GUEST POST AND GIVEAWAY BY LACEY WEATERFORD AUTHOR OF THE SERIES WITCHES AND WARLOCKS

I would like to welcome Lacey Weatherford to Books R Us. Lacey is the author of The Witches and Warlocks series and is presently on a virtual tour with book 2- The Demon Kiss. Thanks for stopping by. 

Books, BFF's & Rants

I’ve had wonderful experiences ever since I started releasing my books, meeting amazing people from all over the planet, from new folks in my hometown, to vogue models, and actors.  I’ve loved every minute of it!  But one of the greatest blessings out of all of this was meeting the wonderful woman who became my best friend.

A little over a year ago I met Belinda on Facebook after she’d read my first book, The Trouble with Spells.  She was dying to get her hands on book two, The Demon Kiss, which hadn’t been released yet.  We quickly hit it off, and became fast friends.  It wasn’t long before we were gushing over book loves and telling each other everything that was going on in our lives.  We exchanged phone numbers and literally began texting almost every minute of the day, much to the delight of Verizon when we had to bump up our texting plans.  I asked Belinda if she would like to be a beta reader for my manuscripts and give me her opinions, to which she responded with giddy delight.

In a wonderful twist of fate, I discovered that this fabulous Aussie gal was married to my husband’s 1st cousin.  We were related by marriage!  We’d even been to some of the same family reunions in the past and had never met one another.

We finally made arrangements to meet in person and we were terrified that we wouldn’t know what to say to one another face to face.  All our worry was for naught.  The first thing we did was hug each other warmly.  It was like twin souls being reunited and it’s been this way ever since.

Shortly after we met we went to a book store together and I remember walking through with Belinda and she would point at book after book and tell me what she loved about the plots of each one.  I was amazed!  I immediately told her she needed to be a book reviewer.  She hemmed and hawed and told me she would think about it, so I did what any self respecting BFF would do.  I went home and made her a webpage, called her up and said, “Here’s your site.” Then I got on Amazon and posted about the awesome new book reviewer I’d discovered.  The Bookish Snob has been taking the world by storm ever since!

One of the things The Bookish Snob is famous for is her rants over all the luscious book heroes she comes across.  Well, Vance was her first rant, so I felt it only right to invite her here today to share one her rants with us and tell us what it is she loves about Vance Mangum.  Take it away Bels!

"Vance. What can I possibly say to do this hunky piece of man candy justice? From the second I met Vance in The Trouble with Spells, I was completely smitten and he's held my heart ever since. There's something about the bad boy that pulls me close and when you add a tortured, romantic, honorable soul - it was inevitable that I'd become a forever fan. People laugh and say "but he's just a character" but if you're the type of reader I am - books become real, the stories having a life of their own and you develop a deep connection with their characters.

I have swooned, laughed, yelled and cried over Vance, and of course, I've also had heavy lust fests. You know you have it bad when you're on Twitter with other Vance-a-holics, waxing poetic on his rock hard abs, sexy swagger, and divulging all the wicked things you'd love to do with him if you ever had him cornered.

Lacey shared a guest post with Donna over at the Book Lover's Hideaway about which Vance to pick - warlock Vance or demon Vance. I know it's turned some people green with envy, but one of the perks of being the BFF for a genius writer, *points to Lacey* I get an inside look at what’s to come and OH MY GOSH ladies ... you think Vance curls your toes now? Keep reading because as each book progresses and we watch our beloved hero battle the demon attributes, he becomes incredible.

You see his sweetness in The Trouble with Spells and as you read through The Demon Kiss, you begin to see the darkness he fights. Your heart races and breaks a little for him and you want nothing more than to take him in your arms and hold him. You cheer Portia for looking into his heart and soul and loving the goodness in him, but you also get those tingly feelings - you know the ones in your stomach when you see him buckle a little, when you see him come just that more darker.

Keep reading through to Blood of the White Witch - here's a small tease - Vance in a kilt! Yep, for all my Highlander loving friends, Vance dons a plaid and he is spectacular. I have serious love for book 3 because Vance really explodes in it and if you aren't a fan of his yet, you will be once you're done.

But the Vance I'm completely devoted to... the Vance I'm tempted to have tattooed on a secret place ... the Vance I want to have babies with, is Vance of book four and you'll all get to see him in a month. This is Vance at his greatest and I have one word for him in The Dark Rising - EPIC. I get goose bumps just thinking of him because he is positively DELICIOUS.

In your mind, what do you imagine Vance to be like if he lost the battle again the dark within and gave in to the demon aspect? Would he still be Vance, or would he be something more? What if he wasn't as sweet as before but had a more arrogant, evil nature? What if instead of ravishing you with kisses, he pulled you into his arms and bit you? Vance with that kind of "edge" will seriously blow your mind and it's what sealed the deal for me.

My name is Belinda and I'm a Vance-a-holic and if there's a cure - I want no part of it. Forget Team Edward, Team Jacob, Team anybody.... it's all Vance Mangum, baby! Come join the team!"

  Woo hoo!  There you have it people!  Thanks Belinda!  I couldn’t have said it better myself!  So I wonder how all the rest of you feel about Vance?

About the Book-

Can someone else's past come back to bite you?

After being drained of nearly all the blood in her body, novice witch, Portia Mullins, wakes up to find that her warlock boyfriend, Vance Mangum, has fled in search of his demon father. Determined to keep him from facing the evil alone Portia follows after him, unknowingly setting herself on the path of a new adventure that will take her, Vance, and their coven over international borders, into a foreign place where they will discover that the black magic which awaits them is far worse than they ever imagined. Portia finds herself tangled up in a web of lies and deceit in another's quest for demonic power in the excitingly romantic second paranormal novel in the Of Witches and Warlocks Series, The Demon Kiss.

About Lacey- 

Lacey Weatherford has always had a love of books.  She wanted to become a writer after reading her first Nancy Drew novel at the age of eight.

When she is not reading, writing, blogging, or doing book tours for her current series, she can often be found out at sporting/musical events which her kids are in or texting like crazy with her best friend.

Lacey resides in the White Mountains of Arizona, where she lives with her husband, six children, one son-in-law, and the family dog Sophie.

The Demon Kiss Tour Grand Prize:

The Grand Prize winner will receive swag, signed copies of books 1, 2, 3, & 4, AND will be written into an interactive scene with VANCE in book four too!

Want extra entries? You can get 1 more entry for every time you comment on the tour, and 5 more entries for every time you send a Tweet or Facebook the link to that day’s blog post. Make sure you keep track of those as you will be asked to submit verification links when you enter the giveaway. 

Good Luck!  May the “Vance” be with YOU!

Check out my review of this great book!

My Giveaway:

Thanks to the author, I am able to give away 2 digital copies of the book. (Through Smashwords.com)

Main Entry- LEAVE ALL ENTRIES IN ONE COMMENT.

Leave your name and email.

Extra Entries-

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6. Follow Lacey on Twitter.

Contest ends June 8th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be receiving a coupon code to be used on Smashwords.com . Please make sure that your email is correct so I can send you the coupon code.

A BUDDING WRITER'S JOURNEY BY DR. RICHARD SHEFF AUTHOR OF DR. CONFIDENTIAL.

 I would like to welcome Dr. Richard Sheff to Books R Us. Richard is the author of Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind the Veil Thanks for stopping by.

 A Budding Writer’s Journey

As recounted in the prologue of Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind the Veil, I knew from the time I finished medical school and residency training as a family physician that I had a book inside me that had to get out. My journey through medical training taught me there is so much wrong with how we train physicians and take care of patients. With all the passion of youth I wanted to change the world. So the year I finished residency, I outlined the book and began writing. That year was 1984. The book is now complete, with a release date of May 1, 2011. In between I have co-authored 18 trade books in the fields of healthcare leadership and management. But the book I knew I had to write remained unfinished…until now.

Back in 1984 I got 70 pages into the writing and stopped in frustration. It felt sophomoric, and I couldn’t find my writer’s voice. Several times over the years I picked it up and tried writing again, but each time with the same result. Then, in a chance encounter, I sat next to a woman on an airplane. When she found out I was a physician, she paused, and then said, “I’ve been told I have only six months to live.” Needless to say, this changed the tenor of our conversation. Near the end of our flight together she turned to me and asked, “What would you do if you knew you had only six months to live.” In a flash, my answer came. I’d write my book, the book that still lived within me. I knew if I died without writing it, some important part of my life would feel at best incomplete, and at worst a failure.

Suddenly I had an entirely new and compelling motivation to write “my book.” In spite of an exceptionally busy career, each weekend (at least each weekend I was home and not on the road for my work), I would tiptoe down to the basement as soon as I awoke and begin writing. Three or four hours later, I would emerge. Sometimes I had produced three to five pages of new prose. Sometimes I’d spent the entire time honing a single paragraph. I developed a deep appreciation for the writer’s craft, for what it takes to produce truly impactful writing. And slowly, painfully slowly over more then three years, the book that had lived within me emerged. This week that book—the book I have always known I needed to write—is finally available to the world. Early reviews are coming out that Doctor Confidential is touching the hearts of its readers. The journey has been worthwhile, ever so worthwhile.

About the Author-

Richard Sheff, MD is a family physician with over 30 years of experience in medicine. He chose the specialty of family medicine because he wanted to see and treat patients as whole people whose illness and wellness are a result of the complex interplay of their biological, psychological, social, and cultural circumstances. The years have taught him that to this must be added recognition of each patient's spiritual circumstances if they are truly to be seen as a whole person, including understanding their illness and wellness. 

 

 

You can read my mom's review of this fascinating book here.

 

Author's Site.

Reviews

GUEST POST BY FRANK L. COLE AUTHOR OF THE GUARDIANS OF THE HIDDEN SCEPTER.

 

I would like to welcome Frank L. Cole to Books R Us. Frank is the author of The Hashbrown Winters series and The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter. Thanks for stopping by.

How I Became A Writer 

Everyone has unique stories… even good ones. The key is in the telling of the story. So, how does one become a storyteller? That's a question I've been asked from time to time and it's not always an easy one to answer. Maybe the question should be; "What was the route I took to become a writer?" I could share with you the long, grueling process of rejection letters and broken hearts. I could emphasize the important role networking and honing your craft will have on your writer career as it did for mine. But today I’ve decided to answer this question by sharing with you 3 defining (albeit unusual) moments from my life that steered me in the right direction. 

1. Fourth Grade - I cannot remember a day in my life that I wasn't thinking in narrative form. There's daydreaming, which every healthy kid should do and then there's taking your imagination to the next level. If I hear a catchy saying, or see a weird shaped tree, or come across some unique landscape, I almost always imagine the story behind it. When I was in fourth grade I stayed home sick for the day from school. For some reason, I couldn't sleep because some idea wouldn’t let my mind relax. I kept thinking about this story of the city of Atlantis. Finally, I went and asked my mom is she would type the story as I dictated. Instead, she handed me a mini tape recorder and I told the story myself. I listened to that tape and my high-pitched squeal of a voice over and over until I had memorized the story. I wanted to share it with my friends and family. I wanted them to laugh along with me or cringe in horror as the werewolves (yes there were werewolves) attacked Atlantis. From that moment on, I knew simply writing or recording a story would never be enough. I needed to share my stories. 

2. Freshman year of college - My first year of college was somewhat of a joke. I hardly ever went to class and ended the year with a pathetic 2.2 GPA. I was too busy having fun, hanging out with friends, basking in the freedom of a new college student to give any thought of the misery I would go through later in life trying to correct the mistakes of that year.

There were few highlights as far as grades were concerned, but one of them snapped something in the back of my mind and started the wheels turning in a new direction. We were asked in my English class to write an essay on what gave us "Absolute Joy." It was a cheesy assignment, but worth a hefty sum towards our final grade. Every student in that class wrote something touching: Their family, their church, their wife, their children, their memories of deceased relatives, etc., etc.

I opted to go a different route and wrote mine about a Whopper with cheese without onions. I got an A+ on the paper and the praise from my teacher for my creativity. Writing a story and having fun with it had paid off. Hmmm. I learned a valuable lesson. If you’re not having fun with your story and the process takes on a work-like feel, your writing projects won’t achieve your desired result. You have to enjoy it!

3. A skunk nest under the house. One afternoon my family discovered an awful smell literally saturating the walls of our house with stench. Apparently, a skunk or two had taken up residence beneath our home. An exterminator would be needed, but unfortunately, none were available until the following day. My brother, Michael, demanded that the family stay at a hotel for the night because he couldn't stand the odor. Though he adamantly protested, my mother and father insisted it wasn't that bad and that they would just endure that evening and all would be well the next day.

The next morning, my parents went looking for Michael only to discover that he wasn't in his bed. After searching a few moments in the room and in the hallway, they couldn't find him anywhere. Finally, my mom noticed something under the closet door and opened it to find Michael lying on the floor with several pairs of jeans rolled up under the door and two grape Jolly Ranchers shoved up his nostrils. When I heard about that, I was literally dumbfounded with laughter. Just the thought process that must have lead my brother to go to such extremes amazed me. From that moment, I realized that not only had I grown up living with a comedic master, but also I needed to open my mind to new possibilities. A great story can come from any situation. Any circumstances. One must look around for the possibilities.

Though many significant events in my life positioned me to become a published author, I firmly believe these 3 provided the strongest kick. 1. I wanted to share my stories with others. 2. I needed to have fun doing it. 3. I needed a skunk (I think you know what I mean.) 

Frank L. Cole.

Check out all of the other stops on the virtual blog tour here.

Author's Blog

Author's Page. 

GUEST POST BY T.L. JAMES AUTHOR OF THE MPIRE SERIES

 

I want to welcome T.L. James to Books R Us. T.L. is the author of the MPire series. She is virtually touring  the blogosphere with NURTURE Virtual BOOK Tourz™ Thanks for stopping by.

Malcolm Haul

Insanity has never been so sexy

 

An insane person is usually scary but Malcolm Haulm gives insanity a hint of sexual appeal. When I created this character for The MPire Saga, I removed all boundaries, reasoning, restrictions and social consciousness. Malcolm possesses a reserved animalistic demeanor - on a constant prowl. He attacks everything and everyone in sight, but his fondness of you is based on you surviving his attacks.

Malcolm Xavier is a twin and second sibling to three brothers and two sisters. As a child, he advanced in all his studies with a strong aptitude for math and music. He surpassed his oldest twin, Mallory-Paul. He was slated to take his twin’s position and lead his generation until his terrible accident at the age of seventeen.

Before joining the Family Business, he worked on Wall Street and he was noted being one of the creators of the NASDAQ. He owned a million dollar hotel where he lived on the top two floors. He was well traveled, played in a jazz band and spoke 17 languages. He had his choice of wine, women, clothes and toys. Nothing stood in the way of Malcolm getting want he wanted. If he desired it, it was his… no questions asked. And that often included lives.

Malcolm married his guardian angel, Felecia. He never wanted kids; however the board pressured him to do so. He attempted to stray from the paper bull request by staying in New York, but his efforts proved pointless. From unwanted and adversarial help from his twin brother, Felicia bore three boys.

Although he fathered only one child, Mallory Towneson, during the marriage with Felicia, he raised all four of the boys as his own. During three boys’ childhood and with the constant help from Felicia, he kept his insanity intact and closely controlled. It wasn’t until Mallory’s birth, and consequentially Felicia’s death during childbirth, did Malcolm’s bizarre behavior reared its ugly head.

 Fourteen years later when Mallory returned home, Malcolm behavior erupted again. With the mood-swing pendulum swinging from super sweet loving father to violence aggressor, his erratic behavior proved to be detrimental to his existence.

How did I create him?

After I created the main character, Mallory T. Haulm, I went back over his characteristic and crafted a dark mirror image of him thus creating his father, Malcolm. They both have a love for finance and music. Their taste in designer clothes, exotic toys and beautiful women were identical. Some of their life experiences were similar, such as forced marriage and conception of child outside of the marriage bond. However, the few differences that they had, defined their character. Mallory had never deliberately intends to harm people. In fact, Mallory has to be backed in a corner before he retaliates. Malcolm, on the other hand, has no conscience or compassion. He would often inflict pain on others as easily as taking a breath.

T.L James

Author of The MPire Trilogy and Saga

www.authortljames.com

Visit all of the stops on the tour and check back on April 21st for my review and giveaway of this FANTASTIC book.

GUEST POST BY B. BARNETT AUTHOR OF CHASING ZEBRAS- THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO HOUSE, M.D.

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I want to welcome Barbara Barnett to Books R Us. Barbara is the author of the nonfiction television book, Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. (ECW Press).  Thanks for stopping by.

 Chasing Zebras

Medical students are taught that when they hear hoof beats, they should think horses, not zebras, but Dr. House's unique talent of diagnosing unusual illnesses has made House, M.D. one of the most popular series on television. His value as a diagnostician at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital exceeds the liability he presents: House saves lives that no one else can!

There is an old legend about six blind men and an elephant. Each of these men are asked to describe the elephant. The man at the tail describes it as snake-like; the man at the tusk describes the giant mammal as bony, and so on. Doctors tend to look at medical cases through the narrow vision of their medical specialty. House uses his broad scientific and medical knowledge (as well as that of his staff of specialists in their own right) and enhances it with an equally impressive knowledge of everything from history, sociology, psychology and literature (in several languages). Filtered through his encyclopedic knowledge base and his ability to synthesize ideas and facts into diagnoses, House is like Sherlock Holmes, taking all of the disparate bits of data and making a whole.

Over the course of the series six-plus years, House has diagnosed rare presentations of common illnesses, including measles and heavy metals poisoning along with very rare diseases like pregnancy-related TPP. In the first couple years of the series, the disease lupus came up in almost every differential diagnosis session. Lupus is a rare disease, and because it mimics so many other diseases, the team would be foolish to rule it out without considering it. But finally in season four (“You Don’t Want to Know”), House’s patient had lupus!

Barbara Barnett is Co-Executive Editor of Blogcritics, an Internet magazine of pop culture, politics and more owned by Technorati Media. Always a pop-culture geek, Barbara was raised on a steady diet of TV (and TV dinners), but she always found her way to TV’s antiheroes and misunderstood champions, whether on TV, in the movies or in literature.

Barnett’s regular column, “Welcome to the End of the Thought Process: An Introspective Look at House, M.D.” features insightful episode commentaries and interviews with the House cast and creative team. It is the place for intelligent discussion of the hit television series starring Hugh Laurie.

Barbara has had an eclectic career. With an undergraduate degree in biology and minors in chemistry and English, she pursued a PhD in Public Policy Analysis after spending a few years working in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Her first professional writing gig was with a food industry trade magazine, and although it wasn’t exactly like writing for The New Yorker, it completely hooked her on the profession of writing.

She also writes lots of other things, including technology (from a non-geek perspective), the movies, politics and all things Jewish. Based in the north shore suburbs of Chicago, Barnett is married with two brilliant children and a dog. Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. is her first (commercial) book. She hopes it’s not her last.

Visit Barbara’s website at www.barbarabarnett.com.

Check out my review of this fascinating and informative book tomorrow.

Support Your Indie Author and you may win a Kindle: 30 Pieces of Silver by C. Mc.Cray (Review)

Monday, Monday, Monday. I love Monday

 By C. Mc Cray

No, I’m not a total psycho.

Well, maybe just a little bit of one.

Here’s why: this Monday is a major day in publishing not only for ME but potentially for all indie authors who want to show the NYC traditional big boys what an indie author can do! 

The Indie Book Collective promotion Bestseller For A Day is pricing my thriller 30 Pieces of Silver at just 99 cents to propel it onto the Amazon Top 100 Kindle* List! And with your help I can do it!!

Every 99 cent purchase will drive my book higher up the list but seriously…how realistic is this? Well, I’ve already dipped into the 400’s overall ranking so with YOUR help it’s entirely possible you can help me reach this goal. Remember, you don’t even have to have a Kindle to purchase my book – you just need a smartphone of some type OR a computer! *See this Amazon free Kindle app page for details.

But to give you an added incentive to help me out, I’ve decided to up the ante and the fun! Just for purchasing my book 30 Pieces of Silver, you can enter to win a free Kindle – oh yea. That’s right! Simply purchase my book for 99 cents on Amazon and then head back over to the Bestseller For A day site and enter your email address and the first 5 numbers of your Amazon purchase confirmation code – and viola! You will have 5 entries to win a FREE Kindle!

I think you need more, though. How about a BONUS BUY? Yep, the IBC is offering up Cristyn West’s mystery-thriller Plain Jane for a full rebate if purchased at the same time as 30 Pieces of Silver! PLUS –wait for it --5 additional entries to win the FREE Kindle. Yup. I’m that cool. 

Listen, I love what I do—writing, connecting with wonderful sponsors like Melissa here at booksrusonline.com and with you, my fab readers! Please show your support for ALL indie authors making their way up the ladder by purchasing this 99 cent book and help pave the way for future promotions! Tell your friends, husband, mom, dog—heck, just tell everyone you know. 

And stay tuned for our next promo – The Blog Tour de Force CAGE MATCH April 18-25 where the IBC promotes 12 eBook authors, 12 books, over 6 days – with lots of great prizes and fun for YOU!

Let’s see my book hit the Top 100! (and maybe win a free Kindle) #ohyea

You can find Carolyn McCray on Twitter at @craftycmc, @IndieBookIBC, or @writingnodrama where she teaches writers writing stuff. You can also check out her website http://carolynmccray.com for all of her books and multiple personalities.

Overview of 30 Pieces of Silver.

A Christian suicide bomber.
John the Baptist's bones inscribed in ancient Greek.
A secret carried from the foot of the crucifixion.
Can science solve the world's greatest mystery?
30 Pieces of Silver?

My Thoughts-

Let me tell you that the novel is fantastic thriller full of adventure, conspiracy, romance, history and excitement. I was hooked from page one and was brought on an adventure from the Eiffel tower to the rainforest's of Equador and many exciting places in between.  The way that the author brought us from the past to the present was remarkable and was not confusing. I felt that I was right there partaking in the story line. The main characters were all searching for the same thing the remains of Jesus and they were all realistic and likable. There was a romance developing between the main characters, Brandt and Monroe that I saw coming but there were parts that had me thinking "Will it last." I did not want the book to finish and I wanted more. I look forward to reading the sequel when it is published. So what are the 30 Pieces of Silver? I guess you will have to read the book to find out. I will never tell. So hop on over to the Bestseller For A Day website today and purchase your copy. Hey you never know you may win a KINDLE!

Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

GUEST POST BY AYA KNIGHT AUTHOR OF THE CHRONICLES OF KALE.

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I want to welcome Aya Knight to Books R Us. Aya is the author of The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragons Awakening (Book 1) (Old Line Publishing). Thanks for stopping by.

 My Inspiration

It all began with the passion to write—combine a touch of Diablo II (yep, the computer game), a dash of D&D, and a cup of imagination and you’ve got the perfect mixture of inspiration for The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragon’s Awakening.

I’ve always been fond of the fantasy genre and anything that can “sweep me away” to an alternate reality. As years passed, little pieces of the story would come to me. Eventually, a plot began to form within my mind and all I could think was “I need to write this down before I forget”. It started with a few simple paragraphs and before I knew it, my pen began to lead the path ahead—page after page filled with words of a hot-headed dragon and his amazing journey. I soon fell into a repetitive routine of scribbling notes and paragraphs of content down on a nightly basis.                       

What started as an adventure I was in control of, was quickly taking me on an epic quest. Many of the aspects in the story I had originally planned out never happened. As the story progressed I began to let things unfold naturally. My advice to other aspiring authors would be to devise a plan before writing. You’ll need to have an idea of A (being the beginning of your story) to Z (the conclusion of your story). Mapping out how your character(s) will get from A to Z is highly recommended since it will greatly aid in the flow of your story—you won’t find yourself questioning “what will happen next?” as often by pre-planning. However, never let your ‘structured’ plotline hold you back. While it’s great to know where you’re going in a story, as the story progresses allow things to flow in the direction that “feels right”. If you push yourself to abide solely by your original outline, the story has good odds of coming off as forced to readers. You, as the author, know where you want to go in the story—let the characters show you how they want to get there. That to me is where the true “life” of a novel comes from.

To shed a little more insight on my book: A dragon versus humans has been the cliché storyline in countless novels and movies. I wanted to take this classic plot and throw a completely new twist into the mix. Kale, known to most as the black dragon Firehart, despises human-kind more than any other species in the world of Revaxis. Suddenly, his life is thrown into shambles as a spell is cast, transforming him into the very flesh he has longed to avoid.

It’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions; from heart-pounding battles, to bittersweet romance. If you’re a fan of dragons, yet looking for something out of the norm in a visually painted world unlike any other—then take a chance on The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragon’s Awakening!

About the Author-


Aya Knight was born in South Florida, where she spent the majority of her childhood. At a young age she developed a strong passion for fantasy and a love of writing. Through movies, books and video/computer games she would escape into an alternate reality filled with adventure, magic and epic quests. As Aya entered adulthood, she expressed her enjoyment of writing through becoming a freelance journalist. She wrote about a broad variety of topics that gave her a brighter insight of the world. Eventually a story began to develop within her mind involving characters she immediately grew attached to. Aya knew that she needed to compile her thoughts onto paper. She grew so intrigued with the evolving storyline that she placed all hopes within the hands of her imagination, leaving journalism behind. Aya now lives in Central Florida with her husband and two sons where she continues her passion.


The book will be available on May 6th 2011 but you can pre-order the book at Amazon.com.
I will be reviewing the book on my blog soon.

Disclosure: This was an unpaid post.

ARTICLE- HEART HEALTH IN A NUTSHELL BY J. BRILL PhD

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I thought that this article was interesting and informative so I decided to share it with my readers.Check back soon for my review of the book.

Heart Health in a Nutshell: What Walnuts Can Do for You.

By Janet Bond Brill Ph.D. R.D., LDN

Author of Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease

Walnuts are an ancient plant food that has sustained humans since the dawn of civilization. They are key to heart health because they are a top source of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). ALA is the omega-3 fatty acid derived from plants which our bodies need in addition to the other omega-3 that comes from salmon and other fish. Studies show that people who eat an ALA-rich diet are less likely to suffer a fatal heart attack.

Walnuts (along with flaxseeds) are one of the eight key food groups - - along with olive oil, leafy greens, figs, and other fruits, lentils and other legumes, salmon and other seafood, oatmeal and other whole grains, and red wine - - that are part of my plan to reverse heart disease, or build good heart health to hopefully avoid heart troubles. Dark chocolate is a bonus food in this plan.

Walnuts stand apart from all other types of nuts for two reasons:

• they provide the highest amount of the "vegetarian" omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, and
• they are packed with the most plaque-fighting antioxidants relative to all other nuts

While the thin brown skin that surrounds the walnut meat - - the pellicle - - may taste a bit bitter, this is naturally rich in antioxidant polyphenols, which combat plaque buildup, so try to eat that portion when you eat your walnuts.  Walnuts are also naturally rich in vitamin E, the potent healthy antioxidant, concentrated mostly in the nut kernel.

Consuming just a handful of walnuts daily can help:

• Make your dysfunctional endothelium (the damaged inner arterial layer that instigates and promotes heart disease progression) more functional by reducing inflammation and promoting more relaxed and dilated blood vessels.
• Lower your cholesterol (both walnuts and flaxseeds will work together to make a dent in your "bad" LDL cholesterol level). 
• Make your blood less likely to clot.
• Lower your blood level of inflammation.  Eating walnuts is probably the easiest and tastiest way to incorporate ALA into your day because they can be enjoyed multiple ways: as a handy and portable snack or as an embellishment to any meal.

Here are a few of the ideas I offer in Prevent a Second Heart Attack:

• Keep a bag of shelled walnuts on your kitchen counter and grab some nuts as a quick and healthy snack.
• Go Greek: enjoy a fat-free Greek yogurt topped with a little honey, some crushed walnuts and savor a nutritious choice that makes a sensational and satisfying sweet dessert.
• Sprinkle walnuts on your green salads. (Dr. Janet's Spinach Salad with Apples, Toasted Walnuts, and Dried Cranberries and Dr. Janet's Arugla Salad with Figs and Walnuts can be found on page 284 and 285)
• Try candied walnuts - - bake walnuts sprinkled with a little brown sugar for a sweet treat.
• Toss walnuts and dried fruit together in a small plastic bag and you have a super-antioxidant-rich and convenient snack for when you are out and about or even as a late-afternoon pick-me-up.
• Use walnuts in cooking to add taste and nutrition to your favorite dishes.

So, go nuts (walnuts, that is) every day, and get heart healthy.

© 2011 Janet Bond Brill, Ph. D. R.D., LDN, author of Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease

About the Author-

Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN,  author of Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease, is a diet, nutrition, and fitness expert who has appeared on national television.  She is the author of Cholesterol Down: 10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol In 4 Weeks Without Prescription Drugs, and specializes in cardiovascular disease prevention.  Dr. Brill lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.
For more information please visit http://preventasecondheartattack.com/
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Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. Disclosure Policy.