Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 3

Not Your Normal Nacho

I know. It's an odd title. It's been a while since I've been on here so I felt I needed something creative to gain your attention. Not sure if I hit the mark or not, but hey. It's five in the morning.

Today's review brings you...



#AirbrushPerfectLegs by Sally Hansen!

If you know me personally, you know I benefit from such a product as this. Aka, I glow in a blacklight. It's embarrassing. Some people call it ghostly. I prefer the term Porcelain. ;)


We've all heard it. "Oh, look. It's an Oompa Loompa...or...She looks like she rolled in the Doritoes bag..."

I didn't want anyone saying that of me, so I tried this out for the first time at my husband and son's baseball game. Everyone would be focused on the game...not my nacho-cheesiness if that should so happen.

Overall:
Easy to apply and the color was very well matched to my overall coloring. It was perfect. Smooth and silky feeling, I didn't feel like it was very noticeable. Exactly what I was going for—Score! I would definitely recommend this if you're like me.  
One recommendation? Do not rush. Make sure you have plenty of time to use this and you're not trying to scoot out the door in five minutes. Like anything that's worth it, it takes time to balance and even things out.
Would I use this product again? Absolutely!

My thanks to Sally Hansen and Influenster for giving me a chance to review this product so I don't have to Rock that Porcelain look anymore...

How to use?
1. Take your time.
2. Lock your bathroom door. You don't want to be interrupted. Nor asked what you're doing by a nosy husband or curious kids.
3. Put a nickel sized amount in the palm of your hand. Don't add too much at one time or you will have streaks! (Don't ask me how I know this.) Smooth over your leg. Blend in more until all the area you're showcasing has been colored. Remember! Take your time! Picasso was famous but this is not the time to be a Picasso! 

Neutrogena Naturals. A Super-Sensitive-Skinned Redhead Shares What She Thinks

It's been a while, hasn't it? Much has changed over this way (which is why you haven't heard from me). The reader's digest version:
- December - we moved
- End of December I was offered (and took) a copy-editing/marketing job
- Christmas - our daughter became engaged
- February - hubby went to Japan (not a good month emotionally, but I got a ton finished for the upcoming wedding! *see below*)
- March - we hit a huge milestone in our marriage
- April - we have two driving teens and all those interesting tidbits that go along with that
- May - our daughter was married in a beautiful outdoor, rustic wedding that I decorated for
- June - just started, but I'm positive things will slow down. Ha. Ha. Ha. *cue sarcastic laughter*

Anywho, I have *so many* things to share. But we'll take this a little at a time to make things a lot more digestible. Less overwhelming = good idea.

A few weeks ago, I was honored to have received a package of Neutrogena® Naturals Makeup Remover Towelettes from Influenster (thanks Influenster! Y'all are so much fun!) in an effort to raise water conservation awareness this summer. I took a 7 day pledge to wash my face only with these towelettes and I managed to save 35 gallons of water ~ go me! :)

Here's my review:When these moist towelettes arrived, I was a little skeptical. The first thought that went through my mind is What makes these different than any other makeup removing wipes, and how is this going to affect my super sensitive skin?

What I liked:- the smell. Don't laugh. That's an important detail. Who wants to put something that smells like doggy-doo on their face? Just Ew.
- they were very soft
- they were gentle
- they didn't dry out my sensitive skin
- they were gentle enough to use to remove eye makeup - Score!
- convenient, non-space-hogging packaging. If your bathroom closet looks anything like mine, this too is an important detail.
Here's a short video of me being weird and washing my face with my new towelettes.

Danny Orlis and the Hunters - Chapter One AudioBook mp3

Remember Old Time Radio shows? I remember listening to them when I was little. I would stay awake as long as I possibly could so I could hear what was on. Even then, they were out of date. But I sure did enjoy them. This is what this is - just a treat for you and your children. A sampling of some of our products, you might say.

This isn't perfect. This is just a quick little thing I put together to remind myself how to put together an audio-file and upload it. And I want to share it with you.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated! Just be nice...hehehehe!
Want to read the paperback version? Get your copy from Sword of the Lord Publishers


Download this episode (right click and save)

I Need You! A Call for Reviewers

Howdy folks! As many of you know, I've been in the book business for quite a while now. Since having my own novels published, I've learned a tremendous amount of gobbledygook, er, information, and I'm applying this now in my new job.

Last year before Christmas, I was offered a job in a marvelous Christian publishing house here in Murfreesboro, TN. I jumped at the chance, and have enjoyed myself tremendously in my new capacity. I mean, seriously. Books? Me? Yes please !

So far, I've formatted 12 ebooks - which are available at Smashwords.com for any eReading device - and am full steam ahead on my next project. But here we come to the crux of the matter. What good are all these ebooks if no one's finding them and reading them?

This is where I need YOU, wonderful reader. We're looking for reviewers for our growing list of books. Both non-fiction and fiction are available for your reading pleasure. Think you might be interested? Would you like to know more? If you'd like more information, please email me at

amandastephan at swordofthelord dot com
or
amanda38401 at gmail dot com

Here's a list of available Non-Fiction titles:
The Abundant Single Life
Casting Your Care
Wounded Spirits
Following the Man of Faith
God's Forever Word
Bible Facts About Heaven
**Fugitive King - A popular homeschooling book used in the ACE literature program
Tales From India
The Secret of Power  

And here's a list of Children's fiction titles:Jed Cartwright and the Dangerous JourneyJed Cartwright and the Lost Gold MineJed Cartwright and the Comanche Raiders
and MANY more are on their way! Sign up now to become a reviewer for us and get a chance to read our new titles first!

Don't Judge Me.

There are some things that I immediately love, and there are some I immediately hate.

On the hate side - spiders. Just ick. Especially in the house. This freaks me out more than I'm willing to admit.

The instant love side - #ReesesSpread
Peanut Butter. Chocolate. All...mixed...together in a delicious choco-spread that will have you concocting glorious confections to make with it. If you make it that far.



Yeah. I saw the recipes. I saw the pictures.
**But I wasn't strong enough.**I saw that adorable little jar with all that awesomeness inside, and...
I went nuts.

I ate it.
ALL of it. All by myself. I did give my kids a quick taste, but then I told them it was...well...gone.

I'm a bad, bad person. Not because I ate all of the perfection myself; okay, maybe a little because of that, but I actually hid it in the pantry and when they weren't looking, I indulged.
I used some on my celery. Then there were the crackers.   Can't forget the homemade biscuits. Just yummy.      We won't mention the carrots.           ....hey. At least I was trying to make it halfway healthy...   But my favorite way to munch on Reeses Spread?
I'll give you some clues:
it's whiteit's normally a breakfast foodit's a Southern thingmost people don't like it to begin with
here's a quick pic... Grits! I told you not to judge...;) This stuff is so good, it should be a crime, and I'm positive this is going to become a habit I'm going to have trouble breaking. Thanks #Reeses and #Influenster! 
 

Return to Exile by Lynne Gentry - Book Review & Tour

About the book:
Return to Exile (Howard Books, January 2015)




 
How far would you go to save the ones you love?

Six years ago, impossible circumstances forced Dr. Lisbeth Hastings to leave behind the love of her life, not just in another country, but in another time. Her work as a top-notch epidemiologist and parenting her little girl helps alleviate the pain, but at night when her exhausted head hits the pillow, images of her beloved Cyprian haunt her sleep.

Cyprian Thascius returns from political exile a broken man. He's lost his faith, the love of his life, and his purpose. He attempts to move on, to face the danger that is looming over Carthage, but when Cyprian's true love suddenly reappears, his heart becomes as imperiled as the fledgling church he seeks to save.

Have the years that kept Lisbeth and Cyprian apart created too wide a chasm to bridge? In the midst of a new epidemic and rising oppression, will their love be the most costly fatality? Filled with gripping action and raw emotion, this spell-binding adventure of star-crossed lovers captivates with every turn of the page in this electric continuation of The Carthage Chronicles.


Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1wSugdd     Follow the Tour!
My Thoughts:Like a thoroughbred horse that can't wait to get started, this book gallops out of the gate. Excellent, just an excellent cast of characters and a new plot to boot! It just doesn't get any better than this!
Lisbeth is easy to connect to and feel for while raising her daughter on her own, who can not feel for this young woman? Having lost so much, I couldn't help but wish the best for her and that all would work out for a satisfying conclusion. Did it? Well...I'll leave that up to you to find out.
Cyprian - *sigh* - he just oozes awesomeness. Seriously. Just another handsome man about to change history, that's all. No biggie. Yes, I'd have to say he was my favorite character. 
What I liked best about this book? I'll be honest. I very much enjoy historical fiction. I don't care if it's set in the dark ages or in the 1800's midwest, I love a good historical fiction novel. But. Throw in a historical fiction with time travel elements? I'm a goner. I love how Ms. Gentry has taken a whole new approach to this genre and made it something spectacular and different.
I highly recommend this book.   About the author:

Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications. She is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright. Lynne is an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer who loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.
Find Lynne online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Dead Gorgeous - Book Review & Tour

About the Book:
Fashion model Kirsty Manners is young, beautiful, and recently dead.

Kirsty Manners is trying to make it as a model. As the in-house model for the Ivano King fashion house and girlfriend of Ian King, the man behind the label, she believes she is well on her way. But Kirsty is found dead in her flat one Sunday afternoon and D. I. Angela Costello is called to the scene.

First enquiries center on the local gym where Kirsty, her dangerous ex-boyfriend, Darren Carpenter, and her jealous flatmate, Sandra Hodges, worked out. But things are more complicated. Ian King is considered to have lost his edge. Why then is he so buoyant about his latest collection for London Fashion Week? What about his new girlfriend, Eleanor Chandler, who openly admits to having a reason to wish Kirsty dead?

Behind the gleaming smiles and flawless makeup of the glamorous fashion world, Angela’s enquiries uncover theft, drug-addiction, prostitution, and imprisonment—and suddenly her own life could be in danger.

My Thoughts:
I admit it, this book has taken me way too long to read. I'd pick it up, read a few lines, maybe a chapter here and there, but it was sporadic at best. I hate reading like that. I always have a difficult time getting back into the story. Ugh. But,with a move to another city and a new job offer, my time has been extremely limited, and it just couldn't be helped. Which is also why it's been since November 30th since my last post. Sheesh. I'm losing all kind of traction, aren't I?

First, the back copy is what grabbed my attention. (What girl didn't once in her life dream about being super pretty and a model?) This was a clean read, but that's not to say the victim had a wonderful reputation; in fact, I wasn't too upset at all that she got knocked off right away. I didn't like her a bit. Plus one for that. D.I. Costello was a strong, articulate female lead that wasn't too overbearing. A little on the patronizing side, but still, an okay character. This book takes an inside look at what most people think is a luxurious, wonderful life without care or troubles, and shows us that perhaps all that glitters isn't gold after all, and that it's probably better off that our little girl dreams of celebrity stardom were better left unattained. Another plus for that.

I like to play a game whenever I pick up a mystery book and see if I can guess who did the victim in. I failed on this one. I so badly wanted it to be someone else, and the actual murderer to go free, that I was disappointed. Oh well. Not a big deal. I mean hey, that's just my opinion, and honestly, it doesn't matter if you share that opinion. It's just my thoughts, and that's part of the beauty of being an individual. And, while I'm on this whole individuality and freedom of speech kick, I come to the part I didn't like. The author just had to throw in a gun scene (without any purpose at all other than to chant with the rest of the haters, that guns are bad and anyone who has one has the potential to commit a heinous crime with it. Like we haven't heard that one before. And frankly, I'm tired of hearing it.) But, since guns can kill people (as can peanuts, bees, rhinos, and alcohol), we must do our civic duty and have the owner of said gun commit a crime. Just a teeny one, nothing too big, just to show how dangerous they and their owners can be. This particular scene didn't add anything to the story at all. It seemed kind of just jammed in there because someone wanted to get the point across they don't like them. So, in light of that, I walk away from this book with more negative feelings than positive.

I thank Kregel publications for giving me a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I love most of their books, but this one was a no-go for me. Sorry.

If you would like to purchase your own copy, you may do so here from Kregel.

The Heretic by Henry Vyner-Brooks Book Review

About the Book:In 1536 it seems the entire known world is changing--strange new lands are discovered and the Reformation is challenging Rome and its power. In England the king’s declaration of a new church and dissolution of the monasteries overturns the customs and authorities of centuries. In the new world order, spies abound and no one can be trusted.

