May 2013 Kindle Fire Giveaway!

 

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER SPONSORED GIVEAWAY!

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

The Storm Bottle by Nick Green

Swimming with dolphins is said to be the number one thing to do before you die. For 12-year-old Michael, it very nearly is.

A secret boat trip has gone tragically wrong, and now he lies unconscious in hospital. But when Michael finally wakes up, he seems different. His step sister Bibi is soon convinced that he is not who he appears to be.

Meanwhile, in the ocean beyond Bermuda’s reefs, a group of bottlenose dolphins are astonished to discover a stranger in their midst – a boy lost and desperate to return home.

Bermuda is a place of mysteries. Some believe its seas are enchanted, and the sun-drenched islands conceal a darker past, haunted with tales of lost ships. Now Bibi and Michael are finding themselves in the most extraordinary tale of all.

Amazon 

Snippet!

I went to Michael’s room. He was propped up in bed. With his broken ribs he had to rest a lot. Music was playing, a choir all holy and echoey, with a boy’s solo voice soaring over it. Laura had been putting this CD on for him, hoping it would help. The soloist was Michael Brook.

            I turned the volume down. Michael’s eyes looked at me. I took a deep breath.

            ‘You’re not Michael, are you?’

            The bedclothes crinkled around him.

            ‘Are you… Were you…’ I made myself say it. ‘Are you a dolphin?’

            A huge sigh.

‘Yes. I’m a dolphin.’

‘But how –?’

‘A rainvoice,’ he added. ‘We call ourselves rainvoices.’

‘Why?’

            It wasn’t top of my list of questions, but hey.

Journey of Promise by Vickie Hall

When converts Richard and Leah Kenyon leave Wales and heed the call to Zion, they are unprepared for the toll exacted by the journey.

To face the incredible odds mounted against them they call upon the Lord's tender mercies to see them through and strengthen their love for one another.

Their story will remind you where to turn during your trials.









Snippet!

Her heart thudded in her chest as she turned and walked up the gangway. Richard paused and looked back to say something to the Saints, but she didn’t stop to listen, making her way onto the ship. She stood on the deck of the steamer as the autumn breezes blew cool and damp off Cardiff Bay. Her heart knotted as she looked out over the pier, hoping against hope that her mother might come to say good-bye. I don’t want to leave . . . I can’t . . . this is home . . .

            She pressed her lips together and choked back tears as her eyes scanned the fringes of her native village. Her gaze rose to the hills, still green, to the sky awash in clouds, then down to the surging bay. The smell of briny water filled her nostrils and the call of seabirds cried overhead. Leah closed her eyes, attempting to etch the pictures in her mind, and called upon her memory to remember Wales and never forget.

            Richard slid his arm around Leah’s shoulders. “ ’Tis hard, I know,” he said as if he could read her mind.

            His touch gave her a sense of reassurance. She could feel his strength lending itself to her, lifting and carrying her beyond doubt. Richard kissed her temple and held her as the ropes were loosed from the moorings. She turned to him, her eyes burning into his. “Let me look at you, Richard.Let me look to you and our future. I cannot bear to watch us leave . . .”

            She buried her face against his chest. Richard encircled his wife and held her as the steamer pulled away.

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Snippet: Newstead Project by Melanie Schulz

 

The Newstead Project

the giant.

Joel Cranston shouldn’t exist. He just doesn’t know that yet. He’s lived a pretty normal life for the last sixteen years. If you consider being almost seven feet tall and good at about every sport you’ve ever played normal. Normal ends the day Newstead shows up with an invitation to come to their school.

the school.

Newstead is a private high school in Central Vermont by the Green Mountains. It’s a great place to hide a few hundred people who shouldn’t exist while you train them to become tomorrow’s rulers, tomorrow’s dictators, tomorrow’s gods.

the unexpected.

Rachel Newell thinks she’s just passing through. She never stays any place more than four months and with Newstead so close to Weston, she has even more reason to make this her shortest stop ever. The last thing she expects is to have a reason to stay.

Together Rachel and Joel uncover the truth behind what is the newstead project.

Snippet!

He was gorgeous. Of course he was, weren’t they all? But it was all wasted on me. I knew the why behind the perfect faces and bodies.

