Genre Fiction

This morning I arrived at the train station about ten minutes before my train was scheduled to leave. Unfortunately, Philly rarely seems to actually follow a schedule, especially on weekends. And so I found myself with half an hour to waste in 30th Street Station.

After grabbing some freshly squeezed juice, I decided to walk around the over-priced book store. I browsed the classics, Oprah’s Book Club, and quickly darted past the erotica and gay erotica sections. Then I checked out the new releases and best sellers, and found one that has really captured my interest: The Forgery of Venus by Michael Gruber.

Gruber is the best-selling author of The Book of Air and Shadows, and this is his sixth novel. According to Publishers Weekly, this book follows “Chaz Wilmot, who makes a modest living as a commercial artist in New York City, … [as he] gets sucked into an increasingly bizarre world where his own identity is confused and the art he produces may be a forgery but is genuinely magnificent. Is Wilmot crazy or is he being manipulated in a grandiose scheme linked to unrecovered art stolen by the Nazis?”

It sounds to me like Sarah Dunant’s historical fiction meets Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code’s artistic mystery. It sound to me like just my type of story!

It’s a chicken or the egg question (as in which came first): Are people reading vampire fiction like crazy because that’s what authors are turning out, or are authors focusing in on the batty bloodsuckers because that’s what people want to read?

If you need even more of the supernatural, here are a few that are hot off the press and chasing each other up the charts (exclusive of Stephenie Meyer who we know is the queen of teen vampire lit):

* The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part I (July 2008) by L. J. Smith, author of the Vampire Diaries series (2007): This new venture for Smith began a trek down a related, but slightly different road; now, it’s about witches. And, as the name suggests, Smith fully intends to make a series out of this one, too.

* Vamps (July 2008) by Nancy A. Collins: It’s Harry Potter meets Gossip Girls when female, teen vampires live an elitist life in New York.

* Spirit (July 2008) by J. P. Hightman: It’s a supernatural epic love tale where ghosts and witches run ramped.

* House of Night series (newest installment to be released September, 2008) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast: It’s another vampire read with a Harry Potter edge to it. This series follows a teen girl transitioning into adult vampire-hood through her attendance at House of Night - a school for change.

* The Saga of Darren Shan series by Darren Shan: Two main differences in Darren’s vampire series - the main character is male, and not a vampire, just a human who gets coaxed into the vampire lifestyle.

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is found in the anthology, Murder for Christmas edited by Thomas Godfrey. This story features Dr. Watson, who is the narrator, and Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes work together to solve a mystery. Sherlock informs Dr. Watson that he can tell something about the man by his hat. Dr. Watson was amazed by Sherlock Holmes’ observations and how he comes to a conclusion about someone. Peterson, who was the commissonaire, was also a character in the story. He was the one who brought the goose and the hat to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The owner of the hat and the goose dropped them during his escape from his crime. He was in too big a hurry to escape to think about the things he left behind.

Sherlock Holmes wrote an ad for the paper about the goose and the hat and where the owner could find them. There is also a blue carbuncle that Holmes found.

Now, you’ll have to read the story to find out what happens.

The following link will take you to the book where you find out more information:
Murder For Christmas

The Kidnapping by Janet Kay Blaylock is the next book in the series after The Secret of Cedar Tree Mansion. This book features Christy, Megan, Penny, Ron, Abby, and Randy, who is Ron’s twin brother. Christy disappears in this book and Megan can’t remember what happens to her. As time goes by, she starts to remember some things that have happened. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens to Christy and see if the others locate her.

This series, The Cedar Tree Mysteries, features Penny, Abby, Christy, and Megan. They form a book club called Cedar Tree Mystery Book Club. They discuss different elements in books such as plot, characters, settings, different short stories, and others. Each element relates to some clue in the mystery.

To view this book, you can click on the following link:
The Kidnapping

The Secret of Cedar Tree Mansion by Janet Blaylock is the next book after Romance On A Deserted Island - Or Is It? In this book, Penny and Ron move into Cedar Tree Mansion. Christy, Megan, and Abby also move in with them. They occupy the finished basement, which has three bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and a utility room. On the property is a small house where the girls decide to have their book club, which is Cedar Tree Mysteries Book Club, and their office.

The girls come across different clues that they are to solve in order to solve the big mystery - Ron’s disappearance. These clues come to them in different ways. Some of them are puzzles they have to solve.

