Polyxena ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

A Story of Troy: Polyxena
By H. Allenger

About the Author:
H. Allenger earned a BA in public administration and an MA in international relations. After thirty-one years with the Seattle School District, he is now retired and pursuing his true passions, which include mythology, archaeology, and writing. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington, and enjoys traveling the world.

About the Book:

After Polyxena, daughter of King Priam of Troy, is chosen as Neoptolemus’s love interest, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads to a surprising conclusion about her destiny.
Troy has just fallen, leaving the city in ruins and at the mercy of the Greeks. Neoptolemus has claimed the daughter of the now-deceased King Priam of Troy as his love prize. After she rejects his advances, he angrily contrives a story that dooms the ill-fated Polyxena. She knows what she must do to survive, but unfortunately, she cannot change her destiny.

Polyxena is mortified that Neoptolemus has fallen in love with her, for this means she must die at the commemoration rites for his father. As Polyxena prepares for the inevitable, she reflects over the past year, relating her thoughts to Aphrodite, the goddess she believes is responsible for orchestrating the events that have beleaguered her. As she tries to make sense of it all, Polyxena converses with all the well-known personages associated with the Trojan myth—Achilles, Agamemnon, Cassandra, Helen, and many others—while seeking solace in the hope that her existence has not been futile.

In this moving story of forbidden love, a young woman unwittingly becomes intertwined in the romantic legacy surrounding Troy, embarking on a journey of self-discovery that leads her to a surprising conclusion about the life she has lived.

Title: Polyxena: A Story of Troy 

Author: H. Allenger 

Publisher: iUniverse 

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Pages: 412 

Language: English 

ISBN-13: 978-1-47595-449-4 

Purchase at iUniverse

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Trudy ~ Book Blast with Giveaway

TRUDY
By C.S. Ross

About the Author:
The author was born and raised in the hills of Pennsylvania. Graduated High School and moved to Ohio. Married, two children. Taught Ballroom dance and gymnastics. Moved to Michigan, graduated from Eastern Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications. Worked for a cable television station before turning to writing novels.

About the Book:
This is a story of a washed – up detective who can’t resist trying to solve a mystery. In spite of trying to stay out of other people’s business, this character always manages to get tangled up anyway. Without trying the detective gets involved in the life of a little girl who just happens to be the sole hair to her family fortune. And, where there’s a lot of money involved, there’s always some sleazy characters trying to get their hands on it. The story takes some unexpected twists and turns as our hero tries to remain unnoticed by the press and his former associates. Follow our hero through unexpected events and unwanted danger. Sometimes you’ll laugh, sometimes you’ll cry but you won’t have time to get bored. In this story, each day’s a chapter and each chapter’s another mess our hero manages to fall into.

Purchase your copy: iUniverse

Title: Trudy 

Author: C.S. Ross 

Publisher: iUniverse 

Genre: Noir 

Pages: 98 

Language: English 

ISBN-13: 978-1-47598-664-8 

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Never Giving Up and Never Wanting ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Never Giving Up and Never Wanting
A Caregiver's Journey
By Barry Tutor

About the Author:
As a lifetime problem-solver, I faced the challenges of caring for my two AD victims by researching the disease and developing caregiving skills to assure their comfort and care.

About the Book:
Like most, I knew about Alzheimer’s disease. It causes old people to forget. When my relationship with this disease began, it highlighted how little I knew. Following my widowed mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, I researched this disease to gain insight about my new role as her caregiver and decision maker. What I learned and experienced during her affliction still left me somewhat unprepared for what was yet to come. Sixteen months following my mother’s diagnosis, my dear wife and best friend was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Though now I was familiar with this silent killer, my wife’s diagnosis set into motion many changes and challenges in our lives. Someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s every sixty-eight seconds. Currently, Alzheimer’s is the only disease in the top-ten causes of death that is on the increase and has no means of prevention and no possible cure. Given these facts, support for those afflicted relies on increasing levels of care-giving as the disease progresses. Let me explain something about this “old folk’s disease.” Alzheimer’s affects more than just parents and grandparents. It is also the disease of siblings, spouses, and children. Alzheimer’s forces many families to decide between home versus institutional care. An estimated fifteen million caregivers provide some level of care to the Alzheimer’s victims still living at home. No matter what level of care you are providing, the importance of preparation is paramount. Arming yourself with knowledge begins that preparation process. I was unprepared for the roller-coaster ride my life became as the sole caregiver for two Alzheimer’s victims. To meet their varied challenges, I adapted and developed multiple techniques for targeted personalized care. If only I knew then what I know now. By sharing my knowledge and experience, I hope to better prepare you for your caregiving journey.

Purchase your copy: 

TRAFFORD PUBLISHING 

Book Spotlight Cut and Paste (just add cover): 

Title: Never Giving Up and Never Wanting To: A Caregiver’s Journey 

Author: Barry Tutor 

Publisher: Trafford Publishing 

Genre: Alzheimer’s/Caregiver 

Pages: 238 

Language: English 

ISBN-13: 978-1-46694-879-2 

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Mary Elizabeth the Spotless Cow ~ Review

Mary Elizabeth the Spotless Cow
By Salvatore Barbera

Mary Elizabeth has a problem.  She's a cow without spots and all the other cows on the new farm where she lives have spots.  How is she ever to make friends when the other cows avoid her because she is different from them?

After all who would want to associate with a spotless cow!

With some clever thinking on her part Mary Elizabeth convinces the other cows that outward appearance doesn't determine someone's worth.  Going from spotless to spotted and back to spotless allows Mary Elizabeth to show the others one can be friends with someone different than they are - after all they are all cows no matter what their coloring.

Mary Elizabeth the Spotless Cow is a cute and well written book that will impart a valuable lesson to your children. 

I was provided a copy of this book in conjunction with this Pump-Up Your Book blog tour in exchange for my honest review.

From now until December 27, 2013 a hardcover copy of Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow, a book that teaches about acceptance, tolerance, and friendship will be available at  http://www.sweetles.com/shop/ for only $12 (regular retail price $17.99). As if all that isn’t wonderful enough, the author is donating 50% of the net proceeds from this book to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Child Life Program to make a difference in the lives of children with critical and life threatening illnesses.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The story of “Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow” takes us on the journey she travels to figure out how to get the cows at a new farm to like and accept her.

While she hopes to find friendship at her new home, instead she learns what it means to be different from everyone else. (Spotless!) Mary Elizabeth uses clever ideas and a sense of humor to help her on her quest for friends at the new farm.

This inspiring tale shows how perseverance in spite of obstacles, using a sound thought process to arrive at solutions and the importance of having fun, using humor and enjoying playtime can build friendships.

When you buy this book, 50% of net proceeds go to Phoenix Children’s Hospital Child Life Program to make a difference in the lives of children with critical and life threatening illnesses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sal is the author and illustrator of “A Sweetles Dream”® book series. As the Creative Director for Hartman-Barbera llc, a family media & entertainment company, he is also an animator, sculptor, painter and all around fun guy. Sal lives the phrase: “A day without laughter is a wasted day”. To that end, he uses his writing, illustrating and animation skills to create endearing characters and comedic stories.

Sal’s sense of humor and empathy for his characters explore personal and social situations in ways that makes it enjoyable for both adults and children to experience together. Born in New York City, Sal moved to North Bergen, NJ where he grew up on a steep hillside neighborhood with his four older sisters. He currently lives in sunny Arizona with his wife and artistic partner, Sheri, who he defines as his inspiration. On any given day Sal might be painting, sculpting, drawing, animating, writing or enjoying one of his favorite pastimes: cooking, television, movies and golf.

Visit Sal Barbera’s website at http://www.salbarbera.com.

The Funny Adventures of Little Nani ~ Review

The Funny Adventures of Little Nani
By Cinta Garcia de la Rosa

The Funny Adventures of Little Nani is a collection of 10 stories that are sure to delight young readers.

In the first story Little Nani and Some Unexpected Events, Little Nani has a tiny mishap when she attempts to cast a spell on her friends Big Billy and Skinny Nikki.  Instead of making them grow-up faster she turned them into ostriches.

In future Little Nani stories we find out why turtles are so slow, where panda bears came from, and how she accidently plants a robot in the forest.  Little Nani's online email magic course as one can soon determine in greatly lacking.

I love that her horse reads, especially the books that it chooses - Jane Austen, comics, Beatrix Potter.  This is a funny clean read that will leave children and parents laughing at Little Nani's magic mishaps.

(Warning don't try magic email courses at home, your friends will regret it!)

I was provided a copy of this book in conjunction with this Pump-Up Your Book tour in exchange for my review.

About the Author:

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa is a Spanish writer who has loved the written word since she discovered she was able to read books at age 5. Since then, she has become a bookworm and reads around 100 books every year. She also writes, every day, compulsively, even in the middle of the night. You cannot control when inspiration hits you, can you? She writes in English because she is convinced that in a previous life she was British, so writing in English feels more natural to her than writing in her native language. Yes, she is crazy like that. Cinta Garcia is the author of “The Funny Adventures of Little Nani”, a collection of short stories for children, and “A Foreigner in London”, a short story published on Smashwords.

Her latest book is The Funny Adventures of Little Nani.

Visit her website at www.cintagarciadelarosa.com.

Connect and Socialize with Cinta!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

About the Book:

Little Nani is a little girl who likes helping people. However, when she helps people the results can be a bit unexpected. Why is that? Little Nani is a witch! Or at least she wants to be a witch. With her magic wand, she will try to cast different spells to help her friends, but she won’t be successful all the time. Follow Little Nani in her funny adventures and meet her extraordinary friends. Funny ostriches, horses that love reading, super-fast turtles, grumpy zombies… Little Nani has lots of friends! You can also draw your own characters! Little Nani is willing to become a good witch. Will she manage to do it? Who knows? Read the stories and discover what happens next!

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Spotlights:

Title: The Funny Adventures of Little Nani
Genre: Children’s Book
Author: Cinta Garcia de la Rosa
Publisher: CreateSpace (June 18, 2013)
Pages: 100
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1490413766
ISBN-13: 978-1490413761

EXCERPT (From “Little Nani and the Flying Muffin”).

“I’m bored!”

“How can you say that you are bored when I am reading to you one of the funniest books I have read in a long time?” said Horse in an exasperated tone. When Little Nani shrugged her shoulders, Horse had retreated to his favourite rocking chair in a corner of the room.

“Can I go out and make angels?” asked Little Nani, who was upside down, standing on her hands.

“Don’t be silly. You can only make angels in the snow, not in the rain,” said Horse without raising his eyes from the book.

“Can I go out and jump in the pools?” asked Little Nani, who was hopscotching all over the room.

“If you go out you will get soaking wet, and then you will catch a bad cold, and then you won’t be able to go out for a long time,” said the impatient horse. He didn’t like being interrupted while reading.

“Then I will cast a spell to make the sun come back,” said Little Nani, trying to take her magic wand out of her pocket while rolling on the floor. Big Billy, watching her efforts to take her magic wand out, and fearing that Little Nani could make the rain turn into a tempest, quickly pecked Little Nani’s hand.

“Ouch!” exclaimed Little Nani. “That hurt!”

She tried once more to take her magic wand from her pocket, but this time it was Skinny Nikki who pecked Little Nani’s hand.

“Ouch!” exclaimed Little Nani again.

It was pretty clear by now to Little Nani that she wasn’t going to have any fun that day. She thought that the rain was boring and, folding her arms with an angry look, she sat down in a corner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Torn Blood ~ Review

Torn Blood
By David J. Bain

A highly classified vaccine.  A university professor.  A long rumored biological weapon.  A Russian stalker. An outbreak of measles.  A land in turmoil.  An unopened letter.  Two men seeking work.  A man seeking to understand an eternal struggle.

Addison Deverell has a personal mission in Israel before beginning his official duties at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.  He wants to understand the root cause of the Israel/Palestinian conflict.  But he may get more than he had planned when get caught up in an attack that could alter the country forever.

Through a series of seemingly random events that have, in truth, been manipulated, a Palestinian plot to rid Israel of the Jews that call the land home is about to be set into action.

Meanwhile Dr. Janelle Henning is being stalked by a Russian woman desperate to speak with her.  Why would a woman she'd never met be desperate to make contact with her?  What Janelle learns will change her life and her world forever.

Soon these secrets will bring them together in a way no one would have ever expected and it may cost them everything!

Torn Blood at first appeared to be several random unconnected stories taking place miles apart which at times seemed a little slow, but this is not the case.  The various places and stories manage to converge in a believable and exciting story that will keep you engrossed in this thrilling book!

I was provided an ARC of this title through Side Door Communications in exchange for my honest review.

Behind the Book

Since its founding on May 14, 1948, no country has proven more controversial than Israel as headlines, the world over, challenge its rights as a sovereign nation. Why does this tiny nation hold the world’s attention and compel governments around the globe to shun recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital?

In his debut novel, Torn Blood (Bo Iti Press, Fall 2013), author David J. Bain probes these questions in a story that asks if justice can prevail for a people maligned and persecuted over the ages because of their birthright.

The Plot

Three weeks before reporting for duty at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Addison Deverell arrives in Israel on a mission—to find the source of the conflict between Arabs and Jews. Bound to an escort by the embassy, he is unable to begin his search as time is running out. Mere days before he must report for duty, Addison is freed from his forced escort as another escort takes his place. Addison issues an ultimatum that, with or without help, he is going into Palestinian territory for answers he can’t find in Israel. As Addison races to uncover the truth that promises to establish a career, he faces danger from those he seeks to understand and finds himself a pawn in an international plot to drive Israel’s Jews into the sea.

Nearly seven thousand miles away in Oregon, Dr. Janelle Henning confronts a secret that threatens to destroy the only family she’s ever known. A search for understanding thrusts her into a world long buried to confront a birthright hidden by the passage of time. Brought together by events, Janelle and Addison discover hidden identities in a relationship they have shared for a lifetime.

About Bo Iti Press

Bo Iti Press, is a newly founded niche publisher focusing on stories about the Jewish experience as well as the rights of Israel as a sovereign nation. It is a Christian publishing company owned by a Gentile believer who is passionate about Israel. The press is based in Jackson, WY.

About the Author

David J. Bain is a novelist focused on writing stories about the Jewish experience and founder of Bo Iti Press. His debut book, Torn Blood, releases in the fall of 2013. Before launching his publishing company, he collaborated on two screenplays made into movies and has been involved in the business world for more than 30 years where his company publishes technical manuals and he wrote the company’s occasional newsletter. David, and his wife, Doris, reside in Oregon.

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Heart of the Country ~ Review

Heart of the Country
By Rene Gutteridge 
    and John Ward


Sometimes to go forward, you have to go back

Faith has lost herself.  Her marriage is seemingly at an end after her husband Luke finds himself caught up in a Ponzi scheme.  Her family has been left behind years ago when she traveled to New York City to pursue her dream.

Luke was determined to make his own name in business and not rely on the Carraday family name to do it.  But he ignored his own judgment and the advice of his family, risking everything for wealth and prestige.

Sometimes a fairytale romance doesn't end in happily ever after unless you are willing to fight for it. The question is - are Faith and Luke willing to fight for it?  Or was their love merely a whirlwind like their romance?

Faith returns to her childhood home, to the father and sister she left behind all those years ago following the tragic death of her mother.  As the three rebuild their relationship and deal with the wounds that Faith's absence left healing seems to be within Faith's grasp.

As Luke deals with the fallout of his choices, he turns to his family.  He is surprised that not only do they support him publicly but in private as well.

This is a true prodigal son tale as both Faith and Luke return to the families they left behind in the search of their dreams.

Each chapter is told from a different character's viewpoint.  First there is Catherine, Faith's mother, her story is told as she is being rushed to the hospital following her accident.  Then there is Olivia, Faith's older sister; Luke and Faith.

I liked how in the case of both Luke and Faith their fathers did not speak against them, trying to drive a wedge between them.  Which in the case of Faith's father Calvin is really saying something as he had never met his son-in-law.

Calvin's insights into Faith and Luke I think were actually a turning point for Luke and his growth as a person.  When Calvin observes that they are both runners, I think it made Luke realize that in order to truly have what he wanted meant he would have to stop running from his mistakes and troubles.

I really liked this book and think that this is a book that will touch the hearts of all who read it.

I was provided a copy of this title by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Faith and Luke Carraday have it all. Faith is a beautiful singer turned socialite while Luke is an up-and-coming businessman. After taking his inheritance from his father’s stable, lucrative business to invest in a successful hedge fund with the Michov Brothers, he’s on the fast track as a rising young executive, and Faith is settling comfortably into her role as his wife.

When rumors of the Michovs’ involvement in a Ponzi scheme reach Faith, she turns to Luke for confirmation, and he assures her that all is well. But when Luke is arrested, Faith can’t understand why he would lie to her, and she runs home to the farm and the family she turned her back on years ago. Meanwhile, Luke is forced to turn to his own family for help as he desperately tries to untangle himself from his mistakes. Can two prodigals return to families they abandoned, and will those families find the grace to forgive and forget? Will a marriage survive betrayal when there is nowhere to run but home?

Movie Trailer:




Releasing on DVD December 3, 2013

I was provided an advanced copy of this DVD by Tyndale and I was interested to comparing the movie with the book.  Yes, there are differences as there are with all book/movie experiences, but it works and doesn't detract on either format.

Whereas the book starts with Catherine and her awareness of her coming death, the movie starts with Faith and Luke and the ponzi fallout.

The movie is really very well done when compared to the book.  The book adds a dimension to the characters by sharing their thoughts and while the movie doesn't do this (sharing the thoughts) it is well portrayed through the actions and small dialog changes so that you still get the same basic feel.

Unlike many family movies you don't come away wondering how Faith and Olivia managed to not kill each other because they so totally hated each.  Faith and Olivia have issues but you can tell that they truly care about each other (this is more obvious in the book).

With a December release date this would make a great present to share with your family this upcoming holiday season.