Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Thankfulness 2013: Day Thirteen and Fourteen

Alyssa is getting pretty sneaky.  She can make two phone calls without my phone being unlocked.  She has learned to navigate to the ICE list on the emergency dialer in the lock screen. So while I contemplate how to teach her to utilize things like that in an emergency for real, I am thankful that we have the technology we do.  Beyond the complications that it can create for child proofing and safety, it is such an amazing set of resources.  We can look up thousands of questions that our toddlers demand answers to.  We can have endless entertainment options available at our fingertips.  The most amazing thing to me though is along with the transfer of knowledge, we can transfer virtual lives.  Our family and friends who may otherwise not get more than the Christmas card in a year, can keep up with our family including photos, daily rants, chats, and whatever else they may want to know depending on the tech form used.  Phones provide a few ways to talk to people quickly.  The Internet allows for video calls or photo swapping, and of course blogs share our stories easily.  Such a wonderful tool!

Related to tech in the general sense, my e-reader!  I absolutely LOVE my e-reader!  I am so thankful for e-readers (physical and app forms)!  Reading relaxes me and gives me a mental break from daily stresses like trying to leave the house with a toddler and an an infant.  I would be so much closer to full blown crazy if it weren't for my e-readers.


Saturday, November 9, 2013

Thankfulness 2013: Day Nine and Ten!

Libraries are one of my favorite places to hang out.  I spent hours in my university library during my college years just studying, relaxing, reading, and occasionally a short nap before any night courses.  They are such calm and soothing places for my soul.  Even when I have two kids loudly enjoying our public library, I am feeling the effects of its atmosphere.  The workers at our library love having the kids playing with the new educational play area even if it means a little more noise for the patrons throughout the building.  I am so thankful to have a great public library system to utilize.

I am so thankful for hospitals and their staff!  I got to visit a friend today who just had her baby last night.  The staff at hospitals take such good care of the people who come through their doors and without their efforts, so many people would not be getting quality care from compassionate people.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Stolen Chances Blog Tour

Let's start with the fact that I adore Elisabeth Naughton.  Aside from that, I wanted to let you know that Stolen Chances is available NOW!  And if you haven't read them yet, pick up a copy of EACH Eternal Guardian Series books....On to the main event of the day:

Stolen Chances

Find me at Amazon and Barnes and Noble!  Check out your other favorite e-book sellers too!
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Nine years ago, Archaeologist Maren Hudson lost everything when a member of her team was killed during a routine dive. Now she’s been drawn back to Mexico and the career she walked away from in order to protect the most precious thing in the world: her daughter.

One desperate phone call brings salvage expert Thad Leighton back to Mexico. For his murdered brother, he’s ready to settle the score, but one look at Maren and everything changes. Years may have passed, but she’s still as mesmerizing as she once was, and a few days on site together have him questioning his priorities and why the hell he walked away from her so long ago.
Sparks between them reignite, but Thad knows Maren is holding something back. Thrust together in the middle of the sweltering Yucatan, Thad is more than willing to strip away her layers. But while the truth might offer the second chance he’s been searching for, forgiveness may be as elusive as the relic they’re both hunting. Because when Thad unearths Maren’s biggest secret and discovers who she’s really working for, suddenly it’s not just about a life that was stolen from both of them, it’s about staying alive and outwitting a madman who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
~*~*~*~ 


If you see it out in the wild, let us know!  Otherwise, you can grab your copy online at Amazon!


Get To Know Elisabeth!
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I was never one of those people who knew they wanted to be an author at the age of six. I didn’t have imaginary friends. I didn’t write stories in my journal or entertain my relatives by firelight after Thanksgiving dinner. For the most part, I was just a normal, everyday kid. I liked to read, but I wasn’t exceptional at it. And when my teachers complimented me on my writing abilities, I brushed them off. I did, however, always have a penchant for the unique and absurd. And as my mother told me all throughout my childhood, I should have been an actress—I was a drama queen before my time.

Years ago, my husband bought me Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With The Wind. If you ever saw the book, you know it’s a long one. I sat and read that thing from cover to cover, and dreamed of one day being a writer. But I didn’t actually try my hand at writing until years later when I quit my teaching job to stay home with my kids. And my husband? After that week of reading where I neglected him and everything else until I finished Scarlett, he vowed never to buy me another book again. Little did he know I’d one day end up sitting at a keyboard all day drafting my own stories.

