So far this Perennial Essentials Face moisturizer cream has quickly became my favorite. I don't only use it on my face either. This is one of the very few Organic creams I can actually pronounce all the ingredients in. It has a very light but wonderful smell. It makes my skin feel instantly soft and hydrated. It is made in Ohio, my home state so it must be good right? :) The cream does not leave me feeling sticky, oily, or greasy. It soaks into my skin quickly and just leaves soft behind. I do work in household grade chemicals so my skin is a dried up mess, but this cream has started changing that just from the first use. After I finish this jar I will be buying more. I honestly think Perennial Essentials is going to be my new favorite company also.
I received this product for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pme794d5053529bf73384095da500086ec
The Selfie stick by Foxnovo is more compact than any I have seen it does not take batteries and does not use blue tooth. It connects to your cell phone via the 3.5 MM audio port. This folds down to almost 8 inches when not in use. It works with just about any phone from 6 1/2 to 81/2 inches. It is adjustable to 280° angle. Great for putting in a pocket or a bag when you are out and about. Great for vacation's, family get togethers, even Romantic Getaways when you want a picture of you and your special someone.
I received this product for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
These salad tongs are the bet ones I have ever had. I love that they are a 1 piece unit, all of my other tongs have been the ones that come with 2 separate pieces. Some connect in the center others are a spoon and fork and they take both hands. These are made with food grade stainless steel so you never have to worry about rust, and they are also silicone, so you never have to worry about bacteria, food smells, and if you use them with hot foods they will not melt. These tongs are 13 x 2.5 x 1 inches. They also have a lock at the top for easy storage. These are dishwasher safe. I really like that is it a solid spoon on one side and a slotted spoon on the other, because I don't always use my kitchen gadgets for what they were sold as. I will use these for dishing up all kinds of foods.
I received this product for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This is a great coffee grinder, it is not to huge to hold in my hand, I have kind of small hands and short fingers it is 7 inches tall and 1.75 inches in diameter and the crank is about 5.75 inches long. The grinder is fully adjustable. It comes totally apart for easy cleaning. It is a very nice stainless steel. Just because its name is coffee grinder, this also works great for spices. You can adjust from fine to coarse and all grinds in between. It is small and compact for easy storage, the handle comes right off, there is no screws or anything holding on, but it did not want to come off while I was using it. This will hold 5 to 6 tablespoons of coffee, which when ground it falls into the nice removable holder on the bottom. I have coffee by Purple Tractor and this works extremely well. So if you ask me Purple tractor has high quality products. I received this product for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
My husband and I try to get away at least 1 weekend a month, if for no more then a day trip. I am a picture-a-holic. I take pictures of EVERYTHING!! I carry 3 cameras and my cell phone and he has a cell phone also, and on overnighters we have our tablets also.
My cameras all have rechargeable batteries which can be done by hooking a power source to the camera itself. I have a Canon and 2 Samsung cameras, my husband and I phone have Samsung 6 phones. This Portable charger works great on All of our devices.
I love the fact that while my phone is charging I can still use it, my camera also. There is enough battery life in this charger to charge all of our devices and still have some charge left in it.
It comes with the charger, a wall plug in, and a cord with 3 ends on it a Micro USB, 8 pin and 30 pin connector . The charger weighs about 8 ounces so not to heavy to carry in a purse, bag , or even a pocket. The charger is 5.5 inches, 2.5 inches, 0.9 inches. It has 4 High quality Grade A 18650 lithium Ion batteries inside of it, that is 13000mAh, and is good for about 500 battery charge cycle's. It has 2 USB ports on the side so you can plug in other cords. It will dual charge also. There are 4 little lights on the side that let you know how much charge is in the charger 1 = 25%, 2 = 50%, 3 = 75%, 4 = 100%. There is also a power button. The charger uses a micro USB end to charge it which plugs into the very small wall adapter. I wish a lot of devices had the small wall plug in.
I received this product for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Book Title: Riding by Cassia Cassitas Category: Adult fiction, 254 pages Genre: Parenting & Relationship / Special Needs
/ Short Stories
Publisher: CreateSpace Release date: April 2015
Book Description:
Amidst real events and landscapes, men and women like us wander the cities we inhabit, rehearsing happier lives in the pages of this motivational narrative. From each one, destiny took a part to make them perfect.
When he is born, Andre propels his mother's life in a new direction. His father, an executive who organizes Olympic competitions around the world and doesn't know when to come back home, strives to make him a wordly citizen. Cycling, his life acquires purpose: becoming an Olympic para-athlete.
Set in Curitiba with breaks in Los Angeles, Seoul, Johannesburg and Soweto, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London, the narrative ends in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro.
As a tribute to all those who choose to sign the next episodes of their lives, this book is about overcoming one’s self amid achievements, obstacles, love and heroism, written behind the scenes of life.
"In my mind, words came in strides. They aligned themselves in arguments that were ready for combat after rebelling themselves - and that was just inkling. Were was my certainty to support the new image? And where were my emotions, with their brushes to bring color to life?"
Born in the interior of the state of Paraná, Cassia Cassitas accumulated various degrees throughout her carreer in Information Technology. The author of three novels, her texts convey ideas accumulated amidst the smell of coffee plantations, shoe factories, and the technology of the 20th century. These texts deal with life-altering episodes, in a path lit by a harmonious blend of memories and imagination.
1- There are many books out there about sports. What
makes yours different?
Dealing with stories that cover a large
period of time (1983 through 2012) in various places around the globe, I tied
real facts and fictional characters together. I did this in a manner that keeps
the characters bound together through the theme, and goal, of cycling and
striving for participation in the Olympics. In many ways, the stories and the
thoughts are about challenges and how people of all types determine their
destinies.
2- A fiction full of non-fiction
stuff. Who will appreciate reading it?
People say “this is a book for all ages”
and I agree. Sports fans will identify with the theme of seeking physical and
psychological excellence, mothers and fathers will see themselves in Andre's
parents, and children with disabilities will see the main character as their
role model.
3- What was the time frame for writing this
book?
I started writing the book in 2012. But
a lot happened in between, so writing was a luxury, it came slowly. After
two years of writing on and off, I got on fire. It was impossible to put the
manuscript aside for almost six months. Riding was ready on February,
2015.
4- You wrote novels with different genres. Where did
that choice come from?
I wrote a philosophical essay based on
family relations (Sunday the game), a historical novel about the American
estate bubble that took place in 2008 (Saga of Wealth), and my newest book is
Riding, a story of social inclusion through sport. Each book is a project.
Depending on the subject I choose the genre and the language. Always with
a hint of poetry, because the poetic
language is food for soul.
5- How did you organize so many different subjects in
Riding?
I decided to introduce the characters in
different chapters, linking them to one another slowly, until the big picture
was completed. For a moment, their lives are a whole drawing. In the next, they
become part of something bigger. Approaching and moving away from each other,
as the Olympic games do. For a while they are heroes, loved by crowds. When the
games are over, they return to their realities. As said in the book: “adrenaline goes away too fast, and it leaves a trail
behind you that leads all the way back to the people who love you. Try to look
at the heart of things. Look beyond the surface of what seems contradicting to
you.” Behind every podium, there are love stories of lifes supporting lifes.
6- As your last words, a quote of Riding:
`From a tender age, he understood that
the body speaks through emotions, and he paid attention to his. That was how he
taught me that it's possible to live like children who are yet to be trapped to
take it all for granted, like the young people whose muscles throb with dreams
and plans for the future. That is why my son is a cyclist. Without taming our
imagination, sports make our body stronger, give us discipline, and teach us to
become winners.'
"The Wraith of Carter’s Mill" chronicles five generations of women from the turn of the century to present day. It depicts in startling detail the result of an old curse and the wraith that haunts the family. "Sensitives", "The Guardians" and "The Forgotten" tell the tale while the fourth shocking segment, "Carter’s Mill" provides the back-story. It reveals the shameful truth behind a century of sorrow and the curse of revenge that plagues the Carter women.
Zeb, the Carter family patriarch, is a hard, callous man. He runs his thriving sawmill, farm and family with an iron fist. When he commits an incredible act of cruelty, he ignorantly brings a terrible curse down upon all his kin. Martha Thompsons’ prophecy proves true as the family falls into ruin, and the women pay the price.
Almost a century after Zeb’s death, a Carter daughter is born with notable yet uncanny gifts. It will be up to Shyanne to unearth a long buried family secret and set an old wrong back to rights. Will she find a way to lift the curse and banish the accursed wraith that haunts her? If she fails, she risks losing her own little girl to the dark entity forever.
A small North Carolina community, where everyone knows everyone sets the perfect stage for this suspenseful drama. Rich in history and southern culture, The Wraith of Carter’s Mill harkens back to a time when life was simpler, and superstition was part of everyday living.
#MeettheAuthor
C. Evenfall grew up in a small fishing village in Eastern North Carolina. The area was rich with history, ghost stories and unexplained phenomenon; all fodder for the vivid imaginings of a young girl. She began “collecting” stories at a young age.
At aged six, C. Evenfall experienced the paranormal firsthand and has been seeking answers ever since. Her fascination with the unexplainable and her love for old family ghost stories inspired her to write a collection of novellas. Each inspired by the experiences passed down through her family for generations.
C. Evenfall resides on the Carolina Coast with her husband, a self-proclaimed skeptic. She loves him anyway and the two complement each other perfectly.
Mercy fastened the buttons of her blouse while Boyd languished on the soft pile of scattered wheat straw in the corner, watching her. The warm glow of the lamplight reflecting off her loose, long wavy blonde hair as it cascaded to her waist created an illusion of innocence, perfection. She looks just like an angel he thought as he admired her the way he often did in these moments following their intimacy. He loved to look at her, loved doing things with her, but he had no delusions about her imperfection, her lack of innocence. That was what made these moments so fascinating to him. No matter how many times they did this, he was always stunned by the way, she looked like something so opposite of her true self.
His brother Mark warned, “Mercy Carter’s dangerous. She’s like a big gulp of moonshine, hot and burnin’ like fire on the way down but soothin’ and good feelin’ once you get passed the bite. By then it’s too late ‘cause you’re drunk.” Boyd was intoxicated by her, of that he had no doubt, but he did not love her. Being with Mercy was an adventure, and it did not hurt matters that she was both beautiful and dangerous. There was not a lot of adventuring a young man his age could do in Carter’s Mill.
Her clothes situated, Mercy ran her fingers through her hair, fishing out errant pieces of straw.
“You’re sure nobody saw you sneak out of the house?” Boyd asked for the second time that night.
Mercy Carter rolled her eyes and wheeled to face him. “Yes, I’m sure. Patience woke up as I was leavin’ but I just told her I was goin’ to the privy. Stop worryin’ so much. Besides, like I told you, this is the last time anyway.”
Boyd swiftly reached up, grabbing her hand; he pulled her back down on the straw with him. He kissed her clumsily and said, “It don’t have to be you know. Nobody ever comes down here at night, nobody knows about us and what we do here.”
Annoyed, Mercy pulled away and Boyd fell back in the straw. She angrily brushed the straw from her skirt and pushed her arm through the sleeve of her coat. “It doesn’t have to be the last time, but it is the last time.”
Boyd groaned, he was growing weary of Mercy’s games. If it was true this time, it was probably for the best. He had plans to propose to Lora Grisham on Christmas day anyway. Boyd tried hard not to think about Lora when he was with Mercy. The girl he loved was as chaste as fresh fallen snow and he intended to keep her that way until their wedding night. The ring he ordered form Montgomery Ward arrived the week before so all he needed to do now was wait for the big day.
His trysts with Mercy satisfied a baser need, a side of himself that Lora had never nor would ever see. Lora would be his wife, the mother of his babies and keeper of his house. He would be kind to her, patient with her and would protect her for a lifetime. Yes, this has to end.
Finished buttoning her coat, Mercy glared down at him irritably, hands on hips. “Well? Are you goin’ to walk me to the edge of the woods or are you gonna lie there and let me go by myself?”
Boyd sighed, rose and fastened his pants. Reaching for his coat he said, “Of course I’ll walk you through the woods Mercy. Why do you have to talk to me like that? You always act like you’re mad at me or somethin’ afterward. ”
Mercy huffed with frustration, “Oh stop bein’ a baby Boyd! You know I gotta get home before Mama gets up!”
Boyd opened the smokehouse door slightly; peeking out to make sure no one was about before stepping through the doorway. Satisfied they were still alone, he turned to Mercy. “Kill that lantern, the moon is almost full, we can see fine without it.”
Mercy joined him outside and handed him the dark lantern to carry. As they had done many nights before, they made their way in silence. The path that led through Carter’s woods and into Mercy’s back yard was long. The loud snap of a twig stopped them both short.
“What was that?” whispered Mercy.
Boyd scanned the edge of the woods nervously, “Probably just a coon or something,” he assured her.
They took a few more steps and heard the noise again. Mercy grabbed Boyd’s arm nervously, her heart pounding in her ears. “Somebody is coming,” Mercy whispered frantically.
“Sshhh,” Boyd hissed as he listened closely, standing a still as possible. Hanging onto Boyd’s arm, Mercy was about to squeeze off the circulation. Boyd shook her off it and continued to listen. The footsteps were clearer now, there was nowhere to hide. Running would just draw more attention; all he could do was wait for the source of the noise to come out into the open.
Boyd was overcome with relief when a stranger stepped out into the clearing. He let out a long breath, realizing that he had been holding it. He was a mountain of a man, tall and broad. He wore no hat. His long black hair, divided neatly into two braids, draped neatly across his shoulders and down his barrel chest. The coat he wore was covered with so many patches it was impossible to determine its color. The knees of his pants were the same. His arms were laden with deadfall of various sizes. The huge bundle looked tiny in his arms. Boyd had never seen this man before, which meant the man would not know either of them.
“Hold up there! Who goes there?” Boyd’s voice boomed with as much authority as he could muster.
The man started and stopped, surprised to see them. “My name is Samson, Jake Samson. I’m just passing through. I’ll be leavin’ in the mornin’.”
“You fixin’ to build you a fire? You plan to spend the night?” Boyd asked.
“I am. Snared a rabbit, gonna cook it and eat it. Sleep a couple of hours then I’ll be on my way.” Jake answered.
“Yeah well, it’s probably for the best if you just keep passin’. This here is Carter land and you got no business here.” Boyd said.
Mercy clung to Boyd’s arm for dear life. Hiding half her face behind him, she peered out at the stranger. “Let’s go Boyd,” she whispered loudly through clenched teeth.
The stranger, undaunted by Boyd’s warning, asked, “Are you the Carter what owns this land?”
Mercy’s mouth fell open in shock. She felt Boyd pull himself up as tall as he would go. He stammered, “No… but I work for Mr. Carter and if he finds you here in the mornin’, he’ll have plenty to say about it, you can be sure ‘bout that.”
The stranger walked closer and casually dropped his load. The dead rabbit swayed from a string on his belt. “Well, he’s not likely to find me here come mornin’, I’ll be movin’ on at daybreak,” Samson answered without looking up from the task of breaking off twigs for kindling.
Mercy whispered nervously, “Leave him be Boyd, let’s go.”
Boyd, unwilling to walk away without having the last word, found his nerve and stated sternly, “I’m sure Mr. Carter ain’t gonna take too kindly to you huntin’ on his property neither.”
Samson pulled the dead rabbit free of his belt. “Ain’t huntin’ on his land. Caught this rabbit in a snare I set at last night’s camp.” The stranger, obviously not unsettled by Boyd in the least, stared back.
“Well, you just see that you’re gone by morning,” Boyd warned.
The stranger did not respond, nor did he concede the warning, but he pulled the hide from the rabbit without taking his eyes from Boyd’s. Mercy, still crouched behind Boyd, pushed him back toward the path. “Let’s go,” she hissed.
Boyd pulled his eyes from the stranger and led Mercy to the path as quickly as he could without running. Finally, out of the stranger’s sight, he shook Mercy free of his arm once more. “Let go of me! God, you were squeezin’ the life out of my arm back there. Since when are you scared of anybody? What’s the matter with you?”
Bumping into the stranger had unnerved them both. It was a close call. He did not mean to snap at Mercy so harshly, but he knew that had one of the Carter boys caught him out here with their sister, there would have been hell to pay. She is right, we can’t do this anymore.
After reaching a safe distance from the stranger, Mercy asked, “What if he tells? What if he tells somebody he saw us out here? What if he knows what we were doing in the smokehouse?”
“So what if he knows? I doubt he got a good look at you anyhow the way you were hiding behind my arm. Who’s he gone tell? I didn’t give him my name and he doesn’t know either one of us. He’ll be gone before the sun comes up.” Boyd answered.
Mercy took a deep breath and calmed herself. Boyd was right; her nerves were just on edge from all this sneakin’ out at night. She had said it before but she meant it this time, this would be her last night with Boyd Smith.
#Praise
K.C. Finn of Reader’s Favorite
…The Wraith of Carter’s Mill, is very much a family-saga style tale of births, marriages and deaths through the generations.
…when supernatural and suspenseful moments occur, readers are swept away in their seeming realism.
…There is great authenticity in the historical atmosphere and attention to detail that author C. Evenfall gives to the stories.
Michelle Randall of Reader’s Favorite
…C. Evenfall mixes a ghost story, and a story of revenge and betrayal all together with a family saga that sees five generations of Carters deal with the dark man.
…compelling…pulled me along the whole way.
Kathleen B. (Independent proofreader & copy-editor. Worked for your publisher imKY to proofread WCMx. Comments from Kathleen were unprompted and unpaid.)
This is a story that cannot be put down easily.
Evenfall is a true storyteller with great depth.
...extremely engaging style with wonderful character development, which is also stealthily revealed.
My Review:
This was absolutely a story that grabbed you at page one but didn't actually let you go at the last page. The book is about the Carter family women and the the little black man who chases the women of the family through the generations. Their are 4 parts to this book, each part is a short story to each of the women , Libby, Susan, Shyanne, and Julia.
Each character in the book is brought to life through the clear details C. Evenfall describes them with. You can fully picture these women and their plight in your minds eye. At times the story is seen so clearly you would think it was on a television show. She has really done a great job. I really enjoyed this book.
