Giving Away The Shop

Business first! The winner of my Authors in Bloom prize pack was Melissa Bourne Yayyy, Melissa! You can check out the Authors in Bloom main page to find a list of other winners and to see who won the grand prize of a Nook or Kindle.

Now, on to another giveaway! After the Give Your Child a Book Day was so crazy successful yesterday, and I didn't want anyone to miss out on a FREE Kindle copy of my latest release, SAVAGE CINDERELLA, I'll keep the book free for two more days. That's right! Today and tomorrow only, the book is available for a free download from Amazon. Jump on over and get your copy NOW!

If this is your first visit to my blog, I write, as the title suggests, Extraordinary Stories of an Average Teenage Life.

Savage Cinderella is the story of a young girl’s tragically lost innocence, her miraculous survival in the wilderness, and the unlikely romance that teaches her to trust, and leads her to triumph over her past.

Eighteen year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived alone in an abandoned cabin in the High Country of North Georgia since she was a child. If her life is lonely and less than complete, at least she is safe from the man who kidnapped her, held her captive, and left her for dead in a shallow grave in the mountains. She believes that her parents are dead, the police are her enemy, and that if she returns to the world, her tormentor will find her. With the help of some unlikely friends, she has what she needs to survive, but is surviving enough?

Life takes a turn when a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer—in pursuit of the fabled Wild Child—captures her on film. While chasing the story of a lifetime, Justin is injured and Brinn comes to his rescue. The two build a tentative friendship, but with his own violent past, an abusive alcoholic father, and a mother he couldn’t protect, he must decide if proving himself is worth betraying the trust of the girl he has vowed to help.

Trust is a commodity that Brinn has been unable to afford. Can the kindness and gentle touch of a stranger break through the wall she has built around her heart? After half a lifetime of living in isolation and fear, Brinn must decide if leaving the safety of her remote cabin is worth the hope—and danger—that may await her.


Some people might say it's crazy giving away my book like this, but since yesterday, over 8,000 people have downloaded the book for free. If a dozen or so folks feel compelled to write a lovely review, tell their friends what a great story it is, or maybe decide to purchase my other two books, Heaven Is For Heroes and On Thin Ice, then it is well worth it. Besides, every writer writes for one reason and one reason only...to share their stories with the world.

I hope you enjoy Brinn's story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Comments and feedback are always welcomed and I would greatly appreciate any reviews you'd like to post to Amazon.

Blessings!

PJ

Give Your Child a Book Day

Welcome to a fabulous opportunity to give your kids a free e-book for their Kindle! Check out the great list of books available. April 19th, the following Children's, Middle Grade, and YA books are FREE You'll see that my most recent release, SAVAGE CINDERELLA is among them. And because I wouldn't want you to miss out on a great opportunity, my book will stay FREE for three days, from April 19-21. Enjoy! I'll also be announcing the winner of my Authors in Bloom Blog Hop Prizepack right here on Friday the 20th. Stay tuned!

Fill up your Kindle and get your children reading this summer with these 15 books, free on Kindle only on April 19 during the Give Your Child A Kindle Book (or 15 of Them!) Promotion. Scroll down the list, which includes picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult books spanning a range of topics from sports, to paranormal, to historical, to educational. Selected books include the Florida Historical Society's Best Children's Book, and books that have been recommended in Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10 and in an edition of Children's Book of the Year. The authors have been published by houses such as Scholastic, Dell, HarperCollins, Simon Pulse, Avon, E.P. Dutton, Millbrook, Lerner, and St. Martin's Minotaur. Adult readers will find much to enjoy on this list also. Some of the titles will be free for a couple days, but the entire list is just guaranteed free on the 19th. We also have two bonus books in multiple e-book formats, compatible with Nook, Sony and more! You'll find the list of novels for older tween and teen readers first, followed by picture books and books for younger readers, and then our two bonus novels.
Please click on the title to follow the Amazon buy links.

NOVELS


Download Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba - When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak “accidents” in town, Dawn has an important choice to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. "A special book that should not be missed.” Fresh Fiction


Download Face-Off by Stacy Juba - Brad’s twin brother T.J. has gotten himself out of the fancy prep school his father picked for him and into the public high school Brad attends. The whole school is rooting for a big double-strength win…not knowing that their twin hockey stars are heating up the ice for a winner takes all face-off. Included in the reference guide Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10.


Download Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner by Dalya Moon - It’s 1988, and Charlie Woodchuck is the most minor of niners. At thirteen, she’s the youngest girl at Snowy Cove High School, and so clueless, she wore leg warmers and acid-wash jeans on her first day. Big mistake! Almost as big a mistake as signing up for a boys-only shop class. Doy! Just when she thinks the first week of high school can’t get any more weird, Charlie discovers she may be adopted.


