Holdiay Diet Tips and Christmas Cookies!

 Holiday Diet Tips 

• If no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.
• If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, they cancel each other out.
• When eating with someone else, calories don’t count if you eat the same amount.
• Foods used for medicinal purposes have no calories. This includes any chocolate used for energy, brandy, Sara Lee Cheesecake (eaten whole), and Haagen-Daz Ice Cream.
• Cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breakage causes calorie leakage.
• If you eat the food off someone else’s plate, it doesn’t count.
• If you eat standing up the calories all go to your feet and get walked off.
• Food eaten at Christmas parties has no calories, courtesy of Santa.
• STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backward.

Welcome Elizabeth Sharp!

Lisa: Hi Elizabeth! I just wanted to ask you a couple of quick questions about my favorite character in your book - Xander! *swoon* What gave you the idea for Xander?

Elizabeth: As for Xander, I have to explain about Lia. She is based on a real person, my best friend. Tori is the youngest and the only girl. Xander is created from her three brothers, rolled into one and filtered through me.

Lisa: Did you have a protective brother when you were growing up?

Elizabeth: I have three brothers, though they are all over ten years older than me. One of them I'm fairly close with, but he wasn't really around much when I was growing up, so I don't know how protective he would have been.

Lisa: And of course the question I must ask…How do you feel about Dr. Pepper?

Elizabeth: Dr. Pepper is my crack. It's possible my blood contains 23 ingredients. ;)

Lisa: Awww…a girl after my own heart!

Blood Oath Blitz

Blurb

Someone is trying to send a deadly message to Mason, arranging the deaths of those he loves and it puts the entire pack and Alpha on high alert. Plans are made but when the enemy strikes another painful blow by entering into the heart of pack property and kidnapping Darcy, Mason declares war. There’s nothing he won’t do to keep his future mate and pack safe.

Darcy understands the primal instincts driving her beloved Mason’s commands. With the help of those he sets as protectors, she learns about herself and the things she’ll need to help support her Alpha and pack. When events turn dire however, one truth offers her strength – once given, a blood oath is unbreakable … even if it means risking it all.

Cozy Up with a Book Hop

Cozy Up with a Book Hop sign ups is being hosted by Mommy Reads too Much and eReading on the Cheap. Not much better than curling up with a good book.

The blog hop runs from Jan 23rd at 12:00am - January 29th @ 11:59pm. We want this to be an easy and fun blog hop. Every one is welcome to join.

Details & Sign up here: http://mommyreadstoomuch.com/?p=48&mid=551

Blogorama Bonanza Remix 2012

Attention Bloggers!

This is a huge event that will consist of 200 blogs coming together to bring you giveaways from sponsoring companies. Spread the news about Blogorama Bonanza Remix 2012 event on your blog by doing a post and Facebook and twitter for other blogs to join. This event is being promoted and given the publicity it needs throughout the months.

Event Details & Sign up here: http://www.jylasthreeofusgiveaway.org/2011/11/blogorama-bonanza-remix-2012-blogger.html?mid=553

Mother's Day Giveaway Event May 10-18

http://www.queensnycmom.com/2011/12/mothers-day-giveaway-event-may-10-18.html?spref=fb&mid=5536

It is a perfect time to find what gifts you would like to give to your mother. Makobi Scribe is proud to present Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Carnival Event from May 10 12:01 PM EST to May 18 at 12:01 PM EST and is accepting signups now.

More Details here:

Paperback Giveaway!

Want to win these three paperback books?

Eat, Prey Love - Kerrelyn Sparks

Real Vampires get Lucky - Gerry Bartlett

The Cold Kiss of Death - Suzanne McLeod

An ugly Christmas sweater contest!

To enter, all you have to do is take a picture of yourself in the ugliest Christmas sweater you have ever seen.

The winner will receive 3 books, all dystopia oriented (since that seems to be the cool book topic currently). You will have your choice of us gifting them to you in e-reader format or in physical book form.

But don't be discouraged if you aren't number one... the runner up will recieve a $10.00 gift card to their choice of Amazon or B&N.

Details here: The Ink Puddle

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My very first review!

Here is the very first review of my novella done by Kathy and Literary R&R! I am freaking out and doing cartwheels. I'd never thought I'd be so excited!

Literary R&R

Free ebook giveaway

Check out this giveaway for a free ebook by Suddenly Books

http://suddenlybooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-trailer-ebook-giveaway-curse-of.html

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Eat, Prey, Love Review

Wanted: Bride. Must love children. Mortals need not apply.
Carlos Panterra is looking for a mate, a woman who will love and care for the young orphans he's recently taken under his wing (or paw, as the case may be). When the shape shifter spies the beautiful Caitlyn, it's like sunshine amidst the darkness. At last, he's found the perfect woman, except . . .
Caitlyn Whelan is mortal. Worse, her father is the head of a CIA agency bent on hunting the undead. Still, Caitlyn knows that Carlos is the man for her, shape shifter or not. So she jumps at the chance when her sister offers her a job to work with him, determined to show Carlos their attraction is more than just animal magnetism. But danger lurks in the night, and their unleashed, untamed passion might just get them both killed...

Eternal Seduction Review

After living on the streets of New York for over a decade, Logan admits her perceptions might be a little skewed. But twisted or not, there's a satisfying irony in watching a well dressed vampire stand in the middle of a ghetto alley, windblown trash scraping circles near his feet. What she finds even more intriguing, is waiting for him to decide if he's going to kill her.

Kerestyan hasn't made up his mind. As the Lord of New York, he can't let a drug addict, whose memories are packed with knowledge of vampires, run free in his city. It's not the first time he's been in this situation with a human, it's just the first time he's come face to face with one who doesn't seem to care. And that's what makes the decision so difficult.

