Showing posts with label Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading. 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.


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.
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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 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*

Monday, June 3, 2013

Raising a Reader

Anyone know the secret?  People keep telling me that readers make readers.  If you read to your kid x minutes a day, they will love to read later on in life still...

Well, I call BS!  I am thrilled that my daughter seemingly loves books right now.  I have no idea if it will stick though.  I am a reader, but my parents certainly are NOT.  I don't know if I saw any books in our house besides the children's book collection that was available to me while growing up.  My mom has started to enjoy reading some books now that her kids are 16-26 years old.  It pains me to see how slowly she gets through a novel.  I used to rip through novels in what would be more accurate to count by hours rather than days.  I miss that.

Right now, I am lucky to finish one of my romance novels (300-400 pages) in a week!  If you're an addicted reader, you can feel the pain that accompanies the adjustment of pre-kids 2 days tops to a WEEK OR MORE for one book.

So, as a reader, I sincerely hope the amount of children's books that I am consuming in place of my novels will benefit my kids into a long and happy relationship with books in general life.  If not....well, I guess I'll be happy enough if they just realize the importance of proper English spelling and grammar. (Yes, I am 26 and already harping on that note.  I hate the texting language that I see being used in school papers or worse--job applications!!)

And just to show you a partial reason why I'll say I am a reader...here is part of my collection of books (most of which were collected prior to having children for my own personal enjoyment of a good fairytale):




Sadly, this really isn't all my books.  My collection ranges from (tons of) children's books and collection tomes, to a lot of romance novels, to informative Religious texts and commentary on said topic.  A bunch of interesting history books and a handful of old collector (looking) books found in thrift or antique stores make their way into my collection also.  Somewhere in the pile of unsorted totes are a few full of even more books.

Alyssa has her own shelves in her room.  Wyatt's collection has just started.

What it comes down to, is that I hope my kids will love books as much as I do.  If not, I hope they find a hobby that they LOVE.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Reading and Charity

Everyone (well, that I've ever met anyways) likes to see that a purchase they would have made regardless will have some small impact towards charities.  Well, there are various chances to purchase books that will give back to different types of fundraising.

I have seen books published by Avon donating funds to ovarian cancer research.  Learn about K.I.S.S and Teal 2011/2012 here.  Feel free to keep an eye out for this to come around again--I'm sure hoping it does!

There are the books, toys, and more sold at the Kohl's checkouts that donate to Kohl's Cares (see here for details and charities).  This is something that I have a hard time walking out of that store without at least one of them.  Check out some of their Kohl's Cares Merchandise here (kids') and here (women's)!

Today I discovered another chance to satisfy my reading appetite while knowing that part of my purchase (as it was on my To Be Read list already) will be going to a worthy cause.  Author of historical romance novels, Heather Snow, has dedicated a portion of the royalties of Sweet Madness to help our U.S. soldiers and their families via Hope For the Warriors.  Read more here about Sweet Madness and why it ties into this charity.  Follow this link to learn more about the charity itself.

So if you are so inclined to buying romance novels, you may consider checking out this book and if not, maybe you'll make a trip into Kohl's.  Do you know any other titles that are currently running donations like these?  What is your favorite charity/cause?

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Good laughs and Best Parenting Message

Sorry for checking out on y'all for such a span of time!  I'd like to make up for it by sending you on a reading adventure...Parental hilarity via comedian Jason Good.  I have been crying due to how much laughter I've gotten out of this man's site this morning (not all of which was the pain that a c-section and laughter combined cause).  Please take a few minutes to peruse his posts and remember your kids' (or brace yourself if they aren't at that age yet) antics at various young stages.

http://jasongood.net/

And for a dose of seriousness that I completely needed after over two weeks of crazy (and expected) toddler rebellion to all the changes in her life:

http://www.iseeme.com/truly-engaging-with-your-child.html

We need a reminder sometimes (or everyday) that there must be times when it is OKAY to stop being the 'adult' and just make some amazing memories with our kids.  Adventures and messes (OMG please no messes!) are necessary and FUN!  They need to be embraced in childhood and parenthood or we've missed out on the biggest excitement that can be had at those ages!  My Momma-ness cries for the missed opportunities already passed by but I'll be keeping this short article on a very prominent place to help me remember that messes can be cleaned so just make some on purpose!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2013 Resolutions?

Happy New Year!!

Today being the first day of 2013 we are all on the bandwagons we have selected (whether that be weight loss/gym going, making homemade meals, getting ahead on personal debt, developing some spectacular new organizing system in your home, or even that "I resolve to make no resolution" wagon).  I wish you all luck with your personal choice of how to tackle 2013!

For myself, I have decided to take it easy.  I recently was directed (via a friend's Facebook link) to a mildly, possibly drastically, offensive but still motivating opinion article (WARNING: language content may be offensive within linked article!) that made me stop to think.  Now, please, PLEASE don't run off and get offended by this article at first read.  I could have and my gut wanted me to but I read it through, twice, and some (if not all) of the points hit home for me.  I frequently lament my lack of talent in various areas of my life--can't cook, can't sew, can't can't can't...Why?  Because I haven't bothered to learn.  Will I ever become the next Food Network Star?  Only if y'all need instruction on how to open a laptop to order Pizza Hut or using Google Maps to get to the nearest Applebee's!  This certainly doesn't mean that I shouldn't TRY to become more proficient in my cooking skills (like not getting burned every time I use a fry pan for ANY kind of meat...seriously- this goal alone should make me a star!).

No, I'm not going to make a firm resolution of X number of homemade meals or new recipes or even including boxes of mac and cheese.  I'm not going to sew a certain number or type of projects this year.  I AM going to improve a skill.  Something measurable, something that people can see if they are involved in whatever aspect of life it falls into for me...this is what a skill should be considered.  I don't need to be Suzie Homemaker, Martha Stewart, or Carol Brady.  I do need to feel better about what I am able to do.  I've picked up a new hobby this year...paper crafting.  I enjoy it!  It makes me feel good and I produce something out of my efforts.  Right now they aren't amazing but they can get better!  2013 I am aiming to improve at my hobby.  I want to make cards for events that I am proud to give.  I want to make decorations for parties that I throw that even if no one comments, I can look at and smile because of!

Yes, I plan to improve my cooking but this is continual and more about survival of my family (and my limbs) than a year's goal...I plan to do better at cleaning house, again, not a goal worthy of a resolution but more a necessity.  I hope to teach myself to eat better and exercise more.  I just think that 2013 needs to be a year where my resolution is something to boost my self-esteem without guilting myself into things to get it done.

So, 2013, no numbers, no scheduled deadlines (well, other than 2014).  Just something that I'm enjoying and putting time and effort into improving in it!

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