Guest Post: ANGIES LIST

Authored by Leandro Delgado
I used my wireless internet San Antonio connection to help us find the best person to do some much needed upgrades to our home. We recently moved to Texas and bought a house quickly because we didn’t have much time. The house that we bought is great, but the décor is a little dated. By dated, I mean there was orange carpet in the bathroom. That was the very first thing that had to go. There was also wallpaper in the living room and splashes of muted color everywhere was it didn’t need to be. The good thing is that the house has a ton of potential, but we had to find the right people to update the home. We used this website called Angie’s list. We had used it to find people to service our rental properties before and had good experiences. People who use service and repair people review the person and there services on the website. Most people leave detailed reviews of their experiences which helps you when you are looking for a good person at the right price. We haven’t had any problems with anyone since we started using Angie’s list to contract out the work.

Real Housewives Style Inspiration

Guest post written by Shelly Rogerson

Here lately I've just been feeling a little frumpy because my youngest went off to college and I'm starting to feel like my age is keeping up with me, but as soon as I really started thinking like that I told myself that I was going to spend time on myself and get myself out of this rut! So I've really been spending a little more time on myself, whether it's taking the few extra minutes to paint my nails or to pick out a nice piece of jewelry to go with each outfit that I wear.

Then once I started watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, I saw how put together all these women are all the time. So I was looking at some pictures of them online to get a better sense of their personal styles when I saw GetClearWirelessInternet.com. I showed it to my husband and then he changed over our internet service to it because of my suggestion.

Now, I guess I could only try and mimic Real Housewives style because I don't have nearly the budget. But I'm going to try and dress up a little more.

A Vampire Book With Some Humor

Guest post written by Stu Carlton

I was so sick of my little sister ranting and raving about how great the Twilight books and movies are, but I really disagree. I even read a chapter out of one of the books when night when I was really bored just to see if it was really worth reading. Well, I think that it isn't because it was really badly written, or at least the part that I read was.

I was reading a blog post by one of my favorite authors Christopher Moore the other day with my CLEAR TV Bundle when I thought that maybe I should share some of his vampire books with her! His books are funny and then there's also a lot of interesting vampire stuff in them too, making them good even if you aren't all about vampires like most of the free world today.

I was going to try and convince her to read my Bloodsucking Fiends book, but then I remembered that there's a lot of stuff in it that maybe isn't so appropriate for a 12 year old girl, so I'll just tease her about terrible Twilight is for now and let her read Christopher Moore in a few years.

Review, Guest Post and Giveaway: No Justice (Book 1 - Michael Sykora Series) by Darcia Helle

No Justice (Book 1 - Michael Sykora Series) by Darcia Helle 

Book Description: How far would you go to right a wrong?

For Michael Sykora, killing started as blind rage. Then it became something he's good at. To most of those who know him, Michael is a software designer, a smart but average guy with a workaholic nature. To a chosen few, Michael is a part-time hit man whose specialty is eliminating hard-core criminals.
Michael has managed to keep his two personas separate. Until now. When Nicki, a close friend, gets into trouble, Michael steps in to help. Having lost his fiance to a brutal crime, Michael will do whatever necessary to keep from losing another woman in his life.

About the Author: Author's Website

Where to start? My oldest son once described me as a "tree-hugging, peace-loving, hippie". I suppose that about sums me up!
I grew up in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, a small town south of Boston. I now live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I don't miss the New England weather, though I do sometimes miss the overall feel of "home".
I am married to an amazing man. I have 2 grown sons, though merely typing that sends a shiver up my spine. Time has a way of marching on without me noticing! Anthony is grown up and on his own. In fact, I now have a gorgeous daughter-in-law and the most adorable granddaughter ever! Joseph is at home and still attending school, with no particular direction yet in mind. They are as different as night and day and both are amazing young men.
I was a hairstylist for about 15 years. Back in the late 1990's, health complications forced me to give up that career. I have chronic, late-stage lyme disease, as well as chronic Epstein Barr virus. It's a constant battle to keep the symptoms under control. On the bright side, it allows me lots of time for characters to roam free in my mind.
I love words. Language intrigues me. Therefore, reading and writing are addictions I hope to never live without.
I'll read everything from the ingredients on a cereal box to a super thick text on medieval history. But there's nothing like escaping into a good novel. I'm partial to suspense and mystery, although I occasionally wander in a variety of other directions.
The novels I write are mystery/suspense. I always seem to have several novels in various stages of completion. I call it writer's A.D.D. The characters that float through my mind can be unrelenting and often lead me in too many directions at once. They become like children who lack discipline. And apparently I lack parenting skills.
Aside from my passion for writing & reading, I am a music addict. I have an expansive eclectic CD collection that includes rock, blues, folk, country, jazz, electronic, and new age. I love exploring new sounds and reminiscing with the old ones.
Then there's my love for animals. From my early youth on, I have always had dogs - and often cats as well. I currently have 2 of each. My dogs are my babies. They keep me smiling, make me laugh, and give me comfort. I talk to them all the time. And while they haven't yet learned how to answer me, they always listen. And sometimes that's all we need.




