Victoria Simcox's Blog, page 102

Highballs in the Hamptons Tour

Highballs in the Hamptons (Girlfriends of Gotham #2)by Delancey Stewart Release Date: 09/3014Swoon Romance
Summary from Goodreads:Natalie Pepper thinks she can just be friends with CJ, the man of her dreams. But after seeing him every day at work – and after he lays it all on the line – it becomes pretty clear that something’s gotta give. She’d admit to herself, and to him, that all she really wants is him…if she wasn’t so afraid of losing the best job she’s ever had (and the life it has made possible).
At least she’s got her friends to distract her. Lulu Rossi is an unorthodox and unpredictable spitfire of a girl who has a habit of saying whatever’s on her mind. And while that attribute entertains friends and intrigues her new boyfriend, Andrew, it might be the one thing that stops their relationship from moving forward. Lulu has unintentionally entered the world of Upper East Side royalty, as her ER doctor boyfriend turns out to be the pedigreed heir to an old money fortune – one that is watched over by his manipulative and exceedingly judgmental mother, Elizabeth “Tippy” Barton.
Natalie’s insane supervisor worsens the situation at work when her own man troubles result in a new “no fraternization” policy, and CJ finally gives up and begins to look for other opportunities. Natalie is forced to decide what is important to her for once and for all. Will it be CJ or her job?
Lulu must prove her worth to Andrew’s family – or make him see that the only person whose opinion really matters is his.
*** Men and Martinis (Girlfriends of Gotham #1)by Delancey StewartRelease Date: 12/03/13
Summary from Goodreads:Candace Kanie wins at every game she plays. From the boardroom to the bar, she’s confident, clever, perhaps just a tad overbearing. It’s not easy for a girl like Candace to admit that love may be the one game she can’t win…at least not until she’s willing to change her strategy. In Men and Martinis, Candace Kanie will learn that sometimes to be at the top of your game, you have to hit rock bottom.

Men and Martinis is the first release in Delancey Stewart’s series “Girlfriends of Gotham” – a voyeuristic voyage through the lives of a group of twenty-something girls who dance, date, and drink their way through Manhattan during the days of the dot com boom. During an era when the up-and-comers in New York were partying like Studio 54 had never died, this group of friends discovers that the city is theirs for the taking; and they find their often-hilarious way through the forces that work to redefine the way they know themselves and each other.
About the AuthorI'm not big on labels, but there are a few that fit me (not necessarily in this order. Or maybe in this order):
- wine drinker (and wine geek)
- mother of small boys
- military spouse
- writer
- chocolate eater

I've written the Wine Country Romance Series, which ties my love of wine to my love of falling in love... and the Girlfriends of Gotham series, which begins publishing with Swoon Romance in December 2013.

I also love short stories, and my themed collection (all set in the same NYC brownstone across the span of a century) published in 2012.   Excerpt
LULU – Candace was on my doorstep at exactly nine o’clock, as promised, looking poised and put together with her signature bob and short skirt. I had always thought Candace was very sexy. She had a small blond girl with her, whom she introduced as Tamara. “Where are you from, Tamara?” I asked as I poured from our usual extra-large bottle of Pinot grigio. There was nothing about this girl that made me think she was from the city, but something in the tilt of her chin told me she was fierce and determined. “I grew up in Indiana,” she said, smiling as she reached for a wine glass. “‘With those Indiana boys on those Indiana nights,’” she added, winking a bright blue eye as she held her glass in a toast. “What?” I asked. She was cute, but maybe she was crazy. I flashed a look at Candace. “It’s a song lyric, Lu,” Candace said, reaching between us to take a glass. “Oh.” I shrugged as Tamara and Candace sang about someone named Mary Jane. “Tom Petty?” Tamara said, raising her eyebrow. She was at least a foot shorter than I was, but she projected confidence, and the three-inch heels on her boots were impressive. I hadn’t figured this girl out yet, but decided to like her. “She’s from Brazil,” Candace said, as if that explained everything. “Whatever.” I knew of Tom Petty, but I didn’t know the song. Tamara smiled. “That’s so cool!” I smiled. Being from a foreign country always seemed impressive to Americans. I hadn’t figured out why yet. I knew plenty of assholes in Brazil. Being from there didn’t automatically qualify you as a good person. Candace and Tamara moved to the couch as the buzzer rang again, and I waited by the door to let Natalie and Maggie in. Catalina, Maggie’s roommate, was with them, and I could see that Natalie was not pleased. They didn’t get along, despite Maggie’s constant efforts to mend whatever hurt existed between them. It all came down to jealousy, I thought. Catalina had gone out with the man Natalie liked from work. I honestly didn’t see the big issue, since Natalie refused to date him. But I was trying to be neutral. Natalie hugged me and immediately poured herself a glass of wine and went to sit across from Candace. I could hear her introducing herself to Tamara. “I’m so excited to meet your man,” Maggie said to me, a huge smile on her face. “Is he handsome?” Catalina asked. I poured wine for them and answered. “I think he’s adorable. But that’s just my five cents. I’m biased.” They looked at each other and began giggling. “Honey,” Maggie said, leaning in and putting a hand on my arm. “You only get two cents.” “What?” What the hell was she talking about? “The expression, it’s ‘that’s my two cents.’ Not five cents.” Irritation made my skin tingle. “Whatever,” I told her. “Maybe I get more because I’m Brazilian.” American expressions made no sense at all.
Author Links:      

