Laura Chapman's Blog, page 45

drink on it

Blogger's Note: The weather is growing warmer in Nebraska. For some, that means planning a garden, scheduling a summer vacation or getting the grill started. For others, it means dealing with the fact that hot temperatures equate more skin exposure, which means getting in shape. I originally posted this on Good Humor Girl two years ago and thought I'd share it with you, today. I've added in a few musical selections to motivate you as you put these work-outs to work for yourself. Enjoy!

Source: arinas74 (stock.xchng)
Swimsuit season is upon us. If your body is beach ready, congratulations. You can proudly wear a bikini and relax by the pool without worrying about everyone judging your flabby underarms or cellulite-ridden thighs.

If you are like me and have never met a basket of French fries you did not like, join me for a drink. I know it sounds crazy, but exercise and alcohol are a great mix. After a night at the bar I discovered boozercise, and I want to share the benefits with you.

Quick disclaimer: I am not a licensed or unlicensed health or fitness professional. What I am is a twenty-something looking to shed a few pounds while remaining a regular at my favorite bar. I do not condone having more than one or two drinks before or during your workout. I also suggest avoiding heavy machinery, including cars, during and after boozercise.

Now on to the work-outs.


Exercise 1: Beerlates 
Beer plus Pilates

A great introduction into the boozercise world, Beerlates is both relaxing and invigorating while working your core. Follow a standard Pilates routine, which you can find for free on Hulu or at a local library. Begin with arm exercises, and hold a closed bottle of ice cold beer in each of your hands. This adds a little bit of weight giving you a great work-out. After completing these routines, open one of the bottles and sip in between sets. For a 30-minute work-out drink one beer. Allow yourself up to two during a 60-minute routine.  The number of calories you burn-off will vary depending on your choice of beer and the intensity of your work-out.

Calories burned an hour: Between 270 for beginner and 500 for advanced workouts.
Calories ingested with two 12-ounce drinks: Between 200 calories for a light beer and 500 for a dark beer (go light).


Exercise 2: Vodba 
Vodka plus Zumba

This one is super easy, and the rewards definitely outweigh any cons. Take two shots of vodka before beginning your Zumba routine. This will loosen you up and give you the confidence to shake your booty. Perhaps my favorite of the boozercises, you will burn a lot more calories than you ingest. You can do this easily at home with a dance DVD.

Calories burned an hour: 500 to 800
Calories ingested with two shots: About 110 calories



Exercise 3: Jogtails
Cocktails plus jogging

This will sound crazy, but I never feel more motivated to go for a jog than after a couple of happy hour drinks after work. Load up your favorite bar tunes on an MP3 player and hit the trails. Feel free to sing along. Just ignore the stares from your fellow runners.

Calories burned an hour: 350-plus, depending on your pace.
Calories ingested with two drinks: This depends on what you drink. Stick to vodka sodas and you will log about 150 calories total.


Exercise 4: Walkabout-and-over
A hangover plus walking and lots of water

This one might be the most painful, but it is ultimately the most beneficial. After a night of drinking, grab a couple of bottles of water and go for a walk. Go ahead and play some music, but select soft tunes. Sunglasses are also a must. You will feel much better after sweating out the booze from the night before.

Calories burned an hour: At a pace of 3 miles per hour, expect to burn between 250 to 500 calories. If you are faster, you will burn more.

Calories ingested with two drinks: Zero. Water is a zero-calorie miracle.

See, it all comes down to science. By burning more calories than you ingest, you are certainly no worse off. You can get a nice workout and a buzz. Now remember, drink responsibly. Two drinks in one hour is plenty.

Feel free to experiment and find our own favorite combinations for exercise and alcohol. If you find one you like, please share.

Good luck!


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excerpt of 'storm in a b cup'

Blogger's Note: Lindy Dale is on tour for her novel Storm in B Cup. I'm pleased to share this excerpt with you, today. Be sure to scroll to the bottom for your chance to enter the Rafflecopter contest.

About the Book
“It’s my funeral. If I want you to play Bon Jovi as they wheel my body away to be cremated you’ll do it.”

The horrified look on Brendan's face says he'll do anything but. “People will laugh.”

“I want them to. I want a funeral where everyone stands around and remembers the funny things I did, and then they get really pissed."

Sophie Molloy has Breast Cancer. She didn’t think it was cancer to begin with, she thought it was another cyst. She also didn’t think it would be the catalyst for a series of life changing events, none of which involved chemotherapy. Within months of her diagnosis, Sophie loses not only her right breast but her boyfriend of three years, her house and her best friend. Her life spirals from great to bad, then ugly. Nothing can make it better, not even the crazy care packages her mother keeps sending from Melbourne.

To make matters worse, Sophie fears she’s developing a crush on the plastic surgeon that will be reconstructing her breast. Dr. Hanson has the bedside manner of an angel and the looks to match. He’s so caring and compassionate, Sophie begins to believe he cares about her in a most non-doctor-patient kind of way. But he doesn’t, of course. He’s merely her doctor. Or does he?

A fictional tale, based on the author's medical journey with the disease, Storm in a B Cup is a warm-hearted glimpse into the world of a Breast Cancer sufferer that will have you laughing out loud.

Excerpt

About an hour later, Brendan arrives home late from squash to find me surfing the net on the new TV. Having located the last stash of chocolates — which I’d hidden so well even I couldn’t find them in the first search — I’ve demolished the lot, washing them down with a bottle of red. I’m feeling a little bit tipsy. Or it could be a sugar rush.

Raising his eyebrows at the coffee table, which is littered with wrappers and bearing a couple of wine rings, Brendan screws the papers into a tight ball and takes them and the empty bottle to the kitchen. He returns with a sponge, which he uses to wipe the table before returning it to its plastic bowl under the kitchen sink.

“Are you drunk?” he asks, returning to the room.

“Possibly.”

“Is that wise?”

“Probably not. I’ll have a massive hangover in the morning.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I realise that.”

I glare at him. Since the first traumatic days of my diagnosis, Brendan appears to have returned to his old self. Yes, he’s sporting a lot of new ties and at odd moments, I catch him studying me with a sad look on his face, but I think he’s trying to support me as best he can by acting as normally as he can. Which would of course, include chastising me for drinking too much and making a mess on his coffee table.

He walks around the sofa and flops down beside me. His body is clammy from his game of squash and his hair is standing in jagged spikes on top of his head. Somehow, he still manages to look devastatingly handsome.

“What’s this?” Brendan picks up my To Do list.

“A few things I need to sort out.” I try to snatch the list away but he holds it at arm’s length and begins to read.

“You’re planning your funeral? Jesus, Sophie!”

“You don’t think I’d let you be in charge do you?”

With the piece of paper in his hand, Brendan gets up and heads for the fridge. He pulls out a bottle of water and drinks half before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. He slings an arm over the open door. “Why are you planning your funeral?”

“In case I die on the operating table.”

“You’re not going to die on the operating table.” Shaking his head, he finishes his water and takes a three point shot at the recycling bin.

“I know, but in case I do, I’ve left you a list of requests.”

Brendan comes back to the sofa and picks up a second piece of paper from beside me. It has a heading entitled ‘Sophie’s Funeral’ and a page-long dot-pointed set of ideas. His eyes scan the page and he shakes his head again.

“I’m not playing Bon Jovi at your funeral, Soph.”

“It’s my funeral. If I want you to play Have A Nice Day as they wheel my body away to be cremated, you’ll do it.”

“But it’s a rock song.”

“I know. I want people to be happy. That song makes me happy. Speaking of which, I want U2 as well. Walk On.  And P!nk, Bad Influence while you do the photo montage.”

“People will laugh.”

“I want them to. People shouldn’t cry because I’m gone. They should have a wake where everyone stands around and remembers the funny things I did and then they get really pissed. I do not want crying and I definitely don’t want you to sprinkle my remains in some tacky rose garden somewhere.”

“Where will I put you then?”

“In an urn on the mantel. Then I can heckle you when you put the moves on a new woman.”

He looks horrified.

“Joke.”

He takes another look at the list. “They can’t sew your boob back on after you die.”

“Why? It's no good to anybody but me. The surgeon’s going to sew me up anyway, so I don’t see the difference.  It doesn’t have to be neat sewing. It just needs to be there so I’m complete and look nice in my death outfit.”

“Maybe you should discuss that with the doctor next Thursday.”

I snatch the pieces of paper from him. “All right. I will. I might get a sensible answer from her.”

“Hmm.”

I put the list aside and glancing at my watch, I pick up the phone. I scrawl another item while I wait.

Eyebrows.

“Hello? Anna? This is Sophie Molloy. I was wondering if you could fit me in for a full body wax, mani-pedi and an eyebrow wax and tint before next Thursday?”

Brendan’s mouth has hit the carpet. “You’re going to hospital, not the Oscars,” he hisses.

“Shhh!" I hold my hand up and turn away so I can't see him making faces at me. "One o’clock will be great. Thanks Anna. Yeah, see you then.” I hang up the phone and calmly scratch an item off the list.

“Sophie.”

The only thing I need now is luggage. I really need luggage.

“Sophie!” Brendan snatches the remote from me and turns the TV off. I can see he’s getting annoyed, so I try to give him my attention.

“Yes?”

“How much have you spent? So far?”

I do a quick tally. “Roughly eight hundred.”

“You do understand that’s two plane tickets to Melbourne?”

“Says the man who spent a small fortune on technology the other day.”

He gives me the look.

“I’m going to hospital. I need to look my best. People are going to see me naked.”

“I’m pretty sure they’ve seen naked people before. They won’t care if your toes aren’t buffed."

"I know, but I will. If I’m going to be unconscious in an operating theatre with a bunch of people I don’t know, I won’t be giving them any excuse to talk about me, except to say how pretty my hair is.”

My lip starts to wobble when I hear how incredibly shallow I sound and I collapse into Brendan’s arms. Sobbing.

“It’s okay. I understand. You can’t control the cancer, so you’re trying to control everything else in your life. You don’t like not being in control.”

“Are you saying I’m a control freak?”

He pauses for a minute, knowing that his sex life hangs in the balance here. If he says the wrong thing, I could cut him off. For a very long time.

“I’m saying you like to be organised and this has thrown you for a loop. You can’t orchestrate this part of your life. You have to let the professionals do their job.”

I understand what he’s saying and he’s perfectly right. I am an organiser. But I like things to be a certain way. That’s me. I reach up and peck his cheek. I feel so much better now I know I’m not having some sort of pre-op breakdown.

“Brendan?”

“Yeah?”

“If you don’t play Bon Jovi at my funeral, I’ll come back and haunt you while you’re having sex.”

“That sounds kinky.”

“Don’t bet on it.”

About the Author
Lindy lives on acreage in country Western Australia where she spends her days teaching, writing, walking and looking after orphan lambs. (See Daisy Darling)

She’s a hopeless U2 and Bon Jovi fan - as judged by her collection of tour t-shirts. She’s also rugby union fanatic, coffee and champagne lover, chocoholic, over-exaggerator, trashy TV, music and iPhone addict.

Lindy has been writing in the genre of Chick Lit & Women's Fiction for the past ten years but has also tried her hand at a paranormal romance in the book, Angel’s Bend. Chick Lit remains her main love.

Connect with Lindy
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the slump

More like quit playing games with my head.
Writing is hard. I never imagined it would be easy, but this is much harder than I imagined. Some days, writing seems virtually impossible. It's not a matter of not having the time. I carve out time daily to work on writing, re-writes or editing. It's making the time count that becomes the problem.

While I never seem to be at an end for coming up with story ideas, actually committing them to paper (or screen) sometimes seems impossible. It's something all writers face at times. Some call it writer's block, but that doesn't seem entirely accurate. For me, it's more of writing performance anxiety.

Sitting down to write, I stare at my screen willing the words to flow, but I freeze. I'm back in high school senior year. I'm standing outside the audition room for the state honor band. My hands turn cold and clammy. My chest and stomach grow tense. I can't breathe. I take a deep breath to settle my nerves, but nothing happens. The proctor calls my name. I grab my audition piece and step into the room. 

"Laura Chapman. Millard West. Omaha. Oboe." I lift the instrument and begin to play. Instead of the beautiful melodies I've practiced before and after school for the past few weeks, I miss notes. I start sounding like a duck. I never sound like a duck. I can usually run through my scales and arpeggios at top speeds, but today I have to slow below the recommended audition speed to hit my mark. Even then, I still miss the occasional note. 

I push through the audition, even though I've messed this up beyond redemption. I thank the proctor and leave the room. My mom and band director stand outside the room. No one says anything, but we all know. I blew it.

It's similar with my writing. I can force myself to go through the motions, but it's not right. Something is off. I'm taking much longer than I should, and I'm still missing the mark.

This is by no means a problem unique to me or others, I'm sure. But lately, it seems to be my biggest obstacle in completing any projects. At all hours of the day and night, dozens of questions and concerns race through my mind.

Why isn't this coming out the way I imagined?

How come I can't articulate this properly?

What good is my journalism degree and English minor if I constantly make stupid grammatical errors and typos?

What if people don't like my characters or story?

What if people don't like me?

What if people hate the writing?

What if I royally screw this up?

See what I mean? No end of ideas or thoughts. I haven't talked much about my writing journey as of late, because it's been a painfully slow and frustrating process. I could make excuses. I've been a bit under the weather. It's winter, which means winter blues. I'm tired. But those aren't actually the reasons my progress is muddy at best.

Most of the slowness comes from my fear of failure. A fear of disappointing friends, family, readers and myself. I recognize the futility of such worries. If one of my friends came to me with any of these concerns, I'd have answers prepared to motivate them.

Try a different approach - you'll find the right way to tell this story.

Take a break. Step away from this section and focus on something else.

That's what editors are for. Don't obsess. You can come back later and fix little errors.

Do you like your characters and story? Good. Forget everyone else.

Then they're idiots. Don't worry about them.

You can only do your best and work your hardest. There isn't a single book, TV show, movie or story that every person in the world universally likes.

You'll make mistakes. We all do. But you can learn from them. We're all works in progress.

It's hard to take your own advice, though, isn't it?

Some days, the fear is so debilitating, I consider deleting all of my works and progress, shutting down my blog and ignoring my already published titles. But I can't. Because my desire to tell stories wouldn't go away. And as I look back at what I've written, I'm annoyed with myself. Annoyed because I sound so damn whiny, but mostly irritated that right now I'm playing mental games, and it's pissing me off.

For myself, I probably should have opened up about this sooner. But sometimes, even though the issue is right there you don't want to acknowledge it. This is me admitting I'm having a tough time of this writing gig. I'd like to think this is the first step toward resolving it, but that's not quite true.

Like anything worth having or doing, being a writer comes with its challenges. Right now, this is mine. There's no quick fix. No switch to turn on or off. But finding my way back is something I have to do. And I will do it. It just may take me time.

How's that for a Monday post? I hope it doesn't come off as too self-important or obnoxious, but it's what I have going on. I'd be doing a disservice to telling my writing story if I made it sound like sunshine and rainbows every day. Every journey has highs and lows. I'm at a low now, but I'll get back to the high. Having this low will only make me appreciate it more.

And because I started this post with Backstreet Boys, I have to bring balance to the force by ending it with a somewhat-related, but mainly arbitrary 'NSYNC jam.


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the great chick lit ebook giveaway

Enter this giveaway using the Rafflecopter below for a chance to be our lucky winner! We’re offering FIVE lucky winners a bundle of ALL the following ebooks:
After Wimbledon by Jennifer Gilby Roberts

After 12 years on the pro. tennis tour and four years with her sort-of boyfriend, Lucy Bennett has had enough. She wants real life… and real love.

Her life, her decision. Right? Well, no one else seems to think so. With opinions on all sides, Lucy’s head is spinning. And she’s stumbling right into the arms of long-term crush and fellow player Sam. Shame her boyfriend – his arch-rival – would sooner smash a racquet over their heads than agree to a simple change of partners.

As the Wimbledon Championships play out, Lucy fights for her life on and off the courts. The question is: what will she be left with after Wimbledon?

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Thirty-Two Going on Spinster by Becky Monson

Julia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her career, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.

With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.

But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?

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Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman
 Hilary had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship–why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose.

But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn’t ready–and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point.

In this relatable, light-hearted, and playful memoir, Hilary reminisces about her life before Marc—from the insecure and awkward teenage years she spent in a back brace and dealing with the loss of her father, to her early relationships and, finally, to the day she met Marc and realized that she really wanted to see him again. Through their first date—even though Hilary was technically seeing someone else at the time—and the ease of their early time together until Marc first decided that they were moving too quickly, up until that fateful New Year’s Eve, Hilary shares the details of their relationship and how Marc’s inability to commit led her to find an inner strength and confidence she didn’t know she possessed.

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Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley

Meet Sophie Stone, a thirty-something serial procrastinator. Tesco knickers, Take That and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets. Sophie’s life is safe and predictable, which is just the way she likes it, thank you very much.  But when her boyfriend dumps her on Valentine’s Day and a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance, even Sophie has to accept that change is afoot. There is a catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never seen.