I had a chance to ask Darcia "What's the back story on the big story?" and here is her response:

Some time ago, I served on a jury for the murder trial of a man accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend. While I had known that our justice system had flaws, this was a close-up view of those injustices behind our justice system. We, the jury, were not allowed to hear anything about the defendant's past. His life as a locked box. The victim, however, had no such privacy. The defense attorney gleefully flaunted the victim's past, including her sexual history from as far back as her teen years. I will never forget the look of
anguish on her parents' faces.
The defense did a great job of spinning the tale and making the victim out to be less than virtuous. After a week of this, when we were sent to deliberate, only two of the 12 jurors initially voted for murder one. I was one of them. The other 10 wanted involuntary manslaughter, citing her behavior and his cocaine use as "excuses". I should mention here that the man had left his dead girlfriend in his bed, while he went out and partied with friends all night. Also, according to witnesses, he was quite sober at the time of the murder. The other juror and I fought for, and eventually won, a murder one conviction. Before we left the courthouse, the judge spoke to us privately. She congratulated and thanked us for the conviction. At that time, she was able to tell us what had been carefully kept from us throughout the trial; the man we'd just convicted had a long history of abusing women. He'd already been convicted of several assaults and one rape. An involuntary manslaughter charge would have been little more than a slap on the wrist. He'd have been out in no time, free to rape and murder yet another woman.My husband and I were discussing this one day; that case specifically
and the justice system in general. That's when the character Michael Sykora was born. In many ways, Sykora is my husband's alter ego. (But, to be clear, my husband does not moonlight as a hit man!)
As for the specific plot, that developed from a combination of the characters' voices and the conversation with my husband. I don't write from an outline. I start with a character and a vague idea. Then I listen and follow where that leads me. About midway through writing No Justice, I realized that I had way too many plots and subplots going on. At that point, I knew that Michael Sykora needed to be a series. He wasn't happy with one book. I stripped down that initial manuscript and told the story of where I thought the series needed to begin. That became No Justice, because Michael Sykora doesn't believe in true justice.

Here's What I Think:

Let me just tell you that I stayed up till 1am to finish the last bit of this book! It is wonderfully written and I cannot wait to start the next in the series - Beyond Salvation. Michael is your average guy, not too ordinary but not exactly exceptional. But then you discover that he is a real-life hero and protector of the innocents. The flow of the writing weaves you through the disgusting underbelly of life while keeping you in suspense. You find yourself totally routing for the hit man - Michael - which seems like a strange thing, but he has all the right motivations. There is a bit of language but it is all contextually accurate. Also there are several typographical errors, but it is to be expected from a self-published book. I really really enjoyed the characters and story line of this book.

  

WIN IT! Darcia Helle has agreed to give one very lucky winner their own copy of No Justice!

Here's How It Works:

A Few Rules:

You must be a US Resident. And You must provide a Street Address upon notification of winning (NO PO BOXES)

 Mandatory Entry: (you must do this one first or I will be forced to remove all of your entries)

Become a Follower of BMWL2R In some form - GFC, Twitter, or Facebook.

Please include your email address in your comment. (feel free to use the antiSPAM version - yourname[at]yourserver[dot]com)

Get More Entries: (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY)

• Become a GFC Follower (if you already are one, just tell me so)
• Tweet about this Giveaway (include @1outnumberedmom) please include your status link
• Follow me on Twitter @1outnumberedmom
• Become a Facebook Fan of BMWL2R (see sidebar) and leave a comment on the wall telling me you want to win!
• Friend Darcia Helle on Facebook
• Follow Darcia Helle on Twitter
• Grab my button (see sidebar) and put it on your blog (include a link to your blog in your comment) (3 entries)
• Add a post to your own blog about this giveaway (include a link to your post in your comment)(5 entries)

All entries must be in by October 15th at 9:00AM PST. I will pick a winner using a Random Number Generator.!

I wish you the best of luck!

Disclaimer: Although, I did receive a copy of this book for review, I received no direct compensation for the post.

If you are an author or publisher and would like for me to review your book please contact me directly: polsen11[at]comcast[dot]net

Review & Blog Tour Stop: Cleo by Helen Brown

Cleo By Helen Brown
A big Congrats to Helen for making it to #35 on the NY Bestsellers List!!

About the Book: Helen Brown wasn't a cat person, but her nine-year-old son Sam was. So when Sam heard a woman telling his mum that her cat had just had kittens, Sam pleaded to go and see them.

Helen's heart melted as Sam held one of the kittens in his hands with a look of total adoration. In a trice the deal was done - the kitten would be delivered when she was big enough to leave her mother.

A week later, Sam was dead. Not long after, a little black kitten was delivered to the grieving family. Totally traumatised by Sam's death, Helen had forgotten all about the new arrival. After all, that was back in another universe when Sam was alive.

Helen was ready to send the kitten back, but Sam's younger brother wanted to keep her, identifying with the tiny black kitten who'd also lost her brothers. When Rob stroked her fur, it was the first time Helen had seen him smile since Sam's death. There was no choice: the kitten - dubbed Cleo - had to stay.
Kitten or not, there seemed no hope of becoming a normal family. But Cleo's zest for life slowly taught the traumatised family to laugh. She went on to become the uppity high priestess of Helen's household, vetoing her new men, terrifying visiting dogs and building a special bond with Rob, his sister Lydia, Helen - and later a baby daughter.
 
About the Author:

Helen Brown is one of New Zealand’s widest read and longest running columnists. For 28 years she has shared her quirky perspective on life’s so-called ordinary events including births, deaths and marriages – not to mention the mysteries of supermarket queues, cat litter trays and living with teenagers.

She has written nine books, including a number one best seller. Her most recent book “Florascope” was released in USA and Canada last September after print runs in New Zealand and Australia.

Helen was a regular panelist on TVNZ’s Beauty and the Beast, an agony aunt on the children’s television show What Now? and has written television soap operas and radio current affairs. In 1991 she was awarded a Nuffield Press Fellowship to Cambridge University, UK. Before moving with her husband Philip and three children to Melbourne nine years ago she was a full time feature writer for the Sunday Star Times in Auckland.

She wrote “A Slice of Banana Cake” in the bath where she gets most of her ideas.

I had a chance to ask Helen my usual question for authors: What's the back story on the big story?" This is what she had to say: 

Thank you for inviting me to share some of my thoughts with you today.

People sometimes ask why it took nearly 25 years for me to write a book about my son Sam’s death and the part our cat Cleo played helping us rebuild our lives.
Frankly, I wasn’t ready any sooner to tell our story in a way that had any hope of helping others. I needed the distance of decades to encompass all the elements of Sam’s death and make some kind of sense of how it changed us as individuals and as a family.
It took many years to truly forgive the woman who ran Sam over. First, I had to accept it was simply an accident and she wasn’t the evil witch my grieving mind had conjured up. Years later I began to realize our tragedy would’ve had nearly as huge an impact on her life as it did on ours. I would still love to meet this woman, put my arms around her and tell her I forgive her from the core of my being. She has never come forward. Perhaps she’s no longer alive.
Also, it took many years for the hero from that day, Arthur Judson, to write to me and describe how he had stayed with Sam at the scene. It would have been so easy for him to make excuses and walk away. The knowledge that Sam hadn’t died alone was an enormous comfort. Arthur is quite elderly now. He wrote to me last Christmas, saying he and his wife had read the book. He was relieved I had found peace.
For Rob and me, Cleo was our last living link with Sam. When our magical cat finally died at 23 and a half, we both felt a sense of completion. Cleo had been our guardian for so many years. She was finally ready to release us and trust us to look after ourselves.
Appreciating what Cleo had done for us made me think of other animals and the extent to which they help and heal humans. They have been doing this for thousands of years with little thanks from us. Some scientists are beginning to investigate the many benefits animals bestow on our health and well being – not a moment too soon.
All these things had to happen before I was ready to embark on the book : Forgiveness, gratitude and, at long last, a sense of peace.




Here's What I think:  This was another difficult book for me to read, being the mother of three small boys and knowing that something so tragic could happen at anytime. I have a huge amount of admiration for Helen. In the same situation I am not sure that I could write this story even after 25 years and certainly not with such beautiful eloquence. The raw emotions that are written just rip at your heart strings. Though the book is written in Helen's voice, you are given a sort of bird's eye view of their lives and their process of getting back to living it. I have long believed in the healing powers of animals. I personally believe it has a lot to do with their unconditional loyalty as well as their lack of indulgence if they dont' like - they put it out there like it is. As always, I was intrigued by the difference in language and lifestyles of people in another country. This is beautiful book that made me cry and ache with the pain of Helen's emotions, but ultimately I saw the life lessons and once again have been shown that it all happens for a reason.

Disclaimer: Although I did receive a copy of this book for review, I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.

Sample Article: Top Ten Ways to Survive the End of Summer by Elin Hilderbrand

ELIN HILDERBRAND’S TOP TEN WAYS TO SURVIVE THE END OF SUMMER

The end of summer is indeed bittersweet, and no place more so than here on Nantucket. Being the author of nine (soon to be ten) summer novels and a real summer person, I find the ending of summer positively excruciating! Here are some of the ways I like to celebrate the final days…

10. Hit the farm market. I buy corn on the cob from Bartlett Farm here on Nantucket every night that we’re home for dinner, and I always get a few extra ears, cut the corn off the cob, and freeze it for the winter. And I buy pounds and pounds of Roma tomatoes and turn them into sauce. Yum!

9. Get out on the water. Pond, river, lake, swimming pool…or here, ocean. I will go to the beach every day until the middle of October, but these last days of August and first of September, are the very finest beach days. On the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, we do a lobster bake, complete with a beach bonfire and s’mores, and we turn our cars’ headlights on the ocean and the kids swim in the dark.

8. Baseball game. I suffered through a very long Little League All-Star season with my older son (last game on July 27th) but now I find I miss it. I’m getting tickets to the Red Sox!

7. Get out on the water, part 2. But go in a boat: rowboat, canoe, kayak, sailboat, power boat. We always do a sunset cocktail cruise on Labor Day weekend with sushi and lobster rolls, and my dear friend Margie’s birthday is on September 2 and the way we celebrate is to take the launch up harbor to the Wauwinet Inn for an al fresco lunch.

For the rest of the tips visit: ELIN HILDERBRAND

Review & Guest Article: The Wedding Gift by Kathleen McKenna

The Wedding Gift by Kathleen McKenna


Book Description:

Kathleen McKenna's explosive third novel 'The Wedding Gift' excels in so many categories it defies them all. It is a spine-electrifying supernatural tale where a huge Southern States mansion contains one of the most terrifying, violent and indeed psychopathic ghosts to haunt any town. It is also a murder mystery - why did Robina Willets apparently kill all five of her young children, and her husband, before stabbing herself to death? And, if you are in the camp of believing that 'justice .... just is not', then this will have you frothing at the mouth with righteous social fury. Add to that the vision of two exceptionally beautiful girls lying on a landing stage in the middle of a secluded lake, sleeping naked in the sun .... .... and then see if you can find any consecutive ten minutes in this book when you don't at least snicker at the heroine Leeann's sly, caustic, sometimes-knowing sometimes 'too stupid to live' commentary. "Several times in the 'The Wedding Gift' Kathleen McKenna has the narrator bursting out with phrases like 'Oh shoot, hell yeah, he was grinning like an egg suck dog' or words to that affect. Well, that was me she was describing throughout the book, grinning like an egg suck dog. I don't know what one of those might be, but I sure want to be one," Tim Roux, author of 'Missio' and 'The Dance of the Pheasodile'.


About the Author

Kathleen Mckenna is a transplanted Alaskan who spent twelve years on her first paragraph and now lives and writes prolifically in the opposite kind of desert in New Mexico. She has written eight novels to date and recently nearly lost all eight when her laptop and her back-up drive failed simultaneously. At the last count, seven had been recovered. ?The Wedding Gift? is Kathleen?s third novel, the first of a supernatural trilogy. The second in the series, ?The Comeback?, will be published by Night Publishing in late 2010.
 
So I had a chance to ask Kathleen what the back story was on this big story and this is what she said:
 

I had just spent three years researching and writing the darkest book of my life on Jonestown, a story of unrelenting horror and human ugliness which by the end had made me certain that there were no more books left in me, unless...unless I could do something totally different.
Write complete fiction and create a funny charming world, but also I am a lifetime lover of horror fiction, especially ghost stories. I cut my teeth on classic King, and I had finally come to understand that he was not going to write a sequel to The Shining for me no matter how badly I wanted him too!
 I hated the endless vampire stuff coming out, with the exception of Charlaine Harris's totally charming work. So I decided to throw my hat into the ring, I took a long walk and thought about that beautiful house in the Garden District I had once seen and wondered what if a beautiful small town homecoming queen from no money got to live there, fulfilling all her dreams but then found out it was terribly haunted, but then how would she have obtained the house in the first place? Ah yes, she married into money and the house was a tongue in cheek wedding gift from the in-laws who hated her and that started my writing.

HERE'S WHAT I THINK:

First off I have to give a heads up that the "voice" of this book takes some getting used to. The book is written from the point of view of the main character, Leann, and it is ask if she is just sitting next to you telling your a story with all her Southern charm. Secondly, I think McKenna has created an all new genre of Comedic Murder/Mystery. This story literally makes you laugh and gasp in horror all in the same paragraph. It does take a little bit to really get going, but once it is moving you better hold one. I tell you what, I totally thought I had it figured out but I was so far off the mark I almost couldn't believe it as I was reading the words. McKenna created this completely plausible scenario and then writes with such fluidity that you can practically see it as a motion picture in your mind's eye. If you like a good ol' ghost story, this is it!!

Disclaimer: Although I did receive a copy of this book from Night Publishing Group, I was in no other way compensated to write this review.

Guest Article & Giveaway: The Serotonin Power Diet By Judith J. Wurtman, PhD

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!!

The Serotonin Power Diet By Judith J. Wurtman, PhD

You Can Prevent PMS from Destroying Your Diet 

By Judith J. Wurtman, PhD,
Co-Author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs -- Nature's Own Appetite Suppressant -- to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain


Dieters face situations that threaten their will power or even their ability to get the foods they are supposed to be eating. Catered business lunches, Sunday dinners at a relative's home, birthday parties, lack of time to go to the supermarket: These are only a handful of the obstacles that stand between the dieter and her food plan. These problems are so common that advice on how to deal with them is standard in most weight-loss books and group programs.


But there is a threat to the female dieter that cannot be overcome by food lists and will-power and that is Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS.


PMS is a monthly disturbance in mood and appetite brought on by hormonal changes a few days before menstruation. Not all women experience it and even those who do may find that certain months are worse than others. But when it hits, it can be like a tidal wave, knocking down eating control, exercise programs and emotional stability. PMS removes a sense of emotional well-being and deposits in its place anger, irritability, confusion, exhaustion and depression. These unpleasant moods are often accompanied by an impulsive, uncontrollable need to eat. The foods craved during the last days of the menstrual cycle fall either into the greasy, salty, crunchy, starchy category or the fatty, creamy, sugary category.


Although it has been clear for millennium that something was happening to women each month that altered their mood, sleep, energy and eating, the explanations were often closer to witchcraft than science. Even in the latter part of the last century, remedies were suggested that turned out to be totally ineffective or actually worsened the condition. For instance, chocolate craving is a hallmark of PMS as in "I could kill for chocolate." So well-meaning PMS therapists assumed chocolate was causing PMS and forbade it. It was believed that water on the brain (this was actually mentioned in the scientific literature) was affecting mood so diuretics were prescribed. Because the hormone progesterone increases in relation to estrogen at the end of the menstrual cycle, well-intentioned physicians prescribed even more to offset the PMS symptoms. This went on until carefully controlled research showed that progesterone made the symptoms worse. And even today, women's magazines tell their readers to exercise, drink water, and eat fruits and vegetables to reduce the severity of the symptoms. This advice sounds good but it is impossible to follow by women who are exhausted, weepy, angry, and craving salty, greasy french fries.


Women with premenstrual syndrome do indeed eat more at that time than during the other weeks of their menstrual cycle. We monitored the calorie intake of women during their menstrual cycle in a study carried out at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Women lived in the Clinical Research Center during the first few days of their cycle and then returned three weeks later when they had PMS. The normal weight volunteers consumed about 1100 calories more when they were premenstrual than they did at other times of the month. And to no one's surprise, the extra calories came from chocolate, potato chips, cookies and crackers.


Our volunteers had no problem returning to their healthy way of eating once the PMS passed and they easily lost the pound or two they may have gained from their premenstrual munching. But for dieters, PMS poses more than a temporary halt in their weight loss. Premenstrual syndrome may cause the dieter to abandon her diet.


One of our weight-loss clients described the effect of PMS on her weight loss: "For three weeks I am in control, and my food choices follow the diet plan exactly. Then one day, during the fourth week of my menstrual cycle, I wake up with an uncontrollable urge to eat junk food. I simply can't stop myself. This goes on for three or four days until I get my period. So of course my diet is blown, and I am three or four pounds heavier than I was a week earlier."


Yet it is possible to stop PMS from destroying a diet.


The solution is to increase the production of serotonin, the brain chemical involved in regulating mood and weight. We discovered at MIT that serotonin activity is diminished during PMS so simply increasing serotonin production reduces the unpleasant mood and overeating during this time of the month.


Increasing serotonin is easy. The brain chemical is made when a non-fruit carbohydrate is eaten. Here is all that needs to be done:


Twice a day (or more if necessary) eat a snack containing 30-35 grams of a starchy or sweet carbohydrate. Choose foods that have no more than 2 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat. Protein prevents serotonin from being made, and fat just adds calories.


Eat the foods on an empty stomach or three hours after a meal.


The snacks should be regarded as edible therapy for the PMS, not as a source of nutrition. Make sure you take your usual vitamin and calcium supplements and eat as many fruits, vegetables, low or non-fat dairy products and lean protein as your PMS cravings will allow.


Good snack choices include popcorn, fat-free fudge sauce (for PMS chocolate cravers), sweetened breakfast cereal, an English muffin with jam, oatmeal with brown sugar, graham crackers, low-fat granola bars, very low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, low-fat rice or soy crackers, pretzels, low-fat meringue cookies, low-fat biscotti and cotton candy (in case you have PMS while at a county fair).


A few caveats:


Alcohol is not a substitute for the carbohydrate.
Eating fruit will not lead to serotonin production.
Soda and other foods made with high fructose corn syrup sweeteners do not lead to serotonin production.
Restrain yourself from munching on fat-filled brownies, chips, ice cream, and chocolate. Your brain doesn't know the difference but your scale will.


The effects of eating a low or fat-free carbohydrate snack on your mood and appetite should be felt within 45 minutes or even sooner. After eating the snack, relax, meditate, read a book or contemplate that when you reach menopause, all this will be over.






© 2010 Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs -- Nature's Own Appetite Suppressant -- to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain






Author Bio


Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs -- Nature's Own Appetite Suppressant -- to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain, has discovered the connection between carbohydrate craving, serotonin, and emotional well-being in her MIT clinical studies. She received her PhD from George Washington University, is the founder of a Harvard University hospital weight-loss facility and counsels private weight management clients. She has written five books, including The Serotonin Solution, and more than 40 peer-reviewed articles for professional publications. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida.


VISIT THE SEROTONIN POWER DIET WEBSITE


WIN IT! The good people at FSB Associates have agree to give one lucky winner a copy of The Serotonin Power Diet.

Here's How It Works:
A Few Rules:

You must be a US Resident. And You must provide a Street Address upon notification of winning (NO PO BOXES)

 Mandatory Entry: (you must do this one first or I will be forced to remove all of your entries)


Become a Follower of BMWL2R In some form - GFC, Twitter, or Facebook.

Please include your email address in your comment. (feel free to use the antiSPAM version - yourname[at]yourserver[dot]com)
Get More Entries: (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY)

• Become a GFC Follower (if you already are one, just tell me so)
• Tweet about this Giveaway (include @1outnumberedmom) please include your status link
• Follow me on Twitter @1outnumberedmom
• Become a Facebook Fan of The Serotonin Power Diet on Facebook
• Become a Facebook Fan of BMWL2R (see sidebar) and leave a comment on the wall telling me you want to win!
• Add Alison Strobel as a friend on Facebook
• Become a GFC follower of my BFF's new blog - One Page At A Time
• Grab my button (see sidebar) and put it on your blog (include a link to your blog in your comment) (5 entries)
• Add a post to your own blog about this giveaway (include a link to your post in your comment)(8 entries)

All entries must be in by September 8th at 9:00AM PST. I will pick a winner using a Random Number Generator.!

I wish you the best of luck!


Disclaimer: I received no direct compensation for the post.


If you are an author or publisher and would like for me to review your book please contact me directly: polsen11[at]comcast[dot]net

Guest Article: Agent Secrets: Want to Land an Agent? By Evan Marshall and Martha Jewett

The more time I spend review books and interacting with other reviewers, I have realized that many of you are also authors. Which means you probably have hopes of being published at some point. A pal of mine over at FSB Associates shard this article with me and I wanted to pass it on to all of you. I also wanted to give you some insider info - I am also going to be using The Marshall Plan ® Novel Writing Software and will be letting you all know what I think in about a month. So for now, get a little bit of information on how to land a literary agent.

Agent Secrets: Want to Land an Agent? Follow These Guidelines

By Evan Marshall and Martha Jewett,

Creators of The Marshall Plan ® Novel Writing Software

"If you want to get a novel published, you need an agent." True enough, but it's better to get the right agent. Here's how.

Use the Internet to find agents who are right for you. Six helpful sites are:

1. Agent Query bills itself as "the internet's largest and most current database of literary agents." Click on Full Search, then specify details such as genre and whether the agent is seeking new clients. Search results include not only basic contact information but also specifics on what the agent is looking for and, often, examples of recent deals. The site also offers articles on working with agents and resources such as writing websites and conferences.
2. QueryTracker.net boasts a database of more than 1,300 agents and offers a detailed advanced search feature including specific genres.
3. The Association of Authors' Representatives requires members to adhere to a strict Canon of Ethics, so you know any member is legitimate (some perfectly legitimate agents do not belong). Click on Find an Agent to see which agents accept email submissions and which accept submissions via regular mail. Keyword Search and Advanced Search features are also available.
4. A $20 month-to-month subscription to Publishers Marketplace gives you access to an extensive searchable database of agents and their deals. A feature called Top Dealmakers tells you which agents make the most sales in a given genre. Another feature, Who Represents, allows you to find out who represents writers of books like yours.
5. Check an agent's reputation at Preditors & Editors, a website that keeps an updated list of agents according to whether they're reputable or not. Click on Agents & Attorneys, then look up the name alphabetically.
6. Finally, stop off at the Agents page of Writer Beware, which has helpful articles on how to spot and avoid dishonest agents.


Google agents you're interested in to see if they have their own websites. You'll usually find submission guidelines.

Now it's time to approach agents. Have these items ready before you begin:


Complete manuscript. If you haven't published a novel, submit a complete manuscript rather than a "proposal" (synopsis and sample chapters). If you have had a novel published by a commercial publisher, it's OK to send a proposal.


Synopsis. The synopsis is a condensed overview of your novel which helps agents, editors and other publishing personnel evaluate it. Use the present tense and write one page for every 25 pages of manuscript. Tell the entire story, including the ending.

Query letter. A query letter is a one-page business letter. It briefly describes your novel (one paragraph) and specifies genre, title and word length. Provide relevant information about yourself: publishing credits, writers' organizations you belong to, writing awards or citations, and any pertinent background (for example, you're a surgeon and your novel is a medical thriller). Be professional, never cutesy. Ask if the agent would like to read your manuscript.

Follow all the agent's specifications and instructions exactly (query, self-addressed stamped envelope, etc.).


If an agent bites, include your original query letter with your manuscript, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply.

If the agent takes you on, yipee!

And if the agent rejects you?

Don't take it personally. It may have nothing to do with your material. The agent may not be accepting unpublished writers or new clients unless they are exceptional, but may not have said so because if he did, submissions would drop off. Another possibility is that she may already represent a novel too similar to yours but does not want to divulge that.

The "no," however, may have everything to do with your material. Here are five of the most common situations you must avoid:

1. Derivative story idea. You must come up with something fresh within the expectations of your chosen genre.
2. No recognizable genre. Your book must have a genre, an obvious place on a shelf in the bookstores, and a clear comparison to books in the genre.
3. Wrong word length. Picking the wrong word length is a novice's mistake. A 50,000-word mainstream novel is an immediate reject. So is a 175,000-word romantic comedy. Do your homework. Find the appropriate word length for your novel.
4. Grammatical and other problems. These are sudden-death errors: spelling, grammar, punctuation, improper manuscript formatting.
5. Writing that tells rather than shows. Novels today are mostly "show." If you're not sure what "show" and "tell" mean, consult any novel-writing guide or take a fiction course.

Follow these guidelines and eventually you will find an agent who understands and appreciates your work -- and who will be able to sell it.

All you need is one.



© 2010 Evan Marshall and Martha Jewett, creators of The Marshall Plan ® Novel Writing Software


Author Bio


Evan Marshall and Martha Jewett are the creators of The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software, an adaptation of the bestselling Marshall Plan® series of writing guides. Evan is an internationally recognized expert on fiction writing and author of the Hidden Manhattan and Jane Stuart and Winky mystery series. A former book editor, for 27 years he has been a leading literary agent specializing in fiction. He is the president of The Evan Marshall Agency, a leading literary management firm that represents a number of New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. Martha is a former award-winning business book editor at McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, and HarperBusiness. She is currently a literary agent and editorial consultant specializing in business books. An avid memoirist, she blogs at http://www.writeyourmemoir.com/.


For more information, please visit writeanovelfast.com and follow the authors on Facebook and Twitter.

Guest Post & Giveaway: Still the One By Robin Wells

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED!

Still the One by Robin Wells

What the book says:
Robin Wells takes us back to Chartreuse, Louisiana, for a deeply moving story of forgiveness and second chances.

After Katie Charmaine's husband is killed in Iraq, all she has left is a closet full of his clothes, a few pictures, and fond memories. She not only lost her love, but her last chance to have the children she's always wanted. Until Zack Ferguson shows up in town . . . with the daughter Katie gave up for adoption nearly seventeen years ago.


Zack Ferguson has never forgotten Katie, or the one magical night they spent together. Seeing her again brings up a tidal wave of emotions: regret over the way he left her, anger at the secret she kept, and desire he hasn't felt in years. But he's in town for Gracie. Their daughter is sixteen, angry at the world, and-worst of all-pregnant. She needs the love of her two parents now more than ever. Can these three forgive the hurts of the past and open their hearts to each other?

About the Author:

Robin Wells is an accomplished romance author, having written over a dozen titles for Harlequin. She is the author of Baby, Oh Baby (Lovespell, 7/03), which won the National Readers' Choice Award. Robin Wells has won the prestigious National Golden Heart Award from the Romance Writers of America, and her novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Here's what I think:

What a sweet book.This book is a heart-warming, sometimes sad but also happy read. It is an interesting chain of event, Katie's husband dies in Iraq, she "goes home" to find that the daughter she left behind is now pregnant at 16 and needs the help of both parents, which in turn forces them to work together. It is a little predictable but a fun read nonetheless. I would definitely say it's a great book for a summer road trip.

BUY IT! You can buy your own copy Amazon.


WIN IT! - Anna at HBG has agreed to send 3 lucky readers their own copy of Three Wishes!

So here is how you can win:



Mandatory Entry:
Do you believe in "The One" - I do! (open to US residents only, must provide mailing address - no PO Boxes - if you win)(you must do this one first or I will be forced to remove all of your entries)


 Get More Entries: (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY)
Become a Follower of Busy Moms Who Love to Read using Google Friends Connect (see sidebar)
Tweet about this Giveaway (include @1outnumberedmom and #giveaway in your tweet) (Daily Tweets allowed)Enter one of my other giveaways
Add a comment to another post on this blog (a real comment, please)Grab my button (see sidebar) and put it on your blog (include a link to your blog in your comment) (5 entries)
Add a post to your own blog about this giveaway (include a link to your post in your comment) (8 entries)


I wish you the best of luck! All entries but be received by 11:59pm PST on May 26, 2010 to be counted.


Disclaimer: Although I did receive a free copy of this book for review (Thanks, HBG), I was in no other way compensated to post this review. These are my real and honest opinions.


If you are an author or publisher and you would like for me to review your book, please contact me directly: polsen11[at]comcast[dot]net

Guest Post & Review: SheKNOWS Presents: The Best Sex of Your Life

SheKNOWS Presents: The Best Sex Of Your Life by Jennifer Hunt & Dan Baritchi

 Let Go of Your Past to Heat Up Your Present

by Jennifer Hunt & Dan Baritchi

Authors of SheKnows.com Presents -- The Best Sex of Your Life: 10 Secrets Every Woman Should Know

Though we'd all prefer this not be the case, most couples have to deal with the emotional baggage left over from their partners' previous relationships. How do you deal with the vast array of emotions that surface because of the last guy you lived with or the last girl he loved? What happens when these feelings are negative and self-destructive?

Whether you're in your first or your fiftieth serious relationship, feelings of jealousy ("Why does he still have lunch with her? He should know how that makes me feel!") and insecurity ("His previous girlfriends were all much thinner than I am. I wonder if he thinks I'm fat? He must only be with me until he can find a girl he's really attracted to.") can cause a lot of stress. Part of your worry is wrapped up in your desire to have control over how your partner acts, especially if you feel that he might not act in accordance with your own standards and needs.

HE SAYS . . .


A quick tip: If you are feeling jealous, ask yourself if your partner truly gave you reason to doubt his commitment to you. Is he playing games to try and make you jealous, or could it be that something from the past is rearing its head and making you afraid your guy could leave or cheat?

Dealing with It


So what do you need to know? Well, you need to realize that you cannot control your partner. He is an independent being with free will, and worrying about the hidden meanings behind his words or what he is doing when you're not around will only drive you crazy and drive him away. Today, the fact that people sometimes feel as though they own their partners is the real reason behind the fear, anger, jealousy, and insecurity that many people may experience. The best thing to do is to just allow other people to be themselves and love them for who they are and not who you want them to be. After all, unconditional acceptance from your partner -- both in and out of the bedroom -- is a great aphrodisiac for both of you.

Let It Go


Here's a little tip: By accepting that your partner has had lovers before you and by letting go of any jealousy and insecurity that you have tied to that or tied to your own experiences in past relationships, you can move on and reap the benefits of your present relationship. Perhaps your partner learned a great position or two from a former sexual escapade or he grasped how to overcome some emotional or sexual issues within that relationship so you don't have to now be burdened with them. All of this knowledge and experience will benefit you in the bedroom as you're treated to a more skilled partner who understands his own needs and who can better address yours.

The above is an excerpt from the book SheKnows.com Presents -- The Best Sex of Your Life: 10 Secrets Every Woman Should Know by Jennifer Hunt & Dan Baritchi. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2010 Jennifer Hunt & Dan Baritchi, authors of SheKnows.com Presents -- The Best Sex of Your Life: 10 Secrets Every Woman Should Know


 
Book Description:

Because SHEKNOWS® Sex


In SheKnows.com Presents: The Best Sex of Your Life, noted sex experts Jennifer and Dan reveal 101 salacious secrets for delightful encounters between the sheets. You have sex; and sure, it's okay, maybe occasionally even good. But with this new guide they help you kick it up a notch to have the best sex every time.
Featuring plenty of tips guaranteed to make you blush, you'll learn to get in touch with your inner seductress for orgasmic results. Among the secrets revealed -- why you should . . .


•Have sex in front of a mirror
•Learn to use all four phases of the female orgasm
•Watch porn with your man
•Try some new positions -- like the bridge or lotus
•Use household items (hello spatula and rolling pin!) during foreplay


If you're tired of bland, predictable sex, this insider's roadmap to a more satisfying ride will have you screaming with pleasure and spending the day (or week . . . or month!) in bed.

About the Authors:

Jennifer Hunt and Dan Baritchi, authors of SheKnows.com Presents -- The Best Sex of Your Life: 10 Secrets Every Woman Should Know, are the founders and senior editors of http://www.askdanandjennifer.com/, which has become the premier website about relationships and sexuality on the Internet. The site has more than 400,000 readers per month. In addition, Hunt and Baritchi are featured content providers for YouTube, Revver, and Veoh. Their more than 300 videos receive between 2-4 million views every month. They have consulted for shows ranging from Dr. Phil to EXTRA and have been quoted in publications from the Chicago Sun-Times to the Miami Herald. They live in Frisco, TX.




For more information, please visit http://www.adamsmediastore.com/.

Here's What I Think:

When I saw that this was written by a Woman and a Man I was a little trepidations about reading it. It seems that a book like this would only be readable from one gender perspective. I was sooo wrong! Really the book is written from Jennifer's perspective, while Dan adds his two cents every so often. My favorite part of the book is the "sex myths", where they debunk some very common stereotypes regarding a healthy sex-life. Though there are some very specific sexual topics, a lot of the book focuses on a better you. Having confidence, knowing what you want and need, and having a strong sense of self are all topics discussed. Really it is a relationship book, and for me a healthy happy sexual relationship is a huge part of any partnership. I think this book could offer help to newlyweds and golden anniversary celebrants alike. A great book to share with your partner.

Disclaimer: Althought I did recieve a copy of this book from FSB Associates I was in no other way compensated to publish this post.