Category: Post-911 (11th September 2001)

Non-Fiction Book Review | “My Underground American Dream” by Julissa Arce

Posted Saturday, 12 November, 2016 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I am a new reviewer for Hachette Books and their imprints, I started by reviewing two releases by FaithWords, their INSPY (Inspirational Fiction) imprint of releases focusing on uplifting and spiritual stories which are a delight to read whilst engaging your mind in life affirming and heart-centered stories. I found Hachette via Edelweiss at the conclusion of [2015] and have been blessed to start reviewing for them.

I received a complimentary copy of “My Underground American Dream” direct from the publisher Center Street (an imprint of Hachette Book Group Inc.) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Why I have wanted to read this memoir ever since I first heard about it:

I am growing more interested in reading human interest stories, memoirs and select biographies or autobiographies whilst I also find certain topics and subjects in Science are the ones I am enjoying the most to read and discover. When I first saw this release was upcoming this Autumn, I knew I wanted to read it because it was almost as if our current events and the news had converged on this release to bring to light an ongoing topic of narrative about something that affects so many people living in America today.

I had seen a documentary about Latinos living in California and part of the documentary shifted to reflect that some of the families on-camera were currently undocumented. I felt perhaps they should have been featured as I knew their status is always in jeopardy but also, they have so much they have to face everyday, why put their safety at risk by being in a documentary?  I never forgot that particular news feature I had seen within the past year. It was more about culture and art than it was about undocumented immigrants, but still, it had highlighted the issue to an level of insight where you could gather how difficult it was to live with a secret which could affect you so very dearly.

I wasn’t sure what I would find inside – as until I saw the release was pending, I honestly had not heard of Ms Arce’s story. I thought it was interesting how her status changed and how she found success in one of the hardest finance districts – there was an interesting story there awaiting my eyes – that much I knew for sure! It became one of my most anticipated #nextreads and one that I was thankful I had a chance to review for Center Street.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Non-Fiction Book Review | “My Underground American Dream” by Julissa ArceMy Underground American Dream
Subtitle: My True Story as an Undocumented Immigrant who became a Wallstreet Executive

What does an undocumented immigrant look like? What kind of family must she come from? How could she get into this country? What is the true price she must pay to remain in the United States?

JULISSA ARCE knows firsthand that the most common, preconceived answers to those questions are sometimes far too simple-and often just plain wrong.

On the surface, Arce's story reads like a how-to manual for achieving the American dream: growing up in an apartment on the outskirts of San Antonio, she worked tirelessly, achieved academic excellence, and landed a coveted job on Wall Street, complete with a six-figure salary. The level of professional and financial success that she achieved was the very definition of the American dream. But in this brave new memoir, Arce digs deep to reveal the physical, financial, and emotional costs of the stunning secret that she, like many other high-achieving, successful individuals in the United States, had been forced to keep not only from her bosses, but even from her closest friends.

From the time she was brought to this country by her hardworking parents as a child, Arce-the scholarship winner, the honors college graduate, the young woman who climbed the ladder to become a vice president at Goldman Sachs-had secretly lived as an undocumented immigrant. In this surprising, at times heart-wrenching, but always inspirational personal story of struggle, grief, and ultimate redemption, Arce takes readers deep into the little-understood world of a generation of undocumented immigrants in the United States today- people who live next door, sit in your classrooms, work in the same office, and may very well be your boss. By opening up about the story of her successes, her heartbreaks, and her long-fought journey to emerge from the shadows and become an American citizen, Arce shows us the true cost of achieving the American dream-from the perspective of a woman who had to scale unseen and unimaginable walls to get there.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

ISBN: 9781455540242

on 13th September, 2016

Pages: 304

Published by: CenterStreet (@centerstreet)
an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (@HachetteBooks) via Hachette Nashville

Formats Available: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Converse via: #NonFiction + #CurrentEvents

About Julissa Arce

Julissa Arce Photo Credit: Vincent Remini

JULISSA ARCE is a writer, speaker, and social-justice advocate. She is the cofounder and chairman of the Ascend Educational Fund, a college scholarship and mentorship program that assists immigrant students, regardless of their immigration status, ethnicity, or national origin. Julissa is also a board member for the National Immigration Law Center and for College Spring. Prior to becoming an advocate, she built a successful career on Wall Street, working at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch.

