THIS WEEK'S PREDICTION FROM CLAIRE -

The heroine of the Mudflat series is a fortune teller and this is her prediction for this week:

12/08 Monday: THE SUN MAY NOT BE SHINING IN YOUR PERSONAL SKY BUT IT GIVES STRENGTH AND GENEROSITY TO THE WEEK. YOU COULD SPEND TOO MUCH, BUT HEY, ISN’T THAT ALWAYS TRUE THIS TIME OF YEAR? CREATIVITY PEAKS SO TRY OUT YOUR NEW IDEAS.

The first two Mudflat books are finalists for Eppies. TARBABY TROUBLE is in fantasy and WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY is in the fantasy/paranormal romance category. The winners will be announced at the EPIC convention in Las Vegas in MARCH, 2009.

For more info, video, Claire's predictions, and a bunch more stuff, check my website at http://phoebematthews.com

Or just go ahead and order the books at http://www.bookstrand.com/authors/phoebematthews

TWO WEEKLY PREDICTIONS FROM CLAIRE:

Claire, the fortuneteller in the Mudflat series, gives a little guidance for the next two weeks. These are based on the degree of the sun and the phase of the moon.

11/24 Monday: JUST WHEN EVERYTHING LOOKS SO SMOOTH, ALONG ABOUT WEDNESDAY A PUSHY TYPE POPS UP. HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY. ONCE YOU’VE SLEPT IT OFF, YOU’LL BE READY TO GO GO GO WITH RENEWED ENERGY AND IDEAS.

12/01 Monday: LEAP FIRST, LOOK AFTERWARDS, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS THIS WEEK. EVERYBODY WANTS TO START SOMETHING NEW AND DO IT RIGHT NOW! THE MOON MAKES THIS A GOOD TIME TO START PROJECTS BUT MARS ADDS WAY TOO MUCH RASHNESS TO THE MIX. GO SOFTLY. HIDE THE BIG STICK.

For more, check out Claire's Prediction page on the Phoebe Matthews website.
TO ORDER THE MUDFLAT BOOKS:
TARBABY TROUBLE, Book 1, from BookStrand
or Amazon or BarnesandNoble
WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY, Mudflat 2, BookStrand
or Fictionwise or AllRomanceBooks

WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY

12 months and Which is Your Lucky One?

Claire, the Mudflat fortuneteller is back! Claire is the heroine of the Mudflat urban fantasy series. If you want to see more of her predictions, or read a synopsis or chapter of a Mudflat book, go to http://phoebematthews.com

Based on the hour of your birth, what months are luckiest for you? Check it out!

Midnight to 2 AM: Need to smooth out relationships with your lover? Or maybe with your children? Two months after your birthdate adds luck. Four months after your birthdate is good for improving all kinds of partnerships. And the month of your birth? You communicate well with anyone, especially siblings.

2 to 4 AM: Money problems? You handle money better than most people and in your birth month, your luck runs high. Two months after your birthdate adds luck to your homelife and you find ways to upgrade your nest. Four months after your birthdate may be the time to think health, start a new diet, add exercise?

4 to 6 AM: In your birth month you shine, look your best, attract others. Two months later can bring good news from friends or family or maybe a surprise message? Four months after your birthdate should brighten your love life or bring a better relationship with a child.


6 to 8 AM: Your birth month is lucky for close friendships and should create good memories. Two months after your birthdate can help expand income. Four months after your birthdate is good for improving your homelife, relationships with family and maybe your home itself.

8 to 10 AM: Two months after your birthdate adds luck to self improvement, so go for that new hairstyle. Four months after your birthdate is good for straightening out confused messages. And the month of your birth? Great for making new friends, or maybe you’ll meet someone new and special.

10 to Noon: Two months after your birthdate adds luck to some secret area of your life. Four months after your birthdate is good for improving your money situation. And the month of your birth? This could be a lucky time to look for a new job, if that’s what you want.

Noon to 2 PM: Two months after your birthdate adds luck to making new friends, and could this extend to your love life? Four months after your birthdate is good for improving health, you know, the diet and exercise thing. And the month of your birth? You always love to travel, right? Bon voyage!

2 to 4 PM: Two months after your birthdate might bring a career change for the better. Four months after your birthdate you could be making some fun new friendships, maybe give a party. And the month of your birth? Financial pressures could start to ease up.

4 to 6 PM: Two months after your birthdate can find you traveling or planning a trip. Four months after your birthdate is good for widening your circle of friends, maybe doing some entertaining. And the month of your birth? Time to give a little more time to your significant other.

6 to 8 PM: Two months after your birthdate could bring an invitation or a surprise or something else nice, and someone else is paying. Four months after your birthdate adds energy to career improvement. And the month of your birth? Stay healthy, take care of yourself, and do what’s best for you.

8 to 10 PM: Romance often lights your birthday month. And if you party too much, two months later is a good time to start a new diet or exercise plan, anything that improves your health. Four months after your birthdate you may want to take your mind or yourself on a trip to someplace new.

10 to Midnight: Two months after your birthdate can see an improvement in your finances and we all need that. Four months after your birthdate someone else is picking up the tab, even if it’s only for lunch. And the month of your birth? Do what you like best and enjoy the comforts of your home.

Claire, the Mudflat fortuneteller is back!

12 months and Which is Your Lucky One?

Claire is the heroine of the Mudflat urban fantasy series. If you want to see more of her predictions, or read a synopsis or chapter of a Mudflat book, go to http://phoebematthews.com

Based on the hour of your birth, what months are luckiest for you? Check it out!

Midnight to 2 AM: Need to smooth out relationships with your lover? Or maybe with your children? Two months after your birthdate adds luck. Four months after your birthdate is good for improving all kinds of partnerships. And the month of your birth? You communicate well with anyone, especially siblings.

2 to 4 AM: Money problems? You handle money better than most people and in your birth month, your luck runs high. Two months after your birthdate adds luck to your homelife and you find ways to upgrade your nest. Four months after your birthdate may be the time to think health, start a new diet, add exercise?

4 to 6 AM: In your birth month you shine, look your best, attract others. Two months later can bring good news from friends or family or maybe a surprise message? Four months after your birthdate should brighten your love life or bring a better relationship with a child.


6 to 8 AM: Your birth month is lucky for close friendships and should create good memories. Two months after your birthdate can help expand income. Four months after your birthdate is good for improving your homelife, relationships with family and maybe your home itself.

8 to 10 AM: Two months after your birthdate adds luck to self improvement, so go for that new hairstyle. Four months after your birthdate is good for straightening out confused messages. And the month of your birth? Great for making new friends, or maybe you’ll meet someone new and special.

10 to Noon: Two months after your birthdate adds luck to some secret area of your life. Four months after your birthdate is good for improving your money situation. And the month of your birth? This could be a lucky time to look for a new job, if that’s what you want.

Noon to 2 PM: Two months after your birthdate adds luck to making new friends, and could this extend to your love life? Four months after your birthdate is good for improving health, you know, the diet and exercise thing. And the month of your birth? You always love to travel, right? Bon voyage!

2 to 4 PM: Two months after your birthdate might bring a career change for the better. Four months after your birthdate you could be making some fun new friendships, maybe give a party. And the month of your birth? Financial pressures could start to ease up.

4 to 6 PM: Two months after your birthdate can find you traveling or planning a trip. Four months after your birthdate is good for widening your circle of friends, maybe doing some entertaining. And the month of your birth? Time to give a little more time to your significant other.

6 to 8 PM: Two months after your birthdate could bring an invitation or a surprise or something else nice, and someone else is paying. Four months after your birthdate adds energy to career improvement. And the month of your birth? Stay healthy, take care of yourself, and do what’s best for you.

8 to 10 PM: Romance often lights your birthday month. And if you party too much, two months later is a good time to start a new diet or exercise plan, anything that improves your health. Four months after your birthdate you may want to take your mind or yourself on a trip to someplace new.

10 to Midnight: Two months after your birthdate can see an improvement in your finances and we all need that. Four months after your birthdate someone else is picking up the tab, even if it’s only for lunch. And the month of your birth? Do what you like best and enjoy the comforts of your home.

Wow, nice reviews still coming in for Tarbaby!

