Carmex Healing Cream and Lotion Product Review & Giveaway

For me, there are a few things I consider when choosing a lotion. First is always the smell. I don't want to smell as if I'm being medicated or have a lotion that's going to battle with my perfume all day. Second is how the product feels going on my skin. I've had a few lotions that leave that petroleum jelly film on my skin that no amount of rubbing in will erase. This always leaves me feeling like my skin can't breathe and sometimes ruins clothing. Third is how well the lotion works. Is it actually going to soften my skin and leave it feeling smoother?

As a Carmex Blog Squad member, I was given the opportunity to try Carmex Healing Lotion and Healing Cream. The lotion can be used daily to soothe and protect dry skin. The Healing Cream is used to repair your dried rougher skin. I used the cream on my feet and elbows; the lotion everywhere else. I was pleasantly surprised by the smell. It has that hint of Carmex (you all know the Carmex smell!), but overall the lotion is surprisingly sweet. It's not overpowering. As you rub the lotion in, you'll notice the Carmex smell, but as soon as you've finished, your skin will have a sweet fresh smell. There's no greasy petroleum jelly feeling! Instead I felt a sense of relief. Ok, I admit it, I sighed with happiness. The lotion was immediately soaked into my skin leaving the surface with a silky feeling.

With winter coming on, for most of us, lotions and creams are a must-have. I suffer from severely dry skin during the winter and usually battle finding a decent lotion to combat the rough, cracked skin. I found Carmex penetrated the skin more deeply, and absorbing immediately. I'm definitely a fan of their skincare products!

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will win a full size bottle of Carmex Healing Lotion, a Full size bottle of Carmex Healing Lotion and a travel size bottle of each.

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Interview with Nicole of Tribute Books and Changes

Beginning in 2012, Tribute Books will become solely an ebook publisher of young adult titles. I was a bit shocked at this announcement, so I had some questions for Nicole at Tribute Books.  If I have questions, I'm sure others do as well.

1. What inspired you to make this big change to Ebook YA only books?


Our main reason is the explosion in popularity of e-readers such as the Kindle, Nook and iPad. Over the course of 2011, we've watched our ebook sales outpace our print sales by 2 to 1. The under $5 price point of most of our titles and the ease of purchase and delivery are surely contributing factors.


On a business level, the young adult genre sells especially if it is well written and has a paranormal romance theme. On a marketing level, the devotion of the young adult fan base is unparalleled. On a personal level, I thoroughly enjoy a good young adult novel and review many on my blog at http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com.

2. Why are you only looking to only publish one author a month?

Tribute Books is one-person operation. It's just me. So in order to devote the time and preparation necessary to launch a new e-title each month, I'm looking to limit the production schedule to 12 a year. I'll reevaluate things in 2013, and if I feel I can handle more at that time and our 2012 releases are successful, I'll surely consider increasing our output.


And I still conduct monthly blog tours for outside publishers and authors in order to help them increase the online presence of a book through Tribute Books Blog Tours which also limits my available time to commit to more than one ebook a month.

3. Do you anticipate that you will be able to commit more time to your authors and their works with this change?

Working with a first time author is an extremely time intensive process. The learning curve is steep. In the past, nearly every author I worked with was brand new to the publishing industry. At this point in my career, I would rather focus on providing our readership with new material instead of devoting the time to developing multiple author marketing platforms from scratch.
I'm most excited about working with authors who enjoy promoting their book on a daily basis. Ones who know the ins and outs of the time and effort it takes to make a book a success because I'm ready and willing to work with them every step of the way.

4. What kind of authors are you seeking? What makes them a great fit for Tribute Books?

My preference is for damn good writing, the particular topic is secondary in importance. However, books written with a series in mind or those that delve into the paranormal will have a slight edge. Manuscripts that have already been professionally edited will receive greater consideration. Our preference is to work with authors who have already been published through a royalty-paying press and who know the ins and outs of book promotion. An established social media platform is a must, and we will not consider writers who do not have a well-followed blog, Facebook page or Twitter account.

In my opinion, social networking is the bread and butter of any author's promotional efforts. Without it, it's like trying to paddle upstream without a canoe. Readers want to connect with the person who wrote the book. They crave interaction with an author. Nothing beats getting a writer to comment on a blogger's book review post or getting a personalized thank you tweet from your favorite author. The days of authors being isolated from their fans is over. They're now able to build an online following and receive instant feedback for their work. They have the opportunity to take part in creating their own literary community.

We try to keep an active online presence with our web site Facebook Twitter and blog. We'd love to have anyone who loves young adult literature to join us for the ride.

