Biology of the Brain by Kent MacLeod – Spotlight and Giveaway

May 7, 2020 By 3 Comments

You are invited to today’s launch party – click on the following invitation to RSVP.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

FOREWORD BY SUZANNE SOMERS
Biology of the Brain
Are you sick?

Are you plagued by chronic health problems with no cure or remedy in sight?

Are you tired of spending thousands on medications that only seem to make you worse?

Think that your drugs are a sham that are just managing symptoms and never dealing with the root cause? You’re not alone!

Millions suffer from similar ailments and health struggles just like you, only to be prescribed more medications that can actually cause harm, and in some cases, even kill you. The medical industry has it all backward!

Chronic health conditions and mental health disorders are increasing at an alarming rate, and yet we are still trying to use the same old ineffective drugs that can have very serious side effects.

We’re the blind leading the blind in the hopes that the next great pill will solve all of our problems. Meanwhile, the health of the majority of Canadians and Americans is deteriorating—fast!

But there is a growing understanding in the community that there’s a bigger beast at the heart of the health epidemic…

It’s called the microbiome. And it’s intimately connected to your brain.

Microbiome health is brain health.

In The Biology of the Brain, Kent MacLeod, pharmacist, founder and CEO of NutriChem Compounding Pharmacy and Clinic, breaks down why modern medicine is killing people instead of healing them. Instead of leaving the problem as it stands, he provides you with clear, actionable steps to not only heal your microbiome, but to restore your brain health and get your life back.

Enjoy an Excerpt from the Foreword by Suzanne Somers

“The Biology of the Brain” How Your Gut Microbiome Affects Your Brain by Kent MacLeod, R.Ph. B.Sc. Phm. Is a Must Read!

Everyone has stomach issues. All I hear from my readers is “I’m bloated, I have stomach cramping, I’m constipated, I have terrible gas, I have unexplained weight gain”. It goes on and on.

As we age, we encounter so many health problems, from bacterial overgrowth to inflammation, SIBO, (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), that’s your bloated intestines, to acid reflux with more and more people reporting esophageal cancer probably as a result of acid reflux. Acid reflux, otherwise known as GERD, (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is rampant. You see it in the swollen and irritated bellies of so many people causing terrible discomfort.

Personally, I too have been plagued by GI issues for the past several years. For me, it all started with a misdiagnosis, a nightmare so terrifying I have written about in two of my books. I was given 24-hour IV antibiotics for six days straight, night and day, medicine pouring into my veins for an infection I didn’t have.

Little did I know this antibiotic invasion of my body would upset the microbiome in my GI tract for years to come and it’s never been right since. In fact, at that time, I didn’t even know what a microbiome was let alone try to fix it. I had no idea of gut balance and that gut balance was the right ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria, yet here I was taking IV antibiotics that were taking away all balance. How was that going to make me healthy? I had no idea that the gut and the brain were so intertwined, so interconnected.

About the Author:

Kent MacLeod is an international thought leader and award-winning pharmacist, with over 35 years of clinical experience delivering patient-centered health care. He’s globally recognized as a hormone health and nutrition expert, and he has lectured at health conferences, published research, and developed course material for many professional clinics based on NutriChem’s success.

He’s won numerous awards for his dedication to patient wellness, including the Canadian Compounding Pharmacist of the Year award, the Distinguished Pharmacy Practice Award, and the Outstanding Service Award for Innovation. He also wrote the books, Down Syndrome and Vitamin Therapy: Unlocking the Secrets of Health, Behavior, and Intelligence.

He lectures throughout North America and Europe on the gut microbiome, hormones, mental health, Down Syndrome, pediatrics, pain management, as well as pharmacology. His philosophy is to work with every patient—individually—to ensure they receive the best combination of conventional and natural therapies for health maintenance and disease management.

If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, it’s time you learn why your body is hurting and correct it the right way.

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How to Handle Negative Criticism by Nino Gugunishvili – Guest Blog and Giveaway

February 27, 2020 By 11 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nino Gugunishvili will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

How to handle negative criticism

Hurray! Your book is published, its cover attractively glowing on a virtual or physical shelf, or ideally on both! Congratulations! That’s when you’re trapped! You’re now stepping into the least comfortable parts of the road, nervously waiting for feedback from your potential readers.

I think it’s better if I say it now: Listen, you’ll have gigantic bumps on that road, and do not under any circumstances believe anyone who tells you otherwise, ever.

You’re going to have readers who, unlike your immediate family members or few of your close friends, won’t necessarily think that you’re the next Jane Austen, Donna Tartt, or J.K. Rowling.

Sadly, the ones not believing in your inner brilliance and that unparalleled talent of yours will often be in the majority. Yes, that’s exactly how tough it is! And it won’t help a tiny bit that your genius mind is to remember every word of every critical feedback you’ll ever receive, every sentence and comma in all of the negative reviews of your book!

Let’s be honest, there are so many reasons why your book can be hated; For the cover? Yes! For the story? Yes! For the characters? Definitely! For the beginning? Yes! For the middle?Undoubtedly! And for the end? Yes, yes, and million times yes! You may even become a queen of one-star reviews, and if you think you can prepare yourself for it, well, the truth is, no single human being living in the entire galaxy, has ever been prone to negativity and criticism. It’s painful, it shatters you, you feel betrayed and destroyed! Yes, I know, been there. Yes, life is unfair! At least sometimes. Read, often.

But guess what? As much as you’d want it to, luckily, the world doesn’t stop because someone has criticized your work. The universe doesn’t give a damn about it. Neither about you nor about the author of your bad review. You’ll both live happily ever after, in the parallel worlds. So, be the universe, keep moving forward, keep writing, that’s the only way to deal with it, I’m afraid.

Love, memories, family, enduring friendships, cooking, movies, dogs, travels, hairstyles, and saying Yes to many No’s in a witty, yet often sentimental, journey of self-discovery…

You Will Have a Black Labrador is a collection of semiautobiographical essays forming a narrative about a modern Georgian woman. Her stories range from the search for a perfect romantic partner to exploring food as an integral part of the Georgian culture. Many of the vignettes center on childhood memories or weird family traditions, such as the way family members stay connected no matter if they’re deceased or alive. One essay reveals how making a simple omelette can change your life; and that No can be the most powerful word in any language. She shows us, too, that a haircut can be a tribute to the movies you love as well as a path to your freedom; and how owning a dog always brings unexpected experiences. In this poignantly humourous collection, reality mixes and interferes with an imaginative world in so many surprising ways.

Enjoy an Excerpt

For my first-ever cooking fiasco, I blame my brother and the day he asked me to make two boiled eggs. I threw myself into the task unaware of the consequences it would have on my life.

‘Don’t forget to salt them, okay?’ he told me nonchalantly, and that detail of adding salt completely ruined my teenager years. The dish I prepared after an hour of struggle resembled boiled eggs like a giraffe resembles a cat. I had no idea how to boil and salt the eggs simultaneously, so I decided to simply smash them into the hot water. By the end of my first-ever culinary attempt, we had no more eggs in the house and I had to clean every surface in our kitchen, accompanied by my brother’s hysterical laughter.

This story became an anecdote. My family members would tell it over and over to their friends and to friends of friends. It mercilessly followed me everywhere I went, and resurfaced when I least expected it. Two boiled eggs—the embarrassment of my life.

That’s why, from the age of eleven or twelve, I was willing to have a go at any new challenge except, well, cooking. But—I have to add a huge but here—in my family, cooking and serving a meal always was, and still is, quintessential. The most important question you’d hear at our house is either ‘Are you hungry?’ or ‘Have you eaten?’ presuming that as long as you were not hungry, everything else was secondary.

About the Author: “You Will Have a Black Labrador” is Nino Gugunishvili’s recently released collection of short essays. She is also the author of a women’s fiction novel, Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock, published in English and Russian. She resides in Tbilisi, Georgia.

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Jay Got Married by James Robinson Jr — Guest Post and Giveaway

January 31, 2020 By 9 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. James Robinson Jr. will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

My Writing Style by James Robinson Jr.

I’m a writer of fiction and nonfiction. My newest book, Jay Got Married: A Collection of 9 Short Non-Fiction Essays, is an example the style I employ when I write a non-fiction book. I thought it might be interesting to give you an idea of this style, the unique way that I put together an essay.

The essays usually begin with a broad subject—movies, the notion of George Orwell’s Big Brother, jellybeans (yes, jellybeans)—and go from there. I write using satire, a humorous, tongue-in-cheek wit, and employ my own experiences as a backdrop. I often touch upon real-life issues but always divert back to my base style. I have also discovered that it helps to use clipart and photos of the handsome author himself to bring home a point. Here is an example:

Jay Got Married

I had a frightful dream. I was standing at the altar with my wife and 400 guests in attendance. It seemed to be a repeat of our wedding in 1976. My now 95-year-old father performed the ceremony for my wife and me the first time around, and that’s how old he appeared to be in this vision. He kept forgetting the lines and was forever looking at me for support. At one point, I was whispering, “The rings, the rings.” I kept reaching for them, but they were disappearing before I could grab them.

Albie, my cousin and best man from my first wedding, was singing Sonny and Cher’s, I Got You Babe. Normally, he can’t sing for shit, but in this scenario, he had his hand on his chest and his head back, sounding like Luciano Pavarotti. What was this all about?
My father, the minister, wearing his trademark Champion sweatshirt, with coffee stains on the chest portions, pronounced us man and wife. I turned to kiss my new bride and caught a glimpse of her bridesmaid. But instead of her best friend who was her attendant back in the day, it was Gal Godot from DC Comics and the movies.

She was wearing her Wonder Woman garb, but she didn’t seem primed for a wedding. In fact, she appeared to be totally shocked by the whole affair. What kind of dream was this?

My wife and I ended the ceremony with a kiss. My mother turned to my father (who was then in attendance in the audience) with a quizzical look and said, “Dad, look at that bridesmaid. Isn’t that Superman?”

She was close. She doesn’t get out much.

Oh, and then, though neither of us would be caught dead on a motorcycle, in this weird musing, we were apparently bikers. Instead of a limousine waiting for us at the curb, there sat a racy motorcycle with cans in tow. It looked like this one:

I Googled it. It’s a BMW S1000RR—sleek, fast, and flashy.

But before I could get on the bike, she pulled off without me, as the cans tied to the wheels of the hot machine banged on the street, while her gown billowed in the breeze. She had left me standing in the street like a lost soul.

True, I shouldn’t have been drinking the caffeinated tea before bed, but more to the point, maybe, just maybe, this crazy vision was a warning, a forecast, an omen. Maybe it was God’s way of telling me that Wonder Woman could show up at your wedding without even paying her an appearance fee. Or even more to the point, perhaps it was to make me appreciate what I have.

What if the unthinkable happened to my wife? What if she succumbed to a disease, or was killed in a terrible auto accident? Or worse, what if her life were cut short in a vicious pit bull attack?

I jest. But you never know.

Seriously, what if I were faced with the prospect of being without her for the rest of my life? I would be devastated, left to fend for myself without my confidant and best friend.

With my life clock ticking away, would I ever get over it? I doubt it. Creeping up on 67 years of age, I would be left with no one to bond with, to grow old with, to offer me comfort when I’m down. My dance card is full, I’m all settled in, and my stuff doesn’t work all that well anymore. I have aches and pains from head to toe. I’m in no shape to be limping back to the starting gate and pushing the reset button.

Even if I wanted to find another partner, I ain’t feelin’ it. I don’t have the desire or energy to pull it off. And in terms of females, I’ve seen what’s out there. Aside from my children and grandchildren—and those little monsters can be a real pain in the butt—my wife is the best thing in my life. After 42 years of cohabitation, she knows me better than anyone. She’s loyal, honest to a fault, puts up with my crap, cleans the toilet after me, and makes a mean cherry pie.

However, she doesn’t laugh at my humor. In fact, she just shakes her head and sighs when I present it to her for her blessings. But I expect that. The mere thought of marrying anyone else is frightful. Could I do it, given those circumstances? Even after years of mourning? I would have to say:

Uh, no. I don’t think so.

If I haven’t totally turned you off, read the whole book. And thanks for taking a look.

Jay Got Married consists of 9 humorous and, at times, poignant essays chronicling the ironies of everyday life in word and picture. Take for example the lead essay, aptly titled, “Jay got Married,” where I find myself mired in a horrendous dream.

In the fantasy, my aging father–dressed in his favorite Champion t-shirt with stains covering the front–marries my wife and I like he did 42 years ago but, this time around, the my 92-year-old ex-clergy dad forgets his lines causing me to coach him through the event with hints like: “ask for the rings, ask for the rings.” All the while, my best man sings Sonny and Cher’s, “I Got You Babe.”

Finally married, my wife and I end the ceremony with a kiss. But as I turn to exit, my eyes catch a glimpse of the bridesmaid who is no longer my wife’s best friend but now Gal Gadot from Dell Comics and Wonder Woman Fame. She is dressed in full Wonder Women regalia and looks totally shocked by the whole affair.

My mother turns to my father (now in the audience) with a quizzical look and says, “Dad, look at that bridesmaid. Isn’t that Superman?” She doesn’t get out much.

As we exit the church, and the bubbles fill the air–no one uses rice anymore—my wife ignores the limo and takes off on a sleek motorcycle, leaving me in the lurch—hence the cover.
Sure, it’s sounds crazy. But, in truth, isn’t the world of marriage crazy these days? In my case, what would one do when faced with the prospect of losing their beloved wife after 42 years? At age 67, would they remarry? Would they even want to remarry? These and other marital tidbits are discussed with humor and as much reverence as I could muster.

P.S. The author pairs up with Wonder Woman again in a final bit of photo wizardry Why? How? How are tricky copyright infringement laws avoided? Read Jay Got Married and find out.

Enjoy an Excerpt

You’re like, “What’s the big deal? Sure, it’s a sad thing, but don’t be too hasty. People fill that void in their lives all the time. It can happen. Sure, you’ve lost someone near and dear to you. But you could get over it. Even at your age. Time heals all wounds.” (Boy, you could’ve done better than that.) “People are living longer now. You’ll have more time to think this through. I see couples remarrying in their 70s and 80s.”

And I say, “While that may be true, I have to ask myself how I could find someone after a tragic death, when married people can’t seem to decide who they want while they’re both still among the living. I see people divorce and remarry two, three, four, and even five times. Amongst the marital shrapnel, some have their next spouses all picked out before the split.

Switch partners in the middle of a dance four or five times? Really? After a few shots at it, I would have to practice a little self-examination. I think I’d ask myself, “Am I missing something? Shouldn’t I be wondering if a pattern is developing?” Before I jump a fifth set of bristles, I’d be thinking, Why do I keep marrying people and divorcing them? Could it be… could it be… could it be… me?

Well, the difference is, you can count these cast-offs in the still among the living category. You can always figure on those exes to be around to torture for alimony, child support, and just general purposes. But once they’re gone, you’d have to feel some kind of grief. Even if you only see their name in the obituary and suck your teeth.

About the Author: James Robinson, Jr. is an award-winning author who has written 6 books in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His first book Fighting the Effects of Gravity: A Bittersweet Journey Into Middle Life, was an Indie Award winner for nonfiction. His first foray into fiction, Book of Samuel, was a Readers’ Favorite Award Winner. His latest book—Jay Got Married—is a collection of 9 humorous, sometimes poignant essays.

Mr. Robinson resides in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife of 43 years. He is the father of three daughters ages 37, 38, and 40 and has six grandchildren

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The Sweet Pepper Cajun by J.A. Jackson – Spotlight and Giveaway

January 27, 2020 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. J. A. Jackson will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour and a Kindle ebook copy of her cookbook to 8 randomly selected winners. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Treat yourself to an exceptional value! Kindle Price just $2.49! Great New recipes from that Southern Soulful Magnolia Table. Recipes for all your festive occasions! The Holidays are almost here! It’s time for Great Food, Fantastic Family Gatherings with our Best Friends!

Enjoy Southern Cornbread Dressing with your turkey, ham roast, beef, roast beef or vegan New Year’s Good Luck Long Noodle Cajun Pasta this year! Those recipes and more are here! Grab your copy today!


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From soups, sandwiches, salads, and of course the main course, to cakes, made famous by Mamma and her friends, with recipes Mamma got from Grandmamma.

Here you’ll find recipes for welcoming family and friends into your home whether they cornered you by just dropping by or they were invited. Make all their visits more pleasurable with recipes from the heart. Here you’ll find not just recipes for lunch, brunch, and Feasts from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, but quick easy make-ahead sides and appetizers. It’s that time of the season to cook from the heart with love. Inside you’ll find breakfast favorites, and complete dinner menus, plus taste-tempting decadent desserts that aim to please.

Book is $2.49 on Kindle

Enjoy an Excerpt

It’s Time For Family & Friends!
♥

Come join us, grab a seat, fill a bowl, and take a taste of our scrumptious food. We believe food is our common ground and in flavor do we trust!
Any Season!
♥

There’s an old saying… “Good friends are so very hard to find, and I’m am so grateful that you are mine.” This is for you… All of my friends. Thank you.


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Southern Yellow Mustard Potato Salad!

•Prep Time 10 mins
•Total Time 40 mins

Ingredients:

•3 pounds boiled potatoes peeled and cubed
•6 boiled eggs chopped
•1 medium onion minced
•½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
•½ cup finely chopped celery
•4 medium dill pickles diced
•¾ cup mayonnaise
•1/2 cup yellow mustard
•1/4 Slap Ya Mamma Cajun seasoning (season to taste)
•¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:

Combine all Ingredients together and mix until well-combined and creamy. Add more mayonnaise and mustard depending on tastes. Refrigerate! Keep products made with mayonnaise chilled at all times…

About the Author:

J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills.

She spent over ten years working in the non-profit sector where she wrote grants, press releases and contributed many stories to their newsletter. She was their Newsletter editor for over ten years. She loves growing roses, a good pot of hot tea, chocolate, magical stories, suspense stories, ghost stories, and reading Jane Austen again and again in her past time.

Please write her at P.O. Box 1494, Clovis, CA 93613

Email Address: jerreecejackson@gmail.com or jerreecejackson@yahoo.com

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Why I Wrote a Non-Fiction Book About Having a Fairytale Life by Branden LaNette – Guest Blog and Giveaway

January 17, 2020 By 8 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Branden LaNette will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why I Wrote a Non-Fiction Book About Having a Fairytale Life

Once Upon a Time, Bitches came to me easily and it encompassed everything that was me. As for the title, “Once upon a time” is for the fairytale daydreamer in me. “Bitches” is my term of endearment for all of the queens out there who don’t fit the cookie cutter ideology of what a princess is. I needed it to scream possibilities without the bs. This book is proof that dreams come true if you put in the work and keep showing up no matter how many times you want to quit.

I used to dream and wish for things. For success, for money, for love. I thought all my answers would be found in a prince. He would have the money, he would love me, he would make my life easier, and success would just rain upon me and I would live in a castle forever and ever.

It hit me one day, I couldn’t keep wishing. I was going to have to do something. I was going to have to save myself. Not just in one area of my life, but in all areas. Not just for one day, but for forever. I laughed because once upon a time I had to face the truth…. those words stuck out to me and I felt incredibly compelled to share that truth with other people that may be out there just wishing or waiting for things to happen. What if there were women like me thinking that someone was going to come rescue them, and that if it didn’t happen that they just weren’t worthy? Who is settling because that fairytale life didn’t just “happen” to them?

There is no key character when it comes to my book, other than you. This is about you owning and taking responsibility for your life and then doing something to change it if you’re not happy. If you’re not joyful and content, this is your truth to discover.

I wrote this for adults, but a lot of moms with teenagers have expressed their children’s love for it. A little language never killed anyone, but it has made me feel like I probably need to release a book for teenagers, with maybe one less F bombs! If they could skip through the years of bs I endured. Their life would get an incredible jumpstart on what it is to be happy and not give a f what anyone says or thinks.

I am a wife, and a mom to six kids. I thrive on dreaming big ridiculous dreams, and I love spending time in a quiet room by myself. I’m a walking paradox. Since grade school, teachers have put whispers in my ear about a natural talent I had for writing. I am my happiest when I am creating something with words on paper. I’m incredibly proud of the work and honored that so many people have given it a chance and loved it. I’m even more proud that my publishers got a little reassurance that they didn’t make a mistake taking a chance with me.

That’s Branden on the cover. Yes, she has a boy’s name, a Mom bod, and her tattoos are not photoshopped. She doesn’t look like your typical author and she sure doesn’t look like the next self-help Instagram sweetheart.

However, besides being a wife, mom to six kids (plus others with fur), coach and business owner, Branden is the author of the new book, Once Upon a Time, Bitches. It’s a fast paced, in your face, expletive laced, nothing held back message to women everywhere: There is no magic fairytale, but if YOU work at it enough you can come pretty close to creating your version with a happily ever after.

But first, no more whining and no more damsel locked in a tower, bullsh*t. Is it possible to design a fairytale life? Control your destiny? Be the hero in your story? Branden thinks there is and she wants to help you.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Ever since I was 8 years old, I dreamed of an easy life. The problem with my dream? I expected that fairytale life to be handed to me. And when it wasn’t, I decided that fairytales were bullsh*t. Not that you can’t have a fairytale life—you can. What I understand now, however, is that to get a fairytale life, you’d better be willing to work your Cinderella-ass off for it.

Still, I held on to the fantasy of having an easy life handed to me. I wanted to be saved. To be specific, I thought I needed a guy to be my hero. So I went about trying to find one.

I dated a lot of guys. Lots of guys.

But as they came and went, I always ended up disappointed. Not a single one of them ever made my life easier. Things weren’t going the way I’d planned. WTF? Hadn’t anyone read the f-ing script? It was right there on page 43:
“Tall handsome guy with tight ass, great pecs and a 124-foot yacht named “Sh*tload of Cash” enters stage-left and sweeps Branden off her feet, and they sail off to Barbados.”

Even in my adult years, I would find myself just wishing—not just for prince charming to appear (which he eventually did in the form of my husband, minus the yacht and gobs of cash) but wishing for things in every area of my life. Even today, in my writing/coaching career, I find myself drifting into wish-mode: Why isn’t this easier? Why can’t things just take off and grow overnight? Is it always going to be this hard?

And when it comes to parenting, it’s the same thing. Why can’t parenting just be easy? And in my marriage, too: Why do I have to keep asking for things? Can’t my husband just read my f-ing mind?

One day I—still 8 years old—had the most terror-filled realization in a simple yet profound truth:
No one is coming to save you.
F**k. No one is coming to rescue me. Ever?

My heart broke. More like shattered. Yet, after taking some time to mentally digest this fact, I found this realization liberating somehow. Why was this liberating? Because it meant I could stop waiting for something outside myself for my salvation.

It put me in control. Newsflash, bitches: No one is coming to save you, either. Get it? No. One. Is. Coming. You’re going to have to save yourself.

About the Author: Branden LaNette doesn’t look like a typical author but she has long ignored what she “should” do, say and look like. On her own at a very young age, Branden eventually found herself with the wrong guy, the wrong job, and a bleak future. The fairytale she was promised as a child never materialized.

Finally, Branden decided that she wanted something different for her life, and realized no one was going to do it for her. Prince charming wasn’t coming to save her—she’d have to save herself.

Step by step, decision by decision, through major trials and tribulations that would stop most people in their tracks, Branden learned how to turn heartbreak into happiness and self-judgement into inner joy.

Today, Branden LaNette is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker, wife, and stay-at-home Mom to six C-section babies (ages 1-16) and way too many f-ing pets. Somehow, however, she manages to juggle all of this effortlessly (a blatant lie) while pushing her way through the kinds of fear and self-doubts that whisper within all of us (totally true) to achieve her goals. Her most recent dream come true is this book, one that is destined to have a major impact on millions of women across the globe (or at least nine people in Michigan.)

Through it all, she has found her happiness, her joy, and more importantly, her voice.

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The Monday Book by Shari Ramming – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 31, 2019 By 4 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author is awarding a randomly drawn winner a $15 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In the midst of pain, Shari Ramming saw an opportunity to learn and create The Monday Book to help others find themselves in their brokenness. With personal evaluations, she guides you to wholeness. Shari lays out steps to finding the treasure in the trauma of life: Acknowledge, Honor, Connect, Practice, and finally, Open to receive the gift of the lesson. Her simple straight-forward advice for fixing whatever feels broken is “begin and continue.” It seems hard in practice, but in showing up for yourself, you’ll find small ways to daily love yourself and become the cure for your own brokenness. Her message puts your problems outside so you can interact with them in a productive way. By seeing everything and everyone as a reflection of yourself, you’ll become more compassionate toward yourself and everyone else. Open yourself up to the true and best you.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

Imagine this. A woman seemingly without doubts about her life. A wholesome and satisfying life filled with family, travel, friendships, children, and social activities. Her focus is on accomplishments, security, and home life. A life that is fast and full. Caught up in the way life seems to zoom when it is bursting with an abundance of three children, a few businesses, multiple homes, a crowded travel and social schedule, and the usual day-to-day duties.

I believed putting my family first was important, that coming in second (or third) for myself worked out okay. With that belief I lost myself and my own power. My passion and my uniqueness.

Life showed me where I was powerless, and also where my power was. My life, until that point of reckoning and painful loss, was ostensibly satisfying. What had guided me was being challenged.

What I had used previously needed some serious updating. I was being tested and I was being shown my darkness. I was meant to understand that I needed to let go of previous held beliefs that kept me going but were not evolved enough for where my life’s journey was taking me. All the change, death, disease, and dishonor was a fierce way of being shown a new path.

About the Author:

Shari Ramming writes on a broad range of subjects. She feels there is a great intelligence that is not of the mind. Loving her three grown children fiercely she uses verve and wanderlust to make her home in Austin, Texas. She is still learning.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

180 Days: A Teacher’s Diary Through One Epic School Year by Sofia Faye Burke – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 28, 2019 By 9 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sofia Faye Burke will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

180 Days is a fly on the wall experience into a high school classroom over one full school year (180 days to be exact).

Written as a diary by a teacher who was struggling to cope with everything from educational reform to school shootings, this work unfolds via the teachers’ lens of controlled chaos in a broken system. This book takes the reader on a journey from the dilemma of how to make it to the restroom and back before the bell rings to the agony of an active shooter training day, including acceptance of a newfound form of professional development.

Mrs. Burke writes about the daily challenges and rewards of life within the four walls of her classroom. The work is gritty, hilarious, and heart breaking at the same time. Hang on, a school year is one wild ride.

Read an Excerpt

On another fun note, today was fabulous picture day! This is when all students and staff go down to the cafeteria to have their school pictures taken for the yearbook. School photos are a fun notion when presented to you early on in the school year but then you get the images back two months later, suddenly you start talking to yourself, posing questions like: “Is that me?” “Do I look like that?” WTF? Now I just want to avoid the entire school photo process as the images are simply weird. They must have a schoolmarm filter.

Teacher Confessional: Do teachers really swear? Fuckin’ A, yes! We swear on bad days. But not in front of students. Maybe I should start as kids always love the teacher who swears in class. I think they relate and think it’s cool, but those same teachers talk of drinking “juices” and smoking for “medicinal purposes.” Not the best role model in my view.

Day 11: Student started to cry 9th period. Oh, I feel absolutely terrible. But it ended well. She was arguing with me about the directions and I asked her to go out of the room to talk, as I do not like to speak to kids in front of the class regarding discipline if I can avoid it. It just embarrasses students and they resent it.

I met her in the hall and she agreed that she was disrespectful. When you take away the audience, students immediately calm down and talk honestly. But then she broke out in tears and I asked her what was wrong. She told me she is bipolar and so everything is very sensitive for her. I apologized and asked her if she needed a break from class and she took a walk around the hall. She did not want to come back in so I logged off for her. I feel awful for her; you never know what is going on inside the students until you start to peel away those onion layers.

Amazon Author Page

Buy the book at Amazon.


Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Wait: Thoughts and Practice in Waiting on God by Rebecca Brewster Stevenson – Spotlight and Giveaway

October 11, 2019 By 6 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rebecca Brewster Stevenson will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What are you waiting for?

Everyone has endured the endless traffic light, the queue that goes nowhere, the elevator music piped through the phone line. But what of those periods in your life when everything seems on hold? When you can’t do the next thing in your professional or personal life because you can’t get to it?

Waiting—be it for health, a life partner, a child, a job—can be an agony. The persistently unrealized goal feels like an endless road. And hope’s constant deferment can be exhausting. A firm answer against the thing you’re hoping for—”no”—might be easier than this constant lack of closure. It might be easier to give it up.

But what if waiting means to be something else? Waiting doesn’t have to mean idleness. Our prolonged state of need might teach us to look beyond the desired goal to something infinitely better. We find lessons on this throughout the Bible and, if we are paying attention, in our own lives.

Rather than fostering frustration, periods of waiting might have great truths to tell us. It might show us that hope is worthwhile. Waiting might even be a gift in and of itself.

Enjoy an Excerpt

The first lesson of waiting is that we are on the outside. Like the boy on the sideline; like the not-engaged friend who pins wedding gowns on Pinterest; like me squinting for lines that fail to emerge on the pregnancy test; none of us–whether or not we are actively waiting– is where we want to be. This might not seem true, of course. This actually might seem patently untrue. You might be happily ensconced in a loving family, a marriage, a tight-knit circle of friends. You might belong to a country club or a sorority, a church, a civic group.

But, like that of all who wait, the human condition is actually a condition of being on the outside, an unhappy state that writers and poets have noticed since time out of mind. It’s true of all of us, but we manage to obscure it from ourselves with all manner of distraction: accumulated wealth and possessions, meaningful or frivolous activity, even what is truly good and beautiful.

The problem is that you can’t contend with something if you simultaneously ignore it. And the fact of our exile–the fundamental state of all human existence–is not going away.

Waiting can teach us this.

About the Author:

Rebecca Brewster Stevenson is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has a master’s degree from Duke University and has lived in Durham, North Carolina for over 20 years with her husband and three children.

Before dedicating herself to writing full time, Rebecca worked with Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill to develop the curriculum for their humanities department; she also worked as an English teacher at public and private middle and high schools in Durham and Pittsburgh.
Rebecca’s debut novel Healing Maddie Brees was published in 2016 to literary acclaim. Her beautifully crafted personal essays on her blog “Small Hours” have earned her a strong audience of readers who enjoy her explorations of themes relating to family, marriage, faith, writing, language, literature, and film.

“Rebecca Brewster Stevenson’s writing is consistently powerful, complex, honest, and hopeful” (Andy Crouch, author, Culture Making and The Tech-Wise Family). Rebecca’s writing has also been called “exquisite” (Stephen Chbosky), “thought-provoking” (Barbara Claypole White), and “gorgeous” (Kirkus Reviews).

Website | Blog | Light Messages | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Fragments of French by Wanda St. Hilaire – Spotlight and Giveaway

September 11, 2019 By 12 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wanda St. Hilaire will be awarding a ribboned beret & Paris coin bag with an E-book of Fragments of French to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. (International offer) Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

After a harsh brush with her mortality, shadowed by a premature divorce, Wanda St. Hilaire pledges to be true to her primary passion—living ardently through travel. On the fateful day her life intersects with Jean-François, a charming Frenchman, on a bustling street in Lisbon, every fiber of her being feels as though she has finally entered the doorway to a magical world that she knew existed since she was a young girl.

St. Hilaire turns a complicated romantic ballet full of missteps into a collage of people, places, and cultures. Fragments of French is an exquisitely detailed travelogue of Portugal, Canada, France, and Mexico, filled with minor characters who delight with their humanity. However, what really makes this tale a standout is a gift for pacing and description to rival Tom Wolfe.

The hero’s journey is not only for the characters of our favorite stories or mythical legends. At some point, each of us receives the call to adventure. Fate summons the hero; we can refuse the call, or step into something that will turn our lives upside down, and potentially change everything we know to be true.

From feeling “completely disarmed, no fortress standing”, to embracing her untethered strength, the author turns this account of living life out loud into lessons for us all.


Enjoy an Excerpt

Our day-to-day lives typically flow with the minutiae of the known. There is the mundane and the comfortable; like the ratty robe that we wrap around ourselves to watch movies in, with a hot cup of tea from our favorite mug. There are our unvarying routines, our jobs, the people we know, and the places we frequent, which give us stability and a sense of certainty in an uncertain world.

And occasionally, there are the extraordinary moments when a life-altering fork in the road appears, when constancy vanishes underneath us and we are presented with an opportunity that excites us, stretches us far beyond the boundaries of our self-imposed restrictions, and scares the bejesus out of us. We have the freedom to choose, but we cannot know the long-term ramifications, or predict the final outcome of either decision, be it yay or nay.

Had I picked the road most traveled, this house would look the same as it did three months ago. My heartbeat would be steady and, at this moment, I would be asleep in my big brass bed, safely tucked under a thick, goose-down duvet. Monday morning, I would awaken to a flurry of faxes and phone calls in the small office upstairs, and then race off on a snowy road-trip for a week of intensive work. But that pathway may have led me to a deep gorge of regret, and a lifetime of what-ifs. I could not take that chance, ending up an old, disenchanted woman, retelling what might have been.

No one I know has done this before; I have no frame of reference. I am taking the fork to the far left, one that holds an exciting adventure fraught with potential peril. I have overcome my fears by nullifying them one by one. I am leaping without a net.

I crawl into my sleeping bag and toss restlessly, a barrage of questions battering my bewildered brain. I will leave tomorrow on a jet plane for the most unknown journey of my life. I do not know what awaits me, and I do not know when I will be back again.

About the Author:

Her prime passion is the thrill of travel—of experiencing other cultures, traditions, lifestyles, and languages—thus expanding her perspective.

Wanda St. Hilaire has a predilection and passion for all things Latin, and she believes life is too short not to do what you love, where you love. She spends time writing in Mexico for inspiration and to escape the frozen landscapes of Alberta.

Through writing, St. Hilaire shares what she’s learned from the high peaks of adventure and love, to the dark valleys of illness and heartbreak. Her mission is to help people overcome the self, and tap into their wise inner guidance system. Her wish is to inspire others to live true to their unique and beautiful nature.

Website | Book Video | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Buy the book at Amazon.

Buy the Companion Poetry Book, Of Love, Life, and Journeys at Amazon. (Inspired during the story of my travel memoir, this collection of poems and verse was first published in 2004 and became a Canadian bestseller for poetry. This second edition was created as a companion book to Fragments of French.)



Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Total Blueprint for World Domination by Jolene Stockman – Guest Blog and Giveaway

August 22, 2019 By 16 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $75 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”

Dr Wayne Dyer said that. And more than being a cool quote about attitude and motivation, these words speak to me about reality. The way we see ourselves, the way we see the world. And how it can all change so easily. With a new perspective or a new filter, with the right words at the right time.

When I wrote Total Blueprint for World Domination, all I knew was that I wanted a way to understand the world, I wanted to write the guidebook that I wish I’d had as a kid. Something I could pass on to the little ones coming up behind me to make their world better. When I read it now, after my adult autism diagnosis, it makes so much more sense! I wasn’t just writing a book on how to design your dream world and make it happen, I was writing a book on how to survive being sensitive and human.

I’ve always felt alien, different. My whole life I’ve pretended to be normal to survive the million things that confuse, hurt, itch, and annoy me. The professionals call it masking. But doesn’t everyone kind of do that? Alter who you are so you can fit in? Change your language depending on who you’re with, post the pretty pictures, and skip the cold realities? We let people see what we want them to see. We determine our brand and we maintain it.

My comfort zone is at home, in the dark, writing. Meaning I live most of my life outside my comfort zone. (Why bungy jump when you can go to a social event, right?) When I told the world about my diagnosis (with a TEDx Talk – eeee! ) I wanted to be free of pretending. I wanted everyone to know so I wouldn’t have to hold my breath (and my tongue!), I wanted to let people know I was okay about who I am – so maybe I actually could be.

Being open about who I am has dissolved my comfort zone even further – but guess what I’ve been getting in return? A new kind of peace. A new kind of freedom. Connection with people from all over the world who send me messages of how my story speaks to them.

Total Blueprint for World Domination is my fingerprint on the world. It’s me squeezing out my brain and sharing it so that more people can feel powerful and part of something. Telling the truth shouldn’t be brave. But it is. Vulnerability, owning your stuff, opening up, and being comfortable in the uncomfortable. This is how we change ourselves, this is how we change the world. Whatever your truth is, whatever your dream, now’s the time: be brave. Be who you are. Change the world and know that you deserve to be happy (and to be anything else you want!)!

Jolene Stockman

Total Blueprint for World Domination is a motivational non-fiction book for young adults. Design your dream world and make it happen! Bursting with full-color superheroes, boosted with online learning, the new edition of Total Blueprint for World Domination – illustrated takes you from this very second to your greatest dreams. So, are you ready?

About the Author:Jolene Stockman is a multi-award winning author, speaker, and business owner. She is also tangata whaitakiwātanga; an autistic person. Since her adult diagnosis, she has gone public with her experience – its challenges and superpowers as a TEDx Talk. Her books let you uncover your superpowers to design (and dominate!) your dream world.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Instgram | Facebook
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,
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