Sunday, November 23, 2014

Counting Down to Thanksgiving

Just a few days ago, the temperatures were in the 40s during the day and we had freeze warning. Today, it is a completely different story. The temperatures are much higher, 60s to 70s with today getting up in the 80s. Friday and Saturday, we had thunderstorms. The rain cells came in waves. I was really glad for the rain, but I want cooler temperatures, especially for the holidays, but I don't think I'm going to get them.

Speaking of holidays, this week is going to be a really busy week.

  • The day job has me working on Monday and Tuesday, before I can get away for the holidays. I'm actually dreading the next two days. They are going to be crazy!!!
  • We will have a house full of guests for Thanksgiving, so the house has to be picked up and cleaned. It's unreal how two people can make such a big mess. You can tell where I've been writing in the living room or where we just put the mail down and went onto other things. It's scary!!!
  • I need to finish the outline for book 5 in the Bryant Station Curves series.
  • I have cookies and pies to bake, bread to make and other dishes to prep. DH is smoking the turkeys and the ham this year so that takes two big items of f my list, but I have to make the rub today for the turkeys. They have to marinate for a couple days so that they soaks up the flavor. DH will start smoking the turkeys on Wednesday.The ham is one of those pre-cooked, spiral cut numbers that has a brown sugar mix to go on it. The smoke will add a whole new level of flavor to it.
  • I need to finish the first book of the Briary Creek Wolves series. I have a self-imposed deadline.

There are tons of Black Friday ads on television. I haven't even thought about Christmas shopping yet. That will have to wait. Sorry, I don't do Black Friday shopping. The stores are too much of a madhouse. I would rather stay home.

The Child is among you who are traveling home this year for Thanksgiving. If you're traveling this year, be safe.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Friday, November 7, 2014

Friday Backlist: Chasing Tara




Chasing Tara
by Rayne Rachels

Bryant Station Curves
Book 2




Tara Wilson and her daughter, Haley, are running for their lives. 

They are only steps ahead of her brother-in-law who plans to use Tara to pay off his gambling debts, but before they can reach safety, their car breaks down outside of Bryant Station.

Jason Anderson’s bear knows Tara is his mate, and the bear will do anything to protect Tara and her cub. 
However, Jason is not looking for a mate. His mate died years ago and bears only get one mate…or do they?




Excerpt
 
Jason stared at the ugly bruise marring his mate’s face. “Who did this to you?” he asked Tara.

Tara knocked his hand away. “It doesn’t concern you. In fact, why don’t you go away?”

“That’s not happening.” Jason grabbed an empty chair from the table behind him and sat down next to Tara.

She frowned at the guy. “I think I told you to leave me alone.”

“You did, but I don’t listen very well.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Who hit you?” Jason put his hand on the back of her chair.

Tara turned to Lisa. “Do you know who he is?”

“Unfortunately, that’s Jason, my older brother and Ben’s dad,” said David before Lisa could answer.

“Has he always had the hearing problem?”

Ben and Lisa laughed.

“I don’t have a hearing problem,” said Jason.

“Obviously, you do, because I told you to go away and you didn’t listen.” Tara crossed her arms.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

A Few Questions


Will there be more Bryant Station stories?
Yes. I have a total of eight stories planned for this series. With four written, there are four more to go. I'm working on the outlines for two of the stories right now. 


Will Ben have a book?
Ben will have his own story. In a few years, he will go off to college--in Saving Courtney, he is 16 years old and just starting to drive. College will change him in more ways than one. Ben has it rough. He is an old soul and an old bear stuck in a young body.


What are you currently working on?
I'm working on a couple of outlines for the Bryant Station Curves series. I'm "planning and jotting down" ideas for a couple of new series. I'm currently working on book 1 in the Briary Creek Wolves.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Blamed by Edie Harris






Blamed by Edie Harris
(Blood Money #1) 



Synopsis:

Born into a long line of spies, sanctioned killers and covert weapons developers, Beth Faraday carried out her first hit-for-hire when she was still a teenager.


That part of her life—the American spy royalty part—ended one year ago, with a job gone wrong in Afghanistan. The collateral damage she caused with a single shot was unfathomable and, for Beth, unforgivable. She’s worked hard to build a new life for herself, far away from the family business.

But someone, somewhere, hasn’t forgotten what Beth did in Kabul.

And they want revenge.

As the Faraday clan bands together to defend Beth and protect their legacy, Beth is forced to flee her new home with the unlikeliest of allies—MI6 agent Raleigh Vick, the only man she’s ever loved. And the one she thought she’d killed in the desert


Published by: Carina Press (HQN)
Publication date: November 3rd 2014
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense


 Available at








GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (US and Canada)

 
Digital copy of Blamed by Edie Harris (formats available: PDF, epub & mobi)
‘I Only Kiss Spies’ t-shirt
‘Lincoln Park After Dark’ OPI nail polish
Bag of Van Houtte ‘Belgian Chocolate’ ground coffee




Don't Forget To Enter!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




About Edie Harris


Edie Harris studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Iowa and Grinnell College. She fills her days with writing and editing contract proposals, but her nights belong to the world of romance fiction. Edie lives and works in Chicago and is represented by Laura Bradford of Bradford Literary Agency.

Author Links





Saturday, November 1, 2014

Random Thoughts: November Goals

I took a few minutes to look  back on the October goals I set for myself. I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to, but I did get a few things done and I'm still working on the others.


October Accomplishments
  • Completed one outline.
  • Started writing first story of new series.
  • Have several others in various stages of completion.
  • Set up a designated "planner" for outlines and ideas.
  • Have a couple of ebook covers ready and waiting.
  • Stopped bringing home work from the day job.
  • Went on a weekend fishing trip to the coast with DH (We fished off a pier and didn't catch any keepers, but we had a blast!)


New Goals for November
  •  Finish book 1 of new series.
  • Begin writing another story. This will be the next book in the Bryant Station series.
  • Continue working on outlines and ideas. Getting a designated "planner" for this has really helped. It's a spiral with lines on one side and grid paper on the back. I skip several blank pages between each idea, giving me room to work on each idea.
  • Work on turning down the stress levels at work. This is an ongoing process.
  • Get ready for friends and family coming to visit over Thanksgiving holidays. (I've already started stocking up on items I need for the holiday meals. I hate waiting to the last minute to do the grocery shopping. I tend to forget things, and the grocery stores are usually starting to run out of certain items by the weekend before Thanksgiving. And it helps the grocery budget by spreading items out instead of one big purchase.