Meatloaf Recipe

I love Meatloaf the singer, but today let's focus on the recipe...

Please remember we have a family of 7 (usually feeding a few extras too), so feel free to reduce this recipe - unless you love leftovers?

2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 C peppers (diced) - any color you like, or a mixture
3 eggs (whisked)
1 onion (chopped)
1 loaf older bread ripped into small pieces
1 C oatmeal or rice
a dash of: salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder
2 T mustard
2 C ketchup

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients listed above (save a bit of ketchup for the end) - I use a potato masher to really combine everything, but you can use a mixer, large spoon, or I know folks who enjoy using their hands. Once well combined, place into a greased bread or loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350F then after the hour is done, use the reserved ketchup on the top and heat another few minutes. Allow to cool and bit and serve!

When we first got married, Mark asked me to make meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I told him I had noodles, but we didn't have any potatoes. He told me to make something else because if there aren't any mashed potatoes, he didn't want meatloaf. That said...

My serving suggestion is this! (meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans!)

(and if you want to get fancy - stuff your meatloaf with cheese and wrap in bacon!!!!)

Crystal is a secretary, council secretary, and musician at her church, birth mother and doting auntie, babywearing cloth diapering mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their five youngest children (Carmen 11, Andre 10, Breccan 5, Delphine 3, and baby Eudora who somehow turned 1), two dogs, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff here, and at WOW! Women on Writing - Crystal is dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade!

Carmen Otto Reviews "the Secret of the Sacred Scarab" by Fiona Ingram

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab

A 5000-year-old mystery comes to life when a scruffy peddler gives Adam and Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them. They learn more about the ancient Seven Stones of Power and the mysterious Shemsu-Hor. They must translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab, as well as rescue the missing archaeologist James Kinnaird, and their friend, the Egyptologist Ebrahim Faza, before time runs out!

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is the kind of adventure book boys and girls love! The fast-paced action, the evil villain readers delight in hating, the secrets of the past, and the mysterious ancient setting make this novel a sure-hit favorite for all the young and adventurous at heart. Ingram's impeccable and fascinating research into Egyptian history illuminates the adventure and makes the secrets of Egypt's past as thrilling to the reader as the boys' dangerous encounters.

· Book Award Nominations and Wins:

· Finalist Children's Fiction USA Next Generation 2009 Indie Book Awards

· Finalist Juvenile Fiction USA National Best Books 2009 Awards

· Winner Pre-Teen USA 2009 Readers' Favorites Awards

· Number 2 in the USA Children's & Teens Book Connection Top Ten Favourite Books of 2009 for Kids, Tweens & Teens

· Winner Silver Medal Teen Fiction 2010 Nautilus Book Awards

· Finalist Children's Fiction 2010 International Book Awards

· Winner Bronze Medal Pre-Teen Fiction 2010 Moonbeam Book Awards

· Finalist 2011 Rubery Book Awards

· Winner Gold Award Mystery Pre-Teen 2011 Children's Literary Classics Awards

· 2nd Place in the 2011 YA Sharpwrit Book Awards

About the Author, Fiona Ingram

Fiona Ingram is a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, she was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked her new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with her mother and two young nephews. They had a great time and she thought she’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, she had changed careers. She has now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in her middle grade adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book,The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! She also teaches online novel writing for aspiring authors and she finds that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds her enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. She loves doing research for her book series. Fiona loves animals and has written two animal rescue stories. She has two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

You can find Fiona at –

Website: www.chroniclesofthestone.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/FionaRobyn

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

Author Site: http://www.FionaIngram.com

Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2868182.Fiona_Ingram

-- 5 Star Review by Carmen Jeanne Otto


I was super happy when I received a copy of The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram. It was a Christmas present from our parents and each of us will have an opportunity to read it. I felt it fit in with our social studies class where we are learning about ancient Egypt. This was an awesome book to read. The characters were Adam Justin, Gram and Aunt Isabel, but my favorite Character was Gran because she is funny and likes joking around. I could relate to the boys because I love adventure!

My favorite part of the book was when they got into the Scarab King's tomb. I liked this part because it had a lot of adventure and hope for more adventures to come. The storyline kept my interest and was easy to follow. I would tell my friends that they should read this book because it's full of adventure from beginning to end.




About Carmen:
Carmen is a busy 6th grader from Wisconsin. She enjoys reading, competitive swim, playing french horn, riding horses, and working on her family's dairy farm. Carmen hopes to be a large animal veterinarian when she grows up and hopes to travel around the US. 




About the next book Carmen will be reviewing:

A plane crash! Lost in the jungle! Hunted by their old enemy, will Adam, Justin, and Kim survive long enough to find the Third Stone of Power? With only a young boy, Tukum, as their guide, the kids make their way through the dense and dangerous jungle to find the lost city of stone gods, where the Stone of Power might be located. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and evading predators are just part of this hazardous task. Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on. But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to revive the ancient tradition of human sacrifice. Adam, Justin, and Tukum must play a dreadful ball game of life and death and maybe survive. Will they emerge alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before they do?

Print Length: 318 Pages
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Adventure
Publisher: Bublish, Incorporated (November 2017)
ISBN: 978-1946229465

While this is the third in the series, this can be read as a standalone book, however the author encourages readers to reader the first two books in The Chronicle of the Stone series as well: The Secret of the Sacred Scarab and The Search for the Stone of Excalibur.

The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper is now available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

Upcoming WOW! Women on Writing Book Blog Tour - for Michael French's "The Beginner's Guide to Winning an Election" Launching February 25th 2019

It may be 50 below with the wind chill, but I have an exciting book blog tour to keep me warm! WOW! Women on Writing is helping promote another wonderful book for returning author Michael R. French.

Please contact me today to reserve your copy and participate in this tour. If you've never participated in a tour, feel free to inquire and I'll be happy to explain how it works - you don't even have to have your own blog!

Send an email today to participate - email address: crystal@wow-womenonwriting.com or crystaljotto@gmail.com

Be sure to include the following:

* The email address you'd like your ebook(s) sent to - or mailing address, but we have a limited number of physical copies.

*The name and url for your blog, or a note letting me know you do not have a blog

*A date you would prefer as your first choice, as well as a 2nd choice - this will be the date your review will be posted to your blog/this blog and social media. (the tour runs 2/25-3/25)

Including posting to a blog, it would be fabulous if you could post your review on Amazon/Goodreads as well as your own social media. This is greatly appreciated although not mandatory to participate in a book blog tour.

As soon as all the dates have been filled for Michael's tour, and a calendar has been put together, I'll email a media kit to everyone involved. This kit will include Michael's head shot and bio as well the book cover and official summary and buy links for The Beginner's Guide for Winning an Election. This email will also include the calendar for the tour and should be able to answer most (if not all) the questions you may have concerning tour participation.

If you are an interview only blogger, please email with your interview questions as well as the dates preferred.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration in this and all matters.

A select number of guest posts MAY be available soon - if you prefer a guest post instead of a review, please email as soon as possible to choose a date and get in line for a guest post.

The Beginner's Guide to Winning an Election

by Michael R. French

launches February 25th 2019

Amazon Link

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43698362-the-beginner-s-guide-to-winning-an-election

Synopsis
In 2025, the “youthification” of democracy has inspired younger candidates to challenge the ineffective and hypocritical gray-hairs in Congress. Running for student body president at an Indiana high school, political novice Brit Kitridge takes on incumbent Matthew Boltanski, who, with help from a mystery backer, already has his eyes set on Washington. Brit gains courage and insights from a wise history teacher on how to win, but ultimately finds a maze of deceit and corruption in her school. Is exposing the truth enough to win the election?

About Michael French

National best selling author Michael French is a graduate of Stanford University and Northwestern University. He is a businessman and author who divides his time between Santa Barbara, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is an avid mountain trekker, likes to visit developing countries, and with his wife, Patricia, started a 501(c) 3, Dollars4Schools, to support public school teachers in Santa Fe.

He has published twenty four books, including fiction, young adult fiction, biographies, and art criticism. His novel, Abingdon's, was a bestseller and a Literary Guild Alternate Selection. His young adult novel, Pursuit, was awarded the California Young Reader Medal.

The Reconstruction of Wilson Ryder was released January 2013.
Mountains beyond Mountains was released April 2013.
Once Upon A Lie was published on March 15, 2016.
The Beginner's Guide to Winning an Election, a YA/crossover novel, will be released in early 2019

Snow Day Recipes!

I just received a text asking if I knew of any delicious recipes for a snowy day here in Wisconsin (its 50 below with the wind chills and schools and businesses are closed). So I figured it's a great day to share a delicious recipe for stuffing and pork chops! Enjoy!

Stuffing:
1 lb pork sausage
1 T butter
6 stalks celery (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 loaf of slightly older bread (ripped into small pieces)
1 C chicken broth
and a dash of each of the following to taste:
sage
thyme
salt pepper

Fry up the pork sausage on the stove top and drain off any excess grease. Add the onions, celery, and spices and fry them with the pork sausage until celery and onions are tender. While that's cooking, put your bread crumbs into a covered baking dish. Once the pork mixture is done, mix it into the bread crumbs along with the broth. Depending on the type of bread, you may have to adjust the broth accordingly. You want the mixture moist but not soggy. Right before baking, I take the butter and cut it into small pieces and mix it into the stuffing. Bake for 45 minutes at 325F covered, then remove the cover and bake another 30 minutes to crisp up the top (unless you don't like crispy tips, then leave the cover on).

(you can also add mushrooms to change up the flavor a bit)

Enjoy!!!!


Pork Chops:
4-6 pork chops
1 C (or 1 can) pineapple juice
1 C orange juice
1 T dark brown sugar
A dash of each of the following:
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Make your pork chop sauce by mixing the pineapple juice, orange juice, brown sugar & spices together. Pour about 75% of the mixture over the pork chops and allow them to marinate for at least 45 minutes and then grill them up applying the rest of the mixture while cooking. Or if it's too cold to roll out the grill, use the broiler pan in your oven and check them often! Enjoy!

"Loving Neil McKee's Memoir!" - a book review by Crystal Otto

Thank you WOW! Women on Writing for the opportunity to read and review Finding Myself in Borneo and participate in a book blog tour to help promote this fabulous story!



About the Book:

Finding Myself in Borneo is an honest and buoyant chronicle of a young Canadian man's adventures during 1968-70, while teaching secondary school as a CUSO volunteer in Sabah, Malaysia (North Borneo). Travel with Neill McKee on his unique journey through vibrant Asian cultures as he learns the craft of teaching, the Malay language and local customs, and gains many friends in his small community. He climbs the highest peak in Southeast Asia—Mount Kinabalu, has a love affair, and navigates Borneo's backwaters to make his first of many documentary films. McKee travels by freighter to Indonesia, where he discovers the scars of that country's recent genocide, a contrast to his hilarious motorcycle journeys in Sabah with his American Peace Corps buddy. They make a hallucinogenic discovery—North Borneo is, indeed, J. R. R. Tolkien's famed Middle-Earth of The Lord of the Rings! The enterprising duo establish the North Borneo Frodo Society, an organization Tolkien joins.
McKee's second Sabah sojourn and other return trips offer the reader the opportunity to match the early anecdotes to what in fact happened to the land and people who touched his life, and he theirs.

Paperback: 260 pages
Publisher: Nbfs Creations LLC (January 8, 2019)
ISBN-10: 1732945705
ISBN-13: 978-1732945708

Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah is now available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.  

About the Author: 

Neill McKee is a creative nonfiction writer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. McKee, who holds a B.A. Degree from the University of Calgary and a Masters in Communication from Florida State University, lived and worked internationally for 45 years and became an expert in communication for social change. He directed and produced of a number of award-winning documentary films/videos and multi-media initiatives and authored numerous articles and books on development communication. During his international career, McKee worked for Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO), the International Development Ressearch Centre (IDRC), Canada, UNICEF, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; Academy for Educational Development, Washington, D.C. and FHI 360, Washington, D.C. He worked and lived in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda and Russia for a total of 18 years and traveled to over 80 countries on short-term assignments.

Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah is Neill's first Memoir.

Find Neill Online:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1839945.Neill_McKee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MckeeNeill

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neill-mckee-b9971b65/

Website: https://www.neillmckeeauthor.com/

Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

There is much to love about Finding Myself in Borneo; Sojourns in Sabah by Neill McKee. Whether you are a seasoned traveler or someone who never leaves home, you'll absolutely love this story (which is why I won't get into too many of the details - go grab yourself a copy and enjoy it for yourself)! I have not had the opportunity to travel, so what stood out for me was McKee's ability as a storyteller. He transported me with him to Mount Kinabalu and I was able to experience and adventure with him. His sense of humor and lust for life also spoke to me as a reader and made excited to keep turning those pages! 

I read Finding Myself in Borneo in one sitting. It was a page turner I couldn't put down! The writing was delightful and the stories were told with such skill! I would recommend this book to others and I can't wait to read for of McKee's story in his next memoir!

How Many Stars?

5 for Sure! 

----------Blog Tour Dates

Monday, January 28th (Today) @ The Muffin
Neill McKee launches his tour of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah with an interview and giveaway at the Muffin!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

Tuesday, January 29th @ Selling Books
Learn more about Neill McKee as he is interviewed by Cathy Stucker at Selling Books. You won't want to miss this insightful interview about McKee and his memoir Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah. 
https://www.sellingbooks.com/

Wednesday, January 30th @ Bring on Lemons with Crystal Otto
Crystal Otto couldn't wait to get her hands on Neill McKee's memoir about his travels and finding himself! This busy farmer seldom leaves the farm and enjoyed every moment she experienced reading Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah. Find out more in her book review at Bring on Lemons today!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Thursday, January 31st @ Breakeven Books
Don't miss a very honest book review about Neill McKee's Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah.
https://breakevenbooks.com/

Friday, February 1st @ Fiona Ingram
Fellow author Fiona Ingram reviews the adventures story of Neill McKee's journey in Sabah and his experiences h in Finding Myself in Borneo. Readers won't be disappointed in Ingram's review or McKee's memoir!
http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

Monday, February 4th @ Author Anthony Avina
Author Anthony Avina reads and reviews Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah - by Neill McKee. Readers won't want to miss this adventurous and soul searching memoir! https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

Wednesday, February 6th @ The World of My Imagination
Nicole hosts a special feature with author Neill McKee about his memoir Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah. 
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

Friday, February 8th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Fellow memoirist Madeline Sharples hosts Neill McKee today as he pens today's guest post titled: Living in and learning about a very different culture”. Find out more about McKee and his memoir Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah. 
http://madelinesharples.com/

Monday, February 11th @ Book Santa Fe with Elizabeth Hansen
Young reader and reviewer Elizabeth Hansen shares her thoughts after reading about Neill McKee's memoir Finding Myself in Borneo; Sojourns in Sabah.
http://www.booksantafe.info/booksantafeblog

Wednesday, February 13th @ To Write or Not to Write with Sreevarsha
Shreevarsha reviews the insightful memoir Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah by Neill McKee. Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about McKee's journey. http://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.co.at/

Friday, February 15th @ Bring on Lemons with Tricia Schott Baldwin
Avid reader, constant dreamer, and occasional traveler Tricia Schott Baldwin reviews Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah by Neill McKee. Tricia shares her thoughts with readers at Bring on Lemons - will this be a lemon or sweet sweet lemonade?
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Saturday, February 16th @ World of My Imagination
Nicole discusses "3 Things on a Saturday" with Neill McKee. Learn more about McKee and his memoir Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah.
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, February 19th @ Jarry Waxler’s Memoir Revolution
Memoir expert and educator Jerry Waxler pens his review of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah by Neill McKee. Readers and memoirists alike won't want to miss this insightful post and review by Waxler.
https://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/

Thursday, March 7th @ Kathleen Pooler
Neill McKee finds himself penning today’s guest post “Becoming a memoir writer after retiring from another career.” at Kathleen Pooler's Memoir Writer's Journey - don't miss the opportunity to learn more about McKee and his exciting tale Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah.
https://krpooler.com/

Michelle DelPonte Reviews "You Started WHAT after 60?" by Jane T. Bertrand

Itching for a challenge when she turned 60, Jane Bertrand set out to reach the highest point of each state. Her strategic mistake was to start with the easiest ones, leaving the most strenuous for the end of this decade-long quest. She recruited over 50 family members, colleagues, and childhood friends to join her in this quest. Ostensibly a book about hiking and climbing, it captures the deep sense of friendship, further strengthened by bear sightings, lack of signage, lost GPS connectivity, muddy trails, snowfields, icy run-off, and tent loss encountered along the way.

Paperback: 284 pages
Publisher: Walnut Park Press (November 16, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1732847703
ISBN-13: 978-1732847705

You Started WHAT after 60? Highpointing across America is now available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

About the Author:
Jane T. Bertrand is a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, where she splits her time between teaching in New Orleans and managing research on Tulane's family planning projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A Maine native, she moved to New Orleans over 40 years ago where she and her husband Bill raised their children, Katy and Jacob. Her recurrent travel to Africa in connection with international family planning work generated many of the frequent flyer miles that made this highpointing pursuit possible.

Find Jane Online:

Twitter: @JaneBertrand8

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

Website: https://www.janebertrand.com/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1785116.Jane_T_Bertrand

Review by Michelle DelPonte

This well thought out and executed book needs to come with the same warning label that I heard so many times as a child watching “America’s Funniest Videos...” Yes that is it. “Don’t try this at home,” the host always said as he laughed. This book, “What I started at 60,” has the potential to motivate us to push though the boundaries society has set for us, as well as some of our own. Jane and her family all have this desire to accomplish amazing tasks and do extraordinary things for their birthdays. While 60 was quickly approaching, Jane felt she had something left to accomplish.

As a runner, Jane kept in shape her entire life. Highpointing was new to Jane, but at age 60, she decided to set out to highpoint the tallest point in each of the 50 states. After checking in with her doctor and getting the green light, Jane was set out to accomplish her goal. Will she be able to do it?
Jane, a highpointing amateur, gets all her family and friends involved in her goal. Once she has mapped out her quest, Jane starts with the lower of the high points in each state. While logic says this is a good idea, Jane learns the hard way, why it was not the best. The time you spend reading this book, you will become engrossed and feel like you are there with them though all the shenanigans and laughter. Join Jane on her adventures spread across the US and find out if she made it to all the highpoints.

Please note that if highpointing is something you would like to do, there are clubs that you can join for support. Let Jane and her family’s extraordinary lives challenge you in some way to finish those goals you set before it is to late.







----------Blog Tour Dates

Monday, January 7th @ The Muffin
Jane T. Bertrand launches her tour of You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America with an author interview and giveaway.
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

Tuesday, January 8th @ Fiona Ingram
Fellow author Fiona Ingram reviews the adventures story of Jane T. Bertrand's experiences highpointing across America in You Started WHAT After 60. Readers won't be disappointed in Ingram's review or Bertrand's memoir!
http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, January 9th @ Bring on Lemons w/Crystal Otto
Crystal Otto couldn't wait to get her hands on Jane T. Bertrand's story about highpointing across America! This busy farmer seldom leaves the farm and enjoyed every moment she experienced reading You Started WHAT After 60?. Find out more in her book review at Bring on Lemons today!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Thursday, January 10th @ Selling Books with Cathy Stucker
Learn more about Jane T. Bertrand as she is interviewed by Cathy Stucker at Selling Books. You won't want to miss this insightful interview about Bertrand and her memoir You Started What After 60? Highpointing Across America.
https://www.sellingbooks.com/

Friday, January 11th @ Breakeven Books
Don't miss a very honest book review about Jane T. Bertrand's You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America.
https://breakevenbooks.com/

Monday, January 14th @ Look to the Western Sky with Margo Dill
Author, Editor, and Reviewer Margo Dill shares her thoughts after reading the inspiring memoir You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand.
http://margoldill.com/

Wednesday, January 16th @ Author Anthony Avina
Author Anthony Avina reads and reviews You Started WHAT After 60? - by Jane T. Bertrand. Readers won't want to miss this adventurous memoir about highpointing across America.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

Friday, January 18th (TODAY) @ BOL w/Michelle DelPonte
Michelle DelPonte offers her point of view after reading You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand. Find out what this Wisconsin wife, mother, and autism advocate has to say about Bertrand's recount of her adventures!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, January 22nd @ Book Santa Fe w/Elizabeth Hansen
Description:Young reader and reviewer Elizabeth Hansen shares her thoughts after reading about Jane T. Bertrand's adventures in You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America.
http://www.booksantafe.info/booksantafeblog

Thursday, January 24th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Description:Fellow memoirist Madeline Sharples shares her review of You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand. Readers at Choices will be thrilled by Bertrand's adventures in highpointing across America!
http://madelinesharples.com/

Wednesday, January 30th @ To Write or Not to Write with Sreevarsha
Sreevarsha reviews the inspirational book You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand. Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about Bertrand's adventure highpointing across America later in life.
http://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.co.at/

Tuesday, February 5th @ World of My Imagination with Nicole Pyles
Description:Nicole reviews and shares her thoughts after reading the thrilling account of Jane T. Bertrand's adventures in highpointing across America in You Started WHAT After 60?. Join readers at World of My Imagination and find out more about this great read and inspirational author!
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

About Today's Reviewer:

Michelle DelPonte is a busy mom and health care worker. Her two sons are the focus of her life and she works diligently to raise awareness about autism in the community. She loves reading, anything to do with history and geocaching just to name a few of her many hobbies. Michelle, her husband Ben and their two sons Sebastian and Asher live in Manitowoc, WI on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan where they enjoy walking and biking on the Mariner’s Trail and spending time at the Library.

Book Review - Jane T. Bertrand's "You Started WHAT after 60?"

Itching for a challenge when she turned 60, Jane Bertrand set out to reach the highest point of each state. Her strategic mistake was to start with the easiest ones, leaving the most strenuous for the end of this decade-long quest. She recruited over 50 family members, colleagues, and childhood friends to join her in this quest. Ostensibly a book about hiking and climbing, it captures the deep sense of friendship, further strengthened by bear sightings, lack of signage, lost GPS connectivity, muddy trails, snowfields, icy run-off, and tent loss encountered along the way.

Paperback: 284 pages
Publisher: Walnut Park Press (November 16, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1732847703
ISBN-13: 978-1732847705

You Started WHAT after 60? Highpointing across America is now available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

About the Author:
Jane T. Bertrand is a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, where she splits her time between teaching in New Orleans and managing research on Tulane's family planning projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A Maine native, she moved to New Orleans over 40 years ago where she and her husband Bill raised their children, Katy and Jacob. Her recurrent travel to Africa in connection with international family planning work generated many of the frequent flyer miles that made this highpointing pursuit possible.

Find Jane Online:

Twitter: @JaneBertrand8

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

Website: https://www.janebertrand.com/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1785116.Jane_T_Bertrand

Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

Previous reviewers have mentioned this is a great book for an adventurer and I just think it's a great book for anyone. Anyone at all can benefit from the empowering story of Jane T. Bertrand's highpointing adventure. Truly.

I am not an adventurer - not one little bit. I'm not even an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy a nice stroll but would turn down a hike most days. I'd absolutely say no to anything involving heights, falling, or most days, leaving the county I live in. That said, I had also never heard of highpointing until reading this book. I STILL absolutely love the story. Here are the high points for me (pun intended):

**you are never too old for an adventure

**everything is better enjoyed with 

friends and family

**if you set your mind to something 

you can achieve it - regardless of age

For me, You Started WHAT after 60? is a story that allowed me to travel without leaving my children or the comfort of home. Jane T. Bertrand's beautiful storytelling allowed me to enjoy all the places she traveled and all the people she traveled with. This is an empowering story told beautifully by a talented and determined woman who amazes me as both a person and author.

Regardless of age or physical ability, readers of all walks of life are sure to delight in You Started WHAT after 60? by Jane T. Bertrand - 5 stars for sure!!!



----------Blog Tour Dates

Monday, January 7th @ The Muffin
Jane T. Bertrand launches her tour of You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America with an author interview and giveaway.
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

Tuesday, January 8th @ Fiona Ingram
Fellow author Fiona Ingram reviews the adventures story of Jane T. Bertrand's experiences highpointing across America in You Started WHAT After 60. Readers won't be disappointed in Ingram's review or Bertrand's memoir!
http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, January 9th (TODAY) @ Bring on Lemons w/Crystal Otto
Crystal Otto couldn't wait to get her hands on Jane T. Bertrand's story about highpointing across America! This busy farmer seldom leaves the farm and enjoyed every moment she experienced reading You Started WHAT After 60?. Find out more in her book review at Bring on Lemons today!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Thursday, January 10th @ Selling Books with Cathy Stucker
Learn more about Jane T. Bertrand as she is interviewed by Cathy Stucker at Selling Books. You won't want to miss this insightful interview about Bertrand and her memoir You Started What After 60? Highpointing Across America.
https://www.sellingbooks.com/

Friday, January 11th @ Breakeven Books
Don't miss a very honest book review about Jane T. Bertrand's You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America.
https://breakevenbooks.com/

Monday, January 14th @ Look to the Western Sky with Margo Dill
Author, Editor, and Reviewer Margo Dill shares her thoughts after reading the inspiring memoir You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand.
http://margoldill.com/

Wednesday, January 16th @ Author Anthony Avina
Author Anthony Avina reads and reviews You Started WHAT After 60? - by Jane T. Bertrand. Readers won't want to miss this adventurous memoir about highpointing across America.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

Friday, January 18th @ BOL w/Michelle DelPonte
Michelle DelPonte offers her point of view after reading You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand. Find out what this Wisconsin wife, mother, and autism advocate has to say about Bertrand's recount of her adventures!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, January 22nd @ Book Santa Fe w/Elizabeth Hansen
Description:Young reader and reviewer Elizabeth Hansen shares her thoughts after reading about Jane T. Bertrand's adventures in You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America.
http://www.booksantafe.info/booksantafeblog

Thursday, January 24th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Description:Fellow memoirist Madeline Sharples shares her review of You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand. Readers at Choices will be thrilled by Bertrand's adventures in highpointing across America!
http://madelinesharples.com/

Wednesday, January 30th @ To Write or Not to Write with Sreevarsha
Sreevarsha reviews the inspirational book You Started WHAT After 60? by Jane T. Bertrand. Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about Bertrand's adventure highpointing across America later in life.
http://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.co.at/

Tuesday, February 5th @ World of My Imagination with Nicole Pyles
Description:Nicole reviews and shares her thoughts after reading the thrilling account of Jane T. Bertrand's adventures in highpointing across America in You Started WHAT After 60?. Join readers at World of My Imagination and find out more about this great read and inspirational author!
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/