Monday 29 April 2019

Get Ready for Gardening Season with Author Emma Lane...

Gardens grow of their own volition. You labor with the lay out and lovingly place the plants. By the third year, your garden has selected what it will and will not accept. But it’s gorgeous, healthy and you wouldn’t change a single thing. (Okay, maybe you’ll move that fragrant dianthus in front of that balloon flower which is taller.) Some of it is your fault because you couldn’t resist that church sale and your neighbor shared several perennials. Status normal. Allow your garden nostalgia. You show it off by saying, “I got that one for next to nothing on sale, Susan Smith gave me that one when she moved to Florida, I miss her so! My mother-in-law finally broke down and shared that rose. Would you believe how she can make cuttings and root them?” This iris came from … and that one came from…

SEASONAL: Do plan spring shrubs/bulbs which are so welcome. Fall red/yellow leaves.

INVASIVE: When someone mentions the plant is invasive, believe it! I love the golden blooms of Rudbeckia Goldstrum, but it will take over if given the chance. Plant it way over there where you can mow it if need be; same with any sort of mint.

PARTNERSHIPS: Delphenium back up to fences almost poetically, a partnership. Peonies are almost small bushes. I love to make a back ground hedge row from them. Yellow coreopsis and red yarrow are made in heaven for hot colors.

FRIENDSHIP: The deer, rabbits, groundhog, the neighbor’s pets, etc have destroyed some of your hard work? This is your opportunity to share and discover new friends. What better way to become acquainted? You’ll learn to laugh and maybe learn new gardening secrets while you commiserate.

Now that your garden is all you want it to be, take a good book and relax in all that beauty. May I suggest one of my Regency releases?

Can an arrogant duke overcome his prejudice against a beautiful but managing female in time to find true love and happiness?

Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king's business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother's estate.

The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?

EXCERPT

Fatigue and the effects of the brandy on top of the ale now gave his gait a distinct wobble. He chuckled, amused at his condition.

As he reached for the portrait of great Uncle Barney, he lurched into the back of the red leather sofa in front of the cosy fire. “Deuce take it,” he exclaimed when a rounded arm rolled into view. He spotted the gentle curve of a hip and walked around to the front, where he spied a tumbled haze of dark curls hiding a face. It is indeed a female—a sleeping female.

Who was she? The gown was too rich for his household staff. Curious, he knelt beside the sofa. “Only one way to find out,” he whispered and moved one dark curl. He sat back, satisfied when a handsome face swam into view. She sighed and rolled over, revealing a generous figure and a pair of rosy lips. She might be Sleeping Beauty—but not one of my relatives. He leaned over and kissed those tempting lips.

As he lingered there, she sighed and came partially awake. He could not resist. He deepened the kiss and sounds of satisfaction like yum and umm came from those delicious lips. Her hand stroked his face, then reached around his head to pull him closer. Delighted with this turn of events, the Duke of Westerton complied enthusiastically and extended an arm around a slender waist. How much of the ale and brandy had he imbibed? Dizziness overcame his senses as he slid down on the floor and knew no more.

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter.

Monday 22 April 2019

Book Tour: Beverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese by Regan W. H. Macaulay...


Mirror World Publishing presents a 1-week virtual book tour for Beverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese Written by Regan W.H. Macaulay and Illustrated by Alex Zgud!


About Beverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese:

Beverlee Beaz, the brown Burmese, longs for adventure and has the powerful imagination to make it happen. On a lovely, but otherwise ordinary day, she seeks excitement among the forests and fields surrounding her home. The ordinary suddenly becomes extraordinary in the eyes of this wildly creative little brown cat.

Follow Beverlee on her adventure through the forest, over the hills… and into the world of her imagination!

Exclusive Excerpt: 

"She spotted a bright orange and black butterfly."



Book Details:
Page Count: 48
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Tags: Fantasy, Imagination, Farm Animals
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing
Publish Date: April 17, 2019

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing

Meet the Author:



Regan W. H. Macaulay writes novels, short stories, children’s literature, and scripts. Writing is her passion, but she’s also a producer and director of theatre, film, and television. She is an animal-enthusiast as well, which led her to become a Certified Canine (and Feline) Massage Therapist. Other award-winning picture storybooks by Regan W. H. Macaulay include Beverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese, Sloth the Lazy Dragon, and Tamara Turtle’s Life So Far. She is also the author of The Trilogy of Horrifically Half-baked Ham which includes Space Zombies! (based on her film, Space Zombies: 13 Months of Brain-Spinning Mayhem!—available on iTunes and on DVD), They Suck, and Horror at Terror Creek.

Social Media:


Meet the Artist:



Alex Zgud is an artist from rural Ontario, currently living in Calgary. She attended the Ontario College of Art & Design, where she majored in drawing and painting, and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts. After finishing school she went on to begin a tattoo apprenticeship, and has since been developing her skills as a tattoo artist. Her preferred media are inks and watercolours.

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Monday 15 April 2019

Cover Reveal: Blackflies and Blueberries, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, Book 2...


Mirror World Publishing presents the cover reveal for Blackflies and Blueberries 
(Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, #2) by Sharon Ledwith!

About Blackflies and Blueberries:

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future. 

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder. 

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.

Blackflies and Blueberries Cover:


Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Publish Date: May 17, 2019

Publisher:  Mirror World Publishing https://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com/

Monday 8 April 2019

A Writer’s Best Friend: An Osteopath…

Have you ever had a treatment from an Osteopath? Wait…what? No? Well, if you’re a writer like me who spends a good portion of the day sitting at a desk, body parts can get a little stiff, and over time can actually get ‘programmed’ into being ‘stuck’. Neck stiffness, back and shoulder aches, and even hips hurt after putting in a good day of writing. Yes, I get up to move and stretch after a set amount of time (around 20-30 minutes), but the stiffness and pain lingers long after the book is finished. So what can you do to ‘deprogram’ those muscles and get balance back your body? An Osteopath can help you with that!

In essence, Osteopathy is a holistic form of healing which emphasizes the interrelationship between structure and function of the human body. Osteopathic Manual Practitioners believe that human illnesses are rooted in problems with the musculoskeletal system, and that hands-on manipulation can solve these problems and effect a cure by harnessing the body’s own healing potential. No drugs. No excruciating exercises. No sweat.

Sign. Me. Up.

So how does osteopathy work? The following techniques are used to get to the ‘root’ of the patient’s problem, and to help the patient enjoy a pain-free (or almost pain-free) life:

Myofascial Release is a manipulative treatment that attempts to release tension in the fascia (connective tissues surrounding the muscles, bones, nerves, and organs) due to trauma, posture, or inflammation. Trust me, some of us writers need TLC when it comes to our posture!

Muscle Energy Technique is based on the principle of reciprocal inhibition, a theory that explains that muscles on one side of a joint will always relax to accommodate the contraction of muscles on the other side of that joint when indirect pressure is applied. This technique is usually utilized in order to lengthen shortened or spastic muscles, to improve weakened ligament and muscle strength, and to improve range of motion.

Oscillatory Osteoarticular Release involves gently moving two joint surfaces to reduce muscle spasms, ease neurological irritations, assist in joint mobility, and help reduce pain and discomfort. This technique allows the body to relax and prevents it from activating protective mechanisms like muscle spasms.

Counterstrain is a manual therapy technique, meaning the osteopath uses only his or her hands to treat muscle and joint pain and dysfunction. This is an effective but extremely gentle technique because its action for treatment moves the patient’s body away from the painful, restricted directions of motion.

Cranial Sacral Therapy originates from a concept explored in the 1900s by Osteopath Doctor William Sutherland that the bones of the cranium move amongst each other and can create pressure on the brain. In this technique, the role of an Osteopath is not to forcibly correct the body, but rather to encourage the body to correct itself, which leads to a more fundamental change and often disappearance of chronic symptoms.

Ligamentous Articular Release is a manipulative technique in which the goal of treatment is to balance the tension in opposing ligaments where there is abnormal tension present. This treatment modality aims to reset the balance point of the joint complex and relieve any abnormal tension causing a variety of symptoms including pain and abnormalities in balance.

Jeff Parker getting ready to manipulate me.
In a GOOD way!
I’ve been treated for almost a year now, using a few of these awesome techniques by my Manuel Practitioner, Jeff Parker, and have no doubt in my body and mind that this healing avenue works wonders. Since visiting Jeff, my knee pain has subsided 90% (I’ve got severe osteoarthritis in my left knee due to a sports injury), and he’s taken care of some nasty back spasms due to a soft tissue injury. Though my body fights me on some issues (neck stiffness and shoulder pain from my writing career) it’s starting to ‘deprogram’ itself and looks for the balance I need. Nature, after all, always seeks balance.

Have you ever had a session with an Osteopath? If so, what was your experience like? If not, then, if you’re suffering with body pain, I urge you to check an Osteopath out in your area. It may be just what the doctor ordered. Would love to read your input and comments. Cheers, and thank you for spending time with me by reading my blog!

Monday 1 April 2019

Carpe Diem by Author Catherine Castle...

The other day while perusing an antique mall, I came across a little wooden plaque engraved with what I thought were the words Carpe Diem. Reminded of the movie Dead Poets Society, in which the phrase carpe diem played a role, as well as one of my favorite actors Robin Williams who starred in the movie, I picked up the plaque. Upon closer inspection I saw the words were not carpe diem, but Carpe Diet.

What a clever play on the phrase, I thought, and good advice as well, especially since I have a need to seize my own diet. I put the plaque down, but continued to think about the word carpe and its importance in our lives. The idea of seizing something has a hopeful element to it. When we seize a day, a moment, or a job the chances of doing something special or having something important happen in our lives increases. The big prizes in life go to those who are willing to take a chance and seize the brass ring as they pass by it.

As writers we need to seize several things if we are to accomplish our goals. We need to:

• Seize the dream. Without a dream we have nothing to strive for. I love the song from the musical South Pacific called Happy Talk. The lyrics ask if we don’t have a dream then how are we going to make a dream come true? Good question.

• Seize the motivation. You can dream all you like, but without the motivation to make that dream a reality, it will never become more than a dream. Editors aren’t knocking our doors down. We have to knock on theirs. So do it.

• Seize the day. Find a day, or any part of a day or week or month or year, to work on making your dream come true. If you don’t write the words, no one can read them.

• Seize the prize. Before you reach the goal of publication there are many prizes you can reach for along the way such as contest wins, non-fiction sales to magazines or newspapers, invitations to blog on someone’s site, making friends with other writers who know what you are going through, discovering people who like your blogs or follow your blogs, and grabbing the prize of writing THE END! All are reasons for celebrating. So enjoy all the little accomplishments that come before your first book sale.

• Seize the success. Success can be a long time coming. While you’re waiting keep writing those books and sending out those queries. Sooner or later, if you’ve given it your all and learned your craft well, you will seize the success you’ve strived for.

So, don’t give up, and along the way, don’t forget to seize the chocolate—in moderation if you’re on that diet I referenced earlier.

Here's a peek into my latest sweet romance. I hope you enjoy it.

One date for every medical test—that’s the deal. Allison, however, gets more than she bargains for. She gets a Groom for Mama.

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

EXCERPT

With a sweep of his hand, Jack spread the photos out on the table in front of Allison and Beverly. “Here’s a few I just grabbed from the database. Any of them interesting?” He studied Allison’s reaction. She didn’t bat an eyelash as she scanned the men’s pictures. Then, without warning, she scooped them up and shoved them at him.

“I told Mama I wasn’t going to do this. It’s a stupid idea.”

“I’ll admit it’s not the ‘some enchanted evening, see a stranger across the room’ romantic way to find a husband, but it’s not totally unacceptable. Several of the couples my company has brought together have married.”

“And lived happily ever after?” she retorted.

“It’s a new company, Allison. I don’t have the stats yet.” He pushed the photos across the table. “Just take a peek. What harm can it do?”

Beverly grabbed the photo of a particularly handsome man. “How about this one? His coloring complements yours. You’d have beautiful children.”

"Mama!” Allison snatched the photo away. “We’re not going to discuss my possible, yet unlikely, progeny in front of Jack.”

A flash of Allison kissing this guy flew through his head. He grabbed the photo from her. “He’s not your type anyway.”

“And just how do you know?” she asked.

“I dated you, remember? You ditched me for some suave, corporate hotshot. At least it’s what you said.”

“Allison!” Beverly exclaimed. “You never told me that.”

Allison shot him a fierce scowl. “I’m not comfortable discussing my love life with you, Mama. Besides, what’s done and over with should be buried . . . in the past.” She picked up another photo. “What about him? Or him and him?” She pointed to two nerdy-looking fellows. “They seem corporate.”

Mama leaned over and checked out the pictures Allison had indicated. “Too ugly,” she said. “He’s got to be handsome. Like Jack. I want to know my grandbabies will be as beautiful as you two.”

He grinned. “Thanks for the compliment, but I know I’m not your daughter’s type.” He laid a sheet of paper on the counter. “Fill this out. Then I can get a better idea of what you want in a husband.”

“I don’t want—”

“I know,” he interjected. “But, for your mom’s sake, just pretend you do.”

Amazon Buy Link

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins.

Catherine loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Learn more about Catherine Castle on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out Catherine’s Amazon author page and her Goodreads page. You can also find Catherine on Stitches Thru Time and the SMP authors blog site.