What horrors could you witness before you went numb? How long would it take before you felt that way? What could make you care again?

Logan's answers are simple: the worst humanity has to offer, almost thirty, and something she never expected.

My Wicked Vampire Review

The Castle of Dark Dreams is just part of an adult theme park, right? The most decadent attraction in a place where people go to play out their wildest erotic fantasies. Holgarth isn't really a wacky wizard, and Sparkle Stardust doesn't actually create cosmic chaos by hooking up completely mismatched couples. And that naked guy chained up in the dungeon? No way he's a vampire.

Wrong…dead wrong, as botanist Cinn Airmid is about to find out. It's up to her to save the night feeder's sanity, but to do that she'll have to get close to the most dangerously sexy male she's ever encountered. And one look in Dacian's haunted black eyes tells her close will take on a whole new meaning with someone who's had 600 years to practice his technique. Even a girl with a name that conjures up images of forbidden pleasure has a few tricks to learn from…My Wicked Vampire.

The Vampire From Hell Review

Rayea isn't daddy's little girl, even if he is the most powerful fallen angel around. He wants her to take an active role in the family business. But she's not interested in his schemes for world domination. Instead she wants to spend her time shopping on the Internet, rescuing humans from a horrific eternity, and practicing martial arts with her seven foot hellhound. Then one day everything changes. Here's the first part of her story about how it all began.

Natural Selection Review

What do you do when you find out your family isn't your family, death is knocking at your door, and that guy you can't stop thinking about knows more about who you are than you do? Amelia Hoffman was just a normal 15 year old until she found out the truth. Now ancient myths, supernatural beings, and murder have changed everything. Tests and school dances are no longer the biggest worry in her life-- she has to figure out how to save everyone she loves and accept the future in front of her before its too late.

Craved Review

Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the little town of Flora, but when she reads the headline, she knows peace may be hard to find. She'll have to use her rare power for being able to read the memories of dead to catch the culprit behind the string of murdered witches. Teaming up with the one man who broke her heart, Detective Micah Reynolds, all the while she has to deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at any given moment and a sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins, he's after her heart.

Dark Corners Review

Ella Reynolds knew from the first moment she walked into the old house someone or something was watching her. Waiting. Her husband's violent murder sent her spiraling into a world of grief and isolation, but Ella isn't alone. Who or what is responsible for her husband's death is still with her. Darkness has engulfed the past year of Ella's life. Everyday reality slips a little more between her fingers as she struggles to break free from her memories. She must look deeper into her past as well as the present to discover truth of her husband's homicide. A string of uncanny events takes place and practical explanations run thin as Ella follows the terrifying road to closure. As the past and present come to a head, Ella must decipher who or what the murderer is before it takes her as well.

eBooks, Free Books, and a grand prize of a Kindle Fire

Dec 1 - Dec 11

Everyone is a winner! The author is so happy about the release of Tattered, that she's giving away copies of the first book in the series, Misfit McCabe and everyone can get the ebook version FREE! Follow directions on this page:

http://blog.griffieworld.com/2011/12/tattered-blog-tour/

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Attention! Blog focus change!

I would just like to let everyone know in advance that before the first of the new year, my blog will be changing. I would like to gear it more towards books and promotions. Therefore, I will be overhauling and making changes that I think you will like!

Thanks for following!

Lisa Rayns

Kindle Fire Giveaway

Independent Inklings has arranged a wonderful Christmas Kindle Fire giveaway event. Enter once to win a Kindle Fire ($199 Amazon Giftcard) and an ebook form each of the 55 authors involved! (including mine!)

Enter below or follow this link: http://takingtimeformommy.com/2011/11/christmaas-kindle-fire-event-christmaskindle/

Closed - Congratulations Dawn Corey

Secrets Review

 Blurb:

While Olivia Martin observed life through her camera, the abyss gazed back at her. She discovers mysterious men follow her around, people close to her are dying, and her dreams are no longer her own as she falls head over heels for a perfect stranger. A chance encounter leads to an obsession that could destroy everything she has ever known or loved. Olivia is about to find out there is a lot she doesn't know and sometimes what you don't know can kill you.

Welcome Stephanie Nelson

Big welcome to my super cool guest – Stephanie Nelson!

Welcome Liz Schulte

Big welcome to my fabulous guest – Liz Schulte!

Welcome David Beem

Welcome to my guest Blog with David Beem

I'm Real!

This post, I'd just like to tell everyone that I'm real!
I'm finally going to be a published author!
Now when people ask me when I'm going to be published...
I still can't tell them.
 I signed the contract, but there are processes like editing, cover design, etc. etc.
As soon as I know, I'll post it here.

Anyway, now that I feel like I've made it somewhere, I've decided to blog once a week. I'm even looking forward to it like I have more to say now that I'm real. So...

My First Blog Post

Welcome to my first official blog post.
I'm extremely new to blogging so feel free to laugh if I type something completely stupid and inappropriate. Laughter is good for the soul and your abs!

I've learned a lot in the last four years. I've been on my novel-writing journey since 2007, so I'm not a noob unless you ask one of the hundred or so people that have asked, "Why aren't you published yet?"

According to them, I must be a noob. 

My response is simply, "The publishers haven't found me yet."

I love to write! Some days I write for so long that my brain turns to mush and I need a full day of recovery. All I can do on those days is stare at the television. It's a virus, I believe. When a story hits me and scenes play through my mind like a beautiful song, I have to write them immediately.

So where am I? It took me three and a half years and twenty or so rewrites to perfect my first novel, Wanted: Vampire - Free Blood. I don't consider that bad because there were a lot of things I didn't know back then. My second novel, A Destined Death, took me six months to write and I'm very proud of both of them.

Many thanks to my family, friends, critique partners, and my writing group on facebook for all of their encouragement and support.