Free and discounted books

The Bookmarked Bargains sales event is going to be unbelievable! 

Not only can you win a free Kindle you can find free and discounted books

 from some of your favorite authors. Here's a list of who's participating:

Andrea Pearson

Anna del C. Dye

Cami Checketts

Cheri Schmidt

Christine Kersey

Christy Dorrity

Cindy Hogan

Heather Justesen

Ilyan Lavanway

Jaleta Clegg

Jason Morgan

Jordan McCollum

Joyce DiPastena

Julie Bellon

Karey White

Maria Hoagland

Michelle Pennington

Mikey Brooks

Monique Bucheger

Rachael Andersen

Rachel Branton

Rachel Nunes

Rebecca Shelley

Rebecca Talley

Sandra Norton Flynn

Stephanie Fowers

Tamara Heiner

Teyla Branton

 Vickie Hall  

The deals run Wednesday, October 16th through Friday, October 18th. 

Click here to enter the Kindle drawing and find fabulous discounted books. Thanks!

Blog This - $100 Book Blast

Blog This by Cami Checketts
 Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family? Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler’s violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him. Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children. But after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha must come out of hiding. In a race against time, Natasha must expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin shatters her world and those she loves.  

Amazon

Praise for Blog This
"From the very first chapter, Blog This grabs your gut and your heart with surprising action and touching moments. Cami Checketts blends suspense, humor, and good clean romance into a story that will stick with you." ~Daniel Coleman, Author of Gifts and Consequences
"LOVED it. LOVED it. LOVED it. Have read all of Cami’s books but Blog This is on the top of my list. Read it twice and enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it. Just when you think you know what is going to happen you’re led into a different direction. Had a hard time putting the book down and was anxious to see how it was going to end." ~Elsa Akinason  

Excerpt
Natasha sighed. “You don’t need to stay until Detective Bentley comes.” His eyebrows rose. “You want to be alone with the detective?” Natasha grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the door of the fridge. “I just don’t want Jace and Lily to wait too long.” She turned to face him, taking a sip of the cold water. Tony held her gaze with his warm stare and edged a step closer. “I wanted to make sure that you’re okay.” “I’m fine.” Natasha clutched the glass in her palm. “I can take care of myself.” Why was she lying to him? She tried to shoo him away, when she really wanted to beg him to stay until Alex was apprehended and maybe even after that. Tony set the water bottles on the counter. “Oh, I don’t doubt you can take care of yourself, but maybe it’s time to let someone else help.” He took two more steps toward her. She could smell his PS cologne. She’d given him a bottle the first year they were married and told him it was her favorite scent. The fragrance brought back tender memories she wanted to displace and plugging her nose right now might be a little awkward. Natasha raised the glass to her lips to try to block the tempting aroma and create some distance between them. Why was Tony still wearing the same brand? “What if I want to take care of you?” Tony asked. Sounds wonderful. She took a long drink, but it didn’t quench the heat in her face. Tony took the glass from her fingers and set it on the counter. “What if I want to take care of you?” he repeated quietly. He gently took hold of her palm and studied her face for the correct answer. “I think you’re too late,” Natasha whispered, studying his pressed cotton shirt to avoid his handsome face. Her hand tingled. How could he still affect her like this? Tony tilted her chin up with his free hand. “Look in my eyes and say that again.”

  

Price valid on Amazon until October 16th

 

Author Cami Checketts

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Fitness Blog

 
BookBlast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/31/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog This by Cami Checketts

Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family?
Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler’s violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him.
Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children, but after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha won’t hide any longer.
In a race against time, can Natasha expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?

Praise for Blog This
From the very first chapter, Blog This grabs your gut and your heart with surprising action and touching moments. Cami Checketts blends suspense, humor, and good clean romance into a story that will stick with you.
Daniel Coleman, Author of Gifts and Consequences

Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Have read all of Cami’s books but Blog This is on the top of my list. Read it twice and enjoyed it just as much the second time. Just when you think you know what is going to happen you’re led into a different direction. Had a hard time putting the book down and was anxious to see how it was going to end.
Elsa Akinason

Blog This will be $2.99 during the blog tour - September 30th - October 16th. Click here to purchase or read the first few chapters.

