Pump Your Books Presents: Her Alibi by Mary L. Schmidt; #BlogTour, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #TBR, #Live, #Review

“Her Alibi is another example of where reality trumps fiction and Schmidt must be commended for finding the courage to pen this book.” - Readers Favorite

 

Title: Her Alibi
Author: Mary L. Schmidt
Publisher: M. Schmidt Productions
Genre: Forensic Memoir / Forensic Psychology
Pages: 76

Rating:  4 Stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from Pump Up Your Book and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Book Blurb:

Visions of her Cherokee grandmother, Cordie, flashed through Mary’s mind as her mother, Marguerite, informed her that her stepfather shot himself and was in the hospital. Oh no! Did she use me last night? She’d never use her scapegoat! No, she couldn’t! Even Marguerite wouldn’t sink that low! Or would she? Marguerite had always been abusive and vile to most people, and especially to her children and husbands, but would she shoot Paul? Chills raked Mary and triggered her shuddering. Was she more shocked that her mother shot her stepfather with murderous intent, or that she left Mary as her alibi?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mKRbOw 

Barnes&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-alibi-mary-l-schmidt/1142118167 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62218232-her-alibi  

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/her-alibi/id6443334045 

My Thoughts:

I found there were ways could connect with this author as I started to read her book.  We grew up in the same time period and had a couple of the same experiences.  There were times where I wanted to get my thoughts and feelings down on paper but never did.  

Maybe it was the time period.  Maybe it was the way women were expected to act back then.  A small difference between our mothers was that mine was not that extreme.  Another difference was that I stood up to my parent.  But said parent didn’t have the type of behavior that our author’s did.

True crime drama shows have become quite popular.  I’m one of those people that have come to watch quite a few of them.  This story could play out on any of them.  But usually the bad person gets caught, or the authorities are close and just need that one piece of evidence.  Toward the end of the story, we find out what happens to the mother – and here was one more similarity between our lives.  I was glad to see that the author got her happy ending as well as sharing a part of herself, and her family, with us – even though it must have been a tough thing to do.

There’s a saying, “everyone has a story to tell” and this is just one of them.  If you have a voice you want to be heard, why not put the words down on paper.  Even if the only person you share it with is yourself or your family members.  It’s a part of who you are and your family history.  It can also be the start of a healing process.

Book Excerpt:

“Chills raked Mary and triggered her shuddering. Was she more shocked that her mother shot her stepfather with murderous intent, or that she left Mary as her alibi?”

Before I get to this shooting, I want to fill in background so that you understand sociopathic people and the rage they can present to another person or persons. My mother was a sociopath. Her rage was uncontrolled, and she acted fast, aggressively, and with vengeance. It’s important for the reader to have a full background.

As I grew up, I wanted to believe that my mother was a good mother, but sadly that never happened, she never was. My mother, Marguerite, always seemed to think that she was the best mother, perfect even, but not all mothers are made the same as I found out from a very young age.

I remember my second Christmas at age two years. We had a cedar Christmas tree with lights and tinsel. Somehow, I found some small, glass Christmas lights and I had them in my hands. No one stopped me. Possibly no one noticed. I took my pretty treasures and sat behind the heating stove in our small house on North Grand Avenue. For some reason only a two-year-old would understand, I put one of the light bulbs in my mouth and bit it down. I broke the glass, and I didn't get hurt, and I thought oh that was a cool sound and so I broke the other one in my mouth! My mother, older brother and sister were in the same room, and my mother found me bleeding from my mouth behind the heating stove. She went into a ballistic rage! I was in trouble. She beat my butt and yelled at me all the way to the hospital in Lyons, KS, and she was quiet only while my stomach was pumped. No glass was left inside me, and I had one little cut on my tongue, and no stitches needed. I will never forget her rage at me, and that is probably why I remember the incident.

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About the Author:

Mary L. Schmidt writes under her given name and a pen name, S. Jackson, along with her husband Michael, pen name A Raymond. She grew up in a small Kansas (USA) town and has lived in more than one state since then. At this time, Mary and her husband split their time between homes in Kansas and Colorado as they love the mountains and off-road four-wheeling. Traveling is one of their most favorite things to do and Mary always has a book to read on her Kindle. Books are one of her favorite things. When she was younger, it seemed like every time she turned around, a new library card was needed due to the current one being stamped complete. Diving into a good book made any day perfect and you would be surprised at the number of books she read over and over. 

As a child, Mary drew paper dolls, and clothes for them, using watercolor as her medium when painting scenes, especially flowers. She continued with art in high school exploring a wide variety of mediums such as jewelry making, ceramics, leather works, drawing, painting and more! Her creative loves to be an amateur shutterbug and she has an online art gallery. 

In college, she went into the sciences, and received a bachelor’s degree in the Science of Nursing. Throughout her nursing career, Michael assisted Mary in her work with The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, and sponsored children alongside his wife on music trips. Mary’s nursing career was highly successful, and she hung up her nursing hat in December 2012. 

Mary and Michael love to read, fish, play poker, go Jeeping, and travel, especially to visit their grandson, Austin, and granddaughter, Emma. 

Author Links:

Website:  www.whenangelsfly.net  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLSchmidt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MMSchmidtAuthorGDDonley 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mschmidtphotography/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marylschmidt/

Art Gallery: https://www.deviantart.com/mschmidtartwork/gallery

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