Curveballs

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Gail Taylor will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Here you are on the brink of a journey all about self-discovery and chasing dreams. With personal stories and tools that shaped the author's path, she focuses on embracing authenticity. You'll explore how living with purpose and passion is achievable. This personal-growth book combines cutting-edge technology and music interaction, reflecting the author's belief that music can transform and positively impact individuals and communities.

Read an Excerpt

Many people spend years—decades, even—in jobs that are safe, but not challenging. Stable, but far from rewarding. I refer to that choice as settling.

If you are in this situation, you might tell yourself you are staying in this role for your family or for their future. Sometimes you plan to leave these unfulfilling positions as soon as you have saved a certain amount of money, or have paid for your home or schooling.

I have seen firsthand when opportunities present themselves to folks in these situations whereby they pass on the new challenges and the chance to chase their dreams. You may convince yourself to stay where you are because the field you want to join is too competitive, your skills and talents are rusty and insufficient, or you are too old for a new career . . . a refrain many of us have heard, or uttered. I am so thankful I never believed any of these falsehoods.

When I decided to come out of retirement, three years into it, it was to start my own business: Gail Taylor Music. My goal was to become a keynote speaker, using my stories and music to help others become their best selves. When I mentioned this to my new entertainment lawyer, his first reaction was, “Write a book.” And so here we are.

If you have read the introduction to this book, you know something about my rather tumultuous early life and how I turned things around. For twenty-five years as a financial advisor, I helped clients with investments and with building retirement plans. I absolutely adored my job and imagined staying in this role until I retired, sometime in my seventies. Things might have worked out that way, but when I was fifty-eight, I started taking piano lessons.

The lessons were meant to be a hobby, a diversion from days spent neck-deep in numbers, analytical thinking, and playing it safe with clients’ nest eggs. Instead of just learning an instrument and having a bit of fun, I fell in love with music as it flooded back into my life. After spending two years with my new passion, I decided to retire sooner than planned and dedicate my time to studying this incredible art form. I was financially independent, so I made the decision, at sixty-one, to sell my business and turn over a new leaf.

It was not just an affair I was having with this new interest. I realized I wanted to spend as many hours in the day as possible learning all aspects of music. For someone with no musical background, I was in for an exciting journey and lots of new experiences. Due to advancements in technology, I was able to study online with the Berklee School of Music. It was so exciting. They did not require me to audition. The curriculum was worth every penny of the tuition I paid. I studied bass guitar, piano, keyboard, ear training, and songwriting. After a few years, I began to toy with the idea of reinventing myself as a musician.

When I shared my new passion with people, I was pleasantly surprised by their supportive reactions. “Oh, that is so inspiring,” they would say. I heard this often, from people I knew well and strangers sitting next to me on an airplane. It was as if I was suddenly in the same category as mountain climbers and long-distance swimmers. It felt so amazing to know I could inspire others to pursue their dreams.

About the Author: Gail Taylor, a Canadian songwriter, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and author, is celebrated for inspiring others to take charge of their lives. With forty years of studying personal growth and peak performance, she proves that designing your own life is possible, regardless of your beginnings. Her expertise has made her a sought-after guest on numerous podcasts.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Curveballs-Unlocking-Potential-Personal-Inspirational/dp/1779622015/ref=sr_1_1

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Very Retro Christmas

A VERY RETRO CHRISTMAS

Pamela Spradlin Mahajan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  Holiday Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

What if the future you always dreamed of, was actually in the past?

 

Social worker Cat has no intention of falling in love or getting married—much to her mother’s chagrin. While mourning her paternal grandmother’s passing, Cat opens an heirloom left by the matriarch—a coveted Christmas ornament—and finds herself transported to December 1936.

 

Handyman Eli spends his days doing odd jobs around town and his nights hammering away on his house—whatever it takes to keep his mind off the awful year he’s had. When a mysterious young woman drops into his life seemingly overnight and wants to rent his guest house, he is at first annoyed and then more than a little intrigued

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Excerpt One:

 

Cat stared into the young face of what was certainly her Grandma Lana. How was this possible? Minutes ago, Cat had been unpacking the contents of what remained of her grandmother’s Christmas decorations—the grandmother who passed away a few months ago.

 

And now here she was sitting in what was supposedly her hometown with a young version of Lana—a version who looked to be in her late teens.

 

Had Cat finally lost her mind? Was that the explanation for all this? Had her grandmother’s death been too much for her to bear? Or had she contracted some sort of virus that a sturdy dose of pills could fix?

 

“Won’t your mother and daddy be expecting you home soon?” Maribel asked Lana.

 

“They’ll understand, once I explain what’s happened.”

 

Lana laid a hand on Cat’s shoulder and a feeling of warmth permeated Cat’s entire body. Cat studied her grandmother. She had clear, warm-toned skin without a wrinkle in sight. Her eyes were a clear blue, her cheeks were round, and her yellow-blonde hair was styled into a soft wave.

 

Lana’s dress was delightfully retro—a floral print number with a collar, buttons at the chest, and a matching fabric belt at her waist.

 

“What were you doing here with Eli earlier, Mar?” Lana said.

 

Maribel, who had vivid red lipstick and some kind of undergarment that made her chest look like two grenades ready to strike, pursed her lips. “Just trying to ease the man back into the dating pool.”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

An Interview with Pamela Spradlin Mahajan

 

1.Did you always want to be an author?

 

More or less, yes. When I was asked what I wanted to be as a child, I used to tell everyone I wanted to be a veterinarian. And I thought that was true because I loved animals (especially dogs!). However I didn’t love math and science. 

 

I think I didn’t feel being a novelist was an option because I didn’t see anyone else around me doing that as a career. But I started writing stories as soon as I could hold a pencil. 

 

2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.

 

My first novel SKYE, REVISED was published earlier this year in March 2024 from The Wild Rose Press. It was a dream realized! There were many steps along the way to make it happen. As I mentioned, I started writing stories young. As I got older, I continued to write but did not finish a lot of the stories I wrote. So learning the craft and commitment to complete a story was one step along the path. 

 

Once I had completed my first manuscript, EXPERT PLAYERS, I learned the process of editing and then querying. I put aside that novel after many months of unsuccessfully querying agents. That was another part of my path.

 

I started writing SKYE, REVISED during that querying process. I decided pretty early on I wanted to go with a small press this time around. It took a year or two to write SKYE, REVISED. Once I felt it was ready, the acceptance from The Wild Rose Press came pretty fast. I was beyond excited.

 

3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?

 

My work straddles a variety of genres so pulling from a wide pool with many great authors, two I love are Alice Hoffman and Lisa Jewell. 

 

I try to follow the advice doled out by many authors and read as much as I can as it is an essential ingredient to writing well. I am currently reading the moving YA novel IF THESE WINGS COULD FLY by Kyrie McCauley.

 

4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?

 

The best part of being an author is being able to follow where my intuition and imagination lead me. Another great thing is being able to share my stories with other people.

 

One of the worst parts of being an author is the amount of trudging along the path one has to do with very little feedback. Sometimes it can feel as if you are submitting your work into the void. And the waiting!!

 

Seeking writing mentors, joining writing groups, and being part of the writing community can help. As can just reminding yourself to focus on writing and creating the story, not thinking how it will be received. 

 

5.What are you working on now?

 

I am currently working on a historical mystery that will likely be YA. It’s still in the drafting stages so that could change. I have researched a lot about self-publishing and plan to self-publish a series in the future as well. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Pamela Spradlin Mahajan is the author of women’s fiction and romance. Her debut novel, “Skye, Revised,” was released in early 2024. Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and creative writing from Missouri State University and a Masters from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Her recent short stories have appeared in the online literary journal "They Call Us" and she has been honored in the WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest. A native of Springfield, Mo., Pamela lives with her family in Kansas City, where in addition to writing women's fiction and romance, she also works as a copywriter, journalist, and reseller.

 

Website: https://pamelamahajan.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelajsm/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Our Global Crisis

>

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Modern society has reached a critical juncture in its existence. Like past civilizations ours has reached a point where its future is far from certain, with its decline, or even collapse, being distinct possibilities.

The Incas, the Mayans, the Romans, the Rapanui, and many others, had seemingly successful societies, yet collapsed when faced with challenges that threatened their continued existence.

Are we to suffer the same fate? What could possibly cause our downfall?

Climate change and environmental issues? Perhaps. It is now almost a certainty that these events are destined to inflict catastrophic damage to our global society. Our coastal cities and island nations, as well as our global economy and agricultural output, will be irreparably damaged. Many of Earth's species, as well as the lives of many millions of people, will be displaced or lost forever.

Such a fate may still be averted, but that opportunity has largely passed. Even if we are able to correct the climatic and environmental issues threatening our society, we must still recognize and address the ultimate source of our problems. For if we fail, a far worse fate potentially awaits us.

Our Global Crisis is an eye opening look at the common weakness shared by societies and civilizations both past and present. But analysis of the problem alone will not solve the global crisis we now face. Thus, the final chapter is dedicated to the simple, yet critical solutions, necessary for our very survival.

Read an Excerpt

Humanity faces an uncertain future. For although we are the product of a great multitude of evolutionary “improvements,” we are nevertheless imperfect. Through the millennia, our shortcomings have contributed to the setbacks and failures of many peoples, cultures, even past civilizations, and they continue to do so. Even today, the future stability and continuance of our global socioeconomic society is not guaranteed. Climate change, environmental degradation, ongoing political and religious tension and violence, and other damaging and contentious issues not only have the potential to destabilize our global society, but if left uncorrected, may precipitate its eventual collapse. The most troubling aspect of this growing possibility is that each of us would ultimately be responsible for its occurrence.

Despite the advanced level of development attained by our species relative to others on Earth, inherent weaknesses in our nature still persist, and it is those weaknesses that each of us must overcome if we are to survive and evolve beyond our current limitations. If we can come to accept who we are and appreciate our weaknesses as well as our strengths, then we may be able to rise above our imperfections. In doing so, the possibility exists that our species may once again find its rightful place within nature and restore balance to the biosphere.

The purpose of Our Global Crisis is to guide us in this direction, to help us better understand who we are as a species, and to allow each of us to come to terms with our inner wants and desires, our strengths, and our weaknesses.

About the Author: Brian McLean, ART, is a former Medical Laboratory Technologist and Information Systems Specialist. Drawn by his passion for the outdoors, he shifted from a successful career to spend nearly two decades working for a family run orchard business. A passionate conservationist and environmentalist, Brian is also a keen observer of human nature and humanity's interaction with the biosphere. Based on those observations, he has been meticulously compiling and crafting Our Global Crisis over the last 22 years. Currently, he is working to restore riparian and temperate forest ecosystems affected by clearcut forestry practices, and when he needs to decompress, he spends time under the stars delving into his other passion, astrophotography.

Website: https://briandmclean.com
Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/0993607225
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/walkingsoftlyinnature
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/walkingsoftlyinnature
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/briandmclean

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fate of Our Union

GENRE:  Fantasy

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

A mountainous thundering bull breaks up battling tribesmen, summoning three struggling youths, as an insidious unseen enemy turns tribes against tribes—pitting rich against poor, sons against fathers, and men against gods. Its insatiable hunger for division threatens to plunge mankind into a dystopian realm ruled by man-eating wolves.

 

A miraculous seven-headed horse, a symbol of unity, assembles the struggling youths of extraordinary origin into a journey of self-discovery. There Sunu the Saxon Poet, Rufus the Roman Stoic, and Keresaspa the Sarmatian Priestess must overcome pride, aversion, and unforgiveness; there they must learn from historical heroes, philosophers, and amazingly similar gods to battle the unseen monster and its rising wolfmen.

 

Fated to part ways to face the demons at home, Sunu, Rufus, and Keresaspa must reunite as they bring divided peoples together to fight the source tearing everyone apart. They must heed the divine wisdom of the seven-headed horse and justly wield the seven magic weapons they’ve mysteriously been given to overcome the unseen enemy and understand the higher purpose of the mountainous thundering bull.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Excerpt One:

 

Sunu meets the seven-headed, winged horse, Long Ears (CH 4 of The Fate of Our Union).

 

Sunu’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at a white stallion with seven handsome heads, spreading a glorious pair of wings. It towered at twenty-one hands, and its seven heads encircled its neck like temple pillars; one faced forward, one angled to the left, one angled to the right. A head was on each side, while two in the back angled left and right. “You are the one we’re speaking to,” its pink lips uttered under black nostrils, the words echoing in Sunu’s ears like a divine melody.

 

“It’s as if all seven were as one!” Sunu imagined the sacred horses merging, gazing breathlessly as they surrounded the seven-headed, winged stallion inside the birch grove. His heart raced in suspense, his eyes wide with wonder, as he awaited its next move.

 

The stallion’s seven heads repeated, “As one.”

 

“I’ve heard of a horse with eight legs.” Sunu imagined Woden’s horse, Sleipnir. “But never one with seven heads . . . that can speak . . . and has wings!” Visually high, Sunu gaped at every beautifully mane-draped head under the dreamily feathered wings.

 

The stallion’s forward-facing head replied in a deep, resonant voice, “It’s time you heard.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Hildebrand Hengest Hermannson’s deep-rooted fire for Indo-European culture and Western Philosophy ignites his first novel, The Fate of Our Union, the inaugural piece in a planned series. His work draws inspiration from the national epics The Saga of the Volsungs (Norse), Mahabharata (Indian), Aenid (Roman), Odyssey (Greek), Táin Bó Cúailnge (Celtic), and Shahnameh (Iranian), weaving these rich cultures into original stories featuring fantasy world-building, dynamic characters, and intricate plots and themes. His Wild Hunt of thought breathes life into his spiritual, ethical, and cultural interests, inspiring us all to strive for imperishable virtue.

 

Website: https://www.hhhermannson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HHHermannson

Twitter: https://x.com/HHHermannson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hhhermannson77/

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hhhermannson/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214514568-the-fate-of-our-union

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZS7TD5V?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Loving Lizzie Finn

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Lizzie Finn grew up in a brothel, and she’s reminded of that fact every day. She dreams of finding a job and becoming independent. Only then can she be free of her aunt’s disdain. First, she must find an employer who won’t turn her away because of her past.

Byron Greeley is determined to save his family’s business after Lizzie’s uncle falsifies the amount Byron owes on a loan from the bank. Determined to find proof of Teague’s perfidy, Byron slips into the banker’s house and rummages through the study only to be discovered by Lizzie, a red-haired beauty who utterly captivates him.

Byron offers Lizzie a job in exchange for information about her uncle, and because she believes her uncle is innocent, she agrees. When Teague discovers Lizzie and Byron’s growing affection, he threatens to destroy Byron and his family, insisting Byron is exploiting her. Is Teague’s warning well-founded? Are Byron’s feelings for Lizzie true, or is Byron using her for his own gain?

Read an Excerpt

A spring in her step, Emma placed the rose gown on the bed and returned to the wardrobe. “I saw the most handsome man last night.”

Lizzie’s pulse leaped. “You did?” Had Emma seen the drunken stranger in Uncle’s study? The handsome intruder had occupied Lizzie’s thoughts all night long.

“Of course I did. He is a sight for sore eyes.” Emma returned with the green skirt and carefully lowed it over Lizzie’s head. “Dark eyes, almost black in color, with a gaze so intense he nearly stole my breath.”

Yes. Exactly. As much as she’d tried, she couldn’t get the memory of those eyes out of her head.

Emma secured the skirt and grabbed the bodice. “And his hair, the same as his eyes, black as night.”

Slipping her arms into the sleeves, Lizzie disagreed, “I would hardly call it black, more a dark brown, the color of chestnuts. Which suits him quite well.” With strong, bold features, and a lean frame … She smiled a little when she thought of him. A handsome devil to be sure.

Emma came around to face Lizzie and began to button the gown’s front. “No. I’m quite sure Felix has darker hair than that.”

“Felix?” Had that been his name?

“Yes, our new footman.”

Footman? Lizzie’s cheeks flamed, and her smile dissipated. The man she’d met last night was no footman. He’d spoken of running his family’s business. How embarrassing to be caught admiring a complete stranger. What was wrong with her?

About the Author:

A small-town girl with a big imagination, Tamara Hughes had no idea what to do with her life. After graduating from college, she moved to a big city, started a family and a job, and still struggled to find that creative outlet she craved. An avid reader of romance, she gave writing a try and became hooked on the power of exploring characters, envisioning adventures, and creating worlds. She enjoys stories with interesting twists and heroines who have the grit to surmount any obstacle, all without losing the ability to laugh. To learn more, stop by her website: www.tamarahughes.com.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tamarahughesauth
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tamara-hughes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamara.hughes2/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7738043.Tamara_Hughes
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tamarahughes

Buy link for Loving Lizzie Finn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFMQ4X1H

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Poseidon Project

 

THE POSEIDON PROJECT

E. William Podojil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  

 

Suspense, Thriller, Mystery

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

The Poseidon Project is an international suspense thriller and the first book in The Herb Society Mysteries series  

 

Molly Halloran and her friends have a secret past.  Their bucolic retirement is suddenly upended when Molly’s husband is abducted and held for a steep ransom.  Now she, her friends, her tech executive son, Lukas and his Air Force pilot boyfriend must race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet the kidnappers’ demands.  But when they learn why her husband has been abducted, they realize how high the stakes truly are.  Molly and her friends now must face their past in order to save the future.  But not only their futures; the world’s.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

“There’s just nothing like airplane sweaty body, Ma. I promise I won’t tell anyone you complained about your private jet.” Lukas joked. 

 

“You know, Lukas, I know it’s your romantic life, and you don’t need your mother meddling in your affairs, but Taylor is quite a catch if you ask me. You two look so natural together, like you’ve known each other forever.”

 

“I hope you mean that in a good way, Ma.” Lukas blushed a bit. His mother could see right through him. “I’m waiting ’til he reveals he’s a psychotic serial killer. That’s usually how my relationships go, well, not the serial killer part, but definitely the psychotic part.”

 

“I think you should go for it, for what it’s worth. And why are you so negative about relationships?” his mother asked.

 

“Mom, I’ve known him for a week and during one of the most awful, chaotic weeks in my life. I’d like to see how we get along in a normal setting, like normal, boring life. Watching Netflix, making popcorn, folding clothes, you know? Simple life stuff. That’s when you know whether you’re with the right person or not.”

 

“You haven’t changed much, Lukas,” his mom pointed out. “You look at everything with logic,

precision, follow the rules, and with as little variation as possible. You’ve been that way since you were little, and I love that about you, but you have to let yourself feel emotions. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and take a leap of faith. You’re not a Klingon, for God’s sake.

a leap of faith. You’re not a Klingon, for God’s sake.”

 

 

Lukas held back a laugh. “I think you mean a Vulcan, Mom.”

 

“Let me ask you something, Lukas. How do you feel when you’re around Taylor?”

 

Lukas pondered. “That’s easy, Ma. I feel like I’m right where I want to be. I feel joy, fear, happiness, then scared and vulnerable. Panicked and terrified he’s going to walk away.”

 

“Like Drew, you mean?”

 

Lukas paused. “Yeah, Ma, like Drew.”

 

“You live once, honey. You’re almost forty, and before you know it you will be my age. It’s best to share a life with someone, not run probability formulas to predict success or failure. Sometimes, you just have to jump and know, that no matter what happens, you’ll be okay.”

 

“What did you and Dad do before I was born?” Lukas quickly changed the subject.

 

Molly was taken aback. “Um, well, we had a lot of adventures, that’s for sure. Not much money, so we both worked a lot, but we had fun.”

 

“Mom, how did you meet your friends, you know, Linda, Betty, and Donna?”

 

“We worked together.”

 

“Teaching? Lukas asked.

 

“Not teaching. We worked together at Argonne National Laboratory before teaching.”

 

“What did you guys do there?”

 

Molly thought about a response. “Lots of stuff.”

 

“Mom, can you tell me more than that?”

 

Molly let out a sigh. “Not every story is my story alone to tell. I have to get the ladies to explain some things. It’s a long story, so let’s go get them so we can tell it together.”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

E. William Podojil has worked as a writer, advisor and  international business executive while living in the Netherlands and the United States. He studied screenwriting at UCLA. His first novel, The Tenth Man, was published in 2004, by Haworth Press.  His latest novel, The Poseidon Project, will be published by Wild Rose Press in August, 2024 as the first book in the Herb Society Mysteries series. 

 

Podojil currently resides in Northeast Ohio with his husband and three sons. He travels extensively and writes about his experiences on his website www.ewpodojil.com.  

 

https://www.facebook.com/ewilliampodojil

http://www.twitter.com/EWPodojil

https://www.instagram.com/ewilliampodojil/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Love For Reading

My love affair with books began when my parents read Little Golden Books to me.  I remember one that especially impressed me.  I wish I could remember the title, but it’s long gone.  It was about a family of pigs who were so messy no one would go to see them.  After they finally cleaned up their house, they had tons of visitors.  I also remember a book about Woody Woodpecker.  After my mother read that one to me, I wrote my first story which I dictated to my father who wrote it in pencil on a piece of notebook paper.  I was every bit of five years old then.  

Later, after I learned to read, my mother made a treat out going to the library each week.  The minute she got home from work she’d take my sister and me to the library.  Afterward, we’d go to eat hot dogs at the local diner.  It wasn’t anything special, but at an early age we learned to associate reading with good times.  

Having learned to love reading, I was never without a good book close by.  I read so many good ones!  Black Beauty, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, The Sherwood Ring, the Trixie Belden mysteries, My Friend Flicka, the Black Stallion series, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, and so many more!  I wish I could remember them all. 

I was content to be a reader until about ten years ago.  I had gone through a period where nothing special caught my fancy.  At the same time my son wrote a book.  I decided to give it a try too.  To my surprise, it totally captivated me.  I spent long hours before the computer writing the kind of story I wanted to read and couldn’t find.  I became totally addicted to writing.  I even took my computer with me on vacation so I wouldn’t miss a single day writing.

Did I stop reading because I was now an author?  No indeed.  If you’ll check my Goodreads page you’ll find a sample of the things I’ve read in the recent past.  I just finished Careless in Scarlett.

Whenever I need an escape from my reality, books are always there to provide it.  My life is richer today because of all the wonderful things I’ve read in the past, and I know my future will be filled with many more happy hours reading.  Parents, read in front of your kids.  Teach them to love books.  Their lives will be richer for it.