Library of Clean Reads

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Dance Diaries: Ballroom Budgeting: How I Afford to Dance (Review and Giveaway)

Book Details:

Book Title: Dance Diaries: Ballroom Budgeting: How I Afford to Dance by The Girl With the Tree Tattoo
Category: Non-Fiction, 41 pages
Genre: Dance, Finance, Budgeting
Publisher: BookBaby
Release date: June 2016
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Anyone who tries ballroom dancing quickly learns how expensive it can be. From private lessons to competition fees, the monetary cost of being a ballroom student can quickly skyrocket. In my experience, the high cost is the most frequently cited reason for quitting dance. It shouldn’t be that way!

I live paycheck to paycheck, carry credit card debt, and still dance and compete in pro-am ballroom. In my first two years as a pro-am competitive ballroom dancer, I entered five competitions, had the money reserved for two additional events, and, at the same time, reduced my credit card debt by almost 50%!

I wrote this second book in my Dance Diaries series out of a desire to help my fellow struggling dancers do the same thing. From budgeting basics to specific tips on how to save on ballroom dancing, in Ballroom Budgeting, I share exactly how I dance and compete in ballroom while living paycheck to paycheck AND reducing debt! I even provide the tools I use to help you start organizing your own ballroom budget right away! Stop stressing over the cost and focus on what is important – the dancing!

Buy the Book: BookBaby ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

My Review

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Earlier this week I reviewed the first book in the Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance: What I Wish I Had Known by The Girl With the Tree Tattoo, which gave a concise overview of what ballroom dancing is all about. It's an easy-to-read guidebook for anyone who wants to start taking ballroom dance lessons. This second book is all about budgeting so that one can afford to pursue ballroom dancing.

I hadn't realized how expensive this performing arts or hobby could be for the serious ballroom dancer. Katie, a.k.a. The Girl With the Tree Tattoo shares her tips and secrets on how she can afford to dance. She also shares her reasoning and motivation for doing so, which I think is important because without this, one could easily give up on the discipline it takes to say no to some things just to be able to save money.

I admired the author for the sacrifices she was willing to make and for her honesty as she related her personal experience with saving money. Once again, this book is concise and she shares her budgeting method along with the spreadsheets she uses to keep it all organized and visual. Really, her way of budgeting can be applied to any sport or hobby one is pursuing.

The author is single and leads a simple lifestyle and I found this refreshing. She has full control over her spending habits. It may be harder for someone who has children for example to make the same choices. This quick guide might be just the right motivation and method for the dancer who thinks they cannot afford to dance. If one is truly intent on achieving something, there is always a way as Katie smartly shows us.

Whereas the first book is for the starter dancer, this one is for both the starter and the more experienced dancer as it puts into perspective the cost of ballroom dancing and how to make it a reality.

To read more reviews, please visit The Girl With the Tree Tattoo's page on iRead Book Tours.

Watch The Girl With the Tree Tattoo dance gracefully in competition!

Meet the Author:

Katie is known as the Girl with the Tree Tattoo because of the tree of life tattoo that covers her entire back. She has been taking ballroom dancing lessons since December 2012 and competing in pro-am ballroom competitions since April 2014. It was through ballroom dance that Katie started to discover who she really was and what she was capable of, despite the demons of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety that live in her head. Through sharing her own experiences, Katie hopes to lead others to experience the amazing effect ballroom dancing can have on a life.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance: What I Wish I Had Known (Review and Giveaway)

The first book Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance: What I Wish I Had Known is a short nonfiction resource for anyone interested in or contemplating ballroom dance.

Book Details:

Book Title: Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance: What I Wish I Had Known by The Girl With the Tree Tattoo
Category: Non-Fiction, 43 pages
Genre: Performing Arts, Dance, Hobbies
Publisher: BookBaby
Release date: April 2016
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Why didn't anyone tell me? Ballroom dancing is fun, magical and, most of all, life-changing. When I first started learning ballroom though, I fumbled around awkwardly and sometimes painfully, figuring things out as I went along. Certain things weren't explained or just never came up in conversation. From what to expect in class to how to find the right teacher or dance partner to how much ballroom really costs, Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance covers the things that I wish I had known when I first started learning ballroom. This quick read is your cheat sheet to help you get the most out of your ballroom experience.

Buy the Book: BookBaby ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

My Review

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I love to dance. I learned how to dance at Italian weddings when my dad would whisk me away in his arms and I would put my small feel on his to follow his steps. I also took ballroom dance lessons with my husband once and we had a lot of fun. It was also a workout! When I learned about the Dance Diaries, I knew I wanted to read them. Its author, The Girl With the Tree Tattoo began taking dance lessons in 2012 and two years later was competing in pro-am ballroom competitions.

The first book Dance Diaries: Learning Ballroom Dance: What I Wish I Had Known is a short nonfiction resource for anyone interested in or contemplating ballroom dance. Written in first person and with a mix of her own experiences, The Girl With a Tree Tattoo succeeds in relating pertinent and useful information. She does this with humor and concise language. I learned the pros and cons of a dance class versus private lessons and also what the ballroom social context is like.

She seems to cover all the basics that a person would need to know when entering the ballroom dance scene whether one wants to do it for exercise, for fun or for the dream of entering dance competitions. She even addresses the teacher/student relationship which I found quite interesting as I always like to learn psychological aspects to things.

The Girl With the Tree Tattoo writes well, in a friendly tone and at times with self-deprecating humor. This is not a dry nonfiction book but an easily read guidebook, perfect for the starting dancer.

I'll be posting my review of the second book Dance Diaries: Ballroom Budgeting: How I Afford to Dance on Thursday, Sept 29. To win a copy, enter the giveaway below!

To read more reviews, please visit The Girl With the Tree Tattoo's page on iRead Book Tours.

Watch The Girl With the Tree Tattoo dance gracefully in competition!

My Interview with The Girl With the Tree Tattoo

LCR: Can you describe what the Dance Diaries are in 20 words or less?

The Dance Diaries books are quick, easy-to-read guides on different aspects of being a ballroom student, based on my personal experiences. The first book covers getting started as a ballroom student and the second book covers how to afford being a ballroom student.

LCR: Have you read any books on ballroom dancing before or during the time you've been dancing? If yes, were they helpful?

I recently read and reviewed Patrice Tanaka’s Becoming Ginger Rogers and I’m currently reading Marian Condon’s Thinner, Fitter, Happier: Dancing Will Change Your Life! I also follow several other ballroom dancers’ blogs. I love reading about other students’ experiences because it makes me feel connected to them and less isolated in my own experiences. Knowing others have gone through similar challenges helps give me the courage to work through and share my own.

LCR: Can you describe what it's like to be part of a dance competition?

It’s like entering another world, full of glitz and glamour! Men are dressed in elegant suits, and women are in brightly colored gowns covered in rhinestones, fringe and feathers. Couples wait for their heat number to be called so they can walk out onto the dancefloor and perform for the judges and spectators. You only get 60-90 seconds to show them what you can do with each dance. When you’re not on the dancefloor, you get to watch and cheer on fellow students. As a competitor, the experience is a combination of thrills, anxiety and camaraderie.

LCR: What's the funniest thing that's happened to you when dancing?

I’m not sure what takes the number one spot, but there have been countless moments during lessons that I can’t do anything but laugh at. I’ve accidentally hit a partner on more than one occasion while attempting a dance move, including once right in the family jewels! Teachers are also famous for saying things that sound ridiculous when taken out of context, such as “you should be inside me” and “get your head in your butt.”

LCR: Best advice to give someone contemplating taking dancing lessons?

Is it wrong to say “read my first Dance Diaries book, Learning Ballroom Dance”? I put all of my best advice in there, including options for taking lessons, what to expect in group classes or private lessons, and insight to the more awkward aspects of learning ballroom. Personally, I would tell someone contemplating taking dance lessons to go for it! Keep in mind though that ballroom is a business. Studios will lavish you with attention and flattery partly because they want you as their customer.

LCR: If you could travel back in time, where would you go?

I would travel back to the night of the premiere of Singin’ in the Rain in 1952! It is one of my favorite movies, and I would love to have the chance to meet Gene Kelly, one of my favorite dancers of all time, in person!

LCR: Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

I’ll be honest; this question was always my least favorite on job interviews! But I’ll do my best to answer it. I want to be able to transition to being a full-time writer/dancer and not need a separate day job to support those passions. I definitely plan on publishing a couple more books in the next five years, including at least one in print. I am currently in search of an amateur partner to compete with, so in five years, I would hope we’d have a few championships under our belts! Another option for me is to turn professional and become a ballroom teacher myself in the next five years. At this point, I haven’t decided if becoming a teacher is the right path for me, but I’m keeping my options open.

Meet the Author:

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday, What are your Reading? Sept 26 Edition

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia who now blogs at To Be Continued. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home on its blog. Link up to share your MM.

I can't believe September is almost over. The weather has been mild, actually hot, here is Montreal and now it's starting to cool off. It's been a gorgeous month, really. We're into a good routine now that school is well under way and I'm enjoying my reading.

Great mailbox for me this week:

Killer in the Band by Lauren Carr

Summer of Love & Murder

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua “J.J.” Thornton Jr., has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua’s and Cameron’s shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, a onetime leader of a rock group who’s twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has been keeping a deep dark secret.

The move brings long-buried tensions between the father and son to the surface. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross hairs of a murderer.

The Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sarah Bates

Johnstown, New York, 1823: It is a time when a wife’s dowry, even children, automatically becomes her husband’s property. Slavery is an economic advantage entrenched in America but rumblings of abolition abound.

For Elizabeth Cady to confront this culture is unheard of, yet that is exactly what she does. Before she can become a leader of the women's rights movement and prominent abolitionist, she faces challenges fraught with disappointment. Her father admires her intellect but says a woman cannot aspire to the goals of men. Her sister’s husband becomes her champion–but secretly wants more. Religious fervor threatens to consume her.

As she faces depression and despair, she records these struggles and other dark confidences in diaries. When she learns the journals might fall into the wrong hands and discredit her, she panics and rips out pages of entries that might destroy her hard-fought reputation. Relieved, she believes they are lost to history forever.

But are they? Travel with Elizabeth into American history and discover a young woman truly ahead of her time.

Life Creative: Inspiration for Today's Renaissance Mom by Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart

A celebration of motherhood, creativity, and the faith that binds them.

In our Pinterest age of handcrafted children's parties, artistic Instagram photos, tutorials for renovating old furniture into new treasures, and blogs filled with poetry, prose, and other creative expression, it is clear that a brand-new generation of creative women is rising up. It is a renaissance born not in Italian cathedrals or Harlem jazz clubs but in kitchens and nurseries and living rooms around the world. But when Christian women become mothers, they often feel expected to lay down their creative pursuits in order to properly parent.

Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart know that struggle. While they acknowledge that some seasons of mothering require setting artistic pursuits aside, they also argue that these seasons don't have to last until empty nest time. Instead, mothers with creative gifts are called to actively use them in order to bless their families, their communities, and everyone they encounter.

Inspiring and encouraging, "Life Creative" celebrates the ways mothers can live their art in the midst of their mothering. They tell the stories of women such as actress Candace Cameron Bure, recording artist Francesca Battistelli, and jewelry designer Lisa Leonard who do just that. By following God's leading to embrace His gifts, renaissance moms can model the joy of obedience for their families.

Forever Fit and Flexible: Feeling Fabulous at Fifty and Beyond by Cheryl L. Ilov

Do you believe getting older means losing health and vitality?

Here is your path to feeling youthful and vibrant. Imagine starting each day with a spring in your step. Envision liking what you see in the full-length mirror before you get dressed. Now visualize that you can engage in any activity with strength, grace, and confidence.

In Forever Fit and Flexible Cheryl Ilov provides a program that will help you create this and more. Her movement lessons provide the building blocks to better posture, core strength, flexibility, balance, and functional strength. As you develop a solid physical foundation, you will also:

* eliminate chronic pain
* improve injury-related mobility issues
* experience increased energy
* develop mindful self-awareness and a positive mindset
* ... and much more!

Cheryl Ilov combined her extensive training in Pilates, Feldenkrais, martial arts, and ballet with her MS degree in physical therapy to create this advanced movement program. It was through her personal experience of chronic pain, fatigue, and injuries that she perfected her program and is now dedicated to helping others achieve the best quality of life possible, regardless of age or current level of function.

Forever Fit and Flexible offers you the possibility of living with a new sense of energy and vitality as you move into your fifties, sixties, seventies, and beyond. Once you get moving, you'll want to keep moving.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organise yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Posts From Last Week:

Flight Club: Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business by Felena Hanson (Spotlight, Author Interview and Giveaway)

Death at the Paris Exposition by Frances McNamara (Book Spotlight, Author Interview and Giveaway!)

There's Been a Change of Plans by Amy Koko (Review and Giveaway!) This memoir made me laugh so hard.

Reading Now:

Stop by and enter my giveaways!

Also posted on the right sidebar.

Hope you all have a great reading week.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Everlasting Lies by Barbara Warren (Review and Giveaway)

Well-written, evocative and scandalous, this novel made me experience a roller-coaster of emotions. It was never boring but did leave me frustrated more times than I can count.

Book Details:

Book Title: Everlasting Lies by Barbara Warren
Category: Adult fiction, 296 pages
Genre: Historical Romance, Women's Fiction
Publisher: Friesen Press
Release date: March 2016
Content Rating: R (For explicit sexual scenes and promiscuity)

Book Description:

Edina Paxton is kissed at twelve, seduced at fourteen and married with child at fifteen. She immediately regrets her marriage to Charles Vernon and is relieved when he leaves to fight in the trenches during WW1. She soon finds love, comfort and sexual satisfaction with Bill, another soldier and the boy who first kissed her.

Charles is invalided out of the army and is sent to India on a hospital ship. There, he becomes a manager of a coalmine in Britain’s Indian Empire, with all the privileges that his position rewards, including sexual favours from female employees. At the end of his army service in 1920 he returns to England to collect his family and return to India, only to be greeted with the news that while he was away Edina was at play. She is pregnant.

Reluctantly, Edina and her three children sail for India with Charles and Edina gives birth to her fourth child while sailing south on the Red Sea. On reaching India Charles finds his Indian mistress is pregnant and Edina finds Charles’s Indian boss to be very attractive. It’s a mutual attraction. Neither Edina nor Charles is a saint.

Piecing together fragments of her grandmother’s remarkable and tragic story, Everlasting Lies is Barbara’s loving tale of the early life of Edina, her grandmother, and Charles, Edina's husband. They both experience the horrors of WW1 and, in hopes of renewing their marriage, start new lives as members of the upper class in Imperial India.

Buy the Book: Author Website (has links to all retail sites where book is sold)
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Chapters Indigo

My Review

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

This novel, aptly titled Everlasting Lies, is the story of a couple's turbulent marriage from the time they first meet to the years through WWI and their move from England to India.

The story grips the reader from the get-go as we are transported to an early twentieth century mining town in England. Charlie is a complex character who becomes more and more despicable as he discovers his need to satisfy his sexual urges at all costs. His wife Edina turns from an innocent tease to a housewife verbally abused by her promiscuous husband. The war takes Charlie away as he enlists and Edina enjoys taking care of her children, falling in love with a childhood friend and learning about women who are beginning to speak up for their rights.

Despite the fact that I did not like Charles and at times Edina, the author's writing kept me turning the pages. I would have preferred if the plot would have continued to revolve around the era rather than the sexual exploits of this couple. There is very little integrity, if any, among the main characters and, Edina who I had high hopes for becomes no better than her husband in her own infidelities. She is a strong character, however, and does what she believes she must do to survive during an era and a marriage where her station in life as a mother and a woman is not respected.

Well-written, evocative and scandalous, this novel made me experience a roller-coaster of emotions. It was never boring but did leave me frustrated more times than I can count. I was hoping for some morality among one of its main characters to give them depth and a reason for me as a reader to root for them. The author is a good storyteller, however, and I hope she keeps writing historical fiction.

To read more reviews, please visit Barbara Warren's page on iRead Book Tours.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Meet the Author:

Barbara Warren always has the pedal to the metal. Born in England and educated at a convent, she left school at sixteen and was selling encyclopedias in the roughest part of London at eighteen. She married and emigrated to Canada when she was twenty-three, had three charming daughters, went to university when she was thirty-six and retired from teaching in her mid fifties.

Then she pursued her passion for the arts and for travel. She and her husband rode camels in India, elephants in Nepal and horses in Montana. They hitchhiked in Norway, cycled across Denmark and snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef. Barbara’s paintings grace homes in Canada, USA and Mexico and she designs her own clothes. She spends the winters in Mexico and the summers in the bible belt of southern Alberta.

Her first novel, Everlasting Lies, tells the story of her grandparents’ love affairs with each other and with others. They struggle to survive in the last years of Victorian England and the horrors of WW1 and then start a new life with four children in Imperial India.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, September 22, 2016

A Drop of Water by Yvonne Williams Casaus (Book Spotlight , Author Interview and Giveaway)

I am thrilled to be featuring Yvonne Williams Casaus' new book on my blog today. As I learned more about her (see my interview below) I discovered we have much in common. If you or someone you know struggles with depression or is concerned about suicide prevention, then this book will be helpful. You can enter to win a copy.

Book Details:

Book Title: A Drop Of Water: A Spiritual Journey by Yvonne Williams Casaus
Category: Adult nonfiction, 208 pages
Genre: Memoir, Spirituality, Self-help, Personal Growth, Grief, Loss, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention
Publisher: Laughing At Myself, LLC
Release date: September 2016
Content Rating: PG + M (There is no bad language, but author discusses her husband's suicide)

Book Description:

In this extraordinary book, Yvonne reflects upon her past experiences, grief, and losses to find her way back to her spirituality and strength. She bares her soul, yet is able to use water as a lighthearted, uninhibited, and fun way to express how we are all connected. It is a spiritually inspired book about healing, grief, and personal growth.

It becomes a beautiful poetic journey as she discovers her love of water as part of what led her towards her spiritual path. Through her writing she expresses how she found her way through several tremendous losses, including the loss of her husband. In her ability to endure, she found a strength she never knew she had.

This book is for anyone that has ever struggled with depression, grief, or loss of any kind. It is for anyone interested in personal growth and healing. By sharing her personal story she is able to remind us that we are never truly alone. Water connects us all.

Buy the Book: Amazon

My Interview with Yvonne Williams Casaus

LCR: Hi Yvonne! Thank you so much for chatting with us about your new book A Drop of Water. In 20 words, can you describe to us what your book is about?

YWC: I share my healing journey as a Suicide Loss Survivor and Therapist to show how we are all connected.

LCR: I read in your bio that you do Play Therapy. As a former Special Care Counsellor myself, I have used this with children with astounding results. The children would disclose private feeling to the puppet I would use but not to me personally. Can you tell us how your experience as a therapist has influenced your own healing?

YWC: Play Therapy is very powerful; speaking through metaphor (play) is a way to express emotions they may not be able to with words. It helps get their defense mechanisms out of the way so true healing can occur. Being a therapist made it very easy to ask for help and know my children and I were going to need support. I knew how important it was to have my children go to therapy and process their feelings. Helping others has helped me heal and grow more than I could have imagined. I learned to have more compassion for myself. We could all learn from very young children. They do not struggle with self esteem and are not afraid to ask for what they need. We all need to learn how to have uninhibited, childlike fun, we all need nurturing, we all need love.

LCR: Your title is catchy and intriguing. Can you tell us how you came up with it?

YWC: I found a connection between my grief, my tears, my healing journey and water. It became a metaphor for my spiritual journey. I realized that we are all connected. It all starts with that one drop. A drop of water, an ocean of water, it is all the same.

LCR: How will readers benefit from reading your book?

YWC: They will learn that they too can use water to overcome those dark and lonesome moments. It will remind them that no matter how lonely they feel they are never alone. I was spiritually inspired to share my healing journey and in the process a lesson came to me. We are all connected, through nature, through spirit, through water. I realized that the messages in these words could help everyone find their way through the darkness. Finding my way out of the murky water helped me discover the real me. I am the drop and I am the ocean. Water connects us all.

LCR: If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is struggling with depression, what would it be?

YWC: If you are struggling with feelings of hopelessness, reach out. Asking for help is a strength.

Remember that no matter how alone or hopeless you feel, you are never alone. We are all connected. It is hard to remember when we are sad and depressed. We feel so lonely or frozen like ice. We get rigid and cold, but even in ice, we are connected.

I believe that if a person can hold on for just another moment, they can make it for another hour. Then if they can make to another hour, they can hold on for another day. There is always love and encouragement even when we are choosing not to see it.

LCR: If you could travel back in time, where would you go?

YWC: That is a hard one. I am a pretty independent woman, and women did not have as many rights as they do now. I had thoughts such as how interesting it might have been to see my parent’s wedding. The Renaissance period has always fascinated me. I love the style of painting and sculpture from that period. I would love to see Italian masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael working on their masterpieces.

LCR: Can you share what books you've read and loved?

YWC: Like you, I read a variety of genres. I recently read Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson, I found myself laughing out loud and loved how she described her experience with depression and anxiety. I have read all The Artist Way books by Julia Cameron. I believe that really allowed me to embrace my creativity. I love Louise Hay’s book, You Can Heal Your Life, I reference her positive affirmations on a regular basis. However, I must say my guilty pleasure is reading young adult supernatural and paranormal books. It also makes me very happy to see coloring books everywhere and more readily available. I have been recommending coloring books to my clients for years.

LCR: Do you have a project or book you're working on next?

YWC: Yes I am halfway through my next book which is a fictional fantasy dealing with spirituality. It is a young adult book. I work with many adolescents so I was drawn to this genre. I consider this genre one of my guilty pleasures. I have really enjoyed fiction and creating my own fantasy world. I sense some vampires coming.

About the Author:

Yvonne Williams Casaus is a Mom, Wife, Author, Counselor, and Play Therapist. She is an independently licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LPCC), a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), and is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. She specializes in Depression, Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She has a private practice in New Mexico and has been helping adults, children, adolescents, and families for over eleven years.

Yvonne’s areas of expertise include Depression, Anxiety, Divorce, Panic Attacks, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), Sexual Abuse, Rape, Physical Abuse, Grief, ADHD and other issues. She also specializes in treating traumatized children with issues such as PTSD, Sexual abuse, Physical Abuse, Neglect, Adoption, and Reactive Attachment Disorder.

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

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Flight Club: Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business by Felena Hanson (Spotlight, Author Interview and Giveaway)

Today I am excited to be featuring Felena Hanson and her new book. I launched my own business three years ago and I love supporting organisations and authors who help women fulfil their dreams. Be sure to read my interview with Felena and enter the giveaway to win a copy of the book!

Book Details:

Book Title: Flight Club: Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business by Felena Hanson
Category: Adult nonfiction, 198 pages
Genre: Business
Publisher: Self-published
Release date: April 2016
Content Rating: PG + M (Book contains real life examples - infidelity)

Book Description:

Flight Club is a call to rebel, reinvent, and thrive! The book shares the journey of women who "leaned out" of corporate to launch their dream business.

Felena Hanson, founder of Hera Hub, shares her personal story and rise to entrepreneurship. The book also features the journeys of and advice from six courageous female entrepreneurs: Debby Eubank, Linda O'Keefe, Lorin Beller, Sara Clark-Williams, Deirdre Maloney, and MaryCay Durrant. Each shares an exercise to help you craft your flight path.

The final section of the book includes access to an online platform (www.StepsToStartup.com) which walks you through 17 foundational steps of launching a business. Book buyers will receive three months free access!

This book is for you if ...
You are tired of building someone else's dream
You want to pursue your passion as a career
You are over the corporate politics
You want more control of your time and life
You don't want to build your dream business alone!

Learn more at www.FlightClubBook.com and www.Facebook.com/FlightClubBook

Buy the Book : Amazon

Watch the Trailer:

My Interview with Felena Hanson

LCR: Welcome to Library of Clean Reads! If you were to describe your book in 20 words, what would you say?

FH: Flight Club is a call to women who feel “stuck” in their corporate job to “lean out” and launch their own business. The book is a combination of inspiration and guidance to help them take the leap!

LCR: How are women entrepreneurs different from men entrepreneurs? Or is there no difference?

FH: I truly believes that women, when given a chance, interact differently and are instinctively more collaborative in their approach to business. I felt it was important to create a space for female entrepreneurs that is not only beautiful, comfortable, and feminine, yet also very professional.

Women empowering women is more than just a theory. In a Kaufman Foundation study (“Are Successful Women Entrepreneurs Different from Men?” May 2010), women rated their professional and business networks as important contributors to success more highly than men did. It was also found that women especially benefit from other types of social support and encouragement beyond business.

Several of the identified gender differences in the study indicate that support and encouragement from key people can especially benefit women in their efforts to found successful companies. Many women feel more comfortable in a female-focused environment and typically get to a point of trust much quicker, especially in a safe, supportive environment like Hera Hub.

LCR: What is your ultimate goal in writing this book?

FH: My goal was to inspire more women to launch their own business. This can allow them to pursue their passions and be in the driver's seat as it relates to how and when they work.

LCR: What was the best advice you received when you launched your own business?

FH: My grandpa Hanson used to recite the Serenity Prayer, which basically says… "Don't worry about the things you do not control.” This has served me well to remember that, as it helps me stay focused on what I can achieve and not worry about the opinion of others.

LCR: Where do you see your business in 5 years from now?

I’m on a mission is to support over 20,000 women in the launch and growth of their business by 2020. I’m achieving this goal through our licensing expansion and the book. I believe what we're doing will continue to change the face of female entrepreneurship.

Meet the Author:

Felena is a long-time entrepreneur and marketing maven. Her latest venture, Hera Hub, is a spa-inspired shared workspace and community for female entrepreneurs. This as-needed, flexible work and meeting space provides a productive environment for growing businesses. Hera Hub members have access to a professional space to meet with clients and to connect and collaborate with like-minded business owners, thus giving them the support they need to be prosperous. The company has three locations in San Diego, one in Washington DC, and continues to grow nationally via a licensing model. Her goal is to support over 20,000 women in the launch and growth of their business by 2020. Felena and Hera Hub have been featured in Inc Magazine, the BBC News, Forbes, and the New York Times. She is a published author and international speaker. Her book, “Flight Club – Rebel, Reinvent, and Thrive: How to Launch Your Dream Business” is available on Amazon.

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

Enter the Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway