Review: Bound to Remember by Lola James

Bound to Remember is the first book in a new series by Lola James.  The story is about a young doctor named Toni Hollander.  She works at a hospital with her best friend Dawn and ex-boyfriend, Kevin.  Life is pretty normal until the day a new nurse starts working at her hospital.  The new nurse is Benjamin, and Benjamin has a secret, he's a vampire.  Benjamin's secret is going to complicate Toni's life.  Things become further complicated when Toni and Ben share a steamy kiss, infuriateing Kevin.  Through a series of twists and turns and some help from a witch friend, Toni discovers that there are things about herself she didn't know.  Will she find out before it's too late?  You'll have to read and find out.

Bound to Remember was an enjoyable read, that I gave 4 stars too.  It's a quick read, and is fast moving, and holds your interest.  I enjoyed it so much that I finished it in one sitting.  The book is appropriate for young adult readers as well as adults.  Even though it's a paranormal romance, there is nothing overly graphic in nature. 

Toni is a character that I found to be immediately likable.  She is someone who is very relatable.  I also enjoyed the antics of her friend Dawn.  Benjamin is also very likable.  He has faced many losses in life (and undeath) which makes you want to comfort and console him like Toni does.  I can't wait for the second book in the series to see how these characters develop.

Bound to Remember has a surprising ending.  Shocking, I might say.  I couldn't believe the way everything twistsed and turned into this final moment.  I am dying for the second book so I can see what becomes of Toni.



GUEST AUTHOR POST: Vampire and Greek Mythology Fact or Fiction by Lola James

Vampire and Greek Mythology Fact or Fiction by guest author Lola James, author of Bound to Remember.

I am a Greek Mythology buff; I mean who isn’t now days. There are new movies that are re-telling the story so infamously wrote by Homer and now books. I am no different. In my Book Bound to Remember, I touch on the vampire theme as well as the might Greek gods.

I had to do a lot of research and this is what I found. In ancient Greek mythology there are several ancestors to modern vampires but none were considered undead. An example would be Empusa. She was the daughter of the goddess Hecate and was described as a demonic, bronze-footed creature. She feasted on blood by transforming into a young woman and seduced men as they slept before drinking their blood. That is very much a vampire. Vampire’s feed on blood (check), are known to be sexy (check), and they exhibit demonic behavior (check). Vampire’s sound like they may have come from the Empusa lady. The Greek vampiric entities are seen once again in Homer's epic Odyssey. In Homer's tale, the undead are too insubstantial to be heard by the living and cannot communicate with them without drinking blood first. In the epic, when Odysseus journeyed into Hades, he was made to sacrifice a black ram and a black ewe so that the shades there could drink its blood and communicate. Personally, I think Hades gets a bad rap but who knows when it comes to myths.

My conclusion from the research is that if the Greek gods existed then vampires probably do too! I don’t think they are sparkly but the undead might walk among us. Who’s to believe one myth over another!

That’s my belief and I am sticking to it!

Check out my blog for these rants http://lolajames-author.blogspot.com

Smooches

Lola
 
Meet Lola:
 

My name is Lola James and I'm the author of Bound to Remember, a Paranormal Romance (Book 1 of the Spellbound Series).I live in southern California and I’m married with three beautiful children. I currently have a day job as a HR Manager and I hope to leave one day to pursue my dream as a full-time writer. Somehow, I find time to write in between working full-time, being a full-time mom and wife. When I’m not moonlighting as an author, I’m a studying for my Masters degree, which I hope to complete in 2013.     


I have always loved reading and writing! As a reader, I know that readers and writers share the common love of a great story. I personally love anything dealing with Vampires, Witches, and Greek Mythology. I started writing a Paranormal Romance story that included all three when voilà, I wrote a book! I write mostly Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy stories with suspense and a little humor but I am not limiting myself to just that. My stories emanate from my imagination and the fact that I am a hopeless romantic. I have been reading romance novels since my teens and fell in love with vampires when I read Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.

After some extensive research into the publishing process, I became discouraged and I put my laptop down and my dreams on hold. It wasn’t until I bought my first e-reader that I discovered a new way to publish. I dusted off my laptop and I self-published my first book!

I am currently working on two series, the first is the Bound to Remember, Book one of the Spellbound Series, and it’s a paranormal romance with vampires, witches and a mythological twist. The second is Fate’s Design Book one of the Fate Series, a paranormal romance about dreams and what happens when and if they come true.



Title – Bound To Remember

Genre - Paranormal Romance

Publisher – Self Published

Release Date – October 27, 2011

Format – Ebook



Purchase Links:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Remember-Paranormal-Romance-Spellbound-ebook/dp/B00608Q37A/ref=pd_rhf_cr_p_t_2

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bound-to-remeber-a-paranormal-romance-novella-lola-james/1106980747

Website – www.lolajames.com and http://lolajames-author.blogspot.com

We Want to Know Wednesdays

We Want to Know Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Mamarazzi and Crazymama.  I thought I'd give it a try, because when I'm reading blogs, I love reading about the host opinions on books and characters and what's coming out soon, but I'd also like to get to know a little  more about the people behind the blog.  So I'm going to throw in some personal, about me, types of things to keep things interesting.

This week's questions and answers are:

{1} What is something that you currently spend money on that you consider a splurge or frivolous?

There are two things that I consider to be frivolous or splurge spending.  The first thing is, kindle books.  I usually only download the indie books for my kindle.  99 cents or $2.99 doesn't seem like a whole lot at the time - but at the end of the month when I'm balancing my check book, all those small amounts add up to quite a bit.

My second splurge is Lush.  Lush is a natural, environmentally conscious, socially aware company that makes bath and body products such as this bath bomb, which runs $6.45.

Yeah, I know.  $6.45 for a bath bomb that I use one time is ridiculous.  I hear it all the time.  I've tried other companies, and they just don't have the same quality.  Taking a nice long bath with moisturizing, gorgeous smelling water while reading a book is how I relax after a really hard day.

I have cut back on the Lush lately.  There are a lot of other things I need the money for (like kindle books - lol).  I've also recently learned that I'm allergic to lemons and strawberries (among a whole slew other things) and because Lush is natural - they use a lot of lemon in their products, which has vastly limited what I can use from them (and B&BW and VS).


{2} Tell us about your first paying job. How old were you?

My first paying job was when I was eleven.  My grandparents owned a farm in Ohio, and during the summers my cousin and I would spend time there.  Out front they had a little farmer's market kind of set up where they sold some of the crops they grew.  My cousin and I were paid to sell the produce during the day.  It wasn't much, but to kids our age, it seemed like we were rich at the end of the day.

At fifteen I was an Au Pair for a family we knew.  They had one daughter, Maddie, and I babysit while her parents worked, ironed, cleaned the house, did laundry, and sometimes cooked their meals.  The mother had an advertising agency and the father an insurance agency.  I worked for both of them doing office work as well.


{3} Do you plan date nights and extras into a monthly/weekly budget?

I have tried making a budget before, and I'm just not good at sticking to it.  Something always comes up and I have to put out unexpected money.  I do have a savings account that I don't touch, so it's not like I don't plan for things to go wrong.  It's just really hard for me to want to tap into my savings...so I'd rather take the money out of my checking and have less for other things.  I don't know that I necessarily have to have a budget.  I work full time and go to school full time, and my boyfriend and I go out to eat once a week.  It's not like there is anything to spend my money on.  We save up for small vacations.


{4} Share one of your money saving tips with us.

Before I buy anything, I look online to find out where it's cheapest.  If it's something I can only get at a particular store, I look online to see if there is a printable coupon.  If I'm going to be ordering something online, I go through Memolink or Mypoints first so that I get points back on all online purchases, and then I also use an online coupon if I can find one.  By using these point sites, I get back approximately $250 in gift cards a year.

Another way I save money is by knowing when my favorite stores have sales - like Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret's semi-annual sales, and then I tend to stock up while items are at the lower price.And finally, Christine @ http://cmgendreau.blogspot.com wants to know:


{5} If you won the lottery - would you spend it frivolously or use what you need and save the rest? Why?


This question really depends on the amount of money that I win in the lottery.  If it's a small amount, of course, I'll treat myself on something - like a few new outfits.  I would pay off most of my debt and save the rest.  If I win a large sum, then I would treat myself in a bigger way - like a trip to Europe.  I really want to see Italy, Ireland, and Greece and if I won enough money I would travel.  Otherwise, I'd still pay off my debt and save the bulk of the money.  I would probably buy investment property.  I grew up with a real estate family, so investing in real estate seems like a good idea for some of my money.  I would still finish school, and I would still work.

