IWSG: Writing + Reading . . . Does One Influence the Other?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a community of writers who share ideas and encourage other writers. It's a great place to express doubts and concerns as well as offer and receive tribulations and guidance from other writers. IWSG posts the first Wednesday of every month. I think you'll find it to be a great writer's resource that's well worth your time. Be sure to stop by and visit with some of the other IWSG writers/bloggers at IWSG Members.

A great big thank you to our awesome February Co-Hosts: 
Misha Gericke
LK Hill
Juneta Key
Joylene Buter

How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?

I've been a voracious reader my entire life. Reading - escaping to other worlds - was the only thing that kept me sane through some tough early years. I know it dates me, but I'll admit that during long summers out of school, the highlight of my week was the bookmobile! The selection was limited, but I wasn't picky. I'd read anything! Today, I'm a bit more

selective about what I read, but having said that . . . I'm still a voracious reader often reading and reviewing more than a dozen books each month. My problem is finding a happy balance between reading and writing since they are competing for my time.

I've also always been a writer - although I haven't always pursued writing as a career.  As a young girl, I started off recording my days, weeks, years in a diary . . . again, a form of escape, I think.  While other students bemoaned writing assignments, I welcomed them with vigor and excitement.  I wrote stories, poems, reports, songs - filling notebook after notebook after notebook.  No computer - but somewhere down the road, I got an old manual typewriter and was in heaven! (I still have that typewriter!)  Yes, again that dates me, I know! lol  

Fast forward to today.  I am finally pursuing my writing with determination and consistency . . . making it a priority.  How has that changed my experience as a reader?  For one thing, it's given me a greater appreciation of the awesome talent and work ethnic of many published authors.  I realize the many hours and personal sacrifice it takes to get from Page One to The End and admire anyone who can successfully complete that journey.  I recognize the difference between a good solid book and one that goes the extra mile and just blows me away with the expert weaving of multiple plot lines and well developed characters - one that also utilizes setting to set the mood - almost like another character.  

At the same time, I find myself reading books with a more critical eye than I did before actively pursuing writing.  I'm a more demanding reader, one that expects not perfection - but rather a unique story that holds me enthralled.  In other words, I'm no longer a reader so easily satisfied with the status quo - I want and demand more.  The other thing I'm more aware of is editing issues, including grammar usage and the dreaded typos and spelling errors.  I was, I believe, a bit more forgiving of those type issues in my "pre-writing" days.  Now, they are an immediate turn-off for me.

So yes, being a writer has influenced my reading.  But . . . being a reader has also greatly influenced my writing.  I've discovered some excellent "writing role models" through my reading, and  I strive every day to make sure I offer no less to my own readers.

How has writing changed your experience as a reader?

Omens & Artifacts ~ An Elemental Legacy Novella ~ Available Now!

Omens & Artifacts

An Elemental Legacy Novella

Elizabeth Hunter

Released: January 31st, 2017

In the elemental world, reputation is everything, but gaining it can get you killed. Setting up shop as an antiquities hunter means nothing if you don’t have clients. Benjamin Vecchio, nephew of a famed vampire assassin, is the subject of widespread speculation, but so far that speculation hasn’t translated into work. What Ben needs is a job. A big job. A profitable job. A legendary job. Finding the lost sword of Brennus the Celt, the mythical Raven King of the British Isles, would make Ben’s reputation in the immortal world, but it could also draw dangerous attention. The Raven King’s gold hoard isn’t famous for being easy to find. Luckily, Ben has his own legend at his side. Tenzin is a wind vampire who doesn’t like digging, but she’s more than happy to let Ben do the dirty work while she provides the muscle he needs to make other immortals pay attention. They’re partners. Or so Ben thinks. But when finding this treasure puts Tenzin’s future plans at risk, will their partnership survive? Tenzin isn’t used to taking orders from anyone, particularly from a young human who used to be her student. Digging into ancient Scottish history can get you dirty. It can also get you killed.

