Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Parrot Talk by David B. Seaburn

Parrot Talk by David B. Seaburn

Parrot Talk by David B. Seaburn

Publisher: Black Rose Writing (May 11, 2017)
Category: Literary Fiction, Humor, Family
Tour dates: Aug-Oct, 2017 ISBN: 978-1612968551
Available in Print & ebook, 193 pages
Parrot Talk

At the age of 14 and 11, brothers, Lucas and Grinder’s mother has left them and their alcoholic father. They never hear from her again. Out of the blue a friend of their mother, Janice, contacts Lucas with the news that their mother has died. She asks them to come to Pittsburgh to take care of her effects, chief among them being Paul. Reluctantly, Lucas and Grinder head for Pittsburgh where they meet Janice and learn that Paul is their mother’s African grey parrot. Turns out that Paul has things to say that turn the brothers’ worlds upside down, especially regarding their mother. This is a humorous look at matters of consequence---abandonment, alcoholism, grief and loss of a mother, living without clear answers, the relationship between brothers, separation and reconciliation and hope. It is also about a father who carries a piece of Jesus with him in a Ziploc baggie, a parrot who likes to get stoned, and a brother who cleans dead animals off the streets for a living.

Praise for Parrot Talk by David B. Seaburn

“As with David Seaburn's other novels, Parrot Talk is ultimately about reconciliation and redemption among anguished family members. But this book uses the device of a seemingly wise and prescient parrot to great comic effect. I found myself literally laughing out loud at several points. The parrot steals the show but there are several clearly drawn and compelling human characters as well. This is Seaburn's most successful novel and, overall, a moving hoot.”- Barry Jacobs, Amazon Reviewer 

“I picked up this title based on its classification as humor and satire (two of my favorite words), and had absolutely no preconceptions about what I might find. I was delighted all the way through to find characters who were human, yet comical. Animals who were comical, and somewhat human. And a family with a genuine hurt that wasn't easy to heal. Seaburn placed average people in average cities, and gave them relatively average lives. With nothing more than a parrot as a catalyst, three men are able to face ghosts of their pasts, and attempt to right some wrongs that give them all hope for a better future. Seaburn's writing is light without being shallow, and he brings levity to a situation that's taboo for many...the notion of a mother who is not present to watch her children grow up. Some authors might be tempted to vilify her, but Seaburn allowed Grinder and Lucas to grapple with real emotions and come to resolution. Seaburn also allowed the reader to love Millie, no matter what her past, and even gave us the chance to reconcile with Pop's misdeeds. This book is a lovely tale of family, peppered with laughable antics, squirrel-sweeping, and parrots smoking pot. It's a great opportunity to relax the mind and feel good about life for awhile.” Amazon Reviewer 

“Parrot Talk by David B. Seaburn is a hurricane in terms of language, dialogues, and situations. There is pretty admirable frenetic life and time for all the protagonists, not a second of break during the reading! Forget a great description of characters in the common sense of the word, because you see what it's like to live the experience of a roundabout with this book. Enjoy this group of great chatters and these funny situations!” - Buckwriter, Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt
Introduction: Grinder and Lucas, who recently learned that the mother who left them thirty-five years ago has died, have gone to Pittsburgh to settle her affairs. They are surprised to learn that her companion of over twenty years, Paul, is a parrot, who is in the throes of grief over Millie’s death. They are urged to take him to the vet, Dr. Vettman.

