tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71545092559972752632024-02-19T10:07:50.664-05:00Acting BalancedHeather and Wayne - Balancing work, family, blogging and each otherheather@actingbalanced.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08194563117096178008noreply@blogger.comBlogger3448125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-92149880619701184752018-12-17T12:00:00.000-05:002018-12-17T12:00:06.628-05:00Five Romance Book/Series recommendations this holidays<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you are like me and devour a well written romance story, I would love to share ten of the books (or first book in a series) I have recently read that will help keep you warm (or steamy) this holiday season. Not all of them are Christmas stories and they are in no particular order - nor are they all recent publications - some I received ARC copies of, some are Kindle Unlimited and some I purchased... (Amazon links contain my referral code)</span><br>
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</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a fabulous series focusing on a fictional NHL team - one of the things I love is that the series focuses on mature players (so far) and all of the characters are thirty or older - which makes reading this series easier for this thirty plus year old lady... Book one features Scott and Becca - and the chance to reunite after years apart. What I love in this author's style is she doesn't use a ton of flashbacks and reminisces to prop up the story - she keeps their relationship current and while they talk through old hurts, they don't dwell on them... Once you've met Scott and Becca, and been introduced to their friends, you won't be able to resist the other three novels currently available - I promise! (Series purchased)</span><br>
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</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the Blurb: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">What will it take for her to Just Say Yes?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Scott Taylor has the perfect life. He gets to fulfill his dream playing professional hockey, has a loving family, and a tight group of friends. But the one thing missing in his life is a partner to come home to. He knows exactly who he wants to fill that position– the only woman he has ever loved. The one who got away, who constantly consumes his every thought. What it would take to get her to Just Say Yes to a second chance?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Becca Phillips is an independent woman who has made her career as an ER nurse a priority in her life. She has a loving family and a best friend by her side, but she can’t seem to get over her first love, Scott. Insecurities led her to break up with him years ago when he started climbing the ranks in professional hockey and, for eight years, Becca has avoided Scott when he returns home each summer. Can she overcome her fears and allow love back into her life? All she has to do is Just Say Yes to the one and only man she has ever loved.</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br>
</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" src="https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?asin=B07F98ZDFF&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_OiTfCbH78J1B6&tag=chascouponmom" style="max-width: 100%;" type="text/html" width="336"></iframe><br>
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</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a series that I started this past summer and the entire series is free on Kindle Unlimited! I just read the fourth and final book recently and it made me want to go back and read the entire series again! What I love is that while the series focuses on The King family, it is not all written in one voice - three different authors voice each member of the family - starting and ending with one of my favourite authors, Molly O'Keefe writing as M. O'Keefe! I immediately fell in love with and empathized with the heroine, Veronica (Ronnie) as she struggles with the death of her father, supporting her sisters and dealing with her history and current situation with Clayton. This is a truly straightforward HEA story with some smoldering heat that will definitely keep you warm on a cold winter's night. Molly's writing style always draws me into the world she creates within seconds - making me glad she is up first in the line up for this series that also features S. Doyle and Julie Kriss!</span><br>
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</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the Blurb: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">The cruel and beautiful man who ruined my life has everything he wants—everything except me.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Five years ago, Clayton Rorick loved me. Or so I thought. Turned out he only wanted to get his hands on my daddy’s company. Heartbroken, I ran away with nothing but the clothes on my back. Like a twisted Cinderella. When my father dies, leaving my sisters in a desperate situation, it’s up to me to help them. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">I’ll have to beg the man who broke my heart to save us. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">But Clayton hasn’t forgotten me and what he wants in exchange for his help is…my body, my heart and my soul. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br>
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<a href="http://www.actingbalanced.com/2018/12/five-romance-bookseries-recommendations.html#more">Read more »</a>Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-75832324145198591542018-12-16T16:03:00.000-05:002018-12-16T16:03:24.390-05:00Time to blog .... catching up!Believe it or not, I am back - at least for a while.. there have been so many changes in our lives since I last blogged, but I am now finding time with my thoughts in the strangest place - at work (more about that in a little while) and forces (like the packages from long forgotten partners that arrived on my doorstep recently) and my own searching for recipes that I published for the holidays has led me back to the blog.<br />
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I am going to just see where things take me - no promises of what will happen, how many posts per week or even when I'll be posting...<br />
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So where have we been?<br />
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Last year I fell into what became a full-time job that I had anticipated to be part-time. I worked at a local grocery chain as a Customer Service Associate and evening bookkeeper. I had gone in with the intention of working 18-24 hours per week - and I honestly don't think that ever happened... It was a great re-entry into the workforce after so many years at home and it taught me that our little family could handle the stress of me working more hours than we thought... but it didn't pay overly well and the stress of some of the situations made me crazy, so this past August, I looked for another new job and ended up in a place Wayne always thought I'd excel at but didn't want to cross into his territory - hospitality!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpfwznwLQyKTZmb6VUBiPHOIryGz0c2lMb6CjfOO3kvzYuOM5YlLV7dy6iohIVksGb_5c9FepauP4fgGiM-1Eu5q080mze6YXKnp67UE3k_Pa8xEEpuyPY4BJbMMqHZJNChk-c9NP58E/s1600/IMG_20181215_104057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpfwznwLQyKTZmb6VUBiPHOIryGz0c2lMb6CjfOO3kvzYuOM5YlLV7dy6iohIVksGb_5c9FepauP4fgGiM-1Eu5q080mze6YXKnp67UE3k_Pa8xEEpuyPY4BJbMMqHZJNChk-c9NP58E/s320/IMG_20181215_104057.jpg" width="240" /></a>For the past 5 months I've been having a blast as a Concierge at The Sanctuary, a 5 Star/5 Diamond property that is part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort! It's an amazing place to work and it's been fun learning the ins and outs of the entire property - our golf courses, tennis courts, recreation, hotel, restaurants... and helping people connect with my favorite adopted city...<br />
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Yesterday, I got to bring the boys to work to do cookie decorating and take a wander around... they're getting to be so big! Liam is in 5th grade now so we are actively searching for the right middle school for him... Erik is already in second grade and is growing in leaps and bounds - so much that other than being about 6 inches shorter, and rolling up his pant legs, the boys are sharing clothes...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVtkzfgzkLoyKMHPpvRQFeaxYGFBHbz0G4FfwsEp5suqt9BqNP0sFgvGrBzxD8gFTQPTaK_mlyqsB2yqQ68b6Kkh7r23YjQo6kVrHstp50h3YpvRIwcJ7BHyh_rYosGlCAj2PwvoRmxs/s1600/_Q6A8962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVtkzfgzkLoyKMHPpvRQFeaxYGFBHbz0G4FfwsEp5suqt9BqNP0sFgvGrBzxD8gFTQPTaK_mlyqsB2yqQ68b6Kkh7r23YjQo6kVrHstp50h3YpvRIwcJ7BHyh_rYosGlCAj2PwvoRmxs/s320/_Q6A8962.jpg" width="213" /></a>Wayne is taking his turn at being Super Dad for a while - with me working full time, so much more of the parenting, cooking and other chores are falling on his already busy shoulders... he's still Chair of the Hospitality Department and is hopefully on his way to earning the rank of Full Professor this year, moving up from Associate. He was also my plus one at our holiday Christmas party and for the first time in I don't know how long, was the one being introduced to everyone - it felt strange to be in a social situation where I knew more people than him (although we did run into several people who knew him instead of me - including one of the young ladies who was helping with the service and was one of his current students)<br />
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Robyn is a JUNIOR at C of C! Time is moving way too quickly and she is on pace to graduate next year from College - I am not old enough to have an almost college graduate :) She is home less and less, but that's a good thing as she becomes more independent. <br />
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We are looking forward to the holidays - all four of them are looking forward to time off from school - and I am happily planning a little get away for us to Florida between Christmas and New Years!<br />
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What have you been up to? What are your holiday plans? Is anyone still out there?<br />
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More to come from me, I promise ...<br />
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Heather<br />
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Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-19695918381559253462017-03-24T08:00:00.000-04:002017-03-24T08:00:13.283-04:00Review: Wait for It by M. O'Keefe<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I have reviewed M. O'Keefe's work many times on the blog, but I think this book has to rate as one of my favorite reads. When I decided over the past few days to rekindle the blog, this was the first book out of probably 50 I've read in the past few months that I wanted to tell you about!</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">From the Publisher:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wait-M-OKeefe-ebook/dp/B01I85PPSA/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1490284177&sr=1-1&linkCode=li3&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=0e606a373f2f3156ff4349af6219c1fb" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01I85PPSA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20"></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01I85PPSA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1"></span><br>
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<b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In a blistering novel of raw emotion and desire, a tormented woman teaches an alpha male that money can’t fix everything . . . but love can.</span></b><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">Tiffany:</i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px;"> After fighting for a new life, I don’t want to play the victim anymore. However, with three kids to raise, I’m getting desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. My estranged brother-in-law, Blake, says he just wants to help, but he’s been trouble since I met him. I don’t know if I can believe this kinder, gentler Blake, and there’s a friction between us that has turned into the sweetest chemistry. He could be my salvation . . . or my downfall.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">Blake:</i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px;"> I haven’t always had Tiffany’s best interests at heart but I’m ready to make up for my sins. Besides, I can’t help admiring her: The girl’s a genuine survivor, tough and lean, with eyes of steel. But the more I get to know Tiffany, the more I </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;">want</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px;"> her</span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;">.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px;"> Every inch of her. Which means I’m about to make a bad situation a hell of a lot worse.</span></span></div>
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</div><a href="http://www.actingbalanced.com/2017/03/review-wait-for-it-by-m-okeefe.html#more">Read more »</a>Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-63751771125772452302017-03-23T11:41:00.000-04:002017-03-23T11:41:02.329-04:00Life and other roadblocks...I am sure you are tired of getting emails from Acting Balanced with a new update saying Heather is trying to blog again... and you think it is probably going to say something like I am recommitting to writing and getting things done... <br />
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and in a way you are right... since it has been several months since I even thought about opening up a new page in my blog and just typing away... so much has happened since November - I had my first incredibly busy season in retail - working for a local gift shop - that was just crazy and insane... while balancing Wayne's ever expanding job duties, the kids busy lives and whatever else life threw at me... and then more recently the demise of said local gift shop - because the owner stopped paying our vendors in December and all of that wonderful holiday season money was never distributed - but that is another story for another day and really not mine to tell...<br />
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The last few weeks have been spent intermittently helping some fabulous people who stepped in to make sure that the dissemination of the store was coordinated, by lending my expertise and really my knowledge of who was who and what was what in the store. That too has now come to an end... so I am taking some time out to breathe and get my house in order before the kids finish school in just a few short months... <br />
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I am not looking for a new job for that reason and I find myself with some time and a need to share my story and re-connect with blogging friends :)<br />
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I hope some of you are still out there and are still blogging - I am planning to dedicate some time to reading and commenting on blogs I have followed and also take some time to find new and refreshing content!<br />
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I have kept up with my reading during my long absenses and have some great authors and books to share with you if you are looking for romance reads :)<br />
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I am also still with Pampered Chef and have recently taken up with Thirty-One, so expect some shameless plugs in that regard.<br />
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I hope all of you are well!<br />
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HeatherActingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-2051282775547602672016-11-30T22:20:00.002-05:002016-11-30T22:20:48.045-05:00Coincidences and Happenstance....The stars align every once in a while and I think back to the time when I was blogging regularly and enjoying every minute of it. Life has taken several twists and turns since then - two more regularly paying gigs have overtaken some of my time, along with having three active kids at varying stages of their busy lives... and finally having Wayne in a position where he is actually working two and a half jobs in less time than he had to work one just 18 months ago... and you are left with a dirth of time and mental resources to blog regularly...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVFj0exnBz1R1TCzxTw-XoVsEIQypM741sE_xJkTVBBYr6iYYk4niiGvUcejj2FzraPro4pN8ScDcMrki5TNQxTofzZBK-nqZsNvQoZtL4Jn-ilRzaxH3x1H8l1X4dssDddNK341LhG0/s1600/IMG_20161031_143353437_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVFj0exnBz1R1TCzxTw-XoVsEIQypM741sE_xJkTVBBYr6iYYk4niiGvUcejj2FzraPro4pN8ScDcMrki5TNQxTofzZBK-nqZsNvQoZtL4Jn-ilRzaxH3x1H8l1X4dssDddNK341LhG0/s320/IMG_20161031_143353437_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a>but I didn't deactivate the blog - and I didn't stop paying for my domain, simply because I wasn't ready to let my passion for reading, writing and everything but arithmetic fall by the wayside...<br />
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and today, in a series of several coincidences (that are never really coincidences of course), a path was laid wherein I have the time, the drive and something that I want to say -- all at the same time :)<br />
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So what is it that I wanted to tell all one or two of you who may still receive this in their newsfeed or via email?<br />
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No, I won't be blogging regularly - heck I may never blog again after the posts I get scheduled tonight, but for now, I want to let you know that I will have a book/author review, some yummy holiday homemade whipped cream recipes and potentially a few other things to say over the next few hours - which will post as the next few day!<br />
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In closing, so far - I want to wish you all a happy belated Thanksgiving and get the jump on saying Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanza to all those who will be celebrating!<br />
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<br />Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-83776985235854824292016-01-06T11:28:00.001-05:002016-01-06T11:28:57.528-05:00Blog what you love...I still remember the day when I got my first email from a PR rep saying that they'd found my blog and thought it would be a great fit for their authors... would I be willing to do a review if they sent me a review book? <div>
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Wow - someone thought that I was an influencer... they thought that my readers might be interested in what I had to say about their book... and I got a freebie in exchange... heck yes! No downside... free stuff and a reason/focus for a blog post that I didn't have to come up with on my own... so I got the book, read it and reviewed it here: http://www.actingbalanced.com/2010/02/book-review-clouds-roll-away.html and that started me on a path that had me scouring sites to find other PR companies, more places to get freebies and more reviews...</div>
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It was also the beginning of the end for a lot of the reasons I went into blogging in the first place... to have a place to record memories, share family stories and carve out a little of me...</div>
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I still love reading, so I will still be posting book reviews and book teasers once a week, but I am going to try to get back to blogging for me, not the freebies...</div>
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With that said, watch for my top three reads for this week, coming Friday!</div>
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H.</div>
Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-79899109688017563892016-01-04T11:04:00.002-05:002016-01-04T11:04:55.655-05:00It's been a while...Hi everyone;<br />
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I don't know why the mood is striking now, but I am sitting in Starbucks recovering from two weeks at home with the kids, the holidays and more and the thought struck me that I should be writing down a few things....<br />
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Like when I started this blog originally, Facebook doesn't seem to be the place to share this much, so for those of you who are still subscribed in some way, or just the blogiverse in general, I am adding a potential overshare warning here since it's been quite some time since I typed out a blog post...<br />
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The first thing I guess I should do is apologize ... like many others before me, my blog just up and stopped one day with little rhyme, reason or warning... it wasn't that any major catastrophe happened, it actually crept up slowly - going from posting multiple times a day, down to once a day, then slowing to a few times a week... and finally one day I didn't open the laptop to write anything - and it stayed closed for a week... then two ... and life took over and I only felt small twinges of regret at missed opportunities and lost friendships when my blogging friends posted new and wonderful things about where their blogs were going...<br />
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May and June were incredibly busy months - Wayne was gone for several weeks to China - first with his MBA students and then with a group of undergrads he met up with and toured around all over - that left me single-parenting until we headed for our annual pilgrimage to Canada... but now that I write, I think my love of blogging died before that... when one of my heroes, my grandmother passed away in January of last year.<br />
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She was the one who always told me I should be a writer... and when she wasn't there to read and encourage me anymore, some of the light went out of blogging... sure, I kept going for a while, but it was mostly book reviews and shared content - it was as if my personal voice was silenced... <br />
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I threw my energy into organizing a tea party in her honor, and hugging my family more... and writing slipped further and further into the background...<br />
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Other things have filled some of the void- I started selling Pampered Chef, and Wayne and I are trying to find more date nights (and date lunches), the kids are busier than ever too... but I'll save some of that for future posts...<br />
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because slowly, surely, as the anniversary of her death approaches I am finding that my fingers are itching to share and whether anyone else is out there reading, I know that she'll find a way to see every word.<br />
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H.<br />
<br />Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-3173283292926105492015-08-25T22:21:00.002-04:002015-08-25T22:22:45.463-04:00Check out the latest from Tawdra Kandle - The Path!<a href="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/11911687_10206610622011589_1248739321_n.jpg"><img alt="11911687_10206610622011589_1248739321_n" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2757" src="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/11911687_10206610622011589_1248739321_n.jpg" height="275" width="750" /></a><br />
<h4>Summer's almost over, but there's still time for #OneLastBeachRead. And you're in luck because the perfect way to end the summer is now live and available everywhere!</h4><h2>THE PATH</h2><em>Abby Donavan came to the small beach community of Crystal Cove to start over. After a painful affair broke her heart and derailed her burgeoning career, taking over management for the just-opened bed-and-breakfast was the safe choice. In this sleepy town, Abby figured she could bury her memories and forget the pain. </em><br />
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<a href="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ipadrt_823x978.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ipadrt_823x978" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-2664" src="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ipadrt_823x978-150x150.jpg" height="150" width="150" /></a><em>When the chance to have her own hotel falls into her lap, though, she can’t resist the temptation. Making the old Riverside Inn into the showplace she’s always dreamed of running offers the second chance she never expected. </em><br />
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<em>Abby didn’t expect another kind of second chance to land on her doorstep at the same time. Ryland Kent wants to help her bring the Riverside back to life, and his passion for restoration is irresistible. But as much as she wants to ignore it, she can’t help seeing another spark in his eyes . . . one that offers to reignite her own flame. </em><br />
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<em>Sometimes the path to a happily-ever-after is anything but smooth.</em><br />
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Buy it now!<br />
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<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathiBooks" target="_blank">iBooks</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathZon" target="_blank">Amazon</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathARe" target="_blank">All Romance Ebooks</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathNook" target="_blank">Nook</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathGPlay" target="_blank">Google Play</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathKobo" target="_blank">Kobo</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePathSW" target="_blank">Smashwords</a><br />
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<em><strong>And join us <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/875709332464188/" target="_blank">here</a> today at the HUGE release <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/875709332464188/" target="_blank">party</a>, featuring both Tawdra and author Olivia Hardin!</strong></em><br />
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<h4>If you haven't read the first two Crystal Cove Romances . . . now is the perfect time.</h4><h4><a href="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Posse-ebook-new.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000035_00020]" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2682" src="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Posse-ebook-new-150x150.jpg" height="150" width="150" /></a>THE POSSE is free for a limited time only!</h4><a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePosseiBook" target="_blank">iBooks</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePosseAmazon" target="_blank">Amazon</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePosseGPlay" target="_blank">Google Play</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePosseBn" target="_blank">Nook</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePosseKobo" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br />
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"It is rare for characters to stay with me for weeks or months, but these are etched in my mind and heart." <em>Amazon review</em><br />
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<h4><a href="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Plan-ebook.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000035_00020]" class="alignright wp-image-2661" src="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Plan-ebook-150x150.jpg" height="175" width="175" /></a>And don't miss THE PLAN. Emmy and Cooper's story has both sizzle and heart.</h4><a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePlaniBooks" target="_blank">iBooks</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePlanZon" target="_blank">Amazon</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePlanNook" target="_blank">Nook</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePlanGPlay" target="_blank">Google Play</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/ThePlanKobo" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br />
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"Real. That's all I can feel for this story. Real. Real life. Real love. Real emotion. Real characters. They stick with you from the first book, to this second one in the series." <em>Amazon review</em><br />
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<a href="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/TK03.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="TK03" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1942" src="http://tawdrakandle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/TK03-150x150.jpg" height="150" width="150" /></a><em>Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books include YA paranormal romance, NA paranormal and contemporary romance, and adult contemporary and paramystery romance. She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair.</em><br />
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Follow Tawdra: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTawdraKandle" target="_blank">Facebook</a>/<a href="https://twitter.com/tawdra" target="_blank">Twitter</a>/<a href="http://www.tsu.co/tawdra" target="_blank">Tsu</a>/<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/authortawdra/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>/<a href="https://instagram.com/tawdra" target="_blank">Instagram</a>/<a href="http://tawdrakandle.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/TawdraNewsletter" target="_blank">Newsletter</a>/<a href="http://tiny.cc/TawdraAmazon" target="_blank">Amazon</a>Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-67568944653761240802015-05-28T22:55:00.002-04:002015-05-28T22:55:37.888-04:00Book Spotlight and Exerpt: No Better Man by Sara Richardson<div style="color: #222222;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Summer is the time to chill out and grab a great romance to read by the pool and I thought that some of you might just get a kick out of No Better Man by Sara Richardson - I know that I did when I had a chance to read an ARC sneak peek! For me, this was a quick read that brought a freshness to the storyline and fun characters to the forefront. Not only do you have a strong heroine in Avery King, and a sexy, strong cowboy in Bryce Walker, you also have Moose! Moose stole many scenes for me and helped bring the characters true nature to the forefront! Please check out the excerpt below and find the appropriate buy link!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1455530840/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1455530840&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=G4NCCIY76AMLAPEK" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1455530840&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1455530840" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">About NO BETTER MAN</span></b></div>
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<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Daring Proposition </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When it comes to business, Avery King always comes out on top. So after a very public breakup, work is the perfect excuse to flee the Windy City for the gentle breezes of Aspen, Colorado. Her mission: acquire the land of a rundown mountain ranch. Avery expects an easy win . . . until she meets the rugged and irresistible rancher who won't give up his property without a fight. Bryce Walker is stunned by the stubborn beauty determined to get what she wants. But what she wants is his last connection to the life he used to have. Bryce has plans to return the ranch to its former glory and no way will he sell his family home. Yet the more time he spends with Avery, the more her sweet touch makes him forget his painful memories. Now Bryce must decide whether living in the past is worth losing his future . . .</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Excerpt:</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Ah, hell. Not this. What was it with women, anyway? Why’d they have this burning desire to get to the bottom of absolutely every feeling they had? Why couldn’t they sit in silence, enjoy the scenery? “I don’t know you well enough to be upset with you,” he finally said, increasing his pressure on the gas pedal. The cops were notorious for pulling over speeders on this section through town, but tonight he was willing to risk it. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit;">“Look.” Avery’s hands sliced the air in front of her. “I understand why you don’t want to sell. Trust me. I get it.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>Ha.</i> Trust her. He didn’t trust her any more than he trusted her father. At the end of the day, she worked for the infamous Edward King. She might be smokin’ hot and nice, and, like she insisted, a good person, but she still had a job to do. He wouldn’t forget that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Instead of answering, he leaned over and flicked on the radio. Nothing like a little Brad Paisley to tune out a woman. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Avery shot him a fiery look, topaz eyes blazing, lips thinned into a warning that tempted him to test her. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">That didn’t help things. She looked even better when she got mad. His grip on the wheel tightened until his knuckles ached. Mom was right. He had to get out more. Start dating again. Any woman besides Avery King…</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">She hunched forward and fiddled with the radio until he could hardly hear Paisley. <i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Fine.</span></i> That was fine. Five more minutes and they’d be back at the ranch anyway. He’d be free of her. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">“You need to listen to me, Bryce. Please.” She launched into yet another impassioned monologue about how selling the ranch could change his life. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Yeah, well.</span></i> He’d had enough changes in his life over the last few years. So sue him if he wasn’t interested. She didn’t seem to pick up on his lack of concentration, though. She went on and on until he pulled the truck into the driveway and parked in front of the office. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit;">“Are you listening to me?” She leaned over the console between them and got in his face, close enough that he could smell oranges, that he could trace the sexy curve of her upper lip with his tongue if he’d wanted to.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit;">“Have you heard anything I’ve said?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The throb started again, deep in his chest, invading his body until it occupied all of him. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit;">“Seriously, Bryce this is—”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Screw it.</i> He cupped his hand around the back of her head and roughly brought her lips to his, totally unprepared for the impact it would have. Shock waves coursed through him, unleashing a craving stronger than he’d ever felt. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="color: black;">Avery squeaked in surprise but he didn’t let up. Need thundered through him and it was a helluva lot louder than the logic he’d spent the last several hours beating into his thick skull. Her lips were soft and moist and everything he’d hungered for during the last three lonely years. He gentled a hand up into her hair. It felt like silk against his skin.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A small moan purred in her throat and her upper body relaxed, lips melding to his in a pulsating heat. She ran her hands up his chest, and that was all he needed. He bent forward, halfway over the console, gathering her closer, kissing her harder, deeper. If it wasn’t for that console, he’d pull her right into his lap…</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">“Wow. Just…wow,” she whispered against his lips. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">He answered by parting her lips with his tongue. There. That’d take care of her chatting problem.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Avery gasped a sharp intake of air, her chest rising against his. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Taking it as an invitation, he commanded her with his lips, opening and closing them in a sensual rhythm. A dull ache resounded in his chest. God, he’d forgotten the depth of a kiss…</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">He shifted to get a better angle, more access, but that console… </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">She pulled back with a small smile, lips grazing his in a tease, then she pressed in again and proved that she could make out as well as she could talk. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">A scratching sound scraped the window. Moose whined, then barked. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Great timing, as usual. </span> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">About Sara Richardson</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNwTNU4ZTmopNXXTHeEy0omJj8hbGGfsmxIZwM8jwh3H61-2FCc5vXOz9ElLsoot80ugXP0U9JiVHvVU-yXmpwyV51LnAHUiYB7O6eiMKPLYuW2Klg75YY7JuJt2oSHOapcighv5EEUo/s1600/RichardsonNOBETTERMANSara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNwTNU4ZTmopNXXTHeEy0omJj8hbGGfsmxIZwM8jwh3H61-2FCc5vXOz9ElLsoot80ugXP0U9JiVHvVU-yXmpwyV51LnAHUiYB7O6eiMKPLYuW2Klg75YY7JuJt2oSHOapcighv5EEUo/s320/RichardsonNOBETTERMANSara.JPG" width="205" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado's rugged mountains. She's climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2052399375" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">midnight</span></span>, swam through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After a brief stint in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now, she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sara’s SM</span></b></div>
<div original_target="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9862176.sara_richardson" style="color: black;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9862176.Sara_Richardson" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.goodreads.com/<wbr></wbr>author/show/9862176.Sara_<wbr></wbr>Richardson</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://facebook.com/sararichardsonbooks" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>sararichardsonbooks</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.sararichardson.net/" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.sararichardson.net</a>/<wbr></wbr> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/SaraR_Books" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">@SaraR_Books</span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Buy links</span></b></div>
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<div original_target="http://amzn.to/1qoauco">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/1QoauCo" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/1QoauCo</a><wbr></wbr> </span></div>
<div original_target="http://bit.ly/1redhq6">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">B&N: <a href="http://bit.ly/1RedhQ6" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1RedhQ6</a> </span></div>
<div original_target="http://apple.co/1dswz4f">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">iBooks: <a href="http://apple.co/1DSWZ4F" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://apple.co/<wbr></wbr>1DSWZ4F</a> </span></div>
<div original_target="http://bit.ly/1fqhyvb">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">GooglePlay: <a href="http://bit.ly/1FQhyVB" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/<wbr></wbr>1FQhyVB</a> </span></div>
<div original_target="http://bit.ly/1eil2ux">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kobo: <a href="http://bit.ly/1Eil2ux" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1Eil2ux</a> </span></div>
<div original_target="http://bit.ly/1h07asu">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">BAM: <a href="http://bit.ly/1H07asU" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1H07asU</a> </span></div>
<div original_target="http://bit.ly/1ipsfbj">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Indiebound: <a href="http://bit.ly/1IPsfbJ" saprocessedanchor="true" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/<wbr></wbr>1IPsfbJ</a> </span></div>
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You can also enter this great rafflecopter giveaway of paperback copies of No Better Man (not hosted by Acting Balanced)</div>
Rafflecopter giveaway: <a class="rcptr" data-raflid="26635ce2211" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2211/" id="rcwidget_job7u5tk" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-75410849279963395112015-05-06T00:03:00.000-04:002015-05-06T00:03:00.575-04:00Bull Riding, Babies and Romance.. Oh My - Check out the latest from Harlequin Romance!<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a Canadian ex-pat living in the US, I am hyper aware of finding our national symbol when I am out and about (and yes I put that in there for all of you Americans thinking that I am saying oot and aboot...) and it's even more fun when the symbolism comes in as nice a package as one of the latest releases from Harlequin Romance - one of four revived titles by one of my favorite authors, Tina Leonard.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjanScUAZ3mDsuiEtcM8MtElsEGK9AJDdPpAkq2jzQ7CecKwm9rtQTKDSHif8Nd13bVxcMO8mGUogzIFE53QXSLhmkEGErw2nZynbhEWxGvGj6UqpxDV_Pi-GUVIqUhAAaA8Eu-_7VIw/s1600/bullridercover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjanScUAZ3mDsuiEtcM8MtElsEGK9AJDdPpAkq2jzQ7CecKwm9rtQTKDSHif8Nd13bVxcMO8mGUogzIFE53QXSLhmkEGErw2nZynbhEWxGvGj6UqpxDV_Pi-GUVIqUhAAaA8Eu-_7VIw/s1600/bullridercover.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Check out Zane Lambert, who lives in Alberta, Canada but is originally from Manitoba and is on the cover of the fourth book in the re-released series, available only at Walmart!</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Harlequin Pro Bull Riders stories are heartwarming contemporary tales of everyday women finding love in the arms of the quintessential American icon, wrapped up in manliness and romance. The stories showcase the charm of small-town America and the ruggedness of Western locales and regularly feature Western characters as protagonists. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Each book contains exclusive content, including biographies, interviews, photos, signed reader letters from the riders and $20 of value-added coupons for select PBR events, fan club membership and upcoming Harlequin titles. </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can check out the first chapter of all four titles and print coupons to save $1.00 each!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">·</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: normal;"> A Family for the Bull Rider: </span><u style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"></u><a href="http://www.harlequin.com/media/images/pdf/AFamilyfortheBullrider_chapter.pdf" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">http://www.harlequin.com/<wbr></wbr>media/images/pdf/<wbr></wbr>AFamilyfortheBullrider_<wbr></wbr>chapter.pdf</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> Heart of a Bull Rider: </span><u></u><a href="http://www.harlequin.com/media/images/pdf/HeartofaBullrider_chapter.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.harlequin.com/<wbr></wbr>media/images/pdf/<wbr></wbr>HeartofaBullrider_chapter.pdf</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> One Wild Bull Rider: </span><u></u><a href="http://www.harlequin.com/media/images/pdf/OneWildBullRider_chapter.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.harlequin.com/<wbr></wbr>media/images/pdf/<wbr></wbr>OneWildBullRider_chapter.pdf</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> And of course, The Bull Rider's Twins: </span><u></u><a href="http://www.harlequin.com/media/images/pdf/TheBullRiderTwins_chapter.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.harlequin.com/<wbr></wbr>media/images/pdf/<wbr></wbr>TheBullRiderTwins_chapter.pdf</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are as taken by Zane's photo as I am, you can also check out this video interview that he did recently:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3xFBQXH0Vsc" width="560"></iframe><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">You can also click the graphic below and enter to win a<span style="background-color: white;"> trip to Las Vegas and a VIP package to the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals:</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.harlequin.com/sampler.html?sampler=pbrsweepstakes" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_s5SwDw2SZBf2HFOb9keMCL-d0AymEjgigH4KeuvGCJ5KUWtRVTbOESmsw5GyBdkXg72OVSBX6GuDXr61VO62FKCStkXWT7sfVwSD4-A2ZQMkh038tNjB69kw1vbYYcZSonDx6oYy7Y/s1600/PBR+Sweepstakes+Image+(3).jpg" height="232" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: Exposed</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Series: Ethan Frost #3</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Tracy Wolff</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Publisher: Loveswept</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Release<br />
Date: May 5, 2015</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Ethan Frost, the irresistible leading man from the New York Times bestsellers Ruined and Addicted, returns once again in Exposed—a novel that’s perfect for fans of J. Kenner and Sylvia Day. </b></i><br />
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Will Ethan Frost go too far for the woman he loves? <br />
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The moment Chloe Girard walked into my life, she exposed secrets and emotions I always thought were best kept buried. <br />
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She wants to move on, to ignore the past. But I can’t do that. Not when she still suffers. And not when the man who hurt her remains unscathed. So when I discover the perfect opportunity to make him pay for what he did to Chloe, I can’t walk away, no matter the consequences. <br />
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But there’s a fine line between justice and obsession. As I turn up old crimes and new lies, I know that I’m playing with fire—and risking the very foundations of our relationship. My love for Chloe is absolute. I just hope it’s enough to save us both.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23308203-exposed" target="_blank"><span style="color: #741b47;">ADD TO GOODREADS</span></a> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Author Bio</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff lives in Texas and teaches writing at her local community college. She is married and the mother of three young sons.</span></div>
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Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-17309941255561406612015-04-30T12:30:00.000-04:002015-04-30T12:30:17.630-04:00Bon Appetit and a Book - From Fake to Forever<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Romance is in the air once again and this time, I am happy to share a recipe from award-winning author Kat Cantrell that she thinks pair well with her latest Harlequin title, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PFELAOG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00PFELAOG&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=EIXFD4EJOLSRP4FK" id="static_txt_preview" style="background-color: white; color: #996633; text-align: center;" target="_blank">From Fake to Forever</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PFELAOG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00PFELAOG&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=EIXFD4EJOLSRP4FK" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00PFELAOG&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20" height="320" width="201" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00PFELAOG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #222222;">FROM FAKE TO FOREVER</b><span style="color: #222222;"> – After an impromptu Vegas wedding that shouldn’t be valid, Meredith Chandler-Harris just discovered she's still tied to businessman Jason Lynhurst. She needs out of their marriage, but if he's to become his company's new CEO, he needs her as a bride. Meredith can have her divorce, but only after he gets what he wants—which is more than merely a promotion.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>KAT
CANTRELL</b> read her first Harlequin novel in third grade and has
been scribbling in notebooks since she learned to spell. What else
would she write but romance? She majored in Literature, officially
with the intent to teach, but somehow ended up buried in middle
management at Corporate America, Inc. After three years and many
thousands of words, her dream of publication finally came true. When
she's not writing about characters on the journey to
happily-ever-after, she can be found at a soccer game, watching
<em>Friends</em> or dancing with her kids to Duran Duran and Red Hot
Chili Peppers.</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And this is what she'd suggest you pair with this book:</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hummus and Pita Chips</span></b><br />
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">This is my recipe for hummus, which I love to make fresh because store-bought generally has a high sodium content, as well as preservatives and other yucky stuff. This is easy to make and doesn't call for tahini which can be expensive.</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Ingredients (4 servings)</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 1 tablespoon lemon juice</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 1 tablespoon olive oil</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 1 clove garlic, crushed</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 2 drops sesame oil, or to taste (optional)</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">PREP</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">5 mins</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">READY IN</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">5 mins </span> </span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Directions</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Blend garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and sesame oil in a food processor; stream reserved bean liquid into the mixture as it blends until desired consistency is achieved. Spoon into a serving bowl. You can let the flavors blend several hours or overnight before serving this.</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">To make fresh pita chips:</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Cut two-three pitas into wedges (like a pizza)</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Arrange on a pan and brush with olive oil</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Grind or sprinkle salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Cook for 15 minutes at 375.</span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="page-break-inside: avoid;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">This is such an easy snack. I love to make it with my two boys and there are things even the little one can do. He likes to use the basting brush to "paint" the chips with oil. My older son likes to use the food processor--probably because I don't make him clean it!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can also check out these other titles that highlight some fun I DO's this month:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin-left: 39pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">·</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PFE7UCC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00PFE7UCC&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=ZGVD3DLDM7NBJRGY" id="static_txt_preview" style="color: #996633; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">The Billionaire's Bridal Bargain</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> - by <i>USA Today</i> bestselling author Lynne Graham. To get his hands on her Mediterranean island inheritance, Cesare Sabatino must wed innocent Lizzie and ensure she's carrying his heir! Luckily the formidable Italian is legendary for his powers of persuasion. With Lizzie desperate to save her family's farm, it's only a matter of time before she gives in and discovers the many pleasurable benefits of wearing this tycoon's ring.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin-left: 39pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">·</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373138067/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0373138067&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=5UBSRMAOQO76QALF" id="static_txt_preview" style="color: #996633; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">The Italian's Deal for I Do</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> – by award-winning author Jennifer Hayward. He's conquered global markets and immeasurable hearts, but to regain control of the fashion empire that's rightfully his, Rocco Mondelli must prove his playboy days are over. His secret weapon? Supermodel-in-hiding Olivia Fitzgerald and the power to ruin her if she refuses to play his loving fiancée!<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 39pt; margin-right: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-80927817085183502172015-03-05T08:36:00.000-05:002015-03-05T08:36:22.580-05:00Bon Appétit and a Book: Mexican Tea Cake Cookies while you read PROTECTION DETAIL By Shirlee McCoyFor something different, I asked author Shirlee McCoy what she would want to eat while reading her latest inspirational fiction book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OYBW2PM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00OYBW2PM&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=X755YQN2JEOPYUXL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Protection Detail (Capitol K-9 Unit)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00OYBW2PM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and she suggested that it was best read with something yummy and sweet! <br />
<br />
"There's something warm and homey about a couple of yummy cookies and a cup of hot tea. Add a good book, and it's the perfect way to spend a dreary afternoon or a cold night. My all-time favorite cookie is as easy to make as it is delicious. Even better, it's a six ingredient cookie! Quick, simple and delicious!"<br />
<br />
Mexican Tea Cake Cookies<br />
<br />
1 cup unsalted butter softened<br />
1/2 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 tsp . vanilla<br />
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
3/4 cups finely chopped pecans<br />
extra powdered sugar<br />
<br />
Mix butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt. Stir in pecans.<br />
Chill dough for an hour.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350.<br />
Roll dough into one inch balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. While cookies are still warm, roll them in the extra powdered sugar.<br />
<br />
If you can, let them cool before eating.<br />
<br />
If you can't, grab your book, your tea or coffee, find a comfy chair and enjoy!<br />
<br />
More about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OYBW2PM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00OYBW2PM&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=X755YQN2JEOPYUXL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Protection Detail (Capitol K-9 Unit)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00OYBW2PM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OYBW2PM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00OYBW2PM&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=X755YQN2JEOPYUXL" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00OYBW2PM&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00OYBW2PM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
After a prominent senator’s son is murdered, Captain Gavin McCord of the Capitol K-9 Unit<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
wants answers. The senator was a mentor to Gavin, and Gavin will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice in Protection Detail.<br />
With his team of elite K-9 cops and his loyal dog, Glory, at his side, Gavin discovers that a child at Cassie Danvers’ nearby foster home may have witnessed the murder.<br />
He’s drawn to the determined and beautiful woman, but she doesn’t want him interviewing her traumatized charges. Yet trusting Gavin is the only way to stay one step ahead of the deadly gunman when Cassie becomes a target.</blockquote>
Protection Detail is available in paperback and e-book.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shirleemccoy.com/images/shirlee3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.shirleemccoy.com/images/shirlee3.jpg" /></a></div>
SHIRLEE MCCOY knew early that she wanted to write inspirational fiction and began writing her first novel when she was a teenager. Still, it wasn't until her third son was born that she truly began pursuing her dream of being published. Three years later she sold her first book.<br />
<br />
Now a busy mother of four, Shirlee is a homeschool mom by day and an inspirational author by night. She and her husband and children live in Maryland and share their home with a dog and a guinea pig.Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-43118854309926804712015-03-01T09:36:00.001-05:002015-03-01T09:36:21.204-05:00Sundays in my City: C of C Basketball<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last night, Wayne and I had a date night at the C of C Cougars last basketball game of the season. It was a thrilling game, which unfortunately we lost... but I got a night out without kids so any outcome was a win for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwg2_Y7p9KrjvTBA7Y-K75UERkmwoy8pjrhSPxmOkwQJFnAuusNFDqDOHn0l1DZOPERH_jgHNud-7K30VxqHDZER3soDo_jheQkv7Ybu4nkrkpu-2PBZqMyynZbQ3jyHLhtFQu7k29fm8/s1600/SAM_1043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwg2_Y7p9KrjvTBA7Y-K75UERkmwoy8pjrhSPxmOkwQJFnAuusNFDqDOHn0l1DZOPERH_jgHNud-7K30VxqHDZER3soDo_jheQkv7Ybu4nkrkpu-2PBZqMyynZbQ3jyHLhtFQu7k29fm8/s1600/SAM_1043.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqP-L8xw-MbwE5FkFviEtpQWCK9fEp4IRq1XIXcxxlM8tyx6hI4O_aiKt5C_bw1YxUJ0zhUFOezNEeeJ1pwbGHy7xverSoZ3v1VVcSn6jVr8wN-TadXJJXphFdl7UYhBkzYObCGPYClw/s1600/SAM_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqP-L8xw-MbwE5FkFviEtpQWCK9fEp4IRq1XIXcxxlM8tyx6hI4O_aiKt5C_bw1YxUJ0zhUFOezNEeeJ1pwbGHy7xverSoZ3v1VVcSn6jVr8wN-TadXJJXphFdl7UYhBkzYObCGPYClw/s1600/SAM_1046.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-6kp30svjUBu7GknUsQTYQ_k8tnNhVhaXQhrsaZygHhIuc5JOyE3cFlFobVVo5AQB1vIf8tDrlxVXII0h-hlp8urSYxUbnJXlrDytFz0DsixStu9ywRj5FrgHGtMtb7kEZOIYxm25hA/s1600/SAM_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-6kp30svjUBu7GknUsQTYQ_k8tnNhVhaXQhrsaZygHhIuc5JOyE3cFlFobVVo5AQB1vIf8tDrlxVXII0h-hlp8urSYxUbnJXlrDytFz0DsixStu9ywRj5FrgHGtMtb7kEZOIYxm25hA/s1600/SAM_1045.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hooking up for the first time in a long time with Unknown Mami's Sundays In My City</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><center><a href="http://www.unknownmami.com/category/sundays-in-my-city" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Unknown Mami" src="http://www.unknownmami.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/SIMC.png" /></a></center></div>Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-36952037273386101662015-02-18T14:46:00.005-05:002015-02-18T14:46:53.001-05:00Love Lessons Learned with Andrea Laurence, author of THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFEI am pleased to invite Andrea Laurence to share a little bit of Love Wisdom today, as part of her virtual book tour for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O95G2PE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00O95G2PE&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=OEAECDVOSFKYHYNB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFE</a><br />
<br />
Tyler and Amelia’s story is a twist on the classic friends to lovers story because they put the cart before the horse, marrying and starting a family before they’ve really even begun a relationship. It took these extenuating circumstances for them to make that leap past friendship into lovers. Part of the reason for this is that Amelia is looking for a perfect marriage—the White Buffalo. She’s idealized her grandparents’ relationship and won’t accept anything less for herself. In doing that, she’s discarded a pile of potential suitors that didn’t check all the boxes, and never even gave Tyler a second thought in the relationship department. Tyler isn’t perfect. Not even close. But he’s persistent and won’t let her use her list of requirements to drive a wedge between them. It’s in realizing that no person and no marriage is perfect—including her grandparents’ marriage—that Amelia can finally open herself up to see the beauty of what’s in front of her. As they say, it’s not about finding the perfect person, it’s about loving someone enough to see an imperfect person, perfectly. That’s the love lesson of the book.<br />
<br />
—Andrea<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O95G2PE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00O95G2PE&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=CVCV7EJUEUKZGANM" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00O95G2PE&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20" /></a><br />
More about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O95G2PE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00O95G2PE&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=OEAECDVOSFKYHYNB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THIRTY DAYS TO WIN HIS WIFE</a><br />
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00O95G2PE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
Even with a baby on the way, Amelia's holding out for the perfect husband. Tyler has 30 days to prove he's the one. Best friends Tyler Dixon and Amelia Kennedy eloped to Vegas on a whim. But before they can deal with their quickie divorce, she confesses: she's pregnant. Now there's no way Tyler will agree to go their separate ways. He wants them to stay married, raise their child together, share a house—and a bed.<br />
<br />
Yet Amelia has always dreamed of a perfect marriage and she doesn't think this self-made millionaire is lifetime material despite their friendship. She's given him just one month to prove her wrong.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OAghygldL._UX250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OAghygldL._UX250_.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
ANDREA LAURENCE has been devouring books since she learned to read at the age of 3. An old portable typewriter got her started writing in her room at 8 and she's been writing ever since. Her practical nature led her to pursue a master's degree and a career that would pay the bills, but the writing bug continued to bite. She started working ferociously in her spare time to become a published author and has become an active member of her local RWA chapter, Heart of Dixie. After eight years and 11 completed manuscripts, she finally made the leap and got "the call" from Harlequin Desire on May 31, 2011.<br />
<br />
A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, Andrea is working on her real-life "happily ever after" with her boyfriend of 10 years and their collection of animals including two cats, two mutts and a Siberian husky that sheds like nobody's business.<br />
<br />
You can also check out the first book in the Andrea's series Brides and Belles, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZCR866/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LZCR866&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=SFLV7BHELPNQPBG7" id="static_txt_preview" style="background-color: white; color: #996633; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Snowed In with Her Ex</a>!Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-77199889006773739222015-01-28T14:56:00.000-05:002015-02-18T14:56:59.697-05:003 Great "Me Time" Books from Harequin Romance this Month & If Never Trust a Cowboy Was Made Into a Movie<div>
When I read a good book, I often fantasize about who would star in the book if it were ever made into a movie... and I thought it would be fun to ask author, Kathleen Eagle about her most recent romance, Never Trust a Cowboy:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If I were casting Never Trust a Cowboy, Del Fox would be played by Scott Eastwood, who looks great on a horse and has his father Clint’s chiseled face. I figure he’s born to play a cowboy.<br />
<br />
Scarlett Johansson would play Lila Flynn. Scarlett started her career in a movie about a girl who loved horses, and she plays strong, sassy, vulnerable characters beautifully.</blockquote>
<div>
Having read the book, I can totally see those actors taking on this movie role... here's a little more about the book itself:</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZCP89K/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LZCP89K&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=XALXWLHQXO3YOSYV" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00LZCP89K&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00LZCP89K" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The last thing harried Lila Flynn needed was another cowboy to deal with, but new hire Del Fox was different than most sweet-talking wranglers. The hard worker had a gentle touch and eyes that spoke of a past he didn't share. Lila soon found her hardened heart softening, frightening her more than any other hurdles she was facing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Del's assignment in Short Straw, South Dakota, was meant to be fast and simple. Falling for Lila Flynn, however, had complicated everything. If he did his job right it would mean destroying everything Lila had worked for. He'd given her every reason never to trust him with her heart, but when all was said and done, would she trust their love enough to give them a second chance?</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">And about the author:</span></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">KATHLEEN EAGLE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> published her first book, a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award winner, with Silhouette Books in 1984. Since then she has published more than 40 books, including historical and contemporary, series and single title, earning her nearly every award in the industry. Her books have consistently appeared on regional and national bestseller lists, including the USA Today list and the New York Times extended bestseller list. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td> </tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Born in Virginia and raised "on the road" as an Air Force brat, Eagle earned degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Northern State University. She taught at Standing Rock High School in North Dakota for 17 years. She continues to teach writing at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Two other great reads, available in print and e-book from Harlequin, that you might want to add to your "Me Time" List are: </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZCP80O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LZCP80O&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=6HXVBD6FJ75HJCB7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FONSECA’S FURY</a> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt;">By Abby Green, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Harlequin Presents; January 15, 2015, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt;">$4.99; 192 pages, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 12pt;">ISBN-13</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12pt;">:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 12pt;"> 9780373133079</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZCP80O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LZCP80O&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=HRTG4GWKC4HBBABU" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00LZCP80O&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=couponning101-20" height="200" width="126" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=couponning101-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00LZCP80O" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
The last time Luca Fonseca saw Serena DePiero, he ended up in a jail cell. The Brazilian billionaire has since clawed back his reputation, but he's never forgotten her. So when Luca discovers Serena's working for his charity, his anger reignites.<br />
Serena has changed. Finally in control of her life, she refuses to let Luca intimidate her. She'll deal with whatever her new boss throws at her—from a rain-forest trek to the social jungle of Rio. But she can't handle the passion that flares hotter than Luca's fury—especially when it threatens to consume them both.<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">ABBY GREEN</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;"> spent her teens reading Mills & Boon romances. She then spent many years working in the film and TV industry as an assistant director. One day while standing outside an actor's trailer in the rain, she thought: <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">there has to be more than this.</span> So she sent off a partial to Harlequin Mills & Boon. After many rewrites, they accepted her first book and an author was born. She lives in Dublin, Ireland and you can find out more here: <a href="http://www.abby-green.com/" target="_blank">www.abby-green.com</a></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZCR866/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LZCR866&linkCode=as2&tag=couponning101-20&linkId=M3GQK7P6GNNZ77MR" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SNOWED IN WITH HER EX</a> </b>By Andrea Laurence, Harlequin Desire; January 15, 2015, $5.25 US; 192 pages, ISBN-13: 9780373733620</div>
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Wedding photographer Briana Harper never expected to run into her ex at an engagement shoot and when a blizzard strands them alone in a remote mountain cabin, she knows she's in trouble. She's never forgotten Ian Lawson, but none of the reasons they broke up have changed. He's still a workaholic—and now he's an engaged workaholic. But Ian is also still a man who knows what he wants and what he wants is Briana. Untangling the lies of his current engagement leaves him free to indulge, but proving he's changed may be this music mogul's toughest negotiation yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:.75pt;
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o:title=""/> <w:wrap type="tight"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><b>ANDREA LAURENCE </b>has been devouring books since she learned to read at the age of 3. An old portable typewriter got her started writing in her room at 8 and she's been writing ever since. Her practical nature led her to pursue a master's degree and a career that would pay the bills, but the writing bug continued to bite. She started working ferociously in her spare time to become a published author and has become an active member of her local RWA chapter, Heart of Dixie. After eight years and 11 completed manuscripts, she finally made the leap and got "the call" from Harlequin Desire on May 31, 2011.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, Andrea is working on her real-life "happily ever after" with her boyfriend of 10 years and their collection of animals including two cats, two mutts and a Siberian husky that sheds like nobody's business. </span></div>
Actingbalancedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15401265786470196845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-47810850127811957142014-12-02T08:46:00.000-05:002014-12-02T08:51:27.190-05:00 Tracking Destination Image Across Trip Experience with Smartphone Technology. <div class="MsoNormal">
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The purpose of this study is to examine changes to tourists’ image of a destination throughout a trip experience. Using Blackberry technology, a group of Canadian student travelers to Peru were asked to record images and experience about their trip during several key moments (pre-trip, upon arrival, half-way, departure, and post-trip). The results of this mixed methods study indicate that tourists’ destination image is dynamic and continuously evolving throughout their trip, and various incidents during the trip could impact it. Of particular importance are the impressions made upon arrival and departure, as they are powerful determinants of post-trip images. Affective image appear to be rather haphazard during the trip whereas most respondents’ cognitive image follows a specific pattern where the subjects go through an adjustment period at the beginning of the trip (resulting in lowered scores) but then rebound in a positive direction from that point. Further, post-trip cognitive scores tend to continue to rise significantly while affective scores tend to return to pre-trip levels.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Smith, W.W., Li, R., Pan, B., Witte, M., & Doherty, S. (2014). <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517714000922">Tracking</a></b><b><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517714000922"> Destination Image Across Trip Experience with Smartphone Technology.</a> <i>Tourism Management.</i> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.actingbalanced.com/2014/12/tracking-destination-image-across-trip.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-78086436316957876662014-12-01T16:25:00.003-05:002014-12-01T16:25:50.505-05:00WestJet Making the Nice List...I am not big on promoting commercial entities however, I must give kudos where they are indeed due. Congratulations to West Jet on their annual Christmas miracle promotion. <br />
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They have been doing this for several years now and it has gotten even more fabulous with each and every iteration. I love when my industry decides to truly give back. It is important for us to remember that when we bring our guests to communities that those places are not just commodities. We need to be doing more of this as an industry in order to really create true partnerships with communities. Tourism can be a great thing when done correctly. Congrats once again to WestJet for demonstrating leadership in this regards!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-40087836596062365572014-11-29T07:27:00.000-05:002014-11-29T07:27:41.612-05:00Six Word Saturday<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Being thankful for - white blood cells??? </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">With three kids in three different schools and me teaching at a university, viruses come around our house often and I am guessing most of family has built up a pretty good immunity. This week however, that immunity didn't work out so well as a cold ripped through the household. During this week of thankfulness, add white blood cells to the list. </span><br />
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I have gotten a series of requests lately for advice on choosing a dissertation topic. So while I am writing to specific people, I thought I would share these ideas broadly too. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4F Rules for Choosing a Dissertation/Thesis Topic</span></div>
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<li><b>Fun</b> - You are going to spend a considerable amount of time doing this topic, you better at least be somewhat interested in it. </li>
<li><b>Fund-able</b> - There are very few projects that can be done for free. Make sure you have the resources to be able to complete the project. </li>
<li><b>Feasible</b> - The clock is ticking, make sure it is a project you get can done in the time available. </li>
<li><b>Future</b> - Will completing this project help your job prospects after completing it? </li>
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I have been approached to add more F's over the years (though for me all F's should be four letters). Two others which have been suggested are:<br />
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<li><i>Foundation</i>: Do I have the skills and abilities to get this done? </li>
<li><i>Faction</i>: Does my adviser have the skills and abilities help me through this? Can they help me put together the right committee to make this project all it should be?</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-76844284754641092182014-11-25T08:48:00.001-05:002014-11-25T08:48:30.201-05:00The Future of Hospitality and Tourism?<center>
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One of the great traditions of the program I work at is that we have a capstone class event at the end of term. During this event, each professor stands up and gives the graduating class a piece of advice for the future. While some of my colleagues share the same story year in and year out (and they are great pieces of advice); I like to tailor mine to the class. Here is my talk that I am going to give later this after noon (and you decide if it is cup half full or not).</center>
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<a href="http://amothersluv.blogspot.com//" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb377/rorybore/coffeechat-2.jpg" /></a><i>"There has been a question that has been on my mind for the last couple of weeks. I thought of the question when preparing a talk for the global tourism class and I think it is valuable thought as you venture out into the workforce. I want to pose a question to you all. How much should we trade hospitality for the business? The origins of the word hospitality comes from the Greek 'philoxenos' which means 'love of strangers.' The root of 'travel' comes from the French, 'travailler' meaning 'to work.' Combined the original intent of hospitality was to give comfort to guests because of the hardships it took to travel. Now, the question is, have we gotten away from that original intent?</i></center>
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<i>Today, as you have sat in business school classes, we have taught you about profit margins, cost-benefit analysis and return on investment. In such, we taught you as a good business school should. In the current world you will be asked as managers to maximize revenue and minimize costs. Even in the hospitality world we are focused on revenue management and providing streamlined service. In that vein, we now have businesses in our industry where one can rent a car, check into a hotel or order from a restaurant and not have to interact with a person. Heck, one hotel has a program that if you do not want maid service, that you stick a sign on your door and that they will give you reward points in exchange. So one could purchase their room online, check in with their phone and not have maid service meaning that they could stay in a hotel and not have to interact with a single staff person. While this may be excellent business; is it hospitality? That is your question for the future. How much humanity are we willing to give up in the face of business? </i></center>
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<i>On one side, we can argue that is the way of the world. Heck, when was the last time you actually talked to a bank teller? We have been automating every industry in America one way or another for decades. What makes hospitality immune to this? On the other side, isn't the core of hospitality to create a sense of 'love of strangers' and how do one do that through a smart device? Over the next ten years, I sense we are going to see the next evolution of our industry. How that evolution is shaped will be based on your decisions. How much hospitality are we going to choose relative to the business? The future of this industry is based upon your shoulders. My advice to you is this day; is to choose wisely."</i></center>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-55459942345467385272014-11-24T08:44:00.002-05:002014-11-24T08:44:34.884-05:00Memory Monday- Mom<div align="center">
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The theme this week is Mom. </div>
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<a href="http://www.retired-not-tired.blogspot.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Retired Not Tired Memory Monday"><img alt="Retired Not Tired Memory Monday" src="http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/momfromcanada/buttonw1.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a>Like most people, I love my mom but how I do write about her without sounding cliche? The fundamentals of my mom is that she is an intelligent, well spoken women. If she was born 20-25 years later, she probably would have been a CEO. She reads constantly. She reads a variety and a plethora of literature. She has carried a desire to learn and grow throughout her life. She actually thinks about things and has informed opinions. While she is introverted, she forces herself to become a customer service expert. She is willing to stretch herself as an individual. She is a great example of how life long learning, growth and development leads to a happy life. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-76112955363417814432014-11-23T08:28:00.000-05:002014-11-23T08:28:00.067-05:00A Lesson For All Politicians (and everyone else)In 1861, Drs. Earnest Aubertin (Localistic Model) and Pierre Gratiolet (Distributed Model) got into a rather heated dispute about two varying theories on how the brain works. The scientific community then spent years debating which one was correct until the late 21st century discovery that each model was correct in that one fed into the other. The lesson as always, is that good ideas should be built upon rather than worrying about who is right and wrong. Expending energy on 'winning' a debate is useless compared to if the time was spent trying to bring the best of ideas together.<br />
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Perhaps our political leaders can learn a lesson from us (as should we all). The importance of the sharing of ideas and actually listening to one another, can lead to much bigger breakthroughs than trying to go it alone. As a collective, humans are pretty smart when they choose to work together. If political parties were more concerned with working together to nurture, develop and put forward great ideas than winning, we could be in a much better position all around. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7154509255997275263.post-47337995368570464542014-11-22T05:56:00.002-05:002014-11-22T05:58:43.790-05:00Six Word Saturday<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">How is your brain working today?</span></b></i></div><br />
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This is just a month after the Pittsburgh crowd sang O Canada after the Ottawa shootings...<br />
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As a Canadian who lives in the USA, I am always happy to see when we act like the great nighbo(u)rs that we are. Congrats on both sides of the both sides of the border for recognizing our great partnership!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0