Wednesday Reads is Back!

I’m getting behind in my reading, but it can’t be helped. At least I read a book!! Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #12

Dates read: February 9-22 

Title: Never Let Me Fall
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Abbie Roads
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series:  Fatal Dreams #3
# of Pages: 281
Paper or plastic: Paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Thomas Brown can’t see color, but he can see people’s true souls. His abilities allow him to work with criminal investigators and deliver justice to families of the wronged. And he’s starting to accept that his life will forever be in black and white…
    Then he encounters Helena Grayse, and everything changes. She brings vibrant color to his world, and he brings acceptance and belief to hers. But Helena’s past is quickly catching up with her, and Thomas is in the crosshairs.
    As an enemy hidden in plain sight threatens their every move, they’ll have to rely on their love to beat the darkness.
My thoughts: It appears I struggled to read this book, and in a way I did, but I just picked a bad time to read, period. Getting sick, getting behind in my editing, and the first thing to go is the reading. But when I was able to pick it up and read it, I enjoyed every bit. I like the darkness, I like the unexplained events (paranormal in a way), and I really liked the romance.  

Last night I went to see the Penguins play the Blue Jackets. Since I’m posting this before the game, I don’t know what kind of time I had. I hope it was a good one. And I hope the Blue Jackets don’t score a lot (I really hate their cannon!!). The Pens need to win badly (and often) if they hope to make the playoffs!! Let’s go Pens!!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

I'm Trying

I’m trying sooooo hard. I’m trying to get my revisions done by Thursday (my goal for the month), but it’s not looking like it’ll happen. **weep, weep**

That’s because I didn’t take into account the appointments I have going on this week, the major changes that needed to occur, and, of course, feeling like crap (haha, pun intended) earlier in the month. But I’ve certainly worked hard on those days I could. So far this month I’ve worked on it 17 days, gone over the first 186 pages (so a little over 60% done), and added 6745 words (I’ve deleted some, too—man, that was hard!—so that’s the net change).

And because of my little hiccups, my new writing project has suffered (I stopped writing it) and my reading has suffered (thus, no book to report last Wednesday).

My exercise has suffered, too, but we won’t mention that. Shhhh.

Heck, I’m writing this during the Oscars, so I’m doing double duty!

I so much want to finish by Thursday, but I’m not going to rush this project. I want it to be a GOOD book, not one out quickly. And if my “slowness” causes me to not have it released in July, so be it. I won’t put out a book just to put it out there. I take pride in my work and I’d like to think my readers appreciate that.

I still love the revising process. I just forgot how hard it is!!

So… Did you watch the Oscars last night? I didn’t recognize a lot of films that were nominated. Is it because they weren’t shown around here? Or maybe I just never saw an ad for them (guess I’d have to go to the movies more often to see the ads, huh?).

Happy Monday.

Stacy

My Body Hates Me

That’s right. My body hates me. At least, it sure feels that way.

I walk to get stronger so what does my body do? Hurts my feet, hurts my knee, makes it difficult to walk.

I do sit ups to work my core body (and these are not difficult ones) and what does my body do? Cramp up so much I thought I had appendicitis. It took me several minutes before I could stand straight again (and I’m really afraid to do sit ups now).

I eat food my body likes and what does it do? Keep it! I tell you, I’ve been in agony for a week. And my writing and editing have suffered for it. So has my exercise.

See? It hates me, right? But I taught it a lesson. I fed it food it doesn’t like. Now it’s getting rid of it. But it sure is taking it’s time.

I sure hope I haven’t messed up my editing goal. I still want to finish by the end of the month. I just hope my body behaves from now on.

But you know how they can be: Evil!

Happy Monday.

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and It Sold!!

What sold, you ask? Our house. Our old house. We closed on it yesterday. You don’t know how happy we are to no longer have to worry about it!

We were supposed to close on Feb 1^st, but on Jan 30^th, the title company discovered that the original contract loan never removed the lien from the house (and of course the original bank had been sold…twice). This is a house that had been refinanced a couple of times! You’d think they would have caught that. So because of that little SNAFU, we couldn’t close on the 1^st and waited until it got fixed (which took a week). We didn’t want to say anything to anyone until the deal was done, afraid it might jinx it or something.

But it’s done now and we now just own ONE house, which we hope to refinance at a cheaper rate with a big down payment. So glad that’s over with.

I’m also glad my judging is over with, too. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #10

Dates read: February 4-6
Title: ?
Year of publication: 2018
Author: ?
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series:  ?
# of Pages: 219
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Purchased (couldn’t read PDF)
Blurb from book: ?
My thoughts: Not as bad as I thought it would be. Would recommend to fans of the genre.

Book #11

Dates read: February 6-8
Title: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Darynda Jones
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series:  Charley Davidson #13
# of Pages: 292
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Charlie Davidson, grim reaper extraordinaire, is pissed. She’s been kicked off the earthly plane for eternity—which is exactly the amount of time it takes to make a person stark, raving mad. But someone’s looking out for her, and she’s allowed to return after a mere hundred years in exile. Is it too much to hope for that not much has changed? Apparently it is. Bummer.
    She’s missed her daughter. She’s missed Reyes. She’s missed Cookie and Garrett and Uncle Bob. Now that she’s back on earth, it’s time to put to rest the burning questions that need answers. What happened to her mother How did she really die? Who killed her? And are cupcakes or coffee the best medicine for a broken heart? It all comes to a head in an epic showdown between good and evil in this final smart and hilarious novel.
My thoughts: A fitting end to the series, but I’m sad it’s over. This is a great series. And if you love humor, some sexy scenes, and a bunch of supernatural stuff, you have to read these books!

I also got wonderful news from my cardiologist yesterday (yesterday turned out to be a GREAT day!!). My last echocardiogram showed no difference from the one before! Yay! So, since my diagnosis in 2015, there has been no change in my mitral valve regurgitation. Then, I was told to expect surgery in five years. Now, I’m still told to expect surgery in five years, but I’m thinking it might be longer than that. And maybe by the time I need surgery they’ll know how to fix it without cracking open my chest!!

So… Do you have any good news to share? I’m thinking this is a great week!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I'm Crazy

Last Thursday I actually finished the first draft of Biting the Curse. Yay! Just like I wanted. Double yay! And I even took Friday off to celebrate. Triple yay! But on Monday?

I not only started the revisions on BTC, I started a new book!

Oh my gosh! Am I crazy or what?

Mornings are still the best for writing first drafts and I don’t want to mess with that routine (or would that be muscle). It’s working tooooo well. But I can revise/edit anytime (I hope…we’ll see). And since I gave myself a deadline to finish revisions by Feb 28^th, I’m determined. I only need to work on 13 pages a day. It sure helps to break it down into chunks, let me tell you.

And while I’m doing all the writing and revising, I’m still judging books, thus the lack of information I can give you on these books right now. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #7

Dates read: January 27-29
Title: ?
Year of publication: 2018
Author: ?
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series:  ?
# of Pages: 124
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Free (to judge)
Blurb from book: ?
My thoughts: Wasn’t fond of it. Bummer.

Book #8

Dates read: January 30-February 2
Title: ?
Year of publication: 2018
Author: ?
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series:  ?
# of Pages: 191
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Free (to judge)
Blurb from book: ?
My thoughts: Not a bad book. I’d recommend it to fans of the genre.

Book #9

Dates read: February 2-4
Title: ?
Year of publication: 2018
Author: ?
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series:  ?
# of Pages: 283
Paper or plastic: Paperback
How obtained: Free (to judge)
Blurb from book: ?
My thoughts: So far, the best of the bunch. I’d recommend it to fans of the genre.

I only have one more judged book to read. Yay! Except it’s in first person, present tense. Boo! I guess I can’t complain too much. I am reading romances, so it’s not all bad. But man, I’ll be glad to get back to my own stack of books.

So… If you find a routine is working, are you afraid to mess with it?

Happy Reading!

Stacy