tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14514075443194135522024-03-13T22:05:08.803-07:00The Literary ImaginariumBook Reviews and GiveawaysSamantha Bayarrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410430363990417407noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-79958220957572944572012-02-17T20:33:00.000-08:002015-03-25T22:33:01.630-07:00Winner of Follower Love Giveaway Hop...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>CONGRATULATIONS!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Molly Adams</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>winner of the $25 Amazon gift card!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><b>winner chosen using Random.org</b></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-3161377981162793942012-02-06T21:32:00.000-08:002012-02-06T21:32:08.397-08:00Giveaway Love Blog Hop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Win a $25 Amazon gift card!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Just follow this blog to enter!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Then leave a comment with your email </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>address at the bottom of this post!</b></span></div>
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<b>It's that easy!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>For more blog hops follow this link:</b></div>
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<b><a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com</a></b></div>
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com223tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-34442365584883129572012-01-14T07:50:00.000-08:002012-01-14T07:50:06.931-08:00New Year Giveaway Winner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vrW3JbUTJ-s/TxGjU6FoVrI/AAAAAAAABA8/9nXoWCmXe-c/s1600/giveaway+hop+new+year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vrW3JbUTJ-s/TxGjU6FoVrI/AAAAAAAABA8/9nXoWCmXe-c/s320/giveaway+hop+new+year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>CONGRATULTIONS!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Winner is:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Sweetpea18 (Heather)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><b>winner chosen using Random.org</b></span></div></div>Samantha Bayarrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410430363990417407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-53657646897933917472011-12-29T20:22:00.000-08:002012-01-04T15:47:50.458-08:00New Year Giveaway Blog Hop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uIsYKSvFDBQ/Tv04pxRdSPI/AAAAAAAAAKU/CHluiDy_ll4/s1600/giveaway+hop+new+year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uIsYKSvFDBQ/Tv04pxRdSPI/AAAAAAAAAKU/CHluiDy_ll4/s320/giveaway+hop+new+year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Enter</span> to win a Kindle copy of 3 great books!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You MUST <span style="color: red;">follow</span> this blog to enter.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Leave a comment at the end of this post with your </span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">email</span> address for a chance to win all 3 Kindle books!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Apothecary, by Samantha Bayarr</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zPu7h7ToAbg/Tv05jIa1e4I/AAAAAAAAAKg/hME8e0T3kP0/s1600/AA+apothecary+NEW+Kindle+cover+BLOG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zPu7h7ToAbg/Tv05jIa1e4I/AAAAAAAAAKg/hME8e0T3kP0/s320/AA+apothecary+NEW+Kindle+cover+BLOG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When Claire Mayfield suddenly finds herself the new heir of a property that has lain vacant for over one hundred years, she becomes leery of the rumors of the hauntings from the three young children who were said to have been murdered there. With a little encouragement from Ben, the lawyer who breaks the news of the inheritance to her, Claire agrees to explore the manor, but only on the condition that Ben accompanies her. Finding her attractive, he accepts the challenge, and the two embark on an adventure that will forever change their lives. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite a few distractions and bumps along the way, Claire discovers her great uncle, Dr. Blackwell's, apothecary and traveling medicine show from the late 1800's, and even stumbles upon clues that could help her solve her ancestor's one hundred-year-old murder-mystery—all with a little help from a mischievous young girl who has been dead for over one hundred years.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>For Nothing, by Nicholas Denmon</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o4QlnXu_id8/Tv06G8klk_I/AAAAAAAAAKs/GzhTwHcd86Y/s1600/11340660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o4QlnXu_id8/Tv06G8klk_I/AAAAAAAAAKs/GzhTwHcd86Y/s320/11340660.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Undercover cop Alex Vaughn goes deeper than ever into the organized crime family of Buffalo, NY. Motivated by justice and revenge, he seeks out the assassin that laid his friend Jack low.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> <br style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Professional killer Rafael Rontego traverses the deadly politics of Buffalo’s mafia underbelly. In a city whose winter can be just as deadly as those wielding power, Rontego tries to stay ahead of the game.</span></span><br style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> <br style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Their two worlds collide in this epic thriller that takes the reader on a search for self, justice, and truth.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br />
</span></span></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Baggage Claim, by Amanda Tru</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br />
</span></span></span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9TT86bdrkQU/Tv06qu54bQI/AAAAAAAAAK4/EuhcsQ7604Y/s1600/00+baggage+claim+PINK+750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9TT86bdrkQU/Tv06qu54bQI/AAAAAAAAAK4/EuhcsQ7604Y/s320/00+baggage+claim+PINK+750.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Montana native, Rachel Saunders, is looking forward to her all-expense paid weekend trip to New York. But, when her luggage is lost and she is accosted by an infuriating Homeland Security agent named Dawson Tate, events take a dangerous turn. Now, can she and Dawson elude their enemies and prevent a terrorist attack before the bomb in their possession is detonated in the center of Manhattan--all while keeping their obvious attraction to one another in check? Find out in this Romantic Thriller.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-37345416234324463022011-12-01T20:02:00.000-08:002011-12-01T20:02:34.097-08:00Paperback vs Ebook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e--w2IT7BDE/TthLLkvYaCI/AAAAAAAAAGU/IkzPI2m5_Vc/s1600/Bookmark+Bijoux+from+Everyday+Beauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e--w2IT7BDE/TthLLkvYaCI/AAAAAAAAAGU/IkzPI2m5_Vc/s400/Bookmark+Bijoux+from+Everyday+Beauty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
As we near another new year, we're forced to look ahead at not just the changes in the season, but in the technology as well. Everywhere in the media lately article after article tells us that paperbacks are being phased out, and soon we will have only ebooks to read...<br />
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I have to say that I will honestly mourn the loss of having a physical book to open...to turn it's pages, and hold it's place on my bookshelf while I'm reading it for the second or third time. Don't get my wrong, I like my Kindle, but those of us who still love the feel of having a book in our hands, turning the pages on your Kindle just doesn't hold the same joy as flipping the pages of a physical book.<br />
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If we must bid farewell to the written word in physical form, then I will evolve along with the rest of the world. But the classics will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will preserve them on my shelf until we meet again in the midst of our adventures...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-70491826635457750562011-11-18T11:51:00.000-08:002011-11-18T11:53:29.774-08:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Awesome Award:</span></div>
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<img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EgXZ-5d8z6g/TrMI7Bk7_8I/AAAAAAAAAFY/0I80-KbV_Kg/s1600/Liebster+Blog+Award.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.199219) 0px 0px 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #222222; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px 0px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: transparent; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: transparent; border-top-left-radius: 0px 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.199219) 0px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" /> </div>
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<div class="separator" style="background-color: #141414; clear: both; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
This is a pay it forward award!</div>
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I will now select my five top favourite blogs to receive this award.</div>
<div style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;">Should they choose to accept, the recipients need to copy and paste the award to their blog, thank the person who awarded them, and then award their own top-5 favorite blogs with the Liebster Award!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;">I certainly hope that you will visit these blogs, and that you will love them like I do!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">(oh, and follow them!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My Blog Awards go to:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://livingstonhallpublishers.blogspot.com/" style="color: whitesmoke; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">Livingston Hall Publishers</a></div>
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<a href="http://iwriteindie.blogspot.com/" style="color: whitesmoke; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">iWrite Indie</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/" style="color: whitesmoke; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">I'm a Reader not a Writer</a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /><br />
<a href="http://24-7bookcafe.blogspot.com/" style="color: whitesmoke; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">24/7 Book Cafe</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<a href="http://amberinblunderland.blogspot.com/" style="color: whitesmoke; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Down the Rabbit Hole</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Congratulations!</span><br />
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Don't forget- In accepting the Liebster Blog Award, the recipient agrees to:</div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
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- Thank the person that gave the award and link back to their blog<br />
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- Copy and paste the award to your blog<br />
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- Reveal the 5 blogs you have chosen to award and let them know by commenting on their blog<br />
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- Pay it forward by accepting and awarding it to bloggers they would like to honor<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-91065824852856770812011-10-24T06:24:00.000-07:002011-10-24T09:34:18.283-07:00Spooktacular Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hss01-CRI9w/TqVmRSKuxdI/AAAAAAAAAGM/LvesT3JFNDA/s1600/Spooktacular.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hss01-CRI9w/TqVmRSKuxdI/AAAAAAAAAGM/LvesT3JFNDA/s400/Spooktacular.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>I'm giving my spot on the linky away to another blog who was able to do a giveaway, but was too late to make it on the linky.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>TO TAKE YOU TO iWrite for your chance to </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>win a $50 Amazon gift certificate!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://iwriteindie.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">http://iwriteindie.blogspot.com/</span></a></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-89169365412005429892011-09-09T19:02:00.000-07:002011-09-09T19:02:11.508-07:00And the winner is...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U1u7q7TBWf8/Tl7ciju8ydI/AAAAAAAAAFk/b0ui7-SJZCI/s1600/00+AA+books333-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U1u7q7TBWf8/Tl7ciju8ydI/AAAAAAAAAFk/b0ui7-SJZCI/s1600/00+AA+books333-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Congratulations Amy W.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">She won the Kindle gift card!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7nqmYFvEbY/Tl7wPcc-HtI/AAAAAAAAAFo/3DS3uUv3Jv8/s1600/00+41Z-Y2VPI-L._AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7nqmYFvEbY/Tl7wPcc-HtI/AAAAAAAAAFo/3DS3uUv3Jv8/s200/00+41Z-Y2VPI-L._AA300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-84281920045151418162011-08-31T19:40:00.000-07:002011-10-15T08:27:56.699-07:00Back to the books blog hop giveaway!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U1u7q7TBWf8/Tl7ciju8ydI/AAAAAAAAAFk/b0ui7-SJZCI/s1600/00+AA+books333-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U1u7q7TBWf8/Tl7ciju8ydI/AAAAAAAAAFk/b0ui7-SJZCI/s320/00+AA+books333-1.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7nqmYFvEbY/Tl7wPcc-HtI/AAAAAAAAAFo/3DS3uUv3Jv8/s1600/00+41Z-Y2VPI-L._AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_RO9sBo_lw/Tl7wlEkQcKI/AAAAAAAAAFs/yH4nGPceQd8/s1600/00+41Z-Y2VPI-L._AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_RO9sBo_lw/Tl7wlEkQcKI/AAAAAAAAAFs/yH4nGPceQd8/s200/00+41Z-Y2VPI-L._AA300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://cart4.barnesandnoble.com/gresources/gc/2000003504961_med.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://cart4.barnesandnoble.com/gresources/gc/2000003504961_med.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One Lucky winner!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">$10 Amazon gift card </span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">OR</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">$10 Barnes & Noble gift card</span></b></div>
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<b></b></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-44925769470829547892011-08-08T11:52:00.000-07:002011-08-08T11:52:34.213-07:00Winner has been chosen!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4dVPhOk0UE/TgzLhz3eNcI/AAAAAAAAAFU/J4p4tsUOH_4/s1600/summer+hop+Lori.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4dVPhOk0UE/TgzLhz3eNcI/AAAAAAAAAFU/J4p4tsUOH_4/s320/summer+hop+Lori.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><b>Congratulations to: ioana97!</b></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-46290326762837458832011-07-31T18:48:00.000-07:002011-08-31T18:09:02.351-07:00Summer Giveaway Hop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4dVPhOk0UE/TgzLhz3eNcI/AAAAAAAAAFU/J4p4tsUOH_4/s1600/summer+hop+Lori.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4dVPhOk0UE/TgzLhz3eNcI/AAAAAAAAAFU/J4p4tsUOH_4/s320/summer+hop+Lori.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Hosted by <a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/">http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/p/giveaway-hop_17.html">http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/p/giveaway-hop_17.html</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b>This is the chance for one lucky person </b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><b>to win 4 exciting Kindle books!</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">You MUST follow this blog to enter!</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">THEN...leave a comment at the bottom of this post with your email address for a chance to win all 4 of these Kindle books!</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAhS2KOBR0E/TgzAJoBAfVI/AAAAAAAAAFI/42qKeO530Gc/s1600/A+Secret+in+the+Attic+II+%25282%2529+COPY+COPY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAhS2KOBR0E/TgzAJoBAfVI/AAAAAAAAAFI/42qKeO530Gc/s320/A+Secret+in+the+Attic+II+%25282%2529+COPY+COPY.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>A Secret in the Attic</b></span></div>
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<b>By Samantha Jillian Bayarr</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amy has two best
friends. Emma is her best friend and rival, Jonathon is her childhood sweetheart.
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">But then she
meets Jake, and everything changes. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When Amy finds
an ancient book in an old steamer trunk in her grandmother’s attic, her world
is turned upside down. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The book
contains an old gypsy curse; a curse so powerful it’s called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Curse of the Widowed Bride</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amy’s secrets
could destroy all of them, but what’s a few secrets between friends? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Only one can
break the curse. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which one will
walk down the aisle? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Find out in this
urban fantasy <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h1XKyChxTo/TgzD8RAGM8I/AAAAAAAAAFM/E5DTZaFcERw/s1600/AA+gloria+schumann+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h1XKyChxTo/TgzD8RAGM8I/AAAAAAAAAFM/E5DTZaFcERw/s320/AA+gloria+schumann+cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Called Home</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>By Gloria Schumann</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Emma Benson's view of life was crafted by the death of her brother
as a child, abandonment by her father and later, the man she trusted she would
marry, until David Schlosser-back in town after years in New York writing
best-selling novels-threatens her neatly tended life. Romance blooms. Emma and
David eventually persevere in the face of tragedy, refusing to leave their
dreams behind.</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GzYFpl6EeWw/TjYCnrrgaFI/AAAAAAAAAFc/plUO38CVfAU/s1600/00+Broken+Ladders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GzYFpl6EeWw/TjYCnrrgaFI/AAAAAAAAAFc/plUO38CVfAU/s320/00+Broken+Ladders.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Broken Ladders</span></b></div>
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<b>By Michelle Isenhoff</b></div>
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<b><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hannah Wallace would like nothing better than to escape the tedium
and never-ending work of the family farm. She feels lost among so many siblings
and haunted by the memory of a brother that Pa wanted more than he wanted her.
She needs a chance to set herself apart, but nothing exciting ever happens in
Wayland.</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">When war breaks out between the states, her father
and brother leave to fight, but the army isn’t open to twelve-year-old girls.
All the local dangers dried up years ago – soon after her parents unloaded
their wagon on Michigan’s fast-filling frontier – leaving Hannah with nothing
but pretend adventures. Before long, the pressures of running an unmanned farm
wring even her imagination dry.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Then the farm is threatened. Hannah vows to save
it to finally prove herself to Pa. Her determination catches her up in the
adventure she’s always longed for and leads to some discoveries about herself
that she never expected.</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFkKGVwn4BM/TjYDR6rOzoI/AAAAAAAAAFg/NemY528ToT0/s1600/00+320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFkKGVwn4BM/TjYDR6rOzoI/AAAAAAAAAFg/NemY528ToT0/s320/00+320.jpg" width="212" /></a></b></div>
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<b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></b></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Candle Star</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>By Michelle Isenhoff</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b></b></div>
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<b><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Twelve-year-old Emily Preston has plans for her life; plans in
direct opposition to her parents' wishes. After a moment of high spirits - a
tantrum her mother called it - she is shipped off to stay with her Uncle Isaac.
But his Detroit hotel is nothing like the beautiful plantation she has always
known.</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">In Detroit, Emily meets Malachi, a son of freed
slaves who has grand schemes of his own. Their abrasive relationship gradually
challenges many of the ideas Emily has grown up believing. But when she
stumbles upon two run-aways hidden in her uncle's barn soon after a group
of slave catchers checks into the hotel, Emily must determine her own
convictions.</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></b></div>
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<b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">Don't forget to follow this blog and leave your comment </span></span></span></b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">with your email address at the end of this post for your </span></span></span></b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">chance to win these 4 exciting Kindle books!</span></span></span></b></b><br />
<b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span></span></span></b></b></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-79797742263464491562011-07-14T15:18:00.001-07:002011-07-14T15:18:57.410-07:00The Power of Forgiveness, Guest Post by: Samantha Bayarr<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 17px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><b>Forgiveness: To pardon or excuse: no longer to blame or be angry with someone who has done you wrong.</b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;"><b>NIV Bible Dictionary Terms<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="apple-style-span"><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">21</span></sup></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><span class="apple-style-span"><sup id="en-NKJV-23746">22</sup></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;"><b>Matthew 18:21,22 NKJ<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">In 1995, I began to write my very first book, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15%22%20style=%22color:%20#1637b8; font-size: 13px; font-family: Georgia;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Unto Others</a>"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15" style="color: #1637b8; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Unto Others</a></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">,</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"> as a means of “therapy” to overcome some of the difficulties I had growing up with an alcoholic mother. I’d heard somewhere that if you placed your issues in a “journal” as though they were someone else’s life and not your own, it would release the burden by placing it onto a fictional character.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b>I was all for handing over the pains of my childhood to someone else and making them “her” burdens and not my own. Before I began the book, I knew I was still holding onto a lot of the past, though I’d tried to forgive my mother for the struggles she put me through during her bout with alcoholism.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 36px;">Excerpt </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 27px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15%22%20style=%22color:%20#1637b8; font-size: 13px; font-family: Georgia;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Unto Others</a>"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15" style="color: #1637b8; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Unto Others</a></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> (Book Four)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{The alley was always a safe place to hide whenever my mother was calling for me. It was fall, and her screams blended with the wind, blowing through the dry leaves on the trees that lined the alley. Long branches hung low with the force of the wind, scraping them against the worn, brick road. The constant rustling of the leaves helped to soften her screeching tones, providing me with an alibi for not heeding her warning. Within the row of trees, the leaves on the branches blocked out just enough sun to give the appearance of a long, dark tunnel. At first glance, the alley might have seemed like the setting of a child’s nightmare. For me, any place so devoid of the "witch" could only be a haven.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I walked slowly toward the house, trying to remain in my sanctuary a little longer. At this close range, even my own thoughts couldn’t block out her angry words. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Jane, you little blond-headed brat, where are you?” <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every time she spoke to me in such a cruel manner, it made me cringe with hatred for my own name. I forced myself to move forward, knowing that stalling would only make things worse.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I reached the tall, snowball bushes toward the house, I could see my mother standing on the back stoop. Anna Mae Reeves was short and grossly thin, with black hair and deep circles that surrounded her eyes. The cigarettes and alcohol seemed to age her far beyond the twenty-eight years that she was. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I approached the house, I could see more easily the impatience in the lines of my mother’s face as she waited for me with a wooden spoon in her hand. My thoughts turned to panic, when I realized I was going to get hit for something, regardless of whether I was guilty of it or not. I cowered behind the bushes, watching her tapping her foot against the wooden slats of the porch; it sent an unspoken message that I was going to get hit a lot worse if I didn’t hurry. I dawdled just a bit more, letting my vision blur, and all the while wondering what it would be like to be rescued from this terrible witch who calls herself my mother.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was no use putting off the pain that was to come for whatever I had or hadn’t done wrong, so I went to her, hoping to get it over with.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You horrible little brat, I would like nothing more than to kill you right now. Give me a reason. Just give me one good reason why I shouldn’t.” <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She shook her finger at me. “I only let you live for one reason—to clean my house. When I was five, I did twice the work you do. You give me no other choice but to take you out of my misery. So what’s it going to be?” <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wasn’t quite five yet, but I knew better than to talk back. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somehow, I managed to dodge her first swing at me, and I knocked over her bottle of beer that rested on the top rail of the porch. I watched in shock as it rolled down the steps in slow motion, leaving a trail of beer over each step. As it hit the concrete, it echoed a grinding roll before breaking, allowing the remaining beer to escape through the cracks. At that moment, her face began to curl up as I pulled in a deep breath and held it. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Look what you’ve done. You’re going to pay for that beer, you little brat.” <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I had a chance to get away from her, she managed to grab hold of me, and started hitting me in the head with the wooden spoon. My hands went up to soften the blows to my head, but my knuckles got hit when she swung the spoon without a single pause. She retained her grip on my arm as I doubled over slightly from the sting, trying desperately not to cry.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Why haven’t you done the dishes yet?” she demanded. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her face was close to mine, and I breathed in the sour smell of the beer on her breath as she spoke. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Experience warned me not to speak, but I was angry.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I could’ve done ‘em if ya…”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“If I what?” she interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“If ya didn’t lock me outta the house,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I don’t lock you out of the house. You are a liar.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried to pull away from her, but she was stronger than me. “I don’t lie and Mitchell says you pass out on the sofa.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My brother Mitchell told my sister and me that she passes out from all the beer that she drinks every day. He also filled my head by convincing me she was a witch with a crystal ball, and she could see everything I did.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the beating finally ended, she let me drop out of her grasp and I fell to the ground. “Get up, you pathetic child, and do what I told you to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I struggled to regain my footing in spite of the many bruises I could already feel. I tried not to cry aloud as I wiped blood from the scrapes on my arms and hands, knowing that it would anger her even more to hear me cry. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You’re a worthless child, and I don’t know why I let you live. If you don’t get those dishes done before your father gets home, I’ll make you clean the litter box with your bare hands again,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After straightening my tattered shorts that I’d soiled in the struggle, and pushing my tear-dampened hair behind my ear, I moved slowly through the screen door and into the kitchen. My mother had suddenly vanished without my knowledge of her whereabouts.}</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 800;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">As I wrote each page of the things that earmarked my formative years, the burdens amazingly lifted from my shoulders onto the pages, leaving me with a collection of bad memories that now belonged to “Jane”, my fictional “me”.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">Before I knew it, I had written an account of more than 12 years of my life in fictional format.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">Knowing I could never publish such a work in its present state, I set out to change Jane’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">Now, in its watered-down state, the reader gets the basic premise of “Jane’s” childhood, while allowing it to remain fictional. I had come to realize that once it reached the page, it was no longer about me; it was about Jane. And because it was Jane’s life, I no longer needed to carry it around with me.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">I was well on my way to letting go and forgiving my mother for the past. But I wasn’t done yet…I had to transform Jane’s life, thus <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15%22%20style=%22color:%20#1637b8; font-size: 13px; font-family: Georgia;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Book One</a>"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15" style="color: #1637b8; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Book One</a>, was created. In Book One of my Christian fiction series, I give Jane the power of God, something that was almost non-existent in my own life while growing up.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">It was important to me to show the readers how Jane had progressed and how her relationship with her mother had changed. Out of that desire, my relationship with <i>my</i> mother began to heal. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">While arming the fictional me with the power of forgiveness for her mother, a true miracle happened in <i>my</i> life. Through the act of giving Jane’s life to God, I gave my own burdens to God, and opened my heart to forgiving my mother once and for all. What a relief it was to be able to see her through God’s eyes and with God’s heart of forgiveness. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">After telling my mother I’d written the book (part of my healing process), she urged me to publish it because she felt it could help someone else who might have had similar experiences. Though I agreed with her, I wanted to show how the power of forgiveness had transformed Jane and her family to what it is today. But in order to demonstrate those miraculous changes, I knew I would have to wait to release <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15%22%20style=%22color:%20#1637b8; font-size: 13px; font-family: Georgia;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Unto Others</a>"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15" style="color: #1637b8; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Unto Others</a></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">, </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;">until <i>after </i>the readers were able to see Jane’s life transformed in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15%22%20style=%22color:%20#1637b8; font-size: 13px; font-family: Georgia;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Book One</a>"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wild-Flower-Christian-ebook/dp/B0059HB3BE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1310315835&sr=8-15" style="color: #1637b8; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Book One</a>, an Amish/Christian fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though these books are fictional, the purpose for them is as powerful as God’s love. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: large; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/Little-Flower-Amish-Romance-ebook/dp/B0047DWYOG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310245487&sr=8-2%22%20style=%22color:%20#1637b8; font-size: 13px; font-family: Georgia;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Book One</a>"><b></b></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Flower-Amish-Romance-ebook/dp/B0047DWYOG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310245487&sr=8-2" style="color: #1637b8; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Little Wild Flower: Book One</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Jane Abigail Reeves was raised as a city girl. In 1977, at only fifteen, Jane and her family moved to a farmhouse in a rural Amish community in Indiana as a respite for her alcoholic mother. Jane hates farm life, until she stumbles upon Elijah, the Amish boy next door. As she slowly ventures out of her comfort zone, she begins to mimic her family’s acceptance of Amish living and realizes it’s a practical solution for squelching the dysfunction of her family’s past. Can a hippie-chick like Jane find friendship with a sixteen-year-old Amish boy, despite their cultural differences? Will their feelings for each other change as they grow up? </b></span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-26053873589601655972011-07-08T09:46:00.000-07:002011-07-08T09:46:43.671-07:00The Winner has been chosen!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BB3-9bcMBk4/Tgo89L8gSOI/AAAAAAAAAFE/YNq8GFyoKBY/s1600/AA+Freedom+Giveaway+Hop+Button.jpg+222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BB3-9bcMBk4/Tgo89L8gSOI/AAAAAAAAAFE/YNq8GFyoKBY/s1600/AA+Freedom+Giveaway+Hop+Button.jpg+222.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Congratulations!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Darlene</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You are the winner of:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Secret in the Attic</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Called Home</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Special thanks to all who participated.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Winner chosen with Random.org</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-29827958657163303892011-06-30T11:52:00.000-07:002011-10-15T08:29:41.271-07:00Freedom Hop Giveaway!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BB3-9bcMBk4/Tgo89L8gSOI/AAAAAAAAAFE/YNq8GFyoKBY/s1600/AA+Freedom+Giveaway+Hop+Button.jpg+222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BB3-9bcMBk4/Tgo89L8gSOI/AAAAAAAAAFE/YNq8GFyoKBY/s200/AA+Freedom+Giveaway+Hop+Button.jpg+222.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Literary Imaginarium </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>brings you two great giveaways!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>This is your chance to win two great books!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><u>A Secret in the Attic</u></b></span><br />
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAhS2KOBR0E/TgzAJoBAfVI/AAAAAAAAAFI/42qKeO530Gc/s1600/A+Secret+in+the+Attic+II+%25282%2529+COPY+COPY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jAhS2KOBR0E/TgzAJoBAfVI/AAAAAAAAAFI/42qKeO530Gc/s400/A+Secret+in+the+Attic+II+%25282%2529+COPY+COPY.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Amy has two best friends. Emma is her
best friend and rival, Jonathon is her childhood sweetheart. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">But then she meets Jake, and everything
changes. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">When Amy finds an ancient book in an
old steamer trunk in her grandmother’s attic, her world is turned upside down. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">The book contains an old gypsy curse; a
curse so powerful it’s called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Curse
of the Widowed Bride</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Amy’s secrets could destroy all of
them, but what’s a few secrets between friends? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Only one can break the curse. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Which one will walk down the aisle? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Find out in this urban fantasy <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">by Samantha Jillian Bayarr.<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black', sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 800; line-height: 27px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Called Home</span></u></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h1XKyChxTo/TgzD8RAGM8I/AAAAAAAAAFM/E5DTZaFcERw/s1600/AA+gloria+schumann+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h1XKyChxTo/TgzD8RAGM8I/AAAAAAAAAFM/E5DTZaFcERw/s400/AA+gloria+schumann+cover.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Emma
Benson's view of life was crafted as a child by the death of her brother, the
abandonment by her father and later, the man she trusted she would marry. A
teacher by training, she forgoes her chosen path to save the Wisconsin farm she
calls home from financial ruin.</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">A
tornado threatens damage, but David Schlosser—back in town after years in New
York writing best-selling novels—could ruin her neatly tended life. He's
looking for the charms of the small town he once rejected and finds more than
he bargained for. He risks everything to get what he wants.</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">The
storms of life throw Emma and David together and into the world of a criminal
determined to ruin their plans by any means necessary. Robbery and near death
connect Emma and David to their nemesis and during the throes of securing life
and limb they make every effort to resist falling for one another.</span></b></span><b style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It's that simple!</span></strong></b></span></div>
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<b><strong><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">this Blog to enter!</span></span></strong></b></div>
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fffdee;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last Day to Enter is July 7, 2011</span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">omment section below link list!</span></span></strong></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></strong></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-63734318401061178332011-06-27T13:55:00.000-07:002011-06-27T13:55:37.323-07:00And the winners are...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSzUD7YHimo/TgjjmODU5jI/AAAAAAAAAFA/vzfJflOv9rE/s1600/midsummers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSzUD7YHimo/TgjjmODU5jI/AAAAAAAAAFA/vzfJflOv9rE/s400/midsummers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The winners have been chosen using Random.org</div>
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$10 Amazon Gift Card: PrincessCooks</div>
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Grave Robbers: Darlene</div>
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The Ruin: Carol Thompson</div>
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Thanks to everyone who Entered!</div>
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See you for the Freedom Giveaway Hop July 1-7</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-70835015183841668632011-06-19T18:39:00.000-07:002011-10-15T08:38:24.964-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X-Cswvi2dao/Tf41bdHl1yI/AAAAAAAAAdA/MnhqvcByX2E/s1600/midsummers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X-Cswvi2dao/Tf41bdHl1yI/AAAAAAAAAdA/MnhqvcByX2E/s320/midsummers.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Welcome to the
Midsummer's Eve Blog Hop!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Giveaway #
1</b></span></div>
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<b>$10 Amazon gift card!</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ucIVLAO4pVI/Ta3llStukvI/AAAAAAAAAR4/suilVWY2Z40/s1600/31o5zxkQIEL__AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ucIVLAO4pVI/Ta3llStukvI/AAAAAAAAAR4/suilVWY2Z40/s1600/31o5zxkQIEL__AA300_.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Giveaway #
2</span></b></div>
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<b>Kindle copy of Grave Robbers</b></div>
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<b>By: Samantha Bayarr</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7VSCFHKz6DY/Tf6goXc0rGI/AAAAAAAAAE4/ATklEFRujpw/s1600/AA+Grave+Robbers+BLOG+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7VSCFHKz6DY/Tf6goXc0rGI/AAAAAAAAAE4/ATklEFRujpw/s320/AA+Grave+Robbers+BLOG+pic.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grave Robbers</span></u></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Twelve-year-old
Charlie had no idea what she was getting herself into when she devised a plan
to outwit her father, an experienced grave robber, and steal the jewels from
the Widow Taylor’s casket just before burial. When the widow’s murderer comes
looking for the jewels, Charlie must come up with a new plan to keep her and
her father from becoming the murderer’s next victims. But what is it that has
her so frightened?</span><o:p></o:p></b></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Giveaway # 3</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Kindle copy of The Ruin, by: Kenneth Fenter</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H4u98uESbmQ/Tf6jOW_iycI/AAAAAAAAAE8/isVMWbc4QYI/s1600/blog+hop+book++the+ruin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H4u98uESbmQ/Tf6jOW_iycI/AAAAAAAAAE8/isVMWbc4QYI/s320/blog+hop+book++the+ruin.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>The Ruin</u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Ruin takes place in rural Southwestern Colorado in the summer and winter of 1954-55. It is a time when corporal punishment is common at school and at home. boys faced with school yard bulleys are expected to "man up". The contemporary portion is set in the year 2000 after successive years of school shootings caused in part by disturbed boys who have been persistently bullied.<br /><br />The Ruin is a story about bullying, damaged lives, and the tragic consequences that too often end in suicide or even the ultimate tragedy: school shootings.<br />The Ruin begins with retiring English teacher Clifton Kelley caring for his class during a school lock down, because across town a boy is shooting classmates in the school cafeteria. Kelley flashes back 40 years to himself as a 14 year old boy, who after years of school-yard bullying, is driven to make the decision whether to aim his rifle at the boys who have bullied and beaten him or seek refuge from his rage by fleeing to the wilderness.<br /><br />The Ruin then becomes the story of his survival using the knowledge he has gained from his parents and the Museum at Mesa Verde National Park. For the next year he takes shelter in a cliff dwelling in the foothill canyons of Mesa Verde. He finds the strength to overcome fear of the dark, hunger and the severe climate on the 7,000-foot foothill plateau. There he gathers food, learns to hunt using a primitive weapon, stores food for the winter, and devises clothing to protect himself from the harsh mountain climate.<br /><br />The boy connects with the spirits of the long departed Ancient Puebloans whose dwelling he finds home. Spare time in his long days of solitude become a time of introspection, communing with nature, and creativity.<br /><br />Nearing the anniversary of his disappearance the lessons of the experience are put to the test.</b></span></div>
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Details:</strong></span></b></span></div>
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enter giveaway please <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">F</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">IRST
follow this blog</span> and enter using optional entries of your choice, then
fill out the form below. </span></strong></b></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 13px;">Last Day to Enter is
6/24/11</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-size: medium;">Optional Extra Entries:</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">+1 "Like" this
Blog</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">+2 "Like" my Facebook Page</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">Bonus = Follow on Networkedblogs </span><br />(include the word "bonus" in
the enttry box along with the number of entries)<br />All entry options can be
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-76516683020159001972011-06-16T13:03:00.000-07:002011-06-16T13:09:05.314-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Pick Your Poison</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Of the thousand and one reasons not to write--and trust me, I know 'em all--the one that lies at the base of most of them is fear. Fear of failure, fear of success )I've heard of this one, but I'm still not sure I believe it), fear of confronting whatever personal demons and issues your writing may elect to address. Do you tell it like it is, of do you sugarcoat the truth? Do you keep you aspirations small--letters to the editor, fillers for the local paper, jokes for <i>Playboy--</i>or do you kick out the jams and take on an epic novel? Do you stop complaining about trying to work at the kitchen table, surrounded by family commotion, and take the bold step of renting a small office somewhere?</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">For all its rewards, spiritual and otherwise, writing is a scary business. I wouldn't lie to you. You're facing more than the blank page every time you sit down to work: You're facing a silent challenge, even a reproach. <i>Go ahead, </i>that damn page says, <i>give me your best shot--throw some words at me and let me show you just what I think of them! I've faced down bigger opponents than you, and I ain't scared.</i></span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Whether you like it or not, you have now entered what is commonly called a no-win situation. </b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">If you give in to your fears and let the blank page remain unsullied, you will have simply traded one negative feeling--fear--for another--regret. You'll not only feel bad about yourself, for cowardice in the face of composition, but you'll always wonder what you might have been able to accomplish if you'd just forced yourself to blunder on ahead. Every time you go into a bookstore, you'll be looking at the new titles with a hint of envy in your eye, wondering how your own book might have stacked up to all these others and what it might have looked like--would it, too, have had a glossy cover, or something more discreet and tasteful? Even worse, one day you'll find on the shelf some book that reminds you of the one you were planning to write and it just won't be as good as yours would have been. That's a real killer. You'll want to yell at the top of your lungs, "Hold on! I had this idea! I can show you how this sort of book is really supposed to have been written!"</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">But of course you won't (not least of all because the security guard would throw you out of Barnes & Noble) but because it's too late--you had your chance and you didn't take it. That taste of ashes in your mouth is regret, and it's something even Listerine can't get rid of. But fear, on the other hand, why that evaporates with every word you write. Just do your work, and--mirabile dictu!--the fear will dissipate altogether and the regret, of course, never materializes. With any luck, the only thing you'll have left to contend with at the end of the day is your fear of success. (Write and tell me what that's all about).</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;">Excerpt from: Robert's Rules of Writing</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;">Writer's Digest Books, </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;">Copyright 2005</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-87680312975851630592011-06-01T12:17:00.000-07:002011-06-01T12:17:09.002-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Buy the Smoking Jacket.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>One of the sticks with which aspiring writers are most of hit over the head with is, "Do you want to write...or do you just want to be a writer?"</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>You're supposed to chastised by that. <i>Real </i>writers, you're to understand, want to write; they <i>need </i>to write. Phonies just think about sitting around in comfy armchairs, being interviewed about what they've already written, surrounded by leather-bound collections of their work, a faithful dog, and a worshipful spouse.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>To which I say, what's wrong with that? What's wrong with having a picture in your head of yourself as an accomplished and successful writer?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>We all have to have some goal we're striving for, some idea of what we're aiming at, and the image of yourself basking the glory and accolades is as good as any.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>What, pray tell, is the alternative?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Should you imagine yourself, day after day, year after year, toiling over a cluttered desk, or wrestling a new ink cartridge into your printer? What kind of fantasy is that? How is that supposed to get, and keep you motivated?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>No, I say go right ahead and dream away. Color in every square inch of your private fantasy. Savor every detail. No writer focuses on the image of himself writing any more than a bus driver dreams--except in his nightmares--of driving a bus.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Yes, you have to do the work, and yes, you <i>will </i>do it; that's a given. Writing--though it can be rewarding and even on a good day, fun--is hard work, and no one would want to dwell on it too much.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Consider this fantasizing as a kind of self-actualization. (Now you're talking!) By concentrating on the end, not means, you may be able to keep some of the troubles and doubts at bay. Thinking about your writing tends to become thinking about the <i>problems </i>in your writing. Thinking about syntax and structure will keep you up at night. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>And nothing will help you write better than a good night's rest.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Excerpt from: Robert's Rules of Writing</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>By: Robert Masello</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Writer's Digest Books</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Copyright 2005</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-82198792177735843222011-05-31T19:29:00.000-07:002011-06-01T11:43:56.916-07:00<style type="text/css">
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<img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YepnTrx-v5c/Sax5JMdDJ3I/AAAAAAAABO8/BMJtiWz7hvA/free%20backgrounds%20logo.png" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-69886950157859594942011-05-31T10:58:00.000-07:002011-05-31T11:01:27.119-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Needless Words</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Perhaps no one has ever captured (in 63 words!) the essence of brevity in writing as well as Willian Strunk, Jr.; "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, paragraph or unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell,"</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Redundancies</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span>Redundancy occurs when a writer needlessly repeats a word or idea. It is redundant to speak of a "beginner lacking experience". The word "beginner" by itself implies lack of experience. Redundant words or phrases can eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>EXAMPLES:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><u>REDUNDANT</u> <u>BETTER</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>advance notice notice</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>any and all any</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>ask the question question</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>big in size big</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>combined together combined</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>completely full full</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>end result result</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>past history history</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>reiterate again reiterate</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>reflect back reflect</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>repeat again repeat</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>sadly tragic tragic</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>true facts facts</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>until such a time until</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>return back </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>return</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>sink down sink</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>whether or not whether</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>young juvenile juvenile</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Excerpt from: The Little Red Writing Book</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>By: Brandon Royal</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Writer's Digest Books Copyright 2004</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-68563950857667786282011-05-27T11:39:00.000-07:002011-05-27T11:43:00.568-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Lose the Muse...</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Of all the ways writers find to waste time, waiting for the muse to show up has to be the most common, and fruitless of them all.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>So if you're waiting for her, too, stop it right now.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>The muse--the embodiment of inspiration, usually portrayed as a comedy woman loosely draped in a diaphanous gown--is what every writer longs for. Once she appears, you're supposed to able to write effortlessly, at the height of your powers, with an unequaled command and energy and zest.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Must be nice.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>As anyone who actually writes on a regular basis can attest, the muse is a very unreliable creature. Sometimes she shows up at noon, raring to go; sometimes she shows up at midnight, just when you're ready to call it a day. And sometimes, no matter how many times you put out an SOS, she doesn't appear at all. She doesn't return your calls, she doesn't come to your door (that you've left conveniently unlocked); she's simply missing in action. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Gone without a trace. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>No forwarding address.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Which is why you cannot build your writing life around her.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Sometimes you'll feel inspired when you sit down to write--and sometimes you won't. That's just the way it is. But sit down you must, and write you will, and if there's one thing every writer learns over time, it's this: The muse is most effectively summoned by the clicking of your keyboard or the scratching of your pen. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Once you stop worrying about where she is, and focus instead of doing the work at hand, she is most likely to put in a surprise appearance. Most of the time, you'll be so absorbed in your work that you won't even notice when she's slipped into the room.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>You'll just keep on writing, your head down, you fingers flying, and only when you finish and sit back with satisfaction to read over what you've done, will it dawn on you that she was there after all. The evidence is right there, on the pages in front of you.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>The muse may come and go at will, silent and unseen, a woman of unpredictable habits and mysterious ways. But there is one thing every writer does get to know about her over time: She is irresistible drawn to the aroma of hard work.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Excerpt from: Robert's Rules of Writing</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>By: Robert Masello</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Writer's Digest Books Copyright 2005</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-70423435052789006482011-05-24T09:37:00.000-07:002011-05-24T09:39:57.675-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Skip the Starbucks!</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">For many writers, nothing goes better with a laptop than a double cafe mocha at the closest Starbucks. At the rate they're opening, there may soon be one in your own living room--but for now, we'll assume you still have to leave the house.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Which is largely the point.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">The theory behind the Starbucks School of Writing, to which countless aspiring writers subscribe, is simple--you'll do your best and most concentrated work when you're out of the house and losing yourself in a crowded cafe, surrounded by deafening cappuccino machines, swinging doors, and tiny tables jammed with equally striving strangers.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Of course, the theory is wrong--what you really get out of a trip to Starbucks is a nice caffeine buzz and the heady impression that you've been working when in fact you haven't.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Starbucks is where writers who want to be <i>seen </i>in the act of creation go, who treat writing as if it were some kind of performance art. They want to be admired, they want to soothed by the ambient noise and the occasional glance from an attractive patron. They want to be asked, "What are you working on?" so they can sit back and talk about it. </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Or scowl importantly and say, "Sorry, I can't be disturbed right now."</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">When, if they really and truly wanted to be undisturbed, they'd stay home in the first place, make a cup of Folgers instant (for about a nickel), and concentrate.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Excerpt from: Robert's Rules of Writing </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>By: Robert Masello</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Writer's Digest Books Copyright 2005</b></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-74232177854818735182011-05-21T13:25:00.000-07:002011-05-21T13:29:46.122-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LSEHvpS7yCI/TdgYqrvhWlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/CGxijFRQ5T4/s1600/from+the+desk+of+zoe.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Throw Out Your Thesaurus!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>How many times, when you're telling a story, do you stop dead to search for a bigger, better, or more impressive word than the one you were about to utter?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Unless you were planning losing your audience, probably not very often. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>So why do it when you're writing?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>The best writing is the writing that flows naturally, without impediment or hesitation, from the mind of the writer. It's writing that appears to have come effortlessly (however much effort actually went into it behind the scenes). It's writing that sounds like its author--you--and that uses your rhythm, your sensibility, and your vocabulary.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>The minute you pick up a thesaurus, you've muddied the waters. Into the clear running stream of your prose, you've introduced a foreign agent. Nothing sticks out in a piece of prose like the words you've plucked from those long lists of synonyms, each one more obscure than it's predecessor.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Thesaurus words are words you would never use on you own. The fact that you had to resort to the thesaurus just to find them proves it. They aren't words that come readily to your mind or rest comfortably in you working vocabulary. Suddenly, you start sounding like William F. Buckley--and unless you're William F. Buckley, that's not a good thing. (Even if you are, it's debatable.) It's as if you've swapped your customary Hawaiian shirts and shorts for a three-piece suit and a watch fob. If you think people won't notice, think again.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>The voice you write in is the voice your reader hears and, ideally, grows to trust.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>It's the voice the becomes accustomed to, the one that makes a sort of pact between the two of you. When you stop writing with your own words--the words you would or could summon up on your own--you break that pact and you propel the reader out of your world and straight into Mr. Rogers'.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>It's no different than if you were writing fiction and you put into a character's mouth words the character could never have called up or spoken on his own. If you wrote about a farmhand and had him talking like a college professor, a a cultivated diplomat sounding like a stevedore, you'd be shaking your reader's belief not only in the character, but in the entire fictional world the character inhabits.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Whatever it is you want to say in your work, find a way to say it not in words you've borrowed for this special occasion but in words you already own. Those are the words your readers will find the most convincing.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Excerpt from Robert's Rules of Writing by: Robert Masello </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Writer's Digest Books Copyright 2005</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-874547378992956422011-05-20T19:56:00.001-07:002011-05-20T20:01:31.587-07:00<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br />
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<b><a href="http://indiebookwriter.com/tag/book-marketing/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">http://indiebookwriter.com/tag/book-marketing/</span></a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451407544319413552.post-74925072380003134722011-05-20T17:45:00.000-07:002011-05-20T17:47:33.866-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Review Etiquette</b></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">After visiting several forums and watching the talk around other blogs, I thought I would address the subject that seems to be a very prominent part of every author's career...</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">The question is: Should there be rules of etiquette when giving book reviews?</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">The answer is without a doubt: YES!</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">I remember when I was growing up, my mother would always tell me "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">I think that saying holds just as much truth today as it did back in my mother's day when her mother said it to her!</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">I recently researched many reviews that are on amazon right now, and you would be surprised at the terrible bashing of books and authors that go on.</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">It's one thing if you personally do not care for a book, but if you take it a step further and say it is the worst book you have ever read and you wouldn't force it on your worst enemy, I think that is truly uncalled for...</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Then...there are the reviews that personally attack the authors themselves. I've seen reviewers actually call the author names and use profanity on blogs, writing in their reviews that the author has no talent, they suck, they should stop writing, they should just kill themselves because their writing is so bad, etc. etc.</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">These reviews are obviously troublesome to say the least. All I can say to those book reviewers out there that have only venom to spread...if you hate books that much, STOP READING!! </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Or at least keep your opinions to yourself. </span></b><br />
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