Guest Post – Cindy's Love Of Books

Book Spotlight & Guest Post/ Beginning With Forever

Posted on August 23, 2014August 23, 2014 by Cindy

Tour Schedule

Title and Author: Beginning with Forever by Lan LLP

Publication Date: March 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

~Synopsis~

Love isn’t easy to forget even
if you’re determined to never feel it again. It has a way of finding you when
all hope is gone, resurfacing tender emotions you’ve buried deep in your core because the pain of acknowledging them is too much for you to handle.

Carson Bradley, CEO of a
powerful pharmaceutical corporation is rich beyond boundaries with a missing
soul. His heart faded away fifteen years ago with the death of his first love.He
strives every day for the sake of his cancer research because he’s determined
to eradicate it forever.

Lillian Ly is a humble, young medical
student whose kind and generous heart is as vast as the universe. Being raised
poor by a single parent; she matured quickly and respected the sacrifices her
mother made for her. Lillian’s determination leads her down a stringent
five-year path with no room for love.

When their paths cross at an
unlikely place thousands of miles away from home, they both realize that fate
has brought them together, and Carson will never let anything or anyone tear
them apart. He knows how desolate life is without love and refuses to return to
that empty place ever again.

Lillian enters Carson’s
world with the purest intention of loving him with all her heart, but discovers
that his volatile world will alter her uncomplicated life indefinitely. Regardless
of what obstacles are thrown in their path, Lillian and Carson will endure them
all to hold onto their forever from the beginning to the end.

~Excerpt~

“Carson, I’m freely offering myself to you right
now. Please.” I plead
fearlessly. I’m shameless and not above begging for him to take my body. Who is
this sex-craved woman anyways?

“Sweetness, you’re making it very difficult for me to resist you, to
control myself.” He lowers himself intimately close to graze his soft, moist
lips on my forehead, bridge of my nose and then intensely over my lips. The
urgency of his need for me is translated through his kisses. Biting down firmly
on his lower lip, it appears that he’s forcing the strength of his will to
remain tame. Our eye contact is broken when he seals his shut to blind the
temptation lying beneath his body. His hands grip the sheets desperately,
clawing and then fisting. I think this is his last hope of hanging onto his
dignity. “Goodnight Lily, only offer your body to me when you believe it in
your heart,” he murmurs and
rolls off me.

~Meet the Cast~

Buy From:

Amazon.com: Kindle Ebook | Paperback

Amazon.in: Kindle Ebook

~Carson & Lillian~

~Meet The Author~

Over a long year ago, I picked up a pen to jot down the first sentence of my vivid imagination. Those initial words were the seeds that grew into my flowering romance book, “Beginning with Forever.” With all my heart, I wrote, rewrote, edited, re-edited and now, I’m finally ready to share it with all of you. My one and only aspiration for this book is to have readers embrace my story and characters with their heart.If I can make someone laugh till their gut hurts, hate the villain with vengeance, cry till their eyes dry out, fall in love all over again, and drool over the hero or feel any other emotions, than I’ve succeeded my goal.
I’m the sappiest person in the world when it comes to romance. Don’t smirk! I believe in love at first sight, Prince Charming or in my book,Mr. Hot Billionaire, and happy endings. In my heart, every women deserves all three, and they will when they lose themselves in my books. Your fantasy can become a reality with just the flip of a page, so come join me.

~Tour Wide Giveaway~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy From:

Amazon.com: Kindle Ebook | Paperback

Amazon.in: Kindle Ebook

~Tour Organizer~

~Tour Stops Linky~

TOP TEN LIST OF THINGS YOU NEED ON HAND
WHEN YOU WRITE: 

1)      Chocolate, peanut M&M’s or dark chocolate bar

2)      Music- usually instrumental

3)      Tall glass of ice water or ice coffee

4)      Pictures of my hero and heroine for inspiration

5)      Salty snacks: sweet potato chips*

6)      Ipad for research (I Google everything that I’m unfamiliar with
before I write about it.)

7)      A black notebook that I scribble ideas and names of characters

8)      All my charging cords

9)      A comfy sweatshirt/socks

10)  Healthy snack to offset the bad ones ;)

I just quickly want to thank Lan for taking time out of her busy schedule to do this fun guest post for me. I had so much fun thinking up this guest post and reading your replies.

Guest Post & Book Spotlight/ Handpicked

Posted on August 13, 2014August 11, 2014 by Cindy

Handpicked by Dani Oden
Publication date: August 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Synopsis:
College freshman Jill Holloway takes one look at the stuck-up girls going
through sorority rush and nearly returns her borrowed dress and heels.
Against her best judgment, she ends up falling for the prestige and
parties, and snagging a bid from a top house. After moving in, she quickly
grows skeptical of her too-perfect sorority sisters. She tries to ask
questions, though no one will take time from their busy social calendar to
give her any real answers.

Jill wastes no time digging for everything she’s not supposed to find, and
soon comes face-to-face with a big and bloody secret hidden in her
sorority’s basement. She knows she’s in over her head, but taking off so
soon would raise the perfectly-plucked eyebrows of her suspicious new
sisters. She’s stuck until she can make a smooth exit.

But the closer she gets to leaving, the more it becomes clear that it
won’t be as simple as she hoped. A tempting fraternity guy, a best friend
who needs her, and new details about what has really been happening in the
basement have her questioning what her next move should be, and whether or
not it’ll be worth the risks.

HANDPICKED is a New Adult coming of age, with elements of suspense and
romance.

GOODREADS

PURCHASE:
Amazon
BN

Author links:
Twitter: @MsDaniOden
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8390838.Dani_Oden
Blog: www.trapperkept.com (blog on pop culture & nostalgia)

Guest Post: Deleted Scenes

Thank you so much for having me! I thought I’d offer readers a “behind-the-scenes” peek at some sections that were part of earlier drafts of HANDPICKED, and why they didn’t make the final cut.

This first one is part of an extended version of the opening scene. Our main character Jill is trying to get ready for her final night of sorority rush in her dorm bathroom…

The girl from the stall emerged, wearing a gold lacy number and looking movie-star perfect except for her red, watery eyes. She reached around me, grabbed a paper towel, and daintily dabbed her mouth. “I can’t effing handle this,” she said, squeezing into my mirror space and fluffing her wavy brown hair. “I haven’t been able to eat for days.”

Blond handed her a piece of gum. “Couple more hours, and it’ll all be worth it. And that dress looks amazing on you now.”

The brunette caught me staring at her reflection and raised her eyebrows. She sized me up, clearly not approving of how I was still in my yoga pants and a tank top, and how my long red hair was in a loose ponytail. “Where are you preffing?” she said casually, asking which sorority parties I was visiting for the final round of rush that night. Thankfully, I had just learned the jargon earlier that day.

I shrugged. “I can’t remember, my list is back in my room.”

She gaped at me. Her hand stopped not even an inch from her face, her lip gloss still pointed to her mouth. “You can’t remember?”

Blond started to laugh as if I’d been joking.

I bristled. “Well, all their names sound the same, don’t they?”

They stared at me.

“I guess some do,” the brunette said slowly, like she didn’t really think so at all.

My cell phone started buzzing from my pocket, so I quickly grabbed it and scooped up my small make-up bag. “Excuse me,” I said, glad to get away. They smelled like a Victoria’s Secret store mixed with throw-up.

Ultimately, this exchange was cut simply for pacing. I wanted to speed up the time it takes Jill to get back to her room so we can get her out the door and to the sororities faster.

This second one is from a scene when Jill dozes off next to her crush, Tad…

In my sleepy state, I was less guarded than I would have been under most circumstances. He started tugging at my sweatshirt, and instead of encouraging him to explore underneath it with his hands, I simply raised my arms up high. Obediently, he lifted it. The hood was tight over my head, but he managed to squeeze it off me, pulling out my ponytail holder. My long red hair fell loosely over my face and I imagined it looked quite sexy. Well, sexy for me, which is about as sexy as like, one of those live-action Disney movies that gets played on Sunday night cable.

This section was cut because of Jill’s reference to being less guarded because she was tired. I was concerned that her comment it made it seem like she wasn’t that into Tad, which was not at all what I was going for – the final version of the scene makes it *pretty* clear that she’s excited to be with him J

Thank you for giving me the chance to share these scenes!

The commotion in the center of the room seemed to grow, and I leaned my head back against the barrel behind us. “How are we going to keep up with these girls?” I asked.

“What?” Lindy leaned toward me, nearly tipping over.

“These girls! They drink hard!” I shouted.

“Yes,” she said, and I wondered if she heard me.

“What’s happening?” Hannah interjected, staring at the mob of colorful dresses directly in front of us.

Our pledge sisters had stopped dancing and were all crowded together. A handful of actives seemed to be trying to organize the group, and once they managed to get everyone to step back and give space, I could see a girl in a bright turquoise dress lying in a heap on the ground.

“Oh no,” Hannah cringed, sensing the emergency.

“Someone hurt?” Lindy said.

Within seconds, actives swooped in and scooped the girl up. Whoever it was, she was completely limp. Her limbs dangled and swayed as they stealthily carried her away through a set of double doors in the back corner of the room.

The music never stopped, and the lights never came on.

“Who’s that?” Hannah slurred.

“Was she okay?” I asked, knowing neither of them was actually going to answer.

Lindy scrunched her face in concentration. “Kimmy?”

“Kimmy?” I repeated.

“Her dress,” Lindy said, as if it was an explanation.

“Cammie,” Hannah mumbled, tilting her head against her barrel and closing her eyes. “Cammie ruined her dress.”

“The Idaho girl from our lunch table?” I asked. She’d been with us in the limo, too.

Neither of them responded.

“Where’d they go?” Lindy wondered, staring at the closed set of double doors. The party had started up again, and girls were back on the dance floor, standing and swaying on the same spot where she’d just fallen.

“Away,” Hannah mumbled.

I wanted to get up to inspect, but I didn’t trust my jello-y legs to navigate through the pulsing crowd. “I think something’s wrong, you guys,” I said.

Guest Post by author LIsa Consiglio Ryan

Posted on July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 by Cindy

4 Detox Myths Busted: How to Detox Safely without Starving Yourself

Summer is here. It’s time to get out in the sun, show more skin, and be active.

Can you feel it? The sun, the warmth, the feeling of getting a fresh start? I can actually feel it in my bones, my whole being. I’m ready to burst with action and get moving.

Now that it is getting warmer, you might feel a new spark and power and be filled with inspiration and energy to act upon your ideas. You want to get outside and play!

This is a good time to take a look at your life, make a new plan, and get a brand new start. What do you want to clear out? With your environment? Within yourself? What do you wish to see happen in your life?

New starts and new beginnings remind me of cleansing. And a great way to supercharge the season is to detox.
Once you experience a detox that incorporates whole foods and daily activities that support your body, there isn’t anything in the world that can compare to the feeling you get after a detox. You may feel increased bouts of energy, eliminate your cravings, lose weight, reduce bloating and get rid of belly fat. Your mind is clear and focused, and even your mood can improve. You might even glow!

If you don’t think you need a detox or are scared straight even hearing the word, think again.

Here are four sure-fire ways to overcome excuses and detox safely:

Myth 1: “I will starve.”

Try a gentle, clean food-based detox. Eliminate processed foods and foods with added sugar, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, soy, and animal protein. Stick to organic fruits and veggies for your cleanse. Add lots of vegetables, fruits, greens, grains, legumes, and beans. Also plan to eat every 3 hours with meals and snacks. That way you won’t feel deprived or hungry. If you are feeling hungry, drink water. Hunger is actually a sign of being dehydrated so drink up.

Myth 2: “I will have to stick to the bathroom.”

To be honest, you might be constipated or go to the bathroom a little more often than usual. This is natural as your body expels toxins especially at the beginning of the cleanse. You are eating normal food. In fact, real food. Therefore, you body will begin to balance itself out and become regular.

Move your body during detox. Movement on the outside stimulates movement on the inside. Eating foods that nourish and detoxify are necessary for your cleanse, but the next step is to incorporate exercise. Try gentle yoga, walking in nature, stretching. You don’t want to run twelve miles during your cleanse or do a long bike ride. You will be completely exhausted. Your body is working hard to get rid of toxins, and she needs to rest to restore during the detox period.

Myth 3: “I have to mix up powders and take pills.”

If you Google “detox,” you can get all sorts of scary looking boxes or programs to buy. Instead go for the real foods and pump the green goodness. Detox greens and veggies consist of spinach, parsley, watercress, asparagus, peas, fennel, and mustard greens. You can also add in additional dark leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard, and collards. The chlorophyll from the leaves feed the blood, and help your body achieve balance. Therefore, ridding your body of toxins becomes easier. You feel cleaner without sucking down tons of powdery mixes.

Myth 4: “I will faint.”

If you keep up with your delicious greens and whole foods, eat every 3 hours, drink tons of water, there is no reason for you to faint or feel weak. You can rid your body of toxins without putting your life on hold. Make sure to eat all your meals and snacks, and if you need extra protein, go for it. Listen to your body and let her guide the way.
Detox doesn’t have to be a scary. It can be delicious and an amazing way to reboot your body.
Are you ready to get down with detox?

I want to thank Lisa for taking time out of her busy tour schedule to do this guest post for me. I think this has shed some light on detoxing for me and something that I am thinking I will be doing very soon as I have been feeling very blah, tired, run down etc.

Have you ever detoxed?