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Monday, December 28, 2015

Blog Tour: A Hero Grinch For Christmas by @samanthyawyatt #review



Contemporary Romance / Christmas
Date Published: December 10, 2015


Dani will not allow The Grinch to hide from Christ­mas. She will cure Hunter of his nasty mood, even if it kills her. But who will save her from his pas­sion­ate kisses.

War hero, Hunter Gra­ham, has seen enough dev­as­ta­tion to last a life­time. At the end of his lat­est Army term, he accepted his dis­charge papers and never looked back. His uncle’s home is tucked away in the majes­tic moun­tains, a per­fect place for him to hide from Christ­mas and his own mem­o­ries. But he can’t hide from the delec­table Dani. The last thing he needs is a female in his life. But this one has the face of an angel and eyes you can drown in.
Dani Wimer left the Col­orado moun­tains and relo­cated in the bright lights of New York City. Every Decem­ber she returns to the vil­lage of Wyattsville. When a hunky mil­i­tary guy enters her aunt’s shoppe, he seems lost and angry. His scowl is intim­i­dat­ing, but that doesn’t bother the spunky girl who cel­e­brates the hol­i­days like it’s Christ­mas every day. She decides to put a smile on his Grinch face and ends up los­ing her heart in a pas­sion­ate whirlwind.


Purchase Links


The One And Only Series on Amazon:          

Review
Dani is a very real person in this story. I think that she is genuine and the things she has been through really make her relatable to a reader.

My favorite thing about this book is that it was uplifting and one surprise after another. It really kept me on my toes and captivated by their story.


A wonderfully written Romance that unfolded effortlessly.


Samanthya lives with her husband in the Shenandoah Valley. She left her accounting career and married a military man traveling and making her home in the United States and abroad. Once she found historical romance novels, she couldn’t put a book down. She fell in love with the characters and needed to know their happy ending.
One day she put words to paper creating a story of her own. The more she wrote, the more she became involved with the characters, and they seemed to take a life of their own. She relishes the challenge of penning a story with strong characters, a bit of humor, and active scenes while creating new characters and bringing them together in a romantic tale. It took years of writing, joining RWA, joining chapters, entering contests, submissions & rejections which created the author she is today. By keeping her spirit and turning criticism into drive she has achieved her career as a published romance author.


Contact Links
Twitter: Samanthya Wyatt @samanthyawyatt



Sunday, December 27, 2015

Blog Tour: Gracie, Dead or Alive by @sofiadianagabel #review



Paranormal Romance
Date Published: September 15, 2015


A story of the living, the undead, magic, betrayal, love, more betrayal, and blueberry pancakes. Gracie Daniels has it all. She’s young, pretty, in love and about to graduate from the University of Southern California, but her world is turned upside down when she wakes up, dead, in the morgue. But that’s only the beginning of Gracie’s new undead life. She has to learn to survive impending decomposition from a Wiccan spell that went wrong and numerous betrayals, all while searching for a mysterious alchemical spell book. Then along comes handsome Troy Scott. How can Gracie balance being dead and falling in love? It would be easier to give up, but that’s not Gracie.


Purchase Links



Review 

I think this book is original. That pretty much sums it up for me. Its New Adult, Its Paranormal,  its got a little bit of everything and is perfect for the reader who isn't sure what they want to read next. 

While the characters are well developed for the most part, I did find myself often wondering about their age. They seemed a little younger than they should have been. That was kind of confusing at times.  


Sofia Diana Gabel is a multi-genre fiction writer who was born in Sydney, Australia, but is now living in the United States with her family. With degrees in environmental science and archaeology, she enjoys being out in nature when she's not glued to her desk writing or researching a new story idea. Writing is a true passion of hers, born from a love of the written word that can transport the reader to different places or worlds and deliver them back to reality, safe and sound.

Contact Information
Twitter: @sofiadianagabel     



Wednesday, December 23, 2015

PROMO Blitz: The Modern Mughal Mentality by @afshanhashmi



Non Fiction / Business
Date Published: June 22, 2015

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The Modern Mughal Mentality  transforms hardships and difficulties into success stories by introducing the Jugaad Management Principle Business Model, which can be applied to any business, anywhere.

For the purpose of this book, the term Jugaad will be defined as “obtaining your objectives by maximizing resources through thinking out of the box.”

Following this new business model will inspire all types of companies around the world, no matter how big or small, to create innovative mentalities, products, and strategies. The Modern Mughal Mentality  reveals ways in which companies everywhere can benefit from this new business model.

It also reveals ways in which western companies can learn to be successful in India.  Executives of multi-national corporations, government officials, and even American and global small business owners who have no plans to do business in India will benefit from the innovative and revolutionary approach to maximizing resources that The Modern Mughal Mentality delivers.

Multi-sector success stories illustrate the various components of the Jugaad Management Principle Business Model. Specific questions in the “Modern Mughal Mentality Exercises” at the end will guide the reader through putting the Jugaad Management Principle Business Model to work for their business.

Implementing the model can lead to increased profit, maximized resources, and a more efficient way of dealing with today’s turbulent economy. The Modern Mughal Mentality also identifies international opportunities in various industries – providing practical solutions to take the guesswork out of the equation.

The Modern Mughal Mentality’s  four chapters reveal how the same mentality, which has enabled India to enjoy economic success in today’s turbulent times can radically transform any business. The Jugaad Management Principle Business Model can be used to maximize resources and increase profitability in many sectors.  Success stories, important lessons to remember, and opportunities for growth in both India and around the world are given. The “Modern Mughal Mentality Exercises” at the end leads the reader to think creatively and use The Modern Mughal Mentality  to create innovative and cost-effective solutions to problems on their own. Regardless of where the reader lives, or what type of business they run, they will be able to improve their bottom line by implementing these changes.

Photo galleries of magical moments that led to the birth of The Modern Mughal Mentality give the readers of my book
an opportunity to see some of my special moments and provide them another unique way to connect to this book.



https://youtu.be/g6wuWDCar6U



About the Author


Dr. Afshan Naheed Hashmi was born in India and educated both in India and USA. She now lives in Rockville, Maryland, USA.

Dr. Hashmi is an author, award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, educator, and a book, movie, make-up and beauty products reviewer, film critic and Radio and TV show host, a successful regulatory and business development and scientific professional with more than a decade of experience.

She specializes in making innovative and value creation market entry strategies for companies looking to enter India. She also lectures and delivers seminars on “Doing Business in India,” including culture training. An awardwinning entrepreneur, Dr. Hashmi has coordinated meetings and accommodations for U.S. business delegations in India. She has facilitated the introduction of U.S. businesses to potential U.S. and international partners, and viceversa. Dr. Hashmi maintains an extensive professional network that is required to launch initiatives especially in the U.S., India, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain.

Currently every month she delivers lectures on India's various aspects to a very large audience. Dr. Afshan Naheed Hashmi has an amazingly diverse career with extensive media experience. She is very popular in India, and many newspapers in India in English, Hindi, and Urdu having written about her including, "The Hindu", "Hindustan Times", and "The Indian Express" to name a few ( (drafshanhashmi.com/id16.html ).She has also appeared on major television channels in India and on TV Asia in the USA.



 Dr.Hashmi has had a total reach of over one billion people worldwide via print, TV, and online. Dr. Hashmi is the author of two blogs,”India Business Innovations”

( indiabusinessinnovations.wordpress.com) and “Connecting with the Dignitaries”


She has authored numerous scientific reports, and has also written and presented various papers on the subject of biochemistry and molecular biology.

With years of experience as a business development, regulatory, and scientific professional, Dr. Hashmi’s  wide experience base enables her to offer strategically sound advice in many business sectors. While working with clients on improving profitability, Dr. Hashmi was able to experience the powerful impact that the new business model revealed in The Modern Mughal Mentality  firsthand. She has written articles and or comments for The Huffington Post, Elle India, Elle, Glamour, Forbes India, Harvard Business Review, Elle UK,  Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, The Chew Show website, TNW Blog


Dr. Hashmi’s popular lectures range in topics and include everything from improving profitability in the international business to international cuisine and culture. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with others.

Dr. Hashmi had founded Global Regulatory and Business Solutions, LLC as President, and has provided operations management, business development, market entry strategies for India and Qatar, and regulatory affairs expertise.

Prior to opening her own business, she was the primary company liaison to companies located in Asia and U.S. as the consulting liaison for ToxLogic LLC, and supported companies’ business development activities by communicating orally and in writing with potential clients and providing regulatory strategic planning and advice. She has traveled internationally to support business development and to give oral presentations to diverse audiences. She has been invited as a guest faculty by a very prestigious university in India to introduce and teach U.S. Regulatory Affairs and its relation to the business of Biotechnology via online classes. Dr. Hashmi is currently working on the curriculum for this online class. Dr. Hashmi successfully collaborated with a client to gather information to support filing of a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application to allow the client to file for a patent in multiple countries simultaneously. Reviewed scientific portion of application used this information to then help client develop licensing agreement to distribute a new technology. She has also provided entrepreneurship training.           

Dr. Hashmi earned a PhD Biochemistry from Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh(UP) India, 1991,  M.Phil Biochemistry,(a prePhD requirement), 1988, M.Sc. Biochemistry,1985 and a B.S. (Honors) Chemistry,1983. She was also educated at Johns Hopkins University in Regulatory Affairs in the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Advanced Academic Programs, Department of Biotechnology. Coursework: Regulatory Processes for Domestic and Global Biotechnology Products and University of Maryland (Baltimore), School of Medicine, Department of Medical and Research Technology Categorical Course in Clinical Chemistry, 1997.

Dr.Hashmi earned a certification from American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Technologist in Chemistry. She is also Regulatory Affairs Certified (RAC) US and has extensive experience with scientific research and publication as well as an indepth knowledge of regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Dr. Hashmi has evaluated outsourcing opportunities for clinical trials and manufacturing, conducted scientific literature reviews, and analyzed research data, and prepared press releases and other marketing materials. Dr. Hashmi worked also as Research Associate at Human Genome Sciences, Inc., Rockville, Maryland; Medical Technologist in Rapid Response Laboratory at University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD; Public Health Scientist at Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Laboratories Administration, Baltimore, MD; Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Physiology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; and as Research Assistant, University of Maryland Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD. She is also a member of The American Society for Clinical Pathology(ASCP); member of Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society( RAPS) and member of Maryland Writers' Association(MWA).



        Dr. Hashmi is a recipient of the Ibn Sina Public Health Award  in recognition of her contributions in the field of Public Health Science and Entrepreneurship from the AIDS Cell of the Ibn Sînâ Academy of Medieval Medicine & Sciences, Aligarh, (UP),India. She also received an Award of Excellence by AMU Ladies Club, Aligarh, (UP), India.

On April 14, 2008, her company, Global Regulatory and Business Solutions, LLC, was awarded the Certificate of Appreciation by the County Executive,The Honorable Isiah Leggett of Montgomery County in recognition and appreciation for being one of Montgomery County’s outstanding companies chosen for visits during Business Appreciation Week. Also on April 14, 2008 another Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Dr. Afshan Naheed Hashmi’s company, Global Regulatory and Business Solutions, LLC, by the Mayor of the City of Rockville, The Honorable Susan Hoffmann and Executive Director of Rockville Economic Development, Inc., Sally Sternbach in recognition of company’s contributions to Rockville’s economy and participation in Rockville Business Appreciation Week, April 1418, 2008.

She was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation on March 10, 2008 by the County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland, The Honorable Isiah Leggett, for serving as a member of Montgomery County’s November 2007 business mission to India.

She was also awarded Junior and Senior Research Fellowships by the Indian Council of Medical Research, May 1987 to November 1991. Dr. Hashmi was awarded an Aligarh Muslim University Medal for earning the First Position in the M.Sc. Biochemistry Program as well as the Science Merit Scholarship as a result of a written competitive test for the academic session 19831985. A scholarship was given for the pursuit of a twoyear M.Sc. biochemistry program.

