……..for THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION by Mark Hyman, M.D.

• 50 Shirley Greenawalt Zolenski Tweet About the Giveaway
  36 Bonnigene Cloud “Like” the Blog Post
  18 angie Leave a Blog Post Comment
  
  
  An email has been sent to the winners and they have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to all that entered.
  
  
  03/15/12  Addendum:
  Due to the non response of 1 winner, according to rules and regulations of the giveaway, another winner has been chosen and will now have 48 hours to respond.
  • 10 Mary Calabrese “Like” the Blog Post

  
  

You know, even after 2+ years of being part of this wonderful neighborhood of book blogging and reviewing, I still wake up every morning and look forward to turning on my computer to see what awaits me.    And it still amazes me that me, a (I was going to say how old but let’s skip that part lol) little ole blogger from the smallest state receives emails from publishers asking if I would like to review a book.   Well, that happened again a few weeks ago.   Kristin from Simon & Schuster sent me such an email.

Since I am slowly getting back into my reading routine, I have once again started accepting reviews that I feel I will 99% truly enjoy.  And after reading the synopsis of today’s guest debut novel, not only did I agree to read it, I asked if she would stop by and visit.  She accepted.  Please help me welcome Ka Hancock to the CMash blog!

ABOUT KA HANCOCK

KA HANCOCK makes her fiction debut with Dancing on Broken Glass. She has two nursing degrees and has specialized in working with psychiatric and substance abuse patients. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and has four children. Visit her at www.kahancock.com

GUEST POST

I think I was nine when I crafted a story about my mean teacher who was found dead in his stinky house, which explained why he wasn’t at school. I have to admit that as a child, I was a bit overwhelmed by my absolute power to write someone dead. So much so, that I brought Mr. Meany back to life—albeit with an intractable ear infection. I was pretty much hooked on writing—the power of writing—from then on. But I had to learn how to do it because these were not natural bones for me and I knew interest, obsession, and irrational self-confidence were never going to be enough. It got a little tricky because I had to learn this craft while I wasn’t busy doing other things like getting a couple of nursing degrees and raising a few kids. But spare moments yielded pages and, despite my busy life, I soon learned that, for the writer in me, nothing was ever going to be wasted. Every good, bad, bizarre, heartbreaking, or embarrassing experience was somehow destined for the compost heap of my brain. There, it all simply ferments until it surfaces as an idea or the perfect detail in a story.

Dancing on Broken Glass started out as a very sparse idea. Two sisters, cancer, an unplanned pregnancy, and a little town were all I had to go on. Those four elements woke me up one night like a whisper from God. It wasn’t much to go on, but it was enough to keep me very preoccupied with the possibilities. My hero came later when I needed a good reason for his ill wife to give their child up as opposed to trusting him to raise her. So Mickey showed up as a man afflicted with bipolar disorder, which seemed like excellent reasoning on my part. Silly me! I don’t outline, so Mickey’s story was not immediately clear to me, but I wasn’t worried because I’m a psych nurse and the compost heap was teeming with material. It wasn’t until a major revision brought Mickey’s mental illness to the forefront of the story that it became a driving force—when I knew him, the story blossomed. My process is flawed, to be sure, but it works for me. I should probably outline (it would undoubtedly save me some time), but I kind of like stumbling around in the dark; I like the discovery. I should also write every day, but I don’t do that either. What I shoot for is the completion of two chapters a month, minimum. I meet with my highly intuitive writer’s group—two other novelists and a mega-reader—every other Wednesday. My goal is to come prepared to read a polished chapter, about 20 pages. If I can do that, I’m a happy writer.

Next up for me: The story of a heroine who was a piano virtuoso before she suffered a traumatic brain injury. I have no piano experience I can pluck from the compost heap, not a single note. So, I’m taking lessons. LOL! How’s that for process?

ABOUT THE BOOK

An unvarnished portrait of a marriage that is both ordinary and extraordinary,  DANCING ON BROKEN GLASS  (Gallery Books; on-sale March 13^th , 2012; Trade Paperback; $15.00) takes readers on an unforgettable journey of the heart.

Lucy Houston and Mickey Chandler probably shouldn’t have fallen in love, let along gotten married. They’re both plagued with faulty genes – he has bipolar disorder; she, a ravaging family history of breast cancer. But when their paths cross on the night of Lucy’s twenty-first birthday, sparks fly, and there’s no denying their chemistry.

Cautious every step of the way, Mickey and Lucy are determined to make their relationship work – and they put their commitment in writing. Mickey will take his medication. Lucy won’t blame him for what is beyond his control. He promises honesty. She promise patience. Like any marriage, there are good days and bad days – and some very bad days. In dealing with their unique challenges, they make the heartbreaking decision not to have children. But when Lucy shows up for a routine physical just shy of their eleventh anniversary, she gets an impossible surprise that changes everything. Everything. Suddenly, all their rules are thrown out the window, and the two of them must redefine what love really is.

Inspired by her years as a psychiatric nurse, Hancock’s debut novel showcases her deep understanding and empathy and brings to life a story of imperfect love, loss, and bipolar disorder. Her underlying faith in the resiliency of the human spirit, despite the challenges of mental illness, shines through in this powerful first novel.
Watch for my review in the coming weeks.

THANKS TO KRISTIN FROM SIMON & SCHUSTER,
I HAVE 3 COPIES OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

*USE THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW
IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY*
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM
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*LEAVE COMMENT:  DO YOU THINK THAT THERE
IS STILL A STIGMA ATTACHED TO MENTAL ILLNESS?*

*U.S.  RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*

**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
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Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

This week’s question:
What book do you wish you were reading right now?  Where would you take it to, if you could go anywhere to read for a while?

My answer:
This is one musing that I need not give a lot of thought.   Let’s start with the latter question first.

Destination and/or place to read is Aruba.  OK..that’s a reality because the hubby and I are going in a month or so  (it’s our favorite destination and went last year at the same time).  Last year we decided that this will be a yearly trip to have something to look forward to.  A week of doing nothing but enjoying the beach everyday with books and a couple of frozen drinks lol, dining and maybe the casinos at night and total relaxation.

I have already started, well I actually started at least a month ago, making a mental list of packing.   Well not actually packing but what books will be coming along.  There are some authors that I hope they will have books either published  or have an ARC tour and that I can be a part of.  Authors like Michael Baron, Melissa Foster and Vin Zandri.    And if not, since I already know the time and place of the destination, there are plenty of books screaming for me to read in my TBR pile.  And from now until then, I will decide on what books will be coming along on our vacation.

March is being hosted by Diary of an Eccentric 

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.  According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

                                     Author                            Doubleday

Facebook link

I am so excited.  Ever since I started blogging and seeing this weekly meme, I have wanted to participate.   But whenever I visited the blog to sign up it stated that it was not accepting new members.  But because of a post on Lori’s blog, Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book , that stated there was now a group on FB, I joined.  From what I have read at other blogs, I am to summarize my past week.  So here goes my first Sunday Salon posting:

Reading:
It was another good week, at least for me, finishing 2 books!!!    I finished All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard and The Ninth Step by Barbara Taylor Sissel, both being a 4/5 rating.  I just hope that this pace continues  Because last year, with RL issues taking priority,  I was lucky if I read a book in a month putting me even further behind in my “requested reviews reading schedule.  

Blogging:
The majority of my time is spent on the computer.  This week I hosted 2 guest authors and 3 giveaways.  Preparing the posts for these,  takes time.   I like doing them way in advance just in case RL interferes, I don’t have to scramble at the last minute.   I do the same with my daily memes, using my cheat sheets, I set up the post and then plug in whatever is needed for that day.  I find it a lot easier in the long run.

Plus the work I do for Partners In Crime.  At the end of the month, I will be working  5 tours.  We are always looking for hosts/reviewers, so if anyone is interested in joining our group, email me and I will provide you with the details.

Real life:
This past week my baby turned 26!!   26??!!  How fast the time has gone by.  My husband’s uncle once said, as he snapped his fingers, that is how fast  your life goes by.  I wish we could go back in time, because when both my sons were toddlers,  those were the happiest years of my life.  

How was your week?

……..of LOVESICK by Spencer Seidel

        15 Carol Gowett Public Follower of Blog

An email has been sent to the winner and she has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to all that entered.

It’s that time again, spring ahead!!  Even though we lose an hour of sleep and it takes me a few days to regulate my internal body clock,  I look forward to this.   It also means, I will now be turning on my computer with coffee mug in hand at 5am instead of 6am.  Even today, I planned on sleeping an hour later, but the internal alarm clock went off at 6am.  Personally, I wish the clocks remained on Daylight Savings Time throughout the year, but I understand why it can’t.    Especially, in this day and age, and the little ones waiting for their buses in the dark.

I was watching the news last night and they interviewed a doctor as to how changing of the clocks affects one’s body and found it interesting.    Two of the items (that I remember lol…senior moments were not one of them) were:

• The Monday morning  rush hour traffic, following the changing of time, is the day of the year with the most traffic accidents.
• There are more heart attacks seen in ERs 3 days following the changing of time.

I don’t know if it’s just psychological but I tend to have more energy and look forward to the longer days with sunlight.    I love seeing my perennials start to bloom and knowing that the warmer weather is right around the corner.    However, here in New England, I can’t complain as to the weather.  It’s been a very mild winter with hardly any snow, even my daffodils are confused, they started sprouting a few weeks ago in February!!   

What about you?   Does the time change affect you in anyway?   How long does it take you to readjust your body’s internal clock.   What are your thoughts about changing the time?

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball…

Whatever happened to Calico Joe?

It began quietly enough with a pulled hamstring. The first baseman for the Cubs AAA affiliate in Wichita went down as he rounded third and headed for home. The next day, Jim Hickman, the first baseman for the Cubs, injured his back. The team suddenly needed someone to play first, so they reached down to their AA club in Midland, Texas, and called up a twenty-one-year-old named Joe Castle. He was the hottest player in AA and creating a buzz.

In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.

Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…

In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes CALICO JOE a classic

THANKS TO JOE AND THE PHENOMENAL

PEOPLE  AT DOUBLEDAY BOOKS

I HAVE TWO ( 2 ) COPIES OF THIS
EXTRAORDINARY BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.

*USE THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW
IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY*
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL

ADDRESS IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM

SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT:  TWO PART QUESTION:
1.  DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A

DIE HARD BASEBALL FAN?

2.  WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BASEBALL TEAM? *

*U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*

**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

*GIVEAWAY ENDS MARCH 23rd AT 6PM EST*

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RAFFLECOPTER AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

DISCLAIMER / RULES                              

Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in
exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are
ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed

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