My writing journey has not been easy. I didn’t just sit down one day, decide I was going to write a book and voila! sell my very first attempt. As most authors will probably agree, the path to publication is filled with hours of work, pulling all-nighters I thought I’d given up in college, sacrifices, rejections, but a love I discovered along the way I just can’t live without. Instead of a big, thick book to read by lamplight (I do read much smaller ones when I get the chance), I’ve traded in my reading obsession for a laptop. And I’ve never been happier.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I have a wonderful family and fabulous husband who put up with my writing—and obsessive personality—even when life is chaotic. More than once my kids have been late to swimming or baseball because I needed just five more minutes to finish a scene. Their support and encouragement mean the world to me. I also have amazing friends and a support network I couldn’t survive without. So to all of you out there who have encouraged me along the way, sent me emails and fan letters, phone calls and congratulations, I just want to say, thank you. You make this whole writing gig that much more enjoyable. I truly wouldn’t be here without you.
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Visit Elisabeth and the Guardians!


Thanks to Enchantress of Books for including me in this tour!  I love Elisabeth's books and was thrilled to participate!
Enchantress of Books Blog Tours

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

My New Column Badge ---->

You may have noticed a new badge on my side column.  The Promotional Spotlight Tour for Elisabeth Naughton's book Stolen Chances has begun!  Though my stop isn't until the 22nd (come back and see me!), you are absolutely welcome and encouraged to check in with Elisabeth and get to know some of her other books by swinging through Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, and your choice of book stores!


I love her Eternal Guardian's series and am (impatiently) waiting for the next book in the series!  I've just got my hands on Stolen Fury (the first in the Stolen series) and am very excited to meet more characters to enjoy!


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Happy Release Day to Theresa Romain! (link to giveaway)

I love romance novels.  I LOVE historical romance novels.

I have a new favorite cover out there just today!

ITTTT


Plus, there are giveaways for it going on right now!  Tonight is a Twitter party for the release of It Takes Two to Tangle ( #TwoToTangle ) and there are prizes for both pre-registering (here) and while the party goes on.  <3  So excited to read this book...and stare at the cover in person.

*Giveaways are closed but still...how gorgeous is this cover???  9/4/13*

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Product Review: My First Look and Find's

We have so much fun with these books that I needed to share them with you.

Did you ever enjoy the I Spy books or games?  So many kids love to hunt for things and when they find them they are THRILLED and so proud.  If your young child loves treasure hunts or spying things that you ask them to find, try these books out:

First Look and Find books are the I Spy concept for toddlers.  There are many options out there for characters from Pixar to Disney to PBS and more.  Here is our collection (though there are some we have on our radar for a good book buying day still):


Our most recent addition was the Pony version.  It is easily the favorite which is predictable when it is also the favorite TV show currently.



We highly recommend these books for your toddlers.  They can be enjoyed together or for some quiet time.  The covers are done in a semi squishy material over the hardcover to soften it up just a bit which is nice considering I dig at least two out of the toddler bed each morning.  I love that they all have different searches for each page in the back in addition to the pictures that they are supposed to match on each page.  If I'm not available to read those extras, Alyssa sticks to matching the pictures on each page.  Later we go back and do all the extras together!

Toddler Photobombing


End of Toddler patience (aka Book Repo)


**Edit** This is a completely unsponsored review.  We purchased every one of those books because we love them.  We got them at Barnes & Noble (they usually have more in stock than online oddly but they are all tagged as 'Bargain Books').

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Finding the Elf

Well, I had my suspicions confirmed.  The Elf is quite a creepy little guy at first.  Shortly after coming into the living room this morning I asked Alyssa if she noticed anything near the tree...I figured she would find the book first and we would read it and then go looking for the Elf, my bad.  She looked the tree over and then started backing up suddenly and stood behind Papa!



She wasn't so nervous that she didn't go get the book when prompted (and noticed its existence) thankfully, though she kept a close eye on the little guy and scrammed outta there back to the safety of Papa's lap quickly.  The story did put her at ease pretty well, enough that she chose a name for our new friend--Flower.  No, we haven't seen Bambi around here yet since every time I pull it out I'm vetoed and Princesses or Barbie or Hello Kitty are selected...Honestly I thought we would have to give suggestions for days to get this guy named so I was impressed with the quick selection (under 30 seconds of thinking) from a girl who doesn't name her baby dolls yet even.




Flower no longer makes Alyssa nervous at all.  She thinks he is pretty tricky getting to his lookout spaces like up high in the tree or into a slinky hanging off of the vertical blinds header.

Day 2
Day 3
Day 4


Day 5



If you have an elf visiting your house this year, what special spots has he or she found to keep an eye on things?  Has there been any silliness going on yet?

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day Seven

I am thankful for the most wonderful freedom that I am provided.  I can read.  Not only is this ability a privilege not afforded everyone in the world, but it is one that has historically been heavily guarded.  I read for entertainment.  I read for information.  I read to see the joy of storytelling spread to my daughter (and soon my son).  I read because I love it and hope that my children will too.


Photo Credit: Barnes and Noble