What I Read Last Week

Now that I've gotten GHOSTLY LIAISON off to some readers, I can now take a breather and read some more. Of course, that has to wait until AFTER I clean the family room (ugh). And yes, I have started!

Because of all that editing, I only finished one book in the past week (I'm beginning to see a pattern here). That will change in two weeks (next week I'll be on a cruise, so no blogging), in which I plan to post a whole hassle-full of read books. Well, it's my PLAN. I'll pack the books anyway!

Anywho…here's what I read in the past week:

Nov 15: "The Paradise Prophecy" by Robert Browne. I've read all his books. Well, his printed books anyway (I don't own a reader – yet). I like the supernatural elements to his stories. Blurb on jacket cover: "For millennia, God's angels have been fighting Satan's demons on Earth to try and prevent Satan's greatest ambition – the Apocalypse. Satan has never been closer to his goal than right now. Agent Bernadette Callahan is a talented investigator at a shadowy government organization known only as Section, on the trail of a serial killer with nearly supernatural abilities. Sebastian "Batty" LaLaurie is a religious historian who knows far too much about the other side – and that hard-earned knowledge is exactly what Callahan needs. This unlikely duo pairs up for a race across the glove, decoding clues left in ancient texts from the Bible to Paradise Lost and beyond. In the process they stumble into a vast conspiracy – one beyond the scope of mankind's darkest imagination." There were lots of suspense and interesting twists and it kept me turning the pages. I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, however you plan on spending it.

Happy Eating!

 

Goal Met!

I'm another step closer to querying. Got the edits finished on Book #4 and only have to read it through to make sure it all makes sense before I hand it off to some readers. I said I'd finish it by Thanksgiving and by gosh, I did!

**Happy Dance**

Now I can take a break and actually clean the family room. You think I'm joking? Well, I'm not taking pictures to prove my point. That would be too embarrassing. Well, maybe I WILL take pictures, if only for my own reference. If I think I've done an awesome job, then I'll post before and after pics. But don't hold your breath.

But really, this place is a mess. I have no place to put the Christmas tree right now. And there's too much stuff (junk) in front of the fireplace, making it useless.

Of course not all this mess is mine. Half belongs to the husband. I think I'll put all his stuff in a box and let him go through it. What do you think? Sound like a plan? I think so!

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Got any plans for Black Friday? I have to cook this year (bummer), and the only thing I'm doing on Friday is going to the movies, like we do every year. Right now "Red Dawn" seems to be the likely choice for our family tradition. I wish the reviews were more promising, but hey, it's got Chris Hemsworth. Can't be all bad!

 

 

I'm Waning

Before I get into my "rant" I just have to say – "Breaking Dawn Part 2" was great!! That ending really blew me away. That's all I have to say. That, and I'll be seeing it again (with my daughter – again) this morning!!

 

Now, where was I? Oh yes. Since I lost my job, I've been doing a decent job at exercising. Hit the gym on M-W-F, walk outside on T-Th. Then the weather turned cold and put a wrench into things.

My motivation is waning.

I still go to the gym on M-W-F (well, except for those days, like today), but the walking isn't happening. First, it became too dark and I didn't have anything light colored to wear so I could be seen (since part of my course doesn't have sidewalks). Then it became too cold, so I resorted to the treadmill.

I'm finding I really, really, REALLY hate the treadmill in the basement. Ah heck, I just hate the treadmill. I don't mind using it for 20 minutes at the gym (as warm-up to weight-training), but for an hour, it's just too much.

I love walking outside. There's no quitting in the middle because I still have to walk back. But on a treadmill?

Yeah, I can step off that thing any damn time I want. And I am.

30 minutes into my walk outside, and I have a 30 minute walk home. 30 minutes into my walk on the treadmill, and I'm done. That's if I make it that far.

Why oh why is it so hard for me? My willpower SUCKS, that's for sure.

I sure hope I survive the winter. I'd hate to have to start all over again, because that's even worse.

Any tips on how I can stay on the stupid thing? Reading apparently isn't working (and I LOVE to read!!). Or should I just be glad I'm at least walking 30 minutes on the sucker?

Happy Friday!

What I Read Last Week

Tomorrow night the daughter and I will be at the theatre to watch "Breaking Dawn Part 2" – yeah, baby! It looks to be a chilly, yet dry night, but standing in line for hours also gives me plenty of time to read. Of course, watching everyone in line can be entertaining, too. Young adults are a strange breed.

Anyway, I only finished one book in the past week (I've been on an editing mission!):

Nov 9: "Killing Johnny Fry: A Sexistential Novel" by Walter Mosley. I've never read anything by him before, but a couple of years ago, while perusing the sale "bin" at B&N on line, this book intrigued me. Now I finally got around to reading it. The blurb on the inside cover: "When Cordell Carmel catches his longtime girlfriend with another man, the act that he witnesses seems to dissolve all the boundaries he knows. In that instant, the calm existence of this middle-aged New York City man becomes something unrecognizable: he wants revenge, but also something more. 'Killing Johnny Fry' is the story of Cordell's dark, funny, soulful, and outrageously explicit sexual odyssey in search of a new way of life. Along the way, he encounters a mysterious woman named Sisypha, who leads him deep into the city's forbidden heart." The story certainly kept me curious 'til the end, but if you're not into erotic noir, you might want to stay away. I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

I'm getting soooo close to finishing the editing of Ghostly Liaison. But I have to make sure not to rush it at the end (something I tend to do). I'll be glad to finish, though, and then pass it on to my daughter to read (and review). Maybe my husband, too. He read my rough, first draft of Alien Desires (I needed some feedback before I edited), and even after reading that mess (because, let's face it, first drafts SUCK), he's anxious to read Ghostly Liaison. That made me feel good, in a writerly kind of way!

So, are any of you planning on seeing "Breaking Dawn Part 2"?

 

Still Thinking...

I'm still thinking about writing a short story for the Beatnik Café (to be held on Dec 7). My husband wants to shoot Jennette (yeah, you!!) for putting the vampire elves in my head. I'm coming up with all types of ideas (and most of them are, well, pretty bad):

 

A couple sleeping in bed, hear noises on the roof. He goes up to investigate and gets bit by vampire elves.
***OR***
A witch wants to get rid of her husband, so she summons vampire elves on Christmas Eve.
***OR***
A vampire couple is greeted on Christmas Eve by…vampire elves!!

I'm still playing around with that centerfold idea, too. Those ideas are a little more clean, and maybe the way I should go. But damn, those vampire elves just crack me up! I'll figure something out. Maybe.

And if you have any other suggestions for "Up on the Housetop", bring it on!

********

On Saturday I got my hands on the print version of the anthology book (and it is soooo pretty!!). I was even asked to sign a few copies. Talk about UNREAL!!

********

Next Saturday the husband and I will be attending a wedding. I'm not one who likes to shop (or even dress up), so I went through the clothes I did have. Lucky me, I found a dress (well, it was actually my daughter's) where I don't have to go out and buy new shoes and I even had a jacket that went with it well enough (yep, not picky here!). I think I'm good.

My husband went through all his suits, most of which were WAY too large (since he'd lost 50 lbs), but he found one sport coat and one suit that fit (yay!) and are now at the cleaners. Seven (yes, SEVEN) suits are headed for Goodwill. He hates wearing suits, and most of these were only worn once.

Of course, now he was on a roll and decided to hit the hallway closet to go through all the outerwear. One jacket is being tossed (broken and too large), three are being repaired (if it's Steelers and/or it fits, it's getting fixed), and two are being donated. I think I now have room to hang MY coats in there!

So, we had a semi-productive weekend. I didn't have to buy any new outfits, and we'll have a good tax donation this year!

How was your weekend?