Tag Archives: Jean Stanberry

Back to School!

The kids are back to school, so now it’s time for mom to have her very own little escape.  What better and cheaper way to escape than with a fabulous fall read?  Reading can take you far away to another land, to another life, make you laugh, cry or just escape reality for a little while.  Kingsmuir Press is here to help you find your perfect back to school break from reality.

Check out Lyoness Bradley’s Imperfect World.  This story begins in the late 70’s in an upper middle class high school dealing with court ordered school desegregation.  Leigh Webster struggles through her senior year facing the challenges brought by the influx of desegregation students and extremely overbearing parents, not to mention the fact that her father is their high school principal.

With college looming ahead Leigh is pushed towards the “right guy” while secretly loving a guy who her parents would never, ever approve of.  As life plunges ahead Leigh follows the path of least resistance but when tragedy strikes, she finds herself once again, face to face with the man she once loved.  This is one of those stories that will leave you asking, does God have a master plan for us, or was all this really just a coincidence?

Our second author Jean Marie Stanberry has a whole host of books that we love.  Her newest book Heartless-A Star is Dead is an epic murder mystery that will leave you positively breathless.  The brutal murder of an aging Hollywood movie star has detective Doug Bellamy stumped.  Between the troubling lack of evidence and her severely dysfunctional family.  When he finally finds a break in the evidence he must coordinate a desperate nationwide search for the murderer who has a final victim in their sights.  Can they get to the intended victim before the murderer exacts one final act of revenge?

Also check out Jean’s epic coming of age tale, The Illusion of Order. This book has rapidly become one of the most popular books in the UK and for good reason.  Everyone loves a feel good story and this book is no exception.  It will prove to you, that once you’ve hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up!  Brits still adore following the lives of their noble families and when there is a scandal it makes it all that much better.  This book will give you scandal on a silver platter. Sure those noble families look perfect in their family photo shoots, but what’s really going on behind the scenes?  That’s the “Illusion of Order”.

Finally, coming soon for you lovers of naughty vampires we have R. J. Hanrahan’s One Small Bite.  This ancient vampire dynasty has two families struggling for control of the crown and they will do whatever it takes to return it to their own family.  This sweeping drama transports young Pemberthy Parker from her lower middle class life in the late 70’s to a mediaeval castle far away where she learns she is of noble blood and she soon  finds herself embroiled in an elaborate intrigue to return the throne to a family who lost their rights to the crown years ago.

Pem finds herself to be merely a pawn in a society with ancient rules and customs she really doesn’t understand. She must struggle to fit into this new life within a society of vampires who have powers and desires that she can’t even really understand at first.  If you know anything about vampires you know that not only do they crave blood, but they have other “cravings” that must be satisfied and they will do just about anything to satisfy their lust.  It is these “cravings’ that will eventually lead to the downfall of the royal family.

That’s four great reads you must put on your list.  Take a little “me” time, escape the real world for a while with a fabulous book.  Check out these and all our great titles available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and select privately owned bookstores.  These books are also available on all major e-readers and top e-reader lending sites.

Don’t forget to follow us, and your favorite authors on Facebook and Twitter!

This Just In!

We are very excited to announce that Jean Marie Stanberry’s Heartless-A Star is Dead, is number six on the Huffington Post’s list of “Good Books Every Woman Should Read”.  The books that topped it were #1 To Kill a Mockingbird, #2 Pride and Predjudice, #3 The Help, #4 Little Women and #5 Are You There God?  It’s me Margaret.  All and all a very strong list indeed, and we are very proud to have edged out several very famous books like The Awakening and Madame Bovary.  You can see the list on Goodreads, a site committed to those passionate about reading.  Continue reading This Just In!

Week One Update-Weight Loss Challenge

I wish I had more exciting news for this update but the sad truth is, my weight is exactly the same as it was this time last week.  I’m not very happy right now, I cut my calories, increased my activity and still the scale refuses to budge.  I even had a nasty little stomach bug at the beginning of the week which should have been the equivalent of a total body cleanse, but still my weight remains the same. Continue reading Week One Update-Weight Loss Challenge

DIY Adventures-Refacing a fireplace

Anyone who knows me, knows that when my husband and I have a project, we will at the very least, attempt to do it ourselves.  After a bit of trial and error we do know our limits.  For instance, we try to avoid large concrete projects and my husband Gary is not allowed to paint.  Other than that, we will try just about anything at least once.

Our latest project involved refacing our fireplace.  We built the fireplace when we moved into the house almost ten years ago.  It is a gas fireplace and it was meant to augment our aging heating system and conserve space over the home’s previous heat source, a large and unwieldy wood stove which was not only dirty, but because of allergies, I had bronchitis most of that winter. Continue reading DIY Adventures-Refacing a fireplace

Hot books to read this summer!

Lounging in a hammock, lazing away the day in a sunny lounge chair, these hot summer days are made for enjoying a good novel and we at Kingsmuir Press have a few suggestions.

Our hottest  author Jean Marie Stanberry has been heating up the book charts with her newest release “Blood, Sweat and Fears” a heart pounding drama that will transport you to Paris in the early 1980’s, where one man’s desperate plan to escape the communist Soviet Union goes awry and shakes up the entire cast of the European Theater Company.

Jean Marie Stanberry has three other books to choose from in genres to suit just about any reader. Check out “Laying Low In Hollywood” (Romance), “One World United” (Post Apocalyptic Science Fiction) and “The Illusion of Order”
(Romance).

If you are looking for a coming of age romance that will tug at your heartstrings, I urge you to check out “An Imperfect World” by our newest author Lyoness Bradley. This novel, set in the late 1970’s tackles the issue of court ordered school desegregation and the drama it created at one high school, when the heroine forms and unlikely friendship with a desegregation student that eventually develops into a romance, things get dicey.

Whatever your tastes, we have a great book that is sure to satisfy it. All books are available on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com and you can get more information about Jean Marie Stanberry, or any of her books at her website, jeanstanberry.com

Blood, Sweat and Fears-Video Trailer

The video trailer for Jean Marie Stanberry’s newest book, “Blood, Sweat and Fears.

When people lose faith they become hopeless, after hopelessness comes desperation. At this point, there is nothing left to lose. Herein lies the danger.

The year is 1980 and tensions are running high in communist USSR. When one man develops an elaborate plan to defect to the USA, no one can anticipate how quickly passion will deteriorate into obsession and desperation will escalate into a grim web of deception and violence.

Vino Dente di Leon-Dandelion Wine

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If you read my prior blog about making dandelion wine you know I promised to update you on the process.  Today the fermentation process was complete and I was able to strain the wine one more time through cheesecloth and bottle it.  It has mellowed from it’s previous unappetizing pinkish-yellow color into a rich buttery color that reminds me of lemoncello.  It also smells delightfully citrusy. 

I was only able to take a sip because I am on call for surgery this weekend, but I like the taste.  It is still a bit acidic so I am going to let it age a bit more before I start uncorking the bottles and drinking them, in the hopes that it will mellow a bit.  I enjoyed my wine making experience so much, my next project is going to be huckleberry wine.  I’m going to have to do a bit of drinking in the meantime, I used up all the bottles I had set aside for the dandelion wine.  Anyone up for a little wine on the deck?

Guest blogger-Jean Marie Stanberry, author of Laying Low in Hollywood, One World United, The Illusion of Order and her newest book, Blood, Sweat and Fears

jeanstanberry.com    @jeanstanberry

 

Spring Fever Induced Writer’s block

Yep, that’s exactly what I have.  I have so many things I need to do, but I find my attention span is uncharacteristically quite short.  I find sitting down to the computer for any length of time a terrible struggle.  As long as it’s light outside, which in Montana is a lot longer than average, I feel compelled to mess around in the vegetable garden or the flower beds or even just play with the dog.

Since I just released my new book on May 1, “Blood, Sweat and Fears” people are always asking me what I have planned next.  I imagine they think I’m just being coy when I say that I don’t know, but I really have no clue.  I tend to be a little Schizophrenic when it comes to writing projects, I always have three or four ideas started, it just seems to be hard for me to sit down and commit to perfecting one of those ideas into a real page turner. 

I try to use the early morning before I go to work, and before everyone else in the household is up, to at least, get my daily writing chores done.  Unfortunately, I usually find that to be a struggle as well.  My computer has a spectacular view to the east and the sunrise is pretty amazing coming over the mountains to the east, so once again I find myself mesmerized.

What is the cure for Spring Fever Induced Writer’s block you ask?  Sorry, there is no cure.  My therapy has been to give in to my urges and enjoy life.  Every sunrise, every little honeybee flitting from flower to flower is a beautiful thing, a bit of inspiration for our next project.  So next time you feel frustrated with your writer’s block, take a break, enjoy the sunny day outside.  Inspiration is everywhere.  Most likely it is somewhere other than in front of your computer.

Jean Stanberry-guest blogger Kingsmuir Press

jeanstanberry.com   @jeanstanberry

 

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Is it Safe to Take a Cruise?

If you’re planning your first cruise there are a few things you need to know.  For all those people who are worried about their boat tipping over, catching on fire, or hitting an iceberg, my advice is similar to those who are afraid of flying. There are thousands of people cruising the high seas at any one time and even with the recent tragedies in the news, it is probably safer to get on a cruise ship than in a car.

As for illnesses, those are everywhere.  The fact that all these people are confined to a ship makes sharing easier, think schools and daycares.  My kids went through every illness imaginable when they were in daycare, now they are immune to just about anything.  When you are at home and you wake up sick, you can’t really pinpoint where you picked up the bug. Did I get it at work, the grocery store, the questionable looking guy on the subway?  A cruise is like a mini community, you get to meet all kinds of really cool people, the key is, to not share their germs.

Rule #1: Be a compulsive hand washer.  Most of these yucky bugs end up on surfaces like railings, door handles, etc.  Not to make you phobic of these surfaces, but if you then touch your eye or your lips, you risk introducing these bacteria into your body.

Rule#2: We wary of who’s touching your food.  I try to avoid the buffets as much as possible, there are plenty of other choices and as for who’s touching your food, the answer is everybody.  Also if your one of those people that “always” gets sick, try to stick to cooked food.  Salads are great, but some people are more susceptible to bugs than others, if you are one of those people, sick to foods that have been cooked to a temperature that ensures than any microbes are killed.   Sorry, that means no sushi or rare steaks either!

Rule #3:  Stay away from obviously sick people.  I know this sounds like an obvious one, but you’d be amazed at the number of people who are unwilling to switch seats in the theater or on deck when someone nearby seems to be on death’s door.  

Rule #4:  Bring your own pharmacy with you.  Pain relievers, Dramamine, allergy pills, whatever.  If you need to purchase these things on board you will pay a premium, so bring them whether or not you feel you will need them.  

The number one thing to remember on a cruise is that the cruise line has plenty of staff on hand to keep you safe but realize this is not one on one supervision.   What this means is, supervise your children at all times unless they are with a cruise related program that supervises your children.  If you become so drunk that you can barely walk, make sure to stay away from railings, etc.  

A cruise vacation can be a great way to get away for a reasonable price so don’t let all the media hype cloud your decision.  Do your research before you choose.  Some cruise lines have better track records than others as far as illnesses and accidents.  You should make your comfort and safety the priority over price.  Remember the old adage, you get what you pay for.

By guest blogger-Jean Marie Stanberry  jeanstanberry.com  @jeanstanberry

The Family Sing Along

I come from a long line of casual singers.  We sing in the shower, in the car, wherever, just not in front of audiences.  That would be more like a comedy routine.  Not only do we lack singing talent, we are usually completely clueless as to what the correct words are.  My brother started the tradition by coming up with his own special take on the song “Don’t you want me baby” by the Human League.  He thought they were singing “Don’t chew on me baby.”  I like his version of the song so much, I really can’t sing it the right way anymore.  It just seems like it’s more fun to sing it with the wrong lyrics.  

As a child, my son soon followed suit.  He heard the song “Take a chance on me” by ABBA and though the lyrics were saying “Jackie Chan’s on me”  That one had me laughing for days.  If you love quirky things like this, there is a whole website dedicated to the musically challenged person.  The site is kissthisguy.com which is definitely worth a look if your family is like mine and likes to sing, but is not gifted in getting the words right.

Guest blogger Jean Marie Stanberry is author of “Laying Low In Hollywood”, “One World United” and “The Illusion of Order”.  To see what Jean has planned next you can visit her at jeanstanberry.com or on twitter @jeanstanberry