           

Dr. Hashmi loves to promote authors and artists, and through videoconferencing she interviews authors and artists and then shares these interviews on various social media platforms. She runs a book club on Goodreads and Twitter called Afshan Hashmi's Online Book Club, which takes its members on an innovative, inspiring, and intellectual journey. The book club is also called Afshan's Stylish and Glam Reading Corner, launched on 20 April 2014. In the book club she also reviews books. She has also created Hashtag #drafshanglambookclub to have a very stimulating and interactive discussion in her book club. Dr. Hashmi reviews books, movies, beauty, and make-up products on Amazon and Goodreads (books only) websites. Also she reviews books, movies, beauty, and make-up products via audio and video podcasts on her  Youtube channel, internet radio and TV shows. A hashtag has been created #The Modern Mughal Mentality  as well as a  blog by this name, to have interactive discussions about the The Modern Mughal Mentality book online. Various other hashtags have been created to have stimulating discussions. These hashtags are #askdrafshan,  #americaindiaexpert and # AMUtalk.




Contact Information

Purchase Links


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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Blog Tour: All We Really Need Is Love by @MainlineLeRon #review #giveway



Non Fiction / Dating / Romance
Date Published: 11/2/2015

All We Really Need Is Love ponders the questions: How is love found, how love is kept, How love is lost, and How love is found again. In this book you will read stories from people in all walks of life in all different types of relationships – straight, LGBTQ, interracial, long distance, and more. Listen as a teenager shares the excitement of a first love, the nervousness of a long time boyfriend proposing to his girlfriend, a determined woman traveling thousands of miles to be with that special someone, and when a young man realizes he met his soul mate. Love is not all roses though, as the book explores why relationships break apart with stories of betrayal, divorce, and heartache. All We Really Need Is Love offers an honest look into relationships and how people feel about love.




Purchase Link
Review 


An insightful look into the world of Love and Dating. What kinds of things hinder relationships? What problems do real couples have? How do you handle them? I think this was a great way to really evaluate yourself, your relationship, and how you handle things in general.



LeRon Barton (1978 – ) was born in Kansas City, Mo. Encouraged by his Mother to write, he attended Paseo Academy Fine Arts High-school to hone his craft. Mentored by famed writer Stan Banks, Barton began to write and recite poetry in KC and contribute to an underground zine. Graduating from high-school in 1996, Barton would continue to write and commit petty crime until 1999, when he would attend college in San Diego, Ca, and return to KC the following year. In 2005 after being laid off from a telecom company, Barton returned to San Diego and began writing screen plays and volumes of poetry. In 2010, he created “Windowshopz.com,” a website that featured writing, music, fashion, travel, and movies. He would also start what would become, “Straight Dope.” After a turbulent 2012, Barton relocated to The Bay Area and started, “Mainline Publications,” an online publications firm that would release controversial works. The first project, “Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American drug culture,” a book about how drugs are intertwined into American life, was released in February 2013. All We Really Need is Love, a collection of love stories was released in Nov 2015. LeRon’s writing has appeared on websites such as The Good Men Project, Salon, Those People, Gangsters Inc, Gorilla Convict, Black Millennials, and The Elephant Journal. You can contact him on Twitter

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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Cover Reveal: Molly's Misadventures by @denaehaggerty #excerpt #giveaway



Romantic Comedy
Date Published: January 11, 2015

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I’m having the suckiest day ever. First, my father, aka Mr. Grumpy Pants, calls to say his nurse just walked out on him. Likely story. I rush home to pack only to walk in on my husband getting it on with his younger, skanky secretary. Unfortunately, my quick weekend trip home to fix Dad’s problems turns into a stay of a few weeks. Luckily, I’ve got Danny, the neighbor boy I had a crush on when I was a dorky, braces-wearing, nose-buried-in-a-book teenager, and a brand-spanking new blog to keep my mind off things. Before I know it, I’m writing product reviews of vibrators and getting questioned by a store rent-a-cop at the world’s worst date ever. All while trying to figure out how to take things with Danny to the next level. Not to complicate things or anything but my boss decides to give me an ultimatum – come back in four weeks or don’t come back at all. How in the world did my life get so complicated?



Excerpt



Danny clears his throat and turns to me. “I was going to ask you something about your blog.” I raise an eyebrow at him. “Why don’t you ever blog about me?”

I nearly choke on my wine. “Blog about you? The blogs are about my dates.”

“Babe, pay attention.” He grabs my chin. “What do you think we’re doing?”

My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “Being good friends?”

He shakes his head. “Um, no. I’m wooing you.”

“Wooing me?”

“Yeah, wooing.” He points between us. “Do you think I drink wine on my porch with just anyone?”

I’m confused. “You don’t like wine?”

He chuckles. “Look at me. I’m a single guy with a kid. Why would I have wine in the house?”

The dominoes begin to fall in place. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. Come over here.”

 He takes my wine and places it on the ground next to his glass before firmly grabbing my head and planting his lips on mine. The kiss is soft, sweet, and everything that’s right in the world. And it’s not enough. I want, no need, more. I grab his neck and pull him closer. He growls and grabs my head to tilt it to his liking so he can deepen the kiss. I’m putty in his hands by the time he eases up and pulls back. What. Just. Happened?






About the Author


I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Woman. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.



Contact Links


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Giveaway
$10 Amazon gift card



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Saturday, December 12, 2015

Blog Tour: Fairly Certain by @DeborahAnnDavis @WiggleWriter #review



Quirky New Adult Fiction With a Twist
Date Published: 12/3/2015


Book One of the Love of Fairs series

          What happens when a Computer Geek challenges a Medieval Outlaw? 

Petir takes a rough tumble in the Connecticut woods, and awakens in the middle of old England. His instinct to freak out is tempered by the arrival of a fair maiden wearing a bow... and arrow. Throwing caution to the wind, Petir decides he has nothing to lose by pursuing Maid Rianne. But when she is captured by the enemy, a geek with no ability to defend himself must find a way to rescue the fair maiden. 

          Look for the second book in the series, Fairly Safe, available this winter!





Review 



This is a New Adult Romance that really deals with some darker elements and the main character (Petir's) way of dealing with being a bit of a nerd.

The characters were relatable and I felt a connection with Petir and what he was going through. 

I am interested to see where Deborah will take this series next. 



DEBORAH ANN DAVIS writes Quirky New/Young Adult Fiction with a Twist. An award-winning author, speaker and personal trainer, she is popular with students, parents, readers and authors alike. Setting aside teaching to deal with Lyme disease led her to Fitness— to boost her body health—and Writing— to boost her happy health. Currently, she is a healthy and happy Educational Speaker and a Certified Personal Trainer. With an insightful and quirky approach to life, she shares life lessons with wit and compassion.
She presently resides on a lovely lake in Connecticut with her first boyfriend. Twelve years after their first kiss, Deborah reunited with, and married her childhood sweetheart. Together they coached their daughter's AAU Basketball Team, which swept States two years in a row. (Yay!) Then, for several years, their daughter and their money went to college.
When she isn't writing novels for her Love of Fairs series, she enjoys dabbling with living a sustainable life, dancing, playing outside, and laughing really hard every day. She also promotes increasing your movement throughout your day as Wiggle Writer in her Merry Meddling blog at http://deborahanndavis.com/merry-meddling/

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Friday, December 11, 2015

Blog Tour: Martin Dash by @AndyBailey23 #review



Psychological Romance Thriller
Date Published: 6/20/2015

What would it be like to have no feelings? No desire, no anger, no pleasure? Behold Martin Dash. A man who possesses stunning features that captivate all who encounter him but is also cursed with a medical condition that means he has no emotion to give in return. But one woman is convinced that there is something behind the apparently blank façade and sets out on a dark trail to uncover the haunted past that holds the key to the mystery; a journey that takes in politics, criminal finance, London's neo-burlesque scene and, finally . . . murder. MARTIN DASH is the first book of a trilogy that relates the bizarre experiences of a young man whose life was always destined to be terrifying as well as exceptional.

Purchase Links



Review 

Andy Bailey has great attention to detail and makes everything from the setting, to the characters feel very real. It makes for a wonderfully written and very suspenseful novel. 

Definitely not for the faint of heart as this one definitely left me looking over my shoulder. 

Fast paced and filled with surprising moments. A solid Thriller.





Andy Bailey is a British writer residing in deepest Staffordshire ('the Creative County' . . .) His principal claim to fame as an author (so far) is the creation of 'Martin Dash' and his recurring theme is the absurdity and futility of human endeavour (unless you're on double time) and his writing seeks to explore the strange motivations that drive the endlessly entertaining members of the species, homo sapiens.


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