The Theory of Happily Ever After ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Promo, Notable Quotable, & Giveaway!

THE THEORY OF
HAPPILY EVER AFTER

by

KRISTIN BILLERBECK

  Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: May 1, 2018

Number of Pages: 288

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According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious—serious science, that is. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies, like why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream–fueled chick flick binge.

Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.

Filled with unforgettable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile—because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.

PRAISE FOR THE THEORY OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER: 

“. . .the sweet will-they-or-won’t-they of Sam and Maggie’s courtship will please readers. . .”

                        --Publishers Weekly

“Billerbeck returns with a light Christian chick-lit novel just in time for the summer beach-read season, taking on stereotypes of femininity, intellect, and worth within an exciting cruise-ship setting with plenty of sunshine and gelato.”

                        --Booklist

“Billerbeck’s latest is full of memorable characters and witty dialogue. . . .The overall story reminds the reader that sometimes happiness will find you, no matter what you may do to avoid it.”

--RT Book Reviews – Four Star Review

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Kristin Billerbeck is the author of more than thirty novels, including What a Girl Wants and the Ashley Stockingdale and Spa Girls series. She is a fourth-generation Californian who loves her state and the writing fodder it provides.

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GRAND PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After + Bookish Beach Towel, Tumbler, & Book Sleeve

2^ND PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After

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3^RD PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After

+ $10 Starbucks Gift Card

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  August 22-31, 2018

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8/22/18	Excerpt, Part 1	Chapter Break Book Blog
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8/23/18	Excerpt, Part 2	Forgotten Winds
8/24/18	Review	Momma on the Rocks
8/25/18	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
8/26/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/27/18	Scrapbook Page	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/28/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile
8/29/18	BONUS Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/29/18	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
8/30/18	Review	Syd Savvy
8/30/18	BONUS Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/31/18	Review	Book Fidelity

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The Grand Duke from Boys Ranch ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Promo and Notable Quotable!

THE GRAND DUKE FROM BOYS RANCH

EUGENIA AND HUGH M. STEWART '26 SERIES

by

BILL SARPALIUS
foreword by Bill Hobby

  Genre: Memoir / Texana / Politics / Eastern European History

Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
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Date of Publication: April 16, 2018

Number of Pages: 336 pages w/50 B&W photos

As a boy in Houston, Bill Sarpalius, his brothers, and their mother lived an itinerant life. Bill dug food out of trashcans, and he and his brothers moved from one school to the next. They squatted in a vacant home while their mother, affectionately called “Honey,” battled alcoholism and suicidal tendencies. In an act of desperation, she handed her three sons over to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch north of Amarillo.

At the time, Bill was thirteen years old and could not read. Life at Boys Ranch had its own set of harrowing challenges, however. He found himself living in fear of some staff and older boys. He became involved in Future Farmers of America and discovered a talent for public speaking. When he graduated, he had a hundred dollars and no place to go. He worked hard, earned a scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and obtained a college degree. After a brief career as a teacher and in agribusiness, he won a seat in the Texas Senate. Driven by the memory of his suffering mother, he launched the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse in an effort to help people struggling with addiction.

Sarpalius later served in the United States Congress. As a Lithuanian American, he took a special interest in that nation’s fight for independence from the Soviet Union. For his efforts, Sarpalius received the highest honor possible to a non-Lithuanian citizen and was named a “Grand Duke.”

The Grand Duke from Boys Ranch is a unique political memoir—the story of a life full of unlikely paths that is at once heartbreaking and inspirational.

PRAISE FOR THE GRAND DUKE FROM BOYS RANCH: 

“The autobiography of Bill Sarpalius reads like a 20 -century version of the American dream – equal parts heartbreak and inspiration, culminating in an unlikely political career capped by three terms in the U.S. Congress.” -- University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs

“The Grand Duke from Boys Ranch is an inspiring tale of perseverance and personal courage.” -- Si Dunn, Lone Star Literary Life

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Texas A&M University Press
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BILL SARPALIUS represented the Texas 13th Congressional District from 1989 to 1995, and from 1981 to 1989 he served in the Texas State Senate. He currently is a motivational speaker and serves as CEO of Advantage Associates International. He divides his time between Maryland and Houston, Texas.

WEBSITE   INSTAGRAM    TWITTER

MEET THE AUTHOR! 
BARNES & NOBLE, #2665
2:00 PM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018
2415 Soncy Road
Amarillo, TX 79124

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8/22/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/23/18	Excerpt	StoreyBook Reviews
8/24/18	Video Interview, Part 1	The Clueless Gent
8/25/18	Review	Max Knight
8/26/18	Excerpt	Texas Book Lover
8/27/18	Scrapbook Page	Reading by Moonlight
8/28/18	Review	Forgotten Winds
8/29/18	Bonus Post	Sybrina’s Book Blog
8/29/18	Video Interview, Part 2	The Love of a Bibliophile
8/30/18	Review	Kelly Well Read

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That One Moment ~ ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours promo, book trailer, & giveaway!

THAT ONE MOMENT

by
PATTY WISEMAN

  Genre: Fiction / Romantic Suspense

Date of Publication: May 8, 2017

Number of Pages: 258

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Ricki Sheridan traveled a long way to seek refuge at Wolf Den's Lodge high in the mountains after a devastating betrayal. Heartbroken, she signed up for a survivalist backpacking trip to live off the land and forget.

An injury on the first day puts her in the capable hands of the handsome trail boss, Kory Littleton. The attraction is instant, mutual, and terrifying. She trusted her emotions once and vowed never to make the same mistake again.

Kory's heart, trampled and bruised, is unprepared to ever love again, until his unexpected reaction to Ricki reveals some things are worth taking a chance on.

When evil finds its way back into Ricki's world, their fragile bond is tested, forcing them to face their greatest fear: can a wounded heart ever trust anew?

Betrayal. Desire. Revenge. Which one prevails?

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Praise for That One Moment:
Patty Wiseman, as well as anyone and better than most, sure knows how to write the three basic ingredients of a page-turning and unforgettable novel: mystery, suspense, and romance. 
-- Caleb & Linda Pirtle ~ Here Comes a Mystery

"It was pure perfection!" -- Jessa, Amazon Reviewer

"Author Patty Wiseman does a good job of injecting so much action into just the first two pages that I had high expectations for this story. And That One Moment does not disappoint." 
-- Natasha Jackson for Readers' Favorite

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HALL WAYS REVIEW: From the very first attention-grabbing line to the very last, That One Moment takes readers on a danger-filled, action-packed adventure. Prepare to journey through the untamed wilderness -- and the untamed hearts -- of a wide cast of characters who will keep readers turning pages.

"I'm a game warden. I carry a gun. I'm supposed to be tough, a no nonsense kind of gal... When it comes to matters

of the heart I'm completely blinded."

Main character Ricki Sheridan is a smart, strong, and capable woman fighting everything from bears to sexism to evil ex-boyfriends. And she’s darn good at fighting her own feelings, too. While her quick temper and stubbornness (and somewhat Danger-prone Daphne-ish luck) are responsible for making matters worse, Ricki has some big issues to overcome in That One Moment. Bears and unbalanced boyfriends aside, the biggest and most difficult obstacle for Ricki may be trusting herself after making a series of bad, even life-threatening decisions.

Here’s where the writing by award-winning author Patty Wiseman really shines. Via significant sections of internal dialogue (which sometimes is spoken out loud, to no one else – I can relate), readers peek into the psyches of both Ricki and love-interest Kori, who has his own baggage. Anyone who’s been hurt by life or love will feel what these characters are going through and will empathize and understand the vacillation between warring emotions. Who hasn’t gone to bed at night, firm in a decision, only to wake-up the next day and be wishy-washy? Or vice-versa? Wiseman does an excellent job of putting readers right in the midst of the emotional turmoil.

"The kindness shone in his eyes

like a beacon showing her the way home."

Clean romance lovers will be thrilled with how Wiseman handles the love-at-first-sight bolt of lightning that hits both Ricki and Kori within the first pages of That One Moment. Readers -- and everyone in the story, for that matter -- recognize it in the couple and are all rooting for the two characters to just figure it out already and take a chance on it, despite their less than stellar romance records.

But what fun would that be? If the insta-love worked instantly, readers would miss-out on a lot of spine-tingling action and meeting some interesting, memorable secondary characters who merit stories of their own. (There is great potential for numerous companion novels to That One Moment. Fingers crossed, here.) Wiseman doesn’t dive-in too deeply with fleshing-out any of the characters, but readers know enough to love or loathe them. Speaking of loathe, perhaps Wiseman could even pull a Stephanie Meyer move and tell the story through the eyes of Ricki’s psychopath ex-boyfriend, Russ! hmmm…

Anyone who reads my reviews knows that clean editing and proofreading are super-important to me. Though the ability to see typos and run-on sentences from across the room serves me well in my work, it is a bummer when I come across them in an otherwise engaging story because they stop me in my reading tracks. (hello, happy audio books.) Unfortunately, that is the case with That One Moment. The story is award-winning (5 stars), but the editing is not (3 stars) and it’s what holds me back from giving the book the highest rating. There will be plenty of readers who won’t notice and/or won’t care about the numerous errors, but blessing or curse, it’s my thing.

BONUS POINTS AWARDED for special appeal to Kristine: While there is no mention of libraries or bookish things in the story, the mentions of COFFEE, fabulous coffee make up for it. Coffee is practically a character in this story! Campfire coffee, comfort coffee, and clever coffee (which ultimately saves lives!) abound and added a delicious layer to That One Moment. *SIP*

Thank you to Lone Star Literary Life for introducing me to Patty Wiseman, and to Patty for providing me a beautiful signed print copy that was bartered for some administrative tasks. I hope she’s as happy with the work I did for her as I am for her sharing her work with me! I share my honest opinion and review just ‘cause it’s the right thing to do when you read a book. 

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SIDE NOTE: I was thrilled to meet Patty in person at the Texas Association of Authors AME Book Fest this past July and bought a copy (and got it signed, of course. Fangirl!) of her most recent book, Somewhere Between. Gorgeous cover and the premise! 1856 Texas paranormal romance!! YAASSS. Stay tuned…

Meeting Patty at AME Fest

Patty's latest book & my latest addition to the TBR pile!

Award Winning Author Patty Wiseman is a native of the Seattle, Washington area and attended The Wesleyan College in Bartlesville Oklahoma. Northeast Texas is home now, along with her husband Ron.  She is the president of East Texas Writer’s Association, a Lifetime Member of the Worldwide Who’s Who for Professional Women (and named VIP for 2013), and a member of the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization, East Texas Writer’s Guild, and Texas Association of Authors.

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TWO SIGNED PRINT COPIES, TWO eBOOK COPIES

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  August 14-23, 2018

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8/15/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/16/18	Character Interview	The Page Unbound
8/16/18	Author Interview	Margie's Must Reads
8/17/18	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/18/18	Review	That's What She's Reading
8/18/18	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
8/19/18	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
8/19/18	Author Interview	Books and Broomsticks
8/20/18	Review	A Page Before Bedtime
8/20/18	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/21/18	Scrapbook Page	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/22/18	Review	Dressed to Read
8/23/18	Character Interview	Carpe Diem Chronicles
8/23/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile

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