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About Elizabeth

ELIZABETH HUNTER is a contemporary fantasy, paranormal romance, and paranormal mystery author. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher. She once substitute taught a kindergarten class, but decided that middle school was far less frightening. She's the author of the Elemental Mysteries, the Irin Chronicles, and the Cambio Springs Mysteries.  

The Dry Review

Title:  The Dry
Author:  Jane Harper
Publisher:  Flatiron Books
Release Date:  May 31, 2016
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  5 Flammable ♥'s







Synopsis:

A small town hides big secrets in this atmospheric, page-turning debut mystery by an award-winning new author.

After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn’t tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.

Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

Review:

Twenty years ago, Aaron Falk and his father left their home in the small farming community of Kiewarra, Australia, behind in a cloud of dust, suspicion, and threats.  A young girl was dead and tension ran high as alibi's were questioned.  Two decades later, Federal Financial Investigator Aaron Falk receives an ominous note demanding his presence at the funeral of his old childhood friend Luke Hadler who apparently shot and killed his wife Karen and his young son Billy before turning the gun on himself.  The farming community is experiencing the worse drought in a century, causing the land and its people to be highly volatile...living on prayers and only a hair trigger away from financial ruin and violence.  

Aaron's return to town raises old suspicions, doubts, and vicious rumors.  Once again, he becomes the center of accusations and vandalism amidst rumors he was involved in the death of Ellie Deacon, but Falk is no longer the broken sixteen year old boy who was once driven out of town.  Upon the request of Luke Hadler's parents, Aaron joins forces with local police officer Sgt. Raco to unofficially investigate the murders.  What they untangle is a tightly woven web of lies and deceit surrounding both the death of Ellie 20 years ago and the supposed suicide/murder of the Hadler family.  Are the murders connected?  Can alibis and smoke screens forged twenty years ago be broken?

The Dry is a well written psychological thriller that grabbed my attention in the first line of the Prologue and held it through the last line on the final page.  The tinder dry, flammable landscape of this farming community is beautifully depicted, rich in images that readily transport the reader, forcing them to experience the unrelenting heat, sweat, and utter desperation of the people.  The intriguing cast of characters is depicted in such a way that readers become intimate with each one, even as they eye them suspiciously trying to figure out who-done-it.  Through a maze of twists and turns and flashbacks, skeletons are rattled and grudges revived as Harper reveals the story of two murders 20 years apart.  It's hard to believe that The Dry is this author's debut novel . . . yes, it's that good!  A Must Read!!

My Rating:  5 Flammable ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

The Devil's Daughter by Katee Robert ~ Spotlight, Review, & Giveaway

THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER

 by Katee Robert

FBI agent, Eden Collins is going home... to catch a killer.  Fans of Audey Harte’s It Takes One and Kendra Elliott's Bone Secrets series, will devour The Devil’s Daughter, the fast-paced and suspenseful first book, in the Hidden Sins series by NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Katee Robert.

My Rating:  4 Chilling ♥'s

Read Full Review & Excerpt Below

Title: The Devil’s Daughter

Author: Katee Robert

Series: Hidden Sins #1

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Print Length:  316 pages

Format: Digital and Paperback

ISBN: 1503940918

Synopsis:

Growing up in a small town isn’t easy, especially when you’re the daughter of a local cult leader. Ten years ago, Eden Collins left Clear Springs, Montana, and never once looked back. But when the bodies of murdered young women surface, their corpses violated and marked with tattoos worn by her mother’s followers, Eden, now an FBI agent, can’t turn a blind eye. To catch the killer, she’s going to have to return to the fold.

Sheriff Zach Owens isn’t comfortable putting Eden in danger, even if she is an elite agent. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to be so attracted to her. As calm and cool as she appears, he knows this can’t be a happy homecoming. Zach wants to protect her—from her mother, the cult, and the evil that lurks behind its locked gates. But Eden is his only key to the tight-lipped group, and she may just be closer to the killer than either one of them suspects…

Get More information at:  Goodreads  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.  Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram


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Review:

FBI Agent Eden Collins never expected to return to the home she escaped years ago - the small town of Clear Springs and Elysia, a cult led by her mother Martha Collins.  Eden still has nightmares of growing up under the power and control of a cult that did not provide the simple, happy life it promised.  Eden knows the evil secrets concealed behind those walls all too well as she still bears the ritualistic cult tattoos upon her skin and still remembers how they were forced on her as she struggled screaming.  Now Eden's been lured back to Elysia by an emailed picture of a dead girl bearing an eery resemblance to her - one bearing the same tattoos on her tortured skin.  Who sent her the picture?  What do they want from her?  Will she survive a trip back inside those walls?

