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Win ebooks for your summer TBR pile
It’s time to start making plans for the summer. Are you traveling? Going on vacation? Visiting friends and family? Relaxing at home with a “staycation”? Boy, just talking about relaxing summer days makes me want to start a pitcher of sun tea, kick off my flip-flops, find a shady place to set up my hammock and read a good book.
If your To Be Read pile is getting low, check out these two giveaways. You could win a bundle of Regency romances, ebooks, gift cards or a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet. Good luck and happy summertime reading!
Follow your favorite authors on Amazon and BookBub for a chance to win 80+ historical romance plus other prizes! To participate, click here: http://bit.ly/rmh-may17
180+ Author Giveaway! Win $1,000 in Books
One Grand Prize Winner – One of every book in the event!
Multiple Genre Grand Prize Winners – Get all the books in your favorite genre!
One Winner of Each Individual Book!
To participate, click here: https://authorsxp.com/giveaway/mega-multi-genre-giveaway
Happy Mother's Day to the Fur Baby Moms
I saw this adorable greeting card and it reminded me that Mother’s Day means different things to different people. The second Sunday in May has become a celebration of motherhood in many forms, an all-encompassing acknowledgement of the caring and nurturing contributions of all women in our society.
That includes all the fur baby moms.
Being a mother is all about dedication, unconditional love, teaching, tending, healing, inspiring and encouraging others. For all of those moms who love and adore their fur babies, have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
If you have a fur baby, share a photo and tell me how you’ll be celebrating your special day.
Supporting Military Working Dogs
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a dog lover. Grayce Walters, the lead character in my contemporary romantic suspense series is also a dog lover, and I’ve included several canine characters in the Grayce Walters series.
I have a special place in my heart for military working dogs. These four-legged service members contribute so much to their units. If you’d like to learn more about military service dogs, check out these organizations dedicated to honoring and assisting active and retired military dogs.
The United States War Dogs Association – features war dog history, information about the U.S. War Dogs Memorial, and how to participate with this organization.
Save a Vet – provides adoption and rescue support for military and law enforcement working dogs.
Operation Military Care K9 – collects and distributes care packages to military working dogs and their handlers.
Kevlar for K9s – works to provide bulletproof vests for working canines.
If you would like more stories or information about military working dogs, check out these sites or click HERE for a full listing of military working dog organizations/resources.
10 Things You Might Not Know About Soldier Dogs
Dogs of War: 23 Facts You Never Knew About Military Working Dogs
Flower Festivals Around the World
There is something joyful and inspiring about the burst of color and delicately perfumed air that accompanies the arrival of springtime flowers. Here are five incredible flower festivals from around the world.
If your own garden is slow to bud, grab a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy scrolling through these gorgeous photos. You might find one that’s just right for a new screensaver.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival (Japan)
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (Washington, USA)
Flower Carpet (Belgium)
National Cherry Blossom Festival (Washington DC, USA)
Canadian Tulip Festival (Canada)
What is your favorite springtime or flower celebration?
Reading for Stress Management
April is Stress Awareness Month. You probably already know if you are stressed out, but do you know how stress affects physical and mental health? Here are some interesting facts from the 2015 Stress in America survey conducted by the American Psychological Association:
The top three sources of stress for adults, in order, are money, work and family responsibilities.
More than one-third of adults reported an increase in stress and 78% of adults report experiencing at least one symptom of stress.
Symptoms of stress include: feeling nervous/anxious, feeling depressed/sad, constant worrying, irritability/anger, poor eating habits, changes in sleeping patterns, upset stomach, dry mouth, headaches, muscle tension, chest pains, fatigue, inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, jitters, increased frequency of colds.
Left unmanaged, stress can result in chronic, long-term health problems. Experts recommend a variety of strategies for managing stress, including exercise, deep breathing, medication, eating well, engaging in hobbies, spending time with friends/family, getting enough sleep and balancing life.
Reading is another effective strategy for managing stress. University of Sussex researchers reported six minutes of reading to be more effective than listening to music or going for a walk, reducing stress by as much as 68%.
The next time you are feeling stressed, reach for a book.
What are your other favorite stress management strategies?