Archive for November 2014 | Monthly archive page
I love a good Black Friday sale. Many years, you’ll find me waiting in line in an attempt to get something. Unlike the parents out there, I’m intent on finding deals for ME. That’s how I got my wireless printer (for less than $50) and bedroom TV. I’ve also picked up Old Navy Sweetheart jeans (my favorites) at a deep, deep discount.
However, since I just started back to work this week, I have no disposable income this year.
Boo-hoo.
If you’re a booklover on the prowl for a good Black Friday bargain, may I suggest this one:
That’s right. All Turquoise Morning Press books are 50% off—including my All Is Fair in Love & Baseball series.
Better yet, if you’re one of those people who hates to fight the Black Friday crowds, you can hit this sale without leaving the house.
For more details, visit the Turquoise Morning Press bookstore.
Yesterday on Facebook, Katie MacAlister asked her friends/followers what they were thankful for. But she didn’t want the standard answers—family, friends, health. She wanted us to share the quirky and offbeat things we’re glad to have in our lives.
Some of the answers were hilarious:
It got me thinking a couple of things:
- How would I answer that question?
- That would make a great blog post!
So here I am, blogging my answers. (They weren’t kidding when they said you can find ideas anywhere…) In no particular order, I’m thankful for:
My Target Red Card. Sure, they got hacked, but who hasn’t these days? I just dig the 5% discount on all the cat food, cat litter and Chobani yogurt I pick up at Target on a regular basis. Every cent saved is another cent I can add to the balance of my Starbucks card.
A car that runs—and lets me dress him up for Christmas. No kidding. Focus (or the Silver Streak, as I affectionately call him) is getting up there in years, but he’s a great little car. He starts up even on cold days and never objects to the cheery red nose and antlers I love to make him wear during the holidays.
My Keurig machine. I got it ages ago, but was too scared/lazy to figure out how to work it. The Boyfriend got a new apartment and convinced me to let him set it up there. He quickly figured out the setup and just as quickly decided the K cups were too expensive. He sent the lovely machine back up the mountain with me—so now I can have fancy coffee drinks at home. This will save me money at Starbucks, right?
Gourmet pizza. Picazzo’s has the best pizza. They make a mean Caesar salad, too. (The dressing…OMG, the garlicky goodness of the dressing… It’s seriously the best salad I’ve ever had.)
A job. (Okay, I cheated. This is a serious one.) The work is only part-time and temporary, but even that is better than nothing. I thought I’d enjoy not having a day job—more time to promote my books, and write and edit new ones. That was only half right. Even though I did spend a lot of time writing/editing/pushing sales, I spent just as much feeling hopeless, worthless and frustrated. Seriously—I’ve had a regular, full-time job since graduating college in 1994. So when my old boss called me and asked me to come back for a temporary, part-time gig, I jumped at the chance. I started Monday, and it felt great to be back.
Flagstaff. So what if the weather’s cold and residents are frustratingly resistant to welcoming any kind of chain stores or new housing developments? It’s still a gorgeous town, and people care about one another. I do wish it had a Trader Joe’s, though.
It goes without saying that I’m also thankful for family, friends and…well, my health leaves something to be desired. I need to get back on the “eat well and exercise” bandwagon.
Anybody see which direction it headed?
I’m in the throes of NaNoWriMo…and way behind, so this blog post has to be quick. Friday was Day 21, and I just crossed the halfway mark (25K) Thursday. Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll make it to 50K
Chalk up another one for “plotting rules, pantsing drools.”
This week’s My Sexy Saturday theme is “Our Sexy Thanksgiving.”
Say what?
“… This week show us all the characters love family. Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t have one and suddenly they find themselves with one. It could be about someone who has always looked in and wanted a home with all the trimmings including a family. There are many ways to be thankful and we’d love to hear some of those wonderful stories.”
Okay. I think I can find something that fills the bill.
In BLIND DATE BRIDE, Damien is the only child of college professor parents—and when he meets his reality TV wife’s family, he’s a bit overwhelmed. Her sisters ogle him, her brothers threaten him and he earns dirty looks for being a Cubs fan in a house full of White Sox lovers. In this seven-sentence snippet, Damien and Kari have arranged an after-dinner walk to keep her parents from watching the latest installment of “Just Married” (because it contains some embarrassing footage of Kari and Damien making out in his car).
A quick primer: Steve and Sean are Kari’s brothers. Claire and Shannon are her sisters. Frank and Sarah are her parents.
***
When they got back to the house thirty-five minutes later, Kari and Damien exchanged a glance. She took a deep breath and whispered, “Here goes nothing.”
Damien pushed open the door and was immediately greeted by Sean’s hostile stare. Steve, however, flashed him a thumbs-up, mouthing the words, “Good job.”
Kari’s other sister greeted them with a harsh laugh. “I stand corrected.”
Beside him, Kari’s face flamed fire engine red. Damien narrowed his eyes at the other woman. For some reason, he didn’t like this sister much.
It was then that Shannon came rushing to the rescue. “Mom, I have some bad news: The DVR malfunctioned.”
Sara Parker stamped her foot in frustration and looked at Kari. “I so wanted to see you in action, dear.”
Kari sucked in a breath at her mother’s word choice. Even Damien found it unfortunate. He was about to say something to come to her rescue when her brothers threw in their two cents’ worth. Sean tried unsuccessfully to stifle a snort and Steve quipped, “Trust me, Ma. You didn’t miss a thing.”
Find BLIND DATE BRIDE at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo, and in print at CreateSpace or Amazon.
This week’s My Sexy Saturday theme, “I’m too sexy,” necessitates a trip back through time…way, way back to October 2013, when my first book came out.
Okay, so it was only a little more than a year ago. Not long at all in the big picture.
DIVA IN THE DUGOUT’s hero, Dave, is arguably the sexiest of all my heroes. Whether he’s on the field or on the playground with the 4-year-old daughter he just met for the first time, the Arizona Condors’ bad-boy shortstop is smokin’ hot.
Because, really, what’s sexier than a man who obviously loves his child?
Need proof? Google “Chris Hemsworth with baby.” An ovary explosion is guaranteed.
***
When they got to the park, Melinda hung back with her camera phone, documenting daddy-daughter time. She wanted Tara to have a reminder of this day in case Dave hightailed it out of here, never to be seen again.
It amazed Mel how easily Tara had accepted Dave. The sheer joy on Tara’s face every time she looked at her father made Mel wonder if she’d done her baby wrong by not looking for him.
But she wasn’t ready to concede the point. He could be a jerk…he could be a pervert….
He waved away a fly that landed on Tara’s head and then ruffled her hair as she chortled at something he’d said.
He could be a fantastic father if you give him half a chance.
Melinda swallowed hard. She owed Dave that much, just as she owed him more than a couple of hours with Tara…if he wanted it.
She crossed the playground to the curly slide Tara was clambering up. Dave shadowed her, ready to catch Tara if she started to fall. Regret squeezed her heart again. Maybe keeping him in the dark hadn’t been her wisest choice.
Find DIVA IN THE DUGOUT at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.