On Tour: Rum Punch Regrets by Anne Kemp
Anne will be on tour August 13-September 3 with her novel Rum Punch Regrets In just a few short weeks, thirty something Abby George has…
My First 5K: Week 9: More Health
A few weeks ago I talked about an issue I have been having with my heart, and how working out is so important for anyone’s health. I actually got serious about keeping a regular workout routine since high school. Just before my junior year, I got a yearly physical and my mom mentioned to the doctor that she thought my cholesterol should be checked, as high cholesterol runs in her family. Sure enough, my cholesterol came back at an alarming level, enough to have the doctor sit down with me and have a serious chat about diet and lifestyle. I was given two lists of foods – one that I shouldn’t consider touching, and one that I should try to incorporate into my meals. The do not touch list was pretty easy to figure out why those foods are banned – fast food, fried food, butter, salty foods, etc. The list of foods that I should try to incorporate in my diet was interesting to look through. Bagels (plain bagels, no cream cheese) came highly recommended, and can remember three days a week I would buy a plain bagel in my school cafeteria for breakfast. I also changed the type of milk I drank from 1% to skim – which my fiancé still gripes about! I almost never use butter on rolls or bread, and try to find a suitable substitute when it is called for in a recipe. I also cut out fast food 100% my entire junior year. As someone who was fairly busy in high school and not quite a cook yet (cough, still), this was difficult to do, but I took my health warning seriously. A seventeen year old healthy female shouldn’t have had the numbers that I did, and I didn’t want to have serious effects from it, or be put on medications for the majority of my life.
The doctor also suggested I have a regular workout routine. While I was a cheerleader and that required me to work out with my squad, I also started walking on a regular basis with my mom, and bought a slew of DVD’s so I could work out at home. The routine carried into college, where I still bought DVD’s and frequented my college gym, and still now at age twenty-five. Health is not something to take lightly, so make sure you do yourself a favor and just pay attention to what you eat and if you are working out like you should. It doesn’t have to be something drastic or life-changing. Small steps are great to start off with – and getting regular check-ups is a great plan as well!
Below is my workout schedule for the week. Non-bold is my 5K training schedule.
Monday: Run 10 minutes, walk 10 minutes, 20 minutes Pilates DVD with strength band
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute interval run on treadmill, 30 minute Yoga DVD
Wednesday: Run 15 minutes, walk 15 minutes, 60 minute elliptical
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute treadmill incline walk, 10 minute cardio DVD
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Run 7 minutes, walk 1 x 6
Sunday: 30 minute interval run on treadmill
In My Mailbox: Week of August 12
In Samantha’s Mailbox:
Title: Lost in the Light
Author: Mary Castillo
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: DETECTIVE DORI ORIHUELA is on the verge of losing everything: her badge and now her sanity. Under investigation for a fatal shooting and recuperating from a bullet wound, she concentrates on restoring up her dream home – a 120 year-old Edwardian mansion. Expecting a few creaky stairs and drafty rooms, all of Dori’s beliefs on life and death are challenged when she not only sees a ghost, but he asks her to find a woman named, Anna.
The ghost and former bootlegger, Vicente Sorolla is trapped in the house where he was brutally murdered in the fall of 1932. By discovering what happened to the woman he loved and died to protect, both Vicente and Dori learn the undying power of love.
Dori and Vicente’s unlikely friendship takes us back to the waning days of Prohibition in San Diego and the dusty barrio of National City. Mary Castillo’s new novel, featuring the wild Orihuela family that first delighted readers in Names I Call My Sister, weaves romance, history and mystery into a humorous, touching and unforgettable story.
Title: November Surprise
Author: Laurel Osterkamp
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: • Twenty years
• Six presidential elections
• One consuming love affair
For Lucy Jones, the distinction between love and politics is hazy at best. Both can be all-consuming, and either can lead to a heart-breaking loss or an exhilarating win. Whatever the case, if you’re seen as a loser, you probably are one. Lucy first learns this lesson in 1988, when she’s a shy girl, battling a high school bully and rooting for Dukakis. Through the years Lucy will experience stunning victories and agonizing defeats as she makes the choices that define her. Meanwhile, she also struggles to define her relationship with Monty, who comes in and out of her life like the changes in public opinion. Is Monty simply a one-night stand, a kindred spirit, or the love of her life? And by 2008, can he offer her a change to believe in?