     But there was something about his face that made me want to touch it. I was too preoccupied with the horror of that thought to notice my hand already halfway extended. I didn’t see it until it came into my peripheral vision, slowly creeping upward towards his flawless face. I quickly yanked that traitor hand towards the kitchen door to push it open. He wasn’t standing as close to me as they usually did, so I think I pulled it off without him noticing. At least I don’t think he noticed. He didn’t say anything. 

     I turned to look at the face that was staring intently at me. His cheeks were reddened, either from the cold, or from me looking at him. I should’ve taken the hint and looked away, but I couldn’t. It was the closest I’d been to that face since I’d met him. His eyes were fixed on me as mine dropped to the sudden movement in his neck as he swallowed. Slowly my eyes lifted to his lips that were parted just enough to see his breath freeze as it hit the air. Even still, he looked warm. Warm and soft and-   

     “Rachel?” 

     My eyes darted back up to his.

     “What were you thinking about just then?” His eyes were narrowed, confused.

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

The Enemy by Larry Bograd

 A red-hot political thriller from a blue state author.

Buried among the thousands of financial transactions he reviews each day, analyst Randy Duncan finds a secret web of laundered money financing the assassination of the President, which, in turn, will lead the country into war. Can Randy and his law-student daughter Clare follow the money and stop the enemy in time?

In a political thriller worthy of Dan Brown, Richard Condon, and Allen Drury, award-winning novelist Larry Bograd charts a political thriller sure to keep you reading and leave you sleepless wondering and worried about who really controls America.

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Goodreads

The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

When Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn't know she'd find a family unlike any other.

Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and tends fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death ... a death that is surrounded by more questions than answers.

Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and matriarchal Meriyal Boyd, and the opinionated Archibald Diggleby. Then of course there are the knights: Leon Gibbs who is slicker than a greased hog, Adrian Bayard, hot tempered and violent, and the worst of the lot: Sir Illius Molick, Captain of the Knights. And then there is Maud, a mysterious woman who just might know everything...

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Amazon Kindle

Praise "To say I loved this book is an understatement. Mally is a wonderful character and she encounters so many quirky folks on her assignment. Very well written and engaging story! And an added bonus of a love triangle! I enjoyed it from beginning to end!! I will definitely be looking for more from this author!" ~April Holgate  

Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit by Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows

Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out.

It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past.

Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.  

Snippet

Ferdinand finally stopped, allowing Alexander to catch up. “Did you bring the key with you, young man?”

“Oh, yes! Is this what you’re talking about?” Alexander pulled the strange key out of his pocket. The sparkle and beautiful chiming intensified in his hands.

Ferdinand was mesmerized. “I haven't seen that key since....” The frog's eyes gleamed. It was apparent he had a connection to the key. “Let’s see if it still works.” The creature disappeared into a thick fern.

Alexander pushed the fern back to find him rubbing his long-fingered hands together with anticipation in front of a large dead tree. “Okay, it’s a dead tree. What are we doing here?”

“Hush!” Ferdinand whispered with a sting in his tone. “We must watch for the Passageway. It appears; then it's gone at the blink of an eye.”

Within seconds, the rays of the sun shot through gaps in the surrounding trees onto the thick trunk. A small portion at the base took on a brassy tone, and radiant emerald leaves instantly sprouted from every curvy branch.

“It’s—it’s—magic—it has to be! Amazing! ” Alexander gasped. This was the tree in his dreams.

A glowing light beamed through the center, forming a slit barely large enough for the key to fit in. Alexander brought his hands to his face, partially covering his eyes. “I—I can't believe this is happening!”

“Alexander, hurry—the key—put it in!”

Alexander fumbled with the key and quickly slid it in the slot. The key turned on its own, without the help of Alexander's nervous fingers. Almost immediately, a portion of the tree dissolved into the tiny specks of light Alexander knew all too well. They danced in celebration, creating an intense energy field.

“Come, Alexander—we must move quickly!” Ferdinand took a blind leap into the specks of light and disappeared.

“I'm afraid!” Alexander was frantic. He had visited this tree in his dreams many times before. Could his mother have been trying to tell him something? “This is crazy! What have I gotten myself into?”

This was far beyond anything Alexander could have ever imagined, but his heart ached for his mother, and he wanted answers. He knew if he truly wanted things in his life to change, this was something he must do. He closed his eyes and took a flying leap into the tree.

Amazon 

Working it Out by Rachael Anderson

Working It Out
A chance encounter . . . 
Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . .  
Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

Jumper by Jeff LaFerney

After spending three years in jail and others completely alone, twenty-four-year-old Cole Flint discovers an amazing ability—he can time-travel and teleport. He’s a jumper.

So what should the motorcycle-riding, cage-fighting tough guy do? He should protect an innocent eighteen-year-old girl who happens to be in possession of the Staff of Moses. Following the direction of a trio of angels who are determined to shake things up in the Middle East, Cole pairs up with Hannah Carpenter and her pet grizzly while he also tries to change his past and learn the mystery of his birth. Curiously, the King of Jordan knows all about Hannah, and he’s determined to gain possession of the staff. He’ll do anything to possess its power, but is it possible that he’s no more than a pawn, manipulated in time along with Cole and Hannah? 

Jumper is a mysterious roller coaster of action and a time-traveling adventure that will keep readers guessing right to the very last page.

Genres: Action/Adventure

  

PURCHASE LINKS

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David's Song by A. R. Talley

David's Song

Taken from the book cover:

Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience. A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.  


Snippet

          “Jeremy, what do you want from me?” I asked, lifting my eyes to his.

          He shrugged. “I guess I want to know if this guy is one of those fantasies you told me about. I want to know if you know him well enough to have such strong feelings for him.”

          “I don’t know how to answer that.”  I felt cornered.  If I said he was a fantasy, then my behavior would look foolish, but if I said I knew him well, then I would also have to admit that I knew he had no feelings for me.  And I just didn’t want to go there.

          “It’s pretty simple, Annie.  Do you know him, I mean, really know him?  Does he really know you?  Does he like you?”

          I looked at Jeremy.  Why was he being so insistent?

          “Jeremy, please don’t make me do this,” I said quietly, looking down. 

          He became very tender.  “Make you do what, Annie?”

          “What does it matter if he’s real or not?  If I know him or not?”

          “Because I don’t want to see you hurt.”  He was genuinely concerned.  I could see it in his expression.

          “Well, thank you for your concern, but when you look at the situation, I think it’s inevitable,” I said, tears stinging in my eyes.  I looked away to hide them.

          “It doesn’t have to be.”

          “And what am I supposed to do, Jeremy?  You don’t know what it’s like to be falling for someone and they hardly know you exist.”

          He leaned back in his chair shaking his head in disbelief.  “Annie, you’d be surprised,” he muttered under his breath.

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Snippet: Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

 How can love mend a heart full of hate?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers.

While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly's life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor.

Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings. Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful, romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

Snippet!

“Earth?” A shock wave rippled across Weston’s face. He spun on his heels to view the majestic landscape of our grand city. His hands flew to his head and cupped his temples. “I don’t think I’m allowed to do this. The Almighty sees everything.”

“The Almighty? What are you talking about?”

“We’re prohibited from coming back. We don’t belong here.” Backing up, he tripped over a tumbleweed and landed on his butt. I squatted beside him, offering him my arm.

“I don’t understand you,” I said desperately.

With his face troubled, he looked at me, seized my arm and started to shake it. “I can’t be here! My father will kill me if he finds out about this.”

“Why? What do you know about Earth? Have you been here before?”

“Going back to Earth and mixing with earthlings is forbidden. I can lose everything just by being here.”

“Going back to Earth? Are you guys from here originally? Oh, no …” I trailed off, chewing on a nail as an idea started to develop. “It can’t be. Or maybe it can … are you living in the afterlife? I read it somewhere. I think it was in a book about ancient Greeks or something. Yeah, that’s it. The Fields of Elysium. The heaven for heroes. … Are you dead?”

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PRAISE

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews

Life is Too Short Collection by Connie E. Sokol

Life is Too Short Collection

Are you looking for a fabulous life boost today? The Life is Too Short series is just what you need. Written by Connie Sokol—mother of seven, author, speaker, and amazing matching sock finder—these humorous self-development columns give you just the right amount of fun and functional. Originally written for a major newspaper and magazines, you can now enjoy the entire collection in one book. Put your feet up and laugh as you relate to time-tested tips on being a woman, wife, and mother. You'll learn the cozy stuff of how to adjust expectations, have faith in your dreams, and lighten up in motherhood. And, you'll learn a few life skills such as easy spring cleaning, simplifying the holidays, and creating successful goals. It's the perfect gift for any woman! Short, funny, insightful, these quick power columns are ideal anytime, anywhere, to rejuvenate your mind and soul.


Snippet

How Would Your Children Rate Your Parenting?

Recently, a thought occurred to me—how do our children feel we’re doing as parents? We're a fairly normal family with typical issues and stresses. We love each other (generally), get along (mostly), and don't physically harm one another (unless it’s wrestling). Usually I’m a happy mother except maybe first thing in the morning. Or late afternoon without a snack. And possibly right before bedtime. But our policy is, when the children graduate they'll get $3,000 for therapy and we’ll call it good.

However, to be sure we addressed vital parental elements now, I typed a brief survey of things I wanted to know about how our children perceived our parenting. Things like, do they feel loved by what we say or do, do we spend enough time with them, trust them to do difficult things, or make it easy to tell us when they’ve done wrong? After finishing the survey I wisely involved my husband so there would be both a Mom and Dad questionnaire, to see who the kids really liked best.

I was stunned with the results.

Trail of Bones by Chris Salisbury

Trail of Bones

Ready for a new adventure? Are you a fan of fantasy, young adult, science fiction and action stories?

“No mercy, No rules - Welcome to the Trail of Bones!”

Run with Purpose – battle cry of the Shade Wolves

Magnus, the runt of a litter of Shade Wolves, wants nothing more than to be a loyal, strong member of the pack. But when an ancient enemy threatens his friends and family, he faces a choice that could tear him from all he's known and loved. Born in captivity, the giant panther Kelor knows nothing but suffering and loss. He struggles to find his place in this world of terror, and he battles to protect his family without succumbing to the darkness lurking inside him. Falling captive to the evil Warden, the two are forced to fight in the battle of the beasts known as 'The Trail of Bones'. How will Kelor and Magnus learn to work together? How will they escape a fate of despair and death? How will their choices affect their comrades? Their enemies? And the forgotten magic that could doom all life of their world? Let the adventures begin!

A fun, exciting, clean read for teens, young adults, adults and readers of all ages. Pick up your copy of this fantasy adventure today!

Are you a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Robert Jordan, Orson Scott Card, Jim Butcher and other fantasy and science fiction authors? You’ll feel right at home with Trail of Bones. This fantasy story offers a strong moral message, suspense, action, and mystery, in a world full of magic, unlikely heroes, and devious villains.

Book Trailer

The Newstead Project by Melanie Schulz

The Newstead Project

the giant.

Joel Cranston shouldn’t exist. He just doesn’t know that yet. He’s lived a pretty normal life for the last sixteen years. If you consider being almost seven feet tall and good at about every sport you’ve ever played normal. Normal ends the day Newstead shows up with an invitation to come to their school.

the school.

Newstead is a private high school in Central Vermont by the Green Mountains. It’s a great place to hide a few hundred people who shouldn’t exist while you train them to become tomorrow’s rulers, tomorrow’s dictators, tomorrow’s gods.

the unexpected.

Rachel Newell thinks she’s just passing through. She never stays any place more than four months and with Newstead so close to Weston, she has even more reason to make this her shortest stop ever. The last thing she expects is to have a reason to stay.

Together Rachel and Joel uncover the truth behind what is the newstead project.

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

Book Trailer

Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit by Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows

Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit

Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out. It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.  

Amazon

    The Return of General Drake

When Alexander arrived in Verhonia, something went terribly wrong. A dark spell delivered from the mountains of Acadia sent him on a dangerous journey in the middle of the night. As he marched into the mountains, the great city of Verhonia was ambushed and burned to the ground by Roman's army of vicious giant murks. With the safety of the realm in jeopardy, General John William Drake was asked to come back to Azra's Pith. He swore he would never return. But after discovering his son was under a spell and in the grips of a dark sorcerer, he had no choice. Things take a wild turn in the mountains, with runaways, a hungry wolf and a mysterious, young empyrean wizard thrown into the adventure. A tight race against time and evil is in full swing. With faith and a little magic, they just might come out on top.  

January Black by Wendy S. Russo

January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma. More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple. What was January Black? It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.

Snippet

While walking south on Main Street, Matty and Iris traded shopping bags. She cocked her head sideways while looking at the cover of the book he bought her.

“Black Sheep,” she read aloud thoughtfully. “Alice Glass. Why do I know that name?”

“She wrote the novel that ‘Marker’ is based on,” he replied, referring to a SteerNet serial about to be cancelled in its first season.

“Ugh,” she said, dropping her hand. The book slapped her leg. “That show is horrible.”

“Agreed, but never mind that. ‘Black Sheep’ is by far her best work.”

“I’ll give it a try,” Iris said. “Take a look in yours.”

He pulled the small paperback out his. Peter Oldham was his mother’s favorite historical fiction author. Matty recognized “Drops in August” as soon as the corner of the cover cleared the paper sleeve. He bit his tongue to keep from groaning.

Feed Your Reader by Inspired Kathy

Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer has launched a new site aimed at bringing you the best Kindle Ebook Deals and Steals.

Each day on feedyourreader.com you'll find a new list of available ebook deals (most for under $3).

And of course there will be lots of  Featured Freebies too!

To celebrate the launch of the new site she is giving away a Kindle Fire, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash.

Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes by Kia Garriques

Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes Innovera Yakov –

The Journey of A Thousand Eyes takes you into a world of excitement and danger where thoughts and feelings are overheard and minds can travel to other worlds. Be prepared to immerse yourself in a world where falling in love could cost you your life and nothing is as it seems. Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first book in an action-packed fantasy drama series where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for the Journey.

Audio Link

Innovera Yakov - Audio of Chapter 1

 

Read the First Chapter

Innovera Yakov - Chapter 1

Family Ever After by Michelle Packard

Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard. Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family.

Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.” Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

• How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
• How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
• Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
• How to cultivate a sense of humor;
• How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
• How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
• Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love

More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life.  

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Motherhood Matters by Connie E. Sokol

Motherhood Matters Motherhood is a divine calling---but it may not always feel that way. Now you can show the women in your life how much they matter to you, with this delightful and heartwarming volume of wit and wisdom about the divinity, reality, and rewards of motherhood. Fresher than flowers and sweeter than chocolate, it's a perfect gift for the women who give so much. In these hectic days where life's demands can quickly become a heavy burden, Motherhood Matters helps you find more memorable moments and take the stress out of the to-do lists. Written with clarity, concision, and wit, this short, yet indispensable handbook is better than flowers, more guilt-free than chocolate, and gives back to the woman who sacrifices so much of herself every single day.



Joy in Motherhood

It’s all around us, present each day, and yet too many of us can’t see or feel it—the tangible joy in motherhood.

We stand with our fixed faces and hands on hips and point and shoot interrogations—“Did you clean your bathroom? Did you do your homework? Did you take care of your chores?” Somewhere between barks we can lose that lovin’ feeling.

I was strongly reminded of the need for joyful awareness at my youngest daughter’s dance class. A host of six-year-olds, giddy with newfound freedom, leapt and turned and laughed and ran all over the dance studio. The room felt fairly alive with their complete joy of movement. I turned to one of the mothers next to me and said, “We need this as moms.”

The very next morning I attended my Zumba exercise class, where women do enjoy the fun but let’s face it, are motivated by the calorie-burning benefits. This time our instructor had us do a particular Latin dance where we gathered in a circle and started in slow movements, then got faster and faster until we were moving lightning fast in the circle.

Laughing and throwing our arms in and out with energetic abandon, we then held hands and gathered in the center, to which I hollered, “Whoo pa!” Our shift in attitude and energy was incredible!

That’s the gems of everyday joy we can find and feel: make a special cake for when the kids come home, just because. Forgo ego—and calorie-burn—and allow our children to beat us in a wii bowling tournament (which, frankly, is not that hard). Read with one child, cuddling on her bed for special time together. Enjoy the unexpected joke, the stunning sunset, the newly-discovered giant moth on the front porch.

These are the moments not to be missed, but to be tasted and savored, felt and remembered. 

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The Big Debate (Literary Loom #1) by Carolyn Twede Frank

 

The Big Debate (Literary Loom #1) A bizarre corpse . . . A strange girl . . . A creepy teacher . . . A cool invention . . .

Combine these with an old school and a new student anxious to fit in—and the adventure begins. Fifteen-year-old Josh’s big mouth gets him in trouble at first. But after walking in the shoes of great men of history in the Literary Loom, he uses that mouth to bring down the bad guy and ultimately solve the mystery behind the murder—and the strange girl.  

Amazon * Amazon Kindle

Showers of Books Giveaway Hop!

Thanks so much to the hosts: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Books à la Mode

Win a set of two e-books!

Forbidden Temptation of a Vampire & Vampire's Forbidden Territory
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David's Song by A.R. Talley

 

David's Song Taken from the book cover:

Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience.

A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.  

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Moonlit by Jadie Jones

 

Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can’t be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.

When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t. But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

Amazon Kindle * Amazon * Goodreads

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Helga by Rick Johnson

 

Helga: Out of the Hedgelands

Twelve-year-old Helga has more danger in her life than most beasts her age—Wrackshee slavers after her, a vicious attack by bandits that nearly kills her, a race against dragons pursuing her, and leading a daring rebellion to save her life and rescue friends and family from the insidious WooZan. And that is just the beginning. But what do you expect when you are a young beast who just can’t see the stupid rules of the world making any sense? Helga can’t accept things as they are and ends up taking on not just one, but two all-powerful, supreme tyrants in two different realms. Helga never intended to lead a revolution. It just sort of happened because she wouldn’t go along with the “rules of normal” that keep tyrants in power and entire societies enslaved. Beginning on a dangerous quest to solve some mysteries in her own past, Helga leads her quirky comrades on a journey that will not only forever change them, but upset ancient civilizations.

As an author, I’m drawn to eccentric, unexpected characters: those who surprise because they hear a distant galaxy, see a different music, create their own fragrance rather than get hooked on a soundtrack; the child who has her own ideas about how the emperor is dressed; the lunatics and rebels who tell stories on the boundaries. Helga’s unusual story will take readers to worlds they never imagined—definitely a whole new ride. Time and again, the unconventional heroine and her eccentric comrades overcome ominous tyrants and black-hearted slavers, not by battling to the last beast standing, but by being the first beast to think differently. Helga: Out of Hedgelands is divided into three books which introduce the epic saga of the Wood Cow clan and their role in overturning centuries of slavery and tyranny. This story will continue in additional volumes of the Wood Cow Chronicles now in development. Over the series of current and future volumes, the entire history of the Wood Cow clan, the fall of Maev Astuté, and the coming of Lord Farseeker to the Outer Rings, will be told.  

Lichgates by S.M. Boyce

Lichgates

Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things--Ourea.

Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother's recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With no way out, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book's untamed power. Discovered by Ourea's royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict--a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn't trust anyone... but she's being hunted and can't survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn't know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

Lichgates is FREE

Download your copy now!

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Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out by Pandora Poikilos

 

Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out

Anya Michaels is having the time of her life. She has the man of her dreams by her side. She has graduated at the top of her class. She has the job others were lining up for. Between late night drinks at her favourite bar and fancy dinners at the most expensive restaurants, she has a string of adoring friends. Everything changes when she hears the dreaded words, "You are sick." Being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, her world starts to fall apart, one piece at a time. Now dumped, her four year relationship is nothing but a memory filled with pictures, thoughts and a very broken heart. Her job becomes an even further challenge as she tries to hide her condition. Her friends suddenly have more important things to do, what is a party without a party girl? Perfect could not crumble any faster. Soon, caught between situations, people and pieces of life that she never dreamed of planning for herself, Anya begins to wonder if her brain condition is all that bad.

As she absorbs the changes in her life and realization sets in, she begins to wonder if she is the only one saying: Excuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out.

Amazon Kindle * Barnes & Noble * Amazon

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Forbidden Temptation of a Vampire & Vampire's Forbidden Territory
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January Black by Wendy S. Russo

January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.

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Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas


Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.

If only it were as simple as being in love.

Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.

Amazon

Snippet

I took a deep breath. “What’s it like? I mean, being you?”

He brushed his hands off on his pants and then pulled me close. “I wonder the same about you, Retta. What’s it like to be you? To be so human that no one questions what you are? I’ve been what I am my entire life. I don’t know how to be anything else. The real question is, do you want someone like me?”

I nodded, feeling breathless. Speechless.

“Good. Then let’s just be together for now. The rest will figure itself out.” He leaned down and kissed me.

The wind picked up, hot against us—a dry, desert heat that was so familiar, it felt like Mars cradling me, whispering to me to wake it from its dormant repose. I breathed Hemingway’s breath. He held me. We kissed and then fell onto the dense field of wheat and lay there, laughing, staring up at the sky as it bled to black and the stars lit up.