Ripples And The Power Of Google Plus (aka Why You Want Ripples)

Ripples. We all know how water looks as it ripples (pretty cool, right?) But what if social media had ripples? Think about it- you share this, another person shares it, someone else, and so on and so forth- until the whole darn thing either goes viral or just kind of stops. Social media, at it’s core, is about this effect. But, until Google Plus rolled out this feature, Ripples, how did we know about a post being shared and where and for how long? Truthfully we didn’t. At least not in the way Google Plus is showing us. And this is a cool thing- and you totally want ripples. Continue reading →

While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell

Photo Credit: Goodreads

While Beauty Slept was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for a honest review.

While Beauty Slept

The story opens with Elise Dalriss’s great granddaughter telling a story to the other kids- a story about a fair maiden- Sleeping Beauty. Elise is uneasy with this story being told- but she doesn’t say anything to her great-grandaughter, until Elise finds her searching her room and holding a special knife. Elise sits the girl down and begins telling a story- a story of wonder, of love, of betrayal and pain. Continue reading →

Excerpt from The Lies That Save Us by JL Redington (CLP Tours)

Photo Credit: Provided by CLP

Today, Traveling With T is a stop on THE LIES THAT SAVE US bu JL Redington blog tour sponsored by Chick Lit Plus. For your reading pleasure, JL has thoughtfully supplied Traveling With T an excerpt. Be sure and check out Chick Lit Plus for other stops on the tour and a giveaway!

Excerpt from THE LIES THAT SAVE US

“Don’t play those games with me, young lady,” said Keith, “I’ve been around too long, and don’t have that much time left that I would enjoy the game now. You liked him, and you know it.”

Alexa dropped dejectedly down in the seat across from Keith.

“Did I really blow it? I can’t fall for anyone again, Keith. I really can’t.”

Keith chuckled and looked down at his empty coffee cup.

“How old are you? Twenty-six? Twenty-eight max? Don’t you think that’s kind of a long time to be alone? You may have to do that ‘kissing-the-frogs’ thing for a while, but you don’t have to sleep with every frog you kiss, and you don’t have to expect every one of them to turn into a prince. But you could at least enjoy yourself along the way. I need some coffee.”

Alexa sighed and reached across the table to pour the steaming coffee into his cup.

“I can’t, Keith. I mean it; and I don’t want to. I don’t want to deal with another human being in my life.”

“Yes, you do.” He said with determination.

“How do you–How could you even remotely know that?”

Keith looked at her across the table. He picked up his coffee cup and took a slow sip, then put the cup back down on the table and stared into the dark liquid.

“I know that because there isn’t a human being on the face of this earth that doesn’t need to be loved.” He looked into her eyes. “You’re not betraying the memory of your father, nor are you giving in to a life you swore you’d never want. Be human Alexa; live again. Square your shoulders, take a deep breath and give it a go. It’s a ride you can stop at any time.”

Photo Credit: Provided by CLP

Author Bio:

JL Redington lives in Juneau, AK, with her husband Terry and puppy, Shelby. Together they are the parents of 6 grown children and 19 grandchildren. She loves to read, camp, cook and be with her friends and family. In writing this romance series, JL has found a new love in her life, and that is writing books. JL has always felt books are a way to take us out of the everyday and into a place we can relax, be entertained and enjoy a different world for a period of time. Happy reading!

Connect with JL: Facebook, Twitter, website.

Want to buy THE LIES THAT SAVE US? Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

Summary:

Photo Credit: Provided by CLP

Alexa is beautiful, smart and alone in the world, a result of devastating losses in her life. She purchased a diner in the quiet out of the way town of Startup, Washington and hired employees to help run it. She’s just beginning to feel secure in her loneliness.

Suddenly her world is jolted awake by Cayman, a handsome young stranger that enters her diner seemingly from nowhere. Event’s happen quickly, and soon Alexa is deep into secret lives, deception and desire.

Will she figure out the riddle of her father’s death? Will she be able to resist the temptation to fall in love with Cayman in spite of her suspicions? Will she live to tell the tale?

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Literary Friday, ya’ll…

Today is Valentine’s Day and Literary Friday- so…. do the right thing and get a book and enjoy some bookish love 🙂

1. Deep South Magazine and their #literaryfriday: talks of Nicholas Sparks, giveaway, 50 Sexiest Books, and much more!

2. Traveling With T is asking: Who is your favorite romantic film or literary couple? I’ve listed a FEW of mine- and I would love to hear from you!

3. Still looking for Valentine gift inspiration? Here is a few ideas!

4. Traveling With T this week interviewed Gigi Pandian, author of PIRATE VISHNU, posted an Author Spotlight on Adria J. Cimino and reviewed SOMETHING YELLOW by Laura Templeton!

5. What is So Wrong With “Happily Ever After?” is a question Traveling With T posed this week on the blog- would love to hear more thoughts!

6. My #fridayreads FOUR FRIENDS by Robyn Carr and THROW IN THE TROWEL by Kate Collins.

♥♥♥ I love you all! Thanks for commenting, for stopping by, for sharing on Facebook, Twitter and G+, for finding me interesting! Have a wonderful day, a wonderful Valentine’s Day! ♥♥♥

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Favorite Literary/Film Romantic Couples

Romance is in the air- today is Valentine’s Day! Whether you are celebrating romance by reading or watching a good movie- we all have some fav romantic couples from film or literature!

Here’s a few of mine:

Film:

Photo Credit: IMDB

Scarlett and Rhett: Gone With The Wind- I LOVE Scarlett and Rhett- the looks between them, the bantering back and forth!

Photo Credit: IMDB

Captain Von Trapp and Maria: The Sound of Music- from when she asks “what his whistle sound to call him is” to the meeting in the garden (oh my stars, I love that scene- basically the movie is over after that scene!). Continue reading →

Thursday Mashup

It’s the Thursday before the big love-fest day known as Valentine’s Day. This Mashup will have some recipes that I found that might be just the perfect thing for V-day (whether you be single, married, madly in love or whatever!)

Foodie:

Tastes of Lizzy T posted about this Amish Chocolate Covered Cherries a couple of weeks ago- and the picture she used- YUM looking! I read the recipe- they did not sound too hard (all hail those of us that pots and pans quake with fear as we walk through the kitchen!)

The Frugal Foodie Mama made Double Chocolate Cherry Biscotti- and I basically wanted to lick my computer screen. No, wait that’s gross (and I so didn’t). But if in the future scratch and smell links come to computer screens (you know, like about the time that everyone has flying cars) THIS is the recipe I want to try first. Continue reading →

Interview with Adria J. Cimino, author of Paris, Rue des Martyrs

Adria J. Cimino is here today to talk to Traveling With T about her debut novel, Paris, Rue des Martyrs- which can be purchased at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and coming soon to Apple IBookstore.

Interview with Adria J. Cimino

Adria, thank you for stopping by Traveling With T to talk about your book, Paris, Rue des Martyrs.

It’s my pleasure! Thank you for inviting me to chat!

Adria, can you tell the readers a little bit about Paris, Rue des Martyrs?

Paris, Rue des Martyrs is actually four stories in one: Four strangers, each at a crossroads of sorts, find their lives and stories entwining. The novel is about the importance of relationships and how certain encounters can change the course of our lives. And it is a commentary about city life: While the city may represent liberation for one, it can mean oppression for another.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes… and no. I’ll explain. I always wanted to write, but was an extremely shy bookworm as a child. So the idea of actually sharing what I wrote with anyone was terrifying. Especially the idea of fiction, which to me is a lot more personal than the news articles I’ve written as a journalist. Luckily, I lost a bit of the shyness and couldn’t resist the temptation to follow my heart.

Do you have a writing space or a writing routine?

I wrote a lot of “Paris, Rue des Martyrs” in the commuter train at 6 a.m.! And then, once we moved into Paris, I wrote on the weekends. Now that I’m no longer working full-time in an office, I have the luxury of writing for a shorter time each day. So no more two-day writing marathons! My writing space is the dining room table. Apartments are often small in Paris 🙂

What is the best advice that you received in your journey to be an author?

From my mom, who I so wish was still around to see my book published. She told me never to give up, never to even think about the possibility of failure.

Today, many authors are not only writing books- but they are having to build a following on social media. How are you using social media to help find a fan base?

I think social media is absolutely essential today for both new and established authors. I’m on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. I post on my blog twice a week and regularly visit my favorite book and travel-related blogs. I’m also on Google+. And I never, ever send out generic messages. If I don’t have time to send someone a personal message, I won’t send a message at all.

I realize that for any success that I may have, I will have to thank social media and especially the book blogging community. Sure, you can be a good writer, but if no one knows about you…

What was the best part about writing Paris, Rue des Martyrs?

The best part of writing this novel was re-examining life in Paris from four completely different points of view and making those perspectives of the city convincing and real. It was challenging and a lot of fun!

Adria, can you tell the readers of Traveling With T about any future book plans?

Sure, since I’ve been seriously writing for more than a decade, I actually have two novels waiting in the wings. I have to remain vague at this point, but I can say that one is about the role of destiny in a young woman’s life. It is set in New York and London. And the other is about a young perfumer and is set in the perfume capital of Grasse, France. (I mention the setting because location isn’t just an arbitrary decision for me, but always has a larger role in my work.)

Photo Credit: Provided by Author

Some encounters make a difference.

Four strangers in Paris. Each one is on a quest: to uncover a family secret, to grasp a new chance at love, to repair mistakes of the past. Four stories entwine, four quests become one, as their paths cross amid the beauty, squalor, animation and desolation of a street in Paris, the Rue des Martyrs.

Rafael’s search for his birth mother leads him to love and grim family secrets. Cecile’s view of herself as an unsatisfied housewife is radically changed by the promise of a passionate liaison. Andre, an aging actor, troubled by the arrival of the son he abandoned years ago, must make a choice, to either lose his son forever or put aside pride and seek redemption. Mira travels to Paris to begin a new life and forget about love… or so she intends.

Four strangers, four stories, one riveting novel.

Photo credit: Provided by author

Connect with Adria: Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus,

*Thanks Adria for the author interview!

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Something Yellow by Laura Templeton

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for a honest review.

Something Yellow

Holly has returned to her mountain home in Virgina. It is not a happy return- Holly’s mother is dying and Holly returns to help take care of her in the last months of her life. Holly is upset about her mother, but her life has changed drastically for other reasons, too. Holly has lost her job in Atlanta, she’s put her effort into work and now feels she doesn’t have much to show for all her hard work- no job, no life of her own, and no love life.

Not long after Holly returns to Virginia- a 9 year old girl is reported as missing. Holly has a sense of dread- especially when she finds out that her ex, Houston, is in town. This isn’t the first missing child in Virgina- Holly’s sister, Rachel, has never been found. And Hunter was the last person to see her. Is it just a coincidence that Houston is in town? Or is Houston being in town connected to the missing girl?

Holly, facing her mother’s death, knowing Houston is back in town and the missing girl bringing up memories of Rachel and frustration at never knowing what happened is making Holly reassess life. Reassess why she left and what her next step is. When Holly’s brother comes back- Holly is happy to have the help with their mom. Oliver, though, is distracted at times- and there is a distance between them. Is it a growing apart distance or how siblings relationships are altered after disaster?

Houston proclaims his innocence to Holly- over and over. Should Holly believe him? Has Holly been so blinded by her belief that Houston hurt Rachel that she’s missing the real story?

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ll be honest- when Laura Templeton emailed me to ask to consider SOMETHING YELLOW for review, I almost said “no”. My review schedule was stacking up, I had been in a reading slump, and I just wasn’t sure. But, I was intrigued- so I said yes. And I’m glad I did.

SOMETHING YELLOW was not perfect- however, it was a good debut. There was a plot twist that I saw coming and some other small things- some of the story was resolved a bit too easily- however, the whole package was perfectly fine.

For me, I say a definite debut worth reading- Laura Templeton has a flair for words and I’m curious to see her next work.

Enjoyable and interesting- SOMETHING YELLOW encourages you to look beyond appearances and to examine what you want in life.

*This book was sent to Traveling With T by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Author Spotlight: Adria J. Cimino, author of Paris, Rue des Martyrs

Today, Adria J. Cimino stops by and we learn a bit more about her- as the woman behind the book. You might remember Adria first appearing on Traveling With T as part of the cover reveal for Paris, Rue des Martyrs.

In today’s author spotlight- we’ll learn about Adria’s favorite books & her #literarycrush. Be sure and check back Thursday for the Author Interview- where Adria tells us all about Paris, Rue des Martyrs!

Author Spotlight: Adria J. Cimino

Adria, what are your Top 3 Favorite Books of all time?

Such a difficult question, but these three are always quite near the top…

The Great Gatsby

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Master and Margarita

If you could be best friends with a character in a book, who would you pick? And why?

Idgie of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café because she is loyal, compassionate and strong.

Do you have any #literaryconfessions?

As a journalist, I interviewed John Updike — but I hadn’t read his books. Oops! To make it a little bit less embarrassing, it was a very last-minute assignment.

Do you have a #literarycrush?

Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights

What is your favorite color?

Purple, just like my mom. And now my little girl loves purple too. I think it’s hereditary!

What is your favorite opening line to a book?

It’s actually an opening paragraph so I hope this counts. From The Lover by Marguerite Duras:

One day, I was already old, in the entrance of a public place a man came up to me. He introduced himself and said, “I’ve known you for years. Everyone says you were beautiful when you were young, but I want to tell you I think you’re more beautiful now than then. Rather than your face as a young woman, I prefer your face as it is now. Ravaged.”

What is your favorite food?

Home-made pasta (made by my grandma years ago and my husband today)

Photo Credit: Author Provided

*Thank you Adria for answering these questions and letting us know a bit more about you!

Photo Credit: Author Provided

Adria J. Cimino lives in Paris and enjoys sharing her adventures in the city and thoughts about the writing life in her blog “Adria in Paris.”

http://adriainparis.blogspot.com/

Previously, she worked as a journalist for more than a decade at news organizations including the Associated Press and Bloomberg News.

Adria, who grew up in the sunshine, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida.

“Paris, Rue des Martyrs” is her first novel.

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

What Is So Wrong With “Happily Ever After”?

Happily Ever After- it’s what we are looking for. We might scorn the idea, make fun of it, even not want to admit it- but, deep down, somewhere in you, if you are brutally honest with yourself- happily ever after is what you want. It might not look like what anyone elses will look like- and it’s probably not a romance’s idea of “happily ever after”- but, your idea- you and the man- living a life together, living a life that you want.

So, if we all desire the “happily ever after” why, oh why do we scorn the idea so much? Make fun of it?

I think a lot has to do with how easy it is to make fun of romance books/chick flicks. And don’t get me wrong- it is easy to make fun of those books/movies- the girl and the boy cutely meet- instant sparks/attraction. But something keeps them from being together- maybe it’s a boyfriend, or a bad past relationship. Maybe they want to make it in the big city before a relationship. But, like magnets, they keep being drawn together- until the romance happens and the happily ever after is in sight.

Continue reading →