Taylor Dawn's Blog, page 4

New Release: Dee’s Dishes by Denise Dwyer D’Errico

 

Description

Dee’s Dishes is a Cookbook…and So Much More.

How many times have you had Pepsi dumped on you? I’m talking completely-out-of-the-blue, shocking-and-sticky, all-over dumped on you. Well, it’s happened to me…more than once! 

But, that’s actually not what this book is about…well, kind of. Sit down, grab yourself a coffee, tea, or wine, and dive into my personal stories about food, music, Guam culture, family, and how these elements have intertwined and danced throughout my life, resulting in some AH-MAZING recipes that I’ll share with you. With easy-to-follow organization grouped by Sweet and Savory, I know you’re going to love these dishes! Like Pepsi Brownies, Coconut Candy, Titiyas (flatbread from Guam), Caprese Denisi, my one-pot pasta dish (that I call Seconds Pasta) and more.

Meet the Author

Denise Dwyer D’Errico is a poet, author, musician, wife, mother, and a seeker of her own truth. She has written and self-published a poetry collection entitled A Maze in Grace and contributed to Teaching with Harry Potter: Essays on Classroom Wizardry from Elementary School to College, edited by Valerie E. Frankel. Denise has over twenty years of experience as a liturgical musician, as cantor, piano accompanist, and music director of adult choirs, children’s choirs, musicals, and hand bell choirs. She is the composer of “Be Still,” a liturgical choral piece published by the leading church music publisher GIA. She has also provided piano, vocal, and music theory instruction for children and adults. She has spoken to audiences on parenting and autism awareness. Denise has particular interest in illustrating harmony among seemingly unrelated subjects. And she really loves crème brûlée

Tiara Talk Book Review

*Tiara Talk was given a complementary copy for a completely honest review*

Dee’s Dishes

I wasn’t sure what to expect when given a complimentary copy of Dee’s Dishes. At first I thought “okay, it’s a cookbook.” But once I began reading through and turning the pages, I realized it was so much more than a book of recipes! The way this book intertwines personal stories followed by recipes is such a cute idea. It made the recipes seem so much more personal and even though this IS a cookbook, it had me turning the pages just to see what I might find next. I love that the author used such creativity in this book and I appreciate the sentiment behind the stories. I haven’t had a chance to try out a recipe just yet, but the Pepsi Brownies sound like they could quell my ever growing craving for the naughty delight of chocolate. I happily give Dee’s Dishes 5 stars because this isn’t your standard boring old cookbook. Go ahead and dig into Dee’s Dishes, you won’t be disappointed!

___________________________________________________

YOU’RE INVITED!!!

What: Meet the Author/Recipe Swap

Where: Facebook *click the cake below to join*

When: March 3, 2017

Click the mixers below to get social with Denise!

 

Release Blitz: Angelic Outcast by Jessie Wrights

Release Blitz!

Angelic Outcast by Jessie Wrights

Book Blurb

Artan never knew what to expect when he was called to service on Earth, but the sight of his future charge made him think this one wouldn’t be so bad, until he gets shot during his first meeting with Elizabeth Savante. Turns out she already has a protector, and he is none too pleased to find that Heaven has taken an interest in his partner.

Khris thought he was safe, his work with Liz kept him constantly moving and out of Heaven’s cross hairs. That is until an angel shows up, and tells him that a demon is after Liz. And to make matters worse Liz is completely psyched about it. Now he has a choice, he can stay and help protect the best thing that ever happened to him, or he can run before Heaven finds out what and where he is.

Teasers!

What: Heavenly Chronicles Launch Party 

When: February 25th 2017

Where: Facebook

Click the button below to join!

Click the icons below to get social with author Jessie Wrights!

        

But Still I Rise

But Still I Rise

 

I highly believe that we are tested every single day of our lives. Road blocks are placed in our way and we can chose to let them bring us to a screeching halt, or we can kick in the 4-wheel drive and drive right over them. So, what happens when that road block is something you’ve already went through? Do you question it? Are you fearful that it will destroy you? It is no secret that I had become addicted to prescription pain pills several years ago. They were given to me to control back pain and of course as pain management after a major spine surgery. But instead of taking them as directed, I became a statistic. I never in my life thought that I would be just another number, just a slice on a pie chart and a line on a graph. I prided myself on being different from the masses. I lived my life according to what I loved and nothing else. Unfortunately though, my non-conformist personality was taken down and slid into a statistic that humbled me more than you will know.

