tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55670788413092739482024-03-18T04:13:32.708-05:00CleanReadsAll Story,. No Guilt. Stephanie Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13396676424895522032noreply@blogger.comBlogger710125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-37920019244795824082016-03-17T07:04:00.000-05:002016-03-17T07:04:07.623-05:00Little Beginnings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">Sometimes we all would like New Beginnings in one way or another. Iris Blobel’s “Beginnings” series is about exactly that – in all shapes or sizes. From new beginnings for sisters Sophie and Mia, new beginnings for their neighbour Zach, or their friend Jared, who encountered “new beginnings” while on holidays in the USA.</span></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">The Beginnings series is set in Tasmania, the beautiful Isle south of Australia, mainly famous for its fine foods and cuisines, especially high quality cheeses, wines and chocolate, but also for Erroll Flynn and Simon Baker as well as Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark.</span></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">Out in March: Jeri’s “Little Beginnings” come with the possibilities of something bigger. <span class="ecxapple-converted-space" style="line-height: 20.8267px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">Cheers, Iris</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-87112266345072137592016-03-15T10:38:00.003-05:002016-03-15T10:38:57.057-05:00Interview with Arabella Rose ~The Hotline Girl~<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Host: Today we’re here with Arabella
Rose Beauregard, who has a fascinating job!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Arabella Rose: I
work at the Dallas County Suicide Hotline Center.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I take suicide
calls, listen, and counsel distressed people.</span></i></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Suicide
is a preventable tragedy, and your job is an important part of that prevention.
Yet it’s certainly not something just</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></b></span><em><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">anyone</span></b></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></b></span><span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">can
jump into. How did you become interested in helping in this crisis area? What
sort of training was required?</span></b></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I became interested
because of personal reasons.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I have a personal
history with suicide.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I
have a master’s degree in counseling, and I double-majored in psychology and
counseling.</span></i></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Wow. Sorry to hear
that you have had to deal with suicide in an up-close and personal way. Sounds
like you turned a tragedy into an opportunity to help others. I really can’t
imagine how emotionally draining your job must be. How do you cope?</span></b></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I
keep a rigorously strict routine.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Unless I’m working,
I go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time, and eat a lot of the
same foods.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I
find structure and schedule to be soothing.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I help a lot of my
callers with creating a structured environment for themselves.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I read a fun
historical novel right before bed, and I drink a caffeinated soda and read the
Bible when I wake up.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I clean
house every Saturday, and I walk right after dinner.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">The consistency of
my life is my salvation.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Some
people might think that I’m lonely, and I’d love a good friend or two every
once in a while, but I talk to people all day long on the phone – and it’s
draining – so I don’t mind the quiet peacefulness of my solitary home life.</span></i></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">That makes sense,
when you put it like that. Dealing with chaos in the lives of others probably
makes you crave routine. Do you ever become emotionally involved with the people
you are helping? And do you ever get frustrated with a caller because they
won’t listen to the help you are trying to give them?</span></b></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">In the beginning, I
was more emotional.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I
still cry some times, but I’ve learned to never let it show in my voice.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I’ve definitely had
my fair share of nightmares when I’m sleeping.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">I mostly get
frustrated with the prank or perverted callers, though.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">They are hogging up
a valuable lifeline for real, hurting people.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">To do what?</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Play jokes and make
lewd comments?</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">That
frustrates me like nothing else.</span></i></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Lately, I’ve been a
bit more emotional than usual with a specific man who has called.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"> </span></i></span><span class="s1"><i><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">But that’s a long,
personal story for another time…</span></i></span><span style="color: #6a6c6e; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-47193798960425816982016-03-04T00:30:00.000-06:002016-03-04T00:30:00.206-06:00Friendship Friday Corey J. Popp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6zgY7evhvr4W6RM60KZR3EUVxRLr3gIIKDYMGCeYCjpq8UIttAL14JkJ7kRbr-LdjB4SMzHDnsrYZ6rS4h-WP_F0iDh4YOHcUsIzemVspo9DwFFe4TX8JgakMz07QPLSiDa6o12XA4tT/s1600/41TiqlKuQcL._UX250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6zgY7evhvr4W6RM60KZR3EUVxRLr3gIIKDYMGCeYCjpq8UIttAL14JkJ7kRbr-LdjB4SMzHDnsrYZ6rS4h-WP_F0iDh4YOHcUsIzemVspo9DwFFe4TX8JgakMz07QPLSiDa6o12XA4tT/s1600/41TiqlKuQcL._UX250_.jpg" /></a><i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Beneath Claire's House</i>, a young adult supernatural thriller, has been selected as one of <b style="line-height: 21.3px;"><i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Scifi and Scary Book Reviews' </i>"Top 10 Reads of 2015."</b></div>
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Sixteen-year-old Claire Young is tormented by a recurring, prophetic nightmare and visitations from gruesome, mutilated ghosts. She's convinced the apparitions intend to harm her widowed father, but there's little she can do locked away in Saint Thomas Psychiatric Hospital. Her situation is hopeless until a mysterious priest delivers the name of a man who may be the only one willing to help. Claire launches a daring scheme that leads her and her best friend to a former paranormal investigator.</div>
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But Claire's father, convinced his daughter is schizophrenic, will send Claire back to Saint Thomas permanently if he discovers she's still clinging to her delusions. Claire and her friends must tread lightly to complete the investigation, but amid bizarre twists and chilling encounters, she'll discover her home's basement is hiding something far more sinister than just ghosts.</div>
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Selected as one of the "Top 5 Authors Discovered in 2015" by <i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Scifi and Scary Book Reviews</i>, Corey J. Popp began his writing career as a freelance writer for Gannett Company. After discovering that writing human interest and technology articles was excruciatingly boring, he transitioned to fiction. He now has much more fun and makes much less money writing about a mysterious city called Mount Herod.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIiHW2jEO4hSbHtbcLQvb6_M6o_xy4mXE3jCZQQdoIxmgBvEoTkH5TmqzZYPCQOKhQFplFfAT4v0zhdF7iWpY1oRfpQt1E2d-tCQ1qypBwRAebrmIpxmbqPgVFrUF4pYiXEI5P4CyX1Jt/s1600/41oarsOiyXL._SX310_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIiHW2jEO4hSbHtbcLQvb6_M6o_xy4mXE3jCZQQdoIxmgBvEoTkH5TmqzZYPCQOKhQFplFfAT4v0zhdF7iWpY1oRfpQt1E2d-tCQ1qypBwRAebrmIpxmbqPgVFrUF4pYiXEI5P4CyX1Jt/s320/41oarsOiyXL._SX310_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="200" /></a>Book bloggers across the Internet are praising the clean read, <i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Beneath Claire's House</i>: </div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">"The best YA Horror book I have read in ages...a goosebump-raising read filled with fantastic lines and vivid descriptions." </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">-<i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Scifi and Scary Book Reviews, Top 10 Reads of 2015</i></b><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">"This was one creepy YA Horror story...Claire seems like such a realistic and likeable character. She's extremely brave, almost to the point of recklessness...I really loved the way the author put this story together." -</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;"><i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Melanie for BTS Book Reviews Magazine and Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews</i></b><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">"A book full of fear, betrayal, friendship and loyalty...Beneath Claire's house is a book not to miss." -</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;"><i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Siobhan Quinlan for Readers' Favorite</i></b><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">"The surprising twists and turns throughout the story will keep you guessing, and all for the better...Corey J. Popp's debut novel had me glued to it and added a new author for me to look out for. " -</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;"><i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Just Commonly Review Blog</i></b><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">"A definite must read for fans of scary, supernatural stories. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you wonder what lurks in the shadows!" -</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;"><i style="line-height: 21.3px;">Nerd Girl Official</i></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-7810008865374804802016-03-03T08:16:00.001-06:002016-03-03T08:16:36.531-06:00Myths Debunked- Writing as a Teenage Author<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Some people tend to describe me as
an old soul. I think it’s just a euphemism for being quiet and “in-my-own-head”
a lot of the time, but that’s fine by me. I’ve loved stories ever since I was a
child, plucking Greco-Roman mythology books off of the lowest shelf at the
school library since it was the only one I could reach. I suppose in many ways,
I’m still a child, but I’m an adult too. And, no matter my age, I love to
write. So, being a teenager and a writer, here are some common misconceptions
and realities when it comes to writing (books/blogs/poetry/all else) as a teen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MYTH-</b> You need to be an adult to write.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FACT- </b>Writing starts since you first learn how to write your
name. Writing starts ever since you write the words “the end” for the very
first time. However, if you define true writing as publication, then that
brings me to my next myth…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MYTH-</b> The youngest writer in the world is (insert age here).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FACT-</b> The youngest writer in the world can be in the first
week of infancy (ok, maybe not) for all you know. The youngest worldwide-known,
published author is a different matter entirely. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MYTH- </b>You have no idea what you’re doing when writing as a
teenager. Give it up and wait until you’re older.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FACT-</b> Be honest with yourself here, do any of us know
exactly what we’re doing each and every day? The only way to learn how to write
is through experience. Write now, write often. There are adults out there who
have no idea how to write because somebody’s bad advice scared them from ever
trying. Do not be afraid. Write and learn from it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MYTH-</b> Alright, so this is a teenager myth this time. School
is taking up too much of my time to be a writer. I feel stifled by the
institution and cannot write.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FACT-</b> Try to be open-minded. There are plenty of writers in
the world who grew up feeling just as you did. Writing is from experience.
School does not make writers. Writers make writers. BUT it’s the writer’s <i>experiences </i>that truly make the writer.
Yes, even school can make the writer. You can take any class and find poetry in
it, even calculus, as one of my good high school teachers said. If you cannot
find something to inspire you in every class, then you’re doing it wrong.
History has the word “story” in it for a reason. If somebody couldn’t find
something to inspire them in a certain field- inventors and geniuses of all
sorts- then why would they have discovered the branches of science/math as they
did? Something inspired them. <i>Somebody </i>invented
the computer or geometry, philosophy and psychology. If you can find that
inspiration too, then you can take it and write your own stories from it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MYTH-</b> All teenagers write about is teen angst. Any teenager
can do that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FACT- </b>Again, writers write from experience. I went through high
school angst, staring out a window and going, “Is that all there is?” But all
writers insert themselves into their stories. Take Kafka, for example. He
underwent periods of depression and isolation, and you found those aspects in
his works, like, “The Metamorphosis”. Your writing is your soul. Embrace that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MYTH-</b> The publishing world isn’t going to take me seriously.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>FACT-</b> Treat writing with the respect it deserves. Write to
practice and further your craft. Keep a journal of ideas. Submit to magazines and
address professional writing people (shout-out to the ever-wonderful Stephanie
Taylor here) with respect in order to garner respect for yourself. It’s never
too early to make a name for yourself out there. And it’s never too late
either.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sincerely,</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sophia M. Whittemore (a teenage writer)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9o5WFnIrl3WNicJFb5lfccJtHqXVO5hAubFZ-lzylhB7ODvFjuPQtdvJJRlvjPJiTirGPTXzIyXsq_T9KSUCZeoU6Lq7adLofO4_lHRJjYhQxzxLy544_c0-wSphu8y35PcEbHr1gddY/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9o5WFnIrl3WNicJFb5lfccJtHqXVO5hAubFZ-lzylhB7ODvFjuPQtdvJJRlvjPJiTirGPTXzIyXsq_T9KSUCZeoU6Lq7adLofO4_lHRJjYhQxzxLy544_c0-wSphu8y35PcEbHr1gddY/s320/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvHboy7d5eER9kb2ZV39OPDc34CFxECtciQasHnmRcur7rhtkJTa9LNg24V_3xkhue47jSf3FY7X9O2loLSQe8SGoue44unFUx5hqnqBR2nOydB3pyCblmgFLrtqh99fflsK3doMK7ZSo/s1600/TheFunnyMan_500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvHboy7d5eER9kb2ZV39OPDc34CFxECtciQasHnmRcur7rhtkJTa9LNg24V_3xkhue47jSf3FY7X9O2loLSQe8SGoue44unFUx5hqnqBR2nOydB3pyCblmgFLrtqh99fflsK3doMK7ZSo/s320/TheFunnyMan_500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-76458263428039889502016-02-29T01:00:00.000-06:002016-02-29T01:00:20.011-06:00Wendy May Andrews take on love.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What does love mean to me?<br />
<br />
Why do I read romance books?<br />
<br />
<br />
To me, true love is both exciting and comforting all at once. True love takes time. It is not the first thrill of infatuation, but the deep love that can only come after months and years together. You still find your partner attractive, engaging, even fascinating, but you can also comfortably be yourself without fear of judgment. True love means always having someone in your corner, and always being in theirs. Being each other’s number one fan but also being willing to be honest and telling your partner what they need to hear, even when it’s not what they want to hear. True love centers your life, and lays a foundation for your future.<br />
<br />
The demonstration of true love, to me, is when my husband searches for a Mexican restaurant wherever we travel, because he knows it’s my favorite, even though it’s not his. Or when he’ll happily listen to me gush about my latest writers’ workshop or sounds as though he knows my characters almost as well as I do even though he hasn’t read my manuscript. True love is truly taking an interest in your partner’s interests, even if they aren’t really your cup of tea.<br />
<br />
Hilariously, though, that is not what romance novels are usually about. They are generally about the infatuation stage, which is the thrilling aspect of love. It is for that excitement that I read romance books. They are entertaining and enjoyable, a fabulous escape from the day to day. Romance books take you on a journey to a different time and place where you can experience the thrill of new love vicariously through the characters’ eyes.<br />
<br />
I love romance books! And enjoy the thrill of reading them. I love being able to write romantic stories and I am grateful to my fellow writers who write for my enjoyment.<br />
<br />
Happy reading :)<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Governess-Debut-Wendy-May-Andrews-ebook/dp/B015NSSRX0"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSe2jtNu5M_sd60qyBurJj0oAstIFQEdaL1i6DfTgFcDm-E3vPG1ieyl2-5PlGN9eXDxJbRdiQo6YjBpBmvIodt2GWUipJb0nKM9j3Pku9P91fJ0F-lhyjDLZihYcoza-DkxAPqoSSw81N/s320/51zM4kSmprL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-5657890359327377152016-02-26T08:57:00.000-06:002016-02-26T08:57:00.806-06:00Friendship Friday ~Growing Up Neighbors~<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;">Little Deborah Harrington stared across the street the day the Michaels family moved in. Who was this family? Would she even like them? Nicholas Michaels hated the fact he had to move away from everything and everyone in his life, but his feelings change when he meets the Harringtons. Deborah and Nicholas become the best of friends, and as the children grow up, their friendship deepens. But when tragedy strikes, will this cause them to part ways? Or will it perhaps make them realize they may have stronger feelings for one another before it's too late?</span><br class="" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;"> </span><br class="" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;">Growing Up Neighbors will take you on a journey through life's ups and downs, the ultimate destination is love.</span><span class="ecxApple-converted-space" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;"> </span><br class="" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;"> </span><br class="" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;">Available on kindle unlimited for FREE! The kindle ebook price is just $2.99. Growing Up Neighbors is also available in paperback for $9.99!</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="line-height: 22.72px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.72px;"></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Up-Neighbors-Frances-Hoelsema-ebook/dp/B00PJGYW40/"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7252ZRqD_Vxjzk8Q6C5d42QtflplsZrf8qWsjkmE87iIFSVZ4N1tfeIAUjwZUwDdnjQhyphenhyphenHH_VUrG05cEyNIGldikekB1yarWuhGzc7GjRw_K9gypGnTADh59MSv0eVxwii68073r-Jlae/s320/Growing_Up_Neighbors_Cover_for_Kindle.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 16pt;"><span class="" style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><strong class="" style="line-height: 30.2933px;">Frances Hoelsema</strong></span></span></span><br class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;" /><a class="" href="http://www.facebook.com/frances.hoelsema.author" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22.72px;" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/frances.hoelsema.author</a><br class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;" /><a class="" href="http://www.twitter.com/FrancesHoelsema" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22.72px;" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/FrancesHoelsema</a><br class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;" /><a class="" href="http://www.franceshoelsema.wordpress.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; line-height: 22.72px;" target="_blank">www.franceshoelsema.wordpress.com</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-70071149461628131752016-02-25T06:14:00.000-06:002016-02-25T06:14:00.858-06:00Excerpt from Fearless of the Fall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWO-LYvJUgS3wUEJuywjy0BpANnUNZcWi20GG0PvLBaUH27zpRcputNMWQi6YJZXqdw3Z1_Klh7b9U2R_xnjKpDzJZb97Eway9fvdC68d6WRjXyDZKNgyVPaiuKPLFq3rdNYV4frcYB4U/s1600/FearlessoftheFall_500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWO-LYvJUgS3wUEJuywjy0BpANnUNZcWi20GG0PvLBaUH27zpRcputNMWQi6YJZXqdw3Z1_Klh7b9U2R_xnjKpDzJZb97Eway9fvdC68d6WRjXyDZKNgyVPaiuKPLFq3rdNYV4frcYB4U/s320/FearlessoftheFall_500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;">“It was another good day today,” I stated.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“Days like these you have to store up in your memory.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>You pull them out on dark days when all seems hopeless,” he forewarned.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I mulled this over in my head for a little bit.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>After the dark days I had fairly recently been through, it was a blessing to live some good days.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>Jesse was right.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I need to store up this day and last night for that matter.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>Hopefully even tomorrow. “Sometimes Jesse, you seem too mature to be hanging around us.”<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I teased.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“Don’t do that.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>Don’t put yourself down, or even compare yourself to anyone.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>We are all equal here.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I’m not better than anyone, and believe me, I know that,” Jesse chastised while stopping to make his point.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“Jesse, I was joking.”</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“Abs, I know you. You are always putting yourself down.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>Stop it.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>As I told you earlier, you are amazing,” he reiterated, giving my shoulders a shake.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;">We made it to the track.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>It looked so peaceful.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I had to stop to take it in.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>It wasn’t a breathtaking sight.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>But for riders like us, it was a slice of heaven in the dark.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>We headed over to the picnic table to sit and just be still.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>Sitting quietly, we let the night fall in around us. An owl hooted from a nearby tree.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>A wisp of a breeze lifted a few hairs on Jesse’s head. Leaves gently rustled below us on the ground.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> I would miss the warmer weather.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I hated not riding through the winter.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;">Jesse put his arm around me as we sat on top of the picnic table.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>He planted a kiss on top of my head.<span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>I smiled and let my head fall on his shoulder.</span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“Thanks Jesse.”</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“For what?” he asked, pulling back to look in my face.</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“For this, for being my friend, and forgiving me,” I vocalized.</span></div>
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<span class="" style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22.72px;"><span class="" style="line-height: 22.72px;"> </span>“It’s easy Abs, with you everything seems easy,” he shared, pulling me closer to him.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9kEXZ_c4TK1LPUg4_3lIFfWGXmSPcjNxmCyzIegYQs9iE1RkaX3nIfnjdMbQBAF05q3VSD3u9NiJPu5l_Z1VotJHIFYYETSNESoWNFflcevzwyxCw79KIsm-1IaRkN6fNZca5WK5VYJ3/s1600/FearlessoftheFall_500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9kEXZ_c4TK1LPUg4_3lIFfWGXmSPcjNxmCyzIegYQs9iE1RkaX3nIfnjdMbQBAF05q3VSD3u9NiJPu5l_Z1VotJHIFYYETSNESoWNFflcevzwyxCw79KIsm-1IaRkN6fNZca5WK5VYJ3/s320/FearlessoftheFall_500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-57660252215679120522016-02-22T06:56:00.000-06:002016-02-22T06:56:06.974-06:00What I love—Road Trips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yes, I know it’s February, and, yes, Valentine’s Day is what everybody thinks about, but I’m not much of a Valentine gal. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy chocolates, and fresh-cut flowers are a staple in my home, but those aren’t my favorite things.<br />
<br />
To tell you the truth, I’m not a terribly romantic person, which makes me laugh, since I write romance novels. Go figure!<br />
<br />
Next to writing, road trips rock my world. I don’t just love them in February. I love them whenever the mood strikes my husband and me to take one. As it turns out, we will be taking one in February, and we will be on the road February 14. Hubby knows better than to give me chocolate (I’m trying to lose weight), and where on earth would I put a vase of fresh-cut flowers in my car? One little bump or sharp turn, and there would be a flower explosion—better to wait until we get home, right?<br />
Right!<br />
<br />
When I was young, my husband and I worked for an airline. We traveled abroad quite a bit—then we had kids. The travel stopped, save to visit family. When our kids were young, we moved from Texas to North Dakota. Talk about culture shock. We loved it there, however. I home schooled and we were able to visit several surrounding states. And so started my love of road trips. Visiting Mount Rushmore and Glacier National Park was just the beginning. Our move to Ohio introduced us to Amish country.<br />
<br />
I was hooked.<br />
<br />
It took 39 years of married life to say we visited all 50 states. Now that we reached that milestone, what’s next? Simple—more road trips.<br />
<br />
Traveling allows me to work on my photography, and is a constant source of inspiration. Whether we’re driving the back roads of Texas, snaking our way through the Rocky Mountains, speeding across the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, or traveling the coast, settings and story ideas are there for the taking.<br />
<br />
