The Sunday Post --False Fall

  

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.

A big change in the weather arrived last night, because of Hurricaine Erin, the jetstream was pulled down and we are enjoying some nice temperate weather. It's delightful to have some low-humidity days where you can open the windows and enjoy fresh air!

I'm looking forward to fall so much that the book I am drafting accidentally changed from being a Christmas-themed book to being a fall book that ends Christmas Eve.  This week, the one and only PSL will be back. Do you like pumpkin spice lattes?  My local independent coffee shop has its own version that uses fresh pumpkin puree and contains much less sugar. 

Reading wise, I've been slacking! I did finish an audiobook. I joined TikTok and I'm trying to figure out what types of posts work and how to edit stuff. I'm only allowing myself less than an hour a day to work on it. I did find a good recipe and made it yesterday! 

Nom nom nom. It's 1 can chickpeas, 1 can black beans, 8oz mozarella pearls, 2 chopped cucumbers, 10 chopped cherry tomatoes, pickled banana peppers, couple tbsps of fresh basil, and then salad dressing made with olive oil, wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and a little honey.

I also went to a book signing with Brigid Kemmerer, who wrote the book (which I haven't read yet) "Warrior Princess Assassin" 

How was your week?  This was our first full week of school--174 days left til next summer break!

Oh No The End Is Near--Back to School Is Coming!

 

August is here and that means--nope I don't want to say it. I'll save it for at least another week.

So here are a couple of very different books I enjoyed recently via my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Cat Dish Gin is a slice of life book by Heather Curlee Novak. It reminded me of when I was a kid and took my mom's Erma Bombeck books and read them. Heather's book was so enjoyable that I didn't want it to end!

Here is more info on the book:

Cat Dish Gin – Life’s Chaos, Served with a Twist of Humor

Ever had a moment so ridiculous it made you wonder if Jesus Himself might take a sip of gin straight from a cat dish? Welcome to Cat Dish Gin—a sharp, witty, and wildly relatable collection of NPR essays that turn the everyday mess of marriage, motherhood, work, and aging into laugh-out-loud, life-affirming moments.

From mastering the art of parenting while losing your sanity to finding joy in life’s smallest (and strangest) victories, these bite-sized essays are perfect for women who need a reminder that imperfection is its own kind of magic.

💡 For fans of Anne Lamott, Gretchen Rubin, and Dorothy Parker.
📖 Short, bingeable, and best enjoyed out loud.
🎁 The perfect gift for moms, grandmas, and wild women everywhere.

Read Cat Dish Gin now and laugh your way to a more joyful life!: https://a.co/d/5JbCL0V

And then for something completely different, I read a romance about the tooth fairy falling in love with a human. I'm not sure if Lord Pearl by Rowen Burrows is considered a paranormal romance or romantasy. It's all about the gods and goddesses and all sorts of magic beings like the tooth fairy and the sandman. 

Here is the link to check it out- https://a.co/d/3phKAkU

Belief can be a powerful thing. Belief can be the difference between life and death.

One moment, one decision, can change the course of your life.
For Lillian Tooth, one decision left her cursed to be the Tooth Fairy.
For Grayson Simmons, one moment introduced him to the Tooth Fairy and the world of magic.

Lillian is legendary, but that doesn’t mean she is brave. Grayson is her best friend, and she has fallen for him.
Her curse leaves her afraid of rejection.

Grayson is honoured to be part of Lillian’s world. She is his best friend. Of course, he has thought about more, but he is human.
He is not worthy.

When a harmless game reveals their true feelings, they have choices to make and fears to face.
Choices and fears that can change the course of not just their lives, but magic…

Free Books and The Flu -The Sunday Post April is Here!

 

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 started the week enjoying my last few days of Spring Break. On Monday, finished March by getting done with a bunch of author work and housework. Tuesday was municipal election day here in  Illinois and I volunteered at the polls for a great candidate running for a local school board. She didn't win, I hope she decided to run again, as a teacher, she would be a great addition to that school board. Wednesday was my wedding anniversary, we didn't do much, but we had already gone on a short road trip over the weekend.

I told my husband we could extend our anniversary celebration to this weekend and go downtown for the Hand Off protest. I even had a sign idea ready to make. Then on Friday, day three of being back at school, after lunch, every part of my body ached, and I was suddenly tired. When I got home I took my temperature and confirmed I had a fever. I went to bed and slept on and off until Saturday morning. The fever is gone now, but I'm still exhausted and have a headache and congestion. My Google research says I have the flu, and I think that is right. Ugh. I'm glad I had the flu vaccine, as I've had the flu without the vaccine before, and that was awful. This is just crummy. I'm pretty sure I caught this from a kiddo I work with because they were home sick on Wednesday and then came back on Thursday, but they were obviously still sick. That's the downside of working with preK kids, there are always sick kids and there isn't a good way to not catch cooties. 

The other day I shared a free book link. My novella, Surprise Party, is part of the giveaway. There are lots of romances, but also mysteries and thrillers available. 

Here is the link if you are looking for a new author to read or some quick reads: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/7rfrm7oowk

What we watched this week: We finished The Residence, two big thumbs up from me. I love the quirky detective, and that it all took place in the White House. 

This month I've decided to read books with amnesia in them. Call it my amnesia April. Do you have any recommendations for me? 

What I'm reading:

And then something completely different. A haunted house story...

In The Depths of Winter, What You Need is a Cozy Fantasy Read!

 

Life got you down? Are you in a reading slump? Do you need cozy comfort in your life?  Buy or borrow this cozy sapphic fantasy book by Marissa Serrao. This book's vibe reminded me of Legends and Lattes. It may not be officially a category, but this book is a cozy fantasy. There is a unique and lovely world populated with a diverse group of Fae. The story is the hero's journey taken by a half-demon/half-satyr who finds her better half along the way. 

In my experience, most often a fantasy book means a cliffhanger and a second book. Between Mischief & Magic is a stand-alone. The baddies are vanquished and our couple gets their happily-ever-after. 

5 stars for all the cozy goodness!

*****

This week I officially became a published author. I really don't feel like one yet. My brain says, write book two then I'll consider you a real author. Aren't brains weird?  I hope you are having a nice week!  I just finished a domestic thriller and I started reading Cat Sloan is Swirling. I'm also listening to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.  

What A Week! Happy Friday!

 

School was closed on Tuesday due to below zero temperatures and wind chills. This was very handy as I got to spend more time correcting typos and other errors in my book. I went through my manuscript four times this week! It was mentally exhausting, I much prefer drafting the story to looking for mistakes.

My stress level was also eleven on a scale of ten because I had a potential cancer recurrence scare and the appointment I had for Monday was rescheduled to Wednesday. I'm so happy to say I was able to have an ultrasound and nothing is wrong! I could have used a Xanax to get through Tuesday and Wednesday morning. I had some terrible sleep!  

I am almost done reading an ARC of  Donna R. Madden's upcoming release You Are Enough.  The book comes out next week and I'll be doing a blog post on its release day (January 25th). I am also over halfway through reading Between Mischief and Magic.  I'm really enjoying the mysterious world of the book and can't wait to see how it ends.