Photo Credit: Vincent Remini

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Posted Saturday, 12 November, 2016 by jorielov in 21st Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Brothers and Sisters, Debut Author, Equality In Literature, Father-Daughter Relationships, Immigrant Stories, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Life in Another Country, Memoir, Modern Day, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Non-Fiction, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Siblings, Social Change, Tattoo Art & Design, Vignettes of Real Life

Book Review | “Vote for Remi” by Leanna Lehman #SRC2015 No.4 read during #ElectionWeek 2016 #BookSparksMarathon

Posted Thursday, 10 November, 2016 by jorielov , , , 2 Comments

BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge 2015

I had fully intended to read my #SRC2015 selections hugged closer to the months when the books were meant to be reviewed, however, those of whom have caught my posts relating to circumstances which wicked out hours and derailed my attempts to read along with the rest of the book bloggers who took up the same challenge are already in the loop realising my readings of these stories will come quite a bit later than planned.

To recap the events for those who are visiting me for the first time,
please direct your attention to the following posts:

What turnt this whole situation around for me, is being able to talk to the publicists at BookSparks on two separate occasions when I felt I was treading water as I knew time had wicked itself off the clock and I was at a proper loss as to where to ‘begin’ despite the fact I have a shelf full of BookSparks reading challenge and blog tour lovelies to read which I’ve been itching with curiosity about since they each arrived and/or since I first met them through my local library who purchased my requests on behalf of the #SRC2015 and #FRC2015 selections.

I had felt quite a bit guilty regarding the latter, as despite having my purchase requests accepted and added to the card catalogue: time was unfortunately never on my side to soak inside the stories themselves. There was an unexpected moment of clarity though about my requests, where I found myself talking to different librarians and finding they were encouraged to read new authors of whom they never would have ‘met’ had I not requested the reading challenge titles! Talk about putting everything into a different prospective of understanding!

This method of mine to recapture the reading queue of my BookSparks lovelies was working just fine up until I posted my review of “all in her head” (see Review) as soon thereafter, all was lost when my chronic migraines returnt in Spring and late Summer; marking another moment this year where my reading life was affected. It truly wasn’t until I finished my readings of The Clan Chronicles in August and September of this year, I was able to finally reach the point where reading was more pleasurable and where the stories were settling inside my mind’s eye with quite a bit of ease. I spent most of the year frustrated and in an attempt to recapture the joy reading had always given me.

This marks my fifth review overall spilt between #SRC2015,#ReadingIsBeautiful (the YA selections) and #FRC2015, however, it is the fourth Summer Reading Challenge selection I am reading.

I am overjoyed to be in a position to lay heart and mind inside the stories I’ve dearly wanted to read and now can give them my full attention! As you will see by a clever badge I created, I am going to be consistently reading ALL my BookSparks lovelies straight through til New Year! I randomly pulled the reading queue back together – I’m not reading them in reverse order now, but rather quite spontaneously! I hope you will continue to take this journey with me and see how the stories resonate with me as I soak inside their worlds!Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I originally found BookSparks PR Spring 2014, when I came upon the Summer Reading Challenge a bit too late in the game. I hadn’t forgotten about it, and was going to re-contact them (in Spring 2015). Coincidentally, before I sorted this out, I was contacted by one of their publicists about Linda Lafferty’s Renaissance historical novel, “The Sheperdess of Siena”. 

I started to participate in #SRC2015 during Summer 2015 until lightning storms quickly overtook my life and the hours I could give to the reading challenge. Summer ended hard and with a newfound resolve to pick up where I had left off, I posted as many reviews on behalf of BookSparks blog tours and/or the three reading challenges I had committed myself to participate inside (i.e. #SRC2015, #ReadingIsBeautiful (YA version), and #FRC2015).

It should be noted that I haven’t participated in any blog tours past the ones I’ve committed myself too reviewing on the list at the foot of this post. I am unsure if I can resume hosting with BookSparks once my backlogue is erased, however, my main motivation in resuming where I left off was to ‘meet the stories’ even if my days of being a blogger with BookSparks ended the day I couldn’t keep up with the reviews when life interrupted my postings. I continue to hope as my reviews arrive on my blog the authors and the publisher(s) will forgive my delays.

