My Long Lost Birthday Post

Have you ever put together a post, left it tucked away to finish later, then forgot about it? I have, and this is one of them. I usually do not post very much from my personal life and I thought it was about time I did.

My birthday was weeks ago, so don't feel like you need to send all sorts of birthday wishes. But if for some reason you are compelled to send me gifts please feel free. Instead of writing a boring recap of the past event, I decided to share the highlights with a series of photos.

This was the best birthday cake ever. It was a raspberry, white chocolate truffle cake. It weighed one hundred pounds.

These were my wonderful gifts from my loving family. They know me so well. 

I saw these guys.

And these guys were awesome.

I got the coolest shirt in the whole wide world. Husband loves it. He makes me wear it every time we go out. 

We came home to this.

Then Blue ignored us for hours for leaving him behind. I must point out he had awesome pet sitters. Alas, he did not care. And no he did not get in trouble for destroying two sets of mini blinds and a candle. In fact, I begged for his forgiveness all night.

And there you have folks. We spent the weekend at Newport Oregon. We ate yummy chowder, drank micro brews and gained ten pounds. I cannot wait to do it again.

Stacking The Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Any one can join in any time!

On Saturday, October 5th, I had the pleasure of attending Wordstock in Portland Oregon. The highlight of my day was meeting and getting books signed by three fabulous authors.

The Whatnot by Stefan Bachmann
~part two of The Peculiar

The Year of Shadows by Claire Legrand

Coda by Emma Trevayne

I have read The Peculiar and cannot wait to dive into The Whatnot. Stefan Bachmann is only nineteen years old, but his talent reaches beyond his years.

Claire Legrand and Emma Trevayne are new to me, but from listening to them read from their books, I am sure I am in for a treat.

What is new to your shelf?

 

The Fault In Our Stars...Hold On While I Grab A Tissue

The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green

So this is how I handled it. How'd you do?

Who hasn't heard about The Fault In Our Star? Anyone? I mean everyone went on and on about how great it was and how it made them cry their freaking eyes out. I can proudly say I have joined the ranks of the brave men and women who dared to bare their souls to the heart wrenching story.

The Fault In Our Stars sat patiently in my kindle for many months, just waiting for the day that I felt brave enough to give it a try.  I was afraid to read this book. Cancer is not an easy subject to read about, and anyone who has watched a friend or family member suffer from the evil illness may be reluctant to give it a try. I know I was. Then one day out of the blue I finally thought I would read a few pages just to see it it grabbed me.

Not only did it grab me, but it reached into me, grabbed my heart and soul with both hands, and refused to let go until I devoured it. I think the first tear trickled down my cheek at the half way point. From there it was a non stop water works show. I read it in one sitting.

***This is not a review. It is just a post about the affect this book had me.***

Cover Reveal & Giveaway...Redemption Red

I'm excited to bring to you the cover reveal of Redemption Red by Delancey Stewart! This book is scheduled to be released October 15th, 2013.

Redemption Red by Delancey Stewart (A Wine Country Romance)

Love, loss, and a smoky red…

When Audrey Montgomery’s carefully planned life collides with the self-destructive path Tyson Dawes is on, neither of them can predict what will happen next.

Audrey is a diligent and self-reliant culinary student at Portland’s prestigious Cordon Bleu. She has a clear picture of her future in mind, and it allows little room for the steely-eyed and tormented young man she bumps into by chance while wine tasting with friends.

Tyson Dawes had a perfect childhood, raised among the vines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. But even the most idyllic of upbringings couldn’t have prepared him for what he would face as a Marine. He returns to his childhood home angry and haunted by the storms of what he has faced and by those he has lost.

Do opposites truly attract? Can the lure of Audrey’s apparent clarity and innocence offer Tyson hope in the face of his emptiness?
 

This is the second book in the Wine Country Romance Series. The first book, A Rare Vintage was published in June and is available on Amazon.

While Redemption Red is part of the Wine Country Romance Series, it is a stand alone. These books can each be read individually.

Add the book on GoodReads.

Buy A Rare Vintage, on sale now for only .99 cents! 

About the author:
Delancey Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She's been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a wine seller. Despite lots of other interests, she has always been a writer.
A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler, story reader, and tech writer for a defense contractor. She tackles all these efforts at her current home in Southern Maryland.
Delancey Stewart is the author of Through a Dusty Window: New York City Stories 1910-2001 and the Wine Country Romance Series which includes: A Rare Vintage and Redemption Red, as well as the Girlfriends of Gotham Series, publishing with Swoon Romance. The first book in that series, Men and Martinis, will be released in Winter 2013.

