Meet Sibel Hodge, Chicklit Author of Four Winning Novels

My name is Sibel Hodge and I’m a chicklit author!

I was standing up when I said that so should I duck now and wait for the squidgy tomatoes to be thrown at me? I know some of you lovely readers might appreciate a hefty dose of chicklit, but there are still a lot of chicklit-haters out there! Why? Haven’t got a clue, to be honest, because if you think about it, chicklit has been around for years. Just look at Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen! It was possibly one the first romantic comedies - yep, that’s right, Jane Austen wrote chicklit!

And since chicklit and fun go hand in hand, I thought I’d show you my take on this amazing genre!

May was the inaugural International Chicklit Month, and I had the pleasure of hosting a fabtastic giveaway of chicklit books on my blog. All people had to do to enter was leave a comment saying exactly what they love about chicklit. And this is where the fun part comes in!

Here are a few quotes from the comments:

“I can be sitting here reading a book, laughing out loud, snickering, and more, and I could try to explain to my hubby what is so funny, and he just doesn't get it!!!”

“Why do I like chick lit? Because it offers realistic characters, intriguing settings, and often, a good dose of humor”

“Reading a chicklit novel is like having a gossip session with a girl friend, and that is a guilty pleasure we all need to have once in a while.”


“Why do I read chick lit? Because chick lit is fun :) A light reading which makes you smile and sometimes upset”

“Rather like having an enormous box of chocolates that I can dip into at will - or even scoff the lot with no guilt feelings.”

“We all need a bit of light hearted fun in our lives! There is nothing wrong with a bit of daydreaming. This is why I like chicklit :o) xx”

“I especially enjoy reading about strong women who make their way in men's professions and have fun while their at it.”

“Other times I'm laughing my face off enjoying the great adventures and interesting situations that some of the characters get themselves into.”

“What I love about it is the attitude, that it's all about a woman's journey, but more in a fun, personal way than say women's fiction”

“It is fun, light hearted escapism”

Notice the common theme in all of them? Yes, the F word (no, not THAT F word!) - Fun!

So what exactly is chicklit?

Well, the chicklit genre is so diverse, encompassing all the issues that modern women face. And it’s so much more than killer-shoes and pink covers! It can be sad, happy, kick-ass, fun, comic, scary, inspiring, heart-warming, intriguing, romantic, raunchy, sassy, full of attitude, quirky, tear-jerking. It covers real problems that women go through on a daily basis so it can never die!

But I think the main theme of chicklit is that it often contains humor, sarcasm, wit, and a fantabulous dose of fun. They are also often told in a more personal and confiding tone. Imagine having a natter with your best mate while indulging in a big dose of chocolate. Think of it as a calorie free indulgence! And these are the things that set it apart from purely romance or women’s fiction.

Nowadays there are sub genres such as mommy lit, mystery lit, even lad lit! So whatever type of story you’re looking for there will be loads of chicklit books to suit you.

Authors in the chicklit genre include people like Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Beth Orsoff, LC Evans. Oh, yeah, and little old moi!

So, girls and guys, if you do wanna have fun…reach for the chicklit!

~*~ 

Bio:

Sibel Hodge has dual British/Turkish Cypriot nationality, dividing her time between Hertfordshire and North Cyprus. She is a qualified personal trainer, sports and massage therapist, and writes freelance feature articles on health, fitness, and various lifetyle subjects. Prior to this, she also worked for Hertfordshire Constabulary for ten years.

Her first novel, Fourteen Days Later, was short listed for the Harry Bowling Prize 2008 and received a highly commended by the Yeovil Literary Prize 2009. It is a romantic comedy with a unique infusion of British and Turkish Cypriot culture. Written in a similar style to Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes, Fourteen Days Later is My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Bridget Jones. My Perfect Wedding is the sequel to Fourteen Days Later, although it can be read as a standalone novel.

The Fashion Police was a runner up in the Chapter One Promotions Novel Competition 2010 and nominated Best Novel with Romantic Elements 2010 by The Romance Reviews. It is a screwball comedy-mystery, combining murder and mayhem with romance and chick-lit, and the first in a series featuring feisty, larger-than-life insurance investigator, Amber Fox. Written in a similar style to Janet Evanovich and Myron Bolitar, The Fashion Police is Stephanie Plum meets Harlan Coben. Be Careful What You Wish For is the second Amber Fox Mystery.

~*~

Blurb for Be Careful What You Wish For:

For fans of Janet Evanovich, Kate Johnson, and Gemma Halliday...

Armed with cool sarcasm and uncontrollable hair, feisty insurance investigator Amber Fox is back in a new mystery combining murder and mayhem with romance and chicklit…

Three deaths.
A safety deposit box robbery.
The boxing heavyweight champion of the world.

Somehow, they’re all related, and Amber has to solve a four year old crime to find out why.

As she stumbles across a trail of dead bodies and a web of lies spanning both sides of the social divide, it’s starting to get personal. Someone thinks Amber’s poking her nose in where it’s not wanted, sparking off a game of fox and mouse – only this time, Amber’s the mouse.

Amber’s forced to take refuge in the home of her ex-fiancé, Brad Beckett, and now it’s not just the case that’s hotting up. So is the bedroom…

All Levi Carter wanted to be was the boxing heavyweight champion of the world, but at what cost?

All Carl Thomas wanted was to be rich, but would his greed be his downfall?

All Brad Beckett wants is to get Amber back, but there’s a reason for the ex word.

Be careful what you wish for…you might just get it.

~*~

Reviews:

"I was hooked in this book from beginning to end. This is a very well written book that has humour and romance." Geeky Girl Books

"If you like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum I think you will really like Amber Fox - I know I do." Martha's Bookshelf

"Amber Fox was hilarious with her tough as nails outer persona and her hysterical one-liners that were frequently laugh out loud funny.

I definately recommend picking this book up!!" The Caffeinated Diva reads...

"Be Careful What You Wish For is a sharp, fast-paced story with intrigue, evil, romance, and humor. Amber Fox is the kind of strong lead female character with a great sarcastic wit that I love to read." To Read, Perchance to Dream

~*~

Links:

Ebook:

Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Smashwords
B&N Nook

Paperback: Amazon.com

Author website
Author blog
For reviews and purchases of my latest novels       

Follow me on Twitter

Can Men and Women Just Be Friends by Miss Know It All

The question people always ask, “Can men and women just be friends.” The answer to that question is yes. However, in order for this friendship to endure, there must be an unambiguous understanding as to how men and women define friendship and what their expectations are.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines friendship as an acquaintance, one attached to another by respect or affection, or one who supports or favors something.

Sometimes when a man and woman become close friends, there may be an undercurrent of innuendos or misunderstandings developing because each party never discussed their role in the relationship.

There is an assumption that men and women cannot be just friends, because there is a presumption that sex has to be the ulterior motive in order to maintain a close connection.

A perfect example is the role of friends with benefits, which can cloud one’s perception as to whether individuals are just looking for sex and are using the term friends as a reason to satisfy each other’s needs or do these people really have a healthy and lasting friendship?

Once sex is in the picture, can a friendship between men and women be sustainable?

What do you think? Post your comments now!

How do you know if He is the One? By Debbie Lamedman

Our lives take many unexpected twists and turns throughout our lifetime; and certainly incidents may occur which we never planned for. Society and culture often tells us how to live our lives, including who we are supposed to love and if we should marry. For many of us, it’s difficult to be told what to do, particularly when it comes to matters of the heart. Marriage and family may not be the right path for some of us, though I do believe it is human nature to pair ourselves up and not travel down a solitary road.

Looking back at past relationships, I know I believed at the time that I was in love with some of these individuals. And I’m sure I was. Then. But not now. We learn about ourselves and life from every relationship we are involved in. And we learn from every relationship we encounter, not only romantic partners, but also family, friends, business associates and collaborators. As we learn and grow and move forward, the one we met and fell in love with when we were twenty is probably not the person we want to be with at 45. But then again…maybe he is. Everyone is different. There are plenty of couples who can get together when they are 20 years old and move and grow forward together. There is no rhyme or reason to the mystery of what keeps people in a relationship. Well, actually, there is a reason…the reason is love.

So how do we know if the person we are currently with is “the one?” What does “the one” mean anyway? Someone to spend the rest of our days with and grow old with? Maybe. But perhaps “the one” is the person who is right for you at the time. The one you can learn the most from. The person who can be with you unconditionally and allow you to see yourself as he sees you. I believe we may meet several “ones” during a lifetime. And we know in our hearts if he or she is the right one for us at that particular time in our life. We may not always stay with that person, but if it’s a relationship worth having, we will definitely learn from him.

Our society says we should meet one person and settle with him forever. That may be possible for some people, but if you look at the state of marriage, and divorce being so common these days, it may not be practical. I am certainly not the same woman I was 25 years ago; I’d like to think I’m constantly growing and changing. I have experienced loss of all sorts of relationships, both friends and lovers, because people grow at a different pace. I have no regrets and believe with all my heart that everything happens for a reason. I met, fell in love and experienced certain relationships because that is what I needed at the time. The person I was with was the right person for me then. If things didn’t work out, it’s because we both needed to move on to the next phase, whatever that may be.

Sometimes it’s hard to let go when you love someone. But you have to ask yourself if the person you are now with is someone who is willing to grow and change as you are doing. It’s a terrible feeling if you think you are stuck with someone—this leads to bitterness and resentment. Be grateful for the time the two of you had together, and know that moving on will be better for both of you. If, however, this person is “the one,” you have the capability within your relationship to enjoy each other for a lifetime. Sometimes, however, we don’t always we get what we want; but we always get what we need.

~*~

Bio: Debbie Lamedman is a published and produced playwright, blogger and freelance writer who writes about online dating and relationships. Among the websites Debbie writes for is DatingServices.net. She also writes a personal blog at Confessions of a Cluttered Mind.

A Conference for the Passionate Erotic

The Erotic Authors Association will hold its first Inaugural Conference on September 9-10, 2011 at The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Connect with authors, artists, publishers and fans for an amazing weekend of readings, panels, classes and industry networking. The conference will be capped by a reception at the Flamingo’s Terrace Balcony.

This is the first convention designed for readers, authors and for those who enjoy the erotic side of life.

Registration fee is $165.00 until August 1. After August 1, $185.00.

No refunds 30 days before the event.

For more information, please visit their site at http://eroticauthorsassociation.com/EAA/conference/

Plain & Simple Books is Proud to Announce the Release of Their First Two Books! Daniel’s Dream and Sullivan’s Secret

About Daniel’s Dream

Daniel Robert Lynch, a young and artistically gifted student, was a victim of mistaken identity in a shooting on September 22nd, 2006. “Dan” was an inspiring art student working towards his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. He had a dream, and nothing was going to stop him… nothing except a bullet.

Following his tragic death, his parents, Robert and Marian Lynch worked passionately to establish The Daniel Robert Lynch Art Education and Scholarship Program (DRL Art Program) in loving memory of their son. The DRL Art Program is now part of the Cache Education Foundation and provides art supplies and scholarship funds to students inspired by art. Daniel’s Dream is the story of Daniel’s life, death, and the legacy he left behind.

“My inspiration is art, because without art, we would just be stuck with reality.”

Daniel Lynch

Daniel’s Dream is now available at Amazon.com in paperback, or ask your local bookseller to order it for you. It is also available in Kindle Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook Book.

About Sullivan’s Secret

Dr. Marie Bartek’s life has been uneventful as the local veterinarian on Sullivan’s Island, SC, until her ability to see spirits returns after eighteen years. After confiding in her best friend and realizing their interests in the paranormal, they organize a paranormal investigation team called Sullivan’s Island Paranormal Society, SIPS. Marie learns to channel her ability through the help of one of the team members, but not before learning the spirits are trying to warn her about the murders taking place on Sullivan’s Island. Sullivan’s Secret captivates the reader with murder, suspense, and the world of the paranormal.

Sullivan’s Secret is now available at Amazon.com in paperback, or ask your local bookseller to order it for you. It is also available in Kindle Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook Book.

Our new authors are excited about their new books and hope you will consider purchasing a copy for yourself, a friend, or a loved one who are sure to enjoy these wonderful new books!

See both books in the publishers Web store at http://plainandsimplebooks.webs.com/apps/webstore/  

Writer's visit A Book Inside at http://abookinside.blogspot.com  

Ready to publish your book...for FREE? Visit http://www.plainandsimplebooks.webs.com

Up and Coming Author with a Wicked Sense of Humor has Penned her Third E-Book

An author with a wicked sense of humor is how you can describe Vivienne Diane Neal, the new author on the block.

Born in 1946, Vivienne has been writing articles for over twenty years, and started writing fictional short stories in 2007. She gets her story ideas from observing people, places and things and watching true TV court cases.

While she has never taken a course in creative writing, she contributes her love for writing to her college professor who taught English and stressed applying proper sentence structure when writing. In fact, Vivienne will tell you, “I did not learn how to write until I went to college.”

Her first book, Making Dollar$ And Cent$ Out Of Online Dating is a true-life and humorous account as to why and how she got into the dating business and the problems she has encountered and still does while trying to keep afloat in the ever-changing world of the Internet dating business.

In 2009, she authored and self-published her second book, Shades of Deception, a collection of ten fictional short stories centering on diverse men and women, who in their speedy search for love, romance and bliss, become the targets and victims of deceit, betrayal, fraud, revenge and scandal.

She has just completed her third book Malicious Acts, an anthology of five short stories that centers on people who will stop at nothing to get what they want. If it means disguising themselves as benevolent individuals and destroying lives along the way, they are up for the thrill. They will use romance, lust, greed, manipulation, and deceit as preludes to suck unsuspecting men and women out of their life’s savings.

Vivienne has been featured on SingleEdition, Black Love is Beautiful, A Book Inside, and Susan Whitfield’s Blog and was a guest blogger on Cluculzwriter.

All of her e-books are available for immediate sampling in multiple e-book formats and readable on virtually any e-book reading device, namely Kindle, Sony Reader, epub, PDF, Palm Doc and iPad.

Links to sample each ebook are as follows:

Making Dollar$ And Cent$ Out Of Online Dating
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12153

Shades of Deception
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/24236

Malicious Acts
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43230

1PlaceForRomance Novella Contest

1PlaceForRomance is holding a Romance Story Writing Contest and the theme is SUMMER.


Published Authors and Rising Stars will compete in separate categories for editing and cover services, cash prizes and an exclusive sales contract at 1PFR. Finalists will be selected by the staff at 1PFR. The winners will be selected by the readers at 1PFR.


Story length is 5000-7000 words. Stories must be received by June 1, 2011.


Authors if you are looking to reach more readers, and looking for a fun contest, with a great theme, then enter now.


For more details and contest rules, please visit http://1PlaceForRomance.com/StoryContest.


If you have questions, please send them to: Promotion@1PlaceForRomance.com  

Meet Tinisha Johnson - Managing Stress is Her Forte

You could say Tinisha Johnson wears many hats. She is the founder of Have Stress Relief Now and the author of Lessons Learned: Loving Yourself as a Black Woman.

Tinisha Johnson is an author and freelance writer and resides in Colorado with her family. She is the brainchild behind Have Stress Relief Now, a free online membership site created in 2009. What started out as a blog, turned into a full launched website as of 2011.

After a failed marriage and two small kids, Tinisha thought it best to take a new route in her life; one that involved various ways to manage stress on different levels. Stumbling upon the following three books: Unstoppable Women by Cynthia Kersey, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, and Do You! by Russell Simmons, these books literally changed her life, and from that change, Have Stress Relief Now website was created.

Have Stress Relief Now is about helping YOU! Ever have too much to do, and not enough time? Interested in shedding a few pounds? Wonder what's the most effective way to organize both your personal and professional life? Interested in finding that someone special or improving your current relationship? If you've ever pondered on questions like these, then Have Stress Relief Now is for you. The site provides you with resources to manage your personal and professional life.

Tinisha wanted to make the information she provides through the site diverse, because let's face it, everyone's problems and stress are sometimes different and unique. By signing up to become an online member, the site will introduce you to all types of articles, services, products, and prizes that are of high quality and have proven results in the area of stress management.

Following is an excerpt from her book:

Forget About What You Don’t Want, and FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS On What You Want Right Now!

Sometimes it can seem as though we do not have control over our lives. We want this or that, but yet, our thoughts are focused on something totally different, and on the flip side we’re feeling something completely different. When this happens, our thoughts, actions, and feelings are conflicting, and when that happens, it’s easy to feel out of control, or that life is pulling us by several strings in different directions. To feel a sense of meaning and peace, your thoughts, actions and feelings have to be in harmony.


Understand you do have direct control over your mind, which is the strongest component we have as humans.

Read this with me:

• I have direct control over my attitude.• I have direct control over my actions.
• I have direct control over what I allow myself to think about.
• I have direct control over changing how I view things that may be unpleasant to my mind
• I have direct control over removing unpleasant thoughts out of my mind.
• It’s okay to make a mistake, but it should not okay for me to keep repeating the same mistake, and not learning from it. Also realize with mistakes can come consequences. Take it for what it is and move on with extra positive energy.
• I have direct control over everything that goes on inside my body, sprit, and mind. Treat the outer things as irrelevant.
• When I’m hurt or feeling low, I will always take it as a lesson learned for good or for bad and still move on with extra positive energy.
• I am worthy to be loved, and most importantly, I am worthy of self-love

Recognize your control. Own it and live it. Create a mission statement for your life right now. What do you stand for? What are you about? Where is your life heading? What do you REALLY want?

If you’ve enjoyed this passage, it’s been inspired from the self-help book, Lessons Learned: Loving Yourself as a Black Woman. AVAILABLE NOW! Although geared towards women of color, the book will benefit any woman looking to make drastic changes in her life.

For more information on the book and the author, visit Tinisha Nicole Johnson at http://www.TinishaNicoleJohnson.com 

To learn more about and to become a member of Have Stress Relief Now, visit http://www.HaveStressReliefNow.com 

You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

ABC’s for Dating a Single Mom

With Mother’s Day approaching, we thought this article was timely.

Happy Mother’s Day to all.


http://www.topdatingsites.com/blog/2011/abcs-for-dating-a-single-mom/


Submitted by Donna Cullen

Vook - An Established Leader In Publishing Content For Tablets, Smartphones And E-Readers Builds On Its Momentum For 2011

Vook is the leading mixed-media digital publisher that lights up the world's content and connects people around stories and ideas they love. A Vook unites words, videos, pictures and interactivity into new media experiences that allow users to engage with content the way they want. Vook publishes titles in a variety of genres, including lifestyle, business, entertainment, cooking, fiction and sports, working with authors such as Seth Godin, Deepak Chopra, Anne Rice, Gary Vaynerchuk, Slash of Guns N'Roses and Karen Armstrong. Vook partners with industry leaders including Simon and Schuster, Penguin Group, Harvard Business Press, Harper Collins and Hachette Filipacchi. Vook is based in Alameda, CA with offices in New York.

Called a Vook, Vook pioneered a digital mixed-media publishing form - that combines video, text, images and social sharing into a single, integrated experience. Vooks are specially created for tablets, smart phones and e-readers.

In 2010, Vook established itself as the leader in enhanced digital publishing by helping publishers, authors, and media companies re-create, distribute, and monetize their existing content in a new form. “We are very enthusiastic about Vook,” said Richard Harroch, Managing Director at VantagePoint Venture Partners, in San Bruno, California. “The opportunity is big in digital publishing and the Vook team is a leader in this new world.”

The company has formed strategic relationships with many of the leading book publishers and literary agents, and published Vooks with bestselling authors, including Deepak Chopra, Seth Godin, Tom Peters, Stephen Covey and Anne Rice. Recently, the company released JFK: 50 Days, a bestselling Vook for the iPad that features content created in partnership with Perseus Books and NBC Universal.

Vook has also launched its own digital e-book imprint, which will deliver as many as 500 ‘how to’ and educational titles to the market in 2011. Vook was recently profiled in The New York Times Magazine, which described the company’s products as “fantastic.”
Given their passion for dating, Vook recently released a new videobook called Meet the Man of Your Dreams.

For more information about Vook, visit Vook. To publish a Vook, please visit publish.vook.com.

Media Inquiries for this Release:

Jesse Odell

LaunchSquad

jesse@launchsquad.com

415-378-8333

To Publish a Vook:

Matthew Cavnar

matthew@vook.com

718-916-0953

An Interview with Geraldine Solon, Author of Love Letters

Geraldine Solon

We are pleased to welcome Geraldine Solon, Author of Love Letters. She was gracious enough to stop by on her virtual book tour, grant us an interview and share some of her food for thoughts when it comes to writing a novel.

Thank you so much for allowing our readers to get a peek inside of your world as a prolific author. Could you please give us a blurb about your book? Bridal shop manager Chloe Rogers will soon marry Richard Foster—so she thinks—until suddenly, she bumps into her childhood sweetheart, Josh Goldman, whom she hasn’t seen in thirteen years. The sparks between Chloe and Josh fly, but Richard provides safety, financial security. Should she follow her heart or her head? The answer comes in a surprise twist. While cleaning her attic, she stumbles upon love letters written to her estranged mother forty years ago from a man she loved. When Chloe secretly brings them together again and sees how much time they’ve lost, she is challenged not to make the same mistake her mother made. Will Chloe opt for security or will she risk her heart and marry her true love?

What approach do you use when developing your characters? I create character sketches before I begin my novel. This allows me to differentiate my characters from each other. I want my readers to have a strong image of my characters and to be able to relate to them. I create characters that are flawed, realistic and have clear goals. Giving them a distinct voice and unique personality counts a lot.

Have you ever had writer’s block, and if so, how did you overcome it.? I take long walks. It helps me clear my mind. Since I write two to three novels at a time, I take a break from one of them and focus on the other one when I have writer’s block. It gives me the excitement to write another story and avoids redundancy on the current one.

When you sit down to start writing a book, what do you do? I write and let the words flow smoothly. It can be between 4,000-10,000 words. I only edit it after the first draft. I get the creative juices pouring and it’s during this moment where I forget all rules about writing.

Are you planning to write any more books in the near future? Yes, my next book Chocolicious is going through the submission process. The story is about love, loss hope and redemption. I’ve provided the summary below.

A week after Blair Nightingale’s husband, Larry, dies, she learns she’s about to lose everything she owns due to a mistake Larry made. In an instant, Blair’s life is transformed from rich, Silicon Valley trophy wife to poor, widowed single mom. Her only goal now is to provide for her daughter. As Blair begins to pick up the pieces, George- Larry’s best friend and the man she truly resents—seems to always be around. When Blair is overwhelmed by all the challenges she faces, she seeks comfort in baking rich, filled, three-layered cupcakes that her grandmother once taught her, and Blair's life is changed forever.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

• Keep Reading – Reading adds to your vocabulary and helps you identify your own style and voice as a writer. It also broadens your mind and gives you ideas. A good writer has to be an avid reader.
• Write as much as you can – I believe in the saying “Practice makes perfect.” The more you write, the better you become. Writing is like a garden that needs to be nurtured for it to grow beautifully.
• Network with other writers – Writing can be a solitary experience and it’s vital to meet people who share the same passion as you do. Joining writer’s groups and attending events like Writer’s Conferences, retreats and workshops is a learning experience and good investment to your writing.
• Build a brand – At this day and age, it’s essential to build an online presence even before you’ve completed your book. Joining social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Red Room are good avenues to promote yourself to the public. Maintaining a website and blog will allow you to interact with lots of people.
• Never give up – There will be rejections but you have to keep moving forward. Before I got published, I started each day researching, learning and getting involved with other writers—anything that could bring me closer to getting published was my goal. Even best sellers, like Stephen King have faced similar rejections but they chose to keep going. Hard work, inspiration and perseverance are the keys to success.

Where can our readers obtain Love Letters? Love Letters is available in both Ebook and paperback formats and can be purchased at the following sites:

www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.solsticepublishing.com
www.smashwords.com


How can our readers get in touch with you?

http://www.geraldinesolon.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geraldine-Solon/181823348524179
http://twitter.com/GeraldineSolon/


Thank you Geraldine, and best wishes in your endeavors.

Searching for Romance




Divine Mills

 I am 37 year old, single  Christian female with brown-black hair and hazel eyes, is seeking a partner, age 30 plus, who is very sincere, caring, understanding, compassionate and honest to share her life with. She is interested in hearing from men worldwide. Please, she is not interested in hearing from prison inmates. Her interests are reading, movies, traveling, cooking, swimming and walking. Contact Ms. Divine Mills, PO Box EF 238, Effia, Takoradi W/R, Ghana.

Betterfly.com Launches: Says 'No' to Companies, 'Yes' to Betterists

Betterfly is the first website of its kind to exclude companies, focusing on people instead, and that gives it a strategic advantage, says founder Joshua Schwadron. "When searching for someone to teach you Spanish, give you a massage or improve your yoga technique, it's more important to know who the best person is, rather than knowing just the name of a language school, spa or yoga studio," Schwadron says. "Imagine if eHarmony.com told you that your future wife worked at Citigroup, but left it up to you to figure out who she is. Now what?"


Betterfly is a site that connects service providers with people who want to learn, look, and feel better. It provides a lot of utility for people who teach or offer a service, everything from dating coaches to dance teachers to beauty stylists.

Users might be interested in finding a dating coach, particularly one that specializes in online dating. Because the site has over 1,000+ services, there are so many options, and is a great place to set up date night. Who doesn't want to learn from a cooking teacher on how to make a romantic meal for two? Or maybe salsa dancing!


Since learning, looking and feeling better often involves finding the right people to help, Betterfly sets out to make that process easier and more efficient for its users and enables users to compare apples to apples, people to people. Users can refine their search based on more than 20 factors such as availability, friends' recommendations, verified reviews and value. "We're thrilled with the power and utility of our search. Most of those features are in place now, and we plan to release the rest when we begin our late-summer campaign to reach out to those on the other side of the equation: the people who want to be better," Schwadron says.


The current campaign is Betterfly's way of recognizing that the site needs Betterists™ to sign up and offer services before potential clients can harness the full power of its search tools. A Betterist is a person on Betterfly who offers a service to help someone learn, look or feel better. "There was no one word to refer to teachers, tutors, coaches, trainers, stylists and all the people who help others be better, so we created our own," Schwadron says. There is no approval process or cost to become a Betterist. "We don't want only experts or seasoned professionals on our site, because many of our users aren't looking for only the best — they're looking for the best for them. For example, a 9th grader who struggles with geometry doesn't need to work with a professional mathematician. Her perfect Betterist may be a classmate who got an A+ and charges only $10 an hour."


While conducting research for the site, Schwadron and his team found that two groups of Betterists each face a unique set of challenges that Betterfly can help solve. The first group, made up of people who work for companies, feels powerless to help themselves and their companies bring in business; they rely solely on their companies for new clients. The other group, people who are self-employed, continually tries to promote and re-promote their services across numerous websites, each supposed to serve a different purpose. Betterfly's free platform is built to give all types of Betterists the tools they need to brand and promote themselves quickly and efficiently, all in one place.


Each Betterist can create a free, highly customizable page that Schwadron says is "like a mini-website that can be made in minutes." Betterists can promote their qualifications, services, locations, special offers and payment policies, upload resources like instructional videos and lesson plans and even create their own blogs. Their pages display verified reviews from clients and have a real-time booking system to easily promote their availability and latest discounts. The availability calendar helps Betterists manage existing clients and attract new ones. Potential clients can even search by available time for a lesson or appointment in the same way that people can search Opentable.com for a dinner reservation at a particular time, without having a restaurant in mind.


Furthermore, Betterfly is unique because all reviews are verified. Only those people whom Betterists have verified as clients can write reviews. Once verified, the client may review anonymously or under his or her own name. "Many sites are plagued by false reviews and character assassinations. On Betterfly, every review you read is from a client the Betterist has personally verified, even the anonymous ones," Schwadron explains.


Betterfly has already attracted a wide range of Betterists who joined during the site's testing phase. Betterists include Christy McIntosh, an actress who has appeared in Law & Order: SVU and who offers acting lessons; Svetlana Vinogradova, a hair stylist who works for the Jean-Claude Biguine Salon in NYC and offers men's haircuts; Simon Boyar, a world-renowned marimba player who gives lessons between gigs; and Joanne Summer, a grandmother of eight who offers healthy home-cooking lessons on the weekends.


Founded in 2009 by Joshua Schwadron, 28, Beterfly is based in New York, NY. For more information, visit http://betterfly.com.

How to Date a Girl That Is Out of Your League

Following is a link that we would like to share with our readers.

http://www.topdatingsites.com/blog/2010/how-to-date-a-girl-that-is-out-of-your-league/  


Enjoy!

Submitted by Donna Cullen

Announcing the Launch of Fresh Goddess™ - A New Online Magazine for Women

A New Online Magazine for Women

Fresh Goddess™ is an online magazine featuring inspirational, informative and intriguing content for women of all backgrounds. Fresh Goddess™ offers women a dose of self-love merged with urban Zen flavor. Founder and editor, DuEwa Frazier created Fresh Goddess™ to inspire women to get ahead, shine bright and live with balance and inner clarity. Fresh Goddess™ addresses issues and perspectives related to health and wellness, spirit, life purpose, dating, relationships, beauty, style and more.

Frazier has experience creating online content for women. She previously wrote inspirational and self-help articles as a contributing writer for both MysisterMyself.com and MahoganyButterfly.com. Her popular column, “Fly Butterfly,” featured inspirational essays and was published at MahoganyButterfly.com. Freshgoddess.com is among several of Frazier’s online ventures including her internet radio show Rhymes, Views & News Talk Radio and official website DuEwaWorld.com.

An entrepreneur at heart, Frazier is no stranger to launching creative and successful businesses. She founded Lit Noire Publishing, a creative arts and publishing organization in 2002 with the release of her first book of poetry Shedding Light From My Journeys. Frazier has since published and edited several publications including the NAACP Image Award nominated anthology, Check the Rhyme. As a writer, her poetry, essays, editorials and arts profiles have been featured in Essence, Poetry Ink, Drumvoices Revue, Poetry In Performance, Reverie, Kweli, Allhiphop.com, DaveyD.com, Mosaic and many others.

Fresh Goddess™ readers can subscribe to the website, leave comments and follow the site via social networking. Visit Fresh Goddess and connect through social media at Twitter: @freshgoddess and Facebook: Fresh Goddess™ “Like” page.

Steps to Better Health and an Out of This World Sex life. :)

March is National Nutrition Month, a time to evaluate your food selections and eating habits. Here are a few recommendations to help you maintain a healthier lifestyle and maybe add more spice in the bedroom.

• Phone calls have fewer calories than snacks, unless you eat and talk at the same time. Try to eat more nutritious snacks such as dry fruits, nuts and seeds.
• Eat in moderation.
• Go natural. Consume more whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
• When it comes to dessert, desert the table and limit your consumption of refined sugars.
• Go easy on alcoholic beverages. Get high on water.
• Check to see if your number is up by having your blood cholesterol tested. A desirable number is under 200.
• Become a private investigator and make it your business to examine food labels.
• Walk!
• Add more spice to your life. Use herbs and spices in place of salt.
• Expose yourself to the natural sunlight. This is one way to get your Vitamin D. About 15 minutes will do it.
• Limit your fat intake to fewer than 30% of your total calories for the day.
• Make meat a side dish and not the main course.
• Keep a tight rein on fry foods. Bake, boil, broil, poach or steam.

These guidelines are just that, guidelines. There is no need to deny yourself when it comes to certain foods, unless you are on a restricted diet or under a health professional’s care. Remember, we are talking about eating naughty foods in moderation not eliminating these foods from your life forever. Enjoy!

Online Dating: 5 ways to benefit your search by Ivana

It cannot have escaped your attention that the well-trodden paths of conventional dating have been looking a little empty of late as thousands of people are taking the game online. For many it’s liberating and enables the shyer   among us to take the time to construct a profile and build a relationship slowly and carefully. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of this wealth of opportunity:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30528709@N07/4650134181/

1. Decide on your objective

Whether you’re looking for casual friendships that might become something more or you’re in the market for marriage, there are services to suit your every need. So choose your dating website carefully, as deliberate selection will lead to more fruitful results.

2. A recent – and natural – photo is vital

Of course it's tempting to use that old photo of you from 10 years ago, or the more recent one that's been edited to within an inch of its life, but by having something simple and likeable from the beginning, you’re putting yourself in far better stead to meet someone real. Of course you don't need to show what you look like first thing in the morning right off the bat, but something natural and expressive of your personality and interests will make you far more compelling.

3. It's quality not quantity

Don't be afraid to be a little specific in your profile. It’s important to remember you’re looking for someone who responds to you, not a superhero with your face. So maybe you don't have aspirations to donate your possessions to charity and go off to find yourself on top of a mountain, but finding someone who‘ll veg out on the sofa on a Sunday with you will be far more gratifying in the long run than admiring responses from people who don't match you. The same goes for the emails you send: don't hedge your bets by sending mass proposals to as many people as you can; find some who truly interest you and message them individually.

4. Easy does it

A little apprehensive of the pressure that a full-on dinner date might bring? Why not try easing yourself into it with a quick coffee Think of it as something of a pre-date: it will enable you to scope each other out, without the nerves that can sometimes overtake potentially awkward situations, and you can decide to take it further from there.

5. Don't lose heart!

It isn't about finding anyone – it’s about finding someone special. If you’ve chosen your dating website carefully and been realistic, then you’re in the same boat as very many others looking for the same kind of thing. So don't be disheartened if your search appears fruitless to begin with: you’re not looking for a quick fix, but a long-term conclusion, which deserves some time and patience.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30528709@N07/4650134181/