It was hard getting clean and staying that way but I did it. I kept myself out of the pie chart and used my experience to help others in my situation. I became transparent with my struggle because I couldn’t do good by hiding. It was a leap of faith to put my story out there but the good that came out of it inspired others and myself. I was the face of triumph and I celebrated that fact every single day.

But sometimes, things can all come crashing down around you. Late in 2016 I was told I would need yet another surgery on my ever decaying body. This time it was my knee. The first thought that came to me was that in a way, I was headed for a relapse. It wasn’t really one of my choosing though. When you have surgery, you’re in pain. That pain sometimes cannot be controlled by your basic over the counter pain relievers. It can only be dulled by a high powered narcotic pain killer. I was given a prescription of 120 Percocet with the strength of 10-325. Now, if you know anything about pain killers, you know that this strength is about enough to put an elephant down. Upon my release from the hospital the nurse stated the prescription and I went into panic mode. My husband and I made eye contact because he knew we were possibly headed for disaster once again. In that moment everything I had worked for in the past few years came to the forefront and I felt like a weak little girl. Imagine it like this: you’ve given up chocolate for a few years. You’ve steadied your resolve and you no longer crave it. You can live your life without chocolate now. But one day, someone waves a delicious Godiva bar in front of your face. Your brain starts screaming at you, your mouth waters and your entire body almost floats toward that chocolate bar. You have 2 choices: eat the chocolate, or wave it away and instead get a banana to snack on. If you eat the chocolate, your brain is going to crave it more and more. It will drive you mad until you buckle and eat more of what is bad for you.

Here’s where things got tricky. My amazing husband had told me he was taking the bottle of pills with him each day to work because he didn’t want me to revert back to my former self. I was perfectly fine with that. I didn’t want them in the house, after all, I was home alone during the day. But, he didn’t do what he said he was going to do. He left the bottle with me. I’ll admit, part of my brain said “It’s party time bitches!!”. But the rational side told me I was in control. I had the power to make the right decision when it came to that bottle of pills. So as it goes, I only took them when I was in dire need. I’m talking, when I was in so much pain I was in tears. Now, I know I shouldn’t have let things go that far, but in a way, I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to see my pain tolerance first hand. It was my choice to do that but doing so isn’t for everyone. As it turns out, I do have a high pain tolerance.

20 days after surgery I decided it was time to call it quits with the pain medication. I had the option of calling my doctor and getting a refill, but I didn’t do that. Doing so would have only prolonged what I knew would be coming in the next few days. Yes, that’s right, it was time to detox my body from the medication. Scary couldn’t even describe how I felt going into this. I knew from before that things were going to be bad. I set myself up thinking that I wouldn’t sleep for a few weeks, my bones would feel as if they were shattering and I would crave the pills so bad that I would give in and call my doctor. But none of that happened. On February 14th ( yes, Valentine’s day) I woke up feeling like I had the flu. Cold chills, body aches, headache and an extreme loss of concentration. This was my penance for letting the narcotics back into my system and I was ready to pay up. I spent the majority of the day watching movies on Netflix and Hulu and also listening to songs that were uplifting and inspiring. Needless to say, I felt like total and utter shit.

The next day, I expected to feel much of the same as the day before. But when I woke up, I didn’t. I felt like myself again. I gained the clarity that I had 23 days ago, and the only craving I had was for coffee. My feet weren’t dragging as the day before and I kind of just fell back into my usual routine. My concentration isn’t 100% yet and my body is trembling slightly but it will be normal soon enough. It was crazy to see how in just 22 days’ time, the narcotic pain killers could change a person and make you feel horrible when coming down off them. This was nothing like before however and for that, I will always be thankful. I was totally prepared to endure what I had before because somehow, I knew I could get through it. The positive thoughts and prayers from everyone helped, but I honestly believe that the man upstairs was sitting here with me on the 14th. I think he was waiting for me to decide what was more important, my life, or the pills. I knew before I started taking them again that my life would always come first. That I would choose my life over anything put in front of me. It was not easy to get through it. It was still hard because I struggled with the person I used to be. She was also here on the 14th. She came swooping in and tried to grab my hand and take me to a place where we once were. But I was able to jerk my hand free and told that bitch to fuck off.

