Giveaway & Review of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World

Maria Tatar ▪ Penguin Classics ▪ $16.00

On sale March 7, 2017 ▪ ISBN: 9780143111696

ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK

In preparation for the Disney live-action film, Penguin Classics is releasing a new edition of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Perhaps no fairy tale is as widely known as BEAUTY AND THE BEAST—and perhaps no fairy tale exists in as many variations. To some, it is a love story, demonstrating the transformative power of compassion; to others, it is a cautionary tale, helping sort out sexual politics, marital roles, and feelings of ostracism. Nearly every culture tells the story in one fashion or another. From Cupid and Psyche to India’s Snake Bride to South Africa’s “Story of Five Heads,” the partnering of beasts and beauties, of humans and animals in all their variety—cats, dogs, frogs, goats, lizards, bears, tortoises, monkeys, cranes, warthogs—has beguiled us for thousands of years, mapping the cultural contradictions that riddle every romantic relationship.

In this fascinating volume, preeminent fairy tale scholar Maria Tatar brings together tales from ancient times to the present and from a wide variety of cultures, highlighting the continuities and the range of themes in a fairy tale that has been used both to keep young women in their place and to encourage them to rebel, and that has entertained adults and children alike. With fresh commentary, she shows us what animals and monsters, both male and female, tell us about ourselves, and about the transformative power of empathy.

Prefacing each story with an introduction that establishes its place within culture and within the anthology, Tatar provides not only an entertaining collection but also a way to appreciate how cultures around the world have used animals in storytelling to understand those who are different or foreign or otherwise outside of their communities.

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Before reading this book I’ve never watched The Beauty And The Beast movie or read any of the versions of books that have in the past been written for children because frankly, I have never been interested in frilly dresses and love stories. So when I was offered the opportunity to review this book it was the second part of the title that caught my eye, Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World, now I am thinking to myself this is unlike anything I have read before could there be more to Beauty And The Beast than I realized? Yes, yes there was and more fascinating than I could have imagined, but I am not one to read and tell. One thing that is important to mention is this book consists of a whole compilation of tales from around the world, that are very well placed together. There is an introduction that does an ample job of explaining about the fundamentals of the tales you're about to divulge into also above each individual tale there is a brief note relative to what tale you are about to read.

This is a book about love, but not an artificial love consisting of just looks and smarts it goes deeper than that in a lot of these stories it's about respect, being kind, and in many cases putting one's self through physical hell to show one's partner their deep seeded feelings consequently it is then that true love is found. Whereas, not all fairy tales have a happy ending. For example, one of my favorite tales in this book is THE CONDOR AND THE SHEPHERDESS that originates from Bolivia.

The condor swooped down on the parrot and swallowed it whole with its big mouth. The parrot promptly came out the other end. The condor swallowed the parrot again and the parrot once again flew out from behind. The condor furious because he was not able to destroy his hated adversary, took him between his sharp claws and tore him to pieces, which he ate one by one. Yet to his great surprise, a beautiful little parrot flew out from behind for every piece he ate.

As you might have noticed from the quote above these fairy tales can be both amusing while others can be quite ghastly. Nevertheless, this is a tremendous learning experience about different cultures from around the world including showing how no matter where you live love is identical everywhere. I truly would recommend this book to everyone. I know that I will be rereading this book until it falls apart.

Maria Tatar is the John L. Loeb Professor of Folklore and Mythology and Germanic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University. She is the author of many acclaimed books, as well as the editor and translator of The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen, The Annotated Brothers Grimm, The Classic Fairy Tales: A Norton Critical Edition, The Grimm Reader, and The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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"Thank you, Penguin, for letting me give an honest review of this book"

Incense and Peppermints Book Blitz

Incense and Peppermints
Cathrina Constantine
Publication date: March 10th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Peace demonstrations, sit-ins, and burning the U.S. flag following the escalation of the Vietnam War are leading to a catalyst known to the world as the Sixties, and a musical revolution, flower power, hippies, marijuana, and drugs are carrying the generations—young and old—into a new decade. All the while sixteen-year-old Mary Monroe is caught between being an innocent good girl and an autumn of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.

When her brother offers a solution to her dilemma in the form of a little pill, Mary ignores the rumba in her brain and takes a walk on the wild side. Plunged into popularity and a life she’s only imagined, she meets Michael Covington, the hot newcomer, and she’s instantly drawn in by his less than flawless exterior and bad boy sex appeal. Caught up in the danger and excitement as they drift from party to party, into underground fight clubs, and through a series of drug and alcohol fueled adventures, Mary follows her new crush into a world where young girls are never truly safe from the predators lurking in the shadows and young men are hiding from the harsh reality of war. 

Feeling buzzed and as if her life is spinning out of control, Mary is assaulted by an unknown man at a party, and she’s left questioning if the enigmatic Michael is truly her hero or if he is the face behind the terrible attack. With every piece of information Mary learns about Michael, her doubts grow deeper, but with every minute she spends in his presence, so does her love.

With the war and her fear threatening to separate Mary and Michael forever, only the death of a friend, a crushing confession, and her own sensibilities can carry her over the threshold between adolescence and adulthood.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

September 1969

The corners of my bedroom had dulled to a muddy gray by the time my brother leaned on, or rather wobbled against, my door. His glassy eyes floated in their sockets. Stoned, again.
“Whatcha doing, Sis?” Stevie, my older brother slurred.
My gaze slipped over his pasty chest, sprinkled with wiry hair, and past his jockeys to his stick-like legs. Did he realize he was only wearing saggy underwear? Normally, I’d say gross and mock him, but only because he normally treated me like a speck of toe scum.
“Nothing much.” I slipped my diary into my sock drawer, away from prying eyes. Our parents weren’t home, and our little sister was asleep in her crib on the other side of my room.
“You need to grow up,” he said. “Here, it’s party time.” Pinched between his thumb and finger, he revealed an ordinary aspirin as if he’d procured the magic solution.
“Uh… I don’t have a headache.”
“Hey, turd. It’s not an aspirin. Stop the nerd act and get with the program. Grow up.”
Our sibling behavior toppled into the belittling and ridiculing stage. Though I figured it was his way of helping me. Yet, staring at the pill, I was interested, but a hootenanny of cymbals clashed inside my head and my sensible side screamed.
You’ll puke! I hate puking. Wasn’t it only last week Stevie was tripping and heaving guts like a water hose?
Shaking my head, I declined his kind and strange offer and tried using simple logic to get rid of him. “Not tonight. Mom and Dad will be home any minute. Go to bed. It’s late.”
“They’ll be so-o plastered. I can’t stand them like that.” Dejected, his shoulders slouched, and his body seemed to deflate. Until he tossed the pill, saying, “Catch.”

Author Bio:
Cathrina Constantine is the Best Selling author of Don’t Forget To Breathe. Her book won Readers’ Favorite International Book Award for 2015 and The Literary Classics Seal of Approval and Literary Classics Gold Award. Her Paranormal Fantasy, Wickedly They Come has been awarded the 5 Star Seal from Reader’s Favorite. Tallas from her dystopian series received Literary Classics Silver Award and Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
Cathrina resides in Western New York with her husband, five children, two Labrador Retrievers and her cat, Bones. Author @chbbpublishing. Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly. When not attached to her computer, she likes to take long walks in the woods with her dogs, drink way too much coffee, and is an avid movie watcher. She loves music and doesn’t need a dance floor to shake a leg.

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GIVEAWAY!

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ABBY'S JOURNEY REVIEW

Abby's Journey

Published February 14th, 2017 by Lake Union Publishing

Paperback, 238 pages

This is the follow-up book to Steena Holmes Saving Abby. Here is the link to read my review on Saving Abby.

Twenty-year-old Abigail Turner has only known her mother, Claire—who died shortly after she was born—through letters, videos, postcards, and journals. Abby’s father, Josh, has raised his precious daughter himself, but his overprotectiveness has become stifling. Abby longs to forge out on her own and see the world after a childhood trapped indoors: she suffers from bronchopulmonary dysplasia, which means a case of the sniffles can rapidly escalate into life-threatening pneumonia.

But when Abby’s doctor declares her healthy—for now—her grandmother Millie whisks her away to Europe to visit the Christmas markets that her mother cherished and chronicled in her travel journals. Despite her father’s objections, Abby and Millie embark on a journey of discovery in which Abby will learn secrets that force her to reevaluate her image of her mother and come to a more mature understanding of a parent-child bond that transcends death.

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*Spoiler Alert*

While reading Abby’s Journey you can not imagine my disappoint regarding how ineptly written this sequel is compared to the initial novel which was an enjoyable read. For everything the first book possessed which, you can read about in my blog posting, this novel predominantly lacked. Consequently, the plot basically was a flop devoid of the ability to retain the reader's (me) zeal towards the story. So what scads of things have transpired since Claire lost her fight with cancer twenty years ago? Not much of anything.

Let me explain in better detail why I felt so let down. Abby, written as an immature 20-year-old if no age was written I would have assumed she was in her early teens. Children who are born with life long illnesses are usually more evolved than their age group. Therefore, besides her goal of going on her trip to Europe 🏰 does she have any other intentions for her life? Whereas, Josh's life basically became extinct with his only goal consisting of hovering over Abby. I feel bad giving only negative opinions regarding the book so far. Occasionally, positive traits did occur in the plot. For instance, Abby retraced her mother's steps while in Europe 🏰, therefore, gaining a deeper insight into her mother's life. This is a quick read and please do not let me deter any other individuals from reading this novel. Nonetheless, it is possible my expectations were too high since in the first book Claire and Josh were more evolved characters including a more developed plot. Is this the final book with Abby and her father Josh living out their days together or will she become self-reliant in book three?

Steena Holmes grew up in a small town in Canada and holds a Bachelor's degree in Theology.

In 2012 she received the Indie Excellence Award. Holmes was inspired to write Finding Emma after experiencing a brief moment of horror when she’d thought her youngest daughter was missing.

She currently lives in Calgary with her husband and three daughters and loves to wake up to the Rocky Mountains each morning.

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Steena Holmes’ TLC Book TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, February 14th: Book Mama

Wednesday, February 15th: Just Commonly

Thursday, February 16th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, February 20th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, February 22nd: Suzy Approved

Monday, February 27th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Wednesday, March 1st: Girl Who Reads

Thursday, March 2nd: I Brought a Book

Friday, March 3rd: Not in Jersey

Monday, March 6th: Book Dilettante

Wednesday, March 8th: Chick Lit Central – author guest post

Thursday, March 9th: Readaholic Zone

Friday, March 10th: Stranded in Chaos

Monday, March 13th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Tuesday, March 14th: Bibliotica

Wednesday, March 15th: Books a la Mode – author guest post

Thursday, March 16th: An Accidental Blog

Friday, March 24th: Mom’s Small Victories

SPRING FEVER GIVEAWAY

Welcome to the Spring Fever Giveaway Party!

A dozen authors over at YA Author Rendezvous have put an awesome giveaway together – with over TWENTY chances to win!

One grand-prize winner will walk away with a signed, first edition hardback of Witch and Wizard which just so happens to be written by one of the biggest names in fiction – JAMES PATTERSON! On top of that, they get a $100 amazon gift-card!

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REVIEW of Laura Lippman's Novel WILDE LAKE

Wilde Lake

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (February 14, 2017)

An African-American man accused of rape by a humiliated girl.  A vengeful father.  A courageous attorney.  A worshipful daughter.  Think you know this story?  Think again.

Laura Lippman, the “extravagantly gifted” (Chicago Tribune) New York Times bestselling author, delivers “one of her best novels ” (Washington Post)—a modern twist on To Kill a Mockingbird. Scott Turow writes in the New York Times, “Wilde Lake is a real success.”

Luisa “Lu” Brant is the newly elected state’s attorney representing suburban Maryland—including the famous planned community of Columbia, created to be a utopia of racial and economic equality. Prosecuting a controversial case involving a disturbed drifter accused of beating a woman to death, the fiercely ambitious Lu is determined to avoid the traps that have destroyed other competitive, successful women. She’s going to play it smart to win this case—and win big—cementing her political future.

As she plunges deeper into the past, Lu is forced to face a troubling reality. The legal system, the bedrock of her entire life, does not have all the answers. But what happens when she realizes that, for the first time, she doesn’t want to know the whole truth?

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This being the first Laura Lippman novel that I read, it impressed me how she is able to interweave multiple complex plot lines with it all cohering at the book's conclusion. Along with the book's mysterious nature, the story focuses upon the Brant family's secrets, including Columbia community members playing crucial roles within. Therefore, this tale is not only told from the viewpoint of Lu Brant yet also weaves between Lu’s childhood to today as she follows in her father's footsteps as state’s attorney of Howard County, Maryland. Unlike any other book I have read before two different fonts are used, one for the present and a different one used for the past. I do not know the names of the fonts, but it definitely catches the eye.

As the song reached it’s climax, a scrim depicting the Tree of Life fell...My father, in his seat next to me, allowed himself a quiet snort, which he masked with his handkerchief as if it were a sneeze.
“Wasn’t that great? Didn’t you love it?” I asked my father.
“I can’t help thinking of another tree of people, another song,” he said
“A much darker song, but a truer one, called ‘Strange Fruit*.’ I guess I’m just an old grouch.” My father squeezed my shoulder.

Masterfully written beyond a doubt in my eyes nevertheless at times it could be slightly complex. Occasionally, due to the plot containing a slew of characters and numerous twist and turns, confusion is a meager obstacle. Whereas, various in-depth subjects that are pertinent in our society take front and center, for example, rape, bigotry, psychiatric illness, including much more. As a reviewer, I try my hardest not to give away much of the story. One last thing, this is a mystery NOT a thriller. Therefore, that's all folks!

★★★★☆

Since Laura Lippman’s debut, she has won multiple awards and critical acclaim for provocative, timely crime novels set in her beloved hometown of Baltimore. Laura has been nominated for more than 50 awards for crime fiction and won almost 20, including the Edgar. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages. Now a perennial New York Times bestselling author, she lives in Baltimore and New Orleans with her family.

Connect with Laura on her website, Facebook,  or Twitter

*Song mentioned above

⏰⏰⏰TOUR SCHEDULE

Tuesday, February 21st: The many thoughts of a reader

Wednesday, February 22nd: 5 Minutes For Books

Thursday, February 23rd: Joyfully Retired

Monday, February 27th: Readaholic Zone

Tuesday, February 28th: Books and Bindings

Wednesday, March 1st: Booked on a Feeling

Thursday, March 2nd: Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Friday, March 3rd: Stephany Writes

Monday, March 6th: Fictionophile

Tuesday, March 7th: Tina Says…

Wednesday, March 8th: Book by Book

Wednesday, March 8th: Thoughts On This ‘n That

Thursday, March 9th: Helen’s Book Blog

Friday, March 10th: Chaos is a Friend of Mine

The Mermaids of Lake Michigan Review & GIVEAWAY

The Mermaids of Lake Michigan

by Suzanne Kamata

Publication: February 14th, 2017 by Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing

Paperback, 176 pages

Elise Faulkner is more at home in the waters of her beloved Lake Michigan than on land where her beauty queen mom is always on her back about her lack of a social life; her sister is dating the boy of her dreams; her favorite pen pal--the one who wrote about mermaids in Ghana--has gotten married and ended their correspondence; and no one's allowed to talk about her glamorous great-grandmother, the deep-sea wreck diver. Elise is biding her time with books until she can flee. But then crazy Chiara Hanover pops into her life, as does Miguel, a mysterious carnival worker whose dark future has been predicted by a gypsy.

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This book is placed in the genre new adult fiction that is a newer genre of fiction with protagonists in the 18–30 age bracket which does not fit this book since the protagonist at the end might have reached 18. Consequently, it's more suitable for the young adult genre. The author does not convey to the reader when in time the story takes place or the protagonist's actual age. Nevertheless, it is after indoor plumbing, but before cell phones, my guess is the 70’s and/or the 80’s. I must admit I am a bit biased since most of it takes place in MI where I am from which is such a beautiful state. I took my time pulling on the fishnet stocking, scenting my wrists with Chanel No. 5 borrowed from mom’s vanity, shimmying into my dress. Chiara sat on the bed smoking a cigarette and tapping her foot. I only half-listened as she rattled off a list of places to visit. I was trying to imagine myself into a new persona - a city girl with sass, a Midwestern Dorothy Parker. The story is short, making it a quick read also the plot contains a pleasant flow. It is an interesting coming of age tale, learning life is not always as it seems to find out the individuals closest to you buried hurtful secrets and there is no such thing as a fairy tale ending. Furthermore, Elise seemed to me a strong willed girl who perseveres for what she desires never thinking of the consequences. Therefore, putting herself in difficult situations she glides right through the tough times such as how effortless it was for her to find the “Gypsy”. Occasionally, elements of the plot were left incomplete, leaving the reader to wonder what became of the situation. Anyhow, if you’re looking for a unique quick read grab a copy of THE MERMAIDS OF MICHIGAN I bet you will think it is groovy as I did.

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THE PIPER'S PRICE BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY

The Piper’s Price
Audrey Greathouse
(The Neverland Wars #2)
Published by: Clean Reads Publishing
Publication date: February 21st, 2017
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper.
Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she’s nearly home and meeting with Jay again.

The Piper isn’t the only one hiding from the adults’ war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she’ll have to confront one of Peter’s oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

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—

EXCERPT:

They found the forest’s hiking trail moments before breaking the tree line. “Where are we going, Peter?” He was heading toward a mobile home community next to the state park.
He continued to walk with confidence. His usual cocky stride looked surprisingly like the swagger of an ordinary teenage boy. “My friend lives here. Don’t worry. Don’t look like such a stranger here.”

She didn’t want to appear conspicuous, but Gwen was too baffled to help it. The unkempt lawns were boxed in by chain-link fences covered in varying degrees of rust. They passed a lawn littered with bicycles; on the other side of the gravel street, two different cars were parked on the lawn, clearly non-functional. Satellite dishes were on every trailer home. Despite all being painted differently, the track housing still managed to present a uniformity of depressing color.

Multiple houses had motorcycles out front or a dog milling around their yard. When she and Peter passed a pack of Rottweilers, the dogs ran up to the fence and began snarling until all the other dogs in the neighborhood were barking too. “Ignore it,” Peter advised her.

She was scared. This was not the sort of place she ever expected to visit with Peter. She didn’t trust his ability to protect her here. This wasn’t his world, but it wasn’t hers either. They were both out of their element. Peter just didn’t have the sense to realize it.

Winding down the gravel road, Gwen matched Peter’s pace almost step for step. They approached a blue-and-grey house. Like the others, it had wooden latticework around the bottom to help obscure the fact it didn’t have a foundation in the ground. The square house reminded Gwen of how she would take shoeboxes and try to turn them into homes for her dolls by decorating them. It was hard to fathom that she was walking up the plastic steps of the porch to knock on the door.

She waited, feeling her heartbeat in her throat, her toes, and everywhere besides her chest. Even the predictable noise of the door opening startled her.

A woman with a long, black braid and beige cardigan stood in the doorway. Gwen looked up at her, and then watched as the sharp features of her dark face dissolved into unadulterated shock.
“Peter?”

The startled woman ushered them in. She was just as uncomfortable with their presence in the trailer park as Gwen. Once inside, they stood in a living room full of old furniture, facing a kitchen with old electric appliances. There was no unity or romance to the orange recliner, chipped mixing bowl, off-white blender, dull toaster, and sunken couch. It was a bunch of old stuff that looked like it represented several decades of objects abandoned at Goodwill. The chingadera and bric-a-brac wasn’t any more cohesive: porcelain angles, an antique pot, a vase full of bird feathers, and a stopped clock made the place confusing and strange in the same way her grandmother’s house had been.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed, pulling her cardigan close and tossing her thick braid over her shoulder and out of her way. She had a shapeless housedress underneath the beige sweater, and a pair of black leggings insulating her legs as she stomped around, heavy-footed in her leather slippers.

She looked comfortable, except for the unexpected guests who were putting her so ill at ease. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I need your help,” Peter said.

“They’re still keeping tabs on me.”

“That’s why I came in disguise.”

“You’re being irresponsible. You’re jeopardizing us both, and Neverland to boot.”

“I took all the right precautions. This is important.” Hollyhock and Foxglove wrestled their way out of the pixie purse and came twinkling out now that they knew they were safely inside.

“You brought fairies here?” she exclaimed. She leaned down and grabbed a hold of his arm, forcing him to look her dead in her dark eyes. Gwen wanted to leave. This wasn’t a friend, not anymore. This was a grown-up, and unlike Antoine the aviator, she was not amused with Peter’s wartime antics.

“What happens if they figure it out and come to question me?”
Peter scoffed. “You won’t tell them.”

“What if they threaten to arrest me? They could put me away forever until I told them what they needed to know, and nobody here would stop them.”

Peter broke free of her hold with ease; she wasn’t actually trying to restrain him. “Preposterous,” he declared. “If they did that, you would sit, stone-faced and silent in your cell until they all died.”

“What if they beat me?”

“You’d take the blows as though you were made of rock, and you would not speak.” Peter seemed to disregard the question.

“What if they tortured me and stuck blades under my nails?” she demanded.

“Then you would not even scream, but stay silent as a stone!” Peter insisted, hopping up onto a wooden kitchen chair at her dining table, looking down at the woman.

“What if they bring knives and cut off my fingers, one at a time, until I told them how to find you?”

Peter yelled right back, “Then you would steal their knives and scalp them all like the redskin princess you are!”

Her anger slunk off her face and out of her shoulders. She shook her head, frowning as a sad laugh escaped her. She clung to her sweater, blinking back tears, until, at last, she flung her arms around Peter. Still on the chair, he had to bend down to return the embrace.

“Oh, Peter,” she muttered, unaware of the tears slipping off her smiling face. “Oh, Peter.”

“It’s good to see you, Tiger Lily.”

Author Bio:
Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com.

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