Web Toolbar by Wibiya Shelby Rebecca

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Polly, Cover Reveal

~~Cover Reveal~~ GIVEAWAY. I'm proud to present the cover for my middle-grade children's novel, Polly. If you have kids, they're going to love this eco-adventure. Please tag a parent or share the Facebook picture to enter to win one of three ARC ebook versions of Polly, a Bug, Bat, and Human Eco-Adventure



"Did you know that farmers can use bug armies to protect their crops? Polly, a praying mantis, comes from a bug-lab bred to fight on an organic farm. Too scared to fight, she saves a little aphid named Jackson, and becomes a traitor to her mother, the colonel.

They make friends with Emack, a rose-eating, spotted bat, and together, the three go on a journey to find The Garden and live peacefully in The Special Apple Tree. Surprised by a crop-dusting airplane, Emack is knocked out and they fall to the conventional farm below.

In a strange land covered in bug-poison, they meet a girl named Greta who’s battling an illness, have a run-in with mutinous bees, get abducted by mutants, and go on trial for Polly’s life. Will her brave solution give everyone peace, and a chance for long, fruitful lives?"

This book is appropriate for children who are sevento twelve-years-old. 

Story Copyright © 2014 Shelby Rebecca. All rights reserved.
Illustrations Copyright © 2014 by Todd Kale. All rights reserved.
Cover Design by Eisley Jacobs at Complete Pixels


Facebook is not responsible for this giveaway, the outcome, or the prizes. Ebooks will be sent to winners as soon as the files are available (back from the formatter). You must respond within a posted time frame and provide a valid email address. Thanks for sharing!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Me, little

I wanted to share my birthday present. I'm 38 now. My birthday was in February. This Sunday, while the rest of the world was watching the Oscars, my brother and sister-in-law met my family and me for dinner and he presented me with this:



It's a picture he took of me in 1980. I was three-years old. I actually remember him taking it. We'd driven out to see the five-acres my parents had just bought in Wasilla, Alaska. I was running around in my coat and hat and I'd just run on top of a small hill when I remember Wayne coming up to me, yelling, "Your dog died!" snapping a picture, and running off with a laugh hanging in the air behind him.

The next thing I remember is seeing the picture hanging up with an award stuck to the front, I think, at the local grocery store in the long hallway that connected it to another store. (A tiny Alaskan mall). It's the same hallway I remember walking down to meet Santa once. It's strange how memories work. I can't remember everything. Just little pieces of memories mixed with feelings.

But I'm ever so grateful to him for taking the picture and then having it blown up for me to hang on my wall. I can't wait for visitors to ask me about it. 

Sunday, October 20, 2013

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 



October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Author Kristie Cook is asking us to "Share the <3"! 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men just in the United States have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime (Center for Disease Control statistics). You likely know someone who lives through this nightmare every day - a relative, a friend, a coworker or a neighbor down the street. Too many don't live. And too many children witness the violence to/between their parents - or are direct victims themselves.


Thankfully, help is available. Unfortunately, not enough people know whom they can call for help - safely and privately. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides this kind of secure resource, helping survivors of abuse do what they need to do to reach safety and restart their lives. I, along with Kristie, many other authors, bloggers and readers, ask you to join us in supporting The Hotline so it may continue to provide the refuge people need. Help us "Share the <3" because "all <3's deserve to feel safe."





If you can donate even $5 to The Hotline, you could be supporting one phone call that can save a life. And for each dollar you donate, you can be entered to win Kristie's Share the <3 Giveaway! Simply email your receipt(s) dated 10/1/2013 through 10/31/2013 to publisher (at) angdora (dot) com. There are other ways to enter, as well, in the Rafflecopter below.


You can win!!!










An Indie Book Nerd t-shirt signed by over 40 authors, including Kristie Cook, G.P. Ching, Tabatha Vargo, Tiffany King, Shelly Crane and Isaac Marion, author of Warm Bodies; Kristie Cook's Soul Savers and Book of Phoenix books signed; and a bag full of swag.


A bundle of Kristie's Soul Savers Series audiobooks, Books 1-5.


$25 gift card to Amazon, B&N or iTunes

So give what you can, email your receipt and gain extra entries below. The more you give, the better your chances of winning these amazing prizes. PLUS, Kristie will be matching all donation receipts, up to $1,000. So your donation will be doubled!


From Kristie and from me, thank you for your help and support! Think of all that can happen if we each "Share the <3" today.


a Rafflecopter giveaway







Monday, September 16, 2013

Excerpt from Sadie's Mountain

Excerpt from Chapter 11 of Sadie's Mountain by Shelby Rebecca. (c) Copyright. All rights reserved.


"I remember riding on the back of his bike, his scent mingling with mine in the mountain air. I remember making snow angels together and then him helping me make the biggest snowman I’d ever seen—he even ripped two buttons off his coat to make the eyes. I can see the determined look on his face when I’d helped him rescue a dragon fly out of the mud behind my house. “Look at its face. It looks like a bulldog, don’t it?”

