Saturday, June 30, 2012

Loving Your Pet Giveaway Hop (Ends 7/14) U.S.

loving your pet giveaway hop







If you love your pet this Giveaway hop is for you! Two Little Cavaliers your go to place for International Dog News, Pet Product Reviews, Pet Centric Giveaways, Cooking for Dogs, and the creator and co-host of the Saturday Pet Bloggers Blog Hop where pet bloggers and pet lovers come together to meet, greet, and hang out. Two Little Cavaliers has gotten together with some great bloggers to bring you an event that is completely Pet Centric that means every prize is for your pet or about about your pet!


GRAND PRIZE FOR THE LOVING YOUR PET GIVEAWAY HOP:
Pet Bed w/Memory Foam

The Two Little Cavaliers Checking out the Bed

The best thing you can do for your pet is to provide a comfortable night’s sleep. This memory foam bolster pet bed is a great place for your pet to rest after a day in the yard running around or to cool off after a long walk! For cats its the perfect place to call their own. It has a solid memory foam base to provide maximum support and durability, a therapeutic memory foam layer to relieve discomfort in joints, and a high-loft comfort layer to offer insulation and a nesting environment. A protective, waterproof liner prevents moisture from harming the foam. Your pet is sure to be happy and comfortable sleeping on this bed. Available in 3 sizes and winner's choice small 35 inches, medium 42" and large dogs 48 inch. The bed in the picture above is the small size with 2 - 15 lbs dogs on it.

I am offering a pretty fun prize pack for my part in this giveaway hop.  We currently have one dog, two newts, four goats, and sixteen cats (not joking there).  You can probably guess that we are basically animal lovers.  So we went off to Pet Smart today, and with the help of my daughter, we put together a nice prize pack.






I think you can see everything you will get--toys for dogs and cats.  I might even throw a couple more things in--we will see.

To enter, please fill out the rafflecopter form below by 9:00 P.M. Pacific time July 14.  U.S. only--sorry!

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Please be sure to visit these other Bloggers who have put together amazing Pet Centric Giveaway as well!

$150 Giveaway--2 Winners! (End 7/18) U.S. Canada


The fabulous bloggers of the ATD Giveaway Group are back with another amazing Giveaway.

2 Winners will score $150 each

Via Paypal


Enter to Win July 1st 12:01 am - July 18th 11:59pm

You know you want this, and if you don't enter, you cannot win!  So do it now before you forget!

Sponsors Include: A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood | There's a Contest for That | The Lucky Ladybug | Mommy Blog Designs | Young Mom's Deals | Kimperfection | Meg's a Mommy | Nearly Nothing | Filipino Virtual Assistant | MyVeganGlutenFreeLife | Mommy Coupon Swappers | My Frugal Wife | Mom to Bed by 8 | The Shoppin Queen | Growing Gardens & Writing Books | iPinit



This giveaway is open to US and Canada Only
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Another Blogger Opportunity! Hurry! Sign Up Now!

Yes, it is another blogger opportunity, and the first link is free!  Read on for the more information!


The LoveSac CitySac Package Giveaway Event hosted by Mom Powered Media: Iowa-MomPowered by Mom and Real Mom Reviews is now open to bloggers!

Cost is $5 or free with announcement post. See bloggers wanted post for more details.
This giveaway will happen from July 3-24, and it is only open to the U.S.  If you put up an announcement post (like I am doing), the event is free!  But you only have until tonight to sign up, so do it fast!  If you do sign up, be sure to say that My Devotional Thoughts referred you!
This is a great way to get more twitter and/or facebook followers (you can buy additional links).  Ready to sign up?  Click here.