Thanks so much Nicole!

Murder in a Basket by Amanda Flower

Poor India's life has just become more chaotic than normal. After her pushy sister talks her into running a face painting booth at a local festival, she befriends Tess, a basket maker. Later, returning to her booth to retrieve a forgotten cart, India finds Tess lying murdered on the ground. Everyone expects India to rise to the challenge and discover the killer. For once, will India listen to the cute police officer and leave it to the experts? Or will she risk her life to find justice for a woman she barely knew?

With the market for cozy mysteries being saturated, you'd think that a writer couldn't come up with something new and compelling. You'd be wrong. As a character, India inspires sympathy from the reader as well as the feeling of wanting to smack her upside her head. Her sidekick, Ina, is anyone's nightmare. Ina's old enough to not care what anyone thinks and to want to be in the thick of everything going down. The trouble is, she can be quite the liability.

As a mystery, I couldn't put this down. Each chapter leaves you with a cliffhanger so that you have to immediately delve into the next. At the end of the book, I was left feeling satisfied with the mystery being solved but definitely wanting to know what happens next. I was disappointed that there weren't more plot twists, but you'll still be guessing who the culprit is until nearly the end. There is also a hint of romance, as well as the clever mystery. There's definitely something brewing for India. Well done!

Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux

Allison Hewitt is trapped. She's at work when the attack comes. She, along with her boss, two co-workers and two customers wind up in the employees' break room with almost no food. The Infected pound on the door and Allison can see them through the window in the streets. Their grey bodies are gruesome, and their eyes show no intelligence. They are zombies, and they are taking over the world.

Allison is determined to find a way to survive. She takes an emergency fire axe as her own and tries to protect those in her circle. She also starts up a blog, detailing her everyday struggle to survive and hoping that others out there will be able to communicate with her - especially her mom. The military's emergency wireless network, SNET, seems to be the only thing working, as radios, utilities and more are down.

When one of their own becomes one of them, Allison knows they must move. Their current location isn't safe. They move again to a nearby gymnasium that is said to be safe. There, Allison kills her first person, and she also falls in love. But when her boyfriend's wife returns, Allison decides to go out alone to find her mother. Her blog commentators tell her she is being foolish to go alone, but thankfully, Allison has a few friends who decide to join her, against her wishes.

Their journey to help Allison find her mother is treacherous and filled with danger. Allison and her friends learn to survive on their own wits and mediocre supplies. When some begin to give up, Allison refuses, determined to find her mom. But will her hope be enough to survive?

ALLISON HEWITT IS TRAPPED is an exciting, yet a turbulent and apocalyptic, thriller. Written in blog format, the reader is given a glimpse of what is going on elsewhere in the world by the comments to each blog post and how it compares to Allison's circumstances. Page-turning, emotional, gruesome and haunting, ALLISON HEWITT IS TRAPPED is a must read for zombie fans!

Tropical Traditions Coconut Review + Giveaway

I've expressed multiple times how much I adore this company! I had the opportunity to try Tropical Traditions Shredded Coconut recently. I was really excited as this is the time of year that I really kick up my baking.

This is not sweetened, flaked coconut! I've never seen anything like this at my grocery. Instead of being strands of coconut that have been coated in sugar, this coconut is the real deal. This is pure coconut, finely shredded (each piece is about half the size of a grain of rice) and dried. Tropical Traditions coconut is the closest thing to fresh coconut that I've come across. I don't recommend using it as a snack alone. The consistency of the coconut is a bit dusty so that it could lead to choking. We found many wonderful uses for it where it far exceeded store bought flaked coconut. My favorite recipe consisted of me adding a few tablespoons to my morning smoothie. Delicious and healthy! I can't wait to make a coconut pie for Thanksgiving!

One lucky winner will win their own bucket of Tropical Traditions Shredded Coconut!!

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Winners

Sorry for the delay! I've been sick - silly weather.  Now I'm better and there are a few winners to announce! Thank you to everyone who entered and made these so successful!!

Shadowlander by Theresa Meyers eBook - Brenda Demko - CONFIRMED

Under the Tree Giveaway - Marlene Breakfield - CONFIRMED

Amsterdam Personlized Pen Giveaway - Pauline Milner - CONFIRMED

Congratulations!!

Because of You by Cathy Maxwell Giveaway

Pretty Samantha Northrup knew her duty was to marry, but this orphaned vicar's daughter wanted to be swept off her feet by someone whose kisses made her toes curl. She never dreamed her orderly life would be turned upside down when a mysterious stranger came knocking on her door one stormy night. And when they were found in a compromising position, she found herself marrying a man she barely knew...but couldn't resist.

You can also read my review further down the page.

One lucky reader will win their own copy of Because of You!!

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Chick-fil-A Cow Watches are Coming! And a Giveaway!

The Cow Watches are coming to Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals! During the holidays Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals are featuring the never before seen Cow Watches to reach families with a simple and fun message: In your busy holiday season make sure to stop and take a few moments together as a family to spend quality “time” with one another.

One lucky winner will win a 2012 Calendar Filled with Chick-fil-A Coupons!

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Uglee Pen Review & Giveaway

First, these are so not ugly!  The ones I was sent are black and grey with sparklies.  The body of the ergonomic  pen is covered in a cushy gel-like substance that romances your fingertips as you write. It's perfectly engineered to follow the anatomy of your hand.   It easily clicks in and out for writing.  Ink flow is fluid and constant, making writing with these pens a breeze. Once you find a good pen, it's hard to let go. Don't let your teenager near these pens though, or they're guaranteed to be stolen!

One lucky winner will win their own Uglee Pen!

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Slice Safety Cutter Product Review

I'm always looking for a pair of scissors in my house! Most of the time, and I know it's not safe, but I just grab a sharp knife to open what I need help with. I know where those are at, but my scissors seem to disappear.


Fortunately, there is the Slice Safety Cutter. I am in love with this product. It has a hole so I can thread it onto my keychain and I always know where it is. As a bonus, it has a built in magnet, so you could just pop it on the fridge or any other metal surface. Its finger friendly in design, letting you open items easily. If you touch the blade, you will not cut yourself. The blade is ceramic and never rusts or dulls. I have used this blade to open the mail, boxes, and packages and am cutting coupons with ease. In fact, that is my favorite part! It is taking me half of the time using the Safety Cutter to clip coupons then the scissors!

Every home should have several Safety Cutters! They are safer than scissors and knives, it doesn't need sharpened and it is very economical. These would make great stocking stuffers or gift toppers this holiday season for a co-worker, boss or adult family member. Coupon Clippers - this is a must have!! I love this product!!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

City of Whispers (A Sharon McCone Mystery) by Marcia Muller

Private Eye Sharon McCone isn't close with her younger half-brother Darcy Blackhawk. In fact, between his drug use and thievery, she thinks perhaps he deserves to be living under a bridge as a troll. But when she received a vague email from him asking for help, she decides to look into it. There may not be any love lost between them, but he is family.



With the help of her investigative team, Sharon is led from an internet cafe to the body of a woman at an art institute to the unsolved murder of a young heiress. As she and her team race to solve the cases to help Darcy, the danger heats up. Will she be able to ensure Darcy's safety before someone close to her gets hurt? Will she be able to protect herself?


This is the first Sharon McCone mystery I have read, although I understand that this is the latest in a long series. That being said, I wasn't lost as I thought I would be. Muller does a fantastic job of giving just enough character backstory, that it all made sense and could be read as a standalone. The plot twists and turns are remarkable, leading this reader into places unforeseen. I really enjoyed it and believe other mystery readers will enjoy it as well!

Gratitude Giveaway Hop

Gratitude Giveaways is hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and All-Consuming Books.  All blogs on this hop have giveaways that are book related.  The hop runs from November 17th - November 27th. 

I'm giving away a fantastic zombie novel, Allison Hewitt is Trapped! USA Only.  You must fill out the form to enter, although comments are appreciated.

Under The Tree Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Under the Tree Giveaway Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and Mommy's Reviews and Giveaways. This is a child-themed event and the perfect opportunity for you to enter to win some gifts to put under your tree this Christmas. Be sure to hop around to all of the participating blogs before 11:59 pm on November 14th to see the awesome prizes they have to offer.

I have two great prizes available here at Minding Spot, thanks to two fantastic sponsors!

Thank you to Boba Family!

For the baby - A Boba Carrier (ARV $125) -

your choice of color!

And we can't forget Mom ! All Over Kabuki Face Brush

Luxurious natural bristles… a full, fluffy head of soft goat hair for the most flawless, even coverage. Reusable vinyl pouch. 2 1/4" L. - thank you Avon by Carolyn!

ONE WINNER - BOTH PRIZES!

USA Only

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Contest ends midnight on November 14th.  Prizes shipped direct from sponsor.  Winner has 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be selected.

Rafflecopter Giveaway Hop!

Everyone is invited to join in on our exciting Rafflecopter Giveaway Hop each week. MindingSpot and Tracers Coupon Affair have teamed up to bring you a weekly hop to link up your rafflecopter giveaways. So if you have a giveaway and you are using Rafflecopter for it - link up your giveaway below!  Feel free to add our button to your site to help spread the word so others can join in!

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Dancing On the Inside by Glen C. Strathy

Dancing on the Inside is a great young adult read. Moving to a new town, Jenny doesn't know anyone. After watching Swan Lake on DVD over and over, Jenny convinces her parents to sign her up for ballet classes. But when Jenny arrives, she's shy and hides under the piano watching the other girls. She goes home and practices what she's watched privately.


Then Jenny strikes up a friendship with Ara, a girl loves to dance but always takes backseat to her sister. Jenny thinks Ara dances beautifully and they decide to help one another; Ara with her steps and Jenny with her fear of others watching her dance.

Jenny find she has a real knack for choreography and works on a dance to help Ara shine. But, Ara is determined that Jenny will dance alongside her. Will Jenny get over her fear or will she always remain on the sidelines watching her dream dance away?

Strathy does a great job of character development - keeping the characters believable. The atmosphere of the dance studio is one I have never experienced, but it's brought to life admirably. A great read for any child wanting to pursue their passions but are afraid they aren't good enough.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I confess I started writing stories when I was 11 years old and too shy to have a life. Back then, I mostly read science fiction and comic books and those were the kind of stories I came up with.


Probably one of the most profound experiences I had as a kid was a summer arts camp run out of a local church basement. We were encouraged to express ourselves freely, and it was just what I needed.

As I got older, I found similar experiences taking drama lessons. I started acting in community theatre and met a lot of local writers, actors, dancers, and artists. I believe the best thing about performing arts (and other arts too) is that they give people more freedom to be who they want to be.

After spending time as a student, actor, teacher, and freelance writer, I started writing fiction again when the idea for Dancing on the Inside came to me and wouldn't let go. After thinking about and planning the book for a couple of years, I wrote the first draft as part of National Novel Writing Month and spent the following months revising.

For those interested in such things, I earned an M.A. in English from the University of Western Ontario, and graduated from the Artist in Community Education program at Queen's University, Kingston. I have also co-authored two non-fiction books and am a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC).

I live with my wife, fellow writer Kaitlin Rainey, and our daughter in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
http://www.glen-c-strathy.com/

Because of You by Cathy Maxwell

ABOUT THE BOOKBECAUSE OF YOU calls upon the traditions of historical romance, bringing readers a vicar's daughter, a disinherited rakehell son of a duke and a forced marriage in her story of Samantha Northrup, a young woman alone in the world. Following the death of her father, Samantha leads a neat and orderly life in the Village of Sproule. A seductive stranger arrives at her door one stormy night and, suddenly, her world is turned upside down. Discovered in a compromising position, she is forced to marry a man she barely knows. Her groom is Lord Yale, who has returned to England after being banished by his father. Now married to a cad who has been outcast by society, Samantha must abandon the life she's known for a loveless marriage and a husband who may never be able to change his ways.





MY THOUGHTS
Samantha's life is a mess. Her father, the village vicar, passed away a year ago and Samantha has nowhere else to go except to live with two dotty old sisters that will be the bane of her existence. When a handsome stranger arrives in town and they end up in what appears to be a compromising position, Samantha is given a clean exit. Is marriage to this stranger the answer though?


Despite plot holes that were never filled, I found this to be an amusing and entertaining tale. I was quickly drawn in and read straight through. Even though this is the age old tale of 'romance buds in a marriage of convenience', there are a few things that set it apart. I found myself loving the back stage characters and wanting to know them more intimately. I'd love to see another book set in the same original town. Yale, the leading male character, has led an interesting life and his family's influence spices things up as well. Witty banter between characters kept me smiling throughout most of the book.

ABOUT THE AUTHORBorn in Olathe, Kansas, Cathy Maxwell's family roots go back to the Mayflower and the Revolutionary War. She has long called Virginia home, noting she is "a Virginian by choice, but a Kansan by nature." She worked in television news as a broadcaster before spending six years in the Navy. She attended Air Force intelligence school, worked in the Pentagon and did a tour with Naval Intelligence.


Cathy began her writing career in 1991 while her children were still small. "It wasn't easy," she says. "I worked full time, my husband travelled, we had three kids, I volunteered and I was writing from four until seven every morning." Now, twenty years later, she is the author of seventeen national bestsellers and her novels appear regularly on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. A rarity in the book world, Cathy has published every one of her novels with the same publisher, Harper Collins/Avon Books.