Friday, April 15, 2011

Book Review: Depth of Deceit by Betty Briggs

"Blonde and beautiful, fledging attorney Stephanie Saunders vows to protect the innocent even though as indigent defense attorney her clients rarely are. Does that include Josh Durrant who seems to be following her? Stephanie is dismayed when her peers begin calling her “Prom Queen” as her boyfriend, Todd Saxton, often does. Desperately trying to prove her worth, she falls prey to those who steal her innocence. Although she plans to forgive Todd for his ultimate betrayal, she is never given the chance. Her boss, Attorney Charles Connelly, offers solace, but is Stephanie’s welfare, or his own, top priority? The only thing that keeps Stephanie sane in her insane world are the horses she loves but does not own, especially the abused mare, Riskie Business, whose example helps Stephanie make the most difficult decision of her life. Relying on wit and courage, Stephanie must save herself and another during the final showdown where she proves a loyalty of which she never knew herself capable."


2010 Winner of the Silver Quill for second place in the Fiction category for the League of Utah Writers Publication Awards.

This book intrigued me from the moment I read the backliner, and I found myself very drawn to the characters. As most of you know, I am a character writer. That's why I write series'. I get attached to people and don't want to let go. The interplay between these characters was interesting, though I found myself frustrated with Stephanie's passivity at moments, by the end of the book I had come to truly love her as a character.

I think it was her relationship with the horses that did it. You see, I'm a farm girl at heart. My grandfather owned 100 acres in Kennewick, Washington, and farmed it well. We lived there for four years and then moved to Noble, Oklahoma where we had 45 acres and had everything from chickens to pigs, to horses. I'm an animal lover and though I didn't compete like Stephanie did in the book, I know that love for these big animals. Add to that her relationship to the pregnant mare, Riskie Business, and how she related to that horse and cared for its foal, and my heart connected with this character.

I must admit the ending was my favorite bit though. I love surprise endings, so I won't ruin it for any of you, but believe me, it's worth reading the book just for the ending alone.

Betty Briggs definitely gets a thumb's up from me!

If you wish to purchase the book, follow the link here: PURCHASE

And for more information about the author and her books, please visit her website.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Bees in My Butt Blogfest


I'm excited to announced the first ever Smartboys Club Blog Fest to celebrate the release of Bees in My Butt in paperback. Everyone who participates will get the first 4 Smartboys Club books for free as ebooks and a coupon code to buy the paperback Bees in My Butt for only $3 instead of the list price of $6.99. In addition, for every hundred people that join us in the blog fest we'll have a drawing to give away a Kindle.
For details on how to participate, visit the Wonder Realms Books website. I look forward to seeing you there.


I've got a son who's a reluctant reader, and by reluctant, I mean he will sit for an hour and stare at the pictures in a book rather than read the words. He hates reading with a passion. I know, funny with me for a mom, but that's the way he is.

Well, this week I got a hold of a kindle version of Rebecca Shelley's Bees in My Butt and asked him if he wanted to try reading it for his reading time. He reluctantly agreed, (though he did seem excited to be able to mess around with my kindle) and after about an hour I went downstairs to check on him, assuming he'd tried reading a chapter book and given up. Lo and behold, he was still reading! He loved it!

If Rebecca Shelley can get my son to love reading, I'll buy every book she ever publishes. All I can say is, Thanks Rebecca!

Quote of the Day: "Fear departs when faith endures . . . I try to remember that."
~Valerie Ipson~

Take Monkey, a literary genius with flatulence; Bean, a science and math guru; Vinny, a computer whiz who can't keep her mouth shut; and Art, an artist who can shoot a basketball like a pro, confront them with a mess of fourth grade trouble, and watch the fun explode.
In Bees in My Butt, the first book of the Smartboys Club series, the members of the Smartboys Club use their skills to battle a group of crazed Ninjas that take over the school. And it happens on a day when Monkey has the worst case of flatulence imaginable.