Monday, August 29, 2011

Sticks and Bones Now Available in Paperback

$9.99 in the Butterfly Phoenix
E-Store on createspace.com
a division of Amazon.
After a long awaited debut, "Sticks and Bones" is now available in Paperback.


West Fargo, ND - The body of missing, Leah Jackson, was discovered late last night on the old Jordaine farm, on County Road 17, north of West Fargo, ND. The office of Kim Vanderhorn, District Attorney, has released a statement indicating foul play is suspected. According to Detective Marcia Grant, lead investigator, there are currently no suspects. More details to come. ~ Robert Andrews, Reporter.






Detective Marcia Grant never thought much about high school, until the body of missing Leah Jackson is discovered on an abandoned farmstead. The discovery launches Marcia into a world she had left behind years ago; the world where the social ladder must be climbed, or clung to, at all costs; or risk social suicide.

Officer Jonathon Drake worked hard ensuring his next step on the professional ladder would be to Detective. He never thought his career would be derailed by a woman. Especially the woman he secretly planned to marry - one day.

The holiday season is upon the Midwestern city of West Fargo. The school year is in full swing, when Halloween night, high school sophomore, Leah Jackson, will leave her home for the last time. The gossip mill begins to grind in the school system, the police department, and throughout the metropolitan area.

Who killed Leah Jackson? Was it Clyde Jordaine the abusive, alcoholic widower who owns the abandoned farmstead? Was it Sasha Davis the high society girl, and best friend of Leah Jackson, in a move to become Queen Bee of the tenth grade? Was it a Satanic Halloween ritual propagated by Sean Dorian and his minions?

As Marcia moves her inexperienced team forward through the investigation, a time bomb is ticking in the city. The tension is running high in the department and in the streets. Caving under the pressure of the investigation, Drake inadvertently lets Marcia know how he feels about her and disappears into the night; igniting suspicious minds within the department.

There are no real suspects in the case, only speculation and hearsay, until a primetime news show develops into a new theory. A new possibility that even Marcia, with her degrees in behavioral science and forensic psychology, had not considered. It wasn't possible. Or, was it?

"Sticks and Bones" promises a journey through the underbelly of the American High School like no other. Love them or hate them. The characters leap off the page, into the memories of the reader, taking on the forms of ghosts from the past. Do you dare journey back to high school? Just one more time?

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Sticks and Bones Trailer

Don't miss the back to school special for Kindle and Kindle Apps. 99 Cents on Amazon. Paperback coming soon!



Sticks and Bones Re-Released!



Click the Cover to get
yours on Amazon today!

The formatting of "Sticks and Bones" has been fixed for Kindle users. It has been re-released on Amazon on Friday, August 13, 2011.

Having great on-line connections is incredibly valuable in these days of racing down the information highway. Thankfully, I had a great connection and friend on FaceBook and LinkedIn, who was a Godsend in helping with the editing.

If it hadn't been for the negative review on Amazon I might have never known, or at least not soon enough, that the formatting wasn't correct for Kindle Readers. I apologize to all the readers who purchased "Sticks and Bones" in its crippled format. 

Speaking of negative reviews, I don't look at them as a personal insult, but an honest assessment. Something to be learned from and corrected. After reading the review by KindleAddict, I re-read the story and realized the reader had made some valid points. To make the story better, approximately 3,000 words have been added to "Sticks and Bones."

"Sticks and Bones" was, and still is, intended for the young adult audience - with a word of caution regarding harsh language and difficult scenarios in the book. There is no graphic content in the book.

"Sticks and Bones" will be available for 99 cents on Amazon for Kindle and Kindle App users for a limited time. When the paperback is released the Kindle price will increase.

It is my greatest hope the message in "Sticks and Bones" will stick with the reader for a lifetime. It is a tragic reality of the world we live in today. Only we can change that reality into something more positive - if we are honest with ourselves. The characters weren't meant to be the lovable 'unicorn and rainbow' type. We all have our inner-selves that we hide from the world -- most of the time.

Children learn what they see and live. What we do everyday is more significant in the life of a child than anything we say. Our actions, as adults, are speaking loud and clear in the adult world; and reflected back to us with blatant honesty among our youth.

"Sticks and Bones" requires thick skin to read. Although KindleAddict felt the characters were unbelievable and 'not likable', they are our friends, neighbors, and community members that we can all identify with from our past, or even present.

Sometimes authors use exaggeration as a means  to make a point. Such is the case with a few of the adult characters in "Sticks and Bones." The real question is: Are you brave enough to read "Sticks and Bones" with an open mind and hear the message from the young people of our world?