Category Archives: Book review

The Green Ticket by Samantha March ~ A Review & More

Posted in Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Excerpt, Romance, self-published by

The Green TicketCollege junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty – manager to a successful salon and spa. Thrilled to finally have a real adult job, Alex enthusiastically jumps into the world of schedules, conference calls, and getting a massage when interviewing prospective employees. What she doesn’t expect are the very grown-up issues that comes with a demanding boss. Kevin Dohlman quickly becomes Alex’s worse nightmare – covering up his affairs, dealing with his enormous ego, and trying to protect her female staff from him becomes a full-time job in its own right. Alex has also befriended Kevin’s wife and co-owner, Dani, and is trying to keep Kevin’s secrets hidden from her. The situation only worsens when Kevin starts paying Alex off to make sure she keeps her insider knowledge to herself.

While struggling to keep her wits and stay happy with her new grown-up job, Alex is juggling college courses, a new love interest, and keeping up with her close group of girlfriends. When her roommate and best friend Lila gets offered an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and sign with an agent, Alex realizes her life truly is changing, and everyone around her – including herself – is is growing up. Knowing she is faced with some hard decisions ahead, Alex struggles with keeping her job at Blissful. But does she really want to throw away what she dreamed of as a career – or will the secret-keeping for Kevin become too much to handle? The Green Ticket is a story about morals versus money, and how one young woman navigates the shaky line between the two.

~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~

Samantha has done it again! Okay, so it’s no secret that I adore Samantha March  on many levels, but here it  is again: a fabulous novel for  young adults about real people, with real problems, in real situations. Samantha expertly takes her sympathetic characters and puts them in situations which are challenging and true to their age and experience yet not so gritty that I feel like I should wash my hands after reading a chapter.

Alex is a college junior who falls into the dream job that may just be the  answer to her “what do  I want to be when I grow up?” Except…it  doesn’t come without costs. Will it be possible to keep up with the  demands of her job and school morphs into moral issues concerning the couple who owns the business.

I love how Samantha takes these fabulous young women in her books and puts them in situations that pulls and challenges them to the point that (although they don’t always make the right decisions) they learn and grow as do the  others around them.

The market for “young grown-ups”  is difficult water to navigate…Samantha March has it down to an art!

~*~*~*~ An Excerpt ~*~*~*~

Chapter 1

Bustling salon and spa seeking a full time manager to oversee daily operations. Job duties will include but will not be limited to: hiring and scheduling staff, assisting with appointment management, scheduling training opportunities, dealing with cash flow, marketing and advertising of the business, and ensuring salon and spa is run with class and enthusiasm. No experience in salon and spa business is required, but a business degree is preferred. Serious, enthusiastic, and hard-working individuals please email resume and cover letter to lanidohlman@blissfulsalonandspa.com. Hours will vary, pay is negotiable and based on experience.

 

I cracked my knuckles against my palm, tiny pops of the bad habit music to my ears. A manager at a salon and spa? This job listing was practically screaming my name. I didn’t have any experience with managing a salon – or anywhere for that matter – but I loved getting my hair done. And mani/pedis. And my bushy eyebrows needed a good hot wax job at least once every thirty days.

                I bookmarked the job listing, making a note to myself on my daily to-do list sitting next to my laptop. Polish resume, I scrawled, right after 60 minutes Pilates/yoga workout and finish cleaning bathroom.

                Lila burst through the door at that moment, her long blonde hair flying behind her. “We must work out tonight. Please come and motivate me. I’m getting my pictures taken in two weeks and I really need to drop some weight. And tone up. Look firm. Look good. The TV adds ten pounds you know. Did you get your assignment done yet for Bater’s class? I need to work on that ,too.” Even though Lila Medlin had been my best friend for years, the speed at which she does everything could still amaze me. I watched her beautiful virgin hair (she’s a natural blonde the bitch) barely make it past the doorframe before getting slammed.

                “You’re in luck. I was going to do some Pilates and yoga tonight anyways. Just do it with me. That will help firm and tighten you. Even though you know I don’t think you need it.”

                “When I fit into your size two jeans, I’ll finally start listening.” Lila walked into the kitchen, opening cabinets then the refrigerator. “We have no food! Want to order a pizza or something? Ooh, maybe some wings? I’m craving hot sauce.”

                I walked into the kitchen behind her, peering into the depths of our pathetic excuse for a dorm fridge. “We have food. Here’s a bag of lettuce, some carrot sticks back here, and croutons in the cabinet. I snagged some packets of ranch from the lounge yesterday. Voila–– let’s make a salad!”

                Lila pulled a face, reacting like I asked her to go on Survivor and eats cockroaches. “Uh, yeah, salad sounds great if I was trying to starve myself, Alex. I’m craving real food, not rabbit food.”

                I held my hands up in surrender. “You’re the one talking about toning and firming up. I’m just saying a salad will give you better odds then buffalo wings.”

                Lila had a dream to be an entertainment reporter, and was itching for the chance to get out of Dodge- or rather, Iowa. Lila and I had been best friends since we came to Kaufman College in Des Moines three years ago, and had been living together for two. We wanted to move out on our own and get a house, but neither of us had the financials to support that yet. Lila was saving every penny to put towards photography sessions, voice lessons, and even acting classes. Her big goal was to head out to Los Angeles and somehow land an audition for Buzzworthy, the hottest celebrity news show. I supported her goal of being a reporter, even though I had no idea how to help her achieve it.

                My goals weren’t as specific as Lila’s. Mainly, I wanted to be able to stand on my own two feet and stop relying on my sister for everything. Alicia was my big sister, married to Craig Bowersworth and living with their five kids in Seattle. Craig’s job as a political campaign manager led them to many places, but Alicia fell in love with Seattle the minute she laid eyes on the rainy landscape, so they settled down there. Alicia was a stay at home mom, but with Craig’s income, they don’t need the extra money. Alicia helped me stay financially afloat by sending me money each month. I held down stray jobs here and there, but still hadn’t quite figured out what I want to do when I grow up. I was studying Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship at college, and was still waiting to see where the wind would blow me.

                “Fine, fine, a salad it is. Can you whip one up for me quick? I need to put my face on before Joel comes over.”

                “What time is he stopping by?”

                “He said around five. He has some study group thing tonight so he wanted to drop by and see me before that.” Joel Lohrbach had been Lila’s boyfriend for just over year, starting when we were sophomores in college. Lila fell hard and fast for Joel, and the attraction still baffled me. Joel was short and geeky, with spiked black hair and big glasses that did not make a fashion statement, and always has his nose in a book. Lila was tall, blonde and gorgeous, with ambitions to live in sunny LA and schmooze with celebrities. Joel was not agreeable to Lila’s future plans. I had no idea what would happen if Lila actually made it in the entertainment biz. I wouldn’t mind seeing them breakup. I thought Joel was a dick to Lila more than a sweetheart. But she loved him.

                “Okay, get your makeup on and we’ll eat some salad and change for the gym. And you can help me look at this job I’m thinking about applying for. Tell me if you get good vibes or not.” Lila always says she gets “vibes” about certain things, such as if the elective I want to sign up for will be a brain buster or if the new Chinese restaurant in town has bugs in their food. And she’s usually pretty spot on.

                “No problem. Are you thinking about leaving Tastie’s again?” Lila’s voice was muffled as she shouted out from the bathroom.

                I put a healthy portion of lettuce in two plastic cereal bowls, quickly diced up the carrots and sprinkled those in, and shook the worn bag of croutons over the top. After smothering  the salads with ranch dressing, officially taking them from a healthy snack to a questionable one with the rich, calorie-laden topping, I was satisfied. Finding two clean forks in our utensil drawer was somewhat of a challenge, since neither of us were big on washing dishes, and I took a seat at our two-person table shoved in the back corner of our minuscule kitchen.

                “Did you hear me? Are you thinking about leaving Tastie’s?” Lila came back into the kitchen, her face glowing and her blue eyes popping, even though she looked like she had no makeup on. I had yet to master the natural look like she could–– wearing two tons of concealer, highlighter, blush, shadow, liner, and mascara, and looking like she had just woken up. Mine always ends up looking like clown makeup when I try.

                I dug into my salad, loading up my fork with lettuce and a crouton. “Yeah, just thinking about it, though. I’m getting tired of all my Friday and Saturday nights getting spent with sleazy guys. But the money is really helping me build up my savings account. I can’t live off Alicia forever.”

                “I know, but look how good you’re doing saving money. You won’t be a waitress forever.”

                “I wish I knew what I did want to be. How hard is it to figure out a career, especially as a junior in college? Shouldn’t I have this down already so I can stop taking all these electives?”

                “Some people need more time. You’ll figure it out. If you don’t by the time I hit the high road out of this state, just come to LA with me. You could probably find a job out there in a heartbeat.”

                “As what?”

                “A model! An actress! I could get all the exclusive scoops on which designer you’re wearing and who you’re making a sex tape with next, and we could rule the world out there.”

                “Lila, I won’t be making sex tapes with anyone in the foreseeable future. And the unforeseeable future, you perv.” I dug out the last crouton from the bottom of the bowl, crunching it between my teeth. “Besides, that lifestyle just isn’t for me. I don’t like being the center of attention. I would rather be behind the scenes.”

Samantha March~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and her debut novel Destined to Fail. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

~*~*~*~ Connect with Samantha ~*~*~*~

http://www.samanthamarch.com/

Facebook

Twitter

GoodReads

~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~

Amazon: Print or eBook
Barnes and Noble: eBook

Kobo: eBook
Marching Ink: Print

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/11/the-green-ticket-by-samantha-march.html

 

Sparkle ~ A Book Review

Posted in Book review, Romance, self-published by

I’d like to first say that I had decided to move all of my reviews to my review site www.amiesreviews.wordpress.com and then I read Sparkle. So I’m breaking my own rule. But this book is too good not to share more than once. So here’s the review copied and pasted for more exposure. We girls have to get the word out–this book is truly a ‘must read’.

Sparkle by Cara Alwill Leyba ~ A Review

sparkleAs women, we have become professional self-critics. We’ve become so convinced by society that we need to attain a level of perfection that just isn’t real. Whether it’s trying to get skinnier, look younger, get that promotion, please our parents, get fuller lips or rid ourselves of cellulite — we’re on a never ending mission to change and it always makes us feel like crap.

Instead, why not focus on all the fabulous qualities we already possess? There is so much to celebrate when we look at all of our accomplishments. In this straight-up girlfriend’s guide, lifestylist and wellness coach Cara Alwill Leyba encourages women to discover what makes them sparkle so that they can design the lives they desire and deserve. So raise your glass and toast yourself. You’re about to start shimmering, shining, and dazzling every day. Because isn’t everything better when it sparkles?

~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~

Absolutely Fabulous! How’s that for a review? But seriously…I got my days mixed up and started Sparkle yesterday. Nothing like a little pressure to get the ol’  heart racing. But Sparkle is extremely easy to read with a conversational tone that smacks (in a good way) of a heart-to-heart with your best friend. And what a great conversation. From dieting advice, tips on self esteem and how to feel utterly fabulous every day of your life, Sparkle has it all. The only problem with reading it in one sitting (and that is totally possible)  is that  Sparkle is jammed-packed full of great advice. So much so that trying to absorb it all in a couple of hours is impossible. My advice to you is buy the  book, read it  all at once, then read it  a second time a section a day. (That’s my plan) Buy a copy for your closest friends and discuss it on a regular basis. The subtitle on the cover it dead-on. This is “The Girl’s Guide to Living a Deliciously Dazzling, Wildly Effervescent , Kick-Ass Life.” So what are you waiting for? Go out and get a copy now! Sarah Grimm, your copy is in the mail! :)

~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~

cara leybaCara Alwill Leyba is a best selling author, and certified life and wellness coach from New York City who empowers women to live their most effervescent lives and celebrate themselves. She encourages women to indulge in the things that make them happy, and swears that every woman can live a “champagne life,” no matter how busy she is or how tight her budget.

Her blog, The Champagne Diet, boasts a following of thousands of loyal readers and has been featured in Glamour, Shape, Cafe Mom, Daily Mail UK, MSN Australia, AOL UK Lifestyle, and a host of other publications worldwide. Cara’s writing has been featured in The Huffington Post, xJane, Mind Body Green, MTV News, and many other sites.

Cara regularly appears on the “Ask Dr. Fritz” radio show on WWRL New York, where she helps host Dr. Fritz answer questions from callers about love, career, family, relationships and more. She also hosts her own lifestyle and wellness show, “Uncork Your Best Self” on Blog Talk Radio.

Cara’s first book, SPARKLE, became an immediate #1 bestseller on Amazon in both the Happiness and Self-Esteem categories upon hours of its release. She celebrated the release of her book with a book signing in New York City this past fall.

When she’s not popping bubbly, blogging, or working with her coaching clients, Cara spends her days leading a digital advertising team at MTV Networks. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and dog-child. For more on Cara visit www.LiveCreateSparkle.com

~*~*~*~ Connect with Cara ~*~*~*~

Cara’s website: www.LiveCreateSparkle.com
Cara’s blog: www.TheChampagneDiet.com
Want to learn how to sparkle? Join Cara’s “Sparkling Start” workshop next month and kick off 2013 in glittering, shimmering style!http://www.livecreatesparkle.com/group-workshops.html 

  ~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~
Amazon

Cecy Robson and The Weird Girls

Posted in Book review, Romance by

A Review

I  make it a point to read outside my genre. It helps keep my own work fresh and gives me more insight to the world than if I just read rom-coms and contemporary romances all the time. So when my agency sister Cecy Robson asked to come on my blog with her paranormal novella and upcoming novel, I jumped at the chance. I enjoy sharing my blog with talented authors and Cecy is no exception.

I’m not going to recap the book (I posted the blurb below) but I want to tell you that I don’t often read paranormal and I  am not a fan of vampires. But I  L-O-V-E the Wird Sisters! They are funny, strong, and have their own distinct personalities. They are fiercely protective of each other emotionally as well as physically. They are everything you could ask for in a sister–and with special powers to boot.

Told exclusively in Celia’s POV, the stories are action packed and laugh out loud funny with quick, witty dialogue and internal thought. I found myself reading “just one more chapter” until it was well past my bedtime.The sexual tension is out of this world and remains through out the entire book. And somehow (IMHO), Cecy makes the vampires (except for the ones with the bloodlust) almost tolerable–LOL. Actually the way the vampires are portrayed even made a vampire “liker” out of me.

In short, you should put these titles on your TBR list and at the very top. You don’t want to let these get by you!

THE WEIRD GIRLS

A novella

The Weird GirlsCelia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls—with one tiny exception: they’re products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, a little weird…

The Wird sisters are different from every race on earth—human and supernatural. When human society is no longer an option for them, they move in among the resident vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region. Could this be the true home they’ve longed for? Um, not quite. After the sisters accidentally strip a witch of her powers in a bar brawl, they soon realize the mistake will cost them. Because to take on a witch means to take on her coven. And losing the battle isn’t an option.

SEALED WITH A CURSE

Book One

sealed (2)Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls—with one tiny exception: they’re products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, weird…

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region—until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren’t aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders: are the vampires of Tahoe cursed with a plague?

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha’s family to keep the region safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and oh yeah, not lose her heart to the wrong guy—or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, it’s coming for her and her sisters. This Wird girl has never had it so tough.

AUTHOR BIO:

IMG_2345_(3)Cecy (pronounced Sessy) Robson is an author with Penguin’s SIGNET ECLIPSE. She attributes her passion for story-telling back to the rough New Jersey neighborhood she was raised in. As a child, she was rarely allowed to leave the safety of her house and passed her time fantasizing about flying, fairies, and things that go bump in the night. Her dad unwittingly encouraged Cecy’s creativity by kissing her goodnight wearing vampire fangs. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, she began writing her Urban Fantasy Romance Series, Weird Girls, in May 2009. THE WEIRD GIRLS: A Novella, debuts December 4, 2012 followed by SEALED WITH A CURSE, December 31, 2012, and A CURSE EMBRACED, July 2, 2013.

Connect with Cecy

Website: www.cecyrobson.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cecyrobsonand

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Cecy.Robson.Author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCecyRobsonAuthor

Buy the Novella

Includes a preview of the first full-length novel in the Weird Girls series, Sealed with a Curse—as well as introductions to the Weird World, and a letter from the author.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Weird-Girls-Novella-ebook/dp/B008EXNZZM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347899290&sr=8-2&keywords=Cecy+robson

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-weird-girls-cecy-robson/1111864614?ean=9781101606919

Buy the Book

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Cecy+robson

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sealed-with-a-curse-cecy-robson/1111305714?ean=9780451416735

Debbie Dyke, Author of The Bloody Mary Club

Posted in Amie Louellen, Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Excerpt, Guest Post, Interviews, self-published by

I love having special guests on my blog., and today’s guest is no exception. She has a fabulous resume–screen writer turned novelist and expert (imho) on the  stock market. She’s here to talk about her book, The Bloody Mary Club and her adventures into  writing and publishing. Here’s a warm round of cyber applause for Debbie Dyke!

Thank you for inviting to post to your blog! I’m the author of The Bloody Mary Club, a financial thriller about an all women investment club that gets into trouble when their portfolio turns deadly.  I’m very passionate about the stock market and investments.  I’m also fascinated by the recent Ponzi schemes and financial scams that have been reported in the front page news. I’ve watched the bank meltdowns with great interest. As a former stockbroker, I’ve met a few embezzlers and worked with several bad brokers who’ve run away with client’s money.

My first venture into financial writing was “The Wall Street Calendar.”  I received a 365 day calendar for Christmas several years ago; it was called “money saving tips.” It was awful! Each day I’d cringe with the new tidbit of information. Example:  to save on toilet paper step on the roll. By flattening, you will save on paper use! At some point I said, “this is so bad, I could write a better one.” And sure enough, once I said that I had to go through with it.  I started working on a smart Wall Street Calendar which if you are paying attention put to good use at the beginning of each chapter of The Bloody Mary Club.  My Wall Street 365 day calendar caught the attention of the publisher of the most the most well regarded financial commentator at the time– Lou Rukeyser.

After I completed the calendar, I took a screenwriting class for fun and was hooked.The fun stopped once my scripts started to get attention.  When I was featured in Script Magazine, the editor, Shelly Mellott, liked my financial know-how so much she asked me to join her with the magazine as an owner. As you can tell, I’m an asset-focused gal, I put my money where my passion lies and became an owner. We were a great team. Script Magazine has since been sold to Final Draft.  It was the most fun ever!  I went to scriptwriting and film fests all over the United States. I met writers, producers, directors and agents. It opened doors for my writing and gave me amazing exposure. Over the years, I wrote five screen plays, several treatments, and articles for magazines. Two of my screenplays were option by HBO and an A list actress. I also collaborated with award winning director Uli Edel ( Baader Meinhof Complex, Tyson, Purgatory, Little Vampires) on a action movie called Closing In.

The best advice I received was from a top agent at CAA . He told me that if you wanted to be respected in Hollywood and control your work, you need to be novelist. Novelists are held in very high regard. Screenwriters are at the bottom of the barrel of the Hollywood pecking order and many aren’t even invited to their own opening night. I took his advice to heart. The Bloody Mary Club novel is based on my script.

I describe The Bloody Mary Club as a smart girl financial fiction. I won’t tell you how to get a man, buy fabulous heels or decorate a swanky condo, but I will use investing terms, mention stocks and weave a story about the ins and outs of a bank takeover.  Although it’s fiction, it has real world relevance.  I want to make the stock market and investing understandable and fun. I aim to increase the interest in Chick lit financial thrillers. In this era of bankruptcy’s, foreclosures and retirements in question, you need to know how to chart your own course. My characters in the investment club are women in their forties with no financial security and desperately rely on Gina Van Story to save them from a dead end retirement. All she demands is that the investment earrings stay put in the club until retirement age. This of course is a downer for them because Gina has all the toys and is about to enter the 1% club. They want to spend their club profits as soon they get them and Gina won’t allow it.  It’s the classic battle of the ‘haves’ versus the ‘have not’s’.

Ladies! This is your wake up call to take get your financial house in order. Don’t wait for a rich prince to come and save you! Here’s a passage from The Bloody Mary Club, Page 28 where my lead character Gina gives her ladies a wakeup call for being lazy about their finances:

“You’ve all grown up thinking you can’t handle this stuff and if you’re a good girl, some big strong man will come along and take care of it for you. Wake up. It’s not going to happen. Without this club, you’ll be greeters at Wal-Mart when you’re seventy,” Gina plucked a shrimp from her drink and jiggled it at Vivi. “Your legal secretary job isn’t secure.”

Vivi picked imaginary lint off her slinky top.

“What happens when your on-man-shop lawyer is thrown in jail for tax evasion? You’re pushing fifty, who’s going to hire a legal secretary who types on an electric typewriter and uses shorthand?”

Vivi pouted.

Gina moved onto Sarah busy snacking on peanuts: “And you can’t stretch your paycheck. You’re floating your bills. If mommy and daddy didn’t help out, you’d have no phone service, electricity or water. What are you going to do when they aren’t around? You think you’ll inherit their money? Statistics aren’t on your side. Mom and the General will need that money for their nursing home care. Your ex will get the last laugh as he skis down the slopes in Zermatt after having a wine and raclette meal paid for from his impenetrable trust fund.”

Sarah picked at her cuticles with one eye stuck in a half blink. “You forgot Joanie, she’s a mess”

After reading The Bloody Mary Club, I hope that the reader will realize that financial thrillers are fun to read and you might even learn something about the stock market. Through my story you will see that even the fat cats top get ripped off and that there are no get rich quick shortcuts.   In this era of self-directed IRA’s, everyone is responsible for their financial future and must make wise investment decisions. We all need to be savvy investors or else face a painful and dismal retirement. I make it clear through my characters that there are short cuts to make money or guarantees to double your return

I like it when readers tell me that they learned something from The Bloody Mary Club and that they also enjoyed the story. I’ve gotten a great response from readers that don’t normally follow the stock market or have an interest in anything concerning money. Readers have asked me to give them financial advice, to look over a proposed investment or even verify their trading strategies.  In this day and age with retirement up in the air, it’s gratifying to have this kind of positive response.  Through my writing, I want to make the stock market fun and understandable. I’m not looking to write the all encompassing story about Wall Street, I want to write about a tiny slice of Wall Street and stay within that framework.  My next novel, Gina’s Tonic, focuses on day trading and money laundering. There’s going to be offshore money maneuvers, a day-trader who’s forced to trade for profit or else die and nasty drug dealers trying to launder truckloads of money. For sure, the gin and tonics will flow on this novel!!

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my journey with you.  I hope you enjoy reading The Bloody Mary Club and come away with an appreciation of all things financial!  You can keep up with me by visiting my website:  www.DebbieDyke.com,

My blog;: http://debbiedykebooks.blogspot.com/

Facebook at: DebbieDykeBooks.

Cheers! Debbie Dyke, Author, The Bloody Mary Club.

Thanks for stopping by, Debbie. Readers if you want to know more about The Bloody Mary Club and Debbie Dyke, there’s an interview and review of The Bloody Mary Club at my review site, www.amiesreviews.wordpress.com

Samantha March

Publisher- Marching Ink

Book Reviewer/Freelance Editor

Blog Tour Coordinator

Author of Destined to Fail

ChickLitPlus.com

CLP Blog Tours

Twitter: @Chicklitplus

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Five minutes after the close of the market, Gina was perched on the corner of her desk with her legs crossed tightly. Andrew sat before her in an armchair diverting his eyes away from her legs.

“Miss Van Story…”

“Call me Gina.” She drummed her fingers on her desk. “So Andrew, there are 1000 shares outstanding. Give me some numbers.”

“Six thousand dollars a share.”

Gina fixed her gaze on him and forced a straight face.

“I think that’s in the ballpark. At least third base if not a home run.” Andrew returned her gaze. “It’s a damn good offer…if I may say so myself.”

“It’s quite good,” Gina replied poker-faced.

Andrew gestured to the paperwork spread out on her desk. “Looks like you’re a busy lady. Why don’t you give me a list of the shareholders and I’d be happy to call them for you.”

“That’s not the way I do things.”

“I think your shareholders would be pleased to hear from me. Otherwise, I want you to inform them about our off er as soon as possible.” Andrew inched forward in his chair, “And lucky you, a sale could make you a lot of commission.”

“If you have anything in writing, you can leave it with me.” Gina sprung off the desk and struck out her hand. “I’ll look it over and make a decision.”

“I’m getting the feeling that you’re not taking me seri­ously.” Andrew dug into his briefcase and offered her an AU folder. “We’re committed to this deal.”

“Rest assured, Mr. Walsh, I take your proposal very seriously.” She set the package on the desk and turned her back on him.

“As the Beck Bank market maker, you have a fiduciary responsibility to present them with my offer.” Andrew cleared his throat then blasted, “And I expect you to do that.”

Gina spoke softly, barely above a whisper. “I know what my job is, Mr. Walsh. Maybe I should explain it to you. I match buyers and sellers.” She made two fists and smashed them together. “When someone wants to sell their shares, they call me and I go down my client waiting list and find who’s next in line to buy. I have a very long waiting list. Some clients have waited for years before they even get one share. I’m sure you’ve realized by now that that these shares are thinly traded, not a lot of them floating around. And here’s the most unusual thing, I don’t even get a commission on trades.” She went to the credenza and held up a bound report. “I keep the books. Balance out the shares. Handle all accounting. Again, I do all of this for free.”

The Artist’s Inheritance –A Review

Posted in Book review, self-published by

♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This Book! ♥♥♥♥♥

Settling into their new home in Gulf Breeze, Florida, Caitlin finds strange changes coming over her husband Trevor. He seems obsessed with a beautiful chair he’s carving.

When the nightmares deepen and ghosts begin lurking—she knows something’s not right, and not just her newfound precognitive abilities. It’s the damned chair, she’s sure. Could it be just what it seems: a mundane piece of furniture? If so, why is it attracting dark forces—the forces she suspects drove Trevor’s siblings to insanity and suicide?
 
Before the same happens to Trevor, Caitlin must convince him to sell his art. But armed with only a handful of allies, and little experience of the supernatural, she must proceed with caution against the hellish forces besieging her family. If she succeeds, she will break the ancestral curse. If she fails, she may lose forever the one thing she cares about most: her beloved Trevor.

If you follow any of my reviews, you know that romance is my preferred genre, but I do like to stretch myself a bit and read a variety of works. Such is the case with The Artist’s Inheritance.

