Wednesday Reads and Movies

Christmas time is movie time for us. In the theater and on DVDs. On Christmas Eve our daughter came over and we watched “Love, Actually,” “While You Were Sleeping,” and “Lethal Weapon.” I hadn’t seen “Lethal Weapon” in years! Still love it. Then on Christmas the whole family went to the theatre and saw “Mary Poppins Returns” (which was a very good movie). Came home after dinner and then Hubby and I watched “Donovan’s Reef” (one of Hubby’s favorites—John Wayne—which is also set during Christmas).

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #55

Dates read: December 18-20
Title: The Crooked Staircase
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Series:  Jane Hawk #3
# of Pages: 462
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: “I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead.” Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she’s breathing, she’ll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom—and free will—of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane’s husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane’s enemies are determined to see her dead…or make her wish she was.
    Jane’s ruthless pursuers can’t stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from Southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.
My thoughts: Have you ever watched “The Stepford Wives”? That’s what this series kind of reminds me of. Only worse. Much worse. I ripped through this book, and was a little disappointed that it left me hanging a bit. I have the next one to read, and I want to read it, but now I wonder if I should wait. The fifth (and supposedly final) book in the series isn’t due out until May. One way or another I’m waiting. But what if the next book has an even WORSE cliffhanger? Yeah, I think I’ll just wait until the last book comes out.

Book #56

Dates read: December 21-23
Title: Waking the Dead
Year of publication: 2014
Author: Heather Graham
Genre: Paranormal mystery romance
Series:  Cafferty & Quinn #2
# of Pages: 360
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: They say a painting can have a life of its own… In the case of Ghosts in the Mind painted by Henry Sebastian Hubert, that’s more than just an expression. The characters are reputed to come to life—and to kill. The artist was a friend of Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, joining them in Switzerland in 1816, and now, almost two hundreds years later, the painting appears in New Orleans. Wherever it goes, death seems to follow.
     Danielle Cafferty and Michael Quinn, occasional partners in solving crime, are drawn into the case. They begin to make connections between that summer in Switzerland and this spring in Louisiana. Danni, the owner of an eccentric antique shop, and Quinn, a private detective, have discovered that they have separate but complementary talents when it comes to investigating unusual situations.
    Blending their personal relationship with the professional lives they’ve stumbled into, they confront this work of art…and evil. They have to discover what brings it to life. And they have to destroy it—before it destroys them.
My thoughts: Very good mystery with lots of creepy stuff. It had been awhile since I read book 1, but I managed to get back into this world easy enough. No cliffhangers, either!

So… Do you find yourself watching a lot of movies during the holidays? Which ones?

Happy Reading! And I hope your Christmas was splendid!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I'm Still Exercising

One good thing about walking on the treadmill, I get more books read!

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #53

Dates read: December 7-12
Title: Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Genre: Fantasy romance
Series:  The Embraced #3
# of Pages: 429
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Gwennore is an Elf able to track down the cause of a certain illness and heal it—a valuable asset to her people But when she is thrust into the realm of the dragons she discovers a haunted place of power, passion, and magic—one that is plagued by an ancient curse. When she meets the smoldering general Silas Dravenko, Gwen knows she’s entered a whole new world of trouble. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon. So why does making a deal with the devil feel so good?
    Silas has no way of saving the royal family he’s served for years. But when a beautiful, innocent elf comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to desire in a way he’s never felt before But how can he trust a sworn enemy… and how can he live without her?
My thoughts: I laughed out loud at many of the scenes in this book. It was a lot of fun to read.

 Book #54

Dates read: December 12-17
Title: The Whispering Room
Year of publication: 2017
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Series:  Jane Hawk #2
# of Pages: 492
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: “No time to delay. Do what you were born to do. Fame will be yours when you do this.” These are the words that ring in the mind of mild-mannered, beloved schoolteacher Cora Gundersun—just before she takes her own life, and many others, in a shocking act of carnage. When the disturbing contents of her secret journal are discovered, it seems certain that she must have been insane. But Jane Hawk knows better.
    In the wake of her husband’s inexplicable suicide—and the equally mysterious deaths of scores of other exemplary individuals—Jane picks up the trail of a secret cabal of powerful players who think themselves above the law and beyond punishment. But the ruthless people bent on hijacking America’s future for their own monstrous ends never banked on a highly trained FBI agent willing to go rogue—and become the nation’s most wanted fugitive—in order to derail their insidious plans to gain absolute power with a terrifying technological breakthrough. Driven by love for her lost husband and by fear for the five-year-old son she has sent into hiding, Jane Hawk has become an unstoppable predator. Those she is hunting will have nowhere to run when her shadow falls across them.
My thoughts: Man, I had a hard time putting this book down. Many questions still remain (and the ending sure made more of them—for the reader and the main character), but at least there isn’t an actual cliff hanger. However, I have the next two books and I’m not wasting any time starting on book 3. If you like suspense/thrillers, give this series a try.

So far I’ve been sticking with the exercise. Yay! If not for a book to read, I doubt I’d continue walking on that treadmill, though. It really is the pits. At least when the weather warms up (it will, right?), I can walk outside and then continue with my weight training when I get home. Although, I’m gonna need more weights. I’ve only got 8- and 10-pound dumbbells (and nothing for my legs), which won’t be enough if I stick with it and give up the fitness center. And I really want to stick with it and give up the fitness center.

The sort-of break is going well (one less thing to worry about) so I won’t be back here until next Wednesday (because I’m pretty sure I’ll have a book to report). I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. That’s if you celebrate it.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I’m Taking a Break…Sort of

Not much happens in my life. Well…not much INTERESTING. And it’s getting harder and harder to blog about all that uninteresting stuff. So, I figure why not take a break. I won’t not blog because if I’ve read a book, I’m still posting that. And I’ll still be around the blogosphere, reading and commenting when the mood strikes. So I won’t be gone, just not posting. At least for December. And except on Wednesday.

See? Only a sort-of break. J

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #52

Dates read: December 2-6
Title: Restore Me
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: YA Distopian
Series:  Shatter Me #4
# of Pages: 435
Paper or plastic: Hard back
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: It’ been sixteen days since Juliette Ferrars killed the supreme commander of North America and took over as ruler of The Reestablishment on the continent.
    Sixteen days since she assassinated Warner’s father.
    Juliette thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45 and now has Warner by her side. But she’s still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and with so much power in her young hands, the world is watching her every move, waiting to see what happens next.
    Juliette and Warner have risked everything. But when tragedy strikes, they must confront the darkness that exists both around and inside them. Will they be able to control the power Juliette wields, or will it control them?
My thoughts: Do not read this book if you like your books to have an actual ending. This one did not (it’s way worse than a stupid cliffhanger). I like the series. Started it when the first one came out in 2011 and don’t remember any of them ending as badly as this one does (okay, I just re-read my review of book 2 and it did have a cliff hanger). I find it funny that book 3 was supposed to be the conclusion to the series. Now there’s a book 5 and 6 planned. I think I’ll wait until book 6 is out (or the last one, if that isn’t it) before I read anymore. That’s if I even bother. Oh, and don’t let that page count fool you. There are soooooo many blank pages between Juliette’s and Warner’s POV (yes, it’s in first person and they each have a POV), and the flip back and forth happens a lot.

It’s funny that Wednesday used to be the hardest day for me to blog. Then I came up with Wednesday Reads. Now it’s the easiest! I’ll just have to come up with something fun to blog about on the other days, but right now my brain isn’t functioning so well. I’ll blame it on the holidays. They always make a good excuse.

But at least I’m NOT using the holidays as an excuse for not exercising. I’m still at it every morning (except on the weekends when we have other plans) and I hope to continue this habit into 2019. I’m tired of feeling old and slow. And when the day comes for that heart surgery, I’d like to be in a better shape than I am now.

So… Reading anything good? After that last book I made sure to pick a romance to read next. Those always make me happy and right now I want happy.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

The Survey Says...

AOL sent me a survey to find out how they’re doing. Hahahahaha! They weren’t giving me anything to do it (because that’s usually why I’ll do a survey—for free or discounted stuff), but I completed it anyway.

Yes, they got low marks. But then every e-mail service I use would get the same, so that’s nothing new. At the end they asked for comments and to give them my e-mail if I wanted to be paid to test stuff out for them.

Well, I didn’t want to do any testing, but I had comments. My major one being that when I comment on people’s Blogger posts, my e-mails automatically go into spam. Yes, even my own comments on my own blog!!

I really wish I knew why that is, because it’s really annoying.

I hit submit and got an error. Said the comment box wasn’t formatted correctly.

Formatted? It took me a moment to realize they only wanted my e-mail address.

Well, hell. Apparently AOL didn’t want my comments after all (and I so much wanted to give it to them, too!). Or they just don’t know what a comment box is. Foo on them!

Now I wish I’d given them LOWER marks.

So… Do you do surveys for free or only those where you get $$ off a meal or a free sandwich or something?

Happy Friday! And Happy Birthday to my sister (in case she reads my blog, which I don’t believe she does).

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and We Book Another Cruise!

Hubby and I already have cruises booked for Bermuda (8 days, Oct 2019) and Hawaii (14 days, Dec 2019). On Monday Carnival announced this awesome transatlantic cruise in June 2020 (16 days) leaving NYC with stops to Greenland, Iceland, Shetland Islands, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and ending in London. On Tuesday we booked it! I’m so freakin’ excited.

Are we nuts? Probably. But this is a RARE cruise. We really didn’t want to miss it. And you know what? In less than two days, this cruise was already 80% full. I’m so glad we didn’t wait.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #51

Dates read: November 25-December 1
Title: Too Far Gone
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Allison Brennan
Genre: Suspense
Series:  Lucy Kincaid #14
# of Pages: 473
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: When a man who appears mentally unstable holds a group of people hostage and dies in a shootout with the FBI, Special Agent Lucy Kincaid is assigned to investigate what happened. Up until two months ago, Charlie McMahon was a respected scientist—then his wife left him, he lost his job, and he was arrested for assaulting a former colleague. The one person who might have answers—his research assistant—has disappeared.
    While Lucy is investigating this bizarre case, her husband Sean is on top of the world: his son Jesse is visiting for the summer. They are having a blast, until someone follows them. Sean is positive that the surveillance is connected to Jesse’s stepfather—a man who had once laundered money for a violent drug cartel. But when Lucy and Jesse are run off the road, they begin to wonder if the attack is connected to Jesse…or Lucy’s current case.
    Nothing is what it seams—not the McMahon investigation or the car accident. As Sean and Lucy dig deep into the lives of everyone involved, one thing becomes clear: If they don’t find the truth fast, everyone they care about is in danger…
My thoughts: This series started out as romantic suspense. Now the romance is very light and it’s more just suspense. I’m okay with this. I love this family, these characters. It’s always a joy to return to. The suspense ain’t half bad, either!

Yesterday I started what I hope will become a regular exercise program (it’s been long overdue). Walked on the treadmill and worked the upper body (started out light—don’t want to overdo anything). Today I’ll walk the treadmill and work the legs. This is in my house, too (no trips to the fitness center). I’m determined to stick with it because I really need to get back in some sort of healthy shape. And as long as I don’t start out too hard (and get myself too sore), I should do okay. Also, I get to read while I’m on the treadmill, which helps my reading and walking (sure passes the time easier!).

So… Are you trying to start something healthy before the new year gets here? I really should start eating healthier, too, but hey, one step at a time. Right?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Football and Pictures of my Christmas Tree

I watched the horrible, horrible Steelers game last night and failed to write today’s post. Okay, more like just forgot, period, since I could have written this while watching the game. Probably just as well I didn’t. That game put me in a pissy mood.

At least the Rams won their game, and are the NFC West champs! Yay!

I’m really happy OSU won and became the Big Ten champions on Saturday. Kind of feel like they got a slap in the face by putting a 2-loss team (a team that lost their conference champion game), ahead of them in the rankings, but oh well. They’re going to the Rose Bowl. Can’t complain too much about that. Go Bucks!!

I decorated the house and tree this weekend (so I wasn’t a total slob just watching sports). Here are some pictures.

This is the first year since 1992 that we haven't had a fireplace to hang the stockings. I think I found a suitable replacement (as long as I don't need inside the cabinet). In this pic, the tree is up, but not decorated (it's a pre-lit tree, so that part of decorating is easy).

Here's a picture of the completely decorated tree. I like how I have lots of room to walk around it! Didn't have that luxury in the old house (at least not where we could see it all the time).

Every year we purchase dated ornaments (have been doing this since our first Christmas as a married couple). In 2003, we started adding a dated Steelers ornament. This one is the ornament I bought at the local Hallmark store. It has a penguin on it!

Here's our dated Steelers ornament. We get them from the Danbury Mint. In fact, they just automatically mail it to us and I had to search for last year's order so the new one would come to the correct house! The things you don't realize when you move until it's almost too late.

So… Are you ready for Christmas? Do you buy dated ornaments? I have most of my shopping done (shocker, huh?) and now the tree is ready for presents. Guess I have to now wrap some stuff. That part I don’t like so much.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

I Find it Sad...

People have a problem with romance

I love romance. It’s why I write it. Those happy endings make me feel good. Even good beginnings do, like watching someone propose. But when did being romantic in public become intolerable?

A man wants to sing and propose to his significant other on a cruise, in the main dining room, during elegant night. The person he asked, asked for opinions from cruise-goers (this was all via Facebook, by the way).

I couldn’t believe how many people were against this. That it would “ruin” their dinner. Really? I was just flabbergasted at the responses.

The more I’m on Facebook, the more ugly people I encounter. It’s horrible! Why can’t people be nice? It’s a freakin’ cruise; you’re supposed to have FUN. A few minutes away from your meal (which usually isn’t the case—the wait staff entertains diners between dinner & dessert so this request isn’t that much different) can’t be THAT bad. It’s like no one wants to share in someone else’s joy anymore. Sheesh!

Maybe I’m just becoming an old grumpy person. But this really irritated me. And made me sad.

And I was going to end the post with this, until I came across…

People trust websites more than faxes
Bowker, the company that issues ISBNs, got hacked during May through October of this year (yes, during—it wasn’t discovered until October). Lots of people’s credit cards and other personal info were obtained illegally and Bowker shut their website down to stop the hack.

I guess their website is back up now but you can’t purchase the ISBNs from their site until they get the issue resolved. Instead, you have to fax the order in.

It was kind of funny (in a sad way) how so many authors do not TRUST faxes. It wasn’t all that long ago where it was the ONLY way to send in orders. Well, that and MAIL it in. And you know what? I don’t remember people getting hacked all that much back then. Probably because it was HARDER to do. But hey, but what do I know?

Bowker does say that if you don’t want to include your credit card info on the fax order, just to write “call me” and they’ll call you for it.

Hmmm… it wasn’t all that long ago people didn’t trust their phones to give out that information, either.

Apparently I am on a roll, because I also came across…

People trust “the cloud” more than their own disc drives
Software companies who promise you that you can get your documents wherever you are, on whatever device you want, appeal to a lot of people (not me). What’s funny is that these people are SURPRISED when their documents go missing.

I mean, one little hiccup from the software company can cause anything to happen. To depend on them to keep your documents safe at all times is unrealistic.

Yes, I e-mail my manuscripts to myself, which in essence is in “the cloud.” But it’s not the ONLY place I store them. I’ve lost e-mails before, I’ll lose them again I’m sure. Because I don’t trust OTHERS to keep what’s important to ME safe.

Am I old school? Hardly. If I were, I’d PRINT OUT my manuscript every night (or worse, use a—gasp—typewriter). I’m not that bad. I only print it out when I’m finished. Haha!

I don’t like using software that can ONLY be accessed via the Internet when I want to use it (and I won’t use it for my manuscripts). I lose the Internet more often than I like.

Thanks for letting me rant today. Sometimes you just get hit with a bunch of crazy stuff and you want to share.

So… Do you hate public romance? Distrust faxes? Love “the cloud”? Why?

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I Reached My Goal!

Whoo hoo! I reached my reading goal. Not that I plan on stopping there. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #50

Dates read: November 23-24
Title: Elevation
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Paranormal?
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 146
Paper or plastic: Hard back
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Castle Rock is a small town, where word gets around quickly. That’s why Scott Carey wants to confide only in his friend Doctor Bob Ellis about his strange condition: he’s losing weight, without getting thinner, and the scales register the same whether he is in his clothes or out of them, no matter how heavy they are.
    Scott also has new neighbors who have opened a “fine dining experience” in town, although it’s an experience being shunned by the locals: Deirdre McComb and her wife Missy Donaldson don’t exactly conform to a lifestyle the community approves of. And now Scott seems trapped in a feud with the couple over their dogs dropping their business on his lawn. Missy may be warm and friendly but Deirdre is cold as ice.
    As the town prepares for its annual Thanksgiving 12K run, Scott begins to understand the prejudices the women face, and tries to help. Unlikely alliances form, and the mystery of Scott’s affliction brings out the best in people who have indulged the worst in themselves and others.
My thoughts: Interesting story. Not sure of the genre. Definitely not horror. Just…weird. Is that a genre? Went quick once I was able to get time to read it. There were lessons in this story for sure, but I have a feeling those people who need to learn them won’t bother picking up the book to read.

So… How are you doing on your reading goals? Or did you not set any?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Cleaning, Nibbles, and My Teams

A cleaning we accomplished

Hubby and I actually got the garage straightened up. Was able to actually get TWO cars in there, too. Problem? You can’t walk between them (or get out of the car all that easy). This garage is a bit narrower than the one at the old house (although the driveway is wider, which is really nice). Until we get a shed, it looks like only one car (the fun car) will get parked in the garage.

But we accomplished what we set out to do, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.

Nibbles but no bites
Got an offer on the house. Turned it down (we want to sell it, not give it away). They came back with another offer. We countered that. That was last week. Don’t know if they’ve reconsidered or if the delay is due to the holiday. Hopefully we find out this week. No one has scheduled to see the house since then.

I’ll blame the holiday for that.

My teams and other games
Ohio State massacred that team up north. It was awesome.

The Penguins beat the Blue Jackets on Saturday. That was awesome, too. Even better, I got to watch it on TV (thanks Fox Sports Ohio!!). Not happy they lost on Friday to the Bruins, but at least it was in OT, so one point is better than none.

USC fell again. I was really hoping they’d beat Notre Dame. I’ve never liked them.

LSU and Texas A&M went into 7 overtimes! SEVEN!!! I was going to watch it after the USC game (only because it looked to be a good game), but it wasn’t telecast here. Probably just as well. I don’t know if I could  have lasted that long anyway.

The Browns actually won another game? And against the Bengals? Yeah, I had to laugh at that. I’m okay with that outcome, though. It helps the Steelers. Because…

The Steelers lost! Ugh. I really thought they were going to pull another one out of their ass. They can be so frustrating to watch. But I love them anyway.

So… Friday was movie day for the family. We went and saw Robin Hood. This is a completely different type of Robin Hood story. But I enjoyed it. Lots of action and adventure. Do you like it when people “change” the story of an iconic character? Even though I’ve seen a few Robin Hood movies, none of them are like the book (or so Hubby says). Neither is this new one, so there’s that.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Happy Thanksgiving

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #49

Dates read: November 12-20
Title: Hidden
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series:  Deep Ops #1
# of Pages: 348
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Hide. That’s all Pippa can do to escape the terror chasing her. But now that she’s off the grid in a safe house, she finds plenty of interesting things to watch through the window. Like her new neighbor, with his startling green eyes, killer smile, and sexy bad-boy tattoo…
    Run. Malcolm West is fleeing the hell he unleashed in his last assignment as an undercover cop. A backwoods bungalow sounds like the perfect place to start over. Until he discovers he’s been set up…
    Fight. Someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to bring them together. No matter how much he resents that, and his own driving needs, Malcolm will have to dig deep and let loose the banished killer inside himself, or Pippa’s fears could come true faster than the flip of a bolt in a lock…
My thoughts: Stayed up late reading this so I could have something to post this morning. And you know what? It wasn’t a hardship. Not at all. I think this is the first book of hers I’ve read that didn’t have some kind of paranormal stuff going on. Straight romantic suspense. And it’s good. But then, that wasn’t a surprise, either.

I won’t be posting tomorrow, since I don’t post on Thursdays anyway, so I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow. That’s if you’re in the States and celebrate it. We’ve got the family coming over. Should be fun and I’m looking forward to their visit.

Happy Reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

Stacy

Having Fun, Football, and Saturday

The fun part

Someone asked me a long time ago which part of the writing process I enjoyed the most. I had said all parts. But you know what? That’s not true. At least, it’s not true anymore.

The part I enjoy the most is the revising part. Adding meat. Fixing the story. That’s where the fun is at. And I’m having loads of fun fixing my short story. But I wouldn’t have had anything to fix if I hadn’t written the stupid thing first. That’s the thing I have to keep reminding myself as I’m writing that first draft.

And I have to remind myself A LOT!

Football
Should I just be happy my teams (okay, most of my teams) won this weekend? USC didn’t win, but OSU did. Barely. But then, they didn’t really “win” that game. Maryland kind of handed it them.

Why do teams go for 2 when they can tie it at 1? Maryland got bit in the butt for that (not that I’m complaining) and so did the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

The Steelers also played like crap but managed to come out on top against the Jaguars. I told Hubby that Ben HAD to make that touchdown to make up for all those stupid interceptions.

Sometimes I think our favorite teams just like to torment us fans every now and then. They all do it, don’t they?

Tonight the Rams play against the Chiefs. They’re both at 9-1. I’m almost afraid to watch it, especially after what my teams did on Saturday and Sunday. We’ll see if I can stay awake for the whole thing, though. I want to go bed happy.

The book signing
The author event on Saturday didn’t turn out so bad. I sold a book! I might have sold two if the girl who said she’d left her purse in the car had returned after leaving (she said she wanted one of my books). I think I gave her a magnet, so hopefully she finds me on line and buys one that way.

I guess the library does this event annually, but I doubt I go back. Just not that many romance readers attended. But I’m always willing to try new places, especially when they only cost my time and fuel to drive there.

So… Did you know this calendar year (2018) is the same as 1979? Do you know how I know that? Because Hubby and I were married on Saturday, December 1^st and this December 1^st falls on a Saturday. And Thanksgiving came early that year, too. I had flown into Georgia (probably Atlanta) to meet up with soon-to-be Hubby and we drove down to Jacksonville for me to meet his parents. For Thanksgiving. Then we drove back to Arizona and spent the week preparing for our wedding. Ahhh… memories.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Ice and Snow, I Finished, and…Comments

Woke up yesterday to everything covered in ice. I couldn’t even see out the windows because they were coated. Then later it started snowing on top of all that ice. It was a pretty yucky day.

I am so not ready for winter.

I Finished!!!
That’s right. I finished my short story on Wednesday. Boy what a great feeling that was. It had been tooooo long since I’ve felt that way, too. It’s currently at 10K words, but that’s okay. It has to be between 8-12K long. I even got a blurb going, but I’m hoping to get some eyes on it before I share it here (or on my newsletter).

But it’s written. And I’m sooooo happy!

Commenting on my blog
I don’t get many comments on my blog, probably because not a lot of you read this. Does that make me sad? Ehh, sometimes. It is what it is. Doesn’t mean I’ll stop blogging because one of these days my books will hit it big and… Well, you know.

Still… I thought that I allowed anyone with an ID to comment on this blog. Seems Blogger changed something along the way (or I’m crazy—which is highly possible, too) and I only have three choices for receiving comments: From Anyone (including anonymous), from Google Users, or from members of my blog.

Since I’m the only member of my blog, I certainly didn’t choose that. And I have chosen “Anyone” in the past, but got hit spam. So my blog is marked for “Google Users,” which is where I thought it used to say something about other types of IDs, too.

Now, I know not everyone has a Google account, but if I change it back to “Anyone,” I might as well turn on modifications and approve each comment. And I’m not so sure I want to do that, either. That’s because I don’t always get notified of comments.

I can thank AOL for that. It doesn’t like to recognize my OWN comments!

What do you think? Should I open the comments up to “Anyone” knowing that it might be a few hours before your comment appears? And I realize if you can’t comment on this blog, it would be kind of hard to answer, so you can e-mail me (address is listed on this blog in a few places).

For now I’ll leave it at Google users. It’s only if I get enough of you who don’t have Google and wish to comment that I’ll change it. Because I know how frustrating it is to read a blog and not be able to comment. I tend to not visit those blogs again.

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I Survived

I Survived

Colonoscopy itself went quick. The prep beforehand… not so quick. That stuff they give you tastes AWFUL! A mixture between salt and metal. Blech! I got the first 2 liters down Monday night (took two hours), but when I got up at 4:30 am to continue the second two liters... let’s just say I didn’t finish it. Luckily, I didn’t have to. But it messed up my stomach (nauseous) and head (bad headache) so bad that I wasn’t even HUNGRY! The anesthesia fixed my stomach (and I don’t remember the procedure at all—yay!), but the headache took some food (and caffeine) to fix.

