15 Attractive Celeb Moms Who Can’t Find Love

We never know when cupid’s arrow strike us! It could be in the midst of busy broadway, on a metro ride, in the middle of a heavy rain, or anywhere. And when it strikes, then there is no looking back, right? We all often hear surprising romance stories such as an 85-year old man marrying and 80-year old woman, an affair between 70-year old lady and a 30-year old man, a 20-year old girl in love with a 60-year old man and so on. It feels weird, but on second thought, that’s how strange LOVE is! Love indeed seems blind!

Can you imagine a world without love? How rude and brutal it would be! It is only love that keeps our world moving on. But does everyone find the love they are looking for? Many people do not. It would seem that if you are beautiful and wealthy, it should be easy to find a man who loves you. But believe you me, there are plenty of attractive celebs out there who are still single, and that too single moms! They had romantic partners, so what happened? Did love happen? Why didn’t it last? Is it really that hard to find true love?

I think finding love is not that difficult. But maintaining a relationship is not that easy. Let’s take a look at some single moms who have been through multiple failed relationships or marriages and is currently unhitched. And then at a few others who seemed to have jumped into marriages a little too quick – will they last? Have they found true love? Let’s find out:

15. Halle Berry

Halle Berry the American actress is not only an enchanting beauty but also a proven actress. She had won the prestigious Academy award for best actress in 2002 for her performance in Monster’s Ball (2001). As of 2018, she is the only black woman who have won this award. After two rocky marriages she got solace in the French Canadian model Gabriel Aubry. In this relationship Berry became the mother of cute Nahla in 2008.

But in 2010 itself the couple parted their ways followed by a highly publicized custody battle for Nahla. By then Berry was involved with the French actor Olivier Martinez. In that relation she gave birth to her son in 2013 and unfortunately in 2015 they announced their separation. In short, though married thrice and was involved in a couple of relationships, Halle Berry is a single mother of two children who is bravely going ahead! (source: wiki)

14. Britney Spears

Pop icon Britney Spears has two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James. We all remember them as little toddlers, but they are both pre-teens now. Sean is 12 years of age, while Jayden is 11 years of age. How fast time flies!

Britney’s ex-husband, Kevin Federline is the father of her older son and the back up dancer hubby is the father of her second child too. Since both are born in a gap of one year, are easily mistaken to be Irish twins. Britney has suffered a breakdown in 2007 but her joy over being a mom is what keeps her moving.

She keeps her boys largely out of the spotlight, but the proud mom can’t help herself from sharing photos and videos of preteens on Instagram every once in a while. Single mom is happy and always try to spend quality time with her sons. (source: lifeandstylemag.com)

13. Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes is widely known as the ex-wife of the hollywood throb Tom Cruise and the mother of their only daughter together, Suri Cruise. Though they are not together, Suri is the only biological child they both have.

Before Tom Katie had her share of relationships but once Tom entered her life she was under love spell. They got engaged within seven weeks of dating and on the first anniversary of their dating they became the parents of Suri. After a five and a half years of marriage, Holmes filed for a divorce fearing the intimidation of church of Scientology in which Tom had deep belief. She also feared whether Tom would abduct Suri.

In an interview with Town and Country magazine, she had revealed, “My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now. It’s very important to me that I’m present and she has a stable, innocent childhood. I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there’s nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed.” Well said, Katie! (source: abcnews.com)

12. Michelle Williams

Michelle williams is a brave single mother to her daughter Matilda Heather. This young mother takes care of her daughter even after the death of her husband the hollywood actor Heath Ledger. He was found dead by an accidental overdose of drugs in January 2008 after his separation from michelle after a three years marriage. Soon Michelle and Matilda became subjects of media interest.

In an interview she had opened up saying, “In all honesty, for pretty much everything else, I feel like I’m a believer in not fighting circumstances, accepting where you are and where you’ve been,” when discussing Ledger’s death. Though Ledger is no more both mother and daughter are trying to do well in their lives. (source: nydailynews.com)

11. Padma Lakshmi

An Indian by birth and a true american by life – that is Padma Lakshmi. Her modeling career began at the age of 21 and she has said that she was the first Indian model to have a career in Paris, Milan, and New York and also the first one to admit that she was a novelty. She was even able to pay off her college loans by working as a model and actress. She has had only one marriage in her life and that was to the renowned writer Salman Rushdie who has dedicated his novel ‘Fury’ to her.

After the separation from Rushdie, Lakshmi entered in two simultaneous relationships, one with venture capitalist Adam Dell and the other with the multi millionaire Teddy Forstmann. Though the biological father of her daughter Krishna Thea is Adam, she had given the freedom and right of her child’s father to Forstmann.

Forstmann had passed away at the age of 71 due to his illness and it seems Padma still misses him. “I miss him, I love him, he was my lover’ she broke down in tears over Teddy Forstmann at an interview, but she is going strong.(source: dailymail.co.uk)

10. Madonna

Madonna, the queen of pope has been single throughout, you can say in spite of her long list of boyfriends and relationships. Madonna who was born in 1958 had a successful musical career. She has been the dream and continue to live her life.

She has one biological daughter Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, now 22, who she had with Carlos Leon the paralympic athlete. She also is the mother of Rocco Ritchie, 18, who she had with ex-husband Guy Ritchie the English film maker. Madonna had adopted four of her children from Malawi – David Banda in 2006 and Mercy James in 2009, and twins Esther and Stella Mwale in 2017.

Though Madonna has short flings and affairs in between, she is a brave single mother of her two biological and four adopted children. Great heart, indeed!(source:thesun.co.uk)

9. Minnie Driver

Minnie Driver is a successful and celebrated actress as well as an established singer. She has been romantically linked with several of her co-stars, including Matt Damon and John Cusack. She got engaged to marry Josh Brolin, but they broke up suddenly in 2001 before the wedding. Her private life was not that public but in 2008 she disclosed in an interview that she was expecting her first child.

On September 5, 2008, she became the mother of her cute little baby boy Henry Story Driver. She kept mum about the name of the baby’s father for about three years. Later she told the British publication ‘The Observer’ that it is a writer from her former TV series, The Riches. She had previously kept his identity quiet out of respect for his privacy. Good luck lady, you are brave enough to rare a child single handedly. Spirited one! (source: hollywoodreporter.com)

8. Sheryl Crow

A tumult and high profile romantic relationships and hookups – is what Sheryl Crow’s relationship history is all about. She had musician Eric Clapton, actor Owen Wilson, cyclist Lance Armstrong etc. She had announced her engagement with Armstrong but separated ways in a couple of months.

She has been diagnosed with breast cancer and meningioma at different periods of her life, but none of these health conditions could stop her from adopting two boys. Crow announced on her website that she had adopted a two-week-old boy named Wyatt Steven Crow in 2007. In June 2010 she adopted the second boy named Levi James Crow. This brave single mother is living peacefully and happily with her boys in Tennessee. (source:wiki)

7. January Jones

The American actress and model January Jones is extremely private. Almost two three years paparazzi had their tongues out wagging around to get a clue about her son’s father, but no chance! The top secret continues that way. She has been linked up with several names down these years but media has no idea about the paternity of Xander, the son of January Jones.

It has been reported that she had told The Edit that ‘I don’t have room for anything else, so I don’t know how I would have done it with a partner. I knew I would be raising my son alone. It was something I went in to knowingly, I was prepared mentally – and I was excited about it.’
So that is it – she doesn’t need anyone to help her raise her boy.

6. Mary-Louise Parker

Mary Louise Parker, the American actress and model has had many short lived and long term relationships in her life. The actor Billy Crudup whom she dated for almost five years left her while she was seven months pregnant with their son, William Atticus Parker, born in 2004. Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Parker only to break up within months. Later she adopted a baby girl, Caroline Aberash Parker, from Ethiopia.

As per nytimes.com, Ms. Parker isn’t sure she will ever find a new partner and seems unconcerned. She is unnaturally beautiful, pale and intense and is happy with her children, her neighbors and her goats upstate, where she has a weekend home, and with Mrs. Roosevelt (her pet dog).

5. Meg Ryan

Former America’s Sweetheart Ryan has been largely single since splitting from ex-boyfriend, Proof Of Life co-star Russell Crowe after a brief romance in 2000. This relationship bloomed as she was ending her marriage to Dennis Quaid, father of her 18-year-old son Jack Quaid. The marriage with Quaid was called to quit in view of her affair with Crowe. But in an interview she had revealed that Quaid has been cheating on her for along time.

She had told InStyle magazine: ‘It was very painful. I am not a victim. I was there. I was in that marriage for a really long time.’ She also insisted that it was not because Crowe her marriage ended. She also confessed that she had to hurt him at the end since she was not ready to take up a serious relationship soon after a 10 year long marriage with Quaid. Ryan has since adopted a daughter Daisy from China in 2006. She is a happy single mother of her two children.

4. Edie Falco

Edie Falco is an American television, film, and stage actress, famous for playing Diane in Oz and Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos. She is also the title character Nurse Jackie in the Showtime show. According to marriedbiography.com, she has never married.She adopted a son, Anderson, in 2005 and a daughter, Macy, in 2008.

In an interview with the DailyBeast she has said, ”If the main centerpiece of all of this is supposed to be love then I am living in a deluge of it — the friendships that I have that are, on average, 30 years old, my family, my children. . . My kids have never seen me scream at anybody. They’ve never seen an argument. There’s never been even a cold silence. And those are things that I grew up with, because my parents did end up divorcing.” This explains it all- why she chose to be happy single mother who wants to live her life in her own way!

3. Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock is a fan favorite, no doubt. She is the one who manages to give a ‘girl next door feeling’! Though she had rumored relationships with famous actors such as Tate Donovan, Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Gosling it was the motorcycle builder Jesse James who became her spouse. They got married in 2005. When a scandal arose where many women alleged to have had affairs with James, he responded to it by a public apology to Bullock. This finally resulted in their divorce.

Bullock and James were in the process of adopting a son while their marriage was about to sink. Though her marriage failed she went on to adopt the baby. She adopted one baby daughter too. Now, Sandra Bullock has proved the world that she is not only an Oscar winner but also a successful single mother!

2. Kate Moss

Is it difficult for celebs to stay in a relationship? We do get this doubt at a closer look of Kate Moss’ private life. She is a successful English model and business woman. Lila Grace Moss-Hack who was born in 2002 is her daughter with Jefferson Hack, with whom she was in a relationship in the early 2000s.

Pete Doherty was her fiance for just a couple of months. Jamie Hince, guitarist of The Kills and Moss were in marital bliss for almost four years before their split in 2015 and settled their divorce out of court in 2016. Kate has had long and short flings throughout these years, but she is a single mother to her daughter. (source:wiki)

1. Kate Gosselin

Kate Gosselin is an American TV personality who was shot to fame just because of her kids. Kate and her husband Jon Gosselin were married in 1999. She gave birth to twin girls, Cara and Madelyn through fertility treatment. Since she was suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome after further treatments, Gosselin became pregnant again, and on May 10, 2004,she gave birth to sextuplets: sons Aaden, Collin, and Joel, and daughters Alexis, Hannah, and Leah.

The Gosselins were featured in the NBC reality TV show Home Delivery when their home was renovated to accommodate the large family. Discovery Health featured them in “Surviving Sextuplets and Twins” and a year later another show “Sextuplets and Twins: One Year Later”. Discovery Health then started a reality series “Jon & Kate Plus 8”, which documented their lives. The family got remuneration for being the part of the show.

Unfortunately in 2009 John & Kate parted their ways. After a serious custody battle she won the primary custody of her eight kids. Now as the older twins are going to college and they don’t want their mom to end up as an old maid. Kate is soon going to be featured in a reality series: “Kate plus Date” (Source: people.com)

15 Celebs Who Were Forced To Have Babies They Were Not Ready For

Which is the best suitable age for having a baby? If you are popped up with such a question, what will be your answer? No doubt, it depends on your lifestyle, culture and thought process. So my question is, do you recommended a teenager to have a baby? Gosh! My answer would be a straight NO. I don’t think that most of us will be having an answer the other way. No matter where we live or what we do, a teenage pregnancy is something beyond acceptable in this era.

The next question, can we have a baby only from the person we love or who love us? Really a long debatable one! Little more precise, Is it mandatory that the family too approve the father of your child? Think ladies, think..

Whatever said and done, Babies are the most amazing life forms, the precious adorables, the greatest blessings one can have in a lifetime. Personally this is what I feel when I think of babies. We say pregnancy should be the most happy peaceful time for a lady as she is nurturing a LIFE within her. But it is really surprising to know that this is not true for some of our famous celebs! What could be the reason? The answers you have framed in your mind for the above questions – they all could be reasons in one way or another.

Here comes 15 celebs who ended up having babies when they were not really ready for it.

15. Kourtney Kardashian

Anything related to Kardashians is spicy or controversy. No exemption here too.
In 2009 a fling with Kourtney’s then ex-boyfriend Scott Disick resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. The next hurdle in front of her was to break the news to her family. Kourtney admits being terrified to tell her family of the news because Scott was not the greatest in their eyes.

She confessed the PEOPLE that it was hardest to tell Kim and her mom. The family considered Scott to be a party animal who had never accounted kourtney with the respect she deserved. None in the family received the news with the excitement and joy. This had made Kourtney think about abortion but ultimately decided to go through with the pregnancy with her first son, Mason.

Kourtney Kardashian and Scott disick after their rocky married life for nine years, gifted with three children together, have now parted their ways to find happiness in their own ways. Well and good for them

14. Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn was in her early teens when she was discovered at a chain store in her native London by an agency and she quickly established herself in the fashion elite with a history-making turn on the runway at Prada. She was was the first Brit black model to walk a Prada show in over a decade, the last one to do so after Naomi Campbell in the nineties. It was before the TeenVogue cover photoshoot she realised that she was pregnant with her son, Riley at the age of 19!

Dunn told Vogue that telling her mother about the pregnancy was “the hardest thing” and that her mother was “angry and upset” when she heard the news. “All I could think about was what my mom was going to say, my agency, my boyfriend. When I told my mom, she started crying and blaming herself. She got pregnant with me at the same age, and she said, ‘I don’t want you to have to go through what I did.'” It definitely was not easy, but the brave Jourdan was in a unique position for someone her age.

Not many nineteen-year-olds have CK Calvin Klein campaigns to fall back on. Everyone suspected that her career will come to an abrupt end. The strong willed Jourdan went on with the pregnancy. Though a single mother, jourdan has touched the heights of fame by focusing on her career post delivery. She says now she has a purpose for her life. Brave girl!

13. Mel B

How do you feel when the father of the baby himself denies that it is not his child? Well, not a pleasant situation! We know how the world will see you if you are in such a position. This what happened with the former Spice Girl Mel B in 2006. The relationship with the famous comedian and Beverly hills cop star Eddie Murphy made her the mother of Angel, but he failed to acknowledge that he is the father of their daughter.

She recalls her unwanted pregnancy as the “horrible time’. Though Eddie denied he was the father of the tot, a DNA test later confirmed that he was wrong. She opened up to her therapist saying “I think it’s because in my mind I fought so hard for justice at the very beginning of my pregnancy.

‘I was, like, hanging my head in shame because people where like, “Oh, is that the father, or isn’t it?” I knew what I knew.” A bitter child support and custody battle followed when Murphy later claimed Mel B had tricked him into being a dad. She remembers, “ It brings up all that pain and all that hurt that I went through by myself, pregnant.I had to move to the beach, I had paparazzi following me everywhere. I had people calling me a gold digger, saying that I got pregnant on purpose. It was a horrible time.’

12. Bridget Moynahan

Blue Bloods star Bridget Moynahan’s pregnancy is an interesting story with an unexpected twist in the story line. From 2004 until December 2006, Bridget dated Football superstar Tom Brady and these two had a very serious relationship. She thought that he might eventually propose to her, but their relationship did not work out and they announced that they are parting ways in December 2006 – and Brady was set up with now-wife Gisele Bundchen.

