NBtM Book Tour w/Giveaway: Hot Mess by Laurie Palau

Hot Mess: A Practical Guide to 

Getting Organized

by Laurie Palau

GENRE:   Lifestyle

Laurie Palau will be awarding a FREE 30 minute phone consultation to help address specific organizing challenges to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please visit GoddessFish.com to follow the tour, remember the more you comment better your chances on winning.

BLURB:

Most of us have too much stuff and not enough places to put it. Combine that with our hectic modern lives, and you’ve got a recipe for clutter catastrophe. Luckily, help is at hand. Hot Mess: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized can show you how to simplify your life—and get control of your stuff.  In this new guide to streamlining and organizing your belongings, your house, and your life, author and expert Laurie Palau gives you all the strategies you need to clear your clutter once and for all. This comprehensive book offers clever storage ideas and decorating tips, but more importantly, it shows you where your clutter comes from and how to change your approach. This makes it the definitive how-to for dropping all the dead weight that’s been keeping you stressed and anxious. Just follow the hacks, tips, and strategies Palau clearly outlines, and you’ll soon be sipping a vodka martini in your beautifully tidy living room. Whether you’re naturally neat or a total chaos magnet, this informative and amusing guide takes an approach to organizing that’s as unique as you are. Let this witty little handbook be your new secret weapon in the war on disorder!

Excerpt:

When my older daughter first started school, she would get off the bus, have a snack, and immediately start her homework. That’s what I always did as a kid, and it made sense that she would follow in my footsteps.  I never really gave it much thought until my younger daughter started school.  She would come off the bus utterly exhausted. It was a struggle to get her to unpack her backpack, let alone start her homework. Some days she would actually fall asleep within minutes of walking in the door. Naturally, I wanted her to get her homework done, not just for her sake, but for mine. I fought with her to sit down and do it immediately. I never took into account she had ADHD and needed to decompress after sitting in school all day. Homework that should have taken 30 minutes was taking upward of two hours.

After months of battles and tears (hers, not mine - I preferred wine), I finally had my light bulb moment: I realized she goes into a valley in the afternoon. I never factored in her peak productivity time, only mine. I discovered that if I gave her time to chill out and relax for an hour first, she would come back more focused and less combative. 

We all know when we are at our best, and when we are basically just going through the motions.  Decluttering and organizing take both mental and physical strength, so being cognizant of your peak productivity time (and that of those around you) is an important part of the process. 

Q & A with Laurie Palau

What was the hardest part of writing this book?  

Believing that my content had value to the reader.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I actually enjoyed the process of articulating all of my content into one cohesive project, beginning with identifying common problems and offering practical solutions.

Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? Gretchen Rubin, Tim Ferris, & Gary Chapman

What do your plans for future projects include? 

I’d like to write a book dedicated to digital clutter; emails, digital photos, & social media, since I touched on it briefly in my first book, but would love to delve deeper.

Do you ever get writer’s Block? Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? 

YES of course!  When I feel bottlenecked, I walk away. I find that trying to “play through” doesn’t work. I’ve also learned what time of day I am most productive (typically in the mornings), so I prioritize working when I can get the most done.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Laurie Palau is the founder of simply B organized, host of the weekly podcast, This ORGANIZED Life, and author of the book HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized available in paperback and kindle on amazon or Barnes & Noble.

She is a go-to Organizing Expert whose advice has been featured in The New York Times Parenting Section, Family Circle, and Home + Table Magazine. Laurie can also be seen sharing tips on the CBS Philadelphia’s Morning Show & WFMZ in Allentown, PA. Whether speaking or working with clients Laurie is authentic, relatable, inspiring, and highly entertaining.

When not organizing the world, Laurie can be found at home in Bucks County, PA with her husband Josh, 2 girls (Zoe and Logan) and 2 dogs (Jeter and Oliver). She loves coffee and Tito’s Vodka (not together), and in her spare time she is actively involved with The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which raises money for Pediatric Cancer Research.

Visit www.simplyBorganized.com for a complete list of service offerings including free organizing checklists, links to her podcast, blog and social media.

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Two Crazy Ladies Love Romance #BookReview: Interwoven by Michelle Montebello

Interwoven 

(A Belle Hamilton #1)

by Michelle Montebello

Belle Hamilton is a romantic at heart. She's engaged to the love of her life and dreams of marriage, children and a happily ever after. Belle’s world is close to perfect until one afternoon she makes a decision she can't take back.

In the blink of an eye, Belle’s life spirals out of control. She loses everything that is dear to her and is forced to flee to the other side of the world where she meets Andrea, a local bartender in Rome, and develops an unexpected connection with him.

Can they break through the complications of past hurts and a long-distance relationship to make it work, or will one terrifying night in Paris end it before it had a chance to begin?

Interwoven is the first book in the Belle Hamilton series; a story about fate and how it can balance delicately upon the decisions we make.

Review:

5 stars

A touching story that shows how actions are interconnected and woven together, and affecting the lives of many not just one.

Belle Hamilton is a woman who is a total romantic, all she wants the the happily after with the man she loves and has loved for a long time, yes she wants it all , the love the marriage and children. With the man she is engaged to. And all is just perfect until that one faithful day, her world comes crashing down and she makes a decision she can't take back.

In an instant Belles's life has changed, there is meets Andrea a local bartender and develops a soft connection with him. 

Will they be able to get over the complications of the past hurts, and the things that had again gone wrong and changed many lives.

"Interwoven is the first book in the Belle Hamilton series; a story about fate and how it can balance delicately upon the decisions we make."

I received a free copy for my honest review!

Review by Jara

Happy Reading!

Two Crazy Ladies Love Romance #BookReview: The Sweet Life by Sharon Struth

The Sweet Life

(The Sweet Life #1)

by Sharon Struth

Blurb:

In Italy, the best attractions are always off the beaten path . . .

Mamie Weber doesn’t know why she survived that terrible car accident five years ago. Physically, she has only a slight reminder—but emotionally, the pain is still fresh. Deep down she knows her husband would have wanted her to embrace life again. Now she has an opportunity to do just that, spending two weeks in Tuscany reviewing a tour company for her employer’s popular travel guide series. The warmth of the sun, the centuries-old art, a villa on the Umbrian border—it could be just the adventure she needs.

But with adventure comes the unexpected . . . like discovering that her entire tour group is made up of aging ex-hippies reminiscing about their Woodstock days. Or finding herself drawn to the guide, Julian, who is secretly haunted by a tragedy of his own, and seems to disapprove any time she tries something remotely risky—like an impromptu scooter ride with a local man.

As they explore the hilltop towns of Tuscany, Mamie knows that when this blissful excursion is over, she’ll have to return to reality. But when you let yourself wander, life can take some interesting detours . . . 

Review:                                 5 stars

What I found fascinating about the book is that it reminded me of a slow moving gentle river, that meanders just as life can meander through everything, I showed me that we are resilient and we can recover if we allow our selves to feel and welcome life again.

Mamie Weber survived a horrific accident that took the lives of her husband and daughter five years ago, she survived physically she only has a slight reminder of what happened, but the pain she feels is still fresh as it happened yesterday. 

Now she has a chance to do just that, to live her life as her husband would want her to live, she will spend several weeks in Tuscany Italy doing a review of the tour company. 

The warmth of the sun, the centuries-old art, a villa on the Umbrian border—it could be just the adventure she needs.

During the tour she finds herself drawn to the guide, Julian, who is secretly haunted by a tragedy of his own, and seems to disapprove any time she tries something remotely risky—like an impromptu scooter ride with a local man.

I received a free copy for my honest review!

Review by Jara

Happy Reading!!!

Review Tour w/Giveaway: The Sweet Life by Sharon Struth

 

The Sweet Life

by Sharon Struth

GENRE: Women's Fiction

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Sharon Struth will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a

randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Please visit GoddessFish.com to follow the tour,

remember the more you comment better your chances on winning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Mamie Weber doesn’t know why she survived that terrible car accident five years ago. Physically, she has only a slight reminder—but emotionally, the pain is still fresh. Deep down she knows her husband would have wanted her to embrace life again. Now she has an opportunity to do just that, spending two weeks in Tuscany reviewing a tour company for her employer’s popular travel guide series. The warmth of the sun, the centuries-old art, a villa on the Umbrian border—it could be just the adventure she needs. But with adventure comes the unexpected . . . like discovering that her entire tour group is made up of aging ex-hippies reminiscing about their Woodstock days. Or finding herself drawn to the guide, Julian, who is secretly haunted by a tragedy of his own, and seems to disapprove any time she tries something remotely risky—like an impromptu scooter ride with a local man. As they explore the hilltop towns of Tuscany, Mamie knows that when this blissful excursion is over, she’ll have to return to reality. But when you let yourself wander, life can take some interesting detours . . .

Buy Links

Amazon B&N iBooks

Google Kobo

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Excerpt:

In the driver’s seat sat a square-faced man with a full Romanesque nose and short, dark hair. He greeted her with a wide smile. “Ciao, bella.”

She climbed the steps and smiled back. “Hello. I mean, Ciao. Sorry I’m late.”

Before the nice man in the driver’s seat could respond, a man standing about halfway down the aisle said, “I’m sorry, miss. You’ve got the wrong bus.”

Whoever he was, his cargo shorts and faded Led Zeppelin T-shirt didn’t carry any authority. But he held a clipboard, and his tone suggested he meant business. His Gaelic-looking face carried a slight boyish quality, hardened into a manly appearance due to his trimly cut mustache and beard. Wavy hair the color of cognac peeked out from beneath a gold cap with orange and blue lettering reading Wanderlust Excursions.

“I’m sure the hotel front desk can help you find the right tour.” He gave her a now-hurry-along smile and turned back to the man he’d been talking to.

“Did I just talk to you on the phone?”

He lifted his chin and raised a brow. “We’re waiting for Felix.” His gaze traveled her from top to bottom then he looked her in the eyes. “I’m pretty sure you’re not Felix?”

“No, but...” Mamie became aware of the silence and scanned the passengers.

Everyone in the full bus stared back. Quiet. Curious. She squirmed and her gaze drifted back to the man who seemed to be in charge.

“No. I’m not Felix, but if this is Wanderlust Excursions, it’s where I’m supposed to be.”

He squinted. “Wait. Are you the woman who answered Felix’s phone?”

“Yes. I’m taking his place on the tour.”

He snorted. A short, patronizing laugh. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re clearly not Felix.”

“But he transferred his vouchers to me.”

“Nobody told me. Our company rules state that purchased seats are not transferrable without prior home office approval.” He frowned and studied her again. “Besides, this is a specialized tour and you’re not a member of this group. Felix is.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

His lip curled into a little smirk. “Did you attend Woodstock?”

“The concert?”

“Is there another one?”

“Well, no, but...” Mamie scanned the other passengers more carefully. Other than the guide—everyone else was probably over fifty-five. Maybe even over sixty. “What group are they part of?”

“They are”—the guide, whose company sponsored tag read Julian, glanced at his clipboard—“the Woodstock Wanderers.”

“Felix may not have been part of it either.” Mamie never heard him mention them before.

“Are you kidding? Felix was one of our founder members.” A man with thinning white hair, dark-rimmed glasses, and a full white beard sitting in the front seat winked at Mamie. “Bernie” in capital letters sat square in the center of a nametag with a tie-dyed background. Beneath his name it said, “Favorite Woodstock Song: ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned,’ Joe Cocker.”

Mamie would’ve never put Bernie together with that song, but... The bus’s silence and everyone watching her jarred her back to the problem at hand. “Felix never mentioned your group to me.”

Guess she knew Felix but didn’t know him. The truth about how she and Felix knew each other, though, wasn’t something she could share.

So she did the only thing she could do. Staring Julian square in the eye, she said, “Uncle Felix wanted me to take this trip. I’m his niece. He insisted I go in his place.”

