THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

Hmmm, the link broke. Let's see if this one works:
http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeTh...

The giveaway deadline is less than 2 hours away enter below to win a copy of my latest

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

Happy reading,

Xoxo Jill Telford

Hello Goodreads friends! I'm an author of two mystery thrillers, Long Way Down and The Cayman Switch. Though I'm not new to Goodreads, I just figured out how to get my books added to the database and wanted to let you know. If you've read either of the books, I'd really appreciate a brief review. Here they are: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...

If you haven't read them, I hope you'll take a look. I still don't know exactly how Goodreads works, so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! Paul Carr

I just published my first play! It's a short play for young audiences. Check it out here:
http://www.youthplays.com/plays/view/...

My latest story entitled "Here Comes the Boo" is releasing Oct 26th! Enter below for a chance to win a copy

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Happy reading! xoxo

Jill

A letter to all indie writers and readers

I’ve been a compulsive writer for nearly thirty years. I’ve published nine books and I’ve even won some literary awards. I’ve been interviewed by major newspapers and local magazines. I recognize that a real writer is supposed to create stories for the art itself, ignoring the fickle heart of the market place and corporate profits. I know all about papering my walls with rejection slips and the joy of selling that first copy of a new manuscript. I’m not a quitter and never will be able to stop writing even if I wanted too.

When a relationship feels wrong, it’s time to regroup, figure out the problem, and correct it. But if the list of the failings and faults continues to grow it is time to start fresh and anew. With the current over-saturated state of the indie and commercial book market, I feel like all art is quickly sinking into obscurity with no way to refresh it. With ads offering book publishing services becoming as common as cola ads, the literary marketplace has been overwhelmed with talentless writers concocting books in a few weeks rather than the years a professional writer might take.

What does it all mean? How will a talented author make a living? Is the writing life now about luck or plain accident to hit the best seller list? Should a writer hope for posthumous fame to justify their sacrifices?

Being a writer eats away great chunks of life, including giving up jobs, friends, and spouses in order to put words onto paper. One has to be willing to risk all for one’s personal art. Writing is a process, and like most processes, if you do not do it on a regular basis, you generally decrease your facility for it. But today’s marketplace is littered with those unwilling to take the time to master the craft.

People who write for the admiration of others make the lifestyle look like some amazing, spiritual, intellectual process. They want to be ooed and ahhed and respected by their peers because they have achieved what few have; they’ve written and published a book. Writing a novel can be a gratifying, transcendent thing, but at the end of the day it’s about putting your butt into a chair and typing and rewriting, and editing, and typing, and rewriting, and editing endlessly until the word-sculpture is the absolute best it can be.

Technology and the internet make it possible for an unknown writer to be successful without getting an agent and going through a traditional publisher. But when the majority of amateurs who have been rejected by traditional publishing choose indie publishing as an alternative, they often find a cruel surprise in store. No one is listening. They don’t have an audience.

So, why do I care?

These wanna-be authors and the ease at which they can publish their scantily written novels has clotted the marketplace. Amateurs have bought up all the respected sponsorships and tainted their effectiveness because too many bad books have been purchased by readers expecting something better for their money. Amateurs have spammed the global writing communities to the extent that the mere mention of a link to a professionally written and reviewed manuscript brings hate and warnings from the sites that the author will be banned. I experience this regularly even though only about five percent of my posts are about my books. These days, trying to get noticed has become a cardinal sin.

I used to dream of writing for a living and sharing my stories with the world. I spent nearly three decades revising my novels, getting them professionally edited and reviewed, and rewriting them to perfection. I had a big-time NY agent for four years and then parted ways three years ago when the indie revolution and ebooks became all the rage. I indie published nine of my thirteen completed novels in the span of a year and a half and have sold a combined 15,000+ books since then. One of my novels even hit #32 on Amazon’s romantic suspense best seller list. But in the last six months, I’ve seen a terrible trend in indie publishing nearly wipe out the professional writer. No amount of marketing and self-promotion seems to work anymore in a marketplace bombarded with amateurs trying to peddle their wares.

