My Life. One Story at a Time.

Nielsen-Massey Madagasgar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

2012-01-28T17:09:00.001-06:00

I can’ttell you how long I have had my eye on Vanilla Bean Paste. That’s why when Icame across an advertisement from Nielsen-Massey looking for someone to try theproduct and review it, I was on it like sticky on candy. And, I knew I had tocall in my favorite cousin, Kelly, to help in the taste testing. I love tobake, but I normally stick to the basics. Kelly, on the other hand, is agourmet cook. Together, I felt we could we could give this bottle of vanillabean paste a run it would not soon forget.

Vanilla Beans (a good sign)

You can see how thick the vanilla paste is in this picture.

Being abaker and a firm believer of making everything from scratch, I have been makingmy own vanilla extract for years. What Kelly and I did was put the two to ataste test, and that began with an old fashion “stick your finger and lick it”test. The Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste (check out the picture) is verythick, almost like molasses, and true to its claim, has a lot of vanilla beans.It also has an extraordinary flavor that had it not been for Kelly, I wouldhave stood there all day and continued to “dip and lick”. That sounds sort ofdirty, but this vanilla paste is sinfully good – all-by-itself.

First, you need "pretty" spoon for measuring.

Did Imention Hubby wanted to get in on the act? Before Kelly and I could gather theingredients needed to make our pate’ a choux, Hubby was already stirring in apot. Hubby is famous for his Southern Pecan Pralines and Peanut Butter Fudge.He decided that his taste tasting would involve Coconut Pralines and he wasdetermined to use the vanilla paste first. There was definitely a littlecompetition going on in that kitchen!

First steps of making pralines

Bringing the mixture to a boil

Measuring the vanilla

Adding the vanilla

Cooking the mixture

This is therecipe for Hubby’s Pralines.

Southern Pralines(The best in all the world)

Ingredients

5 cups sugar

1 can condensedmilk

1 can (large) petmilk

1 stick butter(the real thing)

3 cups choppedpecans (or coconut)

1 tablespoonvanilla extract (NOT imitation extract)

Directions:

Will take approximately one hour of stirring and makesapproximately 60 pralines (if you don’t taste test before they’re done)

Start with a high fire, then lower to a med/low flame. Stir constantly.Melt butter and add sugar, condensed milk and pet milk.

Pralines on wax paper & newspaper

Pralines lift off of silpat

We also dropped some on silpat

Looking good

After approximately one hour, mixture will begin to thickenand turn to a caramel color. Once it forms a ball with a slightly crusty coatingin a bowl of cool water, mixture is ready for the pecans and vanilla (orsubstitute same amount of grated coconut in place of pecans). Add these,stirring constantly. Cook a short time longer.

Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper that has been placed on topof newspaper. Stir every so often to keep mixture from hardening as you aredropping it onto the wax paper.

Finished product. Coconut Pralines

The following recipe is the one we used for the profiterolesand cream filling. We made a simple ganache’ of cream and melted chocolate forthe topping.

Vanilla pastry cream recipe

Prep Time: ---| Cook Time: 1 hour, 15minutes |

Servings: Fills1 standard pastry recipe |

Ingredients:

· 1 ¼ cups whole milk

· 3 egg yolks

· ¼ cup granulated sugar

· 1/8 cup all-purpose flour

· 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

· 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until it is just hotenough to steam. While the milk is warming, whisk together the egg yolks,sugar, flour, and cornstarch until the mixture is completely smooth.

Once the milk is steaming, add half of it, whisking constantly, to theegg mixture. Add the milk and eggs back into the hot milk, continue stirring,and heat it for 1-2 minutes, until the custard reaches 170F on a digitalthermometer and is very thick. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanillaextract, and chill before filling pastry.

Source: http://frenchfood.about.com/od/pastrycream/r/vanilla.htm

Pate a Choux basic recipe ( puff pastry )

Notice the beans - good sign (vanilla creme)

Melting butter & water

Ingredients:

· 1 cup water

· 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

· 1 cup flour

· 1 cup eggs (4 large eggs)

Directions:

1. Bring the water and butter to a simmer over high heat. Reducethe heat to medium, add the flour and stir rapidly. The flour will absorbthe water quickly and a dough will form and pull away from the sides. Keepstirring to continue cooking the flour and cook off some of the water, anotherminute or two. Transfer the paste to the bowl of a standing mixer fittedwith the paddle attachment or to a bowl if you're using a hand mixer. (Ifyou want to mix the eggs directly into the dough in the pot, let it coolslightly, 4 or 5 minutes,

or cool off the pan itself by running cold water over its base if you

will be mixing the eggs in that pot. You don’t want to cook theeggs

too quickly.)

2. Add the eggs one at a time mixing rapidly until each is combinedinto the paste. The paste will go from shiny to furry, slippery to stickyas the egg is incorporated. The pâte a choux can be cooked immediately atthis point or refrigerated for up to a day until ready to use.

Coming together in the pan

Adding eggs

Ready to bake. I used an ice cream scoop to make it uniform.

Pipe or spoon choux paste into hot oil for doughnuts and cook for 5minutes or until done. Spoon or pipe it onto a baking sheet (seeabove, remember to press the peaks down with a moistened finger, they can burn)and bake in a hot oven (425 for 10 minutes, 350 for another half hour or so, isideal) for cream puffs, profiteroles and gougeres. Or pipe into simmeringwater for parisienne gnocchi (remove when they float, then saute in brownbutter with additional garnish of your choice, excellent recipes in Bouchon forall of these preparations).
Source: http://ruhlman.com/2009/01/pate-a-choux/

Fresh from the oven

Aren't they pretty?

Light and fluffy insides

With vanilla cream

Now, I amthe chocoholic in the family, so this is what my profiteroles looked like (andI enjoyed every bit of them.) To stem the objections to my “globs of chocolate”,I also “drizzled” the chocolate on top of some of the profiteroles.

Making the ganache

Lots of ganache!

Cream filled profiterole

Someone had to taste it!

Perfection!

Along with a sweet profiterole, we also made a savory one. We added the most wonderful Irish White Cheddar and grated Parmesan cheese to the dough and baked. We then filled them with homemade chicken salad. The result - scrumptous!

Adding shredded cheese

Swiss Cheddar

Perfection!

I’vestarted thinking as of late, that I may want to be permanently laid to rest inHershey, Pennsylvania. I’ve heard the air quality is sublime and the aromasimply cannot be matched anywhere else in the world. I think that would be ahappy resting place for a chocoholic such as myself.

Inconclusion, I have to highly recommend hunting down Nielsen-Massey Vanilla BeanPaste. It has a rich intense flavor that cannot be duplicated with an extract. It has a heavy dose of vanilla pods within the dark syrup that will add a richness to any dish you use it in. It is worth whatever it costs and the trouble it takes to find it. It isTHAT good.

The mess

Fruits of our labor

You canplay the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a bottle!

Disclaimer / Disclosure: I received a complimentary copyof the book with no obligation for a positive review. No compensation -monetary or in kind - has been obtained for this post. Cover art and bookdescription courtesy of the author, publisher, or PR firm.

If the Rafflecopter is there - use it. I seem to be having some problems. To enter, leave a comment with your name and how you followed my blog (GFC, Google+, or Networkblog - it is mandatory to follow) and valid email address to contact you if you win. Any tweets you want to make are appreciated. Thanks.

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If Wishes Were Husbands by Elizabeth Kyne

2012-01-27T10:38:00.000-06:00

Title:If Wishes Were Husbands

Author:Elizabeth Kyne

Genre:Romantic Comedy

Publisher:Elly Books

Released:November 2011

Book Blurb:

Rachel re-invents herself when she moves back toher home town of Aylesbury; with a new job, a new house and a new haircut. Butpeople’s eyes glaze over when she tells them about her life as aforty-something singleton who works in accounts. So why not spice things up abit? Why not tell her new hairdresser and her new friends about her fantastichusband? Everyone wants to hear about Darren, the man who cooks her amazingmeals, cleans the house and takes her to bed for orgasmic sex three times a night!What a shame he doesn't exist…

…Until she comes home one night and finds Darrensitting in her lounge. And everything she said becomes true: from his sensuousfood to his skill in bed. So real, that she believes it.

Not as if living with a perfect is man is… well,perfect…

She can’t find anything because every time sheputs something down, he tidies it away. Then there’s the shock of the creditcard bill from buying all that gourmet food. Not to mention the sex! Threetimes a night is great at first, but sometimes all she wants at the end of theday is a sandwich and some sleep.

