Small Business Saturday

In honor of Small Business Saturday, I thought I'd run a special on all ad space! Below post ads are booked for awhile, but take $1 off sidebar post options--TODAY ONLY!

I hope you've enjoyed some quality time with your friends and family for Thanksgiving and now you're busying yourself with shopping for all the folks on your Christmas list. I was so happy to wake up to a well-lit house. Christmas trees everywhere! Anyone else having trouble keeping the baby from pulling all of them down? Or is that just me?

We'll chat soon!

XOXO

Ethereal Underground *Giveaway

(I was given the opportunity to review and giveaway a copy of Ethereal Underground. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.)

My pal from my TTU days wrote a book and asked me to review it here. I jumped at the chance! I knew she wrote a lot, but I never had a chance to read anything by her until now. I also knew she was into fantasy, futuristic, and romance type stories all rolled into one, but let's face it....I think I'm a fantasy gal, too. I never imagined being drawn to those types of books, but I find myself interested in them more and more lately. Ethereal Underground, written by Brooke Kennedy and Briana Gaitan, is the story of Ash and Annalise, two beings who were never supposed to meet. They remained on separate planes of existence until, that is, Anna was sent to reap Ash's soul. Instead, she found herself using her ancient powers of healing. She couldn't explain why she did it, but she knew she landed herself in a whole world of trouble for doing so.

The book cover description reads:

Can the person who was sent to steal your soul, be the same person who steals your heart?
The keepers are protectors of the planet Cabalin, charged with defeating identified enemies and preventing other planets from waging war on their dying planet. They are expected to keep their emotions in check and do as they are told no matter what the consequences. One of their rising warriors, however, has been placed on sabbatical for reasons unknown to those around him. Rebellious, impulsive, and moody, Ash has continued to break the rules by frequenting the Ethereal Underground, the seedy hang out in the eighth layer of the planet. Ash has always believed in the keeper’s cause, but his taste for adventure always seems to get him in trouble.
The seraphs live on a different plane of existence. They watch over the mortals and reap their souls when it is time for them to depart to the afterlife, but do not associate with the beings otherwise. They are duty bound and loyal creatures, each of them having an affinity for a force of nature that they can use when needed. When a seraph breaks the rules, they are banished and stripped of their affinity. These evil creatures are named the fallen. Annalise, a reaper seraph blessed with an affinity for water, has always followed the rules until she is called to reap Ash’s soul and take it to the afterlife. This time, however, she finds it difficult to take the soul.
Their worlds were never supposed to meet. Now everyone’s future is in jeopardy, their lives turned upside down as they find themselves on the run from the very people they thought they could count on. The two of them must search for a way to clear their names and hunt down the evil forces of the fallen, without losing themselves or those they hold dearest. This epic fantasy will take you on an exhilarating quest for love, truth, and revenge.

What I Thought:

Honestly, I didn't think this was going to be up my alley. I thought it would take me awhile to get through it. Once I started it however, I couldn't put it down. It's lengthy but not overly detailed. Sometimes I feel bogged down when authors present a lot of new information at once and I find myself trying to keep up with the world they've created. I'm typically reading for pleasure so if I have to go back several times to understand how the fictitious world works, I get annoyed. I didn't feel like that at all while reading Ethereal Underground. That's the sign of a good writer- when fantasy is flowing and interesting. I read their book in under a week which was pretty quickly since I have two babes who take up the majority of my time. I really really liked it. I had this odd mixture of jealousy and pride in my friend who is a published author of a book (a book!). I just want to finish one at some point in my life. Anyway, I'm a big fan of this book...and not just because I know one of the women who wrote it. I really hope you'll check it out. Perhaps it would be a good Christmas gift for the fantasy reader in your life! 

Kennedy and Gaitan have been writing together for ten years! I think that's pretty cool, but I can't imagine how that would work. You can read more about how they did it here.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Now I'm off to read The Fault in Our Stars. Review to come.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The New 2013 Dodge Dart

(Today's post is a guest post that you won't want to miss if you're in the market for a new car. As you may know, I just bought a new car recently and I just finished setting up car seat number two in preparation for baby. I can't believe it's getting so close to my due date. Hip, hip, hooray!)

Chrysler has hit it big with the 2013 Dodge Dart. It is turning heads with its new Italian-American design, amazing gas mileage, and low starting price. Chrysler has truly created a vehicle that allows drivers to sport a car that is easy on the eyes, help the environment by releasing less carbon dioxide emissions through less gasoline usage, and not break the bank in the process. The new 2013 Dodge Dart is where it's at for sports car enthusiasts with earth-friendly minds, and Lou Fusz Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership in O'Fallon, Missouri has them ready to drive off the lot.
The Dart comes in four different models: the Dart SE, Dart SXT, Dart Rallye, and Dart Limited. Each model has something for everyone and will not disappoint you.
Dart SE
Staring at only $15,995, the SE is equipped with a 2.0-Liter I4 DOHC Engine and 6-Speed Manual Transmission. It gets an EPA estimated gas mileage of 25 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway. It also comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels.
Dart SXT
Starting at $17,995, the SXT is also equipped with a 2.0-Liter I4 DOHC Engine and 6-Speed Manual Transmission. It also gets an EPA estimated gas mileage of 25 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway. The SXT comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels.
Dart Rallye 
Starting at $18,995, the Rallye is also equipped with a 2.0-Liter I4 DOHC Engine and 6-Speed Manual Transmission, but it adds a 140-Amp alternator. The Rallye also gets an EPA estimated gas mileage of 25 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway, and it comes standard with 17-inch aluminum wheels.
Dart Limited 
Starting at $19,995, the Limited is also equipped with a 2.0-Liter I4 DOHC Engine, 6-Speed Manual Transmission, and 140-Amp alternator. It also gets an EPA estimated gas mileage of 25 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway. The Limited also comes standard with 17-inch aluminum wheels.
All four models are available in 12 different body paint colors: Blue Streak, Bright Silver, Bright White, Citrus Peel, Header Orange, Laguna Blue, Maximum Steel, Pitch Black, Redline Red 2 Coat Pearl, True Blue, Tungsten Metallic, and Winter Chill. The accents, cross-hair grille, projector headlamps, and foglamps are glossy piano black, giving the Dart an aggressive appearance. The Dart also sports dual integrated exhaust pipes with bright tips.
The Dart offers an interior spaciousness more like a midsize sedan, not a sports car. It is also at the top of its class in safety and security features. Its Uconnect 8.4-inch is a technological hub, offering AM/FM/CD/MP3 and SiriusXM Radio+, weather, gas prices, movie listings, sports, and news, that can be easily accessed through steering wheel-mounted controls and voice command. The Dart also offers the Uconnect Web+ option that creates a wireless internet connection right inside your vehicle, giving you instant access to your email and music within a 150 ft radius. The Dodge Dart Alpine sound system provides nine speakers and one subwoofer, and USB and auxiliary ports allow drivers to plug in pretty much any device than can think of to play music directly from their stereo.
The 2013 Dodge Dart is definitely the car to check out in the realm of earth-friendly cars, and Lou Fusz Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership in O'Fallon, Missouri is the place to do just that. Call them at (877) 348-8310 for more information.

(This is a sponsored guest post.)

Big Tennessee Cats

Part of the beauty of East Tennessee (where I grew up) is the awesome river and lake culture that has evolved in the small towns. If you're lucky, weekends are spent boating, lounging on the lake, and fishing. Tennessee is the place where I started out fishing and grew to love it. But there's one thing I certainly never attempted...

Hillbilly Handfishin'!

I'm sure some of you already know what I'm referring to, but of course there will be a handful of you that have no idea what I'm talking about. Allow me to enlighten you-

Also called "noodling" and/or "grabbling", hillbilly handfishing is the practice of catching catfish with one's hands. As you can imagine, it probably takes quite some nerve to do. Fisherman must reach under rocks, into holes, and other spots where the creatures may be found. Some wear gloves, some don't. But most people who fish with Big TN Cats come out with a pretty good story!

Earlier this week, Bo Williams from WATE 6 News (Knoxville) went out with the guys to see if he could catch a winner. The show, 6 Around Town features handfishing and other extreme sports. Be sure to tune in on Saturday night at 7pm to see what they pulled out.

Want to know more? Check out their website or Like Big Tennessee Catfish on Facebook!

Me? I think I'll watch from afar. I'm not hardcore enough for that kind of fishing yet! If you're in the East Tennessee area and have always wanted to give grabbling a try, I recommend Big TN Cats- they're good people. And if you're planning a trip to Tennessee, check the noodling season and look them up.

Happy Fishin' y'all!

~Mrs. K

Thirty One Sponsor Post

Happy May, my friends! Some exciting things are happening this month that I can't wait to tell you about, but you'll have to give me a few more days. Forgive me for the vagueness. Meanwhile, this has been cracking me up for a few days now:

Anyway, I've got some great sponsors this month that I look forward to introducing you to. Would you like to sponsor Mrs. K and Captain J? It's not too late. Blog button swaps are FREE this month! If you're looking to further your business by advertising, I'd be happy to help. Go here for more information about my reach and prices or email me at MrsKandCaptainJ[at]hotmail[dot]com.

My first sponsor I'd like to introduce you to is a Thirty One consultant:

Have you looked at the new catalog? Love! I'd be in Heaven if I had a craft room full of personalized organizational tools like this one (well, AND time to spend in it!) Isn't this fantastic?

Thirty One also introduced a new spirit line where you can design a bag to take along to your favorite sports games so go pick out your favorite. Miss Meaghan also asked me to share the big deal that she has going on right now:

Spend $31 and you can get an all in one organizer for only $5!

Sweet!

Go check her out and tell her Mrs. K sent ya!

Again, Happy May to you and thanks always for reading.

Love,

Mrs. K