Cindy C. Bennett's Blog, page 65

Forbidden Passions are Amazing!

While forbidden passions really can be amazing, in this case I'm talking specifically about the blog called Forbidden Passions. Catie has been sweet enough to take the time to read and review Reluctance.

Here's some of what Catie had to say: "Reluctance is a short story but I found myself just as involved in this story as I would be with a full scale novel. I liked the characters and I did not feel rushed in any way while reading this short story. Even though it is only 54 pages there is a clear beginning, middle and an end to this story."

If you want to read her whole - and very kind and generous - review, you can here. Thanks to Catie and the Forbidden Passions blog!

Annual Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop



Because I feel it is a worthy thing to spread awareness of diseases, I decided to join the Autism Awareness Hop along with the hosts I Am a Reader, Not a Writer, Just Another Book Addict, Fire and Ice Photo, and Page Turners. Autism is one of those diseases on the rise. Whether because it is now being more correctly diagnosed or because there are more cases of it, it's still something that everyone needs to be aware of. Autism Speaks is a great site with current info about autism and strides being made in treatments, cures, and discovering the causes of autism.




Several years ago I read a book written by a woman who had autism. It was a fascinating autobiographical look into her mind, to see why she did the things she did, how the world was affecting her, and how she fought to live as normally as possible. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the book or the author, which is so disappointing because I'd love to read it again. If any of you have any idea what the book is, please let me know.

Recently I read a fiction book called Unlocked: A Love Story . This is the blurb:

Before You Take a Stand ... You've Got to Take a Chance. Holden Harris is an eighteen-year-old locked in a prison of autism. Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal---on the inside, in a private world all his own. In reality, he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different. Ella Reynolds is part of the 'in' crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him ... the way he is drawn to the music. Then, Ella makes a dramatic discovery---she and Holden were best friends as children. Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school, including her boyfriend, Jake. Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden's praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.

I loved this book. The author switched POV's from Ella, Holden's mom, and Holden himself. It was fascinating to see all their different thoughts on why he was doing some of the "weird" things he was doing, and then to see from Holden's POV exactly why he was doing it. It was great watching Holden't journey as he fights to come out of his own world and rejoin the "real" world. I thought it was fitting for this giveaway to give a copy of this book. (Domestic Only)

Enter using the Rafflecopter below (you may have to click on the more button to see it). Then click on any of the many other blogs listed below for a chance to win great prizes on those sites.


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A Reluctance Review

Thanks to Good Choice Reading for Kellie's amazing review of Reluctance. You can read the review here.

Some of what Kellie had to say: I really enjoyed this book. This short story was full of surprises but had an important message. This story deals with a topic that many young adults face. Many try to do what they think is for the best only to have it turn into a disaster. And when the right choice is right in front of you, you don't take notice. Acceptance is not about what others think…it is about being who you are and being happy with yourself. This book demonstrates that sometimes you need to do what is right for you and not what you think is expected of you. That all you have to do is accept yourself, everything else with fall into place.

Charity Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered the Charity Blog Hop. And an especially HUGE thank you to those of you who donated to the Tour de Cure! You guys rock. I want you to all wrap your arms around yourself and give you a great big hug from me! Thank you, thank you, thank you . Because I am so grateful for both the chance to highlight this cause that is so near and dear to me, and because I'm so happy that some of you donated, I'm giving everyone who entered a free ebook of either Heart on a Chain, Immortal Mine, or Reluctance. I'll be contacting all of you by email.

Oh, I almost forgot. Congrats to Lindsay B, winner of the Amazon Gift Card. Watch for that in your email, Lindsay, and thanks for entering!

English - AKA Huh?

English is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is the predominant language of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zeland. The version we speak here in America originates from the UK version. BUT (and yes, I capitalized the whole word) there are huge differences. We have some idiosyncrasies that can drive even the most intelligent person crazy.

Aside from the most obvious words: your/you're, there/their/they're, to/too/two, who's/whose, who/whom, affect/effect, and all the others that can be confusing to even the most intelligent scholar, there are some that you just have to know because there doesn't seem to be any good explanation.

I Googled "funny English language" and was amazed at the sites (not sights) that popped up. I thought I'd share a few with you here.

We must polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
The soldier decided to desert in the desert.
This was a good time to present the present.
A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
The bandage was wound around the wound.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does funny things when the does are present.
They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
After a number of injections my jaw got number.
Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
I read it once and will read it agen
I learned much from this learned treatise.
I was content to note the content of the message.
The Blessed Virgin blessed her. Blessed her richly.
It's a bit wicked to over-trim a short wicked candle.
If he will absent himself we mark him absent.
I incline toward bypassing the incline.

There is no egg in an eggplant
No ham in a hamburger
And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England
French fries were not invented in France.

We sometimes take English for granted
But if we examine its paradoxes we find that
Quicksand takes you down slowly
Boxing rings are square
And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

If writers write, how come fingers don't fing.
If the plural of tooth is teeth
Shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth
If the teacher taught,
Why didn't the preacher praught.

If a vegetarian eats vegetables
What the heck does a humanitarian eat!?
Why do people recite at a play
Yet play at a recital?
Park on driveways and
Drive on parkways

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy
Of a language where a house can burn up as
It burns down
And in which you fill in a form
By filling it out
And a bell is only heard once it goes!

English was invented by people, not computers
And it reflects the creativity of the human race
(Which of course isn't a race at all)

That is why
When the stars are out they are visible
But when the lights are out they are invisible
And why it is that when I wind up my watch it starts
But when I wind up this observation, it ends



I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, lough and through?
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird,
And dead: it's said like bed, not bead -
For goodness sake don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt).A moth is not a moth in mother,
Nor both in bother, broth in brother,
And here is not a match for there
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear,
And then there's dose and rose and lose -
Just look them up - and goose and choose,
And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword,
And do and go and thwart and cart -
Come, come, I've hardly made a start!
A dreadful language? Man alive!
I'd mastered it when I was five!
Have any of your own you'd like to share?

Win $25 to Amazon and a Copy of Reluctance

Noble Young Adult is having a contest to celebrate the launch of Young Immortals. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on their blog with your email address. Click this link to find the right place.*

You can win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of Reluctance, the first release in the Young Immortals anthology - which just happens to be authored by yours truly.

Contest ends April 7th!


*As much as I love to hear from you you can't enter here, you have to go to the Noble YA Blog :o)

Is it Worth $1 to Cure Diabetes? Join the Charity Hop and Win $20

There are two distinctly different types of diabetes. In Type I Diabetes (also commonly referred to as juvenile diabetes) the body no longer produces insulin - at all. In Type II Diabetes either your body doesn't produce enough insulin or your cells no longer know how to use the insulin you do produce.

While my giveaway is to promote the American Diabetes Association, I'm going to focus on Type I Diabetes for a very personal reason. In the general population 1 in 400 people under the age of 20 have Type I. In my house, it's 1 in 4. My youngest daughter has diabetes. She's 17.

Lexcie, age 9She was diagnosed at age 9. In hindsight we can see all the symptoms that led up to her diagnosis, but at the time they were happening, they were all spread out just enough that we couldn't see the writing on the wall, so to speak. Over the year before she was diagnosed, these are some of the things she went through: enuresis, problems with her vision (including her vision going black), lethargic (tired) much of the time, thirsty all of the time, sores that healed slowly. Those things all seem obvious, but none of them occurred together. That added to the fact that we don't have a history of diabetes on either side of our families. It wasn't something we looked for at all. The final thing that made me wonder was when she lost 13 lbs in about 2 weeks. That's a lot for a 9 year old girl! Once that happened, and I started thinking about all the other things, it seemed clear  . . . and yet, unlikely.

