Wednesday Reads and a Free Short Story

I have a cover, I have an editor lined up, now I just have to finish polishing Blind Temptation. My only dilemma is…do I publish as soon as I can or wait until Ghostly Liaison is released? I’d be surprised if Blind Temptation is finished before January 19, but stranger things have happened.

I know, I know. What a dilemma to have, huh? Anyway, here’s what I read in the past week:

Nov 6: “Sick” by Brett Battles, a horror novel. Blurb from Goodreads:  Daniel Ash wakes after midnight to the cry of his daughter. Just a bad dream, he thinks. She's had them before. Yet he can't help but worry when she cries out again as he pads down the hallway. Stepping through her doorway, he expects to find her sitting up in bed, frightened by a nightmare. But the nightmare is his. It's real. And it's just beginning... Something is burning Ash's daughter alive. Something horrible that is spreading beyond the walls of their home, and taking no prisoners. Thirty seconds later, Ash will discover his daughter isn't the only one in his family infected, and as his world spins, coming apart at the seams, a team of armed men in biohazard suits bursts into his house. But these aren't the good guys. They haven't come to save Ash's family. They've come to separate them, to finish what they started. The problem is Ash refuses to disappear. He wants only one thing: to find those responsible. Because humanity is on the brink of execution. And man is pulling the trigger. Reminded me a little of The Stand, but without the supernatural aspects. I enjoyed the book a lot, just wish it wasn't first in a series, where some threads are left dangling, but not in an annoying way. I'm not in the mood to read another series now, doesn't mean I won't later, but if you're looking for a good horror-ish series, check this one out. And I say horror-ish, because I think it is a horror, just not with supernatural monsters. (R Mac Wheeler: if you’re reading this, I think you’ll enjoy this one!)

Nov 7: “Take Me, Cowboy” by Jane Porter, a contemporary romance (novella). Blurb from Goodreads: When Jenny Wright’s fiancé leaves her standing at the altar in a Vera Wang bridal gown she can’t afford, she’s humiliated and heartbroken. To have Marietta hero bull riding champ Colton Thorpe witness her shame - makes the rejection even more devastating. Jenny and Colton grew up in the same rough neighborhood and they both left home right after school to pursue big dreams. Now they're both back, with Colton as the celebrity chair for the 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo, and Jenny in disgrace.
Sexy, rugged Colton didn't get to be a national champion by chance. He's a man that takes risks and goes after what he wants. During the rodeo weekend, Colton makes it clear he wants Jenny. Flustered but flattered, Jenny finds it difficult to resist his charm. But what happens when the rodeo ends and Colton leaves town? Will she dare to dream again? The book says it’s #4 in a series, but you don’t have to read the series to read this. I think they’re all just set in the same town. I enjoyed this novella, which I wouldn’t have read at all if not for an assignment with my RWA chapter on Saturday. See… sometimes reading assignments can be GOOD things.

I sent out my first newsletter yesterday, which included information about my short story, Forever Thirty-Two. If you would like a free copy of the short story (available in mobi and epub), just go to my website HERE and download the version you want. Easy peasy.

So…what book are you reading (or just finished)?

Happy reading!

Stacy

My 700th Posting???

Yep. This is my 700th posting.

Gosh.

I noticed it when I posted #699 on Friday (since that’s the only time I really see what posting number I’m on). It took me nearly 5 years to get 700, too. In 16 days, I’ll have blogged for 5 years!

Who knew on Thanksgiving night of 2009 that I’d still be at this blog? And that I’d post 700 times? I certainly didn’t.

Heck, I can’t believe how far I’ve come since that first posting. I’d only been writing for 7 months, with one book under my belt (a book that became Bite Me, I’m Yours). I mean, I became published during that time! Now there’s a dream I thought I’d have to wait a lot longer than 5 years to come true.

I’ve only given this blog one facelift since I started it and I doubt I’ll bother trying to make any changes. At least, not until I get a new laptop (yep, I’m on the same laptop when I started this venture). Google doesn’t like my internet browser and I can’t update that because I’m still using Vista (and I really don’t like Google Chrome—which I do use whenever I have to add a page or a blog comes up missing stuff). I know the day will come when I have to buy a new laptop. I’m hoping it lasts until something better than Windows 8 comes along, though. And when I say hoping, I mean HOPING!!

I really do NOT want Windows 8. If I had it, I’m sure I’d be doing a whole lot more ranting on this blog!

Thanks for sticking around, whether you comment or not. Although I do try to get you to comment. Don’t really care for those bloggers who only post stuff and don’t seem to want any interaction. I like the interaction. It certainly makes blogging more fun.

In other news… Our high school football team won their game Saturday (and it didn’t rain—yay!). One down, four more to go. I know, wishful thinking. Still, they played EXCELLENT. If they continue to focus like that, I can see them go all the way.

So… Who’s prepared for our next polar vortex? Yeah, not me! At least we get a little warm-up beforehand. I better make sure to enjoy it while it’s here, huh?

Have a great day!

Stacy

 

I’ve Got the Post-Vacation Blahs

Actually… It’s the “Stuck-On-My-Novel” blahs. Or maybe the combination of the two. I’m just kind of wandering around, wondering what day it is. Haha! That’s when I realized today is Friday and I didn’t post anything yesterday evening. Oh well… It’s not like I have anything to say because I haven’t been doing much of anything but thinking about where I went wrong in my current WIP. Ugh.

And I was kind of involved in the Penguins/Jets game last night. I didn’t get to watch it, but was enjoying the comments on the Angry NHL Fans-Pittsburgh Facebook page. I’m guessing it’s a good thing I couldn’t get it on TV. I might have thrown something at it! At least the Pens won, so there’s that. I love it when they’re in first place!!!

I did see something SQUEEE-worthy last night. Apparently Kensington has sent Ghostly Liaison out for review and someone kindly posted a 5-star review on Goodreads! I just happened to come across it while testing out the buy links my husband put on my website (Kobo uses Goodreads’ reviews—which is where I found it). I love nice surprises like that. I sure hope it’s a sign of things to come, too. Needless to say, Bite Me hasn’t received anything glowing—yet. But I say yet, because the right audience hasn’t found it—yet.

Maybe that will change when I send out my newsletter next week. At least, that’s my goal—to get it sent out (still waiting on one more addition to my website before I set the newsletter free, though). Most of the people who will receive the newsletter are ones who entered to win my gift basket at RT. I’m curious to see how many stay subscribed. I hope they ALL do. I mean, I’m lovable, right?

Okay, you can stop laughing now.

I’m beginning to hate November. Next week the highs will be in the 30s. So not ready for that crap. I still have some high school football games to go to. Like tomorrow night. Will it be warm and dry? Of course not! It’s supposed to rain, which, HELLO, might turn into some snow flakes. Not a lot, the weatherman says, but hey! Even a little means it’ll be stinking FREEZING out there. And being wet only makes it worse. Still, I hope the Wayne Warriors win this first round of the playoffs.

Well, lookee here. It’s late, but I got a post in.

So… You watching any college football tomorrow? I’d be watching the Ohio State/Michigan State match-up (Go Bucks!!), except I’ll be freezing my tookuss at the Wayne game. Figures they’re playing at the same time.

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads

Since this is a rather LONG posting, I’ll just stick to what I read in the past two weeks:

Oct 24: “One Moment’s Pleasure” by Rue Allyn, Book 1 of the Wildfire Love series, a historical romance. Blurb from book: One Moment’s Pleasure will become a lifetime’s passion when Boston spinster, Alexis Alden, embarks on a search for her missing sister. Pretending to be a rich bored woman looking for an interlude with an anonymous male, Alexis enters the San Francisco bordello where her sister was last seen. She escapes the bordello almost too easily, but she can’t escape the passion ignited by a stranger’s kiss. Born and raised in the brothels of the California gold rush, Dutch Trahern worked for years to erase a childhood spent committing petty crimes and worse in order to survive. That past comes back to haunt him in the form of a woman he rescues from prostitution. Now his hard won respectability is threatened by an irresistible desire for a woman he shouldn’t want. When I started reading the book, I wondered who this Edith character was, since she’s not listed in the blurb. Well, it turns out Alexis isn’t mentioned in the book! I guess they changed names and forgot to change the blurb, because the same blurb is on Goodreads. Hmmm… It was an entertaining read for a genre I don’t normally read. But I bought this book because I met the author at Lori Foster’s Reader and Author Get Together, and also because she’s a Rom Vet like myself (www.romvets.com). I would have preferred to read one of her erotica stories, but none of them were for sale! But I can handle a historical romance when set in the States. No Lords or Ladies about! Haha! J I would have liked the sister-line be wrapped up better, but I guess that’s in future books.

Oct 25: “A Winter Wedding” by Gemma Brocato, a contemporary romance novella, #2.5 in the Five Senses series. Blurb from Goodreads: With their hearts in harmony, tying the knot should be a piece of wedding cake for Pippa Sanders and Clay Mathers. But Fate’s a nasty mistress. One week before their special day, Pippa narrowly escapes when fire erupts in the ballroom they’d reserved for the ceremony. They’ll have to use every resource at their fingertips to implement Plan B. In this case, B stands for the barn at the Sleepy T Christmas Tree Farm. Hobbled by a sprained ankle, Pippa is unable to help with the preparations. In spite of the grime accumulated over twenty years, Clay is determined. He promises Pip he’ll transform the barn into an idyllic location for a winter wedding. Plus, he’ll make time to throw in a special surprise. What Clay doesn’t factor into his plan is the snowstorm bearing down on them. With predictions of up to two feet of snow, will Mother Nature prove too much of an obstacle to overcome? I’ve become hooked on this series and it has nothing to do with the fact that the author is one of the Sassys on the Sizzle and Sass page I help run. I wanted to read this book, but she didn’t have an epub version. My husband is looking for projects to practice with and I offered his services. So of course, I had to read it and make sure it was formatted correctly, right? J I loved the story and I loved being back in Pippa’s and Clay’s heads. Gemma has a way of making me choke up in almost every one of her books. That’s high praise, don’t you think?

Oct 27: “Speak No Evil” by Allison Brennan, a romantic suspense. Blurb from book: The murder of eighteen-year-old Angie Vance was exceptionally vile—her mouth was sealed with glue, an obscenity was scrawled across her skin, and she was suffocated in a garbage bag. The killing seems personal, so police detective Carina Kincaid focuses her efforts on the victim’s much older ex-boyfriend, Steve Thomas. But without physical evidence, Carina can’t make a collar or a case. She also can’t stop Sheriff Nick Thomas, the prime suspect’s brother, from conducting his own unwelcome investigation. Though Nick is still scarred and unsteady from a recent confrontation with a serial killer, he’s determined to prove his brother’s innocence. But his confidence is shaken when he learns of Steve’s dark side, and when a friend of the murdered girl meets a similarly gruesome fate. With no time to lose, Carina and Nick work together to trap a psychopath, before another unlucky woman faces an unspeakable end. When I found out that the Kincaid family (from the Lucy Kincaid series) was featured in previous books, I decided to read them. Didn’t know I would find characters from other books I’ve read. Nick Thomas is one such character. I love how everyone is connected! Heck, I just love Allison’s books. Now I wonder who I’ll discover next. The story in this one is a bit gruesome (not that I mind—just warning you), and very suspenseful. I couldn’t put it down. Which is what I suspected would be the case and the reason I saved this series to read on the cruise. No guilt! J

 

Oct 28: “See No Evil” by Allison Brennan, a romantic suspense. Blurb on book: A troubled teenage girl has been charged with the grisly murder of her stepfather. The evidence is damning: Emily was found alone at the scene with blood on her hands, and an incriminating e-mail she wrote outlines a murder plot identical to the method of the brutal slaying. But deputy district attorney Julia Chandler believes her niece is innocent, and she’s determined to keep the promise she made to protect her dead brother’s daughter—even if it means hiring private eye Connor Kincaid…the man who blames her for forcing his resignation from the police department. Together Julia and Connor uncover a chain of unsolved violent crimes tied to an unorthodox therapist whose anonymous online patients purge their anger by posting lethal fantasies. But someone in the group has turned vigilante, turning the game of virtual murder into a flesh-and-blood vendetta. Having so much fun reading these books back-to-back. It’s like binge-watching a television series. So I guess I’m binge-reading. Better than binge-eating. Oh wait, I think I did that on the cruise! I want more. Of this series, that is. Good thing I have the next one!

Oct 30: “Fear No Evil” by Allison Brennan, a romantic suspense. Blurb on book: Instead of preparing for her high school graduation, Lucy Kincaid is facing a vicious execution. Lured by an online predator, she’s destined to die horribly—live on the Internet—while hundreds of heartless viewers watch and vote on the method of her slaughter. Her family’s only hope rests with Kate Donovan, an FBI agent who took on the same sadistic killer once before…and lost. Blamed for another girl’s gruesome murder, Kate’s been fighting to clear her name. But she agrees to join the hunt for Lucy—and reluctantly steps back into her worst nightmare. With time running out before the bloody webcast airs, Kate teams up with forensic psychiatrist Dillon Kincaid to get inside the head of her twisted quarry, zero in on his chamber of horrors, and reach Lucy before grim history repeats itself and another innocent’s brutal death goes hideously live. Even though I already knew the outcome of this story (because I’ve read all the Lucy Kincaid books to date), I was fascinated to see how it all happened. So glad I was able to read it straight through. But now I want the next series—which I don’t own. Dang! I’ll certainly rectify that soon. This really is a great series and I could kick myself for waiting so long to read them.

Oct 30: “Freaks” by Tess Gerritsen, a Rizzoli & Isles short story. Blurb from Goodreads: Homicide cop Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles have seen their fair share of mortal crimes, but the death of Kimberly Rayner may qualify as inhuman in more ways than one. When corpse of the emaciated seventeen-year-old girl is discovered next to an empty coffin in an abandoned church, mysterious bruises around the throat suggest foul play. Caught fleeing the scene is the victim’s closest friend, Lucas Henry, an equally skeletal, pale teenager who claims he’s guilty only of having a taste for blood—a craving he shared with Kimberly. But the victim’s distraught father doesn’t believe in vampires, only vengeance. And now, another life may be at risk unless Rizzoli and Isles can uncover the astonishing truth. This has been sitting on my Nook forever. Interesting little story. Somehow those never really satisfy me, though. I much prefer meatier ones. But hey, I got credit for reading ANOTHER book, so I’m taking it! J

I’m only one book behind in my reading goals, now. Yay! Yeah, my writing took a hit, but I was on vacation, so I’m letting it slide.

 

So... Do you have guilty pleasures that you can feel guiltless about during vacation?

Happy reading!

Stacy

I’m Baaaaaack! And Yes, I Have Pictures

Cruise was great. Short, but great. I’ve decided five days just isn’t enough. Good thing our next cruise is EIGHT days long. Still, I managed to get lots of reading in (so be prepared for a LONG post on Wednesday!) and relaxed plenty. And the weather? PERFECT! Seas were basically calm (roughest was on the last day coming home) and it was warm (actually, HOT). I got sunburned and wasn’t even outside all that long.

Too bad that sunburn isn’t warming me up here at home. Woke up to snow on Saturday. SNOW!!! Yeah, I’m so not ready for that crap.

But back to the cruise. I actually saw a “school” of jelly fish. And to be able to see them at the top of the ship must have meant these jelly fish were HUGE! Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera (figures). I wouldn’t have been able to capture them singly, but I could have probably filmed it. Well, maybe. They might have been too small to see! Anyway, this was a first for me. As were the dolphins wishing us a bon voyage at the beginning of our cruise. Several of them were swimming beside the boat before we left. I managed to get some pics of them, though.

The main purpose of this trip, for us, was the LeAnn Rimes concert. I’m not a fan of country music, but I enjoyed the concert. Didn’t mind seeing Eddie Cipriani, either (yep, he was there!). It was a nice, intimate concert. Just wish my pictures had turned out, but stupid me only took the iPhone and not my actual camera. I would have been able to adjust stuff on my camera.

So…here are some pictures I took (I notated those photos that were taken on my iPhone; otherwise, they came from my better camera).

 

Here's one of the dolphins swimming around
in Port Charleston (this was taken on
my iPhone).

 

This is about as far as we ventured off the boat in Freeport,
Bahamas. We've seen just about everything we wanted before.
Oh, and that's our ship in the distance. Not a bad shot
from my iPhone.

 

Taken on my iPhone.
I was adventurous on this cruise. I actually
sampled a conch fritter from Fat Tuesday in
Freeport (last one in the basket is pictured here).
It resembled a hush puppy (in taste), but
had chewy bits. I ate two and figured that
was enough.

Nassau, Bahamas
Have you ever seen such clear water? Beautiful!

Nassau, Bahamas
Have no idea how warm the water was, but it sure
was pretty!

Nassau, Bahamas
Our ship is on the far left. There were three
ships in port, making for lots of tourists!

Nassau, Bahamas
One of the many food huts along the beach.
This is the backside of the hut.

Nassau, Bahamas

 

Taken on my iPhone, plus I'd been drinking, so not so
clear! This is only the beginning of our free booze.
You see...gold, platinum, and diamond members get a
party all to themselves and the drinks are on Carnival.
By the way, me and hubby are gold members.

 

Pre-order links available!! Ghostly Liaison has pre-order links on Amazon, Google Play, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble (of course, the cover on B&N isn’t mine—hope that gets fixed soon). I’ll make sure they’re listed on the sidebar, once I add the cover over there (yeah, I’ve been slacking!!).

My newsletter will be going out soon. I hope. Just waiting on my husband to do one little thing (regarding my short story, which I’m giving away free), and then I can send it out. If you want to read an unedited outtake from Bite Me, I’m Yours—which I’m only sharing with my newsletter subscribers—then sign up. You can do it over there on the sidebar or on my website.

So…anything interesting happen to you while I was away?

Stacy