Sheriff Zach Owens, former Marine, accepted a job in Clear Springs trying to escape his own nightmares in a small town where nothing ever happens.  And now, he's suddenly faced with the task of hunting down a serial killer.  His gut says it's all tied to the cult . . . it also tells him to be wary of the cult leader's daughter Eden who mysteriously showed back up in town just after the first murder - the same daughter he's strangely attracted to.  Can he trust her?  Is he willing to risk her life to stop a killer?

The Devil's Daughter is a chilling read with twists and turns that kept me turning the pages well into the night.  The Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone plays out during the story as the cult beliefs are woven around a version of the myth . . . one that includes Eden playing the part of Persephone.  Intriguing characters, smoke screens, and chilling stop-your-heart moments keep the suspense high as this story plays out.  I had formed an idea of who was or more accurately who wasn't involved in the killings, but I in no way saw the shocking conclusion before hand.  The Devil's Daughter is a gritty, well-written mystery suspense and a great start to this series.  A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Chilling ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

Excerpt:

“This is stupid. Get out of the car. Get out of the car right now.”

She threw her body into motion, half-afraid that if she didn’t force herself to move, she’d sit there until someone decided to report her for being creepy. Who am I kidding? The people in this place are just as likely to knock on the window and ask me if I need any help.

The fall air had a little bite to it, and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Home.

No. It’s not home. It’ll never be home again.

She’d made a life for herself in the FBI, and if she didn’t have much in the way of roots . . . Well, she’d left the possibility of roots behind when she left Clear Springs. Most days it didn’t even bother her that much. She was doing good in the world, using her nontraditional childhood to give her an edge that had helped her make a name for herself over the last six years in the cult division. She was Eden Collins, FBI agent. She wasn’t that scared little girl. Not anymore.

One step at a time, she made her way into the police station. She’d half expected it to be a whirl of motion, with people rushing here and there, trying to come to terms with the fact that death had touched their small town. But there was no one in the room except a man sitting behind the desk in the corner, glaring at the phone on his desk.

Zach Owens.

The golden boy of Clear Springs in every sense. His blond hair was still cropped short, hearkening back to his days as a marine, and his body was obviously well taken care of. This wasn’t a man who’d let his years working in a sleepy little town turn him soft.

While Zach took her in, she conducted her own perusal. She’d never met him personally, but she knew him by reputation and pieces of information stolen via eavesdropping. He’d gone off to war a boy and come back a man with shadows in his eyes. Or maybe she was just seeing him with rose-tinted glasses, the tragic figure representing everything she’d never have. Acceptance. Loyalty. The love of the people here.

Something like jealousy curled through her stomach. It was silly and childish and she was better than that, but it was hard not to resent someone who so obviously fit. Eden had done a bit of traveling since she’d turned eighteen and run as far and fast as she could from her mother, but she’d never found a place that was well and truly hers.

He caught sight of her and narrowed his eyes. “Can I help you?”

Being pinned in place by those blue eyes made her second-guess the intelligence of her plan yet again. It didn’t matter. He needed her help, even if he didn’t know it yet. She stepped forward. “I’m here about the body.”

Fidelity (Infidelity #5) Review

Title:  Fidelity
Series:  Infidelity #5
Author:  Aleatha Romig
Publisher:  Romig Works LLC
Released:  Jan. 17, 2017
Purchase:  Amazon

My Rating:  5 Heart Stopping ♥'s






Synopsis:
She thought she could save those she loved.
He thought he could save her.
They'll both learn the truth.

