Entice Excerpt and Giveaway

Welcome to the Prowl Trilogy tour hosted by I Luv Tours. Today we are featuring an excerpt from the second book, Entice.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

 Entice by Amber Garza

The blurb:  Mackenzie returns home from the summer with her grandma, certain that Wesley is out of her life for good. Until the nightmares resurface, and strange things start to happen. Is Wesley back?
When the danger escalates and threatens those closest to her, Mackenzie must fight to save them. Only this time the evil is more powerful, and Mackenzie is faced with an impossible decision.

Excerpt from Entice

Bump. Thump. Crash.  

I sat upright in my bed. The covers fell from my shoulders and gathered around my waist.  My room was dark. The light from the streetlamp shone through the cracks in the blinds, slashing across my walls.

Footfalls. Another thump.

The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention. Sweat beaded along my shoulder blades. My heart hammered in my chest. I crept off my bed, and tiptoed out of the room.

A crash made me jump. I clutched my chest, feeling my heartbeat bounce under my fingertips. I peeked into my mom’s room but she was gone. Her covers lie in a pile on the ground near the end of her bed. Her sheets were twisted as if someone had yanked her out of them. My stomach dropped.

More noises came from the family room. What was going on? I tiptoed down the hallway, scarcely breathing. Cold hair slapped me in the face.

The front door was wide open. The freezing night air rushed in. Our family room was ransacked. My Bible was flapping on the floor, and some of the pages were ripped out and littered the carpet. The end table was toppled over, a chair was overturned. A glass of water had spilled over and soaked the ground.

Swallowing hard, I took a step forward. My defenses were up. I swiveled my head in every direction, ready for someone to spring from the shadows. A woman’s voice caught my attention. It sounded like Mom. I followed the voice, which came from outside.

She stood on the grass, her sheer nightgown billowing around her like a cloud. Her blond hair framed her face in a ragged mess. She spoke in a monotonous voice like a chant. Almost as if she was reciting something. Her eyes were glassy, her pupils wide.

“Mom?” I stepped onto the grass. It was cold and wet under my bare feet.

She stared right through me. Her face was pale against the dark sky. Her flesh seemed to glow in the darkness.

“Mom?” I repeated but again she was unresponsive. Her lips continued to move in her unintelligible chant.

“Who did this? Did someone hurt you?”

Tears pricked my eyes. I reached out my hand, and gently touched her shoulder. It was icy. She flinched, and recoiled.

The Giveaway

What you can win: One (1) e-book from the Prowl Trilogy (Prowl or Entice or Unveil). Open internationally. There will be only one winner from this blog throughout the tour, although I will have a post for each book in the trilogy. Giveaway ends October 25th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There will also be a tour-wide giveaway. All three (3) e-books of The Prowl Trilogy + Surprise to one winner. Open INTERNATIONAL, ENDS October 30, 2012. To enter this giveaway and find the tour schedule, click here.


You can buy the books via the following links:
Prowl in paperback
Prowl on Kindle
Entice in paperback
Entice on Kindle
Unveil in paperback
Unveil on Kindle

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway

Hi! Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.

Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.

THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.

This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.

Author: Andrew Cort


A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.

In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.

Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture.  Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.

He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred eminine: Women in the Bible.

Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is
available for interviews and speaking engagements.

A NEW LOOK AT ADAM & EVE: Part 1 – “The Rib”

The story of Adam and Eve is the foundational story of western civilization, and I believe it has been terribly misinterpreted with devastating results for us all. Let’s take a fresh look:  The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘Adam’ is actually a gender-neutral word that means ‘a creature of earth’. In other words, Adam was initially created neither Male nor Female.
The creature was placed in the Garden and given only one  restriction – not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Adam lived a quiet, comfortable, and all but purposeless life in the Garden, tending the flora and distributing names to the animals. But God saw that Adam was alone with no emotional life, no tension, hardship or struggle. So God decided to put Adam to sleep and separate it into Male and Female in order to provide an emotionally meaningful life for humanity.
Here is an extremely important point: The Hebrew word tsela appears many times in the Bible. With one exception it is translated as ‘side’, typically referring to the side walls of important structures such as the Tabernacle. On one occasion only, here in Genesis, tsela is translated as ‘rib’.
This unique translation has had horrendous repercussions.
But if we give the word the same meaning that it has on every other occasion, the story makes more sense. God took one side of the creature and out of this he made Eve, the woman, and the other side became Adam, the man – where neither had existed before. The ‘One’ has become ‘Two’, and there is nothing in this description to indicate anything other than perfect equality.
The isolation of one human creature can now be replaced with a new form of wholeness that is attainable through love and erotic longing between two individuals.
One possible reason for the early translator’s choice of the word 'rib’ in this one place is that by taking a rib God revealed the Heart of the creature, analogous to opening Pandora’s Box, thus bringing emotions (which are universally symbolized by the Feminine) into the realm of human life. Like Pandora’s story, this is where pain and difficulty enter the world, but also happiness and meaning, and only then do mortal beings become moral beings with the ability to make choices and mistakes, and thus to evolve and grow.
Even if we retain the word ‘rib’ as the translation of tsela, we see that this rib did not come from a previously created male, thereby suggesting some sort of primacy for the ‘man’. On the contrary, the rib came from a previously created earth creature of no gender.
And in fact, the Woman, Eve, in the story, was created before the Man!

Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.

BUY NOW LINKS:

Amazon paper book
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:

Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_Cort

Please check out these other great posts this week!

9/17 A Night's Dream of Books Weekly Guest Post 2

9/17 My World Weekly Guest Post 2

9/18 Nette's Bookshelf Reviews Guest Pos t2 and Giveaway 

9/19 My Little Pocketbooks Guest Blog 2 and Giveaway 

9/19 My Chaotic Ramblings First Chapter 

9/19 My Devotional Thoughts Weekly Guest Post 2

9/19 My Cozie Corner Weekly Guest Post 2

9/20 Simply Infatuated Weekly Guest Post 2

9/20 Reading, Writing and More Weekly Guest Post 2

9/21 The Bunnies Review Weekly Guest Post 2 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Soundtrack to the End of the World: Review and Contest

Welcome to the Soundtrack to the End of the World blog tour!!  Today I offer my review of the book.  Stick around to enter for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

Author bio

Anthony J. Rapino resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania, somewhere between the concrete of the city and the trees of the forest. On occasion, you’ll find him moderating the feverish battles between the creatures of these two arenas. Whose side he’s on is anyone’s guess.
His newest fiction can be found in Black Ink Horror, On Spec, Arcane Anthology, Electric Spec, A cappella Zoo, Space Squid, TQR Stories, and carved inside a variety of autumn gourds. His short story collection, Welcome to Moon Hill, is currently available, as is his first novel Soundtrack to the End of the World. Proof of his psychosis can be found on his website: http://www.anthonyjrapino.com

I am very proud to announce the launch of my debut novel, Soundtrack to the End of the World, currently available in signed limited hardcover, trade paperback, and ebook editions.
Who knew the end could sound so good.


 Soundtrack to the End of the World by Anthony J. Rapino

From Goodreads:  A suicidal nudist strolls into traffic. An eccentric Buddhist claims he can occupy other people’s bodies. All the while, whispers of a new form of entertainment blow through town. Prompted by these strange occurrences, Marty Raft, a not-so-gentle giant, investigates and discovers underground clubs peddling music that induces an out-of-body experience. Marty and a wannabe comedian, Corey, set out to prove these special frequencies are nothing more than a hoax, or at worst, a mass-drugging.
Instead, they uncover a secret with world-ending possibilities.
If you can hear the music, it’s already too late.

My Review:

Let me start by saying, zombies freak me out..  I LOVE scary books and movies, but zombie movie almost always give me nightmares!  I honestly think it's due to having no control..  If you watch zombie movies, one thing stands out, the zombies basically always win.  There's no way to get away from them, and no way to beat them, as a whole.  I admit, I'm a bit of a control freak and I think that's why zombies bother me so much.  I love all this "zombie apocalypse" stuff going around (the jokes, etc), I just think it's funny.  I have never read a book about zombies before.  Honestly, I never really thought they sounded all that great..  I mean, how do you write about zombies without it becoming more like a side show?
Now I know!  This book was so different, I'm glad I came across the author and thought this book sounded good, because I was right!  I really enjoyed reading Soundtrack, it had action, horror, humor and even some romance.  It was so well written, I almost finished the entire book in one sitting.. During some of the more intense moments, I was tensed up and anxious, just like watching a movie.  I love a book when describing it to someone I accidentally say movie instead of book..  Like I'm actually watching the movie, this is one of those books.  I could clearly see the characters and scenes of the whole book.  To me, that's great writing.  
I recommend this book to anyone who loves zombies, who is terrified of them but watch them anyway, or basically anyone who wants to read a great story!
I give this book 4.5 stars!

Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Collect all twelve game pieces (available from each blog stop during my tour), put the pieces together, and decipher the code. It will lead you to a secret website. If you’re the first person to comment on the site, you win!  
Join us in the Insanity Rocket to discuss the contest.
Stop by the blog tour page for all upcoming dates and more contest info.

Here  is today's gamepiece...

Anthony Rapino: Guest Post and Contest

Welcome to the Soundtrack to the End of the World blog tour!!  We are joined today by the author of the book, Anthony J. Rapino, as he describes an average day in his life.  Stick around to enter for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

 Soundtrack to the End of the World by Anthony J. Rapino

From Goodreads:  A suicidal nudist strolls into traffic. An eccentric Buddhist claims he can occupy other people’s bodies. All the while, whispers of a new form of entertainment blow through town. Prompted by these strange occurrences, Marty Raft, a not-so-gentle giant, investigates and discovers underground clubs peddling music that induces an out-of-body experience. Marty and a wannabe comedian, Corey, set out to prove these special frequencies are nothing more than a hoax, or at worst, a mass-drugging.
Instead, they uncover a secret with world-ending possibilities.
If you can hear the music, it’s already too late.

Author bio

Anthony J. Rapino resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania, somewhere between the concrete of the city and the trees of the forest. On occasion, you’ll find him moderating the feverish battles between the creatures of these two arenas. Whose side he’s on is anyone’s guess.
His newest fiction can be found in Black Ink Horror, On Spec, Arcane Anthology, Electric Spec, A cappella Zoo, Space Squid, TQR Stories, and carved inside a variety of autumn gourds. His short story collection, Welcome to Moon Hill, is currently available, as is his first novel Soundtrack to the End of the World. Proof of his psychosis can be found on his website: http://www.anthonyjrapino.com

I am very proud to announce the launch of my debut novel, Soundtrack to the End of the World, currently available in signed limited hardcover, trade paperback, and ebook editions.
Who knew the end could sound so good.

A Day in the Life

After much clamoring, begging, pleading, and bribing, I am finally giving in and writing an article about a day in the life of a horror writer. Never mind that the aforementioned persuasive measures were mostly performed by me to my mirror. Forget that I was dressed as Conan O’ Brien at the time. Dismiss the eight and a half beers I consumed beforehand.
I shall not disappoint my public (drunk me dressed as Conan)!  I start each day by falling asleep. I used to start each day by waking up, but I grew tired of being just another follower, and I declared I’d never again be one of the herd. After drifting off, I make a pot of coffee, eat breakfast, and get dressed while I shower. True, the coffee tastes a little watered down, and my eggs are a bit soapy, but having sparkling clean clothes every morning is worth the effort.
Dripping wet and caffeinated, I take the local train to my car. Then I take my car back home where I pick up my bike and ride in to work.
Upon arriving at the office, Caroline, the secretary, reminds me I was fired three and a half years ago for coming to work late and wet. I thank her by licking her earlobe, which is the customary farewell in Laketon, a country I made up.
At this point I feel inclined to explain this is not a dream. People are usually confused when I tell them a start each day by falling asleep. The truth is, I’m capable of completing several multifaceted tasks while sleeping, and even remaining conscious of those actions. I’m told this state is called being “awake,” which of course is  impossible because I’m asleep, but I humor my therapist to avoid what he calls “institutionalization.”
I’m pretty sure he means to say, “Winning the Nobel Peace Prize,” but I don’t correct him because he seems to dislike being wrong.
Anyway, back to my day. It’s still early at this point, so I pay Tracy fifty dollars to go jogging for me. As usual she’ll take my money and come back two hours later with a few shopping bags to report the jog went well, and that I lost another two pounds. I thank her with a quick earlobe lap and continue on to my second job. My title there is “parolee in charge of garbage disposal.” It was a hard-won position given to me only after many years of random earlobe licking. The judge was nice enough to refer to me as a person “amazingly detached from reality.” The benefits are amazing, and I even received an upfront two year sabbatical at Greenhaven, a posh and exclusive hotel.
After work I’m bushed, so I usually head home for an early-evening writing session. I then eat dinner while watching five or six horror movies, after which I wake up for bed.
Then it all starts again.
As you can see, I live a pretty average life.

Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Collect all twelve game pieces (available from each blog stop during my tour), put the pieces together, and decipher the code. It will lead you to a secret website. If you’re the first person to comment on the site, you win!  
Join us in the Insanity Rocket to discuss the contest.
Stop by the blog tour page for all upcoming dates and more contest info.

Here's the gamepiece for this blog...

Guest Post with Andrew Cort and Giveaway

Hi! Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.

Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.

THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.

This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.

Author: Andrew Cort


A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.

In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.

Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture.  Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.

He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred eminine: Women in the Bible.

Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is
available for interviews and speaking engagements.

THE GOD OF WINE

Since bread and wine are traditionally bound together as symbols of life-giving nourishment from the gods, it is not surprising that in ancient Greece Demeter, the goddess of the grain, was often worshiped together with Bacchus, the god of wine. Bacchus was the child of Zeus and a human mother. He is best known to us as the personification of wine and ecstasy. The worship of Bacchus was characterized by wild dancing, music, and madcap abandon.
Like other gods of vegetation Bacchus was believed to have died a violent death, but to have been brought back to life again. Zeus’ wife, the goddess Hera, hated this child born of a human mother and plotted his destruction. Knowing how she felt, Zeus entrusted young Bacchus to the care of guards that he thought he could trust. Hera, however, bribed the guards, and by amusing the boy with a mirror – which he stared into, becoming fascinated with his image –she lured him underground into a trap. The Titans, whom Zeus had imprisoned in the earth, were now co-conspirators with Hera, and they ambushed the boy, tore him to pieces, boiled his flesh, and ate it. But Athena, the goddess of Wisdom, who had shared in Hera’s treachery, now repented and saved the boy’s Heart. She brought it to Zeus, and confessed the whole sordid story. Enraged, Zeus blasted the Titans with a mighty thunderbolt, reducing them to ashes. He was then able to nurture the heart of Bacchus, and from the heart the boy was reborn.
Out of the ashes of the Titans, Zeus had Prometheus craft the Human Race. A composite creature, our lower nature is made of the remains of the Titans themselves (stardust), who had become wicked and distorted because of their long and bitter involvement in the depths of the material world to which Zeus had banished them. Our higher nature, however, comes from the burned remains of the god Bacchus, pieces of whom the Titans had devoured. It is for this
reason that the Mysteries taught that suicide is a horrific crime, since every human being contains a portion of the god, and thus our body is his property and his temple and must always be treated reverentially.
Bacchus, a combination of Heaven (his father Zeus) and Earth (his human mother), was thus "of both worlds” – and he is thus a symbol of the Soul, which is also "of both worlds" (and so is Wine, which can produce either lunacy or ecstasy). Bacchus became spellbound by his image in the mirror, hypnotized by the illusory reflection of reality, and thus he was ensnared by the Titans who cut him up into fragments and scattered the pieces amongst themselves (which means, symbolically, that they scattered them everywhere).
In just this way the human soul is mesmerized and ensnared by the fascinating world of matter, and is fragmented and devoured by life, toward which it disperses its scattered attention (hence the need to practice meditation and learn to focus our attention). But all is not lost! When Zeus saw that the Titans, in a degraded caricature of their original generative purpose, were now scattering pieces of the divine idea throughout the lower world, he immediately destroyed them so that the divine idea would not be completely lost. From the ashes (dust) he created human beings, whose purpose is to preserve and nurture the Soul, their little piece of Bacchus, and eventually release it from the lower world of Matter back into the Heavens.

Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.

BUY NOW LINKS:

Amazon paper book
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:

Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_Cort

Please check out these other great posts this week!

9/17 A Night's Dream of Books Weekly Guest Post 2

9/17 My World Weekly Guest Post 2

9/18 Nette's Bookshelf Reviews Guest Pos t2 and Giveaway 

9/19 My Little Pocketbooks Guest Blog 2 and Giveaway 

9/19 My Chaotic Ramblings First Chapter 

9/19 My Devotional Thoughts Weekly Guest Post 2

9/19 My Cozie Corner Weekly Guest Post 2

9/20 Simply Infatuated Weekly Guest Post 2

9/20 Reading, Writing and More Weekly Guest Post 2

9/21 The Bunnies Review Weekly Guest Post 2 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prowl: Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the Prowl Trilogy tour hosted by I Luv Tours. Today, learn a bit about the author, Amber Garza, followed by a review of the first book, Prowl. Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

 

Amber Garza

From her blog:  Hi! Thanks for stopping by. My name is Amber Garza and I LOVE to write. I’ve had a passion for writing since I was a little girl, making books out of notebook paper and staples. As an adult I’ve worked hard to make my dream of being a published a reality.  The Prowl Trilogy is my first finished series.. My next series will be out this October.

  Prowl by Amber Garza

From Goodreads:   Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Smith is sent away to spend a boring summer at her grandma's. But then she meets Wesley. He tells her exactly what she wants to hear and has information about her past that no one else knows. It's almost like he can read her mind.
Only Wesley isn't who he seems.
By the time Mackenzie discovers his true identity it may be too late. She's in too deep and he won't let her go. Now Mackenzie must call on the strongest power of all in order to save her life. 

My Review:

This book was amazing!  When I first started reading it, I had forgotten it was a Christian book, and throughout the entire book, it didn't have a strictly Christian feel to it.  
We follow a teenage girl, Kenzie, as she goes to stay with her grandmother in California for the summer.  We learn about her troubled childhood and her desire to know her father.  In California she meets new friends, one of which introduces her to witchcraft, which opens her up to a whole new set of problems.  Her other friend, Isaac, is the handsome boy next door, a Christian.  Isaac helps Kenzie to finally learn to rid herself of the evil she has invited into her life. 
At the end of this book, I was reminded of C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters.  It was quite a bit like this book, only Prowl was written very differently and geared more toward a younger audience.  This book is great for all young people to read.  It's story-line is interesting enough to hold their attention and delivers an awesome message that I believe everyone needs to receive!
I give this book 4.5 stars!

The Giveaway

What you can win: One (1) e-book from the Prowl Trilogy (Prowl or Entice or Unveil). Open internationally. There will be only one winner from this blog throughout the tour, although I will have a post for each book in the trilogy. Giveaway ends October 25th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


There will also be a tour-wide giveaway. All three (3) e-books of The Prowl Trilogy + Surprise to one winner. Open INTERNATIONALLY, ends October 30, 2012. To enter this giveaway and find the tour schedule, click here.

You can buy the books via the following links:

Prowl in paperback

Prowl on Kindle

Entice in paperback

Entice on Kindle

Unveil in paperback

Unveil on Kindle

The Door Is Open: Guest Post and Giveaway

Hi! Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.

Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.

THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.

This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.

Author: Andrew Cort


A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.

In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.

Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture.  Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.

He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred eminine: Women in the Bible.

Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is
available for interviews and speaking engagements.

WHERE EXACTLY IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?

Perhaps the most famous of all of Christ’s quotations, as well as one of the most disregarded, is found in Luke:  

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke.17.20-21)

We, however, are held in thrall by the things of this world, our attention dispersed into the world around us, and we look for heaven and God precisely where Christ tells us not to look, turning spirituality into the superficial and formalistic worship of external objects and historical events.  

As our focus becomes more and more external, the lower rational mind gains strength and becomes more and more affronted by the irrationality of spiritual and religious claims. This is when the champions of atheism become increasingly vocal and adamant – not without cause!

Jesus was aware of this problem. So he presented his Teachings about the kingdom of heaven through parables in which he paints a picture of the kingdom by using images and symbols that bypass the rational mind and sink directly into higher levels of consciousness.

Here is one example:

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heavens come and make nests in its branches. (Matt.13.31-32)

Here, the kingdom is likened to a tiny seed. It is the ‘smallest of all seeds’ because at our usual level of consciousness we give it the least importance! But if the man takes it, and plants it within (‘in his field’), it grows into a huge and magnificent tree – the symbol of enlightenment, thrusting upward through the levels of Being, from roots in the earth to branches in heaven. The ‘birds of heaven’ that nest in its branches are the angels.

Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.

BUY NOW LINKS:

Amazon paper book
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:

Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_Cort

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September "31" Review, Spotlight and Contest Event

Check out the great event going on all month on Read2Review!!

The September "31" Event

The time had finally come to unveil our September “31″ event. This event has been put together to celebrate Kate’s 31st Birthday and also to celebrate some amazing work. We are proud to bring to you this month reviews, spotlights and our incredible “31″ competitions (one for USA/Canada and one for International).

The Read2Review team have worked hard to put together some incredible prize bundles to coincide with this event. With a combination of books (print and eBooks), merchandise and gift cards totalling $60 for both USA/Canada AND International prize bundles this contest is not one to miss!!

Please click HERE to enter the USA/Canada Contest

Please click HERE to enter the International Contest

Good luck to all who enter and many thanks for your continued support of Read 2 Review!

Here's the full lineup!

All posts will be up on their scheduled days on Read2Review

* Saturday 1st September - Competition Kick Off

* Sunday 2nd September – The Aushwitz Violin by Maria Angels Anglada (Review) & Spotlight for Eyeleash: A Blog Novel by Jess C. Scott

* Monday 3rd September – Spotlight for Men Of The Cave by Marisette Burgess

* Tuesaday 4th September – Color My Horse by Bev Pettersen (Review)

* Wednesday 5th September – Spotlight for Creating Fate by Rachel Firsaek

* Thursday 6th September – Spotlight for 3 Heads and a Tail by Vickie Johnstone

* Friday 7th September – Death By Chocolate by Julie Anne Lindsay (Review) & Spotlight for Lust and Bound by W. Lynn Chantelle

* Saturday 8th September – Spotlight for A Hint Of Murder by Lia Fairchild

* Sunday 9th September – Dark Flame by Alyson Noel (Review)

* Monday 10th September – The Dome by Nova Sparks (Review) &Spotlight for A World Apart (David M. Brown)

* Tuesday 11th September – Cat Burglar In Training by Shelley Munro (Review) & Spotlight for Finding Baby J by Lorraine Nelson

* Wednesday 12th September – Spotlight for Consequences by Madeline Sloane

* Thursday 13th September – She Wasn’t Allowed To Giggle by Lavinia Thompson (Review) & Spotlight For Bone Dressing by Michelle Brooks

* Friday 14th September – The Pawn by Steven James (Review)

* Saturday 15th September – Thorn by Michael Dean (Review)

* Sunday 16th September – Cats In Command by C. M. Barrett (Review) & Spotlight for Unnatural Law by Natasha Larry

* Monday 17th September – Coffin Humour by John Brinling (Review)

* Tuesday 18th September – Bewitching Book Tour Tuesdays: Sweet As Sin by Kenya Carlton Promo 

* Wednesday 19th September – How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell (Review)

* Thursday 20th September - Partners In Crime Book Tours: Sweat by Mark Gilleo Spotlight

* Friday 21st September – Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper (Review)

* Saturday 22nd September – Shattered Wings by Bryan Healey (Review) & Spotlight for The Tribe’s Bride by R.E. Butler

* Sunday 23rd September – Catch by Sean J Quirk (Review)

* Monday 24th September – A Ranger’s Tale by Mysti Parker (Review)

* Tuesday 25th September – Spotlight for If I Fail by Marian Lanouette

* Wednesday 26th September – Partners In Crime Book Tours: Section 132 by Helen Zeiner Spotlight

* Thursday 27th September – Chance Damnation by DeAnna Knippling (Review)

* Friday 28th September – Raven’s Children by Sabrina Chase (Review)

* Saturday 29th September – Blood And Light by Rue Volley (Review)

* Sunday 30th September – Spotlight for Night Sky by Jolene B Perry

Winners for the month long contest will be announced on October 1st