Sunday, March 31, 2019

"THE GRAND ESCAPE: the Greatest Prison Break of the 20th Century" and 'D-DAY: the World War II Invasion That Changed History"--two riveting, real-life accounts of World War I and World World II'

The Grand Escape: The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century



At the height of World War I, as Allied and German forces battled in the trenches and in the air, any captured soldiers and pilots were sent to a web of German prisons. The most dangerous POWs, the ones most talented at escape, were sent to the camp of Holzminden--better known as "Hellminden." Protected by every barrier imaginable, its rules enforced with cruel precision, the prison was the pride of a ruthless commandant named Karl Niemeyer.

This is the story of a group of ingenious and defiant Allied pilots and soldiers who dared to escape from Holzminden, right under Niemeyer's nose. Leading a team that tunneled underneath the prison and far beyond its walls, these breakout artists forged documents, smuggled in supplies, and bribed guards. Twice the tunnel was almost exposed, and the whole plan foiled. But in the end, a group of ten POWs escaped and made it out of enemy territory in the biggest breakout of WWI, which inspired their countrymen in the darkest hours of the war.



Neal Bascomb

Neal Bascomb 

Neal Bascomb is a national award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of a number of books, all non-fiction narratives, all focused on inspiring stories of adventure or achievement. His work has been translated into over 18 languages, featured in several documentaries, and optioned for major film and television projects.

Born in Colorado and raised in St. Louis, he is the product of public school and lots of time playing hockey. He earned a double degree in Economics and English Literature at Miami University (Ohio), lived in Europe for several years as a journalist (London, Dublin, and Paris), and worked as an editor at St. Martin’s Press (New York). In 2000, he started writing books full time.

His first book HIGHER was selected for the Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writer award and was featured in a History Channel documentary. His second THE PERFECT MILE was a New York Times bestseller and frequently ranks as one of the top books on running. His third RED MUTINY won the United States Maritime Literature Award and critical acclaim around the world. His fourth HUNTING EICHMANN was an international bestseller and led to a young adult edition called NAZI HUNTERS that was the 2014 winner of the YALSA Award, Sydney Taylor Book Award (Gold Medal), among numerous others. His fifth book THE NEW COOL was optioned by major producer Scott Rudin for film. His sixth ONE MORE STEP, focused on the first man with cerebral palsy to climb Kilimanjaro and finish the Kona Ironman, was a New York Times bestseller as well.

An avid hiker, skier, and coffee drinker, he is happily settled in Seattle, Washington with his family.
  






D-Day by Deborah Hopkinson (author) 



The WWII invasion known as D-Day was the largest military endeavor in history. By June 6, 1944, Hitler and his allies had a strong grip on the European continent, where Nazi Germany was engaged in the mass extermination of the Jewish people. The goal of D-Day was the total defeat of Hitler's regime, and the defense of free democracies everywhere. Knowing they had to breach the French coast, the US, Great Britain, and Canada planned for the impossible.

D-Day was an invasion not for conquest, but liberation, and required years to plan and total secrecy to keep the advantage of surprise. Once deployed, Operation Overlord involved soldiers, sailors, paratroopers, and specialists. Acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson weaves together the contributions of not only D-Day's famous players, but African Americans, women, journalists, and service members in a masterful tapestry of official documents, personal narratives, and archival photos to bring this decisive battle to vivid, thrilling life.


Deborah Hopkinson

Image result for Deborah Hopkinson 

Deborah Hopkinson is as award-winning of picture books, fiction, and nonfiction for young readers. In 2013 she received a Robert F. Sibert Honor and YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award honor for Titanic: Voices from the Disaster.

She has won the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text twice, for A Band of Angels and Apples to Oregon. Sky Boys, How They Built the Empire State Building, was a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor awardee. She lives near Portland, Oregon.

The Great Trouble, A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel won the OCTE Oregon Spirit Award and was named a Best Book of 2013 by School Library Journal and an Oregon Book Award finalist.

In 2017, Deborah's awards include the Leslie Bradshaw Oregon Book Award for Courage and Defiance; the Jane Addams Peace Association award for Steamboat School; and the Green Earth Environmental Stewardship Award for Follow the Moon Home, which was also a finalist for the Cook STEM prize. Her middle grade novel A Bandit's Tale, The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket was a Charlotte Huck Recommended book for fiction.

Visit her on the web at www.deborahhopkinson.com and follow her on Twitter at @deborahopkinson.
 

NEIL DIAMOND--"YOU HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND GIVE A PIECE OF YOURSELF--YOUR LIFE, YOUR SOUL."

"The Jamestown Brides"--author Jennifer Potter's revealing look at the fifty-six young women who left their homes and boarded ships in England in 1621 in response to the Virginia Company of London's call for maids suitable to make wives for the planters of its new colony in Virginia

The Jamestown Brides: The untold story of England's 'maids for Virginia'



n 1621, fifty-six English women crossed the Atlantic in response to the Virginia Company of London's call for maids suitable to make wives for the planters of its new colony in Virginia. The English had settled there just fourteen years previously and the company hoped to root its unruly menfolk to the land with ties of family and children. 

While the women traveled of their own accord, the company was in effect selling them at a profit for a bride price of 150 lbs of tobacco for each woman sold. The rewards would flow to investors in the near-bankrupt company. But what did the women want from the enterprise?
Jamestown, England's first real foothold in the New World, was fraught with danger. Why did they agree to make the dangerous crossing to a wild and dangerous land, where six out of seven European settlers died within their first few years - from dysentery, typhoid, salt water poisoning and periodic skirmishes with the native population? How clear these and other perils were made to the fifty-six young women who left their homes and boarded ships in England in 1621, nearly fifteen years after Jamestown's founding, is not known. But we do know who they were. Their ages ranged from sixteen to twenty-eight, and they were deemed "young and uncorrupt." Each had a bride price of 150 pounds of tobacco set by the Virginia Company, which funded their voyage. And what happened to them in the end?

Delving into company records and original sources on both sides of the Atlantic, Jennifer Potter tracks the women's footsteps from their homes in England to their new lives in Virginia. Giving voice to these forgotten women of America's early history, she triumphantly invites the reader to journey alongside the brides as they travel into a perilous and uncertain future.


Though the women had all gone of their own free will, they were to be sold into marriage, generating a profit for investors and helping ensure the colony's long-term viability. Without letters or journals (young women from middling classes had not generally been taught to write), Jennifer Potter turned to the Virginia Company's merchant lists -- which were used as a kind of sales catalog for prospective husbands -- as well as censuses, court records, the minutes of Virginia's General Assemblies, letters to England from their male counterparts, and other such accounts of the everyday life of the early colonists. 

In The Jamestown Brides, she spins a fascinating tale of courage and survival, exploring the women's lives in England before their departure and their experiences in Jamestown. Some were married before the ships left harbor. Some were killed in an attack by the native population only months after their arrival. A few never married at all. In telling the story of these "Maids for Virginia" Potter sheds light on life for women in early modern England and in the New World. 



Jennifer Potter

Image result for Jennifer Potter (author) 

A regular reviewer for the TLS and a guest contributor to The Arvon Book of Literary Non-Fiction, Jennifer Potter has enjoyed fellowships on the internationally acclaimed Warwick writing program and at Hawthornden Castle. When not writing, she walks, travels and gardens.

Jennifer Potter's ten books to date include four novels, a biography, two books about gardens and works of social, cultural and botanical history. Her most recent book, The Jamestown Brides, tells the true story of young English women shipped to Virginia and traded for tobacco as wives to the planters.

https://www.jenniferpotter.co.uk/   

https://www.jenniferpotter.co.uk/the-jamestown-brides/

Saturday, March 30, 2019

"SPRINGTIME AT HOPE COTTAGE'--Cozy up with this small-town contemporary romance series from USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains--Includes the bonus short story "Last Chance Bride" from Hope Ramsay!

Springtime at Hope Cottage (Sweetwater Springs, #2)



When opposites attract...

As an editor at a major New York City magazine, Josie Kellum is always on the go...until an injury sidelines her in the small town of Sweetwater Springs. Luckily, her new physical therapist is easy going and easy on the eyes. When their sessions start to heat up, in more ways than one, Josie is intrigued. But she has a city and career she loves waiting for her. So why does the thought of leaving him suddenly feel a lot like leaving home?

Tucker Locklear is just starting to move on after his wife's death. While he can't deny his attraction to the gorgeous, vivacious Josie, he won't risk the pain of losing someone again. The sooner he gets Josie back on her feet and back to her real life, the safer he'll be. But in Sweetwater Springs, love has a way of mending even the most damaged heart.



Reviews

 

"This delicious rom-com has plenty of heart and is ideal comfort reading."―Publishers Weekly

"Annie Rains is a gifted storyteller, and I can't wait for my next visit to Sweetwater Springs!"―Raeanne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author

"Annie Rains puts her heart in every word!"―Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author

"Such a sweet romance!"―The Genre Minx

"A sweet, heartwarming and delightful story of family, friendship, loss and hope."―The Reading Cafe

"A touching tale brimming with romance, drama, and feels!...I really enjoyed what I found between the pages of this newest offering from Ms. Rains, her words warmed my heart and her characters had me smiling and swooning throughout! Highly recommend!"―Reds Romance Reviews

"A wonderfully written romance that will make you wish you could visit this town."
RomancingtheReaders.com

"Don't miss this sparkling debut full of heart and emotion!"
Lori Wilde, New York Times bestselling author on Welcome to Forever on Christmas on Mistletoe Lane


Annie Rains

Annie Rains 

Annie Rains is a contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America's largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn't writing, she's spending time with her husband and 3 children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.


Hope Ramsay
 
Hope Ramsay 

Hope Ramsay was born in New York and grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you’ll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. Hope earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Buffalo, and has had various jobs working as a Congressional aide, a lobbyist, a public relations consultant, and a meeting planner. She’s a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart, and is married to a good ol’ Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar. 

"In the Shadow of Croft Towers"--from debut author Abigail Wilson comes a mysterious Regency tale of secrets and spies, love and treachery

In the Shadow of Croft Towers



Croft Towers holds more than its share of secrets . . . and Sybil is determined to uncover them all 

Orphaned Sybil Delafield jumps at the opportunity for a position at the mysterious Croft Towers. She believes she was hired to act as companion to a dying woman, but a highway robbery and a hostile welcome from the Chalcroft family cause her to wonder if she was actually hired to help someone spy for France.

When Sybil Delafield’s coach to Croft Towers was robbed by highwaymen, she should have realized that her new position as companion to old Mrs. Chalcroft would be no ordinary job. Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. Chalcroft sneaks into her room in the dark of night, imploring her to relay messages to town that are to stay hidden from the rest of the family. Who exactly is she working for and what do the messages contain?

When fellow passengers of the robbed coach are later murdered, Sybil’s hunt for the truth takes on a new urgency. The only person she can rely on is Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, but under all his charms he too leads a double life. Sybil must decide if he is the one honest voice she can trust, or if he is simply using her for his own advances.

An unsolved murder adds intrigue to this already secretive family, and Sybil recognizes Mrs. Chalcroft’s handsome grandson as one of the infamous highwaymen who robbed her. Sybil must determine if this man's charming smile and earnest eyes speak the truth or if he is simply using her like others in the house. Everyone seems to have something to hide, and Sybil must decide who to trust while also coming to terms with the truth about her own past.

With murderers, smugglers, and spies on the loose, nothing—and no one—in Regency England is what they claim. Can Sybil even trust what she knows about herself?


REVIEWS:


“Abigail Wilson's In the Shadow of Croft Tower is the kind of novel I love to recommend. Well written, thoroughly engrossing, and perfectly inspiring. I honestly couldn't flip the pages fast enough.” —Shelley Shepard GrayNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author

"In the Shadow of Croft Tower is beautifully written, suspenseful, and satisfyingly romantic. Abigail Wilson paints a beautiful picture of pastoral Regency England. This book will keep you riveted to the end, and you'll be rooting for the feisty heroine to get her happily ever after." —Jennifer Beckstrand, author of Home on Huckleberry Hill

"Part mystery and part romance, Abigail Wilson's debut is an atmospheric period novel that will keep readers guessing to the very end." —Amanda Flower, USA Today bestselling author of Death and Daisies

“Mysterious . . . Melodic . . . Thrilling and original . . . Abigail Wilson has crafted a debut that shines.” —Kristy Cambron, bestselling author of Castle on the Rise



Abigail Wilson

Abigail Wilson 

Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A Registered Nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the National Parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and in 2016, ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 2017 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children.  

 

Friday, March 29, 2019

Entertainer & patriot, GARY SINISE--"GRATEFUL AMERICAN"--the moving, entertaining, profoundly gripping story of how one man found his calling: to see that those who defend this country and its freedoms are never forgotten. Gary is also a very talented actor and musician who memorably portrayed "Lt. Dan" in the film "Forrest Gump".

Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service



New York Times Bestseller: The moving, entertaining, never-before-told story of how one man found his calling: to see that those who defend this country and its freedoms are never forgotten.

"The book is called Grateful American, and I promise you after you read it you will be grateful for what Gary has accomplished and contributed to our country." -- Clint Eastwood

As a kid in suburban Chicago, Gary Sinise was more interested in sports and rock 'n' roll than reading or schoolwork. But when he impulsively auditioned for a school production of West Side Story, he found his purpose--or so it seemed.

Within a few years Gary and a handful of friends created what became one of the most exciting and important new theater companies in America. From its humble beginnings in a suburban Chicago church basement and eventual move into the city, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company launched a series of groundbreaking productions, igniting Gary's career along with those of John Malkovich, Joan Allen, Gary Cole, Laurie Metcalf, Jeff Perry, John Mahoney, and others. Television and film came calling soon after, and Gary starred in Of Mice and Men (which he also directed) and The Stand before taking the role that would change his life in unforeseeable ways: Lieutenant Dan in the Academy Award–winning Forrest Gump.

The military community's embrace of the character of the disabled veteran was matched only by the depth of Gary's realization that America's defenders had not received all the honor, respect, and gratitude their sacrifices deserve. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, this became Gary's mission. While starring in hits like Apollo 13, Ransom, Truman, George Wallace, CSI:NY, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Gary has worked tirelessly on behalf of those who serve this country, entertaining more than a half million troops around the world playing bass guitar with his Lt. Dan Band, raising funds on behalf of veterans, and eventually founding the Gary Sinise Foundation with a mission to serve and honor America's defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.

Grateful American is the moving, entertaining, profoundly gripping story of how one man found his calling: to see that those who defend this country and its freedoms are never forgotten.
 


tom hanks endorses Grateful American



GARY SINISE


 Image result for Gary Sinise


Gary Sinise is an Oscar-nominated actor and winner of an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and two Screen Actors Guild awards, and has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, all while advocating for America’s veterans for nearly forty years.  For his service work, Gary has been presented with numerous humanitarian awards including the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the George Catlett Marshall Medal from the Association of the US Army, and the Spirit of Hope Award by the Department of Defense. He was named an honorary Chief Petty Officer by the United States Navy, was pinned as an honorary Marine, and received the Sylvanus Thayer Award at West Point, given to a civilian "whose character, service, and achievements reflect the ideals prized by the U.S. Military Academy." He's also the recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor awarded by the President of the United States to citizens for "exemplary deeds performed in service of the nation. "

"WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS"--debut novelist Erin Bartels takes readers on an emotional journey through time--from volatile streets of 1960s Detroit to Underground Railroad during the Civil War

We Hope for Better Things



When Detroit Free Press reporter Elizabeth Balsam meets James Rich, his strange request--that she look up a relative she didn't know she had in order to deliver an old camera and a box of photos--seems like it isn't worth her time. But when she loses her job after a botched investigation, she suddenly finds herself with nothing but time.

At her great-aunt's 150-year-old farmhouse, Elizabeth uncovers a series of mysterious items, locked doors, and hidden graves. As she searches for answers to the riddles around her, the remarkable stories of two women who lived in this very house emerge as testaments to love, resilience, and courage in the face of war, racism, and misunderstanding. And as Elizabeth soon discovers, the past is never as past as we might like to think.

Debut novelist Erin Bartels takes readers on an emotional journey through time--from the volatile streets of 1960s Detroit to the Underground Railroad during the Civil War--to uncover the past, confront the seeds of hatred, and discover where love goes to hide.



REVIEWS: 


"I haven't read such a powerful, moving story since I read To Kill a Mockingbird."--Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of the Rock Harbor series and The View from Rainshadow Bay

"We Hope for Better Things is an exercise of empathy that will shape many a soul."--Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials

 
"We Hope for Better Things is a remarkable debut novel."--Jane Kirkpatrick, award-winning author of Everything She Didn't Say

 
"Storytelling at its finest. A timely, sobering, moving account of how far we've come . . . and how much distance remains to be covered."--Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Life List

 
"Enthralling characters and acute attention to detail. It's a must for those who need to understand that Detroit history is also American history."--Aaron Foley

-city of Detroit's chief storyteller and editor of The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook

"In this powerful first novel . . . Bartels successfully weaves American history into a deeply moving story of heartbreak, long-held secrets, and the bonds of family."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A forbidden interracial marriage, an escaped slave, an expectant mother waiting for her Union soldier to return--all of these stories are deftly told by Bartels, as she explores the hard realities of racism and its many faces during various eras of American history. . . .Compelling characters make this winning debut also appealing for fans of general historical fiction."--Library Journal

"Bartels' debut tells the story of three Balsam women, each of a different era, told against the backdrop of racism and violence in America. . . .will appeal to fans of faith-based women's fiction authors like Colleen Coble."--Booklist 


"Erin Bartels's We Hope for Better Things shares the joys and sorrows of three women from different generations. A roller coaster of emotions awaits as you share the lives of these women and hope along with them for better things."--Ann H. Gabhart, bestselling author of River to Redemption 



ERIN BARTELS
 

Erin  Bartels 


ERIN BARTELS is a copywriter and freelance editor by day, a novelist by night, and a painter, seamstress, poet, and photographer in between. Her debut novel, WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS, released in January 2019 from Revell Books, to be followed in September 2019 by THE WORDS BETWEEN US, which was a finalist for the 2015 Rising Star Award from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Her short story “This Elegant Ruin” was a finalist in The Saturday Evening Post 2014 Great American Fiction Contest. Her poems have been published by The Lyric and The East Lansing Poetry Attack. A member of the Capital City Writers Association and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, she is former features editor of WFWA’s Write On! magazine.

Erin lives in the beautiful, water-defined state of Michigan where she is never more than a ninety minute drive from one of the Great Lakes or six miles from an inland lake, river, or stream. She grew up in the Bay City area waiting for freighters and sailboats at drawbridges and watching the best 4th of July fireworks displays in the nation. She spent her college and young married years in Grand Rapids feeling decidedly not-Dutch. She currently lives with her husband and son in Lansing, nestled somewhere between angry protesters on the Capitol lawn and couch-burning frat boys at Michigan State University. And yet, she claims it is really quite peaceful.

Erin is represented by Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency. Find her on Facebook @ErinBartelsAuthor, on Twitter @ErinLBartels, or on Instagram @erinbartelswrites.
 


 

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

"Healthy Cookbook for Two" and "Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two"--a delightful duet of cookbooks for "Dining a Deux"

Healthy Cookbook for Two: 175 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Enjoy Cooking for Two



Get the most out of your groceries and discover how easy cooking for two can be with healthy, wholesome recipes that you can quickly pull together after work.

Cooking for two isn't always easy. That's why Healthy Cookbook for Two features fast, flavorful recipes using fresh, affordable ingredients that are tailored for your two-person table. From quick yet satisfying weeknight dinners to hearty Sunday brunches to guilt-free desserts, Healthy Cookbook for Two is the go-to cookbook for couples looking to prepare nutritious dishes together.

Collaborate in the kitchen, with:

175 duo-friendly recipes designed to ditch the delivery and limit leftovers 10 need-to-know tips for shopping and cooking for two Simple side pairing suggestions to complement your meals


Nutritional information accompanying every recipe Make-ahead meal plans that make cooking for two stress-free Healthy Cookbook for Two proves that preparing nutritious, couple-sized meals has never been easier--or tastier.


