Merry Christmas

Have a blessed  and merry Christmas!

Interesting story about romance novels...

Great review and contest at Carolina Valdez Miller's blog

Ms Carolina Valdez Miller managed to write a review of Here by Denise Grover Swank that really made me want to buy the book at this moment. But I will be patient since I could win a signed copy at Ms Miller's blog. So hop over there and try yor luck - the book sounds very interesting :) And I love the cover!

Great young musicians

The new Gena Showalter's book

I can't wait for Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter to come out, but June 26 2012 is a long wait :) In the meantime here is the fabulous cover and the back cover blurb (both form Ms Showalter's webpage).

From the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld comes a dark, seductive new series featuring angels poised at the brink of destruction…
Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed too dangerous, too ruthless, and if he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his wings.  But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred . . . until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he’s never before known.
Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane.  Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her.  Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

Looking forward to Breaking Dawn movie...

A Day Made of Glass

I love all these possibilities! And that e-book looks fantastic!

Have a great day!

I am looking forward to reading...

...The Storm That Is Sterling by Lisa Renee Jones. Here is a little bit about it:

Award-winning, bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is breaking out of series romance success into single title with her fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense series full of dark danger and sizzling hot passion.

Sterling Jeter, Renegade Super Soldier, is fearless, powerful, and wildly unpredictable. His life-threatening mission is to save the beautiful, brilliant astrobiologist Rebecca Burns from ruthless villain Adam Rain. But their immutable mutual attraction threatens to put them in the path of death... or worse...

To find out more about the book and the author please visit http://www.lisareneejones.com

Book Lovers contest!

Book Lovers are having a great giveaway to celebrate the fact that they have reached 1000 followers. So stop by and choose your gift :) (click the buton above)

RIP

I was on a business trip when I heard the news. He was a really great man with an inspiring life story. Rest in peace!

"Your ...time on this earth is limited, don’t live someone else's life, live by your vision." - Steve Jobs, 1955 - 2011

iSource: http://jmak.tumblr.com/post/9377189056 (Steve Jobs tribute logo created by Jonathan Mak, a 19-year old in Hong Kong)

I am looking forward to...

...reading HAUNTING EMBRACE by Erin Quinn, the fourth book in the Mists of Ireland series, released Oct 4 2011. This book will tie up the series and answer all the questions.

New in the breathtaking series of sorcery, Irish lore, time travel, and exquisite romance.

Within Meaghan Ballagh surges the blood of a sorceress whose ancient love for a druid ended in treachery. When Meaghan is thrust into the past, she feels the desire between the sorceress and the handsome druid once again rise inside her. To survive, she must piece together the history of the woman who haunts her and the man who needs her.

I haven't read any of the books in this series; I was waiting for the series to end so I can savour all the books in one read (without all that waiting and wondering) :) I'll be starting soon! How about you?

For more info about the books and the author go to http://www.erinquinnbooks.com/



I am looking forward to...

.. reading A Touch of Crimson by Sylvia Day :)

The story goes like this (got it from http://www.sylviaday.com/):

An angel with immense power and insatiable desire, Adrian Mitchell leads an elite Special Ops unit of the seraphim. His task is to punish the Fallen--angels who have become vampires--and command a restless pack of indentured lycans.

But Adrian has suffered his own punishment for becoming involved with mortals--losing the woman he loves again and again. Now, after nearly two hundred years, he has found her: Shadoe, her soul once more inhabiting a new body that doesn’t remember him. This time he won't let her go.

With no memory of her past as Shadoe, Lindsay Gibson knows only that she can't help being fiercely attracted to the smoldering, seductive male who crosses her path. Swept into a dangerous world of tumultuous passion and preternatural conflict, Lindsay is soon caught between her angel lover, her vampire father, and a full-blown lycan revolt. There’s more at stake than her love and her life--she could lose her very soul...

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? And I absolutely love the cover :) It seems to me that angels are fast becoming my favourite kind of paranormal species. I keep looking for new books about angels. What say you?

Have a great weekend!

Beautiful...

Have a great day!

The Darkest Surrender hits the stores on September 27th, 2011

The Lords of the Underworld return in this enthralling tale of an immortal warrior determined to win and the beautiful seductress he can’t resist.

Possessed by the demon of Defeat, Strider cannot lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain. For him, nothing stands in the way of victory. Until Kaia, an enchanting Harpy, tempts him to the razor’s edge of surrender.
Known among her people as The Disappointment, Kaia must bring home the gold in the Harpy Games or die. Strider is a distraction she can’t afford because he as an agenda of his own – steal first prize, an ancient godly artifact, before the winner can be named. But as the competition heats up, only one prize will matter – the love neither had thought possible…

I can't wait for this book! I love LOTU SERIES :)

Contest - at Carolina Valdez Miller's blog

At Ms Miller's blog you could win an ARC of GLOW. Here is a little about the book:

Goodreads summary: What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside

Sounds great, doesn't it? So what are you waiting - go to Ms Miller's blog and read the review. The giveaway is international and ends Sunday, September 18, midnight EST.

Giveaways?

I planned to have a series of giveaways on my blog through September. It started with Ms Falbe's guest post and giveaway. I gave one week for interested to post a comment on my blog for a chance to be entered into the giveaway. But then nobody commented. This got me thinking about the reasons. I came with two:

1 - Nobody is reading my blog
2 - You aren't interested in giveaways (this I find highly unlikely)

SO, before doing anymore giveaways, I ask you to tell me if you are interested in giveaways or not?

If there is nobody, well.... I'll just keep posting reviews and some other interesting stuff for my own enjoyment :)

Have a great day!

Author Tracy Falbe - guest post + giveaway

Building a good hero
By Tracy Falbe

I've never been a writer interested in creating a hero or heroine that is purely good and of unstained character. I don't have much patience for the hero who is selfless, never tempted, and remembers to write his mother thank you notes. I want to build stories with characters who have to willfully struggle to be good because it's frequently harder to do the good and honorable thing than to be bad or indifferent.

I am fascinated by the struggle to be good in a bad world. Societies can inflict many harsh requirements on people and condone oppressive injustices, and people can just play along by the wicked rules and be considered a solid citizen.

When I wrote my epic fantasy series The Rys Chronicles I wanted to create a hero who had deeds in his past that he was not proud of. I wanted him through the course of the story to gradually become a better person. I feel that such a path for a character will be relatable to some readers. It is easy to be misguided onto the path of wickedness. To defy a society's expectations and struggle toward better personal goals are difficult. One result of my reflections on such matters was Dreibrand Veta, the main human male character in the epic.

In the beginning, he is focused solely on his own grandiose ambitions. His position in society is threatened, and he's willing to kill, conquer, and enslave people to get ahead. While serving on a campaign of military conquest, he is immersed in a heartless and exploitative culture. But when he realizes that the men above him are not going to share true power and prestige despite his exemplary service, he is transformed by the deep rages of rebellious epiphany.

At this point he is still focused on himself and his own unmet needs. It is not until he is saved by a young woman that he begins to care about someone beyond himself. Miranda is her name and she is an escaped slave with two small children, fleeing her war torn land. Dreibrand quickly realizes that she needs someone to help her, which is obvious, but he also is struck by the deeper realization that her desperate existence has resulted from a cruel society.

Just as Dreibrand is beginning to care for Miranda, they become embroiled in a power struggle among the rys, a rare super race of magical beings that rule many human kingdoms. Dreibrand chooses to support the rys Shan, and a classic struggle of good versus evil unfolds. Dreibrand fights on the side of good, but even a good cause does not make for good deeds. Rebellion and bloody wars are incited, and Dreibrand must accept that the violence and destruction are necessary steps to overthrow wickedness.

For me such complexities are essential in a hero. To be a rebel is both to be foolish and brave. A hero grappling intellectually with the concept of the end justifying the means adds emotional power to his struggles.

Although I explore the landscape between good and evil in my fiction, I am not without some idealism. Through the character of Dreibrand I also present a hero who is fearless in the defense of his family. To protect a mate and children is a fundamental purpose of male power, and in these instances Dreibrand is motivated by good reasons. His ambitions and pride never go away, but he develops beyond self-centered greed. He knows he is no saint, and he accepts that, but he also learns that he must try to do good by people. To cultivate a loyal follower is better than to conquer. To seek peace instead of war can be the more heroic act.

The Rys Chronicles fantasy series is comprised of four novels: Union of Renegades, The Goddess Queen, Judgment Rising, and The Borderlands of Power. I invite readers to sample my fiction by downloading Union of Renegades for free at my website http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/free_ebook.html.  You can also look for it at major ebook retailers worldwide.

THANK YOU MS FALBE!!!

Ms Falbe is providing great  giveaway gifts: the whole Rys Chronicles fantasy series in e-format of your choice:

Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I
The Goddess Queen: The Rys Chronicles Book II

Judgment Rising: The Rys Chronicles Book III
The Borderlands of Power: The Rys Chronicles Book IV

Leave the comment describing your favourite kind of hero and your e-mail address to be entered. Also, spread the word about the contest and leave the comment at my review from yesterday for extra entries: http://angel-on-a-move.blogspot.com/2011/08/union-of-renegades-by-tracy-falbe.html. The contest is open until September 3rd 2011, and the winner will be selected randomly and announced on Sunday September the 4th 2011. 

 

About Ms Falbe

I was born in Michigan in 1972 and grew up in Mount Pleasant. It's called the "Mountain Town" but there is no mountain and it's debatable about whether it's pleasant. They say it's a party town and based on extensive research as a young adult I can concur.

Because I always had the childhood fantasy of running away and joining the circus, I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1995 and lived there until 1997. Those who only stay a week are wimps, but I will say that it's the second year in Vegas that wears you down. Then I realized the pioneers were trying to get to California, and Nevada was not the goal. So I moved to Chico, in Northern California and lived there until 2009. I miss Chico dearly and value greatly the experience of living in that enlightened realm (local government excluded). My wandering has circled back and I'm currently residing in Battle Creek, Michigan. I think I adore the place, but that doesn't make sense. I'm still California dreamin' and fantasize about my return to the Golden State, but for now my existence within the post-apocalyptic Rust Belt is suitably fascinating.

In 2000, I earned a journalism degree from California State University, Chico with the conscious ambition of becoming a fiction writer. With the rapid demise of the newspaper industry and journalism in general, novelist is not such a daft pursuit after all. It's not like I'm actually going to get a job that values my education. Luckily I'm cursed with the impulse to write in a popular yet competitive genre.

I consider writing a necessary activity that I enjoy. I have the most fun writing in the fantasy genre. I find inspiration in history and like to contemplate warfare before gunpowder and life without modern technology. Placing characters in an elder fantasy world fascinates me and allows me to explore age-old notions of bravery when combat was often done face-to-face. Magic is another story element that adds to the pleasure of writing in this genre.

Since learning to read and write as a child, I always knew that I wanted to write novels. The Rys Chronicles and Rys Rising represent the efforts of many adult years.

Union of Renegades by Tracy Falbe - review + giveaway

Union of Renegades is the first book in The Rys Chronicles by Tracy Falbe. I got this book from the author and you will meet her tomorrow in her guest post on my blog. About the book from the author:

Dreibrand Veta has killed for his country. At the frontlines of imperial expansion, he seeks to rebuild the fortune of his noble family. In his daring travels he encounters the rys, a race far more powerful than the human empire that bred him. Dreibrand cannot defy the rys Queen Onja nor defend his companion, Miranda, and her children from the wicked tyrant Queen. Desperate for help, Dreibrand and Miranda join Shan, a rys with emerging powers who plans to challenge Onja. In Shan's pursuit of the rys throne, he exerts his magical powers, gathers his allies, and incites rebellion among Onja's human subjects. Great wealth and power will reward the kings, warriors, and spies that align themselves with the rys pretender, but defeat could mean worse than death. Onja can imprison souls and her genocidal rage is legendary. Everything is at risk for Shan's union of renegades.

Ms Falbe has created wonderful world which doesn't mean that all the creatures in it are lovely :) Most of them are not; but the whole story is well written and planned. The world is laid before you and all you have to do is enter it and you are immediately drawn into its power plays and adventures. The characters are well developed even though sometimes they do feel one dimensional. But as the story flows you get to know them better and their motivation and reactions become understandable and more realistic. At the times, I felt like the pace of the story should be faster but this is the sacrifice of creating complex world and wanting it to be described to the reader in detail.

If you enjoy good fantasy book, I recommend this story. Some parts of it reminded me of The Lord of the Rings adventures :)

The only thing I don't like (and this is designer in me talking) is the cover, but this has no effect on my opinion of the book - which is: I really did enjoy the story :)

Stop by my blog tomorrow when you’ll get to know MS Falbe. Also, comment today as well as tomorrow for a chance to be entered into the giveaway. The more you comment the greater are your chances of winning. Spread the word about the book and the giveaway for extra entry. You could win the whole series (4 books) in e-format:

Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I
The Goddess Queen: The Rys Chronicles Book II
Judgment Rising: The Rys Chronicles Book III
The Borderlands of Power: The Rys Chronicles Book IV

The contest is open until September 3rd 2011, and the winner will be selected randomly and announced on Sunday September the 4th 2011. More about the books and the author at http://www.braveluck.com/

Two way mirror - interesting stuff...

Found this in my Inbox this morrning; maybe you'll find the information interesting.

Do you know the difference?

A Mirror or a 2-Way Glass?
How can you tell when you are in a room, restroom, motel, etc. with a mirror or a 2-way glass?

Here's how!! I thought it was quite interesting!! And I know in about 30 seconds you're going to do what I did and find the nearest mirror. Do you know how to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not? A policewoman who travels all over the US and gives seminars and techniques for businesswomen passed this on. When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (i.e., they can see you, but you can't see them)? There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms. It is very difficult to positively identify the surface by looking at it. So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at?

Just conduct this simple test: Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail, then BEWARE!! IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!!

"No Space, Leave the Place." So remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test." It doesn't cost you anything.

REMEMBER. No Space, Leave the Place!!

Dark Taste of Rapture - release

If you haven't heard it Dark Taste of Rapture by Gena Showalter has been released on August 23rd. I can't wait to read this book; it sounds great.
Here is a little bit about it:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter captivates with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, and a powerful AIR agent consumed by his desire for a woman he can never have. . . .

With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure…or unending pain...

Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped -- and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.

When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

You can find it in every bookstore, so what are you waiting for :)

I am still here...

And I am, really :) These past months have been hectic due to all school and work obligations. Looks like the autumn will be the same. But I have missed my blogging and all of you. So I am determined to start blogging again. I have a few surprises in my bag for you. But I'll post about them when they are ready. Be sure to stop by my blog, because I'll have some interesting stuff for you soon (some contests, inteviews...).

In the meantime we are experiencing the hottest days and nights this summer here in Croatia. It is really hard to do anything except lie in the shade while drinking iced drinks. Unfortunately, I have to go to work, and it has been hell for the past two weeks.

I hope the weather has been nicer to you and that you are enjoying the last days of summer.

Helping an author

I recieved this e-mail from The Romance Studio:
Gathering as we do in times of need...

It is with profound sadness that we have received news that, Leslie Esdaile, ("L.A. Banks") is most gravely ill. She is facing an uphill battle in her struggle with serious illness. Please know that as Leslie needs all of her energy in this fight, she is absolutely not able to receive visitors, answer emails, texts or phone calls, or receive flowers.


While your prayers and thoughts are most welcome and needed, a special support website, including an auction has been set up in order to help Leslie with the mounting medical expenses facing her and her family. We'd like to ask if you would consider helping us spread the word about this auction by placing this button on your website, blog, facebook and in your newsletters with a link to this website: http://www.labanksauction.org/ for the duration of the auction.

Share Your Heart Auction for Leslie On Ebay
June 21-July 1, 2011
Bids begin at : 9 AM EST (6/21)
Auctions end: 9 PM (7/1)
you must register with Ebay to place bids for the auction (if you are not registered)

Another way you can help:
*Contact coordinators, Jo Carol Jones (jocaroljones@gmail.com) or Anne Elizabeth (mail@anneelizabeth.com) before June 21 if you'd like to discuss your donation of an auction item.
We encourage you to offer the button graphic (above) to your subscribers as well, to help us get the word out;)
Our deepest thanks...

I am very sadened by this news. LA Banks is a really great person and author. My prayers are with her and her family...

No comment...

Have a great day!

I am alive!!!

If anyone was wondering, I am alive and well, but extremely busy. I know this sounds lame and that everybody has a busy life, but I just didn't have the energy to blog. I don't read, I don't watch TV I just study and go to work. At the moment I am very boring person. As such I don't have anything interesting to blog about. Hence this boring post :)

I'll be back to my normal blogging in July. I hope some of you will stop by :)

Have a great beginning of the week.
Thanks for being patient with me!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

Have a great end of the week!

Max

This is my beautiful dog Max. He ia a freshly groomed shih-tzu :) It's his Easter look.

This is one of his finest moments, because he is usually out in the garden having some great adventures with birds and bugs, so when he comes into the house in the evenings he looks like a wild dog not purebred one :)
I hope you are having a great Monday wherever you might be...

Happy Easter!

I hope you are having a beautiful Easter Sunday!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Tuesdays...

I feel like this today...

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays... + minireview

I am in the mood for old stuff, so here it goes again...

Another thing is a review of Unsavory Delicacies by Russell Brooks

Russell Brooks is a new author to me so I haven't read his debut novel Pandora’s Succession. It got very good reviews so when author asked me if I would like to read an ARC of Unsavory Delicacies (his second book), I naturally said yes. It took me half an hour to read it; it's only 25 pages long after all. And I liked it. There are three fast paced stories about revenge and unusual way of getting it. The first story titled "Crème Brûlée" and the third one "Shashlyk and Morozhenoe" are connected with the revenge of the same character - Ridley Fox. The second one "To the Last Bite" is the one I liked the most - it felt like reading Edgar Alan Poe. Very interesting :)

I recommend these stories to anyone who likes a good suspense, laugh and morbid revenge :)

To find out about the author and his other books please visit author's website: http://www.russellparkway.com/

If you would like to read this book here are store links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Succession-ebook/dp/B004XD66VW
Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pandoras-Succession/dp/B004XD66VW/
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54675
B&N http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Pandoras-Succession/Russell-Brooks/e/9780986751325/
XinXii http://www.xinxii.com/en/unsavory-delicacies-p-327295.html

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

A little bit of Latin love....



Have a great weekend!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

I hope your weekend will be as beautiful as this song is!

Her Perfect Revenge by Anna Mara - review

I was recently contacted by a new author Anna Mara with a request to review her book - HER PERFECT REVENGE. I accepted, of course, and took a journey 519 pages long. And it was very exciting I can promise you that. I’ve met three fabulous people there - Christina Matteo, Bill Havenwood and William Havenwood Sr. Oh, they made me laugh and I can tell you that I don’t remember the last time any book did this to me. They also made me feel and think about the concept of revenge.

But let’s start at the beginning when we meet young Christina, an insecure high school girl who has just been humiliated by a popular high school rich boy Bill. Fast forward 16 years after Christina is all grown up with not so great carrier as photojournalist and while on assignment she stumbles upon Bill. And that’s where all ruckus begins… Christina is determent to get her overdue revenge and Bill… well let’s just say he has many problems at the time and the latest is his father’s (William Havenwood Sr ) threat to throw his lazy drank ass out on the street. But things aren’t always what they look like from the outside.

I really enjoyed this story, although it has some weak parts and I didn’t always like Bill, but it has brought memories of those great love stories I used to read but can’t seem to find them on our bookshelves anymore. Bill and Christina are real people with faults and mistakes; I could relate to them. Bill’s father William gave me most of the laughs; he was a scheming old goat. Although somewhere around the last part of the book he started to get on my nerves – he was just too much. And I didn’t like Bill at first but he did become more likeable towards the end. He was the character that matured the most through the story.

Anyway… all I can say is that I did enjoy this story very much (I read it in one day) and I would recommend reading it to anyone who enjoys a good love story.

Her Perfect Revenge is currently being sold as a paperback and an ebook on Amazon’s Kindle Store and also at Barnes and Noble, Itunes, Google Ebooks and Sony. I’m going to buy the paperback issue because I believe this is the book that deserved the right to be exposed and admired on a bookshelf.

Since Ms Mara is a new author I asked her to tell us a little bit about herself. Here is her response:

As to information about myself… I live in Toronto, Canada and I’ve been writing for a few years now. I studied film writing at a well known film school in Toronto called The Canadian Film Centre which is an institution begun by Hollywood director, Norman Jewison. I’ve always loved writing romantic comedy stories and instead of screenplays, I decided to try writing a novel. I discovered that I loved that format of writing even more and my first novel HER PERFECT REVENGE was born. I’ve always been a true lover of romance novels, having read so many over the years and with my first book, I really wanted to write something that I would want to read myself and hopefully my readers would feel the same way. I’m a hopeless romantic and believe in happy endings; and when I write, I always try to write from my heart, hoping to bring love, joy, laughter, excitement and sometimes a few tears to my fans. HER PERFECT REVENGE has been picked up by a major publishing house in Japan and will be turned into a Japanese manga comic book novel for release next fall. I’m also currently working on my second contemporary romantic comedy novel titled WHY ROMEO HATES JULIET which I hope to release by early this summer.