Why do I tell my story? The number one reason I tell my story is that somewhere out there, someone might need it. They might be struggling and this could somehow inspire them to choose life. The second reason is that I need closure. I need to shut the door on my struggle and stand tall. I feel like I have been put in a position where I can help others by standing up and shouting my story. If it saves even one life, then it’s worth it. There may be people out there who see me as worthless for what I did and what I went through, and that’s okay. They cannot berate me more than I have myself for the past few years. It has taken so long to learn to forgive and love myself and I think that was the biggest hurdle yet. Each morning I wake up, I get the chance to be a better person and can actually look in the mirror and not feel disgusted.

There will never be a perfect you. You will make mistakes and you will learn from them. Take those lessons and build some kind of legacy from them. You were put on this earth to make a difference so let’s start doing that. Stop being ashamed of your flaws, celebrate them. I celebrate my recovery every day. I know what rock bottom feels like. It’s a cold, dark place where hopelessness lives. You don’t have to stay there though. You can climb out of that hole and let the sun shine on you.

As always I want to open my line of communication to anyone who might need to chat about their struggle. I have had so much response with this and I hope I have inspired someone out there to make a change. Please send me an email at Taylor@taylordawnauthor.com if you need someone to talk to. Your emails will never be shared with anyone other than myself. You can also contact me on my personal Facebook page. I cannot get you clean, but I can help lead you to the point where you see that you are worth something. Because you really are. I just want to say that I get emotional every single time I write and post an article like this one. It’s hard to see yourself in writing. But in a way, it’s easy to see that you aren’t the person you used to be.

Introducing: Corinne Marie Book Cover Designs!

Corinne Marie Designs

Brand new offer from Corinne Marie Designs especially for Valentine’s Day Week. Buy one Premade Cover and get one free, plus get a £10 credit towards another purchase in the store. Offer valid 12-19/02/2017

I’ve started the design company last August, but the desire to create book covers started many years ago.  First I’ve started as a landscape painter,  then I’ve  combined it with the love of reading historical romance novels, and I’ve decided that it was time to give something back to the indie authors community.  Today I design historical, paranormal and contemporary romance covers. I also create author swag for my lovely friends.

[image error] 

Check out the fabulous samples below by Corinne Marie Designs

[image error]

[image error]

Visit Corinne Marie Designs on Facebook!

 

Introducing: Corinne Marie Book Cover Designs

Corinne Marie Designs

Brand new offer from Corinne Marie Designs especially for Valentine’s Day Week. Buy one Premade Cover and get one free, plus get a £10 credit towards another purchase in the store. Offer valid 12-19/02/2017
I’ve started the design company last August, but the desire to create book covers started many years ago.  First I’ve started as a landscape painter,  then I’ve  combined it with the love of reading historical romance novels, and I’ve decided that it was time to give something back to the indie authors community.  Today I design historical, paranormal and contemporary romance covers. I also create author swag for my lovely friends. 


[image error]
[image error][image error]

Check out the fabulous samples below by Corinne Marie Designs

[image error]
[image error][image error]
[image error]
Visit Corinne Marie Designs on Facebook!
[image error]

Coming Soon: Subject Verb Anthology (A different kind of anthology)

In the coming weeks, Tiara Talk will be doing author spotlights for some talented authors who took part in a very different kind of anthology project. I happened to be one of those authors and let me say that the project was rather inspiring. The anthology was the brainchild of author Dane Cobain who, if you ask me, is one of the most talented individuals I know. Did I mention he is from the UK and has a super awesome accent? Yeah, that too. Dane assembled a list of authors whose backgrounds reach into genres such as poetry, horror, fantasy, romance and more. We are a mix of genres which makes this project fun and exciting. It also gives readers a chance to sample the work of a new to them author.

___________________________________________________________

   The task was simple…sort of.    

Each author was to write a subject verb writing prompt and that prompt would get tossed into a hat and assigned to another author in the anthology. Then, the author would have to create a story based around that prompt. Seems simple, right? Not really! When you’re handed a sentence that a story must be based on, things can get tricky to say the least. As a romance writer, I felt like the odd man out. I was given a limit of 10,000 words or less and if you’ve ever had a limit such as this, you know it can stress you out beyond repair. Fortunately though, I am amazing at thinking on my feet. I created a steamy, fun story to add to the mix and I’m super happy with the results.

_______________________________________________________________

We had some great help too!

