Where Did the Weekend Go?

I got nothing done this weekend. I even had a to do list on the white board:

Change water filter (in fridge).

Change outside light.

Put tags on car.

Oh, and a sad face next to TAXES.

I did get some of our taxes done. Filed the business return, which was a pain. I really should write notes, but I haven’t and I doubt I will, either. It’ll most likely change next year anyway.

I refuse to change the water filter by myself. You can read HERE what happened last year when I changed it. I’m not going to go through that again, at least not alone! Yeah, sure, all I have to do is shut off the water, but why should I have all the fun by myself?

One of our outside lights has been out a couple of weeks. I suppose if it were an important light it would have been changed by now. But it’s not and it hasn’t. Yet.

Technically, Hubby has until his birthday to put his new tags on the car. That’s on Wednesday. I’m not gonna do it for him, though. Yeah, I’m mean like that because he’s lazy like that.

I still have to finish the taxes, but I’m just taking it small steps at a time. Got the business one finished, which is a relief. Next I have to work on my schedule C stuff (make sure I have everything recorded). Then later I need to go over the medical expenses. Might not be eligible for deduction in the federal return, but should in the state.

I know I said I’d get an accountant for this year, but that never happened. We’ll see if I have any hair left after this year. That might be the clue I need to finally hire someone.

But none of that got done because on Saturday I was at a chapter meeting in Columbus, then spent the rest of the day waiting. Waiting an hour at bd’s Mongolian Grill for dinner. Waiting nearly an hour at Cheesecake Factory for dessert. Then waiting 30-40 minutes at B&N to see if they could get Hubby’s Nook to work (they did!). We now know not to bother going out to bd’s & Cheesecake Factory on a Saturday. Madness!

Yesterday we all (Hubby, daughter, and I) went to Columbus to see the Penguins play the Blue Jackets. We got there early hoping to find a place to eat, but had to wait over an hour for that, too. The Pens won, though, so I think it was all worth it. Such fun!

So… How was your weekend? Crazy busy, or lazy slow?

Happy Monday!

Stacy

The Trouble With Series

Authors are a tricky bunch. Especially when it comes to series. I should know. I write them.

Still…

I was all set to read the latest Lucy Kincaid (LK) story (by Allison Brennan). I love this series and #13 had just been released last month. But then I remembered she had some novellas out and a crossover book from her Max Revere (MR) series, a series I’m also reading. The problem is…

I only buy the paperbacks and MR starts out in hardback, so I’m two books behind in reading and a book behind in buying.

Now, I have nothing against buying hardbacks when I have the rest of the author’s books that way, but to switch in the middle... yeah, I don’t like that. Don’t mess with my bookcase!

I also don’t like that the novellas only came out in e-book, but there’s nothing I can do about that except maybe grumble a lot.

I do like to grumble a lot, don’t I?

So instead of reading LK #13, I’m reading MR #3, then will read the two novellas (one for LK the other for MR—they’re in the same e-book) and MR #4 (the crossover). But the paperback for #4 isn’t released until May and I don’t want to wait until May to read LK #13! So I may just have to get MR #4 at the library. Doesn’t mean I won’t buy the paperback, because I will. I still want the book.

And now you’re probably wondering why I just don’t skip over all the MR series and just read the LK series. Why would it matter? Because the crossover story focuses on a huge event that happened in Lucy Kincaid’s past. I can’t imagine it won’t be mentioned or affect Lucy in some way or form and I really don’t want to be spoiled, ya know?

I guess the good thing about all this is that I know the next 4 books to read. Sometimes it’s a struggle to decide which one to pick up next.

So… Are you as crazy as I am when it comes to reading series? Or does reading out of order not bother you? To me, reading out of order is like reading the end of the book first. I won’t do that either.

Happy Friday!

Stacy

P.S. Today is the first of my dad’s birthdays that he’s not around. He would have been 93. Even though we lived 2300 miles apart for many decades, I still miss him.

 

No Wednesday Reads and Happy Valentine's Day!

I thought I was going to get a lot of reading done on Monday. I thought wrong, and boy was I happy about that. Meant I didn’t have to spend the day at the hospital.

Of course, it meant I spent most of the day with a roaring headache, but I survived. Didn’t finish reading my book, but I survived.

And I no longer have skin cancer. That’s the best news!

It was nice that I only had to feel that shot of lidocaine once (the other time the doctor shot me with that stuff I was still numb, so I didn’t feel it). It was also nice I only had to get cut once. That meant the hole is way smaller than I thought it would be, so my bangs should cover it up fine enough.

They don’t cover it up so find now, though. Now I have this huge bandage on my forehead. Hubby likes to tell people I fell when he hit me.

Ain’t he a hoot?

So after going to bed Monday with a huge headache, I was happy I woke up pain-free. Meant I wouldn’t be miserable during my stress echo test.

In case you were wondering what a stress echo test is, they do an echocardiogram after I exhaust myself on the treadmill.

I started on a slight incline at an easy pace. Every three minutes they raised the incline and made it faster. I lasted 9 minutes only because I knew I couldn’t walk any faster (although I was breathing rather hard) and I wasn't about to run. Still, not too shabby for someone who hasn’t exercised in awhile.

And good news! The results showed my leakage isn’t as bad as it showed the last time. So instead of being moderate to severe, I’m just at moderate.

Gee, does not exercising work or could it have been the radiation? Whatever, I don’t care. I just want to prolong surgery as long as I can and having results like that is very encouraging. Told Hubby he could now look to book cruises in 2019!

And I really need to get back to exercising.

So… It’s Valentine’s Day. Do you celebrate the day? Buy something for your sweetie? Hubby and I never really celebrated the “holiday.” Oh sure, we’ll say Happy Valentine’s Day to each other, but that’s about it. We don’t need a special day to say we love each other because we say it every day!

Happy Reading and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Stacy

 

A Lot of Waiting

I expect to be gone most of the day, since I’m having surgery to remove the basal cell carcinoma I have on my temple. A surgery that could last 9 hours, only because they’ll take a little, send it down to the lab and wait to see if they got enough. If not, they cut some more out and send it to the lab. They'll continue this until the cut comes out clean. So I expect a lot of waiting.

And getting stuck with that needle to numb me. Why does lidocaine have to sting so much?

Here’s hoping I don’t have to get stuck a lot. And that maybe I can get some reading done. J

See you on Wednesday!

Stacy

This Time I'm Getting Help

When I released my first book, I knew better than to spend a lot on advertising or promotion. It was one book and the ROI would have stunk. Same with the second. But I continued to do the same for the third, fourth, and fifth. Well, now number six is coming and it’s time I changed.

It’s time I get some help.

Because surely, I need it. Plus, I now have a back list. Not a big back list, but it’s something.

So I hired Barclay Publicity to help me however they can in the month I have until release day. Danielle Barclay wasn’t sure how much she could do on short notice. Well, so far she’s doing way more than I could have done on my own.

She’s already got me on three blogs: Fresh Fiction, Just Paranormal Romance, and USA Today Happy Ever After. That’s right… USA Today!

Won’t know how much of an impact it’ll have on sales since all of these happen at the end of the month, but I’m feeling pretty confident. Certainly better than anything I’ve done on my own.

I’m excited to see what else they have in store for me.

So… Are you watching the Olympics? I love them!

Happy Friday!

Stacy