C.G. Powell's Blog, page 10
January 25, 2012
The Love's of Leopold Singer by L.K. Rigel
The Loves of Leopold Singer The one who loves him can't have him. The one who has him can't love him.
Leopold Singer is any woman's perfect match - handsome, brilliant, and rich. Lady Delia Devilliers wants him for his fortune, but his heart is torn between Susan Gray and Marta Schonreden.
When Leopold and Marta visit London on their way to Massachusetts, Delia is consumed by jealousy. She puts Marta in the path of known rake Sir Carey Asher, but it's Susan who has the power to destroy everyone's happiness. One night in London leaves wounds more devastating than a venomous bite. Marta and Susan are each trapped in her own emotional hell, and each must find her own way back to happiness.
This multi-generational family saga spans the late Georgian through Regency periods, 1776 to 1832, from Austria to Massachusetts and London to Jamaica.
LK Rigel lives in California with her television-watching cat, Coleridge. (His favorite show is Castle, but he was enthralled by Game of Thrones.) Rigel wrote songs for the 90's band The Elements, scored the independent science fantasy karate movie Lucid Dreams, and was a reporter for the Sacramento Rock 'N Roll News. Her work has appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway.Rigel writes the postapocapunk "Apocalypto" series about the end of the world and the new reality in which the gods return to save humanity from itself - and end up fighting with each other. Her book, GIVE ME – A TALE OF WYRD AND FAE, is the first in the Tethers series.
My Review:
At first I was reluctant to read a book of this size...I know how my ADD mind works, I lose interest quickly. It's not uncommon for me to put a book down and never pick it up again, not because it is awful, but more likely because it just can't keep my mind engaged. That was not a problem with this book.
The Loves of Leopold Singer is a fantastically written historical romance. The book is cut up into a bunch of mini stories that come full circle in the end. It takes a look at the many loves of Leopold Singer and how he affected their lives. It also delves into the sordidness of bastardism and how it molded the lives of so many during that era.
As I got to the end, I was beginning to wonder if there was any way to connect the dots of the lives of so many. But, as the characters began to give up their secrets, it showed how intertwined their live really were without even knowing. I love this book and truly believe that L.K. Rigel out did herself on this one. It was very well written and the characters are memorable....all 20 of them...LOL!
Don't forget to check out the Cozy Up With a Book Blog Hop and enter to win a signed copy of "Spell Checked"!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js">You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.
January 22, 2012
Cozy Up With a Book Blog Hop
Hello everyone and welcome to my blog. First off I would like to thank Mommy Reads too much and eReading on the Cheap for hosting this event.
I like to write historical humor, Sci-fi, and somewhat random posts on my blog. I also like to do an occasional review or author's interview. I keep things more to the fun and funny side...Yes even the posts on Mammograms!
I will be giving away a signed copy of "Spell Checked" plus a handmade bookmark (I will personally be making this, so expect something crazy).
Fill out Rafflecopter below to enter:a Rafflecopter giveaway
<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js">You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.
Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in this hop. They are all giving away some awesome prizes.
Broken Shoulders and Marion Zimmer Bradley
As a teen, I wasn't much of a reader of novels. I preferred to keep my head in the real books and spent many hours reading encyclopedias instead of fiction. I know this is not normal, but it was what I loved to do and at the time the only way to sate my unrelenting curiosity of the world around me. But, that all changed in 1992 due to an unfortuitous event and a chance meeting that change my life forever.
It was a hot spring day and I had just arrived at the barracks in Cecil Field. Being that it was Friday and I didn't have to report to class until Monday, I decided to step outside of my room and take a look around. I was new there, having just moved from Guam, and I didn't know anyone (kind of the norm in the military). My room was on the second floor, so I looked out over the rail to see if anything was going on at the small pavilion that sat between the buildings. After a few minutes, I was approached by a young man named Billy, who invited me to a party at the pavilion later that evening.
I waited until the party was in full swing then make my way downstairs. Bill introduced me to his friends. Not being much of a drinker, I sat on one of the picnic tables and watched everyone else get drunk. At some point one of the guys thought it would be fun to play chick and scooped me up on his shoulders. Wanting to have my feet firmly on the ground I protested and after several minutes he finally did. He just bent right over and dropped me on my shoulder.
The medical building on base could be seen from the pavilion and I watched as the ambulance pulled out....To this day I am still wondering how the driver got lost it took an hour for him to show up and cart me off to the hospital. By now you're beginning to wonder how this has anything to do with books and why I'm now an Author. But, I really did feel the need to start at the beginning.
When I did not return to the barracks by the next morning, Dawn the only other girl there that night became concerned, called the hospital then grabbed Billy. He grabbed one of his duffel bags, went to my barracks room and packed it with the things he thought I might need. Once at the hospital he walked in my room carrying a blue duffel bag and a stack of books. I was thankful that someone bothered to check on me. I would spend the next 10 days in the hospital...My collar bone was shattered and unfixable, my shoulder blade was fractured in multiple locations and now so dislocated it rested against the vertebra of my neck. It took 7 days for the swelling to go down enough to do surgery.
During that time Billy visited every day, I read the books he bought for me and found that Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover was the most fascinating world I could have ever imagined. For the first time in my life, I read something that left me wanting more. It made me want to become part of that world, so I bought every single Darkover novel I could find and read them too. Over the years I have read these books so many times some of the pages are starting to fall out and the covers look like they have seen better days. It would still take me 20 more years to decide to write my own world and like the Darkover books, mine books also blur the line between Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
To this day I still have the 5 inch scar on the front of my shoulder, 3inches missing from my collar bone and Billy still by my side even after knowing me for 20 years. And had Marion lived longer, I'm certain I would have been her biggest fan.
What in life has inspired you? Have you ever read a series that changed your way of thinking? I would love to hear from you. And if you have a strange story about how you met your significant other, please share it in the comments too!!!
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic SeriesFollow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
It was a hot spring day and I had just arrived at the barracks in Cecil Field. Being that it was Friday and I didn't have to report to class until Monday, I decided to step outside of my room and take a look around. I was new there, having just moved from Guam, and I didn't know anyone (kind of the norm in the military). My room was on the second floor, so I looked out over the rail to see if anything was going on at the small pavilion that sat between the buildings. After a few minutes, I was approached by a young man named Billy, who invited me to a party at the pavilion later that evening.
I waited until the party was in full swing then make my way downstairs. Bill introduced me to his friends. Not being much of a drinker, I sat on one of the picnic tables and watched everyone else get drunk. At some point one of the guys thought it would be fun to play chick and scooped me up on his shoulders. Wanting to have my feet firmly on the ground I protested and after several minutes he finally did. He just bent right over and dropped me on my shoulder.
The medical building on base could be seen from the pavilion and I watched as the ambulance pulled out....To this day I am still wondering how the driver got lost it took an hour for him to show up and cart me off to the hospital. By now you're beginning to wonder how this has anything to do with books and why I'm now an Author. But, I really did feel the need to start at the beginning.
When I did not return to the barracks by the next morning, Dawn the only other girl there that night became concerned, called the hospital then grabbed Billy. He grabbed one of his duffel bags, went to my barracks room and packed it with the things he thought I might need. Once at the hospital he walked in my room carrying a blue duffel bag and a stack of books. I was thankful that someone bothered to check on me. I would spend the next 10 days in the hospital...My collar bone was shattered and unfixable, my shoulder blade was fractured in multiple locations and now so dislocated it rested against the vertebra of my neck. It took 7 days for the swelling to go down enough to do surgery.
During that time Billy visited every day, I read the books he bought for me and found that Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover was the most fascinating world I could have ever imagined. For the first time in my life, I read something that left me wanting more. It made me want to become part of that world, so I bought every single Darkover novel I could find and read them too. Over the years I have read these books so many times some of the pages are starting to fall out and the covers look like they have seen better days. It would still take me 20 more years to decide to write my own world and like the Darkover books, mine books also blur the line between Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
To this day I still have the 5 inch scar on the front of my shoulder, 3inches missing from my collar bone and Billy still by my side even after knowing me for 20 years. And had Marion lived longer, I'm certain I would have been her biggest fan.
What in life has inspired you? Have you ever read a series that changed your way of thinking? I would love to hear from you. And if you have a strange story about how you met your significant other, please share it in the comments too!!!
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic SeriesFollow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
January 10, 2012
Alien Tracking Devices and Mammograms
After many years of avoiding what was sure to be a very unpleasant experience, I finally decided to get a mammogram. Honestly if not for the phone calls from my primary care physician and the insurance company's constant hounding to get it done, I may not have gotten one, which is not one of my wiser choices.
5 Dec 2011- Round One
The snow was just starting to fall as I pulled into the parking lot at Fauquier Hospital, after making my way through the slowest moving automatic revolving doors known to man, I walked over to the front desk and was greeted promptly.
The sound of their volunteer operated baby grand played in the back ground while the nice woman behind the desk asked for my information. After signing a few papers, she promptly tagged me with a lovely hospital bracelet, I guess that's so they can find you if you escape, and pointed me to the imaging waiting room.
Again I am greeted with a smile, this time by the imaging receptionist. She checks my paperwork over, types a couple of things on her computer, then tells me to have a seat in the waiting room. Settling in for what is sure to be a very long wait, I open my iPad case and look for a Wi-Fi connection. A smile crosses my face when I realize the hospital has free Guest Wi-Fi, because who really wants to be stuck in a hospital waiting room with no internet? By the time I make my first Facebook comment, the imaging nurse is at the door calling my name...Gees, that was fast, I guess they don't want to give you time to think about things and escape.
