Wait.. What?!

I don't know why but I am a huge History fanatic. Yeah, I may not be a great scholar, but anything to do with History of: Wars, Egypt and freaking Nazi's I love! Note: I do NOT like Hitler, just German hist.

Anyways, I came across something that I know have in my hands that I am crazy about. It totally made my day, and if I could, I would wear it.. A NAZI LUFTSCHUTZ HELMET! If you are not quite aware of what that is, here is a little History Lesson:

Okay, so it is not in great shape, but hey! It's from WWII-

"The Air Protection Warning Service (Luftschutzwarndienst-LSW) was a civilian organization whose purpose it was to alert the population of impending air raid attacks. In fulfilling this role, members were required to interpret various communication reports regarding bomber formations flying over Germany, operate search lights, observe bomber formations, help keep order among civilians affected by bombing raids, and to utilize air raid sirens before and after attacks.

Members of the Luftschutzwarndienst (Luftschutz) were typically volunteers assembled into area units within cities and towns that held the highest risk of being bombed. Many population centers were divided into area “blocks” with unit leaders assigned to each individual section of a city. Volunteer teams were expected to rotate shifts and sleep in large concrete bunkers that held all the provisions and amenities of a regular fortification. These also included the immense “flak towers” built around German cities upon which anti-aircraft batteries were stationed.

On 2 April 1943 Hermann Göring mandated compulsory service in the Luftschutz for all German civilians. For the first time this order included women. Members of the Luftschutz were expected to supply their own helmets as part of the contribution to the German war effort. A variety of helmets were available for 5 Reich Marks each, but many volunteers chose to scavenge captured helmets of Czech, Polish, Dutch, French, and Russian origin."

Well, it may not have belonged to an actual soldier, but it is still so freaking cool! (to me, at least)

Anyway, this was definitely not one of my usual posts, but I am just so excited. I cannot wait to find a special place to mount it and admire for eternity :)

Xoxo

Impromptu Vacations

Happy National Chocolates day!!!!

Even I, a huge chocolate addict, wasn't aware of such day. But as always, I will take any excuse to delve into some delicious chocolaty treats.

I haven't been blogging much lately, and for that I apologize- unless you don't actually enjoy my posts, then i would say.. "You're welcome..?" But it being a chocolate day I found it imperative I do, especially when "Death by Chocolate" is almost here! Well, we are still a few months away, but February 14th 2012 will be here before we know it!

If you haven't heard, DBC is an anthology that will consist of six delicious Para/Romance stories sprinkled with some chocolaty twists here and there. My story is called "My Bloody Valentine" and no, it's not as gory as the title may suggest but very fun to write none the less!
If you haven't done it yet, come check out our blog for "Death by Chocolate." Follow us, Comment, Share it and enjoy the ride we have all embarqued on! 

Lately life has been hectic and being away for the holidays with no writing time was a bummer. Sunday it was our day to relax and enjoy some family time, so we pulled out the boat and headed out! It was a gorgeous, although slightly windy, day. We anchored at a remote little island and did nothing but relax and enjoy the view. (See below)

Which reminds me... On Thursday Evening we were at my Mother in Law's for some Thanksgiving feast and as usual, my three year old made us put one of his favorite movies: "Fool's Gold." So we were watching it for like the twelfth time that week when we found ourselves booking a hotel in the keys.. yes! That's what watching "Fool's Gold" will do to you. The sights you get to see in the movie and the clear blue waters were soooooo enticing that we did it. We booked it and in less than a month we are spending a handful of days enjoying fruity drinks and beautiful sights. Note: We didn't think it through that we would be going in December.. hopefully it is not super cold!

Now that i think about it, It wasn't our first! We had a small get together at our house a few years ago and we finished the night by booking flights and hotel to Vegas for a week! So much fun!!!

Have YOU ever done an impromptu decision like these? 

And the "Here" Giveaway winner is...

Hope Collier!!!

Congratulations Hope!! You are the winner of Denise Grover Swank's autographed copy of "Here".

Thank you all so much for entering the giveaway and stay tuned, there will be plenty more to come.

Happy Turkey Day!

We usually tend to overlook the things we are most thankful for. Sometimes it's something really small, like the person who held the door open for you when your hands where full and most importantly, those who spend this amazing life with us. Our family and our friends. Tomorrows are not a given, so take the time to Thank those that matter in your life; forgive those that do you wrong and forget what needs to be forgotten.

I am very greateful for all the new amazing friends here that support me in this crazy adventure I am on. I am grateful for my family.. I do not know what I would do without them!



Now, let me help you make your thanksgiving feast a little bit yummier! Here is my recipe for my annual "Maple and Walnut Pumpkin Pie." Everyone goes ga-ga for it :)

Ingredients:

1 (15oz) can of Pumpkin
1 (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ginger
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 (9'') pie crust

Walnut Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of all -purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat over to 425 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, cinammon, maple flavoring, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Pour into the pie.
3. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350F and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
4. In a medium mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon; cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
5. Remove the pie from the oven and top it evenly with the crumb mixture. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Cool. Garnish as desired.
Store it covered in the refrigerator.

My Bloody Valentine - Excerpt

My Bloody Valentine

“It was the beginning of senior year when word got around there was a new student in Hollow High. As it has always been, it was rather habitual to treat any new student as if they had some kind of incurable disease. Girls would carefully move around Jude when walking past, as if the mere touch of him would make them turn into ashes. The boys would make comments that made me cringe, wondering how people could be so cruel towards someone they never held a conversation with.

 Jealousy, I had told myself. Jude was drop dead gorgeous. “Out of a Vogue magazine” I had told Maggie the first time we walked past him on the hallway. His shaggy black hair fell over his deep green eyes, almost as if they needed hiding, sure that looking into them would only cause a surge of emotions through me that would be unstoppable. His tall and well-built body would have been perfect for playing sports, but that would have never been allowed by the team.

I walked past him in the hallway every day and he never noticed me, his gaze always glued to the floor. I should know, I stared at him incessantly. A couple weeks after school had begun our eyes finally met. As I had dreamt for so many days and nights, there had been an undeniable spark, some sort of recognition that had crossed his eyes sending shivers through my body. I had been right; looking into those eyes had been a life changing experience. The person I had been was immediately eradicated and in its place a new being was born. I couldn’t explain how but my whole world had changed. Something in me had awoken and the fire in my soul begun to soar. I needed to be close to him.” ©Lucy Swing, “My Bloody Valentine” Death By Chocolate 2011.

All comments and criticism are more than welcome :)

Taking over

Hi guys!!

I am taking over my Twin's blog! Come check it out and you will also get a first glimpse at "My Bloody Valentine"! A short excerpt has been shared :)

Hope you all enjoy it,

http://bit.ly/rKPadO

"Storm Born (Dark Swan)" comic by Richelle Mead

Usually I do my reviews on Sunday's, but this one is a short one and unual at that! I was asked by Patrick from Sea Lion Books if I would be interested in reviewing Richelle Mead's Dark Swan "Storm Born". I was totally in!

"Eugenie Markham never asked for any of this. Until now, she's been content with her job as a freelance shaman, battling and banishing Otherwordly creatures. When a prophecy suddenly maked her the Otherworld's most popular bachelorette, Eugenie finds herself fighting off unwanted supernatural suitors, as well as the evils that begin emerging from her past..."

I was surprised when I received the attachments though... as it was a comic!! Mind you, this might have been the first time I actually read one. I was a little skeptical before I began, wondering if I should just back out, but oh man.. I read the first page and was hooked! I kept scrolling down like a maniac, mouth agape and eyes bulging out of their sockets!
I sooo want to be Eugenie Markham. She is not only totally hot but can kick serious ass as well. Who doesn't like that combination? I will say that this comic is more for an older audience as there is some X-Rated content.

I got to review Issue 1-4 and loved each on of them and wished I had some more. Comics are a really fun way to see your favorite books come to life. Apart from the crazy job she endures day and day out, Eugenie is a simple girl that tends to keep to herself. Her father left when she was little and her mother tries to avoid the topic at all cost. Her stepdad, who took her in and raised her as his own is also a shaman, although now retired. In Issue #1 she is presented with the dilemma of crossing to the Otherworld to retrieve a 14 year old girl that has been taken to be raped and mistreated. Eugenie is eager to go, but she knows crossing over is too dangerous and she has no idea what she may find. Her guts, as well as her stepdad, tell her not to take her job but can she live with herself knowing she did nothing to save an innocent child?

"Storm Born (Dark Swan)" will be equally interesting for men and women, so do not pass up the chance to read them. They are incredible!

Below are the first 3 pages of "Storm Born (Dark Swan)"

"Here" Review and Giveaway!

Hello there and happy Sunday Funday to everyone.

This past week I began reading a new book from my good Twitter friend @deniseMSwank called "Here." When she sent me the blurb a few weeks ago I instantly told her I just had to read it! I was so hooked by only the blurb it was no surprise when I couldn't put the book down.

BLURB:

Here – YA Science Fiction On the Otherside series Book One

"Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before.

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can’t ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from."

Now tell me you're not completely hooked! She's good at that.. I know your secret Miss Swank!

It should however, be conisdered a Mystery as well, as until close to the end you are still biting your nails wondering what the heck is going on (in a good way.) It truly had me on edge the whole time I read, thinking I knew what was going on and then BAM! You didn't see that one coming!

The Sci-fy side of the story (my reviews give nothing away and i barely write about the story per se, so you will have to read it to see what's up) is great and makes you wonder how much truth could there really be behind it all.

The Romance... oh God, do not get me started! I still do not know who I am rooting for. I fell in love with both male characters and they are both equaly amazing and HOT! At least that is what I see in my head *blushes* She had me longing for both boys, wanting to throw my arms around who ever was feeling left aside. However, something deep in me cried for Reece. I don't know what it was, maybe because she was somewhat expected to be with Evan..? Anywho, she can keep Evan and you can mail me Reece.. I make the same comment all the time, dont I? haha, i just love these guys! I am making my own little army of YA hunks ;)

"Here" had me laughing, crying my butt off to the point I had to put it down and on the edge of my seat wanting to finish it right then and there.

Denise Grover Swank has really done it with this one! It is an excellent read and will not disappoint.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Denise is a single mom who lives in Lee’s Summit, Missouri raising five of her six kids. (The oldest has gone off to live on his own.) She loves to embarrass her children whether it be spontaneous dance parties in the kitchen or making her teens’ friends think she’s funny/cool. *gasp* (Even if its in her own mind.) On rare occasions, she is known to post stories about her crazy life on her family blog There’s Always Room for One More.
She keeps her sanity by creating worlds to escape to and characters to hang out with.
 


To Purchase "Here" or any of her other sure to be amazing books go here.

 

 

And the Knight Trilogy giveaway winners are...

Hi guys!

Well the Giveaway for the "Knight Trilogy" has officially closed.

I wanted to thank all of you for coming by and entering the giveaway, it is always very much appreciated!

As you all know, there were two 2-book packs of the first two books in the trilogy and 1 gorgeous bookmark up for grabs.


The winners for the e-book packs are:

@catell_jo

@kellym2372



And the bookmark will belong to:

@a_cattie

Thank you for your endless support on my blog and the author!


ps, stay tuned for more amazing giveaways.

XOXO

Lucy

Tim Phillipps Giveaway Winner is...

Hi guys!

 

 

The giveaway for Tim Phillipps' autographed photo has closed.

The lucky winner is..

Drum roll...

**Dana Shapiro**

Congratulations Dana! Be on the lookout for this hottie coming to your mailbox!

Stay tuned for more giveaways

XOXO,

Lucy

"The Forest of Adventures" Review and Giveaway

I am so excited! I finally finished reading Katie M. John's "The Forest of Adventures." This is book #1 from the Knight Trilogy. Now, not because it has taken me a few weeks to read it, does this say anything bad about the book itself. As said on my blog I usually eat books up in a day or two, but unfortunately many things happened in my life from the moment I picked up said book for review. I have also been working on an Anthology for "Death by Chocolate" which I recently finished. I have to be completely honest and say, when I wasn't reading it, I was THINKING about it. The need for more constantly nagging at me.

Blurb:
"When seventeen year old Mina Singer falls in love with the devestatingy handsome new boy at college, she finds herself catapulted into a fairytale realm.
But Fairytales aren't for children and magic can be deadly - especially in the hands of a jealous Morgan Le Fay. At the heart of an ancient prophecy, Mina risks destroying those she loves the most.
Caught between two worlds ... Torn between two hearts."

Katie created an amazing Arthurian Realm and wonderful characters that is very unlikely not to fall in love with. Especially Blake *swoons*. It seems to be that I absolutely love a good ol' fashion boy/man. The fact that he would always be courteous to her, giving her her time and always waiting for her. As Edward Cullen did it for me a few years back, Blake Beldevier has done it for me now. So my only question to Katie is.. where can I order me some Blake????

"The Forest of Adventures" writing is exquisite and utterly believable, nearly impossible not to picture it all in your head down to the smallest detail. It flows easily and in my case at least, there was always that longing for more. That said, I cannot wait to read book #2!! When I finished reading it was as if it were impossible the book could be over. I am sure if I had a paperback copy in my hands I would have looked at empty pages wondering where the writing had gone.
Now, I have a few inklings as to the way it ended and who a certain someone is.. and I cannot wait to see how wrong or right I am!

I give it a whopping 5 STARS!!!

Book #2: "Immortal Beloved"

A little bit about Katie M. John:

Katie lives in London with her husband and three year old daughter. She was born in Yorkshire, raised in Lincolnshire and has spent her adult life living in the London suburbs.
Writing has always been a part of her life She started writing poetry from the age of fifteen and worked on a collection 'Mythologies' as part of her English University degree.
Katie started writing 'The Knight Trilogy' in 2008. 'The Forest of Adventures' is her debut novel.




GIVEAWAY!!
2 lucky winners will receive a set of both the "Forest of Adventures" & "Immortal Beloved" in e-book form  and 1 winner will receive a "Forest of Adventure" bookmark!

Enter your e-mail address and Twitter to be considered in the giveaway!

Tim Phillipps Interview and Giveaway!!

Ladies and Gents, the wait is finally over! After a long flight to Vancouver he was nice enough to take the time to answer some questions. I am so excited to bring to you a buddy of mine, the gorgeous Australian, Tim Phillipps! Everyone, please give him a warm welcome.

Okay ladies, let's try to keep the drooling to a bare minimum!

I LOVE Social Media for this very reason, it brings people together. I started following Tim when I read some of Matt Lanter's tweets. I was more than ecstatic when I received the notification on my phone that he was following me back! He is a really cool guy and totally down to Earth. He has an addiction for the movie "Watchmen" and a really great taste in music, which I want to believe I helped broaden *wink wink*

Have any of you been watching the new ABC Hit Series "Once Upon a Time" on ABC Sunday Nights? If not, you are missing out. Tim here stared in tonight's episode as Cinderella's husband, Prince Thomas (I know, so well fitting right?) In lieu of his episode I asked to do a little Q&A here and as the great guy he is, he agreed, even after spending his day on a plane.

Here it is!

Tim, Thank You so much for takign the time to talk to me. I know you have a hectic schedule and had a really long day. You are very much appreciated, such a great sport! :)


1- Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi, my name is Tim Phillipps, I am 23 years old and was born in Adelaide, Australia. After High school i went straight to University to study Economics. That lasted about 7 months before I realized it was taking me in the opposite direction that I wanted to go.
I have a relaxed demeanor yet I am passionate and driven to the nth degree. Will stop at nothing to achieve my goals and hope to make a massive difference and impact on society in way we have never seen before.


2- What do you do for fun and/or on your free time? I found this on your Twitter:

Is this one of your favorite past times?

One of my favorite past times is playing Xbox. I play Call of Duty online with friends from my home town. Believe it or not, online gaming is becoming so social. We talk through the headsets, conspire against the enemy, engage in some friendly competition and actually stay in touch and up to date with our lives. I look forward to playing in person soon! I also love keeping fit, working out at the gym and socializing. Which is what i plan this summer back in Australia to entail!



3- What are your favorite Actor/Actresses and movies they have been in?

There are so many actors and actresses that I love for the roles they play in film, TV and society. There is a huge pool of talent out there, don't make me pick faves hahaha. Okay, fine, Ryan Gossling. There now it seems less of a cop out answer!


4- Favorite movie of all time? Even though I have already called it :)

Yeah, you certainly got that right. Watchmen!


5- Many people, myself included, want to be actors. Many, myself included once again unfortunately, do not have the talent or never make it. When did you realize this was what you wanted to do, and how did it happen for you?

When I attended a drama course outside of High School I felt like I had finally found something that just clicked with me. I was never in the top stream in class or picked first for te football team, but once a week for 3 years I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. My first role was on a popular Australian Soap. They discovered me through a teen magazine search for a star competition. The premise was to send in an audition tape, from that they picked state finalists and from that they took 10 kids to Melbourne to audition on set with an existinf star from the show and perform in front of the Producers, Casting and Director. Was a strange beginning to a career but was very exciting. I think that's what took the fear away. No audition was ever as intense as that one.


6- Was there another career you were interested in before you started acting?

Before acting I didn't really have any solid career goals. I did enjoy math and accounting subjects in High School because I liked that there was a definite answer, unlike English for example. Now that I entered a particular career path I can see a whole new world of career options opening up to me. So where I go from here is still a mystery...


7- Think back to your first audition. What was it like? Do you still get nervous before auditions?

My first audition was incredibly nerve wracking. It was for a small Aussie film and the door from the waiting room to the audition room was very squeaky. Every time it would open, my stomach would jump into my throat and my heart would be beating so fast and hard that I don't know how I even got up to walk through that bloody door! Those days were short lived. I love the audition room. It's the waiting room that can be tough. A lot of strange energy floating around and words of encouragement from other auditioners, which call me cynical, I find hard to believe their integrity.

8- What is the hardest part about acting and where do you see yourself in 10 years?

The hardest part is that I have been separated from my family. Tonight is the biggest night of my career thus far and my family is 8 and a half thousand miles away. Like how I wrote that? Seems more dramatic hahahaha. No, I seriously miss them all and am counting the sleeps until I go home for Christmas.

10 years from now... well I have been acting professionally for 5 so I have no clue where I will be in 10! Hopefully still working.

9- I have been following you since the time you were shooting "Liars All," a movie with Matt Lnater, Sara Paxton and Gillian Zinser which is coming out in 2012. Even though you are not a big Twitter maniac as the rest of them.. What can you tell us about that experience?

It was my first Gig in the USA. It was a huge buzz. My role wasn't major but it got the ball rolling. I used the experience to adapt to an industry in another country. I had my ears and eyes open at all times and learnt so much from the Cast and Crew. Was a lot of fun. Can't wait to see how it turned out and get "the band" back together!

10- You will be on "Once upon a Time" tonight as Prince Thomas. Tell us about your role. Will we see more of Prince Thomas?

Prince Thomas is Cinderella's (the gorgeous Jessy Schram) hubby! And yes, you will be seeing him again. I am currently sitting in my hotel now getting ready for a 5:30 am pick up tomorrow to take me nack to Storybrook haha. It has been a little while since I was up here in Vancouver but hopefully we will be seeing much more from Prnce Thomas in episodes to come.

11- You have told me about one of your projects that has yet to be released. What are you working on at the moment and what can we expect in the near future?

Yes, I have a project that I am very excited about. I am the lead in a Video Game that already has a huge following. I am so excited about it but, unfortunately you will have to wait for more details on this one! ;)

Tim, once again, Thank you so much for stopping by and Good Luck with everything, especially that 5:30 pick up call!

If you would like to follow Tim, and I guarantee you do, click HERE.

I have an authographed photo of Tim up for grabs!!! If you would like to be the lucky winner, please fill in the form below. Giveaway will close on 11/15/2011 at 3pm EST.




Here is a little gallery for you all:

XOXO,

Lucy

It's the little things..

Okay, so nothing can be better than getting free books and goodies on the mail, right?. Well, I am sure i would not be opposed to money, but in my case books is all I need!

On Sunday when I got back from Miami my mailbox was overflowing thanks to a package from the wonderful bestselling author Sandra Brown with a few of her books, “The Alibi”, “Not even for Love” and an audio book of “Temptation’s kiss.” How awesome is this!?!? Then Monday rolls around and I am glued to my window waiting for the mailman, knowing I should be receiving another one today. Minutes then hours go by and nothing. I leave, angrily by now, to pick up the kids from school, cursing the mailman the whole twenty minutes to school. I rush home as I did not know if I would have to sign the package or what and I sure as hell didn’t want to miss it. I check the mailbox, nothing. I speed up my long driveway and look around the front door. Nothing. At five forty-five when we are about to leave the house to go to Publix and get some dinner I see the mailman shove a box in the mailbox. I squealed in glee and literally skipped my way down the driveway like a two year old. Yes! My Twilight Goodies had arrived and my day was perfect once again.

Now, what’s with the mail getting here so late? It is not the first time and I am sure won’t be the last. When we moved into this house two years ago the mail was here, religiously, before eleven in the morning. Then it was before two in the afternoon and now it is whenever it gets here. I have had Fed Ex packages delivered at eight thirty at night.. what is up with that!?

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know how happy I get when I get books in the mail. Oh oh! I almost forgot! Today I ordered my personalized paperback copy of “The Willows: Haven” by Hope Collier, I cannot wait for it to get here! If you haven’t read the book yet, I honestly do not know what you are waiting for. I have rated it 5 out of 5 stars! Purchase it here: http://bit.ly/bY2jZT

Well my darlings, I am off to hopefully finish my anthology “My Bloody Valentine.” Have you guys checked the ‘Death by Chocolate’ anthology blog? You should come on by. All six of us are blogging on a daily basis. Come by and say Hi! http://dbcanthology.blogspot.com/ You should also add us on Twitter! @dbcanthology

Toodles!!!

Poking in

Hello All,

I have been quiet for a few days. Sunday was my birthday, therefore I had family over and my time on all Social Media was scarce. On October 31st at around 3am my father in law passed away. It has been a really heartbreaking week so far. It breaks my heart when my seven year old comes to me teary eyed and says "I will never see him again" and then he looks up at the ceiling and tells him she loves him. It is hard not crying.

I will probably be a little MIA for a couple more days until it is all a little more settled. I just wanted to come by and say Thank you all for visiting my site even when I don't promote it :)

I may also be behind on my book reviews, although tonight I will read until I fall asleep. Hoping to stay on track!

Hope you all had a wonderful, safe and dry Halloween! It was raining in Miami so my parents took my little ones to the mall. It is always so crowded there and never enough candy. Next year will be better!

XOXO
Lucy