My name is Neil Ostroff and you can Google me if you’d like. I won’t give a link to my blog or my books because it seems that even the mere mention of self-promotion will bring on the hate, and it’s tough enough trying to justify the writing process without that added emotional discomfort. I’ll still sit in my office and write, it’s a compulsion, but I don’t know if the world will be able to discover my books amongst the millions now being published yearly and given away free. It’s a shame that technology can provide so much yet also take away so much at the same time. The era of the writer, musician, artist, making a living at their craft has nearly ended. True artists will continue to perform their magic, they have too, but the dream of earning a living at it is over for the vast majority. It’s now up to algorithms and sheer luck.

I think I’ve written all I want to say on this subject. Back to the keyboard to work on my latest novel.

PLEASE ADD SOME REVIEWS...Toady (October 13, 2013) FREE DOWNLOAD My poetry ebook 'ICARUS AND OTHER POEMS' on Amazon. It contains poems on contemporary social an cultural issues. Existence of man in modern times is at the core of this book. Mythological characters and stories are redefined in contemporary context. Download links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FI9FKL2
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FI9FKL2
DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00FI9FKL2
FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00FI9FKL2
ES: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B00FI9FKL2
IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B00FI9FKL2
JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00FI9FKL2
IN: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B00FI9FKL2
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00FI9FKL2
BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00FI9FKL2
MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00FI9FKL2
Icarus and Other Poems

I’m very humbled to have my first Epic Fable chosen for the Time Travel Group’s October monthly read, starting tomorrow.

I’m also most delighted that it follows Paul Steadman’s excellent book, for we take a totally different approach yet we both use similar literary tools to achieve the same goal, good story telling & I think it will be a great compare & contrast opportunity for those who enjoy the Time Traveling genre.

I had three main aims with the book & I believe I achieved them: Simply told, compelling and very weird.

As in all of my Epic Fables, this one deals with the Elastic Limit, both a technical term inherent to the process but also a metaphor for the human imagination & given it’s all about Time, it’s presented in a unique fashion (as the table of contents shows), for the action is already well underway when you start reading, something that enhances the overall theme of the story.

Numerous literary tricks were used, so called ‘hooks’ & as they may not be obvious the affect is often mystifying at first & as Amy’s updates when reading demonstrated, questions will no doubt abound.

Yet the answers will become self-evident as the narrative flows, at least that was my intent, but if not, I’ll be happy to elucidate, just ask.

For now, I’ll just stick to the moderator’s description which states the book has ‘…cavemen, a forest monster, time travelers, space ships, love triangles, gods, a beast, warring factions, holy water, people that don't appear to age, and an old hag ... among other things. And the book definitely is epic in proportion…’

Hope everyone reads the newest edition, still a free download on Smashwords.com, which gives many downloadable venues from which to choose: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

Got kids? Got a Kindle? The Halloween issue of Poetry in Motion is on sale this month at Amazon for only $.99! Review at Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Hi all,

I'm a new Indie author after quitting my old career and jumping headlong into writing full-time after receiving Nora Roberts' blessing to use her name in the title of my debut novel NORA ROBERTS LAND. I'm so grateful to have about 30 reviews here on Goodreads for that book, and if you're interested, check it out.

I also have to say I hold an Old Movie Group once a month with other writers. My favorite James Mason movie is "The Prisoner of Zenda." He always plays the charming villain so well. My newest release, THE HOLIDAY SERENADE, is based after my other favorite hero, Rhett Butler. My own hero, Rhett Butler Blaylock, is a professional poker player and likes to live outside the confines of proper society. He's fun! My own contemporary version.

It's great to see this support for Indies on Goodreads. Here's to more.

Lots of light,

Ava
Nora Roberts Land

I didn't think of myself as an indie author until my publisher closed down in September and rights reverted back to me. Now, I've self published my books at cheaper prices. Check them out on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Bonnie-Ferrante...Bonnie Ferrante

This is so embarrassing.

http://youtu.be/hybGWbF5Bfw

Award-Winning Historical Adventure for Readers of All Ages – Giveaway Ends November 13!
"The River Way Home: The Adventures of the Cowboy, the Indian, & the Amazon Queen" by Mary E. Dawson was recently named Best Florida YA Book and Best Florida Adult Fiction of 2013 by the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

Alligators, outlaws, and tourists? Florida’s last frontier is coming of age in 1914. Three young teens, a Cracker boy who longs to be a cow hunter, a Seminole boy who sees his way of life dying, and an African-American girl who is looking for a better future, lose their boat on Lake Okeechobee and have to find their way home through in the mystical and magical Florida Jungle. When outlaws block the only road back, they take a detour to a new city on the coast to find out what the future will be like when the train reaches the lake in a few months. The adventures they have on their quest redefine the way they see themselves and their worlds.

To enter go to http://bit.ly/The-River-Way-giveaway .

If you’d like us to send an ebook in exchange for a review, please message Mary E. Dawson on Goodreads. We believe you will enjoy what the Tampa Bay Library Consortium calls “this lovely story.”

Hi Masons! I'm an Indie author and retired baby boomer who enjoys writing comical eBooks. I've put together a second edition of my collection "Funnybones." If you need a break from heavy reading and would like to giggle a little, these books are for you. If you're not sure you'll like them, simply let Mikey try it... Hey Mikey... He likes it!...

http://amzn.com/B008VTNT0A

Did aliens help the ancient Mayans build their pyramids -- or were the aliens too intoxicated from hot chocolate to be of much help?

This collection is eight stories, mostly speculative and mostly with some humor to them.

-An immigrant from the Caribbean complains about the cold from beyond the grave
-A jaded drug-sniffing dog advocates legalization (and narrates)
-A young man wishes for an angel, since his girlfriend has one already

Tales from the Boiler Room. Thanks for taking a look if you're inclined.

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Boiler-Room-Eric-Timar-ebook/dp/B004YR0X3Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1385767880&sr=1-1&keywords=tales+from+the+boiler+room

I am very honored to have my thriller COVERT DREAMS, Book Two of my International Suspense Collection, featured today on this great site. Thank you!
http://novelworms.blogspot.in/2013/11...

I currently have two books featured on Amazon's Kindle Countdown Deals. Both of these have jumped over 80,000 spots in popularity over the past 100 hours. Both are $1.99 till 1500 hrs PST and then jump to $2.99. Still a buck off the regular retail. Both almost all five star verified purchase reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DPZPCKU Deadly Talley, a cop off the rails.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AW2608 Orphans in the Storm, Historical fiction/romance.

In honor of Cyber Monday the first book in each of Melanie Jackson's cozy mystery series is now only $0.99. Chloe, Butterscotch, Miss Henry, and Tess!!! They're all included. http://www.melaniejackson.com/V2/spec...

Bonnie wrote: "I didn't think of myself as an indie author until my publisher closed down in September and rights reverted back to me. Now, I've self published my books at cheaper prices. Check them out on Amazon..."

Me too. And I am ever so glad it happened. It was sad to have all those titles OOP.

My novel is now available in ebook and hardback format on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and can be ordered through most bookstores.

The normal retail price is $27.99 for the hardback, but both Amazon and B&N have marked it down closer to $20 (Amazon has been cutting prices on many hardbacks). The ebook is $5.99.


...


To Neil,

You're not the first to voice such thoughts. There's no simple solution, but I think we have to have faith that the cream will rise to the top. You should also consider the possibility that you're experiencing the normal summer sales slump. Same thing happen with my Cafepress sales, it's pretty typical.

You might consider offering more formats. Many people still like having a print option and audio books are less competitive.

"Blinders Keepers" . . . it makes perfect kindling for your Kindle!

Holiday special! Was $5.99 . . . and it's still $5.99! http://amzn.to/122cnyF

May the New Year bring blessings and happiness to you and those you love.

The Suspense Novel Is Bourne Again

Temecula, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/16/2013 -- Michael Meyer’s new book, Covert Dreams, is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that has been compared to Ludlum’s Bourne series with a Dean Koontz rapid action writing style. The book reached number two in the Goodreads recommended list in the Thriller/suspense genre.

The book is ideal for any fan of action, adventure and espionage, and is available through Amazon on both Kindle download and in paperback http://smarturl.it/CovertDreams and from Barnes & Noble.

The story revolves around an amnesiac in reverse. Turning popular convention on its head, our hero wakes recalling intimate details of a country in which he doesn’t reside and fluency in a language he has never spoken. Despite living the ideal life with the ideal wife in the real world, he is drawn to find out what is going on. Which version is real? And who is responsible for this?

Covert Dreams is part one of an international suspense collection, with the follow up, Deadly Eyes also available for fans who want another fix soon.

Meyer is a well travelled man who has resided in many places around the world, including Finland, Germany, Thailand and Saudi Arabia – each of which seems to have left their mark on the author.

Mr. Meyer is very pleased at the moment.. “COVERT DREAMS has recently received a Compulsion Reads endorsement. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Compulsion Reads, this company specializes in reviewing and endorsing those novels that meet its quality standards based on the fundamental qualities of good storytelling. Many books that the company reviews don't earn their endorsement, so this is a pretty big deal.”

Curious espionage fans can check out the book trailer on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9drU4....

Wow! My THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE is a #1 best seller at Amazon, and it is still on sale for only $0.99 until midnight tonight, December 29th.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_l...

Let me give you the dearest gift that I can
Do not refuse me, for my story began
With passion at heart, guilt down at the gut
And sentences that I weave, then turn and cut
Now I give it to you, and this is my plea
Hold my book in your hand, it is yours, it is for thee!

♥  Rise to Power ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00H6PMZ0U
♥ Apart From Love ♥ http://BookShow.me/B006WPITP0
♥ A Favorite Son ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00AUZ3LGU
♥ Twisted ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00D7Q3IY4

With more than one million e-books on Amazon, it's little wonder that most are never read by more than a few friends and relatives of the author. Can anyone recommend a better way to promote a book. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. are all very limited in offering success to authors. Most bloggers are even less successful. Paid advertising on Google, Facebook and others works, but it cost far more than the return in profits. Do you have any suggestions?

What does she want, come Valentine's day?
In cupid's name, what should I say?

She smiles. "Bring me Home, Apart From Love...
Then I'll be yours, like a hand and a glove."

And you say, "Give me A Favorite Son...
Now let's blow off the candles, one by one."

The flame goes out, all Twisted in smoke
Time to come in and take off your cloak.

$0.99 bargain sale, today only

♥ Apart From Love ♥ http://BookShow.me/B006WPITP0
♥ Rise to Power ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00H6PMZ0U
♥ A Favorite Son ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00AUZ3LGU
♥ Twisted ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00D7Q3IY4
♥ Home ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00960TE3Y

Here is my gift to you for Valentine's Day
Five highly praised books! Life is no longer gray
With a story to tell, and a place far away
Let the drama begin, let my characters play!

HOME ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00960TE3Y
APART FROM LOVE ♥ http://BookShow.me/B006WPITP0
RISE TO POWER ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00H6PMZ0U
A FAVORITE SON ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00AUZ3LGU
TWISTED ♥ http://bookShow.me/B00D7Q3IY4

Uvi wrote: "Here is my gift to you for Valentine's Day
Five highly praised books! Life is no longer gray
With a story to tell, and a place far away
Let the drama begin, let my characters play!

HOME ♥ http://b..."

I posted this on Tome Tender's FB page, hope it helps!
To anyone who takes a look at these books,I HIGHLY recommend them!

Just a reminder that Death Comes in Threes - A Sandi Webster Mystery, is free today on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Death-Comes-Thr...

Get APART FROM LOVE, it's FREE today only:
Secrets, passion, betrayal… Find a path from guilt to forgiveness
http://BookShow.me/B006WPITP0

I am launching a new political-military thriller this week...Chita Quest takes the reader through New Mexico to Vietnam, China, Mongolia, and ultimately, the city of Chita, Siberia...pre-order now...here's the trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWf5A...

Get APART FROM LOVE, it's FREE today only:
Secrets, passion, betrayal… Find a path from guilt to forgiveness
http://BookShow.me/B006WPITP0

@ Kristina L

Kristina, professionalism has less to do with whether you write one book or seventy, but whether you treat the craft (i.e. your readers) with respect. This includes things like getting your work properly edited.

Particularly if God leads you to do something, you want to do it to the best of your abilities.

I believe in divine inspiration, but God may have inspired you to write for any number of reasons. Don't gamble the success of your organization on the success of your first trilogy. There are lots of ways to fund a charity. It's great if you funnel any profits into, but taking your novels through a professional process of editing, hiring a professional cover designer, etc. will give it a better chance, because it will give readers a better experience. (To make a Biblical metaphor, we're to offer up unblemished lambs.)

I suggest you read Phil Vischer's account of what happened to Big Idea to help yourself keep perspective: http://philvischer.com/phil-news/what...

Tome Tender is having a giveaway to spotlight Indie Author A. J. Gallant! March 3-11, 2014 - International!



Just click on the banner to enter and show some love for Indies! And WIN eBooks in the process!

A Favorite Son is FREE today!
Hurry, get it now! Only a few more hours remaining:

GURL-POSSE KIDNAP - COMING SOON At Amazon

A sexy romantic crime thriller set in the heart of California wine country. A drug deal turns into murder and kidnap. Then a Cartel killer comes a-knocking and PI Jake Knight helps his client, Molly Draper, see the light. “Wicked thrilling but don’t put it on Facebook,” Allie said to Molly.

L. Allen wrote: "With more than one million e-books on Amazon, it's little wonder that most are never read by more than a few friends and relatives of the author. Can anyone recommend a better way to promote a book..."

That is the problem most indie authors are struggling with. How do you get seen in a sea of other authors all vying for the readership's attention. POD publishing is still rather new, relatively speaking, and much of the process is still in the frontier stage. Sites like askDavid and Goodreads offer some visibility to those connected to that site but the larger readership sees the books on the landing page of amazon or Barnes & Noble. The question I have is, what does it cost to have your book cover on the landing page of those sellers...?

Mike wrote: "Wow! My THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE is a #1 best seller at Amazon, and it is still on sale for only $0.99 until midnight tonight, December 29th.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_l......"

Kudos. That gives the rest of us hope. . . There is always hope.

Due to publish this week on Amazon.

SONOMA KNIGHT: GURL-POSSE KIDNAP
Find girl. Save girl. By Peter Prasad

After Thanksgiving when new wine rests on the lees at bubbling ferment, family secrets want to tumble out in a downpour, blind to who may be hurt. A drug deal unravels into murder, kidnap and redemption as private investigator Jake Knight helps his client see the light.

Little Molly Draper was a famous pill popper.
She was doing fine until she watched a guy die.
She kept the cash and pills when stolen
Then the goddess within her turned a winner
And a cartel killer came a-knocking.
Say, Molly, what are you blocking?
Sonoma girls got to have fun,
So run Molly run.

While I hate to pimp my own work, I have some news about the series I recently published. It has been compared to the Walking Dead, though slightly more complicated, and got a nod from Max Brooks himself during a speech he made at the Ohio State University.

The first two books are now available at amazon.com in paperback and Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Whiskey-Delta-M...

http://www.amazon.com/Papa-Zulu-Matth...

Reviewers had the following things to say about the series and its portrayal of zombies and the military:

"This is a badass Zombie book."

"I could not put Whiskey Delta down till the end."

"Brilliant Storytelling, Outstanding Military Adventure writing and, Most Importantly....Remarkable Characters that make it all matter."

"Highly recommend for any fan of the zombie genre."

"These zombies differ from those in the Walking Dead in that they have some semblance of intelligence."

"and the zombies in this book dont just shuffle, moan,and bite they run and fight back"

"FINALLY! A zombie story where the US Military is not hopelessly inept"

"one of the better examples of military adventure/zombie apocalypse cross-overs out there."

"This is a great book - exciting storyline driven by gripping and well laid out plot lines that keep the reader 'on the edge of their seats' right to the end."

"Great story about soldiers doing solider business."

Free today! HEMINGWAY HOUSE
Applause! September 2, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would in a heartbeat. Hilarious and even touching at times. Creative, imaginative . . . a true gem
http://amzn.com/B00ASGXY22

I just purchased HEMINGWAY HOUSE. I love the book description and I intend to review it to help an emerging author out. Reviews are the life blood of the engaged life rich with literature. On'Ya readers.

Awkward Moments - A Bogey Man Mystery is now available in ebook format, $2.99. http://www.amazon.com/Awkward-Moments...

What might happen if you tried to bury the body of a small bird, only to find a body already buried in the hole you’ve dug. And what might happen if another body ended up in the same hole?

Join Chris, Pamela and Mikey Cross while they try to figure out why someone would be murdered during their vacation, on private property, during the middle of the night. Watch for Chris’s cranky brother to show up unexpectedly, searching for lost gold and running people off of his property.

The Cross family is at it again, just like the amateur sleuths they swear they never meant to be.

Trip Anderson USMC-Do not know whether this is really an Indie book since it was published by a small house-WAMM-regardless it is a terrific read-the other side-the soul of the warrior-a finalist at the Book Expo of America-it moved me as I have seldom been

I self-publish Time Travel books & here's how I'm promoting them:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgGE...

Tell your friends to check it out, Documented Proof of Time Travel.

Don't miss this opportunity! A select group of authors has joined forces with me. We bring you amazing historical fiction stories. Let us whisk you away to a different time and place. Come listen to our stories. You may win one of the ebooks!

Join us in A Time to Remember

On sale now for only $0.99 through April 7th. Get your copy and pass the word to all your friends.

NEWSFLASH: THE THREE KITTIES THAT SAVED MY LIFE has just been nominated for the prestigious 2014 RONE award in the Inspirational Book category

AN UPLIFTING TRUE STORY OF LOVE - from love and loss to love renewed - a feel-good read
#1 Amazon bestseller in Love and Loss, December 2013

What if you suddenly lost your partner through life? How would you find the will to go on all alone? Would you ever be able to fall in love again? This is the true story of my journey from grieving widower, not caring if I lived or died, to the once-again happily married man I am today, a man who both loves and cherishes life. My three kitties have given me a new zest for living.

My story begins with loss and tears, but it ends with lots of love and laughter. I hope that you will find yourself both entertained and inspired by my journey.
http://smarturl.it/ThreeKitties

My two novels, TRAPPED, an parapsychological suspense with a strong romantic element, and A 3rd TIME TO DIE, a Paranormal (Past lives - no vampires or demons) Romantic Suspense, are on sale at Kindles for just $0.99, only through April 3, Regular price is $4.99. Take a peek and read the excerpts.
A 3rd Time to Die

FREE today! Get it now:

★★★★★ APART FROM LOVE
♥ Ebook ♥ http://BookShow.me/B006WPITP0
♥ Audio ♥ http://tinyurl.com/aprtl-a
♥ Print ♥ http://bookShow.me/0984993207

Here is a timely excerpt from the book, a flashback to Passovers past:

"If I were to focus strictly on my parents, ignore the entire background of this place, and let the clutter and the smell of it just fall away, this could take me back to a different time, a time in my childhood, when our kitchen table was set for the Passover meal. What comes back to me first is the tinkle, as my father finished blessing the wine, and clinked his glass against hers, against mine.
I remember: the table was draped, all the way down to the floor, with mom's best, rarely used tablecloth, made of the smoothest ivory satin you ever touched. Dad sat at the head of the table, mom to his right, I opposite her.
All day long she had been cooking, which infused the air with a wonderful aroma. In it you could detect a sharp whiff of horseradish and of gefilte fish and sweet brisket and red cabbage and roasted potatoes, all of which made my stomach growl. It went on growling until he finished reading the long, archaic text in the Hagadda, which meant little to me, except a vague notion of the utter futility of patience.
I remember: my mother ladled the clear, golden chicken soup and set it here, steaming before my eyes, with three matzo balls floating inside, which was her way of giving. "It's hot," she said. "Make sure to blow on it first." Yes, the smell of her cooking was good, but then, the taste! Just wait till you took the first bite--"

Looking for a book for your child? The Chatman's Corner Gang is free 4/12-4/13.
In the fall of nineteen sixty-eight, due to the death of his step father, Andrew and his mother are forced to move from their lavish estate in London to the housing projects at Chatman's Corner. On his first night out, Andrew is befriended by Napper Holloway, the leader of the Chatman's Corner Gang. Together the two boys, along with the rest of the gang, begin an adventure which would soon change their lives. Danger lurks around every corner as the gang gets involved in the search for a missing girl. Upon surviving their ordeal, the kids learn a valuable life lesson about the dangers of bullying
http://amzn.com/B00J9GVBMC