Two Great Reads for the Summer by Author Anna L. Walls

One of my favorite authors, Anna L Walls, has two new books recently published.

Trials of the Youngest Princess by Anna Walls.

When I recently got a copy of one of my favorite authors, Anna L. Walls, upcoming book, I was a bit under the weather, which usually leaves me easily distracted and unable to focus. As with all her stories, I had no need to worry about that with her latest book, The Trials of the Youngest Princess. Being a huge fan of medieval history, this book was right up my alley. However you don’t have to be a medieval fan to be captivated by Princess Anella’s story. Having been a prolific reading and reviewer in the past, life can sometimes get in the way and make reading more of a challenge. This book was a breath of fresh air and hard to put down. The characters are developed so well, that you will feel you know them. Anna seamlessly blends back story in with action, without going overboard on either. She points you in the direction and lets you follow her characters and their journey as if you were riding alongside them. She gives you a lot of back story at the very beginning about her family. You may be tempted to skim past, but these are important details that help you understand who she is and why she is so willing to go to the ends of the earth to fight for her kingdom.

Her story is one of family, growing up and overcoming obstacles. The story begins and ends in the kingdom of Mayrit, but the journey in between covers many adventures and places. When I first began reading, Anella reminded me of the youngest daughter on The Game of Thrones (another favorite of mine). However, as the story develops you will discover that her tomboy ways are the only thing she has in common. Anna develops the character of Anella with many nuances and breathes life into our young heroine. Anella isn’t petulant. She has cunning and focus and uses what she learns to grow, but I get ahead myself.

Anella is not a frilly princess, she wants to do what the men and the boys do. It is not long before she begins sneaking to the training rooms in the middle of the night to play with the swords after spending time watching the men practice. She becomes quite good at recreating what she observes and of course one night she is caught by the Sword master. Although he’s afraid he may one day regret his decision, he begins to train her as long as she keeps up her studies with the ladies of the house.

One day, when the kingdom is over-thrown and her family killed before her eyes, Anella sets out on a journey to reclaim her birthright. There will be times when she runs into obstacles and times when she will stumble, but she is cunning and fierce and never gives up. In the end, winning back her kingdom, becomes only part of her goal. Saving and protecting her people is becomes her mission.

This is the perfect book to lose yourself in. It’s definitely a must read.

Guardians by Anna L Walls.

Strap on your helmet and fasten your seat belt, because Anna is about to take you on an intergalactic ride. Shortly, into reading this book, I discovered that the main nemesis are intelligent huge bug creatures. Being a sci-fi geek, I was instantly reminded of all the Robert A Heinlein books I had read in the past, specifically Starship Troopers. No, not the cheesy movies, but the classic stories Heinlein penned.

Well, if you have ever read one of Anna’s novels, you quickly learn that nothing is ever predictable or what it seems. This book is no exception. Prepare to travel across space and time as a voyeur of two generations of Guardians. What are Guardians, you ask? They are soldiers. Brave men and women who volunteer to go into battle with the enemy to protect mankind and the planets they colonize. But these aren’t just ordinary soldiers. These individuals are given magical abilities and those come with a cost. They must give up their memories and risk death to serve in a war, that makes our real war look like child plays.

Anna, expertly weaves in all the action a video game junkie would love with a very poignant human story. She will shock you and have you on the edge of your seat, then you’ll turn the page and sigh at the raw emotions her character emote. A few pages later you’ll be cheering on one character and then growling in dismay at another. She takes you to places you don’t expect to go and just when you think you know what will happen next, she throws in a twist. A must read for the summer!!

 Check out more of Anna's works here:

GUARDIANS

THE TRIALS OF THE YOUNGEST PRINCESS

HALF-BREED

THE SPEED OF DREAMS

THE FORTUNES OF MAGIC

MAGE KING - book #3 of The Making of a Mage King Trilogy

WHITE STAR - book #2 of The Making of a Mage King Trilogy

PRINCE IN HIDING - book #1 of The Making of a Mage King trilogy

 

KING BY RIGHT OF BLOOD AND MIGHT

Her blog novel - THE FORTUNES OF MAGIC - Read the book here for free

Her writing blog - Anna's Obsession - Writing tips - Book reviews - Author Spotlights

Her website - Anna's Passion - Buy one or more of her books and browse through the tabs to

      see what might be coming next.

A window into her life - Anna of Alaska - every day is an adventure.

Thanks for Following

Thank all of you who have followed this blog. I have not had time to keep this one going over the past year or so. I wanted to officially say Thank You and farewell to those who have followed my posts- the stories and reviews. To the authors who provided books for me to review and all the wonderful blogging friends I made over the years.

I will be coming back to blogging soon, but with a new blog devoted to Ember and her continuing saga. This new blog will have all the original posts and will pick up where we left off. Ember has been sleeping in limbo cyber space for some time and it is time for her to awaken and begin new adventures.

I hope you will join her. Her new blog will be http://wrilogonzia.blogspot.com

I'm Still Alive.....

Just wanted to post a quick note to let my visitors and fans know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Just extremely swamped with moving and wedding planning and the business of every day life.

I will be back to blogging in January after the wedding is over. I may try to post a new Ember or two over the holidays so check back towards Christmas.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by to see if I have posted anything new. You're the best!! I will be back!

Episode 12 - Ember's Adventure Continues...

In her sleep, Ember absently swatted at the bushy tale that swished back and forth across her nose. Groggily, she moaned, “Perhluna, stop that.”


“When did you rename --- or should I ask what’s this Perhluna you’re dreaming about sleepy head?” a deep voice behind her chuckled.

Ember’s eyes flew open and she almost toppled from her chair, sending Nym, Nuet and her keyboard flying. “Wyndel!” she exclaimed launching herself into his surprised arms.

“Is it really you? I thought I’d never see you again! Especially after the Water Tart had you…and then there was the cheese and the dragon and the”

“Whoa there, little sis. Slow down. Wow, that must have been some dream.”

“Are you going to sleep all day?” Misty calls from the hall. Ember lets go of Wyndel long enough to grab Misty and pull her into the hug. “Alrighty then, nice to see you, too, sis.”

“Well, what am I chopped liver? Where’s my hug?” Fossylia teases as she enters the room.

“I’m back! You’re all here! Oh, where’s Elspeth? You’re never going to believe where I’ve been. I thought I’d be stuck… and gosh, I missed you all, but it was exciting, sorta scary at times, but…wait what day is it? How long…”

“Em, breathe. You were just dreaming. Aunt Ellie said you’ve been up here on the computer since dinner yesterday. You must have fallen asleep. You really need to stop these all night computer sessions and get outside more. You’re lucky to have a job that lets you work from here, but there is a whole world out there you are missing. We worry about you always being cooped up in here with your computer.” Fossylia admonishes.

“Yeah, you need to hit the town with us tonight. My firm is in charge of the opening of a new gallery in Epirotes Falls and I want to show off my beautiful sisters. Well, we’ll have to comb that hair of yours and see if Aunt Elspeth can do some real magic and make Fossy presentable, but….owww!” All three women playfully punch, Wyndel before he can continue. “I’m just saying. But first, I think I smell some of Ellie’s fine cooking downstairs. Race you…” The four take off for the staircase, playfully dodging and pushing each other; looking more like children than the adults they are.

“You sound like a pack of wild animals, “ Elspeth chides, shaking her head and chuckling. She removes a pie from the oven and sets it on the counter to cool, only to be grabbed from behind by Ember.

“Oh, Aunt Ellie, how I’ve missed you!” Ember gushes, as she presses herself against the woman who raised her. “And I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled your roasted chicken… squash casserole and… is that your soda bread?”

“Well everybody sit down and let’s eat while it’s still hot, “ Elspeth says as she extracts herself from Ember’s embrace. “Ember, why don’t you tell us all about that adventure story you’ve been working on, “ she adds with a wink.

Ember’s jaw drops, but Elspeth just pushes her chin up to close her mouth, then pats her shoulder and gives her a knowing look.

“Is that what you were babbling about upstairs?” “Story? What story?” Fossy and Wyndel say at the same time.

Clearing her throat first, Ember begins to tell them of the adventure her “character” is experiencing. They all begin passing dishes, filling their plates and eating as they listen to her story, occasionally interrupting with comments and questions. As the meal wore on, Ember took a moment to really see her family, while they enjoyed a new animated side of their shy sister, Ember was about to tell them about the Druid Derrick, when suddenly she was jolted awake by Perhluna’s chattering.

“NO!!” she cried, “No, no, no! I can’t have been dreaming!”

Perhluna disappears from his perch on the windowsill and reappears in Ember’s lap. “Dream? Is that what you human’s call that motor sound you were making when you sleep?”

“I do not snore! And no… dreaming is…. Oh, Perhluna, I was home. I was with my family. We were eating dinner and I was telling them about you and this place. It was so real! I can still smell the peach pie…. No, no, no! It’s not fair…”

“Well, this world must not be through with you yet.” Perhluna said with a shrug as he popped back to the window, then added, “Derrick is up to something strange in those woods.There are strange sounds and lights coming from them when he goes in… look he’s about to enter them again. Come see!”

Perhluna continued chattering as Ember crossed to the window, just in time to see Derrick turn and look behind himself before he disappeared in the trees.

“We should follow him…” Perhluna encouraged.

“I don’t know. You saw how upset he got when I was wondering around before.”

“Hmm. What do you call it…hmm… oh yes… CHICKEN!”

“What!?! Fine, but if he gets mad, I’m telling him it was yooouuuuur iiiidddeeeaaa!” As Ember opens the bedroom door everything goes black and she has the sensation of falling….

~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Tennessee, just outside Epirotes Falls city limits, Ember’s family is gathering around the breakfast table.

Yawning, Misty says, “man, I had the strangest dream about Ember…”

“ I had a dream about Ember. We were all eating dinner…” Fossy adds before Wyndel finishes her thought, “and she was telling us a story about a woman who gets drawn into the internet world.”

Fossy and Misty simultaneously exclaim, “Yes!”

Aunt Elspeth chuckles, “Well it seems we all had the same dream. Maybe Ember is trying to speak to us from where ever she has gone….”

Book of Souls by Glenn Cooper

What do a retired FBI agent, Nostradamus, Shakespeare, John Calvin, Area 51, the granddaughter of Lord Cantwell and an order of mute monks in the middle ages have in common?

Why are a dying man, government agencies and Watchers all desperate to get their hands on an ancient book of names and dates?

The only clue as to the book's origin is the number 1527 on the spine.

Will Piper is the FBI agent forced into early retirement and trying to adjust to a life of leisure with his new wife and baby, only to be drawn into international intrigue as he begins a quest to find the origin and meaning of the book. Once the book is in his possession, he discovers even more riddles, whose answers could hold not only the key to the world's future but proof of the existence of God.

Cooper has written an excellent tale that takes the reader on a journey across continents and spans hundreds of years. He gives you a glimpse at how one book inspired not only Shakespeare and Nostradamus, but also caused the birth of Calvinism and one of the biggest mysteries in US history. What is really hidden at Area 51? Cooper has a very compelling theory on what is being kept under wraps and why politicians will do anything to keep the world from discovering the secret. He does jump back and forth to different time periods, but places them strategically so as not to confuse the reader. Not once was I left saying, "Now wait a minute, what time period is this? Who are we reading about now?" Too often less skilled authors lose the reader with this style of writing. Cooper has mastered it and his story flows beautifully from beginning to end. He combines just the right amount of action, mystery, history and human interest to make this a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Five out of five stars.

Our new addition....

David and I have a new addition to our family due to the cruelty of someone out there.... yesterday I came home from work to find a severly matted half starved kitty on my doorstep. This poor little creature had been dumped on our street so this moring I took him tothe vet and had him checked out and cleaned up. unfortunately, they had to shave his long beautiful hair because it was so matted, but he feels so much better. When his hair grows back out it will be about 3" long and he will look a lot like my Merlyn. You can't tell from the picture but he has beautiful pale blue eyes just like the love of my life.

Meet Alistar Blue.....

I'll post more pictures of him in a few months, when he's less naked.

A Look at the Headlines of the Future....

More fun forwards:

Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California.


White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

Baby conceived naturally! Scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica . No other country comes forward to help the beleaguered nation!

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking..

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only..

85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and exercise is the key to weight loss.

Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

Global cooling blamed for citrus crop failure for third consecutive year in Mexifornia and Floruba.

Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut.

Abortion clinics now available in every High School in United States ..

Senate still blocking drilling in ANWR even though gas is selling for 4532 Pesos per liter and gas stations are only open on Tuesdays and Fridays..

Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights.

Average height of NBA players is now nine feet seven inches with only 3 illegitimate children.

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2030..


IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent..

Floruba voters still having trouble with voting machines.

Book Reviews

The following books were all provided by the authors.

Langata Rules: Pirates at Lat 10 by Ken Miller
When one thinks about a story about pirates, we generally envision the historic swashbuckling characters and adventures. Even though there is the occasional hadline, we don't think of igh seas pirates as a modern problem, yet it is. In Langata Rules, Ken Miller brings to life the modern day pirate tale. His story is a fast paced action pact story that evolves as it progresses. The author does a good job of showing all sides of the picture, including the circumstances that produce the pirates that terrorize the seas. Miller also gives a view of the political climate in Africa and how business and politics are impacted by pirates and how they all impact each other creating an endless cycle.  Starting out, there are numerous characters, which can be confusing for some readers, but if pirates and political intrigue interest you, stick with it. A well written book that will appeal to many, although it is geared more toward a male audience. 3.5 out of five stars.

Web of Deceit by Darlene Cox
Web of Deceit is the story of Peter Brock and how he goes through life manipulating others until things begin to unravel. Cox has assembled and interesting cast of characters in this murder mystery/crime thriller. She weaves a tale of greed and corruption with multiple characters, flashbacks and twists. While I found the story well written and easy to read, I can't say that I liked any of the characters. Everyone seemed to have deceitful and unlikable qualities. For me this made it hard to care about what happened to any of them. Where Cox did draw me in was with the complexity of the plot. I liked the fact that there are  multiple murders as well as other crimes and just when you think you have it all figured out, she surprises you. 3.5 out of five stars.

Universal Truths

Words of wisdom from a forwarded email:

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.


2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories!

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blu Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again..

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dang it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Budweiser than Kay.

20. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

21. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.

22. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

23. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.

24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

25. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said

26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty and you can wear them forever.

28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber and dumber every year?

29. There's no worse feeling than the millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

30. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I hate cyclists.

31. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what times it is.

32. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey- but I'd bet my behind everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

Latest Update.....

For those who read Update Part 2 last week... you know I recently found my soulmate. Well he is now officially my future husband as well. For anyone out there that has ever said "never" or "I'm done with romance" or "I'm happy being alone"... yep not to long ago that was me and now I'm blissfully eating those words, so never say never.

In other news... at the risk of making others annoyed with my new found bliss.... it is so awesome to work for a great company with wonderful people. Not that I didn't like the people (the majority of them were great) I worked with at my last job, it's just that things had gotten a bit unpredictable for the last 8 months or so of working there. It's nice to be at a place where I know what is expected and there is consistancy. My wish for the co-workers I left behind at the last job is that things will get back to the way they were before. For those of you ot there who are still looking or who feel stuck, hang in there, the right opportunity will find you when you least expect it...

Update Part 2- The soul mate principle....

When you bring up the subject of soul mates you get mixed responses. Many people don't believe in them and many who do only think of soul mates in terms of a romantic partner. The concept of soul means different things to different people depending on where and how they were raised, cultural and religious influences. I believe that the soul takes many journeys and that it often comes back to “Earth” in different lifetimes. I believe that certain souls are destined to be connected and that when one lifetime ends it is only a matter of time before they find their way back to each other in subsequent lives. I believe that we don't have just one soul mate. I believe we have many and that each serves a certain purpose on our journey. You know that connection you feel when you meet a certain person and you feel like you have known them forever, you feel an instant unexplainable bond even if you seem to have nothing in common at first. I believe this is our souls recognizing each other. I have been lucky to find several of my soul mates... many years ago, a little girl who I am supposed to watch over as she goes through life; just last fall, a sister, with whom the connection goes beyond blood and time....
Now do I believe in a romantic soul mate? Well if you had asked my formerly jaded and guarded self at the beginning of the year, I might have told you... not so much. In the matters of romantic love, I have never had the best of luck. Don't get me wrong, my often disastrous choices did serve a purpose in my life. After the last one, I decided to try online dating. Those of you who have tried it... you know. It is nothing like the warm fuzzy commercials they show on tv. I'm sure it is “interesting for both sexes... but for women, we get bombarded with pervs, psychos, stalkers, scammers, weirdos and desperate men. After many disastrous and comical “dates” I was even going to write a satirical book about the experiences but life got busy as it often does, I took a sabbatical from men and dating then before I knew it the book just wasn't me anymore and I was done with dating finding, the mythical “one”. In case you are wondering where this is going.... never say say never.... it will come back to bite you. Spring this year brought a mischievous current in it's winds this year. Before all the drama of late April begin... boredom and a little curiosity prompted me to once again venture onto an online dating site. A dear friend and fellow singleton, had mentioned a free online dating site that he at one point asked my opinion on (I have tried most of them)... so I decided what the heck, it's not like I'm going to find anyone “normal” much less compatible but I had some time to kill so why not check it out. What I found was actually a decent site, especially for a free one. Oh there were the usual suspects lurking but as I finished loading up my profile and scanning the “available” prospects I happened upon a rather intriguing profile. Don't get me wrong, it's not that there weren't many interesting profiles to choose from but this one.... had something different about it. It was relatively simple but had one line that spoke to me... so I took a chance and sent a little note. Hmmm he responded but seemed as equally guarded as I was so wasn't sure that was really going to go anywhere. Still... although others vied for my attention, his messages were the ones I looked every time I logged on. Then just when we finally started getting to know each other and communicating more, wouldn't you know I go and get sick, work/life gets complicated.... not the best way to start a romance, if that was really where that was even headed. I mean come on, this was an online guy, nothing about him was probably even real, they rarely are, and if they are once you meet you almost wish they would crawl back in the hole they came out of. Ok, that was mean, but seriously I've dated those creatures, not fun. Still, this one was different and so we continued to let the connection develop from our safe little distance until finally we decided to be brave and meet in person. Yes, I did jokingly warn him I had mace and a stun gun... and on the big day I did have running shoes on. But as I sit here typing this while grinning like some silly school girl, I can tell you that it turns out, he wasn't a troll, far from it... in fact there really are a few princes left in the world and romantic soul mates do exist...

So, dear readers... there has been another reason for my absence from the blog world... in the midst of life's little challenges of late I have been kept busy being swept off my feet by my gentle giant. At the risk of sounding like one of those sappy commercials it truly is possible to find “the one” on an online dating site... seems the fates work in mysterious ways....

Update

Just wanted to take a moment to give all my loyal followers and friends a quick update. I have only posted a few times since the end of April. In the middle of a bacterial infection I found out out my job was being downsized and I was losing my insurance. Those of you who know me well, know that put me in panic and action mode, which meant I wasn't going to have time for reviewing and blogging. I have spent a lot of the past month planning and job hunting while still giving my current albiet smaller job 100%. I also had a new preoccupation, which I will expand on later. I decided to write this post , one as an update but also as a note of encouragement for those going through similar situations in these tough economic times.


Luckily, before 2010 began I knew it was going to be a year for new things and good things. While I could look at the situation with the job and the bad timing of finding out things were going to be a little topsy turvy with despair, (ok, to be honest, I had a few moments of that) I choose to look at it as an opportunity to pursue something new and challenging. I didn't wait around and even though still under the weather, threw myself into job hunting. It paid off because this week I will be starting a challenging new job with a fabulous new company with great people, and that is closer to home. The other great thing is that the hours are almost the same as the job I've been at for the past several years. In this economy and with so many people unemployed, I recognize what a blessing this is and I hope it gives those out there still searching a little hope. Sometimes it can be as simple as keeping a positive attitude even when it's hard.

All that being said, I can't take all the credit for being able to stay positive all on my own. I have wonderful family and great friends who are there with love, encouragement, support and laughter. I know from past experience how easy it can be to shut down and shut people out when you feel like the world is closing in, but we all have to remember, that for the ones who love us, that's when they want to be there for us the most. And as we get older and hopefully wiser, we realise by letting them be there we gain the strength to face anything.

Now my lack of bloggy time hasn't been completely devoted to dealing with illness and job drama, there has also been a very surprising and wonderful new development in my life that I never saw coming.... something that deserves a post all on it's own so I will save that for later. And as this week is filled with finishing a notice at one job, starting a new one and a few other wonderful things, it may take me another week or so to get back to a regular posting schedule. I have reviews of some fabulous books and a movie or two coming, one maybe two new Ember posts on the way and a few other random things up my sleeve. Thank you all for hanging in there with me.

Two Legged Snakes by Dr. Ed Slack & Is He Lying To You by Dan Crum

Dr Slack has put together a book about manipulative people, how to identify then and how to handle them or protect yourself from their deceitful ways. We have all encountered the two legged snake at some point in our lives and for some you may be dealing with them right now. Many are easy to spot, but others trick us into false security and trust. Slack has combined simple descriptions of types and traits with humorous pictures. He also provides checklist to help you become a snake watcher and to teach you how to take control back from the users of the world. An interesting, fun and informative read. Four out of five stars.

Maybe I watch one too many crime shows (Criminal Minds, Lie To Me, etc.) but the concepts of profiling and figuring out people's "tells" is fascinating to me.  Dan Crum has put together a book that says it's to help women, but really the information and wisdom he imparts is knows no gender. He covers the subject matter clearly and concisely. The book's subtitle also implies it's just for dating. Again, the information Crum provides can help in all your interpersonal interactions. For those new to the dating scene it can be invaluable and for those who have been burned in the past  or who are less intuitive, it can give you some skills to spot deception. I found the book fascinating and was pleasantly surprised that it didn't have a "jaded" feel, that many similar books express. Crum does say that everyone is misleading at some point or the other in life, but by explaining which deceptions are meant to cause harm he gives you the tools to trust your own judgement. Even if you don't need this in your personal life, it's a fascinating book or decoding behaviors. Five out of five stars.

Reviews

Jumping on Water: Awaken Your Joy ~ Empower Your Life by Ted Karam

I have long said perception is reality. Each person has their own reality because they have their own perceptions. This book captured the essence of soul searching. Karam gives a fresh and easy to follow guide for making your life positive. Life and emotions are complicated and we can choose to let them rule us or we can take control and master them. Jumping on Water is a fabulous guide to teach you to become a master of your own journey. Karam will teach you how to take every experience, whether good or bad and find the positive in it by focusing on Who You Are, Why You Are here, What You Want, What’s Holding You Back and How To Wake Your Power Within. This isn’t just another self-help book, it’s a way to truly be alive. Five out of five stars.

Making Rounds with Oscars: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat by Dr. David Dosa
Cat lovers will rush to pick up this book about the endearing Oscar, who is known to comfort dying patients in their final hours. However, only a small part of the book is about Oscar. The real focus of the book is dementia and the experiences of the patients and families affected by it. I have to be honest and say that I originally wanted to read the story of this wonderful animal. But having watched my grandmother go thru this horrible disease, I was deeply moved by the stories of the lives Oscar and Dr. Dosa touch. If you know someone who has a loved one suffering through this, buy them this book. It has valuable insight that will help them cope. Five out of five stars.

In Honor of Satu Harris

Today, I discovered that a wonderful woman who photographed me last year for a local magazine was killed this past weekend by a repeat offender drunk driver. Satu was a tiny woman whose zest for life and positive attitude made her seem larger than life. I only had the pleasure of working with her one day, but in that short time er personality made an impact. That's the type of person she was. Although she was a 38 yr. old mother of three, she could easily be mistaken for a teenage. She was a ray of sunshine and this part of the world will be a little overcast without her in it. My heart goes out to her family.

