The Resistance

About the Book

Title: A-C-T Like a Kid and T-H-I-N-K Like a Parent

Author: Katherine Shears and C.S. Whitehurst

Genre: Nonfiction self-help

Just for kicks, have you ever wondered what your parents really want from you in life? Is it you, or do your parents want you to have no real fun? On any given day, do you want to make your parents proud of you and still do what makes you feel really happy within yourself? Of course you do! But the real question has always been, and still is…how? How can we actually get this done?

Well, with A-C-T like a Kid and T-H-I-N-K like a Parent, a.k.a "the child-part consoler", you will get past common misunderstandings by learning how to truly talk, hear, and listen to your parents, guardians or caregivers instead of feeling like you have to run to friends to find some sense of acceptance, understanding, and real connection.

In this book, chock-full of questions and answers gotten directly from the source, you’ll learn what your parents, guardians or caregivers really expect of you—and maybe you’ll even find out how to explain to them what you really expect from them! Not that this book could ever replace a parent, because it can not. But when it comes to openly communicating certain key ideas, this book comes really close.

This tell-all guide contains lots of enlightening explanations and helpful answers to many common kid questions like:

What do my parents really want from me?

Why do my parents do what they do and say what they say?

What do I really need to know about my parents' parenting skills?

How can I keep my parents happy with me?

How can I help my parents to help me?

How can I get what I want from my parents every time?

A-C-T like a Kid and T-H-I-N-K like a Parent is an intro to the secret knowledge of adults which is a set of informations that is mainly covered in the book entitled Surrogate Re-Parenting: A.K.A. Get Your Mind Right, and even more thoroughly covered in the book The Secret Knowledge Of Adults. While this book, A-C-T like a Kid and T-H-I-N-K like a Parent is intended for kids 10 and up, the info in this book is beneficial and useful to the intelligent kid parts in all of us. Yes, this means you too.

The information in this book will help you and yours to start to see your parents, not as the enemy, but as the caring human beings they really are, and take the first step toward family unity, understanding, growth, success, and happiness! Both you and your parents really deserve this, and with this book, A-C-T like a Kid and T-H-I-N-K like a Parent, you and your parents can actually achieve this.

Book Excerpt

Part Six:Helping Your ParentsTo Help You1

Think Smart!No matter what peopletell you or say to you, accept that you are wonderful.

25) Your Parents Won't Give Up And You Won't GiveIn.As a kid, when your parents won't give up, and you won't give in, what happens is that the situation becomes sort of a stand-off or a genuineconflict. A point of major resistance, where all forward motion comes to a halt for you as the kid.A point where all of your parent's assisted progress is stopped, where all real growth freezesfor you as a kid.This type of situation is a problem caused by things functioning clearly the wrong “way”. Somebody is not doing what they are supposed to be doing. Or they are doing what they are supposed to be doing, in and of a bad “way”. Either in the “way” that they are communicating, or in the “way” that they are notcommunicating. This kind of problem could only be caused by the kids' end of the relationship. A problem that would not be if you, as a kid, did what you were supposed to do, which is to follow as you are learning to lead. This situation is occurring as sort of a tug of war. A situation where either both people are pulling against each other, or each one is pushing up against one another, at the same time. Both situations will cause progress for you as a kid, to come to a stop.In this type of situation, if you want things to get better everyone, that is part of the stand-off of conflict and resistance, has to go back to their properroles and positions. This is in order to get things going again. And in parent-to-kid relationships, it is the parent who must do the guiding and the leading 3

to the best of their ability. It is the role of the kid or child to listen, learn, practice and follow, to the best of their ability, not the other way around. Someone has to do the leading and someone has to do the following. It is the only way to get the progress, motion, and healthy growth for you, as a kid, back on track.This is because two leaders will lead away from eachother and two followers will follow into each other. The parent is trying to cause healthy growth, change, and progress in their child or kid who, clearly to the parent, doesn't yet know the secret knowledge of adults. Not the other way around. If the kid is trying to change or fix the parent, they aregoing about it the wrong “way”, which is more proof that the kid doesn't know the secret knowledge of adults. The child is not supposed to step out of their place, put their foot down and try to grow, correct orchange their parents into the people that they want them to be. It just won't work that way. You as a kidwill suffer great losses just for trying it. It is the wrong “way” to try to get what you, as a kid want. Ifyou are fighting and resisting your parents guidance by listening to yourself for guidance or worse, listening to the voice of one or more of your friends, then at home where your naturally placed guide is, your parents, there will be big problems and conflict waiting there for you, or any kid in that type of situation. By resisting your parents or better said “trying to lead the leaders”, you are wasting what little time you have to grow to be able to master the secret knowledge of adults. This time should be usedby you and your parents to show and tell you how and what to do to help and assist you to becoming a fully grown big person. A person who can get whatever they want and need of their own good 4

