Author Archives: Gigi

Mar 22 2015

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Posted on by

10-minute-marinara-sauce

10-Minute Homemade Marinara Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yield: About 3 1/2 cups     Cook Time: 10 min

 

 

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil to the pan, allowing it to warm for 1 minute, then add the garlic and sauté it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it's golden brown and fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes (optional), stirring to combine. Simmer the sauce for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, then season it with additional salt, pepper or sugar, to taste. 

Notes: The strongest flavor of the marinara sauce will depend on what variety of crushed tomatoes you use.

Mar 4 2015

25 Most Wanted Reads

Posted on by

tumblr_n9iy64AQPN1sdo33qo3_500

All E-books links are directed to Amazon.com

  1. The Deal (Off Campus Book 1) by Elle Kennedy
  2.  A Stone in the Sea ( A Bleeding Stars Novel) by A.L Jackson
  3. The Hurricane by R.J Prescott
  4. Fighting Silence (On The Ropes Book 1) by Aly Martinez
  5. Falling For My Best Friend's Brother by J.S Cooper
  6. By Any Other Name (Forbidden Book 1) by J.M Darhower
  7. Beneath This Ink by Meghan March
  8. Unexpected Fate by Harper Sloan
  9. Beneath This Mask by Meghan March
  10. The Way We Fall (The Stoy of Us) by Cassia Leo
  11.  Kyland by Mia Sheridan
  12. The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson
  13. Hitched by Karpov Kinrade
  14. Mister Black: A Billionaire SEAL Story by P.T Michelle
  15. Three, Two One (321): (A Dark Suspense) by JA Huss
  16. An Indecent Proposal by J.C Reed
  17. Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride by Christi Caldwell
  18. Fire Down Below by Debra Anastasia
  19. Tight by Alessandra Torre
  20. Soaring (The Magdalene Series Book 2) by Kristen Ashley
  21. RAZE by Tillie Cole
  22. Assumption: Underground Kings by Aurora Rose Reynolds
  23. My Healer (Bewitched and Bewildered Book 3) by Alanea Alder
  24. The Absolutely True Story of Us by Melanie Marchande
  25. Hardwired (The Hacker Series Book 1) by Meredith Wild
Feb 25 2015

DIY Fabric Art

Posted on by

pink-grey-baby-nursery-fabric-wall-art

DIY-fabric-art-2

Supples needed:

  1. Frames
  2. Fabric
  3. Hot Glue
  4. Hammer/nails or Command hooks

Instructions:

  1. The first thing you’re going to do is determine how big you want your frames.
  2. Next I cut 1/8 inch off one edge of the cardboard to allow room for the fabric when placing it back in the frame. Then I cut out a piece of fabric about 2 inches wider than the cardboard. After that I wrapped the cardboard like a present with the fabric, hot gluing as I went and then I placed the piece back in the frame.
  3. This project took me less than an hour from start to finish. Can’t beat that! The possibilities really are endless with this simple piece of decor. Get creative! 😀

fabric-on-canvas
DIY-Wall-Art-Supplies_thumbDIY-Wall-Art3_thumb

 

 

 


How-to-Fold-a-Corner-for-DIY-Wall-Art_thumb

Supplies needed:

  1. Art Canvas or Styrofoam model
  2. Fabric
  3. Staple Gun

Instructions:

  1. ​Iron fabric and place on a work surface wrong side up.  Cut fabric leaving enough on each side to staple to the art frame.  Staple once on one side of the canvas and then again on the other side making sure that the fabric is even and snug.
  2. Continue stapling until two sides are complete.  Fold the fabric in on each corner and staple.
  3. Staple the other sides and the corners.

Get creative by adding word/animal templates, ribbons or decorative strings! 😀

 

Feb 21 2015

“Friendships”

