Creatrix Rising: Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Author Video & Giveaway!

 CREATRIX RISING: UNLOCKING THE POWER OF MIDLIFE WOMEN
By Stephanie Raffelock

Categories: Nonfiction / Self Help Memoir

Publisher: She Writes Press

Pub Date: August 24, 2021 

Pages:176 Pages

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From the author of the award-winning book A Delightful Little Book on Aging comes a new self-help memoir Creatrix Rising: Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women. In her new book, Stephanie Raffelock liberates mold-defying midlife women, tired of the oft-inaccurate characterization of the “old crone,” to amplify the resounding strength within.

Ever since Eve was banned from the garden, women have endured the oftentimes painful and inaccurate definitions foisted upon them by the patriarchy. Maiden, mother, and crone, representing the three stages assigned to a woman’s life cycle, have been the limiting categories of both ancient and modern (neo-pagan) mythology. And one label in particular rankles: crone. The word conjures a wizened hag—useless for the most part, marginalized by appearance and ability.

None of us has ever truly fit the old-crone image, and for today’s midlife women, a new archetype is being birthed: the Creatrix.

In Creatrix Rising, Raffelock lays out—through personal stories and essays—the highlights of the past fifty years, in which women have gone from a quiet strength to a resounding voice. She invites us along on her own transformational journey by providing probing questions for reflection so that we can flesh out and bring to life this new archetype within ourselves. If what the Dalai Lama has predicted—that women will save the world—proves true, then the Creatrix will for certain be out front, leading the pack.

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Author Stephanie Raffelock reads an excerpt from Creatrix Rising

PRAISE FOR CREATRIX RISING:

“The perfect topic at the perfect time, Stephanie Raffelock’s self-help memoir, Creatrix Rising, identifies a new archetype, the Creatrix, that transcends the old archetype of Crone. Her stories and insights about how far women have come is nothing short of inspirational. A must-read for any woman who wants to embrace the strength and creativity of midlife.” -Marci Shimoff, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Happy for No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Women’s Soul

“Poetic and philosophical, Creatrix Rising will inspire readers to claim the courage and confidence that already lives inside of them. An intimate story of transformation, of journeying through life on your own terms without apology.”

-Richard Blanco, 2013 Presidential Inaugural Poet and author of How to Love a Country

“The new archetype Stephanie Raffelock assigns to midlife women underscores the assets and wisdom older women bring to our culture and to the greater good. Creatrix Rising is an affirmation and celebration of the feminine story taking place in leadership and creativity throughout our country.”

-Gabby Reese, volleyball legend, Nike’s first female spokeswoman, and New York Times best-selling author

Link To The Book Trailer On YouTube

HALL WAYS MINI-REVIEW: 

"We weave together tales of our past and present, helping us make sense of the ideal we strive for: the freedom to do life on our own terms."

Reading Stephanie Raffelock's book -- part memoir, part call to action -- was so powerful and empowering. Her fascinating life stories, and how she learned and grew from them, force the reader to reflect upon her own life stories and the people who helped mold her into what she is today. Raffelock reminds us that we can break those molds at any time or stretch them to fit who we want to be.  But more importantly, Raffelock shows how women all have the potential to evolve and take their rightful places in the world by throwing out the horrible accepted norms and definitions of mid-life women. 

I'm past the mid-life point, and Raffelock's pointed (and more subtle) questions she poses for self-reflection are ones I will keep revisiting as I continue to reinvent myself and grow.  

Highly recommend CREATRIX RISING for ages 40+ women -- and for the men who are in their lives. 

Stephanie Raffelock is the author of Creatrix Rising, Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women, (She Writes Press – August, 2021). She also penned the award winning book, A Delightful Little Book on Aging.

A graduate of Naropa University’s program in Writing and Poetics, Stephanie was a contributor to The Rogue Valley Messenger in Oregon. She has blogged for Nexus Magazine, Omaha Lifestyles, Care2.com, as well as SixtyandMe.com.

A former i-Heart Radio host, she is now a popular guest on podcasts, where she inspires women to embrace the strength and passion of their personal story. Stephanie continues to build her speaker’s resume by giving presentations for groups like The Ashland Literary Arts Festival, Breaking the Glass, WINS at Charles Schwab and Southern Oregon University, Friends of the Hannon Library. Her commitment to uplift women extends to teaching personal development classes for incarcerated women and non-profits, including Dress for Success, Austin.

A recent transplant to Austin, Texas Stephanie enjoys an active life with her husband, Dean, and their Labrador retriever, Mickey Mantel Raffelock.

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Chiseled ~ Audio Book Blog Tour Audio Excerpt, Review, & Giveaway!

CHISELED

Written By, Narrated By, and Published by:

DANUTA PFEIFFER

Length: 13 hours and 22 minutes

Released: May 22, 2018

Genre: Memoir

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A NOTE FROM HALL WAYS: YES, I am featuring this book on my blog for the third time -- it's that good. Get it in print, get it in audio, get it in both formats...but GET THIS BOOK. 

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In this gripping memoir, Danuta Pfeiffer grew up with parents as extraordinary as they were flawed. John and Patricia Rylko and their three children lived a nomadic life following the seasons to accommodate John's work as a gifted sculptor during the summers and as a philandering ski instructor in the winters. They lived in a circus tent, built their first cabin, and lost it for a dollar.

John Rylko flaunted his charm as a story teller, entrancing all who listened of his wartime glories as a Polish soldier and his silver medals in the 1936 Winter Olympics, while Patricia, a nurse, pulled double shifts at hospitals, hitchhiking to work and feeding her family off the land with roadkill deer and blackberry pies.

Those times of resiliency would have to sustain Danuta when she was raped and secretly gave birth to a baby. She escapes her enraged father on a daring journey to Alaska during the storm of the century.

Through betrayals and loss and her search for redemption, she becomes the unlikely co-host to a television evangelist bent on becoming the president of the US. When her past catches up to her, she is caught in the crosshairs of politics and religion. In a gutsy move, she abandons Christianity during a bicycle ride from Canada to Mexico and unravels her father's hidden life in the Carpathian Mountains of Poland, only to discover her own life hidden in the folds of resiliency, tenacity, and grit.

Danuta Pfeiffer now lives in a vineyard in Oregon, making fine wine with her husband Robin Pfeiffer.

  

Danuta (Soderman) Pfeiffer was a national radio and television broadcast journalist, columnist, and talk show host for 35 years. She is the author of 4 books; her first book, Watersafe Your Baby in Six Days, was the first book on teaching water survival skills to infants, and the first to be endorsed by the American Red Cross.

Danuta has been a Water Safety Instructor, a ski instructor, scuba diver, and long-distance bicycle rider, and once called the "most visible woman in modern Christianity today." She was known as the popular co-host of The 700 Club with Pat Robertson. (Her new book, Chiseled, can explain that.) But Danuta returned to her liberal roots expressing her Progressive views as a radio talk show host on radio stations affiliated with Air America.

She was the inspiration behind the Men of the Long Tom Grange Calendar, America’s first international nude spoof calendar that raised over $650,000 for the Junction City School District.

She was the founder of the Oregon Country Trails, Oregon’s first branded, agri-tourism system, representing businesses and attractions in rural Oregon. She served two years on the Oregon Travel Experience Board, appointed by Governor John Kitzhaber, and for over 20 years has chaired or volunteered at the annual Long Tom Grange Daffodil Drive Festival.

Danuta and her husband Robin own and manage Pfeiffer Winery and Vineyards in Junction City, Oregon--one of most reputable vineyards in the state, and one of the first wineries to be solar-powered. Their wine isn’t bad, either. Their 2007 Blue Dot Reserve Pinot noir was served during a private presidential dinner.

Today, she and Robin can often be found sharing their love of wine with friends and family at their winery, swimming in their country pond with their yellow labs, or sipping wine and watching for the first bats to fly at sunset at the top of their vineyard.

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HALL WAYS REVIEWS: While I wasn't a reviewer on this tour, I had to be a part of it because the book is so wonderful. To read my reviews...

CLICK FOR MY PRINT COPY REVIEW

CLICK FOR MY AUDIO BOOK REVIEW

Spoiler Alert: I gave the book 5 Stars in both reviews. 😊

Prize: Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Gen)

Runs Oct. 7th-14th⎮Open internationally

Chiseled Giveaway: Amazon Echo Dot




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The Battle of Bayport: Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 6 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Review & Audio Excerpt!

Dixon, F. (2016). The Battle of Bayport: Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 6. Carol Stream, IL: Oasis Audio.

Middle Grade / Mystery / Audio Book

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Blurb: Mr. Lakin made his way over to Don Sterling. "It's bad enough we have to suffer through your performances onstage. Now come on, we're going to be late for our own party. The whole world doesn't stop for you, you know."

Mr. Lakin gave the Don's boot a kick. The Don didn't move. Joe and I exchanged glances. Something was definitely not right. Joe knelt down and put his fingers on Don Sterling's neck like we'd been taught in our first aid course.

"I don't think he's acting," Joe said after a moment. "It's hard to fake not having a pulse."

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HALL WAYS REVIEW: How could I not love a Hardy Boys mystery? This was so much fun to listen to (and yes, I was "seeing" Shawn Cassidy and Parker Stevenson as the faces of Joe and Frank. Dating myself, again.) and it had been modernized to be a contemporary story. The story was well-done -- plenty of angles, plenty of suspects, plenty of motives. And surprise -- a murder!

What's great about the The Battle of Bayport is that there are so many elements for readers to enjoy while also learning a thing or two along the way.  The murder is handled just fine for intended audience, and it works because it is part of life in the world we live in.  As there was no one author (Franklin Dixon was a pseudonym for the over twenty different writers who have written Hardy Boys stories.), it allows the stories to evolve with the times. Real-life issues like debt, health problems, job loss, PTSD, and stress are all incorporated, but more as an awareness than the focus. There were several times, as a parent, I thought, "Uh-oh." Kids shooting real muskets in a reenactment? No way. But, in this story, the author was very careful to include subtle "there's a right way/wrong way" messages that made the characters' actions believable. My only complaints are that the things the boys do in the name of investigation could have some really dire consequences in the real world, and they are luckier than most in how things turn-out. Hopefully readers won't try to model those particular aspects of our main characters' personalities.

The audio book was just three and a half hours long, which was perfect for an audio book story for this age group. The narrator, Tim Gregory, did a great job of differentiating the voices of the boys and all the other characters. I especially liked the Chief of Police! Gruff! He did sometimes channel the sound of those old Smucker's commercials with Frank's voice, so that made him seem old at times. (The weirdest stuff jumps in my head at times.) Gregory also managed to convey the right level of emotion for each of the characters' states, whether it was guilty, panicked, excited, or scared.

Adults are portrayed realistically, warts and all, though the boys' parents aren't even referenced and beloved Aunt Trudy (not Gertrude any more) is a presence as a source of delicious food only and has no dialogue. (The original written stories had the boys living with their parents, and the TV version had them living with their widowed father.)

In The Battle of Bayport, readers can look forward to a great story within a familiar, contemporary world that shows the good and not-so-good of human nature. I highly recommend this audio book.

Thank you to Oasis Audio for providing me a CD at the 2017 Texas Library Association annual conference. No strings attached, but I am providing my honest opinion all the same. It's what I do. 

CLICK TO LISTEN TO AN AUDIO EXCERPT!

The Good Spy Dies Twice ~ ~ ~ Audio Tour, Review, Audio Excerpt, & $50 Amazon Giveaway!

***SALE! APRIL 2017 ONLY *** 

eBOOK is FREE & AUDIO is just $1.99!

Author: Mark Hosack

Narrator: Mark Hosack

Length: 10h 19m

Publisher:Wide Awake Audio⎮2017

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release date: Jan. 19, 2017

Jake Boxer, investigative journalist and host of the conspiratorial news show Bullseye, is in serious trouble. Not only is his soundman murdered by Russian intelligence agents while reporting on a secretive New World Order, but his network cancels his show, leaving Jake humiliated and spiraling into a deep dark depression.

Years later, a condemned murderer, who claims he was abandoned by the CIA, and who starred in an early episode of Bullseye, is finally executed for killing two supposed Soviet spies back in the 1970s.

Jake Boxer, still trying to piece his life back together, is on his honeymoon in a posh ski resort in the Alaskan mountains when he gets word of the inmate’s execution . . . and the old killer’s final words: “The good spy dies twice.”

Those five words, seemingly meant for Jake, draw the ex-reporter from his forced retirement and into a complex and deadly global conspiracy involving his newlywed wife, the secretive New World Order, and the hotel’s hundred or so “guests.”

Everyone is a suspect.

Described as James Bond in a Stephen King novel, THE GOOD SPY DIES TWICE is the explosive first book in the Bullseye Series. Part spy thriller, part whodunit, this fast-paced novel introduces an exciting new hero, the intrepid, conspiratorial journalist, Jake Boxer.

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Limited time only: Get the ebook at a special price and add the audiobook for just $1.99 on Amazon

Mark Hosack is the author of THE GOOD SPY DIES TWICE (Book 1: The Bullseye Series, nominated for the 2016 RT Source Award), and IDENTITY (Simon & Schuster). He also wrote on the web series SEQUESTERED for Sony Crackle, the screenplay for GIVE 'EM HELL, MALONE (Thomas Jane, Ving Rhames), and he both wrote and directed the award winning independent film PALE BLUE MOON. Mark lives in Los Angeles with his wife and a brood of gremlins who insist on calling him Dad.

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HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audio book review. Overall rating clarification 3.5. The Good Spy Dies Twice is a contemporary conspiracy thriller from author Mark Hosack that apart from the flashbacks, places readers in the US, post-2016 election time frame.  It is tense and at times intense. Our main character, Jake Boxer, is not at all the typical lead man readers would expect in this kind of story; rather, he is deeply flawed, which for me is a refreshing break from the stud hero spy guy.

Due to some occupational hazards in his former line of work as an investigative reporter, Jake suffers from paranoia – but then, with all that transpires, doesn’t he ultimately have a reason to be paranoid? Jake is an unreliable narrator because the reader can’t be sure if what he’s saying/feeling/doing is because he’s paranoid, under the influence of his pain meds, haunted by his nightmares, or being visited by ghosts (real or imagined).  He is mostly operating in a fog, but he also has his moments of clarity, and even brilliance as we come to the big reveal, which surprisingly happens with a fair amount left in the story. 

The premise is excellent, the characters are interesting and even intriguing, Hosack’s descriptions are detailed and realistic, and the plot is intricate and full of twists and turns and surprises – all elements that kept me listening. Where I struggled was in the details. There are decisions characters make that don’t ring true (especially for survival situations). There are procedures that seem illogical and unrealistic (and even incorrect – land lines that aren’t digital do not need electricity to work), and there are a lot of deus ex machina solutions and resolutions.  YET. . . that story kept my interest piqued.

The narration by author Mark Hosack at times slips into a Rod Serling-ish vibe, but it is performed with passion and real emotional investment.  Jake’s fears, paranoia, and anxiety are depicted very well. There is some inconsistency in the voices of other characters (primarily Al, the concierge), but overall, author and narrator Hosack does an admirable job carrying the story and the tension. I did find the pace a little slow at regular speed, but bumping to 1.25x was perfect for me (and probably even adds to the tension ramping up.)  An unexpected aspect to the audio book was the inclusion of some sound effects and musical transitions that sometimes work well (especially towards the end of the story) and other times feel awkward.

I listened to The Good Spy Dies Twice while on a road trip, and I have no regrets that I spent my time that way. As is always the case with audio books while driving, the downside is that I can’t retain specific quotes - and there are some good ones - and I don’t have the luxury of being able to flip back pages to do some re-reading to clear-up any confusion.  I’ll be looking forward to book two of the Bullseye Series, The Chaos Agent, hopefully coming later this year.

Thank  you to Audiobookworm Promotions for providing me an audio download in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.

The Good Spy Dies Twice Giveaway

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A Human Element Audiobook Blog Tour, Audio Excerpt & Giveaway!

Author: Donna Galanti

Narrator: Chase Bradley

Length: 10h 8m

Publisher:Auspicious Apparatus Press⎮2017

Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller

Release date: Jan. 10, 2017

Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.

But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

Buy on Audible/Amazon

 

Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna enjoys teaching at conferences on the writing craft and marketing and also presenting as a guest author at elementary and middle schools. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Pinterest⎮Goodreads⎮Instagram

Chase was born and raised in a quiet town in upstate New York. He concentrated on musical pursuits through most of his younger years, excelling in anything that had to do with using his voice. He attended college in Potsdam, NY, where he studied Wilderness Leadership, Sociology and Vocal training at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Chase’s dream since he was a kid was to be a voice over artist and professional musician, but after college he decided to spread his wings and explore the world a bit first. He worked as a mountain guide in Alaska, leading Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, and Backpacking trips. He traveled all over North and South America for work and and pleasure, climbing and skiing everything that stood in his way. After meeting a beautiful woman (in Alaska of all places!) and falling in love, he settled down in Lake Tahoe California, where he currently resides with his wife and two children. Chase has finally returned to his roots and works as a full time voice over artist, and plays weekly shows with his band. Things have come full circle, and the dream has been fulfilled. Chase does commercial voice over work, but has found that his true passion is narrating audiobooks. He has narrated 14 audiobooks to date, with more to come! Chase is constantly looking for ways to improve his narration, and deliver the best possible performance for the authors and listeners.

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Mar. 15: The Desert Bibliophile (Review, Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 16: 2 Girls And A Book (Review)

Mar. 17: XOXO Book Blog (Giveaway, Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 18: The Phantom Paragrapher (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 19: Dab of Darkness (Review)

Mar. 20: Blogger Nicole (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)


Mar. 21: Lilly's Book World (Review)

Mar. 22: 4 the Luv of Sanity (Review, Playlist & Giveaway)

Mar. 23: The Bookworm Lodge (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 24: The Pursuit of Bookishness (Review & Giveaway)

Mar. 25: Lomeraniel (Review, Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 26: Kristina Stanley (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 27: Holed Up In A Book (Review & Giveaway)

Mar. 28: Hall Ways (Giveaway, Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 29: Spunky n Sassy (Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 30: SMADA's Book Smack (Review, Giveaway, Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Mar. 31: Ronelle Antoinette (Review, Spotlight & Audio Excerpt)

Apr. 1: Bound4Escape (Review)

Apr. 2: Book Lover's Life (Spotlight & Giveaway)

Apr. 3: My World in Words and Pages (Review & Giveaway)

Apr. 4: A Page To Turn (Review & Author Interview)

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