Cindy C. Bennett's Blog, page 28

High Five to Pie Five

Last week I went to a new place near my home called Pie Five Pizza. If you have one of these near you, and you like pizza, I highly suggest the place. I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of pizza. I have to be in the mood for it to eat it, but I happen to live with two daughters who really like pizza. So we have it more often that I like. Pie Five just might be the first pizza place I willingly go to.


It's brilliant, really. It's a fast food pizza place where they make the pizza fresh. You pick your crust, then pick any and all toppings you want on the pizza for the same price. They show you the completed pizza before sending it through the oven, and voila, your own, personal, perfect pizza made just for you.

The pizza I had was classic pan crust, alfredo sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and pineapple. Probably not a pizza many would like, but it was just right for me.

My own personal, delicious pizza. I can't wait to go back and try other combinations.Because I liked it so much, I wanted to share it here with you. I'm not at all affiliated with Pie Five, nor am I getting anything for my endorsement. I didn't even tell them I was going to talk about them. This is purely a treasure I found that I wanted to make sure you could also find!

Time Together

I've been slacking on blog posts lately. As you know, I went on vacation to California - and it was great to escape the cold, snowy, inversion-laden valley here. On the flight home from Cali, I could feel a cold coming on, though I really hoped it was allergies. Alas, I woke the next morning with a horrible cold, then Christmas came, and with the busyness of the season and not feeling well, I've been neglectful.

I'm back now, and feeling better, so I wanted to take a minute to report on my fun time away. It was a great Christmas gift, being able to spend some time with my daughters.

Thrilled to be somewhere that required sunglasses - and looking very Hollywood at the same time! At Santa Monica PierWe spent a few days in the LA/Hollywood area, visiting Universal Studios, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theater, and taking a tour to be annoying tourists who gape at celebrities houses.

At Universal Studios
Gotta love Snow White!
Apparently thought it was important enough to photograph, but honestly can't tell you whose house this is.

Yup, never pass a chance to pose by a Tardis! It's the law.
We then drove to Anaheim to spend the remainder of our days at the Happiest Place on Earth - though from some of the crying and ornery people I saw, apparently they didn't receive the memo.
Greeted at the Paradise Pier hotel by Christmas carolers.
Found Doctor Who at Disneyland proving that it is indeed the happiest place on earth - for me, anyway! (And yes, it was raining, I don't just randomly wear raincoats. Okay, maybe sometimes, but not this day.)
Giant Mickey wreath - wish I could have fit it in my suitcase
Cars Land
Cars Land is something new at California Adventures since I last visited. Gotta admit I'm not a fan of the movie, but they did a great job with Cars Land. We went on one of the new rides, Radiator Springs Racers, and would probably have purchased this picture because it was our first time on it, but the man in the front of the car was the icing on the cake, making it required for us to purchase the photo.
How hilarious is this guy?So you might wonder why I'm including a pic of a random bag of candy. This bag of candy saved us from a major medical issue in the form of a seizure. My daughter has type I diabetes, and this night we were leaving Disneyland quite late. As we walked through Downtown Disney, she suddenly stopped and asked to sit down. Her blood sugar had taken an unexpected dive, even though she'd just finished a large box of popcorn. Everything in Downtown Disney was closed, and there were very few people around. We, poorly planned, didn't have any quick sugar on us, since we were only about a ten minute walk from the hotel. My other daughter began running around, looking for help. She found a couple of young Disney workers who couldn't help other than one of them offering his bag of candy he happened to have in his jacket pocket. Thank heavens he did, because I don't know what we would have done, other than watch Lexcie have a diabetic seizure. Okay, honestly it wouldn't have gotten quite that dramatic since we did have a Glucagon shot on hand we could have injected her with, but since she was still conscious that seemed a little like overkill. I wish I knew the name of the guy who gave it to us, because we sure were grateful! Soon after, Lindsay spotted some cleaning people in a bakery and managed to get a bottle of orange juice from them - free, thank you to the bakery peeps - and we were able to avert the crisis.
Almost life-saving bag of candyI'm very grateful for the chance I had to go to one of my favorite destinations, and for the time I was able to spend with my daughters. I hope you all had as blessed a Christmas as I did, and that you have the happiest new year!

Off to Sunshine!

Here in Utah we've been dumped on by snow, and frozen in by sub-freezing temperatures (I had ice on the inside of my car windows that I had to scrape in order to drive!). It's even cold and snowing in parts of the state that are traditionally warm year round, and so it's time to take myself off to sunnier climes. As of the posting of this, I should be on an airplane headed for the much warmer California (they've been 60-70°F to our 1-10°F, with the occasional warmth of maybe as much as 20°F).



This year has been . . . let's just say interesting. It began with complications from surgery that had me seriously questioning whether I was going to make it (or if I even wanted to) and has ended with me moving from my beloved home into a new place, where I currently reside amongst piles of boxes that feel like I'm living in my own personal episode of Hoarders . In the middle of those two things was a bunch of crap, some of it good, some of it bad. Kind of like a rollercoaster that has free-fall drops (I hate anything that free-falls though I love rollercoasters). Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful for all of my blessings. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, amazing kids, adorable dogs, wonderful friends, a loving extended family, faith and hope, a car that runs in spite of the freezing temperatures, and readers who make it possible for me to live the dream! I haven't been swamped by a tsunami or hurricane, or flattened by an earthquake, or burnt out by fire. So I'm not complaining loudly, only murmuring softly. And only for a minute because I am really, truly very blessed.

Yes, this is genuinely my house - the kitchen to be exact!
I decided that I deserve a vacation, and so do my daughters (who've had to go through a lot of the crap with me and have been supportive beyond what I hoped for), so our Christmas gift to ourselves is to head to Disneyland for a week. We'll spend a couple of days doing the Hollywood thing, but the bulk of our time will be spent doing the Mickey thing. So if my blog seems strangely silent, it's because I'm not here.


I hope all of you have a joyous holiday season, and that wherever you are you're with family and friends, and that you're basking in the glow of the Christmas spirit! See you soon.

Burned Cover Reveal

Liz Long stopped by the blog today to reveal the cover for her new book, Burned, due to be released Dec. 19th. So, here's Liz:

Thank you to the amazing authors and bloggers who volunteered to help with today's cover reveal. I am so excited to show off the cover for my new book - I've been dying to show it off! Made by the talented Caroline McKean, I hope you love it as much as I do (plus gets you a little worried about what's to come). Gifted, A Donovan Circus Novel is the first title in the series. Available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, the ebook is currently on sale for only 99 cents to celebrate the upcoming release! (Where's Sheffield's ringmaster voice when I need it?) Now here it is, the cover reveal for Burned, A Donovan Circus Novel!


Burned, A Donovan Circus Novel Synopsis: “Tell Sheffield that Medved is hunting him…the Bear is coming.” Nearly a month after Lucy Sullivan saved the Donovan Circus from certain death, she discovers that Dr. Felix Hardy wasn’t the only bad guy around. When Lucy is attacked on home ground, Sheffield Donovan reveals that there are bigger foes in their world, gifted that use their powers to kill others – including her own family, as she learns from her ringmaster mentor. Medved, a Russian thug and powerful Shapeshifter, is intent on outing the gifted world and will stop at nothing to succeed. In order to survive, Lucy and her friends must travel to another show, the Grayson Circus, for help. The uneasy alliance with owner Albert Grayson comes with potential new friends and dark secrets about their competition, including a troublemaker named Mel and an old flame of Lucy’s father. Lucy must also contend with her feelings about Keegan and Gabriel, as well as learn how to contain her rampant emotions or risk setting the entire place ablaze. Will Lucy be able to save the Donovan Circus again? Or will Medved and his men slaughter everyone in their path on the way to gifted domination?

  About the Author: Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA. Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series. Her second book Witch Hearts, a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers, is available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback. To learn more about Liz, visit her website: http://lizclong.com.  

Just in Time for Christmas: Enter to Win a Kindle Fire

  
Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".

All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
      December Kindle Fire Giveaway #2 Sponsors
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Chasing June

One of my favorite authors has a new book releasing soon called Chasing June. It's currently on tour (as you can tell by the banner below) and today Shannen and the tour are kind enough to stop here to say hi.


June Laurie has it all-a budding career on the hit crime drama Forensic Faculty, a supportive and perfect boyfriend in her best friend Joseph Cleveland, and hopes of transferring her acting skills to the stage at college. But in a series of plot twists as dramatic as any Hollywood storyline, June's dreams dim with a heavy dose of grown-up reality. Once she starts school at BYU, June's days become filled with classes and the new challenge of dealing with jealous theatre majors who seem determined to give her the cold shoulder. Her happy plans for a future with "the one" take a turn, too, when Joseph dumps her to focus on preparing for his two-year LDS mission. Casting directors and the siren call of stardom beckon her back to California, while an old co-star appears on the scene to confuse things even more. Caught up in the drama of life-the type that has more intrigue, subplots, and unexpected romance than a murder mystery game-June starts to wonder if maybe her life's script might end with a grand finale she never saw coming.


 
My review: Chasing June is a great follow-up to Finding June, the first book in the series. June is as charming as ever, and Joseph is as wowzer as ever (is wowzer a word?). I will say Joseph made a lot of bone-head choices in this book that frustrated me, but Ryan swooped in to fill the swoon-worthy role of hero. I didn't much care for Ryan in the first book--no, that isn't right. I did care for him, I just wasn't weak-kneed over him. That changes in this book. Shannen does a great job of creating a realistic triangle that makes it hard for you to decide which team you're on. I thought I was firmly team Joseph, but now I'm wavering toward team Ryan. I'll decide after the third book! Great second novel in the series, and of course I always recommend anything by Shannen Crane Camp, and that goes for this book as well!
Add it to your shelf on Goodreads!
Join Shannen's fun Facebook Launch Party on December 14 with lots of fun games and giveaways (maybe even a book or two that may or may not have my name on the cover)
Chasing June is the second book in the June Series. Check out the first book, "Finding June" here. You can read my review of it here.





Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide.
Shannen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to contact her at Shannencbooks@hotmail.com or visit her website for more information: http://shannencbooks.blogspot.com




Come check out the rest of the blog tour!



Enter to win a signed paperback copy of "Chasing June"!



    Goodreads Book Giveaway
       
     

          Chasing June
        
          by Shannen Crane Camp
             
            Giveaway ends December 08, 2013.                 
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
               Enter to win

Studio C

 
Tour Schedule      Website * Facebook


Seasons 1 and 2 of the hilarious BYUtv sketch comedy series, Studio C, featuring Whitney, Mallory, Jason, Matt, and the rest of the cast pulling out all the stops with two full seasons of enough rip-roaring hilarity to make you spit milk out of your nose. Travel back to the moment it all began and watch some of the very first Studio C sketches, plus two never-before-seen features! Includes popular episodes featuring
Presidential Shoulder AngelFacebook Friends SongFlirting AcademyCaptain LiterallyThe Center for People That YouTube Made InfamousCandy Land Character ConferenceBollysideDana’s DeadAnd many more!Special Features
Exclusive Feature: “Just Jeremy Date”Exclusive Sketch: “Substitute Miss Frizzle”Season 2 OuttakesStudio C is a hit sketch comedy series that the whole family can enjoy. Like the popular TV show Saturday Night Live, the cast performs original sketches that parody American culture and the hilariously awkward moments of everyday life; but with a refreshingly wholesome yet hilarious spin. With their huge fan-base and increasing popularity, Studio C aims to produce clean, family-oriented comedy for a national audience.  

Purchase Amazon * Deseret Book
       

My review: I first heard about Studio C when someone posted one of their videos online, Classic Fight. I thought it was hilarious, so when the chance came up to participate in this blog tour, with the opportunity to watch seasons 1 & 2, I immediately signed up.

The shows are set up very much like Saturday Night Live, minus the celebrity guest host and musical guest, and with more humor--I think anyway. The sketches are hit and miss, but luckily enough they're more hit than miss. Even some that start slow by the end have me laughing. There weren't many that actually bored me from start to finish.

Some of my faves are: The Doorstep Part I, Stage Directions, Mafia, Awkward Funeral (just the moustache alone cracked me up), Google Translator, Sidious Says So, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Disney Vault (it explains why Pirates always seems to be shut down), and Spelling Bee (inner city version, hilarious).

Funny DVD you can share with your family, because the humor is clean.

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/31/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

The Watcher Book Blast and $50 Giveaway

The Watcher Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her. Can he face her without falling again? Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them. When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook. In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both? Ancient history is only the beginning.  

From November 28th to December 1st The Watcher is on sale for just $1.99!

Download your copy today!!
Praise for The Watcher
"Voisin's THE WATCHER blends paranormal mystery and romance into a book that is sure to keep readers turning the pages late into the night." -- Eileen Cook, author of THE ALMOST TRUTH

"Perfect for fans of angels and demons, Lisa Voisin has created an uplifting tale of redemption, love, and spirituality that gives hope. Never preachy, THE WATCHER is the perfect answer to critics who claim Young Adult literature is too dark." -- Stephanie Lawton, author of WANT and SHRAPNEL

"The Watcher is stunning! A paranormal romance that you won't want to put down. Voisin will enthrall you until the very last page." -- Stephanie Keyes, author, THE STAR CHILD series

"Grips the reader, pulls them in and leaves them cheering for good!" -- InD'tale Magazine “The Watcher is my favorite angel fiction tale yet.” -- Katrina @Kindred Dreamheart

“This book is phenomenal! I was hooked in right away and didn't want to stop.” -- Michelle @Michelle’s Paranormal Vault  

  Book Trailer
 
Excerpt Instead of saying more, he brushed his fingertips along my cheek, and his halo glimmered. I could hear the waves slapping the rocks behind us, the wind driving them in. That same wind whipped against my skin, but the touch of his hand on my face was all I could think about. It sent a current through both of us and filled me with longing for something I wasn’t sure I understood. “I’m sorry.” He stepped back and shoved his hands into his pockets as the light around him faded. “You don’t know what it’s like. Being near you now, remembering those moments we had…” His hair blew into his eyes, but this time he didn’t move. I wanted to brush it back, but I didn’t know how he’d react. Would touching him be bad? “You want to know who you were?” he asked. “You may look different, but you’re the same. I look into your eyes and see you.” He took in a deep breath, fixing his attention on the horizon. I’d seen and heard so much now that the logical part of my brain had long since given up arguing with me. I could feel what he was saying was true. All of it. 
Author Lisa Voisin A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, Lisa can usually be found writing in a local café. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine! Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancé and their two cats.  
Twitter * Facebook * Website * Blog

 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/18/13 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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Post Tour

I was invited by Camelia Miron Skiba to participate in a blog tour for writers to answer a few questions about our writing process, and then pass the baton to other authors. So here are my answers to the specific questions.

What Am I Working On?

I'm nearly finished with a contemporary YA titled The End of Feeling . It's about a teen named Benjamin who seems to have it all: gorgeous, popular, star football player, straight-A student, can get any girl he wants. But it's all an act, he's hiding a secret that can destroy his carefully built world. Enter Charlie, new girl in town, who has her own secrets she's keeping, and who just might be the one to get Benjamin to feel something again.

How Does My Work Differ From Others of Its Genre?

I try to make my characters realistic, even if they're in one of my fantasy or paranormal stories, because I feel that character development is one of the most important things in a book. I also refuse to let my characters fall in love right away. Attraction is surely there, but there needs to me more to their relationship than "You're cute, I love you."

Why Do I Write What I Do?

I was introduced to the world of YA about 5 or 6 years ago, and fell in love with the genre. The stories are good, exciting, fresh. And there's generally not a heaving bosom in sight. I've always written, but never completed a manuscript. YA lit a fire under me, sparked an excitement that I couldn't ignore. I love writing about teens in that unsure, hyper-emotional, trying-to-discover-who-you-are time of life.

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

I come up with an idea from any number of different ways (I have about 10 stories swirling in my head right now fighting to get out). I sometimes have the opening line (as I did for The End of Feeling ) or sometimes I have the ending. Other times I might just have a vague idea for the story with no real idea of where it's going to end. I sit down and just start writing. I almost always write from beginning to end, though on occasion I have a scene that begs to be written, so I'll write it and then work it into the story. As a general rule, I don't outline. I prefer to just begin and see where it goes, see what my characters are going to do in any given situation.

Next week take a peek at Karey White's blog to read about her writing process. Karey is the author of  Gifted , For What It's Worth , and My Own Mr. Darcy . I've read all three and I can tell you Karey is one talented author. Gifted will wring your heart, For What It's Worth  has a huge awww factor and a yummy recipe at the beginning of each chapter, and My Own Mr. Darcy  is one of the cutest, funniest romances I've read.

Last But Not Least in The Great Blog Game

As we wind down the blog tour for A Fantasy Christmas , I want to shout from the rooftops a "THANK YOU" for everyone who helped us out on this tour. I wrote two other posts with those who were on the early  parts of the tour, which you can read here and here. These are the last - but not least - of the bloggers who hosted us on the tour.

Aimee at Getting Your Read On gave us a fantastic review, including:

I have enjoyed books from all three of these authors so I was super-dee-duper excited to sign on to be a part of this tour.  I had high expectations going into it because I know all these ladies can write fabulous stories.  I'm here to tell you that I was not disappointed in the least.

This is the perfect holiday book idea for yourself (wink, wink) or someone you know who enjoys a good, clean romance . . .  it can be enjoyed when you should be making dinner.  (what?!? nobody starved.)  This book is guaranteed to put you in a holiday sort of mood and make you smile.  

A special apology goes out to Aimee's hungry family. You can read the review in its entirety here.

My good friend, and amazing author, Camelia Miron Skiba only had the chance to review Sherry's story, but here's what she had to say about that:

As with everything else Sherry Gammon writes, I had to read her newest story titled Loving Marigold. What a delight it was. I’m not saying that because I’m afraid Marigold will turn me into a toad but because I truly enjoy the story, the characters, and the plot line. . . A great read, definitely a keeper for my bookshelf.

You can read the rest of her post here.

Author Jamie Canosa, who I'm a huge fan of, was kind enough to review the books for us. Here's some of what she had to say:


Sherry Gammon and Cindy Bennett have been on my Favorite Authors list for a while. And now, Stephanie Flowers has joined the club. I absolutely loved this anthology just in time for the holidays.Each story in this collection brought it’s own bit of wonder. I flew through the pages and devoured each one in a single sitting. I couldn’t put them down. Because of that, I decided each story deserved it’s own review.
You can read the individual reviews she gave each story here.

Shauna at I Love to Read and Review Books said:

I LOVED this story!
I really LOVED LOVED LOVED this whole book!
Get in the holiday spirit with this MUST READ for romance and Christmas magic!

You can read her spin on each of the books here.

We want to thank these blogs for allowing us to stop by:

Author Christy Dorrity

Soon-to-be-Author Lindzee Armstrong

Min Reads and Reviews


Buy your copy now at these online retailers: