Happy Halloween! And My Calendar Works!

As I was looking at my iPhone yesterday morning, I noticed the notification for the Bengals game said it started at 9:30 am.

9:30 am? Not 8:30 am?

I stared at this for several moments to make sure it was actually coming from my calendar instead of from ESPN (because the game started at 9:30). I opened my calendar app and sure enough, the game times for all my sports teams were CORRECT!

I don’t know how it happened, but YAY! My calendar now works. All is good with the world.

For now. J

 

Apparently my Halloween spirit comprises of music videos. This one is fun. Hope you enjoy it, because… BEETLEJUICE!

 

Weekend sports update:

• High School Football: As I already reported on Friday, Wayne won on Thursday. They ended up being #1 in their Region (I believe this is a FIRST) and will play the #8 team (Lancaster, OH) on Friday at home. Yay!
• College Football: USC Trojans also played on Thursday and won! And OSU Buckeyes squeaked by one on Saturday (whew!).
• NHL: Penguins beat the Flyers on Saturday in what seemed to be a rather exciting 3rd period (3 goals in 55 seconds by the Pens!). Sure wish I could watch the games, but I refuse to pay for the NHL package for just one team (and moving to Pittsburgh isn’t all that feasible, either—although I’ve thought about it!).
• NFL: Rams and Steelers were both on a bye week. Figures. Couldn’t they have had different bye weeks? And the Bengals game ended on a tie. I just had to laugh at that game (I’m not a “true” fan, but I will root for them most of the time).

 

In case you were interested… All Romance Ebooks is having a Halloween 50% rebate sale that ends today. Lots of books to choose from (including MINE!).

 

I’m getting an eye exam today. The doctor will dilate my eyes, which means I can pretty much forget about writing, or reading. But at least I’ll get new glasses out of this (my right eye has been twitching, which usually tells me I need a new prescription). I hate my current pair, and have since I got them two years ago. I was just too cheap to get them replaced until now.

So… Do you wear glasses? How often do you replace the frames? And if you don’t wear glasses (or contacts)… lucky you!

Happy Spooky Monday! Oh, and did you notice? My 13th post for the month!!!

Stacy

Thriller Friday

Halloween is almost upon us. Thought a video of Thriller was called for. Enjoy!

 

 

Wayne: They won, but man, was it ugly. Still, a win is a win is a win! They have clinched a playoff game at home next Friday. Whoo hoo!

So… How do you celebrate Halloween? Do you watch scary movies? Go to parties? I don’t usually do anything, except maybe eat the candy that didn’t get handed out. Haha! J But I do think I might want to watch a movie this weekend. Like…Beetlejuice. Or maybe Ghostbusters (the original, not the remake). Luckily I have both movies. What would you watch?

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads, Football, and Writing

Lots of writing this week meant little reading. Okay, not so little reading. I do read on the treadmill (now that it’s too dark to walk outside) and I’ve been accompanying Hubby to his classes at night, which gives me an hour or so to read before dinner (because I like having dinner with my Hubby!). Here’s what I read the past week:

October 22: “Race the Darkness” by Abbie Roads, first book in the Fatal Dreams series, a romantic suspense at 332 pages. Blurb from book: Criminal investigator Xander Stone doesn’t have to question you—he can hear your thoughts. Scarred by lightning, burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice that haunts him day and night—the voice of a woman begging him to save her. Isleen Walker has long since given up hope of escape from the nightmare of captivity and torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul. Except…there is a man in her feverish dreams, the strangely beautiful man who beckons her to freedom and wholeness. And when he comes—if he comes—it will take all their combined fury and faith to overcome a madman bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy. This romantic suspense had “woo-woo” in it. What a pleasant surprise (I love “woo-woo”!). Was it far-fetched? Maybe a little (only because I wasn’t expecting it), but I didn’t care. The book grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go. I look forward to reading more from this author.

The Wayne High School football team plays this Thursday night instead of on Friday (their last regular season game, against Trotwood-Madison). That’s because the game will be on TV. Unfortunately, I could only find it on a local station (not ESPN or something national), otherwise, I’d be telling you all to watch!

I’ve been actually writing first-draft material (that scene I need to add to Ghostly Interlude to foreshadow the next book). 1000 words in two days! Whoo hoo! It felt pretty good, too. First-draft writing is sooooo much different than revision writing, and it had been way too long since I’ve written a first draft. What fun. So glad I still have it in me. Haha! J

So… What part of your job do you consider fun? I never really considered it before (in regards to my writing) because I thought I loved it all. But I really do enjoy first-draft writing the best.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Halloween-ish Music Video and My Weekend

I was going to rant about stupid stuff then realized it was stupid stuff so I deleted it. I think it’s because this weekend was pretty depressing—sports-wise.

So, since Halloween is next Monday (man, this month is going fast!), how about some nice Halloween-ish music?

Are you afraid of ghosts? I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. Yeah, that's a lie.

Okay, now I just want to watch Ghostbusters again. How about you?

Weekend Sports Roundup (it's more than just football now):

• High School Football: Wayne won! They’re the conference champs. One regular season game left and then it’s the playoffs!!!
• College Football: What the hell happened to OSU? Aaarrrgh! USC Trojans were on a bye. Probably just as well. Saturday was a BAD day for my favorite teams. Well, not all. West Virginia won. J
• NHL: Penguins were pitiful on Saturday. PIT-TI-FUL. Ugh. So glad I couldn’t watch this game. I’m sure it was ugly.
• NLCS: I was hoping to watch the NLCS game at the OSU half-time, or even after the OSU game, but the first few alerts told me not to bother (and of course, this game ended well before midnight, unlike the other games!). I will probably NOT watch the World Series (I’m behind on my TV shows anyway), but I’m rooting for the Indians because I will never EVER root for the cubs.
• NFL: Rams lost L but at least I got to watch the game. Just wish they’d played BETTER!!! Steelers lost L but then we kind of didn’t expect them to win with Big Ben out. Still… ugh. I am not a fan of the Patriots (especially their quarterback).

See what I mean about depressing? And to top it all off, I found out that my satellite radio in my Xterra will probably need to be fixed (I keep losing the signal). I'm almost afraid to find out how much that will cost. Grrr...

So… How was your weekend? Hopefully more enjoyable than mine. Although I did enjoy meeting my writer friends. Got three good hours out of 48. Guess it could have been worse. All 48 could have stunk.

Happy Monday! I’m soooo glad it’s here.

Stacy

99-cent Sale

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to purchase/read Ghostly Liaison, how does 99 cents sound? That’s right. The ebook is on sale. I don’t know how long the sale will last, so don’t wait too long. You can find the buy links on the Ghostly Liaison page (tab, up top) or click on the cover over on the side bar.

I voted early. Wow. That was super easy and super nice. No lines! Just wish I didn’t have to go downtown to do it, but at least they validated the parking. But I’m done. My votes are in. Now, if I can only stop the commercials. Ugh.

More baffling discoveries regarding my iPhone calendar. I’ve taken the phone to AT&T, but they don’t know what’s wrong (apparently all my settings are correct). I was at the Apple Store yesterday, but couldn’t wait the hour to see someone (who knew they’d be so busy??). When I got home I decided to do an experiment. I created a test appointment on my laptop calendar (Yahoo).

It went over to my iPhone correctly.

What?????

I made an appointment on my iPhone. It went over to the laptop correctly.

Okay, apparently just my sports games are all screwed up. So… I deleted them all on the laptop calendar. Then I deleted the Yahoo calendar on my iPhone. Next I added all my sports games on the laptop calendar. Then I turned the Yahoo calendar back on.

All the sports game times show up an hour earlier on my iPhone, but my test appointments are correct!!

Ugh!

Guess I’ll be making that trip to the Apple store after all. It’s just doesn’t make sense.

YAWN!! I’ve been staying up way too late watching the Dodgers play in the NLCS. I’ve never EVER been a Cubs fan—blame WGN—so if they happen to win, I’ll be an Indians fan during the World Series. I really hope the Dodgers win, though. I grew up loving that team. I didn’t become a fan of the Reds until 1976 (loved Johnny Bench), long before I ever met my future husband or even thought we’d move to Ohio. Funny how that worked out, huh?

Hey, but at least the Penguins won last night. Yay!

So… Whatcha doing this weekend? I’m meeting some writer friends on Saturday. Should be fun.

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Changing Goals

No, I’m not changing my goal of posting 13 times a month (this is a doable goal!). I went and changed my reading goal from 93 to 65. Technically I’m now ahead of schedule, but I’ll be surprised if I reach 65. Here’s what I read the past week:

October 13: “Trust Me, I’m a Ninja” by Natalie Whipple, second book in the Ninja series, a paranormal young adult novel at 351 pages. Blurb from book: Life hasn’t exactly been rosy since Tosh Ito and Amy Sato rid San Francisco of the Akuma Clan ninjas. They still can’t control their powers, and no one really knows how to train them to be Inyo. Adding to their problems, Amy is distant and depressed and won’t say why. Before Tosh can figure her out, the Akuma Clan makes a comeback. A gate to the kami realm is opened and strange creatures roam the city, causing chaos. Only Tosh and Amy can stop it, but they don’t know how, and they haven’t got time to learn. The gate is getting bigger, and something dangerous is waiting on the other side. Something hungry for the soul of an Inyo. Such an entertaining series. Can’t wait to get into the next one.

October 14: “Back Off, I’m a Ninja” by Natalie Whipple, third (and final) book in the Ninja series, a paranormal young adult novel at 321 pages. Blurb from book: Sometimes it sucks being a ninja. Still reeling from their disastrous face-off with the demon Akuma, Tosh an Amy are desperate to get stronger. They gained a small victory last time, but the price was too high, and it keeps getting higher. Akuma isn’t taking any chances. While he hunts the Inyo’s ancestors in the kami realm, his ninja clan targets their living relatives. Each soul consumed weakens the Inyo more, and one devastating blow threatens to take them out of the fight completely. With family dying in both realms, Tosh and Amy are running out of options. Unless they can discover a new source of strength, they will be forced to do the unthinkable: Sever their connection to buy the living realm some time, or lose their souls—and everyone else’s—to Akuma. This was such a fun series to read. Lots of action, too.

October 17: “A Spirited Love” by Gemma Brocato, #4.2 in the Five Senses series, a contemporary romance novella at 92 pages. Blurb from Goodreads: Hearts entwined, their love will conquer history. Jem Kerrigan appears to have it all. Her husband, Jack, loves her to distraction. She owns a thriving café in Granite Pointe, and she’s considering expanding her business. The only thing not falling nicely into place, the thing she wants most, is a baby bump. Hoping to distract Jem from their inability to conceive, Jack buys Sea View House and encourages her to pursue her dream of opening a banquet space. Jem is skeptical when she sees the dilapidated wreck atop a bluff. Deserted for a decade, rumors are rampant about ghosts and ill-fated love stories. While there is something haunting about the hundred-year-old mansion, the woven hearts theme enchants Jem. After discovering the tragic story of the original owners, Jem begins to understand the importance of the carvings of entwined hearts scattered throughout the house. The motif quickly becomes a symbol of Jem’s love for Jack. The promise of their future together is spirited, even if Jem’s arms remain empty. Cute story. Meant for readers of the series.

I know, I know, I changed my reading goal and then went and read THREE books this past week. Highly unusual and not something I expect to maintain, thus the change.

Oh, and if I happen to surpass 65 books? Maybe I just want to see a goal COMPLETED, even if it’s a changed goal.

So… Do you change goals mid-stream, or stick with them and hope for the best? I had really wanted to stick with mine, but then thought why torture myself like that? Let me pick something doable and then be happy about that. So, that’s what I did. Besides, 65 ain’t that shabby a number. Is it?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Pictures From Hot Sarasota

Today will be a SUPER long one. We’re driving home in one shot (Hubby has to be at work on Tuesday). That’s okay, though. It’s really not that bad of a drive. And once my daughter wakes up (she tends to party after Nationals), she’ll probably drive most of the way!

Heck, she drove most of the way coming down to Florida (I got a whole book read!).

We’ve attended Nationals at Louisville, Mason (Cincinnati), Dublin (Columbus), Austin (twice), and now Sarasota. Out of all those, I believe Sarasota had the nicest fields. The grass was very similar to a golf course and the fields were nice and flat. My only complaint was there were no trees to sit under because it was stinkin’ hot! Even when we were in Austin, the temps were usually in the mid 70s. It was near 90 in Sarasota. And humid. I kind of felt sorry for the players. Footy is a very physical sport.

I thought I was smart, though. I brought an umbrella and used that for shade. But imagine my surprise when I still got sunburned! That just doesn’t seem fair. I really did not want to make my “farmer’s” tan any worse. Oh well…

With football ending early on Sunday, Hubby and I were able to go into town (on the island) and check it out. We parked at one of the parks between bridges and walked the rest of the way. Found a restaurant for dinner (Cha-Cha Coconuts) and then walked around the circle (shops are located around their traffic circle), where I found a little cupcake shop. I had been looking for dessert to bring back to the hotel, too. Man, that was one yummy cupcake.

Anyway, below are some of the pictures I took (even of the cupcakes). I wish we were able to get to the beach while it was still daylight, but we weren’t thinking clearly. We did get there, but it was pretty dark.

Jillaroos (in pink) lining up for inspection.

Daughter is the one in the black leggings.

Fighting for the ball. Yes, they tackle. No, they don't wear
protective gear. Yes, they get hurt.

Taken from the little island between the mainland (in the
distance)  and the island we were headed to (Lido Beach).
Very beautiful and peaceful. I thought our car would
have been the last one there when we returned, but
the place is even more popular after the sun sets!

Bridge from Sarasota to the island off to the right.

Hey look, you can see my shadow!
Oh, and my car!

Neat bird!

Houses or a resort on the bay/gulf/whatever

Another neat bird!

This is Lido Beach. Too dark to see anything, though.

Hotels on Lido Beach. Kind of blurry (sorry).

This is where I got our cupcakes from.

Mine (on the left) was Snickerdoodle. Hubby got
Peanut Butter Cup. Super yummy! Glad I found Gigi's!

 

FYI – The Jillaroos didn’t win any games, but they played hard. And the Jackaroos made it to the Div 2 final, but lost to the Calgary Kangaroos.

Football Update:

• High School: Wayne Won!
• College: OSU Buckeyes won! (what a close one, too). USC Trojans won!
• NFL: Steelers & Rams lost. L I don’t know what happened with the Steelers (I expected a blow out going the other way), but the Rams played a close one. I really thought they might come out on top, but nope.

So… Have you ever used an umbrella for shade? How’d that work for you?

Have a great Monday.

Stacy

Footy Games and Halloween-ish Music Video for a Friday

I’m on the road again. This time headed for Sarasota, FL. My daughter is playing in the Footy* tournaments this weekend and of course we’re going to see her play. Are we awesome parents or what?

We drive back on Monday, so if I’m smart and take some pictures, I’ll get some up for Monday’s blog (because I can’t miss Monday!!).

Of course, that means I have to be smart. Not always a safe bet.

This summer (at a Dragons game, actually) I discovered a video on YouTube I had never seen before. Now, I love the song (love the group—still), but never thought it had any kind of horror-ish tendencies. When I saw the video (and laughed—yes, I laughed a lot) I knew it would be fun to share in October.

Oh, and look! It’s October!

So… while I’m traveling south on I-75, you can enjoy watching The Backstreet Boys in “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” Now tell this isn’t in the Halloween spirit! Not the song… the video!

Well... I WAS going to put the video here, but apparently Blogger is having problems FINDING it (it can find all the other Backstreet videos, though--sheesh!!). Anyway, here is the link. I hope you'll visit it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M6samPEMpM

Have a great Friday.

Stacy

 

*For those of you who don’t know, Footy is Australian RulesFootball.

 

Wednesday Reads and Not Walking in the Dark

I’m making some major headway in my revisions this week AND getting some reading done. Well… when I walk on the treadmill, I have more time to read. Gotta thank the shorter days for that, because I dislike walking on the treadmill. I just happen to dislike walking in the dark more (we have skunks in our neighborhood). Anyway, here’s what I read the past week:

October 6: “Relax, I’m a Ninja” by Natalie Whipple, first book in the Ninja series, a paranormal young adult novel at 338 pages. Blurb from book: A Clan of ninjas in San Francisco may sound improbable—but as the son of a ninja Master, Tosh Ito knows what lurks in the shadows of his city. Or at least he thought he did. When a killer with a poisoned blade starts cutting down teens, Tosh enlists Amy Sato—newest ninja recruit, and his best friend’s crush—and sets out to uncover the killer’s identity. What they find is ninjutsu more evil than they could have ever imagined. As Amy and Tosh grow closer, they discover their connection unleashes a legendary power that could stop the murders. Problem is, that power may be exactly what the killer is looking for, and wielding it could cost them their souls. I’m not a huge fan of YA (it tends to be on the angsty-side), but I won this book, as well as the rest in the series, so I felt a little obligated to at least read it and determine whether or not I would read the rest. Boy, am I glad I did. What a great story. Not angsty at all. I’ll definitely read the rest of the series.

I know, only one book this week. But hey, I really didn’t think I’d have it finished. However, next Wednesday looks to be better. Got another trip coming up (to Florida this time) and they’ll be three of us driving—more time for me to read! Or revise. If I don’t get sick.

I wonder why I get car sick with the laptop, but not with a book?

So… Do you like to walk in the dark? I used to not worry about it so much, but I’ve spotted waaaaay too many skunks on our street alone. I don’t want to get squirted. And I used to be afraid a car might not spot me. I’d fixed that, too. Have myself a neon yellow hoodie! Guess I needn’t have bothered.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

P.S. I'm super happy the Dodgers won last night and get to play a game 5 on Thursday. Fingers crossed they beat the Nationals!
 

Happy Columbus Day and I’ve Got Some Gripes

It’s Columbus Day! Are you off work today? Hubby has to work, so it’s a normal weekday for me.

Heck, I don’t remember the last time we actually got Columbus Day off. Probably when we worked for the military.

A long time ago.

But I remember when it used to be a school holiday. I don’t think it’s that anymore, either (at least not here). Think we have too many holidays? Or not enough?

I have a gripe today. A gripe with my iPhone. Or more precisely, my Yahoo calendar on my iPhone.

For some strange reason it still thinks I’m in Central time (I’m not. I’m in Eastern). All my “appointments” (which are actually game times) are listed an hour earlier than they’re supposed to be. I’ve tried re-booting my phone. I’ve tried deleting the calendar, rebooting the phone, then adding the calendar back. I’ve tried forcing the time zone on and off. Nothing is working.

The Yahoo calendar on my laptop is correct, though. It shows I’m in the Eastern zone. So why is my iPhone not syncing up correctly? It has the correct time zone!!!

It’s so baffling and frustrating.

The only good thing is I get an hour’s notice when a game is about to start.

I have the new IOS 10, but I believe this problem existed before I upgraded. In fact, I believe it started when we drove back from Denver. For some reason my phone got stuck. I had issues syncing my Fitbit (it kept showing Central time) and the first reboot fixed that (thank goodness).

I’ve tried searching the internet for help, but everything is from years ago. Nothing recent. Can I be the only one having this problem?

That would be my kind of luck.

I also have another gripe. This one with Yahoo (I’m beginning to notice a theme here) and IE11. For some reason myYahoo thinks I’m on an older version of IE. myYahoo works fine on Edge and Chrome (except I don’t like either), so I don’t know what’s going on. Very frustrating. My screen is all screwed up (can’t get my theme to work correctly). Grrr…

I’d use Edge all the time (especially now that the picture doesn’t shake—yes, it did that before), but I can’t figure out how to show what websites I’ve visited recently. There’s no little down arrow over to the right of the URL (or anywhere I can see). I use that down arrow all the time on IE. Why Edge got rid of it, I’ll never know. 

Unless I’m just blind and it’s there. If that’s the case, can you enlighten me?

Football Update:

• High School: Wayne won!
• College: Ohio State won! USC Trojans won!
• NFL: Steelers won! Rams… didn’t win. Okay, guess I can’t win them all. L

Good news! 3 days till PENGUINS HOCKEY! Yay! It’s getting to be a busy sports season (by the way, I’m rooting for the Dodgers in the World Series hunt).

So… Do computer programs/apps/what-have-you make you crazy? I probably wouldn’t have such issues with them if they didn’t update so darn often! Ugh.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Pictures of my Posters

I got my posters back from Michael's yesterday and remembered to take pictures of those and the rest of my posters so I'd have something to blog about. That's because I didn't have anything else written! Can't miss a Friday, now can I?

Pictures aren't the greatest. They might have turned out better if I'd have taken them during the day (natural light), but I'm apparently not smart like that.

I have no idea where the new posters will hang. Hubby didn't realize how large they were! Remember, if you click on the photo, it will get bigger and easier to see.

One of the new ones--a VanGogh print. I love VanGogh!

 

Another new one.
I'm not a huge fan of Picasso, but Hubby liked
this print.

 

Last of the new ones.
This Monet looks better in person. Honest!

I bought this poster when I visited the MET back in the 80s.
I was there during a class field trip for an art class I needed for
my photography degree (at Brookdale Comm College in NJ)
When I saw this painting in person, I just had to have the
poster. Beautiful! It hangs in the living room.

This was the other VanGogh poster I got
while visiting the MET in the 80s. It hangs
in the dining room.

This is a VanGogh poster we got at an auction
(and it hangs in the family room). We used to
attend lots of auctions. Got our dining room set that way.

We also got this Monet poster at an auction. Certainly
cheaper than what I just did with those new three posters!
This one hangs in the dining room.



I saw this neat VanGogh ensemble at a store
and couldn't resist getting it (one of these days
I'll get a copy of Starry Night--I love that one).
This hangs in the living room.
Couldn't seem to get rid of the glare!

Hubby won this poster in a drawing at the Dayton Art
Institute. He's a huge Beatles fan. It hangs in the living room.

So... Got any favorites in the bunch? Do you have any framed posters? If so, what kind?

Have a great Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads

I might not have gotten much revising done while at RomCon, but by gosh, I read some books. Reading’s a lot easier than writing while traveling, that’s for sure. And after a hectic day in the convention (no matter how much fun they are they can be very stressful), reading is the best medicine. Here’s what I read the past week:

September 29: “Immortal Nights” by Lynsay Sands, #24 in the Argeneau Vampire series, a paranormal romance at 346 pages. Blurb from book: Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival…a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch. Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night… I really can’t get enough of this series. They’re just plain fun to read. Yes, even after 24 books!

October 3: “The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride” by Kristen Painter, #1 in the Nocturne Falls series, a paranormal romance at 212 pages. Blurb from Goodreads: Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs and all. After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. What she doesn't know is her groom to be is a 400-year-old vampire. Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. His past means love is no longer an option. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real. Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets... What a fun book, but I knew I shouldn't have read it. I know, why’d I get it, then? Because it was free and it looked fun. Well, it was, and now I want to read more of her work (even though the author closes the door whenever sex is in play—drat!). I really do need to finish the books I own, but--haha--that'll never happen will it?

October 3: “All I Need” by Eden Ashe, a paranormal romance novella at 48 pages. Blurb from Goodreads: When she inherits the ancestral manor she’d grown up in from her wily grandmother, Jilly is ready to settle down. Only problem—the manor has been willed to Luke Bannon as well. The bane of her existence, Luke is the one guy who can threaten her carefully erected walls. But not a man to be ignored, he has loved her forever. He just wishes he didn’t have to share the house with her. Once they’re alone in the old manor, it’s clear something isn’t right.... Doors locked tight, windows won’t budge... something—or someone—won’t let them leave. At least not until they admit they’re meant to be together. This story was a fun and sexy read, but way, way too short. Which I wasn’t expecting since the author stated it used to be 600 pages. 600 pages down to 48? Too much was cut (I would have liked to know more about the character’s motivations—heck I’d like to know more about the characters, period). Then again, it states it’s the first book of the series. Maybe the rest of the story will come out later. Unfortunately, there aren’t any other books out right now (or the hint of any). Boo.

So… What do you like to do to decompress?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Still Traveling, BBQ, and Football

Well, RomCon16 is in the books, but I’m still on the road. Expect to make it home later this afternoon. I’ll be glad to sleep in my own bed tonight. And use my own internet. It may be slow, but it’s nothing compared to hotel wi-fi. Ugh.

RomCon was fun, although I really thought it would be bigger. Kind of shocked me that Lori Foster’s Reader Author Get Together (RAGT) is larger and way cheaper (that last part mainly from the venue, I’m sure).

It was a nice intimate con and I met a lot of readers (mostly from the speed date an author event—fun, but whew!). It would have been nice if I SOLD some books at the book signing (I’m not doing so well at any con for that), but a lot of people were interested in my books and I let them know the e-books were cheaper (especially Bite Me, I’m Yours and Ghostly Liaison).

Will I go back, though? Probably not. It’s just a bit too far for me.

That marks the end of my conventions for this year. I have one more book signing/luncheon coming up on Dec 3, but I don’t have to go far for that (Newport, KY).

We stopped  in Kansas City last night (about the half-way mark). I wanted to try some KC BBQ, so we asked the hotel clerk what was good and he recommended a place (family owned, not a chain). I ordered the pulled pork, but couldn’t eat it. It was way too spicy, which shocked me. I never would have expected it to be anything other than smoky. The waitress insisted on replacing my meal (even though I told her it wasn’t necessary), so I got the brisket (which is what Hubby was eating). It was much better, but man, was there a lot of meat there. I don’t think they know what 6oz is. I swear, there must have been closer to a pound on the plate. We ended up taking most of it with us. Good thing we have a cooler to transport it home.

But my opinion? I liked the Texas BBQ we got in San Antonio a whole bunch more.

Football Games this past weekend:

• Missed our Wayne Warriors (high school) play on Friday, but they won easily (58-7). Playoff bound? I hope so!!
• Hubby was able to watch the OSU game at B-dubs (not used to a 10am game, though), while I was busy with that speed date an author. He sent updates. I smiled a lot. Quite a blow-out.
• My Rams are 3-1 now. Whoo hoo!
• And the Steelers topped off another good football weekend.

So… Do you have a BBQ preference? Texas? Kansas City? Something else? Is there something else?

Happy Monday!

Stacy