Blog Tour Schedule

To celebrate the release of Blog This, The Broken Path is free today on Amazon. Click here to download.

Excerpt

Natasha stumbled, pain radiating from the terror coursing through her. She chased his dark outline down the stairs and into the great room. “Tony,” she yelled, flipping on the light.

Tony bolted up on the couch. Alex glanced over his shoulder at her, rolling his eyes. “Natasha, really.”

Natasha clapped her hand over her mouth. She shouldn’t have yelled. Alex would kill Tony.

Tony leaped to his feet. He grabbed a poker from the fireplace and charged at Alex. Instead of running out the back door like Natasha hoped, Alex ran towards Tony. Natasha screamed. Alex’s hand darted out, smacking Tony’s wrist. The poker flew into the air. Alex caught it, swinging the metal into Tony’s skull. Tony knocked against a side table and went down. 

“Tony,” Natasha cried out, running toward him.

Alex pulled a gun from the back of his pants and pointed it at Tony. “Stop,” he yelled at Natasha. 

She stopped.

Alex glanced down at Tony who looked barely conscious. “I’m going to ask you very nicely to keep your hands off of Natasha.”

Tony slowly rose to his knees. The side of his face was already swelling. His eyes flickered from Alex to Natasha. “Are you okay?”

Tony had a gun pointed at his head, and he was concerned about her. She tried to nod reassuringly, but her quivering chin probably gave her away. 

Alex’s face drew taut. “You don’t listen very well.”  

Her ex-husband swayed slightly, his olive skin turning white. He kept his eyes on Natasha.

Horrified, Natasha watched Tony, knowing if Alex killed him she would never recover. A sob ripped from her throat at the thought of it. The seconds ticked by as they studied each other, Alex’s finger playing with the trigger. Tony didn’t move from his knees, but he didn’t back down or beg. 

He can’t kill Tony. “Alex, please,” Natasha whispered.

Alex glanced at her. “Please?”

“Please don’t kill him.” She begged him with her gaze, not sure why she thought Alex would listen to her. “I’ll do anything you want. Just let him live. Please.”

He shook his head, made a disgusted noise deep in his throat, and pulled the gun into a non-threatening vertical position. “You owe me.” 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sitting is the New Smoking - Runner's World article

I read "Sitting is the New Smoking - Even for Runners" on the treadmill a few days ago. It hit me hard. Yes, I exercise almost every day and try to be active the rest of the time. But the fact remains that I'm an author and if I want to get books written I have to park my growing fanny in the chair for hours a day. The article points out: "Unless you have a job that keeps you moving, most of your non-running time is likely spent sitting. And that would make you an 'active couch potato'—a term coined by Australian researcher Genevieve Healy, Ph.D., of the University of Queensland to describe exercisers who sit most of their day. If they aren't careful, she says, active couch potatoes face the same health risks as their completely inactive counterparts."
Scary, huh? 
Their solutions were to get up and move more, use an exercise ball, or a treadmill desk. 
How do you keep moving throughout the day? We always try to take the stairs, park farther away than we need to, and chase our boys around as often as possible. Now if I can just talk my husband into that treadmill desk :) 

Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner - Book Giveaway

HONEY, DO YOU NEED A RIDE? CONFESSIONS OF A FAT RUNNER is a hilarious memoir of what it’s like to run with the gazelles when your shadow looks more like a walrus, and how running can get you through divorce, runaway donkeys, single motherhood, and size 14 jeans that won’t zip.

“Jennifer Graham tells our story beautifully, with unflinching honesty and laugh-out-loud humor,” John “the Penguin” Bingham said. And Kristin Armstrong, Runner’s World columnist and author of Mile Markers, says of HONEY, DO YOU NEED A RIDE? CONFESSIONS OF A FAT RUNNER, “Jennifer writes like an old friend speaks, in a voice you know and love. Her descriptions of running heavy, whether with added weight or added burdens, makes her experience universal to runners and non-runners alike.”

Buy Confessions of a Fat Runner

Jennifer's Website

I'm excited that I give away a copy of this fun memoir. Win HONEY, DO YOU NEED A RIDE? CONFESSIONS OF A FAT RUNNER by entering the Rafflecopter form below. Thanks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Running Home Release - Dead Running Free

Running Home is now available! To celebrate the release, the first book in the series, Dead Running, is free until Saturday, April 20th. Dying to Run and Running Home are only $.99.

In Cassidy’s battle against human trafficking there are two choices: run or be captured.

Cassidy's humanitarian mission takes an ugly turn when human traffickers attack. Cassidy doesn’t know where to run—home to America, into Jesse’s arms, or any direction she can to escape the traffickers. Innocent families are being ripped apart and Cassidy must decide if she’s brave enough to stop running and join the fight.

"Cami Checketts has done it again! Running Home is fast-paced and action packed with enough romantic moments to satisfy any romance junkie. It's a wonderful third installment of the Run series and a really fun read.”
Rachael Anderson, Author of The Reluctant Bachelorette 

Cassidy Christensen wants to run.
Captured by the traffickers who killed her mother, Cassidy's only hope is Dr. Tattoo, a man she loves but nobody trusts. When she finally gets a chance to run, someone else she cares about is taken. Running might be her only chance at survival, but Cassidy won't allow another family member to be killed in her place.

Cassidy Christensen is running.

Running from the mercenaries who killed her parents.

Running from a scheming redhead intent on making her life miserable.

Running from painful memories that sabotage her dreams of happiness.

With two very tempting men competing for her attention, she hopes she'll finally have someone to run to, but can she trust either of them? When secrets from her past threaten her family, Cassidy decides to stop running and fight for her future.

"Dead Running was everything I was hoping it would be, captivating, invigorating, and a page turner that I could not, would not, put down! Cami Checketts writes books that will make you think, and make you feel. She captivated me with The Sister Pact, and doesn't lose speed with her newest 'must read', Dead Running." 

Sheila DeChantal, Book Reviewer - Book Journey

"Dead Running can make a claim not many mystery/thrillers can, and that is that it is also really funny. I loved everything about the book. There was murder, romance, family bonds, 5K training, humor, good guys, bad guys, and an ending that left room for a sequel."

Vicki, Book Reviewer - I'd Rather Be Reading At The Beach

Download your free copy of Dead Running here.

Cami's Website

Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight - Book Review and Giveaway

Step off the diet rollercoaster and start your journey to a healthy, happy life.

Stop searching for a magic pill or gimmick. Let Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight help you identify your own personal arsenal of weight-loss tools that truly work for you.

This sensibly simple technique changes your relationship with food and fitness as you experience permanent, transformative results.

Building on four core principles, this book offers all the tools you need to reach your goal weight and stay there for good.

My Review:

I've read more books on healthy eating, lifestyle, and exercise than anyone should and I will tell you that Jen's is one of the best I've found. I love her practical approach to smart weight loss that is long-term. This book is not going to help you lose ten pounds in two weeks (hate when I see that scam, excuse me, claim), but Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight is going to give you realistic, smart tools that will help you feel good and look good for life. I'm a huge fan of this book and would recommend it anyone and everyone.

Enter the Rafflecopter below to win your autographed copy of Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight.

Jen's Website

Jen's Blog

Find Jen on Facebook

Buy Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Chocolate Diet

Prevention Magazine posted a cute article saying those who eat chocolate a couple times a week have a lower BMI than those who don't and the chocolate eaters actually consume more calories. Chocolate (in moderation) really does help your metabolism. Love it!

Study by The University of California, San Diego

Breaking out of the Winter Blahs

I keep watching for the snow to melt and praying I can keep a good attitude until it does!
Au Pair Care had a great article on how to beat the winter blahs.
The boys and I are turning the music loud and dancing and popping lots of Vitamin D pills to get through this winter.
How do you keep yourself happy when it's depressing outside?

Quitter

This morning was my last class at Smithfield Rec. I feel sad to leave those cute ladies, but I am just going too fast and in too many directions. Do any of you feel like you just have to slow down or you're going to miss out on the important things?

Here is the fun workout we did.

Plate push across the gym floor, run stairs, calf raises (40), push plate back, up the stairs backwards
Plie holding plate (25-35 pound plates)
Frontal raise with plate
Lunges across gym and back (we did knee up going and glute press coming)
Pullup and pushup (12-20 of each)

Repeat through entire workout 4 times.

Fun Workout

This morning's workout was fun and hard. Loved it!

Warm-up

Do the following exercises in a circuit, 7 rounds of with 20-15-10-5-10-15-20 reps.

Plie (with jump to middle)
Upright row, flip weight over, overhead press
Lunge with back leg on ball
Pushup and knee pull-in with toes on ball
Dead Lift
Bent-over Row
Box Jumps
Tricep Dips

Have a fabulous day!

Beach Runs

Had a fabulous vacation with my boys at Newport Beach. My beach runs each morning were definitely a highlight. I'd sprint past people, kicking up sand, and saying, "Sorry, I'm used to 4800 feet elevation." I am seriously going to run my next marathon at sea level.

Variety

The cave men used their physical strength to provide for themselves and their families. They had to work extremely hard. The human body adapts quickly to stresses placed upon it. This was a very good characteristic for our ancestors. Not so great for us stuck in a modern society of computers and Pop Tarts. Few people have to eke out an existence by the sweat of their brow which is one of the causes of an increase in obesity, heart problems, and many different health challenges.

Because our bodies are so amazing we have to work harder and challenge ourselves differently to maintain optimum health and vigor. If we want to increase our fitness and health we have to be willing to push ourselves and add some spice to our workout.

Variety is key when you're trying to lose weight, get past a plateau, or become more fit. If you do the same cardio or weight routine over and over it will become easy. This is a good thing because it means you're getting stronger, but it also means that you are burning less calories because your body is accustomed to the demands placed upon it. 

You can fix this problem by upping the intensity, duration, and speed of your workout or by changing the type of workout you do, known as cross-training. Cross-training recruits different muscle groups, challenges your body in a new way, and will help you burn more calories. 

How can you cross-train? If you always bike, try swimming or running. If you love the elliptical machine, try something fun like Zumba. If you faithfully lift weights, sample a yoga or Pilates class. If you workout at home and need some variety, rent a new workout video, borrow one from the library or plan a girl’s night out at the gym or hiking a nearby canyon.

Variety really is the spice of exercise. My challenge to you is to try something different this week. Mine isn't exactly new but I'd like to start incorporating more yoga. Please share which new activity you're going to try.

Win iFrogz products, $50 Running Chics, and $50 or $25 Amazon G.C.

The blog tour for Dead Running and Dying to Run is finishing up tomorrow. Last chance to win $50 from Running Chics, $50 from Amazon, $25 from Amazon, and three sets of iFrogz armbands and earbuds, plus Dead Running will be going from $.99 to $4.99 after tomorrow.

Click here to win the Running Chics or $50 Amazon card.
Click here to win the iFrogz or $25 Amazon card.
Click here to read a sample of Dead Running or Dying to Run.

Thanks so much to Kathy from I Am a Reader Not a Writer for organizing the tour, Running Chics and iFrogz for their amazing donations, and all the wonderful bloggers who participated in the tour!

Filthy Fifty

So I stole a title I heard about at Cross-fit for this workout. Fifty reps of each thing. So fun!

Bent-over row
Squat (holding bar above head for as many reps as we could)
Overhead press
Lunge (fifty on each side, ouch)
Pushup
Box Jump
Lateral Raise
Dead Lift
Biceps Curl
Jumping Jacks
Triceps Dip
Ab Curl
Plank (hold for fifty)

Cool-down

Workout

We did some crazy stuff in this workout. I thought it was fun, but not sure anybody else did!

Warm-up

10-20 reps, three times through the circuit

Burpies
Walking lunges - with barbell overhead if you like
Crabwalk (on the 2nd and 3rd rounds we did walk on hands and toes and then an army crawl)
Seated Row
Ball twist
Upright row
Jacks
Biceps curl
Overhead triceps extension

Have fun!

Workout

My boys are off registering for the upcoming lacrosse season. Ah, I can just envision it now. My cute boys whacking the opposing team with stick as I yell, "Knock that kid down! Come on, you're bigger than him, take him out!" Lacrosse does not bring out the best in me. I am not a competitive person. I usually think I'm pretty nice, but put pads on my boys and a stick in their hands and I turn into some kind of evil, yelling spectator. Step one is being aware of the problem, so maybe this will be the year that I'll get in control of myself on the sidelines.

Monday's workout was a fun one. We grouped lower and upper body exercises so warmup and then do 20 reps of the lower body and 10-12 of the upper body, repeat through it all 3-4 times then cool-down and stretch.

Lower body - Box jumps, lunge forward and back onto a platform or bench, step-ups, one-legged dead lifts
Upper body - Bicep curls, overhead triceps extensions, pushups, reverse fly, lateral raise

Thanks for stopping by!

Dead Running and Dying to Run Book Blast - $50 Running Chics GC and $50 Amazon GC Giveaways

Dead Running

Cassidy Christensen is running.
Running from the mercenaries who killed her parents.
Running from a scheming redhead intent on making her life miserable.
Running from painful memories that sabotage her dreams of happiness.

With two very tempting men competing for her attention, she hopes she'll finally have someone to run to, but can she trust either of them? When secrets from her past threaten her family, Cassidy decides to stop running and fight for her future.

Dying to Run

Cassidy Christensen wants to run.

Captured by the traffickers who killed her mother, her only hope is Dr. Tattoo, a man she loves but nobody trusts. When she finally gets a chance to run, someone else she cares about is taken. Running might be her only chance at survival, but she won’t allow another family member to be killed in her place.

This must-read sequel to Dead Running will have you laughing, biting your nails, and hoping for more.

Purchase

Dead Running * Dying to Run

Blog Tour Schedule

Author Cami Checketts

Cami Checketts is married and the proud mother of four future WWF champions. Sometimes between being a human horse, cleaning up magic potions, and reading Bernstein Bears, she gets the chance to write fiction.

Cami graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Exercise Science. Cami teaches strength training classes at her local rec and shares healthy living tips on her fitness blog: http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com.

Cami and her family live in the beautiful Cache Valley of Northern Utah. During the two months of the year it isn't snowing, she enjoys swimming, biking, running, and water-skiing.

Links

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Fitness Blog

#BookBlast Giveaway


Details
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
$50 Gift Card to Running Chics
Ends 1/31/12
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Broken Path

The Broken Path is for sale on Amazon now. Click here to buy the book or read the first few chapters. If you have Amazon Prime you can download it for free. I love Amazon Prime, it's so great to try out free books and the author still gets compensated so I don't feel bad about it. Print copies will be available soon for those of you who don't want to pay the $1111.00 currently being offered on Amazon. Crazy.

Back cover blurb:

Injured in a debilitating accident at age six, Ethan Searle believes women eye him with a mixture of pity and disdain. He’s tried love before. He won’t again. He meets his match in a precocious two-year old who loves him despite his disability, even while her mother seems bothered by everything about Ethan.

Autumn Reader escaped her abusive marriage with her beautiful daughter and a stack of fear. She can’t make the mistake of trusting a man again. Autumn’s daughter becomes enraptured by Ethan. Despite Autumn’s best intentions, she finds herself following her daughter’s example. When her ex-husband reappears, threatening everyone she loves if she won’t submit to his demands, Autumn has to learn to trust or lose her chance at real love.

“Characters to fall in love with, action to keep you turning pages, and the most adorable little girl ever, The Broken Path is a compelling tale of strength and trust, courage and heart. I truly enjoyed this book.” –Maria Hoagland, Author of Family Size

Fun Workout

This workout about killed me, but I think that's because I've been eating treats and not sleeping much! Hope you enjoy it.

Combination workout:

12-14 reps, repeat through entire workout 4 times.

Dead lift with bent-over row
Lunge with lateral raise
Jump lunge
Burpie with pushup
Squat, jump into lunge while pressing bar overhead
Plie with bicep curl
Plie, jump to center
Lunge with triceps kickback