Download Away from Whipplethorn by A.W. Hartoin - Tiny fairies. Huge adventure. Matilda is about to get what she’s always wanted, and it’s a bad thing. Being a babysitter isn’t much of a dream, but Matilda is anything but average. She’s half a centimeter tall, invisible to the human eye, and hearing-impaired. In her life, adventures are in short supply, but there is a emergency list for her first job. The only problem; humans aren’t on the list.


Download The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish - Pancakes that turn into trampolines, attacking caramel apples, roller-skating pies, are all a part of The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish, a lip-smacking middle grade fantasy with an original musical score by a Broadway veteran embedded alongside the text! After losing to a cheat for the past eleven years, will chef Applefeller finally manage to nab the prize?


Download Practice Cake: A Romantic Comedy by Dalya Moon - There's one thing Maddie Bird (18) finds more tempting than red velvet cake: her coworker, Drew. All it takes is one of his sly winks or a playful hip-check by the cooler, and she's incinerating the cookies. Her boyfriend would not approve. When a reality TV crew descends upon the bakery, her simple summer job gets even more complicated.


Download Savage Cinderella by PJ Sharon - Eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope - and the danger-that may await her.


Download Ashlyn's Radio by Wilson Doherty (Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty) - When circumstances force 17-year-old Ashlyn Caverhill to move to her grandma's in Maine, she's PO'd. Although it boasts the hot Caden Williams, she thinks Prescott Junction is the deadest place ever. She may be right. Not only does a ghost train roll through at night, but the Caverhill-cursed radio Ashlyn finds foretells that she'll board it! With Caden's help, she must find a way to escape her fate.


Download Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology by N.R. Wick - Keep a flashlight handy. This collection of short stories for young adults is sure to draw out whatever's skulking in the shadows. From supernatural entities, to crazed monsters, to disturbing discoveries, evil is lurking 'round every corner. Delve into the dark recesses of this creepy book… if you dare.

FOR YOUNGER READERS:

Download Teddy Bear Town Childrens E-Book Bundle by Stacy Juba - Immerse your child in the gentle world of teddy bears with three picture books in one download. Each story is fully illustrated with simple illustrations of teddy bear families. Includes The Flag Keeper, Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise, and Sticker Shoes. The Midwest Book Review on The Flag Keeper: "Excellent educational book filled with information all American children should know."


Download Doctor: Discover Series Picture Book for Kids - Who likes going to the doctor? Who wants their child to grow up to be a doctor? Whether you're looking to alleviate anxiety or plant the suggestion early, DOCTOR features 25 full-color photos of of doctors, nurses and medical equipment. Like other titles in the Kindle Kids Library from Xist Publishing, DOCTOR has been formatted to take advantage of the Kindle, Kindle Fire and Kindle apps for phones, tablets and computers.


Download Einstein The Lazy Kitty by Renae Rae - This 30-page story is inspired by Renae Rae's real-life lazy kitty. Einstein The Lazy Kitty, combines rhythmic writing and colorful illustrations to make this a short, fun book for all ages but it was designed with your toddler and early reader in mind.


Download Time to Get Ready, Bunny! by Brenda Ponnay - It's time to get ready, Bunny! Bunny? BUNNY? In this charming little book, author/illustrator Brenda Ponnay has artfully depicted the morning routine of so many families. Whether your little one would rather stay in bed, play with toys, or try on every outfit in the closet, this book is sure to resonate with parents.


Download Grammar Candy by Katrina Streza - Have you ever wondered what exactly an adjective was? Drawn a blank when your child asked for help with English grammar homework? In GRAMMAR CANDY, the second book by educator Katrina Streza, Danny and Sam are back for another candy-filled learning adventure. This time, they'll turn a grammar lesson into some sweet fun when they visit Mr. Candor's Candy Shop and learn about nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs and more. For candy-loving kids in grades 1-3 (and their parents too)!

BONUS BOOKS: Available in multiple e-book formats compatible with Kindle, Nook, Sony and other e-readers.
The Younger Days by Mike Hays -
In the beginning, Boy Smyth has a dull Missouri farm life and a burning desire to be an outlaw like his hero, Cole Younger. In the end, Boy Smyth has five dead bodies and two burning buildings at his farm and the most feared man in the United States crying outside his front gate. And that desire for the outlaw life? It's purged completely from his system. Download free on April 19 from Muse It Up Publishing.

