Friday, August 3, 2012

Blog Tour: The Fruits of Our Sins










After graduating from Franklin and Marshall College with a dual degree in Spanish and Government, Jean rose through the ranks of the insurance industry for twenty years before heeding her own heart and pursuing her passion for writing.

She grew up listening to the stories that elders recounted about the women in her family, and it is from these dominant, yet richly flawed matriarchs that she draws inspiration for her writing.
In addition to “The Fruits Of Our Sins”, Jean has published two short stories, “Stella’s Silent World”, and “When The Bough Breaks”. She is also a featured author in “Sister To Sister, Black Women Speak To Young Black Girls.”

Jean lives in a suburb of Philadelphia with her husband and three children.








Genre: Fiction; Ethnic Fiction
Publisher: Red Lotus Press
Release Date: June 4, 2012

 
The lives of Madeline and Sybil become intertwined in heated confrontation by the birth of a child - a child that each claims to have a right to.  For one woman, possession of the child represents redemption; for the other, the repetition of generational sin.  

The Fruits Of Our Sins chronicles the deeply flawed relationships these women have with their parents, the impact of those relationships on the direction of their lives and ultimately the lives of their children as they attempt to flee from, yet reconcile, the betrayals and abandonment of their youth.


 

MY REVIEW!!!


Dysfunctional is a word we all use at some point to describe our own family. Rather it is one person or a whole group of them. Emotions seem to flare up differently for each person. As you fight with your parents maybe you are angry and they are heart broken or maybe you are upset and they are annoyed. There outcomes are endless.

Jean Mckie-Sutton brings these issues to the surface and in your face forcing you to read and follow the group of individuals and families she has in her book. This is NOT an easy read. You will be touched in one way or another by this book and you need to take the time to focus on exactly what is going on to get the full concept of the writing.

I for one feel overwhelmed with not only emotion but guilt at what I have done in my own life to cause some of these issues in my own family. A fictional story that will have you truly thinking and reflecting on your own reality.

Book Review: Symbols, Meaning, and The Sacred Quest: Spiritual Awakening in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Stories

Are you on a personal spiritual quest? Then this book is for you.

Would you like to discover the 'How To' lessons for Spiritual Awakening that lie hidden in the wonderful myths and legends of the Western Tradition? Then this book is for you.

Are you fed up with bigotry and violence? In a world where religious differences often trigger hatred and war, here is a book that celebrates the Beauty, Decency, Wisdom and Unity of all our traditions. If you're seeking a world of peace, love and friendship, then this book is for you.

And if you're looking for hours of pleasure and entertainment as you discover and rediscover the splendid spiritual stories from around the world, this book is for you!

The real purpose of these stories is not to supply a questionable historical narrative, or to teach smarmy moral rules that no one can follow, or to command its followers to believe a lot of fantastic claims that defy all scientific logic!

Their real purpose is to present a great Wisdom Teaching - through Allegory, Symbol and Metaphor - that teaches our soul the inner psychological and spiritual steps that must be taken to achieve spiritual awakening. For example, the entire story of the "Return to the Promised Land" is a symbolic explanation of the soul's return from inner material slavery (which the Hebrew Bible calls "Egypt") to spiritual freedom and enlightenment (symbolized as "Canaan"). The story might be called the Quest for the Holy Grail, Muhammad's Journey to the 7 Heavens, or a host of other names. The esoteric meaning is universal.

But the stories are written in a perplexing symbolic code that requires a Key. Otherwise, they appear to be little more than unverified historical claims, punctuated with improbable miracles, and teeming with violence, cruelty and hopeless demands for an inconsistent and unrealistic morality. Fortunately, a key still exists in our time. A key to understanding the symbolism of ancient Myth and Scripture can still be found in many of the writings of Plato and several other early philosophers.

You will find the 'Key' in "Symbols, Meaning, and the Sacred Quest". As a result, you will read the spell-binding ancient stories with new eyes, new ears, and a new heart!




 A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960's, Dr. Andrew Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor's Degree (in English) and Master's in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind's impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. ("Health Education AIDS Liaison") and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment, Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of print)

Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.

In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions -- from the Bible, Plato, the Qur'an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.

Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.

He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on this site. Also on this site (and on YouTube) are his series of short videos on The Sacred Feminine: Women in the Bible.

Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.



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 MY REVIEW!!!

The more I read Andrew Cort's books the more I learn and open my mind to thoughts, ideas, and second guesses. I was never one to take something as is, I always search for a hidden meaning or a why question. As I've stated in other reviews of his work I am not a religious person. I have my beliefs and I tend to not get into the religious debates. However, Andrew has a way of bringing religions together. He does not leave his books sided with only ONE religion and he has tons of research to back each story and idea and facts.

If you are open to what could be out there and are willing to broaden your knowledge of what you think you know then Andrew Cort is an author you need to pick up. He will show you something that you didn't know before opening his book. And he may even enlighten you to the world of religion beliefs.



 

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Book Review: Love, Wisdom, and God: The Longing of the Western Soul


Morality, as secularists know, does not require a deity. Blind faith, as atheists know, often leads to hatred, violence and war. Taking myth and scripture as literal accounts of history, as scientists know, borders on the nonsensical. If religion is to be credible for modern, educated, sophisticated people, there has to be more. And there is. In LOVE, WISDOM, AND GOD, Dr. Andrew Cort demonstrates that in their deepest and most important sense, these are internal, psychological stories. Through allegory and symbol they weave the tale of a soul that has descended into material life and must now do the necessary work to find its way home again. This inner journey, the basis for all 'Sacred Quest' legends, has been called "Persephone's Return to Olympus", "The Return to the Promised Land", "The Quest for the Holy Grail", and many other names. In other words, Mythology and Scripture can be read as manuals for spiritual initiation. When this is understood: The underlying unity of all our traditions is revealed. The atheist objection that the stories are irrational becomes irrelevant. The justification for religious hatred and war disappears.






 A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960's, Dr. Andrew Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor's Degree (in English) and Master's in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind's impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. ("Health Education AIDS Liaison") and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment, Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of print)

Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.

In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions -- from the Bible, Plato, the Qur'an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.

Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.

He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on this site. Also on this site (and on YouTube) are his series of short videos on The Sacred Feminine: Women in the Bible.

Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.



Pick Up Your Copy Today!!!







MY REVIEW!!!!


 I've always been told not to judge a book by its cover and that you could tell a lot about a book by its title and picture. Well in this case only 1/2 that statement is true. I normally shy away from any book that is a reference to religion as I tend to be very unique in my beliefs. 

However, I did this review anyway and I am SO glad that I did. I love to learn. I love history. And I love to see the cultures around the world. This book has all of that. Starting with Greece and the Gods in the 6th century and going up through the various paths and turns of society I found myself with tons of knowledge. Some I knew and some was new to me. 

This book shows how every myth, fairy tale, and religious story is connected if you open your mind that is. I do not recommend this to people that are not open to see things from others view points. I thouroughly enjoyed this book and the knowledge I've walked away from reading it.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Book Review: Be Careful What You Wish For




Alexi is a Vampire trying to live a human existence, he even has a human wife. The Vampire secret is paramount and cohabiting with humans - unless you intend to turn them, just isn't done. Can Alexi protect his beloved Cassandra from the would-be enforcers of this law or will he lose her forever?







I'm a life-long fan of paranormal romance and The Man of my Dreams is the first novel in a series. The sequel (Be Careful What You Wish For) is nearly complete and nearing the editing stage. My inspiration for this series lies close to my heart, for I have my own dark haired man of my dreams, Barry. I am also a big fan of the short lived TV show Moonlight and its lead, Alex O'loughlin. Watching this show gave me the push I needed to start writing again. I am a stay at home mum of 4 children and write whenever I get the chance. Writing is and always has been my passion. My books are for you - my fans, who share my love of romance and everything paranormal. I hope you will continue on this journey with me.  



Connect With Gladys Quintal





MY REVIEW!!!

How would you like if the past was currently trying to destroy your present and future? What if you had to in a type of form go back to the past in order to help save your present? And what if a law of your kind was the reason you were having this trouble? 
 
Cassandra and Alexi were able to beat the odds and fall in love in The Man Of My Dreams but now something else wants to tear them apart and destroy them any way possible. 
 
You don't know who to trust, You don't know how to win, and You don't know when the strike will come. Having a family is hard enough but having a shadow following you and threatening to take away your family is even harder. 
 
Pick up your copy to see this rush of trouble, fear, and yes you'll even shed some tears. 

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