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Chunky Crochet Cowl ~ I did it!




Last week I told you I was going to step up to the plate and learn to crochet, well I did it! I learned a couple basic crochet stitches and made my first cowl. Years ago I made a nice granny square crochet blanket but haven't touched a crochet hook since I was 10 or 11. I can't remember a single thing about how to crochet so I went to YouTube. I will say I am a very visual learner and this has been how I have taught myself most of the knit stitches I know. 

Over the next month or so I am going to work on posting my favorite YouTube videos for both crochet and knitting. This way if you are thinking of picking up a yarn project you can get some help also.

Now on to my first crochet project for 2014! I decided to make a cowl as I thought this shouldn't be to hard. If I can't work it in a round I can do it straight and then sew it together. I found a project over on Monkey Makes Three and decided to run with it. I altered it a bit as I had a really chunky yarn (#6) and a big hook (11.5mm or P). I started with the chain 150 and did a couple rows. It was way too long for my liking and was starting to curl so I ripped it all out. 

I started over again but this time I only chained 100. This was a much better size and I loosened my tension on the chain stitches. I didn't do the slip stitch when starting my next round but did the chain 2. After completing 5 rounds I was running out of yarn so I ended it as I only wanted to use one ball of yarn. 

Here is my finished Chunky Double Crocheted Cowl or Infinity Scarf. 




~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Writing Challenge for February 2014





With my goal in mind for writing more during 2014 I hit up Google over the weekend. When searching 30 day challenge I decided to check out the image section and you would be amazed with all the different challenges there are out there - fitness, photo, writing, blogging, organizing and so forth. I will start with a blog writing challenge but some of the others seemed interesting for sure!

The challenge I found that I liked the best for my first month is actually a 31 day and yes I know February has only 28 days this year. I will try and write an extra on a couple days. This is an old challenge but I don't mind trying it out before I link up to an active challenge. 

Over the month of February you will get to know the person behind this blog and I hope you will enjoy.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Literary Addicts Weekly Meme - January 28th, 2014

I joined a book group (site) called Literary Addicts and to be truthful I don't know how I wasn't a member before. I have been doing book reviews with the owner Mandie who has a book tour company for almost a year and a half!

Mandie had mentioned about a weekly book themed meme they were doing last year and how they were thinking of getting it started again. I thought this would be a great way for myself to help me write more personal type posts on my blog.

How it works is each week there is a new questions/theme that is book related and we post our answers on Wednesdays. If you are interested in taking part you can find it on the Literary Addicts website in the Weekly Book Meme group.

What was your favorite book of 2013?

I read a lot of great books last year! It is really hard to put one book down for my favorite book of 2013. I think it is also because I read a lot of different genre, so with that being said I am going to give you a few of my favorite books from 2013. 

When Smiles Fade by Paige Dearth - a bone chilling, keep you on the edge of your seat type of fiction. It was about a girl and her sister who has been abused over and over again. They have the challenge of living on their own after running away from home. They are then faced with more trouble and abuse.

A favorite non-fiction of 2013 was Grace Under Pressure by Sophie Walker. The author is a mother of a child with Aspergers (Autism) It was a very motivational book. The struggles and triumphs that they faced while getting Grace the help she needs. Sophie went back to running and ran marathons to raise money for Autism Awareness.

Last but not least I started a new series at the end of the year. This is a paranormal romance by Zoey Derrick and was the first book I read by her. Give Me Reason is the first book in the Reason series and had me hooked from the very beginning. It is an angel series with shape shifters but it isn't one of those books that is so full of supernatural that the story isn't believable. For the most part it is just a regular romance with a hint of paranormal. Book #4 is out at the end of February and I can not wait! I have heard this may or may not be the last book in the series.

If you are interested in checking out the books I read in 2013 you can find my list on Goodreads. I try to keep it up to date but I noticed I need to add a few on the shelf.

What was your favorite book in 2013? 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

I am a reader not a writer

I have never been a writer. I have always loved to read. Even when I was a child I would keep a list of books I read and challenge myself to read more. In school we would have a goal for reading and I would always try to surpass it by a mile. I could sit and read all day if I was left to it.

I just never considered myself a writer. I have always been horrible with spelling and grammar and would curse the English language as a child. Why does there need to be so many different ways to spell one word? I mean I know they have different meanings but really why do they need to have different spelling? Witch which is which? haha.

I remember when I was having a hard time spelling one of my elementary teachers told my parents that I should read more. Little did she know that I already read daily and more than my peers. This I think was when the "book list" came about.

One summer I read 100 books. Did it help me with my spelling and grammar? No. Even after writing a blog, being social on social media and still reading tons of books hasn't helped. I have gotten better. I have also never been one to write my own stories but I would like to change this. I would like to "write" more on my blog. I would like to share more of my thoughts without it being in a review. I love to review products and books but I would also love to learn how to share more of my ideas and thoughts on my blog. I think that I am more afraid to open up and be criticized for my writing style.

I have decided to work on blog writing challenges and reading memes. Each week I will aim for a personal post of some sort. I hope you will continue to stop by my blog and maybe share your thoughts in the comments below.

Happy Monday!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Blue Rose by Sarah Daltry ~ Book Promo & Excerpt

Blue Rose Packet
Cover Picture:


Book Info:
Title: Blue Rose, a Flowering novel
Author: Sarah Daltry
Release Date: 2/1/2014
Publisher: SDE Press
Cover Design: Shoutlines Design
 Blurb:

“Four. My life has been shaped by four people. Four men, to be more specific. My father, my stepfather, my best friend, and my boyfriend. The first two shaped it in horrible ways, but what I am, who I am, is all because of four men.” 

Alana Reardon has secrets. Some of them are too dark to tell, but everyone already thinks they know anyhow. At 20, she takes too many pills, hides the parts of her that she hates, and willingly becomes the person that they think she is. A slut. A whore. Trash.

There have only been two guys who ever saw Alana as more: Jack, the guy she can’t get over, and Dave, the one who never got over her.
With the help of therapy, facing her past, and the inevitable ways that life changes without your permission, can Alana learn to stop blaming herself? Can she allow love into her life? Is she ready to move on?

Warning: This book deals with topics of abuse and may trigger reactions in people who have experienced those things in their own lives. 

Buy Links:

Coming Soon

About The Author:

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She's written works in various genres - romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn't as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she's been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships - romantic, familial, friendly - because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn't matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future - human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah's stories. 

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.


When Sarah isn't writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.


Excerpt:

Later that day, at lunch, I had just found a seat by the window when he sat across from me. I was used to sitting alone. He didn’t say anything, and he had nothing to eat. He looked up at me, though, after a few minutes, and his eyes did it again. I hated my body, hated the way I looked, hated that somehow I owed my body and my looks to everyone else. But when Jack looked at me, I wanted to let someone touch me. I wanted him to hold me. He felt like safety.
It didn’t even make sense. He was just a broken kid, like me. He always wore the same threadbare hoodie. Most days, it covered his head. He was cute, but awkward. His hair was too long and usually greasy. His Chucks were a little too big, so they looked a little like clown shoes. Yet those gorgeous eyes were all I cared about. I hadn’t considered guys at all. I didn’t find them attractive, and I certainly couldn’t see the appeal of sex or of intimacy. With Jack, though, the thought of him near me didn’t make me nauseous.
“Do you want my orange?” I asked him.
“Are you sure?”
It wasn’t a groundbreaking question. But it was how I knew that what I naturally felt for Jack was right. Because no one had ever asked me that. No one had asked if I minded, if I was sure, if something was okay. They just took things.
“Yeah.”
He took it and I handed him my knife. It was flimsy plastic and wouldn’t even pierce the rind, so I took the orange back and peeled it with my fingernails. Jack just watched me and, when I handed him the orange, now peeled, he smiled. His upper lip curled more than it should have and he looked silly, smiling at an orange. But he drew the same smile from me.
“Thank you,” he said, and he pulled two slices free from the whole and handed them back to me. I didn’t eat them right away. I just watched him eat his part. He was messy and he ended up covering himself in the juices. He unzipped his hoodie after the orange squirted down the front. Underneath, he was wearing a washed out blue T-shirt with a train on it. He looked ten.
“Nice shirt,” I teased.
He looked down. “I live with my grandmother. She has no concept of clothes.”
“It’s cute.”
He smiled again and it was less awkward this time. “Do you live with your grandmother, too?”
I was wearing a huge black sweater over baggy black pants. “No. I just… I don’t like people looking at me.”
“Yeah. I get that.”
He didn’t tell me that I was too pretty to dress the way I did; he didn’t say my body was too good to hide. He just went back to eating his orange, letting the juice spill all over the train shirt. We were fourteen, but I already knew Jack would always be the only thing that mattered in my future.




