Showing posts with label virtual book tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virtual book tours. Show all posts

Monday, January 23, 2023

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Jan 23

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.     

Welcome back to Monday! Is anyone else amazed that we are four Mondays into 2023?

I am down to only one Christmas tree in the house--the main one. It is sad when all the lights are put away, so I usually don't take the last tree down until the end of January. Most of the decorations are tucked away, and having bought a new artificial 9 foot tree for the family room for 2023, once I take off all the decorations, the old tree will head onto the porch to await the junk removal contractor's truck. 

Travis wanted to supervise my taking down of the upstairs tree, while Dwight was content to hide under my book cabinet.




In other family news, it seems my mother-in-law is moving in. Please pray the transition goes smoothly, and that we can figure out the expenses and the minor construction it will require. 

Not a ton of reading going on, but I am almost finished listening to this book. If you are in a leadership role, I highly recommend it. I might also read Lee Cockerell's book, Career Magic.


Look for my review of this thriller today.

These three are up next.






Upcoming virtual book tours:
  • Dead Heat to Destiny by J. B. Rivard - Feb 7
  • Family Gatherings at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard - Feb 20
  • Kiss My Boots by Jennifer Learmont - Feb 23
  • The Code by Sean Keefer - Mar 6



Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I had a $10 reward from Audible, so I grabbed this book that I learned about during the training class I took earlier this month. 



One recent December, at age 53, John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low: his small law firm was failing; he was struggling through a painful second divorce; he had grown distant from his two older children and was afraid he might lose contact with his young daughter; he was living in a tiny apartment where he froze in the winter and baked in the summer; he was 40 pounds overweight; his girlfriend had just broken up with him; and overall, his dearest life dreams--including hopes of upholding idealistic legal principles and of becoming a judge--seemed to have slipped beyond his reach.  

Then, during a desperate walk in the hills on New Year's Day, John was struck by the belief that his life might become at least tolerable if, instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find some way to be grateful for what he had.

Inspired by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to thank him for his Christmas gift, John imagined that he might find a way to feel grateful by writing thank-you notes. To keep himself going, he set himself a goal--come what may--of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.

One by one, day after day, he began to handwrite thank yous--for gifts or kindnesses he'd received from loved ones and coworkers, from past business associates and current foes, from college friends and doctors and store clerks and handymen and neighbors, and anyone, really, absolutely anyone, who'd done him a good turn, however large or small. Immediately after he'd sent his very first notes, significant and surprising benefits began to come John's way--from financial gain to true friendship, from weight loss to inner peace. While John wrote his notes, the economy collapsed, the bank across the street from his office failed, but thank-you note by thank-you note, John's whole life turned around. 

365 Thank Yous is a rare memoir: its touching, immediately accessible message--and benefits--come to readers from the plainspoken storytelling of an ordinary man. Kralik sets a believable, doable example of how to live a miraculously good life. To read 365 Thank Yous is to be changed.

That is it from me this week. I hope you enjoy the week ahead and that it is filled with blessings.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

2022 Bookish Promises Check-in

 


I am officially declaring myself an underachiever. LOL! This was the first year I didn't set goals or put together a business plan. So unlike me. Instead, I made 10 Bookish Promises. Since we are heading into the last quarter of 2022, I decided it was high time to see how I was doing. In one word: dismally. That's okay, though, because I tried something different and it didn't work. 

Here is what my list looked like in January and my thoughts on any progress. 

To read more from my TBR Pile than I did in 2021: Not going to happen. I just love my book tours way too much. 

To catch up on one favorite series: Not likely. I have books scheduled for review through early November. I am guessing some seasonal books might be on tour soon as well, so probably too far into the year for this to happen. I have eight books in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series to catch up on. 

To read one of the oldest books from my TBR Pile: This is possible, but I would need to be intentional about it. I would need to pull back on book tours for the rest of the year as well. 

To be okay with not finishing books I don't enjoy: This really is a struggle for me, because I know how hard authors work to create a book. I can't say I have come up against this yet in 2022, so I am getting better about my book selection. 

To write one First Chapter Review a quarter: Success! I've already written 12. I have one coming up on September 27 at my children's book blog. After that, I'm not sure. I'm thinking I will whack away at my TBR Pile by reading the first chapter and deciding if a book is for me or not, which helps with the promise above.

To not sign up for a single reading challenge except the Goodreads Challenge: Success! I love reading challenges, but staying on top of them when they are at a variety of blogs makes my eyes cross. The Goodreads Challenge will have to be enough for me. 

To read one leadership book this year: Not sure why I am having such a hard time with this one. Maybe part of it is because the last thing I want to do with my down time is think of how to be a better leader. I just want to put that part of my life aside and let my brain wind down. I've attended conferences this year and listened to some good podcasts. I should have a review of a leadership book coming this month, but I was hoping for one that I chose to read for the sake of reading it.

To get off some VBT mailing lists: Nope. No excuse. I just like hearing about books on tour. Yes, I am my own worst enemy. 

To re-organize my works in progress: I started this earlier in the year, but I really think this will be a December project. 

To re-think my publishing goals: Lots of thoughts tumbling around in my brain. I so admire the authors who were with my other publisher who closed during the pandemic that took the bull by the horns and steered it into finding new publishers or self-publishing and keeping their writing careers thriving. I should have a new book coming out next year. What I need to do is start getting back into school visits, authors fairs, and then decide if I will finish my middle grade novel. 

By the end of this month, I need to start thinking about my 2023 Business Plan for real estate. I also want to make more time for blogging, because I enjoy it. 

How are you doing with your 2022 goals? Is there something you are particularly focused on achieving before year end?


Happy Fall!


Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Book Spotlight: My Feats in These Shoes by Ronda Beaman

 


If memoirs, done right, tap the right sort of personal journey to ignite fresh insight and inspiration into the human journey, then what better way to humorously and poignantly illuminate the sequential steps and stages of life than with shoes? 

“My Feats in These Shoes” is an exuberantly spunky woman’s spirited and irrepressible romp—slips, missteps, leaps, scuffs, and twirls—toward becoming something bigger, something better, something more. 

Far from serving up trauma porn (or emotional bunions), this memoir is an upbeat, humorous, affectionate and affecting coming of age memoir that ends each chapter with a ‘Put Yourself in My Shoes’ section for readers to consider their own strides in pursuing an out of the shoe box life.

Book Excerpt

I have never known anyone great who didn’t face hundreds of pebbles in their shoes as they climbed their mountain of purpose, contribution, and meaning. What do they do? They untie their shoes, pick out the biggest pebbles, throw them underfoot, put their shoes back on and then put all their weight into pulverizing the remaining gravel holding them back or down—and then they keep climbing. 




Dr. Ronda Beaman has been Chief Creative Officer for the global research and solution firm PEAK Learning, Inc., since 1990. As a national award-winning educator, Dr. Beaman is Clinical Professor of Leadership at The Orfalea School of Business, California Polytechnic University. She is Founder and Executive Director of Dream Makers SLO, a non-profit foundation granting final wishes to financially- challenged, terminally-ill adults, and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Pay It Forward Foundation. She was recently named a Stanford Fellow at the Distinguished Career Institute.

Her national award-winning book, You’re Only Young Twice, has been printed in five languages. Her memoir, Little Miss Merit Badge, was an Amazon bestseller and was featured at The Golden Globe Awards. Her children’s book, Seal With a Kiss, is designed to improve skills for beginning readers and is offered at Lindamood-Bell Learning Centers internationally. My Feats in These Shoes will be released in Spring 2021.

Dr. Beaman is an internationally recognized expert on leadership, resilience, fitness, education, and life coaching. She has conducted research in a host of areas, written many academic articles and books, and won numerous awards. She was selected by the Singapore Ministry of the Family as their honored Speaker of the Year and named the first recipient of the National Education Association’s “Excellence in the Academy: Art of Teaching” award. She has been selected as a faculty resource for the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) university in Argentina, Kyoto and India, where she received the highest speaker ratings among 36 elite faculty. She has been featured on major media including CBS and Fox Television, USA Today, and is a national thought leader for American Health Network.

Dr. Beaman earned her doctorate in Leadership at Arizona State University. She is also a certified executive coach and personal trainer with multiple credentials from the Aerobic Research Center. Her family was named “America’s Most Creative Family” by USA Today and she won the SCW National Fitness Idol competition.

 

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

 

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

 


Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Top 5 Tuesday - Top 5 Bookish Resolutions

 



Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme that explores different topics. Originally created by Shanah at Bionic Book Worm, it is now hosted by Meeghan at Meeghan Reads. For a list of January topics you can click here. To participate, link your post back to the weekly post.

Well, this week's Top 5 Tuesday will certainly make next week's Top Ten Tuesday a bit easier. :) Both are about resolutions. We make them. We break them. But, we can't beat ourselves up too much. Every step in the right direction means progress. Here are my...

Top 5 Bookish Resolutions



Complete this year's Goodreads Reading Challenge - Considering what I anticipate as an even crazier work schedule than last year, I stuck to 40 books for 2021. I surpassed my goal in 2020, so I want to at least meet it this year.



Reduce the number of virtual book tours I participate in - I love VBTs, you know I do. There are so many authors looking for reviews of books I know I would enjoy, but I can't fit you all in and still feel like reading is a pleasure. I have two in January and two in March. That should be it for the first quarter.




Write two First Chapter Reviews a month - I usually like to focus on Kindle freebies or books that have been in my TBR pile for a long time. I review the first chapter of the book and say whether or not I would continue and why. I love doing these and want to get back to them.


Purge my TBR pile - Here is the hard truth: even if I stopped working right now and just focused on reading, it would take me years to go through the boxes of unread books I've accumulated over the last ten years. There are few I would even keep once I read them. This is the year to make the tough choices--which ones stay and which ones get donated. 



Read more nonfiction this year - I've really gotten away from nonfiction since I started blogging. Part of that is because I am so busy these days, I don't want to think too hard when I sit down to read. The reality is, however, that you can't grow if you don't constantly inspire and motivate yourself to do better. One way I do that is by reading. I can see at least half a dozen books on my shelf that are waiting for me. I want to pick them up.

Hope you've enjoyed reading my bookish resolutions. What are some of yours? 

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Twelve Years and The Book Connection is Still Going Strong



I don't talk about this a lot. I guess blogiversaries aren't a big deal. Well, they are, but they kind of slip away unnoticed in between the craziness of work, writing, and life.

Maybe I should have done something spectacular at 10 years. Looks like it will have to wait until the next milestone - 15 years of blogging. I'm sure I'll still be here. I'm hoping my schedule has calmed down a bit so I can blog more.

Truth be told, I started my first blog 14 years ago. I had just finished my writing course with Long Ridge Writers Group, and knew online exposure was important to success. Not quite ready --or knowledgeable -- when it came to creating a website, I figured I would give blogging a shot.

In 2007, Pump Up Your Book opened its virtual doors. I began hosting authors as a way to bring additional exposure to my blog (and hopefully my own writing). Within a few months, I went from blog host to virtual book tour coordinator working with Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up. That lasted for over seven years, until it became too challenging to juggle a busy real estate career and virtual book tours.

Blogging keeps me connected to the world of books and VBTs. Having published four children's books, I know how important marketing and promotion are to success. Blogging also helps me explore my creative side, which always yearns to be heard.

Thank you to all my loyal readers and the authors who have asked me to host them or review their books. It has been a fun 12 years. Let's see what the next 12 bring. 

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Book Spotlight: Comes Before Winter by Elizabeth Golibart Honaker

Write Now Literary is pleased to announce Come Before Winter, a Christian Historical Fiction with author Elizabeth G. Honaker, March 20-24, 2017.

ASIN: B00PPTR5C2

ISBN-10: 1502598353

ISBN-13: 978-1502598356


About The Author

Elizabeth Golibart Honaker hails from Sparta, Tennessee, where she teaches writing support and English at Motlow Community College. Her undergraduate degree is in Liberal Arts, and her first MA is in Theology. This has given her the breadth and scope to write over fifteen full-length passion plays in the last twenty years – seven of which are in print with others being prepared for publication – as well as dozens of shorter scripts, short stories, and poems on Christian topics. Her first historical fiction novel, Come Before Winter, was published in 2014. In that same year, she completed her second MA in English and Creative Writing (Fiction) at Southern New Hampshire University.

When she is not writing or tutoring, she spends her time devising new home projects for Allen, her husband of 45 years. She also enjoys communicating with her two wonderful grown children and buying (and making) trinkets for her four lively grandchildren. She is passionate about sharing Christ, missional activities, and her local church. She also loves gardening, sewing, piano playing, and Star Trek as time permits.



About The Book

This novel skillfully mixes historical people and events from the first century A.D. with fictional characters to create a riveting narrative. What was it like to be confronted by common people from the Roman Empire who believed in an uncommon Savior? Tribune Justinius Plaxus Glatonis, a powerful member of the Imperial Guard in Rome, finds out.












It was sundown when Justinius, Tribune of the Roman Imperial Guard, entered his cubicle and wearily removed his plumed helmet. After placing it in its proper place in the crudely-crafted cupboard near his cot, the warrior stretched and flexed his arms. In the name of Mithras, he thought, am I getting old? My muscles never ached as badly as they do today. He withdrew his broad sword from its scabbard and placed it next to his pilum – the expertly-crafted Roman spear. His shield had shifted slightly on its peg, and he adjusted it to its proper position. Septimus, his tesserarius,1 had already lit his oil lamps, and a welcome cup of wine was placed on the table. Justinius stood to drink it; he awaited Septimus’ help to remove his breastplate and underlying tunic and could not relax until that was accomplished. However, as a good soldier, he was patient – he knew that Septimus would not keep his commander waiting without cause. He drank the cup slowly, savoring the r ich fullness of the wine produced but a few stadia from the gates of Rome. Wine of such quality is not to be found anywhere else in the empire, he mused. I am fortunate to be stationed in Rome herself, the Queen of Cities.

Roman aide-de-camp

Septimus entered and saluted Justinius. His commander nodded, returned the empty cup to the table, and raised his arms so that his aide could more easily access the straps and belts that attached one piece of the breastplate to another. As his aide removed the back piece, Justinius momentarily held the front piece so it would not fall to the ground. It was a heavy, durable section of armor, but the tribune did not want it scratched up unduly. As a good warrior always did, he took care of his own kit himself, polishing it daily. Each piece stood proudly in its assigned place. As Justinius’ aide, Septimus’ job was to assist his commander only in necessary tasks. He was not a servant; he was subordinate only to Justinius. However, there was a certain affection reflected in Septimus’ actions. Indeed, he went beyond the normal scope of a soldier assigned to assist an officer. It was not so much in the big things that he sought to aid his superior; he tried to notice the little things that could smooth the way for such an admirable leader as the tribune he served. His eyes fell on the tattered brown cloak with the curious stripes that draped itself over a partially-concealed scroll. He reached for it to tidy its appearance, but Justinius spoke to him with uncharacteristic sharpness: “Don’t touch that!” “Sir, I only meant…” “I will handle it myself. Do not touch it.” “Yes, Tribune.” “That will be all.” Justinius stood still until Septimus had left the room. Why did I speak to him in that manner? He asked himself. Now I have raised suspicion…What a foolish thought! Who cares whether a moth-eaten cloak and an ill-penned scroll sit in my quarters? Still… Justinius glanced once more toward the door; it had been securely latched by his aide, so he felt more secure. He stood before the cupboard, struggling with himself whether to touch the cloak and the scroll once more or no. What have I to fear from such objects – the cloak of a fanatic and the scroll of a deluded fool? Justinius sank down onto his cot. The apparatus was wellworn and had seen over fifty campaigns – like its owner – but it was sturdy and serviceable, like everything else in Justinius’ cubicle. There were plenty of other things to claim the soldier’s attention; the weekly slabs with their figures and lines and reports had to be read and digested, and more reports had to be made to superiors up the line. There was his armor to polish once again. But Justinius could not concentrate on anything but the two maddeningly distractive articles. He stood and went to the cupboard. This fear is insane. He reached out to pull the cloak from its resting place, and as he drew it closer to his body, he smelled its lingering aroma of travel and sweat and contact with horses and camels and ships. It was somehow reassuring to smell that smell again.






Wednesday, January 6, 2016

10 Things You Need to Know About Virtual Book Tours by Dorothy Thompson, Founder of Pump Up Your Book


10 Things You Need to Know About Virtual Book Tours
By Dorothy Thompson, CEO & Founder of
 Pump Up Your Book

By now, most authors know what virtual book tours are or at least have heard of them.  They’re that wonderful marketing tool that should be a must have in every new book’s campaign.  With each new book I write, I’m making a game plan before the book is even published, and a virtual book tour is the first promotional venue on that list.

While most of us know what they are, there are still a few authors who might have heard of them but have no idea what they involve.  I give you my top 10 things you need to know about virtual book tours so you know what to expect.
  1. Virtual book tours are the BEST way to get the MOST online exposure for your book. Not only are you presenting your book--and yourself--to thousands of people, all of your interviews, guest posts and reviews are archived, which means months down the road you’re still selling your book because of that one tour.
  2. Virtual book tours ARE a lot of work. Not only are you searching for the perfect blogs to host you, you are acting as the middle man between you and the blogger unless you are using a paid service, such as Pump Up Your Book, who will do all that work for you.  Even if you do sign up with Pump Up Your Book, there is still work to do--filling out interviews and writing guest posts (unless you choose an all review tour).  Even though it requires a little bit of your time to fill out interviews and write guest posts, it’s well worth it.
  3. You will learn more about your book than you ever did. I had an author tell me that through the interviews and guest posts she had to complete she learned so much about her book, which caught her off guard.  Now, when she is interviewed on radio shows and makes television appearances she is better prepared.
  4. Virtual book tours will build up your author platform.  No matter if you’re a fiction author or a nonfiction author, virtual book tours will build up your author platform using your key search words.
  5. Your reviews are guaranteed. Offline publicists, while they mean well, do it all wrong.  They query a book blogger, make arrangements to send the book, then that’s where it stops.  The review is not a guaranteed thing.  The reviewer can post the review anytime they see fit.  With virtual book tours, your review is guaranteed on a certain date unless the reviewer jumps ship, which rarely happens.  I had an author tell me she signed up with an offline publicist who sent out tons of books, but only one or two reviewers actually came through for them.  That was money lost for the author.  Books don’t come cheap these days, so scheduling a date the reviewer can agree upon guarantees that review will happen.
  6. Many reviewers now take eBooks, which save you money. Thank goodness someone was smart enough to invent a device that automatically loads a book in a few seconds (no waiting to go to the book store anymore, my friend) and makes it fun to read.  When Amazon lowered their price of the Kindle, sales soared and book lovers started talking about getting one.  It opened up a wonderful way to get these books to the book reviewers quickly and less expensively.  Have you noticed how much books are and how much it takes to ship them?  Not saying all reviewers will take eBooks, but as time goes on, most will have an e-reader and might prefer an eBook.
  7. More website hits, more blog hits, more Twitter hits and more Facebook Fan Page hits. All authors should have a website or blog and accounts at Twitter and Facebook.  No matter if you think they’re all a waste of time.  A virtual book tour will definitely give you more hits at all places--as long as your links are in your bio.
  8. Going on a virtual book tour raises your Alexa rankings. What is Alexa?  Alexa measures how well you are doing in the search engines.  When you go on a virtual book tour, your website and blog links are included in every bio (or should be!) whether it be an interview or guest post.  Those are incoming links that Alexa uses to measure your ranking.  The more your website or blog link shows up on other sites, the more valuable your site is to them, and thus, your rankings soar.
  9. You will learn how to sell your book through media exposure. Not all authors take advantage of their interviews and guest posts by gearing them toward their audience, thus luring them to their book and/or website/blog.  I’ve had many authors on tour. The ones who really take the time to make their interviews and guest posts effective selling tools are the ones who profit the most.  The key thing here is to make your audience curious.  One liners, in the case of interviews, may not cut it.  Of course, there are only so many ways you can answer “What’s your book about?” but take your time and get your audience’s curiosity piqued so that they make their way over to your website or your book’s buying link.
  10. Virtual book tours teach you how to connect well with others. There is no better way to learn how to network.  All these wonderful book bloggers who agree to host you are your new friends in your extended network, and they will be there for you the next time you have a book to promote (unless they completely panned it of course).  You’ll also learn how to use the social networks effectively as you study how to get people over to your tour stops with persuasive wording.  Remember to talk to your audience, not at them.

There you have it.  Ten things you need to know about virtual book tours in a nutshell.  If you have a tour coordinator as opposed to setting one up yourself, she will walk you through it so that your tour will be a fun experience for all.  Your book will thank you for it.

Dorothy Thompson is CEO/Founder of Pump Up Your Book, an award-winning public relations company specializing in online book publicity.  You can visit her website at www.PumpUpYourBook.com or follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pumpupyourbook and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pumpupyourbook.



Monday, August 24, 2015

Interview with Lisa Tillinger Johansen, Author of Stop the Diet, I Want to Get Off!

LISA TILLINGER JOHANSEN, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian who counsels clients on a wide range of health issues. Her debut nutrition book, Fast Food Vindication, received the Discovery Award (sponsored by USA Today, Kirkus and The Huffington Post).  She lives in Southern California.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I live in Southern California and love it. Reading is one of my most favorite pastimes and has been most of my life. I joined my first book club when I was six years old. I love to entertain, from a small dinner party to a major bash. My husband and I love the arts and go to a lot of movies, plays and concerts. I would have to say that my biggest adult passion has been travel. It’s my goal to see as much of the world as I can.

When did you begin writing?

I wrote my first play when I was nine years old. It was about Native Americans and my friend and I performed it for our history class. The next year I wrote a play for my English class about Santa Claus, and I played Santa! In seventh grade I mounted my most ambitious play called Rocky and the Boys about bank robbers. I, of course, was Rocky and we performed the play on the school’s theater stage. It was very exciting.

Throughout high school and college I continued to write, but mostly essays and short stories. Then in my mid-twenties I tried writing a romance novel called The Girl With The Kelly Green Scarf. It was 86 pages from start to finish. Too funny! It was then that I realized how hard it is to write a book.

I took some time off from writing for a decade or so and then started back again several years ago with my first book FAST FOOD VINDICATION. It was well-received and won several awards. This inspired me to write my new book STOP THE DIET, I WANT TO GET OFF!

What is this book about?

STOP THE DIET, I WANT TO GET OFF! examines the pros and cons of dozens of the most popular diets out there and ultimately provides the reader with a healthy eating plan for life.

What inspired you to write it?                                              


I’m a dietitian and I’ve counseled thousands of patients about weight loss and management. So many of them have been on numerous diets that didn’t work. Too few have tried a common-sense diet approach. My goal is to help people learn to eat healthy for life. And because there’s so much misinformation out there about what to do, I felt compelled to write a book that answers all the diet questions.

Who is your biggest supporter?

I can answer two questions here. My husband is my biggest supporter and he’s also my favorite author. He writes mystery/thriller books and sometimes collaborates with my second favorite author, my mother-in-law Iris Johansen.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Readers can get STOP THE DIET, I WANT TO GET OFF! on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and local booksellers.

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

I have three websites. The one that is specific to STOP THE DIET, I WANT TO GET OFF! is www.stopthediet.com. I also have a Q&A website at www.consultthedietitian.com and one for my first book www.fastfoodvindication.com. I’m on Facebook at Lisa Tillinger Johansen and on Twitter @LisaTJohansen.

What is up next for you?

Right now I’m busy promoting STOP THE DIET, I WANT TO GET OFF! as well as teaching nutrition, conducting hypertension and diabetes clinics and holding cooking classes in various senior centers. So I’m pretty busy! But I’m looking ahead to my next book and hope to get started on it soon.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you for taking the time for the interview. I appreciate it.



Friday, July 31, 2015

Book Spotlight: Guilt Free Motherhood: A 5-Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Time, Health & Well-Being by Amber Khan

Today is supposed to be my review of this book, but I simply haven't finished it. Real estate is booming and I've barely cracked the e-cover. Look for my full review Sunday or Monday. What I've read so far has been great, but I am reserving my full comments until I've dug deeper into it.

Own your happiness. Reclaim your well-being. Make a guilt-free lifestyle, your choice of living!
·         Do you think being a 'super mum' is your only option?
·         Do you neglect your own health while caring for others?
·         Do you struggle to maintain a happy work/life balance?
·         Do you often feel stressed and burnt-out? Then you may be suffering from 'Mummy Guilt'.
Guilt Free Motherhood will guide you to:
·         Ignite your passion to bring balance to your life;
·         Take practical steps towards self-care;
·         De-clutter your space, schedules and relationships;
·         Let go of the 'super mum' and the 'control freak' inside of you;
·         Practical ways of recharging your batteries.

A mother's journey should not be, and need not be, a GUILT trip. Guilt Free Motherhood gives you the tools you need to start living a more contented, healthy and energised lifestyle today - right in the midst of motherhood.”

Read an excerpt:

I think you’ll agree that the most important emotional issue a majority of mothers face, especially twenty-first century mothers, is the feeling of guilt. The spectrum of guilt is wide and varied, ranging from feeling guilty about not doing enough for your children, to feeling guilty about spending time or money on your own well-being, with hundreds more guilty feelings in between. I believe that a mother’s journey should not be, and need not be, a guilt trip.

The purpose of this book is to show how a mother can live a refreshing, blissful and blossoming lifestyle through a guided five-step process by letting go of the mummy guilt that makes us sacrifice our health, career and relationships.

Mummy guilt can be defined as the feeling of self-condemnation that we experience when thoughts of spending time and money on ourselves seem selfish. It can also be understood as the constant worry we feel for our kids which eventually turns into guilt. In fact, anyone caring for children is bound to experience similar guilty feelings.

Mummy guilt can start as early as when the pink stripes show up on your pregnancy test. I used to feel guilty about anything when I was expecting my first child. The first trimester was very tough. I could hardly keep food down, felt nauseous and weak, and worried constantly how it would affect the growth of my baby. Guilt sowed its seeds in me at the very start of my motherhood journey.

Later on, if I left kids at home with hubby for an hour or two, I felt guilty. When I went to work after dropping my baby at the nursery, I felt guilty. When I decided to be a stay-at-home mum, I felt guilt about abandoning my career. When I wanted to join the gym (to lose the extra 20kg I had gained during pregnancy) and regain my self-confidence, I felt guilty about spending that time and money on myself. Even going out (once in a blue moon) with friends, always turned into a guilt trip. Is a mother taking care of herself to keep her sanity and health, really a selfish act?

Well in my case the lack of self-care eventually turned into health problems. Back problems, weak joints, weak and injury-prone muscles, and I was only in my twenties! Problems that, you’d normally associate with old age, maybe. For almost a decade I neglected my health; it eventually took my left knee giving way to make me realise that if I didn't take care of myself now, I would soon end up miserable, in pain and maybe even run out of recovery options. What good would I be to my family then? Will husband have to quit work simply to look after me and the kids?

I know most of us are constrained by financial or support issues. I should know! Aged twenty-three, new mum, in a new country with no friends or family -- that was me over a decade ago. I tried to be a ‘supermum’ thinking I could manage it all. Even when my husband offered to help I’d often decline, thinking I could do it better because a job half done, or not finished to my standards, would only frustrate me more. I neglected my health, and felt stressed and exhausted most of the time. I was trapped by mummy guilt.

For More Information


  • Guilt Free Motherhood: A 5 Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Time, Health & Well-Being is available at Amazon US & Amazon UK.
  • Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
  • Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
  • Watch the book trailer at YouTube.
  • Read excerpt here.
Amber Khan is a Lifestyle Mentor, Speaker, Author, sports enthusiast and a proud mum of three.

She is the founder of Guilt Free Living which provides tools for the mothers to help them live a fulfilling, healthy & energised lifestyle.

She has ran retreats, given talks and written articles on the importance of wellness and how to re-energise the tired minds and bodies of mothers.

Amber currently resides in London, UK with her husband and their three children.

Her latest book is the nonfiction/parenting/motherhood book, Guilt Free Motherhood: A 5-Step Guide to Reclaiming Your Time, Health & Well-Being.
For More Information

Friday, July 18, 2014

How to be Twittertastic by Jo Linsdell

Are you ready to be Twittertastic?


Twitter is the most immediate of all social media and allows you to connect with readers and others from the literary industry from all over the world. The fastest growing network with a 44% growth from 2012-2013 Twitter now boosts 255 million monthly active users.


How to be Twittertastic teaches you what Twitter is and how to use it to build your author brand, connect with readers, and sell more books.


Learn strategies and tips that will help you leverage your Twitter presence and get the most out of your tweets.


What's covered:
* How to set up your profile and personalise it 
* Creating your network
* Ideas for making the most out of the new features
* Tweets- Types of content you can share
* Retweets, hashtags, and other Twitter terminology made simple
* Twitter etiquette- Dos and Don'ts of the Twitterverse
* Time savers

and more...


How to be Twittertastic is the first book in the Writers and Authors Guide to Social Media series.


Release date: 1st July 2014

Product Details: Kindle
File Size: 2191 KB
Print Length: 94 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00LFFRYEE


Purchasing links:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LFFRYEE 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LFFRYEE
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00LFFRYEE
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00LFFRYEE


Jo Linsdell is  a best selling author and illustrator and internationally recognized marketing expert. She is also the founder and organizer of the annual online event "Promo Day" (www.PromoDay.info) and the Writers and Authors blog (http://WritersAndAuthors.blogspot.com). To find out more about Jo and her projects visit her website www.JoLinsdell.com.


Facebook event page: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/657184934375734/


Social Media Links:
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
LinkedIn 
YouTube
Goodreads
Amazon 


Saturday, March 1, 2014

Pump Up Your Book! Announces March 2014 Authors on Virtual Book Tours




Get a head start on your spring reading with books in your favorite genres. In the month of March, Pump Up Your Book! is featuring historical fiction titles, romance novels, thrillers, books for children and tweens, autobiographies and more! Follow our tours and find chances to win fabulous prizes like gift cards and Kindles.

Kevin Bohacz shares his techno-thrillers “Immortality” and “Ghost of the Gods,” while Michael Goffinet tours with his action thriller, “They Call Me Superman,” and Pamela Samuels Young talks about her mystery thriller, “Anybody’s Daughter.” Freddie Owens and Monique Roy share their historical novels, and Andra Walkins tours with the historical paranormal suspense novel, “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis.” Mysteries on a variety of subgenres come to you from David Burnsworth, Lauren Carr, and Greg Messel, while C. Elizabeth, P. Christina Greenaway, and J. H. Sanderson talk about their paranormal novels. We have several contemporary romance novels on tour this month. Visit the tours of Christine Bell, Nicolette Day, Victoria James, Nicola Marsh, Susan Meier, Tori St. Clare, Daire St. Dennis, Victoria Van Tiem, Sonya Weiss, and Tracey Wolff to find out more.

A. E. Kirk and Mike Phillips share their science-fiction novels, while Emilia Rutigliano returns with the three books in her women’s fiction series, “Layers of Veronica.” For younger readers, Hayley Rose tours with “The Do’s and Don’ts” and Donna McDine shares her tween chapter book, “A Sandy Grave.” Also on tour are: Fletcher Best, Genie Davis and Linda Marr, and Natalie J. Damschroder and Sharron McLellan.

In the world of nonfiction, Pump Up Your Book is featuring the self-help book, “Semi-Coma: Evolution of My Intermittent Consciousness” by Gulten Dye, “Hypothyroidism, Health and Happiness” by Dr. Steven Hotze, the autobiography, “The Ambitious Struggle” by Yasin Kakande, the “Directory of Federal Prisons” by Christopher Zukis and Dr. Randall Radic, and “The Truth About Dog and Cat Treatments and Anomalies” by Dr. Robert Ridgway.

Visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4iGn4X2AJc to view a video trailer introducing our clients on tour in March.

Pump Up Your Book! is a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service at an affordable price. More information can be found on our website at www.pumpupyourbook.com. While there, check out our Authors on Tour page to see what we have coming up in the months ahead. We’re always looking for new bloggers to join our team.

Contact Information:
Dorothy Thompson
Founder of Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Tours
P.O. Box 643
Chincoteague, Virginia 23336
Email: thewriterslife@gmail.com