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Paranormal Romance Author

Hello and welcome. You'll find all sorts of happenings here. I have many interviews lined up this year with authors of various genres. I'll have contests, giveaways and much more. So keep popping back for some fantastic interviews, articles and new release information.

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Pick of the week

I am honoured that my new release Abigail Cottage has been named Pick of the week by thriller writer Lorrie Struiff

Check it out!!

Abigail Cottage

When Abigail falls in love with Justin she can’t begin to know the world of hurt she is heading into. Gorgeous, kind, rich – he’s the man we all dream to meet. BUT, all is not what it seems because Justin is a true demon from hell, disguised as a mortal being. He wants her and will do, kill or maim anyone who tries to stop him. Namely Shaun the real hero, who wants Abigail more! So what does a mortal man do against a demon? He enlists the help of a gypsy of course. But not any old gypsy. Rosa knows Justin very well and has the powers of the spirit world on her side to fight him. Using crystals as a powerful weapon, the light of the spirit world to lead them, they embark on a battle with the whole of the underworld. Many loved ones will lose their lives. This isn’t a book where everyone survives. In real life, bad things happen. In Abigail Cottage, terrible tragedies occur too. Believe... not every story can have a happy ending.

Got a kindle? Go here and download a FREE chapter of Abigail Cottage.



For Everyone

For new followers leave your email and you could win a gift from me. Also, I'll randomly choose the best comment of the week, EVERY week, and they will also win a unique gift from me. As well as author free gifts and prizes, you'll be in for a treat. Follow the blog and don't miss out.







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Tuesday 16 October 2012

Welcome Lorrie Struiff

Today I am welcoming friend and fabulous author of many boosk, Lorrie Struiff.



Hello, Margaret,

Thanks so much for allowing me to come back to your blog to tell folks about my new release.

A HEAP OF TROUBLE from MuseItup publishing.


 

If you readers like a mish-mash of sweet romance, old west setting, cattle rustling, and an imp of a ringtail monkey’s antics, this is the book for you. It’s different.

Sheriff Cole Walker of Cold Creek Kansas, and he’s a hunk, has his sights set on pretty Mattie Wells as soon as she arrives in town. She sure makes his spurs jingle. He tries to woo her, but the little gal refuses to ever get married. Mattie has a dark secret that makes her feel this way. But Cole is determined to learn her secret while harboring a few of his own.

Then, he also has cattle rustlers to find quickly, or an all out war may start between the rancher JJ and the farmers. The mayor gives him and his deputies one month before he’ll call for outside gunslingers.

Talk about pressure!

Then there is Beggar, the ringtail monkey that decides to adopt Cole. Now, Cole isn’t fond of critters of any kind, but Mattie finds the little thing so adorable and takes a shine to men who have pets. What’s a fella to do? Especially when he learns that Beggar sneaks out at night, steals the townsfolk’s knackery and hides them under Cole’s bed. He’ll look foolish putting the fur ball in the Hoosegow. ‘Sides, he’d slip out between the bars.

What a dilemma. A gal who has his heart, rustlers roaming the hills, and an imp of a thieving monkey. Yep, I’d say Cole has a heap of trouble on his hands.

 
 

Excerpt

She whispered, “Even with all that happened tonight, I had a lovely time. Thank you for

asking me.” She rose on tiptoes and her moist lips pressed against his.

 

His mind shattered. He clasped her upper arms and deepened the kiss. Her lips softened, parted under his. She tasted so sweet, and her scent made him dizzy. With what little sanity he had left, he held his lower body away from hers and fought the maddening urge to crush her against the door and devour her with his mouth, his tongue.

 

Suddenly, a weight fell onto his back like a sack of potatoes. Cole jerked, breaking the kiss.

 

Beggar leaped from Cole’s shoulder to the rail, making annoying lip-smacking sounds and rocking back and forth. The dang rascal. Maybe he should shoot him. He jabbed his elbow back and knocked Beggar off the rail, hoping Mattie wouldn’t notice in the dark.

 

Cole took in a sharp breath and stepped away from Mattie, heat riding up his face. Now he did it. She was gonna smack him for sure. He took her hand. “I’m sorry, Mattie. My brain went sideways there for a little bit.”

 

“It’s not your fault. I’m the one that started it.” She lowered her eyes. “I shouldn’t have, and I really shouldn’t have accepted your invitation today, either.”

 

“Huh? I thought you liked me a mite?” He stepped back. “Are you sayin’ you’re sorry you went with me today?”

 

She turned away and shook her head. “I’m saying I shouldn’t be keeping company with

someone I’m beginning to like a lot.” She rubbed her arms as if chilled.

 

“You’re makin’ no sense.” Cole touched her shoulder and yearned to put his lips on the

graceful arch of her neck.

 

On Amazon

Leave a comment. One winner will have the choice of one PDF download from my published page on my blog. Winner’s choice HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 4 October 2012

Author Spotlight.





Married to Him by Senica Evans

Retail $9.99

ISBN: 978-1475010152

Published via CreateSpace July 31, 2012 (Originally published December 2011)

Non-Fiction/ Memoir & Inspirational

Available for all e-reading devices and in paperback at all major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.
Synopsis:

One woman's story of overcoming a marriage filled with deceit, infidelity, and abuse to living a life filled with joy, peace, and deliverance.

From Senica Evans, comes a riveting, heartbreaking, drama filled autobiographical tale of her tumultuous marriage to Spank. He is verbally and mentally abusive and can't seem to control his incessant cheating. But it didn't start that way! They met and became the best of friends. Almost inseparable from the start. As Spank's true self was slowly being revealed the relationship picked up speed and eventually began to spin out of control. She saw the signs but her desire to keep her family intact was far greater. Despite the craziness, her love for him fueled the drama fire and his selfishness was the wind that kept it ablaze. There was a lesson to be learned from all of this and she was determined to figure it out.
Excerpt:

“The butterflies were swarming and I was warming up on the inside. He sat back on the couch and began to swirl his finger around the curls in my hair. He pulled me back to him and his lips touched mine. The kiss was so passionate it sent jolts through my body. Then all of a sudden he abruptly pulled away from me. “Go ahead and finish eating. I have more planned” he said with great confidence.”

“On one of the rare occasions  he would actually open up and talk to me, he told me, “sometimes you have to put things on the back burner to get what you want. Once I got you, I moved everything from the back to the front.” This explained it all! I was just something to be conquered. He didn’t love me, not one bit. It was all a game. “

 “You’re so silly! Why aren’t you taking pictures? What woman doesn’t take pictures on vacation? You’re just walking around looking like you’re a man or something. What was the point of you bringing the camera?

I didn’t know picture taking was gender specific! If you aren’t happy with the amount of pictures I’m taking or the lack thereof you are more than welcome to take them yourself.

I’m not doing anything. You’re the woman so you are supposed to do it. I don’t know why you want to be a man so bad. Senica you aren’t a man. You can’t be the man.

Huh?!? Ok whatever Spank!”
Author:
Senica Evans as author, relationship coach, radio host, and speaker is passionate about helping women overcome the destruction in their life to reveal their true beauty and greatness. As a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, and destructive relationships, Senica founded SennySen to be a guiding light to women and teen girls. Senica is the author of Married to Him, an autobiography of the destruction she faced in her abusive destructive marriage.  Senica is preparing to release her second book later this year; Woman Free Yourself: A Guide to Healing from Divorce or a Heart Wrenching Breakup by Starting Over, Rediscovering You, & Crushing Bitterness, Anger, and Resentment. Visit her at http://www.sennysen.com .
 
Links:
Link to Tour on Main Site -
Facebook   
Purchase – Amazon  |  B&N   |   Book-A-Million  
Giveaway – 2 Signed Paperbacks to US, or ebook to International.
 
 

Monday 24 September 2012

Welcome to T.J Dell





My Guest today is the lovely T.J. Dell. When she isn't reading or writing (which is almost never), she is enjoying a blissfully boring life with her family in Maryland.  Her two greatest wishes are to serve on a Starfleet Starship or to be invited to join the Justice League.  Sure her chances are slim, but she's a big believer in dreaming big. 

A hopeless romantic to her very core, TJ's books explore every corner of the wobbly-kneed-world of romance novels.  She has a particular penchant for Young Adult themes.  Dell's debut novel 'Her Best Friend's Brother' is enjoying its tenth month as an Amazon best seller, and her popular Elfkin Series is hot on its heels.

For more information follow her on Facebook

 

 
 
Here is her book tour link-
 
Giveaway: T.J. Will be giving away 2 signed paperbacks of Whispers in the Woods, along with three $5 Amazon Gift Cards during her tour. The Rafflecopter code is below, please insert with every post.
 
Vol. I
When Evie Parker meets Lucas Spencer she begins to feel hope again. Lately she's been going through life in a fog and Lucas is all about teaching her how to have fun again. For the first time since the accident she knows what it means to be happy.

So who cares if Lucas is a little odd. It isn't that strange that she's never met his parents, or that teachers never seem to notice when he's late for class. Evie tries not to care, but on top of all his peculiar behavior she's been feeling kind of sick lately-- ever since she met Lucas actually.

When Lucas decides it is time to come clean with all his secrets Evie has to make some hard decisions.
 

Vol. II
All Evie wants is a little bit of normal in her life-- is that really too much to ask?
Lucas isn't normal, but he makes her happy. That should count for something. Evie thinks she can find a balance that will let her be normal and also be with him.

Of course she hadn't counted on adding his family into the mix, or his ex-girlfriend.

Life with an elf is never boring.

Vol III
Lucas and Evie were finally at a place where Evie was comfortable with her mix of normal human teenager and fantastical elf boyfriend. Then she went and got herself crushed by a tree.

Evie wakes up with a whole lot of extra issues to deal with. Not the least of which is a trip inside the Veil to see Lucas's home. She never would have agreed to go if she'd known she was going to have her own secret to hide.

Genre:Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher:Independently published
Release Date:May 21, 2012
Purchase Links: Amazon  Barnes and Nobel Books a Million

Whispers in the Woods Excerpts.

 
“Is something wrong with your pizza?”  Lucas paused between giant bites of his dinner.  Two huge slices piled high with every topping on the menu were still waiting on his plate.  He’d already polished off one.

“No.  I’m just letting it cool off.  I prefer to be able to taste my food.”   My own single slice of pepperoni pizza was still piping hot and therefore untouched in front of me.

Lucas held one of his hands over my food, gauging the temperature.  “It should be cool enough.”
As always, he was right.  A moment before steam had been drifting off my plate, and now it was perfectly cooled:  still warm enough to taste good, but nowhere near hot enough to burn my taste buds off.  All thoughts of how wrong that was got pushed to
the back of my mind—along with all other similar thoughts I’d been ignoring for the past forty-eight hours.  That area of my mind was getting mighty crowded lately.

“Eat, Evie.  You’re making me self-conscious.”  Lucas’s voice pulled me back to the conversation.  He was grinning around a big mouthful of his third slice.

“I really don’t think that’s possible.  Besides, food clearly doesn’t affect your body the way it does a normal person.”

His jaw hung open.  The way he was staring at me—well, I may as well have smacked him.  “What do you mean?”

I blushed.  Probably I should have kept that to myself.  “Nothing.  I just… well, look at you. I’ve watched you consume a gazillion calories over the last two days and you still look… well, the way you look.”

“I think there is a compliment in there somewhere.”  A grin broke out on his face.

“Umm… yeah.  I guess.”  Man, that was embarrassing! 

Lucas got up from his chair and settled himself next to me in the booth.  “You don’t think I’m normal?”  His whisper was low and husky, and his breath tickled against my ear.

“Are you?”  Could he hear my heart?  Could everyone in the building hear it?  It was certainly beating loud enough.

“If I’m not normal, does that bother you?  Would it matter?  Would you still have agreed to come here with me?”

“Probably.”  My voice was squeaking.

“Which one, Evie?”  He lifted his hands to frame my face.  His beautiful soft eyes bore into mine as though this was the most important conversation he’d ever had.

“Probably I would still have come to dinner with you.” 

Relief flashed in his eyes—and something else, too.  At the time I couldn’t recognize it for what it was: guilt.  “I’m not sure you know what you’re saying, but I’ll take it anyway.” 

He tasted like pizza.  That was the first thought to register in my brain after his lips touched mine.  It was also the last thought.    The entire restaurant melted away.  In a corner to our left a kid was screaming for more French fries.  Two tables to our right a group of kids argued as they counted their pocket change on the tabletop.  All around us arcade games buzzed and beeped while children cheered.  I heard none of it.

I know what you’re thinking.  And yes, we were in a family restaurant surrounded by children.  But I swear it wasn’t like that; not on the outside anyway.  His kiss was soft and sweet.  His hands never left my face.  The amazing, earth-shattering, life-defining moment was happening on the inside.  Something deep inside me snapped.  Not snapped apart.  God knows I’d been broken into enough pieces recently.  It was more like snapping together.  It felt like finding last piece of sky in a big jigsaw puzzle.  I could feel him.  Just like the day before, only times a thousand.

“Oh wow.”  I grinned when we pulled away.

“Uh-oh,” he said at the very same moment.
 
 


Tuesday 4 September 2012

REVIEW







A Woman’s heart By Susanna Hargreaves
A woman’s heart is a journey of a grief. It isn’t full of hysterical tears and depression, even though loosing a child must be one of the worst tragedy’s a mother should ever have to endure. When the heart aches and the body feel weighted down by pain Sarah calls to god for help, and he sends help in the guide of her guardian angel, Arden. The story moves along quickly, and the characters introduced are engaging. London is a busy city, where people hurtle from A to B with no regard for others, yet Sarah doesn’t see the rush, only the experience of being somewhere that eases her pain. Susanna’s description of London is accurate and she has done her homework on researching it. You feel you are almost there with her descriptive flair.
A lovely short story that will lighten even the hardest heart.

I give this story five stars. Well worth reading

Monday 6 August 2012

Peace Blitz








PEACE BLITZ! 73rd anniversary of the crash of the G-AESY one day Peace hop on Wednesday August 15th PEACE BLITZ!


Find a corner of your house that is quiet. That could be a bedroom, bathroom, conservatory or place in your garden. On a small table place a Rose quartz and Amethyst tumbled stone. If you have untumbled stones, they are even better.
Amethyst is very good for overworked, overstressed, or overwhelmed minds as it is very calming. Many people sleep with an Amethyst crystal under their pillow to give them a restful sleep. Rose quartz is a crystal that heals the heart of past and present emotional wounds. When placed together these crystals can balance the Heart, Mind, and Soul.
Burn some lavender incense, as lavender is a healer on all levels. You can have a small angel on your table if that is your desire. Archangel Raphael is a great angel to call in as he is a healer of the highest order. Light a small white candle or tea light and hold your crystals. Allow them to blend with you, while the lavender sooths your mind. Your hands might feel tingly, but this is quite normal. It is just the crystals working their magic. Sit comfortably and close your eyes for ten minutes and allow the crystals to remove anything from your heart and soul that no longer serves you. You can play soft music if you wish, or just sit in the peace and quiet of your mind.



A prayer of peace











May the angels always guide you
To eternal inner peace
Walk protected in their garden
Where stress and strain will cease
For this dear place is part of you
The garden is your mind
So find chair and sit a while
You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find.














Thursday 28 June 2012

New Release



Have you seen my latest book...no..why not!!! Psychic Development is about finding yourself. What is is not about is contacting the dead. There is such a misconception about our PSYCHIC self and our SPIRITUAL self. We are all born with psychic senses, but as we mature, sadly they are rarely used. Have you ever had that feeling that you’re being watched? Feel that your partner is ill, yet they are at work and you’re at home. These feelings are your inbuilt Psychic senses prodding you, almost begging you to pay attention. In this book you have a step by step guide telling you how to reawaken your inner defence mechanisms. By the time to reach the end of this book, no one will be able to lie to you again, because you will know in an instant. Should you take that job? You will listen to your gut feeling and know the right course of action.
The book also teaches you how to lower your own blood pressure, relieving stress on your body and helping your heart cope with the stresses of everyday life. This book literally will change your life for the better and that’s not hype. Its fact.
You will also receive a free Holistic Therapy E-Book when you purchase Psychic Development. A double bargain. Just email me your receipt and I'll send it to you right away.

If you have bought this book, please do leave your thoughts about it. Good or bad. I am truly interested.








BUY YOUR COPY. You won't regret it.

The best comment will get a FREE crystal pendulum from me as a thank you.

Thursday 21 June 2012

Welcome to Diedre Havrelock



If you’re a fan of supernatural fiction then you will be captivated by this true story about a spiritually sensitive girl and the path that led to her possession. Part one of a two-part series, Saving Mary is the story of a modern-day Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.

Deidre Daily is drawn to anything seemingly spiritual, desperately seeking a spiritual existence. But inside this vibrant girl hides a terrified child who sincerely believes she has married the devil. Through a series of spiritual encounters her fear turns into reality, and she ends up possessed.
Here is a bit about the author of Saving Mary.

Deidre’s fascinating spiritual memoir relays her story from childhood to adolescence: invisible eyes leering at her from the corner of her bedroom, horrible nightmares tormenting her, and her desperate attempt to find God—only to end up possessed. It is a candid account of possession from a first-person perspective. This dark memoir brings to light an intricate world of deceitful spirits hell-bent on manipulating and damaging an innocent girl’s life, not only through her dreams, but also through seemingly every-day encounters.
Deidre D Havrelock grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where she eventually met her husband to be, DJ. It was DJ who initially noticed Deidre’s dark state and worked to seek out someone willing to perform her exorcism. Eventually, the newlyweds found their way to the southern hot spot of Brooks, AB where Deidre began writing. From there the family trekked across eastern Canada to Moncton, NB where they learned to love French fries with cheese curds and gravy. Currently nestled in the hills of Kennewick, Washington, Deidre has two horses, one dog, three cats and too many rabbits…and let’s not forget her wonderful husband and three energetic daughters. Her memoir, Saving Mary: The Possession chronicles her dark childhood and the path that led to her demonic possession. She is currently working to finish book two of her spiritual memoir, Saving Mary: The Deliverance. You can find her here


Click book to buy,



To buy in the UK

Here is a small taster of this brillient, must have book.

Downstairs in Doug’s basement I say, “Welcome to the first meeting of the Ouija Club. Our goal is to find out where Fred lives, why he wants to talk to us”—Jason starts humming the Twilight Zone theme; I ignore him, “And who exactly Fred is.”
“He’s your freakin’ imaginary friend,” says Winston, lighting up a smoke.
Doug and I laugh. Tereena laughs too.
“That’s what I thought at first,” she says. “Just wait and see.”
In Doug’s basement is a wooden table, and on the top of it, with markers, we write the alphabet, the numbers one through nine with a zero at the end and the words “YES,” “NO” and “GOODBYE.” We also add our names to the table along with common words: and, but, or, this, that, so. All this helps communication go faster. And we use a longer ruler, a meter ruler, one that fits all our fingers. And we don’t let Doug start off the session just in case Beelzebub comes creepin’ back. Instead, I start. I lower the basement lights and then I take my place at our new round wooden Ouija.
I tell everyone, “Put your fingertips as lightly as possible onto the ruler. Hardly even let your fingers touch.” Everyone puts their fingers along the ruler. Winston sticks only one finger on the ruler. I ignore him and whisper, “Fred, are you here?”
FLOOSH! The meter ruler flies off the table.
“Holy crap,” goes Winston.



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Tuesday 19 June 2012

Spotlighting Dr Donna Lee




Click here to be takern to the main tour site of Dr Lee.









Dr. Donna Lee:
Ever since I was a young girl, I wanted to be a doctor. The reason why is because I thought that that was the only way that I could take care of people. At first, I pursued pre med which led me to to want to become more holistic. I decided to become a Chiropractor. While in Chiropractic school, I learned the most about myself. I was exposed to many people. My fellow students were from all around the world. I was no longer in my little bubble. I realized that every belief that I had about myself was not unique to me. My greatest life lesson is that everyone has a journey of self acceptance. Race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc had no effect. We were all the same. Humans trying to get through life and search for happiness and peace.







Visit Dr. Donna's website at:
E-Mail: naturaldoctor2011@yahoo.com
Website:

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Welcome to Christine Agro



I am really excited to have such a wonderful guest on my blog today.
Christine Agro is an internationally recognized Clairvoyant, Inspirational Teacher, Metaphysical Expert and author of 50 Ways To Live Life Consciously: 8 Tools and 42 Concepts to Help You Wake-Up and Live. (Haldi Press March 3, 2012)
Using her unique approach that combines her clairvoyance and her degree in Naturopathy, Christine offers a truly holistic overview of health, wellness, well-being and our Spiritual journey. Praised by grateful women, parents, and celebrity clients across the globe for her intuitive and extraordinary gifts as a healer, she has been hailed as “magical”, “transformational” and “inspiring.”
Christine has been featured in The New York Times, and dubbed 'a gift to moms' by Real Savvy Moms an award winning website for the former PBS syndicated TV show. She has been interviewed on radio shows around the world, quoted in health and consumer magazines and e-zines nationwide. She has written for Gaiam Life, and contributed to Messages From Spirit by Colette Baron-Reid (Hay House 2008).
Christine is the author of 50 Ways to Live Life Consciously, creator of the Conscious Living Wisdom Cards and the founder and leader of the membership site The Conscious Living Guide Through The Conscious Living Guide Christine provides a place for like-minded people to connect and offers on-going support to those wishing to live life consciously. Members can participate in weekly meditations, mini-audio courses and a monthly on-line Q&A session.


Hi Christine. I hear that you have a book hot off the press. Can you tell us a bit about it.


50 Ways To Live Life Consciously is a book about living life in a way that will take all the craziness and chaos out of your day-to-day. I’ve been doing clairvoyant readings with people for the past 12 years and answering questions about their lives, their relationships, and their challenges. I always find myself looking ‘behind’ the questions being asked, because what’s behind the question is the really important information – what exactly are you working on? This is the nuts and bolts of life: learning, healing and ultimately growing/evolving who we are.
What I love about this information is that it is simple and easy to understand. The most life changing piece of information in the book is to always ask yourself ‘What am I trying to learn?’ Every relationship, every challenge offers you an opportunity to learn something if you ask that one question. When you do you’ll find that you are no longer tied into the drama and the chaos.
In my book I explore this concept and I share 8 tools and 42 concepts that will help you bring greater awareness to your every day AND help you better understand the nature and purpose of why you are here.

I think this book will be invaluable to many people. I'm excited to hear about your next book. What’s next on your writing agenda?

I have three exciting things happening. I’ve been asked to write a daily blog for BeliefNet.com. The blog is called “My Life as a Conscious Mom”. I have a beautifully aware 8 year old son and I also do a lot of work with women who are trying to conceive, are pregnant or who want to help and support their child in the best ways possible. So with this blog, I’ll be able to not only talk about Conscious Parenting, but also how we can create balance and wellness for ourselves and live Conscious Lives.
And then, I have two books that are fighting with each other about who is going to be next. The first if I Am Woman, Fully Empowered which is a book about the Spiritual evolution of women and shares my insight into our journey and what our next steps are. I finished it last summer and since then I have witnessed such amazing uprisings of women around the world as well as the interesting battles being waged in the United States – so I know it’s both timely and time for it.
The second book is Seen and Heard: An Inspiring Guide to Conscious Parenting which is about seeing and interacting with our children as conscious beings and recognizing that they are amazing, powerful people, in little bodies.
I think I need to clone myself so I can get them out at the same time– somebody email me if you have that technology!

Wow, you'll have to come here and showcase them, all.In saying that, do you have any marketing advice that you can offer?

The best marketing advice I can offer is based on Conscious Awareness. I find that what our mind and ego can concoct is only a tiny fraction of what our Spirit or higher-self can lead us too. So the advice is to keep yourself in alignment (envision a line with your Spirit at the lead and your ego, mind and emotions sitting in alignment with Spirit). For me, when it comes to marketing I follow the threads that present themselves and see where they lead.

So to completely change the subject lol Where did you meet your partner? We all love to hear a romance story.

Have a seat. It’s a 20 year story.
Chuck and I met in art school at the University of New York at Buffalo. He was a graduate student painting major and I was an undergraduate painting and print making major. He was chosen to run the University Art Gallery and I was appointed his undergraduate assistant. We dated for 3 months and it ended when he told me that “IF he wanted to get married, I’d be that person, but since he didn’t want to get married, he thought we should break it off.” Now mind you, I was 20 at the time, he was 30. The mere mention of marriage was scary so I didn’t disagree. After I graduated I spent a year working and then decided to go back to school to get my MBA in Arts Management. I was accepted into a program at the University of NY at Binghamton.
As I prepared to leave town, I stopped by the bar he was bartending at to say good-bye. It was a short good-bye but I can still remember it today and I can still see myself sitting on a bar stool at the end of the bar wearing a ‘fashionable’ 80s hat.
Off I went to start a new phase of my life. Off he went a few months later to start a new phase of his. He hit NYC with storm and became an artist who was climbing. He was reviewed in ArtNews, Art in America and his work was on the cover of The New Yorker. I knew none of this. I was busy finishing up my MBA and before I even graduated I was hired to be the Director of Development for the oldest regional theatre in Canada, which happens to be in Winnipeg, Manitoba. So from cold to colder I moved.
While in Winnipeg I met and married my first husband. Around the same time, Chuck called my parents’ house looking for me. As he tells it, he got a rather cool reception from my mother who informed him that I was married. What she remembered of the conversation was that he was living in NYC working at the Ronald Feldman Gallery.
I tried to track him down, but this was just at the advent of the internet. We didn’t have email and no one had websites yet.
Fast forward to May 2001 and my first husband and I were in the process of divorcing. We had moved from Winnipeg to Denver, Colorado in 1997 and upon our decision to divorce in 2000, he joined the Circus – Cirque du Soleil to be exact.
So in May 2001, the Circus was stationed in Jersey City, NJ for 6 weeks and I needed to wrap some things up with my soon to be ex. I made plans to be there for a few days and something said to me ‘find Chuck’. It 2001 and now everyone had a website and everyone had email. I looked up Ronald Feldman Gallery and sent an email off explaining who I was and that I was looking for Chuck, who had once worked there, and wouldn’t they please forward my email if they knew how to reach him?
And they did. Although he no longer worked there, he was great friends with the owner and the staff (they credit themselves with our reconnecting by the way.)
He emailed me and we made plans to spend the day together walking around Chelsea – the new Soho of NY. I still remember seeing him walking down the street heading toward me. My heart lifted. We spent the day walking and talking and laughing.
As the day came to an end, he walked me back to the World Trade Center so I could get the Path Train back to NJ. We walked through the doors and stood just inside on the top stair. There were hundreds of people rushing in all directions, but as we hugged each other good-bye, time stood still for me. It took my breath away; it was such an overwhelming experience. But I said nothing of it as I rushed off to catch my train.
We exchanged a few emails back and forth, his were full of innuendo that I choose to ignore. I wasn’t interested in being in a relationship.
As the summer turned to fall I kept feeling a pull to pack things up and move to NYC, but I also kept resisting that pull. On September 11, 2011 I sat frozen in front of my television as the second plane hit the tower, with the media replaying that image over and over again. I could not move. I thought of all the friends and family that I knew in NYC, but the only one who really seemed to need me was Chuck. I tried to reach him by phone but no calls were going through. As a clairvoyant, I knew I could find him energetically, so I went into my meditation space and tracked him down. I saw him walking through the city, covered in a white dust. His energy was sad and alone but authoritative
I was still concerned so I decided to try and call again. All the lines were still busy. I would try one more time. This time, I grounded the phone lines and I used all my energy to push the call through. It worked, the call went through and I was able to leave a message. When Chuck got home that night, after a long day of having to walk back to Brooklyn from lower downtown Manhattan, not over the Brooklyn Bridge, but over the Manhattan Bridge (adding an extra hour to an already extreme long walk), his message waiting light was blinking. I was the only call to get through to him that day. It was my voice that greeted him after that long day.
We kept in touch over the next few months. I was still being pulled to NYC, but I wasn’t ready to move there yet, but I was ready to leave Colorado. I put everything I had in my soft-top Jeep, which was two bags of clothes, a box of files, a computer and my two dogs, Pebbles and Miranda and headed north. I spent eight months in Upstate NY living in a rented farm hourse until one day at the beginning of May I called Chuck and asked him if I could come down and visit him. The answer was yes. I drove down and that night, we stayed up the entire night talking. I had never done that before, but we talked about everything and about nothing and in the morning, we weren’t the least bit tired.
Before I left to head back upstate I said to him “remember that day I came to NYC and we were saying good-bye at the World Trade Center? Well the most remarkable thing happened to me when we hugged”. “Me too” he said and then together we said ‘time stood still’.
It still gives me goose bumps when I talk about it.
A few months later I had moved in with him with my two bags of clothes, my box of files, my computer and my two dogs.
We got married the following November, at the top of the Empire State Building’s North West Corner on an unusually warm day; 73 degrees, clear and sunny.
We’ve been together for almost 9 years now. We have a beautiful little boy and time continues to stand still when Chuck wraps his arms around me.

That really is a beautiful romance. Before you go where can we find you hiding out?

I can be found here which is a membership site that helps support people in living life consciously. If you become a member for a month, you get a gift copy of my book “50 Ways To Live Life Consciously: 8 Tools and 42 Concepts to Help You Wake-Up and Live”. Folks can also find me blogging daily over at Beliefnet.com under “My Life As a Conscious Mom.”


Thanks for stopping by Christine and good luck with your book.


Synopsis – Does life seem complicated? Are you always trying to get to the next ‘something’? Are your relationships confusing and overwhelming? Christine Agro, Clairvoyant and Metaphysical Expert, shares her unique insight that will help you create a graceful, ease and flowing life. Christine’s information is so simple yet so powerful that you may actually feel yourself shifting as you read. With insight into the how, why and what-for of life, Christine helps you get off the mental and emotional wheels and helps you get your ego in check creating a natural balance with the one aspect of yourself that really does have all the answers, your Spirit. 50 Ways to Live Life Consciously is a treasure box that answers the question “why are we here” and offers 8 tools and 42 concepts to help you make the shift into conscious living.

One Line Book Teaser – In 50 Ways To Live Life Consciously, Metaphysical Expert Christine Agro offers the simplest, yet most life-changing answer to the question “Why Are We Here?”

Friday 4 May 2012

Stan Starsky


SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR.

A message from Stan:


Many years ago, I wanted to own my own business. So I quit my job and I started a vending business . I sold pre-packaged, overly processed, excessively sugary, salty, artificially flavored and chemically induced junk food…And I was actually pretty good at it. I did this for about 5
years and I took on more and more locations.

The vending business is good exercise, it is actually a lot like P90x except you do it all over town and all the movements are very different, but you do build up a pretty good appetite.Now, the snack irony of the situation was that I really did not like the junk that I was pushing. I was surrounded by thousands of calories and yet I was still hungry.

So, I started to make my own healthy snacks. I began making my own granola bars and over time I got pretty good at making really delicious mouth water granola.

I then began experimenting with fruit, vegetables, nuts, brown rice and other wholesome ingredients. I would arrange these ingredients in a way that tasted really good. I got better and better at combining
different foods and I called these creations “food combinations”. Other people called them recipes.

Well, eventually I got out of the vending business. I took different day jobs like becoming an account representative for a large software company selling enterprise software to mid-size businesses but nights and weekends were often dedicated to making healthy snack food.

My co-workers became my test subjects and along the way I had a lot of flops but I kept a list of all the good recipes (food combinations – not giving up on this term just yet).

Have you ever been obsessed with something but don’t know why?…Well that is how I was when it came to inventing snack food recipes.

Maybe I was trying to make up for my dark snack past or just trying to rebalance my snack Karma. Whatever the reason, I missed countless episodes of TV shows and I worked for hours in the kitchen.
I think this hard work has paid off and I put together what I believe is the best snack recipe book around and you may have guessed the title “Peace Love and Snacks”.

Title: Peace Love and Snacks
Genre – Non-Fiction/Healthy Living/Weight Control
Publisher – Self-Published


Email – stan@peaceloveandsnacks.com
Website

Purchase Link:





Look and feel great deliciously....

Would you like your family to eat more wholesome foods and get more vitamins, micro-nutrients, fiber and minerals while avoiding processed sugar, gluten without taking supplements? Wouldn’t it be nice to find an exciting and interesting way to eat more healthy?

If you answered yes to the above then my promise to you is that eating healthy snacks can be interesting, fun and easy. I present to you the “Peace Love and Snacks” healthy snack cookbook. And this not just about sneaking in a few vegetables into a cookie recipe – which actually is a great strategy. This goes a little deeper than that.

All of the recipes are are gluten free and contain no processed sugar and no white flour. Sometimes honey is used as a sweetener, however, there is also a granola process that utilizes no honey at all – only fruit, oats and nuts and it has tested very well.

Imagine feeling great about what you have made, using wholesome ingredients. Time to take revenge against junk food and enjoy delicious easy to make snack food recipes. You will find some truly unique and new recipes that your family will enjoy.

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Lyle Blake Smythers



SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR.Lyle Blake Smythers:



Lyle Blake Smythers is an actor, writer and librarian in the Washington, D.C., area. Since 1976 he has performed in over 100 stage productions, including three appearances at the National Theatre. He has published fiction, poetry, satire and literary criticism in Manscape, FirstHand, Playguy, The William and Mary Review, Insights, School Library Journal and Children?s Literature Review. He is a former children?s librarian and is currently providing cataloging support for an ongoing project at the Library of Congress.
Title: Feasting With Panthers
Genre – Literary FantasyPublisher – Pink Narcissus PressRelease Date – January 31, 2012

Website





Excerpt.

We found the first one-eyed man at dawn...

So begins the highly original fantasy tale of warrior poet Catalan, when he and his band stumble upon a handsome acolyte near death in a mountain pass. But when the acolyte reveals his mystical vision, the
poet finds himself at the center of a War Game between two mysterious sorcerers. To unravel the mystery, Catalan and the agents of the War Game must seek the missing pieces of an enchanted chess set in a quest complicated by deceit and treachery, in which nothing is what it seems.

Ingeniously weaving together citations throughout the text from a variety of sources ? including Yeats, Milton, Joyce, Poe, Baudelaire, the King James Bible and many more ? author Lyle Blake Smythers serves up a truly literary feast.

Saturday 21 April 2012

Welcome to Margaret Blake.




Good morning. Today I have the lovely Margaret Blake stopping by in my virtual blog lounge to have a chat about her new release The Longest Pleasure. But first, let me tell you a bit about this very talented lady

Margaret Blake, was born in Manchester, England and published her first book in l978. This was A Spring of Broom and this historical novel was re-released by Whiskey Creek Press sometime in December 2012 One reviewer wrote: This book has an action-packed plot full of twists and turns. What a wonderful book! ***** (AC). Since that memorable date Margaret has published twenty-seven novels of historical, contemporary and suspenseful romance. This year she will be publishing two new novels. “I just want to hit the 30 mark,” says Margaret, “and then I might retire.”
Margaret’s greatest trauma was losing her husband John in January 2010, she is still raw and hurting from the loss but gets by with great support. “My family and friends pull me through, I am more than fortunate in both.” Margaret has one son, a gorgeous daughter in law and three fantastic grandkids, they as well as dear friends are a gift that keeps on giving.
The next book to be published is called “The Longest Pleasure,” if anyone can guess what it means they can win either an e-book or print book of any one of her Whiskey Creek novels – get your thinking caps on now.

Hi Margaret. Although we share the same name, we don’t share the same writing genre, so why not tell us about your new book.

Hello Margaret, I am very happy to be here. I am all snug and warm in my study, it is grey and miserable outside but as you know, we writers can transport ourselves anywhere we wish, so I am imagining I am in warm and beautiful Florida today. The Longest Pleasure is about Olivia/Viola who is living under a false name. She is afraid of a man she helped put into prison but who is now out. She meets the handsome Jed Lowe who is a private investigator. Eventually, Viola tells him the truth about herself. Victor, her aggressor moves closer into her and Jed’s sphere. It seems there is no escape from this vicious man.

Viola lived most of her life at a wonderful cliff top home in Cornwall and had a warm and loving relationship with her parents. It is when she moved to London that she came under the influence of Victor. Being young and naïve then she allowed Victor to dominate her. It is her experience with Victor that makes her, if not afraid exactly, but very cautious with men. However, Jed is different from anyone she has met before. She likes his sense of humour and before they realise they are a tad more than attracted to one another they become good friends. Jed draws her closer to his brother and sister but it is not long before Victor is a malign influence in their lives.

Wow, this sounds brilliant. I really feel for viola. I can’t wait to see what happens. This is going straight on my TBR pile. So what’s next on your writing agenda?

I am currently writing suspense and a contemporary romance I do have another contemporary romance out in June. Tilly’s Trials is a straight romance but with a hint of mystery. Tilly had divorced Marsh after she found him in a compromising situation. Now he is back in her life again, invited by her father to take a hand in running their business. Tilly realises that the break up of her marriage was her own fault. They were never able to consummate their marriage and although she can see clearly the problems they failed to resolve, she can’t bring herself to admit them to Marsh. She always had a crush on him, even at school, he was the coolest dude in the class, although from a poor background he has made a success of his life yet she can’t understand why her father has brought him back into her sphere, but then again her father has a secret of his own!

Let’s pause, sip our tea and have a quick game. Pick your favourite character from your new release and tell us about them.

I like Viola because she is strong; In spite of being terrified she really tries to bring order to her life. She is very careful about men but is attracted to Jed. Viola can be forthright but there are times when she gets confused and afraid. This is a psychological flaw left by Victor’s treatment of her. When someone turns against her, she tends to melt away instead of standing her corner. She has to learn the hard way that she is not always wrong. Having to lead a secretive life has also made her extra cautious about being open with everyone, especially men.

I am really getting to like viola. She sounds like a strong alpha woman. Would you categorise her in that way?

No she is not an alpha woman; she is too vulnerable for that. She is thought a survivor. Her having to lead a secretive life makes her not make the very best of herself. She has to dye her hair and try to stay at the back of things instead of the forefront. However, she has lots of unknown, to her, strengths and finally is able to realise that no matter what Victor did to her, he did not rob her of her essential decency and strength.

Can you offer any advice to other authors about marketing their books?
It’s good to promote your book on the various sites and also if possible, generate a little local publicity if you can. I have for the last couple of years done talks at libraries and for church groups, these can get you known and also help you sell more books. It’s good to have a few jokes too, and not to be too serious. Mostly my audience has been women and they do come out to have a good time. I’ve gained lots of new readers doing this. Also I do find that if you make friends with your local librarians this can be very good. They remember you if they ware looking for a speaker and also, if you donate a copy of your book, will remember to promote you. If anyone writes to you remember their name, send out a newsletter. If someone writes to tell you they don’t want it, don’t worry. It’s nothing personal. They just get tired of getting loads of mail.

Now for something completely different. Here we become very nosy lol. Where did you meet your partner? We all love to hear a good romance story.

I met my husband on a blind date organised by a friend. I was laughing when I saw him as years before he had worked part-time on the door at a dance place I used to go to, and my friend was mad about him. However, he never gave her the time of day. My husband has since died but I can honestly say we had lots and lots of laugh. Our romance began with a laugh and that carried on throughout our thirty eight years together.

How lovely. I am sorry for your loss. Before you go where can any followers find you?

They can find me lurking here most days.

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