SPOTLIGHT: Seduced by the Game, a charity hockey romance anthology

 

As you know, I'm always happy to participate in tours and blitzes for charities. Today's book is in support of Hockey Fights Cancer; cancer runs in my family so fighting it matters to me.  

Hockey Fights Cancer is an official initiative of the US National Hockey League. Established in 1988, they have formed partnerships with different charities and you can also purchase merchandise from the NHL whose proceeds benefit the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative. Click here for details and more information on Hockey Fights Cancer. Read below for more information about the book.

This Holiday, I Pledge to Give Books

I am always happy to give books as gifts and the holidays are no exception. Thanks to Read Now Sleep Later for the heads up about this book donation campaign. Anything that involves children and books is right up my alley and I think that First Book does wonderful work.

Chronicle Books and First Book have teamed up this holiday season to give books to children. Share your love of reading, support your local book store, and help promote literacy! For every #GiveBooks tweet, pin, and online signature, Chronicle Books will donate a book to a child in need through First Book. The goal is to donate 10,000 books by December 15. I've signed the pledge, pinned about the campaign, tweeted, and shared on facebook. What will YOU do?

This holiday, I pledge to GiveBooks! Take the @ChronicleBooks @FirstBook pledge at http://ow.ly/ptMuP or RT to be counted! #GiveBooks

Want to purchase books from Chronicle Books? Use discount code GIVEBOOKS to get 30% off and free ground shipping - http://www.chroniclebooks.com/

You can also donate to First Book.

Related articles

• This Holiday, I Pledge to Give Books (chroniclebooks.com)
• This Holiday Pledge to give BOOKS! (tapestry193.com)
• Holiday Gift Guide: MyChronicleBooks Personalized Books #Giveaway #giftguide (ahensnest.com)
• Chronicle Books Holds Bake Sale for Typhoon Haiyan Relief (mediabistro.com)
• Give Thanks, Give Books: An Interview with Illustrator Gemma Correll (chroniclebooks.com)

Penguin Books (USA) and Nora Roberts Help Tackle Hunger In Maryland

From a press release sent out by Penguin Group USA:

The “Be Thankful” initiative urges support of our less fortunate neighbors

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family around an extravagant meal and be thankful for all the security and stability in our lives. But it’s also a reminder that a cold winter is ahead, and it is therefore important to acknowledge our less fortunate neighbors, which is why Penguin is proud to support The Maryland Food Bank, with Penguin’s first ever “Be Thankful” initiative.

#1 New York Times bestselling Penguin author, Nora Roberts was born in Silver Spring, Maryland and has a deep affinity for her home state, having set many of her more than 200 novels in Maryland. Her recent NY Times bestseller, “Thankless in Death” is a suspense thriller which centers around loved ones coming together for Thanksgiving. The brutal reality of hunger in Maryland sadly has its own frightening narrative. “I was shocked to discover that the Maryland Food Bank distributes more than 34.6 million pounds of food – the equivalent of almost 29 million meals each year – and despite that significant effort, families still go hungry in our region,” stated Nora Roberts. “I am proud to help raise awareness of this issue and to applaud the incredible work that local food banks do daily to eradicate hunger in Maryland. The holiday season is a great reminder to capture the spirit of giving thanks and helping those in need.”
Penguin would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Governor Martin O’Malley, who is committed to ending childhood hunger in Maryland by 2015. “One hungry child is one too many,” said Governor O’Malley. “Because of its connection to student achievement, workforce strength, physical health, and behavioral health, we’ve made eradicating childhood hunger a priority in our State.”

“We are delighted to support The Maryland Food Bank for the first time. The negative cascading effect that food insecurity can have on a person, a child or a family, is devastating. Penguin is proud to recognize the tireless efforts of The Maryland Food Bank and its commitment to lead the fight against food insecurity and hunger,” said Leslie Gelbman, President of Mass Market Publishing, Penguin Group (USA). To mark the occasion, Penguin Group (USA) is making a $10,000 donation to The Maryland Food Bank. “There are more than 457,000 people in our service area who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and more than a third are children,” says Maryland Food Bank President & CEO Deborah Flateman. “The emotional toll of hunger is especially high during the holidays. Families are struggling to put food on the table, heat their home, and at the same time keep traditions alive, so their children feel normal – at least for one day. This gift will go a long way, and help many, many families in need.” The donation ensures that over 20,000 meals will be made available to the citizens of Maryland who are in dire need of food assistance.

You too can become involved in the “Be Thankful” initiative by donating food or volunteering; to view a complete list of the affiliated food banks and or participate in a Virtual Food Drive, please visit Feeding America’s national Food Bank Locator at http://bit.ly/9ociO.

About the Maryland Food Bank

The Maryland Food Bank is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization, leading the movement to end hunger throughout Maryland. For more than thirty years, the Maryland Food Bank has partnered with communities across the state to distribute food to individuals and families in need. Through carefully-crafted programs, the food bank aims to meet the immediate needs of Marylanders while simultaneously working to find long term ways to reduce hunger statewide. Currently distributing 79,000 meals per day – nearly 29 million meals annually – the Maryland Food Bank will continue to expand its efforts until hunger ends.

The Maryland Food Bank (www.mdfoodbank.org) operates from three facilities: one in Baltimore, one in Salisbury, and one in Hagerstown. Through an extensive network of soup kitchens, pantries, schools and other community-based organizations, food is distributed throughout 22 counties, including Baltimore City, and Somerset, Wicomico, and Washington counties – some of the most food-insecure regions in Maryland.

About Penguin Group (USA)

Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is part of Penguin Random House plc, the international media company.

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Wherever you live, you can help people who are hungry. There are programs to which you can donate food, money, and time, and not just at the holidays, but all year long. I support several local food pantries; just Google 'shelter' or 'food pantry' and see what's local to you.

Related articles

• Bank uses tweets to feed hungry (readingeagle.com)
• Thousands of families reliant on food banks this Christmas (independent.co.uk)
• Community Food Bank ensures families can have their Thanksgiving meal (times-news.com)
• Fewer food drives, donations given to local food banks (ksl.com)
• Capital Area Food Bank tries to meet growing demand during holiday season (wjla.com)
• Hundreds At Md. Food Bank 'Pack To Give Back' By Preparing Holiday Boxes (baltimore.cbslocal.com)

Very Superstitious Blog Tour: A Guest Post by Mari Mancusi, A Mini Review & A Giveaway

Welcome to today's stop on the Very Superstitious: Myths, Legends, and Tales of Superstition Blog Tour. This is yet another anthology that supports a non-profit, this time it's SPCA International. October certainly seems to be the month for books that support various charities and anthologies and we are always happy to help. 

For my stop, I have a guest post from author Mari Mancusi, a brief review of her story in the anthology, and there's a giveaway at the end of the post.

Interview with Laura Wenham, Excerpt from Urban Harvest, & A Giveaway

Blurb from the author ~

New York City–it’s home to 8 million people trying to make their way through the day–a crop of humanity seething with hopes and fears, dreams and nightmares. Autumn comes, and nine authors harvest nine tales from this unique setting and people. From stories of everyday life in an otherworldly light to nightmarish tales of human darkness, Urban Harvest has something for everyone.

Urban Harvest contains tales of the paranormal from Alex Shvartsman, Laurie Treacy, Donna Ansari, Tara Hill, Laura Wenham, Andrea Stanet, Don Corcoran, Saif Ansari, and Sean Sakamoto.

In keeping with the spirit of harvest, all proceeds from this anthology will go to support City Harvest, an organization that feeds NYC’s hungry.

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Genre: Urban Fantasy, New Adult

Format: paperback, ebook

Release Date: September 21, 2013

Buying Links: Amazon*   *affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through this link.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18528733-urban-harvest

AUTHOR LIST:

Donna Ansari 

Alex Shvartsman

Laurie Treacy

Tara Hill

Laura Wenham

Andrea Stanet

Don Corcoran

Saif Ansari 

Sean Sakamoto

 

Excerpt from Unbridled by Lauren Grimley & A Giveaway

Today's excerpt is one that is important to me. The proceeds for the the book it's from, "Unbridled" by Lauren Grimley, will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and V-Day. The author, Lauren, will be splitting the proceeds from her new paranormal romance short story collection from the Alex Crocker series, "Unbridled", between these two terrific women’s charities and hopefully inspiring readers to make individual donations, as well.

My mother died, after a two -year battle, of breast cancer when I was eighteen, and one maternal cousin and my stepmother are breast cancer survivors. So breast cancer is very personal to me. I knew, as soon as I received Lauren's email back in August, that I had to participate in this event.

A little info about Lauren ~

Lauren Grimley lives in central Massachusetts (*waves* Hi neighbor! ~ Bea) where she grew up, but her heart is on the beaches of Cape Cod where she spends as much of her time as possible. After graduating from Boston University she became a middle school English teacher. She now balances writing, reading, and correcting, all with a cat on her lap and a glass of red wine close by.

Unforeseen, the first novel in the Alex Crocker Seer series, was Lauren’s debut novel. She was thrilled this spring to continue the series with Unveiled and now Unbridled. To learn more about her or her writing or to connect with her online visit her website at www.laurengrimley.com

Author website: http://www.laurengrimley.com

Blog: http://blog.laurengrimley.com

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Grimley/e/B007Y5ZZSG

Twitter @legrimley: https://twitter.com/legrimley

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenGrimley

Google+: http://plus.google.com/u/0/105156245095191358255/posts//p/pub

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5825387.Lauren_Grimley

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorlegrimley/

  

Penguin Books presents "Read Humane" Books in Support of Pets

Penguin Group (USA) is proud to present Read Humane®—their second year dedicated to the fight against animal cruelty—with a $25,000* donation to The Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team.

* Regardless of Sales

May is National Pet Month — and Penguin is pleased to offer six of their bestselling mass market titles to support our furry friends.

The Read Humane special editions feature a distinctive Read Humane seal on their covers, conveying their support for this compassionate cause. Participating authors include their Read Humane spokesperson, Jill Shalvis, as well as Linda O. Johnston, Miranda James, Leann Sweeney, Judi McCoy, and Ali Brandon.

Penguin's donation supports the Animal Rescue Team, which works with law enforcement to investigate illegal animal cruelty, targeting the worst cases of animal abuse nationwide. According to The Humane Society of the United States, its Animal Rescue Team rescues thousands of animals from puppy mills, animal fighting operations, hoarders, and other situations where animals suffer from life-threatening cruelty. They also provide expert animal rescue response during natural disasters.


Join in the fight against animal cruelty by making your own tax-deductible donation today. To make a donation online, and to find out more about the work of The Humane Society of the United States, click here.

About READ HUMANE ~

All of us at Penguin love our pets, and we wanted to do something special to help animals in need. Read Humane provides funding to organizations dedicated to protecting animals.

Penguin's 2013 donation supports The Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team, which works directly with pets in need in several different ways. We want to do our part to create a world free of animal cruelty – by contributing to and raising awareness of the Animal Rescue Team, we're doing just that.

These are the books supporting Read Humane:

     

About The Humane Society of the United States ~

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization, and was voted by GuideStar's Philanthropedia experts as the #1 high-impact animal protection group.
Established in 1954, The HSUS seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people. The HSUS works with local humane societies and supports their work through training, evaluations, publications, and other professional services.
The Humane Society helped to save animals during Hurricane Sandy in the New Jersey and New York area — a place where many Penguin employees live and work. You can learn more about their efforts at www.humanesociety.org.

 You love to read, right? Buy a book or two for yourself, buy some as gifts, maybe buy some and do a giveaway. You can read and help an animal at the same time. :)

All information provided by Penguin's website.  Read Humane is trademark of Penguin Group (USA).

Books for Bunnies

So, I like bunnies; they're cute, sweet (HUSH John! Your opinion is irrelevant :P) and like many animals, often mistreated. :( Now, whether an animal is a pet, destined for food, a working animal, what have you, there is NO, NO reason ever to mistreat them.

Books for Bunnies

Books for Bunnies is an event set up by the bloggers over at The Bunny’s Review and coordinated with the help of blogger Alchemy of Scrawl.

These two ladies have worked tirelessly in getting authors to donate eBooks for the event. Currently there are over 100 eBooks that have been donated, along with over 30 print books. Some of the print books are even signed by the author’s themselves.

The event is to help raise money for the House Rabbit Society. The House Rabbit Society (or HRS) is a 501 non-profit organization to help raise awareness and to rescue rabbits from animal shelters. Below is a little about the background of the HRS.

House Rabbit Society Background

House Rabbit Society is a national, nonprofit animal welfare organization based in Richmond, California. Our mission has two parts:
• Through our fostering program, volunteers rescue abandoned rabbits and find permanent adoptive homes for them.
• Through education, we seek to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits — and to improve bunnies' lives — by helping people better understand these often misunderstood companion animals.

In line with our mission, we are against the exploitation of rabbits.

Since HRS was founded in 1988, over 25,000 rabbits have been rescued through our foster homes across the United States. Many of these bunnies had run out of time at animal shelters and were scheduled for euthanasia; others had been deemed "unadoptable" because of age, health, or disposition. Because there is no time limit on our rescued rabbits, HRS foster parents are able to spend time getting to know each individual bunny and can then match him or her with an appropriate home. We neuter/spay all incoming rabbits, obtain any necessary veterinary care, and attend to their social needs.

In caring for so many diverse bunnies, our all-volunteer organization has learned a tremendous amount about their social, behavioral, and medical requirements. By sharing the collected information these rabbits have taught us, we are able to help other people improve their relationships with their rabbits. HRS provides educational materials to veterinarians and humane societies and helps individual rabbit people solve behavior and health problems, primarily through our web site, www.rabbit.org, and our quarterly publication, House Rabbit Journal.

Over the past 20 years, HRS has grown from 300 to more than 8,000 members, with local chapters and educators in over 30 states plus Canada, Italy, Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore. Our web site, www.rabbit.org, is accessed over 100,000 times a day by people in dozens of countries around the world.

We are asking people to donate money to the HRS at this link through Network for Good. The person that makes a donation will receive either an eBook or print book equal to the amount donated. There are books ranging in price from 99 cents to $27.00. There are several print copies of the books that have been autographed by the author.

The person that donates will receive an email thanking them for donating. That email needs to be forwarded to books4bunnys@bunnysreview.com. This will show the amount that has been donated. Please remember there is not any donation that is too small. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. (Even if it's only a dollar! Every bit helps ~ Bea) The HRS will use the money to either help pay for vet bills or help in finding a forever home for the hundreds of bunnies in their care.

Please if possible take a moment to donate a couple of dollars to the HRS you never know what bunny’s life you might be saving.

Suzie & The Bunnies - CupCake & Coale

Books for Bunnies




So please, take a minute and donate any amount you are able to help a rabbit. Yes, you too John.

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