To Brother Pacificus of the Abbey of St. Benet's in Norfolk, it looks like his abbey alone will be spared dissolution. But this last Benedictine house is mired in murder and intrigue. Then when Pacificus falls under suspicion, more than his own dark past comes to light, while the body count keeps rising. Pacificus's fate becomes entwined with that of three local children after their parents are arrested for treason and heresy. Protected only by this errant monk, a mysterious leper, and a Dutch eel-catcher, the children must quickly adjust; seeking their own identity, they soon find that neither parents nor protectors are quite what they seem.

Based on historical events, this post-medieval mystery is laced with romance, fueled by greed, and punctuated with bouts of feasting, smuggling, and jailbreak.


My Thoughts:
This book packs a punch and is one that must be read with the intention of rereading. The first time you read it, do so for enjoyment. Then, after you've finished, take another journey through and enjoy all the historical events. But be careful. If you're not a history buff (like me), you may catch yourself very much enjoying this historical fiction novel so much that you find yourself digging into events and people just to see what is fact and what isn't. And then finding that you got sidetracked because what you found was so enthralling that it's two in the morning before you know it. (Don't ask me how I know this.)

Most people don't realize what they have until they've lost it. This book reminded me just what a precious gift of religious freedom, if somewhat questionable, we have. Our religious freedom isn't something that was given to us lightly. Devout people who loved God and the Bible more than tradition gave up their lives for this. Just so they could have a Bible. So they could read God's Word for themselves. They were hunted like animals. Burned at the stake in front of jeering crowds. Tortured. Imprisoned. All because they wanted a Bible to read for themselves. This book, full of heroes - even some who weren't very willing at the beginning - is a book that you can get much out of. From a homeschooling aspect, this is a great book that has much to learn older students would enjoy. I honestly think it would be easy to get an entire school year of lesson plans for 9th to 12th graders. This isn't just a novel. This is a living, historical account of what real people endured. Like I said earlier. Be prepared to read this one more than once. And have a notebook nearby so you can take notes and research things for yourself.
Highly Recommend.

Purchase a Copy

Tweet: Keep 'em coming, @KregelBooks - The Heretic was a gr8 book! Loved it; read my review http://ctt.ec/0SNRE+ #historicalFiction

QUILTED BY CHRISTMAS – Kindle Giveaway & “Merry Quilted” Facebook Party!

Don’t miss the newest Quilts of Love book, Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey. October’s QOL release is a warm Christmas tale of God's steadfast love.


Enter to win a Kindle HDX, and RSVP for the “Merry Quilted” Quilts of Love Facebook party on December 9th.

One winner will receive:A Kindle FireTwo copies of Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey (One for you and one to give away as a gift!)Hidden in the Stars by Robin CarollSwept Away by Laura V. Hilton and Cindy LovenEnter today by clicking the button below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 16th. Winner will be announced November 17th at the  Quilts of Love blog .


Wait! There's more! RSVP for the "Merry Quilted" Quilts of Love Christmas Book Chat Party on December 9th and connect with some of the Quilts of Love authors. Jodie Bailey, Laura V. Hilton, Cindy Loven, Cathy Elliott, and Gina Welborn will be hosting a "merry" evening of book chat, Christmas traditions, prizes, and more!





{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on December 9th!

BECOMING BEA By Leslie Jean Gould Kindle Giveaway and Facebook Party!

Leslie Gould is back with the latest book, Becoming Bea, in her Shakespeare-inspired series, The Courtships of Lancaster County. Don't miss the other books in the series, Courting Cate (retelling of The Taming of the Shrew), Adoring Addie (inspired by Romeo and Juliet), and Minding Molly (inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream).


Leslie is celebrating the series with a Kindle giveaway and a Facebook party on November 11th.

One grand prize winner will receive:A Kindle FireOne copy each of the entire The Courtships of Lancaster County series: Courting Cate, Adoring Addie, Minding Molly, and Becoming Bea.Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 11/11. Winner will be announced at  Leslie's 11/11 Becoming Bea Facebook author chat party . RSVP for a chance to connect with Leslie and Amish fiction fans, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!