Thursday, December 30, 2010

Human Blend by Lori Pescatore GIVEAWAY

Marion, Virginia seemed like a nice place to live a normal life, but she is not a normal girl. Laney has special abilities that keep her looking over her shoulder as she makes her escape from the men who had kidnapped her. A young doctor's interest is piqued when he witnesses her mysteriously curing a young child's illness. He befriends her due to his growing fascination with uncovering the true nature of her abilities, but not without harboring secrets of his own. Laney's budding relationship with a local boy puts both of them in danger when the men she was hiding from find her. All of their lives will change forever as ancient secrets become unearthed.

Laney is used and abused from the time she was little. She runs away but is caught and pays for her escapes. The people who help her also pay, usually by dying.
This time she escapes she is careful, gets a new identity and moves to a small town, hoping for a 'normal' life.
Right away, normal seems to be what she gets: she becomes a volunteer at the hospital using her special healing powers, gets an apartment and a boyfriend. There is also doctor who isn't what he seems to be; he is also attracted to Laney.
But trouble has a way of rearing its ugly head...
This is the first book in a trilogy.


I'm not sure how to review this book. I don't usually read/review adult romance. Some of the scenes made me uncomfortable but they weren't graphic, just very suggestive.
I enjoyed the storyline and wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to the three main characters.  I must confess I shut the book several times and vowed not to continue reading only to open it again because I wanted to know the ending.
Why did I shut the book you ask? One reason: Lori really needed an editor/proofreader/critique group. There were many grammar and editing errors that took me out of the story.
Self-publishing is hard and I applaud Lori for getting her book written and published. Authors need to believe in their work and Lori does.
The characters were interesting. They had unique abilities that were uplifting but sometimes used for bad things. I enjoyed reading how they worked through their trials.
I would recommend this book as an adult romance. 


 *GIVEAWAY*
Would you like to win this book? Just leave a comment and your email address and your entered!
GOOD LUCK!

Rating: PG 17
L: Swear words sprinkled throughout
V: Young girl beat up; people killed; nothing bloody or gory but sad
S: Yes but not graphic

Page 69 test:

"...that he does, she is unable to resist telling him what he wants to know.
"Ready to do this?" he asked her.
"Yes," she replied. "I'm going to go change first," she said.
"Meet me in my office," he said, and started off down the hall.
After changing, Julie made a quick call to the laundromat. she couldn't remember if she had made plans with Austin or not. "Hey, how's that washer coming?" she asked when she recognized his voice.
"Hey, Jules. It's all fixed actually. I picked up the part it needed after school, and she is up and running. Are you done work?" he asked.
"Yes and no. I am gonna hang out here. there is a little girl that is undergoing a procedure, and I kinda want to be here when she comes through it," she explained.
"Want me to come wait with you?" Austin asked.
"No, that's okay. I'm not sure how late it will run. Oh hey, I got some good news. I found an ad for an apartment, like one block from the hospital. I have an appointment to see it tomorrow morning," she said, changing the subject.
That's great, Jules," Austin said, sounding genuinely happy. "Maybe tomorrow night will have something to celebrate," he said.
"I'd like that," Julie said.
"Me too," Austin replied.
"Have a good night, then," Julie wished him.
"Sweet dreams," he said. Julie hung up and made her way to the doctor's office.
"All set?" Eli asked, when she entered.
"Ready when you are," she replied. Julie and Eli walked down to the room next door. it was a small, private, patient's room. Michele was there, still curled into her fetal position. The quiet, steady beeping of machines was the only sound.
"Before you begin," Eli said. "I want you to describe what you feel when you touch her," he said. Julie nodded and walked over to the child's sleeping form. She reached under the covers and..."

Monday, December 27, 2010

Goals, Resolutions and No Soda For A Year?

What are your goals for 2011?
Have you made any? Or thought about them yet?

I had a friend in high school who made one GINORMOUS New Year's Resolution every year. Sometimes I did it with her (we went without gum for the year) and sometimes I looked at her like she was insane (no sugar for a year??). One time we vowed to go without soda for the year; I was successful! Okay. I hate soda so it wasn't so hard to do. 
But that made me think.
Why can't we work on easy goals too?
For instance:
  • I will make my bed everyday (except Sunday because I will, at some point, crawl back into it for a nap).
  • I will eat at least one salad a week :)
  • I will finish AND send out my query letter. Wait. That one is really hard...
You understand what I mean, right?
Make a few easy goals that you can accomplish. It will empower you to move to the next goal.
Make the next one a little harder. And harder. And harder.
A funny thing will happen. Your goals won't be as hard as you thought.

What is an easy goal you can check off your list right now?

And now a little off the subject:
What do you want to learn this next year?
What would you like to see on this blog?
Has anything been helpful to you in the past?
What can I do for you?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Reading Gifts

Give yourself a gift today.
Read a good article.
Sit for thirty minutes and read a book.
Snuggle with your child and listen to him read to you.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

A Gift To You

A gift.
For real.
Reality.
Really you.
Authenticity.
You are real, authentic.
You can live with failure because you are strong. And failing makes you stronger.
You can see beauty, even when it's not evident.
You feel the truth. Sometimes the truth sets you free. Sometimes it make you unpopular.
You can be alone with yourself and like the company you keep.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Another Gift To My Followers

Success!You are amazing.
You can reach your goals.
You can realize your dreams.
*HUGS*

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Book Lover Christmas Gift

Don't know what to get the book lover/reader for Christmas?
Never fear! I'm here.
I found the perfect gift.

A Page Book Wreath. 


Living With Lindsay has instructions and a video on how to turn a trashy paperback into a lovely wreath.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Inexpensive Neighbor Christmas Gifts

We are always looking for creative and inexpensive gift ideas for our neighbors and friends. We found clever sayings on everyday items a fun way to spread holiday cheer.
Many of the gifts we bought the day after Christmas for even more savings.

Stuck on what to get your friends and/or neighbors? Here's a few ideas:

  • "Here's to a REaDing Christmas!"-Give a Christmas book or bookmarks.
  • "Hope your holidays are wrap up in love!"- Give a throw or roll of wrapping paper.
  • "May your holidays sparkle!"-Give a box of tinsel.
  • "May the light of Christmas shine on you!"-Give a box of lights.
  • "We Whisk you a Merry Kissmas!"-Give a whisk with a bag of kisses
  • "Our friends are our angels"-Give a tree topper angel or a small one for a nativity
  • "Remember the Reason for the Season"-Give a baby Jesus or a nativity.
  • "Merry Kissmas"-Give mistletoe.
  • "A baby changes everything"-Give baby Jesus or something for a new baby.
  • "Hope your holidays are hot"-Give homemade Salsa and chips
  • "Wrap up your holidays in love" - Give wrapping paper

What ideas do you have to share? What fun gifts have you received?

    Book Academy Conference-Lisa Magnum

    Query Letters

    Query Letter-First letter sent is one page-an intro to your book and self
    Cover Letter-Sent with requested manuscript & reminder of you and your book
    Summary Letter-Two pages of outline of whole book.

    Query is a professional, business letter of three paragraphs.
    1st paragraph is the hook. When the character encounters difficulty, chaos ensues
    2nd paragraph is the mini summary
    3rd paragraph is who you are

    Sunday, December 12, 2010

    My Gift To You, Dear Followers

    I give you peace.
    Writers can use a little time off to refocus, recenter themselves.
    Sometimes I need nothing more than beautiful music and photos.
    I give you seven minutes of beauty.
    If you don't have time to look at the pictures, turn up your speakers and listen to the soothing music.
    Enjoy!

    Friday, December 10, 2010

    Perilous by Tamara Heiner Blog Tour AND Giveaways!

    First of all: The goods!
    Someone will win Tamara's book.
    And another person will get to win a KINDLE!

    Book giveaway: The winner of this contest will be randomly chosen. Every
    person who comments on any post during the blog tour will be entered into
    a random drawing for a book.
    The
    contest begins on Nov. 16 and ends on Dec. 15.

    Kindle giveaway: This contest is point-based and begins Oct. 15 and ends
    Dec. 15. Whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be
    one Kindle given away. Here are the points:

    1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, on
    the tour)
    1 point: follow Tamara's blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com)
    1 point: retweet
    2 points: blog about the blog tour
    5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email Tamara the
    confirmation email).
    Add up all their points as well as their proof (links, etc).
    People can earn an infinite number of points!

    Here is the ebook link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045JLQCI

    Here are the book links:
    http://www.amazon.com/Perilous-Tamara-Hart-Heiner/dp/0979607086,
    http://tamarahartheiner.com/books.html
     


    What a ride! This book had me in knots from beginning to end! What was going to happen to the girls? Would they get rescued before someone died? What about the bad guys?
    The settings were good and easy to "see" as the story went along.
    The characters were good, bad and ugly. Tamara's descriptions were excellent.
    The only part of this story I don't like isn't a big deal except to me: it's a trilogy! Which means I won't know what happens until the next two books come out! Argh! I've made a promise not to read trilogies until all three books are published. Just sayin'.
    I would've still done this review though.


    Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner
    Perilous cover-V-01.jpgJaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago.

    What she doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed, or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags her
    and her friends 2,000 miles across the Canadian border. They escape from his lair, only to find that he has spies and agents watching their path home, waiting to intercept them and take them back.

    Then Jaci finds something out about her family. Something which irrevocably connects her to their kidnapper, and makes her question their chances of escape.

      

    Here's the trailer:



    And here’s the opening page to the book:

    Detective Carl Hamilton shielded his eyes against the blaring blue lights
    and flashed his badge at the police officer. The man moved aside. Hamilton
    stepped off the paved, two-lane highway just outside of Havre, Montana.
    Orange tape blocked off the crime scene, hidden by the darkness of early
    morning. He ducked under the tape and pushed his way into the dry
    shrubbery.

    A sergeant shone a flashlight on his face and asked, “Are you Detective
    Hamilton?”

    He gave a short nod.

    “I’m Shirley White.” Pressing her hand to her nose, she turned her
    attention back to the ground.

    The stench of rotting flesh was strong. “Ma’m. What have we found?”

    “It’s a girl. We think it’s one of the four you’ve been looking for.”

    Carl’s stomach knotted. “Cause of death?”

    “We’ll have to perform an autopsy, of course, but it appears to be a
    gunshot wound. Is it one of them?”

    “Where is she?”

    “Under the bushes.”

    He crouched down and moved the bushes aside, breathing through his mouth.
    This never got any easier. The branches parted to reveal a young girl,
    features distorted by death but still recognizable. The open eyes stared
    blankly up at him. He released the branches and stood up, giving a nod.
    “Yes. It’s one of them.”

    The case had just gone from a kidnapping to a homicide. And there were
    three girls still missing.

    ***

    Tamaraheiner_headshot.jpgAbout Tamara: Perilous is my first published novel, and I wrote it many years
    ago when I was bored in study hall. We’ve both come a long ways since
    then. I now spend my time running around my house chasing three kids and
    trying to sneak to the computer when they’re not looking. I have a
    wonderful, supportive husband who appreciates the fact that I enjoy
    cooking as much as I enjoy writing. Not that I have time for that, either.



    The rest of the blog tour roll:
    Oct. 15 David J. West
    Oct. 18 Nichole Giles
    Oct. 19 Talli Roland
    Oct. 20 Guinevere Rowell
    Oct. 21 Mary Gray
    Oct. 22 Frankie
    Oct. 25 Mary Greathouse
    Oct. 26 RaShelle Workman (interview)
    Oct. 27 T. Anne Adams
    Oct. 28 Valerie Ipson
    Oct. 29 Ann Best
    Nov. 1 Christy Dorrity
    Nov. 2 Chrstine Bryant
    Nov. 3 Rebecca Blevins
    Nov. 5 Annette Lyon
    Nov. 8 Jennifer Daiker
    Nov. 9 Carolina Valdez and Jaime Theler
    Nov. 10 Elizabeth Mueller
    Nov. 11 Christine Danek
    Nov. 12 Elle Strauss
    Nov. 15 Niki
    Nov. 16 Lynn Parsons
    Nov. 17 Danyelle Ferguson
    Nov. 18 Elana Johnson
    Nov. 19 Sarah McClung
    Nov. 22 Suzanne Hartmann
    Nov. 23 Marsha Ward
    Nov. 24 Tara McClendon
    Nov. 29 Courtney Barr
    Nov. 30 Tristi Pinkston
    Dec. 1 Cheri Chesley
    Dec. 2 Karen Gowen
    Dec. 3 Melanie Jacobson http://readandwritestuff.blogspot.com/
    Dec. 6 Kristie Ballard
    Dec. 7 Melissa Cunningham http://melissajcunningham.blogspot.com/
    Dec. 8 Arlee Bird http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/
    Dec. 9 Debbie Davis www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com
    Dec. 10 Taffy Lovell http://taffyscandy.blogspot.com
    Dec. 13 Sheri Larsen http://writersally.blogspot.com
    Dec. 14 Joyce DiPastena http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/
    Dec.15 Diana Miezcan http://diana212m.blogspot.com/

    Wednesday, December 8, 2010

    Book Academy Conference-Brandon Mull


    Readers need to feel your characters.
    Bring your characters to life!


    Relationships
    Relationships matter. Friends, family, schoolmates, rivals, pets, all matter.
    Stories should be full of relationships.

    Trouble
    Change, problems, conflict, danger, murder, being lonely etc, are all trouble.
    Story is interesting because of the trouble characters get into. The action has to be earned.

    Decisions
    As characters face trouble they make decisions.

    Consequences
    The character meets trouble, makes decisions, then deals with consequences, which may lead to more trouble and/or decisions.

    Create characters we care about in relationships with trouble that intrigues us and decisions and consequences that satisfy us.

    Monday, December 6, 2010

    The League of Extraordinary Writers Giveaway!

    Have any of you been over to the League of Extraordinary Writers? Great authors with great advice!

    From their blog: "The League of Extraordinary Writers is a group of debut YA authors who write science fiction and dystopian works. The five of us have works that run the gamut of near-future mind control to far-future space travel, but they do have one thing in common: a future where the Earth we know now is twisted, gone."


    AND NOW! They are having an amazing giveaway. Click here and find out more.

    Friday, December 3, 2010

    Foto Friday Contest

    I was walking a few months ago and found this gem:


    Can you tell it's ski season here?? Where's the snow?

    What caption would you give this photo? Leave your ideas in the comments along w/ your email.
    I'll pick a winner on the 9th. If I chicken out and can't pick a winner for fear of virtual tomatoes and such, I'll draw the names from a hat.
    And I'll send a Christmas book to the winner!

    Writer Website in A Weekend

    Writer Website in A Weekend
    Website