Simply Christmas by Robin Harper ~Music Cd~

‘Simply Christmas’ Offers Simply Delicious Musical Recipe for Holiday

Cheer

Christmas is a-coming and the goose is getting fat, and with it Christmas music, drummer boys,

choirs, bells and other assorted accompaniment abound, from string quartets and French horns to

orchestras and brass bands. All except for a sparkling new addition to the holiday music

catalogue, simply called Simply Christmas, featuring simply piano and one voice – Robin

Harper’s.

Teaming up with pianist Marvin Goldstein, talented vocalist Robin is celebrating the intimacy

and simplicity of the holidays by putting a new twist on the Christmas standards we’ll all start

whistling right after Thanksgiving, including “The Christmas Song,” “White Christmas,” “Santa

Baby,” and “Silent Night.” Here’s a little sample: Robin Harper/Simply Christmas.

“This is the time of year when music helps us renew our faith as well as our sense of fun,” Robin

said. “I wanted to combine the two by choosing songs close to our hearts, jazz them up a little

and have a good time with them. And with just us – Marvin’s marvelous piano accompaniment

and me – it’s like we’re in your living room, sharing an intimate holiday gathering with your

family,” she said.

Robin has always loved to perform and has sung in church all her life, envisioning her future one

day as a country singer. Growing up in California’s Orange County, she veered away from

country at one point as a member of the DavElliott5, a jazz vocal ensemble. Then life happened.

A husband and family. Four kids. Robin’s love of music has never waned, however, and now her

life has come full circle, back to music, with this first offering of musical holiday cheer.

Sometimes, they say, less is more… and with Simply Christmas, no truer words were ever

spoken…or sung.

~My Thoughts~

Well I'm usually all about the books, but when I had this cross my email....I had to jump on the chance!

I love Christmas music (even the corny stuff), but the cd was just delightful.

My family and I listened to Robin's voice while we decorated our tree. I couldn't help, but notice my four year old daughter swaying along to the songs as she sung. It was the perfect music for the setting. I plan to take it along with me to the family dinner on Christmas, as I know that everyone will enjoy each song sung with so much love.

Truly a great gift to all of us for the holidays.

Thank you so much Robin for sharing your voice with us :0)

~Get Your Copy~

Amazon-CD    Amazon-MP3

~A Little Video~

*Disclosure of Material Connection: no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Purrs of Wisdom by Ingrid King ~Book Blast and Giveaway~

Purrs of Wisdom is a collection of essays featuring lessons in conscious living, inspired by the cats who have shared the author’s life.

From help with every day challenges to inspiration on living a joyful life, this compilation provides encouragement, guidance, and enlightenment, feline style.

Whether it’s creating balance, navigating turbulent times, or finding the magic in life’s ordinary moments, there’s something for everyone in this book.

Chapters include:

·                 The Healing Power of the Purr

·                 Making Time for Contemplation

·                 Routine as the Key to Happiness

·                 Purging Can Make You Purr

·                 Healthy Cats, Healthy Human

The stories may remind readers of lessons their own cats have taught them, provide “aha” moments, or simply bring a smile.

The book is best enjoyed with a cat curled up on your lap.

Get Your Copy
Amazon    Barnes and Noble   Book Depository

PRAISE FOR Purrs of Wisdom

“Purrs of Wisdom, by Ingrid King, is a treat for anyone who is enchanted by all things feline! The book is an exploration of lessons on living a joyful and inspired life, learned from the many magical cats who have shared the author’s journey.

I found gifts on every page, but the section titled Lessons from a Maple Tree especially touched my heart. The author talks about taking time out of her busy day to soak up the tree’s magnificent colors when the leaves change in the fall. “Doing nothing without feeling guilty” is a lesson she learned from her cats. Ingrid’s words were a gentle reminder to this fast-paced former New Yorker to look to my own kitties for guidance when my world seems to be spinning a bit too quickly.

Purrs of Wisdom is sure to be a treasured addition to any cat lover’s library!”

- Christine Davis, Author of For Every Cat An Angel and Forever Paws

***

“Reading this collection of feline-inspired essays and life lessons gave me several AHA! moments. Purrs of Wisdom is a refreshing read that packs a deceptively powerful punch and provides helpful recipes for finding your bliss. Ingrid King writes with compassion for those who struggle along as “life happens.” The gifted writer offers nearly poetic insight how to manage the angst, as well as to recognize the “why” behind such things. You’ll want to savor each individual chapter and purr-haps bookmark and revisit those that strike a personal chord. And of course, read aloud to your favorite feline companion!”

- Amy Shojai, bestselling author of more than two-dozen pet books

***

“Purrs of Wisdom is the perfect book for anyone who loves cats – and has an interest in living life to the fullest, with a positive and peaceful outlook – just like a cat does! It spoke to me on several levels and is sure to become a well-thumbed volume as I continue on my life’s journey.”

- Ann Brightman, Managing Editor, Animal Wellness Magazine

***

“In this guide to living spiritually and creatively in a world that isn’t always quite comfortable with either quality, King, a keenly intuitive writer, draws upon the lessons she has learned from her beloved feline friends, weaving them deftly together with her own experiences. ”

- T.J. Banks, Author of Sketch People: Stories Along the Way and Catsong

About the Author

Ingrid King is a former veterinary hospital manager turned award winning writer. Her popular blog, The Conscious Cat, a comprehensive resource for conscious living, health, and happiness for cats and their humans, has won multiple awards, including DogTime Media’s  2012 Pettie for Best Cat Blog, 2011 Pettie for Best Overall Pet Blog, and About.com’s 2012 Readers Choice Award for Best Website About Cats. Ingrid is the publisher of the online magazine News for You and Your Pet, which goes out to subscribers around the world. Her articles have been published in Cat Fancy, Animal Wellness Magazine, Urban Animal, NOVADog, and on miscellaneous websites. Ingrid lives in Northern Virginia with her tortoiseshell cats Allegra and Ruby.

Her latest book is Purrs of Wisdom: Conscious Living Feline Style.

Visit her website at www.ingridking.com.

Awesome Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Courtney Saves Christmas by Emlyn Chand ~Book Tour & Giveaway~

Courtney is a peppy young penguin who just loves exploring, and is overjoyed when she receives a compass from Santa on Christmas morning. She’s so grateful for the gift, in fact, that she just needs to give Santa a great big hug and say “Thank you!” in person. The only problem is she lives in the South Pole, and Santa is all the way on the other side of the globe!

With the aid of her new compass, Courtney sets off on a journey that takes her almost an entire year. By the time she reaches Santa’s workshop, the elves are in a flurry preparing for the upcoming holiday. Unfortunately, Rudolph is feeling very sick—too sick to guide the sleigh. If Courtney can’t find a way to help, Christmas will be ruined and all the children of the world will be devastated. What’s a little penguin to do?

~My Thoughts~

A really cute story. 

I enjoyed reading it with my daughter who is four.

She thought Courtney is the coolest penguin ever! Of course now she wants a compass for Christmas too so she can visit Santa Claus, guess I have to go shopping....LOL

I think the whole lesson behind the story of telling people "thank you" for the gifts you do receive is brilliant! 

The traveling that Courtney took just to make sure she told Santa "Thank you" was nicely told for the younger readers. 

When Courtney finally reaches Santa it was also nice that the author also included what happens to "good penguins"

A great Christmas read!

~Get Your Own Copy~

Amazon    Barnes and Noble

~About the Author~

Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Best known for her Young Adult novels, she is also developing a small, but devoted, following to her children's book series and is beginning to dapple in other genres as well. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available via almost every social media site in existence. Visit EmlynChand.com for more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky!

Website & Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads

~Awesome Giveaway~

a Rafflecopter giveaway




*Disclosure of Material Connection: no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Highlander Unchained by Donna Fletcher ~Promo Blitz~

\

 Historical Romance

Title: Highlander Unchained

Author: Donna Fletcher

Date Published: September 2012

Synopsis: 

The infamous warrior Cree is paraded before the village Dowell and though shackled and wounded he walks with arrogant pride, meeting all the curious and fearful stares of the villagers with a fierceness that has them quickly turning their heads away... all but one woman. 

Dawn cannot keep her eyes off the captured warrior, though tales of his exploits suggests he’s more devil than man. When his eyes meet hers, she wonders if the notorious tales are true for only the devil himself could be that sinfully handsome.

Dawn is summoned by the liege lord Colum and ordered to tend Cree, in all ways possible, while he awaits his fate, and please him she must or suffer the consequences. Colum laughs when he issues his orders. He’s sending not only a plain woman to please the mighty warrior in his final days, but one he’ll find no pleasure with. After all what man wants a woman who cannot utter a sound? 

But no shackles can hold Cree and when he breaks free he returns to claim the voiceless woman who found a way into his silent heart.

Author Note:

Highlander Unchained is a continuous story

and finishes in Forbidden Highlander. The

third book in the trilogy concerns Cree’s

sister, though the whole cast of characters

are involved as well.

~Buy Your Own Copy~

Amazon   Barnes And Noble   

~About the Author~

Donna Fletcher is a USA Today bestselling author of adventurous historical romances. She is also a past President of New Jersey Romance Writers and Novelists, Inc.

Website

Facebook 

Twitter

Review of Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four By Nya Jade

~About the Book~

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Pope has enrolled at the Campus Below: a spy academy for shape-shifters hidden deep beneath the grounds of a boarding school whose humans unknowingly protect it. There, thanks to a carefully planned schedule, she leads a double life: spy trainee Below and normal teenager Above.

As if two course loads, concealing a secret power she alone wields, and coping with her father’s recent death weren’t enough, Phoebe finds herself developing major feelings for actor and teen heartthrob Colten Chase, who attends the Campus Above and appears to be majoring in winning Phoebe’s heart. But when officials learn that Phoebe may be at the center of a startling prophecy, she becomes the target of shape-shifting assassins who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.

Now Phoebe’s lessons about Shaper’s enemies and spycraft take on great importance as a menace stalks the campus, with Phoebe as its target. Meanwhile, what began as an unlikely relationship with Colten, quickly morphs into heartache when she suspects that something sinister lurks beneath this movie star’s glitter and fame. Suddenly, Phoebe’s caught in a mesh of lies, betrayals, and danger where she doesn’t know who to trust, and needs to rely on herself—and her secret power—to get to the truth and to stay alive.

~Buy Your Copy~

Amazon   Barnes and Noble  

~My Thoughts~

One of the BEST YA books I have read this year!!!

So well written and enjoyable ...Awesome job.

I swear I enjoyed every character...Phoebe was awesome!!! I could not handle  a special power of knowing everyone's feelings, however pushing feelings on to other people didn't seem to bad. 

Colten...Oh Colten....Such a Hottie!!! I swear you start to think something is up with him towards the middle of the book, but is it really what you think???

I'll admit I liked Scott in the beginning....kinda sweet, but looks are deceiving!

From the first attack to the four starting training to the first kidnapping...even to the red carpet...you can't put down the book, you have to know what's next! 
Right down to the final wind blowing of the blackcoats...the end is truly a surprise.

I hope there will be a book 2!

~About the Author~

Nya Jade is a singer-songwriter and author based in San Francisco. Her music videos have aired on the VH1, BET, and MTV networks. USA Today hailed Nya as a “young female troubadour worth keeping your eyes and ears on,” in an entertainment feature on up-and-coming singer-songwriters. “Her cool singing voice recalls Sade,” said the LA Times.

Between writing and performing new music, Nya took a musical sabbatical to focus on writing a novel—an endeavor she found quite daunting, until she began looking at each chapter as a verse in a very long song. Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four is her first novel.

In her free time, Nya enjoys hanging out with family and friends, searching for amazing gluten-free desserts, and bargain hunting for her next pair of funky shoes.

Nya holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.A. in Sociology, both from Stanford University.

​

To find out more, please visit http://www.nyajade.com

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/TheNyaJade

On Facebook at: www.facebook.com/NyaJadeFriends

*Disclosure of Material Connection: no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Guest Post from Author of Phoebe Pope and The Year of Four...Nya Jade

Hello! Thanks so much for hosting me here today! In honor of my book's title, Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four, I thought it would be fun to share four random facts about the story.

Fact 1:

The story takes place in a setting that's loosely based on my New England boarding school. I loved my high school campus! And I remember feeling that it had an element of mystery to it. That it held ancient secrets. I tapped into that feeling as I wrote about a supernatural school hidden beneath the grounds of a regular school. . . .

Fact 2:

I thought it would be entertaining to make my husband a character in the book - at least use his name. When I asked him what kind of character he wanted to be, he thought long and hard about it. He really took the "casting" opportunity seriously. After a day or so of thinking, he announced that he wanted to be the guy the other characters feared. The funny thing is that his name is Al. And the name Al does not make anyone tremble with fear. I added a few more letters to Al and came up with Alexori. I'm happy to say that Al/Alexori is quite pleased with his character.

 

Fact 3:

Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four comes with music! How? Well, I'm a singer-songwriter and I wanted to incorporate music with my book. When you get to the end of the story you'll find a link to where you can download a FREE copy of my soul/pop album, The Road to Adam. It's my small way of saying thank you to all readers!

Fact 4:

One of my main characters, Colten Chase, has his own website! He's a gorgeous movie star so it makes sense for him to have one! Check him out at www.coltenchase.com.  

The students of Green Lane Academy roam their halls unaware that below their manicured campus exists a prestigious school of an entirely different kind . . .

~About the Book~

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Pope has enrolled at the Campus Below: a spy academy for shape-shifters hidden deep beneath the grounds of a boarding school whose humans unknowingly protect it. There, thanks to a carefully planned schedule, she leads a double life: spy trainee Below and normal teenager Above.

As if two course loads, concealing a secret power she alone wields, and coping with her father’s recent death weren’t enough, Phoebe finds herself developing major feelings for actor and teen heartthrob Colten Chase, who attends the Campus Above and appears to be majoring in winning Phoebe’s heart. But when officials learn that Phoebe may be at the center of a startling prophecy, she becomes the target of shape-shifting assassins who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.

Now Phoebe’s lessons about Shaper’s enemies and spycraft take on great importance as a menace stalks the campus, with Phoebe as its target. Meanwhile, what began as an unlikely relationship with Colten, quickly morphs into heartache when she suspects that something sinister lurks beneath this movie star’s glitter and fame. Suddenly, Phoebe’s caught in a mesh of lies, betrayals, and danger where she doesn’t know who to trust, and needs to rely on herself—and her secret power—to get to the truth and to stay alive.

~Buy Your Copy~

Amazon   Barnes and Noble  

~About the Author~

Nya Jade is a singer-songwriter and author based in San Francisco. Her music videos have aired on the VH1, BET, and MTV networks. USA Today hailed Nya as a “young female troubadour worth keeping your eyes and ears on,” in an entertainment feature on up-and-coming singer-songwriters. “Her cool singing voice recalls Sade,” said the LA Times.

Between writing and performing new music, Nya took a musical sabbatical to focus on writing a novel—an endeavor she found quite daunting, until she began looking at each chapter as a verse in a very long song. Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four is her first novel.

In her free time, Nya enjoys hanging out with family and friends, searching for amazing gluten-free desserts, and bargain hunting for her next pair of funky shoes.

Nya holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.A. in Sociology, both from Stanford University.

​

To find out more, please visit http://www.nyajade.com

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/TheNyaJade

On Facebook at: www.facebook.com/NyaJadeFriends

No Time For Love by J.B. Miller ~Book Tour~

Chatham Ross has no time – for anything, least of all love. She manages her three kid’s demanding schedules, exercises at crazy hours to preserve her less than perfect figure and writes catchy advertising jingles to pay for the mortgage. To the outside world, she seems to have it all – except for a husband. Who has time for that? Besides, hers died unexpectedly five years ago and she’s still not over it. A chance occurrence with a particular jingle finds Chatham on a bi-coastal roller coaster that she can’t seem to put the breaks on. Will the man who has always secretly loved her finally have his chance to ride along? Or will the very handsome foreigner on the other side of the country claim her wounded heart? At some point she has to choose which path is for her – or has it been there all along?

~My Thoughts~

Totally a fun read!

No one has anytime for much of anything, let alone love in this book. I have so much fun just following along with which character was going for who, only to be surprised by the end!

I can understand Chatham, being a single mom can be rough sometimes. Wow, though did she have some major time issues!!! 

Honestly, I would have given "Vicky" a piece of mind from the get go (Just saying).

Chatham was actually pretty interesting....a little self doubting...yet still trying to break free from the grief of loosing her husband.

I think that Trip and Palio were my favorites. Totally male egos there when it came to Chatham and then one decided that he wasn't even in love with her that way....LOL

OH....and I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to smack the "Olive Princess"!!!!

Do guys really fall for the crap????

It was amazing how Gino and Maria came together...how cute...little mafia stalkers :0)

Overall just an awesome story....truly worth the read!

~Get Your Copy~

Amazon   Barnes and Noble   

~About The Author~

J.B. Miller is a published author of fiction, non-fiction, award-winning poetry, music, and numerous articles and blogs. No Time For Love is her first novel. She resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children.

Visit her blog at http://notimeforlovebyjbmiller.wordpress.com.

Connect with JB: Twitter | Facebook 

~Awesome Giveaway~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure of Material Connection: no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*