I elected to read “Vote for Remi” via the complimentary copy I received by BookSparks as the library copy I had requested is happily being read by other patrons. By participating in the #SRC2015 challenge I am reading the novels in exchange for my honest reviews; whether I am receiving a complimentary copy or borrowing them through my local library. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

My selection process for #sRC2015 & a note on #election2016:

As 2016 marked the year where Feminist Historical Fiction took such a pivotal role of interest in my readerly life, you could say 2015 opened up the door for Presidential Literature – both in fiction and non-fiction realms of enquiry! When I first read the premise behind Vote for Remi, I knew it was a title I wanted to read outright due to the nature of the premise and how it was a fittingly apt story to be read in our modern era! I previously had read The Residence, showcasing the history of the White House through the eyes of the staff and the historical presence of how the house itself was the best observer of its own history. It was such an interesting narrative and one that was layered with insight and preserved memories which I think anyone would appreciate reading.

Moving forward a year, as I was fully interested in reading Vote for Remi, ahead of the 2016 Presidential Election – I found myself settling into its story-line on #ElectionDay itself! I even started to tweet about the joy of immersing myself into its dialogue and how bang-on brilliant the opener was to how the fictional life of Remi was cross-relating to the real-life story of Hillary Clinton. I keep my politics hugged close to centre, as I decided to not politicise my blog nor my Twitter feeds – except for showing on certain occasions where I take a stand and let my thoughts be known. At the bottom of this post is the full collection of tweets I tweeted about this novel and how I let my thoughts reflect my reaction to the campaign season and the election itself. I relied on those who had tweeted ahead of mine whilst sharing a link to an essay written by Mr RJ Sullivan of whom is an author I love reading! (view his showcases)

I am sure by the choices of Twibbon’s on my Twitter badge and the explanation I provided for why I placed them on my Twitter Profile have caught notice of those who might suspect my political views. Other instances of notice would be how open-minded I am in regards to Equality in Literature and how I constantly seek out Diversity in Literature as well. I read eclectically – across political spectrum’s, philosophy, religion and lifestyles. The world is a melting pot and my personal literary adventures reflect the diversity and eclectic nature of the human experience.

Some of the authors I follow on Twitter spoke concerns about losing their followers due to their political views; here’s my take on that particular issue: I follow people I appreciate finding on Twitter. This could be a musical group I love listening too, an author I’m keen to ‘meet’ for the first time, an actor or actress whose collective work I love admiring; an author I love to devour reading or any other person or organisation I have found who has left an impression on me one way or another. This includes publishers – as although I amassed a list of publishers I watch on Twitter, I am slowly following each in turn of whom I have read stories by which truly left me pensive and wickedly delighted for reading.

Due to the variety of people I follow, I am quite certain we all have our own views and opinions which might align or are completely opposite; I honestly never looked that hard into my followers private lives. For those who tweet more vocally, I champion and cheer their honesty and bravery to openly disclose their opines and for those who are equally vocal but on a smaller scale (like me), I celebrate them, too! I even celebrate those who keep their blogs and Twitter feeds apolitical for most of the year and like me, fuell their thoughts at appropriate times when everyone is feeling the same emotions.

Point being, I will always follow people I find a reason to follow – because I celebrate their artwork, their creative voice or the causes they are advocating on behalf of to curate a better world for all of us. I will never unfollow someone just because we have a different opinion or have a different political party affiliation. We’re all united in the global community and our shared humanity; we must strive to find ways to communicate and build bridges of acceptance and tolerance. If someone unfollows me due to my personal thoughts, opinions or political views, I accept that as it is their right. However, I am not going to go back and unfollow them, just because they let go of me. #LoveNotHate and #ChooseKindness in combination with #MakeAmericaKindAgain are my new trumpets of Hope. We must find unity together and find a way to embrace our differences and not let them separate us.

Stories such as Vote for Remi and the non-fiction debut by Julissa Arce (My Underground American Dream) are stories which are needed in today’s climate of uncertainty. Stories which start a conversation and keep the dialogue in focus for change and for a better future of tomorrow are the stories I will always champion and appreciate reading. This is why I anchoured my readings of these two stories together and why I decided during #ElectionWeek 2016 it was the right time to read both of these lovelies!

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Book Review | “Vote for Remi” by Leanna Lehman #SRC2015 No.4 read during #ElectionWeek 2016 #BookSparksMarathonVote for Remi

Fiery US government teacher Remi Covington is relentless in her desire to impart the genius of the democratic process to her students. Her so-called “academically challenged” high school seniors sometimes find her enthusiasm more than a little annoying—so, in an effort to teach her a lesson, they execute a brazen, high-tech, social media blitz touting her as the newest candidate in the upcoming US presidential race. Much to everyone’s surprise, Remi plays along with her students’ ruse—and in a nation weary of politics and career politicians, she unexpectedly finds herself the darling of the American public.

As the campaign takes on a life of its own, Remi is forced to confront a myriad of long-held social biases and cultural clichés, and realizes she isn’t quite the woman she thought was. Vote for Remi is about a would-be a presidential candidate who, despite being all wrong—the wrong gender, the wrong party, and certainly the wrong social status—discovers that she might be exactly what America needs: someone with a passion for doing what is right.


Places to find the book:

Published By:She Writes Press (@shewritespress)
originated from She Writes (@shewritesdotcom)
an imprint of Spark Points Studio LLC GoSparkPoint (@GoSparkPoint)
& BookSparks
(@BookSparks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Read the Interview with the author about Vote for Remi on BookSparks Blog!

Read an Excerpt of the Novel via the author’s website!

Converse via: #VoteForRemi & #SRC2015

About Leanna Lehman

Leanna Lehman

Leanna Lehman is the author of quirky political fiction novel, Vote For Remi (She Writes Press). She worked in the education field for six years, and specialized in developing online educational programs that assist at-risk teens.

She lives in Fallon, Nevada, with her rescued dog Henry Higgins, and spends her free time painting, hiking, snowboarding, camping, and traveling to the coast. She found her passion for writing while undergoing chemo therapy in 2008-2009, when she began journaling her experience.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #SRC2015 | BookSparks
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Posted Thursday, 10 November, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Based on an Actual Event &/or Court Case, Blog Tour Host, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Equality In Literature, Fly in the Ointment, Herbalist, Indie Author, Life at Thirtyten, Life Shift, Modern Day, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Public Service | Community Officers, Realistic Fiction, School Life & Situations, Social Change, Sociological Behavior, Teacher & Student Relationships, Vulgarity in Literature, West Coast USA, Women's Fiction, Women's Rights

Book Review | “Meant To Be” by Jessica James A military romance

Posted Sunday, 14 June, 2015 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to review “Meant to Be” by JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm. JKS is the first publicity firm I started working with when I launched Jorie Loves A Story in August, 2013. I am honoured to continue to work with them now as a 2nd Year Book Blogger. I received my complimentary ARC copy of Meant to Be direct from JKS Communications in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

On reading military fiction:

I have blogged off and on about my appreciation for military fiction, especially when I have picked up a military-based novel; the stories which still stand out to me the most will be included in a link section below this review. If you visit one of those reviews, I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts on those pages as much as seeing your reactions to this review in the comment threads. I definitely encourage commentary on my bookish blog, as conversations are the heart of what makes reading such a wicked awesome adventure! Sharing our thoughts and collectively conversing about topics within the stories is part of the happiness I’ve had throughout my reading life.

One thing that has stood the test of time for me, is how harrowing a life the servicemen and women face each day they are deployed and protecting us back home. They have a self-sacrifice approach to service, whereupon they put the lives of the rest of us ahead of their own. In my own family, I have had great-grandfathers serving in the Civil War and throughout the 20th Century I have had either a grand-parent serving overseas or family members who took up civilian service to help those back home. Including an Auntie who was in the USO and I followed her legacy by giving back to deployed soldiers via Soldiers Angels between 2011 and 2013. I would like to pick up where I left off and become active with Wounded Warrior Project as well as local charities helping veterans.

I appreciate reading the stories writers are giving to us to read where honour, trust, and a truism of voice is being given to the servicemen and women in their narratives. Before I found Jessica James, I became familiar with Jocelyn Green‘s collective works on the Civil War, wherein I decided not to read her novels because of following her blog visits during 2013 and 2014, I noticed the medical bits were a bit too much for me to handle. My admiration for her work did not falter, as she’s a lovely woman to speak too at these online events and showcases. Another author I found in the INSPY world of military fiction is Ronie Kendig, of whom I am hoping to start ILL’ing (inter-library loaning) lateron this year.

Through my own personal readings about the Civil War via the blog tours I’ve been participating in or books which I have sought out on my own — I have a newfound respect for my great-grandfather who took up the courage to fight with the Union Army at a time where he was just starting to settle into life in America. Every family in America has a different immigrant story to share, a different lifepath that might have cross-sected with our American History at war and a new connective thread which starts to unite all of us together. Except of course, for those families of our Native Americans of whom were here before we were.

When I have the opportunity to pick up a narrative set within the historical past or the contemporary world during our current timescape, I appreciate seeing how writers knit the heart of the military into their stories. I don’t have to have a story so full-on in truism to be graphic nor vulgar (i.e. language), but it is nice to see people you can relate too in the novels. To have empathy for what they must face everyday they serve and to see a small fraction of how their lives are affected by their duties. This is one of the motivating reasons I wanted to read Meant To Be; however, the greater reason is because when the publicist at JKS pitched me the book, I felt as if she had not only read my Review Policy to such a level of insight and understanding, but that she knew *exactly!* where my readerly heart lies to travel.

I hand-selected to post my review on Flag Day,
to celebrate the Birthday of the Army,
and the sisterly holiday for our 4th of July!

Book Review | “Meant To Be” by Jessica James A military romanceMeant To Be
by Jessica James
Source: Publicist via JKS Communications

A chance encounter on the beach and a magical 24 hours transported Lauren Cantrell from thoughts of her deployment—and her secret life. She didn’t think she would see Michael “Rad” Radcliffe again—until another chance meeting half a world away reveals that she isn’t the only one with a covert career. Now they must decide: What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive?

From the sandy shores of Ocean City to the rugged terrain of Afghanistan, this transformative tale of romance, espionage, and perseverance takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the covert lives of our nation’s quiet heroes.

Sweeping and timely, it celebrates the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by powerful forces of love, courage, and resolve.

Genres: Action & Adventure Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Military Fiction, Romantic Suspense, War Drama



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Series: For the Love of Country, No.1


Also in this series: Intangible, Beneath Creek Waters


Published by Patriot Press

on 6th of June, 2015

Pages: 320

Genre(s): Military Romance | Romantic Suspense

Contemporary Rom | Espionage

Published By: Patriots Press

Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via Twitter: #Meant2B and #JKSLitPublicity

About Jessica James

JESSICA JAMES is an award-winning author of military fiction and nonfiction, ranging from the Revolutionary War to present day. She is the only two-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and was featured in the book 50 Authors You Should Be Reading (2010). James is a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Military Writers Association of America, and Christian Fiction Writers.

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Posted Sunday, 14 June, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, ARC | Galley Copy, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Contemporary Romance, Espionage, Fly in the Ointment, Genre-bender, Indie Author, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Military Families of the Deployed, Military Fiction, Modern Day, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Vulgarity in Literature, War Drama, War-time Romance, Warfare & Power Realignment

Blog Book Tour | “The Quantum Deception” {Book 2 in the Mormon Hacker series} by Denver Acey

Posted Sunday, 22 March, 2015 by jorielov , , , , , 2 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “The Quantum Deception” direct from the publisher Bonneville Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Although a PDF copy of “The Quantum Breach” was given to me by a publicist at Cedar Fort, I decided to ILL (inter-library loan) the book via my local library, as by borrowing a paperback copy I could easily read more of the book than the first chapter or thereabouts. I can honestly not read a novel in digital form, as I strictly only read Chapter Samplers and/or small excerpts to garnish a feel for a story and if I would appreciate reading it. Thereby, I borrowed the first novel in the series to get a feel for Acey’s style of story-telling as much for a clue into the series itself. I was not obligated to post my impressions of the book herein nor was I compensated.

Blog Book Tour | “The Quantum Deception” {Book 2 in the Mormon Hacker series} by Denver AceyThe Quantum Deception

The FBI Suburban was already waiting for Tanner in the parking lot. He ran up to it just as the rear passenger door opened from the inside. Tanner jumped in and closed the door before realizing the woman sitting next to him wasn't Agent Heywood. It was Reina, dressed in a blonde wig and wearing Sara's clothes.

It took Tanner a moment to realize he was being kidnapped.

Reformed cyber hacker Tanner Stone has been living a peaceful life in Utah. But all that changes when a plane mysteriously crashes into the mountains and Tanner links the "accident" to an ingenious Chinese computer virus.

Now it's up to him to prevent that same virus from destroying the financial data of everyone in America! But with stakes so high, he's not the only one searching for answers. And some will stop at nothing to find out what Tanner knows.

This action-packed thriller with explosive twists will keep you guessing. Fast-paced and suspenseful, it will change everything you know about Internet security.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Series: Mormon Hacker


on 10th March, 2015

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 288

The Quantumn Breach (Book One) (Synopsis on Riffle)

Published By: Published By: Bonneville Books (@BonnevilleBooks),

an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse on Twitter via: #MormonHackerSeries

About Denver Acey

Few people understand the terrifying, yet realistic threat of computer hacking like Denver Acey. Denver has spent his entire professional career in the information technology industry where he has witnessed and even thwarted actual cybercrime. From his top-secret job working for the US government to securing computer networks at Fortune 500 companies, Denver is personally familiar with hackers and their unscrupulous activities.

But over the years, Denver has become increasingly frustrated with Hollywood’s inaccurate portrayal of cybercrime. Hackers are more intelligent and more sophisticated than simple teenagers, who guzzle down Mountain Dew while playing video games. Cybercrime is a billion-dollar business that encompasses organized crime and foreign governments. For these elite hackers, the fruits of success are iconic trademarks, innovative patents, and government secrets.

Because of his unique background, Denver decided to write a book to dispel hacking myths while highlighting the tenacity of cybercriminals. Utilizing actual computer hacking concepts and scenarios that he has experienced firsthand, Denver illustrates — in a simple way for even the non-techie to understand — how vulnerable we all are to cybercrime.

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Posted Sunday, 22 March, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Chinese Literature, Crime Fiction, Espionage, Indie Author, Library Find, Modern Day, Mormonism, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Specialised Crime Investigator, Spy Fiction, True Crime, Utah

Interview with the Writer behind #ClassicAlice (Kate Hackett) whilst an #IndieGoGo campaign is wrapping up to #SaveAlice!

Posted Thursday, 12 February, 2015 by jorielov , , , 47 Comments

Conversations with the Bookish badge created by Jorie in Canva

You might remember a very short time ago, I blogged about a wicked sweet vlog style YouTube series entitled “Classic Alice”?! Today, I have the pleasure of bringing an interview AND LIVE! Q&A to you, featuring Kate Hackett the writerly creative visionary behind “Classic Alice”!

The important bits to know are as follows:

The LIVE conversation in the comment threads will start @ 5:30pm LA (PST) | 8:30pm NYC (EST) The comment threads will be *OPEN!* throughout the day leading up to the live event! Ms. Hackett will be responding to your comments & questions directly, wherein you have the chance to respond and interact with her when she arrives @ 5:30pm Pacific! (think: West Coast USA!)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Classic Alice badge by Classic Alice

{ Back-Story on “Classic Alice” }

Classic Alice, is a vlog-style mockumentary series on YouTube, and is
geared towards teens and young adults. It is the story of a girl who gets a
bad grade on a test and decides to live her life according to classic
literature. The show brings the value of humanities to the forefront by
interacting with fans in an educational way.

Classic Alice, funded on Kickstarter early last year, raised north of $9k
for Books 2-7. The Series has since garnered a drove of fans, and in an
effort to #SaveAlice, a few spirited fans decided to embark on a crowd-
funding journey of their own. Moved by the support, Kate Hackett &
team are at it again, looking to produce another 25-30 webisodes. With
$10k already raised 5 days into the campaign, there’s no telling what
will happen in the remaining days.

{ Creative Team }

Photo Credit: Jonathan Vandiveer
Photo Credit: Jonathan Vandiveer

Kate Hackett is an up and coming actress in Los Angeles, California, known for a quick wit and an ability to dig deep emotionally. She has been acting since she was four years old, all the way back in Maryland. She grew up doing musicals (she sings!) and other straight plays, but made the transition to film when she attended Boston University for college. Kate has worked on many independent films and commercials and has produced, starred in, and written her own content. She is fully trained in the Stanislavski, Adler, and Meisner techniques (see resume for schools) and has both studied and performed at UCB, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, in Los Angeles and with Jackson’s Onus, an awesome improv troupe. Kate loves dramatic acting, but is equally versed in comedy. Her web series, which she wrote and stars in, reached over 230,000 views in six short months – you can view it here. She believes strongly in writing and creating her own material, so there’s always something new just around the corner! What’s your favorite book? Lolita, Nabakov

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Posted Thursday, 12 February, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Blogs I Regularly Read, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Classical Literature, Classical Literature Adaptations, Crowdfunding Project, IndieGoGo, Jorie Loves A Story, Macaroons & Paperbacks, Modern Day, Motion Picture Inter-related to Bookish Topic, Nanowrimo 2008, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Serial TV | Film, Stories on the Rise, TV Serials & Motion Pictures