Before you let your child read a Haunting Danielle Book…read the book.

Date: January 2, 2020

Author: Bobbi Holmes

Not long ago my 9-year old granddaughter, who is a voracious reader, begged her mother to let her read her grandma’s series, Haunting Danielle.

My daughter and I thought about the books, wondering if there was anything in it that might be inappropriate for a child. It is a murder mystery, but kids read mysteries, and some pretty spooky things happen in Harry Potter, and she reads some of those.

I didn’t think there was anything in the books that you wouldn’t see on network TV during family hour. The extent of the cursing is crap, hell, and damn—which is minimal. There are no sex scenes.

So we gave it a go. Turned out Addison enjoyed the books, and sailed through the first four. But there would be questions asked of her mother along the way—such as, what is a noose?

But then my granddaughter slammed into something Lily said off the cuff—more a joke than anything. It was in book three, The Ghost Who Wasn’t, when Lily is discussing her parents going through her belongings. Lily said, “…Do you realize they went through—All. My. Stuff. I’m just grateful I didn’t have any sex toys!”

Gulp.

I guess you can figure out what question my granddaughter asked my daughter.

Now Grandma is in trouble, and my granddaughter will need to wait a few years before she finishes my books.

Signed Books and Large Print

Date: January 1, 2020

Author: Bobbi Holmes

Categories: Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

Comments: 2 Replies

Let me begin this blog by saying, Happy New Year! Hope you all had a safe and happy New Year’s Eve. We spent a quiet and restful evening at home.

Now to the topic of this blog post…

Maybe it’s my age—but I appreciate a paper book, and I REALLY appreciate large print. All of the Haunting Danielle books are available in large print, but I admit they are often a little pricy compared to the regular paperbacks, but that is because those large print Haunting Danielle books have over 500 pages each. The actual printing cost is out of my control.

The Unlocked Heart series is now available in large print paperback, yet those tend to be more affordable. A typical Haunting Danielle book runs around 80,000 words, while a book in my Unlocked Heart series is around 50,000 words.

I recently ordered some of the large print Unlocked Heart books, and they arrived the other day. While I don’t keep every one of my titles in stock—aside from my personal copies—I have some, in case a reader wants a signed copy—or an inscribed copy.

A signed copy would simply include my signature, while an inscription would include a little more, such as, “To John Smith, Happy Birthday, Bobbi Holmes.”

Purchasing a signed or inscribe copy directly from us typically costs less than the full online price.

To learn more about purchasing a signed or inscribed copy of Haunting Danielle or an Anna J. McIntyre title, go here, or email us at robeth@robeth.com, and let us know the title, and if you want it in large print or paperback. Be sure to give us your shipping information, so we can calculate the shipping cost if we have your title.

At the moment we have a number of large print and regular print copies of books from the Haunting Danielle series and the Unlocked Hearts. We also have some paperbacks from the Coulson Family Saga series, but those are not yet available in large print. However, they will be available in audiobook before the end of the year!

An Uncertain New Year

Date: December 30, 2019

Author: Bobbi Holmes

Categories: Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

Comments: 4 Replies

As 2019 winds down, our family enters an uncertain New Year. As many of my readers know, my mother lives with us. She turns 92 in April. Mom has always been my number one beta reader and super fan.

We called the paramedics on Saturday, after I began wondering if she might have had a stroke. I would have taken her to the hospital myself, but Mom was having difficulty standing and there was no way I could take her myself.

As it turned out she did have a stroke—we found out yesterday after the MRI results came in. Unfortunately, the window for medication to help counter adverse side effects had closed, as we believe she may have had the stroke earlier in the week—but we missed the signals.

Part of my problem, I tend to be in denial when it comes to evaluating Mom—I don’t even want to consider my beloved mother is slipping away. And so, I often fail to see what is right before me.

All Mom wants to do is come home. She hates it at the hospital. Several years ago, after she broke her hip, she had to go in rehab for a couple of months. I have to say, she was a trooper about it, but I know she hated it, and I can understand why. In The Ghost and Little Marie the care home she stayed in (not any of the fine staff who cared for her) inspired the story.

I want Mom home too, but I know there will be lots of changes coming our way. I’m not sure how self-sufficient she will be at home. This afternoon I will be calling to get more information on care support services.

People are often praising us for taking care of Mom—and my mother-in-law who lived in our guest house before she passed away. However, when I think of someone deserving praise for caring for an elder parent, I think of a friend of mine, who continues to care for a mother who failed him as a child—to say the least.

As for my mother, she has always been a wonderful mom. And while not a perfect person—none of us are—I would never have wanted another mother, not even if I could trade her for my beloved Grandma Hilda—and that is saying a lot.

(Above photo take of Mom, October 2019. Lunch out after a trip to the beauty shop.)