It’s Great to Travel, but it’s Great to Come Home, too

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@drsickles, Belize

Hey y’all!

It’s been a busy couple of months, between my horrible concussion in July, the holidays, then a last-minute trip to Grand Cayman with my husband in January … and spring break with our 15 year old last week to Belize. Oh, my, I could totally live in Belize. For real. But I’m finally feeling like my mind is back in the right place, my concentration is mostly back to normal, and the stories in my mind are begging to be told. All in all, it’s a great place to be.

I thought you might like to see some of the images from my trip to Belize. If you’re interested in the full stories, and the captions to give you a sense of story and place, go to my other blog … my secret squirrel Clark Kent blog …
The Doctor is IN.

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Crazy voicemails

I love Google voicemail transcriptions. We’ve got them set on our phones to transcribe and texts the content to us in a message. And man, oh man, does it hit the spot every now and then.

My son’s in the ninth grade, and runs on his high school track team. He’s a sprinter, and they’re finishing up “indoor” winter track this week and will transition to spring “outdoor” track next week. He’s fast … he runs the 200m in about 23 seconds. This week he’s been placing in the top third, with the upper classmen and classwomen, which both makes me beam with pride and groan in pain at the workout his legs and lungs get. But his big treat after workouts: a tall glass of lowfat chocolate milk. It’s got just the right amount of potassium to help with aches and pains, and the calcium’s good for his 14-year-old bones.

Today we needed to stop at the Teet (read: Harris Teeter) for more milk, so we went ahead and got everything on the grocery list. I asked the mini me to text my husband to let him know he could just come straight home after working out at the Y, rather than swinging by the grocery. He said, “I’m going to send dad a text this way,” and spoke it out loud to Siri, trusting she’d translate and send it correctly.

Here’s what was actually sent:

Great Review for “The Great Outdoors” from @NightOwlReviews

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#AmReading, 1Night Stand, 1NS, @DecadentPub, Night Owl Reviews, romance

So excited to get a review from Night Owl Reviews today … and not just a review, but a great 4-star review!

Don’t ever think 1 Night Stand stories are all the same, because they’re not.  This story while full of sexual attraction and two really great characters, has them taking a long date.  This date is enjoying the outdoors and is absolutely wonderful and a great change as most of this series takes place in large cities.  Not only that, Tallulah and Mitchell take the time to talk and feel each other out prior to the hot sex.  These two professionals are that professional.  There is no jumping into bed without learning about the other, no just running away from a terrific position but there is more than attraction; there is the opportunity of a real match.  As always, this was a wonderful story and a terrific way to check out an author that you may not know.

But what really means the most to me in this review is that the reviewer totally got it! I’m not an erotic author, per se … but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like really sexy sex with my romances. And thanks, Terri, for reminding folks that this 1NS is a great way to check out a new-to-you author.

For the full review, read here.

Great backlist review for “The Penalty Box” @AllRomance

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books, literature, romance

It’s always exciting to get a great review, and it’s especially exciting to get a great review on a backlist romance! Check out what picturelady had to say about The Penalty Box at All Romance:

Enjoyed this book! I read it in one sitting, couldn’t put it down. Love Hockey Romace and this one even has a little suspense thrown in! LOVED!

Thanks a lot! You’ve helped to kick start my enthusiasm for 2013!

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

We’re pancake afficionados at our house, but today I went above and beyond … by creating the perfect pumpkin pancakes. Sigh. These are good.

Ingredients
-  1-1/4 cups flour*
-  3 tsp baking powder
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar*
-  1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-  1/4 tsp ground cloves
-  1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
-  1/2 tsp salt
-  1 whole egg
-  1-1/4 milk
-  1 tsp pure vanilla extract
-  1/2 cup pumpkin
-  2 Tbsp vegetable oil (olive oil is a little heavy for these)

*I typically use whole wheat flour and brown sugar for this type of yummy, but since we’re out of whole wheat, I decided the brown sugar wouldn’t taste as good.

Directions
1. Add all dry ingredients to a mixing bowl; whisk together.
2. Add the remaining ingredients; whisk together until batter is smooth.
3. Ladle onto heated pan or griddle; cook as you would pancakes.

I like to make a combination of sizes, so I don’t really have a count, but on our square Calphalon griddle, we can cook four “large” pancakes at a time. We also mix it up to make silver dollar pancakes (which are the favorites of our son, and our beagle, Magnolia May), and can do 12 silver dollars at a time. Because sometimes you want a serving of pancakes, and then sometimes you just need a silver dollar to finish you off.

And I don’t know what kind of syrup you prefer, but if you’re like me, pure maple syrup is the only way to go. Enjoy!

Check out my interview with @JayRequard

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@JayRequard

It’s not everyday that I get to sit down with a SciFi & Fantasy author to chat, people. But I had a really great time talking to new author, Jay Requard, on his blog, Sit. Write. Bleed. Rest assured: I only sat and wrote … no bleeding, thank goodness.

Jay’s first story will be released in an anthology during the summer called The Big Bad: An Anthology of Evil. I will congratulate him, perhaps share a glass of champagne (or, in his case, a mug of mead), read it and wince, and pray for no nightmares.

Check out the interview on Sit. Write. Bleed, follow Jay on Twitter, and check out his blog when you get a chance. He’s an interesting fella.

Share your resolutions with me @DecadentPub

This year, I decided to make my first
New Year’s resolution in decades …
and I’m determined to make it. Interested?

Check it out over at today’s
Daily Dose of Decadence.

 

Winner Announcement from my stop on the @EvernightPub Christmas Blog Hop: @uavery, come on down!

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Christmas Blog Hop, evernight publishing, winner

Happy Holidays, y’all!

Thanks for participating in Evernight’s Christmas Blog Hop. My stop on the tour had lots of traffic and conversation, and now that the contest has wrapped, I’m announcing the winner for my Fidget Bead Bracelet. Through the strict scientific method of numbering each of the comments, then having my 14 year old pick a number between 1 and 37, we have arrived at a winner:

Ursula Avery

Ursula, keep an eye out on your e-mail for a note from me. Once I get your mailing address, I’ll put your Fidget Bead Bracelet in the mail. Hopefully you’ll get it before Christmas.

Thanks everyone for participating. And good luck on the BIG prize of the iPad 2!

Winner Announcement from my stop on the @DecadentPub Book on the Nook Blog Hop

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Book on the Nook Blog Hop, Decadent Publishing, Fidget Bead Bracelet, winner

Happy Holidays, y’all!

Thanks for participating in Decadent Publishing’s Book on the Nook Blog Hop. My stop on the tour was December 9, and now that the contest has wrapped, I’m announcing the winner for my stop. Through the strict scientific method of numbering each of the comments, then having my 14 year old pick a number between 1 and 7, we have arrived at a winner:

IRIS

Iris, keep an eye out on your e-mail for a note from me. Once I get your mailing address, I’ll put your Fidget Bead Bracelet in the mail. Hopefully you’ll get it before Christmas.

Thanks everyone for participating. And good luck on the BIG prize of the Nook!

Christmas Blog Hop with @EvernightPub

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Evernight's Christmas Blog Hop, guardian angel

We love the holidays at Evernight Publishing, we love making our readers happy and we love giving away swag.

What better way to do that than to hold a blog hop? Here’s how it works… the more blogs you hop to (shown below) the more chance you have of winning prizes. Each site on the hop is offering a prize and Evernight is offering an iPad 2 as the grand prize! To be in with a chance of winning the site prize simply follow the blog you’re visiting and leave a comment which includes your email address. Each entry on each blog is then counted towards the grand prize draw. The more entries you have, the better your chance of winning that iPad 2! You also get extra points for liking the Evernight Facebook page. Just make sure you let us know in the comments that you’ve done so. Happy hopping!

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Everybody needs a guardian angel, particularly during the holidays. Depending where you are in life, the holidays can be the best, or the worst, of times. For me, they’re wonderful. I love decorating our house, baking things with my son, the extra time my husband has for relaxing around the house and being silly. We like to drive through neighborhoods and see the lights; I love holiday music (and singing it enthusiastically, much to the chagrin of my husband and son), and the way folks smile and speak when you’re out and about. My boys are my guardian angel, and I know that if I’m feeling a little blue, missing family and friends who are far away or passed on, I can grab a quick hug and recharge.

I found an article on 20 dependable holiday stress busters with some pretty good, practical advice. Things like slow down, don’t try to be everywhere at once, let family and friends help out, and the best of all: “hang on to hope.”

I hope you’ll check out my Guardian Angel, released by Evernight Publishing in 2011. Here’s the blurb:

Hot shot graphic novelist Sasha Mitchell is learning how to adjust to life as an underground hero with one of the hottest video games on the market. Her newfound wealth is no replacement for her brother’s recent passing, though, and certainly no balm to Doctor David Ellington, who’s adjusting to life without the dominating wealth of his powerful father.

And even though this senator’s son is far more interested in making his mark in the community through the clinic where he volunteers, he still has to overcome decades of enforced emotional barrenness to let Sasha’s powerful character reignite his passion.

- – > Click here for an excerpt of Guardian Angel

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So tell me: Who’s your guardian angel during the holidays?

One lucky commenter on this post will win a Fidget Bead Bracelet (continental US residents only; $5 Amazon gift card if you’re far away). Be sure to leave your e-mail address in the comments so I can contact the winner on Dec. 15 to get your addy.

PS. I always appreciate when you LIKE me on Facebook, and FOLLOW me on Twitter. Thanks y’all!