Wednesday Reads and Awesome Weather

Here’s what I read the past week:

Book #45

Dates read: July 18-25
Title: “The Aggrieved”
Year of publication: 2017
Author: Brett Battles
Genre: Suspense/thriller
Series: Jonathan Quinn #11
# of Pages: 323
Paper or plastic: Trade Paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: The unthinkable has happened. A life has been extinguished—one belonging to someone Jonathan Quinn and his partner Nate care about more than almost anyone else in the world.
    Those responsible will pay.
    No matter how long it takes, no matter how far and wide the search, Quinn, Nate, and their colleagues will stop at nothing to exact the appropriate justice
    Because if there is one thing those in the shadow world should know, you do not mess with Quinn’s people.
My thoughts: I probably cried at the end of #10 in this series. Had a few tears at the beginning of this one. If you like fast-paced thrillers, then by all means, read this series. I even got Hubby hooked on them.

The weather has been super-duper these past few days (feels more like spring than summer). I’ve enjoyed my walks more, that’s for sure. Now, if I can only get motivated to go back to the fitness center. I’ve been away too long. But I just can’t seem to get motivated to do anything.

So… have you been enjoying cooler weather, or are you in the melting zone?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

When Your Headache Won’t Go Away…

I think the not wearing glasses bit has finally gotten to me. At least it did yesterday. I don’t know how many times I took Tylenol, but none of the doses seemed to get rid of my nagging headache. I’ll be so glad when I get those glasses back.

Of course, now I wonder how long that prescription will last. Finding out I have a cataract forming on my right eyeball kind of shocked me. And irritated me, since the doctor knew about this back in October (during my scheduled eye exam) and didn’t seem fit to mention it then. Because I’m pretty sure I would have remembered being told that.

Anyway… because of the headache, I don’t have much to say. Hopefully the pain will be gone by the time this post airs and I’ll wake up all rested and ready to walk.

That’s if my knee isn’t acting up. I swear, I’m falling apart. Leaky heart valve. Funky eyesight. And arthritic knees. Aaack!

So… How has your body reacted to getting older? (I refuse to say old age, since I don’t feel old.)

**fingers crossed for a good week**

Stacy

 

I'm Gonna See Huey Lewis & The News Tonight

That's right. It's concert night for Hubby and me. I love Huey Lewis and the News. I had hoped to see them back in the mid 90s, after a Columbus Clippers (AAA Baseball) game, but my daughter decided (yes, decided) to have an ear ache that evening and I didn't get to see them. play.

I never let her forget it, either.

So when I saw they were playing in our home town I told Hubby, "I'm going. Are you?" Because yeah, I'd go alone if no one wanted to go with me. Luckily, Hubby DID want to go with me.

In honor of tonight's concert, I'll share one of their music videos with you. It was so hard to pick one. I love all their songs. This one was cute. Enjoy "Stuck With You"!

So... You doing anything fun this weekend? My friend is coming over Saturday to cook my birthday dinner. Steak, potato salad, and corn. Hubby is supposed to get the cake. Sure hope he remembers!

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I Got Picked!

I didn’t comprehend that yesterday was Tuesday, because it was my birthday, so days of the week don’t seem to matter; therefore, I didn’t set up this post last night when I should have. Then again, if I had posted it last night, I wouldn’t have been able to share the news I got this morning, which I mention later. Right now, here’s what I read the past week:

Book #44

Dates read: July 10-17
Title: “UNSUB”
Year of publication: 2017
Author: Meg Gardiner
Genre: Suspense/thriller
Series: UNSUB #1
# of Pages: 366
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased (heck, I pre-ordered this one!)
Blurb from book: Caitlin Hendrix has been a Narcotics detective for six months when the killer at the heart of all her childhood nightmares reemerges: the Prophet. An UNSUB—what the FBI calls an unknown subject—the Prophet terrorized the Bay Area in the 1990s and nearly destroyed her father, the lead investigator on the case.
    The Prophet’s cryptic messages and mind games drove Detective Mack Hendrix to the brink of madness, and Mack’s failure to solve the series of ritualized murders—eleven seemingly unconnected victims left with the ancient sign for Mercury etched into their flesh—was the final nail in the coffin for a once-promising career.
    Twenty years later, two bodies are found bearing the same haunting signature of the Prophet. Caitlin has never escaped the shadow of her father’s failure to protect their city. But now the ruthless madman is killing again and has set his sights on her, threatening to undermine the fragile barrier she rigidly maintains for her own protection, between relentless pursuit and dangerous obsession.
    Determined to decipher his twisted messages and stop the carnage, Caitlin ignores her father’s warnings as she draws closer to the killer with each new gruesome murder. Is it a copycat, or can this really be the same Prophet who haunted her childhood? Will Caitlin avoid repeating her father’s mistakes and redeem her family name, or will chasing the Prophet drag her and everyone she loves into the abyss?
My thoughts: Whoo. I had a hard time putting this book down. If not for my stupid eyes (and maybe trying to get back into writing), I would have read this much quicker. I love Meg’s books and this one is no exception.

And now for my news!! This morning I got a message from the Urban Fantasy Track from Dragon Con. I’ve been selected to be a panelist for The Vampire Diaries! I had put my name into the “hat” awhile back (which wasn’t an easy thing for me to do, let me tell you) and really didn’t think I’d get chosen. Even now I could have still backed out, but I was strong and I didn’t. Now I just have to go back over the whole series and see what I forgot. Because I’m sure I forgot a lot.

Happy Reading!

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