Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Great Little Gatsby








Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to the great little Gatsby. A parody of a great classic, you say? No, not at all – the Gatsby I am talking about is a tiny little kitten, whose life had such a rocky start that he ended up at my door at the age of four weeks, with little fur on his body and nearly starving.

You see, Gatsby’s mother – a stray cat – was killed by a car, and she left behind five kittens that were barely three and a half weeks old. They were rescued by a kind lady, who was able to find homes for three and was left with two of the babies.
The first of those two babies, Karma, made her way to my house after my daughter’s friend brought her home and was told she couldn’t keep her. When she brought her to me, I had no idea how to take care of a cat so young, but a trip to Petsmart set me straight – I got back with cans of kitten milk, some kitten food, a litter box, and a bottle of Dawn dishwashing soap. Why the dishwashing soap, inquiring minds might wonder? Well, flea drops can only be used on cats eight weeks and older, but Dawn can be used at any age to give kittens a bath.

Giving Karma a bath was the beginning of the adventure….as soon as we got her wet, the poor little soul looked like a frightened sea monkey – all eyes and ears. Next came the feeding part, and alas, it wasn’t any easier. Karma was too small to eat cat food, so I went back to the grocery store and got some turkey and beef baby food. The baby food worked, and within a few days, Karma was ready to find a home. I started a Facebook campaign, and I’m pretty sure people on my friends list cringed each time I posted a new request, since I posted so many. Finally, Karma found a home with my son’s friend, whose mother instantly fell in love the moment she saw the kitten. A day or two after she went to her new home, I called to check on her, and the new mom told me the “baby” was already getting spoiled rotten…that same day, this wonderful lady bought fresh shrimp, boiled them, and minced them in tiny pieces for Karma to eat. Needless to say, I asked if she was also willing to adopt a 40-year-old daughter. She said no, so I’m still here fixing my own dinners.

The day after Karma left, my daughter’s friend called me and told me the lady who still had the last baby didn’t know what to do with him; he wasn’t eating and he was getting weaker by the day. Of course, I told her to bring him to my house. I didn’t know what I was going to do with him, but I had to give him a chance.

The little guy arrived, wrapped into a blue blanket and nearly furless. He was dirty and ridden with fleas, so I gave him a bath; actually two, since he still had fleas after the first one. At this point I had a clean kitten, but he was so weak, he could not even stand up or play. His eyes wouldn’t focus, and he barely meowed. When my vet came and weighed him, the next day, he was only eleven ounces! The vet was pretty sure that this kitten hadn’t eaten anything since his mother died, a week before. We started a round-the-clock regimen of baby food and kitten milk, and after a few days, he started coming around.

I found him a home, but three weeks later, the lady who adopted him developed allergies, and asked me to help her find a new place for him, so I got back on Facebook pleading, once again, to find this little guy a home. This time my campaign was short, and a family from St. Louis agreed to adopt him. The lady of the house happened to be visiting family in NC, so we arranged to meet to finalize the adoption. She chose the name Gatsby for him, and I think it fits him perfectly! His final destination will be St. Louis, so he has a few miles to burn before he can make it to his forever home, but one thing is for sure: Once he gets there, he will have the home of a cat’s dreams. With two loving adults and two happy children around, who will undoubtedly play with him all the time, what’s there not to love?

So, this is the story of the great little Gatsby, a kitten who started on low gear but is going to go far, all thanks to the love of wonderful humans who took one look at his little Yoda face and instantly made him a part of their family. Thank you.
And to my friends on Facebook who read the many posts, and were kind enough not to send me a box of chocolates laced with arsenic, I really appreciate you. Now that you know Gatsby’s story, I am sure you understand why I had to do it.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

A Review of KILLER IN SIGHT (A Tom Lackey Mystery) by Zak Johnson (Goodreads member)

Fans of John Connolly and Stephen King should enjoy this supernatural thriller that will raise the hair on your arms and put tears in your eyes, often at the same time. Carrington-Smith's empathy and feel for character also constantly brought Joseph Wambaugh's "Hollywood Station" to mind for her similar ability to seamlessly switch between multiple points of view without losing tension. This tension starts on page one, which finds you inside the panicked head of a victim fleeing a knife-wielding stalker through dark woods and continues apace up through the story's revelation. I appreciate a writer who isn't afraid of her passion, and Carrington-Smith is an artist who definitely goes all the way in several scenes dealing with death, sex and wounded souls. A very enjoyable debut.

Just to note: I won this book on Goodreads as a "First Read" giveaway

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

A Motive to Kill

Instant judgment is one of the building blocks of human nature, and an important part of our survival instinct. We judge everything – our own attitude, our flaws and strength, but mostly, the attitude, flaws, and overall behavior and choices of others. Of course, some actions we encounter are a natural trigger for instant judgment, and we don’t think twice before we point our finger toward the guilty party without even thinking about what might have motivated that person to act a certain way.
Judging from our point of perspective alone offers a limited view, and leaves us wondering why certain behaviors take place at all. Since early childhood, we are taught that our impulses should be kept under tight control, and we should never do or say anything that can offend or harm anyone around us. Unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the way, egos get bruised, and perceptions shift, leading some people to act in ways that are condemnable by our society standards.
So, what could possibly motivate someone to behave in such a way that will attract unpleasant consequences? Are they unable to judge situations? Are they mentally impaired? Do they just not care at all? And if the latter is the right answer, why do they feel that way? History shows that most serial killers and psychopaths have a higher I.Q. than the average person, so obviously, intelligence is not a factor. Many criminals are also able to orchestrate their crimes with such finesse that they walk free for many years, so they can apparently think and judge. In a process of elimination, the answer to our question is down to the last possibility: Criminals don’t care. But why don’t they?
The human mind is an intricate maze, one that even the most skilled psychiatrists haven’t been able to fully explore. Each experience forms a different, unique pathway that can lead the mind to craft multiple “travel plans.” Most of us follow the beaten path, while others stray away and move against the current. Strangely enough, criminals whose brains have been picked, often share a common trait: Unhappy, abused childhoods. Many tell stories of abandonment, physical or emotional discomfort, and unease with their early environment in general.
When I wrote Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery), my goal was not only to write a thriller, but also to explore the reasons behind the killings. Stepping into the mind of a murderer is a brain-jolting experience, and it can open our eyes to the inner suffering of the perpetrators. I once read something that really caught my attention: “We are all victims of victims.” Such a simple statement speaks volumes, and it confirms that happy people don’t do things that will make others unhappy.
In Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery), a young woman is found murdered in a public park. When Detective Tom Lackey is assigned to the case, he realizes that things aren’t always as they seem, and in order to find the killer, he has to step outside the box and explore possibilities he never considered before.
What about you? Are you ready to walk the pathways of a killer’s mind? Like Tom Lackey, you might be surprised at what you will find.


http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Sight-Lackey-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0084HK3OY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342621426&sr=8-1&keywords=killer+in+sight

Thursday, July 12, 2012

FREE ON KINDLE FOR TWO DAYS ONLY!!









Dear readers,

Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery) will be available for FREE on Kindle on July 13 and 14 only! The free promotion will begin at 12:00 PST on July 13 and will end at 11:59 PST on July 14.

What can be more fun than to read a murder mystery on Friday the 13th?? Here's your chance to do it for free.


Click on this link to get to the book page. http://amzn.to/Mo2hMu

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Win a Free, Autographed Copy of The Book of Obeah!

If you have enjoyed The Book of Obeah, and think your friends would like to read it as well, or if you haven't had a chance to get your hands on a copy yet, here's the opportunity to win a FREE autographed copy. The Goodreads giveaway starts tonight, July 11, and will go on for a month! https://www.facebook.com/sandra.carringtonsmith/posts/477413325621605?ref=notif¬if_t=like

Sunday, July 8, 2012

THE BOOK OF OBEAH -- A Review by Anne Petz (Apex, NC)

THE BOOK OF OBEAH -- A Review by Anne Petz "The Book of Obeah was the best novel I've read in many years. Ms. Carrington-Smith brings New Orleans to life, with all its shadowy inhabitants, exotic food, music, and hidden combination of Christian religion and African-Caribbean voodoo. In this page-turner mystery, her characters come to life, as the young female protagonist deals with her quest of learning the truth of her family's secrets, while trying to avoid those trying to permanently silence her. This is a story you will never forget."

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Book giveaway on Goodreads! Enter today for your chance to win a copy of Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery)

If you are on Goodreads, you can enter for a chance to win a copy of Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery).

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Killer in Sight by Sandra Carrington-Smith

Killer in Sight

by Sandra Carrington-Smith

Giveaway ends July 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win