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Rebecca, from The Cadence Group is stopping by to introduce us to today’s guest author, Mr. Joe Keller. Welcome to CMash Reads!!!
Joe Keller is a father of two, an entrepreneur at heart, and a lifelong learner. His personal quest is to live a fulfilling, awesomely happy life and to help others do the same.
Single Effort grew out of Joe’s learning curve following a painful divorce. Through trial and a healthy dose of error, Joe learned to approach single life – and life in general – with smarts and heart, leading to newfound confidence and exciting new adventures.
Equally at home cooking a meal for his kids, crooning karaoke on a night on the town, deciphering the world of dating for his readers, or traveling the globe, Joe believes that it’s what’s inside that counts – that happiness comes from following your passion, loving and being loved, and ultimately, finding peace within yourself.
Joe shares his passion for helping others through volunteer work in the U.S. and abroad, via his writing, and through public speaking. Joe makes his home in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Connect with Joe here: 
Learning to Cook as a Single Guy – Why It’s Important
When you’re thinking about dating, it’s important to develop “date-friendly” skills that will help you stand out as an attractive and worthy mate. All the better if those same skills will also serve you on your own as a single guy and father (if you have kids). Cooking fits the bill.
A nice way to impress a date is to tell her you know how to cook. A better way to impress a date is to show her that you can cook. Once you’ve learned the ropes, Single Effort your date night by offering to cook a meal at your home. You’ll be able to impress your date with your cooking skills while at the same time providing both of you with a relaxing evening she’ll truly appreciate. You’ll definitely stand out in her mind after the date is over!
If you don’t know how to cook, don’t worry. I didn’t cook well either when I was married – and if I can pick it up (a guy who didn’t know how to cook a decent grilled cheese sandwich before becoming single) then anyone can. Cooking is really quite simple. Read on for some “sage” cooking advice.
First and foremost, if you don’t know how to cook, start by getting familiar with the basics by visiting cooking websites and tuning in to cooking shows. Did you know they have an entire network on TV devoted to food and cooking? It’s called the Food Network and most cable and dish broadcasters carry it on their standard channel list. You can find a plethora of cooking tips and recipes on the Food Network. Pick a show that interests you and start watching to gain some insight into cooking lingo and to pick up tips and tricks.
Another great way to learn about cooking is to attend cooking classes. A quick search on the Internet should help you find many businesses offering cooking classes near you– sites like Local Cooking Classes and Local Cooking Class are wonderful references for classes local to you (and yes, they’re two distinct websites).
Community colleges and adult education courses are a great way to learn about the basics of cooking as well, and many speciality grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, offer affordable cooking classes to help you learn how to use the ingredients they offer in their stores.
Cooking classes are also a great Single Effort opportunity – they’re an excellent way to learn a new skill while meeting like-minded single women at the same time.
But the best way to learn to cook is simply by “doing” – find a recipe that sounds interesting and devote an evening to learning how to cook it well. If you can’t find a recipe that inspires you, try visiting Allrecipes.com for some great ideas!
I enjoy using Allrecipes because they allow me to save recipes found on their site into my own virtual recipe box. I can look up a recipe I previously saved with just a couple clicks of the mouse.
Allrecipes also allows you to print your recipes in a variety of sizes so you have the recipe in front of you, in an easy-to-read format, while in the kitchen preparing your meal. In addition, the recipes are well organized into food categories, easily searchable, and include pictures of the finished meal along with user ratings.
Allrecipes is truly unique – I rely on them for fantastic meal suggestions and cooking ideas on a regular basis. I consider Allrecipes.com to be to cooking what Amazon.com is to shopping.
For single guys trying to stand out from the sea of other guys their date has met, learning to cook is a skill that will give you that added boost. It’s the “secret sauce” that just might help you find and keep the girl of your dreams!
Single Effort is the best guide to being single – but not necessarily staying single – that you’ll ever read! From food to fun, and finance to romance, Single Effort delivers clear, real-world advice to help you live a dynamic, successful life as a single guy.
You’ll discover how to:
Single Effort isn’t just for men. Ladies, you’ll benefit too! From ideas to spice up your relationship to a revealing look at a guy’s perspective on dating – it’s all here! Destined to become a classic, this indispensable guide will change how you think about being single and help you find the life and love you seek.
For more information, please visit www.SingleEffort.com. There are five free downloads which include tips and helpful advice on dating, items to buy for your home when striking out on your own, cooking, divorce, and hiring a housekeeper.
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DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
It’s been a busy week and it’s not over yet. Stephanie, from Simon & Schuster, is stopping by today to introduce us to a very talented author. Grab your coffee and give a warm welcome to Ms. Deliah Dawson!!
Delilah S. Dawson is a native of Roswell, Georgia and the author of the paranormal romance Blud series for Pocket, including Wicked as They Come and an eNovella, The Mysterious Madam Morpho. The second book in the series, Wicked as She Wants and a second novella, The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance, will be out in spring 2013, and her first YA, Servants of the Storm, will be available in spring 2014.
Connect with author: 
On Damaged Women
If you’ve read any of the books or e-novellas in my Blud series for Pocket, you might have noticed that all my heroines have one thing in
common: they are damaged women. Tish in Wicked as They Come is leaving an abusive relationship. Imogen from The Mysterious Madam Morpho was kicked out of the house by her father and assaulted by her employer.
And Frannie from The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance was wrongly used by the first man she ever loved.
When I think back to the strong women I’ve known and the characters that have been memorable, very few of them have led easy, carefree lives. Game of Thrones is a tapestry of women forced into impossible situations who made mistakes, found their inner steel, and rose to greatness. Book favorites that come to mind are Ayla from Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children series, Sookie Stackhouse from Charlaine Harris’s Dead After Dark series, and Claire Frasier from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Women are made strong for a reason, and many of us don’t truly find our strength until we’re pushed to our very limits and come out the other side.
And I speak from experience when I say that our tragedies make us more interesting and often more loveable. When I was younger, I thought romance was filled with swooning, naïve, virginal heroines who fell into the arms of handsome, tender dukes. Now that I’m older and looking beyond covers, I’m finding amazing stories about bluestockings, orphans, widows, queens, and uppity women who won’t back down no matter what their world’s mores dictate. Romance as a genre is just as varied as women as a gender, and I’m proud to contribute a series that’s filled for rollicking adventure and steamy romance but with powerful women at its heart.
My next book, WICKED AS SHE WANTS, is out April 30 and features my strongest heroine yet: a twist on the famous Princess Anastasia. But my Ahna is a blood drinker in a steampunk world who boards an airship brothel and faces bloodthirsty unicorns to find her way back home.
Part of the challenge of writing strong women is also writing men that compliment them, heroes who are confident enough to love strong women and give them the freedom to be themselves. Ahna’s paramour is Casper Sterling, a musician from our world with his own inner demons. When Ahna and Casper join forces, they become all but unstoppable.
When I was young, books were my escape and my salvation, and I was hungry for heroines who knew pain. Now, I like to think the underlying message of romance– my books included– is that there’s hope. Whoever you are, whatever you’ve been through, no matter how broken you might be, you deserve love.
Thanks so much for hosting me, and I hope y’all enjoy it! Please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@DelilahSDawson) or at my website, www.delilahsdawson.com anytime! And if you like artisan perfumes, be sure to check out the character-based scents at Villainess Soaps (http://www.villainess.net/wicked/). Seven new scents will debut this April to cover both books and e-novellas in the series.
From the author of highly praised steampunk-ian Wicked as They Come comes an urban fantasy romance about Frannie Pleasance, a woman who takes in stray animals to save them from the dangerous world of bludbunnies, bludbadgers, and Bludmen who populate Sang, an alternate-universe London. When her pet shop is set on fire by someone who doesn’t like her menagerie, Frannie meets a fireman who wants to help her track down the animals who ran away during the blaze, and find the person who tried to put her life in danger.
DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
7 Beth DiIorio Follow @CherylMash on Twitter
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.
Today is special because we have an old friend, not chronologically :), stopping by. I became a fan when I read The Ninth Step and then subsequently, The Volunteer. I knew she was working on her next book but not quite sure when it would be available. You can imagine my surprise when I received it from Liz, Meryl L. Moss Media. Thank you Liz!!! After I stopped jumping up and down, I emailed them and asked if Bobbi would stop by. And she graciously accepted. Welcome back, Ms. Barbara Taylor Sissel !!!!!
BARBARA TAYLOR SISSEL is an author, book reviewer, freelance writer, editor, and the mother of two great sons. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and grew up in various locations, mostly in the Midwest before landing in Texas. She’s always loved stories, and reading and falling in love with Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was what got her thinking about becoming an author. That dream stayed with her through marriage, her life as the wife of a prison warden, and the birth of her children. It wasn’t until her youngest child was in school that she finally was able to sit down and write, and she was influenced by her experiences living on the grounds of a prison.
Connect with Barbara:
Where do you find inspiration for your writing? Other books and authors, long walks, meditation, or something different?
Reading has always been my favorite pastime, and it’s probably my greatest source of inspiration. I have always loved words, and their meanings, and language. When I read other authors whose use of the language moves me, when their writing makes something shift inside me, and I’m pulled into the storyline, or into the character so deeply that I forget everything else, I come away from the experience on fire to forge that connection to readers through my own writing. Meditation and meditative activities certainly help, especially if I’m stuck. I’ll go out and work in the garden, where the smell of the sunshine, the breath of the wind and having my hands in the dirt all combine to cast a kind of spell, causing my mind to loosen and, hopefully, give me the very answer I need. Besides my garden, there are three other rather unlikely places where inspiration will seize me (try not to laugh!) One is in the shower, which is very inconvenient when I have to climb out, shivering, to make a note. It also happens when I vacuum and when I’m driving. I do counted cross-stitch, too, the intricate patterns, which is very meditative. (Right now I’m working a Scarlet Quince pattern, a stitched facsimile of Austrian painter, Joseph Nigg’s, oil painting, Bowl of Flowers in a Landscape.) I think with each of these activities, it’s the sameness, the repetition and routine that kind of frees my mind to wander. Since I never know when an idea will strike, I keep notecards and pencils handy everywhere.
On the last ordinary day of her life, Abby Bennett feels like the luckiest woman alive. But everyone knows that luck doesn’t last forever…
As her husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, embark on a weekend camping trip to the Texas Hill Country, Abby looks forward to having some quiet time to herself. She braids Lindsey’s hair, reminds Nick to drive safely and kisses them both goodbye. For a brief moment, Abby thinks she has it all-a perfect marriage, a perfect life-until a devastating storm rips through the region, and her family vanishes without a trace.
When Nick and Lindsey are presumed dead, lost in the raging waters, Abby refuses to give up hope. Consumed by grief and clinging to her belief that her family is still alive, she sets out to find them. But as disturbing clues begin to surface, Abby realizes that the truth may be far more sinister than she imagined. Soon she finds herself caught in a current of lies that threaten to unhinge her and challenge everything she once believed about her marriage and family.
With a voice that resonates with stunning clarity, Barbara Taylor Sissel delivers a taut and chilling mystery about a mother’s love, a wife’s obsession and the invisible fractures that can shatter a family.
Read my review here.
Genre: Suspense
Published by: Harlequin MIRA
Publication Date: March 26, 2013
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-0778315162
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EVIDENCE OF LIFE
by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Published by Harlequin MIRA
Publication Date: March 26, 2013
ISBN-10: 0778315169
ISBN-13: 978-0778315162
Pages: 320
Review Copy from: Meryl L. Moss Media
Edition: ARC TPB
My Rating: 5
Synopsis (from Amazon):
On the last ordinary day of her life, Abby Bennett feels like the luckiest woman alive. But everyone knows that luck doesn’t last forever…
As her husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, embark on a weekend camping trip to the Texas Hill Country, Abby looks forward to having some quiet time to herself. She braids Lindsey’s hair, reminds Nick to drive safely and kisses them both goodbye. For a brief moment, Abby thinks she has it all—a perfect marriage, a perfect life—until a devastating storm rips through the region, and her family vanishes without a trace.
When Nick and Lindsey are presumed dead, lost in the raging waters, Abby refuses to give up hope. Consumed by grief and clinging to her belief that her family is still alive, she sets out to find them. But as disturbing clues begin to surface, Abby realizes that the truth may be far more sinister than she imagined. Soon she finds herself caught in a current of lies that threaten to unhinge her and challenge everything she once believed about her marriage and family.
With a voice that resonates with stunning clarity, Barbara Taylor Sissel delivers a taut and chilling mystery about a mother’s love, a wife’s obsession and the invisible fractures that can shatter a family.
My Thoughts and Opinion:
I became a fan, of this author, after reading The Ninth Step and then her subsequent book, The Volunteer. And with her latest book, Evidence of Life, she did not disappoint.
Abby is looking forward to a quiet weekend alone. Her husband, Nick, and their daughter, Lindsey, are spending the weekend on a planned camping trip and their son, Jake, is away at college. But within hours of Nick and Lindsey leaving, Abby’s tranquil weekend turns into months of hell. With news of powerful rains and flooding, that have claimed lives, Abby has no word as to the fate of her family. As months go by, and no definite answers, if Nick and Lindsey were victims, Abby holds on to hope that they will be found. Even though, those around her fear and accept that father and daughter were among the causalities, Abby starts looking for answers. If it is closure that Abby is seeking, she soon finds out, that her life wasn’t as she thought it was.
As with her other novels, Ms. Sissel expands on an every day topic, adding suspense, romance, relationship dynamics and thought provoking scenarios culminating to a “never saw coming” finale. Her characters come to life and can be related to. Her descriptive settings allow the reader to create vivid imagery. The suspense, page turning. Evidence of Life…another 5 star read!! Highly recommend, not only this book, but Ms. Sissel’s previous stories. Guarantee that you will be placing her on your “authors to read” list!!!
(2013 Challenges: Count The Ways, A-Z, Where Are You, Mystery/Crime, FreeReads, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, Read-A-Latte)
REVIEW DISCLAIMER
This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the
best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book
was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
DISCLAIMER
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.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
21 Robert Lloyd Leave a Blog Post Comment
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How is everyone? I am thrilled, to have the opportunity, to introduce you to today’s very busy and talented guest. He is visiting today, as one of his many stops with Partners In Crime Tours. Please help me in giving a warm welcome to Mr. Larry Thompson!!
Larry D. Thompson is a veteran trial lawyer and has drawn on decades of experience in the courtroom to produce riveting legal thrillers. Dead Peasants is is third After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Thompson founded the Houston trial firm where he still serves as managing partner. The proud father of three grown children, he lives and works in Texas but spends his summers in Colorado, where he crafts his novels and hikes the mountains surrounding Vail. His greatest inspiration came from Thomas Thompson, his brother, who wrote many best-selling true-crime books and novels.
Connect with Larry here:
Lawyer Jack Bryant retires early to Fort Worth to kick back, relax and watch his son play football at TCU. Bored with retirement he opens a pro bono office in his RV. When Jack finds an elderly widow at his doorstep, clutching a check for life insurance proceeds on her husband but payable to his former employer, Jack files a civil suit to collect the benefits rightfully due the widow. A seemingly accidental death of his client’s husband thrusts Jack into a vortex of serial killings. He and his new love interest find themselves targets in the same murder for hire scheme. To stop the killings Jack must unravel what in their past makes certain people worth more dead than alive.
The knock at the door of the RV was so soft that at first Jack thought it must have been the wind. It came again. He rose from his chair and opened the door. An elderly black lady who he recognized as June Davis stood at the bottom of the steps.
“Mrs. Davis, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you at first. Please come in. It’s chilly out there for early May.” Jack went down a step and extended his hand to assist his visitor, then offered her something to drink.
June perched on the edge of the cushioned bench that circled the table. “Water would be nice,” she said in a soft voice.
Jack went to the refrigerator and returned with a bottle. He twisted the cap a half a turn and handed it to her. She twisted the cap the rest of the way, took a small sip, replaced the cap and set it on the table.
“How are you doing, Mrs. Davis? I mean since your husband died have you been managing okay?”
“I’m fine, Mr. Bryant. My house is paid for and I get a little social security check. Besides, my kids look after me.” She reached into her purse and retrieved an envelope which she slid across the table to Jack. “This came in the mail, addressed to me. I, I wasn’t sure what to do with it; so, I called Miss Colby. She said I should take it to you.”
Jack picked up the envelope. The return address was the United States Postal Service. He opened it and found another envelope, this one torn and mangled with the addressee illegible. The letter from the postal service read, Dear Mrs. Davis: One of our sorting machines jammed and mangled this letter. We apologize for the problem. Your name was the only one we could make out on the letter, and we were able to get your address. Please handle as you see fit. Very truly yours.
Jack looked at the mangled letter. It was from Euro Life Insurance Company, based on the Isle of Gibraltar. It stated that Euro had determined that one William Davis was married to June Davis. Under the terms of the policy, since it paid double indemnity in the event of an accidental death, the benefit was $400,000, payable to Allison Southwest. Jack looked through the documents a second time before he looked up.
“Did you know that they had insured Willie for $400,000?”
“Lawdy, no, Mr. Bryant. Willie only made $20,000 a year. Why would anyone insure him for that kind of money? Besides, he retired from Allison fifteen years ago.”
“Good question. Let me keep these papers and the check. I’ll get back to you in a couple of days.”
Genre: Legal Thriller
Published by: St Martin’s Press
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-1250009494
April 1, 2013 Showcase by Catherine @ Lavender & Camomile Press
April 1, 2013 Showcase by Sapphyria @ Sapphyria’s Book Reviews
April 1, 2013 Review by Tammy & Michelle @ The Nook Users Book Club
April 2, 2013 Guest Post by Cherie @ Cherie Reads
April 3, 2013 Showcase by Cheryl @ CMash Reads
April 4, 2013 Review by Ashley @ Dr. Pepper Diva
April 5, 2013 Guest Post & Review by Lori @ Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
April 8, 2013 Review by Steve @ True Media Solutions LLC
April 9, 2013 Review by Barbara @ Views from the Countryside
April 10, 2013 Review by JoyAnne @ Deco My Heart
April 11, 2013 Interview & Review by Janiera @ Books & Beauty
April 14, 2013 Review by Susan @ My Cozie Corner
April 15, 2013 Review by Victor @ Vic’s Media Room
April 16, 2013 Interview & Review by Kristi @ Books and Needlepoint
April 17, 2013 Guest Post by Jo @ Writers and Authors
April 19, 2013 Review by Mason Canyon @ Thoughts in Progress
April 22, 2013 Review by Kayla @ I Read a Book Once
April 23, 2013 Review by Fenny @ Hotchpotch
April 24, 2013 Review by Athena @ TheStuff of Success
April 25, 2013 Review by Mary @ Mary’s Cup of Tea
April 26, 2013 Guest Post by Laurie @ Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
April 29, 2013 Review by Carol Wong
April 30, 2013 Interview by Review Jodi @ Words by Webb
May 1, 2013 Showcase @ Omnimystery
May 6, 2013 Guest Post & Review by Kathleen @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews
May 7, 2013 Interview & Review by Vicky @ DealSharing Aunt
May 8, 2013 Review by Heather @ Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
May 9, 2013 Interview & Review by Jean @ JeanBookNerd
May 20, 2013 Showcase @ Hott Books
May 21, 2013 Review by Joy @ Thoughts of Joy
May 22nd, 2013 Review by Sandy @ Mama Knows Books
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