Megan Cyrulewski's Blog, page 2

Book Blast: "Christmas in Cornwall" by Tamara Gill

The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

​BLURB:
 
After two failed seasons in town, May Stanford sees her future no longer with her family, but in a nearby convent where she’ll not be anyone’s financial burden. But before she can embark on her new life, May must complete her dealings with the local smugglers, men who have kept a roof over her family’s head during frugal times. One last Christmas at home and her life would change forever. So when William Scott, the Earl of Grandison arrives and crumbles her perfectly planned future to rubble, May is less than pleased.
 
William, Lord Grandison works for the Crown, and is determined to catch the nuisance Englishmen who dare smuggle along the Cornwall coast. William has never veered from his pursuit of these men working against the law, that was until he meets May Stanford, the maddening daughter of his host for Christmas. May drives him to distraction and forces him to admit to feelings he has never felt before.
 
But when May and William discover the crippling truth of each other, their secrets will threaten to tear them apart.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
EXCERPTS (Please choose only ONE to use with your post):
 
Excerpt 1
 
May’s little brother sat beside her, staring in silence at the ocean to the left of the carriage. He was angry at her decision, his sullen face throwing daggers at her every so often. But she refused to be a burden to him in the years to come. It would be hard enough for her sibling to keep the estate without the added stress of a spinster sister who ate his food and needed clothing and board. Becoming a nun allowed her the life she wanted to lead without straining her family’s coffers.
 
“Explain to me again just why a beautiful young woman such as you wishes to lock herself away in such a place. Now, don’t get me wrong, May, I’ve always encouraged you to make your own decisions, but it’s a convent. You’ll be married to God. I fear you will regret your choice,” her father said.
 
May cringed, hating his dejected tone, or that she’d had the same argument numerous times with her papa. Today, finally, she’d been able to persuade him to make the five-mile trip to the convent and meet the mother superior. It may not have been what she’d always wanted, but it was for the best considering her changed opinion on husbands and the family’s circumstances, which were worsening every year. “This is my choice to make. I know it’s not something you agree with, but I’ll be happy there. I know I will.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Biography
Tamara is an Australian author who grew up in an old mining town in country South Australia, where her love of history was founded. So much so, she made her darling husband travel to the UK for their honeymoon, where she dragged him from one historical monument and castle to another. A mother of three, her two little gentleman’s in the making, a future Lady (she hopes) and a part-time job keep her busy in the real world, but whenever she gets a moment’s peace she loves to write romance novels in an array of genres, including regency, medieval and paranormal. Tamara loves hearing from readers and writers alike. You can contact her through her website, and sign up to follow her blog or newsletter.
 
 
Visit Tamara’s website at http://bit.ly/1ONT3fe
 
Join Tamara’s Newsletter at 
Friend Tamara on Facebook http://on.fb.me/1Fu0JPL
 
Follow Tamara on Twitter http://bit.ly/1Y3B4Vr
 
Contact Tamara at: :tamaragillauthor@gmail.com
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Can Totally Imagine My Life Without My Child

Madelyne turns 5-years-old today.  Well, technically, at this time 5 years ago I was in labor hell in which Madelyne took her time and decided to finally enter the world after 27 hours of labor and a C-section.  

I see posts on Facebook when my friends post about their kid's birthday and everyone says, "I couldn't imagine my life without you."  

I could totally imagine my life without Madelyne.

I can see myself still married to my ex-husband.

I can see us traveling to the Caribbean every year for a warm vacation in the middle of winter.  

I can see myself working at a law firm because I probably would have passed the Bar, instead of failing by 10 measly little points, because I would have had more time to study instead of taking care of a child.

I can see my husband and I living in our own home enjoying our cats.

I can see us doing spontaneous things like when we were married such as getting last minute tickets to a Red Wings playoff game or heading to Mackinac Island a last minute anniversary trip.

I can see myself shopping at The Limited buying trendy but professional outfits in a size 8, which was my size before I got pregnant.  

Yep.  I can totally imagine my life without Madelyne.   And it would suck.

Madelyne gave me the strength to leave an incredibly abusive marriage.

I can't WAIT to take Madelyne to Disney World for the first time so she can meet all of her favorite princesses.

If I would have passed the Bar, I'd be working at a law firm 70-80 hours a week because we all start at the bottom.  Instead, I have my own practice.  I'm writing this post in my yoga pants while drinking coffee.  And I'm done by 5:00 almost every day so I can pick Madelyne up from school.

I actually love living with my parents...and I'm 37.  I see a side of my parents when Madelyne is around that makes me love them even more.  Madelyne has completed our family when we didn't even know we were incomplete.

I still love my cats but Madelyne has made me love all animals because of her love of animals.  (Except reptiles.  Yuck.)

Madelyne and I do spontaneous things all the time.  In the summer, I'll surprise her by keeping her home from day camp and go to the Aquatic Center.  Last night I let her sleep in my bed because her birthday is today (and I didn't even let my ex-husband sleep in my bed!)  I love surprising Madelyne with spontaneous trips somewhere because her excitement is contagious.

I could care less about shopping for myself because it's WAY more fun shopping for Madelyne.  Gymboree, The Disney Store, Target - way more fun.  I shop at Old Navy for every day clothes for myself and J. Jill for business suits.  Right now I'm a size 18 (or sometimes more depending on which store I'm at.)  Madelyne's birth screwed up my body and the stress of dealing with Madelyne's moronic father pretty much shut down my cortisol levels and metabolism.  My Dr. said it's going to take anywhere from 6 months to a year for my body to regulate and start losing weight again.  I don't like my body image.  I'm in therapy to deal with it.  Would I trade Madelyne to be a size 8?  Not for a minute.

I wouldn't trade Madelyne to have all the things I imagined my life was going to be without her.  

I had a life before Madelyne.  But Madelyne taught me to live.

Happy Birthday my sweet sweet little girl.  I love you to the moon and back.

An Open Letter to Governor Snyder of Michigan Regarding Syrian Refugees

Dear Mr. Snyder,
 
In the wake of the attacks in Paris, you declared that Michigan is not going to accept any Syrian refugees for fear of terrorist attacks.  While you are busy stepping all over the Constitution because only the federal government has the authority to admit refugees into the country, I would like to hear what action you will take regarding other issues in Michigan.
 
There is an education crisis in Michigan, specifically in Detroit.  Yesterday, WXYZ reported that the Detroit Public School system has approximately 170 teacher openings because of the huge shortage of teachers.  Most teachers do not have the proper materials to teach students such as textbooks, workbooks, etc.  In many Detroit public schools, substitute teachers who are not certified are teaching children.  However, you decided that instead of funding salaries for qualified teachers and basic school materials for children who have a constitutional right to education, you spent millions on consultants who evaluate teacher performance.  The national high school graduation rate is 81.4%.  Michigan’s high school graduation rate is 77%; below the national average.  What are you doing to change this?
 
Ten years ago, I used to work in Detroit.  On my way to work, I drove down Woodward and saw homeless men and women trying to keep warm under benches, in doorways of abandoned buildings or in bus stop stations.  According to WOODTV8 news, homelessness in Michigan has actually increased.  In 2013, there were 92,341 homeless people in Michigan.  In 2014, there were 97,642 homeless people in Michigan.  I don’t even want to see the 2015 numbers.  Maybe homelessness is increasing in Michigan because our state’s poverty statistics are higher than the national statistics:

Poverty rateNational:  14.8%Michigan:  16.1%Child poverty rate:National:  14.8%Michigan:  21.1% 
Would you be surprised to hear that women in poverty are high in Michigan too?  The national percentage for women in poverty is 16.1%; Michigan’s percentage is 17.9%.  Maybe this is attributed to teen birth rate, which again is higher than the national average:  26.5% national to 30.1% in Michigan.  What are you doing to change this?
 
Last year, the FBI released its report for United States cities that have the highest crime rate.  Can you guess which city topped the list?  Detroit.  In 2013, Detroit recorded 315 murders.  That is 10 times the national average.  Ten times the national average and you are focused on Syrian refugees? 
 
Dearborn, Michigan has the highest number of Arab-Americans in the country.  Is that why you are so concerned about Syrian refugees coming to Michigan?  To join a so-called population of “terrorists” in Dearborn?  Were there any threats of violence from this community after 9/11?  No.  Have there ever been any terrorist attacks in Michigan?  No.  Am I, a white girl from Oakland County, Michigan afraid to go to Dearborn because I might die from a terrorist attack?  No. 
 
Do you want to know what frightens me, Governor Snyder? That you think the Syrian Refugee “crisis” is more important than education, poverty, homelessness and violent crimes in Michigan.
 
Oh – one more set of statistics for you to chew on in between your bouts of bigotry:  According to the FBI, in 2014, the Dearborn crime rate was as follows:  3,104 property crimes, 126 robberies and 2 homicides.  That same year, in Lansing, our capital city and your residence, there were 3,960 property crimes, 256 robberies, and 8 homicides.  Ironic, isn’t it?

So again, my question is this:  What are you going to do about crisis here in your own state?

VBT: "Become You" by Toneka R. Etienne, Ph.D.

Toneka R. Etienne will be awarding a signed copy of Become You to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


BLURB:
 
Ready to create lasting transformation in your life? Become You reveals a practical lifestyle blueprint for the modern day woman. Begin your deep dive transformation by turning an honest, but loving mirror on your belief systems, habits, and spiritual life. This book will help you create a balanced lifestyle so that you can passionately pursue your goals and dreams without losing yourself in the process.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
EXCERPT:
 
Procrastination
 
Procrastinating is the art of actively postponing or
delaying something. And it’s just another one of the
obstacles that can potentially stand in the way of living the
life of your dreams. But did you know there are different
kinds of procrastinators? See if you fit into one of the
following categories.
 
1. Thrill-seeker - These are usually your last minute,
“get it done” kind of people. They wait until the last
minute to complete an important task or project and
attribute their procrastination to their “zone of genius.” I
am very guilty of embodying this one right here. I spent
the majority of graduate school being a thrill-seeker. I
would wait until the weekend before a huge paper was due
and spend the next day and a half writing around the clock
to get it done. This form of procrastination always caused
me a great deal of self-inflicted stress, and after finishing an
assignment, I’d always promise myself I wasn’t going to do
it again.
 
2. The Avoider - This person usually procrastinates
by avoiding the task and usually does so out of either fear
of success or fear of failure. This one crept up for me as I
was writing this book. So many times while thinking about
this book, I thought, “No one wants to hear what you have
to say.” I also thought about how the success of this book
could change my life, which brought up some fears that I
didn’t realize I had.
 
3. The Indecisive - This person can’t and won’t make
a decision. Unfortunately, even with her lack of action, she
still won’t take responsibility for her outcomes. Very rarely
does this type of procrastinator believe she has any
responsibility for her life, and she presents herself as a
victim in most situations.
 
So how can you combat procrastination?
Break it down. You can get really overwhelmed by a
complex task or project. Sometimes you may have a
project you want to tackle, but once you start to think
about all the pieces of the puzzle, it gets all too daunting.
At that point, you can either turn into the avoider or the indecisive.
So instead of looking at the project as this huge
mountain of a task, break it down in steps.
That was one of the things that helped me to complete
my dissertation. I focused on one chapter at a time and
didn’t allow myself to even think about steps 2 through
100!
 
Here’s another great tip if you’re still stuck: start at
either the beginning or the end and fill in the pieces along
the way. I almost never know exactly how something I
write is going to turn out. I start with just one section, and
it develops from there. You just have to trust the process
and take it one step at a time.
 
Reward yourself. As I stated before, I can be the thrillseeker
type of procrastinator, since I get so emotionally
charged up about the things I have to do. So to add some
spice to the mix, I put myself on a reward system to get
things done. I give myself a deadline to complete
something, and if I do it on schedule, I treat myself to
something that I know I’ll enjoy. I started with very simple
rewards, like an extra scoop of ice cream or a new
necklace. I realized that when I procrastinated, this dark
cloud remained over me, and I couldn’t enjoy my leisure
time. So I started to reward myself with things like more
family time, an afternoon at the park with my girls, or a
date night with my husband.
 
I’ve mentioned breaking down your tasks.
You don’t have to complete the huge task
to reward yourself. Instead, implement little rewards along
the way. While writing this book, I would give myself short
tasks to complete a section, knowing that if I did so, the
weekend time I spent with my family would be that much
more rewarding and pleasurable since I’d knocked
something off my list.
 
Reframe. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in your
emotions and fears that you forget why you started on this
journey in the first place. To reframe is to connect back to
your why. it’s your reminder of what’s most important.
When you connect to the driving force behind your
journey, allow that force to propel you forward in spite of
the temptation of procrastination.
 
Disconnect. Eliminate all possible distractions to create
your work environment. Turn off the cell phone and
television. Create a clean work space—whatever you need
to do to help you focus and get to work. When I go into
serious creation mode, I have to completely remove myself
from any familiar environments. While finishing my
dissertation, I spent two and a half days locked in a hotel
room. I wrote, ate, slept, repeat. And it worked for me, I
completed two of my five chapters. And for this book, I
took the same approach. For three days, I focused all my
attention on this book, in a hotel room, with tiny rewards
along the way. I rewarded myself with a brownie one
night, a hot tub party with my husband and daughters in
the hotel another night, and a new bathing suit the last
night.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Toneka R. Etienne, Ph.D., is a Psychologist, wife, mother, Huffington Post contributor, and creator at www.tonekaetienne.com. Toneka is a self-love advocate encouraging women to balance their daily lives with the ambition to continually pursue their dreams. Her calling is to fully support women as they call soulful purpose and intention into their life and business connected to their deepest and most authentic selves. When she’s not holding sacred space for women’s transformation, Toneka can be found doing her favorite things: spending time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, reading, connecting with like-minded visionaries, and looking for divine inspiration.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tonekaretienne
Instagram: instagram.com/tonekaetienne
Twitter: twitter.com/tonekaetienne
You can purchase Become You on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Become-You-Transformational-Blueprint-Your-ebook/dp/B0161KQ15A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1444856045&sr=1-1&keywords=become+you+by+toneka 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~




​a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Questions You Should Never Ask a Woman

It blows my mind how some people have the gall to ask questions that should be labeled, "None of your business."  I was talking about this to a couple of people who were asked these questions and they just sounded so exasperated.  I get it.  I get asked these questions all the time.  And I mean...all.  the.  time.  So, for clarification purposes, these are the top 5 questions you should NEVER ask a woman:

1.  When are you getting married?

Single women in their 20s and 30s get asked this questions almost on a daily basis.  Even when we're not dating anyone.  As soon as we turn 18, the question is put out there:

Nosy person (NP):  "So...when are you getting married?"

Woman (W):  "Well, I just graduated from high school and I'm starting college in the fall.  I can't wait to start my career!  I've waited my whole like to finally do what I love!"

NP:  "That sounds nice.  So when are you getting married?"

Or there is this conversation for those couples who have been together for more than a year and (gasp) are not engaged:

NP:  "You've been with your boyfriend for 5 years.  When are you two going to make it official?"

W:  "We like things the way they are.  When the time is right, we'll know."

NP:  "Well, you know what they say!  Why marry the cow when the milk is free?!"

W:  "Did you just call me a cow?"

Look, unless you benefit in some way from me getting married like me adding you to my health insurance, back off.  And of course, this question leads into the next one...

2.  Are you going to get remarried?

For divorced women, this question is the bane of our existence.  After I was first divorced, I actually found myself not only answering this question but explaining why I didn't get remarried the day after my divorce was final:

NP:  "Do you ever want to get remarried?"

W:  "Well, I'm still in school and I'm raising a baby.  I think I should probably concentrate on those first before I start dating again."

NP:  "Are you scared because of what happened in your first marriage?"

W:  "No.  I'm in school and I have a baby."

NP:  "Because not all men are like your first husband."

W:  "School.  New baby.  No time."

NP:  "Just don't wait too long."

W:  "SCHOOL.  BABY.  BUSY"

NP:  "The right one is still out there waiting for you."

W:  "Thanks," 

I learned that it's best to just say "thanks" after the first piece of "advice" because I don't give a shit if you are a divorced woman eating Cheetos on a regular basis so your fingers are stained orange and watch Dr. Phil all day; that's your business and no one else's.  

Don't even get me started when an NP asks me about remarriage and I say that I like being single because God forbid women (like myself) like spending Friday nights with a good book and popcorn in my bed.  I don't have to talk.  I don't have to pretend I'm interested in getting it on.  And I can turn off my light at 9:00 PM and not feel guilty.  

3.  When are you going to have children?

Ah yes...so you've finally conquered the marriage questions.  And just when you've become somewhat comfortable...BAM...the Nosy People are back:

NP:  "Congratulations on getting married!  When are you two having children?"

W:  "The wedding was last night."

NP:  "Maybe you guys made a baby last night!"

W:  "I fell asleep in my wedding dress after we polished off the rest of the wedding cake."

NP:  "Well, there's always the honeymoon!"

W:  "It's a little disturbing that you are going to think about my sex life for the next week while we're on our honeymoon..."

I don't know what it is but after that marriage certificate is signed, the baby questions shoot like a BB gun.  And they won't stop until you have actual proof that there is a baby in your uterus.  

Here's the thing:  some couples might not want children.   The world population is not going to die out if they don't conceive.  I didn't want a child until I was 32...and pregnant with a child.  This is a question that is only meant for the possible parents-to-be.  So unless you plan on raising that child, it's time to let this question die out.  Which leads me to the next question...

4.  Are you going to have anymore kids?

This question is the one that drives me the most insane:

NP:  "Your baby is so adorable!  Are you going to have any more?"

W:  "The umbilical cord is still attached to this one.  Literally still attached."

NP:  "Don't you want siblings close in age?"

W:  "The epidural hasn't worn off and I can't feel my legs."

I'm going to be honest with you.  The only thing I liked about pregnancy was the fact that people expected me to be fat so I didn't feel guilty about eating a 5-course meal at Denny's.  Labor sucked but I enjoyed the pain meds after my C-section.  And then when you realized that the nurse isn't getting in the backseat with the baby, panic sets in.

I'm going to be honest again and this one is a doozy so brace yourselves:  I don't like the baby phase.  (I'll give you a moment.)  That's not to say I don't like babies.  I like babies just fine.  And I love babies when I can hand them back to the parent and say, "see ya!"   

I think I cried for a straight month after bringing my daughter home.  Not happy tears, mind you.  Angry, frustrated, impatient with a little but of insanity mixed in, tears.  I can't imagine ever going through the baby phase again.  And because I have declared my uterus off limits, I never will go through the baby phase again.

Yes, my daughter will be an only child unless I remarry (don't ask when) and she has step-siblings.  As long as I'm okay with that...then you should be okay with that.  So unless you plan on carrying my child, keeping my child until about the age of 17 and shelling out $1,000 or more per month on clothes, food, extracurricular activities, or other necessities of life like a monthly massage for mom, then stop asking.  

5.  Don't you miss your kid(s)?

This one might throw your for a loop but after I explain, you will see it ties into the others.  

I recently started traveling for my job.  Now when I say traveling, I mean driving 2 1/2 hours to the other side of Michigan for a court-appointed case.  I'm gone two nights at the most.  Do I miss Madelyne when I travel?  Yep.  Do I feel guilty about traveling?  Nope.

Who made the rule that once your child is born, that child must be attached to you at all times?  And if you leave that child overnight, you are considered the worst parent in the world and should be stoned to death because you obviously don't love your child.  

This applies to all parents too.  You are allowed to go on vacation WITHOUT your children.  

NP:  "Don't you miss your kids?"

W:  " Yep."

NP:  "Don' you feel guilty drinking that margarita by the pool without them?"

W:  "Nope."  

NP:  "Once you have kids, all of your vacations should be family vacations."

W:  "Can I borrow money for a nanny to bring with me?"

The last time I traveled, I stayed in my hotel room all night.  I watched 8 straight episodes of Law and Order on Netflix and binged on popcorn.  It was heaven.  

There is nothing wrong with single parents or couples with children to vacation without the kids.  When you go into a swimming pool for the first time without your child, it's almost orgasmic.  If you think I'm joking, try it and then get back to me.  

So unless you leave your children home alone at the ages of 3 and 5 and jet off to Europe for a month, then you are not guilty of child neglect.  Besides, you know the kids have more fun with the grandparents anyway...

Please, take my advice.  For the love of God and everything that is holy in this world, don't ask these questions.  Unless your life is going to dramatically change, then the answers are none of your business.  

​Now...where are the Cheetos? 

VBT: "Traitor's Curse" by: Beth Trissel

Beth is awarding a $30 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter.

BLURB:
 
Halifax, North Carolina, 1783.
 
Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it's hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.
 
Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her? Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her "odd ways" will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the battle against darkness tests everything the couple holds dear, including their love for each other.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
EXCERPT
 
Halifax, North Carolina, 1783.
Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it's hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.
 
Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her? Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her "odd ways" will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the bat“Turn back. A man watches you.”
 
Again, the warning carried from the unseen source.
 
What man, and how did she know Stuart was observed? He could barely discern anything.
 
“Who are you? Show yourself.” Uneasiness lent indignation to his demand.
 
Through the haze, he spotted the figure of a young female dressed all in white. A death shroud?
Pray God, it wasn’t. His gut knotted, and he stood staring at her.
 
Ethereal, ghostly, she seemed to float toward him, but must have walked.
 
Must have.
 
A cold shiver stood the hair on the back of his neck on end. Was she flesh and blood, or spirit? Had she crossed the divide between the two worlds?
 
He scarcely dared to breathe.
 
Still, he stood rooted to the trail. And not only from fright. Fascination. Despite fear of being haunted, an aura about her drew him.
 
He waited, every muscle taut, poised betwixt heaven and earth, the scent of crumbling leaves in his nose. At least, that was real.
 
Whiteness swirling around her, she neared.
 
Then he spotted it, an ivory coverlet draped over her head and around her slender shoulders pinched together in front with pale fingers.
 
No shroud.
 
The blanket reached to her ankles and trailed behind along the ground. Mist muted the flowers stitched into the cloth. This accounted for him not spotting her sooner. She’d blended in with the vapor.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Married to her high school sweetheart, Beth Trissel lives on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by her children, grandbabies, and assorted animals. An avid gardener, her love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into her work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of her inspiration. She’s especially drawn to colonial America and the drama of the American Revolution. In addition to historical romance, she also writes time travel, paranormal romance, YA fantasy, and nonfiction.
 
For more on Beth visit her blog, One Writer’s Way, at: https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com
 
Connect with Beth on Facebook: Author Beth Trissel 
At Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethTrissel
 
Visit Beth’s Amazon Author Page where all her books reside: Amazon Author Page  (http://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1435416800&sr=8-1
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

VBT: "The Face Transplant" By: R. Arundel

Prizes for the tour are as follows:

• One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

• One randomly chosen host will receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

GENRE: Medical Suspense Thriller
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
The Face Transplant
 
An epic journey of suspense, murder, and sacrifice
 
Dr. Matthew MacAulay is a facial transplant surgeon at a prestigious New York hospital. When his friend and mentor, Tom Grabowski, dies under mysterious circumstances, Matthew uncovers his friend’s secret: a new technique that allows perfect facial transplants. No incisions, no scars. Tom was able to accomplish this monumental feat with the help of Alice, a supercomputer robot with almost human abilities. While trying to find the people responsible for murdering Tom, Matthew realizes he is the prime suspect. He must flee for his life with the help of Dr. Sarah Larsson, a colleague and reluctant helper, who has a secret of her own, and Alice, who helps them make sense of a baffling series of seemingly unrelated events. The clues carry Matthew and Sarah around the world. They stumble onto a sinister plot of monumental proportions that leads Matthew all the way to the White House.
 
The Face Transplant is a powerful medical suspense thriller of the first order. The novel was written by a surgeon who weaves politics, medicine, and espionage into a tightly paced, intelligent thriller.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
EXCERPT:
 
Guaarrr. It sounds like water draining from a very large bathtub, through a very large hole. I just killed myself. I just killed the patient. Dr. Matthew MacAulay looks down on the operating room table at the gaunt, graying man. Matthew quickly scans the operating theater. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see the short wide man in
the observation area.
 
I just killed myself, Sarah, and Amanda.
 
They have been hijacked into performing a face transplant. The patient is unknown. Mr. Glock, the short wide man, hovers in the far end of the operating room. He made it clear that if the patient did not survive, the three of them would be following him in short order. The 9 mm Glock with a silencer on the end gave credence to his profanity-laced words of warning.
 
Matthew looks across the operating room table at Amanda Soto, forty-two, an American of Spanish ancestry. She has been his scrub nurse, assisting him in the operating room for the last three years. Divorced, one child.
 
It will take a few more seconds for the monitors to tell everybody what Matthew already knows. Amanda already knows. She is right across the table. She saw him use the robotic arm to dissect the vessel and mistakenly cut the large artery in the neck. An operating room nurse of Amanda’s experience has seen it all. When Matthew looks into her eyes, they flash ever so quickly an acknowledgement that it is all over. Instead of any words, she quietly unclamps the suction. Now a dull hiss fills the air. To the casual observer, or the short wide man holding a 9 mm Glock pistol in his fat stubby hands, nothing really has changed. Amanda, anesthetist Dr. Sarah Larsson, and Dr. Matthew MacAulay act as if all is going well.
 
Matthew cannot help but glance over to the man with the 9 mm Glock. In his mind he names him Mr. Glock. Adrenaline surges through Matthew’s body and time slows. The short wide man, Mr. Glock, has gray eyes. Pale, gray eyes. Very pale, almost tired. Matthew remembers reading somewhere that people with gray eyes have the best visual acuity. They make the best marksmen, the best assassins. He wonders if this was true.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
R. Arundel is a practising surgeon. This experience brings realism to the story. The novel asks what would happen if a surgeon were to develop the perfect face transplant.  This would allow people to have a new face, in essence create a new identity. You can create the perfect double, the perfect Doppelganger.
 
Contact link: http://www.amazon.com/R-Arundel/e/B00EBCQVEC
 
​a Rafflecopter giveaway

VBT: "The Diamond Grenade" by Daniel Julian

Daniel will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to five randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Target GC to a randomly drawn host.

BLURB:
 
The Diamond Grenade is the story of a family line and a revolution told in five novellas - a complex tale told simply.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
EXCERPT:
 
Book I: A Father’s Fate
 
At one point, on the banks of a confluence where two rivers ran together like closing thighs, there was a certain boatman. This boatman, name of Gur, had a fine long pole (not too bendy, not too strong) with which to move his long wide boat upon the water. Gur slept with his pole, lest it go missing. Then one evening while he was ferrying a few paying passengers from one put-in to the next, Gur’s pole got stuck in thick river-bottom mud and muck and he lost his grip and the pole sank out of sight. Cursing, Gur leapt into the water and dove for the pole. Long minutes passed and Gur’s nubile daughter Guri, at the prow of the boat, began to wail. Gur did not come back up. They found him later downstream. This is how the girl Guri became a very young boatman with a shoddy pole.
 
The thing about Guri is that she knew everybody. All the fares on her boat. They didn’t necessarily know each other all too often, but everybody knew Guri. And somehow she knew everybody back. She just had a mind for it. Who went with whom and how the families fell out. Names. All the names Guri knew. But only one name made her sing: Tuc. Tuc drank and threw dice, but early in their acquaintance he’d made bold to say that Guri would make a good mother. This observation of Tuc’s about Guri had won her over, so she sang his name in the dark. One syllable songs are short, but carry on the water.
 
Guri’s favorite disgruntlement was that there was no word for girl boatman. It was poling-upriver hard to get more than a grunt out of half her older passengers, because they didn’t see clear to it being right for her to be doing a man’s job. Tuc suggested ‘boatwoman’, but Guri allowed as how that was more the busty mascot off the bow of a ship than a person who poled for a living. Tuc took to riding with Guri quite frequently. Then one night, he brought her a new pole, and it was a good pole.
 
Not long after the new pole, Tuc convinced Guri to elope with him a ways downriver to a town where he had prospects. When they got there, they traded the boat and pole for two goats. Guri was better with people than with animals, so Tuc tended the herd while she met and memorized every person she could find. Soon she had so much work taken in to do for folks that what with going to the big, clean houses to perform services inbetweentimes, and attending in good turn to the day’s worth of all the waiting piecemeal work filling their modest house, Guri was too busy to make a baby.
 
Guri got fed up with being too busy to make a baby and made a baby. Tuc split. Guri’s popularity made her fatherless child the ward of the town. Everybody parented him. That’s why he grew up angry. His name was Gur, after his grandfather. Boy did he have a chip on his shoulder about being told what to do. Everybody told him when and where to jump. Only Guri could make him ask how high. Usually his answer would be jump why? The thing about having a whole village full of parents is that they are going to contradict each other and some of them are bound to be weird people.
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
As in medical school, praxis then practicum: I saw one, did one, taught one… now I do one after the other. One novella after another I mean. And they’re good. I saw novellas while acquiring my Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature/Letters with a minor in Psych at Indiana University in the mid-nineties, I taught and did novellas a few years later while pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Lit. at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and I have done a fancy set of five well here now (as I pursue an AAS in Accounting at a community college, btw). For more about me, check out http://dcjulian.wix.com/diamondgrenade.
 
Try not to evict me from my little party of self-congratulations about this piece.
 
A set of five good serial novellas. Hope you find the time to enjoy them.
 
Please help spread the word.
 
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 The book is free and can be downloaded here:  http://blurbraffle.weebly.com/store/p1/The_Diamond_Grenade.htmla Rafflecopter giveaway

Is It Really the Constitution You Believe In?

This is probably the most political post I’ve ever written even though I’m not trying to open a floodgate of politics with this post.  My mom and I tried to talk about our political beliefs 12 years ago and we didn’t talk for 4 months after.  Seriously.  Silent treatment on both sides.  We agreed to disagree and that’s the way I like it not only with family but with everyone. 
 
Here's the thing:  I'm so f****** tired of people using the Constitution in order to justify their beliefs.  For example, after the recent shootings we find ourselves once again revisiting gun laws.  It scares me to death that one day, my daughter will have to walk through metal detectors at school, the movies, restaurants, college campuses, malls, etc.  And it scares me to death that people who staunchly defend the 2nd Amendment right to have firearms are perfectly fine with that. 
 
Hey 2nd Amendment loyalists!  Guess what?  When the Constitution was written in 1787, the 2nd Amendment made sense.  I wouldn’t have wanted the British invading my house and pointing a musket in my face.  But it’s 2015 and the only muskets I’ve seen have been behind glass cases in a museum.  So the firearms that our forefathers wrote about in 1787 are not accessible to the public.  Check out that irony.
 
Moving on to another hotly contested amendment:  the 1st Amendment right to freedom of religion.  Yes, it’s Kim Davis time.  She went from a “nobody” to a “somebody” when she decided not to sign marriage licenses for gay couples.  Even though she is an elected official, she can’t perform her job as a county clerk because her 1st Amendment right is violating her right to religion. 
 
Huh.  Okay, Ms. Davis.  Let me get this straight just so I’m not confused.  You’ve been married 4 times; the last two marriages didn’t even take place in a church.  You committed adultery, which led to one of your divorces.  You’ve had a couple of kids out of wedlock.  But your 1st Amendment right is being violated because you won’t issue marriage licenses to gay couples who have been together longer than all 4 of your marriages combined?
 
Now, I haven’t been to church in a while but I am Catholic and if Ms. Davis is a die-hard Christian as she claims to be, then the bible I remember is very different from the bible of Ms. Davis.  I’m pretty sure that children out of wedlock are frowned upon, “thou shalt not commit adultery” is a commandment, and in the Book of Malachi, “God hates divorce.” 
 
Now, like I said, I am Catholic but the ways of the Catholic Church are archaic (along with some bible passages.)  I personally don’t have a problem with divorce or children born out of wedlock.  I DO have a problem with some blowhard using the 1st Amendment as an excuse to hide the fact that she is a bigot.
 
On July 10, 2015, the last remaining Confederate Flag at a government building was taken down in South Carolina.  In my opinion, it should have been taken down years ago, however, let bygones be bygones and the flag is down.  While most people cheered, as always, there were people who opposed the flag coming down.  And what did they base their argument on?  Their 1st Amendment Constitutional Right of Free Speech, and religion was violated.  Of course it was violated!  Let me think how it was violated…give me a second….I’ll have to come back to this one…
 
The bottom line is this:  I don't have a problem with people and their beliefs.  Not everyone is going to agree and that's okay.  If you think guns should be allowed in homes, if you think gay marriage shouldn’t be allowed, if you think that taking down the confederate flag was wrong, then tell us why you feel that way.  Just don't hide behind a 200-year-old document to do it.

A Gifted Child is Not a Perfect Child - So Why is There Still a Stigma?

You all know me by now in that my life has become an open book on my blog not because my life is so much interesting than yours but so others can relate and hopefully know they are not alone.
 
The last two weeks have been ridiculously overwhelming.  They probably didn’t need to be but because I’m a Type A, everything becomes overwhelming.
 
To make a long story short, Madelyne’s preschool teacher thought she had major behavioral problems so I took Madelyne to be evaluated by a psychologist and it turns out that she has a “superior IQ in the gifted range.”  Surprise!
 
Before you say anything, I know what you’re thinking, “her preschool teacher mentioned behavioral problems and you took her to be evaluated by a child psychologist.”  Ummm…yes.  I am Type A.  Enough said.
 
Anyway, the psychologist recommended pulling her from the preschool program because it was causing more harm than good.  She also recommended applying to a gifted private school in the area. 
 
I pulled her, applied to the school, had classroom visits, and Madelyne nor myself and parents liked the school.  All this happened within 4 days.  (I admit that a couple of Xanax was needed during this time.  Anxiety disorder + Type A = Xanax.)
 
Now, while all of this was happening, I did what most people do when seeking advice – I asked my Facebook friends for advice.  (If you can’t ask your Facebook friends, whom can you ask?)  And the answers I received pissed me off.
 
Let me clarify for a second.  The advice from friends was supportive, understanding and definitely helped me to put the Xanax down.  What pissed me off was the fact that some of the friends who helped give me advice are people I’ve known for years but had no idea that their children are gifted too.  And before advice was given, everyone pretty much put the same disclaimer:  “I don’t want to come across like I’m bragging about my child.”
 
That thinking is so wrong but unfortunately, so right at the same time.  There is a stigma surrounding gifted children – AND IT’S WRONG.  Our children are different because they have a higher intelligence and as parents, we keep it a secret.  That’s not fair.
 
Do you want to know how Madelyne’s giftedness has already affected her and she’s only 4-years-old?  The kids at her preschool called her weird and didn’t want to play with her.  She ended up spending all of her free time in the book nook – alone.  The kids didn’t even play with her on the playground.  On top of that, her teacher repeatedly told her throughout the day, every day, that she was not listening and therefore was spending a lot of her day in “time out.”  The day before I pulled Madelyne from that preschool her teacher said to me in front of Madelyne, “Madelyne told me today that she had a hard time listening because she wasn’t learning anything new.  I told her that until she learned to listen, I wasn’t going to teach her anything new.”  That was a week ago and I’m still fuming.
 
Now, if you still think I’m whining because I have a gifted child and should just get over myself, let me tell you about some of the behavioral traits that most gifted children have:

Perfectionism:  If Madelyne doesn’t get something right the first time, she won’t do it anymore.  Whether it’s a dance step, missing the goal when her and I play soccer in the backyard or even hitting a balloon back and forth.  If she misses just once, she walks away.Overly sensitive:  If I get upset with Madelyne (usually because she’s fooling around) I can say in a normal voice, “Madelyne are you fooling around?”  The first words out of her mouth are, “Do you still love me, Mommy?”  No she’s not being manipulative.  She actually feels that if I am upset with her, that that means I don’t love her anymore.  Do you know how heartbreaking that is to hear? Easily frustrated:  Think about how frustrating it might be to have the mind of say, a 5th grader, but the body of a 4-year-old.  Madelyne is learning to write but she gets frustrated when her little hands do not have the dexterity to write.  Also, Madelyne tested at the “very superior” range for vocabulary.  She is in the 96% percentile, which means that only 4% of all 4-year-olds have a better vocabulary range.  Can you imagine having all of these big words in your head but not knowing how to spell and/or write them down?Socially behind:  Madelyne may have gifted intelligence but she is a little socially behind, which is typical with gifted children.  Academically, she can probably skip a grade.  Socially, she would never make it in a skipped grade. 
Now do you understand why parents of gifted children feel the need to hide their giftedness?  A gifted child is not a perfect child.  Let me repeat that:  A gifted child is not a perfect child.  There are many layers beneath a gifted child’s IQ. 
 
Do you know how much I wish Madelyne were “normal?”  When I found out Madelyne might be gifted, I was excited.  When I got back the results of her IQ evaluation, I was one proud parent.  But the treatment from others made me look at her giftedness as a negative.  I wanted to wrap it in a box and pretend it’s not there.  Her preschool teacher ostracized her and some of my own friends have backed away.
 
Thank GOD for family, friends and those of you who braved the stigma to give me really awesome advice.  You don’t even know how much it means to me to have all of you to lean on.  Madelyne and I start therapy today (just a parent session today) and will have to go twice a month.  This is so Madelyne can learn to deal with her gifted behavioral traits in a healthy positive manner and so I can learn the right words to use when she is having a hard time.  Do all gifted children have to go to therapy?  Absolutely not!  But as you all know, I’m a big advocate of therapy (hello – three years of weekly sessions to finally realize my ex is a waste of space) and therefore, it’s the right course of action for us.
 
So what’s the point of this post?  Is it to brag about Madelyne?  Is it so people feel sorry for Madelyne?  Sorry for me?  Nope.  It’s to educate and help people understand that giftedness should not be a negative stigma.  In fact, there shouldn’t be any negative stigma attached to children and that includes autism, down syndrome, ADHD, or anything else I forgot.  Every child is unique and every child has his or her own gift to share with the world. 
 
I’m not naïve to think that Madelyne will go through life without being bullied.  It happens, especially with girls because we can be catty.  I expect and accept that from kids.  I don’t expect nor should accept it from adults.