Wednesday Reads and When it Rains…

First off, I’m finishing this post up after returning from a wonderful night in Pittsburgh. Plus, the Penguins won! Didn’t enjoy driving home in the snow, though…

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #3

Dates read: January 31 – February 6
Title: “Blood Fury”
Year of publication: 2018
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Black Dagger Legacy #3
# of Pages: 411
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Borrowed from daughter
Blurb from book: A vampire aristocrat, Peyton is well aware of his duty to his bloodline: mate with an appropriate female of his class and carry on his family’s traditions. And he thought he’d found his perfect match—until she fell in love with someone else. Yet when his split-second decision in a battle with the enemy endangers the life of another trainee, Peyton has to face the idea that his future, and his heart, actually lie with another.
    Novo, as a female in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training program, feels like she has to prove herself to everybody—and she has no interest in being distracted by falling in love But when Peyton proves to be so much more than a rich playboy, she is forced to confront the tragedy that has broken her soul and closed her off from love.
    As the two grapple with Novo’s past and Peyton’s present, another couple must contend with an erotic connection that is unparalleled—and potentially scandalous. Saxton, who has had his heart broken, discovers in himself a deep-seated attraction to Ruhn, a new member of the household. But will the other male explore the connection? Or will he close his mind and his heart to what could be true love…and cost Saxton everything?
My thoughts: Two romances in one book! I loved it. Then again, I love this series, and the series it’s spun from and the world and just everything about it.

When you make one appointment doesn’t it seem like another pops up and then another? When it rains, right? That’s what I’m faced with anyway.

It started with this funny mole-like thing on my temple. Turns out it’s cancerous (basil cell carcinoma, not melanoma, thank goodness). They wanted to schedule the Mohs surgery for Feb 5th. But I was going to Pittsburgh the next day and asked if that would be possible. They didn’t think it would be a good idea and since I wasn’t NOT going to the hockey game, they moved the surgery to Feb 12th. All is good until this past Monday.

I get a call from the cardiology department regarding my stress echo test. I expected the call, because I told them I was ready for the test now (I was supposed to have it back in November, but with all the surgeries and radiation, they said to wait until I was finished with that). The tech told me it was scheduled for Feb 13th. Hmmm… I told her I had Mohs surgery the day before. If they didn’t like me traveling to Pittsburgh and going to a hockey game, I wasn’t sure how’d they feel about a stress test.

Couldn’t I do the stress echo another week? Seems not. My doctor is being deployed the week after for six months and didn’t want to wait that long. But if I was okay with using a different doctor, I could probably do that. Didn’t really want another doctor (I’m already on my second cardiologist), so I said I’d call dermatology and see what they said.

Turns out they’re sort of okay with it. I’m not on any blood thinners and I’ll be at the same hospital. They’ll just wrap me up good on Monday and said to stop in on Tuesday if it starts leaking after the stress test.

The cardiology nurse said to remind them about my surgery. I said I’d probably have this huge bandage on my head and she replied that they aren’t always the brightest to spot that sort of thing. Gosh, don’t you love it when your cardiology department has a sense of humor?

So… How’s the weather in your neck of the woods? Did Liam come visit you? And don’t you just love these storm names?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Happy Birthday to my Son!

First off… Whoo hoo! The patriots LOST! I’m so damn happy. Okay, now on to today’s post.

It’s been awhile since my son’s birthday has fallen on a post day, so of course I can’t let the day go by without wishing him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Would you believe this fella is now 36 years old?

And would you believe he picked the Melt Bar and Grilled for his birthday dinner because the February special he’d been waiting for since he saw a picture of it (and was thrilled it was for his birthday month) was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Cowabunga Melt?

I mean, is this a sandwich YOU would crave? Not me.

We did have a nice dinner there last Thursday (it was the only day everyone could get together and celebrate—we can never seem to celebrate birthdays ON the actual birthday!). Hubby and I split a meatball and mozzarella sticks sandwich (it was HUGE but very yummy), where most everyone else just ordered a half sandwich. And that TMNT sandwich that my son got? Yeah, he couldn’t finish it. Besides the fact he couldn’t order only a half-size (not on monthly specials), I think the green pesto sauce got to him (it certainly smelled strong!). At least he no longer craves it, because he doesn’t plan on getting it again.

Tomorrow my daughter, her friend, and I will be going to Pittsburgh to see a Penguins game. Yay! Actually, we’re going to see Fleury. He’s returning via the Vegas Golden Knights. This will probably be the only time I won’t root for the Knights, though (I have my priorities!). I’m really looking forward to the game and I’ll be wearing Hubby’s Fleury Penguins jersey. The Penguins are planning on doing some kind of welcome back thing and my daughter is sure there will be a lot of wet eyes around (hers included).

So… Do you ever get to celebrate birthdays on the actual birthday? It seems to get harder and harder to do. Especially as the family grows.

Happy Monday! And Happy Giving Birth Day to me! :)

Stacy

Ghostly Interlude and Box Set Out Now

So glad to finally post the buy links to my two latest books. One a new book in the Ghostly Encounters series, the other a box set of the Bitten by Love series.

GHOSTLY INTERLUDE (Book 2 in the Ghostly Encounters series).

Release date is 2-27, but you can pre-order your copy now.

Maggie Russell—legal assistant by day, horror writer by night—gets the scare of her life when she wakes up in a strange café without any idea of how she got there. But if she tells anyone about her sleepwalking escapades, she could lose her grandmother’s house, and she’d fought so hard to keep it.

Dean Parker is a private investigator whose office is next door to Maggie’s law firm. He’s been eyeing the pretty brunette ever since she started working there, but getting involved with anyone isn’t in his game plan. When he finds out she’s been having sleeping problems, he suspects her money-grubbing cousin is involved. Instead, he discovers something worse: a ghost is living with Maggie and it appears another may be possessing her.

Dean is determined to help Maggie rid her home of the uninvited guests. He just never figured his attraction to her would be reciprocated. Keeping his distance is no longer an option, though. If he fails, Maggie could very well be possessed forever.

PRE-ORDER LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DUOFyh

B&N: http://bit.ly/2GDg3OQ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2BJJwDb

Apple: https://apple.co/2DSZwVl

 

BITTEN BY LOVE SERIES, BOOKS 1-3.

Available now.

This box set includes the first three books in the Bitten by Love series: My Sunny Vampire; Bite Me, I’m Yours; and Blind Temptation.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DLRAZR

B&N: http://bit.ly/2DFq38f

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2BOJSYX

Apple: https://apple.co/2nxepGz

So… Are you planning on watching the Super Bowl? Do you make it a big party with friends and food? Or do you make it a quiet time so you can watch the commercials? Or do you say, “The heck with all that, I’m watching the Puppy Bowl!”?

Happy Ground Hog’s Day! There better not be six more weeks of winter!!

Stacy

Wedneday Reads and Busy, Busy!

Don’t die of shock, now. I’m actually posting a book!

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #2

Dates read: January 17-29
Title: “Crimson Death”
Year of publication: 2016
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #25
# of Pages: 710
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: While on a job that takes her to Ireland, vampire hunter and necromancer Anita Blake learns that evil is in the eye of the beholder.
My thoughts: Did this novel need to be 710 pages long? Nope. Not even close. There was quite a bit of repetition, some rambling (it is told in Anita’s POV—first person) and descriptions as if I’d never picked up the other 24 books in the series. I expect the rambling and the overly long descriptions, but not the repetition. And for that I’m dinging her a bit. I still enjoyed the story, and the roundabout way she always gets to the end, and I will continue to read this series. But they aren’t the “drop everything and read it” kind of books anymore.

I was busy yesterday uploading Ghostly Interlude for pre-order. Then I created my newsletter so it could go out this morning with the buy links (talk about cutting it close!). I’m too tired to post the links here, though. Gotta save something for Friday, right? Right. Ahh.. but at least I got some writing done. Not much new stuff, but it’s a start after not opening that WIP for 10 days. Let’s see if I can create a streak of days working on it now.

So… How long do you stick with a series? Until the end or until it drives you nuts? I’ve been known to do both. Most of the times I like the series so much I’m sad when they’re over. I don’t know if I’ll be sad when the Anita Blake series ends (if it ever does), but I’m pretty sure I’ll stick with it until it does.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

One Down, One to Go!

One down: I finally, FINALLY, released my box set of Books 1-3 of the Bitten by Love series. Now I just have to wait for it to appear in the stores (which means, I don’t have any buy links yet). But whew, glad that’s over with.

One to go: I also finally, FINALLY, have Ghostly Interlude ready to go. Just have to look over the formatting (because yes, it’s actually formatted!). And I have selected a release date: February 27. Don’t know how much I’ll get done between then and now, but hey, I’ll give it a go. I’ve never done pre-orders before. I can’t imagine it’d be any worse than if I just published it right away. We’ll see…

So I expect I’ll have BUY LINKS for both books by Wednesday. Which is good. I’ve got a newsletter to write and send out this month!

Aaack! I guess I better get crackin’!

I did pretty good with the Sizzle & Sass Facebook page last week. All the data (reach, interaction) was up quite a bit from the previous week. Although at times it didn’t feel like I was doing anything worthwhile. When no one comments (and after asking questions, too), it can get a person down. But I did my best. That’s all I can do, right?

So… Did you watch the Grammy’s last night? They don’t announce all that many awards anymore, huh? But they still give out a lot. Have to say, I listen to the radio (mostly alternate rock), but didn’t know a lot of the singers on stage. Then again, I don’t listen to the R&B station. That might be why. Oh, but I do like Bruno Mars and happy he won a few of the awards.

Happy Monday!

Stacy