Lucy Come Home by Dave and Neta Jackson Blog Tour Book Review


Welcome to the blog tour for Dave and Neta Jackson's Lucy Come Home! The blog tour will run 6/13-6/30! 
Lucy Tucker, the feisty old bag lady we all loved from the House of Hopeseries, has confounded everyone. Why won't she come off the streets of Chicago? How did she ever end up there in the first place? Why did she disappear again? We didn't mean to leave you hanging, but now we can tell the whole story.
It all started back in the summer of 1942 when she and a dashing young man from a traveling carnival ran away together to escape a murder charge ... Oh, but you'll want to read the whole book yourself about carnivals, migrant camps, the war, and true love lost and found.
{More about Lucy Come Home}
Fifteen-year-old Cindy worked long days beside her migrant worker family in Michigan's sugar beet fields in the early 1940s -- the "war years" -- until she met a dashing young man from a traveling carnival, bringing some joy and fun into her hard-scrabble life. But a tragic twist of fate -- and a dead field boss-- sent the two young people on the run, leaving behind family and everything she'd ever known.
Lucy Tucker, the crotchety old bag lady from the popular Yada Yada House of Hope series, is a veteran of Chicago streets and not about to give up her independence, even as she approaches her 80th birthday. 
Until, that is, a young displaced woman with her gentle aging mother and a dog named Dandy seem to need her -- unsettling the secretive Lucy, who doesn't let anyone get too close. But just when it seems her past is catching up with her to bring her in out of the cold... Lucy disappears again. How these two tales intersect and intertwine between past and present gradually shines light into the dark corners of Lucy's murky past. But... why won't Lucy come home? Pick up a copy here.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While it is true that this is historical and it is a Christian book, I have to admit that I was quite disappointed in it.  The story is very depressing--that makes it realistic, I guess.  The romance is almost nonexistent.  And I found absolutely no humor in it.  It seems as though it was a myriad of missed opportunities that left me feeling quite unfilled.

I will admit that I found Lucy and Bo fairly delightful characters.  I enjoyed the story between the two of them quite a bit.  I felt for them each time something happened to keep them apart or give them difficulties.  Once in a while, Lucy turned to God on a couple of occasions, but for the most part, she left God out of her life.  I cannot even say that Bo embraced the Lord.

I felt that the message of the book was somewhat lost.  God was always in the background, and I cannot even say for sure that Lucy ultimately turned to God or not--the story seems inconclusive. It made sense that Lucy would blame God for her struggles--after all, man is often guilty of that.  Even Christians have been known to do that. But I would have liked a stronger message.

I was glad that there was no sex (implied but inconclusive) or profanity, so as far as that goes, it is great.  I sometimes grew tired of the constant going back and forth between the 1940's and the present time.  I also wasn't sure about the author's use of point of view (back and forth between first and third person).  But once everything is stripped away, I think I can say the story was solid and well-researched, and that is why it receives a 3-star rating from me.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.




{More about Dave & Neta}

Dave and Neta Jackson are award-winning authors living in the Chicago area where their parallel novels from the Yada Yada House of Hope and Harry Bentley series are set.
As a husband/wife writing team, Dave and Neta Jackson are enthusiastic about books, kids, walking with God, gospel music, and each other! Together they are the authors or coauthors of over 100 books.

Visit http://www.daveneta.com for more info.





If you would like to follow the entire tour, click here.

This Day in History June 30, 1985

I tell you, this had to be orchestrated by God because I could not have timed this any better.  Guess who was born on this date?  Michael Phelps!  Yes, just in time for the Summer Olympics!  He was born on this date in 1985.

I remember Michael Phelps from the last summer Olympics.  In total, he was won 16 medals, and he has broken all sorts of records.  I remember his mother, and I remember how awestruck I was with him.  He is not perfect by any means.  There were allegations concerning performance-enhancing drugs and marijuana use.  I was pleased to discover that he admitted to making bad choices at times but glad that all tests proved negative for steroids or anything like that.

He will competing again this year.  He is older than he once was so he may not be top any more, but he is still one amazing athlete.  I look forward to seeing him compete again this year!



For a lot more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Phelps
http://www.webcitation.org/5sG7LpKho

Friday, June 29, 2012

HOLLYWOOD STORIES: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! Book Review



Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies!
By Stephen Schochet

Genre: Film/History/Humour

Synopsis: At high noon on a cold November day in 1974, sixty-seven-year-old John Wayne faced off with the staff of the Harvard Lampoon on the famous campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The students had issued their challenge by calling the beloved American icon a fraud. Wayne, who had his new movie McQ to promote, responded by saying he would be happy to show his film in the pseudo-intellectual swamps of Harvard Square. After the screening, without writers, the former USC footballer delivered a classic performance. When one smart young man asked where he got his phony toupee, Wayne insisted the hair was real. It wasn't his, but it was real. The appreciative underclassmen loved him and after the Q and A session, they all sat down to dinner. Later Wayne, who was suffering greatly from both gout and the after effects of lung cancer (sadly the Duke only had five years to live), said that day at Harvard was the best time he ever had.

Just when you thought you've heard everything about Hollywood comes a totally original new book -- a special blend of biography, history and lore.

Hollywood Stories is packed with wild, wonderful short tales about famous stars, movies, directors and many others who have been a part of the world's most fascinating, unpredictable industry!
What makes the book unique is that the reader can go to any page and find a completely engaging and illuminating yarn. Sometimes people won't realize that they are reading about The Three Stooges or Popeye the Sailor until they come to the end of the story. The Midwest Book Review says Hollywood Stories is, "packed from cover to cover with fascinating tales."

Full of funny moments and twist endings, Hollywood Stories features an amazing, all-star cast of legendary characters and icons and will keep you totally entertained!





Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and Legends of the Movies!Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and Legends of the Movies! by Stephen Schochet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since I was very young, I have had a fascination with Hollywood--especially old Hollywood.  I used to watch old movies and check out biographies of various actors and actresses I liked.  This was before the days of the internet, and the library files were on paper and in pull-out files.  I had to go through the difficult process of requesting books about these actors/actresses.  I read several books on Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, and Danny Kaye.  I also read about Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, and so much more. Granted, I often didn't understand everything that I was reading, but little facts stuck with me here and there.  I loved being able to watch these old movies with a keen understanding of "behind the scenes" insider knowledge.

When I was offered the chance to review this book, there was no doubt that I wanted to read it.  This book has a massive amount information about Hollywood from various eras (but mostly old Hollywood).  It is organized in chapters/sections that make sense, and each story is no more than a page or two long.  It is quick reading, and I am sure I will go back and review various sections.

I honestly have no criticisms for this book.  The only "profanity" was so extremely mild, and anything that was more than what is acceptable on television was not even written.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that.  It was nice to read about some of these people that I only knew by name, and it was definitely a fun read.  I also appreciate the fact that the author was/is a Hollywood tour guide, and he listed a long list of sources he consulted.  This makes me feel that he researched his topics, and his only purpose is telling stories about Hollywood.  He is not trying to "smear" anyone or hurt them.  He told is as it was, and he did it an easy-to-read style.  For the Hollywood movie buff, this is a definite must-read!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.



View all my reviews





Stephen Schochet



About the Author

Stephen Schochet has worked for over ten years as a tour guide in Los Angeles, collecting literally hundreds of vintage Hollywood Stories to tell to appreciative sightseers. A few years ago he decided to take his tales beyond the tour buses and embarked on several unique and creative entrepreneurial projects.


Tales of Hollywood Audiobook

First came the audiobook Tales Of Hollywood. "The idea was to focus on the origins of how famous things in Hollywood began, and combine it with funny anecdotes about the stars," Schochet says. The background music and sound effects were provided by producer Ivor Francis using orchestrated tunes from APM (Associated Production Music) a Hollywood based company which many filmmakers use for their scores. "Ivor was wonderful in our collaboration. We had very few disagreements as to what music should be used for what stories. He made ninety-nine percent of the choices; once in a while I contributed a suggestion. We were very restrained with sound effects; the goal was never to knock the listener out of the story."


Fascinating Walt Disney Audiobook

Schochet's second project was a two CD set called Fascinating Walt Disney which actually had its roots years before. "I was going to do a another Hollywood CD but it went in a different direction. As a kid who liked to write I had an idea for a Walt Disney play, it never really went anywhere except for the research. When you give tours you get stuck in traffic and you need something to say to the people on your bus. I have always had a great memory for stories, so on different days my customers would hear about how Walt created Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, Snow White etc. Each time I told the Disney tales, I was armed with a little more information so the anecdotes came out better and the idea for the new audiobook came together."
Once again with Ivor Francis and APM, Schochet set out to do his inspiring project. "It was more a lighthearted look at Walt and his creations, than a pure biography. If you mention Alice in Wonderland or Fantasia in a short oral anecdote they are like song hooks. Ivor did a brilliant job with the music, it starts off quiet while Walt is struggling and then picks up steam as he becomes more successful."


