Hey, lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Sedona
Hutton and her new book, “The Perfect Lap”!
For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click
on the banner above or any of the images in this post.
Be sure to make it to the
end of this post to enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!! Also, come back daily to interact with Sedona
and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping
by! Wishing you lots of luck in this
fabulous giveaway!
The Perfect Lap
by Sedona Hutton
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GENRE: Romance
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BLURB:
His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When
sparks fly, will love cross the finish line?
AJ
Ryan is a publicity nightmare. After a questionable photo surfaces and his
biggest sponsor threatens to pull out, the NASCAR champion admits it might be
time to hit the brakes. Thankfully, his new no-nonsense image consultant knows
just where to start… too bad she revs his engine so loudly he can barely think
straight.
Ella
Fisher’s career is a welcome distraction from her poor taste in men. Fresh off
another easily avoidable heartbreak, rehabbing AJ’s career is just the
diversion she needs. But when the pulse-pounding client actually listens to her
advice, Ella wonders if there’s more to the man behind the hot mess.
When
Ella is granted guardianship of three boisterous children under the
misconception that she and AJ are a couple, AJ surprises her by going along
with the charade. Before long they find themselves in a make-shift family that
feels more real than pretend.
As
their professional relationship takes a hard turn for the personal, a single
overheard conversation could make it all go up in flames. Will Ella and AJ’s
romance hit the wall, or will love take the checkered flag?
The
Perfect Lap is the second standalone novel in the Racing Hearts of Serenity
romance series. If you like bad boys with a heart of gold, strong women, and
love stories with a new age twist, then you’ll adore Sedona Hutton’s fun, sexy
tale.
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EXCERPT ONE:
“I
bet you have a beautiful smile,” he drawled, then lowered his mouth to hers.
She
should have pulled away—she didn’t know this man from Adam. But everything
inside her protested. After gazing into each other’s eyes, she felt like she
knew him intimately.
His
lips were warm and tingly, his kiss pure perfection…and he drew back way too
quickly. He blinked those deep blue eyes and gave her a lazy grin. “I knew it.”
He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip. “Beautiful.”
That’s
when she realized she was smiling.
He
rose, and she gave him a quick once over, taking in the sexy stubble on his
face, the taut muscles of his chest, his lean physique. As good old-fashioned
lust rolled through her like a quick-moving thunderstorm, she silently bemoaned
her situation. This was a hell of a time to have a newly implemented man-ban.
“Keep
smiling.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he winked at her. “It suits you,”
he added in that low, sexy drawl. Then he sauntered off.
Her
breath caught as she spun around to gape at him. He’d just kissed her and now
he was leaving? She contemplated calling him back, then reconsidered. She had
other fish to fry.
Even
so, she couldn’t stop herself from tracking his every move as he swaggered
toward the party, his backside looking every bit as fine as the rest of him.
Pressing a hand to her chest, she let out a slow exhale. Even though she was
one-hundred percent committed to her man-ban, she could admit—at least to
herself—that the sexy, charming stranger had intrigued her.
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GUEST POST:
Traditional Romance Blended with New Age Spirituality
Looking for a romance novel or a spiritual book—why not try a
blend of both?
I
love reading spiritual books that offer personal inspiration and
transformation. The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra, The Ten
Commitments by David Simon, and Ask And It is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks
are among my favorites.
While
I enjoy these books, it takes me a long time to finish reading them because I
need to process the outlined ideas and ponder how I might integrate what I
learned in my life. Years ago, while contemplating this, an inspiration formed.
I could write fictional stories about real characters with real issues and
imbed spiritual concepts to show how they might work in real-life situations.
These
days, I doing just that! I’m blending traditional romance and women’s fiction
with new age spirituality. In a recent guest blog post, Laurie Sander’s
described my blended genre as follows:
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the
inspirational romance category. Some of you probably read it and maybe even
write it. I enjoy inspirational romance and count authors like Karen Witemeyer
and Autumn Macarthur among my favorites. And have I blogged about Karen’s book The Short Straw Bride over here.
But what Sedona Hutton is doing is different
from the inspirational romance that we know and love. Sedona is blazing new
trails by blending traditional romance with new age spirituality. What’s
emerging is a unique blend of romance and spirituality with themes like The Law
of Attraction – being present – being in the now – that I’m really enjoying.
The books are spiritually uplifting with fully developed romance plots and
enough heat between the sheets to keep you turning the pages.
Focus on the Now
47%
of waking hours are spent thinking about what isn’t going on!
Focusing
on the present moment is a key theme in my contemporary romance novel, NORA’S
PROMISE.
It
sounds simple, but for most of us, living in the now requires practice and
ongoing awareness. A Harvard study found that people spend 47% of their waking hours
thinking about what isn’t going on. It’s human nature to spend time dwelling in
the past or worrying about the future. Unfortunately, this isn’t good for us.
The Harvard study shows that this mind-wandering makes people unhappy.
“A
human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” says
Killingsworth and Gilbert, professors of psychology at Harvard. “The ability to
think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an
emotional cost.”
“Mind-wandering
is an excellent predictor of people’s happiness,” Killingsworth says. “In fact,
how often our minds leave the present and where they tend to go is a better
predictor of our happiness than the activities in which we are engaged.”
Increased
happiness is an excellent reason to focus on the now. According to spiritual
teacher, Eckhart Tolle, the only time we’re truly alive is in the present
moment. Not in the past…not in the future…
“Time isn’t precious
at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time
but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The
more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the
most precious thing there is.” ~ Eckhart Tolle
“When we live in the
flow of that stream of energy, we remain centered and fulfilled even through
the ups and downs of our day.” ~ Deepak Chopra
“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When
mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Living
in the now allows us to savor the simple moments in life. It increases joy,
reduces stress, and enhances our connection with others.
The
greatest obstacle of presence is the mind. Mind-wandering is our brain’s
default approach. Given this, we must be conscious of our thoughts and
recognize when we’re not fully present. Once this acknowledgement takes place,
there are many ways in which one can re-connect with the present moment. Several
suggestions are provided below:
An
age-old tip is to focus on your breathing. Bringing your attention to your breath
reduces the number of thoughts running through your mind and opens space for
awareness of what’s going on inside and around you.
Consciously
move your body. Wiggle your toes, fist and release your hands. Roll your neck.
It’s amazing how these simple movements return your attention to the now.
Ask
yourself, “Am I present?” If not, redirect your focus. Ask this question many
times throughout the day…and over time you’ll likely find an upward trend of,
“Yes!” responses.
Focus
on your immediate surroundings using your senses. Listen to the birds chirping.
Gaze at the mountains. Feel the sun warming your skin. Breathe in the scent of
pine. Cup your hands around a mug of tea; feel its warmth and draw in the
delicious spices.
Now it’s
your turn—what techniques do you use to refocus or to remain focused on the
present moment?
Recommended
Reading:
The Power of Now-A Guide to
Spiritual Enlightenment
by Eckhart Tolle:
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of
Desire
by Deepak Chopra:
The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now
by Thich Nhat Hanh:
The Ten Commitments
by Dr. David Simon:
Ask
And It is Given
by
Esther & Jerry Hicks:
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AUTHOR BIO:
Author Sedona Hutton finds
inspiration in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, where she lives with
her husband and curly-coated retriever. In addition to writing, she’s a Reiki
Master and a certified Chopra Center Meditation instructor. She enjoys reading,
yoga, gardening, and experiencing the great outdoors on boats, motorcycles, and
Jeeps. Sedona pens a “Peace, Love, & Joy” blog on her website. Visit her at
www.SedonaHutton.com, Twitter @SedonaHutton, Facebook @SedonaHuttonAuthor, and
Instagram @SedonaHutton.
Sedona’s
debut novel, Cloud Whispers, was a Finalist in the 2018 Readers’ Favorite
Contest, an Official Selection in the 2018 Summer eBook Awards for New Apple
Literary, and Shortlisted for the Books Go Social Best Book of 2018.
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CONNECT WITH SEDONA:
Website:
Blog:
Email:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
BookBub Author Page:
Goodreads Author Page:
Goodreads Book Page:
Amazon Author Page:
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AMAZON BOOK BUY
LINKS:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Sedona will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC
to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this
blog. This does not cost you anything,
it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored
by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish
Promotions. Prizes are given away by the
sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish
Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Hi James - thanks for stopping by the tour. I hope you're having a fabulous week! Sedona
ReplyDeleteAlly - Thank you so much for hosting this tour stop for THE PERFECT LAP and for my guest blog. I appreciate you including me on your amazing Fabulous & Brunette site! :) Sedona
ReplyDeleteGood morning everyone! Sedona here...I would love to answer any questions you may have about The Perfect Lap or related to my blog topics. Any thoughts or ideas on how to stay focused on the present moment? Sedona
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rita. I appreciate you stopping by! Sedona
DeleteI'm looking forward to reading this one!
ReplyDeleteWhat book do you wish you had written?
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie - Great question! I would say The Alchemist by Paul Coelho, since that's one of my favorite books of all time, and I found it very thought-provoking. Otherwise, anything by Jill Shalvis. I love the writing style, humor, and romance in all of her stories. Thanks for stopping by the tour - Sedona
DeleteThanks, Victoria. I hope you enjoy it! :) Sedona
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely adding this book to my reading list.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds soo good!! i love the cover
ReplyDelete