Posted in Creekside Cafe, interview, promo

Creekside Cafe Chat with Protagonist, Clay Dabrowski

Today I’d like to welcome Clay Dabrowski to Creekside Café. Clay is the hero of Tyler Wittkofsky’s new novel, The Seeds of Love (Sunflower Kisses Book 1). It’s great to have you, Clay. I have to say, I like the car you arrived in.

Clay: Thanks for having me. I love my Challenger. Whenever I need to unwind, I crank up the radio and cruise down the highway. It helps me clear my head.

https://youtu.be/niR2qJ3mGEE

Sherri: I know the feeling, windows down, radio up, country roads. I doubt we listen to the same music, I’m old school classic rock. Who do you listen to?

Clay: I’m more into alternative rock, I love Twenty-One Pilots.

Sherri: I just checked them out. They are pretty good. What’s your favorite song?

Clay: Shy Away

Sherri: Oh, that’s the one I listened to, great song.

You just graduated from college, where did you go to school?

Clay: Yes, I graduated from Coastal Carolina with a degree in communications. I managed to finish in three years, but I sacrificed a lot.

Sherri: Like what?

Clay: Mostly my social life, my ex-girl friend didn’t like me being so focused on my education.

Sherri: Is that why you broke up?

Clay: We should have broken up a long time ago, I guess I was just hanging on because I didn’t think anyone would love me for who I am. I’m not easy to love at least, that’s what she said.

Sherri: You seem like a nice young man. I cannot imagine why you couldn’t find a nice person to love you.

Clay: I’m bipolar. I’ve always been ashamed of my diagnosis. It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with it and realize I worthy of real love, not that fake stuff my ex called love.

Sherri: Clay, we all have challenges to overcome and few adults I know don’t have a little baggage. You’re young, handsome, hardworking, you deserve a forever kind of love.

Clay: Well, thanks, I’m trying to treat myself the way I treat others. I’ve always been so down on myself. I’m my own nemesis.

Sherri: You’re a college graduate and you’re employed. For a new graduate that’s not always the case.

Clay: Yeah, I know. I work at The Door, a great restaurant in Myrtle Beach but I’m hoping to get a job in communications so I can use my degree.

Sherri: I wish you luck. Clay, it has been so nice to meet you. Now how about a ride in that awesome car?

Clay: Yes ma’am, think you can stand my music?

Sherri: Bring it on!

If you enjoyed my interview with character Clay Dabrowski, then check out the novel where he’s the hero, The Seeds of Love (Sunflower Kisses Book 1). Releases June 1st!

 https://www.amazon.com/Seeds-Love-Sunflower-Kisses-Book-ebook/dp/B093K877TH/

Looking for your next Book Boyfriend?

Clay is a hopeless romantic who is looking for a forever love. His interests are Romantic Comedies, superhero shows and young adult fiction novels. He’s hardworking, kind and humble. If you are looking for Mr. Right, you may want to give this hero a chance.

Social Media Link:https://linktr.ee/wittkofsky

You can also check out my interview with author Tyler Wittkofsky. https://sherrilhollister.com/2021/05/19/tyler-wittkofsky-returns-to-creekside-cafe/

Posted in audio books, Book Review

Who In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?

By Rebecca Tinker, Narrated by Kyla Garcia (Audible)

I remember watching this cartoon with my children. When I saw the story available on Audible, I decided I had to try it.

I enjoy a variety of stories from YA to risqué and I am not sorry I chose to listen to Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Carmen Sandiego is wanted across the globe but who is this young criminal? The story of Carmen’s beginnings is a fun story of adventure and training. A bit of a duck out of water, the young girl known to us as Carmen Sandiego is really good at her training and education, but she lacks something her instructors see but she has yet to realize.

When she meets Player, she learns more about the world than just geography. Anxious to leave the island, it isn’t until she gets what she wants that she learns she isn’t destined for the life she’d always believed.

The Carmen Sandiego we know, the lady in the red fedora is just one of her many disguises but this one stuck and became the persona she adopted when she left the Vile academy and set out to right the wrongs of its operatives.

I thought the story was a lot of fun and I enjoyed.

Posted in Book Review

Review of A Song for Julia

A Song for Julia (Thompson Sisters) by Charles Sheehan-Miles Narrated by Jack Wallen, Alana Rader

I discovered Charles Sheehan-Miles through an author Takeover on Facebook. I’m so glad I did, A Song for Julia was a remarkable young adult romance. Crank and Julia seem like a typical opposites-attract romance, but as we learn more about the characters, we see they complete each other. The two are strong and independent even though they are broken, they are doing just fine alone. Okay, maybe not fine but they are surviving. Survival isn’t the same as living and coming alive is what happens when two people who belong together, find each other. Burdened by their individual pasts, these two battle their attraction with passion, clashing and attracting each other in equal measures. As their friendship and romance grows these two very unique characters give each other the tools needed to fight their own demons. A true team, this young couple become partners and together, share a strength not often seen for years. Their desire to put each other’s needs and desires above their own is a love marked by maturity that unfortunately often only comes after having heart ache.

A young adult romance with the addition of other relationships and how the impact their lives. The differences between their two sets of parents, their interaction with their siblings, and their friendships with others all play a part in this dynamic love story.

If you love music, romance and hope after tragedy A Song for Julia is a great choice.

The narrators did an awesome job portraying the characters and adding another element to the story. My love for audiobooks continues.

Posted in event, News

Pamlico Writers invade Aurora Fossil Festival

The Pamlico Writers’ Group will host a tent at the 26th annual Aurora Fossil Festival, Saturday, May 25th. Our members will take turns signing and selling books, and answering questions about our group’s upcoming events and regular critique meetings.

The Aurora/Richland Township Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Aurora Fossil Museum will welcome vendors, musicians and more to the town of Aurora Friday, May 24th. Opening ceremonies and entertainment on Friday evening start at 6 pm.

 Starting at 8 am on Saturday: vendors, rides, exhibitors with crafts, fossils, minerals, jewelry, food. Fossil displays, talks, digs and an auction that supports the museum, 5K run, veterans breakfast, parade, and more …

Tammera Cooper, author of the Water Street Chronicles

Tammera will have the newest addition to her series, the Water Street Chronicles, “Sleeping Mallows,” as well as her first book, “Drenched Sunflowers.” (Look for more about Tammera in our upcoming chat.)

Alison Paul Klakowicz author of Mommy’s Big, Red Monster Truck

For Alison Paul Klakowicz, the Fossil Festival is a homecoming. Stop by and visit, buy a book and learn what other projects she had planned. (You can also check out our previous interview!)

Donna Holloman, author of YA Christian thriller

Retired nurse and former Children’s Church minister, LaDonna Holloman shares her faith through her fiction. Come check out this exciting young adult Christian Fantasy/mystery. (Check out our interview coming soon on this website!)

S L Hollister, author of the Leeward Files series

Local author, S L Hollister will have her latest book, “Titanium Blue,” on sale along with the rest of her Leeward Files series. (Leeward is the fictional version of Aurora, complete with Fossil Festival.)

Presenting Jim Keen with his service award for his years of dedication to the Pamlico Writers
James Keen, author of Trinidad Express, a true account of his sailing adventure.

Jim Keen is the finance officer, webmaster and former chairperson for the Pamlico Writers’ Group. He is an avid sailor and writes non-fiction about sailing and family.

The second book in M K Graff’s Manhattan Mystery Series
“Marni” M K Graff, award-winning author, speaker and mentor.

M K Graff is the award-winning author of the British cozy mystery, Nora Tierney series and the Trudy Genova, Manhattan Mysteries. She is a favorite of Pamlico Writers’ conference attendees.

Stop by and visit, let’s talk books and writing. We’d love to meet you.

See you at the Aurora Fossil Festival.

Posted in Book Review

Sacrifice by Brigid Kremmerer

The Elemental Series by Brigid Kremmerer
The latest book in this series Sacrifice is a hang onto your seat, fingernail marks in your palms, story of action and emotion that will have you reaching for the box of tissues.
This YA (young adult) series has been an intense rollercoaster ride of romance and excitement. It isn’t a teen anxiety dump of over emotional reactions, this is a real issues with a paranormal twist. Kremmerer gives credence to the difficult life of today’s teens, this isn’t a “Leave it to Beaver” world. While it is enjoyable fiction, it is so well written that is feels real. You remember what it was like to be a teenager, relating to the Merrick brothers and their friends as if they are part of your life. If you have not read this series, what are you waiting for?
Four orphaned brothers with powers of the elements and little else. Trapped by well meaning adults, a system not set up to handle special needs and circumstances, their own kind trying to kill them, add in normal teen choices and difficulties and you have a series that reaches out and grabs you.
Sacrifice is focused on the oldest brother Michael Merrick, he has giving up his own childhood to raise his brothers. He is the interpretation of a true hero, he tries to do what’s right even when it would be easier to walk away and never look back. Michael struggles to keep it all together, protect his brothers and do what he believes his father would expect him to do. He opens his heart and home to others and is the kind of man you want in your corner.
Fall in love with the Merrick brothers, read this amazing series and tell me what you love about it or what you don’t.