FIDELITY, the dramatic conclusion to the epic five-novel series INFIDELITY, following Lennox "Nox" Demetri, Alexandria "Charli" Collins, the Montagues, Demetris, Fitzgeralds, and Spencers is finally here.

When the vows are complete and the dust settles, who will be left standing?

No one is safe, and no alliance is above suspicion in the much-anticipated finale to this hot romantic-suspense saga. Our heroine has survived betrayal, cunning, deception, and entrapment…what will happen when she’s faced with fidelity? 

Infidelity, it isn't what you think.

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, this new, epic romantic suspense will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next. 

Review:
The Infidelity Series is an epic romance suspense story of power & control, greed & deception, conspiracy & insanity.  Is it a love story?  Yes!  But not an ordinary boy meets girl & immediately lives happily ever after story.  Lennon "Nox" Demetri and Alexandria "Charli" Collins travel to hell and back many times over in this sordid tale of lies, secrets, and betrayals.  I lost many an hour of sleep reading these five books.  I'm pretty sure my heart stopped at least a couple dozen times as I maneuvered my way through the tangled maze of twists and turns and heart racing moments along with these flawed characters.  

Fidelity begins right where the previous book, Betrayal ended - on a heart-stopping cliff-hanger!  It only took me seconds to be sucked right back into the madness of this world - only seconds to have my heart stuck in my throat once again.  I'm not going to discuss details of the story to avoid any spoilers.  I will say that once again this author has outdone herself and delivered a book filled with smoke screens, dangerous alliances, and flawed characters.  As the story plays out, it's hard to decide for sure who to trust or who is guilty of betrayal.  For Alex/Charli, finding the answers is a life or death situation.  How can she save her mother, her company, her home and still be true to the man she loves?  Nox will stop at nothing . . . NOTHING! . . . to save Charli from a fate that appears to be inevitable.  And he will stop at nothing until every person who has ever dared threaten Charli has paid.  Even going as far as calling in favors from a family he had long ago left behind.  But at what cost?

A complex story of love, loss, deception, and betrayal, Fidelity is an intriguing tale filled with revelations and shocking moments.  Questions will at long last be answered and secrets revealed as everyone is finally forced to show their hand.  The multitude of plot lines are woven together as intricately as a spider web, and the last piece of the puzzle falls into place.  I must say that one of my favorite plot lines in Fidelity involves a secondary relationship that threatened to steal the show with me.  I'm thrilled to learn that the author will be pursuing this story in another book!  Fidelity is an absolute Page Burning Stay-Up-All-Night Must Read!  I loved every single minute of it!  You don't want to miss this one y'all!

My Rating:  5 Heart Racing ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

Series Review ~ White House by Katy Evans

Series: White House

Book 1:
Mr. President
Rating: 3 ♥'s

Book 2:
Commander in Chief
Rating: 2 ♥'s





Synopsis Mr. President:

He's won the hearts of millions. But is he willing to lose his?
I met the president’s son when we were both young. Matthew Hamilton was handsome, polished, and intelligent. I’d never met a guy like him.
He promised me that he’d never run for president. I promised that if he did, I’d be by his side.
Three terms later, an invitation to join Matthew Hamilton’s campaign is the most exhilarating opportunity I’ve ever experienced. I'm determined to make a difference; he is determined to win.
Focused on his goal, Matt is steadfast, ruthless, and disarming. All eyes are on him and his popularity is surging. But soon, the next possible president of the United States is possessing me in more ways than one—and despite the risks, I'm helpless to resist.
We're stealing touches, stealing moments, and stealing away at night. But our chemical connection is quickly becoming dangerously combustive, putting not only my heart, but Matt's chance at the presidency on the line.
Winning will take everything. Walking away will be the hardest thing of all.
Review:

