My Last Baggage Book Blast by Glenn Powell (Write Now Literary Book Tours )

Write Now Literary Book Tours is pleased to be organizing a book blast tour for My Last Baggage Call Aboard Air Force One by Glenn W. Powell. This tour will run Feb 22, 2019. Click here to book your own tour. 

Genre of Book: Memoir, Motivational, Military Life and History

ISBN-10: 1986878406

ISBN-13: 978-1986878401

               

           Meet Glenn 

Sergeant First Class Glenn W. Powell (Retired) is a native of Toledo, Ohio. He enlisted into the United States Army in 1982 and retired in 2002. During his military career, he served as a heavy vehicle driver, a squad leader, and non-commissioned officer.

In September 1991, SFC Powell joined the George HW Bush White House as a chauffeur, and in 1992, was promoted to transportation coordinator for the white house Press Corps, serving in the Clinton Administration.

In December 1995, he assumed the duties of transportation supervisor for Air Force One.

In January 2001, during his service under President George W. Bush, SFC Powell was transferred to the White House Military Office, Customer Support and Organizational Development where he served as deputy director.

SFC Powell retired with distinction from the Military in 2002. He received numerous awards and decorations throughout his service, including the Legion of Merit Metal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the United States Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters. He received U.S. Service Ribbons for both domestic and overseas service.

Glenn and Ronda Holloway Powell have been married for 25 years, and have three sons, Darius, Warren, and Glenn, II. They reside in Virginia. For more information, or to contact Glenn Powell regarding availability for speaking opportunities, please email him at glennwpowell@aol.com.

              About The Book

Sergeant Glenn W. Powell’s MY LAST BAGGAGE CALL is the story of a most unlikely young man who leaves his working-class environment of Toledo, Ohio, to become a soldier. Seeking excitement and a way to “make something of himself,” Glenn Powell’s journey exceeds his wildest dreams—a journey that began in basic training in Fort Hood, Texas ends at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue—the most important address in the world. MY LAST BAGGAGE CALL is about so much more than Glenn Powell’s military journey, but about poignant memories of family, friendships, sacrifices, and love—central to his story is Ronda Holloway, the beautiful young woman he falls in love with in Manheim, Germany, and, who joins him on his life journey as wife, soulmate and mother to their two sons. MY LAST BAGGAGE CALL offers readers a glimpse into Sergeant Glenn Powell’s 30-year transformation from the much-beloved boy who seeks more in life…to the man, who discovers it—in adventure, in friendships, and in service to three American presidents. a service he delivered with pride, unquestioned loyalty, distinction and in the end, great admiration.

Excerpt

A Soldier’s Story 

Shortly after I turned 18, I enlisted in the army. Around that time, I learned that the young woman I’d been dating was pregnant, so going into the army would be an opportunity to provide for my child. The army sent me to Fort Dix in New Jersey for boot camp training on April 22, 1982. It was the perfect enlistment site for me.

Because of the popular television show, Dallas, I had in mind that I wanted to go to Fort Hood, Texas and meet JR Ewing. Not only did I meet Larry Hagman, the actor who played JR, but I also met the entire cast at one of the big Dallas malls. That was in the 80s when the networks spent money to have cast members show up to greet their fans, and when fans could easily get a photo with the stars. Meeting JR had been on my mental bucket list. Later I learned that “Klinger” from Mash and Danny Thomas were both from Toledo, and so I added them to the list.

In 1983, I re-enlisted and chose Hawaii as my next army stint. There for 18 months, I’m convinced that the Hawaii move helped me look long and hard at myself and my future. In Hawaii, I decided I needed to better myself. I enrolled at the Wahiawa Community School for Adults and got my high school diploma. My mother was so disappointed when I didn’t graduate from high school, so I did it as much for her as for myself.

My long transportation management career began in Wahiawa. I was one of a large number of applicants who applied for a temporary mission of driving for the Sergeant Major for the division. He was the senior enlisted man at the post. I beat out the other candidates for that position. Later, I drove for the one-star general at the post. After that, I returned to my unit and worked as the battalion mail clerk until he left in 1985. While there, I met friends and mentors who would help me decide on my career journey. That same year, I was asked to re-enlist, and First Sergeant Herbert Harris became a lifelong mentor and friend. Sergeant Harris recommended that I choose Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia for my re-enlistment. I remained at Fort Eustis from April 1985 until January 1988.

I became a squad leader, and for the next six months, I managed a squad of truck drivers in and around the base. After that, I was set on transportation becoming my specialty, but my career trajectory changed some when I was appointed to head up NCO Training, where I was responsible for the training of 270 soldiers.

Around this time, I met First Sergeant Fletcher Walker. He was sent in to straighten out our company, and he did just that. He would stand up at the top of the stairs with his hat covering his eyes but looking down at us. Sergeant Walker was a ‘soldier among soldiers,’ an airborne paratrooper, a Vietnam Veteran who had been shot three times. There was no one more surprised when he chose me to run the training.

I knew he had high expectations, and I was determined not to disappoint him. He was the kind of leaders for whom soldiers would fight and die. He was a true hero who taught me how to be a soldier and a man. He shared a lot about life with me. I imitated him in many ways so much that everyone would call me “Baby Walker.” I met his family and it was an honor. He retired as a Command Sergeant Major.

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Tour hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours

Date like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman (iRead Book Tour).

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by iRead Book Tours. This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links.

About the book:

Date Like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman: The Polished Woman's Guide to Love, Romance, and Sex will help you navigate how to have a good time with "Mr. Right Now" and how to hold onto "Mr. Right" once you find him. Providing a mix easy to follow rules, and anecdotes showcasing how they worked (and in some cases what happened when they were ignored), Jessica Bunevacz is the best friend you'll wish you had all along and the one whose advice you'll go back to again and again.

Unlike “The Rules”, its successors, or similar books offering guidance on how to snag a man, this book isn't about playing hard to get, instead it's about playing to win. And the only way that you can truly to that is when you acknowledge yourself as the MVP. This is why one of the first rules in Date Like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman: The Polished Woman's Guide to Love, Romance, and Sex is about shedding your insecurities, and why other rules offer insight on looking, feeling, and being your best, with an emphasis on having your own life. Additionally, while other guides stop when you get to a marriage proposal, this is the book you'll come back to after you say “I do”. Understanding that happily ever after may be a good way to end a movie, but isn't a good way to start a marriage there are real tips about everything from friendship to sex to finances with both humor and heart.

Ultimately Date Like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman: The Polished Woman's Guide to Love, Romance, and Sex is a work that is meant to transcend beyond the pages as it's lessons are applied in daily life. It never asks a woman to shy away from her impulses or to hide who she is or what she wants, and instead celebrates her independence and sensuality while showing her ways that she can make her romantic life more fulfilling.

Author's Bio:

What do you get when you mix a strict Catholic upbringing, a strong curiosity for the opposite sex, and the need to grow up quickly? If you're lucky you get an outcome like Jessica Bunevacz, the vivacious and outspoken first time author behindDate Like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman: The Polished Woman's Guide to Love, Romance, and Sex.

Born Jessica Rodriguez in the Philippines and raised by her grandparents after the separation of her mother and father, Bunevacz was thrust into the role of provider after the murder of her mother when she was fifteen. With four siblings relying on her she began work early, first as a live mannequin and later as a model, actress, talent manager and television host. The jobs not only helped her to support her siblings, but also her first two children. One of her proudest moments while working in entertainment was as the force behind a project called “Miss Ugly No More” where women were showed how they could feel and look their best. Juggling family and work Bunevacz was not content to simply sit on the sidelines while life passed her by, and dating became her favorite contact sport.

Traveling frequently for work and fascinated by men it wasn't long before she developed a set of rules to snag them, and guidelines for how she could remain at her best without being bested by the games others were playing. It wasn't long before she became a self-proclaimed MANnizer, capable of capturing and holding the attention of whoever interested her, while also continuing to do what was in her best interest as both a mother and entrepreneur with both family and a business to protect.

A romantic at heart however she soon stopped her pursuit of “Mr. Right Now” when she met the man who was “Mr. Right”, the man who became her husband. Newly married, she found herself rethinking everything she knew and realized that the same qualities that made a woman an amazing girlfriend didn't necessarily work for a wife. Rather than wait for someone else to write a marriage manual, she retooled her dating rules for herself to apply for a life after marriage. Jessica Bunevacz is now a happily married wife and mother of three currently residing in California.

While her life has been unconventional she has no regrets, and lives with the understanding that we all have the same basic desire: to feel loved, whether it's just for one night or for an entire lifetime. Using her own life experiences as a basis she develop real-world relationship advice to help women feel more confident and comfortable whether they're dating or have already said "I do".

My Review:

I wanted to read the book because I struggle at this dating thing. I would like to get re-married again one day, but I have to navigate the troubled waters of the dating pool. I thought my biggest issue was having herpes (10 years), but now I worry about how men will respond to my kids and how men will respond to my celibacy. I recently had a man, I talked to for 3 days over the phone (I hate talking over the phone) only to tell me he is not interested if I continue to remain celibate. 

In the book, the author discussed her dating experiences, but she does not claim to be an expert in dating. The book is broken up into two parts: One for women, who are dating, (Date like a girl) and one for women, who are married (Marry like a woman).

The first thing, I found interesting was when the author described the most common types of men women will see while dating: Mr. Boring; Mr. Immature; Mr. High Profile; Mr. Big Spender; Mr. Insecure; Mr. Cheap; Mr. Jealousy; Mr. Married Man; Mr. Workahololic; Mr. Nice Guy; Mr. Superhero; Mr. Mama's boy; Mr. Narcissist; and Mr. Shady

Then, the author goes into the rules such as Don't date a married man; Open up your insecurity box (be open about your insecurities); and Never chase a man.  You don't have to call someone constantly or always take initiative when it comes to calling, texting, or setting up dates. If someone is interested in you, he will initiate contact and you don't have to ring his phone 30 times in one day. The author also recommends not sleeping with a man on the first date.

I strugged with rule 5: Let him know you're interested. If you like someone, let him know (provided he is available).

You can read about more rules in the the book. The book is available in paperback and kindle

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Finding God in the Ruins Review and Book Tour (Litfuse)

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About the Book

If God is love, why do we hurt so much?

When the reality of your pain doesn't line up with what you've been taught in church, then what?

While many abandon their faith or embrace hopelessness, it is possible to discover the God who heals your heart in the midst of the pain.

Matt Bays has been where you are. His unforgettable stories of loss and healing will usher you into a life where gratitude overpowers anger, hope overcomes despair, and hunger for God replaces indifference to God. With a fresh and original writing style, Bays demonstrates that true redemption is far more powerful than the temporary fixes of sanitized Christianity.

About the Author

Matt Bays is a writer, speaker, and musician with a passion to call people out of their hiding places. In ministry for twenty years, he and his wife, Heather, live in Indianapolis with their fun-loving and insightful teenage daughters.

My Review

I read Finding God in the Ruins in exchange for honest review. The book was written by Matt Bays. The book is about finding God, even when your life is a mess. I know my life is a mess. I spend days trying to diffuse multiple meltdowns from one kid, while making sure the other kid doesn't have a seizure or a breath holding spell.

The first thing, which stood out, was when the author discussed redemption. The author said redemption has been misunderstood by Christianity. The book defined redemption (from a Christianity standpoint) as "A state of existence where The Faithful to God receive what they expect to receive out of life (and out of God), and what ails them is converted into something fresh and new (Getting the desires of one's heart)."

The author said approaching redemption from this standpoint sets us up for failure. It affects our relationship with God because we may want redemption to get what we want from God, instead of developing a stronger relationship with God. The author also discussed how some people think God owes them for good works/good behavior because we are chosen by God. When God doesn't do what we want, we get frustrated and disillusioned by God and Christianity. Things do not always go according to our plan.

You can purchase the book in Kindle, paperback, audio, and audio cd format, using the link above. 

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Short Bus Hero Book Review (Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours)

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I read Short Bus Hero in exchange for honest review Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours

About the Book(from media kit)

Twenty-three year-old Ally Forman, a $350 million dollar lottery winner with Down syndrome, is either cursed or blessed, depending on how you look at things. When professional wrestler Stryker Nash loses his job, Ally, his biggest fan, wants nothing more than to put him back in the ring. And she will spare no expense. Her mother, however, has other plans for Ally’s winnings and her life. SHORT BUS HERO is a darkly humorous look at life with Down syndrome, the rise of a wrestling empire... and angels. Yes, angels.

Excerpt

 “I know, she could have gone to Carnegie Mellon or something, you know?” Mrs. Farley is a regular customer. Her daughter had recently finished her first semester at Skidmore and Mrs. Farley is still half-heartedly complaining about her choice of schools. “Well, it’s nice to have her home for the holidays, except, look at all this stuff—what’s this gonna cost me?” She makes a funny face. Ally laughs as she loads Kashi cereal bars and soy milk into a bag and piles it on top of the overflowing cart.

“Maybe you’ll win the lottery,” Julie says to her, scanning a box of brown rice. “Nobody’s claimed that three hundred and fourteen million yet.”

“God, I know. Too bad I never buy tickets.” Mrs. Farley pays her astronomical bill and rolls away, declining Ally’s offer of help out to her car. God forbid she catches something from Ally, as if Down syndrome was communicable. Wouldn’t that just destroy her perfect daughter’s perfect visit?

There are too many undereducated people in the world. It’s sad.

The evening drags on, different customers file by, all having the same conversation as they pay for their provisions. Julie pages Doug about seven times to check prices for her, letting Ally in on the joke. Then, mercifully, break time arrives.

Ally climbs the perforated metal stairs to the break room and finds her time card. She punches out and gets her dinner from the fridge. She sits down at the round table and pushes a newspaper aside to clear an eating space. She hates clutter. Her Jonas Brothers lunchbox contains a zip-lock baggie full of chicken nuggets, which she likes cold, a small bag of pretzels, and a banana. She opens the pretzels and begins munching. Her eyes glide over the OSHA posters that line the walls, the snack machine, the soda machine, and the refrigerator before coming to rest on the crumpled newspaper next to her. Crunching another pretzel, she pulls the paper over in front of her and flips over the front page. A smaller headline shouts: “$314 MIL — IS IT YOURS?” The story says the winning Megalo lottery ticket was purchased in Maryland just before Christmas, but no one has yet claimed the prize.

Ally thinks of the envelope that fell out of her purse earlier. She walks to the coat rack to get it. Once she has the card in her hand, she sits back down at the table and flips the newspaper to the winning numbers. She opens her envelope, skims the Christmas card, takes a second to think aw, how nice, and then looks at the lottery ticket. She sets it down on top of the paper, right next to the winning numbers and begins comparing the digits.

First number: 8.

Ally’s first number: 8.

Second number: 13.

Ally’s second number: 13.

Third number: 19.

Ally’s third number: 19.

The dry salty pretzels throw her into a coughing fit. She gets up to buy a cola from the soda machine, a bit giddy from reading the numbers, but trying not to get her hopes up. She pops the can, tips it to her lips, lets out a belch, and sits back down.

Fourth number: 32.

Ally’s fourth number: 32.

Fifth number: 2.

Ally’s fifth number: 2.

Ally giggles, positive that she is reading the numbers wrong. One more to go.

Sixth number: 38.

Ally’s sixth number: 38.

She doesn’t believe it.

One more—the super duper awesomely lucky mega power number: 23.

Of course she read it all wrong—come on, she is retarded, for Christ’s sake.

Only, she’s not wrong.

She slumps over the table, working the pretzel sludge off the roof of her mouth with her thick tongue. Her head seems completely empty of thought. Did she really read those numbers? She looks again. No, she never wins anything. Impossible.

I whisper to her to believe.

And it hits her.

Her scream echoes off the shining linoleum floor. She clutches her ticket and the crumpled page of the newspaper and jumps up and down. Spit and pretzel crumbs fly from her mouth as she stammers and grunts and hops. Julie arrives just in time to see Ally go down in a heap. She thinks Ally is having a seizure.

“Oh, my God, Fred!” Fred is the manager, and Julie screams for him, alarming the other cashiers and customers within earshot. “Fred! Somebody quick, get Fred!” Julie rushes into the break room and turns Ally over. She isn’t unconscious.

She’s laughing. And crying. Call it hysterical.

“What, baby? What is it? Are you all right?” Julie cradles Ally’s head. Fred wheels into the room, pale and sweaty, eyes wide.

“What? What is it? Oh, Ally.” Fred pokes his head out the door and shouts, “Someone please call 9-1-1.”

All Ally can do is laugh and cry and stutter. “Look!” She says it over and over until Fred finally understands what she is saying. He takes the newspaper and the lottery ticket from Ally’s sweaty hands. He squints at the numbers and his face falls in complete disbelief. He shakes his head and reads them again. And again. And then he whoops and laughs. He gets down on the floor and hugs Ally and Julie. “She won! She won! Hot damn, she did it!”

Doug and a couple of other cashiers filter into the room. Someone tells them what’s happening.

Though no one can see, I’m jumping up and down. High fives all around!

“That retard won the lottery?” Doug asks, looking like he just swallowed something particularly nasty.

I resist the urge to smack that little douche bag. (Excuse my language; I’m excited!)

Fred struggles to his feet and pulls out his cell phone. He dials Lois’s number and tells her to get to the store right away. After he hangs up, he realizes that Lois probably thinks something is wrong with Ally, there’s been some emergency. Ooops. He doesn’t call her back, though—he’s too excited. She’ll be there in a minute, anyway.

The paramedics beat Lois by seven minutes. When they show up, Fred launches into hysterics. “I’m sorry, I called you guys before I realized why my employee was freaking out. She just won the lottery! I’m sorry, guys.” They are good-natured enough and take off without charging anyone a dime. They were just down the block getting a coffee from Starbucks, anyway.

Lois is a complete wreck when she arrives. She looks quite green when she appears in the break room doorway. But, once she sees Ally sitting at the table with a broad smile on her face, she is visibly relieved. She walks over toward Ally. Fred throws his arm around her shoulders and tells her to have a seat, because she’ll need one.

Lois sits next to Ally and Fred gives her the ticket and the paper.

The paramedics should not have left.

Lois faints and falls on the floor.

Ally won three hundred and fourteen million dollars.

Woo-hoo! Let’s get this party started!

About the Author

Shannon Giglio, originally from Milwaukee, WI, graduated from Drexel University and Emerson College before going to work for Dick Clark, CBS, and Ridley Scott. She lives in Savannah, GA, with her husband, author Peter Giglio, and her two daughters. She is currently finishing her fourth and fifth novels.

My Review

First, I was highly impressed by the writing style of the book.  I was also drawn to the book because the main character has special needs. The book starts out with an action scene. Mother (Slyvia) and daughter (Mara) are trying to navigate traffic, when an accident occurs. Then, Ally enters the emergency room. Ally and Mara are best friends. 

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Seven days of redemption book blast and Giveaway (Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours)

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Enter to Win! Author is giving away one autograph copy of Seven Days of Redemption: A Week Long Journey to the New You in Christ

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Genre: Devotional

About the Author:

Instead of giving you a formal third person description of myself, I’m going to be transparent.

The same way I present myself in ministry, my book, my blog, the way I am in real life. I’m passionate,

enlightening and formalities may dilute the true message of what I want to deliver. I grew up a small town girl who involuntarily learned a lot of things the hard way. My childhood was stolen at the tender age of four and after years of abuse I decided to liberate myself through accomplishments.

My trophies and awards shined brightly but my soul grew darker as I started to adopt and carry out self-inflicted
abuse. Fearing a return to my impoverished beginnings I became a serial perfectionist. 

If things weren’t flawless, I would perpetually beat myself up until I fixed it. As I was bringing down the hammer on myself for the umpteenth time, God grabbed my hand and I looked up to behold the Son of Glory. He showed me a new way. I learned that acceptance, forgiveness and grace is more effective in change than punishment. I would continue to fall, but instead of the whip, I used something a lot fiercer: the double-edged Word of God.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Having her innocence stolen at the age of four, she would grow up relentlessly betrayed, oppressed, and longing for unconditional love. In Seven Days of Redemption, the companion devotional to the

inspirational memoir, “Cinderella’s Still Going to the Ball”, Dr. Shaunte’ McFarland gives an exclusive glimpse inside her process of healing and restoration. This devotional is a seven-day journey of strength, acceptance and grace. Endowing you with the irresistible unction to shout, I Am

Redeemed!!

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Motherhood Smotherhood Book Review and Blog Tour (Sage Publications)

I received this book in exchange for honest review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was provided.

About the Book: (From Media Kit)

Author: JJ Keith

Genre: Non Fiction/Parenting

What's the first thing a woman does when she thinks she might be pregnant? 

She Googles. And it goes downhill from there. While the internet is full of calming and cheerily supportive articles, it's also littered with hyper-judgmental message boards and heaps of contradictory and scolding information. 

Motherhood Smotherhood takes parents through the trenches of new parenting, warning readers of the pleasures and perils of mommy blogs, new parent groups, self-described "lactivists," sleep fascists, incessant trend pieces on working versus non-working mothers, and the place where free time and self-esteem goes to die: Pinterest (back away from the hand-made flower headbands for baby!)

JJ Keith interweaves discussions of what "it takes a village" really means (hint: a lot of unwanted advice from elderly strangers who may have grown up in actual villages) and a take-down of the rising "make your own baby food" movement (just mush a banana with a fork!) with laugh-out-loud observations about the many mistakes she made as a frantic new mother with too much access to high speed nternet and a lot of questions. 

Keith cuts to the truth--whether it's about "perfect" births, parenting gurus, the growing tide of vaccine rejecters, the joy of blanketing Facebook with baby pics, or germophobia--to move conversations about parenting away from experts espousing blanket truths to amateurs relishing in what a big, messy pile of delight and trauma having a baby is. 

Author Bio (from media kit)

JJ Keith has written about being a crappy attachment parent for Salon, explored the disturbing undertones of Thomas the Tank Engine for TheRumpus.net, come out as pro-vaccine for The Huffington Post, interviewed Samantha Irby for Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture, differentiated being judgmental and having an

opinion for Role/Reboot, admitted to a bare knuckled brawl with a dude for The Nervous Breakdown, examined the phenomenon of "don't touch the bump" t-shirts for Babble, and explained what new moms have in common with teenage boys for The Hairpin.

Her writing has been syndicated in the Sydney Morning Herald, iVillage Australia, Mamamia, and Alternet, and she's taken her work to the stage with The Moth,
Happy Hour Story Experiment, Write Club, and Expressing Motherhood and spoken about parenting issues with APM's Marketplace, HuffPost Live, and on a panel at the 2013 LA Times Festival of Books.

Her micro-memoir won a $2,500 prize from Reader's Digest and was anthologized in The Best Life Stories: 150 Real-life Tales of Resilience, Joy, and Hope-All 150 Words or Less!


She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and her two children.

Book Excerpt (from media kit)

The vast majority of chatter surrounding parenthood is junk. All of these seemingly divisive decisions—like pain meds in labor, newborn sleep arrangements, and scheduling—are often phrased as moral imperatives from both sides. 

Screw that.

Take care of your kid. Do what works. Babies are more durable than we give them credit for. As a parent, I can be wrong as long as I realize it and change. That means it’s okay to make educated guesses and then sort out the consequences. 

And it means I have to play this parenting gig by ear, which is disquieting for people with controlling tendencies like me. But I must control my tendency to be controlling or else I will imprison myself. Infants cannot be micro- managed, nor can toddlers, children, teenagers, spouses, or nannies.

Parents who want to be perfect can knock themselves out, but I’d rather they not blame the institution of parenthood (or worse, their babies) when they go two years without finishing a sentence, sleeping through the night, or having sex.

My Review

I remember years ago posting about spanking my kids but it wasn't effective and got heat because whipping Autistic children is wrong, even if you just tapped my boys on the leg. Or the relative or two, who felt like my oldest should be institutionalized for life. Or the relative, who didn't like I breastfed Kalen past the age of one. 

Motherhood, full of unwanted advice to an introvert, who could care less most of the time. I have to find the best methods for my brats. What works and what doesn't work may not be reflective of society's standards. 

I loved the concept of the book. You are not only competing with yourself, but with others. It is hard enough being a mom. It is hard getting phone calls from school, wondering if this is the call, which puts your child out of school because he had a level 5 full blown meltdown. Can you come get him, when you have no licence or car? 

Some Most days, I feel inadequate, like I am not good enough based on my failures, instead of my successes. My kids go the doctor. They are caught up on shots. They take their medications, but yet not good enough. 

The book is about fighting the idiots,who question our parenting, making us feel more inadequate, when we struggle to do the best we can. I can be wrong at times. I am allowed to make mistakes. I don't have to be perfect, even though I want to be.

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Careful by Randy Anderson Book Review and Tour (Promotional Book Tours)

For two decades Tyler Gibbons has been keeping a secret from his family. At the tender age of sixteen, Tyler embarks on a student exchange program. Sent to the Andean city of Ambato, Ecuador, he finds daily adventure as he tries to fit in at school, connect with his host family, and navigate through a world of beaches, volcanoes, and jungles.

But tucked deep inside this year are events so profound, so unexpected, they forever shape the man he will become. Now, 25 years later, his mother pulls these soaring tales from her son, exposing, for the first time, the source of a deep unhappiness. While these memories contain the wounds of an unresolved past, they also possess the power to heal his painful present. Thoughtfully crafted and boldly told, Tyler’s journey takes the reader on a wild South American adventure, while illuminating a mother’s unyielding power to heal her child.

Buy on Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Kobo / Smashwords / iTunes

Meet the Author:

Randy Anderson is a novelist and playwright. His first book was published in 2011. On Making Off recounted his adventures running The Beggars Group, a downtown theater company that produced over two dozen productions at the turn of the millennium.

He is also the author of several plays including; Kill the President, The Dwelling, and Yippie! Randy currently lives in Brooklyn where he writes, reasons, and reacts.

You can contact him at www.onmakingoff.com , or on twitter @onmakingoff.

Find the author on: Facebook / Twitter / Literary Addicts / Goodreads / Website

My Review

The book was a good read. In the beginning, Tyler is returning home after a long absence, visiting his mother in the hospital. Tyler is not sure what's wrong, but he showed up to support his family. Tyler's mother kept a postcard Tyler sent when he did an exchange program in Ecuador, but Tyler never told anyone what happened on the trip. This starts the premise of the story: What happened when Tyler was 16, on a trip to another country?

The first chapter was written excellent and it made me want to read more of the book. 

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Zero Alternative Book Review (CM Book Tours)

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I reviewed Zero Alternative in exchange for honest review from CM Book Tours. A copy of the book was provided for review. No other compensation was provided. The synopsis, author bio, and social media links was also provided by CM Book tours.

Synopsis:

Framed, hunted, betrayed…
Scott Walker is a fugitive from the quicksands of Finance, with one card to play – DeepShare, a silicon oracle coveted by billionaires, hitmen and hackers. As he fights for survival and vengeance, digging deeper into the dark heart of the global economy, one question torments him: what price will the world have to pay?


ZERO ALTERNATIVE is an action-packed conspiracy thriller that plucks at the base of human nature. When our grip on love, hope and morality starts to slide, the only future worth living is the one we choose for ourselves.

Author Bio:

Luca Pesaro was born in Italy in 1971, but he has spent most of his adult life in the US or UK. Being a proud UWCer, he likes to think of himself as just another random citizen of the world.

After spending a few years gaining a degree (LSE) and masters (Bocconi University) in the pseudo-science that is Economics, he got bored, jumped the gun and became a derivatives trader in financial markets, first with the tragic Lehman Brothers, then with a bunch of other banks, somehow always managing not to blow up. He wrote his first novel in Italian in the mid-nineties, but then decided English worked much better for the type of stuff he liked to read and write, and switched. (Easy to do, he has forgotten most of his written Italian).

Recently he has decided to dedicate himself fully to his great passion since the age of eight – writing, mainly Fiction, but anything that amuses him at any given time. Zero Alternative is his first English novel, and he is hard at work on his second thriller, A Game of Kings.

He is married to the awesome Francesca and they have two children, Asia and Joshua, who always manage to annoy, surprise and delight beyond any reasonable expectation.

My Review

The book is about Scott "Yours" Walker, a financial worker.

I wanted to review the book based on the description. I liek finance even though I don't always understand it. I passed all my finance courses in college because I studied more. I knew math would be my weakness, so I put extra effort into my studies;

I loved reading the book. The book started with Walker a little worried about the Europe financially. China and a few other countries had closed for the day. The book has suspense, action, and moves at a good pace.

Author Links:

Website - http://lucapesaro.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lucapesarobooks

Twitter - https://twitter.com/biagiotrader

Altars of the Heart Book Review (Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours)

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links.

I read Altars of the Heart: Discovering your path to Deeper Worship in exchange for honest review from Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours.

About the Book:

April Minger was born and raised in Springfield, Ohio. After graduating from high school, April joined the United States Air Force.

April works in the Insurance and Health Care fields, and also has a Master’s degree in Business, graduating with honors, and is a member of the Alpha Beta Kappa Chapter of The National Honor Society.

She currently resides in Fort Drum, New York, where her husband serves on active duty as a member of the United States Army. April and her husband of eighteen years have two children.

About the Author

Do events from your past continue to play over and over in your mind?

Do you feel like your relationship with God is not where it should be?

Are you looking for a deeper worship experience?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I have some good news for you. The answer may seem far away, but it's actually much closer than you think.

Altars of the Heart will take you on a journey to rediscover who you are and give you authentic tools to help you connect back to walking hand-in-hand with God through deeper worship.

The knowledge and insight that you will gain from reading this book will take you to a life of newfound liberation from insecurities, fear, doubt, shame, and un-forgiveness.

You will be encouraged to do an internal "heart" examination, to re-evaluate how you interact with others, make choices and worship the Lord. The Word of God specifically states in the book of Hosea 4:6, that my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

I issue a challenge to you to open this book, and allow your life to experience freedom from bondage
and finally discover your path to deeper worship. Open this book, and let’s have a heart to heart conversation!

Author Interview

Tell us about your book?


Altars of the Heart’ is about how to experience a deeper relationship with the Lord from a pure heart. It takes the reader on a journey of self-evaluation and self-discovery where they are able to understand why the events of their past continue to trouble them in the present.

This book is not a cookie-cutter; one-size fits all approach to worship, but rather an individual “guided tour” that helps the reader discover their own path to deeper worship.


How did you come up with ideas for this book?

Altars of the Heart’ came from my personal study time. I was doing a study on the life of Abraham, and that study led to a personal interest in the altars in bible. Because of this interest I began to study the meaning and uses of altars in Scripture. My study opened my spiritual eyes to the connection between the altars in the bible and the spiritual heart of man.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading your book?

My hope is that reader will take the journey and submit to an honest heart conversation with their selves and allow God to reveal to them what he desires of them, so that they can experience their own victory available to them through Jesus Christ.

Where can visitors find you online?

I am on Facebook and Twitter. I also have my own website at: www.warriorforchristpublishing.com

What inspired you to write this book?

After doing the study on the altars in the bible and seeing the connection between them and the heart of man, I took my own journey of self-evaluation and self-discovery and after allowing myself to go through the process I knew I had to share. I wanted to share what I had learned and what I was able to achieve in my own walk with the Lord.

What’s next for you?

I am excited about the release of this book, and I believe that I will write a follow-up book that will continue to help readers move forward in the journey process.

How can someone get a copy of the book?

Altars of the Heart’ is available online at Amazon.com as well as, my website www.warriorforchristpublishing.com. The book is also available on e-book through Amazon.com and Barnes and Nobles.com

Tell us about yourself?

I am an Army wife and mother of two teenage children. I have been married to my husband and very best friend for over 18 years. I also served in the military in the U.S. Air Force. I am an only child, born and raised in Springfield, Ohio.

What was the most difficult aspect of writing this book?

I would say being able to write the book and share my story without sharing other peoples stories. I was very careful to write in a way that I was the only person exposed to the reader. It was not necessary to force others to be a part of something they may or may not be ready for.

I have learned through my own journey that my testimony is all about bringing God glory and that does not leave room to offend or put down others. If I need to do that in order to share a “testimony” then I need to reevaluate my motives.

Book Review

The book teaches people to create altars within the heart to have deeper worship with God. The first thing, which stood out about the book was the first chapter. The book talked about how when man was first created, God walked with Adam and Eve. He had an intimate relationship with them. When man sinned, the heart was defiled, evil, and un-pure. The heart became contaminated by sin and we have to find ways to worship God with our whole heart. Through the death of Jesus, we no longer need physical altars to worship God. 

Our hearts can become altars to worship and serve God. 

Other highlights of the book:

1. We need to rely on God. 
2. We need to know our Godly purpose. 
3. We can't control our situations but we can control how we respond to our situations. 
4. We need to monitor what we allow into our hearts. 

The book is under 100 pages. It can be a quick read but the book is not meant to be read quick. The book has so much valuable information, we can apply to our lives and help us to mature in the Lord. 

Social Media

Email: aminger@yahoo.com

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