Dane somehow wrangled the awesome Pam Elise Harris to be our editor for this endeavor. If you’ve never had Pam as an editor, then let me tell you a bit about her. Is she tough? Sure, all editors are. But Pam is one of the most talented and caring editors I know. She doesn’t just rip your work apart, she also gives you props on the things that you do well. This is a quality in an editor that I happen to adore. Pam was instrumental in making sure our stories were polished until they resembled a sparkling diamond. So a big thank you to her for the hard work.

______________________________________________________________

What about the cover?

Every book has to have a great cover. If you’ve ever taken part in an anthology, you know that it’s rather hard to nail down a cover concept because of the vast array of stories inside the book. Dane contracted the always fabulous Stephanie Stacker to do the cover. Now, I don’t know if you know this or not, but Stephanie does all of my personal book covers. The cool thing about Steph is that she is self-taught and has an eye for design. I happen to love self-taught talent because I am one in the same. After showing some great samples, the cover was chosen and let me say, it is beautiful. A big thank you to Stephanie for taking on this project!

————————————

 So, who all is involved?

Oh, you want to know the authors? Well, I’ll list them here for you, but you should come back when we go live with their individual articles too!

Subject Verb Anthology Authors

Dane Cobain

Pam Elise Harris

Elieen Maksym

Clive Whitelock

James Torrance

Heba El-Husseini

Sharon Anderson

Michael Israel-Jarvis

Amar Rana-Deshmukh

Taylor Dawn

Neil Denham

Chris Gower

Alex Kimmell

S.L. Stacker

Stevyn Colgan

J.G. Clay

J.C. Miller

Chico Kidd

Oli Jacobs

Dani Brown

Saul P. Tiler

Stay tuned for more on the Subject Verb Anthology!

New Release: Nagant Wars-The Pawn’s Dilemma by Jayden Hunter

Nagant Wars: The Pawn’s Dilemma

Jayden Hunter

*FREE with KINDLE UNLIMTED*

_____________________________________________________

Blurb

When Rhith Corp releases Nagant Wars, its latest VR-MMO, Dale Brown cannot wait to put on his Rhith-Suit and experience the most vivid, full-immersion world ever created.

With pleasure and pain set to mimic reality, Dale must navigate the dangers of war, face his personal failings, and learn who his friends truly are.

Set on the planet Almaach, the swords and sorcery aspect of the game is starkly contrasted to the potential dystopian nature of Dale’s real life, which in 2040, contains the ever-increasing chance of global disaster.

___________________________________________________________

A bit about LitRPG (which sells under cyberpunk on Amazon):

The exciting new sub-genre LitRPG offers readers a glimpse into the future when the boundaries between reality and virtual worlds become so blurred that what is real and what is simulated will become increasingly difficult to comprehend.

Emotions are chemical reactions in the brain; does it matter whether they are induced by stimuli from a physical world or a virtual one?

Nagant Wars is a LitRPG novel which will appeal to fans of science-fiction fantasy who enjoy speculative world building, a broad cast of characters, and action-adventure; while also exploring questions about the nature of reality.

________________________________________________

About the Author

Jayden Hunter is currently working in the exciting new genre LitRPG, a sci-fi/fantasy category that incorporates virtual reality with gaming elements.

He reads in a broad range of genres. Currently he has two psychological thrillers published and has a contemporary romance series in the works.

He is crazy over la más bella colombiana Lia, the inspiration behind Princess Talargo, one of the characters in the Nagant War series.

Writing and creating is both a passion and a compulsion.

Omitting needless words is still problematic for him, but he’s trying.

____________________________________________________

Get Social with Author Jayden Hunter!

*Click the icons below to find Jayden on social media*

_______________________________________________________

New Release: Miller’s Secret by Tess Thompson

Miller’s Secret

Tess Thompson

__________________________________________________________________

Miller’s Secret Blurb

In a time of heroes and heartbreak, one man has a secret that threatens to destroy all who are caught in his web. In an era where most are reeling from the impacts of World War II, Miller Dreeser is a man focused solely on an obsession born of poverty, neglect and ambition. 

Caroline Bennett’s heart is as big as her father’s fortune, but her insecurities make her susceptible to Miller’s charms. Will the decisions of her youth destroy her family and her future? 

Set against the vibrant backdrop of the California coastline, Miller’s Secret spans more than two decades during some of the most defining moments of the 20th century as it follows the story of five intertwining lives from America’s Greatest Generation.

Miller’s Secret is a redemptive story of love, of love lost and found, and of second chances.

