Stolen book cover nominated for award

Of course this competition is a popularity contest (aren't most of them?), but the book cover for Stolen, designed by Aidana WillowRaven is one of the ten nominated for March for the Alternate Read Book Cover Award. 

I'd be honored if many people did vote for Stolen. Please click on the link above and vote where noted in the right side bar.

For more information about Stolen visit the Stolen website.

Preditors & Editors Readers Poll nominations from 4RV

I'm going to list the nominations from 4RV Publishing on Preditors & Editors Readers Poll. Hopefully, readers will go to the links and vote.


We do have more than one nomination in some categories, but we do hope people will vote for the one they believe better deserves the honor. All a person has to do is click on the link title, find the nomination in the list, and vote.


Publishers - 4RV Publishing

Author - Vivian Zabel


Novel (others, mainstream) - Stolen by Vivian Zabel

Novel (others, mainstream) - A Distant Summer by Mike McNair


Children's - If Wishes Were Fishes by N.A. Sharpe

Children's - In My Bath by Beth Bence Reinke

Children's - The Giving Meadow by Stephanie Burkhart

Children's - A Wish and a Prayer by Beth Bence Reinke


Book Cover Art Work - Stolen artists Aidana WillowRaven


Young Adult - Dogsled Dreams by Terry Lynn Johnson


Mystery Novel - Glastonbury by Brian Porter


Artists - Ginger Nielson

Artist - Aidana WillowRaven

Please check back for additional nominations, and please vote, if you will.

Happy New Year - 2011

I can hardly believe that today is the last day of 2010 and a new beginning is tomorrow. But, here we go, a chance to see how wonderful another year can be. Maybe it's my age, but I'm thrilled to see a new year, another year.

I anticipate some things in 2011 besides books coming out from 4RV Publishing, some things in my personal life. By the way, did you know if I want any of my manuscripts published by 4RV, I submit them just as any other writer does? I do. The acquisition editor who evaluates my submission doesn't know it is mine. My work has to pass muster just as every other submission does. I have two to submit right now. We'll see what happens. Therefore, I look forward to discovering if I'll have another novel accepted or not.

January 22, I will participate in the Edmond Authors Fair. I will do some advertising for 4RV, but this event is mainly for me to show off my books.

In February, Robert and I will celebrate our 49th anniversary. One more before the big 5-0. That's why I'm using a photo of the two of us for my profile picture. Then, sometime this month I'll discover if my entry in the Oklahoma Book Award, Stolen, made the finals. Of course if my book should, that would be the second for 4RV. I can always dream, right?

March 5, Jacque and I are supposed to do a presentation at the Sapulpa library. I'll be speaking about building characters in writing.

The North Texas Book Fest is April 15 - 16 in Denton, Texas. Yes, this is a 4RV event, but I've entered Stolen in their book competition.

I'll be involved in the OWFI (Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc.) May 5, 6, and 7th. As usual, I'm in charge of BasketWars, a silent auction for baskets/containers for writers from individuals and affiliate groups. This year, I will present a workshop, Submission Etiquette 101, and will take pitches for 4RV. I entered several items in their writing competition, including two unpublished manuscripts (Contemporary Romance and Western Novel), a short-short story, a short story, a western article, an unrhymed short poem, and a published novel. I'll sit at the Saturday night banquet anxiously awaiting the results.

The last of May, Robert and I will be taking the train to Austin, Texas for our grandson Ryan's graduation from high school June 2. I can't believe he has grown up so much and he'll be leaving home for college next school year.

I'll be a year older in July. I want to see those birthdays continue to roll around. I'm not quite ready for them to stop. When people say they aren't having any more birthdays, I want to ask if they have had a premonition they will die before their next one.

Those events are the highlights of 2011 so far. I know more excitement and unknown events will pop up from time to time. The empty slate is filling up with much to anticipate.

Still Need 3 addresses for ARC winners

The following people are winners of ARCs from the Stolen blog tour:

Steph Burkhart, the winner from Holly's blog Shipped

Suzanne Drazic Shipped

Elazar Shipped

Cheryl Malandrinos Shipped

ocmal@charter.net email bounced

Penny Ehrenkranz Shipped

Carolyn Leonard Shipped

Beverly McClure Shipped

Terry Forchand Still need address.


Please email your mailing address at Vivian@viviangilbertzabel.com. I'll mail the ARCs as soon as I have the addresses.

Back to our normal programing

The virtual book tour for Stolen is over. I don't know whether to say it was successful or not, depends on one's definition of success. I enjoyed it, met a few new people, but mainly interacted with those I already knew.

Now I return to normal blogging, whatever normal may be. I'll add book reviews and maybe some interviews, mixed in with writing ideas and suggestions.

I may just have some Christmas posts, maybe a short story or two.

Anyway, please come visit me from time to time. You never know what you might find and even like.

Final stop on virtual tour for Stolen - Margaret Fieland

Today is the final day of the Stolen virtual tour. Our final host is  Margaret (Peggy) Fieland. Please, everyone go by Peggy's blog and leave a comment.


December 15, I'll post the Stolen ARC winners, so watch for the list. Your name may be here.

The 10% discount offered by 4RV Publishing will continue until Christmas, but allow time for shipping if ordering for Christmas.

Thank you, all, for following the tour and leaving comments along the way. You have made the event fun and interesting.

Day 9 - Virtual tour for Stolen -

Today is Day 9 of the blog book tour for Stolen, the next to last day of the tour.  The host today is Debra Eckerling on her blog Write On!.

I hope people will stop by and leave a comment, help start the end of the tour with a bang.

Tomorrow, Friday, the last stop will with Margaret (Peggy) Fieland.

Time has flown by the past 9 days. I find it hard to believe that tomorrow will made 10 days for this tour.

Remember, Stolen and all other books found on the 4RV Publishing website are on sale with a 10% discount until Christmas.

Day 8 - Stolen tour - Dianne Sagan

Today we visit with Dianne Sagan for Day 8 on the virtual tour for Stolen. I hope everyone will visit and maybe leave a comment.

Tomorrow will Day 9, and we'll be on Debra Eckerling's blog, and then Friday will be the last stop.

Remember, if anyone purchases a copy of the novel on 4RV Publishing, a 10% discount will be deducted at checkout. In fact all 4RV books are on sale. This sale only lasts until Christmas, but at least 10 - 14 days may be needed to receive a shipment.

Note: Dianne's post is now up. Hope everyone visits.

Day 7 - Stolen Tour - J.R. Turner

We're over half way through the Stolen virtual tour, and today J.R. Turner hosts us. Please welcome Jenny to the tour by stopping by, visiting, and maybe leaving a comment.

Tomorrow's host will be my friend Dianne Sagan.

Will you let me know if you are enjoying the blog book tour, please?

Remember from now until Christmas, Stolen can be ordered from 4RV Publishing for a 10% discount at checkout, in fact all the 4RV books can be. Great Christmas presents for people of all ages.

Day 6 - Stolen - Karen Coiffi-Ventrice

Please visit Karen Coiffi-Ventrice for day 6 of the Stolen virtual tour.

To date, the posts have been interesting and fun, as have the comments left by visitors.

The tour stop December 7 will be with author JR Turner.

Hope everyone joins the fun. Remember right now you can order a copy of Stolen from 4RV Publishing and receive a 10% discount at checkout.

Day 5 - Stolen tour - Caroline Clemmons

Today, the virtual tour for Stolen will stop at Caroline Clemmon's blog, "A Writer's Life." I hope people will visit. Remember you could win a signed ARC of Stolen, and you could help a blog host win one.

Tomorrow December 6, the tour will visit Karen Coiffi-Ventrice at "Karen Cioffi - Writing for Children and More."

The tour has been fun, and I've met some new people and visited with some friends. I'd like to meet and visit with more.

Day 4 - Stolen tour - Holly Jahangiri & Nita Beshear

Today we can visit two blogs on the Stolen virtual book tour: Holly Jahangiri and Nita Beshear. One asked questions that made me dig deep into myself, and the other quilted an attractive post.

The first three days were plagued with difficulties: post wouldn't post; comments wouldn't appear for a while; and finally no one could post a comment because the webmaster wouldn't allow any comments unless they were approved by the webmaster. Ish. But the hosts did a good job of preparing for the tour stop, and I appreciate their work. Technology, though, isn't always as dependable as the three human hosts were.

Tomorrow the tour continues with  Caroline Clemmons.


Please stop by some of the blog posts. One contest is for the hosts -- the one with the most visitors who leave comments wins an autographed ARC of Stolen.

The book is available through the 4RV Publishing Book Store, with a 10% discount at checkout until Christmas. It will be found through bookstores, Amazon, and B&N online soon.

Day 3 - Stolen tour - Amy Shojai

Friday, today, stop three for the Stolen virtual book tour is found on Amy Shojai's blog Red Room . Join us and perhaps leave a comment, oops, can't leave a comment unless you're registered. However, I'm already a member of Red Room, and even though I log in, I can't leave a comment. Now that's awkward.