When the diagnosis was confirmed, I was stunned. I cried. I raged. I cried some more. I knew that this was life-altering for all of us, but expecially for her. Let me give you an idea of what her life was like as soon as she was diagnosed:

She went from eating what she wanted, when she wanted to being on a strictly controlled, carb controlled diet. She had to eat at certain times, and at those times she had to eat a certain number of carbs. She could eat a little extra if she wanted, but she couldn't eat less. Her base medication was set up for that minimum number of carbs. Didn't matter if she was full, she still had to eat. If she finished eating and was still hungry, or wanted dessert, she had to decide if it was worth taking an extra shot of insulin for.

She had to poke her finger at least 4 times a day: at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime. If she was feeling like her BG (blood glucose, or blood sugar, level) was either low or high, it meant another poke to get the drop of blood needed to read her level. If she was high, it required a shot of insulin. If it was low, it required her to drink some juice and then eat some kind of protein (usually peanut butter) to stabelize her.

She had one shot she took every night at bedtime that was the slow acting insulin to sustain her throughout the day. She took another shot of the short acting insulin with each meal. That meant at least 4 shots per day.

As if that weren't enough, it required things like having someone go with her at school if she had to go to the restroom, or walk to the office, because they couldn't take the liability of her going alone. She also had kids constantly asking her about it (and she did not want to talk about it) or teachers telling her to put her phone away when it was her blood meter she was using, therefore calling attention to what she was doing.

She has to worry short term about seizures. She's had 2 because of low blood sugars: one at her friends house at a birthday party, and the other in Wal Mart. Imagine that for a teen girl. A seizure leads to her losing memory of the day of the seizure and usually 1-3 days afterward.

Long term she (and I and everyone who loves her) have to worry about blindness, kidney shut-down, nerve damage, the possibility of an early death if she doesn't take care of herself.

She now has an insulin pump, which has made life a little easier. Rather than having to give herself shots of insulin, she gives herself one "shot" every three days when she puts in a new pump site. She still has to poke her fingers multiple times a day, but it has made her eating schedule much more flexible. She still has lows and highs with her BG's but they're a little easier to take care of. So yeah, it's not perfect, but it's a little better.

She has to think about her diabetes all day, every day. There isn't ever a time when she doesn't have to. If she wants to exercise, she has to prepare differently from you and I. Going out of town, even for a couple days requires a lot of extra packing (of her supplies). Leaving the house for a short time or going to a friends house requires supplies being carried with her. Eating has consequences. Not eating has worse consequences. Stress messes with her BG's, as does euphoria. Being sick with a simple cold requires extra care to keep her BG's steady. There is no escape from her disease.

The costs can be astronomical. Our out-of-pocket for prescriptions and supplies is usually around $7,000 a year. That's with insurance, and doesn't include our insurance premiums. We always tease her that when she brings a boy home that she's serious with, rather than asking how heplans to treat her or what heplans to do with his life, we'll be asking, "What kind of health insurance do you have? Does it cover her medication and supplies? Can you afford the co-pays?"

The ADA is making progress in their studies of diabetes, and there are a few things on the horizon that would not only make her life easier, but also diminish the short and long term problems she may have to face. There's even something new that could possibly spell a cure, something we didn't ever think possible.

As a result, I'm asking for a little help. One of my friends is riding in the Tour de Cure. All money raised goes to the ADA for research. You can sponsor her here. Anything helps, even if it's only a buck.  I'm giving away a $20 Amazon gift card. You don't have to donate to enter, but you'll get extra entries if you do. Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter (you mayhave to click on "more" to see it). Then hop on over to the blogs listed below that to read about their worthy causes and win more great prizes.

As they all are, this is a great cause, one that's particularly dear to my heart. In advance, I thank you!


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The Vampire's HAVE Arrived!

 Add captionThe vampire story I wrote about before here is now available. It's the first in an anthology to be put out by Noble Publishing. You can get a copy here. Below is the blurb and a short excerpt.

Blurb

Twenty-year-old Dahlia hates the life that she is forced to lead. But the time is quickly coming when she must make a decision that will shape the rest of her life. She's set her sights on Jace. He is someone her family will approve of, someone that will finally gain her acceptance among her people. Then Cam comes into her life, making her question what she assumed was her inevitable destiny, giving her hope that she might be able to lead the normal existence that she longs for. But fate has its own plan for Dahlia. Now she has to find courage she didn't know she possessed to fight for her own future.