Not a fan of surprises, Sophie would rather not; why not let sleeping dads lie? Besides, her mother would kill her. With interference from an evil boss, bickering flat mates, warring parents and a sexy ex-boyfriend, Sophie has plenty to contend with without an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his mouth.

But it soon becomes clear that she will have to face the past and learn some uncomfortable home truths before she can finally build a future on her own terms.

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The Shopping Swap by Erin Brady

Maggie Andrew has a problem. She needs to convince Richard, her attorney boyfriend of five years, that he’s finally ready for a commitment. How? By planning an unforgettable night starting with a romantic dinner for two and ending in the bedroom. And to help things along, Maggie has spent half of her salary on sexy black lingerie from Crandall’s Department Store that Richard won’t be able to resist.

Except, once home, Maggie realizes she has someone else’s shopping bag and instead of her very expensive lingerie, she’s stuck with a housecoat that wouldn’t turn anyone’s head, least of all Richards. When Maggie goes back to the scene of the swap, she runs into Benjamin Saunders, a tall, dark and handsome stranger, who not only has what she wants but may also turn out to have what she needs.

Suddenly what Maggie thinks she has with Richard is called into question and she’s not sure of anything.

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Zoey and the Moment of Zen by Cat Lavoie

When coffee shop owner Zoey Everwood takes her obsession with ex-boyfriend Braden too far, everyone—except Zoey—is convinced a bit of fun in the sun at the Moment of Zen Wellness Resort will help her get over him once and for all.

But Zoey’s relaxing vacation turns out to be anything but peaceful when she meets Shane Lawson, a resort guest who bears a striking resemblance to Braden. And things get even more complicated when the resort’s owner starts spilling secrets about Zoey’s aunt Nessa, the woman who raised her. Add a snarky Wellness Coordinator and Nate Holmes—Shane’s grumpy friend—to the mix, and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect tropical storm.

When Zoey comes back home with a new husband instead of tacky souvenirs, she must convince everyone she hasn’t completely lost her mind. As Zoey and Shane struggle to keep the magic alive outside the resort, Zoey discovers that she isn’t the only one having trouble letting go of the past. And when Nate drops a bombshell that changes everything, Zoey must decide if the old saying is true—what happens at the Moment of Zen stays at the Moment of Zen.

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Saving Saffron Sweeting by Pauline Wiles

Grace Palmer’s British friends all think she’s living the American Dream. But her design business is floundering and when she discovers her husband is cheating with her best client, she panics and flees home to England.

The tranquil village of Saffron Sweeting appears to be a good place for Grace to lick her wounds, but the community is battling its own changes. Reluctantly, Grace finds herself helping her new neighbours as they struggle to adjust and save their businesses. However, not everyone has the same opinion on what’s good for the village. The charismatic new man in her life may have one speculative eye on Grace, but the other is firmly on profit. How will she navigate the tricky path between her home and her happiness?

With gentle humour and generous helpings of British tea and cake, Saving Saffron Sweeting explores one woman’s need to define herself through her career and community, before she can figure out who should be by her side.

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Super Natalie by Caitlin McKenna

Natalie Dalton can’t hold down a job. It’s not because she is constantly late, has a terrible work ethic or doesn’t try. It’s because she is plagued with a gift she’d rather give back. Natalie can communicate with ghosts—annoying, persistent ghosts who choose to have a word with her at the most inconvenient times, often at work with bosses and colleagues around.

Fired from her umpteenth job and nearly out of cash, Natalie accepts an offer to appear on the low-brow, sensationalist TV talk show, World’s Weirdest Hobbies, to discuss her unusual ability, but more importantly to collect a paycheck.

Unfortunately, a spirit appears as she’s being interviewed and ends up embarrassing the host of the show by revealing a juicy secret. The host goes ballistic and the clip of his attack goes viral, which catapults Natalie into the limelight and lands her a reality series as a paranormal investigator.

With her financial future secure, it looks like Natalie’s life is finally going to run smoothly for a change. Then she meets Ryan Emery, a gorgeous, sweet, funny guy who is working on her new series. Natalie could really fall for him except for the fact that Ryan is a major skeptic. He doesn’t believe in ghosts and never will. This presents a problem when a persistent spirit wants Natalie to give Ryan a message—one that will dramatically change his life. Now Natalie must somehow get Ryan to believe. Can she do it without ruining a potentially great relationship?

As Natalie carefully navigates her precarious situation, she suffers a loss which makes her question her own beliefs. With both of their lives turned upside down, Natalie and Ryan lean on each other and soon learn that what they truly need cannot always be explained with logic and reason.

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Hard Hats and Doormats by Laura Chapman

Lexi Burke has always been a stickler for following rules and procedures. As a human resources manager for a leading Gulf Coast chemical company, it’s her job to make sure everyone else falls in line, too.

But after losing out on a big promotion–-because her boss sees her as too much of a yes-woman––Lexi adopts a new policy of following her heart instead of the fine print. And her heart knows what it wants: Jason Beaumont, a workplace crush who is off limits based on her previous protocol.

While navigating a new romance and interoffice politics, Lexi must find the confidence to stand on her own or face a lifetime of following someone else’s orders. Who says nice girls have to finish last?

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The Great British Date Off by Sheila Brady

Londoner Maggie Sullivan hadn’t exactly spent her teenage years beating off hordes of panting admirers with a stick. In fact, most of it was spent alone in her bedroom either working on her Spice Girls, Union Jack dress or trying out her dead mother’s heated rollers.

All that had changed in her final year at school. As the object of her all-consuming school girl crush, Steve, had remarked at the time; who would have thought losing a little puppy fat, discovering hair product and investing in a Wonderbra would make such a difference? More than ten years on, he still has ‘plans’ for Maggie … but not until he’s got one or two things out of his system.

Only now Maggie has announced her intention to move to the country and he is not happy; especially since he’s noticed a ‘country toff’ rival ‘sniffing around’. He is more than delighted that Maggie’s move is turning out to be somewhat of a disaster. While she had been expecting village fetes, cricket teas and to be able to finally unleash her inner baker; in reality her cake-making efforts are being described as ‘lacklustre’, her godfather and boss is being referred to in very derogatory terms and somehow an extremely embarrassing photo has appeared in the local paper.

An overheard conversation and a chance late night encounter lead Maggie to conclude that widower and local ‘catch’, Will is responsible and there is a price to be paid, right? How can she know that her day (or rather, intimate evening) of reckoning will set in motion a roller coaster ride of high points and humiliations that will put to the test some of her most long standing relationships and lead her to question everything she thinks she knows about her capacity for love…

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End Date: Midnight 14 March 2014 EST

cover reveal: the china doll by deborah nam-krane

BOOK THREEThe China DollBy Deborah Nam-KraneGenre: Mystery/ suspense


Hypocrisy, half truths and lies...
Sick of being treated like she's going to break, Jessie Bartolome is back to her old ways and calling everyone on their hypocrisy. Sheesh! One little breakdown and even easygoing Martin Shepard thinks she's too fragile to handle their age difference. Good thing her older and equally yummy teaching assistant Robert Lester thinks otherwise…right? 

After spending so long cleaning up after everyone else, Jessie's cousin Richard has never had the time to start a life of his own. However had he managed to find his girlfriend Zainab? So what is Richard going to do now that everyone else has grown up? Marry Zainab and start a family? Things have never been that easy for a Hendrickson…just ask his cousin Michael.

Richard's mother, Lucy, is one of the most powerful women in Boston... so when is she going to put a stop to the blackmail ruthless Alex Sheldon has been holding over her for years? And if Richard knows more than he's letting on, why hasn't he gone after Alex himself? The question is, how much does he- or anyone else- really know? 
Welcome to the Bartolome/Hendrickson family. 
The China Doll is Book Three in The New Pioneers Series


GOODREADS
EXCERPT

“My dad drowned. My mom died in her sleep.”“How old was she?”“About twenty-six.” Jessie shuddered just a little bit. “Just a little older than Miranda is now.”“That’s awfully young to die in your sleep.”“Heart condition, they said.”“Who’s they?”</ o:p>“Richard and Lucy.” Jessie shook her head. “No. Just Richard.”“What did your aunt say?”“Nothing,” Jessie said quietly. “She just let Richard do all the talking.”“How old was he?”Jessie sighed. “Thirteen, I think.”“And how old were you?”“Four.”</ span>“So how do you know you remember it correctly?”Jessie looked at him square in the eye. “Because you know when you’re that age. When you’re a little kid, you don’t have to go through the apologetic BS you do when you’re older. When you’re eight, even. You just get it. And people think you’re crazy or in the way or rude because you get it and then you say it. So then no one wants to talk to you or they send you to your room. Then you start making up excuses for why they must be right and you must be wrong. Then you grow up, and you realize that you had it right back then, and if your world seems messed up, it’s because you bought into someone else’s lies. So don’t lie anymore, and everything will be just fine.”“And when did you come to that nugget of wisdom?”

“When I was fifteen,” Jessie said quietly. “And I’ve been very happy ever since.”

BOOK ONEThe Smartest Girl in the RoomGenre: Coming of Age
Nineteen year old Emily wants her college diploma fast, and she's going to get it. But when the perfect night with perfect Mitch leads her to a broken heart, Emily is blind to her vulnerability. When the person she cares about the most is hurt as a result, Emily's ambition gives way to more than a little ruthlessness. She's going to use her smarts to take care of herself and protect the people she loves, and everyone else had better stay out of her way. But shouldn't the smartest girl everyone knows realize that the ones she'd cross the line for would do the same for her?
GOODREADS AMAZON BARNES AND NOBLE  SMASHWORDS  KOBO SONY
BOOK TWOThe Family You ChooseGenre: Family Saga
Miranda Harel has been in love with her guardian Alex Sheldon since she was five years old, and Michael Abbot has despised them both for just as long. When Miranda finds out why she wants both men out of her life for good and questions everything she believed about where and who she came from. Finding out the truth will break her heart. Without family or true love, will her friends be enough to bring her back?
GOODREADS AMAZON BARNES AND NOBLE  SMASHWORDS KOBO ITUNES SONY

About the AuthorDeborah Nam-Krane is a writer living in Boston proper who has been storytelling since she was a little girl and writing those stories down since she was eight. Any given day will find her reading, writing, reviewing, editing and, just for fun, homeschooling her three school-aged children (she’s very grateful the fourth is now college-aged).
The China Doll is the third installment of the New Pioneers series, the sequel to The Smartest Girl in the Room (March 2013) and The Family You Choose (September 2013). While her long-suffering editor works her magic on the fourth installment Let’s Move On, Deborah is working on the fifth. That book will be set in the world of Boston and Massachusetts politics, and her job will be to tone down the true stories she’s heard so they seem believable.

Deborah is all over the place on the internet- no, really- but the best way to keep in touch is to follow her blog Written By Deb and subscribe to her newsletter (only publishing news, never spam).
Connect with Deb Facebook Goodreads @dnkboston
GIVEAWAY $10 Amazon gift card5 copies of both The Smartest Girl in the Room and The Family You Choose
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the state of my reading - february 2014

Audiobooks give me an opportunity to do some great
multi-tasking - like the Saturday morning I spent in
bed cuddling with the kittens and crocheting a scarf
while I listened to Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts.I haven't said much about the books I've been reading this year, because I haven't done much reading. Fortunately, thanks to audiobooks, I'm managing to make my way through a list of stories that have been on my to-read list for a while.

The only real downside of audiobooks is how long it takes to listen. The ones I have listened to lately average about 16 hours, which is more time than it takes to actually sit down and read it. But, audiobooks come with enough perks to balance this out:
I can listen on my way to and from work everyday (about 45-minutes to an hour round-trip).I can listen while I fold laundry, do my dishes or make dinner.I can listen while I work on some crocheting projects that have stacked up during the past year. (I'm currently making a throw, and I can't wait to share photos of it once I finish.)Listening to audiobooks doesn't seem to distract me too much from my writing - not in the way the act of reading does.
Now, that last one is a tricky matter. Maybe there's a science behind it, or maybe it's all in my head. But for some reason, when I'm heavily involved in an editing or writing project, I struggle to get my mind focused on reading. Audiobooks, however, seem to be the exception. For me, they're more of a substitute for watching TV. Now, having said that, I tend to stick to a couple of authors when I listen to audiobooks while multi-tasking: Nora Roberts and Julie Garwood. My explanation - I've read so many books by both authors since I was 12 that my brain is accustomed to their styles.

Whatever the reasoning may be, here's a rundown of the audiobooks I've listened to so far this year and the reviews I left on Goodreads:

Dark Witch
By Nora Roberts

This was OK. I hate saying that, because it's Nora Roberts and I adore her, but it was only OK. A little slow to start, but once it got going (about five or six chapters in) it picked up speed nicely.

Overall I enjoyed it, but it had so many similarities to the Sign of Seven and Three Sisters trilogies that I felt like I'd read it before. Only... I liked the Sign of Seven better.

Still, the story's saving grace is how well it's written and the character Iona was relatable. And, because I'm a sucker for Nora, I'll certainly tune into the next two installments -- I just won't wait on pins and needles.

Rating: 4 Stars

Whiskey Beach
By Nora Roberts

I'll agree with what others have said. As seems to be the case with most of Nora's latest releases this book gave me the feeling of being a story I'd read before.

Like the defeated cop who fled Boston for small-town Alaska in Northern Lights, Eli Landon is a man trying to piece his life back together after a year of struggling with depression and pain stemming from a crime he didn't commit. His family's wealth and storybook history (both bad and good) has a feel like Cade Lavelle's in Carolina Moon, but their relationships are current clout are more MacGregor-like. He escapes to a family house with a history of treasure, like the Calhoun series.

But, maybe because of these similarities, I was drawn to Eli. And I actively wanted him to overcome his past and become better. And Abra, his love interest, was wonderful, too. While she did sometimes seem too good to be true, she was kind of inspirational. She's been through a difficult past, but had the courage to move on from it to focus on a simple life where she takes pleasure in simple things. Watching the two of them fall in love and become partners was lovely.

While I felt like I was reliving past stories, and even had the whodunit figured out well in advance (figuring out the person(s) behind the past and present crimes committed), the story still held enough natural suspense that kept me holding my breath to see how the revelations unfolded.

I listened to this on audio book, and don't share the opinions several others had. It was the original narrator, and I thought he did just fine.

The story seemed to drag on a little and could have been tightened up a bit -- particularly at the beginning. Still, I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would going into it, which was a pleasant surprise. By no means a new favorite, I don't regret the hours I spent listening to Whiskey Beach.

Rating: 4 Stars



The Witness 
By Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts not only delivers one of her best novels in recent years, this might be one of my favorites of all time. While there are some similarities to Carolina Moon and Carnal Innocence - girl with a complicated family/personal past she's trying to escape and a charming southern gentleman willing to help her no matter what - there was enough unique and different about this one to let it stand on its own. And where there were similarities, well, I loved both of those books, so it gets a free pass.

This story had me riveted from page one. It's been a long time since I've been so caught up so fast. I feel like it's impossible to really say much without spoiling the whole story, but I'll say the action was enthralling, the romance endearing and plenty of angst-filled moments from both.

I'll be adding this one to my NR favorites list.

Rating: 5 Stars

Birthright
By Nora Roberts

This was a fast-paced and interesting read. Carrying plenty of Nora's signature features and style, the characters are what you would expect. This is one of her more unique stories plot-wise. I kind of like how everything wasn't tied up perfectly I'm the end and well enough. That's all I can say without spilling plot details.

Rating: 5 Stars

Now I'm curious about all of you. What have you read lately?


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interview and excerpt with jl redington

Blogger's Note: Today, I'm pleased to welcome JL Redington to the blog as part of her Chick Lit Plus blog tour for her novel, The Lives That Save Us. Enjoy this interview with the author and excerpt of the novel.

Change the Word: How did you come up with the idea for this story?
JL Redington: It started with wanting to do a mystery involving the FBI. I wasn’t sure of a story line, wasn’t sure how it would all come together or if it would until my fingers hit the keyboard and then the movie started. I just followed along as best I could!

CTW: Who is your favorite character in this book and why?
JR: It’s hard to pick a favorite, but it would probably be Cayman. He’s confident enough to keep trying with Alexa, deal with her neurosis from the losses she’s experienced and stay focused on her good qualities.

CTW: What most surprised you while writing this story?
JR: How connected I got with the characters. It was hard to see it end, and really hard to move on to the next story. It surprised me more than anything how that connection formed and stayed with me. Surprises me on each book I write.

CTW: Where do you find motivation and inspiration for writing?
JR: It all comes from somewhere in my head. There is a piece of a story that starts and won’t go away, then another piece pops in there until the movie is off and running. I guess when that process stops I’ll stop writing. I hope it never does!

CTW: How do you get yourself in the mood to write?
JR: I wake up in the morning and I know this is my fulltime job. So I get ready for the day, eat breakfast and head to the office and my trusty computer. I must always be in the mood to write because I’ve never noticed it ‘hit’ me that it’s time to write. It’s just what I do, and so I go do it, if that makes sense.

CTW: What snacks/treats/drinks/do you need on hand when you’re writing?
JR: I always have a bottle of water (flavored with Propel – mostly grape), I may have a very small snack sized bowl of mixed nuts that I’ll chew on, but mostly I’m staring at the screen and often forget to eat, so I have to put a reminder in my phone that it’s time to eat. I treat myself to a Diet Caffeine Free Pepsi every once in a while…

CTW: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
JR: My mom told me when I was engaged to be married to always make my bed the first thing in the morning, before I do anything else. She said that way, if I don’t get anything else done all day, I can at least look at my bed and say, “I got that much done!” She was absolutely right.  I make my bed every morning, and sometimes when I come up the stairs feeling like I’m just not being productive, I gaze into my room to that nicely made bed and know that I’m productive.  Sounds silly, but I’ve had more ideas for writing pop into my head when I see that tidy bed then from any other source. Just have to say, “Thanks, Mom!”

CTW: How much of yourself or your life do you put into your characters or story?
JR: I put a lot of what I would like to be in my female characters. Their strengths are sometimes what I feel my weaknesses are. Nothing from my personal life makes up any of the stories, but sometimes I will use a funny story from one of my kids youth or adulthood for comic relief in a book, usually something they did that cracked me up.

CTW: If you could only read three books for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why?
JR: The Scriptures, #3 in the Mistborn series, and hmmm….one Agatha Christy mystery, but that’s going to take some thought as to which one.

CTW: What’s up next for you and your writing career?
JR: I’m currently working on a second Romantic Suspense series called “Passions in the Park”.  The first one, Love Me Anyway is out and I’m about a third of the way through the second one, Cherish Me Always. I would like to take some time to get another YA book out in my Esme Chronicles as well. Next year? Writing, writing, writing. I love my job!

CTW: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
JR: For those youngsters who dream of writing books I say read, read, read. I found a whole new life, a new world in every book I read growing up. I often think all those stories combined in my psyche and now shoot out those movies that I type up and turn into stories. So read on!

Excerpt

“Don’t play those games with me, young lady,” said Keith, “I’ve been around too long, and don’t have that much time left that I would enjoy the game now.  You liked him, and you know it.”

Alexa dropped dejectedly down in the seat across from Keith.

“Did I really blow it?  I can’t fall for anyone again, Keith.  I really can’t.”

Keith chuckled and looked down at his empty coffee cup.

“How old are you?  Twenty-six?  Twenty-eight max?  Don’t you think that’s kind of a long time to be alone?  You may have to do that ‘kissing-the-frogs’ thing for a while, but you don’t have to sleep with every frog you kiss, and you don’t have to expect every one of them to turn into a prince.  But you could at least enjoy yourself along the way.  I need some coffee.”

Alexa sighed and reached across the table to pour the steaming coffee into his cup.

“I can’t, Keith.  I mean it; and I don’t want to.  I don’t want to deal with another human being in my life.”

“Yes, you do.” He said with determination.

“How do you--How could you even remotely know that?”

Keith looked at her across the table.  He picked up his coffee cup and took a slow sip, then put the cup back down on the table and stared into the dark liquid.

“I know that because there isn’t a human being on the face of this earth that doesn’t need to be loved.”  He looked into her eyes.  “You’re not betraying the memory of your father, nor are you giving in to a life you swore you’d never want.  Be human Alexa; live again.  Square your shoulders, take a deep breath and give it a go.  It’s a ride you can stop at any time.”

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About the Book
Alexa is beautiful, smart and alone in the world, a result of devastating losses in her life. She purchased a diner in the quiet out of the way town of Startup, Washington and hired employees to help run it. She’s just beginning to feel secure in her loneliness.

Suddenly her world is jolted awake by Cayman, a handsome young stranger that enters her diner seemingly from nowhere. Event’s happen quickly, and soon Alexa is deep into secret lives, deception and desire.

Will she figure out the riddle of her father’s death? Will she be able to resist the temptation to fall in love with Cayman in spite of her suspicions? Will she live to tell the tale?

About the Author
JL Redington lives Juneau, Alaska,  with her husband Terry and puppy, Shelby. Together they are the parents of six grown children and 19 grandchildren. She loves to read, camp, cook and be with her friends and family. In writing this romance series, JL has found a new love in her life, and that is writing books. JL has always felt books are a way to take us out of the everyday and into a place we can relax, be entertained and enjoy a different world for a period of time. Happy reading!

Connect with JL
Website
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greetings from... new england

In my novel Hard Hats and Doormats, human resources manager Lexi Burke travels the Gulf Coast training employees, settling disputes and maintaining order for a chemical company. Like Lexi, my first job out of college involved a lot of travel––I visited more than 20 states in four years. In this series, I'll share some of my real life experiences exploring the country.


It was September 2008, a couple of weeks before the onset of autumn, when I visited New England for the first time. Still adjusting to the idea of being in my first job instead of sitting in a classroom, I had high expectations for my first visit to New England. I'd be spending this week traveling across Upstate New York and Massachusetts visiting new customers. But for me, it was a dream.

It's kind of silly. But I'd wanted to visit Massachusetts -- specifically Greater Boston -- ever since I'd read the MacGregor series by Nora Roberts in seventh grade. I know I should have wanted to go to see the place where Robert Frost described in "North of Boston" or had some other profound reason. But I didn't. I loved those books -- my first foray into a story where a romance took the center stage. Roberts has a way of describing her settings that makes you want to visit. Paired with the fact that a year earlier, my church's youth program had discovered "Veggie Tales," which featured a song about pirates who had never seen Boston in the fall. So at 12, I decided that someday I'd go to Boston, and I'd see it in the fall.

The city, the rest of the state, didn't disappoint. As I drove through the Berkshires, I frequently found myself breathless. I'd had no idea the state would be filled with so many rolling, rocky hills with trees rising high into the air, and rivers and streams flowing down below. Like Upstate New York, I found myself captivated by charming towns nestled in valleys, my writer's brain crafting stories about the people who might live and work there.

I heard real Boston accents for the first time when I visited rail yards in Worcester, Framingham and Boston. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I found myself smothering a laugh when a man -- while telling me a story -- used the word "re-tahded." For one, I was shocked. That's not a word that's part of my everyday conversation, and his use shocked me. For another, it made me think of the Saturday Night Live sketches when Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch played a crazy in love Boston couple who would say "you re-tahded" "no you re-tahded" when they fought. At 22, it was a struggle for me not to give into the urge to laugh at the awkwardness mixed with the memory of those skits.

On that first trip East, I took a wrong turn while I was looking for the yard in Boston's Beacon Park and I ended up at Harvard. I felt like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, only way less cooler.

As I drove deeper into the city, anxious to see what I found, I lost my breath again when over a crest on the Interstate, I saw the Charles River empty into the Atlantic. The blue water stretched forever, and somewhere in my mind, I thought about how this was the opposite sight pilgrims had seen when they landed on Plymouth Rock miles down the road.

Later, when recalling the sight to my father, I said, "The pioneers who moved west must have had a lot of faith in what they would find to leave behind such a beautiful place."

On future trips to New England, I spent time in Connecticut -- where I ate soft-shell crab on a beach -- and Rhode Island -- where I witnessed a trainmaster officiate a wedding for a yardmaster and his longtime girlfriend during a safety feed. I drove under the Atlantic Ocean on my way from Logan International Airport to the city. I sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic as Sen. Ted Kennedy's funeral procession passed by. I saw all four seasons played out twice.

And I saw Boston in the fall.

New England held up to my expectations. And though I haven't been back east in years, every time I catch the first leaves changing color in autumn, I think of that drive along I-90, and I miss it. 












About Hard Hats and Doormats
Lexi Burke has always been a stickler for following rules and procedures. As a human resources manager for a leading Gulf Coast chemical company, it’s her job to make sure everyone else falls in line, too.

But after losing out on a big promotion––because her boss sees her as too much of a yes-woman––Lexi adopts a new policy of following her heart instead of the fine print. And her heart knows what it wants: Jason Beaumont, a workplace crush who is off limits based on her previous protocol.

While navigating a new romance and interoffice politics, Lexi must find the confidence to stand on her own or face a lifetime of following someone else’s orders.

Who says nice girls have to finish last?

Order the Book
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Marching Ink


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#chicklitlove

Happy Valentine's Day! As part of #ChickLitLove, I'll be sharing these valentines on Twitter throughout the day. But as my very special blog readers, you can check them all out here first.







If you're looking for some other great Chick Lit reads, tune in to #ChickLitLove on Facebook and Twitter and check out this Pinterest page.

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#chicklitlove: happy galentine's day!

Blogger's Note: In honor of Valentine’s Day, the ladies of #ChickLitChat are celebrating #ChickLitLove all week. Today, we're celebrating our best girlfriends for Galentine's Day. Check out how Lexi, Kara and Brenna from Hard Hats and Doormats make the day special. This is the checklist of must-haves for their festivities. Enjoy!

1. Frozen margaritas and chips and salsa. Kara is a pro at making mixed drinks and Brenna will cover the accompanying snacks. And if all else fails, they can hit up their favorite Mexican restaurant in The Woodlands for everything they need.


2. Homemade cupcakes. Though Lexi's work schedule keeps her busy, there is no way she won't stay up late the night before to bake something delicious to share with her friends. Given the Galentine's Day theme, she'll probably use one of the following recipes:
Pink Velvet CupcakesPink Champagne CupcakesStrawberry CupcakesHeck, if she's feeling up to it, she might make a couple of them. She's an overachiever like that, and she has a big sweet tooth.

3. A reading of empowering quotes from powerful ladies. Here's a sample of what they'll likely read:

“Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her; she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression.” — Margaret Sanger

“I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.” — Oprah Winfrey

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." — Eleanor Roosevelt

4. Marathon. In the interest of fairness, each lady gets to pick one hot man to include in their movie/TV marathon. Kara picks Michael Fassbender and Jane Eyre. Brenna chooses Ryan Gosling and The Notebook. And because they're pressed for time, Lexi picks Ian Somerhalder and an episode of The Vampire Diaries. She's OK with having the shortest pick, though, because she gets to stare into Ian's eyes for 45 minutes.

5. Karaoke. As usual, Brenna will sing one of two songs, Kara will randomly pick one and Lexi will select something from her extensive repertoire to mark the occasion. As a bonus, the ladies will join forces to perform "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips. It's obviously the best song to celebrate their friendship.




About the Book
Lexi Burke has always been a stickler for following rules and procedures. As a human resources manager for a leading Gulf Coast chemical company, it’s her job to make sure everyone else falls in line, too.

But after losing out on a big promotion–-because her boss sees her as too much of a yes-woman––Lexi adopts a new policy of following her heart instead of the fine print. And her heart knows what it wants: Jason Beaumont, a workplace crush who is off limits based on her previous protocol.

While navigating a new romance and interoffice politics, Lexi must find the confidence to stand on her own or face a lifetime of following someone else’s orders.
Who says nice girls have to finish last?

Buy the Book
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Marching Ink

For More
Add to Goodreads
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Read Behind-the-Scenes stories from the making of Hard Hats & Doormats

Watch the Book Trailer



For more about Lexi's world, visit her Twitter Feed and Pinterest Board.
If you're looking for some other great Chick Lit reads, tune in to #ChickLitLove on Facebook and Twitter and check out this Pinterest page.

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