A to Z Blogging Challenge – Tea Leaf Reading Symbol Dictionary: Letter O

———- This post may contain affiliate links —————

Welcome back for another week of A to Z Blogging Challenge: Tea Leaf Reading Symbols Dictionary. This week begins with the letter O. But before we get started I want to share 10 quick facts about Oolong Tea – which is suitable for tea leaf readings – that you might not have known.

Organic Oolong Tea Available on Amazon Now

1. Stabilizes blood sugar
2. Alleviates skin problems
3. promotes healthy hair
4. Prevent osteoporosis
5. prevents tooth decay
6. strengthens the immune system
7. aids digestion
8. increases mental alertness and focus
9. boosts metabolism
10. lowers cholesterol.

These reasons alone should be initiative enough to make you add some more of Oolong tea into your daily regiment!

Let’s get to our Tea Leaf Reading Symbol Dictionary:

Letter O

Oaktree: symbol of strength and endurance. A powerful and positive symbol that speaks of strong relationships, wealth, and achievement. A prosper and abundant marriage

Oil-Can: You are worried and concerned about something

Onions: Hidden beneath some layers are secrets that need to be revealed. These secrets will bring some discomfort and sorrow.

Organ: Not a symbol that reads well on its own. Musicians will find this a positive sign, as it speaks of achievement in their field.

Owl: This is an unfortunate symbol. Do not expect any positive movement forward at this time. If the owl is flying grief is involved. Someone is speaking ill behind your back. If you are asking about a upcoming change, this symbol is a warning to be careful as you proceed.

Ox: Your house and home is filled with abundance and domestic bliss.

I hope you enjoyed today’s symbols. See you again tomorrow!

Tea-Lightful Blessings!

Claudia

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Also makes a great Mother’s Day Gift!

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The Billionaire’s Touch by J.S. Scott – A Book Review

Book Title: The Billionaire’s Touch (The Sinclairs Book 3)
Author: J.S. Scott
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 22nd, 2016
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Premise: 

After a troubling childhood, wealthy Evan Sinclair likes his life orderly and controlled. He rarely gives in to spontaneous urges—until he begins a chance correspondence with a mystery woman who sounds like his complete opposite. She intrigues and amuses him, and the interest seems mutual…which is more than he can say for his current obsession, Miranda Tyler, the tough-as-nails, sexy schoolteacher who’s made it clear she’s not impressed—or interested.

Miranda finally has it all: a good job, friends, and the security of living in the quaint coastal town of Amesport, Maine. She even has an anonymous pen pal—a man she’s never met yet has bonded with almost effortlessly. The only thing unsettling her life is Evan Sinclair. The handsome billionaire is arrogant, pompous, and far too used to getting his way. Miranda tries her best to avoid him, until Evan’s steamy kiss turns her world upside down.

Soon their red-hot desire is scorching the sheets and has them both spinning out of control. But when secrets are revealed, will their insatiable attraction keep them together or force them apart? In J.S. Scott’s The Billionaire’s Touch, the eldest Sinclair just might have met his match.

 

My Thoughts:

 

After having read a few books which included billionaires in their plot, I thought way too many Authors trying to copy the success of 50 Shades Of Grey, by copying the style – which is not a good idea, because, in my humble opinion, the book was one of the worst once I have ever read, and I have read a lot of romance novels over the years. This book, on the other hand, was refreshingly not trying to be what should not have been, even though it had plenty of sex scenes hidden within. Nothing wrong with lovemaking and even though, I thought they could have used a few less scenes of the horizontal kind in this book, I was still smitten with the well-developed character and interesting, warm, and sometimes truly charming plot. I felt deeply for the scars that Evan had to bear, due to his cruel father, and even more so after what was revealed

I felt deeply for the scars that Evan had to bear, due to his cruel father, and even more so after what was revealed toward the last third of the book. J.S. Scott managed to make her male lead noble, without being unbelievable, his self-sacrifice a reason for his personality, and his  need for control, which gave him depth, likeability, and make for an interesting, emotional read.  Like I said earlier, the only thing that could have done better was the fact that there were almost too much sex too soon. Yet, it did not diminish my enjoyment of the overall story. Because this was my introduction to the Sinclair series, I am looking now forward to reading all of the other books about the brothers and extended family.

Because this was my introduction to the Sinclair series, I am looking now forward to reading all of the other books about the brothers and extended family.

 

 

The Billionaire’s Touch is available on Amazon now.

The above post contains affiliate links. I have received this book free via Kindle Unlimited, an Amazon service.

 

 

Book Review: Got Luck by Michael Darling

 

Disclaimer: I was given this book for free in return for a honest review. This blog post contains affiliate links, see disclosure page for details

Title: Got Luck
Author: Michael Darling
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Crime
Publisher: Future House Publishing
Rating: 2/5 Stars

The Premise:

Police-officer-turned-private-investigator Goethe “Got” Luck is known for rolling with the punches and never taking anything too seriously. When he picks up a seemingly dead-end murder case, his life begins to take a crazy turn. Shot at, chased by people he has never met, and attacked by an invisible liondog, Got quickly learns that there is more to this world than meets the eye.

He discovers the Fae. The Eternals. They who dwell in the Behindbeyond. Once, they ruled over ancient realms, but over the centuries, their power dwindled. Now someone wants to restore their rule and subjugate humankind. All it will cost is thousands of human lives.

The clock is ticking. Getting the world out of this one will take a couple friends, more than a few well-placed insults, and a whole lot of Luck.

I became interested in this book, because the above blurb sounded like a pretty cool premise, promising a fast pasted, interesting story with a  twist that is not your standard fair for a fantasy/crime novel. But sadly,  I was disappointed. To be honest, I really do not like 1st person narratives. It is rare that books written in this particular  form are something I can lose myself in, so I had a bias from the moment I actually received the copy. For a first person narrative to be great, I have to connect deeply with the main character, and that connection has to happen rather quickly, in order for me to see the story through their eyes and enjoy the view. That rarely happens.

But, because I have been proven wrong before, I stuck with it and read the book to the end. I was not proven wrong. The plot itself seems a bit confusing at first, not finding much flow until the second half of the book, by which time, I would have already stopped reading, would I not have made the commitment to finish reading the book. While the second half was a little bit more entertaining, it still took me longer than usual to get through, simply because I had to drag myself back to the story, rather than being pulled in. With the immense amount of competition of great indie fantasy Authors now available on Amazon, a novel has to be special to stand out of the crowd, and I am sorry to say that this will be lost in the shuffle. Not my cup of tea.

Plan Ahead – Editorial Calendar And Marketing Planner For Creatives, Artists, Bloggers and More (Free PDF)

Creating relevant content for the upcoming months, means to be up to date on major and minor holidays. But it gets more complicated, when you add to these often celebrated holidays those minor and less often remembered celebrations, such as National Pancake Day or the Summer Solstice.

This information can be not only useful for bloggers, who can plan their content around those holidays, but also adds a volume of potential marketing possibilities for Product on Demand Artists, Photographers, Writers, Affiliate Marketers and other creative people who have an online presence.

In order to make it easier for you to plan your marketing strategies for this year, I have combined a list of strategies and lesser known holidays and celebrations, as a gift for you. Simply click on this link: Editorial Calendar And Marketing Planner Year  and download it, to print out to build your own strategies for the upcoming months.

Please do not alter this pdf  in any way. You may share the PDF with your friends, in a non-commercial setting, but only un-altered.

Download it now!
Editorial Calendar And Marketing Planner Year

 

Because it is Friday, which on this blog means, it is time to talk about gratitude – I wanted to share with you what I am grateful for this week:

1. I am grateful that despite the fact that my husband was stuck in snow this morning, while traveling in Dallas, he was safe due to the fact that he had snowchains with him. Apparently everyone has been driving safely, because he has not seen an accident. That is a very good thing.
2. I am grateful that instead of being in snow, I am in Las Vegas to 85 degree weather. I will cherrish every moment of warmth today.
3. I am grateful that my daughter is feeling better after having had a cold. She was invited to a picnic last weekend, and got promptly sick, due to the fact that it was still a little bit more windy then everyone expected. But she is on the mend now.
4. I am grateful that it is Friday, which means it is bill paying day. It might seem a little weird to be happy about paying bills, but I am grateful that I can, when I know how many have to make decisions between eating and paying the electric. I am blessed in every way, and I am grateful for that fact.
5. I am grateful for the abundance of items I have on my list this week. I am exited to share with you those wonderful new products, and some special deals, which I have carefully weeded through. More on that over the next few days. (Some of these are for you pet owners out there)

What are you grateful for this week? Share with us here, or write a blog post, and join the many blogs that are participating in the following blog hops:

Thankful Thursdays

No Rules Weekend Blog Party

Winter Is Leaving

Share With Me Blog Hop

Be Inspired 

Celebrate The Small Things

Finally – A Skin Care Product I Truly Enjoy

Disclaimer: I have received Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. The following post also contains affiliate links, at no cost to you. See Disclosure page for details.

Finding a skin care product I can use, that is also cruelty-free is a hassle, and often fruitless. And even if I am not allergic
to the product, I find that I can either not stand the smell of it, or it is ineffective. Thankfully I received Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum in the mail recently, and now I am hooked on their cruelty-free product line.

Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum Available on Amazon Now!

A pleasant orange scent, that reminds me of orange essential oil (which happens to be my favorite), greeted me the first time I tried it on. Used after your evening cleansing routine, the soft and non-greasy serum immediatly left my face feeling refreshed, and properly moisterized without leaving an oily feel. I am not often impressed by beauty products, and even though the serum is in the  price range (about 35 Dollars on Amazon), I decided that I will give myself a small gift and switch a few more of my beauty products over to the Valentia product liine..

I must say, that for my vegan friends, I am not entirely sure if the serum or any of the other available products are vegan, considering that there are some ingredients that could be animal derived or not – but I have sent the company an inquiry and hopefully will hear from them soon, so I can update you as soon as I get an answer.

I love my adorable vintage style diffuser! Available on Amazon

If you are wondering why I love orange essential oil, let me tell you. Not only because of its fruity, clear fresh scent, it is als a mood lifter, and room brightener. I love adding a few drops to my diffuser, in order to lift the over all energy of any room.

 

 

 

Finding the same scent in a beauty product made my day.
Happy shopping!

Claudia

How We Fixed Our “Lack Of Outlets” Problem – At Least The Majority Of It

 

 

Disclaimer: The following post is a sponsored post and contains affiliate links. I received the product for free in return for an honest review. Opinions are that of my own – see Disclosure page for more info)

Ever since we moved into our temporary home here in Las Vegas, we had a “lack of outlets” problem. You see with two children who basically own every gaming machine out there and multiple laptops, as well as phones, cameras, and a very necessary Kindle Fire (mine), most of our plugs are occupied with tech, all with varying needs.

I am not a fan of the traditional power strips, even if they do the job, the tend to fall over, have too short cords, or take too much space away, and most importantly none of them have USB outlets  for those devices that do not have standard AC plugs.

iclever BoostCube

So, when I had the opportunity to receive the BoostCube Desktop Power Station by iclever, I jumped at that chance. This small yet powerful charging station fits perfectly into my den/office, allowing me to centrally charge 5 phones via the USB plugins, and two other devices via the standard AC plugs. Which brings me to the only complaint I have about this little item: It has only two AC power outlets, which means I still have to plug my printer into the wall, after plugging in my desktop computer and monitor. And there is no way I can charge my laptop in the same area like I would like to ideally. It is a small inconvenience, but three AC outlets would have made this compact item even more powerful.

A short summary of my thoughts on the iclever BoostCube Desktop Power Station:

Pro:

1. I love how compact it is, a sturdy little black box that is heavy enough not to fall over, tilt or move under most circumstances. It stays nicely put, up against the corner by my desk, out of the way, yet easily accessible.

2. It has five USB cord plugins. Even for our family, that is enough to keep our phones and devices charged to their max. No more looking for a plugin or a special converter that allows us to plug them into a standard outlet. Perfect.

3. The USP outlets fit for all devices – thanks to a SmartID Technology, the power station can adjust itself to the individual needs of the plugged in device. It charges that way our Androids, iPhones, iPad, camera and Kindle at the same time, in the fastest time I ever had them charged.

4. It is surge protected, keeping all of our devices safe from surges, and voltage spikes. I like that peace of mind.

5. It is small enough, that I am considering taking it with me the next time we are taking an overnight trip – makes hunting for outlets in a hotel room, a thing of the past.

Con:

1. Like I mentioned earlier, it only has two AC outlets. Three would have been the ideal number to fit my personal needs.

You can get the iclever BoostCube Power Station right now at Amazon! 

 

Time To Prep For The A to Z Blogging Challenge!

Are you participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge? If you have no idea what I am talking about, check out this website for more information on the Blogging Challenge for the month of April, that has many bloggers preparing ahead of time, contemplating their subject matter, and looking forward to connecting with the many (hundreds ) of bloggers participating each year.

In this challenge, we are called to write something about a particular letter of the alphabet starting with of course A and working ourselves through to Z. Not everyone chooses a topic, in my first two years of participating I did not either, but I began to do so last year, and will again this year.

Mixing Spices Available On Amazon

Last year my  topic was Herbs and Spices, because of the release of my book “Mixing Spices”

This year, because I am working on a book about tea and mindfulness, I chose the topic “Tea Leaf Reading Dictionary”.

Every single day of the month of April, (minus Sundays, because we all take a break on Sundays for this challenge), I will be posting a few symbol meanings specifically for Tea Leaf Reading, including some tips and suggestions on how you work your own tea leaf reading sessions. I will also talk about symbolism in general and how this dictionary will relate to divining dreams as well, with a few tweaks and considerations.

 

Loose Tea Sampler available at Amazon

I am so excited about this entire project. And because I love you guys and you all have been such amazing partners throughout this blogging journey for me, I am giving away the entire series at the end of the month as a PDF – just to say thank you.  There are more freebies to come in the coming weeks, so if you like free stuff (and who does not), come back often.

Oh, and for those of you who are not interested in Tea Leaf Reading and Tea, I will continue to post my regular stuff, like marketing tips for creative people, some design updates,  book reviews, motivational stuff, giveaways and product reviews.

After all, as a brand ambassador, NetGalley reviewer and a designer, I cannot and am not willing to neglect my regular duties, because of a mere challenge.

I am so looking forward to the crazy business.

At the end, an extended version of the PDF, which contains the  challenge content  will be made available on Amazon Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.

Blessings!

P.S. Don’t forget to stock up on Tea!

Gratitude Post – Hug Edition

                                                    Hugs by Claudia H. Blanton

 

As I am sitting here this morning, trying to think of what  I am grateful for, I must admit, I was taken out of the momentum, by losing my connection and having to crash my computer. It was easy to practice gratitude from the point of preparation, but moving through the unexpected occurrences and annoyances of living here, and dealing with issues I would not have to deal with, where we still living in Tampa, undid the state of mind, I so carefully constructed for myself.

But is that not a part of life, wanting to stay in the moment of gratitude and appreciation, staying upbeat and following the laws that govern us to be happy in the now, even when life happens?

Inhale Love, Exhale Gratitude

Within the moments of disruption is a chance to practice our vibrational alignment  to gratitude, a fact alone that we should be grateful for. The lesson within is important – no matter what the perceived reality is bringing toward us, we can stay in a constant stream of appreciation.

In that sense, that is what I am –  this week, this morning grateful for – the chance to practice my alignment to gratitude and through that to what I seek.

– What are you grateful for this week? Why not share it with our blog hop and connect with us via our wonderful host Lexa Cain! We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Blessings

Claudia

7 Sites To Promote Your Book Cheaply Or Free

We all want our books to get good reviews, rank higher on Amazon and get the buzz going, no matter if we write non-fiction e-book or the next epic novel. Having a limited time free book promotion can help you raise your ranking on Amazon, and you can utilize the following book promotion sites to help you even further along. Exposure and traffic to your book will bring future sales, so take advantage of this type of book promotion.
Some of these require you to register, some offer premium services while others are a little selective and limited to a specific range of genre.

Check them out:

Awesome Gang 
Book Goodies
Free Book Dude 
Pixel of Ink
E-Book Hunter 
FK Books And Tips
Published.com 

 

 

Looking for some more info on the subject of cheap or free book promotion? Check out this book, available on Amazon right now: