One Minute It's September, The Next Minute it's Mid October!

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

This month I have been trying better time management.  I'm getting up at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. planning to get some motif writing done, however it's not happening. The time between when I get up and when I have to leave for work passes in the blink of an eye! I'm trying to tell myself to get up, make coffee, and write for 30 minutes. What happens is I get up, go downstairs to make coffee, unload the dishwasher, feed the dog, check work emails, etc etc. I bet you can relate. 

I went to a program at my local library this past week called Mourning and Spirituality in the Victorian Era. I took notes because it was very interesting and maybe someday I'll have a ghost character from the 1870s who spent most of her adulthood in full mourning. My take away about mourning in the Victorian Era is that is really sucked to be a woman. You had to be in mourning for so many people I don't know how anyone coped. 

I've started drafting my four small town romance book wish me luck! My biggest problem is I procrastinate my writing and get easily distracted. How was your week? Did you read anything good? I just got a refurbished MacBook and I am learning how to use it. 

When you were in full mourning you covered yourself head to toe in black and didn't wear any jewelry You had to wear a veil over your face when you were out in public and depending how you were related to the person who died you could be in mourning for 3 months to two years. Did you know people reenact this era and dress in mourning clothes? I did not. One last fact the fabric for full mourning was crepe and part of the process to dull crepe could involve dousing it with formaldehyde so these women were walking around breathing in some nasty chemicals on top of everything else! 

The Sunday Post! It's The Cold or Allergies Time of Year!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

The temperatures in my neck of the woods have been downright tolerable lately.  I often say that if you want to visit Chicago, September is the best weather time of year to do it. I forget each year that it's also ragweed season and that I am allergic to ragweed. This weekend I've been playing the is it a cold or allergies? I have all the miserable allergy symptoms: itchy eyes, itchy ears, runny nose., sneezing frequently, sinus congestion, and worst of all, the dreaded itchy throat. I slacked off earlier this week and didn't take my daily allergy pill for several days. I guess now I am paying the price. I used to be able to take Benadryl for allergies but now I can't take it. It causes me to have restless legs and that is even worse than allergy symptoms. Okay enough of me! Do you have allergies? 

This weekend I finished reading Haunted To Death by Frank Anthony Polito. I am about halfway through reading Payback is a Witch by Lana Harper (physical book), I have three hours left of One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole on audio, and I"'m ten percent into Divorce Towers on Kindle. Divorce Towers was an Amazon First Reads. 

This is my 996th blog post. With only a few posts to go, I'll hit 1,000 posts! That's wild! I didn't imagine that when I started this blog way back when! 

The Sunday Post-- I survived!

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

I survived the first week of pre-K, and I now have one week of working with the most delightful three- and four-year-olds!  Were there tears?  Yes. Where they mine? No!  Then when I got home from work I had a snack and took a nap. Seriously--and I bet the kiddos did the same. It's going to be such a treat to see how much the students change as the year goes on. I also look forward to getting better at my job! 

How was your week?  Can you believe this upcoming weekend will be Labor Day weekend?  I can. The summer I had was packed with travel, medical stuff, and thinking back it seems like I was working summer school ages ago. 

I just finished listening to Dead and Gondola in time to take part in the Cozy Mystery Book Club livestream on Tuesday. Speaking of the Cozy Mystery Book Club, I'm going to be doing a guest blog post for the 12 Days of Cozies in December! I'm so excited I have to turn it in by October 15! I plan to talk about a few Christmas Cozy Mysteries and share a cookie recipe I love.

In my own person book news, my latest book Is This Love Fur Real? was a sponsor on this weeks Fated Mates podcast.  You can hear it around the 45-minute Mark! Here is a link to the episode: https://fatedmates.net/episodes

The Sunday Post! Am I Ready For Summer School?

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Before I get started here is a progress picture of my gardens. After this picture was taken my BIL pruned my zucchini plants. He is confident that within a day or two I should have a bunch of flowers and flowers mean vegetables!

I have just a few days left of drafting and then I'm on to revising so I can send my third book to my editor. I am also working as a pararprofessional (teacher's aide) for summer school! It is only three and a half hours a day, four days a week for the rest of June. 

I just finished listening to the Cozy Mystery Book Clue June book  Murder at the Lakeside Library. I am halfway through The Diva Goves Overboard  (which is about charcuterie boards, not boats), and The Scent of Dreams. 

 I need to get a post for the excerpt of T.J. Klune's upcoming book Beyond The Sea this week. I really cannot wait to read the whole book later this year!

Oh on the TV and Movie front, I watched the new Netflix movie Hit Man starting Glen Powell, it was very enjoyable! If you want a fun and funny movie, check it out!

How was your week? 

The Sunday Post First Week Of May! Time to Draft Book Three!

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

May has arrived and it's past the last time for a frost in my garden zone so I picked up some plants yesterday. A local greenhouse had a pop-up plant sale at one of our local breweries, so I got some seedlings. I got thyme, oregano, a bell pepper, marigolds, cucumbers, kale and zinnias. 