Media Interviews

To publicize his two self published audiobooks Schochet began to do radio interviews with hosts from around the Country.



One Minute Radio Feature

Hollywood Stories is his new one minute syndicated feature which is now heard on several stations throught North America. Stephen connected with Victor Ives, CEO of TalkStar who loved the concept. The sixty second segments are written in Los Angeles by Schochet, who then sends them to Producer William Madden in Florida to add music and sound effects. Stephen says, "The listeners will constantly be surprised; sometimes the vignettes are funny, other times they have twist endings. The next story could be about anyone from Charlie Chaplin to Tyra Banks. The only rules about the show are that every tale is resolved in the alloted time, they are all packed with information, and they are told in good taste."
Hollywood Stories Radio Feature Press Release


Speaking Engagements

Hollywood Stories Speaking Engagements provide an additional opportunity for listeners to be transported by Stephen's tales. "I've gotten great reactions from live audiences telling anecdotes about the stars I've met just by giving the tours and going to the places where they hang out." The combination of storytelling delivery and historical knowledge combined with personal encounters with luminaries such as George Burns, Sammy Davis Jr, Gene Hackman and Michael Jackson just to name a few make for a very enjoyable evening for listening groups!

"On behalf of the Palos Verdes Library District, I would like to thank you for a wonderful presentation on February 15th, 2005. Your delightful tales of Hollywood were not only informative but very entertaining as well. The many bursts of laughter from the group would testify to that!"
Jennifer Addington, Adult Programming Librarian, Palos Verdes Library District


Online Articles

After being fortunate enough to acquire the domain name http://www.hollywoodstories.com, Stephen began promoting the site with a series of online articles about Walt Disney and Hollywood articles. "It started with me hiring somebody to write something on my behalf and being very hard to please. I paid them off and then began writing myself. It was a worthwile investment though because I didn't stop with one article." Web masters are free to use the content in exchange for a byline and a link.


Hollywood Plus One Hour Radio Show

Another radio program Stephen is involved with is Hollywood Plus, with veteran co-host Judi Paparelli, also syndicated by TalkStar. "Judi had a great show on the Talk America Network and I was her guest every week. We would find ways to tie current news events to Hollywood; for example during the Republican Convention we did a show on the 1939 movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Broadcast out of the famed Watergate Hotel, the entertaining banter between Judi and Stephen caused members of the Washington Press Corps to stop what they were doing so they could listen. The new show covers a wide variety of subjects. Schochet points out,"We've done episodes on baseball movies, John Wayne, Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and many other topics." This timeless, taped one hour program comes complete with sound bytes from the movies discussed and enough anecdotes and observations that the time breezes by.

 


 

Tours of Hollywood

And of course Stephen remains available for fun Tours of Hollywood!




Check out the official website of the book.
If you would like to read some samples of the book, click here.
Follow the author on facebook, twitter, and goodreads.


This post is brought you by Ever After PR.

This Day in History June 29, 1613




The original Globe Theatre of Shakespearean fame opened in 1599.  It was a 3-story, open-air theatre that could seat 3000 people.  Shakespeare's Julius Caesar was the first play ever performed in the Globe Theatre.  It was located in a rather seedy area of London, but it still attracted the wealthy people of the time period.


It was on this date in 1613 that the Globe Theatre caught on fire during the performance of Henry XII when a stage cannon accidentally sparked the straw roof.  It burned to the ground but was rebuilt a year later.


For more info, please check out:

Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop (Ends 7/5) U.S.

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer


Welcome to the Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Katie @ Mundie Moms
June 29th to July 5th

Okay, I am doing something  little different.  I know I usually reach out to my international readers, but I have done a lot of these in recent months, and I just don't have the funds right now.  I also have an overwhelming amount of books, and I figured I would do something a little different.

I am giving away a mystery box of books.  I am not going to tell you what books I am going to put in there, but the books will be used and varied.  There will be no paranormal books nor any erotic romances.  You can list your favorite genres if you would like, but there are no guarantees.  This will only be open to the U.S. due to shipping costs.

If you would like to enter, please enter the rafflecopter form by July 5 9:00 P.M. Pacific time.  And don't forget to hop on to the other blogs for more chances to win.
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Novel Publicity Present Speculation by Edmund Jorgensen Book Review



About the book:

Andrew Wrangles has a decision to make. His best friend Sothum, a philosophical and financial genius, has just died and left him a choice in his will: ten million dollars or a sealed envelope.
Andrew’s wife Cheryl doesn’t see this as much of a choice. She wants Andrew to take the money, and what little patience she has for his speculating about what could be worth more than ten million dollars is wearing thin very quickly.
But as Andrew digs deeper into the secret life that Sothum lived, he finds more questions than answers. Does the envelope contain the fate of a vanished mutual friend? The answer to a terrible cosmic riddle? The confession to a crime? Is Sothum just playing a final private joke? Or has Andrew become a pawn in a game–a game that Sothum died playing against a bigger opponent than Andrew can imagine?

About the Author:
Edmund Jorgensen was born in Chicago. He studied classical languages and has maintained a love for all things Greek and Roman. He fell in love with his wife in Mexico; they now reside, happily but considerably more chilly, in Watertown, Massachusetts. Edmund is currently hard at work on his second book, a set of interconnected short stories.
Connect with Edmund on his website,  Facebook, Twitter or GoodReads.
Read Chapter One
The Law Offices of X, Y, and Z
By the time Buddy Johnston vanished, his humiliation had become so abject, and so public, that I don’t suppose many people would have been shocked if he had washed up one morning on the banks of the East River with rocks in his pockets and stones in his shoes. But after more than ten years of acquaintance—or friendship, as he and I both charitably called it—I knew Buddy too well to imagine that he could have committed suicide without leaving a note. A note at the very least, and more likely a tract, a manifesto, a complaint in the classical sense and quite possibly in classical meter. He was just the sort of man who could have begun composing a suicide note and so lost himself in admiration of his own prose style and depth of feeling, become so overwhelmed by the pathos of his own situation, that he forgot entirely he had intended to do away with himself. Then he would have published the note in The New Yorker with an introductory remark explaining how writing had “literally saved my life.”
During most of those years of friendship I would have laughed at the suggestion that I would someday feel sorry for Buddy, not only because he had so much that anyone would have envied—the moneyed family, two bestsellers, those famous affairs—but more importantly because I knew deep down that he was a closer friend to Sothum than I was, and someone whom Sothum considered almost an intellectual equal. But Buddy believed that merely by virtue of his being Buddy Johnston he deserved everything he had and more, and the strength of this belief made him unusually vulnerable to the vicissitudes of real life. This belief was the keystone of his model for all order in the world, for justice and rationality, and when fortune gave that stone a few good raps—the mean-spirited coverage of his breakup with Alyssa, the terrible reviews of his second book, the mocking movie adaptation of his first—the structures of Buddy’s ego threatened to come tumbling after.
Although I might have disputed the justice of Buddy’s success, I had no immediate doubts that he would be restored to it quickly. I was sure that he had only gone to ground for a while to lick his wounds and repair the esteem in which he held himself. He lacked neither the funds to support himself meanwhile nor the network of fellow celebrities to shelter him. One of these days he would emerge from another writer’s cabin in the woods clutching a new manuscript; or from some Eastern monastery, decked out in novitiate’s robes and claiming to have seen right through the false fame and fortune to which he would so eagerly return. His big bald head would glare again in the flashbulbs, and his next book—no doubt inspired by his brief experience as a pariah—would be trumpeted as a return to form. He would resume his trips to Boston to visit Sothum one or two weekends each month, and the three of us would again have early Sunday dinners at Huanchen America’s on Beacon Street before Buddy caught the shuttle back to New York. In short, all would return to normal.
But as the months went by Buddy didn’t emerge from a cabin or return from any meditative sojourn. He didn’t wash up on the banks of the Hudson either, or the Charles, or the Ganges. He didn’t turn up anywhere, though eventually there were quite a few people looking for him. There were publishers looking to give him money and tax men looking to take it away. There were journalists looking to scoop his story and women looking to tell him off or to console him. After a while there were detectives hot for evidence of foul play. And eventually I joined the search party myself, hoping against hope to disprove my growing suspicion that Sothum had somehow been involved in Buddy’s disappearance.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I will admit that when I began reading this, I figured I would not like it.  It is not my typical genre, and I figured it would be rampant with sex scenes and profanity.  Was I ever wrong!

First of all, no sex scenes and limited profanity.  I was halfway through the book before profanity even reared its ugly head, and I could live with it.  It did not ruin the story for me.

The style and story of this book drew me in from the beginning.  I could not put it down.  Imagine being left a choice as part of a friend's will--the choice between a sure thing and a risky thing.  Andrew (the narrator and main character in the story) really finds himself in a quandary.  I won't tell you how it ends--no spoilers here.

The thing I appreciated the most in this book was the high level of writing.  It was very literary, and the author dealt with philosophical and mathematical concepts I could not even conceive.  It is not an easy read, but it is worthwhile and engrossing.  God even figures into the story--again, no spoilers!

I gave this book a five star rating because I honestly could not put it down.  I told my mom and my daughter (who is 9) about it, and both of them encouraged me to continue reading so they could know how it ends.  I was fascinated with the ending.  Just to warn you, there will be unanswered questions, but I feel the book ends the way it should.  If you are in the market for something a little bit different, and you enjoy mysteries, this is a book for you!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

View all my reviews


As I have been reading some of the reviews of this book, I have noticed that sometimes people found this too philosophical or did not agree with the philosophy of the book.  Let me speak to that just because it raises some issues.


I was most intrigued on the debate concerning the existence of God.  I do not want to give anything away, but I did not agree with the ultimate conclusion of Sothum, Andrew's friend.  I was intrigued that the discussion centered around whether God could be proven philosophically.  Even though this book challenges the notion of God and I could have been highly offended, I was not.  I think it is good to read things that challenge my Christian beliefs.  And the entire debate and outcome thoroughly captured my interest.  And I enjoy it immensely when a secular book deals with the existence of God.  Atheism and agnosticism are so rampant today that this book was a refreshing read.




Want to win a copy of the book or an Amazon gift certificate?  Check out the soon-to-end giveaway!

Novel Publicity Blog Tour Notes:


Wanna win a $50 gift card or an autographed copy of Speculation? Well, there are two ways to enter...

  1. Leave a comment on my blog. One random commenter during this tour will win a $50 gift card. For the full list of participating blogs, visit the official Speculation tour page.
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest! I've posted the contest form below, or you can enter on the tour page linked above.



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Thursday, June 28, 2012

$50 Dealwagger.com Gift Card Giveaway (Ends 7/2) U.S.

 U.S.



Ready for some fun?

It’s time for the last FLASH GIVEAWAY for the Month of June!!!

I've joined some super awesome bloggers and hosts My Crafty Life and Full Price? Never! to bring you this cool flash giveaway for a $50 Dealwagger.com Gift Card!


Dealwagger.com has awesome pet products like the Pet Loo and Earth Rated Poop Bags



You can also sign up for Dealwagger.com's Email list!

You will get e-mails that included educational blogs, free resources, information about local events and charity opportunities across the country, discounts to local pet-friendly businesses in addition to so much more!






Entering is simple on the Rafflecopter form below.

This giveaway starts at 12:01am est on the 29th of June and ends at 11:59pm est on July 2nd 2012.
We will be tweeting at #SOFGiveaways all this month, come join us!
GOOD LUCK!
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The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with Dealwagger.com. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received.** This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.** To qualify to win, you must fill out the Entry. Winners will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond. This giveaway is compliant with Facebook Rules! Must be aged 18+ to enter and win. Prize can only be mailed within the Continental US.



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

This Day in History June 28, 1976


Kind of interesting feature today.  It was on this date i n 1976, that the first women were admitted to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.  There was a total of 157 women, and in 1980, 97 of those women graduated.  

I find it interesting that it took so long for this sort of thing to occur.  But then again, women in the military is something that is still not widely promoted.  I know when I think of military, I think of men, not women.  Even I am influenced by the stereotypes.



For more information, please check out:

One Bath and Body Prize Pack Giveaway--3 winners! (Ends 7/12) U.S./Canada

ONE bath and body takes eco-conscious to the next level, uniting superior natural ingredients and recyclable packaging to offer genuinely earth-friendly products. From pampering bath formulas to nourishing moisturizers, the entire collection is infused with rich essential oils, natural butters and delicate fragrance, energizing the mind and body with quality natural ingredients.

While some green brands stop at natural ingredients, ONE goes beyond healthy formulations by housing the collection in eco-conscious packaging. Because most recycling centers wont accept used plastic lotion and shampoo bottles that take over 1,000 years to biodegrade ONE exclusively packages its unprecedented collection in recyclable cardboard cartons and tins, housing nourishing, natural products in equally planet-friendly containers.
Review done by DonnasDealsAndMore

Donna had the opportunity to try the One product line, and she absolutely fell in love with it. The soap is fantastic! It smells so good!! Not only is it 98% natural, but it is 100% safe for our planet! Her other favorites from their line are the Shea Body Butter and the Lip Butter Balm. She says she find these amazing as well. The body butter leaves her skin feeling so soft without the greasiness so many lotions leave behind.  Her lips stay soft with the butter balm.

To purchase your One products head HERE

Three lucky readers will get to choose their favorite 3 products to try!

*Open to US and Canada, 18 years or older
*Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. My Devotional Thoughts is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Bee-Free Honee Giveaway (Ends 7/12) WW



Bee-Free Honee is made with three ingredients: apples, beet sugar), and lemon juice. There is only as much sugar in the product as is needed to achieve the viscosity of traditional honey, it is 80% apple based. Bee-Free Honee is safe for those allergic to traditional honey, as well as being all natural and vegan.
Review done by DonnasDealsAndMore

My blogger friend, Donna, and her family had the opportunity to try out Bee-Free Honee. She says it is  delicious, and I am inclined to believe her!! According to her, it tastes like apple honey and goes excellent in oatmeal! She also loves that it tastes so much like regular honey. It is also great with peanut butter and as an alternative for syrup! It is made in Minnesota and they use only midwest apples.
This honee is great for:
  • Vegans
  • Small Children (no fear of botulism)
  • Those allergic to traditional honey
  • Foodies looking for a new flavor
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Tuesday's Child Guest Post by Author Jeannette Baker



TUESDAY’s  CHILD – the Muse

I discovered Georgette Heyer when I was 18 years old and subsequently fell in love with England’s Regency and Georgian periods. It was during my first visit to London in 1971 that I found THESE OLD SHADES, still one of my favorite novels. I spent the rest of my trip with my nose in one after another of Heyer’s wonderful books.
I’ve always been a reader, happy to spend long hours curled up in a chair mentally transplanted to other eras, other worlds. My mother’s aunt, a woman who disliked children on principle, made a practice of inviting me for a portion of every summer because I could be counted on to remain invisible as long as I had a book in hand. For the longest time I wasn’t loyal to a particular genre. I read Ray Bradbury and Theodore Taylor with the same enjoyment as C.S. Lewis and Judy Blume. In high school I graduated to the Bronte sisters, Alan Paton and Tolkien.  Now, as an adult, free to choose my own reading material, I gravitate toward Anna Quindlen and Joan Didion, but it was Georgette Heyer and her brilliant depictions of “the Ton” that drew me back again and again to that narrow world of rigid class mores, scintillating dialogue and those brave heroines who defied the social order even if ever so slightly. The inevitable happy ending gave me confidence that my read would be a satisfying one.
TUESDAY’S CHILD was inspired by Georgette Heyer, a woman who ordered pancakes and maple syrup for dessert and who scribbled plot points on napkins. Because of her, I was called to write about glittering galas, Almacks, first seasons, gaming, riding in Hyde Park and the brittle, stiletto-like ripostes of men and women  born to excessive wealth and privilege.
Even more, I wanted to expose the differences between England’s upper class, 200 families who dictated behavior and dominated the politics of their generation, and America, a land of colonists who believed that “earning ones fortune” was preferable to inheriting it. I wanted the conflict to be as strong as possible. What could be stronger than a staunch American Federalist, the newlywed daughter-in-law of a United States Senator, a war hawk whose son had been impressed by the British navy, and an English duke, Wellington’s confidante, recently returned from Waterloo due to a war injury, unwillingly enlisted to find the missing son and husband all taking place on the eve of the War of 1812.
               Unlike Heyer’s novels and the earlier Regencies, TUESDAY’S CHILD is extremely sensual. It is a love story that stretches the limits of marriage, of betrayal, of reconciliation and redefines the meaning of loyalty.  Although I’ve published 16 novels, TUESDAY’S CHILD is my first American historical, the first of two. If you enjoy it, please consider THE RECKONING, a Last of the Mohicans-type story.

Visit me at Jeanettebaker.com
Jeanette Baker - Facebook

If you would like to read my review from yesterday, click here.

Reading Addiction Blog Tours Host Blog Hop--My Favorite!

Reading Addiction Blog Tours



Well, I finally decided to participate in the RABT blog hop.  I have not been with this company much yet, but I can easily post my favorite book so far.

Synopsis:
indsey, a high school freshman, views her new school as a place to start over. With the help of her friends, she hopes that a change in her wardrobe will prompt a change in her image. She has some success until her long-time nemesis, Avery, reminds Lindsey of her place. Without asking for help from the adults, the main character and her friends struggle to manage the bullying. Despite their efforts, tensions rise, and people get hurt.

Back cover:
Incoming freshman, Lindsey Ames, wants to take Italian, and she wants to join the National Honor Society.
She wants a new image, and she wants better clothes.
She wants Avery to stop tormenting her, and she wants Marco to ask her out.
She wants Jocelyn to go away, but she wants Grouper to be happy.
She wants to save Teeny's reputation, but she doesn't want to lose everything.
Will Lindsey find the courage to stand up to her enemies before it's too late?



You can find my review here.

I don't honestly have a most anticipated yet.  Not that I am not looking forward to books--I am!  I just have so much on my plate right now that I honestly don't know!!

Check out more of the tour hosts below:

Another Blogger Opportunity! Sign Up Now for the $500 39dollar Glasses Giveaway1

Moms with Voices Media ~ Calling all bloggers please join us in a huge $500 Family Pack Giveaway sponsored by 39dollarglasses.com!


You want to sign up for this--I promise you do.  Because I am always on the lookout for these kinds of events, I continue to grow my facebook and twitter accounts.  I can safely say now that my blog has enough traffic that normally it speaks for itself when I contact companies.  And I have to say that these kinds of events are part of the reason.


Your first entry is free if you create an announcement post about the event.  More details can be found here, and you can sign up on that same page.  Hurry!  The sign-ups close July 11!

This Day in History June 27, 1844

I found today's feature interesting.  I have met many Mormons in my life (of course, there will be a Mormon running for president this year), but I know virtually nothing about Mormon history.  I know who Joseph Smith is, but I learned about his death this morning.

I had no idea how much "trouble" Joseph Smith and his teachings caused.  He excommunicated his closest associates who were taking exception with many of the things he was doing.  That group formed a competing church and brought all sorts of accusations against him.  They published a newspaper against him, and the newspaper was disbanded.  Real problems resulted in Joseph and his brother being placed in prison for treason against Illinois (give me a break--treason??).

On this date in 1844, a mob with blackened faces stormed the jail and killed them.  His brother was shot in the face and instantly died.  Joseph tried to defend himself, but he fled to the window.  He was shot multiple times before falling to his death.  Sadly, five men were tried for his death and acquitted.

Even though I do not subscribe to the Mormon faith, I think what was done in this case defies justice.  It is wrong in every sense of the word, and it angers me that men were acquitted in his murder.  I just don't get it! What travesty!  But as my mom commented, they would probably have been acquitted today as well.

Enough of my ranting and raving.  For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Smith
http://josephsmith.net/josephsmith/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=041579179acbff00VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0
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