Okay this one is smiling too and I'm starting to feel like I'm in a bad remake of Stepford Wives. Leery from the all-around giddiness of this place, I quickly change into the lovely cape they have provided me with, which covers very little and get be escorted by the nurse to the torture room (location of the Mammography equipment). Thankfully I'm not very modest about my boobs, most likely from years of attending Mardi Gras, so our little jaunt across the hospital half-dressed really didn't faze me.
After twenty minutes of having the girls squeezed between varying sized plates of plastic, which was quite uncomfortable but not unbearable, the technician was finally done. She quickly showed me the pictures she had taken...kind of like the way they do at Picture People only this time they are all boob shots and you don't get to take them home. While looking over the pictures she noted that the software had circled a couple of things on the left side, so she took a couple more pictures for good measure then released me from the hospital.
I live about thirty minutes away from the hospital, so I was a bit surprised when I got a call from my primary care physician the moment I got home. She is concerned about my mammogram results and has already made me an appointment for a second mammogram and an ultrasound.
20 Dec 11 – Round 2
"I've done this before, so now I'm an expert," I thought, watching the snow flurries blow in front of me in the parking lot. Ten minutes from the front door to the torture room, breaking the worlds land speed record for time spent in a waiting room and checking in. The Stepford Nurses are still creeping me out, but I don't plan on staying here long and I have an escape plan and a pair of scissors to remove the id bracelet, so it's all good. Unlike the last time, only one of the girls gets to do this photo shoot, and to make sure the images are good this time, the technician made sure to double crank the plates down. Making me want to scream "Alright, I'll tell you everything you want to know!" Only this time when she is done, I got to sit in the special waiting room for super hero's wearing flowered capes.
A few minutes later a different technician comes by and lets me know that the doctor wants him to do an ultrasound. "Great!" I think to myself, eyeing the young male technician and thankful once again for my lack of modesty. The details of the ultrasound are kind of boring, unlike the ones from pregnancy where you ooh and ahh over every detailed baby part on the screen. Conclusion – I'm going to need a biopsy.
29 Dec 11 – Round 3
After getting the results from the imaging department at the hospital, my primary care physician felt that it would be best to send me to a specialist, which turned out to be a big waste of money. The specialist looked at the films quickly, felt around my now sore breast and agreed that I needed a biopsy. Wait this is the good part...She is going to write an order to have it done by the doctor at the hospital, because his equipment is better than hers. "Yes, in more ways than one," quickly ran through my head as I departed her office, missing the kindness of the Stepford Nurses at the hospital.
9 Jan 12 – Round 4
I'm back again at Fauquier Hospital, arm stretched out as they tag me at the door. I feel more like a regular now, waving to the guy playing the piano before I make my way to the imaging department. Today I have back-up, my best cousin in the world has decided to join me in what she has labeled a booby poking party. I'm early because I hadn't picked up the order from the specialist yet or done any of the admissions paperwork. But this hospital works like a well-oiled machine and had everything ready before I got there. Once I hand over my paperwork to the imaging receptionist, she calls to the back to see what time they need me since I am early. It's lunch time so, I was a bit happy when she said 1:45pm. I looked at my cousin and in unison we both said "Ruby Tuesdays."
Still tagged, I escape the hospital and go to lunch. I wish I could say it was good, but after horking down a 2oz overcooked piece of meat that they have the nerve to call a steak, I was wishing we had gone to Chipotle instead for chicken tacos. And now it's snowing...by now I should have expected it.
Upon my return to the hospital, I was promptly brought back to the surgical waiting area. This is where you put on your gown and lay in bed while they attach a bunch of stuff to you. I'm thinking, they have the wrong person I'm just here for a simple biopsy. Just as my spidy scenes were starting to tingle and escape was imminent, a young male nurse entered my curtained area.
Recognizing the Stepford expression that encompassed his face, like a Chip and Dale dancer in a room of ugly girls with a stack of ones, he smiled and explained the procedure. He handed me a paper brochure with info about the surgeon who would be preforming the biopsy and asked if I had any questions.
Handing him back the paper, I asked "I don't like this one, aren't there any cuter ones available?"
He laughed before responding, "We can reschedule your procedure if you would like."
I shrugged my shoulders and responded, "Na...I'm already here, so he will have to do."
Moments later we were joined by the doctor. During his detailed explanation, he mentioned that they would leave a small tag in the area, so it would be easier to find during follow ups.
I laughed and said to him, "Speaking of tags, the aliens have already removed the tracking device from my boob, so you are not going to find anything today."
He chuckled and said, "Well, let's make sure before I send you on your way."
I get wheeled down the hall to a small ultrasound room. The technician gets me comfortable and begins to do the ultrasound before the doctor gets there. After several minutes of scanning she looked back at the computer screen containing my last ultrasound and began searching again. When the doctor arrived, the technician explained to him that she couldn't find the spot. So, he looked over the report and the older images, then looked around with the ultrasound for a long time. Finally he said, I need to get a second doctor's opinion before walking out the room.
Moments later he was back with another doctor and the young male nurse from the surgical waiting area. The second doctor looked around then back and forth between the old images and the ones she was producing. By now my boob was getting sore from all the pressure being exerted on it by the ultrasound wand. The doctors kind of shrug and tell me I won't need the biopsy they can't find anything.
That's when quickly said, "I told you they came back and removed their tracking device."
The doctor laughed and said, "See you in six months for your next mammogram."
The moral to this story....Don't wait to get your mammogram, Aliens only come back for tracking devices, so they don't get caught. They don't care if you have cancer, so you need to stay on top of that yourself.
Anyone else have a hospital adventure you would like to share? I would love to hear it.
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic Series
Follow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
5 Dec 2011- Round One
The snow was just starting to fall as I pulled into the parking lot at Fauquier Hospital, after making my way through the slowest moving automatic revolving doors known to man, I walked over to the front desk and was greeted promptly.
The sound of their volunteer operated baby grand played in the back ground while the nice woman behind the desk asked for my information. After signing a few papers, she promptly tagged me with a lovely hospital bracelet, I guess that's so they can find you if you escape, and pointed me to the imaging waiting room.
Again I am greeted with a smile, this time by the imaging receptionist. She checks my paperwork over, types a couple of things on her computer, then tells me to have a seat in the waiting room. Settling in for what is sure to be a very long wait, I open my iPad case and look for a Wi-Fi connection. A smile crosses my face when I realize the hospital has free Guest Wi-Fi, because who really wants to be stuck in a hospital waiting room with no internet? By the time I make my first Facebook comment, the imaging nurse is at the door calling my name...Gees, that was fast, I guess they don't want to give you time to think about things and escape.
Okay this one is smiling too and I'm starting to feel like I'm in a bad remake of Stepford Wives. Leery from the all-around giddiness of this place, I quickly change into the lovely cape they have provided me with, which covers very little and get be escorted by the nurse to the torture room (location of the Mammography equipment). Thankfully I'm not very modest about my boobs, most likely from years of attending Mardi Gras, so our little jaunt across the hospital half-dressed really didn't faze me.
After twenty minutes of having the girls squeezed between varying sized plates of plastic, which was quite uncomfortable but not unbearable, the technician was finally done. She quickly showed me the pictures she had taken...kind of like the way they do at Picture People only this time they are all boob shots and you don't get to take them home. While looking over the pictures she noted that the software had circled a couple of things on the left side, so she took a couple more pictures for good measure then released me from the hospital.
I live about thirty minutes away from the hospital, so I was a bit surprised when I got a call from my primary care physician the moment I got home. She is concerned about my mammogram results and has already made me an appointment for a second mammogram and an ultrasound.
20 Dec 11 – Round 2
"I've done this before, so now I'm an expert," I thought, watching the snow flurries blow in front of me in the parking lot. Ten minutes from the front door to the torture room, breaking the worlds land speed record for time spent in a waiting room and checking in. The Stepford Nurses are still creeping me out, but I don't plan on staying here long and I have an escape plan and a pair of scissors to remove the id bracelet, so it's all good. Unlike the last time, only one of the girls gets to do this photo shoot, and to make sure the images are good this time, the technician made sure to double crank the plates down. Making me want to scream "Alright, I'll tell you everything you want to know!" Only this time when she is done, I got to sit in the special waiting room for super hero's wearing flowered capes.
A few minutes later a different technician comes by and lets me know that the doctor wants him to do an ultrasound. "Great!" I think to myself, eyeing the young male technician and thankful once again for my lack of modesty. The details of the ultrasound are kind of boring, unlike the ones from pregnancy where you ooh and ahh over every detailed baby part on the screen. Conclusion – I'm going to need a biopsy.
29 Dec 11 – Round 3
After getting the results from the imaging department at the hospital, my primary care physician felt that it would be best to send me to a specialist, which turned out to be a big waste of money. The specialist looked at the films quickly, felt around my now sore breast and agreed that I needed a biopsy. Wait this is the good part...She is going to write an order to have it done by the doctor at the hospital, because his equipment is better than hers. "Yes, in more ways than one," quickly ran through my head as I departed her office, missing the kindness of the Stepford Nurses at the hospital.
9 Jan 12 – Round 4
I'm back again at Fauquier Hospital, arm stretched out as they tag me at the door. I feel more like a regular now, waving to the guy playing the piano before I make my way to the imaging department. Today I have back-up, my best cousin in the world has decided to join me in what she has labeled a booby poking party. I'm early because I hadn't picked up the order from the specialist yet or done any of the admissions paperwork. But this hospital works like a well-oiled machine and had everything ready before I got there. Once I hand over my paperwork to the imaging receptionist, she calls to the back to see what time they need me since I am early. It's lunch time so, I was a bit happy when she said 1:45pm. I looked at my cousin and in unison we both said "Ruby Tuesdays."
Still tagged, I escape the hospital and go to lunch. I wish I could say it was good, but after horking down a 2oz overcooked piece of meat that they have the nerve to call a steak, I was wishing we had gone to Chipotle instead for chicken tacos. And now it's snowing...by now I should have expected it.
Upon my return to the hospital, I was promptly brought back to the surgical waiting area. This is where you put on your gown and lay in bed while they attach a bunch of stuff to you. I'm thinking, they have the wrong person I'm just here for a simple biopsy. Just as my spidy scenes were starting to tingle and escape was imminent, a young male nurse entered my curtained area.
Recognizing the Stepford expression that encompassed his face, like a Chip and Dale dancer in a room of ugly girls with a stack of ones, he smiled and explained the procedure. He handed me a paper brochure with info about the surgeon who would be preforming the biopsy and asked if I had any questions.
Handing him back the paper, I asked "I don't like this one, aren't there any cuter ones available?"
He laughed before responding, "We can reschedule your procedure if you would like."
I shrugged my shoulders and responded, "Na...I'm already here, so he will have to do."
Moments later we were joined by the doctor. During his detailed explanation, he mentioned that they would leave a small tag in the area, so it would be easier to find during follow ups.
I laughed and said to him, "Speaking of tags, the aliens have already removed the tracking device from my boob, so you are not going to find anything today."
He chuckled and said, "Well, let's make sure before I send you on your way."
I get wheeled down the hall to a small ultrasound room. The technician gets me comfortable and begins to do the ultrasound before the doctor gets there. After several minutes of scanning she looked back at the computer screen containing my last ultrasound and began searching again. When the doctor arrived, the technician explained to him that she couldn't find the spot. So, he looked over the report and the older images, then looked around with the ultrasound for a long time. Finally he said, I need to get a second doctor's opinion before walking out the room.
Moments later he was back with another doctor and the young male nurse from the surgical waiting area. The second doctor looked around then back and forth between the old images and the ones she was producing. By now my boob was getting sore from all the pressure being exerted on it by the ultrasound wand. The doctors kind of shrug and tell me I won't need the biopsy they can't find anything.
That's when quickly said, "I told you they came back and removed their tracking device."
The doctor laughed and said, "See you in six months for your next mammogram."
The moral to this story....Don't wait to get your mammogram, Aliens only come back for tracking devices, so they don't get caught. They don't care if you have cancer, so you need to stay on top of that yourself.
Anyone else have a hospital adventure you would like to share? I would love to hear it.
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic Series
Follow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
January 5, 2012
Spell Check Giveaway (That means FREE)
Hello readers, hope you are having a fabulous Thursday, because I am, which is great, since that means I am giving my book away for free for a limited time (Today and Tomorrow).
Spell Checked by C.G. Powell
What would you do if you found out that vampires and witches really do exist and they aren't exactly what you think they are?
Maelin wanted nothing more than solitude, but her best friend thought otherwise when she booked them on a tour of Ireland. Mae soon finds herself unexplainably attracted to the very man who brought her to Ireland under false pretenses and learns that witches and vampires not only live among them, but that she herself is one.
Beck and Helen's love for one another spans across a millennium, her human soul reincarnated to match Beck's own immortality. This time however the body she occupies is of a being that cannot be eclipsed by her return. After waiting two hundred years, Beck finds himself tormented by Helen's inability to return and his growing love for her new host.
If you would like to read Spell Checked for free, just click the Smashwords link below and enter code HC29J at the checkout. Please feel free to share the freeness!!! And don't forget to check out Red Hot Reads on my sidebar for some more great free reads!
Spell Checked
And for those of you that have read it already. Thank you, please leave me a comment to let me know you were here :-)
Spell Checked by C.G. Powell
What would you do if you found out that vampires and witches really do exist and they aren't exactly what you think they are?
Maelin wanted nothing more than solitude, but her best friend thought otherwise when she booked them on a tour of Ireland. Mae soon finds herself unexplainably attracted to the very man who brought her to Ireland under false pretenses and learns that witches and vampires not only live among them, but that she herself is one.
Beck and Helen's love for one another spans across a millennium, her human soul reincarnated to match Beck's own immortality. This time however the body she occupies is of a being that cannot be eclipsed by her return. After waiting two hundred years, Beck finds himself tormented by Helen's inability to return and his growing love for her new host.
If you would like to read Spell Checked for free, just click the Smashwords link below and enter code HC29J at the checkout. Please feel free to share the freeness!!! And don't forget to check out Red Hot Reads on my sidebar for some more great free reads!
Spell Checked
And for those of you that have read it already. Thank you, please leave me a comment to let me know you were here :-)
January 1, 2012
Io's Song - Concept Cover
In my drunken stupor last night, I began to plot out my next book. It will be called Io's Song. I made a concept cover for it....Feel free to tell me what you think.
December 30, 2011
Scavenger Hunt With Author Elizabeth Sharp
Today my blog is hosting a stop in the wonderful Elizabeth Sharp's scavenger hunt to help her celebrate the release of her second book, Second Nature!! These things are always so much fun and this wonderful author is giving away signed copies of both her books to the winner!! But don't fret if you don't know all the answers at the end of the hunt. Each person who plays along until the end and has at least 4 of the correct answers will win an ebook copy of both Natural Selection and Second Nature. So here's your clue and the link to the next place in the hunt:
I was that quiet awkward boy who grew up right. Though I was always popular, my only real friend was Xander. It was through him that I met Amelia, who I can't seem to get off my mind these days. I would never admit it for the world, but I really like a girl that I can rescue, someone who sees me as their knight in shining armor.
Next stop: http://oliviahardinwriter.wordpress.com/
I was that quiet awkward boy who grew up right. Though I was always popular, my only real friend was Xander. It was through him that I met Amelia, who I can't seem to get off my mind these days. I would never admit it for the world, but I really like a girl that I can rescue, someone who sees me as their knight in shining armor.
Next stop: http://oliviahardinwriter.wordpress.com/
December 28, 2011
Queen Isabella of Castile 15th Century Honey Badger
Isabella I didn't have an easy childhood. At the age of 13, upon the death of her father, John II of Castile, she was left in the care of her older half-brother Henry IV of Castile. During this time she, her mother, and younger brother were moved to a castle in poor conditions where they also suffered from a shortage of money. Despite the conditions, Isabella thrived under her mother's watchful eyes.
Eventually karma worked its magic, and Isabella was made her brothers heir in place of his own daughter, Joanna. After several attempts to marry Isabella off, for his own political gain, she escaped her brother's court and married Ferdinand of Aragon, who crossed Castile in secret, disguised as a merchant. What girl could say no to that kind of dedication?
Upon the death of her older brother, Isabella was made queen, but not without being challenged by supporters of her older brothers daughter, Joanna and her husband/half-uncle Alfonso who was 30 years her senior...ewwww!!!
Okay I know I'm getting off track here, but I just have to tell this little tidbit. Rumor has it that Joanna's father, Henry IV was impotent and her mother, Joan was having a relationship with a Castilian noble named Beltran de La Cueva during the time of Joanna's birth. From the time she was born, Joana was given the nickname the Beltraneja (a mocking reference to her assumed real father). Soon her mother was banished to Bishop Fonseca's castle where she fell in love with Fonseca's nephew and became pregnant. Henry divorced her shortly afterwards. Not that I'm a fan of infidelity, but Henry was an ass and the sex wasn't even good, so I'm defiantly team Joan on this one.
Now back to our story. After several years, the war between Isabella and Alfonso finally ended in favor of Isabella, which was good because she was a honey badger when it came to reform and negotiations. During the time of her brother's reign, he did little to enforce the laws, so murder, rape, and robbery ran ramped, without punishment. This changed when Isabella formed the crowns first police force. She also made it a point to restore peace to the areas that had become infested by robbers that oppressed the smaller towns and villages.
Henry had left Castile in great debt, so Isabella set about restoring the Crown's finances, by taking over the mint and limiting coinage. She also reacquired royal estates that had been sold during her brother's reign well below their value, buying them back for the amount they were sold for. Those that wished to keep their estates now had to purchase them at a fair price. Her one stipulation was that there would be no revocation of gifts made to churches, hospitals, or the poor.
In spite of her talented ability to rule, it is her sponsorship of Christopher Columbus and her daughter Catharine, first wife to Henry VIII of England, that she is most remembered for. She was a fierce ruler, but a fair one for the most part...At least until you get to her religiously motivated decisions, such as the Spanish Inquisition.
So, what are your thoughts on Queen Isabella? Does the Inquisition alone make her a bad ruler? And why do we celebrate Columbus Day? I mean there were people here that had already discovered the place about 20,000 years prior and all Columbus brought to the table was European diseases....Not nice, but I guess that is a story for another day.
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic Series
Follow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
Eventually karma worked its magic, and Isabella was made her brothers heir in place of his own daughter, Joanna. After several attempts to marry Isabella off, for his own political gain, she escaped her brother's court and married Ferdinand of Aragon, who crossed Castile in secret, disguised as a merchant. What girl could say no to that kind of dedication?
Upon the death of her older brother, Isabella was made queen, but not without being challenged by supporters of her older brothers daughter, Joanna and her husband/half-uncle Alfonso who was 30 years her senior...ewwww!!!
Okay I know I'm getting off track here, but I just have to tell this little tidbit. Rumor has it that Joanna's father, Henry IV was impotent and her mother, Joan was having a relationship with a Castilian noble named Beltran de La Cueva during the time of Joanna's birth. From the time she was born, Joana was given the nickname the Beltraneja (a mocking reference to her assumed real father). Soon her mother was banished to Bishop Fonseca's castle where she fell in love with Fonseca's nephew and became pregnant. Henry divorced her shortly afterwards. Not that I'm a fan of infidelity, but Henry was an ass and the sex wasn't even good, so I'm defiantly team Joan on this one.
Now back to our story. After several years, the war between Isabella and Alfonso finally ended in favor of Isabella, which was good because she was a honey badger when it came to reform and negotiations. During the time of her brother's reign, he did little to enforce the laws, so murder, rape, and robbery ran ramped, without punishment. This changed when Isabella formed the crowns first police force. She also made it a point to restore peace to the areas that had become infested by robbers that oppressed the smaller towns and villages.
Henry had left Castile in great debt, so Isabella set about restoring the Crown's finances, by taking over the mint and limiting coinage. She also reacquired royal estates that had been sold during her brother's reign well below their value, buying them back for the amount they were sold for. Those that wished to keep their estates now had to purchase them at a fair price. Her one stipulation was that there would be no revocation of gifts made to churches, hospitals, or the poor.
In spite of her talented ability to rule, it is her sponsorship of Christopher Columbus and her daughter Catharine, first wife to Henry VIII of England, that she is most remembered for. She was a fierce ruler, but a fair one for the most part...At least until you get to her religiously motivated decisions, such as the Spanish Inquisition.
So, what are your thoughts on Queen Isabella? Does the Inquisition alone make her a bad ruler? And why do we celebrate Columbus Day? I mean there were people here that had already discovered the place about 20,000 years prior and all Columbus brought to the table was European diseases....Not nice, but I guess that is a story for another day.
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic Series
Follow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
December 21, 2011
Zero Gravity Sex – Not Your Mothers Porn
I had to write a guest post for a friend, and she said I could write about anything I want...Wow, that was brave of her, especially since my mind always sits somewhere between NASA's latest planet discovery and group sex (note: I didn't hyperlink group sex...Find your own porn!!).
One of the questions I ask myself frequently is, "How do you have sex in zero gravity?" Unlike the aliens that visit this planet, we have not become technically savvy enough to figure out how to create artificial gravity. So, what is the next best option...Velcro, duct tape, spandex suit for two, they are all viable options, I mean at this point just keeping contact with one's partner is a challenge in itself. I think they should consider and small closet like room with padded walls and a low ceiling for leverage...I mean really, you only need to have six inches between you to make this work.
What other ways do you think we could use? Should we just wait for artificial gravity? And if we were to go to this new planet, which celebrities should we take with us? For procreation reasons, I'm thinking the Duggars and Octimom....
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic Series
Follow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
One of the questions I ask myself frequently is, "How do you have sex in zero gravity?" Unlike the aliens that visit this planet, we have not become technically savvy enough to figure out how to create artificial gravity. So, what is the next best option...Velcro, duct tape, spandex suit for two, they are all viable options, I mean at this point just keeping contact with one's partner is a challenge in itself. I think they should consider and small closet like room with padded walls and a low ceiling for leverage...I mean really, you only need to have six inches between you to make this work.
What other ways do you think we could use? Should we just wait for artificial gravity? And if we were to go to this new planet, which celebrities should we take with us? For procreation reasons, I'm thinking the Duggars and Octimom....
C.G. Powell
Author of Spell Checked: Book One of The No Uncertain Logic Series
Follow me! Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Buy my book Amazon | Barns & Noble | Smashwords
December 18, 2011
Blood Oath by Belinda Boring
I'm super excited to be featuring Blood Oath, the 3rd book in the Mystic Wolves series by Belinda Boring.
Blurb
Someone is trying to send a deadly message to Mason, arranging the deaths of those he loves and it puts the entire pack and Alpha on high alert. Plans are made but when the enemy strikes another painful blow by entering into the heart of pack property and kidnapping Darcy, Mason declares war. There's nothing he won't do to keep his future mate and pack safe.
Darcy understands the primal instincts driving her beloved Mason's commands. With the help of those he sets as protectors, she learns about herself and the things she'll need to help support her Alpha and pack. When events turn dire however, one truth offers her strength – once given, a blood oath is unbreakable … even if it means risking it all.
Book Buying Links
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Belinda+Boring+Mystic+Wolves
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Belinda-Boring-Mystic-Wolves?keyword=Belinda+Boring+Mystic+Wolves&store=allproducts
Teasers
"What is it about you that I can't resist?" he asked, inching painstakingly lower until he hovered just about my mouth, barely touching. His breath was hot, seductive, and it caused a ripple of excitement to course through me.
"Must be my sparkling personality," I whispered back, struggling not to close the distance between us. Electricity charged the air, the chemistry of our connection wreaking havoc on my hormones.
He feathered his lips lightly over mine, just the ghost of a touch and I whimpered as he retreated without fully claiming my mouth. "Must be because I can barely remember my name when you look at me like that." His fingers drew a soft line down the side of my cheek.
"And how is that?" I purred softly, a sultry tone to my voice. My body felt as if it would explode from the way he seemed to drink me in.
"Like the world doesn't exist, but for the two of us. How did I deserve you?" He kissed me again. This time a little slower, pressing harder, and I followed him involuntarily as he moved back. He was teasing me and driving me crazy with it.
Author bio
A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self-proclaimed addict of romance and all things swoon worthy. When she's not devouring her latest read, you can find her celebrating her passion for books on her blog The Bookish Snob. With all that excitement, it wasn't long before she began writing, pouring her imagination and creativity into the stories she dreams. Whether urban fantasy, paranormal romance or romance in general, Belinda strives to share great plots with heart and characters that you can't help but connect with. Of course, she wouldn't be Belinda without adding heroes she hopes will curl your toes. Surrounded by a supportive cast of family, friends and the man she gives her heart and soul to, Belinda is living the good life. Happy reading!
EVERY COMMENTER GETS A FREE COPY
Yep, you heard that right. Just leave me a comment on this post, along with your name and email. And I will send you a coupon to receive Blood Oath for free via Smashwords.com. This offer is good until January 7, thanks to the courtesy of the fabulous Belinda Boring. So, don't forget to leave a review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It will be well appreciated.
BlurbSomeone is trying to send a deadly message to Mason, arranging the deaths of those he loves and it puts the entire pack and Alpha on high alert. Plans are made but when the enemy strikes another painful blow by entering into the heart of pack property and kidnapping Darcy, Mason declares war. There's nothing he won't do to keep his future mate and pack safe.
Darcy understands the primal instincts driving her beloved Mason's commands. With the help of those he sets as protectors, she learns about herself and the things she'll need to help support her Alpha and pack. When events turn dire however, one truth offers her strength – once given, a blood oath is unbreakable … even if it means risking it all.
Book Buying Links
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Belinda+Boring+Mystic+Wolves
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Belinda-Boring-Mystic-Wolves?keyword=Belinda+Boring+Mystic+Wolves&store=allproducts
Teasers
"What is it about you that I can't resist?" he asked, inching painstakingly lower until he hovered just about my mouth, barely touching. His breath was hot, seductive, and it caused a ripple of excitement to course through me.
"Must be my sparkling personality," I whispered back, struggling not to close the distance between us. Electricity charged the air, the chemistry of our connection wreaking havoc on my hormones.
He feathered his lips lightly over mine, just the ghost of a touch and I whimpered as he retreated without fully claiming my mouth. "Must be because I can barely remember my name when you look at me like that." His fingers drew a soft line down the side of my cheek.
"And how is that?" I purred softly, a sultry tone to my voice. My body felt as if it would explode from the way he seemed to drink me in.
"Like the world doesn't exist, but for the two of us. How did I deserve you?" He kissed me again. This time a little slower, pressing harder, and I followed him involuntarily as he moved back. He was teasing me and driving me crazy with it.
Author bio A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self-proclaimed addict of romance and all things swoon worthy. When she's not devouring her latest read, you can find her celebrating her passion for books on her blog The Bookish Snob. With all that excitement, it wasn't long before she began writing, pouring her imagination and creativity into the stories she dreams. Whether urban fantasy, paranormal romance or romance in general, Belinda strives to share great plots with heart and characters that you can't help but connect with. Of course, she wouldn't be Belinda without adding heroes she hopes will curl your toes. Surrounded by a supportive cast of family, friends and the man she gives her heart and soul to, Belinda is living the good life. Happy reading!
EVERY COMMENTER GETS A FREE COPY
Yep, you heard that right. Just leave me a comment on this post, along with your name and email. And I will send you a coupon to receive Blood Oath for free via Smashwords.com. This offer is good until January 7, thanks to the courtesy of the fabulous Belinda Boring. So, don't forget to leave a review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It will be well appreciated.
