Debbie's Inkspectations

Book Review:Venom by K.C, Grant

2012-02-25T04:00:00.001-07:00

Venom by K.C. Grant was a wonderful surprise when I read it. I was instantly caught up in the crazy life of Abby Sinclair.

Here is the back of the book blurb:

"Samantha Evans is determined to make a name for herself in the cutthroat world of advertising. Newly hired by a prestigious ad agency, she volunteers to work on location in Mexico City as a personal assistant to the beautiful and driven creative director Katrina Edwards. At first the association seems promising. But Ms. Edwards seems preoccupied in a way that makes Samantha increasingly uneasy. In fact, may in the group seem like they are not being completely open about the project--including David Ayala, the mysterious and moody photographer for whose attention the two women find themselves competing. After several strange accidents and numerous appearances by an unknown man, Samantha discovers the truth: not everyone on the team is in Mexico to create a stellar advertising pitch. When her sleuthing leads to her abduction, she is brought to the pyramids of Teotihuacan and comes face to face with the venomous evil of the South American crime boss known as 'The Serpent.' Now Samantha must not only fight for her life, but she must also discover if she can trust the man she's come to love."

Venom captured my interest and I kept wondering how were we going to be going to the depths of Mexico when Abby was just pretty much a gofer. A gofer who gets her credit card hacked. But quickly that changes and things take a turn for the more intriguing. As I read questions kept popping up and I kept reading so I could find the answers. I loved Abby, and her determination to not let herself become undone in the midst of turmoil, danger and uncertainty. She fights to do what is right and leans on her beliefs to help her find the comfort she needs while she is in unfamiliar circumstances.

I felt K.C. Grant brought her characters to life and wrote a tight story line that flowed amazingly. I liked that Abby grew in the midst of her trials and found that she was smarter and more observant than those with her realized. I thought the other characters fascinating and kept trying to figure them out, where they the good guys or the bad guys? I loved the strong handsome men who were also a part of the story line, and the villainous boss you loved to hate for so many reasons.

To tell the truth it was really refreshing to read a story that was written extremely well. In addition the author wove information about Mexico City into the story line, and for the most part if felt part of the story, and it helped bring that part of the world to life, and the history that came with it. I found my heart racing at parts, my heart breaking for Abby at times and my heart thrilled when the end revealed all the intricate secrets.

Venom is definitely on my recommend list. It not only was clean and a book that could be given to my teenage kids and I wouldn't need to worry. I loved the creativity and the vibrance of the story. Not to mention the hang on for the roller coaster ride as the story quickly heats up and unexpected chances are taken.

You can get your copy of Venom here . You will be in for a wonderful ride, and don't forget to visit K. C. Grant's website here, I for one am looking forward to reading more books written by K. C.

Disclaimer: While I sometimes receive books to review, it in no way influences my opinions. They are and will always be my own.

getting over miscarrying

2012-02-17T11:17:00.004-07:00

In December my life changed, well more than the fact that I had a birthday. I found out I was pregnant, and then just as fast found out I wasn't anymore. What remained behind was a larger aftermath than I expected.

It's been two months now, and I am still working through the waves it left in my life. To everyone else, it seems as if my life never stopped being what it always was. No interuptions, a temporary upheaval already resolved with the loss of the baby.

But in reality, my life has completely altered. I think about that little child all the time, and even though I am a lot older, 43, and have 7 living children, this one stays in my mind, haunting me with her presence.

Maybe it isn't so much a haunt as it is an echo or a whisper, but it feels like if I blow really hard she will just wisp away and never even be real. And as silly as it may sound, that is the last thing I want. I don't want to forget her, or imagine that week of discovery and loss never existed, because it did.

It changed how my body is, and it changed my spirit. My body is still dealing with the aftermath of the miscarriage. The pain that lingers from the results of hormones raging through my body doing their job releasing relaxon and whatever else, my body is still in the process of undoing the 7 weeks of preparation. So it hurts to exercise and walk, and that stinks for me since I teach 4 or more exercise classes in a week, which means I just deal.

Emotionally and spiritually, I keep wondering why when my kids are spread from 21 to 8 did this happen now, so far away from when I had everyone else, and made me reevaluate what is important, and I am still trying to work through that, because suddenly things that had immense meaning and was high on my priority list now don't seem so almighty.

So while to the rest of the world it looks like everything is status quo on the outside, inside I have reminders, echos of a memory, wonders of what I have lost and what I am now to become, and hopes that I will figure out those questions and regain a whole body once again are something I am ready to have worked through.

So while nothing but book reviews have been up on my blog lately, these things have been part of me constantly and I have been wanting to say something about it, and finally the words have demanded it in spite of my trying to ignore it all . . . and well a lot of everything else.

I am getting better, but emotions are running a bit higher than normal this week. It's been two months now, but this weekend also marks two years since my dad died, so everything is more sensitive. But I am starting to feel like reemerging again, which is a lot more than what I my desire was up until a couple weeks ago.

Book Review: Retirement Quest by John Hauserman, CFP

2012-02-13T05:00:00.001-07:00

Retirement Quest is a well researched book that opens up the way for those who want to know what to do to be prepared for when they retire. It is well document and will help guide with financial advice and investment decisions and how to go about knowing what is going to be solid or iffy as to determining the decisions with retirement. He shows how to understand all the difficult to maneuver options that sometimes seem overwhelming and hard to decipher. With his easy to follow style, John takes a lot of the confusion out of knowing which direction to go and helps to create a sense of ease when making such important choices on what the future holds beyond retirement.

John Hauserman, CFP is the chief executive officer of Retirement Journey, LLC. He oversees the details of the Retirement Quest planning experience.Baltimore Magazine named John a five-star wealth manager, based on nine criteria, including customer service, communications, value for fee charge, and overall satisfaction.In 2011 John was named the Baltimore area regional ambassador serving on behalf of the Certified Financial Planner (TM) Board of Standards. He definitely knows his stuff.

I liked how he helps explain the differences in an easy to follow format for stocks, bonds, and various other options out there for investing. He makes the charts that he includes in his book make sense so that you can see what it is they are trying to show you, and helps you to see for yourself how to go about reading them. He educates you on how to decide what is important and what is our responsibility in caring for ourselves financially as we grow older.

It isn't an older verses younger book either, John has sound financial advice for those just starting out that can lead to strong portfolios later in life that bring about a sense of security that allows individuals to not worry about money. He teaches independence and solid financial practices.

I for one love learning about stocks and bonds and the market. For a long time it was a hobby of mine to know about options and spreads and the risks. I enjoyed refreshing my knowledge on these topics and could see how John helps you to see why it is so important to understand our finances and what our portfolios look like, whether they are through 401 K's, insurance options, stocks, bonds or long term investments. In addition to look at how to minimize and manage the risks, how to not allow the dollar signs in our eyes cause us to make emotional faulty decisions, and how to ensure our motives are sound and not made from those emotional decisions.

I feel that for those who are trying to sort it all out, that Retirement Quest is the book for you. It is written clearly and precisely with easy to understand language that helps the investor know what the choices are. I found it a fast read that for me was a great refresher and reminder of what I need to do to ensure my financial future.

Don't let your financial future pass you by get your copy of John Hauserman's book Retirement Quest by clicking here. Then take the time to visit his website and gain more great insight here, you thank yourself in the future for the small investment you make in your financial future later.

Disclaimer: Although I sometimes receive books to review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Family by Design by Heather Justensen

2012-01-28T06:00:00.003-07:00

Family by Design by Heather Justensen was a wonderful story about how two single best friends, Tucker and Rena come together to make a family work. With the unexpected news that Tucker's brother and sister in law are killed in a car accident, their children Derek and McKenzie left in Tucker's care, since there are no other living realtives on either side to do it.

They are both in their thirties, and Tucker being in the Marine reserves must find some one who can be his wife and a mother to the children before they can be adopted and kept in his custody. The concern being that the children have a stable home if he is called into active duty. So who else does Tucker turn to but his very best friend Rena.

But questions of eternity linger in their minds, knowing that if this marriage is going to work it can't be just in name only. But what about love... real love? Sure they love each other as best friends but as husband and wife? Would their deep friendship be destroyed in the process or grow stronger as a result.

So when Tucker proposes, not only does it take Rena by surprise, but the time frame of when they need to be married by does too. And it raises concerns for everyone with the speed of things. Not to mention if they love LOVE each other. But with a few of the toe curling, steamy, tingley down your spine kind of kisses Tucker gives Rena, she is sure the true love Tucker promises will come sooner than later and puts some of Rena's uncertainties to rest after all she has always wanted to have a family, and she does love Tucker.

And when the deal is sealed and the unthinkable happens, it puts this family to the test as each struggle to keep on top of the different mounting events that work to topple them, as Rena's strength is put to the ultimate test. Does she get pulled under by it all or does she rise like a pheonix in the sky? And can the tentative feelings between Tucker and Rena hold fast or crumble beneath the burdens?

I loved Family by Design. It was a great story of resiliance, strength, faith and trust and dreams come true sprinked with lots of humor along the way. I thought it was so well written with characters who felt real to me. They were struggling with real issues that result in different lives being interupted and then meshed together. The way they dealt with the different conflicts that arose through out Family By Design was great to see. Doubts, fears, frusteration, as well as joy, contentment and peace all find their place in this story as characters all grow through the difficult times. Even the children struggle with thier own issues in dealing with the loss of thier parents. Each character learns to rely on thier faith and Heavenly Father. And in the meantime they become stronger because of it.

And if that isn't enough then you have to check out this blurb and fall even more in love with the story premise:

Before he could think better of it, he blurted out, “I understand your concerns. I’m going to speak to my commander about getting an early discharge. My girlfriend, Rena, and I have talked about getting married. There just hasn’t been any rush.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered what he was thinking. Yes, they had discussed marriage, but not to each other! He and Rena had never even dated.

Tucker’s on his way to the biggest challenge of his life. Rena already has it all—except a family of her own. But neither one expected their friendship would take such a dramatic turn.

When Tucker becomes the guardian of his newly orphaned niece and nephew, he knows he can’t handle them alone, not when he might be shipped out with the Marines at any moment. Desperate, he turns to Rena for a major favor. His marriage proposal would give her everything she wants, but can she learn to live without the romance she’s always dreamed of?As time, prayer, and a life-changing kiss work a little magic in her heart, Rena wonders if someone up there has a plan for her that’s better than anything she could’ve come up with on her own. And though it seems crazy at first, this could become her chance for a marriage that will last for eternity.

Also, as a special promotion for anyone who buys a book before January 31, you can get a free ebook for her companion novella, “Shear Luck.” Once you buy a copy of her book go here (link) to get your free copy. http://www.heatherjustesen.com/shear-luck

As if that weren’t enough, Heather’s holding a host of giveaways on her blog http://www.heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/ throughout the next few weeks, see the rules at the bottom of this post to enter.

Chelsea Robison has never forgotten the older boy next door whom she crushed on as a teen, so when she runs into him at the restaurant he’s preparing to open, it’s a delightful shock. And learning he’s available again is more than a little tantalizing.

Vaughn Krenshaw had never seen his neighbor as more than a nice kid—but Chelsea had definitely grown up in the decade since they saw each other last. He’s attracted to the feisty red head, but still struggles over his wife’s death the previous year. And then there’s his five-year-old daughter, Molly, who really liked Chelsea—until she realized the woman was dating her dad.

As Chelsea starts to wonder if their love for each other will be enough to make things work, a specter from Vaughn’s past rises, making her question whether she really knew him at all.

You will fall in love with each of the characters in Family by Design as much as I did. I found myself wishing the story would go on longer. It was a great read. A clean read and great for 12 on up. Don't delay get your copy here now so you can get the copy of Sheer Luck before January has slipped away.

Disclaimer: Although at times I do receive free copies of the books I reveiw, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Darkspell By Elizabeth Mueller is a young adult paranormal romance, and let me tell you it is one to pick up and read!

Darkspell is about an average everyday girl named Winter who is looking forward to starting her senior year in high school. Then she dreams of kissing an amazing boy, and upon the rude awakening of her brother, she discovers that very hot, delicious boy named Alex has just moved into her favorite old empty house. And boy what a fabulous surprise. She finds every excuse to hang out there, and soon finds that her heart is fast approaching being lost to him.

Little does Winter know that along the way to losing her heart that there is so much more to Alex than she can imagine, that Alex is her protector, and that he wants to be sure that she is kept safe from the things she doesn't understand. That like Winter he is losing his heart to her as well.

But then niether Alex or Winter anticipate the way Alex's brother Jareth mixes things up. And if that isn't enough, Winter notices things about Alex and his family that are a little off the beaten path. Things that they shouldn't be able to do that they can, and she embarks on a path to discover what it is that makes them so different. But little does Winter know that along that path are dark and dangerous things that slide in to take her off guard and throw unexpected impossible events into her life. And most unexpected of all is what she discovers about herelf.

Darkspell wove a spell around me and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Who would be left standing at the end, and who would ultimately win Winter's heart. It was filled with sinister evil and extra ordinary events that took my breath away and at times made my stomache drop in anticipation. I loved how every character in Elizabeth's Darkspell was able to intice me to fall for them. Ok, all but one, but hey you aren't supposed to love the bad guy.

I loved going into the alternate worlds created in Darkspell and the way the characters evolved and expressed who they were so intrinsically that you felt you knew them. You knew their hearts, and their desires. I also really loved all the unexpected surprises. Not to mention the out of this world illustrations drawn by Elizabeth herself.

I found that I was waiting, wondering what would happen to the end, who would truimph ultimately, who would still be standing and who would rise above the ashes so to speak. I really loved Darkspell with all its glorious magic and mysterious mystical events. I didn't want it to end and once you pick up Darkspell and begin reading it, niether will you.

So what are you waiting for? Hurry and get your copy of Darkspell by clicking here and here and you can learn more about the talented and amazing Elizabeth by clicking on her website here. You can also find Elizabeth at Goodreads here and on twitter here.

And don't forget to keep your eye out for the sequel to Darkspell coming soon!

Disclaimer: while I do sometimes recieve copies of books to review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

I can't believe it!

2011-12-31T22:52:00.003-07:00

It is hard to believe that another year is gone and that it is time to start looking forward to a new opportunity of new beginnings.

I also want to say that with this post I have accomplished writing 50 entries this year in my blog. Now that may not seem like a lot to some of you die hard bloggers out there, but I am pretty impressed. I way surpassed the amount I wrote the previous year and I feel like I know more about the blogging world than I used to.

now that doesn't by any stretch of the imagination mean I am an expert. I still have a ton to learn, but I hope in the coming year to keep growing as a blogger. And more importantly a writer!~

Well off to celebrate what's left of this year with my family and with that said~

HAPPY NEW YEAR~!!!

Book Review: Cold River by Liz Adair

2011-12-26T10:53:00.002-07:00

Cold River By Liz Adair is a romantic suspense thriller based on the author's own experiences while living in a little town where she taught for several years in Washington.

Cold River is the kind of story I love reading. I instantly fell in love with this fast paced intriguing story, where the people of the small town Mandy comes to work in make being there a bit of a challenge. She doesn't fit in with her big city ways and has to work to convince the town's people that she is right for the job as the new superintendent, even though they still turn to the former one for all their answers.

But Mandy is tough and determined to show them that she knows what she is doing and begins to make some connections. In doing so they come to trust her, but even more so, she finds that she is losing her heart along the way to the most unlikely person. Who she ends up with, you will have to read to find out. That is part of the fun of reading Cold River.

I loved the way Liz developed the story, and as Mandy grows and learns about her depth and determination, she discovers someone wants her gone so much they are willing to kill her to achieve it. But Mandy proves tougher than her assailant expects, and with the arrival of Mandy's little sister, the stakes on keeping them both safe soar. And Mandy decides to do a little investigating of her own, and as a result the surprises in Cold River keep mounting.

I loved to watch the character arc develop with the main and side characters. The changes they went through as their views of events and people change and how they come to see that maybe there is more to be gained by trusting each other.

I found myself up late into the early hours of the morning turning pages to see what happens next, would Amanda survive the next attempt on her life? Would she make it out alive with all the crazy unexpected events that any of the less than friendly members of the town could easily be suspect? Does Mandy stand strong against it all, or give in to the idea that there are other places that she can go that might be safer? And who of all the men interested in Mandy does she ultimately give her heart to? I couldn't help myself, I had to find out the answers, and was so sad to see the story end.

Find out all the answers to these questions by picking up Liz's book Cold River by clicking here, and you can catch up on what Liz is doing on her blog by clicking here. You won't be sorry you took the time to read Cold River. I know you will love it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: While at times I do receive copies of books to review, my opinion is and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Heir to Power by Michele Poague

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Heir to Power By Michele Poague is the first book in The Healing Crystal Triolgy. It is a YA science fiction novel about lost technology, the morality of power and the creation of religious and political philosophy.

Overview:
The colony of Survin has been hidden for centuries, protecting an ancient religious artifact called the Healing Crystal from men who would steal or destroy it. Kairma, heir to the Crystal, is destined to mate with the handsome Naturi and become the leader of the reclusive colony, but she is too young to realize the peril soon to arrive.

At sixteen, Kairma is too young to realize many things .... Kairma would rather go spelunking with her brother and his best friend than study ancient medicine and religious laws, but the discovery of a tomb containing ancient artifacts leads Kairma to question her religion and the true nature of the Crystal. To further complicate Kairma's ascent, a childhood illness has left her resembling a nearby race of men both hated and feared by the people of Survin. Because of this, Kairma's younger sister Kinter, who is in love with Naturi, believes she is the rightful heir.

Disease and infertility have decimated Survin, but bigotry and religious laws forbid the introduction of new members so things heat up when a traveling archeologist stumbles upon the reclusive colony and introduces a powerful new weapon. Forced into a larger world, the Survinees discover they hold an object of unimaginable power, a power other men covet, a power that might save or forever damn the human race.

My take:
I liked that in Heir to Power, Kairma starts off feeling maybe she really isn't able to live up to everything everyone always expects of her, that becoming the hier to power is more of a burden than anything else. She resents it in many ways. But I loved the character Arc as she grows throughout the story and discovers inside of her strenghts and abilities she never new she possessed in addition to finding some mysterious things that cause her to question what is going when the White Ones begin to show up around her. She also begins to embrace her differences rather than hide from them.

Also the growth Collin , her and her brother's best friend goes through is very fun to be a part of as he realizes the importance of bringing new information into the colony and wants to explore beyond it even though it is forbidden. With the arrival of the stranger, Trep, Collin becomes fascinated with what is beyond their little valley and is determined to leave, and bring back innovations that will help their community to grow and protect themselves more efficiently. He is also the most willing to accept Trep for who he is and sees that it is a good thing that he came, and tries to convice those in the colony not to be threatened by him Trep's presense. He also realizes how much he is willing to fight for what is important to him, and on top of that list is Kairma. He knows that Naturi is expected to be her mate, but he will not let it be easy for Naturi to take her.

Naturi, has always known he would be the one to stand by Kairma when it came time to take a mate. He has trained all his life to take his place in the healing family and lead the community. It is something he has looked forward to all his life, but when Collin leaves the colony with the stranger, he along with Kairma's brother go with him. While gone he discovers there is more to life than what he expected and he begins to see things differently.

I found the changes and discoveries the characters made fascinating, and was drawn in by each new thing they found about themselves and the world around them. I looked forward to what would happen between Naturi and Collin. I loved how Kairma found that she was ok with who she was and that she could be confident too. I really liked how all the little things play in together to create intrigue and mystery, that make me excited about the next book in the trilogy.

Heir to Power was a fast paced page turner. It drew me into a world that was familiar in many ways, but had so many differences that I wanted to see how they overcame them. I liked the interaction between the many different characters. I found the prejudice over simple things the members of the colony display toward things that are different or unfamiliar. There is suspicion and intrigue brought out. It was nice to see how each character handled the different challenges that came and how growth resulted. I am really excited to see what is in store next in the next book, to see who wins Kairma, Collin or Naturi.

Personally, I hope Collin wins Kairma's hand. He is one of my favorite characters. His independent thinking and strength really called to me. I am keeping my fingers crossed and look forward to the next book to see what happens.

Heir to Power is appropriate for all ages. I didn't want the story to end, and look forward to finding out what happens next. If you want to see what all the excitment is about then you need to get your Copy of Heir to Power right away by clicking here. To learn more about Michele Poague and the things she is working on next, click here to go to her website. You will be glad that you didn't miss out on all the fun.

Disclaimer: While at times I receive copies of books to review, my opinions will always be my own.

Book Revie:The Assassination of Governer Boggs by Rod Miller

2011-12-03T06:00:00.004-07:00

The Assassination of Governor Boggs By Rod Miller is fictional exploration written from the view point of Detective Calvin Pogue who was hired by William Boggs the son of Governor Boggs to find out who shot his father in the head so many years ago, to gain a sense of closure. A name is given as who the family suspects was the gunman. When asked who, one legendary Mormon was named as the shooter, Porter Rockwell.

The cold case takes Pogue across the country, as he interviews various individuals who knew of or had contact with the either the situation or Rockwell himself. Taken from the neutral eyes of Pogue, each character interviewed displays his personal feelings for the situation and their opinion about Rockwell, or Boggs. The venom or unease from either side of the story is clearly evident. And the reader learns how biased some individuals still remained regarding the events of years gone by.

As the case unfolds, Pogue's travels take him to where it all began and then across country to Utah, and eventually to old Porter himself. All ending with an unexpected ending that will leave your heart racing.

I enjoyed learning the different points of view and gaining a better understanding of the events surrounding the shooting of Governor Boggs. The letters, documents, interviews, and journal entries help build the story.

I do wish there was more showing in the story instead of telling about past events through dialogue with different characters. But I did come away from the story with a better sense of what happened during that time frame as told through the experiences of prominent individuals during that period of time.

If you are a lover of early LDS Church History, at a time of turmoil and unrest when great persecution towards the saints was rampant, and if you enjoy those off the beaten path kinds of individuals like Porter Rockwell, then The Assassination of Governor Boggs by Rod Miller is the book for you.

To get your copy click here, then you can step into one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the time period and see if you can determine who really shot Governor Boggs.

Disclaimer: At times I do receive copies of books to review, but my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Bound By Chrisitne Bryant

2011-11-25T06:00:00.002-07:00

Bound By Christine Bryant is a young adult parnaormal romance and the first in The Crystor Trilogy. I have actually had the privelege of reading Bound more than once and can honestly say that I grew to love the characters even more the second time I read it.

Bound starts off with Kira, an average girl who struggles with fitting in, lacks the physical strength to climb that blasted rope in gym and is counting down the days to graduation. She has issues with her mom and her step dad, and finds peace only when she is with her best friend Lydia.

Lydia convinces Kira to go on a photo shoot with her in the mountains and that is when Kira's normal everyday life gets shot to pieces and nothing is the same again. It is when Kira discovers there is more, much more to her best friend of two years. The kinds of things that take Kira by surprise and test the strength of her friendship with Lydia.

Then there is the discovery of Lydia's older brother, Octavian. He is incredibly handsome, super protective and brooding. He confuses Kira with his upredicatable attitude and she doesn't know whatquite to make of him. Then he asks her to make a choice that will forever alter her life and lead her on the path of discovering life beyond the world she knows. To discover mythical creatures, beautiful worlds, evil villians, new found abilities and adventures she never dreamed existed. These things come at a price though. She must leave all she has ever known behind, and never look back, because more than just Kira's life depends on it.

Can Kira make the choice necessary and is she willing to give up what she knows for the hope and promise of something more? As things heat up between her and Octavian, and she finds how deep the bonds of friendship can really go, she learns she is being hunted and she must turn to the two people who would show her what love, family and freindship are all about . All leading up to a climatic ending you won't expect that will leave you begging for more.

But in order for you to find out all the juicy details you have to read Bound! It isn't your regular paranormal romance, there are great surprises waiting inside to be revealed. Christine's imagination is phenomenal and her descriptions are so clear you feel at times you can reach out and feel the cold water rush by, or see the brilliant sky and hear the wind rustle gently in your ear. Not to mention the way she describes her characters. They take on a three dementional life of their own.

I love how Kira learns she is not someone to be easily manipulated or pushed around as she once believed. I think the strength and courage she displays allows one to look into themselves to see where they can make weak things strong within themselves.

I love the bonds of friendship that Lydia and Kira hold strong. That they are willing to move beyond what is expected to create something extraordianary. I love Lydia's loyalty and selflessness to Kira. She always looks for ways to help Kira be who she really is but could never see for herself.

And Octavian is wonderful to read. He is strong and powerful and sometimes callous until he starts to realize his behavior has consequenses. Octavian then fights the warrior inside himself to find the compassion he once possessed. He learns that he can open himself up and not be guarded all the time. I love the changes in him as he remembers who he once was as he strives to bring parts of himself back to balance in with the protective warrior he was forced to become.

I felt the plot has surprising twists and turns that leave you wondering what is going to happen next. I thought it was well played out and that subplots that ran through it supported the over all direction of the story line. I felt that the characters were well developed and grew as they learned and recongnized things about themselves to help them be stronger. I felt that the world of Kira, Lydia and Octavian was beautifully written .

Don't miss out, to find out what happens next and why I read Bound twice (which I don't ever do, until now) click here, here and here to get your own copy. You'll be glad you did. Click here to see Christine's website to learn more about the next exciting book in the Crystor Triogy, Broken, which I am really anxious to get my hands on!

Disclaimer: While I do sometimes receive copies of books to review, my opinions are and will always remain my own!

Whooo Hoo and the Lucky Winner Is????

2011-11-18T19:33:00.005-07:00

I want to say a happy congratulations to the lucky winner of Nora Robert's book, Morrigan's Cross is Kelly Blackwell! Now for a round of applause everyone!

Yippee!!!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Nov Blog Hop hosted by Tristi Pinkston and I'm a Reader not a Writer with me and my friends! It was lots of fun and thanks for all the new friends I have made along the way!! Sorry it took so long to announce the winner.

I look forward to the next fun blog hopping experience.

Book Review: Exiled by RaShelle Workman

2011-11-12T04:00:00.001-07:00

Exiled by RaShelle Workman is a YA Sci-Fi Romance about Venus, a sixteen year old princess who is about to go through a traditional right of passage where she becomes immortal. But before she can begin her journey things go terribly wrong and she falls ill and passes out. She wakes up to find herself accused of things she never did and exiled to Earth, a planet that will kill her in a weeks time.

Luckily, her guardian Zaren followed her, and was given the parameters that will allow her exile to be revoked and allow her to return to her home planet. She must help the earth boy Michael find his soul mate, and true love. Something Venus thinks, given humans volatile emotions, should be easy enough. Except things are not exactly as they seem and humans are unpredictable in what they choose to do. Now the clock is ticking and as Venus grows weaker, she is desperate to help Michael so she can go home to find out who set her up, but will she live long enough to make it happen?

I really loved the concept of the plot and how RaShelle weaves all the intricate sub plots into her story line. I fell hard for her characters and found my self rooting for them. Well the good guys anyway. But I thought she developed a wonderfully evil antagonist as well in Vinny.

I was drawn page after pager deeper into the story and was left in the end wondering what would happen next. I thought Exiled was a swift page turner and look forward to the next book in the series.

So some are rooting Team Zaren or Team Michael. I am rooting for them both, and interested to see how it all falls out as the story goes forward. I don't want to choose sides just yet. But if you want to know what I am talking about then you should hurry and get your copy of Exiled by RaShelle Workman so you can see exactly what I am talking about.

To get your copy of Exiled, click here, so you too can be caught up in the world of Venus and all the intrigue that surrounds her as she accomplishes her mission and discovers things about being human that are both compelling and undeniably fascinating, all while trying to understand the strange new emotions whirling inside her for the first time ever.

You can visit RaShelle's website here, and learn more about Exiled and her other books.

Disclaimer: Although at times I receive copies of books to review, my opinion will always remain my own.

November Blog Hop Give-a-way

2011-11-08T00:00:00.003-07:00

Welcome to the November Blog Hop, where you can visit new blogs and enter to win prizes and have a great time! Come join me and my friends for a lot of fun in this huge November Blog Hop Giveaway, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Tristi Pinkston. Thanks girls!

At the bottom of this post, you'll see a list of participating blogs. Just click on each link, check out the prize, and follow the easy instructions to enter. You can enter on each blog, so it's possible to win multiple times. It's thankfully easy.

On this blog you can win....

A gently used copy of Nora Roberts book Morrigan's Cross Book One of The Circle Triolgy

As a storm rages, the tale begins... of a powerful vampire's lust for destruction~ and of the circle of six charged by the goddess Morrigan to stop her.

To enter, all you need to do is:

1. Become a follower of my blog.

2. Leave a comment and tell me why you would like to win this prize. If your e-mail address isn't visible through your Blogger profile, please also leave it with the comment so I can notify you if you win. You can enter until Midnight of Novemeber 11th.

That's it! You are now entered. Now please go visit all my friends on the list below.

Book Review: No Holly For Christmas By Julie N Ford

2011-11-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

No Holly For Christmas By Julie N Ford was a fast paced suspense romance that captured me on the first page. Attorney Brian McAlister steps into a high profile case when his father becomes seriously ill. As he is nursing a broken heart from a long time love he tries to move on, with little hope of it ever mending. But with the demands of the case he's been assigned there isn't much time to think about the past, especially when Holly Winter a social worker who helped a suspect on the case before his release from the hospital steps on the scene.

In no time, Brian persuades beautiful Holly to help him in his case to lure an escaped con back to the hospital where Holly counseled him through his wound. Before he knows it he is neck deep in protecting Holly and her 2 children and working against the clock to unravel the many disjointed pieces of the case against a high powered wealthy man bent on using any means available to pressure Brian into dropping the case.

Never did Brian expect in the process that he would lose his heart, nor that he would find that what he once believed as black and white truth maybe had some gray tinges to them.

Holly meanwhile is trying to piece her life back together after the unexpected death of her husband less than a year ago which forced the drastic changes to the type of wealthy, organized and orderly life she was accustomed to living. In the process she too finds herself changing her ideas of what is really important in life and with Brian stepping into her life she discovers some changes and bending can be rather nice. Even if it means losing your heart.

I really loved reading this book. I found the characters grew so much and I really liked them and hurt with them. From main to side characters, Julie creates a full and rich world that grabs and holds you tight.

I felt a connection with Holly and could understand that life throws you a curve ball or a hundred and it demands you to look at things in a different way. I liked watching her discover that she could survive and be strong and be more and not have to yield to the dictates of her high class upbringing all the time. She was strong, and confident, but at the same time vulnerable and in some times unsure. It was nice to see the contrasts in her.

I also enjoyed Brian and his take on things. That when all the control in his life slips through his fingers, he learns that maybe that is OK, and that maybe the things he never thought he wanted were exactly what he needed all along. Forcing him to look inside himself at what really matters.

I could not put this book down. I was drawn in by the plot twists and the desire to know who would win, the good guys or the bad guys. I felt the clock ticking down as the climax built until I was on pins and needles wondering how it would all end up. I loved the sub plots and all the build up of the relationship between Holly and Brian.

No Holly For Christmas by Julie N Ford, is a clean read. There is lots of intense sensuality and hinting but it doesn't go beyond that. I was impressed with how well Julie was able to build the romantic steamy tension between Brian and Holly with out going any farther, and I commend Julie on her writing skill. I look forward to reading more from Julie N Ford.

To get your own copy of No Holly For Christmas just in time for the Christmas holiday click here. You can learn more about Julie N Ford by checking out her website here.

disclaimer: While at times I do receive copies of the books I review, my opinion is and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Deep Blue Secret By Christie Anderson

2011-10-24T04:30:00.001-06:00

First of all, I am praying that Christie Anderson is writing a sequel because I am dying to know what happens next! Not that Christie leaves you hanging, just wanting more of her story to continue on.

Deep Blue Secret took you deep into the emotions and frustrations of Sadie James, as she discovers her perfect happy life isn't quite as perfect or happy as she thought it was. It is unusual for her to feel off balance, and uncertain and she tries to understand why she is in tears so often when she is always exhilarated to be alive.

Sadie learns some secrets about herself that surprise and confuse her in her struggle to understand them and the changes her body is going through that at times send her into a panic. All she really wants is to go back to being normal, and not deal with everything. To the happy perfect life she has always known.

But there is the mysterious boy with the brilliant sparkling green eyes that she can't get out of her mind. She sees him at school and feels an instant connection and searches for him everywhere, only to run out of luck. But that doesn't stop her from dreaming of him. Until she finds him again unexpectedly. Or rather he finds her. But the attraction to him only grows stronger each time she meets him, only to find that he is protecting her and watching her, keeping her safe. But why does she need a body guard? Not that she minds considering how gorgeous he is, but still she wants to know the answers as to why she needs protecting, when she is just a regular girl.

I loved reading the developing story between Sadie, and her protector Rayne. The characters were well developed and I liked the way you could feel the confusion and turmoil go through Sadie as she grows and learns more about who she is. Rayne was a dynamic character, who struggles with his own feelings as he watches over Sadie. He is sweet, caring, charismatic, and the kind of guy who makes every heart beat a little faster when he shows how tender he is with Sadie. I thought the sensual tension between the two was strong, and really really wanted more than the teasing the author gave. Christie created strong ties and bonds between Sadie and Rayne and the yearning they felt for each other was palpable.

Christie had strong secondary characters that really leap from the page in their personalities. They were fun to see interact with Sadie, and to see how she handled their antics was fun. With her friend Heather and the boys Justin and Nick and their crazy antics.

The villain in Deep Blue Secret, Voss, was dark and definitely dangerous. My heart beat faster on his parts of the story. The author was able to capture his sinister nature perfectly and I wanted to know more about him and his purposes, why he was so evil, why he so desperately needed to break out of prison and wanted more interaction with him in the story. He is one of those villains you love to hate. The kind that stays with you when the story is finished. He was a very compelling character.

I also wanted more of Ash, Rayne's best friend. I wanted to know more about him and how he and Rayne became such good friends when they were so different from each other. And what is the depth of that friendship, in the midst of strain.

I would classify Deep Blue Secret by Christie Anderson as a Y/A paranormal romance. It is a clean read appropriate for ages 10 and up. It starts a little slow, building you up to unexpected events that leave you anticipating more.

Check out the really cool trailer here.You can learn more about Christie at her website here. To get your copy click here!

disclaimer: Although at times I receive copies of the books I review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

And The Winner Is....

2011-10-22T19:10:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to congratulate and say WHOO HOO! Yippee Yay, to Chris Jensen, who is lucky number 10! Yay!! I am so excited that you won Geralyn Dawson's contempary romance Give Him the Slip.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the October Blog Hop give away. I hope you all come back for another chance to win in the November blog hop give away, that is just a few weeks away!

I am having a great time being doing blog hops, who new you could meet so many wonderful and interstesting new people in a blog hop. Thanks again Tristi Pinkston, for sponsering this blog hop give away and the one coming in November.

Birthday Month Is Now Over

2011-10-20T13:13:00.006-06:00

What is Birthday Month? In our house it is the time between Sept 16 and Oct 17. Why is that? Because in our family we have 4 birthdays in that time. My youngest Camilla turned 8 on the 16th of Sept. My oldest son, Michael turned 18 on the 26th of Sept. My oldest daughter Breanna, turned 21 on the 6th of Oct. And my second oldest son Christian turned 16 on the 17th of Oct. It is a crazy time that leads into the holidays, but it is fun too!

And in the middle of it all our youngest daughter decided to get baptized into our church too, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Yes! I am a Mormon.

So that meant that we got to have my two oldest children fly home to be with us and have the entire family together, my mom even came. It was wonderful, and way to short at the same time. Only 3 days. But I will take 3 days with all 7 of my living children together every chance I get!

Even though birthday month is over, it is still time to look forward to celebrations that are coming up. There is Halloween that leads right into Nanowrimo, (for writers), then Thanksgiving and Christmas. I get the chance to sit back and see my wonderful children and know I am so happy to have such a great family. And to tie it all in and make it even more wonderful is the knowledge tath I get to share it everything my amazing hubby of 23 years, Brent.

Book Review: Sleight of Hand by Deanne M Blackhurst

2011-10-17T21:11:00.008-06:00

Is it possible to con your way out of hell? Fifty-two year old Daniel Cabrero hinks so
and why wouldn’t he? That’s how he spent his entire life. But Jonah his spirit guide has
reasons of his own for making sure Daniel pays for all the suffering and misery he’s
caused others. Still sometimes people can change, and maybe Daniel can keep his son
from following in the same path.

In Sleight of Hand by Deanne M Blackhurst Daniel Cabrero finds himself in Wasteland after he dies trying to pull off a huge scheme. At first things in Wasteland seems great but soon it becomes his own personal Hell and his guide Jonah, tries to help him adjust to his new home. But Daniel was a pretty self absorbed guy who sought his own interests and pleasures regardless of who was left hurt.

Sleight of Hand pulled me right in and I found myself relating with the character, even rooting for him as he chose to make some very difficult decisions while in Wasteland. I felt that in spite of his extreme wickedness and the revelation of his debauchery, that I wanted him to change for the better and even found myself wishing he could go back and change the results of his actions. I liked how Deanne showed the consequences of Daniel's decisions. Often he felt his choices were inconsequential, but discovered they had lasing impact long after he was gone. Deanne Blackhurst showed me why Daniel ended up in Wasteland. For me going along for the ride as Daniel discovers things about himself long buried and forgotten that are hard for him to face was fascinating.

Daniel decides to face his own demons and in doing so he evolves. The things Daniel experiences is developed in such a way that I wanted to know what would happen next, and at times I felt my stomach drop in anticipation. Deanne was able to write a believable character. I was impressed by how well developed Daniel was and the nuances of his personality that are often left out were there. I thought it very revealing to learn how he evolved into the man who ended up in Wasteland, and felt compelled to take that journey with him, to see what he would make of the entire experience in the end. Thought Daniel's character evolved and the idea of redemption and growth while waiting for a final decision was appealing.

I really enjoyed Sleight of Hand, and found myself lost in the book. I was drawn into the plot line and how it would surface in unexpected place or experience that Daniel would re experience. I I felt like I was an active participant at times when the scene leapt to life off the page. I found myself wondering what it would be like go through some of Daniel's experiences as journey bloomed to life as I read and could feel some of the intense things Daniel experienced. It was fascinating to see how Deanne developed the workings of the after life. I liked how the story ended, and was left wanting more, hoping to see what would become of Daniel after the last page was finished.

This was a fast read, that had your eyes eating up the pages. To get your copy of Sleight of Hand By Deanne M Blackhurst click here. You don't want to miss out!

Disclaimer: At times I receive copies of books to review, but my opinions remain my own.

OCTOBER BLOG HOP

2011-10-13T04:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the October Blog Hop, where you can visit new blogs, enter to win prizes, and have a great time!

At the bottom of this post, you'll see a list of participating blogs. Just click on each link, check out the prize, and follow the easy instructions to enter. You can enter on each blog, so it's possible to win multiple times. It's frighteningly easy.

On this blog, you can win ...

Geralyn Dawson's contempary romance Give Him the Slip.

Maddie Kincaid thought she'd left trouble behind when she settled into peaceful Brozos Bend. DEA Agent Luke Callahan just settled into his much needed fishing vacation, and the last thing he needs on his line is a stowaway with secrets and a killer on her trail.

To enter, all you need to do is:

1. Become a follower of my blog.

2. Leave a comment on this post and tell me why you'd like to win this prize. If your e-mail address isn't visible through your Blogger profile, please also leave it with the comment so I can notify you if you win. You can enter until midnight MST on Saturday night, October 15th.

That's it! You are now entered. Now please go visit all my friends on the list below. It's almost like trick or treating!

October Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston
2. I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
3. Bonnie Harris
4. Michael D. Young
5. Misty Moncur
6. Debbie Davis
7. Mandi Tucker Slack
8. Mary Ann Dennis
9. Deanna Henderson
10. Laura Bastian
11. Kristy Tate

12. Kristy Wilson
13. Jennifer Debenham
14. Jenny Moore
15. Elizabeth Hughes
16. J. Lloyd Morgan
17. Close Encounters with the Night Kind
18. Billy Boulden
19. Scott Bryan
20. Maria Hoagland
21. Shirley Bahlmann
22. Shelly Brown

23. Marcy Howes
24. Lynnea Mortensen
25. Jaclyn M. Hawkes
26. Diane Stringam Tolley
27. Gail Zuniga
28. Betsy Love
29. iWriteNetwork
30. Canda's InkBlast
31. Stacy Coles

Learn more about October Blog Hop here.
View More October Blog Hop Participants
Get The Code

Book Review: The Outer Edge of Heaven

2011-10-09T21:04:00.005-06:00

I have just one thing to say about Jaclyn M. Hawkes book The Outer Edge of Heaven! I absolutely love, Love, LOVE it!

Okay, really, I actually do have more to say about it. . .

I never wanted The Outer Edge of Heaven to end, and when it did, I wanted more. I could not get enough of this story. It was so well written and the characters so well developed that they were three dimensional. The plot was laced with intrigue and anticipation, not to mention lots of humor and butterfly inducing events. And besides, who can resist a gorgeous hunky cowboy or two?

Charlie(Charlene) is tired of being bullied by her high society influential parents and makes the decision to go with her best friend, Fo to his cousin's ranch in Montana for the summer to escape them. She looks forward to the opportunity to work there and finds that she loves learning the little ins and outs of ranch life and falls in love with the Big Sky Country.

While there she finds that there is a lot to love about the Langston Family, and feels more at home and at peace than she has in a long time in spite of all the dysfunctional craziness that comes with it. It all adds up to lots of great adventures, and some unexpected surprises, especially one in the form of Fo's gorgeous cousin Luke Langston.

While at the ranch Charlie learns that she doesn't more about what it is she really wants in life and finds that it doesn't match up with the path her parents have chosen for you. But instead of running and hiding from them as she has in the past, Charlie struggles to find a way to stand up for herself, all while chasing baby pigs, a bunch of impetuous kids and discovering that she has lost her heart in more than one way to a Big Montana Ranch all while fighting to escape a lurking danger.

This story kept me turning pages as fast as I possibly could. I couldn't read it fast enough to find out what happened next. I was up all night reading, I honestly couldn't help myself. I was so wrapped up in the characters, the story line and the laugh out loud humor that it was impossible to put down. Each page lured me further on into the depth of the story. Unexpected surprises popped up as well as comical out takes that made reading The Outer Edge of Heaven a pure delight!

This is a must read! Treat yourself to a great time. You won't regret it! I highly recommend this book if I were a 5 star rating kind of girl, this book would get 6!~ I am a sucker for a romance and this one delivered and then some.

So what are you waiting for? Get your copy of The Outer Edge of Heaven by Jaclyn M Hawkes click here. And lose yourself on the Langston Ranch for a while. The smile that will soon be on your face will be worth it!

Disclaimer: While I sometimes receive books to review, my opinions are and always will be my own!

Book Review: Indelible by Lani Woodland

2011-10-05T18:28:00.008-06:00

Indelible by Lani Woodland is the much anticipated second book in the Yara Silva Trilogy. It isa Y/A paranomal romance, with plenty of ghostly action. Yara and Brent are back again at Pendrell Academy with their friends for their senior year. Things are going to go different this year, with the the capture of Thomas the villainous ghost, and the Curse broken they have nothing to fear. But that is when all the fun begins. When Yara discovers things about herself she never understood or knew she could do as a Waker. Someone with the ability to see and talk to ghosts. She finds that after coming back from the dead she has more than just a few fears she must confront and some new enemies both living and dead she must contend with. Brent her boyfriend must also battle his own demons and it ultimately comes down toYara making a life or death decision that will alter her life forever.

I loved Indelible, it was fast paced amazing thrill ride, that had me on the seat of my pants wondering what would happen next in the unexpected twists and turns along the way. Just when you think you have it figured out, you find another convaluted layer in the plot to untangle, and wonder how in the world can they make it through. And if you read Lani's first book Intrinsical, you know impossible sacrificial decisions must be made that can't possibly be chosen will be found in Indelible as well.

I fell in love with Yara, Brent, Steve and Cheri all over again, and welcomed the added depth of Vovo, Yara's Grandma. I felt the plot was rich and intricately woven as all the subplots intermixed through out the book weaving back and forth through the over all theme. The depth of character development made them leap to life off the page, and feel as if they could walk into your room or astral project in front of you at any time. I felt that this second story is vital to the overall story that so many things happen with in the story line you cannot skip reading it.

This ghost story adds extra elements of surprise that will keep your eyes flying across the page until the wee hours of the morning, as you bite your fingernails in nervous anticipation of how it will all turn out. But be sure to keep the lights on, because this ghost story will have you pulling the covers over your head if you aren't careful. But I promise you will be glad that you stuck through until the last satisfying page, which will leave you anticipating the next installment of the Yara Silva Trilogy. But as I found with Indelible, it will definitely be worth the wait.

Lani Woodland's book Indelible is a must read! It is appropriate for all ages and is a clean read. It teaches you that everyone deserves second chances and that hope always out weights all else. That the bonds of love and friendship are strongest when put to the test. In addition Lani was also the photographer for the cover as well! Beautiful isn't it?

To learn more about Lani, visit her website here, and her blog here. Click here for your own copy of Indelible, I promise you will be glad you did and besides it's October, what better time for a ghost story, right?

Disclaimer: While at times I do recieve copies of books to review, my opinions are and will always be my own!

Book Review: The Alias by Mandi Tucker Slack

2011-10-01T00:19:00.009-06:00

The Way I See It:The Alias by Mandy Slack was a fast paced story about a lady name Jayce Grayson who is forced to go into hiding to protect both herself and her young son from her ex-husband. As if that isn't enough, FBI agents show up at her door one day asking her about her ex-husband business dealings and her part int it. Concerned that if the FBI can find her, then her ex-husband can, she makes a desperate move to take on someone else's identity and steps into life as them in order to buy some time.

Little did Jayce realize the deep impact the loving, welcoming LDS family has on her heart and her conscience. And for the first time in her life she feels accepted and part of a real family. Guilt builds inside her as a result of her deception, but she can't help but notice that her withdrawn and sullen son is perking back to life and acting like any nine year old boy should. She finds peace and a sense of security in the open arms of the McCoy's.

And then things begin to narrow as Jacey must find a way ensure her son's safety even if it means the possibility of her own death, she will do whatever is necessary to protect him. And she must rely on others to help her, something she doesn't do well.

I found this story to be fun and filled with unexpected dips and turns. Some things caught me off guard and at times I was worried and really afraid for the outcome of the characters and wondered how things would all end. I really couldn't be 100% sure until the end of the story. I loved the build in tension as Mandi weaves all the player's parts together through a timeline of events that lead to the surprising conclusion.

I liked how Mandi handled the delicate subject of an abused spouse in hiding. The way this story reveals what happened and how Jayce learned to stand for herself in the face of someone who once held great trust in her heart was wonderfully done. I came away from this story with such hope when Jacey was able to find strength within herself to do what she needed to do no matter the cost to herself. That she was more than she ever realized and that growth is shown through Jacey's emotions and how she is able to confront demons from her past head on.

I loved the way you felt the countdown race to the climax and a sense of not knowing the outcome for sure, made the race that much more desperate.

I enjoyed watching the different journeys of side characters as they learn great things about them selves and the strength they have to over come their darkest hours. I loved seeing that magnificence inside them shine and blossom through the course of the book.

This adventurous story is a story is a clean read that I recommend to children 11 and older, because of some of the descriptions of violent events that occur with the main character.

To get your own copy of The Alias by Mandi Tucker Slack click here. Click on the e-book edition and note that the e-book option is only $3.99, which is an excellent price for an LDSe-book, of course paper copies are available as well.

You can also check out more great things about the book The Alias by Mandi Tucker Slack by clicking here to check out here website.

Disclaimer: While at times I do receive copies of the books I review; the opinions expressed are and will always remain my own.

Book Review : The Key of Kilenya By Andrea Pearson

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

I am excited to get the chance to review Andrea Pearson's new book THE KEY OF KILENYA. I love her amazing imagination and still wonder how she was able to come up with so many fantastic creatures and detail to scenery and location as she wove her story together. I was in awe at how well she developed them to the smallest detail.

Synopsis:
When two vicious wolves chase fourteen-year-old Jacob Clark down a path from our world into another, his life is forever changed. He has no idea they have been sent by the Lorkon—evil, immortal beings who are jealous of powers he doesn’t know he possesses—powers they desire to control.The inhabitants of the new world desperately need Jacob's help in recovering a magical key that was stolen by the Lorkonand is somehow linked to him. If he helps them, his life will be at risk. But if he chooses not to help them, both our world and theirs will be in danger. The Lorkon will stop at nothing to unleash the power of the key—and Jacob's special abilities.

My take:
This story is about a 14 year old boy named Jacob who has lived his entire life in the shadow of his older brother Matt. Matt is Jacob's hero and in Jacob's mind, Matt is everything he isn't. Popular, courageous, easy going, smart, athletic and the list goes on. It is about how Jacob comes to find out for himself that he is every thing his older brother is and more. As he discovers this, he is able to move himself out of his brother's shadow by being forced to shine in the light on his own as he learns to rely on his own wit, skills and abilities that require him to be all the things Matt is in the face of real dangers.

I love how Jacob learns to have confidence in himself and that as he learns about who he is and what he can accomplish he realizes how much he has to offer and that even though he still admires his brother, he is now more on equal footing with him by the end of the story. I love the self discovery he goes through and the feelings of doubt he overcomes as he meets each new obstacle.

This is a perfect book for all ages! It is entertaining and filled with great mystical beings from another world. Andrea takes great care to paint the picture of this new land with words and the images pop vividly in your mind, as you can see in technicolor the world and creatures she has created. It was fun to see what new things Jacob would run into along the way of finding the Key or new obstacle he would have to figure a way to overcome, and sometimes it was one and the same.

This is a great book to read as a family together, or to spend a few hours alone just immersed in another world. It is clean and fun and full of great perilous adventures that keep you wondering to the end how will certain things turn out, only to find you must wait until the next exciting installment of the series. I love Andrea's amazing imagination and how she created a unique world that was fun to explore with Jacob. I know you will enjoy the fun as well.

Hurry and get your copy of Andrea Pearson's The Key of Kilenya by clicking here. And check out Andrea's website here to learn more about her great series!

Disclaimer: while I sometimes receive copies of books to review, my opinions are and will always be my own.

And the lucky winner is....

2011-09-26T21:32:00.005-06:00

Thank you everyone who participated it the Sept hop give away with me! It was my first give away and it was so much fun to be a part of it and now I get to announce the lucky winner of Debbie Macomber's book One Night. Are you ready??

Big Pause . . . and now the applause please!! clap clap clap

It is lucky number 27! In a random drawing this was the number chosen. Alright everyone shout out WHOO HOO!! Yippe Yay!

Brendajean! Congratulations on winning the book you were lucky number 27! I will be emailing you on how to get it to you.

I am so excited to have so many new faces and freinds on Blogger Thank you agian for joining me! Look for the next fun blog hop coming in Oct. It promises to be full of great fun too!

Fantastic Sept Blog Hop!

2011-09-22T13:26:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the September Blog Hop! Celebrate the beginning of fall with me and my blogger friends by hopping around, visiting our sites, and entering our contests! There are no limits - you can enter the contest on every blog. With over 40 blogs participating, that's over 40 prizes you could win. Just click on the links below to move on to the next blog.

On my blog, you can win …

A copy of New York Time's best selling authro Debbie Macomber's book One Night

Would you like to win this prize? You just need to do two things.

1. Become a follower of this blog.

2. Leave me a comment in the trail and tell me why you'd like to win this prize.

That's it! You are now entered. The contest ends on Saturday night, September 24th, at midnight MST, and the winner will be contacted shortly thereafter. Please either leave your e-mail address in the comment trail or make sure it's visible through your profile so I can contact you to tell you that you're the lucky winner.

Now go visit my other friends ...

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author

2. Joyce DiPastena

3. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

4. Mandi Slack

5. Michael D. Young

6. Six Mixed Reviews

7. Pam Williams

8. Laurie Lewis

9. Kristy Tate

10. Marilyn Yarbrough

11. Stacy Coles

12. Kristie Ballard

13. Lynn Parsons

14. Pushing Past the Pounds

15. Sheila Staley

16. cindy Hogan

17. Jamie Thompson

18. Jaclyn Weist

19. Cathy Witbeck

20. Secret Sisters Mysteries

21. Tamera Westhoff

22. Tina Scott

23. Lynnea Mortensen

24. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan

25. Jeanette A. Fratto

26. Bonnie Harris

27. Melissa Lemon

28. Mary Ann Dennis

29. Stephanie Black

30. Jane Still

31. Janice

32. Laura Bastian

33. Tamara Bordon

34. Betsy Love

35. Maria Hoagland

36. Amber Robertson

37. Debbie Davis

38.

39. Christy Monson

40. Carolyn Frank

41. Rebecca Birkin

42. Melissa Cunningham

43. Emily L. Moir

44. Ronda Hinrichsen

45. Lisa Asanuma

46. Joan Sowards

47. Jordan McCollum

48. Diane Stringam Tolley

Learn more about September Blog Hop here.

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Book Review: Modern Sorcery By Gary Jonas

2011-09-21T10:30:00.007-06:00

Today I get to review Modern Sorcery By Gary Jonas. I really enjoyed this book, it hooked me hard and fast and I couldn't stop reading it.

Synopsis

Magic can be deadly...

When Private Investigator Jonathan Shade's ex-lover walks into his Denver office asking him to prove her father didn't commit the murder that dozens of witnesses saw and security cameras captured, Shade finds himself in the thick of magical intrigue. In a world where evil warlocks refuse to die, magically engineered assassins deal merciless death and ancient myths aren't quite so mythical, only Shade and his sexy partner, Kelly, can stop a power-hungry sorcerer from taking over the world.

Too bad Shade doesn't have any magic.

My thoughts

I loved Modern Sorcery by Gary Jonas! I couldn't put it down once I started. I read all night long and then I borrowed my friend's kindle to finish it the next day since I didn't want to lug my lap top with me everywhere I needed to go. But I would have if necessary. I didn't want to stop reading, I had to find out what happened next!

There was a ton of great action, lots of funny banter, an amazingly evil villain, (Gotta love those) and a handsome, butt-kicking, dynamic hero. (Gotta love those even more!) But then let's not forget the unexpected twists and turns and laugh out loud moments that ease the tension at just the right time. I want more Jonathan Shade and Kelly Chan fight scenes and interaction and quick shots at each other I just couldn't get enough.

I thought the mix of magic and mythology was blended masterfully. The plot and sub plots pulled you along page by page and it was easy to be caught up in Jonathan's world. Character development was three dimensional and you felt as if you knew each one personally. I want to know what happens next for Sharon, Kelly, Ester and Jonathan, I want to know how the magical world collides with mythology and the mundane world in the next book, I just want more!

Modern Sorcery read so fast and the details were so vivid that it was as if it all played out in real life before me. I was surprised by the ending that I didn't see coming, and didn't want the story to end. I look forward with great anticipation to more Modern Sorcery adventures in this exciting new series, and can't wait for more of Jonathan Slade's action packed punches with his unique touch of sly humor.

You can get your copy of Modern Sorcery by Gary Jonas by clicking here to get the ebook, paper back copies will be available in Oct. Hurry you don't want to miss out on the adventure!

When did it happen?

2011-09-19T23:43:00.004-06:00

I want to know when it happened that I became old enough for my youngest child to turn eight years old? Who gave her permission to grow up? I certainly didn't, she was supposed to stay my baby forever, well at least until I told her she could move beyond that stage when I was good and ready. But she didn't ask permission at all, she just did. And now she is going to be baptized and she is so excited about it. But what is even better is that she can't wait for her oldest sister to come home and share in the celebration with two of her brothers who have birthdays over the next 30 days.

Fun you say? Sure! Especially when you consider that from Sept 16th until Oct 17th it is one birthday after another, it isn't hard to imagine. Some how we managed to have 4 birthdays 10 days apart...one on Sept 16th, then Sept 18th, then Oct 6th and then to big finale on Oct 17th. Then to round all the fun off we have Halloween.

But the worst part of my baby turning 8, is that her older sister will be turning 21. I cannot allow that~! It isn't supposed to happen, especially since I refuse to believe I am old enough to have a daughter who is 21! Why you say? Because I still feel like a teenager! I still feel just like I did when I was a teenager, and don't feel like I am any older. So when did it happen?

I think instead I will take a page from my hubby's book of life, where he says, "I refuse to grow up and grow old! Age is only a state of mind, and I choose to stay young!" I am 100% on board with that ideology!

So my kids may grow up and older, but I refuse too. I will still dance around my house and sing at the top of my lungs to the top 40 songs, I will still get in tickle and wrestling fights with my husband and kids, I will still be goofy and funny, just for the sake of making some one laugh. And talk in funny accents until my kids roll their eyes. Why? Because it is way too much fun not too!

Life is too short to take too seriously! So let the party begin! The month long celebration of four of my eight kids! WHoo Hooo!!!

Check out this Contest for Fall By Jennifer Hurst

2011-09-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I posted about how much I loved FALL a paranormal romance written by Jennifer Hurst. Today I want to give you the fun and exciting details of the contest itself and how you can win some pretty fun things.

Here's How It Works!

In conjunction with this blog tour, Jennifer is holding a contest. It will involve any of the blogs that Jennifer visits or where her book is featured and will close on December 31st, 2011. The entrants have to answer three questions about the book they’ve read (bought, borrowed, or stolen - shame on you) and post a link to Jennifer's website on their Twitter, Facebook, or blog (need link for verification). Then the names will be entered in a random name picker generator (http://textmechanic.com/Random-Line-Picker.html) and announced on Jennifer's website (http://www.fabulousreads.blogspot.com/www.jenniferhurst.com) on January 31st, 2012. The winner will receive a gift certificate for a night’s stay at the actual bed and breakfast where the story takes place. Other prizes include an autographed copy of FALL, and she will randomly select 3 contestants’ names to use in the sequel to FALL. Plus, they will receive a free copy of that book when it is published. Each blog that Jennifer Hurst visits will have a different set of questions people can answer, and they may enter as many times as they want - but they can enter once per blog site that they visit. So the more sites you visit, the more you can enter your name, thus increasing your chances of winning the gift certificate, a copy of the book FALL, and your name in the sequel.

Get the book, read the book, and then read over the questions below. Once you have your answers, e-mail them to Jennifer. fall.jenniferhurst@gmail.com

Your privacy is respected and your email address will NOT be used for anything but the contest. Once the contest is over - your email address will be deleted from the database.

Here are the questions for you to answer:

What kind of bird did JD eat for Thanksgiving?
What did the delivery man forget when he delivered the office trailer?
What did JD take with her to go camping with Matthew?

If you would like to visit the other sites, go here for the master list of all participating sites: http://fallbyjenniferhurst.wordpress.com/

Best of luck, and thanks for participating!

So what are you waiting for? Grab your self a copy of Fall ~details and links on my previous posting and get to it! Don't miss out on the fun! Cuz believe me when I say, I am all over this contest!

Book Review: Fall By Jennifer Hurst

2011-09-15T00:52:00.010-06:00

Synopsis of Fall By Jennifer Hurst:
Women and construction shouldn't mix. At least, that is what the client, Mr. Blackwell, thinks when Twenty-one year old Julia Dayle Halstead is promoted to project manager to remodel a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse into a bed and breakfast. However, the schoolhouse contains a secret. And it wants out.

Construction is in Julia's blood, so when she is promoted to Project Manager to renovate a turn-of-the-century school house in a bed and breakfast, she has high hopes of proving herself in the male-dominated construction industry.But Julia discovers there is more to managing a construction project than just contracts and budgets - especially when she meets Matthew Rigo, the demolition contractor who seems bound and determined to cross the lines Julia has imposed. Vandalism and other unexplainable occurrences beset the project, leading Julia to believe there is much more to the school house than she first realizes. Something is inside the hundred year old school house, and it wants out. Is Julia the key to its release? And are Matthew and Nathan what they appear to be?

My Thoughts:
I am so excited to review FALL a clean paranormal romance By Jennifer Hurst. If you love gorgeous brooding men and amazing strong female characters who know how to use power tools, then you will love Fall! I loved this book from the moment I read the first sentence. It grabbed me by my boots and took me on a wonderful roller coaster ride, that left me begging for more. I could not put this book down. I was so drawn to it. As a matter of fact, I tried put it down half way so I could attend to other matters and it pulled me back, and before I realized it, I finished Fall! The only thing that I could say could be better about it would be that there was more to read. I was so sad to see it end. But it makes me super excited for the sequel!

Jennifer's characters are strongly developed, and three dimensional. She knows how to weave a story filled with unexpected twists and turns that are unpredictable. All the subplots bring your curiosity level high and leave you anticipating what happens next. I loved how distinct and rich the characters feel. It was as if I was watching a live action movie and dreading the closing credits.

I want more of Matthew, more of Nathan, and more of JD. I loved the pull of good verses evil in this story and felt the fight for JD'ssoul as brothers Nathan and Matthew choose sides and use JD as the pawn between them. I thought it was clever to renovate and make it a central hub for otherworldly activity. I felt that all the story arcs were fun and brought new depths to the story.

I highly encourage you to get your copy of Fall as soon as possible. I know you won't be disappointed, I am shouting it out to all my friends that they have to check this book by Jennifer Hurst. She blew my socks off and I applaud her fun, skillful, and unpredictable story tell, and anxiously look forward to more Matthew, Nathan, and JD, I am dying to know what will happen next!

Hurry, click here to get your own e-copy of Fall, or go here for other purchase options. I promise you will NOT be disappointed. Click here to see my review on Amazon.

Click here to access Jennifer's web page to learn more about all things Jennifer and put your answers in for the FABULOUS contest she is running. Check back tomorrow for the questions and rules for the contest.

Disclaimer: while I sometimes receive books to review, my opinions will always remain my own.

Book Review: All Diets Work By Jen Brewer, RD

2011-09-06T00:00:00.001-06:00

Today I get the great chance to review a wonderful book by Jen Brewer, called All Diets Work. For me, being in the health field and researching and going off and on a ton of different diets, I was wondering what this book might hold if anything important. I am a certified group exercise instructor and I have helped lots of people lose weight. And let's be honest, I have lost my fair share of weight my self, who hasn't?

But as I read through this book, I found that is was easy to understand, not like some books where the chemical process of how your body works on a macrobiotic level becomes so scientific it is beyond understanding unless you have a degree in Chemistry. There is so much good solid information in All Diets Work that I encourage everyone to be sure they have a copy to use for their families, if not for themselves.

I loved they way it was structured and how Jen takes you by the hand and helps you understand everything and the ease of it all in simple terms. I enjoyed the basics, the reasons your body does what it does, all the common sense and amazing strategies as well as the personal success stories and charts to use on your journey. There are 25 tools she gives you to help you stop dieting and start losing weight for good. She even included recipes to help along the way.

I was amazed at how fast I read this book and found that I loved it. I highly recommend that anyone who is struggling with those last few pounds or a hundred pounds to lose, to pick this book up and utilize it. It will help you to achieve your goals in a way that makes sense and can be fun. I encourage you to also to click here and visit Jen's website where there is more information and tools and recipes to use and you can get your own copy. Or click here and get your copy at amazon.com I promise you it will be one of the best purchases you will ever make, and you won't regret it!

Disclaimer: While I do at times receive copies of the books I review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Book Review: The Latter Rain by James M Conis

2011-08-30T05:00:00.000-06:00

The Latter Rain by James M Conis is a great book for those who want to gain a better understanding of the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. The full full title, The Latter Rain Using the Book of Isaiah as the Key to Unlock Bible Prophecies That are Relevant Today explores the types and symbols in Isaiah and strives to bring better understanding of what they mean for us in this day and age and how we can apply those teachings into our lives.

The word rain in the title of the book, is used to symbolize God's communication with man. Traveling through the rich rains of the Old and New Testament times when God's prophet's were prevalent on the earth. Then moves to the time of drought when there was no communication through a living prophet,up to today with the Latter rain or communication.

Through out the book, Mr. Conis invites the reader to utilize the tool of prayer as they go through the book to ask about the things taught. This way the reader has their own testimony of what is being said, and doesn't go by Mr. Conis's words alone. This helps the reader to learn to listen to the communications of the spirit and teaches them to recognize what that sounds like to them. And brings to mind one way God interacts with his his children today.

Mr. Conis walks us through many different aspects of The Old Testament beyond just Isaiah as well. Working us through the Old and New Testament teachings and bring it to relevance for us today.

I enjoy reading the scriptures and learning from them, but I will admit that Isaiah has left me stumped a time or two. I really liked the easy way that Mr. Conis presents his points about Isaiah. I felt as if he was in the room with me, kicking back on the couch conversing and explaining his take about the scriptures of Isaiah with me. The points that were made were easy to understand and I could see what he wanted me to learn, and although were a few things that his view differ from mine, I felt that the over all message was clear and would help anyone understand the difficult to understand teachings of ancient prophets. He broke down symbols and types and explained them in a way that any one could understand. And showed why they were important and what it meant for us in today's world.

I really liked that the scriptures being referenced to were included in the book itself. It made it so much easier to know what was being talked about with out having to look it up or pull my scriptures out and search for the references. They were already there, which made the flow of reading and understanding that much better.

I am grateful that Mr. Conis would share his insights and knowledge which makes the sometimes difficult task of understanding ancient scripture that much easier to grasp. If you would like to get your own copy of The Latter Rain click here to visit the website and type in the promo code Tour when you check out and receive 20% off. Pretty sweet deal!

You can also purchase your copy here at Amazon.

Disclaimer: While I do at times receive copies of the books I review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Double Deceit By Stephanie Humphreys

2011-08-19T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today I get to review Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphreys. It is a LDS suspense novel with plenty of twists and turns that keep you wondering if what you think is going to happen actually will.

Back Blurb:
Someone is watching . . .
As a young widow, all Elaina Bryant wants is a fresh start. Determined to put ten painful years behind her, she returns to her hometown and moves in with her sister, Natalie. Elaina soon accepts a job working at a small bookstore owned by the handsome Ryan Hill and his mother. Despite her reluctance to become romantically involved with anyone, she is drawn to Ryan and finds herself falling in love.

But someone isn’t happy with Elaina’s new life and is watching her every move. Her tormentor seems determined to destroy her sanity and her future, but Elaina can’t convince anyone the threat is real. Natalie is preoccupied with her own blossoming romance, and their friend Peter, a police officer, seems to believe the threat has been manufactured in Elaina’s own mind as a result of her guilt and grief.

Now Elaina’s plans for a new start are crashing down around her. She knows she will have to find the answers before she can overcome the past and enjoy love and happiness again. But how can she protect those she loves when she doesn’t know whom to trust?

My thoughts:
Double Deceit is one of those books that when you pick it up you know that you are going to want to know the end right away. The challenge of course is not to peak to see if all your guesses and deductions are correct. For me I will admit that I succumbed to the temptation. And wanted to see what happened, but it didn't ruin the story for me. I still had to find out how things got to the final conclusions.

Stephanie does a great job of building suspense and leave you guessing, and wondering if what you think is the truth is actually the truth after all. I was surprised along the way to find how certain characters reacted in certain situations. And at times I wanted a different outcome, but still it was fun to see how all the little plot twists and turns culminated in the end.

I like watching Elaina's growth through the story as she found that she could be stronger than she realized and take her life back and control the outcome. I liked that she realized how important it is to rely on others and that she learned how to reach out to others when she needed them. I liked that the other characters in the story had their flaws they had to overcome as well, and weren't just there to support the main character.

I also enjoyed how well Stephanie could make the images jump from the page. I had a clear picture of what was going on in my mind the entire time, from the forests to the city and even the details of the little book store was vivid in my mind.

I felt for Elaina and the difficult experiences she faced to the point that she even began to doubt herself. I wanted to comfort her and tell her she would make it through her trials.

Double Deceit is a book I would have not issues with my children reading. It is appropriate for ages 12 on up. And it is a clean read. There is plenty of mystery and a bit of fun romance along the way. To get your copy of Double Deceit click here.

Stephanie is running a really fun contest on her blog to go along with her book tour. Please click here to see what all the excitement is about and to learn more about Stephanie and her other accomplishments and books.

Disclaimer: While I do at times receive copies of the books I review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

My 23rd Anniversary and Goal Results

2011-08-03T17:31:00.006-06:00

Here is a super quick flash on how I did this month with my goals! It is my Anniversary after all and so I need to be about celebrating it with my honey!! But first a brief check in on how my goal results turned out.

So I got in 3 posts a week for a month, counting this one~ since I started on the 4th of July, I think that's fair. It was fun to post so much!

I got my writing goals accomplished. I even slightly modified I achieved what I set out to do! Yahoo!

And as for adding followers, I got 25 plus new followers this month but fell short of my goal of 100 by 16. But that is ok, I plan to get them soon enough. If any one has any cool ideas on how to do this, please I am all for hearing them.

I ran out of time to work on my blog that way when I spent a week visiting my family. They wanted a lot of my time and were jealous of my computer and on line time either on my blog or on my WIP or on email. OH well!! No biggie.

So I need to devise some new goals for the month of Aug and when I do, I will let you know what they are! If you have any goals that you are looking to achieve, let me hear about them and we can spend the month of Aug working on them together!

Road Trip!!

2011-07-31T10:51:00.005-06:00

So I am off, in my huge Van...no not mini van, my 15 passenger with 3 kids, to drive across country for 8 plus hours today. And no it's not as laid back as the car's van. Wish me luck, that there will be no arguing kids, and no crazy drivers ( oh, wait, that's me) and that I make it back in one solid piece with my sanity still intact.

It's a beautiful day, and I'm hoping to not get too tired since I have a tendency to lull to sleep in a car. I have ever since I was little. And with no relief driver, I will have to hop my self up on unearthly amounts of caffeine and sugar to keep awake... but then the screaming kids should help out too, right?

So time for great adventures across the continental divide! Colorado here I come, see ya in a while Utah! But either way I look at it, I still have the mountains!

Come Check out my Friend Tristi's newest book!!!!

2011-07-30T08:59:00.002-06:00

I have something very fun to share today! My dear friend and author Tristi Pinkston is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.

Titled Hang ‘em High, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana. When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her. They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son. What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.

***

Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways. First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day! All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.

Second, come to the book launch!

You are invited to an

August Authorama!

Saturday, August 13th

Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem

12 – 4 pm

Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,

and Dutch oven cobbler

prepared by world champion cook

Keith Fisher.

Authors Tristi Pinkston, J. Lloyd Morgan, Cindy Hogan,

Nichole Giles, and Heather Justesen

will all be there to sign books.

This is one book launch event

you will not want to miss!

Fun and Games

2011-07-29T23:52:00.005-06:00

Who would of thought that being silly with your kids and acting like one would revive you so much?? The other night when I was sure I would drop dead of exhaustion, and all I wanted to do was go grab a few Zs I was dragged with my oldest daughter to her friends house for a study session at 11 o'late thirty at night, with my two littlest in tow.

I tried to get those Zs like I wanted, and it would only be a 5 min side trip to drop us off, but noo, we all had to go along for the ride.

So while my daughter and her friend studied for their test, my littlest girls did the Wii just dance game and were racking up the points while my other daughter recorded them on her computer's camera.

"Mom has to do this" all four of my daughters and their friend demanded.

"No", I said, "I haven't done this game before and I'm tired."

"You minored in dance in college Mom, you will be fine, and who cares if you are tired?!"

So I dragged my super tired rear out of the seat and set my wii mote and went for it against my littlest daughters. I was gonna show them what I was made of for sure!

It was pretty dang fun!! and I beat both of them, maybe I should of let them win, but umm nope, they insisted I play and my competitive nature sprang to life, and revived me. And they weren't getting off that easy. I had to win

I took them by 1000 plus points and won!! Ya. Then my youngest daughter said to me ever so sweetly, "Mom, you can't play against us anymore cuz you smashed us!" she said with a laugh.

well, she told me didn't she??

I was wide awake after that, but what fun!

I'm thinking we need to go and get our own just dance wii game and have more dance offs and maybe one day, she and her sisters will be good enough to smash me instead!

checking in late late late

2011-07-28T22:42:00.002-06:00

A quick little blurb to check in and be accountable to myself. So this week counting this posting, I got in my 3 blogging posts that I was aiming for. But I still have three to do by Tues this coming week. I will do it! Just you wait and see.

As for extra followers I was able to add another, leaving me with 17 left to meet my goal. I hope I make it.

And for writing, with all the traveling and demands from my family and some minor crisis's along the way that rose up, I wasn't able to get my numbers in like I wanted to, but I did write non the less. I wrote about 7 pages. Only half of what I was aiming for, but grateful that I could get them in. At least I was writing and that is all that counts.

Considering that I haven't even had the chance to exercise and I feel like a major slug since I got here early sun morning even though I planned to get to it at least 3 times while I was gone, and have yet to get out beyond basic walking in the grocery store, which isn't walking but really walk pausing; I'm amazed I got more than two words strung together at a time.

This all being said, I do have the remainder of this week and into Tues to get things done. I plan to get at least another 7 pages written, since I will be driving most of Sunday, and meeting the demands of my family on vacation( my hubby is not with me, and neither are my two oldest boys, if that tells you anything) I think that will be a stretch, still, I don't want to end up not writing enough for next week and facing Karaoke.

So three more posts, and 7 more pages and 17 more followers is the goal, I hope i make it!!
well, off now to try and meet them! Cross those fingers for me once again!

Whoever said being on vacation was, well, a vacation?

2011-07-26T16:18:00.002-06:00

I'm out of town. I left being an exercise instructor behind, but only after about 6 hours of work looking for a sub. I have my youngest kids with me, and my husband stayed home. I have to make sure I meet all my family's expectations and what they want me to do. I feel like I am working more now, than when I was at home in some ways.

What ever happened to the lazy days doing what ever you wanted? OH ya, I forgot. Just because I'm on vacation, doesn't mean that I get to do what I want unless I leave the kids behind. But then leaving the kids behind means leaving some of the fun behind too. At least I don't have to teach. So that is a huge old plus in my book!

But I am having a good time seeing good friends, and trying to catch up on stuff I have fallen behind on. Like an extra post for the week. So tomorrow I am going to do my accountablity post. I get to take fun pictures of my kids flipping out and have a great time being silly. So even though I know I will be super tired from my vacation later, it will be worth it all in the end.

Things may be planned out, but some times just sitting back, relaxing and chatting without a firm schedule is pretty great too!

Accountability

2011-07-19T17:04:00.005-06:00

For me accountability to just myself seems to be a problem. I really need to have others to be accountable to, other wise I find every excuse in the book to not do something and procrastination and I become tighter friends. Sometimes you just need that extra little push, that kick that gets you moving in a forward direction again, even if it is the smallest of steps forward, at least it is progress.

Checking in once a week on my goals has made me more productive in more ways besides the goals I have outlined in my blog. Weird how that happens, but I'm glad it has.

Just so you know, I have made great progress in my outlined goals, in all three of them I have made great strides so far. And it is sort of funny how events that have transpired have gone a long way in helping me to achieve those goals.

So First of all I give huge props for Ali cross at alicross.blogspot.com for her amazing blog fest that I joined in at the last minute. It helped me to accomplish the last of my posting goals for the week making it three in all. Not to mention how it helped make great strides toward my goal of reaching 100 followers by the end of July. I have 18 more to go. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I reach it. Cross your fingers and send up a few prayers for me too. That might just give me a little extra help in meeting that goal.

And last the very real, very worrisome threat of singing Karaoke if I don't meet my writing goal of 15 pages a week has me moving forward with a steady clip for my story. I got in 20 pages even, and surpassed it. I think I was just making sure it was obvious I had reached my quota. And alas, I blogging, texting or face book couldn't be used toward that goal even though I still say it is writing. I tried and it was shot down in a micro second. Oh well! You can't say I didn't try!

So now I am half way there toward my goal. This week and next week to go and I will end the first of Aug, and let you know my total standing. So now I am off to be sure I meet my goals.

Once more they are : 3 postings a week, 15 pages of writing for my story and 100 followers for my blog.

What are you goals that you have set for your self and what are you doing to be sure you are achieving them? Let me know, I'd love to hear them!

It's Independence Day and Something Unexpected Happens...Flash fiction

2011-07-15T10:29:00.006-06:00

I'm participating in Ali Cross's Flash Fiction Blog fest. So here goes my 250 word story, let me know what you think!

It was the party of the year. Fireworks burst in an explosion of color across the inky black sky and hung in the air. Alyson’s excitement added to the chorus of oohs and aahs surrounding her.

It was the most magical Fourth of July of her entire life, but she hoped the best part wasn't over yet.

Gabe, the hottest guy in school, with his fathomless dark eyes and matching wavy hair invited her to be his date for the night. She pinched her arm once more to be sure it wasn't all a fabulous dream. She was sure she was in love.

“Are you up for a walk?” Gabe asked.

“Sounds fantastic.” Alyson smiled as Gabe reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers. Electricity pulsed through her body on contact.

Did he feel it too?

The flare of emotion flash across his eyes told her he did. His goofy half smile made him even more adorable.

The only thing left to make this the best night of her life would be if Gabe kissed her. She sent up a silent prayer and crossed her fingers that he would.

He drew her into the shadows of a nearby building.

“Come here.” He said in a soft voice. As Gabe pulled her into the warmth of his embrace Alyson’s heart beat faster. His head leaned slowly toward hers.

This was it.

Her eyes closed in anticipation and screamed as his sharp teeth sank deep into her neck.

Well there it is, let me know what you think! Go here to read the other participants entries. A special thanks to Ali Cross for putting togehter this fun blog fest! Thanks Ali!! You Rock!!

Star wishing and Checking in!

2011-07-12T14:29:00.007-06:00

I'm wishing on a star, or maybe it's really a nebula or a plant either way, I'm wishing and I hoping my dreams come true as I reach for them, one goal at a time.

So a quick little blurb to be accountable to my writing goals.

So as to writing blogging three times this week! I did it Wha hooo!! Yay for me!

As to adding more followers, I was able to add 2 more. Any one with suggestions on how to be more outgoing in the blogging world would be welcome. But hey, I am working toward my goal still! Just 30 more to go!

And then getting 15 pages of my WIP accomplished was a huge YES!! I got more than 15 even, and tightened up my plot , characters and researched my story lines and learned more about writing too!

It feels so amazing to get to say I did it! I feels wonderful to have a fourth of my goal for the month of July accomplished successfully! I am looking forward to reporting back next week on how I did for this weeks continuing goals... 15 more pages, 2 more blog postings and hopefully adding a few more followers too.

I know I can, I know I can.... to coin a phrase from The Little Engine that Could. Accomplishing those goals sure makes me feel like I can do what ever I set my mind to, it's all about making the decision to do it and then sticking to it with the following through part until it is finished. And sometimes that can be the hardest part of all!

Well off to get some writing done, and maybe surpassing my goals once more!! Keep your fingers crossed for me, since I can't do it myself. Why not you ask?? well, how can I type and let my fingers fly across the keyboard if they are crossed??? I guess I could, but it would take a whole lot longer to do it! So please, will you cross yours for me??? I really appreciate it!

Let it Rain!!

2011-07-09T20:01:00.005-06:00

Currently, in the fine state of Colorado, where I live, we have had a few gushing rainstorms, and I have wondered as the rain blew sideways and hit me with the gale force of a monsoon soaking me to the skin in a flash, am I in the right place or did I some how get transported to some tropical island where things like this are the norm? They have truly been a sight to behold, magestic in their power and awesome in thier abiltiy to transform.

But it is Colorado after all, an extention of the desert. Sure there are mountains and we have snow, but lots of rain and flash floods with water pooling in some places five feel high has never happened in the years I've lived here. Not that it doesn't bring its own brand of excitement and entertainment. My kids have soaked their clothes and played in the rain thoroughly exhilarated at the prospect of running through the gutters at the side of the road splashing to their hearts content loving every minute of it!

But I have to admit that seeing the trees blow sideways and and the rain pour off my roof and then later my car as I was driving, I was surprised by the power behind it all.

But the thing is, no matter how hard the rain storm, there is always a rainbow at the end. A beautiful portrayal of color splashed across the sky. Signaling new beginnings and things washed clean and turned new once more. It is a beautiful thing to know that there is renewal in the rain. A chance for a fresh start, or even a hint of some new beginning that lets you grow and brings a resurgence of life. The birds sing sweetly in the air, the sun sends its golden rays down to dispel the darkness and the water brings life both to the world and in as sense to our spirits, refreshing us and reminding us that everything gets a chance to start over again.

I like the idea of fresh starts and new chances. When life weighs you down, it can pick you up when you least expect it and send a resurgence of hope and faith and excitement for what life may hold for you right around the corner. I have decided that sometimes it all really boils down to a decision. A choice to make your life better, to believe it can be. To turn from the old and embrace the new opportunities and creative expressions waiting to be discovered. That sometimes all we need to begin again, is make the decision, to begin again. It's that easy. And as with the rain bring refreshing moisture and cool breezes and even sometimes a raging storm, they all work to bring a cl easing, whether of the earth or the soul, it can be one and the same it relates to the decisions to move forward and embrace the future with all the excitement it can bring.

So I say, let it rain. Open the heavens and let it pour on down, because in the cleansing comes the new beginnings, the fresh starts and then creativity on so many fascinating levels!

Today is a Marvelous Day!!

2011-07-06T15:19:00.006-06:00

Why is today so darned marvelous you ask?? Why indeed!!! There is one very important reason, and that is today is the day I get to see my daughter Danielle! Big deal you may think to your self. But it really is a big deal, at least it is to me and her Dad and her brothers and sisters. Today is the day that she comes home from being gone after being practically unreachable for the last seven weeks while she has been on her study abroad program for school.

But with today's modern world and all the technology around us, it would be easy to keep in touch with her even with her being half way around the world right?? But you would be surprised! Even though our cell phones have unlimited texting, they are useless in Europe, so two forms(text and calls) of communication...GONE! Unless I want to pay a million dollars and call long distance the old fashion way.

Ok you say, well, there is always Skype. That is better than texting anyway, because you get to see the person you are talking to and it's like they are right there with you. And yes that is very true, but if your computer is older than dirt, and your laptop doesn't have that capability, then in essence you are screwed! So, another option bites the dust!!

Email, you say!! Use it, that is a great way to keep in touch! And your right, it would be, if she ever answered my emails!! UGH!!

And Snail mail! Not enough! I got one post card the whole time she was gone!

Then there is facebook. Thank Heavens for social media options! It saved my life, and kept me from going crazy! I was able to IM her!! Yahoo!! But wait...there was a huge hitch! That was trying to catch her when she was on, and adjust for the 7 to 8 hour difference. But she did put pictures up, and I got to see her still form having the time of her life. And I could leave her a post to let her know I missed her.

And the thing that kept me sane of all, was her daily assignment to post on her blog! With a required 5 pictures to be posted. I got to read where she went, and see what she did, and her friends she made and keep up on her adventures in England, Ireland, France, Spain and Italy. I got to see the beauty of Europe and know she was having a wonderful time and was very very happy. I am so glad that her professors made this a requirement,and I believe it was more for us, at home, than for those on Study Abroad.

But tonight is best of all! She gets off the plane at 9:30 and I get to hold her and hug her to death. I get to see all the millions of pictures she took and hear about the stories not posted! I am sooo excited I can hardly stand it. I am just so glad that she didn't go to Europe back when all these communication options were just a thing of the imagination, and letters and super expensive phone calls were all that was available. Thank Heaven for all that modern technology brings to us!!

Well, I'm off to do a happy dance and hold my anticipation in check! She comes home today!! It is the most marvelous day of all!!

blogging and writing goal

2011-07-04T00:22:00.006-06:00

I must make a confession. One that I think was a long time in coming, and quite frankly one I need to admit to myself. My daughter Danielle has out blogged me! She has laid down the gauntlet and shown me up quite a bit!

Not only is she having the best fun of her life traveling through Europe, but she also started her blog in May and has written in it just about everyday since then all while traveling all over Europe. Sure it is an assignment while she studied abroad this summer,and ya it's required, but really that doesn't matter. She has blogged her heart out! What I have I done while she's been gone? Well, read her blog of course http://aportraitofdanielle.blogspot.com How could I not?? But certainly not blogging myself.

Dani has had some pretty great adventures and have to say she has shown me that I have been making blogging way harder than it needs to be. Maybe it's because so many of my Friends are soo good at it, that I feel like it's tough to keep up at their level, but really now I see it was just an excuse. That if my amazing daughter can show me up in a heartbeat, then maybe I need to get on the ball, and show her that I can keep up. Or at least make an attempt...an honest attempt.

I used to wonder how all my friends managed it, how they were able to blog so much, but now I think I am going to challenge myself to blog like they do! I am going to take the month of July and blog it like I've never blogged before! OK, not everyday, but I will commit to at least three times a week! I will attempt to blog everyday from here out, but since July started um 3 days ago, I sort of missed that particular boat. But blogging I will do from here on out.

I hope to gain a few more followers and I hope to learn something more about myself and what I can accomplish, because I am also going to add a writing goal for my novel here too. I will write at least 15 pages a week. No less and I will come back on Sunday to report my results of blogging and writing.

Hey I have to be accountable to myself somehow, and since I have been a pretty big bump on a log lately, not motivated to do much more than find ways to avoid everything I love to do, I am kicking my own butt. And giving all my friends to kick it along with me!! If you want to add your butt kicking motivation to the comments... please please go for it!! Heaven knows I really Really REALLY need it!

I need to get back to the land of the living instead of wallowing in the land of the forgotten and feeling lost all the time while I wander aimlessly(metaphorically speaking) all over the place getting absolutely nothing accomplished. So here I go, with the first entry! Keep your fingers crossed that I will accomplish what I am setting out to do! I think it will be really cathartic and get me back on track, and moving forward like I need to!!

So here it goes!! Let the fun begin!! The Official Goals for July : 1) blog at least 3 times a week, everyday if possible 2) Increase my followers and maybe break 100 if really lucky! 3) write 15 pages of Into The Crimson Sun every week! 4) Report progress on goals truthfully every Sunday.

Writing is Life

2011-05-23T19:55:00.008-06:00

Sometimes when I am frustrated or just need to figure things out, I find it helps to write. Writing anything at all, it doesn't seem to matter what it is as long as it is something. It has a cathartic ability to release stress, help manage anger, hurt or pain. It can even bring about a sense of accomplishment, joy, or a sense of euphoria . . . especially if you get published. Maybe being published isn't necessary to feel that happiness, but it doesn't hurt either. And it fills a deep seated need to create.

I find that when I am working through something important in my life that writing it out helps a lot. And what I am finding now, is that I can get a lot accomplished if I just write. I feel more settled and ready to hit things head on, well maybe not head on, but at least I take a step forward.

I write about my family, my kids and events around me and most of it is in a private journal not meant for other's eyes. I would feel to vulnerable writing my deepest thoughts for all to see, and judge me. I would feel too exposed and raw. Those things I write out long hand in a spiral notebook, that I share with my husband, sometimes my children, and once in a while a few close friends.

I write adventures, and stories and fantasies that bring a happily ever after -- most of the time. Sometimes I write the gruesome and scary, to see what dark road it winds down.

If I don't write, don't get my feelings out some how, I get restless. Sometimes it is hard to identify what is causing it, but when I finally get that pen in my hand, or the computer in my lap to write, I settle down. Then I write and write until the words no longer speak to me, no longer call me to head what they want me to say. Until emptiness is all that remains and I am purged and then I feel so much better. Emotions spent and words played out how they may.

Then there are the times when I write and all my dreams and yearnings pour out on the page. I can be free then, say what I wouldn't in real life. To have courage and conviction. To wish and hope and soar to the skies and back as I make wishes come true with a swish of a fairy wand or a bit of magic. Things that real life doesn't always grant, I can with my pen. It is exciting, fun, and wonderful to escape within the words of my own making.

I am forever grateful to have found my voice, to have freed it. To use it how I will to push me forward in my dreams for the future.

I will write always, for the rest of my life and in that writing I can release who I really am. And at times, I share that part of me no one else knows about when I write with others. When I create I live in freedom. I write life, because to write for me is to live.

So I turn it to you now and wonder, what do you write and why? Have you ever thought about it? Maybe you should and then you can discover what writing really means to you.

Book Review: Depth of Deceit by Betty Briggs

2011-04-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Depth of Deceit by veteran author Betty Briggs is a dynamic story about Stephanie Saunders, a young attorney assigned to take on the indigent cases that come through courtroom and defend them. Stephanie has worked hard and long to garnish respect, but her beauty queen good looks, makes it hard for people to take her seriously as a legal representative.

She is assigned by the judge to handle the case of Josh Durrant, accused of assault. A man with long blond hair, a thick beard, a barbed wire tattoo across his bicep, and amazing green eyes, who seems to be following her all over town. She isn't sure whether to be annoyed with him or worried.

Not that it matters that much to her when she has Todd Saxton for her boyfriend looking out for her. He is loving , charming, handsome and sweet to her. But when devastating secrets are discovered, Stephanie's whole life tumbles out of control.

The only place she finds true comfort is at the stables with her horses. She finds a kindred soul in the battered and abused mare, Riskie Business whose gentle soul and sweet disposition is a balm to Stephanie's shattered soul.

There are difficult decisions that will affect the rest of Stephanie's life that must be made, and in turn Stephanie must learn how to save not only herself in the final showdown, but one who relies on her the most. There she must learn to trust those who can't be trusted and discover courage and strength she never knew she possessed. And find a way to make the ultimate decisions of what is right and what is not.

I was drawn instantly into the story and couldn't put it down once I got started. There were so many mysteries and questions I wanted to know as layer upon layer was uncovered to reveal the final answers at the end of the book. Depth of Deceit made me laugh out loud, it made me cry big tears, and it made me wonder what would happen next. I kept turning page after page to discover secret after secret. I felt as if I was right beside Stephanie Saunders the entire time. Her anxiety pulsed out of the pages, her love and compassion and even when snarky frustration rose with in her were so real and tangible. I knew how she felt about those she loved and those she was annoyed with. Her suspicious nature about everything that appeared to be truth leapt off the pages. It surprised me how deep those emotions became as they welling up inside of me.

Betty Briggs really knows how to pull the reader into the world of words she creates as it runs like a movie inside the readers head. I was held captive until the very last words and found myself surprised with the unexpected plot twists and turns through out the book.

The way the horses played such an important part in the dynamics of the story made me wish I was at the stabes right along with Stephanie. I loved how Betty wove the legal dynamics of being an up and rising attorney into the plot, and how Stephanie's struggles were so real to life as I wondered who, if anyone was trustworthy.

I completely loved reading Depth of Deceit. I loved the rich characters portrayed, from the rude secretary, to the little old man who lived in the mountains. I felt each character was well developed and helped propel the story along with their insite and lively conversation. I felt a deep connection with many of the characters, and was surprised by the culminating events in the end.

I completely enjoyed my journey into the Depth of Deceit. Get your copy of Depth of Deceit by Betty Briggs, here, you won't be disappointed. Take the time to stop by Betty's web site and learn more about her and her other books go to http://www.bettybriggs.com/ there you will find additional information on horses and other short stories as well.

Disclaimer: While I do at times receive copies of the books I review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Always reaching for the next level

2011-03-30T14:38:00.005-06:00

Making goals to increase your strength and health is an important part of any exercise plan. It's always helpful to see the progress you have made and then create new levels to aim for. When you shoot for the stars, you will find that you are climbing higher and higher and eventually you will reach them.

I remember when I started exercising in earnest again after taking a long lazy hiatus. It made me cry when I realized how much I actually let myself go. I could hardly keep up in classes, a five pound weight might as well have been 100 and I was winded within the first five minutes of class starting. I struggled to keep up and I was humiliated. I had taught these classes three in a row at times , kicking every one's butt, without a problem, and now this one class showed me very how far I had fallen and kicked my butt to the curb. It was sobering. And I cried huge tears. How could I have let this happen??? Life, of course, and just not finding me important enough to take care of.

That was 2 and half years and 45 pounds ago. I decided then to face reality. I wasn't going to get any healthier doing nothing and pretending this wasn't happening. I faced the hard facts and chose a different way. I was worth it. I deserved to be healthy and strong. I was determined to get back to where I knew I once was . . . strong and conditioned and in shape.

To get there I made goals. Easy ones I could obtain so that I could see success. Yes, I even used a sticker chart with smiley faces . . . why not? It worked for my kids, why wouldn't it work for me too? I gave myself a smiley every day I worked out. It was great incentive to see what I had accomplished, especially when it took more energy than I would like to admit just to get me out the door and not turn around and give up. I would increase what I could do a little at a time until what was astronomically out of reach and harder than Hades to accomplish became a piece of cake, and then I would adjust my goals and increase what I required of myself and continue forward.

In this way, I am stronger than I've been in years. I don't let myself say . . . "I don't think I will work out today." I say instead . . . "We are going out the door and you are doing what needs to be done. Period!" And everyday I am finding I can do more than I imagined.

For instance I never imagined I could run and sustain a ten minute mile. But I can now . . . the weight I literally throw around now (really, I mean throw, if you ever saw me in the gym you'd know what I mean) is now 35 pounds and higher. And I'm not done yet. I plan to keep improving and growing and setting goals I can reach and obtain and be successful.

In the pool I am faster and stronger than ever, and I love how my body pushes itself through the water and how it works to keep in control of the water weights, to where I control them not the other way around, using muscle to keep firmly planted and not let buoyancy take over.

I tell you these things so you can make your own fitness plan and watch as you adjust it from week to week with new goals, how strong you will become. To show you that if I can do it, anyone can do it! I have seen it in a lot of people who take my classes already. They are beating me at my own game and becoming faster than me. It is great to see. Keep working hard at mastering your body and building strength. I believe in you and I know you can do it! Tell me your goals and let me hear your successes. They are inspiring!

Bill Phillips asks "Being healthy is a decision we have to renew each and every day. Today in your thoughts and actions are you choosing health?" He also said, "A person's state of health can often be predicted by which he or she takes two at at time- pills or stairs." Remember nine out of ten of the greatest accomplishments were done on a deadline. What is the deadline for your next great accomplishment?

Book Review : Journey of Honor By Jaclyn M. Hawkes

2011-03-24T06:00:00.003-06:00

In Jacyln M Hawkes debut novel Journey of Honor the author takes you on a journey filled with adventure and danger. The story is about Giselle, a young LDS (Latter-day Saint) immigrant and Trace a young doctor, turned teamster leader, who discover they are traveling in the same wagon train west. Leaving from St Joseph Missouri in 1848, they find themselves in a situation which requires a marriage in name only for the sake of protection.

The marriage takes an interesting twist when attraction turns to longing and then to love. These two main characters are thrust into many perilous and at many times, life-threatening situations. The secret that Giselle carries with her, becomes a situation that endangers her life, regardless of the consequences she is determined to pull her weight no matter the cost, especially when she needs to help those that fall ill. Unbeknownst to Trace he leaves her to care for the sick which allows him to put both distance between their growing attraction and frees him to lead the wagon train and check on every one's progress.

This arrangement seems to be working well, until Giselle no longer is able to continue with her ministrations, forcing a change of events that forever alters Trace and Giselle's relationship. While Trace still holds honor to his promise to keep his marriage to Giselle in name only; it becomes more and more difficult as he fights his growing attraction and feelings for her. Especially when he holds her close during the cold winter nights. Just as Giselle also attempts to stop the burgeoning feelings of love that are taking root inside her as she allows Trace to comfort her as she faces the emotions of horrendous events that happened before they met.

These feelings of growing love become more focused for Trace and Giselle with the humorous interaction of an Indian Warrior who finds he wants Giselle for his own, and isn't willing to follow the rules of decorum.

Their journey forces them to analyze certain truths they hold dear about what they intrinsically believe and causes them to make decisions that will effect them forever as they reach The Salt Lake Valley. Trace and Giselle must determine if they will or will not get their marriage annulled as the need for protection nears its end.

There are many sweet side stories that brought tenderness and tears to my heart as I read Journey of Honor. I found myself growing attached the secondary characters as much as the primary ones. I thought Trace's adopted brother Mose was sweet and gentle and kind. He had such goodness in him, I couldn't help but love him. I also found Giselle's grandparents to be supporting and compassionate. I loved how her grandfather supported Giselle in her decisions when her parents would not, and were there to lean on during horrific events. I found the quiet strength of these characters to be a great addition to the story as faith and understanding of gospel truths played an important part in helping the main characters discover what truly was most important.

I felt sensitive issues relating to gospel truths were handled with care and were presented in such a way as to be informative and enlightening, in a story where the characters themselves discover what they mean to them, as they learn from one another and grow.

I really enjoyed reading Journey of Honor and found it to be a quick read. I felt at times that I wanted a bit more, wanted it to last just a bit longer in certain parts of the story. I thought that the love between Trace and Giselle was sweet and filled with just the right amount of longing and tension to keep the reader wondering what would happen next in their relationship. There were a number of funny scenes that had me laughing and tender moments that had me crying.

This is a book that has no swearing and would be considered a clean romance. I would recommend this book for ages 12 and over and if you enjoy a light hearted historical romance with out all the heavy history but filled with unexpected adventurous twists and turns, this is the book for you.

If you would like to get your own copy, click HERE. You can visit Jaclyn at http://www.jaclynmhawkes.com/ I know you will enjoy the story as much as I did.

Disclaimer: Although at times I do receive copies of books to review, my opinions are and will always remain my own.

Book Review: Star Scout Rising First Trail by Gary Darby

2011-03-07T06:00:00.003-07:00

In Gary Darby's debut book, Star Scout Rising First Trail the reader is taken on a fast paced, intense journey through intergalactic space. This Sci-Fi mystery is filled with political intrigue and uncertainty as Del Baldura and his team of Junior StarScouts prepare to take their No Notice exam that will determine if the years of intense training allows them entry into the Senior StarScouts, who patrol space for new life and planets waiting to be discovered.

As team leader, Del Baldura is in the midst of an important mission that will help him and his four fellow team members advance to the next phase of their training in a field ops exercise. During the mission, one of their team members is kidnapped and the efforts of the rest of the team to rescue her lead them to unexpected adventures and dangers that kept me on the edge of my seat as I read furiously to find out what happened next. As the twists and turns and surprises kept coming, I found myself pulled deeply into the plot of the story, and felt my stomach churning with anxiety with many of the predicaments the team members and other key characters found themselves facing.

In addition to the excitement happening with Del's team, some with great control and power higher up in the Senior Star Scouts organization go against all they stand for and plot revenge against Del as they discover things about his past. They want to be sure he pays for incidents that occurred that were out of his control when he was younger. Power hungry and crazed with desire for complete and ultimate control , Pellar, a senior officer in the StarScouts with high ranking command has his fist wrapped tightly around the very lucrative Kolomite trade and rules the galaxy under concealment, with his corrupt addicting need to be the only one who commands how and where and what happens with any Kolomite found on any planet. He has infiltrated the StarScouts missions by utilizing their systems and encryption codes to secretively push his own agenda of power, wealth and revenge at the cost of all who might be in his way. His evil designs ooze into the pages of Star Scout Rising First Trail as he manipulates those around him.

Gary Darby has the ability to make worlds come alive and battles spark to life within the pages of Star Scout Rising First Trail. I found myself feeling the acid from the lake eat through the uniform and the under brush of a planets unfamiliar foliage brush against me. The adrenaline pumped through my body as I was chased and hunted down by unknown dangerous creatures. I could feel the peace of space as stars twinkled in the distance and the whine of the engines as space ships struggled to be free of capture. Making the experience of reading Star Scout Rising First Trail one I won't soon forget.

I am excited to know that Star Scout Rising First Trail is the first of a trilogy and look forward to knowing what happens next with key players in the story. There are some intense cliff hangers I want to know the answers to. I was left wanting the story to continue and wanting to be a part of the exciting daring missions and rescues that Del would be caught up in. I anticipate the chance to be drawn into the next books as part of the team while they explore new terrains and discover things that will surely shock and excite them.

Check out Gary's website at http://www.starscoutrising.blogspot.com/ to learn more fascinating things about Gary and his book. It was refreshing to read a book with so much action and excitment that had no swearing and was clean. I would recommend this book for all ages. To get your own copy click here, so you can be a part of the fast paced ride through space with Del and his team and be part of the mystery and intrigue they constantly face.

Disclaimer : While I sometimes receive a copy of the book I am reviewing, it does not in anyway influence my opinions. They are and will remain my own.

Book Review : The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley

2011-02-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cheri Chelsey's debut book The Peasant Queen, where a simple farm girl discovers that even the humblest of peasants has the power to change the world.

Cheri's writing style is fast and fun, and you feel like your eyes just fly down the page, and that the pages turn themselves.

The story is about a young woman named Krystal who enjoys being in charge of her choices until suddenly she isn't anymore. Her brother makes a choice for her that makes her want to run away. In the act of doing so, she is kidnapped and magically transported to another kingdom far from her home. There a tyrannical king wants to take Krystal's hand in marriage, and the throne which belongs to another. Krystal's deep sense of independence rises up to thwart King Gregory at every turn. But still he yearns for her, even when her heart is snared by Jareth, the rightful heir to the throne. But King Gregory still will not relent. In a world where magic binds and the unexpected happens, Krystal is forced to choose between her heart and her desire to protect an entire kingdom. It is wonderful to see the twists and turns that make you want to keep reading until the very last page.

Cheri's characters were fun, interesting, rich with life and I was left wanting to know them even better. King Gregory was one of my favorite characters in the story. It's not often I am so drawn to the antagonist. It's funny but I found that I was half in love with him half way through, even though he is the villain. There is something about him that draws the reader to almost root for him, even though he is evil. He was handsome, lovable and deeply in love with Krystal . Cheri portrays that passion very well, you feel his yearning. I wanted him to be understood, and maybe desire to change and be better, you see so much humanity inside his evil streaks.

Krystal, the heroine, she was strong, feisty and courageous. She knew herself, and knew what she wanted and was never afraid to go after it. Even when it meant she would have to sacrifice things that she held dear. I loved that she never gave in and always found a way to keep her ability to choose, no matter the circumstances she found herself in. I admired her ability to stay true to her principles.

I found that Jareth, the prince, was lovable, but I wished I could get to know him better, but still I loved his determination to fight against the odds. He was determined to save both Krystal and the kingdom, and made sure that he cared for those in his charge.

The struggle for the throne in the story was filled with intrigue and strategy, made stronger by the power of choice no matter the circumstances surrounding it. It is a reminder that we are always free to choose how we will act in the face of both our trials and our triumphs. I felt that Cheri portrayed that with all her characters as they made vital choices and grew as a result of the decisions they made. Cheri did a beautiful job of showing us how we can be resilient no matter the situation.

The Peasant Queen is the first of a trilogy and I look forward with eager anticipation the next parts of the story. To get a chance to delve into the world of Fayterra once more, and to escape into a world where fantasy and dreams collide. There are some questions left unanswered that I hope will be answered. I wanted to know more about the magic and how it worked. To know how it affects people who do not possess it. I look forward to learning more about why it was so vital for Krystal to become queen, and I am excited to see more use of magic and what role it plays in the next books.

I would recommend The Peasant Queen to anyone who wants a fun fantasy story, with a bit of romance, some sword play and magical abilities set in medieval times. This story is a clean romance and is appropriate for all ages. I highly recommend you visit Cheri's web site here. There are a lot of fun things to see there! You can receive your own copy of The Peasant Queen by clicking here. Don't miss this wonderful story, you won't be disappointed. I wasn't!

Disclaimer: Although I sometimes receive copies of books to be reviewed it in no way influences my opinions, they are and always will remain my own!

My Blog awards Yay!!!

2011-02-17T10:34:00.014-07:00

My very first Blogging award was given to me on Sept 5 2010, by Rachelle Workman but since I just figured out how to post it I wanted to add it in to today's post. It is so cute! I love it!

I just wanted to say thanks to Rachelle Workman for giving me this coolStylish blogger award. It is the second one she has so wonderfully given me! She is so great for my blogging esteem! She is always there to help me navagate my way around big things like Blog fests and how to add new gagets, and all the technical mumbo jumbo of the blogging world. And another super huge thanks to Elizabeth Mueller for awarding me the Stylish blogger award a couple a days ago! It is very exciting, it is my third award. Thanks Elizabeth for guiding me through the basics. =0)

YOU BOTH ROCK!!! Go check out their amazing blogs! I know you won't be disappointed when you see what cool things they have on them!

1. Thank and link back to the person who nominated you, only do not re-nominate them.
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Pass along this nomination to 10 recently discovered stylish and cool bloggers
4. Contact them and tell them about their nomination

Seven things about me:
1~ I have always had a secret dream of being a movie star.
2~ I love singing at the top of my lungs with the music at full base so I can feel it bumping through my body.
3~ I really want to take a cruise and go to Hawaii!
4~ I would love to have a lucky streak and win the lottery!
5~ I love to dance, and choreograph too!
6~ I am working on writing a paranormal y/a novel, and a suspense romance too.
7~ I love teaching, and public speaking and performing(dancing, singing, etc)...wierd huh? Even though I don't get a lot of opportunity to do it, But I like to be in front of a crowd and being the center of attention.

Now to award 10 very awewsome people the Stylish blogger award!
Gail Zuniga
Brent Westcott
LeAnne Dudley
Tamara Hiener
Rebecca Blevins
Rachelle J Christensen
Carolyn Frank
Ali Cross
Danyelle Ferguson
Heather Justesen

Romance Blogfest, Love At First Sight...Or Not So Much

2011-02-14T14:50:00.012-07:00

Yay! I am so excited, this is my very first blogfest. What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a romantic scene. The theme is Love at First Sight . . . Or Not So Much hosted by Jordan McCollum, be sure to check out the other bloggers participating by clicking HERE I am going to take it from part of a scene from my WIP when Kieryn and Aric just as bit after they meet for the first time. It's in Aric's point of view. I hope you like it!

~*~*~*~

Aric could no longer resist her and took a step forward, closer to Kieryn, holding her trusting gaze with his. The warmth of her body radiated off her as he drew nearer to her. He relished it, allowing it to warm him. It had been a very long time since he last felt anything close to it.

There wasn't a need for his heightened powers of persuasion. As he lowered his head slowly keeping her eyes locked with his, fascinated by their ever shifting change of colors, he came closer still. Gently, carefully, he pressed his lips to hers, and closed his eyes.

An electric shock coursed through him. Never in his entire existence as a mortal or immortal had he ever experienced anything like it. It filled him with life and light renewing him. The taste of her lips was more than he could ever have imagined. Sweeter, more delicious than he had anticipated. The kiss was just as enticing as the blood racing through her veins. He was instantly addicted. He wanted more. He deepened the kiss, pressing his lips more firmly on hers and held her body close to his. Her warmth radiated out to him, penetrating his clothes, alleviating the emptiness inside him as nothing else had in over a century of imprisonment, or even before that. He knew the minute she responded, melting into his arms. The echo of her surrender flooded his thoughts through the link they now shared.

He was confused by the immediate and violent possessive reaction surging through him with regard to the girl in his arms. No one but me will ever have her! He emphatically determined. It was an unbreakable vow that with an unexpected eagerness he covenanted with himself. It was imperative that he keep her safeguarded at all costs. He assigned himself as her sentinel and would always watch over her, protect her. In order to ensure her safety he would move heaven and earth if he needed to.

The sweet ambrosia that was her kiss swirled in endless delight inside him, every sense filled to overload with its pure enticement. It was hard to believe how she threatened to overwhelm him with her essence, to be his complete undoing. Nothing, no experience in his life had prepared him for her.

Yes I am a Ninja!!

2011-02-05T19:06:00.006-07:00

I am a Ninja! What does that mean? That I can do cool funky martial arts? You know it! Kick boxing and bowing to a sensai in a dojo? ABSOLUTELY! Chasing hidden warriors in the light of the moon, waiting with eyes dilated and ears open for any slight movement, relying on my inner instinct to know when I am about to be attacked. YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! I do those things, I can take some one down in a fight if I have to, I have worked hard to teach others to kick butt and teach them to yell from their gut a resounding HIYA! Soothing, energy filled, and tension relief all in one. But that is not what I mean when I say I am a ninja.

I am a ninja in that I am now a part of Feb NiNoWriMo. I am joining in with other ninjas, writing ninjas to accomplish a goal. The goal to keep writing in my book, to get it finally finished, so I can work on edits. So the way I plan to use my mighty stealth and slay some major word counts and move steadily ever closer to finishing my manuscript, is to write everyday, to work toward a min of 1000 word a day word count. And if I am a mighty warrior with words and get more done and write 5000 words in a day, I will bow to my sensai (Ali Cross) and bow to my dojo at alicross.blogspot.com and say thank you my honorable sensai for teaching me the ways of words and writing with a warrior spirit. Now I must be off to slay the word dragons and bring honor to those who have taught me to show my fighting prowess with a determination to not fail and bow to them as I leave to honor my promise and kick some major writing butt!

Cool contest!

2011-02-05T18:30:00.002-07:00

Check out a cool contest that you can win some fun stuff for and even get a chance to go to a double book launch party if you are able. Click on www.jenniferkclark.blogspot.com There is some very fun things going on there, you don't want to miss out on it! She has the rules for participation lined up and it's easy to do! Good luck!

Unbelievable

2011-01-31T22:04:00.005-07:00

There is a lot that I am thankful for. But on the top of the list is my health. After battling a terrible sinus infection that took me down for the count for over a month, with the last remaining vestiges of it hanging on, I have had little energy to keep up on my blog. But I am determined to have at least one entry for the month of January. And so to show how thankful I am to have my health returning, I wanted to share a story I wrote in November. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. When you are done, I would love to hear what you think of it. Enjoy!

Unbelievable By Debbie Davis

“Hey babe!” A sultry voice rang from the entrance of the kitchen.
“Oh no, please let it not be him,” Jennifer mumbled. Her back stiffened as dread poured through her. She closed her eyes, and braced her arms on the counter. I’ll just pretend he’s not here.
“I’ve missed you,” the warmth of his breath on her ear sent shivers down her body, his strong arms snaked with confidence around her waist, pulling her up against his strong chest. “Say you missed me too.” Unwanted feelings stirred to life within her.
“Go away” Jennifer grumbled. So much for pretending he’s not here. Anger boiled just beneath the surface ready to explode, but she kept it in check. She would stay in control, even if it killed her.
“Aw, honey, don’t be like that. It’s Thanksgiving. You know – a time for expressing gratitude.” Each word a torment reminding her she’d loved him fiercely . . . once.
“Who invited you anyway?” She refused to turn around. It would be her undoing. Besides she was busy plotting the murder of the person who let him in the door in the first place.
“It was your mom; she has a soft spot for me you know.” She felt him smile against her cheek.
“Figures.”
Murdering Mom wasn’t an option, but she’d definitely get an earful later.
She took a deep steadying breath. That was a mistake. The smell of his citrus and sandalwood aftershave made her knees and her resolve weaken.
“What do you want Matt?” She asked under her breath, her emotions going haywire.
“What I’ve always wanted . . . you!” He turned her to face him, but she kept her eyes closed. She’d be in big trouble if she let herself look into his gorgeous baby blues. She wouldn’t do it.
“Jeni, it’s been three months since you refused to see me, but I know you love me.” He pulled her into a hug. “Say you’ll forgive me and we can start over. It’s been pure torture and I need you in my life. Don’t shut me out anymore sweetheart, please.”
All the hurt and anger that iced over her heart began melting away at the surety of his words and she opened her eyes. She was lost. Lost in the raw love she saw in his eyes, lost in the hope that sparked to life in them.
“But you were leaving me, going to New York, and I saw you with that other girl. You were kissing her.” Tears sprang to her eyes. No, she had to stop them, he couldn’t see them.
“It wasn’t what you thought. I would’ve explained it but you would never let me. So I talked to your mom and she told me to come.” He lowered his forehead to hers.
“Well, explain then.” Hurt pulsing through her again.
“I was saying good-bye to my cousin and the kiss was on the cheek. I came back from New York to get you.”
“Oh.” She felt relief wash through her. What a dummy I was.
“I’m in love with you Jeni.” He said. “You’re all I ever think about. It’s affecting my job . . . my thoughts . . . everything.”
“I can’t believe . . .” She started. She saw the truth of it all as emotion played havoc with his features. “Umm . . .” she hesitated. “Well . . .” She was giving in. Her heart let go of the strangle hold she encased it in that day three months ago.
“Please, Jeni,” Matt’s handsome face moved closer to hers. “I need you, I can’t live without you . . . I love you!” His deep laughter vibrated through her. “See, I’m begging.”
Freed, her heart surged with love as her stomach dropped. “I love you too.” She said in a whisper.
“You do?” Matt asked as surprise, then relief washed across his face. “Really?”
“Really,” she gave in.
Smiling, he lowered his head and gave her a kiss that sent electricity zinging through her. It was heaven, and she surrendered to him.
“Ah, hem . . .” Her mom coughed from the doorway as they jumped apart. “The turkey is ready, we are waiting for you.” Giving them a knowing smile she turned and left.
Matt’s boyish grin filled her heart with warmth as he grabbed her hand. “Let’s go and celebrate Thanksgiving, Babe.” He said drawing her close to him and out the kitchen to join the festivities.

Interview With Author Michael Knudsen

2010-12-15T12:11:00.011-07:00

I am very honored to have the opportunity to interview Michael Knudsen today. He new book The Rogue Shop, just released and it is pretty exciting. Thanks for coming to my blog and letting me ask you some questions, and for taking the time to answer them. It is super cool for me because you are my first interview, and I can't wait to find out the answers to my questions. So let's get started!

Me: How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?

Michael :When I was four months old, I pulled dad's bic pen out of his shirt pocket when he was burping me. It was love at first sight. Later I progressed to picture books on kindergarten-lined pater and sending lengthy stories to my aunt who was on her mission. In third grade I was put in the "resource" class because my teacher thought my imagination was "hyperactive". I lived out entire Apollo missions and Godzilla movies in my ind, with friends or without. After seeing "Jaws" I couldn't take a bath for two weeks. I was the kind of kid parents worried about.

Me: It sounds to me like you had the makings of a great author even when you were little, and I think imagination in kids is an important part of what makes us creative. What lead you to write the story you did?

Michael: The Rogue Shop came out of a time and a place --Downtown Salt Lake City, in the early 1990'. I worked at a tuxedo shop there, and we had a ton of old mannequins and stuff from the 50's and 60's in the cellar. Those things evoked a sense of time and place that just cried out for a good story. Later, my viewpoint character, Chris, became more of a real person and he started giving me a hard time about not finishing his story. I didn't finish a draft until 2008, and by then I was driven to see it published. Chris was mollified, and hasn't actively bothered me since.

Me: I totally get that, I think sometimes our characters take on a life of their own, they have whole conversations and if you don't act quickly then you lose what they are saying. I love that Chris kept at you until you wrote his story. I was wondering what super hero you would be if you could choose and why?

Michael: I'm going to go with Aqua man because I think swimming fast underwater and having gills is cooler than flying through the air.

Me: I think this is a great choice! So how long did it take you to go through the whole process of writing, editing, and getting The Rogue Shop published?

Michael: 20 years total. I wrote the first chapter for the first time in 1989 while still working at the tuxedo shop. I thought about it off and on over the decades, and had five chapters at some point in the mid-90's. Only in 208 did I get serious. on January 1, 2010, I submitted the manuscript to several publishers, and it was accepted May 14. Editing was not bad at all. While finishing my final draft, I put countless hours into scouring the MS for every little typo and bad adjective that it was fairly clean when I submitted. I spent about 6 hours going over my editor's suggestions and that's about it.

I look back on it and call myself an idiot for procrastinating so much and wasting so much time without developing my talent. But I won't do that. The truth is, I just didn't have the maturity and life experience before NOW to write this particular story. Finishing it just felt wrong until the past couple of years. Of course, there is a ton of OTHER stuff I should have been writing all those years, but all I have now is the present.

Me: I think that is great advice about not beating yourself up for not getting things done in the past. I think we can all take that to heart. Did you ever get discouraged along the way and what kept you going?

Michael: Many times. Before having any success as a writer, the tendency is to spend a lot of time in denial. The over active imagination kicks in again. "I'm not that good," "this writing is a waste of time, I could be watching TV", etc. Finally, I had to just will myself into believing that I could do it, and it was possible because of that same imagination. I could see myself getting a novel published. When I finally combined fantasizing about it with actually working toward it on a daily basis, I eventually KNEW I would have a novel published. At some point, you need to get that certainty to get it done.

Me: I think that visualization is truly powerful, and had a powerful effect on you. I think if we visualize our successes more, we might have more of them too. So what is the craziest thing you have ever done?

Michael: One Tuesday in July 2003 I took a day off work and drove alone to the base of Lone Peak, and 11,000 foot mountain near my home. Having never done any mountaineering or even much hiking, I set out to reach the summit, alone. This was not wise. There was no one else on the mountain and I didn't have a cell phone. I reached the summit surrounded by 300 foot cliffs on all sides. The wind was blowing hard. I could have been killed a dozen times. On the way back down I got bad blisters on both feet and lost the trail. It was almost dark when I literally crawled the last half-mile to my car and drove home. I would like to say I'm proud of that achievement, but I would sound like an idiot.

Me: I don't know it sounds pretty darn impressive to me that you were able to do what you did. And it is a darn great story! If you could do anything knowing you couldn't fail what would it be?

Michael: Jump off of Lone Peak. No, really I would dive into writing a huge, epic world-building fantasy series like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Wouldn't it be cool to have scads of people living in a world of your own creation as they read your books and follow your characters over thousands of pages? How would it feel to have people line up in anticipation of your next book? Intend to find out, by eventually developing the knowledge that I cannot fail.

Me: Personally, I think you should go for it Micheal! I think you would be more successful than you would ever imagine. I say take the jump! Not off Lone Peak, but into your dream! Thanks so much for stopping by today Michael. I had a great time getting to know you better. I can't wait to get my hands on The Rogue Shop!

Michael: Thank you Debbie for hosting me today.

Me: I had a blast getting to know you! I'm glad you could be here. Just a note, you can get a hard copy or e-copy of The Rogue Shop by clicking here. You can also visit Michael's website at http://www.michaelknudsenauthor.com/

Book Review : Perilous By Tamara Heiner

2010-12-09T19:12:00.005-07:00

Perilous by Tamara Heiner is her debut book and what a fantastic start. Perilous is an amazing action pack Y/A thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I literally could not put this book down and read it in one day. It pulled me into the story right away, and I had to find out what happened next, and was so relieved to know that a sequel is in the works when I wanted the story to go on at the end.

Tamara's writing style is very fluid and crisp. She develops her characters so that you can see them clearly in your mind. You can see the locations and events in your mind as if you were there to experience them yourself. The smell, the sounds, and colors all splash to life in front of you as the events unfold as if on a movie screen, they are vivid and full of life.

The story begins as four girls go to the mall to celebrate a birthday only to be left behind unexpectedly when the mall closes, the parent picking them up is late. They witness a crime and are kidnapped as a result. They are held hostage by ruthless, violent, men. They are dragged across the Canadian boarder, and are in a scary predicament being able to identify their assailants. In an escape attempt one is murdered, the rest are left to go on and hoping for their chance to get away. They are all affected on different levels, and not one of them will remain untouched by the experience, as they try to find a way back home.

Jaci, one of the girls emerges as a leader and finds she has the ability to hold the girls together in their journey to get home. In their escape, they are hunted by their kidnappers all along the Canadian/U.S. boarder as the powerful criminal that held them hostage, sends his men searching for them. Watching and waiting to get them back. Then to add to it all Jaci discovers something about her dad that may connect him to the kidnappers, and she wonders if she will ever be free of them again.

New mysteries unfold as the story progresses and twists and turns pop up unexpectedly. It is difficult for the girls to trust anyone and learn to rely on themselves. They find they are stronger than they ever expected. And meet some unlikely friends along the way.

I loved every page in this psychological thriller. It starts with a bang, and doesn't let up until the last page, when you realize you have just been on an emotional roller coaster, and don't want to get off. I wait in great anticipation for the sequel.

If you would like to purchase your own copy of Perilous, you can get both the hard copy and e-book versions here. I promise you won't be disappointed. Visit Tamara's website here.

Disclaimer: While I do sometimes receive copies of books I review, it in no way influences my opinions, they are and will always be my own.

Awesome Prizes!

2010-12-01T16:21:00.004-07:00

Check out Trisit Pinkston's awesome month of give a ways to celebrate the arrival of her new book Dearly Departed. A new prize will be awarded every 24 hours, and they are amazing! You don't want to miss it! You could win jewelry, movies, plus a ton of other exciting things, including the grand prize of a free nights stay at the Lion Gate Manor in Lava Hot Springs. Visit Tristi's blog for the total scoop at http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/. Don't miss out!!

By the way congratulations on your new book release Tristi! I am so totally stoked for you and can't wait to read it!

Keeping Committed~No Matter What!

2010-11-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Nanowrino has me caught in its tight magical grip, and I hope it never releases me! New unexpected plot twists are being unveiled and it is so much fun to see what will happen next as the story I have worked on for a year, shares new secrets with me. It has captivated me and I have loved every minute of it.

With most amazing month of nanowrino half over I have had such wonderful success with holding to the goal of writing 50,000 words. So far I am already past 30,000 words heading for the home stretch. So all of my writing time is taken there.

For this reason, I wanted to publish a post I wrote a while back about making goals on writing. It is focused on committing to writing every day for an hour, but I found another way that has been hugely inspiring and that is meeting a word count goal for the day. In doing so I have written over 100 pages in my book in 17 days. I can't wait to see what I can accomplish by the end of the month.

So, for all you nanowrimo people out there! Keep the faith, you are awesome! And hold true to your word count goals, or time goals. Here is my post, I hope you enjoy it! I feel it hold so much of what I am going through with writing for nanowrimo, it really speaks of holding on and never giving in!

~*~*~*~
Last September I took a huge leap of faith, I decided that the writer inside me dying to be let out and be heard, could be. I began to write my first novel even though I was afraid of being found out and exposed by the inner workings of my mind.

Besides, who was I, a crazy busy mom of seven very active kids to think I could be a writer?

This summer alone I had to get my boys to basketball, football, lacrosse, and track practices, camps, games and meets. I was teaching 3 to 4 plus group exercise classes a week, and leading a bunch of energetic fun 12 and 13 year old girls for our church's young women's youth group. Not to mention getting my second daughter ready for college, and keeping my little children entertained too all while my husband was going to be gone most of the time.

But, I figured if I could commit myself to the incredibly difficult goal of running a full marathon with all the training it required and raise over 2200 dollars for charity (which I ended up finishing in a little over 7 hours through hail, rain, snow and winds that blew me off the road) and do another one that same year, then I could commit to being an author and this goal I set for myself.

So I took up a challenge to write every day in the month of July for an hour. I was committed, no matter what. It would be a piece of cake, right? After all it was just an hour a day.

Well, I was way wrong on this one.

It turned out to be more difficult than I could have ever imagined.

Not thinking, I chose to take on this challenge that would be in effect during a caving trip , going out of town to visit family that had plans of their own that I was expected to be a part of for 8 days, taking care of kids on my own while my husband was either traveling for work or serving the Lord at Scout Camp or cooking for over 250 people on a four day Pioneer Trek, most of the month of July. In addition, I was traveling on my own with all seven of my kids (ages 19 to 6 years) to Utah to see my mom, brother and to take my daughter to college orientation in Logan.

Not a single day of this challenge went by that I haven't started writing before 12 am. It is so hard at times. I'm sooo tempted at times to just quit and not keep at it. But I told myself that I was writing no matter what, like I promised myself. And so with bleary eyes and jumbled brain waves, I stayed committed.

I can honestly say I haven't missed a single day of writing and kept my goal alive, beyond my expectations, even when it was as late (or early) as 1:30 am when I finally hit the keys. After finishing my writing time for the day, I always feel a huge sense of accomplishment for not giving up on me.

I have made more progress this month than I ever thought possible. I know that some days my eyes are held open with extra help, when all they want to do was head off to dream land. But I am somehow able to rouse myself enough to finish what I am writing on, hit save and stumble off to bed.

So I say, if me and my crazy self can keep committed to writing everyday no matter how out of control life can get, then I believe you can do it too.

So experiment! Try it out for yourself. Make a goal, stay with it, and come tell me what it was and how it went. I'd love to hear about your writing experiences. Besides, I know one thing for sure, you definitely won't be sorry, when you look back at your accomplishments.

One Moment that Changes Everything

2010-10-17T17:00:00.002-06:00

Health is a precarious thing. One minute you can feel as if you are immortal, invincible even, and in the very next breath it can all disappear. It is vital to take care of yourself and realize how precious good health really can be.

This morning at 1:15 am my 9 year-old daughter came stumbling into my bedroom gasping for breath. She had panic infused in her eyes and terror written all over her face as she struggled with out success to draw air into her lungs.

She couldn't even speak, with all the effort it took for her to fill her lungs with life-giving oxygen. She was in the midst of a full-blown asthma attack. We hadn't seen one this bad in over five years. We rushed to find her inhalers and prayed she could draw enough of it into her lungs to buy some us some time.

Time to get her to the emergency room. It only took us 7 minutes to get there, but every breath was a struggle. Thankfully, the albuterol began to slowly work and she could get more air moving in her restricted airways. Still, getting to the hospital was at a high urgency.
Once in the ER, the doctors flew to her giving her oral meds, setting up IVs, hooking her to monitors that took careful watch of her oxygen levels and her racing hear rate. A heart rate that sped along at 165 bpm while she was laying down on the bed as doctors put epinephrine in her body to get her to breathe and stop the attack on her ravaged lungs. Turning the O2 levels up as high as possible, the purple dragon oxygen mask delivered much the much needed pure oxygen that gave sweet relief.

And then they heard it.

The doctors and nurses stopped what they were doing and looked at each other puzzled.

A barky cough. But she was too old for that early-childhood illness of croup.

Frantically, they ran around the ER, realizing that all the meds they had just pumped into her body were not going to be effective and rushed to find and administer the ones that would ease her breathing and calm her racing heart. Then because of conflicting meds warring against each other inside of her body, we were in for a long wait as her body responded to all that was being done to help her return to the vivacious, carefree, playful 9 year-old she normally was.
It took 6 1/2 hours for her heart to slow to under 100 beats per minute. While in deep sleep, it still sped along, bouncing between 111 and 120 bpm (the heart rate of a moderate workout). Finally, her heart stayed below 100 bpm for a sustained period of time, and we knew we were home free.

Until she woke up and her hear jumped to 145 bpm with an irratic beat, for the next 45 minutes more tests were done, x-rays of her lungs taken, and evaluations on EKG stressors checked to see how she would respond with out the assist of extra oxygen and simple walking. Only then, even still a bit hesitant, the doctor let us take her home, under careful watch in case she should have a relapse, with the promise that we would take her to the doctor's in the morning to be re-evaluated, and have her progress checked.

In sharing this hair-raising event I wanted to send a simple reminder that health is a precious gift, that we far too often take for granted, or feel it is too inconvenient to bother with. But all too soon and faster than imagined it can be snatched away if you are not careful, and guard it with faithful diligence.

So make a promise to yourself that everyday you will find ways to be more healthy.Whether it is in increased exercise, watching what you eat, or stopping a life-threatening habit, commit to yourself not to take your health for granted.

Commit to yourself that you will take small measured steps to increase the level that you care for yourself. Then guard it carefully, because we only get one body to take us through our adventures in this life and we want to be sure that we can have our greatest adventures still to come. And if we take care of ourselves, we will find it less likely that our health will be fleeting in our next steps into life.

Bill Phillips once said," If you wait until things are "perfect" before you begin something healthy, challenging, and new, you'll be waiting forever. Set a deadline for when to begin."

So take a moment, breathe in deep and fill your lungs to capacity with oxygen infused air and let it out. Realize how wonderful it truly is to feel them move freely as they fill your blood stream and then your body with energy enriched oxygen and be grateful for good health and the ability to build strong bodies.

Here is a yummy fall treat to try out to help you along the way to good health!

Crank Up Your Crockpots!This applesauce recipe is a serious time saver"One of my favorite fall treats is fresh applesauce," says Cheryl Forberg, RD, The Biggest Loser nutritionist. "It can be a hassle to cook but store-bought varieties are usually loaded with added sugar. The recipe below, which employs a crockpot, is a real time-saver; you don't need to monitor the sauce as it simmers on the stovetop, or stir it to prevent sticking. Plus, this recipe has no added sugar."Chunky Crock Pot Applesauce This makes a great topping for hot cereal or the perfect addition to stir into yogurt.Yield: About three cups (six 1/2-cup servings)
8 unpeeled medium-size apples (about 3 1/2 pounds of Gala, Delicious or Fuji), cored and cut into one-inch pieces
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place all ingredients in crockpot. Toss to coat apples. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Cool slightly. Serve warm or cold.Note: Granny Smith or other tart apples may be used, though sweetener may be needed.
Recipe from The Biggest Loser Nutrition Facts per 1/2-Cup Serving:Calories 145Calories from Fat 0Sodium 0mgDietary Fiber 7gSugar 28g

Make this week awesome, ask yourself how you can change your life so that good health is not something to be taken for granted. Write out how you are going to make each breath you take worth living!

See you in the water!

Debbie Davis
http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/
24 hour fitness group exercise instructor

Classes:

Mon Aqua 10:00 am Centennial Super Sport
Tues Aqua 9:30 am North Aurora Chambers * now an hour
Thur Aqua 5:30 pm North Aurora Chambers * now an hour
Sat Aqua 9:00 am Lowry

Book Review: Intrinsical By Lani Woodland

2010-10-12T21:04:00.026-06:00

Intrinsical by Lani Woodland is a new young adult paranormal romance that gives a new slant to what paranormal is all about. It is her debut novel and it is filled with everything that makes paranormal so exciting as she creates a new way of showing us how out of the ordinary life can really be. It is the perfect way to have a taste of Halloween anytime of the year. It delves into ghosts, curses, dark sinister mists, hauntings, and let's not forget a little romance along the way.

I loved this story from start to finish and it grabbed me and had me hanging on for dear life wondering what was going to happen next. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as I devoured all the many unexpected twists that forced surprise from my mouth numerous times.

In addition to the amazing story-weaving talents Lani possess,where she easily casts the reader under the spell of her well-written, engaging characters; she also has an incredible eye for photography. She took the fabulous underwater picture that graces her cover.

In Intrinsical, Yara was looking forward to attending Pendrell boarding school with her best friend, Cherie. It was a chance to escape all the jokes about her crazy ghost-talking grandmother. She wanted to be normal and with relief thought that the dormant Waker gene that let her grandmother see and talk with ghosts might just have missed claiming her. But when she sees a dark mist trying to attack Brent, a gorgeous, popular athlete, and tries to kill him, she impulsively jumps in to save his life. But this causes her to draw the attention of the dark mist as it begins to stalk her as she learns about the curse that has haunted her new school with dark spirits, as it seeks to threaten her life. At the same time Brent turns his focus to Yara as he wants to know more about the girl who saved his life.

Then Yara's best-friend Cherie, excited to investigate all the stories of hauntings around the school, hopes to make contact with the ghosts of the curse. She drags her new boyfriend Steve along with Yara and Brent into the heart of the curse, but she doesn't have the ability to make contact, even though she studied with Yara's grandmother,the ways of the Wakers, strange things begin to happen around them.

Meanwhile, Yara learns that maybe the Waker gene didn't skip a generation after all. Fighting her heredity and her growing powers as a Waker she finds herself pulled further and further into the realm of ghosts and dark spirits as she and her friends delve deeper into finding out about the long standing curse and the mystery behind it the danger that lurks in the shadows as they learn that the deaths that occurred at the school and the sinister nature of them is may be more than what anyone ever realized.

Intrinsical held me spell-bound until the last amazing twist-filed page. I loved the characters and how they grew with each new discovery they made. The ties of friendship and loyalty are portrayed in a depth that shows the importance of courage, trust and always being there for each other. They changed as they learned that they could be more important in each other's lives than they ever imagined.

I loved how well each new surprise sprang out at me unexpectedly as incredible events where there was no turning back left you wondering how the characters could possibly overcome them and how unpredictable it all was in the end. It was refreshing to find this clean paranormal romance free of sex and swearing.

Lani's writing transported me to Pendrell where I felt the brush of the icy wind on my face and could smell the chlorine that permeated the air and hear the slopping wet foot prints as they appeared sinisterly as they drew closer and closer. I could even feel the chill go up my spine when a mysterious message appeared in a fogged up mirror. This is a book where you want to curl up in a under the covers with a flash light so you can chase away the shadows edging closer and closer.

You can learn more about the fascinating world of Intrinsical at http://www.intrinsicalthebook.com/ and you can purchase your own chilling ghost-filled copy of Intrinsical by clicking here or here.

Disclaimer: While I did receive a copy of the book from the author, my opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.

you can check out my review at barnes and noble here, and my review at amazon here.

Setting Goals that Transform You Inside and Out

2010-10-07T11:35:00.020-06:00

As you enjoy the cool whisper of the autumn air and we edge ever closer to Halloween, it is a time of pumpkins and fun magical possibilities!
With those possibilities are the dreams that we make as we take a night to become something different, and take on the identity of a mythological creature or scary monster, it is about re-creating ourselves,even for just a spellbound night. But what if you could take that change and make it more permanent?

Not so much as turning ourselves into ghost and fairies for the rest of our lives, but more along the lines of changing who we want to become in a world not made up of fantastical creatures, but ordinary human beings. Make that extraordinary human beings!

We are all capable of changing and becoming more than we ever imagined. All it take is a little disciple and a smidgen of determination, guised in the form of a written goal. With a little encouragement and a chance to see progress, we can do amazing things.

There was a time in my life that I never thought I could run more than three miles. That distance seemed daunting! Then I was set with the challenge of running 26.2 miles. That seemed unbelievable, almost impossible. I couldn't see myself accomplishing that huge number. But then I decided that it was doable. That it could be done, and so I set a goal. With the help of good friends and a little disciple, I created mini goals to help me along the way.

I did not do 26.2 miles the next day, not even close. That number was still intimidating to me, but I did smaller ones. I ran 2 miles, then 5, then 8 and on and on, until I was up to 21 before the big event. Finally, the day of my first full marathon arrived. I started it at 5:30 am on a beautiful cool day up in the mountains of Steamboat Colorado. I was with a hand full of people doing an early start. I knew I needed all of the extra time I would be allotted to accomplish my biggest and still uncompleted goal of 26.2 miles. The day was calm when I started, I thought it would be easy, my adrenaline was racing through my veins as I ran along the black ribboned high way. I was so excited! It was going to be so much fun! It was the day I would finally meet that goal that I had trained 5 months for, working up to the big event little increments at a time. I was laughing, taking pictures of the breath taking scenery and was on an all time high.

But as the day progressed, things became more challenging. IT rained, the temperatures dipped low, and it snowed. The wind picked up with a fury to blow me off the road. Disgruntled Sunday drivers ran me off the road and at times almost hit me. I saw runner after runner pass me by, each encouraging me to keep going and not give up, counting them as they went wondering if I would be the last one to finish as I continued to push one foot in front of the other toward that golden shining moment when I would cross that finish line. I had Friends cheer me on the way with green wigs and horns, shouts of encouragement and treats. My family found me 5 miles out, and in the pouring rain which soon became mixed with pounding hail, 3 of my children rushed to meet me on the trial. The hugged my weary body and told me I could finish, not to give up I was so close. Then 2 of my sons decided to finish the journey with me. They braved the rain and hail that stung our skin when the wind kicked up, they ran by my side keeping my mind off my aching feet, and worn-out legs. The rest of my family found me again half a mile from the finish and they all ran out on the road to join me as I made my last few steps toward that elusive goal, the finish line. A little over seven hours after I started, I pulled my exhausted body into a last run to cross the line to the cheering cries of my family and friends. They rushed to hug me and tell me I was awesome. I had finally accomplished what I had once thought almost impossible.

I did not come close to finishing first, and to be honest... I ended up being dead last! The slowest time of the race. But that is not what mattered. What was important was that I did not stop, I never gave up, I kept trying until I finally made my goal. It was not always easy, but there were those who where there along the way, strangers, friends and family who helped me to reach my goal. Me, a mom of 7 children and running my first marathon at the age of 40, and not in the best shape of my life, I did it!

It is the same with everything else in our lives. IF we allow others to be there for us, If we let them know our goals and what we want to do, they will be there along the journey, encouraging us, helping us to not give in, and lifting us back up when we falter. I want you think about who in your life you could turn to, look around you at those who would encourage you. Maybe it is a co-worker, a spouse, a friend, a child. It could even be a stranger, who smiles encouragingly to you as you work hard to accomplish your goals. Just know that you can do what ever you set a mind to do. It may seem an impossible, daunting task, but by taking it a step at a time, with help along the way, you can accomplish the unbelievable! IT IS WITHIN YOU! You can become that new creature for more than just one fun filled night of dressing up, you can transform yourself into something wonderful. And as you do, the changes will become apparent to you on the inside as well as what everyone else will notice and see.

So take the challenge, as we head into the season of fun and celebrations. Write your fitness goals down. Decide what you are going to do. Break them up so they can be manageable, and tell some one what you plan to do, so they can help you make that goal a finish line that you can cross with determination and excitement. Send them to me and I will cheer you on as well! It can be anything, you don't have to run a marathon to be amazing, just planning your exercise schedule, eating right, and putting in your best efforts goes a long way to creating positive, permanent change. Aqua classes can help you in your calorie burn of 350-500 plus calories burned depending on how hard you work. Augmenting it with other cross trianing will help you see drastic improvements. Together we can all be more than we ever imagined. We can accomplish the incredible!

I look forward to hearing about the goals and challenge you set for yourself! Let me in on them, I will promise to cheer you on, no matter what. I will be there along the way and especially during that last half mile as you sprint to the finish line!

Have a rocking great week! See you all in the water!

love ya
Debbie Davis
24hour fitness group exercise instructor
http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/

Classes:

Thur 5:30 pm Aqua North Aurora Chambers * now an hour long!
Sat 9:00 am Aqua Lowry
Mon 10:00 am Aqua Centennial Super Sport
Tues 9:30 am Aqua North Aurora Chambers * now an hour long

Making Friends Monday

2010-10-04T06:00:00.002-06:00

I want you to meet one of the neatest people I have had the chance to get to know~ Tristi Pinkston. She is an amazing friend. I feel it is a privilege to know her and I want to share her with you. I love her blog and like one of the really neat features she has on it called Making Friends Monday. I am so excited that I get to be featured on her blog, and I wanted to share a little bit about Tristi with you and some of the things that make her so wonderful!

Tristi Pinkston has been blogging since 2006. On her main blog, http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/ she covers everything from writing tips and the life of a published author to kid funnies, spiritual thoughts, and embarrassing moments. She also has a weight loss blog, one for writing challenges, another for her fictional characters … and she lost count of how many others she has. You can find the links for them on her sidebar.

Tristi is the author of five published novels and a whole kit ‘n caboodle of unpublished novels. Right now she’s focusing on cozy mysteries, although she has written historical fiction in the past and plans to write more in that genre. She works as a freelance editor and a virtual book tour coordinator. She loves taking long naps, being charmingly annoying, and watching good movies. She’s a Mormon, a homeschooler, a Cubmaster, and most of the time, a headless chicken.

I read her book Agent in Old Lace and absolutely loved it! It was a hilarious face-paced read that kept me on the edge until the very last page and kept me up way past my bedtime. I know you will love reading it as much as me. I hope you had as much fun getting to know Tristi as I did, jump on over to her blog and say hi, I know she would love it!

Book Review: Defensive Tactics By Steve Westover

2010-09-29T13:22:00.007-06:00

This is a story about Paul, Jimmy and Emily and how they each grow and find that they have more courage and strength to overcome incredible odds than they ever dreamed they had. It is an LDS action thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and pages flying until the last sentence into the earliest hours of the morning. I found that I couldn't put it down once I started. It has everything in it that you could ever want - FBI, corrupt judges, mob action, chase scenes, tragedies, love complications, and more.

New to their jobs in the FBI, Paul and Emily find they may connect on a level deeper than friendship. Then Jimmy, with his eccentric ways and interest in Emily, ends up staying with Paul. When Emily's life is in danger, it takes all of Paul's wits to try to get her out of danger . When Jimmy jumps in to help out anything can happen in the race against time to save her.
I love the idea of savvy yet sleazy bad guys who use thugs to do their dirty work and how it shows us how absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Defensive Tactics is a fast-paced story that grabs you and doesn't let go until the last pages. I loved how integrity and understanding, love and second chances are all so neatly woven into the story - especially with Jimmy. I totally identified with him and all that he was going through, the whole idea of overcoming terrible unexpected loss and wandering aimlessly in life as a result. I know that when Jimmy goes to get help from the LDS bishop, I felt I learned new important truths right along with Jimmy. The author has the ability to teach and nurture as he keeps the excitement going, and I read things that the bishop talked about in the book with Jimmy to my husband because they rang so deeply with in me. About life after death, what real judgement is about, and how not to assume that all is lost with our limited understanding of life after death. I found that I grew in my own understanding and learned a lot from this book. It made me sit up and go WOW, I just had an epiphany when gospel truths rang clearly. It actually helped me in dealing with the unexpected loss of my father earlier this year, to find the strength to pull myself up from floundering and to find the ability and desire to make important goals again, in a similar fashion to Jimmy.

I felt that this story had it all. I really enjoyed it from start to finish and found that I grew along with the characters in unexpected ways. I loved the Mafia aspect, and felt it was very realistic. I loved all the intrigue that kept me wanting to know what happens next. I felt that this was an amazing first book by Steve Westover and would never have believed that it was his first novel- if I hadn't been told. It has the air of a seasoned writer to it, with complicated plot twists and character growth throughout the story! I loved it and know that you can't go wrong picking it up to read. Just make sure you have a block of unscheduled time, because once you start reading, I guarantee that you will enjoy the rapid thrill-ride until you have reached the exciting and very satisfying conclusion!
You can get a copy of Steve's book here.

Disclaimer: While I did receive a copy of this book to review, my opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.

Creating Characters

2010-09-18T17:43:00.011-06:00

My friend Christine Bryant at came up with another fun writing challenge! To create characters from a picture. It was so much fun I had to post it.

I'd love to know what you think of the characters I created.

Here are the guidelines:

Choose one or both and tell me about them. Give them a name, a back story and a genre. What's their story? What conflict would you give them? Are they strong or weak? You can be as brief or long winded as you like.

Here is what I came up with:

Nayla Anderlon turns 18 years old tomorrow. It will be the best day of her life. With her dark green eyes with fleck s of gold, long beautiful black hair she is hailed as the most beautiful young woman in all the land. She is kind, loving, intelligent, and feisty. She is regal in her height at 5’9. As High Princess of the Country Zandria she is about to take over the throne as her father steps down upon her wedding in the morning. She will marry her handsome best friend and adjoining kingdom’s Prince Zachariah Crofters and she will then have everything she ever dreamed in her life. She has grown up in the shadow of great love and affection and she is cherished by her country and her kinsmen. All would lay down their lives for her. She has been trained all her life to be the leader of her country, to rule with love and mercy. She has learned all the skills needed to be a high princess, and knows she was ready to step into her father’s shoes and her new life beside the young man who was dearest to her.
The night before she turns eighteen, an old kind woman approaches her while she is strolling along the edge of the forest and gives her a gift. “For the beautiful new queen”, she say. “It is from the heart of those who look to keep you safe, a token of their love.” Surprised by this beautiful unexpected gift she smiles and hugs her gift giver and slips the elegant necklace of gold and silver interspersed with amethysts and sapphires over her head. “It’ll protect you dearie” the old lady says with a knowing smile. Confused she looks up to ask the woman, “To protect me from what?” Only to find the old woman gone in the swirling mists surrounding her.
As she goes to enter the castle doors, she is covered by a burlap sack, quickly tied closed by rope and unceremoniously thrown over the back of a horse before she can even get a scream out. Struggling to be free, she kicks and squirms, but the grunts she hears are the only indication that she has from her abductors. She works to slide off the horse only to be dragged back on, as the horse gallops through the night away from all her dreams.
Nayla is now faced with how to escape and return to the kingdom she loves, looks to defy her captors at every point, and discover the power of the necklace that was given to her by the old woman to protect her in her darkest hour, and the strange powers that she discovers she possesses. But as she works to find her way home, back to her country and the man she is to marry, she discovers that home may not be what and where she always thought it to be and her heart may not belong to who she thought it did after all. All while discovering dark secrets about herself and her country, she stands tall and strong in the face of them all.
This is a paranormal ya romance of how a young girl discovers the strength to overcome, understand who she really is, and finding the courage to face herself and follow what her heart tells her.

Jeremiah Manfield is 18 years old and wise beyond his years. He is intelligent, cunning, strong and handsome. He has dark blue eyes and short tawny hair, a perpetual five o’clock shadow that drives him crazy and an easy laugh. He is tall, over 6’4.He is the rebel leader of the underground movement to stop the union of the countries of Zandria and the adjoining kingdom Rastreinghton. He is the first born son of the king of farthest adjoining country Northrolun, a country that has been stripped of all honor because of the rash decisions of other sovereign rulers who seek to take their lands, and ignore their royal standing. Jeremiah knows it will spell disaster for all kingdoms if the union between Nayla and Zachariah happens. He plots to kidnap the princess to prevent this from occuring, but the window is short and he has watched Nayla carefully to find where the slip in her routine may be. He must put his life in jeopardy and all his men in peril against the evil kingsmen who would stop at nothing to see the two countries united so that they might control the prophecy of the one who holds the Power of Light that is said to be found in the first daughter of the King with no sons in the uniting of kingdoms. He knows that Nayla is the first daughter of a King with no sons in over five hundred years throughout all the surrounding kingdoms and that prophecy is about to be fulfilled when she pledges herself to Prince Zachariah in the morning on her 18th birthday.
He carefully calculates the walk she takes every night along the edge of the woods along the same pathway at the same time every night. He misses the time he is supposed to take her because his horse throws him just at the edge of the forest sending him landing none too kindly on his butt just yards from where the preplanned point of capture is to take place. Angered at his horse for ruining his chances of snatching her quickly without chance of detection from the pathway by the forest, he must quickly devise an alternate plan. Glaring at his horse, he decides to risk all and sneak onto the castle lands, and wait for her as she enters goes to enter the castle. He captures her with great speed and whistles to his horse that arrives instantly beside him, he throws her over the saddle and climbs behind her and rushes off into the cover of the woods.
He takes her deep into the woods far from all the countries to the wild unclaimed territories, fighting the whole time to keep her on the horse as she struggles to get free. Once he reaches his destination, he must find the truth of Nayla’s part in the deception, and decide how to keep the underground movement strong as he fights to subvert the evil kings men and keep Nayla from being recaptured, and taking the throne with Zachariah. As he learns about her, he finds that he cannot deny his strong feelings for her, even as she professes herself pledged to the Prince she is to wed.
Jeremiah finds he can help her and gain her trust if she will listen to him as he tells her the truth that has been kept from her all her life. He wants to help her, then he finds that in spite of all his attempts to prevent it, the prophecy cannot be stopped after all. As he watches the power consume Nayla who is powerless to prevent it, the Power of Light takes over her body. Jeremiah now must help Nayla learn how to control her powers that she holds that have been foretold for centuries and keep her safe from those who want her power. He helps her see how to let the necklace of protection can help her as the darkest secrets are uncovered. He must guard himself and most especially his heart as he helps her to understand the prophecy and her part in it.
This is a paranormal ya romance about a boy destined to rule a country but instead finds he must stop a terrible prophecy from being fulfilled to save everyone from those who would twist it for their own purposes even if it means kidnapping a princess and putting his life and those who pledge their allegiance to him in jeopardy. Only to find that there is more than he could have ever expected to be gained and lost along the journey.

Thanks Christine for the great time, you can visit her at http://http//christinebryant.blogspot.com to see what other people came up with, maybe you could make up something exciting and fun with the same challenge!

Book Review: The Hidden Sun by J. Lloyd Morgan

2010-08-15T19:14:00.032-06:00

Released ~May 1, 2010
Pages ~323
Genre~ Medieval/Romance
Website ~http://www.jllmorgan.com/

Synopsis:
The HIDDEN SUN is about a princess who was born to become the ruler of the land at the age of 21. A contest called the Shognoc is held every twenty-one years. This time, the winner will get the chance to become the next King and rule by Princess Eliana's side. All the surrounding lands are invited to send their best representative to participate.

There is talk that Daimh, the son of conniving and scheming Governor Abrecan from the land of Erd is the favorite to win, with his dark, handsome looks and amazing strength. Many think it is a sure bet.

But in an unexpected twist, Eliana falls in love with her personal guardian Rinan and wishes to step from the throne and walk away from her title as future Queen, to be with the man she loves.

She is convinced that if she steps down, the throne will fall into the hands of corrupt leaders and magistrates. The Kingdom of Bariwon could fall into the hands of those who would rule without justice. She is torn between what she must do. Does she follow her heart, or does she step into the role she was born to fill?

A plan is devised to allow Eliana to remain as Queen and stay in power to insure a kingdom ruled with fairness. It also allows her to marry Rinan, the man she loves. As the plan goes forward, no one can anticipate the aftermath that follows such an unprecedented decision. Neither can anyone predict how the consequences would effect the entire kingdom of Bariwon for years to come. To reverse those consequences would be a daunting task, one that might not be a possibility.

About the Author:
Author J. Lloyd Morgan is an award-winning television director. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Communications and a minor in English. Morgan has lived all over the United States, but now resides in North Carolina with his wife and four daughters. He is currently working on a sequel to THE HIDDEN SUN.

My Review:

I always look forward to stories that take me away to another land, a place where life is different and times are far in the past. To be carried away by a beautiful heroine and a handsome hero with romance splashed in. Ahh, heaven! THE HIDDEN SUN had this and more.

I fell in love with Eliana and Rinan right away. I wanted their love and happily-ever-after to work out. They were so pure and wholesome and cared for others more than themselves. They were so perfect for each other. They go forward with a plan that allows them to be together.

But the contest had to go on, and the book The Tome of Laws decreed that the winner marry the next in line to take the throne. Daimh was favored to be the next King to rule beside Eliana. He is good-looking and strong, but not always in the right ways. His father the, Governor of Abrecan, plans to use his son as a pawn for his unjust agenda.

Meanwhile, there is a mystery discovered in the Tome of Laws that must be unraveled. It is a key that will unlock the course of the future. It becomes a race against time as the Governor and his evil minions work to ensure that no one ever uncovers the truth.

I can honestly say that I grew to hate Governor Abrecan so much that I wanted bad things to happen to him. He was the perfect evil villain, the kind you love to hate. He was more despicable the more you got to know him.

I was anxious the whole time to know if there would be a happily-ever-after or not. There was so much political intrigue and crazy plot twists that it kept me up at late at night wondering what would happen. I was really unhappy when some of the characters were killed off so soon. I was upset, I even cried, I was angry at the author, and it made no sense to me. But as I read on, I realized that it was essential to the plot of the book. I found myself falling in love again with other characters along the way. I wanted to personally go into the book and do bodily damage to Abrecan with all the things he did. I felt bad for his son. Who would want a dad like him, anyway?

I did wish that I could get to know the characters a little better in some places. I felt that time passed to fast at times, kind of like a mini-time warp. I wanted to hang on to what was happening and had to go back to see if I missed anything important. It was necessary for the story, though. I also found at times that I tripped over the words in a few places, like there were too many. I wanted to edit them out so it would flow a bit better. Some of the names took some getting used to, as well. I worked at different pronunciations until I felt comfortable with them. I only learned after I read the book that there was a guide for them on the author's website. You can click on it at the top of my review.

But once I got past those things, I fell into the book and couldn't stop reading. I made myself not look at the end of the book to see how it all finished, to see if the characters I loved were still there.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The scenes were vivid, the characters were distinctive and sometimes quirky. There was a great good versus evil theme that kept me turning pages. I recommend this book for anyone who loves romance set in medieval times. J. Lloyd Morgan is a vivid storyteller who weaves unexpected surprises along the way. I look forward to reading the sequel.

If you would like to purchase THE HIDDEN SUN please click here

Disclaimer: While I did receive a copy of this book from the author, it had no influence on my opinion of the book, or on my review.

I survived my first time ever as a guest blogger

2010-08-02T14:12:00.018-06:00

I feel like I am growing up as a writer and in the world of blogging. My very first time as a guest blogger dropped today and being so new at blogging in general it was sort of intimidating. . I am a guest this week on the Blogck. It went up today. You can see it at http://ldswritersblogck.blogspot.com/

I write about staying committed to yourself and the challenges that you can be faced with and over coming them. I am excited about it and have to say I have been totally nervous all week long. Wondering what I committed my self too and would I be good enough to be posted along side so many experienced bloggers.

But now it is here with a lot of help from my friend Ali Cross later, I managed to pull it off. I learned all kinds of great things along the way. Like how to transfer html, and get pictures to go where you want them to in your blog. I learned how to add fun little things called widgets. I also learned that there are lots of people willing and happy to help you along the way to becoming a seasoned blogger, writer and book reviewer. They are friends who reach down to pull you up to the level they are on.

And if you falter? They are there to catch you too.

I feel more confident and sure of myself now. I know my way around the blogging world a little better than I did before, and I found how fun it was. And now that I know what I am doing, I look forward to the next time. Don't get me wrong, there is still a lot I need to learn, but I know that there will be friends along the way to help me figure it all out.

Thanks Ali for giving me this chance to be a guest blogger. And for being there for the journey.

The Writing Contest

2010-07-24T15:02:00.005-06:00

So my friend Christine Bryant did this great thing for her birthday this year. She gave a challenge to write a story using 20 words and no longer than 1000 words. I was so excited to do this competition and she was going to give a gift in return, it was for 3 chapters to be edited for free by her. So cool! I got right on it.

It reminded me of high school when I would get my spelling words for english and would need to write sentences for them. I got creative and started to make short stories instead, because it was more fun and my teacher loved it.

WELL, I didn't win, you can see who did at http://www.christinebryant.blogspot.com/ but I sure had a great time writing mine and I wanted to share what I wrote with you.

So here are the 20 words I needed to use they were: pink fuzzy bath slippers, .22 rifle, glass horse, sleeping bag, a journal, white bean bag chair, a kitten (Sheba), a bouquet of flowers, a Barbie doll, Roller skates, a book (How to Draw Animals), a 10-speed bike (white), A stuffed alligator, A Donny Osmond poster (stop laughing), a lamp for my desk, flip flops, a jewelry box, a cedar chest, a heart locket, a used stereo (with record turn table)

See if you can find the words in the story:

The Visitor

Where did I leave my pink fuzzy bath slippers? I know they aren’t in the cedar chest. What did I do with them? Sheba better not of run off with them again. Ugh! When I see her little kitten face I’ll show her exactly what she can shred. I’ll trap her on my white bean bag chair and give her Jeffery’s stuffed alligator. She can go to town on that, tear it to pieces for all I care. Bond with it as much as she wants, just not my brand new slippers.

Dang, where are they? I really needed a new lamp for my desk. It’s ridiculous not being able to see anything. The lamp by my bed did nothing to light my room, only my Donny Osmond poster—don’t ask.

Ding.

I stomped down the stairs none too gracefully in my roller skates hoping not to fall on my butt. Where did those slippers go? I was going to kill myself getting to the front door in these. At least I had something to put on my feet. The floor was like ice and I had no clue when Jeffery, my bratty little brother, found the time to hide all of my shoes. He even took my flip flops and hid them who knows where. He better hope my .22 rifle wasn’t loaded when he got home from camp, the little twerp!

Ding.

“Chill out! Sheesh, I’m coming!” I shouted as the door bell rang for the bazillionth time. “Just give me a sec!”

Ding. Ding. Ding. Couldn’t whoever was at the door just let up on the bell for Pete’s sake? Crymanie. Don’t they realize how hard it is to get through a house in skates much less down the stairs?

Ripping the door open I was ready to give the ringer a piece of my mind.

What in the world?

Something cold, soft and sweet smelling, blinded me as it was shoved in my face. Losing my balance I fell backward, my arms flailed everywhere as my feet rolled out from underneath me. Grabbing at the air hoping to latch on to something, anything that would stop my fall; I felt something solid and held on. It was a large muscular arm. Unfortunately, that something attached to the huge muscular arm fell also, and with all the grace of a grizzly bear. It landed on top of me knocking the wind out of me. My rear took the brunt of the fall, and I lay on the floor regaining my bearings and my breath.

“I’m normally not this clumsy.” I said. “Sorry about that.”

Blushing, I looked up and saw . . . him. Oh no! I looked like a Barbie doll gone bad. Hair wild with bed head, no make-up and ratty flower jammies. My mouth gaped open in an unattractive O.

Dreamy blue eyes looked steadily at me, as a brilliant smile spread across Jeremy’s beautiful face. In spite of the fall he looked perfect, not a bit of his wavy dark hair out of place. He rolled off me and helped me sit up. Smoothing my blonde Barbie-ish hair, I tried like crazy to look better. It was useless. I was a mess.

“Hi, Green-eyes” he said using my nickname. “I . . . um, brought you these.” He held up what was left of a bouquet of flowers. Yellow Roses, how did he know those were my all-time, ultimate favorite flower? I never told him. No one knew.

“And these” he added giving me a velvet covered jewelry box and a beautiful leather-bound journal. His smile grew larger.

“Thanks” I said, taking the flowers breathing them in. “They’re my favorite.” I carefully placed them between the little glass horse and a book How to Draw Animals in front of Mom and Dad’s old used stereo. The one with the ancient record turn table.

“I know,” he said mysteriously.

I took the journal and the jewelry box from him, my eyes flew to his, puzzled. “What’s in the box?” I asked. Stealing a second, I glanced out the open door. Jeremy’s white 10 speed bike stood gleaming in the middle of the side walk. The same one he rode all over university campus last semester. It had a sleeping bag strapped to the back of it. No way! He couldn’t have.

“You rode all the way here? On that?”

“Ya,” he sheepishly grinned. “I did.”

“Don’t tell me you slept in that sleeping bag too.”

Jeremy’s smiled widened. “Ya, I did.”

Warmth flooded through me, as my heart beat wildly in my chest. He came to Denver? On a bike? From Utah?

“Open your present, Bonnie” he said softly. “I promise you are going to like it.”

I smiled as another wave of warmth flooded me.

I put my new journal next to the flowers on the table and looked up into his gorgeous baby blues. I slowly opened the jewelry box. My heart stopped beating then took wild flight again.

Was that really what I thought it was?

I lifted a beautiful heart locket from the box. It gleamed golden in the soft light of the moon.

“You’ve stolen my heart, Bonnie” he said drawing me close to him. He placed my hand on his chest. It beat as crazily as mine. “I want to give it to you to always watch over and protect.”

“Oh, Jeremy,” I said. “I love it.” Taking the necklace he reached around my neck to clasp it on.

He sunk to one knee before me, holding out another box. A black velvet one.

“Will you let me do the same with yours?” he asked opening the box. Inside was a large, brilliant, white-gold diamond ring. “Will you let me protect your heart for all of eternity?” He paused for just a second.

“Bonnie Marie Knight will you be my wife?” he asked with love shining in his eyes.

“Yes,” I whispered. “For all eternity.”

The End

I hope you had fun reading it, now how about writing your own story, just for the fun of it? I would love to see what you wrote if you choose to take up the challenge.

Thanks Christine for sparking my imagination and for all the fun I got from writing this story and once again Happy Birthday!

The challenge!

2010-07-07T14:45:00.003-06:00

I have accepted an issued challenge. The challenge you ask? What could it possibly be? I have challenged myself to write at least an hour a day every day for the month of July on my book. Now this includes the days we go caving, my husband tells me I have enough battery power on my lap top to fulfill it, even at camp. It will be fun to see how that turns out.

So far after picking up the gauntlet, I have been able to swing it with full force everyday this month. I have even exceeded my expectations and been able to write more than anticipated. I love being able to let my creativity flow and being able to bring what I see and hear so vividly inside my head to flowing script on the page before me. And yes, I do hear voices talking to me in my head. Doesn't every body?

Extra time on the computer without kids demanding a turn is mine! YES! But admittedly, this extra time comes at a price. My husband is out of town this entire week as are my three boys. They are off exploring the wilds of the mountains in the guise of scout camp. Fantastic! you might say. Less interruptions, and you would be right but . . . I have a terrible time getting to sleep at night when my husband is gone, and so I have found my self up through the wee hours of the morning typing away, with a terrible case of insomnia. It happens every time he leaves town. So I make the best of it by letting my characters out to play, and letting those voices in my head take over . . . again, I am not completely crazy, its just that I see great scenes in full technicolor playing out in my head and I work to capture it with words.

Now for a warning . . .

Even though at the last and only writing conference I have been to so far, David Farland said that our creative minds wake up at 5 pm and stays up until really late at night, I am thinking that perhaps he didn't mean until 4 am . I found my self working on my book enjoying the silence of my three girls sleeping peacefully in their beds, except for when they shouted out in their sleep about someone doing whatever to you know who . Smiling to myself, I wondered why I felt so tired, to look down at the clock on the computer and see 4 am staring wickedly back at me. OH WOW! It was not really that late . . . er. . . I mean early was it? That is how the first night my husband was gone played out , but I have to admit, I was able to write creatively for most of the time my insomnia was in full force. Eventually (4 am) the word began to blur, and I was finally able to sleep.

I looked back the next day, worried about the blathering gibberish I might find to see that what I wrote was actually pretty good and even made sense, which was a shocker to me. I expected nonsensical words to appear in place of the wondrous prose of the night before. I was happy this was not the case. Actually I was ecstatic. However, I don't recommend doing this, at least not very often, because its not the day after that you feel like you were hit by a semi because of a lack of sleep, but the day after that.

But the writing challenge has helped me focus in and forced me to carve out time every day to write and move my story forward to completion instead of jumping around with portions, I am now focusing on start to finish, with some editing along the way. I love the challenge, I feel excited when I sit down and easily lose myself in the world of my creation. It has sparked new imagination, and a little thrill of anticipation each time I write.

So now I pass my gauntlet to you, will you pick it up and rise to the challenge as well? Will you choose to write everyday something that releases the creativity within you? Answer the call, don't be afraid, prepare your self for the journey, you may just find yourself entering into a wondrous new world.

Jumping into the blogosphere

2010-06-24T22:10:00.000-06:00

Here I go diving in, finally to touch cyberspace. It is a bit frightening and exciting all at the same time. So as I explore the world of writing and books and share my thoughts here I will share my thoughts of how my writing is going, and what I am reading.

But first a few thoughts about me. I have always loved writing. I remember being thrilled beyond belief when my mom gave me a "writer's notebook" when I was in the fourth grade. I was so excited by it, I couldn't wait to get writing, creating my next master piece. The new sharpened pencils that came with the pad of paper called to me. My fingers itched to grab one, to take that graphite and change it into beautiful words. Words of a story, a creation of another land, another universe. To create stories so wonderful that my teachers gave me rave reviews, which they always did.

I lived for when I could get home, sharpen my pencil and dive into the world I was creating. I looked forward to every creative writing prompt I got in school, to explore new ways of looking at things and listen to the voices clamoring to be heard inside my head. No, not multiple personalities, but rather characters who wanted to be immortalized by my sharpened pencil.

Soon, however, mandatory high school and college papers took over and squashed those voices until they were completely silent. They tried valiantly to break back out, and here and there I would free them for a just a moment, with a pounding heart, then imprison them almost as quickly afraid of what others might think of what I had created.

I yearned for that little girl I was who had no inhibitions, who freely wrote, but I kept her hushed up, gagged and put her in the farthest corners of my mind.

But she would still tantalize me with the musings of characters who still wanted to play on the page with that sharpened pencil. Instead I ignored her and the characters, feeling that I was too busy with my family, too busy with other things I deemed more important as a grown up. I didn't have time for playing, listening to the beggings of worlds to be unleashed on the blank pages. I settled for writing in my journal. That would have to be enough. But it I knew deep inside that it wasn't enough.

I delved into the worlds of other writers pushing those sober thoughts away, but that little girl would tease me, taunt me with the idea that I could be as good a writer as those I was reading. I could create the same kinds of worlds, the same kinds of characters as they could and I could unleash my imagination once again. But I didn't dare.

I found another who like me yearned to put her story down and was brave enough to submit to a publisher, I felt desire to write again surge inside me and I found that I could wanted to write a book also, one of the many stories dying to be let out of the shadows of my mind.

I swallowed the fear I felt inside me, I swallowed the insecurities and the devilish voice that tried to tell me I was insane, but I shoved that devil right into the corner and bound him up tight and released that little girl who loved to write. And suddenly, I felt an immense sense of freedom. I was finally, free once again to be that little girl who loved to write stories of different places and different worlds where vampires, wizards, sorcerers, werewolves, faeries, and dragons and all kinds of creatures are free to romp and play.

So I hope you join me in my sense of excitement, wonder and magic as I finish up my first novel, and find what I think of other stories I have read fascinating and fresh. As I unleash that little girl here in cyberspace as she helps me find my voice on the printed page permanently. With that being said, WELCOME to Debbie's Inkspectations. Enjoy, and have fun with me as I continue to explore all over again, that childlike sense of imagination that has been waiting to be released.