Sunday 17 November 2013

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY -- Upholding Law and Disorder by PC Surname -- Tales from the Front Line


Title - Upholding Law & Disorder: Police Tales from the Front Line

Author - PC Surname

Buy Links
Amazon UK - Click here 
Amazon US - Click here
Goodreads - Click here

Synopsis - 

Neurotic, excitable, unpredictable, potentially dangerous - and that's just the police officers!

Drunk drivers, feral children, drug barons, violent prisoners, dying junkies, wild gypsies, gun-toting gangsters, angry taxpayers, budget cuts and delusional senior officers - PC Surname and the rest of 'A Shift' do battle against them all.

Jump in for a ride along as they go about their everyday jobs, fighting crime and protecting the public in this hilariously accurate portrayal of modern policing!


My Review 

Working as I do for my local police force in the UK, I am sadly addicted to these books about tales of life in the Police Force. I think it's some bizarre thing about whether other Police Forces experience the same as we do in our force. Obviously when you read the books you do not know what Police Force the author works for, and you look for some sort of link as to whether they work for your own force. The trouble is of all the books I've read, they could all work for the same force as me. So either we have lots of published authors, or it's the same story nationwide with the types of people our Officers come across on a daily basis.

I loved the way the author had written this book had written this book as it would make the reader wonder if this was actually fact or fiction. Sometimes the story was a bit laboured but I think that's maybe because I've heard it all before, but someone not working for the police may find it more interesting. Although the author says it's fiction, I'm sure that some of the characters were based on his "customers", as we have many that are very similar, so he is obviously speaking from experience. Good all round read if not a bit lengthy in parts.
 
 


Excerpt - 

The poorest area of the township is without doubt the Chavington Manor Estate - home to a hard-working, honest majority; as well as some of the worst examples of humanity society has to offer. It's the start of a Late shift and I am sent to the estate to investigate complaints from local residence of that most heinous of crimes in progress - knock down ginger. After just a few minutes of searching I find a gaggle of youths matching the description passed.
The group skip over and converse with me through the open car window: "Hello Mister, what are doing around here?" enquires a cheeky twelve year old Tyrone who I have met a few times before during the course of my duties.
   "Oh, not much," I reply, "just patrolling to make sure you lot are safe."
   "Cool car. I want to be a police officer when I'm older," says a freckly little lad in a Man United shirt, a little younger than Tyrone.
   "Well that's good-" I start to say, surprised to have one future cadet in the making...
   "Yeah, so that I can get a gun and shoot up all the junkies and dealers around here."
Oh dear. Kids grow up fast in 'The Manor'; at that age I was more interested in collecting Pogs and playing with my He-man action figures, not gunning down members of the narcotics trade.
   "Where possible we try not to shoot people; instead we arrest them, give them a fair trial, rehabilitate them, address the underlying issues that caused them to turn to crime, before introducing them carefully back into society and, where necessary, monitor them closely," even I'm not buying that and by the look on his face Freckles is not convinced either.
   "Can I see your gun, officer?"
   "Don't have one, sorry," I disappoint in reply. Although technically my incapacitant spray is considered a prohibited 'firearm' under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968, I think Freckles wants to see something a little more impressive than that which resembles a miniature can of deodorant.
   "Why was the helicopter up over our house last night, Mister?" asks another.
   "I don't know," is my honest reply.
   "I heard someone set fire to a stolen car, is that true?" enquires one more.
Possibly, but before I can answer: "No, I heard there was a riot and a man got killed?"
That's less likely.
   "I bet it was to do with drugs wasn't it?"
The questions are coming thick and fast now.
   "Can I have a ride in the back of your car, copper?" asks Tyrone before I can answer the last.
   "I think you've been in the back of my car before, Tyrone; remember Tesco's?"
   "Oh yeah," he laughs.
More children are now flocking to my panda like it's a homing beacon and I'm giving out free fast food to anyone under the age of fifteen. "How fast does your car go?" asks the only girl in the group.
   "Well I had 115mph out of it on the bypass once," I go on, before remembering the reason I came to the area in the first place: "Anyway kids," getting back on track, "have you seen anyone knocking on people's doors and running away?"
   "No!" they all shout together unconvincingly, broad smiles across most faces, conspicuously few expressions of guilt across others.
   "Okay, well if it was you, please don't do it any more as it's a bit annoying."
   "Okay!" they all shout again.
   "Give us a go with your Taser?"
   "Right, I better be going..."


The second book from PC Surname, serving police constable and author of the Amazon best seller 
'I Pay Your Wages! A Beginners Guide to the Police Service':

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 


image courtesy of vector graphics
Obviously not the author himself/herself
I am serving police Constable in a UK police force and have been for a few years. I also enjoy writing in my spare time and wanted to write a book that people around the country could enjoy.
The general public are fascinated by the police. This is why the TV listings are full of drama series and "fly-on-the-wall" documentaries, not to mention all the cop movies on the big screen. Like so many I also enjoy these shows, BUT I still watch them and think "that's not what I do at work!". So I decided to write a beginners guide to what serving police officers REALLY do, every day and night in the UK. My book is intended to give an interesting, light hearted, insightful but - most importantly - accurate portrayal of what my colleagues and I do on the streets of the UK. If you are interested in a police career this publication is for you.
Thank you for taking the time to check out this page and I hope you enjoy the book!

AUTHORS LINKS

Twitter - Click here
Facebook - Click here
Smashwords - Click here
PC Surname Blog - Click here


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday 16 November 2013

MY SECRET OBSESSION - Journals!! And more Journals....

 
 
MY OBSESSION WITH JOURNALS
 
 
 
 
If anyone ever wanted to put a big smile on my face, apart from buying me books, the next best thing would be to buy me a pretty journal.
 
My obsession with them started in Texas. I'd gone there on my annual vacation to stay with friends and my friend took me to TJ Maxx (as they call it in the US). I was enthralled by all the designs they had on offer. I always head to the stationery section of big stores anyway as I love nice writing papers and pens too.  So I thought I'd show you some of my favourites. I never pay more than about $5 US for them and I always end up with beautiful ones. I also buy them for friends as gifts.
 
As I am obsessed with travelling, the one above just had to be a travel journal, and that is exactly what it is used for. I love Paris and all things Parisian so this was ideal. I put all my travel experiences in it, including people I meet on my way.
 
 
 
This is the one I use to write all my book reviews in before I post them onto my blog or Goodreads. It has a beautiful flap which is magnet and makes a great book mark too which you can see below. 
 
I could just write it up on a piece of scrap paper and then write it onto the computer, but there is just something special about writing it up first in my journal.
 
Below is the start of a book review I wrote for The Handfasting by David Burnett.
 


For those that do book reviews, how do you do yours? Do you write them on paper first or do you write them straight up on the computer?

What obsessions do you have?

Well I am off to the USA again in about 24 hours time and I am sure I will come back with more journals. I may share them or I may even offer one as a prize. Watch this space.



Friday 15 November 2013

PRE RELEASE REVIEW & GIVEAWAY - Jumping Ship by Janice Ross - Novella



A pre-release novella to the Island Hopping Series
66 pages

The year was nineteen seventy-five. Pregnant seamstress, Petrina Dugal, became a runaway at the age of twenty-six. She ran away from a brutish husband, Roger, and a well-loved South American home in Georgetown, Guyana; at the heart of her rebellion – an enigmatic lover named Michael Chen. Pet and Mikey allowed love to blossom in front of her police officer husband and an intrusive community. Were they not aware of the dangers? Or did the pursuit of love trump obligations?

Pet and Mikey’s journey to their new life took them through a multitude of the Caribbean’s treasure trove of islands – Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, and Saint Lucia. More than a month later their voyage landed them at JFK airport, in New York USA. And they disappeared, as though their existence was a myth. During this time, barren couple, Pearl and Edward Bailey stumbled upon a newborn baby girl. Her cries could only be heard by a true mother, which Pearl immediately became. Bundled up with their new child, they discovered a parcel of artifacts and a scribbled note that read: Sakkara.
Sakkara Riley grew up with two loving parents – adoptive parents to be exact. She never knew the circumstances surrounding her discovery, until the age of sixteen. The personal artifacts that were handed over had haunted her from that point on. After eight more years, including much research and probing, she was given the opportunity to begin her journey of self-discovery.

“Jumping Ship” provides the introduction to Sakkara’s attempts to commune with her true heritage.

MY REVIEW 

I was given this book to read by the promoter in exchange for my honest review.


From the synopsis, I thought this book was full of promise, and I was looking forward to reading it. I was however left feeling a little disappointed. I expected that with it being a novella, it would be like other novella's I had read; a short story that had a start, a middle and an end. This was not the case however as it just came to an abrupt end and I felt very let down.  This was obviously left so that you have to buy the next book as it is part of a series, but I found it frustrating.  I could have learnt all I needed about this book just from the synopsis.

I did however like the authors descriptive narrative of Guyana and I would like to have heard more. 

I do think that it shows promise though for turning it into a series, but I hope that the author doesn't end each book so abruptly.

Personally, if they don't have a start, middle and end, I would prefer to pay more and read it as one book, as I do think that the author has a nice fluid style of writing I enjoy and I would love to read the story from start to end. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janice was born in Guyana, South America and migrated to the USA in 1980. Although her citizenship certificate now reads the United States of America, she considers herself a citizen of the world. Sure she has not physically been around the world and back, she’s travelled in her mind and dreams.

Janice is an author. She enjoys writing about social issues and personal experiences. Her latest release, Jumping Ship is a dedication to her country of birth and an introductory novella to the Island Hopping Series – due out in 2014. It’s poised to be a colorful and emotional experience of life, love and family.

Janice enjoys reading. And is drawn to stories with distinct characters that she can love or hate - characters she can form alliances with or characters that she can swear off and despise. She is also weak for a good cultural tale, preferably in the form of historical fiction - whether present day or in the past. Janice love to be taken off guard by clever language or settings.

Janice is also a devout supporter and promoter of other authors through social media. She hosts a weekly show, Cultural Cocktails, on the largest social radio network, Blog Talk Radio.
Links


Jumping Ship is touring with Fiction Addiction 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 14 November 2013

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY - The Most Powerful Women in the Middle Ages -- Melissa & Michael Rank

The Most Powerful Women in the Middle Ages: Queens, Saints, and Viking Slayers, From Empress Theodora to Elizabeth of Tudor

by Michael & Melissa Rank

About The Authors

Melissa Rank writes extensively on intercultural communication and health on her blog http://hungaryforturkey.wordpress.com. An avid traveler, she has taught English as a Second Language in many countries, including Indonesia, Turkey, Hungary and Rwanda.
She is currently enjoying taking care of her young daughter and navigating the terrain of motherhood, and unlike many of the women in this book, has no plans of taking over the country or the world any time soon.






Michael Rank is a doctoral candidate in Middle East history. He has studied Turkish, Arabic,
Persian, Armenian, and French but can still pull out a backwater Midwestern accent if need be. He also worked as a journalist in Istanbul for nearly a decade and reported on religion and human rights.
He does his best to help out Melissa raise their daughter, whom he secretly hopes can one day be in a book like this. But he would like her to seize power without having to go through all those marriages to surly men, of course. Michael is also the author of the #1 Amazon best-seller “From Muhammed to Burj Khalifa: A Crash Course in 2,000 Years of Middle East History,” and “History's Worst Dictators: A Short Guide to the Most Brutal Leaders, From Emperor Nero to Ivan the Terrible.”



About The Book

Genre: History | Women's Studies
Publisher: Five Minute Books
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Buy: Amazon


The idea of a powerful woman in the Middle Ages seems like an oxymoron. Females in this time are imagined to be damsels in distress, trapped in a high tower, and waiting for knights to rescue them, all while wearing traffic-cones for a hat. After rescue, their lives improved little. Their career choices were to be a docile queen, housewife, or be burned at the stake for witchcraft.
But what if this image of medieval women is a complete fiction?
It turns out that it is. Powerful female rulers fill the Middle Ages. Anglo-Saxon queen Aethelflaed personally led armies into direct combat with Vikings in the 900s and saved England from foreign invasion. Byzantine Empress Theodora kept the empire from falling apart during the Nika Revolts and stopped her husband Justinian from fleeing Constantinople. Catherine of Siena almost single-handedly restored the papacy to Rome in the 1300s and navigated the brutal and male-dominated world of Italian politics. Joan of Arc completely reversed the fortunes of France in the Hundred Years War and commanded assaults on English fortresses despite being an illiterate 17-year-old peasant.
This book will look at the lives of the ten most powerful women in the Middle Ages. Whether it is the famed scholar Anna Komnene, who wrote the first narrative history, or Ottoman Queen Mother K̦sem Sultan, who ruled the Islamic empire through three of her sons Рall these women held extraordinary levels of power at a time when women were thought to not have any.
It will explore how they managed to ascend the throne, what made their accomplishments so notable, and the impact they had on their respective societies after their deaths. It will also describe the historical background of these women, their cultures, and what about it helped or hindered their rise.
Their stories still echo down to today. They are a testimony to the resiliency of individuals to accomplish extraordinary things, even if society puts on them enormous constraints.



Excerpts

part 1 excerpt

Lady Aethelflaed of the Mercians (872-918): Midwife of England, Viking Slayer
The story of Lady Aethelflaed is literally one of epic proportions. She led England's two southern kingdoms against the Danish Vikings, crushing their armies due to her bravery and tactical brilliance, and creating a united England. When J.R.R. Tolkien was a professor of Anglo Saxon studies at Oxford University, he likely used her life as an inspiration for Eowyn, Lady of Rohan, in “The Lord of the Rings.”

If so, Tolkien could not have paid a higher compliment to a historical figure. It was Eowyn who slew the Lord of the Nazgul, among the fiercest enemies in his series. Other similarities between the two women are numerous. Both faced down terrifying enemies at a time of doom. Both led battle charges on horseback into pitched battles. And both left behind a better society than the one they ruled.

Born in 870, Aethelflaed was the eldest child of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and Queen Ealhswith. Her father was a widely respected commander who won a battle in Edington against the Vikings in 862, freeing western Mercia from their control. As she grew up, Alfred kept his daughter at his side and gave her military instruction that was usually only reserved for men. He taught Aethelflaed the use of weapons, military strategy, and the forming of legal and economic policies. She watched him assemble a navy, collect taxes, promote trade, and protect the church.

Her father put Aethelflaed into an arranged marriage to consolidate his domains, but matrimony did not temper her martial spirit. During a journey from Wessex to Mercia, Aethelflaed and her wedding party were attacked by Vikings. The assault was likely done to prevent an alliance between Wessex and Mercia. Whatever the reason, the Vikings suffered the fierce wrath of interfering with a bride while preparing for her wedding. Her military upbringing did not leave her unprepared during the surprise attack.

She fought alongside her bodyguards, protecting the maids and dowry. When the battle turned against them, Aethelflaed and her men retreated into a castle, which by then most of her attendants had been killed and her dowry looted. Despite being outnumbered, they eventually struck down every last one of their assailants. Only she, her maidservant, and a bodyguard survived. This episode perhaps ranks her as the most lethal Bridezilla in history.











Wednesday 13 November 2013

BOOK TOUR - Woman on Top - Deborah Schwartz -- Women's Fiction.

Publisher: Laudan Press (May 30, 2013)
Genres: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Tour Dates: November 2013
Available in: Print & ebook, 346 pages
A Woman’s Struggle To Find Herself After Losing Everything She Believed Was Important.
We hear a great deal in the media about women who become victims of wealthy and powerful men. Like a breath of fresh air, the heroine in Deborah Schwartz’s inspiring book, Woman on Top, does escape becoming yet another casualty… literally…all the way to the top of a mountain!
New York, NY, September 4, 2013 - One has to wonder has anything changed since Nora slammed the door over a hundred years ago in Ibsen’s iconic play A Doll’s House? Deborah Schwartz made sure that they did in her timely novel, Woman on Top (Laudan Press).  Like a breath of fresh air, the heroine in Deborah Schwartz’s inspiring book, Woman on Top shows the way things have changed…all the way to the top of a mountain!
Book Description:
Falling prey to Len, a very wealthy Wall Street banker who is hell-bent on acquiring her as his next deal, Kate struggles after the death of her husband to keep control amidst the detours of a tempestuous New York romance. As witness to a world of power and greed that life in New York offers to a vulnerable woman, can Kate ultimately rescue herself from the lure that is Len’s world?
Throughout this compelling story, which is inspired by actualevents from the author’s own life, Schwartz cleverly weaves self-empowering thoughts into her heroine’s exploits, making it less the ‘damsel in distress’ and more the infinitely successful ‘woman on top!’ In this amazing look at a woman’s journey to finding herself, readers will both laugh and cry as they relate to Kate and her decisions, emotions and experiences.
While following her quest for a reaffirmation of life and love, including a surprising adventure, Kate’s story touches on the unexpected pleasures and decisions we face throughout our lives. Readers who have dreamed of, or survived, a “Len” in their lives, will recognize themselves in Kate as she searchesto find what matters most in her new life. What does a 35 year-old woman who seems to have it all do when the rug is pulled out from under her? Kate’s struggle to find inner strength on her journey down a slippery slope with a Wall Street man leaves readers wondering and rooting for her to land as the ‘woman on top.’
Praise for Woman On Top:
“Every now and then you find a book that you have difficulty putting down. Last month, I had that experience with the novel Woman on Top, released May 30, 2013 by first time author Deborah Schwartz. Readers may snicker about the title assuming this is a poorly written shallow romance novel; however, quite the opposite is true. The title is a double entendre and refers to the empowerment of a woman.”Kristin Meekhof, Huffington Post
“The reader will go through a range of emotions but will not want to put this book down since Woman on Top is inspirational, entertaining, and heartbreaking as Kate straddles two completely different worlds.”Elise Cooper, Working Mother
“The writer Deborah Schwartz, in her novel “Woman on Top,” demonstrates her writing chops by the way she deftly shifts between two literary genres: romance and pathography. The language she uses and the tones she creates align with the chapters covering the stormy romance of the main character and the intense and ultimately tragic illness experience of the main character’s husband.  In this way, the author makes the reader feel deep sympathy for the main character as the story concerns her husband’s plight, yet feel great frustration with the main character as the story concerns her romance. The author makes us wonder how someone who is so clear and soulful can also be so vulnerable and superficial. She’s probably telling us that we’re just stuck with these seemingly contradictory attributes and characteristics. We’re all capable of manifesting a range of behaviors that work against our self interests and that are determined by circumstances beyond our control. Thus, while Woman on Top tells the excruciatingly sad story of an untimely death and the story of a tempestuous romance with its own pathology, the novel has more to tell about us humans.”JRT, Amazon Reviewer
“You know those great books that from the first sentence (and the cool cover art) grab your attention, and make you want to read it? Well, this is one of those. Settle in, and get ready for a great ride. Schwartz alternately made me laugh and cry out loud over and over in this funny, sad, sexy, entertaining novel. A psychotherapist, I found myself cheering for Kate, as she brings us with her on her journey , refusing to abandon her true self while rebuilding her life after tragedy. Schwartz also deftly paints a picture of the ups and downs of monied NY dating that makes us non-east coast people shake our heads in wonder in this absorbing and fun summer treat.”littlesrink, Amazon Reviewer 
“The most life-affirming book I’ve read all year! “Woman on Top” is a testament to all women who have overcome adversity (in life and in love) through strength of character and a sheer zest for living. After losing the love of her life, Kate finds herself in the arms of a powerful New York banker who prides himself on being able to give a woman everything she could want, and more. But can he? Schwartz’s book speaks to an essential ingredient for happiness–finding your inner strength. “Woman on Top” will make you laugh and cry and laugh and cry again. If you are in danger of losing faith in true love…or in yourself, read this book now!”lilybrat, Amazon Reviewer
 About Deborah Schwartz:
Born and raised in New York, Deborah Schwartz graduated from Tufts University and then obtained her Masters in History at Columbia University where she wrote a thesis on “Feminism in Eighteenth Century England.” She received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Today, Deborah’s passion is writing and she incorporated her achievement of having reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2011 into her debut novel. A New Yorker to the core, Deborah is most grateful to be the mother of her two grown children.  For more information, please visit: www.deborahschwartz.net.
Buy Woman On Top:
Follow the Tour: Some tours are offering a giveaway!
So Many Precious books Nov 7 Spotlight, Guest Post & Giveaway
From L.A. to LA Nov 8 Review
Paperback Writer Nov 8 Guest Post
Chick Lit Central Nov 11 One Week Feature
Deal Sharing Aunt Nov 12 Review
Teena In Toronto Nov 13 Review
Bookalicious Travel Addict Nov 13 Spotliight
Rainy Days & Mondays Nov 14 Review
Celtic Lady Nov 15 Review
Mom in Love with Fiction Nov 18 Review
Sweeps 4 Bloggers Nov 19 Review & Giveaway
Mina’s Bookshelf Nov 20 Review
Mina’s Bookshelf Nov 21 Interview
Most Happy Reader Nov 21 Review
Most Happy Reader Nov 22 Interview & Giveaway
Saving for Six Nov 25 Review
Every Free Chance Nov 25 Guest Post  & Giveaway
Romance & Inspiration Nov 26 Review
Joy Story Nov 27 Review               

Tuesday 12 November 2013

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY - Books Aren't Just for Reading -- Laina Turner -- Mystery Romance


 
The Trixie Pristine Series
by Laina Turner
 
Title - Books aren't just for reading
 
Author - Laina Turner
 
Synopsis
 
Trixie and her friends, Berklie and Sophie, are excited about the opening of Read/Wine their new business venture of a bookstore/wine bar. All is going well until they happen to find a dead body in the shop and that wasn’t part of the business plan. All signs pointed to Berklie since it was her ex-husbands lover who was murdered. Trixie knew Berklie hadn’t murdered Sylvia so who did?
Available on KindleNookKoboSmashwords, and iTunes. Listen to it on Audible and iTunes.


 
 

About The Author:
Who am I? It kind of depends on the day. I am a human compendium of unrelated things. I used to think I was just weird, had shiny ball syndrome and couldn’t focus, scattered, you name it. Then I decided it was OK to be all over the place as long as each avenue I wanted to explore had meaning and purpose or was fun. So I embrace the fact I am a college professor, a writer of fiction and non-fiction, promoter of other authors, human resource professional, business consultant, mom, and all around interesting person (according to my closest friends).

When I’m not working toward my goals I like, ok fine, LOVE wine, coffee, shopping, and books. I enjoy my kids, they are awesome. I hate the cold but yet live in the mid-west. Vegas is one of my favorite spots as I love to people watch and if I ever get married again it will definitely be in a drive through chapel by a fake Elvis.
 
 

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY -- Head Games by Erika Rummel

HEAD GAMES - By Erika Rummel

Publisher: Guernica Editions; 1st edition (April 30, 2013)
Category: Literary Fiction, Adventure, Suspense
Tour Date: September, 2013
ISBN: 978-1550716870
Available in: Print & pdf,  200Pages
Argentina, 1979.  Life has gone stale on Jim, an expat working in Catamarca. Everything is predictable until he meets Lisa. She has the starry eyes, the sensuous lips, and the tango steps that make all rational assumptions go away.  Jim gives her top marks for animation but there is a flashing beacon at the end of his tip sheet: Danger. Lisa is a little too intense, a little too crazy, a woman with too many scenes playing in her head.
That doesn’t faze Santos, a curandero looking for a medium to channel the spirits of the dead and attract his lost sister. He lures Lisa to his compound in northern Argentina, where she becomes a pawn in a deadly family feud. Jim goes in search of Lisa. Tracking her down turns into a double mission — delivering Lisa from her captors and himself from the confining routine of his life.
It takes a fantastic journey through rugged back country for Jim to realize how much he loves Lisa.  The story unfolds against the background of a country in the grip of a military junta. It is a place where kidnapping, violence, and death no longer make headlines, a place where you learn survival skills.
Praise for Head Games:
“An author with a powerful imagination. A complex plot that takes us to Argentina in the late seventies with compelling characters even though you often feel like beating some common sense into the heroine. Many ironic remarks indirectly criticizing our modern time that make you smile. A good read, beautifully written.”-J. Ragache C.T., Amazon.com Reviewer
“Identity’s a big theme in this work, so if you’ve ever felt you were someone other than yourself, if you thought you might like to try living in someone else’s skin, if you’ve wondered whether your friends and loved ones were not exactly who they claimed to be, then this psychological labyrinth might just be your winding road to a good read”.- Carole Giangrande, Words to Go
Having read Rummel’s “Playing Naomi” I couldn’t wait to get hold of her next novel. And I wasn’t disappointed – as one often is with second works. What a fertile imagination she has to dream up.
As before, Rummel offers some quirky characters, lovingly sketched, and twists and turns in the plot that kept my interest throughout. I love her sense of humour, her wonderful irony. And the way she makes you enter the head (games) of the heroine. The three men are wacky and interesting too. The trip to Argentina you can take for free!
The novel is beautifully written. A joy to read. Can’t wait for the next one!! Keep writing.”- Katarina, Amazon.ca Reviewer
Praise for Playing Naomi:
“Suspenseful & riveting.  What a wonderful debut novel! Once I started reading, I simply couldn’t put it down. I want a sequel! This imaginative story about role playing is not just about the protagonist (Liz) impersonating an eccentric author (Naomi), but touches on broader issues about what can happen while we play roles.
What I found particularly fascinating and unique about Playing Naomi was how Rummel interrupts her narrative with excerpts from Naomi’s (fictive) novel. 
This novel within the novel provides a suspenseful and compelling backdrop to Liz’s story.
Rummel’s psychological insights, fine sense of irony, quirky characters, fluid style, and ability to create and keep the suspense make this a riveting read.”- Carina, Amazon.com Reviewer
“Playing Naomi is a tightly woven novel with great descriptive passages and a gripping story. I really felt for Liz when she is confronted by one of Naomi’s old friends without warning, while impersonating Naomi. It explores the complexities of taking on someone else’s life while trying to live your own, against a back drop of reviving the past in order to make peace with it. It was a quick read, but the characters and story stayed with me.”- N. McIntosh, Amazon.com Reviewer
About Erika Rummel:OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Erika Rummel was awarded a Random House Creative Writing Award in 2011. She is the author of more than a dozen non-fiction  books (social history, biography, translation) and two novels, Playing Naomi (2009) and Head Games (2013).
Erika came to Canada from Vienna and obtained a doctorate from the University of Toronto. She divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles, but has also lived in small villages in Argentina, Romania, and Bulgaria.
Playing Naomi has been praised as a wry comedy “reminiscent of the corrosive but jovial cynicism of media satires like The Larry Saunders Show and The Newsroom” (Cynthia Sugars in University of Toronto Quarterly).
Erika Rummel’s Website:: www.erikarummel.com 
Erika Rummel’s Blog: www.rummelsincrediblestories.blogspot.com
Buy Head Games:
Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious Books Nov 5 Review & Giveaway
Bookalicious Travel Addict Nov 12 Promo
Sweeps 4 Bloggers Nov 13 Review & Giveaway|
Compulsive Reader Nov 14 Guest Post
Carole Ramblings  Nov 15 Review
Ordinary Girlz  Nov 18 Review
Joy Story Nov 19 Review
Books, Books & More Books Nov 20 Review
Paperback Writer Nov 20 Guest Post
Buried Under Books Nov 21 Promo
From L.A. to LA Nov 22 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt Nov 25 Spotlight & Giveaway
The giveaway is for a print copy but for US and Canada only
a Rafflecopter giveaway