Excerpt

Cam Taylor watched, amused, as Dahlia stumbled and nearly launched her lunch tray into a table full of brainiacs. She was new—she had only been working at Grave's Community Center Hospital for a couple weeks. Cam had noticed her right away. She had a headful of curly, brown hair that fell to her waist in the back, pinned up on top with an unfashionable barrette. The barrette was studded with sparkling rhinestones, excepting the large center stone, which was missing. She wore no makeup; her pale face was clear and blemish-free. An unfortunate, brown floral pattern as outdated as a rotary-dial phone covered her lumpy, brocade dress which was at least two sizes too big for her. She was tall, gangly, awkward—the biggest klutz Cam could remember seeing—and he was smitten.
He watched as Dahlia finally slid to safety on a bench, once again nearly dropping her lunch as it clunked to the table. She laughed at herself, but the other women at the table, mostly nursing assistants, met her laughter with sneers. They exchanged meaningful glances, then stood as one, leaving without speaking a single word. Cam felt a moment's anger at the unfeeling women as he saw Dahlia's face fall. He decided to go sit with her himself, no matter how much crap he might get for it.
As Cam moved toward Dahlia's table, she turned her attention from her tray toward Jace McMahon, who sat across the lunchroom. With a wistful sigh and dreamy eyes, she propped her chin in her hands, a smile curving the corners of her mouth upward. Cam stopped in his tracks.
Jace was an orderly like Cam. He was athletic, muscular, and better looking than most of the stars in Hollywood. The most popular guy at GCC, Jace was arrogant and cruel and loved by all the women anyway. Cam suspected most of the other guys really hated him, as Cam did, but they wanted to be near him anyway, hoping his charm and luck with the women would rub off on them. If nothing else, being Jace's buddy got them girls who would do anything to get closer to Jace, even if it meant dating one of his lesser friends.
Cam and Jace had attended the same high school. At that time, they'd been best friends. Back then, no one could touch the popularity of the two tall, good-looking, enigmatic boys. Then Cam found out exactly what Jace was.
Cam had distanced himself from Jace after that, making him something of an outcast his senior year. He didn't care. Being on his own was better than being part of Jace's world. He'd hoped GCC would be different, even with Jace there, but work turned out to be nothing more than an extension of high school. Jace was still the star. Cam sometimes wondered why no one thought it strange that Jace, with his athletic prowess, was working at GCC to pay his way through school instead of attending a prestigious college on a fantastic scholarship. But Jace knew. Not only poor grades, but also the thing that created the rift between Cam and Jace had caused colleges to run the other way when it came to Jace McMahon.
Cam glanced over at Jace, jealousy and anger burning within his chest. Tabitha Heron, who now went by the ridiculous nickname of Tabby, had draped herself across Jace. Tabby was absolutely beautiful, the perfect counterpoint to Jace's good looks. Until Cam's falling out with Jace three years earlier, Tabby had been Cam's girlfriend. Then Jace pursued her relentlessly, just to prove he could take her if he wanted. And prove it he did. Jace even talked her out of accepting an admission offer from Harvard to join him at Grave's University. Even now, when Jace treated her with nothing but disdain and kept her dangling at his whim, Tabby refused to admit Cam was right about him. She hardly needed to work to pay her way, not with her wealthy family, and yet she'd even followed him here, to work a crappy job as a receptionist for crap pay.
They deserved one another.And, now, the newest object of Cam's attention was drooling over his nemesis. Dahlia didn't have a shot with him; anyone could see that. Unless Cam managed to hook up with her—then he'd bet Jace would turn his sights on the strange, new girl. Cam would see Jace burn before he allowed him to hurt the fascinating Dahlia. * * * * * Dahlia stood in the freezing wind, watching as Jace McMahon climbed into his fancy, red Mustang. He turned the key, the engine growling fiercely as he peeled out of his parking spot, cutting off an old, rusty beater and nearly running over a group of interns. She knew well enough Jace was not exactly a kind, caring person, but she also knew what he could do for her. He was perfect—beautiful, graceful, popular. In other words, everything she was not.
"Hey."
Dahlia turned to see Cam Taylor standing next to her, smiling at her. She glanced behind her to double check, but as no one else was there, she supposed he must be speaking to her."Hey," she said back, wondering why someone like Cam would speak to her on purpose. Cam was every bit as good-looking as Jace. But where Jace was dark—dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin—Cam was light. His blond hair was practically white, his eyes translucent blue, his skin nearly as pale as Dahlia's. He, too, was graceful and beautiful, and popular among many of the nurses, aides, and volunteers. But he did not have the power Jace had to transform her.
"Need a ride home?" Cam asked.
"Uh . . ." Dahlia hesitated. She didn't really want anyone to know where she lived. The wind chose that moment to blow its icy fingers across her exposed legs. She shivered at the sensation, and Cam laughed.
"Come on. I can't have you freeze to death on my watch." When she still hesitated, he held his hand out toward her. "It's just a ride, Dahlia."
She looked at his extended hand, wondering vaguely how he knew her name. This was one of those socially awkward situations she had no idea how to handle. Should she take his hand?
"Okay," she said, turning toward the parking lot. As she took the first step, she managed to put her foot onto one of the few spots with a disc of ice clinging to the cement, and squealed as she felt her foot slide away. She prepared for the pain that would come with the fall.
But then Cam grabbed her by the elbow, halting her descent.
"Whoa, there," he said, steadying her. "Gotta be careful of these slippery steps."
Humiliated, Dahlia looked up at him. "Thanks," she mumbled.
"Yup," Cam answered. He kept hold of her elbow all the way to the car. Once inside the vehicle, she fastened the seat belt—one of the few devices that could guarantee her safety and that she had full control over, so used always—he turned the heat on high, directing all the vents her way. She wondered idly whether Jace would have done the same if she were seated in his Mustang rather than in Cam's Honda.
"So . . . how do you like working at GCC?" Cam asked when the silence began to stretch out uncomfortably.
"It's the same as any other job, I guess," Dahlia said.
Cam couldn't argue that point. "Oh, yeah? Is that a bad thing, or good?"
Dahlia shot him a look as if to say You're kidding, right? and Cam smiled.
"I understand," he said,but somehow Dahlia doubted he truly did understand. She doubted that Cam, with his golden looks and infectious smile, had ever been shunned, that he had ever sat at a table only to have others leave just to avoid being seen with him, that he had ever been called doggy, beastly, or nerdy. She doubted he'd ever looked around a room and known the only people who would accept him as a friend were those who completely understood all those things.
"Turn here," she said, directing him up Draper Avenue. He lifted his brows a little at the turn, but didn't say anything. When they reached the end of the street, she said, "You can stop here."
He looked out the window. With surprise in his voice, he said, "This is where you live?"
Dahlia knew how it looked. The house was the largest in the neighborhood—ostentatious, overbearing, shouting wealth at the tops of its lungs. She really wished her family knew how to blend in.
"Yeah."
She waited for the sarcasm, the cutting remarks, but, instead, he simply said, "Nice place."
"Um, okay . . . thanks for the ride, I guess," she said, pulling on the door handle—to no avail.
"Oh, here, let me get that. It sticks sometimes." He leaned across her to grab the handle, and Dahlia flattened herself against the seat. She'd never been this close to a boy she wasn't related to . . . and definitely never this close to one who smelled so delicious. For one crazy second, she had the urge to reach up and—
"There you go," Cam said as the door swung open and a wintery blast of air drew her attention from her fantasy.
Dahlia climbed out, then looked back. "Thanks again."
He gave her a charming smile in answer. "See you tomorrow," he said as she slammed the door. With a wave, he turned his car in a wide U and drove away. Dahlia watched him go, and then, with dread, turned back toward her house—or as she'd come to think of it, the "monstrous mausoleum."

Hope's Journey is a Must Read

As part of Stephanie Connelley Worlton's book blog tour for Hope's Journey, Stephanie stopped by for a casual Q&A with me. Below, you can read about the book, as well as my review of her amazing new novel.






Interview

Cindy C Bennett: Hi, Stephanie. Thanks for stopping by today. Let's begin by getting a little background about you: where you live, who you live with, what you like to do in your spare time, things of that nature.
Stephanie Connelley Worlton: Thanks for having me Cindy, I'm honored to be here. A little about me... Wow, where to start?
I guess I'll start with the basics: I live with my prince charming, our four children, and our two dogs - yes they are technically my children too - in the shadow of a mountain. Literally. We are nestled in the cove of a canyon and because of our position between mountains, our sunrises are delayed and our sunsets come early. Our quiet little neighborhood suits me perfectly because I get to enjoy nature and animals and fresh air daily. And, because I'm a "people person" and could talk my days away,the solitude actually keeps me balanced and helps me stayed focused on my projects.
I love to design and build stuff - like furniture and structures - but I'm not very crafty, as in, I don't do "cutesy" very well. Don't ask me to scrapbook or come up with a Super-Saturday craft, but if its a shed you need, I'm your girl. I don't really have "spare time" because I tend to overfill every minute of my day. If I'm not writing, building, painting, designing, or working in my yard, you'll most likely find me curled up with a book.
The highlight of my days is the time I get to be with my family. Laughter is my sanity and I've been blessed with a household of people that share my love for the silly, the sarcastic, and the outright funny. We laugh often!
CCB: That sounds like a great life. You're really blessed. You haven't always had it easy, though. Hope's Journey isn't autobiographical, but it is based on some events from your life. Did that make it easier, or harder, to fictionalize some of the things you actually lived?
SCW: I really have been blessed. My life is in such a great place now, but you're right, it hasn't always been easy. In fact, there was I time that everything was so difficult it was hard to believe that there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Hope's Journey is based on that time in my life, and though it's not autobiographical, it brought a lot of those long buried feelings to the surface. Fictionalizing those events and feelings was easy in some aspects and hard in others. Because I've lived those tender feelings, connecting with them didn't take too much imagination, but enveloping them into fiction was at times a bit of a challenge. Honestly, it got a little emotional at times. It was tempting just to recount my personal experience, but to be true to the real message of the story I couldn't do that. I think writing Alex's character was almost cathartic in a sense. After years of thinking I understood the other side of the story, it was eye opening to realize just how much I didn't get.
CCB: I find Alex's side of the story very interesting as well. When he compares his love for her to the love he has for his dream Porsche, it was like a lightbulb went off for me. It completely makes sense that he would think that way, and that it wasn't as if he didn't love her - he just loved her differently than she might have perceived. Was it difficult to try to get inside the head of a teenage boy to understand his motives, or did it come naturally after you had time to reflect and think about just why he might do the things he does?
SCW: Haha, I don't think it's ever natural for a girl to try to get inside a guy's head. Seriously, our brains are wired so differently. But, it was fascinating and well worth the effort. I had to do a lot of question asking and a lot of digging. Every time I thought I had Alex pegged, I'd learn something new about him. To my benefit, I've had ample opportunity to observe teenage boys and a husband who was more than happy to let me dig into his mind.CCB: Speaking of your husband, I know he was instrumental in getting you to finally take the plunge and send Hope's Journey out for publication. Tell us a little about that, and if you want to do a bit of hubby bragging here, feel free. SCW: Cindy, you have no idea how much I love to brag about my husband. I am so proud of him and everything he is. We've known each other since we were teenagers, yet I still find myself falling for him every single day. He is the biggest cheerleader I could ever hope for! When I told him I was going to start writing I fully expected him to fall to the floor in laughter, but he didn't. Instead, he told me what a great idea it was. From the time I put the first word on the page to the time I typed the last, he was cheering me on. Honestly, I think there were days he believed in the story more than I did. Hope's Journey is in a sense his story too, so his opinion and support... and applause, mean more than anything to me. I don't know how many times I edited the manuscript, but it took well over a year, and if it wasn't for his push, I may still be editing it today. He knows my fear of rejection and my need to push for perfection better than anybody, so when he finally told me that it was time to let it go, I trusted him.

CCB: Well then we are all grateful to him for encouraging you to let it go because otherwise we'd be missing out on an amazing story! Hope's Journey is one of the most honest stories I've read in a long time. I found both Syd and Alex's reactions very natural and realistic. I also think many of the external reactions from their families, friends, and other adults were exactly spot on - even if some of them made me (as the reader) angry at them for being so narrow minded. What is your hope as far as how this story might help other teen girls who either find themselves in the same situation, or in danger of being in the same situation? And along with that, what is your hope for all readers who discover Hope's Journey?

SCW: I want girls to know that their value is not based on whether or not they have a boyfriend. My biggest hope is that they will understand their value enough not to make the little mistakes that lead to the bigger ones, because that's how it happens. Little shades of gray slowly fade to blacks and before you know it, you've gone too far.
And for the girls who've already found themselves crossing the line - or close to it - I want them to know that there is hope. They are not trash. Their past mistakes don't have to define their future. They are not destined to a life of failure and disappointment. Because we have a Savior, they can make their lives whole again. And, if they choose to change, though it won't always be easy, they will discover that the effort is well worth the reward!
My overall hope for any reader who picks up Hope's Journey is that they will see things from a different perspective. Whether they are a young woman (or even a young man), a parent, a teacher, a neighbor, or a friend, I hope that readers will take a deeper look at themselves and they way they interact with others. Everybody makes mistakes, some are just more visually apparent than others.
CCB: I second all of your comments, Stephanie. I wish there were some magic potion to help girls understand their true worth. Until then, we'll rely on amazing people like you to hopefully get the message across in good books. Thank you for stopping by on your blog tour, and for sharing all of your insights with me and my followers. I really appreciate it. Anything further you'd like to say or tell us about, this is your chance.
SCW: Thanks again for having me, Cindy. I just want to end by reiterating how amazing our youth today are. I've had the opportunity to rub shoulders with many of them and I am consistently blown away by their abilities and strengths. If we can just help our young people understand the fullness of their worth and potential, our futures will be in great hands!  Hope's Journey  A life-changing mistake. A soul-changing journey.

Sydney is a straight-A student heading to college on a scholarship, and Alex is a quiet jock preparing to serve an LDS mission. But their dreams are shattered on the eve of their high school graduation when they find out that Sydney is pregnant. Separated, they must both trust in God as they search for the worth they once found in each other.

My Review

Wow, this has to be one of the most honest books I've read in a long time!

Sydney and Alex are typical high school kids, preparing for graduation with big dreams of college and, for Alex, a mission. Then they discover that Syd is pregnant.

Hope's Journeyis an unflinching look at the very real consequences of such a situation. Told from alternating POV's of both Alex and Syd, you can't help but be completely drawn into their drama. Even if you want to throttle both of them at times for stupid decisions they're making, the book deals very, very realistically with them and their reasons for making said decisions.

I started reading this for an upcoming book tour for Stephanie Worlton, with plans to just read the first part and finish the rest later when I had more time. I couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing in two days, putting aside all the things I should have been doing instead. I was so drawn into the story and caught up in these characters that I couldn't let them go. That, to me, is the mark of an excellently well-written book. From Syd and Alex's feelings, to the judgements they are dealing with from friends, family, and ward members who claim to be "Christ-like", every word rings (sometimes unfortunately) true.

This is a must read for every person who has ever judged someone without knowing the whole story, or who have been in a situation where they were the one being judged, whether you are LDS or not. (FYI, there is no gospel preaching, so whether or not you're not LDS, please, please read this.)

Where you can find out more about Stephanie:

Kreating Krazy Blog ($20 Amazon gift card giveaway if Stephanie reaches 100 followers during the tour)

Hope's Journey Blog

Where you can get your own copy of Hope's Journey

Bride on a Broom? It's Not What You're Thinking

A few weeks ago I reviewed my dear friend Camelia Miron Skiba's latest release A World Apart. I love this book, and I adore Cami. You can read my review here.

Today she's back for another visit on her blog tour to grace us with a guest post. This is just a small peek into her background, and the fun person she is. So, without further adieu, here's Cami!

Bride on a Broom by Camelia Miron Skiba
How many times have you heard of a bride on a broom? I know it sounds like a mistake, but I assure you it's not. Normally we associate broom with witches and kids stories, right? And yet... I was a bride on a broom. Not that I wanted a fairytale wedding, I mean I did but not with a certain magical theme and for sure not with witches. I didn't plan using a broom or any other cleaning tool on such a memorable day. I mean, come on, it was my wedding, not my cleaning day.

Although my wedding happened eight and a half years ago, to this day people still talk about the broom dance.

Let me explain. Several hours into the wedding, long after bites stolen between dances and drinks between entertaining our guests, the only thing I really wanted to do was to take off my shoes. Either my feet increased one size or my shiny crystal shoes shrunk and I couldn't throw them any further, any faster. Cristina, my godmother (which actually would be my witness after the American tradition) said, "Suck it up. It's your wedding night and you need to look pretty." Of course I didn't bring another pair of shoes, but barefoot never seemed more appealing.

I wished I could just sit and remove my shoes, hidden by the red and white silk tablecloth, but Cristina watched me like an eagle. A friend of mine came to invite me to dance. I didn't have the heart to refuse him and so I went on the dance floor with him. I don't remember what song played, but I do remember someone breaking a glass and so the restaurant crew brought in ... a broom and a dustpan.

As the dance finished and the crew cleaned the mess, the DJ played Queen's "I Want to Break Free." This was one of my favorite song of all times, reminding me of all the amazing friends and dreams we had as teenagers to break free from a country lost to communism, poisoned by corrupt politics and ultimately destroyed by them. The restaurant exploded with applause and people singing along. I looked around the room and saw all of those dear faces, reliving past dreams, mixed with something different - hope.

And for some reason I can't explain I felt empowered. I felt I could walk on top of the world. I not only wanted to break free, I was free. I took my shoes off, took the broom from the custodian and walked on the stage singing from the top of my lungs and dancing with the broom. From across the room Cristina shook a finger at me, but laughed and sang as well. Everyone in the restaurant stood, danced and sung along. A ripple of electricity went through me seeing all that joy. We all were free.ng was Joe Cocker's "You can leave your hat on." Chris, my husband told me later after the wedding, "I didn't know I married my own Kim Basinger. Lucky me." No need to explain what happened during that song, but I can only say I kept my red wedding dress on. Thirty minutes later I was stolen. Yes, you read correctly--stolen. It's a Romanian wedding tradition.

I suppose we can assume Cami was returned in one piece as she's here now to entertain us with her novels. If you want to know more about Cami, her books, or where to buy them, use the links below.

Kindle
Paperback
Nook
Smashwords
Cami's Blog
Email Cami

About Cami
I WRITE. I LOVE. I DREAM. I WRITE.
I'm Chris' wife, Patrick's mom and Bella's owner. During the day, I'm the assistant to the Director at SESE at Arizona State University, and romance's slave at night.

I moved to the U.S eight years ago, following my heart and the man who stole it. I love comedies, historical dramas and happily-ever-after stories. English is not my native, not my second, but my third language.

Some fun facts about me:

Each year I participate in one big event that requires me to physically train. My biggest sportive accomplishment was the 3-day 60-mile Susan G. Komen Walk.

Annually I pick a color I decree my favorite (this year it's salmon).

I refused to text until 2010, always preferring to hear voices rather than sending emotionless messages. Politic bores me to death and I have no tolerance for arrogance.

"A World Apart" is my second book. My debut novel "Hidden Heart" came out March 2011.