Friends of the Beatley Central Library to Host Annual Book Sale

If you live in or near Alexandria, Virginia, you should head over to the Charles Beatley Library through this weekend. Hosted by the Friends of the Beatley Central Library, this biannual book sale event, gives book lovers the opportunity to pick from over 20, 000 books and selections from CDs, DVDs and audiobooks. 

The sale will run until November 15th. You are welcome to bring your own bag to fill up. No need to worry if you don't have one, there will be plenty available on hand for $3 to purchase. In case you are worried about not having cash on you, they will accept VISA, Mastercard and checks.

If you have plans to attend, the sale is open today until 5:30pm; Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10am–4:30pm; and Sunday, Nov. 15 from 1pm-4:30pm  (Discounts are be available on the last day of the sale).

For more information about the Friends of the Beatley Central Library, click here. 

Barnes & Noble to Offer Signed Editions by More Than 120 Acclaimed Authors

Who doesn't love getting the chance to grab a signed copy of one of your favorite authors! Well, Barnes & Noble, the nation's largest retail bookseller, is bringing back their popular Signed Edition program, featuring from over 120 acclaimed authors. Customers will only have a limited opportunity to purchase starting from Black Friday, November 27 through the holiday season while they are available.

“For the second year in a row, a huge array of authors have demonstrated incredible enthusiasm for participating in Barnes & Noble’s Signed Editions program, and we are thrilled to be bringing back this one-of-a-kind offering on Black Friday,” Jaime Carey, Chief Operating Officer at Barnes & Noble commented. “There’s a creative gift awaiting everyone at Barnes & Noble stores and shoppers can delight the readers on their list with a truly meaningful gift – a book made special with a favorite author’s signature.”

The authors who personally signed thousands of copies of their books include:

Award-Winning Authors
Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See), National Book Award winner Nathaniel Philbrick (In the Heart of the Sea), and Caldecott Medal for U.S. Picture Book Illustration winner Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret)
 
Admired Authors, Enduring Works
Worldwide bestsellers Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist) and Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner), and pioneer of teen fiction S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders)
 
Bestselling Fiction Authors
Chris Colfer (The Land of Stories series), Jan Karon (Come Rain or Come Shine), Gregory Maguire (After Alice), and Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart, B&N Exclusive Edition)
 
Bestselling Mystery & Thriller Authors
David Baldacci (The Guilty), Michael Connelly (The Crossing), and Elizabeth George (A Banquet of Consequences)
 
Favorite Authors from Page to Screen
Bestselling authors Diana Gabaldon (Outlander), Veronica Roth (Allegiant Collector’s Edition), and Andy Weir (The Martian)
 
Fascinating Celebrities
Award-winning actress Drew Barrymore (Wildflower), supermodel Christie Brinkley (Timeless Beauty), and comic talents David Spade (Almost Interesting) and Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi’s Big Book of Relationships)
 
Internet Sensations
Connor Franta (Work in Progress, B&N Exclusive Hardcover Edition), Dan Howell and Phil Lester (The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire: the World of Dan & Phil), and Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York Stories)
 
Celebrated Chefs
Food Network favorites Ina Garten (Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook), Bobby Flay (Brunch at Bobby’s), and Giada De Laurentiis (Happy Cooking: Giada’s Recipes and Tips for Making Every Meal Count… Without Stressing You Out)
 
Masters of Business & Money
Renowned businessman and philanthropist Charles G. Koch (Good Profit) and motivational speaker and personal finance instructor Tony Robbins (MONEY Master the Game)
 
Music Legends
Award-winning musician John Fogerty (Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music), actress and Riot Grrrl Carrie Brownstein (Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl), punk poet laureate Patti Smith (M Train), legendary rocker Elvis Costello (Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink) and Grammy winner Jewel (Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story)
 
Sports Heroes
Legendary NFL wide receiver Jerry Rice (50 Years, 50 Moments: The Plays That Made Super Bowl History), soccer star Tim Howard (The Keeper: The Unguarded Story of Tim Howard (Young Readers’ Edition), and NBA superstar Jalen Rose (Got to Give the People What They Want) 

Bestselling Authors Who Motivate & Inspire
Elizabeth Gilbert (Big Magic), Joel Osteen (The Power of I Am), and Ann Romney (In This Together)
 
Favorite Authors on Politics & Culture
Current presidential contender Ben Carson (More Perfect Union), popular science educator Bill Nye (Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World), and women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem (My Life on the Road)
 
