Thoughts About Locales Exotic or Not and Smallfoot Movie Trailer

Often times people dream of exotic locales or adventure vacations. Now whether my perfect destination for exploration is exotic or not depends on one's own point of view. Exotic means originating or characteristic of a distant foreign country.

Well, how distant is distant enough to fit this definition? For me, it isn't crossing an ocean or continents. Rather it is within my own continent though not in my own country. But as to where in Canada that I'd like to explore now that is a quandary.

Images of Canada's Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador are so beautiful. I love the rock formations and fields, the waterways meandering and powerful, the historical aspects. And then there Banff National Park, which is the Canadian portion of the Rocky Mountains, located in Alberta. The images of the mountains and the lakes are absolutely breathtaking. I love how the water is so smooth and clear reflecting the grandeur of the mountains. I'm sure there are others who frequent and explore these places but most films and photos I've seen have seemed void of human intrusion which I have to add is part of the draw.

I'm drawn to the rugged beauty of these places and the chance to allow nature to surround and seep into the soul, a glimpse of what Heaven may be. A chance to get away from what I know and understand and just soak in what I see, what I sense without the distraction of the normal day brings.

Where do you dream of immersing yourself? Where do you want to lose yourself for a short time and just experience the world around you? Comment below and share your thoughts.

SMALLFOOT Trailer:

Synopsis: 

 An animated adventure for all ages, with original music and an all-star cast, “Smallfoot” turns a myth upside down when a bright young yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human.

News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village, in an all new story about friendship, courage and the joy of discovery.

“Smallfoot” stars Channing Tatum (“The LEGO® Batman Movie,” the “Jump Street” films) , Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Common (“Selma”), LeBron James (upcoming “Space Jam 2”), Danny DeVito (“The Lorax,” Oscar nominee for “Erin Brockovich”), Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”), and Yara Shahidi (TV’s “Black-ish”).  It debuts in theaters on September 28.

                

Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor ~ Review with Interview, Snippet, and Giveaway

Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor
By Sarah McConkie

It was sure to be a summer they would never forget - one of anticipation. Christine Harrison is sure that she will soon be engaged to Mr. Davenport, a gentleman of the most impeccable manners and her equal in society and means to be sure. Entertaining her chosen gentleman's attention while enjoying one last summer with her sister Lizzy and dear friends Ivory and Meg seems perfect. Until Ivory invites Mr. Henry Robertson to Cassfield Manor. A businessman invited to Cassfield seems too much and that Ivory should even for a moment contemplate such a match is unthinkable.

But Henry played the role of a gentleman well, sharing his attention with not only the young ladies but Mr.and Mrs. Harrison as well. But his own fortune and inheritance he spoke not a word.  Extending an invitation to his aunt's London Summer ball is a delight they all anticipate especially the promise of many unattached gentlemen. After charming them all they were most disappointed in his sudden and unexpected departure. A departure that coincided with the arrival of Mr. Davenport and his friend Mr. Greenville.

Christine's expectations are dashed though when Mr. Davenport quits the manor without declaring himself. Was he in doubt of his attachment? Or was something else keeping him from declaring himself? At least she has a ball to distract her and the possibility that Mr. Davenport may be in attendance, well she can hope. Making the acquaintance of Henry's brother, William proves most interesting. A man more, unlike his brother, could not be found. Where Henry was happy, William seemed subdued almost burdened.

Upon returning to Cassfield, a report reaches Christine that Mr. Davenport has wed another and she is crushed. How could she have been so utterly mistaken in his feelings?

What follows is a story that isn't to be missed as Christine comes to terms with who she is in relation to who she wishes to be. And Henry's brother William he is about to become your favorite character that is if you get to know him beyond the persona that he presents to the general populace.

There are crises of the heart, true love found, betrayals, danger, long kept secrets and they all converge on Cassfield Manor in a most delightful story. Fans of Jane Austen and Regency period romance will fall in love with this debut from Sarah McConkie. This will be one book you will loathe putting down even at the final period. Highly recommended for not only one read but repeated reads.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through SLB Book Tours with no expectation but my honest review. All opinions expressed are mt own.



About the Book:

Genre:  Adult, New Adult, Christian, Fiction, Historical, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Publication date: August 14, 2018

Wealthy socialite Christine Harrison’s life seems perfect until the man she planned to marry, Mr. Davenport, proposes to someone else. Heartbroken, Miss Harrison vows never to love again, and to distract herself, she sets out to rescue a fallen young woman. Little does she know that her journey will reveal more than she expected about her friends, her seemingly perfect life, and her own heart.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

About the Author:

From writing an award-wining tale of a dragon falling from the stars in the 3rd grade to regency romance written at thirty, Sarah McConkie has always had a passion for creating intriguing stories. After years of singledom looking for romance (and teaching Junior High Choir to fill up real life), Sarah began a Master’s degree in Literacy. When love finally found her, she married and became a wife and eventually a mother. After tucking in her own little princess one January evening she determined to attempt her life-long dream to write and publish a novel. Using her many years of experience in the single realm, a robust knowledge of regency classics, and a love of all things old fashioned and proper, Sarah wrote Love and Secrets at Cassfield Manor. She now lives with her own Mr. Right and her two daughters, and believes providing stimulating and moral stories promotes literacy in a world which needs more readers. This is her first novel.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Author Q and A:

1-How did you determine the setting that your book centers around? 

I have always loved the sea, and my family used to travel there a lot, so I took that love and transported it to England.

2-Where do your ideas come from - random thought, a picture, a comment, a song? 

Usually life experiences or people that I change into plot points and friends. 

3-If you could live as any of your characters which one (or two) would you be? And why this one? 

I think I would be William Robertson, my main male character. He’s so good and determined, there’s a lot I could learn from him. 

4-What two authors (1 from the past and one from the present) would like to spend the weekend with and how would you spend it? 

Hmmm...Of course Jane Austen. We would walk lovely grounds and enjoy tea cakes and I would ask her inspiration for her books, characters, and her process. Modern author? Heather Moore and I would learn how she organizes her day and all she does. 

5-What is your all-time favorite book that you want others to read and love as much as you do?

 

I have to say Les Miserable and Pride and Prejudice. 

6-What is the one question you wish was asked during an interview and how would you answer it? (BTW this is my favorite question)

What has been your most surprising moment with your book in print? The moment I picked up my friend’s book at Costco and realized mine was underneath it...also being sold at Costco, even though I did not know!
Or this one: What do you hope the readers learn/gain from this story? That love only works if we have hope. You must treat people and a relationship you care about like you know it will work out. Hope is what makes the difference. Also, I hope the readers see and feel that people can change and become better.

Book Snippet:

Christine breathed deeply, circling her arms around herself. As she stood among those high, stalwart cliffs, she formed a resolution. Their presence spoke to Christine once more, reminding her that she could change. She could be more steadfast in her desires. She determined then to look outward, toward others, and stop caring about herself and her status in life. She affirmed that day that she did not need high connections to validate her existence. She did not need a man to establish or promote her social standing. And perhaps most importantly, Christine resolved to never again let these base motives stand in her way of real and lasting relationships with the people around her.

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway HERE.

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Sale of Write-Publish-Profit ending today

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Jonathan Green tells you how to get paid upfront as a writer for hire, and how to find the most loyal (and lucrative) clients. He also shares his best strategies as a ghostwriter, and how he’s able to write 5,000 words every day before lunch.

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Ours for a Season ~ Review

Ours for a Season
By Kim Vogel Sawyer

Marty Hirschler has always wanted to be a mother but her dream is not to be. Her pain and longing has made her life in Pine Hill, Indiana, almost unbearable as friends and family continue to grow their own families. Her discontent is driving a wedge between her and her husband Anthony. And her faith has suffered as a result of this unanswered prayer.

When Marty's childhood friend asks Marty and Anthony to leave Indiana for a short-term job in Kansas, Marty feels that this is the chance she needs to heal her broken heart. And the chance to reconnect, in person, with Brooke after all these years is worth the time she'll be away from the familiar.

Brooke Spalding is a woman who knows what she wants and she's determined to turn every opportunity she can into a profit. Brooke needs no one in her life, her childhood convinced her of that. She's going to turn an old ghost town, Eagle Creek, into a multimillion-dollar resort and she wants Anthony to handle the construction portion of the restoration. But just as she is on the cusp of realizing her dream of being able to retire by 40, she is hit with a devastating medical diagnosis - cancer.

With Brooke's need for assistance during this time of illness, Marty begins to see that her childless state may actually be a blessing in disguise. But with any restoration project, there are always unforeseen issues to deal with. When a trespasser is discovered they find a teen runaway who was in a situation that made running her only hope of escape. Trafficking is something that Marty and Anthony had never experienced in their Old Order Mennonite life and it opens their eyes to a need that may be one that they can fill.

Ours for a Season is an engaging and moving story as Marty, Anthony, and Brooke all go through this time of trial. I like how this chance offers all to reexamine their lives and grow into better people. I really feel that the underlying theme of children (biological or not) are in our lives for just a season before they grow into a season of their own.

I received this book from the publisher through their book launch program.

About the Book:
An Old Order Mennonite couple's vows and beliefs are challenged in this stirring contemporary novel for fans of Cindy Woodsmall or Shelley Shepherd Gray.
 
Anthony and Marty Hirschler are part of an Old Order Mennonite community in Pine Hill, Indiana. The couple has grown apart since a doctor confirmed they would never have children. Marty longs to escape the tight-knit area where large families are valued, and the opportunity to do so arises when her childhood friend, Brooke Spalding, resurfaces with the wild idea of rebuilding a ghost town into a resort community. Brooke hires Anthony to help with the construction, drawing the Hirschlers away from Indiana and into her plan, and then finds herself diagnosed with cancer. Moral complications with Brooke's vision for a casino as part of the resort and the discovery of a runaway teenager hiding on the property open up a world neither the Hirschlers nor Brooke had considered before. Will they be able to overcome their challenges and differences to help the ones among them hurting the most?

A Worthy Rebel ~ Review

 A Worthy Rebel
An Uncertain Choice #5
By Jody Hedlund

In A Loyal Heart, we were introduced to Lady Olivia of Ulster and now we discover what became of her younger sister Lady Isabelle. Lady Isabelle, Countess of Ulster, is known for her delicate beauty but her late father's treachery has brought the shame of the king's shunning upon the family name. With few choices, Lady Isabelle is being pressured to marry Sir Thomas Neville. His wealth will stabilize her own struggling lands and provide the finances she no longer possesses.

But Isabelle's arrival in Pembroke brings forth peasant dissatisfaction against Sir Thomas catching Isabelle in its wake. Sir Thomas's response and cruelty convince Izzy that she cannot contemplate a marriage to such a man. Escaping Castle Pembroke leaves Izzy alone, lost, and hunted. Sir Thomas is not about to allow his plans to be thwarted.

Cole Warwick is determined to convince Sir Thomas to listen to the peasant's concerns and complaints and if open rebellion is necessary so be it. But when soldiers take to the woods he fears that the rebels are the target of their search, he never imagined that the hurt young woman he found is the true target.

As Izzy recovers she has a chance to truly understand the peasant life something she had never before had any occasion to do. Interactions with her own people were usually through an intermediary. Hiding as a peasant though places those caring for her in danger if her subterfuge is discovered. As she gets to know the Warwick family Izzy finds herself drawn towards Cole, but marriage between nobility and peasantry can never be. Cole could never provide the finances Izzy so desperately needs. And if he discovers who she truly is he may hate her for the noble title she holds.

A Worthy Rebel is the final book in the An Uncertain Choice series. The characters are interesting as they deal with what life has given them. Cecil, who was in the previous book makes another appearance in this one and the reader is left in doubt as to his fate. I also liked Cole's mother Thea and found the backstory of parents to be quite interesting. And for those who enjoy the Duke of Rivenshire he makes an appearance in this one at a most appropriate moment (hint, hint there is a battle). The final outcome is one that the reader will not expect (yes, there is a happy ending but it is what leads up to it that proves most intriguing.

Written for the young adult/teen audience all fans of Jody Hedlund's work will enjoy this one. Though over 300 pages the book doesn't feel long and is easy to follow through its intrigues and twists. And the cover I love the dress!

About the Book:

A desperate noblewoman, 

a rebellious peasant, 

and a forbidden love. 

While fleeing an arranged betrothal to a heartless lord, Lady Isabelle becomes injured and lost. Rescued by a young peasant man, she hides her identity as a noblewoman for fear of reprisal from the peasants who are bitter and angry toward the nobility.

Cole Warwick cannot turn his back on a person in need and soon finds himself falling for Izzy, the gentle and beautiful runaway who is mending in his cottage. As the leader of an imminent uprising against the nobility, he tries to resist his growing feelings for Izzy to protect her from the dangerous life he’s chosen. But the longer she stays, the more he hopes she’ll never leave.

When Izzy’s true identity is revealed, Cole feels betrayed. With the rebellion underway, can Cole forgive Izzy and find a way to save her from an unhappy marriage? Or will he and his peasant army be destroyed before he has the chance to fight for the people and the woman he loves?

Write-Publish-Profit Super Stack

From Obscurity to Highly Paid Bestselling Author

41 cutting-edge e-books, e-courses, and other resources to help you fulfill your dreams of becoming
a bestselling author!

What is the Write-Publish-Profit Super Stack?

It's a curated selection of premium resources and tools, including e-books, e-courses, software, and coupons. It includes 35+ contributors across a broad range of the self-publishing space.

The combined retail value of everything in the stack is almost $3000.00, but you get everything for a humongous 96% off!

This is one of the best compilation of resources I've ever seen for writers and self-publishers.

When is this sale happening?

For a very limited time from September 10 to 14. After the “Flash Sale” is over, this deal is gone.

Who is this resource for?

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, are just starting out or are attempting to take your already successful writing career to the next level, there’s tons of cutting-edge up-to-the-minute content here for you.

What kind of resources are included?

I don’t even know where to start telling you about the depth of information they’ve compiled… but here’s a quick list of just some of the info that’s included:

Derek Doepker shows you how to discover the insider strategies used to launch a book that sold over 631 copies in only 5 days. You’ll find out how a bestselling author goes from just a vague book idea to proven concept, to bestselling book in today's extremely competitive kindle market... including strategies even total newbie authors can use

Jonathan Green tells you how to get paid upfront as a writer for hire, and how to find the most loyal (and lucrative) clients. He also shares his best strategies as a ghostwriter, and how he’s able to write 5,000 words every day before lunch.

Matt Stone (aka Buck Flogging) shares his definitive course on e-mail list building for authors. Find out the exact steps one of the web’s top list building experts uses to rapidly build a list of raving fans in any niche or genre.

Tom Morkes, founder of Insurgent Publishing, is including access to what many consider the premier self-publishing and bestseller book launch platform in the world: “Publishers Empire.” Inside, Tom shares step-by-step tutorials on how to create, package, and launch your book, even if you're starting from scratch (these are the same strategies his clients, authors, and students have used to land on the New York Times, WSJ, USA Today, and Amazon bestseller lists).

C.S. Lakin gives you access to her book called “Crank it Out” that will show you once and for all how to hack through the excuses, bad habits, and distractions that block your way from becoming the writer you know you're capable of becoming.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There’s 30 more full-length courses and e-books!

You have nothing to lose by checking it out.

I'm interested! Show me the Super Stack

But before you go, help us spread the word about this awesome opportunity by entering the giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card:

Giveaway ends Sept 14, 2018 at 11:59 pm.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Christmas by the Sea ~ Review

A Christmas by the Sea
By Melody Carlson

It's that time of year again - time for another Melody Carlson Christmas book. You know without a doubt the ending won't leave you in the dumps and that there will be a touch of romance. Her Christmas books rank with Hallmark Christmas movies in my opinion. This year's offering is in the contemporary category and features Wendy Harper a struggling widowed mother to twelve-year-old Jackson.

Life since the death of her husband has been difficult struggling to make ends met while paying off all the bills (medical, student loans, etc..). But when she inherits her grandparent's summer cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees a way out of her mounting debts. But Jackson has other plans he is determined to call Seaside home and get a fresh start away from everything.

Seaside isn't the same small seasonal destination Wendy remembers - it still has that small town feel and charm it's just a bit more grown-up than it used to be. But she still feels that selling the cottage after some much-needed work is her chance at getting a fresh start.

Seaside offers some unexpected surprises that tug at her heart making her wish to call it home but wishes cannot provide the financial support that she needs to provide for herself and Jackson. And then there is Caleb Colton a stranger to whom she feels a connection. Being a responsible adult is never easy and Wendy is determined to do what is best for the future and she has little time to decide where it will be.

If you are in the mood for an easy and quick read that leaves you ready for Christmas pick up A Christmas by the Sea - you just may want to find a seashell or two for this year's tree. At 166 pages you'll have time to get this one read without adding to the chaos that, for many, surrounds Christmas. This is a progressive story that moves along at a steady pace. Find a favorite corner and settle in with a cup of tea (or coffee or cocoa), and a cookie or two and some quiet instrumental Christmas music and immerse yourself in a seaside vacation.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectations except that I provide my honest opinion.


About the Book:
Wendy couldn't believe she was standing here discussing toilets with a perfect stranger. Not
that he was perfect--although he was rather attractive. But he was obviously enjoying her discomfort a bit too much.

He eased the bulky box from the shelf and onto the floor, leaning it against his leg. "So . . . you're new in town?"

"Not exactly." She watched as he easily picked up the container. Was he trying to be friendly or actually hitting on her?
When Wendy Harper inherits her family's beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. Her twelve-year-old son Jackson sees it as an exciting new start in a life that has grown rather gray without his father.

Before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. Wendy and Jackson move in--temporarily, she reminds him--in order to fix the place up before Christmas. But the charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on Wendy. She knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea--and a fresh start--is hard to resist.