Smorgasbord Bookshelf – Meet the Authors 2022 – Personal Recommendations -#Paranormal Jan Sikes, #Historical Ailish Sinclair, #Poetry Balroop Singh

In this first feature for the Smorgasbord Bookshelf I am sharing authors whose books I have read and can personally recommend along with one of my reviews for their books.

The first award winning author today is Jan Sikes.. I am enjoying working my way through her extensive portfolio of books and I am sharing one my review for Ghostly Interference. I am looking forward to reading more in 2022.

Meet Jan Sikes

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. I can still remember the excitement that surged through me the first time I realized I could decipher words. Many summers, I won the highest award possible from the Hobbs, NM Public Library for reading the most books.

There’s nothing I love more than losing myself in a story.

Oddly enough, I never had any ambition to be a writer. But I wound up in mid-life with a story that begged to be told. Not just any story, but a true story that rivaled any fiction creation. Through fictitious characters, the tale came to life in an intricately woven tale that encompasses four books. Not satisfied to stop with the books, I released music CDs of original music to match the time period of each story segment.

In conclusion, to bring the story full circle, I published a book of poetry and art. I was done.

Wrong!

The story ideas keep coming, and I don’t intend to turn off the creative fountain.

I am a member of the Author’s Marketing Guild, The Writer’s League of Texas, Romance Writers of America, and the Paranormal Writer’s Guild. I am an avid fan of Texas music and grandmother of five beautiful souls. I reside in North Texas.

A small selection of other books by Jan Sikes

My review for Ghostly Interference (White Rune Series Book 1) February 2021

This is a passionate love story with a gentle paranormal theme running through it. Whilst the central characters are Jag and Rena and is about the development of their relationship, the story also has other players who also create interest and mystery.

The author has done a great job of creating the world that they all inhabit and you almost feel that you are riding pillion on a motorcycle, tapping your toes to the music and seeing something faintly familiar in the shadows.

There is also plenty of action as the lives of others intrude into the love story, and the author does not shy away from writing about tough issues such as domestic violence and life in the foster care system, both relevant to background story and as the plot evolves.

There are some terrific twists and turns in the story that keep you guessing and turning the pages.

I have no hesitation is recommending the book to lovers of well written romance, paranormal and family sagas.

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – Website: Jan Sikes – Goodreads: Jan on Goodreads – Twitter: @rijanjks

I was introduced to the next author today, Ailish Sinclair early in 2021 and loved the first book I have read and look forward to reading more of her work.

Meet Ailish Sinclair

Ailish Sinclair trained as a dancer and taught dance for many years, before working in schools to help children with special needs. A short stint as a housekeeper in a castle fired her already keen interest in untold stories of the past and she sat down to research and write.

She now lives beside a loch with her husband and two children where she still dances and writes and eats rather a lot of chocolate.

Books by Ailish Sinclair

My review for Fireflies and Chocolate June 2021

As the author explains in her notes, this story is based on actual events that took place in Scotland in the 1740s, when six hundred children and young people were kidnapped from Aberdeen and sold into indentured servitude in the American colonies. Although there are accounts of this devastating event, they are mainly from the male perspective and the author created her central character Elizabeth to redress the balance.

Sinclair has done an excellent job of merging fact and fiction with wonderful characters, some based on real people of the day. Those who survived the crowded and dangerous crossing, were sold to the highest bidder to use as they saw fit for the years of their indenture. At that time slavery was still embedded in the culture, and the indentured servants worked side by side, often in appalling and cruel conditions.

Elizabeth comes from a privileged background but it is a time of conflict with the English and like many Scottish noble families times are hard. However, nothing could prepare her for voyage that broke the spirits of many, and the horror of being sold into an uncertain future.

We follow her adventures as she meets those who are on the run from the harsh treatment on the plantations, and those with a more enlightened attitude to the slavery and the use of indentured servants. Her bravery in the face of the treatment to those she now works side by side with, wins hearts and also endangers her life and those she loves.

This book is well researched, bringing history to life and the writing flows smoothly like hot chocolate as it warms on a cold day. It is a coming of age and love story which will have you holding your breath on occasion as Elizabeth comes to terms with her future.

I can highly recommend the book to those who enjoy well researched and compelling historical novels.

Read the other reviews and buy the books:Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Other reviews :Goodreads – Website:Ailish Sinclair – Twitter: @AilishSinclair – Facebook: Ailish Sinclair Author – LinkedIn: Ailish Sinclair

The next poet whose collections are much enjoyed is Balroop Singh and I read and reviewed her most recent collection in 2021.

