Pages

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Review: ICaughtSantaClaus.com Pictures With Santa with Giveaway (Apple iPad Air)




Icaughtsanta.com is an amazing site that offers pictures you can use to have your kids photographed with Santa. The coolest thing is that you don't even have to leave your house!

Forget those busy malls when you want awesome family Christmas pictures or if you want to have beautiful Christmas cards with your kids and Santa.

Icaughtsanta.com has everything you need to create amazing Christmas cards, family photos and just to get into the holiday spirit.


Through December 10 you can catch Santa at icaughtsanta.com for #FREE! Visit the site, create your masterpiece, and use Code #SantaShare or SantaShare and you in like Flynn!

While you're there you can also enter to win an Apple iPad Air with Retinal Display by filling out the Rafflecopter! How cool is that?

AWESOME!!!

Don't forget to share your photos on Facebook, Twitter (Tag on FB - ICaughtSanta.com & @catchacharacter) and let me know too because I want to see, (BookitBKWalker)!

Visit the site here - icaughtsanta.com

Enter the Apple iPad Air Giveaway - http://is.gd/uiIWIz

Capture! Create! Share!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Someone Has Taken My Place by David Snow -

David-Snow-Long


Someone Has Taken My Place
by David Snow


About The Author

David Snow 1David Snow has been working in the private security and financial investigation arena since 1989. He was one of the first graduates and members of the Institute of Irish Investigators. He obtained the "youngest student award" from the Institute in 1989. In 2013 he was awarded Investigator of the Year by the Europe Middle East and African chapter of the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators. He was also presented with the International Investigator of the Year Award in Denver Colorado by IAFCI – North America and donated his winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project, which supports American troops injured at war.

He was initially employed by Sleator Carroll Investigators and then Pinkerton Security & Investigations. Pinkerton is the world’s oldest and largest Private Detective and Security agency with operations on every continent. He joined Pinkerton in 1993 and became the General Manager of the Irish operation in 1996, leaving in 2001 to pursue a career within insurance fraud investigation.

Today he is employed as the Head of Special Investigations for the Irish operation of a multi-national insurance company. He is a member of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU), the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators (IAFCI), the Association of Irish Risk Management (AIRM) and was one of the first Europeans to obtain the Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator (CIFI) from North America. He has lectured on identity theft and financial crime in Ireland, North America and Europe. He is also a member of the Irish charity A Little Lifetime Foundation, formally known as ISANDS, obtaining an award in 2012 for his efforts in the prevention of the identity theft of dead Irish baby’s.

He lives in Dublin, Ireland with his wife and two children Olivia and Sarah.

Website - www.davidsnow.ie  


About The Book

Genre - True Crime (Based on a true Story)
A Financial Thriller / Fraud and Identity theft – International Investigation
Publisher – Createspace
Release Date – March 2013
Buy - Amazon


Someone Has Taken My Place CoverBook Description:

Inspired by a true story and written by the real Irish Investigator who won the acclaimed award of Financial Investigator of the Year EMEA 2013 and International Investigator of the Year – IAFCI North America “for the true case, in which the book is based.” Someone has taken my place is an epic account of the identity theft of Irish babies who died in the 1970’s. Irish Fraud Investigator Andrew Stone is on the trail of the serial fraudster known in Ireland as the Texan. The fraudster is inventive and elusive as he evilly masquerades in the identities of dead babies for fraudulent gain. Stone is obsessed with obtaining justice for the vulnerable Irish parents whose babies identities have been taken by the American professional conman. Follow his personal international chase across Ireland, Europe and the United States of America as, with the help of the FBI, former KGB Agents, the United States Secret Service, Interpol and the Irish police, Stone pieces together the international conman’s tortuous spider’s web of illegal aliases and criminal intent.    


Praise for Someone Has Taken My Place:

  It reads, when you think of it like something out of a Hollywood Movie” Ryan Tubrity, RTE

Ireland, The Late Late Show "A thinking man's thriller, crime in the modern era.” Amazon Review

 “Extremely interesting book that shines a bright light on identity theft." Amazon Review "Brilliantly
written by David Snow! I could not put this book down. Gripping and well worth the read! Very well
done, and a highly recommended book!” Former FBI Agent

"This book is an excellent mystery ...non-stop ride through the ruthless world of identity theft ...smart and emotional novel." Irish Police Detective

Excerpt:

What's Underneath the Water....
One of the names that Cochran had used to make claims against Irish insurance companies was John Martin. Snow checked with the Births/Deaths and Marriages office in Dublin for this name, and was told that John Martin was born in 1976 and had died shortly after. Snow immediately referred the case to the Irish Police speciality fraud unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, and was able to present the police authorities with a comprehensive file.
Further investigation revealed that Cochran had obtained multiple Irish passports using the identities of deceased infants. Insurance policies had been issued to these names, followed by personal injury insurance claims. Cochran also had opened bank accounts, set up email addresses, and was using mobile phones in the names of these various stolen identities.
A Happy Ending
As a result of the investigation, Cochran was arrested at the Dublin airport in January 2011 while attempting to board a flight to Poland. When arrested, he was in possession of a child's death certificate and a completed official Irish passport application form. Cochran was convicted of these offences and is serving a prison sentence of four years.
Snow expressed his thanks to all involved. "Following his arrest and conviction, Jeremy Cochran is currently serving his sentence in an Irish prison. This was thanks to the efforts and cooperation of the SIU teams, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Irish Passport Office, International Association of Special Investigation Units, the district attorney's office in Durant, Okla., the sheriff 's department in Texas, the Durango Police Department and others."
Snow also gave a special thanks to the Irish charity "A Little Lifetime" (www.alittlelifetime.ie), which provided support to the bereaved parents of the infants, whose identities were misused by Cochran.
Epilogue
In May 2012, the charity "A Little Lifetime," took the opportunity of providing Snow and two detectives from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation with an award for their efforts in the "detection and prevention of past Irish babies being used for identity theft and insurance fraud."
In April 2013 David Snow, will be presented with the Financial Investigator of the Year Award 2013 in Cyprus, by the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators EMEA (www.iafci.org)

David has since written a book, “Someone has taken my place” which is a novel based on the case and is available at www.davidsnow.ie or Amazon. A percentage of the sale of the book is being passed to the Irish charity A Little Lifetime. 



  David-Snow-Long    

Follow The Tour Here





Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Kiss Me Organics - Matcha Green Tea Sponsored Review

 Sponsored Review

ORGANIC MATCHA - GREEN TEA POWDER
THE ANCIENT SECRET TO BEAUTY, HEALTH AND LONGEVITY

NOTE:  A 70 page Organic Matcha Recipe Guide from Kiss Me Organics is also available.

USED FOR:  LATTES | SMOOTHIES | BAKING - YUMMO!!


ALL DAY ENERGY WITH INCREASED FOCUS

Matcha provides 4 to 6 hours of mild steady energy as it acts as both a stimulant and a relaxant. This is ideal for focusing on whatever the day throws your way. 

The first time I used this in a tea, I was amazed how I could literally feel the change in energy. I loved it.

METABOLISM BOOST


Consuming matcha green tea can increase thermogenesis (the body's own rate of burning calories) from a normal 8%-10% of daily energy expenditure, to between 35% and 43% of daily energy expediture.

IMPROVED SKIN HEALTH

​Scientists have discovered that Matcha Green Tea helps protect the skin from harmful UVrays, while improving blood flow and oxygen levels lifting the overall quality of the skin.

137x THE ANTIOXIDANTS OF BREWED GREEN TEA

Antioxidants are essential as you age to boost your body's natural defenses against oxidation. Researchers have found that a high level of dietary antioxidants can prevent many age-related diseases.

The coolest thing about Matcha Green Tea, is now that I tried it, I am so mixing this in with smoothies for my Mom, who has lost her energy significantly since getting cancer. I think this will be the perfect addition to her diet, and I will be sure to let you know how it works out.

I am new to getting into the whole organic thing, but this is a beautiful addition to my list of ingredients. I'm anxious to see if it actually makes a difference with my Fibromyalgia, which I think it will since I feel tired all of the time from it.


If you are looking for more energy, a metabolism booster, or just love green tea, you're going to LOVE Matcha Green Tea.





Here's a recipe I tried...(I forgot to take a picture, so this is from the Recipe Book)

Iced Ginger Matcha


Ingredients:
2 tbsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. matcha powder
½ lime, juiced
1 tsp. honey
½ cup ice
Instructions:
1. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. 
2. Pour through cocktail strainer OR pour entire contents into a glass and serve “on the 
rocks”. 
3. Alternatively you may add all ingredients—including ice—into a blender and run until 
smooth for an iced slushy. 

Makes 1 cocktail.

All in all, this is a wonderful product. If you're used to organic products or just starting, you're going to love the recipes inside the digital recipe book too. Everything you use this in will turn green, so go ahead. Add a little green spice to your life :)




Try it! You know you want to?






I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Netflix for the Holidays & BBQ Too!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Netflix for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sponsored Review

 

 

I LOVE my Netflix!

 

Listen guys, I'm all about budget friendly options in life, and if you've gone to rent a movie recently, it's crazy rediculous in the price of a movie. Even at the theaters we pay almost $60 for four.

 

Ouch.

 

If you love movies and just can't afford to go out to see one or even rent one, you can make movie night every night with Netflix.

 

Netflix offers members the ability to watch their favorite TV Shows or movies anytime, anywhere!

 

You can watch from your iPad or computer, your phone while you're waiting to buy that turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, or from the comfort of the big screen TV in your living room!

 

Netflix makes it easier than ever to bring the whole family together on Thanksgiving, or even a summer BBQ!

 

Speaking of BBQ, check out this awesome BBQ recipe I tried! Delicious!

 

Freddy’s Sticky Saucy Barbecued Ribs

 

 

 

Every time I’m watching “House of Cards” on Netflix, I want to taste those ribs that Frank eats from Freddy’s BBQ Joint. Now we all can sink our teeth into those sticky saucy ribs right along with Frank! These ribs are served with a barbecue sauce more like the one you’ll find in North Carolina (where Frank is from originally) – one with plenty of vinegar, mustard, and a touch of heat. I’ve included two cooking methods for you to try – the original true barbecue method where the ribs are slowly smoked in the barbecue, and the quicker oven-baked version – both are finger lickin’ good!

 

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 5 hours (includes marinating time)

Cook Time: 4 1/2 hours (for barbecued ribs) or 2 1/2 hours (for oven-baked ribs)

Make-Ahead: The barbecue sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated; reheat before using.

 

Ingredients

Spice Rub:

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin


 

 

Barbecue Sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 yellow onion, chopped


3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup whiskey


1 1/4 cups cider vinegar


2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 cup honey

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

 

Ribs:

4 racks pork baby back ribs (2 1/2-pounds each)

3/4 cup cider vinegar

 

 

Optional Special Equipment to Barbecue the Ribs:

One 13 × 9-inch (or larger) disposable aluminum foil pan

3 cups hickory wood chips, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour

Clean spray bottle

 

 

Method

To prepare the spice rub:

  1. The day before you cook the ribs, make the spice rub. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin together. Place the ribs on 2 large baking sheets and rub the ribs all over with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Meanwhile, to make the barbecue sauce:

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic is tender.

  2. Stir in the paprika, then stir in the whisky and vinegar, bring just to a simmer, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, ketchup, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring the sauce to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often to prevent  scorching, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat.

To barbecue the ribs:

 

  1. Prepare an outdoor grill for low cooking over indirect heat: For a gas grill, place the foil pan over one or two unlit burners and half-fill the pan with water. Turn on the remaining

     

    burner(s) and heat the grill to 300°F. Spread 1 cup of the drained wood chips on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the foil directly on the lit burner and wait until the chips are smoking before you add the ribs to the grill.
  2. For a charcoal grill, place the foil pan on the charcoal grate on one side of the grill and half-fill the pan with water. Build a charcoal fire on the other side and let it burn until the coals are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand just above the cooking grate for 4 to 5 seconds. (To check the temperature more accurately, cover the grill and drop a long-stemmed metal candy thermometer through the top vent; it should register about 300°F.) Sprinkle 1 cup of the drained wood chips over the coals.

  3. Combine the vinegar and 3/4 cup water in the spray bottle. Season the ribs with the salt. Place the ribs on the cooking grate over the water-filled pan. (Don’t worry if the ribs extend over the pan, as the pan will still catch the majority of the dripping juices.) Grill, with the lid closed, turning the ribs over and spraying them every 45 minutes or so with the vinegar mixture, adding another cup of drained wood chips at the same intervals, for about 3 hours, or until the meat is just tender. For a charcoal grill, you will need to add 12 ignited charcoal briquettes (or the equivalent in hardwood charcoal) to the fire along with the chips every 45 minutes to maintain the grill temperature. (Light the charcoal in a chimney starter on a fire-safe surface, or use a small portable grill or hibachi.) For either grill, do not add more wood chips after the 1 hour and 30 minute point, as too much smoke will give the ribs a bitter flavor.

  4. Once the ribs are tender, begin brushing them lightly with the barbecue sauce every few minutes or so, allowing the sauce to set before applying the next coat. Continue brushing the ribs with the sauce, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the meat has shrunk from the ends of the bones. Transfer the ribs to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Alternatively, to bake the ribs:

  1. Position the racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the ribs on the baking sheets with foil. Bake the ribs, rotating the baking sheets and basting the ribs after the first 45 minutes, and recovering them with foil, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the ribs are tender and the meat has shrunk from the ends of the bones.

  2. Uncover the ribs, baste them with the barbecue sauce and continue baking for 10 minutes, brushing them lightly with the barbecue sauce every few minutes or so, allowing the sauce to set before applying the next coat.

To serve:

 

  1. Using a large sharp knife, cut the racks into individual ribs. Arrange the ribs on a platter and serve with the remaining sauce on the side. 

 

These ribs will be delicious any time of year and great for Family Movie Night!

 

I know our family will be creating a family movie night on Thanksgiving, and one day out of every weekend. It's a chance for me to bring our family together on a regular basis, away from the games, away from the fast pace of life.

 

My daughter and I always find new series to watch together, such as Heartland..

 

 

or Grimm, which we love. The boys and I find excellent movies every weekend too such as, 21 and Over or Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter!

 

 

 

You may not be able to get to the theater, but you can watch it from the comfort of your own home using Netflix. For less than the cost of a meal out, you can enjoy Netflix with a monthly membership. I can't live without mine, will you?

 

What will be your favorite movie that will accompany you while cooking Thanksgiving dinner?

 

Like Netflix on Facebook, Follow @Netflix, and Follow Netflix on Pinterest

Visit Sponsor's Site

Netflix for the Holidays with BBQ Ribs!

Sponsored Review


I LOVE my Netflix!

Listen guys, I'm all about budget friendly options in life, and if you've gone to rent a movie recently, it's crazy rediculous in the price of a movie. Even at the theaters we pay almost $60 for four.

Ouch.

If you love movies and just can't afford to go out to see one or even rent one, you can make movie night every night with Netflix.

Netflix offers members the ability to watch their favorite TV Shows or movies anytime, anywhere!

You can watch from your iPad or computer, your phone while you're waiting to buy that turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, or from the comfort of the big screen TV in your living room!

Netflix makes it easier than ever to bring the whole family together on Thanksgiving, or even a summer BBQ!

Speaking of BBQ, check out this awesome BBQ recipe I found and tried! Delicious!

Freddy’s Sticky Saucy Barbecued Ribs



Every time I’m watching “House of Cards” on Netflix, I want to taste those ribs that Frank eats from Freddy’s BBQ Joint. Now we all can sink our teeth into those sticky saucy ribs right along with Frank! These ribs are served with a barbecue sauce more like the one you’ll find in North Carolina (where Frank is from originally) – one with plenty of vinegar, mustard, and a touch of heat. I’ve included two cooking methods for you to try – the original true barbecue method where the ribs are slowly smoked in the barbecue, and the quicker oven-baked version – both are finger lickin’ good!

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 5 hours (includes marinating time)
Cook Time: 4 1/2 hours (for barbecued ribs) or 2 1/2 hours (for oven-baked ribs)
Make-Ahead: The barbecue sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated; reheat before using.