Dr. Vettman leaned forward again, his face near the cage. “His skin is bare in places. The tips of his wings are a bit of a shambles. His legs look like toothpicks. Poor guy.” Dr. Vettman tried to reach for Paul again, but Paul lunged at his hand. “When did all this start?”
            “When our mother died.”
            “Oh, I’m very sorry.”
            “It’s okay. We hardly knew her,” said Lucas. He folded his handkerchief and shoved it back in his pocket.
            “Millie!” Paul flared his wings and cawed.
            “What’s he saying,” asked Dr. Vettman.
            “Nothing. He’s just pretending to say stuff.” Lucas hit the cage with his hand.
            “Pretending to say stuff?” Grinder sighed and shook his head. He shifted in his chair so his back was turned to his brother as he spoke to the vet. “He’s saying Millie.”
            “Millie,” said Vettman.
            “That was our mother’s name.”
            “Millie need a joint! Millie need a joint!” Paul squawked loudly and banged the side of the cage.
            “What’s was that?”
            “Who knows?”
            “Sounds like, ‘Millie needs a joint’ to me.”
            “Yes, yes,” bawled Paul.
            “No, no, I think he’s saying, ‘Millie, what’s the point?’”
            “Ah. What’s the point, indeed.” Dr. Vettman put his face against the side of the cage, as if examining a bug under a microscope. “A little existential jokester, huh?” He suddenly leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Doesn’t surprise me one bit. You know, these African greys are smart cookies. They can develop quite a vocabulary. And they know how to use words properly.” He chuckled at this, the creases around his eyes forming double parentheses. Paul hit the side of the cage again. Dr. Vettman didn’t seem to notice.
            “Too smart if you ask me,” said Lucas. “Look, Doc, could he be, like, faking that he’s sick?”
Grinder turned in his chair, stretched his legs out, crossed them at the ankles and listened to his brother’s new theory.
            “Faking?” Dr. Vettman placed one hand on his chin, scratching his cheek with his index finger. “Hmm.”
            “I mean, I’ve seen him go to his food and take some in his mouth. But when he sees me at the door, he spits it out again and starts messing with his feathers.”
            “You’ve given this a lot of thought,” said Grinder.
            Lucas glowered at his brother. “Shut up.”
            Vettman was staring at the ceiling now, deep in thought. “And why would Paul do that?”
            “I think he’s trying to piss us off.”
            Grinder snorted.
            “You think your mother’s parrot is trying to piss you off by not eating and by plucking out his feathers,” said Dr. Vettman. “And he wants to piss you off, because?”
            “How am I supposed to know? That’s your job. You said they’re smart, right?”
            “Yeah, they’re smart. But not sinister.”
            “I don’t know. I’m telling you he looks at us strange.”
Grinder laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” Lucas shrugged his hand away.
            “Strange?”
            “Look, Doc, I don’t think my brother—”
            “Look at him. Right now he looks just fine, doesn’t he?” said Lucas.
            Both men looked at Paul, who stared at them, dead eyed.
            “Yeah.” Dr. Vettman rolled up the sleeves of his lab coat.
            “If you weren’t here, though, he would be, I don’t know, kind of squinting at us, at me, actually.”
            “Lucas?” Grinder tapped his brother on the shoulder.
            “Squinting? Not blinking?” Dr. Vettman glanced sideways at Paul again. Paul whistled, his eyes big as saucers.
            “Yeah, squinting.”
            “And you think his squinting means what?”
            “I think it means he hates our guts.”
            “Lucas, people usually gotta know us more than two days before they start hating us. I’m sure it’s the same with birds,” said Grinder.


About David B. Seaburn

Parrot Talk by David B. Seaburn

David B. Seaburn has been a Presbyterian pastor of a small country church, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at a leading university medical center, a pioneer in the field of Medical Family Therapy, and a prolific author. Since 2005, Seaburn has published six novels. His newest, ‘Parrot Talk’, was released in May 2017 by Black Rose Writing. He also writes a blog for Psychology Today magazine, “Going Out Not Knowing.” Seaburn was a Finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards in fiction for his novel, ‘Charlie No Face’ (2011). He is currently an instructor at Writers and Books in Rochester NY. Seaburn is married with two married daughters and two wonderful granddaughters. A third grandchild is on the way.

Website: www.davidbseaburn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.seaburn Twitter: twitter.com/dseaburn

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Friday, August 25, 2017

Unspoken vows by HP Davenport. The Unspoken love Series




UNSPOKEN VOWS (The Unspoken Love Series)
SYNOPSIS:
Once upon a time, a boy met a girl.
The boy liked the girl.
Years later, the boy fell in love with the girl.
Lucky for him, the girl fell in love with the boy, too.
Soon after, the boy asked the girl to marry him.
Seconds later, the girl said yes.

Now Camryn and Jamie are set to walk down the aisle, but first, all the traditions must play out. They’re not alone for the ride. The entire gang is there to wish them well.

They vow to love each other now and forever. To live happily ever after because vows are never meant to be broken... even Unspoken Vows.

Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads !
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35527215-unspoken-vows



🎉🎈🎉 Release Party ðŸŽ‰ðŸŽˆðŸŽ‰ 
UNSPOKEN VOWS will be taking place TODAY in my READER GROUP!!


 EXCERPT:

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I sit back down and Morgan hands me another box that is wrapped in silver paper with a big black frilly bow on it.
“That’s from me.” Lindsey raises her hand in the air.
A few of my aunts turn around to see who the gift is from.
I untie the ribbon and tear the paper off quickly. When I lift the lid, my eyes go wide. Oh, my God. I can’t show everyone this. My eyes seek a laughing Lindsey out.
“That is for your honeymoon,” Lindsey declares, rubbing her hands together.
I put the lid back on and go to shift the box off of my lap when Morgan stops me. “Oh, no you don’t. Hold it up and show everyone.”
“I can’t. Just give me the next package.”
“You are not getting off that easy,” Karsen chimes in.
Lindsey lifts an eyebrow and her features become more animated. Satisfaction purses her mouth. “I’m not sure who will love this present more. You or Jamie.”
“We’re all adults here. We know what happens on honeymoons,” Morgan says.
“I understand that, but my aunts, my mother, and my future mother-in-law do not need to know what I will be wearing on my honeymoon.” I growl at Morgan, my voice almost unrecognizable.
“Lighten up, sweetheart. Most of us have had our own bridal showers. We know what types of gifts you get besides the household appliances, silverware, and flatware. Humor us old folks, will ya,” my mom says.
“This is so embarrassing,” I mutter and lift the lid off the box again. Inside sits a lingerie set which includes a gartered skirt, G-string, and lacy bra. The set is a gorgeous pink with contrasting black trim, lace print, and bow accents. Lindsey also included a sheer black pair of thigh highs.
“That’s what I’m talking about. Jamie is going to love that on you!” Lindsey hollers.
Laughter erupts in the room. You would think I was at my bachelorette party with how much fun everyone is having. Their laughter is at my expense, but at least they are having a good time.
“Jamie’s always liked you in pink,” Michelle says with a hint of laughter in her voice.
All eyes land on me after my future mother-in-law’s comment. My face heats under everyone’s scrutiny. “Can the ground just open up and swallow me now,” I mutter under my breath.





THE UNSPOKEN LOVE SERIES

UNSPOKEN WORDS 



UNSPOKEN PROMISES









AUTHOR BIO:

Paralegal by day, romance genius by night! When she's not tending to her furry children and her handsome husband, HP DAVENPORT is seamlessly carving beautiful stories from her mind in her comfy PJs in New Jersey.






  





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Tuesday, August 15, 2017

New Release! Random on Tour: Las Vegas by Julia Kent (@jkentauthor) #romantic #romance #contemporary #comedy





Release date: August 15, 2017
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance

Description:

Now, you know my mama’s a gambler (sweeper, whatever....), so I guess I got to blame her for a little of this.

When the band got invited to do a big gig here in Las Vegas, I was so excited. Really excited. And when we got here, I was dazzled.

A little too dazzled. I blame the lights and the money and does Vegas pump a scent through the entire town that makes you think you’re a winner, or what?

Because I gambled all our money away. And by “our,” I mean the band’s money. All of it. Every dang cent.

Only no one knows. They’d kill me. So I have to find a way to make all that money back.

I have an idea. I got a good body and a smart mind.

(Quit laughing).

I can do this. I can fix this.

Really.

It’s just gonna get a little weird for a while.

Random on Tour: Las Vegas is the 9th book in Julia Kent’s New York Times bestselling Random series. When the band performs in Vegas, anything goes – including Darla’s dignity and all of the band’s savings. When a savior appears, though, there’s a trade-off for being rescued. A big one. How far is Darla willing to go?

Oh, please. It’s Darla. Like you have to even wonder...

This book is told from the point of view of Darla, Trevor and Joe.



Buy links:

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2wcl2AD


Excerpt:

“Did you hear about the woman who died by suffocating on a guy’s penis?” I asked, all out of the blue. That’s how my brain worked sometimes, and hell if I understood it. Given any set of crises, I could compartmentalize and let at least one loose strand of gray matter float off in the wind, brought back by a breeze with a strange little factoid tucked away in the outback, coming forward to be uttered out of my no-filter mouth.

Plus, I needed time for the brain’s back burner to figure out how to give them an answer that fully conveyed my apologies and regret for being so stupid. Given that, why not distract them with a huge-dick story?

Trevor and Joe groaned in unison. They knew how I worked.

“He was from Peters, Ohio, wasn’t he?” Joe asked.

“I’ll get beer. We’re going to need it if this is one of her stories,” Trevor said, standing up and shaking his head as he and Joe exchanged a look I didn’t understand.

“No, not from Peters,” I said. “Trust me, if a guy back home had a cock that big, I’d know about it. Or have been dead long before I met you.”

They both froze, then slowly turned to look at me.

Oops.

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down

Social Media Links:



Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.


Book Review: Juror Number Ten by Caroline Taylor

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