Today BookZone welcomes author, Kerry Adrienne who is on tour with CLNB Blog Tours to promote her new release: Senator Mine. It is a Time Travel Romance which I am reviewing for you today. I do wish to apologize to Kerry and Amanda for the delay in posting, I was sidelined by a migraine for the past three days…grrrr.  Now, without further ado, I give you the book synopsis and the review!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Senator Mine
Author: Kerry Adrienne
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company, LLC
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Genre: Fiction / Historical / Time Travel Romance
Print Length: 46 pages
ASIN: B007RHGG1Q
List Price: $3.99

SYNOPSIS:

Eleanor’s dream of a romantic tour of Italy shatters when her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her in Pompeii. Determined to enjoy the once in a lifetime vacation, she enlists the 1NS service. She continues her trip, stopping to buy a small golden signet in a mysterious antiquities shop in Rome.

Darius, a hard-working Senator in Ancient Rome, is puzzled by the Sibyl’s words: You will not find love in your lifetime. Hoping to find a measure of happiness, he agrees to the Sibyl’s quest. In the olive grove, he spots Eleanor, a barbarian wearing his stolen senator’s ring.

A night spent together may be just what they both need to break down the columns of time that stand between them.

MY THOUGHTS:

I was filled with mixed feelings as I read this novella. I loved the way the author crafted believable characters, however, I was royally ticked that Eleanor was expecting a proposal when he was on  his road to dumping her…REALLY? How do we as women get our signals so crossed? Anyway before I digress to a rant about women making better choices, (yes…even in books), I will say that even after a gross disappointment, love can be found in unexpected places and that is what happens for these two characters.

MY RATING:

MY RECOMMENDATION:

I could have actually kept on reading this story…hint, hint Kerry!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kerry Adrienne has been a writing instructor for Wake Technical Community College for 13 years, teaching: Fiction Writing for the Beginner, Fiction Writer’s Forum, Characterization in Fiction, and Speculative Fiction.  She is also the Associate Editor for Entangled Publishing. To learn more about Kerry she invites you to visit her website and her (much neglected) costuming blog.

A copy of Senator Mine may be purchased at Amazon.com or won at one of the other tour stops.  Just joined us? You may view the tour schedule here: http://clnbblogtours.blogspot.com/2012/05/senator-mine-by-kerry-adrienne.html

Today BookZone welcomes Nancy Stewart, the author of Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage an amazing story about a girl and a Dolphin who found that they had something in common. Please join me as I welcome Nancy who is on a Virtual Tour with Pump up Your Book Promotions introducing this wonderful story to readers like you and me.  Here is more information about Nancy and her latest creation:

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage
Author: Nancy Stewart
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc
Release Date: April 25, 2012
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Paperback: 24 pages
ISBN-10: 1616332433
ISBN-13: 978-1616332433
List Price: $11.95
Reviewed by: D.S. White
Source: PDF from Pump Up Your Book Promotions

DESCRIPTION:

All Katrina Simpkins longs to be is a normal girl. Because she must wear prosthesis as a leg, she feels anything but. When she meets and befriends Winter, the tailless dolphin, at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, everything changes, including Katrina’s whole life.

MY THOUGHTS:

(Mild Spoiler Alert)

In case you couldn’t tell from my glowing description above, I loved this book! The author highlighted the pain of being different and how finding just one person or mammal who is similar creates a shift in our world…ergo we are no longer alone and we can now cope and even attempt to broaden our horizons.  She made the point about a change in perspective and appreciating who you are with just the right touch of sensitivity.  Mrs. Stewart’s experience as an educator is clear in the way she breaks it down and drives the point home. No matter the hand you are dealt, it is still possible to reach for the stars…and touch them!

MY RATING:

MY RECOMMENDATION:

Perfect if you’re trying to help children understand about loss, unfairness of life, and overcoming difficulties and reaching for the stars.  Be sure to get a copy!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy is the bestselling and award winning author of the four Bella and Britt Series books for children:  One Pelican at a Time (eighteen weeks on Amazon Bestselling List), Sea Turtle Summer, Bella Saves the Beach and Mystery at Manatee Key. All are published by Guardian Angel Publishing.

One Pelican at a Time and Nancy were featured in the PBS Tampa special, GulfWatch.  Pelican has won the Literary Classics Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite Five Star Award and was nominated for a Global eBook Award.

Her travels take her extensively throughout the world, most particularly Africa. She is US chair of a charity in Lamu, Kenya, that places girls in intermediate schools to allow them to further their education.  Nancy is a frequent speaker at conferences, including the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She and her husband live in Tampa and St. Louis. To find out more about Nancy and her books, visit her website: http://www.nancystewartbooks.com

If you’ve just joined us, feel free to follow the rest of the Tour by clicking on the banner below:

Title: Nekhet (Dreamline – Book 2)
Author: David Mayer
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Fiction / Paranormal Fantasy
Print Length: 431 pages
ASIN: B007QFX2DO
Nekhet for Kindle: $5.99
Nekhet for Nook: $5.99
Source: Author
Reviewer: D.S. White

DESCRIPTION:

In Nekhet, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Reswyt, Sabine Jahn’s finally asleep – and finding that things in the dreaming realm have changed for the worse. The war has settled into an uneasy stalemate, with the Jager now in a defensive posture behind the great chasm created by Brummbar to protect them from the Queen’s armies. Dylan, now among the horses, finds their mysterious leader steadfastly unwilling to enter into the conflict on either side – and without their aid, the Jager are unable to break out from their positions.

Suspecting that the Queen’s Artifex is designing even more destructive weapons for the Queen’s army, Dylan encourages Sabine to remove him from the Queen’s employ by any means necessary. When Sabine, Josh, and Dylan join forces to save the increasingly-conflicted Moravin from the Queen’s clutches, their plan goes awry – leaving them little choice but to attempt to awaken the Queen’s Artifex from inside the dreaming realm. But while Sabine works to find the key to unlock the comatose boy’s condition, she is unaware that one of the Queen’s agents is hunting her here on Earth – setting up a breathtaking race against time that will keep readers turning pages to the very end.

“Unafraid to challenge the reader from time to time, Nekhet is a smart, crisply-written work, with a serpentine plot sure to delight intelligent readers, and characters that once again benefit from Mayer’s commitment to backstory. It’s the work of an author discovering the joy of taking a premise to its full potential, and it’s a spine-tingling, breathless read. Highly recommended.” – - Rebecca Hardy, Bibliotica

VIEW THE BOOK TRAILER:

See book trailers on Vimeo: http://bit.ly/uMysxM

MY THOUGHTS:

David Mayer continues the magic in Book 2 of the Dreamline series and I found myself in tears a time or two. My daughter makes fun of me because she says that my stamp on a good book or movie is how much I cry. Sabine’s journey of evolution and strength, dealing with her father’s death, a move to a new place and a parellel world of dreams and her role therein.  What is dream and what is reality?

Eventhough this is dubbed a fantasy novel, for the authenticity of emotions and true to life characterizations that run through it,it should be submitted to an award committee of some kind.

MY RATING:

MY RECOMMENDATION:

This book series is great for anyone who loved The Mummy movies or the Mannequin or Raiders of the Lost Ark. All of which I loved. One part mysticism, one part adventure, one part heart tuggingly romantic storyline.  Don’t miss Reswyt – (Dreamline Book One)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David Mayer is a Denver entrepreneur and part-time archaeologist with an MA in anthropology. While attending the MA program at the University of Colorado in 1999, he won the Duane Quiatt Award for Excellence in Anthropological Writing, and soon after he became interested in writing fiction with an anthropologist’s perspective.

Title: Reswyt (Dreamline – Book 1)
Author: David Mayer
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Fiction /Parnormal Fantasy
Print Length: 357 pages
ASIN: B005QSVHO4
List Price: $0.99 (normally $3.99)
Source: Amazon.com Purchase
Reviewer: D.S. White 

DESCRIPTION:

In this spellbinding new paranormal fantasy novel, Sabine Jahn has more than an average teen’s share of problems. She’s been forced to leave behind everything she knew growing up in Oregon to start high school as a transfer student in California. She’s lost her father to an automobile accident, and her grandfather, preeminent Egyptologist Daniel Jahn, has mysteriously disappeared. She hasn’t slept in months, and no one can tell her why. And now, as she sits in detention for dozing off in class again, she finds herself drifting from her Cameron High detention hall to a vast, eerie forest where immense astral wolves roam past her.

Sabine has discovered a way to enter a realm where dreaming minds appear nightly as noble hawks, fierce wolves, and stalwart bears. She learns that the wild, beautiful world she has found is slowly becoming corrupted by the acts of a dead mind trapped within it. Now, the fate of that realm – and our own world – rests in the hands of Sabine, a long-dead French soldier, an Egyptian god, and a mysterious, profoundly gifted boy trapped between worlds.

“Glimmering with delightful insight and historical detail…Egyptology opens the door to a magical dreamland in Mayer’s young adult fantasy novel.” – Rebecca Cramer, Kirkus Reviews

“Five stars! I highly recommend it!” – Crystal Newman, The Kindle Book Review

Like Reswyt on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/vQwV5q for exclusive content, author interviews, series previews, giveaways, and more.

VIEW THE BOOK TRAILER:

See book trailers on Vimeo: http://bit.ly/uMysxM

MY THOUGHTS:

Brummbar smiled, “I could probably use his help here,” he said. “Here’s the problem. As long as everyone here is an unconscious mind, the system works. You don’t ever think to test the physical boundaries of your environment in a dream for a reason: you’re dreaming. Your entire experience exists within the parameters of the dream itself. People even have a term for it: dream logic. It’s where you’re at a school assembly, and everyone’s wearing a paper bag on his head except for you, and you don’t question it; those are the parameters of the dream.

“Now imagine that your conscious mind enters that same dream. You’re going to take thoughtful action. Maybe you’lll explain to the school assembly that they all look ridiculous. Maybe you’ll go down to the cafeteria and get a bag for  yourself. The options are virtually endless, but they’ll involve you violating the logic of the dream. You’re one level of thought and action up from everone else here, Sabine, and what you can do here looks impossible to others; it breaks all of those dream logic rules. It, is, quite simply, magic.”

David Mayer is a storytelling genius! I am a person who loves words and so it seems does David, so just reading the words he chose to draw you into a scene or describe emotions or scenery was a joy for me. As I sat here reading, my daughter was speaking to me and I didn’t even hear her. Not since the days of my first discovering E. Lynn Harris have I been sucked into an author’s world like this. Reswyt’s storyline is imaginative and thought provokingly deep all at once.  The characters were so real you either loved them or hated them.  Even more than that, I liked the fact that being a male, the author was sensitive enough to get into the mindset of teenage girls and portray them realistically.

There are so many theories of where we go or what happens to us when we go to bed at night.  From all the scary movies to the folklores to religion.  This is a fresh take that we are offered in Reswyt, that the sleeping minds of children take shape as animals.  No matter what shape or form, I’m glad the author alludes to the fact that there is always an ongoing spiritual/mystical battle for the souls of our children.

MY RATING:

MY RECOMMENDATION:

This book is great for anyone who loved The Mummy movies or the Mannequin or Raiders of the Lost Ark.  All of which I loved.  One part mysticism, one part adventure, one part heart tuggingly romantic storyline.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David Mayer is a Denver entrepreneur and part-time archaeologist with an MA in anthropology. While attending the MA program at the University of Colorado in 1999, he won the Duane Quiatt Award for Excellence in Anthropological Writing, and soon after he became interested in writing fiction with an anthropologist’s perspective.

In 2011, The Golden Sky by EC Stilson became one of the hundred best-selling books about loss on Amazon! Wayman Publishing is now excited to announce the release of Bible Girl—the prequel to The Golden Sky. This is the amazing true story of a hilarious girl trying to find her way through the teen years. Bible Girl was just accepted into the Barnes & Noble catalog and will be .99 for a limited time HERE.

Please join voiceBoks, Giveaway Promote, Good Steward Savers, Terri’s Little Haven, and Linkie’s Contest Linkies in promoting this wonderful book launch. Here’s a little blurb about the book:

The book practically cried for me to spare its life, and for a moment I thought I’d rather burn in Hell than lose something my brother had given me in love. The pastor nudged me, though, and my heart turned to ice.

Will he help her, or make things even worse than they were before?

Today BookZone joins in the celebration with author Kristy K. James as she celebrates the release of her latest book, Enza, a historical fiction novel. As part of the celebration, anyone who comments on this post will be eligible to win a $50 gift card and an ebook copy of Enza!  There is also a Virtual Tour in progress starting today as well, so if you follow the tour and comment at each stop, you increase your chances of winning.  That being said, here’s a bit of information about the book:

Title: Enza
Author: Kristy K. James
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: April 23, 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Paperback: 334 Pages
ISBN-10: 147018964X
ISBN-13: 978-1470189648
Paperback Edition: $10.99
Kindle Edition: $3.99

DESCRIPTION:

It is a time of innocence and prosperity. The Women’s Suffrage Movement gains more attention with each passing day. All across the country housewives and young ladies harbor hope that they might finally win the right to vote. Patriotism is at its peak as the war to end all wars rages an ocean away.

On the homefront, in a small town in Michigan, life is being lived out like the pages of a Mark Twain novel. Until an unseen enemy, deadlier than any human adversary, threatens Mankind’s very existence.

Elliot Owens – The only thing in the world that matters to Elliot is his wife and their five children, and he will do everything in his power to protect them.

Daniel Pullman – When his plans to join the Army are dashed following an injury, meeting the love of his life makes the disappointment easier to bear.

Colby Thornton – A devoted minister whose congregation loves him nearly as much as he loves them, Colby struggles with bitterness toward the wife who doesn’t love him at all.

Marcus McClelland – One of the local funeral directors, Marcus lives his life avoiding close relationships because if he doesn’t care about anyone, it won’t hurt when he loses them.

Jonathon Owens – At ten years old all Jonathon dreams of is to be a war hero…by proving that his German neighbor is a spy.

When all is said and done, will any of them survive?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kristy K. James’ first goal in life was to work in law enforcement, until the night she called the police to check out a scary noise in her yard. Realizing that she might someday have to check out scary noises in other dark yards if she continued on that path, she turned to her other favorite love…writing. Since then her days have been filled with being a mom and reluctant zookeeper (7 pets), creating stories and looking for trouble in her kitchen.