I was anxious to delve into Mr. President and discover for myself what the hype over this series was all about. I like the idea behind the series and needless to say, really enjoyed meeting the very gorgeous candidate for President, Matt. There seems to be conflict over whether or not a candidate for President can introduce his girlfriend to the world - and the consensus in this book is No. And so they resort to hiding their affair while working together on the election campaign - anything for the better good. I don't understand or buy into that concept when the woman in question is smart, funny, beautiful, and scandal-free...as in America's little darling. She's not a stripper and isn't hiding an illegitimate child or sordid past. So what's the big deal? I continued reading, waiting for a big blow up and to see how they'd end it - but, of course, it ends on a cliff-hanger which means you need book 2 to find out. I felt this book would have benefited from more depth - more real conflict...something that made me fear the end results. The plot line felt a bit frivolous and repetitive to me at times. A good, middle-of-the-road romance, but I was expecting something "more". My Rating:  3 Middle of the Road ♥'s . . . And that's the truth! Synopsis Commander in Chief: We fell in love during the campaign. The stakes were high. Reputations could have been ruined. Scandal hovered over us like a cloud. Now the man I love is the President of the United States of America. And its not my vote he is after. He wants it all. My heart. My body. My soul. He wants me by his side. In the White House. Normalcy will be gone from my life, privacy forgotten. I am only twenty three. I just wanted to play a part in history. But it seems like history wasn't done with me. The part where I lost my heart to Matthew Hamilton? It was only the beginning... Review: After reading Mr. President, I wanted to see this couple's story play out in the White House so I continued straight into Commander In Chief. Unfortunately, the story never really took off for me, and I actually found myself skimming much of the second half just to get finished. . . even the many, MANY love/sex scenes. In spite of that, I read on waiting for a conflict of some type to occur - something to raise the stakes and draw me in. It just never occurred. We get the couples' story, but there's no depth, no anticipation, no point where everything's on the line - no heart-pounding omg moments. I love/want/need to experience a story along with the main characters - to feel what they feel, want what they want, pull for them all the way, but I wasn't drawn in enough to do that. I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn't work for me as it completely missed the mark.  My Rating:  2 Disappointing ♥'s . . . And that's the truth! Cross My Heart . . . xxx ♥Sandra♥

Gertrude & Toby Meet The Wolf ~ Author Spotlight & Review

Title:  Gertrude and Toby Meet the Wolf #3
Series:  Gertrude & Toby Fairy Tale Adventures
Author:  Shari Tharp
Illustrator:  Jim Heath
Publisher:  Atlas Publishing
Release Date:  Jan. 9, 2017
Buy Links:  Amazon & Other Retailers

My Rating:  4 Delightful ♥'s




Synopsis:
Gertrude the goat and Toby the tortoise are going fishing at Trout Lake for their Friday adventure. While at the lake, they see a little boy being dragged off by a hungry wolf! They follow the wolf and rescue the little boy, but the wolf doesn't give up. He goes after them, determined to get his lunch back!

Gertrude and Toby Meet the Wolf is an exciting adventure story for children who are transitioning from beginning readers to chapter books. This is the perfect book for the child who has been tasked with the usual 30-minutes-per-night reading homework. From the standpoint of reading progression, this title fills a specific niche that represents a gap in the children's book market--longer illustrated children's books that are more complex and challenging than typical picture books.

Gertrude and Toby Meet the Wolf incorporates many traditional fairy-tale characters that will be immediately recognizable to many young readers. These characters include the Boy Who Cried Wolf, the Three Little Pigs, and of course, the Big Bad Wolf. The presence of these fairy-tale characters adds familiarity for young readers and keeps alive the old tales (e.g., those by the Brothers Grimm) that we have all come to know and love.

The first and second books in the series, Gertrude and Toby's Friday Adventure and Gertrude and Toby Save the Gingerbread Man, follow the same approach, incorporating fairy-tale characters in contemporary settings. These are modern stories with more complex plots and wording than those of standard picture books, but without the daunting word count of typical beginning chapter books.

Review:
Gertrude the goat and Toby the turtoise head to the lake to fish in this third installment of the series. While debating the best bait (worms or beetles), they see a boy who continues to cry "Wolf!" Later, they see the boy captured by the wolf and decide they must help him. Before it's all over, the three little pigs are involved in the big save. The combining of fairy tale characters adds to the fun and excitement of the story while adding to the familiarity of the story for the target age group of six to eight year old children.  I had the opportunity to read this to my nephew, and he absolutely loved it. The characters of Gertrude and Toby are funny and adventurous, giving children a shining example of friends helping friends while also entertaining them. The illustrations in this series are delightful (some of the best ever!) and just plain fun! This is a great read for young children!  Sure to be a bedtime favorite!  A Must Read!

Spotlight on Author Shari Tharp:

●        Talk about your journey into the world of writing and children’s books.

About three years ago, my son asked me to read him a bedtime story, but it was very late and I told him, “No, it’s too late.” He replied, “Well just tell me a story then.” So I told him a story about a goat and tortoise who go on adventures. The next night he asked for more of the story about the goat and tortoise. So I made up a little more about the goat and tortoise’s adventures. By the third night, the goat and tortoise were going to a candy store, but they didn’t realize they had to pay for their candy, because the market owner had given each of them a free sample and told them to “help themselves.” By that point (the third night), the characters had started talking and dialoguing, and that’s when I thought, “This could be a good story; I better write this down!” 

●        What made you decide to intertwine fairy tales into your books?

Well, when I started telling my son the bedtime adventure stories about the goat and tortoise, I wasn’t a fast enough thinker that I could create brand new characters to the story on the fly. So I just added familiar fairy-tale characters that the goat and tortoise met along the way. And those characters remained true to their fairy-tale natures as I incorporated them into the goat and tortoise story. :)

●        Gertrude & Toby are adorable characters.  What sparked them to life in your mind and what convinced you to star them in your books?

My son was always asking for a “baby goat” (which we were definitely not going to get!). And my sister has a tortoise (it wandered into her yard one day). I assigned the goat and tortoise names—Gertrude and Toby (alliteration, of course!). When I first wrote the story, all the characters sounded the same when they spoke, and when I shared the early versions of the Gertrude and Toby story (book 1) with family and friends, somebody mentioned this. I realized that I needed to better differentiate the personalities of the characters. So I looked at the actions I had Gertrude and Toby performing and realized that Gertrude was the impulsive leader. Toby is more careful (slow like a tortoise), but also smart and a smart aleck as well. I also liked the idea of best friends being able to razz each other a bit and joke around with each other. So I started the “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” question-and-answer exchange, with Toby always answering in a smart-aleck way. Some reviewers and readers have considered Toby dim-witted as a result. That was not my intention, but that’s OK. That’s the beauty of books/stories—they should be descriptive, yet open and subtle enough for individual interpretation.

●       What can readers expect from Shari Tharp in the future?

More published books I hope! Seriously, I am working on a Granny Frog series. It’s about a grandma frog who babysits her grandfrogs while the parents work the night shift at Toadstool Farm. But of course when grandma comes, it’s playtime. The children know they can get away with maybe having a cookie before dinner and not always following the strict rules their parents usually have in place. Another funny twist is that Granny tells the froglets bedtime stories about her life growing up. You know … like having to hop five miles uphill to a new pond when her family’s pond dries up, etc. I’ve also written a cute slug story and am working on a story tentatively called The Giant’s Castle.

●        Share the top five things you never leave home without!

Hmmm … lip balm, a credit card, my cell phone, different colored pens (red, blue, purple, black, and green), and a stack of my books in my trunk!

Shari Tharp is a graduate of San Diego State University and a former teacher. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and son. Her debut book, GERTRUDE AND TOBY'S FRIDAY ADVENTURE, won a silver medal IPPY award for Best Illustrated Ebook. 

The next two books in the series, GERTRUDE AND TOBY SAVE THE GINGERBREAD MAN and GERTRUDE AND TOBY MEET THE WOLF, are scheduled to be released in late 2016. 

In addition to writing, Shari enjoys playing chess, hiking, biking, and reading (of course!).

    Illustrator Jim Heath: 

    
Resides in Southern California with his family

Full-time graphic designer and illustrator

Originally from Huntington Beach, California and is still an avid surfer