Then Rachel decides that Darren has to go - andthat’s when her troubles really begin.

From the Author:

IF ONLY I DIDN’T HAVE A LOVE AFFAIR WITH SLEEP

Author Elizabeth Kyne dreams about what life might have been like

if she’d been blessed with more hours in the day

One night a couple of years ago, I was just getting readyfor bed when the phone rang. “Who the hell’s calling at this hour?” was thegeneral reaction in the house. It turned out to be Ian. The conversation wentsomething like this:

“Oh hi Ian, I was just going to bed.”

“Bed? But it’s ten o’clock. Why are you going to bed now?”

“Because it’s bed time.”

He had no concept of a person wanting to go to bed at teno’clock. To him, it was the middle of the evening and there were four hoursuntil his bedtime.

I wish I were like Ian.

To clarify, I’m actually glad I am not like Ian in many ways(I’m not sure how I’d cope with being a teacher in Scotland, for example), butin the sleep department, I envy him. On the day he’d rung me, he’d spent eighthours at work, earned some lovely money, then come home, had some dinner andrelaxed for a bit, and was just settling down to work on a script for a play hewas writing and wanted to chat to me about it.

As for me, I’d spent all day writing and doing assortedthings, earned very little money, had dinner, spent a precious hour relaxing infront of the telly and was about done for the day. If only I’d been able tostay up until two in the morning doing stuff, then I could have achieved somuch more.

There is a piece of advice dished out to writers which, inmany ways, is excellent advice. It goes something like this: Set your alarm foran hour earlier, get up and write for an hour, then go to work. Pretty soon,you will have written the first draft of a novel and – what’s more – youhaven’t had to sacrifice any salaried time to do it. Which, if you want to eatand have a roof over your head, is a pretty good idea.

I’ve tried this. Really, I’ve tried it. Maybe it worked onthe Monday, maybe I even managed to struggle out of bed on the Tuesday, but byWednesday I was just beat. The other problem was – and this is the biggestproblem, to my mind – is that by the time you get into work, you’re too tiredto put your all energies into your job. That’s the job which is paying forlife’s little essentials like food and housing. To put it at risk by coming inexhausted every day is probably not the best plan for continued employment.

Add to that the additional complication of the day job Ifoolishly decided to take on. My background is in radio journalism and, inradio, the most important time of the day is breakfast time. So, often my shiftwould start at 5am. I was already getting up at 4.30am. The prospect of gettingup at 3.30am to write… well, let’s just say that wasn’t going to happen.

One advantage of shifts like this, you might think, isbecause you start early, you finish early too. Although this is the case, myability to function in the afternoon when I’ve been up at 4.30am and worked theequivalent of a full day, is vastly reduced. Exhaustion is total. I’ve triedusing this time to write or to exercise and it’s generally been a failure. It’shard enough just staying awake in the afternoon to make sure that when I go tobed at night I actually sleep.

I’m such a wimp at sleep, that after a week doing shiftslike that, my stamina for going out at the weekend was very low indeed. So muchso that I got a bit of a reputation for going to bed early at parties. Therewas one party I remember in which I was so sleepy by the time I got there at8pm that I decided to nip upstairs for a quick lay down on the spare bed. I hadfully intended to get back up and do some partying, but fell asleep instead andonly emerged some twelve hours later to find a handful of people downstairsnursing their hangovers. Yep, I’d slept through the whole party.

If only I wasn’t a slave to sleep. If only I had the staminato write at either end of the day and still earn a crust at a regular job. Butthat’s just not me. In the end, I’ve had to accept that if I want to write, Ihave to sacrifice a regular salary. For me, that has meant going part time atmy radio job so I work weekends and write during the week. It still means Ican’t go to parties without going to bed early, but at least I’m writing.

I have great admiration for the authors of this world whoget up and write before going to work, or burn the midnight oil to get thatmanuscript finished. They are amazing people. Some of them even manage it witha young family or a baby in the house. They are truly heroic; I wish I weremore like them.

My point is, I guess, that we all have limitations to whatwe can do. For me, it’s sleep; for others it maybe family or businesscommitments. But, in our heart of hearts, if we want to write, then we willfind a way. Because a writer who doesn’t write is no writer at all.

*****

Rachel re-invents herself when she moves back to her hometown of Aylesbury; with a new job, a new house and a new haircut. But people’seyes glaze over when she tells them about her life as a forty-somethingsingleton who works in accounts. So why not spice things up a bit? Why not tellher new hairdresser and her new friends about her fantastic husband? Everyonewants to hear about Darren, the man who cooks her amazing meals, cleans thehouse and takes her to bed for orgasmic sex three times a night! What a shamehe doesn't exist…

…Until she comes home one night and finds Darren sitting inher lounge. And everything she said becomes true: from his sensuous food to hisskill in bed. So real, that she believes it.

Not as if living with a perfect is man is… well, perfect…

She can’t find anything because every time she putssomething down, he tidies it away. Then there’s the shock of the credit cardbill from buying all that gourmet food. Not to mention the sex! Three times anight is great at first, but sometimes all she wants at the end of the day is asandwich and some sleep.

Then Rachel decides that Darren has to go - and that’s whenher troubles really begin.

Elizabeth Kyne takes the absurdities of the modern woman'squest for love and turns them into an enjoyable romp. She finds the comic ineveryday situations, from buying a dress to experimenting with hair dye athome. While, underneath, she comments on the pressure to find the perfecthusband and how that quest is doomed for us all.

PAPERBACK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wishes-Were-Husbands-Elizabeth-Kyne/dp/1908340010/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319364974&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Wishes-Were-Husbands-Elizabeth-Kyne/dp/1908340010/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1319365757&sr=1-3

EBOOK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/If-Wishes-Were-Husbands-ebook/dp/B005S66A8M/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319364974&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/If-Wishes-Were-Husbands-ebook/dp/B005S66A8M/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319365757&sr=1-3

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92446

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/if-wishes-were-husbands/id475075856?mt=11

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/if-wishes-were-husbands/id475075856?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-wishes-were-husbands-elizabeth-kyne/1106913246

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ifwisheswerehusbands-606059-150.html

Elizabeth Kyne trained to be a radio journalist and spenther early working years reading news bulletins and writing for magazines.Later, after learning the meaning of “mortgage” and “gas bill”, she decided todo the sensible thing and drop the freelance lifestyle to get a proper job. Thejob, however, all went horribly wrong and she returned to her first love ofwriting, and worked on several novels before finding success with “If WishesWere Husbands”.

http://www.elizabethkyne.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.kyne1

Book Quotes:

And, looking at myself in the changing room mirror, Istarted to doubt if even one of my old posh frocks would fit anymore. Thesagginess of time had started to pull on my body. Breasts gradually makingtheir way to rendezvous with my navel, belly like a deflated rugby ball andthighs like tree trunks with wrinkled bark that tapered ever so slightly downto the water retention at my knees.

How the Victorians would have disapproved of the display ofunderwear on show: rows and rows of bras and knickers on individual hangers asfar as the eye could see in all colours from somber browns to sexy reds andpurples. Lace, wire and enhanced cleavage nuzzled next to practical, unadornedboob holders.

My Review:

If we could have the perfect husband we’ve always wanted,what would we wish for? Rachel made that wish and then began to weave afairytale. All she really wanted to do was fit in. She was tired of beinglabeled as a 40 something year old single female who was married to her job.Little did she realize that when she returned home that night, her fairytale wouldhave come to life. Maybe perfect isn’t what we’re dreaming of, that is, untilit fads before our very eyes.

Rachel is out with friends one night and conjures up theperfect man. Her friends are all envious of her wonderful life. She returnshome to find the fairytale has come to life and as the days go by, she beginsto realize perfect isn’t always perfect. She begins to resent this perfect manwho is there to satisfy her every whim. The book is quite funny and I enjoyed the fast-pacedstory line.

The author did an excellent job in showing Darren’sconfusion when Rachel becomes irritated with him when all he wants to do isplease her. After all, Rachel conjured him up. It was a fun book.

I am giving this book a excellent rating because I thoughtthe writing was good. The book had an original concept. I did not come acrossany grammatical errors or misspellings as I was reading (doesn’t necessarilymean there weren’t any, but I’m good at spotting them and I saw none.) I thinkif you are looking for a fun, light read, this book hits the mark.

Elizabeth's book can be purchased from Amazon here:

You can also win a copy of the book by playing the Rafflecopter!