My first CR book, “The Rose Ring,” was originally set in New York City, but it never felt right, so I went back to my love of mountains and open spaces. Not only is the love story a better one, the family dynamics and secondary characters are a lot more interesting.<br />
<br />
I may have gotten a late start as an author, but I’m thankful that early retirement has allowed my husband and I the freedom to explore this wonderful country—one road trip at a time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhHFYEYg9XmCQEuMKDOCk7CLFsmJvl9OVd9EsQb8Sx1He_cHT8DLnH-xPq_yRcEEDoOZjuUshjPrdoqYJT9VTB1v_hY9fPGg0iAFF1QwkO1O5l2hNV6DM-g_4dtH58yf8IfYcDlZ4VWLo/s1600/TheRoseRing-LucieUlrich-500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhHFYEYg9XmCQEuMKDOCk7CLFsmJvl9OVd9EsQb8Sx1He_cHT8DLnH-xPq_yRcEEDoOZjuUshjPrdoqYJT9VTB1v_hY9fPGg0iAFF1QwkO1O5l2hNV6DM-g_4dtH58yf8IfYcDlZ4VWLo/s320/TheRoseRing-LucieUlrich-500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />
https://www.facebook.com/inspywriter/<br />
The Rose Ring: http://amazon.com/dp/B00LTZESEY</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-63630860560254545572016-02-19T00:01:00.000-06:002016-02-19T00:01:00.777-06:00What inspired Pigsty Princess?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When my husband and I were writing Sword & Illusion, I gave my hero a sister who was more interested in clothes and dances than the serious issues facing their kingdom. I got to wondering what would happen if a King was so fed up with his daughter depleting the kingdom's treasury for her frivolity and decided to marry her off to a poor pig farmer? I even came up with the title before I had written a single word.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.88px;">When it came right down to writing it, though, I started thinking that a father who really loved his daughter wouldn't do something so final against her will, so I had to play around with the idea a little to come up with the story as it stands.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.88px;">I always knew Mariana would find out that her husband was a rebel fighting against the King, but much of the details of the plot came through brainstorming with my husband and critique group. In fact, one major plot point came to me while I was chopping vegetable for dinner, and I nearly stopped cooking to go rewrite the book for this point (which I won't specify as it's a MAJOR thing). When I told my husband what I'd come up with, he just shook his head and said, "That's really good.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.88px;">Pigsty was my 2011 NaNoWriMo book, and during the writing and rewriting, the TV show Reign came on, and regardless of anyone's feelings about the historical accuracy of the show, I love it and have gotten several ideas for scenes or characters from watching it. I see it like an epic fantasy, which is my genre, and much of what I'm putting in the sequel to Pigsty, called Questionable Queen has come from that show.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.88px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
Nancy S. Brandt, fantasy author<br />
<i class="" style="font-size: 12.7273px; line-height: 18.0728px;"><a class="" href="http://cleanreads.com/index.php/pigsty-princess.html" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18.0728px;" target="_blank">Pigsty Princess</a> - </i><span class="" style="font-size: 12.7273px; line-height: 18.0728px;">the story of a pretty, pretty princess and the family that wants her dead.</span></div>
<div class="" dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<i class="" style="line-height: 21.3px;"><a class="" href="http://cleanreads.com/index.php/romance/fantasy/sword-illusion.html" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">Sword &</a></i><i class="" style="font-size: 12.7273px; line-height: 18.0728px;"><a class="" href="http://cleanreads.com/index.php/romance/fantasy/sword-illusion.html" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18.0728px;" target="_blank"> Illusion</a> - </i><span class="" style="font-size: 12.7273px; line-height: 18.0728px;">Warrior woman and a Prince, dragons and magic</span></div>
<div class="" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<br class="" style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></div>
<div class="" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
Books available at all online retailers.</div>
<div class="" dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">
<div class="" style="line-height: 21.3px;">
<a class="" href="http://www.nancysbrandt.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">www.nancysbrandt.com</a><br />
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<br class="" style="line-height: 21.3px;" />
<div class="" style="line-height: 21.3px;">
<div class="" style="line-height: 21.3px;">
Valuing life is not weakness and disregarding it is not strength.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3ptsMsdsUp6MdJ0cRoJYTyl_KaJF75Nf1-d3ZhNWygfCLHqANy9uQYqrjG3ftkN9tcK2FVUVewrn57_Sg-KBcd3EUbBhUS63kugUn-XFa7ttW8vUtUifzs46AM7b6MdGqiDHMh4zYpKM/s1600/PigstyPrincess500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3ptsMsdsUp6MdJ0cRoJYTyl_KaJF75Nf1-d3ZhNWygfCLHqANy9uQYqrjG3ftkN9tcK2FVUVewrn57_Sg-KBcd3EUbBhUS63kugUn-XFa7ttW8vUtUifzs46AM7b6MdGqiDHMh4zYpKM/s320/PigstyPrincess500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">Buy Links:</span><br />
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 21.3px;">
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
CleanReads: <a href="http://cleanreads.com/romance/262-pigsty-princess.html" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">http://cleanreads.com/romance/262-pigsty-princess.html</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Amazon - <a href="http://amzn.com/B00RUYRAB6" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">http://amzn.com/B00RUYRAB6</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Barnes & Noble - <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pigsty-princess-nancy-s-brandt/1121192304" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pigsty-princess-nancy-s-brandt/1121192304</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Kobo - <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/pigsty-princess" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/pigsty-princess</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Smashwords - <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/510325" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/510325</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Itunes - <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/pigsty-princess/id957929093" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/pigsty-princess/id957929093</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<br style="line-height: 21.3px;" /></div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Social Media:</div>
<div style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NancySBrandtfantasyauthor/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/NancySBrandtfantasyauthor/</a></div>
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Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram - @nancysbrandt</div>
<div style="line-height: 21.3px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span style="line-height: 15px;">Goodreads: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Lato, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/NancySBrandt" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.3px;" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/NancySBrandt</a></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-80873485377237205102016-02-13T00:46:00.000-06:002016-02-13T00:46:00.447-06:00Crush/Heartbreak/First Love YA Book Series Playlist by Krysten Lindsay Hager<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Crush/Heartbreak/First
Love YA Book Series Playlist by Krysten Lindsay Hager<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I write books for teens and preteens with both my <i>Landry’s True Colors Series</i> and my <i>Star Series</i>. That means I write a lot about
dealing with crushes, unrequited love, what ifs, if onlys, and then those first
loves—those innocent sweet times we remember when we look back. When writing
those types of scenes, I like to listen to music first to get in the right
frame of mind. Sometimes I play songs that are more like the crush type of
relationships so I put on music such as the Taylor Swift or R5 variety. I often
play songs from when I was a preteen way before I ever had any guys returning
my feelings! Sometimes it’s those memories from <i>before</i> the girl/boy dances that stand out even more than the ones
from the actual years when I did have a boyfriend—or when I did one of those
things where you referred to it as, “going with someone,” and your parents (or
any adult in a five-mile radius) would ask, “What does that mean?” And you
couldn’t really answer because you didn’t know either. I actually had one of my
character’s grandmother’s ask her what that meant. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m not sure why the pre-relationship songs stand out more
in my memory, but they are what fuels the stories more than the songs I
listened to when I was actually the age of Landry and Hadley (my teenage main
characters). Maybe it’s because the crushes were filled with those “if only,”
or “what if,” feelings that made it seem like anything was possible or if it
was easier to get more caught up in a fantasy, but the pre-relationships songs
I grew up listening to are often what I put on before I start to write a scene.
Some of those songs include singles from Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I also have my set of heartbreak songs that I put on before
writing either an unrequited love scene or a break up scene. For those I like
Boyce Avenue’s “Change Your Mind,” Clark Manson’s “Track 9,” Mariah Carey’s
“Can’t Let Go.” And then there are the defiant, I don’t need a relationship
song, in which I turn to the classic, “Girlfriend,” by Pebbles. Here’s a list
of songs I use by category:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Crush Songs<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Becky G- Shower<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The perfect first crush song. I can see Landry singing this
in…where else? The shower!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Taylor Swift-You
Belong With Me<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I can imagine Landry singing this song in her head while
she’s trying to figure out who her crush, Vladi, is really interested in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>R5- Smile<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A cute boy/girl first crush song. Plus, I imagine Ross Lynch
as looking like Vladi Yagudin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>How Will I
Know-Whitney Houston<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I can totally see Landry dancing to this in her bedroom as
she wonders if her crush likes her as more than a friend and then asking her
best friends (Peyton and Ashanti) to decipher every text and email Vladi sends
her. I’ve been a Whitney fan since I was a little girl, so I can imagine Landry
and her mom would play Whitney’s music a lot at home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Sweet Romance Songs:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Taylor Swift-Today
was a Fairytale<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This song would be perfect for Landry to listen to after
Vladi asks her to be his girlfriend. Such a sweet song.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Be With You—The
Bangles<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The ultimate crush song. The Bangles were a huge influence
for me as a tween and I can picture Landry humming this while doing her
homework and thinking about her crush, Vladi. It’s the perfect crush song.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Whole Wide World—A'me
Lorain<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This song so captures what it feels like when you have that
first big crush. It’s so poppy and fun. I imagine Landry singing this in her
bedroom (into her hairbrush!) after seeing Vladi at the basketball game.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Heartbreak Songs<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>A Thousand Years—Christina
Perri or Boyce Avenue’s version: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I listened to the Boyce Avenue version, but both are
beautiful and can wring tears from concrete<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Change Your Mind—Boyce
Avenue-</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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The leader singer has this vulnerability to his voice and so
do the lyrics. It really fits what you feel right after a breakup. This song
helped me get into the mood to write the scenes with Vladi and Landry when she
wants to be back together with him.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Track 9—Clark Manson<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Since I heard this one a few months ago it’s been a go-to for
writing heartbreak scenes. Love it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Mariah Carey’s-Can’t
Let Go<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I was in the grocery store when they started playing this
song and it was such a sad, desperate song that really got to me (as I shopped
for soap). I hadn’t heard it in years, but I came home and downloaded it onto
my ipod and put it on repeat to get in the right mood for the breakup
scene. My husband officially hates this
song now due to my overplaying it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Pebbles-Girlfriend<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This song is about a girl who tries to tell her friend she
deserves a better boyfriend. I think this would be one song Landry would listen
to when the girls deal with the doubts Yasmin’s tries to put in Landry’s head
by making her think Vladi is interested in Yasmin and not Landry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaRGC9e_pZbLynrvGbrNES9kXlB8U6o3Mx5CxR-UZe2V8fjIiMveEnqWl7zZp556ms8pjAz0uoFXUZbmfEI87Ct2cuICV0gOeW7vuY1rCiMzMiSvRxKyhTEdkYjcrRLJpgoWX89sfBOtA/s1600/61VGV0ZBdyL._UX250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaRGC9e_pZbLynrvGbrNES9kXlB8U6o3Mx5CxR-UZe2V8fjIiMveEnqWl7zZp556ms8pjAz0uoFXUZbmfEI87Ct2cuICV0gOeW7vuY1rCiMzMiSvRxKyhTEdkYjcrRLJpgoWX89sfBOtA/s1600/61VGV0ZBdyL._UX250_.jpg" /></a></div>
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Krysten Lindsay Hager is the author of the Landry’s
True Colors Series, a clean reads young adult series and the new Star Series.
Krysten writes about friendship,
self-esteem, fitting in, middle school and high school, frenemies, modeling,
crushes, values, and self-image in True Colors, Best Friends…Forever? And
Landry in Like, as well as in, Next Door to a Star (Star Series). Her sequel to
Next Door to a Star will be out March 22 2016.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Follow Krysten at:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.krystenlindsay.com/">Website </a> <a href="http://instagram.com/krystenlindsay">Instagram</a> <a href="http://amzn.to/1SvoSNF">Amazon</a> <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/">Pinterest<o:p></o:p></a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8298036.Krysten_Lindsay_Hager">Goodreads</a></div>
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<b>Best Friends Forever, the latest book in the Landry's True Colors Series</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RFp2fPFbvTQ" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Get the series now!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA_Pu8Aj8sNV2SLLhnSzMW5x85o9-M7gPpTb2nJYn7iXd0PxsGdxA0KjiVmwbN63Q4j_Y2ngoSzO5hGHxXvcB6TheIno4AVumNx3cZfbXczMjOj6ewJpxT6XqnbagcCLL0DRQjZnA8OrK/s1600/series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA_Pu8Aj8sNV2SLLhnSzMW5x85o9-M7gPpTb2nJYn7iXd0PxsGdxA0KjiVmwbN63Q4j_Y2ngoSzO5hGHxXvcB6TheIno4AVumNx3cZfbXczMjOj6ewJpxT6XqnbagcCLL0DRQjZnA8OrK/s640/series.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-65290874309441281082016-02-12T07:08:00.000-06:002016-02-12T07:08:04.252-06:00Elementals, Young Adult and Growing Up.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjZSoAVRJmVOl73cP0g6BvqPKUnHKBjKdeur_tG3U6iT0F7VQewe6sfEdrbcgn-Vqn1hiaFeEXM7uVvbjgbC_raD3PwxUnh2S_GKTzWw6evspC7CIOuuJsj_cbnCkBCkYbq2tINYnu7A8/s1600/author+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjZSoAVRJmVOl73cP0g6BvqPKUnHKBjKdeur_tG3U6iT0F7VQewe6sfEdrbcgn-Vqn1hiaFeEXM7uVvbjgbC_raD3PwxUnh2S_GKTzWw6evspC7CIOuuJsj_cbnCkBCkYbq2tINYnu7A8/s320/author+pic.JPG" width="240" /></a>Do you ever stand outside on a blowy day enjoying the feeling of the wind on your face? I do. I love the wind, well maybe not the gale forces we’ve had recently, my son actually had to grab onto me whilst we were out yesterday so we could progress down the road, but wind in general I love. The sea breeze that cools you down on a hot day, the strong gusts that assault you as your turn your face towards them, the wind that whips your hair around your face, although the aforementioned hair doesn’t like being brushed of its knots afterwards. Why am I rambling on about this you ask? I’ll get to the point. I had an idea for a story about a witch that could control the weather however, just after I had the idea, I read Beautiful Creatures. Oh dear, my idea was taken. So going back to my love of the wind I decided to make my character an elemental. What better way to enjoy it than by being an air elemental who could control it? My Young adult book Janalya was born. Why young adult? I wanted to combine my love of the elements and shape shifters into a fantasy book that could be read by anyone. No swearing, graphic sex or violent scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I know teenagers swear (I have two of my own) but that doesn’t mean that I want them reading it in a book and for it to be normalised, and for that reason you will never see my characters with a gun – now a bow and arrow, a sword, and a dagger may be a different matter. I also write for teenagers because, as well as having the previously mentioned role models at home, I still remember what it was like as a teenager. I don’t think I’ve grown up that much. My kids, especially my son, will tell you I haven’t grown up at all and have the age maturity of a four-year-old (on a good day). Harsh, but probably true. So I will continue to indulge in my love of fantasy, exploring the world of shape shifters, elementals, and whatever other mythical creature present themselves, and once you’ve read Janalya maybe you’ll forgive me for not growing up, or perhaps I’ll corrupt you and you’ll fall in love with my world too.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBUB8ix_Jw6GWY4aXFG1Ue4ViX7BcqkufRETw4ru2qkc0m3Hb-YTMRJodEqQrl_8_Mf3taJz9obUtajN28DKtpObVOa2hBitBhYC4wfFGEo_riT-sZlupJnNKKOqRcaFcIy7TnuPuKTnR/s1600/Janalya+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBUB8ix_Jw6GWY4aXFG1Ue4ViX7BcqkufRETw4ru2qkc0m3Hb-YTMRJodEqQrl_8_Mf3taJz9obUtajN28DKtpObVOa2hBitBhYC4wfFGEo_riT-sZlupJnNKKOqRcaFcIy7TnuPuKTnR/s320/Janalya+cover.jpg" width="200" /></a>Links:<br />
Website http://www.mariegodley.moonfruit.com/<br />
Blog http://www.marie-mariegodleybooks.blogspot.co.uk/<br />
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mariegodleyauthor/<br />
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Twitter https://twitter.com/MarieGodley</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-62885131873477299792016-02-06T07:00:00.000-06:002016-02-06T07:00:21.943-06:00Why does Joselyn Vaughn read romance? <div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupmKrN2HnIH3_V32FyeNmQtIJafPw9LGSsG32cVIYc3uui9WC9vPgD5nSil5AtDZfFsaLZ1qZQrE01EBLdA0Lgxg06e5F66sg2-lrCMSgm2VYii1SyktlcHExB7PcDIjCB_oVnML8FBuC/s1600/61kxIyg1adL._UX250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupmKrN2HnIH3_V32FyeNmQtIJafPw9LGSsG32cVIYc3uui9WC9vPgD5nSil5AtDZfFsaLZ1qZQrE01EBLdA0Lgxg06e5F66sg2-lrCMSgm2VYii1SyktlcHExB7PcDIjCB_oVnML8FBuC/s1600/61kxIyg1adL._UX250_.jpg" /></a><u>Why do I read romance?</u><u></u></div>
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Since I became a mom, reading has been my guilty pleasure. That sounds terrible, but between diaper changes and cleaning and wrangling kiddos, there isn’t much awake time left (and all too often I fall asleep after a page or two).<u></u><u></u></div>
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Romance makes that bit of reading time extra special. Sweet characters meeting and falling in love is a wonderful alternative to the neverending laundry piles and explosions of Legos. The happily ever afters make me fall asleep with a smile on my face.<u></u><u></u></div>
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I’ve chosen to write romantic comedies for the same reason. Why not create a world where people of all ages find love and enjoyment in each other? And hopefully they help other people fall asleep with a smile on their face.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Joselyn Vaughn<u></u><u></u></div>
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<a href="http://joselynvaughn.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://joselynvaughn.com</a></div>
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<b>Follow Joselyn on Social Media</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorJoselynVaughn">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/joselynvaughn">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joselynvaughn/">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/1QIa1LY">Amazon</a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Books by Joselyn</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1nPqbdg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfhyUwJLjAx718rhzoecbuW-N9fyEKvXXKXTll26gD12jCdgISKnRXG7hq6537BdCRYNQdUrjK4pnvblgn7CK0wp-4qWGR4hoBUbPoOkLU3fRk242kNGWlzE1xXfYuiPo9J_jWSR4_B5W/s640/Untitled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-18801836933439947672016-02-04T08:32:00.002-06:002016-02-04T08:32:54.447-06:00New Releases February Fourth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cleanreads.com/"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUXu24P3tI-5mlRgTPGycdR5WHE_FuQ1m4QM4ed5XBluIdSPuJIlxhe7CTU8v1PUJ0MYwNiOGzjsE7M1yKA1FuwpxyM-5PgL0NEzXhruMoYZF4j3X_iRuPMbV-IIgnaYc5pxD6u63Lyxm/s400/zaq.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="http://amzn.to/1TGiF0g">The Descendants</a> by Jaclyn E. Brod</h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">It’s the year 2030 and the world has been waging a war thanks to Doctor Grant who experiment’s on human beings. But there’s only one experiment that can save mankind, but wills she be able to before she dies?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">#Paranormal #Urban Fantasy </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Follow Jaclyn on social Media</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><a href="https://twitter.com/jaclynbrod">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jaclynbrod/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JaclynEbrod">Facebook</a>, Amazon</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9YqN0-2Cl08uQzGlBGViliG2w-WJMBVBT40sVsfjXOiT3Eelnj8mJOwdJwhoiaE8TvARJiNuctg14tDV3XU67bTi1IdW9TMlsPGQEka_Jgu5G1anKWJnmwefFEwdwEQJXkmNeAL4R2N3/s1600/Mission+Trip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9YqN0-2Cl08uQzGlBGViliG2w-WJMBVBT40sVsfjXOiT3Eelnj8mJOwdJwhoiaE8TvARJiNuctg14tDV3XU67bTi1IdW9TMlsPGQEka_Jgu5G1anKWJnmwefFEwdwEQJXkmNeAL4R2N3/s320/Mission+Trip.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Mission Trip by John Theo Jr. </h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">In the year 2077, the United States has become a post-apocalyptic footnote in the world history books. The only place freedom still exists is in a shielded underwater city called The Atoll where a group of Christian refugees are trying to start over. The Atoll inhabitants are hated for their freedoms and hunted for their technology, but even in their protective bubble treachery still finds a way in.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">#SciFi #Christian #Dystopian #Fantasy </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-51503698898225540972016-02-01T10:33:00.004-06:002016-02-01T12:15:58.664-06:00Love Sweet Love by Kimbra Kasch<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LOVE SWEET LOVE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being in love for the first time is a lot like eating a
delicious dessert. No…REALLY. Just think about it. They both make you feel that
surge of anticipation and longing. And it happens before you even know what’s
going on. You smell that sweet scent wafting through the air…I’m talking about
the dessert here…and, your stomach starts to tighten, your mouth starts to
water, you feel your legs pulling you forward without ever intending to step
toward the oven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yep, that’s just the way I felt the first time. My stomach
clamped down hard, I felt a little queasy, my hands started to sweat (maybe I
should say “glow” but sweat is the truth) my mouth went dry and I was . .
.okay, I wasn’t stepping toward the oven. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Soooo, maybe they aren’t the same but they do have some real
similarities. . . Sweets and LOVE. They both effect your senses and your
perceptions. Heck, they even effect your behavior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’ve been
thinking about both of them: LOVE and FOOD. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hey, there’s another similarity. . . they’re both four-letter
words. But that doesn’t sound like a good thing. . . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let’s get back to Valentine’s Day and celebrating this
special season of LOVE sweet LOVE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To begin, I’ll make a quick little Valentine’s Day Dinner but
I think I’ll start with dessert because life is short and nothing is ever certain.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYe5cbdl_vwrQBROUdn7eyDVzW8gkWKhp1By4fxkM4F3KraaIPb12e9762RrcKh1RMvqrqqKvoR5rETWzaoTnViYXl1PkQLE3Nsx4wepQYuWVJqRlhXWbOx5jkMLuUy1McxWLl77kZ0yx/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYe5cbdl_vwrQBROUdn7eyDVzW8gkWKhp1By4fxkM4F3KraaIPb12e9762RrcKh1RMvqrqqKvoR5rETWzaoTnViYXl1PkQLE3Nsx4wepQYuWVJqRlhXWbOx5jkMLuUy1McxWLl77kZ0yx/s1600/1.jpg" /></a></div>
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</span>I’ll make a cupcake stand and embellish it. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibh_LzwFfGOZRNq6rq_aLEAew-7a9iMIj-KbiJMoCwDe9U6qCZly58ulMg_3GA_onMgujw_DGQ5bDTf28kZf_b0-eQ2DRo-bI9RGjpofcNl38ZXWCnv_7D6v7jP9xTOBJieBrAKAZvd-Q/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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All it takes is a little ribbon and some hot glue. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgs9S-Y057At77iDiB27cS9mPTWsmm8Dwri2ga8mrjx0AXinMJdNLbEmfDUEzgKORDJ90KdDVIJZHW_J3q6MvICOeitdd9kNOd2ickWF-5kDPvPJbTWTAz5nSfWwITeo5lkiwaru-eZ3AW/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgs9S-Y057At77iDiB27cS9mPTWsmm8Dwri2ga8mrjx0AXinMJdNLbEmfDUEzgKORDJ90KdDVIJZHW_J3q6MvICOeitdd9kNOd2ickWF-5kDPvPJbTWTAz5nSfWwITeo5lkiwaru-eZ3AW/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Then I’ll make a super sweet and terrifically tasty chocolate ganache and dip my
cupcakes into the sinfully sweet sauce.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0UVmQv_qzdu70Q4UMeT05Zsr9wnfKHVarXySgpaxo1yAzPbyvNVYQ0HLn8j7UQBy0e_FIy3stsPDxEEZ6wd5ReEeuG9mC0dNxMf0UytnWMtgGaQJid3KFwX8Rx5D3l6bfK_gQhS4h9oz/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0UVmQv_qzdu70Q4UMeT05Zsr9wnfKHVarXySgpaxo1yAzPbyvNVYQ0HLn8j7UQBy0e_FIy3stsPDxEEZ6wd5ReEeuG9mC0dNxMf0UytnWMtgGaQJid3KFwX8Rx5D3l6bfK_gQhS4h9oz/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
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Then I’ll decorate the cupcakes. And, NO, that’s not paper – it’s sugar sheets.
Never heard of sugar sheets? They are SWEET ;D<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVY4zNFIfiy0Li04vk7x_Qb4EhSJ6figx-if6NC4tNvz42vZIot3SBFKdpKSCAnEBWtlUbPvfx9pdwfdlBpBQxHRbharYZWnBNiZnnsbLomh1Kq9MDHWVOBkBvjA9tFuv1GUq9Ax_RLQZT/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVY4zNFIfiy0Li04vk7x_Qb4EhSJ6figx-if6NC4tNvz42vZIot3SBFKdpKSCAnEBWtlUbPvfx9pdwfdlBpBQxHRbharYZWnBNiZnnsbLomh1Kq9MDHWVOBkBvjA9tFuv1GUq9Ax_RLQZT/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QFcs_wos29U2b-duPsqenu6eMiP0bnZYaxwqwlFrcotZ8Xb5Av1LqKuEWHYrbC409HxRkG1zHoH4sr3DaXbdQ-t-w11gkPuJday976ldM_IzrXRa2_6AOLJqmT_6kXXFUn9jQZIuKis/s1600/IMG_7149.JPG"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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Then I’ll stack the little mouth-watering morsels on the cupcake stand<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijS3wdeNSUyOVjiTt6NtXl3istqdZbKHLHFfBtvXAKKQpbzqPWtY1-ogUzHzjCCUhtgNhrrTWIj_iq847rcL1KMVUsM7L84dh4EnT_SgDK9uhfSzxuAyE4mDj4Qmo_MO-ejUNp-7rI84Y/s1600/IMG_7151.JPG"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfRUU0GcvcDx1Tsc1732VrIvj0Vvqp3-GdHdsZN0Qlp7ETRzZa5d8c3UrmG6ITujTgxETuuzC2ej1wpfd6u-cOYsuQu-sxxAGn99SF1FHXZ11MUBcqItWNBxmARplC5NBFLBdFraK-lY/s1600/IMG_7150.JPG"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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And WAH-LAh! Dinner is served…or, at least dessert ;D<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpINGrlvGmdCkIJ9xqJ_f1i3wcXoksMsKrEp2oxpeg-R9M3k8skJYdr0HsmNJ0GAVN8ZDXG4usBMDM0QXECBRtDg4bxTk2sxqA6cURVTIYkXOn6bAjoFUmaHqcv1vkIPZLn-OXCdlnPxWx/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpINGrlvGmdCkIJ9xqJ_f1i3wcXoksMsKrEp2oxpeg-R9M3k8skJYdr0HsmNJ0GAVN8ZDXG4usBMDM0QXECBRtDg4bxTk2sxqA6cURVTIYkXOn6bAjoFUmaHqcv1vkIPZLn-OXCdlnPxWx/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKcC3ITc8Eyphicn8fZEPuWkjgKG9Em1TNgM4wwmba11disWLqP_NsHZcP67Mg7SIzZzgzsX7HWwEe8KrDm955_SBXZJ-LsCtQfeF4CGdviDava8K8Uz525ZrqvfP-qSxBivRVWCZ8PrH/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKcC3ITc8Eyphicn8fZEPuWkjgKG9Em1TNgM4wwmba11disWLqP_NsHZcP67Mg7SIzZzgzsX7HWwEe8KrDm955_SBXZJ-LsCtQfeF4CGdviDava8K8Uz525ZrqvfP-qSxBivRVWCZ8PrH/s1600/6.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
But you might ask what does that
have to do with LOVE? I was getting to that part. If you don’t have your own
sweetie-pie hanging around to help you celebrate this special day, why not grab
a book boyfriend and curl up on the couch and read a SWEET AND SPICY love
story…HECK, even if you do have your own sweetie-pie hanging around . . .grab
yourself a romance and read it. What better way could there be to warm up to
the holiday? Don’t answer that…just go buy yourself a book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Oh, you don’t have any ideas, let
me recommend one for you…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_13"
o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:120pt;height:180pt;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
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o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BOOK
TRAILER: </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JOft7ED0z2Y" width="560"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BOOK
TEASER: </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/729o2HWEAuE" width="560"></iframe>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5567078841309273948" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">YOU CAN BUY KIM’S BOOKS HERE:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cats-Cullaby-Creek-Kimbra-Kasch-ebook/dp/B01AVVSB44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453351777&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Cats+of+Cullaby+Creek" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">AMAZON</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> & </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-cats-of-cullaby-creek/id1076224663?mt=11" target="_blank">iBOOK</a></span></b><o:p></o:p><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYCw9ZeI9NF0aIaMX7HMH31JmhTXmukf06g8EaB-vv6zWVxb-_OtjFH4TOJCzr0f97fPE_JUhjMdf8-_DYBgx21-YelayZce31DnRxx78la1vZOsWz7UmEKbEnJxjBT1K6aU__Jf6Fqn4/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYCw9ZeI9NF0aIaMX7HMH31JmhTXmukf06g8EaB-vv6zWVxb-_OtjFH4TOJCzr0f97fPE_JUhjMdf8-_DYBgx21-YelayZce31DnRxx78la1vZOsWz7UmEKbEnJxjBT1K6aU__Jf6Fqn4/s320/7.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And,
if you do read <b><i>THE CATS OF CULLABY CREEK</i></b>, please let me know what you thought
of it. I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts. And you know what, LOVE is the only
thing that there’s just too little of. ;D<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-13004829899441278552016-01-30T22:38:00.001-06:002016-01-30T22:38:04.591-06:00A Tale of Tomahawks and Hoop Skirts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM365xfp2KobKPThNGhXX3jP-VKBnHCHUhdaNdvst2A0ftvklMuvwN-pCPuO1NDy2OJPku0K3nh8ec6C69mrtC3omzHdWG3thUATFouP48WZiEXf9QOOishV_Qr3dXjVFUGTEyzDmPpGuy/s1600/LostColonySeries_2Books.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM365xfp2KobKPThNGhXX3jP-VKBnHCHUhdaNdvst2A0ftvklMuvwN-pCPuO1NDy2OJPku0K3nh8ec6C69mrtC3omzHdWG3thUATFouP48WZiEXf9QOOishV_Qr3dXjVFUGTEyzDmPpGuy/s640/LostColonySeries_2Books.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
Tale of Tomahawks and Hoop Skirts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was 1587 – long before mail
order brides and southern belles made their debut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Six single English women joined a
risky overseas colonial venture and sailed to the New World. With hearts full
of fairy tale hopes and dreams, they sailed straight into pirates, mutiny,
conspiracy, and ambushes.<br />
<br />
Also awaiting their arrival were the tall dark lords of the forests – the First
Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">What resulted was…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A resounding clash of cultures. An unforgettable
era of tomahawk swinging warriors and the parasol-twirling debutantes who
engaged them in a daring dance of courtship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This is their story:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">LOST COLONY SERIES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Book #1 – Breaking Ties<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Book #2 – Trail of Crosses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Book 3# - Into the Main (coming
soon!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Available on Amazon, BN,
Smashwords, Kobo, and iBooks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Breaking Ties is currently on sale
for 99 cents! </span><a href="http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A</span></a><span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Happy reading!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 24.0pt;">Jo<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<a href="http://www.jografford.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">www.JoGrafford.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Breaking
Ties Excerpt: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You want my help." 'Twas
an accusation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"Aye."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
His eyes darkened. "I save your life. I give gifts. I offer
marriage." He closed the remaining distance between us, his eyes burning
into mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
I stumbled back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"You give nothing in return," he snarled. "You only ask
for more."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"I would had I something to offer," I whispered. "But I
have nothing. I am nothing."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"Then what use are you to me?" He wheeled away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
I sagged against the door, eyes stinging. I blinked rapidly and pressed
a hand to my stomach. Nausea rolled at the thought of informing the others of
my failure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
Manteo circled the cabin like a hawk stalking its prey. 'Twas a fine
room with ornately carved shelves lining one wall. Bunks were built into the
next wall. A generous desk jutted from the third, overflowing with maps and
navigational devices. I recognized the compass and hourglass but could not
identify the other instruments. I jerked in surprise when Manteo swooped down
upon me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"I know our location." His arms shot out and slapped the wall
on either side of me, hemming me to the door. "I could swim ashore from
here."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"Then why do ye stay if ye can leave and save yourself?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"Governor White gave his word to deliver me home."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"We are going to starve, Manteo. 'Tis only a matter of days
now."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"Nay. You alone starve. The others eat."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"I have no appetite."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"You act as one already dead."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
I straightened my back. "I accept what I cannot change."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
"And I change what I cannot accept." He shifted his weight to
the wall, one arm propped over my head. He drew his fingertips down the side of
my face in a feather-light caress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I closed my
eyes against the rush of unbearable sweetness. He made me long for things
forbidden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*
* *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Available
now on Amazon: </span></i><a href="http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">http://amzn.com/B00FYIYM7A</span></i></a><i><span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">. </span></i><i><span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></i></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFK32vgoDhxH0TWxMFXvkjRFh9wH7rKcvXI_edkc47gOO5XW9Nzw05o_o7-0vehQGpwW0qvDGemsMd9KeYc4PR6vVZEriS193qsO0b-c4lsKsDbaj1aRYAZLdhCEcMgtuXmT7UQCQFmcZ/s1600/Manteo_Change_Quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFK32vgoDhxH0TWxMFXvkjRFh9wH7rKcvXI_edkc47gOO5XW9Nzw05o_o7-0vehQGpwW0qvDGemsMd9KeYc4PR6vVZEriS193qsO0b-c4lsKsDbaj1aRYAZLdhCEcMgtuXmT7UQCQFmcZ/s320/Manteo_Change_Quote.png" width="320" /></a></i></div>
<i><o:p></o:p></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-44648658722258756902016-01-23T13:38:00.002-06:002016-01-23T13:38:30.845-06:00Inspiration is Everywhere by Krysten Linsday Hager<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EeWW98zsNH-tdQTuXVacrQGrRMxx5NcuMxO4Z1-hnDjoKGQCPzRp9lsvr5H6SmOxo4izyuMo5rTpfdWMLFvtNFUVCE3eWCVdeBFHzT0L47dmzOkkXqz1SeuK_oR8C0BgJhSyY_mf0HP9/s1600/12596516_10153436509303576_1551614172_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EeWW98zsNH-tdQTuXVacrQGrRMxx5NcuMxO4Z1-hnDjoKGQCPzRp9lsvr5H6SmOxo4izyuMo5rTpfdWMLFvtNFUVCE3eWCVdeBFHzT0L47dmzOkkXqz1SeuK_oR8C0BgJhSyY_mf0HP9/s320/12596516_10153436509303576_1551614172_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"> Inspiration is Everywhere by Krysten Lindsay Hager</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People
often ask me what inspires me as a writer to create a story. Honestly,
inspiration comes from all over. I can overhear a conversation and think that a
comment made by a complete stranger sounds just like something a character of mine would say. Pretty soon
I’m inching closer to that person with one ear perked up like a dog’s trying to
pick up bits and pieces without looking like a weirdo. I’ve often said I’d love
to have an invisibility cloak—oh the fun I could have going around unnoticed
and listening in! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m
very visual so a picture can spark an idea, character, or setting for me. Years
ago, I was in a used bookstore with a friend in downtown Royal Oak, Michigan.
The shop had a large box with vintage photographs for sale and I was going
through them looking for things that might inspire me when I came upon a picture
of a gorgeous house. It reminded me of an area in Detroit that is now being
revitalized and seeing this house in its original glory was making my
imagination go on overload. I had to have the pic to use for a story—I didn’t
even know what story or when I would use it, but I had to have it. Then I
noticed another huge box of pictures and went to look through those and,
believe it or not, I found another picture of that same house from a different
angle. I took it as a sign and bought both photos. Later the house inspired the
setting for a humorous YA vampire short story I wrote in the Autumn Magic
anthology.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unexpected
road trips also bring me ideas galore. Recently, the GPS on my phone took us out
of our way and we discovered a cute part of Cincinnati neither of us had been
in before. I had never seen all these houses right on the water and it had my
brain going into overdrive with ideas for settings and scenes. What started off
as the wrong directions put me in the right direction for a story I had been
working on that needed more a more scenic description.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So
inspiration is everywhere! You just have to keep your eyes open and your mind
receptive. The world is one big muse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Krysten Lindsay Hager is the author of the <i>Landry’s True Colors Series</i>, a clean
reads young adult series about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, middle
school and high school, frenemies, modeling, self-image, crushes, and values. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amazon author page: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1">http://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Follow Krysten’s writing journey at: <a href="http://www.krystenlindsay.com/">http://www.krystenlindsay.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-40884608669090420302016-01-21T12:00:00.001-06:002016-02-05T19:39:21.123-06:00Innocent Tears<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://amzn.to/1y5grj6" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyacqYQ_GFh-dBCINFM3UyQJPf3ts6WiL9GonO7meL9jxE3bfhW3AnjcsOZ4LJTg-YdUUyCMMF5KD3ZvM9BaQtfSmteR0dp7PTY56UKE4l5iXNVpSaTclDMd7tze93CUGI_fvCHiYQ6_M/s640/InnocentTears+Banner+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: #4c1130;">“</span></em><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; text-indent: 0cm;">Advice is what we ask for</span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; text-indent: 0cm;"> when we already </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; text-indent: 0cm;">know the </span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; line-height: 150%;">answer, but wish we didn't.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>INNOCENT TEARS</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>by Iris Blobel</em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
I'm excited to tell you all about the re-release of INNOCENT TEARS, <br />
The book has enjoyed another full edit and an awesome new cover.<br />
I hope you'll give Flynn and Emma's story a chance.<br />
THANK YOU<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
♥♦♥ ~ <b>OUT NOW ~ ♥♦♥ </b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">AMAZON US: </span><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: x-large;"><u><a href="http://amzn.to/1y5grj6">http://amzn.to/1y5grj6</a></u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">AMAZON UK: <a href="http://amzn.to/1ZjirM0">http://amzn.to/1ZjirM0</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">AMAZON AU: </span><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: x-large;"><u><a href="http://bit.ly/1ZZ7ZLP">http://bit.ly/1ZZ7ZLP</a></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
♥♦♥ <b>SYNOPSIS ♥♦♥ </b><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div class="style89" style="margin: 0cm 30pt 0.1pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ1Zwi5MTMpJ3ynyJuisjVwWiagb2-9S-DsrMwKB4INq9-aJKKtvxHqoG2dWHTGYi6_em8jEIHuko3wFS2yQu3K9o5ukwmd8DfAR0k0s61CqitTaRvZFOKASrQpSQ1cg_LgftGNZaKeo/s1600/3D+Innocent+Tears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ1Zwi5MTMpJ3ynyJuisjVwWiagb2-9S-DsrMwKB4INq9-aJKKtvxHqoG2dWHTGYi6_em8jEIHuko3wFS2yQu3K9o5ukwmd8DfAR0k0s61CqitTaRvZFOKASrQpSQ1cg_LgftGNZaKeo/s320/3D+Innocent+Tears.jpg" width="270" /></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">Becoming a parent can be daunting
at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost
pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old
Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news
throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over
custody. </span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel
where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to
do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’,
and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little
Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in
Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives
that helps him figuring out what to do.</span></span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">♥♦♥ MEET THE AUTHOR </span><span style="font-size: large;">♥♦♥</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">IRIS BLOBEL</span><br />
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Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only emerged recently, but now her laptop is a constant companion.</div>
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Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her two beautiful daughters.</div>
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Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.<br />
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<b>Social Media Links:</b></div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IrisBlobel" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/IrisBlobel</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/_iris_b" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/_iris_b</a></div>
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Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_Blobel" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_Blobel</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-50032747667128888182016-01-07T09:40:00.000-06:002016-01-07T09:47:07.848-06:00January 7th Releases <h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">New Releases</span></h2>
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January 7th, 2016</h3>
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<b><a href="http://amzn.to/1VMfsLU"><span style="font-size: large;">The General's Wife by Sara R. Turnquist</span></a></b></div>
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#Historical #Regency #Romance</div>
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Ismene, a beautiful, somewhat naïve, young noblewoman, is torn from her childhood home in Greece and her first love. Bound by honor and duty, she marries Pharoah's chief military commander, Alistair. Though determined to remain true to the man she left behind, her new husband stirs feelings in her she cannot ignore.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Attempting to accept this brazen new culture, it isn't long before she discovers that the locals don't like her. The Alexandrian mob starts making anonymous threats. This face-less group will stop at nothing to achieve its goal of driving out the unwelcome Greeks. In the midst of these heightening attacks, the general must leave for battle. Ismene fears that she is on her own. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Evidence of a spy within her own household arises. It soon becomes apparent that one of these Egyptian rebels wants her dead. The safety of Ismene, and possibly the entire ruling class of Egypt, hangs in the balance. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish-q7oHo2vN-1kxjlWX2WDZJb7eiGWPEtOMWeOR-SUbixm-vX51tRdHgZYkIFV7pXHxWDhhMB0jxSlKNwMp3NiFXbLWcdO995_YFykw6snlq92MQEEaIFAYyCsyfxQmNJsCquvh2lLeWP/s1600/51yGK1eDm-L._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish-q7oHo2vN-1kxjlWX2WDZJb7eiGWPEtOMWeOR-SUbixm-vX51tRdHgZYkIFV7pXHxWDhhMB0jxSlKNwMp3NiFXbLWcdO995_YFykw6snlq92MQEEaIFAYyCsyfxQmNJsCquvh2lLeWP/s400/51yGK1eDm-L._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 22.4px;"><b><a href="http://amzn.to/1VMdHyf">Just Claire by Jean Ann Williams</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">#Childrens #YA #HistoricalFiction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">ClaireLee’s life changes when she must take charge of her siblings and depressed mother, and she finds relief in the lies she tells herself and others. Frightened by the changes in Mama, ClaireLee just knows she’ll catch her illness like a cold or flu that hangs on through winter. Deciding she needs to re-invent herself, she sets out to impress a group of popular girls. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">At the slip of an untruth, she deceives her way into the Lavender Girls Club. Though, her best friend Belinda will not be caught with the likes of such shallow puddles. ClaireLee drifts further from honesty, her friend, and a broken mother’s love, until one very public night. The spotlight is on her, and she finds her courage and faces the truth and then she saves a life. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 22.4px;"><b><a href="http://amzn.to/1VMeSxI">Drake the Dandy by Katy Newton Naas</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">#YA #Childrens #ServiceDog #Bullies</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Drake the Dandy has a job to do. He lives each day just to protect his person, Kinsey, who has epilepsy. Drake is special because he can sense her seizures and warn her before they happen. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Drake loves Kinsey and would give his life for her. But being a brave, strong guardian was a lot easier before he had to accompany her to this scary place called school… </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-69424557374591065542016-01-04T06:58:00.000-06:002016-01-04T08:08:27.228-06:00For everyone who takes the risk of falling in love.<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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The Corruption of Mila </span></h2>
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J.F. Jenkins
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzw8vqCsCVt863Ue40fuqzk7hgmm_GudleGYx3cB3hR9p2XLSprxhjq4mV1QB9IrzvsXAnq6ZJXGgle4aTECekhlexTw0zEvnMyQAP0PgelBjJXy-MiLl_e6FQ9VrgUevR2KSCUHebEMD/s1600/51ciGHetHyL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzw8vqCsCVt863Ue40fuqzk7hgmm_GudleGYx3cB3hR9p2XLSprxhjq4mV1QB9IrzvsXAnq6ZJXGgle4aTECekhlexTw0zEvnMyQAP0PgelBjJXy-MiLl_e6FQ9VrgUevR2KSCUHebEMD/s320/51ciGHetHyL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Mila takes a hands off approach to dating. She's independent and picky and thinks she knows it all. When her best friend decides to set her up on a blind date with a guy who answers to the name of Jax, Mila decides to take a leap of faith. After all, with a name like Jax, how can he not be a dream boat? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Like most blind dates, however, Jax doesn't meet the expectations that Mila created in her imagination. With how badly she's struck out in her past relationships, is that really such a bad thing?</span><br />
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Available on <a href="http://amzn.to/1ZJjbMp">Amazon</a><br />
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Read the first Chapter...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chapter One </span><br />
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Blind dates suck. There's no way around it. Sure, some people meet the love of their life and live happily ever after. Others have the most awkward night of their life. No matter how the evening goes, the anxiety of getting to the date always puts a pretty heavy damper on the whole thing. At least with a normal first date, you know the guy/gal first. You don't have to worry about if he's cute, if you're going to get along, that kind of thing. Why? Because you at least know there's a small bit of common ground to base the date on. Even if it's just: oh hey, you're cute, let's go out! At least it's something. That's not the case with a blind date. And let me tell you, a blind date was kind of the last thing I ever wanted to go on. Okay, not kind of – it was. Who even does that anymore, anyway? Hello, we're in the twenty-first century. People don't set our friends up on blind dates, people go out with people they meet over the Internet and hope they aren't creepers.
Somehow, I let my best friend Morgan convince me that a blind date, on Valentine's Day of all days, would be an amazing idea. “Don't be alone on the most romantic holiday of the year!” she said. “That's the most pathetic thing you could ever do to yourself!”
No, the most pathetic thing is going on a date, just for the sake of going on a date, all because it's Valentine's Day. I had perfectly awesome plans made for my night alone at home: kung-fu movies and Chinese take-out. There were no plans to wallow bitterly either. Okay, maybe a little bit of wallowing. The point is, I didn't ask or need a blind date. Yet, Morgan was able to guilt me into going anyway. Then again, with a name as delicious as Jax, how could I go wrong?
So I put on my cute, tight, black pants with my matching corset top and long trench coat, and went to meet this guy at the swanky Brazilian barbeque restaurant downtown.
“Can I help you miss?” the hostess asked, looking up at me from her podium.
“I have a reservation. Should be under the name Jax?” Just saying his name gave me butterflies. It was so sexy. He had better have a tattoo… or five.
The hostess glanced over her list, nodded, and then picked up a menu to lead me to the table. I swallowed, following her, and immediately began to play with my dark hair. A nervous tic, and one I've always hated. It seems too obvious, you know what I mean? Plus, I didn't want to ruin my hair before I even got to meet my date. There was plenty of time to do that later. Wink, wink.
I went around at least five corners before I got to my table. We were way in the back of the restaurant which made for a nice private atmosphere, sure, but the anticipation made knots churn in my stomach.
“Your table,” the hostess said.
The table was the farthest from the front and tucked away in the corner. The young man sitting at the table with his back to the wall had the menu up over his face. He lowered it slowly, giving me a peek at a rather beautiful set of blue eyes, accompanied with tousled, dark hair. The menu was set onto the table top and he stood, giving me a better view. I had pictured tall, muscular, and a little rough on the edges. Some scruffy facial hair or maybe a scar, and an outfit that was more bad-boy-sexy than business casual.
Jax on the other hand was average height, clean-shaven, and wore a long-sleeved, navy button-down and khaki pants. The guy had some muscle definition, because I noticed how the shirt clung to his chest in all of the right ways, and his biceps bulged ever so slightly under the fabric. He worked out, which was always a plus, but there was more gentle than tough in him. Something about him was vaguely familiar too, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
“M-Mila right?” he asked. He actually stammered. I wasn't quite sure what to think about that. In some ways it's sweet that he was nervous enough to stutter, but it was also a little bit of a turn off. Okay, not a little bit – a lot.
I nodded, hoping that his nerves would pass and he'd take a chill pill soon. “That's me, and you're Jax.”
“Y-yeah.”
I'm pretty sure my smile twitched a little when he said it. “Nice to meet you.” Nice was not the kind of meeting I wanted to have.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-91049919994697416642015-12-23T09:13:00.000-06:002015-12-23T09:13:00.719-06:00His Christmas Bride by JJ Nite<div id="_giphy_iwKhP3DD5wjJu" style="max-width: 500px;">
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His Christmas Bride</h2>
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J.J. Nite</h3>
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Excerpt:</h4>
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<span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“Annabelle! What do you think you're doing</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> girl? If Bernard finds you peeping in there again he's </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">liable</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> to banish you to below stairs</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">” </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Sarah</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> said.</span><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX264339202" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{141}" paraid="752679810" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“I was only trying to get a peek at the master. I haven't seen him and everything I've heard makes him sound so my</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">sterious</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">. Tilly</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> said he has not left his rooms since he arrived, but I heard Bernard say he met with him in the study. He has to come out sometime</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">” Annabelle said as she turned and followed </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Sarah</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> to the back of the townhouse.</span><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
</div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX264339202" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{154}" paraid="883525239" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“All I’m saying</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> missy</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> is you had better take care or you’ll be finding yourself banished to the nether regions of this townhouse</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> --</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> or worse, looking for new employment</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">” </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Sarah</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> continued.</span><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX264339202" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{168}" paraid="1721257397" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Annabelle smiled behind </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Sarah’s</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> back and shook her head lightly.</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">The plump </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">house keeper</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> had been a mother to her </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">since hers had died</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> leaving Annabelle an orphan ten years earlier</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX264339202" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{189}" paraid="2078934968" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Sarah</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> had woken her i</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">n the morning and given her the news of her mother’s </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">death</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">She </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">had dried </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Annabelle</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">’s tears and then helped her</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">get</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> dressed and </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">made </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">her a list of chores to make herself useful around the townhouse.</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Her manner was always brusque, but Annabelle knew it </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">hid </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">a big heart.</span><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX264339202" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{202}" paraid="1547116139" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Annabelle grabbed her cloak and basket and headed out the back door for her daily trip to </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">the market.</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">While she loved being out of the house, the smells that assailed her once she was on the main streets</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> w</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">ere</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> overwhelming.</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">The refuse, waste, and unwashed bodies made her wishing this </span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">was</span><span class="TextRun SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> another’s duty.</span><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span><br />
<span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{214}" paraid="521068376" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“Hugh.</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Have you heard a word I’ve said?” </span><span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{226}" paraid="412804262" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Hugh </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Alexander</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">, the Earl of </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Kerry,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> glanced over his shoulder </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">at the solicitor </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">and then turned his attention back to the window he was currently standing at.</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">His attention had been caught by a servant covered in a brown cloak hurrying away from the house</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">.</span><span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{243}" paraid="155351090" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“I apologize for my inattention</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> James</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">;</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> please continue</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">” Hugh said</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> turn</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">ing</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> from the window and s</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">inking</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> into a leather chair </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">that sat </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">next to the window.</span><span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{250}" paraid="1443477761" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“All I’m trying to say</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> Hugh, is since your return I had assumed you would want to take a more active role in your investments</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">” James Stevens said.</span><span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-size: 8px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6da6fc73-af07-4622-8d15-4a44daccee01}{4}" paraid="1309361910" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Hugh grimaced</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> which was all he seemed to be doing lately.</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">He knew it was his duty to take a hand in his investments and properties, but who wanted to look at him the way he was.</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">Glancing back at James, he could see the man was holding something back.</span><span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX264339202" paraeid="{6b1be128-9326-4431-b7e4-c8206d5aa0cc}{202}" paraid="1547116139" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="EOP SCX264339202" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"></span></div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6da6fc73-af07-4622-8d15-4a44daccee01}{15}" paraid="565059306" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">“Out with it</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> James.</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">It is more than apparent </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">that </span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">you have something else to say</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;" xml:lang="EN-US">” Hugh said gruffly.</span><span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"> </span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6da6fc73-af07-4622-8d15-4a44daccee01}{15}" paraid="565059306" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6da6fc73-af07-4622-8d15-4a44daccee01}{15}" paraid="565059306" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX191501739" paraeid="{6da6fc73-af07-4622-8d15-4a44daccee01}{15}" paraid="565059306" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-size: 6pt; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="EOP SCX191501739" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: normal;">His Christmas Bride is available on all major ebook platforms</span></div>
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Barnes and Noble: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-christmas-bride-jj-nite/1120792077?ean=2940150641846">Ebook</a></div>
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Follow author JJ Nite!</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jjnite1/?fref=ts">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/jjnite">Twitter</a>, </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13926359770208281619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-2512521810388392792015-03-30T10:17:00.003-05:002015-03-30T10:32:45.865-05:00The Black Mage Series by Rachel E Carter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="btAsinTitle"><a href="http://amzn.com/B00MMTMPK0">The Black Mage: First Year</a></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Before the age of seventeen the young men and women of Jerar are given a choice –follow tradition, or pursue a trial year in one of the realm’s three war schools to study as a soldier, knight or mage… </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For 15-year-old Ryiah the choice has always been easy. Become a warrior and leave the boring confines of her lowborn life behind. Set to enroll in the School of Knighthood on the eve of her next birthday, plans suddenly shift when her twin brother discovers powers. Hoping that hers will soon follow, she enrolls with Alex at the Academy instead –the realm’s most notorious war school for those with magic. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yet when she arrives Ry finds herself competing against friend and foe for one of the exalted apprenticeships. Every “first-year” is given a trial year to prove their worth –and no amount of hard work and drive will guarantee them a spot. It seems like everyone is rooting for her to fail –and first and foremost among them Prince Darren, the school prodigy who has done nothing but make life miserable since she arrived. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When an accidental encounter leads Ryiah and Darren to an unlikely friendship she is convinced nothing good will come of it. But the lines become blurred when she begins to improve –and soon she is a key competitor for the faction of Combat… Still, nothing is ever as it seems –and when the world comes crashing down around her, Ry is forced to place faith in the one thing she can believe in –herself. Will it be enough? </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TFNRKFQ" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.7em;">The Black Mage: Apprentice</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">She survived a trial year at the Academy, but that was just the easy part… </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Now sixteen-year-old Ryiah is an apprentice of Combat, her school’s most notorious faction of magic. When she finishes she will be a mage, but in order to do so she has to survive four years with a training master she hates and her old nemesis, Priscilla. To make matters worse the unwanted attraction Ry feels for her sometimes-friend-sometimes-rival Prince Darren is at an all time high –even though he is betrothed to the very girl she can’t stand. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Really, the only bright spot to Ryiah’s new life is the time she spends with her friends, including an older apprentice named Ian, who she finds herself thinking about quite often. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Just when things start to get comfortable they take a turn for the worse. An apprentice is killed in a rebel attack and several mages end up dead. Unwittingly, the apprentices find themselves in the midst of a budding unrest between Jerar and its northern neighbor, Caltoth. For Ryiah the impending conflict means many things, but as her apprenticeship draws to a close she finds her biggest problem at home. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">https://twitter.com/blackmageauthor</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13396676424895522032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-4639045750910665162015-02-26T10:00:00.000-06:002015-03-30T10:51:53.085-05:00AP Author Spotlight: Clay Cormany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KAZbga_EZ8TQ1RZraWz6rhWyX_wT1lqm6few3SNlzcD2lLgQSAhmB5nx1PPkW3wHh_u7ADJRoP4_MtiBldxUKbznk6a2o3UjJZeGMRtNgF0P1tmekt8wOSYWuvJFy7m0_-dFeRqsNjE/s1600/astraea+press.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KAZbga_EZ8TQ1RZraWz6rhWyX_wT1lqm6few3SNlzcD2lLgQSAhmB5nx1PPkW3wHh_u7ADJRoP4_MtiBldxUKbznk6a2o3UjJZeGMRtNgF0P1tmekt8wOSYWuvJFy7m0_-dFeRqsNjE/s1600/astraea+press.jpg" height="96" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 18pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Clay Cormany</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Twitter
ID: <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">@Speechwriter2</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Goodreads:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23509776-fast-pitch-love</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Facebook:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fast-Pitch-Love/249475425209772</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><u1:p></u1:p>Describe yourself in three words:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Writer,
Parent, Husband</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Tell us a little about your latest release:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">
<span lang="EN-US">There is no longer anything special about
the corner of Fifth Avenue and Olentangy River Road in Columbus, Ohio. In my
younger days, however, it was the home of a trucking company that my dad owned
and operated with my uncle. Most days for some 30 years, he would go there to
his office to dispatch semis and make sure they reached their destinations
without mishap. Sometimes there were mishaps. That could mean an early morning
call and a lonely trip to a broken down truck on a remote highway. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
</span><br />
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span lang="EN-US">Today the trucking company is gone. Several
years ago, I traveled to where it once stood and found a fast-food hamburger
stand in its place. There was no sign, marker, or other visible evidence that
my father's trucking company ever existed. Sadness flooded my soul. A hamburger
stand hardly seemed a fitting tribute to his hard work and sacrifice at this
location. Then I began to ask myself some discomforting questions: What
tangible evidence would I leave behind for my time on this planet? What would
future generations, inside and outside of my family, ever know about me? That's
when I remembered that YA novel – then only half finished – that I had laid
aside a month before. Perhaps <i>Fast-Pitch Love</i> could be my legacy, a window
that would allow great-great-grandchildren and perhaps others to understand who
I was and what I valued.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">
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<span lang="EN-US">I have no illusions about <i>Fast-Pitch
Love</i> becoming a bestseller or winning any prizes. I originally wrote it to
entertain readers who might like an amusing story that combines sports
competition with some old-but-valuable lessons about romance. Only after
visiting my father's former work site did I think of it as a bridge between me
and future generations. Will anyone be reading <i>Fast-Pitch Love </i>a hundred
or even fifty years from now? I don't know. But if they do, they'll gain some
insight to my beliefs and values. For example, they'll realize that I...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">- Took a dim view of adults who let their
egos ruin children's sports.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">- Preferred winning to losing, but not at
any cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">- Believed true romance depends on trust
and friendship – not just physical attraction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">- Believed hostility between two people
usually diminishes as they learn more about each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Fellow writers, I encourage you to see your
book in a similar light. Whether you write about pirates, ghosts, spies,
detectives, kings or queens, your book will tell tomorrow's readers – as well
as today's – who you are and what you believe. It will be your legacy; one with
the power to entertain and even inspire those who follow in your footsteps.
Some might argue that there are better legacies than a book, and maybe they are
right. But one thing is certain: A book beats the heck out of a hamburger
stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">What is your earliest memory?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Leaving
milk and cookies out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. I was about 2 1/2 years
old.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: red;">What would you consider the greatest moment in your life?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
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<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">A
tie between becoming a father and finally finding the woman of my dreams.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: red;">What’s the hardest thing in in life you’ve done?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Attend
the funeral of my daughter's boyfriend.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">What have you learned in life so far?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Try not to waste time, you never know how
much of it you have left<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Keep your promises and commitments, even if
you regret making them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Leave
something behind -- like a book -- that will enrich the lives of those who
follow in your footsteps.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">Everyone’s favourite question: if you could invite five people for
dinner, who would it be?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Abraham Lincoln<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Jackie Robinson<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">William Shakespeare<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Jeannette Creswick Cormany, my great
grandmother<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Benjamin Franklin<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #7030a0;">Chance for our readers - what else would you like to know about <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Clay Cormany</span>?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-26591089065628576582015-02-21T10:00:00.000-06:002015-03-30T10:52:07.754-05:00AP Booktrailer: Iris Blobel "Innocent Tears"<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ygQdb3w7Ya8?list=UUezw0PsxobhsUf_MmICU8nw" width="460"></iframe><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody. <br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle. <br />
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But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do.</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=iriblo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B009CK7HSC&asins=B009CK7HSC&linkId=3FPOY74GXEVEVCRH&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-75836152318619270142015-02-19T10:00:00.000-06:002015-03-30T10:53:18.906-05:00AP Author Spotlight: Kay Harborne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KAZbga_EZ8TQ1RZraWz6rhWyX_wT1lqm6few3SNlzcD2lLgQSAhmB5nx1PPkW3wHh_u7ADJRoP4_MtiBldxUKbznk6a2o3UjJZeGMRtNgF0P1tmekt8wOSYWuvJFy7m0_-dFeRqsNjE/s1600/astraea+press.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KAZbga_EZ8TQ1RZraWz6rhWyX_wT1lqm6few3SNlzcD2lLgQSAhmB5nx1PPkW3wHh_u7ADJRoP4_MtiBldxUKbznk6a2o3UjJZeGMRtNgF0P1tmekt8wOSYWuvJFy7m0_-dFeRqsNjE/s1600/astraea+press.jpg" height="96" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 18pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Kay Harborne</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><u1:p></u1:p><span style="color: black;">Website:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">http://www.karenking.net</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">Blog:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="http://www.karenking.net/blog">http://www.karenking.net/blog</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">Twitter
ID: <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">@karen_king</span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">Goodreads:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard">http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">Facebook:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn&__adt=7&__att=iframe#!/KarenKingAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn&__adt=7&__att=iframe#!/KarenKingAuthor</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">Pinterest:
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/kryski/">http://www.pinterest.com/kryski/</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;"><u1:p></u1:p>Describe yourself in three words:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Bubbly,
dippy, chocoholic.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">Tell us a little about your latest release:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: black;">Never Say Forever<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: black;">Blurb<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: black;">Do you follow your dream or follow your
heart?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: black;">That’s the decision Kendall McKenzie has to
make when she meets hunky businessman Jake Newman. It’s obvious that he’s as
attracted to her as she is to him. But Kendall has vowed to never get married –
and it seems that Jake, too, is determined to never commit. When the two are
together however sparks fly and it’s obvious to everyone except themselves that
they’re meant to be together. Can Kendall trust Jake enough to give him her
heart? And if she does will she have to say goodbye to her dream?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">The
idea of this story was triggered of by thinking about what would happen if two
career-driven people who were determined not to get married met and fell in
love. Would they follow their heart or their career?</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
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</div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">What is your earliest memory?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">My
earliest memory is of climbing a fence with my two brothers when I was about
five. As I climbed over the top I slipped and my ankle sock got caught on the
wire. I was dangling up side down by my ankle when my mum rescued me, much to
the amusement of my brothers and their friends. It pretty much set the pattern
for the rest of my life, I'm always doing something dippy.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">What would you consider the greatest moment in your life?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p><span style="color: black;"> </span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">There
have been so many great moments, when my four daughters were born, marrying my
lovely husband Dave two years ago but I think my most memorable was passing my
driving test. I thought I'd never do it and made the examiner repeat it three
times before I'd believe I passed.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">What’s the hardest thing in in life you’ve done?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Passed
my driving test. It took me years, countless driving instructors, far too much
money and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>17 attempts. I finally passed
in 2013.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
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</div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">What have you learned in life so far?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Be
kind<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and choose your arguments. People
get het up over things that don't really matter.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;">Everyone’s favourite question: if you could invite five people for
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Julie
Walters, Piers Morgan, Simon Cowell, Joanna Lumley and Meryl Streep. I think
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Chance for our readers - what else would you like to know about <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Kay Harborne</span>?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567078841309273948.post-65356777821473487392015-02-14T10:00:00.000-06:002015-03-30T10:52:24.328-05:00AP Booktrailer: Leah Sanders "Sacred Ring"<div style="text-align: center;">
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Nothing in Kynan Murphy's life is going right. His grades are horrible, he's always in trouble, and the girl he likes doesn't know he exists. But things go from bad to worse when his parents tell him they have decided to split up. Angry and confused, he wants nothing more than to lash out against the world. The closest thing he can find, however, is the Saint Valentine shrine during a school field trip. Armed with some fireworks and encouraged by his best friend, Michael Connell, he's all set to vent his frustration with life. <br />
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His best laid plans fail when a mysterious priest confronts him, sharing an ancient secret about a hidden ring with special powers. Kynan believes the answer to all his problems and the only way to fix his parents' broken marriage is to find the ring — a task he won't be able to accomplish on his own. <br />
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It was easy enough to convince his friend Michael to join him, but the irritating Brianna Collins insists on tagging along. Fortunately, her knack for language and interest in history is a valuable asset in the search. Their quest leads them to the northern coast and into dangerous territory where, in spite of their good intentions, they may lose their own lives.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0