work and efforts with full awareness of the secret knowledge of adults. While you as a child are resisting being guided and lead, you are wasting valuable training time that you can't get back. This isbecause time, once it has passed, it's gone. It's history.With respects to time, the parents came first and then the kids followed, never the other way around. Stand-offs don't make any sense and, as a fact, it does take a certain degree of high intelligence to be able to see the value of staying in your place and doing your part as your parent's kid, or child, big or small. And sadly, some people just aren't smart enough to actually know better, which does explain why we see, meet and hear about so many messed-up, screwed-up and poorly functioning people in theworld. The fact is that your intelligence has to be able to outrun and overpower your immense ego. Either way it is important to avoid conflict as they, your parents, guide and lead you through life. With what little time you have as a kid, to be a youngster, especially if you don't want to become one of those lost adults in your own future, you should choose for yourself to listen.You see, you will basically be a child, or kid, in society for eighteen years or so and then, if you're fortunate, you'll be a grown-up for the next seventy years or so, give or take a few years. But to your parents you'll be their grown-up kids or children for life. By listening and following the guidance and leadership of your parents, you are learning from their examples how to someday take the lead in your own life and family through that secret knowledge of adults. Because later on in life, when you are all grown up and successful, you may, at 5

some point, find yourself being followed by young people that will be called your"kids". They, as kids, will need you to guide and protect them using the secret knowledge of adults that you, as a grown-up, will have already mastered. Knowledge that is invisible to them. They as kids will challenge you to give up as if they have that secret knowledge of adults already, when they clearly don't.Would you, as a parent, give up on your kids because they decided to act and pretend to be the parent all up in your face?. . . and neither will your parents.So, if you have lost your place or your way, just stopand get back on track and play your position, as a kid, in the family. Even though your parents are not perfect, they are there to lead and guide you with the secret knowledge of adults that they possess and their life experience as a bonus. So get good grades, eat smart, do your chores and look and smell good. Do this regularly, so that when you are all grown up you can actually have the full and wonderful life that you may dream of. A life that your parents are secretly wishing for you to have.6

26) If You Are Asking On The Day Of The Event, It's Too Late.As an example, when I was growing up with my parents, I noticed how I was being parented. I also had friends who of course had parents. I had neighbors who also had parents and I had schoolmates who also had parents. My parents' parenting style was different than my friends' parents' parenting style. My friends' parents' parenting styles were different then my neighbors' parentingstyle. My neighbors' parents' parenting style was also different than, again, my parents' parenting style. But with all these different parents and their many parenting styles, they all had at leastthis one thing in common. They all hate being asked about stuff at the last minute or put on the spot, so tospeak.It doesn't matter which parents we approached that way, we always got the same answer. And that answer was a big, fat “No”.When an event came up like a birthday party, a school dance, friends going out to the movies, goingout to a friends' house, going to an after school sports event or hanging at the mall, it just didn't matter. Whatever we as kids would want to do, no matter how good and wholesome it was, if we waited until the last minute to get permission to go out to the event, we would each of us be told “no”. It didn't matter which parent was asked, mother or father, the answer would still be “no”. 

 

 

Author Bios

Katherine Shears is a mom, graduate of Strayer University, and an executive consultant, who is dedicated to bettering the social function and overall visibility of all she encounters. She is a deep thinker with an open mind who stays on the cutting edge of learning, having read over one hundred self-help titles and counting.

 

 

 

 

C. S. Whitehurst is a psychology-based UX/UI designer/tester, computer programmer, IT Project Manager, and self-help enthusiast, who is a student of science, philosophy, life, and NYU. As a native of New York, having been exposed to social diversity, he has been coached by life to respond to the issues plaguing inner-city youth.

 

Links

http://www.katherineshears.com/

http://www.cswhitehurst.com/

https://www.amazon.com/C-T-Like-Kid-T-H-I-N-K-Parent/dp/1547102888

 

About the Book

 

Title: It Feels Good to Feel Good

 

Author: Cheryl Meyer

 

Genre: Non-Fiction / Health

 

 

 

Got Pain?

 

This book is for anyone with chronic pain looking for answers. It will give you a place to start. You don't have to resign yourself to a life of pain and pills.

 

In this book you will learn:

 

* What is causing your pain and how to eliminate it.

 

* How to find a practitioner that will help you gain back your health.

 

* What's in your food? Organic, conventional, GMOs processed, fast, canned, dairy, factory farmed meat, soy, water. Identify your sensitivities and heal your leaky gut.

 

* Identify the toxins in your life. in your cosmetics, over the counter drugs,in you kitchen, in your body. Learn how to purge them.

 

* 34 stress busting ideas, and four simple exercises to reduce your stress.

 

* 32 suggestions from leading functional experts on how to get a good night's sleep..

 

* How to recognize a toxic relationship and make it work or walk away.

 

* How to tame Anxious Negative Thoughts "ANTs".

 

* The importance of movement, even for people who don't like to move

 

* How to take control of your health, reduce your inflammation and feel great again!

 

Author Bio

 

 

 

About Cheryl Meyer aka Cheryl M Health Muse and her book, “It Feels Good to Feel Good, learn about toxins, reducing inflammation and feel great again.”

 

Five years ago, Cheryl got sick, really sick. It was a perfect storm: she was working 24/7; her long-term relationship imploded; economic changes slowed her business; she got Type II diabetes; she was taking care of everyone else; her stress was out of control.

 

Then one morning … viola, Cheryl woke up in incredible pain that didn’t go away. Her doctor didn’t recognize what it was and thought it was in her head.

 

Cheryl didn’t want more pills, so she embarked on her own journey to find wellness. When she started, she didn’t even know what she was looking for. She was stunned to find toxins in every aspect of her life that were poisoning her. She discovered the Functional Medicine community. She was tested for food sensitivities.

 

This book shares everything that Cheryl learned to reverse her inflammation and put her autoimmune diseases at bay. This is the get well manual that she wishes had been available when she got sick. The book is about first identifying that toxins that were a significant cause of her leaky gut, then she identified what the toxins were and finally she shares what she replaced them with. She addresses the toxins in our food, in our cosmetics, our cleaning supplies, our kitchen utensils, our water, our over the counter drugs, and even in our heads, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, lack of movement and finally toxic relationships. She wants to help others find a path to wellness.

 

Cheryl is now relatively pain-free, but still considers herself a work in progress. She avoids the foods and spices on her specific, long list of problem foods. She has purged toxins. She has released stress and nagging worry. She has learned to find joy in movement. She has found love. She is grateful.

 

Cheryl believes that following her journey will help you live a long, happy and pain-free life.

 

In order to help others, Cheryl has become a Holistic Health Coach, certified from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition©.

 

My book has won the following awards to date:

 

3rd place CIPA EVVY Health/Wellness,

 

2nd Place CIPA EVVY Illustrator in a non-children's book

 

New Apple Summer Digital sole winner in Health/medical

 

The Living Evergreen Award Gold winner for books that exemplify better living.

 

It is in the top 10 from Write your Own Dream Book, November 17, Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

 

TOP 12 Books on the Spirited Woman Fall Equinox 2017 book list.

 

Book Reviews

 

“It Feels Good to Feel Good, learn to eliminate toxins, reduce inflammation and feel great again” is written by Cheryl Meyer, a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition®, where she completed a cutting edge curriculum in nutrition and health coaching taught by the world’s leading experts in health and wellness. I recommend you read this book and be in touch with Cheryl (Cheryl M Health Muse ) to see how she can help you successfully achieve your goals.

 

– Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, Founder/Director, Institute for Integrative Nutrition

 

If you want to truly feel better…clean up! Just one tip from Cheryl’s book will change your life. She has written the ultimate source for getting well through detoxification.”Suzy Cohen, RPh Author of “Drug Muggers: Which Medications Are Robbing Your Body of Essential Nutrients and How to Restore Them.”

 

“You have taken putting soap in the mouth for naughty words …” to a New Level! LOL Who knew we were surrounded by so many toxins.

 

I’ve pretty much finished your book now working on giving sections to my family and friend that I think will especially appreciate certain chapters! YOU, my Dear, have found your calling, YOU make this rather “dull” subject a Very Good, interesting read, with fun personal touches along the way.

 

I LOVE your book; I hope people will embrace it. Why worry so much about health care if we keep killing ourselves with poison. We can all start with eliminating the toxins out of our lives. Val Peterson

 

“As a Functional Medicine Doctor who partners with patients to deal with the root causes of their symptoms, it was a pleasure to read a book that offers such a comprehensive yet simple approach to improve health, reduce inflammation and pain, lose weight and increase energy. This is a great reference to keep in reach on your own journey to optimal wellness. If you are struggling with chronic symptoms like digestive problems, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders, this book may really help you. It lays out practical tools that you can use right away and at your own pace, everything from how to change your shopping choices to getting more comprehensive medical testing to reduce your toxic burden. Her simple to understand, well researched and easy-to-adopt tools can be helpful to even the busiest among us.” Dr. Shilpa Sayana, Founder and Medical Director, Sayana Wellness Centers

 

“Cheryl has been not only been an exemplary patient, she has made it her mission to inspire and help others with her experience and knowledge!” Susan Spizer, MTCM, L.Ac.

 

“She writes like she talks, straight and with passion. What you will read here will surprise you. A helpful read that you will refer back time and time again for reference.” Scott Lee, Master, Body and Brain Yoga, Monrovia

 

“My friend, Cheryl Meyer has written a book that I recently finished called “It feels good to feel good”. It has a lot of common sense solutions (many that you would never think of) to healthy, toxin free living designed around the reduction of inflammation through what you put in and on your body. Most of this is from her personal experience. I know Cheryl to be one of the finest people you’ll ever know. Cheryl’s also a big proponent of “functional medicine”. If you are unfamiliar with this form of medical practice, you need to read her book. It will change the way you think”. Frank Jones

 

Cheryl’s book is as timely as it is informative. This is an excellent read for those seasoned in the holistic lifestyle as well as those just beginning. There is something for everyone. Her material covers everything from probiotics, house cleaning materials, and abdominal massages, to which teas to drink for better sleep. She has the latest information on metal detoxing and extensive research on the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat.

 

Cheryl provides real solutions that can be implemented far beyond the basics with a bend toward functional medicine. I personally ordered three products within hours of reading her book. I’m especially thrilled with the depth of her research around relationships and those that can be toxic. Make sure to read this book and hold onto the “not to miss points” at the beginning of each section.

 

Shannon Eavenson, Author, & Physical Therapist/Health Coach

 

Links

 

https://cherylmhealthmuse.com/book

 

https://www.facebook.com/cherylmhealthmuse/

 

https://www.facebook.com/It-Feels-Good-To-Feel-Good-reverse-inflammation-1277191688990457/

 

https://twitter.com/goldenathena7

 

https://www.instagram.com/cherylmhealthmuse/

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmeyer/

 

My Blog

 

https://cherylmhealthmuse.com/blog/

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Section 5 Toxic Minds

 

Chapter 2 Toxic Relationships

 

Dousing the flame of inflammation:

 

THE BIG TAKEAWAYS ON TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

 

Staying in a toxic relationship makes the stress continual, whether it’s a toxic love relationship, a toxic friendship or a toxic parent.

 

Try to talk to this loved one to improve the relationship and put a plan together. If it can't happen, either walk away (friendship or love relationship) or set boundaries (parent.). It's literally killing you.

 

When you are suffering from inflammation, you need to turn your loving attention to yourself, to get well.

 

Reach out to close friends for loving support if you have ended a toxic love relationship. You need unconditional love right now to improve your health.

 

Walk away with no regrets.

 

Make a list of all of the amazing qualities you have and read them every day. Have close friends help you.

 

“You don’t ever have to feel guilty about removing toxic people from your life. It doesn’t matter whether someone is a relative, romantic interest, employer, childhood friend, or a new acquaintance- you don’t have to make room for people who cause you pain or make you feel small. Its one thing is a person owns up to their behavior and makes an effort to change, But is a person disregards your feelings, ignores your boundaries, and ‘continues’ to treat you in a harmful way, they need to go.” Daniell Koepke

 

Toxic relationships can make you ill, whether it’s a toxic love relationship, a toxic friendship, a toxic employer, or a toxic relative.

 

Significant Other Relationships

 

I was in a relationship for nine years that started out healthy. He helped me start my jewelry business; he wrote my operating system, and he paid for all of my food and all of my entertainment for years while I was getting started. I am very grateful to him, and I loved him very much. In the beginning, and then in many of the years that followed, he was extraordinarily good to me.

 

He loved to go out to expensive restaurants. But after being together for eight years, when I got diabetes and wanted to stop eating out every night for heavy calorie laden food, my significant other announced that he didn't like it that I was diabetic.

 

What was I supposed to do with that?

 

He didn’t want me to cook home cooked meals. He didn’t want me to dictate what he was going to eat each night.

 

He was upset that I had gained weight, a lot of weight, and he blamed me for the weight he had gained. (we had eaten our way through Pasadena, and he had gained weight too.)

 

Furthermore, after time, this guy didn’t appreciate me for who I was, he only saw me for who I was not.

 

He had recently lost a lot of money in the stock market and had become sullen and difficult to be around. He started dating other women, unbeknownst to me.

 

These were all just symptoms of the underlying toxicity that was growing.

 

I would have never left him when he was down, but he did me a big favor when he left me.

 

There is no doubt that he broke my heart, but as I came out the other side of my pain, I realized I could start to deal with the pain my body was experiencing; that the inflammation in my body had begun. I could start to eat the way I was supposed to for my diabetes and sugar control; I could start to take care of me. In the end, I understand that he did me a big favor, and the break-up set me on the road to health.

 

In the first eight months, I lost 40 pounds.

 

I took a class on how to date from Allison Armstrong (an amazing guru with very sensible advice on dating) and nine months later I met an amazing guy by doing a profile on the dating service Our Time.com. Using what I learned from Allison's seminars, I wrote that I was looking for a guy that would intellectually stimulate me, (John is a statistician), that was kind and had high ethics, and he needed to be open to eating home cooked food that was organic and healthy. He needed to want to live an entirely healthy lifestyle.

 

The guy that answered lived 10 minutes away from me and two years ago, I married him.

 

John just wants me to be happy. He was married for 42 years to a therapist, and she died from cancer after being ill for five years. He loved her very much. He was ready for a new life experience, and lucky me, he chose to find that experience with me.

 

He is a true partner and supports me in all that I do. He is easy going, and he sees me for who I am, and doesn't criticize me for who I am not.

 

He completely supports me in my quest for health, and he has lost 60 pounds in the time we have been together. He considers himself my first Health Coaching success.

 

Read more in “It Feels Good to Feel Good, learn to eliminate toxins, reverse inflammation and feel great again.

 

 

About the Book

Title: Kindred Spirits

Author: Whitney Dineen

Genre: Chicklit / Romance

Dashing and successful, Richard Bingham has been voted one of the top ten bachelors in New York City. After unwittingly offending a reporter from Manhattan Life magazine, he finds himself on the receiving end of an article that makes his quest of finding the perfect mate nearly impossible.

After one dating disaster too many, Richard decides it’s time to seek professional help, so he signs up for the matchmaking services of the East Side Yenta.

Philippa Fielding is single and searching for love in London, but her accidental profession of “Message Deliverer from the Great Beyond” puts most men right off.

Will Pip’s new "Spirit Helper," Bertram, be able to set her on the course for true love with a message for Richard?

Matchmaking, misunderstandings, and mayhem abound in this fast-paced romantic comedy about love, life, and the afterlife!

 

 

Author Bio

Whitney Dineen is a multi-award-winning author of romantic comedies, non-fiction humor and middle reader fiction. When she’s not spinning stories, Whitney’s raising her young daughters, wrangling chicken, or eating french fries, not necessarily in that order.

 

Links

Website: https://whitneydineen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Whitney-Dineen-11687019412/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WhitneyDineen

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Whitney-Dineen/e/B00N8LK2OW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1505926403&sr=8-1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8145525.Whitney_Dineen

 

Giveaway

Win a $25 amazon gift card during the tour.

 

Book Excerpts

Excerpt 1:

You did what?” Spencer Hollis demanded.

Richard replied, “I told you, Spence, I made an appointment with the East Side Yenta.”

“Richard, you are one of, if not the most eligible bachelors in New York City. Why in the world do you need the help of some old Jewish matchmaker? You’re not even Jewish!” he added.

“For God’s sake, Spencer, you don’t have to be Jewish to use a matchmaker. I’m using her because ever since the article in Manhattan Life magazine came out, I’ve managed to attract every freak-show gold-digger east of the Mississippi. Seriously, the one I went out with last week has an aversion to sex!” Shaking his head in exasperation, he added, “Clearly, I’ve reached the point where I need professional help.”

Richard’s college friend responded, “You just need to start hanging out in those clubs downtown where all the models go. You’ll have the perfect little misses lined up in no time.”

“Says the man who’s already married and divorced three of those models. No thanks, buddy. I’m looking for my soulmate; I want someone to spend the rest of my life with, not someone to pay alimony to for the rest of her life.”

Spencer snorted, “Happily-ever-after isn’t real, my friend. You need to set your sights on happy-for-right-now and live in the moment, man.”

“I’ve already had one marriage go south, Spence. Luckily, Amelia and I split amicably, but I don’t want any more exes. I want a future. And I’m a firm believer in happily-ever-after even if you aren’t.”

“I’m going with you then,” Spencer declared. “I’m not letting you put your future happiness in the hands of some toothless old-world hag with hairy knuckles and a limp without some input from the master.”

Richard shook his head, “Toothless hag with hairy knuckles and a limp? Spencer, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Rachel Feinman is the exact opposite of what you’re imagining. In fact, I think you should come with me. I also think you should sign up for her services for yourself. It’s past time that you associate with a better class of women.”

His friend scoffed, “Oh, I’m coming with you all right, but not going to sign up. I’m coming to make sure the old hag knows exactly the kind of gal you need.” He made an exaggerated hourglass gesture with his hands.

Excerpt 2:

Pip picked up her pace as she was ten minutes behind schedule and Malcom was nervously looking around as though he thought she might be a no-show. As she neared him, a rather rough looking man started to jog along next to her. Pip stopped to let him pass, but he halted with her.

“Pardon me,” Pip inquired, “are you following me?”

The man answered, “’Course I am. Why wouldn’t I be following you? You’re gorgeous, love.”

She appreciated the flattery even if it came from an apparent lunatic. At five feet ten with shiny, thick, dark hair, Pip knew she made a good first impression. Her clothing was always top of the line, if a bit conservative, and she made sure to stay out of the sun so as not to wrinkle prematurely. She hoped her date found her as attractive as the odd fellow next to her.

As she shared pleasantries with the stranger, Pip pondered a fortuitous outcome to her blind date. She didn’t fully realize she’d reached Malcom until he offered his hand and inquired, “Philippa Fielding?”

Pip looked up and nearly fell into the most piercing blue eyes she’d ever seen. She answered, “Yes. You must be Malcom.”

Nodding his head in response, he asked, “Who were you chatting with just now?”

“I don’t know, exactly.” She continued, “Just some man who started to walk with me.”

Malcom looked around and inquired, “What man?”

Pip looked over her blind date’s shoulder and spotted the chap who’d been shadowing her. She pointed at him and replied, “That one over there, the one with dirty blond hair and a goatee.” She further clarified, “His two front teeth are chipped.”

Malcom turned and looked, but saw no one. At his confusion, Pip added, “He’s in his forties, wearing worn blue jeans and a grungy t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up.” She gestured further to clarify who she was talking about. “The one who looks like he’s just been in a pub brawl.”

He still had no idea who she was talking about, so he answered, “I don’t see him.”

Pip made eye contact and called out, “Excuse me sir, would you come over here, please?”

The bedraggled looking stranger gestured to himself, as if to ask, “Me?” Pip nodded and he readily approached. “Hello,” she greeted, “I’m sorry I didn’t get your name just now. I’m Philippa.”

His hand shot out and he smiled, showing off two broken front teeth, “Bertram, love. I’m proper chuffed to meet you.”

Pip dropped her hand, gasped, and let out an uncharacteristic expletive. “You’re Bertram? Bloody hell.”

Malcom watched his cousin’s friend warily. Obviously, he didn’t see anyone who looked like he’d recently taken a couple knocks to the face, as Pip was the only person in the vicinity who could see ghosts.

At that instant Philippa knew her date was over. She decided to just come clean with Malcom, explain her odd life, and walk away. If she was lucky, she could still join her friends at the cinema to watch the romantic comedy they were all keen to see.

Malcom realized Philippa might not be as odd as he first thought and said, “The way I see it, you’re either completely bonkers or you’re speaking to a dead person. Which is it?”

Pip found it refreshing that Sephra’s cousin didn’t immediately assume she was destined for Bedlam. She replied, “The latter, I’m afraid.” She further clarified, “It’s the result of a nasty fever I had as a child.”

Excerpt 3:

After another thirty minutes of banter, Shelly turned off her recorder and announced, “I think I have all I need to write a great piece.” After a beat, she added, “Magazine rules don’t allow me to ask until our professional relationship is over, but maybe once I’ve written my article, we could go out to dinner sometime?”

Richard was shocked and answered, “That would be lovely, but isn’t that an engagement ring on your finger?”

“Maybe,” she replied coyly, “but an engagement ring isn’t a wedding ring, is it?”

“Perhaps not, but it does indicate a prior commitment.”

There was no way Shelly could misconstrue the judgment in his voice. She immediately knew she didn’t have a chance with Richard Bingham, so she responded, “I guess it does.”

Uncomfortably, Richard met her direct gaze and said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but once I ask a woman to marry me, I would hope she’d stop shopping around for someone better.”

“Mr. Bingham,” the reporter icily replied, “I’m sure in your case, she will. But not everyone is lucky to be engaged to a paragon like yourself. Sometimes people reach an age and place in their lives where they compromise their ideals a bit and settle for something instead of continuing on with nothing.”

“That’s a sad commentary on single life. No one should settle for anyone less than they truly desire.”

“Unfortunately,” she retorted, “only a handful of singles are considered as desirable as you. I’m afraid life is a bit different for those of us who live in the real world.”

Richard realized he’d gone too far and tried to amend his earlier statement by adding, “I think you sell yourself short, Ms. Milton. As far as I’m concerned the only reason I won’t have dinner with you is that you’re promised to another.”

Shelly responded, “That’s very noble of you.” Gathering her things together, she stood up and declared, “I wish you luck in your great love search, Mr. Bingham. I’m sure you’ll have a better selection of potential mates than the rest of us mortals.”

There was a gleam in her eye that Richard found disconcerting. For a moment he wished he’d merely accepted her offer and reneged at a later date. Shelly Milton looked mad, determined, and offended. Not exactly the trifecta of emotions you want to leave a reporter with right before she writes an article about you in a well-respected and well-circulated magazine.

 

Excerpt 4:

Honey called the bachelors onto the stage one at a time. They were greeted with very unladylike wolf-whistles and catcalls. The duchess calmed the audience down long enough to share pertinent information about the men, like, “Number eight is Sir Thomas Hawtrey, eighth Viscount Farnsworthy. Viscount Hawtrey is thirty-nine, he likes to hunt, golf, and work on his family’s vineyard. Let’s start the bidding at five hundred pounds!”

The women went wild. A night with Sir Thomas eventually sold for twenty-two hundred pounds. At this rate, Richard realized, the Childhood Lupus Foundation was in for quite a hefty donation.

Not every bachelor started at five hundred pounds. Most started at two hundred, but the bounty increased along with title and prestige. Richard wondered what he’d be worth in the end. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

Honey announced, “And now a very special bachelor all the way from New York City. I’d like you to meet bachelor number fourteen, Richard Bingham!”

Richard wasn’t sure if the volume had increased because the ladies were really that interested in him or because they’d had nearly an hour to consume more cocktails and get worked up by the proceedings. Either way, it was a bit invigorating to be on the receiving end of such adoration.

The dowager duchess continued, “Quiet down, ladies, so I can tell you about this gorgeous specimen.” They hushed immediately, as they clearly wanted to know more. “According to Manhattan Life magazine, Mr. Bingham is one of the top ten eligible bachelors in New York, but according to us, he’s number one!” The applause drew out for several moments. Eventually she added, “Richard owns one of the largest advertising agencies in the city. When he’s not working, he likes to spend time on his boat, visit his mother, and drive upstate to buy pies.” The cheering nearly brought the house down.

Honey added, “Because Mr. Bingham is a rather exotic addition to our event, we’re going to start the bidding at eight hundred pounds!”

Hands flew into the air at an alarming rate and before too many minutes had passed, the bidding had reached three thousand pounds. Pip watched excitedly as more and more women jumped into the fray. By the time his price hit six thousand pounds, only a couple of women were left. Philippa had yet to raise her hand.

When the bidding hit seven thousands pounds Richard turned and caught her eye. Her knees nearly gave out from under her as the air between them crackled with electricity. Pip slowly walked toward him. The whole room grew quiet when she reached his side and announced, “I’ll take him for ten thousand, Honey.” Then looking at the crowd she added, “Unless there’s another bid?” There wasn’t.

 

Excerpt 5:

The nicest thing Philippa could say about Declan was that he wasn’t horrid. And truth be told, that was a nice thing considering how many unpleasant first encounters she’d had in the last fifteen years.

Sephra and Pip met at the Cock and Wing at six o’clock so they could get settled at a table and order a drink before the men arrived. They wanted to make sure they’d claimed first dominion so as to make their little drama of an “accidental meeting” appear more plausible. Of course, since Liam and Sephra were married, any chance of the get-together appearing completely unplanned was pretty slim, but Pip hoped at least not to appear complicit. As it turns out, it didn’t matter.

Liam and Declan strolled through the front door at five after seven, and by then Sephra was so mad she was seeing red. They were supposed to be there no later than ten past six and she’d been working herself into a lather ever since.

Pip was in the loo when the men walked in, so she missed most of the scene that followed. Sephra leapt to her feet in front of her husband and snapped, “You’re late!”

Liam, who tried to keep up the charade for Declan’s sake, responded, “Hello, pet, did we have plans tonight? I was just going to grab a drink with my mate, Declan, here.”

Trying to regain her composure, his wife replied, “No, no, we didn’t have plans, I just wanted to surprise you, that’s all.” Then she indicated the free chairs at their table and added, “Why don’t you join us?”

Declan piped in with, “Us? Who’re you here with?”

“Oh, just my friend, Philippa, she’s in the ladies’.”

Declan put his brief case down next to his chair and spoke directly to his co-worker, “Right, then, so is this some kind of fix up?”

“No, no, no, nothing like that, mate,” Liam responded. “Wh . . . wh . . . why in the world would you think we were setting you up?” If his friend was somehow dim enough to believe the obvious farce, the stuttering was a surefire indicator that boldface lying was afoot.

Declan hailed a passing waiter and ordered a pint before asking, “Is she pretty, at least?”

That’s when Pip walked up. There was no way she could miss the strange tension in the air. In fact, it was so thick she could have cut it with a chop stick. Sephra was rocking in her chair, side-to-side like she was having some kind of psychotic break and Liam was overacting to the point of melodrama as he tried to appear both shocked and delighted by her arrival.

Declan was the only seemingly sane one at the table. As he got to his feet to pull Pip’s chair out, he asked, “So are you in on the setup, poppet, or are you as much of a victim as I am?”

 

 

 

About the Book

Title: The Awakening: Part Two

Author: Michael Timmins

Genre: Fantasy

The world is awakening

The monsters of myths and fairytales walk among us.

While Clint, Shae, Kat and Blain awaken to their powers, the others have too. Realizing that they are not like everyone else, and that they aren’t alone.

Samuel, who was once known as Syndor, has managed to survive all these years preparing for Kestrel’s spell and her arrival.

Five of the original eight bloodlines have awoken, but what of the others? How will their awakening happen?

Sylvanis continues to grow at a rapid rate, much to the bafflement of her parents, but her body recognizes the need and responds. Now, she must make a desperate gamble to call out to her Lycans, knowing Kestrel will be able to find her if she does.

