Rachel Thompson

Jack Canon's American Destiny

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Orangeberry Free Alert - Betty’s Child - Donald R. Dempsey

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Betty’s Child - Donald R. Dempsey
Genre - Memoir, Family Relationship
Rating - PG13
5 (24 reviews)
Free until 10 April 2013
In the tradition of Frank McCourt and "Angela's Ashes," Donald Dempsey chronicles one boy's ordeals with poverty, religion, and physical and mental abuse as he attempts to come of age with only his street smarts and sense of humor to guide him.
Twelve-year-old Donny is a real-life cross between Huckleberry Finn and Holden Caulfield. Donny is doing his best to navigate the world he shares with his cruel and neglectful mother, his mother's abusive boyfriends, churchgoers who want to save Donny's soul, and a best friend who wants Donny to go to work for a dangerous local thug doing petty theft and dealing drugs.
Donny does everything he can to take care of himself and his younger brothers, but with each new development, the present becomes more fraught with peril--and the future more uncertain.
"Heartrending and humorous. In scene after vivid scene, Dempsey presents his inspiring true story with accomplished style. Dempsey's discipline as a writer lends the real-life tale the feel of a fictional page-turner." Kirkus Reviews
"This memoir is for everyone who has ever known someone abandoned, someone unloved, someone with barriers that seem impenetrable. With wit and delicacy, Dempsey exposes wounds that we would prefer to ignore, without ever pushing the reader away with any sense of melodrama. A truly unforgettable memoir." San Francisco Book Review
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An estimated 700,000 children are victims of child maltreatment in the United States each year: 78% suffer neglect, 18% are physically abuse, 9% are sexually abused, 8% are psychologically maltreated, and an astonishing 78% suffer neglect. (Source: National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System)
Don Dempsey experienced childhood abuse and neglect first hand, but went on to find business success and a fulfilling family life as an adult. "If you're lucky, you make it to adulthood in one piece," says Don. "But there's no guarantee the rest of your life is going to be any better. Abused kids are often plagued by fear and insecurity. They battle depression and have trouble with relationships. In the worst cases, abused children perpetuate the cycle."
But Don is living proof that you can overcome a childhood of abuse and neglect. "You start by letting go of as much of the guilt (yes, abused kids feel guilty) and as many of the bad memories as possible. At the same time, you hold on to the things that helped you survive. For me, it was the belief that you can make life better by working at it and earning it. It helps to have a sense of humor, too."
Some of Don's experiences will make you cringe, but you'll want to keep reading because of Don's natural storytelling ability and sense of humor. And in the end, you'll appreciate hearing Don's inspiring story.

Orangeberry Book Tours – The Folks at Fifty-Eight by Michael Patrick Clark

Gerald Hammond is the exception to the rule; an honourable spy, whose lofty principles have brought him nothing but loneliness and isolation. Catherine Schmidt is the stunning young daughter of an assassinated spymaster, whose murderous quest for vengeance has left her at the mercy of the infamous Head of Soviet State Security.

On a covert operation, in Soviet-occupied Germany, Hammond has no knowledge of the unseen forces that sponsor and oppose his mission. He only knows that he must somehow save her to save himself, but, as ever-more disturbing revelations come to light, begins to wonder which poses the greater threat; the enemy he runs from, or the friend he runs to?

Set against a factual background of government conspiracy, and one of the most audacious espionage coups in history, the Folks at Fifty-Eight is a beautifully-paced tale of seduction, betrayal, blackmail, and murder that blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction.

“This is the best spy novel I have read in quite some time” – Amazon Reviewer

“A subtle homage to the detective and spy novels of the 50′s and 60′s” – Amazon Reviewer

“Delicious spy novel, bold and graphic.” – Amazon Reviewer

“How could it get any better?” – Amazon Reviewer

“I purchased this based on the reviews, and it exceeded expectations” – Amazon Reviewer

Contains adult subject and strong language

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Thriller

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Michael Patrick Clark on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://michaelpatrickclark.com/

Orangeberry Book Tours – Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series) by Rebecca Ethington

Joclyn is in hiding, hunted by the man she still desperately loves. Ryland is gone, his mind erased; no memory of Joclyn remains, but Joclyn’s heart desperately begs her to hold out hope. Meanwhile the black-eyed monster that possesses him attempts to kill her over and over again.

If it wasn’t for Ilyan, Joclyn would be dead by now.

Ilyan, the man who once stalked her, is now Joclyn’s protector, the only person she has left. He protects Joclyn from the men who seek to end her life, and all the while, she is haunted by dreams where Ryland begs her to break the bond between them.

Ilyan is there. Always there.

Ilyan trains and prepares her, teaching her everything she needs to know in the hope that one day she can avenge Ryland, if not protect herself from him.

And then, there is her father.

The man who has never been there is suddenly responsible for everything. And who he is has made Joclyn into something she never wanted to be:

The Silnį»³.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA Paranormal

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Rebecca Ethington on Facebook & Twitter & GoodReads