But to her surprise within days, she learned that she was actually pregnant with Tom’s child. She had already broken up with Tom and he started publicly dating another. Just imagine the shock and helplessness Bridget had gone through when she realised she was carrying his baby! She announced her pregnancy a month after they broke up. She loves her son to the core, but going through her pregnancy and childbirth alone, and being a single mother was not her dream.
Bridget Moynahan has now found the true love of her life and happily married to the co-president of a Wall Street brokerage firm, Andrew Frankel. This was the first wedding for her, and I think that there might be more children in the future for her and her new man.

11. Solange Knowles

Songstress and sister of Beyoncé, Solange Knowles, has always been in a league of her own. Gifted in her own might, the “Losing You” musician got pregnant with her then husband Daniel Smith when she was just 17 years old! The trauma of a pregnancy and delivery at that tender age and raising him while also trying to jump-start her career was challenging, to say the least. She calls it as one of the most bittersweet moments of her life.

She admits that since she was in love with her son Julez, and having spent a lot of time on the road, she yearned to be in one place, to have the opportunity to really ground herself with him. “But it was isolated and lonely, and so cold and dark. And it was just Julez and me most of the time. It was hard to imagine being able to progress in my career in any way.” This is the stark truth!

Solange and Smith could not pull it along too much and got split in 2007 after three years of marriage. Now that she’s fully in charge of her own destiny, she said, she finally felt the time was ready to create an album that spoke to her viewpoints and voice. Brave girl never give in and never gave up. She married video director Alan Ferguson in 2014 and scored her first No.1 album last fall, for A Seat at the Table.

10. Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith is a charisma remembered for nice and worst things equally. How can ever forget the bombshell curves and who was a perfect Monroe! In her 39 years of life, Anna Nicole Smith left her mark in some unexpected places. Not many knows the weird, wild and tragical short story of Anna who was a high school dropout working at a fried chicken restaurant. It was there that she met her first husband, Billy Smith.

The couple were married when she was just 17 years old and Smith gave birth to a son, Daniel Wayne Smith, less than a year later. The 5’11’ Anna had gone from 125 pounds to 211 pounds during her pregnancy—but she couldn’t answer Kathie Lee Gifford’s plea for information when the host asked how she lost the weight “in all the right places” and ended up with her enviable proportions. “I don’t work out,” Smith responded sheepishly.

At just 17, when the teen mother had to fend for themselves, the luck was on her side. Her big break came when she made it to the cover girl of playboy, and there was no looking back. Though she married at her 26, the multi billionaire oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall 63 years senior to her, it seems she had done all weirdos for her son who was her single solid asset from her 17 years.

9. Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn was a country music superstar, but in her own way. In a time when women were supposed to be reserved, quiet and submissive, Lynn was outspoken and independent. Loretta created music that brought on emotion and taught women how to stand strong. Lynn a Coal Miner’s Daughter, was married at the age of 13.

When Loretta was pregnant with her first child, she was fed up with her husband a war veteran who had the reputation of a hell raiser. Husband Oliver’s antics had no end and the pregnant teenager actually left him. This was rare and shocking in a time when women were expected to put up with their husband’s bad behavior. In Spite of all her strong points, it was pregnancy that held her back firm on roots.

Eventually the two reconciled, but Loretta and Oliver continued to have a strained marriage due to her husband’s wandering eye and heavy alcohol consumption. The strange fact is that she had four children by the time she was 18. Do you think any of her pregnancies were planned and welcomed.?

Her words echoes deep in one’s heart. It goes – “I didn’t know how a baby was made until I was pregnant with my fourth child”. As a woman, Loretta Lynn broke down the walls that prevented females from achieving success in the music business. A big salute to you!

8. Evelyn Alexandria Lozada

Evelyn Alexandria Lozada, an American television personality, model and spokesperson was one of the five main cast members in the VH1 reality series Basketball Wives throughout its run. Reality star, had her first child Shaniece at the age of 17.

Evelyn mentors Elisa a pregnant teenage girl who is in the same shoes Evelyn was in 22 years ago when she was pregnant. From Evelyn’s strong words of advice and encouragement for her new mentee and vows to support and guide her, one can make out the difficult road she had driven down! She thinks back and recollects the painful memory.

She says, “Don’t let anybody make you feel bad about it, because I feel like when I got pregnant, and I found out, I felt like everybody was judging me. I remember walking around my neighborhood—I lived in the Bronx—and just, I felt like people were looking down on me, and [thinking] ‘she’s not going to be a good mother, Yes, If I could have waited, I would have, but it just happened. So don’t let anybody make you feel bad”.

This was really an emotional part of Evelyn’s life fraught with financial struggles, but Ev rose to the challenge for her daughter and is happy to have the opportunity to help other teen moms get through it.

7. Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova

Natalia Mikhailovna Vodionova, nicknamed Supernova, is a Russian model, philanthropist and occasional film actress. The Russian model grew up in the poor district of Avtozavod with her mother and two half-sisters. She left school at 11, babysat and worked, while her mother tried to hold down a rotation of different jobs that barely saw them scrape by. Natalia enrolled in a fashion agency at the age of 15, and was quickly shuttled to Paris.

She welcomed son Lucas with then-husband Justin Portman when she was just 19! She snapped up gigs for the likes of Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton at that young age. She says, it was normal to have a baby at 19 at the place where she was coming from!

She told W magazine, “Maybe most of the Western girls brought up with a family that was strong for them would say, ‘You’re very precious, are you sure about this guy?’ No one told me I was precious in that sense, so love, for me, was that precious thing. It made sense to me completely. Would I recommend the same thing to my daughter today? Absolutely not.”

So that sums it up all. Though she is a young mother with five children, she now realizes the difficulties of an early pregnancy and a struggling life.

6. Naomi Judd

Naomi Judd is an American country music singer, songwriter, actress and activist. She was only 18 years old when she gave birth to Wynonna in 1964. Ashley followed four years later, and Judd had to raise both girls as a single mother.

Naomi Judd entered the workforce as a nurse, not as a singer. She had to lead a hardscrabble life encountering child molesters and psycho boyfriends, all in a young age being a single mother. For years, she struggled to support her two children, Wynonna and Ashley.

During her tumultuous life Naomi had to fight her depression mostly a life threatening situation. Literally there was none to protect or help her when she was molested by her own uncle at a very young age of three and a half. And when she had to raise her own kids as a teenager she said herself – ‘I had to realize that in a way I had to parent myself. We all have this inner child, and I needed, for the first time in my life, to realize that I got a raw deal, Okay, now I’m a big girl. Put on your big girl pants and deal with it.’

5. Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou, Renowned poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was a single mother who raised her son Guy Johnson with the help of her mother, Vivian Baxter. Do you think it was easy? Never! At a time when teen mothers were often shamed and/or pushed into marrying the baby’s father, Angelo had the rare luxury of the full hearted support from her mother.

Dr. Angelou‘s own mother, Vivian Baxter, never shamed her young, unmarried, pregnant daughter, instead choosing to help the teenager and support her efforts to raise her son on her own. “The world would throw me flat on my face with this little baby I’m trying to raise,” Angelou recollected. “I would go home to Vivian Baxter. She would act as if it was the best thing that ever happened… She never, ever made me feel that I had done the wrong thing.”

When the 16-year old broke the news that she was pregnant, she was asked if she loved the father. When Angelou said both of them did not love each other, her mother took a firm decision as, “We’re not going to ruin three lives. We’re going to have a beautiful baby.”

Her efforts were never a waste. She was the first African American woman to be a nonfiction bestselling author for her memoir ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’ in 1969 and received many honors and awards before her death in 2014.

4. Aretha Franklin

Vocal powerhouse Aretha Franklin is portrayed very differently in a book by David Ritz. It cites that she had a huge appetite for sex, shopping trips and fried chicken among other things! The fact that she became pregnant at the age of just 12, had sparked rumors back then that she had fallen pregnant by her own father.

She was already making a name for herself as a singer when she had her first child. By the age of 14, she was a mother of two! Franklin’s obsession with becoming a famous singer led her into the slickest pimp in Detroit, Ted White. She got introduced to alcohol and got molded her into his type of “lady.” Family realized that she was on the verge of a break down. “She was afraid she wasn’t good enough as a singer, pretty enough as a woman, or devoted enough as a mother. I don’t know what to call it but deep, deep insecurity.

Her style was to either drink away the anxiety or, when that stopped working, disappear for a while, find her bearings, and go right back onstage and wear the crown of the impervious diva.”, her sister recalls. While the book reveals a checkered but fascinating review of the secret personal life of Aretha Franklin, it is disturbing in parts as one begins to understand the trials and tribulations the Queen of Soul overcame in her life, against all odds.

3. Wendy Davis

Politician Wendy Davis grabbed national headlines by filibustering an abortion bill in Texas. It seems the same perseverance that fueled her marathon session on the state Senate floor helped transform her from a divorced, teenage mom into a rising political star.

“I’m not an overnight sensation. I’m a Texan. And I’m a Texas success story. I am the epitome of hard work and optimism.”, davis says.

Though poor and pregnant, Davis got married and had a baby at 18. By 19, she was getting divorced and living in a mobile home park. While Davis attended community college outside of Fort Worth, she also worked two jobs to support her young daughter. She really had a hard time making ends meet, paying for childcare, rent, car payment, and making sure that she kept the lights turned on.

Though Davis is proud of her long journey to personal and professional success, but not sure whether other women would be able to stride in her path, mainly because of the rising cost of tuition. She confesses that if she had to do it all together once again, she is afraid she would be able to. You are true, davis, life does not come easy.

2. Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara is not a new name in the long list of Colombian actresses. She is also a television hostess and model. Besides this, she’s widely known for co-hosting television shows for Spanish language television network Univision in late 90′.

Sofia got married at 18 with her high-school boyfriend- Joe Gonzalez. And she gave birth to her son- Manolo when she was 19 in September 1992. Unfortunately, the high school boyfriend and girlfriend got divorced in 1993. After her divorce with Joe, she went on to study pre-dentistry at a university in Colombia for 3 years. She was only 2 semesters away in order to complete dentistry. And became a television host.

Modern Family siren Sofia Vergara and her son, Manolo Gonzalez-Ripoll Vergara, are thickest of buddies. She built a strong fan base and career herself after her stint. While the star is now famed for her curves, at the time she was just a tall skinny 19-year-old in a slender frame.

1. Reese Witherspoon

What is the rate of Reese? Though we are not sure about the figure, it is pretty clear that she commands upwards of $15million per film. But she too had a humble existence. What’s more, having recently relocated to Los Angeles from her native Tennessee meant that there was no help of any kind to be had. “It was so hard living [away from my family]. I really didn’t have any friends. And I had a baby”. Noting that “no one else who was 22 had a baby,” Reese says that — like most young mothers — she missed out on much of the fun her peers were enjoying. “I couldn’t go out,” she explains.

Before Reese Witherspoon won an Oscar, she was a young starlet married to Ryan Phillippe. The two met in 1997 and two years later, when Witherspoon was just 22, they married and welcomed their first daughter, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe. The Wild actress revealed to Elle that being a mother at such a young age was tough. “It was so hard … living [away from my family]. I really didn’t have any friends. And I had a baby,” she said. “No one else who was 22 had a baby.”

Dear readers, now that you had gone through fifteen exciting lives of celebrities, what do you infer? Is it the age that causes problems? Or is it the relationship itself? But one thing is evident: In spite of all the backlashes in their lives, none of them have stepped back. All of them found the very purpose of their existence and dramatically changed their lives for the best! Isn’t this true women power?!

12 Zodiac Combos Most Likely To Get Pregnant This Year

How many kids are you planning to have? But how many do you think you’ll end up with? You may be surprised to know that despite your best intentions and planning, the stars above already have a number planned to suit your personality.

Leo women know or probably hope they will have many children, but just how many is that? Wouldn’t it be great to know, like a sneak peek into future! Destiny doesn’t mean it’s all fixed and final. You do have the power to change your destiny. If a woman destined to have 4 kids gets her tubes tied after having just 2, she has foiled destiny’s plans for her. But if you let destiny have her way, just take a look at what she has planned for you based on your zodiac sign.

But if you are considering going ahead the family way, your partner matters too. There comes a point in life when you wish to take your relation ahead. Bringing in a new life to your relation and sealing your love, pregnancy brings freshness to your bond. The relationship strengthens and matures. The journey from being single, to becoming a couple, and then on to the beautiful phase of pregnancy can be exciting and a life to remember if you are one of those compatible zodiac pairs.

The 12 zodiac signs belong to 4 different elements which is the core energy within us that contributes to our personality traits and influences our life pattern of thinking and emotions. Makes sense why some couples fare excellent on the compatibility chart and some just manage to accommodate each other!

Astrology suggests that zodiac signs belonging to the same element are most compatible. Their likes and emotions run parallel and therefore they understand each other better. However, the magic created due to the attraction between two opposite elements cannot be underestimated. Thus, the permutations and combinations of zodiac signs make each couple unique.

The roller coaster ride of each couple varies and this can be solely attributed to their individual zodiac pairing. If you are looking forward to starting a family at the earliest and create the destined number of kids, let us unravel some of the exiting zodiac combos that destiny loves bringing together to fulfil her plans for procreation.

12. Aries Mom and Sagittarius Dad

Aries has a love and desire for motherhood. Due to their warrior personality, the stars have 3-4 kids planned for them. If an Aries if looking to get pregnant at the earliest to get started on her journey to creating her brood of four kids, then a sagittarius partner is her best bet.

As per astrology-zodiac-signs.com, the cracking chemistry between two Fire signs makes this pair the hottest. The aggressive straightforward nature of both Sagittarius and Aries make their bedroom life simply insane. Sensuous Sagittarius and a bold Arian, exploring their deep desires with equal quest, make this zodiac combo superlative. This is one combo that will not need any extra effort to get pregnant.

For any couple to blossom, their interests and passion must be understood by each other. To get pregnant soon, the couple need flow by their emotions and let their heart rule their mind. For the fiery and Aries and adventurous and flirtatious Sagittarius, fantasies are easy practical experiment.

When mutual attraction is strong and if they can communicate their feelings then their relationship is at its best. This happy and fun loving zodiac pair can be sincere about everything they do. Aries takes its basic Fire element a little too seriously, while Sagittarian being high on passion quotient knows how to soften and make the moment romantic.

Mental and physical preparedness is a must for every woman as well as man who wishes to go ahead the family way. Aries and Sagittarius come across as one of the most sincere and honest people. They are truthful and loyal to their partners. According to babycentre.co.uk, the Aries parent is impulsive and hot-headed while the Sagittarius parent is playful and young-at-heart, forever initiating new and exciting activities.

11. Taurus Mom and Scorpio Dad

Taurus is known for being calm and composed. They mostly aim to have two kids as having any more might cause them to get pretty overwhelmed. Scorpio is a great partner for Taurus moms.

Taurus is an Earth sign, grounded, and dependable they are most logical and practical in their approach. They have an inborn eye for beauty and are sensuous to the core. Scorpio comes across as a fierce and fun loving honest people. The Water element rules a Scorpio. They manifest feelings raw and don’t shy away from expressing their emotions.

This combination of Earth and Water is hard to miss as they fuse and compound into each other to become one. Water simply seeps into the earth with no effort. Likewise a Taurus and Scorpio are one of the most compatible zodiac combos. For those who are in a Taurus-Scorpio bond, will find their relationship most satisfying. Giving into each other’s desires and needs is one of the reasons. You are in the right place with the right person, and you can definitely consider planning a family in this relation.

If you are looking forward to get pregnant, there do not rush to take a shower immediately after. Relax and spend more time with your partner and relive those moments. Pregnancy in this partnership happens in no time. High on the compatibility chart, they know who to work on their desires and discover each other.

10. Gemini Mom and Aquarius Dad

I am sure no one will be surprised to hear that having twins is a huge possibility for Geminis. The dual personalities of a Gemini mom will never leave her kids bored, but she can be quite short on patience. An Aquarius dad can provide a great balance for her as well having a great physical compatibility.

Here are two social and friendly people, Gemini and Aquarius, who are simply on the same wavelength. If you look around, you will find these two zodiac signs sharing a good relationship, be it as friends, colleagues or as lovers. Birthastro.com says that both share the same element, Air, and therefore have similar affinities and objectives.

This zodiac pair blends like water and milk, as though they were born to be together. This crazy emotional connect amplifies the spark in their life. For any relationship to grow and lead to pregnancy and thus multiply to family, the partners involved must be fond of each other, and feel happy and content in each other’s company.

Tarot.com observed that compatibility between any two individual is not easy, the simple reason being, no two individuals are alike. But when it comes to Gemini –Aquarius combo, they don’t need to make major adjustments as they appreciate each other’s qualities. A Gemini, are simple happy go lucky people who spontaneous and easily attracted to the original and genuine Aquarius.

It is easy to flirt and seduce a Gemini and an Aquarius loves to experiment. If you are ready for a family, pregnancy in this partnership will not be difficult. However, there is no other equation to a successful and long partnership, but love. If you love your partner, everything else falls in place.

9. Cancer Mom and Capricorn Dad

If you’re a Cancer Mom, wondering how many kids you’ll have, the stars predict that you’ll be having 2 babies, but several years apart. A mom with this star sign is a natural at the parenting game and her best bet is a Capricorn dad.

Physical compatibility goes hand in hand with mental compatibility. A good bedroom life is often a result of a mental proximity and love. If you are in love with a Capricorn, you are with a responsible and caring person. It is not easy to crack the outwardly stiffness of this Earth sign, but Cancer, the Water zodiac can soften this Earth sign to become the most compatible pair. Both Cancer and Capricorn value commitment. This zodiac combo does not delay time and welcomes pregnancy very early in their relation.

According to premastrologer.com, cancer clings on to its relation with deep emotional attachment. The nurturing nature of both these zodiac signs draws them towards getting pregnant early and parenthood. For this combo, making love represents attachment towards each other and expression of love rather than romance for fun.

Cancer zodiacs are protective in nature. Every step they take is after ensuring the direction is right or wrong. They apply the same logic in a relationship as well. They do not believe in one night stands or fun for an evening. Capricorns are romantic once in a committed relationship. They are patient to give their partner all the pleasures to satisfy. Both cancer and Capricorn work on relationship goals and bring in pregnancy without any delay.

8. Leo and Sagittarius

The stars have 2-4 kids planned for as you’re the lion of the signs. Leo moms love having a little pack of cubs. so many kids may seem like a lot for most people, but Leo’s multitasking skills will help easily deal her brood. A sagittarius dad is her best bet to ensure she has the best sexual partner to create as many children as she wants.

The Lion loves to rule, and the Archer is a born explorer! The combination of two Fire signs is the most compatible zodiac signs. With an almost full compatibility score, this pairing dares to indulge, explore and enjoy their intimate moments and set the bed on fire. This is the best partnership if you wish to get pregnant soon.

Astrologymag.com says that with a great libido and virility, The Leo man loves to take the lead. Set everything in your bedroom right. Leos like everything royal and magnificent. Detailed to perfection is a turn on. Both, Sagittarius and Leo are optimistic and happy people. While Leo likes to be in the limelight, Sagittarius is equally a fun loving and outgoing person.

Leo likes to be pampered, and Sagittarius is caring and knows how to flirt and tame a lion. Sometimes the ego hassles can bruise their relation. However, since the signs have a strong sense of belonging, they cannot keep away from each other. With fixed loyalty, they are similar like two peas in a pod.

The Leo Sagittarius zodiac pair exonerates warmth. This fun-loving and stylish pair can share a strong emotional bond of true love which is a must for long love life and going the family way.

7. Virgo Mom and Cancer Dad

Having too many kids could get stressful for Virgos, so having one kid may be perfect for them! Its best to pair up a Virgo mom with a Cancer dad.

According to astroreveal.com, Virgo, the zodiac has been painted aloof, introverted and irritatingly fastidious. But when you get closer to a Virgo, you will be drawn towards the easy simplicity and sincerity traits in this person. Furthermore, you will soon realize that all those preconceived notions are misconstrued, and far from reality.

Virgo zodiacs are one of the most sensual partners you can ask for. When they give in, there is nobody like them. A Virgo-Cancer team can be an extremely exciting partnership. Their attraction towards each other is most obvious; blame it on their basic ruling elements. Earth sign Virgo and Water element in Cancer is a bond for life. Perfectly complementing each other, this is the copulation for a happy pregnancy.

True to the hilt, a Virgo is the best companion for a lifetime love. The practical and informative Virgo may seem a stark contrast compared to the imaginative and expressive Cancerian. But when it comes to passion, a Virgo is sensuous and extremely virile.

Cancer zodiac believes love is important for physical union in a relationship. This zodiac can evoke passion to go to any extent to satisfy the partner. If you are planning a pregnancy, this partnership guarantees a life time love. Steamy and erotic they are game to try anything. Clearly a notch above all, Virgo-Cancer is a win-win combination.

6. Libra Mom and Aries Dad

The stars have an even number of kids aligned for Libras as they look for balance, equality, and fairness. so they may have 2, 4 or even 6 children. Aries is the best partner for them to ensure they have fun making all these children. Aries make great dads too with their love for adventure and fun.

For those who follow astrology may question the compatibility of Air and Fire. Can they gel? Why not? The flame of fire is fueled and burns in rage in the presence of air. In absence of air, or, if smothered, the fire will extinguish in no time. This is the case of opposites attract. Aries are a pro to venture playing interesting games in bed and heighten the mood. Try different positions to heighten virility and bring in pregnancy with fun.

As per insightfulpsychics.com, the charming and calm side of Libra is one of the most attractive features of this zodiac sign. The straightforward Aries and the diplomatic Libra can find the perfect equilibrium in their life. The grounded Libra is a perfect match for the high on energy and sexy Arian. If you are looking to start your family at the earliest, Librans are best known for their virility.

Libra man rarely takes the initiative but never fails to surprise you as the temperature steams up. The dominating and fierce Aries and the practical Libra makes a charismatic combination of power and brains. To get pregnant, play with your bedroom ambience and titillate the sensual side of the Libran.

5. Scorpio Mom and Capricorn Dad

19 Kids and Counting! That’s what the stars foretell. Scorpio moms are gifted with the ability to handle an entire army of kids. They love being surrounded by their loved ones. Toss in a capricorn partner and you have a match made by the stars.

Most relations start with simple friendship and later blossom into love. Sadly some don’t have a long life and peter out to fizzle apart in no time. These days many look for zodiac compatibility to decide the success of their partnership. If you are eager to know how a Scorpio –Capricorn relation will fare, take a deep sigh of relief, as this combo can sail their life smooth. The chemistry here is based on the friendship they share. If you are asking for easy pregnancy, this is a bond to satisfy your love life.

Ruled by complementary elements this pair complete each other emotionally for a symphonious life. Scorpio is ruled by emotions and passion. Astrology-zodiac-signs.com reveals that, Scorpio gives one hundred percent in its relation and expects the same in return.

Deeply committed to its partner, Capricorn can turn any dull moment to a passionate libidinous love making. Both the zodiacs believe in the temple of love and are game for working towards getting pregnant and starting a family early.

Scorpios are born with a magnetic sexuality that is hard to evade. This emotionally charged in riveting passionate Scorpio and ever dependable Capricorn lover is the best partnership to start a family and carry on for a happy life.

4. Sagittarius and Gemini

Their constant need for adventure might make the demands of motherhood a little difficult for sagittarius moms. The stars have just 1 planned for them. A Gemini is the best dad and partner for a sagittarius mom.

How successful can a Sagittarius and Gemini zodiac love match be? With an above average compatibility score this combination is ruled by the theory of opposites attract. Ruled by Fire element, Sagittarius is full of energy. Gemini is light hearted cool and breezy as Air. Compensating each other and making up at every level balancing in harmony, Sagittarius -Gemini combination is a love pair that finds it hard to keep pregnancy away.

According to sexualastrology.com, Gemini is hard core romantic. This zodiac star craves for physical proximity and amorous love making. If you are partnered with Gemini, they are game for trying out various sexual positions. For a Gemini, change is fun and variety is the spice of life.

Bold and dynamic Sagittarian is more dependable and ardent lover. Sagittarians love for fun and adventure makes this partnership hot. Experimenting Sex toys, adventurous games and adding fun to your personal moments, this zodiac combination exudes bold romance. Sexed up Gemini can find its most satisfying partnership to bring in pregnancy with the very aphrodisiac and virile Sagittarius.

Optimism in Sagittarius and romance in Gemini balances their life for a long torrid love story. The journey being fun and romantic this partnership may bring in many blissful pregnancies.

3. Capricorn Mom and Taurus Dad

Handling 3 kids is not a problem for a capricorn mom. They have taskmaster skills that make them exerts in creating and maintaining structure. A Taurus dad is just what a capricorn mom needs.

Compatibility is always the key for success of any relation. Many passionate love affairs go cold once the physical attraction wanes off. Your relation must be warm always. No highs or lows should have the capacity to overpower your love. Giving space for each other to grow makes the relation even healthier.

Mental compatibility is a must for every relation. This is where Capricorn and Taurus zodiac combo wins the game. They share similar objectives in life and understand each other. If you are looking forward to start a family in this zodiac sign combo, you are in a safe bond.

Birthastro.com says that both Capricorn and Taurus are ruled by the same element, Earth. They are practical in their approach. They do not hype up reality, nor do they live in an unrealistic world. Thus both these zodiacs believe in finding solace in real practical world. Sensory titillations are a turn on for Taurus sign. Fragrances and sensuous touch makes them go weak.

Capricorn-Taurus combination is a rock solid pairing for those planning to go the family way. The only ingredient for a long lasting attraction and sex life is love. Mutual respect, trust, space to grow in a relationship and unconditional love showers lasting magical spark for a successful love life.

2. Aquarius Mom and Libra Dad

Aquarius crave adventure and freedom, so the stars have just 1 child planned for them. A libra partner is just what she needs to get pregnant quickly.

Astrology predicts Aquarius –Libra pair as a safe and secure, with a steady love life. What clicks in this partnership is the desire for stability. Both ruled by the element Air, Aquarius and Libra combination is touted as highly compatible. Relations that dream of future together do not delay in becoming pregnant. Seal your relation with love and complete your family for a meaningful journey together.

Aquarius zodiacs are seriously romantic when they are sure they wish to commit in a relation. Librans are not different from Aquarians when it comes to their outlook towards love. Very sincere about their relationship, they are committed to the core. Both the signs are committed to make their relationship work, and work towards it in their own way.

Librans are practical, and charming. They believe in strong mental connect than mere physical relations. To get charged and passionate with their partner, love is a must for Librans. Once committed, there is no looking back. A Libran is always ready for pregnancy and defines family as the ultimate goal and emotional investment.

One of the most harmonious zodiac combinations, Aquarius-Libra can find happiness in their compatibility and can definitely go ahead and start their family and stamp their love.

1. Pisces Mom and Virgo Dad

Being the fish sign, Pisces moms love to brood and feed a whole school of kids. The stars plan for 5 or more kids, if these moms are ready to have a go. Its best they find a virgo partner though.

According to astrologymag.com, The strong bond between Water and Earth is what depicts Pisces and Virgo. The water element in Pisces and the Earth in Virgo are very much attracted to each other keeping them glued for a lifetime. Highly compatible, they find the solid ground in love easily, and hence the decision on starting a family is natural.

Getting pregnant is easy if you are in a Pisces-Virgo relation. Pisces are most compatible and flowing in emotions. Music in the room can augment the romance for a Pisces. Incurably romantic at heart, a Pisces is turned on easily and takes the initiative to please the partner.

Virgo may seem very hard on the outside but surprises you by pure and sincere sensuality. Virgo, one of the most fastidious and meticulous natured people, believe in doing everything the right way. If you are thinking of getting dirty and blue, make sure you have your Virgo in your confidence. Clean and well organized spaces are their romantic comforts.

Extremely sensitive Pisces can find their sincere undivided attention and unselfish love in Virgo. For a compatible couple with a good chemistry, getting pregnant is a natural outcome as love is the binding factor.

7 Ways your Productivity Thrives in Coworking Spaces

Lack of social interaction, boredom, a nagging spouse or hyperactive kids are just a few of the many reasons why people leave the comfort of their homes in search of a more productive environment to work in.

Coffee shops used to be the hotspot for freelancers and entrepreneurs attempting to launch start-ups. Many coffee shops were quick to jump on the bandwagon with their offers of free Wi-Fi and convenient power points to lure the remote workers.

Though the hustle and bustle of crowded coffee shops can keep you awake and alert while slogging through a sleepy afternoon’s work, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Many find it too distracting, not to mention the expense of refilling your coffee mug with overpriced cappuccinos to prevent the patrons from kicking you out.

The Coworking Hub

Necessity is the mother of invention. Today, the number of start-ups seems to be infinite. But most of these fledgelings cannot afford to pay corporate rents. Such entrepreneur teams, freelancers and other remote workers have now caught on to the latest trend of ‘co-working’ as the answer to their prayers for a productive working environment that offers all the flexibility of working from home – but without the distractions.

The future of work is remote, and coworking seems to be the future of remote work.

Coworking is not simply working together, it is working independently in a group setting. The coworking setting allows multiple start-ups, small businesses and individual workers like freelancers to work independently in a membership-based shared workspace.

According to research, people working in coworking environments are much more productive than their counterparts in a traditional office atmosphere.

So what is it that makes coworking spaces so effective?

Read on to find the 7 ways in which coworking can motivate and boost your productivity exponentially.

1. Disciplines your Working Hours

Coworking motivates you to effectively manage your time to ensure maximum productivity.

The freedom from bosses literally breathing down your neck and the flexible working hours are some of the perks of working from home. But when you are answerable only to yourself, just how disciplined are you? What’s there to motivate you to switch off the Xbox and get off the couch?

The coworking space has a casual atmosphere to it. But there is also an intensity to it – of action, achievements and celebrations of milestones achieved. When you are surrounded by like-minded people travelling the same path, their achievements spur you on to achieve the same, if not more.

Their enthusiasm is often contagious and it energises and encourages you to actually do your work rather than laze around wasting time.

2. Fewer Distractions Mean Better Productivity

Though many coworking hubs have community spaces for relaxing and entertainment, the working area is optimised for productivity with minimum distractions.

It is way better than sitting with your laptop at the dining table, getting distracted by the soccer match your son is watching while your toddler bangs dishes on the floor.

3. Bring Your Whole Self to Work

Unlike many traditional offices where you may find demotivated people bored with their monotonous routines and doing a job they probably hate just for the pay packet, a coworking space is usually filled with passionate and driven people eager to make their mark on the world.

Having passion and finding meaning in what you do ultimately boosts your productivity. In the shared, communal setting of a coworking space, the diverse groups of independent professionals work with passion, believing in the projects they undertake. People are here by their own choice. They are working in a field that interests them. They are involved in projects they care about. They don’t do it because they ‘have to’, it’s because they ‘want to.’ This motivation makes a tremendous difference in their productivity and the final output.

4. Switch-Off to Switch-On Brighter

When you are working from home, it’s difficult to relax completely and separate your personal life from the work. A coworking space helps you define your work life and keep it separate from your personal life.  This helps you assign specific time slots for overall long-term personal productivity-boosting activities like meditation and exercising.

How often have you snapped at the kids for disturbing you while you were working on your laptop? When your ‘work mode’ is switched off, you will be physically and emotionally more available to your kids and spouse.

Studies have revealed that you will sleep much better if your bedroom is allotted as a space for relaxation and sleeping. When you work with the laptop on your bed, or on a desktop kept in the bedroom, it can lead to reduced sleep quality which ultimately decreases your productivity.

5. Coworking Breeds Innovation

You need to surround yourself with the right kind of people as it is said that you become like the company you keep. Surrounding yourself with compatible, passionate, enthusiastic and innovative people will boost your creativity and productivity.

Community, social interaction and networking are important parts of the coworking culture. Your colleagues in this open workspace can offer you fresh perspectives on your problems as you observe how they overcome their own hurdles. When you are stuck with something, brainstorming with like-minded individuals can inspire you to discover creative solutions. Their advice can often empower you and increase the drive to succeed in your venture.

6. Help Others to Help Yourself

As a coworking space houses a wide range of people from various fields or interests with unique skills, they can be of immense help to each other. For example, an Seo expert can help out a freelance health writer with tips to better market her work. A website designer can help start-ups improve their site layout.

It is the norm to help each other out in the Coworking culture and you will find that there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Keep in mind – what goes around, comes around.

7. Less Drama and Office Politics to Drain your Energy 

Every office has drama characters, the people who drain the energy of their teams and organisations and they often disrupt initiatives with their tantrums, costing plenty in lost productivity. As the members in a coworking space work independently on their own ventures or projects, there is less of rivalry and direct competition.

In fact, working among people doing projects different from yours strengthens your own work identity, making your venture more distinct and interesting.

Book Review: Stephanie Meyer’s – The Host

There were no blog posts yesterday as I was drowning in Stephanie Meyer’s The Host. Started reading it in the morning and finished it by 10 at night. Like I said in the previous post, it’s one big gulp. If the book is really good, after a few months I read it again, though this time I read more slowly savoring it thoroughly. Here follows my opinion on the book.

Breaking Dawn is my all time favorite from Stephanie Meyers. It’s just too good for words. She set an very high standard for herself with that one. I felt that The Host despite being a very good read doesn’t match up to the Twilight series. That’s just my personal opinion. It’s unbelievable how these authors come up with such out of the world themes and stories. I salute these extremely imaginative and creative minds.

The Host is one such story of pure creativity and imagination weaved in such a way that you just cannot put down the book. It keeps you spell bound from the beginning to the very last page. It can be called a science fiction novel since it involves an alien conquest of the earth. But these are the the most unexpected kind of aliens. Wanderer, the feminine soul that has taken over the human host body of Melanie is unable to suppress Melanie’s consciousness. Meyer’s is able to fascinate you with the two separate entities in one body with distinct personalities, strong passions and willpower of their own and when Wanda falls in love with someone else, the it becomes amazingly complicated. Like the human-werewolf-vampire love triangle in Twilight, creating the most complex and unexpected love triangles of humans and non-humans seem to be Meyer’s specialty. Her female leads seem to have unrealistically self sacrificing natures. I don’t understand why Melanie is portrayed as a 17 year old, when mid or late twenties would have made more sense.

Meyer’s book seem to better suited for female readers as she explores feelings and emotions in depth with a lot of internal dialogues. I had found the first book Twilight a little too dragging and the the heroine Bella to be a pathetic and colorless character, but the the sequels kept getting better. New moon was good, the Eclipse was great and like I said Breaking Dawn was just stunning. Twilight might have been aimed at a teen audience since it started as a high school romance, so you can’t really expect a 30 something woman or man to enjoy it at the same level. But like I said the subsequent sequels had a mass appeal and my husband also enjoyed reading them. I am sure my husband will find the Host an interesting read. Females leads in The Host, Wanda and Melanie are definitely more likable as characters than Bella. As the story progresses it’s hard to know who you like better, Wanda, the alien or Melanie the human. There very imaginative descriptions of other planets and life forms in the universe

No one can please everybody. Meyers has a huge fan base. Reviews will always remain mixed. For every person who loves a book, there will be someone who didn’t like it. Taste and liking are something very personal. Anyone can find fault with anything, even if its something that’s perfect to someone else. So, if its a debate with me on the negative side, I can point out plenty of negatives. But then, who or what is perfect? So don’t be too critical. Just lie back and enjoy a good book of fiction for what it exactly is. An enjoyable time pass.

Freelance Writer: 10 Best Tips to Start Making Money Online

How to start and what to do! A practical step-by-step guide for beginners based on my personal experience.

People, who love to write, are generally those who love to read. To be a good online writer, you have to be a good researcher. This potent combination of a good researcher, who loves to read, can make or break your writing career. Why am I saying this? This was the first hurdle I identified when I took stock of my writer status. I wasted too much time researching, reading and getting sidetracked. I enjoyed what I did, lost track of time, tired myself out or used up my time slot for writing.

The first thing I did, when I decided to try my hand at online freelance writing, was to Google about freelance writing. Oh My God! It was like being buried under an avalanche of information.  Online freelance writers seem most busy writing about ‘article writing’ than anything else. Every article is loaded with extra links of temptation: tips, tricks, secrets, success, and buckets of money. The result is often, too many open tabs of overwhelming data, which ends up in creating a brain fog.

At the end of the day or even the week, the wannabe writer is thoroughly confused about where to actually start. Well, if you are serious about wanting to be a successful online writer, then it’s time to stop the planning and the preparation. Start the action with just the basics in place. This is what worked for me.

1.       Understand that it takes time to start earning online. Even when you land a few writing gigs, expect lean periods, where you will have to fall back on your savings. You will need a part-time job or the support of a working spouse to pay your bills in the meantime.

2.       The basics: Have a working computer, with an internet connection and word processing software like MS word.

3.       Set up a PayPal account. It’s free and easy. Many of your clients may be paying through PayPal.

4.       Decide on your field of expertise. Do not diversify too much. You can probably research and write on any topic, but it is better to focus on a subject you are familiar with. I write about Food and Nutrition, Health, and Fitness, Pregnancy and Parenting; they are related topics. To write about legal issues, finance or construction business, I will have to go out of my comfort zone, research much more, study and understand this new material, before I can write a quality article on that topic.

5.       Create a blog. It’s free and easy. Don’t think or plan too much. You can make plenty of changes and improvements in the blog, as you understand the playing field. Don’t try to be a perfectionist from the beginning.

6.       Now, it’s time to start writing. What I liked about using my blog to launch my writing career was that it took a lot of pressure off me.  I didn’t have to worry about, whether it will get published or wait for someone’s approval. Once you start writing an article in your blog, you have actually become an online writer! Congratulations! Research and write on at least ten popular topics related to your blog subject.

7.       Prepare your resume. Create a professional freelance writer profile on LinkedIn.

8.       Decide on a pay rate. Asses your own worth based on your skill and quality. Your location and currency exchange rates make a real difference.  Don’t undersell yourself.

9.       Search writer job sites for work opportunities related to your chosen topics. Prepare your job pitch correctly to market your skills. Apply to as many as you can and do it within a day or two of the job posting. By the law of averages, you will sooner or later land a job.

10.   Now that you have your first job, do your best to research, write well, proofread and edit it. Once they are published, see if they can be added to your portfolio. Continue applying for new projects on a regular basis to keep the workflow consistent.

Inspiring Real Life Story – Young IT Professionals Quit Jobs To Become Farmers

In a country with rising farmer suicides due to failing crops and mounting debts, even children from agricultural backgrounds are now refusing to consider it a career option. Kerala is a very small state in India and is very thickly populated. Land is very expensive and there is not much left for farming. Kerala imports ninety percent of its food produces from neighbouring states. It is also one of the few states in India with one hundred percent literacy. With a strong preference for white collar jobs, the youth left their villages lured by the city lights.

This is the real life story of four youths from Kerala who let their high flying jobs to embrace farming and they reaped success and happiness. Initially they had joined the rat race competing with other countless youngsters, racing to gather money, power and position. Their mechanical and monotonous work life left their souls parched and their hearts empty. Haunting questions as to whether they were living to work and whether the aim in life was only to make money, brought together these four youngsters who left their air-conditioned rooms and fancy salaries to follow their hearts to greener pastures.

 Tibin Parakkal of Thrissur, worked in an IT firm in Delhi, where he had received an offer from Microsoft. George K .Jose worked for IT giant Infosys. These former friends made a joint decision to quit their jobs and follow their interests in naturopathy and living in harmony with nature. They met animator and graphic designer Manoj Mattil during their quest for knowledge on these topics. They learned about organic farming methods that didn’t use chemical fertilizers or poisonous pesticides.

They experimented in ten cents of agricultural land and with their new methods they did a successful job of planting, raising and harvesting wheat.  Their expansion plans required capital and there materialised Rajeesh KR as an answer. Rajeesh who worked in the Dubai hotel industry left his unhappy job and lifestyle to join the trio in their green venture.

The native villagers were scandalised that these foolish youngsters were throwing away high paying jobs and wasting their lives; their families were unhappy and ashamed with their choice of job. There is more prestige in saying my son works in Infosys, than to say that he is a farmer.

To pacify families and quell opposition, they opened a computer shop that dealt in everything from hardware to photoshop. They worked from morning to noon in fields and the reminder of the day in front of the computer. The general perception of a topless farmer wearing a dhoti was challenged and people were amused at the sight of these farmers in jeans carrying laptops in one hand and grain sacks on their backs.

Their maiden farming venture was a great success with harvests over one thousand kilogram of wheat per acre and there was a lot of demand for organically farmed produce. High on their success and having won acclaim from their families and villagers, the four young men continue to follow their hearts to greener pastures.

This post is based on an inspiring article I read in the Malayalam Magazine ‘Vanitha’. I did some online research on the topic before writing the post. Hope it inspires you also to follow your heart and dare to be different.

Kanikonna – The Golden Flower Tree of Vishu

Cassia fistula, known as the golden shower tree or Kanikonna in Malayalam is this tree with beautiful yellow flowers that represent the prosperity of Kerala. The fact that it is considered as the state flower of Kerala shows its immense importance among Malayalees. Cassia fistula and its flower are considered the national tree and flower of Thailand. It is a popular ornamental plant and is an herbal medicine. In Ayurvedic medicine, golden shower tree is known as aragvadha, meaning ‘disease killer’. It blooms in late spring. Flowering is profuse, with trees being totally covered with yellow flowers and almost no leaf. It is an interesting sight in Kerala to see the konna flowers on the road side in late spring.

The flowers are of ritual importance in the Vishu festival of the Kerala. Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala, usually on April 14 of the Gregorian calendar. This occasion signifies the Sun’s transit into the Mesha Raasi (first zodiac sign), according to Indian astrological calculations. The official Malayalam New Year is the first day of month of Chingam (August – September) though it carries no significance either astrologically or astronomically. Chingam is the harvest season in Kerala and southern parts of coastal Karnataka. Vishu is considered as the astrological New Year festival of Kerala state. It is the first day of the month of Medam on the Malayalam calendar.

It is believed that seeing the prosperous Vishukkani on the first day of the New Year will make the rest of the year prosperous; there won’t be any shortage of money, food, health and blessings. The belief behind Vishukkani and Vishukaineetam is that seeing spectacular scenes and getting presents on the first day of the year is an indication of how prosperous the entire year is going to be.

Vishnukkani, the first thing you have to see after waking up on the day of Vishu. Vishukkani is also known as kanikanal which means first sight. It consist of a ritual arrangement of an idol of Lord Krishna along with auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh linen, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, the yellow Kanikonna flowers , a holy text and gold coins, in a brass vessel called uruli in the puja room of the House. A lighted lamp called nilavilakku is also placed alongside. This arrangement is completed the previous night by the lady of the house after the rest of the household has slept so that none sees it before the right time. On the day of Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with the eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight of the new season. When the lamp is lighted, the kani is ready to be seen. Normally the lady of the house leads everybody in the family one by one to the kani blindfolded so that it is his or her first sight of the day.

The golden colour of the fruits and the flowers resemble the colour of the Sun. The light from the lamp reflected from the round mirror shining through the yellow article create the semblance of a spectacular miniature sunrise. After the family’s turn the kani is taken outside to be seen by cattle, birds, other animals and plants.

Then comes the most interesting part…the Vishu Kaineetam! The eldest family member gives presents money to everyone in the household including the servants. It is a day of giving and sharing. Children receive from all their relatives’ parents and grandparents and are quite rich and the end of the day. New clothes are worn during this occasion. Children burst firecrackers and the women join together in making the vishu-sadya, a grand feast prepared in Kerala culinary style to include the four prominent rasas: bitter, sour, sweet and hot. Meals are served on plantain leaves. All the family members eat to together. Since Vishu falls during school summer holidays, all the children of the family have a great time with their cousins playing and celebrating.

Guard your Identity and your Trash Can

Did you know that your trash often leaves clues as to what treasures exist in your home? In fact, your trash can is a treasure trove of information about your identity. Our trash cans very often contain our personal information on various documents that we discard casually. Outdated documents and unwanted junk mail are often carelessly tossed into the trash. The personal information available in these items is exactly what an identity criminal is after when he searches your trash.

Identity theft occurs when your personal information is stolen without your knowledge and is then used to commit fraud and other crimes. Any item that contains just your name is a starting point for even an unsophisticated thief to steal your identity. An identity criminal can create a blueprint of your life from documents in your trash. Return addresses on envelopes may reveal where you bank, who maintains your mortgage, where your investments are held and much more.

An Identity thief can strike gold in your trash can. The variety of documents that can be found in garbage cans include expired credit cards or debit cards, credit card receipts, unused credit card checks, credit card statements, Pre-approved credit card offers, bank account statements, canceled checks, pension account statements, phone and utility bills, tax returns and statements, insurance claim or insurance policy information, expired identification documents like driver’s licenses and passports. These kind of documents that supply personal information can cause you harm if they fall into the wrong hands. ? All these items tell a thief about your current financial standing.  Trash items like gift and packing boxes can reveal what items you have in the house that is valuable.

When a thief has collected several months of billing data, he can contact you pretending to be a company representative. He may use the billing information to prove his credibility and gain more personal data from you. Contact your service provider directly if someone claiming to be a company representative requests information. Do not provide any information to anyone over the phone until you verify that the person you spoke with was legitimate.

The key to preventing identity theft is to stay one step ahead of the thief. It is important to protect your belongings, even if you don’t think thieves will target them. Don’t toss out your identity to a waiting thief. Secure trash bins at all times, until they are placed for pickup and collected. Shred financial documents, any unused credit card offers that come in the mail and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.  Invest in a good quality shredder that cross-cuts the paper into smaller bits. Cheaper shredders only shred documents in one direction. , An industrious thief can put them back together like a jigsaw puzzle. Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information.

Pure Indulgence – Browsing in a Bookstore

After a long time, many years, in fact, I indulged in one of my favorite past times. I spent two hours browsing in a bookstore. I love the smell of new books. I am transported to another world of words and fantasy.  I am like a hungry waif at a banquet table. Overwhelmed by the sheer amount in front of my devouring eyes, I start nibbling from one corner and lose all sense of time.

In this internet era with the world at your fingertips, reading from books seems to be a dying art. I have never tried reading an e-book. I don’t think it can compare to the joy of cuddling up with a real book in your hand. Encyclopedia Britannica has stopped their printed versions after almost 200 years of publishing.

In my childhood Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew, and Hardy boys were the in-things and that’s just 20-25 years ago. I believe its J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter that introduced the current generation to reading. I had just finished high school in 1999 when the prisoner of Azkaban was released with huge publicity. I was mesmerized by the series and read them with fervor from then on to the very last one released in 2007. Each book was more fascinating than the last. I think I outgrew them when I started on the Twilight series from Stephanie Meyers. Breaking Dawn is just awesome. I don’t know how many times I have read it, over and over again.

You guessed it, I love fantasy fiction. The Belgariad series by David Eddings was actually the first fantasy series I fell in love with and that was back in 1995. The Inheritance Cycle of books made popular by book one Eragon, by Christopher Paolini also keeps you spellbound. Today I bought the fourth book in these series named Inheritance. Once I start reading, I am deaf, dumb and mute, lost to the world. I finish it with one big gulp.