Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Teaser Tuesday with Rebel Miller



This week's teaser comes from Promising, book 2 of Kira's Story.


“How is it that with all our system’s technology I can’t make love to you from thousands of light years away?”

I snorted, but my lips tilted up at the corners nevertheless. “I’m sure the Protectorate has some sort of virtual reality device that could be refashioned just for that purpose,” I offered, rearranging the wool blanket on my lap.

I was curled up in bed, facing my monitor and resting against a pile of pillows. It had become a familiar position over the last few weeks, one from which I would relay the day’s activities during my nightly call with Gannon. Well, it was a nightly call for me. The sun had already risen where Gannon lived, on Dignitas One.

Suddenly, Gannon seemed to be deep in concentration. “No, on second thought, there’s no technology that could ever measure up to the real thing.” He grinned.
I smiled, heat rising to my cheeks.

“There’s the smile I was looking for,” Gannon said, leaning closer to his monitor, and so closer to me.
He was sitting in his office. He had been holding our calls from there more frequently over the last month. From what I could see, his office was a large, well-lit space. A wall of floor-to-ceiling glass ran its expanse directly behind him. Through it, I could see citizens of every caste striding by in obvious haste to get things done, more than likely at Gannon’s bidding. During these nighttime conversations with Gannon, and within the intimate surroundings of my bedroom, it was easy to forget who he was and his status. As chancellor, he surely had, every day, a checklist as long as my arm, filled with tasks.

I frowned as I noted the time. “I should let you go,” I said, sitting up.

“Why?”

I glanced pointedly behind him, fiddling with the thin strap of my top. “Your office looks incredibly busy.”

He blinked then swiveled in his chair to look at the steady stream of people behind him. “Oh, my support always look like that,” he said, mischief glittering in his clear blue eyes as he turned back to me. “They think it’ll prevent me asking them to do anything else.” He winked, and I laughed, loving his cheekiness.

About The Book

Promising: Book Two of Kira’s Story

PROMISING, the riveting follow-up to AWAKENING by Rebel Miller.

Faced with diverging loyalties — between those she loves and her responsibility to the Realm — Kira has to make heartrending and strategic decisions that threaten to jeopardize her future.

As her connection to Tai deepens and turmoil in the Realm builds, so does Gannon’s frustration at being unable to call Kira his own.

Worlds at War ... A Heart in Conflict

While the Realm stands defiant amidst rising unrest, Kira is thrust into a role that puts her at the forefront of her system’s governance and law, supporting a landmark position. Following a devastating turn of events, she turns to Tai for a shoulder to lean on after making a painful choice to ensure Gannon fulfils the role he was meant for.

As she becomes a reluctant - yet inspiring - voice for her caste, Kira learns about one of the Realm’s most well-kept secrets and how far leadership will go to prevent it from being revealed. What she doesn’t know is how much the decisions of her past have the power to bring enemies into her path, threatening to destroy everyone she holds close to her heart.

This novel is for mature audiences (18+) and includes committed relationships with multiple partners.



Meet The Author

Rebel Miller is an author who overindulges in Pinot Grigio, caramel popcorn and an eclectic mix of movies, music and angst-filled romance novels.

Rebel earned a graduate degree in Communications and Culture from Ryerson University and an undergraduate degree from the University of the West Indies.

Rebel lives in the outskirts of Toronto, Canada with her husband and two sons.

Friday, March 18, 2016

New Release From Kate Steele



Jamie Hardin has had his fair share of ups and downs. He's been widowed once and divorced once with extreme prejudice. Due to the machinations of his ex-wife, Jamie's son Rio ran away at sixteen. Now, two years later, Jamie has the chance to reconnect with Rio. To do so, he moves himself and his five-year-old adopted son to a new town, in a new state to start over. The welcome he receives from Rio is everything Jamie had wanted, what he wasn't prepared for was Jed Matranga. From the moment they meet, a simple handshake is all it takes to light a fire Jamie has no idea how to handle. 
 
Jed Matranga, single werewolf, has just met his mate. In addition to being gentle, caring and clever, Jamie's emotionally wounded. He's also not gay. For Jed it will be the challenge of a lifetime to prove to Jamie that trusting his own judgment is the right thing to do, and where relationships are concerned, it's feelings and not gender that matters. 




Monday, March 7, 2016

Review of Tides Of Hope





This is the first book I have read this author. I love books in a series and when I saw that this was the first in a new one, I had to pick it up.  I enjoyed the story line. Rather than focusing on 20 something year old characters, Gabe and Sara were in their thirties which is a nice change. Both characters came to the island with baggage and the desire to start a new life. Neither was looking for love.  But course sometimes it strikes when we least expect it.

The characters were both well developed and likable. I felt like I was on Nantucket with the characters as I read the story. In addition to the love story between Gabe and Sara  each character had a secondary story they needed to work through.  

Overall I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance. I will keep a look out for the second book in the series. 



Thursday, March 3, 2016

#TBT Throw Back Thursday A Special Story



For Throw Back Thursday today I thought I would share with you a problem or perhaps cause that is near and dear to me heart. Granted it is not the only cause that is important to me, but it is one that I have some first hand experience with. Childhood obesity is something that seems to be a growing problem here in the US. Why it is becoming such a problem I do not know. In my personal opinion it is a combination of many factors and there is no one solution.  Regardless I am going to share with you why it concerns me as my piece for Throw Back Thursday.

Those of you who no me well may not believe me but as a child I was extremely over weight.  (See the pictures below)  I am not sure when it started to happen. When I look back pictures of myself I see a rather average sized first grader but then I look at pictures from the fourth grade (around age ten) and I see the extra pounds mounting. In fact in the fourth grade I went on my first diet, the Slimfast diet. If you don’t know that one it is when you have shake in the morning and at lunch and then a normal dinner. Lets just say that even before this the kids at school made fun of me all the time because off my weight and being on this diet did not help. 

Like you may have guessed this diet did not work and by the time I was in the 6th grade (ages 11-12) I weighed a staggering 160 pounds. That might not sound like a lot to some people, but keep in mind I am short even now I am only 5 feet tall so you can picture how tall I was at age 12. Now you may say I am wrong in doing so, but at least in my case, I blame my weight gain on my family. While my mother was very slim and careful about what she ate she didn’t care what I consumed. If I wanted an ice cream sandwich for breakfast that was what I ate, if I wanted 5 slices of pizza that was fine too. 

While in 6th grade I tried my next diet weight watchers.  Unfortunately with no help or guidance from my family this too failed for me.

By the time I hit end of the 7th grade, I weighed 180 pounds, lacked self-confidence, the kids were always teasing me and I was desperate to get rid of the extra weight.  Around this time Nutri-system became very popular.  Although it was expensive my mom agreed to sign me up.  More determined than ever I stuck with this diet and guess what the weight started to come off.

Great, you might be thinking right? Well, yes and no.  I dieted all through 8th grade sticking to the plan and then something happened that summer before I started high school. I don’t know what exactly but I went in the opposite direction as before.  I started eating less and less and exercising more and more. By the time I started 9th grade, I was down to about 90 pounds. People stopped making fun of me. They kept telling me how great I looked.  I didn’t see it though. I kept restricting and that December I was hospitalized for the first time at 60 pounds.

Before the end of that school year I would be hospitalized two more times, before I stabilized at a weight of 100 pounds which I managed to maintain until I got pregnant with my first daughter.

Today you may look at me and never guess the problems I had when I was younger.  Trust me though I have never looked at food or my body the way many people do. To this day I still get obsessed the numbers on the scale and how many calories I put in my body and perhaps I always will. Thankfully though I have learned to recognize the signs when I am going to far and I have a supportive husband.

So why did I tell you all this?  Well, only because I do not want any other children to go through this. While yes they might not get teased like they did when I was in school extreme amounts of extra weight is not healthy for them. How do we stop it? Honestly I am not sure, but not letting children bring cupcakes into school on their birthday is not the answer. I know with my girls I try to teach them to eat healthy, restrict, not eliminate, the junk like donuts and ice cream and keep them healthy. I also keep them active.

So why did I share this? Simple because I hope that if you know a child who is struggling with weight problem you will step in an help them. Maybe teach them about healthy eating or help them find some physical activity that they enjoy. 

Thanks for stopping by and reading. If you have any thoughts or comments please leave me.

Father daughter dance in Kindergarten age 5

Before 8th grade age 13 (that is me in the white T-shirt)

End of 8th grade age 14

Fall of Freshman year age 14

May of Freshman year age 15


Senior year of high school age 18