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$50 Amazon GC or Paypal Cash – giveaway / Catherine Green Book Blast

April 24, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

Life in the PalaceLife in the Palace by Catherine Green

“We need to talk,” Tal said. Then I knew it was going to go badly. ‘We need to talk’ is the conversational equivalent of walking into your basement without turning on the light, on a dark and stormy night, when a known psychopath is on the loose. You might as well cut to the chase and slit your own throat.

Chloe Diaz assumed three things: that when Tal said that she was one of The People sent from heaven to maintain the cosmic balance, it was code for ‘I’m a pamphlet distributing, incense burning, religious weirdo;’ that the gorgeous Seth Wilks would never be her soul mate and that she’d never have to choose between them. Chloe was wrong.

Now the future of the world is in her hands, but what if the price for that is too great to pay?

Download a FREE copy now!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Chloe on Facebook * Seth on Facebook

 

After a lifetime in the shadow of her sister, Chloe is severely phobic of everything cool. Seth is everything she avoids; a pre-med philosophy major who works in a bar, plays in a band and is so good looking grown women stare at him in the street. But it’s hard to say no to your soul mate. Thinking she’s maxed out her supply of destiny, Chloe settles down to enjoy the happily-ever-after.

 

Tal says that she’s one of The People sent from heaven to maintain the cosmic balance. Chloe assumes this is code for ‘I’m a pamphlet distributing, incense burning, religious weirdo.’ Actually Tal’s main extracurricular activity is fighting the forces of Oblivion. The People never need to hide what they are because no one ever believes them. Until Chloe does.

 

Chloe sets out to help Tal and The People as much as she can being as she is an outsider. Seth says as long as no one wears their underwear on the outside Chloe can do what she likes. What he doesn’t say is that he’s also one of The People, although non-practicing. But as the Final Battle draws nearer, Chloe realizes it’s time for Seth to go collect his regulation sword. The only thing standing in his way is her. Seth says he’ll give up his place in heaven to stay with her. Now Chloe must choose between Seth’s soul and her own happiness.

 

Author Catherine Green

Catherine Green writes fantasy books featuring religious characters in a brazen attempt to make the people in faith communities seem less weird. She lives with her husband, children and also three marginally neglected goldfish. When she’s not writing, or pretending to be one of her characters on Facebook, she has been known to cook dinner.

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Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/15/14

Open only to those 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 enter for you. 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. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bringing the Message of Easter Into Our Lives

April 20, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 21 Comments

 We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing.- Charles Bukowski

It’s Easter Sunday today, a time of resurrection and rebirth. To many, the day has strong religious significance. But, it also is a rebirth for the flowers and the earth as spring awakens from an unusually long winter this year.

How to Bring Easter

I was refelecting on these ideas today and, I thought, why not take it one step further. Why not let today be our own personal rebirth, where we finally let go of the past and live in the present moment. The past is really just a construct we are all holding onto in our minds. It’s similar to listening to a song you really don’t like on the radio. If you do nothing, you’ll be unhappy; however, if you simply change the channel, you may find something you love. So, change the channel.

Is there a fear you’ve been unwilling to face. Ask yourself, what’s the worst that could happen and then try! On the other side of fear is often great joy, excitement, and a new freedom. Just as a snake sheds its skin, let today be a day of transformation.

Are there people you can’t forgive? Forgive them for yourself. Don’t hold onto the bitterness and let it fester inside you. No one says you have to spend time with them or even communicate with them. Do it because you love yourself.

I had a very wise teacher who taught me that you can’t change the moment, but, you really can change your reaction to it. No one says this will be easy, and, in fact, there are times when it’s near impossible. However, the more you can do this, the happier you become. Sometimes, it is as simple as flicking a switch and choosing to be happy when your mind is stuck in old habits.

In regards to Bukowski’s quote above: So often we let relatively minor or trivial slights ruin our day. When I look at these annoyances in light of the big picture, I wonder what got me so bent out of shape. And, the more I do this, the less these petty irritations get to me, and the more time I have to enjoy my life.

Soon, I find they barely scratch the surface of my well-being. So, on this day of rebirth, I choose to be happy, I choose joy over sadness, hope over fear. And, I’m okay to just let things be.

Happy Easter everyone!

photo credit: Ravages via photopin cc

Healthy Essentials, Healthy Planet! #Moms4JNJConsumer

April 16, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 13 Comments

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April is Earth Month! Although it’s important to consider our wonderful planet every day, Earth Day (April 22) is a wonderful time to re-focus and really think of what sustainability means to us. After all, the choices we pursue and the actions we take today affect everything in the future. That’s a sobering thought, but, also exciting, as it means we can bring awareness and change for the better.

We only have one planet, so why not treat it with love and gratitude. It brings us beautiful sunsets, flowers, landscapes and a place to raise our families and never asks for anything back.

Giving Back

Johnson & Johnson is helping with some great April deals available at HealthyEssentials.com. You can save over $55 on necessities in recyclable packaging.

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They also offer some great tips for recycling, not just in our kitchens, but also in our bathrooms, and other great Earth Month ideas like planting an edible veggie garden!

Snap a Photo, Do Some Good

Johnson & Johnson also has a wonderful charitable initiative called Donate a Photo which is pretty amazing.

Check out the video!

For every photo that you share, Johnson & Johnson donates $1 to a cause you choose to help. This has a ripple effect and can help fix up a public park, get medicine for an infant, or help kids play sports safely. You choose the cause. Johnson & Johnson puts it into action on your behalf.

You can donate one photo a day, every day. Make a difference by helping raise money and awareness for causes that are meaningful to you. Share with your friends.

Join The Party!

We will be having a twitter party to talk about the great deals with #HealthyEssentials and discuss Earth Day! Dates (To be determined).

 

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Hope to see you there!

Disclosure: This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

Home Is Where the Snark Is – My Collaboration with Beamly

April 14, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 8 Comments

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While other kids were getting dirt in odd places in the sandbox or getting bruised in dodgeball, you could find me on the couch at home munching on my PB&J, watching Days Of Our Lives with Mom. To this day, I still watch that show and the shenanigans going on in Salem, Everywhere, USA.

You could even say I’m a bit of a tv freak. I get hives when I miss my favorite show and am inconsolable when my favorite is voted off the island. Speaking of Survivor, I’ve watched every season from back when Richard Hatch ran around naked and Sue Hawk ranted about “Rats and Snakes” to the current season when the Brains tribe in Brains, Brawn and Beauty turned out to have none!

Some of my favorite daydreams are outwitting everyone on Survivor or getting to tour the world on The Amazing Race, so it’s great fun to see others take on the adventure.

Though I don’t quite have the talent, I love watching hopefuls on The Voice compete for a chance to find their place in the music world. I’ve always loved the unique premise, with the Blind Auditions assuring that the voice is truly the deciding factor. I also come to check out the coaches, their finesse and their snark. Whether you’re Team Adam, Usher, Shakira or Blake, this show is better than any in its genre. Personally, I have a soft spot for the cowboy.

So what’s a TVPhile like me to do for great conversation and content? Just like Hannibal digesting his latest prey, I really need to ruminate over my favorite shows with other TV fanatics. That’s why I’m really excited to have discovered Beamly.

Beamly is my new companion, a multi-dimensional Social Network for TV lovers with personalized tv picks, news, buzz and chat about your favorite shows 24/7. Beamly helps you find programming that fits your interests and then allows you to chat it up with like-minded individuals. Shows have their own “rooms” where hundreds of people virtually meet.

I am collaborating with Beamly and am thrilled to be contributing to TV rooms over the next four weeks. You can find me in the Survivor, Voice and Days of Our Lives Rooms discussing all the latest shockers and happenings.

Beamly is available for mobile devices, including iPad, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 and via the interwebz.

It’s incredibly easy to sign up so I hope you’ll come visit and chat with me at Beamly. See you there!

Beamly is THE 24 X 7 social and content network for TV and TV fans. Join me today in TV conversations and get the latest juice and gossip about your favorite shows!

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

Fabulous Finds: Olie Biologique Huile Radicale

April 7, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 28 Comments

Olie-Biologique-Radicale-e1360794186430 Hot right now: Facial Oils

 

Though at first it may give one pause, putting pure and natural oils on your face is one of the best ways to help restore moisture, deliver essential nutrients, and prevent pore congestion. Just make sure you are using a high quality plant-derived oil.

I had a rough winter. My skin had a rougher winter. As spring approaches, I’m looking for ways to restore its natural glow. My favorite right now is Olie Biologique Huile Radicale.

Nature’s plumper and parched skin quencher. A MUST for dry, dull and damaged and aging skin begging for its radiant glow.

Intensive radiance-boosting and rejuvenating, this blend of 8 organic plant seed oils and floral extracts provides all-natural skin quenching properties with lightweight, healing potency. Anti-oxidants, fatty acids and naturally occurring retinoic acid preserve elasticity, plump facial lines and improve firmness while reducing brown spots. Absorbs completely to leave a silky, non-greasy finish. – from the site 

Ingredients: Organic Camellia Oil, Organic Rosehip Oil, Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Natural Vitamin E, Grapefruit Oil, Sandalwood, Rose Geranium Oil, Rose Damascena (rose) flower oil.

I received a travel size to test and am now a believer. I will be replenishing my supply when I have gone through this one, though that will be a while as you only need a few drops at a time. I put it on at night before I go to bed and have noticed that my skin looks more radiant and youthful in the morning. Although I have only been using it for about a week now, I already see the plumping effects on my laugh lines. This fills them in and helps diminish them. The scent is natural and light, the feel luxurious on my skin.

For a mini facial massage: Apply over neck + face. Massage upwards & outwards for a few minutes to boost circulation, break down congestion & firm facial muscles.

Olìe biologique is a luxury natural skincare brand based on 100% organic, vitamin rich oils unearthed from plant and tree sources.

Check out the Power Trip Trio:

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Special Reader Discount:

Receive 20% off the purchase of a full size bottle of 005 Huile Radicale. This offer expires August 31st, 2014.

Reader Discount: 20% Off
Reader Discount Code: OlieBB05

Disclosure: I was provided a sample to facilitate my review from BrandBacker, however, all opinions are, as always, my own. 

 

   

Win an Udderly Smooth prize pack – For The Love Of Mom Blog Hop

April 6, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 110 Comments

 

Welcome to the “For the Love of Mom” Giveaway Hop hosted by Mama’s Baby Cupcakes & Mommy’s Favorite Things. The theme of this event is great gifts for mothers, and each blog participating has a prize valued at $25 or more. This hop runs April 7-21 so that your winnings arrive just in time for Mother’s Day! Also be sure to enter the Grand Prize valued at $160.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. -Tenneva Jordan 

Mother’s Day is a wonderful time to give thanks to those who loved us even before we were born.  Life is an adventure, and not always the easiest, but, I’ve found it is very worthwhile. Joys are doubled when shared; pain is halved. For this blog hop, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite pampering products, Udderly Smooth.

I love this brand for so many reasons! First of all, the products are so soothing, so hydrating, leaving your skin soft and smooth. Whether you garden, craft, work hard with your hands, or, like me, have had an incredibly dry winter, moisturizing your skin is essential.

I found, when I was moving earlier this year, that my hands were blistered and sore, and Udderly Smooth was one of the few products that truly healed and repaired my skin, bringing it back to beautiful.

Udderly Smooth is great for soothing dry, cracked, skin, for everyday, even for sunburns. It’s really nice to keep a tube in the fridge in summer where the cooling effect amplifies the relief.

You may be wondering if this product is just for cows – after all, udders and all that. Family owned and operated, Redex Industries, has manufactured Udderly Smooth for over 30 years in Salem, Ohio.  Originally invented for use on dairy cows, it’s now used for dry skin worldwide.

I have been following @UdderlySmooth on Twitter for many years and have become friends with Linda who is the daughter of the founder. She and her brother oversee the day-to-day operations. What I truly love is that Linda is so friendly and kind to everyone. Because Udderly Smooth is sold worldwide and in so many stores, one might think that they are a large impersonal company, but, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. They are family-owned and keep the feeling of the neighborhood drugstore – always there with a remedy and a smile.

They also give back to the community, which is something I admire. They donate often and generously and have given many products to those in the military as well.

Check out this video!

Today we’re giving away a wonderful assortment of Udderly Smooth Moisturizers and other products! They will keep you hydrated and very huggable. These products are non-greasy, absorb quickly and the scent is clean, natural and fresh.

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You will get a cool prize pack with:

Udderly Smooth Shea foot cream. 8 oz
Udderly Smooth Body Cream, 12 oz
Udderly Smooth Vitamin E Cream, 3 0z
Udderly Smooth Hand & Body Lotion 16 fl oz
Udderly Smooth Udder Cream 2 oz tube

An Udderly Smooth Baseball hat

And samples!

Special Bonus: Udderly Smooth is also adding Easter socks to this package!

UdderlySmooth

 

So just enter via Rafflecopter below and get smooth for Summer!  This giveaway is open to both US and Canada.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Be sure to stop by Mama’s Baby Cupcakes because she’s also hosting the Grand Prize for this hop. Retail value is $160 and features the sponsors of Zoey’s Attic, Madil flip flops, Pretty Please Polish, The Diaper Clutch, and Pure Romance by Stacy. A great package for anyone, but a special gift for the special Mom in your life!

 

Disclosure: Mama’s Baby Cupcakes, Mommy’s Favorite Things and the “Love for Mom” participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

 

Unplanned Motherhood by Lena Sledge – $100 Giveaway – Paypal Cash or Amazon GC

April 1, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 1 Comment

unplanned motherhood

Unplanned Motherhood

Unplanned Motherhood is a non-fiction collection of short stories written by moms and dads about their funny inspirational or motivational journies in parenting. This collection is based on the web series created by Lena Sledge.

 

Unplanned Motherhood is a comedy web series for perfectly imperfect families, starring Lena Sledge as Layla, a wife and mother of five that gives parenting advice on her mommy blog. Her unique parenting style contradicts with her perfect parenting advice which lends to a distinct brand of humor. With each episode, we see Layla teaching her kids life lessons as she discovers more about herself and the advice she gives to her readers. Unique to this web series is the actual blog that Layla writes where she gives the perfect parenting advice and after many of her posts you’ll find the tag line; “to see how I really handled the situation watch this week’s episode”.



This web series is unique  because the viewers of the web series and the readers of the real life blog get to interact with Layla and let her know if her advice is on the money or share their own parenting advice. To follow the Unplanned Motherhood blog go to www.lenasledge.com.

If you would like to submit a short story to be included in the book Unplanned Motherhood, send 500 words or less to sonnybrookfilms@yahoo.com. Short story must be clean, family friendly as well as funny, inspirational or motivational.

 

Unplanned Motherhood Cast

Unplanned Motherhood Cast

Starring Morgan Hamilton as Sonny, Stefani Colvin as Brooke, Grayson Kilpatrick as Deacon, Aidan Heuer as Spoon, and Ari Heuer as Ari.

 

LenaAuthor Lena Sledge

Lena Sledge is an awarding winning author. Her first book, a collection of short stories called If I Had My Way, won the 2012 African American Literary Award for Best Short Story/Anthology. Her short film, Grandma’s Hands, won 3rd place at the River City Film Festival in March 2014. Her most recent project, a comedy web series called Unplanned Motherhood debuted  March 28th on Youtube.

Lena Sledge has collaborated on many literary projects as well as tv and film projects. She offers advice, resources, and tips on writing, navigating the independent film industry as well as reviews and highlights about upcoming books and authors.

 

book blast button

 
Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/21/14

Open only to those 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 enter for you. 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. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Join the Puppy Initiative at American Well

April 1, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 25 Comments

Is our healthcare going to the dogs? Check out this video from American Well and you be the judge. The only requirement for the recruits : “They gotta be cute. If they’re not cute, we’re not hiring them.”

On the plus side, it’s a pretty cushy job with frequent bathroom breaks and no long commute.

Spring Renewal – Time to Update my Wardrobe! #SpringAtKohls #Sponsored #MC

March 24, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 34 Comments

I participated in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Kohl’s. I received a gift card as a thank you for participating.

Spring-at-Kohls

Now that the weather is finally warming up, it’s time for Spring renewal. I can’t wait to recharge my wardrobe and I found some wonderful tips on the new trends at Kohl’s Spring Fashion Google Hangout.

I’m loving the roll-cuff denim, the feminine tops, the dresses and the color Pink, and have my eye on a stylishly comfortable ELLE Striped Fit & Flare Ponte Dress. This season I’m not going to shirk from color, but wear it proudly. What I’ve always loved about Kohl’s is that I can experiment and accessorize and still have money left over. Check out the Kohl’s Spring Fashion Hangout. What trends are you most excited for this Spring?

Wordless Wednesday: Almost Spring

March 19, 2014 By Debra Pearlstein 25 Comments

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