Powerful Narratives from Top Historians
David McCullough (The Wright Brothers), Jon Meacham (Destiny & Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush), and Stacy Schiff (The Witches: Salem, 1692)
 
Bestselling Authors of Children’s Picture Books
Award winner Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition), celebrity B. J. Novak (The Book With No Pictures), and bestseller Brad Meltzer (I am Abraham Lincoln)

About Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) is a Fortune 500 company, the nation’s largest retail bookseller, and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products.  The Company operates 647 Barnes & Noble bookstores in 50 states, and one of the Web’s premier e-commerce sites, BN.com (www.bn.com).  The Nook Digital business offers a lineup of popular NOOK® tablets and eReaders and an expansive collection of digital reading and entertainment content through the NOOK Store®. The NOOK Store features more than 4 million digital books in the US (www.nook.com) and UK (www.nook.co.uk), plus periodicals, comics, apps, movies and TV shows, and offers the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices through Free NOOK Reading Apps™ available for Android™, iOS® and Windows®.

TV Game Show Launches Cookbook

Photo Credit: PR Newswire

Fans of Wheel of Fortune will be excited to learn that on Nov 2nd, The Wheel of Fortune Collectible Cookbook in collaboration with Mr. Food Test Kitchen will be launched.

"It was so much fun working with Pat and Vanna, as well as the whole Wheel of Fortune team on this book. Their passion for food is obvious. I really think we captured it in this book," says Mr. Food Test Kitchen COO Howard Rosenthal.

Fans will get to make fun recipes such as  Wheely Good Mac & Cheese, A-B-C D-licious Veggie Soup, Pat's Perfect Pizza Pie, Spinning Sugar Pinwheels and Stacked Spin-tacular Party Cake. The book will also include behind-the-scenes photos and fun facts, a photo timeline of Vanna's wardrobe over the years and exclusive insider information never published before. 

Pat Sajak loves the idea that this book will make viewers more intimate with the show. He says, "Over the years, I have eaten more than my share of dishes on the show, and each time I do, I think I have the best job in the world. I just wish Vanna would stop sneaking food off my plate when I'm not looking."

Vanna White says that she never sneaks food—she shares it. "For me food is all about sharing. So the fact that I can share some of my favorite foods with viewers is very exciting and personal," she says.

Author of Spartan Up Crowns World's Most Fittest Bride

Photo Credit: Barrie Fisher Photo

BOSTON, MA ,  Oct. 18, 2015 – The Spartan Race (www.Spartan.com) Fittest Bride Challenge presented by QALO (www.Qalo.com) concluded over the weekend resulting in Ms. Polly Lynn from Killington Vermont, being crowned the winner. “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet that I’m Spartan’s Fittest Bride, but I’m thrilled,” said Ms. Lynn, 32.  “It’s a dream come true to have a wedding at Riverside Farm. I hope Spartan plans to do this every year. I know that brides from all over would love to have the opportunity that I had.” She plans to marry her fiancé, Jay Mikula in spring of 2016.

In what was nothing short of a showdown of epic proportions, the world’s leading obstacle race hosted the Spartan FittestBride Challenge at Riverside Farm (www.riversidefarmweddings.com) in Pittsfield, VT on October 17th-18th. Brides-to-be got the chance to appear on TV with the winner receiving an all expenses paid wedding reception at Riverside Farm.  The first 15 brides accepted to compete received two nights of lodging at Amee Farm Lodge ahead of the competition. Riverside Farm features six beautifully restored barns, over 700 acres of sprawling Vermont land, a working organic farm and much more. Riverside Farm is one of New England’s most exclusive wedding venues.

The contest, which was filmed and will be televised, featured 35 contestants with Ms. Lynn taking home the coveted 1stplace prize package in a time of 23:03:06. 2nd place went to Rachel Corvington, (23:16:0) of Saint Petersburg, Fla. 3rd place to Georgina Norton (23:31:10), New York, NY. The course is a 2.36 mile mountain trail.

The QALO silicone wedding ring is the functional wedding band for an active lifestyle. Made from medical grade silicone, QALO rings are safe, durable, and comfortable for the gym, the job, and every adventure.

Ms. Lynn’s Grand Prize Package included:

--Wedding reception for up to 100 guests at Riverside Farm.--Reception to be held in the classic  

   Brown Barn on Saturday night.

--Party to include gourmet cuisine for up to 100 guests.

--All coordination by Riverside staff included.

--Free lodging for Bride & Groom plus six (6) guests at Riverside Farm.

--Reception dates are subject to availability.

--Free QALO rings and apparel from QALO’s brand new Outdoors Collection.

"We were excited to invite brides-to-be from our global Spartan community to come up to Vermont to compete in our newest challenge,” stated Spartan Race Founder and CEO Joe De Sena.  “With so many phenomenal women competitors who come out to each of our races, we thought this would be a perfect way to help celebrate those who will be tying the knot. Polly showed true grit and determination and as a result was able to come out on top.  Congratulations to her and all of the contestants.”

About Spartan Race

Spartan Race—voted Outside magazine’s Best Obstacle Race— is the world’s leading obstacle racing company and the first of its kind to feature timing and global rankings. With more than 120 events in 20+ countries planned for 2015, Spartan Race has more than 1 million global participants, and offers open heats for all fitness levels as well as competitive elite heats. With 4-plus million engaged social media followers, brand extensions such as Spartan Training, which includes Spartan SGX certified programs and coaches, and a popular NBC television series, Spartan Race has made obstacle racing one of the fastest growing sports—and lifestyles— in the world. Spartan Race features races at three distances, 3+Mile/20+ Obstacle “Sprint,” 8+ Mile/25+ Obstacle “Super” and 13+ Mile/30+ Obstacle “Beast,” culminating each year in the Reebok Spartan Race World Championship. Visit http://www.spartan.com for more information, a schedule of events, and to register for a race.

About QALO

QALO (pronounced KAY-LO) ring started out of pure frustration.

After getting married we realized what a nuisance wearing our traditional wedding band was. While we love our wives, and love being married, the reality was that our ring was getting in the way (literally) of our active lifestyle. The married men we talked with shared the same frustrations. Every time we hit the gym, worked on the car, surfed, rock-climbed, you name it (insert sport of choice here________) our wedding band got in the way.

These are the stories we heard over and over: “I lost my ring.” “I put it in my locker and it was stolen.” “I dove in, and didn’t even realize it was gone.” “I gashed it on a rock, and the rock won.” “Man, I don’t even play ball with my ring on!” After all of these stories we searched for a solution that would allow us to show our commitment of marriage, and wear a comfortable wedding band that could withstand our active lifestyle. We started playing around with some rubber wedding rings, and then discovered 100% medical grade silicone wedding rings and thus: QALO was born.

Author of The Lake House, Kate Morton Set to Tour This Fall

Author Kate Morton has generated quite the buzz surrounding her latest, The Lake House, set to release to tomorrow. Starting in late November, Kate will be traveling all over the country (as well as Canada!) to meet and greet her fans and sign copies.

Check out her tour schedule below and find more details/join her events on Facebook.

If you haven't heard about the book, here is the info: 

From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Secret Keeper and The Distant Hours, an intricately plotted, spellbinding new novel of heart-stopping suspense and uncovered secrets.

Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive, innocent, and precociously talented sixteen-year-old who loves to write stories. But the mysteries she pens are no match for the one her family is about to endure…

One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, eleven-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. What follows is a tragedy that tears the family apart in ways they never imagined.

Decades later, Alice is living in London, having enjoyed a long successful career as an author. Theo’s case has never been solved, though Alice still harbors a suspicion as to the culprit. Miles away, Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she stumbles upon the old estate—now crumbling and covered with vines, clearly abandoned long ago. Her curiosity is sparked, setting off a series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal shocking truths about a past long gone…yet more present than ever.

A lush, atmospheric tale of intertwined destinies, this latest novel from a masterful storyteller is an enthralling, thoroughly satisfying read.

Her book is available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

"88+ Ways" Book and Music Tour Kicks off at The Bourse in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, July 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On Aug. 6, the founders of "Keep Music Alive" will kick off their "88+ Ways" Book and Music Tour with a lunchtime show at the historic Bourse building in the Independence Mall section of Philadelphia. Performers at the noon show include Julia Zane, Valerie West, Derek Anthony Wilson, Grace Otley, Michael Smedley and Vincent James.

Other shows in the Philadelphia area will take place Aug. 8 at the New Leaf Club in Bryn Mawr, Aug. 21at Granite Farms Estates in Lima and Aug. 28 at Coffee Works in Voorhees, N.J. Additional dates are planned for Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and California.

The tour seeks to bring music and stories from the book "88+ Ways Music Can Change Your Life" to as many venues as possible. Volume 1 in the new book series was released June 1 and features over 150 inspirational stories, anecdotes and quotes from musicians and music fans from all over the world. More than 20 Grammy-winning and platinum-selling artists, composers and songwriters also contributed to the book. Among them are Rob Parissi (songwriter and vocalist for "Play That Funky Music" for Wild Cherry),Bobby Kimball (original vocalist for Toto with "Hold the Line," "Africa," "Rosanna" and more) andVanessa Carlton ("A Thousand Miles" and "White Houses"). The stories included in "88+ Ways" are designed to make readers laugh, cry and remember the power of music in their own lives.

Keep Music Alive was founded last summer to raise awareness of how important music is educationally, therapeutically and for the overall happiness of society. According to cofounder Vincent James, it was created in response to three changes that have made music less valued. They include cuts in music and arts education in schools, fewer venues available for musicians to perform live and the recent changeover to the streaming business model. The latter has affected how musicians and songwriters are paid.

James co-wrote "88+ Ways Music Can Change Your Life" with KMA cofounder Joann Pierdomenico.  Volume 1 is available in paperback and e-book on Amazon.com and BN.com. For more information, please visit www.KeepMusicAlive.org.

SOURCE Keep Music Alive

Web Site: http://www.keepmusicalive.org 

Author's New Book Focuses on Juvenile Imprisonment

LAS VEGAS, July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Las Vegas Author Peter Alpert is a retired attorney and former district court judge. In his new book, he describes a time while working as a young attorney, in a small rural town in Colorado, one Friday afternoon phone call forever left an impact on his life.  In Mr. Alpert's new book - Runaway: A Tragedy of Youth, the author describes the tragic events in which a confused 16-year-old juvenile would run away from home in the middle of the night, stealing his mother's car and later get stranded on a lonely highway, to be rescued by two innocent good Samaritans, whom he would suddenly murder in the state of Louisiana.

Alpert's novel, while based on a true story, is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals involved in the case. You will learn of the horrific events that took a young male youth from being a runaway, through the legal process to eventually end up spending the remainder of his life in prison.

This riveting novel brings to light an issue that reverberates to the highest court in our land and begs the question - should special consideration be given to age and to the condition of the teenage brain, whose hallmarks included immaturity, impetuosity, and failure to appreciate risks and consequences?

The author today, 37 years later, describes his visit to the prison and his discussions with the young teenager who is now 53 years old. Mr. Alpert has hopes that this book may enlighten readers and bring this case back to the courtroom and consideration be given to end this imprisonment.

More info on the author: Visit www.PeterAlpertAuthor.com

ALA invites public to nominate librarians for the 2015 I Love My Librarian Award

CHICAGO, July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Library Association (ALA) asks library users to nominate librarians that have transformed lives and communities through education and lifelong learning for its coveted 2015 I Love My Librarian Award. The award invites library users nationwide to recognize the public service of exceptional public, school, college, community college or university librarians. Library users can nominate their favorite librarians now through September 28 by visiting http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian.

Each year since the award's inception in 2008, the ALA selects up to 10 librarians from a pool of thousands of nominations. Award winners will each receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and a travel stipend to attend the I Love My Librarian Award ceremony and reception in New York City on Dec. 3, 2015, hosted by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Each nominee must be a librarian with a master's degree from a program accredited by the ALA in library and information studies or hold a master's degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational program accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school.

In the award's first seven years, library supporters nationwide shared more than 14,000 nominations for exceptional librarians. A total of 70 librarians have won the award to date. For more information regarding previous award winners, please visit http://ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian/2014/14winners.

The I Love My Librarian Award is generously sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. This year the ALA welcomes The New York Public Library as a co-sponsor. The ALA administers the award through the ALA's Public Awareness Office, which promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York 

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding." In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 55,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

SOURCE American Library Association

New Book Celebrates Why People Have a Fanatical Devotion to Their Dog

NEW YORK, July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Have you ever bailed on a date so your dog doesn't have to be home alone too long? Do your Facebook and Instagram posts include more pictures of your dog than of the humans in your family?

If so, you just might be a practicing "Dogtologist."

That's the name author Jeff Lazarus once gave to a blind date when asked about his particular religion. Lazarus' new book, DOGTOLOGY (Greenleaf Press) is a tongue-in-cheek "bible" that celebrates "the belief in dog" and encourages the faithful to embrace and laugh at the many rituals and routines that are so common among them. The Chicago Tribune describes DOGTOLOGY as, "funny and whimsical."

