Betrayed Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Betrayed by Ednah Walters!

Lil isn't just an average teenager. She's one of the Nephilim--the descendants of humans and angels--which gives her some serious psi skills and a mission for redemption. Just when Lil thinks she's found a balance between her normal life with human friends and her training to become a Guardian, she's warned that someone close to her will betray her. When the boy she loves starts acting strangely and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability, Lil begins to realize that someone is manipulating the people she loves... and won't stop until she's been lured to the dark side.

ABOUT EDNAH WALTERS:

I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Hardy boys mysteries and fell in love with books

I enjoy good love stories, tingly mysteries and epic adventures. When I finished my college and decided to be a stay-at-home mother, I devoured books like they were going out of production, until reading just wasn't enough. So I started to write.

I've written picture books (unpublished), contemporary and romantic suspense (under the pen name E. B. Walters), and finally YA fantasy (as Ednah Walters).

AWAKENED (2010) is the prequel to the YA series about the Nephilim, The Guardian Legacy series. BETRAYED(book # 1) is now available wherever books are sold, HUNTED (book # 2) will be released in February 2013 andFORGOTTEN (later in 2013).

My adult contemporary with or without suspense is about a west coast Irish-American family series. I've published four Fitzgerald books: SLOW BURN (April 5th 2011), MINE UNTIL DAWN (June 29th 2011), KISS ME CRAZY (Sept 25th 2011) and DANGEROUS LOVE (Jan 29th 2012)

When I'm not writing, I do things with my family, five children and my darling husband of 18 years. I live in a picturesque valley in northern Utah, the setting for my YA series.

Connect with the author on her website, blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, or Google+. 


Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Book Depository.

There's an awesome giveaway with this book blast for a $100 Amazon.com gift code! The last day to enter is June 6th, so be sure to check that out! Thanks for stopping by and good luck.

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Title:		I've Got Your Number
Author:		Sophie Kinsella
Publisher:		Random House Publishing Group
Pub. Date:		2/14/2012
ISBN:		0385342063 (ISBN13: 9780385342063)
Pages:		433

I've lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

(Summary and cover via Goodreads)
            **************************************************

Poppy Wyatt is about to embark on the life she always wanted. Engaged to the brilliant and handsome Magnus Tavish, Poppy is ready to move forward with the wedding. If she can find the antique family heirloom Magnus gave her as an engagement ring. After she gets her cell phone stolen too, Poppy really starts to worry until she finds a cell in the trash of a hotel. Now she can use that number to have to hotel call her when they find her ring. The phone introduces new chaos into Poppy's life as she discovers it belonged to the assistant of a very busy businessman, Sam Roxton. Poppy makes a deal with Sam that allows her to keep the phone if she forwards his messages. Poppy is soon caught up in Sam's life as well as trying to wade through her own mess, and soon she finds that she may be the key to solving a major crisis of Sam's. If she can survive her own crises that is.

So I love Sophie Kinsella books, and this one was no exception. It has her usual charm and wit. I kind of felt like the last Shopaholic book or two were beginning to feel a bit formulaic, so I was worried that I may not enjoy this one. However, I was happy to see that Sophie Kinsella is able to keep the things I love about her writing, and these new characters kept things feeling a bit fresher. I didn't quite get Poppy and Magnus as a couple in the beginning, but things made much more sense in the end. I also loved the use of the cell phone as a plot point. It really helped show how much our communication has changed with people. It is much more common to text and use technology to communicate, but I think some people think this isolates us from others. I've always felt like it helps me reach more people; people I would never be able to talk to otherwise. This book did a great job of showing how technology can actually bring people together.

Naturally there's not going to be anything earth shattering and new in this book, but there doesn't have to be. More than anything this book is fun! It's a great relaxing read. There are even a couple surprises in this book. People who don't like Sophie Kinsella are not going to like this book. That's pretty much a given. However if you are someone who enjoyed her books in the past, even if you are like me and felt some of the charm wearing off the latest Shopaholic books, give this one a try. It is a fast and fun read.

Galley provided for review.

The Fairy Tale Bride Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for The Fairy Tale Bride by Kelly McClymer!

Miranda Fenster gave up on a happily-ever-after following a disastrous London season, but she is determined to help her brother regain his star-crossed love by convincing the impeccably proper Duke of Kerstone he was wrong to thwart their love match. Instead, she finds herself compromised, married, and with a second chance for a fairy tale ending — if only she can show the duke fairy tales do come true.

Review:

Miranda Fenster has always believed in fairy tales, even when her life has seemed far removed from them. Unable to secure a husband during the London season, Miranda returned home and ended up staying there. When her parents passed away, she and her twin brother Valentine had to take care of the numerous younger sisters and the entire estate. Valentine sinks into despair when his elopement goes awry, so Miranda takes it upon herself to make things right. Miranda's plans go awry though, and she finds herself in a compromising situation. Soon Miranda's faith in fairy tale endings will be severely tested, and she will find out if her dreams can all come true.

This was an interesting book on a couple levels. I found the writing to be a bit uneven. The prologue read really smooth and immediately drew me in, but then the first few chapters felt a bit stilted. They were hard to get in to. Things definitely smoothed out though, and I was once again drawn into the story to the point where I didn't want to put it down. I think the author did a great job with the character of Miranda and her love of fairy tales. This could have been a bit annoying after a bit, but the author kept it all balanced so that you understood Miranda's love and connection with the tales while never allowing it to become to saccharine. I found a lot of the supporting characters intriguing, and I wanted to learn a lot more about many of them.

This book manages to straddle the line between a typical romance novel and a fairy tale. Personally I could have used a little less of the pining for one another, but this aspect was very unique from your typical romance story as they couple in question actually got together fairly early in the story. Their troubles were a bit unique for their situation though. There was also some unique mysteries and twists. I though those were particularly well done, and they kept me on the edge of my seat eager to find out what would happen next. People who love sweet romance books will enjoy this book, as will those who love fairy tale type stories. 

Galley provided for review.

Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop!

For me summer means...getting ready to stay indoors more. 100+ F is too much for me. That means it's the perfect time to read more books!

I am giving away my usual

$10 Amazon gift card!!

For all of your international book lovers, you may order a book worth $10 or less from Book Depository (please check to ensure they deliver to your country).

How do you enter?

Choose one or any or all of the following:

1. Follow on GFC

2.  Follow on Twitter

3. Like on Facebook

4. Friend on Goodreads

That's all!

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Be sure to check out all the stops on the hop. There are tons of chances to win. Good luck!

Masters of the Veil Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Masters of the Veil by Daniel A. Cohen!

Life can't get much better for Sam Lock. Popular, good-looking, and with a future as a professional football player. every guy at Stanton High School wishes he were Sam. That is, until his championship football game, when Sam accidentally links with an ancient source of energy known as the Veil and reveals his potential to become a powerful sorcerer. Sam is whisked off to Atlas Crown, a community of sorcerers who utilize the Veil as a part of everyday life. Once there, he trains beside a mute boy who speaks through music, an eternal sage who's the eyes and ears of the Veil, and a beautiful girl who's pretty sure Sam's an idiot. As it becomes clear Sam's meant for power magic-the most feared and misunderstood form of sorcery-people beyond Atlas Crown learn of his dangerous potential. An exiled group of power sorcerers are eager to recruit Sam, believing that he is destined to help them achieve their long-held goal. If they succeed, they could bring about the downfall of not only Atlas Crown. but all humankind.






Book Trailer

Learn more about the book and author at his blog, Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.


Find the book at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Author Daniel A. Cohen
Daniel A. Cohen was just your average business student. Microeconomics, finance, marketing… you name it, he had to do a PowerPoint presentation on it. One dark and stormy night, he was bitten by the radioactive realization that memorizing business jargon could possibly be the most boring activity known to man.

After gaining eagle-eye vision, abs that could grate cheese, and a talent for imagining things (including his cheese-grating abs), he wrote his first novel and began his epic battle against the formidable business jargon. He continues to fight the good fight by playing saxophone and writing YA fantasy, forever hoping his Veil trilogy will help inspire others to join his cause.

Here's some answers to question you may have not thought to ask:


Can you tell us a little about yourself?
 
I graduated with a degree in business management but I’m trying my best not to use it. Obviously I love writing, but really I just love books in general.
 

What inspired you to write about magic and sorcerers?

Harry Potter.
And others.
But mostly Harry Potter.

Like most everyone else, I am obsessed with Rowling’s work. Growing up, I was always the same age as Harry’s crew and I felt a special bond to him and his world. I knew I could never create something as world shattering at J.K. did, but I knew in the very least that I wanted my work to be in the same genre. I’ve also found out by trial and error that choosing to write about magic and sorcery is choosing to be free and chained at the same time. You can create anything you want, but you have to follow your own rules or the story doesn’t work. This genre can be unbelievably liberating and mind-bogglingly frustrating at the same time.


What do you do when you’re not writing?
 
Rock saxophone. I’ve been playing tenor saxophone for about fifteen years now, but I still have a lot to learn. I actually just moved to Austin, TX (the live music capital of the world) to try my hand at the music scene. Turns out that everyone here is amazing so it’s going to be rough.
 
Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

My favorite character is a young sorcerer named Glissandro Thicket. He’s a lanky, curly-haired sorcerer on the brink of adulthood. He was born without the ability to talk, but he somehow found a way to speak through playing music on his horn.

He’s based on a type of person that I feel like happens all too often. He’s talented, has a kind heart, plenty of wisdom, but because of certain life circumstances, he’s shy and lacks the self-esteem to shine as bright as he could.


Do you work with an outline or just write?
 
I have an outline, but in the heat of writing things seem to always change. However the bones of the story tend to stay pretty close to what I have planned out.
  
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
 
I know this is going to sound pretentious (and I apologize for it) but I have found that there is a huge difference between writing and being an author. I started as a writer, but I find myself slowly drifting to the other side. Writing is fun. Being an author can be horrible. If you’re serious about becoming an author, be prepared to sacrifice for your craft. I don’t mean to sound melodramatic, but real writing will consume you. The best advice I can give is be careful, and make sure to find time for friends, family, and real life.
 
 
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What’s been the best compliment?
 
People tended to complain about the romance in, “The Ancillary’s Mark”. And they were right to. But it was a good thing. Since I was aware of my problem with romance, I concentrated on making it better in my next book, and even better in the next book (Children of the Veil).



Was there any scene or part in your book that was difficult to write? If so, how did you get through writing it? 

I was battling some pretty nasty demons while writing the first book, and some of them came out in the reenactment scene. I was actually climbing a mountain alone when I put that scene together. There were a lot of things in this book that hit very close to home with me, but it felt good to breath some of my own issues into the characters. For solidarity I guess.

If you were to go live on an island and could only choose 5 books to take with you, what would you choose? 

• The Name of the Wind
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
• The Giver
• The Alchemist
• How to Build A Boat Using Nothing But Island Materials

If Masters of the Veil were made into a movie, who do you picture starring in it?
 
It’s funny that you should ask. I did a piece over at Fiktshun where I cast the main characters. You should check it out:http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/2012/02/03/guest-post-masters-of-the-veil-author-daniel-cohen-giveaway/
 
There’s even photos!
 
 




The author is offering a great giveaway of a $100 Amazon.com gift card! Just enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Last day to enter is May 31st!

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Carnage Road Blog Tour- Review

Welcome to the blog tour for Carnage Road by Gregory Lamberson!

Boone and Walker, the last two members of the Floating Dragons motorcycle gang in Buffalo, set out to re-discover America during the zombie apocalypse. Their odyssey takes them to Ohio, Kansas, Hollywood, and a last stand in Texas. Along the way they learn just what happens when the federal government ceases to exist, and it isn’t pretty.

A tale of friendship and loyalty, Carnage Road is author Gregory Lamberson’s unforgettable ode to westerns, biker pictures, and the cinema of the living dead.

Review:

When the zombie apocalypse happens, it's every man for himself. American quickly falls apart as the ghouls take over cities everywhere. Boone and Walker are some of those living who are trying to survive. After their biker gang falls apart, Boone and Walker set out to see what's left of the United States. Their trip takes them from East Coast to West, and along the way they see some of the good and bad parts of people trying to survive. At the end of the day, Boone and Walker can really only rely on each other, but that may not be enough to keep them from being zombie food.

Carnage Road is a novella, so it's a quick read. It packs a lot into the limited number of pages though. You get a clear view of the desperation and horror of the zombie apocalypse that has taken place. You also get a real sense of the difficulty of surviving a situation like this. This book had enough horror to give you a sense of the terror they were facing, but it wasn't so awful that it kept me from sleeping or anything. I like that though. I feel like it was graphic enough without being too graphic (for a zombie book anyway).

In the end though, this ended up being a great story about friendship. Here are two guys trying to survive something horrific, and yet they are still able to keep a good sense of humor and perspective about things. There are a few stops along the way that are pretty hilarious. The description of zombie Hollywood was amazing and funny at the same time. The end of the story leaves you with sadness but also a bit of happiness knowing these two friends are going into this together. Fans of horror and zombies should definitely check this story out.

Book provided for review.

Colors Like Memories Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston!

Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of. 

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this "breath of life" she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia enjoyed, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia is not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia will lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.

From now until May 23rd Colors Like Memories is just $1.99.








Learn more about Meradeth on her website, blog, Twitter, Pinterest, or Goodreads.


Check out the Colors Like Memories Goodreads and Facebook pages too!

Author Meradeth Houston

I've never been a big fan of talking about myself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about me:

• I'm a California girl. This generally means I talk too fast and use "like" a lot.
• I have my doctorate in molecular anthropology. Translation: I sequence dead people's DNA and spend a whole lot of time in a lab, which I love.
• I've been writing since I was 11 years old. It's my hobby, my passion, and I'm so happy to get to share my work!
• My other passion is teaching. There's nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!
• If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because I'm terrified of heights.

There's a great giveaway going on with this book blast. You could win a $50 Amazon.com gift code! Make sure you enter to win. The last day to enter will be May 29th.


Open to anyone who can legally enter and can receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

Wish You Were Here Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Wish You Were Here by Beth K. Vogt!

Allison Denman is supposed to get married in five days, but everything is all wrong. The huge wedding. The frothy dress. And the groom. Still, kissing the groom's brother in an unguarded moment is decidedly not the right thing to do. How could she have made such a mistake? It seems Allison's life is nothing but mistakes at this point. And pulling a "Runaway Bride" complete with stealing, er, borrowing her best friend's car doesn't seem to solve her problems. Can Allison find her way out of this mess? Maybe she just needs to stop orchestrating everything. Allison prefers being the one in control, and giving it up is not going to be easy. But to find her way again, she will have to believe that God has a plan for her and find the strength to let Him lead.

About Beth: 

Beth K. Vogt provides her readers with a happily ever after woven through with humor, reality, and God's lavish grace. She's a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force physician (now in solo practice) who said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four who said she'd never have kids. Beth has discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." She writes contemporary romance because she believes there's more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us. Beth earned a journalism degree from San Jose State University and met her husband Rob when he knocked her down at a karate studio. They've been married for 31 years. They have four children, ranging in ages from 28, 25, 23 and - thanks to a funny thing happening on their way to the empty nest-a 10-year-old. The Vogt Team, which now includes a "daughter-in-love" and "son-in-love," enjoys hiking and camping in Colorado. Read more about Beth at her website:http://bethvogt.com

Link to buy the book:  http://ow.ly/aQTEk


Review:


Alli is getting ready to marry her high school sweetheart. What could be more romantic? Everything is going according to plan. When the groom's older brother Daniel comes to help Alli pack her things to move, one moment turns into a kiss which turns into a major crisis. Suddenly Alli isn't so sure about her "perfect" life. Alli soon leaves her old life behind as she tries to decide exactly what she wants to do with herself. As old habits threaten to surface, she will have to learn to rely on her faith to keep her life from derailing.

This was a sweet book. You can completely tell that Alli is getting in over her head from the start, so it's almost a relief that she soon becomes a runaway bride. I appreciated the author's ability to balance some serious subjects with the more light-hearted fluff in the rest of the book. This can be difficult to pull off, but I felt that it worked well in this book. Another good point was that Alli never wallowed in the bad things going on, and she certainly had plenty things to be in a funk about. Daniel seemed like a great travel partner. He was also a very swoon-worthy guy.

If there was one small thing that bugged me, it was that the characters talked out-loud to themselves a lot. Some of that I felt could have made more sense as internal dialogue. The other thing is that I really wanted more backstory on Alli. She had a lot of very interesting stories in her life, and I just wanted to read more about all that. Those are small things though, and overall this is a really fun book. It has loads of romance and introspection. It's a super fast, fluffy read. It'll be perfect for relaxing on the beach or at home, so check it out!

Book provided for review.

Celebrate with Beth by entering her Wish You Were Here Giveaway!

One "happy" winner will receive:

• A brand new iPad with Wi-Fi (The must-have, do-everything gadget!)
• Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon worthy.)
• $15 iTunes Gift Card (Music, books, apps, & more.)

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 6/4/12. The winner will be announced 6/6/12 on Beth's website!

Just click one of the icons below to enter! Tell your friends about Beth's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour!

Crazy Dangerous Blog Tour

Welcome to the blog tour for Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan!

"You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and-oh yeah-the weird murder . . . you're definitely going to want to hear about that." 

Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it's only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble. 

But one day, Sam sees them harassing an eccentric schoolmate of his named Jennifer. When Sam finds the courage to face the bullies down, he loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one. 

Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons and the devil and death. And here's the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies--prophecies of something terrible that's going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it. 

With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time. Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous.

About Andrew: 

Andrew Klavan was hailed by Stephen King as "the most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich." He is the recipient of two Edgar Awards and the author of such bestsellers as True Crime and Don't Say a Word.

His books and screenplays have been turned into films directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Michael Douglas, Ed Burns, Michael Caine among others.

Hometown: Santa Barbara, California

Books Sold to Date: over 1.5 million.

Review:

Sam Hopkins is a pretty good kid. The son of a preacher, he has lived a fairly normal life. He has always wanted to get a little more attention though. One day he starts to get that attention, but not from the people he probably should. When Sam starts to feel a that he's in a bit over his head, he decides that now would be a good time to get away from his new crowd. Things go terribly wrong when a strange girl from his school crosses his path. Jennifer Sales is the sister of one of the most popular guys in school, but she is very strange. Some say she's crazy. Sam can't quite get all the things Jennifer tells him out of his head though, and he soon discovers that Jennifer's crazy may be the key to averting disaster.

I went into this book thinking it would be one thing, and it was a different thing entirely. It's hard to describe the plot of this book, and I certainly don't want to give away certain aspects of the plot. There were some huge surprises. I really felt for Sam. He was a in general  good kid, and he definitely had a good heart. You couldn't help feeling worried for him though. I actually felt my heart racing at times as if I were watching an action movie. It's always exciting when a book can evoke that much emotion from me. The author is able to really make you see things unfolding so clearly. 

I found Jennifer to be a particularly interesting character. The things she sees and hears make you so sad for her. She has to deal with so much. I want to say a lot more about her, but I don't want to spoil anything. I guess that is all I will say about that. One of the things that drives Sam throughout the book is a statue with a phrase that translates to, "Do right, fear nothing." At times I was amazed at the lengths Sam went to in doing right, but it was also a pleasure to see. I highly recommend this book.I think it reads well for both younger and older readers. There is enough action to appeal to everyone. It also makes you think about how doing right and fearing nothing could be applied in your life. This book was really enjoyable. I probably would have read it all in one sitting if I could have. I certainly did not want to put it down at times. Definitely check out this book!

Galley provided for review.

Celebrate with Andrew Klavan by entering his Crazy Dangerous giveaway and connecting with him during the Author Chat Party on 5/29!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A $100 Visa Cash Card
• A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and 5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Crazy Dangerous" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the "danger"!

Grab your copy of Crazy Dangerous and connect with Andrew on the evening of 5/29/12 for an author chat and lots of giveaways.

 

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!

Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on the tour!

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Celebration Day 7

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.


If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.


And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


What I Didn't Know by Rhonda Shrock


I always knew I wanted to be a mother.  As a girl, I played house with my dollies, shushing them when they cried and kissing their plastic heads.
Looking back at that girl, I realize now that there was a lot she didn't know.  This morning over my fresh-ground coffee, this mother of 22-1/2 years scratched out a list of 10 things she didn't know then that she knows now.


1.  I didn't know - how could I? - just how completely a tiny, helpless scrap of humanity can capture the heart and hold it forever.  From that first whooshing heartbeat and the first butterfly brushes, a mother's heart is never again her own.  For all eternity, it enlarges, walking and pulsing and moving outside of her body; in my case, in the shape of a blue-eyed boy with rooster tails.  Times four.


2.  I didn't know that the size of a mother's heart is always changing, stretching to embrace each new baby that comes, then growing again to love their friends and then their own families.


3.  I never knew, as I changed my dolly's dress, how many reasons there are to worry when you're a mama.   Didn't know about the nighttime vigils.  Didn't know the anxiety of separation, the terror that floods when you turn around in the grocery store and they're gone.  Didn't know about the fear of the pond next door or the concern that pays for swimming lessons.  Didn't know the thousand-and-one reasons that keep a mother awake, whispering prayers on her pillow in the dark.


4.  No one told me that loving so much means that you will hurt hard and keen;  that what pains your child hurts you even worse.  I didn't know then that a playground taunt travels through that smaller heart and lands square in yours, stinging and burning like fire.  I didn't know that motherhood makes lionesses of us all and that there'd be days I'd have to bite my tongue and pray to not sin.


5.  I didn't know how exhausting it is, being a mother.  I didn't know that it takes everything you've got and then some.  Didn't know the bone-deep exhaustion; how it strips you bare and shows how selfish you can be, but, too, that you have more strength than you know.


6.  I didn't know, playing house, how much joy mothers feel; joy so big that it makes up for the pain.  Just looking at those eyes and the curve of the cheek can make you so happy it hurts.  Watching them grow and find their talent and win at something...all the money in the world can never buy that kind of happiness.


7.  I didn't know how making babies and raising them, how it binds you to their father.  I didn't know the intimacy you feel when your eyes meet above those tousled heads, and your smiles say, "Just look at what we've done."


8.  That girl in the homemade dress, she didn't know that letting go is one of the hardest things a grown-up mama will ever do.  Rocking those babies in that small rocking chair, she didn't really know that babies grow up and walk away and there goes your heart, out into the big, wide world.  No one told her that part.


9.  I had no idea how rewarding it is, being a mother.  How the happiness that comes from boy kisses and awkward hugs can't be bought or sold.  How proud you feel when you see what they're growing up to be and that all the planting and pruning and watering and feeding is finally making fruit!


10.  I didn't know how much my babies would enrich my spiritual life or how they would change the way I pray.  I didn't realize they would lead me to a deeper dependence on the Heavenly Father or how I much I would need His wisdom to raise them aright.


These are things I didn't know before I was a mother.  But I know them now.  Oh, how I know them now!  And I’d do it all again.

###

Rhonda Schrock lives in Northern Indiana with her husband and 4 sons, ages 22, 18, 13, and 5. By day, she is a telecommuting medical transcriptionist. In the early morning hours, she flees to a local coffee shop where she pens “Grounds for Insanity,” a weekly column that appears in The Goshen News. She is an occasional guest columnist in The Hutch News.  She’s also blogged professionally for her son’s school of choice, Bethel College, in addition to humor and parenting blogs, and maintains her personal blog, “The Natives are Getting Restless.” She is a writer and editor for the magazine, "Cooking & Such:  Adventures in Plain Living."  She survives and thrives on prayer, mochas, and books.  

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Celebration Day 6

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.


If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.


And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


He Will Walk With You by Carey Bailey


As a little girl, I loved baby dolls. Loved them! I played school, adoption agency, daycare operator and babysitter all day. I felt like I was born to be a mama. Therefore, I was a bit anxious when the ages, 22, 25, 28 and 32 came and went and there were no babies. Have you ever desired something so much and feared never getting it? That was me.


My day finally came at the age of 34. I soon realized that God knew what He was doing when He had me wait. To my shock, it wasn’t as easy as playing with dolls. I was surprised that it wasn’t the dream world I imagined it would be! I felt like life became a gigantic prayer.


“God, HELP me!”


“Please, God. Please, please, please make it all better. I can’t do this!”


“God, this feels impossible. Where are you?”


While I adore motherhood, it is harder and there are more adjustments than I expected. (I am hoping there are some nodding of heads and Amen’s being said out there in cyberworld.) Not only did I have a new life to care for, but my identity suddenly felt all scrambled up. It took me until my son was one to finally feel confident in my new role as a mother, confident that I could drop my child off at preschool without crying, confident that I could go out with the girls’ and the world wouldn’t fall apart, and confident that I could go on a date night and have conversations that didn’t revolve just around our son.


I was feeling settled in my new world and then WHAM! I discovered I was pregnant again. Can I be vulnerable with you? I actually cried when I found out. And they were not tears of joy. I feel awful saying that out loud, and I hope you will give me a moment to explain. It was not that I didn’t want another baby or feel like I couldn’t love a new life, it was just that I got scared. Discovering a little person was on the way sent a panic through me. Would my son still receive the love and attention that he deserved? How was my husband going to feel about my body changing again? Would I ever be able to pursue the vision I felt God had for me in writing and publishing? I was truly wondering if I was going to be able to handle another intense wave of identity crisis like the one I had just been through. I wasn’t sure.


God and I needed a serious talk. And in that conversation He carefully reminded me of this:


“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11


He reminded me in our time together that I, too, am His child and He has every intention of loving me, caring for me, and giving me the future that He has planned for me.


As mothers, we can get so caught up in parenting that we forget that we, too, have a spiritual parent who loves us as His child. He loves you as much as He loves the children He has given you. He will never forsake you.  And on those days when motherhood seems too overwhelming and too impossible I step back and take a deep breath. Then I remember that this journey I am on, right now, is the one He has designed and create uniquely for me. I simply need to live in it, learn from it, and allow His love to sweep over and through me.


He will walk with me! He will walk with you! Grab His hand.

###

Carey Bailey is a recovering perfectionist, wife, proud mama, and the Family Life Director for her church in Arizona. She hosts an online community for moms called Cravings: desiring God in the midst of motherhood where she strives to make God time easier. Not less meaningful, just easier. She is the author of Cravings {The Devotional} which is a set of forty devotional flashcards for the mama on the go. Visit Carey online blog: www.cravingstheblog.blogspot.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CravingsOnline and Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/careycbailey/

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Celebration Day 5

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series - a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.


If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.


And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother's Day!


Stepping Out on Faith by Bonnie St. John

"Darcy . . .”


“Yeah, Mom?”


I momentarily held the undivided attention of my teenage daughter. Her thumbs, free of their ubiquitous texting keypad, quietly dangled by her side. Her computer and its omnipresent Facebook page were completely out of sight. I had almost forgotten what she looked like without all these adolescent accoutrements. As we sat down together on the burgundy leather sofa in our living room, I realized this fleeting state of electronic dislocation was my chance to hatch a plan I had been formu- lating for the past several weeks. Carpe diem.


“How would you like to write a book together?”


“About what?” I asked my mom. Write a book? This was a real surprise. I felt a bit suspicious, but still curious.  I love to write, and Mom kept telling me I was really good at it. I like writing poetry, fantasy, and sci-fi, though.  The books Mom wrote were all nonfiction.  I wondered what we could possibly do together.


“Well . . .” I hesitated. If I wanted her to commit to any extra work out- side her busy schedule at school—not to mention work alongside her mother—I had to make this really great. “It would be about women as leaders,” I continued, “a mother-daughter investigation into leadership styles and structures.”


“Leadership?” I blurted. It came out as if I had a bad taste in my mouth—which I did.  I couldn’t imagine a more boring topic to write about. What is there to say about leadership anyway? When you’re in charge, you just get things done, right? Who wants to talk about that?


Her furrowed brow told me I was losing her fast. “Um . . . we could find women leaders all around the world!” I said impulsively, frantically casting the ultimate bait.


“Really? Would we get to travel a lot?”  I hadn’t thought about that. Heck, I’d write about the mating habits of tsetse flies  if I got to go to Africa to do it!


But this project wasn’t just about the influence it would have on Darcy. I wanted to do something that could have a potent impact on an alarming trend I had witnessed in workplaces across the country: far too many women appeared to be making a choice not to apply for top leadership positions when presented with the opportunities to do so.


This project, then, was a bit of a Trojan horse. On the one hand, the saga of a mother-daughter journey could seduce female readers, who might never bother to read the Harvard Business School dissertations on the subject, into a meaningful conversation about leadership. At the same time, if Darcy met a series of brilliant, accomplished women— people even a cynical teen would be in awe of—perhaps they could tell her all the things I’d like her to know—and more.


And she just might listen.


But where to start? How would we make it work? I suggested we do most of our research by phone, as I did for How Strong Women Pray. My telephone interviews with a governor, some CEOs, actors, sports figures, a college president, and others yielded great stories and information. I promised my intrepid co-author, though, that we could punctuate these conversations with a few visits in person to exciting and exotic places—all with reasonably priced airfares.


“Why don’t we follow each subject as she goes about her daily life? That way our readers get to come along with us and get a behind- the-scenes look at what happens to them. Instead of just a boring interview, we—and our readers—get to hang around with these women, see them in their natural habitat, and even see how other people treat them.”


Although I agreed it was a wonderful approach, this idea of “job- shadowing” each featured subject wasn’t going to be easy. Would these high-powered, important women deign to allow us that kind of access? Would they be able to impart the kind of wisdom that would resonate with our readers and truly make a difference in their lives?  We looked at each other, both of us hooked on a crazy idea that we weren’t sure we could pull off.


“It sounds impossible, Darcy,” I said. “We might as well get started.”


And so, we stepped out . . . on faith.

###

Bonnie is a 1984 Paralympics silver medal winner in ski racing. Her education includes a degree with honors from Harvard, a Rhodes scholarship, and an M.Litt in Economics from Oxford.  Her career includes positions as an award-winning sales rep for IBM and a Clinton White House member of staff. She now is a much-in-demand speaker, who makes nearly 100 speeches each year to corporations and civic groups. You can visit her on the Web at www.bonniestjohn.com.

Re-printed with permission from How Great Women Lead by Bonnie St. John and Darcy Deane

Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!