It took me a little longer to finish the story because I could only read it during the daylight hours. No, it’s not that scary. I’m just a big wimp like that. But there are paranormal elements that have to be uncovered and deciphered by our heroine, Cait.

See she and her husband Trevor have recently moved into his twin brother’s home in Florida near a fort that was used during the Civil War. Trevor (an artist) becomes obsessed with a chair he is carving while strange things begin to happen all around them. Cait sees apparitions, feels cold spots in the house, and starts to believe that a famous art critic is really an imp. Ooh, and did I mention that Trevor’s twin Gordon committed suicide?

With the help of friends, Cait uncovers just what’s bothering Trevor which reveals family secrets and curses that are over a hundred years old.

Juli D does a great job at setting up the work for future stories. There are a lot of happenings in The Artist’s Inheritance which makes it a quick and interesting read. It’s impossible to know what’s going to happen next. But I can’t wait to find out.

Connect with Juli:

my fiction available in:
Dark Things II: Cat Crimes
and The Scribing Ibis
(Proceeds go to charity)

The Artist’s Inheritance–Available at Amazon

on twitter: @juliannewrites

Website:
http://julidrevezzo.com/

on tumblr: http://jdrevezzo.tumblr.com/

Rum Punch Regrets by Anne Kemp ~ A Review

Posted in Amie Louellen, Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Giveaway, Humor by

♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This Book! ♥♥♥♥♥

In just a few short weeks, thirty something Abby George has endured the death of her mother, was dumped by her fiancé, and got laid off from her job.

Stunned and seeking a shoulder to cry on, she turns to her perfect older sister, Leigh. But instead of comfort, Abby receives a surprise: Leigh needs her in the Caribbean to help with some mysterious personal business.

While assisting in the sale and repair of a bed-and-breakfast, Abby uncovers a few huge family secrets as she juggles an unexpected roommate, quirky locals, and nasty centipedes.

Abby’s world is further complicated when two potential suitors enter her life. Can Abby get beyond her own psycho drama long enough to open her heart to someone new? Or will she neurotically make her romantic life worse?

Packing nothing but her suitcases and a sense of humor, Abby George travels down an unfamiliar road, but it’s all she can do to hang on for the ride…

~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~

There are a few things about a book that (to me) make it worthwhile. I have to be able to smile, even laugh out loud from time to time. There has to be likable characters, even secondary characters, that I can identify with or recognize as being part of my life (if only for a time), and the ability to understand the story. And by that I mean, the story means something, it has a purpose, there is something happening that makes me want to find out what happens next. Rum Punch Regrets has all this and more. And more? You say. Yep–a beach, one of my favorite things in the world.

Abby George is real, she’s likable and easy to sympathize with, but (envy) she gets to hang out in the Caribbean. I have walked the beaches there, met up with characters like Abby encounters, and dealt with a few of the same issues. For those who have never spent time in the  Caribbean, Anne’s description of St Kitts is spot on for most of the islands. It takes some getting used to, but it happens. However Abby has a little more on her plate than how to survive on island time. She’s got a host of family and personal issues that are enough to drive a lesser woman out of  her mind. But Abby manages to pull it all together for the best of everyone involved.

Can’t take a vacation this year? Pick up Rum Punch Regrets. It’s the next best thing to a Caribbean vacation!

~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~

Anne Kemp is the author behind the Abby George Series, which includes her debut novella, All Fruits Ripe, and first novel, Rum Punch Regrets, which is available in print and as an eBook. She is also the columnist behind “Anne In Progress,” which appears monthly in the Frederick News-Post, a newspaper in the DC-Metro area. As a blogger, she was nominated for a 2012 Bloggers Choice Award for Best Humor Blog, and is known for penning “The Ultimate Late Bloomer.”

 Follow her on Twitter, @MissAnneKemp, or join her fans on Facebook for fun contests and giveaways. You can always find her at her website: www.annekemp.com.

A portion of Anne’s proceeds are donated to Lupus LA.

~*~*~*~ Anne On Tour ~*~*~*~

**Everyone who leaves a comment at http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/07/rum-punch-regrets-by-anne-kemp.html

will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Rum Punch Regrets before September 3 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**

Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel ~ A Review & More

Posted in Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Giveaway, Interviews, self-published by

♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This! ♥♥♥♥♥

LIVE FROM MIAMI! The sensationalism shown on television can only be topped by the drama that happens behind the camera! After being fired from her job in Los Angeles, Charlene “Charley” Thomas moves to sizzling Miami and begins working as news director at a local television station. While getting used to her new gig, Charley wakes up to the fact that her station manager, Jonathan Lefton, is the boss from hell who will do anything for a story no matter who gets hurt in the process. When nude pictures of noon anchor, Miranda Andrews, are discovered in the men’s room of a Key West bar, all hell breaks loose. They end up on Lefton’s desk and he promotes her over the main anchor, sparking off a firestorm. Miranda’s quickly thrown into the mix and assigned special reports. Charley finds herself overseeing an investigation that could shine light on the guilt of a dirty cop. Real life begins to mimic the drama of broadcast news when station personalities face life and death all for rating and Emmys! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a modern day “Sex and the City” meets “Broadcast News.”

~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~

I never know what’s in store for me when I crack open some of novels I’m asked to review.  It’s good for me to read outside my chosen genre of romance, and it feels fine to stretch my legs and test other waters. Next in line is chicklit (You know, books that are written by and targeted toward women). When I think of chicklit, I think of books like Bridget Jones Diary and other light-hearted and fun reads. But we all know that chicklit is more than that. It accounts for novels that cover more serious issues and problems with today’s world. Well, Viewer Discretion Advised fits right in the middle. It’s fun and  upbeat, but it’s more than that. Cindy Roesel takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of what it’s like behind the scenes in a newsroom. Fast-paced, smart and savvy, yet it deals with issues in the lives of the people who work at WCAR–drinking problems, low self-esteem, cheating husbands, fragile egos, and the problems that result with long distance relationships.

How Cindy managed to pack all that in under 300 pages is a mystery to me, but it’s all there. The reader can’t help but root for Charley. There’s something inherently likable about her. Everyone around her can sense it as well. This also means that we love the people she loves by way of association.  The reader wants her to end up with Oz, needs Rori to get help, and Charley to succeed in the cut-throat world she has landed in. But Charley knows her stuff (As does Cindy) and with odds like that she has to succeed. And the same goes for Cindy Roesel and Viewer Discretion Advised as well.

And one thing is certain: I’ll never look at the news the same way again.

~*~*~*~ Author Bio~*~*~*~

CINDY ROESEL is an Emmy Award winning television broadcast journalist. After working for twenty years in newsrooms filled with ambitious backbiting adrenalin junkies, she’s turning her experiences into novels.  Cindy lives in Miami with her shih tzu, Sassy.

~*~*~*~ The Interview ~*~*~*~

Amie: Where did the story idea come from/how did it come about? 

Cindy: It’s often said, “write what you know.” Well. I’ve wanted to write a novel since I was a little girl and the majority of my first career has been as a TV news anchor and reporter and that includes writing, so it makes sense that my first book should be about a broadcast journalist.  VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a suspenseful, romantic thriller set in Miami, Florida, which features news director, Charlize “Charley” Thomas.  It’s a mix of the new HBO hit show “The Newsroom” meets “Sex and the City.”

Amie: One thing you want the reader to walk away with after reading this book.

Cindy: It’s important that readers walk away knowing that if you work hard you can accomplish anything.  That may sound hokey, but I believe in the dream.  I was the first one in my family to graduate from college, go into a profession and I won an Emmy Award for my hard work in Broadcasting.  Charley comes up against quite a few obstacles, but she doesn’t give up and she never looks for the easy way to get something done.  It’s really important young women on their career path find a mentor they believe in that they can trust.  It’s important to me that readers of VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED see Charley as a positive professional woman.

Amie: Why did you choose your genre?

Cindy: I always knew my first attempt at writing would be fiction. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED evolved into a suspenseful, romantic, thriller as I wrote it.  I really didn’t plan it that way.  Actually, I thought it was going to be a chick-lit romance, but then the story and the characters took over.  There comes a point when the writer, in this case, me, stops resisting and follows their lead so the project is organic.

Amie: Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

Cindy: There are many challenges for a writer, especially one who wants to write well.  Writers have to not only write, but they must read, and that includes reading everything, not only what they enjoy.  It’s important to surround yourself with other writers in real life and on the Internet.  I write book reviews for a blog called Chick Lit Central and I’ve made a lot of friends over the web, some of whom I’ve met in person.  We read one another’s work, and help proof each other.  I’m constantly taking classes and going to author readings at my local bookstores.  The bottom line is you must always be working at your craft.

Another challenge is getting my butt in the chair to actually write, but once I’m there, you practically have to peel me out.  There are so many other things vying for my attention, and I’m easily distracted.  Let’s face it, once we’re on the computer there’s Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, ChickLitPlus, your Blog, mine, Chick Lit Central…. all screaming our name….  so I guess what the big challenge comes down to for me is to FOCUS!

Amie: What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

Cindy: The first thing I’d tell writers who are just starting out is, “Congratulations!  You’ve entered a very special club.  What you’re going to do is honorable work and the people you’re going to surround yourself with are unique, life as you know it has changed.  Number one rule:  There are no rules, except this one.  Don’t fall in love with your first drafts.  The final project never looks like what you first put down on paper.  Remember, writing is rewriting.  Have fun!”

Amie: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?    

Cindy: No, I don’t believe in writer’s block.  When I have to write something or I have a deadline, I do it.  It may not be my best work, but I fulfill my obligations.

Amie: What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?   

Cindy: A comfy writing environment, a dictionary, thesaurus, EB White’s, “The Elements of Style,” a full pot of coffee and lots of writer and non-writer friends!  I also happen to love having plenty of plain M&Ms on hand…. yummy!

Thank you so much Amie for inviting me and VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED to visit you and your wonderful blog and Facebook site.

Thanks for coming, Cindy. Readers, you’re all  invited to contact Cindy anytime if you have questions or comments about anything here or in her novel.

And…**Everyone who leaves a comment at http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/05/viewer-discretion-advised-by-cindy.html will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Viewer Discretion Advised before August 20 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.** Whoop!

~*~*~*~ Connect with Cindy ~*~*~*~

www.cindyroesel.com

~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~
AMAZON.COM
 B&N.com

~*~*~*~  Cindy On Tour ~*~*~*~

CLP Blog Tours

The Way by Kristen Wolf ~ A Review

Posted in Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Giveaway, Historical by

 ♥♥♥♥♥An Astounding Read ♥♥♥♥♥

Anna is a fiery tomboy living in ancient Palestine whose androgynous appearance provokes ridicule from the people around her and doubt within her own heart. When tragedy strikes her family, and Anna’s father—disguising her as a boy—sells her to a band of shepherds, she is captured by a mystical and secret society of women hiding in the desert. At first Anna is tempted to escape, but she soon finds that the sisterhood’s teachings and healing abilities, wrapped in an ancient philosophy they call “The Way,” have unleashed an unexpected power within her.

When danger befalls the caves in which the sisters have made their home, Anna embarks on a hazardous mission to preserve the wisdom of her mentors by proclaiming it among ordinary people. Her daring quest and newfound destiny reveal, at last, the full truth of her identity—a shocking revelation that will spark as much controversy as it does celebration.

Anna’s story is one of transformation, betrayal, love, loss, deception, and above all, redemption. Readers will cheer for this unforgettable protagonist—and for debut novelist Kristen Wolf, whose beautifully written book both provokes and inspires. A compelling mix of history, myth, and fantasy, The Way is a fascinating exploration of the foundations and possibilities of human spirituality.

~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~

I pride myself on being able to find some fine and good quality about each book I read, but it’s not often that I’m blow away. This was one of those rare times. Kristen Wolf takes a story that most of us knows by heart and puts a new spin on it–the story of Jesus. In the same vein as The Last Temptation of Christ and The DaVinci Code, Kristen weaves an amazing tale of what might have been. I say The Last Temptation because her book gives us a different look into the familiar stories and shows  us a  possibility that borders on speculative fiction. I mention The Da Vinci Code because there is much historical and Biblical fact woven throughout.

This book is effortless and easy to read despite the heavy content. The descriptions are near poetry and play out like a movie unfolding in the mind’s eye. The Way will suck you in and not let you go until the last page. Ever read a book, then hate when you get to the end, knowing it’s over? This is that book.

However, I’m sure this book will spur controversy to those who are steeped in the tales as told in the Good Book. I like to think that I’m opened minded for a Christian. Did the story of Jesus happen like in Kristen’s tale? I don’t know. Do  I believe it happened this way? Uhum…not sure about that either. But what The Way will do is make you stop and think. And I believe that just what Kristen wants for us.

So I  applaud her for the fabulous book and the success of making us stop and examine the truth as we know it. Hats off to you, Kristen Wolf.

~*~*~*~ Meet Kristen ~*~*~*~


 
Kristen Wolf, 43, is a mother and writer living in the Rocky Mountains. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown University and holds an M.A. in creative writing and film from Hollins College where she was awarded a full scholarship.
As a child, Wolf grew up in a heavily forested suburb outside New York City with her parents, a younger brother, and an ever-changing menagerie of pet animals.
Both Wolf’s parents and grandparents passed onto her an avid love and respect for nature which explains the photos of Wolf posing with an ever-widening array of pets, including cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice, quail, two raccoons, chickens, even a squirrel that lived in her bedroom! Needless to say, hers wasn’t the average American family.
Later, Wolf’s family purchased land in upstate New York and on weekends and summers lived like a regular Swiss Family Robinson, clearing the land, building fences, barns and, eventually, raising and tending cattle, horses, pigs, goats, chickens etc. This led to a very unique life for Wolf and her brother as they lived like farmers on the weekends and students in a suburban public school during the week.
Wolf credits her unique childhood for providing her with keen powers of observation, a passion for living things, unlimited curiosity, and a strong independent streak.
As an adult, Wolf has worked primarily as filmmaker and writer.
THE WAY is her first novel.

~*~*~*~  Connect with Kristen ~*~*~*~

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops! **Everyone who leaves a comment on Kristen’s tour page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of The Way before August 20 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**

A Year to Remember by Shelly Bell ~ A Review & More

Posted in Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Excerpt, Humor, Interviews, Romance, self-published by

♥♥♥♥♥ You Gotta Read This Book! ♥♥♥♥♥               

When her younger brother marries on her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the year.　 After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend, Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool. Her journey leads her to question the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara must begin to take her first steps toward recovery from her addiction to food.

~*~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~*~

This is a really long post, so  I’ll keep my review short and sweet. READ THIS BOOK.  But seriously, A Year to Remember is laugh out loud funny, and I was sad to see it end. The kind of book that you want to thumb back through even though you just read the last page. The kind of book with characters you wish you could be friends with. Even better, the ending is *good*, and Sara ends up with the right man for her.  You can’t always say that about chicklit. And y’all know I’m a sucker for a happy ending. Okay, I demand it on a regular basis. There’s no one more deserving of a happy ending than Sara. She’s funny, a good friend, and an all around decent person. That’s not to say that she’s perfect, but isn’t it our imperfections that make us funny, I mean, human. And for Sara, the year is about more than just finding the perfect man. It’s a year of hard self discoveries. As painful as that may be, I wish us all to have A Year to Remember!

~*~*~*~*~ An Excerpt From A Year To Remember ~*~*~*~*~

“Today, I turned twenty-nine and I wonder if I’ll ever meet my own beshert. Did we already meet and fail to recognize we belonged together? Did I lose my chance already?”

I stopped and pondered my own profound musings for a moment, before remembering I still held the microphone. Oh dear, what was I saying? I decided I better wrap it up, since the room started spinning.

“I’m jealous of my brother.” Crap, did that really just come out of my mouth?

“I mean, I’m not jealous just because my younger brother got married before me and I’m twenty-nine with no possible prospects in sight,” I stammered.

The audience giggled, and I wondered if they believed me, because I sure didn’t.

“I’m happy for my brother, because if he can find his beshert, it gives me hope that someday, I will, too.”

Before I could stop myself, the words I would live to regret flew out of my mouth. “Even without a significant man in my life at the moment, I promise you by the time I turn thirty, I will be married.”

Oh my God, did I really just say that? “With that, I’ll end by saying Mazel Tov, Seth and Emily. L’chayim!” I held up my empty glass of champagne.

Everyone clapped as I returned to my table. I hoped the videographer could edit my speech out of the wedding video, or ’I’d never live it down. My brother would play it at every holiday just to torture me.

Missy gave me a sympathetic smile. “That was a great speech until you blew it by admitting you were jealous and swore to marry by your thirtieth birthday.”

I groaned and put my head in my hands, terrified to think the night just started.

~*~*~*~*~ Let’s Hear From Shelly ~*~*~*~*~

Where did the story idea come from/how did it come about? 

I was working on another book when the idea for A Year to Remember downloaded in my head as my family and I drove to the movie theater. That’s literally what happened; The scenes, main character names, and even the title, came to me all at once like a downloaded movie. I skipped the film I was supposed to see and wrote the outline in the lobby. Three months later, I had a completed manuscript.

When I was turning thirty, I decided I needed to do anything and everything to find a husband. I used to say my dates were so bad, I should write a book about them. Eight years later I did.

One thing you want the reader to walk away with after reading this book.  

I’m hoping they’ll walk away with the knowledge that weight can be a symptom of food addiction and it’s not always about lack of willpower.

Why did you choose your genre? 

I love reading Chick Lit, especially books by Jennifer Weiner and Jane Green (I apologize to them if they feel that classifying them as Chick Lit authors demeans them. That’s not my intention.) To me, it’s the most personal way for readers to identify with the protagonist. I wanted my readers to know what goes on in a food addict’s mind.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing? 

Finding the time is difficult for me. I’m a full-time attorney and I have two elementary aged children, so I’m often writing at the table while my kids do their homework. I gave up television in order to write.

What advice would you give to writers just starting out?   

Join a writer’s organization like Romance Writers of America. There is such a wealth of information to be found from peers. It’s not only about the writing these days. Authors are expected to know about the publishing industry and how to market themselves. Savvy Authors is another great resource to learn about the industry and it offers excellent workshops. Most importantly, don’t give up!

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?  

There are some days when the words don’t flow. On those days, I don’t write. I’ll edit or research. I take a step back and wait for it. Usually, it’s when I’m not thinking about it that I’ll get an idea. The inspiration can come from anywhere, but often times it’s through lyrics in a song on the radio.

 What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers? 

Beta readers are a great tool to utilize while you’re writing. That way, you can have other people tell you what’s working and not working. It’s different from a critique partner or writing group because beta readers aren’t writers; they’re readers. Social media is another tool that’s important. It connects you to potential readers, but more importantly, it connects you to others in the industry. I find writers to be very supportive, and I love making contact with them through Twitter and Facebook. Once you have a finished manuscript, a website or blog is an absolute must.

~*~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~*~

Shelly Bell started reading at three years old. In elementary school, the librarian gave her books to test out for the school library. As a teenager, she spent her allowance each week on romance novels, enjoying both young adult and adult romance.

Married to Jason in 2003, they have two children and reside in the metro-Detroit area, where she reads on her Kindle each night when her family falls asleep.

She is a member of Romance Writers of America and writes both women’s fiction and paranormal romance.

~*~*~*~*~ Connect with Shelly ~*~*~*~*~

www.ShellyBellBooks.com

Twitter Facebook

Pinterest             LinkedIn

Google Plus       Goodreads

~*~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~*~

 ~*~ For e-book ~*~

Soul Mate Publishing

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

 ~*~ For paperback ~*~

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

~*~*~*~*~ Shelly On Tour ~*~*~*~*~

 http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/04/year-to-remember-by-shelly-bell.html

Paula Takes a Risk by Randi Sherman

Posted in Book review, Chick Lit Plus, Chicklit, Guest Post, Humor, self-published by

♥~♥~♥~♥~♥ A Fun Read ♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

After thirty-four years of just letting life happen to her, Paula Tenenbaum’s mundane existence was suddenly interrupted. It was bad enough to be fired from her job because she was “average”, but on that same day, her boyfriend also dumped her for being “un-dynamic.” Somehow, someway Paula needed to make a change. But before she could figure out what her first step should be, her scheming neighbor Larry tapped into her silent desperation and dreams and challenged everything that she believed about herself. At first Paula was skeptical and scared, but quickly, she realized that she had nothing to lose, as she donned the persona of the successful, and vibrant individual that she had always dreamed of being, navigating thru business, colorful personalities and the people that she had idolized from afar. Written with sharp humor, and huge personality, Paula Takes A Risk is the hilarious story about the metamorphosis of Paula Tenenbaum, who naively enters into an adventure that changes her life. This is a story certain to strike a chord in anyone who secretly desires change, but is afraid to make it.

~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~~*~*~

I think there’s a little bit of Paula in all of us. Timid, in a rut, comfortable in our life even if we’re not necessarily *happy* with it. And like most of us, Paula needs an outside force to get her moving in a new direction. I guess that’s what losing your job, your longtime boyfriend breaking up with you, and having a manipulative neighbor can do for a person.

Paula gets dragged from her safe-haven of a life and into a world of deception. Not the espionage kind, but the “putting on airs in order to impress people and make them believe you are something that you are not” variety. At the encouragement of her neighbor, Larry, Paula pretends to be an executive vice president of a fictional investment company. But somewhere along the way, a stab of conscious gets to her and the dream world they build comes crashing around their ears.

One thing I really enjoyed about Paula Takes a Risk–other than Randi Sherman’s snarky sense of humor–is that Randi doesn’t overwhelm the reader with the ins and outs of the business world. She definitively catered to her readers with this. Women who  picked up the book for a fun and sassy read, but didn’t necessarily want to learn how to take over Wall Street in three easy steps.

But there was one problem with Paula Takes a Risk. It was just too short!

Seriously though, Paula Takes a Risk is a great read: laugh-out-loud funny while it makes the reader wonder if it’s time for them to take a risk as well.

~*~*~*~ Let’s hear from Randi ~*~*~*~

Patience: I wish I had more.

I chose the self-publishing route because I lack the giselle-like grace and patience to jump through the burning hoops of fire that the publishing world has put into place for new authors.

Submit an outline. No, submit the first seven pages or first chapter, whichever is shorter. What else have you written?  Are you well known? Are you as important as a misbehaved, illiterate rap or reality star or perhaps the drug addled or fourteen year old celebrity who is writing his memoirs – because they are the literary works that are slotted for this year’s print and release. This is what the new author has to look forward to.

I had to be honest with myself. My books are contemporary fiction and may not withstand the multi-year wait or fermentation on a publisher’s desk. To illustrate my point, imagine the difference between:

“Marilyn pulled out her four pound Motorola Brick Analogue Mobile telephone, raised its antennae, and closed her eyes as she tried to recall John’s phone number. As she listened to the third crackling ring, she prayed that he was home. Maybe he would come and help her change the flat tire.”

Verses

“Marilyn pulled out her iPhone and pressed the road assistance icon.”

I was coming upon a milestone birthday and I looked at my life, my choices, and my goals. I wanted to make a change. I looked at the book that I had been working on it off-and-on for years. It was ready. The book Paula Takes a Risk is about takings risks to make dreams come true, and I asked myself: If not now, then when and if not me, well… then who?

I did an online search for self-publishing services. I found that there were plenty to choose from. So, I chose one. The account manager was attentive. A copy editor was assigned and I worked with a designer on the cover. The account manager worked with me on pricing and target audiences and I even purchased a social networking promotional guidance package. The whole process was straight forward and easy. In my dreams, it was only a matter of time before my biggest problem would be managing my schedule around my book signing tour and interviews.  I ignored the truth, which is, I was a client and the publisher simply provided printing and publishing services. The rest was up to me.

Sure when I received the box containing hardcopies of the Paula Takes A Risk, I thought – Wow, here we go! But the work was just beginning. My only regret is that I should have taken the time earlier in the process to learn how to be my own literary agent, publicist and cheer leader. I’m doing that now.

This is what I have learned:

Writing the book is the easy part.

Be realistic. What are you true goals?

Take your time and find the right self-publishing partner

You don’t have to spend a ton on money to self-publish, there all types of choices to make (hardcopies verses on-line book sources)

Learn about social media and how to use it

Learn some patience.

~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~

Randi Sherman, a native Californian, lives in San Francisco. With her tremendous grasp of the obvious, Randi has always had the ability to find humor in the mundane and share the laughter. She dares to examine and discuss everyday foibles, which obliges people to stop taking themselves too seriously.
Developing characters and writing have been a part of Randi’s life since she was a teenager, umm-mmum-mumm years ago. She spent time performing stand-up comedy at Los Angeles club amateur nights and studied Improvisation in the Bay Area. Realizing that she preferred having an income, living indoors and eating regularly, she reluctantly put her dreams on hold and entered the corporate world, yet never left behind her sense of humor and creative storytelling ability, skills which were not always appreciated during budget and strategy meetings.
Now, after living indoors for a while and eating, albeit too much, her book, Paula Takes a Risk is here. Randi’s unique wit, writing style and candor will surely make the reader sit up, stand up, roll over or assume an interested leaning position and take notice.
Randi would never claim to have a genius IQ, the body of a super model or always have the right thing to wear. However, she can spell the words, “smart” and “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Randi maintains a trim, well-toned body that is cleverly concealed beneath twenty pounds of soft protective layering and she has the appetite of a bird. (By “bird” I mean vulture.) Her entire wardrobe consists of black, black and varying degrees of black, except for those items that are covered with lint because she put them through the wash with a tissue.
Things that Randi cannot live without: people to laugh with, her car horn, a gym membership where there are chubby women who break into a sweat while putting on a jog bra, wine, waist capes, and her partner, Carol.
Randi does not like mean-spirited people, liver, left-overs, communal dressing rooms, tight underwear, and people who point.
Randi is five-foot-seven.

~*~*~*~ Connect with Paula & Randi ~*~*~*~

paulatakesarisk@gmail.com

http://paulatakesarisk.com

http://randimsherman.blogspot.com/

~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~

http://www.friesenpress.com/bookstore/title/119734000004536283/Randi-M.-Sherman-Paula-Takes-a-Risk

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=paula+takes+a+risk

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paula-takes-a-risk-randi-m-sherman/1108568694

~*~*~*~ Randi on Tour ~*~*~*~

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/06/paula-takes-risk-by-randi-m-sherman.html

Thanks to Paula and Randi for visiting today. And thanks to you for joining us!

Lots of <3–Amie