Today's Workout - More Cardio Interval Burn

Some readers my recall my participation in the Peak Fit Challenge in 2011.  Since that time, instructor Michelle Dozois of Breakthru Fitness has produced additional videos to supplement this fabulous program.  And while I simply adore the original set of DVDs, the latest videos have brought some great new material and have been a breath of fresh air to my routine.  First up, my review of More Cardio Interval Burn:

Just like the original Cardio Interval Burn, Michelle takes us through a warm-up, five training blocks and a cool-down.  On screen graphics and motivating bells keep you aware of how much time is left. There is no equipment required, but you should definitely strap on supportive shoes and have a towel and water nearby.  In my home, I also push some furniture back two feet.  You'll want to have plenty of room to move during this 60 minute routine!

Warm Up - We take 4 minutes to get the body limbered up and our major muscle groups stretched out. It's a very reasonable section, and a great way to start the routine.

Training Block 1

Each training block is 10 minutes, broken up into two segments, five minutes each. It begins with the Ascent portion (2 1/2 minutes), which is moderate in intensity. Highlight moment: A jump-to-the-floor, side burpee move.  That sounds harder than it is-- I find it to be innovative and interesting choreography.  Challenge moment:  Wrapping my brain around a knee up-switch move, which I can handle physically, but is going to take some practice for my mind/body connections!

Next comes the Climb portion of the segment. The tempo increases, and so does the effort, heart rate and sweat production for about two minutes. This part of the workout is fairly challenging and sometimes uncomfortable, but over time my ability to do them has improved. Highlight moment: A 180° hop turn, in between jumping jacks and a speed bag move.  I've learned to keep my knees up and my elbows in as much as possible on this, enabling me to spin faster.

Block 1 Air Jacks

The final portion of the segment is the signature Peak.  For this training block, we perform air jacks, which are similar to jumping jacks, but with an added leap.  If you're not able to perform the air jacks very well, just watch cast member Diane on the right side of the screen, who offers lower-intensity options throughout the workout.  The Peak section is only about 25 seconds, but that half minute will really push you to the limit.  I frequently will pause the video after each Peak section, to catch my breath, mop my dripping brow and get a sip of water.

Following each Peak is Basecamp, which begins the next segment.  During this period, Michelle keeps you moving, but it's low intensity, designed to allow your body to recover for only about 30 seconds.  Then she repeats the Ascent portion that was performed at the top of the workout, going through the cycle again.

Training Block 2

This block repeats the pattern, with new choreography.  Ascent Highlight: A front knee-up, back leg kick move with arm movements. I just love how my body moves through this, and it's just so different from material I've done before. Climb Highlight: A three-hop, turn move that reminds me of hopscotch when we were kids.  This move is so carefree, and it just makes me happy every time! Peak Challenge: Step side jump shot. This one isn't too bad; the challenge is seeing how many I can crank out!

Training Block 3

Block 3 brings out my almost nonexistent hip-hop side. I crank up the music and really move! I honestly can't pick a highlight moment in the Ascent portion.  The whole thing is great! Climb Highlight: The tempo really increases, so prepare to keep up! I love the hook-twist section-- I almost have to be careful not to do it too hard. Peak Challenge: Tuck jumps to a burpee. This one is really tough for me, and I'm constantly improving. Just do your best and do as many as you can!

Block 4 Side Kick

Training Block 4

Once again, fun and motivating music begins this segment. Ascent Highlight: A knee up, crescent, side kick move. Great way to get in some standing abdominal work. Climb Challenge: A touch down, squat and lunge back. These were really difficult for me at first, but I've come to love them, because they bring out my fierce side. Besides, there are only four at a time, and I can do four of anything. Peak Challenge: 180° lunge jump. If you're running out of gas, these can sneak up on you.

Training Block 5

Ascent Challenge: The body twist, knee up move challenges my brain more than my body here. I frequently lose count and feel like Chevy Chase saying, "It was my understanding that there would be no math..." But after a few attempts at this, I'm beginning to do just fine. Climb Highlight: Three-step, arms pull, knee up. Makes me feel strong, like I'm breaking a board with my knee.  Peak Challenge: Quarter eagle to knee-slapper. Again, an area that I'm still perfecting. Tip: Watch Yalda behind Michelle, on the left side with the braid. She doesn't turn all of her upper body as much when her lower half twists, keeping her hands forward.  Doing this has helped me a bit.

Cool Down

This 5-minute section is so important. Always be sure to cool down and stretch. Michelle has chosen poses that mirror the warm up and address the specific muscles that were tightened during our routine. You'll feel great afterward and reduce the chance of injury.


More Cardio Interval Burn is a great addition to Michelle's Peak videos. It's challenging and fun, with something for everyone.  Pair this with More Cardio Strength later in your week.  You'll feel great and see remarkable results!

Coming Soon: More reviews of Breakthru Fitness videos!

More Cardio Strength

Cardio Interval Burn Remix

Cardio Strength Remix
BodyFit 360

               

Book Review - A Jane Austen Daydream by Scott Southard

From Goodreads.com:

All her heroines find love in the end—but is there love waiting for Jane?

Jane Austen spends her days writing and matchmaking in the small countryside village of Steventon, until a ball at Godmersham Park propels her into a new world where she yearns for a romance of her own. But whether her heart will settle on a young lawyer, a clever Reverend, a wealthy childhood friend, or a mysterious stranger is anyone's guess.

Written in the style of Jane herself, this novel ponders the question faced by many devoted readers over the years—did she ever find love? Weaving fact with fiction, it re-imagines her life, using her own stories to fill in the gaps left by history and showing that all of us—to a greater or lesser degree—are head over heels for Jane.

*          *          *

While I have read an enjoyable biography of Jane Austen, I would never consider myself an expert on her life.  However, it is my understanding that Jane was not one to have many love affairs. While hastily engaged (and disengaged) in 1802, she never married. Given the romantic content of her work, many have marveled at her ability to delve into the fictional hearts of female characters that have fallen in love.  Some have speculated that she did indeed find love in her lifetime, possibly with a man she associated with for a short time in Bath, or maybe in her flirtation with Thomas Lefroy, a relative of a friend.

Much like the book and film Becoming Jane, Scott Southard’s speculative novel A Jane Austen Daydream takes the idea of an enamored Jane Austen and draws out an interesting perspective, based both on documented events and fictional ones. Southard follows the highlights of Jane’s life, such as her days in Steventon, Bath and Chawton, as well as other locales. Yet other aspects of the story are pure fabrication, such as her interactions with men and fictional letters she wrote to her sister Cassandra.

While Southard molds Jane’s life events somewhat, he does so in a way that conveys his love for Austen. From this we have an interesting narrative, one that includes many winks to Austen’s works. Individuals from Jane’s life are frequently spouting off quotes that can be found in her novels. Moreover, we are given a view of Jane’s processes as a writer, how she was inspired to create, and how this desire would leak out into her everyday living. As a creative writer, Southard’s Jane is found fabricating a lie to suit her desires, as well as conjuring up in her mind elaborate speculations on incidents that she had not been party to.

We also see Jane’s growth as a woman. At the start of the novel, I found some of Jane’s frivolous choices and insecurities not to be consistent with how I see the true author. However, as the story progresses, certain life events occur which mold her into a more mature woman. These events seem to be sprinkled symbolically throughout her work as well. It’s clear that her ultimate daydream is to have a fulfilling love relationship with a man who seems out of reach. When this possibility seems denied to her, she allows the many characters of her novels to live out the love life she herself yearns to experience.

I will not reveal how Mr. Southard chose to end A Jane Austen Daydream. We know that Jane died as a relatively young 41 year-old woman. We don’t know if she ever truly had a fulfilling romantic relationship.  But the beauty of speculative fiction is that the author can place his hopes for his characters on the page. In that light, A Jane Austen Daydream is very much a lovely dream. It’s not always a pleasant one—Jane has her own brand of villains and obstacles to contend with along the way. Yet overall, Daydream is an interesting, entertaining look at a life that Jane could have had. Scott Southard takes her through his own dream for her, holding onto much of the reality of her life, but also offering her possibilities that could only transpire on the pages of a novel. I enjoyed Southard’s choices as a writer, and wish that Jane could have actually experienced them herself. Fans of Austen’s works will enjoy this love letter to Jane, one that both entertains as well as cherishes her as she truly was: An amazing writer and a woman who deeply loved, even if only in the written word.

        

Connect with Scott Southard

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Goodreads

UPDATE:  FREE COPY!

For a limited time, A Jane Austen Daydream is free on Kindle.  I just noticed this posting from Scott on July 1st:

For the next two days my publisher is sharing my novel A Jane Austen Daydream free on Amazon! More info via the link (and please share and tell a friend!) 

http://sdsouthard.com/2013/07/01/free-ebook-the-new-book-a-jane-austen-daydream-is-free-for-a-limited-time/

 Review copy provided by Madison Street Publishing

Book Review - Seduction by M.J. Rose

From the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances comes a haunting novel about a grieving woman who discovers the lost letters of novelist Victor Hugo, awakening a mystery that spans centuries.

In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed.

Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey—where Hugo conducted the séances—hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different—Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher.

What follows is an intricately plotted and atmospheric tale of suspense with a spellbinding ghost story at its heart, by one of America’s most gifted and imaginative novelists.

*          *          *

Seduction is not a typical choice for me.  As a Christian, I take no personal interest in séances or reincarnation, and I generally don’t reach for books with this kind of title.  However, Victor Hugo’s intrinsic involvement within the center of this story drew me in.  I adore his Les Misérables, although I shamefully admit that the bulk of my exposure to the story comes via the silver screen, not the original literary masterpiece.  My father read Les Mis when he was thirteen, so I have recently acquired a copy and have put it on my ultimate TBR list. If he could attempt such a tome at that age, I should certainly be working on it myself. In the meantime, my interest in this author remains, and given M.J. Rose’s respected reputation, I thought I’d give her latest title a try.

The titular subject of the novel is very much woven through the entire story, but the term “seduction” is not so much referring to a sexual seduction as it is a spiritual and psychological one.  As Victor Hugo becomes more involved in occultic practices in his home, a dark spirit by the name of Shadow of the Sepulcher tries to seduce him into a spiritual arrangement, whereby Victor’s fatherly pain of losing his daughter would be eased, all the while serving the evil spirit’s dark purposes.

At the same time, Carl Jung’s theories of reincarnation and the “collective unconscious” also play a dominant role in the story.  It provides three interweaving time periods, with characters that are all interconnected in various ways.  Of course there is the mid-19th Century era, with Victor Hugo, a servant girl named Fantine and the pain they both share over the loss of loved ones.  Another time period is the present day, with the perfume artist Jac L’Etoile of M.J. Rose’s Reincarnationist series of books. Jac and and old friend Theo are both dealing with loss in their lives, and they come together to investigate an intriguing letter that was supposedly written by Victor Hugo himself.  Through their research, they hope to resolve many psychological and emotional issues.  The final time period featured is that of 56 B.C.E. As with the other characters in the novel, the members of the Druid clan featured in this thread of the story also experience pain and loss that become linked to the individuals in the 19th and 21st centuries.

I found Seduction to be very intriguing, well-written and above all, fantastical. My religious beliefs run contrary to much found in this novel, but I approached the work as if I had been reading a fairy tale.  I do not believe in C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, but I can play along for the sake of the story. Likewise, I do not believe in reincarnation, but I can pretend that these lives were linked in such a fashion for my amusement.  I do agree with Jung that “there are no coincidences”, simply because I believe in a personal God, which comes out of a worldview that is very different from Jung’s.  So that aspect of the novel I could certainly relate to, although only to a certain point.

I also appreciated Rose’s depiction of the evil forces at work in the lives of several of the characters.  Satan is the ultimate liar and manipulator, and will say anything in order to get us to do his work.  Should we succumb to his seduction, we ultimately become his bond slaves in some measure.  The more we dabble and deal with him, the worse the bondage will become. Victor Hugo came to see that in his life within Seduction, and saw the foolishness in continuing the séances in his own home. He also fights major temptation with the Shadow, which I found to be very relatable, not because I have a close relationship with evil forces, but because we all deal with one temptation or another every day of our lives. In Seduction, it’s eminently clear how the Shadow is trying to use Hugo for his evil purposes.  It reminds us of what we do to ourselves when we allow compromise and sin into our lives, even on a small scale.

As mentioned, Seduction is a part of a series of novels, beginning with 2007’s The Reincarnationist.  I have read none of the previous four books, and while M.J. Rose’s content does refer back to moments in previous work, it wasn’t a dominant force that made me feel alienated from the material.  Seduction is almost a stand-alone work, and could easily be read by initiates like myself.

I do recommend Seduction, but it would be a qualified endorsement.  As a mature adult who is very firm in her Christian beliefs, I was able to read this frequently-engrossing novel with the mindset of someone reading a fairy tale or mythological legend.  However, given some of the adult content, as well as the general religious and psychological worldview of the story, it isn’t for all audiences. I wouldn’t suggest it for young readers, those new to the Christian faith, or those strongly questioning these types of philosophies.  A novel is not the best place to work out these issues, although they are worthy of questioning.  There is actually quite alot of truth to be found here. It just needs to be handled with care.

That important topic aside, I can assert that I found Seduction to be entertaining, educational and even inspirational.  It’s encouraged me to look into a quality biography of Victor Hugo, such as Graham Robb’s Victor Hugo: A Biography (as offered by M.J. Rose).  And once again, I find myself looking at my beautiful copy of Les Misérables on the shelf.  Victor Hugo is a fascinating figure, and Seduction was a compelling way to spend time with him.

About the Author

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.  Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.  She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You ca n also find her on Facebook and Twitter.




               

For more reviews and posts, visit the other stops on the Seduction Virtual Blog Tour!

Eric Metaxas

Post Script:

As is mentioned in my review, I don't believe in coincidences.  So it was no surprise when an interesting article hit my email box today.  Eric Metaxas is a New York Times #1 bestselling author, speaker and former dabbler in Jungian notions.  He describes his progression from vague spiritual beliefs to a strong relationship with Christ in a recent article.  His thoughts addressed some issues that I thoroughly agree with, but did not have the writing skill to enunciate.  Much like the characters in Seduction, he had a supernatural experience (through a life-changing dream), but the difference found in his world is that he was ultimately led to a life of joy, as opposed to the life of bondage that was put before Victor Hugo and many of the other characters of Seduction.

Click here to read the full article.

Eric's Spiritual Journey:
Questioning is Okay

Book Review - A Gentleman's Daughter: Her Folly by Reina M. Williams

From Goodreads.com:

Felicity Wilcox, disguised as a young man, flees Naples aboard a vessel returning to her native England. A man from her past, Captain Hugh Mountbank, recognizes Felicity, but plays along with her ruse—until the two must dispose of a murdered man and journey together to her family’s home.

Amid the seeming gaiety of visits and house parties, Felicity and Hugh attempt to keep their family and friends safe, as they also work to uncover the truth about each other. Soon, they not only must protect their loved ones, but also their hearts from the growing feelings between them. When danger comes to call, can Felicity and Hugh trust each other, or will their game of subterfuge and intrigue be their final folly?

