fluffy dough that is thick but not heavy and is everything you wanted from a krispy kreme and more. The jelly filling is not too sweet and perfectly smooth and is very, very delicious and is my new favorite from Sunrise.

Upcoming Local Event: Maple Valley Days!

 

You can find FVP and some great books by local authors at Maple Valley Days near the info booth! This is our third year at Maple Valley Days and we have some new books since last year.

Check out our 2015 Maple Valley Days

Check out our 2014 Maple Valley Days

LAKE WILDERNESS PARK
23601 224th Ave SE
Maple Valley, WA 98038
 
FESTIVAL HOURS
Friday: 3pm – 8pm – Carnival  stays open until 10.
Saturday: 10am – 9pm
Sunday: 10am – 5pm
 
For more information, visit the official website HERE or visit the new Facebook page HERE

Book Review: Sweet Secrets by Stephanie Weippert

Sweet Secrets by Stephanie Weippert

A MG/YA/Fantasy Novel published by TANSTAAFL Press (02/27/16)

Summary:

“Well, a chef can make amazing things happen when they create things to eat. A Chef takes ordinary food that we eat every day and turns it extraordinary.” (from Sweet Secrets by Stephanie Weippert).

Michael was told not to touch the chocolates. What 7-year old would follow those instructions? After Michael eats the chocolate, he is transported to another world – one run by Chefs and the power of food. His step-father Brad must follow after and retrieve Michael from this new and magical realm with the help of next-door-neighbor William, who is, in fact a powerful Chef. Michael is handed off from one person to another in this realm until he lands at the powerful school called Cordon where they want to teach him to be a true Chef. But what about his mother? Will Michael leave everything behind to learn how to make cookies fly?

 

Keywords:

Food, Magic, Chef, Talent, Cooking, Baking, Dessert, Sweet, Otherworldly, 7-year old, Chase, Orphanage, Students, Tests, Home, Cooking School, Portal

My Review:

This novel is a teen and young adult book but contains POV switches between a 7-year old and his step-father. Because half the narrative takes place in the perspective of a child, this book should be middle grade, not young adult. Since the other half of the narrative is told from the point of view of an adult, the classification is harder to define. This book crosses genres.

The start of the story was slow and didn’t pick up until about a third of the way through. Even though there is an immediate action with Michael transporting to a new world, there wasn’t much tension. He was never in danger. There wasn’t much tension anywhere in the novel, mostly just a series of events. Some of the events were quite fascinating, such as any part that showed the true magic of this new world, but other scenes and parts dragged due to the over description and lack of focus. Many scenes and much dialogue did not move the plot forward.

The first main character, Michael, is 7 years old, but at times acts younger. Such as when he is quick to cry or unable to keep his hands off others’ things. At times, he acts older than his age, like when he says mature things and follows directions well. The other main character, Brad, did not act like an adult. His dialogue was juvenile and his character acted much like an excited and emotional teenager throughout.

Many of the Brad and William scenes were back and forth question and answer to explain the world and how Chefs worked. These were details that would have been better shown and not told. The scenes where the alphabet and numerals of the world were explained dragged as well and did not move the action forward.

I loved the imaginative uses of food, such as powdered sugar as a source of power and the way food is created to make things in this world, like cars. It’s a very logical imagination, though, and I had a lot of fun visualizing from all the food references.

This foodie-inspired world was fully fleshed out with levels to cooking skills and subtle references to our current world, such as Cordon being a top cooking school. I was very glad the Chef tests were shown in great detail and explained fully as they were the most interesting parts of the story!

The recurring theme of not being able to pronounce Michael’s name was quite funny.

This book was highly imaginative, but the plot and scenes lacked focus.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author and this is an honest review.

This novel was published by TANSTAAFL Press on Feburary 27th, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 2.75

Links for more information:

Twitter

Goodreads

Stephanie Weippert’s Website

Weekend Writing Warriors – Donuts in an Empty Field 3#WeWriWa

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Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one. After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom. Nichole, her best friend, comes over to help. When Mom leaves to get the girls a snack, Nichole trips over a stack of books and Vanessa accidentally rips a photo off the wall in her attempts to save Nichole from falling on her butt.

 

Nichole sucks in a breath as I turn to face the ruined picture. Something flutters behind the missing corner and I lift the stiff paper to peer behind it.
Something is there.
Nichole and I both jump at the sound of a crash from the front of the house.
“Mom!” I yell.
I’m wound up from being in Dad’s office, from remembering our last day together, to the finality of packing up his stuff that I go into panic mode and run toward the door.

 

What’s behind the photo? It’s a single piece of paper. Find out next week what it says.

 

Purchase the book HERE.

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Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

donugts

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Don’t forget: Enter the free raffle to win neat goodies HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

All About the Donuts: Donuts in an Empty Field (For the Love of Donuts Book 1) Publication Day June 3rd (Tomorrow)!

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TOMORROW it’ll be here!

Have you joined the release party for Donuts in an Empty Field? Go RSVP now.

Here’s the lineup of my blog tour for Donuts:

May 31- Fluffygolarky – https://fluffygolarky.wordpress.com/2016/05/31/blog-tour-donuts-in-an-empty-field/

June 1 – FreeValleyPublishing – https://freevalleypublishing.com/2016/06/01/just-two-more-days-until-donuts/

June 1 – T.A. Henry – https://tahenryauthoress.wordpress.com/2016/06/01/wed-no-cafe-suprise/

June 2 – K.J. Farnham – https://kjfarnham.com/2016/06/02/facts-about-donuts-in-an-empty-field-by-rachel-barnard/

June 3 – A Spark in the Dark Blog – https://clrozelle.wordpress.com/

June 3 – Jo Michael’s – http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/2016/06/release-day-donuts-in-empty-field.html

 

 

And Oddmall in Everett is coming up this weekend! Be sure to stop by our booth (8) and say hello, maybe take your picture with me.

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Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Pre-order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Come celebrate the awaited release of the first book in the For the Love of Donuts series – “Donuts in an Empty Field” by Rachel Barnard,  Online Here

Don’t forget: Enter the free raffle to win neat goodies HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

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Book Review: Dust in the Desert: A Flipped Fairy Tale (Flipped Fairy Tales Book 4) by Starla Huchton

Dust in the Desert: A Flipped Fairy Tale (Flipped Fairy Tales Book 4) by Starla Huchton

A Fantasy/Fairy Tale Adaptation published through Amazon Digital Services LLC (05/16/16)

Summary:

“A single grain of sand can shift the course of a dune, which changes the entire desert.” (Kindle Locations 192-193).

Alida was a simple thief. Istara was a dying city. The Sultana would not give up her power, would not go wanting, would not save her own kingdom. What can Alida, a single grain of sand, do to save Istara?

Keywords:

Desert, Dust, Kingdom, Sultana, Power Hungry, Thief, Deceit, Lies, Wit, Dying Empire, Magic Lamp, Djinn, Wishes, Humbleness, Love, Kindness, Falling in Love, Sympathy

 

My Review:

I absolutely loved Alida! She is the exact princess I always imagined myself to be as a little girl. She is so well spoken and clever, exactly how I want a princess to be. This book is exactly what teenagers should be reading! There is so much to take away from Alida in her actions, her reserved temperament, and her ability keep a level head. She is a great role model.

The dialogue between Alida and the prince Shahzadeh Sameer is amazing. It is so mature, eloquent and realistic for their world and their situations. I was captivated every time Alida spoke.

Tension is held constant throughout this book and it contained solid and compelling storytelling.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services LLC May 16th, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating:5.00

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Starla Huchton’s Website

Weekend Writing Warriors – Donuts in an Empty Field 2#WeWriWa

www_tiny

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one. After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom. What does Vanessa have left to remember her father?

 

Bluster noses his way into the room, waddling around to sniff at each pile of books and papers stacked on the floor. I bend down to pet him. Not only is it the anniversary of my father’s death, but it’s also the anniversary of the day we got Bluster. It’s almost as if he came to replace Dad, arriving mere hours ahead of the incident at the restaurant. Bluster’s stubby reddish brown tail beats at my thigh as I try to hold him down and hug him. Bluster’s softness rubs against my bare legs. I can hear his heartbeat pattering and his breath wheezing as he struggles to get out of my grip. He smells like a dog should, musty wet from his recent bath. I breathe deep, the smell overpowering the staleness of the office around us.

 

Vanessa and her Mom are cleaning out Dad’s office and in the four years since he died, Vanessa’s best reminder and memory of her Dad is the Corgi Bluster, but that’s not all he left behind. Tune in next week when we find out the surprise Vanessa will discover in her Dad’s office.

 

Purchase the book HERE.

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Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Pre-order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

donugts

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Come celebrate the awaited release of the first book in the For the Love of Donuts series – “Donuts in an Empty Field” by Rachel Barnard,  Online Here

Don’t forget: Enter the free raffle to win neat goodies HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE