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Friday, January 31, 2014

Betrayal by Jenna Jaxon Release Day Blitz

Sir Geoffrey Longford, Lady Alyse de Courcy is eagerly looking forward to her wedding. But when Geoffrey is forced to marry another, a heartbroken and possibly pregnant Alyse finds herself in her own private hell. She must either gamble with her reputation or marry someone she does not love.

A reputed connoisseur of women, Thomas, Lord Braeton, has dallied with many ladies of King Edward’s court, although he has favored none. However, as Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas has sworn to serve and protect Alyse, an oath now sorely tested when he agrees to marry her—in name only—to guard her reputation. Yet, as they grow closer, and Thomas discovers Alyse’s sweet but spirited nature, he comes to desire a marriage in truth. Can he overcome her memory of Geoffrey or is Thomas doomed to burn with passion for a woman he can never possess?

If you would like to purchase the first part of the trilogy, Betrothal, it is available at Amazon  Smashwords

Geoffrey bade me give you this.” From beneath his cloak, Thomas withdrew a small purse, opened it and presented Alyse with a single sprig of lavender. “He picked it this morning ere I left and warned me not to crush it.”

Tears started at the sight of the bit of lavender. She wiped them carefully before she took the sweet-smelling flower from him. Raising the little plant to her nose, she inhaled its familiar scent. And remembered their interlude in the rose bower.

Thomas chuckled. “You and Geoffrey are certainly well matched. He did the self-same thing before he handed it to me.”

Alyse smiled with pleasure at the image his words conjured. “Thank you, Thomas. You are more than kind to have carried these messages from my lord.”

Thomas lifted her hand to his lips. “I am, as always, yours to command, my lady.” He kissed it, barely skimming the surface of her flesh.

It tickled, and she suppressed a giggle. “Will you take your rest now? You must be tired with your double journey in so short a space of time.”

Thomas stretched, the lines on his face making his weariness even more apparent. “Nay, I am off to attend the king. His Majesty will desire my report on how Sir Roland fares.” He smiled kindly. “However, should you have need of me, lady, you have but to summon me. I am at your service until Geoffrey’s return.” With a dashing bow, Thomas spun on his heel, his cloak swirling ’round him.

Alyse watched him go, savoring the words from her betrothed as she once again lifted the sprig of lavender to her nose. A token from her beloved she would cherish until his return. With a sigh for that day to come quickly, she pushed the door to the princess’s chamber open.

She tried to slip in quietly, hoping to be unobserved. Of course, everyone turned their gaze to the door the moment she entered. Alyse sped inside and crossed to the princess,

immediately sinking into a low curtsy. She waited, fearing the displeasure of the young woman who had only ever shown her kindness.

Princess Joanna paused before bidding her to rise. “Well, Lady Alyse, you were overlong at your prayers this morning, were you not?”

Alyse stood and nodded, unease sweeping through her.

The princess gave Alyse an eager look. “Are you doing penance for some...indiscretion?”

Her heart leaped into her throat. Guilt over her tryst with Geoffrey on the night of the tournament made her drop her gaze to her hands.

Lord, did she know? Did everyone?

Alyse fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. She opened her mouth to deny the allegation—what else could she do with her reputation at stake?—when Anne spoke up. “Aye, Your Highness, she should have been on her knees all morning.”

Shivers of dread coursed through her. Anne had seen her that night. She knew.

Alyse gaped at her chamber mate, her mouth bone dry. How much would she tell?

The disagreeable girl continued to stare at her, arching her neck, a triumphant smirk on her face.

Eyes wide, Princess Joanna looked from Anne to her before leaning forward. “Is this true, Lady Alyse? What dire transgression have you committed?”

About the Author:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. Her historical romance, Only Scandal Will Do, the first in a series of five interconnecting novels, was released in July 2012. Her contemporary works include Hog Wild, Almost Perfect, and 7 Days of Seduction. She is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as a member of Chesapeake Romance Writers. Her medieval romance, Time Enough to Love, is being published as a series of three novellas. The first book, Betrothal, released on April 19th. The second novella, Betrayal, will release at the end of January.

Jenna has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Find Jenna online at:

Other Books by Jenna Jaxon:

Betrothal--Historical Romance

Only Scandal Will Do--Historical Romance

7 Days of Seduction--Contemporary Erotic Romance

Almost Perfect--Contemporary Erotic Romance

Hog Wild--Contemporary Erotic Romance

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt & Denise Hunter Book Review

Length384 Pages
Publication DateJanuary 14, 2014
  • Thomas Nelson

"Consider that your beau is like a coveted novel whose compelling first lines you’ve just begun to read.” —A Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship
At a rummage sale, Heather, a member of the Fireside Book Club, discovers a turn-of-the-century romantic advice book written by a once-famous Smitten, Vermont, resident. When she shares the precious volume with her friends in the club, they find clues about a hidden treasure rumored to be buried in their tiny town.
As Heather, Abby, Lia, and Molly take turns reading the book, each projects onto it her own literary tastes. Heather sees it as a mystery. Abby discovers delicious dashes of Jane Austen. Lia sees in it the idealism of a bygone day. And Molly just wishes they'd made the book into a movie!
One by one, each of the women finds romantic love—often in spite of the historic book’s advice. And in searching for the legendary gold, the friends discover the best kind of treasure. The kind that brings hope and healing to each of their hearts.

My review;
This book is about a town in Vermont called Smitten. When one of the members of the town's book club,Heather finds a book in an old cardboard box  she decides to let all of the book club members have the opportunity to read it. When they read it they each had a different idea on the type of story it was. Then they decide to start looking for a treasure of buried gold, that the book alludes to.
 This is a group of stories from some of the best writers of our time. In this book each story has a different way that the book club members try to deal with their personal life. Love hits each of them in a different way. I really loved each of the stories and I love the way each author writes their wonderful stories. I give this book a 4/5.I was given this book by Booksneeze for the purpose of a review and all opinions are my own.