Click picture to follow the Virtual Tour

]]> http://bookzone.atwc1.com/book-promotion/book-introductions/introducing-enza/feed/ 2 http://bookzone.atwc1.com/reviews/blog-tourreview-reduce-your-irs-tax-penalties/ http://bookzone.atwc1.com/reviews/blog-tourreview-reduce-your-irs-tax-penalties/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:06:46 +0000 Dee http://bookzone.atwc1.com/?p=2383

Today BookZone welcomes Cora Parks who is on Tour with Orangeberry Book Tours promoting her latest release Reduce Your IRS Tax Penalties. Yesterday she gave my readers over at At the Water Cooler a treat with her post, The Writer and Matters and Matters Most Taxing which is geared towards writers/entrepreneurs, and today I’m reviewing her book.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Reduce Your IRS Tax Penalties
Author: Cora Parks
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Genre: Non-Fiction
Rating: G
Format: Kindle Edition
Reviewer: D.S. White

DESCRIPTION:

All the information you need to reduce various IRS penalties you may be charged. If you have paid the penalty, learn how you may qualify for a refund.

VIEW THE TRAILER:

MY THOUGHTS:

Cora is thorough and knowledgeable. When I chose her book to review, I celebrated over the brevity of it because I figured that at some point during the book I was going to get lost or my eyes were going to glaze over.  Not so. The best thing about the book is that it is written in a manner that makes it easily comprehensible. I always thought interest and penalties were interchangeable words when it came to taxes and it turns out they are not.  What erroneous thoughts have you had about your taxes over the years? Get yourself a copy of this ebook, check out the advice, formulas and debunk the mystery…today.

MY RATING:

4-1/2 out of 5 Mice

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The principal, Cora Parks, is a lifelong Atlantan whose vision is to bring proactive tax counsel and personal responsibility to the masses in the area of taxation. She is the author and editor of the financial blog Tax Today, a blog that provides readers with information on federal tax topics. Her well respected, easy to understand tax articles have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Time Warner, How To, Demand Studios, Helio, Articlesbase, and Hubpages, to name a few. She is also a published author with six titles to her credit. Some of these include Your IRS Refund, W4 What 4; How to Pay the IRS When You’re Broke, Beware of Preparer, and Everyday Tax Tips.

Connect with Cora Parks on Twitter
Website http://www.taxtodaypublications.com/
Blog http://blog.taxtoday.info/

Check out the rest of the tours stops where this author talks about her latest release!

7th April – She’s having a Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos

8th April – She’s having a Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos

9th April – She’s being featured at Books Are Magic – (Author Interview & Book Feature)

10th April – She’s being featured at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer – (Author Interview)

11th April – She’s being featured at Book Lovers Paradise – (Book Feature)

12th April – She’s having a Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos

13th April – She’s being featured at Gimme the Scoop Reviews – (Guest Post & Book Feature)

14th April – She’s being featured at Mommy Adventures – (Guest Post)

15th April – She’s being featured at Writers & Authors – (Guest Post)

16th April – She’s being featured at Live to Read – (Guest Post)

17th April – She’s being featured at No Wayz Tired – (Book Feature)

April – She’s being featured at At the Water Cooler – (Guest Post)

19th April – She’s being featured at the BookZone – (Book Review)

20th April – She’s being featured at Pandora Poikilos’ site – (Writing to me is …)

Today BookZone welcomes LM. Preston on Tour with Lightning Book Promotions as we introduce her latest release, Explorer X: Beta, which is the sequel to Explorer X: Alpha.

Title: Explorer X: Beta
Author: LM. Preston
Publisher: Phenomenal One Press
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction
Age: YA+
Paperback: 268 pages
ISBN-10: 0984198954
ISBN-13: 978-0984198955
List Price: $11.99
Kindle Edition: $0.99

DESCRIPTION:

Barely escaping their captors, Aadi and Eirena are determined to save their dying friend. After their final confrontation with the species that tortured them, they’ve changed-unfortunately, not for the better. The changes caused by a terrible experiment force Aadi to accept the possibility that he may never be fit to go home, and that holding onto his sanity, or leading his friends to safety will end in failure and may rip his friendship with Eirena apart, forever. Time is slipping away and the possibility of losing his friend is not an option, but the foe that awaits them may be worse than the one they left.

VIEW THE TRAILER:

MY THOUGHTS:

I’m only at chapter six but so far this book rocks! Considering the fact that it’s a sequel and I haven’t read the first book I’m keeping up pretty well.  The only question I have so far is “What’s a Batiluk” but I figure that question will either be answered by a glossary at the end of the book or during the course of the book. The book is well edited and I’m enjoying the author’s style of writing. Even though it’s a different world, there’s a sense of  authenticity involved so that I can picture it. Since I picked up a kindle version for $0.99 I have an extra paperback copy to offer as a giveaway. Yay ME! So do check back in a week for the full review and giveaway.  In the meantime, check out my current giveaways.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

LM Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge, she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a techie and educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction with the encouragement of her husband, who was a Sci-Fi buff, and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X – Alpha, was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

To find out more about LM she may be found at the following locations:

• LM Preston’s website: http://www.lmpreston.com/index.html

• blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/

• facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LM-Preston-Author-of-EXPLORER-X-Alpha-wwwlmprestoncom/261964295342?sk=app_6261817190

• twitter: https://twitter.com/lm_preston

If you’ve just found the tour, here is the entire schedule:

Title: Explorer X: Beta
Author: LM. Preston
Publisher: Phenomenal One Press
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction
Age: YA+
Paperback: 268 pages
ISBN-10: 0984198954
ISBN-13: 978-0984198955
List Price: $11.99
Kindle Edition: $0.99

DESCRIPTION:

Barely escaping their captors, Aadi and Eirena are determined to save their dying friend. After their final confrontation with the species that tortured them, they’ve changed-unfortunately, not for the better. The changes caused by a terrible experiment force Aadi to accept the possibility that he may never be fit to go home, and that holding onto his sanity, or leading his friends to safety will end in failure and may rip his friendship with Eirena apart, forever. Time is slipping away and the possibility of losing his friend is not an option, but the foe that awaits them may be worse than the one they left.

MY THOUGHTS:

None as yet but from the buzz around the net it sounds like it’s going to be good.  I downloaded the Kindle version for $0.99 so I now have a nifty extra paperback copy to offer as a giveaway.  Yay ME!  So do check back in a few days for the review/giveaway.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

LM Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge, she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a techie and educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction with the encouragement of her husband, who was a Sci-Fi buff, and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X – Alpha, was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

To find out more about the author she may be found at the following locations:

• LM Preston’s website: http://www.lmpreston.com/index.html

• blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/

• facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/LM-Preston-Author-of-EXPLORER-X-Alpha-wwwlmprestoncom/261964295342?sk=app_6261817190

• twitter: https://twitter.com/lm_preston

Posted by Gaylord Campbell

I am so glad that I learned about gChat. Now, I can video chat with my parents using my clear wireless internet carol stream connection for free! We live a good thousand miles away from each other, so we don’t get to see each other as often as I like. My parents haven’t even seen my new house in person yet! I gave them the video tour the other day on my laptop and they loved it! My sister showed them how to set up the computer and talk to me on-line. Now, I have gotten in the habit of video chattingwith them at least once or twice a week! It makes me not so home sick! My dog also likes to get in on the action. He will squeeze himself right next to me on the couch so that he can see in the screen. My parents love to see my dog too. I don’t have any children and neither does my sister, so my dog is just about the closest thing that they have to a grand pup!

Hi Folks,

Spring has sprung and it is now my favorite week of the year, Holy Week. The week when I get to reflect about a man who was fully God, yet fully man who loved me so much that He chose to take my place and died a death of shame and excruciating pain.  If that’s not enough, while on the cross, bleeding, bloody, his flesh torn, He took the time to make sure that His mother was provided for, (Woman Behold Thy Son).  He said more than that from the cross, however, since I’m talking about the Mother’s Day Bash, I’m going to focus on appreciation for our Mothers.

One of the promises of the Bible is that if we honor our Mother and Father our days will be long in the land of the living. Jesus has never asked us to do what He has not done or is not willing to do Himself. Honor is so much more than respect or obedience.  As our parents grow older, we honor them with the time we spend with them, by how often we take their grandchildren to visit them, how we pass along the family traditions (the non harmful ones…lol).  Most times, the best gift is time, something that you can never replace if it’s lost.

So in this season of reconciliation, take pattern from the Savior who gave the very best for us…Himself, so that we might be reconciled to the Father. There is no longer any need for a priest as a go between. There is no longer any need for a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered on our behalf because He was the last, final and perfect Sacrificial Lamb.  Yet even at the point of His deepest sacrifice He was selfless enough to remember His mother would be unprotected and might go hungry if He didn’t provide a solution in the person of his good friend and disciple John. (There was no social security or welfare available back then women looked to their husbands or sons [if widows] to take care of their needs.)

Give your very best to your Mother.  Mother’s Day may be right around the corner but why wait? If you are at odds, consider reconciling–today.

Peace,

The Author of this post is Velma Baird

I love to read the news on-line. Recently we visited clearwirelessinternet4g.com and got the internet installed at our house. I know that we are extremely behind on the times, because we still had dial up. Neither my husband nor I use the internet for work, so it never really posed a problem. Our kids think that we are ridiculous. After they finally threatened that they weren’t going to be able to visit because we didn’t have the internet, we decided that we had to get with the times. I have been surprised by how much I have enjoyed using the internet. I feel really connected with international news. I think that I am actually going to be able to cancel some of my magazine subscriptions when they run up because most of the magazine material is available on-line. I have to say that I was wrong and my kids were right. There are a lot of other great things to do on-line rather than just sending or receiving e-mails!

Please enjoy this excerpt from the literary novel, Doxology. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

Sunday is Vernon’s wash day. And though he has enough money to buy a dozen of the nicest washing machines known to man, Vernon Davidson washes his clothes by hand. For his washing, as for everything else Vernon does, he has a system. As far as Vernon is concerned, his clothes come out looking cleaner and newer than any machine could get them. He wears all of his clothes during the week according to the schedule he has printed in black marker on the insides of the garments. Five sets of work clothes, three sets to rotate before or after work on those five days, and two sets for the weekend. When he wakes each Sunday and slips off his underwear, his drawers and closet are completely empty. If the morning is cool, Vernon goes out and washes his clothes wearing only a cotton robe. But if any warmth hangs in the air, as it often does by the first of March, Vernon goes out in the yard and washes his laundry naked.

Vernon wakes on the first Sunday in April with a nagging headache. He rubs his temples and lies thinking about Leonard. Finally he shakes it off, opens his eyes and stands up. Though spring is well along, a touch of chill is in the air, so he puts his robe on after kicking his underwear into the giant laundry pile, then goes into the kitchen to start breakfast.

For the last dozen years, since he quit going to church, Vernon starts Sunday mornings with a large breakfast of eggs, bacon, French toast, orange juice and coffee. He could have started working Sundays years ago if he had wanted, just to fill the time, but he never has. Sunday is the only day of the week he eats anything besides fried bologna and cheese sandwiches, which he makes twice a day for himself in the same greasy cast iron skillet he uses on Sundays to make his breakfast.

Once the coffee is going and the bacon and eggs, Vernon walks back into the bathroom. Though he usually doesn’t stop by the mirror in the hallway, this time he does. He turns and looks at himself face on. He opens his bathrobe, stands and flexes the long, corded muscles that still run through his torso after sixty years, pats the flat part of his stomach. In the bathroom he grabs a comb, comes back to the mirror and quickly whips it through his long gray hair. He works the comb through, notes again that he hasn’t lost a single strand. Then he combs through his thick gray beard and fluffs it just a bit. He smiles at himself wide, taps his perfect teeth. Better to turn gray than turn loose, he says to the reflection as he pulls on a chunk of his hair. I’m still looking good.

He goes back to the kitchen, takes his squeezable jar of yellow mustard from the refrigerator and squirts a quarter inch of the oily yellow substance into a glass. Then he unscrews the lid of a bottle of Jack Daniels, smells it out of habit, winces, and pours in three fingers’ worth. His stomach gags, as it often does, with the first sip. Vernon lowers the glass, catches his breath, and raises it again. This time it all goes down, and the bitterness radiates out through the hinges of his jaws, his stomach, the top of his head. He slams the glass down on the counter, proud of his effort. After a minute the sour taste goes away, and the whiskey begins to do its work on the rest of him. Everything starts to settle. By then the food is ready, and he slides it all onto a plate, pours a large cup of coffee, and sits down to eat.

By the time the food is gone, the good part of his drink is leaving him, as it seems to do earlier and earlier these days. He goes back to the kitchen for another round of the whiskey and mustard. Then he clears the dishes from the table and, with the sink already full, puts them on the counter. “Leave those for the cleaning woman,” he mutters to himself. He eyes the mess in the rest of the house, papers all over, dust on the floor. Vernon likes to pretend.

Back in the bedroom, he picks up all the clothes and places them in the proper piles. Then he carries them all to the rear door, steps outside, and looks across the creek running through his back yard. Vernon smiles. Everything in his yard is the deep, rich green of spring, and not a weed is anywhere to be found. He’s thought about planting flowers once or twice, something to break up the single note hue that soon enough will turn to brown. But, though everything outside is as it should be, nearly all color is missing from Vernon’s yard.

Nevertheless, things are looking good on his side of the creek. On top of that, a few days earlier someone showed up while he was at work and cut the grass at the Baptist church camp on the other side of the creek. Funny how things work out. Vernon sold that property to the church fifteen years ago, back when he was still part of it.

The arrival of spring means a lot of things. It means the mill where he has worked for thirty six years will bring some young guys in, guys Vernon will harass into doing his work for him. It means the bullfrogs that sing their throaty songs as he lies in bed at night will be back in tune any time now. And it also means Easter, and the Baptists he loves to terrorize will be showing up for lunches on the grounds at their camp across the creek starting next Sunday afternoon. And when they come, the men to stand around and talk about fishing or hunting over fried chicken and beans, the women to compliment one another on their new dresses, the boys to run around the playground and wear grass stains on their new Easter pants, Vernon will be there washing his clothes in the yard, in all his bearded, gray haired glory, as naked as the good lord made him. And that’s exactly what he’ll say to whichever one of those do-gooder men comes to the edge of the creek to complain about it in response to the shrieking of their children or the pecking of their wives.

“This is the way the good lord made me!” he shouts into the air, shrugs off his robe to the ground and spreads out his arms. Practicing for the first confrontation of the season. He can already picture the guy standing over there, usually Jerry Reeves or Tom Staples or Donnie Lyles. One of them is who they usually send. He just loves to see the looks on their faces as they stand there in their Sunday best, striped or polka dotted choke chains hanging from their necks, trying to look him straight in the face and not to let their eyes wander downward.

They always say the same things. “Come on Vernon, it’s kids over here. Come on Vernon, put some clothes on brother, my wife…” Sometimes they even try to guilt him. “Look at you brother Vernon, look what you’ve turned into, you orta be ashamed of yourself.”

But Vernon Davidson cannot be guilted. Not after what he’s been through. And certainly not after the four or five glasses of whiskey and mustard he’ll have in him by Sunday noon.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Doxology eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

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The tour blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card. When you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to VOTE FOR ME.

About the book: Fathers, sons and brothers reconnect over tragedy in this blue-collar Southern tale of love, loss, and the healing power of community and family. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the author: An arborist by day and a novelist in every moment he can steal, Brian makes up stories from the treetops. Visit Brian on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Title: How to Interview Like a Pro: 43 Rules for Getting Your Next Job
Author: Mary Greenwood
Publisher: iUniverse.com
Release Date: December 2, 2010
ISBN-10: 1450270891
ISBN-13: 978-1450270892
Paperback: 128 pages
List Price: $10.17
Kindle Edition $7.69

DESCRIPTION:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Greenwood is an Attorney, Mediator, and Author of three award-winning books. Her latest book, How to Interview Like a Pro is based on Greenwood’s experience as a Human Resources Director and Attorney as well as her own experience as a head hunter and an applicant. It has already won eleven  book awards including the Best How To Book category in the Reader View Book Awards, a Pinnacle Book Award, Honorable Mention in the DIY Book Festival and a silver winner in the ForeWord Magazine Book Awards. She has a BA and MA in English, a Law Degree and an LL.M. in Labor Law. Greenwood lives in Orlando, Florida with her Boston terrier Annabelle.

To learn more about Mary and her books  please visit her site: http://marygreenwood.org.   To read my thoughts about How to Interview Like a Pro, check out the review.

Title: All Up In My Business
Author: Lutishia Lovely
Publisher: Dafina
Release Date: February 22, 2011
Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 075823869X
ISBN-13: 978-0758238696
List Price: $15.00

DESCRIPTION:

Lutishia Lovely serves up a sizzling behind-the-scenes tale of rivalry and scandal in a family’s booming soul food dynasty. . .

With brothers Malcolm and Toussaint Livingston at the helm, business at Taste of Soul is thriving and the family seems to have it all. But jealousy and competition threaten to tarnish their picture-perfect image.

Toussaint is a risk-taker, determined to expand the restaurant chain at a record pace, but levelheaded Malcolm insists on challenging Toussaint’s goals. And at home, there’s more heating up than grits and collard greens. Malcolm is growing weary of his marriage and his ever-expanding brood of children. His brother’s Casanova lifestyle looks more and more appealing. But Toussaint’s playboy days aren’t as carefree as Malcolm thinks. Toussaint’s met his match in interior designer Alexis St. Clair, a woman who refuses to become just another dish on this player’s mating menu. But if Toussaint has his way, the happenings in both the boardroom and the bedroom are all about to change. . .

About the Author:

Lutishia Lovely is the author of the national bestselling “Hallelujah Love” series, where spirituality and sexuality collide! While HL will continue in 2012, she is excited to introduce readers to a new family, the Livingstons, in her brand new series: The Business. The first novel in this new adventure, All Up In My Business, releases February 22, 2012. For a change of literary pace, she dons her alter-ego, Zuri Day, and writes sizzling romances. The surroundings near San Diego, CA, where she lives, provide a plethora of potential storylines, but she always has a bag packed, ready to engage her fondness for international travel. She’s been to forty states and almost twenty countries, searching out perfect backdrops for her happily ever after stories – while keeping an eye out for her own charming prince!

To learn more about Lutishia and her books, visit her site: http://lutishialovely.com

]]> http://bookzone.atwc1.com/book-promotion/book-introductions/introducing-all-up-in-my-business/feed/ 0 http://bookzone.atwc1.com/sponsored-posts/new-nopalea/ http://bookzone.atwc1.com/sponsored-posts/new-nopalea/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:05:55 +0000 Dee http://bookzone.atwc1.com/?p=2248

I am at day number 20 of a 21 day corporate Daniel fast with my church and I must say that this has been my most successful attempt thus far. It has been so successful I have willingly decided to continue to fast on my own. It is pretty much a vegan diet with a spiritual aspect attached based on the first chapter of the book of Daniel.

After the detox portion of the first two weeks, which if it doesn’t make you quit, you feel lighter on your feet and more energetic. My feet, which are prone to swelling have stopped doing that and my sinus headaches have lessened due to the absence of dairy.

I’m beginning to become fascinated with what else that I’ve been eating that has additives that I can cut out that will aid my health or what else can I try that is natural to aid my health. I’m now looking into Nopalea which is a wellness drink made from the fruit of the Nopal cactus.  I still have respiratory issues, and if I do stop the vegan diet I’m sure the inflammation of my feet will return.

I’m going to try it.  It’s free (only pay $9.95 for shipping) when I call 1-800-203-7063.  I’ll let you know how it tastes and how it works for me.

Reports state that taken daily it promotes optimal health.  I can get with optimal health because I’ve been stressed out for the past two years.

Guest post by Jewel Cole

I basically used our clearwater clear internet connection to book our latest vacation. We used to always use a travel agent, but now that I don’t work and have some time on my hands, I have become our travel agent. I have found that I can really find things at great prices, better than those deals that our travel agent offered. We take a yearly ski trip to the Salt Lake City area. I got on VRBO.COM and found us a great place to stay at a great price. I arranged for us to rent a car and got a good deal at ORBITZ.COM. Lastly, I signed up for Groupon, Living Social, and several other offer website in the area. I have been getting coupons for the last six months. I have been able to buy all of our lift tickets, ski rentals, and tickets for great places to eat. The other good thing about that is that I have slowly been paying for a trip over the last six months.  My husband is so impressed with the money that I have saved that he is considering letting us take a second ski trip this season. I hope that it works out because I love to ski and love to save money even more!

When I was a child I loved superheroes. The Justice League was one of my favorite cartoons and my favorite characters were superman and Wonder Woman. I loved Superman because he could fly away up in the sky and be so free and he was so strong. I was going through a rough childhood and I really wished I could fly away from my home at times to escape. Many times at night I dreamt that I could fly. I was pretty disappointed when I woke up in the morning and realized that it was just a dream.

I used to also think that it would be pretty cool if I had his x-ray vision and if that x-ray vision could do more than see through clothing to the skeleton, but could help you see emotions. Kind of like Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth–once wrapped around someone, they were compelled to speak only the truth.  I could really have used one or the other of those super powers when friends hurt my feelings or boyfriends said one thing and their actions said something to the contrary.

Now Valentine’s Day is coming up and you’re wondering what to get your significant other. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could get your significant other  a brand new pair of Valentine’s Day glasses that were able to not only help him/her see you more clearly, but help him/her see into you? That would be like a double present for both of you.  Think of all the arguments you’d avoid!

Well…they’re not claiming that their glasses have the x-ray vision of Superman or the truth compulsion of Wonder Woman’s lasso, however, Zenni Opticals believes that eye glasses are a health necessity for most wearers and their high quality frames are durable, attractive and start at $6.95.

]]> http://bookzone.atwc1.com/sponsored-posts/see-your-lover-more-clearly-this-valentines-day/feed/ 0 http://bookzone.atwc1.com/sponsored-posts/staying-in/ http://bookzone.atwc1.com/sponsored-posts/staying-in/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:50:51 +0000 Dee http://bookzone.atwc1.com/?p=2227

Guest post written by Fidel Hernandez

There’s nothing I like more than staying at home on a rainy Saturday afternoon and watching a really old movie on AMC. I pretty much like anything Elizabeth Taylor is in and I love Cary Grant, obviously, and it’s so much fun to snuggle up with the dog and a cup of hot chocolate and catch up on my rest! I only got a TV just last year because I always just thought I didn’t need one but ever since I did I’ve been spending a ton of time watching movies and game shows and reality TV – pretty much anything that comes on my http://www.cabletvadvisor.com/ channels! I think I’m making up for all the lost time that I didn’t have a TV and I don’t really think it’s that bad for me since I’m still spending a lot of nights with my friends or outside getting some exercise. I like moving around but sometimes it’s just really nice to chill out and not have to use my brain too hard. Life is tough enough without making myself feel bad about my TV!

Using the nifty little plugin called, “And the Winner is…” BookZone’s winner of the $15 Gift Card Hop is none other than…

Your Winner
(confirmed)

Author: Juana Esparza (jmesparza821@gmail.com)
Comment: permalink

Please join me in congratulating Juana. She has been advised by email and has already responded to claim her prize!

Thank you all for participating!

No gift card comes with this award but of the 34 blogs I was able to visit, a few caught my eye because of design and warmth and here they are in alphabetical order: