Rushing To Die

Best Books to Read Now: January 2016

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

I can't believe I actually read books in December.  All I remember of the month is unpacking boxes from Amazon and frantically driving around the county.  I swear, one Saturday I used a whole tank of gas, shuttling children (and myself) here and there.  No wonder I collapsed in a great heap after Christmas.

Anyway, I tried coming up with a theme for the month and it hit me: RETURN.

Let's see how that flows:

Love Me Sweet, by Tracy Brogan

love me sweet

love me sweet

This is the third of her Bell Harbor series, but it could easily be read on its own.  Unlike the first two, it's in alternating his/her POV's and it's about a reality show cameraman who

returns

to his hometown of Bell Harbor, Michigan and finds that his mom has rented his house to a (unbeknownst to him) reality show star runaway.  There's lots of snow (perfect for this time of year) and as always, plenty of Tracy Brogan humor.

Again My Lord 

and

My Lady, My Lord

both by Katharine Ashe

again my lord

again my lord

my lady my lord

my lady my lord

This author has really become one of my favorite historical authors and these two books are in her Twist series. I didn't know what to expect of this series or what differentiated it from other series but OH MY GRAVY (to borrow an expression from my friend

Alexandra Haughton

).  These are...different.  In a good way!  They are not your normal historicals, they each have a twist, perhaps sort of supernatural? wherein a goddess plays a little prank on the main characters.  Anyway, I don't want to give too much away (and when you read them, you'll see how my

RETURN

theme fits in here), but I thoroughly enjoyed these books and whenever the next one comes out, it will be a insta-one-click from me.

The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah Maclean 

rogue not taken

rogue not taken

It's the

return

of Sarah Maclean! This is the first book in her new highly anticipated new historical romance series, which is being promoted as TMZ in Regency period.  This was a break from her last series, it was lighter and funnier and actually, I kept drawing comparisons between this and LOVE ME SWEET, above, which also has the hero and heroine on a madcap road trip.

RUSHING TO DIE by Lindsay Emory 

rushing cover

rushing cover

The

return

of

MARGOT BLYTHE

!    My latest was released on 12/29 and I'm so pleased by the response from people!  Yes, it's the second in the Sorority Sisters Mystery series, but it can be read on its own.  This time, the sorority ladies of Sutton College are preparing for Rush and when another dead body is found in the Delta Beta yard, lots of caffeine is needed to deal with the resulting craziness.

 Let me know what you've read and enjoyed lately and if you have any book reading resolution for 2016!  I'm pretty stoked that I've been invited to join a proper book club so who know what I'll be posting around here in the future? It could be this

baby book

baby book

Or this:

book chandler

book chandler

See y'all next month to find out!

Balance and the Rock Star

IMG_5394 I love the new year and the retrospectives and the planning and the beauty of a blank calendar. This year is no exception.  I've taken some time to go over 2015, thanks to these lovely printables at The Happiness Planner.  My answers to some of the questions were a little shocking, to tell the truth.

Without going into too much gory detail, I overdid 2015. Some of it couldn't be helped, some of it was all my fault. I've been battling a Cold from Hell (which would make a great band name, btw) for over a week and all signs point to the fact that my body has completely given out, surrendered, thrown out the white flag, etc. No matter how many supplements, vitamins and amino acids I choke down, they cannot undo the damage that 12 months of stress has done to my body.

Ironically (?), this was my goal for the year.  I was going to Dream Bigger. I still love that mantra. Looking back at my awesome writing spreadsheet, I estimate that I wrote approximately 325,000 words in 2015. That doesn't count words produced during edits, blogging, etc.   That doesn't count words that I produce in a very stressful full time day job.   This is a metric shit-ton of words, of hours spent at laptops, huddled over the ipad mini on the train, scribbling on notebooks.

As much as I love it, and while I now know I am completely capable of it,  I can't do this in 2016.

Not unless I'm having fun doing it.

That's what my reflections have shown me, in a striking black-and-white clarity.  I love having fun.  If I'm having fun, late nights and tendonitis and the strange looks of parents on the soccer field as I balance 300 pages of a manuscript-in-edits on my lap while sitting on the sidelines are all 100% worth it.

If I'm not having fun, well. It's just not worth it.  Pretty simple, right?

So for 2015, I am going to be a rock star. That's going to be me, up there on the amp, head banging and singing my heart out.  I'm having fun for the sheer fun of it. I'm going out with my girls, I'm supporting my tribe, I'm drinking wine, I'm writing the stories that make me feel like Mick Jagger, Beyonce and Taylor Swift all rolled up into one. I'm going on more roadtrips, seeing the ocean, basking in Broadway lights.  And in this, I believe I will find the balance that eluded me in 2015.

That said, I'm SO FREAKING EXCITED about some of the projects that are in the works and/or germinating right now. I wish I could tell you all about them, but until I get official go-aheads, please follow me on social media, or sign up for my newsletter so you can get the updates for 2016.  

I'm wishing all of you a very balanced and fun 2016.

Untitled design (1)

P.S. Have you checked out RUSHING TO DIE yet? It came out this week!

Best Books to Read Now: December

BEST BOOKS TO READ NOW

Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!

I got through more books in November mostly because I was fortunate enough to escape to Napa, California for a long weekend right before Thanksgiving.  You may have seen some pictures (mostly of wine) on my

Instagram

but the weekend was more than just wine tastings. It was beautiful weather, good "old" friends, and going to bed early in the blessed silence of a Calistoga mountainside.

IMG_5192

IMG_5192

Last month when I was writing up my books, I noted that there were some themes to my selections and I'm noticing the same this month.

Kissing Her Crush - Ophelia London

kissing her crush

kissing her crush

I love this book for so many reasons, not least of which I had several good plotting sessions with Ophelia while she wrote this book over the course of a year.  It's exciting to see the things we talked about "come to life" and see how Ophelia embued them her signature flair (hint: Gorilla!) While it's not strictly a Christmas / holiday book I think it fits in perfectly with the holiday season with its themes of chocolate, family and love.

One Week in December -- Alexis Anne, Audra North, Julia Kelly, Alexandra Haughton

one week december

one week december

The "

One Week" crew

is back with this enchanting (and FREE!) selection of short holiday romances. I'm telling you, this was perfect for holiday travel - little bite sized pieces of holiday cheer. 

Pick it up (for FREE

) while you can!

The Best Man - Kristan Higgins

best man

best man

This was my first Kristan Higgins book (I know! Where have I been?!) but she's been on my AUTHORS TO READ list since I heard her speak at an RWA 2014 workshop and THE BEST MAN won't be my last.  I literally devoured this in 24 hours after Thanksgiving, the day that will henceforth be known as The Day I Walked 5000 Steps In My Own Kitchen (thanks Fitbit for that data nugget).  Being drawn into the Blue Heron winemaking world (right after my own trip to Napa, no less) with all of the small town sweetness and family humor was ideal for a post-Thanksgiving escape. The digital version is on sale now for $.99!

Magic Shifts- Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels Book 8) 

magic shifts

magic shifts

So obviously, the accidental themes of my books this month have been sweet, family, romances. Does MAGIC SHIFTS fit in with that?  If you've read the first seven books of this series and if you're a major Kate Daniels/ Ilona Andrews fan, the answer is UM, YES.   If you haven't (and why haven't you?), then you might not understand that after seven Kate Daniels books and four more other books in the series the post-Shift world of Kate Daniels at this point FEELS like home and the characters at this point feel like family.  Am I stretching the theme at this point?

I am a big BIG fan of Ilona Andrews (the husband and wife writing team of Ilona and Gordon Andrews) and I've read EVERYTHING they've ever written. I'm such a huge fan that I had to stop tweeting Gordon because I didn't want to be one of those annoying fans that tweeted things like, "I like cake. Do you like cake? Want to be best friends? I can send you cake." I was sitting at the bar at RT this year with my agent and when I saw Gordon and Ilona across the room, I kind of forgot what I was supposed to be talking about, I was so star-struck.

Basically, I love them. I love their books. I recommend them. MAGIC SHIFTS came out this summer but because I didn't have enough time to really savor it, I saved it and when I got to Napa and heard the silence, I knew I could immerse myself in the latest installment.

If you want more information on this epic, sometimes-violent, sometimes-spicy, always entertaining series, hit me up and I'll talk your ear off.

SPEAKING OF SALES...

Add a little bit of body text

Add a little bit of body text

I have books too! 

KNOW WHEN TO HOLD HIM

is on sale for $.99... AND!!!

RUSHING TO DIE

is  releasing on 12/29 and available for pre-order NOW!!

rushing cover

rushing cover

I'm so excited for everyone to read the newest installment of the Sorority Sisters Mysteries.  Margot Blythe is back and preparing for rush (recruitment).  There are new characters, new challenges, but Officer Ty Hatfield, Casey Kenner and the ladies of Delta Beta are still there for Margot to boss around - I mean, motivate and inspire.

Sign up for my newsletter

because I'll be sending out a deluxe sample of RUSHING TO DIE before the release date!!

whaat

whaat

baby book

baby book