Posted on by

Frendships

  •  As a child you are BFFs with just about any kid who is happy to play with you and life is a blast.
  •  As a teenager your friends have become a small clique of five or less but you're still friendly with other kids. Unless you're a bully and well that's just all kinds of wrong. BAD Bully, BAD! Forget about your local bully (karma's a b**ch, remember that). As a teenager you make pacts to be friends forever which is great and a beautiful thing but with the reality of colleges or entering the work force early THIS, this is where friendships are either kept strong or broken apart.
  •  Ahh college… where you've become a child yet again and are more than willing to hang out with people outside your typical social circle. Having a mosh pit of friends is what makes colleges so damn great, we know it ain't for the college debt. LOL! Long lasting friendships are created at this point in our lives and where we can appreciate the differences in one another.
  •  Becoming a mom, well so much to say here. Life has taken it's toll on you and now those lasting friends are still aroundish even though you've lost a few via: your single friends not understanding your new mom-life, had life-changing disagreements, relocated to other parts of the country/world or just plain lost touch (insert shrug here).  Yes being mom has its tribulations but what can we do. We have social media to help keep in touch with the friends who have moved away or those who don't have children (yet). Sure we'll like you pics and/or status but come on we all know that's not enough to keep you friendship alive. Now we join a local mom/baby play groups just to freaking socialize and in-turn has become your saving grace. Baby brain is NEITHER sexy or stimulating AT ALL! So we meet new moms, gain like-minded friends and pray somewhere out there is a group organizing a GNO (girl's nite out!)
  • Single ladies… well I hate y'all! Seriously kidding! Just keeping YOLOing and appreciate answering to no one but yourselves and freaking travel any/everywhere man!​

The point I'm trying to make is having friends is easy, keeping them… well now that's the challenge.
For those of you who managed to keep that one or few forever friend(s) pat yourselves on the back and consider yourselves really lucky, not many woman are.
 Friends are our extended families and everyone needs them. Friends are our confidants, our sisters from another mother. Friends are our voice of reasoning before wearing something hideous or doing something really dumb. "Friends are people who don't need to talk to every single day, you need to talk to each other for weeks, but when you do it's as if you'd never stopped talking." 

  – Gigi

Feb 2 2015

Love Fifty Shades then Love these Read-Alikes!!

Posted on by

The Breathless Trilogy (click to buy)
RUSH... When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires.
FEVER… Jace, Ash, and Gabe: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Jace, it’s a woman whose allure takes him completely by surprise…
BURN… When it comes to sex, Ash McIntyre has always explored his wilder side—extreme and uncompromising. He demands control. And he prefers women who want it like that. Then he meets Josie. He never imagined the one woman to tell him no would be the only woman who’d ever drive him to the edge of desire. 

The Crossfire Series (click to buy)
BARED TO YOU... He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily… Gideon knew. 
REFLECTED IN YOU… Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest of pleasures. I couldn't stay away. I didn't want to. He was my addiction… my every desire… mine. My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We'd never work. It was too hard, too painful… except when it was perfect. 
ENTWINED WITH YOU… From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn't resist. I also saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat. No one knows how much he risked for me. 
CAPTIVATED BY YOU… Gideon calls me his angel, but he's the miracle in my life. My gorgeous, wounded warrior, so determined to slay my demons while refusing to face his own. The vows we'd exchanged should have bound us tighter than blood and flesh. Instead they opened old wounds, exposed pain and insecurities, and lured bitter enemies out of the shadows. 

The Mastered Series (click to buy)
BOUND… Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She’s focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating—not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That’s where she meets him. Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training—in public and in private. 
UNWOUND… When sensei Ronin Black first encounters Amery Hardwick, the fire in her eyes ignites a sexual spark a thousand times better than the primal rush he used to get from mixed martial arts matches. She accepts his darker edges and admits to him that her desires aren’t as wholesome as he believed. And before long Ronin is grappling with emotions he’s never felt before… Yet despite demanding Amery bare her body and soul to him, Ronin holds a part of himself back. 
SCHOOLED (2.5)… When Amery Hardwick first met martial arts master Ronin Black, she wasn’t ready for the primal urges his sensual rope artistry released in her. As it turned out Amery and Ronin were made for each other. But when they head to Japan for a delayed honeymoon and Ronin’s annual training with his sensei, Amery struggles to adapt to the foreign customs as well as running her burgeoning business from afar. But culture shock is the least of her worries when faced with the changes in Ronin—it feels as if she’s married a stranger. 
UNRAVELED: BOOK 3 (AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER) and CAGED: Book 4 (AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER)

The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy (click to buy)
THE CLAIMING OF SLEEPING BEAUTY.. A.N. Roquelaure, retells the Beauty story and probes the unspoken implications of this lush, suggestive tale by exploring its undeniable connection to sexual desire. Here the Prince awakens Beauty, not with a kiss, but with sexual initiation. His reward for ending the hundred years of enchantment is Beauty's complete and total enslavement to him…
BEAUTY'S PUNISHMENT… Now Beauty, having indulged in a secret and forbidden infatuation with the rebellious slave Prince Tristan, is sent away from the Satyricon-like world of the Castle. Sold at auction, she will soon experience the tantalizing punishments of "the village," as her education in love, cruelty, dominance, submission, and tenderness is turned over to the brazenly handsome Captain of the Guard.
BEAUTY'S RELEASE… Beauty's adventures on the dark side of sexuality make her the bound captive of an Eastern Sultan and a prisoner in the exotic confines of the harem. 
BEAUTY'S KINGDOM: Book 4 (AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER)

The Alpha Series (click to buy)
ALPHA… The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom's hospital bills. My baby brother's tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just "VRI Inc.," and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: "You." Just those three letters. 
BETA… Roth and I are on an open-ended tour of the world. Roth being Roth, this means missionary in Morocco, reverse cowgirl in Calcutta, bent over the bow of a houseboat in Hanoi, slow and sleepy on St. John. Anywhere and everywhere, in every conceivable position, and some I didn't know were possible. Life was pretty incredible. Until I woke up in his chateau in France, alone. On the bed next to me was a note. There were only four words: He belongs to me.

The Stark Series (click to buy)
RELEASE ME… He was the one man I couldn’t avoid. And the one man I couldn’t resist. Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me. Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past—and risk breaking us apart. But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him and us—forever.
CLAIM ME…. Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match. I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both. But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.
COMPLETE ME… Our desire runs deep. But our secrets cut close. Beautiful, strong, and commanding, Damien Stark fills a void in me that no other man can touch. His fierce cravings push me beyond the brink of bliss—and unleash a wild passion that utterly consumes us both. Yet beneath his need for dominance, he carries the wounds of a painful past. Haunted by a legacy of dark secrets and broken trust, he seeks release in our shared ecstasy, the heat between us burning stronger each day. Our attraction is undeniable, our obsession inevitable. Yet not even Damien can run from his ghosts, or shield us from the dangers yet to come.

The Dublin Street Series (click to buy)
ON DUBLIN STREET… Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core. Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached. But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul.
DOWN ON LONDON ROAD: Book 2 / BEFORE JAMAICA LANE: Book 3 / CASTLE HILL: A Josh and Braden Novella (Book 3.5) / FALL FROM INDIA PLACE: Book 4 / ECHOES OF SCOTLAND: Book 5

The Blackstone Affair Series (click to buy)
NAKED… The erotically-charged story of Brynne, an American girl living in London, who embarks on a torrid love affair with Ethan Blackstone, a successful businessman specializing in security.
ALL IN… Secrets have destroyed the passionate relationship between Brynne and Ethan—but Ethan is determined to do whatever it takes to win his girl back and protect her from the things that can keep them apart forever. 
EYES WIDE OPEN… Brynne and Ethan find their life together riddled with conflict. A stalker is getting closer to Brynne, forcing the two lovers to fight even harder to hold onto their love and the new hope they share for a future.
RARE AND PRECIOUS THINGS… The continuing story of Ethan and Brynne, two damaged souls fighting for a hard-won love, and now the promise of a new hope to secure their happily ever after.

Gabriel Series (click to buy)
GABRIEL'S INFERNO… Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well-respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption. When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide. 
GABRIEL'S RAPTURE… Professor Gabriel Emerson has embarked on a passionate, yet clandestine affair with his former student Julia Mitchell. Sequestered on a romantic holiday in Italy, he tutors her in the sensual delights of the body and the raptures of sex. But when they return, their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover. When Gabriel is confronted by the university administration, will he succumb to Dante’s fate? Or will he fight to keep Julia, his Beatrice, forever?
GABRIEL'S REDEMPTION… Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father. But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront Julianne about the subject of her presentation—research that conflicts with his own. 

This Man Series (click to buy)
THIS MAN… Young interior designer Ava O'Shea has no idea what awaits her at the Manor. A run-of-the-mill consultation with a stodgy country gent seems likely, but what Ava finds instead is Jesse Ward–a devastatingly handsome, utterly confident, pleasure-seeking playboy who knows no boundaries. Ava doesn't want to be attracted to this man, and yet she can't control the overwhelming desire that he stirs in her. She knows that her heart will never survive him and her instinct is telling her to run, but Jesse is not willing to let her go. He wants her and is determined to have her.
BENEATH THIS MAN… Jesse Ward drowned her with his intensity and blindsided her with his passion, but he kept her away from his dark secrets and broken soul. Leaving him was the only way Ava O'Shea could survive. She should have known that Jesse Ward is impossible to escape–and now he's back in her life, determined to remind her of the sensual pleasures they had shared. Ava is equally determined to get at the truth beneath this man's steely exterior. That means letting herself get close to the Lord of the Manor once more. And it's exactly where Jesse wants her–within touching distance…
THIS MAN CONFESSED… The Manor, the very place where their passionate love affair began, fills with guests on what should be the happiest day of Ava and Jesse's lives. She has accepted that she'll never tame the fierceness in Jesse-and she doesn't want to. Their love is profound, their connection powerful, but just when she thinks that she's finally gotten beneath his guarded exterior, more questions arise, leading Ava to believe that Jesse Ward may not be the man she thinks he is. He knows too well how to take her to a place beyond ecstasy . . . but will he also drive her to the brink of despair? It's time for this man to confess.

Jan 26 2015

Ebook Daily Freebies

Posted on by

 Then Came Alexandria by E.L. Todd  
 FREE on AMAZON
Alexandra… After a horrific accident working as a nurse in the emergency room, Alexandra becomes reclusive to the world around her. Unable to be speak or function, she pushes away her boyfriend, Paul, of two years. Her distance causes him to spend time with someone else…the betrayal causes her to pack her bags and leave everything behind. She doesn’t know what comfort she’ll find in Savannah, Georgia, but she flees anyway. 
Blaise… After inheriting the most lucrative cotton field in the south, Blaise has to become a man early in life. He spends his nights with different girls, knowing they are after his money and his special abilities in the bedroom, but he makes a serious mistake with Danielle. Now she lives with him and he guards a secret that he promises to keep…even though that secret is destroying his life. When Alexandra comes into town, her smile and compassion evident, Blaise wants her, and not just in a physical way. Unable to keep his distance, he falls for her, not knowing how long he can keep his secret… THIS IS A CLIFFHANGER!!!

 Under My Thumb: (Serenade Series #1) by Abby Reynolds
 FREE on AMAZON
Prudence sets out with her band to Los Angeles to make it big. Leaving behind London is difficult for her, but not because she fears she’ll be homesick. She’s never coming back. And her brother has no idea. After she arrives, she performs one of her first shows. But little does she know, an admirer sits in the audience. She hypnotizes him and draws him in, making him immediately smitten. The obsession starts. Cash is determined to be alone with this girl. After extreme lengths to share a quiet whisper, they agree on a spring fling. After the horrible break up Prudence had with her boyfriend, she doesn’t want to be hurt again. Cash’s reasons are still a mystery. They spend the summer together, but their romance takes different avenues that Cash didn’t predict. He has a very strict set of rules with his women and he never breaks them…until Prudence. And Prudence didn’t think she could trust someone as much as she trusts Cash. There isn’t just a strong physical relationship between them. For the first time, she’s not afraid of another lie being fed to her, another sleepless night, or wondering where he’s been. It’s the only stability she’s ever had. After making her way into his heart, Cash struggles with his feelings. He’s been hurt before but can he risk being hurt again? His obsession for his musician grows stronger every day. The idea of her being with anyone but him is soul-crushing. And he doesn’t understand what’s happening to him. Has he fallen in love? Is that possible? WARNING: CLIFFHANGER

 Waltz Back to Texas (Lost in boom Town #1) by MJ Fredrick
 FREE on AMAZON
Welcome to Evansville, a sleepy Texas town on the verge of a boom. 
After growing up in a dying town, with only two restaurants, no movie theater, and no future, waitress Cassidy Simon wants out. For once, luck is on her side when the oil boom comes to South Texas. She’s determined to use it for her advantage, starting up an RV park for the oilfield workers to add to her escape fund. She’s never been out of Texas, and she’s itching for adventure. Grady McKenna couldn’t get away from his family’s ranch fast enough when he was a teenager, but a tour in the Air Force in the Middle East is enough to convince him there’s no place like home. He’s seen the world, had his adventure. Now he’s ready to contribute to his family’s legacy in Evansville. Naturally, the woman who draws his attention is the one intent on slipping through his fingers. How can he convince her life with him will be all the adventure she needs?

 Invisible by DelSheree Gladden
 FREE on AMAZON
Olivia’s best friend is not imaginary. He’s not a ghost, either. And she’s pretty sure he’s not a hallucination. He’s just Mason. He is, however, invisible. When Olivia spotted the crying little boy on her front porch at five years old, she had no idea she was the only one who could see him. Twelve years later when new-girl Robin bumps into the both of them and introduces herself to Mason, they are both stunned. 
Mason couldn’t be more pleased that someone else can see him. Olivia, on the other hand, isn’t jumping at the chance to welcome Robin into their circle. Jealousy may have something to do with that, but honest fear that Robin’s presence will put Mason in danger is soon validated when a strange black car shows up outside Olivia’s house. The race to find out what Robin knows in time to protect Mason from whatever threats are coming becomes Olivia’s only focus. 
 

 One To Hold by Tia Louise
 FREE on AMAZON
Derek Alexander is a retired Marine, ex-cop, and the top investigator in his field. Melissa Jones is a small-town girl trying to escape her troubled past. When the two intersect in a bar in Arizona, their sexual chemistry is off the charts. But what is revealed during their "one week stand" only complicates matters. Because she'll do everything in her power to get away from the past, but he'll do everything he can to hold her. 
THIS IS A STAND-ALONE, ONE TO HOLD NOVEL. Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and elements of erotic romance, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. (M/F)

 

 

Jan 21 2015

25 Most Wanted Reads

Posted on by

book-cute-green-nature-pink-Favim.com-303883

1. Never, Never by Colleen Hoover, Tarryn Fisher 

2. The Mason List by SD Hendrickson 

3. One Night Stand by J.S. Cooper, Helen Cooper 

4. The Pact by Karina Halle 

5. Beautiful Redemption: A Novel (Maddox Brothers Book 2) by Jamie McGuire 

6. Step Brother Billionaire by Colleen Masters 

7. Filthy Beautiful Forever (Filthy Beautiful Lies Book 4)  by Kendall Ryan

8. RAZE by Tillie Cole 

9. Last of the Bad Boys  by Nora Flite 

10. Dirty Ties by Pam Godwin 

11. MILF: Wrong Kind of Love by Erin Noelle 

12. Dare (Brothers of Ink and Steel Book 1) by Allie Juliette Mousseau 

13. The Hunger Games (Book 1) by Suzanne Collins 

14. The Game Plan: A Neighbor from Hell by R.L. Mathewson 

15. Beautiful Burn by Adriane Leigh 

16. The Club (The Club Trilogy Book 1) by Lauren Rowe 

17. The Maze Runner (Book 1) by James Dashner 

18. 'Til Death – Part 1 by Bella Jewel 

19. Raveling You (Unraveling You, #2) by Jessica Sorensen 

20. Razorblade Kisses by R.L. Griffin 

21. Beyond the Consequences: Book 5 of the Consequenes Series by Aleatha Romig 

22. Hardwired (The Hacker Series Book 1) by Meredith Wild 

23. Thicker Than Blood by Madeline Sheehan, Claire C Riley 

24. Easy Love (The Boudreaux Series Book 1) by Kristen Proby 

25. Branded (Ignite Trilogy #2) by Tara Sivec
 

Jan 11 2015

Stay At Home Mom vs. Working Mom

Posted on by

"The working mom wishes she had more free time to be available to her child, and maybe have coffee after drop-off. And the nonworking woman would maybe like to have something that's a reflection of her as an individual — a label that says she's a capable, creative person who knows about more than just baby formula or after-school programs."

 

Stay-At-Home Mom
Being a staying at home mom is a joyous yet hair-pulling experience. When choosing to stay home don't expect to take long bubble baths, afternoons naps or even having the time to read a book, it's all a fairytale. Just because you're at home doesn't mean you aren't working.

 

 

Working Moms
When you choose to combine motherhood and career in any way, shape of form, there will always be trade-offs, sacrifices and compromises. What is crucial to your happiness as well as your ability to starve off guilt – is reconciling those trade-offs by being crystal clear about why you making them in the first place.
1. SAHM with school-age kids pat yourselves on the back because you can at least clean your home and run daily errands with your consistent naggers tagging alone for a few hours.   1. As a working mom to school-age kids they use the school hours to work part time because you realize you'd be miserable as SAHM and would make your children unhappy.
2. SAHM with toddlers… I'm sorry. I know what your going through. Yes it's all cute baby talk and playtime but when your house is being overrun by dirty laundry, kitchen, baby gear and   etc… you consider completely cleaning one or two rooms a success.    2. Working moms with toddlers… when your child is in daycare at least your home is as clean as you left it that morning.
3. As a stay at home mom we unfortunately are subjected to the "Baby Brain" Syndrome. Baby Brain Syndrome is when a mother has become the leading expert in all things kiddy including but not limited to: knowing all of the words of the latest children songs, your new fav TV show has a squeaking baby chick named Chicka on the Sprout channel, the age group of the books you read don't pass elementary level and you can hands down name every character of your kid's fav Disney or Pixar movie. (My personal fav "Toy Story")   3. Many working moms are limited to being with their children only on weekends or on days off. Don't guilty, you should feel blessed your brain hasn't turned to mush because of your beloved children. LOL! There's no doubt you don't know your kid's top favorite shows, movies and songs but just feel lucky is not all you think about. Meetings, correspondences and office politics are your reprieve from the daily drone of baby talk.
4. Being home all day can be isolating so SAHM may have to put an extra  effort in searching for moms such as themselves. SAHM seek ways to have social/adult interactions by way of park play dates, book clubs, mommy night-outs or joining a mommy and baby class. (Guilty as charged on all accounts)   4. Working moms may have an easier time finding adult interaction because of the work force. Co-workers are seen daily and friendships are created through coffee breaks and lunch dates. Permitting your significant other is with your child, happy hour is another avenue used for social interactions.
5. The reality is that stay-at-home parents can have as much stress as working parents, if not more, depending on the age, temperament and number of kids.   5. Working moms go ahead, relish your solo commute to work or that quiet cup of coffee at your desk. If you were at home full-time, you might be lucky to shower in private.

 

Jan 7 2015

Ebook Daily Freebies

Posted on by

 The problem with crazy is that crazy, by itself, has no context. It can be good crazy, bad crazy … or crazy crazy—like it was when my ex-boyfriend sung about me on the radio. Eighteen-year-old Kate couldn’t be more excited about finishing high school and spending the summer on tour with her boyfriend’s band. Her dad showing up drunk at graduation, however, is not exactly kicking things off on the right foot—and that’s before she finds out about his mystery illness, certain to end in death. A mystery illness that she could inherit. Kate has to convince everyone around her that her father is sick, not crazy. But who will be harder to convince? Her friends? Or herself? The Problem With Crazy is a story about love and life; about overcoming obstacles, choosing to trust, and learning how to make the choices that will change your life forever. 
Free on AMAZON
 

 Abby Sellers knows what she wants.
Enduring eighteen years in the shadow of her identical twin sister, Annika, she wants a fresh start. A chance to create her own life, separate from her conniving, deceptive twin. Surprising both her family and friends, Abby ditches her plans for college and enrolls at a new school instead. There, she encounters West Montgomery, a sexy fellow student who immediately disarms her with his good looks and charm. West takes a liking to Abby and she suddenly finds herself walking a thin line, fabricating a fictional life created not by lies but by omission. She soon discovers West has secrets of his own, secrets that he's not altogether interested in sharing. Out from under the shadow of her twin, Abby's life—and her relationship with West—blossoms. When Abby leaves town one weekend, something unthinkable happens and her relationship with West is shattered. Reeling from the discovery, Abby fears all of her plans have backfired and she's created a mess for both of them, a mess that no one can clean up. But West isn't willing to let her go that easily. When he forces her to confront secrets they've both been hiding, Abby must decide more than if she's willing to forgive and forget. She must also decide just what kind of life she wants…and who she wants to live it with. Free on AMAZON
 

 "Have you heard the saying, 'sex sells'? Well, I'm the supplier." 
Finnley Felton sells sex.
Jennifer Downs is a virgin.
With the help of lady luck, the two meet. 
Money. Bright lights. Sex. 
Jennifer is made an offer: sell her virginity to the highest bidder and transform into one of Finnley's girls. But she finds herself weak for him, and doesn't fully realize what she's agreed to until it's too late. Will she rise to the challenge and play by the rules in a land where money is king and love is prohibited? Or will she lose herself and values in the attempt? 
Weak for him is not considered a "dark" read, but does have unlady-like language, adult subject matter, and s-e-x-ual situations. Free on AMAZON

 Tyler Barnes can’t believe his eyes when Alexis MacAdams walks back into his life. His high school crush left Mangrove Island seventeen years ago and never looked back. He’s held on to the memory of her, even though she never gave him a second glance. Now Alexis is back for the holidays and Tyler is determined to make a lasting impression before she slips away again. He soon learns, however, that her broken heart needs to heal before he has a chance to win it. Can Tyler convince her to risk her heart for a second time? Free on AMAZON
 

 Kate's life sucks. She's tending bar at a run-down dive. Her immoral boss fondles every co-ed within reach. The clientele is made up of TV-glazed zombies, drunkards, and … who is that in the corner? 
The Thunderbolt Hits. 
She hadn't thought it was real. But when she looks into Sean's eyes, the force of the connection staggers her. Her mind desperately seeks to pull her back – he's an ex-felon. Far too talented with those rippled muscles and toned fists. He's everything she should be staying away from. She craves him from the depths of her soul. His touch smolders her skin; his fingers expose her to worlds she never dreamt existed. But when his secret is ripped free from the dark shadows, their lives teeter on the brink of destruction. Free on AMAZON

Dec 31 2014

Ebook Daily Freebies

Posted on by

 

How far does moral obligation stretch? When Dara called in a murder she witnessed, she knew she'd end up taking the fall. It's not as if she could say she only saw it in her mind. But life in prison can't be that bad, can it? Turns out it's far worse. They say no good deed ever goes unpunished, a sentiment Dara understands fully now that she is paying for a crime she didn't commit. It was stupid to call in a murder she didn't really see. But how could Dara have kept silent? Now a stunning — scratch that, a dangerous — man with a frightening secret of his own is telling her he can help. Yeah, right. A telepath knows better than to trust mere words. 
The last decade of Tristan's life has been penance. All that time spent among the worst dregs of society might have made him begin to question his humanity, but he’s never felt so much like an animal as he does around this timid, delicate female. Her very presence stirs the beast within him; Tristan can feel it growing stronger every day. Any more time with Dara, and it might overpower him completely. But without her, he stands no chance at all… Content Notes: Hot, Paranormal, Shifters, Suspense, Science Fiction 
Free on AMAZON

 Ellie Parker is a master at building walls around her heart. In the twenty-five years she's been alive, Dex Remington has been the only person who has always believed in her and been there for her. But four years earlier, she came to Dex seeking comfort and then disappeared like a thief in the night, leaving him a broken man. Dex Remington is one of the top PC game developers in the United States. He's handsome, smart, and numb. So damn numb that he's not sure he'll ever find a reason to feel again. A chance encounter sparks intense desires in Ellie and Dex. Desires that make her want to run–and make him want to feel. A combination of lust and fear leads these young lovers down a dangerous path. Is it possible to cross a burned bridge, or are they destined to be apart forever?
Free on AMAZON

 One kind deed can change your life forever…
Brynn Tomlin could never afford to follow her heart. But when she sees a stranger shivering in the snow outside of the college library, an inexplicable urge leads her to buy him a hot cup of coffee. It’s just a small act of kindness, a few words of conversation. Brynn should be focusing on her finals, after all, not on the man who looked up at her gratefully with piercing blue eyes. He could have been anyone – a janitor on break, a graduate student, a bum. But the man standing outside in the cold turns out to be Dr. Eliot Herceg, one of the most brilliant minds in mathematics and heir to a fortune. After years of reclusive isolation, he now finds his heart awakening to the kind girl whose name he does not know. Brynn has spent her life trying to forget her desires, and Eliot’s deep wounds have taken nearly a decade to heal. After so much hurt, will either of them be able to open their hearts again? 
Free on AMAZON

 For twenty years, Tyler Hayes had been ripped from his childhood home. After the horrific accident that took away his parents' life, Tyler's grandfather removed him from the mansion and sent him away. Now, after twenty years, his grandfather had passed away and he could finally go home. However, even in his death, Tyler's grandfather had betrayed him once again, leaving the mansion to a woman he had never met. Even though Kate Mitchell had never met Tyler, she knew all about the accident that changed the Hayes's family. Unbeknownst to her, was how she was going to end up being caught in the middle of a long estranged relationship between two different generations. Two complete different personalities would have to learn to get along and play nice in order to survive a will that would change their lives.
Free on AMAZON