Cher'ley Grogg: The Secret in Grandma's Trunk

I’m so glad to have this opportunity to share a little about myself and my children’s novel “The Secret in Grandma’s Trunk”, which is free to download from Amazon for a limited time.   The inspiration for the book came from my grandsons. I have three grandsons and a granddaughter. My granddaughter loves to read, but the boys do not, so I decided to write a book they would love to read. I knew it’d have to have strong kids in it, strong physically and head strong too.  The characters would all have to be realistic with problems and scuffles among themselves, it would have to be fast paced and full of adventure.  Plus my grandsons like sports and girls so I needed to put that in there as well. I couldn’t leave my granddaughter without someone to relate to so I gave the brothers in the story a female cousin who could keep up with them in most things and top them in other things. In addition to the children, there are some strong, funny and interesting adult characters. This book appeals to people of all ages.

The main character in “The Secret in Grandma’s Trunk”, Brandon is not quiet. He’s very outgoing and loud. He’s a leader and his outgoing boisterous personality works well for him, but not listening also gets him into a lot of trouble. Jordan his cousin is a female version of Brandon, but Jacob his brother is the opposite. He’s a quiet listener, a thinker. The 13 year olds get in a passel of trouble because of not listening, and Jacob quietly follows them.

Here’s the Blurb: A teen's life disrupts when his Great-Grandmother, a stranger comes to live with him and his family. She upsets his life so much that he stoops pretty low to get rid of her, including trying to find a way to get into the oversized trunk she has stored in his garage. Spunky Grandma keeps the key in a special place.

The kids expect treasure, but discover a terrible secret instead, which puts Grandma in danger’s way. Will she turn to her grandchildren for help or to a young ghost?

This is an excerpt from Chapter Fourteen:

Jacob looked astounded. "How in the world did you pull that off?"    

            "A girl has to have stuff." She grinned. "You know girl's stuff."      

              "No, we don't know, and we don't want to know. The important thing is you got the card." Brandon reached for the credit card.  

              "I want to know," Jacob said.    

              "Believe me, you don't want to know," Jordan laughed as she handed the card to Brandon.     

              "Hurry up. I need to get Dad's card back to him before Mom's out of the shower."

In the next chapter the kids went to play soccer. Grandma went with them. Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 15:

    Lilly turned to Grandma. "It doesn't matter what she thinks, she's not on our team. I don't know why the coach favors Jordan. Maybe he feels sorry for her. She's so big and clunky."        

              Grandma's eyes flashed, and her little fist doubled up.  Brandon hoped she wouldn't spit. He put his hand on Grandma's shoulder. "Let's go."                          

"I'll go, but I want her to know that Jordan sure is big.   She has a big heart, and a big personality, and she's twice the lady that girl is. She would never put someone else down to try to make herself look better."    

  "I don't need to put her down to make myself look better. I always look good."    

  Grandma turned her head and spit.

“The Secret in Grandma’s Trunk” is currently free on Amazon!

Download for Free on Amazon-limited time!!

Cher'ley's Books are all available on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Stamp Out Murder

The Secret in Grandma's Trunk

Join Cher'ley on her Facebook Fanpage, managed by one of my most faithful fans: Cindy Ferrell.  Don't forget to check out her website as well!  Happy Reading!

Review Day: Fire (The Hand of Kali Series Book 1)

It's Review Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Title: Fire (The Hand of Kali Series Book 1)

Author: Tee Ayer

My Rating: 5 stars!

Book Blurb:

Normal people sneak out to a party and have fun. Maya Rao ends the evening by incinerating the guy who attacks her.

Nik Lucas, sexy, new in town and totally forbidden, happens to walk in on her. Normal guys would run for the hills. Nik knows a whole lot more than he's telling.

Maya doesn't believe the gods are real, doesn't waste her time with mere mythology. But when gods, demons and hellhound's become the new normal and wielding fire becomes her new skill, she must decide what it is she really believes.

Can Maya accept that normal is something she will never be because it isn't normal to be
...the Hand of Kali.

My Review:

Another absolutely stunning novel by Tee Ayer!  Maya Rao is a reincarnated Goddess who is must use her fire skills to battle the very demons that are trying to kill her.  She can barely keep herself alive, let alone have a normal teen life.  A new mythological/paranormal, YA series I am in-love with!  This series reminds me so much of the Soul Screams series by Rachel Vincent (one of my all time fav paranormal, YA series).  With the mix of teen life, mythology, and the fight to survive, this series has something for everyone - even you guys!  I absolutely LOVE it!

Maya and Nik are perfect main characters.  Maya has the perfect amount of sass, strength and teen issues for the plot.  Nik is exactly what Maya needs, a non-Indian male that wants to protect her and be with her at all times.  I can not wait to read more of this series!  I will be counting down the days until the remaining books come out.  Definitely adding this to my fav series list!

Excerpt:

Fear spun Maya around on stricken feet. To defend her back perhaps. She just felt less vulnerable facing her attacker, where she could see his next move. He barreled straight at her. And for all her training in martial arts, she did the one thing her dad always said never to do. She ducked her head and hid her face with her hands. Hands out, as if she could fend off this vicious attacker merely with the soft skin of her palms.

Maya felt the heat before she saw it.

Byron was on fire. A living column of shimmering orange flames. She couldn't breathe. Was afraid to breathe. How did that happen? She glanced around the bathroom as panic filled her veins, her fear taking on a whole new level of hysteria. She had to put the fire out.

She turned to the faucet to fill her hands with water. And froze. In the mirror she saw the burning reflection of Byron disappear. Byron was there one moment and gone the next. Only a few burnt shards of fabric left to say he was ever there. But she remembered the last thing she'd seen before Byron became nothing: brilliant blue eyes turning a frighteningly blood-red.

And Nik, holding the doorknob, staring at the empty space on the floor behind her. 

(end of excerpt)

Pick up a copy of Fire (The Hand of Kali Series Book 1) on Amazon! I also highly recommend all of Tee Ayer's other novels as well.  She is just an incredible author all around!  Happy Review Day!

Updates: From Novel d'Tales to Beehive

Hey guys! Quick update on how things are going.  If you haven't read it yet... Novel d'Tales will soon be shutting down.  Instead, we will be switching over to Hily's Beehive.  My fun new blog that will incoporate a little bit of everything - everything from Novel d'Tales, food, my pets, reviews, and the all new MiniBees!  Read the full details here.

The big switch will *officially* happen on August 2nd.

If you haven't been over to the Beehive yet... head over there now!  It has been up and running for two weeks.  I have been writing posts for the site that do not get up on this one.  Definitely check it out and tell me what you think.  There's a whole new look, MiniBees and so much more.  Grab the new button for your blog or just to share. :)  I hope you like it as much as I do!  Happy Update Day!

Review Day: In Stone

It's Review Day!!!!

Title: In Stone

Author: Louise D. Gornall

My Rating: 4 stars

Book Blurb:

Beau Bailey is suffering from a post-break-up meltdown when she happens across a knife in her local park and takes it home. Less than a week later, the new boy in school has her trapped in an alley; he’s sprouted horns and is going to kill Beau unless she hands over the knife. Until Eighteenth-century gargoyle, Jack, shows up to save her.

Jack has woken from a century-long slumber to tell Beau that she’s unwittingly been drafted into a power struggle between two immortal races: Demons and Gargoyles. The knife is the only one in existence capable of killing immortals and they’ll tear the world apart to get it back. To draw the warring immortals away from her home, Beau goes with Jack in search of the mind-bending realm known as the Underworld, a place where they’ll hopefully be able to destroy the knife and prevent all hell from breaking loose. That is, provided they can outrun the demons chasing them.

My Review:

A fascinating YA novel about Gargoyles, Demons, the Underworld, Purgatory, high school and more.  I was hooked from the first page and loved reading this one.  With under 200 pages, this is a great summer/beach book - just long enough to get a great story but not super long.  I loved Beau - a strong, independent, courageous, female character that many young women would be inspired by.  She was very intelligent and quick thinking, yet she was also down-to-Earth.  I also liked Jack - the "main" Gargoyle that helped Beau throughout the story.  He was a perfect fit for miss Beau.

After a while, I was able to predict what was going to happen.  I'm not sure if this is because I read a ton from the YA/paranormal/romance type of genre or if it was apparent to everyone else.  I also felt like the ending was just okay.  I liked it for the most part, but was really hoping for a few more answers to my questions as well.  Overall, this novel was very good!  I definitely recommend it to those readers (age 13+) who like the paranormal, light romance, YA series.  I hope there is a sequel!

Pick up a copy of In Stone on Amazon!  Happy Review Day!!