MY REVIEW: Whether you are cooking for two--or making meals with leftovers for one--you will benefit from " More than just a collection of delicious recipes, this book also offers shopping and meal-planning advice, side dishes to accompany main dishes, and nutritional information for each recipe. There are also helpful suggestions for using leftovers--less waste means getting the most from your food dollars. The common-sense "10 Tips to Eat Healthy for Life" are both smart and simple. The recipes are written with healthy nutrition in mind, but they are definitely full of flavor--here's a sample of what you'll find: "Greens and Snow Peas Salad"; "Fresh Country Vegetable Soup"; "Classic Minestrone"; "Lemon Asparagus Linguine"; "Honeyed Sesame Salmon"; "Shrimp and Fresh Pea Fettuccine"; "Tangy Lemon Chicken"; "Chicken Cacciatore"; "Beef & Cabbage Stir-Fry"; "Gourmet Sloppy Joes"; "Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto"; "Salad in a Wrap"; "Stuffed Baked Potato"; "Pasta Primavera"; and much more, Snacks and Desserts include: smoothies, chips, dips, fruit salads, puddings, and other tasty treats.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers


Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two: 100 "Fix-and-Forget" Recipes for Ready-to-Eat Meals



Save time, money, and energy when you serve a nutritious homemade dinner for two with The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two.
 
Watching your weight? Short on time? Looking for a slow cooker cookbook that features healthy, flavor-packed, ridiculously simple recipes that are truly "fix-and-forget"? Look no further than The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two, where you'll find nutritious, flavorful, no-fuss slow cooker recipes that will easily transform into mouth-watering meals―perfectly scaled for two.

The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two preps you for hands-off cooking, with:

Over 100 Recipes using affordable and natural ingredients Hands-Off Prep featuring easy-to-follow recipes with fewer than 15 minutes of prep time for most dishes Healthy and Helpful Tips for substituting ingredients to suit low-sodium, low-carb, and low-cal diets, plus nutrition labels to suit specific dietary conditions for every dish

Recipes include: Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal, Ginger Carrot Bisque, Chicken Pot Pie, Cuban-Style Pork Street Tacos, Tempeh-Stuffed Bell Peppers, Barley Primavera, and much more!

The must-have slow cooker cookbook for health-conscious couples and busy professionals.

https://www.facebook.com/Rockridge-Press-448242165365605/


MY REVIEW: With "The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two", author Pamela Ellgen offers over 100 delicious, healthful and budget-smart recipes especially  proportioned for two. Using either a 1.5 -quart or 2-quart slow cooker, you can enjoy nutritious, homemade comfort food with the ease and convenience that comes with slow-cooker meals. You will find over a dozen side dishes, nutritional breakdowns, substitutes for special dietary requirements, and tempting recipes like these: "Prosciutto, Rosemary & Potato Breakfast Casserole"; "Cinnamon Raisin Steel-Cut Oatmeal"; "Creamy Butternut Squash & Parsnip Soup"; "Corn & Red Pepper Chowder"; "Mixed-Bean Chili"; "Cashew Chicken & Snap Peas"; "Pork Chops with Apples & Onions"; "Southwestern Rice Casserole"; "Beef Broccoli", and a variety of other dishes.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers


Pamela Ellgen

Pamela Ellgen

Pamela Ellgen is the author of more than a dozen cookbooks, including the bestselling 5-Ingredient College Cookbook, The Gluten-Free Cookbook for Families, and The Big Dairy Free Cookbook. Her work has been featured in Outside Magazine, TODAY food, Healthline, Huffington Post, Edible Phoenix, Darling Magazine, and The Portland Tribune. Pamela lives in Santa Barbara, California.

https://thefeedfeed.com/surfgirleats

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

"Santa Barbara Sunsets Trilogy"--by Lynne Marshall--sweet contemporary romance from one of my all-time favorite storytellers

His Second Chance at Forever: Santa Barbara Sunsets Book One

His Second Chance at Forever (Santa Barbara Sunsets Book 1)

Jason Rogers prefers to keep people at a distance and his pain tucked safely inside. So what if he’s a grouch? He doesn’t care.

Claire Albright isn’t afraid to waltz into her new boss’s office and give her opinions. The fact she has a tag-along little girl, Gina, who reminds Jason of the daughter he lost, only adds to their bristly start.

Soon, against Jason’s will, Claire and Gina inject hope back into his dull existence. Dare he dream of a life he never thought he’d have again? 


MY REVIEW: In "His Second Chance at Forever", from author Lynne Marshall, we meet two dedicated medical professionals who both need a healing touch in their lives. Dr. Jason Rogers is the stern and steely family practice GP of a medical clinic. Suffering from the tragic loss of his wife and daughter, Jason prefers to avoid emotional involvements and keeps others at a distance. When Registered Nurse Practitioner Claire Albright joins the medical group, her sincere smile and her holistic approach to treating patients both begin to stir unwanted feelings in Jason. Claire also has a young daughter, Gina, whose presence serves as a painful reminder to Jason of the absence of his own sweet child. At first, Jason wants nothing to do with Claire's alternative medical treatments, but he soon comes to respect her knowledge and professionalism. He feels guilt over his attraction to Claire, and struggles with the sense that he is betraying his late wife. Claire has her own inner conflicts, and has no intention of becoming involved with the taciturn Dr. Rogers. In the past, when Claire had become chronically ill with Lupus, her former husband could not handle a wife who was not always at her best. He made her feel less than desirable, and their marriage came to a painful end. She is afraid that another romantic relationship will suffer the same fate, but she is greatly attracted to Jason. Lynne Marshall's experience as a Registered Nurse lends an interesting authenticity to the medical story line, and her heartwarming characterizations make this a very touching and satisfying romance read. Seeing Jason come to terms with his loss and come alive again, and watching Claire overcome her self-doubts and bloom again as a woman makes you root for these two lovers to find their very happy ending.

Book Copy Gratis Author






Jon Becker, divorced father of teenage daughters, is dedicated to his job.
René Munro longs for a baby. Thirty-five and single, her options are limited. Except…her colleague and trusted friend, Jon, seems ideal genetic material! Dare she ask him to help make her baby dream come true?

On paper Jon agrees to René’s proposition and is prepared to offer moral support through the experience. But his straight-forward plans to keep the agreement strictly clinical get derailed when he finds the radiantly pregnant doctor irresistible. Is he ready to be a father again? A husband?


 

One Christmas He Never Expected (Santa Barbara Sunsets Book 3) 

Phil Hansen has a reputation as a playboy. One look at the new OB doc, and he wants to find the nearest mistletoe. What could be better than kicking off the holiday season with a fling? Except he sees heartbreak in her eyes.

Stephanie Bennett may be dazzled by laid-back Phil’s charm, and though she is long overdue for romance, she’s not ready to put her heart on the line again. Soon swayed by his “love is the best medicine” attitude, she gives in and comes alive in his arms.

Can the magic of the Christmas season help two reluctant hearts fall in love?


LYNNE MARSHALL


 


USA Today Bestselling Author, Lynne Marshall says;

"I grew up in Los Angeles wanting to become a dancer, and studied theater arts. Life had other plans…

When I got a job in a hospital, reality checked in and I went back to school to become an RN. I met a man I wanted to marry and embarked on parenthood.
When my two children had the audacity to grow up, I was left bursting with creative energy and with no one to shower it on. It was then I parlayed my lifelong love of reading into a desire to write. Between you and me, I’d assumed I had a serious problem with daydreaming. Who were these people and stories parading through my mind’s eye? I was happy with my life. I was practical—a registered nurse for over 20 years– married to the man I loved. Yet…these mysterious people and plots plagued me…daily.

The story of my heart came kicking and screaming out of my head in 2000. I had a choice to either write it down or go loopy. In all honesty, I think a little of both happened when I discovered it was a romance. Me? A romance writer? Yes, the snooty little b- word applied to my attitude about such things back then. When I got honest, I realized my favorite part of books had always been the love story, and any book worth its cover price has a love story weaved through the plot, right?

My husband thought I was having an on-line affair when I began spending hours and hours before my computer typing away. When I confessed my goal and he realized that I was pursuing my dream of writing a novel, he offered his complete support.

In 2001, with completed manuscript in hand, I found the Romance Writers of America, entered the world of genre writing, and never looked back. What an intriguing journey it has been; I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Through writers’ groups, national and local conferences, and university affiliated extension courses, I honed my craft. I also discovered the most wonderful network of supportive people, many of whom have become first class friends. I considered each phase of my newbie writer’s life a blessing.

After almost six years of actively seeking publication, I got “the call” from across the pond on November 8th 2005 at 7:30 a.m. Harlequin Mills & Boon wanted to buy one of my books! Yes, my husband was the first to know, and later that day, my wonderful critique partners cheered along while I squealed and pinched myself.

When I’m not writing I love to read, and take day trips and vacations with my husband. We love to explore cities we’ve never been to before. I also like to see movies and eat out–Japanese and Mexican restaurants are my favorites. For exercise I work out at Curves and take power walks. I find brisk walking helps stimulate my imagination, and I’ve often solved writing dilemmas or have come up with new ideas for books trudging up hills and marching across parks.

I’m thrilled to be a part of the romance and women’s fiction market. Of all the genres out there, romance rules the day. Perhaps it’s because in a world that oftentimes gives us little encouragement, romance stories always end with hope. As I’ve learned over the years, hope is the candle that guides us through the dark and lonely patches in life.

 

Monday, March 25, 2019

Author C. J. BOX--thrilling Contemporary Western Suspense--wonderfully descriptive writing from a master storyteller


Wolf Pack (Joe Pickett, #19) 



Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett encounters bad behavior on his own turf--only to have the FBI and the DOJ ask him to stand down.

The good news is that Joe Pickett has his job back, after his last adventure in The Disappeared. The bad news is that he's come to learn that a drone is killing wildlife--and the drone belongs to a mysterious and wealthy man whose grandson is dating Joe's own daughter, Lucy.

When Joe tries to lay down the rules for the drone operator, he is asked by the FBI and the DOJ to stand down, which only makes him more suspicious. Joe discovers that the man is in the witness relocation program, as he is in possession of knowledge about dangerous people. Soon, Joe comes across a pack of four killers working on behalf of the Sinaloa cartel to find the man in the WITSEC program--and Joe realizes his actions might expose the man.

Teaming up with a female game warden (based on a real person, one of the few female game wardens at work in Wyoming today) to confront these assassins, Joe finds himself their prey--along with Lucy and her boyfriend.



Praise for C.J. Box and Wolf Pack
 

"Look up tried and true in the literary dictionary and you’ll find a picture of C. J. Box, thanks to his superb Joe Pickett series. For proof look no further than Wolf Pack, in which Box tops even himself....A thriller of rare depth and emotion, featuring pitch perfect plotting and characterizations every bit the equal of Cormac McCarthy and Larry McMurtry."--Providence Journal

“Just as nature is tough in the West, where the fittest and sometimes just the lucky survive, there are plenty of human casualties in Wolf Pack. Readers probably won't guess who will survive even as they appreciate the momentum of Box's wild, shoot-out conclusion.” Columbus Dispatch

“Box is the king of contemporary crime fiction set in the West.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“One of his most tightly wound tales, with more thrills than a snowy road on a steep mountain and more authority than the governor of Wyoming.”—Kirkus Reviews“As always, Box takes familiar elements of his long running series...and seamlessly combines them into a read that makes your heart race, even though you won’t leave the couch until you’ve turned the last page. Half mystery, half thriller, totally worthwhile…You can just about set your watch by a Joe Pickett novel in March; the number-one-best-selling author’s legion of fans will be counting down the minutes.”Booklist

Wolf Pack is the most unexpected, relentless, and action-packed novel [Box has] ever written.” –The Real Book Spy, Featured Review

“C.J. Box's Joe Pickett series...might just be the best franchise going right now regardless of genre.”–The Real Book Spy
“Somewhere along the way, the Pickett books stopped being merely competent regional fiction-featuring stunning mountain scenery, ample hunting and fishing, and a likeable, cowboyish hero-and became one of the most consistently satisfying thriller series ever written...Joe Pickett now rivals Jack Reacher as a protagonist that loyal readers will follow anywhere...Veteran Box readers will expect this inevitable convergence to be both surprising and clever, and they will not be disappointed. –Chapter16

“Reading Box's new book each year and following Joe, Marybeth, Nate Romanowski, and others is similar to catching up with old friends you haven't seen in a while. It's a real treat, especially for longtime fans of the series. Nobody has ever developed a family the way Box has with the Picketts over the course of nineteen novels. Whereas most series are losing steam and becoming repetitive this deep into their run, Box continues to find brilliant new ways to shake things up.” –CrimeReads, The Best New Thrillers This Month

“That this book is a thriller is appealing, but the scenery in the story is just as attractive and author C.J. Box tops it off by bringing into this novel many of his best-loved characters...If you're new to this author, prepare yourself for a future search for the rest of the series.” –Bookworm Sez


ALSO BY C.J. BOX:

Endangered (Joe Pickett, #15)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1612859215 







Badlands (A Highway Quartet Novel #3)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1234543501 







Shots Fired: Stories from Joe Pickett Country
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/922197061 







Stone Cold (Joe Pickett, #14)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/832717666 







Three Weeks To Say Goodbye
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/667720867







Blue Heaven
Review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/667720614







The Highway (A Highway Quartet Novel #2)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/624474529 







Breaking Point (Joe Pickett, #13)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/601069476 



 C. J. Box

C.J. Box

C. J. Box is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 24 novels including the Joe Pickett series. He won the Edgar Alan Poe Award for Best Novel (Blue Heaven, 2009) as well as the Anthony Award, Prix Calibre 38 (France), the Macavity Award, the Gumshoe Award, two Barry Awards, and the 2010 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award for fiction. He was recently awarded the 2016 Western Heritage Award for Literature by the National Cowboy Museum as well as the Spur Award for Best Contemporary Novel by the Western Writers of America in 2017. The novels have been translated into 27 languages.

Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming.



"The Donnigans Series"--from author Marie Harte--With the eldest Donnigan brothers adjusting to civilian life, their younger sister constantly in trouble, and their little brother clueless about life in general, falling in love is the last thing on anyone’s mind…

A Sure Thing (The Donnigans, #1)



Can this Bossy Bad Boy Marine...
 
The Marine Corps was everything Landon Donnigan ever wanted in life...until a bullet sent him home with a medical discharge. Teaching a self-defense class at the gym is old-hat for a marine, but when he meets sexy Ava Rosenthal, his combat skills are useless for protecting his heart.

Be her Mr. Right?

 
Ava can take care of herself and likes quiet, bookish men-not muscular warriors who think women need to be coddled. But Landon is more than he seems, and when they come together, the results are explosive.



Just the Thing (The Donnigans, #2) 



A FLING MIGHT BE JUST THE THING...
 
Gavin Donnigan left the Marine Corps a shell of a man, hounded by guilt for deaths he couldn't prevent. But teaching a self-defense class at the local gym brings some stability to his life―along with a gorgeous leggy woman who won't give him the time of day.

Zoe York lost her twin sister to a freak car accident a few months ago. She's been struggling to bury her grief, but it isn't until she signs up for a self-defense class with its distractingly hot instructor that she begins to come out of her shell again. With the memory of her sister telling her to live a little, Zoe decides a fling with buns-of-steel Gavin Donnigan might be just the thing.

Soon they're sparring both in and out of the gym. And for the first time in a long time, each is looking forward to tomorrow.



The Only Thing (Donnigans, #3) 



What do you do when a "fake" relationship is so much better than the real thing?

Hope Donnigan is finlly getting her life together. She's working a job she likes, has some amazing friends, and is steering clear of Mr. Wrong. Now if only she could get her mother to understand that. Maybe a hot tattoo artist from the other side town is just the ticket to teach her mom a lesson.

J.T. Webster fell for Hope months ago at his sister's wedding. So when she propositions him to be her fake boyfriend to get her mother off her back, he's all in. The only problem is J.T. had no idea their pretend relationship would be better than anything real he's ever had...



Marie Harte


MH2cropped 


Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit http://marieharte.com and fall in love. 

Author S.C. Megale’s "This is Not a Love Scene"--funny, emotional, and refreshingly honest--for anyone who can relate to feeling different while navigating the terrifying and thrilling waters of first love.

This Is Not a Love Scene: A Novel



Lights, camera—all Maeve needs is action. But at eighteen, a rare form of muscular dystrophy usually stands in the way of romance. She's got her friends, her humor, and a passion for filmmaking to keep her focus off consistent rejection...and the hot older guy starring in her senior film project.

Tall, bearded, and always swaying, Cole Stone is everything Maeve can't be. And she likes it. Between takes, their chemistry is shockingly electric.

Suddenly Maeve gets a taste of typical teenage dating life, but girls in wheelchairs don’t get the hot guy—right? Cole’s attention challenges everything she once believed about her self-image and hopes for love. But figuring this out, both emotionally and physically, won't be easy for either of them. Maeve must choose between what she needs and what she wants, while Cole has a tendency to avoid decisions altogether. And her failing lungs might not wait for either.



Reviews

 

"Megale is a terrific new voice in the world of YA. This Is Not a Love Scene rings brilliantly true from the first page to the last. Megale’s prose is refreshingly original, her pacing already at a master level, and her storytelling abilities will pull hard on every emotion you have...Look out for this writer." ―David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A humorous, hearty novel about the realities (and fantasies) of being a teenager with a disability....Readers will want to zoom in on this [#ownvoices] story featuring a strong, sexually confident, disabled female character." ―Kirkus Reviews 
 
"Informative and inspiring. It makes for an altogether thought-provoking and empathetic reading experience." ―Booklist
 
"This Is Not a Love Scene is so good. S.C. Megale is remarkable... This book is the result of her unswerving determination and undoubted talent." ―John Flanagan, New York Times bestselling author of the Ranger’s Apprentice series

"My ride-along with Maeve was a joy from first sentence to last. She's authentic, unabashedly honest, fun to be with, and I still catch myself wondering what she's been up to lately." ―Eric Lindstrom, author of Not If I See You First 

"A perfect recommendation for fans of Rainbow Rowell." ―Jenny Staller, The Athenian School Librarian


S. C. MEGALE

S. C. Megale

S. C. MEGALE is an author and filmmaker. She's been profiled in USA Today, The Washington Post, and New York Newsday, and has appeared on NBC's "Today Show" and the CBS Evening News for her philanthropic and literary work. As a humanitarian, she's spoken on the USS Intrepid, at the NASDAQ opening bell, and to universities and doctors nationwide. She enjoys making connections all over the world.

Megale was raised in the long grass of the Civil War, hunting for relics and catching fireflies along the banks of Bull Run. A shark tooth, flutes, and a flask are some of the items that hang from her wheelchair, and she had a fear of elevators until realizing this was extremely inconvenient. She lives with her family which includes her parents, sister and brother, service dog, and definitely-not-service dog.

This is Not a Love Scene is her first published novel.

www.scmegale.com


https://www.facebook.com/SCMegale/


https://twitter.com/Shea_Megale?s=09
 

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Author Amy Vastine's "Grace Note Records Series" for the Harlequin Heartwarming line--wholesome, heartfelt contemporary romance

The Girl He Used to Love (Grace Note Records #1)



The past will always be between them  

He swore he'd never return home. Then a flat tire lands Dean Presley back in Grass Lake, Tennessee, and he's forced to confront the woman he left behind. Faith Stratton was once the love of his life. Now her gifted brother could be the rising Nashville star Dean needs for his struggling music label. But it means taking Sawyer away from the horse therapy farm that Faith's so proud of. That won't be easy, especially since those old feelings that started all the trouble… Well, let's just say he can't go back there, because he doesn't want to relive the memories of the terrible accident that drove them apart.



Catch a Fallen Star (Grace Note Records #2) 



He's got to save his career--and himself

Hitting rock bottom has landed country star Boone Williams in the middle of his worst nightmare: a recording studio on a horse therapy farm hours away from Nashville. He has no interest in dealing with his problems or writing a new album. And he's definitely not interested in the gorgeous, feisty mom of one of Helping Hooves's young clients. She doesn't even know who he is! But his record label is one tabloid story from cutting him loose, and Boone can't seem to turn around without bumping into Ruby and her daughter, Violet. Clearly, Boone's not going to get what he wants. Could Ruby be just what he needs?



Love Songs and Lullabies (Grace Note Records #3) 



Their engagement is a sham…

But their baby-to-be isn’t!

Country music stars Sawyer Stratton and Piper Starling are headed for the top of the charts. But then their course shifts unexpectedly…toward parenthood! The only way to keep Piper’s pregnancy from making the wrong headlines is to set the proverbial date. But how can Piper go through with a fake engagement when her feelings for Sawyer are anything but?
 



 

***COMING AUGUST 2019*** 
 
She needs his protection…

But can he protect his heart?

Radio personality Kelly Bonner isn’t convinced she needs a bodyguard, especially one as intensely good-looking as Detective Donovan Walsh. Yet beneath Donovan’s tough-guy facade is a man struggling to raise his sister’s children. A man Kelly could care about…if he’d let her. Now she’ll have to find a way to convince her big, bad bodyguard that his family—and his heart—are safe in her hands.




Amy Vastine

Amy Vastine 

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.