Monday, October 17, 2011

Interview with Anna Deskins


Your children's book, The Adventures of Smitty looks magically. Tell us about it.
It's the story of a magical island of little creatures called Smilies and the mischievous little main character, Smitty. He's such a naughty boy. Haha!  All the moms and kids I've shared it with have been giving me such a wonderful reaction. I cannot believe it.  I have to tell you how excited I am to finally have a life-long dream come true. Writing The Adventures of Smitty was really about finding a story that I would want to read to my children at night. It has to be exciting but not scary so that my two daughters can go to sleep.  Basically, I was looking for that perfect blend to read to my kids at night and decided, "Why not try writing my own?"
We've had a lot of changes in our life recently, so I want to make sure that when I put my daughters to sleep that they feel safe.  I have short chapters because I know how busy we moms are but if you can just sacrifice 5 minutes at night reading to your kids, it makes a world of difference.  Your kids will never forget it. And although we're running around the whirlwind of life, our kids grow up so fast, and that time that we'd rather finish watching what happened in our favorite soap opera instead of reading to our kids will never come again.  I hope that The Adventures of Smitty and books like it help moms do exactly that.

And it's only 99 cents this week. That's what I love about it. Now, You are recently divorced. How have you been able to continue writing when going through such a change?
Yes, it is by far one of the most challenging points in my life. To see a marriage you thought would last forever to not last forever was difficult for the two of us. I really learned a lot about myself and most importantly, it's brought me closer to my daughters.  I think that's what really motivated me to finish this children's book no matter what. When you're going through changes in your life like this, you need something to hold on to. There's a part of you that wants to prove that you can make it, that you will be a success even if it's not with the partner you originally imagined building a life with.  I had to keep writing, for my kids. I want to show them that they have to keep strong, no matter what.
We as women, as moms really need to stick together to support each other and our dreams. We're living in an age when I think we're finally realizing, although we want love, the men in our life aren't the answer to everything. We have to stand up on our own two feet and keep going. True love will happen, but until then, we have to keep moving forward. Our children depend on us and we depend on us.

In addition to being a children's book author, you're also a small business owner. How do you juggle taking care of two daughters and at the same time running a business?
Yes, I am a fashion designer and have a retail store. Any type of creativity is what I'm passionate about. That's why writing The Adventures of Smitty was so important to me. Let me tell you, running a small business in today's economy isn't easy especially when raising two girls at the same time. But somehow, it seems someone's watching over me because my dreams are coming true no matter what. To have that many moms glowing about my children's book, means so much to me. And I know my girls are proud.

When do you ever have time to write?
You mean, in between laundry, running a business, chasing my girls around the house, cleaning the house, and flying back and forth from Miami to New York? Haha? That's one thing I've learned, when you really want to do something, you find a way. Things fall into place if you just go for it and that's what I want to encourage all the moms who are reading this right now. Whatever your goal is, you can do it. Don't let the challenges in your personal life stop you from going for your dreams.  Just go for it and it's almost magical how things fall into place.

Where can we get a copy of "The Adventures of Smitty"?
Right now, it's available online by going to: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94655 You can also visit my website:http://www.AnnaDeskins.com where you can read more about my writing process, my recommendations for other books and my own adventures in Mommyhood.
I'm so grateful for your support and the support I'm getting from so many wonderful moms who dream of writing children's books one day too. Writing The Adventures of Smitty has been such an emotional experience for me, a true journey as I was going through so many changes while writing it. It's truly been a blessing in my life. It, along with my daughters, and that guy upstairs have really pulled me through a challenging time.

Thanks for the interview, Anna. 

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Review - Baby, It's Cold Outside & Kindle Fire Giveaway!






Baby, It’s Cold Outside
BY: Susan May Warren
PUBLISHED BY: Summerside Press
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60936-215-7
Pages: 313
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

 Dottie Morgan does not celebrate Christmas anymore.  Her only son had died during WWII and she has no family left. Dottie’s friend/co-worker Violet, who is grieving over her fiancé’s death, shows up at door as a snowstorm hits Frost, Minnesota. A mystery man ends up at Dottie’s house, along with her neighbor. She would rather spend the holidays by herself, but must make the best out an awkward situation.

I found it odd that I was reading a Christmas novel in October, but I found the novel charming and witty at times. I liked that the story is set in a small town, which I can relate to. The characters in Baby, It’s Cold Outside are grieving over lost loved ones and are struggling with the holiday season. I found the book funny and heartwarming. I can easily see this as a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie in the near future. It is a great read.

*I would like to thank LitFuse for sending me a copy to review. 


About the Author:


Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.


Link to buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1609362152/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=sprightly-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1609362152&adid=1W6V46X88E4D79FGRNE1


Blog tour schedule: (please include the link to the blog tour post in your review: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13433361)




Baby, It’s Cold Outside – warm up with a Kindle Fire from Susan May Warren


Warm up to Chrismtas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.


One festive winner will receive:
  • A brand new Kindle Fire
  • Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Review - When Monsters Get Lonely





When Monsters Get Lonely
BY: Maha Huneidi
ILLUSTRATED BY: Karen McDonald
PUBLISHED BY: CreateSpace
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 9781461063070
Pages: 32
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Hannah shivers as she clings to her bed covers in “When Monsters Get Lonely”.  She’s afraid when her mother shuts off the light, the monster under the bed will come for her. Everything is fine when she leaves the lamp on, but there is a sudden blackout. Her parents and grandma explain to here that there are no such thing as monsters. Hannah is still scared as she returns to her room, but is ready to confront her monster.

I recall being afraid of monsters under the bed and the boogeyman in the closet when I was a kid. In “When Monsters Get Lonely” young Hannah, who wants to be a film director, is afraid of the creature that comes out when the lights go out. Young readers will be able to relate to Hannah and her situation as she bravely confronts her fears. The illustrations are wonderfully drawn, and at times the drawings are a little spooky. It  is a great read for kids, especially with Halloween just around the corner.



GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

1 copy of When Monsters Get Lonely
Open to followers of this blog with a US mailing address
Ends October 30, 2011

(+2) Old GFC Followers
(+1) New GFC Followers
(+1) Each for Twittering, Facebook Share/Like, or Google Buzz/+1 this post
(+3) For "Like" my Facebook page, following on Twitter, Shelfari, or Goodreads.


You must leave a comment to enter.


Your comment should also include any of the above actions for additional entries and your email (EXAMPLE: coffeeramblings AT hotmail.com)

The winner will be announced in a seperate post on Halloween!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

DVD Review - Tae Bo Power

Unplanned, and at the last minute, I hopped over to my local Walmart. For some odd reason I glanced at the fitness section and there staring back at me was Billy Blanks. Not the real one. LOL. He was on the front cover of what I thought was the new DVD, which actually it was a cardboard box containing the new Taebo Power DVD and a pair of adjustable weighted gloves. I had to laugh and inspected the box as I had just ordered a pair of Everlast weighted gloves from an Ebay seller the night before. I glanced at the price and it was under $17 which wasn't bad considering that one exercise DVD cost at least $9, but this had the gloves. I was already aware that Tae Bo Power was being released, along with Cardio Explosion, on December 6. I'm not for sure if Walmart released this DVD early, or if the DVD/Glove set came out recently. It doesn't matter as I now have a new workout.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Review - The Wonder of Your Love


The Wonder of Your Love
BY: Beth Wiseman
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59554-886-3
Pages: 294
Reviewed by Billy Burgess


Set in the small Amish community of Canaan, Colorado, a recent widow Katie Ann Stoltzfus struggles to raise her baby, Jonas. Prior to her husband, Ivan, death, Ivan had left Katie for an English woman, Lucy Turner. Katie receives a letter from Lucy, just before Katie meets Eli Detweiler at a wedding. Eli is also a widower, has been several years. He’s come to Colorado for a long, much-needed vacation. All of his children are now grown, and a few even have children of their own. Eli is enjoying the simple life, but that changes when he meets Katie. There is an instant attraction between the two. Katie is still grieving over her husbands affair, and now has a wonderful baby to raise, while Eli is done with raising a family. As their friendship gets closer, they both wonder if God has other plans for them.

The Wonder of Your Love is a fast, clean-cut, romantic tale. I was instantly emotionally connect to Katie Anne by the end of the first chapter. Amish people live in a small religious community, but they have problems just like everyone else. In this case, Katie’s husband was having affair with an English woman and eventually left Katie for Lucy.  I’m a fan of Amish fiction and I was surprised by this little twist, but the plot kept me flipping through the pages. I recommend the book to all readers.

*I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for sending me a copy to review.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Review & Giveaway - The Night Circus


The Night Circus
BY: Erin Morgenstern
PUBLISHED BY: Doubleday
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-385-53463-5
Pages: 387
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Over the past few months there has been a lot a buzz over the debut novel of Erin Morgenstern. I was delighted and honored to receive a review copy from Doubleday. When I removed the book from the packaging, the enchanting cover dazzled me. After I finished reading another book, I picked up The Night Circus and entered into a new magical world that I have never seen before. As I began reading, I couldn’t help but think of the book Something Wicked This Way Come by Ray Bradbury, where a mysterious night circus suddenly appears. Obviously the author is heavily influenced on old fairy tales. The descriptions are written in such detail that I could imagine being right there in circus tent, even breathing in the air.

Despite all the hype, I think the book was somewhat flat in places, especially at the beginning, where there was too much telling and not enough showing. The second  half of the book is written better and is more intriguing to read. The love story between the two illusionists is realistically written, but there was just something missing from the characters - not enough depth to them. However, I did enjoy the Burgess sisters. The Night Circus does have originality to it, but it is not flawless as critics have observed. It is a decent debut novel, full of magical descriptions and a refreshing plot. I look forward to Erin Morgenstern’s next novel.

*I would like to thank Doubleday for sending me a copy to review.





GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

2 copies of The Night Circus courtesy of Doubleday. 
Open to followers of this blog with a US mailing address
Ends October 13, 2011

(+2) Old GFC Followers
(+1) New GFC Followers
(+1) Each for Twittering, Facebook Share/Like, or Google Buzz/+1 this post
(+3) For "Like" my Facebook page, following on Twitter, Shelfari, or Goodreads.


You must leave a comment to enter.


Your comment should also include any of the above actions for additional entries and your email (EXAMPLE: coffeeramblings AT hotmail.com)

The two winners will be announced in a seperate post on October 14, 2011.




CymLowell

Review - The Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins




The Betrayal
BY: Jerry B. Jenkins
PUBLISHED BY: Tyndale
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4143-0908-8
Pages: 290
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

I’m a fan of Jerry B. Jenkins novels, but I didn’t like his pervious precinct novel, so I hesitated before signing up to review an ARC copy of The Betrayal. I’m glad that I did, as The Betrayal is major improvement over his last novel.  This time around Detective Boone Drake is recovering from bringing down the biggest street gangs in Chicago history. After a near-fatal attempt on a witness, Detective Boone must unravel the mystery. Someone inside the Chicago Police Department has leaked information to the shooter. Detective Boone doesn’t know who to trust as he tries to protect the witness.

The Betrayal is an intense, fast read from the very first page until the very ending, but that’s not to say there aren’t a few problems. Midway through the novel, the plot does get a little predictable. Despite this, I was still able to enjoy the book. A must read for mystery lovers.

* I would like to thank Tyndale for sending me a copy to review.