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Crazy in Paradise by Deborah Brown

2012-01-23T15:18:00.001-06:00

EbookBy Deborah Brown
Published: July 07, 2011
Category: Fiction » Mystery & Detective » Women Sleuths

About the Book:

Welcome to Tarpon Cove. Madison Westin inherits her aunt’sbeachfront motel along with a variety of colorful tenant’s - drunks, ex-consand fugitives. Only one problem: First she has to wrestle control from herlawyer and conniving motel manager. She enlists the help of her new best friendwho’s motto is never leave home without your Glock. Only in South Florida, landof hot tan lines, drugs on demand – not to mention blackmail and murder.

About the Author:

My debut novel Crazyin Paradise is full of fun and surprises. I've been writing, in one way oranother for as long as I can remember; writing poetry, short stories, a romancenovel secretly stashed under the bed and sappy love letters. Fiction should befun. I wanted to create the perfect beach book, to make the reader laugh, cryand cheer... and then run out and tell their friends about it. My love ofreading began when I was seven, the day I opened the cover of my first Mrs.Piggle Wiggle book. Mrs. P gave lessons to other children in how to behave andto me I learned to love the written word. I live in South Florida, with myungrateful animals, where Mother Nature takes out her bad attitude in the formof hurricanes.

Fromthe Author:

My Worst Job Ever

I was fresh out ofcollege, and needed immediate income and time to interview for my dream job,which was in advertising, so cocktail waitressing at a country western barseemed like the perfect fit. I knewnothing about country western music and never waitressed but the hours were 9pmuntil 3am.

The owner sawsomething in me, desperation perhaps and he hired me on the spot. He informed me after the interview if Iwanted to make any money, I should go buy myself some boobs. Back then, I was super thin and flatchested. I went straight to the storeand purchased myself a pair of 36 B’s, which made my body look like it had beentaken over by a pair of boobs. My newgigantic bra complimented the rest of the uniform, red short shorts, a tightwhite t-shirt, and low heels. I rememberdebuting that outfit to my sister and she laughed until she choked. We both laughed that when you poked me in thechest there was spring back action.

The bar patrons werenice and so were my co-workers but I was a fish out of water. A lot like Dorothy when she realized shewasn’t in Kansas anymore. I looked andacted like the unsophisticated girl that I was. I met a couple of guys while I worked there, one in particular but I wastoo embarrassed to say yes to a date.

The hours turned out tobe the only perk of the job leaving me time to job hunt when I wasn’tcompletely exhausted. I’d get home at4am, wired and unable to go to sleep, smelling like the bottom of an ashtrayand the inside of a beer bottle from head to toe.

Four weeks later, Iwas hired as a receptionist in advertising. I was happy to quit my night job and even happier that my boss didn’twant any notice. We had an amicablebreakup.

BookQuotes:

“To new beginnings here in South Florida.”

“Elizabeth was a woman you wanted in your back up arsenal, she neversaid no to helping me. I wish I’d gotten to talk to her one last time.”

“You didn’t have very much. What happened to all of your possessions?Tell me Dickhead didn’t get everything in the divorce.”

“Look, you do have something in common,” Mother said. “Divorce. That’snice. Does your family refer to your ex as Dickhead, Zach?”

“I need a favor.” “Are you usingan IOU?”

“I hit him over the head with a vase. I didn’t know what else to do.”…”Whatif he wakes up?” “I can’t continue to hit him over the head.”

“I try to use my martial art skills more than a gun, but I never leavehome without my Glock and a couple of her friends.”

He looked at me, a serious look on his face. “I don’t think I can getmy hand inside your dress if we sit on the concrete.” “How would you like it ifI stuck my hand up your pants?”

“All I know is he’s an ex-con, no friends, and no one is willing tostep up and claim his dead ass.”

MyReview:

Crazy in Paradise wasa book full of strange, crazy characters, each collecting their own set of “Iowe you’s.” From the first page of the book to the last, the action wasnon-stop. The story began with recently divorced Madison Westin inheriting herrecently deceased aunt’s beachfront house and properties. Not only does sheinherit an old motel, she also inherits an old motel full of eccentric people.

From the insanefuneral that will leave you in tears, to the scheming attorneys, mad ex-cons, acenterfold private investigator who is just as adept at making trouble as he isin solving mysteries (and he’s also quite the charmer.) Then, there are thedates that Madison’s mother tries to fix her up with that will leave yourolling your eyes.

Trouble seems tofollow Madison around as she tries to legitimize her aunt’s business and she findsherself in the midst of a shootout. The book was not a serious book by anymeans and would be a great book to sit out on the beach to read. You’ll findyourself looking for the hunky P.I. and seeing shady characters lurking by oldmotels. The story is humorous and you’ll find yourself chuckling along the way.Crazy in Paradise is just that, crazy (and a fun read.)

Deborah’sbook can be purchased on Amazon

Youcan also enter to win a copy of Crazy in Paradise by

Playingthe Rafflecopter below!

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Believe in Yourself

2012-01-23T09:11:00.001-06:00

Donna Yates, creator of PAWS Believe in Yourself website honored four bloggers for their contribution to others by way of blogging. I am honored to be among those four. I hope you'll visit her blog and read about the other three.

Thank you Donna for such an honor.

Believe in Yourself: Spotlight Sunday

Cozy Up with a Book Hop

2012-01-22T23:30:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Cozy Up with a Book Hop. Hosted by Mommy Reads too Much and eReading on the Cheap. Not much better than curling up with a good book.

Please go through the linky to find all of the great prizes (All Book related!) Being given away. The hop runs until January 29th!

I am giving away an Amazon gift certificate. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter!

Once you enter here, click on the other links - 55 in all - and comment to win prizes.

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1. Mommy Reads too Much	2. eReading on the Cheap 18+	3. The Bookish Snob 18+
4. Olivia Hardin - Writer	5. Taking Time for Mommy	6. Easy Peasy Recipeasy
7. Spell Checked by C. G. Powell	8. Stephanie Nelson Tid Bits Blog	9. The Scribblings of Sarah
10. Practical Frugality	11. Common Centsability	12. Simply Stacie
13. Enchanted Writings - M. R. Polish	14. Sason and Pobi	15. Makobi Scribe
16. Lisa Rayns Wanted: Vampire	17. Acting Balanced	18. Day by Day in Our World
19. Blog of LK Rigel	20. Pavarti K Tyler - My Life of Books and Beauty	21. A writing and publishing adventure
22. Vernon Baker, Author	23. Romance Author Lynn Hubbard	24. Lizzy Ford, YA & romance ebooks
25. Oh My Gosh Beck!	26. The Musings of a Southern Gal--Katrina Parker Will	27. A Life Full of Laughter
28. Susan Heim on Parenting	29. Whos Imagining All This? +18	30. The Kids Fun Review
31. Dawn @ Guiding Light	32. Asha Butterflys	33. Emilys Frugal Tips
34. Wendy and the Lost Boys +18	35. Supernal Living with Dana Taylor	36. Cuzinlogic
37. Authors By Authors - Author Kiki Howell 18+	38. Beck Valley Books	39. At The Maple Table
40. My Life. One Story at a Time.	41. How Was Your Day?	42. MamaNYC
43. Helen Hanson Thriller Author	44. Glamorous Girl : : Fashion Inspiration	45. Frugal Experiments
46. Midwestern Moms	47. Making Time For Mommy	48. My Unentitled Life
49. More from Mom	50. Mommies Point of View	51. Mary @ Sweeping Me (Int)
52. CountryLife4Me	53. Khloe Kamalis ~ The Muse Slave	54. Two Little Cavaliers
55. Reading It All

Highway to Vengeance by Brian Springer

2012-01-21T10:25:00.000-06:00

Aboutthe Book:

Join us on a high-octane thrill ride as former Navy SEAL Thomas Highwaysets out to kill the man who murdered his wife while simultaneously negotiatinga pair of covert government agencies. One is trying to stop him. One wants tohelp. But both have their own hidden agendas.

Highway's search leads to a former drug lord turned terrorist who's looking tosmuggle a WMD under the porous Mexico border. But that's not going to happen.Not if Highway can help it.

From the sun-drenched beaches of San Diego to the crime-ridden streets ofTijuana, HIGHWAY TO VENGEANCE combines a hard-boiled, neo-noir, first-personPOV with modern thriller elements and a highly accurate account of real-lifeSEAL training to create a twisting novel that explores the darkness within usall, the lengths one man will go to avenge his lost love, and the differencebetween vengeance and justice.

Aboutthe Author:

Brian Springer has been writing for upwards of ten years, starting whenhe was in grad school. He got so bored in class he started on a book and hasn'tlooked back since. He spent a few years with an agent in New York but after theagent wasn't able to place anything Brian decided to take matters into his ownhands.

Brian spent his whole life playing baseball, culminating in a six-monthstint in the Spanish Professional League. He spent the majority of the next fewyears managing a big chain bookstore but has also dabbled in the financeindustry and some other short stints doing random things.

He has an MBA from the University of San Diego and has been married toKimberley Springer for eleven years and counting. Together they have two youngchildren.

He's currently editing two other books besides Blood Money and Highwayto Vengeance. One is a supernatural thriller and the other is a more along thelines of his previous two, a straight action-thriller called Black Days.

Please feel free to visit him at brianspringer13.com or look him up onFacebook or Twitter and let him know what you thought of his books.

From the Author:

FIRST-PERSON VS.THIRD-PERSON POV:

No doubt you’veread about this subject before, as writers love writing about their methods andpreferences, no matter how boring or uninteresting it might be for the readers.The technicalities of one over the other, why they prefer one over the other,what each style allows them to do differently within the specific book. I won’tbore you with these details, instead I’d like to talk about how much of adifference each style can have in the readingexperience.

Take, for example, the two books that I’vepublished to date. They are very similar in tone, style and basic plotting.Even the two main characters are quite similar in many ways. To my mind, theyare alike enough that it makes me a bit uncomfortable, enough so that I wasexpecting angry emails from people who’d read both books, yelling at me forusing the same protagonist and just changing his name and pretending it was adifferent character. But not once have anyone ever mentioned it to me. I oftenasked myself why this never happened. And the only thing I can come up with isthe difference in POV’s.

Blood Money iswritten in the third-person point of view, which gives the impression of anarrator telling the reader about what the main character (Greg Kelton) isexperiencing and thinking. Highway to Vengeance is written in the first-personpoint of view, which gives the impression that the main character (Thomas Highway) istalking directly to the reader. Now this may not sound like a major difference,but it is. It fundamentally alters the readers view of each character. And moreimportantly, in my not-so-humble opinion, it goes a long way towards maskingwhatever similarities that exist not only between the two characters, butbetween the entire books as well.

This is animportant point. One thing I’ve learned over the years of writing and sellingbooks is that writers are always looking for ways differentiate their booksfrom one another, and by the same token, readers get tired of reading whatseems like the same book rehashed over and over again by a certain author. Oneway this can be easily accomplished is by the writer embracing the differencesbetween the two points of view.

There have beennumerous books written about the technical differences between the two POV’s,so I won’t go into the details of the two approaches here, but it’s importantto note how much can be achieved by a simple shift in the main character’sviewpoint. It gives the reader a completely different way of relating to thecharacter, thus creating a totally different reading experience from one bookto the next. And isn’t that what we are all looking for? I know I am.

Book Quotes:

You know when you see a smoking hot chick with some random guy andwonder how the hell he’d ended up with her? I was that guy….friends constantlyalways asked how I had scored Josie, and I always gave some smart-ass responsemeant to simply garner a laugh. Truth was, I often asked myself the same exactthing.

So, due to this borderline unhealthy obsession with my wife, I waswatching her as she waited for the WALK sign to turn green. I was watching heras she stepped off the curb. I was watching her as a Black Hummer pulled out ofa nearby parking spot, accelerated far too quickly, and bee-lined straighttowards her. Josie never had a chance.

It starts at just after three in the morning. One hundred and fourteenprospective SEALs, varying in ages from 18-29, out in the courtyard, bustlingaround in the dark, trying to line up in formation, instructors screaming theentire time, trying to invoke confusion. Eventually we arrive in the correctpositions.

It begins with pushups, fifty of them. with water being sprayed in yourface. And an instructor yelling at you to do them correctly. Back straight.Arms locked. Up. down. Up. down. All the while reminding you that this is onlythe beginning. That there is no success like failure, and that failure is nosuccess at all.

“Oh, but it is,” Willis said. “Nobody keeps their books that cleanunless they’re trying to hide something.”

“They all talk eventually.”.Smiling, I unscrewed the silencer from…

And then, just like that, you’re finished. 120 hours of constantactivity interrupted by a mere six hours of sleep and Hell Week is over. Only24 more weeks to go until you’re officially a SEAL.

We are independently finance, privy to all the information gathered bythe American intelligence community, and very, very serious about our purpose.”

Justice has no need for witnesses. It is an end unto itself…there was athump, and then it was done.

My Review:

My uncle was a NavySEAL and there was always this mystery surrounding what it was like, so I wasespecially intrigued by the training information. It was captured with suchdetail that it had me re-reading the author’s bio to see if he had indeedparticipated in the training. Highway to Vengeance is fast paced, it isthrilling, it is about revenge, and it will leave you racing to the next pageto find out what happens.

Brian Springer did agreat job writing a solid plot. The main character Thomas Highway, did like somany other Americans in the aftermath of 911, he joined the military. Hischoice was the Navy SEALs. Brian Springer did an outstanding job describing theSEAL training. You were able to become a part of the training with thetrainees, huffing, puffing, and straining right alongside them as they wentthrough the obstacle course day after day. Thomas Highway’s dreams were quicklydashed as he contracted a life-threatening skin disease in the last vestiges oftraining.

After his wife, Josie,is involved in a hit-and-run and dies in his arms, his world begins to fallapart. As he tucks his grief inside, and takes a good look around him, hebegins to see the accident as a murder. His wife was working on an importantcase, and with her death, the case fell apart.

In steps Highway’sbest friend, Willis, who agrees to help him do whatever it takes to findjustice. The plot of the book deepens and an unlikely unfolding of eventshappens that will leave you guessing at every turn about who the good guys areand who the bad guys are and just who do you trust with the truth.

The book finished witha completely unexpected twist of a turn. I loved it. This book did not leaveyou wanting revenge or closure; it gave it to you – and that is all I am goingto say. You need to read this book. I am envisioning lots and lots of stars forthis book.

Brian’sbooks can be purchased on Amazon

Youcan also enter to win a copy of Highway to Vengeance by

filling out the Rafflecopter below.

You can find my review of Blood Money here: Blood Money by Brian Springer

ADD LINK

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Clumsy Coquette - Friendly Friday Blog Hop

2012-01-20T08:03:00.001-06:00

My Crazy Life – The Blurring of Lines and the Power of Reconnection

2012-01-16T15:47:00.001-06:00

January 16, 2012

I havefound myself thinking on more than one occasion about the technological wonderwe call Face book. I know that it has allowed me to reconnect with people I wentto high school (and middle school and grammar school) with that I never thoughtI would see again.

Unlike manypeople, I moved from the home and town where I spent my childhood the day afterhigh school graduation. I never went back. I had no idea when I opened myaccount on Face book that I would soon be “talking” to so many people from thattime in my life.

Age andtime seem to have eroded the feelings of inadequacy and teenage jealousies fromour lives and we seem to have morphed into viable friendship sustaining humanbeings capable of deep emotions.

Who knewthat thirty-five years later we would be looking to each other to offerencouragement on diets, listen to boasting about our grandchildren, andrequesting prayers for our loved ones? We share a security in knowing ourfriends are but a keystroke away; and they are ready to help us celebrate ourvictories and to sustain us in our tragedies.

I had nothad contact with any of my classmates before I found Face book. I am stillreconciling the kids I knew in school with the adults I have come to knowtoday. Some married high school sweethearts, some of us made decisions thattook us in other directions.

In my mind,I still see the kids we were in high school and I sometimes think, “Would wehave been different towards each other then, if we had known the human beingswe would someday become?”

Some of usare still the class clowns. Some of us are still the serious students. Some ofus are still laid back. I see the cheerleader, the high school quarterback, thechemistry lab geek, the bully, the introvert, the one with the glorious voice,the prettiest one, the most handsome one, the outcast. I see God’s children andI make a toast to Face book for bringing us full circle and back into eachother’s lives.

Here’s tofriendship! One thing is for certain, we have grown up, and I appreciate thehuman beings we have become and I look forward to sharing my triumphs, my tragedies,and everything in between with these friends.

Donna

"Timber" performed by Brooklyn based Mantra Percussion

2012-01-16T10:26:00.000-06:00

Brooklyn based MANTRA PERCUSSION visited a Lowe's hardware store in Alexandria, Virginia to perform an excerpt of Michael Gordon's "Timber" on six two-by-fours.

My son-in-law, Jude Traxler, is a member. He is the one (dare I say this) with the green hair. I hope you'll follow the link and watch and listen to this group of talented musicians.

http://www.npr.org/event/music/144920765/mantra-post-minimalist-percussion-in-aisle-12

Come Back to Me by Melissa Foster

2012-01-12T23:33:00.001-06:00

About the Book:

Tess Johnson has itall: her handsome photographer husband Beau, a thriving business, and a newlydiscovered pregnancy. When Beau accepts an overseas photography assignment,Tess decides to wait to reveal her secret--only she's never given the chance.Beau's helicopter crashes in the desert.

Tess struggles with the news of Beau's death and tries to put her life backtogether. Alone and dealing with a pregnancy that only reminds her of what shehas lost, Tess is adrift in a world of failed plans and fallen expectations.When a new client appears offering more than just a new project, Tess mustconfront the circumstances of her life head on.

Meanwhile, two Iraqi women who are fleeing honor killings find Beau barelyalive in the middle of the desert, his body ravaged by the crash. Suha, adoctor, and Samira, a widow and mother of three young children, nurse him backto health in a makeshift tent. Beau bonds with the women and children, andtogether, with the help of an underground organization, they continue theirdangerous escape.

What happens next is a test of loyalties, strength, and love.

About the Author:

Melissa Foster is the bestselling, award-winning author ofthree novels, Megan's Way, Chasing Amanda, and Come Back to Me. She has alsobeen published in Indie Chicks, and anthology. She is the founder of theWomen's Nest, a social and support community for women, and the WoMen'sLiterary Cafe. Melissa is currently collaborating in the film production ofMegan's Way.

Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest forchildren, she's written for Calgary's Child Magazine and Women Business OwnersMagazine, and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for SickChildren in Washington, DC. Melissa is currently working on her next novel, andlives in Maryland with her family. Melissa's interests include her family,reading, writing, painting, friends, helping women see the positive side oflife, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomescomments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on The Women's Nest or herpersonal website.

Guest Post from the Author:

Reclaiming Your Life, by Melissa Foster

Do you ever feel like your just "making it through" each day? You run from one stressful situation or looming deadline to another? Do you ever wonder when your life will slow down--and do you worry that it never will? If so, you must be running on that treadmill to my left. See me waving? I'm right there with you.

I'm what I call an endeavor girl. My mind never rests. I'm always thinking up new ways of doing things and reaching to achieve whatever it is that I invision. This leads to a very rapid lifestyle, between taking care of the family, cooking and cleaning (yes, these often fall behind), maintaining my writing, and growing my online communities, not to mention keeping up a social presence. I made a resolution this year to reclaim my life. I knew it would take babysteps, but I also knew it was extremely important for my sanity. I saw my writing time dwindling away, and my family time was slipping, too. With my active project-oriented mind, I also knew I needed the freedom to explore my ideas. But where was the time? Something had to give.

Reclaiming my life, it turned out, was not as difficult as I thought it might be. It simply took hard and fast guidelines that I somehow managed to make myself adhere to. I'm a major scheduler, and over the last two months, those schedules had not only not been made, but even the word schedule had been forgotten. My calendars were buried beneath my To Do lists. Not good.

January second I took out my calendar, weiled my favorite pen, and reclaimed my life. I schedule my writing time, social network time, family time, and I even schedule my phone time. That's right - no phone calls during my writing time unless the caller is in duress. In addition to my scheduling, I then prioritized based on what absolutely needed to be done each day, and what could slip until the next day. I am finally much more in control, and far more productive. My family gets to see me more (without my computer in my lap), my writing is better crafted because my mind is focused, and now...if I can only fit in my exercise, I'd be in great shape all around!

I can't imagine how my life had slipped away the way it had, and I'm glad I've reclaimed it. If you're feeling like you're on a treadmill, slow down. It's okay to step off for a while, reclaim your schedule, and maybe even your life.

My Books

My Website

Follow me, Facebook, Twitter, FB Fanpage

Chat w/me on The Women's Nest

The WoMen's Literary Cafe, Where readers and authors unite! (for men & women)

Book Quotes:

Beau had gently pushed her back from his chest so he couldlook into her tear-fllled blue eyes. “Baby,” he said, “what have I told yousince we decided that I should take this opportunity?” Tess looked down at the floor and said inalmost a whisper, “You’ll come back to me.” He tilted her chin up so she couldn’t help but look into his eyes, “AndI will. I promise you that.”

How could she tell Kevin that she would know if Beau weregone? She’d feel it, like a dark abyss in her soul. She didn’t feel thatemptiness. Beau’s presence still remained in her heart.

“I’m coming,” he whispered.

“There are certain marbles that don’t belong to any group.They’re not noticeably big or small, not solid colors, not easily categorized,but don’t cast them aside. those marbles are the most special ones.” He knewEdham did not understand, so instead he picked up the marbles that had beencast aside and held them close to his chest. “Special,” he said and smiled. Hecontinued, more for his own benefit than for Edham’s. “They’re just findingtheir way in a big marble world, trying to blend in. it takes a special personto take those marbles as his own. it takes courage and strength to be the oneto protect those marbles.”

“I’d marry you every day until the day I die,” she answered.

“You promised me. now you have to keep the promise.” Beauopened his tick palm to find a gold pocket watch. Inscribed on the back werefour simple words in a fine cursive script, Come back to me.

A rapid succession of explosions lit up the sky, tearing thehelicopter to bits and ravaging Beau’s body. His broken body sailed through thefiery sky.

The first time the coasters had soothed her, she’d been onlya child. Her father and mother had been fighting – again.

“I used to be like you, all tied up in knots all the time,rushing from one thing to the next. Then I realized that life is going tohappen whether I rush through it or not.”

Beau stood back from them all, watching, and tracing theletter “I”, the shape of a heart, and the letter “U” in his palm.

My Review:

The very title of the book “Come Back to Me” speaks of thedesperate longing for someone to return. Beau takes an assignment in Iraq, theone that will finally catapult him to the top in his field and give him the worldwiderecognition as a photographer that he dreams of, but he must leave his wife,Tess, behind with only a promise to return.

Beau’s helicopter is shot down over Iraq, but Tess refusesto believe he is gone. She knows in her heart she would feel the loss if hewere dead. Friends and family around her go on with their lives even as shesteadfastly refuses to believe he is gone. Tess holds on to the promise that hewill come back to her, especially as she finds out she is pregnant.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, two Iraqi women on the run, find and nurseBeau back to health. He hangs on a picture of Tess and the promise he made toher, but will he survive the trip out of the Iraq and back home.

Melissa did a wonderful job capturing the Iraqi family’splight to freedom and Tess’s struggles back home. You can feel the turmoilwithin Tess as she refuses to give up on her husband even though everyonearound her has put Beau to rest and is moving on with their lives.

Beau finally does make it home, but not to the happyhomecoming we are all expecting. Expect to laugh and to cry as the words cometo life from the pages of this book. Expect the unexpected. This is a book thatbegs to be read.

This is the third book of Melissa’s that I have read andreviewed. There are so many authors and so many books I want to read, that Inormally allow each author one book. Rarely do I read a second. This was onetime I am very glad I broke my rule.

Melissa’sbooks can be purchased on Amazon

Youcan also enter to win a copy of Come Back to Me by

followingthis blog on Google+, GFC, or Networked blogs and

leavinga comment with your email address.

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

2012-01-12T09:00:00.002-06:00

About the Thursdays Favorite Things Hop, this hop is where you can link your favorite post or write a post about your favorite things and share with old and new followers!

Here are the rules, yes there are rules. But just a few:

You must follow Katherines Corner ( through GFC, Google + or email)and today’s co-host Sarah at Alderberry Hill If you’re a new follower, please let us know .
Please leave a comment so we know that you stopped by.
No adult content blogs.
Blogs only please.
Follow as many other blogs in the list as you can. Just click and go.
Please leave a sincere comment or message on each of the blogs you visit.

Now hop on. and lets share our favorites. If you’d like to post this blog hop on your page please just grab the linky code . Or if you would like to be a co-host please contact me

Please grab the hop button (grab the code from the right sidebar) to share with others. Or you can copy and paste the image with a link to KatherinesCorner.com It’s always nice to have the hop button on your post. But it IS NOT mandatory.

*participants who link up will be sent weekly reminders of this wonderful hop*

1. Katherines Corner

2. SwedishCornerDownUnder

3. DIY Cell Design

4. The Artful Diva

5. JUDY H-JS THOUGHTS

6. Alderberry Hill

7. Vintage Skiers

8. Snow coming

9. Landline Tribute

10. Rural Revival

11. Little Sprinkles Of FUn

12. Kings Daughters

13. Victorias Voice

14. Youll Shoot Your Eye Out

15. Totes and A GiveAway

16. A Rural Journal

17. Cajunlicious Cookbook

18. Save Your Aching Back!

19. Menopausal New Mom

20. Well Loved Husbands

21. NEEDLE INSPIRATION

22. Nothing Good Comes Easy

23. Naptime Momtog

24. The Cottage Market

25. King Cake Cookies at NolaMommy

26. Ducks Crossing

27. Thrifty Valance

28. Pretty Thrifty Valance

29. Dominiques Desk

30. A Prim Quilt! Now what?

31. Family Scrpabooks and Coffee

32. stereo stand to craft tower!

33. Roses & Birds Nests

34. White Collar Crime in GA

35. Repurposed Chair

36. Hawaiian Tea Time

37. OurCountryHome

38. Sweet Nothings

39. Signed e-book of Cancell

Cancelled by Elizabeth Ann West

2012-01-12T00:30:00.000-06:00

About the Book:

Robotics engineer Johnathan Michaels knows about biding histime. In love with his business partner, Alexis Rodriguez, it's just never beenthe right time. Finally both single, they extend their bond over saving thecompany's first multi-million dollar defense contract into a budding romance.Until a previous one-night stand appears to return Johnathan's shirt. Pregnant.And it's his. Now Johnathan's scrambling to keep up at work, keep his fianceehappy, and deal with his impending fatherhood. How long can he keep it allgoing before his love life is CANCELLED?

Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (October 4, 2011)

About the Author:

Elizabeth Ann West is a Jane-of-all-trades, mistress tonone. After spending three years selling her non-fiction articles to websitesand marketing firms, she is finally making the jump to fiction writing. Beforechoosing a career in writing, she made magic at the Walt Disney World Resortand performed as a Quality Technician for Alcoa. Armed with a B.A. in PoliticalScience of all things, writing fiction is her next mountain to conquer.Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, her family now moves wherever the Navysends them. Currently, the Navy needs her family in Connecticut. To contactElizabeth, please visit her reader site: http://eawestwriting.com

Guest Post from Elizabeth!

Where Does the StoryCome From?

By: Elizabeth AnnWest

Once upon a time....

:) For my friends and family members, the #1 question Ireceive is “How do you come up with your stories?” I'd love to retort with “Howdo you remember to breathe?” The answer is you just do.

My brain never shuts off. Never. At night, my daily thoughtsswirl into semi-realistic dreams and night terrors. I'm always multi-tasking.One of my goals for 2012 is to try to slow my brain down. I'll get back to youon how that goes....

I wish I had the gift of physical endurance rather thanmental endurance. Hours and hours of crosswords, reading, Sudoku, logic puzzlesneed doing? I'm your girl! Running thirty minutes? Um.. can I walk some of it?Okay... I'll try. (But I don't really want to).

For the most part, the ideas that stick around to runmarathons are the ideas I work on fleshing out into story outlines. The mainidea for CANCELLED has circulated my memories since Christmas 2005. Not sayingit took me 5 years to write CANCELLED. Far from it. Once the story was 100%outlined, I drafted in 5 months. But the very basic story question came from aflight to pick up my stepson.

Back then, he was only 5 years old, so he could only flywhen escorted by a family member. My husband's military career as a submarinermade it very difficult for him to get leave, and we didn't want to waste one ofhis precious days off separated. So instead, I gladly woke up at 6 AM, rode theearliest morning flight from Norfolk, Virginia, with a connection, to SanAntonio, Texas. Around lunchtime, the exchange occurred and my husband'sex-wife would drop my stepson off at the airport. Then he and I would turnaround and get on another flight, with a connection, and arrive late in theevening back home.

You meet many wonderful and interesting people when youtravel. Or at least I do because I talk to everyone. On that first “Team West”flight, I sat next to a man with drama to trump my drama. You see, early on,while I loved my husband, and loved my stepson, I most decidedly did NOT lovethe ex-wife. This woman would call and hang up if I answered the phone. Shesent letters sprayed with perfume to my husband complaining about how much hewas missing out on my stepson's life (never mind the divorce was the result ofher forgetting her vows or that she made the court ordered visitation asdifficult as possible).

As a new wife, it took me a number of years to properly dealwith the jealousy I felt over the intimacy I imagined my husband sharing withthe ex-wife in becoming parents. Not the sex part, I didn't care about that.But the romanticized notions I held about hearing the baby's heartbeat for thefirst time, going through the deliveryprocess, etc. After all, I could be loyal, faithful, and supportive of myhusband in ways the ex-wife never was, but I hadn't shared with him the amazingjourney of pregnancy.

However, the bottom line was my Prince Charming came with acustody order. Yet, I had never seen this modern relationship problem reflectedin romantic literature. Who needs outlandish conflict when the real world stuffis already chock-full of drama?

So that man I sat next to on a plane who's drama trumped mydrama? He and his wife were having problems and opted for a trial separation.Both dated other people. At the end of a few months, they reconciled, only theman's ex-girlfriend was expecting his child. Yep. And the wife was at thehospital for the birth! Like I said, his drama trumped my drama.

Now CANCELLED isn't exactly that story. In my story,Johnathan isn't married, yet, but the dilemma exists between the woman he wantsas his wife and the woman who is mother to his child. But I wanted to answerthat question many men and women face when there's custody papers, divorcedecrees, bankruptcy filings, or any other drama coming into the relationship—howdo you know when it's worth it?

Unfortunately, that answer's not aneasy one. But for those readers facing a less than perfect romantic situation,I aimed for my spin on modern romance to give them hope. Life might not alwayswork out the way we want it to, but we can always find a bright side if we lookhard enough. In my own life, I still have issues with the ex-wife, but myawesome, super stepson is a million times better than she is, even on her worstday!

As a special thankyou to readers this month, I am giving away a free, signed ebook to everyonewho signs up for mynewsletter. (The newsletter comes out every 25^thand covers my latest projects, books I've read, and technology tips for ourcrazy, digital lives. This is logistically the easiest way I can learn theebook format you need and the email address to send it.)

Also, every Saturday there is a drawingfor a signed, annotated paperback of CANCELLED from the readers who signed upfor my newsletter that week. So far, I'm working through 100+ signed copies,and my first winner has a book on the way to her home. :)

Thank you for hosting me once again at MyLife, One Story at a Time. Oh, and as promised, for those who caught mylast appearance here back in November, there is a sneakpeek of Chapter 1 of the sequel, SERVED on my site. Thepassword is: drama

Book Quotes:

Robotics engineer Johnathan Michaels is in love with hisbusiness partner, Alexis Rodriguez. After three years of missed opportunity,the two are finally making a life together when a previous one-night stand fromJohnathan’s past reappears. Pregnant. With his child. Can Johnathan juggle a fiancée,impending fatherhood, and save the biggest contract his company has ever seen?

Tastes of roof tar and rotten fruit filled JohnathanMichaels’ mouth. A swish of his tongue couldn’t remove the hangover breath fromlast night. Next to him, …

A slow Sinatra song kept the beat for them and a handful ofother couples on the dance floor. Spinning to lyrics about living a life thatwas full…

HIPPA rights. He doubted she even knew what they were.

“Two months. Then I tell.” Nancy Jean hung up on Anna.Swirling the glass of wine, Anna sipped it freely. She could only try to helphim. He may not know it…

My Review:

The author kept you at the edge of your seat with all of theunexpected twists and turns in this book. From the seemingly goody two-shoesbest friend/girl friend who turns out to be quiet the manipulative ex-fiance’to the innocent baby, you will enjoy each page in Cancelled. Three best friendsstart a company which is finally becoming the successful company they alldreamed it would be; but is one of them bent on destroying it?

A love story, normally told from a female’s point of viewwas refreshingly told from the man’s point. Johnathan’s many layers – his lovefor his co-worker, his sense of right and wrong, his devotion to his unbornchild – make for a tantalizing read. In the end, girl gets boy, but you’ll besurprised at which girl gets boy.

This book was a fast read and a good read. Looking forsomething to pick up and enjoy over the weekend, I highly recommend Cancelled.It will envelope your weekend and leave you refreshed for the week to come.

Giveaway!

