Bake Me A Wish! ~ Chocolate Mint Chip Cake Review & Giveaway!

Thanks to the very wonderful people at BAKE ME A WISH!, a wonderful company that gives back, I was able to review the wonderfully moist chocolate deliciousness of their very own "Chocolate Mint Chip Cake"!

Fist of all the customer service at Bake me a Wish! is wonderful and they care about getting you delicious products, packaged beautifully in a timely manner! The taste is out of this world! If you're a chocolate lover than this cake is for YOU!

When this cake arrived it was packaged in a gorgeous gold-striped elegant gift box (as do all of their cakes) and it looked like it was right out of the oven. Not a single piece of frosting out-of-place!  These cakes would make the ultimate holiday gift or a wonderful dessert to bring with you to a holiday party!  And if you're thinking of a cake lover that lives miles and miles away, but you'd like to share some home-made lovin'....well then Bake Me a Wish! is your answer from above! It even comes with a card that you can personalize and make the *wish* your very own to that someone special!

I made sure that I had time to really enjoy this cake! I heated up my favorite tea, got my most comfortable blaket and curled up on the couch to read! NOTHING BETTER!

What's easier than a cake that you don't have to bake? Just thaw and enjoy! And I DO Mean ENJOY! Bake Me A Wish has so many cakes to choose from. So, if you have a favorite cake, I can guarantee you that Bake Me A Wish! has a dream come true just for you! I personally can't wait to get my hands on their Red Velvet Cake!

Remember I said that BAKE ME A WISH! is a company that gives back? Well, I think it's important to know how! I LOVE companies that give back. (and then I'm going to tell you how YOU can WIN A Chocolate Mint Chip Cake of your very own!)

THE ISSUE:

According to Soldier’s Angels a group whose mission it is to boost morale amongst our soldiers, 8 of 10 soldiers who anticipated being home this holiday will not be coming home due to increased need for troops in Afghanistan. Due to this surge and the likely drop in morale, it is critical that our soldiers feel acknowledged and appreciated especially during the holidays.

Bake Me a Wish!, an on-line gourmet cake shop that ships tens of thousands of cakes throughout United States each year along with Soldier’s Angels, have identified 20 platoons (or bases) in Iraq and Afghanistan and will begin to ship out gourmet cakes to add a bit of sweetness to a tough situation for our troops. In early November 3,500 cakes will be shipped out to arrive for Thanksgiving and in early December, another 3,500 cakes will be sent. Five percent of all sales on www.bakemeawish.com goes to this annual holiday effort plus Operation: Birthday cake, a program that sends soldiers birthday cakes on or close their birthdays throughout the year. Everyone can get involved this holiday just by sending a cake to a loved one and 5% will go to this great cause. With over 20 cakes to choose from including Red Velvet, Chocolate Chip Mint, Cookies and Cream and Magic Bar Brownie Cake, there is a perfect way to say happy holidays for every taste. Sending a Bake Me a Wish! cake to a friend or family member really makes an impression (far better than flowers). Got a chocolate-loving Aunt in another state? Send her the decadent Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake. Imagine the sweet holiday surprise to have a delicious gourmet cake arrive at your doorstep. Imagine how convenient it is to order cakes for holiday entertaining. To order and learn more about the program visit http://www.bakemeawish.com/operation-birthday-cakes.php.

Isn't that amazing? OK...Now that your HEART is FULL, How about Your Tummy! Listen to this Yumminess and what's instore for ONE of my loyal and royal followers!

CHOCOLATE MINT CHIP CAKE - Cool peppermint meets chocolate brownie in this delectable cake: a layer of deluxe chocolate mint brownie thickly blanketed with smooth & creamy fudge frosting, with an avalanche mint chips adorning the top and bittersweet chocolate shavings all along the sides. ($39.99 w/o shipping).

It's HEAVEN in a Little Gold Box! 

BAKE ME A WISH GIVEAWAY!!

You MUST  be a Follower with Google Friend Connect!

Don't know how? This POST gives it to you Step-by-Step!

