Title: A SEAL in Wolf’s Clothing (Book 9 in the Wolf Series) Author: Terry Spear Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Pages: 352 Pub Date: March 2012
Source: I received an ARC copy of this book for review.
About the book: Her instincts tell her he’s dangerous… While her overprotective brother’s away, Meara Greymere’s planning to play—and it wouldn’t hurt to find herself a mate in the process. The last thing she needs is one of his SEAL buddies spoiling her fun, even if the guy is the hottest one she’s ever seen…
His powers of persuasion are impossible to resist… Finn Emerson is a battle-hardened Navy SEAL and alpha wolf. He’s a little overqualified for baby-sitting, but feisty Meara is attracting trouble like a magnet…
As the only responsible alpha male in the vicinity, Finn is going to have to protect this intriguing woman from a horde of questionable men, and definitely from himself…
All I can say about this book is “OMG”. Wow I loved, loved loved this book.
I am not sure if its just me or not but I always worry when I read a series that the next book won’t be as good as the previous one and that I won’t love the books anymore but one thing I have discovered since reading Terry Spear’s Wolf Series is that I don’t have to worry about that because Terry some how manages to out do the previous book and just when I think I love the previous books I end up reading a new one and loving it more.
Out of the whole wolf series I have to say that I love them all. She has great characters and great chemistry in them all. I have to say even though its not possible to shape shift her books all make it seem possible and believable.
I can hands down spend a day reading Terry’s books. I have a hard time putting them down and I just need to read what happens. This book was no exception. I started it early in the morning and read it all day. Trying to read slowly so that I can savour the book because the next one in the series (book 10), A Howl for the Highlander, A Highland Wolf Wedding (book 11) and Silence of the Wolf (book 12) aren’t coming out until 2013.
Thankfully though, Terry has a new series coming out called the Jaguar Series and the first book, Savage Hunger will be coming out in October 2012. I can’t wait to read that new series.
Okay enough ramblings on to my review.
As I said previously I loved this book and I loved the cover.
Even though this is the ninth book in the Wolf Series you really don’t need to read the previous books in the series to follow the story line. I know when I first started to read Terry’s books I was perfectly fine and never felt like I was missing something in the story lines.
This time Terry has brought back some characters (Tessa, although she is only mentioned in the book and her mate Hunter, who makes an appearance because of his sister) from her third book To Tempt A Wolf.
So a little back ground story on Hunter. He is the alpha male of the pack and they have relocated to Oregon (because they lost everything in California from a fire). He has mated with Tessa and they have left for their honeymoon leaving his sister Meara at home to take of things along with his pack. Although little does he know that things are about to change.
Now you know the old saying when the cats away the mice will play, and that is exactly what Meara is hoping for because her over protective brother is finally leaving her alone and she is on the hunt for a new mate and figures now is the best time to look while he is away. She thinks if she mates before he returns, he won’t be able to protect her. Little does Meara know but her life is about to change.
Finn, who happens to be a SEAL buddy of Hunter’s has come to warn her that her life is in danger and that an assassin is on the hunt for her. All he really seems to know is that she some how saved the team from a mission and someone wasn’t happy and is determined to get revenge. Finn has taken it upon himself to protect her and Meara isn’t happy about this because he is interfering in her hunt for a mate. Its only after a body appears that Meara realizes how much danger she is in but yet she still wants to be around to uncover the person behind it and to find her mate.
At first Finn clearly makes up his mind that nothing will happen between the two of them because he knows Hunter will not be happy and that he is doing this to protect her even though you know he secretly likes her and Meara has said she wants nothing to do with him because of who and what he is but you can clearly see that she too wants him.
As their relationship grows I fell in love with Finn. He came out and said he wasn’t a romantic guy but he was wrong because he was. It was the little things he did for Meara that I loved and he didn’t have to go and do grand gestures to prove it. Plus he came off as a real guy when he got jealous and over protective of her. Plus him being in the service might have helped. Although I have to say I am a Marine Corp kind of girl.