Ingredients
Spice Rub:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin



Barbecue Sauce:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup whiskey

1 1/4 cups cider vinegar

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 cup honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Ribs:
4 racks pork baby back ribs (2 1/2-pounds each)
3/4 cup cider vinegar


Optional Special Equipment to Barbecue the Ribs:
One 13 × 9-inch (or larger) disposable aluminum foil pan
3 cups hickory wood chips, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour
Clean spray bottle


Method
To prepare the spice rub:
  1. The day before you cook the ribs, make the spice rub. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin together. Place the ribs on 2 large baking sheets and rub the ribs all over with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Meanwhile, to make the barbecue sauce:
  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic is tender.
  2. Stir in the paprika, then stir in the whisky and vinegar, bring just to a simmer, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, ketchup, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring the sauce to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often to prevent scorching, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat.
To barbecue the ribs:

  1. Prepare an outdoor grill for low cooking over indirect heat: For a gas grill, place the foil pan over one or two unlit burners and half-fill the pan with water. Turn on the remaining
    burner(s) and heat the grill to 300°F. Spread 1 cup of the drained wood chips on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the foil directly on the lit burner and wait until the chips are smoking before you add the ribs to the grill.
  2. For a charcoal grill, place the foil pan on the charcoal grate on one side of the grill and half-fill the pan with water. Build a charcoal fire on the other side and let it burn until the coals are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand just above the cooking grate for 4 to 5 seconds. (To check the temperature more accurately, cover the grill and drop a long-stemmed metal candy thermometer through the top vent; it should register about 300°F.) Sprinkle 1 cup of the drained wood chips over the coals.
  3. Combine the vinegar and 3/4 cup water in the spray bottle. Season the ribs with the salt. Place the ribs on the cooking grate over the water-filled pan. (Don’t worry if the ribs extend over the pan, as the pan will still catch the majority of the dripping juices.) Grill, with the lid closed, turning the ribs over and spraying them every 45 minutes or so with the vinegar mixture, adding another cup of drained wood chips at the same intervals, for about 3 hours, or until the meat is just tender. For a charcoal grill, you will need to add 12 ignited charcoal briquettes (or the equivalent in hardwood charcoal) to the fire along with the chips every 45 minutes to maintain the grill temperature. (Light the charcoal in a chimney starter on a fire-safe surface, or use a small portable grill or hibachi.) For either grill, do not add more wood chips after the 1 hour and 30 minute point, as too much smoke will give the ribs a bitter flavor.
  4. Once the ribs are tender, begin brushing them lightly with the barbecue sauce every few minutes or so, allowing the sauce to set before applying the next coat. Continue brushing the ribs with the sauce, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the meat has shrunk from the ends of the bones. Transfer the ribs to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Alternatively, to bake the ribs:
  1. Position the racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the ribs on the baking sheets with foil. Bake the ribs, rotating the baking sheets and basting the ribs after the first 45 minutes, and recovering them with foil, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the ribs are tender and the meat has shrunk from the ends of the bones.
  2. Uncover the ribs, baste them with the barbecue sauce and continue baking for 10 minutes, brushing them lightly with the barbecue sauce every few minutes or so, allowing the sauce to set before applying the next coat.
To serve:

  1. Using a large sharp knife, cut the racks into individual ribs. Arrange the ribs on a platter and serve with the remaining sauce on the side. 

These ribs will be delicious any time of year and great for Family Movie Night!

I know our family will be creating a family movie night on Thanksgiving, and one day out of every weekend. It's a chance for me to bring our family together on a regular basis, away from the games, away from the fast pace of life.

My daughter and I always find new series to watch together, such as Heartland..


or Grimm, which we love. The boys and I find excellent movies every weekend too such as, 21 and Over or Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter!



You may not be able to get to the theater, but you can watch it from the comfort of your own home using Netflix. For less than the cost of a meal out, you can enjoy Netflix with a monthly membership. I can't live without mine, will you?

What will be your favorite movie that will accompany you while cooking Thanksgiving dinner?

Friday, November 22, 2013

Silver River Romeo by Amelia Rose (Book Tour & Giveaway)

Amelia-Rose-Long-2

Silver River Romeo
by Amelia Rose
About The Book:


Silver river romeoSilver River Romeo
Genre: Contemporary Western Romance
Publisher:Gold Crown
Release Date: June 7, 2013
Book Description:
Customer Reviews. "I really liked it and highly recommend it if you like a modern day cowboy romance " Gatorfan "I'm a cowboy from Fort Worth, Texas. This book was a hit with me, so much so that my wife plans to read it next at my recommendation" Z.Armstrong Cole McKenna has been a rancher at Silver River since he was old enough to walk. He doesn’t mind the scars and bruises, but he’s starting to hate the feeling of being tied down, especially when the neighboring ranch is put up for sale. Raven Branch has always called to him and when a pretty young woman from the city arrives to take over he is determined not to let her ruin his favorite piece of land. Soon he has to wonder though. Is he keeping an eye on the ranch...or the woman?  


Excerpt:


He looked across at Darrell, who was keeping his face impassive. Emma waited to resume the conversation until coffee and the cups to go along with it had been distributed. Margie did a double take at Emma sitting beside Cole, and her eyes sparkled with held-back questions. Cole only shrugged. Margie might think they were cute together, but forgiveness, if that was what was happening here, was only the start.
“So we can start with a clean slate as far as I’m concerned,” she said, fiddling with a few packs of sugar with a nervous gesture he found surprisingly endearing.
“Sure,” he answered as he poured five packs of sugar into his own coffee and stirred it. “That works for me, I guess.” He wondered if she was forgiving him because she liked him, or because she liked Marshall and didn’t want a strained relationship with Marshall’s little brother.
“So,” Emma said, trying to be friendly and change gears on the conversation. “What do you do?”
“What do you mean?” Cole asked in confusion.
“Well,” Emma hesitated slightly, as if searching for the right words. “Darrell rides in the rodeos and Marshall runs the ranch. What do you do?”
“Marshall doesn’t run Silver River!” Cole wished his tone hadn’t been quite so harsh when Emma practically flinched. “We all own the ranch in equal shares.”
“Oh.” Emma wrapped her hands around her coffee mug as if she was trying to warm them up. “I didn’t know that.”
“Trust me,” Cole said flatly. “I do just as much as anybody else on that ranch.”
“More than me,” Darrell offered, clearly trying to smooth the situation over.
It worked, just not in the way that he’d been going for. Emma took the opportunity to change the subject.
“Is the rodeo a lot of work?” Emma wondered.
Darrell nodded.
“I guess you have to do a lot of training too,” she went on.
Darrell nodded again.
“So you really don’t talk much, do you?”
Darrell shrugged and Emma smiled at him.
“At least you’ve got that going for you,” she said, turning back to Cole and giving him a different sort of smile. It was almost shy and one look at it sent his bad day to the back of his mind as nothing more than a memory.


Picture
About The Author:
Amelia Rose is a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up she dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with her acting abilities, until she came to the realization as a college sophomore that she had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before she discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion. Amelia has always loved romance stories and she tries to tie all the elements she likes about them into her writing.  







 
Amelia-Rose-Long

Follow The Tour Here




Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Why Book Covers Are So Important with Leslie Jasper - Construction Tales Volume I (Book Tour & Giveaway)



Construction Tales:Volume I
by Leslie Jasper


About The Author

Leslie is a journeywoman electrician who works within Westchester County, New York, Fairfield County, Connecticut, and the five boroughs of New York City. Leslie has worked within the construction industry for the past 17 years. She is also an evening OSHA instructor/writing coach working part time for Empire College. Leslie recently graduated and received an MBA with honors at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. She lives with her two sons, Tom and Johnny, in Lake Carmel, New York. Leslie enjoys spending quality time with her sons such as snowboarding and visiting haunted houses throughout New England. She also enjoys cruise ship traveling around the world, renovating her home, and spending time lifting weights in the gym.


Why Book Covers Are So Important

I believe book covers are very important since they are supposed to catch the reader’s attention. Within seconds, the reader should be able to get an idea of what the book is going to be about. Since my book is about working in the electrical industry, the lightning bolts seemed very appropriate. I also wanted to represent the power of my choice to enter this field and earn my journeywoman’s card. This was despite to the many challenges and hurdles I had faced along the way in order to finish my apprenticeship. I was hoping that they would be eye catching as well. Since I am a female working in a man’s field, the hard hat on the cover needed to be pink. I would not actually wear a pink hard hat at work. I would be made fun of by my coworkers. Therefore, I would find that choice undesirable.

The phallic symbol was also placed on the pink hard hat in order to re-enforce that point that the book is about a female’s construction work experience. I used the hard hat, pliers, and screwdriver and shaped them into the female phallic symbol. I didn’t want to put the actual symbol on the hard hat. However, I was talked into placing it on the hard hat after a few discussions. Despite it being obvious to me, not everyone would get it that the hard hat and tools were positioned to form the female phallic symbol.


The title should also catch the potential reader’s attention. Based on the title, the reader should know that the book will be about a bunch of construction jobsite stories. These stories are told by a woman who entered the industry and became an electrician. The reader should also know that there are going to be more stories released on the horizon in additional volumes. My intent of the book cover was to provide a million words in the matter of seconds to the eye.



About The Book

Genre: Self Improvement
Publisher: Self-Published at CreateSpace
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Buy: Estore | Amazon

Strap on your work boots and put on your hard hat. Let me take you on a sheetrock dusted journey to
see what it is like to work within the construction industry. The work is hard, the environment is unforgiving, and the jobsite can be either extremely hot or cold. Almost 17 years ago, I stepped foot into a male-dominated work environment. Despite the lack of a warm embrace, I pushed my way into this world to learn the trade. I showed my many mentors that I wanted to be here and was ready to learn and work. After some grit and sweat, I worked my way out of my apprenticeship to become a journeywoman electrician. I earned a great working reputation within my trade and some aches and pains along the way. I work with guys from all backgrounds and all walks of life; and a few females that share my goal to be called journeywomen. Construction workers do not care that you do not feel up to the challenge that day. You must suck it up and get the job done! You will witness what it is like on a weekly basis to work within my industry. Every story in this book is real. The names of my co-workers have been changed to protect the innocent….or the guilty! I must warn you that this book is not for the faint of heart!

Excerpt

Chapter 3- The Big Job
Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman’s Journey To Become An Electrician

I was sent to work on a brand new job coming out of the ground in Connecticut. This job would provide massive amounts of overtime and help my living situation tremendously. I learned real quickly that the pace on this job was very different from my last job. It was more of a laid back, easy-going work environment. I would have never guessed that I was about to meet a whole group of characters on this very large job.
I set foot on the largest construction job I had ever witnessed at this point in my apprenticeship. By this moment in time, the country was coming out of a recession and this massive deck job was going to catapult many trades’ people into a good financial position. My first day was in a giant room that was in the process of becoming the data center for a very large trading floor. As an apprentice, my first three hours of the day were all about getting coffee for a third of the crew of roughly 100 electricians. There were no elevators so two other apprentices and I had to walk up a minimum of six (up to thirteen) flights of stairs and provide coffee for the group of hungry and hung-over electricians each day.
The coffee trek was a half-mile walk to the deli each morning. I placed my order and sat there with the other apprentices until the order was ready. I had to make sure I had proper change for each person who ordered and double-checked all orders for accuracy. Coffee was the most important part of the day and screwing up the order could ruin the entire day. This was especially true when we went into overtime. If you got the coffee order wrong, plenty of these guys would react like spoiled children and have an actual temper tantrum. I started to get to know two fellow apprentices, Ryan and Todd, very well while getting our daily orders of coffee. I will never forget my friendship with these two fellow apprentices.
Ryan was a tall, dark-haired, and very hairy guy from a community normally filled with rich and upper-class folk. Ryan often reeked of body odor, cigarette smoke, or booze from the night before. He was and probably still is clearly a fish out of water in his community, yet he fit right in on a construction site. Ryan played in a band. He was very rough around the edges, with plenty of piercings all over his face. Ryan came in to work on a regular basis hung-over, often stinking as if a keg of beer had been splashed all over him.  








Google Analytics