All right, read her post and leave a comment here. Double the trouble, but I don't know what else to suggest.

Saturday, two hosts will have posts about me and my novel:

Holly Jahangiri http://jahangiri.us/new
Nita Beshear; http://devotedtoquilting.wordpress.com


Hopefully, we'll have no problems tomorrow.

Day 2 of Stolen blog tour - The Old Silly's blog

Yes, Stolen is moving on to the next blog stop, The Old Silly, Marvin Wilson's blog. Hope people stop by and leave a comment.

Tomorrow, Amy Shojai will be the host. As a cat and dog person, I'm not quite sure how she'll handle people, but I'm sure she'll do something with them. *laugh*

Saturday will have two hosts, both coming from completely different directions. One's a blogger who covers all most anything and everything that catches her fancy, and one's a quilter (maybe she'll quilt Mike into one).

Hope you keep following the tour.

Today begins the Stolen virtual tour

Velda Brotherton's post appeared. Nothing appeared on either blog she said she was using until now. Therefore, I'll began myself.

Stolen by Vivian Gilbert Zabel
ISBN: 978-0-9825886-4-2
Published by 4RV Publishing LLC, Edmond, Oklahoma

Stolen deals with how a person faces adversity: either by giving up or rebuilding her life. However, sometimes the trauma is too great, and she doesn't know if she can endure. Torri faces obstacles from her husband's infidelities and bigamy to the death of her best friend and picks up the pieces of her life, glues them together with help from her faith and family, and continues living. However, when her ex-husband steals her children, she doesn't know if she can manage to exist.

At the back of the novel, I give "More Information about Stolen Children," which includes information about abducted children:

My first experience with children taken by a parent occurred when my daughter was in junior high. A friend’s ex-husband took their two children and disappeared. The mother and her parents hired private investigators who specialized in fi nding missing children.

They did find the father and children in Canada. The father set up a
different identity before abducting the boys. The investigators and the mother waited outside the school until the boys left the building. They then “kidnapped” the boys and returned to the States.

I never thought that I or my family would experience anything
close to that, but we did.

My research shows estimates of over 200,000 children are abducted by a family member yearly. Many cases are not reported because of various reasons, including the fear of harm for child or remaining parent, feeling that reporting wouldn’t help, or the choice to handle the situation without involving law enforcement.

The U.S. Department of Justice bulletin from October 2002,“Children Abducted by Family Members: National Estimates and Characteristics,” gives the following definitions concerning family abduction:
• Taking: Child was taken by a family member in violation of a
custody order or decree or other legitimate custodial right.
• Keeping: Child was not returned or given over by a family member
in violation of a custody order or decree or other legitimate custodial
right.
• Concealment: Family member attempted to conceal the taking or
whereabouts of the child with the intent to prevent return, contact, or
visitation.
• Flight: Family member transported or had the intent to transport the
child from the State for the purpose of making recovery more difficult.
• Intent to deprive indefinitely: Family member indicated an intent
to prevent contact with the child on an indefi nite basis or to affect
custodial privileges indefinitely.
• Child: Person under 18 years of age. For a child 15 or older, there
needed to be evidence that the family member used some kind of force
or threat to take or to detain the child, unless the child was mentally
disabled.
• Family member: A biological, adoptive, or foster family member;
someone acting on behalf of such a family member; or the romantic
partner of a family member.

According to the bulletin, and the survey taken in 1999, family abduction is type of crime and child welfare problem with limited statistical information is available. However, the survey showed forty-four percent of family abducted children were younger than age six. Younger children appear more vulnerable.

One statistic which surprised me in a way is fifty-three percent of children taken by a family member were abducted by their biological father, and only twenty-five percent by their biological mother.

Only six percent of abducted children in the survey had not yet returned by the time of the survey interview. Of course there is no information about unreported kidnappings.

Children who are taken by a father or mother, when the kidnapping parent wants to keep the child from the other parent or family members, are imperiled. They are often told the other parent and family members do not love or want them or harm them or will harm them. The result is psychological harm to the stolen children, as well as in some cases physical and sexual abuse.

Arlene Kardis states, “Of the children reported missing, 350,000 are taken by family members in violations of custody agreements.”

In sixteen percent, the child experiences severe mental harm. Eight percent suffer physical harm, while seven percent are sexually abused. Four percent of stolen children are never found.

Abducting parents often take children to another state or another country, making discovery and recovery more difficult.