Meet Balroop Singh

Balroop Singh, an educator, a poet and an author always had a passion for writing. She would jot down her reflections on a piece of paper and forget about them till each drawer of her home started overflowing with poetic reminders, popping out at will! The world of her imagination has a queer connection with realism. She could envision the images of her own poetry while teaching the poems. Her dreams saw the light of the day when she published her first poetry book: ‘Sublime Shadows Of Life.’ She has always lived through her heart. She is a great nature lover; she loves to watch birds flying home. The sunsets allure her with their varied hues that they lend to the sky. She can spend endless hours listening to the rustling of leaves and the sound of waterfalls. She lives in California.

Books by Balroop Singh

My review for Slivers: Chiseled Poetry July 2021

Poetry, particularly about nature is perfect for enjoying sitting in sunshine and listening to the sounds always present in a summer garden. The poet Balroop Singh captures this wonderful environment and other aspects of mother and human nature in her collection of micro-poetry. Inspired by Haiku and Tanka with the addition of a section of acrostic poetry, it is a collection to be savoured and reread again and again.

I have some particular favourites out of the 100 or so poems.

each day reminds us
it’s the symphony of surroundings
that whispers life into us

*****

ochre and crimson
robes of mother nature remind
decay can be exquisite

*****

I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
I believe in love
even when I cannot feel it
love and light are my mentors

This is a collection that will appeal to all lovers of micro poetry that manages to capture the essence and beauty of the world around us, the fickleness of human nature, and offers hope for the future.

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – and : Amazon UK – Follow Balroop : Goodreads – blog:Balroop Singh on WordPress – Twitter: @BalroopShado

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books… Sally.

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore Updates – #Reviews #Historical Ailish Sinclair, #Romance #Paranormal Jan Sikes, #Timetravel Rob Shackleford

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Cafe and Bookstore with recent reviews for authors on the shelves.

The first review is for the historical novel Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair.

About the book

Elizabeth craves adventure… excitement… love…

For now though, she has to settle for a trip from her family’s castle, to the port in Aberdeen, where her father has promised she’ll be permitted to buy a horse… all of her own.

Little does she suspect this simple journey will change her life, forever. And as she dreams of riding her new mount through the forests and glens of the Manteith estate, she can have no idea that she might never see them again.

For what lies ahead is danger, unimagined… and the fearful realities of kidnap and slavery.

But even when everything seems lost, most especially the chance of ever getting home again, Elizabeth finds friendship, comfort… and that much prized love, just where she least expected it.

Set in the mid eighteenth century, Fireflies and Chocolate is a story of strength, courage and tolerance, in a time filled with far too many prejudices.

A recent review for the book

MacTrish 5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written tale with a captivating character at its heart

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2021

Fireflies and Chocolate is a wonderful book that tells the story of Elizabeth Manteith, a titled sixteen-year-old, who is abducted off the streets of Aberdeen in 1743 and taken off to Pennsylvania to work there. These abductions really happened, facilitated by the merchants of the city who were paid for their help.

Elizabeth is gutsy, vulnerable, rash and caring, and her quick wittedness and bravery had me cheering her on from the sidelines. Like her, we are confronted by the harsh realities of life as a slave or indentured labourer and she experiences danger and brutality as she wades in to protect her new-found friends. There’s also fun and humour in the mix and a romance that grows and develops with the tale. I loved the author’s depiction of the confusion Elizabeth faced regarding her true feelings for Peter, who helped her during the voyage, and for Michael who gave her a job as his cook. I’ll leave you to find out for yourself how that pans out!  

Also by Ailish Sinclair

Read the other reviews and buy the books:Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Other reviews :Goodreads – Website:Ailish Sinclair – Twitter: @AilishSinclair – Facebook: Ailish Sinclair Author – LinkedIn: Ailish Sinclair

The next review is for Ghostly Interference (The White Rune Series) by Jan Sikes

About the book

Jag Peters has one goal in his quiet comfortable life—to keep his karma slate wiped clean. A near-miss crash with a candy apple red Harley threatens to upend his safe world. He tracks down the rider to apologize properly. Slipping into a seedy biker bar, he discovers the rider isn’t a “he”, it’s a “she”, a dark-haired beauty.

Rena Jett is a troubled soul, who lives in a rough world. She wants no part of Jag’s apology, but even while she pushes him away, she is attracted to him. When he claims to see a ghost—her brother—can she trust him? And could her brother’s final gift, a magical rune stone with the symbol for “happily ever after” have the power to heal her wounds and allow opposites to find common ground—perhaps even love?

A recent review for the book

John 4.0 out of 5 stars One wild ride  Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2021

I don’t read love stories and took a chance on Ghostly Interference because the story included bikers and a ghost. The story flowed smoothly and I was hooked before reaching the end of the first chapter.

It begins when Jag, an IT nerd, nearly hits a biker with his car. He is a strict believer of Karma and wants to keep things on the straight and narrow. Jag chases after the rider and finally locates the Harley parked outside of a biker bar; the rider, Rena Jett, turned out to be a ‘drop dead, gorgeous, biker babe’ with an attitude. It was clear right from the start that they were from different worlds, yet, something attracted them to one another.

