Reading Update and Happy Birthday to my Daughter

Today is my daughter’s 38th birthday. She’s my baby! I’m not sorry I’m on this cruise during her birthday (I was on one during my son’s, so it’s only fair, right?), but we made sure we celebrated it before we left. I can’t believe how fast time is flying by!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie! I love you!!!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 14

Dates read: April 6-10, 2023
Title: A Hope Divided
Year of publication: 2017
Author: Alyssa Cole
Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Loyal League #2
# of Pages: 257
Paper or plastic: Nook book
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Goodreads: The Civil War has turned neighbor against neighbor--but for one scientist spy and her philosopher soldier, war could bind them together . . .
    For three years of the War Between the States, Marlie Lynch has helped the cause in peace: with coded letters about anti-Rebel uprisings in her Carolina woods, tisanes and poultices for Union prisoners, and silent aid to fleeing slave and Freeman alike. Her formerly enslaved mother's traditions and the name of a white father she never knew have protected her--until the vicious Confederate Home Guard claims Marlie's home for their new base of operations in the guerilla war against Southern resistors of the Rebel cause.
    Unbeknowst to those under her roof, escaped prisoner Ewan McCall is sheltering in her laboratory. Seemingly a quiet philosopher, Ewan has his own history with the cruel captain of the Home Guard, and a thoughtful but unbending strength Marlie finds irresistible.
    When the revelation of a stunning family secret places Marlie's freedom on the line, she and Ewan have to run for their lives into the hostile Carolina night. Following the path of the Underground Railroad, they find themselves caught up in a vicious battle that could dash their hopes of love--and freedom--before they ever cross state lines.
My thoughts: Very emotional read (meaning a lot of it angered me, probably in a good way) and I learned a lot more about the Civil War. Sometimes I feel like we’re still fighting that war, too. Oh well… The romance was great. I loved their times together (which helped with my anger, I suppose). I don’t usually read historical romances, except if the history is in the USA. I understand that history a lot more than what a duke or such is, and I do like to understand what I’m reading! FYI: You don’t have to have read the first book in this series to enjoy this one. They are only related to the time period and missions taking place.

Today we’re docked at Grand Turk. So far the weather looks promising. Yesterday we were in Half Moon Cay. The weather was absolutely wonderful. We rode bikes and hiked up to the highest point: 60 feet! My legs felt it later, and so did the rest of my body, but I had such a fun time, it was worth it. Today I feel energized, but our excursion this afternoon is not very taxing (which is probably a good thing). Actually, it involves painting. We’ll see how we do.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update, an Injury, and an Online Class

Well… my walking came to a stand-still (haha, see what I did there?). I apparently pushed myself too far and pulled something in my hip area. I’m resting it and using Arnica cream to help with the pain (it’s working). Of course, the last couple of mornings have been wonderfully cool and dry and I couldn’t go out and enjoy it. Not the way I wanted to, anyway.

I wish I knew what I did. I don’t walk THAT fast! And I stretch after every walk, too (have to or I’ll get cramps and that’s no fun!). So hopefully later this week I’ll give walking another try (slowly and not as far). But then the humidity is due back, too. Figures, huh?

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book #27

Dates read: July 6 – 12
Title: Inherit Truth
Year of publication: 2019
Author: Alicia Anthony
Genre: Psychic Suspense
Series: Blood Secrets #1
# of Pages: 302
Paper or plastic: Nook
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book:. When Liv Sullivan’s dead grandmother beckons for help from beyond the grave, the reluctant psychic is forced back to her small Ohio hometown. Scrambling to make sense of her grandmother’s legacy, Liv finds herself face to face with undercover Agent Ridge McCaffrey.
     Assigned to protect the woman whose gifts unnerve him, all for a covert psychic intelligence operation he doesn’t understand, Ridge struggles to place duty over desire. But when a body is found at Sullivan Farm and Liv’s allegiance is called into question, Ridge’s mission becomes clear.
    Can Liv unearth family secrets that are best left buried before the ghosts of her past destroy her dreams of a normal future?
My thoughts: I really thought my issue with this book would be because her point of view was written in first person and his was written in third (I really don’t like it when authors do that). Instead, my mistake was thinking this was a romantic suspense (I had to look up categories on Amazon after I read it to see where it fit). If I had gone into reading this with that information, maybe I wouldn’t have any problems. So if you’re looking for a romantic suspense, you won’t find it here because there is no HEA (happy ever after) or even a HFN (happy for now) at the end of this book. The story isn’t over, either. Yep. Cliffhanger. Big time, too. I’m not happy. So while I can’t recommend it to romance readers, suspense readers may enjoy this kind of series. Just make sure you have all three books to read before you start on the first because I’m guessing the second will also end with a cliffhanger.

For all you writers out there: My RWA chapter, COFW (Central Ohio Fiction Writers), is offering the following online class for the month of August (it’s all done in groups.io). You don’t have to write romance or belong to RWA to benefit.

This August, COFW is offering a class from Linnea Sinclair! CHARACTERIZATION: MAKING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES WORK FOR YOU (or No More Mary Sues!)

Down with one-dimensional cartoon-like characters! Down with the two-dimensional ones, while we’re at it. Embrace your characters—warts and all—in this lively workshop with Bantam author Linnea Sinclair. Reviewers note that: “Her characters are intelligent, no-nonsense and have a depth that gives me an instant mental picture...” (Road to Romance Reviews) and “The author's sure hand with characterization makes each twist of this emotionally laden storyline as suspenseful as any well-wrought battle scene.” (Science Fiction Weekly)

Sinclair will help writers dialogue with their characters to bring out information that builds depth and uniqueness. She’ll also discuss the pros and cons of using archetypes, astrology and tarot to build story people.

About the instructor: Winner of the prestigious national book award, the RITA®, science fiction romance author Linnea Sinclair has become a name synonymous for high-action, emotionally intense, character-driven novels.

Sign up at cofwevents.org/classes. Price as follows: COFW Members, $25; RWA Members, $30; Non-members, $35.

This is a great deal and I can attest that Linnea’s classes are AWESOME. I’ve learned so much from her.

My birthday is Saturday (Happy Birthday to me!!!) and we’re meeting friends and family at a park for a picnic (keeping our distance and ordering takeout). We found a covered picnic area with plenty of seating, but with the temps forecasted for the low 90s, I hope we don’t melt. Although, if I melted off some fat, maybe I wouldn’t complain.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads, Happy Birthday to Me, and Release Day!

Tomorrow is my birthday. Oh, and tomorrow is also release day for Biting the Curse!

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #34

Dates read: July 8-15
Title: Deadly, Calm, and Cold
Year of publication: 2014
Author: Susannah Sandlin
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series:  The Collectors #2
# of Pages: 270
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased from author
Blurb from book: How far will ordinary people go to protect their secrets? The Collectors’ games are as much about manipulating lives as finding lost treasure. Everyone is expendable as the ruthless C7 pushes people into gambling with their lives in order to find priceless objects lost to history.
    Samantha Crowe’s secrets could ruin her career, while Brody Parker’s could get him killed. They become pawns for two Collectors seeking Bad King John’s crown jewels, which disappeared in rural England back when Robin Hood roamed Nottingham. This time, however, the Collectors—a ruthless dotcom billionaire and a desperate London detective—might not be playing for the same team, leaving Sam and Brody trapped in the middle.
    One thing’s for sure: if either hopes to survive, Sam and Brody will have to find a way to overcome their distrust—and their growing attraction—in order to succeed on this winner-take-all treasure hunt.
My thoughts: I liked this one a lot more than the first book in the series. Probably because the first book didn’t really mention the C7 until near the end. This time it’s up front and so much more suspenseful. I liked Sam and Brody, too.  

Tomorrow is RELEASE DAY for Biting the Curse. Last chance to get it at $2.99, too. By Friday it’ll be at its regular price of $4.99. So far my advertising garnered around 20 pre-sales. That’s the best I’ve ever done (that I know of). Didn’t make my advertising money back, but I rarely ever do. I think I just need to get more books out there. And I’m working at it (slowly, but surely).
Here are the buy links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T8F7BYL/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/biting-the-curse-stacy-mckitrick/1132154386?ean=2940161328767

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/biting-the-curse

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/biting-the-curse/id1469527645

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/945106

On Thursday I turn 62. I start collecting Social Security in September (apparently I have to be 62 for a WHOLE month before I can claim it, and September is actually August’s payment). I’m taking a chance I won’t make $17,000 a year in book royalties. And if I do, well, I’ll have myself a happy dance and then worry about the consequences!

So… What age do you think you will retire? I don’t really consider myself retired, but in a way I am, since I don’t have to work if I don’t want to. Semi-retired, maybe? I doubt I’ll ever give up writing and selling books. It’s who I am now.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Happy Birthday to my Daughter

I picked short books because I was waiting on the book I want to read (it arrived in the mail on Monday), and then when I read the first one faster than I expected, I had to find another short book. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #19

Dates read: April 3-5
Title: Turning Thirty-Twelve
Year of publication: 2008
Author: Sandy James
Genre: Contemporary romance/women’s fiction
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 173
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Jackie Delgado didn’t want a new man in her life until a dreaded blind date turns out to be more exciting than she’d ever imagined. When her youngest son leaves for college, Jackie is hit hard by empty nest syndrome and pours herself into her work as a teacher. Bowing to pressure from friends, Jackie agrees to a blind date. But when Mark Brennan calls, she realizes the date won’t be “blind.” He’s the father of one of her students.
    Widower Mark Brennan isn’t looking for love. After only a few dates with Jackie, he realizes he’s quickly forming deep feelings for her. Wracked with guilt that he’s “abandoning” his late wife, Mark resists the pull toward dynamic Jackie. When Mark’s daughter begins to date Jackie’s son, things become more complicated.
    Can Jackie and Mark find the courage to leave the past behind and embrace a new love? And how will a surprise pregnancy affect all their lives?
My thoughts: I have a hard time calling something a “romance” when it’s in first person, thus the slash “women’s fiction” label. I bought this book sooooo long ago, when the author spoke at my old Cincinnati RWA chapter. And it sat on my shelf because it’s first person contemporary/women’s fiction. But surprise, surprise! I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was told so well in the way I enjoy first person. And it had humor. I love humor.

Book #20

Dates read: April 6-7
Title: Free Falling
Year of publication: 2012
Author: S.E. Jakes
Genre: M/M romance
Series:  Extreme Escapes, Ltd.
# of Pages: 112
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Free from some convention
Blurb from book: Blue is a thief who lives for adrenaline and anger. And when he meets Mick, a mercenary, he’s hit with a buzz of attraction like the rush of a high-rise job without a safety rope. But after making plans to get together, Mick leaves him hanging and Blue vows never again.
    A year later, Mick watches helplessly as Blue stumbles into the middle of one of Mick’s jobs. Risking his cover and their lives, Mick saves Blue and cares for him as he recuperates, but neither man has any idea how to handle the intimacy this forces them into.
    Once blue is safe, Mick redoubles his efforts to take down the drug lord responsible—and disappears. Blue goes after him, determined to return the favor and rescue the man he loves, no matter the cost.
My thoughts: Kind of a thin story. And most of the sex (and there was quite a bit) was due to some drug. Yeah, there was attraction between the two, but I would have preferred their first “coupling” be from want, not need. Still an entertaining read, but could have been so much more.

Today this little girl (seen here with her brother) turns 34! Gosh, where have the years gone?

Happy Birthday, Stephanie!

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 Happy Birthday to Me!!

Today I am on the Carnival Ship Legend and it’s my BIRTHDAY!!! (So I basically cheated and posted this the day before while I still had an easy-to-post Internet)

The trip out to Seattle wasn’t so bad. Hot, but not so bad. Was able to visit the Great Salt Lake (Hubby had never seen it—I swam in it when I was 13). Got to Seattle early enough the day before and was able to make it up the Space Needle (I’ve been to it several times but never went up) and walk around town.

But now the driving’s done for and I can just relax on the cruise. Yay!

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #24

Dates read: July 7 -11
Title: Perish the Day
Year of publication: 2017
Author: John Farrow
Genre: Mystery
Series: The Storm Murders Trilogy #3
# of Pages: 295
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Won it
Blurb from Goodreads: A co-ed is found murdered on campus, her body scarcely touched. The killer paid meticulous attention to the aesthetics of his crime. Coincidentally (or not), a college custodian is also found dead.
    While an epic rainstorm assails the Holyoake, New Hampshire campus, overflowing rivers and taking down power lines, a third crime scene is revealed: a professor, formerly a spy, has been shot dead in his home. A mysterious note is found that warned him to run.
    Each victim is connected to the Dowbiggin School of International Relations, yet none seems connected to the other. The dead student was a close friend of Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars's niece, so he puts his nose in; when internecine battles between police departments create a rift, he covertly slips into the crevice so he can be involved in the investigation.
    Coming up against campus secrets, Emile Cinq-Mars must uncover the links between disparate groups quickly before the next victim is selected for an elaborate initiation into murder.
My thoughts: Inside cover of the book indicates it’s a thriller. It is not. Just a mystery. An interesting mystery, but there were some things that bugged me. It’s written in present tense. I’m not a fan, especially when I notice it and I noticed it right off. Lots of head-hopping. Granted, I’m glad the book wasn’t written in first person (I wouldn’t have bothered reading it then), and I can understand having more than one point of view, but within a paragraph? A little confusing and not something I expected in a mystery. This is the third book in a trilogy, but that didn’t seem to matter with the story. I had no problems in that regard. Will I read the other two? No. Plain old mysteries are just not my “cup of tea.” But this was an enjoyable read, so if you like mysteries, you'll probably like this one just fine (and maybe start with the first book in the trilogy).

No question today because I probably won’t be back on the web until we return to Seattle (on Tuesday). Hopefully I’ll have lots of books to report. Or maybe not. I’m hoping to get a lot of writing done, too. Because yeah, writing on a cruise is fun, too! But today’s my birthday. I hope to celebrate today with maybe a drink or two. J

Happy Reading!

Stacy

I'm On a Roll!

Every month this year (which would be only three times), I’ve set a writing goal to add 5000 words to my WIP. January I added 1527. February was worse at 683. But this month? So far I’ve written 2524 words in the past 5 days! And I passed the 10K mark on my WIP, too!

I am on a roll!!

I am determined to keep up the madness work and obliterate that goal.

The other day I was interviewed over on the Eight Ladies Writing blog. You can read it HERE. Don’t worry. It’s short. I apparently don’t believe in rambling in my answers. Is that a good or bad thing? I haven’t decided.

Hubby returned home safe and sound at 3:02am yesterday. His flight was only delayed twice! Don’t you just hate flying? We do.

Penguins won last night, but lost in overtime the night before. What an ugly game that was, too. I’m happy the games were on NBCSN, but hate those back-to-back games. And they have the most (or 2nd most) back-to-back games this season. Doesn’t seem right.

So… Got any big plans this weekend? I’ll be attending my local RWA chapter meeting on Saturday and then on Sunday we celebrate my daughter’s birthday at the Cheesecake Factory. No, it’s not her birthday yet (it’s actually April 10), but we have eight coupons for free slices of cheesecake (oh, look, and there will be 8 of us!) and they expire on the 31st. Can’t let them go to waste (just waist). J

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Happy Birthday to Hubby!

Today is Hubby’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Sweetie!). He’s officially an old person. At least, that’s what he’s telling everyone because he was forced to start Medicare this month. I say he won’t be old until NEXT year, when he starts collecting Social Security. Haha!

Guess I shouldn’t laugh too loud, though. I plan on collecting SS in 1-1/2 years. It’s not like I’m making tons of money now, so I really doubt I’ll have to worry about giving any of it back. But hey, things could change. My books could take off!

One can hope.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #4

Dates read: February 7-14
Title: “Into the Black Nowhere”
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Meg Gardiner
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Series: UNSUB #2
# of Pages: 352
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: On Saturday nights, women are disappearing. One vanishes from a movie theater. Another is ripped from her car at a stoplight. Another vanishes from her home while checking on her baby. Rookie FBI agent Caitlin Hendrix, newly assigned to the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit, fears that a serial killer is roaming the dark roads outside Austin, Texas.
    Caitlin and the FBI discover the first victim’s body in the woods. She’s laid out in a bloodstained white nightgown. A second victim lies deeper in the forest’s darkness. Both bodies are surrounded by Polaroid photos, stuck in the earth like headstones. Each photo pictures a different woman, wrists slashed suicide-style—posed like Snow White awaiting her prince’s kiss.
    To track the unknown subject, Caitlin must get inside his mind. How is he selecting these women? Working with her mentor, a legendary FBI profiler, Caitlin searches for that elusive point where character and action come together. This is a confident, meticulous killer who convinces his victims to lower their guard until he can take them in plain sight. He then reduces them to objects in a twisted fantasy—dolls for him to possess, control, and ultimately destroy. Caitlin’s profile leads the FBI to focus on one man: a charismatic, successful professional who easily gains people’s trust. As another Saturday nigh approaches, Caitlin and the FBI enter a desperate game of cat and mouse, racing to capture the cunning predator before he claims more victims.
My thoughts: Another winner from Meg. I’d have read this book much faster if I didn’t feel guilty every time I picked it up (you know, because I should be writing!). I like how Caitlin isn’t perfect. But sometimes I’d like to slap her upside the head, too. Not because of the case she’s working on, but because of her private life. But I also like how she has one…sort of. J If you like FBI suspense dramas, you’ll definitely like this book.

Book #5

Dates read: February 16-20
Title: “Poisonous”
Year of publication: 2016
Author: Allison Brennan
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Series: Maxine Revere #3
# of Pages: 420
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: When teenage Internet bully Ivy Lake fell off a cliff, few people cared—except her developmentally challenged eighteen-year-old stepbrother, Tommy. In spite of her occasional cruelty, Tommy loved her. Now it’s been a year since Ivy’s disappearance and the police still have no answers. Was it suicide, an accident, or something more sinister?
    This isn’t the type of case investigative reporter Maxine Revere normally takes on, but when she receives a heartbreaking plea from Tommy, Max feels driven to help. At first, the police are willing to cooperate as she looks for clues about what happened to Ivy. But once Max delves deeper into the investigation, and learns more about Tommy and his dysfunctional family, the more she thinks she’s taken on an impossible task: this may be the one case she can’t solve. If Ivy was murdered, it was exceptionally well-planned…and that kind of killer could be hiding in plain sight and plotting the next act of violence. Max believes the truth is the only path to justice. Will finding it get her killed?
My thoughts: I might not have been planning on reading this book right now, but wow, what a great read. I keep forgetting how much I love Allison’s books. Of course, I think I have a whole stack of books from authors I keep forgetting I love, too. If only I could read all the time. But my writing wouldn’t be the only thing that suffers. My eyesight would too! J

The taxes are now behind me. Yay! Wasn’t quite as bad as last year. Not good, but not as bad. It helped taking it a little bit at a time. It also helped seeing we’re getting a refund. Double yay!

So…  Did you read to the end? (thank you, by the way) Do I bore you with my books? Or have you been tempted to check some of them out?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

The Trouble With Series

Authors are a tricky bunch. Especially when it comes to series. I should know. I write them.

Still…

I was all set to read the latest Lucy Kincaid (LK) story (by Allison Brennan). I love this series and #13 had just been released last month. But then I remembered she had some novellas out and a crossover book from her Max Revere (MR) series, a series I’m also reading. The problem is…

I only buy the paperbacks and MR starts out in hardback, so I’m two books behind in reading and a book behind in buying.

Now, I have nothing against buying hardbacks when I have the rest of the author’s books that way, but to switch in the middle... yeah, I don’t like that. Don’t mess with my bookcase!

I also don’t like that the novellas only came out in e-book, but there’s nothing I can do about that except maybe grumble a lot.

I do like to grumble a lot, don’t I?

So instead of reading LK #13, I’m reading MR #3, then will read the two novellas (one for LK the other for MR—they’re in the same e-book) and MR #4 (the crossover). But the paperback for #4 isn’t released until May and I don’t want to wait until May to read LK #13! So I may just have to get MR #4 at the library. Doesn’t mean I won’t buy the paperback, because I will. I still want the book.

And now you’re probably wondering why I just don’t skip over all the MR series and just read the LK series. Why would it matter? Because the crossover story focuses on a huge event that happened in Lucy Kincaid’s past. I can’t imagine it won’t be mentioned or affect Lucy in some way or form and I really don’t want to be spoiled, ya know?

I guess the good thing about all this is that I know the next 4 books to read. Sometimes it’s a struggle to decide which one to pick up next.

So… Are you as crazy as I am when it comes to reading series? Or does reading out of order not bother you? To me, reading out of order is like reading the end of the book first. I won’t do that either.

Happy Friday!

Stacy

P.S. Today is the first of my dad’s birthdays that he’s not around. He would have been 93. Even though we lived 2300 miles apart for many decades, I still miss him.

 

Happy Birthday to my Son!

First off… Whoo hoo! The patriots LOST! I’m so damn happy. Okay, now on to today’s post.

It’s been awhile since my son’s birthday has fallen on a post day, so of course I can’t let the day go by without wishing him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Would you believe this fella is now 36 years old?

And would you believe he picked the Melt Bar and Grilled for his birthday dinner because the February special he’d been waiting for since he saw a picture of it (and was thrilled it was for his birthday month) was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Cowabunga Melt?

I mean, is this a sandwich YOU would crave? Not me.

We did have a nice dinner there last Thursday (it was the only day everyone could get together and celebrate—we can never seem to celebrate birthdays ON the actual birthday!). Hubby and I split a meatball and mozzarella sticks sandwich (it was HUGE but very yummy), where most everyone else just ordered a half sandwich. And that TMNT sandwich that my son got? Yeah, he couldn’t finish it. Besides the fact he couldn’t order only a half-size (not on monthly specials), I think the green pesto sauce got to him (it certainly smelled strong!). At least he no longer craves it, because he doesn’t plan on getting it again.

Tomorrow my daughter, her friend, and I will be going to Pittsburgh to see a Penguins game. Yay! Actually, we’re going to see Fleury. He’s returning via the Vegas Golden Knights. This will probably be the only time I won’t root for the Knights, though (I have my priorities!). I’m really looking forward to the game and I’ll be wearing Hubby’s Fleury Penguins jersey. The Penguins are planning on doing some kind of welcome back thing and my daughter is sure there will be a lot of wet eyes around (hers included).

So… Do you ever get to celebrate birthdays on the actual birthday? It seems to get harder and harder to do. Especially as the family grows.

Happy Monday! And Happy Giving Birth Day to me! :)

Stacy

My Brain is Full and I’m Another Year Older Tomorrow

This past weekend I attended two workshops, which encompassed six classes, all taught by Laurie Schnebly Campbell. My brain is full.

So full, I might have figured out the problems with Ghostly Protector. You don’t know what a relief that is, because I was pretty sure that story had died. So maybe I will be writing Ghostly Protector next. It would certainly be nice if I could actually write something.

Well, I guess I am writing. I write blogs. I write short stories. But it’s been awhile since I wrote the first draft of a novel. I just have to focus and plow on through the barriers I’ve apparently set up for myself. Barriers I might have broken through this past weekend. Yay!

Speaking (okay, writing) about short stories, the Literary Escapism blog is supposed to feature the Hidden Treasure part of a short story I wrote about Rob and Bridget (from Ghostly Liaison) today. It’s to help generate some interest for the Rust City Book Con (you know, if people like what they read, maybe they’ll come out and see me??). I’m only sharing the middle portion of the story (which is basically a complete story in itself) in the hopes that people would want to read the rest of it. The thing is, I’m only sharing the story in my August newsletter, so they’d have to sign up to read it. Aren’t I evil that way?

Still, if you’d like to see my Hidden Treasure story, hop on over to Literary Escapism (I’ll edit with the direct link when I get it). Then come back and tell me what you think.
[EDIT: Here's the direct link to the post: http://www.literaryescapism.com/49840/hidden-treasures-ghostly-treasures-by-stacy-mckitrick]

You could do that for my birthday, couldn’t you?

Yeah, that’s right. Tomorrow’s my birthday. A pretty significant one, too. Doubt I do anything special tomorrow, but my friend is cooking a nice dinner for me on Saturday (and if Hubby remembers, he’ll get me a birthday cake!).

Today I have an appointment with my eye doctor. Decided I should finally find out why my right eye suddenly sees better without my glasses than it does with them. I’ve even gone the last few days not wearing them because they’ve been bugging me so much.

So… What kind of fun things do you think I should do tomorrow? Maybe sit at home and write? Hmmm… Maybe.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

What a Sucky Game

I know. A lot of you think the Super Bowl game was great because it went into overtime. I say it sucked. And I no longer will ever root for the Falcons because they blew it. Big time! Arrgh!

And what even sucked more than just the game were the lame commercials. I haven't been able to listen to Super Bowl commercials for a few years because we've gone to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game (and get free food in their VIP party). But we didn't enjoy it so much last year and since it was also my son's birthday, we decided to stay home so we could actually watch the commercials.

Should not have even bothered. The only one I liked was the Buick commercial with Cam Newton. Well...and maybe the one with Melissa McCarthy (although I'm not a fan of hers). But what was Melissa's ad selling? I don't remember. FAIL!

Hopefully your weekend was better than mine. Only bright spot was spending time with the family. Son liked his birthday present and we stuffed ourselves at BDs Mongolian Grill (his favorite restaurant). Dessert was a big chocolate chip cookie (again, his favorite). We even got Alexa to sing Happy Birthday to him (yes, we have the Echo--a gift from my parents).

Hubby update: No word on the pathology yet. All we know is that it was cancer. Whether or not he'll have to go through chemo or radiation has yet to be discussed. Waiting is the pits, let me tell you.

So... Did you have a favorite commercial? And if you didn't see any of them, trust me, you didn't miss much.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Happy Birthday to my Sister

Today is my sister’s birthday. My Dad always said it was easy to remember because she was born on Pearl Harbor Day. Wonder how he remembered mine? Hmmm… Anyway, if you’re reading this, Happy Birthday, Karen!

I decided to change the layout of my Wednesday reads for 2017, but then thought: Why wait? I’m hoping this new layout is easier to read (or at least easier for you to find whatever it is you look for in these).

Here’s what I read the past week:

December 6:

• Title: “Risking the Vine”
• Author: Gemma Brocato
• Genre: Contemporary romance
• # of Pages: 240
• Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
• Blurb from book: Jacqui Bishop’s dating life is dead in the water, but her professional prospects look outstanding. Promised a management position, she embarks on a team building course at a northern California winery. Shocked when her boss promotes a less qualified rival, Jac opts to chuck her job and revive the family farm. Luscious Luke Rossi has been banished to Team Vino to learn how to be the team player his boss wants. Once there, he finds he’d rather play on Jac Bishop’s team. But a labor dispute and boss who only wants a yes-man forces him to leave Jac’s side. As the daytime exercises give way to nighttime passions, Jac learns there’s more to life than a nine-to-five existence. But resigning her job and moving to a farm hundreds of miles from Luke could spell doom for the couple. Their affair will require teamwork of a different kind. For Jac, the looming question is whether her budding relationship with Luke will thrive or die on the vine.
• My thoughts: I have to start by saying: If you love contemporary romance, there is nothing wrong with this book. It has a nice romance and some sexy parts. But for me it was just…too simple. I’m beginning to realize that I need more (like more danger or conflict or something), even if I know the author (I do) and loved her other work (I did). Ms. Brocato has some paranormal and sci-fi books out there that I would probably enjoy, but right now they’re only available on Amazon (Kindle) and I don’t buy my books there (and not just because I own a Nook).

Sometimes I want to scream at authors for not selling wide. Or not selling in paper, which can be sold wide even if the digital is exclusive to Amazon. Maybe they won’t make a lot of sales, but then again, maybe they will. You just never know in the publishing business. My books are offered wide. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My next few reads will be on my Nook, since I’ll be leaving on vacation soon. I double-checked and have lots of books on there to read. I don’t see them piling up (like I do the paper ones), so I forget what I have digitally. Now I just have to hope my Nook doesn’t fail in the next week or so. I hate depending on electronics, even if they do save luggage space.

So… Are you mostly a paper or plastic (e-book) reader? If plastic, what do you do when you adjust the formatting (font & spacing) on your device and it does NOTHING to the book? It doesn’t happen all the time, so when it does I know it’s an issue with the author’s (or publisher’s) formatting and not with my Nook. And people wonder why I dislike ebooks. Grrr…

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Happy Birthday to Me?

Yep. Today is my birthday. And as birthdays go, this one is rather quiet.

That birthday dinner we were supposed to have last night? Cancelled. The hospital called to remind Hubby of his PET scan and I happened to answer. Seems he was under strict orders not to exert himself the day before the scan, which is this morning. Yeah, that even meant driving to a restaurant and socializing with the family (I asked). Who knew that could cause unwanted results? Not me! Glad I asked, though.

To top it off, Hubby could only eat protein and veggies (no starches, sugars, or caffeine), so I basically had to cook for him.

Me. Cook. Without using pasta. Or rice. Or bread. Ugh!!!

My birthday dinner was turning into a nightmare.

I survived, though. Hamburgers aren’t my all time favorite meal, but they are pretty easy (especially on the George Foreman grill!). And I like broccoli, too.

I’ll still have a birthday celebration dinner, though. My friend is coming over next Sunday to grill/cook (her present to me): grilled shrimp, corn on the cob, potato salad, and CAKE. But I’m opening my presents today!! Well, at least those that are here, like the box I received from my parents (I’ve been looking at it for a few days now, itching to open it!).

It just doesn’t feel like a birthday unless you open a present. Right?? But the best present I can get will be a clean PET scan from my hubby. Keep fingers crossed for us!!

Since I’m trying my best to add more pictures to my blog (I might not have told you that, but I am), here are two pictures I took at Friday’s and Saturday’s Dragons game (I posted these on Facebook, but if you aren’t there, you’re not about to see them, huh?

The sky turned really pretty on Friday night.

I love our new scoreboard. Okay, it's not that new.
They put it up last year. Still love it, though.

 

As you can see, our seats are pretty awesome. Tonight we’re also going to a game, but we’ll be sitting in the upper section (we got those tickets due to a rain out). I’ve never been in the upper section, so I’m excited to experience it. And I’ll be sure to take at least one picture (the one I post to Facebook most likely).

Remember… my Goodreads Giveaway is coming to an end TONIGHT (11:59 pm PDT to be exact). If you know someone who might be interested in winning a copy of Bite Me, I’m Yours, please let them know.

So… Did you watch the British Open yesterday? Quite an ending with some great golf. Glad to see Henrik Stenson win. First major win for him at 40 years old. First major win for a male Swede. Pretty historic.

Have a great Monday!

Stacy

Giveaway Ends Monday

My Goodreads Giveaway is coming to an end on Monday (11:59 pm PDT to be exact). If you know someone who might be interested in winning a copy of Bite Me, I’m Yours, let them know. Odds of winning aren’t too shabby.

The giveaway isn’t working like I thought it would, but it was worth a try. It’s not like it cost a ton of money (price of book + shipping). And who knows, maybe the winner will LOVE my book and then buy all the others. It could happen. J

I went and did it again. I signed up for another book signing convention. Sometimes I think I must have a problem and maybe I should go to Convention-holics Anonymous. It’s like I find these conventions and can’t resist registering!

Anyway, this one is called Angels and Sirens and will be held in Washington, PA on March 4th. It’s a one-day event (11-4) at the Meadowlands Casino and Race Track. I probably am crazy signing up for it, but hey, it’s near Pittsburgh. And there’s a 5pm Penguins game on the 5th. Wonder if I can talk Hubby into going. Guess I better ask him before tickets go on sale, huh?

Tonight I’m attending a Dayton Dragons game. Tomorrow, too. And Monday (my birthday!!). I’ll probably be all baseballed out after that.

Naahhh! J

Still, the Dragons are doing just about as well as the Reds this year. Yep. They stink! But I enjoy going to the games. Besides having AWESOME seats (5 rows behind the Dragons’ dugout), I love seeing those Single A players and wonder which ones will end up on the Reds. I can usually tell. This year not so much, though.

So… Got any plans this weekend? Or do you just plan to veg out in front of the TV (or a book)? I’ll be celebrating my birthday with the family on Sunday. Should be fun!

Happy Friday!

 

Stacy

Cover Reveal — A Vampire Wedding

I’m thinking my newsletter bombed. Not many people opened it (only 22.5%), so not many people saw my awesome cover. I really must work on those subject lines. Apparently mine aren’t exciting enough (cause if they were, people would have opened my newsletter, right?). But is it possible to make them exciting without sounding spammy? Hmmm…

Anyway, hopefully I’ll get a better response here (and on Facebook and Google +) regarding my cover reveal. So are you ready? Really? Then scroll down…

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A little more…

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Here it is!

 

Isn’t it awesome? When I found the picture I knew right away it was perfect. However, the shape wasn’t right for a cover. J Mick Consulting (a friend of hubby’s) did a wonderful job in making it work.

I’ve received the edits back from my editor (first round, anyway) and I’m currently making the necessary changes. I would really like to have this novella available by June 1st, but I’m afraid to put it out there for pre-sale. What if I screw up? What if it’s not ready? I really don’t think I need to add more pressure on myself. If it goes to my formatter (hubby) before then, then I might reconsider the pre-sale thing. I hear it helps to gain interest. How? I have no idea. I personally don’t pre-order much. Probably because I’m afraid if I pre-ordered it, then I’d go and order it again when it released. Because I’m dumb like that.

Good news! Big Red is home. Dell replaced the hard drive, wireless card, heatsink (whatever the heck that is) and reinstalled the operating system (which means, yeah, I have to add all my software—again!). I sure hope that fixed it. I’ll find out once I can actually start using it again. Hubby has to add Word & Excel (Big Red doesn’t have a CD/DVD and I’m not techy enough to figure out how to install it otherwise).

But it’s back. It’s back! It’s BACK!! I’m really happy. This past week I remembered why I wanted to replace the HP. Ugh.

Here’s a honey funny to end the week. I keep a grocery list by the toaster for anyone to add what they need from the store (when I get around to actually shop, that is). The other day I had opened my last bottle of iron tablets so I wrote the following on the list: Iron, 65 mg. The next day I noticed a new entry: Gold, 1.3 lbs.

Yeah, I laughed.

So… Do you live with a cut up, too? Sometimes I can only shake my head.

Have a great weekend! It’s Hubby’s birthday on Sunday. Columbus friend is coming over on Saturday to cook lasagna. I’m making a cake. Should be fun!!!

Stacy

I’m Singing the Taxes Blues and HB to My Dad

Make that Wailing the Taxes Blues. That’s right. I’m going to do my taxes this week. At least, that’s the plan. I’m sure I’ll be in a wonderful mood once I begin.

NOT.

I so hate doing them. I’m hoping it will go easier this year, but I doubt it does. It never does.

So fair warning all. If I seem rather grumpy this week, you’ll know why!

Tomorrow is my father’s birthday. He’ll be 91! This is one of my favorite pictures of us together. It was taken in Aug 2004 (so I was 47 and he was 79) at our family reunion. I’m still boggled over that being 12 years ago. Man. It’s like I blink and a decade has passed!

So… Did you get any snow for Valentine’s Day? It snowed while hubby and I were at dinner. Weather didn’t seem to stop a lot of people from going out, either. I’d bet the schools would close this morning, but then again I’m not sure they were to be opened anyway. Do schools still close on President’s Day? Well, even with all this cold and snow early this week, it’s supposed to be up into the sixties by Saturday. Now THAT’S an Ohio winter! J

Have a great Monday!

Stacy

Aaarrrggghhh!

That sentiment isn’t just because I forgot to write something last night to have posted first thing this morning. Although it could have been, because I pretty much uttered that when I returned from the fitness center this morning (walked 3.25 miles!!) and realized I hadn’t posted anything.

What that sentiment is geared toward is my new laptop: Big Red. Or maybe it’s really geared toward Dell. I’m not happy with either right now.

Yesterday, for the third time since I got this thing, my laptop wouldn’t turn on. I waited 30 minutes (because last time it came on after waiting) and I got the message there wasn’t a hard drive. That did NOT make me a happy camper.

I e-mailed the person who had supposedly “fixed” it the other two times. I have yet to hear back.

Luckily for me, I had errands to run and I was gone for a good part of the day. When I returned home and found I still hadn’t received an e-mail from Dell, I pushed the on button again and low and behold… it came on!

My husband thinks maybe I just shouldn’t turn it off. So I didn’t last night and it seems to be working fine. I still want Dell to do something about this, though. If that means they replace it, then fine. I’ll hate having to adjust everything to the way I have it (because I’m sure I won’t get it all right), but I just hate not being able to trust something I only owned a month.

On scarier news… Yesterday (hmmm… maybe I should have just stayed in bed?) I went outside to get the newspaper. It was still dark (around 6:30am) and it was freezing. I heard some rustling between our house and the neighbor's (there are dead leaves on the ground between our houses). The last couple of days I’ve heard a cat meowing, so I figured it was finally showing himself. Nope.

What I saw instead made my heart race and my feet retreat back to the house. It was none other than a skunk. And he was walking toward me. Oh no!

I backed up to the house and waited while he crossed the street. Feeling it was safe, I headed back to the mailbox to get my paper when the sucker turned around and walked toward me again. That was all I needed to tell me the paper could wait.

This was the first (yes, FIRST) time I’ve ever seen a skunk alive. I hope I never see another.

Oh gee, look. That title could have been for that skunk, too!

Taken in 1986. Bet you can guess where. :)

So… Today is my son’s 34th birthday. Here’s a picture of my little boy, my Alaskan souvenir (we were stationed at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska when he was born). I’m thinking today will be a better day than yesterday. It has to be. It's the day I gave birth to a great guy!

Happy Friday!

Stacy

It Didn’t Look That Big in the Store

On Friday, Hubby and I went to Lowe’s to buy a new Christmas tree. I wanted the narrow one. He didn’t like it. And to be honest, the narrow one would have looked better if it didn’t look GREY. Or if it had colored lights. Found a wider, greener one with colored lights. But the Lowe’s in our town didn’t have any stock (yet they still had the display up—why??) and told us the one in Troy had five. Didn’t feel like driving up to Troy, so we drove over to Meijer’s to check out their tree selection.

Again, they had a display we were interested in (actually, they had two of the one we wanted up on display), but no boxes. You’d think they’d put a note up or something indicating they were out of stock, but no. They wouldn’t sell us one of the displays, either. Not until next week, even though they weren’t expecting another shipment in. I didn’t want to wait for next week, so we drove up to Troy.

Good thing we didn’t have anything else planned for the day.

Yesterday I finally pulled the tree out of the box, by sections, of course. Man, the middle and bottom sections were heavy! Heavier than our older tree. Turns out to be a LOT larger than our older tree. Don’t believe me? Here’s a comparison.

This was last year's tree.
Only 1/2 the lights worked.

This is our new tree.
There's no room for the topper!

Oh well… So much for wanting a narrower tree. Or even a smaller tree. I’ve got a monster now. At least the lights work. And it was easier to put together. Sort of. It’s a lot taller than the other tree, too. I can’t reach the top portion without standing on a chair. I’ll post a picture once I get the ornaments on it.

I really enjoyed hearing Tess Gerritsen speak at the Centerville Library on Friday (and I remembered the picture!!). Thank goodness I already owned her latest book and brought it for her to sign. She was at another event the night before and sold out of her books. Good for her. Not so good for the people at the library hoping to buy a book.

I hope one of these days I can experience selling out of books! Haha! J

Saturday’s football game was a thriller. Unfortunately we didn’t come out of it victorious. I really hate the private schools. They should have their own division. Public schools RARELY win because it’s hard to compete against schools that can recruit (where as public schools can’t). Still, we came sooooooo close. After being down by 17 points in the 4th quarter, we came back and were up by 4 points with 3 minutes left in the game. If we could only have held them (they ended up winning 45-35). Wasn’t meant to be, though. L

Finally, I need to shout out HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister, Karen! She's now only one year younger than me instead of two. J

 

So… Have you ever bought something that didn’t seem that big until you got it home?

Have a great Monday!

Stacy

My Weekend Was… Whew!

Sometimes I think the busier my weekend, the less chance I have of actually writing a blog for Monday.

Or maybe, the more television I watch with my husband on Sunday night, the less chance I have of actually writing a blog for Monday.

I’ll have to go with the second, I think, since we’ve been watching Season 3 of NCIS. Good thing my husband got a phone call. Gave me a chance to get something written down! That’s not to say my weekend wasn’t busy.

It was so busy, I didn’t even get a chance to READ. Now, THAT’S busy!

I had a blast on my birthday. Breakfast with my sweetie and the oldest. Watched “A League of Their Own” with the family (that film makes me cry every time I watch it!). Opened presents (yay!). Played card games with the family. Had dinner at The Pub (very good food – I had the shephard’s pie). Played more card games. Had birthday cake for dessert (mmmm… raspberry filling, too!). And played more card games.

Would you believe I didn’t win at any of the games? What gives!

But it was fun spending the day with my favorite people. Can’t get any better than that.

I also received four contest entries to judge on Saturday (yep, doing THAT again). I completed one of those on Sunday. That certainly took up some time (and drove me a little nutso). I’m seriously wondering if I ever want to judge again.

We also watched the 3rd round of the British Open (they call it The Open over there). So I’m hoping I remember to watch the 4th round this morning (I want Jordan Spieth to win!). I figure as long as I write something down here, I’ll remember! Hahahahaha! J

And then wouldn’t you believe it? As soon as I get ready to SAVE this stupid document so I can post it on my blog, my computer froze up! Grumble grumble.

I’m beginning to think buying a Hewlett Packard Pro Book was not such a wise move. My old Toshiba didn’t give me THIS much trouble.

So… Did you take any naps for me this past weekend?

Stacy