Barefoot Season & An Interview With Susan Mallery!

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Susan Mallery Q and A about BAREFOOT SEASON

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New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Susan is honored by enthusiastic readers who say that her books make them laugh, make them cry, and make the world a happier place to live. Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather.

Susan’s latest book is BAREFOOT SEASON, the heart-wrenching story of two wounded women who heal their friendship – and find love with two fabulous men – over one long, lovely summer on Blackberry Island, Washington. BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of Susan’s new Blackberry Island series of women’s fiction novels.

Susan, what made BAREFOOT SEASON a story you had to tell?

I find female friendship endlessly fascinating. I feel very blessed to have several strong, supportive friendships that have endured for years. We celebrate each other’s successes, grieve for each other’s losses, nurture and praise and lecture – whatever is called for at that moment. I know how strong friendship between women can be.

But friendship can also be fragile.

One day, I asked myself, What if you and your best friend fell in love with the same man… and then he chose her? Could you be truly happy for her when your heart is breaking? What would you do if he then came to you – this man you both love – and told you that he made a mistake, that he should have chosen you? Could you turn him away? From this spark came BAREFOOT SEASON.

As children, Michelle and Carly were as close as sisters, running free on Blackberry Island. Now, ten years after their friendship was destroyed by love, they’re forced together again by circumstances to save the Blackberry Island Inn. Along the way, they’ll each find love with two great men and the sense of family they’d been missing for so many years. I do love a happy ending!

BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of your new Blackberry Island series. What can you tell us about Blackberry Island, both the books and the place?

On Blackberry Island, life is sweet and the happy ending is guaranteed! I’m a firm believer that life is better with romance, so you can rest assured that the women on Blackberry Island will find love with men who will make your toes curl. The Blackberry Island books will also allow me to explore other relationships. We women often define ourselves by the relationships in our lives. Not just by our romantic relationships, but by our friendships, our relationships with our mothers, our children, our bosses, our neighbors… For us, it’s not so much “what do you do?” as “whom do you love and who loves you back?” that determines how we feel about ourselves. It’s nice to stretch my wings a little to write about some of these other defining relationships, as well.

Blackberry Island is a quaint island off the coast of Seattle, a popular weekend escape for Seattlites who want to get out of the city. You can get to the island either across Getaway Bridge or by ferry. Locals are friendly hosts, happy to direct you to one of several wineries on the island, the daisy fields that have made it the Daisy Capital of the West Coast, and the Puget Sound Crane habitats. You can learn more about Blackberry Island at www.blackberryisland.com. And yes, it’s fictional, but it’s real in my heart, as I hope it will become real in yours!

BAREFOOT SEASON is more of a women’s fiction, then, rather than a straight romance. Are you moving away from writing romance?

Absolutely not! I love romance. There is still nothing more exciting to me than watching two people fall in love. I adore the first kiss, my heart always sinks when things are at their darkest and it looks hopeless, and I am as thrilled as ever when love triumphs in the end. My next romance will be SUMMER DAYS, book 7 of the Fool’s Gold series, which will land in stores on May 29. Well, that’s the next full-length romance. On May 1, I’ll release ALMOST SUMMER, a Fool’s Gold ebook novella. Then there will be two more Fool’s Gold romances in July and August, plus a Christmas gift-sized hardcover in October called A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS. If you’ll sign up for my mailing list at www.susanmallery.com/members/, I’ll send you an email on release day.

Do you think book clubs will enjoy BAREFOOT SEASON? Why or why not?

I do! I belong to a book club, and the books we most enjoy discussing are the books that feel like a slice of life. In BAREFOOT SEASON, the two women at the center of the story are both decent people who have legitimate reasons for feeling the way they do, which means that book club members can legitimately fall on either side of the issue that’s causing the conflict in the book.

I’m always very proud when readers and reviewers say that they really identified with the characters in my books. Those characters feel as real to me as people in real life – a fact which is endlessly confusing for my poor husband, who has to ask for clarification when I tell him about something that someone did that day. “Is she a real person?” he’s forced to ask.

I think readers will really connect with the characters in BAREFOOT SEASON. Carly is a hard-working, loving single mom. She would do anything for her daughter, including put up with the woman who betrayed her. If the inn goes under, Carly doesn’t just lose her job – she loses her home, the only home her daughter has ever known.

Michelle is sarcastic and funny and kind of crabby. I do love a crabby woman! Michelle is prickly, but beneath that prickliness, she’s loyal and has a heart that won’t quit. Wait until you meet the dog she rescues – and who rescues her.

I’ve included a readers’ discussion guide in BAREFOOT SEASON to help get the conversation started. There are even a couple of recipes! I’d be happy to chat about the book live via phone or Skype with any book club that selects BAREFOOT SEASON. Just email my assistant at jenel (at) susanmallery (dot) com to set it up.

What kind of research did you do?

In BAREFOOT SEASON, Michelle is struggling with post-traumatic stress after being wounded in Afghanistan. Since I’ve never served in the military, I wanted to be sure I got those details right, to honor the women who serve our country. I did a lot of research online, then I spoke personally with Sergeant Betty Thurman. What struck me time and again was how proud our soldiers are of what they do. Rightfully so. These are strong, resilient women. Although they are barred from certain duties, they can and do serve in war zones. They can and do put their lives on the line, and they do it because they love our country.

After I finished the book, I asked a fan of mine who has been deployed twice to read it for a “gut check.” Did I get the emotions right, I wanted to know. She told me that she felt as if I was in her head. On top of being a soldier, she is a wife and mother to four children. She loved the book so much that she has preordered ten copies to send to her “battle buddies.”

What do you hope your readers take away from reading BAREFOOT SEASON?

Friends can become family. We’re not all lucky enough to be born with the family we deserve, but we can build a family by surrounding ourselves with loving, supportive friends.

How did you come up with the title BAREFOOT SEASON?

In the book, Michelle spots Carly’s young daughter in the back yard, barefoot and spinning in circles with her face raised toward the sun and her arms outstretched. It makes her long for the long summer days of her own childhood, when she and Carly ran barefoot around Blackberry Island. In her mind, being barefoot is closely connected with innocence, with the time in her life before she had been hurt, before she knew there was darkness in the world.

What’s next for you, after BAREFOOT SEASON?

This summer, I’m heading back to Fool’s Gold, California – the Land of Happy Endings – with four brand new full-length novels, plus an ebook novella. The titles and release dates are:
ALMOST SUMMER – May 1 (ebook novella)
SUMMER DAYS – May 29
SUMMER NIGHTS – June 26
ALL SUMMER LONG – July 31
A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS – September 25

I LOVE Susan Mallery!  In addition to being a wonderful and entertaining author, she is sweet, kind, funny and interactive with her readers!  If you haven't gotten to know her you are missing out.  Checkout her site www.susanmallery.com to learn more!

Girl Unmoored

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Author: Jennifer  Gooch Hummer
ISBN: 978-193655839-8
Publisher: Fiction Studio Books
Rating: Highly Recommended

Love doesn’t always mean rings and veils and walks down the aisle.

Sometimes love means broken windows and broken hearts,

And not being able to fix either.

And sometimes love means telling you,

There’s no such thing as time in Heaven so don’t rush to meet me.

Stay a while, and pick, girl, the roses.

Apron Bramhall has come unmoored. Fortunately, she’s about to be saved by Jesus. Not that Jesus—the actor who plays him in Jesus Christ Superstar. Apron is desperate to avoid the look-alike Mike, who’s suddenly everywhere, until she’s stuck in church with him one day. Then something happens-Apron’s broken heart blinks on for the first time since she’s been adrift.

Mike and his boyfriend, Chad, offer her a summer job in their flower store, and Apron’s world seems to calm.  But when she uncovers Chad’s secret, stormy seas return. Apron starts to see things the adults around her fail to –like what love really means, and who is paying too much for it.

Apron has come unmoored, but now she’ll need to take the helm if she’s to get herself and those she loves to safe harbor.

My Review:

Girl Unmoored is a coming of age story that follows Apron through her 7^th grade year.  Apron has already experienced tragedy too great for someone her age, but the losses have only begun.  To say her coming of age was difficult is an understatement.  However, within the pages of trial and challenge lies a story of a young girl who overcomes it all and succeeds. This story is about her struggles and her victories, bringing a range of emotions to the table and a whole lot of unexpected laughter.  The humor, well written plot, great character development and moving emotions makes it hard to believe Girl Unmoored is a debut novel.

While I didn’t agree with every topic in this book, it was a tough, touching, funny and intelligent real world inspired story. This novel was what I call “reader friendly.”  No matter where you are on your reading journey, this book is easy to read, understand and relate too.  It wasn’t overly intelligent and smug or written without challenge to the reader. I feel like there was enough non-fiction realities in this book to make it a relatable coming of age story, yet enough fiction to keep it light and moving.  This one is quite different.  It kind of reminded me of the movie Juno in some ways, though I can’t exactly pin point why.  Regardless, this book is one I think many will enjoy and recommend.

Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Shopping Seasonally -- What's Available & When?

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Ever wondered what's in season and when?  Shop and plan to eat these wonderfully delicious foods when they are at the best in taste, color and price!

Source: beta.primal-palate.com via Emily on Pinterest

 

Caption This... You Could Win!

Source: flickr.com via Bridgette on Pinterest

This staircase is located in the middle of the woods of New Hampshire, which happens to be my home state!  I'm sending a prize to the person whose statement about this picture inspires me the most.  Picture a book case at the top ends edge.  Get creative!  I'll pick a winner by Friday night.  Share this with a friend and have them tell me you did!  If they win, you win too!!  Let the fun begin!   Make sure to leave your email address in the space provided below.  It will not be visible to anyone else and I will never sell or give your email address to anyone.

The Baker's Daughter

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The Baker's Daughter
Sarah McCoy
ISBN: 978-0-307-46018-9
Publisher: Crown
Source: TLC Book Tours
Rating: Highly Recommended

About the Book:
In 1945, Elsie Schmidt was a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she was for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep in the dead of night on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands that opening the door would put all she loves in danger.

Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams is trying to file a feel-good Christmas piece for the local magazine. Reba is perpetually on the run from memories of a turbulent childhood, but she’s been in El Paso long enough to get a full-time job and a fiancé, Riki Chavez. Riki, an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, finds comfort in strict rules and regulations, whereas Reba feels that lines can often be blurred.

Reba’s latest assignment has brought her to the shop of an elderly baker across town. The interview should take a few hours at most, but the owner of Elsie’s German Bakery is no easy subject. Reba finds herself returning to the bakery again and again, anxious to find the heart of the story. For Elsie, Reba’s questions are a stinging reminder of darker times: her life in Germany during that last bleak year of WWII. And as Elsie, Reba, and Riki’s lives become more intertwined, all are forced to confront the uncomfortable truths of the past and seek out the courage to forgive.

About the Author:

SARAH McCOY is author of the novel, The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico. She has taught English writing at Old Dominion University and at the University of Texas at El Paso. The daughter of an Army officer, her family was stationed in Germany during her childhood. She calls Virginia home but presently lives with her husband and dog, Gilbert, in El Paso, Texas. The Baker’s Daughter is her second novel. She is currently working on her next.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Review:
I think what I loved most about this novel was the shift between the past and the present.  This is unusual for historical fiction novels.  Most of the novels I've read might start in the present but move to the past before ending up back in the present for the finish.  The Baker's daughter is expertly written and cleverly crafted.  I enjoyed the WWII story just as much as I enjoyed Reba's story.  Both women have hardships both inward and outward. The story is complex and full of intriguing and well developed characters.  In short, you won't want to put it down.  Its heart breaking, haunting, endearing and beautifully told.  The story is carefully woven in a complex mystery full of history and plenty of personality.  Both Elise and Reba are characters I could understand and relate too.  They are well developed and have quite a lot in common though they are both very different. I think many readers will enjoy this novel.

You'll enjoy this if....
You like historical fiction
You enjoy stories that switch between past and present
Your a fan of fiction
You enjoy complex plots
You love a well rounded and intriguing book

You might not enjoy this if....
You aren't a fan of historical fiction
You are sensitive to WWII topics/stories
You prefer to read a story set intierly in the past or present but not both
You don't enjoy stories with dark periods

Highly Recommended

Downtown Green

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Author: Judy Christie
ISBN: 978-1-4267-0899-2
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Source: Pump Up Your Book Promotions
Rating: Recommended

About the Book:

Does Lois care enough about Green to follow someone else's ideas to save it?