***

In two weeks, the novel will be available through bookstores, Amazon, B&N online, and everywhere else books can be found.

The novel is available now through the 4RV Publishing bookstore. From now until Christmas a 10% discount will be deducted at checkout.

Stolen website – http://Stolen.yolasite.com - includes contest for signed ARCs, the first chapter of the novel, and another excerpt.

Contests: The host with the most comments from different visitors will receive a hard copy ARC. Two of the people who send me by email a possible ending to the novel will win an ARC. Also, anyone not hosting a blog stop but who promotes the novel will have a chance to win an ARC. (ARC means Advance Reader Copy). Winners of hard copy ARCs must have a U.S. address. Anyone outside the U.S. who wins will receive a PDF ARC.


Please read tomorrow's post in the blog tour: The Old Silly's Free Spirit Blog

Stolen blog tour begins tomorrow

Tomorrow, December 1, will begin the virtual book tour for my new novel, Stolen. Based on the emotional turmoil caused by two of my grandchildren who were taken by their father, the novel is fiction; but the fear, pain, and heartache are real.

December 1- VeldaBrotherton http://vbrotherton.blogspot.com/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://veldabrotherton.blogspot.com
- - - - - - - - - Vivian Zabel http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com

December 2 - Marvin Wilson http://theoldsilly.com

December 3 - Amy Shojai http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/

December 4 - Holly Jahangiri http://jahangiri.us/new
- - - - - - - Nita Beshear http://devotedtoquilting.wordpress.com

December 5 – Caroline Clemmons http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com

December 6 - Karen Coiffi-Ventrice http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com

December 7 - JR Turner http://jr-turner.blogspot.com


December 8 - Dianne Sagan http://diannesagan.wordpress.com

December 9 - Debra Eckerling http://writeononline.com/category/moving-write-along/

December 10 – Margaret (Peggy) Fieland http://margaretfieland.com/blog1


In two weeks, the novel will be available through bookstores, Amazon, B&N online, and everywhere else books can be found.

The novel is available now through the 4RV Publishing bookstore: http://4rvpublishingllc.com/Novels.html From now until Christmas a 10% discount will be deducted at checkout.
Stolen website – http://Stolen.yolasite.com - includes contest for signed ARCs.

Contests: The host with the most comments from different visitors will receive a hard copy ARC. Two of the people who send me by email a possible ending to the novel will win an ARC. Also, anyone not hosting a blog stop but who promotes the novel will have a chance to win an ARC. (ARC means Advance Reader Copy). Winners of hard copy ARCs must have a U.S. address. Anyone outside the U.S. who wins will receive a PDF ARC.

Watch for Stolen visits around blogdom

December 1 begins the Stolen book blog tour. The novel will pop in at different blogs until the final stop Dec. 10. The tour will have prizes and contests, as described below the scheduled blog stops.

Right now Stolen is on sale if ordered from the 4RV Publishing Bookstore. Ten percent will be discounted when orders are checked out. The book would make a great Christmas present for any adult (or even teen) on your gift list.

December 1 - Velda Brotherton http://veldabrotherton.blogspot.com


December 2 - Marvin Wilson http://theoldsilly.com


December 3 - Amy Shojai http://www.redroom.com/blog/amy-d-shojai/

December 4 - Holly Jahangiri http://jahangiri.us/new
- - - - - - - - -- Nita Beshear http://devotedtoquilting.wordpress.com

December 5 – Caroline Clemmons http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com

December 6 - Karen Coiffi-Ventrice http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com

December 7 - JR Turner http://jr-turner.blogspot.com

December 8 - Dianne Sagan http://diannesagan.wordpress.com
December 9 - Debra Eckerling http://writeononline.com/category/moving-write-along/

Links for Stolen: In two weeks, the novel will be available through bookstores, Amazon, B&N online, and everywhere else books can be found.

The novel is available now through the 4RV Publishing bookstore: http://4rvpublishingllc.com/Novels.html

Stolen website – http://Stolen.yolasite.com - includes contest for signed ARCs.

Contests: The host with the most comments from different visitors will receive a hard copy ARC. Two of the people who send me by email a possible ending to the novel will win an ARC. Also, anyone not hosting a blog stop but who promotes the novel will have a chance to win an ARC. (ARC means Advance Reader Copy). Winners of hard copy ARCs must have a U.S. address. Anyone outside the U.S. who wins will receive a PDF ARC.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today celebrates all we have for which to give thanks, and I have so many that I can't list them all. However, since I'm reading One Special Act by Debbie Macomber, I started a gratitude journal and add five items plus one praise to the Lord each day.

One praise I have, and a huge thank you, is God gave me a talent (well, more than one, but this one is special right now): writing. I've always liked to tell stories, and I don't mean fibs. I entertained friends and siblings, then children and grandchildren. I had excellent teachers who gave me the tools needed to write those stories and the poetry that ran around in my head.

Life hasn't always been easy, far from it, but everything that happened and happens can be used to build character, faith, and plots with vivid characters. Such is the situation concerning my new novel Stolen. Many people know the background of the plot in that novel: two grandchildren taken by their father. The twelve years they were gone, when we had no idea whether they lived or not or where they were, affected us deeply and gave me fodder for the novel.

However, that experience, although difficult and agonizing, now leads to a huge thanksgiving since both grandchildren are now back in our lives.

Hope everyone has a very good day this Thanksgiving season.

Want a book to give for Christmas? Let me suggest Stolen  as well as One Simple Act.

Of course 4RV Publishing has many selections for gifts for all ages. Just visit 4RV Publishing Bookstore.

Stolen is here - Please Read and Comment

Stolen is now available. I'm ordering some copies to have on hand.

I had scheduled a virtual tour for Stolen to be in September, but I took longer to recover from surgery than expected. Due to "help," much of my papers were moved in my office, some never found, including the list of hosts for the blog tour. So, I'm starting from scratch to have the blog tour from December 1 - 10.

Anyone with an active blog interested in hosting Stolen? If so please email me. I'm giving ARCs as gifts for each day's comments, one per blog stop. I'll also send a PDF of the novel to each host that would like one.

I do remember two people who said they would host a stop: Holly Jahangiri and Nancy Famolari. However, I need Nancy's email address and the URL for her blog.

Allow me to share a review for the novel, written by Ginger Simpson, eBooks Examiner:

Review - Stolen - Contemporary mixed with Suspense and Romance

• August 4th, 2010 8:22 pm ET
• By Ginger Simpson, eBooks Examiner

Stolen by Vivian Gilbert Zabel

The novel’s tag line sums it up: When troubles and tragedies steal the joy and happiness from life, a person has two choices: to rebuild and find a way to continue living or to give up.

Research done by Ms. Zabel estimates that over 200,000 children are abducted by family members each year. One can only imagine that the pain is still the same, even knowing the child is with someone you know, or thought you knew. The loss of a child through abduction has to be horrific, and Stolen captures one mother’s agony, determination, and faith.

Teacher, Torri Adamson probably wouldn’t say a bad word about anyone. That has to be the reason she continues her marriage to a man who cheats. She’s the type who counts her blessings, but the loving world she pictures with her two children starts to unravel the day she receives a phone call from another woman who demands to talk to Mike. Torri explains he isn’t home, but gives out her address. When the two women meet face-to-face, the lie is revealed. Mike is married to both of them. Even when his bigamy is exposed, he still tries to blame Torri for anything that goes wrong in his life.

Luckily, Torri has a great support group. Her gram and gramps live nearby and are more than happy to have her and the children live with them in their Bed and Breakfast. In the happy atmosphere described there, how could the children not thrive with all the attention and love? You’ll see the divorce coming but there is so much more to this story.

In Stolen, Ms. Zabel weaves a tale that draws you in and makes you part of the family. You’ll revel in the good times and suffer through the bad…just like real life. Friends come and go, people die, but you never, ever expect your ex-husband to steal your children.

You’ll simply have to read this awesome story to see if Torri can find peace with Jason, the husband of her deceased best friend as they try and help one another through the grief. Religious or not, you’ll pray at the beginning of every chapter for the children’s safe return to the mother and step-father who love them so much. If you want to know how it turns out, you’re going to have to read the book for yourself.

For information about Ms. Zabel's upcoming release, stay tuned to 4RV Publishing.

Note from the Reviewer:
This poignant tale becomes much more personal and tear-jerking if you read Ms. Zabel's post on her blog. May God Bless her and her family.

Thank you, Ginger.


The novel isn't available yet on Amazon or in bookstores, but it can be ordered from 4RV Publishing Bookstore. It will be available on other online stores and brick and mortar stores in about two weeks.

Trailer for Stolen

Stolen will be available in a few days. Aidana created a slide show trailer for it. Hope you enjoy.

Make your own free picture slideshow

Copies can be pre-ordered now on the 4RV Publishing website book store.

In two weeks or less, copies can be found through any bookstore or Amazon.

Note: If the music irritates you or continues too long, use the mute button under the trailer.