_____________________________________________________________________

Miller’s Secret Excerpt

The memory of smells, more vivid than the images, still lived in  his nose. Men’s perspiration, wood smoke, whiskey, and the sour smell of his mother. One day, she didn’t get out of bed. Men came to  the  door,  smelling  of  booze  and cigarettes,  but  once  they  came  inside, they quickly retreated. The scent of something rotting from  the inside out replaced the sour odor of his mother. One day she  didn’t wake. He stood over her, unsure what to do. Several flies buzzed around her body, and outside, the shriek of a wild bird pierced the quiet. Her white hand, paper thin, hung from the side of  a bed. For five days he remained in the shack alone, surviving on the sack of raw potatoes that had been his companion in the closet. Then, one day, a woman came. She held a paper bag over her nose and offered him her hand. It was the first time he could remember being touched without it being accompanied by a beating.

_______________________________________________________________

About the Author

Tess Thompson

Tess Thompson is a women’s fiction novelist from the Pacific Northwest. Like many of the characters in her bestselling romantic suspense series, she hails from a small town in Oregon. This past summer she married the love of her life, inheriting two bonus sons and three cats to go with her two girls and two cats. Yes, that’s four kids and five cats! Her novel, “Duet for Three Hands”, won first runner-up at the 2016 RONE Awards in the American Historical category. Her latest historical, “Miller’s Secret”, released January 10, 2016. She’s currently working on, “Riversnow”, the fourth book in the “River Valley Series”. 

______________________________________________________________

Get Social with Author Tess Thompson

___________________________________________________________

New Release: Soul Sanctuary by Susan Faw

Soul Sanctuary Blurb:

A temple awakened. The forbidden mountain stirs. The dead are missing.

Snatched from her home by a Primordial Seeker, seventeen-year-old Avery is imprisoned by the people she intended to serve. In a desperate bid for freedom, she escapes, only to find herself racing against time to save those who seek to use her.

Driven by jealousy, the lust for power and the stain of ancient crimes, conflicting factions struggle to gain control of the magic of a Spirit Shield. Avery must dodge all who cross her path, for each group vies to control her actions.

Aided by the mythical creatures of her native land, she discovers that a true Spirit Shield is much more than a simple priestess. She must fight for control of the souls of the world, and in doing so must face her worst fear of all: family.

Congrats to Susan Faw!
Seer of Souls is a semi-finalist for the Dante Rosetti Awards, for Young Adult Fantasy a contest sponsored by Chanticleer Reviews


About the Author
[image error]Susan Faw
Author Bio


Susan’s love of stories began before she could read or write. Her earliest childhood memories are of a make believe game she played with her sister, creating flash fiction on the spot, inspired by a picture chosen at random from a National Geographic magazine. Susan spent her summers reading and writing sometimes serious, sometimes humorous works of fiction, imagining the worlds beyond her bedroom walls. Susan is an avid reader of literature, especially science fiction and fantasy. She loves to bring new worlds and fantasy adventures to young adults and inspire them to join her on her make believe journeys.


Get Social with Author Susan Faw!

[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]
[image error]

Cover Reveal! The CEO’s Baby by Author Kyle Autumn

The CEO’s Baby

KYLE AUTUMN

Click Below to Pre-Order for only 99 Cents!

Blurb

Lyra

One day, I’m doing my job and minding my own business…

Okay. Maybe barging into your friend’s fake-slash-real fiancé’s coworker’s office isn’t considered minding my own business. But I am doing my job. That part is true.

When one of your girlfriends needs you to have their back, you do it. Even when she hasn’t asked. And that’s what I’m doing today.

It’s too bad his kisses are infuriating.

Except his kisses are addicting. And I can’t stop thinking about them.

Especially now that I’m having his baby.

I absolutely should not tell the girls about this at the next Thirsty Thursday…


Blake

I’ve suddenly become the CEO for a very successful tech company, which should be enough of a surprise for one weekend. But no. Life throws another one at me.

The board now wants me to follow in the old CEO’s footsteps and become a family man. But Chaz didn’t just bring Shiree into my life. He brought her best friend into it too.

It’s too bad she’s feisty when she’s pissed.

Except it’s so damn hot when she’s feisty. And I absolutely need more.

What if the board is right about this “family man” stuff after all?




Release Date: February 22nd 2017

Add The CEO’s Baby to your TBR Shelf On Goodreads!


Get Social with Author Kyle Autumn!