Blood has been spilled already, but the war has only just begun!

Giveaway

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Book Excerpt

At first, he went crazy with it and bought candy, video games, and whatever he felt like. When Hank asked him how he was going to buy a car when he turned sixteen since he kept spending all his money, Sim went on a spending freeze. Apart from an occasional personal reward, he saved every coin. Now, he had enough money to buy the car he wanted, though it took him a whole year beyond his sixteenth birthday to do so.

Closing his eyes, he pictured the car in his head. He was visualizing opening the car door when a scream from up the stairs shattered the vision. Panicked, he rushed upstairs. Never in his entire life had he heard someone scream like that. It held so much pain he couldn’t imagine what it must feel like. Mounting the top of the stairs, he peered down the hall towards Hank’s room. It had to be Hank. There wasn’t anyone else here, but the scream was so… inhuman. He wasn’t sure it had been Hank.

Taking measured steps, he moved down the hall to the door to his dad’s room. It was open a crack, as it always was, and Sim paused outside to listen. Someone breathed roughly — like each breath being forced out of a tight chest, huffing and blowing. It was louder than it should have been and once again, heart pounding, he thought of his dad. Reaching for the handle so he could throw it open, the door was ripped from its hinges, like it was made of cardboard and not the solid oak it was, and tossed away into the room to crash further into the room with a loud crash! Something he had never seen before came through, it’s bulk blocking the doorway like the moon blocks the sun in an eclipse.

It appeared bearish, like they do when they rear up on their hind legs, but something was different. Its shoulders were located differently, as if the front legs were more like arms. To further this appearance, where the paws should be, there were elongated, beefy fingers, ending in wicked looking dagger-like claws. Its back legs appeared more capable of allowing the beast to use only its hind legs to walk. Examining its legs, he noticed something more shocking. Shredded strands of blue and white cloth dangled down from the creature’s waist, like streamers, hung from a blue waistband stretched to its limit. Sim recognized it because it belonged to his father. It was his favorite sweatpants he frequently wore to sleep in. Noticing all this in seconds, the creature’s right claw smashed into him. Slamming into the wall, it was the last thing he remembered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standing deep within the alley was some sort of humanoid — it stood at least twice her height, somewhere over three meters tall, and broad of frame. Its body seemed to shift from green to black, but was made of large scales from head to toe. Its legs were lighter color on the inside as was the abdomen, chest and under its neck. Its neck swept out into a long snout filled with teeth, gleaming as the flash's light struck them. Red colored eyes sat on either side of its head.

She had no problem realizing this was the creature everyone thought was the killer croc, because that was what it was like; a crocodile, standing on two legs. Another reason she figured this was the killer which had Sydney in a panic was the fact it was in the process of eating its latest victim. Its powerful arms held two halves of a body whose midsection was all but missing. Realizing now what those sounds she had heard were, she resisted the urge to puke. Blood, gore and ichor dripped from the gaping mouth of the creature as it froze from chewing. The flashes of light momentarily blinding it.

Sylvia realized her predicament and stopped shooting pictures. The alley went dark. Light circles swam across her vision as the sudden darkness left her temporarily blinded. Sylvia froze for a moment, not sure if what she had seen was real. She took several steps back from the alley's mouth.

It emerged from the darkness in front of her. As if from nothingness, the snout appeared first, followed by its massive body, like a demon stepping from a portal from hell. Its eyes locked on her and she could only watch in fascination as its inner eyelids closed over the eyes, retreating under the outer eyelids. It was then Sylvia knew she was going to die. Hopefully, the pictures in her camera would show the world what was hiding in the city. This monster was like nothing she had ever seen before, or heard of.

Like a slow-motion action scene from a movie, she watched as the creature’s right hand reached backwards, before slowly coming forward in a terrible arc towards her head. As the arm slashed in front of her she heard, detachedly, four hollow booms, and she caught flashes from her peripheral. The creature about to end her life rocked back as bullets ripped into its flesh. Sylvia saw two bullets bury themselves into its chest, one in the arm and the other in the abdomen.

Blood sprayed her, warm droplets of red rain, as the creature whipped around. Sylvia felt terrible pain. Flipping over, her head struck the pavement as its tail whipped around, catching her legs and knocking them out from underneath her. Head throbbing in pain, she watched from the pavement. The thing escaped with lightning speed down the alleyway. More shots were fired as one cop ran to the entrance of the alley firing into the dark alley in hopes of striking the beast. The other cop knelt in front of her. Holding on to consciousness long enough, she heard the cop call for an ambulance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

Michael Timmins lives in Toledo, Ohio with his wife and two sons. His inspiration for writing came from his many years making modules to run for his D&D group. It has been a dream of his to one day get his work published, and now with ease of self-publishing he has made his dream come true.

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