Higher Connections Review #rabtbooktours

Humor and Inspiration from a Certified Public Pothead

 

Self-help, Spirituality, Humor, Relationships, Auto-biography

Date Published: ‎ July 27, 2022

Publisher: ‎OJDM, LLC

 

Most people go through life worrying about silly things: careers, mortgages, family strife, the size of their biceps, how many Instagram followers they have, and most importantly, fantasy football. What if there was a way to get more out of life through deeper and more meaningful connections with those you care the most about? Some people turn to religion or meditation for these connections; I turned to my one true friend, cannabis.

The book summarizes my experiences with cannabis, the interesting connections I have made, the benefits to me from making these connections, what I think is happening that allows me to make these connections, and some other random and (hopefully) funny observations I have written down while high.

I hope you enjoy the trip as much as I did.

Ornery Owl's Review

Rating: Five out of Five Stars

I got a kick out of this book. The author's mission isn't to encourage anyone to start using marijuana, it is simply to explain why he feels using marijuana has helped him. He describes how marijuana helps him deal with anxiety, as compared to alcohol which may numb negative feelings temporarily but in the long run, makes them worse.

The author states in the book's introduction that "I do sincerely believe that the benefits of marijuana need to be explored and researched further, as there has been a lack of significant research due to the federal illegality of cannabis." I agree with him. There is a lot of misinformation about marijuana. It is useful for a myriad of therapeutic applications and the idea that it is a "gateway drug" for harder substances is erroneous. 

The history chapter detailing the thinking behind the criminalizing of cannabis use in the United States is both fascinating and enraging. There was a great deal of racism and xenophobia inherent in arguments for making marijuana illegal. For instance, insanity. The head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger noted that “Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men,” and asserted that smoking the plant "would result in white women having sex with black men."

I am a long-time proponent of the legalization of marijuana although I don't use it often myself. I find that smoking marijuana tends to make me paranoid. I sometimes use products such as teas or edibles that have a high concentration of CBD and a low concentration of THC. These products help with pain and insomnia. 

I enjoyed the author's sense of humor and found myself nodding in agreement with many of his thoughts. If you enjoy autobiographies, feel passionate about the legalization of marijuana, or simply enjoy learning how other people think and feel about life, the Universe, and everything, you may enjoy this book as much as I did.

About the Author

The author, known by the penname Eric Right, is not an author by the standard definition of one. He has been writing a variety of things in his mind for close to 30 years, starting with love letters to girls in elementary school that he never had the guts to deliver to and eventually evolving to commentary and thoughts on a wide range of social issues like the environment, religion, abortion and the state of the world. Fortunately, due to his career and other demands, none of these thoughts made it to paper……until now when he decided to write about his journey with marijuana over the past several years.

Eric’s journey with marijuana began in early 2020 as a way to cope with the stress of family, work and relationships. Eventually, his journey evolved into unexplainable connections with those close to him to the point where he decided it was worth writing these down into a book, which he cleverly titled: Higher Connections: Humor and Observations of a Certified Public Pothead.

While Eric does not expect more than 10 people to actually buy the book, writing these thoughts down onto paper was healing and freeing and he hopes others will hopefully benefit from one or two of the things detailed in the book.

Eric has no awards, no honorary doctorates and no other contributions as a knight of the pen.  He is just a “normal” middle aged dude with the normal stressors of everyday life who tried marijuana one day and hasn’t looked back since. He does not claim to know the answers to mysteries of life but he is sure as hell trying to figure them out.

Eric grew up in the suburbs and has three kids, a dog, guinea pigs, koi fish and thousands of flies in the house he shares with Alexandra. Eric loves working out, going to concerts, watching hockey, and playing Playstation with his kids.

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

Impeachment Book Promo, Review, and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Mark Spivak will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A pair of billionaire brothers with unlimited resources, a secret agenda, and no accountability.

Mysterious “peace-keeping forces” that materialize out of nowhere.

Detention camps on the U.S.-Mexican border.

Bungled assassination attempts with untraceable origins.

A reactive Congress, lobbyists bought and paid for, and upheavals at the highest levels of government.

How was it all engineered, and could it happen tomorrow?

Is it fiction or uncomfortable reality?

Read an Excerpt

“Thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” said Mendoza. “I always drive twenty miles out to the boondocks to get myself a cappuccino. The journey clears my head.”

