Finished Reading “Starter Villain” and … My Normal

For having metastatic kidney cancer, I’m one of the lucky ones. My disease seems to be in remission and the treatments to keep it that way haven’t given me horrible side effects (like losing hair). But the disease DOES kind of tie me to the oncology clinic. Every four weeks, at least.

It also comes with quarterly CT scans and the occasional MRI. And those can be a nuisance. It’s not just having the scans; it’s having the contrast with the scans. I have to drink something prior and then have some dye injected via an IV during.

I was supposed to have my last CT scan on Tuesday. I drank the contrast two hours before and checked in at radiology 15 minutes before my scheduled scan. Except the system was down. They could conduct the scan, but they didn’t have access to my lab work to see if they should DO the scan. It got so late, that the stuff I drank was no longer viable and they had to reschedule.

So now I gotta repeat the process on the 11^th. I can’t imagine drinking that stuff is all that healthy. Or even getting injected with the dye. But there’s not much I can do about that.

Like I said, it’s a nuisance. It hasn’t gotten me sick…yet. Same with the hormone-therapy pills I have to take for my breast cancer. I have some side effects, but they aren’t debilitating. Thank goodness!

I guess this is what normal is for me now. Just like getting old!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 5

Dates read: February 26 – March 7, 2025
Title: Starter Villain
Year of publication: 2023
Author: John Scalzi
Genre: Humorous
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 262
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased from B&N
Blurb from Book: Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.
    Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.
    Then his long-lost uncle, Jake, dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.
    But becoming a supervillain isn’t all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they’re coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.
    It’s up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.
    In a dog-eat-dog world…be a cat.
Recommend: Yes
My thoughts: This was an interesting story and I enjoyed it. Certainly different than what I normally read. But I follow John Scalzi on social media and he lives in Ohio, so I just had to try him out and that cover is kind of what hooked me. If you like humorous stories with a bunch of weird stuff, give it a try.

I finally finished watching Star Trek: Voyager. I’m still surprised at how I knew all the characters, but it was like watching the series for the first time. Bizarre, huh? Now I’m starting Quantum Leap (w/Scott Bakula). I loved that show when it aired, but I’m guessing my re-watching will be like Voyager: seeing it for the first time. I just don’t know if I can blame my lack of memory on old age or the cancer drugs. Heck, it might be both!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Unseen” and “Busted” and Summer’s Back

I know most of the country is suffering from heat exhaustion. Fortunately, it hasn’t been as brutal here, in Ohio. In fact, the grass is still GREEN outside. But this week summer has decided to come back in full force. 90-degree days every day this week. But, by the weekend, it should be back down below normal.

This has been one strange summer. Not that I’m complaining. We usually get 20 90-degree days. I think we’ve had 4 before this week. Not too shabby. For once, I’m happy living where I am.

Shocker, right?

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 43

Dates read: August 15 – 21, 2023
Title: Unseen
Year of publication: 2013
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Crime Suspense
Series: Will Trent #7
# of Pages: 394
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: Will Trent is a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent, working undercover in Macon, Georgia, posing as Bill Black, a scary ex-con who trails an air of violence wherever he goes. The cover has worked and he has caught the eye of a wiry little drug dealer who thinks he might be a useful ally. But there’s a problem. Cut off from the support of the woman he loves, Sara Linton, Will finds his demons catching up with him. Although she has no idea where Will has gone, or why, Sara herself has come to Macon because of a cop shooting. Her stepson, Jared, has been gunned down. Suddenly, without even knowing it, Sara finds herself involved in the same case that Will is working—with danger swirling around both of them. A novel of fierce intensity, shifting allegiances and shocking twists, Unseen pits detectives, lovers, and enemies against one another in an unforgettable standoff between righteous courage and deepest evil.
My thoughts: Had some slow parts, but toward the end I didn’t want to put it down.

Book 44

Dates read: August 21, 2023
Title: Busted
Year of publication: 2013
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Crime Suspense
Series: Will Trent #6.5
# of Pages: 68
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased (at end of the book, Unseen)
Blurb from Goodreads: Detective Will Trent is standing in a Georgia convenience store, waiting on an obstinate Icee frozen drink machine. To the surveillance cameras and bored staff of the Lil’ Dixie Gas-n-Go, however, Will appears to be someone very different—the menacing ex-con Bill Black. Going undercover as Bill, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent is about to infiltrate the most corrupt town in the most corrupt county in the new American South. But first: his Icee.
    Everything changes in one horrific instant, as all hell breaks loose at the Lil’ Dixie. A cop is shot. A bag of cash goes flying across the floor. A young woman disappears while a killer takes off in a battered pick-up truck. Within seconds, Will is in pursuit.
My thoughts: Again, I should have read this short before Unseen, but I didn’t. Not that it matters, story-wise. But still, things happen in this short that kind of breaks into the beginning of Unseen. Lesson learned. Good short, though.

Hubby and I started watching Star Trek: Picard. It started out a little slow (quiet, actually), but we only have two episodes left in season 1 and we’re both anxious to see how it all ends (or if it leaves us hanging for season 2). After Picard, we’ll probably watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and finish Star Trek: Discovery (we’ve watched through season 3). As for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I’m watching season 7. I’m enjoying them this time around. So little I remember from watching when they first aired on TV, though. I had my son bring over Star Trek: Voyager and will get started on those after I finish DS9. I guess I’m just on a Star Trek kick for now.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Fallen” and Feeling Like a Jinx

We like attending Dayton Dragons games (they’re the single A baseball team of the Cincinnati Reds). We have season tickets and see about 6-8 games a year (we share the season with other people). So far this year we have yet to see them win a game.

Yesterday was our second to last game (our last game to see them is on Aug 26). They had a four game winning streak, had won 10 of their last 11, and just moved into first place in their division. And then we went to the game.

They lost…again. My husband told the workers at the information booth that they should pay him not to come to the games!

I do hope they win on Aug 26. I’d hate to think we were a jinx to the team!!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 40

Dates read: July 28 – August 4, 2023
Title: Fallen
Year of publication: 2011
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Crime Suspense
Series: Will Trent #5
# of Pages: 426
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: There’s no police training stronger than a cop’s instinct. Faith Mitchell’s mother isn’t answering her phone. Her front door is open. There’s a bloodstain above the knob. Everything Faith learned in the academy goes out the window when she charges into her mother’s house, gun drawn. She sees a man dead in the laundry room, a hostage situation in the bedroom. What she doesn’t see is her mother. When the hostage situation turns deadly, Faith is left with too many questions. She’ll need the help of her partner, Will Trent, and trauma doctor Sara Linton to get some answers. But Faith isn’t just a cop anymore, she’s a witness—and a suspect. To find her mother, Faith will have to cross the thin blue line and bring the truth to light—or bury it forever.
My thoughts: Hubby warned me that the characters in the book aren’t anything like the characters in the TV series, and he wasn’t wrong. I still try to picture them, but sometimes it’s just too darn hard. This book made it more difficult. Still enjoyed the story and wanted to find all the answers at the end. This is a really good series.

I still hate our new DVR. While I was glad to get one with a clock, the display is blue and really hard to see from our couch (plus, the menu stuff wasn’t any different than the one without a display). So… I went and bought a new clock with a larger display and put it on top of the DVR. Works so much better. Too bad it doesn’t fix the DVR issues.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Broken” and Cable TV Woes

When we got home from Savannah on Sunday, we wanted to check up on the news we recorded. Discovered that sometime on Friday, our DVR died.

I feared about this day. I liked that DVR box. Only good thing was that we were basically caught up in our shows (just had the daily things like Jeopardy! and the news) and I lost only one showing of Nancy Drew (which I can get on demand).

On Monday I went to Spectrum to turn it in for another box. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a box with a clock on the display (or any display at that). I was told I could order one. I called Spectrum. They couldn’t guarantee I would get one with a clock. Would you believe that they have NO WAY to send a comment to their warehouse to send a specific type of box? NO. WAY. Okay, fine. I asked if I could call the other stores in the area to see if they had one in stock. Nope. Stores don’t take calls anymore.

Can you believe that? I can’t even imagine how they must do inventory! Anyway, I took my chance and ordered a box, but told them that I would return it if it didn’t have a clock.

I got the box Tuesday. No clock. I returned it Wednesday at the store. This time, I was told that one of their repair people could bring one by. Now, why wasn’t I offered that the first time?

Anyway, I got a new box with a clock display. Unfortunately, the menu and recording is all different, and with LESS options that I used to have. LESS.

I just love (not) how everything is more technically advanced, yet we get less stuff. Doesn’t make any sense.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 39

Dates read: July 22-27, 2023
Title: Broken
Year of publication: 2010
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Crime Suspense
Series: Will Trent #4
# of Pages: 480
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased used
Blurb from Book: When the body of a young woman is discovered deep beneath the icy waters of Lake Grant, a note left under a rock by the shore points to suicide. But within minutes, it becomes clear that this is no suicide. It’s a brutal, cold-blooded murder.
    All too soon, former Grant County medical examiner Sara Linton—home for Thanksgiving after a long absence—finds herself unwittingly drawn into the case. The chief suspect is desperate to see her but when she arrives at the local police station she is met with a horrifying sight—he lies dead in his cell, the words “Not me” scrawled across the walls.
    Something about his confession doesn’t add up and, deeply suspicious of Lena Adams, the detective in charge, Sara immediately calls in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Shortly afterwards, Special Agent Will Trent is brought in from his vacation to investigate. But he is immediately confronted with a wall of silence. Grant County is a close-knit community with loyalties and ties that run deep. And the only person who can tell the truth about what really happened is dead…
My thoughts: This was a good read. I really like this series. And there isn’t any romance in them, either! Go figure.

One of these days I’ll get brave and cut the cable. I just like my sports too much to do that, though.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Finished Reading “Fractured” and Book vs TV

I’m feeling a little bit better than last time I posted. Don’t know if it’s the weather, or getting back out there and walking, or if it’s because I finally feel ready for Literary Love Savannah 2023 (I got off my duff and organized my stuff for that book convention). I always spend way more than I ever make at that convention, but I have fun, so I figure it’s worth that, at least. I also crochet lots of stuff I give away (either in raffle baskets or with swag). Makes me think that I should have a character in my books who crochets a lot. Then giving this stuff out as swag would make more sense!

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 36

Dates read: July 8-12, 2023
Title: Fractured
Year of publication: 2008
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Crime Fiction/Suspense
Series: Will Trent #2
# of Pages: 503
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased used
Blurb from Book: When Atlanta housewife Abigail Campano comes home unexpectedly one afternoon, she walks into a nightmare. A broken window, a bloody footprint on the stairs, and, most devastating of all, the horrifying sight of her teenage daughter lying dead on the landing, a man standing over her with a bloody knife. The struggle which follows changes Abigail’s life forever.
    When the local police make a misjudgement which not only threatens the investigation but places a young girl’s life in danger, the case is handed over to Special Agent Will Trent of the Criminal Apprehension Team—paired with detective Faith Mitchell, a woman who resents him from their first meeting.
    But in the relentless heat of a Georgia summer, Will and Faith realize that they must work together to find the brutal killer who has targeted one of Atlanta’s wealthiest, most priviledged communities—before it’s too late.
My thoughts: I realized early on that I had a UK version of this book. I guess that’s what I get for buying it at Half Price Books, huh? I don’t think it mattered in the long run (I got used to the ‘ vs “ marks in dialogue). This is the story that was used in the pilot of the television series “Will Trent”. And as early as I had seen that, I still couldn’t remember whodunit. Very good read. And I just ignore how the author describes the characters. I go by who’s playing them in the TV series. It’s just easier for me that way.

Do you read books that were based on a television series you watch? Or have you watched television series based on books you’ve already read? Which do you prefer? I read the Sookie Stackhouse books while I was watching True Blood. But I didn’t start reading the first book until after the first season ended. I was afraid I would spoil things. Silly me. I should have known by then that TV and movies RARELY are the same as the books. And… the books are always better. Agree? So I have no problems reading the Will Trent books and hope the series has been renewed. Because I know the TV series will eventually veer in a different direction than the book series. And I like them both.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and Heart News

Saw my cardiologist on Monday. She wants to wait until after my scheduled imaging (for my kidneys and lungs) in November before she looks into me having heart surgery. But, she did say she would talk to the cardiac surgeon to see what my options are after that. So… more waiting. Granted, I would prefer surgery (or whatever) to happen after our March cruise, but it’s the not knowing that I don’t like.

Other than that, I’m doing fine. No changes. That’s good.

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book 43

Dates read: August 13-20, 2021
Title: Claimed
Year of publication: 2021
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: The Lair of the Wolven #1
# of Pages: 509
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.
    One night, a shadowy figure in the forest threatens Lydia’s life, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious and someone she instinctively wants to trust. But is he hiding something?
    As the stakes get higher and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, while others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love…or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?
My thoughts: This new series is set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world and a character from that series is in this. Not yet sure how it all connects, as this particular book doesn’t wrap up that storyline. Yeah, there’s a little bit of a cliffhanger…for the series. But it wasn’t an irritating one for me. Or maybe I just like J.R. Ward too much to fuss about it? Maybe… But I enjoyed this and look forward to reading more.

My walking is taking a hit this week. Doctor appointments on Monday and Wednesday mornings, and I had to pick up my daughter Tuesday morning. I refuse to walk later in the day, as the temps have been in the 90s (and will continue to be that way for the rest of the week). I like summer, but 90 degrees is ridiculous. Hopefully I’ll get back to walking tomorrow.

I recorded a TV series this past spring: “Debris.” I thought it was one of those one-season kind of series, so I waited until the whole series was aired before watching and never bothered looking up anything (so as not to be spoiled). Well, I finished watching it Monday night, where it ended on a huge cliffhanger. Then I checked and saw it wasn’t renewed for a season 2. WTH??? To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I wish I’d never watched it now.

So… Are you as gun-shy about starting a new series on television like I am? I really don’t watch as much TV as I used to. Mainly because it seems like nothing lasts anymore. Or more importantly, nothing ends properly.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Reading Update and Watching TV

Seems like my blogging is down to reading updates only. So, maybe I’ll spice it up a bit.

The Penguins won last night! Yay! I wish I could see all the games on TV, but then I’d never get any other TV watched. I know, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Right now Hubby and I are watching Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery on DVD (since we’re all caught up on the network shows). And I’m watching Season 4 of The X Files on DVD. My son and I finished Season 5 of American Horror Story: Roanoke Nightmare (I think that was the name) last Wednesday. That was a strange one (not that they aren’t all strange). We’ll probably start on Season 6 tonight. Or watch a movie. I’ll let him choose (he comes over every Wednesday night, ain’t he great?).

Here’s what I read since my last update:

Book #6

Dates read: January 23-February 12
Title: White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Robin DiAngelo
Genre: Non-fiction
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 154
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Library
Blurb from Book:. Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, anti-racist educator Robin DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what can be done to engage more constructively.
My thoughts: This was an eye-opener and I feel it is required reading for every white person. At least those white people who are open to being a better white person. Unfortunately, the white people who NEED to read this won’t. Which, sadly, is a big problem with our country.

Book #7

Dates read: February 8-18
Title: Demons are Forever
Year of publication: 2018
Author: A.E. Jones
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: The Realm #3
# of Pages: 245
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased from author
Blurb from Book:. Sergei Chesnokov is one lost demon. Born an anomaly—a demon without powers—he has alienated himself from his family, traveling the world as a photographer, observing life from behind his camera lens.
    Summoned to the demon realm by his grandmother, Sergei must face a family he hasn’t seen in years. He also meets Lela, whose energy is so strong that others siphon it from her to boost their powers, leaving her sick and vulnerable. Sergei is the only demon she’s met who can’t hurt her. Felling safe for the first time in her life, Lela accepts his friendship.
    However, Sergei quickly realizes friendship is not enough. And he’s finally found a purpose—protecting Lela from those who would harm her. But what happens when he might be part of the problem…since he’s not as powerless as he first thought. Can he walk away from her to keep her safe?
My thoughts: This was an interesting end to the trilogy. The story overlaps a bit in the beginning, but not as much as it did in #2. If you’re looking for a light, easy, paranormal read (with a bit of humor), this series will do the trick.

So … Do you watch series on DVD or on the streaming services? I can’t always find what I want to watch on the streaming services, so I’ll stick with the DVDs for now. Plus, I like having a library!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

I Hate Spectrum

Today is a ranty post. Because I’m mad and need to get it off my chest.

I hate Spectrum. I’d probably hate any other TV provider, too (because they’re all a pain in the ASS), but we feel cable is a little better than a dish, especially around here when the weather gets bad (I’ve seen what happens to those dish providers during a storm).

We have three DVRs. Before Spectrum took over Time Warner, we used to have a whole house system. Where we could watch any show recorded on any DVR from any DVR. It was great. We weren’t forced to watch it on the DVR that did the recording. Then Spectrum took over.

They didn’t support whole house systems. They don’t have anything that sophisticated. Why would a company get rid of the BEST FEATURE of DVRs???? We only got to keep the one we had because we were grandfathered in. Then we moved.

Yeah, we lost our whole house system. So we’re stuck with three separate DVRs and we have to go to that DVR to watch the shows we had recorded, which is another pain in the ASS. We moved the bedroom DVR into the Great Room so our TV can use both DVRs (and because we didn’t want to have to watch our recorded shows in the bedroom).

Problem was… the bedroom DVR didn’t record all that well. I’d set it up to record a show and sometimes it would record it all and sometimes it would only record five minutes of it. We couldn’t rely on it for our series, but we had shows on the DVR that had recorded correctly. Daughter and I finally watched the last show last week. The DVR was now ready to be replaced.

You’d think this would be a joyous time. Nope. I followed the INSTRUCTIONS that the clerk at Spectrum HANDED me when I exchanged DVRs. I spent all day waiting for the DVR to show the time so I could call to activate it. Waited for the message on the TV to say it was ready to be activated. I unplugged/plugged it several times. Reconnected the cables. Nothing was working.

Hubby called Spectrum, which is something we really hate to do. I think they purposely use that recorded voice to repel callers. I know I think long and hard before I have to call them.

After answering all the questions and telling robot lady we needed technical support, the recording said that we had an outage in our area (we didn’t) and kept telling us there wasn’t anything they could do. You know, if we could have talked to a real person, they would have KNOWN why we were calling.

Hubby almost had to start over, but managed to get in line for a real person. And then we find out… the INSTRUCTIONS WERE WRONG!!!

You see, their DVRs don’t have clocks on them anymore.

And that right there really pisses me off. Used to be all the electronics had clocks on them. Now, NONE OF THEM DO!!! What, don’t people like to see what time it is? I certainly do.

I hope our older DVR never dies (it’s the one we use the most). I will not be happy without a clock. There’s nowhere behind the TV to hang one (since there are three windows there).

By the way, do the other TV providers have clocks on their devices? That would be a big selling point to win me over.

Anyway, both boxes are now working, but I don’t know if I want to use the new one. It has a completely DIFFERENT menu system! Why?????

I was going to set up to record Season 6 of SHIELD on that one (since we haven’t seen Season 5 yet—have to get that on Netflix). I may still do it, but gee whiz, why does Spectrum have to make everything so complicated?

Oh, and the real kicker after all this? The guide on the old box now has a stupid advertising line between the channels. An ADVERTISEMENT! I pay a lot of money for cable. I don’t think I should have to be forced to see an ADVERTISEMENT on the stupid GUIDE!

If I didn’t like watching TV so much, I’d give it up.

Thanks for letting me rant. I just hope I don’t write another ranty post on Monday. The appliance repair person is supposed to come by today and find out why our dishwasher keeps blowing the circuit breaker. The electrician already said it wasn’t the wiring. And yes, it’s still under warranty. So at least we have that going for us.

Stacy

Cool Beans!

Last night, while the Penguins were playing in Pittsburgh and not being televised here, I saw someone post on Facebook that the NHL App was showing the game for free. I have the NHL App on my phone (shocker, huh?) and since I wasn’t doing much, decided to check it out.

It worked!

But it gets even better…

Hubby thought he would be able to get the NHL App on our new TV. That didn’t seem to work so well, but… He has it set up so I was able to plug my phone in.

Now the game was on the big TV! Whoo hoo!

Even better…

The Penguins won! They’re in the playoffs for the 13^th season in a row!!!

Time for some Snoopy dancing!!!

So… Got any big/fun plans this weekend? I don’t think we have anything planned. If Hubby is busy with his online game (which he usually is), maybe I’ll watch some more Doctor Who. I finished the second season on Wednesday and cried!!! Yeah, I guess you can say I’m getting into this show.

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Hints of Spring

I saw my first mosquito yesterday. Man, it’s not warm enough to sit outdoors for any length of time and the mosquitoes are already out? Just doesn’t seem right.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #18

Dates read: March 27 – April 2
Title: Eternal Echoes
Year of publication: 2013
Author: Anastasia Virgas
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series:  Sisters of the Devine Book 1
# of Pages: 231
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Ariston Dago is a sentry, a protector for his people. He watches the waters of his territory, keeping his god and his race safe both above and below the murky depths around Venice, Italy. When he’s compelled to save a human that falls from a transport, his life is forever changed, because the human he saves, Teagan Moss, is his mate, the first human to ever mate a Dagonite.
    Teagan Moss is the kind of woman to shoot first and then question the body later. When she wakes with a Hydro bomb strapped to her body, she knows someone is going to pay for trying to kill her, and that she is going to need the help of a sexy exotic Dagonite to find out who exactly needs that bullet in their brain. What she doesn’t count on, is the scorching attraction she feels for the male who is so certain she is his.
    Thrust into solving the mystery surrounding the attempt on his mate’s life, Ari and Teagan uncover more than the answers they are looking for, and the truths they unearth could send the world into another war.
My thoughts: In case you were wondering, Ari is an octopus shifter. Pretty unique. I would have preferred the characters be a little more in depth, but otherwise it was an entertaining read. My paper copy was messed up format-wise (which the author is trying to get fixed), making it difficult to read at times, but it wasn’t available via Nook (you probably won’t have this problem if you read it on a Kindle), or I would have gotten a copy that way. If you like fated romance books and are curious about octopus shifters, give this one a try.

Now that I’m pretty much back to normal, I’ve been able to watch Doctor Who again. I’m in the middle of Season 2 reboot (w/David Tennant). Gotta say, I’m enjoying it even more on the big TV.

So… Are you getting hints of spring where you are? My grass is trying very hard to be green again.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

In Case You Didn’t Notice, It’s April Fool’s Day

Do people still pull pranks on April Fool’s Day? The local radio station I used to listen to (it no longer exists, which is too bad because I really liked it) used to play some interesting pranks. Once, they switched over to country. Good thing I knew what day it was, so I didn’t call them and give them a piece of my mind. Instead, I just turned the radio off and waited until later in the day when they went back to playing the music I enjoyed listening to (and no, it’s NOT country!). Another year they pretended to emcee a parade held on I-70. Yeah, that was bizarre. I can’t believe anyone actually fell for their pranks, but hey, you never know. Maybe that’s why they aren’t around anymore? Hmmm…

Anyway… if you see something that looks suspect today, it could end up being a prank. I thought about writing something false and then ending it in "April Fool’s!", but I procrastinated too long and never came up with anything.

On Friday, Hubby and I finally replaced our 2004 Sony 1080i HD LCD 40” TV with a Sony 4KHD LED 65” TV (and would you believe the new TV weighs LESS than the old??). While the 40” TV worked fine in our family room at the old house, it was a little farther from the seating area in the new house and just looked…small. Plus, it only had one HDMI connection, making it hard for us to connect more than one device.

I found one that was on sale at the Base Exchange and we decided to go for it. And man, what a difference. I took before and after pictures (didn’t think about turning on the TV, oh well).

This is our old set.

This is the new one. BIG!!!

It’s also a smart TV and gets Netflix and Amazon Prime and whatever other kind of streaming services are out there. One of these days we might actually check them out, too! But for now, it’s just nice to be able to see the TV from the couch and not have to squint.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t THAT bad. But watching hockey on it now is AWESOME!!

Oh, and the Penguins are TWO POINTS away from making it into the playoffs. TWO. POINTS!! They better do it in the next game.

So… how old (and big) is your television set? Are you happy with it or looking to replace it? I can’t believe how much cheaper they are now. Our 2004 model cost over $3000. The new one? $899. Crazy, huh?  

Happy Monday.

Stacy

On the Road Again

Today I head down to Corbin, KY for tomorrow I shall be at the Southeastern Kentucky Author Event. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come by. It’s only $5 per person to see over 40 authors. Should be fun.

DL Hammons is running the WRiTE Club again this year (http://www.dlhammons.com/). If you want to help out some writers (who have submitted anonymously), check out the bouts and vote for the one you like best. There’s a different bout each day (and it started on Monday), but you have a week or two to vote, so it’s not too late to go over there and start reading and voting.

I started watching “The X Files” this week (after my writing, of course) basically as research (since I kind of reference it in a book I’m revising). I’ve never seen the original series before and I’m enjoying it so far. Twenty-five years didn’t seem all that long ago, or different, in my mind, but now that I can actually SEE it on the screen… Wow. Life was different back then. Not quite as connected as it is now.

Drove by the new house yesterday, but not much has changed on the outside. Still waiting on the siding. Maybe next week! I think the weather is supposed to get warmer. Gosh, I hope so!

So… Got any plans this weekend? I’m hoping I get to Corbin before the Penguins game comes on. I don’t want to miss it!

Happy Friday! And let’s go Pens!!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Summer TV Shows

I’m two-thirds through Ghostly Interlude before I return it to my editor. Should finish it by tomorrow (because today became a busy day). Here’s what I read the past week:

Book #50

Dates read: September 6-14
Title: “Darkest Before Dawn”
Year of publication: 2015
Author: Maya Banks
Genre: Romantic suspense
Series: The Kelly/KGI Series, #10
# of Pages: 378
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Free from a convention (either RT or Rust City)
Blurb from book: The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they’ve known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock’s true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.
     But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he’s been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She’s the only woman who’s ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he’s spent years working to complete—or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good”?
My thoughts: It was a good story, although the pacing was a bit slower in parts than I normally like. This is also the first book I’ve read of Ms. Banks, so I wasn’t sure if I’d be confused, having started with book 10 of this series. Nope. Well, not until toward the end, when characters from other books came into play. Then it got a little confusing with all the people! But it’s not necessary to have read those other books to enjoy this one.

Anyone here watch “Midnight, Texas”? How about “Salvation”? I recorded both series and I’m still in the process of watching them. The first one I’m watching alone (one episode a day) and man, am I hooked! Can’t wait to read the book now (I have the first of the series I got free at a convention). The second one I’m watching with Hubby. And man, are we hooked! That is one suspenseful series. Twists and turns abound. Can’t wait to see how it ends. But don’t tell me! Oh wait, you can’t. Last episode airs tomorrow. J

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Binge-Watching Update

Hey lookee! I finished a book. Here’s what I read the past week:

Book #48

Dates read: August 9-22
Title: “The Sumage Solution”
Year of publication: 2017
Author: G.L. Carriger
Genre: Paranormal (M/M) romance
Series: San Andreas Shifters #1
# of Pages: 305
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: Max fails everything – magic, relationships, life. So he works for DURPS (the DMV for supernatural creatures) as a sumage, cleaning up other mages’ messes. The job sucks and he’s in no mood to cope with redneck biker werewolves. Unfortunately, there’s something oddly appealing about the huge, muscled Beta visiting his office for processing.
    Bryan AKA Biff (yeah, he knows) is gay but he’s not out. There’s a good chance Max might be reason enough to leave the closet. If he can only get the man to go on a date. Everyone knows werewolves hate mages, but Bryan is determined to prove everyone wrong. Even the mage in question.
My thoughts: It was an interesting read, but not what I was expecting. I was also a bit confused with the world and felt it lacked explanation. At least it did for this old brain of mine.

The Vampire Diaries binge-watching update: I’m in the middle of season 4. In fact, I might finish that season today. Chug, chug, chugging along.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads, Still Watching, and My Rights

Binge-watching can really be time-consuming. Second week into The Vampire Diaries and I started season 3 yesterday. Nothing much else is getting done and you know what? I’m okay with that. I’d like to think I’ll really be prepared for the fan panel at Dragon Con.

Or at least not look like an idiot sitting there.

I’ve forgotten how much I really loved that series, though. And vampire stories in general. I’ve seen scenes and wonder, “Did I get my idea from that?” It’s highly possible.

Anyway, I did finish a book! Here’s what I read the past week:

Book #47

Dates read: August 2-9
Title: “Pretty Girls”
Year of publication: 2015
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Series: N/A
# of Pages: 573
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Free at RT17
Blurb from book: It’s been more than twenty years since Claire and Lydia last spoke. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother dating an ex-con, struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the disappearance of their sister Julia two decades earlier—and the shocking murder of Clair’s husband brings the horror and heartbreak of the past roaring back into their lives.
    The vanishing of a teenage girl and the killing of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: What could connect them? As they form a wary truce, the surviving sisters unearth the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago…and find the astonishing truth where they least expect it.
My thoughts: Goodness. Karin Slaughter was at RT so I thought maybe this book would have some romantic elements to it. Nope. Not a bit. And you know what? It didn’t matter. I became riveted to the grisly story. And it is grisly.  

Good news! I got my rights back from Kensington for My Sunny Vampire; Bite Me, I’m Yours; and Ghostly Liaison. Those books are no longer for sale until I get them re-released. I’m getting the cover for Ghostly Liaison first, since I’d like the first book out when I release the second book. Then I’ll concentrate on getting my vampire books back out there.

It’s gonna be a lot of work after Dragon Con (because I’m sure I’ll be watching TVD until then) when I switch my attention over to getting them back into circulation. I just hope it doesn’t take long. I need to get back to writing eventually!

Happy Reading!

Stacy

No Wednesday Reads Because...

I’m reading a really good book, but it’s long (573 pages) and I’m now spending my days binge-watching The Vampire Diaries, so it’ll be awhile before I finish the book.

And I’m certainly not getting any writing done. Priorities!

But I’m amazed at how much I remember of the first season of TVD. So much so, that I thought some of the characters showed up in later seasons. Wrong! Maybe my memory isn’t as bad as I thought.

I’m having fun watching the episodes again. Especially now that I don’t have to zip through commercials. I swear, The CW shows more commercials than any other network. Each episode of TVD is 40 minutes long. That’s 20 minutes of commercials when it airs. This is why I record all shows.

Well… except for sports. I do watch those live.

Recently, Spectrum changed our “bundle” package by taking out all the movie channels and charging us separately. I don’t know what kind of “bundle” that left us, except phone and internet. But I wasn’t about to pay $59 for channels we rarely watch, so I called and cancelled that portion. I’d probably quit cable altogether, but we like our sports and face it, TV is easier to record and watch than downloading from some internet site (especially when our internet is wonky at times).

So… How often do you read really long books? Do you like them long? I prefer long to short, but sometimes those thick ones will cause me to hesitate picking it up. I like time to read those books (because they tend to be complicated reads due to many story lines) and if I see I won’t have time, then I’ll find something shorter. But in this case, I guess I forgot I wanted to watch TVD (and have little time to get the series watched). Ooops.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I Still Haven’t Filed

Would you believe I still haven’t filed my taxes? That’s because I’m still waiting on a Schedule K-1 from some partnership distributions we received during the year. But once I get that form, I’ll be entering all my data, hoping I haven’t forgotten something that the software reminds me about. At least I have a GOOD reason for not filing yet. It’s not one I like, but hey, it’s a nice distribution so we don’t want to get rid of that stock. Not yet anyway.

Here’s what I read the past week:

Dates read: February 15-20
Title: “Bound by Moonlight”
Year of publication: 2008
Author: Donna MacMeans
Genre: Historical paranormal romance
Series: Bound By #1
# of Pages: 257
Paper or plastic: Paper
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: Lusinda Havershaw turns invisible in moonlight—just her, not her clothes. She can’t help it or prevent the process; it just happens. The descendent of a rare race, her ancestors have been burned as witches, persecuted and tormented as the devil’s children. She must be careful to avoid detection. However, as her family has no other means of support, she reluctantly sheds her petticoats and corset during a full moon to prowl the gaslit streets of London, stark naked, as a thief for hire.
The only tools British spy and master safecracker James Locke needs are his hands and his brains. But when a hand tremor threatens his mission to secure a list of agents for the Crown, the accidental discovery of a lady thief with an extraordinary secret may just be his salvation. However, as James and Lusinda discover, there’s more than one kind of trouble to be found in the moonlight. The kind that begins with blackmail and ends with a kiss…
My thoughts: This book was first published under the title of The Trouble With Moonlight. After reading some non-romances in a romance contest (argh!), I needed to read a romance. This one filled the bill! I only had a tiny problem with the moon phases, but overall a very enjoyable read with some great sexual tension! Yay! Historical romance isn’t my go-to genre, but I could see me reading all of Donna’s books now.

I have finally finished my judging duties (yay!) and can now concentrate on writing, of which I need a swift kick in the behind to get started again. But looking at my WIP, I’m wondering if I’ve got the players right. One character started out being the ghost’s brother, then I switched him to the heroine’s brother, now I’m thinking he really does need to be the ghost’s brother. I know, you have no idea what I’m talking about. Sometimes I don’t think I do either. J But I just have to remind myself that the beginnings of most of my books have changed numerous times before I finally got it right. I’m sure it’ll be no different this time around.

Wait… It is no different. Ugh.

So… Have you watched the new series “Doubt”? It stars Kathrine Heigl and is about a defense lawyer (Heigl) who becomes romantically involved with a client who may or may not be guilty of a violent crime. We’ve watched the pilot and I was very impressed, so we’ll stick with this series for a bit. Of course, I liked “Conflicted,” too, but that series appears to have been cancelled. Boo.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Shopping and Selling

I was shopping in Walmart the other day and got stopped by a young girl. I knew she was selling something, just not what at the time, but I obliged and answered her questions (because apparently I didn’t have anything else better to do!).

Young Girl: What provider do you have for your TV?

Me: Time Warner.

YG: How long have you been with them?

Me: Twenty years (actually, it’s been longer, but I went by how long we’ve lived in our current home).

YG: Wow. How many televisions do you have?

Me: Three.

YG: You have one DVR?

Me: No. Three.

YG: Three? How about your phone?

Me: Yes, and internet.

This is when I noticed the little sign on the table behind her: DirectTV.

YG: Would you be—

Me: No. I’m not switching providers. So forget it.

YG: May I ask why?

Me: I don’t want satellite TV.

YG: Because you think you’ll lose the signal during bad weather?

Me: Because I KNOW I’ll lose the signal during bad weather.

She tried to tell me their system is better now. I counter attacked that I didn’t believe her, since many restaurants have DirectTV and lose their signal during a storm. She said they probably have the old equipment.

Probably? Yeah, right. I walked away while she thanked me for my time. Sometimes I’m glad to be stubborn.

Did you watch any of the football games? Talk about stressful. So glad to see Seattle and Dallas gone! Yay for the Steelers!! But man, that was just tooooo close!

I’m hosting Sizzle and Sass on Facebook this week. If you’re there, please say hi! I could use the likes and comments. It gets kind of lonely at times.

So… How do you watch your TV? Do you think someone could sell you to change?

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Oops, I Watched the Golden Globes

I had a busy day yesterday, in which I ended with watching the Golden Globes. Completely forgot about my blog! Bad me. Good thing I’m not blogging toward any goal, although technically I’m still blogging on Monday. Just later.

As for the Golden Globes… I thought I watched a lot of movies. Watched a lot of TV. Apparently not. I didn’t even know most of the shows that were up for awards. At least I recognized the actors. Mostly.

I remember when television series from cable networks (e.g. HBO & Showtime) would appear as award winners on the Emmys or Golden Globes and people would say they weren’t really television shows. At least they were ON the television. Netflix and Hulu and Amazon and whatever are not ON television. They’re on the internet. Maybe they should have a separate division for them: Internet Series. If the Golden Globes are going to differentiate between a “television” movie and a “theatre” movie, why not differentiate between an internet series and a television series? Better yet, separate all the paid channels/services together from the free-based (or commercial-based) ones. The commercial-based category has a big disadvantage to the internet and cable when it comes to content. Just saying…

Yesterday was a good day sports-wise. Steelers won (YAY!). Penguins won (YAY!). My daughter was at the Penguins game (yeah, a little jealous, but then they probably would have lost if I attended). It was originally scheduled for 1pm, but because the Steelers were playing, it was moved to 5pm. She got home super late (or rather, super early this morning), because she had a 4-5 hour drive home via Cleveland (dropped off her friend) and had to be at work this morning. Zzzzzz.

I set up my writing goals for the week (on my to-do list). But since I got such a late start this morning  (7:30! I never get up that late!), and came home from the fitness center later than usual (9:30!), I hope I’m able to complete some of the stuff I had planned on accomplishing today. And since writing a post wasn’t one of those items… Oh well, I did create the list for items to accomplish this WEEK. I just hoped to have certain stuff done today.

So… Did you watch the award show? Do you want to see “La La Land” now? I’m thinking I do. Daughter saw it over the weekend. I’ll have to ask her how it was.

Happy Monday! And if it’s not happy, kick its butt! J

Stacy

A Busy-Free Saturday?

I can’t believe my Saturday is FREEEEE!

No writers meetings.

No football (OSU is on a bye this weekend).

No dinner with friends.

No where to be.

Gosh, it’s just so… unusual.

Told Hubby we should take advantage of the free day and maybe work in the yard. The sidewalk is in dire need of edging (the guy who mows the lawn doesn’t do that) and the tree Hubby started to remove (back before his surgery) needs to be completely gone (right now there’s a stump and part of the tree is growing back). I don’t do trees, so I said I’d do the trimming. We’ll see how well my weight training has gone, huh? **flexes muscles**

We recorded three new shows this week: “Bull,” “The Good Place,” and “Designated Survivor.”

“Bull” is kind of interesting. I like Michael Weatherly, so that helps. Hubby’s not too fond of it, though. We’ll give it a few more episodes.

I don’t know about “The Good Place.” I loved Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars, but this ain’t no “Veronica Mars.” Hubby feels the same as me. Again, we’ll probably only give this a few more episodes.

As for “Designated Survivor,” we’re both impressed! I have a feeling we’ll be watching this one all season.

So… Do you get many free Saturdays? I swear, it seems like I always have something going on. Especially during football season! J

Happy Friday!

Stacy