Aloha Friday

CMash April 13, 2012 11 Comments

From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTION:
What is the one thing that makes you smile
no matter what type of mood you are in?
MY ANSWER:
My 2 wonderful and funny sons!!

Giveaway, Hachette Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “THE BOOK OF MADNESS AND CURES” ENDED

CMash April 12, 2012 32 Comments

APRIL 12th to APRIL 26th, 2012

THE BOOK OF MADNESS AND CURES
by REGINA O’MELVENY

SYNOPSIS:
Gabriella Mondini is a rarity in 16^th century Venice: a woman who practices medicine. Her father, a renowned physician, has provided her entrée to this all-male profession, and inspired in her a shared mission to understand the secrets of the human body.
Then her father disappears and Gabriella faces a crisis: she is no longer permitted to treat her patients, women who need her desperately, without her father’s patronage. She sets out across Europe to find where-and why-he has gone. Following clues from his occasional enigmatic letters, Gabriella crosses Switzerland, Germany and France, entering strange and forbidding cities. She travels to Scotland, the Netherlands, and finally to Morocco. In each new land she probes the mystery of her father’s flight, and open new mysteries of her own. Not just mysteries of ailments and treatments, but ultimate mysteries of mortality, love, and the timeless human spirit.
Filled with medical lore and sensuous, vivid details of Renaissance life, The Book of Madness and Cures is an intoxicating and unforgettable debut.

THANKS TO ANNA, AND THE AMAZING

PEOPLE AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP

I HAVE THREE ( 3 ) COPIES OF THIS
UNFORGETTABLE 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: FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS,
WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK? IS IT

THE MYSTERY, THE TIME PERIOD, THE MEDICAL, ETC?*

*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*

*NO P.O. BOXES*

**PER PUBLISHER**

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 APRIL 26th 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

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

Continue reading “GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “THE BOOK OF MADNESS AND CURES” ENDED“ →

Booking Thru Thursday, Meme, Thursday Memes

Booking Through Thursday

CMash April 12, 2012 3 Comments

http://btt2.wordpress.com

This week’s question:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Bookish Sarah asks:
What book took you the longest to read, and do you feel it was the content or just the length that made it so?
My answer:
It has been quite a while that this has happened to me. So far, all the books I have read this year have been so good that it takes me a matter of days to finish unless I have RL issues that take me away from my reading time.

If a book takes me a long time to read it means that it’s due to the fact that the content, writing and plot is not grabbing me. It is not the type of book where I can’t wait to pick it up. However, I have learned from past experiences with certain books, that if by page 50 I am not enjoying it, I put it into the DNF pile. I have noticed that when this happens, if I don’t put it aside and try to push through it, I get into a reader’s slump. So since past behavior predicts future behavior, I now don’t feel guilty about finishing a book because every book is not for everyone.

Has this happened to you? Can you recall what book took you a long time to finish or are you like me, and put it in the DNF pile?

Misc

Free Kindle Event Announcement For Friday, April 13th

CMash April 12, 2012 Leave a Comment

FRIDAY the 13th FREE Kindle Event - 13 Books From 13 Mystery Authors

Visit the Amazon Listmania list at http://www.amazon.com/lm/RXUK7UVMTPUOH/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view?ie=UTF8&lm_bb=for another way to browse the books.

Date: April 13, 2012

Event: Add some good luck to your Friday the 13th (April 13, 2012) with this special FREE promotion from a group of mystery authors with a publishing history that includes Dutton, William Morrow, Dell, Avon, MIRA Books, St. Martin's Minotaur, and Mainly Murder Press. Readers will discover mystery, suspense, romance and paranormal in settings that range from small town  U.S.A., to Singapore and Indochina, to a mysterious island, to the world of reality TV. Among the accomplishments of the listed authors are New York Times bestselling, Amazon bestselling, Edgar-nominated, Agatha-nominated, winner of the St. Martin's Press/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Novel, finalist in the Mary Higgins Clark Mystery Magazine National Short Story Contest, and recipients of the Premier Book Awards Mystery/Thriller of the Year Award, and a Writer's Digest Writing Award, to name just a few. Don't miss this one-day, Kindle exclusive opportunity, in which all of the books on the list will be free, to discover these 13 new authors and brighten your Friday the 13th.

1. Darker By Degree by Susan Branham and Keri Knutson – A missing girl. A mysterious break-in. A brutal murder. Actress Maddie Pryce is looking for her big break, but finds herself at the center of a series of seemingly unrelated crimes. Soon she’s tangled up with a persistent detective, a driven director, a playboy producer, and an unstable ingenue. Can Maddie unravel the clues before her next role is as a serial killer’s victim?
ASIN: B0059IWOVG
http://www.amazon.com/Darker-Degree-Maddie-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0059IWOVG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332869914&sr=1-

2. Diary of Murder by Jean Henry Mead – Dana Logan’s wealthy sister, Georgi, dies and Georgi’s husband claims it was suicide. Dana knows her sister would never take her own life and sets out to prove it was murder, with her friend, Sarah Cafferty. During their investigation, they stumble over more bodies and place their own lives in jeopardy when they encounter a vicious drug ring.
ASIN: B005JFRROI
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cafferty-Mystery-Suspense-ebook/dp/B005JFRROI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332869942&sr=1-1

3. Ghost Island by Bonnie Hearn Hill - Is Aaron a dream, or is he something much more deadly? Livia Hinson has just begun a Seminar at Sea when a storm hits their boat. Now, she is stranded with the other students on an island off the coast of California. Far away from her foster home and her heartbreak, Livia finds Aaron, the perfect love. But the only way they can be together is in her dreams.
ASIN: B005K019AK
http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Island-ebook/dp/B005K019AK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332869966&sr=1-1

4. Kiki Lowenstein and the Purple Passion: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story by Joanna Campbell Slan – When a customer’s daughter is falsely accused, Kiki Lowenstein foils a nasty plan to ruin the girl’s reputation. Mystery, crafts, recipes, humor, romance/short story. ASIN: B007P0OKOK
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007P0OKOK

5. One Small Victory by Maryann Miller - the story of one woman's courage. Suspense novel by Maryann Miller, based on a true story of a woman who infiltrated a drug ring and helped bring down a major distributor in her small Texas town. Don't discount what a mother can do to protect her children. First published in hardback, now available as an e-book and as a trade paperback. ASIN: B0040GJI3K http://www.amazon.com/ONE-SMALL-VICTORY-ebook/dp/B0040GJI3K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332869600&sr=1-1

6. Rock & Roll Homicide by RJ McDonnell – The 1^st novel in the Rock & Roll Mystery Series finds PI Jason Duffy helping the widow of a slain rock star after she climbs to #1 in the police suspect charts. Duffy, an inexperienced former club musician, sorts through suspects ranging from band members to the Russian Mafia in this rocking whodunit. 4.67 Star Average. ASIN: B002E19JLY http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Roll-Homicide-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B002E19JLY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870107&sr=1-1

7. Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Can she trust Zach Gallagher, the gorgeous newspaper photographer assigned to follow her for a local series? As things heat up with the stalker and with Zach, soon Cassidy will need to call SOS for real. “Easy read and extremely well written.” Stephenie LaGrossa, Survivor; “I could not put this book down.” Book Club Queen ASIN: B004GHN6CW http://www.amazon.com/Sink-or-Swim-ebook/dp/B004GHN6CW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870149&sr=1-1

8. Southeast Asian Quartet by William S. Shepard – Mystery, suspense and murder in Southeast Asia in the style of Somerset Maugham, these four tales evoke Singapore, Borneo, Malaya and Indochina. Perhaps you’ll solve the disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Thai Silk King, missing for 35 years. Draw up a chair at the Raffles Bar and join us! ASIN: B0075X8Q1K http://www.amazon.com/Southeast-Asian-Quartet-Stories-ebook/dp/B0075X8Q1K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870617&sr=1-1

9. Taken by Debra Lee – Welcome to the fictitious little town of Watery, Pennsylvania where the district attorney’s personal secretary, Mary Murray never planned to become a single mom or a suspect in her infant’s disappearance, but she plans to find Jena before she suffers the same fate Mary’s younger brother had when he was taken twelve years earlier. ASIN: B0040SXVYA http://www.amazon.com/Taken-ebook/dp/B0040SXVYA/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870679&sr=1-3

10. The Four Last Things by Timothy Hallinan – Hired to follow a young woman, private eye Simeon Grist becomes mired in murder and a million-dollar religious scam in The Four Last Things, the first in a series of highly-praised LA private-eye novels written in the 1990s by 2011 Edgar nominee Timothy Hallinan. The Drood Review called it “One of the 10 best books of the year.” Publisher’s Weekly: “Very satisfying;” Booklist: “a sure winner.” ASIN: B003UHVTXW http://www.amazon.com/Things-Simeon-Grist-Mystery-ebook/dp/B003UHVTXW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870737&sr=1-1

11. When a Man Loves a Woman: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Alina Adams – Can a man and woman ever truly be just friends? What about if one of them is married? What if one of them suddenly isn’t anymore? Originally published as a paperback by Dell in 2000, the 2011 e-book re-release multimedia edition now features all the text of the original, plus a bonus musical soundtrack to compliment the story! A romance from mystery author Alina Adams. ASIN: B005NSDVO6 http://www.amazon.com/When-Man-Loves-Woman-ebook/dp/B005NSDVO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870816&sr=1-1

12. Willowtree by Mike Bove – Bruce DelRano, retired postman, golf and food nut, finds a body near the golf course. He believes the murder is connected to others and involves his Apache friend. Together, they stay a step ahead of the police in trying to solve the cases. They uncover dark secrets of a close knit group of friends in the town of Willowtree, Arizona. This is a fun read with some interesting characters. ASIN: B005DNYFZK http://www.amazon.com/Willowtree-ebook/dp/B005DNYFZK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870877&sr=1-1

13. Whispering by Gerrie Ferris Finger– Will Cleo Snow admit to making love with charming World War I fly-boy Graham Henry to clear him in the disappearance of an island woman who claims he plans to marry her? Will Graham compromise Cleo to clear himself? With her spirit firmed by deceit, Cleo vows to uncover the truth and keep her secret.
ASIN: B006GWO4EY
http://www.amazon.com/WHISPERING-ebook/dp/B006GWO4EY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332870947&sr=1-1

ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com,
Barnes & Noble and/or any other retail/wholesale
outlets either online and/or elsewhere.
I am providing this link solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
I do not receive any monetary compensation from any parties

Meme, W.W.W. Wednesdays, Wednesday Memes

W.W.W. Wednesday

CMash April 11, 2012 1 Comment

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Guest Author, WOW Tours

Guest Author Ruth Kaiser

CMash April 11, 2012 Leave a Comment

Those ladies have done it again!! Jodi and Robyn from WOW are stopping by with yet another amazing author. So put on your smiley face, sit back, and have some fun with today’s guest, Ms. Ruth Kaiser!!

ABOUT RUTH KAISER

Ruth is proud to be a self-proclaimed, happy-go-lucky, cockeyed optimist. Also known as a Pollyanna, a goofball, and little Miss Sunshine, Ruth is an easy breezy, cup runneth over, top of the world, outgoing, people loving, fun seeking gal. This perky gregarious, cracking herself up child at heart is filled with gratitude every minute of every day!

She is mom to three of the greatest kids ever who, even though they are all out in the world pretending to be grown-ups, will always be her babies. To pay for all those kids college tuitions, Ruth owns a small chain of preschools called TOT DROP where for 18 years she has been known and loved as Teacher Ruth by hundreds of preschoolers and their parents. To quote one of her mommies, Everyone should have a Teacher Ruth in their life!

Although completely allergic to cats, she is also completely enamored with them. So Philbert, Noodle, Rooster, and Mr. Simon have the run of the house and Ruth sits on a plastic chair and washes her hands a hundred times a day.

Ruth studied art at the University of California at Berkeley, but really believes that everyone is an artist. With excitement she proclaims, How cool is it that the Internet has given us all an avenue to share our art!

Smile. Be happy!

Its a choice you can choose.

Give it a try,

Youve got nothing to lose.

Connect with Ruth at her Facebook page, website and blog.

Listen to her Spontaneous Smiley Song here.

GUEST POST

Here is the message
That we want to share:
There’s a happier life,
You can pull from thin air.
From A child’s book of Optimism, A SMILEY BOOK OF COLORS
www.tinyurl.com/3c2qyd6

You Needn’t Wait for Happiness to Sneak Up on You.

I’m the Smiley Lady, both by virtue of my online art project, SpontaneousSmiley.com and by virtue of my sunny disposition.

I recently went a few verbal rounds with someone who asserted that my sunny outlook, my being decidedly optimistic (as in I decide to be optimistic) meant that the happiness I experience was artificial, synthetic, not to be valued.

His assertion was that true happiness was that great feeling that sneaks up on you when you’re doing something really fun or being with someone really great.

I don’t doubt that that is true. I just assert that it isn’t the only way to experience happiness. You needn’t wait for happiness to sneak up on you. You can search it out, you can sneak up on it.

One reporter’s headline about the Spontaneous Smiley Project was: Finding Mirth in the Mundane. That’s what this project is all about. But, when fun doesn’t seem to be there (ironing, errands, waiting to cross the street), you can make fun.

Here’s an example that comes right from getting ready this morning. Whenever I near the end of a jar of vitamins, I put the last few from the old jar into the new jar. Why? I figure those last guys have managed to survive every time I unscrew the lid. Why not toss them into the new jar. Why not give them a chance to survive a little longer.

And it’s got to be a big thrill for them (here I know I am my father’s daughter, talking about the feelings of objects). After all for the last many weeks their odds of getting consumed rose everyday as the number of vitamins remaining in the jar diminished. Suddenly they are tossed into a full jar. No longer are they one among a few; now they are one among many.

Who knows? They might make it to the end of this jar as well. I’m rooting for them. But I also like, that I’ll never know.

So the point here is that happiness isn’t only derived from things you describe as really, really this or really, really that. The lesson of Spontaneous Smiley is that it’s possible to derive happiness from minutia, from the littlest of things, the most mundane of chores, the least likely of objects.

Bird Poop? Yes! Garbage Can? Yes!

Peeling Paint? Yes! Broken Keyboard? Yes!

But if minutia is going to do it for you, it does require that you decide to notice minutia and define it as good, pleasant, beautiful, etc.

Smile. Be happy!

Ruth

These holes are on the floor where a gate swings  to lock an entrance.  I imagine the worker who drilled not 1 but 6 holes  before getting one in the right place, was none too happy.  I wish I’d been there to point out  that it was Smiley good luck that his/her errors  left a reason for all to smile.  And no, we’re not laughing at you,  we’re laughing at how great life can be!

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Smiley Book of Colors contains a rhyming verse written to get parents talking to their children about optimism, specifically about choosing happiness. The photo illustrations — arranged by color — are “Smileys” found hidden in fire trucks, flowers, clouds, even mommys latte. Although it is a children’s picture book, A Smiley Book of Colors is really for anyone who needs a burst of happiness in their day.

Just Thought You Should Know:

For every Smiley photo that is uploaded to the Spontaneous Smiley website, one dollar is donated to Operation Smile, to fund reconstructive surgeries for children with facial deformities such as cleft palate and cleft lip. The Spontaneous Smiley has funded eighteen surgeries so far, one Smiley at a time.

Ruth is also running a special contest for a signed copy of The Smiley Book of Color on her website to be awarded on the last day of the tour: April 19. To enter this contest, readers have to snap a pic of a Smiley and upload it to her website. To be entered in the contest, your readers should enter the word WOW in the box marked Smiley Title when they upload their photo.

[yframe url=’http://youtu.be/LAKZfZ5BZtU’]

THANKS TO AUTHOR, RUTH KAISER, I HAVE
ONE (1) COPY OF HER BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

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.

Book Giveaway, Giveaway

GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “THE SMILEY BOOK OF COLORS” by RUTH KAISER ENDED

CMash April 11, 2012 23 Comments

APRIL 11th to APRIL 25th, 2012

THE SMILEY BOOK OF COLORS
by RUTH KAISER

SYNOPSIS:

The Smiley Book of Colors contains a rhyming verse written to get parents talking to their children about optimism, specifically about choosing happiness. The photo illustrations — arranged by color — are “Smileys” found hidden in fire trucks, flowers, clouds, even mommys latte. Although it is a children’s picture book, A Smiley Book of Colors is really for anyone who needs a burst of happiness in their day.

THANKS TO AUTHOR, RUTH KAISER

I HAVE ONE ( 1 ) COPY OF THIS
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: FROM WHERE YOU ARE,
DO YOU SEE A SMILEY FACE AND WHAT IS IT?*

*U.S. AND CANADA 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 APRIL 25th 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

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

Continue reading “GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “THE SMILEY BOOK OF COLORS” by RUTH KAISER ENDED“ →

Giveaway, Winners

And the winner is………..

CMash April 10, 2012 1 Comment

……….of Astride A Pink Horse by Robert Greer

3 Linda Kish Be a Public Follower of ‘CMASH Loves to Read’

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