Roxy Rogers Book Blast & Giveaway

 
About the BookTitle: Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny is Calling | Author: Emily Siskin-Toy | Illustrator: Brian C. Krümm | Publication Date: August 24, 2014 | Publisher: Three-Bug Books | Pages:32 | Recommended Ages: 6 to 9Summary: What happens when a young girl with a Hall of Fame baseball pedigree breaks the family mold and follows her dream to become a soul singer? "Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling", a picture book for ages 6 - 9, lets children see that their families will love them just the same when they pursue their true passions in life. Everybody in Roxy's family--from her great-grandpa (played with Lou Gehrig), to her grandpa (played with Jackie Robinson), to her mother (super-star college softball player), to her father (was a Los Angeles Dodger), to her sister (won a Gold Medal for Team USA Softball, and so on)--famously played ball, and Roxy is next in line. The only problem is that Roxy dreams of singing soul music like her idol, Aretha Franklin! A historical addendum provides information about the Hall of Fame baseball players who turn up in the book, as well as Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul music. Additionally, a fun treasure hunt for clues about Roxy's true destiny runs throughout the book, giving readers an enhanced, interactive experience.   Sneak Peek   PurchaseAmazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Print) | Kobo | iTunes  The Early Buzz"I just LOVED this little book. Empowering for young girls, and at the same time powerful for young boys... The illustrations are perfect for this book: fun and eye-grabbing, and I also love that it includes facts about popular icons like Aretha Franklin and Baseball legends. Well done! " ~ 5 Star Review, Mariana L., Amazon"Roxie Rogers is an inspiring read for all ages, truly. It speaks to that little voice inside all of us telling us "come out" to the real you. The artwork brings the story to life, and the text is great for read-along or for young readers on their own." ~ 5 Star Review, Laura, Amazon"I just read Roxy Rogers to my 5-year old daughter and we both loved the book! The story was fun and engaging filled with dynamic illustrations. Besides the great life messages woven into the story, I really like how the story reads. It is really nice to experience a children’s book that is not mind numbing in its repetitiveness (you know the type) with words that flow easily off the pages. " ~ 5 Star Review, Wendigo, Amazon  About the Author: Emily Siskin-Toy [image error] A U.C. Santa Cruz banana slug alum, Emily Siskin-Toy launched her writing career with posts at various film and television magazines in Los Angeles. After a break in the action to raise her daughter, Emily and her college sweetheart founded WOW! Music Studios, a successful children’s music instruction school in Mill Valley, California. But just like the character in her book, Emily’s true passion was something entirely different; she always dreamed of writing children’s books. Inspiration was everywhere for Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling. While coaching her daughter’s youth softball and basketball teams, Emily eventually came to realize that the world of sports was a passion of hers, not her daughter’s, who really wanted, of course, to be a singer. The plot of the story was right in front of her, and the surrounding details would be cultivated from her lifetime of love for the rich history of Major League Baseball and her daughter’s love of music.   Website | Author Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads  * Book Blast Giveaway * Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice) Contest closes: October 30, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the Emily Siskin-Toy and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Black Atonement Blitz & Giveaway

Black Atonementby Sasha HibbsRelease Date: 09/26/14Evernight Teen

Summary from Goodreads:The burden of Dave’s girlfriend’s death pushes Brandi, the Seraph of Love, to abduct David Howels hoping she can protect Dave from his murderous father, Ragnar, and also atone for all her sins. Leaving a trail of broken hearts, will Brandi be able to show Dave that all in life is not lost in death? Twists and turns abound as Brandi discovers her own shocking revelation: That Dave has been her soul mate all along.

Separating Dave and herself from their allies on the threshold of the apocalypse, Brandi turns to an old friend for help-a witch-to aid her in her quest to prepare Dave to face his worst fears and her own. Filled with curses, secrets that threaten to destroy everything, Brandi must find forgiveness from within before she can find love with a boy she’s forced to hate her. In the past, healing a broken heart would’ve been easy, but now faced with the task of healing Dave’s broken heart while not exposing her own, Brandi learns why love is truly the greatest gift of all. [image error]
Buy Links:Amazon│ Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books
Books in this series:(Covers linked to Goodreads)

About the AuthorBy age 5, Sasha Hibbs' favorite movie was Gone With the Wind. By age 12, she completed her 7th grade book report on the sequel, Scarlett. By 18, she met and married her very own Mr. Rhett Butler and as it turns out, she never had to worry about going back to Tara to win the love of her life back. Fortunately, he stuck with her.  
With a love of all things paranormal, the ambiance of the South with its gigantic antebellum mansions and canopies of Spanish moss, and a love for her husband’s rich storytelling of blacksmiths and the mythology surrounding their origins, it wasn’t long until the world of her debut novel, Black Amaranth, was born.
When not working her day job as a nurse, you can find Sasha dreaming of her next beach trip, reading the latest YA novel, and drinking more white chocolate mocha than she should.  
Sasha lives in mountainous West Virginia with her husband, Tim, and their two daughters, Aeliza and Ava. She is currently hard at work on her next novel in The Vulcan Legacies series.
***Author Links***      

GIVEAWAY:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Thirty Two Going on Spinster Tour & Giveaway

  Thirty-Two Going on Spinster by Becky MonsonJulia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?Purchase your copy for just $2.99!!Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * Kobo   Praise for Thirty-Two Going on... Spinster   "Oh my, oh my. I have just finished wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes. This is seriously funny." ~Julie Darley (Never judge a Book by its Movie) "This was a refreshing change of pace for me to read. Some good clean romance was found in it’s pages and that is a rare find these days. It was some great chick-lit. I would not have thought this was Becky’s debut book, it was so well done." ~Liberty Ann (SnifferWalkBooks)   Author Becky Monson By day, Becky Monson is a mother of three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful time will last... But it probably won't. Becky runs a large book club on Facebook called "This Chick Reads".                                            Excerpt      Cupcakes are in the main break room. Enjoy! – Julia
I’m not going to lie. It took me over an hour to come up with this e-mail. Other drafts consisted of “Cupcakes up in the break room, y’all! Go and get ya some!” and “Yo, cupcakes in the break room. Peace.” I’m feeling pretty solid with the one I went with.It’s ridiculous that I’m all in a tizzy (yes, that’s right I said tizzy) about these cupcakes. I’m feeling... I don’t know how to describe it… vulnerable? I think I might know why. So here is the deal with me: I live inside my head a lot. This has always been a part of who I am. Perhaps it’s not that abnormal. Of course, I have to because as I have already established, apart from work and baking, I have no life. So I tend to exaggerate things in my head a bit. I say this because it is highly possible that, in the late hours I was up making cupcakes, I may or may not have had a few, ahem, fantasies about the new guy, Jared. And no, they were not thosekinds of fantasies. They mostly consisted of… no really, they are just too stupid to admit. Okay, fine. They mostly consisted of him taking one bite of cupcake and falling madly in love with me and then we ran away into the sunset.  It varied a little, but that is the gist of it. In my fantasies, he was no longer the job-stealing-smirking-jerk that he actually is, but this incredible guy who says and does everything right. You know, the type of guy who doesn’t actually exist. It’s ridiculous, right? I mean I don’t know the guy at all. If I honestly think about it though, it’s not that ridiculous. Not the part about me fantasizing about a guy I don’t even know – no, that is totally ridiculous. But I work at an office full of complete and total nerds (and, by the way, I looked up “nerd” in the dictionary, and it said: “an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person”, which is so incredibly fitting, it’s scary) and along comes someone who is so not a nerd, well, I couldn’t help myself. Jerk or not.
 
   Facebook * Website * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Blog    Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/12/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway -- ~Inspired Kathy~

Ending Unusual Release Day Blitz

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Ending Unusual (Rylee Everley Series #4)  S.M. Knowles 
Rylee and Brock are finally a couple, but fate may have other plans for them as Chance declares his true feelings for Rylee. Now she is faced with making a decision she never thought she would need to make while trying to save her friends. In the process, Rylee learns some new tricks and skills she never knew she had, but it comes with a price. An invisible gelatin wall, a haunting dream about her father, Adysin’s plans, and Rylee’s feelings play against her in this final installment. As another student disappears, will they be able to find her and finally end the coven? Or will Rylee end up losing everything by trying to save those she loves?
Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vo3ziz
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Have't started the Rylee Everly Series Yet?
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With tears and a tight hug, Rylee Everley’s dad left for Afghanistan with the Army Reserve. Since his deployment, her mom has been distant, her sisters are constantly fighting, and Rylee, at only thirteen years old, has to be the glue to keep them together. While her mother stays locked in her room, Rylee has been forced into the role of parent. Now, two years later, a freak accident involving a bus at school promises to restore some normality to her family. In spite of not knowing how their father is, her mother is happy and her sisters don’t seem to fight as much as they used to. Rylee herself is seeing more of her friends and is even trying to sort out her own feelings about Brock Parker. However, something dark threatens to disrupt that normality for personal gain, and that darkness is willing to break every rule to get what it wants.
Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1uOF10L

About the Author Website   Facebook   Twitter [image error]    S.M. Knowles was born in Elmira, New York where she was swept away in a whirlwind to the Land of Oz--Independence, Kansas. Her parents were relocating for working opportunities and decided that this would be the perfect place to start new roots. Little did she know that this place would contribute to the inspiration for the first book she wrote in her Rylee Everley Series. While growing up, S.M. would travel the roads around her house while imagining she was somewhere else. Her imagination would take her everywhere, making the long hot summer days seem shorter throughout her fantasies. At the age of twelve, she decided to write her first book. Filled mostly with dialog, she filled up one-hundred pages, front and back. After taking the book downstairs to show her mom, and persuading her to buy her more paper, she excitedly ran back to her room. As she barreled through the door, S.M. tripped over items left on her floor, and her papers came raining down in her room. Discouraged, she stood there in tears, picking up her papers and throwing them in the trash. Her work had no organization, no numbers on her pages, just a child fulfilling a joy that she would put down and not pick up again. When she became older, she joined the military for something different. In that time, she was able to explore many places and even met her husband in Iraq. After coming home, she started her family in Arizona and went back to school, earning a Master's degree in Adult Education and Training.

Victoria Simcox's ~The Shard ~ Book 2 ~ In The Bernovem Chronicles~ FREE~ 9/26~30 on Amazon

Victoria Simcox’s fast-paced, intricately woven sequel to The Warble, takes Kristina Kingsly and her schoolmates back to Bernovem … and into a thrilling, often dangerous adventure.
Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse. 


5 Star Review 
 I posted a blog review of a wonderful children's fantasy chapter book entitled The Warble, written by local Seattle author Victoria Simcox. Since then my daughters and I have anxiously awaited the arrival of The Warble's sequel, The Shard. I am happy to announce that the wait is finally over... and it was well worth it!

Being a fan of all things concerning faerie and otherworldly realms, I was pulled into the story of The Shard instantly. What I really love is how the author combines realistic teen issues with fairy tale fantasy. For example, the book's heroine Kristina who is from our world, experiences her first budding romance with a handsome teenage Prince from a fantasy world, all the while dealing with the very real insecurities young teen girls are feeling.

I was so taken with The Shard that I read it almost constantly until I was finished! The author has a delightful writing style that is engaging for all ages, yet not to difficult for children to understand. I truly look forward to the sequel to the Shard - the cliff hanger at the end is intense!

I highly recommend The Shard for all lovers of fantasy chapter books, which I feel that tween and teen girls will especially enjoy and relate to. 

The Freebie Fairy
 
Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Shard” Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.
     Available at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/pw67lhg

 Bio
Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now resides in Western Washington with her husband and 3 children. Her other family members are, a Chihuahua, named Pipsy and 2 cats, named Frodo and Fritz. For the past 12 years, she has home-schooled her children. Besides being an author, Victoria is also an elementary school art teacher. Victoria enjoys writing, reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and hanging out with her family and friends. Victoria is the author of The Warble.
Blog: victoriasimcox.blogspot.com
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shard/264063053622412
Twitter:http://twitter.com/#!/VictoriaSimcox

Good Music Brighter Children Blog Tour & Giveaway

Good Music Brighter ChildrenGood Music Brighter Children is written for parents, educators or anyone who wants to build a bigger, better brain using music. Scientific studies indicate that children introduced to classical music at a young age read earlier and perform better on achievement tests. Adults can also revive tired brain cells using music. This book gives you a step-by-step program that any parent or individual can follow. You’ll discover how introducing your children to good music can accelerate language development, improve math and science skills, enhance physical coordination, strengthen memory and reading retention, and benefit children with learning disabilities. Discover how to choose an instrument and music teacher for your child; how to get your kids to practice and how character traits such as confidence, responsibility, creativity and teamwork are taught when learning a musical instrument. Learn how to introduce your child to the music community and how to appreciate all kinds of music. Last, if you want to advocate for music in your schools, this book gives the ammunition and data to do so. Also includes a 35-page Resource Section on the best music, books, and DVDs for kids. Amazon * Barnes & Noble
Author Sharlene Habermeyer:Sharlene Habermeyer, MA has spent over twenty-five years researching the effects of music in the brain development of children. She is passionate about how people of all ages learn and how music is a catalyst for learning.  She holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Art from Utah State University and a Masters degree in Education from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California.
In 1999, she started the Palos Verdes Regional Orchestra (now the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra). It currently boasts over one-hundred members.
Sharlene’s initial inspiration for Good Music Brighter Children came from the extensive work she did with her severely learning disabled son, and finding that music was his strongest catalyst for learning she began passionately researching the effects music had on the developing and mature brain.A college instructor, a popular speaker, and a consultant, she is the mother of five boys and lives with her husband in Torrance, California. She has spoken at parent conferences around the United States including the Parents as Teachers Conference (PAT) and the Crucial Years Conference in Missouri. In August 2014, she will be speaking at BYU Education Week. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest
Praise for the Book
Largest Independent Book Reviewer in the U.S.: Kirkus Indie, Kirkus Media, LLC“With a scientist’s eye and an artist’s voice, Habermeyer examines everything from the benefits of music for the developing brain to music’s ability to improve cultural awareness. This is an encyclopedic, invaluable resource for anyone who believes in music education. A magnum opus, fact-filled and inspiring on the benefits of music.”-Kirkus Indie, Kirkus Media, LLC
National Music Organization: Music and the Brain“A great resource for both parents and teachers. Anyone interested in music or the overall well-being of children will not be able to put this book down.”-Lisha Papert Lercari, Director, Music and the Brain
University Professor: Dr. James CatterallSharlene Habermeyer outlines why music is important to learning, and provides parents with excellent suggestions for launching and sustaining a musical influence in the lives of their children.”-James S. Catterall, professor of education and co-director of Imagination Project at UCLA
Mother/Lawyer/Ballet Teacher: Shauna Bird Dunn          “Carefully researched and highly readable, Good Music, Brighter Children is written for musicians and non musicians alike. It is filled with wisdom, insight and helpful tips to bring music into the home for all ages and stages of childhood.”-Shauna Bird Dunn, JD, MPAUtah Young Mother of the Year, 2010  
**Chapter Eight: Music’s Impact on Cognitive Delays and Physical Disabilities (pages 205-208)
For the past thirty years, I have had a particular interest in music’s impact on children with learning disabilities because of personal experience. In 1982 our third son, Brandon, was born. It was a traumatic birth. Born six weeks early, Brandon was too high in the birth canal, and as a result he was literally dragged out by forceps. He was an unhappy baby and cried all the time. He had constant ear infections that included a build-up of fluid in his ears, and despite being on daily doses of low-grade antibiotics, the infections persisted. Over time, this constant fluid buildup affected his hearing at a critical time in his development and caused him to experience sounds and language as if he was in a vacuum. I was reading to him daily, playing music for him, and taking him to “mommy and me” classes, yet his language and communication skills remained poor. After having him tested by a professional, we determined Brandon needed speech and language intervention. I naively thought once his language problem was fixed, everything would be fine. I was wrong—this was just the beginning.
     When Brandon was six, his kindergarten teacher expressed concerned about his ability to learn. He was not able to do the classroom work and seemed frustrated and distant. We had him tested both at our public school and privately by a child psychologist. The results were grim. Brandon was diagnosed with auditory processing, visual motor, visual perception, sensory motor, and attention deficit disorder. The difference between his oral IQ and written IQ was thirty-eight points, indicating severe learning disabilities.
This team of experts told us that school would be very difficult for him. We were told that he may not graduate from high school, that college was out of the question, and that a trade school would be more appropriate. They said Brandon was “high risk,” meaning that as he got older, he could be a candidate for dropping out of school, experimenting with drugs, or worse. Why? Because kids need a measure of academic success. He needed to experience some kind of school success to increase his confidence level. But how do you help a child achieve academic success when he can’t read, write or spell? When he does not understand even the simplest of math concepts? When he has difficulty paying attention and following directions, and sports confuse and frustrate him?
It was a daunting challenge, and in the beginning I was overwhelmed. I did not know the first thing about learning disabilities, but I was determined to find out and to help him because I wanted Brandon to love learning—not just for success in school, but for a rich and meaningful life….    Blog Tour Giveaway$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal CashEnds 10/15/14Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway   

REBELLION Cover Reveal & Giveaway

Title: REBELLIONAuthor: J.A. SoudersPublisher: TOR TeenPub. Date: June 9, 2015Find it: Goodreads



About J.A. Souders J.A. SOUDERS is the author of the Elysium Chronicles and lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and two children where she spends her time writing about the monsters under the bed, day dreaming about living in an underwater colony, and failing miserably at playing video games.Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads/Pinterest
If you are new to the series, check out the first two books!

RENEGADE-https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468074-renegade?ac=1REVELATIONS-https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17332261-revelations
Giveaway Details:1 winner will receive physical copies of RENEGADE AND REVELATIONS plus the eNovellas. And ASK AGAIN LATER by Liz Czukas. If you have J.A.s books already, she will do an amazon or book depository gift card of the same value. International.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Eventide Cover Reveal

The next thrilling installment of the Daughters of the Sea.This novella will be available November 4th     
Purchase the first book Forsaken, on Amazon: http://bit.ly/ForsakenRDB Purchase the first book Forsaken, on Smashwords: http://bit.ly/XziTwd About Kristen DayWebsite / Facebook / Twitter I am a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. I love all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. I’ve been told I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but I prefer to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses – swirling and morphing reality into something I can digest (who hasn’t pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?). When I’m not writing I’m making jewelry, painting, drinking sweet tea, watching the discovery channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina.    

The Light of Day ~ Cover Reveal

Today we're excited to announce and share the cover of The Light of Day by Kristen Kehoe. The Light of Day is a New Adult contemporary. This is an installment in the Beyond the Horizon series, not a sequel and does not need to be read after Beyond the Horizon. Release date is October 2014. The first two chapters can be read at www.kristenkehoe.com.Add it to your shelf!  GoodReads


About the Author:Mom, Wife, Coffee Addict, and Book Lover I am a writer of YA/NA contemporary novels.  I write about those crazy ages of 18-23 because there is nothing scarier than being told to grow up and decide what to do with your life and who to be so suddenly.  I write about love because it’s my belief that love, in one form or another, saves us all at some point in our lives.  I am married to a man who understands and believes in me, and mother to a beautiful baby girl and a neurotic Great Dane Puppy.Website | Facebook | Twitter

  Giveaway:  $25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

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