Here are some of her sights:
Artist Bio
Blog
Facebook Memorial
Website (note her website is down right now)

A to Z Reflections

Monday is the official reflection post day for Arlee Bird's A to Z Challenge over at Tossing it Out. A Huge thanks to Lee for the challenge it has been fun and insightful. I have discovered many new and fabulous blogs and great people. This challenge was about more than getting us to think outside the box to come up with different post it was a way to shrink the blog universe down a little. It became a month long blog party with old friends and new. I have also learned so many new things. 

Looking forward to reading everyone's reflections. 

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As a second order of business, there are many things currently taking up all my free time in life right now so I will be blogging sporadically until things calm down. I will try to post atleast once a week until I have time to return to a regular schedule and it will probably be at the end of each week.

Happy Blogging Everyone!!

Winners

Recently some gracious authors offered copies of their books to my commenters.

For Brian Cohen's The Life O'Reilly the winner is Roland. Please email me your mailing address and the author will send you an autographed copy.

For Riddle of Berlin by Cym Lowell the winner is Maurice please let me know what you email address is so we can get the ebook to you.

Thanks to everyone for your great comments!

Neutralize Your Blogs Carbon Footprint and Help Reforest

One of my favorite things is trees. They are so majestic. They have such history. The things they could tell us if they could speak. They are like giant guardians over the world. They clean our air, stabilize on ground, and provide us shelter. And then there is their beauty. Visually they signal the changing seasons with their bright green leaves and often budding flowers and fruit at winters end, the darkening of the leaves and falling of the fruit and blooms as spring progresses into summer, the kaleidoscope of colors that signal fall and the majestic trunks and branches that stand watch through the winter. Without trees the world would have long ago become a wasteland.

and the Arbor Day Foundation are partnering to reforest the Plumas National Forest in Northern California that lost nearly 23,000 acres of forest due to a fire caused by multiple lightning strikes in July 2007. Two short month’s later moonlight Fire struck and took another 65,000 acres. As bloggers we can make a huge impact on the world around us. Running a blog leaves a carbon footprint but we can help neutralize that by the planting of more trees. Here’s how you can be a part of the great reforesting project:

Go to their website and get your button.


Write a short post and send them a copy when it publishes.


How simple is that? Making a difference doesn’t have to be hard. Every effort has the power to change the world.

A to Z Challenge, Final Post

For the last A to Z challenge post I’ve decided to introduce you to unusual words. Be sure to go to the place this challenge started for links to all those participating, Arlee Bird’s Tossing It Out.


U is for uranography.
Uranography is the description or the mapping of the heavens. Though many have tried to map all the heavens they are so vast we will never be able to completely map them in our lifetime. For me I’m content with uranoscopy (star-watching).

V is for vade mecum
With the invention of kindles and other such devices is now possible for for anyone to have one of these. A vade mecum is a favorite book carried everywhere.

W is for Weltanschauug and Weltschmerz
Weltanschauug is a comprehensive world view from a specific poit of view and Welschmerz is a sadness over the evils of the world.

X is for Xylophobia
Vampires are known throught out time to have Xylophobia… a fear of wooden objects.

Y is for Ydromancy
With all the types of fortunetelling out there iit is shocking that ydromancy is not well know. It is fortunetelling with water. Isn’t that how all the wizards, magicians, etc. did it in legends?

Z is for Zatetic
I hope to always have a zatetic mind. Zatetic is an adjective meaning pondering or questioning.

These words and many more interesting seldom used words can be found at Luciferous Logolepsy.

Welcome to the Weekend With.... my twisted thoughts

Today is going to be a little different. It’s been a crazy busy week and I didn’t have an interview lined up. Normally when that happens I track down one of my mystical or historical friends for an interview. Alas, this week there was no free time. So, I’m going to start the weekend with Post 4 of Arlee Bird’s A to Z Challenge.

