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Saturday, April 13, 2024

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.

Friday, March 15, 2024

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

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?

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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:

Saturday, March 9, 2024

The Sunday Post: Do You Spring Forward?

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.

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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?

Saturday, February 10, 2024

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

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!

Sunday, January 21, 2024

The Sunday Post- Not Sure How That Happened

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!

Saturday, January 6, 2024

The Sunday Post Oh, No! Back To Work Tuesday

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?

Saturday, October 7, 2023

The Sunday Post, Fall is here for real!

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?

Sunday, July 23, 2023

The Sunday Post- July is Winding Down

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:

Saturday, July 15, 2023

The Sunday Post -- Christmas In July is Coming!

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:

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Where Does The Time Go?

I swear the last few weeks have gone by in the blink of an eye and I really slacked off on posting here! I have been reading, as always I'd like to read more, and since there are only so many hours in the day and I swear I spend at least three hours a day minimum on just laundry, dishes, and cooking--I'm working on getting back to listening to more books. Audiobooks are amazing and it helps me to keep up with what I want to read.

I have decided this is our Midwestern Summer. In May I traveled with friends to Wisconsin. In June Tom and I went to a wedding in Kohler, WI. At the end of June we went and stayed in Downtown, Chicago and during the 4th of July weekend we went on a day trip to Crown Point, IN. In August we are going to Minnesota and then I think in September we are going to St. Louis.

The Midwest is awesome. I highly recommend you make a plan to visit us here in the Midwest. I am partial to Chicago since we live in the suburbs. Chicago has amazing food--so many restaurants. And loads of free activities. While w were downtown I went to a free concert in Millenium Park for example.

Bookwise I have several books to blog about including:

Sunday, June 11, 2023

The Sunday Post - School is Out For Summer

Happy summer my friends! My last day at school was on Monday! My plan is more reading--the last few weeks I was busy and wasn't finding the time to read. I did go to a book talk with Stacey Abrams interviewed by Jake Tapper. I enjoyed her first book in this political thriller series While Justice Sleeps and this one takes place just a few months later. Stacey Abrams is very good at that sense of urgency that make a good thriller and her plots are possible, not likely but not impossible where it takes you out of the story.

And speaking of thrillers I recently finished reading Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea, whose books I always enjoy; I'll post a review of that book this week.

I finished watching Queenmaker on Netflix, it is a Korean political thriller and it's quite good. If you liek a thriller, check it out! What have you been up to? How is your summer going?

Saturday, May 6, 2023

The Sunday Post - Good Reads and No More Boot

After a total of seven weeks, I was finally able to go for a little run yesterday. I am going to be careful moving forward and run for fewer days so that I don't wind up with a stress injury again. This week is Patrick's birthday, it is very hard to believe he is already 23. Seems like a few minutes ago he was ten. We are going to a Star Wars Trivia night on his birthday and then as a family once Anna is home next weekend we are going to one of those watch "a movie and eat dinner" places to see Guardians of the Galaxy Three. So a fun week! By Friday, we will only have 17 more days of school left.

The school kids all have spring fever so they are pretty rambunctious during lunch, but that's understandable we are all excited to enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer!

How was your week? Below are the books I'll be blogging about this week-

Reading this for the Readalong

Got this as an Amazon First Read

This one was from Net Galley

Sunday, April 23, 2023

The Sunday Post Last Full Week of April is Upon Us!

HI! How are you? I hope you had a nice week. I had an MRI of my foot which I hurt last month and found out that I need to wear a boot for another two weeks. The toe that has a stress fracture is not the toe the X-ray thought had a stress fracture. As you know I like to run, so being unable to run for over a month now, stinks! I do tell myself, better to get this resolved so I can run again soon-ish than to wind up needing some kind of surgery. Sigh, still stinks though.

The weather here this week is pretty blah, with highs in the 50s (10s in Celcius) and lows from 32 to about 38 (0 to 4 in Celcius) Below are books I'm working on for this week, and my poor foot.

I was thinking I'd have finished Wolfsong by now, but other stories got in the way, so I am working on finishing Wolfsong, which is very good, today.

I have also downloaded the audio version of Flux by Jinwoo Chong, I am still determining where it will fall in my reading. I attended a Zoom craft talk that Jinwoo Chong did and that was my inspiration to get Flux ASAP.

Here is the back of the book blurb:

A blazingly original and stylish debut novel about a young man whose reality unravels when he suspects his employers have inadvertently discovered time travel and are covering up a string of violent crimes.

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