Love Spell By Stan Crowe Blog Tour Excerpt and Giveaway

Love spell updatedLove Spell Clint Christopherson’s love life is a running joke. When a crazed gypsy curses him with the best wish he could ever ask for, the punchline stops being funny. Now, even his barest touch drives girls mad for him. Desperate to reverse the curse, he turns to his last hope: an attractive private investigator who may be able to locate his missing gypsy. If only Clint knew who it was he just hired...
Standing in front of Sullivan’s door, Clint straightened his tie for the fifth time. His trip to the heart of the Mariner’s home turf had yielded some massive and pleasant surprises that he was eager to share with his sometimes-prickly traveling companion. After he knocked on the door, he heard a muffled, “One moment,” and took to rocking on his heels while he waited. He smoothed out his surprise new duds, ensured he’d done all the buttons on his shirt properly, and made sure his fly had been zipped. Check. Check. Check. Should he button the sport coat or not? What was protocol? A quick hand through his hair again, and then a surreptitious nose cleaning, just in case.
Calm down, man.
When Sullivan’s door opened a few moments later, Clint had to bite back a wolf whistle. A pair of driving shades and that baseball cap really added to her image (not that she was bad to begin with), and his pulse raced. This might be harder than he’d thought.
Man up, Clint, he told himself. “Are you ready to go, Sully?”
She gave him a slow once over. “I know I didn’t give you enough money to buy that. Where’d you get it?”
He shook his head. “Some store.” He could tell she was hardly satisfied with the answer, but ignored the follow up question in her eyes. “Let’s try again. Are you ready to go? It’s five.”
She glanced at her watch. “Go? Where are we going?”
He grinned. “You are hungry, yes?”
Maybe,” she said cautiously. In reply, her stomach gurgled, “Absolutely I’m hungry, you idiot,” and Lindsay blushed crimson.
Clint pretended not to notice the sound, and jerked a thumb toward the stairs. “C’mon. Even if you’re fine, I’m dying for something better than the burgers from the joint next door. I was thinking about something, you know, upscale. Just the two of us. Think of it as part of me paying off my debt.”
She cocked her head. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we’ve been watching a dwindling budget lately. And, besides, I’m not dressed to go anywhere nice.”
Clint turned and jogged for the stairs. “No worries,” he called back to her. “Dinner’s taken care of, and I’ve got your evening wear sorted out, too. Let’s go!” He was down the stairs and in the lobby in under a minute. She appeared seconds later, frowning—probably glaring behind those shades—and demanding answers.
That’d be telling,” he replied with a smirk. She was leaning forward, eager for whatever it was he was holding back. Or maybe she was actually eager to rip his head off because she was infected by the Touch. Either way, there was no reason to delay. He strode through the front door of the motel, and then turned to hold it open for her. Sullivan approached sinuously, too much the way a big cat would close on its prey. Realizing the problem, Clint released the door and stepped aside, only to realize a new problem. A moment later, the door took Sullivan full in the face.
Sully!” Clint sprang for the door and yanked it open, even as she staggered backwards. “Man, Sully. I swear by everything holy that I didn’t mean to—”
She silenced him with a hand, while rubbing vigorously at her nose with her other hand. “That’s twice you’ve hit me with a door! What is your prob— never mind. I’m not bleeding, am I?” She didn’t wait for an answer before turning back toward the lobby and striding for the ladies’ room.
Clint buried his face in his hand, and then looked behind him. Good. His surprise was still there. “Sully! You look fine. If you need a mirror, there’s one here in the limo.”
She missed a step, and then stopped. Carefully, she looked back over her shoulder. He saw her gasp slightly, and then turn all the way around. She looked back and forth between the restrooms and the waiting luxury car. Finally, her shoulders dropped slightly, and walked carefully toward the limousine. Clint opened the car’s door immediately, dismissing the driver with a nod. Sullivan approached slowly, and shot meaningful looks both at Clint and at the car door.
What?” he asked. “Hey, that was an accident.”
She gave him a look. “And so was the thing in the hospital.”
Yes. So was the thing in the hospital. But do you really think I’d slam a car door on a woman?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, and cocked her head.
Clint blushed slightly, and gestured at the door, and said, “Look, Miss Sullivan. I promise I’m not going to intentionally injure or humiliate you. This? This was supposed to be a nice surprise and it hasn’t exactly gone the way I planned it. Bear with me, please? I promise I’ll do my very best to make this as enjoyable for you as it has been for me. Okay?”
Sullivan hesitated, but at last put one foot forward, then the other. Then she sped to the limo and climbed inside without so much as a glance at Clint. Her passage was so close that a faint whiff of her perfume caught his nose. Clint breathed deeply, and let the scent linger in his mind, resolving to get her a bottle of whatever that was as a “thank you” gift, once he got a job again. He really did owe her big. Hopefully, tonight would help.

stan croweAuthor Stan Crowe Stan had a pretty normal, middle-class American youth. He was lucky enough to change that by convincing an exceptional woman to marry him in 2000, setting him on a much more fulfilling life course. Four years later, Brigham Young University awarded him with a Bachelors of Science in civil and environmental engineering. He then he spent several years designing homes, prescribing work for bridges, and even exploring the mortgage industry. In the midst of all this, he produced two science fiction anthologies in 2006 and 2007. In 2012, Breezy Reads Publishing picked up his romantic comedy The Cinderella Project. And thus he transformed himself from Captain Kirk into Don Juan. Stan lives with his wife, children (final count to be determined) and two cats in Utah.
Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/9/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or PayPal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Garden Gate by Christa Kinde Book Review

My review;

 I just finished reading The Garden Gate by Christa Kinde another book in The wonderful series for young adults called The Threshold Series. In Book Four Prissie Pomeroy  must use all of her faith to do what she has to do. She is a very strong young person who shows courage when she realizes that she has a gift and she must deal with it.  This is the kind of book that I think all  young adults as well as others will enjoy. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book by the Z Street Reviewers Team and all opinions are my own.

The Garden Gate
By Christa Kinde

In the final book in the Threshold Series, Guardian angels, spiritual warfare, an invisible door, and one young girl with eyes to see the heavenly realm around her. Will Prissie Pomeroy have the strength to fulfill her purpose? Find out in The Garden Gate!

The Complete Amish Wedding by Becca Fisher Book Blast and Giveaway

amish wedding The Complete Amish Wedding Series This boxed set features all six books in the Amish Wedding series including: Amish Wedding Rebecca Lapp has her life back together after a tough break up. She's found a new man and is finally happy once again. But when her ex comes back into town wanting her back, Rebecca will be forced to make a decision that will change her life forever. An Amish Widower's Heart Two years after Henry King loses his wife in a freak accident, he's still trying to cobble his life back together. But he knows that if he doesn't stop lingering on the past, he'll have no future. But can he love again? And just how far is the journey back to happiness? The Amish Late Bloomer Almost all of Elizabeth Stoltz's friends are married with kids. Elizabeth meanwhile finds herself back on the dating scene again after a crushing heartbreak. And she quickly finds out that being single at twenty-one year old leaves few options for finding the perfect guy. But Elizabeth is determined to find the love of her life. Will Elizabeth be able to find the love she's been looking her whole life for, is it already too little too late for her? Beachy Amish Romance After a rough break up, Benjamin Stoltz moves from Lancaster to the Florida Amish community of Pinecraft looking for a fresh start. But Benjamin soon realizes that finding romance in Florida has some unique problems of its own. This Side Of Heaven Mary Stoltz has a clear idea in her head of what she wants her dream man to be like. But her romantic reality has fallen far short of her dreams. Not to mention she is at the tail end of her rumspringa with seemingly not a single good suitor in sight. But when Mary finally meets a handsome and interesting man, will her love life finally live up to the dreams in her head? Amish Homecoming David Lapp has his rumspringa in the city cut short when he finds out that his mother has been in an accident. But when he returns to Lancaster to take care of her, secrets from the past come to light that will change the direction of his life forever.
Praise for The Complete Amish Wedding Series
"I had trouble putting the book down. I enjoy the stories about the trials in their lives and the way they rise above them with a little assistance from Gott. Nice clean romances are a great to get away and relax. Thank you for the Great read." ~Teresa Thornock (Goodreads)
Excerpt "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Samuel remarked. That was a bold statement from an Amish man. But Samuel's feelings were undeniable. Samuel knew that modesty was the Amish way. He'd been brought up on the plain life. Simple service to God. And while Samuel's feelings about himself were humble in nature, his feelings for Ruth were anything but. Ruth meanwhile was no fan of attention. She was naturally shy. Samuel had managed to coax her out of her shell though. Still, Ruth was hardly comfortable in the spotlight. It was a mystery to everyone else why Ruth was such a wallflower. She had so much going for her, she just didn't seem to realize it. "Now Samuel, there's no need to exaggerate," Ruth replied, modestly. "Who says I'm exaggerating?" Samuel continued. "I've waited my whole life to meet a woman like you. And now that I have, it would be a shame not to appreciate you." "Are you trying to make me blush?" Ruth wondered. "No. I'm just trying to make you feel as good as you make me feel," Samuel said. "I'd be careful with your expectations. If you let them get too high, you're bound to be let down," Ruth replied. "It's too late. My expectations are already through the roof," Samuel admitted. "But don't worry, I can't imagine getting let down by you." "It must be interesting looking at life through your eyes," Ruth remarked. "What can I say? Love brings a rose colored tint to everything," Samuel replied. "Don't you agree?" "Just because I'm not as vocal, doesn't mean I love you any less," Ruth said. "How much do you love me?" Samuel wondered. "So much that it scares me sometimes," Ruth admitted. Samuel was confused. "What's there to be scared about?" "Are you kidding? You know the road it's taken us to get here. So after all the bumps, to finally be with you, to finally turn my heart over, to let my feelings be exposed is both exciting and terrifying," Ruth explained. It was true. Ruth and Samuel had found the most roundabout way of getting together. They had been friends for the longest time. Part of a tight knit group of friends that had grown up together in Lancaster. So Ruth and Samuel didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their friendship. They'd seen two of their close friends date in the past. But when their relationship went south, the friendship was ruined as well. Ruth and Samuel didn't want the same thing to happen to them. So Ruth and Samuel dated other people. They did not have much luck finding love though. There were a lot of first dates, but very few second dates. After a while, Ruth and Samuel started to lose hope that they'd ever meet their match. That's when after a lot of hemming and hawing about risking their friendship, Ruth and Samuel finally gave in to the feelings they had for each other. Ruth and Samuel's first date was the best either one had ever experienced. They were a great match. With so much in common. And they made a wonderful couple. It was hard to believe they'd been so afraid to get together. In the end, their friendship only added to the relationship they were building. And ever since then, Ruth and Samuel had been nearly inseparable. Now almost a year in, Ruth and Samuel couldn't imagine being with anyone else. They made each other happier than they ever thought possible. But that didn't mean Ruth was without her worries. Samuel was always there with optimism abound though. "That's how I know we're meant for us each other. Because we know what else is out there. And none of it compares to being with you." Ruth smiled. "You're the sweetest man I've ever met." Excerpt 2 "I don't ever want this moment to end," Hannah King said. "Neither do I," Henry King replied. It was a brisk fall day. The kind that made you want to snuggle close to someone you loved. For Hannah and Henry, that was easy. They lived for each other. They were a match made in heaven. And when they were together, it felt like paradise. Hannah and Henry had been married almost two years. And yet the honeymoon phase was far from over. They still had that glow about each other. An undeniable chemistry. The couple had heard that marriage was work. That everything wouldn't go as smoothly as they expected. They didn't find that to be true though. For Hannah and Henry, the married life was amazingly simple--even for an Amish couple. After work, they always tried to watch the sunset together. It was a tradition, carrying over from their first date. And Lord willing, they caught a glimpse of the sun dancing across the sky as much as they could. "Do you think it's always going to be like this?" Hannah asked. "Gott is the only one that knows for sure. But I sure hope so," Henry remarked. "You know, I've been thinking a lot about the future," Hannah said. "Only good things I hope," Henry replied. "Are you kidding? I have you. What could go wrong?" Hannah asked. "That's my line," Henry joked. "I figured you wouldn't mind me borrowing it," Hannah replied. "You can borrow it anytime you want if you're going to use it on me," Henry said. "Why don't we go back to talking about our future?" Hannah joked. "It's funny. My parents always brought me up to stay in the present. To just appreciate what was in front of me," Henry explained. "Well, I certainly like what's in front of me," Hannah interrupted. "Thanks to you though, I've found myself starting to look to the future," Henry admitted. "Look at you, living dangerously," Hannah joked. "I wish I could be more like you. Looking at the world with nothing but hope in my eyes. But I was raised to keep my feet on the ground. To not let my head drift into the clouds. So optimism is all new to me," Henry said. "Don't worry. I'm with you every step of the way," Hannah replied. "I can't think of a better guide," Henry remarked. "But now that I'm changing your mind about the world, how does the future look now?" Hannah asked. "As bright as can be," Henry said. There were certain memories that Henry could never forget. That became burned into his brain. For Henry, that conversation with his wife was one of them. And although the conversation happened over a year ago, it was still as fresh in Henry's mind as ever. It was the last good memory he had of his wife. The next day she died of a freak brain aneurysm. It was all such a shock. Completely out of the blue. There were no warning signs. No symptoms. In the middle of a conversation a blood vessel in her brain just blew and she collapsed to the ground. There was no way to prepare for the a tragedy like that, especially when it was such a freak occurence. Henry turned to Gott for an explanation, but received none. And he'd been trying to cobble his life back together ever since. It was all such a complete tragedy. The best thing in Henry's life was taken from him in an instant, without warning and without reason. Not to mention that Hannah was only twenty-three years old. She had so much to look forward to. So much in her future. There should have been children on the way. Glorious days spent in the park. Vacations at the beach. And holidays with relatives. It would be a simple life. But it would also be a joyful one. It just wasn't meant to be though. Even a year after her death, Henry woke up in disbelief that Hannah was gone. And despite having the whole bed available to him, Henry only slept on his side. He never dared to inch his body to Hannah's side. It was just a force of habit. He knew that it defied logic. That Hannah wouldn't be returning to claim her side of the bed. Still, it was the little routines that gave Henry comfort. BeccaAuthor Becca Fisher I'm Becca Fisher and I write sweet Amish romances featuring simple people with complex love lives. I'm devout in my faith, relish time with my family, and seek to bring joy to as many lives as possible. I would love to have you as a reader. God bless.
      BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/28/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Ever Hopeful by Lori Ryan Excerpt Book Tour and Giveaway

Ever_Hopeful__amazon_goodreads Combining heart-soaring contemporary romance with heart-pounding suspense is a trademark of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lori Ryan—and in her novel Ever Hopeful she delivers spectacularly on both counts. Two-months pregnant and trapped in a violent marriage, Laura Kensington realizes that her ruthless and powerful in-laws will never let her go, even after the strange sudden death of her abusive husband.  Fleeing far away to the Texas ranch of Cade Bishop, a strong yet tender man who believes in second chances, Laura finds herself irresistibly drawn to Cade’s gentle passion and giving heart. But there is no escaping the shadows of her past and soon danger re-enters her world, pulling Laura into a deadly web of lies, betrayals, and murder.  And only Cade Bishop’s quiet strength and unwavering love can set her free.
Laura smiled but Cade’s comment sent her thoughts in a completely different direction. She was suddenly painfully aware that she wanted him to see her as a woman. How totally inappropriate was that? She was pregnant with her dead husband’s child and running from his family. She might be a grown woman but the fact was, she’d never been independent. She’d always been tied to a man—first her father and then her husband. This was the time in her life when she needed to take charge, learn to support herself, and be independent. Yet, here she was thinking about how gorgeous the man sitting across from her was and wondering if he liked what he saw when he looked at her. Cade frowned at her. “What are you thinking? You seem like you took a little trip in your head for a minute.” If only you knew. Laura shook her head. She needed to figure out how she was going to take care of her baby when it came, how she would support them both. How she was going to get away from the Kensingtons and their powerful, seemingly endless reach. How she’d fight them if they tracked her down and tried to take the baby from her. The last thing she should be thinking was what it would be like to be in Cade’s arms, to touch him and feel his mouth on her skin.... “I was just thinking that I need to find a way to support myself and the baby. I can’t live off you guys forever.” “Try telling that to Mama. I think she’s planning to adopt you,” said Cade. Laura felt a sharp pain at his joke and had a feeling she probably grimaced. What would it have been like to be born to May Bishop? To have been raised in a place like this by someone who loved her? To receive the unconditional love that a parent is supposed to have for their child? Fairy tales…. She’d given up on things like that a long time ago. It wasn’t useful to sit and pity herself and cry about her circumstances. But, being so close to a family like the Bishops...made her want to go back in time and rewrite her story. If not rewrite who she was born to, at least change her decision to marry Patrick. “Well, I’ll have to come up with something,” Laura said, but in all honesty waiting tables was about the only thing she was qualified to do. She forced a smile. She may not have ever had a mother like May Bishop, but she’d make damn sure her child did. Her baby would know she was loved no matter what. That nothing could ever take her mother’s love away. If Laura was sure of one thing in her life, she was sure of that. She would love this child with all her heart and all that she was.
Lori Ryan is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romance with a twist of suspense. She lives with an extremely understanding husband, two wonderful children, two mostly-behaved dogs, and a lone little cat in Austin, Texas. It’s a bit of a zoo, but she wouldn’t change a thing. Lori published her first novel in April of 2013 and has written three more books since then. Each of Lori’s books have made their way to the Amazon bestseller list and she quickly climbed the Amazon bestselling author list, as well. In November, 2013, Lori and a group of romantic suspense authors landed on the USA Today and NY Times bestseller lists with an anthology only eight months after the release of Lori’s first book. Lori loves to connect with her readers. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter or subscribe to her blog. Oh, and if you’ve read Lori’s books and loved them, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.com or with the retailer of your choice. Writers live and die by their reviews and Lori promises to do a happy dance around her office every time you write one!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1fe8ifD

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1dXL8eJ

Print version: http://bit.ly/1emYufl

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/L1G24U

Kobo: publishing (don't have yet)

Goodreads -  http://bit.ly/LX3ZdN

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher Book Tour Review and Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway

God was going to save her marriage, Allison was sure of it. But neither her husband nor her marriage had been saved.
What had become of His promise?
Tony Kavanagh had been Allison’s dream-come-true. They were in love within days, engaged within weeks, married and pregnant within a year. Her cup bubbled over with joy . . . but years later, that joy had been extinguished by unexpected trials.
The day Allison issued her husband an ultimatum, she thought it might save him. She never expected he would actually leave. She was certain God had promised to heal; it was clear that she’d misunderstood.
Now, living in the quiet mountain cabin she inherited from her single, self-reliant Great Aunt Emma, Allison must come to terms with her grief and figure out how to adapt to small town life. But when she finds a wedding dress and a collection of journals in Emma’s attic, a portrait of her aunt emerges that takes Allison completely by surprise: a portrait of a heartbroken woman surprisingly like herself.
As Allison reads the incredible story of Emma’s life in the 1920s and 1930s, she is forced to ask a difficult question: Does she really surrender every piece of her life to the Lord?
Drawing from her own heart-wrenching story of redemption, A Promise Kept is Robin Lee Hatcher’s emotionally charged thanksgiving to a God who answers prayers—in His own time and His own ways.
Purchase a copy and learn more at Robin’s website.

Robin is the author of 65+ novels and novellas. Her home is in Idaho, where she spends her time writing stories of faith, courage, and love; pondering the things of God; and loving her family and friends.

Don't miss Robin Lee Hatcher's stunning new novel, A Promise KeptRobin is celebrating with a fun giveaway and an encouraging Facebook Author Chat Party.
 One winner will receive:
  • A Kindle Fire HDX
  • A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 6th. Winner will be announced at the "A Promise Kept" Facebook Author Chat Party on the 6th. Connect with Robin and friends for an evening of encouraging book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Robin's next book!

So grab your copy of A Promise Kept and join Robin on the evening of February 6th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 2/6!

My review;
I just finished reading  A Promise Kept and I was deeply moved by the love, faith and trust that the two women in this story who loved God put into his hands.  When you read this book you come to the realization that people, marriages are very much the same, even through different times. Allison who lives in the present day learns about her Aunt Emma through her story she wrote during  her life. I loved the book and I had to read it as fast as I could because I needed to know the ending. I had tears in my eyes as I finished the book but some were happy tears. Both of the women went on different paths but still loved God during their lives. The author has written another wonderful book.I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book by The Litfuse Publishing Group and all opinions are my own.

The Gathering End's Beginning by Randy Lindsay Book Tour and Excerpt

Robert Williams didn't expect an early honorable release from his mission, but
upon his return home, he sees the reason for the surprise decision.

Unemployment, rampant violence, and frequent food shortages have put the United
States on the brink of another civil war. As the threads of society unravel, the
Williams family must adapt to drastic changes as the long-foretold gathering
begins to take place.

3 Partners in Shopping is very happy to host the author Randy Lindsay today;

Top 10 Activities On The Last Day

Hello, everyone. I’m excited to have the opportunity to guest blog today. This provides me a chance to reach out to an entirely new—and awesome—audience. I hope you get as much of a kick out of reading the post as I did writing it for you.

My debut novel, The Gathering, comes out this month and deals with a normal family facing the end of the world. Even though that’s a serious topic I decided to go for a few chuckles and put together a Ten Best list for it today. Hopefully, I can get all this funny business out of my system and get back to work on book two in the series.

Without further delay, here are the ten best activities you can do on the last day.

10. Quit your job.

9. Call up the dentist and cancel that root canal you had scheduled.

8. Turn down the air conditioning to where you really like it and leave it there.

7. Go play in the mud in your best clothes.

6. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Chunk-O-Rama.

5. Hang out on the corner with a sign that says, “The End is NOW!”

4. Keep telling that stupid joke that you love, but everyone else hates.

3. Dress up as your favorite super-hero and then strike action poses in your front yard.

2. Invite your in-laws over to dinner – Tomorrow.

1. Hold hands with someone you love and face the end together.

There it is. If you happen to have a few ideas of your own on what to do on the last day please post a comment about it. And if you’d like to take a sneak peek at The Gathering you can check it out here at the Cedar Fort blog.

Thanks for allowing me to stop by.

Here is a link to The gathering on Amazon

This is the author's website if you would like to read more about Randy Lindsay

Mooncalf by Linda L. Zern Book Blast & Giveaway

Mooncalf coverMooncalf by Linda Zern Over Olympia and Leah's heads, Americans race the Russians to the moon; on their television sets young men fight and struggle in the mud of Viet Nam; and America holds its breath between heartbreaking tragedies. But on Miss Brinker's school bus, in the seat with the rip in the green plastic, Olympia and Leah fall in love, the way children do: immediately, completely, and without knowing or caring why they shouldn't. Olympia Crooms, with her happy hair, and Leah Breck, with her silly red dog, are two smart girls. Olympia's father works other men's orange groves in rural Central Florida and tells his daughter that school is the best way to reach for the stars. Leah's father moves his family from the Space Coast to the country where she and her brother can climb orange trees, imagine lions in the tall grass, and learn to feed baby cows milk from a bottle. At Evegan Elementary, two smart girls find each other and have to decide if they will learn the hardest lessons of all: the false traditions of their fathers.
Praise for Mooncalf "One of the most admirable things about Mooncalf is that it's difficult to find a single wasted word in the entire book. Granted the book is short; yet, it is very rare to find a book which treats with such delicacy the choosing of each word--each adjective, verb, and noun. Themes, motifs, and symbols are everywhere throughout Mooncalf, and most impressive of all none of it is discarded. Motifs and themes exist in big and small circles in Mooncalf, circling back in on themselves as well as intertwining themselves with the plot and the characters that inhabit it. And those motifs and themes, those messages and those symbols, don't go away once you've finished the book. They stick with you. It's hard to forget Mooncalf."" ~ The Thousander Club "I never expected to be moved to tears by a book meant for adolescents. Buy it, read it, share it, and let yourself be changed by it." ~Lacey Smith Excerpt Olympia’s voice was a whisper in Leah’s ear. “I don’t have those things, those cooties.” “I know. I don’t even care what those things are.” “Cootie bugs. Miss Rhodes is saying I have bugs crawling and living in my hair and at my house.” “Miss Rhodes didn’t mean you.” Leah felt icky. “She couldn’t mean you.” “It’s because I’m one of the poor kids, you know. She said it: sharecroppers.” Without looking, Olympia pulled her hand out of Leah’s and started trying to flatten the wrinkles out of the crushed paper doily on the valentine. Leah put her hand over Olympia’s, the valentine a ruined mess under their fingers. “But Miss Rhodes has hair just like yours.” “No,” Olympia said, shaking her head. “No, Miss Rhodes doesn’t want hair like mine, like she had when she was a little girl. She wants white folk’s hair. That’s what Granny Mac says. ‘Cuz some colored folks like her don’t know who they want to be any more.’” Leah looked at the neat part in her friend’s black braids, and loved the way Olympia’s barrettes danced when she dropped her head. She saw only the complicated, clever patterns in her friend’s clean black hair. Leah saw only Olympia.
mooncalf tour

LindaAuthor Linda Zern Linda Zern is a native of Florida where she learned to be moonstruck. She wrote her first children's chapter book, The Pocket Fairies of Middleburg, in 2005. Writer's Digest called "the perspective of these tiny beings [the pocket fairies] refreshing, enchanting, and intriguing." Florida Publisher's Association was kind enough to award her little book the President's Book Award for best children's book of 2005. Mrs. Zern has since published an inspirational book, The Long-Promised Song, serving as both writer and illustrator. Three collections of her humorous essays (ZippityZern’s Uncommon Nonsense) can be found at Smashwords.com, and her award winning essays have been recognized and published at HumorPress.com. Her current project, Mooncalf, is her first work of historical fiction for Middle School readers. Set in rural Central Florida, the author tells the story of two misfit girls and the hard lessons they must learn about friendship and love from their friends, their families, and their world. The mystical state of Florida remains an enchanted and delightsome place for both Mrs. Zern and her husband of thirty plus years, and so they continue to make their home among the palmettos and armadillos in the historic town of Saint Cloud.
  BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/28/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Above Par by Crystal Donahue Tasty Review Book Tour & Giveaway

Above Par
By: Crystal Donahue

There are no mulligans in love.

Drew's life just got a whole lot harder. Her relationships are falling apart, her little sister is failing math, and her parents are leaving for Florida to take care of Grandpa. Now not only does she have to play surrogate parent, study to graduate from her last semester of college, and deal with the looming threat of full-on adulthood, she has to do it all while running the family's mini-golf course by herself. Even the upbeat Drew is starting to feel like she just drove her ball down the unfairway.

Her luck takes a turn when she meets Weston, the snarky geometry teacher. He's smart, capable, dependable, and handsome—a real hole in one. But even Weston has a few hazards of his own. Now Drew will have to decide whether his secret is the wedge that drives them apart, or pushes them together.

Buy Links

Author Info

Crystal Donahue has been fortunate to live all over the US, including but not limited to Arizona, Hawaii, and Georgia but she currently resides near the Iowa/Illinois border with her tornado obsessed son and their mischievous cat, Brownie. She is a procrastinator of epic proportions, finds humor in almost everything, loves sarcasm and loathes washing dishes.

A 2004 graduate of Western Illinois University, Crystal has held several unique jobs including driving a Zamboni and being a relay operator for the hearing and speech impaired. While working as a claims adjuster she realized life is too short not to do something that makes you happy, so she quit her job to go back to school and study nursing. Between work, school, and raising her son she somehow manages to find time to write too, usually to the detriment of her social life. Fortunately her friends and family rock so it isn't much of an issue... yet.

Author Links

Rafflecopter Giveaway ($20.00 Amazon or B&N Gift Card)

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

$50 Bonefish Grill Giveaway!!!

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and to celebrate Bonefish Grill has a new Prix Fixe (fixed price) menu for you and your significant other to enjoy.
Available Tuesday, February 11 through Monday, February 17, dinner for two is available for $29.90 per person and includes the delectable favorite Steak and Lobster Duet as well as a House or Caesar salad per guest and one brownie dessert to share.
There are so many fantastic items you can choose from with Bonefish Grill! What Delicious dish will you enjoy?
From their famous Bang Bang Shrimp that will add an explosion of delicious flavor to your mouth
to their Delicious Sunday Brunch
To find out more about the delicious dishes and selections you can get at Bonefish Grill Head over to Conservamom's Review!
One lucky winner will get a $50 Gift card to enjoy at their local Bonefish Grill.
Will you take advantage of their Valentine's day Special or Their Delicious Brunch?
So head down below and enter to win!
Giveaway ends on 2/8/14 and is open to US residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for the fullfilment of prize, Conservamom was compensated either by free product or payment. I have not been compensated for this post. This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network.All opinions and experiences are my own. Open to the US, must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of the giveaway. Sponsor will be responsible for prize fulfillment. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions you can contact Elia At Conservamom

Mirror Deep by Joss Landry Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Welcome to my tour stop for Mirror Deep by Joss Landry. This is an adult/new adult romantic suspense and the tour runs January 13-31st with mostly reviews.  Be sure to stop by the tour page for the list of tour stops.

Mirror Deep by Joss Landry
Genre: Romantic Suspense recommended for 16+
Length: 456 pages
Release date: Oct. 2012

Katherine Bonner with the golden eyes and a golden, enchanted life is well on her way to becoming a horse whisperer. Tall, athletic, she loves to ride, and she can usually exact good behavior from most wild steed, except from Pierce who bucks her at every crack of the whip.

Pierce is top honcho in charge of the fifteen hundred acre ranch, Bonner-Willow. Although he owns a Master’s in business administration, he loves to be around horses. He considers himself more of a cowboy than a CEO.

When Kat becomes the bearer of unexpected news about her past from ex-convict, ex-lawyer Victor Horn, she wonders how she will ever find her roots and manage to put the pieces of her life back together again. She turns to Pierce, the dark hair and blue eyed hunk whom Kat believes, thinks he is God's gift to women.

Pierce reluctantly agrees to help, partly for reasons of his own. He worries about his lawyerly father being involved with Victor's murder. As Pierce and Kat travel to Chicago together, they walk right into a criminal investigation headed by two bumbling detectives. Kat makes a date with a potential serial killer, and Pierce, whose affection for Kat is slowly changing to one of deeper commitment, worries about her safety. Meanwhile, Kat bumps into a doppelganger she believes is stalking her, only to discover that no one else ever sees her.

Mirror Deep uncovers many twists and turns designed to keep the reader guessing until the end. Through all the action, Pierce remains by Kat's side. Will he be able to hide from Kat his mounting desire? Will Kat find who this look alike is and why she is trying to warn her? Does Kat follow a stranger to Paris, France simply to put miles between her and Pierce or to avoid the threat of a potential killer?

Book Links: GoodreadsAmazon Kindle  | Amazon PrintB&N  |  Kobo  | ebookpie | Scribd

About the Author:

Joss has worked as a consultant for more than twenty years, writing copy for marketing firms and assisting

Blessed with four children and five grandchildren, she resides in Montreal with her husband, a staunch supporter, and enjoys spending her time biking, rollerblading, playing tennis and swimming. She loves creating stories, as she says that it fulfills her need to think outside the box.

start-up companies launch their business. She recently made the switch from composing copy and promos, to writing fiction and prose. She is developing her style through courses and the support of other writers. A recent graduate of the Long Ridge Writer’s Group, she is a member of the Romance Writers of America and is presently working on honing three other novels for publication.

Author Links:

My review;
Pierce has been fighting Kat Bonner as much as he can.  But when she needs help who else would she turn to when she in danger? As they start to work together to solve a mystery they are getting much closer to a serial killer on the loose.  Danger is at every turn and as they get into more danger, Pierce starts to have feelings for the woman that he has never gotten along with. I love all of the twists and I was not able to solve the mystery with all of the developments throughout.
This is a great thriller with romance thrown in. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book by CBB Book Promotions for the purpose of a review and all opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized and put together by CBB Book Promotions.


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Truncated: length

WARC-Type: response

text:
Miss Young

Hello, I am Miss Young. I received the following email. It is a socalled "Advance Fee Fraud" letter, where I am promised millions for my assistance. These stories are all lies, and if I respond, sooner or later I will be asked to pay a fee. If I pay, another fee will quickly come up, and it will continue that way until I give up or run out of money. I will never see the millions, because they never existed.

If you received a similar email, you should go to the homepage to read more about 419 fraud.

Date: Tue 22 Apr 2008 3 50 06 1000
From: Foong Chong <shanti_dayah_suri@bigpond.com>
Subject: Act Swiftly.
To: undisclosed-recipients ;

+60 17 2302164

Good Day,

I am FOONG CHONG, an attorney at law. I discovered your email through internet search so I decided to contact you.

A deceased client of mine, who hereinafter shall be referred to as my client, died as the result of a heart-related condition on the 11 November 2001. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the Gulf Air Flight Crashes in Persian Gulf near Bahrain Aired August 23, 2000 - 2:50 p.m. ET as reported on: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html

I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at THIRTEEN MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS. ($13,800.000.00 USD). Is lodged. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from many breach of the law.

If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology. I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential, whatever your decision, while I await your prompt response. Please contact me at once via my email or phone number to indicate your interest.

Email: foongchong1legalconsultant@yahoo.com
Phone Number: +60 17 2302164

Best regards,
(Attorney at Law)

If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more....

Copyright © 2004-2011 419.bittenus.com. All rights reserved. Updated 21-Apr-2008

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software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2017-17
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description: Wide crawl of the web for April 2017
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
Miss Young

Hello, I am Miss Young. I received the following email. It is about a charitable donation. It works just like a lottery scam. The scammers that sent the letter, wants me to pay them. I will not get anything from them. They will keep asking for more money until I give up or run out of money.

Go to the donations page to see more stories on false donations.

If you received a similar email, you should go to the homepage to read more about 419 fraud.

De: fwaltman@centurytel.net <fwaltman@centurytel.net>
Asunto: FGSR
Fecha: lunes, 30 junio, 2008, 11:20 am

Fundación Germán Sánchez
Ruipérez Spain.

Mission: To help organisations to realise philanthropic, cultural,
Scientific and general interest projects.
Dear Internet User.

This email might come to you as a suprise / shock. The board of
Trusteesof the Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez has given you the
privilege to be a Beneficiary for the 2008 Cash / Grant Award.
FGSR, was established many years ago by the Multi-Million
To help individuals and companies to carry out philanthropic,
Cultural, environmental or scientific projects and socialactivities

After the good work of the FGSR, the United Nation decided to
Contribute, which bring the interest of European Union and the
Economic Community Of West African StateYou are entitled to claim
The sum of US$500,000.00 and this is your qualification number
That you must  qoute in all conversation.

To file your claim, you are to produce the below information and email
it to the Executive Secretary with the email as stated below.

Full Name:
Tel/Fax number:
Qualification number:c-34190-22675

Executive Secretary: Mr Pablo Koht
Email: regoffice_08@yahoo.es

On behalf of the Board kindly, accept our warmest congratulations.

Executive Secretary

Copyright © 2004-2011 419.bittenus.com. All rights reserved. Updated 01-Jul-2008


text:
Miss Young

Hello, I am Miss Young. I received the following email. It is a socalled "Advance Fee Fraud" letter, where I am promised millions for my assistance. These stories are all lies, and if I respond, sooner or later I will be asked to pay a fee. If I pay, another fee will quickly come up, and it will continue that way until I give up or run out of money. I will never see the millions, because they never existed.

If you received a similar email, you should go to the homepage to read more about 419 fraud.

De:: ENGR. DONALD DUKE <fey@shlink.ch>
Fecha: sábado, 27 septiembre, 2008, 2:18 pm

Hello My dear,
I have been waiting for you since then to come down here and pick your
outstanding payment left but I did not hear from you since that time as we

Then I went and deposited the $1,500 000.00 (One million,
five hundred thousand) US Dollars. I lodged the funds inside a Copper box
as Consignment with GLOBAL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY in Benin Republic
because I travelled to China to visit my friend for the Company's Annual
Board meeting. I will not come back till next month end.

Please note that I did not disclose to the Courier that the content of the
Consignment box is cash money, instead I registered the consignment as
containing some pieces of Art work, this was for security reason and to
ensure that the Consigned fund reached you safely.

I want You to contact the GLOBAL EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY to know when they
will deliver your package(fund). I have paid for the delivering charges
except the keeping fee which they said it can only be paid when the
Deposits is ready for shipment to the Receiver.

Therefore, The only money you have to send to them is the security keeping
fee which is $99.00 Us Dollars to receive your package at your nominated

So be advised to contact the Courier Director through this below details
and reconfirm to him the
information and address where to send
the Package to you.

CONTACT PHONE +229 970 100 15 or (00229)970 100 15
E-mail: globexpress007@gmail.com

Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the Security
Keeping fee. I Would have given them the address but I later thought you
have to reconfirm it to them again to avoid any mistake on the delivery
and to be sure the fund is delivered to the nominated address of your

Reconfirm below information to the company.
Your Full Name:-----------------------
Your Address:---------------------------
Home telephone:---------------------
Office telephone:---------------------
Your picture:------------------------------

Let me know as soon as you received the consignment(fund) so that I
will be sure you received the total  $1,500 000.00.

Best Wishes,
Engr. Donald Duke (Messr).

If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more....

Copyright © 2004-2011 419.bittenus.com. All rights reserved. Updated 28-Sep-2008


text:
4-H Youth Development Program
4-H Youth Development Program
4-H Youth Development Program
University of California
4-H Youth Development Program

Public Speaking

Public speaking skills are ranked number one among the desired skill sets of professionals.

4-H Presentation Day
Every 4-H member is encouraged to give a presentation each year.

4-H members practice by giving talks to project groups and at community club meetings, sharing information about the skills they learned in a project, and observing other people giving presentations.

4-H presentation in clubs
4-H Presentations help youth develop life skills.

To prepare for a 4-H Presentation, youth learn how to:

  • Research a subject
  • Organize ideas in a logical order
  • Share knowledge with others
  • Create and use graphics to support their presentation

When youth teach project skills in a presentation format, it demonstrates advanced skills and a deeper understanding of what was learned.

Types of Presentations

There are many different types of presentations, ranging from demonstrations to audio-visual to problem solving. Various presentation styles require similar skills, but are designed to meet the interests and age-appropriate levels of the member.

Impromptu Speech

Illustrated Talk

Interpretive Reading

Educational Display Talk

Share the 4-H Fun Skits

Persuasive Prepared Speech

Cultural Arts

Informative Prepared Speech

Science or Engineering Presentation

These are examples of different types of presentations.

4-H Presentation Manual

4-H Presentation Manual - Revised October 2016

Event Coordinators: Please use the Presentation Manual as a guide for planning your events, and ensure that all Evaluators review the Presentation Manual before your event.

Contest Participants: Please refer to the Presentation Manual as a guide when planning your presentation for competition.
Please direct questions to Alyssa Sankey, State 4-H Program Representative, at ajsankey@ucanr.edu or (530) 750-1340.

4-H Presentation Day Competitions

Each county holds a Presentation Day, where winners advance to the Area competition. Winners from the Area competitions compete at the State Presentation Day, which is held at State Field Day. Youth compete by age group: junior, intermediate, and senior.

Area Presentation Days

More details about each of these events will be posted in the Calendar as they are scheduled.

Northern Area

Central Area

Bay/Coast Area

Southern Area - April 1, 2017

Do you know your Area? Find your county on the Map of Areas.

Page Last Updated: October 14, 2016
State 4-H Office | Sign-Up for Updates
The 4-H name and emblem service marks are protected under 18 U.S.C. 707.
Webmaster Email: ca4h@ucanr.edu


text:
Saturday, March 5, 2011

Trader Joe's Flowers

Just a mini rant. The original one stands. Read it if you want to know how I really feel. And why.

I wanted daffodils the other day and went in to see how the ones at Trader Joe's were faring. There they were in their bucket. Dry. Not a drop.

Some of the other flowers buckets did have a few inches of water in them, so all is not lost, but another bucket of small rose buds was bone dry and the buds had already drooped. What  a waste.

The daffodils' tickets said they came from England. England!!! Talk about a long trip with much fuel from some lovely breezy Wordsworthian daffodil farm. Only to end up parched. The waste, the waste, the wanton waste.

This is not rocket science.

I bought my flowers from the concession outside Key Food, where they were stored up to their waists in water. The concession has been booted from the high-traffic Atlantic Avenue sidewalk to the one on Clinton, decimating their traffic, just so that Key Food could display some fresh produce on the other sidewalk, that no one buys. I miss the riot of flowers.

  1. Odd. At the TJ near me, the flowers are well cared for and very popular.

  2. Hi John - It would seem to vary from store to store. Our store seems to be hub of social activity, much of it amongst employees, and perhaps that is part of the fun of working there. It just makes me shop elsewhere for the most part.

    The flowers are popular here, too, because they cost peanuts.

  3. Somewhere(on Court? I think, Bergen)is a little Chinese grocery.The lovely young man twisted a newsprint "collar" around the flower heads to protect them from damage on the trip home. He also suggested, in sign language and shaky English, that the stems should be trimmed.
    I went back to buy some tulips from him. ;-)

  4. Ugh, that is annoying that the plants had no water and were all the way from England. Crazy! I can only stand Trader Joe's in the wee mornings or on off days because it's a zoo there with all those customers!

  5. We don't have a Trader Joe's (which I think I'm happy about given your post)...such waste on so many levels. My usual grocery store though (part of Zehrs chain)always has has great flowers, ALWAYS in water and at a reasonable price. They last too. What I really hate is finding individual pots of bedding plants, herbs etc, dried out and fried in the late spring sun.

  6. Slightly off topic, but have you read Gilding the Lily by Amy Stewart? It's an absolutely fascinating account of the cut-flower industry. It'll also probably make you feel even more sorry for those daffodils.

  7. I asked once in a supermarket why the flowers weren't in water - the reply was 'because of the mess the water makes, dripping everywhere'. Probably these days it is because of the 'health and safety' rules that plague us in the UK - someone might slip on a drop of water and hurt themselves!

  8. I am not sure why the other flowers were dry, but daffodils are usually transported and sold dry. They have a really sticky sap in their stems that seals them once cut, and the buds stay closed until you re-cut the ends and put them in water. The buds then usually open within a day. That is my experience living here in Germany. :)

    I am interested in how much they cost in New York. Do you know? Here they are around EUR 1 for 10 or so stems.

  9. Just read your original post about the dry flowers and so have got the price info.
    I think the problem lies in the fact that the flowers aren't bought straight away like here and therefor get to the opening stage with no water. Either they are a bit pricey and so sit, and/or the transport time is a lot longer. Here they are bought while the buds are still tightly closed.
    I agree with you that they need to be in water at the flower already open stage!
    I bought three bunches on Saturday (a discount for three - EUR 2,50) and immediately snipped the ends and put them in water. They opened on Sunday and they still look beautiful and fresh and should do for a while.

  10. MIT - hm, trying to think where that is. Nice of him!

    Meems - TJ's is useful for some things - cheap organic milk and butter, frinstance!

    Val - yeah, they have those, too :-(

    Rosie - thank you! I think I'm going to look for it...Need a new book.

    frayed - heheh - well, some other flowers have water, here, so I think they are just a bit sloppy about others. In Cape Town at Pick 'n Pay, there was a designated waterperson at the flower buckets to make sure you put your flowers in a bag and didn't trail water...She was quite a dragon.

    Hi Kerry

    They range from about $2.00 to $4.00 for about 8 stems, here.

    If they were stored in a refrigerated room for some days, I might be happier, but they're not, (and I hardly expect a store to go to the cost of refrigeration). I've bought them once before, from their dry, bud stage at TJ's, and when they open, and some did not, they have crisp sad edges and are kaput within a day. The sap has never bothered me when buying 'wet ones', though apparently other flowers don't like it at all, if you mix them in a vase or bucket. The daffodils I buy up the road are stored in water, in bud, and are probably fresher as they have not opened, which the water seems to trigger.

  11. They're not put in water on purpose. The blooms would open in the store. You get them home, clip the ends, put them in water and they bloom in your house. Ta da!!!

  12. Hi Leigh. Yep, I've read that argument before. It don't fly. If they were dry for 24 hours, fine. But they are left out of water for days. This is not good. Read the previous post, linked in the post, for an explanation.

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Friday, July 29, 2016

Kathleen Willey talks about Bill Clinton rapes & sex assaults

Kathleen Willey says she has talked to over 20 women raped & sexually assaulted by President Clinton.

Kathleen Willey on The Brian Craig Show Podcast.

What’s the real difference between Bill Clinton and Bill Cosby? The media is starting to ask.

"And during that time, Hillary engaged in on-going intimidation and smear campaigns against any “bimbo eruptions” that might pop up. Her tactics included slander by her and her surrogates, and having henchmen murder pets, slash tires, burgle their homes and leave threatening messages in order to keep the women silent."


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(NEWSER) – The "hot car" and the "saving" part are the same, but the roles have been reversed: An elderly Tennessee man who found himself trapped in his hot car in a church parking lot on Saturday was rescued—by a 3-year-old. As Bob King explains to WVLT, "we've had a little problem with the switch on this car," and while waiting for his wife to finish up at an event at Knoxville's Vestal Baptist Church, the 68-year-old found himself stuck after his car doors automatically locked. ABC News reports he didn't have a key, leaving him unable to turn on the AC or open the windows; it was 91 degrees outside, and King is in poor health.

Read the full story on Newser.com


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Ex-Australian cop flees Bali amid claims he offered to cure autism but had no medical training

A former Queensland police officer has left Bali amid allegations he was offering to cure children of autism and other diseases despite having no medical training.

Christopher William Savage returned to Amamoor in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after Indonesian medical authorities began investigating his activities last week, News Corp Australia reports

The anti-vax campaigner and former One Nation candidate is accused of providing intravenous infusions of Magnesium and a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for children with autism, people with blocked or calcified arteries and aorta, cancer and other ailments at a Bali clinic or in people's hotel rooms.

Indonesian authorities have threatened that if Mr Savage returns he will be investigated for allegedly breaching health laws and could face jail and be banned from re-entering the country.

Mr Savage has denied conducting the procedures, saying that he "oversaw" the treatment of people by a "specialist" who he would not identify.

The ex-police officer said he was conducting a business feasibility study in Bali that he was forced to abandon due to a campaign of lies orchestrated by the Australian Skeptics Group.

"No one got hurt. Certainly no one died, all were exceedingly happy but of course the way the world is they don't want to know how to heal people," Mr Savage said.

"I wasn’t doing medical procedures. All the medical procedures were done by people that were qualified and I was giving advice to these medically qualified people," he said.

Mr Savage reportedly arrived in Bali in August last year and began offering infusions of Magnesium chloride and DMSO.

In a series of videos that have since been removed from YouTube, he says that up to 16 IV bags of the substance, which cost $150 per bag, could be needed to cure disease.

Mr Savage claims the treatment can only be offered in Bali because pharmaceutical companies in the west "including Australia has been hijacked by criminal corporations and their minions.

Medical practitioners have said that there is no known situation in which both DMSO and Magnesium chloride would be administered to a patient simultaneously and intravenously.

from http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/03...