Too Cute!

Book Spotlight - The Uninvited: The True Story of the Union Screaming House by Steven A. LaChance

It has been a while since I have done any spotlights, however I just came across this book and was instantly intrigued! It sounds so good and just up my alley when I am in one of my paranormal reading moods!! If anyone has read this, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts!

The Uninvited: The True Story of the Union Screaming House

by: Steven A. LaChance

Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (September 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0738713570
ISBN-13: 978-0738713571
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches

About The Univitied:

Its screams still wake me from sleep. I see the faceless man standing in the basement butcher shower washing away the blood from his naked body. He turns, and his eyes sweep across me. The room begins to spin...

What kind of evil lives at the Union Screaming House?

In this true and terrifying firsthand account, Steven LaChance reveals how he and his three children were driven from their Union, Missouri, home by demonic attackers. LaChance chronicles how the house's relentless supernatural predators infest those around them. He consults paranormal investigators, psychics, and priests, but the demonic attacks—screams, growls, putrid odors, invisible shoves, bites, and other physical violations—only grow worse. The entities clearly demonstrate their wrath and power: killing family pets, sexually assaulting individuals, even causing two people to be institutionalized.The demons' next target is the current homeowner, Helen. When the entities take possession and urge Helen toward murder and madness, LaChance must engage in a hair-raising battle for her soul.

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Be sure to check out the author's website for more Paranormal Info!! You don't want to miss it!
http://www.stevenalachance.com/home.html

Review - The Suburban Dragon by Garasamo Maccagnone

The Suburban Dragon

by: Garasamo Maccagnone

Illustrations by: Al Ochsner

Paperback: 50 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (April 4, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1419660446
ISBN-13: 978-1419660443
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6 x 0.1 inches

The Suburban Dragon is a delightfully fun and imaginative story that will bring the spark of creativity to every child's mind. All children know how boring those dreary rainy days can be - stuck inside with nothing exciting to do or anything adventurous to explore. The Suburban Dragon brings one of those rainy dreary days to life with excitement, adventure and will leave a child, as well as their parent/s with a huge smile upon their face.

The illustrations throughout the story are colorful, eye catching and wonderful. The story and text is simple, fun and will make a child's mind fly. The Suburban Dragon will appeal to many children, as well as adults as 3 young children invoke upon the journey to save their mom from the "big bad dragon"! Many a giggle will follow as each page is turned - so settle back with your little one and see where your imagination takes you!

*overall rating 4.5/5

*as a side note, my 6 year old daughter loved this one as well!

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About The Suburban Dragon:

"The Suburban Dragon", a children's book, is an exciting tale of one family discovering how to interact and spend quality time together. The Suburban Dragon is set on a dull, rainy day. After seeing his children stiff with boredom, a father dresses up as a dragon to entertain his family. The children are up for the challenge after the scary dragon captures their mother, and they immediately begin making plans to conquer the dragon. As they work together to rescue their mother, they are able to turn a gloomy day into a stirring adventure. Having grown up with a father who would amuse him and his brothers and sisters with games and performances, author Maccagnone used his own childhood experiences as a premise for the book. Filled with colorful drawings, The Suburban Dragon will have kids enthralled from start to finish. In a society where electronic games and television prevail, this book reminds both young children and adults that families can still have fun together without the aid of modern technology.

Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay

Too Close to Home

by: Linwood Barclay

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

*audio version

Length:
11 hrs and 4 mins
Audible Release Date:
08-28-08

Book info:

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Bantam (September 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553805568
ISBN-13: 978-0553805567
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches

Too Close to Home is a deliciously suspenseful and riveting novel. What starts out as a teenager's "dream week with his girlfriend" turns into an unforgettable nightmare and soon snowballs into suspicion, finger pointing, mistrust and endless questions.

Too Close to Home starts out from the point of view of Derek, as he plans a fun filled week with his girlfriend, using the house of his best friend, while he and family will be gone for a week long vacation. Then things go terribly wrong when the family unexpectedly returns home and Derek ends up being a prime suspect in his best friend's family's brutal murder.

From here, the story switches to the point of view of Derek's father, Jim Cutter. This is a smooth transaction and works very well for the story. The narrator, Christopher Lane, does a superb job bringing the characters and story vividly to life, along with Mr. Barclay's talent for spinning a tale that leaves the reader glued, as they wait to see what happens next.

How easily could a murderer go to the wrong house, brutally kill the family, realize their mistake and try to reconcile that mistake? What if your own son was convicted of this mistaken murder? How far would you go to find the real killer before it is too late? All these questions and many more arise within Too Close to Home ,as the reader is gripped within the story and the weaving of Mr. Barclay's imagination.

This is my first experience with Linwood Barclay's writing and I am honestly hooked. I can't wait to read/listen to more by this great and talented author. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great suspense story - once you start, you won't want to stop until the very end! Filled with great and unexpected twists and turns, Too Close to Home will leave the reader guessing until the end!

*overall rating 4.5/5

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Publisher's Summary:

In a quiet suburban neighborhood, in the house next door, a family is brutally murdered for no apparent reason. You can't help thinking, "That could have been us". And you start to wonder, "What if we're next?"

That's the question Jim and Ellen Cutter are asking, and the answers aren't reassuring. Promise Falls isn't the kind of community where a family is shot to death in their own home. But then how well did the Cutters really know their neighbors - or the darker secrets of their small town? They don't have to look any further than their own marriage to know that things aren't always what they seem. Now the Cutters and their son, Derek, must face the unthinkable: that the murderer isn't just stalking too close to home but is inside it already.

Review - Avenging Angel by Kim Smith

Avenging Angel

by: Kim Smith

Mainstream Fiction: Mystery/Suspense

ISBN: 978-1-60435-276-4

Cover Artist: Shara Azod

Editor: Lea Schizas

Word Count: 73,190

Release Date: December 18, 2008

To begin with, I have to say that I love a good cozy mystery - there is just something about that genre that leaves me feeling relaxed and happy. Avenging Angel left me feeling not only that way, but desperately wanting more as I read the final word. Ms. Smith shows off her extreme talent as she brings the story of Shannon Wallace to life, bringing the reader right along for one heck of a ride.

Avenging Angel has it all - humor, compassion, suspense and a tinge of romance. Shannon's life starts out great - great job, great boyfriend, until all that changes when her boss boyfriend calls her into the office to not only fire her, but break up with her. That same night, he ends up dead - and the dead body count just continues to rise - leaving Shannon to wonder if she will be next.

On top of all of this, she is trying desperately to find the missing "love movies" that her and her now dead ex made together. Shannon must find them before the cops do and turn her into the department late night entertainment.

Kim Smith's debut novel paves the road to great success as a writer. Her voice is fresh and her writing is fantastic. She leaves the reader wanting more, as each scene plays out and the depth of the characters and plot deepen. For lovers of cozy mysteries, Avenging Angel is sure to be a great hit. Kim Smith fits right in with other favorites such as Cleo Coyle, Sammi Carter, Joanna Carl, Denise Swanson and many others of this genre.

Once I started reading, I truly did not want to stop. Avenging Angel was a very quick and fun read for me and I simply cannot wait for Ms. Smith's next delightful creation!

*overall rating 4.5/5

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About Avenging Angel:

Shannon Wallace is having a bad hair week.

She’s been ditched by her job, dumped by her boyfriend, and implicated in his murder.

When she finds out her very private video collection is missing from the crime scene, it is all out war to find the disks before the cops do. The problem is, the killer has them. And he’s watched them.

Now Shannon’s at the top of his most wanted list.

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Excerpt:

My Aunt Nancy always told me to dress in my best clothes when I went out, because I never knew whom I might meet. This time, I hadn’t done the best I could to make myself presentable. Jeans, tee shirt, and a ponytail didn’t qualify for modern chic. When the detective opened the door to the Homicide Office, I wished I’d worn a skirt and heels. In a moment of clarity, I understood my aunt’s concerns about going out half-ready.

The sexy, Hispanic man who raised an eyebrow and patiently waited for me to state my business was none other than Salvador Ramirez, formerly of Mississippi Junior College, the same school I attended back in the day. Of all the eligible men at college, he was the most highly sought after. Partly because he’d won the “sexiest legs” contest two years in a row, and partly because he had a bad boy quality, which made all of the girls want him.

Especially me. And damn the luck, I got a shot at him. When I discovered our date was based on a dare someone posed, I retaliated by publishing excerpts of his personal journal in the college’s monthly newsletter, The Bugle.

“Mr. Ramirez,” I said, trying to look harmless. “Of the award-winning legs.”

His expression changed as he looked at me and I knew he remembered our rocky past. My heart leapt into my throat. This was not the face of a man happy to see an old chum.

“Shannon Wallace, of the vigilantes for journalism,” he said, deadpan. “Mama said there would be days like this.”

Nope. He was not a happy cop.

He waved me into the room. “Come in.”

The entire office was a mess, most of it concentrated on two desks littered with papers.
“What are you doing here? Looking for a few good men to belittle in a new publication? Should I hide the personal notes on my cases?” he asked.

Sarcasm. I smiled. It was a beginning. He hadn’t forgotten, so that meant he intended on seeing I didn’t get a chance to repeat my past mistakes. Dandy by me. I just wanted to plead my case, and escape a free woman. If I never crossed the threshold here again, my feelings wouldn’t be hurt.

“I think you’ve held a grudge, but it was all in fun.”

“Fun?” He scanned the hallway before shutting the door. “You ruined every chance I ever had of getting a decent date. I never dreamed you would print my private journal for Christ’s sake.”

“It was no journal. It was a freaking scorecard.”

(click here) to continue reading the excerpt

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About Kim Smith:

Kim Smith was born in Memphis Tennessee, the youngest of four children. After a short stint in a Northwest Mississippi junior college, during the era of John Grisham’s rise as a lawyer, she gave up educational pursuits to marry and begin family life.

She has worked in many fields in her life, from fast food waitress to telephone sales. “I always got the seniors on the phone who were lonely and wanted someone to talk to. My boss couldn’t understand why in the world I spent so much time talking to them and not enough time selling. That was when I realized I love people and care deeply about their lives.”

After the birth of her two children, she gave up working outside the home for the more important domestic duties of wife and mother. When her kids decided they wanted to pursue theater as an extracurricular activity, she gave up her free time to drive them to rehearsals, training classes, and plays. During those years, she found herself bored with nothing to do to while away the hours stuck in a car. She began thinking of stories to entertain herself and pass the time. Before long she started telling her husband about her stories and he assured her she could write a book if she really wanted to. She put the idea away once she landed a job as a network administrator for a small corporation, and together the Smith’s started their own video production company.

Writing was a dream, hidden but not forgotten, and soon Kim began to talk again of trying her hand at it. She played with words, and wrote several poems, one of which was picked up for an anthology.

One day in the early nineties her husband came home with a desktop computer and sat her in front of it. “Now you have no more excuses,” he said, and she realized the truth in his words. Procrastination, now no longer an option, she took off on the pursuit of penning her first book. Though that book, a young adult fantasy, was lost due to unforeseen circumstances, she kept going, writing a historical romance, and another YA.

When she decided to try out her hand at mystery writing, she discovered her true love and niche in the writing journey. She has since had four short stories, and her first mystery novel accepted for publication.

Kim is a member of Sisters in Crime, and EPIC. She still lives in the Mid South region of the United States and is currently working on her second book in the mystery series.

You can visit her website at http://www.mkimsmith.com/.

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At this time, Avenging Angel is in eBook format, which can be purchased from the following:

Red Rose Publishing, http://www.redrosepublishing.com/

ARE http://allromanceebooks.com/

Mobipocket http://mobipocket.com/

If eBook format is not your typical way of reading, make this your first - you will not be sorry!!!

Review - The Saga of Beowulf by R. Scot Johns

The Saga of Beowulf

by: R. Scot Johns

Paperback: 640 pages
Publisher: Fantasy Castle Books (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982153805
ISBN-13: 978-0982153802
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.8 inches

I can only imagine the amount of time and unending work the author, R. Scot Johns put into researching and bringing his epic journey of Beowulf alive. This is no small book and no small story. The Saga of Beowulf is rich with character and plot. The story of Beowulf unfolds in a way that brings the reader right along, every step of the way.

Mr. Johns has done a marvelous job with his novelization of the ancient poem of Beowulf, originally written by an unknown source. In all honesty, I have never read the poem, nor knew much of anything about Beowulf. This book quickly changed that and in a most delightful way. What I found incredibly helpful was the Glossary of Proper Names that appears in the last pages of the book. It was a wonderful tool to aid me in figuring out the pronunciation of the abundant names within that story, as well as help me keep track of who was who, if I steered a bit off track.

Never one for ancient stories and those of fantasy (not to mention of epic length), I am finding that to no longer be the case. I really enjoyed the riveting tale that unfolded within the pages of The Saga of Beowulf - the battles among clans and mythic creatures were engrossing - if not a bit graphic. Here is one such passage found on page 33:

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" "Wiglaf!" Svein yelled helplessly as the Serpent unexpectedly shook its head from side to side, violently tearing the mast and ropes from out of Wiglaf's hands, leaving the young boy standing undefended on the deck.

Frozen in his tracks, Wiglaf's eyes went wide with fright as the gaping mouth bore down on him. Rows of razor-sharpened teeth gaped wide to accept their feast, oozing blood and drool from wide-spread jaws. The crew scattered as the great head slammed into the deck, swallowing Wiglaf where he stood.

The Geatmen gaped in disbelief as Beowulf leapt down from the rail, hefting his father's sword with satisfaction, its blade now stained a sickly green with the Serpent's steaming blood. Wiglaf's head popped out from the severed neck, his kicking feet yet protruding from the Serpent's mouth.

The men let out a disbelieving laugh, fraught with wonder and astonishment, cheering with elation as they rushed to Wiglaf's side. Svein and Hondscio helped to free the gasping boy from the monstrous jawes that had devoured him.

" Blech!" said Wiglaf, shaking his saliva-covered head. "Eaten by a Sea-Serpent!" "

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I believe that The Saga of Beowulf is a story that will be enjoyed from an extensive audience - male, female, young, old and everyone in between. The writing and characters come to life upon the pages, as Mr. Johns pens an unforgettable journey of a man who becomes known to all. A difficult journey fraught with battles, death and hardship - but a journey that must be traveled.

I recommend The Saga of Beowulf to anyone looking for an engrossing story that they can really sink their teeth into. This is one that I hope to reread again in the future and to share with my children when they are older. I wanted to also mention that the cover art is fantastic and really captures the essence of the story.

*overall rating 4/5

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About The Saga of Beowulf:

The Saga of Beowulf is the first complete and accurate novelization of the epic Old English poem Beowulf, chronicling the tragic wars of the rising Nordic nations, the endless blood-feuds of their clans, battles with mythic creatures in an ancient heroic age, and the final, futile struggle of one man against the will of Fate that made of him a Legend.

The story follows the young Norse warrior Beowulf as he embarks upon a fateful quest for vengeance against the creature that slew his father, setting in motion a sequence of events that will bring about the downfall of a nation, all the while fleeing from the woman he has sworn to love. Based on extensive historical research and steeped in Nordic myth and lore, the saga unfolds across the frozen fields of Sweden and the fetid fens of Denmark, ranging from the rocky heights of Geatland to the sprawling battlefields of ancient France, as our hero battles men and demons in a quest to conquer his own fears."

An epic adventure 1500 years in the making," this classic tale now comes to life once more in a bold new retelling for a modern audience.

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Excerpt:

To the Unknown Poet...

Late in the third year of King Hrothgar's reign the Great Hall of Heorot was completed at Lejre, and there was much joy in the land of the Danes. Denmark was then new-born, and only recently had the Scylding clan founded by Hrothgar's far-father Sceaf risen to prominence in the rugged lands between the wild North Sea and the dark Baltic. The year was 503 and that joy was to be short-lived.

At that time the Danes had not yet spread across the Jutland peninsula which would one day become their home, but still clung to the cold, hard rock known then as Sea-Land, pressed hard on all sides by the raging ocean tides. Turbulent times would mold this sturdy people into a great seafaring race, proud and strong, whose descendants would range across the far reaches of the world in search of riches and fame. Vikings they would be called, and all who saw their sails would know fear and terror.

But that time had not yet come.

Another race was on the rise at that time as well. They dwelt upon the rocky western shores of Sweden, known then as Göta-Land, the land of the Geats, for so they were called. All along those shores they made their home, beside a frigid Northern Sea that swelled and crashed upon a broad and wild land of sprawling lakes and densely wooded slopes whose jagged peaks were crowned in spires of rugged stone. They, too, were a hearty folk and mighty in those days, already a proud seaworthy people who embraced the shores and the coastal lands that looked across high waves toward the southern island realm of the war-famed Danes. Many loved and feared them, and the tales told of their deeds are filled with dread and wonder.

But their Fate was to be far different from that of the Danes, or of the Swedes who would one day devour their lands, for they were doomed to perish utterly and to fade forever from this world. Yet they would not fall easily, nor fade quietly away, and before that hard day came upon them they would mark their passing with sword and song.

None can now say what poet first wove the words which tell their tale; the poet has fallen as surely as the warriors whose bold deeds he has set down in song. But though the name has perished, still the song remains: in Valhalla it is sung, and down the far corridors its echo may yet be heard.

To read more from the Prologue, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, (click here)

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About R. Scot Johns:

R. Scot Johns is a life-long student of ancient and medieval literature, with an enduring fascination for Norse mythology and epic fantasy. He first came to Beowulf through his love of J. R. R. Tolkien, a leading scholar on the subject. As an Honors Medieval Literature major he has given lectures on such topics as the historical King Arthur and the construction of Stonehenge. He owns and operates Fantasy Castle Books, his own publishing imprint, and writes the blog Adventures of an Independent Author, where you can follow his progress as he writes The Jester’s Quest, his second novel.

*pencil sketchings by R. Scot Johns

You can visit his website at www.fantasycastlebooks.com.

What's coming up tomorrow!

Review - Keys to Living Joyfully by Sheri Kaye Hoff

Keys to Living Joyfully

by: Sheri Kaye Hoff

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (August 20, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1440403945
ISBN-13: 978-1440403941
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches

There are many self help books out in the market today. What sets Keys to Living Joyfully apart, I feel, is the fact that the author really lets the reader into her life, while at the same time giving guidance that has helped her to truly achieve happiness, joy and well being. Also, the Keys that Ms. Hoff speaks of are very easy and not in the least difficult to follow.

In opening, Ms. Hoff talks of the tragedy of losing her brother, at a very young age, to suicide. She talks honestly of the hardships and poor choices in judgement that followed. Through this all, in the end, she discovers that she is not the person that she knows she wants/can be and she is not living the life that she truly wants - a life of joy and fulfillment.

Anyone - no matter the situation or place, can truly better themselves and all it really takes is a positive outlook and "retraining" oneself in their thoughts. When there is negative, do not focus on that, but rather turn that situation around in your mind and think of a positive outcome. Sheri Kaye Hoff breaks her book down into 7 chapters:

Moving From Loss to Joy

Is your Heart Thinking Right?

Inspiration

Living Joyfully

Time Management is a Gift, Not the Enemy

Abundance

Embracing a Joyful Life

Within each chapter, Ms. Hoff talks candidly and leaves a workspace for the reader to fill in and reflect upon. I have to say that the chapter on Inspiration was my favorite. I really liked how she gave the message that if one follows on inspiration, rather than sense of duty, they are more apt to accomplish great things. One such example is this book, Keys to Living Joyfully. It took many times of starting and stopping before Ms. Hoff truly felt inspired to write and complete her book. This final time, she had a sense that this was the right time and success would follow her.

Throughout Keys to Living Joyfully, Sheri Kaye Hoff talks of the importance of journaling and journaling daily. Once completing a journal, store it away where it can be easy access to look back and reflect upon.

Keys to Living Joyfully is a wonderful book that will remain in easy reach for rereading. I read through the entire book in just a couple of sittings, but will again go back, taking a longer time and filling out the areas within. This is a book that is very open, non "preaching" and will appeal to many people. There are many quotes throughout the book that I greatly enjoyed and I felt that the boxed parts (which are basically highlighted phrases, that are important) were a great way to draw attention to certain aspects that the author was really trying to point out.

Sheri Kaye Hoff has a wonderful writing style which makes Keys to Living Joyfully a very enjoyable read and the feel of chatting with a friend. I wanted to share a couple of passages that especially stood out to me:

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pg 30

"I began to realize how important it is to be able to know your gifts and dreams, to live in the moment, to work less hard and to let things flow. I embraced the fact that worry never is a good thing. I learned that I could control my thoughts, which then affects my feelings and the quality of my life."

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pg 38

" Think about how you think about these things. This is a gift we have as human beings - the fact that we can think about our thinking."

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pg 56

" I say a prayer daily that the right words come out of my mouth at the right times. Sometimes I have caught myself just as I am getting angry with my children. I have actually said aloud. "I need to stop talking now." and then shut my mouth. "

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pg 58

" You are wonderfully made. Everything about you is miraculous. Toss aside those self-doubts and criticisms. Celebrate, today, the miracle of you! "

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The quote about the children is something that I can completely relate to. I have found myself getting very upset with my children and simply stop and say that I can't talk to them right now, that I am too upset. This really does seem to be a wonderful and positive action.

I truly recommend Keys to Living Joyfully for anyone who is feeling in a slump, down or just wants to better their life and their outlook on life. This is a book that will be read and reread several times. If you know someone going through a rough time, this is the perfect way to help them out.

*overall rating 4.5/5

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About Keys to Living Joyfully:

This book, Keys to Living Joyfully, is an inspirational book on experiencing joy, peace, passion, and energy in daily life. It is designed to demonstrate the powerful roles of thoughts, action, and faith. The book is a merging of inspirational author, Sheri Kaye Hoff's spiritual life and lifelong experiences in leadership, management, and motivation. The ideas presented in the book are techniques and processes that have worked for the author and clients to produce life transforming results. Ms Hoff's heartfelt desire is to share her keys with you so you can experience living joyfully. Foreword is written by Michele Caron, creator of MyLIfeCoach.com

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Excerpt:

“Friends, I am writing this book for you.

Every one of us has a tragic moment, event, or deep sadness that changes our lives forever. We may wonder if we can feel love, happiness, or joy ever again in our lifetimes. At the same time, we may become deeply sensitive to others and more tolerant for the daily stressors in life. Our lives take a different path than one we imagined.

Maybe your pain is from a death, a lost relationship, and/or a deep hurt. After years go by, it is likely that you have resumed a “normal” life, but you may feel that you cannot experience joy again. Or maybe you did not have one huge life-altering event, but you feel a sense of overall disappointment in your current situation and do not see a way to change. You know at a deep level that your life is not the way you want it to be. You know there is a better version of you. A “you” that lives in the moment, loves, feels, breathes deeply, and contributes.”

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About Sheri Kaye Hoff:

Sheri Kaye Hoff resides in Parker, CO with her husband and three children. She is a Life Coach and owner of the Sheri K Hoff International Coaching Company. She teaches college classes as an adjunct faculty member and has earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Management. Her new book, Keys to Living Joyfully,offers a way of living a meaningful, successful and joy filled life.

Ms. Hoff is a personal and executive life coach. Spirituality is a vital part of her life’s work. Prayer and meditation are integral pieces of her daily ritual, which enables her to pursue her life’s passions and live a truly joyful life.

Her words on faith are derived from her own Christian walk and spiritual self-discoveries. Her action steps mix faith and years of leadership training, mentoring, and management. Sheri Kaye Hoff suffered the tragic death of her younger brother when she was a teenager and struggled for years to rediscover the capacity to feel joy and to enjoy her successes. She has a heart felt desire to pass on her knowledge and discoveries that have led to a truly transformational life. Ms. Hoff publishes a free weekly inspiration newsletter, Coach Sheri’s Weekly Inspiration Tips. The Sheri K Hoff International Coaching Company also offers:

* Teleclasses.

* Webinars

* In person small and large group Coaching

* Corporate Training

* Keynote speaking

* Seminars

* Individual Career and Life Coaching (For a limited time- receive a free introductory one hour life coaching session)

You can visit her website at http://www.lifeisjoyful.org/.

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Win Prizes!

KEYS TO LIVING JOYFULLY VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on March 2 and end on March 27. You can visit Sheri's blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in March to find out more about this talented author

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.

Katherine Center - Guest Post

Yesterday, I had the extreme pleasure of reviewing Katherine Center's fantastic book, Everyone is Beautiful (click here if you missed it) while on her tour for Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Today I am delighted to share a wonderfully fun guest post by Katherine as she shares the fact that she wrote her first novel on a dare from her sister (bless her sister, lol) Now because Katherine took that dare, we are all graced with a wonderful talent!!

Thank you so much, Katherine, for taking the time to stop by Cafe of Dreams and sharing a bit of yourself with us!

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I wrote my first novel on a dare from my sister.

We were chatting on the phone. I was telling her that I hadn’t done any writing since I’d given birth to my daughter—a year-and-a-half to be exact—and that I missed it. A lot.

And she just said, in that way she has, "You should write a novel about being a mom." And then: "How hard can that be?"

It was a perfect idea. She’s had many perfect ideas for me over the years, and I’ve hardly ever listened to any. But this time, I listened. The very next morning, I woke up with a story in my head. And that night, I started writing. Six weeks later, I had a first draft, and a year after that, I had a polished manuscript.

And the writing! I wrote like I was on fire. I wrote like I was burning across a dry prairie. I had been a writer—of essays, of short stories, of poems about heartbreak—my whole life. It was how I dealt with every challenge that ever came my way: I wrote about it. And yet, since becoming a mom—possibly the biggest challenge I’d ever faced—I hadn’t written a word. I was too busy, too sleep-deprived, and too exhausted.

But the dare worked. When I sat down to write, I found I really had some things to say.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my sisters today because we’ve been traveling together. For the first time in years and years, my sisters and my mom and I are traveling as a group with no spouses or kids. We’re just hanging out, the way we always used to when we were younger and had no other responsibilities to press on our time. It’s been so fun to travel with them today and get a little taste of the family we used to be together back before we had families of our own.

Growing up, I focused on how my sisters and I were different. But now, so much older and well into the course of our lives, all I see is similarities. I find myself marveling at their red hair, and freckles, and hands. There are words we pronounce the same and funny little hand gestures that mimic each other.

We are not the same, but we are variations on a family theme and, especially today, I feel so grateful for them. Sometimes only the people who’ve known you your whole life can tell you who you really are.

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If you have not done so already, be sure to pick up a copy of Katherine's book Everyone is Beautiful - it is a delightfully down to earth story that any woman will be able to relate to in some aspect or another (or if you are like me, in many aspects). This is a story that is fun and perfect for a few hours of unwinding.

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About Everyone is Beautiful:

Lanie Coates’s life is spinning out of control. She’s piled everything she owns into a U-Haul and driven with her husband, Peter, and their three little boys from their cozy Texas home to a multiflight walkup in the Northeast. She’s left behind family, friends, and a comfortable life–all so her husband can realize his dream of becoming a professional musician. But somewhere in the eye of her personal hurricane, it hits Lanie that she once had dreams too. If only she could remember what they were.

These days, Lanie always seems to rank herself dead last–and when another mom accidentally criticizes her appearance, it’s the final straw. Fifteen years, three babies, and more pounds than she’s willing to count since the day she said "I do," Lanie longs desperately to feel like her old self again. It’s time to rise up, fish her moxie out of the diaper pail, and find the woman she was before motherhood capsized her entire existence.

Lanie sets change in motion–joining a gym, signing up for photography classes, and finding a new best friend. But she also creates waves that come to threaten her whole life. In the end, Lanie must figure out once and for all how to find herself without losing everything else in the process.
Katherine Center’s Everyone Is Beautiful is a hugely entertaining, poignant, and charming new novel about what happens after happily ever after: how a woman learns to fall in love with her husband–and her entire life–all over again.

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About Katherine Center:

Katherine Center’s second novel, Everyone Is Beautiful, is featured in the March issue of Redbook. Kirkus Reviews likens it to the 1950s motherhood classic Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, and says, "Center’s breezy style invites the reader to commiserate, laughing all the way." Booklist calls it "a superbly written novel filled with unique and resonant characters." Katherine’s first novel, The Bright Side of Disaster, was featured in People Magazine, USA Today, Vanity Fair, the Houston Chronicle, and the Dallas Morning News, among others. BookPage named Katherine one of seven new writers to watch, and the paperback of Bright Side was a Breakout Title at Target. Katherine recently published an essay in Real Simple Family and has another forthcoming in Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers on the Mother-Daughter Bond this April. She has just turned in her third novel, Get Lucky, and is starting on a fourth. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two young children.

You can visit her website at http://www.katherinecenter.com/

Blog Host of the Month Award

I am truly honored and thrilled beyond words to have been awarded the Blog Host of the Month by Dorothy Thompson at Pump Up Your Book Promotion!! I have been a tour host with Pump Up for a while now and absolutely adore it! It has been so much fun and has really allowed me to meet some great people, as well as great authors! Dorothy has become a wonderful friend and I am just over the moon about this!! As part of the award, I was asked a few questions by Dorothy - you can read the interview here:

http://pumpupyourbookpromotion.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/pump-up-your-book-promotion-annouces-cafe-of-dreams-blog-host-of-the-month/

I know that I sound as though I am tooting my own horn, but I am just so excited and thrilled. Blogging has become such an important activity for me and this award is such a highlight for me!!

Have a great day, everyone!!

Review - Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center

Everyone is Beautiful

by: Katherine Center

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400066433
ISBN-13: 978-1400066438
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1 inches

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If only people would take the time to really look at each person they meet, they would indeed discover that everyone truly is beautiful. That being said, I simply love the title of Ms. Center's newest creation Everyone is Beautiful. It is a perfect title and gives a wonderful message - especially in today's society where the desire to be thin, gorgeous and movie star beautiful is sadly the norm.

Everyone is Beautiful centers around a young married mom of 3 active little boys. Lani and her family are moving to an entirely new city across the country. Dealing with this is difficult enough for Lani and when a mom at the local park asks Lani when her baby is due (Lani is far from pregnant) she decides to take a whole new outlook and perspective on her life.

With that, Lani joins a gym, takes up photography classes and tries to get a bit of her "old self" back. Mind you, she doesn't do this for others, but for herself.

I truly found myself reflected in many aspects of Lani. The character is delightful and wonderful - an everyday sort of person that many women will find themselves relating to. There were many times throughout the book where I just had to stop and say - wow, that is just how I have felt.

Katherine Center taps into a reality of losing oneself and turns it into a delightful and fun story. Once I started reading, I found myself racing through the pages, living right alongside Lani, as she battles the everyday issues of parenthood. The stress that children put on a marriage, goes without saying, but so is the fact that you wouldn't change the presence of those children for the world. After becoming a Mom, nothing is the same again, however with a bit of "tweaking" a wonderful balance can be found - not only enabling a mother to be the best she can be for her children, but a wonderful wife and, most importantly, to be your own person with your own piece of self.

I found myself laughing, relating and cheering for the main character of Lani, as well as her newest close friend and old classmate, Amanda and Lani's husband Peter. Though Everyone is Beautiful focuses on a mother, parenthood and the strain on the romance of marriage, I truly feel that this is a book that anyone would enjoy - single, married, with children, without children. I recall reading somewhere where Ms. Center refered to her book as "mom lit". I love that term and think it a great fit! Also, Everyone is Beautiful would make a great book for a few girlfriends to pick up, read and discuss together. With Spring and Summer near at hand, I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of the awesome book. I look forward to reading the author's other work, The Bright Side of Disaster!!

*overall rating 4.5/5

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About Everyone is Beautiful:

Lanie Coates’ life is spinning out of control. She’s piled everything she owns into a U-Haul and driven with her husband, Peter, and their three little boys from their cozy Texas home to a multiflight walkup in the Northeast. She’s left behind family, friends, and a comfortable life–all so her husband can realize his dream of becoming a professional musician. But somewhere in the eye of her personal hurricane, it hits Lanie that she once had dreams too. If only she could remember what they were.

These days, Lanie always seems to rank herself dead last–and when another mom accidentally criticizes her appearance, it’s the final straw. Fifteen years, three babies, and more pounds than she’s willing to count since the day she said “I do,” Lanie longs desperately to feel like her old self again. It’s time to rise up, fish her moxie out of the diaper pail, and find the woman she was before motherhood capsized her entire existence.

Lanie sets change in motion–joining a gym, signing up for photography classes, and finding a new best friend. But she also creates waves that come to threaten her whole life. In the end, Lanie must figure out once and for all how to find herself without losing everything else in the process.

Katherine Center’s Everyone Is Beautiful is a hugely entertaining, poignant, and charming new novel about what happens after happily ever after: how a woman learns to fall in love with her husband–and her entire life–all over again.

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Excerpt:

The day I decided to change my life, I was wearing sweatpants and an old oxford of Peter’s with a coffee stain down the front. I hadn’t showered because the whole family had slept in one motel room the night before, and it was all we could do to get back on the road without someone dropping the remote in the toilet or pooping on the floor.

We had just driven across the country to start Peter’s new job. Houston, Texas, to Cambridge, Massachusetts. I’d had the kids in our tenyear-old Subaru the whole drive, two car seats and a booster across the back. Alexander kept taking Toby’s string cheese, and the baby, except when he was sleeping, was fussing. Peter drove the U-Haul on the theory that if it broke, he ’d know how to fix it.

On the road, I was sure I had the short end of the stick, especially during the dog hours of Tennessee. But now Peter was hauling all our belongings up three flights of narrow stairs, and I was at the park, on a blanket in the late-afternoon shade, breast-feeding Baby Sam. Peter had to be hurting. Even with our new landlord helping him, it was taking all day. And I was just waiting for him to call on the cell phone when he was ready for us to come home. Or as close to home as a curtainless apartment stacked high with boxes could be.

We ’d been at the park since midmorning, and we were running low on snacks. Alexander and Toby were galloping at top speed, as they always did. I’m not even sure they realized they were in a new park. They acted like we might as well have been at home, in Houston, the only place they’d ever lived. They acted like the last five days of driving hadn’t even registered. I, in contrast, was aching with loss.

I didn’t like this park. Too clean, too brand-new, too perfect. The parks at home had character—monkey bars fashioned like cowboys, gnarled crape myrtle trunks for climbing, discarded Big Wheels with no seats. And we’d known them backward and forward—every tree knot, every mud hole, every kid.

This park, today, felt forced. It was trying too hard.

I surveyed the moms. Not one of them, I decided, was a person I wanted to meet. And just as I was disliking them all and even starting to pity them for having no idea what they were missing, park-wise, Toby— my middle boy, my sandy-haired, blue-eyed, two-year-old flirt—watched a younger kid make a move for the truck in his hand, and then, unbelievably, grabbed that kid’s forearm and bit it.

The little boy screamed as Toby pulled the truck to his chest. “My truck!” Toby shouted. (He always pronounced “truck” like “fuck,” but that was, perhaps, another issue.)

And then, of course, all hell broke loose.

(click here) to continue reading chapter 1

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About Katherine Center:

Katherine Pannill Center started writing fiction when she was in sixth grade, when she and her two best friends filled countless spirals with stories about meeting Duran Duran at the mall and bewitching the band members into falling in love with them. These stories involved kissing, weeping, limos, the occasional log cabin, and many gentle blankets of snow.

Around that time, Katherine also started keeping journals, logging with great sincerity every detail of middle school life as she knew it. Lists of friends! Lists of boys! Lists of must-have shoes! Lists of personal flaws and areas for improvement! The journals (though not the lists) continued through college, and now Katherine has storage boxes of them taking up far too much room in her attic.

Katherine always intended to be a writer. At St. John’s School, in Houston, where she clocked her K-12 years, she generated stacks of poems, school newspaper columns, and short stories. At Vassar College, she majored in English, wrote short stories, lettered her poems onto metal signs that she put up around campus, and wrote a novella (which won the Vassar College Fiction Prize).

Not too far out of college, she met the guy she would get to marry a few years later. On that first night, he held the car door open for her, made her laugh so hard her face hurt, and--he says--knew by the end of the evening that she was the one. On their second date, Katherine almost choked to death on a pancake.

Around that same time, Katherine won a fellowship to the University of Houston’s Creative Writing Program, where she taught Freshman English and earned an MA in Fiction. She also co-edited fiction for the literary magazine Gulf Coast.

After graduate school, Katherine held a number of crazy jobs and a few sensible ones. Her favorite job was teaching creative writing to little kids through a program called Writers In The Schools. She also liked working in her uncle’s “Used, Rare & Out-of-Print” bookstore, an old house with many reading nooks and a secret door, which has now been sold and turned into an Italian restaurant.

Katherine grew up in Houston, the middle of three very close sisters. Her older sister, who has beautiful red hair, worked as a journalist for many years and now teaches French. Her younger sister, who has beautiful green eyes, is a lawyer with a serious knack for decorating. When they were younger, their house was a cacophony of stereos blaring from each room, blow-dryers, and phones ringing. Back then, they sometimes got so mad at each other they threw shoes. Now, they are all great friends.

Katherine’s parents are both Texans with charming accents. Her dad is a lawyer and her mom—among many other things—crossbreeds Brahman cattle with Herfords at her ranch.

Katherine’s husband Gordon is a sixth grade teacher at the school she herself went to, and he likes to joke that they met in his class. They have two feisty and impossibly sweet young children—a girl and a boy—who love to give hugs, turn on the hose, raise and lower the driver’s seat in the car, run the bath faucet, squirt hand sanitizer, eat lollipops, sweep rain puddles, dump out raisin boxes, stand on the dining table, unfold folded things, listen to stories, and give people presents (like sticks, pieces of cardboard and grocery receipts from their mama’s purse).

If you ask Katherine’s 4-year-old daughter what Katherine does for a living, she will tell you that her mama “is an author. Just like Richard Scarry.”

Katherine's official BIO:

Katherine Center’s first novel, The Bright Side of Disaster, has been featured inPeople Magazine, USA Today, Vanity Fair, the Houston Chronicle, and theDallas Morning News, among others. BookPage named Katherine one of seven new writers to watch, and the paperback of Bright Side was a Breakout Title on special display at Target last spring. Katherine recently published an essay inReal Simple Family and has another essay forthcoming in the anthology Because I Love Her: 34 Top Women Writers on the Mother-Daughter Bond. Katherine’s second novel, Everyone Is Beautiful, will come out both in hardcover and as an audiobook in February of 2009. She has just turned in her third novel, Get Lucky, and is starting on a fourth. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two young children.

(click here) to go to Katherine's website filled with delightful pictures and information!

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Win Prizes:

EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on March 2 and end on March 27. You can visit Katherine's blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in March to find out more about this talented author!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.

A Year In the Life

If you haven't met Wendy or visted her blog, Musings of a Bookish Kitty, you are missing out on a wonderful person, as well as a delightful blog! Wendy has started doing a series called "A Day In the Life" where she features a sort of "getting to know the person behind the blog". It is tons of fun and such a great way to learn about fellow bloggers and step a bit into their life. I have the extreme honor of being included in Wendy's series today, so please pop on over, say hi and check out her great blog! (Click here) to be taken to the post!

Have a great day, everyone!

Review - Shattered Reality by Kimberly Cheryl

Shattered Reality

by: Kimberly Cheryl

Paperback: 210 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (August 18, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1440404593
ISBN-13: 978-1440404597
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches

What is your worst nightmare? What would you do if it came true? How would you deal with it, the emotions, the pain and heartache. How would you help your loved one through the horror of a nightmare come true, while at the same time trying to hold it together yourself? These are the questions that the author, Kimberly Cheryl must deal with when she discovers the horrific injustice and gift of sweet innocence being ripped away from her cherished daughter; as she learns that someone held dear and trusted her entire life has, has done the unspeakable to her child.

Shattered Reality is the perfect title of Ms. Cheryl's work, as it describes how quickly one's sense of security can be shattered to pieces, in the blink of an eye. Sexual abuse is a very difficult and still a "hush hush" type of problem in today's society, sadly. Ms. Cheryl takes the subject and speaks of the story that she, her daughter and family had to, and still has t, endure and brings it to light in a very deep and heartfelt way. Shattered Reality is a wonderful book for anyone who has ever experienced sexual abuse, or any type of abuse for that matter. It lets people know that they are not alone and is reassuring in it's honesty.

We, as parents, and myself as a mom, try so hard to keep our children safe from harm. They are our life, our breath and our center of being. To discover that no matter how hard we try, all the precautions that are taken, all warnings, teachings and soul deep desperate ways we try to keep our children safe, circumstances can still happen to rip all of those well meaning intentions to shreds. Our children are an extension of ourselves and when they are hurt and betrayed, as are we. While reading Shattered Reality, I could feel the author's pain and emotional betrayal, the heartache and sense of desperation to make all the wrongs right again.

Shattered Reality is not an easy read, but it is one that I think helps bring to light something that all parents should be made aware of. I also wanted to mention that the author's daughter added her wonderful talent to the book with her soul searching and beautiful drawings that speak volumes with delicate pencil strokes.

*overall rating 4.5/5

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About Shattered Reality:

A wonderful read for all parents, teachers, counselors...we need to open our eyes to child sexual assault and help put a stop to this silent epidemic. The sexual abuse of a child creates a devastating family crisis. Parents want to know what to do and say to help their child but they also want to know how to respond to and heal their own emotional turmoil. As a parent, you need to know it's okay and natural to act with disbelief and denial. This is my story, a mother's story, about the abuse of my daughter and my struggles to overcome. I thought I could trust my family members. I thought I knew and could trust the legal system. I was wrong. As a parent, I couldn't find help for ME...what to expect on this journey with my daughter and her recovery. I didn't know how much pain I would suffer as well. This is my story and my struggle toward recovery. Somehow, some way, I hope it gives you hope for your journey as well.

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About Kimberly Cheryl:

Kimberly Cheryl is a master public speaker, successful sales person, business owner and author of three novels. In addition to writing her own books, she contributes articles to various magazines and news columns.

After a school career that included years of failed chemistry classes that began too early in the morning, she switched from a pre-med career to one of business administration. She graduated with an MBA and, later, a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice.

Born into a family of readers, Kimberly had never known a time that she wasn't reading or making up stories. Therefore, after a major life altering auto accident, the need for back surgery, a long recovery period, no respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate, she decided to pull out a pencil and notebook and began to write about her experiences and share some of the knowledge she had gained throughout her career.

Kimberly lives happily in Missouri with her amazing husband, two spirited children and a "zoo" of animals including a Newfoundland, three cats and a rabbit. She enjoys traveling, swimming and reading.

For more information please visit http://www.kimberlycheryl.com/

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Excerpt:

With one strange twist of fate, my life was changed.

This morning, when I woke and saw the sun mocking me, I realized what a National Football League running back must feel as he heads toward the defensive line. Don't get me wrong. There isn't a three hundred and fifty pound opponent of unnerving muscle waiting for me, but a petite and sweet one hundred and ten pound dynamo that I call daughter. It goes to show that all things in life aren't of the physical realm. One can get trampled and mangled in life without once having a bruise to show. Despite recent events, deep inside I still have hope that life isn't made only of slings and arrows. I'm just not ready for another day to slay the dragons again. My mind ponders the state of my life and how it has arrived at this chaotic state. Am I only moving within "life" and in fact being operated by the vengeful and barely caring gods? Try as I might, it seems I can only slightly alter my life's path. I remember a time when the important thing in my life was wondering whether I might make it through that mud puddle down the dirt road while remaining atop my bike. I miss those days.

I rise and follow her down stairs. Picking up the paper, I read about yesterday's football game. What a sad and depressing game it was. If my life is anything like my favorite team, it makes me wonder at the futility of my existence. Twelve points ahead in the fourth quarter. Then, those two fumbles take all thought of winning right out the window.

Somewhere, somehow, I also seem to have fumbled the ball of life. I'm glad I don't have pizza left over from that game. Who would want to finish yesterday's stale leftovers and be reminded of how horribly games can end. To again show me what little control I have over the small things in my life?

Never mind the large things...like Child Sexual Assault.

The sexual abuse of a child creates a devastating family crisis. Parents want to know what to do and say to help their child but they also want to know how to respond to and heal their own emotional turmoil. As a parent, you need to know it's okay and natural to act with disbelief and denial.

This is my story, a mothe's story, about the abuse of my daughter and my struggles to over come. I thought I could trust my family members. I thought I knew and could trust the legal system. I was wrong.

This is my journey, my lost "game", and my steps toward recovery. Some how, some way, I hope it gives you hope for your journey as well.

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Win Prizes:

SHATTERED REALITY VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on March 2 and end on March 31. You can visit Kimberly's blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March to find out more about this great book and talented author!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.

R. Scot Johns - Author Guest Post

It is my great honor to welcome R. Scot Johns, author of The Saga of Beowulf, to Cafe of Dreams today! Thank you so much, Scot, for taking the time to visit and leave us with a wonderful guest post! Please be sure to pop back over on March 26th when I will again be hosting Mr. Johns and posting my review of his not so thin book!

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What the Heck is a Virtual Book Tour?

I started writing The Saga of Beowulf ten years ago. Back then I had these grand visions of going on a worldwide book tour when at last my debut novel rolled in thousands off the presses. There I would be, in Italy or France, surrounded by a mammoth stack of the masterpiece that I had worked so long and hard to pour my heart into, with lines of adoring fans waiting hours to get an autograph, or just to say hello.

I suppose that’s not an uncommon expectation for many first-time authors, and for most of us it will remain a dream forever unfulfilled. The long and hard part is true enough, but the lines of fans remain elusive.

Regardless of the quality of an author’s writing, or if it ever makes it into print, the completion of a debut novel is a mammoth undertaking, and I salute every writer who achieves that goal. Whatever happens afterwards, none can say the writer didn’t try. But the truth is that few among that class of authors who can claim the name of "novelist" will see their labors transferred into print, and fewer still will sell enough to justify a second book. This has as much to do with economics as it does with skill or craft.

The fact is that in this day and age of mass production it is prohibitively expensive to publish and market the vast majority of books, and a great many that are selected are doomed to meet an untimely and ignoble death in the remainder aisle and the recycled paper factory. There just isn’t enough money in the budget of the major trades to give each new title the promotion it deserves. On average, the top five percent of published titles receive ninety-five percent of the advertising budget in a given year. To send an author out to bookstores all around the world, or even in a single country, with travel costs and per diem, is strictly limited to those whose works are guaranteed to sell, and thus recoup what otherwise would be a major loss of needed revenue to print the books that just don’t sell.

Where does this leave the rest of us, the authors of genre works and quirky tales that fall outside the mainstream of commercial fiction, the niche subject specialist or independent writers telling stories of an esoteric bent? If we somehow do succeed in finding a small press to take us on, or even in convincing a major trade to throw a bone our way, it’s still left up to us to be the authors of not just our books, but of our careers and lives. We’re given a handful of promo copies and roll of posters if we’re lucky, and sent on our merry way. "Don’t come back until you’ve made a million!" they might say as we’re scooted through the door.

Short of filling up the trunk of your beat-up four-door and taking on the cost of touring from town to town on your own to peddle your wares like snake-oil salesmen, there is little in the way of promotional support for independents such as we. But this is where I have to say that it’s a wondrous thing to be living in the 21st century. Where the costs of almost everything – including book production – have risen to the point where only mass conglomerates seem capable of wielding the necessary monetary muscle, the internet has greatly leveled out the playing field with respect to marketing.

Marketing is simply a another word for networking, and networking – as all of you involved with social sites will know – is just another word for interacting. Marketing is really all about communicating with people, and who is better suited to communicate but writers and their readers? For we are people who already deal in words. And this is why the Virtual Book Tour was invented.

With so many book review websites and blogs – sites where fans can come together and share their love of stories from the comfort of their homes with people they might otherwise have never met – it seems only natural for authors to become involved. Instead of packing up the ol’ gas-hog and maxing out the credit card on cheap hotels and roadside diners, a writer can tour the virtual world just like their readers do, hopping from one great website to another, posting comments and sharing stories along the way.

This is a major boon to readers as well, who get a chance to interact with writers they might not have met before, in a way that standing in line for an autograph could never let them do. And it doesn’t cost you a dime.

To download free sample chapters of "The Saga of Beowulf" please visit

http://www.fantasycastlebooks.com/!

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A bit about R. Scot Johns:

R. Scot Johns is a life-long student of ancient and medieval literature, with an enduring fascination for Norse mythology and epic fantasy. He first came to Beowulf through his love of J. R. R. Tolkien, a leading scholar on the subject. As an Honors Medieval Literature major he has given lectures on such topics as the historical King Arthur and the construction of Stonehenge. He owns and operates http://www.fantasycastlebooks.com/ Adventures of an Independent Author, where you can follow his progress as he writes The Jester’s Quest, his second novel.

You can visit his website at http://www.fantasycastlebooks.com/

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A bit about The Saga of Beowulf:

The Saga of Beowulf is the first complete and accurate novelization of the epic Old English poem Beowulf, chronicling the tragic wars of the rising Nordic nations, the endless blood-feuds of their clans, battles with mythic creatures in an ancient heroic age, and the final, futile struggle of one man against the will of Fate that made of him a Legend.

The story follows the young Norse warrior Beowulf as he embarks upon a fateful quest for vengeance against the creature that slew his father, setting in motion a sequence of events that will bring about the downfall of a nation, all the while fleeing from the woman he has sworn to love. Based on extensive historical research and steeped in Nordic myth and lore, the saga unfolds across the frozen fields of Sweden and the fetid fens of Denmark, ranging from the rocky heights of Geatland to the sprawling battlefields of ancient France, as our hero battles men and demons in a quest to conquer his own fears.

"An epic adventure 1500 years in the making," this classic tale now comes to life once more in a bold new retelling for a modern audience.