7 Effective Ways To Earn Travel Reward Points - A Guest Post

It's been long since the most beneficial ways to deal with winning commendable travel rewards was with the assistance of flying and remaining in some hotels only.

Frankly, there are a significant number of non-travel sources which can add to accomplishing travel rewards that you can utilize. The reward points can in all likelihood be substantial for any individual who wishes to travel in an affordable manner and sometimes even free.

This may sound inconceivable at first yet you can really travel in a better way or if nothing else near to free with the assistance of these rewards. The crucial thing to realize how to acquire travel rewards that can really be utilized. Follow the steps given below to win travel rewards and make your next trip successful.

Use Credit cards often: 

Credit cards are an extraordinary method for acquiring travel rewards. Each time you pay for something in real money, you should remember that you are disposing of a chance to get substantial travel rewards. On the off chance that you view yourself as a financially smart individual then you must utilize your rewards gaining credit cards for most of the things that you purchase. 

These days, you can use your credit card for nearly anything from satisfying your bills, to pay for your utilities, eating out and even for paying the rents. In any case, remember that you should utilize your credit card without enjoying overspending or acquiring any sort of interests. The choice to shop with your card is a clear and effective strategy to accumulate the reward points.

Get yourself registered with a good travel provider:

Is there a particular airline or a hotel that you favor the more than others? Go online and get yourself registered for these remunerations plans with that aircraft or a hotel. 

This technique will help you in becoming a member and get you simple travel rewards for any future flights and even potential hotel stays. 

Choose the right credit cards: 

Credit cards are irrefutably the most advantageous method for acquiring rewards that can be exceptionally valuable. There are various sorts of cards that are intended to satisfy distinctive purposes. Therefore, you should always check and update yourself with the type of credit card before applying for a credit card online. 

Picking the reward credit cards can be incredibly helpful. The cards are known for offering rewards on every single credit trade. The reward cardholders can get rewards focusing on the aggregate of their retail, online, and diverse exchanges. 

Similarly, the customers can keep verifying the reward points as well. They can also secure more points when they spend a specific total in an express timeframe. Credit cards offer stunning travel compensates that can be helpful. 

Get paid for your work trips: 

To ensure that you get more travel rewards, a standout amongst the best ways is to get whatever points you can manage from the business travel as is permitted and use these rewards for personal use.

 If your association travel plan grants it, at that point pay for the travel and development costs with your money. Utilize your credit card to pay for whatever costs as could reasonably be expected while you are on a work trip and make the most out of this trip by winning travel rewards. You can generally get reimbursed later by your company. 

Stay updated with the offers: 

It is important to stay aware of the limited period offers in malls. This can be amazingly useful. 

Just through occasional shopping and enhancing for a part of these offers that are offered amid the festive season, you can undoubtedly get enough for a round trip to your most loved destination. This is a keen technique to gain a lot of travel rewards. 

The way to acing this technique is to be aware of these offers at the right time and making the most out of those ideas at the perfect time. 

Offer to pay for contributory outings: 

At whatever point you go out for a contributory gathering with your companions, offer to pay with your card on the off chance that it has reward points. Suppose you go out with five of your companions for a contributory outing and you pay with your credit card. Thus, you won't simply get the reward for eating out however you will likewise get the remuneration money from your companions. This technique enables you to inspire points of interest and additional money to pay it off. 

Book a travel package: 

Although, you can plan travel with the help of a loan as well. However, using your credit card for booking a holiday is also a fair deal. The card suppliers have an agreement with many travel operators that can be very useful for you. Your card isn't only valuable for helping you travel with your favorite airlines or staying at your favorite hotel only, it can in like manner empower you to book your entire holiday while winning travel rewards. 

At whatever point in future, you book a holiday next with your card, look out for a holiday package that is accessible. When you book a holiday along these lines, you can win a lot of rewards that can be helpful for your holiday.


About the Author:

Shipra Aggarwal

Shipra is a personal finance writer, working with a prominent News Daily in Chandigarh. She has the experience of over 3 years in the BFSI industry and she loves to share her experience with the users by giving them in-depth knowledge of personal finance.

Until next time,

Freefall by Jana Williams - Guest Post

About the Book:

The deep-space transport ship, the Vera Rubin, is light years from Earth when botanist Elle Silver begins to question the use of their space-travel drug, HCH.  Elle notices a growing number of her friends and  fellow colonists awaken from their 90-day sleep cycles exhibiting a variety of negative side-effects and she begins to believe the drug is the culprit.  Some of the effects are minor, dry eyes and lack of appetite. Other symptoms are a bigger concern on a tiny ship packed with colonists.  With each sleep cycle completed, more and more colonists awaken both confused and barely concealing a simmering rage - rage that could be a catastrophe on a ship as crowded as the Vera Rubin.  Elle needs proof, but she also needs a plan. If the drug that allows them to travel deep-space is at fault, what then?  Elle and her friends Ashok, Achebe and Jin-Hai are pressed to their limits to find a solution to their problem before the ship erupts into chaos... with light years left to travel.

Find FREEFALL on Amazon.Com & Amazon.In

Guest Post:



As a guest writer for a post on books – I thought that rather than talk about my novel, FREEFALL per se…. readers like yourself might be interested in how the book came to be written. I think when we discover a book that really engages us, we begin to believe that writers are some mythical beings with a special ‘secret’ ingredient that allows them to write.



This could not be further from reality in my case and in many other writers’ lives too. The only ‘secret’ ingredient I might possess is a dogged determination to get my story onto the page. I learned determination and persistence from my mother. My mother also seeded in all her daughters an absolute love of reading and storytelling. Although, I continue to be the only writer in our immediate family, my sisters actively read books and even lead book club discussion groups too.



Growing up in a household of females (my father deserted us) was pivotal to my central attitude about life. I believe that there is very little that a determined girl or woman cannot accomplish. As a child, there was no one to tell me ‘girls can’t do that’ OR if my sisters did say it – I immediately set out to prove them wrong. This attitude is woven into the story of FREEFALL throughout the book.



The other tenant of the book is the importance of curiosity. I spent a fair bit of time alone as a child, poking into things, exercising my curiosity about how things worked, why they worked and even sometimes dismantling things to find out if I could make them work again. My single mother had very little extra money to fix toys that were broken or even buy new ones. So all of us girls became adept at putting dolls back together, or gluing tea sets that got broken or putting wheels back on wagons to get them working again.



In the book Elle reminds herself that curiosity is a good thing, it can lead to new ideas and discoveries of importance that might have gone unnoticed by others who never asked the question ‘Why?’ Asking yourself why and then setting out to find the answer can lead to amazing things. As you will see, Freefall reflects core values that I hold that women are smart, capable and caring - and can do almost anything if they try.



My own sense of adventure stems from my curiosity about life here, on this planet – which led to speculation about life – out there in another corner of the universe. Another core belief of mine is that you don’t have to have a degree from a university to write and write well. What you do need is the desire to tell an engaging story. The best place to learn how to do that is from inside a book where you can read, read, and read.



Once you’ve read a fair number of books, start mentally sorting them out into the ones you liked and the ones that were just okay – but not spellbinding. And finally, what about the books you didn’t like? Stack them up, and then start thinking about the ones you liked – What did they have in common? Do the same mental exercise with the books you didn’t like – What did they have in common? You will learn as much about writing from what you didn’t like – as from what you did. Once you know what you like in a book, you’re ready to start writing your own story.



It’s important to write something you would enjoy reading yourself, because if you’re writing a novel you’ll be spending days and weeks and months in the world you’re creating. So it better be a place that you look forward to visiting – you owe it to yourself to make it so. I truly loved every minute of writing Freefall. The editing portion was a challenge for me – because it is a bit like cleaning the house; necessary and important but certainly not thrilling to do.



Freefall came into being because I love good Science Fiction and Fantasy – and I hoped to write a story worthy of some that I have read. Also Freefall came into being because I was persistent enough to sit down every morning before going to work (and sometimes after work too) to continue writing Elle’s adventures with her friends. I would spend hours thinking about what would happen next, so that I would have a focus for the next days writing. And then, when I was done with the first draft, I willingly put in more time to fix the things that needed fixing to make the story more clear and uncluttered.



And of course you must be wondering, ‘Have I started the sequel?” Of course I have! I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Amalie Noether Chronicles. I hope you will join me in reading FREEFALL. Be assured - Elle’s adventures will continue in space in the next volume of the series

About the Author:

Jana Williams is certain that fiction can change people’s lives - especially women and girls.  Her own life is testimony to that fact.  One of five daughters, she was raised by a single-mom who placed a high value on reading and storytelling.



The ability to read, coupled with a child’s innate curiosity about the world, and access to books to satisfy that curiosity can offer significant opportunity to a child. Like most writers Jana has bounced from job to job, absorbing stories, cultures and customs as she worked.  She has been a high-speed motion picture photographer, a VFX coordinator, worked in the film industry, and the publishing trade as a book seller - a publisher’s rep and now an author.



But her first love is reading…. and with each book of the Freefall trilogy sold Jana will donate funds to Literacy agencies around the world whose work is to bring the joy of reading to others.



Enjoy a good adventure story and help others learn to read at the same time !

Find/Like Jana on Facebook  

Find Jana’s Writing advice - Twitter

Until next time,

11 Ways to make Long Term Travel Affordable - A Guest Post from Shipra

I am glad to welcome Shipra Aggarwal to my blog to share some tips on making the long-term travel more affordable.



People usually put their traveling desires on hold because they believe that traveling could be expensive. They think that it will take away all their savings and spending savings on desires instead of necessities is not preferred in our Indian society. Nowadays plane tickets, hotel reservations, and restaurants are becoming costly, so there is no wonder why people think travel is not obtainable.

But there is another side of the coin also. This thing is that travel can be very cheap & affordable if the people are ready to open their minds and change the way of their thinking. If you are ready to change your way of thinking and are willing to think of those travel options that you haven’t think before. 

Here are some of the options that you should consider that will change your way of thinking and make your travel affordable.

Planning is must

Before going to any place for travel, it is necessary to do proper planning. From air tickets to your accommodation, & places to explore, everything should be planned. If you will not do any planning, then definitely you will spend a lot and there are chances you will also use the cash that you kept for the emergency purpose. So, instead of spending unnecessarily on anything, make a plan and spend wisely.

Don’t spend without Budget

After planning for the travel, the next step comes your budget. Your budget should contain all your expenses but within the limit. It should cover all the expense for your necessities. Don’t use all your savings instead try to save money by taking wise steps. Always keep some cash for an emergency such as any kind of medical expense. 

Credit Card

If you are planning to travel for long-term, obviously you will need money and you will carry a credit card. While choosing for the credit card, always choose that card gives you maximum benefits on international transactions such as SBI Elite. This card has a very nominal international transaction fee of 1.99%. So, using a card can be beneficial instead of that card which has a huge transaction fee. Also, look out for the other benefits of the card in terms of reward points and discounts whether on booking tickets or on shopping.

Choose your travel destination wisely

You would like to travel all around the world. But there are many places in the world where traveling can burn a hole in your pocket despite all planning. So, choose a destination which is cheap in all aspects such as accommodation, daily needs items, travel expenses and many more. Choose that country where you can reach easily, comfortably, and with less money. Always go to any place in the offseason. If you will plan to go in the tourist season, you will be spending more than your budget.

Booking air tickets

If you want to go on a long-term travel, it would be better to book your air tickets well in advance. By doing this you will air tickets cheaper and it is possible that you might get some discounts. Try to book tickets months before your travel. Don’t make the foolishness of booking tickets near your travel date as it might cost you many times costly than usual rates. If there are any other means of transport for going at your chosen travel destination which is cheaper than air tickets, then go for that option. You can use the credit card that can give you benefit in booking air tickets like discounts or reward points such as Yatra SBI Card. It gives you the discount of Rs 4000 on all your air tickets booking on minimum spending of Rs 40000. It also gives you 6x reward points on every Rs 100 spend on international spending. You will have to explore all the options before deciding which one to use.

Rent out your place

When you are going for 3 to 6 months, then it is obvious that you must be staying in the place where you are going. So, if you will rent out your own house for that period of time, you can earn money from the rent of that house. This money can be used in your travel.

Go for cheap accommodation

If you are staying at a place for long-term, then costly hotels will not be the right choice for you. So, it would be better if you will stay at a cheaper place such homestays or take the house on minimum rent of someone who has also gone for long travel like you. Avoid taking accommodation near any tourist destination since it will be costly. Choose your place of stay where public transport & all necessities are available. Your accommodation shouldn’t be in the middle of the city as it will costly again and not too far away from the city as that will not be safe.

Cook yourself

Instead of spending lavishly on fine dining, make arrangements for self-cooking. As you have to stay for a long time, it will cheap and beneficial for you. Consider yourself as a local person of that place and live like them. 

Cheap Transportation

Always use cheap transportation such as local bus, auto or local train instead of going through cabs everywhere. There all will be cheaper for you and you will able to know that place more closely.

Earn & spend

Although you can’t do a job, you can do some freelancing so that there must be a regular income source. It will not only keep you in touch with your work but also help in meeting your expenses.

Minimum Stuff

While going on for a long-term travel avoid taking more stuff that would become difficult for you to carry. Avoid heavy baggage and big bags. Instead, go for cabin bags as you can carry them easily. Don’t stuff your bag too much. You buy things from that place also where you are going if it is cheaper there.

So, by considering the above-mentioned points and changing your thinking way a little bit, you can save a lot of money and enjoy your travel in the best possible manner. What do you say?

About the Author :

Shipra Aggarwal


Shipra is a personal finance writer, working with a prominent News Daily in Chandigarh. She has the experience of over 3 years in the BFSI industry and she loves to share her experience with the users by giving them in-depth knowledge of personal finance.


Until next time,

Driven By Desire by Shilpa Suraj - A guest Post and Book Review

Book Details:

Title: Driven By Desire

Author: Shilpa Suraj

Genre: Romance, Fiction

Length of the Book: 434 pages

Publisher: Juggernaut Books

Purchase Link: Juggernaut




Blurb:

An ace vintage car restorer and a pharmaceutical tycoon, Maxine and Krish have nothing in common.

A chance encounter puts their lives on a collision course and a stubborn and steady attraction begins to bloom.

Wanting each other is easy, it's happy ever after that's the problem...

My Review :

Driven By Desire is about a couple Krish and Max who doesn't have much in common. As they attract to each other, both have to figure out what it takes to make it a long-term relationship. 

While Max is a free-spirited ambitious woman, Krish is someone who has a lot of responsibilities both in his personal and professional level. While he is hesitant to take his relationship with Max to next level due to his other responsibilities, he realizes that it's not easy to live without Max who is like a rainbow in his life. While Max can understand the problems in Krish's life and is ready to make their relationship work, she needs more patience dealing with Krish's short temper. 

Can they make it work? Will the family responsibilities / their work become an impediment in their journey? You have to find out this by reading this book.

I don't think the storyline is unique but the characters, the narration and the backdrop make it interesting. I love the vibrant and lovely Max. Krish, Pooja, Adi, and Mr. Sheredian all contribute tot he story and they are all positive and friendly characters. I like Krish who is such a strict and responsible man but is sensitive and caring. I liked the climax though it seemed dramatic like in movies. 

At a few places, I felt bored to continue reading, especially Christmas party and the next scenes. But, the climax is worth the read. The book cover is apt. I would have loved if the story has interesting twists. Overall, a good read with proper pace.

My Rating : 4/5

I recommend this book to all Romance lovers and who love to read a story about real life responsibilities and complications in relationships.

PS: I have received an e-copy of the book in exchange for a review and this is my honest opinion on the book.

Guest Post from the Author about the Book and Characters :

 “Life would be very boring if we only played to our strengths.” – Max, Driven by Desire

Max and Krish from Driven by Desire are some of my most vibrant, multidimensional characters so far. As someone who has always made unconventional choices herself whether it was in her choice of career, her choice of husband or her choice of lifestyle, I wanted to write a story that showed the reader that unconventional is just perception. 

One person’s strange is another’s normal. Driven by Desire is about refuting gender stereotypes, breaching supposedly insurmountable age differences and melding vastly different lives without losing your individual selves.

Meet Maxine Sheridan, aka Max, ace vintage car restorer, chronic klutz, irrepressible optimist and abysmal guitar player. When I first thought of writing what would eventually become Driven by Desire, Max and Krish’s biggest obstacle was their perception of each other. He thought she was an immature, irresponsible tomboy and she thought he was a boring, judgmental stick-in-the-mud. But when you look beyond the surface, you see the incredible.

Orphaned at the age of twenty-one and responsible for three younger siblings, Krish had no choice but to age way before his time. His life centered around his responsibilities to his siblings, the family business and last but not the least, his father’s unfulfilled dream. He has no time for car restorers with multi coloured hair who fall out of trees, land on his head and leave him dizzy in both the literal and figurative sense. And yet, he can’t resist her…He could try blaming it on the concussion but at the heart of it, he knows there is more to it. More to Max than burnt cheese sandwiches, allergy inducing lip balms and ear shattering guitar renditions. And Max slowly manages to show him that there is more to life itself.

But the path to happily ever after is never that easy, is it? There are commitments to meet, examples to set, children to nurture and families to safeguard and through it all an irresistible, incandescent attraction to fight.

Driven by desire offers everything for the consummate romance reader- passion, romance, humour, strong supporting characters, a hero to die for and a heroine who is quirky enough to change his world, if he can just let her.

About the Author:
 Shilpa Suraj was a year and a half when she was first introduced to the world of books. Her mother would park her with a picture book on the floor of the kitchen while she finished her cooking for the day. While it’s no longer the kitchen floor, you can still find her tucked away in a cosy nook somewhere with her nose buried in a book. While books in all genres interest her, it was romance that captured her heart. While racing through every romantic fiction book she could beg, borrow or buy, her over active imagination started to work overtime and weave its own stories. Years in the corporate world followed by a stint of entrepreneurship crystallised her belief that all she really wanted to do was give life to the stories bubbling inside of her. She briefly managed to tear herself away from the world of fiction to find her own personal happily ever after and now spends her time happily focusing on the two loves of her life – family and writing romances.

Enter the GiveAway on Facebook

Until next time,

A Rebel Among Us by JDR Hawkins - Guest post

About the Book:

After David Summers enlists with the Confederate cavalry, his delusion of chivalry is soon crushed when he witnesses the horrors of battle. Shot by a Union picket, he winds up at a stranger’s farm. Four girls compassionately nurse him back to health. David learns his comrades have deserted him in Pennsylvania following the Battle of Gettysburg, but his dilemma becomes much worse. He falls in love with the older sister, Anna, who entices him with a proposition. To his dismay, he must make a decision. Should he stay and help Anna with her underhanded plan, or return to the army and risk capture?





Buy Links:

Goodreads * Amazon



Here is the guest post from the author hawkins. Glad to have her here.

Why did you choose this concept for the book

About ten years ago, I won a trip to Gettysburg, courtesy of a small Colorado mountain town that was holding a contest. I travelled to Pennsylvania, and after seeing the massive battlefield, I was bitten by the Civil War bug.  The trip inspired me to write a story about a typical Confederate soldier whose family didn’t own slaves, and who came from a rural background. A Rebel Among Us, the third book in the Renegade Series, finds the main character, David Summers, in a unique situation. He winds up at the farm of Anna Brady, and realises the Confederate army has abandoned him in Pennsylvania. But that is just the start of his troubles.

And the impact on people after a battle.

My books extensively discuss what people went through after a battle. In the first novel of the Renegade Series, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, Hiram Summers fights in numerous battles in the Eastern Theatre with the 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Not only didthe soldiers suffer, but their loved ones at home did, too. In one scene, Hiram’s wife, Carolyn, goes to the local mercantile to see if her husband’s name is on the list of the deceased. I can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been. In the second book of the series, A Beckoning Hellfire, Hiram’s son, David enlists with the Confederate cavalry and is immediately hurled into battle. He loses his best friend, whom he convinced to enlist with him. Guilt-ridden, David is caught between his conscience and his duty. Following the Battle of Gettysburg, he is wounded, and his horse, Renegade, takes him on a wild ride to a nearby farmhouse. A Rebel Among Us describes David’s recovery and predicament, as well as the guilt he feels in leaving his family, seeking out revenge, and fighting an enemy that has now become his saviour.

About the Author:

J.D.R. Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. She is one of a few female Civil War authors, uniquely describing the front lines from a Confederate perspective.

Her Renegade Series includes A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, and A Rebel Among Us. All three novels are award winners, and tell the story of a family from north Alabama who experience immeasurable pain when their lives are dramatically changed by the war. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women’s Writing Guild, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. Ms. Hawkins is currently working on a nonfiction book about the War Between the States, as well as another sequel to her series.

Contact the Author: 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Amazon



Other Books in the Series:

 

(Click on the Cover for more details)

Until next time,

Deceiving Bella by Cate Beauman - A guest post

Ethan Cooke Security and their bodyguard team return to action in Deceiving Bella – book eleven in Cate Beauman’sBodyguards of L.A. County series.

With over 7700 reviews and a 4.4 rating for the entire series, see why the Bodyguards of L.A. County is a multi-award winning series.

Buy It Now!

Amazon | Kobo | Nook | iBooks

New to the series? No problem! Each book in the “Bodyguards” series is a stand-alone title. Although reading the books in order is preferred, it is not necessary.  Each title features brand new primary characters and limited overlapping secondary characters.  Don’t hesitate to jump right in!

Isabella Colby has always yearned for normalcy. Now that she’s settled in LA, she finally has it. Good friends, a pretty home, and her thriving career as the Palisades’ top skincare specialist are a dream come true. Bella is content until she meets her hunky new neighbor, but her attraction to the blue-eyed cutie is the least of her worries when contacting her long-lost father threatens to destroy her happy life.

Reed McKinley is more than ready to forget the past. His seven-year stint as an NYPD detective nearly got him killed. His wounds have healed and he’s starting over as Ethan Cooke Security’s latest recruit. With sixty-hour workweeks and little time to himself, the last thing on his mind is a relationship. Then he bumps into the gorgeous woman next door.

Reed and Bella become fast friends. Before long, Reed discovers that Bella is keeping dangerous secrets. Bella may have the answers to decades-old questions he’s been searching for. Reed will risk it all to uncover the truth, but he soon realizes that the deeper he digs, the direr the consequences.

The Inspiration BehindDeceiving Bella:

It’s no secret that I’m a crime television junky. I love watching anything that might bring about an idea for another story. Several months ago, I found a series on Netflix about La Cosa Nostra—or the five mafia families of New York. I was immediately drawn to the information I was observing. Within minutes, I knew I wanted to weave together an adventure that would bring Isabella Colby and Reed McKinley face to face with organized crime. I hope you’ll enjoy reading Deceiving Bella as much as I loved writing it.

Read an excerpt from Deceiving Bella:

They kept a slow pace, strolling in silence as the breeze plastered their clothes to their bodies and the constant sound of waves hypnotized, lulling Reed into relaxing by degrees.

“Thanks for coming with me tonight. It’s nice having company.”

He looked at Bella, staring at the fading light playing off her eyes. “The water smells better than a bunch of sweaty guys.”

“Your gym.” Her brow creased ever so slightly as she held his gaze. “What do you do for fun?”

“Work and box.”

“Sounds…like a good time.”

“I like it.”

“Do you smile?”

He frowned. “Huh?”

“I was wondering if you ever smile—or laugh. I haven’t seen you do either since we met.”

He sent her an exaggerated grin.

She laughed.

He smiled for real this time, finding her laughter infectious.

“You do smile. I wasn’t sure if you had some sort of facial paralysis we hadn’t discussed yet.”

He grinned.

“You should do that more often.” She hooked her arm through his.

He almost missed a step as the warmth of her skin met his, surprised by her casual gesture. He wasn’t used to people being so touchy-feely. “I do it plenty.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it.”

How was it possible she smelled even better now that they stood so close? It had to be her hair. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

She stopped abruptly. “Are you seeing anyone?”

He studied her, not sure that he liked where this was going. “No. You interested?”

She shook her head. “You’re not really my type.”

He tried to ignore the direct hit to his ego. “You’re not mine either.”

Another smile warmed her face. “I think we could be great friends, and I like projects—love them, actually.”

His frown returned. “And that means…”

“It means I like you. And I love that you don’t seem to have any interest in getting into my pants.”

Years of concealing any and all facial expressions kept his eyes from popping wide. “Wow.” He ran his hand through his hair, speechless once again. “Okay.”

She laughed. “I’m a big fan of honesty—putting it right out there.”

He chuckled as he settled his sunglasses on top of his head. “Clearly.”

They started walking again.

“There’s something about you that feels…safe.”

He raised his brow, taken aback. He’d been called many things, but this was a first. “Safe?”

She nodded. “Safe. It’s a good thing, but you’re pretty serious. We need to lighten you up. You need to play more.”

“I play plenty. I box.”

She scoffed, “Beating someone’s face in can’t lead you down the road to happiness.”

Her side brushed his with every step. He imagined he should ease away, break their connection, but he liked the way she felt, that she trusted him. “There’s more to boxing than beating someone’s face in.”

She looked at him as if she wasn’t so sure.

“I’ll have to show you—” He glanced over his shoulder when he realized they hadn’t seen Lucy for a while and laughed as the dog lay on her back in the sand with her front paws in the air. “What is she doing?”

“Sunbathing.”

He laughed again, shaking his head. “I’ve never seen anything like that.” His eyes met Bella’s as she stared at him. “What?”

“You have a great laugh.”

To his surprise, he was having a great time. It shocked him further that he liked Bella as much as she seemed to like him. Being here with her was exactly what he’d needed. “How long do you want to stay?”

“The sun sets soon. It’s the best part.”

The sand wasn’t bothering him much, and he couldn’t remember the last time his shoulders felt so loose. “I don’t have a blanket.”

“We can sit on our shoes.” She tossed hers down. “We can plunk ourselves right here.”

Lucy rolled to her side, stood, and ran their way.

He shrugged, dropping his flip-flops to the ground. “I guess this is as good a place as any.”

“It’ll be spectacular.” She took his hand, pulling him down next to her. “You won’t regret it.”

“We’ll have to remember a blanket next time.”

She smiled. “You want to come back?”

He stared ahead, petting Lucy when she curled up next to him, breathing in Bella with each inhalation. “I could see myself doing this again.”

She gave his shoulder a bump. “Good. You can be my beach buddy.”

He nodded, liking the idea. “Yeah, sure.”

“Great.”

“Great.” He crossed his ankles in the sand, his foot brushing Bella’s as they settled in to enjoy the show. It had been too damn long since he watched a sunset.

Did you enjoy the excerpt?  You can read the first chapter on my website, www.catebeauman.com, or you can finish the whole book with the links below!

Amazon | Kobo | Nook | iBooks

The Unofficial Deceiving Bella Soundtrack

I love music! I can’t imagine a world without catchy tunes playing, especially when I’m writing. Music is inspiration. Melodies, beats, and the mood of each song help me portray emotions and feelings as I tell a story. It’s a rare day when I don’t have my headphones in place, bopping my head, while my fingers race across the keyboard.You can listen to the “soundtrack” for each book on my website www.catebeauman.com.

The soundtrack, of sorts, for Deceiving Bella:

·         Favorite Song by Ben Rector

·         Lay It All On Me by Rudimental w/Ed Sheeran

·         Into You by Ariana Grande

·         Cake by the Ocean by DNCE

·         Truth by Steve Moakler

·         Any Other Name by Thomas Newman

·         Rock Bottom by Hailee Steinfeld

·         All I Want by Kodaline

·         Crash by Usher

·         Stand By You by Rachel Platten

About the author:

International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers' Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers' Favorite Awards.

Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on her twelfth full length romantic suspense novel.

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Until next time,

The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt - A guest post

Book Description:

See the enchantment of the Disneyland resort in a whole new way with "The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt." From Main Street U.S.A. to New Orleans Square, Walt Disney lovingly designed every detail to immerse guests in the magic of his theme parks.

See Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure through new eyes when you discover fantasy, thrills, and dreams around every turn. Whether you’re perusing the shops, waiting in line, or riding attractions, there’s plenty to uncover for even the most knowledgeable Disney fan.

If this is your first visit or your five hundredth, you will discover something new with "The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt."

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Books-a-Million ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Powell's Books ~ Chapters.Indigo.ca


Author's Bio:

Catherine Olen has enjoyed a love affair with the magic of the Disney theme parks for as long as she can remember, counting herself among Disneyland passholders for the last twenty-five years. Previously, Olen owned and operated Hollywood Grave Hunter and is the proud author of The Final Curtain: Celebrity Deaths and The Upside of Undertaking, chronicling her previous career experiences. She has been a correspondent to Entertainment Tonight (US and France), The Biography Channel, Reelz Network, and the Mark & Brian radio show.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

Guest Post:

Recently I was asked, “What would you say is the funniest experience you have had in writing The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt?”

After giving it some serious thought, well, as serious as I ever am….I could not come up with a funny moment but rather came to the realization of how fun my life has been writing this book. I continually enjoy the rides, shows and attractions, but there is one aspect of my life visiting Disneyland that I enjoy more than anything else.

Engaging guests to become present during their time at the theme parks is one of my private joys. So often I have witnessed families that forget they are visiting the happiest place on earth. The frustrations of the day start to overwhelm anyone. Heat, long lines, crying children can distract from the magic of Disneyland. More often it is the crowds themselves that offer tremendous stress on even the happiest day at Disneyland. At some point, guests will fall into line with others without even knowing what attraction they are waiting for.

How do I fit in? Here are just a few of my favorite moments helping people find the joy again.

On one particular day I watched a family having a bad day. Mom and dad were frustrated, the kids were hot and they had forgotten their purpose for the vacation. As someone not involved in the moment I gentle walked up and said, “You spent thousands of dollars to come here, remember to have fun.” It was then I visible saw the shift from anger to realization. “Thank you” was all the father said to me and hugged his wife.

Another aspect of theme park life is watching guest fall into a line even though they may not know what attraction people are waiting for. In my pin trading days, we would line up to purchase a limited edition item first thing on a Sunday morning. When other guest would get in line and ask, “What ride are you in line for?”

My response would be, “This is not a ride, it’s soft taco Sunday.” So often, the guest will thank me and begin to walk away. They take just a few steps and I can visibly see the wheels in their head turning as they realize what has been said. Usually I will answer their stare with a small mile to let them know I am playing and mean no harm.

Writing The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt was another way for me to engage the guests to be present on their adventures at Disneyland, to enjoy the moments that are so important when the children are little. Walt Disney’s vision to have parents and children interact to form memories that would last a lifetime still lives in Disneyland to this day and I hope I have added to that joy with this book.

Interacting with cast members has become another important part of my day when visiting Disneyland. I have formed many friendships over the years and love to tease with cast members when they working.

“Excuse me, can you help me find the line for Daffy Duck?” I asked a manager. I caught the visible moment when before he spoke when he realized I what had been said. With a cheeky smile I apologized and let him know I was just entertaining myself.

It is with an air of fun, never malice that I love to engage people, it adds to my fun and hopefully give a little laugh to others during their time. 

Until next time,