*          *          *

A Gentleman's Daughter: Her Folly is a short, sweet Regency-style novella by Reina M. Williams.  It is the second in her Gentleman’s Daughter series.  The main focus of the story is Felicity Wilcox, cousin of Cecilia Wilcox, who was featured in the previous volume, Her Choice. Felicity is very much an independent woman, preferring a life of travel and freedom.  She is not the type who feels the need to look for a husband.  Overhearing a murderous plot that could put her family in danger, she rushes home to England from Italy in an attempt to foil the plans of a dastardly villain.  Along the way she must deal with meddling relatives and friends, and she struggles with romantic feelings for a man she doesn’t entirely trust.

Her Folly was a pleasant read, but there were many times when I had trouble connecting to the story.  For such a short novel, the cast list was extensive, and sometimes it was a challenge to distinguish between the many members of the Wilcox family and their associates.  The key players could have been fleshed out just a bit more to deepen my understanding of them.  There were also numerous references to plot points and ideas from the previous book, which was reasonable, but as a new initiate to this series, I frequently felt disconnected from the story.

Those concerns aside, I do feel that I can give the Gentleman’s Daughter series my endorsement. Ms. Williams’ writing is very good overall, and I love the fact that she kept her romantic content very clean.  The topics, language and issues were very true to the period, and readers of Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer would probably enjoy this work very much.  I myself would like to go back and read Her Choice, to fill out my understanding of the Gentleman’s Daughter world in full. If the series continues on to a Book 3, I would seek that one out as well.

I do not have a daughter in my life, but if I did, I would feel more than comfortable in letting her read from the Gentleman’s Daughter books in her young teen years.  Reina Williams’ writing is mature, but it never crosses over into the frequently-seen inappropriate content that is often found in Regency romance novels today.  Her Folly was a sweet, pleasant read, and one I can recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.

          

Connect with Reina M. Williams

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Book Review and Giveaway - Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke

From Goodreads.com:

Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia is the reason why!

His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?

Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?

*          *          *
What a concept!  Thinking of Mr. Darcy as an American from Virginia! Sally Smith O’Rourke not only takes a leap in time in her novel Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen, but she takes a big literary leap as well.  And while a friend of mine scoffed at this idea when I mentioned it to them, I went on to explain that it really becomes a plausible notion in this twist on the world of Jane Austen.

In the first book of this series, The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia finds himself back in time through a mysterious portal. There he befriends the lovely Jane Austen. Through her interaction with him, she is inspired to create the character of Fitzwilliam Darcy in her beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice.  I haven’t read O’Rourke’s previous title to know all of the particulars, but it’s clear that Darcy made quite an impression upon Miss Austen, becoming somewhat of a muse.

Back in the present day, Fitz is developing a new relationship with a modern woman, Eliza Knight.  She comes to know of the portal, as well as Fitz’s role in Jane Austen’s life.  This Manhattan artist sometimes fights moments of insecurity in the face of one of the greatest writers of all time.  She questions whether Fitz can truly love her. How would she ever be able to compete with such a figure?

In Yours Affectionately, the portal is once again opened, and a young man from the 19th Century begins to build a life in the present day.  As much as we Janeites might fantasize about traveling back to Jane’s time, this young vet-in-the-making named Simmons revels in the modern conveniences that we enjoy today.  With all the opportunities that are before him in the 21st Century, it becomes very difficult for him to return to Jane’s time. But if he doesn’t, it could have dire repercussions throughout the centuries.

As my regular readers are aware, I’m almost always game for an Austenesque time-travel story. My most recent venture into that genre was Searching for Captain Wentworth by Jane Odiwe. What I especially enjoyed about this latest novel was the blending of the real world with the characters that blossomed in Jane’s mind.  I love the idea that Darcy was based upon an actual person, and an American at that.  And while some may scoff at this literary choice, I think it was well executed. O’Rourke’s Darcy is just as much a gentleman as Austen’s.  He’s a horseman with a large estate, with proper manners and just enough aloofness to fit the part.  I didn’t find him to be particularly despicable (as Jane’s could be in the original text), but that is of no consequence.  Along with the other characters in Yours Affectionately, I found the entire cast to be quite enjoyable, right down to a minor, almost villain-like character.  I loved the magical, misty quality of the portal that linked their two worlds.  I have no idea what brought it into our world, but it didn’t concern me.  I was able to buy into the concept easily and enjoy it.  During one of the final portal scenes, there is one interaction in particular that was particularly delicious.  It made me envy Eliza, wanting to step into her shoes in that moment.

My only complaint with Yours Affectionately comes from my own choice.  I made the decision to read this book first, before its predecessor, The Man Who Loved Jane Austen.  Throughout Yours Affectionately, O’Rourke does her best to inform readers like myself on events from the previous episode.  Yet there were many times when I felt like an outsider at a dinner party, trying to piece together the snippets of a story that I’d missed. However, I enjoyed Yours Affectionately so much, I am eagerly anticipating the chance to go back and take in (what I will think of as) the prequel to this novel.  I’ll relish watching Darcy and Jane meet and see how their relationship came into fruition.

Sally Smith O’Rourke’s titles certainly belie her love of our cherished author, Jane Austen.  The tone and quality of her writing shows true affection for this historical figure, and it’s quite obvious that like her modern-day version of Mr. Darcy, she is an American who holds Jane close to her heart.  Not only to I encourage you to dive through the mist into Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen, but I can almost guarantee that its predecessor will be worth our time as well.  I’ll be sure to give you a full report, and I anticipate good news as well!

*          *          *

DOUBLE GIVEAWAY!

Sally Smith O'Rourke has made Calico Critic readers a great giveaway offer!

Prize #1:  U.S. Domestic - Trade paperback copies of The Man Who Loved Jane Austen as well as Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

Prize #2:  International - eBook copies of The Man Who Loved Jane Austen as well as Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

Now you can get started on this fabulous series, right from the beginning! Be sure to read the guidelines below, enter via the Rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

• The contest period ends at 12:00am EST on Saturday, June 15th.
• Make sure you leave your email address in the one required portion of the Rafflecopter form. Should you win, I will contact you on Saturday the 15th. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message (CalicoCritic@gmail.com). You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• All entries must go through the Rafflecopter form. If you leave an optional blog post comment, in order for it to count toward your contest entry, be sure to indicate that you commented through the "Leave a Blog Post Comment" button on the Rafflecopter form.
• The prizes will be distributed via Sally Smith O'Rourke.
• Entries will be verified.  If a fraudulent entry is detected for the winning name, another winner will be drawn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

      

Now Available:Yours Affectionately on Audiobook!

Space Warriors Giveaway

Walden Family Theater is proud to announce the Space Warriors Blog App & a chance to win a family trip to Space Camp!

In Space Warriors, six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition but they don’t realize that they will be forced to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

• Win a Family Trip to SPACE CAMP! - Tune in to Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31 at 8/7c for the secret keyword to win a family trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp!
• Enter here on The Calico Critic to win a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack! See contest instructions below.
• How Spacey Are You? QUIZ – Are you a Space Warrior? Do you use the stars to navigate your journeys instead of the map function on your smartphone? Visit the app below, and take this quiz to find out whether you're destined to orbit the cosmos or whether you're happiest living here on this planet.
• Prepare for Blast-off! Space Warriors Viewing Guide – Mark your calendars for May 31st and check off the boxes as you watch Space Warriors for the most spectacular, spaciest experience! 

Space Warriors Official Trailer

Giveaway Opportunities

 #1: Watch Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31st at 8/7C for your chance to win a trip for the whole family to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp! Keep an eye out for the secret keyword for a chance to go on location where Space Warriors was filmed and train like a real astronaut! Then visit the official website to enter!

#2: Enter here on The Calico Critic to win a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + VUDU Digital Copy) (Walmart Exclusive).  To do this, open the Prepare for Blast-off Space Warriors Viewing Guide PDF found in the Space Warriors Blog App above.  Then leave a blog post comment, letting us know which of the 5 activities listed in the PDF is your favorite.  Some of the options are really crafty and creative!  I'm not sure that I would be organized enough to attempt all of them, but they sure look like fun for the kids.

• In your blog post comment about the Viewing Guide choices, be sure to leave some form of contact information, should you win. 
• Entries accepted until June 15, 2013 at 11:59pm EST.  One winner will be chosen at random.
• Prize shipment will be sent out through PartnersHub via FedEx or UPS. No P.O. Boxes please.
• Open to U.S. residents only.

Space Warriors Official Website

Thanks for entering, and good luck to all! 

About Space Warriors: 

Six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. As the competition heats up, the kids have no idea that their ultimate challenge will be to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

Starring: Thomas Horn, Danny Glover, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino and Booboo Stewart.

Space Warriors is the second film in the Walden Family Theater original lineup featuring great family entertainment, airing Friday nights exclusively on Hallmark Channel. Walden Family Theater is creating films for the whole family to enjoy together, so make sure to mark your calendars and gather around the television to watch all the great upcoming films!

Past films include: The Chronicles of Narnia series, Holes, Nim's Island, Charlotte's Web, and Return to Nim's Island.
 

Book Review: Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

About Once Upon A Prince:

The Royal Wedding Series Book One

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation.

It's the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

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Two years ago I arose at a very early hour of the morning to take in the nuptials of William and Catherine in England, just as I had done decades before at the wedding of Charles and Diana. Once again I reveled in the pomp and circumstance of it all, only this time I had the perspective and understanding of a long-married woman. And like many of you, I had hope (and still do) that this marriage would be a lifelong one filled with love and true partnership. It was so exciting to see a relative commoner marrying a prince of England, one who had shared her friendship as a school chum years before.

Rachel Hauck had similar thoughts as she enjoyed the ceremony in 2011 as well. This spawned her idea for Once Upon a Prince, the story of a common girl from Georgia and a royal from the fictional European kingdom of Brighton. In this adorable, delightful tale, Susanna meets an attractive young man named Nate, but she is hesitant to open her heart to him, as she recently had endured the breakup of a 12-year relationship. Likewise, Nate must be careful with his heart, despite his attraction to Susanna. Royal politics prevent him from being romantically involved with a common American like her.

Both Susanna and Nathaniel are Christians, and are very committed to following God’s will for their lives.  It’s admirable that both are even willing to sacrifice their earthly desires for what the Lord has for them, even if it doesn’t include being together. Serving God and those around them take high priority. That being said, spiritual matters do not dominate every topic and scene within this fun story. Their faiths are a part of who they are, but Christian themes are not heavy-handed throughout the book.

I truly enjoyed this light, romantic story from Rachel Hauck. Of course, as a Christian writer she kept things very clean and chaste, which I appreciated. The characters were just delightful, with their own distinct personalities. I especially enjoyed the character of Aurora, who serves as a whimsical advisor of Susanna’s along the way.  She made me laugh and look at my busy, complicated life in a different way.

You can probably imagine how the story plays out in Once Upon a Prince, but that is of no consequence. It was such an enjoyable read, very much a modern fairy tale that any optimist would enjoy.  Hauck also raises some important issues for her readers to consider, such as God’s will for their life, self-sacrifice, embracing life’s changes, and affecting the entire world for Christ. These are weighty issues, but they’re handled with a deft touch and incorporated into the story nicely. I’m so glad to know that this is the first book in a series of royal wedding novels.  Whether Rachel Hauck chooses to continue on with these entertaining characters or if she creates new ones, I’m sure the upcoming books will be just as enjoyable. Once Upon a Prince was a magical tale, and one I can heartily endorse.

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Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of Once Upon a Prince with a fun "Royal Wedding" Giveaway and connecting with readers at her May 28th Facebook Party.

One "royal" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 27th. Winner will be announced at the "Once Upon a Prince" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 28th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of book chat, wedding trivia, laughter, and more! Rachel will also be sharing a sneak peek at the next book in the series and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Once Upon a Prince and join Rachel on the evening of May 28th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

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Meet Rachel: 

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner Sweet Caroline, and RITA Finalist Love Starts With Elle, and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, The Songbird Novels. She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets. Rachel earned a degree in Journalism from Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor.

Find out more about Rachel at:

RachelHauck.com

Facebook 

Twitter

Pinterest

                 

Book Review and Giveaway - The Future Mrs. Darcy by Maria Grace

With the regiment come to camp in Meryton, many young ladies are pleased. Not all share their enthusiasm. Among them, Mr. Carver, who removes his family from Meryton's savage society. He blames, not on the militia officers, but the Bennet family. The flirtations and boisterous ways of the youngest sisters are too much to be borne. Not even Jane’s renowned beauty and charm can make up for them.   Elizabeth denies the allegations at first, but rapidly uncovers the shocking truth. The Carvers are not the only family to cut the Bennets from their acquaintance. Their reputations materially damaged, the family borders on social ruin.   The news is too much for Mrs. Bennet who collapses from the shock. So, Elizabeth and her sisters must manage the estate until she recovers, a task for which none of them is prepared.   Warned by Mr. Pierce, the local curate, that several of the officers have unsavory designs on the local girls, Elizabeth must find a way to honor her father, rein in her sister and salvage the family’s reputation, all in the most ladylike way possible. 

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In the first volume of the Given Good Principles series, Darcy’s Decision, we are introduced to Fitzwilliam Darcy in a sort of prequel/retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  The focus is on the Darcy and Wickham families, and Elizabeth Bennet is not a part of their lives yet. Near the end of the novella, Darcy’s heart for his unknown future bride is revealed; he hopes to one day marry a woman of integrity, not necessarily one of position or wealth.

In the second volume, The Future Mrs. Darcy, the same concept is applied. It’s a bit of a prequel/retelling, and almost the entire focus is on one side of the Pride and Prejudice world. This time we are privy to the family life of the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet has taken ill due to her frequently fragile nerves, and the girls are left to fend for themselves in running the household.  They learn about the management of the meager estate, and we witness how the girls (Lydia in particular) are functioning in society.

The Future Mrs. Darcy is an interesting peek into the life of the Bennets, and in particular the character of Elizabeth.  She shows strength and leadership, stepping up to helm the inner workings of the household during a difficult time.  She more than proves to the reader that she is worthy of becoming Darcy’s future bride.  Conversely, Lydia shows the opposite characteristics as usual, displaying selfishness, immaturity and an insatiable desire to pursue military men in town. As was seen in Pride and Prejudice, her antics put the future marital chances of her sisters in jeopardy.

As with Darcy’s Decision, Maria Grace’s writing and excellent, with many educational footnotes throughout the text.  Although she acknowledges some adult content, her choice of words is always kept clean and family-friendly.  She characterizes Austen’s personalities respectfully, taking them a bit away from the source material, but staying true to how Austen saw them.  Jane is kind and sweet, Elizabeth is responsible and smart.  Mr. Bennet does his best to shepherd his gaggle of women, especially the over-the-top Lydia, who seems to bring nothing but trouble to the family. These characters certainly aren’t infallible, and Maria’s presentation of them keeps the story interesting and colorful.

The Future Mrs. Darcy, while short, was another enjoyable Maria Grace novella for this Janeite. Because of the way the stories are presented, Darcy's Decision or The Future Mrs. Darcy could be read in any order. I eagerly look forward to the next combining volume, All the Appearance of Goodness, where our two story lines presumably merge. My expectation is that it will be a fine addition to this delightful series.

Post Update:  Read my review of Book 1, Darcy's Decision

 
         

Connect with Maria Grace
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Giveaway: The Future Mrs. Darcy
(U.S. Entrants Only)

I enjoyed The Future Mrs. Darcy very much, and I would like to share my gently-read review copy with one of my U.S. readers.  Be sure to read the guidelines below, enter via the Rafflecopter widget, and good luck!

• The contest period ends at 12:00am EST on Saturday, June 1st.
• Contest is open to U.S. entrants only.
• Make sure you leave your email address in the one required portion of the Rafflecopter form. Should you win, I will contact you on Saturday the 1st. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• All entries must go through the Rafflecopter form. If you leave an optional blog post comment, in order for it to count toward your contest entry, be sure to indicate that you commented through the "Leave a Blog Post Comment" button on the Rafflecopter form.
• The award will be mailed via USPS Media Rate shortly after the U.S. mailing address is provided.
• Entries will be verified.  If a fraudulent entry is detected for the winning name, another winner will be drawn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah Ladd

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett gave her word. Keeping it could cost her everything.

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend's baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word-even to the point of proposing to the child's father-a sea captain she's never met.

When the child vanishes with little more than an ominous ransom note hinting at her whereabouts, Amelia and Graham are driven to test the boundaries of their love for this little one.

Amelia's detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she's forced to examine her soul and face her one weakness: pride.

Graham's strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline. And away from the family he has sworn to love and protect.

Both must learn to have faith and relinquish control so they can embrace the future ahead of them.

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Usually when I’m reading historical fiction set in early 19th Century England, Miss Jane Austen is somehow involved. With The Heiress of Winterwood, I ventured into entirely original territory. Sarah Ladd brings us to the English moors of 1814, with all the aspects of genteel society that we Janeites have come to love.

The Heiress of Winterwood was a delightful story, with characters who were well-drawn and likeable, and with a villain or two who were quite the opposite! Sarah Ladd’s Amelia is as brave and caring as she is beautiful (think Kate Winslet), and Captain Graham Sterling is an excellent romantic lead, with a heart of integrity (a la Hugh Jackman).  Right from the outset, these two are thrust together through unfortunate life events, and the tension not only between them but in their circumstances remains high throughout the novel.  While I wouldn’t consider this a taut thriller, there is rarely a dull moment, and I found my attention fully engaged at all times.

Like most Christian fiction, the novel works into issues of faith throughout the story.  The characters struggle with doubt, surrendering pride and trusting the Lord to see them through some fairly tough moments.  Captain Graham’s struggles in particular were ones with which I would identify.  He endures regret over past mistakes, and he literally has physical scars on his body to remind him of those poor choices.  He also fights with a past tendency to self-medicate.  In his case, he struggles with overindulging in alcohol.  In my case, I struggle with the tendency to self-medicate with food, and I have the extreme stretch marks to prove it.  And while alcoholism and food struggles are not identical, Sarah Ladd’s description of the war going on in his heart were very familiar.  One could “plug in” any Pauline thorn to this situation and relate:

“The ale taunted him.  The old vice knew its strength and mocked his weakness. He had ordered [a drink] for show and would drink in moderation. But his desire was to drink it and as many more that it took to dull the pain of his past and present.” (p.248)

Not only do I struggle with wanting to overindulge each day, but when I see the skin on my body that was ruined due to my poor choices, I have to fight back the tendency to beat myself up about it.  Ladd gives us a comforting thought in this regard, showing us that our scars can be a part of our life story:

“Instead of succumbing to guilt every time you look at that scar, you can be reminded of God’s forgiveness.” (p.251)

This is so true—I have asked for and received God’s forgiveness for those past indiscretions. I can now walk forward in freedom, victory and forgiveness, available to be God’s instrument in the world.

Regardless of philosophy, The Heiress of Winterwood was a sweet, romantic, entertaining novel.  The content is decidedly chaste, definitely written for adults, yet PG in nature.  Curse words are referred to but never printed.  And while I found the plotline to be incredibly predictable, I thoroughly relished these characters and enjoyed going along for the ride.  It seems that this title will be the first in a series, and I certainly hope that I have the opportunity to delve into Sarah Ladd’s world once again.  There is an incredible back story that could be told with Captain Sterling and his deceased wife Katherine, as well as the journey he took in coming to be a man of faith.  It’s my hope that future titles will include a prequel to The Heiress of Winterwood,  as I would love to spend more time with not only the Captain, but also his doomed wife, as their stories seem to hold much promise, even in the past.

Sarah Ladd has written a pleasant, enjoyable title in The Heiress of Winterwood, and I can heartily recommend it to my audience, as well as anyone who enjoys Christian or Regency-era fiction.

Sarah Ladd is celebrating the release of The Heiress of Winterwood
with a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!

 
One winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire

Downton Abbey, seasons 1-3

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 30th. 

Winner will be announced on 5/2/13 {HERE}.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Click here for more information on The Heiress of Winterwood, Author Sarah Ladd and the entire blog tour schedule!

      In exchange for an honest review, I was given a free copy of this title.


As much as I enjoyed The Heiress of Winterwood, I cannot keep in it my personal library. I simply do not have the shelf space. If you would like my review copy for yourself and are willing to pay the postal costs, please contact me so that we can arrange shipment. I'll remove this paragraph if an agreement has been made with someone. Sorry I couldn't offer this in a free giveaway--I'm really pinching my pennies these days.

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Blog post comments are always relished and appreciated, but if you'd like to enter the Kindle Fire/Downton Abbey contest, be sure to click one of the giveaway links above!

Book Review: Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

From Goodreads.com:

An utterly captivating reinvention of the Rapunzel fairytale weaved together with the scandalous life of one of the tale's first tellers, Charlotte-Rose de la Force.

Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. She is comforted by an old nun, Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens...

Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death, sixty-four years later. Called La Strega Bella, Selena is at the centre of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition, retaining her youth and beauty by the blood of young red-haired girls.

After Margherita's father steals a handful of parsley, wintercress and rapunzel from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off unless he and his wife give away their little red-haired girl. And so, when she turns seven, Margherita is locked away in a tower, her hair woven together with the locks of all the girls before her, growing to womanhood under the shadow of La Strega Bella, and dreaming of being rescued...

Three women, three lives, three stories, braided together to create a compelling story of desire, obsession, black magic and the redemptive power of love.

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The tower. The hair. The romance. The magic.  From fairy stories in childhood, to a Disney film, to a recent YA novel, the story of Rapunzel has always held my fascination.  With her expansive tale in Bitter Greens, Kate Forsyth has written an epic, sweeping novel that goes far beyond the standard fairy tale.  It’s the story of three women, the historical figure Charlotte-Rose de la Force, the familiar Margherita (a.k.a. “Rapunzel”) and Selena Leonelli, the witch who imprisons innocent girls in a tower in order to perpetuate her youth.

Set throughout the 16th and 17th century, Bitter Greens begins with the story of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, who will ultimately become known as the author of Persinette, which was eventually adapted by the Grimm brothers to become known as Rapunzel. We see her life as it passes through high society, and on into imprisonment within a convent. While shut away in this dreary existence, she meets a nun who tells her the story of the witch Selena Leonelli, as well as her captive Margherita. Author Kate Forsyth alternates now and again between these three narratives, weaving in and out of time periods and perspectives.

As in the classic tale, the witch imprisons Margherita in a tower, far from society and alone for weeks at a time. The innocent girl is a lovely singer, and has a long braid with which Selena can climb up to visit her on a monthly basis. Through Margherita and some black magic, Leonelli is able to perpetuate her youth as she has for many years. And like the story of old, there comes a day when a handsome young man hears Margherita’s lonely singing, discovering her locked away in the tower.

Bitter Greens is a captivating, emotional tale of love, loss, power, liberation and forgiveness. It isn’t merely about a pretty girl trapped in a tower.  Much time is spent on the story of her captor, Selena, and we come to understand why she has chosen to live such a depraved, warped life.  In fact, it could be estimated that the greatest amount of time is not spent on the main Rapunzel theme, but is spent on Charlotte-Rose and her winding tale through the royal court in France to her banishment.

Kate Forsyth has written such a marvelous work, one that I enjoyed immensely. The richness of the narrative made me relish every opportunity I had to open the book, as the story undulated from storyline to storyline.  The 500 pages turned quickly as I looked forward to the next episode in each woman’s life.  In that sense, it reminded me of Ruins of Lace, another delightful work of historical fiction I read recently.

There are only a couple of things that hold me back from giving a complete, wholehearted approval of the book for all audiences.  There is a significant amount of adult content and language within the novel, especially in regard to Charlotte-Roses's storyline.  Some of it is indeed appropriate.  The world in which these characters live is gritty and at times repulsive. Prostitution was not uncommon. The plague was ravaging many villages. This gave a realism and flavor to the novel that enhanced my experience. It was the reality of the times in which they were living, and they did their best to make their way in the world. However, there were times when the material was racier than I would have preferred.  Also, I wish less time had been spent on Charlotte-Rose and more time spent on Selena and Margherita.  These two characters are the core of the Rapunzel mythos, and I couldn’t get enough of their narratives. Those reservations are offered for those who want to avoid racier content, but I still enthusiastically endorse Bitter Greens.  This is the type of book I'll remember in years to come with fondness.

It’s unfortunate that Bitter Greens seems to be hard to find these days.  I believe it was originally published out of Australia and recently out of the U.K., so you might have to dig a bit to find it if you live elsewhere.  Although that is the case, I would say it’s well worth your search. Bitter Greens is a marvelous tale, full of love, loss, adventure and triumph.  Kate Forsyth has presented us with a literary treasure, one that I hope finds a larger audience as time goes by.

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About the Author

Kate Forsyth is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 books for adults and children , translated into 13 languages. She was recently named in the Top 25 of Australia's Favourite Novelists. Since The Witches of Eileanan was named a Best First Novel by Locus Magazine, Kate has won or been nominated for many awards, including a CYBIL Award in the US. She’s also the only author to win five Aurealis awards in a single year, for her Gypsy Crown series of children's historical novels. Bitter Greens has been called ‘the best fairy tale retelling since Angela Carter’ and ‘an imaginative weaving of magic, fairy tale and history’. A direct descendant of Charlotte Waring, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia, Kate is currently studying a doctorate in fairy tales at the University of Technology in Sydney, where she lives by the sea, with her husband, three children, and many thousands of books.

Please visit Kate Forsyth's WEBSITE and BLOG for more information.  You can also find her on FACEBOOK and follow her on TWITTER.

Want more Bitter Greens? Check out the virtual tour, sponsored by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours: Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/bittergreensvirtualtour/

Twitter Hashtag: #BitterGreensVirtualTour

Options for Purchasing Bitter Greens

The Book Depository: 
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Bitter-Greens-Kate-Forsyth/9780749013622

Amazon.com: