BREYERS Smooth & Dreamy: Don’t leave summer without it!

I live in Louisiana. We have two seasons. Wet and hot. Factoring in the humidity, we’ve had heat indexes in excess of three digits for weeks. Ice cream saves our sanity.

As temperatures rise and summer approaches, my family starts to crave frozen treats even more than usual, and clamor for ice cream at the ready in the freezer. Whether enjoying dessert on the back porch while watching the setting sun or grabbing a frozen treat out of the cooler at a picnic, it doesn’t really feel like summer without ice cream in hand. Some days, it might even be lunch!

Between hanging by the pool, running around all day hopping in and out of the car doing errands, or coming in after working in the garden, the new Breyers Smooth & Dreamy ice cream bars and sandwiches prove an excellent treat for me at the end of a long day.

With six rich and creamy flavors, including Chocolate Caramel Brownie, Vanilla Caramel Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Vanilla Fudge Brownie, and Triple Chocolate Chip, Breyers Smooth & Dreamy bars and sandwiches offer something for everyone. And with no artificial flavors or colors, 160 calories or less and 4-6g of fat per serving, and delicious mix-ins and swirls, these bars and sandwiches make for refreshing snacks and desserts. Hello summer!

The Chocolate Covered Strawberry bars are truly yummy. Even more so because they’re only 120 calories a bar.

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU COULD WIN A COUPON FOR A FREE BREYERS SMOOTH & CREAMY MULTIPACK!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Breyers and received products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Bradshaw’s inspiration for debut novel DOT TO DOT

Dot to Dot has a little bit of everything: drama, horror, suspense, comedy, romance.  Some of the characters are normal, everyday people; others are a bit over the top.  I think it’s got something for everyone.  Even a cannibalistic, necrophiliac serial killer thrown in the mix for good measure.

One thing’s for certain, you’ll never know what’s coming next.  Some parts will hit you like a sucker punch, which is exactly what I hope happens.  Life isn’t predictable, and neither is Dot to Dot. You won’t know what’s coming next.

‘Dot to Dot’ is a literary relay race revolving around one central theme: we are all connected. These connections may be seemingly insignificant – bumping into an old friend on the street or passing a stranger in a hospital corridor – but they have the potential to alter the course of our lives, some slightly, others in more profound and lasting ways. The race begins with an embattled United States senator and moves from character to character like wildfire: the senator’s disgraced wife who decides to leave the public eye following the outing of her husband; the motley crew of movers tasked with transporting the senator’s wife and kids back home to New Mexico; a boy who takes matters into his own hands to save himself and his mother from her murderous boyfriend; a private detective who discovers that his past has come back to haunt him; a police chief who spends his own money to help a Mexican family; the Mexican family themselves who are desperate to get their kidnapped daughter back; a country music singer who stumbles on fame after heartbreak; and, finally, a serial killer who has the tables turned on him by a very unlikely avenging angel. Simply put, ‘Dot to Dot’ is a story about people, some extraordinary, some not, but all memorable and flawed in their own unique ways.

I wanted to write in my own style, not something that was a cookie cutter type novel.  So many of those out there right now.  Originality in writing these days seems to be in short supply.  Screw it, that’s not me.  I write what I want.  If you like it, cool.  If not, that’s cool, too.  Frankly, I don’t write for anyone but me.  That may be a selfish way to look at it, but that’s the way it is.  For me, writing is a selfish process.  It’s my wrists that I’m slitting onto those pages.  How’s that for disturbing imagery?

So, bottom line is this: read Dot to Dot.  You will definitely be entertained, and maybe even sickened.  Some of it will make you laugh, some will make you cry.  Parts of it might even haunt your dreams and leave you lying awake at night wondering about that tapping sound coming from outside your bedroom window.  Is is Crazy Chester come to life?  You never know…

L.G. Bradshaw lives in Minnesota.  He served in the United States Army and worked as a Minneapolis police officer for 14 years, witnessing a seemingly endless stream of human depravity, some of which has found a home in his writing.  Dot to Dot is his first of many novels, and defies convention.

Bradshaw has finished two other novels and is currently working on a fourth.  For more information on the author, visit his website: www.lgbradshaw.com.

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Death of the Gentle Read – So What?

GUEST POST: G. F. SKIPWORTH

I’ve just completed and released a book entitled The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society, based on the stories of six female geniuses bumbling their way through the grim era of 1919. They’re trying to make sense of the practical in their time. More importantly, they’re trying to grab their share of the happiness they deserve using only the tools they’ve got. So what?

How can you and I, as serious readers, buy a book like that when the characters are often cheerful, their stories improbably optimistic, and even their names are so stilted that to hear them in the physical world would be astronomically rare? Where does one get off approaching such a tough era through humor and gentle irony when there’s so much terrifying stuff going on? If I’m going to write faithfully to the condition of the world, shouldn’t l start dark and descend from there? Shouldn’t I use a degree of shock more appropriate to the gravity of the day? Wouldn’t anything else be patently dishonest? It’s a problem, because I don’t want to write for the purpose of only shock or distraction. So, how do I deal with the sheepish feeling that comes over me when I look at the lists of new releases approaching serious subjects in thoughtful and powerful ways? Why was my “breezy” tale of 1919 written at all? In other words, “so what?”

One reason might be that if we covered the material in history class instead, many of us would fall asleep, some of us would fail the final, and almost none of us would remember that suffrage wasn’t a tea party debate that finally won the heart of Congress. People fought for it, and some of them didn’t make it. A “breezy” tale with brilliantly flawed characters might be more effective at reminding us of that than sixty assigned pages in the textbook.

Maybe the textbook, in its effort to give us the information, neglected to seize upon our idealism, without which we cannot survive. Maybe there’s a more rousing example in a cheerfully optimistic, gets-up-when-she’s-knocked-down character than another droned recitation of battles fought, documents signed and lessons forgotten. Do we see ourselves in the textbook, or do we see a half-real past that has nothing to do with us, because the book forgot to ask us to rouse ourselves and maintain our resolve, the way these optimists with the stilted names could?

For some of us at a certain age, there are joys in life we cannot revisit, but those breezy characters with the stilted names can. They can find the reader who believes that life is an art form to be lived beautifully, or the one who believes that such rubbish is  elitist and deluded. Light-heartedness has many uses, and is not necessarily superficial – just ask Charlie Chaplin.  Humor and serious issues have partnered or acted as foils for one another through the centuries. Those genius morons can tell us a great deal about themselves and their time, us and ours. Call them what we will, but we don’t dare call them unrealistic, because we, too, are bumbling our way through the grim era of 2010. We, too, are trying to make sense of the practical in our time and, most importantly, we, too, are trying to grab our share of happiness using only the tools we’ve got –“that’s what.”

G.F. Skipworth has toured much of the world as a concert pianist, symphony/opera conductor, composer, vocalist and opera coach. Along the way, however, he also worked as a speechwriter, in comedy and as an academic author. His formal education includes Whitman College, Johns Hopkins, Harvard and UCLA. As he describes it, one day he sat down to write a fourth symphony, but a four-volume fantasy series came out instead, which he affectionately refers to as a “shoot ‘em up clang clang.” Following the “Fables of the Carpailtin Campfire,” he wrote a fantasy based upon the twenty-four poems of Franz Schubert’s great song-cycle, “Winterreise (Winter Journey.) Moving on to historical fiction, he released “Stormfield – Tales from the Hereafter,” based on Mark Twain’s final incomplete work. Dr. Skipworth often refers to “The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society” as his  personal favorite, although writing dialogue for a cameo appearance by the razor-sharp Dorothy Parker was maddening, even worse than for Mark Twain (at least he paused to light a cigar now and then.) Currently, he resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife Barbara, where he serves on the faculty of Lewis & Clark College. Upcoming works include “The World-Weary String Quartet of Alliance, Nebraska” and “The Madonna of Dunkirk.” Please visit G.F. Skipworth’s site at rosslarebooks.com.

You can get SMART FOR LIFE underWAY and start dropping pounds

Here’s my good news: I was just offered a second book contract.

Here’s my not-so-good news: My rear will expand in proportion to  the emotional energy consumed meeting my deadline.

So, when this opportunity came along, I jumped up and down (I probably should do that more often!).  Honestly, I don’t take time to cook when I write. Ask my husband. And, when I’m not on my butt in front of a laptop, I’m on my butt behind a steering wheel.

Healthy eating on-the-go and exercising suffer when schedules become busier, and sorting through the plethora of products and services on the market proves an overwhelming, time-consuming effort in itself.  Now with the help of innovative products from underWAY and Smart for Life, those weight loss goals may not seem so elusive.

I really enjoyed the underWay drinks, especially the Acai-Pomegranate (the other flavors are Grape and Orange). It’s a full 16 ounce bottle and, since I’m not by nature a water drinker, I really appreciated that this not only took the edge off my cravings, but was good for me too.

The underWAY supplement drink, infused with a special HeroFiber and heart-healthy vitamins, works naturally to suppress your appetite and quench your thirst.  underWAY curbs your hunger two ways.  Its special formulation not only takes longer for the stomach to absorb, it also slows the absorption of what’s already there, making you feel fuller, longer.

What’s more, its unique ingredients stimulate your stomach, telling your brain you’ve consumed more calories that you really have which, with underWAY, is almost zero!  It contains no preservatives, sodium or caffeine, with only 10 calories and 2 grams of carbs per 8 oz. serving.  HeroFiber, a soluble dietary fiber, helps maintain normal levels of cholesterol, glucose and insulin that are already in the normal range.

Smart for Life all natural, 60% organic products offer great snacking on-the-go, containing necessary nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids and HeroFiber, with zero trans fat and making you feel fuller, quicker.  Adopting a new 7-meals-per-day schedule featuring 6 cookies or products plus a balanced dinner allows your body to maintain steady blood sugar and glucose levels, and to burn more fat for a longer portion of the day.  For variety, Smart for Life also offers soups, shakes, bagels, cereals, cupcakes and more.

My favorites of the Smart for Life products were the bagel and the cupcakes. The bagel reminded me of those bagel chips, and I like crunching when I’m trying to not eat every sixteen minutes. Usually crunchy foods are healthy foods. No. Blue Bell Pecan Praline does not count; too few crunches per bite.

The muffins were actually yummy, especially heated in the microwave a bit. The two flavors are Chocolate Mountain and Carrot Sunshine. The cookies are a bit drier than the muffins, but that motivated me to drink water.

Overall, this plan worked for me. I did lose weight, and I really wasn’t physically hungry. I think it’s a great plan for jump starting weight loss because the results don’t take long.

A recent study done at the Boca Raton Smart for Life Weight Management Center showed that out of 46 subjects that visited and used a portion-controlled, protein-rich, low fat cookie with unique fiber technology, all subjects lost weight with the average being 13.1 pounds in 35 days.  Five subjects lost over 20 pounds in 35 days and 20 subjects lost over 15 pounds in the first 35 days.  The 46 participants lost a total of 601 pounds with one patient losing 38.7 pounds in 35 days.

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10% discount code for underWAY and Smart for Life products. Please use MCUS10OFFUW for underWAY products at www.underWAY.com and MCUS10OFFSFL at www.smartforlife.com.

You can learn more about the Smart for Life and underWAY products, developed by physician Dr. Sasson Moulavi, a board certified bariatric weight loss doctor, at www.smartforlife.com andwww.under-way.com.

“I wrote this reviewwhile participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of underWAY and Smart for Life and received samples of the products to review.”

DEBORAH VOGTS: Seeds of Summer sows hope

SEEDS OF SUMMER: Book #2 Seasons of the Tallgrass Series

A heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope. Spanning the Seasons of the Tallgrass, each story in this series reveals the struggle of the people who live there and the dreams they have for the land until they come full-circle in a never-ending cycle, just as man comes full-circle in his understanding of God.

SHE MUST ABANDON HER DREAMS .
Former rodeo queen Natalie Adams has big troubles. When her father dies unexpectedly, she’s saddled with the family ranch and two half-siblings, whose mother abandoned them years ago and is long believed dead. A handsome young pastor, Jared Logan, repeatedly comes to her rescue. But Natalie’s strong independent nature wants nothing to do with his help.

HE MUST FULFILL HIS.
Jared, a city boy do-gooder, has dreams of his own. He’s ready to solve Natalie’s problems, as well as any problems in his church. But his congregation resists change, and the more deeply involved he becomes with Natalie’s family, the more he questions his life as a clergyman.
Jared’s enthusiasm turns to fear as he contemplates failure.

WILL THEY FACE THEIR FEARS …AND FIND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE?
When Natalie’s stepmother unexpectedly shows up with plans of her own, Natalie must choose between the responsibilities of caring for a family or following her own desires. Love, forgiveness, and faith mingle together in the breathtaking world of the Kansas Flint Hills prairie.
*******************

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

I grew up on a farm in SE Kansas with pigs, cattle, horses and sheep, as well as space to run free. After college, I remember being in a city park flying kites and having the worst ache in my heart for wide-open spaces. That longing took me back home where I married a high school classmate. My husband and I have three daughters and raise and train American Quarter Horses.

To put it simply, I love living in the country — fresh air, quiet atmosphere, breathtaking sunsets. Besides writing, my hobbies include reading, cooking, sewing, gardening and garage sale shopping. I enjoy playing the piano, taking walks with our two golden retrievers, and singing in the church choir. I’m also a 4-H mom and a Sunday school teacher.

If you haven’t guessed by now, the books I write are set in the country. I believe my most dedicated readers will be those who live in the country, those who have moved from the country and still hold it in their hearts, or those who have never lived there but long for the simple life it offers. Because of this, I’ve chosen Country at Heart as my writing brand, which is also the title of my Blog.

On Writing:

I began my first book when I was in high school. In college I studied English literature and journalism. Then came marriage, kids . . . life. During that time, I piddled with my writing but didn’t take it seriously until 2002 when I joined a local writer’s group and American Christian Fiction Writers. I also joined a critique group, took online writing workshops, read writing book how-to’s and attended writer’s conferences. Now I have an agent, Rachelle Gardner, at WordServe Literary and have been contracted with Zondervan for a three-book contemporary romance series.

Country magazine recently profiled Vogts’ life as a Kansas author. “Like the characters she creates, author Deborah Vogts finds contentment and fulfillment by following her passions.”

The feature explores how Vogts’ writing is inspired by the horse stories that she hears from her husband and daughters at the dinner table. The article states that Deborah’s novels are “unlike some steamy romance novels, hers promote traditional lifestyles and values.”

Deborah writes for more than just romantic females and horse lovers. “I’ve had so many men read my book, says Vogts. ―It’s incredible.”

Deborah enjoys reading, cooking, sewing, gardening and shopping at garage sales. Playing the piano, taking walks with her two golden retrievers and being a 4-H mom are also hobbies of Deborah. At church she teaches Sunday school and sings in the choir. To learn more about Deborah, please visit her web site at www.deborahvogts.com.

The Seasons of the Tallgrass series captures the spirit and dreams of ordinary people living in the Flint Hills of Kansas–one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world.The first book, Snow Melts in Spring, is available in stores now.