Book Details:
 Reflections on the Nature of Friendship
by  Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D.
​Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 336 pages
Genre:  Psychology, Self-Help ~
Tour dates:  May 4 to May 24, 2021
Publisher:  Booksmyth ~ Release date:  Feb 2021
Content Rating:  G. No bad language, sex scenes, or anything objectionable
Book Description:
        Reflections on the Nature of Friendship is a rich, nuanced journey that delves deeply into the fascinating and complex world of friendship. Psychologist and world-traveler Dr. Daniel Cantor Yalowitz takes readers on a carefully narrated tour into the heart of what human beings need and bring to their chosen relationships. Reflections examines what makes friendships work, thrive, and connect people with one another. Using quotes across place, time, and culture, this book includes salient and seminal chapters on Identity, Longing and Belonging, Boundaries, and more, including three case studies that explore primary friendships within the author’s life. Using examples from literature, poetry, film, and music, Dr. Yalowitz brings deeper understanding about building stronger, healthier, and sustainable friendships.

Buy the Book: Amazon

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
Are friendships important? I feel the bold approach the author has taken in addressing this issue is very much needed in today's world.  If you want a friend, you first have to be a friend. For many who lack an understanding of what friendship is and how to be a friend, he clarifies it in many ways. I especially like his statement on page 36 when he states, "Authentic friendship cannot be foisted onto people... It takes great conscientiousness in addition to thoughtful, honest, and self-aware communication to build and maintain a mutually beneficial two-wy friendship". He then goes into detail, supporting this remark.
        The Reflections on the Nature of Friendship by  Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D., is a complete work of artistic energy on this topic. He goes into depth with facts which supports this claim that the need of socialization from the beginning of time is a part of all human's needs. He dissects the different types of friendships and their role in individual human life. He further explains, "People everywhere are desperate for connection, consistency, emotional nurturance and security.". Because if this great need, as a college Dean, developed a college course, "America: Longing and Belonging'. It had monumental results.
       In today's society, people are losing their sense of their human self, while still being self-absorbed. This is a wonderful. informative book that enlightens, encourages and assists one to become a better friend.
       This is very well written. It mostly kept the reader's attention. the only negative is the Book Image. It was too plain to attract the attention of the "Browser:.
I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating.
This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review..
       

                                   Why Read A Book About Friendship Now? by Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D.
        There have been incredible challenges pulling and pushing on humanity across the globe over this past year-plus, and people everywhere have been feeling tremendous stress and duress during this time on all levels: financial, social, economic, political, physical, and spiritual. One of our biggest challenges we’ve each had to negotiate has been that of physical and social distancing. By choice or by chance, many people have “podded up” in familial, living, or other small groups – and everything and everyone else has fallen away somewhat, either relegated to virtual contact or other forms of even more distant connection or, even, disconnection.
        Now, we need and want to be among our friends more than ever. This book gives us the hope, the possibility, and the opportunity to redefine and recalibrate our friends and our friendships. Going into Covid early last year, when I had just begun to research and write this book, I saw an opening to focus on this nearly-universal theme of friends and friendship as a way to hold, hope, retain, and sustain those social relationships that are so vital in so many of our lives.
         I chose to frame my book in a multi-causal manner. It is not intended to be any one thing, but more of an integration of many. It is part helpful/how-to, part Question-and-Response, part personal sharing, and part opening up the topic to incorporating the arts, literature, poetry, music, and film through quotes, vignettes, stories, and verse. I try to draw people from as
many walks of life as possible by making the writing easily accessible. As a recovering academic, I deliberately created prose that is relatively jargon-free and non-technical (though there is a brief glossary at the end) and by making it more personal.
        Readers may anticipate developing greater awareness of the many facets of developing friendship not only with others, but with themselves as well. The book generates questions throughout that are intended to both probe and support a deeper understanding of the multiple challenges, concerns, issues, possibilities, and opportunities that friendship brings
to our lives. While a wide range of psychological theories are brought forth to help explain
all of these considerations, the emphasis overall is on practical and direct application of what
it takes to develop and sustain friendship across time and place. Brief stories from literature, film, history, poetry, and music further illuminate the main points, as do quotes taken from people well-known and unknown. Finally, as the author, I introduce the realities – both positive and negative – of my own friendships, and highlight these with three full-chapter case studies which analyze the major themes brought forth throughout the book.
         In all, I believe that those who take this book on and in will come away with a refreshed and renewed excitement to deepen and expand their friendships, just at a time in our history when we are becoming poised to resume deeper connections and relationships as the threat of Covid slowly begins to wane and drain. It’s not a moment too soon to think about how we, each and all, can make and take the time to recommit to our friends and the wide, fascinating, and complex world of friendship.

Meet the Author:
         Daniel Cantor Yalowitz, Ed.D., is a developmental and intercultural psychologist and an international consultant/trainer focusing on team-building, human intelligences, conflict transformation, and intercultural communication and competence. He focuses his work on building greater awareness and deeper awareness of the importance of creating sustainable relationships, especially meaningful friendships. He brings all these emphases into focus in his most recent book, Reflections on the Nature of Friendship.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook ~ goodreads

Here is the tour schedule.

Giveaway:​

Win $25 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of the author of REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF FRIENDSHIP (open to customers of Amazon.com only) (ends May 31)

Book Details:
Text Wars: May the Text be With You … (An Accidentally in Love Story, #3) by Melanie Summers, Whitney Dineen
Publication date: May 4th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
        May the text be with you…
     Seraphina Lopez is not your typical airy-fairy astrology fanatic. First and foremost, she’s a businesswoman who happens to have a fascination with the stars. Her lifestyle app, “Live for Your Star Sign” is blowing up, and when she’s asked to be a guest on New York’s most watched Morning Show, she knows the exposure will launch her app into the stratosphere.
        Astrophysicist Ben Williams just landed his dream job at NASA’s Goddard Institute, Not only is he heading a multi-disciplinary team in search of habitable exo-planets, he’s also been tapped to be the spokesman for the project. While he’d much rather be crunching the numbers to pinpoint the location of Earth II, he also has to sell the concept to the American public.
        When Seraphina and Ben meet on the set of the Morning Show, sparks fly! Sera is there to show viewers how to dress for their star sign. Ben is there in the name of science. Their explosive chemistry sets records for the network’s viewing audience. As such they’re asked to host a regular segment–together.
        Ben and Sera hate each other so much, they resort to texting instead of talking when they’re off air (and sometimes on). Yet somewhere in the haze of dislike, they start to realize they have more in common than they thought possible. Is love written in the stars or will it burn up on impact?
        Find out in the Text Wars, the third installment of the deliciously funny and romantic Accidentally in Love Series.

Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon ~

AUTHOR BIO:
      Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.
      Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to. 
       She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
      Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.
     Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016. ~ Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.
 ~ Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017. ~ Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017 ~ Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017
Author links: Website ~ Twitter ~Goodreads ~ Instagram ~ Facebook.com ~

ABOUT the AUTHOR:
       Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
        Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
        In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).
        Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
         She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International. 
Author links: Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreadsc~

Crash: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver
by Rachel Michelberg
Publisher:  She Writes Press, (April 27, 2021)
Category: Memoir, Divorce, Parenting, Moral Conflict,
Caring for Disabled, Caregiver ~ ISBN: 978-1647420321
Available in Print and ebook, 224 pages ~ Tour dates: April-May, 2021
Book Description: 
     Rachel likes to think of herself as a nice Jewish girl, dedicated to doing what’s honorable, just as her parents raised her to do. But when her husband, David, survives a plane crash and is left with severe brain damage, she faces a choice: will she dedicate her life to caring for a man she no longer loves, or walk away?
       Their marriage had been rocky at the time of the accident, and though she wants to do the right thing, Rachel doesn’t know how she is supposed to care for two kids in addition to a now irrational, incontinent, and seizure-prone grown man. And how will she manage to see her lover? But then again, what kind of selfish monster would refuse to care for her disabled husband, no matter how unhappy her marriage had been? Rachel wants to believe that she can dedicate her life to David’s needs, but knows in her heart it is impossible.
         Crash tackles a pervasive dilemma in our culture: the moral conflicts individuals face when caregiving for a disabled or cognitively impaired family member.

Pre-Order Crash:Amazon ~ BarnesandNoble ~Indiebound  ~ 

REVIEW  by LAWonder10:
Crash is a very well-written memoir about a troubled relationship made much worse after a freak plane crash!  the author delves into the extreme mental and emotional circumstances which result from a combination of before and after the crash circumstances.
One cannot justly judge anther's actions and choices, if one hasn't lived that life. Nobody truly knows what he/she would do without actually experiencing the complete scenario. I would hope i would make different choices, but who knows for sure?
I would have enjoyed the book much more if she had not used so much profanity and offensive language. It surprised me, since she is a cantor in the Jewish community.
In spite of some of my feelings, the literary credits of the book wee utilized very well. I offer her family sincere empathy.
I offer a Five Stars rating.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. this is my honest review.

                 Seven Things I Learned About Being an Author I Didn’t Know Before:

        Like most worthwhile ventures, writing is a mixed bag. I was surprised at the challenges and rewards I encountered while working on my first book.

           1. How much effort it would take. Like most writers, I’ve been an avid reader since childhood. From Harriet the Spy and Pippi Longstocking to my current favorites by Anna Quindlen and Anita Shreve, I’ve always needed to be in the midst of a good book. I thought I had an inkling about what an enormous undertaking writing a book would be, but I truly had no clue until I wrote my own. From first scratchings to publication, mine took eleven years. I don’t know if there is data on the average length of time it takes an author to complete a first book, but I’m pretty sure I’d be on the higher end of that scale. I have my share of excuses: I was a single parent, I had my own full-time business, I lost confidence and didn’t write a word for two of those years, and so on. Every writer will tell a different tale about their process, especially first-timers like me who have no clear idea of the path they should take. While I’d always assumed that I’d be hiring an editor upon completion, I got stuck about two-thirds of the way through my manuscript and decided I needed that hand-holding and guidance sooner. With my editor’s expert eye and supportive style, together we moved scenes around, found the hooks, clarified narrative threads, and deleted passages that didn’t move the story along. Rewrites, proofreads, beta readers – all requiring time, money, and energy.
               2. How my focus would change. Writing isn’t my day job. I hadn’t taken single course in creative writing or written much besides some thoughtful letters, emails and one travel article. Rather, my passion and vocation is music. I’m a trained opera singer and musical theater performer, a voice and piano teacher. I didn’t wake up one day and think, I’m going to shift gears and make my living as a writer. My experience as a freelance musician taught me that even the greatest talent usually doesn’t lead to a decent income. Yet, as my book is being published I’ve found myself exploring the whole world of authors and publishing. A second career? Perhaps. I’ll keep singing and teaching.
            3. I appreciate writers more and I’ve become a better reader. True confession time. I’m a skipper – or used to be. Not the boat kind of skipper, rather the impatient reader kind. I’d habitually jump from paragraph to paragraph without reading every word, especially if the language got too dense or flowery. Since becoming a writer and grasping the enormity of the task, I’ve become more attentive to each detail and description. Now I appreciate how each phrase and word, is agonized over, and that it’s sometimes ok to end a sentence with a preposition. Indeed, I’ve also become more critical, reading from the perspective of an editor. She’s revealing too much, underestimating her reader. His characters aren’t fully developed, I don’t care enough about them. I’ve also given myself permission to put a book down if it doesn’t compel me after thirty or so pages. Too many books, too little time.
              4. Memoir equals courage and extreme vulnerability. My memoir Crash: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver is so personal, so revealing, I knew I couldn’t publish until my kids were old enough to comprehend (and hopefully forgive) my fallibility. Early in the story I disclose that I was in the throes of an extra-marital affair at the time of my husband’s plane crash that rendered him completely disabled with a severe traumatic brain injury. Now my kids are young adults; though my daughter isn’t ready to read it yet, they both know about the affair and have forgiven me. But how will my community, my students, my former congregants (I was a synagogue Cantor) react? The act of sharing my story – in all of its embarrassing, gory detail – is like stripping naked and inviting the world’s eyes to gaze upon me and render judgement.
             5. How it would heal me. “Oh, you must be writing your book to reach some kind of closure – to process your grief and guilt!” I heard that repeatedly. I’d nod and murmur my assent but that wasn’t my intention. Yet that’s exactly what happened – I’ve achieved a kind of peace I hadn’t known was possible. Writing can be a powerful form of therapy, forcing the memoirist (if she’s honest) to dig deep and then go even deeper. To get to the real truth - the “who am I kidding” truth – is when the magic - and healing - manifests.
              6. That the book is a third person in my relationships. A book is like a puppy, constantly demanding attention, requiring energy and money, and sometimes making messes of things. It’s always there, tugging at my awareness. I only have so much bandwidth to give – and unfortunately it’s often my closest relationships, my husband and kids, that suffer the lack of my full presence. When I’m not writing I’m often either composing sentences in my head or feeling guilty about not sitting at the computer.
              7. The writing community is awesome. I discovered early on how gratifying it was to participate in classes, workshops and retreats, all providing the kind of support and feedback I needed to keep my momentum going. One of my favorites was a weekend where several of us gathered at a private home, writing during the day and listening to each other’s work at night. Being in that environment for several days – creating that time and space, bonding with like-minded people, was exhilarating. I knew writing could be isolating, but I truly had no idea how magical it would be to be part of a group who pours their heart out onto the page. We share so much: a desire to be heard, a love of the written word, a need to find our voice and tell our stories.

About Rachel Michelberg
        Rachel Michelberg grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and still enjoys living there with her husband, Richard, and their two dogs, Nala and Beenie. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from San Jose State University and has performed leading roles in musicals and opera from Carmen to My Fair Lady as well as the part of the Mother Abbess (three times!) in The Sound of Music.
         When Rachel isn’t working with one of her twenty voice and piano students, she loves gardening, hiking, and making her own bone broth. CRASH: How I Became a Reluctant Caregiver is her first book.
Website ~Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~

Giveaway Details:
Enter for the choice of print or eBook for Three Winners! (This giveaway is open to the U.S. only.)
It ends on May 18, 2021, midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

Crash Web Tour Schedule
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Apr 19 Kickoff & Interview
Bee BookPleasures Apr21
Review & Guest Post Gud Reader Goodreads Apr 23
Review Gracie Goodreads Apr 26
Review Sage Nor Bound 4 Escape Apr 27
Review Lu Ann Rockin' Book Reviews Apr 29
Review & Guest Post Becky Amazon Apr 30
Review Amber M. Amazon May 3 Review
Bookgirl Goodreads May 4
Review Laura Lee Celtic Lady’s Reviews May 5
Review & Excerpt Miller Amazon May 7
Review Linda Lu Goodreads May 10
Review Andy Amazon May 11
Review Cinthia R Amazon May 12
Review Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 13
Review Betty Toots Book Reviews May 14
Review & Excerpt Voni Amazon May 17 Review

Book Details:
Death Watch (Soul Reader #2) by Annie Anderson
Publication date: April 27th 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Synopsis:        A prison break, a secret admirer, and a boatload of lies.
Just about everything Sloane Cabot knows about her past is a big old pile of malarkey. Couple that with the blank spot of how her family died, and she needs answers, like, yesterday.
        But when a man shows up dead on her family’s grave, she knows it somehow has to be tied to that fateful night a year ago.
        Too bad you can’t question the dead… or can you?

Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon ~ Bookbub ~

AUTHOR BIO:
Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.
Author links: Website ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~Goodreads ~

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• Prize will be shown on the giveaway widget shortly!

This grand prize giveaway (this giveaway is set up and managed by author, not Xpresso Tours):

Book  Details:
The Other Prince (Royal Connections, #1)
by Alice Dolman
Publication date: April 19th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:      After moving to London, Amelia Glendale landed her dream job as a lawyer at the Queen’s Charitable Foundation. But when the queen dies, Amelia finds herself working for her longtime royal crush, Prince Leo – and his stuffy older brother Prince Edmund. 
        Charismatic Prince Leo was once known for his hard-partying ways, but has settled down and thrown himself into a life of philanthropy. He’s Amelia’s perfect man and she’s sure they’d get along if she wasn’t too star-struck to speak to him. 
        Prince Edmund has always been the sensible brother and dutiful heir, until a scandal of epic proportions leaves his reputation in tatters. With his comfortable existence disrupted, he sees a chance to build a life and relationship where he is more than just his position. 
       Thrown into the princes’ orbit, Amelia discover that maybe the perfect man for her isn’t the prince she expected. Will Amelia get her fairytale ending, or will the pressures of life in the spotlight be too much to bear? 
        This feel-good romantic comedy about love, friendship and tiaras is perfect for fans of American Royals and The Royal We.

Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon ~

AUTHOR BIO:
          Hi! I'm Alice. I'm so glad you're here.
         I write funny stories about people falling in love. Mainly princes and princesses because I'm a bit of a royal family tragic. Also because writing about royalty is the closest I'll ever come to wearing a tiara that isn't made of plastic.
        I live in Australia with my husband and three small humans. In my seventeen seconds of free time each day I love reading romantic comedies, watching cheesy Netflix movies and baking cakes which I absolutely do not eat most of myself.
        To be the first to hear about new releases and exclusive extras, head to www.alicedolman.com and sign up for my newsletter.
Author links: Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads ~

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• $20 Amazon gift card
  

This grand prize giveaway - ends Apr 29th:

Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps To Success by Heather Wilde
Publisher:  Sunbury Press, Inc (November 11, 2020)
Category: Business: Women & Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, Self-Help/Motivational, Non-Fiction
Tour dates: April-May, 2021
ISBN: 978-1620063347
Available in Print 158 pages and ebook 184 pages
Book Description:   
          Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps to Success is the story of what it takes to found a billion-dollar company — also known as a unicorn. It’s told from the perspective of a founding employee, and shows the years and years of emotional strain, stress and dedication that building a successful company takes — and a framework to follow if you’d like to try it yourself.
         In this book, you’ll find the true story behind one of Silicon Valley’s famous companies on its rise to the top. Peek behind the curtain as you see the highs and lows from an insider perspective, on the roller coaster that is the start-up life. What emerges is a lasting friendship, a billion-dollar company, and an understandable framework of success for you to replicate.
Buy Links:Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble  ~ IndieBound ~  Add to Goodreads ~

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
In the Book, 'The Birth of a Unicorn' ...No it isn't a fantasy.... the author presents a detailed account of the ups and downs in building the company which would lead to one of Silicon Valley's top businesses.
The stories of her ventures are very informative and interesting. They inform the reader of both the excitement and fulfillment in building a successful company, yet also reveals some of the debilitating problems that can arise.In addition to this, she offers six steps one can take to accomplish one''s goals. At the end of each chapter, she lists examples of strategies to overcome problems and possible gains.
At the end of the book, she offers a recap with an "Assessment " to evaluate how much has been retained and understood.
Although this is a non-fiction, it is written in a type of Story for.
I offer a Five Stars rating for this book.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure to post a positive review. This is my honest review.

About Heather Wilde
Heather Wilde was the eighth employee of Evernote, where she oversaw the company’s growth from thousands to 100 million customers. She has published popular games, trained Fortune 500 brands, advised hundreds of start-ups, and managed some major non-profit programs. At her non-profit, Serenze Global, and as a fractional CTO through her company ROCeteer, her award-winning work keeps the Unicorn Whisperer constantly traveling across the globe to find the next unicorn.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ IMDB ~

This giveaway is open worldwide for print or eBook! (Ends on May 22, 2021,midnight pacific time). Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

Book Details:
Cracking The Harmony Code: Nature's Surprising Secrets for Getting Along While Getting Your Way by Camilla Gray-Nelson
​Category:  Adult Non-Fiction, 190 pages
Genre:  Leadership, Women's Empowerment
Publisher:  Double Dove Press ~ Release date:  Mar 31, 2021
Tour dates:  Apr 19 to May 14, 2021
Content Rating:  G. This is a book for all readers.
Book Description:
      In Cracking the Harmony Code, award-winning entrepreneur and best-selling author, Camilla Gray-Nelson, reveals Mother Nature's secret code for achieving personal and professional goals. Using "influence through instinct," she guides you up Nature's Harmony Pyramid to its pinnacle of success, peace and happiness.

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ B&N ~ Add to Goodreads

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
        In the book, 'Cracking the Harmony Code', author, Camilla Gray-Nelson, made a strong argument in support of her experience and findings of a positive relation formula. She stands on a position that human behavior reflects the behavior of animal's. Through her observations and studies, she feels the same methods used in animal training will assist human's understanding of each other. I particularly liked it when referencing societies push for women;s leadership she stated. "... As if only by improving leadership skills can a woman hope to get where she wants professionally or manage to get what she wants personally. Baloney!" She then proceeds with her argument that certain personality types are successful without being "leaders'.
         I, too, was raised on a farm, fairly isolated from other children. Animals and nature were my best friends, also. I love nature and have observed and studied much of it. I also have closely observed animals (and some insects) mannerisms and habits. Although I agree in a large part with her understanding and methods, I felt some of her research material was weak. While many scientists and researchers can conclude reactions and other observations of animals, there is no way anyone can make factual conclusions what animals think or feel. I felt stronger emphasis needed to be made that humans are defined by intelligence enough to learn control of their instincts, desires, behavior and impulses. great people such as Jesus Christ, Confucius, Aristotle, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and more.
           In her book, Camille makes valid comparisons and formulas in creating strong relationships. She offers precise, positive ways for individuals to determine their own personality type and ways to interact with others to accomplish goals. She gives various examples for various situations at work, in the home with children and to bid a positive relationship with spouse/partner.
              Although at times her presentation was weak in persuasion of her beliefs, her methods and possibilities of a positive outcome were solid and clear.
               I offer a Four Stars rating for this book.
             *I was gifted this book with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

                        Animal Secrets for a Happier Marriage
          Don’t you sometimes wish you had a magic potion to turn your husband from disagreeable to cooperative, or from prickly to passionate? I don’t have a potion, per se, but I do have a new perspective and a fascinating new approach you may want to try that can work the same sort of magic. I call it “influence through instinct” and it can pull his strings your way before he even knows what hit him. All joking aside, the art of influence rather than argument is a valuable one, and learning to influence from the instinctive level can not only be effective, but help avoid confrontation and push-back. I teach how to use it in all sorts of relationships, at work or at home.
          By way of background, I’m a farm girl turned relationship coach, first with women that struggled to relate to and control their dogs and now with people that need help relating to each other and succeeding at their human relationships. My new book, CRACKING THE HARMONY CODE: Nature’s Surprising Secrets for Getting Along While Getting Your Way, reveals the secrets I have learned from animals! Since humans are animals, too, these secrets transferred easily. It turns out Nature’s formula of getting willing cooperation from others in pursuit of personal goals works as well for humans as it does for horses, cows and dogs. Nowhere is this subtle but powerful formula more useful that with your significant other!
           CRACKING THE HARMONY CODE is a peek behind the curtain of Nature’s hidden social code that orchestrates relationships of all sorts within the group, whether it be the many that must sort themselves into leaders and followers or just two individuals that must decide who has last say in a dispute. I learned this code watching the animals on our farm as a youngster, but dusted it off for myself more recently as an adult, when I found that my own relationships were dismal failures – personally or professionally. Once I decided to try to Nature’s formula for social success, my life turned around and I finally found peace. My hope is that women everywhere will benefit from my unique perspective on how life really works, and how to finally win at work, parenting and love. I did, and others can, too.
          Relationships with your life partner can be especially tricky, because here is where instinct and intellect often collide. For example, in Western culture, intellectually we may think we are truly “equals” with our partner in a relationship, but neither of our Inner Animals (your instincts nor your partner’s) recognize “equality of authority” in any social situation. In other words, our intellect is not jibing with our instincts, so it’s easy to see how acting on our intellectual assumption can run headlong into the hidden buzzsaw of our instinct. No wonder marriage is so fraught with conflict! The key is understanding our hidden instincts and learning how to navigate around them.
          Navigating relationships with the Harmony Code involves 3 main elements: climbing the Harmony Pyramid with its 6 sequential tiers, learning the 7 Animal Secrets to prepare for the climb and finally, knowing the 4 Personality and Action Style Archetypes (from Bessy-Boss to Nellie-Nice) and recognizing which one must be used in a given situation. The book covers all of that in great detail, but for now, let’s explore how a couple might understand and deal with money issues, from an instinct-based perspective with this excerpt from CRACKING THE HARMONY CODE:
                    “Situation 2: Money Issues
        You have taken on the household task of paying the bills each month. Since you have always been good with numbers and with money, it made sense. You are very conservative with your spending habits, trying extremely hard to avoid emotional purchases and keeping the family finances in good shape. It’s why you are so angry every month when the credit card bill arrives and you see that while you’ve been saving, your husband has been spending like a drunken sailor! Not really, but it’s how you feel when you see the bill. You have asked him repeatedly to cool his self-indulgent spending, but he doesn’t stop. Your debt keeps growing and you’re afraid that soon your credit rating will suffer because of his irresponsibility.
                    Understand It:
        First and foremost, understand that money issues are not about money. They are about power. Money, after all, is one of our critical resources. Control of a critical resource determines one’s status standing within the group—in this case a group of two. With your attempts to limit his spending, you are unintentionally limiting his access to a critical resource and the instinctive power it represents. Your money issues are more likely a competition for status within his instinct that desires a clear hierarchy. In fact, a husband directed by his wife to reduce his spending can actually feel emasculated. Your husband’s ability to “spend” money could be his way of exercising power that he feels otherwise denied. Again, this probably isn’t about money but about power and those pesky Conflict Twins, “Same” and “Equal”, that insist on some sort of differentiation in the relationship.
                   Take Action with Nellie-Up:
        Be friends, not competitors. Don’t act like a top dog, guarding or hoarding information about finances; that could be seen as a Bessy power-play and create even more conflict. Instead, share financial information like a Nellie. Sit down together and tally up all your basic required expenses for the month (rent, food, utilities, insurance, savings, etc.) as well as your total income. Subtract one from the other and ask if each of you can commit to splitting what’s left over for personal expenses even if that requires some adjustment of habits.
         When the next credit card bill arrives, don’t expect miracles right away but thank your guy for any improvement you see in his spending. If you go off course with your half of the personal spending budget agreement, make sure you fess up to this as well. What’s good for the gander is good for the goose. Honesty and openness are the basis of Trust and Trust is the foundation of your Harmony together, whether it’s money or anything else. It also can diffuse any feelings of competition.”
        To read more about Nature’s Harmony Code and the secrets to willing cooperation from others, at work or at home, check out CRACKING THE HARMONY CODE: Nature’s Surprising Secrets for Getting Along While Getting Your Way, on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2QIkRMh
         Read my articles and posts on www.camillagraynelson.com , “Nature’s Wisdom for Today’s Woman”, as well.

Meet the Author: 

        Best-selling author and award-winning entrepreneur with a company consistently listed in the Top 15 Women-Owned Businesses in Northern California,
       Camilla Gray-Nelson has a leg-up on her competition. Raised and living on a farm, Camilla credits her business success today to the lessons she learned from Mother Nature in her childhood!
         Combining a keen knowledge of animal behavior and her awareness of the human animal's inner instincts, she reveals Mother Nature's paradigm to all women who seek their own success at work, parenting and love. She shares the animal secret of Influence through Instinct, to more cleverly succeed in getting what we want in our professional as well as personal lives, while at the same time, maintaining precious Peace and Harmony. . . two seemingly endangered species in today's chaotic world!

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter ~  Facebook ~ instagram

Here is the tour schedule.

Giveaway Details:​

Autographed Copy of CRACKING THE HARMONY CODE (USA only) (one winner) (ends May 11)

Book Details:
The Restarting Point (Chammont Point #1) by Marci Bolden
Publication date: April 27th 2021
Genres: Women’s Fiction
Synopsis:        Marketing executive and mother of two, Jade Kelly can now add cancer survivor to her list of successes. But while her life looks good on paper, four months out of treatment, Jade realizes she hardly knows her college-age children and she and her husband Nick are little more than housemates.
       Determined to start over, Jade schedules a family vacation to a lakefront cabin. When her kids bail and Nick stays home to handle a last minute work crisis, Jade heads to Chammont Point alone, determined to dust herself off and figure out what to do with the rest of her life.
        While she’s away, the life she thought she had unravels. Secrets, lies, and old wounds drive Jade into new adventures and new relationships. With the help of family and new found friends, Jade learns starting over sometimes means finding a brand new restarting point.

Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon ~ B&N ~iBooks ~Kobo ~Google Play ~

AUTHOR BIO:
        As a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading women's fiction and romance novels.
       Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband, two kiddos, and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of will power, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she'll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym "soon."
Author links: Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Newsletter ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~

GIVEAWAY!
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

• $25 Amazon gift card
  

This grand prize giveaway - ends Apr 29th:

A September to Remember: Searching for Culinary Pleasures at the Italian Table (Book Three) – Lombardy, Tuscany, Campania, Apulia, and Lazio (Roma) (Savoring the Olde Ways Series, 3) by Carole Bumpus
Publisher:  She Writes Press (April 27, 2021)
Category: Culinary/Travel Memoir & Non-Fiction
Tour dates: April 12-May 31, 2021
ISBN: 978-1631527272 ~ Available in Print and ebook, 245 pages
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
        This culinary travel memoir is an invitation to join in on a month-long trek through Italy, all in the search of the true Italian experience. Sprinkled with unforgettable characters, you will sup on sumptuous traditional foods, sip regional wines, and enjoy vast panoramas of extraordinary beauty. You may find yourself dancing at harvest festivals, climbing through Etruscan tombs, traipsing among Roman ruins, or bathing in ancient Roman termes (hot springs).
         You may also enjoy climbing to the heights of wonder in Capri or to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica. Or delight in soaking up the ancient and cultural history in Milan, Firenze (Florence), Amalfi, Pompeii, Lecce and Rome. You can bask in the sun and rugged beauty of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Adriatic Sea, or the gorgeous Amalfi Coast. Or you can chat for hours over family meals while collecting a compendium of regional and traditional recipes (cucina povera), while you capture a rare glimpse inside the secrets to the Mediterranean psyche. It is truly a trip of a lifetime.Buy Links: Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble  ~ IndieBound  ~ 

                              In what ways has writing affected other aspects of your life?
            When I retired as a family therapist, my husband whisked me away to Italy for a month of rest and relaxation. It was a marvelous respite, but also a mind-opening experience. Everywhere we traveled I was captivated by the people we met and curious about their lives, loves, pasts, and triumphs. I wanted to know what they ate, how they raised their children and especially what brought them together at the family table. I wanted to know what it would be like to live in the very village in which they lived. Obviously, I hadn’t left the family therapist in me at home.
           My training as a therapist, in fact, began to crop into every day travel notes. I jotted down conversations with locals; names of traditional foods and recipes; and when we were fortunate enough to be invited into family homes, I found myself enchanted by the familial stories shared along with the wonderful traditional dishes.
          So, what did I want to do with these notes? I realized if I wanted to continue my interviews, I needed to create a method to my ‘madness’. Travel writing, I thought. Even though I had never taken a writing class before, this might be an option . . . with a focus on families and their favorite foods and traditional values.
          After returning home, I began taking both writing and cooking classes. Again, good fortune smiled on me, as I was invited to travel to Provençe on a gourmet cooking tour. Led by my cooking instructor, this experience again opened my heart, eyes, and palate to a world of heady inspiration in France. My notes became short stories, then blog posts and my writing ‘career’ began to take off.
         Having developed a good friendship with my culinary instructor, I was asked to accompany her back to France and Italy. Her goal was to establish future culinary tours as well as collect traditional recipes for a cookbook she was writing. I found I could assist her while continuing my research on the families from many different regions of both countries. I knew if I wanted to better understand European families, I needed to meet them in their own villages, in their homes, and at their kitchen tables.
           It was at that time I created the idea for a series of books called Savoring the Olde Ways. It was a celebration of generational gifts. “What were your favorite foods as a child?” I would ask. “What dishes did you learn from your grandmother? What were your family favorites? What brings your family to the table each day?” You see, everyone has a favorite dish they love to share, and an easy way for people to relax and share their stories, is to ask them about favorite foods.
          So, in short order, I was ushered into the kitchen, asked to sit down, and given a glass of wine. As I pulled out my notepad, my host would shuffle through her recipe cards to be certain I was given her absolute favorites. (Yes, they were written in either French or Italian of which I didn’t know, but not to worry. I would jump off that bridge when I got to it.) Amidst the laughter and camaraderie, I became the beneficiary of some of the most incredible meals and heart-warming stories, I’ve ever encountered.
           So, I began to write and write some more. And when I finally compiled my notes, I was surprised to have filled 950-pages – an entire tome. During the next twelve years, I pulled these stories together, continued my research and took more writing classes. Out of the five books which I completed, the first is an historical novel, the second a companion cookbook to the novel, and the last three are culinary travel memoirs. Yes, my Savoring the Olde Ways series Yes, my Savoring the Olde Ways series finally came to fruition—almost exactly twenty years later.
           In what ways has writing affected other aspects of your life? Writing has overtaken almost every waking hour. I fill my days writing, editing, rewriting, promoting, setting up ads and Zooming events, speaking at bookstores, and hosting cooking demonstrations. Oh my! At this point, there is no end in sight! Ah, but I do make time for more travel, as writing has added a whole new outlook and purpose for all my trips. And I’m just getting started.
****************************
          A Cup of Redemption, an historical novel, published October 2014; Recipes for Redemption: A Companion Cookbook to A Cup of Redemption, published August 2015; Books One and Two of my series, Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, published in August 2019 and 2020; and Book Three, A September to Remember: Searching for Culinary Pleasures at the Italian Table will be published April 27, 2021.

About Carole Bumpus
         Multi award winning author, Carole Bumpus is a retired family therapist, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She began writing about food and travel when she stumbled upon the amazing stories of women and war in France. Her historical novel, A Cup of Redemption, was published in October 2014, and her unique companion cookbook, Recipes for Redemption: A Companion Cookbook to A Cup of Redemption, was released in August 2015.
         Books One and Two of her Savoring the Olde Ways series, Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, were published in August 2019 and 2020; her third book in the series, A September to Remember: Searching for Culinary Pleasures at the Italian Table is due out April 27, 2021. All five books have been published by She Writes Press which is part of SparkPoint Studio, LLC.
~ Website  ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Giveaway for print or eBook of September to Remember (3 Winners) This giveaway is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ends on June 1, 2021.  Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

Follow September To Remember by Carole Bumpus Tour
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Apr 12 Kickoff & Interview
Jas International Book Promotion Apr 13 Review
Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews Apr 14  Guest Post
GudReader Goodreads Apr 16 Review
Liam Bookbub Apr 19 Review
Beth’s Book-Nook Blog April 20 Review
Lisa’s Writopia Apr 21 Review
Lisa’s Writopia Apr 23 Guest Post
Sherry My Journey Back Apr 26 Review & Excerpt
Gracie Goodreads Apr 27 Review
Andy K. Amazon Apr 28 Review
Denise Amazon Apr 29 Review
MK French Girl Who Reads Apr 30 Review
Zohar Man of la Book May 3 Review & Guest Post
Ellen Goodreads May 4 Review
Miller Amazon May 5 Review
Harvee BookDogBird May 6 Review & Guest Post
Mike M. Goodreads May 7 Review
Sol Celticlady’s Reviews May 10 Review & Excerpt
Lu Ann Rockin; Book Reviews May 12 Review
Katy Goodreads May 13 Review
Smitty Bookbub May 14 Review
Sage Nor Bound 4 Escape May 17 Review
Bee Book Pleasures May 18 Review & Interview
Linda Lu Goodreads May 21 Review
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 25 Review
Sarah Amazon May 27 Review
Betty Toot’s Book Reviews May 28 Review & Excerpt
Amber M. Amazon May 31 Review

Book Details:

Book Title:  Blood of the Dragonfly ( The Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series - Book V)
Author:  Hawk MacKinney
​Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 227 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Suspense
Publisher:  Sage Words Publishing
Release date:  Feb 2021
Formats Available for review: print (USA and Canada), ebook (Gifted Kindle, PDF)
Tour dates:  Apr 12 to Apr 30, 2021
Content Rating:  PG. There are graphic death scenes.

Book Description:

While dangling a fishing hook from his flat bottom skiff before dawn, former SEAL-turned-PI Craige Ingram spots grey-black smoke coiling above the treetops across the river in the direction of the Georgia bayous and Corpsewood Manor. Bayou or bogs, fire in the uncut cypress and pines bodes a sense that the river is no barrier to the fire that threatens his ancestral home, Moccasin Hollow. Neither are the bodies later found in the burned mansion of Corpsewood Manor. Craige wastes no time in helping his ex-SEAL buddy Lt. Graysen MacGerald who is now Head of Buckingham Homicide Investigations by unofficially investigating the bodies and an exquisite dragonfly brooch found in the mansion with a reputation for evil, hauntings, and mystery.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM ~ Book Despository

                                                                 The Discipline of Writing
           Writing every day IS the schedule! Even if it seems that a writer is only shuffling bits and bones of scattered scribbled notes. It nurtures the imagination and planning the writer has jotted into notes and is the beginning of the framework skeleton that will become a rough-rough draft. Notes and scribbles are jotted anywhere – at this point it’s the ideas that are critical, not the where. That changes when the writer begins stitching together the rough lumps that will intrigue readers. Self-editing is critical. Friends and family that care for you will tell you what will make you happy. Productive positive critique is invaluable and all writing needs it. I especially value and treasure the professional critiques I receive because inevitably it leads to successful marketing for my work. Trusted editors are essential and not friends or family.
           Marketing is another tale that extends beyond the final draft wrapped in an enticing cover –your book. Crowing about your work, showing it to others, spreading the word is fine and can be nurturing food for one’e ego, but keep that ego in check. It can mislead. Determined, thorough trusted editing and re-editing is an absolute and an essential contribution to quality work. I actually enjoy editing my work. After a minimum of 5 to 20 edits, hunkering down with the nitty gritty guts-and-plumbing of final drafts, I seem to fit the ageless definition of what a writer is: a loner by oneself, in a room with stacks and jumbles of papers and folders, not to be disturbed by any electronic junk or toys or gossip or social media. Quite simply, a writer writes.

Hawk MacKinney - www.hawkmackinneyauthor.com

Here is the tour schedule. 

Meet the Author:

Hawk MacKinney began writing mysteries for his school newspaper, served in the US Navy for over 20 years, earned two postgraduate degrees with studies in languages and history, taught postgraduate courses in the United States and Jerusalem, authored professional articles and chordate embryology texts on fetal and adult anatomy, and is well known for his works of fiction. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel, was nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. Both his CAIRNS OF SANCTUARIE science fiction series and the MOCCASIN HOLLOW MYSTERY series have received worldwide recognition.
Connect with the Author:     website

GIVEAWAY!

$25 Amazon Gift Card  courtesy of the author of BLOOD OF THE DRAGONFLY  
(1 winner) (open to Amazon.com customers) 
(ends May 7)

A Marriage of Inconvenience (Stop the Wedding! #3)
By Amy Vastine
Contemporary Romance ~ Paperback & ebook, 213 Pages
April 1, 2021 by Harlequin Heartwarming
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
          She’s met the perfect man…
           But he’s engaged!
      Wedding planner Sophia Reed never imagined she’d  meet her perfect man during a bank robbery. Evan Anderson is handsome and funny and makes Sophia believe in love at first sight. There’s only one small hitch—he’s engaged to someone else, and Sophia is planning his wedding! But Evan’s wedding is purely a business arrangement…and true love might just turn this almost-perfect wedding into a beautiful catastrophe!

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

Stop the Wedding!
Book 1: A Bridesmaid to Remember
Book 2: His Brother’s Bride
Book 3: A Marriage of Inconvenience
(Affiliate links included.)
Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon | Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Harlequin | Target | Walmart | IndieBound | BAM | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
         When Wedding Planner, Sophie Reed, stops at the bank to do business, she is traumatized by being  there when the bank is robbed! A pleasant, comforting "man of her dreams" is in line behind her and saves the day! It is love at first site! The obly problem is, her "bubble is popped" when he arrives at her shop the next day, along with her client, his Fiance'.
          After a few bad experiences in relationships, he agreed to help his best friend out of a family crises by agreeing to marry her. Little did he realize he'd meet the "girl of his dreams" shortly later. With his personal situation and his vow to his best friend, there was no way out of it. It was causing him many sleepless nights. There is no way this new girl would agree to waiting several years, until he could get released from his commitment, to marry him. It was all doomed, with no way out!
           This is a bitter-sweet, entertaining novel of adventures and romance.
           The characters are, mostly, delightful. They are well-portrayed and feel real. The scenes are easily visualized and it is a very hard book to put down. t is totally a "clean" read.
          The only negative I felt is at times it was slightly dragged out but that doesn't affect my rating.
         I offer a Five stars rating.
         *This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

OTHER BOOKS in the SERIES:

About the Author

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart husband, three teenagers who keep her on her toes, and their two sweet but mischievous pups.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

Tour Giveaway !

One winner will receive (US only):
- $25 Amazon gift card
- “I love you to the bookstore and back” book bag filled with several of my favorite Heartwarming books
- Blackwell Sisters cleaning cloth
- Bookmark
* Three additional winners will receive an ebook of the first book in the Stop the Wedding Series, A Bridesmaid to Remember (open internationally)
Ends April 28, 2021... ENTER by COMPLETING THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW.

SINS OF OUR MOTHERS by Nicole Souza
◊ Genre: Dystopian Novel
◊ Publisher: WiDo Publishing (August 25, 2020)
◊ Print & eBooks ◊ Paperback: 338 pages
◊ ISBN-10: 1947966391 ◊ ISBN-13: 978-1947966390
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
        It has been fifteen hundred years since the solar flare devastation of the Global Catastrophe. Due to the radioactivity in the harvesting fields, society dismisses its defective children as nothing more than flawed products of the malfunctioned seeds in the field.
     But Lyratelle, a hyper-observant musical prodigy, believes these “defects” are intelligent, particularly her own sibling, the youngest child of her impervious mother. Abandoning her dream career, Lyratelle climbs the bureaucratic ladder to run the Defect Research Center, where she can safeguard the child.
         With an underground team of women who share her uncertainties, Lyratelle unearths the Old History truth that womankind’s survival actually hinges on the existence of these defects.
        When General Sarah Love, the city’s most powerful advocate against the defects, detects Lyratelle’s sympathy toward the creatures, she threatens the life of Lyratelle’s sibling.
       Now Lyratelle’s desperate attempt to save this child endangers everyone she loves—her team, her family, even the existence of the defects themselves.

SINS OF OUR MOTHERS is available at AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * WiDo Publishing. Also, be sure to add it to your TBR List on Goodreads.

REVIEW by LAWonder10:
     Lyratelle, was a very talented, intelligent young girl. He future as a top musician was "set". After the "defect", causing her youngest sibling to be taken away, she shocked everyone by switching her college degree from a musician to a medical doctor. She became very successful... a success which would cause her to question life as she thought it to be.
      Sins of Our Mothers is a "catchy" Title for an action-packed, Dystopian book.
      At first it was difficult to "get into" but that didn't last long. The suspense and intrigue grew with each chapter. It soon became a book I couldn't put down until the very last page
         The key characters were very endearing and others, very infuriating. The scenes and characters were easily visualized and felt real. 
         The novel was about a distant future where women ruled and deceived the majority of the population. Families existed of only women. Their thinking was truly distorted.
          So many times in women's literature, men are depicted as evil or insignificant. The sad fact is, although some men are evil and most men can be "jerks" at times, women are nt exempt from these character flaws, either. Women can also be brutal and cruel.
          Some sensitive topics are addressed in this book, but otherwise, it is very "clean".
         I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating.
        * This  book e=was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

                        10 Things I Wish I Knew About Being an Author I Didn’t Know Before
          
          If I could go back in time and start my writing journey over, would I?
          Absolutely not! It’s been way too strenuous a trek.
         I’m happy with where I’m at now, having learned the hard way over nearly a decade, and still picking up tricks and new ideas every time I write. I’ve learned that what we call mistakes are really steps in the right direction. I embrace my limitations as a writer and enjoy the challenge of maximizing my abilities.
          That’s not to say, however, there aren’t some things I wish I knew before embarking on this journey. Would I go back in time to give my younger self some advice? Absolutely! (I’d just get out of there as fast as possible.)
        Here’s to hoping these tips will reach someone who can benefit. I present to you, the ten things I wish I knew about being an author I didn’t know before:
                    1. The First Draft is Just Verbal Vomit; Editing is the True Art-form
          Authors are not good writers; we’re determined, dedicated editors. Much like a large chunk of stone before being masterfully carved, a first draft is rarely more than a massive glob of words, ideas, notes, and concepts that over time, and with a lot of agonizing patience and strenuous mental labor, is whittled into artwork in the form of storytelling.
        Editing is akin to clay sculpting; just as your project begins to take shape, you’ll add another handful of verbal clay to thicken or reshape what’s there. There’s no counting how many times an author edits a manuscript to half its size only to add back nearly the amount removed with new content, then commence construction anew, chiseling away at excess words, cliches, and lazy writing.
          Don’t worry about making your first draft sound good. If you have the perfect word chosen for a scene, throw it in. If it’s truly the perfect word, it’ll make the final cut. If not, it’ll be chipped off, like countless other words once part of the original boulder. Making the final cut does not bestow value upon words. Like clay scraps, words sacrificed for the sake of the story are not wasted. Just get your ideas written down. Allow your brain to vomit, as it were, and once it’s all there, make it beautiful.

                        2. Whenever Possible, Use Live Beta Readers:
           Quite possibly, the most valuable thing I’ve ever done for myself as an author, is sit with a group of readers, and listen to them read my story out loud. What an awakening! I’m fortunate enough to have a group of beta readers that are able to do full, single-day readings. We did this several times, each session following a thorough edit.
         Readers’ voices can be broken up by paragraph, page, or chapter. Whatever way you choose, rotate the reader frequently to hear your story read in many voices. This allows you to gauge how the story will be interpreted and processed from other perspectives. Unless writing a screenplay, don’t assign readers a character. Listen to entire passages in the same reader’s voice to assess the flow of your writing.
        Request that your beta readers give live feedback, both good and bad. If something is confusing, cheesy, predictable, cliché, boring, moving, inspiring, shocking, or if they have a suggestion or question, have them voice it the moment they experience it. Don’t dwell on it unless specific feedback requires attention. A simple, “That passage wasn’t clear,” or “Grace is awesome! She’s my favorite character so far,” or “I hate that Grace said that; it’s not like her,” is plenty for the author. Be ready to take good notes! This is also great for grammar and punctuation errors.
          Beta readers can be expensive, and most writers can’t afford such luxuries. So, do what I do: invite your book-loving family members and friends (who won’t sugarcoat their reactions!) to spend the day reading your book together. Good food is usually enough payment for such people. And hey, it’s not like you’re asking them to help you move, right? (Maybe mention that.) Shoot for a minimum of three, maximum of twelve readers.

                       3. Your Book Reads Differently in Different Formats; Test Them All
        This one’s simple. Read your story on your phone, tablet, and other devices, in addition to the one used to write and edit. Print a chapter to read as a hard copy. Scrolling and page-turning are different. There’s a distinct feel to reading when you can see the shape of the paragraphs on two full pages at once as opposed to half a paragraph on a small screen.
Recording yourself reading a chapter then listening to it while doing dishes or laundry provides a fresh perspective as well. Will your writing style translate well to an audio book? You won’t know unless you’ve heard it recorded.

                         4. The Story Often Writes Itself; Don’t Let Go of the Reigns
        Many pre-imagined scenes will be altered as your characters develop. They’ll come alive on the page and often take the story down unexpected paths. This is especially true when writing dialogue. While such occurrences are magical and elevate your writing, stay true to your ultimate message. Of course, be flexible in changing up details that don’t alter the heart of the story, just don’t let changes diminish what you’re saying.
It’s a tough balance!
       This isn’t to say you won’t learn new things and expand personal opinions along your writing journey. Allow growth in both your story and yourself. However, the original idea for your story was probably sparked by a message you wish the world could hear. Is that message coming across? Or was it lost in development?

                     5. Your Characters Really Do Keep You Up at Night
        Characters of untold stories are demanding! The story wants to be told, and, for whatever reason, you’re the only one who can tell it.
Before really dedicating myself to authorship, I assumed other writers were overly dramatic, speaking of their characters as if real people and insisting they’re kept awake in mental dialogue with them. Now, as someone who can’t shower without talking to a character or crying over their pain (yes—I know I created it, but did I? Didn’t those details write themselves?), or even listen to music without assessing how it would make a character feel, I recognize how wrongly I judged my fellow authors.
We’re all nuts. Embrace it!
         You will suffer restless nights and unprecedented stress at work knowing you should be writing instead of building a career that actually generates money. It’s exhausting living between the real world and the fictional. But keep going! It is, indeed, part of the process.\

                       6. Be Mindful of Your Physical Health:
        This may be the point I most wish I knew before diving into the wonderful world of writing. Often, after a productive writing session, I’d stand only to discover the regular feeling in my body was replaced by terrible aches in my back, shoulders, neck, and wrists. Carpal tunnel is no joke! I even got plantar fasciitis as I sat, unaware, with my feet curled in weird positions for hours at a time.
          “Quick bathroom breaks” become whole experiences when limping on cramped feet.
Only in retrospect did I learn that when writing, I completely leave my body behind. I sit motionless, except for my hands, experiencing solely the fictional world, unaware of what’s happening around me physically. It’s incredibly unhealthy, especially several days at a time.
          I was shocked to step on the scale one day and discover I’d gained fifteen pounds in two weeks because every spare second was spent writing without any consideration for my overall wellbeing. A deep writing session could last eighteen hours overnight with zero sleep, no stretching, and no walking breaks. The worst part was I was continuously stuffing my face with quick, easy junk food to disallow hunger to distract me.
          Now, having suffered those consequences, I set alarms reminding me to take a walk, stretch, and check in with my body. I strive to plan healthy meals and eat before writing. When I do get hungry, I take a break to focus on my food and get some fresh air. It’s infinitely better to write with a clear mind. Seven hours of healthy writing are ultimately more productive than fifteen hours of focused writing but physical misery.
           Plan ahead. What position will your body be in while you write? How’s your posture? Are your feet getting good blood flow? Are you tensing your wrists while you type? Is your neck strained? Try out many arrangements and don’t settle until you know it won’t cause issues for your body. A standing or treadmill desk may be your thing. Perhaps an exercise ball encouraging movement in your hips. Maybe you need to set a timer to change positions every half hour. Or maybe frequent breaks will be enough. Just be good to your precious body!

                        7. Write Down Every Good Idea—Even in the Middle of the Night
           My memory is unreliable. I’ve lost grand ideas for my stories due to sleepiness, laziness, or basic unwillingness to stop what I’m doing and write them down. I’m not naturally organized so planners, physical and digital, do me no good. In order to preserve my rare and precious moments of genius, I’ve had to learn (painstakingly) to work with my personality and all its flaws. Hopefully my method proves useful to other poor souls who self-identify as creative sloths.
            When random inspiration strikes, I text myself. That simple! Reading my solo text thread to recall a 3:00 a.m. epiphany is like opening a little gift from my past self. I’m always grateful to that lazy lass for taking the time to type it out; I know how hard it was for her.
I also use an audio recording app to save a quick idea when on the road or in a position where it’s hard to text.
            Find a system that’s easy for you. As long as you get your great ideas recorded where you’ll know to find them later, the method matters not.

                  8. Get Feedback (aka Data) from Professionals and Straightforward Active Consumers:
          Your doting aunt’s praise is important for you as a person because everyone needs encouragement and to know who’s in their corner. However, it’s useless for your writing. Get feedback from agents and editors as you pitch your work.
            Also helpful are your seemingly anti-social, entertainment-obsessed (more often than not manga-loving) acquaintances. See how social they become when invited to scrutinize a story unfiltered. If your story sucks, your writing is lazy, or a character needs work, they’ll tell you. An active consumer’s perspective is invaluable to authors.
              Remember, your story has an audience. It’s not for everyone. Consumers have preferred medias and genres within those medias. The more readers, the better. Within reason, of course. It still needs to be your story. As long as you keep it your own, feedback is helpful.
             Don’t take negative feedback as an attack to your talent or intelligence. It’s just data: process, assess, and apply what’s relevant. You’ll improve by non-emotionally allowing people to tear your writing to shreds. Using criticism constructively is a talent of its own.

                 9. For Character Development, Create Your Own SPEMPARFS:
          For me, character development is the most fun, yet daunting, aspect of storytelling. To assist my chaotic brain, I developed a system I call SPEMPARFS, an acronym for:
· Spiritual
· Physical
· Emotional
· Mental
· Psychological
· Artistic
· Romantic
· Financial
· Social
           This is in order of importance as I like to get to know my characters in a certain way. That doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes know a character’s physical traits or financial status first, it just means when fleshing out a character, this works best for me.
         I encourage all writers to create their own program for developing characters and am happy to share SPEMPARFS as a starting point for anyone struggling to get theirs going.
          I begin with a character’s spirituality because it will tell me more about them than anything else. What are their beliefs? Were they raised in those beliefs or did they come by them later in life? Is their spiritual journey part of the story I’m telling, or did they have unwavering beliefs before the story begins? Do their beliefs affect the story? Are they relevant for the reader? Or are those details out of place in this story? Either way, the author needs to know them in order to write the character.
           Physical appearance is important early on because I want to picture the character as I write, and make sure the reader is able to do so as well. A character’s physical state also tells me what their body is capable of. If a character is overweight whether from genetics, a sedentary lifestyle, or overeating, I need to remember that when they’re required to ascend twenty flights of stairs. If a character is obsessed with health and fitness, I want to show that with scenes involving more physical activity.
           The emotional makeup of a character will determine their reactions and speech patterns, which will assist with dialogue and decision making.
And the list goes on.

                      10. Utilize the Miracle of Music
         I must preface by saying I never, ever listen to music while I’m writing. What an unbearable distraction! It’s impossible for me to write with sound, strong smells, bright lights, anything that pulls me out of my characters’ world. Music does, however, heavily impact my stories. When away from the screen, I do a lot of music-inspired plotting and mental adjusting to my stories.
             Though I don’t like the term “writer’s block” I relate to being stuck not knowing exactly how to structure a scene or guide it to its main point. What helps most is listening to music that has the feel I want for that scene. Often, I’ll take my dogs to the park and, with headphones on full volume, find the right song on my playlist then listen on repeat. Immersing myself in the feeling of the scene allows me to picture it, facilitating construction.
          If this exercise works well for you, take it to the next level. What song would work for a trailer for your story? While listening to that song, what scenes would be highlighted in the trailer? Do those scenes as currently written in your manuscript portray the importance they bear to your story? Or do they need work?
          There’s really no end to the impact music can have on your craft. The right words for a character’s expression in a crucial moment may come to you via Mozart’s brilliance.
       While writers experience similar challenges and joys, every writer’s journey is unique. Be mindful of yourself, your mental and physical health, and overall wellbeing, including your real-world relationships. It’s a marathon. Pace yourself. Be good to yourself. More than anything, enjoy this fantastic ride!

Meet the Author


As the third of eight siblings, Nicole has always been surrounded by people. Among her immediate family are spoken seven languages. Her favorite thing is hearing her nieces and nephews speak French, Tongan, or Mandarin. It’s no surprise she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Languages, as language is one of her greatest passions, topped only by music and Beat Saber.


Nicole minored in Women Studies and continues to take a particular interest in both women’s history and their individual stories. She’s grateful for her ancestors and other women who paved the way for her to pursue her dream of publishing stories and strives to create new avenues for the coming generations to pursue their dreams.


Though she’s lived-in various states in the U.S. and Brazil, Nicole considers Utah “home base” and continuously finds herself returning, even when previous moves were intended to be permanent. She attributes her love of Utah to the beauty of the Wasatch Mountains and the incredible people who make it feel like home, even when she’s been away for long periods of time. Recently, however, after visiting her sister’s family overseas, she’s been dreaming of a quiet beach house in Taiwan.
Connect with Nicole on her Website ~   Facebook ~ Instagram ~

GIVEAWAY!
One Winner will receive a
$25. Gift Card from Amazon!

Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps To Success by Heather Wilde
Publisher:  Sunbury Press, Inc (November 11, 2020)
Category: Business: Women & Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, Self-Help/Motivational, Non-Fiction
Tour dates: April-May, 2021
ISBN: 978-1620063347
Available in Print 158 pages and ebook 184 pages
Book Description:
        Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps to Success is the story of what it takes to found a billion-dollar company — also known as a unicorn. It’s told from the perspective of a founding employee, and shows the years and years of emotional strain, stress and dedication that building a successful company takes — and a framework to follow if you’d like to try it yourself.
        In this book, you’ll find the true story behind one of Silicon Valley’s famous companies on its rise to the top. Peek behind the curtain as you see the highs and lows from an insider perspective, on the roller coaster that is the start-up life. What emerges is a lasting friendship, a billion-dollar company, and an understandable framework of success for you to replicate.Buy Birth of a Unicorn by Heather Wilde: Amazon  ~ Barnes&Noble  ~ IndieBound ~  

                            How to Write Nonfiction Like A Pro

         The world is full of nonfiction books. Walk into any bookstore in the country, and you'll find shelves upon shelves of them: "How to" books on every conceivable topic. But how do you write a non-fiction book?
         In this post, we will talk about what it takes to write a non-fiction book that sells well, the process that authors go through before they start writing their first draft, and how to revise your work before publishing it.

1. Research:  Writing a non-fiction book is a huge task that requires lots of preparation and hard work. It can take years to collect enough information and write all the necessary chapters for your book.
        This will help you find the right facts and statistics for your manuscript. It will also give you time to reflect on what you want to write about because some topics might be controversial, and you might not feel comfortable writing about them.

2. Outlining:  Once you know what you are writing about, it is time to develop the outline. An outline will let you know what topics are covered in your book and in which order they need to be presented. You will use it as a guide so that you don't forget any important points while writing the manuscript.

3. Audience:  It is always important to understand your audience before you write a non-fiction book. This will help you make sure that your book meets the expectations of your readers. If your audience would like to read an academic style book, write it that way as well.
       Do you need to answer a question that is in everyone's mind? Is your book addressing an issue that needs to be discussed? Or are you writing a memoir? Although these are all totally different types of books, as an author you can use the same process of following these steps to write them all.

4. Vocabulary:  Most people don't think about the quality of their words when they are trying to write a non-fiction book. This is a big mistake, because it can make or break your work. Many times, people will write a manuscript and hand it over to an editor only to find out that their manuscript has grammatical errors that don't make sense.
         You need to be meticulous when you are writing. Take the time to choose the words that will best represent your work.

5. Writing:  Now that you have your outline and reviewed it several times, it is time to write the manuscript of your book. The manuscript of your book is the first draft that is created by you and reviewed by your editor.

6. Introductions:  The introduction is very important because this is where you hook your reader; get him excited about the topic of your book. But don't get carried away. Keep your introduction short and let it introduce the concepts that will be developed in the body of your book.
         If you have a strong opinion about something that is discussed in your book, you can also write a separate conclusion for it. This is important for every book because it allows the reader to see where you stand when you finish your book.

7. Editing:  The next step is to have your manuscript edited. This stage of the writing process will require some advice from an editor who knows how to provide constructive criticism. An editor will read through the manuscript, identify inconsistencies, and find grammatical errors. It is crucial that you take every comment into consideration and make the necessary changes to avoid making mistakes in the published version of your book.

8. Querying:  Book publishing is no different than any other type of business. You need to know how to find a good publisher (or publisher's rep) who will help you market your book once it's finished. The market for non-fiction books is very large, so you can choose from many options when finding the right publisher for your manuscript.

9. Publishing:  The final step in writing your non-fiction book is to publish it. This means you will have to send your manuscript to the publisher and wait for them to review it. After they review your work, they will make the necessary changes and send the final version back to you (at least once). You must then copyedit your book one last time before the publisher prints copies and starts promoting it through various platforms such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
     
        Writing a non-fiction book requires a lot of work, but if you are passionate about the topic you are writing about, it will be worth it. Remember, the greatest benefit any non-fiction author can receive is to help others by sharing your knowledge and experience.
 

About Heather Wilde:
       Heather Wilde was the eighth employee of Evernote, where she oversaw the company’s growth from thousands to 100 million customers. She has published popular games, trained Fortune 500 brands, advised hundreds of start-ups, and managed some major non-profit programs. At her non-profit, Serenze Global, and as a fractional CTO through her company ROCeteer, her award-winning work keeps the Unicorn Whisperer constantly traveling across the globe to find the next unicorn.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter  ~ IMDB ~

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Giveaway Birth of a Unicorn by Heather Wilde
   
     This giveaway is open worldwide for print or eBook (Ends on May 22, 2021,midnight pacific time.) Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.