Month: January 2017

Cover Reveal: A Desolate Hour by Mae Clair #RRBC Author

Published on by Jan Sikes6 Comments

Mae Clair has a cover reveal for her third book of the Point Pleasant Series!!

From the Pen of Mae Clair

Happy Monday, everyone! I’m kicking off the week by doing a cover reveal for A Desolate Hour, the third and final book in my Point Pleasant mystery/suspense series focused on the Mothman of urban legend.

Book cover for A Desolate Hour by Mae Clair shows a small town overlooking a river at night, full moon overhead, cover in wash of green red and black with white lettering

A DESOLATE HOUR
Book 3 in the Point Pleasant Series
Genre: Suspense/Mystery
Length: 79,000 Words
Publisher: Kensington Publishing/Lyrical Underground Imprint
Publication Date: July 18, 2017

BLURB:

Sins of the past could destroy all of their futures . . .

For generations, Quentin Marsh’s family has seen its share of tragedy, though he remains skeptical that their misfortunes are tied to a centuries-old curse. But to placate his pregnant sister, Quentin makes the pilgrimage to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, hoping to learn more about the brutal murder of a Shawnee chief in the 1700s. Did one of the Marsh ancestors have a hand in killing Chief Cornstalk—the man who cursed the town with his dying breath?

While…

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Troubling Times

Published on by Jan Sikes17 Comments

We hear so much about the troubling times we live in and it is true. But, I have come to realize that a lot of it is in perspective. It is the lens through which we view our surroundings. Don’t you imagine that the settlers who pushed west in covered wagons perceived troubling times and hardships you and I can only imagine? Or how about when the Native Americans were forced off the land they loved to live in squalor on the reservations?

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I love the analogy of the caterpillar and the butterfly. As in so many different aspects of nature, it is beyond amazing. How can a green hairy worm turn into such a beautiful winged creature? There are scientific and biological explanations for this, but in the scope of things, and through my own lens, it is utterly surreal. A miracle of sorts.

So, in reference to the times we live in and the turmoil society is exhibiting, there is an underlying and hidden sense of calm. Aside from politics – aside from religion – aside from society as a whole, there is something deeper and more meaningful. It is that calm that gives each of us the strength to face chaos.

It has been said that before change comes great chaos and I have found that statement to ring true throughout my life. I believe it is true today.

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We must not give up on the very basis of everything we have built our lives around. Thomas Edison was a genius in more than one way and his wisdom still rings true.

I love this quote from Benjamin Franklin. It truly says it all.

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I don’t watch the news. I don’t buy into dramatic negative posts I see on Facebook. What I do, is try to make my little corner of the world the best I can possibly make it. After all, that’s what I have control over. That’s what each of us have control of. And when we focus our energy on that, there begins a ripple effect that spreads across our communities and the world.

This quote from J.K. Rowling touched me deeply. Let’s do this!

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We can change the world, but it all starts with each of us in our own little corners. Make it the best you can!

 

Profound and Inspiring #RRBC Book Review

Published on by Jan Sikes19 Comments

LETTING GO INTO PERFECT LOVE By Gwen Plano

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This memoir is one of heartbreak, discovery and inspiration. Gwen Plano takes us with her on a journey back to her childhood and the tragedies that struck the family on to her search for love and a family of her own. Little did she know the abuse that she’d suffer before she found redemption.

Redemption through unorthodox ways and sheer determination brought her through. I loved taking this journey with Gwen and related on so many different levels. From following her husband to Japan in search of truth and enlightenment to the dark depths of abuse that no human should have to tolerate, she had me captured. I cried with her when the abuse reached her children. I cheered for her when she found the strength to walk away.

This is a story that will give anyone on their journey through life something inspiring, something to believe in and something to carry with them. There are so many lines throughout the book that stayed with me. This is only one example of the depth and insight Gwen Plano shares through her own experiences. “Deep within each of us, there is a well of love ­­― a place of wholeness, a place of completeness. This sacred well is alive with wisdom and tenderness.”

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking truth, love and wholeness.

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Gwen is a member of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB and a RAVE WAVES Blog Talk Radio host.

Follow Gwen:

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Patience

Published on by Jan Sikes33 Comments

Patience is a virtue…or so they say.

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I was born in August under the sign of Leo. When they were handing out buckets of patience, I obviously said, “No, Thank you.”

I’ve always wanted to make everything happen at lightning speed and therefore have worked hard to achieve my goals and dreams, forced round pegs into square holes and swam upstream a large portion of my life.

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Through all of this, I’ve always believed I had Guides and Angels working with me to help me AND have always believed that everything happens in life for a reason and a purpose.

However, I have recently been put in my place, so to speak, and all my beliefs tested.

And, over such a simple thing as a roof over my head.  I won’t bore you with long details, but with my lease ending here at the apartment I currently live in, I went looking for a 55+ community to move into.

Bam! I found one right away that happened to have a vacancy where they normally have a wait list, so I thought I’d stumbled on the perfect solution, a Christmas Miracle.

What I didn’t know is that it would take weeks and weeks to go through the approval process because it is a government subsidized community. It got right down to the wire with only a few short days before I had to be out of this apartment and still no approval. No place to go. No place to live.

So, was everything not kismet? Was it all a farce? I asked myself those questions and more.

I cried. fb_img_1434464549535I prayed. I didn’t want to be homeless at my age in life. Not that I’d ever be out on the streets, but the prospect of moving in with either of my children, even for a short period of time, did not set well. Been there and done that. Even got the t-shirt.

There is a point to this story.

Life is all about lessons. If we are never forced out of our comfort zones, we miss the opportunity to grow and learn. I was handed a huge lesson in patience, belief and trust.

Thankfully, this story does have a happy ending and I’ll soon be moving. What did I learn? That patience is indeed a virtue that I still lack. That we do have Guides and Angels working with us at all time no matter the situation. That we must believe in something and that belief can be the strength we need to make it through tough times.

I’ll be moving in seven days.

Hootsuite, Twitter Lists, and Tweeps #MondayBlogs

Published on by Jan Sikes2 Comments

Author Mae Clair has put together an invaluable reference for how to effectively use and get the most out of Twitter!

Story Empire

Hello, SEers! Mae here.

I think most of us are familiar with Twitter lists, but I’ve heard from a few people who aren’t using Twitter in conjunction with another program like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck, either of which make your tweeting life a lot easier. For the purpose of this post, I’m going to stick with my preferred platform, Hootsuite, but either will get the job done.

As a basic reminder, to create a Twitter list:
Open Twitter
Click your profile icon photo (upper right)
Select LISTS
Scroll down slightly and select CREATE LIST

In the pop up box you’re able to name your list, give it a brief description (i.e, mystery authors) and decide whether you want to make the list private or public. A private list can only be accessed by you. Making a list “public” allows other Tweeps to use it as well. A list can be as…

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Rejection: the Ultimate Teacher – Guest Post by author Tina Frisco…

Published on by Jan Sikes7 Comments

This is a great post from a wonderful author, Tina Frisco! We’ve all faced rejection in life. How we deal with it is the only control we have.

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

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Image courtesy of Lucie Stastkova

LuSt 4 ART

Rejection comes in many forms, from many places, and is very painful. What makes rejection so devastating? What causes us to react in a particular way? How can we use rejection to our advantage?

On a purely instinctual level, rejection threatens to extinguish our life force by depriving us of vital nourishment. No being can truly thrive without some measure of love and acceptance.

Rejection devastates when we attach our personal worth to someone or something outside of ourselves. Feeling worthy only when liked and accepted by those with whom we engage sets the stage for rejection.

When feeling disliked or ignored by another, it’s wise to step back and view that person’s behavior as a mirror our own subconscious. Often the things we don’t like in ourselves are reflected back to us by others, giving us an opportunity to examine what…

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Aunt Ursula’s Atlas, on Lisa Burton Radio

Published on by Jan SikesLeave a comment

I have ALWAYS loved Fairy Tales, so this really got my attention! Hope you enjoy!

Entertaining Stories

Lucky you, you’ve just landed on Lisa Burton Radio, the only show out there featuring the characters from the stories you love. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and today we have an interesting fairytale princess with us today. “Welcome to the show, Anatar.”

“Thank you, Lisa of Burton. It’s a pleasure to be here.”

“My bio says you and your sister Eletay were orphans. How does an orphan get to be a princess? Were your parents banished or something?”

“No secret heiresses here, I’m afraid. Our family lived in a small village outside Chantain. I was only seven when our parents died, and Ella was nine, so I don’t remember much about what happened. We spent several months wandering and working for food when we could find anyone kind enough to let us stay.

“If we were able to improve our lot, it was because I saw opportunities…

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Ah, The World of Blogging

Published on by Jan Sikes23 Comments

Who knew there was such a tight knit group to be found through blogging? I am just starting to realize the sense of community that rests within the world of bloggers. They share each other’s posts on social media, re-blog and comment almost daily.

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So, I thought about it. As a reader, what do I want to see in a blog?

For starters, I don’t often read a long blog. I prefer short and to the point. So, if it’s long, I’ll skim through, but won’t read it word-for-word.

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I like visuals that accompany the blog.

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Interesting subjects, ideas or philosophies always catch my attention.

What can I learn from the blog?

Will the blog enhance my life in any way or simply entertain me? I’m good with both things, but it must accomplish at least one of them.

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I love meeting new authors through blogs and can honestly say that I’ve ordered books simply by reading a guest blog from an author I’d never heard of. Yep, that has happened, Andrew Joyce.

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I follow lots of blogs and again, just being honest here, I prefer the blogs that only post once per day. When I get a Daily Digest from a blogger and see five or more blogs posted, I’ll skim the titles to see if anything draws my interest. I’m sure I’ve missed some great stuff by doing that, but I simply don’t have the time to read each one.

So, what are your preferences about blogs? I’d love to hear from you. Be honest!!

 

Discovery – Post by Linda Broday

Published on by Jan Sikes11 Comments

Hop on over to Linda Broday’s blog post today for an indepth look at the Poetry and Art Book, DISCOVERY!

Leave a comment for a chance to win a Hardcover copy. Folks, that’s a $24.95 value, so Linda is being very generous today.

http://lindabroday.com/jan-sikes-discovery/

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