Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s muse:
Have you ever considered writing a book before? What genre would you write?

My response:
No, however my husband has said on many occasions that I should.  It would be a memoir.  And those who know me and know my story, have said that they can’t believe all I have lived through.   Not a normal, typical, average life.

I will share one incident that happened when I was approximately 8-9 years old, that even to this day, I can recall every minute of an eight month period because of it’s impact it left on me.  My father, a business man, was approached by the state police, to tell him that there was credible information that my family was a target by people who had been following my parents, knew our life and who would shoot to kill if necessary.  They then asked if they could set up a sting operation.  My father agreed.  The next 8 months were terrifying as to the things we had to do, knowing we were being watched, seeing the police laying in wait on the floor in our dining room with their guns aimed at the doors and enough ammunition to “take the side of our house off”.   There is much more to this story, that could fill at least 4 chapters, except it wasn’t fiction it was my reality.  I did state, not a typical 8 year old’s life.

September is being hosted by BookNAround 

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.”
Click on text to read synopsis via IndieBound

Wednesday:  I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson–won from Bookin’ With Bingo
Saturday:  Low Pressure by Sandra Brown–The Hachette Book Group

Hosted by Acting Balanced 

1. What was the toughest job you ever had?
One that I didn’t get paid but received the greatest rewards for and that was being a parent and raising my sons. I was lucky to be a SAHM and quite honestly, those were the happiest years of my life. The hard part was being structured and with consistent follow through. It would have been so much easier giving in but I knew it would pay off in the end. Today my sons are men, with successful jobs in their fields, presently working on their Master’s and my oldest bought a house on his own and my youngest  just got engaged.

2. What one characteristic makes a good boss?
Respect

3. How did you celebrate ‘the end of summer’?
Getting ready for the movers tomorrow that will be bringing furniture from my Mom’s house here and to the assisted living facility where my sister lives.

4. Do you follow the fashion rules about Labour Day being the end of wearing white etc?
Not sure if that rule exists anymore. But I usually don’t wear white so it doesn’t apply to me.

5.  Any special plans for today?
Working around the house, hopefully get some posts drafted, and some work done for Partners In Crime Tours.

Hosted by Marce from Tea Time With Marce

Happy Sunday!!  Hoping that everyone is having a wonderful weekend. 

I have a special guest today!!   You may already know her, and if you don’t, I am pleased to introduce her to you.  She is one of our blogging buddies that is the owner and author of the blog, The Top Shelf.  I invited Misty to visit with us to talk about a group that I am a member of and she has teamed up with and as an exciting announcement to tell you about.

I met Misty through Partners In Crime Tours.  She is one of our amazing hosts/reviewers.    She has  teamed up with one of favorite publishers, Mr. Lou Aronica of The Story Plant.  I started reviewing for him when I first came on the scene and still do to this day.  His authors and titles are amazing.  

Since this is her first time here at CMash Reads, I ask you to please help me give a warm welcome to one of our “fellow” bloggers, Misty!!

Hey guys!  It’s Misty from The Top Shelf and I’m guest blogging today on Cheryl’s blog to tell you about something really cool we have going on till about Monday.  I might extend it since I’m posting here.

But first, I have a confession to make…

I LOVE The Story Plant!   What’s The Story Plant?  They’re a publisher that has given us readers some amazing reads like All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard, Gods and Fathers by James LePore and Love thy Neighborby Mark Gilleo!  All of which I’m sure you’ve seen right here.

So what are we doing?

The Top Shelf has teamed up with The Story Plant to give five lucky readers the chance to read the great books brought to you by The Story Plant when we reviewers get to!  It’s called their Spread The Word Initiative and it’s just starting up.  To check out and enter the contest, visithttp://www.the-top-shelf.com/?p=4255 and leave a comment with a valid email in the email field.  Also be sure to join The Story Plant on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/TheStoryPlant and on Twitterhttp://twitter.com/TheStoryPlant!

My bio:
Misty Rayburn is a graduate from Capital University with a BA in English Literature. She was a live event photographer, covering a lot of Columbus’ local scene but a back injury kept her out of the scene for two years. While recovering, she created The Top Shelf. Misty doesn’t have a TBR list, she has a mountain! Come visit us! Website: http://www.the-top-shelf.com Twitter: @topshelfebooksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tops

The publication booksellers turn to for news on the book industry is now publishing a version for book lovers! Shelf Awareness: Enlightenment for Readers is a FREE emailed newsletter with reviews on the 25 best books publishing each week along with author interviews, book excerpts, giveaways and more. Right now they’re running a contest to win a free book. Check out the button on the left sidebar to sign up for the new publication and to be entered for a chance to win!

What will you win?  An advance copy of Lee Child’s upcoming book, A Wanted Man(Delacorte Press, September 11th).  The bestselling author has written another masterpiece of suspense in his Reacher series.

Enter the contest via the button. Giveaway ends August 31st!

This is a sticky post.
Scroll down for daily postings!!!

Hosted by Bout of Books

Goals:
To read a minimum of 2 hours a day
To start and complete current read and next book on deck.

Daily Progress Report:

08/13 Monday:
Challenge/Giveaway Sites:
Literary BFFs:  Auggie Talk
Passing Books:   Reading in Texas and The Space Between
****tell us what happens to your books after you have read them
I host personal giveaways.
Pages Read:  105
Book:  Started and Finished Cabernet Sauvignon by Sara J. Fasolino, CS, CSW, AM (wrote review)
Started The Serpent’s Bite by William Adler
08/14   Tuesday
Pages Read:  81
Book:  The Serpent’s Bite by William Adler
Pages read to date:  186

08/15  Wednesday:
Challenge/Giveaway Sites:
Book Word Search: The Musings of ALMYBNENR:
Match the Zombie Book Cover: The Busy Bibliophile:
Pages Read:  30 (not a good reading day…work interfered)
Book:  The Serpent’s Bite by William Adler
Pages read to date:  216

08/16  Thursday
Challenge/Giveaway Sites:
A Book for Every Season: Reading in Winter:
Candy Challenge: BookSmartie:
Contemporary: Books with Cass:
Pages Read:  -0- (so busy didn’t even have time to open a book  🙁
Book:
Pages read to date:  216

08/17  Friday
Challenge/Giveaway Sites:
Book Spine Poetry: bookgoonie
Most Looking Forward To: Pages of Forbidden Love
Pages Read:  76
Book:  The Serpent’s Bite by William Adler
Pages read to date:  292

08/18  Saturday
Challenge/Giveaway Sites:
Music: My Not So Real Life
Page 99 Test: My Seryniti
Virtual Travels: Ex Libris
 Pages Read:  40
Book:  The Serpent’s Bite by William Adler  (finished). Wrote and posted review.
Pages read to date:  330

08/18  Sunday
Challenge/Giveaway Sites:
Giveaway: Kelsey’s Cluttered Bookshelf
Movie Cast: Pretty Deadly Reviews
 Pages Read:  ?  Kindle  18%
Book:  Leaves By Michael Baron
Pages read to date:  330 pages and 18% Kindle

08/20 Monday WRAP UP
Total Pages Read:  330 print pages   18% Kindle
Book(s):  
Finished Cabernet Sauvignon by Sara J. Fasolino, CS, CSW, AM 
Finished The Serpent’s Bite by William Adler
Started Leaves by Michael Baron
WRAP UP:  Goals/Thoughts
I did meet my initial goals, however, since it never fails when I sign up for a Read-A-Thon, RL interferes,  I set my goals at a minimum.  I was hoping that this would  be an incentive for me to read more and spend less time in front of the computer.  It did, except I was also hoping that I would spend much more time reading than I did.  But due to work associated with Partners In Crime Tours, I had to put work before pleasure.

I want to thank everyone who organized and hosted the Read-A-Thon, the daily challenges and giveaways.  Kudos!!  It was well done and I am looking forward to the next one!!!!!

Hosted by Bout of Books

I SO need this.  I am embarrassed to say, that I have been so busy, plus the fact that my reading schedule has been interrupted due to medical issues, that I have read only one…yes ONE…book in July.  That is down right SAD!!

When I received the email yesterday announcing the sign up, I ran right on over and filled out the form.  My game plan is that to get all my computer, blog, PICT to-dos done in the next 2 weeks so that I can allow for more reading time.  I do have some personal appointments that week, but will read around them.  I will have a sticky post to keep record of my progress.

Want to join me?  Click the link above.  Here are the rules and daily schedule:

Standard info:

• Bout of Books is a week long read-a-thon, run from 12:01am on Monday, August 13th through 11:59pm Sunday, August 19th in whatever time zone you are in.
• Bout of Books is low pressure, meaning participants are only asked to push themselves to read more than they normally would during any given week. There is no competition between readers.
• How much time a reader wants, and can commit, to read, tweet, or network with fellow bloggers is left to individual preference. All challenges and giveaways are optional.
• Networking with fellow bloggers is actively encouraged, though never required. Co-hosts are there to facilitate blog hopping and interaction between participants.
• Use Twitter to post updates throughout the read-a-thon. Everyone will be tweeting with the #boutofbooks hashtag.

BOUT OF BOOKS 5.0 SCHEDULE

Challenges/Giveaways

Overview of Dark Isle

When evil begets evil, a choice is forced on Quinn, the one person who can see
the danger. Does she save the ones she loves, or does she save the world from
Chaos?

As the realms of Fae and human collide, Quinn’s future has never
looked so grim, or so damn impossible.

Genre- Urban Fantasy

Overview of Enemy in Blue

The streets aren’t safe when your enemy wears a blue uniform and a gold
badge.

What if the good guys weren’t good?

What if a cop went
rogue and killed an innocent man?

Will justice be served?

Genre- Thriller

Overview of Land of the Noonday Sun

Genre- Contemporary Romance
Overview of This Time Forever

Delaney Brannigan and Blake Morrisson
met at the Cedar Cove annual costume dance, known only to each other as the
leopard and the cowboy–but, as Delaney soon discovers, the cowboy she’d
thought had ridden off into the sunset never to tempt her again, is none other
than the man she came from New York to find and discredit. Against her will,
Delaney is drawn deeper and deeper into an overwhelming attraction to Blake–an
attraction she can’t give in to if she wants to keep the one thing she values
more than anything else.

Genre- Contemporary Romance

Overview of Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones wakes up the morning after a minor
accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist to discover that her
body has undergone some bizarre physical changes. Her senses, strength, and speed
have been radically enhanced.

Lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous,
action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain
willing to do anything – including murder – to reach his own ambitious goals.

Genre- YA/MG Superhero

Overview of Gray Justice

Gray Justice is the fast-paced debut
thriller from Alan McDermott. When a killer walks free from court, the victim’s
father sees just two options: accept the judge’s decision; or take on the
entire British justice system. Tom Gray chooses the latter and his crusade
attracts instant worldwide media coverage. It was just what Tom was hoping for,
but it brought him a lot more than he bargained for.Gray Justice is much more than a simple tale of revenge: it’s a rollercoaster
ride with an ending you’ll never forget!

Genre- Thriller

Overview of Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00

“Their lives are in the hands of two 18-year-olds…”

A Prominent P.I. is
gunned down – killed by a sniper – and it’s broadcasted on live TV.

Now,
her daughter, along with her childhood pal, are thrust into a complex and
riveting thriller forced to take on a secret club whose members call themselves
The Privileged Ones.

Murder. Teen abductions and illegal underground
parties.

They’re chased by men in ski-masks, nearly gunned down by
members of a cartel, and the only way to bring down this criminal enterprise; is
to crash a Mardi Gras bash and stop their private cruise ship from sailing off
into the sunset.

Overview of Allegiance

After exposing one of the most notorious rings of police corruption in history,
lawyer Cruz Marquez planned on starting a new life south of the border. That
plan unraveled when an extremist group of Minutemen captured and tortured him
and his wife.

Genre- Thriller

Overview of Curbchek Reload

I’m not participating in my usual Wednesday Meme, W.W.W. Wednesday, since I haven’t opened a book in a couple of weeks (hanging head in shame) but have been very busy sitting in front of the computer.

Over the past few weeks, there has been much work, changes and news in Partners In Crime Tours (a virtual PR tour company for authors of mystery, suspense and crime novels, which some of you may know that for the past year, I have been a partner in.

On Friday the 13th, which turned out to be a very lucky day for the “Mash” family, my son got engaged and my partner turned over the reins to me and I bought the company.  Molly will still be part of the group, assisting me and booking her authors.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in the right place and the right time.  I was approached by Harper Collins, having sent an email asking if I could be put on their list of reviewers.  Out of that came the inquiry about Partners In Crime Tours.  And a tour was booked!!  Not just any tour, a LAURA LIPPMAN tour of her newest novel And When She Was Good.  HUGE!!

And if that wasn’t enough, over the past couple of months, I’ve known about another group I would be teaming up with, but until it was official, I couldn’t say anything.  I can now as it will be published in their August newsletter.  Partners In Crime Tours is teaming up with ITW (International Thrill Writers), big names, both with authors and publishers.  Again, HUGE!!!

Because of the above, we are having a recruitment for new hosts/reviewers to join our group.  Would you like to join?  Read some fantastic titles?  If interested fill in the questionnaire below and email me at CMash@Partnersincrimetours.net.  You would go on our master mailing list and when a tour is booked, I would send out the details (tour dates, synopsis, etc).  You decide which tour you would like to participate in.  

NAME:
EMAIL:
BLOG NAME:
BLOG URL:
EBOOK ACCESSIBLE (Y/N):
MAILING ADDRESS (if applicable):

I hope you will consider becoming part of the Partners In Crime Tours group!!!