100 Pages A Day.... Stephanie's Book Reviews
  • Blog Tours
  • Historical Fiction
  • Sci Fi & Fantasy
  • Thriller & Horror
  • Non-Fiction
  • Middle Grade & Children's
  • Literary Fiction and Other Genres
  • Challenges
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Life Outside the Box

12/13/2016

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About the Book: 
This second edition offers new content added to each and every chapter - personal author reflections from behind the scenes.

Get inspired to step out of your box and embrace your potential. From the corporate world, to the arts, to working with the disenfranchised, the message is clear: there is no such thing as a normal way to live your life and no one right solution to any problem. Selected from over a hundred interviews, the stories shared here open a window on the journeys of seven women and three men who have charted their own paths, including Ruthie Davis--top US luxury shoe designer and the winner of the 2014 AAFA Footwear Designer of the Year award; and Geir Ness whose perfume is a staple in Nordstrom, Disney World, and on Disney Cruise Lines. Enjoy a glimpse behind the scenes into the unique ways these individuals have chosen to deal with life's challenges and how they define success in their careers.

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~   Barnes & Noble

A Guest Post By Marilyn: 
The SciFi Book That Left Me Speechless
by Marilyn R Wilson
 
It doesn't matter if you are an avid or occasional reader, everyone eventually reads THE BOOK.  You know what I mean. It's a book that leaves you speechless, lost in thought and feeling the impact. Years later you can still vividly remember the story and how you felt after reading it. That book for me was The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.
 
Willis released this book in 1993, but it didn't make its way into my hands until about nine years later. Science Fiction has always been a favourite read in my house. My husband first found the title and after reading it, strongly suggested I give it a look. He was right. It held me captive from the first page and I couldn't put it down until the final sentence. For awhile, it haunted my dreams.
 
Why? The Doomsday Book is an unusual offering in this genre.  SciFi is often set on alien worlds or features aliens among us. Another focus is post-apocalypse earth or a future earth filled with robots.  This storyline takes an entirely different approach. It is earth in the near future. Time travel is a reality, but is only used in academic settings by researchers looking into specific times in history. The feel of society in general is just like today, right down to the politics of the university where different departments vie for time travel slots.  The homes, the people, their lives and interactions are familiar.
 
Another thread brought into this story is also very believable.  The world is constantly in fear of a Pandemic - an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads throughout the human populations - rearing it's ugly head. World health organizations have been warning us of this threat for many years. 
 
Several things happen as we move between past and present.  One of the researches is sent by accident to the wrong era. She arrives desperately sick and confused. It takes time for her discover she has landed at the beginning of the Black Plague. History comes alive as events unfold before our eyes. The researcher had received a wide range of vaccinations, so is immune to the plague, but has to deal with the magnitude of death surrounding her. Willis brings a sense of reality to this terrible moment in history that I guarantee will overwhelm readers.
 
In the future, a new pandemic has become a reality. As the government works hard to type and find a treatment/vaccination, society has to deal with the social and political effects of this serious health scare. In fear, the time machine is shut down stranding the researcher in the past. Can she be found?
 
While this book had a serious impact when first read it, that impact was doubled six months later. In 2003 the SARS virus reared it's head. The parallels between what ensued publicly and what had occurred in The Doomsday Book were too great to be ignored.  It was another example of Science Fiction predicting the future with incredible accuracy.
 
If you haven't read this Hugo and Nebula Award Winner, I suggest you add it to your book list. I personally feel it's the author's best book. But be prepared –  the story line is filled with difficult moments that will stay with you for a long time.

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About the Author: 
​

Marilyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer and speaker with a passion for interviewing. Her career as a writer began in an unusual way, by answering a Craigslist ad. It was while conducting her first interview the world shifted - she had found her passion. Since 2006, she has interviewed over 150 people from as near as her hometown of Vancouver, Canada, and as far away as South Africa.

​Whether through a random encounter on the New York subway or via a one-on-one interview with an internationally recognized artist, the goal is the same-to give wings to the unique journeys of inspiring individuals. This goal first led the author to co-launch a successful, innovative magazine focused on professionals working in the fashion industry paired with photography and illustrations by local artists. Then in 2015, Wilson took her passion to a new audience with the release of her first book, the first in a series featuring the lives of real people living real lives.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~ Instagram

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Disaster At Roosevelt Ranch

12/13/2016

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Contemporary Romance
Date Published: December 13, 2016

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I slept with the wrong twin.

And all I got for it in return was a broken heart.

Oh yeah, and a baby on the way—there’s that too.

But I’m determined to make it on my own. I don’t need a man, thank you very much. Not rich, charismatic, and decidedly flighty Rex Roosevelt, and especially not his twin brother, Justin.

No matter that the gorgeous former military doctor makes my heart beat a little faster . . . and all spots lower than that pay careful, careful attention.

None of that matters. The Roosevelt men are dangerous and I’m steering clear.

The trouble is, Justin refuses to leave me be. 
And deep down, I don’t want to avoid him. 
Deep down, I want to be even closer.




About the Author


Aside from writing romance, Elise Faber's passions are chocolate, Star Wars, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team — the Sharks! — are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise is the mom to two exuberant boys and is thoroughly addicted to Dancing With the Stars. Connect with her on facebook (facebook.com/elisefaberauthor), twitter (@faberelise), instagram (@elisefaber) or www.elisefaber.com.


Contact Links

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Promo Link

Purchase Links

Amazon


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This is Not A Werewolf Story Grand Finale

12/12/2016

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Book Tour Grand Finale for
This is Not a Werewolf Story
By Sandra Evans

We hope you enjoyed coming along with us for some fun mixed with mystery at this boarding school where everything isn't quite what it seems! If you missed any of the stops, go back and check them out now...

Launch - Author Interview

2. What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

I hope readers will want to visit Whidbey Island and Fort Casey. I hope they’ll think about the importance of preserving our national parks and the animals that seek refuge there. I hope some kids will feel reassured that even if your family isn’t 100% normal and maybe your parents and the people taking care of you aren’t doing a great job 100% of the time, that you’ll be okay, that you’ll find your people eventually, and that sometimes they are already around you. Also that, yes, we change. We change all the time, but part of us stays the same. So don’t be afraid to grow up. You’ll still be there when you get there.

The Silver Dagger Scriptorium - Newsletter, Page 1


Wishful Endings - Review & Newsletter, Page 2

"THIS IS NOT A WEREWOLF STORY is a story not to be missed! Full of endearing characters, some science, a little magic, and a whole lot of heart, it's sure to delight readers. A perfect story for tweens, especially boys ages ten to thirteen, but highly enjoyable for all. . . . This is probably one of the best middle grade books I've read."


Wishful Endings - Excerpt

I can’t believe my eyes. No kid has ever come to the school on the back of a Harley. Not in all the years I’ve been here, and I’ve been here longer than anyone. The driver spins the back wheel and a bunch of gravel flies up.

Katie's Clean Book Collection - Newsletter, Page 3


With Love for Books - Review

"This Is Not a Werewolf Story is a fun book filled with beautiful words and wonderful magic. I immediately loved Raul. . . . I really enjoyed reading the vivid descriptions of Raul's adventures and his surroundings. The ending of the story is surprising and I liked the angle Sandra Evans has chosen. This Is Not a Werewolf Story is a fantastic book for both children and grownups."


Moonshine Art Spot - Excerpt

But then I freeze. I feel someone looking at me. And I know who it is before I even see him. When I look he’s staring at me. Mr. Tuffman.

Maybe he didn’t hear?

His jaw moves. His eyes are small. He didn’t miss a word. And Mr. Tuffman doesn’t want any more.

Beck Valley Books - Newsletter, Page 4


Falling Leaves - Excerpt

Gollum lands on his shoulder and skitters to the floor. She’s a long black streak, but Tuffman’s quick. He sprints after Gollum. Everyone stops screaming. Tuffman to the rescue. Then, at the exact same moment, we all notice the hunting knife in Tuffman’s hand. It’s huge. Everyone starts screaming again.


Mel's Shelves - Review

"I loved the ending! It wrapped up enough to satisfy me but there is also more story that can be told so I hope there is a sequel in the works. This is a thick book but a fast read as it was hard to put down once I started. I also loved reading the Author's Note and learning more about where she got the idea for her story. This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys middle-grade fantasy and mystery!"

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima - Newsletter, Page 5


Life as Leels - Promo

100 Pages A Day - Review

" I loved how the mystery of the island and Raul’s transformative process took place and how it is loosely modeled after a twelfth century story called Bisclavret. Overall, an interesting and different middle-grade coming of age story with elements of beauty, forgiveness, magic and mystery that is anything but a werewolf story."


Jessica and Gracie's Tree - Review

"I am happy to say that I was sucked into the story after a few pages. The characters are memorable and all have their own quirks. The ending was awesome and unique. I actually did not see the story ending the way it did. This is a great read and I say everyone should read it at least once. I like it so much that I can’t stop telling my spouse and teenage daughter to read it as well."

Books, Books the Magical Fruit - Newsletter, Page 6


Nish Homeschool Blog - Review

"The author Sandra Evans does a wonderful job of bringing Raul's life to the hearts and eyes of the children that read this awesome story. . . . I recommend this book to other families and encourage all of you to purchase a copy today!"

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below...

  This Is Not a Werewolf StoryThis is Not a Werewolf Story
by Sandra Evans
Middle Grade Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 352 pages
July 26th 2016 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

This is the story of Raul, a boy of few words, fewer friends, and almost no family. He is a loner—but he isn’t lonely. All week long he looks after the younger boys at One Of Our Kind Boarding School while dodging the barbs of terrible Tuffman, the jerk of a gym teacher. 

Like every other kid in the world, he longs for Fridays, but not for the usual reasons. As soon as the other students go home for the weekend, Raul makes his way to a lighthouse deep in the heart of the woods. There he waits for sunset—and the mysterious, marvelous phenomenon that allows him to go home, too. But the woods have secrets . . . and so does Raul. When a new kid arrives at school, they may not stay secret for long.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository


Sandra Evans is a writer and teacher from the Pacific Northwest. Her forthcoming middle grade novel, This is Not a Werewolf Story (Simon & Schuster July 2016), was inspired by her favorite 12th century French tale, Bisclavret, by Marie de France. Born in Washington state, Sandra spent her childhood on U.S. Navy bases from Florida to Hawaii, and returned to the Northwest as a teenager. Since then, she has lived and traveled in France and Europe, but has never strayed far for long from the Puget Sound region.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter

Tour Giveaway

A hardcover copy of THIS IS NOT A WEREWOLF STORY by Sandra Evans plus Swag
Open internationally
Ends December 16th

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STEAM Ahead

12/12/2016

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Steam Ahead! –Blitz HTML Copy the code then paste into the html area of your blog, you can go back to the compose area to change colors of text if you want. Just highlight the text and select the color. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Children’s Learning and Education
Date Published: 12 December, 2016
 Publisher: Sumita Mukherjee

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STEAM AHEAD! DIY FOR KIDS is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction book for parents and children. It introduces kids between the ages of four and ten to the magic of electronics, game and toy designing, printing, understanding basic scientific principles and most importantly, they’ll have a blast making them. Inside this book you will find projects on LED cards, dance pads, handmade soaps, bubble blowers, Play-Doh circuits, cloud lanterns, scribbling bots and more!

Created by NASA STEM certified leader, Sumita Mukherjee, this book is jam packed with projects that will engage any bored child. The hands-on projects are broken into areas of practical implementation: Party, Build, Toys and Art. They have also been sorted according to levels of difficultly and STEAM relevance. Adding one or two experiments per week can get your child excited about science, inventions, science fair projects and overall classroom performance.

There is also a BONUS material list for STEAM DIY KIDS, to make it easier for parents to plan and prepare in advance.


About the Author

Sumita Mukherjee is a NASA STEM certified leader and children’s book author. She has been fortunate enough to travel around the globe, explore many countries and meet different people. Mysteries and adventures have been captured from there in the form of Keiko and Kenzo’s travel adventure series. These books are to inspire young readers to know and appreciate various countries, develop a love for discovery and learn about the world around them. Her series of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) books encourages kids to invent and explore, to empower themselves and see themselves as world leaders and problem solvers. Her books celebrate diversity, spark curiosity and capture children's imaginations! Sumita currently lives in Toronto with her family.

Her website, WizKids.Club was created with a vision to raise the next generation of creative leaders. WizKids.Club offers highly engaging kids activities, educational books, experiments, hands-on projects, DIYs, travel stories and engineering books perfect for children 4-12 years to spark creativity and scientific learning.


Contact Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Pinterest
Goodreads

Purchase Links
Amazon


What’s particularly exciting is that STEAM AHEAD! DIY FOR KIDS is available for only $1.99 through December. Perfect for keeping children busy during the holiday season. And that’s not all! For those who purchase the book this week, a freebie downloadable brain doodle book is also available by entering your purchase information at http://wizkids.club/freegift. Don’t miss out. Visit Amazon today to grab this special deal! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRIRG69


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Scarred Beauty

12/8/2016

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On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Book Tour Grand Finale for
Scarred Beauty
By Jennifer Silverwood

Vynasha's journey continues in this Beauty and the Beast retelling. We hope you enjoyed finding out more about this fantasy world. If you missed any stops, go back and check them out now...

Launch - Fanart Contest



Do you create fanart? 

Jennifer is offering extra entries on her tour giveaway and a special giveaway
during the Twitter Chat to one lucky artist! Post your fanart and share with
Jennifer on social media (@JennSilverwood on Twitter and Tumblr and
silverwoodj on Facebook). Look for inspiration and see her posts on Tumblr.
Magic & Machines - Mount Grimm

Deep in the enchanted forest across the Silver River which flows through the Wylder Mountains, is the last hold of the humans. Before Soraya the Enchantress cursed the land, the King declared war against all majikal peoples. Humans were quick to blame their troubles on the mirror folk and aided the King in his purge. Clans and villages of majikal folk scattered throughout the Wylderlands banded together to fight a losing battle against the King’s superior forces.

Nicole's Book Musings - Excerpt

Her life had been forfeit the hour the Prince locked her in the dungeon like one of his beasts. Being enclosed in near-absolute darkness made the hours crawl past and Vynasha’s mind was beginning to betray her. Had it only been a few hours since he’d left her alone with nothing but the echoing howls of her fellow beastly prisoners for company?


Wishful Endings - Excerpt

“My time as the beast is different,” Grendall said, “measured by base instinct rather than conscious thought. Our blood bond kept me aware enough to remember the reason I was there. I had to make sure you made it safely out. The wolves would have taken you if I hadn’t found you.”

Falling Leaves - Excerpt

“Vynasha?” Grendall’s weary voice woke her and his fingertip brushed over hers. “What were you dreaming about?”

The slight comfort of his contact and the soft blue light shining at her through the hole was enough to orient her again. She released a shuddering sigh as she replied, “My father…”


Letters from Annie Douglass Lima - Interview

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

This is not your average Beauty meets and falls in love with her Beast. Sometimes the heroine must be her own hero. In our heroine, Vynasha’s case, she was already scarred before she was lured to the Beast’s clutches. And while she may indeed love him, she has chosen to take matters into her own hands. No “hot-button” topics here in todays’ modern era. Just a tale old as time about a scarred girl who learns ugliness is a matter of perspective, and that it’s okay to embrace her inner monster to rescue the ones she loves.

fuonlyknew - Forgotten Village

Deep in the enchanted forest by the Silver River which flows through the Wylder Mountains, is a village of the Forgotten. Before Soraya the Enchantress cursed the land, the King declared war against all majikal peoples. Clans and villages scattered throughout the Wylderlands banded together to fight a losing battle against the King’s superior forces. Until only a single village was left, a remnant of the Forgotten and displaced. The King’s former wolfmen warriors chose to abandon their liege and named themselves the Forgotten Protectors of the land.


The Silver Dagger Scriptorium - Lost City

High in the northernmost reaches of the Wylder Mountains, across the Silver River and enchanted forest, rests the Lost City. Now a dark and forbidden place, it was once called the City of Light, before Soraya the Enchantress cursed the land. Ruled by a mad king who prized wealth and opulence over his people, those who lived within the City enjoyed a life of privilege. A mysterious evil turned the king’s heart to darkness, however, a poison he forced upon his son and heir.

Mel's Shelves - Whistleande Village

Excerpt from J. Silverwood’s recently published tome, “Whistleande Valley, A History.”

While I have taken great pains to record the information the quaint, yet stoic residents of Whistleande Village have offered me, I must beg allowances for fallacy. Some families seemed reluctant or refused to supply a full account of their ancient homeland. Perhaps it is because I am a Southerner, from the lowlands by the sea. This homely mountain folk have had fair reason to distrust my kin in the past.



Book Butterfly in Dreamland - Promo

December 9th: Twitter Chat 8-9 PM ET #ScarredBeauty


Scarred Beauty
(A Wylder Tale, #2)
by Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
ebook, 209 Pages
December 1st 2016

Vynasha has become prisoner with the other wyld beasts of the castle, but she is not alone. In the howling darkness her majikal bond with the Dungeon Master, Grendall grows, awakening the dormant power in her blood.

Yet as she discovers the true nature of the other beasts, she learns she must embrace madness in order to free them all. Vynasha is willing to do anything to end the curse, even if that means transforming into a monster.

Burried secrets come to light in this seductive sequel to Craving Beauty, the Gothic retelling of the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, where nothing is exactly as it seems and the heroine must be her own hero.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Smashwords

Book Trailer


Other Books in the Series

Craving Beauty
(A Wylder Tale, #1)
by Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 239 pages
October 31st 2015

Vynasha has spent the last four years tending her mother's roses and looking after her nephew. The fire that killed their family has left her scarred and put Wyll on the brink of death. Soon the first frost will come down from the mountains and she knows this winter will be his last.

Until a strange beggar appears on the road, telling her of the majikal Source that can heal her Wyll. With nothing left to lose, Vynasha braves the forbidden Wylder Mountains to seek out a cure and her fate.

A lost kingdom is uncovered by an equally lost girl, but the castle is not abandoned as she believes. Shadows cloaking unseen eyes watch. Tapestries whisper from the hidden corners, wondering if the one to break their curse has come. And a hungry beast waits, ready to devour her soul.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

Wolfsbane's Daughter
(A Wylder Tale Novella)
by Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
ebook, 52 Pages
February 25th 2016

Wolfsbane and his daughter Resha are on a never ending quest in the Wylder Mountains, to wipe out the wolves who destroyed their village. Before their enemies stole everything she loved, Resha cared for little beyond learning how to be a hunter. After, she learned a hunter must be prepared to fight as well as flee. Now she cares for nothing but revenge.

Until she discovers two majikal humans half frozen in the forest. Resha has a choice, to follow her instincts and leave the strangers to the wolves, or save them. Yet the enemy is on the prowl and there is little time for Wolfsbane's daughter to find safe haven before they are discovered.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Smashwords


Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it’s the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of the Heaven’s Edge series, Stay and Silver Hollow.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Tumblr

Other Books by the Author


Tour Giveaway

3 winners to receive ebooks of all three books in A Wylder Tales: Craving Beauty, Wolfsbane's Daughter, and Scarred Beauty (extra swag to US winners)
Open internationally
Ends December 12th

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The First Few Steps

12/8/2016

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Non-fiction, Self-Improvement
Date Published: October 27, 2016

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In her debut non-fiction title, Kelli Hackett delivers a simple, no-nonsense guide to nourishing the soul. The First Few Steps: A Beginner's Guide to Practical Soul Care describes the action steps she took in her own life to revive a spirit illness she didn't even know she had... until it became too painful to ignore.

This guide aggregates several major recovery tools and principles into a quick, easy-to-read, how-to manual in healing the spirit. Offering a fresh perspective on how to prevent death of the spirit, this book includes techniques in NLP and meditation, borrows from 12-step recovery principles, incorporates the work of leading healers, and draws from the author's personal experience.



After practicing each Action Step, you will know how to:

* Put yourself and your health first
* Keep moving forward, no matter what
* Remove negativity from your life
* Find a mentor
* Enjoy the present moment
* Discover the lesson in everything
* Start healing your inner child
* Depend on your inner spiritual strength
* Begin a meditation practice
* Live and let live

Using the tools laid out neatly in this guide, you can tap into an internal source of power that will enliven your spirit and give you a life of wisdom, purpose, and peace.





EXCERPT



Distance Yourself from Negativity

“You are an average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

Think about this for a moment.  If you are watching the news every morning and every night before bed, you are bookending your day with negativity. The news is designed to instill fear in its audience. The media hooks us in and creates a desire in us to watch more. Social media is not much better. We constantly sit at our computers or on our phones and get caught up. We look at a few articles or catch up with an old friend, and suddenly we have fallen down a two-hour  long rabbit hole of the political and social ranting of “friends”. Even the office isn’t safe. We go to the break room to get a coffee, and the next thing you know we are engaged in water cooler gossip about the receptionist’s bad haircut or the boss who’s cheating on his wife. Even our private social lives can be a hotbed  for negativity. Our best friends tell us how terrible their marriages are, and we quickly find ourselves comparing stories about whose spouse is the most awful.
If we surround ourselves with negativity, it seems to seep into our spirits by osmosis. Soon, we let the uncontrollable events on the morning news run our emotions for the entire day. We feel we have to out- do our friends’ negativity with the negativity of our own. We get sucked into gossip and social media,and let other people’s problems affect our personal peace.
I remember watching a news story several years ago about the Chinese stock markets falling. The newscaster was in a panic, and so were the people he was interviewing.  They were predicting  major international fallout from this one-day drop. I took that panic with me to work that day. I was anxious, irritable, and short-tempered. Finally, a co-worker asked me what was wrong. I answered that the Chinese stocks had crashed, and our economy was going to take a punch  for it. He laughed. It pissed me off, actually. I asked how he could be laughing when the economy was going to shit.
He asked, “Kelli, do you own Chinese stock?” I said I didn’t. He asked me, “Is this going to affect you directly?” After thinking about it, I said it probably would not. Then he smiled and asked, “Can you control any of this?” He was right. I laughed, then, too.  I realized in that moment how worked up I had gotten over a fear-induced news story. None of it mattered. In the bigger picture of life, family, love, and all things important to me, the Chinese stocks falling for one day didn’t matter one bit. After taking back control over my own thoughts, my day turned out to be much better.
We can’t let people steal our happiness. People in this case include the media, our friends, coworkers, neighbors, social media, family, etc. Joy is a precious thing, and if you find yours being threatened by certain people or things, take a good  look at where it is coming from and make the necessary adjustments. Decrease the time you spend with negative friends, cut back or eliminate the news you ingest, leave the room when the conversation turns to gossip, limit social media, and unsubscribe from negative news feeds. In general, eliminate the things that produce fear, judgment, or insecurity in you.
Action Steps



Try something different. Eliminate or severely limit your intake of negative people, news, social media, and gossip for the next several days, and see how  you feel. I stopped watching the news completely in early 2015, and I have not regretted that decision. If you can’t stay away, deactivate your social media accounts for a while.
Replace the negative with positive. Hang around more positive people over the next few days. Read only positive news stories. Read inspirational quotes and books. Print out spiritual passages or write out uplifting quotes (Pinterest is a great source for inspiration), and put them on your walls, desk, or your screensaver. Surround yourself with positive people, places, and things.
Determine if the event that has you concerned is something you can control. If the situation is something you can control, then take the small steps necessary to make the change. If it’s something you can influence, talk to the right people or do what you can to influence the situation. Take the first step, and do something. If you decide it is something you can’t control, do your best to acknowledge your lack of control over the situation, accept the situation as it is in this moment, and let go of the worry around it.
Over the next few days, listen to the words you speak and the stories you tell. Are they mostly negative? Mostly positive? Become aware of which group you fall into. Are you the negative person in the group or on social media? Are you the one bringing negativity into the office? If so, realize this and make adjustments to stop spreading negative energy.




About the Author

Kelli Hackett is the author of the suspense novel Defending Wellton and the contemporary fiction trilogy Something Perfect. The First Few Steps: A Beginner's Guide to Practical Soul Care is her first self-improvement publication. Kelli holds a BA in Psychology and is a certified Spiritual Life Coach. She is also a certified practitioner of Reiki, meditation, and neurolinguistic programming (NLP). Her passion is helping others see their own potential and grow to radical levels of self-love, while reminding them of their connection to Spirit. For more information about spiritual coaching, meditation classes, Reiki and NLP services, or workshops, visit kellihackett.com.


Contact Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Pinterest
Goodreads
Instagram

Purchase Links

Amazon


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Accept the Broken Heart

12/8/2016

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15086461_1211553922235947_709028247_n 51urixgyflWhat can be said of Hell, when at its most quiet, I was most terrified? The explosions that had rocked every fiber of my being and made my bones feel like they could simply shatter like tempered glass still resonated.

I looked over at the wounded, wondering if I had the same haunted look in my eyes, and thought I probably did. In this war, no one leaves. No one goes home...and everyone is a casualty of war.

Author Bio

Robin Leigh Anderson was born in the Montana Rockies and escaped to California in the early 1970s. She attended school in Montana, Washington State, and California, eventually settling in beautiful Santa Barbara with child and cats where she lived for 38 years before escaping sans grown child and late cats to Northern California. An advocate of reinventing oneself, Ms. Anderson dabbled in many of the major disciplines of life, providing fodder for the writing she pursued since she was eight. She has won numerous awards at writing conferences over the years, and was staff of the prestigious Santa Barbara Writer Conference for ten years. She has published numerous articles and short stories in her lifetime. She taught “crash-and-burn” intensive writing seminars in Santa Barbara and was the moderator of a writers’ critique group. She still conducts occasional seminars and enjoys editing others’ works, words being her all-consuming passion, as she writes in several genres.

Foundations, LLC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foundationsbooks/

Publisher Website: http://www.foundationsbooks.net/

Links

Amazon (Kindle)

Amazon (Paperback)

Smashwords

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Silence Interrupted

12/7/2016

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About the Book: 

Two months before Troye Saavedra’s senior year of high school, his father’s drinking problem skyrockets. When Troye’s parents make an impulsive move to Georgia in order to “help” him finish high school on a positive note, he is forced to leave behind everything he knows. Things couldn’t get worse for Troye. That is, until he meets three enigmatic teenagers: Adelaide, an independent violinist with radical ideas; Zaidan, fiercely loyal and always funny; and Arabella, a girl who harbors secret struggles. Together, the four friends try to pick up the jagged pieces of their lives without getting hurt themselves. An insightful tale of perseverance, Silence Interrupted is a young adult novel about the beauty and peril of traversing the world as a teenager.

Buy the Book:  Amazon
​

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​Author's Bio:

Sania Shaikh is a junior at Cambridge High School. Inspired to write from a young age, she worked on Silence Interrupted, her debut novel, starting in eighth grade.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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Levels of Exposure

12/7/2016

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Levels of Exposure by Aimee McNeil
Release Date: December 20, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Limitless Publishing

Blurb:
Lexie Wilder is caught in the clutches of the very man her mother tried to protect her from…

Separated from her mother and locked in a strange room, Lexie soon realizes the amount of control John Stodden has over all of them. She finally understands why her mother went to such lengths to shield her from the truth—a truth that has put everyone she cares about in danger.

But now she is faced with the daunting possibility that there might be something much stronger tying her to the heartless crime lord…like the very blood running through her veins.

Lines are about to be crossed as promises that cannot be kept are made…

Losing Lexie is not an option for Jackson Finley. He will risk anything in order to save her and take down the infamous crime boss who has remained untouched—until now. Willing to lay down his badge, and to break the laws he has sworn to uphold, Jackson will not stop until she is safe.

But when he accepts the help of Lexie’s late boyfriend’s brother, Evan, things start spiraling out of control and he’s forced to act fast if he wants to keep Evan from being swallowed by the darkness.

With a new evil lurking in the shadows, no one is safe...

Lexie’s best friend is missing, and now everyone realizes that the dangers run much deeper than what her mother had depicted in her diary. Will Lexie be able to save the people she loves, and will she be able to put her trust in the hands of a man who has claimed more of her heart than she ever thought possible?


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Excerpt:


“... I’m scared and I need a drink.” Lexie rubbed her forehead.
“That’s an easy fix.” Jackson offered her a smile and walked over to the bar fridge. He opened it up. “What’s your poison?”
“Aren’t those little bottles insanely expensive?” Lexie asked, looking at the collection of different labels lined up in the door of the fridge.
“When the situation calls for it, does it really matter?” Jackson grabbed two bottles of whiskey and held one out for Lexie. She looked at it curiously before taking it from him. Jackson sat down next to her on the bed and snapped the cover of his and tipped it to his lips before he glanced over at Lexie. She watched him hesitantly as she unscrewed the cover and brought it to her nose.
“It smells disgusting,” Lexie complained.
“It tastes worse.” Jackson frowned as he tossed his empty bottle into the small garbage bin across the room.
“Then why do you drink it?”
“I love the rush as it heats my blood.” Jackson raised his brow.
Lexie became quiet and looked down at the bottle in her hand. “I know that feeling,” Lexie whispered. “That’s what it was like when I was with you.”
Jackson was surprised that she brought up the history between them. He thought it would be a topic to avoid after what had happened.
“Lex…” Jackson started but she held up her hand to stop him and tipped the bottle to her lips, swallowing the amber colored fluid inside. She covered her mouth and struggled to swallow the harsh liquid before proceeding to cough.
When she collected herself, she looked up at him with watering eyes. “That was horrendous,” Lexie protested with a gasp. “You made that look so much better than it deserved.”
“You are better than I deserve,” Jackson admitted, looking into her eyes and holding them as long as he could.
“How does nothing ever scare you?” she asked, a small crease forming between her brows. Jackson got the urge to press his lips against the spot. He wanted to taste every part of her and savour her always.
“What makes you think nothing scares me?” Jackson asked, his gaze dropping to the small frown that had formed on her full lips. They had a soft sheen from running her tongue along them.
“The way you face everything like you know you will win,” Lexie said as she reached up and adjusted the small strap on her shoulder. Jackson couldn’t help but follow her movements as he took in her soft skin that smelled of soap and the scent that he had begun to crave upon all else.
“I’m scared right now,” Jackson whispered.
Lexie tilted her head in disbelief. “No, you’re not.”
“I am.” He frowned as he reached for the bottle still in her hand. He let his fingers linger on hers before he took the bottle and finished if off. He tossed it into the garbage with the other.
“Why?” Lexie tested him.
“You absolutely terrify me,” Jackson admitted.


CHAPTER ONE

Stephanie

The sound of a woman crying roused Stephanie’s attention. She felt like she was underwater as she tried to distinguish where the sound was coming from. When she tried to speak, her body wouldn’t cooperate…her mouth felt numb and filled with cotton. If she could actually force words through her throat she figured they would be covered in blood as the sharp pains scraped at her raw flesh. Stephanie wanted to call out to the woman whose tears reflected her own turmoil. The woman’s cries pulled at her heart and roused her mind, making it reel at a pace too fast for her uncooperative body.
A shadow crossed over her and Stephanie forced her eyes to open. The dim lamp light lit the room as she tried to focus her eyes. It was a struggle to keep her lids open as her dry eyes worked against her, continually closing, making her find the strength to force them open again. Movement in her small cell caused adrenaline to aid her struggle. Stephanie blinked her eyes in confusion when she saw the blurry image of a woman in the corner, huddled in the shadow.
Stephanie forced words up her torn throat. “Wh…nooo…” Her tongue felt too large for her mouth and refused to let her words pass. Stephanie closed her eyes tight against the pain before trying to speak again. When she opened them, the corner of the cell was empty and she was alone. Her eyes frantically searched the entire cell. A deep chill flashed across her skin, permeating her to the bone until her insides began to shake. Tears filled her eyes but she couldn’t lift her hands to wipe them away as they ran down her cheeks. The drugs made it hard to determine what was real and what was not.
Stephanie had no idea how much time had passed. She was constantly in a drug-induced state. She knew her captor was drugging her food…it didn’t take her long to discover that she would lose consciousness shortly after she ate the food he left outside her cell. At first she didn’t mind it. She preferred to sleep instead of stare through the bars at the man who watched her silently from across the room. He wouldn’t give her answers. He would only stare at her with his dark mind churning behind those eyes that were anything but human. He seemed to be waiting for her tears. It was only then that his unmoving form would start to rouse, slowly rubbing his hands up and down his thighs. The more she cried, the more he enjoyed watching her. She gave up demanding him to tell her why she was here and pleading to let her go. All of her promises to never tell fell on deaf ears. This man did not intend to let her go.
His routine was beginning to change and Stephanie feared what this meant for her. She remembered a bright light shining in her face; it was too bright to open her eyes. She tried to turn away but realized her arms were bound to her sides. Stephanie closed her eyes, trying to stop the memory from assaulting her. She wanted to drift back into nothingness, with so many drugs still in her system, it was easy to submit to sleep.
The sensation of warm water trickling on her skin caused her to flinch, and she stretched her legs, pulling at firm straps that bound her feet. She was completely immobile and the fear jolted her awake. She lifted her head to see those dark eyes watching her. She couldn’t stop the tears that exploded with devastation. She was strapped to some kind of metal table, completely naked. Screams followed her tears as she fought with the ties binding her.
His eyes flared as he squeezed the sponge in his hand, and water poured onto her. He began to rub the sponge in gentle circles against her leg while she struggled and tried to fight him unsuccessfully. “No…don’t do this, please…please!” Stephanie begged.
She cried as he slowly washed her, using small gentle strokes as he meticulously covered every inch of her skin. Then he smoothed shaving cream on her legs before pulling a razor up the length of her shin. Stephanie jerked her leg and the sting of the blade burned across her skin.
“Look what you did, Rose,” he said, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have done that.” It was the first time he had spoken to her in what seemed like forever. His voice was strangely normal. She had imagined if he ever did say anything to her again it would sound evil, inhuman, because she couldn’t imagine a person capable of this. Instead, it was the first time she considered that this man might have the world fooled. Fear that no one would suspect him of evil made her shudder. What if no one ever came looking for her? The realization struck her that these dark confines might be the last place she ever knew. She could feel her last traces of hope slip through her fingers.
“My name isn’t Rose,” Stephanie gasped through her tears.
“Don’t be foolish,” he said as he grabbed a cloth and pressed it to her knee to stop the blood. “You don’t want to make me angry, do you, Rose?”
A soft whimper escaped her throat as she shook her head no.
“Good girl. You’re just confused after what had happened.”
She retreated inside her head as he continued to shave her legs. She refused to give him any reaction as he worked on her, preparing her for something she could not let herself think about. Stephanie closed her eyes as warm water poured over her hair and then winced as his fingers began massaging soap into her scalp. The fruity scent filled her nose as she tried to block out her senses.
She thought about Lexie and Evan and desperately hoped they were well. Thoughts of Lexie in this same situation threatened to break her. She focused on their faces, keeping them close as she searched for strength. She thought of her parents and their last conversation when they asked her to come for dinner that weekend. Her mother was making her favorite pasta dish and she tried to remember the excitement she felt when she was looking forward to eating until she was ready to explode, like every time she was treated to her mother’s cooking. She didn’t know if the weekend had already come and gone. She wondered if her parents knew she was missing and if they were looking for her. Her mother always worried about her, always fussing over the smallest details when it came to her only daughter.  
She thought of her boyfriend, Mike. They had barely spoken the last week before she had been taken. He hadn’t come home in three days because he had been staying with his friend. The last time they were together they had argued about the fact he had been hanging out at the local strip bar. She realized he had been lying to her when she heard a rumor that he had been seen throwing up outside The Lighthouse. The strip bar consisted of nothing more than a rundown building and pathetic display of talent upon the stage. She was more embarrassed than angry when she confronted him. Their last words to each other were harsh and she wondered if that would be how he remembered her.
Stephanie had no idea how much time had passed, not knowing when one day turned into the next.  She had so many things she wanted the people in her life to know and the realization that she would never see them again made her squeeze her eyes shut against the assaulting waves of pain.
Stephanie stared at the dingy ceiling as he ran a comb through her hair, over and over. She tried to make her body numb and allow her mind to go somewhere else, but no matter how hard she tried, her fear kept her aware of what was happening. She was forced to endure every moment.
She was surprised to feel relief when she saw a syringe in his hand. The prick of pain as he pushed it through her skin was welcomed as she closed her eyes and felt herself drift away.
Stephanie looked down at her small cell, the cot in the corner, with the thin wrinkled sheet hanging off the edge, the dirtied floor and the bucket in the corner. She was looking down at herself sitting on the bed, arms wrapped around her knees. She tried to scream out to herself but she couldn’t speak, she couldn’t move. She could only watch herself cry in her misery.
She watched herself lift her head and lean back against the concrete wall and that was when Stephanie realized it was not herself she was looking at, her features were undeniably similar but she knew it wasn’t her. She wondered how many others were locked in this cell. She could feel the despair as real as the bars caging her in. Stephanie wanted to ask who she was but she was unable to do anything but observe no matter how hard she fought. A force kept her just out of Stephanie’s reach.
“Wake up.” Stephanie felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, so soft she thought she imagined it. She could feel a small protest bubble from her chest. “Wake up! He’s coming.” This time she could feel someone grasp her shoulders and give a shake. Stephanie jolted from sleep, pushing herself up to a sitting position.  She pushed her back against the wall, brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms tightly around them. She couldn’t shake the disturbing dream. It had felt so real. The woman’s voice still floated around in her thoughts as she searched for her. She could still feel her hands on her shoulders. She reached up and placed her hands over the lingering sensation and sought comfort in the fact for the first moment since she arrived she didn’t feel so alone in this hell.
The sound of the lock sliding in the door made Stephanie’s heart race, she could feel her pulse in her throat as she lay down and pretended to be asleep. She concentrated on slowing her breath to deep, even intervals, trying to block out the sound of his footsteps across the floor.
His wedding band clinked against the bars but he remained quiet, watching her. “I know you’re awake, Rose,” he said after a stretch of time. The drugs in her system were wreaking havoc on her thoughts. She wasn’t sure how long had passed or if she had fallen asleep and this was another dream. She desperately wanted it to be a dream. She didn’t want to look at his face anymore and wonder if today would be the day he decided to kill her.
Stephanie opened her eyes and looked at him. He was dressed in a suit with his tie loosened and hanging haphazardly around his neck, his haunting eyes never leaving her. His clothes looked expensive and she couldn’t’ help but wonder who he was when he left here. She wondered what woman would be married to a man like him and if she feared him like Stephanie did.
“There you are.” He smiled at her, an expression that seemed unnatural for his face. “You need to eat, Rose.” He pointed to a tray of food she hadn’t touched. The wonderful smells had called to her but she couldn’t take any more drugs. She didn’t know what was real or not anymore.
“No more drugs…they make me feel so sick,” Stephanie whispered. She could feel the physical toll weighing heavily on her exhausted body.
“As long as you behave I don’t need to drug you.” He unlocked the cell door and then picked up the tray. Walking inside, he approached her bed and sat down, placing the tray on the edge. “Do you promise to behave?”
Stephanie nodded her head and tried not to tremble. She didn’t want to show fear but it poured out of her regardless.
He placed a hand on her arm and then ran it over the length of her body. “Good girl,” he said. “Good girl.” Stephanie squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath until she felt the weight of his body leave the bed and the sound of the cell door closing behind him.


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Meet the Author:

Aimee McNeil was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, where she continues to live today with her husband and three children. She is a stay-at-home mother that loves every colorful moment with her family.

Aimee spends most of her free time indulging in her love of writing. You can also find her lost in the pages of a good book, or making a mess with her paints. Aimee loves to explore anything that promotes creativity. It is one of the many reason she enjoys writing.


Connect with the Author:
Facebook : Website :  Twitter : Instagram


Enter Aimee's Giveaway
Enter to win an ebook copy of both “Degrees of Distortion” and “Levels of Exposure”


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The Gilded Cage

12/6/2016

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TEASER TUESDAY


YA/Historical
Date Published: 12/1/16

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Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious bootlegger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis. Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father’s empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family’s dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future—and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.

Website


Excerpt


“How you feelin’, Mas?” Vinny asks.

Relaxing back into the chair I look up, unable to keep the sour grin from my face. “Never better.”

Releasing me he steps around the table, helping himself to a seat. “That’s not how I hear it. I hear you lay in bed all day feelin’ sorry for yourself”

“Can you blame me?” I ask harshly, straightening in my chair.

He’s still for a minute, then pulls the fedora off his head and plays with it in his hands. “I’m sorry about your ma, she was a fine lady.”

I snort, the booze in my belly making me bold. “She was a nut job and everyone knew it.”

Now he looks up, his thin lips downturned at the edges, “She was good to me.”

Sighing I stand, helping myself to the crystal decanters on the tray. “She loved you like her own,” I offer gently as I pour myself another drink. “It’s the only thing she was good at, loving people. Wasn’t great at taking care of them, though.”

She’d tried to take care of Daddy at first. I know she always secretly hoped he’d change his ways, as if her love could make him a better man. But, as much as they may want to, people don’t really change. Time passes, choices are made, but we are who we are in the end.

“Is there anything I can do?” he asks, twisting in his chair to look at me.

I just hold up my glass, “This seems to be helping.”

Standing, Vinny walks over, taking the glass from my hand he swallows back the contents in one gulp. “Never drink to feel better, Mas. That’s not how the stuff works.”

I frown, pushing past him, “Don’t tell me what to do.”

He stops me, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward him until the tip of his crooked nose is touching my forehead, “I’m not gonna let you throw yourself away like she did.”

His words are sharp and they cut like glass

I shut my eyes against them, against the closeness of him, the heat radiating off his body, the smell of bourbon on his breath. Part of me demanding to push him away, the other part wanting to lose myself in him.

“You left,” he continues, his tone accusatory. “You left so you wouldn’t have to watch—but I watched. I watched the light in her go out. I won’t watch that happen to you, Masie. I can’t. So you’re going to have to be strong. Because we need you. I need you. It’s awful dark here, Mas. We need you to be the light.”

The first tear slips from beneath my closed lids. Maybe it’s the desperation in his voice, or the fact that he’s right, but something in his words strikes me to the core. It’s tempting, far too tempting, to drink the pain away, to let it eat me from the inside out until there’s nothing left to hurt.

But I can’t.

I can’t be like my mother.

I won’t.

  
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