Friday, January 31, 2014

Bathtub Blues

All right, who out there has used a power steamer for cleaning? I just bought a hand held power steamer. I was hoping it would be able to get those horrible stains off the grout in the bathtub (that NOTHING else I've tried has taken off). Sadly, it did not work.

It's an awesome little machine with attachments for cleaning just about anything, but it doesn't look like it's going to help me much on this pain in the butt tub. It's one of those old porcelain tubs that stains are almost impossible to get out of. So far, the best thing I've found to use on it is the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. But even those don't get it totally white and I go through at least two of them.

I've tried Ajax, Borax, vinegar, Kaboom, Scrubbing Bubbles, and all the different homemade things on Pinterest I can find. Looks like for now I'll be sticking with the Magic Erasers.

Has anyone had luck using anything else?

Friday, January 17, 2014

Blog Tour!

My blog tour has kicked off! Check out the Blog Tour tab above for links to all the fabulous stops :)

Also, if you haven't checked out the Blood Blade Sisters series yet, now is the perfect time to do it! Book 1 will be on sale for $0.99 for the next two weeks and book 2 is on sale over at Amazon at the moment - but that one will be going back to its regular price of $2.99 any moment! So hurry over and pick up the whole series for a great price! :)



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Michelle Pickett's PODs Book Blitz!!


PODs
Release Date: 06/24/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Paperback/ebook
312 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.


Praise for the Amazon
Bestselling PODs:
"5 Stars! I
loved this book. I have been kind of bogged down with dystopias lately, but
this was amazing. It was so cool to see life before the 'event', to see Eva
wrestle with her choices and then, to watch her change as she lived inside the
PODs...Yes, there are zombies. Yes, there's a little romance. But I think, at its
heart, PODs is a coming of age story about Eva and how she grows from a girl
into a strong, decisive woman during this period of absolute destruction. And
Pickett writes it beautifully." ~ Sherry Ficklin, author of "Extracted"



"I was blown
away by this debut novel from Michelle Pickett! Rather than feeling like I was
reading a book, I actually sometimes felt like I was actually watching the
characters' lives progress; it was kind of weird! The emotions that Eva felt
were so raw and real, and I think Michelle really captured the emotions that
one would be feeling in a post-apocalyptic world...PODs may very well be one of
the next big things in YA, so I am very happy to have been one of the ones that
was part of the beginning of it all! Congrats Michelle on your YA debut and I
am looking forward to more by you!  I gave PODs a
well-deserved 5/5 stars!
  " ~Phil book reviewer at
Stack of Hardbacks

5
glowing, sparkling stars for this one!...I absolutely adored every character
Michelle introduces us to. This book isn't just about a romance, or two people
fighting some battle. This book allows us to get to know several, amazing,
diverse characters who all grab your heart (even a few who have attitude
issues). They all held such an important place in the story… Now for the plot.
Holy crap!...
Michelle did a flippin' fantastic job giving us each piece of
this puzzle…
I won't go into details about what happens after they are
removed from the POD but O-M-G! The action never stops…This book seriously
needs to be a movie. I could picture every detail and already see it playing
out on screen. PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!”  ~Jessica of Total Bookaholic


Buy Links:
 photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpg  photo 111AD205-AA04-4F9E-A0F4-C1264C4E9F30-1855-000001A1E8CEB6D7_zps9b730b94.jpg  photo B1426D4C-9EEC-4C0B-A1FB-90524B03C0CA-1855-000001A1E82B3B3E_zps17d98f4d.jpg




Also Available from:
Books-A-Million



















About the Author:
I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order.  I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.
I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.
I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press.  My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It’s meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.
I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan.  I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.
Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

I always love to hear from readers, bloggers and other authors!
Find me here:

Giveaway
First place: Signed copy
of PODs, tote bag, and swag (US only see note for international)
Second place: Signed copy of PODs and swag (US only see note for international)
*International winners will receive a print copy of PODs only if www.Bookdepository.com
delivers to their country. Otherwise they will receive an e-book. Swag will not
be included.
a Rafflecopter giveaway





Book Blitz Organized by:

Monday, January 13, 2014

A Bandit's Betrayed Heart is Here!!

Oh my goodness - I was sick over the weekend and it's thrown me soooo far behind on everything that I nearly forgot to get on here and squee about the final book in the Blood Blade Series releasing today!!

A Bandit's Betrayed Heart is Lucy's story - here's all the fun stuff :) Buy links are in the Blood Blade Sisters tab above :) I'm also over on the Scandalous Books Facebook page with some fun stuff with the series. Come hang out!


Not your typical Southern belle...
Lucy Richardson's bandit sisters may have taught her to sling a gun and pick a stubborn lock, but nothing prepared her for the agony of her first heartbreak. Her sisters taught her to fight like hell for what she wants... and she wants Finn.

Not your proper Southern gentleman...
Finn Taggart is bad news. His dark and tortured past always catches up to him, and Lucy deserves better than to be tainted by his touch. He couldn't have her years ago, and he can't have her now, no matter how enticing she is. If only he can convince her of that before the danger that follows him brings them both down.

Not your classic love story...
Danger doesn't exactly scare a girl like Lucy, and she knows how to use all kinds of weapons... including her feminine wiles. Finn doesn't stand a chance. And if they need backup... the Blood Blade Sisters are never far away...

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

New Year's Resolutions

So most of my goals for this year have to do with un-neglecting everything I've been neglecting. Like this blog for instance. (I know, you are probably still picking your jaw up off the ground that I've posted on the poor thing lol)

But, last year was so busy (released 4 books and wrote 4 or 5) that I didn't seem have time to keep up with anything. THIS year, I want to rectify that.

So, along with the usual "Be a better mom/wife/writer" and of course "lose a million pounds" that are always on my list, I've added "be a better blogger/social media-er" and all that jazz ;-) We'll see how long I last :D

What's on your To Do list for the new year?