Find the author:
Website/Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway:

Must be 18 or older to enter
One winner will win (US only): 

- an ebook copy of both "A Rare Vintage" and "Redemption Red"

- a gorgeous bracelet created with recycled wine bottles on an aluminum link bracelet. It measures 7 1/2 inches long and features green, brown, blue, gold and clear color glass rings. The bracelet is handmade and can be dressed up or down, thanks to the elegant styling. 

AND

- a 10 ounce jar of Oregon Pinot Noir chocolate sauce from Euphoria Chocolate Company in Oregon (where Redemption Red is set). Great for use on ice cream, in coffee or just on a spoon! 

4 winners will win (INT):

- an ebook of Redemption Red

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Just Finished Reading...Chase Tinker and the House Of Secrets

Chase Tinker and the House of Secrets
 by Malia Ann Haberman

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In Chase Tinker's world, magic, lies and secrets can be a lethal combination...

After spending the summer at his grandfather's gigantic, incredibly magical house, thirteen-year-old Chase Tinker thought things couldn't get any more bizarre, or that the secrets and lies couldn't get any worse, but he was wrong.

As summer turns into Autumn, join Chase and his family for even more magical craziness. Craziness that will include: the sneezing of strange powers, the reappearance of the evil Marlowe family, another frightening kidnapping, the discovery of a mysterious, magical girl, a dangerous rescue mission, and a secret so mind-boggling, it will lead to a shocking climatic finish that will turn Chase's world completely upside down and leave him feeling like one of the worst people on the planet.

My thoughts~

Chase Tinker and the House of Secrets is a whimsical and fantastic read. I have been a fan of Malia Ann Haberman since I read book one, and this story is even better. 

Now I say this next part with caution, because sometimes this statement can be the kiss of death for a book. (The reason being, is that it sets a pretty high standard.) I felt certain parts of this book have some what of a Harry Potter vibe to it. Now I’m not saying this is “the next” Harry Potter, but throughout this book we get several scenes where the kids are learning and practicing their magic, and it is very creative and a lot of fun to experience it with them. 

Now it’s not all fun and games. Chase is hit pretty hard with conflicting family dynamics, all while dealing with a “rival” magical family over possession of the family home. The character growth is very satisfying and the plot clips along at a good pace. If you are looking for a well written and entertaining read, for yourself or middle grade child, I can recommend this series. Malia's imagination is boundless and I look forward to reading book three. 

Cover Reveal...The Vampire's Hourglass.

Today we're excited to reveal the cover of the newest book in the Of Light and Darkness series by bestselling author Shayne Leighton.  The Vampire's Hourglass is schedule to be published by Decadent publishing the end of this year or beginning of next.

Book Description:

After narrowly surviving a near-death experience in an effort to save Valek from yet another showdown with Aiden, Charlotte awakens inside the forsaken, crumbling walls of the Regime Palace. Though she finds herself surrounded by her closest friends, she is conflicted over her feelings of the sudden absence of her Vampire guardian from her life.

With Nikolai there to console her, Charlotte cannot shake the undeniable chemistry she feels for this familiar stranger. But they are running out of time. Charlotte’s peculiar ailment will return and Sarah, the witch, will sacrifice her youth and beauty in order to save her best friend, unless they find the secret, Dark City.

Charlotte, Nikolai, Sarah, and several other favored characters travel down to the underbellies of Prague to find Valek. But what they end up discovering are the dark and nasty secrets the elder Vampires have been hiding for centuries. Charlotte must overcome her mortal limitations to win back the heart of the one she truly loves and escape the gates of Abelim with her throat intact in this enthralling, highly-anticipated third installment of the Of Light and Darkness Series.

 Exclusive Excerpt:

           “Does it hurt? You know...when I’m around?”  

            He was talking about the scar that still thrived at the side of her throat. The one that appeared there after Valek left his first, initial bite months ago in Francis’ home. The one that had ailed her since and nearly killed her until she unwittingly saved herself by stabbing a hole in her own chest. Not her empty, openly bleeding heart and her feeling of abandonment and being alone, but a literal hole that she created herself some snowy weeks ago when she attempted to end it all to prove herself as something more than just an expendable mortal in this game of light and darkness. She wanted to finally be recognized as a hero, nearly having killed herself for the sake of saving her friends from Aiden. Knowing the tainted taste of the blood from her ruptured heart would drive him away.

            But what did she have to prove for it now? Another giant scar. And more than that, her nightmare came true. Valek was nowhere to be found, no matter how hard she looked. After everything he did, and everything that had happened because of his carelessness, she wasn’t sure how badly she wanted to find him. That thought made her heart constrict. But then again, Aiden had disappeared as well. At least there was that. 

       “Not really. Not as much as the emotional pain underneath it,” she finally answered Nikolai’s question honestly. “The heartbreak hurts worse than the scar ever could.”

About the Author:

In Shayne's first year out of high school she penned, co-directed, and starred in the feature film 'The Incubus', a paranormal romance, which obtained distribution and screened in over fifteen theaters across South Florida among major theater chains such as Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. 'The Incubus' has also obtained a passionate fanbase of over 100,000 girls online and has garnered the attention of reporters from the Miami Herald, CBS News, and NPR Radio. Leighton also starred alongside Scream Queen, Tara Cardinal, in the film 'Legend of the Red Reaper' which made its world debut at the 2012 AFM in Los Angeles. Twenty-Two-year-old Leighton is excited to release her debut young adult novel series, 'Of Light and Darkness', set in contemporary Prague, as well as developing the film adaptation of the novel series. Recently released songs can now be heard on ReverbNation.com with a full-length album in the works. Leighton is currently named #35 on the pop charts in Miami, FL. Named #26 in Boca Magazine's "Top 100 'It' People" for 2011. Shayne Leighton lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL with her husband and key inspiration, Frank and travels back and forth to the Czech Republic often. Find out more about Shayne at: www.ShayneLeighton.com

Check out The Vampire's Daughter, the first book, for only .99 cents on Amazon!

Add it on GoodReads.

Giveaway:

The Vampire's Daughter & The Vampire's Reflection by Shayne Leighton *signed*

Open Worldwide!

Must be 13 or older to enter (with parental permission).

Ends Aug. 8th, 2013

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Just Finished Reading...The Year Of The Great Seventh

The Year Of The Great Seventh by Teresa Orts

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Published July 6th 2013 by Drayton Press

Sophie has always felt out of step—an outsider, even amongst friends in her high school with all the hype about celebrity culture. Her life in L.A. seems to have been already written for her, but when her junior year starts, it all takes a drastic turn. When she crosses paths with the school's heartthrob, Nate Werner, they fall for each other in a way neither can understand. What they don’t know is that by giving in to their desires, they are unlocking an ancient Egyptian prophecy that threatens to return Earth to the dark ages.
To undo the curse, Nate and Sophie embark on an adventure that takes them across the country. But their quest is not only to save the world as they know it. It is also a fight for their very survival. Behind the scenes, there are those that are counting on them to fail.

My thoughts~

3.5 stars 

The Year Of The Great Seventh was an enjoyable read, and I will definitely read more of Teresa Orts writing in the future.

I will start off with saying that Teresa is a talented writer. The images she provided for us were very easy to picture and I feel like I got to know the characters very well. I do think a lot of people will like this story, but I do have to admit, the book was not exactly for me. Let me explain.

This story is outside of my usual reads, as it is set in a modern, contemporary world. But the reason I was drawn to this story is the hint of the Egyptian mythology that was given to us in the summary of the book. The mythology was there, but in my opinion, for the first half of the book we only get little hints of it. The plot finally kicks in when we reach the halfway mark, and once it got started, it was exciting; it just took a while to get there.

Over all, I must have found it enjoyable, because it was hard to put down. Even when I felt like I was not really into the story, I had the desire to keep reading, and I cared enough about the characters that I had to know how it ended.

The Writer's Journey

One of the first things I learned when I began writing, was how to write the Hero's Journey. When I started this endeavor, one thing I never thought about was the Writer's Journey.

I have to admit, I was pretty naive back then. The only thing I knew was that I had a story that I wanted to tell and I was going to tell it. Looking back on that simple idea now, I laugh hysterically. "I'm gonna write a book," I proudly proclaimed to the world.

I will be honest here, I had no idea what I was doing, or how much work I was in for. I enrolled in a few classes at my community college, bought every "how to" book I could find on writing, internet stalked all of my favorite authors to scrounge up any writing tips that they may causally mention, joined a critique, and started my blog.

Like most writers I sacrificed time with friends, family, television, sleep, and even reading. *gasp* I KNOW! READING! In the mean time I found a professional cover designer, editor, proofreader, and formatter. Even though I was self publishing, I wanted to create the best and most professional book in my power.

The journey was full of surprises, some good, some bad, and most of time I was exhausted. But it was all worth it. Through all the hard work and stress I reached my goal and have a real book to hold in my hands with my name on the cover.

I just finished a blog tour, was featured in my local paper, and had a release party in a real book store.  People came and everything! I partnered up with my friend, Carolyn Rose, and together we did readings, passed out prizes, signed books and shoved cake and wine down everyone's throat. It was great!

So where does that leave me now? I'm starting all over again and working on book 2, Transcended. It guess you can say I came full circle. All the hard work is starting all over again, and I love every minute of it!

Release party at Cover To Cover Books

Carolyn Rose reading from, No Substitute For Money

photo by Victoria Lindstrom