At least I don’t have to have another for 10 years! Yay!

Wednesday Reads
Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #48

Dates read: November 2-9
Title: The Outsider
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Thriller/Suspense (horror?)
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 560
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. The case seems ironclad, especially when Anderson and the district attorney are able to add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. But Maitland has an alibi, and it turns out his story has incontrovertible evidence of its own.
    How can two opposing stories be true? What happens to a family when an accusation of this magnitude is delivered? When must reason or rationality be abandoned in order to explain the inexplicable? As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock as only Stephen King can.
My thoughts: When I was marking this book as my current read in Goodreads, I noticed a question and answer about it sort of being book #4 in the Bill Hodges series. That piqued my interest even more. Of course, as I was reading this book I wondered HOW is it #4? Then I hit the half-way mark. Ahhh… Holly Gibney. I do like her. Actually, I liked the whole book. Knowing Stephen King’s books, I wasn’t “shocked” at the answer, just surprised it’s not listed as a horror book (at least it’s up for best thriller in the Goodreads best book awards), when it kind of is a horror book.

So… Do you like horror books? They used to be the only kind of books I read (before I read Twilight and started writing and then discovered other awesome genres). Which is strange that I don’t write them. You’d think I would, huh?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

I'm Looking Forward to...

A colonoscopy

Okay, I’m NOT looking forward to this. I’m looking forward to it being OVER! Ten years ago I had my first colonoscopy and told to come back in ten years. My doctor told me not to be surprised if I’m told this time to come back in five years, because apparently ten years between them is too long? Grrr… Yeah, I know, better to get checked often than wait too long and find something.

What I’m really not looking forward to is the prep I have to go through today and tomorrow morning for tomorrow’s procedure. Monday is usually pizza/TV with Son, but I cancelled that since I can’t eat anything after 9am today until after the procedure. Ugh…

Tomorrow’s procedure is going to happen on base this year (last time I went someplace off base—not a hospital). Last time I wasn’t completely out and remember a lot of it. I’m hoping I’m totally out this time. I don’t want to remember it. I don’t want to feel it!!! Wish me luck!

A book signing
Yay! Something good to look forward to this week. I’ll be at the Boone County (KY) Public Library this Saturday for their Author Event (you can see more information here: https://www.bcpl.org/undiscovered/local-author-fair-just-in-time-for-holiday-shopping/ ). I’m apparently going to be on a panel discussing self-publishing, but that’s about all I know. Well, that, and I get a table to sell my books. I don’t usually sell at library events, but it was free for me and publicity is publicity. Right? And if I actually sell a book (or even get a newsletter subscriber), SCORE!

I pretty much have all my swag in one room, just have to pack it up to transport (I have pens and bookmarks now!!). And my books are all set to go. Don’t know if Hubby will accompany me. I hope he does, but I won’t nag him about it.

Although, maybe if I give him the sad eyes… J

A finished short story
That’s right! I’m highly confident I’ll finish my short story this week (might have finished it Friday except I was at the hospital with Daughter—who is doing well by the way). Next I need to figure out the blurb and what kind of cover I want for it. The sooner I get that all done, the sooner I can get back to my WIP. I miss those characters.

So… Are you looking forward to anything this week?

Happy Monday! 

Stacy

Aaack! It Snowed!

Woke up this morning and came into the sunroom—which wasn’t all that sunny—and thought at first it was foggy outside. There was this softness on the rooftops. Upon closer examination (without my coffee, even), I noticed my mistake. It wasn’t fog. There is snow on the rooftops!

It snowed last night! Aaack!

Okay, not a lot of snow, but still… snow. It’s cold enough to snow out there. I am not amused.

Frankly, I thought the snow was supposed to show up sometime tonight, mixed with rain. Which was why I was kind of glad Wayne wasn’t playing tonight. We’d be sitting in that mess.


Stayed up last night

I stayed up watching the Steelers dominate the Panthers last night. Okay, I didn’t stay up THAT late. The game went by pretty quickly. And there was lots of high-fiving. I like those kinds of games!


Please send good vibes

This morning I have the honor of being my daughter’s driver. She’s going in for some minor surgery to remove a lump from her breast that isn’t cancer, but her doctor thinks it could turn into it. Best to get rid of it now and Daughter agreed (I think our new family history had helped her make that decision). Appreciate any good vibes you can send her way.

So… Did you wake up to any surprises this morning?

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Book Contests

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #47

Dates read: October 26-November 2
Title: Vampires Like it Hot
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Lynsay Sands
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series:  Argeneau #28
# of Pages: 372
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: “Vampires…” When Raffaele Notte pulls a barely dressed, disoriented woman from the ocean, the last thing he expects is for her to utter that word. The immortal has come to the island resort to help his cousin, but now, it seems, there are rogue vampires dining on unsuspecting tourists. And he soon realizes that not only is Jess a target, she’s also the life mate he’s been waiting for…
    Vampires are real. Jess would’ve never believed it until she saw them with her own eyes. She knows she has to get off the island, and her gallant rescuer has offered to help. There’s something about Raffaele that’s unlike any man she has ever met, and his touch sends pleasure through her that is beyond all imagining. But when Jess discovers who he really is will she risk life as she knows it for a chance of forever by his side?
My thoughts: The twenty-eighth in the series and I’m STILL not tired of them. They’re so much fun to read. One of the best series out there if you’re looking for paranormal, romance, and a bit of comedy.

Book Contests

I debated on whether or not to enter Ghostly Interlude into the Ritas (RWA published book contest). In order to enter I have to judge and all the entries are on pdfs (plus, I can’t read my favorite genre because I entered my book in it). Ugh! I hate reading pdfs (and we all know how I feel about contemporary romances). But I caved and entered my book anyway. Figured I don’t get a new book out all that often, might as well enter it into all the contests it’s eligible for. Maybe one of these days I’ll actually final (and yes, I’d be happy just to do that).

So… What do you think about book contests? Good publicity (if you final) or a waste of time and money? I still haven’t figured out which it is, but I can’t seem to stay away. I always have hope.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

It Worked, Baby Steps, and Football

It Worked… Sort of

My short story is starting to take off. In fact, I may get that sucker finished this week! I was going to write the ending, hoping to generate something, when an idea struck me at night. One of those “What if”/“Ah-ha” moments. Yay! So while I didn’t write the ending yet, just thinking about it helped me figure out what was going on in my story. I even wrote this weekend! And when I’m actually writing on the weekend, you know it’s going well. J

Baby Steps

Hubby and I are trying to get the garage set up so that we can get both cars inside. At the same time. Very important with winter closing in on us. But thinking about everything that needs to be done can be overwhelming, so we’ve been taking baby steps.

Last weekend we moved shelving and figured out how to hang the bikes and golf clubs. Bought the materials and let it sit. This weekend we actually got the bikes hung!! And we bought one larger trashcan to replace the others we have (and will dispose of…slowly). I like tackling a problem and getting it done one problem at a time. It makes it so much easier to accomplish.

A lot of our storage problems will go away once we build a shed in the backyard, but until we sell the old house, we aren’t going to spend that kind of money on the new house. People are still seeing the house, but so far no bites. L

Football

Friday night actually stayed dry and the wind was slight. Good thing, because the temps were in the 40s. If there was any kind of wind… Well, we would have been colder than we were. Unfortunately the night didn’t end well, and it wasn’t due to the weather. The Wayne Warriors lost to the Hilliard-Davidson Wildcats, 28-21. It’s nice that the score LOOKS respectable. And if Wayne didn’t kill themselves with all the penalties, they might have come out on top. But, it wasn’t meant to be. They should be a team to reckon with next year. Most of the players will return.

Saturday was a good day for my football teams! OSU beat Nebraska, WVU beat Texas, and USC beat Oregon.

And Sunday was a mixed bag. Steelers beat those nasty Ravens (yay!), but the Rams lost their first (and toughest) game (boo!).

So… Have you ever had a what if/ah-ha moment? Didn’t you just love it?

Happy Monday!

Stacy

NaNo, Playoff Football, and Trick or Treaters

NaNoWriMo

No, I’m not doing NaNoWriMo (never have), but I went to a NaNo party/get together last night, hoping I could finish my short story. Didn’t have any luck in that department, but I did manage to get my words written (I set a goal of 500 words a day, but hope for more). Now if I can only figure out where this darn story is headed! Ugh. It’s so frustrating.

Maybe I should write the ending. I kind of have an idea about that. Think that might help me figure out the stuff in the middle? Hmmm… I’ll have to give that a try today. It certainly can’t hurt.

Are you doing NaNo? Do you enjoy it? I can’t imagine writing 50,000 words in a month. That just doesn’t sound like fun. But some of the parties can be helpful if you’re stuck on a project. Like I am. I really want this short story finished so I can go back to my WIP!! Someone kick my butt!

Football Tonight

Tonight we’re driving to Hilliard to watch Wayne play in the first round of playoffs. Hilliard-Davidson (apparently Hilliard has THREE Division I high schools!!) is the #1 seed. The last time we were the #8 seed, we made it to the finals (during my son’s senior year and daughter’s freshman year of high school). I’ll be shocked if we do it again. Heck, I was super shocked the first time! So anything is possible, I suppose.

I just hope it doesn’t rain. It rained constantly yesterday and the day before. Got a lot of soggy ground around here.

Trick or Treat

Would you believe the rain let up during the 6-8pm time slot the trick or treaters were out? We got quite a bit of kids around (although the neighbors said not as many as last year) and they were at it through 8pm (the few who came through our old neighborhood all came before 7pm). Hubby and I sat outside in the garage and handed out candy. It was fun seeing all the kids. I just wish they’d taken all the candy.

Or maybe I don’t wish that so much. Haha!

So… I’d ask if you have leftover candy, but I think you all said you didn’t have any trick or treaters. Ahhh, no temptations for any of you, right?

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

For twenty plus years we lived in a neighborhood that got about six trick or treaters. It was kind of depressing, but I handed out candy anyway because…Halloween! Now I’m in a neighborhood that gets decidedly more. One neighbor said they got over 300 trick or treaters last year.

THREE HUNDRED!

I only had one bag of candy. It contains 170 pieces, but I realized that won’t be enough, so I bought another. Now, rain is forecasted. A lot of rain. So now I’m thinking there won’t be that many kids out tonight and I’m wondering how much candy I’m gonna be left with. We shall see.

What I Read

Here’s what I finished reading this week (Hmmm… seems I used #41 twice and just now caught it! Only four more books to reach my goal. Whoo hoo!):

Book #46

Dates read: October 16-25
Title: Consumed
Year of publication: 2018
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series:  Firefighters #1
# of Pages: 408
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed…
    By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad boy Danny Maguire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.
    Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job but her whole self.
    Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn’t believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again—until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.
    Danny Maguire is a premier fireman, the best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown, Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.
My thoughts: Not a vampire, angel, devil, or beast around and I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was afraid it might be a contemporary romance, but it’s far from that. Yay! I’m going to enjoy this series from one of my favorite authors.

So… How much candy do you normally hand out on Halloween? And do you hand it out on Halloween or some other date your community chooses? “Beggars Night” can be any night around here. I say it should always be on the 31^st because…HALLOWEEN!!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Where Have I Been?/A Little Rant/Football

Facebook Overload

I was a bad blogger last week. But I had a good excuse. I was hosting the Sizzle and Sass page on Facebook which kind of takes over my brain (and time). Although, that doesn’t usually stop me from blogging. But hey, what can I say? I got lazy.

But… Even when I’m lazy I blog on Wednesday because READING. But I hadn’t finished reading the book yet (also due to FB).

I only host the page once every quarter, so it’s not a hardship otherwise. I know where my time will be spent and I do enjoy trying to figure out how to get people to comment. I don’t spend near that amount of time on my own page, and for good reason. It takes too much time!

But FB is over (for now) and life is almost back to normal. Of course, what is normal nowadays?

Loyalty vs. Rewards

Being on FB most of the week (doing other FB stuff besides S&S, of course), I ended up reading a lot of posts. One post in particular kind of irked me and it had to do with the loyalty program with Carnival Cruise Lines, pretty much hinting that things might change (perk-wise). Because why mention it at all, right?

Hubby and I belong with a lot of reward programs: Marriott, Buffalo Wild Wings, TGI Fridays, Fazzolis, Kroger, and Visa (to name the ones off the top of my head). We are rewarded for spending money at these places and receive goodies in return. That’s what I see as a rewards program. I’m not rewarded for my visit, but the amount of money I spend.

Loyalty programs are different, though. At least we think so. Carnival Cruise Lines calls their program a loyalty program (not a reward program). Each level (Gold, Platinum, Diamond) has perks (i.e. separate line for boarding, free laundry, free or reduced upgrades) and your level is based on number of days sailed (FYI – we’re Platinum). The levels used to be based on number of cruises, but those people who cruised a 3-day cruise got the same credit as someone who cruised a 7-day cruise. I guess CCL realized that wasn’t treating their customers fairly (or maybe they were getting too many Platinum and Diamond members that way) and they changed it. And while it hurt us in the beginning, we now see it as being the best and fairest way to reward loyalty.

So no matter what type of room we book, or how many excursions we go on, or how much money we spend, we get credit for 1 day sailed for each day of the cruise.

This one guy on FB, though, thinks these levels are classes (because Platinum and Diamond are treated differently). Then went on to say that CCL should award more points if more money is spent on a room (balcony vs inside cabin sort of thing). What? How is THAT not a class system? How is that fair to everyone? How is that rewarding LOYALTY? CCL does not have a REWARD program. They have a LOYALTY program. And there’s NOTHING stopping that guy from reaching those levels but him. But there was no getting through to him (some people are just plain pig-headed).

Anyway, I just wanted to rant about that. Do you see a difference between a reward program and a loyalty program?

So…Football (and baseball)

Remember when I said that Wayne didn’t have any chance for the playoffs? Yeah, I was wrong. Last Friday’s game was a wet, freezing mess (don’t ask me why we went to this rain-fest when we don’t have kids playing—the last one graduated in 2003) and went into overtime no less, but we came out the winners (yes, it was an exciting game and I might have enjoyed it more if I weren’t so wet and cold). And that win, combined with a couple of losses by other schools, put us in at seed 8 of 8. I’m hoping this Friday is not raining. It has rained during the last three games. We could use some dry games! I also hope Wayne plays better than they have or they aren’t getting past round 1.

Ohio State was on a bye week (meant we could work in our garage—haha!), but USC Trojans lost. L

The Steelers won handily against Cleveland (finally!). Although, what was with that free kick fiasco? Are they high school students? Yikes! At least it seems they don’t need Le’veon Bell. I hope he never returns.

And the Rams are now 8-0! Whoo hoo!! They scared me there at first, but so glad the team decided to show up toward the end of the 2^nd quarter.  Whew!

As for baseball…  Since I write and post this the night before, I hope I haven’t watched my last World Series game this year. And yes, I probably stayed up late watching it. I have for most of the others (could only make it through the 15^th inning (of an 18 inning game) on Friday’s game—it was after 2:30am!). So if the game didn’t go the way I wanted, please don’t blame me for being grumpy.

So… How’d your week go?

Happy Monday!

Stacy

From Disbelief to Happy Happy Joy Joy

My Rams are 7-0!! And the Dodgers are in the World Series!!

Those are about the only good things that happened sports-wise this weekend.

Our high school football game went into overtime and we lost. Probably lost all chance of post season games, too. Oh well… not so sure I would have enjoyed sitting in the cold. Heck it was raining during Friday’s game. Luckily, everyone voted to leave at half-time!

Ohio State’s game… well, gosh. I don’t know where our team went. They certainly weren’t playing! They finally get ranked at #2 and then they BLOW IT!! Ugh.

Even the USC Trojans lost. I know, they aren’t ranked. Still makes me sad.

The Steelers were on a bye this weekend, so no game for them. And the Penguins are on a 4-day break (again!), so no game there, either. I’m thinking maybe that was a good thing.

But the Rams are 7-0! And the Dodgers are in the World Series!! Yeah, I’m super stoked about that.

By the way… our house is now on the market. It’s even been seen by a few people. No offers yet, but we got one good review. They even mentioned they thought it was priced fairly!!! And man, that sure made us feel better.

So… How’d your weekend go? We were able to clean up/organize the garage a little. Still can only get one car in there, but we’re making progress!

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and We’re Meeting the Realtor!

We’re meeting the realtor this morning and I sure hope he says the old house is ready to put on the market. I am soooooo tired of working on (and putting money into) that thing! Please keep your fingers crossed for us!

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #44

Dates read: October 9-15
Title: The Demon Always Wins
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Jeanne Oates Estridge
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Touched by a Demon #1
# of Pages: 309
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Seven short weeks. That’s all the time the demon Belial has to stack up a victory for Satan and earn his promotion to Chief Executive Demon, the second most powerful position in Hell. If Belial can corrupt God’s champion within the agreed time-frame, Hell will score bragging rights—and another soul. The demon always wins, but this one is anybody’s game.
    Seven short weeks. Widowed nurse Dara Strong is the ace up God’s sleeve. Dara, the granddaughter of famous demon-fighters, has no problem recognizing Dr. Ben Lyle as a demon in doctor’s disguise when he appears at her clinic. She kicks him out the door, but the most successful soul-stealer in the history of Hell is not about to give up so easily.
    As the battle between the cosmically well-matched opponents escalates, conflict breeds passion and passion transforms into love. Caught between a victory-hungry Satan and an unforgiving God, Belial and Dara discover there may be only one way to ransom the soul of a fallen angel: sometimes you have to go through Hell to claim your heaven.
My thoughts: This is a debut book from my friend and you don’t know how HAPPY I am that I enjoyed this!

The Dodgers won last night in 13 innings! I couldn't stay up to see it all, but sure smiled when I checked the score this morning. Go Dodgers!!

So… When was the last time you sold a house? Did it go fast or slow? The last time for us was in 1998 (I think), and the sale didn’t go so well on that one (took forever!). I sure hope this one goes quickly.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Footy Nationals was Fun…But Cold!!

I don’t remember ever being at a colder Nationals. Not even when they were in Cincinnati during some kind of wind storm (those were some wild games!). I like Racine and all, but not so much in October.

Woke up Saturday to frost on the ground (and the car). Brrr! But Hubby and I were prepared. We dressed in layers. Not enough, it turns out, but we survived.

Mainly because there was such a long time between Daughter’s footy games, we got to sit in the car and listen to the Ohio State Game, where it was much warmer.

The Columbus Cats (women) lost their first game (which was at 9am!!), but it was a close one and they played really well. Their second game (at 3pm) was a close one and we wondered what would happen if it stayed tied (like it had during most of the game). Then the Cats came alive and scored two more goals, winning their first game (and their first game at Nationals since 4 or 5 years ago).

In fact, they played so well, they still had a shot at first place!

The Columbus Cats (men) won both of their games on Saturday and everyone was hopeful for Sunday.

And Sunday was much warmer. No frost on the ground. Still cold (highs reached 54?), but this time Hubby and I were able to buy some Culvers frozen custard with TimTams!

TimTams are cookies made in Australia and they’re super good (sometimes you can find them in WalMart or Kroger, too).

The women played at 8am (Ugh!) against a team that was pretty equal to them. But they managed to squeak out a win (9-8). Their last game (at 2pm) was against an undefeated team (Sacramento Suns). The Suns only allowed something like 9 points total against all the teams they played. It was going to be a tough one.

But before the women’s last game, we watched the men play. If they won, they were in the finals. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. Philadelphia was a stronger team (and went on to win Div III finals).

The Cats (women), though, kind of scared the Suns. They fought back and came within a goal of winning. And they were sooo close to getting it, too. But the Suns were able to turn it around and score just as the horn blew.

But were the Cats sad? Heck no! They came in 2^nd place. Daughter had NEVER in the nine years of playing, received any kind of award. She got a medal this year. And it was well deserved.

This Footy Nationals might have been the coldest we’d ever been to, but it sure was the most fun.

And this weekend was fun in the other football sport, too! Wayne managed a win on Friday (how, I have no idea). Ohio State won ugly, but hey, a win is a win. Woke up on Sunday to see even USC won (yay!). Steelers squeaked out a win against the Bengals (got to watch the first half at B-dubs, but listened—sort of—to the rest during/after Daughter’s last game). I kind of like it when we shock the Bengals at their home (heck, I was shocked we won!). And my Rams are now 6-0! Whoo hoo!

Today we head on home with our stash of Kringles (cannot visit Racine without stocking up the freezer!). We bought a pumpkin caramel Kringle during our stay here and WOW! That one was awesome (we made sure to buy another for the trip home).

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads

Now that my vacations are finished (well, sort of—I am traveling to Wisconsin this weekend for Footy Nationals), my reading will probably slow up a bit. But hey, I’m six books ahead of schedule. I should reach my goal of 50 easily!!

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #41

Dates read: September 27-October 5
Title: A Caribbean Spell
Year of publication: 2013
Author: Maureen O. Betita
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Series: Forever a Pirate #1
# of Pages: 230
Paper or plastic: Plastic (Nook book)
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Goodreads: While traveling through space and time, Miranda sets foot in the exciting Caribbean of Jake Reynard. Pirate, thief, captain of the Moonstone; he is everything she didn't know she wanted. She is a sexual witch who needs the touch of sexual relations to energize her magical power.
    The instant chemical attraction quickly leads them to a scorching level of intimacy as Miranda shares secrets with the dominant Jake, falling into his bed with a willing abandon. He finds in her a partner, thrilling, mysterious and full of enough warmth to satisfy his pirate greed.
    The two meet when mutual friends are endangered by an evil sorceress. The adventure escalates with a thrilling chase back and forth across the Atlantic. Can they survive the challenge of the Orb of Transference, capable of draining all life and vitality from Jake's world, and resist the lure of each other? Do they want to?
My thoughts: I attempted to read this book earlier and couldn’t get into it. Thought I’d give it another try during my vacation and managed to stick with it. So I guess mood/circumstances do have some effect to reading. I liked the characters enough, but a lot goes on in this book and some of the events don’t really make any sense (to me). Maybe they will in later books, since this is the beginning of a series. If you’re looking for something different to read, give this one a try. It’s definitely different!

Book #42

Dates read: October 6
Title: Take the Bait
Year of publication: 2013
Author: Cindy Dees
Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Doctors Unlimited #0.5
# of Pages: 70
Paper or plastic: Plastic (Nook book)
How obtained: Free at RT (I think)
Blurb from Goodreads: More than just eye candy
    Rookie attorney Dani Wellford's taciturn client has the strangest request: "Send me to jail." Easy case, right? Wrong, especially as she faces Cam Townsend, the hot assistant DA who's hell-bent on seducing her—and winning the case. The way he wears his suits should be a crime; he gets Dani's mojo going, in the courtroom and the bedroom.
    Before long, their professional ethics are more tangled than the bedsheets. But when Dani goes to battle against her firm's old-boy network trying to prove a hefty case of discrimination, she ends up with the most unexpected ally…and perhaps just the right bait for a lifelong sentence.
My thoughts: Much too short – one of the reasons I don’t care for Harlequin books. But I enjoyed the story and the characters even if the events happened too quickly for my taste. FYI – I don’t see how this book falls in the Doctors Unlimited series. Neither character is a doctor!

Book #43

Dates read: October 6-9
Title: Playing the Game
Year of publication: 2013
Author: M.Q. Barber
Genre: Erotica
Series: Neighborly Affection #1
# of Pages: 211
Paper or plastic: Plastic (Nook book)
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: She expects dinner with neighbors, but gets sex with a side of safewords.
    Mechanical engineer Alice still drools over her sexy neighbors a year after she’s moved in. She can’t decide whether they’re roommates or partners, but either way, they spark a wanton desire in her that has her imagination—and vibrator—working overtime.
    Henry, director of everything around him, studies human nature and applies philosophies to his paintings as well as his relationships. Quirky, polite to a fault, and formal, he follows his own code of honor even when it means denying himself.
    Flirtatious and playful, Jay needs stability, guidance, and to please others. His antics counterbalance Henry’s stuffy ways while he brings a level of vulnerability and fun to everything he does.
    BDSM play with enigmatic artist and flirtatious joker across the hall allows Alice to put aside the linear thought processes which have kept her unsatisfied and distant with other lovers. She must dismiss her preconception of love, sacrificing her independence, if she’s to find a permanent place in their beds and hearts.
My thoughts: This is a re-read for me. Third or fourth time. None of the books on my Nook that I hadn’t read appealed to me while I was at the end of my vacation, so I decided to read a book I love. I do want to read the rest of the series now, but it’ll wait for another time when I don’t have a new paper book to choose from.

So… Did you set any reading goals this year? How are you faring?

Happy Reading!

Stacy