#JuNoWriMo Blog Hop and Giveaway!

 It's almost June (or close to almost June!) and I'm gearing up for a month of writing, and socializing with the wonderful writing community. I'm also hoarding coffee and planning some freezer meals because I know from experience that this is necessary. As part of the JuNoWriMo blog hop I've decided to share five random but related things.

1. I prefer writing late at night, often while I'm baking muffins or bread for the next morning's breakfast.
2. June is an awesome month for writing 50k because my kid's take a break from lessons, we don't do school most of the month so I don't have to put a lot of time into lesson plans and there aren't any holidays or birthdays to worry about. 
3. Taking a long walk is one of my favorite ways to reenergize.
4. This year I'm going to be writing a YA gothic/fantasy that came to me while I was listening to The Phantom of the Opera. 
5. If I need a breather from my main WIP, I have a fast paced MG sci-fi that I'm writing for my son, so I can always switch to it for a bit. 

If you want to join the blog hop and help spread the word, it's super easy!

1. Write a post.
You can copy and paste the post on the JuNoWriMo blog, create your own, or do a combo of the two. If you choose to write your own, have fun with it! Share a little bit about what you will be working on this June, talk about your favorite part of JuNoWriMo, share your favorite recipe for a late night snack on those nights when you need to stay up and write all the words, the sky is the limit. The only must is please include a link to the JuNoWriMo website.

2.  Join the linky list.
Once your post is live, join the linky list here. That way everyone else participating can visit and help promote your post.

3. Hop!
Visit a few of the other participant’s blogs. It’s a great way to meet some of the other writers before the event.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with JuNoWriMo, it’s a month long writing adventure in the style of NaNoWriMo, complete with word sprints and plenty of other writers to cheer you on. The goal is to write 50,000 in one month (1,667 words a day). You can write whatever you want. Fiction, non-fiction, the final 50k to something you started five years ago. Anything. We’d love to have you write with us!

You can learn more and sign up here.

Our Facebook group is here.

One more thing! There is a giveaway, and these prizes are perfect to get you ready to write.

First prize – writer care package including a pen, post-it notes, and this official JuNoWriMo notebook.

Second prize – JuNoWriMo swag pack including a JuNoWriMo button, JuNoWriMo sticker, and a hand-painted JuNoWriMo bookmark.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another Cookbook Review! My New Roots by Sarah Britton

  There is something relaxing about reviewing cookbooks. I love reading fiction but my writer's brain is always at work, analyzing, wondering if I can write something as beautiful as what I'm reading, or mentally correcting things that aren't well written. When I read a cookbook the my brain slows down. I enjoy the pictures and get inspired by the recipes. It makes me excited to get in the kitchen and create something for dinner. Because of that, I sent away for another cookbook to review, and it is so beautiful!

 My New Roots by Sarah Britton is everything a cookbook should be. The pictures are stunning, the recipes unique, and it lays open well which is pretty important in my opinion! It is full of plant-based recipes and is divided by seasons. It's perfect for leafing through for inspiration but it also has an index in the back so you don't have to remember what "season" the recipe you want is from.

  The book is brimming with information on different ingredients and I was thrilled to see charts on how to cook more types of grains and legumes than I knew existed. It has step by step instructions for  making nut butters, sprouting grains, making your own Ghee and more. That and the pictures was enough to make me fall in love. Everything about it makes me want to go to a farmer's market and cook my way through the seasons.

   Now that I've said what I love about this book I need to mention one other thing. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet. I found all sorts of dishes that I want to make but most of them require produce I may not always have on hand or grains that aren't at my normal market. I'm slowly collecting ingredients and I see myself using the charts and basic instructions regularly but most of the recipes will be for special occasions or when I am in the mood for something fresh and new.

  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to cook with the seasons and explore new flavors (or anyone like me who gets excited by illustrated instructions on how to prepare chickpeas).

I received a copy of this book to review from Blogging for Books.

New Short Story in the Flawed Series: Constricted by @BeccaJCampbell #amreading #NA

I love this New Adult series by Becca J. Campbell. I'm currently reading Constricted and can't wait to share a review so stay tuned!

  A Short Story Companion to the Flawed Series

This week is the release week for Constricted, a brand new short story related to Becca J. Campbell’s Flawed series. This story coincides with the events in Empath (Flawed #1), and takes place in Logan's point of view. You'll need to read Empath first to thoroughly enjoy this story. If you haven't already, download a free copy of Empath (links below). Read on to find out more about Constricted.

Constricted (A Flawed Short Story)

Logan’s secret has been exposed. When Jade—a beautiful student at the college where he teaches—discovered the truth, he spilled the whole repulsive story. Jade’s empathetic kindness flooded him with emotions he didn’t know he had and isn’t sure he wants to deal with. It would be the easiest thing in the world to leave and let Jade be a whisper in his past. He can exit now and regain his anonymity, or he can risk everything to stay and face her again. It’s not an easy choice, and when he’s about to decide, a woman from his past shows up, making his decision even more difficult. What really happened when Logan disappeared during Empath? Find out in this short story companion piece to Flawed #1.

Get your copy now:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

iBooks | Kobo

Get Empath for Free

Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her. Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings. When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal. Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

Empath is now FREE on most sales channels.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

More About Becca J. Campbell

Becca J. Campbell writes New Adult (twenty-somethings) fiction that varies from Urban Fantasy to Thriller to Science Fiction. Her stories typically blend a taste of the fantastical with real-world settings and add a dash of romance for good measure. She's always looking for a great speculative fiction read, and she holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity. Becca is also the co-creator of JuNoWriMo.com, where you can join a vibrant community and write a novel during June. To join Becca’s writing journey and be notified when her next book is released, sign up for her author newsletter.

Connect Online:

Author Blog | Amazon | Goodreads Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google +

A Faerie's Secret by Rachel Morgan - Cover Reveal!

I started reading Rachel Morgan's Creepy Hollow Books last summer. It was one of those series that I read the first book and instantly downloaded the other two. I just couldn't wait! I CAN NOT wait for these next books to come out!!! Which is why I'm participating in the cover reveal. I'm evil and I want to get everyone else as hooked on these books as I am. Bwahaha. 

Cover Photography by Regina Wamba @ Mae I Design

A Faerie's Secret, by Rachel Morgan

YA Fantasy

Coming June 16, 2015

It's been ten years since Lord Draven fell. Ten years since the enchanted winter came to an end and fae across the realm began piecing their lives back together. Ten years since a now-forgotten foe was thrown into a faraway prison and began planning his next move ...

Join beloved characters and new heroes as the bestselling Creepy Hollow series continues!

Add to your to-read list on Goodreads

PRE-ORDER NOW BEFORE THE PRICE GOES UP!

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Faerie Guardian (**FREE E-BOOK**)

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Other Creepy Hollow Books

Find all purchase links here on Rachel's website

x x x

Visit Rachel online

Pure Food Book Review

I love to cook and I adore cookbooks but I've never reviewed one before. When I saw the awesome selection to choose from on Blogging for Books I knew that I had to try it. I am so pleased with this book!

Pure Food - Eat Clean with Seasonal, Plant-Based Recipes by Veronica Bosgraaf is perfect for someone like me who loves to curl up and actually read a cookbook. It has a section on building a "pure" pantry that is full of information and each recipe has tips and info along the side of the page. The book is soft and floppy (which is an important trait for a cookbook, in my mind) and the recipes are in an easy to read, step-by-step format. It doesn't have pictures on every page but the photos it does have are stunning.

  Unlike other cookbooks I've used, this one is not divided by recipe types. It is divided by the seasons. Each month has a handful of recipes that correspond with what's in season and a sample menu. It took me a little while to get used to it but it works well for the vision of this particular book.

  I've only had the book for a week so I haven't made all the recipes but I did try a few. I am not vegan, I just like whole foods, so I did substitute a few ingredients for things I had on hand. I made Warm Blueberry Buckwheat with Hazelnuts ( I didn't have hazelnuts... I need to get some and make this again) and it was comforting and delicious. My kids ate it relatively well and I can't believe that I'd never thought of buckwheat for breakfast before.

   I also made Irish Hash. Oh. Wow. I didn't know veggies could be so good. It is chock full of potatoes, cabbage and other produce. I plan on making this often. It was so quick and easy.
  The final recipe that I've tried so far is Grandma's Blueberry Buckle. This was easily my children's favorite dish out of the three. It was pretty, tasty and huge.

  I definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys cooking simple but delicious recipes using healthful ingredients.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Blogging for Books.

What's Up Wednesday

It's time for What's Up Wednesday!!!

WHAT I'M READING  Are you sure that you want to know?  It might take awhile... I'm currently working through Great Expectations.  I'm going for a chapter a day but its more sporadic then that. I'm also reading Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Greir and Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly and... Yeah, I sorta started Inherit Midnight too. I try to keep a book of poetry and book on writing craft going at all times. Right now I'm reading The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson and A Dash of Style. 
   My kids and I finished reading The Secret Garden this week and are now finishing The Princess and the Goblin. I had set it aside for awhile because it was challenging for me to read it in an entertaining way and I thought I should wait until they were older but they begged me to finish it :) I guess it isn't over their heads after all. 

WHAT I'M WRITING (+ WRITING GOAL)  I'm still making a spreadsheet to track several key elements in my fairytale WIP. It's already pages and pages long... It's helping me understand what needs to be done and learn the stories weak points but I just want it done already!
My goal is to work on it every day until it's done, even if I only have five minutes. 

WHAT WORKS FOR ME  Exercising in the afternoon. It might not sound related to writing but it gives me the energy to stay awake when I have time to write. 

WHAT ELSE IS NEW  I'm attempting a small container garden and a few flowers this year. I'm used to gardening where the ground stays frozen until April so gardening in Florida is a totally different adventure. I can't get over all the bugs and toads I find every time I turn my spade in the earth. 

Book Review: An Uncertain Choice

I love Jody Hedlund's adult novels so when I heard that she was looking for a team to promote her new YA release I applied and got accepted. Yay!
So, on to my review of An Uncertain Choice!

(isn't it pretty!?!)

First thoughts: I wish this book had been written I was a young teen! I loved anything and everything medieval, especially when a spunky princess was involved.

What it's about: Rosemarie cares deeply for her kingdom and throws everything she has into their well being. Even though her parents made a vow that she would have to join the convent when when she turns eighteen she cheerfully makes plans for how she can best serve her people from the inside of it's walls. One month before her birthday everything turns upside-down. A trusted friend arrives bearing the news that he has found a loop hole. If she is married before the sun goes down on her eighteenth birthday she does not have to fulfill the vow. To help Rosemarie have a chance at love, the friend has brought with him his three most trusted knights. With three men trying to win her hand Rosemarie must decide which path God intends for her to take, all while something sinister seems to be lurking beneath it all.

What I liked about it: I loved that Rosemarie was sweet and pure yet had a headstrong streak at the same time. The knights portrayed various personalities and showed something of what is important in a real relationship.

What I didn't like: While I enjoyed the book, I wish the characters had been a bit more detailed.

Who I would recommend it to: Anyone who loves clean, inspirational fiction would enjoy this story but I think that young teen girls would be particularly drawn to it.

What parent's might want to know: This is a very clean and moral book. It is sweet yet exciting. The only thing that I can think of is that there are a few descriptions of medieval torture. They aren't overly detailed and are integral to the story.

I received a copy of this book from the author and her publishing team. 



Jody's blog is full of information for writer's. If you haven't already checked it out, I highly recommend it. She is also having a Noble Knight's Blog tour. You can check it out here.