CRAZED MIND: book review

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2012 Choice Awards with Giveaway CLOSED

It is time for the Goodreads 2012 Choice awards. And since I am a fan of reading, love the site Goodreads.com for a place to find new authors, I thought you would like to know some of my favorite books and authors up to win. So here are some of the nominees.

I was interested in reading Easy by Tammara Webber. Having read many of the new young adult books it is nice to have one that crosses over to a lil older age group. We now have the 'new adult' genre.

Tammara Webber’s novel EASY follows two characters on the cusp of adulthood. Nineteen-year-old college student Jacqueline Wallace grapples with the aftermath of an attempted assault and a painful breakup with her longtime boyfriend. We see she is in a very fragile state. After a handsome and mysterious stranger comes to her rescue, Jacqueline is both intrigued and attracted. And though neither seems ready to begin a relationship, the two just can’t stay away from each other. As Jacqueline and her friends struggle with the serious repercussions of an attack, her budding romance may just save her life.

Easy started as a self-published e-Book with over 150,000 copies sold. It moved on to the New York Times bestseller list for 9 weeks. And has over 35,000 ratings on Goodreads. Of course it is now one of the 2012 nominees too! I really love that I can relate better to the story line than so many of the young adult books. You find yourself wanting to help Jacqueline, much like a mom watching her young daughter take all of those first steps in adulthood. Letting the apron strings go and encouraging her to fly in the face of diversity. Tammara is a fellow Texan (Yehaw!) and is welcome on my big ol front porch any time to share a cup of coffee and a bowl of Cherry Garcia frozen yogurt. But she will have to watch out as Granny M loves big earrings and has quite a collection to show off.

The next book that is also one of the nominee's is The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. This is what is currently on my nightstand. I started it last night and already have bitten my knuckles when I learned of the opening suspense. Now I can not wait to find out the story line as to what lead up to the action.

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime...A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy-her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy's ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy's past.

Dorothy's story takes the reader from pre-WWII England through the blitz, to the '60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds-Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy-who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told-in Morton's signature style-against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

Read on below for I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky follower. See we scored once again. A best selling author with a fantastic book that is up for the 2012 Goodreads Choice awards that can be on your nightstand too! I will tell you at the bottom how to enter.

My girl, JD, shared her review of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain back in August. JD is thrilled to have this book as one of her private collection. Well, yes it is also on the list.

As well as Cinder that we listened to at the first of the year. It seems fitting to have Marissa Meyer with us since it is NaNoWriMo. Remember that is National Novel Writers Month. JD is working on her entry this month. I wonder if Marissa is also participating now that she is a published author?

It really is pretty amazing to have a chance to read so many stories. Meeting the characters as well as getting to learn a lil about those who write these novels always makes me feel pretty special. I do thank the authors, publishers and pr reps who help get these books to me too. All of the above were provided to me as part of my reviews here at Crazed Mind. As I said we do have a giveaway here of The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. Just leave a comment below to enter. I want to know what book or books are you voting for on Goodreads.com 2012 list? Here is the link to know what is nominated.

Fighting Illness with Silliness-CLOSED

It has been a stressful week around here. Dear Hubby has been ill for two weeks now. The last week he has been fighting off pneumonia. From the sounds of him trying to breath I am not really sure he is getting any better. Of course there are the trips back and forth to the Doctor, medications and then him having short spurts of energy that makes him think he can conquer the world til he actually tries to move.

With just this lil big going on already I bet you know I am pent up and he is stir crazy. I know we have to have a way to get past this or both of us are going to blow up. Thankfully Carla Sonheim has helped out in this area. I have THE ART OF SILLINESS: A Creativity Book for Everyone by Carla Sonheim sitting right here. Carla is a popular illustrator and workshop instructor based in Seattle. She is known for her fun and innovative projects designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous and playful approach when creating art. Right now with her help, Dear Hubby is actually relaxing his physical body as his mind starts thinking in a different mode for a bit. It is nice to see that lil crooked grin he can get.