In order to WIN the "Chocolate Mint Chip Cake" first you must

visit the BAKE ME A WISH! site and tell me which cake makes

you want to drop everything and order it right here and now!
Once you list your favorite cake, I need you to include your name/nickname

and email address in each and every comment you make!

Open to ANYONE that is Following with GFC - Anywhere In the WORLD!.

*This Contest ends 1/12/10*

Extra Entries

+3 If you Subscribe by Mail

+3 If you Subscribe via Google Reader

+5 If you Rate Me On Blogged (see bottom of blog)

+5 If you TWEET About This Giveaway (Leave Link)

+10 If you Follow Me on TWITTER! (@TwitterName)

+10 If You become a fan of  Bake Me A Wish! On FaceBook!

+15 If you blog about this Giveaway in it's own post (Link)

+20 If you Put My Button On Your Blog and Link Back

+20 If you Put My E-Reader Contest Button & Link Back

+25 for each and every NEW follower you bring me

(They just have to mention it in their post! You will BOTH Get the Points!)

YES - EVERY PERSON YOU SEND!

This is VERY IMPORTANT Because -- *IF I reach 1000 Followers by the 1st of the year, we will give One Lucky Winner either a Kindle, Nook OR a G/C to either B&N or Amazon for the cash amount. (more about this later)...

(All of these will be verified before they count towards your entries!!)

(Separate your entries one per post! (either each or just +5 for example)

Or you will only have One Entry Regardless of What You Do!

So...SPREAD the Word! It's ONLY A Click & a Follow!

*** Please note that I did receive the above product so that I could give an honest review! However, I was ot compensated monetarily for this post***

Have Fun and Happy Holidays from BAKE ME A WISH! & Park-Avenue Princess!

KISSES and TOODLES!!

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

The much anticipated "Cleopatra's Daughter" by Michelle Moran was released on September 15th! Congratulations Michelle! To celebrate, Michelle has agreed to do a Guest Spot here at Park-Avenue Princess and a GIVEAWAY!! And not just any giveaway...she's going to give the winner a Hardcover copy of "Cleopatra's Daughter" as well as an ancient Roman coin complete with certificate of authenticity (like the one on my website HERE). Isn't that cool! So first let's talk a little about the book and the author and in the next post, I'll have Michelle's visit and the Giveaway! I hope everyone is enjoying Book Blogger Appreciation Week! I know I am!

Cleopatra's Daughter

By: Michelle Moran

Release Date: September 15, 2009

Publisher: Random House (Crown Publishers)

Pages: 430

Buy Cleopatra's Daughter!

About the Book:

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, but only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters

Octavia: the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra

Livia: Octavian’s bitter and jealous wife

Marcellus: Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir-apparent

Tiberius: Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power

Juba: Octavian’s ever-watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place —the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the time. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of Imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of history, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart

About the Author:

Michelle Moran was born in the San Fernando Valley, CA. She took an interest in writing from an early age, purchasing Writer's Market and submitting her stories and novellas to publishers from the time she was twelve. When she was accepted into Pomona College she took as many classes as possible in British Literature, particularly Milton, Chaucer, and the Bard. Not surprisingly, she majored in English while she was there. Following a summer in Israel where she worked as a volunteer archaeologist, she earned an MA from the Claremont Graduate University.

Michelle has traveled around the world, from Zimbabwe to India, and her experiences at archaeological sites were what inspired her to write historical fiction. A public high school teacher for six years, Michelle Moran is currently a full-time writer living in California with her husband. She is the author of the bestselling historical fiction Nefertiti and its standalone sequel, The Heretic Queen. Her third novel, Cleopatra's Daughter, will debut September 15, 2009

Read an excerpt of Cleopatra's Daughter - Here!

I am SO looking forward to Michelle's Guest Spot and Giveaway

KISSES ~ XXX

Pistonhead by Thomas Hauck

Pistonhead

By: Thomas A. Hauck

Publisher: Booklocker.com

Date: January 9, 2009

Pages: 176

Available: Paperback

Buy Pistonhead!

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Hauck. He lives just one state over in Massachusetts. I was trying to find authors locally for a challenge that was going on and I couldn't be happier that I found him! Besides being a talented writer, he's kind and generous as well. I'm going to post a little bit about his book "Pistonhead" and then later in the week, he will be back with his Interview, Guest Post and Giveaway! So, if this book sounds like something you'd be interested in, watch for the giveaway, you may be the LUCKY Winner of your very own copy of "Pistonhead".

About the book:

Charlie Sinclair, the guitar player for the Boston-based rock band Pistonhead, is having a terrible week. Charlie’s day job at Evergreen Software is being outsourced to Puerto Rico. His dingy apartment is overrun with mice. The girl he loves is unattainable. His best friend, the lead singer of the band, is spiraling downwards into drug abuse. His old girlfriend wants to dig her claws into him again. His mother has a new boyfriend and the guys from his old neighborhood hate him because they think he’s successful. The band’s audiences revel in violence.
When things couldn't get any worse, a tragedy forces Charlie to make a life-changing decision and take a bold step into the future.

This breakout novel, filled with gritty realism and dark humor, paints a picture of a rock musician’s life that is both poignant and inspiring. The concert scenes are exhilarating and the depiction of the grinding world of the assembly line is wrenching in its unblinking clarity. This is no rock-and-roll jet-set platinum-record romp; this is the real life of artists who struggle to get to the top of the local rock heap. Their limousines are subway cars and their backstage feasts are a couple of subs and a pitcher of flat beer.

Charlie thinks he knows what it means to be successful, but his view of the world is brutally challenged. How do you define success? The answer may surprise you!

About the Author:

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Tom Hauck earned his B.A. in History of Art at Tufts University, graduating magna cum laude. Tom then embarked on a fifteen-year career as a rock musician and songwriter, playing guitar with Boston-based bands including the Atlantics and Ball and Pivot.

Tom left the music business in the early 1990s and continued to use his writing skills in non-profit administration and development. He earned his M.B.A. at Endicott College in 2004. After serving with leading North Shore cultural non-profits including the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Montserrat College of Art, and the North Shore Music Theatre, Tom founded THCS in 2006.

In addition to serving his corporate and non-profit clients, Tom serves as the editor of Renaissance Magazine. He also writes fiction and has completed three novels. The Singer is a coming-of-age novel for young adults about a guitar player in a rock band (no surprise there!). Lucas Manson is a horror thriller about a charismatic multimillionaire evangelist who is the leader of a bloodthirsty hominid spercies. Roses for the Reaper pits Defense Intelligence Agency agent Wesley Stone against the murderous Skull Group, in a plot to get control of the vast newly-discovered oil fields in the impoverished nation of Mali.

Tom lives with his wife Kim Smith, a garden book author, in a house overlooking historic Gloucester Harbor. Tom and Kim have two children.

“My business partners appreciate my depth of experience,” says Tom. “They know I can get to the essence of the challenge quickly. Every new assignment is an opportunity to make a difference to the bottom line. That’s what THCS is all about.”

“My goal with THCS is to make life easier for busy professionals,” says Tom. “For most people, their core business isn’t writing. It’s web design, or banking, or HVAC installation. Busy professionals need to have their great ideas communicated clearly and effectively to the marketplace. That’s what I do.”

This was a really great book with an easy writing style and lovable character Charlie Sinclair! How could I not love hearing about a "local rock star". I've been out many nights in Boston and it's nice to see it from the eyes of the "band". While "Pisonhead" is a fiction novel, it at times gives you the feel of a memoir or an autobiography. A truly unique book told by a writer with a passion for entertainment!

Don't believe me? Read an excerpt - Here!

Be sure to watch for my upcoming giveaway courtesy of Thomas Hauck!

Kisses ~ XXX

MY Interview & How to Win A $20 Giftcard

I am SUPER EXCITED! I know ... I know... what doesn't get me SUPER EXCITED!! OK...that's a whole different post, but I'll share with you RIGHT NOW, WHY...I....Am SUPER EXCITED! Yes, I will. The best part, you don't even have to ask! I mean it, I'll just SPILL IT!

About a week ago, Mrs. Magoo Reads (or as I like to call her Sophie) did a wonderful job interviewing NEW bloggers and I asked her if I could *STEAL* the idea. She said "Of course..." and a bunch of other stuff (that's really only relevant to me, so I won't bore you) to follow so that I could do this "Blogger Spotlight" of my own. If you're interested in being interviewed by me and introduced to the blogging community, just write to me at IAmHiMaintenance(at)aol(dot)com and I will be more than happy to fill you in on the details. I'm planning on doing one a week and after that, it will really depend on the turn-out! But... c'mon, what's not to LOVE?

MORE GOOD NEWS! This week, *I* (Park-Avenue Princess) am the Guest Blogger over on Mrs. Magoo Reads! So, what's in it for you? How about a Twenty Dollar ($20.00) Gift card to the bookstore of YOUR choice? You want it? Of course you do! All you have to do to get it is head on over to Mrs. Magoo Reads, read my interview (introducing me to y'all) and then leave a comment! That's it! Oh, this giveaway is only open to followers of both My blog and Mrs. Magoo Reads. So, click those follow buttons and comment away!

Good luck to everyone and PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU'D like a SPOTLIGHT ALL YOUR OWN!

That's All For Now!

Kisses ~ XXX

The Princess

Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers

Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers By: S.L. Chessor and C.L. Blankenship

Author: S.L. Chessor and C.L. Blankenship

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Pub. Date: April 5, 2008

Format: Paperback, 196pp

Author's Site: Welcome to www.50730.authorworld.com

MySpace: MySpace.com - S.L. Chessor - 59 - Female - Smalltown, Indiana - www.myspace.com/sybiljones1953

Five Tiaras ~ This Book Will Live Happily Ever After On My Bookshelf!

This collection of poetry is both heartwarming and full of memories.

My thoughts and Review:

"Family bond, the glue that holds us together".

Within the pages of this adorable book I found my family and if you look close enough, I'm sure you'll find yours as well.

When I think of families, especially mine, I think of memories. Memories hold the key to who we are, how we grow and what we become. Not every memory is one that you look back at fondly, that's a given and how life is. But then there are those memories that will make you laugh so hard you'll cry! And hey, if you can't laugh at yourself, who CAN you laugh at? Some memories are shared only between friends and some are dreams of what we want to be, do or love. To me, families and memories go hand and hand.

So who were you? The scared younger sibling or the older much more "sophisticated and mature" one that tormented the younger about monsters in the closet or under the bed? Children will get into trouble and it's usually because curiosity killed the cat or "the dog" in the case of this book! I know it isn't just my mother that used to say this so "Eyes in the backs of our heads" will have you laughing louder than you thought you would sitting alone with this book. One of the greatest gifts we get in life is our parents and the bond created between us. As much as we don't want to hear this as teenagers growing up and finding ourselves, most of the time they were right and did know best. But, just to make yourself feel better, one of my favorite poems in the book, "Whatever!" will help you remember when you knew it all and they were just so wrong about everyone and everything.

Children are our future and the elderly our link to the past, a time where life was a much simpler place. We should honor them, help them, and do as they wish! Right? After you read these poems you'll have to wonder if they do things because they can, are still laughing inside and getting a chance to live their second childhood! What is better than that? The respect of an adult but to live your youth all over again.

Young love and dreams that happen in life that make us look back years later only to wonder "What if?" are also part of this wonderful collection. Times when we have to make important live altering decisions are in this book as well. You'll remember your own and the people that you turned to for wisdom when you couldn't decide yourself. Even though I cried, I read several of these poems more than once, "Remembering Grandma" was one of them. Loosing both of my grandmothers at an early age always affected me personally, so this helped me bring them back, if even for just a little while.As stated in the beginning, not only happy times are written about in this book. Poems such as "Valentine's Eve" and "Blame it on someone else" discuss some of the problems facing society today. Other memorable ones are "Will anybody ever love me" , "Jane Doe" and "A Pretty Dress",

Mrs. Chessor and Mrs. Blankenship are a mother and daughter team that write from the heart. They give you their family and their memories on a silver platter. You will laugh, cry and say "That happened to YOU too?" This unique collection of poetry has something for everyone, something that will make you remember a time in your own life and something that will make you want to read it again and again. I highly recommend this book of poetry that will always have a special place on my bookshelf.

If you enjoy this collection of poetry, you might want to also read S.L. Chessor's debut book written in memory of her late father entitled "My Tongue Fell Out.

***GIVE-A-WAY Notice: I will be GIVING AWAY an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of S.L. Chessor and C.L. Blankenship's BOOK!! If you are interested, please leave me a comment, in the comments section. Mrs. Chessor has been offered an opportunity for an interview but I am unsure yet but will let you know just as soon as I do! Winner will be posted at the end of the week.

Good Luck & Have Fun!!

That's all for now and Thank You for stopping by!

XXX ~ THE PRINCESS

Thrifty Thursday

Hi all! I knew I'd come up with something "TH" related by today. I'm still icky sicky though. Now, maybe on Thrifty Thursday's I'll do a review of a book and raffle it off (thus making it really INEXPENSIVE for you) or I can list some new releases that are on sale....I haven't got down every detail that I'd like yet, but it's definitely going to be fun : ) Trying to get this blog off the ground has been a blast so far. I'm meeting new people and coming up with new ideas.

I just did my first review for the online site that I now work for. It's for SUSAN LYONS new book called "She's On Top". I also have some books coming in directly from two authors and two from a publisher. I always try to make room for special requests or for things that I obviously asked to be a part of. So once I get those in and start to read them, I'll definitely be posting reviews. I have to anyway. Plus, I have a ton (not exactly a whole ton) of books to read for the romance site. OK, the books that I am getting directly in are "And the whippoorwill Sang" by Micki Peluso, "The Tao of Fertility" by Daoshing Ni/Dana Kerko, and "Dream Lucky" by Roxane Orgill. I can't figure out how to put pictures in different areas on here. They all either stay at the top or go down either side of my text. I'm not sure how to do this...but J.Kaye, I know you can, I'm just not sure how.

The last two of these books mentioned are Arcs, but "And the Whippoorwill Sang" is out now. It sounds really good. I'll post a blurb for it in a bit along with her site and her blog that tells a lot of interesting facts about the book. I can't wait to read it. It has a really nice cover, is out in a nice trade paperback size, nice paper and not too tightly bound! YAY (those were all my requirements for last weeks BTT.

Ok, I wanted to read "The Tao of Fertility" for my own personal reasons. Some of which I will share with you now. (This is incase I have to take a break to go into the hospital. which happens to me quite often.) While I have one son (Devin Jacob) whom I couldn't be more proud of. Not just because he's extremely intelligent or handsome, but he has compassion and caring and he just sees the world so beautifully. He's my gift. This I know. My problem comes to me in my very early twenties, I find out that I have cancer (it's returned three times since then) and because of the chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries, I will not be able to have any more. I had to go to a specialist and I now may have an option in the future, but it's doubtful (sorry, I can't go into this yet, but most likely I will open up more in time) . I dislike discussing this....it makes me teary-eyed. It ruins my day. I've been in a ton of pain lately and it really scares me. This is what happened all the other times.

The type of cancer I have is malignant tumors called "Ewing Sarcoma" and it's very rare. They have no idea how or why I have this ... no one else in my family has it now or has ever had in the past. (Ok...this is way off topic) So, back to the third book, "Dream Lucky". It' s also an ARC and looks like a really informative and fun. About when FDR was in the white house and everything that goes on in that period. So, I may be able to pass those along as well (not "And the Whippoorwill Sang, because it's signed by the author TO me...cool huh?) I'd really like to support her, so I will probably purchase a copy for an upcoming raffle when I review it. She may even be able to give me an interview for the blog.

It's so much fun doing this on my own. I've done reviews for quite sometime and it's always been for someone else. (That's why I think PUMP UP YOUR BOOK is ignoring the Princess) They just don't think I have the skills I bet. I bet they think...her blog is NOT going to work as a BOOK BLOG...well I don't happen to think they're right. So *THERE!

OK...that's enough of an update for now. Of course I just read "A Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill for fun and I think I may just post a review on it, even though it's an older book. Is that OK?

XXX- Kisses

The Princess