I was curious to see who was seeking revenge of Meara and why and a few times I thought I had it figured out only to be proven wrong in the end and was totally shocked at who it was and why. Although Rourke who was a newly turned wolf figured it out before Finn and his team did and he came to save the day in the end.
I loved this book and I highly recommend it if you love paranormal romance. You won’t be disappointed I’m sure.
Thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks for sending me this book to read and review. Please note that I will be having a Q&A with Terry tomorrow on my blog.
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
One of my favorite bloggers Sheila from Book Journey is the host of this weekly meme. If you haven’t checked out Sheila’s blog yet then what are you waiting for. I love reading Sheila’s blog because she covers it all and I always end up walking away like I get to know Sheila a little more from her post.
I also just discovered recently that Sheila has partnered with Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and they come up with a fun meme with a kidlit focus – anyone reading and reviewing books in children’s literature – it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it’s in!
So in case you are wondering what It’s Monday! What are you reading? is about well its a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!
Is it really that time of the week again for another It’s Monday! What are you reading? post? I feel as though I just wrote one. Wow the week is going by really fast although I have to say that we did have some what of a busy week. It was back to the normal routine last week coming off of spring break. I did my volunteer work in the school library on Monday, Tuesday Michael was back to his Italian class after school and then Friday was just crazy. I was alone in the library (the librarian was called away on a family emergency) Thankfully it was only three classes but still it was crazy and hope that doesn’t happen too often.
Then we geared up for a weekend of hockey. Michael’s hockey team qualified for both regional games (since they are the number one novice C team for our city) and then regular playoffs. Friday night was a playoff game and we won 5-0, Saturday was regionals and we won 3-1 so that meant we had to play Sunday and of course we won 6-1. Now we go into a game Tuesday night and next weekend. I am super proud of Michael as he got a couple of assists this weekend. We have a fantastic team and we are so proud of the kids.
I think Spring has finally come (a few days early but its okay) to our area because the last few days have been very nice and there is no snow in my front yard. Sunday was exceptionally warm and it felt almost summer like. I am hoping that this is a positive thing because honestly I am finished with winter and the cold weather.
Anyways enough ramblings.
This past week I read two books:
I posted my review for this yesterday.
My review for this will be posted later this morning. Isn’t the cover fantastic?
What I am planning on reading this week:
Lucy Swing contacted me about reviewing this so I got it for my Kobo and it will be reviewed on Tuesday.
What I am hoping to get to this week:
This is what I have planned, what about you?
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
Today I am honored to be a part of the blog tour for Losing Clementine by Ashley Ream. Thanks to William Morrow for contacting me and allowing me to be a part of the tour.
Title: Losing Clementine Author: Ashley Ream Pub Date: March 2012 Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks Pages: 320
Source: I received a finish copy of the book for my participation in the book tour. This is an honest and sincere review.
About The Book: In thirty days Clementine Pritchard will be finished with her last painting and her life.
World-renowned artist and sharp-tongued wit Clementine Pritchard has decided that she’s done. After flushing away a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions, she gives herself thirty days to tie up loose ends—finish one last painting, make nice with her ex-husband, and find a home for her cat. Clementine plans to spend the month she has left in a swirl of art-world parties, manic work sessions, and outrageous acts—but what she doesn’t expect is to uncover secrets surrounding the tragedy that befell her mother and sister. In an ending no one sees coming, will we lose Clementine or will we find her?
A bold debut from an exciting new voice, Losing Clementine is a wonderfully entertaining and poignant novel about unanticipated self-discovery that features one of the most irresistible, if deeply flawed, characters to grace contemporary fiction in years.
This is Ashley Ream’s debut novel and wow I really enjoyed it. It was actually nice to step away from young adult books for this one. When I got contacted about the book I knew I wanted to read it because it sounded so good.
Clementine Pritchard, is an artist who is extremely depressed and has decided that she is fed up with living her life always on all kinds of medications and has decided that in 30 days she will kill herself. She starts by dumping all her medications down the toilet, firing her assistant (who is basically there to babysit her) and slowly getting rid of her worthily possessions.
Clementine has no idea how she is going to do it yet but has given herself 30 days to figure this out. Although one thing is clear in her mind she is going to do it in a nice clean easy way unlike that of her mother and sister.
The book is told in a day to day format. You can see in each day that she is trying to tie up any loose ends because she wants it to be her way and not have anyone worry about arranging it all. She knows what she is doing each and every step from buying a plot, to the casket, making sure her beloved cat Chuckles is cared for in a loving home to even tracking down her long lost father who abandoned the family when she was a young girl.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was reading the book but I have to say I was surprised. I would laugh, cry and feel for Clementine. I am sure its a day to day struggle with depression and any mental illness and I am sure there is a point when you feel enough is enough and this is exactly how Clementine felt so you couldn’t help but feel for here.
As you read the book you are constantly wondering if she will do it or will something or someone stop her?
I was really impressed with the book and I am looking forward to other books by Ashley.
Thanks William Morrow for the book and allowing me to be on the tour.
Ashley Ream got her first job at a newspaper when she was 16. After working in newsrooms across Missouri, Florida and Texas, she gave up the deadlines to pursue fiction. She lives in Los Angeles where she works at a nonprofit and is finishing her next novel.
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
The Barrett Company Hollywood Book Publicity Tour + Win FREE Kindle Fire!
Well known, experienced, professional Hollywood book, TV and movie publicist Charlie Barrett formed The Barrett Company in 1991 as a full service publicity and media relations agency to serve books/authors/publishers, television and motion picture industry clients. The Los Angeles headquartered publicity firm offers 21st century publicity and media relations services to celebrities, authors, actors, directors, screen writers, filmmakers as well as film and television producers.
Charlie’s author clients have include LA author-screenwriter Carla Malden, author of Afterimage, Kindle’s John Locke/Lethal People, Julie Sinatra/Under my Skin, Warren Adler/War of the Roses, David R. Fett MD and Steve Langford/White Sleeper, Deby Eisenberg/Pictures of the Past, Marty Jurow/See’in Stars: A Show Biz Odyssey, actor George Kennedy/Trust Me, Peter Ford/Glenn Ford: A Life and Dr. Ken Nedd/Power Over Stress as well as many, many others.
Since it’s inception, TBC has served as publicists to such companies and celebrities as CBS, Simon & Schuster, ABC, Globe Pequot Press, Harper Collins publishers, Norton publishers, Paramount studios, Oxford University Press, PBS, Warner Brothers, American Movie Classics cable channel (Mad Men), Bravo, Life Time Television, NYU Press, Ben Bella Books, Fox Television Network, Little Brown publishers, Fox News, CNN, self-published author service firms such as Xlibris, Author House and i-Universe as well as numerous celebrities from Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon to Kevin Costner, Tatum O’Neal, Tim Curry, Martin Landau, Robert Stack, Rod Stewart, Gary Conway, Oprah Winfrey (Oprah’s Big Give television series on ABC) and numerous other stars.
Mr. Barrett started up The Barrett Company publicity firm after serving in top PR positions with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) for more than ten years, where he was in charge of media relations for Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and Today, among other well-known NBC shows such as Unsolved Mysteries, Fame and numerous highly-rated NBC specials, including The American Film Institute Awards and The American Movie Awards.
When earlier basing in New York City, Mr. Barrett served as a book publicist to many major publishers with publicity campaigns for a number of best-selling authors from large trade book publishers from Scribners to Random House.
Mr. Barrett has also held executive media relations posts with 20th Century Fox Film Corporation in New York and Capitol Records in Hollywood, New York and London, where he helped launch recorded music by The Beatles, The Band and many other music artists including Joe South, Freda Payne, Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell.
You can visit his website at www.thebarrettco.com. Visit them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thebarrettco.
About The Barrett Company:
Media expert & advisor Charles Barrett formed The Barrett Company in 1991 as a full service media relations and media marketing/communications agency. The Los Angeles headquartered firm offers 21st century integrated media outreach and media marketing expertise with an emphasis on the entertainment and leisure time industries serving authors/publishers, Hollywood celebrities, motion pictures, and television. Since inception, TBC has served such companies as Simon & Schuster, Globe Pequot Press, Norton Publishers, Warner Brothers Studios, American Movie Classics cable channel, ABC TV, CBS TV, Fox Television, self-published author publishers such as Xlibris, Author House, I-Universe and numerous celebrities from Johnny Carson to Ed McMahon to Kevin Costner to Oprah Winfrey (Oprah’s Big Give television series on ABC).
The Barrett Company also assists attorneys and their clients, managing media coverage in civil and criminal cases from California to New York in both state and federal courts.
Mr. Barrett formed the firm after serving in top public relations positions with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) for more than ten years, where he was in charge of media relations for The Tonight Show and Today, among other well-known NBC shows such as Unsolved Mysteries, Fame and numerous highly-rated NBC specials, including The American Film Institute Awards and The American Movie Awards.
Mr. Barrett has also held executive media relations posts with 20th Century Fox Film Corporation in New York and Capitol Records in Hollywood, New York and London, where he helped launch recorded music by The Beatles, The Band and many other music artists.
When earlier basing in New York City, Mr. Barrett assisted major publishers with publicity campaigns for a number of New York Times best-selling authors, serving such publishers as Scribner’s, Simon & Schuster, Norton, John Wiley & Sons, Warner Books and Golden Books, among many others.
The Barrett Company serves major publisher and self-published authors with Harper Collins, Little Brown, Penguin Press, i-Universe, Oxford University Press, Viking Press, Xlibris, Random House, Holm Press, Ben Bella Books, Author House, SMU Press, NYU Press, creating and performing a range of publicity services and media outreach for both fiction and non-fiction book releases.
Charles Barrett began his media career as a reporter with The Associated Press in New Haven, CT and later served on the editorial staffs of both The Hollywood Reporter in Los Angeles and Billboard Publications in New York. He has also authored numerous articles for magazines and newspapers on the performing arts and travel as well as appearing as a contributor on major U.S. radio talk shows discussing celebrities, films, television and books. He was voted the Book Publicist of the Year award by the Southern California Book Pub Society recently. Charles is a member of The Publishers Association of Los Angeles, The Academy of TV Arts and Sciences (Emmy Award) and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (The Oscars ®).
The Barrett Company is well known and regarded among the world’s media outlets for its credibility and creativity. Through years of client assignments we have developed remarkable and successful campaigns for our wide range of authors/publishers, Hollywood creatives, companies and celebrities, which have paved the way for us to produce media, consumer and trade events of all descriptions both in the United States and overseas, from Book Expo to NATPE (the renowned annual television program executive conference) to Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, The Frankfurt Book Fair to filmdom’s Show West as well as MIP in France, The Beverly Hills Film Festival and The Cannes International Film Festival.
TBC’s experience, skills and knowledge in various professional disciplines have enabled the company to offer programs we are proud of, including trade and consumer publicity campaigns, Internet publicity campaigns, crisis communications management, new company and celebrity launches, trade show media awareness, marketing communications solutions, and consultancy to in-house publicity firms in publishing, film and television. No assignment is too big or too small. TBC possesses a keen awareness of the workings of the global media – – including but not limited to print, broadcast and digital – – and has demonstrated over the years the ability to create stunning and effective media outreach models for valued clients, be they well established, or start-ups, or beginning careers as authors and celebrities.
Barbara Wall, a specialist in media marketing and media research, serves as Vice President of TBC. She has accomplished extensive assignments, ranging from technology to entertainment to printing/publishing and has working relationships with a wide circle of book media contacts including reviewers at major US newspapers to Internet book reviewers including NY Times, USA TODAY, Midwest Book Review, BookPleasures.com, BookReview.com, writers at select men and women’s’ magazines and online social media bloggers covering authors and publishers. Ms. Wall formerly served as an executive in two Fortune 500 companies (Xerox, Experian) and has worked with a range of clients including BMG Music Service, The Fox Network, Eddie Bauer, Levi’s, Starbucks, and Jamba Juice. She holds both BA and MBA degrees and formerly taught high school English in Colorado.
A key professional on The Barrett Company team is Vice President John Michaeli, who offers international and domestic public relations/communications expertise with a proven track record of developing, implementing and directing strategic marketing campaigns. Mr. Michaeli is a crisis communications specialist, having served many studios and networks dealing with a range of public issues in both personnel to products areas. Mr. Michaeli has held senior management posts with PR agencies and companies in the entertainment, technology, new media, network TV and public relations industries, including Walt Disney Studios, Fox Family Channel, Warner Brothers, Pax TV and Hanna-Barbera, the renowned animation studio in Hollywood where he served as VP of Marketing.
Representing TBC in New York is publicist and author Ward Morehouse III, who served as media contact at NBC for NBC Nightly News and was also was a Vice President at Jack Raymond & Associates, a top New York public relations firm. Mr. Morehouse has authored several books on the world’s top hotels from The Plaza to The Waldorf Astoria and most recently released his latest book, London’s Grand Hotels. He also created and maintains the New York City web portal www.broadwayafterdark.com.
TBC is proud of its association with renowned film marketing professional Jerry Pam. Mr. Pam’s accomplished film marketing career ranges from his days with The Beatles on their hit films, A Hard Day’s Night and Help, to films like Chocolat, Cinema Paridiso, Cider House Rules, the Oscar ® winner Shakespeare in Love and Good Will Hunting, among many, many other pictures. He earlier created remarkable film marketing campaigns for Apocalypse Now, Last Tango in Paris, American Graffiti, The Conversation and Midnight Express. Jerry has represented numerous screen and television personalities, including Michael Caine, Roger Moore, Jaclyn Smith and Robert Stack, in addition to well known authors such as Sidney Sheldon, Jackie Collins, Judith Krantz and Morris West. His corporate clients have ranged from Rolls Royce to Mouton Cadet Wines, and Faberge to General Mills.
Books…
The Barrett Company represents author Carla Malden (who co-wrote her father Karl Malden’s biography When Do I Start?) for her forthcoming book Afterimage from Globe Pequot Press. TBC created the media marketing campaign for film producer/agent Marty Jurow (Breakfast At Tiffany’s, The Pink Panther and Terms of Endearment) and his tales of Hollywood’s Golden Age — Marty Jurow Seein’ Stars: A Show Biz Odyssey, a hardbound work published by Southern Methodist University Press. In his book, Mr. Jurow tells riveting vignettes and stories about Jack Lemmon, Karl Malden, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando, author Truman Capote, Katharine Hepburn, Elvis Presley and Gary Cooper, among others. Mr. Malden said about the book, “Anyone who wants to know what happened behind the scenes in theatre, film, and TV during the 30s, 40s and 50s must read this book.” Other author clients include Julie Sinatra author of Under My Skin, entrepreneur Gary Fong’s The Accidental Millionaire and Do You Really Need Back Surgery by noted Santa Monica neurosurgeon Dr. Aaron Filler to Before You Say I Do Again by California family law and divorce expert attorney Ben Berkley.
Motion Pictures…
In motion pictures, The Barrett Company’s numerous client accomplishments include media outreach for the Showcase for Oscar ® Nominated Shorts that played to full theatres in Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., as well as publicity for movie openings and key industry awards for top feature films from Warner Brothers, MGM (Tomorrow Never Dies with Pierce Brosnan)), Paramount, Sony, Universal and Columbia Pictures. TBC as also served national theatre chains, feature film distributors and alternative cinema theatres with special regional movie openings and promotions including The Kids Are Alright, September Dawn, It’s Complicated, The Scoundrel’s Wife, Million Dollar Baby, Insomnia, The Aryan Couple, Master of the Game, Never Again, Blair Witch Project, multi film festival winner Smoke Signals and many film festival winners in various award categories.