Shortly after this encounter, Jag sees a ghost – he’s seen others in the past. Turns out this ghost is Rena’s deceased brother who was recently killed in Afghanistan. It soon becomes clear that “Sam” wants Jag to help Rena get through her nightmares and trust issues of her abused and tormented upbringing while raised in the Foster Care system. But there was something else Sam needed to say to her…

As readers meet other characters, the love between Jag and Rena grows. There are several ‘hot’ sex scenes in the story but the author doesn’t turn it into a pornographic exhibition, and it is nicely done.

There are many surprises uncovered in the story as well as some ‘sit on the edge of your seat’ suspense. In Ghostly Interference, everyone gets their wish – except for Rena’s boss – and lives happily ever after. Well worth a chance and highly recommended for those who want to see what real love is like.  

Head over to buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

A small selection of books by Jan Sikes

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – Website: Jan Sikes – Goodreads: Jan on Goodreads – Twitter: @rijanjks

The final review today is for Rob Shackleford and Traveller Probo: Traveller Book 2 (Traveller Series)

About the book

Traveller Probo is the second book in the Traveller Series.

Would you survive if sent one-thousand years into the past?

Development of the Transporter saw highly trained researchers, called Travellers, successfully sent one-thousand years back in time to early medieval Saxon England.
Traveller Missions now mean enormous national prestige and the recovery of priceless lost artefacts and knowledge, so nations vie for the use of the Transporter and more daring Traveller missions are planned. Politics and power soon come into play.

To study lost peoples and civilisations, Special Forces researchers have to be even better trained, equipped and prepared to put their lives on the line.

While Michael Hunter continues to build a life in Saxon England, the tragically injured Tony Osborne finds his resurgence in a mission to ancient Byzantine Turkey, a mission Professor Adrian Taylor joins to better outmanoeuvre his calculating academic colleagues.

From the misty shores of New Zealand to the shining splendour of the ancient Byzantine Empire, it is proved how sending modern researchers into the past carries enormous rewards and tragedies.

One of the recent reviews for the book

N. N. Light VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant book that easily draws in a reader… Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2021

A tour de force in time travel fiction. Incredibly detailed, the author has a keen eye for creating imagery. If an avid fan of time travel, then this book is for you as it will transport you to the past.

If you are a new reader, you will be captivated by New Zealand. The complications that happen in New Zealand take this story into a fresh new turn. The scenes are gripping, realistic and simply draw the reader in.

The portrayal of special forces members shows the author has a good appreciation of this special group. The training illustrated for the would-be travellers rings true with accuracy. The continued use of the media’s view helps keep the book grounded. You get a real-world feel for this series with tv and radio personalities involved.

A brilliantly written book that easily draws in a reader. It wasn’t long before I was dreaming about scenes from this book as I read it. The powerful writing simply imbues a reader’s soul.

The book brings to the forefront an important ethical question that is valid today. When is it okay for people of ‘superior’ ways to help those who have ‘less’? In this book, it is the context of the present and past. In our world, it has been the question generally of western civilization and local populations. How does one objectively rate the impact of ‘oh we can help them’ in terms of today? Each reader can grapple with these ethics in their own way. This book does a lovely job of highlighting this contentious theme.

One can’t help but admire the moral and ethical nature of Hunter. The international intrigue and suspense in the 21st century keep this book also with a foot in the present. Recommended to fans of the original book. Recommended to all lovers of the time travel genre. This book will have wide appeal and should be a bestseller. 

Also by Rob Shackleford

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Rob: Goodreads – Website/Blog: Rob Shackleford – Facebook: Rob Shackleford Author – Twitter: @robshackleford – LinkedIn:Rob Shackleford

 

 

 

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore Update – #Reviews – #Fantasy Jan Sikes, #Historical Ailish Sinclair, #Poetry Balroop Singh

Welcome to the Monday edition of the Cafe and Bookstore updates with reviews for authors on the shelves.

The first author with a recent review is Jan Sikes for the short story Jonah..

About the book

Fantasy meets reality when a young man is forced to choose his punishment for crimes committed. Jonah must decide between imprisonment in a concrete box beneath the earth or be exiled to a deserted, barren island. He chooses the island, but nothing can prepare him for the deadly creatures, and poisonous plants at every turn. Then there’s the maddening isolation that drives him to the brink of insanity. There is only one way off this island and it’s more difficult than anything he’s ever imagined. It’s much easier to face mortal danger than the demons within. Will he find redemption, or another unexpected offer?

A recent review for the book

D. W. Peach 4.0 out of 5 stars A tale about personal growth  Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2021

Jonah had a choice: prison or abandonment on an island. He opts for the island and finds himself in an inhospitable environment that he’s not sure he’ll survive. Then Titus shows up, an unusual boy with webbed fingers and glowing eyes who offers hope and a way out if Jonah is willing to change his life.

This short story, in some ways, works as an allegory for the process of finding self-acceptance, integrity, fellowship, and redemption. It relies heavily on the books The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz, and The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford, both which Jonah studies while trapped on the island.

Magic also comes into play, perhaps allegorical for the real “magical” transformation that comes with self-discovery and owning one’s choices. Overall, the story worked and kept my attention with its unique setting and relatable characters. Recommended to readers who enjoy allegories and a fictional overview of the steps leading to personal growth.

A small selection of other books by Jan Sikes

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – Website: Jan Sikes – Goodreads: Jan on Goodreads – Twitter: @rijanjks

The next review is for  the historical novel Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair.

About the book

Elizabeth craves adventure… excitement… love…

For now though, she has to settle for a trip from her family’s castle, to the port in Aberdeen, where her father has promised she’ll be permitted to buy a horse… all of her own.

Little does she suspect this simple journey will change her life, forever. And as she dreams of riding her new mount through the forests and glens of the Manteith estate, she can have no idea that she might never see them again.

For what lies ahead is danger, unimagined… and the fearful realities of kidnap and slavery.

But even when everything seems lost, most especially the chance of ever getting home again, Elizabeth finds friendship, comfort… and that much prized love, just where she least expected it.

Set in the mid eighteenth century, Fireflies and Chocolate is a story of strength, courage and tolerance, in a time filled with far too many prejudices.

A recent review for the book

Helen 5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 July 2021

A beautifully written, heartbreaking story set in the 1700s of a young lady, Elizabeth Manteith, who is kidnapped from Scotland and taken to America to be sold as a slave. Based on real events, it brings to light the plight of more than 600 people who were taken over the years.

This is a love story that transcends colour, race, and class, as Elizabeth grows from being a spoilt lady of the castle to a young woman who fiercely defends her closest friends. There is joy and sadness, laughter and tears; the narrative pulls you in and keeps you intrigued all the way through.

I admire books that speak about parts of history that others would prefer to keep hidden, and this book tells the heartbreaking story of people whose voices would otherwise remain unheard. Well written, with wonderful characters, it’s a great read I highly recommend. 

Also by Ailish Sinclair

Read the other reviews and buy the books:Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Other reviews :Goodreads – Website:Ailish Sinclair – Twitter: @AilishSinclair – Facebook: Ailish Sinclair Author – LinkedIn: Ailish Sinclair

Delighted to share a recent review for Balroop Singh… and her new collection…Slivers: Chiseled Poetry

About the collection

When I stumbled upon haiku – a Japanese form of poetry, I scoffed it away, thinking it to be too short and easy to write. My hubris got a setback when I was challenged to write it! My earlier efforts show how I struggled with the syllables that could convey a meaningful message. Slowly I discovered this art form, which I revere now. I’ve taken some liberties with the rules though.

The poetry in this collection is not traditional haiku and tanka but inspired from them.This collection focuses on micro-poetry, inspired from haiku, senryu, tanka and acrostic poems. Brevity and discipline is the hallmark of these poems.

A recent review for the collection

Jacqui Murray VINE VOICE  5.0 out of 5 stars Poetry that makes you think  Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2021

This latest from Balroop Singh, Slivers: Chiseled Poetry (2021) is a delightful collection of Haiku, what is a favorite poetry form of many. Balroop is a master of this form. I loved it from Page 1, her dedication to her husband:

“who speaks like ‘haiku’ – short but profoundly meaningful”

Balroop is well known for her poetic ability to connect words that ultimately give more than simple meaning to lines and phrases but a feeling to the whole. I have savored most of her poetry books (here are my reviews for Magical Whispers, Timeless Echoes, and Moments We Love). This particular collection shares the wonder of nature as told with haikus and to a lesser extent acrostic poems. Haiku is one of my favorite poetic forms as it is for millions. Done right, it adds dimension to a topic that can’t be reached any other way.

Here are examples of her artistry. What do you think?

coruscating lilies smile at me, heralding spring, spreading colorful cheer

we fly on the waves of whim when our dreams get wings clouds crumble to comply

a light within me illuminates dead desires that gasp with the waves

wind plays pranks today knocks them down yet petals smile! scattered elegance

mist engulfed me the cavern waited to devour my positive vibes

detachment carried her into an abyss of emotions emerging seems irresistible

This is truly poetry that makes you think. Enjoy!  

Other books by Balroop Singh

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – and : Amazon UK – Follow Balroop : Goodreads – blog:Balroop Singh on WordPress – Twitter: @BalroopShado

 

Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you are leaving with some books.. thanks Sally.