These memories sting—but I want to remember. Just like the song asked me to in his car. I do remember—everything.

I’ve made my decision.

I love Dillon. I want him in every way he wants me. We’ll work it all out. We have to.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, holding my face in his hand, my other hand pressed up to his heart. He’s looking deep in my eyes with those Tahoe blues.

“I think I’m cured,” I say, peeking into his core, trying to see if he understands the double meaning. If he understands that I’ve made up my mind about him, about us. Even if it is only for this brief moment before the real world comes roaring back to me in a moment of lucidity. I trace his cheek with my index finger and he nuzzles me back.

“I love you,” I say, before I can become a coward. Is that clear enough? I never stopped and I don’t want to push you away anymore—I can’t. His eyes widen and he shudders as if a chill goes through his body that he holds in. I place both my hands on his face and pull him toward me. There is only him. There is only me. It’s as if we’re alone on this planet and we’re creating all the meaning that exists in it.

“Is this really happening?” he breathes as he leans down and easily slides me by my waist toward the edge of the counter closer to him. My legs move to either side of his hips. I take a sharp breath as my tummy clenches up. He tenderly rubs the tip of his nose the full length of mine before he grasps my chin, gently tilting it up. His chest strokes against mine.

“And I love you, Sadie,” he whispers into my mouth and takes my lips between his, so delicately. Live wires. I move my hands up to his hair as our kiss deepens.

“Dillon!” We are forced out of our reverie; the stern voice is coming out of Donnie’s mouth as he stands in the doorway. “God dammit, boy. You’re out in public. Ain’t nobody allowed to do this even if it is with someone like that.”

I gasp and cover my face with my hands.

“Someone like what?” Dillon challenges, turning away from me, blocking me from Donnie’s stare. I pull my legs up to my chin, pull my skirt over my legs, and cross my ankles.

“Someone who lets men grope her in public,” he says, like it’s hot and he needs to drop it on someone.

“We aren’t doing anything wrong, Donnie.”

“From my perspective you are, and I’m the law.”

“Shut up,” Dillon says, just like a brother would.

I peek out from my hands. Donnie’s mouth says, “It’s your turn in about five minutes,” but what he’s really saying is: “I’m going to kill you both.” That’s exactly the look on his face. Pure evil. I’ve started trembling so badly now, like I’m cold on the inside.

“Sadie, why are you shaking?” Dillon says, so concerned. I can’t help it when I start to make the ugly cry face.

He’s breathing harder than normal. “What’s the matter, baby?” He looks at Donnie and back at me with my head hanging low. It’s like something clicks. “Give us a minute, man,” he says, curtly and waits until Donnie walks away.

“Does he scare you?” he asks, leaning into my legs pulled up to my chin, wrapping his long arms around me. I can’t lie. He knows. I shake my head yes. “Why?”

“It’s just that we keep getting caught kissing and it’s really embarrassing.” Did that work?

“Is that all, Sadie?”

“Yes,” I lie again. This sucks.

“Don’t be embarrassed. Who cares what he thinks?” Well, you might if he tries to kill you with his fishy knife.

“What just happened, Sadie, was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.” I shake my head and try to calm my breathing and straighten my ugly-cry face. “When you said you loved me,” he puts his hands on his head, “I don’t care if this means anything for me right now, like if you’re ready to be with me or if you want what I want. Just to know how you feel.” His voice hitches in his throat.

I guess that depends on what Donnie’s going to do now. Maybe it would be better to just tell Dillon so I would have someone to help me through this. I would, too, if I thought that Dillon could stay calm and strategize rather than turn medieval and challenge his brother to a duel. He would be no match for an ex-Army soldier. It would be like tagging him with a big red stripe and sending him to the slaughter house.

At this point it’s too late to hide what’s going on between us. We’ve kissed, like that, right in front of Donnie. There’s no going back. I’m staying here to see my mother until her last day. And I’m going to help protect this mountain—for her. There has to be a way to get one step ahead of Donnie. A way to keep him away.

“All I know right now is that I love you, Dillon. I always have and I want what you want. I do. But there’s so much that you don’t know.” He helps me put my legs down and pulls me into his strong, safe arms. This is where I want to be—need to be.

“There’s nothing you need to say right now,” he says into my ear. “You owe me nothing. I’m just happy with whatever this is right now.”

“Thank you, Dillon,” I whisper into his chest.

He pulls back and looks down at me thoughtfully. The iPhone in my purse strung crossways over my shoulder buzzes. I must have a new email. That’s when divine providence strikes. I can get Donnie to talk. He’s so angry he’s bound to threaten me again and someone will hear. No, I need a way to prove what he did in a way that I can control. I look at my purse again. That thing has to have some kind of a recording device.

“Are you ready to go out there now? Can you walk okay?”

“Yes, I’m ready.” Yes, I am. For the first time in my life I want to talk to Donnie. And I’m going to find out what’s going through his Machiavellian mind—right now.

I bet my eyes look like a wild dog before a planned attack. "
 

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Twenty Fun Facts about Shelby Rebecca



1.       I cut my own hair—constantly. I trim it a little bit every week. I used to have a cosmetology license, but I let it expire. The only part that’s hard for me to cut is the length in the back, so a few times a year I have someone trim it. I never make an appointment, either. I’m too impulsive to think ahead to make hair appointments.

2.       My favorite color is green. My house is decorated in many different shades of green.

3.       I was born in Alaska. I’ve lived in Anchorage, Wasilla, Houston/Willow, and Chugiak before moving to Chino, California when I was twelve-years old.

4.       My dad was a pastor and a bush pilot. He used to fly us out to the middle of nowhere to go fishing. He used to work the Iditarod, and one year he came home with a husky puppy that had no tail. The Native Alaskans didn’t want him because his tail froze off and they thought he wouldn’t be good at mushing. I could write a whole book about that dog.

5.       There was a mountain behind my house when I was a little girl. Hmmm…maybe that’s why I love mountains.

6.       I had a best friend who was a boy when I was little—just like Sadie.

7.       I’m a vegetarian. I used to hide meat under the rim of the plate—just like Sadie. I saw my older brother and my mom kill some of our chickens when I was about five or six, and it ruined me for life.

8.       I have four brothers. Three are older, one is younger.

9.       I once rescued a dragonfly out of some mud in my backyard—sound familiar??? (It would if you’ve read Sadie’s Mountain).

10.   I laugh really loud and freely. I can’t help it. I love to laugh and I don’t care when people make fun of me for it.

11.   I have a unique accent. I describe my accent as a mix of Alaskan vowels meets valley girl.

12.   I had my daughter two weeks late, and after over thirty-hours of labor. (That’s why she’s an only child ;-)

13.   I’ve been in People Magazine. It was one of those “real people hero” stories that they do.  And it’s weird because I still can’t believe it. It’s like that whole year leading up to it happened to someone else.

14.   I was kicked out of school in my sophomore year. I’ll just leave that one up to your imagination. But, I had to finish high school through independent study. I went on to become the first person in my immediate family to get a degree. Now I have a Master’s in Education. Ironic, right?

15.   I don’t eat wheat. It makes life harder, but it helped me lose thirty pounds.

16.   I’ve gone skydiving. Yep. I have a severe fear of heights and later in life, developed a phobia about flying. When I was a little girl my dad would take me and my brother, Joe, flying in his orange-striped airplane. I used to beg him to go upside down. I had no fear. But when I was seventeen, I started having panic attacks on flights. So I decided to skydive because I wanted to take control of my life. I was sick of my anxiety controlling me. It was fun, too. I wanted to do it again right after I landed—flat on my face. It didn’t hurt, but I said, “ouch,” anyway.

17.   I can sleep with the lights on. Growing up, during the summer in Alaska the sun never goes completely down. Because of that, I can sleep with the lights on. We used to accidentally forget to go to sleep. I remember once I was running around in our five-acre yard while my mom was gardening. I went inside to call one of my friends. I was about seven then, and her mom answered the phone. She told me they were all sleeping because it was past midnight. I felt so bad, and I told my mom what happened, so she made us go to sleep. It’s funny how the sunlight tricked us into thinking we weren’t tired.

18.   I like flavored beer. Raspberry and watermelon flavored beers are my favorite.

19.   I used to have two horses. One was named Frosty, and the other was Monty. He ran down a hill once with me on his back. So I grabbed hold of a branch and fell off the back side of him rather than try to jump down into the ravine. (Sound familiar??) In real life, there was nobody to help me up.

20.   My characters write their story through me. How many times have I sat down to write with a plot in mind to have the characters do or say things I wasn’t expecting? Writing is fun when I let them do what they need to do and stop trying to force a plot based on what I want. Writing a book is just as exciting as reading one, in that way.

Monday, August 26, 2013

New Blurb!

I wanted to thank author, Marina Maddix, for helping me re-write my book description for Sadie's Mountain. In fact, she really wrote it and I just tweaked it slightly. I absolutely love it. I think she captured the essence of the story in a way I wasn't able to. Thank you Marina! So here it is:



One fateful night, Sadie Sparks' young life was changed forever. Just as she was discovering love with her best friend, Dillon McGraw, someone else was plotting to take her for his own. Faced with choosing between the fear and threats and a safer life, Sadie leaves her West Virginia home for good.

A decade later, Sadie returns to Appalachia to care for her ailing mother, but stays to fight for the mountain she loves. Her struggles to protect it from being ravaged for coal put her in greater danger than she ever imagined — and back in the arms of the man she never stopped loving. But the man responsible for changing her life so many years ago is determined to keep her under his control. When she decides to break free, will Sadie and Dillon's bond be strong enough to endure the truth about his identity?
***

What do you think? Much better!

Monday, August 5, 2013

The little book that could

I just wanted to share these awesome reviews I've been getting for Sadie's Mountain.

From Amazon August 3rd, 2013


I am so grateful for all of the support I've been getting and all the positive feedback. If you loved it, please review it. Thank you :-)