self help

Guest Post: Journaling Every Week by Kelli A. Wilkins

sleepygirl2

Love the holidays? Can’t stand them? Want to vent about what bothers you? Try Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the hectic holiday season. For some people, it’s the “most wonderful time of the year”—filled with fun family gatherings, happy holiday parties, and shopping for sales. However, many people have a very different view about this time of year—it can be depressing, stressful, or trigger anxiety. Whether you love “the holidays” or not, it’s always healthy to set aside a few minutes each day to express your feelings and get in touch with your emotions. One of the best ways to do this is by journaling.

Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing will show you the way.This fun and innovative ebook is filled with hundreds of journaling prompts that cover your childhood, friendships, beliefs and values, your career, coping with grief, fears, forgiveness, your purpose, and much more.

Whether you are experienced in journaling or completely new to the process, this book is designed to get you thinking about—and writing about—your life, relationships, patterns, goals, and some of your fondest memories. You’ll benefit from writing about these thought-provoking prompts and learn something about yourself along the way.

Journaling is a useful tool for self-discovery. In your journal, you can explore a wide range of subjects, themes, and ideas, revisit the past, and vent about anything (or anyone). In a way, you play counselor to yourself by digging deep into your innermost thoughts and emotions and writing about how you feel.

Sample prompts include:

* Holidays always seem more magical when we’re young. Growing up, what were your favorite holidays? Did you look forward to trick-or-treating on Halloween? Couldn’t wait for Thanksgiving dinner? Loved celebrating your birthday? What made each holiday special for you? Free write about it for ten to fifteen minutes.

* List 25 favorite holiday memories from your childhood up until present day. In a few paragraphs, write about each event and what made it special. Who is celebrating with you? Where did you live? How old were you? 

* Make a list of five fun things you did or five fun places you visited when you were a child. Can you recreate these events with your own family now?

* Write for fifteen minutes about the changes in the last ten years of your life, and change in general. Do you embrace change? Resist it? Why? What feelings or emotions does the thought of change bring out in you?

* What parts of your life are working well? Relationships are going great, job is satisfying, etc. All too often we focus on our problems or something that’s troubling us. This week, write about all the positive things in your life.

* Free write about whatever emotions you’re feeling this week. Are you happy, sad, excited, loving, worried, or nervous? Why? What happened that caused you to feel these emotions?

Journaling Every Week makes a great gift for yourself or someone you care about. Order it today and get writing!

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journaling-Every-Week-Topics-Writing-ebook/dp/B08QH4HQPD

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/b5kBZA

Read reviews and learn more about the book here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/journaling-every-week

Happy Journaling!

Kelli A. Wilkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 5 horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories.

Her latest novel, In Another World, was published in early 2022. This contemporary mystery/romance is set in the world of the paranormal.

She released two horror shorts, More Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel in 2021.

Like to write? Check out Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing.This fun and innovative guide to journaling is filled with hundreds of thought-provoking prompts designed to get you writing about your feelings and emotions.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.

Audiobook Review: In Case You Get Hit by a Bus by Abby Schneiderman and Adam Seifer with Gene Newman

sleepygirl2

When Abby Schneiderman’s brother was killed in a head-on collision by an impaired driver, her family was thrust into a position many families experience: they were shocked, heartbroken, and unsure what to do next. While her brother had made some financial arrangements, her family had no idea what he would have wanted and had to make all sorts of stressful (and expensive) decisions in an incredibly short amount of time.

Out of this tragedy came the focus of Everplans, a digital company that Abby co-founded with fellow tech entrepreneur Adam Seifer to help people of all ages organize their lives and legacy now—so that their loved ones won’t have to later.

Drawing on the wealth of experience from Abby, Adam, and Gene Newman, here is a clearly designed and easy-to-follow program to help even the most disorganized reader take control of modern life’s burgeoning mess of on- and off-line details. Breaking the job down into three levels, from the most urgent (granting access to passwords, outlining a financial blueprint) to the technical (creating a manual for the systems in your home, understanding legal documents) to the nostalgic (assembling a living memory complete with photos, recipes, and significant stories)), IN CASE YOU GET HIT BY A BUS takes the anxiety and stress out of putting your life in order and covers just about any contingency, helping you leave the best parting gift you could ever imagine.

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free audio copy from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

In Case You Get Hit by a Bus contains a wealth of information about preparing for your death. No matter what your age, it’s an important resource to get your life in order so that you can ease the burden of your loved ones when you’re gone.

There was a lot of helpful information on getting prepared and I learned a lot. There are so many things you don’t think of when taking on such a monumental task. And there are the little things that are mentioned that are just as helpful. For example, be sure to update important contacts you’ve listed if they die before you.

I like audiobooks but in this case, I was quickly overwhelmed as I listened to this book. I took a lot of notes so it’s not an audiobook to listen to in your car or while working out. It would be very helpful to have In Case You Get Hit by a Bus in the form of a workbook with lists included that could be filled out or copied.

This is definitely a book that everyone should use as a resource when planning for their death, sudden or not.

About the Authors

Abby Schneiderman is an entrepreneur, innovator and visionary leader with a passion for finding ways to use technology to make people’s lives better. Together with Adam Seifer, she is currently the co-founder and co-CEO of Everplans.com, a life and legacy planning company dedicated to transforming the way people think ahead and get their families organized. Everplans is offered by hundreds of financial services companies, insurance providers, and employers across the country.

As an industry expert in the areas of digital estate planning,technology and consumerism, Abby has been featured in numerous publications including the NYT, WSJ, Bloomberg, CNBC, and the Huffington Post. Abby was recently named to Fast Company’s list of the most creative people in business in 2016 (https://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2016).

Abby lives with her husband and two little girls in NYC. Abby is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
For more information, visit http://www.everplans.com.

Adam Seifer is a repeat entrepreneur, innovator and product leader with a passion for helping people use their real world networks to enable them to connect and collaborate better digitally. Together with Abby Schneiderman, he is the co-founder and co-CEO of Everplans.com, a life and legacy planning company dedicated to transforming the way people think ahead and get their families organized. Everplans is offered by hundreds of financial services companies, insurance providers, and employers across the country.

Adam has helped to create multiple huge online communities and networks and is an inventor on “the social networking patent” now owned by LinkedIn.

Adam lives in NYC with his family and graduated from Brown University.

For more information, visit http://www.everplans.com.

Gene Newman serves as Everplans’ Editorial & Education Director and has spent the past 25+ years as a writer, editor, digital producer, and content leader for media various outlets including Maxim, Hachette Filipacchi Digital, and Thrillist. He lives in New York City.

Book Review & Giveaway: Birth of a Unicorn by Heather Wilde

sleepygirl23 Comments

Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps To Success by Heather Wilde

Publisher:  Sunbury Press, Inc (November 11, 2020)
Category: Business: Women & Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, Self-Help/Motivational, Non-Fiction
ISBN: 978-1620063347
Available in Print 158 pages and ebook 184 pages

Birth of a Unicorn

Description

Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps to Success is the story of what it takes to found a billion-dollar company — also known as a unicorn. It’s told from the perspective of a founding employee, and shows the years and years of emotional strain, stress and dedication that building a successful company takes — and a framework to follow if you’d like to try it yourself.

In this book, you’ll find the true story behind one of Silicon Valley’s famous companies on its rise to the top. Peek behind the curtain as you see the highs and lows from an insider perspective, on the roller coaster that is the start-up life. What emerges is a lasting friendship, a billion-dollar company, and an understandable framework of success for you to replicate.

Amazon
Barnes&Noble
IndieBound

Guest Review by Sage Nor

Talk about the kind of book that can reach you just at the right time! ‘Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps to Success,’ by Heather Wilde is part memoir and part self-help book all about the path to success.

Heather and her husband, Leon, are two of the team members who took the note-taking app Evernote from a user base of only a few thousand users to over 200 million users worldwide. Of course, before they achieved success in the app industry, Heather and Leon struggled quite a bit with life’s ups and down.

This memoir begins in 2001, on the day that the Twin Towers fell in New York City. At this time, Leon was a pilot and he just happened to be scheduled to fly over the Towers at the exact time that they were hit. Luckily, Leon’s plane was grounded that morning, and he was unhurt, but the terror and anxiety that Heather experienced that day stuck with her for a long time, and she began suffering from depression as a result. What followed after were years of uncertainty and difficultly finding her footing in the tech business world.

Eventually, Wilde and her husband decided to give up their life in Boston in order to move to Mexico where they lived on a sailboat so that they could work on Evernote with their team.

Wilde’s writing is poignant and expressive without getting bogged down in the overly detailed anecdotes that some memoirs seem to rely on. Her expressive writing about anxiety and depression were especially moving and something that I think a lot of people can identify with. There were so many passages in this book I had to highlight so that I would remember them. Give ‘Birth Of A Unicorn’ a try, I promise you won’t regret it!

About the Author

Heather Wilde was the eighth employee of Evernote, where she oversaw the company’s growth from thousands to 100 million customers. She has published popular games, trained Fortune 500 brands, advised hundreds of start-ups, and managed some major non-profit programs. At her non-profit, Serenze Global, and as a fractional CTO through her company ROCeteer, her award-winning work keeps the Unicorn Whisperer constantly traveling across the globe to find the next unicorn.

Website: https://heathriel.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/heathriel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heathriel
IMDB:  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7705219/

Giveaway

This giveaway is open worldwide for print or eBook and ends on May 22, 2021,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Apr 6 Kickoff & Interview

Miller Amazon Apr 7 Review

Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews Apr 9 Guest Post

GudReader Goodreads Apr 12 Review

Dave C. Amazon Apr 12 Review

Betty Toot’s Book Reviews Apr 13 Review & Excerpt

Am Goodreads Apr 14 Review

Katy Goodreads Apr 15 Review

From Isi Apr 19 Review

Dianne Hot Mess Princess Apr 20 Review & Guest Post

Becky Life as Rog Apr 21 Review & Excerpt

Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews Apr 22 Review

Amber M. Amazon Apr 23 Review

Sage Nor Bound 4 Escape Apr 26 Guest Review

Ellen Goodreads Apr 27 Review

Dr.Amrita Basu Healthwelthbridge Apr 29 Review

Liam W. Goodreads May 3 Review

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 4 Review

Smitty B. Goodreads May 5 Review

Andy K. Amazon May 6 Review

Pam O. Amazon May 7 Review

Dr.Amrita Basu Healthwelthbridge May 10 Interview

Sol Celticlady’s Reviews May 12Guest Review & Excerpt

Linda Lu Goodreads May 13 Review

Jas International Book Promotion May 14 Review

Mike M. Goodreads May 17 Review

Bee Book Pleasures May 19 Review & Guest Post

Gracie Goodreads May 21 Review

More Praise for Birth of a Unicorn

“Among her significant accomplishments is her work at Evernote, a note-taking app that Heather built from a couple of thousand users to in excess of 225 million users, making Evernote the world’s most used note-taking app. It is that journey that this book shares – and from that well-related story the steps toward creating a startup company as well as guidance for ways to make an impact by positive changing life to embrace personal passions and purpose. While those words may seem like PR humbug, reading this superb book will convince every reader of their validity.
Exploring each of Heather’s six needs opens the door to inspirational changes in attitude and vision and success. Proffered in one of the most supportive guides available today, this book is not only a fine guide for us all: it also makes the perfect gift for young people on the verge of discovering life’s possibilities! Highly recommended.”-Grady Harp, Hall of Fame & Top 500 Reviewer-Amazon

Continue reading →

Book Review: How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself by Antionetta Vogels

sleepygirl2

Title: HOW TO OVERCOME INSOMNIA ALL BY YOURSELF
Author: Antoinetta Vogels
Publisher: Balboa Press
Pages: 163
Genre: Self-Help

BOOK BLURB:

It’s time for bed. You’re tired, but you know you’ll be tossing and turning for hours to come. At dawn, you fall into a deep sleep, but it’s short-lived. Long before you’re ready, your alarm clock mercilessly informs you that it’s time to get up.

After decades of nights like this, Antoinetta Vogels unraveled the enigma of her sleeping problem and restored her ability to get a good night’s sleep.

In her newest book, How to Overcome Insomnia All by Yourself, Antoinetta reveals how to become a healthy sleeper through self-knowledge and her own self-healing method.

Taking examples from her own life and firsthand experience with this sleep disorder, Antoinetta explores the childhood circumstances that can lead to unhealthy motivation, approval-seeking behavior, and chronic insomnia in adulthood. She offers practical advice, tools, and techniques for healing the wounds of the past so you can enjoy a future full of joy, healthy relationships, and restful sleep.

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3oN9WfC

Author’s Website → https://bit.ly/3oRUFKp

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I don’t read a lot of self help books anymore because there seems to be a lot of extra narrative to make the information fit into a full-length book. I found that to be the case here, but there was some useful information as well. I chose to read this book knowing that there’d probably be the extra fluff but I have suffered from insomnia most of my adult life and wanted to see if there was any information that could help. I have tried everything from having a bedtime routine to medicines (OTC and prescription). The only thing that has worked for me so far is Ambien, but I stopped taking it after I realized I was sleep eating and sleep walking. Even though I have accepted that I won’t sleep until 2 or 3 or 4 in the morning if at all, I am still open to new ideas.

This book has exercises for the reader as well as a summary of each chapter. It requires a lot of self examination and soul searching. I read through it once and highlighted the areas I agree with and what is important to me. I’m going to go back through again and focus on the areas I highlighted and work through my issues.

If you have insomnia and are willing to think outside the box, this book may help you as I hope it will help me.

Excerpt from Chapter 2

Some children grow up in a supportive environment, with parents who give them the freedom to discover their true Self and encourage them to feel good about who they are. Others of us are doomed to constantly earning parental approval over the course of our lives because we’ve never felt acknowledged or accepted. How we deal with that situation will differ, depending on our individual temperament, character, and the way we learned how to deal with our emotions.

Feeling like you don’t belong creates a negative self-image because the message you receive is that you aren’t good enough to be included. But feeling invisible can be a self-fulfilling prophecy—when you aren’t seen or heard or taken into consideration, it’s a natural reaction to shrink in on yourself and not do anything to stand out.

I remember very well how I felt on those occasions. It was a feeling that always haunted me. One day, when I was about sixteen years old, I stood on the beach looking out over the sea, and I noticed a pole rising above the water. I imagined that the sea was full of people and I was sitting on that pole, removed from everyone around me and unable to reach them. It felt terribly lonely. The endlessness of the sea only made that sense of isolation stronger.

About the Author

Antoinetta Vogels has a bachelor’s in French and a master’s in music. She worked in the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra as a bassoonist, has two grown daughters, and lives in Bellevue, WA, USA. In 2013, Antoinetta created the Sense of Self Method, a self-help program for people who want to get a good night’s sleep no matter what!

With her company, Healthy Sense Of Self, LLC, Antoinetta and her team provide education about what can be wrong in the way a person experiences their self and, consequently, others. Antoinetta has made it her life’s work to help people improve their quality of life by reversing issues related to a negative self-image. She wants everyone to have the ability to be their most authentic self – and have a good night’s sleep!

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: http://www.healthysenseofself.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HealthySoS/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HealthySenseOfSelf/

Book Review: Journaling Every Week by Kelli A. Wilkins

sleepygirl2

Whether you are experienced in journaling or completely new to the process, this book is designed to get you thinking about—and writing about—your life, relationships, patterns, goals, and some of your fondest memories. You’ll benefit from writing about these thought-provoking prompts and learn something about yourself along the way.

Journaling is a useful tool for self-discovery. In your journal, you can explore a wide range of subjects, themes, and ideas, revisit the past, and vent about anything (or anyone). In a way, you play counselor to yourself by digging deep into your innermost thoughts and emotions and writing about how you feel.

This fun and innovative book is filled with hundreds of journaling prompts that cover your childhood, friendships, beliefs and values, your career, coping with grief, fears, forgiveness, your purpose, and much more.

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I had a journal years ago when I was going through tough times, and it did help me to vent. I’ve meant to start journaling again during “good times” just to record my thoughts. This book is helpful when I’m not sure what I want to delve into because it has many prompts.

The author stresses making the journal your own and that there’s no one specific way to write in a journal. I’ve decided that for me, the best way to do this is not to go in the order of the chapters, but to pick one that interests me that particular week. For example, I started with chapter 33 What Makes You Happy? because that’s one that I wanted to think about at the time. It did help me to learn a lot about myself, and the prompts were helpful.

Journaling Every Week is a helpful guide for anyone who is interested in journaling. If a print copy is ever made of this book, it’d be great to set it up as a journal with blank pages after each chapter. I just use a notebook, but I think there are beginners who might like a hard copy.

About the Author

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20 romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories.

In January 2021, Kelli released “Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing.” This fun and innovative guide to journaling is filled with hundreds of thought-provoking prompts designed to get you writing about your feelings and emotions.

Her horror short “A Witch’s Wishes” was published in the “Nothing Ever Happens in Fox Hollow” anthology in December 2020.

In October 2020, Kelli had horror stories published in two anthologies. “The Uninvited” was published in “Halloween Horror Vol. 2.” This tale about a children’s Halloween party gone horribly wrong is one of her favorites. Her unsettling short story, “What the Peeper Saw” appeared in “Madame Gray’s Creep Show” anthology.

Earlier in 2020 Kelli published “Love, Lies & Redemption”, a western romance set in 1877 Nebraska. This novel blends a sensual love story with mystery and danger.

She released “Romance Every Weekend: 104 Fun Ways to Express Your Love”, a non-fiction guide to romance in 2019. The book features 104 fun and easy ways you can express your love to that special someone in your life. Perfect for men or women, it focuses on tender, everyday gestures that let your partner know how much you love him or her.

Kelli published “Extraterrestrial Encounters”, a collection of 18 sci-fi stories, in 2019. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her disturbing novella, “Nightmare in the North.”

Not just an author, Kelli is also an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock https://www.shutterstock.com/g/kelli+… and iStock https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio… to view her photos.

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliW… and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.

Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and to find all her social media links.

Book Review: 10-Minute Stretching by Hilery Hutchinson

sleepygirl2

Fit stretching exercises into your day with easy 10-minute routines

Discover how easy it is to improve your flexibility, reduce pain, and eliminate stress with just a few minutes of stretching every day. This illustrated guide provides you with essential stretches and simple routines for increasing your range of motion, supplementing physical therapy, and more.

Featuring 60 individual stretches for your neck, feet, and everything in between, the detailed instructions and informative images in this book give you everything you need to incorporate stretching into your life. You’ll also find insight into how to develop short, multi-muscle routines for everyday living, exercise, and even injury recovery.

This collection of stretching exercises includes:

**Stretches for the whole body―Practice a variety of stretching exercises that target nine critical muscle groups, from head turns and cross-body stretches to hurdler’s stretches and towel pulls.
**10-Minute routines―Improve the effectiveness of your stretching and make it easy to stick with thanks to 35 short routines you can do virtually anywhere.
**Clear guidance―Find the exact stretches and routines you need fast thanks to chapters focused on specific muscle groups.

Keep yourself fit and flexible with this guide to simple and effective stretching exercises. 

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Stretching is important and in 10-Minute Stretching, the author explains why it’s so important the beginning of the book. Proper technique and the importance of making it a regular practice are also discussed. The next section is full of stretches by area from the neck to the feet. The stretches are explained well and more importantly for me, illustrated well. The last part of the book gives sample routines for everyday activities, injury recovery, and aches and pains. Lastly, there’s a chapter on making your own routines.

This book will benefit anyone because there’s enough information to personalize it. I’ve started using it, and I’m already seeing the benefits of stretching every day.

About the Author

Hilery brings a plethora of knowledge with over 50 certifications and 18 years of experience in the wellness industry. She is known for her highly customized approach and well thought out health coaching and wellness programs. She has traveled around the world teaching her own certification programs in personal training and Thai Yoga Massage. She has also taught her specially designed yoga and fitness classes in 13 different countries.

Hilery likes to help her clients make small changes one step at a time until they become a habit. She has the capability of seeing what you are truly capable of and will hold you to that standard! You will feel your own self-confidence improve and feel deeply listened to and supported on your journey. You will be amazed at a what a difference small changes make and feel a personal transformation happen quicker than you could imagine!

Hilery has been going through her own battle with illness over the past five years and it has given her even more insight, empathy, and knowledge to help her clients on a much deeper level.

Book Review & Giveaway: Dear Brave Friend by Leigh Ann Gerk

sleepygirl22 Comments

Book Title:  Dear Brave Friend by Leigh Ann Gerk
Category:  Middle-Grade Non-Fiction (8 to 12) ,  49 pages
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher:  Golden Harvest Publishers
Release date:   August 2019
Content Rating:  This non-fiction, self-help book is rated G. Appropriate for all audiences

This gentle and heartwarming story captures the love between a boy and his dog, and the sadness that follows after his cherished dog passes away. Written in the form of a letter from the dog to the boy, the letter shares relatable, real life examples of how the boy (and therefore anybody who has lost a dear pet) may be feeling and suggestions on what he can do to help himself get through this most difficult time. The letter also touches on simple acts of kindness that can follow the reader throughout his or her lifetime. The message in this story is applicable to young and old, girl or boy, and to any family pet that has stolen your heart. Story starters, drawing pages, and a place to add pictures of your own beloved pet are also included in the back of the book.


Buy the Book:
Amazon.com
Add to Goodreads

My Review

Dear Brave Friend is written for middle grade readers to help them deal with the loss of a pet. It shares all of the stages of grief and explains that these feelings are okay. It’s beautifully illustrated and is a great book for anyone of any age who is dealing with losing their pet.

At the end of the book are pages to draw pictures, prompts for writing to your pet, and places to put pictures of your pet with an area to explain the picture. These encourage the reader to deal with their grief by writing about their pet. The book also encourages talking to someone about their feelings.

I definitely recommend Dear Brave Friend for anyone who is grieving the loss of a beloved pet.

About the Author

Leigh Ann Gerk MA, LPC has been in the counseling field for over eleven years. She is certified in Pet Loss & Grief Companioning and the founder and owner of Mourning to Light Pet Loss providing individual and family counseling for anyone grieving the loss of a pet. She currently offers 3 free pet loss support groups in Northern Colorado and is excited to branch out and offer more. Having grown up on a farm, Leigh Ann’s childhood playmates included baby calves, horses, bunnies, dogs, and 32 cats that set up house in a boxcar that also served as her playhouse. This upbringing introduced her, at a very young age, to the human-animal bond and instilled in her a deep understanding of, and love for, this extraordinary relationship. Leigh Ann and her husband, Andy, live in Loveland, Colorado, and are the proud parents of identical twin daughters, Heather and Heidi. Their family is made complete by their first grandchild and their cherished therapy dog, Gracie. Visit Leigh Ann online at MourningToLightPetLoss.com.

connect with the author:  website  ~  facebook  ~  goodreads

Giveaway

Rafflecopter

Follow the Tour

Jan 18 – Nighttime Reading Center – book review / giveaway
Jan 19 –Book World Reviews – book review / author interview
Jan 19 –Laura’s Interests – book review / guest post / giveaway
Jan 20 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Jan 20 –Carpinello’s Writing Pages – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jan 21 –Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post/ giveaway
Jan 22 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Jan 25 – I’d Rather Be At The Beach – book review / giveaway
Jan 26 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 26 – The Momma Spot – book review
Jan 27 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Jan 27  – Reading Authors Network – book review / giveaway
Jan 28 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Jan 29 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 1 –Books, Tea, Healthy Me – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 1 – Welcome To MLM Opinion’s Reviews  – book review
Feb 2 – Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 2 – Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway
Feb 2 – Lisa’s Reading – book review / giveaway
Feb 3 – Adventures of a Traveler’s Wife – book review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 3 – Pick a Good Book – book review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 4 – Pawesome Wisdom – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 4 – I’m Into Books – book review / giveaway
Feb 4 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 5 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 5 – The Pen and Muse Book Reviews  – book review / giveaway
Feb 5 – Because I said so and other adventures in Parenting – book review / giveaway

Book Review & Giveaway: Artt of the Black Card by Anthony Ryan Sadana

sleepygirl23 Comments

Artt of the Black Card: No Bullsh*t Guide to Business by Anthony Ryan Sadana

Publisher:  Artt Press (January,  2020)
Category: Self-help, Motivational, Entrepreneurship, LBGTQ, Business, Memoir, & Non-Fiction

ISBN: 978-1734311006
Available in Print and ebook, 140 pages

“The Artt of the Black Card” is a fresh, concise, irreverent instruction manual on how to succeed as an entrepreneur based on the author’s own original insights and his risk-taking record as a businessman and innovator. This is not a cookie-cutter business book filled with tired advice and worn-out clichés. “The Artt of the Black Card” is a contrarian guidebook for a new generation of business owners and leaders — anyone with the smarts, guts and passion for making money. You don’t need an MBA to get rich, and “The Artt of the Black Card” proves it.

Employing nine vital work/life lessons using the exclusive and legendary American Express Black Card, aka the Centurion Card as a framework, author and serial entrepreneur Anthony Ryan Sadana explains how to make money while the world around you is going to hell  and emerge stronger than ever. It’s the perfect antidote to today’s extraordinary challenges.

Amazon
Barnes&Noble
IndieBound

Guest Review by Sage Nor

‘The Artt of the Black Card: No Bullsh*t Guide to Business’ by Anthony Ryan Sadana is a financial guidebook like no other. Sadana’s straightforward talk and decisive writing style taught me more about business in the span of a couple of chapters than similar books that I have read managed to do overall.

Sadana is an entrepreneur who talks about getting his start in the business world by selling microwave dinners to his friends in boarding school as a kid. With such business savvy at such a young age, it’s no wonder that Sadana would later go on to experience the success that he has in life.

One of my favorite messages in the book comes pretty early on, in the first chapter when he talks about never brushing off anyone that you meet. Never assuming that someone is worthless to you as a contact just because they don’t seem to be connected on their own. There is a lot of great advice in this book and I really appreciated how Sadana made it relevant to today’s market. He gives advice about using things like Craigslist and Facebook in a way that a lot of older financial advice books obviously don’t.

Of course, like anyone, Sadana has made his fair share of bad deals and he devotes time in this book to talking about them, and what he learned from them in a candid way. He claims that he has learned more from losing money than by making money, a feeling I’m sure most of us can identify with.

Overall, this book was informative, witty and easy to understand. I read through it quickly and was left with a sense that I had really learned something from it, which I can always appreciate from a self-help book. Definitely not one to miss! I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I received the e-book for my honest opinion.

Other Praise for the book

“Irreverent, honest, and right on the money. Powerful business insights from a man who’s seen itall. If you want to make a lot of money on your own terms, this is the book for you.”– Robert F. Burris, Film/TV Producer

“Incredible book; every person looking to be successful in business needs to read this book. The story is engaging and educational. Not a long read, perfect for reading on a plane or train ride. You will ask yourself why you have not followed this advice before. Cannot say enough about this book; read it as soon as you can.”– Julio Garcia, MD

“Anthony Ryan Sadana has no difficulty speaking his mind in The Art of the Black Card. And he has no filter on his voice or words, which perhaps describes “the no-BS guide to business” that serves as subtitle.
His message is positive. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and fail. It happens to the best of us. When hardships occur, as they inevitably will, be prepared to lift yourself off the ground and get back in the game. No excuses allowed. Learn from the experience and work harder (and smarter) next time.
Sadana’s experiences bring to mind a couple of lines from the Van Halen song, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love – “I been to the edge, an’ there I stood an’ looked down, you know I lost a lot of friends there, baby, I got no time to mess around.”
The author’s answer to everything is to outwork the competition, to pivot when necessary to find new sources of income. There is a confidence to his voice that some may mistake for arrogance. Whatever you call it, he has discovered ways to channel that trait and his own savvy to become a successful entrepreneur who has overcome multiple setbacks, one of which left him flat broke and millions in debt. Several of his lessons, his roller-coaster life and his willingness to lay it all on the line make this a fascinating and worthwhile read.”-Brian Rouff, Imagine Communications and Author

“Authentic, to-the-point, easy to read because of its anecdotal style. Sometimes funny, sometimes controversial, sometimes preachy, sometimes arrogant. Not for the easily offended. Has some very honest truths and good points about how the business world really works.”-Christina, Amazon

About the Author

At the tender age of 23, Anthony Ryan Sadana received an exclusive invitation to apply for the fabled no-limit American Express Black Card, which represented, in his mind, “the pinnacle of my financial success and the ultimate recognition for measuring any sort of achievement against your peers.”

A scant two years later, he found himself flat broke and millions of dollars in debt. Today, this entrepreneur, innovator, author and influencer enjoys a multi-faceted, successful career on a global scale in a wide range of businesses. He’s run retail operations, consults for large and small companies, owns his own real estate investment organization, and is involved in a series of high-ly profitable online ventures.

Sadana’s hard-won knowledge and insights, applied properly and with the right amount of motivation, will help budding entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike create their own success stories.

Sadana currently lives in Las Vegas with his faithful sheltie, Lucky.

Website: https://www.arttonline.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arttonline
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Arttonline
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arttonline/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNrusVnZ10I1e-I7uZMK7CA?view_as=subscriber

Giveaway

This giveaway is for 1 print copy for 3 winners and is open to Canada and the U.S. only. This giveaway ends November 14, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Follow the Tour

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Sept 29 Kickoff & Interview

Andy K. Amazon Sept 30 Review

Infantina Periodical Gazette Oct 5 Review & Excerpt

Tricia Amazon Oct 13 Review

Katy Goodreads Oct 16 Review

Sage Nor Bound 4 Escape Oct 19 Guest Review

Nora S. eBook Addicts Oct 22 Guest Review & Excerpt

GudReader Goodreads Oct 26 Review

Mark S.Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Oct 27 Review

Lisa Lisa’s Writopia Oct 28 Review

Lisa Lisa’s Writopia Oct 29 Guest Post

Becky W. Amazon Oct 30 Review

Sol A. Celticlady’s Reviews Nov 2 Guest Review

Betty Toot’s Book Reviews Nov 9 Review & Interview

Miller Amazon Nov 10 Review

Linda Lu Goodreads Nov 12 Review

Bee Book Pleasures Nov 13 Review

Book Review: Seducing Excel by Sofia Santiago, MBA

sleepygirl2

This book is a compilation of tricks and time-saving techniques that will impress even the most advanced users. Take your game to the next level by reading it cover to cover, or use it as a reference.

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I got this book several years ago from the author and hadn’t realized that I never reviewed it! I use it as a reference often when I’m using Excel. It has a lot of “quickies” that making using it easier. There are a lot of tools in Excel that I don’t have time to look for and sometimes know I’ve used but don’t remember exactly how…that’s where Seducing Excel comes in handy.

The presentation of Seducing Excel is quirky and funny at times, I’m sure to make it more alluring for people to read. It’s so full of information, though, it isn’t really necessary. I’ve used Excel for years for my small business, and this book has saved me a lot of time with its shortcuts and different ways to do things. It’s a great reference!

I recommend reading the entire book once and then keeping it to use as a reference.

About the Author

My passion for spreadsheets dates from the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth (like in the 80s). That’s when I started teaching people cool time-saving techniques and jaw-dropping tricks. As of today, thousands of people have attended the seminars I’ve delivered to my own clients, and to the general public as a contractor for Skillpath Seminars and for Fred Pryor Seminars. I am a cybernetics engineer with an MBA in marketing, and I’m Microsoft Certified as an Excel 2010 Expert.

Book Review: Sleep Better by Greg Parry PhD

sleepygirl2

Better sleep equals better health, more energy, longer life and a major boost to your wellbeing! Wow! All that from just closing your eyes and sleeping? No. Not just any old sleep. We’re here to talk about great sleep and that’s something altogether different. One of the vital subjects that we just don’t discuss these days – it’s the importance of rest, sleep and recharging the batteries every single night.

Sleep – or the lack of sleep – affects everything we do.

So many of us just don’t get enough sleep. We wake up like zombies and struggle through the day, drinking coffee and energy drinks to pep ourselves up, sleep-walking through the day and dreaming of one day getting some decent rest. It isn’t our fault. We live in a high pressure world with constant stress and pressure. And nobody gives lessons on how to sleep well. We just assume that it’s something that either happens. Or it doesn’t. Maybe it’s luck.

Maybe it isn’t because we’re here to show you exactly how to master your sleep experience and make it a normal, regular and effective part of every single day. You’ll discover how to use your sleep to become…

…..Healthier,
…..More Successful,
…..More Creative,
…..More resistant to stress.

You’ll learn how to master the simple techniques and make them a regular part of your daily routines. You’ll soon find yourself on the pathway to better sleep and a whole new experience of being wide awake and alive during the day.

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

This book interested me because I’ve been an insomniac for many years, and I’ve tried just about everything, so why not see if there are new ideas here? While the ideas aren’t new, they’re presented in a different way.

It begins with the physiology of sleep and then describes the different categories people fall into. Then there are the techniques to help improve sleep. They include having a nighttime ritual, going to bed and getting up at the same time every night, making your sleeping environment more sleep friendly, and using relaxation techniques to help you drift off to sleep. He takes the relaxation techniques one stop further and teaches ways to remember the significance of your dreams, encourage your own creativity, and more.

I haven’t tried any of this yet, but it looks encouraging, and I will try once more to change my sleep habits.

About the Author

What makes a person successful? What lifts an ambitious individual from the tide of mediocrity to the heights of excellence? These were some of the questions that drew me to the field of Corporate Psychology and Management and a lifetime of study that would eventually lead to a PhD, twelve best-selling titles and a series of close encounters with a group of truly exceptional individuals. My mission is to help and inspire people to experience the bounty of real wealth and success, whatever their chosen profession.

Those meetings, partly arranged round my research, partly round my expanding business and writing interests, led to further introductions and an elite group of entrepreneurs who had created wealth that was worth more than a billion dollars. These were real-life, self-made success stories and I was extremely fortunate to work with these people and to receive the benefits of being mentored by them.

The lessons learned in their company were simply priceless. Their knowledge and experience, their values and integrity proved to be uniquely inspirational and enabled me to apply their principles as I eventually assumed the role of mentor to individuals and corporations on three continents. The fact is we never stop learning and as we share the benefits of these insights, methods and techniques, we reinforce and integrate the meaning of these powerful messages into our own lives every single day. Because the methods work so well.