With THE ART OF SILLINESS that offers dozens of fun, engaging ideas and activities that encourages us to rediscover the childlike joys of letting the imagination – and pencil – roam freely. The book helps us flex our creative muscles and gets our mind moving in different directions once again. I like that it challenges us by drawing upside down to imagining new worlds. Here are a few of the ways it makes you really think while still having that child like silliness.

“Draw a dog pretending to be a horse pretending to be a chicken.”
“Scribble all over these two pages for five minutes straight.”
“Draw five bicycles from your imagination, using only one line.”

We are lucky to have a prize giveaway of one copy of THE ART OF SILLINESS. Would you like to win it? Well if so just leave a comment below. Tell me what you miss about being a child? What part of the seriousness of play has just missed you lately? Giveaway Rules: ONE prize package per blog: US addresses ONLY, please!

Found My Mr Right

I remember my mom telling me that dating was not so I could find the 'right one' but so I could find out what the 'right one' would be like. You see Granny M made sure I understood that dating was a way to find the traits I liked and those I did not like. Sadly it seems that dating has fallen to the wayside. Now it is hanging out with groups of friends or hooking up. It seems to have taken all the excitement of meeting people all away. Maybe that is why so many people have a problem finding the right one to settle down with.

Having found my Mr. Right (after a couple of misses) I know that what I was always looking for was not amazing excitement at all. But instead a steady every day of my life reassurance of being loved. Now this is not what all people need, but is what I need. I am so thankful that Dear Hubby always tells me he loves be before he leaves, upon returning and every night at bed time. It is not necessary as I know he loves me but it is very reassuring. From this frame of mind I am so looking forward to our retirement years. That every day life that is perfect due to the normalcy of the days. Not the highs and lows but the in between is what we treasure the most.

Now how did you find your 'right one' or are you still looking? Is this something you think about when bringing up your kiddos? Just how do you teach that thinking? Is there a way to help learn what to do as well as what not to do? Nicole of Tribute Books invited me on a tour of Charles Johnson's book How to Find the Right One & Make it Last. Ahhhh! I should have had this book years ago. At the same time I seem to have found the right one for each stage of my life and do not regret the partners I have been with. One was perfect so I could finish growing up in safety. I can never thank him enough for that. The second gave me and helped raise an amazing daughter. What could be more perfect. And now my third (and last) is my best friend, partner, lover, buddy and best of all support system. I never parted with my past partners in hate and stayed friends with them til they were no longer. Princess Emma's dad is my ex-hubby (#2) and I see him still almost every week.

It may sound confusing but what I know now is that our family is who we make it. That being happy is something you have to focus on. And we can always grow from any situation good or bad. Now that I have rambled enough let's read a lil more of Charles Johnson and how we can find the right one and best of make it last!

For the millions of singles around the world who have struggled to find the right one or to maintain a lasting relationship, my book, “How to Find the Right One & Make it Last” provides a tutorial on the lost art of dating. “How to Find the Right One and Make it Last: Bring Love and Romance Back to Dating” offers practical advice for both men and women about how to initiate interaction as well as how to respond in various dating situations. In addition to the book, I created a website, http://www.AskCharlesJohnson.com, where my readers can have easy access to relationship advice and personal coaching at any time. I have been officially and unofficially helping clients and colleagues find personal success. Over the years, I have developed a proven set of principles and concepts that have helped singles looking for love not only find their ideal life partner, but also to keep the relationship fresh and thriving. Over the years, I have watched my colleagues work incredibly hard to achieve professional success, but often struggle to find that same level of success in their personal lives. By applying the same discipline from their professional development to fine-tuning their dating skills, these colleagues transformed their lives and found the personal fulfillment that had previously been so elusive. My book provides step-by-step guidance starting with how an individual can make small changes in their personal style and appearance or to their daily routine to improve the odds of finding their ideal partner. I walk readers through the first call, planning the perfect date, and what to say and do on the date. Everything first starts with a clear idea of what each individual is looking for – as well as what they’re not – to provide a guide along the way. The principles don’t stop once a match has been made. The book provides advice for nurturing relationships for the long run. By walking readers through the seven phases of relationships, I explain how and why they change over time and how to keep them growing strong. --Charles Johnson

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

(from the book How to Find the Right One & Make it Last )

Many people are unsuccessful in finding the "right partner" because they do not know what they are looking for in a partner. They have not spent enough time clearly defining what traits, characteristics, or features they prefer their future partner to have. Equally—if not more importantly—people also need to decide which traits they do not want in a potential partner. Let me introduce you to my friend Michael, who found himself frustrated and wondering about his future and finding the right person.

Michael had just completed graduate school in Texas. He was handsome, smart, well dressed, and equipped with a master's degree in hospital administration from one of Texas's most prestigious universities and a new high-paying job in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One night not long after graduation, Michael found himself with his old college buddies in a local bar, enjoying a night of drinks and hoping to find a great woman to be with.

After Michael surveyed the bar scene, he quickly realized this could end up being his daily personal life going forward. He had already achieved great scholastic and initial career success but found his life lacking in the personal area. He started talking to himself, saying, "Am I going to spend the rest of my life looking at barflies, hoping to find the right woman to complete my life and raise a family with?" Michael suddenly became depressed and quickly realized he was going to have to put some serious time into his personal life if he was going to escape the life of a single professional who cruised the bars nightly, looking for someone special. He knew he needed to sit down and determine exactly what he was looking for in a woman and where best to find her.

He did not want just anyone; he wanted someone special to love and spend the rest of his life with. Michael knew he wasn't about to find that kind of woman in the bars he and his friends frequented. Michael identified the traits and qualities that were important to him and ended up getting back together with his college sweetheart. He realized that she had everything he was looking for. He married her after recognizing she would complete his dreams, love him faithfully, enhance his life, and build the family he imagined.

The moral of this story is quite simple: Michael took the time to discover what he didn't want, which made it much easier to determine what he did want in a partner—and then he could make the right decision in his selection.

So many people make the mistake of trying to find the right partner before they determine what they are really looking for. You have to start by doing a little homework—nothing too difficult or time-consuming but something that will improve your search and selection efforts by at least tenfold. With that kind of increase in your chances for success, isn't it worth doing a little up-front work? You do it all the time in your job, so why not do it in your personal life as well?

How to Find the Right One & Make It Last!

We all want that special someone in our lives. But isn't it odd that one of life's most important lessons tends to receive the least amount of focus. It's no wonder why we have so little success attracting the love, passion, romance and fun that we all need and desire.

The problem for many busy and successful people is that they do not know where to find and meet the right partners, how to approach dating, or what it takes to build and sustain a healthy, loving relationship. To address these issues, I have taken a unique approach and have written this book about real people, like you, who struggle with finding love and the right companionship. Many who have used my techniques have been able to find happy rewarding relationships.

This book provides real world experiences and proven dating strategies and techniques. It's a guide that can be used to change your life and bring you the romance and love you've always wanted.

Charles Johnson's Bio:

After more than 20 years in the military and 16 in a corporate environment, Charles Johnson found another calling in life. In both the Air Force as well the many companies he founded or worked in, Charles managed and mentored diverse teams across Europe, Asia and North America. But he wasn’t your typical corporate manager.

Charles always focused more on the whole person and how to help those who worked with and around him find balance and achieve both personal and professional success. He found that he was helping people not only get well-deserved promotions or the financial recognition for their work, but he also helped them identify and realize what makes them happy.

Helping others create a life and a lifestyle where their happiness is a priority and life balance is the primary goal became Charles’ new life work. He became a certified life coach and author and has dedicated himself to helping single people find and select the right life and marriage partners and make it last.

Surrounded by three sisters and eight female cousins, Charles had a significant female influence growing up. With the knowledge he gleaned from that experience, he spent the last 25 years coaching and mentoring hundreds of single professionals and up-and-coming, career-minded men and women -- including his own four daughters. He found himself providing guidance to help these otherwise successful individuals improve their personal confidence by updating their image, polishing their social skills and providing insight into the art of establishing and maintaining relationships.

Charles has connected and helped hundreds of couples find marriage or committed partners and coaches them on how to make relationships last. He has been married for more than 33 years and three of his four daughters are now married.

Charles has found happiness and balance in his own life as well, pursuing his passions as an avid traveler, photography enthusiast, art collector and a supporter of various charitable causes. He enjoys basketball, football and tennis. His greatest passion is writing about hope and how people can achieve their dreams and still have a balanced and complete life.

Paperback
Price: $19.95
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
ISBN: 9781937928445

Amazon
askcharlesjohnson.com

This Time in This Place

Whew! Life has been a busy one this week. JD finally said I could come and help her get the rest of her new apartment set up. I loved it. It is so bright and full of sun shine. Each room is painted a different color up to the picture rail and them a cream white from there up. This is a loft apartment so it has big tall windows that cover the outside walls that makes the whole place just sparkle.

But from doing that, running all over today and going to see Princess Emma's soccer team win their first scrimmage, I am totally wiped out! I finished reading Of Time and Place last night so I am going to have to move on to a new book tonight. Reading is the best way for me to quiet down after a busy day. I relax and fall asleep so easy this way.

Of Time and Place was enjoyable to read. But I did want a lil more action in it. I loved the premise of a global energy crisis that has created life to be taken at a lil slower pace. Everyone having a car is not possible and public transport became energy efficient. We need to take heed now and see where our ever growing desire of more, more and more is taking us too. The story line jumps from present day of the story line then back in time to show how the lead character's life had evolved in business. I would have liked the story to go from start to finish, building up as it went along. My train of thought can sometimes become quite scattered so the back and forth had me a lil thrown. I really did love looking at life from the view point of a global energy crisis. I feel it is where we are headed. Thank goodness I live in a lil 2 mile by 2 mile town where you can walk to get just about any thing you really need.

Tribute Books hosted the blog tour for Of Time and Place. I want to thank Nicole and B. K. Freemont for sending me the book to read. It is nice to have new viewpoints cross my desk.

As the global energy crisis of the 21st century wears on, James Lendeman searches for answers – both for the country and for himself.

Working in the Federal Energy Department for the iconoclastic and enigmatic Kate Hastings, James is at the center of a world of political intrigue and personal conflicts. Unsure of whether he can go along with Kate’s plans for the country (and for him), he is forced to steer his own way through a maze of personal and professional problems.

When we meet James a few years later (through an ingenious weaving of dual timelines), he is in Savannah, working as a contractor for the government and debating the merits of a flirtatious college student who lives in his boarding house.

Nimbly moving forward and backward through James’s personal timeline, Of Time and Place leads its readers on a journey through the twists and turns of life in a kind of historical novel of the future. From a tumultuous romance and marriage to a romantic spring in Florence and the adversities along the way, James finds himself debating both his own life and the feasibility of maintaining a viable US economy in the mid-21st century.

Drawn from very real issues of global import, and playing out in some of the most storied cities in the world, Of Time and Place will leave every reader pondering the future – and the present.

B.R. Freemont was born in New York and has lived in the Savannah area for over a decade. He holds a B.A. from Columbia and an M.A. from New York University. During his business career, Freemont filled a number of management assignments and briefly worked for government entities.

Over the years, his interests have included: astronomy, domestic and foreign travel, dog breed club administration, wine tasting, and avidly reading both fiction and non-fiction. He is married and has a son and two daughters.

Paperback & ebook
Price: $16.95 paperback, $7.99 ebook
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
ISBN: 9781937928728

No Plain Jane's Around Here

You know the term Plain Jane. A Plain Jane is a woman who has an average appearance. It can also mean an object that is unadorned or unembellished. I always thought that was how I was perceived. Well until you get to know me at least.

But in thinking of the term I am more caught up with the name Jane than the term plain. Jane comes across to me as a strong name. I mean you have to have real sustenance to be Jane. Certainly not plain at all. There are many Janes who people thought was plain but were women who really carried the weight. Like Jane Hathaway on Beverly Hillbillies. Jane Hathaway takes great pleasure in teaching the Clampetts the ways of big city life. More intelligent than her money-hungry boss, Miss Jane appreciates Jed's simple wisdom. Jane always manages to maintain her composure with the Clampetts while carrying out Drysdale's outrageous demands.

Then there is Jane Fonda who has reinvented herself from the sex kitten she was made out to be. Showing great strength to stand up for her beliefs. Then moving on to becoming the real star power that has always been within. Now Jane is the actress, fitness instructor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist. And if you look at her her features are not outstanding...rather plain. It is her vitality that shines through. The spark inside that says I can do anything I set my mind to. And that is very attractive.

One of the strongest Jane's I have seen in the last few years is Jane Lynch. In her gym clothes zipped up to her neck and holding in her power you might think she is a plain Jane. But oh my goodness would that ever be a mistaken identity. Jane is an actress, comedienne, and singer. She obtained a Golden Globe Award, Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, People's Choice Award, and Satellite Award. Lynch also received the First Annual PlanetOut.com Short Movie Award, Florida Film Critics Circle Award, and Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival Jury Award. She is open about her lesbianism and was named one of POWER UP's "10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz". Now that is a powerful woman and far from plain!

Well I started all of this because Jane's have been on my mind all week. As well as the strong women they represent. I have been reading THE GOOD WOMAN by best selling author Jane Porter. Now she knows knows that a mother’s life is never simple or easy. Can we get an 'Amen' to that? We are aware of how often our lives become complicated and downright messy. Having just hit my 49th birthday it was easy to empathize with the main character, Meg Roberts. She has been married for 17 years and now at 47 is beginning to wonder if this is all there is for her. Is there more? More to live for, to love, to go after? Tell me there are days you want to scream in frustration, knowing that as wonderful as we are there is so much more deep inside we want to experience. When I had to stop working and rely on disability I thought it was over. I would no longer be view as a viable person. I lost my power. It took me years to learn that my life was what I made it. Not a name or position but a choice. One that I totally controlled. So yes, it was easy to empathize as Meg learned she too had to learn to be happy, happy within. You can read the first three chapters online.

Then it was so wild, really wild that I also have the book JANE by Robin Maxwell. Here Jane Porter (the character) is one we all know but never heard her voice, her story. Come on....the most famous Jane ever. "Me Tarzan, you Jane!" There you go. This is the first authorized retelling of Tarzan written by a woman and authorized by the Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate. Oh I am so stuck in the jungle right now. Flying through the air while seeing the most beautiful of sights. All while being right on the brink of fear and amazement. This is how it is for Jane when she finds she is in the wilds of Africa and having to trust her very existence to Tarzan. Now Jane is not a simple sweet faint of a lady. No she is strong in her mind and desires to make it in a man's world. It is that very inner strength that has carried her half way across the world to experience this most amazing tale.

I love that another Jane is as in awe with this story as I was. What is better is that I get to share with you. Yeah, I have a copy to giveaway. So you too can read right along and know that none of us are Plain Janes ever!

Thanks so to Tor-Frge for sharing and sending me not one but two books of Jane. Also a big thanks to Penguin Group for sharing The Good Woman with me. It all goes to show that us Jane's plain or not...all of us women, moms, sisters, daughters and grandmothers have the ability to do anything once we set our minds on it.

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Time to Unwind

Image via Wikipedia

Whew! It has been a busy week. I have managed to complete moving 2 full bathrooms. And am about 96% finished with our bedroom being set up. Granny M's new room is all empty and I am starting to move her into it today. I promise you this is much harder this time than it has ever been. I hurt every where. Worst so far is my right knee that is swollen to the size of a grapefruit and my back, shoulder all the way to the small of my back just burns non stop. I am making sure to take my sleep medication just so I will not be aware of the pain at night. I hope to be finished by Sunday with everything.

So what else can I do to help take my mind off of the pain. Well for me it is to read of course. Yet right now even my fingers are killing me. Dang rheumatoid arthritis really ties me up. So trying to hold on to a book is painful. Thankfully I now have my e-book and it is really helping. First off it is light weight so there is not much to holding it. Also I can lay it beside me as it lays flat and read while laying on my side. I have even used a pillow on my tummy as a prop for it to tilt up hands free. I so thank Cissi for giving it to me at Christmas!

I also have to thank Kerry Dowing as he has provided me "Time Slice" through Tribute Books to read. The e-book is only $4.95. Now this is a book that I so enjoy getting lost in. Time Slice has more emotion than most Sci-Fi books have. Also it is more to my taste in Sci-Fi as it does not have witches, werewolves, vampires or faeries in it. To me those are to be listed as fantasy. Here we enjoy a story based on several parallel universes that are all here on earth but are accessed only through the time stream. I like that the book has a lil Arthur C. Clarke feel to it. I grew up reading him along with Heinlein, Delany and many authors like him. And always loved the thought that what they were saying could be reality if we just had the knowledge to follow the theories they put forward. That is also just how I felt with Time Slice. I also have always felt that an inventive person who takes the unknown path has often been viewed as a lil over the top or nutso. You know what I mean. But they are also the ones who show us our new futures too. This was another thing I enjoyed in Time Slice. That Roy was experiencing a new reality that could open doors that had never been there before. Well you know how I can go on...and on. So instead let me share the summary with you.

Roy Washburn is not ready for a life of leisure lil on full fledge retirement. Thankfully he finds a small metal cylinder with odd markings that then takes his life on a new path. Roy finds himself embarking on an exciting new adventure in the Time Stream where he meets The Traveler. It is The Traveler that shows Roy how the cylinder works to visit other civilizations that occupy different, thin Time Slices. When Roy's wife becomes ill and his daughter shows the resentments she has held on to, Roy finds that he can not "travel" at a moment's notice. There are physical and mental risks involved in roaming the Time Stream too. His family and friends are very supportive but are beginning to think that Roy may have lost it. With all of this Roy still feels compelled to help The Traveler on his own quest. Now he just has to get everyone else to see he isn't crazy at all.

Kerry Downing set out to become a meteorologist, but was hooked by the world of computers instead, becoming a systems analyst and programmer. Time Slice is Kerry’s second science-fiction novel. His self-published, debut work is The Collective. Catch Kerry on twitter some time too!

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603818529?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/time-slice-kerry-downing/1102590047?ean=9781603818520&itm=1&usri=time%252bslice

Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052MNKT4?tag=tributebooks-20

Nook
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Time-Slice/Kerry-Downing/e/2940011342554

Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/61838?ref=tributebooks

Grandbabes Make Us Happy

It was wonderful to have the grandbabes here this last weekend. Of course Princess Emma was here most of the time too. We love hearing them all giggle while they are either jumping around with the Wii or decorating my porch with the sidewalk chalk. There was plenty of Pink-alicious (a pink colored juice) consumed while we had a baseball game in the backyard. But of course we also snuggled in and watched A Dolphin Tale. It was wonderful if you have not had a chance to see it yet.

On top of all of that there was bedtime stories. We loved reading 'The Cookie Thief' by Francis Gilbert and Ben Quesel after singing Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar. The kiddos all loved singing along. Then we launched into our night time story. Thomas notices that the cookies are missing from cookie jars all over the neighborhood. When everyone is doing all they can to have them watched. Finally Kristina decides to set up a trap to catch the cookie thief. Thomas wants to help but is reluctant to hide behind the couch where it is dark and small. With much prodding Kristina finally gets Thomas to move the couch....and wow, there are the cookies. But who is the Cookie Thief?

We have also been fighting all kinds of sinus problems. Tissues are running very low here. So we also enjoyed Cougar Cub Tales "The Sneezy Wheezy Day" by Sharon Cramer. What a great way to learn that helping each other it makes being under the weather a lil easier to handle. Reading how brother cub isn’t feeling well and his sister and brother cub seek help for his cold. They encounter many silly home remedies. One friend even tells brother cub, “Tickle your nose with the tail of a goose and do it before the next blue moon rise!” they appreciate all of the recommendations help but the final remedy is his sister's love. I know the kiddos were more than willing to help get tissues for Princess Emma after reading our book. The Sneezy Wheezy Day e-book is available as a free download on Amazon through Saturday. What a great deal...go download your copy.

Add in the fun of singing along to the Veggie Tales and you can see we had a full weekend. This time we had "If I Sang a Silly Song" and "God Loves You Very Much". Of course College Girl jumped right on in. She loved Veggie Tales as a teen and is having a blast sharing it with her lil sister Princess Emma and her niece and nephew. Larry the Cucumber hosts “The Silly Song Telethon” and counts down the top favorite silly songs of all-time... voted for by thier fans!! The fun continues with a surprise introduction of a never-before-seen, new Silly Song chosen by Larry the Cucumber from thousands of fan submissions! VeggieTales: God Loves You Very Much is a fun and family friendly film featuring stories that demonstrate how God cares for us in all kinds of situations! It features three fan-favorite VeggieTales stories that teach other valuable lessons about love, Gideon: Tuba Warrior, The Ballad of Little Joe and my favorite Rack, Shack & Benny. The title also includes an all-new “story-song” called Does He Love Me?

I loved my weekend. I loved my grandbabes. I loved Princess Emma. And more so I loved the memories we make every time we spend time together. Thanks so much to all the ones who send me books and videos to share with them.

My First E-Book

This was my first book for my new e-reader, The Priest and The Peaches by Larry Peterson. Yes, I picked a young adult book to start off with. Why? Well the learning curve of how it all works. Wondering if I would like using the screen and all. It all worked fine and I did not even bop myself in the head once. I know, but, it seems that when I read in bed I get sleepy. Imagine that. And then the books falls on my face....BOP! You know what I mean.

Well here I read of the plight of the Peaches. A family of 5 children (not all under the age of 18) who have lost their parents to deaths door. Now having to learn how to come together so that things are going to work out, the Peaches find solace in their Priest and his positive outlook of life. It is great that they keep getting 'signs' of how their father wanted them to live. By loving each other and their neighbors everything good can happen. The L-Y-N (Love Your Neighbor) theme is all through out this book. Sure enough they have a world of worries to contend with but by allowing trust, love and the hand of God (hey, the Priest knows these things) life finally looks like it will settle down.

I was glad this was a quick read. I think that it would be good for a tween to see that even in the worst of times things can work out. We all have to deal with death at some time in our lives. Sadly these kids have had to deal with it all too much. But they learn how to become self reliant and thankful for the love of others. I am glad there is such a positive message here. Remember that if it was not for the community around us we would not be able to do as much as we do every day. Think about it. Nicole (Tribute Books) did a great job of sharing this newest author and e-book with me. Thanks!

Here is all the details if you would like to get your own copy or contact Larry Peterson yourself.

The Priest and the Peaches Book Summary

Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Larry Peterson's Bio:

Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

He also has a blog (http://www.ThePriestandthePeaches.com) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.

Larry Peterson's blog:
http://www.ThePriestandthePeaches.com

Larry Peterson's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/larrytpbx

Larry Peterson's Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/slipperywillie

eBook
ISBN: 978-0-9837418-4-8
ISBN: 978-1-4658-6327-0
Pages: 285
Release: January 1, 2012

Kindle buy link
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006P0EYI8/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tributebooks-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B006P0EYI8

Nook buy link
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&subid=&offerid=239662.1&type=10&tmpid=8432&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%252Fw%252Fthe-priest-and-the-peaches-larry-peterson%252F1108051518%253Fean%253D2940013858190%2526itm%253D1%2526usri%253Dthe%252Bpriest%252Band%252Bthe%252Bpeaches
iBookstore buy link
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fbook%252Fthe-priest-and-the-peaches%252Fid491711271%253Fmt%253D11%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30

Smashwords buy link
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/116166?ref=tributebooks
PDF buy link
https://www.payloadz.com/go/sip?id=1538819

Pages

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