The Pea Soup Poisonings by Nancy Means Wright - To get into her brother's Spy Club, Zoe must walk a high narrow beam over rusted farm machinery and then discover who poisoned Granny Fairweather's pea soup. She has 5 days to find the culprit. Can she do it? Winner of an Agatha award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Novel. Download free on April 19 from Belgrave House.

Hoppy April!

Hey Gang! Happy Spring time wherever you may be. I love this time of year. The birds are back in force, everything is budding and blooming, and the promise of warmer days has me itching to get out and dig in the dirt.

To celebrate this month, I’m joining forces with a fabulous group of authors on a Blog Hop called Authors in Bloom. How it works is that between April 9th and April 18th, you can visit each author’s blog or website and enter to win an amazing array of prizes. At each stop, you’ll be able to pick up some great gardening tips and wonderful recipes to make your spring that much brighter. You'll also be able to collect phrases at each author's site that will add up to a story. If you collect all the phrases, you can enter to win a Kindle or a Nook loaded with free books! You’ll find all the details and the list of participating authors with links to their sites by clicking here to go to the Authors in Bloom landing page.

Don’t go yet! Here are my phrases to the Authors in Bloom Traveling Story.
Line 4: Nestled together in the garden,
Line 5: they present a lovely palette of beauty; fresh fragrant.

I recommend checking out the details of the contest requirements on the Authors in Bloom site, but if you want to hop right on over to the participating authors and their links to collect your phrases, see their recipes and gardening tips, and enter their individual contests, you can find the links here.

Here's my idea of a Sunny Delight dessert. If you want a great super easy pie recipe that's just perfect for spring and summer, try this:

You'll need one package of vanilla instant pudding mix, 2 cups of cold milk, an 8 oz. package of cream cheese, a graham cracker crust (I buy mine ready made), and a banana. Beat the softened cream cheese with a half cup of the milk until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla pudding mix and the rest of the milk and blend until thickened (3-5 minutes). Slice half the banana onto the bottom of the pie crust and then pour the pudding mixture on top. Top the pie with the rest of the banana slices and add whipped cream if you like. I also add sliced strawberries to both the bottom and top of my pie to add a sweet/tart flavor. Chill and serve. Enjoy! You can make this low fat and sugar free by using lite cream cheese, sugar free pudding mix, and skim or 1% milk.

As for gardening tips, here's one of my favorites. Check out this you-tube video to find out how to make manure tea. Trust me; your plants are going to LOVE it!

My Contest
At the end of the blog hop, I’ll pick one lucky winner to receive this awesome prize pack which includes signed copies of each of my books, a free download of ON THIN ICE, a mug, bookmarks, a pen, a tee shirt, a World Wildlife Fund water bottle, and a national Wildlife Federation tote along with a cute stuffed baby polar bear! Whew…what a giveaway!

So here’s how you enter. Between April 9th and April 18th leave a comment on this blog. That’s all you have to do to be in the running. Make sure you include a valid e-mail address. If you want more chances to win, you can subscribe to my Newsletter by "Joining my mailing list" here, “like” my Face Book page here, follow me on Twitter here, and tweet about the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop (#Authors in Bloom Blog Hop. Enter to win amazing prizes @pjsharon http://www.pjsharonyawriter.blogspot.com ). It’s that easy, and for every effort, you will be rewarded by having your name entered for another chance in the drawing. If you do all of the above, I’ll add your name an extra time. That means you could be entered five times! That has got to up your chances. Just let me know in the comment section what you’ve done to help me spread the word.
Contest is only open to US residents and deadline to enter is midnight on April 18th. Winner will be announced here and also on the Authors in Bloom site on April 21st.

And if that doesn’t get you hopping, I’m joining fifteen other authors on April 19th for a “Give Your Child a Free Book Day (or fifteen)!

That’s right, SAVAGE CINDERELLA will be included in this wonderful opportunity to grab free Kindle books for kids from children’s books, to Middle Grade, to YA. You can check out the amazing lineup here. Just so you don’t miss out, I’m extending my free days to include April 20th and 21st. Awesome, right? Here's the link to Amazon where you'll have three days to get SAVAGE CNDERELLA for free!

Before I forget, a big thank you to Gina Beach for all of her creative "Title ideas" for Book One of the dystopian trilogy I'm working on called the Chronicles of Lilly Carmichael. A few other folks chimed in with suggestions, but I had to go with my gut on this one. Book One will be titled "WANING MOON", Book II will be "WESTERN DESERT" and Book III, "WINTER SUN". So there you have it! Now I just have to write it:-)

Well, that’s all I have for now. It’s going to be an exciting month!