YvonneMy new book mailbox this week, comes courtesy of a review request from Katie Olsen, representing Little Bird Publicity, on behalf of their client, author Lisa Preston.
The complimentary download facility, was kindly made available by the lovely folks over at NetGalley.
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‘ORCHIDS and STONE‘ – How far would you go to help a stranger?
“They’re trying to take me. Help! Help me, please.”
Daphne Mayfield sought a moment of quiet in a park—a break from city life, a tense relationship, and chronic overwork—but then an elderly woman makes a desperate plea. Daphne is reluctant to get involved when she’s not sure what’s happening, but she wants to help the stranger. Is the rambling old lady the victim of a crime or a victim of dementia?
As her unease grows, Daphne can’t let go of the encounter. No matter what her boyfriend or her friends say. No matter what the retired homicide detective warns. Though she knows she’s meddling in other people’s lives, her instincts scream that the danger is real.
With each increasingly bold intervention, Daphne involves herself in someone else’s crisis until she’s in too deep to turn back. She’s not just fighting for a stranger’s life…she’s fighting for her own.
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Say Hi! to author, LISA PRESTON
Born in Phoenix, Lisa lived in numerous Arizona towns as a child and later spent several years in California. By young adulthood, she was in Alaska and started mountain climbing. She climbed in South America on different expeditions, also travelling solo through Europe and Asia.
Climbing left Lisa wanting stronger first-aid skills and the Emergency Medical Technician course she signed up for, included ride-alongs on the Fire Department’s Advanced Life Support ambulances, which exposed her to the rewards of helping people in crisis. She moved to Oregon for training and was soon back in Alaska, pulling 24-hour shifts as a paramedic.
After a number of years, Lisa transferred to the Police Department. Her second career started with the position of street officer and she still claims it is the most demanding job in law enforcement. In time, she became a detective, working in the Vice unit and later in Crimes Against Children, with a special assignment as a Hostage Negotiator. She went back to the street as a sergeant, and eventually returned to investigations, supervising Internal Affairs.
Lisa and her husband finally relocated to Washington, the Evergreen State and adopted two former racehorses from a rescue facility. She turned to writing, working on both mysteries and mainstream novels. She also began competing in the obscure sport of Ride and Tie, a back country trail race that combines running and riding, covering distances of 20-35 miles.
Lisa has written many books on animal care and training, however ‘Orchids and Stone’, is her debut novel.
Different ideas will capture my imagination and ask if they can be in a story. Sometimes they fit together and sometimes they don’t. One notion leads to another and I might write pages that will have to go away later, but I’m sketching, getting to know a character, how he or she speaks or lives, so I just let it flow. Things start to click. I don’t outline before starting, nor do I write one chapter at a time or even in chronological order. If I’m thinking about a scene, conversation, or event that will come later, I page down and write away.
Keep up with all Lisa’s latest news on her website
Connect with Lisa on Facebook
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Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home, where links may be added each week. So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for our three new joint administrators, after all, we all like to receive them … ‘Mailbox Monday’
Leslie of ‘Under My Apple Tree’
Serena of ‘Savvy Verse & Wit’
Vicki of ‘I’d Rather Be At The Beach’
This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!
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Orchids and Stone sounds good and creepy. I bet you’ll be turning the pages as fast as you can.
Hi Kathy,
It’s not very often that you come across one of the main protagonists in a thriller, being an elderly person, so it will be interesting to see where this storyline takes me …
Thanks for taking the time to stop by, it is always good to chat with you 🙂
Wow, the author has lived such an interesting life. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her book. Have a good week, Yvonne.
Hi Mary,
I too, was amazed at the interesting life Lisa has lived and I am in complete awe of how she has managed to cram so much in, without going into complete meltdown!
Writing must seem quite a sedentary occupation for one so active, but at least all those career opportunities must have given her more than enough material for an entire series of thrillers, so I’m not complaining.
Thanks for stopping by, I always appreciate your comments 🙂
This sounds very interesting and thought-provoking. What’s the line between helping someone in need vs getting involved and, if I read this correctly, put oneself in danger?!
My new book this week was one I pre-ordered once I saw it available in the US in softcover:
Lamentation by C.J. Sansom
It’s a series Tracy hooked me on awhile back and rightly so, as it’s wonderful! (and yes…best read in order 😉 )
Hi Kelly,
Maybe just a few years ago, I might have crossed that imaginary line without a second thought.
However these days, there is always someone on hand to admonish you, or accuse you of doing or saying the wrong thing, which makes ‘not passing by on the other side’ quite difficult to do, as Daphne appears to be about to find out!
You have no idea of just how popular Sansom’s books are over here. They disappear off the charity shop bookshelves, almost as quickly as they come in, although to be fair, they are such chunkster books that generally their condition isn’t great when we get them, as they have been manhandled and bent open so much.
Another of my pet hates, I’m afraid. I hate having to recycle books because they have been iil-used by previous readers. I don’t like page turning and opening a book flat, thus creasing and bending the spine, is definitely a cardinal sin!
This is probably one series I am never going to have the time to catch up on, however I am sure that you will enjoy the latest installment and thanks for sharing your new mailbox find this week 🙂
When reading softcovers, I try not to open them so wide as to break the spine. I’m not always as conscientious or successful with mass market paperbacks. Now turning down the corner of a page is a no-no for ALL books! I have a huge collection of bookmarks, but even so…anything can be used to mark a page, so there’s no excuse for turning down corners!
I too, have quite a stash of bookmarks and at one time, was almost tempted to start a proper collection of them, as some of them are so beautiful. I seem to remember hubbie throwing his hands up in horror though, as with my collection of books, knitting wool and jigsaw puzzles, there is very little room left for anything else!
Definitely no corner turning in our house though 🙂
Always excited to find out what you have in store for us, Orchids and Stone sounds like a thought provoking read.
Hi Tracy,
It sounds as though Daphne is about to get involved way too deeply in something she doesn’t understand – and guess who’s going to come off worse …
“With each increasingly bold intervention, Daphne involves herself in someone else’s crisis until she’s in too deep to turn back. She’s not just fighting for a stranger’s life…she’s fighting for her own.”
I quite enjoy reading debut novels, especially when author’s such as Lisa have a wealth of personally gathered experiences to work with.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope that all is well with you. We are busy taking stock after the passing of storm ‘Immogen’ today 🙂
Another intriguing read for you, enjoy!
Hi Mary Ann,
I am intrigued to know exactly what kind of crisis Daphne is getting herself involved in, when she decides to help the old lady. It has to be something pretty big, to have Daphne in fear of her own life – definitely not your run of the mill thriller – bring it on Lisa 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to check out today’s post, I really appreciate it 🙂
Oooooooo….now that sounds very good and right up your alley.
ENJOY!!
Have a great reading week, and thanks for always stopping by my blog.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
Hi Elizabeth
It is always good to discover a new voice in the world of thriller writing and Lisa does seem to have found a quite unique and interesting storyline for herself, at least if the synopsis lives up to its promise!
I try to catch up on my blog hopping whenever possible, but most of the time I have trouble even keeping up with producing posts on a regular basis!
Also, I don’t know if you have noticed any changes, but Goodreads now seems to be gaining in popularity as not only a place to discover great new books and post your reviews, but also as more of a general chat-room about all things bookish. All music to my ears, but at the same time requiring even more hours in the day 🙂
Thanks for making time to stop by, I always enjoy our exchanges 🙂
Orchids and Stone sounds right up my street. Lisa definitely seems qualified for the job of writing a crime novel too 🙂
Hi Nikki,
Lisa must surely have gathered enough material over the years, to write an entire series of great thrillers … at least I hope so 🙂
The synopsis for ‘Orchids And Stone’ certainly has something unique and different about it, to anything I have read before and yes, it does sound like one that we would both probably enjoy.
Thanks for stopping by. It is great to catch up with you and I hope that all is well in your neck of the woods 🙂
This sounds really good! I hope you love it!
Thanks Vicki,
I have to admit that I do love a good thriller, so I am always pleased when another new to me author in the genre stops by to share their book with me 🙂
I hope that you too, are having a great reading week and thanks for visiting 🙂