Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

Whistling In the Dark
New American Library
A Division of the Penguin Group
Published 2007

This book was recommended to me by author Rochelle Staab when we "met" discussing her new book coming out in November, Who Do, Voodoo?.  I was thrilled to learn she was from Wisconsin and she told me I had to read this book and that I would want to read it's sequel too, Good Graces. Thank you Rochelle!!!!

Whistling In the Dark takes place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1959, and is written from 10 year old Sally O'Malley's point of view. She has a little sister Troo, and a older sister Nell, her father was killed in a car accident, her mother then married Hall who is not much of a step father.  

Her mother ends up spending most of the summer in the hospital due to complications of surgery. Nell is caught up with her boyfriend and Hall is busy with another woman or has drown himself in liquor or both.  The two little girls are left on their own but it is back in the time when your neighbors knew everybody and everybody watched out for each other.  Sally and Troo were fed and taken care of my the good folks of the neighborhood.

The area is living in fear of a child molester and murderer.  Two little girls have gone missing and one was found dead in the park where Sally and Troo play everyday. Sally is sure she will be the next victim. She even believes she knows who the killer is and will do everything she can to keep her and her sister safe.

My Thoughts

There are so many reasons I loved this book.  First Sally has a very active imagination just like I was told I had while growing up so it was so easy to relate to her.  I wasn't born until 1961 but references in this book were true to what I remember or had been told as I grew up. The trips to the zoo brought back such memories. There must to be very few people from Southern Wisconsin that do not remember going to see the Gorilla named Sampson at the Milwaukee Public Zoo!

"The Ape That Made Milwaukee Famous"

Beyond the memories this story churned up, it is marvelously written.  Funny, surprising, and full of charm yet tragic in places. Sally's innocence will have you laughing one minute and wiping a tear from your eye the next. All the characters were wonderfully created. 

The story reminds us of simpler times, when kids played outside until the streetlights came on and the neighbors watched out and took care of your skinned knees or brought out a plate of cookies to share. I understand completely why it was a national bestseller. This book is definitely a must read, plus a sequel to the bookGood Graces that came out in September and I can't wait to get my hands on it.  I am anxious to read everything by this author.

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THANK YOU ROCHELLE!!!

WISCONSIN

Author of Releasing Gillian's Wolves Tara Woolpy (Giveaway too!)

Earlier this summer I was thrilled to receive, read and review Releasing Gillian's Wolves because it is set in my state of Wisconsin and Tara is a Wisconsin author too.  I loved the book so much I invited Tara to Dollycas's Thoughts to Guest Post.  She is here today!!!

Welcome Tara!!

Thank you for inviting me Lori.  I am happy you enjoyed my book.

My novel, Releasing Gillian’s Wolves, tells the story of a woman married to an unfaithful politician. He’s cheated on her many times over the years, she’s caught him, their kids have caught him, and yet she stays. What I wanted to explore in the book was the question of why a woman like that would stay and what might drive her to leave.

Politicians live under constant public scrutiny, which makes it all the more baffling when they act as if their private lives were invisible.  I’ve read all sorts of explanations of why they do it from narcissism to thrill-seeking. Or maybe they simply forget anyone’s watching. Whatever the reason, it happens a lot.

And almost all of these men have wives whose every reaction is watched, discussed and judged. Maria Schriver has written several books, earned a Peabody and an Emmy but the thing we’re most interested in lately is, when did she know and shouldn’t she have left him earlier? And sometimes, the scandal is so embarrassing you wonder how the family will make it through the next Thanksgiving dinner.

Take the example of Indiana State Representative Phil Hinkle (and I have  a wonderful friend to thank for bringing this one to my attention). Here’s a family values kind of Republican who cosponsored a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. But he also exchanged a number of emails with an 18 year old who had listed his services in the m4m section of Craigslist. They settled on a price and agreed to meet. At the hotel, the kid freaked when he discovered he was about to have sex with a politician. When he was refused, Hinkle groped him then exposed himself. Ugh. Finally the young man’s sister came to the rescue. Hinkle tried to buy their silence with an iPad, his Blackberry and $100 (for all the sordid details check out the Indianapolis Star’s coverage). In what must have been a horrendous evening, the Hinkle family and the young man’s sister exchanged a series of phone calls and emails culminating in Barbara Conti Hinkle offering the sister $10,000 to stay silent.

When I Google Barbara Conti Hinkle the first two hits I get are the Wikipedia article on her husband (already updated with the scandal which broke two weeks ago) and the archived 1976 newspaper article about the birth of her first child. Two very different moments in her life.

I know that a lot of people are going to be appalled that Barbara appears to be sticking with Phil and even offered money to try and make it all disappear. But I get it, and I think Gillian would too. Whatever the reality of the Hinkle marriage, the fact is that from now on she and her children will be defined by her husband’s bad behavior.  Leaving his personal hypocrisy aside, the salacious details of an old man forcing himself on a barely legal boy are not the legacy she had hoped for her children. Let’s hope, like Gillian, she has good friends to help her through. And maybe she could use some double chocolate survive anything brownies. 

~Tara


About Tara from Goodreads:
Tara Woolpy’s writing career has followed a somewhat unusual trajectory. Throughout her twenties and early thirties she worked hard to learn her craft. Her formal studies included a B.A. in English Literature from Whitworth College and a post graduate year at the Women Writers Center in Cazenovia, New York. In the 1980’s she published poems and short stories in small feminist journals, freelanced for an independent Seattle newspaper and wrote the novel destined for the bottom drawer. 


Eventually returning to school, she earned a couple graduate degrees in aquatic science and has spent the last several years in that field, most recently as a tenured professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. As such she published peer-reviewed technical papers and book chapters and edited reams of student writing. While science writing bears little resemblance to fiction, Tara’s academic career taught her to suffer criticism comfortably and relax in front of a crowd. Now that she teaches online, she has returned to fiction. 


Tara, Thank you for taking time out of your busy days to spend a little time with us.


Readers,
This is a must read!!! I highly recommend it and after you read it you are going to want to read more stories by Tara Woolpy.

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Tara is offering one copy of 

Releasing Gillian's Wolves for giveaway!

U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY

Followers will receive 2 Bonus Entries

Leave a comment for Tara for 5 more Bonus Entries

Winners will be chosen by Random.org

Contest Ends September 11 at 11:59 p.m. CST

Welcome Rhiannon Ellis - Author of Bonded in Brazil

Back in June I read a story in the local paper about a local author releasing two books.  Well this paper serves several communities in the area so I was quite shocked to find that this local author actually resides right here in our small village of less than 1500 people. I immediately sent her an email and asked for a review copy of Bonded in Brazil. After a couple of emails I was so happy that she agreed to do a guest post and that she is here today. 

Welcome Rhiannon!

Thank you, Lori, for letting me visit your blog today to share a little about myself and my work with your followers.

Twenty-two years ago, I sat at my desk in my third-grade classroom at Macintosh Elementary School when an announcement was made over the loud speakers.

“Rhiannon Hill is the second-place winner in the poetry contest for her poem, Rhiannon Virginia Hill Would Not Take Her Medicine Pill.”

Imagine my surprise and elation to learn that I’d won a contest for a poem I hadn’t even wanted to write, one I’d rushed through, jotted down in my worse penmanship, and totally forgotten about within five minutes of turning it in to my teacher.

Our passions are a lot like a wizard’s wand in Harry Potter. We don’t choose them; they choose us.

Placing second in that poetry contest was the first time I recall feeling like I was “good” at something—a pretty big moment for an 8-year-old. I rekindled that feeling many times throughout my childhood and teen years, occasionally scribbling a poem, short story or outlining a play on notebook paper. At first, I wrote to remind myself. Eventually, I wrote because I loved the art of creation…and the escape! And now, being the mother of a drama-queen 5-year-old and a rambunctious, all-boy 3-year-old, an occasional escape is needed…and well-deserved, thank you very much.

These days, I spend my time chasing my young kids around, tackling a never-ending pile of laundry (yuck!) and searching for the perfect anti-aging moisturizer. There isn’t a whole lot of quiet time for writing at my house, as you can imagine, but I’ve become quite talented at posing as a human jungle gym whilst typing away at my latest project.

I can pack the pages of my manuscripts full of glitz, glamor, love and sensuality, but behind the scenes is a different story! People often ask me how I manage it all; some even ask me why I’d want to. I admit adding writing to my already long list of tasks makes for a hefty load. Sometimes I get frustrated with how little time it leaves for doing my favorite chores, like laundry (sarcasm, sarcasm), but then I look at my children…

One day, perhaps soon, they’ll win a contest, or kick the winning goal, or do some small thing that makes them feel like they’re “good” at something. Like their weary mom, they’ll always remember that moment, and big dreams will spark in their little hearts. Then, one day a long time from now, they’ll get busy with real-life stuff, and lack of time and energy will tempt them to set aside their passions.

As their pain-in-the-butt, nag mother, I’ll not let that happen! But first, I lead by example. At least I hope I do.

BONDED IN BRAZIL, a contemporary romance with a loveable Brazilian heroine and vineyard setting, was released March 25, 2011—preceded by the release of my paranormal romance DARK WOLF PROTECTOR the week prior. And in August of 2012, readers will be able to get their hands on HARVESTING THE HEART, the sequel to Bonded in Brazil, featuring two of the minor characters in their own love story.

Yes, I’m one busy lady!

Thanks to anyone who stops by, reads and comments. If you happen to pick up one of my books, drop me a line to let me know what you thought! Until then…

Keep reading. Keep writing. And keep dreaming!

Rhiannon Ellis

www.RhiannonEllis.com

Thank you Rhiannon so much for dropping by. Your story is inspuring. I can't wait to get my hands on Harvesting The Heart!! 

Now let me tell you about Bonded in Brazil!

Camel Press

Available Now 

ISBN-10: 1603818464

ISBN-13: 978-1603818469

Eliana Menino is a very strong woman.  When she learns that her father has missed a few loan payments to their investors and their family vineyard is about lost after four generations of hard grueling work she steps in to make a deal of her own. She offers to work off the debt herself in service to a man she calls "Demonio".

She has never left her beautiful home in Brazil but when Hale Forester agrees to her terms she leaves her beautiful exotic home and flies to Napa Valley on Forester's private jet.

It doesn't take long for Eliana to realize the Hale Forester is not the ruthless man she thought he was or that he does have the power to break her heart.  Both their lives are about to change.

Oh this book was so good!!! It has all the necessary elements of the perfect romance, obsession, passion, intrigue, heat, betrayal and love.  The settings were superb, the characters engaging. The difference in cultures was well portrayed.  It is a well written memorable story as smooth as a fine wine and yet as steamy as Eliana's home of Brazil. I was drawn in before the end of the first page and could not escape its spell until the final word.  It was a story I didn't want to end so I am thrilled to learn there is a sequel coming soon!!  

This is a perfect beach read or the perfect book to escape into at any time of year!  The sequel can not be published soon enough!  Cheers Rhiannon, I loved this story!!!

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GIVEAWAY IN POST BELOW!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Camel Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

RELEASING GILLIAN'S WOLVES by Tara Woolpy

Bats in the Boathouse Press
Release Date: August 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 098320330X
ISBN-13: 978-0983203308
This appears to have been released early by Amazon.

I love featuring Wisconsin Authors and Books Set in Wisconsin and this story has both.  Tara will be here on August 30, with a guest post and a giveaway, so mark your calendars today.

Gillian has been been married to Jack Sach for thirty years. Throughout most of those years Jack has been a politician, currently he is a United States Congressman representing the great state of Wisconsin.  Gillian has always been the faithful, dutiful wife.  Hosting parties and fundraisers, takes care of her mother-in-law, was the parent  at home for their two children until they were grown.  Jack, of course travels a lot due to his job, but he has never been faithful. More affairs than Gillian can count, but she always turned a blind eye, to spare her family the public spotlight and humiliation that would occur if the affairs would be made public.

Gillian's grandfather was a very astute business man and he and his partner left their children very well off, they have a trust fund worth millions and 2 beautiful homes and property on a Northern Wisconsin lake.  Edward and Gillian grew up together almost like brother and sister and they are each other's rock.  Edward is openly gay, a successful photographer and in a new relationship, but has a past full of addiction and bad relationships.  Gillian has ways to escape from her everyday pain. She loves to cook and garden and is a painter, she can let her despair, sadness and aggression bleed out on her canvas, but leans heavily on Edward. 

Edwards life is hitting a great path and Gillian's is about to spiral out of control.  She will need him now more than ever.  She is starting to worry that she will never be happy and continues to worry about the effects her actions will not only have on her, but her children, her friends and even her mother-in-law. 

Gillian has a heart so big and a man in her life to stupid to appreciate it.  He is a man that thinks he can do no wrong and rules, vows and laws don't apply to him.

Tara Woolpy has given us characters to fall in love with and one big character to hate.  I loved it!!!!! When I started reading this book I thought it was going to be like one of my favorite television shows, The Good Wife, but Gillian blew that assumption away within the first chapters.  Gillian was beaten down on the inside and hemmed in on the outside trying to do the right things for everyone but herself.  When could she start living for herself not others? Ever?

This is the second book in a week that I could not put down.  Both debut novels.  Unbelievable!! 

This story is excellently written, flows at a perfect pace, has fabulous settings and wonderful characters.  A great piece of Woman's Fiction. While the book is nowhere near autobiographical the author knows her subject matter well.  Her mother represented Northern Idaho in the state senate seven times.  She works in the same academic field as Edward's new love and she currently lives in Northern Wisconsin the main setting of her story and I assume from the descriptions of other places in the book she has traveled a little bit in her lifetime.

Tara, I know you are teaching to pay the bills but you have a great gift given to very few, you are a wonderful storyteller.  I can't wait to read more of your work.

This is a book I highly recommend.  It should not be missed and you will want to read more from Tara Woolpy, I guarantee it.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

Is It Safe? by Jerol Anderson

Whiskey Creek Press
ISBN-10: 1603138838
ISBN-13: 978-1603138833

May Johnson leaves behind her mother, sister June, and her dull life in Minnesota for the big city of San Francisco.  It doesn't take long and she finds herself the girlfriend to a mobster and is the only witness to his murder.  The authorities try to make it look as if May was also killed and put her into the Witness Protection Program.  US Marshall Durst is assigned as her handler and she goes through 4 different identities to keep her barely one step ahead of the mobsters who want her dead and want something they believe she has.

We follow May from San Francisco to Chicago, to rural Wisconsin as she tries to blend in to each new identity and keep herself alive. There are plot twists and turns that keep the pages turning as this becomes a fast paced story.  It is very well written with an unexpected surprise some readers may find a little unbelievable but it sure is an interesting twist.  I am anxious to read more by this author.

The author is from my home state of Wisconsin and will be signing books at Book World in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin on July 9th from 10:30 - 2:00 p.m. Anderson is the author of four books -- the first three feature Special Agent Jessica Tyson, while her latest is the stand-alone thriller Is It Safe? Meet her and get your signed copies!

Reviewer's Note:  My only negative comment is about the book synopsis on the back cover of the book.  The synopsis names May's sister, June, as the main character in error. This is one of the pitfalls to self publishing and smaller publishing firms.  So this is a great example of not judging the book by it's cover or edit your mind to read May where is says June on the back cover. 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

On Maggie's Watch by Ann Wertz Garvin Review & Giveaway

Cover Design
by Lesley Worell
Cover Photo
by Ben Fink Photo Ink

Published By Berkley Books
A Penguin Group


Available Now
ISBN-10: 9780425236789
ISBN-13: 978-0425236789

This is truly a story of a woman who has suffered a tragedy and her efforts to get her life back on course.  Maggie Finley first child was still-born and while the grief was overwhelming for both her and her husband, it has turned Maggie into a entirely different person.  When she finds out she is pregnant again, they pull up stakes and move back to her hometown in Wisconsin, where she reconnects with her best friend.

But Maggie becomes obsessed with protecting herself and her family.  She restarts the Neighborhood Watch and even becomes the president. Then she learns from the internet that there is a sex offender in the neighborhood.  This seems to push her over the edge and causes some  very unusual actions.

Her friends and family are very worried about her and work hard to bring the old Maggie back.  It may take the birth of this new child to set things right.  

This was a very compelling book and the local connection made it even better.  Yes, the Wisconsin town was fictional, as was the county, but this book could of took place practically in my backyard.

The topics taken on in this story are very relevant in today's world. The author handles these hot topics with care and makes it so easy to read and feel Maggie's pain and fall totally in love with her and want to be her friend.  

I am amazed that this the author's first novel.  I hope she is working on her next novel as I write this because I definitely want to read more by Ann Wertz Garvin soon.  This is a perfect book for my blog because it will give you an "escape" for a few hours of pure pleasure with a peek into Maggie's life.  

To learn more about this brand new author check out her Web Page.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from THE AUTHOR. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”  

I loved this book so much I can't wait to share it with you so, you guessed it GIVEAWAY!!!

U.S. and Canadian Residents Only

Winner will be chosen using Random.org

Followers will receive 2 extra entries for each of their entries. 

Contest Ends May 28, 2011

Dreaming in English by Laura Fitzgerald

New American Library
A Division of Penguin Group
ISBN-10: 9780451232144
ISBN-13: 978-0451232144

Last month I read Veil of Roses as my Just For Fun book.  This is the sequel to that book.

Tamila (Tami) Soroush had come to visit her sister, Maryam, in Arizona, from Iran on a three month visitor visa.  Her parents, her sister, and Tami all hoped she would find a wonderful man to marry so that she could stay in America.  

Dreaming in America picks up right where Veil of Roses ends. Tami and her husband have to deal with the consequences of their rushed Vegas wedding.  The groom's family believes Tami is just using their son to stay in the States.  She is still very unfamiliar with most American ways including American slang and cell phone text language.  She needs to build the confidence in herself to handle the wonderful new life ahead of her. She is also facing the very important Immigration Interview.  Just because she married an American does not automatically mean she gets to stay here. Many roadblocks could send her back to Iran. 

While happy to be in America with her sister Tami misses her parents back in Iran very much and dreams of the day they will all be together again.  As Tami continues to learn more about her new country she also learns the secrets her own family has kept from her for years.  She is going to have to fight hard to make all her dreams come true.

I loved both of these books.  When I read Veil of Roses I already knew there was a sequel, and while I was looking forward to see how Tami Joon's life played out, the ending of Veil left my mind to imagine her future.  Dreaming in English is not what I had imagined but was wonderful just the same.

The trials and tribulations faced by Tami and Ike had me feeling a bunch of emotions as they struggled to find their way to build a life together.  Tami's friend Eva adds some much needed comic relief to the obstacles that kept popping up for the couple.  It was Tami's text posts during an argument with Ike that really made me smile and I like Tami's interpretation better than the real life meaning of "LOL".

For me Tami's story put a face on the way of life of the women in Iran and truly made me appreciate the freedom we have in America. I fell in love with Tami immediately, her parents sent her to America to "wake up her luck" and she did. 

I did sympathize with Ike's family because they didn't know the history behind the relationship and if my son handled things the way Ike did I may have reached the same conclusion.  But behind it all this was a true love story.  As the reader we could see this build in a way the characters of the book could not.  

I am enchanted by the author's way of writing this story.  Her husband is of Iranian descent so she had an excellent resource to draw from for this story. It is a story that will captivate you from beginning to end.  While written as a sequel I think both of these books can be read as stand alone but I am glad I read both to enjoy the whole touching story.

To find out more about Laura and her novels check out her web page.  She is a native of my home state of Wisconsin and am thrilled that she is the first Wisconsin author featured here at Dollycas's Thought in 2011.  Laura is also the creator of NATIONAL GIVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND A BOOK DAY which is June 15th.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from New American Library, A Division of Penguin Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”