M.A Grace's Blog, page 15

A little taste of what is to come.....

GROWING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!!  Common Sense Revisited.

Although the book is nowhere near finished I thought I'd give you a few snip bits so you can see the focus. Or see if it interest you....or if you want to yell and tell me I am going in the wrong direction and you're bored lol.



Table of Contents

IntroductionChapter 1: GovernmentChapter 2: Food IndustriesChapter 3: SchoolChapter 4: Children and Future GenerationsChapter 5: TechnologyChapter 6: You as an IndividualAppendix



EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 1: GOVERNMENT
My favorite definition of government in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is, “The organization or agency through which a political unit exercises authority.”




 EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 6: YOU as an Individual  Honesty is the best policy. At least that is what I was taught growing up. But the world doesn’t revolve around honesty. It revolves around lies, a cheating spouse, a crooked cop, and a drug addicted doctor. Politicians and chairmen lie for election while others lie to not get caught doing the wrong thing. The little white lies are just as bad as the other bigger lies, but because at that very second you made someone else feel better we tell ourselves it is okay. Well that is a lie as well. Society as a whole has told so many lies over time that we have forgotten what the truth even was to begin with. I challenge you right now to look back on today or yesterday. How many lies in any form did you tell? What was the reason for your lies? Does that number make you happy? I know I am not happy with my number. Not answering and or leaving out information are also bad. It may not be a lie but it is still far from the truth. I plan to clear the air of the lies we have told and buried ourselves under. I am here for your wake-up call because this chapter is all about YOU and how you are helping destroy yourself and the rest of society.  

Blitz Review: Beneath The Surface

 (Sneak Peek Excerpt)
 
For the first time since the accident, Brooke forgot about her leg. Forgot about all she’d lost and focused on the way Garrett made her feel.            She knew she needed to stop him. She should find a way to resist the temptation to be with him. But for a few minutes, she could enjoy the taste of him, the feel of him, couldn’t she?            He dropped his hands to her waist and softened the kiss before trailing a line of kisses down her neck. A weak cry slipped from her mouth. “Garrett,” she whispered.            She should stop this now before it got any more intense.            He lifted her chin and forced her to meet his brown eyes, smoky with desire. Heat spiraled to her middle and she caught a whiff of his sawdust scent.            “I…I can walk you back to your own room before I head to mine.” His voice broke as he whispered.            She swallowed hard. She couldn’t do this right now with him. Too many obstacles stood in their way. But as she looked in his somber eyes, she realized none of those complications were bigger than her need for Garrett.            “Let’s go to your room,” she said, her voice shaking. She moved her hands inside his shirt and ran them over his tight abs and chest. Heat soared through her body at the feel of him. “Together…”






 

She’s fighting to stay independent—he’s determined to protect her no matter what…
Brooke Richards survived the earthquake that took her parents and most of her leg, but she needs time to regroup. A trip to Florida for a state-of-the-art prosthesis and to visit her best friend Linda seems ideal. But the trip turns traumatic when Brooke witnesses Linda’s boat disintegrating in a fiery explosion.
Police officer Garrett Ciavello believes the blast was intentionally set to hide something Linda found on a dive. When Brooke offers her expertise in underwater archeology, Garrett accepts her help with the investigation. But since his fiancée’s death years ago, Garrett has become overprotective, and as they are drawn to each other, Garrett realizes he will risk anything to keep Brooke safe.
Brooke is fiercely independent. Garrett is fiercely protective. Will they heal each other’s wound and find a killer…before it’s too late?



Meet the Author !!!   Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines and her debut novel, BENEATH THE SURFACE, a romantic suspense, released in January, 2012. LOVE DELIVERED, a contemporary romance, is also now available.     Over the years, Joya has taught arts and crafts, worked in public relations, owned a daycare center, helped her children raise prize-winning 4-H livestock, competed in three marathons, and even spent a year as a Baltimore Colts cheerleader. Joya loves spending time with her high school sweetheart/husband of over twenty years, two very supportive children, and a pug who follows her everywhere. 

Find Joya online!! www.joyafields.com Twitter Amazon Author PageGoodreads Author Page



Other Blitz Stops of Today!!!



Smitten with Reading Reviewing Shelf
My Cozie Corner  Books, Books, and More Books
 Understanding Shae's Story Purple Penguin Reviews  ¡Miraculous! A Date with A Book  Love to Read Romance    T B R Lissette E. Manning   Words I Write Crazy  Ramblings of an Amateur Writer


 A Night's Dream of Books




Contest are always super fun!!! 
Would you like to win a copy of Beneath the Surface? Some signed swag (Romance Trading Cards and Bookmark) Or How about this super Grand Prize pictured above? Well enter below and GOOD LUCK!!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Rafflecopter  

The best of all moment.....MY REVIEW!!!  A building love, people out to destroy her, his desire to protect her and still do his job, adventure, romance and suspense. All in a neat little package between a front and back cover. Brooke is a strong character that has learned over time that you need nobody but yourself to make it. Garrett is a soft hearted cop who wants to make sure Brooke stays alive while they crack the case.

This book leaves you hungry for more but doesn't disappoint either. Filled with a mixture of romance, action, drama, and more you will be eagerly turning each page as you follow the journey from the explosion of Brooke's friends boat to the love neither can deny to the last page.

I highly recommend this book. It was an easy read and enjoyable.
 

Blog Hosting: EOS (The Samsara Chronicles Book 1)

Blending elements of futuristic, fantasy, science fiction and the paranormal, the Samsara Chronicles explores the duality of good and evil set against two worlds, Earth and Nirvana.

Guided by mystical beings, a human mother bears a daughter of alien royalty, Aislinn, destined to champion the future of two worlds.




MY REVIEW!!! I understand the process of what Diana and Gabriella are trying to do by breaking up the series into segments. However with a short 37 page story (3 chapters) I wonder if they could have put some of the segments together more. This is a personal choice of course as I just don't like having to switch from one book to the other so often. 
However, as far as the story goes it is very intriguing. And also it was able for me to relate being in the same position as Seanne on the inability to conceive problem with no real reason why. 2 Chapters are about Seanne and Blake and then the last chapter sets up for you to go into book 2/segment 2.
There are 2 possibly 3 if you break it up that way sex scenes. Nothing in huge detail but enough to know what is going on. All of which happens at the beginning of the book. 
Book 1 is mostly back story so don't expect a lot of action. However you need the backstory to understand the rest of things is how I see it. I look forward to seeing where this series goes.

Juicing, Eating right, Exercise, and Gardens...

Well this last week has been full of not only making plans but also making steps to get to those plans and goals.


Step 1: Write down goals.

Okay we (me and my husband) want to eat healthier and want to get to a healthier weight. In order to do this we have to buy healthier foods, exercise more, and make smarter choices. So we watch the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. Surprise surprise we decide that we should try juicing to kick start our new lifestyle. (We are not, do not, and have no plans to do it as long as the guy in the movie. That is just crazy.)


Step 2: Get started.

So we go out to Walmart and buy a nice pretty new Juicer. And our latest shopping trip consist of Fruits and vegetables. (Plus a few things we needed to help get the food we already had out of the house. We are not wasteful people.)

WALMART



Told you.........Lots of fruits and Vegetables.


Also we finally found a spot and planted our vegetable garden. 




Planting kit came from Sams Club

Step 3: Do don't just make a plan.
So Saturday we walked 3 miles. Sunday we bowled 3 games but didn't walk due to the storm. Monday I did yoga for 15 minutes. I found out Yoga is very very hard... I apparently am not very well balanced and I kept falling over. Good thing I was using the wii fit so nobody got to see me except the dogs. 
Our Juicing has been a crazy experimental ride... Mixing the fruits and vegetables... some turn out okay some turn out not so good. 






Step 4: Get Results!!!
Well we started this on Friday really getting down to the juicing, eating better, and all. I've lost 3.4 lbs over the weekend. Not a huge amount but honestly any amount is better than no amount.

Book Review: Hallie Palmer

The Hallie Palmer series is a humorous and heartfelt tale of affirmation and belonging. This compendium contains all four of the bestselling and award-winning books: BEGINNER'S LUCK, HEART'S DESIRE, THE BIG SHUFFLE and BEST BET. Beginner’s Luck was chosen by Barnes & Noble for their “Discover Great New Writers” program and by Borders for “Original Voices.” The Big Shuffle was selected as the Best Adult Novel for Teens by The New York Public Library. Best Bet was a Next Generation finalist in the categories of Best Fiction and Best Cover Design. The Hallie Palmer novels are a favorite of book clubs and high school reading lists. Like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, they appeal to readers of all ages and their message of hope and kindness remains timeless and uplifting. 





Beginner's Luck:BEGINNER'S LUCK is a story of belonging, and the love and courage it can instill within the human heart. And paradoxically, the freedom and feeling of independence that a sense of belonging kindles in a soul that is hungry for life in all its glories and disappointments. 





Heart's Desire: Card shark and former wild child Hallie Palmer is in college now, and Bernard, her former legal guardian and go-to guy for crepes suzettes, has suddenly appeared during final exams. He's hysterical that his relationship has gone down in flames and wants to enlist Hallie in a scheme to win Gil back. So Hallie returns to Cosgrove County, Ohio, the setting of Pedersen's award-winning novel BEGINNER'S LUCK, and resumes her job as live-in yard person for the summer, and also for some damage control.





The Big Shuffle: THE BIG SHUFFLE is the sequel to HEART'S DESIRE, and the third book in the BEGINNER'S LUCK series. When the death of her father leaves her mother in a state of shock, card shark Hallie Palmer – the fiery protagonist from BEGINNER’S LUCK and HEART’S DESIRE - returns home from college to bravely deal herself in as head of a chaotic household and care for her eight younger siblings.



Best Bet: BEST BET is the fourth and final book in the Hallie Palmer series. Since Hallie's father died and left behind ten children, money at the Palmer household is tighter than ever. And just when Hallie thought she was graduating from college, it turns out she's four credits short. A professor needs one more student for a project that will take her around the world. Only longtime boyfriend Craig has another proposition for Hallie. 





Learn about the Author!!!


Laura Pedersen writes for The New York Times and is the author of Play Money, Going Away Party, Beginner's Luck (chosen as a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection), Last Call, Heart's Desire, The Sweetest Hours, and The Big Shuffle. In 1994, President Clinton honored her as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans. She has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, Prime time Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman, and she writes for several well known comedians. Pedersen lives in New York City.
Laura's Website






Grab your copy of the series today!!!  Barnes And NobleAmazon

You can also buy the individual books at Barnes And Noble and or Amazon. 



My Review!!!! Buy this book. Read it. You will be laughing hysterically through each page. And yet at the same time you will feel a mix of emotions as you follow the journey of Hallie Palmers life. Love, Lost, Sadness, Happiness, Selfishness, Caring, Giving, and Taking. Hallie is just like anyone you'd meet on the street. Which I think helps people connect with her more. They can be like "I've done that" or "That is something I would do too." 
Having each book in the same location is great because you don't have to put the book down to start the next one. Just flip the page and continue on the journey.
A very recommended book for anyone that wants a story to lighten their day. Each book is fairly long but is an easy read. I loved it. I hope you do too and would love to know your thoughts.



**** Stay Tuned in the future as I hope to do an individual review for each story*****

Book Review: Click

 Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click: An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds through a series of emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with "My buddies and I were out drinking one night," to the egotistical “B”celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC's, FWD's and inadvertent Reply to All's, readers will root for Renee to "click" with the right man.









Lisa Becker had endured her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates, many of which inspired Click: An Online Love Story. She is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for you! 







Connect with the Author

Facebook Page for Click



MY REVIEW!!!!


To be completely honest I struggled between a 3 and 4 rating. So I guess 3.5 would work?

I have the kindle version. And it was a bit hard to read. The book is set up solely as emails. So you get the To: From: and Subject: line at the start of each new email. But there was no space between the last email and the line starting the next email. I wish spacing between emails was increased. It just makes it easier for me to read lol bad eyes and all.

I did tend to get lost among the emails some as each person has their own connections and stories. I mean you have multiple people sending email to multiple people. It wasn't bad just difficult at some places to keep it all straight in my mind.

The structure is not normal, as I said before it is all emails. You read how people talk about the events they have during the day, night, morning, lunch etc. You get the left out filling as you are not given detail for detail of what happen. Which makes sense. Nobody is going to write an email to their friend that just had lunch with them and describe everything that happen at the lunch. lol.

All in all the story as a whole was very real. The events and situations that came up are how people will and could or would act. I myself find the "BIG FALL OUT" was nothing to get so worked up about and totally made me roll my eyes at the main girl Renee. I mean really she got upset about something that I don't see any reason for her to be so uptight over. But that is the joy of things. Everyone has a different reaction to what life gives them. And love can come in the most unique places and odd ways.


CONTEST!!!!!!!!!!  WIN YOURSELF A COPY!



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Juicing Detox...First hand

I've heard of it before but never thought to try it myself until recently. This is a picture of my brand new juicer!! And thus starts the process of Juicing. 
The above Juicer was $99 at Wal-Mart. 

I didn't know what to use first so I picked Golden Delicious Apples!!! Yummy Apples!!! This is 6 apples chopped and de-seeded.


Apple down the shoot! 

And Juice comes out the spout! 

And then TA-DA!!!!

Apple Juice!!! 
It just tasted like a Golden Delicious Apple. Those 6 apples made 2 cups like the one pictured above. So me and my husband was able to have our own glasses. It tasted fine drinking it but now a bit after I am a little queasy in the tummy now. But all in all I say it is a success!


YAY JUICE!!!!

Blog Tour Post: Severed Threads

Good Reads Giveaway!






Believing herself responsible for her father’s fatal diving accident, Rachel Lyons has withdrawn from the world and assumed a safe position at a foundation office. When called upon by a museum director to assist her former love interest with the recovery of a cursed relic from a sunken Chinese merchant ship, she has no intention of cooperating – until her brother is kidnapped by a drug-dealing gangster. In order to save him and gain control over her own life, Rachel must not only overcome her greatest fears, but also relive the circumstances that lead to her father’s death.



Meet the Author :)  As many people know, Kaylin McFarren wasn’t born with a pen in hand like so many of her talented fellow authors. However, she has been involved with business and personal writing projects for many years. Her careers have taken her in all directions, ranging from fashion modeling and interior design to office manager and art gallery director. Yet her love of reading and interest in creative writing has remained ever present. As a result of her tapping into her imagination and utilizing her own life experiences, she has earned more than a dozen literary awards. Her first novel, Flaherty’s Crossing was a 2008 finalist in the prestigious RWA® Golden Heart contest and her second book, Severed Threads, has already garnered two first place awards.
Kaylin is a member of RWA, Rose City Romance Writers, and Willamette Writers. She received her AA in Literature at Highline Community College, which originally sparked her passion for writing. In her free time, she also enjoys giving back to the community through participation and support of various educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and is currently the president of the Soulful Giving Foundation – a non-profit she and her husband formed to fund expanded research, and the care and treatment of cancer patients and their families.


Connect with Kaylin!
Her latest book is a romantic suspense titled Severed Threads .
You can visit Kaylin online at www.KaylinMcFarren.com.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/4kaylin
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kaylin.mcfarren
Blog: http://kaylinmcfarren.wordpress.com/



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My Review :) 
*WARNING* This book includes mature and sexual content that is not appropriate for young ages.


Suspense, Love, Guilt, Sadness, Fear, and Happiness. These are just some of the emotions you will find and feel as your turn the pages of Kaylin's story. You follow the adventure of divers who find the worlds lost treasures under the sea. You follow the struggle as Rachel deals with the guilt she feels over her fathers death and how she is scared to open her heart to others. You follow the race against the clock to be the first to find what is lost.

A very enjoyable read for a lazy afternoon or a long hot bubble bath. This book will wrap you up and not let you go. Even after reading the last paragraph on the last page you are begging for the story to continue. You'll want to pick up your copy today because you don't want to miss this story!







This Book Tour for Severed Threads was booked by Pump Up Your Book. A copy of this book was provided to me from the author. Although payment was received from the author to Pump Up Your Book for this tour there was no payment given to me for my review. This review is solely my thoughts on what I read. This review may not agree with the Book Tour site, Author, Agent, Publisher or other readers.    

Blog Tour Host Post: Dreaming Montana

            In a single day, Cara Gallagher experiences an erotic dream about a man she doesn’t know and has a premonition of her identical twin—at the exact moment her sister dies in a car accident.  To escape her grief and a loveless marriage, Cara accepts a temporary job reassignment in Seattle, where she continues to have sensuous dreams of the unknown man. There she encounters an angel who claims to be sent by her dead sister to help her find the man in her dreams. Meanwhile, photographer Jay Amiens sees angel wings on his film and has recurring intimate dreams about a woman he doesn’t know—but would love to meet in person.  Set in 1993, Dreaming Montana invokes the spirit of Seattle at the height of the grunge era, with the city as the backdrop for Cara and Jay to potentially cross paths.



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Kim Nathan is an American author of historical and contemporary romance fiction. Her first novel was Sterling Redmond , a historical romance. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, she relocated to Seattle, Washington in 1994, where she lives with her husband and cats. 




Kim Nathan ONLINE:Website     http://kimnathanauthor.com/Blog     http://kimnathanauthor.com/Facebook    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kim-Nathan-Author/160477620718928Twitter     https://twitter.com/#!/KimNathanAuthorGoodreads   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5753888.Kim_Nathan



 MY REVIEW!!!!
 A routine is something that we all think we want. Some of us think we want structure to do the same thing over and over again. But we always have some moment in our life that opens our eyes. To something more. We do something crazy and it can turn out great or fall flat and we settle again. 


Dreams can drive a person to crazy extents. And when that dream can make you feel alive from the life you currently have. And of course having your own angel to help is always a  plus.


Fun, easy and enjoyable read. This book will take you on an adventure you won't want to stop until you close the back cover.








CONTEST!!!!! WIN AN EBOOK COPY OF DREAMING MONTANA!!!!!




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    PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY!!!!










This Book Tour for Dreaming Montana was booked by Innovative Online Book Tours. A copy of this book was provided to me from this Book Tour site. Although payment was received from the author to Innovative Online Book Tours for this tour there was no payment given to me for my review. This review is solely my thoughts on what I read. This review may not agree with the Book Tour site, Author, Agent, Publisher or other readers.

Bed Bugs....Protect yourself.

WHO AM I?





If you guessed Bed Bug you are correct. If you did not guess Bed Bug then I am sorry but I am a Bed Bug :) 

What are Bed Bugs? And how did they get their name? 
Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on blood. The term is used loosely to refer to any species of the genus Cimex, and even more loosely to refer to any member of the family Cimicidae (cimicids). The common bedbug, Cimex lectularius, is the most infamous species of the family and prefers to feed on human blood. The name of the "bed bug" is derived from the insect's preferred habitat of houses and especially beds or other areas where people sleep. Bed bugs are mainly active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal and are capable of feeding on their hosts without being noticed.
Information Taken from Wikipedia
How can they get in your home?  Dwellings can become infested with bed bugs in a variety of ways, such as:
Bugs and eggs inadvertently brought in from other infested dwellings by visiting pets, or a visiting person's clothing or luggageInfested items (such as furniture, clothing or backpacks) brought inNearby dwellings or infested items, if easy routes are available for travel (through duct work or false ceilings)Wild animals (such as bats or birds) that may also harbor bed bugs or related species such as the bat bugPeople or pets visiting an infested areas (apartment, subway, movie theater, or hotel) and carrying the bugs to another area on their clothing, luggage, or bodies Information Taken from Wikipedia 



Bed Bugs like to snack on you while you sleep. Here are some pictures of what Bed Bugs have done to others. 
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But have no fear! You can do something about Bed Bugs! 
Learn more about Bed Bugs and how you can protect yourself, your family and your home. 
Bed Bug Removal Guide