No Wednesday Reads But I’m Reading

I did finish a book this week, it just happened to be my own. Haha!

I’m reviewing the digital copy of my box set and want to make sure it doesn’t have any annoying characters (those strange symbols that show up every now and then), which means reading it. Or at least scanning it closely. Can’t help it if I get engrossed in my own book, can I? It’d been awhile since I last read My Sunny Vampire. Man, I still enjoyed that story.

If it weren’t for the fact that I reached my reading goal, I would have so added it as a book read this year. Because I may have scanned SOME of the story, but I read MOST of it. I just couldn’t help myself! And now I’m onto Bite Me, I’m Yours. We’ll see how much I scan and how much I read of that one. Although right now I’ve been reading it (and a good thing—already found one of those pesky strange characters).

I’m not letting it interrupt my writing, though. I am now strongly motivated to reach my daily goal of 500 words a day. Starting yesterday. And I reached it. Whoo hoo! I love scratching things off my “To Do” list.

Would you believe I cooked our Christmas dinner? I shocked myself in getting everything ready at one time. Well, except for the biscuits. My oven can only hold so much food! But the meal was yummy: meatloaf, mac & cheese, and green bean casserole (yeah, not healthy, but who cares). It had been awhile since I’ve had the meatloaf and mac & cheese. Of course, I’m used to making them separately, not together. That was more work than I was prepared for. But kind of worth it. It really was good.

I also cooked on Christmas Eve, but that meal was super easy and turned out awesome! I bought a bag of frozen Italian seasoned meatballs and put them in a crock pot. Added a can of regular spaghetti sauce and a can of 4 cheese spaghetti sauce (I used what I had in the pantry—Hunt's) and cooked it on low for about 6 hours. I then cooked the pasta separately. Man, those meatballs were so good and so was the sauce. Definitely a keeper recipe!

Maybe I’ll cook more in 2018. Easy recipes, that is. After we use up all our bonus coupons from the gift cards we bought this month (and we bought a LOT of gift cards). Free money is free money, especially when you eat at that restaurant all the time.

Made it to the theatre on Monday (got smart and bought the tickets early this time) and saw “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” I enjoyed it very much. I don’t get what people didn’t like about it, but then I’m not into the fandom that heavily. I like what I like, but I don't necessarily join clubs about it.

So… How was your Christmas? Was it a white one? Ours was. And much too cold. That warm weather can return any day now.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

 

No Wednesday Reads and I Cooked!

I’m reading a long book, so of course I’m now behind in my reading goal. Having a release kind of took some of my time, too. So did sending out my newsletter. And then there’s revising Ghostly Interlude (yep, still working on that). Sometimes reading does have to take a back seat, regardless of how much I’m enjoying the story.

And yeah, I’m enjoying it very much. Makes walking on the treadmill much less of a chore.

Hopefully I’ll have that book to report next week!

Yesterday I managed to remember to cook dinner. Almost messed up again, though.

I was smart (or so I thought). I set my alarm for 10am. Problem was, I wasn’t HOME when my alarm went off! Figured, huh?

But luckily I wasn’t far and I managed to get the chicken into the crock pot only 20 minutes late and dinner was yummy! Even Hubby was able to eat it all. That made me extra happy.

Penguins play again tonight. Monday’s game was stressful, but they won it in overtime. Whew! Hopefully they continue playing well, especially now that they’re in Tampa.

So… What are you reading now? I know I ask this a lot, but I figure you’re not still reading the same book. And if you are, how come? J

Happy Reading!

 

Stacy

A Vampire Wedding is Available!

I approved the publication for A Vampire Wedding on Saturday. I would have done a pre-order if I could have done that with Barnes & Noble, but I couldn’t, so I just went with “publish now.” The purpose of a pre-order makes it so it looks like I sold a lot on release day, which I guess generates some kind of buzz somewhere. I can’t imagine I generate any kind of buzz. Yet. Someday I will, though. You just wait and see!

Once A Vampire Wedding shows up for sale in the important places (B&N, iBooks, Kobo—it’s already on Amazon HERE), I’ll send out a newsletter (and post the buy links on the page and along the sidebar).

Oh, and I plan on celebrating by giving away a bag of books to newsletter subscribers ONLY, so if you want a chance at that (and you live in the good old U.S. of A.), you better subscribe now (HERE), because I expect to be sending out the next newsletter SOON. Like, hopefully, tomorrow SOON.

Next up, getting the paperback ready in time for RAGT, which is less than 4 weeks away!!!! I hope I make it. I really want copies available for sale so it doesn’t look like I don't have something new. Because I do. I doooo!!!

Hubby and I made it to the Dragons game on Friday. Turned out to be a nice evening. And the Dragons won, which is pretty rare this year. They’re the only team that HASN’T won in the double-digits yet. Ugh. We were supposed to attend Saturday’s game, too, but the weather had gotten way too cold and windy (wind chill was 36 degrees). I’m okay with cold weather during football games; it’s kind of expected. But for baseball? No thanks. Plus, Hubby just wasn’t up to that. Heck, neither was I!

Tonight is game two of the NHL Eastern Division finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. I wasn’t able to watch all of game one on Friday (only the last period), and I guess it was just as well (the Penguins stunk!). I expect a better game tonight! Let’s go Pens!!

So… Have you ever made plans, wrote said plans DOWN (on paper, even), and then completely forget? I did that yesterday. Planned on fixing dinner in the crockpot. Put note on kitchen counter, with some of the ingredients, to remind me. Did I remember? Hell, no. That would require going INTO the kitchen. D’oh!

Have a great Monday! I’m eating pizza tonight. I’ll cook tomorrow. I hope. J

Stacy

Cooking, a Library Event, and a Christmas Tree

I cooked last night! Okay, I sort of cooked last night. I only heated the ham in the microwave, but the boxed cheesy scalloped potatoes had to be prepared and put in the oven. That’s cooking, right? Hee hee J

We also cut into our last Kringle (which do freeze well, by the way). I’ll be sorry to see it go. Those suckers are GOOD!

Today the hubby and I are going down to the Centerville library to see Tess Gerritsen. I gotta remember to take her book. And hopefully I remember to get my picture taken with her.

I forgot to do that when I had dinner with Meg Gardiner in Austin. D’oh!!

I’ve decided to shop for a new Christmas tree. Maybe I’ll do it today, after the library event. Our current pre-lit tree only half-lights and trying to find the culprits for the dead strings is pretty fruitless—maybe if just one light went out instead of the whole string… But nooooo!

I see that Lowe’s has a slim 7-1/2’ tall tree. With 800 lights! I’m thinking that’s the one I want. It’ll just barely clear the ceiling. Not sure if I’ll be able to put a topper on it, but if it’s narrow, then I don’t care. I just want something narrow. And pre-lit. Can’t forget that important feature!

 

Saturday is the big football game. I'll be at the OSU Horseshoe rooting for our Wayne Warriors to win. I really feel like this is their year. Can't wait for the game. It's supposed to be sunny. No rain!! Yay!

So… Have you put up your tree yet? How big is it? If it weren’t for all the dated ornaments, I’d get a really small tree, but I’ve been collecting dated ornaments since we got married (meaning #37 is going up this year) and I’m not quitting!

 

Have a great weekend and Go Wayne!!! J

Stacy

Multi-Tasking

When you think of the term “multi-tasking”, you probably think it means doing more than one thing at a time. Like reading a book and watching the Olympics (done that – couldn’t put “Twilight” down!). But I also think it can apply to things, too. Unfortunately, my son did not.

He mentioned making enchiladas (yes, the boy cooks – and more than I do. It’s amazing what moving out can do), but the pan he had was too large and they didn’t turn out right. He then went on to say he would buy a smaller pan.

“Why don’t you use the lasagna pan?” I asked. That’s the pan his “Aunt” gave him as a house warming present because she loves to make his favorite dish; thus the name.

His response? “That pan is for lasagna.”

“So?” I said. “You don’t think a pan can multi-task?”

Seems he never even thought about it. He figured a pan had one use and one use only. The next week when he came over, he sheepishly admitted the lasagna pan had worked out nicely for his enchiladas.

It’s nice that he is learning to multi-task his cookware. It’ll be cheaper for him in the long run. It’s not like he has a large apartment.

It’s even nicer that he cooks. I really never thought I’d see the day (since his idea of cooking before was heating frozen pizza or pizza rolls). So, if there are any women out there looking for a man who can cook, I can introduce you to my son. Just kidding! Maybe.