To find out more about Her Perfect Revenge go to Ms Mara’s webpage http://www.annamara.com/  

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

It's another busy Thursday in my world. I hope you are having a great day and some great plans for the weekend.

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

Happy St Patrick's Day!!!!

Isn't this song just beautiful?

Hope you are having great end of the week!

Do what you love, LOVE what you do!

I've been really busy these past week. One business trip flollowed by another followed by two interns coming to my office... I've been just to tired to blog. Sorry! I hope you are doing fine, and that you'll stick with me through these hard times. Thanks!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

The old one... Enjoy!



I'm off to pack my luggage for Amsterdam :) , I'm leaving tomorrow, can't wait for it. I even got myself a new suitcase... Hope your weekend turns out great.

We have a winner!!!

First of all I want to thank you all for joining me for my birthday!!!

And thank you Ms Moran for providing such a great prizes for the contest!!!!!

And Random org has picked the winner:
There were 12 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1.Elaing8
2.Lea
3.Mariska
4.Cecile
5.Vivien
6.Colleen Turner
7.Cecile
8.Kulsuma
9.April
10.Blodeuedd
11.Elaing8
12.TheGirlOnFire
Timestamp: 2011-02-23 19:35:19 UTC

Elaing8 you are the winner!!!

You won a signed hardcover copy of MADAME TUSSAUD as well as a pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings. You have to contact me in a week or I'll have to draw another winner (send me your snail mail addy before 02/03/2011). The prize will be mailed directly by Ms Moran!

Contest reminder!

I just wanted to remind you that my b-day contest is about to end soon. So, if you are interested in winning a signed hardcover copy of MADAME TUSSAUD as well as a pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings leave the comment. Contest is one internationally and ends February 22nd.
Hurry! For morw info, please click here.

I hope you are having a great Sunday!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

How about some beautiful music from Croatia? I give you "traditional boy bends" from Croatia called KLAPA! Here a little bit about KLAPA from Wiki: "The klapa music is a form of traditional Croatian a cappella singing . The word klapa translates as "a group of people" and traces its roots to littoral church singing. The motifs in general celebrate love, wine (grapes), country (homeland) and sea. Main elements of the music are harmony and melody, with rhythm very rarely being very important. A klapa group consists of a first tenor, a second tenor, a baritone, and a bass. It is possible to double all the voices apart from the first tenor. Although klapa is a cappella music, on occasion it is possible to add a gentle guitar and a mandolin (instrument similar in appearance and sound to tamburitzas).

Klapa tradition is still very much alive, with new songs composed and festivals are held . Many young people from Dalmatia treasure klapa and sing it regularly when going out eating or drinking. It is not unusual to hear amateur klapa singing on the streets in the evenings over some food and wine.

It is usually composed of up to a dozen male singers singing very harmonic tunes. In recent times, female vocal groups have been quite popular, but in general male and female groups do not mix."

Although I live in the hilly part of Croatia, my father was born and raised in Dalmatia which is the southern part of Croatia by the Adriatic Sea. We always listened klapas' singing. I remember original klapas singing in my childhood, my grandpa being one of the singers. Today, my grandpa isn't with us any longer but my brother in law was klapa singer.

Klapa is supposed to perform without any music, but modern day’s klapas include music in their performance. I am giving you both to enjoy!

First one is modern love song performed by klapa Iskon.

And more traditional way of singing; it is also a love song. I am so sorry you don't understand the beautiful lyrics.


I hope you enjoyed a little bit of Croatian tradition :)
Have a great day.

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

And keep your fingers crossed, please, because I have an exam today :)

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

How about little bit of Moby? I love this song and Bourne Identity isn't such a bad move :)



I hope you are having a great almost-end of week.
And don't forget about the contest - just click here and you'll find out more about the prizes and the rules!

Some pictures...

First of all, I want to remind you of my bday contest - just click here and you'll find out more about the prizes and the rules!

 I just remembered that I promised to post some pictures from my business trip to Vienna.
Well, this was my second visit to that beautiful Austrian city. It is really great. The people are very nice and helpful, and it is everywhere like that - in our hotel, at the fair, in museums and shops, just about everywhere. The only thing I found surprising is the fact that everything closes at 5 p.m. and I mean everything (the shops, the museums...) except for restaurants and cafes. It left me and my colleague a little time for sightseeing since during the day we had to work at the fair.

Here are some pictures.

In the plane (my coleague and I)

Schonbrunn castle

In Hundertwasser's Haus

Prater (the oldes amusement park in Europe)

At the fair

Those were four fabulous days:) I love Vienna and its people, its underground and its museums!

I am in Amsterdam during the last weekend in February, working at the fair. So if you are nearby please come and visit Croatian booth - I'll be there :)



Birthday cake and the contest reminder...

Hello! I'm still in my cave studying for two exams I have - one is due tomorrow and the other one on  Friday :(

Anyway, I wanted to share with you the picture of birthday cake my mother bought for me at this fancy confectioner. It was yummy - I'm so sorry you can't try it.

The other thing is my bday contest with some fabulous prizes - if you are interested just click here and you can enter just by commenting on my post.

The third thing is that today my copy of Perfect Play by Jaci Burton arrived and now is standing on my desk taunting me to stop studying and read it :) I hope I can resist the temptation.

Have a great day!

Birthday contest!!!

Yes it's my birthday today!!! It's the last one that begins with number 2 - o la la! I'm officialy old! I'm just kidding :)

Anyway.... With the help of fabulous author Michelle Moran I have a surprise for you! It's a contest and you could win: a signed hardcover copy of MADAME TUSSAUD

as well as a pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings (I'm so jealous of the winner - these earings look great!)





Ms Moran was kind enough to send me a little bit of information about this fabulous book:

MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

I didn't read this book yet, but I did read Ms Moran's Cleopatra's Daughter and it was great. I have no doubt that Madame Tussaud will be the same or even better. If you'd like to read my review of Cleopatra's Daughter just click here.

The contest is International - it doesn't matter where you live, all you have to do to enter is leave a comment to this post. Contest ends February 22nd.

For extra entry post about this contest at your blog or facebook and leave link here in the comments. Be sure that I can see the post at your facebook page. The winner will be announced here on my blog on 23rd of February and he/she will have to contact me in a week or I'll have to draw another winner. The prize will be mailed directly by Ms Moran!

I want to say one big THANK YOU to Ms Moran for being so generous with the prize!

Visit MichelleMoran.com


Check out Michelle's blog at  michellemoran.blogspot.com

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

The other day my two nieces asked me to borrow them the Dirty Dancing DVD. They watched it a few months ago at my place and wanted to see it again. It's nice to see that younger generations enjoy the same good movies as my generation did. I really enjoyed watching this move (for 100 times) and was saddened when I remembered that Patrick Swayze isn't with us any longer.

I hope you will enjoy his song.

Rest in peace, Patrick.

Cold...

It is really cold in my part of the world. It's been snowing for couple of days and now it has stopped and everything is frozen. Luckily I am at home studying for my exams so I don't have to walk to work in this cold. I haven’t read any book since December, I just didn’t have time. It looks like I won’t be doing any reading until March, can you believe it? I have so many exams and a lot of work to do at my job, that I just don’t have the time or the energy to read, Sad...

So, how is the weather in your corner? Do you have any tips for a good book to read?

I hope you are warm wherever you are.

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

The old one but the great one!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

This is one of my favourite songs, I just can't get enough of it :)

While you are listening to this great song, I'll be in Vienna (Austria) on a business trip. Wish me luck! I'll be back on Saturday evening and will post some pictures on Sunday (I hope).

Have a great week!

Some beautiful music for gloomy Thursdays...

It's not exactly gloomy Thursday here beacuse we have a holiday today so we don't have to work :) Yay!
It was snowing yesterday but it's raining today - yuck! Before everything started to melt by b-friend took some beautiful pictures. Here are two of them:

Beautiful scenery

Max - my dog :) He just loves the snow.

And here is some nice music to keep you warm until the weekend.



It's a live version and I love it :)

I hope you are happy and healthy wherever you are!

Happy 2011!

Happy 2011!

Wishing you and yours a fabulous new year!