Cloaked in Fur ~ Review/Giveaway/Excerpt

Book Summary: Urban Fantasy with Strong Romance.

As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did.
A rogue werewolf is killing Daciana’s friends, and she sets on capturing the creature. She’ll do whatever it takes to stop the beast. The police and her boyfriend, Inspector Connell Lonescu, are starting to question her involvement in the murders, which is endangering the pack’s secret existence. But when the pack alpha kidnaps Connell, revealing the awful truth about the creature and its connection to the pack, Daciana must choose between saving the man she loves and saving her pack family from certain death.

Purchase Cloaked In Fur:




EXCERPT:

My emotions tore between apologizing and confessing everything, yet all I managed to do was stare at his bare torso.

“Your institute has been issued passes to travel into the woods, and Vasile has yours. I can give you a lift there.” Connell cleared his throat and took my cup to the sink. “You’re awfully quiet.”

Heat exploded across my skin, and I climbed to my feet. “My mind is a swirl of thoughts, but I can’t pin any of it down. I’m devastated that my neighbor is dead, the police suspect me, and even worse, I feel you slipping away from me. So, what am I supposed to say?”
Instead of collecting me into his embrace and kissing me, Connell stood there like one of those God statues in museums that wore almost nothing, but were sculptured to perfection. I wanted to forget everything the day was about to bring and beg Connell to
make love to me until I passed out.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: T.F.  WALSH
T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling. 

She writes young adult and adult fantasy fiction.

CLOAKED IN FUR, a paranormal suspense novel, is her debut novel from Crimson Romance.

Connect with Author T.F. Walsh:

Website | Twitter | Facebook |  Pinterest |  Goodreads |  Amazon

Review

Cloaked in fur was such a great read, had a hard time putting the book down. Daciana is a young moonwolf who is about to have one hell of a week. Torn between two worlds, there is the life she is bound to due to pack loyalty and the world she longs to belong to with the love of her life. This book is filled with love, betrayal, and the action never stops. Two thumbs up to T.F Walsh for an excellent book, look forward to more. 

Reviewed by Cheryl


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Learning to Crochet & Making an Infinity Scarf/Cowl

Around this time last year I picked up some knitting needles and yarn and learned how to knit. I started off with a really basic dish cloth and moved onto a hat. Okay so my second project wasn't a basic one but it turned out nice and I love wearing it. That is what matters anyways, right?

This year I have decided I need to learn how to crochet. Why do I have the need to pick up yet another hobby/activity? I don't really know. I have seen some really nice crocheted items online and decided I would love to learn. I did know how to make Granny squares when I was about 10 years old. I started a really nice thick multi colored brown blanket years ago. I had a lot of fun with it also but I didn't keep it up.

I bought a really nice chunky burnt orange yarn a couple weeks ago and hubby bought me a crochet needle for Christmas because I want to make a Chunky Cowl. I will be taking some time this weekend and watching some YouTube videos on the basics of crocheting. Then I will attempt to make this Double Loop Crochet Infinity Scarf/Cowl from Monkey Makes Three.

Do you crochet?


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Scattered Links by M Weidenbenner ~ Review & Giveaway!


Release Day Tour Scattered Links is a novel that pulls its characters from the gutters and, in the end, celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit.

Thirteen-year-old Oksana lives on the streets of Russia with her pregnant mama and abusive aunt—both prostitutes. When Mama swells into labor, Oksana makes a decision to save herself from abandonment, a decision that torments her forever. When her plan fails and her aunt dumps her in an orphanage, she never has the chance to say goodbye to her mama or tell her the secret that haunts her. Scattered Links is a story of family and the consequences that come from never learning how to love, of a girl’s inability to bond with her adopted family and the frustrations that follow. How can a child understand the mechanics of forming a healthy relationship when she never had a mother who answered her cries, held her when she was frightened, fed her when she was hungry, or loved her unconditionally? Only when the child meets a rescued abused horse, and recognizes the pain in his eyes, does she begin to trust again.
***************************************
Scattered Links, (initially titled Love is Just a Word), was the winner of the 2013 Aspiring Writers Competition, sponsored by Write on Con and The Reading Room. Scattered Links was intended to show a glimpse into the life of a child with RAD, reactive attachment disorder, so prevalent in children who never had unconditional love in infancy. This novel was inspired by Michelle’s journey to Russia to adopt her orphan daughter. Upon seeing the neglect of orphanage children and learning of the effects of RAD in post-institutionalized children, Michelle researched this disorder, committed to giving her daughter the best chance at a healthy life. Sadly, many parents can’t cope with the behavior from kids with RAD and re-home their children like pets.

Buy on Kindle | Paperback


About the author:

Michelle grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers. No sisters. Each time her mom brought the boy bundle home from the hospital Michelle cried, certain her mom liked boys better than girls. But when her brothers pitched in with the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting—without drama, Michelle discovered having brothers wasn’t so bad. They even taught her how to take direct criticism without flinching, which might come in handy with book reviews. Michelle blogs at Random Writing Rants where she teaches and encourages writers how to get published.

Follow Michelle:

Blog - Random Writing Rants Teaching adults and teens how to get published
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


My Review:

This was one moving book! I haven't read many books lately that have had me in tears and a few times throughout the book at that. It also left me with a whole different outlook on Russia and adoption. This is a fabulous book for teens and adults. Be prepared to feel sad, to be angry and feel happy all in one short book.

The author does a great job with this book and bringing you into Oksana's life, you feel the dirty conditions she lives in, her hungry and her need for love and companionship. One struggle after another Oksana learns to grow throughout this book. She grows up way faster than she should and has real decisions to make. It was hard to read about how she wasn't interested in staying with her adoptive family but at the same time it was very understandable after being abandon by her aunt and not knowing if her mom even knew what happened to her and her baby sister.

The writing is a bit short and choppy but appropriate for the character that is learning English. I was happy that Oksana made a connection with Boris the horse and was able to overcome the language barrier. Oksana was a hard character at times as you just wanted to take her into your arms and hug away the pain and challenges that she faced throughout this book. No child should have to live through the ordeals that Oksana did.

A fabulous read!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Disney's The Lone Ranger ~ Must See!

If you are a Johnny Depp fan you will want to check out Disney's The Lone Ranger. Hubby and I don't get out to the movies but we do love to sit down and pop in a movie at home. This movie was on our must-see list when we saw the trailer for it.

Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer star in The Lone Ranger, a wild ride of high-velocity action, explosions and gunfights that brings the famed masked legend to life through brand-new eyes.

Who was that masked man? The Lone Ranger (Hammer), the last of his kind, teams with Tonto (Depp), a dark and mysterious vigilante, to seek vengeance after justice has failed them. It's a runaway train of epic surprises, as these two unlikely heroes must learn to work together before the ultimate showdown between good and evil explodes.

Out on Blu-ray & DVD Combo pack this is a must see movie! Included are bloopers, deleted scenes and behind the scenes footage. This movie is rated PG 13 and there are a few spots that I can understand why it is rated this.

My husband and I loved this movie. I am a huge Johnny Depp fan and felt he did another amazing job in this film. We laughed out loud while being kept in suspense to what will happen next. The bloopers of course are out of this world funny and you will want to take the time to watch them. I worked the night before and hadn't slept but was able to stay up and enjoy this movie as it was action packed! My son wants to watch it but a couple spots I don't think are appropriate for his age and told him he needs to wait a couple more years but I know he will love it. A great movie for older children and adults.

If you haven't seen the trailer check it out below and then go out and pick up a copy for movie night this weekend!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above movie for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Give Me Desire (Reason Book #3) by Zoey Derrick ~ Book Tour & Review



Book Summary:  
VIVIENNE CALLAHAN, discharged from the hospital after surviving a near-fatal attack from Riley, her abusive ex-boyfriend, has come to the safety of Mikah’s protection. As she continues to heal physically and mentally from her ordeal, she begins to have strange dreams...dreams that follow her into waking life and hint at a fate she never could’ve foreseen and dangers far greater than Riley.

Meanwhile, MIKAH BLAKE has some ideas about her future, too, and the more she considers his proposals, the weaker her resistance to him becomes. His recent actions have taught her to respect and trust him, but soon her feelings for him threaten to deepen into something more, something she may not be ready for.

In the third book of the Reason series, Vivienne will discover who and what she and the people around her really are. 


Purchase Amazon & Barnes & Noble
 

About the Author:
 
Amazon Best Selling Angels, Demons & Devils and Paranormal Author of Give Me Reason - The Reason Series Book One comes from Glendale, Arizona. Zoey, was a mortgage underwriter by day and is now a paranormal, romance and erotica novelist full-time. She writes stories as hot as the desert sun itself. It is this passion that drips off of her work, bringing excitement to anyone who enjoys a good and sensual love story.Not only does she aim to take her readers on an erotic dance that lasts the night, it allows her to empty her mind of stories we all wish were true. Her stories are hopeful yet true to life, skillfully avoiding melodrama and the unrealistic, bringing her gripping Erotica only closer to the heart of those that dare dipping into it.


The intimacy of her fantasies that she shares with her readers is thrilling and encouraging, climactic yet full of suspense. She is a loving mistress, up for anything, of which any reader is doomed to return to again and again.




Review

If you haven't read my review for the first two books you really should pop over to that post. This is one of my favorite series and a new favorite author! If you love angels and mystical romance this is an absolute fabulous series. Book #3 is the entry into the romance that develops between Viv and Mikah. Oh my! Mikah is sooo mysterious and handsome. I keep hearing people talk about book boyfriends, well this would be mine! 

This book gives Viv an insight into who she really is and who all the people around her are, good or bad. This is where the author turns the book into more of a paranormal novel then a chick lit. I like that it still remains believable besides the shape shifting. The story flows really well and isn't choppy. The characters are developing more and as we learn more about each one I find myself loving the main characters as each chapter goes by. Again this book leaves the reader hanging on for more! It has us building up to what we have been waiting for and leaves us hanging. AHH GIVE ME LOVE! 

Zoey is a fabulous author and I can't wait to read the next book in this series and others by Zoey Derrick. I highly recommend this book and give it a 5 out of 5 stars!


Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Born in Flames Trilogy Sale

Head over to Amazon to pick up a copy for your Kindle today!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Tips for Purchasing a New Vehicle

The Toyota Highlander offers that you see on TV are often for the base models, so you do not get many options, but that does not mean that those are the only deals out there. If you talk to the dealer about what you want, he can probably find some deals that will impact your purchase at any trim level. This opens all of those options back up so that you can get the car that you really want. 

The best way to do this is to start by choosing everything that you would want if price was not a problem. Imagine that you have infinite resources to buy this car. Are you happy with cloth seats, or do you want to upgrade to heated leather seats? Will you be content without a sunroof or do you need that natural light? You should also look at things like remote start, which can be nice in the winter months, and towing packages. Put it all together and look at the price, keeping the amount you can afford in mind as well.

After you do this, it is a simple matter of removing the things that you want the least until your price matches what you decided that you could afford. This ensures that your new car has everything that you want based on your budget. When the dealer sees what you want, he may even be able to find some deals that are going to make the car more affordable, helping you get extra options.


~*Disclaimer: This post was posted by Genuine Jenn. This is a sponsored post.*~

A December Bride by Denise Hunter ~ Book Review

Book Summary:

Happily ever after begins today. The honor of your presence is requested at a December wedding.

Every couple has a love story. Join us for a year of contemporary, seasonal wedding novellas, releasing in e-book every month. Each e-novella will include an excerpt from another wedding story in the Year of Weddings Collection as well as a list of the author’s full-length novels.

What started as a whim turned into an accidental - and very public - engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the facade in Chapel Springs this holiday season - for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy, the best friend of Layla O'Reilly's ex-fiance would be the last person she'd marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency, a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map. Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she'll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she's landed her client. For Layla, it's the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it's his last chance to win her heart.

A year's worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.

Purchase on Amazon or Kobo

About the Author:

Denise Hunter is the award-winning author of 20 novels, including The Accidental Bride and Convenient Groom.

Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!


Connect: Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Website

Review:

This is the first book in a series of Bride books by different authors. Each month there will be a new book. They are novella's and can be read in an evening. A December Bride was a great little read and a fresh storyline. The author does a good job at introducing us to the main character and the storyline of this book without making it too long. I felt even though it is a novella I was able to connect with the main characters. It takes place over a few weeks and really is a sweet romance. I felt captured from the first page and felt the storyline flowed at a nice pace to keep the reader interested with enough detail to learn about the characters and their past but not distract from the story.

I look forward to checking out more books by this author and also more books in this series. A December Bride is a story of lies, hopes and love. 

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. 



~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

A Ottawa Senators Inspired Scarf ~ Knitting

My son and hubby are both obsessed with the Ottawa Senators hockey team. They will put on their jerseys and sit through the game on tv cheering for their team or booing when the other team gets a goal.

Since my son loves to wear Senator clothing - t-shirts, sweaters, socks and his beloved baseball hat. I decided that he needed a Ottawa Senators inspired knitted scarf to go with his winter hat.

This was a very simple knitted scarf that beginners can do easily. If you know how to cast on, knit stitch, and cast off you can do this scarf!

The total size of this scarf is 50 inches long. Gauge doesn't matter in this pattern. I used a Worsted weight yarn (4).

Cast on 20 stitches in your desired color. I started with black as this was going to be the "main" color. Using the Knit stitch knit for 2 1/2 inches then attach the next color (gold)
Knit 6 rows of knit stitch in gold then attach next color (Red)
Knit 12 rows of Knit stitch then attach next color (White)
Knit 12 rows of Knit stitch then attach your main color (Black)
Knit this for 35 inches

Then you will be doing your colors backwards with the same about of knit rows - white, red, gold and then black and knit the last color for 2 1/2 inches and bind off.

There you have it an easy Hockey inspired kids scarf!  Happy Knitting!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Mind of a Stranger by Ruth J Hartman ~ Book Review

Book Summary

How do you escape a stranger when the stranger is you?

Shelby Wright has the life she’s always wanted: a loving marriage to Charlie, her best friend, companion, and lover. She can’t imagine anything ever coming between them. They’re so close, nothing ever could.
 

But when Shelby’s mind begins to play tricks on her, little annoyances grow. She’s plagued with doubts when she can’t remember whether she’s done something. A voice in her head plants an unease that she can’t ignore. Then at her job, everyday occurrences that never bothered her before seem larger than life. Suddenly, life is more than she can handle. What’s happening to her?
 

When her thoughts take a dangerous turn, she’s scared out of her wits. And she can’t tell Charlie because the woman he promised to love, honor, and cherish has been overtaken by a monster Shelby can’t control.

Purchase on Amazon.

About the Author

Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats, and her nights spinning sweet romantic tales that make you smile, giggle or laugh out loud. She, her husband, and their three cats, love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats, Maxwell, Roxy and Remmie, sit in the people's recliners. Not that the cats couldn't get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else's. You know how selfish those little furry creatures can be.

Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, Jeep driving, farmhouse-dwelling romance writer uses her goofy sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women and the men who adore them. Ruth's husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her in spite of her penchant for insisting all of her books have at least one cat in them. Or twelve. But hey, who's counting?
 

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Review

Before reading this book I knew that this was going to be a tough read. I have had the opportunity over the last (almost year I think now) to get to know the author Ruth online and she is such a wonderful, kind lady so it was hard knowing that Ruth wrote this book loosely on her life. She also has a memoir out that I am drying to read. Anyways this book is about a women who was living such a great life - great steady job, nice house, great husband (about a year married) and one day her life starts to change. Thoughts pop into her mind and she can't shake them, things bother her mostly germs bother her. This is especially hard as she is a lab tech who takes peoples blood for a living. 

I found this story flowed together nicely and I found myself feeling terrible for for Shelby and Charlie while Shelby worked through what was happening to herself. I could really relate to some of the feelings Shelby had experienced as I too have a bit of OCD but not to the point it interferes with my day to day life.  Working in healthcare I totally get germ freaked especially during the winter months or when I know where people put their hands and not wash after. 

It would be very hard living with OCD to the severity of what Shelby had to live with. This is a sweet romance that deals with emotional turmoil of a young lady learning she has a severe mental disorder while keeping her relationship with her husband. It is a shorter book and you can really get lost within it. 

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars and have recommended it to family and friends while I was reading it.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

I have finally been hit with the....



Computer scam! 


There I was sleeping soundly, may I add finally after a restless night and the phone rings! REALLY who would be calling me before the alarm goes off? I rolled over and reached for the phone just in case it was an emergency. Hubby had already left for his morning commute.

So I look at my phone and see no number only the word "recon" hmm.. before 7am. Alright I'll answer and humor the person. Sure enough it was someone from across the world calling me by my last name and saying he wants to help with my computer. Wait one minute.... I don't have a computer! So I told him that and he says "laptop, I mean" okay here we go. I don't have one of those either. He hung up.

Now some people have told me they usually have them not believe they don't have a computer. Maybe he realized I wasn't a happy camper with this phone call.

People please beware. I know everyone knows the drill but if anyone calls you looking for private information or about your computer ask to call them back. Ask for a letter to come in the mail.

Don't give out your information! 

I have also heard a lot of people getting emails or Facebook messages from friends saying they need money now to help they get out of a country they went on vacation to and lost their wallet. Please call your friend before ever agreeing to send money.

Be safe out there!

As I was just about to hit publish I got another scam call but this one was about my credit card. YIKES I better stop answering the phone!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

Phantom Lover by Kfir Luzzatto ~ Book Tour & Review

 
 

Phantom Lover

by Kfir Luzzatto

genre: Paranormal Detective Series

It was bad enough, I can assure you, finding a half-naked ectoplasm sitting at my desk, but she had to talk nonsense too.

Buy: Amazon / Smashwords

 

 

MICE

by Kfir Luzzatto

genre: Paranormal Detective Series “Where the hell are they coming from?” When Frankie asked a question, it always sounded like he was placing the blame on someone—me, in this case. Instead of answering, I squashed the white mouse that had just climbed out of his coffee cup. The mouse had the consistency of putty and felt like it; no bloodshed was involved in the squashing.

Buy: Amazon / Smashwords

 

 

Meet the Author:

Kfir was born and raised in Italy, and moved to Israel as a teenager. He acquired the love for the English language from his father, a former U.S. soldier and WWII veteran, a voracious reader and a prolific writer. With a PhD in chemical engineering and a long family history that he needs to live up to, Kfir work as a patent attorney and heads the patent law firm that was established by his great-grandfather in Milan, Italy, in 1869. Kfir lives in Omer, Israel, with his full-time partner, Esther, their four children, Michal, Lilach, Tamar and Yonatan, and the dog Elvis. Writing has always been Kfir's passion and for almost four years he wrote a weekly "Patents" column in Globes (Israel’s financial newspaper), which also yielded his only (if he can help it) non-fiction book, THE WORLD OF PATENTS, (a not-so-boring tale of what patents are about, in Hebrew), which was published in 2002 by Globes Press. Kfir loves writing short stories but has too many novels waiting to be written (and possibly not enough years ahead of him to write them all), so now he mostly writes full-length fiction. His other passion is working with other authors on stories he loves and that's how he wound up serving on the editorial board of The Harrow Press as Anthology Editor.

You can read about Kfir's books (website). He loves them all, but never had greater fun than when working on “HAVE BOOK WILL TRAVEL”, a YA fantasy that he wrote together with his son, Yonatan.

Connect: Twitter: @KfirLuzzatto | Facebook | Blog | Amazon | Goodreads | Smashwords || Literary Addicts

Phantom Lover Tour:


Review:
 
I recently read three short stories by Kfir Luzzatto. I have never read a short story before but i really enjoyed them. Writing was very well done, the storyline moved quickly as i assumed it would, but it was well done.

Phantom Lover was a short 15 page mystery in which private investigator Dave Callaghan is hired by a wealthy married young woman to find out who it is her husband is seeing as it's her suspicions he's involved with a ghost. Little does the married woman know that ghost in which she's implied her husband is seeing is along for the investigation with Dave in hopes to clear her name.

Accidental Lazarus was a slightly longer mystery. This time private investigator Dave Callaghan is contacted by a very recently deceased mobster 'Stupid Joe'. Stupid Joe needs Dave to help him find out who it was responsible for his death, and assist him in seeking his revenge. While Dave investigates Stupid Joe gets comfortable settling into Dave's apartment, and keeping Dave's girlfriend company. Dave moves quicker to solve the mystery, and finally finds the killer. 

Mice was the longest of the three short stories. Dave Callaghan is hired by a mob boss Frankie Leone to find out who is sending the talking annoying mice who are infesting his office, and life. To help him understand who he's investigating Dave captures a mouse to interrogate, but after a few choice music selections and advice from The Cornflake Oracle he slowly finds out who this mouse is, and why she is so special. After a betrayal from hi,s what he thought with his closest friend, his closest allly becomes a ghost named Jake who seems to resemble a very entertaining popeye the sailor. With Jake's help he saves the mouse, seeks revenge on his friend, and as hired to do... solves the mice mystery. 

~*Posted by Cheryl
 ~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Cheryl. I received the above books for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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