Sue Ellen's GIrl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson - Book Blog Tour Stop!

I am tickled pink to be hosting a book blog tour stop for author Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and her new book, "Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy."

 About The Book:

Shelly Rushing Tomlinson, the bestselling author of "Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On!" returns with more helpful how-to's and keen observations from Dixie in her new book, "Sue Ellen's Girl Aint Fait, She Just Weighs Heavy."

Guided by principles from the ancient Belle Doctrine, the host of radio and television's "All Things Southern" offers down-home advice on everything from health and fitness-managing thy caloric calculations without going Straight Running Crazy and surviving the Raging Inferno Syndrome (aka hot flashes)-to the Southern art of handling your man (Bubba Whispering).

Whether giving business tips or debunking the Big Boned Theory, making political observations or celebrating the inevitable resurgence of big hair, Shellie is an adviser women can relate to and laugh with regardless of their age or which side of the Mason-Dixon they call home.

If you want a book that will leave you weak from laughing, and one that will have you nodding your head saying "Uh huh" in agreement, Shellie's book is the book for you!

Part advice book, part cookbook (oh the recipes!!!) and all one-hundred percent pure entertainment, "Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy" is just an absolute joy to read. In this volume of what I hope will be an on-going series, Shellie gives her opinion and advice on menopause, social medias, manners, even a political thought or two. At the end of each chapter, she includes some of the most lip-smacking, soul-comforting, deeee-lish-ious sounding Southern recipes that I've encountered in a good long while - they sound so good, they'll make you want to slap your momma!  (It's a Southern saying, ya'll - we really don't slap our  mommas down here!)

So pull up a rocking chair on Shellie's front porch and sit a'spell to visit with one of the funniest ladies of Southern humor since Miss Fannie Flagg!  You will be smiling the whole time, I guarantee it!


Link to buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Ellens-Girl-Aint-Weighs-Heavy/dp/0425240851/ref=sprightly-20

About the Facebook Party:

To celebrate the Sue Ellen’s release, Shellie is having a Facebook Party! Join Shellie and the gang on June 2nd at 5:00 PM PST (6 MST, 7 CST, 8 EST) for a Southern style shin-dig! She'll be dishing on Bubba Whispering, debunking the Big Boned Theory, and how to manage going Straight Running Crazy. If you don't know what any of that is, then be sure to pick up a copy of the book (Not necessary to join the fun! Who knows - you might win a copy!) and join us at 5:00 pm on June 2nd at Shellie's Facebook page. And tell your friends - she's giving away copies of her books and some great gift certificates.

About The Author:

 Shellie Rushing Tomlinson and her husband Phil live and farm in the Louisiana Delta.

Shellie is the author of "Lessons Learned on Bull Run Road," "Twas the Night Before the Very First Christmas," "Southern Comfort with Shellie Rushing Tomlinson," and the Penguin Group USA release, "Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On," which was voted Nonfiction Finalist of 2009 by SIBA Independent Booksellers Alliance.

Tomlinson is owner and publisher of "All Things Southern" and the host of the weekly radio show "All Things Southern" as well as a weekly video segment by the same name. Listeners also hear Shellie in her All Things Southern radio segments aired across the South. Shellie writes a weekly inspirational feature in Newsstar and a monthly print and online column for Lousiana Road Trips.

When Shellie isn't writing, speaking, taping her show, answering email or writing content for the next deadline, you can find her playing tennis with Dixie Belle, (the chocolate lab who thinks she is in charge of running Shellie's life).

Be sure to check out her website at http://www.allthingssouthern.com/

My thanks to Litfuse Book Group for including me on this tour and for the review copy. I was not compensated for my opinions.


If you'd like to check out other blogs featuring Shellie's book, here is the tour list -

5/18

Julie at The Surrendered Scribe http://juliearduini.com

Wendy at Wall-to-Wall books http://wall-to-wall-books.blogspot.com/

Tarena at Laughing Family http://laughingfamily.blogspot.com

5/19

Susie at Scraps of Life http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com

Glenda at Authors Book Corner http://www.AuthorsBookCorner.blogspot.com

Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews http://sharonsgardenofbookreviews.blogspot.com

5/20

Heidi at Starts At Eight http://www.startsateight.com

Karla at Ramblin' Roads http://ramblinroadstoeverywhere.blogspot.com

Hope at A Little Hope...Amidst the Chaos http://a-little-hope.com

5/21

Lena at A Christian Writer's World http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Tracye at A Heart Poured Out http://tracyedukes.com

Laura at The Book Tree http://thebooktree.blogspot.com

5/ 23

Kim at Window To My World http://berlysue.blogspot.com

Books, Etc...by Bina http://www.booksbybina.blogspot.com

Mollie at The Gandy's Home Base http://thegandyshomebase.blogspot.com

5/24

Danielle at The Happy Wife http://juanshappywife.blogspot.com

Deanna at Domestic Chicky http://domestic-chicky.com

Vic's Media Room http://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com

5/25

Deanna's Corner http://ldgermany.blogspot.com

Julie at Book Hooked Blog http://www.bookhookedblog.com

April at Pinkie and The Bean http://pinkiefae.blogspot.com

5/26

Caroline at Happy Four http://happyfour.blogspot.com

Splashes Of Joy http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/

Wendy at Minding Spot http://mindingspot.blogspot.com

5/27

Megan at Homeschoolin’ Mama http://meg-homeschoolinmama.blogspot.com/

Rhiana at A Frugal Life http://www.afrugallife.org

Theresa at Frugal Experiments http://www.frugalexperiments.com

5/28

Tina at Mad Hatter Mom http://www.madhattermom.com

Deb’s Here http://debshere.blogspot.com/

Hayley at Hanging Off The Wire http://hangingoffthewire.blogspot.com/

5/30

Jenn's RAQ http://www.jennsraq.com

Whitney at Rambles of a SAHM http://ramblesahm.blogspot.com

Jamie at Little Blurbs http://Littleblurbs.wordpress.com

5/31

Prerna at The Mom Writes http://www.themomwrites.com

Mel's World with Melissa Mashburn http://www.MelissaMashburn.com

Margaret at Kitchen Chat http://kitchenchat.info

Kim at 2 Kids and a Coupon http://www.twokidsandacoupon.com

6/1

Angela at All Grown Up? http://pantylesspreacherswife.wordpress.com

Alexia at The Mommy Rambles http://themommyrambles.blogspot.com

Lauren at 5 Minutes for Books http://5minutesforbooks.com

Robin at Scribbles of the Heart http://www.scribblesoftheheart.com/

6/2

Jennifer at Adventures in Unsell Land  http://www.theunsells.blogspot.com/

Lisa at Make Your Own Escape http://makeyourownescape.blogspot.com

Barb at Rural Mom http://www.ruralmom.com

Anna at The Cross Is All http://annawood.wordpress.com/

On Folly Beach by Karen White - a perfect beach read!

Since the first man picked up a weapon against another, and in times of war, the strength and courage of women always manages to shine through in the face of tragedy.

In her latest book, “On Folly Beach,” author Karen White brings a story of two grieving women who are struggling in times of war, albeit sixty years apart, and how they find the strength and courage to carry on their lives after the loss of their beloveds.

In 2009, Emmy Hamilton is mourning the loss of her young husband who had died in the Iraq/Afghanistan war. When her mother suggests that a change of location to her childhood hometown of Folly Beach, South Carolina where she might buy and run the town bookstore, Folly’s Finds, might be the ticket for moving on with her life, Emmy is reluctant to leave her familiar surroundings.

But when a mysterious box of books from Folly’s arrives, Emmy is intrigued by a series of messages she finds left and written in the old books, plus the picture of an old-time bottle tree much like the one her mother owned. So she decides to pack up and give Folly Beach a try if only to solve the mystery of the love letters.

In 1942 Maggie O’Shea has her hands full with running the family general store/bookstore Folly Finds, raising her little sister Lulu, and comforting and keeping out of trouble her recently widowed cousin Catherine. Catherine’s husband Jim had been killed at Pearl Harbor, and the 19-year old widow was anxious to move on with her life, and dragging Maggie with her. When Maggie meets a mysterious young man, Peter Nowak, at a town dance, she is mesmerized by the attention he showers upon her. As their attraction grows, Maggie never realizes that Peter’s attentions made with nothing but love – a mistake she would soon realize much too late.

Present-day Emmy meets Maggie’s sister, Lulu, now an elderly, cranky woman, when she moves to Folly Beach. Lulu, an artist known for her fascinating bottle trees, keeps her studio outside of Folly’s Finds, and as Emmy tries to unravel the mystery of the love letters, she finds Lulu just might be a great source of information about the past and the meaning of the cryptic messages.

Karen White is known for her Southern-based fiction, and with “On Folly Beach” she delivers a down-home story that weaves the lives of two women, separated by decades, but with similar tragic events that changed their lives forever. Heartwarmingly tender, with a bit of mystery and intrigue, and the feel of the Carolina ocean breezes, “On Folly Beach” makes the perfect summertime reading choice.

I received a review copy of "On Folly Beach" from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my opinion.

Death Threads: A Southern Sewing Circle Mystery by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

Grab a glass of cold sweet tea, head out to the porch swing and get ready to enjoy one of the best cozy mysteries of the spring!

My dear friend, Elizabeth Lynn Casey has just released her latest book, DEATH THREADS, her second novel in the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries series. And it is a true delight!

Small towns all have their secrets – the ones that the old-timers hold near and dear to their hearts.

But when dashingly handsome author Colby Calhoun reveals an awful secret about the founders of Sweet Briar, all heck breaks loose and Colby disappears, leaving a wide trail of blood and clues behind him. Would someone actually kill to keep the town’s secret?

Tori Sinclair loves her new hometown of Sweet Briar. As the town librarian, she has finally been accepted into the community, partly in thanks to the Ladies Society Sewing Circle who have taken Tori under their wings. Her good friend, Debbie Calhoun, is also a member of the sewing circle and when her husband disappears and is presumed dead, Tori expects the ladies to come to comfort and console Debbie. She was shocked to find them shunning her friend, due to the loose town secret being let out of the bad.

Outraged, Tori jumps into the middle of the investigation to try and clear Colby’s name, much to the chagrin of Police Chief Dallas, and she finds there is more than one secret floating around town. And some would make the adventures of the “Desperate Housewives” look almost tame in comparison.

Elizabeth Lynn Casey continues her stories of the lives and activities of the good folks of Sweet Briar, South Carolina in her latest Southern Sewing Circle Mystery, DEATH THREADS. Casey deftly crafts a thrilling mystery along with a charming story of friendship and small town life to create a fun, fast-paced novel that will keep cozy mystery lovers thoroughly entertained.

Casey’s characters are unique and endearing – the shy but handsome schoolteacher Milo who is sweet on Tori, the feisty Leona Elkin, Tori’s self appointed Southern manners and charm teacher, Leona’s loveable sister Margaret Louise, and the sassy, bright Tori Sinclair herself – all folks you would want to meet and become close friends with. Casey also includes helpful sewing tips and a pattern for a cute fabric gift bag project that is mentioned throughout the story.

Look for future edition of the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries from Elizabeth Lynn Casey. You’ll be glad you did.

CONTEST!!!

Elizabeth is hosting a special Launch Week Challenge. The first TEN people to email her a picture of DEATH THREADS on a store shelf (with the where/when included) will receive a Southern Sewing Circle t-shirt!

The ten winners must submit a photo of a store/location that hasn’t been submitted by anyone else. And the preferred size of the winners’ t-shirts is subject to availability.

Let the hunt begin… Deadline to enter - May 10, 2010.

Email photos to: ElizabethLCasey@aol.com with “Death Threads Sighting” in the subject line.

The Goddess of Fried Okra by Jean Brashear

There are times when you run across a book that touches your heart, your soul and your funnybone! One of those rare occurences has happened when I read Jean Brashear's new book, The Goddess of Fried Okra!

Now, for you not from the South, fried okra is a thing of beauty. Crisp, crunchy and full of deliciousness, it is a true art form to be able to create a perfect batch of fried okra. The main character in Jean's book struggles with this cooking dilemma in the course of the story, and ...well, let's just say the title of the book says it all!

When you lose someone dear to you, often times you’ll long to see them again, even though you know they are gone. For Eudora “Pea” O’Brien, her longing is to find her deceased half-sister, Sister, and that longing takes her on a journey through Texas that will include meeting a handsome drifter, a pregnant teenager, a ferocious kitten and a gun-toting warrior woman named Glory.

Pea has not had an easy life. Her mother died when she was young, and her half-sister raised her the best she could, but when Sister died from a prolonged illness, Pea couldn’t help but think of how much she wanted Sister back, and how Sister firmly believed in reincarnation. So with little money and even smaller notions of how to go about it, Pea sets off to find Sister.

First, Pea finds a feisty little kitten that seems to latch on to her as a new momma figure, so Pea names her Isis, after the Greek goddess, and brings her along. Next, she sees Alex, a young pregnant girl, being beat by her boyfriend outside of a truck stop and steps in to rescue the teen, and by rescue, that means Pea threw the girl into the car and tore out of the parking lot where said boyfriend was left standing.

And then while trying to get Alex back to her family, Pea runs into Val Bonham – literally – she runs into him as he is hitchhiking along a backroad. So, guilt-ridden, Pea bundles the poor injured man into the car and hauls him along as well. Stopping along the way to read each and every roadside marker, Pea is determined to continue her search for Sister, peering into the faces of everyone she happens upon to see if she can catch a glimmer or a wink from her beloved sibling.

The unlikely little family encounter the fierce gunshop owner/sword buckling Glory and her amazing geodesic dome home where warrior women adore the walls, a family caught up in a dandy of a feud, and a good, old-fashioned gas station/café where Pea finds out that her search for love and family has brought her right smack in the middle of what she was looking for all along.

Now, if she can just master frying a perfect batch of fried okra, life will be perfect.

Jean Brashear, author of the debut novel, “The Goddess of Fried Okra,” delivers a funny yet emotional rollercoaster ride of a novel that will have readers laughing on one page and crying on the next. Brashear captures the quirky personalities of her characters, filling them with a charm and vibrancy that shines through her words.

If this novel isn’t snatched up to be made into a movie, then the world will be a bit sadder for the lack of wisdom to see how great a film this would be.

(I told Jean that Orlando Bloom would be perfect for Val Bonham, and her reply was "Swoon!"...ah, a kindred spirit!)

I received a copy of The Goddess of Fried Okra for review from the publisher, and I was not compensated for a favorable review.

The Cross Gardener by Jason F. Wright

You see them along nearly every road in this country. Small white crosses marking the spot of a heart-wrenching tragedy, a place where someone has died in an automobile accident.

In Jason F. Wright’s new novel, “The Cross Gardener,” the white memorial crosses take on a deeply emotional significance for one man and his family.

John Bevan was born on the side of the road as his teenage mother died from a tragic accident. He was adopted by Wayne Bevan, a kind hearted owner of an apple orchard, and it was in this orchard, along with his two older adopted brothers that John learned about life, love and family.

John also learned about loss along the way, and watched as his father erected two white crosses to remember two orchard workers who died in a truck crash, and then later placed a cross on his oldest son Tim’s grave after he died in a drowning accident. Those crosses held powerful meaning to Wayne Bevan, and he passed those sentiments down to his boys, so that when he died of lung cancer, John and his brother Scott placed a cross on their father’s grave as well.

But the small memorials take on an overwhelmingly personal meaning to John when his beautiful wife, his high-school sweetheart Emma Jane, and his unborn son were killed in a freakish car accident, leaving John and his small daughter Lou-Lou behind. In shock and grief, John erects two crosses for his wife and son on the side of the road, and visits them daily to the point of obsession. It’s the only thing that helps him cope with his loss, with his daughter’s refusal to talk, and with his family’s well-meaning, but misguided concern.

Then one day, he encounters a stranger who is kneeling beside his family’s crosses, giving them a touch-up of fresh paint. The man introduces himself as the Cross Gardener, and explains that it is his mission to take care of the many crosses in the Virginia valley. As John continues to run into the mysterious man, he begins to open up to him, and soon finds himself occupying the Gardener on his trips to various memorials.

As he learns more about his past, and visits the spots where his mother, his brother, and even the long-forgotten workers had left this earth, John begins to realize that although the accidents that took his loved ones were horrible to endure, that they were met by those who loved them to guide them home into God’s loving arms, and they were at peace. And someday, to his surprise, the Gardener assures John that he too would also met the person who would be his guide home, and it would amaze him as to who it would be.

“The Cross Gardener” is a touching, emotional look at the way people grieve when they lose a beloved member of their family and how they learn to cope in order to carry on their lives. Jason Wright’s style of storytelling captures the reader’s heart and draws them along on the journey to find forgiveness, acceptance and peace through this loving tale.

After reading this book, seeing a small white cross by the roadside might never be the same, and perhaps you can take the time to say a little prayer for the person it memorializes, and for the family left behind.

This book was deeply personal and touching for me, as my father was killed in a car accident 31 years ago, and although I want so badly to mark the area where he lost his life, I know that it would be destroyed due to the area of town where it happened. (He was a letter carrier in a poorer side of our town, and was hit by a drunk driver on his way back in to the post office after finishing his route.)

So I carry a small white cross in my heart for my daddy, and remember him daily.

I also see nearly weekly the white cross erected for my sweet cousin Gayla, a new mom, who lost her life to an idiot driver when she was just a young woman. I remember Gayla and her sweet daughter, Nicole, who was left behind, but has become such a sweet presence in our lives as she has grown up.

This book is from my personal collection.