Whispering Hills Book Tour: Review & Giveaway

Alexis Forbes is not your average high school student.  Alexis can hear people’s thoughts – but not in the way you think of when you hear that someone can read minds.  Alexis can only hear people’s thoughts when they have made a decision to do something.   The story starts with Alexis hearing the thought , “I’m going to kill her.”  Right after hearing those words, Alexis meets her new locker neighbor, Chance.  Oddly enough, Alexis can’t hear Chance’s thoughts.   

As Alexis and Chance become closer, she starts to discover that there is something unusual about Chance.  Along the way, she makes friends with social outcast, Summer.  Together Summer and Alexis struggle to uncover what it is that binds the two girls and Chance, while trying to figure out who the murderous thoughts are coming from, and how to stop the killer. 

I really liked this book.  The plot of Whispering Hills is very different than a lot of books that I’ve read.  In fact, of all the paranormal books I’ve read, I’ve never read one that had this books surprising paranormal twist.  And no, I’m not talking about the mind reading aspect – I’m talking about how Chance, Summer and Alexis are all connected and why.  I’m not going to give it way, because I think everyone should read and find out for themselves. 

The plot is unique, and the book thoroughly enjoyable.  The first few chapters start a little bit slow, but after that, it’s a page turner.  I read the whole book in one sitting.  The characters are interesting and dynamic.  I really liked Summer a lot.  There is so much more to her than her hardened, slightly gothic exterior.  I can’t wait to see how Summer’s character develops in the next book.

I am giving away an e-copy of the book, as well as signed bookmarks.  Please check SupaGurl’s Book Tours to follow the rest of the tour.  And be sure to stop back there the last day of the tour (April 12) for the big giveaway.

About the author: 

Taryn Browning writes young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels. Her debut novel, DARK SEEKER, is available on Amazon and B&N. The sequel, DARK RETURN, comes out in late, 2012.

Taryn graduated with a BS in Education from Towson University and went on to earn a MS in Reading from Hood College. She lives in Virginia with her husband, two young sons and their dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, music, movies, and the beach. Visit her at www.tarynbrowning.com, on twitter and facebook.

Kick Butt Character Giveaway Hop

GUEST POST: Codependence by Eldon Taylor

I have spent over thirty years investigating why people self-sabotage or limit themselves, thus experiencing so much less than their highest best!  What I have found is the reason rests solely in their beliefs—not their spiritual belief so much as their life beliefs.  I found this to be true when I was conducting lie detection tests and discovering criminality, and equally true when I worked with elite athletes, business executives, professionals and lay people alike.  The bottom line is this: What you believe always matters!  It’s like a web that fastens itself to belief-anchors, causing disheartening mediocrity in place of the glorious success we all seek.[Soft Break] [Soft Break]I Believe spells out the power of belief and how it influences everything from our health and longevity to our success with relationships and life.  Astounding as it may seem, belief can (and has) defied our so-called laws of science and it has done so over and over again. As ordinary and trite as it may seem, belief nevertheless makes all the difference in success in all walks of life.  Knowing how we acquire our beliefs, and which beliefs serve us while others sabotage us, is critical to maximizing our individual potential.  I Believe: When What You Believe Matters! was written to empower you with the roadmap to decipher and re-write the programming governing your life.

Excerpt


Codependence

Among many people, there’s a certain attitude of codependence. This is often expressed in terms of a bargain, a contract, or a sort of quid pro quo. That is, we think, You should do this for me because I do this for you. If you loved me, you’d do x, y, and z. The notion implies a duty. For example, parents often assume codependent roles and expect their children to nearly kneel and worship them because of parental sacrifices. Building relationships on such patterns will almost always lead to resentment and disappointment.

Examining our motives is important. Where our closest, most intimate bonds are concerned, maintaining a realistic outlook is key. There will be many changes during a long-term personal relationship. The initial romance will wear off, the hormones will cool down, and the Cinderella nature of perfect love will curl up in a mature bonding, provided the connection isn’t built on false assumptions and immature, unrealistic notions taken from movies and television shows.


It’s estimated that approximately half the marriages in America will end in divorce. Further, this figure applies to first marriages versus later unions, since “67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology.”5


There are many reasons for the high divorce rate, including disappointment, selfishness, demanding too much, economic differences, pettiness, blaming, laziness, and differences in values or faith. Inherent in all of these factors are the underlying beliefs each partner brings to the marriage. Surprising to many is that the lowest proportion of divorce belongs to atheists and agnostics. Perhaps that is because the initial expectation is simply more pragmatic. For the atheist, the connection is all about here and now; for the religious person, there are both explicit and implicit assumptions about unions made in heaven.

The actual reasons for divorce are not my point here, however. This book is all about the role of belief in our lives. It’s easy to see that an unreasonable expectation will lead to a failed relationship. It’s equally obvious that our expectations are built upon our beliefs, and if we’re to enjoy our lives to the fullest, choosing what we believe and how and who we share those beliefs with is pivotal.

If you’re having difficulties with someone, take a look at your assumptions and then consciously choose your course of action. That said, never be afraid to let someone go if that’s what he or she wants. There’s an old saying that goes like this: “If you love someone, let them go. If they come back, they were always yours; and if they don’t, then they never were.”

Reflection

What do you see in your relationships? Are your expectations blinding you to the real attributes of the other person? Are you denying yourself in your attempt to be what someone else would like you to be? These questions are really two sides of the same coin, but they’re vital components to creating the kind of connection you want.


For information on the book launch, please visit http://progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/it/12c/indexB.html


About Eldon Taylor





Eldon Taylor is an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of more than 300 books, audio, and video programs. He’s the inventor of the patented InnerTalk technology and the founder and president of Progressive Awareness Research. He has been called a “master of the mind” and has appeared as an expert witness on both hypnosis and subliminal communication.



Eldon was a practicing criminalist conducting investigations and lie-detection examinations for many years. He is listed in more than a dozen Who’s Who publications, including Who’s Who of Intellectuals and Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. He is a fellow in the American Psychotherapy Association and an internationally sought-after speaker. His books and audio-video materials have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have sold millions worldwide.



Eldon is the host of the popular radio show Provocative Enlightenment. He has interviewed some of the most interesting people on the planet. His shows are thought-provoking and always fresh in both their perspective and the exchange.

Review: Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice by Janet McNulty

Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice tells the story of Mellow Summers, who moves to Vermont with her best friend, Jackie, to attend film school.  Upon moving into their new apartment they discover that the prior occupant, Rachel, was murdered not too long ago.  Mellow meets her neighbor, Greg, at school and finds out the Rachel was a film student as well.  The landlord tells the girls that the rent is so cheap because the other tenants have all left in a hurry claiming that the apartment is haunted.

One night, Mellow is startled to actually see Rachel.  Rachel persuades mellow to help her bring her killer to justice.  Things aren’t so easy though, because Rachel can’t remember anything that happened the night she died.  As Mellow works to solve the mystery of Rachel’s death, Rachel slowly remembers bits and pieces of the night of her murder.  With the help of her love interest- Greg, best friend – Jackie,  Greg’s cousin at the police department, and a biker gang,  can Mellow figure out who the killer is before she becomes the next victim?

Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice is a fun book, and a quick read.  The characters are likable and fun.  Rachel gets Mellow into situations that she wouldn’t normally get into.  Rachel teaches Mellow to stand up for herself – and after standing up to a biker gang, she earns their trust and makes an unlikely group of friends.  Mellow moves to Vermont to change her life, and you can see her growing and changing through her experience of helping Rachel.  Some parts of the story progressed a little fast, but overall, I really liked the book, and can’t wait to see if there is a second book.

GUEST POST: My Nightstand Books by Janet McNulty

By: Janet McNulty (author of Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice)

As an author many people want to know what it is I read. To be honest, I read just about everything. I love young adult books as well as general fiction. I also like to read nonfiction, mostly histories or biographies. My bookshelves are filled with books on American and World history. But they also are filled with books in fiction ranging from Fantasy, to sci-fi, to mystery thrillers. There are even a few of the classics mixed in.

Naturally I have read the Harry Potter series. I have actually read them about three times. I’ve been through The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, which I plan to reread. I have even read the Inheritance series, though I believe those books could have been better.

I have been known to read five or six books at the same time. Basically I’ll read a few chapters of one, and then move to another book and read a few chapters of it and so on. It seems to be a family habit. My grandmother and mother do that and so I picked it up. I probably also picked that habit up from my school days when I was required to read about 10-15 different books in a short period of time.

My current reading list consists of Dante’s Divine Comedy and a big collection of Shakespeare. I even have a copy of Fablehaven sitting on there. On top of that is a copy of The Forgotten History of America. That is one I usually read a few pages of before putting it down and moving on to something else. I have a copy of Dune that I have not opened yet, but plan to soon. I even have a few copies of the original Nancy Drew series, which I have read many times.