“His niece, huh?” The tour director rubbed the back of his neck and considered her again. He shook his head. “I’m sorry he’s decided not to come, but on the transfer, I can’t budge. Rules are rules.”

A thin gentleman sitting a couple rows behind Bernie, with salt-and-pepper patches of hair above his ears, piped in. “Julian. Dude. Can’t you just go with the flow? She looks harmless. Let her come.”

Mamie squinted. His tag read Bob, but before she could read more, the others joined in with choruses of “yeahs,” and she looked away.

“You know what they say, Julian.” A woman with curly brown hair, peace sign earnings, and a pretty smile said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Mamie noted her nametag read Martha and her favorite Woodstock song was “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Still, and Nash.

Julian pursed his lips. “All due respect Martha, me losing my job isn’t exactly small stuff.”

Martha grinned slyly and winked. “We promise to keep it a secret from the boss.” She glanced around. “Right everybody?”

Another chorus of loud “yeahs” filled the bus.

One slim man with thinning hair who sat in the last row fist bumped the air. “We aren’t afraid of the man.”

The passengers murmured and nodded, complete agreement on that one. Mamie loved this solidarity. Though she’d never considered herself a hippie—more like a loner—she had an incredible urge to be part of this group.

Julian watched them, frowning. He refocused his attention on Mamie. “Sorry. I’m going to have to ask you to step out so we can start. We’re already running late.”

Normally, Mamie respected timeliness, schedules, and rules. But she had a job to do. A mission to accomplish.

“Please. My uncle, he really wanted me to go and—”

Julian took several swift steps to the front of the bus and stopped close to her. He dropped his voice. “Listen, this isn’t personal. The last thing I need is to lose this job. Do me a solid and go see if you can get any of your money back.”

She quietly replied, “You don’t understand. I need to go on this tour.”

He narrowed his hard green eyes, but before he could say a thing, a chant filled the air.

“Let her stay. Let her stay. Let her stay.”

A blond-haired woman with a cherub face who sat at Bernie’s side spoke up over the chant. “Doesn’t she remind you of Tracy, Bern?” Her nametag read Sandra and her favorite Woodstock song was “Amazing Grace” by Arlo Guthrie. She patted Julian’s arm in a very maternal way. “Tracy’s our daughter. We’d love having some young energy around. Tracy’s just too busy working to spend any time with us.”

Julian’s lower lip dropped. He drew in a deep breath, looked at Mamie, and motioned to the door. “Let’s talk outside.”

She turned and headed off the bus. Little did he know, she wasn’t about to back down. Nothing would stop her from getting on this bus or making the most of this adventure. Two very good reasons existed for fighting the good fight.

The memory of her husband and daughter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review:

5 stars

What I found fascinating about the book is that it reminded me of a slow moving gentle river, that meanders just as life can meander through everything, I showed me that we are resilient and we can recover if we allow our selves to feel and welcome life again. Mamie Weber survived a horrific accident that took the lives of her husband and daughter five years ago, she survived physically she only has a slight reminder of what happened, but the pain she feels is still fresh as it happened yesterday. Now she has a chance to do just that, to live her life as her husband would want her to live, she will spend several weeks in Tuscany Italy doing a review of the tour company. The warmth of the sun, the centuries-old art, a villa on the Umbrian border—it could be just the adventure she needs. During the tour she finds herself drawn to the guide, Julian, who is secretly haunted by a tragedy of his own, and seems to disapprove any time she tries something remotely risky—like an impromptu scooter ride with a local man. I received a free copy for my honest review! Review by Jara

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sharon Struth believes you’re never too old to pursue a dream. The Hourglass, her debut novel, is a finalist in the National Readers' Choice Awards for Best first Book, and her Blue Moon Lake Novels include the bestseller, Share the Moon.

When she’s not working, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail, travel the world, and enjoy spending time with their precious pets and two grown daughters. She writes from the friendliest place she’s ever lived, Bethel, Connecticut. For more information, including where to find her published essays, please visit www.sharonstruth.com or visit her blog, Musings from the Middle Ages & More at

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