TBC has served filmmakers at a wide variety of film festivals, including The Cannes Film Festival, The New York Film Festival, The Hollywood Film Festival, The Sundance Film Festival, The Toronto Film Festival, The Sarasota Film Festival, and the San Diego World Film Festival. TBC introduced the world media to the inaugural Beverly Hills Film Festival in 2001 with director/author Henry Bromell (Panic with Donald Sutherland).
Television…
Our notable TBC television projects include campaigns for reality-based TV productions such as Oprah Winfrey’s Oprah’s Big Give on ABC and CBS’ The Amazing Race to shows on American Movie Classics (Mad Men) to Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker to NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries to Paramount TV’s Wild Things to Fox TV’s Cops and numerous other productions. We also launched the success of Ed McMahon’s Star Search at Walt Disney World in 1995. Our PR campaigns for various television productions resulted in across-the-board media attention and awareness in a wide range of outlets from USA Today to the New York Times as well as The Wall Street Journal, Daily Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Multi Channel News, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, E! TV, Today, Good Morning America and The Tonight Show just to mention a few.
~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~ Pump Up Your Book and The Barrett Company are teaming up to give you a chance to win a Kindle Fire!
This giveaway is part of the Barrett Company Hollywood Publicity Tour hosted by Pump Up Your Book. There are a lot of great blogs participating in this Kindle Fire giveaway. After you enter, check out the other stops on the Barrett Company Hollywood Publicity Tour and enter there too!
Here’s how it works: Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form below.
The Kindle Fire promotion will run March 5 – 23, 2012. Winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email and announced on March 24, 2012.
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
Today I am honored to be doing a Q&A with Charlie Barrett, who is the owner of a publicity company called The Barrett Company. You can find out more about this company in an upcoming post today along with a give away.
So please help me welcome Charlie Barrett to Cindy’s Love of Books.
Cindy: Charlie, What is a typical day like for you?
I usually arise at 7am and drink 2 cups of Brazilian organic coffee while watching CNN, Fox News and the other morning TV chat shows before I check my I-Phone for messages and emails from my office. Once in the office we meet and see what is in the news that day that we can match up one of our author, TV producer, celebrity and movie maker clients to get their creations publicized. Next its the phones and emails that I hit heavily, contacting a range of media outlets from “Today” to “Publishers Weekly” and maybe Teri Gross of “Fresh Air” radio show on NPR. Lunch in LA is always a challenge since you have to drive to get everywhere and fight traffic jams. Often I invite media people or clients to a few good and easy-to-reach restaurants in Beverly Hills or next to UCLA where I am. Afternoons are filled with more phone calls, emails and meetings with clients and media. Evenings after 6pm I see at least one to two pre-release movies a week at the studios before they arrive in movie houses. Or, I will attend the meeting of the Publishers Association of Los Angeles, The Independent Book Marketing Association or maybe over to LA ‘s popular book store Book Soup for a client book signing. We were really busy during Oscar week in LA since we had a few clients that were nominated. I usually settle down at least 3 evenings a week at home to read or watch HBO’s new series “Luck” with Dustin Hoffman or “Walking Dead” on AMC. Looking forward to the new season of “Mad Men” come March on AMC. Reading Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Lincoln” and look forward to reading his new book on JFK.
Cindy: Wow Charlie, you are busy. What has been your best/worst part of your job to date?
Best: Successfully creating and executing a solid and successful PR campaign for a client be it an author or TV series or movie. Worst: When the media doesn’t spell a book title correctly or misspells an author or movie star’s name. A late arriving celebrity on the Red Carpet has proved troublesome for me too, but only a few times over the 30 years I have worked the Oscars, Emmys.
Cindy: If you could have dinner with someone (dead or alive) who would it be and why?
It would be cool to dine with Thomas Wolfe and Jack Kerouac, the Beatnik writer. Both played a huge role in my education to appreciate good American writers like Norman Mailer, Saul Bellow and today Dean Koontz and Scott Turow. Yes…dinner with Thomas and Jack would be one I would like to book at LA’s famous Musso & Frank Grille in Hollywood, which opened in 1919 and was the watering hole for such authors as Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nathaniel West. Musso’s is among LA’s most vintage and atmospheric restaurants..I totally recommend it for any visitor to this unique city.
Cindy: What would someone be surprised to know about you?
Most people I find are rather surprised to know that before I became a book publicist some 12 years ago I was NBC’s ” Tonight Show” staff publicist working with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno as their media reps. I also am among the few book publicists I know anywhere that actually worked as a journalist and news reporter/critic before becoming a publicist…so I have a solid media background as well as some solid publicist credits. Hope that doesn’t not sound egotistical…but you asked.
Cindy: No it doesn’t sound egotistical at all. Its interesting to know that about you. Working as a publicist, what are your thoughts on how popular book bloggers have become?
The impact of book bloggers in the media landscape continues to grow and is an impressive one. Book bloggers have carved a special place for themselves in the book review/book news areas. They play a special role as they inform the book buying public and an important and vital one too, especially with the shrinking print media outlets that once published 15 page book review sections in Sunday newspapers. I admire what book bloggers are doing…we need them in today’s book publishing market.
Thanks so much for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to answer my questions, Charlie. I truly appreciate it and I am sure my readers will as well. I couldn’t agree with you more on the book blogger reply. I know after reading about you I truly appreciate what you do.
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
Today I was on facebook and on my news feed I saw a status update from Tynga at Tyngas Reviews and I have to say I had to read it a couple of times to believe it and I still can’t believe it but Smart Chicks Kick It Tour will be coming to Montreal this fall and the best part of this tour is that they will literally be in my area which is like 5 minutes from my house so you know I will be there. The closest they have come was Ottawa last year and I really wanted to go but sadly because it was happening during the week I knew I couldn’t make the 2-2 1/2 drive.
So in case you are wondering what is Smart Chicks Kick It Tour is about:
Our Tour, Our Way Author tours are usually organized by the publisher. All we have to do is show up, which is great, but we started thinking maybe we’d like to try something different. Organize our own tour, just the way we want it. Pick the cities. Pick the authors. Organize the events. So, in Sept 2010, we did just that.
Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr are the organizers behind this tour and apparently its the final one. So I am super excited that they are stopping here. We are one of three Canadian cities who will be visited.
There are so many great authors who will be touring and if you get the chance you should check the stop out if they come to your area. If you are interested in seeing where they will be stopping be sure to check the schedule.
So I guess I have some reading to do before the big day. I have checked my bookcase and I think I have everyone’s books apart from Rachel Caine’s so I might have to look for them.
Tynga has created a facebook page for the event check it out if you are on facebook. This is for the Montreal stop only. Will you be going?
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when I got an email from topbox with my tracking number because lately so many of my monthly subscription boxes have been announcing they would be late. Thankfully topbox seems to be on top of the situation and I have to say that this is only my second box but they have been pretty consist with the date they ship on and I am thinking that perhaps they have a deal with Canada Post because this is actually the one and only box that I actually get when they say I will be receiving it.
I didn’t realize until I got the little card in my box that they have only been in operation for 6 months so I think this speaks volumes about the company.
So I have decided on a new format for these unboxing posts and please let me know what you think.
I will be doing a little intro post and then my vlog (if I do one that is depending on what I get and how excited I am about the boxes) and then I will share the photos with you so if you don’t want to watch the video you can skip over it. I will briefly talk about the service, then go into what I recieved with reviews of the products, a price break down and finally my thoughts on the box.
What is Topbox you ask:
Its a monthly beauty subsciption service were you will recieve 4 deluxe beauty samples each month for a fee of $10 + tax a month ($11.30 is what I pay). This is currenly only available to Canadians. They usually ship late into the first week of the month.
The perk to topbox is for every friend you invite and they join up under you, you will recieve a free box the following month. So if you are interested in signing up please let me know and I can send you an invite.
So please enjoy the video:
What I received in my March box:
-Mark (this was a personalized shade picked for me) Gloss Gorgeous Stay on Lip Stain. I recieved the shade Frilly FrouFrou (I love saying Frou Frou). This was actually a full size product of 1.5g for $12. I really liked it. The shade was perfect for me and to describe it I would have to say a pinkish coral. I have to say that I wasn’t sure about the color at first but once I put it on I really liked. Its a perfect summer shade. It wasn’t sticky and went on really nice. I checked the avon website and it comes in 8 shades and you can click here to see them. There is a few shades that I would love to try.
-Mark Nailed it Trend Mini Nail Lacquers. This is a new product in the Mark line and they only have these shades and its Violet Daze and Tickled Pink and it comes like this, two mini polishes that are 2.7ml for $8 and this was a full size product. I really like the shades although looking at this picture the pink isn’t really like that in person. The polishes went on really nice with no streaks. The purple looks darker in person but it went on really nice and I can see me wearing this in any season. The pink I have to say I wasn’t sure on how that was going to go on put it went on as a pale almost sheer look and it would be a perfect shade for the summer.
-A new product hitting the stores is Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes. Its from the UK. I haven’t opened this and I am actually waiting to use them when I go to NYC in a few months. Reading the package I see that its kind to the skin which I love and it has no alchol, oil, dyes or perfumes. I have discovered lately that I am starting to get sensitive skin and certain products bother my skin. I received 7 wipes and that is a great sample size because you have a weeks worth to try. The full size is 25 wipes for $10.99 so I got 7 wipes for $3.08.
-Make Up For Ever Smoky Lashes. This is an item that is exclusive to Sephora. I loved seeing that I got another mascara sample because now I am set for a little while with sample sizes. I don’t use alot of mascara and whenever I buy it I end up throwing it away so having these are perfect. Its perfect to through in a small make up. The full size is 7ml for $24 and I got a 3ml sample $10.29. This is something else I haven’t tried yet and I want to save it for when I go to NYC.
-Redken Color Extend Shampoo and Conditioner. If you remember from my previous post you will notice that I just recently got this sample in my loose buttons box in February. Honestly I don’t mind getting this again because its perfect for traveling. I don’t have to worry about liquids since I am taking the train but still being able to throw a couple of these in my suitcase is perfect and not have to worry about bottles taking my unneeded space. So the full size is Shampoo is 300ml for $15 (sample size is $1 for 20ml) and the conditioner is 250ml for $17 (sample size is $1.36 for 20ml) So this is for two pouches of each one.
Break down on the prices: Gloss Gorgeous Lip Stain $12.00 (full size) Nailed it Mini polishes $8.00 (full size) Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes $3.08 (7 wipes) MUFE Smoky Mascara $10.29 (3ml) Redken Color Extend $1.00 (20ml shampoo) Redken Color Extend $1.36 (20ml conditioner)
So that total is $35.73 Then if I take away $11.30 (price I paid for this months box) That would be $24.43 difference so as you can see the box paid for itself over and beyond.
My Thoughts:
I was really happy with shipping and it came when it said it would and that means alot seeing as this is coming from outside of Quebec.
I love the packaging and the tube I just need to find ways to recycle them now. Any ideas?
As for the products I am super excited to try them all and I can actually see my using each and everyone of them and perhaps even buying full size products when I am done.
I have to say that I am really impressed with this months Topbox and I have to say right now that this is my favorite box this month.
Great job Topbox.
Please note that I haven’t received compensation for my post. I bought this box with my own money and was in no way influenced to write a positive post.
copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.