O is for Optimistic
I’m often told that people are amazed by my positive attitude, especially when they learn the kind of life I have lived over the years. Like everyone, I have a dark side and am no to go there and wallow in the land of self-pity or across the sea on the isle of anger. Luckily, those times are few and far between. Yes, I’ve been to hell and back several times. I’m sure I will even end up with an unplanned vacation there again in the future. I had my time of hating life, the world, everything… you know those times when nothing goes rights, everything you do or say is wrong and you just want to crawl in a hole somewhere. That was my world at the end of my marriage and after my divorce. God knows, I don’t know how I managed to keep the friends I had, because I was not fun to be around. But one day, I woke up, looked in the mirror and said, “I’m not this person. Growing up, I was everyone’s sunshine. I want that person back!” And I began a journey of learning to accept the things in life I couldn’t change, learn from the mistakes I made (and boy do I make a lot. Shhh… don’t tell anyone), to see the good in things instead of the bad. It wasn’t an easy road. I had to retrain the why I thought. Every time a negative thought popped in my head, I would make myself think of something good about whatever it was. Eventually, it became second nature. (Be warned I still have my moments and 5 min fits of rage and/or crying occasionally). The thing about being human is we have all these warring emotions trying to take over or get out, and for some, we bottle them inside until they explode and that’s not healthy. Being intelligent beings, we have the capability to harness those emotions, explore them, learn form them. Will I always see the brighter side? I hope so, but I will relish the good with the bad because that is what makes life worth living and being able to feel all these things is what makes us alive.

P is for Perception/ R is for Reality
I’m combining these two together because they go in hand. In the world, there is what is real... concrete, fact, data or proof to back it up. There is also, perception… how we see things. Now, those two things should be the same, but they rarely are because as individuals with the ability to think for ourselves (at least most of us) we each have unique perception based on any number of factors. For the individual, perception IS reality. This is something to remember not only in writing but also in life. By remembering this simple theory, you are able to have more patience when dealing with those whose perception or reality doesn’t match your own. Having been involved with elderly whose memory is not what it used to be, the overcommitted who often think that they are the only ones doing EVERYTHING, children who have survived neglect and abuse, and some people who, well, just don’t have a firm footing in the real world of the rest of us. I’ve dealt with egomaniacs who think they are gods, agoraphobics who think the world is out to get them, even pathological liars who have told so many lies they no longer know what the truth is. The point is there is what is Real, but sometimes we need to alter our perception and place ourselves in the other person’s shoes, to look at the world through their eyes. We do it all the time when we read. When we write we create whole new worlds for our audience to immerse themselves in. However, in life it often takes a little practice. A great way to practice is to watch people and put yourselves in their place.

Q is for Quiet Time
Ok, honestly, I can’t think of a great “Q” topic at the moment, so since I rambled on a bit on those other letter’s, let’s pause for a Quiet Moment.

S is for Satan
LOL, just kidding, some of you are going, “what the…?” Told you I have a dark side.

Seriously, “S” is for Scenery.
I’m a very visual person, when I read something or someone describes something to me I get an instant mental picture. Most of the time, this is a good thing. For some, they need to actually see something to be able to visualize it or be able to associate it with something they have already seen. That’s where our job, as authors, can get tricky. We have to set the scene and make the reader feel as if they are walking through the world in our book without be so overly descriptive that they get bored and lose interest. It’s a fine line. So I ask you, my fellow readers, how do you like to discover the scenery in a story? And my fellow authors, how do you like to unfold the scene so your reader is as captivated or emotionally effected as your characters?

T is for Titillating Plots
You know the ones… the ones where the author has you so spellbound that you simply can not put the book down until the end. Having read literally thousands of books (actually I own thousands of books), sometimes I get to the point where I just don’t want to read another word of a particular book. Not because it’s bad or even boring really, but I think my fellow reviewers may agree… when you read book after book after book, if it isn’t titillating, you just want to say, “Next!” Sometimes you just need to be grabbed; sometimes you just want to lose yourself between the pages. The book I reviewed yesterday is such a book. Not because it had non-stop action, spicy hot romance, out of this world adventures… it was just so well written that once it got hold of you, you had to ride out. As a fledgling author still trying to find my voice, I haven’t mastered that quality yet. Can it be learned or is it just an innate quality some writers have?

Enjoy your weekend. I'll post the final post of the challenge on Monday.