Of course, my nightstand isn’t the only place swarming with books. The floor of my room is as well. This is due to the fact that my bookshelves never provide enough space. I bought a bunch of new shelves and filled them within weeks. So as a result, the books now spill out onto the floor. Like a lot of avid readers I seem to have too many books and not enough time.

But despite all of the time I spend reading, I also spend time working on my own writing. I am an author after all. But I use some of the things that I read as inspiration. When I get stuck on a particular portion of my book, I usually turn to my pile of books and start reading where I left off. This helps me to not only get through another book on my list, but it serves as a way to get the creative juices flowing. Many of my books will contain notes of ideas I have for my own writing.

To cut down on the clutter in my home, I bought an eReader. But what really happened is I filled it up quickly with a bunch of books that I want to read. One such book is a collection of Sherlock Holmes. I have gotten through half of volume one. At least with an eReader, I do not have a ten pound book on my lap. It currently sits on the stack on my nightstand.

Reading is one of my passions. But it can also be one of my banes. When I finish one book, I usually find ten more I wish to read. Eventually I will get through them all. All the while I will be writing my own books that will be added to the shelves of others like me.

About Janet McNulty:

Janet McNulty currently resides in West Virginia where she moved after receiving her B.A. in History. She lives with her three cats who keep her on task.

Ms. McNulty has also recently published a novel, Legends Lost: Amborese, under the pen name Nova Rose. She is currently working on the second novel in the series called Legends Lost Tesnayr, but also has another nonfiction book in the works, that is untitled at this point.

Title – Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice

Genre – Paranormal Mystery Thriller

Format – Ebook

Publisher – Self Published

Release Date – January 26, 2012

Guest Post: Mental Restraint by Nicholas Maze

As I was driving down the street one day, I became conscious of the world’s condition. Contrary to what you would think, it wasn’t the abandon houses I drove by; it wasn’t the cracked pavement, or homeless people that seem to be in unison. It was the children. GOD gave me the understanding that a child is nothing but an adult that is trapped. In their minds, they live in an orchestrated fantasy world. Their world is orchestrated by other children that have aged over time and learned to be adults. The older children (adults) determine what the younger children wear, eat, and drink. And for the most part, a child is okay with the control. For most children, it is all they know. They live in a mental fantasy world, because their knowledge is limited.

Limited knowledge brings forth the purpose of school. A school should strengthen a child’s mind, because one day that child will have control of other children and he/she should be mentally prepared and able to take on that task. This is what separates a child from an adult, knowledge. And, this is also what hinders are society…knowledge. Knowledge is the key ingredient in this book. My main goal is to educate many and erase the “get rich quick” mentality. The term get rich quick was created for those that lacked knowledge, because they knew that without intelligence, an individual would fall for anything. Getting rich quick is a scheme. And, if I sell you a book that is nothing but a scheme, I have not only cheated you out your money, but I have also helped you go deeper in debt.

A lot of us have aged in features. Some of us, our hair is graying, while others have gone completely white. Even with physical changes, mentally we could still be trapped. Our lack of knowledge can keep us at the same mental stage we were at as 8 and 9 year olds. This observation exposed to me the purpose of this literature. Our lack of knowledge is constantly putting this world deeper in financial strife. So many people do not understand the financial system and remain limited and under someone else’s control.

This book was written to strengthen your knowledge. Regardless of your age, you can be freed from this mental bondage. This one book is not the answer to all your problems, but it has been composed to be the “push” that so many of us need during these trying times. As you begin to read and take in this information, pray. Pray for understanding. Pray for mental strength. Pray and ask that the bondage be removed. After you pray, remember that prayer is not the only requirement. You have to take action, move forward. This book is your push to help you make that move. Take in the knowledge from this book and put it to work!

As I think back on that day, I noticed the children were on the playground at their school. I could hear laughter and see children playing with one another. Although the community was dying and the living conditions were getting worse, they found joy. They found joy with one another. They found joy, because mentally they were limited. They couldn’t understand the dying community, the abandon homes, and the increasing murder rate. Mentally, they were trapped. They were happy with having someone control their life and made the best of what they were given. Not knowing that someday their bodies will age, that strength would weaken, that hair would gray, and that their minds will remain trapped. They will inherit debt that they have no knowledge of. And although they may live to be one-hundred, mentally they will be that same child I observed on that day. Never being properly taught and forever being controlled.

Born in Flint, Michigan, Nicholas L. Maze attended Baker College, where he earned his degree in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting and Marketing. With a knack for advertising and excelling in math, Nicholas seemed destined for a productive career in business. Instead, there would be another gift that would prove to be more dominant and rewarding.

In the summer of 1999, while still in college, Nicholas found a job with a nation-wide security organization. His initial plans were to work his job, until he finished college. But it was his stint with the security organization that would lead to a rebirth of his passion for writing. As a child, being driven by a strong imagination, Nicholas would write stories to past time. It was during his composition courses in college that Nicholas realized that his gift was still intact. His writing craft received praise from his colleagues and instructors. With substantial amount of free time on the job, Nicholas found himself writing more and more. He started by writing poetry and composing songs, during his free time on the job. It was at this same time that Nicholas began managing a small rap group, which allowed him to hone his writing skills even more. Nicholas began composing songs for his rap group and him. In 2004, Nicholas began to write his first published work. With ample amount of time and a number of ideas, Nicholas began to write. In order to compose a successful work, Nicholas had to make himself the reader. Nicholas placed himself in the passenger seat and let his imagination go to work.

As Nicholas was completing his book, he renewed his relationship with GOD and acquired a second job. Two jobs and attending college full-time, forced Nicholas to put his writing on hold. Once Nicholas completed his first degree in Marketing, he was able to focus on his unfinished work and complete his book in 2007. From there, Nicholas began to send out query letters for his book. After no success, Nicholas placed his book on the shelf and returned to school. In 2009, Nicholas received a prophecy on his writing gift and immediately began shopping his book around. “I instantly thought of my finished work and began sending out query letters. Within two months, I received a publishing deal.” Now, Nicholas is fine-tuning himself for a long, successful career as an author. His first love.

Title: Exit: How to Leave Debt Forever
Genre – Financial/Self Help/Non-Fiction
Publisher – Pearle Pages Publishing
Release Date – February 21, 2012
Format – Ebook & Print
Website – www.nicholasmaze.com Email – nmaze01@yahoo.com

In My Mailbox (3/13/2012)

For my bookclub:


For my Kindle



As an RAK:


I went to Bookmans in Tucson over the weekend (both their store and at the Tucson Book Festival) and traded some of my old books in for the following:

RAK Wishlist - MARCH

Last months RAK was pretty uneventful.  I didn't receive any books, and I only sent one out.  I got swamped writing school papers.  This month I've already sent out a bunch and more will be going out next pay day.

My wishlist for this month is:

Announcing I Believe, the latest releaseby New York Times best selling author, Eldon Taylor.

Join the launch party for I Believe: When What You Believe Matters!


Hundreds of bonus gifts will be given away to everyone who participates. Plus, enter to win grand prizes worth over $5K from personalities such as Lindsay Wagner (Bionic Woman), James Van Praagh, Bob Doyle, Hay House, InnerTalk, Norman Shealy and Caroline Sutherland. For more information, visit http://progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/it/12c/indexB.html

Q. Why did you write I Believe?
I have spent over thirty years investigating why people self-sabotage or limit themselves, thus experiencing so much less than their highest best! What I have found is the reason rests solely in their beliefs—not their spiritual belief so much as their life beliefs. I found this to be true when I was conducting lie detection tests and discovering criminality, and equally true when I worked with elite athletes, business executives, professionals and lay people alike. The bottom line is this: What you believe always matters! It’s like a web that fastens itself to belief-anchors, causing disheartening mediocrity in place of the glorious success we all seek.

I Believe spells out the power of belief and how it influences everything from our health and longevity to our success with relationships and life. Astounding as it may seem, belief can (and has) defied our so-called laws of science and it has done so over and over again. As ordinary and trite as it may seem, belief nevertheless makes all the difference in success in all walks of life. Knowing how we acquire our beliefs, and which beliefs serve us while others sabotage us, is critical to maximizing our individual potential. I Believe: When What You Believe Matters! was written to empower you with the roadmap to decipher and re-write the programming governing your life.

Excerpt

Personal Identity

The idea that we’re each a drop of water in the ocean can be compelling in some ways. The typical perspective offered in Buddhism postulates that we are drops of water, individualized but for a moment from the greater sea that is the total of all-that-is. I get the idea of immersion, being one with the One. I don’t, however, see that as requiring the surrender of my self, and isn’t a healthy ego necessary for my identification? I’ve said before that an ego out of control fits the 12-step-program interpretation of the word: Edging God Out. But a healthy ego is who we are.

I know myself in many ways, chiefly as an experience, as I’ve already discussed. In that sense, I expect that the word ego doesn’t really apply in its traditional form. For as a verb instead of a noun, I am my experiences—always in motion, dynamic as opposed to static, changing as opposed to immutable, expanding as opposed to contracting, and forever young in every instance as opposed to aging. Still, even in this view, I have a self-concept, and from this spring my lessons, alternatives, choices, likes, and dislikes. This is identity, and it’s absolutely attached to the experience, even if part of that is letting go in order to proceed in a new and different way in some other dimension of existence.

I’m totally unaware of any near-death experiences (NDE) in which the survivor tells of being immersed and losing all sense of identification. It’s possible, however, to lose our sense of being, to become so involved in the moment that we lose ourselves. That may be what immersion really is. Getting lost in the experience, whether on this plane or another, is experience at its highest.

For me, the analogy of a drop of water in the ocean is fitting when I think of losing myself in the moment. To do that, I must truly choose to engage in everything life brings to me, and that can’t be done while unattached. I become the experience by being fully aware of what’s happening in each moment. In doing so I can let go of my expectations, for as long as I hold them, I can’t be fully present.

Words can be tricky, and ideas can become puzzles, whereas definitions can and do delimit our understanding of all that we care enough to think about. When many of these concepts are distilled, there remain a few constants. One of them is simply this: immersing ourselves in the experience of life gives rise to understanding that we could otherwise never grasp. The little miracles are not only noticed but fully integrated into our journey. The sadness that comes along is recognized for what it is, but this doesn’t rob us of hope, for we’re not hanging onto some expectation in the moment. Setting about each day with the idea that it’s a miracle—that every moment is a wondrous opportunity to glimpse yet another spectacular exchange in the nature of life, a grand time for fully immersing ourselves in the experience—approaches heaven on earth here and now.

The Gift

I believe that every breath is a gift, and what you do with that is the only way you can pay tribute to the Giver. I believe that you were meant to have faith in yourself and that you deserve to know an unlimited cornucopia of abundance in all the good things this life has to offer. When you trust in yourself, you turn the key in the lock that opens the door to manifesting your true potential. You aren’t going to take anything with you out of here except your experiences. And notice that it’s you I believe in—and that calls for the distinctly unique individual that you are—not some generalization. Perhaps I’m attached to an idea of being unattached, at least to an outcome, yet as with everyone else, I’m also committed to being uniquely me. In the end, if I weren’t invested in anything, including my experience and ideas, then who would I be?

In the words of novelist Virginia Woolf, “[It] is like a spider’s web, attached ever so slightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is scarcely perceptible”4 (emphasis added).

Reflection

So what is it that you believe? Do you think that the goal of a spiritual life is to overcome the illusion of separateness, to lose your sense of identity and so to return to the oneness? Or do you believe that this life and your individuality are amazing gifts that should be treasured and experienced to the fullest? Should you be attached to outcomes, or should you focus on doing your best and then detaching? Which beliefs would serve you best?

For information on the book launch, please visit http://progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/it/12c/indexB.html

About Eldon Taylor

Eldon Taylor is an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of more than 300 books, audio, and video programs. He’s the inventor of the patented InnerTalk technology and the founder and president of Progressive Awareness Research. He has been called a “master of the mind” and has appeared as an expert witness on both hypnosis and subliminal communication.

Eldon was a practicing criminalist conducting investigations and lie-detection examinations for many years. He is listed in more than a dozen Who’s Who publications, including Who’s Who of Intellectuals and Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. He is a fellow in the American Psychotherapy Association and an internationally sought-after speaker. His books and audio-video materials have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have sold millions worldwide.

Eldon is the host of the popular radio show Provocative Enlightenment. He has interviewed some of the most interesting people on the planet. His shows are thought-provoking and always fresh in both their perspective and the exchange.

YA PARANORMAL GIVEAWAY HOP WINNER

The winner of my Young Adult Paranormal Activity Giveaway is entry #116 Jeanne from the Czech Republic.  She has chosen Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, which I will be sending out from the Book Depository this week.  Congrats Jeanne!