When the short bypass around Green opens with much fanfare, downtown dries up faster than cement on the roadway.  While the road is progress to some, it seems to be leading Green toward a national trend--a town that is merely a shadow of itself.

With the town going backwards, Louis is both intrigued and jealous when a fellow business owner comes up with a strategy to save Green.  But can his plan rescue the town from the path it's on?

About the Author:

Judy Christie owns a consulting firm that helps busy people slow down and enjoy life more.  She is author of the popular Green Series, including Gone to Green and the Hurry Less, Worry Less series, which includes Hurry Less, Worry Less for Moms.  Website: www.judychristie.com

Review:

I enjoyed this small town, downtown novel.  Quite honestly, the book tells the ailing truth of downtown areas across the country.  Even large towns and cities are having issues with downtown areas and commerce.  Driving traffic through them can be a hard issue to overcome.  How do you save a dying area?  How do you drive customers into small business?  What if anything can be done and do you stay or go?  All these questions are common and understandable, but will Green become a downtown ghost town or find a way to thrive and stay alive?

I have not read the previous books in this series, which didn't inhibit my reading of this book, but plan to read them soon!  I enjoyed the authors development of the characters and flow of the plot.  The book makes you feel like home, no matter what town you live in.  It represents small towns across America quite accurately.  I loved the quaint, historic and family like aspects of Green.  The characters were like friends and family, I easily slipped into their lives and understood their troubles.  I was happy when they were happy and sad when they were sad.  I really rooted for them and their town, which their love of is evident. 

If your looking for a quick and easy read this one will be enjoyable to you.  It not to deep but not shallow either.  It has just enough to keep you reading and plenty to make you want to read more.  I look forward to starting at the beginning of this series and following that characters through the novels.

Recommended Read

Fabulous Fiction

The March Issue of Night Owl Reviews Digital Magazine is out and that means a new FABULOUS FICTION!  Check it out via http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pages/Magazine.aspx to see who I featured this month and what special genre is covered!  Hint, hint... if you're a mom you don't want to miss this!

Get More out of Google

Source: google.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

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My Daughter's First Book

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Author: M.S.
Publisher: Tikatok
www.tikatok.com
Proud Parent: ME!

Enjoy my six year old's first book!  She not only wrote the story, she illustrated it too!  Hope you like it as much as we do!  Your child can be an author too!

15 Grammar Goofs

Source: google.com via Jill on Pinterest

Reading Slump??

It happens to the best of us, the dreaded reading slump! It's the worst when you find that each book you pick up isn't catching your interest. Your attention span is failing, you have lost focus and sometimes the will to read. The desire is never really gone, if it was the slump wouldn't bother you, but in life the ups and down can effect you and once in awhile the slump comes around and steals your thunder. The question is, what do you do when your in a slump? Cooking, cleaning, browsing the Internet, flipping through magazines, shopping, and eating are all common answers! But what about poker?? You heard me! Online poker at Fiesta Poker dot com can help you pass time when the reading blues come calling. Click here to visit Fiesta Poker and try your hand at the game. They even have a $500 dollar bonus for those who register and use the bonus code. So whether your new to poker or a veteran to the game, this site has a game for you! They even have "the basics" written in a tutorial for those who haven't played before.

So... whether you're in a reading slump or want to learn something new or maybe you just want to get your poker face on, Fiesta Poker is sure to offer lots of addicting fun for everyone. Who knows? Maybe you'll even get to play against one of their "famous players." If the reading slump monster has come to find you or you just need a break and want to try or learn something new, head over to Fiesta Poker and try it out. It's a fun game to win!

5 Stages of Grief

5 Stages of Grief

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Bethany Ramos

Black Opal Books
ISBN: 97819372329105
Source: Author/Chick-lit Plus
Rating: Highly Recommended


About the Book:

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Danielle thinks that the worst is behind her, but she couldn’t have been more wrong... As a beauty editor of Denver's hot new High Life magazine, Danielle Starkey didn’t have becoming a widow on her to-do list. Then nine months after her husband’s death, she discovers he booked a vacation with another woman. Suddenly, Danielle sees Adam’s death in a whole new light and has to get over it - for the second time. Hit with the truth when she least expects it, Danielle brings a fresh, funny, and honest approach to the grieving process as she struggles through online dating, stalking her dead husband’s mistress, and, hopefully, finding the man of her dreams. With her stubborn and sassy best friend April by her side. Danielle refuses to let sleeping dogs lie. Will she finally face the truth about herself and her marriage? Or will she succumb to one of the five stages of grief?

Review:

I laughed reading the first line of this book, which always bodes well. It's hard enough to start a book and instantly attract the readers attention, but to make me laugh out loud on top of that is almost impossible. Luckily, unlike other books I've read, this one kept its witty, realistic, and emotional approach as it followed Danielle's reaction to her grief. One of the things I loved about this novel was its outrageously unbelievable yet totally realistic and understandable approach to grief. Since people handle grief in so many ways, nothing is completely out of the question, but Ramos takes a clever, witty and emotionally driven look at grief and it works!

The novel is well written, evenly paced and sad yet funny. The characters are a well developed group. Each has there own place in the story that wouldn't be good without them. The plot or idea of behind the novel is not new. Losing your husband, becoming a widow and then finding out he had a mistress or another wife has been done before in fiction and through memoirs. However, the humor in this book is a new angle to this type of storyline and I loved this approach. Bethany Ramos pens a wonderful debut novel that will have me looking for her next book. If you have kids, she has written a children's book as well! Check out her books, they are a great investment of your reading hours!

Highly Recommended

Attention All Authors!

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Are you an author?  Join the hop!  Introduce your book to hundreds if not thousands of readers!  Sign up here using the linkly below and find out more information here:
http://diannevenetta.com/events/authors-in-bloom-blog-hop/

Readers-- Stay Tuned!  Awesome Giveaways, Prizes and more are coming your way!

My Dream Day...

I recently asked author Heather Hummel what her dream day would be like.  Find out what she said....

Whispers from the Heart

My Dream Day...

Guest post by Heather Hummel

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In asking me what my dream day would be like, I smiled because in some ways, every day as a “Photonovelist” is a dream day for me. I do what I love, whether it’s writing my next book or capturing my next image. But, there are still deadlines, marketing, book signings, and other “business” activities that go with being a writer. As a Photonovelist, the photographer and lifelong adventurist in me enjoys nothing more than exploring the back roads of Big Sur in the Central California Coast with my camera in hand. Just last Saturday I had such a day. It started out by everything I went to do being thwarted! From the post office’s long line to Adobe Illustrator crashing every time I tried to work on a book’s cover, I knew I was meant to be outdoors and intuitively headed down the Pacific Coast Highway.

The drive from Carmel to Big Sur is, in my experience, the most beautiful section of the Pacific Coast Highway. It provides elevated stunning views, the Bixby Bridge (the most famous bridge used for car commercials), and a blend of pastures and mountains that are especially green this time of year. If you turn left (when heading south, of course!) at the Bixby Bridge onto the Old Coast Road, you’re in for 10 miles of nature’s spectacular beauty and rugged terrain. AWD or 4WD are highly recommended, and you may need to move a log or two out of the road to continue on, but it’s worth the adventure. Once at the top, the panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and rolling hills provide a sense of peace and perspective. On that particular day, I captured over 100 images and laid out my favorite dozen in my blog describing the day and showcasing the views. (Click here if you want to see.)  While in Big Sur, I always drive down to Pfeiffer Beach, which for me is the most magical beach. I’ve had a connection to it for years, and every time I go it’s a renewal and reminder that all is well in the world.
I’m sure most women would declare their dream day as a faraway place or a spa day filled with pampering treatments; but, for me being in the energy of Big Sur with the ocean air and spectacular views is rejuvenating to the soul. Add my soul mate to the picture, and everything comes into focus.

About Heather

Heather Hummel is a "Photonovelist" who blends her love for photography with her award-winning career as an author. Her published works include:
Journals from the Heart Series:
Whispers from the Heart (2011)
Write from the Heart (2011)
Nonfiction
GO BIKE & Other Signs from the Universe (2011)
Gracefully: Looking and Being Your Best at Any Age (McGraw-Hill, 2008),
Essays:
Messages of Hope and Healing ( Sunpiper Media, 2006)
Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007) with David Baldacci and Rita Mae Brown
Awards:
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award
2009 New York Book Festival, Honorable Mention

Heather's books have appeared in newspapers such as: Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Health, Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 15 million. A graduate with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree with concentrations in English and Secondary Education. She is currently earning a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences.
Visit Heather’s website at http://www.heatherhummel.net/
Follow Heather on Twitter @HeatherHummel:
http://twitter.com/HeatherHummel
Like Heather’s Fan Page: http://www.Facebook.com/HeatherHummelFanPage

Saving Money

Saving money
Post contributed by Hilton Miranda

Ever since my husband began graduate school, money has been a little tight in our house. I have been trying to save money on groceries by using coupons, but the prep time to use coupons is about an hour or two each week and I do not always have that kind of time. We have been trying to stick to a cash budget, but most weeks we spend a little more money than we intend to. I did find a way to save on our power bill by searching “electric providers Texas”online. I had no idea that we were eligible for fixed-rate energy. We have also been trying to eat out less. I was amazed at how much money we saved the first month of budgeting by cooking at home more. With two small children, it is much easier to eat at home anyway. I know that our finances will be better in the future, after my husband completes his doctoral degree and his pay increases. I keep telling myself that this is just a season of life and money will not be this tight forever.

Sneak Peak: The Good Father bt Diane Chamerlain

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Mira

(April 24, 2012)

400 pages

14.95

ISBN: 9780778313465

Pre-order this book:  The Good Father

"Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping food on the table. He’s never regretted his decision: Bella is the light of his life. But after Travis loses his job and his home, the security he’s worked so hard to create for his daughter begins to crumble. When he receives a job offer, he thinks his troubles have come to an end . . . not realizing that they’ve only just begun."

Discover more of this intriguing story by visiting....

http://dianechamberlain.com/books/the-good-father/synopsis/

I'm excited to read this book after reading The Midwife's Confession!  Diane has a great back list of titles for readers who may not be aware of them!  Check it out on her site.

Blue Moon Promise

Author: Colleen Coble
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1-59554-915-0
Source: Litfuse Publicity Tour
Rating: Highly Recommended

Blue Moon Promise

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About the Book:

A love like Lucy and Nate’s only comes along once in a blue moon . . .

Lucy Marsh's worldly resources are running out, but she's fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father's recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.

Nate Stanton always hoped he'd marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh—a city girl—on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he'd give anything to protect Lucy and the children he's grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.

My Thoughts:

After reading The Light Keepers Ball, I was thrilled to read Blue Moon Promise.  I love Collen's writing, characters and imaginative direction. This new novel is book one in her new series, "Under Texas Stars", the main character, Lucy is a character who reveals a little about the author while maintaining a natural personality and easy to relate to characteristics.  I instantly connected with Lucy.  She was in a place in her life where the rain kept falling and she only wanted to see some sunshine.  When one bad thing after another takes place, Lucy is overwhelmed, as anyone would be.  Considering it all, it was no surprise that Lucy took a life changing offer of marriage to ease her troubled mind.  When she arrives at Nate's ranch, she has a whole new host of trials to overcome, including proving herself to her new and unsuspecting husband.

I felt for Lucy.  She seemed to feel the need to prove herself to everyone instead of letting go and letting God provide.  Lucy is a character that has a lot of characteristics and sometimes flaws that plague most women by nature.  I enjoyed reading this relaxing story as I watched Nate and Lucy's lives unfold.  It has a bit of everything including mystery, romance, history and suspense.  The story is one of hope and new beginnings.

The idea of a proxy marriage is much like an arranged marriage and definitely gave this story a unique edge and intrigue.  I enjoyed watching Nate grow to love Lucy and her siblings, much like Lucy grows to love Nate.  The storyline behind the romance kept me on my toes.  The two characters had much in common that brings them closer together.  It was well written and easy to read.

Click here to join the party or learn more about this event!

About the Author:

Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA’s RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.
Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com. Twitter @colleencoble.

Highly Recommended

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Author: Julie Klassen
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0709-9
Publisher: Bethany House
Source: Litfuse Publicity Tour
Rating: Must Read

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

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About the Book:
To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors.

As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?

About the Author:
Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She has won the Christy Award: Historical Romance for The Silent Governess (2010) and The Girl in the Gatehouse (2011) which also won the 2010 Midwest Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.  For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love historical fiction and this book is one of the reasons why!  Nestled within the pages is a story of hope, fear, secrets, deceit and the life of a 19th century woman trying to escape a marriage, at least one she doesn't want.

Set in the intriguing world of 19th century England, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a fast paced, thrilling and romantic read.  I found myself glued to the pages, totally submerged in the story and miles away from life going on around me.  From the moment I entered Margaret Macy's world, I was unable and unwilling to leave it.  The characters are well developed.  Each is well explored and thought out.  They come alive in the story, giving the reader the ability to explore their lives and understand them in the process.  The plot is wonderful, believable and keeps your attention.
I loved how the author opened each chapter with a fitting quote.  I found myself excited at the end of a chapter because I knew another wonderful quote awaited and I was anxious to read it.  Based on this book, I would read another by Julie Klassen and fully plan on reading her back list.  This is a must read, especially for those who like historical fiction, christian fiction, 19th century England, romance and intrigue or well developed characters and plots.

Enter to win Julie's Kindle Fire Giveaway!  Enter here: http://wfi.re/h7o51

Must Read

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

Lone Wolf (Click the title to view this novel.)

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Author: Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Atria Books

ISBN: 9781439102749

eBook: 9781439149690

Website: www.jodipicoult.com

Source: Crazy Blog Tours

About the Book:

When his estranged father is seriously injured in a car accident, Edward Warren rushes back to the home he left suddenly five years ago.  There more for the sake of his sister, Cara, who was also injured in the accident, Edward finds himself faced with a gut wrenching decision. His father, Luke, a wolf expert, is in a coma due to severe and traumatic brain injuries sustained in the crash.  Since it is clear that Luke will not get recover from his injuries, Edward is in favor of “pulling the plug” and donating his father’s organs to someone who will get better in the event of a transplant.  For his sister Cara, the answer is not so black and white.  Cara, who pulled her father from the crash wreckage, believes there is hope of a medical miracle.  At odds over the decision of their father’s fate the siblings face an impossible choice that must be made. 

When the decision takes Edward and Cara to court, the family’s relationships are tried and tested.  As their history is revealed, their future hangs on the edge, threatening to spill over.  The pain of their heartache still fresh, the siblings must make the choice between medical science and moral dilemma.  Either way, a decision will be made and the family will have to find a way to move forward.

My Thoughts:

Wow!  I simply don’t know how she does it.  I absolutely love Jodi Picoult’s writing!  She is infamous for bringing controversial and thought provoking subjects to her novels.  Her books discuss matters where there are no clear lines.  They fill up the gray areas with the questions everyone ask, “What is right?”, “What is wrong?” and “What are the consequences?”   In this book, Jodi pulls from the lives of wolves.  Each pack is dependent on each member.  Not one wolf is useless, each has a role in the pack and their survival depends on each and every one of them.  Nothing is more important than family.  In parallel, Luke is a wolf expert whose human family or pack is forced to decide his fate.  Unfortunately they do not agree with each other, causing deeper rifts in an already segregated and fragile pack. 

I love how Jodi’s books let you see both sides of the story and understand them completely.  I usually end her books with a clear and unmovable opinion or a loss of words, as I can’t seem to choose a side because I equally understand both and find fault with both.  Picoult points out the social issues on both sides of the issue as well as the emotional issues and human nature that surround both sides.

In this book she alternates voices between the main characters, including Luke’s ex-wife Georgie.  She pulls this off in an effortless way.  Each character comes to life on the pages; each character is well developed and easy to get lost with.  Reading their stories, hearing their voices, and knowing how each of them feels and thinks made me feel as if I was in the middle of this story, watching it as it happened.  I highly suggest any of Jodi’s novels, but this one is a must read.  You’re sure to have something to say about it when you finish and I want to hear!!

Must Read

The Instant Dangers of Viral Content

My review of "This Beautiful Life" was due to post on February 22nd and it did not.  Don't miss my thoughts about this book!  In the aftermath of a sexually explicit video gone viral, this family is changed forever.... Check out the review here: http://www.acozyreaderscorner.com/2012/02/this-beautiful-life.html

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for having me on tour!

The Happiness Blog Tour & Giveaway

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Bryan Cohen here, guest poster and author, promoting my new book http://www.amazon.com/Post-College-Guide-Happiness-Bryan-Cohen/dp/1466434139%22%3E The Post-College Guide to Happiness for The Happiness Blog Tour. I'm giving away free digital review copies of the book and doing a giveaway for paperback copies, audio copies and even a Kindle Fire! Read on and check out the info below the post.

"There is only one cause of unhappiness: the false beliefs you have in your head, beliefs so widespread, so commonly held, that it never occurs to you to question them."
- Anthony de Mello-

What Do You Believe?

For a person who has written a happiness book, I used to have a lot of negative thoughts. The worst part about those thoughts was that I believed them. I would frequently beat myself up and call myself every name in the book: ugly, stupid, lazy, weird and even a scruffy-looking nerfherder (the last one is true, just trying to be thorough). One of the reasons that I didn't throw a wrench into the machine of these painful beliefs was that it seemed like a lot of people said hateful things to themselves and others. I just assumed it was a part of human nature and that my self-inflicted emotional wounds would be something I'd have to deal with.

Upon reading Marci Shimoff's Happy for No Reason, I learned an important fact that I should have already figured out on my own. Not all of my thoughts are true. The negative beliefs that we foist upon ourselves are essentially optical illusions. Sure, it looks like that string is longer than the other, but in reality, they're the same size. Your unhappiness is probably an optical illusion as well. You think that your life stinks, but in actuality, it's got a lot of good things going for it that don't appear to be true.

We don't tend to question our unhappiest beliefs because it appears that everyone around us is unhappy. We accept it. People, it's time to start questioning and to question these ideas as often as possible. We need to stop trusting that our brain always has the right answers. It's a wonderful machine that stores our memories and processes information, but emotionally it can be a bit of a scaredy cat and a negative nelly. We need to learn to start calling our brain on its crap, more or less.

Instead of spiraling into a pity party of depression, you need to start catching yourself when you start to beat yourself up. Challenge your brain to be completely truthful. Instead of saying, "I'm the worst person in the world," challenge yourself, whether it be by naming people who are worse than you or by talking up some of your finer qualities to yourself. Instead of saying that "Everything is ruined," cite some of the things that are going perfectly fine.

Tough stuff happens from time to time, but it's our overreactions that make it into an unhappy situation. Don't get dramatic. Get real and through that...get happy.

Giveaway:
Bryan Cohen is giving away 61 paperback and audio copies of The Post-College Guide to Happiness and a Kindle Fire between now and May 7th, 2012 on The Happiness Blog Tour. All entrants receive a free digital review copy of The Post-College Guide to Happiness. Bryan hopes to give away at least 1,000 copies during the blog tour. To enter, post a comment with your e-mail address or send an e-mail to postcollegehappiness (at) gmail.com. Bryan will draw the names at the end of the tour. Entries will be counted through Sunday, May 6th.

About Byran

Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written nine books including "http://www.amazon.com/000-Creative-Writing-Prompts-ebook/dp/B0044DEL7C%22%3E1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SOYV4K%22%3E500 Writing Prompts for Kids: First Grade through Fifth Grade"http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VWPONQ%22%3EWriter on the Side: How to Write Your Book Around Your 9 to 5 Job and his new book,  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BIFYNC%22%3E1,000 Character Writing Prompts: Villains, Heroes and Hams for Scripts, Stories and More. His website http://www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com%22%3ebuild/ Creative Writing Ideas helps over 25,000 visitors a month to push past writer's block and stay motivated.

Feel free to follow along with the tour at http://www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com/happiness-blog-tour.html%22%3EThe Happiness Blog Tour Hub Page.