I've got room for a few more plants. At the end of this month, I'm picking up four heirloom tomato plants from the Chicago Tomato Guy. Exciting! 

Reading-wise, I just finished reading an ARC of How to Help A Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein. I'll talk about that this week.

Writing-wise, I have my outline for Is This Love Fur Real? Today I need to buckle down and write two thousand words. My short-term goal is to get to fifteen thousand words in my rough draft by next Sunday. Wish me luck!

How was your week? 

 

The Sunday Post - Spring Fling Conference! Books, Books, and more Books!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

I had the most wonderful time at the Chicago North Romance Writers Spring Fling! I attended all these wonderful craft sessions and some great marketing sessions as well. I got to meet Jen from the podcast Fated Mates! And if that wasn't enough there was a panel featuring the writer Kate Clayborn! 

Then on Saturday, I did my first book signing! And some people bought my book!  It was amazing. The room was filled with readers and authors. I loved seeing lots of moms and daughters picking up books together, that was great!. Saturday night there was a gala and our keynote speaker, Thee Beverly Jenkins gave an inspiring and wonderful speech. The night was capped off with dancing and I can now say I was on the dance floor with Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson! 

I also stocked up on books!

So much good reading ahead!

How was your week? 

Exciting Happenings This Week! The Sunday Post

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Tonight I'm a guest host on the podcast Christmas Countdown! Exciting! I've been listening to the podcast since it started and now I get to be on an episode sharing my top five favorite (recent) Christmas movies!  Do you listen to podcasts?  If you like Christmas, you must check out the five-star goodness of Christmas Countdown! 

https://christmascountdownshow.com/

And then later this week I'll be attending the Chicago North Romance Writer's Spring Fling. I'm volunteering and I've been assigned to be a moderator for two different panels! I'm more nervous about that than the podcast. I don't want to mess up a panel! Fingers crossed that it goes smoothly! And then on Saturday, as I mentioned previously I'll be doing my first author signing. Amazing, it feels surreal! If you had told me a year ago I'd be writing a series of romance books, I wouldn't have believed you.

Speaking of books, I'm happy to share the cover for my second book in the Marley Creek Romance Series! 

Coming out 4//30/2024!  You can pre-order it now here: https://a.co/d/39I9z4x

Stay tuned for Tomorrow's blog where I will talk about my brother's North Carolina restaurant and the book Last Night by Luanne Rice. 

The Sunday Post--Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Here in Chicagoland, St. Patrick's Day is a big deal. There have been parades and celebrations since the first weekend in March. I'll be spending the day selling Tastefully Simple at a craft show. I hope people still come out to the craft show. You see, the South Side Irish Parade is always the Sunday closest to St. Patrick's Day, and this year that means the parade is on St. Patrick's Day.  It's a big deal around here. Last year me and the husband walked in the parade with our Congressman. 
How about you, do you have plans for St. Patrick's Day? 

*****

In book news,   Do you all want to see the new book cover for my book? What do you think? 

I'm excited to say I'm up to 16 reviews on Amazon! Want to check it out or add it to your wish list? Here is the link: https://a.co/d/7Usna3U

Have you been reading? I'm currenty reading these books:

The Sunday Post: Do You Spring Forward?

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Happy time change to those who celebrate! I've been canvassing for the last few weeks and it's hard when the sun goes down to see people's addresses so I'm happy to have the daylight for that last hour of knocking on doors this week. 

I sent my second book off to my editor and am now working on trying to make social media posts in Canva!  This week I listened to Bride by Ali Hazelwood. I also finished Taken by Eveline Rose, the first in a new police romance series. I'll post about these books this week. 

In the meantime here is the back blurb for my second book (cover reveal TBD!) When Jasper makes Zaina a deal she can’t refuse, will she find herself with something more than money?

Zaina Evans told herself this was going to be her year. She’s done looking for a soulmate to share her life. She lives in a great small-town, has a successful business, she’s surrounded by wonderful friends and her mom is just a train ride away. Zaina has everything she needs and wants in life except for a baby. Now all she needs is funding to help pay for IVF.
Jasper Kane is the handsome owner and head brewer of Hop’s Heaven Brewery. He’s only had time to promote his business and date a of string of beautiful women for the last five years. His goal to take his craft brewery nationwide consumes him. Maybe if his brewery had locations across America, his mother would finally take him seriously.
Then a video of Jasper and Zaina goes viral for its feel-good content, and a local TV show wants to do a live remote, but only if Zaina’s there too. This gives Jasper a fantastically devious idea. He can get loads of free publicity and tons of followers if Zaina agrees to fake date him to make social media content. But when they get stuck at the brewery during an ice storm, things stop being fake fast. Will they be able to get past their preconceived notions of the perfect life to find the love right in front of them?

Too Klösch For Comfort is a small-town, fake dating, iced-in, steamy romance, featuring a craft brewer who will do anything for his business and a tarot card-reading woman who’s given up on finding her true love. Part of the Marley Creek Romance Series, this standalone story includes viral videos, Hallmark movie vibes, and a guaranteed HEA.

*************************************************************************************************************************

I used my latest audible credit to purchase Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison. On the TV front, I'm enjoying Shogun on Hulu. 

What are you enjoying right now? 

I've been sick the whole month so far! Rude! #TheSundayPost

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme  

I have spent this month with a miserable sinus infection. The worst is at night when I am coughing, coughing, coughing. It's still pretty bad but not as bad as last week, so I guess I'm getting better. I have done all the things you are supposed to do to alleviate symptoms. One problem I have is that I can't take any decongestant stuff because it causes me to have restless legs. 

The other day my No Gouda Without You author copies arrived and I've been exhausted and sick to do an unboxing video! A total bummer!

I didn't have the energy or attention span to read or blog. I did manage to work on writing my second book, that's about all I could manage. My manuscript is due to my editor on March 2nd, so that was my motivator. 

How are you doing? I hope you have not been sick!  My fingers and toes are crossed that I start feeling better each day this week. I've got books to share here and I'd like to have the energy to read! 

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

The Sunday Post- Not Sure How That Happened

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme  

I wrote and published a whole Sunday post yesterday and then today I made a post for Tuesday and then I somehow managed to overwrite that post and accidentally post my Tuesday post this afternoon. Whoopsy. 

How was your week?  It was cold here and we had some more snow but not a bunch. This coming week it's supposed to be above freezing and I'm happy about that because on Tuesday I'm medically cleared to run again. Obviously, I'll need there to be snow and ice-free sidewalks. 

I've got two of my posts for this week done, one is for my own book release, No Gouda Without You, and another new release You Are Enough that will be out on Thursday. I also finished reading Between Mischief and Magic and I'll review that either Friday or Saturday. 

Have a great week! 

The Sunday Post Oh, No! Back To Work Tuesday

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme  

All good things must come to an end, right? My break was nice, but I spent all of it recuperating from surgery, so it might have been more enjoyable if not for that. This weekend we finally got a little snow, just about all of December it was too warm for snow.  Now that I'll be returning to school, it will probably get really cold and we will have snow! 

This week I began drafting the second book in my Marley Creek series!  Next weekend I am planning to go to a new brewery in my area for research purposes.  The main male lead in this book owns a craft brewery and I'd like to be able to write good descriptive scenes. 

Speaking of reading, I find myself in the midst of reading two books that have main female characters who are pastry chefs. I"ll be sharing my thoughts on those two books this week as well as Not Just Gal Pals my first finished read of the year. 

How was your first week of 2024? 

The Sunday Post, Fall is here for real!

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme  

This week I started working on a passion project, I just finished week one of said project and I am very happy to say I'm on track. I don't want to say more because I don't want to jink anything. More details to come by Thanksgiving.  

This weekend, the temperatures are finally feeling like sweater weather, in fact, today for the first time since early April, I'm wearing a sweater!  I got it back in August for my birthday from Stitch Fix and have been waiting patiently to wear it. 

I like that it has color blocking and button detail on the sides- and it's all the fall colors! 

I'm currently reading Much Ado About You,  it's fun but for a romance, it's pretty long. 

And I'm listening to Holly by Stephen King. I hope to prioritize finishing it ASAP. 

I really like the cover, it feels so Halloween. I hope you are having a great day! Any fun plans this week? 

The Sunday Post- July is Winding Down

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

This week was very busy, my parents came to visit, the hubs had a work event overnight downtown, we went to a concert at a new concert venue, and Saturday we had a graduation party. Busy in a good way. This upcoming week is looking busy as well, so I am really embracing audiobooks. How are things by you?  It has not been very, very hot here --but if the forecast is correct this week is going to be in the 90-100 (mid to high 30s for those of you that use Celcius) I will have to be mindful about whether or not it is safe to walk our dog.  How about you?  How is your weather? 

Books I'll be talking about:

The Sunday Post -- Christmas In July is Coming!

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

What do you think about Christmas in July? Do you partake via reading a holiday themed book or by turning on the Hallmark channel?  I am more of a start buying Halloween/Autumn stuff by July 25th, but I am not opposed to reading a Christmas book in the summer. At the moment I have a few books I'm in the midst of reading soI don't think I'm going to be fitting in a Christmas book. 

Before I share the books I'll be talking about this week. Here is a recipe I recently made that was delicious--this recipe is gluten free if you use tamari sauce. If you want to add protein you could add chicken, pork, seafood, or tofu. 

1. Soak 7 oz of rice noodles in cold water for 10 min. 2. You put 2 tbsp of Toasted Sesame Oil in a pan and add a chopped shallot, a couple of chopped scallions, 2 zucchini that have been sliced with a vegetable peeler, 2 carrots that have also been sliced with a vegetable peeler, add a couple of tbsp of soy or tarmari sauce,  pinch of salt and pepper, and 1 cup of water cook until water is gone and noodles are tender--about 10 minutes. I added Onion Onion seasoning. 

YUM!!!

And now to the books: