Finished “Life is Short” and Cold Weather!

It’s been a cold and rainy cruise in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Finland, & Sweden) and I really didn’t bring any “warm” clothes (I had heard about the heat waves, which were long gone by the time we arrived). But at least I remembered my rain coat! Whew!

In two days we arrive in the port of Amsterdam. It’s supposed to be 80 (instead of the 60s). Looking forward to some warmer weather!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 17

Dates read: July 23-27, 2026
Title: Life’s Too Short
Year of publication: 2021
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: Romantic comedy
Series: The Friend Zone #3
# of Pages: 276
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Purchased from Barnes & Noble
Blurb from Goodreads: When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted.
    But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad" (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.
    Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.

Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: Another goodie. In fact, I don’t think she writes any bad books! Love the humor (because it’s not forced on you, if you know what I mean). Love the romantic tension. And I loved seeing characters from books 1 & 2.

I’m actually getting some writing done on this cruise. Figured out how to fix the vampire story I started in 2020 (which led me to finishing my alien books) and it seems to be going good…so far. I still haven’t decided if it will be a novel or a novella. Guess I’ll find out when I get there, huh?

The Smashwords July sales is still going on (through July 31). You can find ALL of my e-books at 50% off. Just click here and start buying!: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/semckitrick

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished “Criminal Minds” and “The Happy Ever After Playlist” and I’m Cruising…Again

Yes, I’m cruising again. This time in the North and Baltic Seas! We left London (Dover) on July 19 and so far have stopped in Copenhagen (Denmark), Kiel (Germany), and Warnemunde (Germany). Tomorrow we have a day at sea and on Saturday we’ll be in Tallin (Estonia), followed by Helsinki (Finland), Nynashamn (Stockholm, Sweden), and Amsterdam (Netherlands). And that’s just THIS cruise. We have two more following this one.

I’m having so much fun, even if some of our excursions aren’t all that great. It’s just nice cruising and relaxing. Plus, it was fun being in London for two days before the cruise started. We saw “Six, The Musical” at the Vaudeville Theater on my birthday and it was so much fun! I highly recommend it.

Oh, and good news. I was able to send my editor The Alien’s Change of Heart before I left. Yay! She is currently working on it. Which means I can work on my next vampire book. Yeah, I decided to work on that since I figured out how to fix what I had started, so hopefully I can get into that story. But first, I wanted to post what I read.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 15

Dates read: July 8-19, 2026
Title: Curious Minds
Year of publication: 2016
Author: Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton
Genre: Mystery
Series: Knight & Moon #1
# of Pages: 307
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Free from a book convention (possibly Romantic Times 2017)
Blurb from Book: Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little to no sense of social etiquette. Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich, and handsome. Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Business and Harvard Law. Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped her land her dream job as a junior analyst with megabank Blane-Grunwald. At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job, until she is given her first assignment: babysitting Emerson Knight. What starts off as an inquiry about missing Knight money leads to a life-and-death race through the streets of Washington, D.C., and into the underground vaults of New York City as an evil plan is exposed. A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon could hope to stop it.
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: This was a silly book. I expected humorous, but not silly. Or maybe I should have expected silly, since she wrote the Stephanie Plum books. This was book 1 of the series and there are only two books (which were written about ten years ago), so I’m guessing the series didn’t make it. I can understand why. But, if you’re looking for a silly mystery, you might enjoy this one. I just wanted something a little more…smarter.

Book 16

Dates read: July 19-23, 2026
Title: The Happy Ever After Playlist
Year of publication: 2020
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: Romantic comedy
Series: The Friend Zone #2
# of Pages: 318
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Purchased from Barnes & Noble
Blurb from Goodreads: Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can't seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a "take me home" look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker's owner reaches out. He's a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.
    Well, Sloan's not about to give up her dog without a fight. As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can't deny a connection. There's no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: I read book 1 of this series so long ago, I didn’t realize that the couple from that book was the friend in this one. Didn’t matter, though. This book can be read as a standalone without any issues, since, like I said, I didn’t remember the couple (which is all me and not necessarily about the author). This book was great. I laughed. I cried (happy tears, of course) and I just LOVED the dog, Tucker. I really do enjoy her books.

The Smashwords July sales is still going on (through July 31). You can find ALL of my e-books at 50% off. Just click here and start buying!: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/semckitrick

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished “The Crown of War and Shadow” and My Books are on Sale

Smashwords is having a sale this July, so I decided to participate. You can find ALL of my e-books at 50% off. Just click HERE and start buying!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 14

Dates read: June 19 – July 8, 2026
Title: The Crown of War and Shadow
Year of publication: 2026
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Romantasy
Series: Kingdom of the Compass #1
# of Pages: 466
Paper or plastic: Hard cover
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from Book: The fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world.
    No one is safe.
    Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast within the walls of her small village because of her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.
    Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed.
    She must cross the Badlands to return a Queen’s crown and convince the fearsome sovereign to save their world from destruction.
    Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.
    The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage.
    But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though desire runs hot between them, adventure, danger, and betrayal lurk around every corner.
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: I was not happy that it is written in first person, present tense (which surprised me since she usually writes in third person past tense), so I’m not so sure I will continue with the series. Plus, the print was tiny in such a large book! But the story kept me going, even though it was all one-sided (I prefer my books to be two-sided). I guess this is what romantasy is all about and I’m not so sure I like it. Not if it’s all written in first person present tense. I have my limits. But the story in this book DOES end, so I’m not left on a cliffhanger. Yay!

Good news! I finally finished the first draft of The Alien’s Change of Heart and am working on cleaning it up before giving it to my editor. I was hoping to give it to her before I left on our trip on the 16^th, but I’m beginning to think that’s not gonna happen. I really need to get my butt in gear!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished “Escape Clause” and Got My Books in a Local Bookstore

There is a bookstore in Dayton called The Cozy Book Nook (https://thecozybooknook.com) and they sell independently published books (they even have a section for local authors—like me!). They sell them on consignment, which is fine with me, and they took my books to sell. I figure any place my book is for sale is a good place.

I had forgotten to sign the books when I dropped them off last month, so I will go visit them tomorrow and sign them. So yeah, if you’re in Dayton and want a signed copy of one of my books, they’ll be available from The Cozy Book Nook!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 13

Dates read: June 14-19, 2026
Title: Escape Clause
Year of publication: 2024
Author: Cara Bristol
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Series: Cosmic Mates #1
# of Pages: 217
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from Book: After a nano-virus devastates Caradonia, leaving the planet in desperate need of women, leader Krogan launches a last-ditch effort to save their civilization—convince men to accept human brides through Cosmic Mates.
    Krogan himself has no time or desire for a wife. A driven workaholic, he’s focused on solving his planet’s problems and maintaining peace in the world. But his people look to him to set an example. If he doesn’t take a wife through Cosmic Mates no one else will either. Thankfully, there’s an escape clause, and at the end of the trial period, he intends to use it.
    Fleeing a horrid and powerful man, Hope Bennett reluctantly agrees to a marriage of convenience with an alien. The last thing she desires is to be locked into an unwanted union. Been there, almost did that. Fortunately, the escape clause in the contract gives her an out, and when it’s safe, she can go home to Terra Nova.
    Hope and Krogan promise each other a marriage in name only and vow to separate when the contract provisions are satisfied. But as they let down their guard, they recognize a kindred spirit in each other. Love and passion blossom, and each begins to long for a deeper, permanent union.
    Just as their secret wishes are about to be fulfilled, violent tensions erupt out of the pandemic, forcing Krogan into a dilemma—to save Hope he must invoke the escape clause of their marriage contract.
    If he sends her away, will she ever come back?
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: This was a so-so story. It was just way too short for my pleasure (large print in a 5x8 size book). Especially for a sci-fi romance (which was practically insta-love). Not a lot of world building. In fact, I don’t even know what year it is on Terra Nova, which used to be called Earth. So… way in the future, I suppose. I liked the premise of this story, just wish it were more involved. But if you’re looking for a quick read, here’s one for you!

FYI: I’m still busy writing. And I’m so close to finishing that first draft! I know, I keep saying that (which is what Hubby says to me). But it’s one thing KNOWING how it will end and another actually getting it WRITTEN on the page! Will it be done next week? I sure hope so!!!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished “Say You’ll Remember Me” and Almost Finished with My WIP, so Why am I Procrastinating?

Yes, I am almost finished with the first draft of The Alien’s Change of Heart. I finally figured out how to save them! Yay! So why am I not writing?

Stuff.

I did write on Thursday and Friday, but Saturday was my writers’ group meeting. In Dublin, OH. Left at 10:30 am and returned home around 4:30 pm. I usually don’t write on those days anyway. I should have. Because that’s when I woke up with some solutions. Thank goodness I wrote them down, because right now, I couldn’t tell you what they were.

Then this morning, during breakfast, I read the book I finished below. I was going to put it down after I ate and write, but said “Screw it! I’m reading.” And frankly, I haven’t felt like that about a book in ages! And I finished it just as my daughter texted she was ready to get gas. When we have a dollar off a gallon, we make sure we all benefit from that.

I had completely forgot about those plans! Maybe that’s why I didn’t write first?

Hahaha, yeah, right.

But now that I’m finished with the book, I want to post about it. And once I hit “publish” I will get to writing. I promise!!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 12

Dates read: June 10-14, 2026
Title: Say You’ll Remember Me
Year of publication: 2025
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: RomCom
Series: Say You’ll Remember Me #1
# of Pages: 352
Paper or plastic: Hardcover
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from Book: There might be no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…
    …unless, of course he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.
    Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: Oh my god! This was sooooo good. I finally gave in and ordered some of her ebooks for my next cruise. Although, I doubt they will last the whole cruise. I sure breezed through this one. Such a good story. I am hooked on Abby Jimenez!

So… when you find an author you just love, do you go out and buy all their books, too? I do it too many times to count. And yes, I read them. They aren’t sitting on the shelf (or Nook), gathering dust. I tend to binge them until I’m all caught up and then I wait with everyone else. For the next one.

Happy Reading!

Stacy