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The Julian Vaughan Hampton Collection

The Adventures of Annie Marmalade - Quest for the Ronji Crystal
$12.95
When the sacred Ronji Crystal is taken to the Giants of the dark mountains, a little girl with a special gift is the only one who can return it. The sacred Ronji Crystal has been taken from the magical town of Goodhaven. The Crystal holds a curse that prevents the Giants of the dark mountains from attacking the town. The king of Goodhaven sends his son, Prince Marion, to retrieve it. His request, take neither man, woman, nor boy with him. Prince Marion finds his solution in a small girl with a special gift. Annie Marmalade has the power to turn any item into a dessert. Prince Marion simply wants Annie to open the entrance to Debor. When the door slams shut, Annie Marmalade and Prince Marion are forced to work together to retrieve the crystal from the depths of Debor. Journeying through the tunnels of the dark mountains, they learn the secrets of Debor. Annie uses her gift to create desserts to battle King Ontross and his minions. She creates rivers of caramel, licorice lassos, and even gummy bears to help Prince Marion return the Ronji Crystal to Goodhaven. This, however, is just the beginning. Follow this magical adventure as a little girl stands between hope and the threat from the dark mountains.

ISBN: 0977116042

Love, Life and Kingdom
$12.95
Love, Life and Kingdom is a powerful and passionate collection of poetry written by Julian Vaughan Hampton. These immersing poems reflect who we were, acknowledge who we are, and celebrate who we are destined to become. Each of us has a place deep within that yearns to be understood. The poetry in Love, Life and Kingdom addresses those needs, tapping into the physical, emotional and spiritual position of the heart. Find the poems that draw you close to them, inspire you, or challenge your views of life. From success to failure, joy to pain, love lost and love gained, all with the purpose of finding love and life in within the Kingdom.

ISBN: 0977116018

Limbus
$12.95
An aspiring artist crashes into a world of mystery and deception in Julian Vaughan Hampton's book titled Limbus. When Pamela Fontain experiences dreams concerning a series of unsolved murders, she must discover if she is an innocent witness, or a cold-blooded killer. Journey through the mind of a woman involved in an intense game of cat and mouse, as she discovers if she is living out a nightmare, or simply loosing her sanity.

ISBN: 097711600X

The Contradiction
$12.95
A criminal underworld plagues a Midwestern city and two young boys are caught in the crossfire. In "The Contradiction," Chris Parker and James Johnson each chronicle their life growing up in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The two best friends form a bond, despite the differences between their white and black races. When a horribly painful event ruptures the stability of their lives, the two young men must leave the security of their youth and face the harsh reality of the world in which they live.

ISBN: 1589394321

Book Reviews

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The Contradiction Book Reviews

This is a fantastic book! I read it in one sitting and kept biting my fingernails anticipating what was coming next. I can't wait to see what's next from this writer. Amazon.com

I don't read much but this is one of the best books that I have read in a long time. It should be made into a movie. Amazon.com

What an exciting book. The ending was a surprise that I never saw coming. Bravo! Barnes & Noble.com

Excellent Book! It was like I knew the main characters because their struggles were so realistic. The plot & sequence of events always left me wanting more, while the ending of the story was simply stunning. The Contradiction drew me in, kept me guessing, & was very enjoyable reading. Barnes & Noble.com

It is a riveting portrayal of two lives, cleverly assembled together to form a unique story. Its a blueprint of lives that dwell on the right and left view of crime and punishment. Barnes & Noble.com

Fantastic! I read this book straight through and could not put it down. It's incredible how the author puts you right there. Very unique the way it see-saws back and forth between the main characters. Great book! Barnes & Noble.com

Love, Life, and Kingdom Book Reviews


This book is a collection of poems that will definitely get you thinking. I could relate to almost each one of these poems. Many brought tears to my eyes. Others gave me strength and reassurance to know that I am not on this journey alone. A few that truly moved me are entitled: "Fisherman", "The Battle for My Soul", "Images", "Nubian" and "My Gift". Read the book, and then read it again. It will definitely have you coming back for more. Amazon.com

I was moved by the poems in this book because all of them are so true. You can relate to each one of the poems and apply them to your daily living. Whether you may have questions about Love, Daily Living (Life) or your constant struggle to walk with God (Kingdom), you may find the answer you are looking for or at least see that you aren't walking alone. I cried when I read some of the poems because I have been there, or am currently there in my life. 'Fisherman', 'The Battle For My Soul', 'Images', 'My Gift' and 'Nubian', are a few that I loved. Barmes & Noble.com

This really opened my eyes and heart about love. What it should feel like and what it is not. Some of the poems I could truely relate to. You have out done yourself once again. Barnes & Noble.com

Wow! This book really gives the reader a whole new way of looking at things. These poems will really make you think. Very interesting. Barnes & Noble.com

Limbus Reviews


I purchased this book over the weekend and just could not put it down. It was captivating, truly a page turner. I read the book in one weekend and was simply blown away by how the story actually turned out. This book will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more. Beautifully written. Amazon.com

I just want it to be said that 'Julian Vaughan Hampton is truly a great writer, because in the book he made the characters come alive.' 'Limbus' was excellently written. I read it and could not put it down. I would love to see a sequel to this book. Keep up the good work. Barnes & Noble.com

This a good page turner. I read the book in one weekend. I couldn't put it down. There was a lot of suspense, which I liked. When I thought I knew what was going to happen next in the story, it went in a completely different direction. This was a very well written book. You would have to read this book all the way through to get the understanding. Can't skip pages. Again very well done. Barnes & Noble.com

This is a really good book. I never knew what was coming next. Can't wait for a Part II. You will really want to read more. Barnes & Noble.com

 Fatal attraction, jealous spouse and a tall order of murder glues you to your seat in Limbus. Julian Vaughan Hampton weaves a tale of suspense, the action always moving forward, taking the reader along for an intriguing read. Overall, an interesting and good read. Allbook Reviews

 Julian Vaughan Hampton carves out his dark images through Limbus, a novel which will have you looking at artwork in a whole new perspective. His fast-paced novel has you thinking twice about using things you know nothing about because someday they might kill you or destroy your life. Gottawrite Network

The Adventures of Annie Marmalade: Quest for the Ronji Crystal Reviews

Aimed at ages 8 and up The Adventures of Annie Marmalade: Quest for the Ronji Crystal is a fast paced, fun read. I whizzed through this book while my daughter was at dance class. I would love to have Annie's gift of making delicious desserts!

Nine year old Annie sets out on an adventure with Prince Marion to recover the stolen Ronji Crystal. Along the way they encounter many obstacles and enemies. Annie uses her magical gift of turning anything into dessert to battle their opponents. Julian Vaughan Hampton has created a unique story that younger readers will enjoy.

This is a plot driven book that zipped along. I would have liked more character development but then it would probably not hold the interest of the target audience.

One of my favorite scenes from the book entails the Prince apologizing to Annie after they've just been attacked. Annie replies:

"What do you mean? This has been the best day ever." 
"I never get to do anything this exciting"

This so reminds me of the difference between the way adults and kids view different situations. The book wraps up nicely and sets the story up for another adventure.

Cover Note: I misplaced this book one afternoon and was asking if anyone had seen it. My kids and husband both asked if it was the cookbook I had misplaced. Because I received an uncorrected proof my copy is spiral bound, with the picture of the baker and gummy bears on the front they thought it was a cookbook. Once we get to know Annie and her "gift" for baking thinking it was a cookbook is not too far off.

The Adventures of Annie Marmalade was a delightfully charming tale of a young girl, Annie, who lives in Goodhaven. She feels left out because her gift – the ability to make delicious desserts – isn’t as conventional in society as her peers’ are. But when tragedy befalls Goodhaven and the Ronji Crystal is stolen, Annie steps up in the face of adversity to save her beloved Goodhaven and rescue the Ronji Crystal.

I'm a Reader, Not a Writer

My first thought about this book was that it was cute, remarkable, unique, and innovative. For being a children’s book, The Adventures of Annie Marmalade was wonderfully descriptive. I was a bit surprised at how flawlessly Julian weaved a tale of fantasy that was easy to grasp and be immersed in. The pacing was great and filled with action packed scenes and tons of adventure. There were hidden depths and themes in the novel, despite how relatively short it was. I loved the theme in which even the least remarkable person could be a hero.

 Annie’s gift, and the way she uses it, is completely unique. It was fun seeing what different ways Annie would get out of a situation – I would have never thought up some of the innovative things that Julian thought up for her! For example, she uses taffy lasso to use as a rope and turns water into caramel to slow down the hounds that were hunting them. She used gummy bears to get rid of some giants that caught them in a tricky situation and bubble gum as a balloon. One thing is for sure: this book will get your sweet tooth craving some dessert!

The characters were enjoyable to read about and believable. Annie was charming and oh-so-cute. I absolutely loved it when she would shimmy and shake to make ordinary objects into desserts. She had a different outlook to life – where others were afraid, Annie was fearless; where others were wound up, Annie was carefree. Her way of thinking was so unique and definitely stood out. There was also the Prince, who is a great military leader but doubts his abilities on facing problems by himself. He’s a bit of a scaredy-cat, but learns to be brave in the face of danger.

 My only complaint/wish is that it were longer – I didn’t want to stop reading about Annie’s adventures! I love the incorporation of the gummy bears! I hope the finished cover will include more of the delicious desserts Annie thought up of.

Overall Thoughts/Final Comments: The Adventures of Annie Marmalade was definitely an enjoyable tale that would be loved by the entire family. It’s full of action and it’s interesting to see what unique ways Annie will come up with to pull Prince Marion and herself out of danger. I would recommend to this to anyone, really – children, adults, fantasy-lovers. I can't wait to read this to my niece!

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