Over the course of twenty years and six presidential elections, Lucy grows and adjusts with the times. Filled with snarky political and pop-culture references, November Surprise is about the journey we take to believe in a candidate, in love, and in ourselves.
November Surprise is a companion piece to Campaign Promises, which is free on Amazon. They can be read in either order. Both have a liberal slant.
Title: Falling For You
Author: Heather Thurmeier
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Newly single Cassidy Quinn is thrilled to be a contestant on the new reality dating show The One. But her excitement turns to horror when the gorgeous bachelor turns out to be her ex-boyfriend. Seeing Brad again makes Cassidy realize she might not be as “over him” as she thought—and then she meets hunky cameraman Evan Burke.
After watching his brother lose his wife in a tragic accident, Evan vows never to fall in love. But following Cassidy around as her personal cameraman makes him question his decision, and resisting her gets harder with every sunbathing, bikini-wearing day.
Cassidy and Evan begin a forbidden affair while her ex-boyfriend tries to win her heart back one groping, awkward moment at a time. If Cassidy can manage to stop falling off horses (literally), stop falling onto her ex-boyfriend, the bachelor (yes, literally), and stop falling in love with backstage playboy Evan, she might still make it through the show without becoming a tabloid sensation.
But soon Cassidy must choose between the ex who broke her heart and the cameraman who might never love her back. For Cassidy, this reality show just got real.
In Sara’s Mailbox:
Title: What Lies Behind
Author: Cynthia Hill
Received: Cynthia Hill
Synopsis: What Lies Behind is quite different from Idol Hands, and is more of a historical fiction-style book. It actually takes place both in the present, and in the early-to-mid 20th century. It is told from the perspective of a grandmother, Lillian, and granddaughter, Lisa, in alternating perspectives. Lillian’s story begins with her childhood in 1920s Toronto, moving through her life as a young society bride during WWII and through the scandal and tragedy of her adult years. Lisa, from the present, struggles with her own romantic life while also trying to understand the grandmother with whom she never felt close, even as Lillian is now in the final stages of Alzheimer’s. After a shakeup in her own life, Lisa makes a discovery that may finally bring Lillian’s secretive past to light.
Future Tour: November Surprise by Laurel Osterkamp
Laurel will be on tour October 22- November 12 with her chick lit/romance novel November Surprise • Twenty years • Six presidential elections • One…
Interview with Erin Duffy
When did you know writing was for you?
It was something I always liked to do, but it took me a while to actually have the courage to sit down and try to write an entire book. I’m so happy I did though, it’s difficult at times but I am really enjoying it!
What made you want to write Bond Girl?
I really was looking for a career change and I realized that the time had come to try
It. I hoped that some of the stories would make people laugh, and with all of the negative publicity the entire industry was receiving when the recession started, I thought maybe there was another side of it to show. I’m really excited that people seem to be liking it. And now I have a whole new career to look forward to!
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Being disciplined. Sometimes when I’m having a day where things just aren’t coming easily it’s easy to find a million other things to do with the day. I once cleaned my entire freezer to avoid having to face that blinking little cursor! So far that’s been the most challenging thing, but I’m working on it!
What are your favorite genres to read?
I really enjoy historical fiction, and women’s fiction. I like to read different things to see what’s out there, depending on my mood. In the summer I usually reach for lighter beach reads that make me laugh.
I love the cover of Bond Girl! Did you have a lot of input in the cover-designing process?
Thank you! I’m so happy you like it. I had a little input on tweaking the cover, the one that was used was actually the second iteration of it, but it was pretty close to the original. I love it too, I think the design team at Harper Collins who created it are awesome!
What do you want readers to take away from your story?
I didn’t intend for the book to be a math lesson by any means! I hoped people would find some humor in the personalities of people on trading floors, and the crazy environment they work in. If I can make people laugh with this story, then my mission was accomplished! Fingers crossed!
How important do you think social media is for authors these days?
I’m new to the writing game, so I’m not sure how it has changed over the last few years but I will tell you from my experience it’s crazy important! Facebook, twitter, and blogging is a great way to connect with busy readers and keep people updated on what you have going on at any given time. I’ve enjoyed the social media side of things a lot. It’s a fun way to stay connected.
What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
To keep at it! No one knows what they can produce until they try, and even when it’s frustrating, it’s still worth it to give it a shot. Everyone can have days that are challenging or unproductive but if you stick with it who knows what you can achieve! I certainly didn’t know if Bond Girl would ever be published, but it was a risk worth taking in the end! Good luck!
The Silent Treatment by Melanie Surani
I received a copy of The Silent Treatment by Melanie Surani in exchange for an honest review. Kat Shergill is trying to rebuild her life. Escaping from an abusive boyfriend, she ends up back at home thanks to her friend Bridget convincing her she needed to get away, and quickly finds herself knee deep in a mystery – from the past. While at an estate sale, Kat finds an old movie reel inside the item she purchased – showing the murder of a famous 1920’s actor by another high-profile actor. Before Kat can figure out what to do with her discovery, the word is leaked out. While trying to make the right decisions along the way, Kat still finds herself fearful of her ex, and also has trouble fitting in with her family once again. Kat learns along her journey how to find her backbone that she thought had disappeared, and when it’s time to simply leave the past alone.
I was really intrigued by the mystery of this book, especially that the core was from the past. It was super interesting piecing the puzzle together, and more than a few times I caught myself gasping from revelations. My big complaint is that I thought the book was too short. It took me just a few hours to read, and I think more depth could have really helped it. I never quite understood Kat’s past relationship or even her family dynamic. So while I think it could have benefited from more plot, I still thought the overall story was very good. It kept my attention throughout, and I think this is one to read if you like a good mystery.
[Rating: 4]
Bond Girl by Erin Duffy
I received a copy of Bond Girl in exchange for an honest review. First off let’s talk the cover. Loved it! Are all girls wired to just adore pictures of shoes or what? Second – loved the plot. It’s not often we get a female perspective of a “Street” worker – and by that I mean Wall Street. Alex Garrett knew from quite the young age that she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and conquer the illustrious Wall Street. She lands a job at Cromwell Pierce, of the best brokerage firms on the Street. Alex thinks she knows what she is in for – but quickly realizes it is much, much worse than anticipated. First off – no desk. She sits in a folding chair and peeks over the shoulders of her co-workers. She also is working in a for real boys club, answering to the name Girlie, and being the all-around slave around the place. But slowly but surely Alex starts to prove her worth – upgrading to a real desk, real responsibilities, and even people calling her given name instead of Girlie. Just when she thinks she might be catching her breath and getting used to the Street, the economy tanks and all of America is looking at the corporates on Wall Street as the cause.
Bond Girl is a real page turner. I just loved how unique the story was – not to mention a true behind the scenes look at Wall Street. I was fascinated, intrigued, and I also learned a lot throughout the book. Alex is a feisty individual, and nailed it as the MC. Smart, hard-working, but just when I thought she was wired like a dude, some emotions would break through. I didn’t want to put this book down once I started reading. It was a longer book too, but took me barely two days to get it read. I highly recommend Bond Girl, and this is one of my favorites of the year!
[Rating: 5]
Future Tour: Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone
Lucie will be on tour September 17-October 15 with her chick lit novel Picture Perfect For Lauren Tate, a high-powered TV producer, sex, lies, and…
Secrets and Seductions by Francine Pascal
I just finished the fourth installment in The Sweet Life eSeries from Francine Pascal, Secrets and Seductions. A new development is happening with Bruce’s accuser, and Elizabeth is starting to doubt her creditability. She feels terrible that she was so quick to write Bruce off, and now she can’t even talk to him because he has fled from the States. Jessica is crushed when she finds out from TV that Todd has filed for a divorce. She had high hopes they would somehow reconcile, but she is forced to see that just won’t be happening. And Lila, who had been faking a pregnancy for the TV cameras and her Real Housewives show loses it all when someone goes to the press with her secret. But irony is about to get the best of her…
This installment was pretty short, and I liked that it just focused more on the major characters and what they were dealing with. I’m very curious to see how Bruce’s situation ends up. I can tell something is not right with the accuser, but I just can’t quite piece it all together yet. And Lila’s story! Oh boy, that is intriguing to read about. Will love to find out how it ends and if she is able to come out on top. Two more to go!
[Rating: 4]