You’ll have to read the book so you can find out what happens to Ron and how the girls solve their mysteries. The following link is where the book is mentioned and how you can purchase it. The Secret of Cedar Tree Mansion

Mr. Big by Woody Allen was an interesting short story. It was about God. The narrator, Kaiser Lupowitz, had a woman named Heather Butkiss enter his office. They talked about God. Heather had questions about God and wanted to know how to find Him. She told Mr. Lupowitz that she was taking a course on Western religion and wanted to know about God. She also admitted that her name wasn’t Heather Butkiss. She said it was Claire Rosensweig. Their conversation continued about God and other religions. She wanted Mr. Lupowitz to look for God and provide information for her. Now, you’ll have to read the story to find out what happened .

Murder For Christmas

Do you enjoy reading mysteries? If you do, you might like reading this anthology of short stories by authors such as Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Rex Stout, Ngaio Marsh, Charles Dickens, and many other classic writers. One short story I read was Back for Christmas by John Collier. It was an interesting story. Dr. Carpenter was the main character. He and his wife were going to be gone for, but his wife said they would return to England by Christmas. However, something happened, and they didn’t return. Now, you’ll have to read the story to find out what happened.

Murder for Christmas

Are you interested in a book of mini-mysteries? If you are, then you might enjoy reading my newest book, Creative Mini-Mysteries for Creative Minds I have several mini-mysteries that I wrote for anyone who enjoys reading stories that you have to solve. My first story titled Sadey, the Pet Detective features Sadey, my Chihuahua, and my other three dogs: Penny, Tippy, and Cassie. This story is based on a situation with Sadey. One day, my dad and I looked for his sun glasses. We couldn’t find them. We continued to search his bedroom, but we stil couldn’t locate them. Neither one of us had any idea what happened to his sun glasses. Later on, I was working on my computer, and my dad was in the living room with me. We heard some kind of noise in the hallway. I got up and walked into the hallway. I couldn’t believe my eyes - Sadey was playing with my dad’s sun glasses. We never did know where she found them, but we were glad she did.

I decided to write a story featurig Sadey, the Pet Detective since she was good at locating items. For more information about the story and the other ones in the book, you click on the following link.
Creative Mini-Mysteries for Creative Minds

Have you read any books by Lee Child? If you haven’t, you might enjoy checking out his website: Lee Child

His detective is Jack Reacher. I started reading this book and have been intrigued. I happened to pick up this book and Persuader in the teacher’s lounge when I was subbing. I thought these books sounded exciting and wanted them.

The following website lists his books and short stories that he’s written. The Hard Way is the tenth book in the series. Killing Floor is the first book in the series.
Books

Hey kids or anyone who is interested in reading a collection of short stories, you can go to the following link to find a book for you to read.
Short Stories for Children

Parents, if your children are having trouble with reading comprehension, then this book is for you. I have short stories with questions at the end of each story for you to ask your children or have them write out the questions and answers. Ths book has all types of stories in it such as stories where children will learn a lesson and stories for fun such as the haunted house story.

Besides the link above, you can also view it and my other books by going to the following link:

Crime Files: Four-Minute Forensic Mysteries by Jeremy Brown is a good book for children or adults who enjoy reading short mysteries. There are several stories. At the end of each story, readers are given the detective’s comments as to how he knew what happened and how he solved the case. Children and adults would be interested in reading this book.

If you are intrigued by legal thrillers and dogs, you might enjoy reading Play Dead by David Rosenfelt. This book features Andy Carpenter, who is a lawyer. His golden retriever, Tara, also helps him solve a case. During his invesigation, he finds out that Tara is a witness to the murder that happened a few years ago. Now, you’ll have to read it to find out if the court will let Tara testify.

For more information about the book, you can go to the following link:
Play Dead

If you enjoy reading legal thrillers, you might enjoy reading Dark Harbor by Stuart Woods. The book features Stone Barrington. He inherits a vacation house in Maine. He also is involved in investigating a murder.

For more information, you can go to the following link:
Dark Harbor

Do you enjoy reading legal thrillers? If you do, you might like reading Malice by Robert K. Tanenbaum. The book features Butch Karp, who is the District Attorney in New York. He came close to being assasinaed, and now, he wants to find out who is responsible for his attempted assassination and the murders of six children.

For more information about Malice by Robert K. Tanenbaum, you can go to the following link.
Malice

Dead Days of Summer by Carolyn G. Hart is one of the books in the Death on Demand Series. Annie Darling, who is the owner of the bookstore, has to investigate her husband’s disappearance. She doesn’t know where he is or what happened, but his car was abandoned, and a body of a woman was found close to the car. The murder weapon was also there. Annie is worried about her husband, Max, and doesn’t know what to think, but she does know that he’s not capable of murder.

For more information about the book, you can go to the following link:
Dead Days of Summer