Merry Happy December

Let the season of joy and the spirit of giving spread all around.

It's good to remember the reason for the Christmas season and to focus on not just his birth but his life and everything it represents.

I'm so thankful for everything I have, especially the gift and talent of writing that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with.


Merry Christmas!!!

Up For a Little Romance?

I had the opportunity to read another sweet, clean romance by Author Anne-Marie Meyer.

Can a billionaire and a journalist find love in the Alaskan wilderness?

Journalist, Madeline Abernathy, is desperate to finally be taken seriously by her boss. When he calls her in on a Saturday night, she’s hopelessly optimistic that this is her big break. That is, until she finds herself face to face with Liam, the billionaire party boy, who’s been dominating the newsstands all month. Now she finds herself committed to writing a puff piece on him which is the last thing she wanted to do. 

Liam Davenport just wanted to live a quiet life roaming around the world. When his father dies, leaving him CEO of Davenport Outdoors, he is forced to trade in his hiking boots for tailored suits. When criminal activity involving his late father comes to light, his PR director thinks it’s best to hire a journalist to document the good they are doing. Too bad Madeline acts as if she already knows everything about him and refuses to do any research.  

Just when Liam and Madeline determine that they can’t stand each other, a flock of birds take out both engines of Liam’s private plane, forcing him to land in the Alaskan mountains. Stranded, both must decide to either put down their pride and survive together, or keep their prejudices and struggle alone. 

This was a delightful little romance. It's short enough to read in one sitting, and interesting enough to keep your attention. The story is woven full of exciting events that almost make me want to be stuck in the Alaskan wilderness with a handsome billionaire to guide me out.

I liked how the characters both had their personal flaws as well as their prejudices against the other. They each have a negative opinion of reporters and billionaires. It was refreshing to see how the events changed their perspective, but not just the things that occurred but the heartfelt conversations they had.

I do wish we'd learned more about Liam and his personal struggles with his father and his background. We learned a lot about Madeline, but not so much about Liam.

Overall it was a great read that gave my morning a cozy feel. Check it out here.

For more of Anne-Marie Meyer's Clean, Billionaire romances check out her Amazon page.

Yummy snacks from my Book Launch party!!!

Almond Roca

So simple and delicious, but it can be a little tricky. Please read all of the comments and tips before attempting your first batch! We've been making this recipes for years for the holidays and we love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted almonds, divided
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
• 4 bars of chocolate (such as Hershey's Bars)

Directions

1.  Butter a 7x11-inch pan (or 9x12 for slightly thinner roca). Sprinkle 1 cup of toasted almonds on bottom of the pan. 

2  In heavy saucepan at medium-high heat melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir until gently boiling. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and boil 12 minutes exactly, stirring constantly. *Edited to add* I made mine without a candy thermometer with success, but since some readers have noted having trouble with this recipe- you might wish to stick and instant read thermometer in there just to make sure it's about the right temperature. Pull it off the heat when it has reached the hard-crack stage (300 degrees F)- or when the mixture starts to separate (the oil starts to separate from the sugar). If it gets higher than 320, it will not remain solid.

3. Remove the mixture from heat, give it a good stir to mix up that butter and sugar one more time, and immediately pour hot mixture into pan over almonds. (see *Tips below) Place chocolate bars on top. Let them sit a minute or so until melted, then spread chocolate around carefully. Sprinkle with remaining toasted almonds and gently press them into the chocolate..

4.  Cool completely, and then break apart into chunks with sharp knife. Store in covered container

Online Launch Party This Weekend!!!

Just one more reminder for the online launch party for Storm Child.
Join us on Facebook from 7-9pm MST for a chance to win some awesome prizes and spend some time chatting with me about Storm Child.

Click here for more information.

And the Paperback book is out

Yay!!! The paperback is ready for purchase!!!
You can find it on Amazon!!!

So, so, so very excited for this. Can't believe it. Yay!!!

Online Book Release Party

I'm hosting an online book release party for Storm child
on November 17th from 7-9PM MST on Facebook.

Check out the link to join in the fun. There will be chances to win awesome prizes.

Book Release Party

Publishing, Blog Tours, and more! Oh my!!!

Well, I've tried to spread it around and I realized that I haven't spread it here. So here goes!!!

Storm Child (Book 1 of the Storm Series) Available October 31st in paperback and e-book on Amazon, and iBooks.

16-year-old Eridale Storm must leave the only home she's ever known and brave the dangers of the unknown wilds to escape capture by Imperial soldiers. The only safe place is with her mother, who abandoned her to lead the freedom movement when Eridale was just a child.
On her journey, Eridale learns that she holds a key role in the confilct between the Empire and the Freedom Fighters. Can Eridale face the heritage that will define the rest of her life and will her choices lead the people back to freedom or shackle them under the imperial throne forever?
Book one of the Storm Child series.

I'm so excited for this book to come out. It's been a long time in coming and it's been a crazy journey to get it out there. I hope my fans will loves this introduction to my YA Dystopia. I'm a writer that dabbles in many genres and this book is a new adventure for all of us.

Right now Storm Child is on a blog tour this week. Check out the link. There are, prizes, giveaways, and great reviews.

Please talk to your local book store after the 31st and see if they can get it in.

I'm also going to be setting up book signings at libraries in the near future stay tuned for more information.

Happy reading and enjoy the adventure!!!

Break by Jolyn Brown

Preston Bensen struggles with the same social anxiety that led his father to walk away years ago. With a younger brother who has Down syndrome, Preston has made it his job to hold together what remains of their family. 

A few weeks after he loses a friend in an accident, Preston's mother announces her decision to remarry. Now Preston must deal with a prying stepdad and three emotional stepsisters. After growing up with six neighbor boys, Preston doesn't know what to do with glitter, pet mice, drama, and nonstop chatter.

The only thing untouched by change seems to be Preston's relationship with Morgan, a girl he met during the summer. But he fears that sharing more of his past will scare her away. Juggling everything at once, he reaches his breaking point. Is Preston going to end up like his father after all?

My review: This book was an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, cried, and got angry with the characters and reactions. It is a book that digs deep and takes hold of you without letting go. Preston's reactions were to real to teenagers as well as his social anxiety. It intrigued me to see how he acted with his friends and how he dealt with the challenges that come from loss, change, and social pressure. I didn't expect the depth of the story, but it dragged me in until I finished the book. Great job!!! Highly recommend, especially for any teens who are dealing with challenges in their lives!!!

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Memory of Monet by Robin M. King

Robin M. King has done it again with her final in the Remembrandt series, Memory of Monet.

With an eidetic memory that won’t let her forget anything, Alexandra Stewart thought she was born to be a spy. But after her latest mission in Paris and her confrontation with a terrorist, Alex questions her work for The Company, a secret spy organization with headquarters in the basement of Brown University.

When the CIA enlists her help in locating a kidnapped teenage girl, Alex travels to Mexico City and poses as an exchange student at the elite art school where the girl went missing. But Alex can’t stop thinking about the two people she left behind in Rhode Island—her brother, Tanner, who was seriously injured in an accident, and her attractive colleague, James Daly, who would do anything to protect her.

Trying to prove to herself that working as a covert agent can be part of her future, Alex throws her energy into the mission. But scaling buildings, unraveling secrets, and saving lives might be easier than deciphering her own heart. And the enemy she is fighting could be the one person closest to her.

This was a fantastic ending to the series. The book was action packed and kept me up reading until the last page. I couldn't put it down. It is awesome to see how Alex works through her inner turmoil with her job, her relationships, and her family. The drama never ceases as she works with the CIA on a mission that could cost her life. I love that her ideas about romance and relationships aren't instant or purely physical (don't worry, there's plenty of chemistry). Alex really tries to understand her feelings and to make the choice that will make her the happiest. It is intriguing to see how she works through her uncertainties about who she is and her role in the spy world. This is a must read ending to a must read series!!!

Check out the other books in the series.

 

Robin M. King's Remembrandt series.

Fairest One by Amy Linnabary

And another retelling of a classic fairytale.

Rosa only wanted to keep her seven foster brothers happy and avoid awkward situations with the hottest guy in school. What she didn’t mean to do was turn invisible. Life gets more complicated when her stepmom shows up and asks her to come live with her. Having a family is all Rosa’s ever wanted, but when she begins to have dreams that come true, she can’t justify leaving. Just when she thinks she’s all alone, a strange girl from California shows up and tells her she's the girl prophesied about in the fairytale, Snow White. But the story left out the fact that the princess had superpowers. When she discovers she not the only one with magic, she must decided to trust these strangers to save her loved ones or keep her secret hidden and try to rescue them herself.


My review:

This was another excellent retelling and modernizing of the classic fairytale. What I love about this series is that they have elements of the fairytales, but they are completely their own story.  It was nice to see Rosa as a strong character with flaws that she learned to overcome and worked to change. I loved her loyalty to her boys, even though they weren't always nice to her. The romance with Forrest was okay. I didn't feel the chemistry as much as I did in the last book, but it was still there and still enjoyable. It's nice having clean, YA that has some of the excitement and action of other series without all the smut. Great book!!!

Code Name Scorpion by Donna Gustanis Fuller

Here is another book to check out.

When Trevor Willis offers Dani Carpenter a job as director of a new camp for children, she is thrilled. Dani intends to keep Trevor, a family friend and confirmed bachelor, at arm's length. But her heart changes toward him as they team up to protect Ady, the young daughter of a kidnapped scientist. After Trevor testifies against the son of Don Francisco Morales, a major supplier of heroin into the United States, Morales (aka the Scorpion) targets Trevor in a personal vendetta to destroy his reputation and then to destroy everyone Trevor loves. With Ady tucked away in a secure location, Dani and Trevor embark on a chase that takes them from the forests of the Pacific Northwest to the jungles of Mexico. They must stop the Scorpion before he strikes again.





My review:

This was an intriguing story. It was a little confusing and slow at the beginning, but then it picked up pace and got very exciting. It was nice to see the relationship between Trevor and Dani develop slowly instead of instant attraction. It was clean which is always a bonus. I was a little confused at the beginning with the whole suspense aspect because after the first bit we didn't hear anything else about it until the trial, then everything exploded into an action packed story that kept me turning pages until the very end.

Another book suggestion

And for those of you who are a fan of YA Paranormal Teen Romance. It's a fun superhero series with a twist and for those of you with Kindles, book one is free on Amazon Kindle.

The Jamie Baker Series by Kelly Oram

An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. 

To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High’s resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special.

Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? 

More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

Recently Read

So I thought I would post a list of books I've recently read and enjoyed, this way 

if it's something you're interested in you can find them and read them too.

Click on the link to go to the Amazon page and find out what they're about.

Cinderella by Everly Finn

The Perfect Kiss by Susan Hatler

For those Jane Austen fans who like a little variety:

The Abominable Mr. Darcy and One Love - Two Hearts -  Three Stories by J. Dawn King

One Plus One Equals Trouble by Sondra Kraak

Sanctuary Lost by Lisa Phillips

Mistakenly Married and Reluctantly Married by Victorian E. Lieske

So that's a few reading ideas. Some are romances. Some are historical romances. Some are suspense. And a fairytale rendition too. I post more ideas soon. Enjoy!!!

Seeress and the Stone

The last chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Epilogue

Sunday Morning Musings

So, I'm sitting in my living room right now thinking about what to write on my overdue blog. Outside the birds sing and call, which is great because we've had so much rain lately that the birds hardly ever come out to sing anymore. Even on this overcast day I hear the lovely twittering birdsong. Out my back door the azaleas are starting to bloom, and of course the dogwood trees that make my allergies miserable. Spring is finally here.

Last week was Easter and I probably should have post then, but hey I'm thinking about it now. What a beautiful world we have to live in. Thank you, my Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for your Atoning Sacrifice that allows me to find joy in the crazy world we live in. Thank you for your Resurrection which gives me hope, just like the little birds sing and have hope for the day.

We have so much to be thankful for in this world and today I am thankful!

Dear Editor

Dear Characters,

How do you do it? How do you make me feel every emotion possible? How do I not explode when I read or write your stories? You make me crazy. . .  maybe I am crazy. That's it. It's official. I'm crazy!

Insanely yours,

Author

Dear Social Media Marketing,

I'm tired. I wish you would do all the work yourself, but alas, that is not possible. Now back to all that posting, tweeting, and blogging. . .  oh wait, I am blogging. Good. That's something. Right?

Exhaustedly,

Writer

Dear Punctuation,

I. Hate. You.

Enough said,

Novelist

Dear Editor,

Why do I feel like no matter how many times I go through my manuscript that there still needs to be things fixed. Will it ever be done? Will I ever finish? 

Doubtfully,

Author

Dear . . . ?

Wait. What just happened?

Sincerely,

Confused

April Fools

Have you ever thought about all the crazy holidays that we have here in America? Seriously. I want to create a holiday, and not just in one of my books. I want a holiday that will celebrate something totally bizarre. Oh wait, we already have that. It's April Fools day.

According to Wikipedia (I know, it isn't always the most accurate resource, but I'm being lazy today)

April Fools' Day (sometimes called All Fools' Day) is celebrated every year on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool. Some newspapers, magazines, and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in small letters. Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country.

Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (1392) contains the first recorded association between April 1 and foolishness.

Who knew it's been around this long. But really a who day to celebrate pranks, jokes, and overall foolishness. I think it's really all about how happy we are to see spring after a long rainy winter and then the weather does a crazy turn shouting "Ha, April Fools!"

Whatever the origin, we have a crazy holiday that celebrates the bizarre. On to the next odd thing . . .

Seeress and the Stone

A few more chapters, since I am so far behind.

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

I'm back with an awesome recommendation!!! Cinder Heart by Amy Linnabary

I'm back

AAAAAnd to start off 2017 (yes, I know it's the end of March) I'm sharing my review of an absolutely fantastic book: Cinder Heart by Amy Linnabary.

Sixteen-year-old Gabriella just wants to finish high school without ticking off her stepmom and being forced out of her father’s house. When she finds out she’s the girl prophesied about in the fairytale Cinderella, her world gets turn upside-down.
Things get worse when the cute senior, Hal Charm, finally discovers that she exists. Add a fairy godmother, the powers of fire and speed, and a villain other than her stepmom and Gabbie’s life goes up in flames.
Now she's forced to decide between ignoring her destiny to save her friendships, or risking discovery to become the hero she needs to be.


Awesome!!! It has been interesting reading all the different retellings of fairytales and this story blew all the rest away! It was neat to see how Amy Linnabary created different twists and turns to the classic Cinderella story that made me completely unable to put the book down. I enjoyed seeing Gabbie as she dealt with her impossible step-mom and step-sister, but it also broke my heart to see how things suddenly got worse and worse. And her powers! That was awesome!

I also love that Mr. Charm wasn't all that you'd expect from your prince charming. The story was masterfully done and I look forward to reading more Fairytale prophecies books in the future!!!

Check out my review and find the book on Amazon!!!

Check out this fantastic author!