Here are some of the signs you just might be a "Dogtologist":

• You happily purchase expensive "gourmet" treats such as "pupcakes" and "tail mix bars" for your hound while you're livin' off ramen.
• You give holiday gifts to and from your dog -- and spend more time getting them exactly right than you do for your gifts for humans.
• You relentlessly e-mail, Facebook post, and Pinterest pin dog photos, dog-toons, dog videos and dog PowerPoint slideshows to everyone on your contact list.
• Your dog groomer knows that the concept of "drop the dog off' does not apply to you, and you are allowed to wait in the staff lounge where you are given status reports every 15 minutes.
• You understand the sole purpose for which cell-phone cameras were invented: to capture cunning and hilarious shots of dogs behind the steering wheels of cars … wearing sunglasses … and outfitted in their finest Scottish beanies.

Lazarus will say that being a "Dogtologist" is perfectly OK as he provides lots of great stuff to "chew on" about the man-dog relationship.

The idea for Dogtology was inspired by Lazarus' dog Roamy, a stray he adopted who became his confidant, refuge, sanity and partner in crime. Dogtology: Live. Bark. Believe is the first in a series of his dog-themed books. 

Free App Inspired by the #1 NY Times bestselling book by R.J. Palacio

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestselling book WONDER and 365 DAYS OF WONDER by R. J. Palacio, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, has released THE DAILY WONDER APP. The app is currently available for free on the App Store for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

Wonder and 365 Days of Wonder, introducing readers to the unforgettable Mr. Browne and his love of precepts, encouraging mobile users to share their own inspiration and principles with others. Users will be able to see a week of precepts at any time, including a new one from the books each day. The app has multiple purposes that include social sharing on various outlets, daily quotes with mini biographies of the sources, resources for the classroom and extended excerpts.

In a prepared statement, Palacio couldn’t be more thrilled from the reader response. "I have been so moved by the response of readers around the world to the Choose Kind message started by Auggie in Wonder," says Palacio. "I love that the app will enable readers to share daily messages of kindness with friends and family and to each other, every day. I also want to say, as a former graphic designer – the app is beautiful to look at!"

Users will be given access to seven days of precepts at any given time, with a new precept from 365 Days of Wonder becoming available every day. Additional features include daily reminders, social sharing (ages 12+), a short bio of the author of each precept, a calendar view, a book section with extended excerpts and praise, and a resource section for Wonder classroom materials.

R. J. PALACIO (@RJPalacio) resides in New York City with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. Her debut novel was the #1 New York Times bestselling Wonder. Palacio is also the author of three e-original stories, The Julian Chapter, Pluto, and Shingaling, as well as 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts. For many years, prior to becoming a published author, Palacio was an art director and book jacket designer, creating covers for countless writers in every genre of fiction and nonfiction.

Follow the Wonder conversation on Twitter via #choosekind and on ChooseKind.Tumblr.com.

Live Chat with USA Today Bestselling author Sarah Morgan on FIRST TIME IN FOREVER

Are you a fan of Sarah Morgan? Fabulous! Get your questions ready because today at 4pm ET chime in during her live chat with the fabulous folks over at BookTrib for a fantastic afternoon discussing her latest, First Time In Forever. 

If you haven't got a chance to check out what the book is about, you can read it below:

Windswept, isolated and ruggedly beautiful, Puffin Island is a haven for day-trippers and daydreamers alike. But this charming community has a way of bringing people together in the most unexpected ways…

It’s been a summer of firsts for Emily Donovan. From becoming a stand-in mom to her niece, Lizzy, to arriving on Puffin Island, her life has become virtually unrecognizable. Between desperately safeguarding Lizzy and her overwhelming fear of the ocean—which surrounds her everywhere she goes!—Emily has lost count of the number of “just breathe” pep talks she’s given herself. And that’s before charismatic local yacht club owner Ryan Cooper kisses her…

Ryan knows all about secrets. And it’s clear that newcomer Emily—with her haunted eyes and the little girl she won’t let out of her sight—is hiding from something besides the crazy chemistry between them. So Ryan decides he’s going to make it his personal mission to help her unwind and enjoy the sparks! But can Puffin Island work its magic on Emily and get her to take the biggest leap of trust of all—putting her heart in someone else’s hands?

About Sarah Morgan

USA Today bestselling author SARAH MORGAN writes hot, happy contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. She has been nominated four years in row for the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America and has won the award twice.

Sarah lives near London with her family. Visit her website at sarahmorgan.com

Help #BooksForACause for the Stand Up For Cancer Foundation

First off, I’d like to thank Michelle for allowing me the opportunity to share my project, #BooksForACause, with you, her readers. This is a project that is very near and dear to me & a labor of love so to speak. I started #BooksForACause last year in June 2014 - a month after my aunt lost her battle with cancer. This project is to help raise funds for the Stand Up To Cancer Foundation.
 

Here is my story. . .

The Reason.

May 7th, 2014, just one day after her 50th birthday, my aunt passed away after a long battle with cancer. For me, this was my first experience losing a close family member. It hit me hard too, like it would for everyone else, but for me…I lost some of the sunshine in my life.

As I type this,  I can’t help but remember her laugh, smile, and overall passion for life. My aunt was one of the happiest people I knew and found a reason to smile regardless of the situation. She loved music and being on the lake and sunsets. Especially sunsets. In fact, right before she passed, she asked to see the sunset and as soon as the sun dipped below the water, she passed.

My aunt was an educator and one of the contributing factors to why I spent 5 years chasing a degree in elementary education. Three days after she died, I graduated from college with that degree and I did it with her smiling down on me. It was a bittersweet moment and one that I will never forget. I hadn’t planned on decorating my graduation cap, but it was my way of having her there with me as I walked across that stage. After all, she’s been there for me through all the other major events in my life; my high school graduation and my wedding.

To me, she was even there for my college graduation. She just had a better vantage point than everyone else there cheering me on.

A month after she passed, I started #BooksForACause.

I realized I could use my blog, my voice, and my passion for reading to help make a difference.

With the help of fellow bloggers and the book loving community, I kicked off the #BooksForACause auction.

So many authors, publishers, and fellow bloggers donated items to the auction & I was blown away by the outpour! Between last June and December, Over $1,000 was raised for the Stand Up To Cancer Foundation!
(That’s AMAZING!)

My overall goal is to raise $2,000. And after taking a brief break during the holiday season, I have decided to re-launch the #BooksForACause auction. There are new auction items coming in and I am adding them to the auction page as soon as I get them. There are some great items too!
 

But this is where I need help.

I need you to help me spread the word. Whether you’re on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr...no matter the social media site, I need help spreading the word!

I’d love to be able to reach my $2,000 goal by May 7th, 2015 - the one year anniversary of my aunts passing.

If you don’t want to participate in the auction but would like to donate, you can do just that!
Where can you donate?

You can find the SU2C fundraising site HERE.

&

You can access the auction HERE.

Please consider helping me reach my goal. I appreciate everyone who is willing to help any way that they can.

I am also accepting donations for auction items. If you have an item you’d like to donate or you’d like to contact me for any reason, please feel free to email me at hsheffield2011 AT gmail DOT com.

Be sure to use the hashtag #BooksForACause when spreading the word!

Thank you ALL so much for standing up to cancer along side me.

xoxo

Heather
The Turning Pages

Join USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen's LIVE CHAT on THE DEPUTY'S REDEMPTION + Enter to Win Book and Swag Bag

Today at 4pm ET, join Booktrib & USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen's for a LIVE CHAT on THE DEPUTY'S REDEMPTION + Enter to Win Book and Swag Bag! How amazing is that! 

If you haven't gotten a chance to read up on her latest, here is what her book is about: 

A Texas lawman risks his future to protect a woman from his past in USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen’s latest Sweetwater Ranch book. 

The woman fleeing a cold-blooded killer is no stranger to Deputy Colt McKinnon. Fourteen years ago, Elise Nichols was the love of his life. Now she’s back in Sweetwater Springs—to be the star witness in an upcoming murder trial that could tear the Texas lawman’s family apart.

With her explosive revelations certain to rock the town, Elise didn’t expect to be welcomed home with open arms. Certainly not by the cowboy with the badge who once meant everything to her. But after being run off the road and shot at, she has no choice but to trust him. Even more dangerous is the desire that’s reigniting, making Elise yearn for something she may not live to see.

About Delores

USA Today bestselling author, DELORES FOSSEN, has sold over 50 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines. You can contact the author through her webpage at www.dfossen.net

LIVE CHAT: Master of Romantic Suspense B.J. Daniels on Her Latest Release WILD HORSES

If you are a fan of romance & suspense, head over to Booktrib today at 4pm ET for a live chat with author B.J. Daniels! She will be discussing her latest novel, Wild Horses! 

If you haven't had a chance to glance at what it is about, here it is:

It took only one impulsive moment on an empty two-lane highway to cost her everything.

A man’s responsible for his own prosperity—especially if he’s Cooper Barnett, the most determined cowboy in the West. No one knows what he sacrificed to claim a piece of Beartooth, Montana, for himself and his beautiful fiancée, Livie. No one knows what he’s willing to do for love…until a stranger’s twisted vendetta threatens the happy ending they should’ve had long ago.

One fateful mistake isn’t the only secret Livie Hamilton is keeping from her fiancé. Victimized during a treacherous blizzard by a man she thought she could trust, she’s pregnant…but unsure who the father is. With an unknown blackmailer threatening to expose her, she must confess to Cooper and trust he’ll still protect her. But when the truth falls into place, she may lose the only man she’s ever loved—or worse.

About B.J. Daniels

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author B.J. DANIELS was born in Texas but moved with her family to Montana at the age of five. Her first home was a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon and later a lake house on Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone.

Most of her books are set in Montana, a place she loves. She lives now in a unique part of the state with her husband and three Springer Spaniels.

When she isn’t writing, she loves to play tennis, boat, camp, quilt and snowboard.
There is nothing she enjoys more than curling up with a good book.

Live Chat with New Romantic Thriller Author T. Dasu

Join new author, T. Dasu for a fun afternoon to discuss her new release, Spy, Interupted! Head over to Booktrib at 4pm ET with your questions and get to know this new romantic thriller author! 

Here is some info on her new release: 

Jane Austen meets John le Carre in the riveting international romantic thriller Spy, Interrupted: The Waiting Wife, which follows a newlywed couple on an emotionally wrought journey rife with love, intrigue, and suspense.

When Nina Sharma falls in love with and marries the reclusive, New England aristocrat Stephen Edward James, she expects life will change. But she could not anticipate how. After six months of seemingly serene wedded bliss, a trip to India begins to unravel the secrets of Stephen’s hidden life—and the truth will have the pair evading terrorists and narrowly escaping with their lives. As Nina grapples with the truth about the stranger she married, Stephen must do everything in his power to keep his wife alive and bring down the men he’s hunting—and who are hunting him.

Then, the photographs start arriving…photos from a mysterious sender. Photos of Stephen and Nina in increasingly intimate moments.

Can Nina and Stephen’s fledgling love survive? Can they survive?

Filled with intriguing characters and plot twists that span multiple continents, Spy, Interrupted: The Waiting Wife is a unique and thrilling, cross-cultural novel about the strength and endurance of love.

T. DASU enjoys classic stories of love and longing like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, and is hooked on literary espionage exemplified by Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana. Her writing is influenced by these two distinct styles of storytelling. In addition to such unattainable literary role models, Dasu is inspired by richly varied experiences acquired while spending her impressionable years on multiple continents. Dasu is a published author of both fiction and nonfiction works, and also translates regional Indian fiction into English.

Live Chat: Barbara Summers and Next! Her High-Spirited Guide to Finding Love

Are you tired of meeting Mr. WRONG, well head over to the live chat with author Barbara Summers to grab some advice on how to keep the right guy! You can head right over here Booktrib at 4pm ET! 

Let's get to know Barbara!

Barbara Summers is the relationship expert behind Next!Since launching her professional matchmaking business Healthy Professional Singles in 1986, Barbara has matched hundreds of couples into marriage.

Barbara also works as a relationship coach and leads seminars and workshops on topics such as how to keep a relationship hot, handling a divorce, and what is it you’re looking for? She hosts yearly retreats to Canyon Ranch.

Barbara has proven media experience, particularly as a relationship expert taking live call-ins. She has been a guest on national and local television, such Good Morning San Diego,Fox 5 Morning News, and Channels 7 and 10 evening news, and was featured in an Emmy Award–winning documentary on Tiger (as in the professional baseball team) wives. Barbara also has extensive experience as a live radio show host, including the Bab Summers Show on WJBK and Singles Talk on KCEO, which was a popular listener call-in program about relationships

Live Chat with the Hilarious New Author Vivian Probst

Have you had a chance to check out Death by Roses? Omg, you will love this book! Two great things happen today..one..this fabulous new book is available to buy and the hilarious author of this book Vivian Probst will be doing a live chat with the awesome folks at Booktrib at 4pm ET! This is going to be such a fun chat. Read about the book below and we will see you there! 

Mae Rose McElroy never imagined that she would die while sitting on a toilet. At the sight of her totaled Volkswagen Beetle, her unfaithful husband, and the bouquet of yellow roses, Mae Rose careens into a fit of rage and dies in her bathroom. When Mae Rose goes to Heaven and sees how her family is doing without her, she can’t help but interfere. Her unsanctioned meddling earns Mae Rose a ticket out of Heaven and traps her spirit in the body of Mary Lee Broadmoor, a cantankerous writer and director of horror movies. Will Mae Rose get a second chance with her husband? While untangling a complicated web of relationships at the core of their lives, Mae Rose and Mary Lee must learn to make the most of their second chance—or die trying in DEATH BY ROSES.

Meet Vivian

RUTH THEOBALD-PROBST (pen name VIVIAN) is an author and entrepreneur, whose first novel, Death by Roses, explores her fascination with the comedic side of worldly and otherworldly events. Ruth has been writing fiction for the past 14 years, during which time she also has built a successful national consulting practice. Her company provides training to major investment firms that work in the affordable-housing industry.

LIVE CHAT: Bestselling Romance Author Kathleen Eagle and Harlequin's Special Edition of NEVER TRUST A COWBOY

Did you get a chance to read Kathleen's Eagle's Never Trust a Cowboy yet? Well, you have a chance to ask her questions when you join Booktrib at 4 PM EST for a Live Chat!

If you haven't got a chance to read the book, have a look to see what it is about below! 
 
New hire Del Fox was different than most sweet-talking wranglers. The hard worker had a gentle touch and eyes that spoke of a past he didn’t share. Lila soon found her hardened heart softening, frightening her more than any other hurdles she was facing…

See you there!

Meet Kathleen

New York Time and USA Today bestselling author KATHLEEN EAGLE published her first Silhouette Special Edition, an RWA Golden Heart winner, in 1984.  Since then she has published more than 40 books, including historical and contemporary, series and single title novels, earning her nearly every award in the industry including Romance Writers of America’s RITA.  Kathleen lives in Minnesota with her husband, who is Lakota Sioux and forever a cowboy.

LIVE CHAT: Explore Lethal Unknowns in Jay Richards' Silhouette of Virtue at 4 PM ET

Get your questions ready! Join author Jay Richards at Booktrib for a live chat at 4pm ET today about his book, Silhouette of Virtue! 

What is his book about? Glad you asked! It is 1973. A small college town in Southern Illinois is terrorized by a spree of sadistic assaults. The rapist tells the victims–all Asian women–that he is making them pay for America’s betrayal in Vietnam. When the only other Black faculty member is accused of the crimes, African American philosophy professor Nathan ”Ribs” Rivers struggles to suspend his doubts about his colleague’s innocence.

Let's get to know the man behind the book! Dr. Jay Richards, PHD, is a forensic psychologist and expert witness with over thirty years of experience in diagnosing, managing, and studying psychopaths, sex offenders, and mentally disordered offenders. He is currently on the faculty at University of Washington and Seattle University, and appears as a psychopathy expert on a variety of media, including NPR, Dateline, and The Washington Post. His fiction explores how people (normal and disordered alike) make choices in a world that is simultaneously predetermined and stultifying–unpredictable and dangerous. His first novel Silhouette of Virtue is based, in part, on actual crimes that occurred on a university campus during the mid-1970s, and is also informed by experiences gained by the author while studying and teaching African literature in West Africa later in that decade. Richards believes that task of fiction is to create and share a vision of the world that is worthy of humanity.

First Romance Bookstore App Launched

EverAfter, the first bookstore experience of its kind online, exclusively geared toward e-readers of the romance genre, launched an app that offers in-app purchases making it a one stop shopping for those who love everything about romance. 

The free app, available for download at Apple’s app store and the Google Play app store, offers over 100,000 titles for purchase from major publishers and independent authors in order by subcategory. The app also provides recommendations, flash sales, deals, and free titles, all of which can be downloaded quickly to tablets and smartphones directly from the app.

The great thing that EverAfter does for romance writers who find it challenging to reach the right audience is that it gives them a place to get their book to the right audience. “One of our goals is to help our partners promote their eBooks to a truly dedicated audience,” adds Seth Kaufman, of EverAfter Marketing and Publisher Relations. “So we feature titles from all leading romance publishers, including Harlequin, Avon, Kensington, Forever, Samhain, and Ellora’s Cave, and we carry the big names, from Nora Roberts to E.L. James, Georgette Heyer to Sylvia Day, Nalini Singh to Debbie Macomber. But we also want to create space to sell new authors and titles that deserve to be discovered.” 

If you love romance, this is definitely worth downloading. To download the iOS app, please go here. To download the android app, please go here.