Tarbaby Trouble by Phoebe Matthews is a very interesting alternative reality story. In Claire’s home world she is just scraping by, living a peaceful life, telling fortunes, and working in a bank until evil comes looking for her. In the different dimension the people live under a feudal system that is barbaric and harsh. It is like being thrust back into the Middle Ages but this realm isn’t the past. Claire, or Stargazer, as she is called in the other realm, must be smart, quick, and determined to save her skin. Tarvik is fascinated by Stargazer from the moment he meets her. He has never met a woman like her but his father is a brutal dictator and even Tarvik may not be able to keep his father from killing her. But there is a lot more going on than Stargazer and Tarvik know. There is someone even more evil plotting to kill Tarvik’s father and take over his lands. The plot is insidious and ingenious but can Stargazer stop it or has she just fled one dimension to die in another? All the way through the story Claire/Stargazer is constantly struggling to adapt quickly and stay alive. The action never really lets you slow down and rest. I found the story very entertaining and Ms. Matthews has a very creative imagination. The tale ends with a lead into the sequel and I am looking forward to reading what happens next.
Reviewed by: Stephanie B., FallenAngels

HAPPY OCTOBER FROM MUDFLAT -

This is the start of the month of ghosts and ghouls - haven't had either in my Mudflat books yet but I think there's a ghost coming. So far it's the astrologer who posts fortunes on yahoo websites twice a week and you can check my webpage for more of those. Plus a sword-carrying hand-holding guy, a troll in the basement, sorcerers, mages, witches, a half-elf warlord, and most of them manage to turn up in present day Seattle. http://phoebematthews.com

TARBABY TROUBLE, Mudflat 1, July 2008, order at
http://www.bookstrand.com/authors/phoebematthews/tt.asp

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606011227

WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY, Mudflat 2, September 2008 order at http://www.bookstrand.com/authors/phoebematthews/wtmb.asp

WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY arrives Thursday!

Mudflat series:
Book 1: TARBABY TROUBLE, July 2008
Book 2: WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY, September 2008
Book 3: Here I need one of those Work in Progress signs -

If you would like a quicky review of the story so far, check http://tarcoverpage.blogspot.com/.

I put together the picture story because that's a really good way to avoid working.

WHO IS YOUR IDEAL LOVER?

The fortuneteller in Mudflat does a lot of her work on the run and in odd places, and may have to base it on scant bits of information. Sometimes all she knows about a client is the hour of birth. Stir in a bit of inherited magic, and this gives her a clue. Check Claire’s guess about the kind of guy you are attracted to, whether he’s good for you or otherwise.

If you’ve read TARBABY TROUBLE, you know Claire. Here are her predictions based on the hour of your birth:

Midnight to 2 AM: Smart, you really like smart. You’re attracted to intellectual men as long as they know when to stop talking. Because a man who listens carefully to what you say is incredibly sexy.

2 to 4 AM: Handsome is fun for a flirtation, but money lasts. Sure, personality and character are what count most, but what’s wrong with diamonds? Find the right guy and you could be his best friend forever.

4 to 6 AM: You go crazy for handsome, love model-perfect features, and your friends know that you’re attracted to your own physical type. Ever had anyone ask, “That man you’re with, is he your brother?”

6 to 8 AM: Mystery men win your attention, sometimes against your better judgment. What is it about the unknown? You like danger, take chances, and that’s good to know about yourself. Be careful.

8 to 10 AM: It’s the big grin, the warm hug, and the guy who calls when he says he will. You’re not attracted by moody. Or by slackers. You like a guy who knows how to work hard and then go party.

10 to Noon: How to marry a self-made millionaire is the question. It isn’t the money that attracts you, it’s the ambition. You admire a man who pursues success, wouldn’t mind working along side of him.

Noon to 2 PM: The good looks might attract you to a first date, but it’s the inner man you adore. How hot is a guy who lives his beliefs? If he strives for fidelity, loyalty and spirituality, he’s on your wavelength.

2 to 4 PM: He’s gotta be hot! Sexy! Brave! Protective! Attitude is everything, and he can come on too strong to the wrong woman. He’s pretty much a love-at-first sight guy looking for his match.

4 to 6 PM: Laid back, easy going, happy to hang out anywhere, you’re attracted to that style. You like a guy who accepts you, has the don’t-change-a-hair-for-me attitude. Toss in a great speaking voice and he’s gotcha!

6 to 8 PM: A couch potato, no matter how handsome, won’t do for you. You love a guy who loves to hang out at a health club and keep in shape. Add a great tan to his great abs, and you’re smitten.

8 to 10 PM: A true romantic catches your attention every time. You love a guy who loves to say he loves you. If he’s the flowers-and-chocolates type, always kind and thoughtful, you’ll overlook most faults.

10 to Midnight: What could be sexier than a stay-at-home, play-at-home guy? If he likes to cook, garden, and fluff your pillows, plus he can’t wait to introduce you to his family, he’s hard for you to resist.

Interview for the Mudflat News:

Kip, student reporter: Miss Carmody, do you think Mudflat has a higher or lower crime rate than the rest of Seattle?

Claire Carmody: Crime can happen anywhere, even in Mudflat.

Obvious direction to look, according to Seattle law enforcement, is adjacent houses used for meth labs or by pushers. Mudflat knows better. In this neighborhood, look for a cranky wizard or a crackpot vigilante. Look for old magic.

Either way, I don't like hanging around my cousin's place because yikes, somebody is shooting at us!

What we really really need right now is a hero!

Mudflat titles from Bookstrand:
Tarbaby Trouble, July 2, 2008
Welcome to Mudflat, October, 2008

Excerpt from an interview with Claire Carmody for the Mudflat Neighborhood News, written by Kip, student reporter:

A Mudflat backyard is capable of containing anything, because Mudflat is where old magic lives.

So that's where I'm looking, in my cousin's backyard. Somebody is causing a whole lot of bad stuff to happen and I am betting on magic.

Obvious direction to look, according to Seattle law enforcement, is adjacent houses used for meth labs or by pushers. Mudflat knows better. That kind of stuff can happen any place else. But in this neighborhood, look for a cranky wizard or a crackpot vigilante. Look for old magic.
Either way, I don't like to hang around.
Because somebody is shooting at me
What I really really need is a hero.

REVIEWS:

"a great read!"... The cast of supporting characters makes this story a hit. Since this is the first of a series I can't wait to see what Claire and her band of barbarians are up to next!
Reviewed by Nancy Eriksen, at ParanormalRomance.org

I love the writing. It's lively, attitudinal and perfect for a spunky 20-something finding herself plunked down in another world.
- Pat Cooper, reviewer for Romantic Times magazine

...a great story ... Rachel at BittenByBooks reviews

... wonderful mix of astrology, sword-and-sorcery, and urban fantasy. - Rosemary Jones (author of Crypt of the Moaning Diamond, Forgotten Realms, WOC)

I love her straight-forward-shoot-from-the-hip attitude and I can’t wait to learn how she deals with the barbarian. - Amy, Kansas, reader

...The plot is fiendishly clever (like the heroine) and all fits together like a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle... furious pace... once you reach the last 100 pages, don't plan on going anywhere until you've finished. - Bill Newman, author of "Venture," Bookstrand



 

Tarbaby Trouble

TARBABY TROUBLE by Phoebe Matthews
Reviewed by Bill Newman

At a writers' workshop recently one of the speakers said that a reader will always be hooked if the voice of the author is compelling. I'd not read much in the fantasy genre so I decided to test his theory and eagerly pounced on Ms. Matthews to ask her to let me review Tarbaby Trouble.

Knowing I was new to the genre, the author made me promise to toss the book out if I couldn't get past the first dozen pages. Every author says that, but two hundred and fifty pages and two days later I finally put it down. And such is the breakneck pace of the story that I wondered where those two days had gone.

Fleeing a Seattle criminal and his low-life associates, the heroine joins some friends on a wilderness trip. Separated from the group, and lost, she is found by a young man dressed as a barbarian. At first she thinks she has stumbled into the filming of a reality show that looks like Survivor meets historical reenactment. But alas, it is not a movie set and she finds herself the prisoner of Prince Tarvik. The young barbarian prince turns out to have a father modeled on Vlad the Impaler and an even more scary uncle and Machiavellian aunt who want to take over the kingdom.

Stripped of the 21st Century accoutrements upon which her normal life depends, the heroine (who selects the name Stargazer for herself) falls back on her knowledge of astrology to gain the upper hand. To say more would ruin the story, but suffice to say Stargazer will need all of her wits to thread her way through the plots and counter plots in the strange land, and to avoid being beheaded (yes, literally).

Oh, and did I mention that Ms Matthews endows the heroine with an outstanding sense of humor? It means the reader is treated to a cute, comical and at times satirical commentary on life in the primitive land. The humor starts on page one and keeps the endorphins flowing until the last page.

The plot is fiendishly clever (like the heroine) and all fits together like a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle. The clues are all there and Ms. Matthews challenges the reader to keep up with Stargazer's furious pace on her journey of survival and self discovery.

By the way, once you reach the last 100 pages, don't plan on going anywhere until you've finished.

Phoebe has a CONTEST!

Do you love fantasy, paranormals, adventure stories, all the books that get shelved under Sci-Fi/Fantasy at libraries and bookstores?
Would you like to be a reviewer?
Go to my website for details.
- http://phoebematthews.com
Tarbaby Trouble, Book l, Mudflat series, Bookstrand July 2