Corktown

The Doctor Is Back!
 In the quiet Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, a mutilated body has the residents nervous and for good reason. Detroit Metro Police recognize the handiwork of the serial killer known as the Doctor.

But there’s a problem with that. They locked him up seven years ago. Because of her expertise with serial killers, former hotshot detective and now FBI agent, Abby Kane, is tasked with figuring out how this madman is able to kill again. When she visits The Doctor behind bars, he swears he’s innocent and not the psychopath everyone thinks he is.

Oddly enough, Abby believes him. Corktown dives headfirst into the grit of Detroit, exposing the government corruption and deadly violence that
has haunted the city for decades.

 About Ty Hutchinson

 Hello. My name is Ty Hutchinson and I’m from Hawaii. What does that mean? I don’t need to tan. I’m the author of the best selling Darby Stansfield novels. Readers have described them as Tarantino meets The Office with a splash of romance. Let me know if you agree. My latest release is Corktown, the first book in my new Abby Kane series. I’m very excited about it.

Before this whole author thing came up, I spent twenty-two years in advertising writing stuff that irritates you. I’ve stopped that. When I’m not writing thrillers, you’ll find me traveling the world, playing video games, eating and reading, or watching HGTV. Yup, me likey the HGTV. Don’t hate.  

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The author will be giving away a $50 Amazon gift card, 5 autographed paperback books plus extra swag goodies, and 5 ebooks Fill out the form to enter. Open INT for digital or US/ Can for print books and swag a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo Credit: @Lifeonprint Cindy Hickman

Fall is here and I’ve been enjoying watching the changing New England foliage, getting out the warm sweaters and boots and planning for Thanksgiving. One of my favorite ways to make our house feel more homey is having seasonal candles. I love the beautiful colors and shapes and scents. I love the warm glow and the way they can create a certain mood. They are also beautiful for entertaining.

Cinnamon Stick Orange Candles

Crafted Candles has a great selection and reasonable prices. I found this Cinnamon Stick Orange Candle and it reminded me of the pomanders we used to make in school when I was young. I think the shape is very decorative and novel and I love the smell of orange and cinnamon! It’s in my favorite tea.

Harvest Leaves

I also love this Harvest leaves Beeswax Pillar Candle whch will last up to 12 hours. I really like how candles are both decorative and utilitarian.

Red Oak Leaf

I also love the Red Oak Leaf Floating Candles set. Hand dipped and hand painted in food grade wax, these can be used on your serving table or at place settings. They’re almost too pretty for me to light so I’d probably keep an extra set around.

Holly Spiral Beeswax Taper

I haven’t finished a lot of my Christmas shopping yet (shhh!), but I am looking at these Holly Spiral Beeswax Taper Candles.  The Holly Beeswax Taper Candle is available in two designs: Ivory with Red and Green holly, and Ivory with Gold and Silver holly.

And then, for fun, I love the Marshmallow Snowmen! I really love Christmas candles and Crafted Candles has a great selection. I got lost for quite a while browsing. 

Marshmallow Snowmen

These Fall and Winter candles make me dream of spiced cider, hot chocolate and reading a book by the fireplace. I think that candles make a great gift. They really enhance the season.

New Facebook fans can get an exclusive discount code for Crafted Candles here.

Would you like to get a start on Holiday Candle Shopping? One lucky winner will receive $100 in credit to spend to their heart’s delight at Crafted Candles (this can be applied to shipping as well).

This giveaway is open to those 18+ in the US and Canada. Please follow the Rafflecopter below.

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Crafted Candles and powered by Couponista Queen.

I love to travel though I haven’t done as much of it lately as I’d like. I think when you’re younger, sometimes it’s easier to just take off. At least, it was for me. After I graduated college, my then boyfriend and I bought Eurailpasses and took off for Paris. We took the train and explored Geneva, Vienna, Florence, Venice and Rome and then hopped a boat to take us to Greece. We loved Athens and the Islands and I have since returned to Greece as it was magnificent in so many ways.

Gogobot

One place that I feel I didn’t spend enough time in was Paris. The city has so much to offer and I know I missed a lot. I recently heard about a new social site for travelers called Gogobot. They already have some wonderful accolades including being named one of Time’s top sites of 2011 and winner of the 2010 Crunchie award for Best Design. I can see why.

What I love most about Gogobot is the wonderfully personal information you can find there. When I was travelling, one thing I remembered most was the smaller places you’d find along the way for the perfect gelato or espresso or a hotel that really catered to its customers. During our journey, my boyfriend and I would get into a conversation with either local folks or fellow travellers and some of their recommendations helped us to really enjoy our time.

I have decided that I am going to go back to Paris and I’m definitely using Gogobot to help plan my trip this time. I love the personal touch it offers and the chance to ask questions pertaining to your interests!

I would love to stay at the Hotel Plaza Athenee because it is recommended as one of the most romantic hotels. Luxurious and with a wonderful location, it is near so many wonderful landmarks, stores, and restaurants. Who could miss a trip down the nearby Champs Elysees? Here it is with its stunning courtyard.

For some new foods I found out from Gogobot users that Ladurée is possibly the best ‘macaroon’ shop in Paris and that Angelina has outstanding hot chocolate.

Also, for amazing French style entrecôte with salad and potatoes (steak and fries) I’ll be checking out Le Relais de l’Entrecote, a classic! 

 For nightlife, I’m adding The Buddha Bar to my itinerary which is also a restaurant.

And for day trips, the Musee d’Orsay with lots of paintings by Van Gogh and the other Impressionists. I also hope to climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and enjoy the view.

After a busy day of sightseeing and shopping, it will be great to visit Le Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris’ second largest public park. The gardens and sculptures are said to be breathtaking. I imagine relaxing on one of the benches with my baguette and brie and watching the world go by.

There is such a plethora of wonderful recommendations at Gogobot that it is really fun to browse and plan and daydream there! You can even check out locations not too far from where you live and find new places to visit!

Gogobot allows you to tap into the knowledge of your friends when planning a trip anywhere. You can find like-minded travelers and inspiration for your next vacation, creating easy-to-use wishlists you can return to again and again.

And when you are not in vacation mode or planning a trip, you can discover hidden gems in your own neighborhood for entertaining guests or a weekend staycation.

The best part? Every page on Gogobot is personalized. You can see reviews from your friends and people you are following at the top, which allows you to weed out the noise and fraudulent reviews that become a problem on other review sites. Check out Gogobot today!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gogobot. The opinions and text are all mine.

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent’s permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Do you remember your first kiss? Your favorite kiss? 

A kiss can be so simple, yet so profound, so fleeting, yet its memory last a lifetime. 

NIVEA is all about touch, all about softness, and they are gearing up to help make this New Year’s Eve the best yet with their ever-popular “Kiss of the Year” contest.

NIVEA makes every kiss special and they want to give you the chance to experience your New Year’s Eve kiss in one of the most iconic locations, Times Square, on the stage where celebrity couple Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza will be co-hosting! As if that weren’t exciting enough, the winning couple will be whisked away to experience a full VIP adventure in New York City to kick off 2013!

The entry period is from October 18-November 8, so you still have time to enter on NIVEA’s Facebook Page.

Wouldn’t that be an awesome way to start the New Year with your sweetie? I hope to see one of you there!

I’m happy to say that my lips will be very soft and kissable because NIVEA was kind enough to send me a muslin bag full of lip balms: A Kiss of Protection for sun care, A Kiss of Moisture with jojoba Oil and Shea Butter, a Kiss of Olive Oil and Lemon to hydrate, and, my two favorites, A Kiss of Cherry, fruity and colorful, and A Kiss of Shimmer, with Pearl and Silk extracts. I love them all.

They also sent along some Co-Enzyme Q10 body lotion and a Touch of Lemongrass hydrating shower gel. I adore the smell of the lemongrass and my skin is very very soft. Heavenly.

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will also win a “Romantic Kiss” Prep Kit with   a Set of five NIVEA Lip Care products  to make sure your lips are at their kissable best as well as 2 Bonus NIVEA Bath or Body products.

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Welcome to the Hoppin’ Halloween Giveaway Hop hosted by MamaNYC! We’re celebrating Halloween with an amazing event featuring ALL sorts of prizes, which means there is going to be something for everyone! With over 90 blogs participating, Hoppin’ Halloween is going to be a BLAST! This event will run from October 25-31st so you’ll have time to enter all the giveaways you like. Good luck and Happy Halloween!

Strange Daze Indeed has a spooky fun Halloween giveaway for you from one of our favorites, Laughing Vixen!

Laughing Vixen is constantly updating her Laughing Vixen Lounge with all manner of gorgeous pop-culture horror and vintage-themed jewelry. You’ll find everything for the modern vixen there: handmade necklaces, pendants, charm bracelets, and compacts for every occasion.

I’m hoping to get this very cool Zombie necklace and I know quite a few friends that it would make the ideal gift for!

Our giveaway is for your choice of  a very cool Compact and Silver Pendant! Mix and match to your heart’s content – whatever theme you like!

Vampire Pendant – Nosferatu

Vintage Witch Pendant

Here are some of my favorites but there are oh so many more!

Happy Halloween Bat Pill Box with Mirror

Lovely blood spatter Pill Box with Mirror

photocredit: @Lifeonprint Cindy Hickman

Be a HERO, get a shirt and two FREE Wholly Guacamole coupons!

Help send 100 military kids to summer camp!

The Wholly Guacmaole company teamed up with Brad Meltzer, founder of Ordinary People Change the World and Operation Purple, a program of the National Military Family Association. Please help them reach their goal!

Each shirt is $10 and the ENTIRE $10 goes towards the goal!

Please check out this video as well as:

The Wholly Heroes Flyer

and

The Wholly Heroes Website to learn more!