“I figured that neither of us needed to be seen in public with each other. My instinct was it wouldn’t play well with our respective constituencies.”

“I suspect you’re right. So tell me, Mr. Lapham, what have I done to deserve this audience? Have the Haft brothers decided to donate a billion dollars to Criollos Unidos?”

“We have some areas of mutual interest. I think we might be able to come to an accommodation.”

“I’m listening.”

“You’ve been quite outspoken recently in your criticism of Khaleem Atalas.”

“I think he’s a great man. If he wasn’t holding a hundred thousand of my people in concentration camps along the Mexican border, I’d nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.”

“As you can imagine, my employers share your disgust for the President. Although their specific reasons are different, of course.”

“To be honest, he double-crossed us. And I do not like to be double-crossed.”

“I think you’re a man of principle, even though I may not agree with many of your convictions. And as I said, we’re not fans of Atalas either. The only difference is that we haven’t been surprised at the way things turned out.”

“Before we join hands and start singing kumbaya, why don’t you tell me why you dragged me down here?”

“I could have sworn you came of your own free will.”

“I have to admit, I was curious.”

“As I said, we find ourselves on the same side of this problem, but for different reasons. I was thinking there might be some way we could work together.”

Review

Although Impeachment is a work of fiction, it reads like a factual account. President Khaleem Atalas is far more Barack Obama than Donald Trump. The book story mixes fact with fiction so deftly that there were times when I caught myself wondering if Sumeristan and Persepostan were real places. They are not, but the political intrigue is as real as it gets.

Impeachment is not a political thriller filled with shoot-em-ups and car chases. It is a slow-burn, alternate reality version of American politics filled with intrigue and realistic, behind-the-scenes dirty deals. The brokers of these deals are in it for themselves, not caring about what happens to the civilian population.

Impeachment is a detailed story that pulls no punches and requires no over-the-top plot devices to be engaging and disturbing. If we knew what was really going on behind the curtain with regard to those running the show, it would keep us up at night.

This story easily earns five out of five stars from me.

About the Author

Mark Spivak is an award-winning writer specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. He’s the author of Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle. His first novel, Friend of the Devil, tells the story of America’s most celebrated chef who has cut a deal with Satan for fame and fortune.

Mark is also a political junkie who loves turning his fascination with the seamy underbelly of the American political system into taut, page-turning thrillers. The American Crusade, the story of a devastating terrorist attack and the government’s response, was published in April 2019; Impeachment, a tale of two billionaire brothers who manipulate that system for their own ends, is a sequel that also stands alone as an unusual and compelling story.

Website: https://markspivakbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.spivak.3
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eatdrinkjourney

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HR1CF8B
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/impeachment-mark-spivak/1137054375.

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Review at the Roost: Arresting Jeremiah by Amber Daulton

 

Title: Arresting Jeremiah 
Author: Amber Daulton 
Series: Arresting Onyx (book 2) 
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press 
Cover Reveal: September 23rd, 2020 
Release Date: October 14th, 2020 
Genre: Romantic Suspense 
Length: 98k 
Heat Rating: 5 Flames 

Tags: woman in jeopardy, man in jeopardy, single mom, family, violent ex, investigations, police procedural, criminals, gangs, drugs, urban romance, HEA, no cliffhangers, standalone, series

Blurb 

Injured Parole Officer Jeremiah “Jim” Borden never expected Calista Barlow, the sassy blonde waitress he’s craved for months, to ring his doorbell. She slips into his heart—and his bed—but he’s obsessed with a gangland investigation that threatens his career and maybe even his life.

Calista doesn’t trust easily, not with a daughter to protect and the stalker who keeps calling her. After her violent ex-boyfriend returns, she finds solace in Jim’s arms. 

Jim may have to forego his need for answers to protect the ready-made family he adores, but how will he and Calista escape an unseen enemy that is always one step ahead of them? 

Tagline – When threats escalate, will Jim and Calista succumb, or fight for a love they can’t deny? 

 

PreOrder Links

Amazon – https://amzn.to/32vAlqu
Barnes and Noble – https://bit.ly/2E4eJYO
Apple – https://apple.co/35BOuo1
Kobo – TBA 
Google Play – TBA 
Universal link – https://books2read.com/u/mVKvMP

Add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55223686-arresting-jeremiah

Check it out on BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/books/arresting-jeremiah-arresting-onyx-book-2-by-amber-daulton

The Blurb

Her blue-green eyes widened. She traced her fingertips over his smooth jaw, leaving sparks in her wake. 

“You’re so kind. I almost believe it when you say it. God, I wish I’d met you years ago, Jeremiah.” 

“Why do you call me Jeremiah? Everyone else calls me Jim.” 

“It feels more personal, as though you belong only to me. I may have to share Jim with the rest of the world, but Jeremiah—the strong, kind man I’ve admired over the past several months—is all mine.” 

Her admission branded him like a fire poker to his skin. If he were alone, he’d beat his chest and roar. No woman had ever wanted to claim him. No one but her ever called him Jeremiah. 

He coughed, clearing his throat. “Friday is only two days away, but I can’t wait that long. Let’s get in my car and go to a park, somewhere private, to talk.” 

“Talk? Is that code for necking like teenagers?” 

“I’m game if you are, but I don’t want to be rushed. We’ll have time for kissing and touching later.” 

She pecked his cheek. “We better go before the rain starts again.” 

He grasped her hand and they hurried back to the diner.

The Review

Rating: Four out of Five Stars

Disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this book, which will be available for purchase on 14 October 2020.

Arresting Jeremiah is an exciting romantic suspense novel by Amber Daulton. I truly enjoyed the roller-coaster ride while immersed in this high-octane thriller and couldn't wait to come back for more any time I stepped away.

The story is expertly executed and impeccably edited. Amber Daulton knows how to grab a reader's attention and keep them hooked. I was fascinated by the intricate back-story of the Onyx crime syndicate and its various facets. The characters are never sure who they can trust because the danger is coming at them from all sides and even their allies are tied to the seedy underworld.

The crime drama was my favorite aspect of the book. I love immersive, intricate mysteries, and enjoy a good, gritty detective story. This book provides plenty of both for a high-adrenaline thrill ride.

The erotic aspects of the book, while well-constructed, were not entirely to my tastes. All of the male characters are extremely macho and overbearing, which is not my cup of tea. Jeremiah is a good person and a compelling hero, but very controlling. Calista's ex-boyfriend, who has ties to the Onyx crime syndicate, is a brutal sadist. Although there are no explicit sexual assaults depicted in the story, this character's sexualized abuse of Calista could be traumatic for those with a history of sexual assault to read.

I don't care for diet talk or female characters obsessively ruminating on their perceived physical flaws, which Calista does a fair bit. While it's realistic, and women tend to believe that we are supposed to do it, I don't enjoy reading about it. As someone who tried to hate myself thin for 33 years before realizing that there were more important things in life, and who still struggles with my abusive life partner ED (stands for Eating Disorder), I find that all too many romance novels include these sorts of scenes, and they leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend Arresting Jeremiah to readers who enjoy a gritty, in-your-face, roller-coaster ride with some steamy erotic moments thrown in. I was sorry when the story was done and would gladly read more of the Arresting Onyx series.

About the Author 

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press, Books to Go Now, and Daulton Publishing, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats. 
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. 

Social Media Links 

Website – https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/ 
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/amber.daulton.author 
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1 
Pinterest – https://pinterest.com/amberdaulton5/ 
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624921.Amber_Daulton 
Amazon Author Page – https://amzn.to/14JoZff 
Book Bub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amber-daulton 
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/pub/amber-daulton/87/538/368 
The Wild Rose Press – https://www.thewildrosepress.com/authors/amber-daulton

Cover Reveal: Arresting Jeremiah by Amber Daulton

 

Title: Arresting Jeremiah
Author: Amber Daulton
Series: Arresting Onyx (book 2)
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Cover Reveal: September 23rd, 2020
Release Date: October 14th, 2020
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 98k
Heat Rating: 5 Flames

Tags: woman in jeopardy, man in jeopardy, single mom, family, violent ex, investigations, police procedural, criminals, gangs, drugs, urban romance, HEA, no cliffhangers, standalone, series

Blurb

Injured Parole Officer Jeremiah “Jim” Borden never expected Calista Barlow, the sassy blonde waitress he’s craved for months, to ring his doorbell. She slips into his heart—and his bed—but he’s obsessed with a gangland investigation that threatens his career and maybe even his life.

Calista doesn’t trust easily, not with a daughter to protect and the stalker who keeps calling her. After her violent ex-boyfriend returns, she finds solace in Jim’s arms.

Jim may have to forego his need for answers to protect the ready-made family he adores, but how will he and Calista escape an unseen enemy that is always one step ahead of them?

Tagline – When threats escalate, will Jim and Calista succumb, or fight for a love they can’t deny? 

 

PreOrder Links

Amazon – https://amzn.to/32vAlqu
Barnes and Noble – https://bit.ly/2E4eJYO
Apple – https://apple.co/35BOuo1
Kobo – TBA
Google Play – TBA
Universal link – https://books2read.com/u/mVKvMP

Add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55223686-arresting-jeremiah

Check it out on BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/books/arresting-jeremiah-arresting-onyx-book-2-by-amber-daulton

Excerpt

He hated to upset Calista all over again, but he had to know. “What were you thinking when you tried on the necklace?”

Air whizzed through her teeth. Silence stretched between them as they walked toward the diner. She sighed, her voice soft. “No offense, but I don’t know or trust you enough to let you in that much. I’ve made some mistakes—things I don’t want to talk about. Give me some time.”

Trust? He couldn’t blame her for that. If he demanded to know her secrets, he had to tear down the barbwire he’d erected around his.

No. That couldn’t happen. His life depended on his silence. Did her private thoughts and memories hinge on life and death too? His stomach twisted. Nothing bad would happen to her, not if he was around to stop it.

“What can you tell me?” Hell, only an asshole would ask something like that without opening up in return.

“The necklace reminded me of something I once wanted more than anything. Not the pearls itself, but what it represented. I couldn’t have it because I wasn’t good enough.” She pulled from his grasp and wrapped her arms around her middle.

“I’m sorry I forced you to try on the necklace. I thought you liked it. All women deserve something that makes them feel pretty.” The stench of oil filled his nose, and he sneezed. He glanced at the noisy passing cars and pulled Calista farther back along the sidewalk, away from a puddle in the road, before a vehicle splashed them. “I understand about lack of trust and the need for secrecy. I hope someday you can tell me what happened, but I do know one thing, even if you never tell me. You were good enough. You always have been and will always be.”

Her blue-green eyes widened. She traced her fingertips over his smooth jaw, leaving sparks in her wake.

“You’re so kind. I almost believe it when you say it. God, I wish I’d met you years ago, Jeremiah.”

“Why do you call me Jeremiah? Everyone else calls me Jim.”

“It feels more personal, as though you belong only to me. I may have to share Jim with the rest of the world, but Jeremiah—the strong, kind man I’ve admired over the past several months—is all mine.”

Her admission branded him like a fire poker to his skin. If he were alone, he’d beat his chest and roar. No woman had ever wanted to claim him. No one but her ever called him Jeremiah.

He coughed, clearing his throat. “Friday is only two days away, but I can’t wait that long. Let’s get in my car and go to a park, somewhere private, to talk.”

“Talk? Is that code for necking like teenagers?”

“I’m game if you are, but I don’t want to be rushed. We’ll have time for kissing and touching later.”

She pecked his cheek. “We better go before the rain starts again.”

He grasped her hand and they hurried back to the diner.

Official Book Trailer for Arresting Jeremiah


YouTube: https://youtu.be/jIsVXB1B_Pg 

Great news! Arresting Mason, book one in the Arresting Onyx series, is on sale for .99 cents. Limited Time Only!

Find it here: https://books2read.com/u/m2vvY7 

 

Release Tour Sign Ups

I’m working with the wonderful Maia from Silver Dagger Tours to host the release of Arresting Jeremiah. Readers, authors, and bloggers alike—we would love to have you on board for the month-long tour, beginning on October 14th.

There is also the option to review before the book goes LIVE!

You can find out more here: https://www.silverdaggertours.com/tour-sign-ups/arresting-jeremiah-tour-sign-ups

About the Author 

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press, Books to Go Now, and Daulton Publishing, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Social Media Links

Website – https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/amber.daulton.author
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1
Pinterest – https://pinterest.com/amberdaulton5/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624921.Amber_Daulton
Amazon Author Page – https://amzn.to/14JoZff
Book Bub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amber-daulton
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/pub/amber-daulton/87/538/368
The Wild Rose Press – https://www.thewildrosepress.com/authors/amber-daulton