Elizabeth is a very generous author and she is providing each person

who comments today (the day of my posting) a free autographed e-book.

Any tweeting about the giveaway is greatly appreciated! (but notrequired)

From Elizabeth!!

January 2012 is a first for me: I’m going out on tour, baby!!!

15 stops.

15 chances to win (okay actually MORE)

Wait, did she say WIN?

Yep!

Here’s how it works: Every week I will draw a name from any readers who join my newsletter mailing list. I have great books and more importantly, fun events planned for readers all year. (Sneak peek: March, we’re taking an ebook blog cruise with many of my international writer friends).

The name drawn wins an autographed, annotated (personal notes from me in margin/at end of chapter) paperback copy of CANCELLED mailed straight to their door. I already have the packing envelopes ready to go!
But that’s only 4 prizes. That’s no fun.

I agree.

In addition to the 4 signed and annotated paper copies, every single blog stop has another surprise.Everyone who signs up for my newsletter receives an autographed ebook (either .mobi or .epub). I will have instructions here on how to sideload the file onto your brand new Nooks, Kobos, or Kindles. (PDF is also available on request). You will need a USB cable (it probably came with your ereader).

Visit one or more of the stops listed below for a chance to win:

one of 4 signed, annotated paperbacks

a free autographed ebook of CANCELLED (retails for $3.99)

And let’s have some fun this January, together!

* Like?

1. 1: January 2

* Like? (1)

2. 2: January 4

* Like?

3. 3: January 6

* Like?

4. 4: January 9

* Like?

5. 5: January 10

* Like?

6. 6: January 12

* Like?

7. 7: January 13

* Like?

8. 8: January 16

* Like?

9. 9 : January 17

* Like?

10. January 19

* Like?

11. January 20

* Like?

12. January 23

* Like?

13. January 24

* Like?

14. January 25

* Like?

15. January 27

All new rafflecopter!

2012-01-10T11:35:00.001-06:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Leap Into Rebecca Sinclair's World Digital Choice Contest

2012-01-09T17:32:00.002-06:00

LEAP INTO REBECCA'S WORLD

DIGITAL CHOICE

CONTEST

RULES OF THE CONTEST ARE

AS FOLLOWS

Post review(s) or buy a copy of Perfect Strangers, Montana Wildfire, and/or California Caress by 2/29/12.

1st Place Winner gets their digital back-list of Rebecca Sinclair books completed* PLUS s/he gets to help Rebecca decide which one back-list book will be digitally published next. As a Bonus Prize, you will also receive a review acknowledgment in said book when it is published, (This is great exposure for your or your blog/website/whatever!) you will also receive a $50 Amazon or Book Depository gift card. Open internationally.

2nd Place Winner gets their choice of whichever digital titles of Rebecca's they haven't purchased yet.* and you will also receive as aBonus Prize- $25 Amazon or Book Depository gift card. Open internationally.

Please email contest@rebeccasinclair.com with the purchase information and/or review information to be eligible to win one of the above prizes.

If you need a review copy, please email heather@rebeccasinclair.comwith your request and website information.

Winners will be chosen by Random.org on 3/1/12.

*Perfect Strangers, Montana Wildfire, and California Caress only. Murphy's Law optional

REVIEW CRITERIA

First of all, thanks for taking the time to review one of Rebecca's books and for entering this great contest.

To avoid people abusing the privilege of review copies, here are the review guidelines for our book reviewers specifically for the Rebecca Sinclair Digital Choice contest.

Must be a Book blogger with at least 100 followers and frequent traffic to their site. If you have under 100 followers, please email to contest@rebeccasinclair.comand we will see if we can work something out.
You have your choice to review Perfect Strangers, Montana Wildfire, and California Caress. One entry per book reviewed during the contest.
Be willing to post our contest spiff on your blog and post your review at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or any other site you wish. Just email us the information.

Below is the book information for the above contest.

Amazon Links:

California Caress: (http://amzn.to/o2jgl5)

Montana Wildfire:(http://amzn.to/qaTagY)

Perfect Strangers:(http://amzn.to/oIRMWd)

Barnes & Noble Links:

California Caress:(http://bit.ly/nv3rxR)

Montana Wildfire:(http://bit.ly/mXMXXK)

Perfect Strangers:(http://bit.ly/oIKVuJ)

PURCHASE INFORMATION

Please email receipt information for entry into contest to contest@rebeccasinclair.com . One entry per book purchased.

The Door at the Top of the Stairs by Alison Naomi Holt

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Fiction – Drama -Suspense

Published December2010

About the Book:

UNDERCOVERNARCOTICS OFFICER, Jesse Shaunessy, is kidnapped and tortured, then thrown awayby her department as damaged goods. The mind is a powerful ally, and26-year-old Jesse has no memory of the abduction or the subsequent torture.Inevitably, as Jesse drifts from one itinerant job to another, the protectivewalls carefully constructed by her subconscious are beginning to crumble.

Fate lands her on a farm owned by Dr. Ryland Caldwell, a retired psychologistand her partner, Morgan Davis, the master of the Myrena Fox Hunt club. Rylandsuspects there is more to Jesse’s foul temper than meets the eye. When Morganand Ryland accidentally discover vicious scars on Jesse’s back, Ryland knowsthat without their help, Jesse’s descent into insanity will rapidly overwhelmthem all.

About the Author:

Passion isa funny thing. I inherited my greatest passion, the love of animals, from mygrandmother, Naomi Holt. She was an incredibly strong woman who was the firstfemale in her county to actually wear... heaven forbid...pants in public! Shealso understood animals better than anyone I've ever met, and she passed thatlove and devotion on to me. Like her, there has never been a time in my lifewhere I didn't have some type of pet close by.

For me, growing up on a working cattle ranch in Arizona was nothing short ofincredible. I learned to ride almost before I could walk. I loved racing aftera stampeding herd of cattle over the desert floor on Smokey Jove, my coal blackquarter horse. I hunted with raptors and played tackle football in the cow penswith the hired hands. My father taught me to shoot when I was six and I trainedmy first dog, well, when the dog was still bigger than me!

Joining the Tucson Police Department seemed like a natural transition after sucha rough and tumble childhood. I had earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in writingat the University of Arizona and was looking for a career that could satisfy myother great passion in life - the need to know what "it" is like.What is just around the corner that I can't see? What haven't I done that I'dlove to do?

A police officer is always waiting to see what will happen next. And theexciting part is, you have to meet the challenge head on. There is no choice.That's what I loved about police work.

While I was a cop, I worked every possible job I could, changing assignmentsevery few years just because I could. I loved working as a patrol officer onthe city's south side, but the idea of becoming a detective fascinated me. WhenI was a detective, I wanted to be a sergeant, and when a sergeant, I spenthundreds of hours studying to be a Lieutenant. I was a hostage negotiator, Icommanded Undercover Units and Riot Control Squads, just because I could. Justbecause I wanted to know what "it" was like.

Then something strange happened. Again, passion is a funny thing. Someone askedme if I would have any regrets when I retired. I thought, "What have Imissed?" The answer was easy. Shortly thereafter, the K9 sergeant positionopened, and against the advice of all my fellow commanders - except onewonderful Deputy Chief of Police (she really is a saint in my book) - I took avoluntary demotion from the rank of Lieutenant and became theSergeant/Supervisor for the 11 man K9 squad. That assignment was a rocky ride,but well worth it because now, I'll always know "What it'slike".

When I retired after twenty exciting, extraordinary years on the policedepartment, I went back to working with Raptors at a wonderfully unique programat the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. I also learned to fox hunt (don't knowwhy they call it hunting, the darn fox constantly thumbs his nose at the poorfox hounds) and most importantly, for now at least, I began to write. I love towrite just as I loved to train animals and just as I loved being a cop. I hopethat through my writing, you can share a little of my passions and myexperiences and know what it's like to wonder what "it" is reallylike.

Alison can be found on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/#!/AlisonHoltBooks

and on her website at:

http://alisonholtbooks.com/

Guest Post by Alison Holt:

First, I’d like to thank Donna for giving me the opportunityto guest post on her wonderful blog “My life. One Story at a Time.” The timebook reviewers spend reading books, reviewing them, posting them and blogging aboutthem boggles the mind. Reviewers are people who genuinely love to read, butmore importantly, they love to bring the joy of reading to as many people asthey possibly can. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Books and bookreviewers have always been a part of my life. I remember as a six-year-old sittingwith my mother on Sunday morning reading book reviews in the New York Times.Other people’s parents read their kids the comics…mine…well, we also did thecrossword puzzles and discussed the editorials. There were so many times thatI’d read a review of a book, and I had to run to the library to see if I couldfind it. The reviewers knew how to give just enough information to bring thestories to life without giving away the true meat of the story.

It was this brieflook into a book that also fueled my overactive imagination. The reviewerplanted the bare bones of a story in my head, and while waiting for the book tohit the stacks, I’d spend hours filling in the rest of the story. My version never compared to what the authoractually wrote, but that wasn’t necessary. Many times, my imagination wouldcreate one scenario on Monday, then on Tuesday the entire story line wouldchange and the hero would take another path to glory.

Stay with me nowas we move forward twenty years. I had become a brand new police officer whoalso happened to be working towards a master’s degree in psychology. As part ofmy studies I did an internship with the police psychologist on our departmentwho was very good at discussing various aspects of his job, one of the mostdifficult being the effects on survivor officers when one of their own iskilled. Somehow, our conversation turned toward officers who are firstkidnapped or taken hostage, and then killed.

I began to wonder what it would be likefor an officer to be kidnapped, tortured, and somehow returned to “normal”police work. I had the bare bones of a story, and once again, my imaginationbegan to work overtime. Believe it or not, throughout the next twenty years,the story that was to become The Door at the Top of the Stairs, took shape. Iwrote it and re-wrote it in my mind until I knew each character intimately. Iknew what the people looked like, how they thought and what they sounded like.My experiences as an officer, detective, sergeant, and eventually lieutenantadded realism to the story. When I was a hostage negotiator, I began to intimatelyunderstand Jesse, the undercover narcotics officer who has to come to grips withthe nightmares of her past. I knew how she would feel, how she’d react, and howher strength could possibly pull her through.

When I finally decided to write the storythat had begun with a simple conversation twenty years earlier, the storyflowed. From the second I began to type, the characters fought to be heard. Iwould awaken in the middle of the night with whole chapters already written inmy head. I’d have to grab my computer and feverishly type until everything wasdown on paper. Only then could I get back to sleep. My other books had takensix to nine months to write. The Door at the Top of the Stairs took threemonths from start to finish. As you read this book, I hope that somehow thesecharacters come to life for you, that you begin to feel as though you’d like toknow them, that you care about their loss, and their pain and that you embracetheir strength as though it were your own.

************************************************************

Meet Lt.Alison Holt, a cop for more than twenty years. She has arrested everything fromhomicide suspects to emus, the latter earning her a spot on America's FunniestHome Videos. She taught police procedures to officers, and now teaches writershow to write realistic police scenes and characters.

To read more about Alison Holt,go to www.alisonholtbook.com.

BookQuotes:

Andy came out from behind the bar and righted a chair, his Adam’s applebobbing up and down as he spoke. “Well, Hank accuse Tom of cheating so they gotinto a fight. Jimbo decided Tom couldn’t handle Hank alone.” The room brokeinto laughter since Tom was twice the size of Hank. “Once she saw the fight wasunfair…” He looked around and then pointed toward Jesse. “That lady there jumped in to even things up.She did too.” There were general nods of agreement around the room.

Morgan grabbed the back of Jesse’s shirt and pulled her up short.

Richard pointed to the fire starter. “That is one of my trainingdevices.” He held up a cattle prod. “And this is my other. I will be total,absolute control of you when we’re done today.”

Morgan took her cue from Ryland and projected calmness and control atthe same time she was trying to catch her breath.

Jesse looked up…”Richard was sitting in a chair, and the fire starterwent from red to orange.”

My Review:

This book was amazing!All else in my world came to a halt as I became deeper and deeper engrossed inthe book. I could not put it down. I truly did not know what to expect from thebook when I read the preface. I wasn’t sure how gory the book would be and Iwas worried that I would not be able to complete the book.

The book drew me inand I was unable to put it down. It was full of emotion and suspense and it wasnext to impossible to figure out what the next page held in store. I fell inlove with characters. They were honest and raw.

Jesse, a youngundercover cop, is a sassy young woman with bad attitude and news written allover her when she shows up looking for work at Morgan’s farm.

Morgan, sporting herown emotional scars from years gone by meets her match in the saucy young girl,seeing herself in Jesse.

Ry, Morgan’s lifepartner and retired psychologist, sees through Jesse’s smart mouth and attitudeand is determined to help her face her demons.

Three women, hangingon for the ride of a life-time, manage to make it through tumultuous days onthe farm where Morgan fights to keep her temper in check while all the whilewanting to either throttle Jesse, or fire her. Jesse, unconsciously feeling thesecurity that Morgan doesn’t realize she gives, tests Morgan at every turn. In thesecurity of these two women, Jesse’s hidden memories of the abduction andtorture begin to surface, and Morgan and Ry are determine to save her torturedsoul.

The book has apowerful message contained within its covers. It is a story of courage, ofbetrayal, of learning to trust again, and in its own way, a coming of age. The descriptivetext used throughout the story leaves you spellbound; the plot well written.

Alison captures theessence of the tortured mind of a young undercover cop who subconscious buries atime of abduction and torture by a drug Lord. This book is one of those booksthat beg to be read.

Alison’s books can be purchased on Amazon

You can also enter to win a copy of TheDoor at the Top of the Stairs by

following this blog on Google+, GFC, orNetworked blogs and

leaving a comment with your emailaddress.

My Crazy Life –The Makings of a Book Review

2012-01-03T20:48:00.000-06:00

January 3, 2012

Sitting herewith nothing to do … and if you believe that, I have some swampland to sellyou. I was actually winding up several hours of work putting together bookreviews for my blog and I began thinking that the process might make a greatstory – well an okay story at least.

Most of uswho have blogs are also writers – published and non-published – so we all knowthat writing is a process and takes time – lots of time. I admire those whohave managed to string together enough words to make a book and then to gothrough the publishing process. Then, once the book is published, book reviewsare needed. That is where I (and others) come in.

When I receivea book for review, before I even sit down to read the book, I will spend atleast an hour on the computer researching the author and previous books writtenby them. I then begin putting together my book review material and setting upmy document sections so that when I complete the book, I can sit down andconcentrate on writing my review. I find a picture of the book (not alwaysprovided), the date published (not always provided), author information andpicture (again, not always provided), where the book is being sold, and thebook blurb.

Once I havemy information ready, I begin reading the book. Reading a book can takeanywhere from 6-8, and sometimes more, hours to read. Add to that, the time neededfor writing notes for the review. Using my Kindle comes in handy for this part.It is easy to mark passages that I want to quote in my review as I read, asopposed to having a gazillion pieces of paper sticking out of a book.

When I finishreading a book, I begin my writing process. I will bring up all of the passageson my Kindle that I highlighted during the course of reading and decide whichquotes I think will draw the reader in or make them laugh, etc. Sometimes I willtry to use just a little bit of a quote to throw the potential reader off and tomake them think, “I really need to read this book.”

It is atthis point, if the author and I have not already agreed on a Q@A or guest post,I will contact the author and request one or the other. I will also set up agiveaway of their book to go along with the review. I will try to find out thesites where the book will be for sale (not always provided) so I can post mycompleted review on those sites. I also encourage the author to tweet the reviewand stop by for a visit and comment. The readers like the personal attentionthat authors give to the review.

Waiting forinformation from the author sometimes takes a while, depending on how busy theyare. While waiting, I begin the process of posting my reviews on the differentsites (sometimes 4 to 5 sites). This process can take upwards of two hours,depending on the number of sites. As I post, I also add the book to my blog’ssidebar to be permanently displayed – example: Shelfari, Goodreads.

Once theauthor returns the guest post or Q@A information, and I add it to my review,the post goes live on my blog. I take the time each day to tweet and post thereview to face book and other sites for exposure. I belong to one website thatthousands of other book reviewers belong to, which means I have access tothousands of other bloggers. I am a member of twenty groups on this site and Ipromote the books I review on each group’s page. What this means to an author,is I promote their book to thousands of potential buyers on this one site. I havememberships on several different websites, and I spend a lot of time promotingbooks.

I think mostauthors appreciate the work we do, and the exposure that book review blogs can offer.I am not sure, however, how many realize the time and effort some of us putinto the review process. That is the reason I decided to write about the bookreview process. I spend an average of eight to ten hours on each book I agreeto read and review.

So…no Ihave no swampland to sell – wouldn’t have the time if I did – I’m reviewingyour book. I would love to hear feedback from authors and book reviewers onthis topic.

Donna