Vivienne Diane Neal's Blog, page 69

Meet Kate Patrick, Author of Love Beyond the Curve

About the Author
Kate Patrick, AuthorKate Patrick grew up in the South. She can’t recall a time in her life when she didn’t love to read. She remembers going to the library as a child where she devoured biographies and Nancy Drew mysteries. Her love of reading has continued into adulthood, but it is hot romance that she loves to write! While in high school and college, she and her sister began to write romantic stories about girls that met their dream guys who fell instantly in love with them. Even these early manuscripts were spicy enough that the need to “hide” these notebooks was a high priority when leaving the house!
Writing took a backseat to a teaching career, marriage, and motherhood, though books were constant companions. Love stories became a favorite, and began to take the place of mysteries more and more. About three years ago, the idea of writing was rekindled. Now, you can find her late at night typing away by the blue glow of her laptop screen.
She and her husband live on the Gulf Coast with their son and three quirky Pomeranians. When not writing or reading, Kate loves to sing, dance, and watch romantic movies, side-splitting comedies, and crime dramas. Spending time connecting with family and friends is an important priority for her as well.
Love Beyond the Curve Blur:

Will Charlotte and Reed find… Love Beyond the Curve?

Love Beyond the Curve Excerpt #16

Reed closed his eyes and thought again about the night he happened to be sitting on his back porch smoking when her shadow in the French doors caught his eye.  He had actually taken a cold shower that night to try to erase the effect that sensual dance had had on him.  If he thought much more about it now, he’d have to do the same thing again.  That could prove embarrassing with her flipping back covers without warning.  Maybe it wouldn’t be embarrassing at all.  Maybe she would just go down on him right then and there.  Hell, he would love her to do just that while still wearing that nurses’ uniform.  He hadn’t been in so much pain that he hadn’t noticed the top button was unfastened, revealing an alluring glimpse of cleavage.  And when her arms were over her head as she twisted her hair into a knot, the outline of just how buxom she really was made him stop and stare.  He really had to get his mind on something else, because lately he found most of his thoughts were ending up being about Charlotte.
~*~
Kate will be awarding a $5.00 Starbucks Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter at the end of each week of the tour; and a $25 Visa Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter at the end of the tour as well as a $20 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host.

Author’s Links
Website/Blog  Facebook  Twitter 
Where to Purchase Love Beyond the Curve
Publisher’s Site   
Amazon.com Barnes& Noble

Retribution Unleashed - A Great Read for the Soul

If you were a mother, what would you do if you thought your son and his girlfriend betrayed you? Would you go out of your way to put together a plot that would destroy the couple?
Retribution Unleashed, a fictional short story, picks up where Wicked Intent left off. A blend of lust, sex, deceit, manipulation, and romance makes for a turn-paging, plot-twisting tale.
After spending two years at a sanctuary, Honeydew’s mental state begins to improve. With the help of another patient, whom she despises, she will unleash her style of retribution by putting together a diabolical plan that will devastate her son and the woman she holds responsible for stealing her money.

Order Retribution Unleashed at Amazon.com

How To Be Confident With Women By Mark Dice

There is a fine line between being confident and being cocky. Girls like dating confident guys. If you feel like you’re lacking confidence already, go find some. Do push-ups, run a mile, make a list of things you’re good at, have mom tell you all your good qualities (actually, don’t talk to mom, she’s probably napping anyways). Did you gain some confidence? Well good, now we can move on to how to attract women.
Like I said, women rate confidence as one of the most desirable qualities in a man. That means that women like men who are sure of themselves, who aren’t shy and go after what they want. Some guys might make the excuse that they’re not entirely confident going on dates because they don’t have a great job or they don´t really know how to meet girls. Honestly, if you’re going out on first date, she won’t focus on the fact that you work as a deli or if you just finished your Master’s degree. Your job does not need to dictate your confidence level. Honestly, it’s not a big deal if you work at a deli or if you just finished your Master’s degree. The question is, “Do you have a job?” If your answer is yes, no matter what it is, you should be thankful that you’re better off than a lot of other people who don’t have one. Bam. You’re now more confident.
Now that I’ve started to build your confidence up, I need to make sure you’re not over the top. Take note guys, girls can be flattered by confident guys but they can also be repelled. If all you talk about is yourself, how great you are, how amazing the job/house/car (fill in the blank) that you have is…your conversation is bound to get a little old. No girl wants to hear about the time that you scored the winning touchdown more than twice. And that might be pushing it. (Unless she is really into sports and she has an equally great personal triumph to share. Everything is relative, of course).
Show off your smart, curious side and ask the girl a few questions when you’re on a date. It never hurts to throw in a few compliments too. Avoid cheesy pick up lines though – those go hand in hand with being egotistical. Be honest and say what you’re thinking. Women appreciate those qualities in men too.

When the Person You Are Dating On-line Turns Out to Be an Imposter By Miss Know It All

There was a time when people met at social events, parties, through associates, family or friends? Even if someone used a professional matchmaking service, there was always that face-to-face encounter. You could analyze the person’s behavior, observe his or her body language or see how that person interacted with others. Moreover, if you were fortunate enough, you would meet that individual’s friends or family members to get a better picture of the man or woman with whom you had a romantic interest.
Once you established a good rapport with that individual, courting and dating were next. This did not mean that a person did not end up with a jerk, but at least he or she made some sort of physical contact with that individual before becoming romantically involved. But when it comes to on-line dating, distortion can result when online romance comes into play.
Recently, I checked out a talk show, and the topic was “Catfish and On-line Dating.” Since I never associated catfish with dating, I decided to watch the program. Catfish is a common name for freshwater fish, which is a scavenger that has feelers or barbels extending from the upper jaw and in some species from the lower jaw, resembling a cat’s whiskers.
With on-line dating, catfish has a completely different connotation. A catfish is a person who uses someone else’s photo or identity to entice women and men on an on-line dating site; the catfish will browse through profiles on various social networks, hijack photos and personal data and use the information to seduce singles into his or her web of deceit.
Several guests on the talk show explained how a catfish had duped them. One woman developed a two-year on-line dating relationship with a man she never met, and he turned out to be a woman.  The clues were there: The catfish gave roughly ten reasons why he/she could not meet with her; some of the excuses given were, “A close relative of mine died; I suddenly came down with a sudden illness and have to have surgery; I was in a serious accident and will be incapacitated for the next several months.” Because people become so emotionally involved with their on-line partner, sometimes their common sense goes out the window.
The catfish, by nature, is a hunter, so it is understandable why experts referred to charlatans as catfish, because their main objective is to search for vulnerable singles, making certain they never meet them face to face and then play on their sentiments until they have psychologically scarred their prey.
It is always important to be mindful when you meet someone on an on-line dating site. Do not allow your longing to meet someone cloud your judgment. If a person refuses to meet you in person and comes up with too many pretexts, you may be dealing with a catfish.

What Are The Common Misconceptions About Multicultural Dating?

The advent of the Internet has changed the face of dating forever. No longer are men and women restricted to dating within their own cultures and communities. Internet dating allows multicultural, multi-language and even multi-continental relationships to spring up in a setting that is devoid of the many stereotypes and prejudices that can make it difficult for multicultural sparks to fly in the ‘real world’. Men and women can embrace and celebrate terrific diversity in this new era of dating, exchanging old taboos for unity and a chance at love that breaks traditional barriers. 
The Family
Any individual interested in multicultural dating must understand that there are more than just two people involved in a long-term relationship. A new love interest comes attached to a family, which may not be as progressive as others when it comes to crossing cultural boundaries’. 
It is wise to prepare for possible resistance when first meeting a new love interest's family. Two general rules of thumb can help to prepare new for a potentially bumpy ride with the relatives: 
1. Homework Helps - Before arriving at the front door, an individual should study the customs and culture of the family in question. This helps ensure that there will be no embarrassing faux pas and will also provide concrete ways to communicate honour to the relatives. 
2. Give It Time - Families may hold on to certain misconceptions about a new multicultural relationship until they are disproved. They may believe that the relationship is just an experimental fling, an attempt to escape one's own culture and be rebellious or an opportunity to climb the social status ladder and fit into certain social groups. The only real way to combat these misconceptions is to demonstrate real love and commitment for one's partner over time. 
Society
While the number of multicultural couples is growing, they still represent a small percentage of the population. It is a common misconception that interracial couples are discriminated against or made to feel awkward in public. While this does happen at times, the vast majority of mixed couples enjoy a high level of acceptance in most parts of the world. 
If a multicultural couple does happen to encounter prejudice or misunderstanding in some parts of the world, it is wise to approach the situation as a teachable moment. Couples should educate those whose bias is based on ignorance, and attempt to be patient and forgiving with those who simply cannot understand. Above all else, it is smart to not let the odd discriminator steal the joy out a good thing. 
Interrelationship
Many people mistakenly assume the individuals involved in a multicultural relationship have no prejudice or stereotyped expectations concerning other cultures. This assumption is false, as every virtually everyone harbours certain untrue beliefs about people from unfamiliar backgrounds whether this is based on media perceptions, cultural stereotypes or personal experience. Couples should exercise honesty and patience with one another. Love is a learning experience and stereotypes will be broken only with real communication and trust. 
The Internet has made multicultural romance a real option in today's global society and whilst there are no set rules to dating from outside ones’ own culture or race, giving them the same respect and care you would to any new partner may not always be enough to bridge the gaps, so be sure so make an extra effort to understand the other person. This said, every couple will be a unique situation where their families’ acceptance and support is concerned but being respectful, honest and faithful should win over most partners’ families. One thing is certain though, misconceptions are being shattered and unity is accelerating around the world. 

Author Bio :
This is a guest post by Louise Mitchell, a relationship expert and advises couples with relationship troubles as well as helping singles on the ways to find the best partner for them. Louise is currently consulting with Lovestruck on their on-line dating site to help singles use a profiling service to help people find specific traits they are looking for in a partner to help you find your perfect match in the Singapore Singles Dating Scene.

Meet Cassietta Jefferson, Author of Be Still & Know

Cassietta Jefferson, AuthorCassietta Jefferson is a contemporary Christian author, publisher, and blogger. She is the newest Editor in Chief for Journey, the For My Sister Friends newsletter, and the founder of Virtuous Ink Publishing. She has a passion for reading and writing, and seeks to provide her readers with the best in contemporary Christian literature. Cassietta is currently preparing for the release of a collection of short stories as well as the much-anticipated follow up to her first novel.

Thank you for making One World Singles Magazine Blog one of your stops on your Virtual Book Tour and for sharing your insights to writing with our readers.
What type of characters do you enjoy creating? I enjoy creating characters that are quirky and a little off kilter. A lot of the characters I create have a little something about their personality that makes them slightly unlovable or difficult to like. I think it makes them more relatable and may remind the reader of someone they know. 
Which authors have influenced you the most? There are so many authors who have had an influence on my style and voice, but I think I was most influenced by Francis Ray and Brenda Jackson.
Please tell our readers something about yourself. For the last 15 years, I’ve been married to my wonderful husband. We’ve raised three children (they’re all grown now) and have lived in a couple of different cities across the United States. I’m really a simple girl. I love my family; I love the Lord and have a desire to spread the message of Jesus Christ.
Who or what inspired you to become an author. I love to read! I really enjoy a good book, but as I grew older, I was looking for something (a genre) that just wasn’t there. I figured if I wanted to read something different then others may also, so I started writing the stories that I wanted to read.
Have you ever received a negative comment or review about your book, and if so, how did you handle it? I have! I write contemporary Christian fiction but there’s an element of realism that some Christians don’t particularly go for. I write from a different perspective in that I know that even as Christians, we don’t always make right choices. One reviewer couldn’t get past some suggestive material, and I can understand that. I have to let it roll off my back and continue to write what the Lord has given me. I went into this industry, writing this genre, knowing that everyone was not going like it, and that’s okay.
As a writer, what has been your biggest challenge, trials or tribulations that you have overcome? The biggest challenge for me has been confidence. I just come to own the fact that I’m an author in the last few years. I’m terribly shy and so approaching someone to let them know that I’ve written and that I would love for them to read it has been hard but it comes easier for me now. 
Could you please give us a blur about your present or upcoming book? I recently released Shades of Brown, is a collection of short stories about a group of friends who face some pretty incredible obstacles. The issues they face in their life changing and test not only their faith but test their friendship as well.
How can our readers get in touch with you? I love interacting with readers, so I am always on Facebook! :) Readers can follow me there, ask questions, and get to a know a little bit about me. They can also follow me on twitter and via my website.
Facebook Twitter Virtuous Ink Publishing

About The Book
Bitterness and deception always manage to find their way to the surface. Be Still & Know is a novel about finding love after devastating heartbreak and the challenges of learning to trust again.
Kai Bennett never believed that she was worthy of love. Too many years of being mistreated left her bitter and uncertain of her own self-worth. Finding validation in men, money, and trinkets, she has little use for a man becoming a permanent fixture in her life. That was until she met Alvin. What starts as a game of cat and mouse quickly develops into something Kai is unsure she is ready to handle.
Alvin Reigns discovered long ago that in love, there were no happy endings. He had fallen in love once, and vowed to never again allow any woman that much control over his heart. Kai Bennett was an unexpected surprise who made him want to believe in the possibility of a happy ending. After many years of self-preservation, Alvin is unsure if he should trust Kai with his heart.  How will Alvin and Kai learn to trust and create their own happy ending?
To learn more, please visit Author's Website 
E-BookPaperback 

A Write Now Lit Virtual Book Tour Promotion

My Hilarious Resolutions for 2013 by Miss Know It All

In December 2009, I posted my New Year’s Resolution, which by the way I did not keep. This time, I am posting more resolutions, which I probably will not keep either. However, I strongly believe in sharing my pledges. So if you think these promises will help you, by all means, use them. If not, pass them on to someone who really needs them.J
Have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013.
Resolution No. 1 - I promise to be a needy woman and keep a man who does not give a damn about me.
Resolution No. 2 - I pledge to lend money to a man to buy himself a new car even if he has bad or no credit, is behind on his current bills or child support payments or is unemployed.
Resolution No. 3 - When I meet someone on the Internet, I will invite him to stay in my home so that we can get to know each other. It does not matter if he is America’s Most Wanted.
Resolution No. 4 - No matter what creepy warning sings a man releases, if I am attracted to him, that is all that matters. Who am I to judge?
Resolution No. 5 - If a man refuses to talk or provide information about himself, it means he is a thinker and the strong silent type, and I will accept him no matter what the outcome is.
Resolution No. 6 - If my dinner date forgets his wallet or insist on splitting the bill, I will excuse myself from the table and do a vanishing act.
Resolution No. 7 - If my significant other receives phone calls from strange women, and he tells me they are his cousins, I will accept it as the truth.
Resolution No. 8 - If I catch my significant other kissing another woman in my home, and he tells me I was dreaming the whole incident, I will accept it as the truth.

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Miss Know It All is always here to help. If you have a question about dating, romance or relationships, please send your queries to hmcsromanceinternational@juno.com. We will try to provide you with the answer in a fun way on our One World Singles Magazine Blog. 
When sending in questions or inquiries, please include your name, age, and the country where you reside. To participate, you must be over 18 years of age.
Miss Know It All is an affiliate of HMCS and is for entertainment purposes only. The advice or answer given is not a substitute for professional advice and assumes no liability for any damages from the use of the information published on this Blog or the reply to any questions submitted. You agree to hold Miss Know It All, its affiliate HMCS and staff harmless from all costs, including attorney's fees, liabilities and damages resulting from the information published or any reply to such questions or answers.
All questions and inquiries submitted become the exclusive property of HMCS and can be used in any matter and republished in any media without any compensation.

It is That Time Again

The year is almost ending. Gee, how quickly the time flies by when you are having fun.
One World Singles Magazine Blog would like to take this time to thank you again for your continued support and for leaving great comments regarding our articles. We also want to extend our thanks to the guest bloggers, to the authors making us one of their stops on their virtual book tours and to those men and women from around the world who keep providing us with pertinent and enjoyable information for our readers.
Without your input, our Blog would cease to exist. We look forward to continue bringing you fun and informative pieces and advice on dating, romance, relationships and so much more.

Holiday Greetings to All.

How Realistic Are You When It Comes to Searching For a Romantic Relationship

When you meet someone on an online dating site, be prepared for the unexpected. Many people have unrealistic expectations regarding the type of person they wish to meet and sometimes wind up with someone completely different.
While searching for an ideal mate, there are no guarantees that you will find your prince charming or sleeping beauty. Following are some straightforward tips to help make your search for romance more rewarding.
Try to describe what qualities, attributes or characteristics you are seeking in an individual, and be specific in describing the kind of person you are interested in meeting. Include your specific preferences, values and goals and never settle for less or comprise your integrity.
Mention what type of relationship you are interested in, and be frank. Are you seeking a long or short-term relationship, a marriage-minded person, a lifetime significant other, friend or an activity partner? If you are just looking for a friend with benefits, say so. In other words, do not waste yours or the other person’s time.
Be honest and as brief or detailed as you wish about yourself. Remember the type of responses you receive may depend on the quality of information you provide in your profile.
Highlight more hidden attributes than physical features when you describe yourself. Accentuate such qualities as considerate, sensitive, compassionate, patient, confident, serious, open-minded, reasonable, and caring.
If your last relationship ended on a sour note, do not rush into another liaison. Do not be caught up in the moment and allow desire to surpass common sense. Give yourself time to figure out what went wrong before attempting your hand at romance again.
Take the time to do a thorough background check before committing yourself to anyone. Get to know that person before you become emotionally and physically involved. Forming a relationship is easy. Maintaining one is hard work but getting out of a relationship built on dishonesty can be devastating.

When Romance Does Not End Happily Ever After

You are searching for love, romance or a lifetime partner; you are happy because you have finally met the love of your life. You believe you have found true love and happiness, and you become romantically involved with that person. The relationship is going great; love has gotten a hold on you, and you are now ready to take that liaison to the next step by committing yourself to that individual, but somewhere down the road, you learn that a heartless pretender has played a cruel joke on you.
When you read romance novels, the endings are supposed to end happily ever after or blissfully for now. In the real world, these endings do not always come into fruition and can sometimes lead to a broken heart and an empty bank account.
Some folks will use love and romance as embellishments to destroy lives and leave love-stricken men and women in a state of shock, bewilderment and anger. This is what happens in Shades of Deception, Malicious Acts and Wicked Intent. These fictional short stories center on diverse men and women who in their speedy search for love, romance and bliss become the victims of appalling acts.
There are no heroes or sheroes in these tales. The characters in these anecdotes are left devastated by the people they loved and trusted with their heart and soul. Now they must rebuild their lives. The only people who live happily ever after are the villains who accomplish their sinister objectives.
If you enjoy crime stories mixed with deception, hoaxes, lust, sex, romance, scandal and revenge, then check out these books, because the next time you meet a potential mate, you will want to look at him or her with your eyes wide opened.
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