Friday, February 24, 2017

Living on the Edge Feb 2017 #FunnyFriday

Today’s post is this month’s Funny Friday, a regular feature published on the last Friday of every month. Funny Friday is a collaborative project. Each month one of the participants submits a picture, then we all write five captions or thoughts inspired by that month’s featured picture. Links to the other bloggers’ posts are below, click on them and see what they have come up with. I hope we bring a smile to your face as you start your weekend.





Here’s today’s picture. It was submitted by Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

37 - Dinosaur Superhero Mommy - February 2017.jpg




1. First of all... I look at this pic, and I have a borderline heart attack. Then I look closer.... Does he not look extremely comfortable?!?!


2. Mom to son: What are you doing?! Knock that off before you get hurt!!
Son: What? I am completely safe.
Mom: Uh huh.
Dad: What? I see nothing wrong with it. He looks comfortable.

3. Have you seen that popular picture collection, where they show many doing crazy daring things, and they say that those daring feats are why women get hurt less often?! Yeah, this is a great addition to it!! I am so not this brave!! Little man is more brave than me, for sure.


4. Boy to Mom: Ma, I'm fine. Honest. I do this all the time. All the time., and I have never gotten hurt. Trust me.


5. Mom to boy: If you break it, you buy it. Remember that.


Click on the links below and let some other bloggers make you smile:



Friday, February 10, 2017

Stable Layne Pt 5 Feb 2017 #UseYourWords

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked four to six words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That is the challenge, here is a fun twist; no one who is participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.



As you may remember, I had planned on using last month's words, to create another Stable Layne installment, but couldn't because Gigi wasn't well. So, I am adding them into this month's post, with this month's words. In case you have not read the first three parts, or you want to refresh your memory, the previous parts can be found using these links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4



My words are:
warm ~ red ~ sweet ~ love ~ Cupid ~ arrow
They were submitted by: http://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/

Last month's: discombobulated ~ family ~ return ~ without ~ race

Layne stretched her arms towards the ceiling, after crawling out of bed. She did some more stretching and then headed into her Master bathroom, to get her morning routine underway. Really, she should have been up a few hours ago, but she had decided to sleep in a bit, since she had stayed up until well past her usual eleven o'clock bedtime. She felt a bit like a bum, not crawling out of bed until almost half past eight, but she deserved the extra sleep.

Normally she would get coffee first thing, but today she wanted to be presentable, by the time Damon arrived at ten. They had texted briefly the night before, to confirm the details of their time together today. Texting him had felt normal. Like as if they should text regularly. Considering she barely knew him, that was obviously just a side effect of the crush she was developing on him.

As she turned on the shower, perfecting the water temperature, and went to empty her overfull bladder, she began to let her mind wander. She wondered what his friend would be like. He had asked if his roommate could come over at ten, when he arrived, or if he should have him come alone later, when it was time for the party to start. Figuring the more helping hands the merrier, she had told him to bring him over at ten.

She had done a lot of the little things herself yesterday. She had plugged in all the appliances in the garage kitchenette, and stocked the fridge with ice and some sodas and other mixers. She had picked up all the meats from the butcher, and had picked up all the groceries. They would definitely have more than enough food. She had even remembered to pick up some fresh strawberries and lemons, so she could make her Berrylicious Lemonade Punch.

The water felt amazing on her sore body. She had to admit, she had done more physically in the past week, than she had in months. It hurt quite a bit, but also felt amazing. Her body was definitely ready to start getting back to normal, she just had to remember to heed Damon's advice and take it slow. She definitely did not want to get hurt again, or worse yet, set her return back to riding back by even a single day.

She took the quickest shower possible, wrapped her hair in a towel, and quickly got dressed. Since she would be working with Damon, she chose to wear yoga pants and comfy red Christmas sweatshirt. She could get dressed for the party afterward. She entered her kitchen, and sighed looking at all the food everywhere. Hopefully her sisters would get here by noon, as they had promised, and help get all the food organized and prepped. She wanted everything done, before the rest of their family and friends arrived, so they could just enjoy themselves.

She stood waiting for her Keurig to fill her cup with her favorite Death Wish Coffee. The smell was teasing her taste buds. The last drop having entered the cup, she pulled it over and poured some almond milk in, stirring it, then taking the first sip. The warm liquid awakening her brain cells, as they spilled down her throat, her taste buds sending the WOOHOO COFFEE signal to her brain. After years of being a coffee addict, she had perfected the perfect ratio of coffee to milk, so she could drink it immediately, without needing to wait for it to cool. She chose to sit at her breakfast nook to enjoy her coffee. Most days she would sit on the back porch, but today she wanted to finish quickly. She still needed to finish getting ready.

It wasn't that she wanted to look good for Damon, but she wanted to look good for Damon. Look at her, caring what a guy thinks. It was as if Cupid had visited her and shot his arrow directly into her. An arrow labeled Damon. Whether she wanted to accept it or not, she absolutely had a crush on him. Now, she just needed to decide what she wanted to do about it. Should she quit going to him for physical therapy? Should she just keep her mouth shut, and keep seeing him? He was definitely a great therapist. The one thing she absolutely would not do, no matter how bad the crush got, is act on it. Sure. She wanted to get married one day, but currently a boyfriend did not fit into her plans. 

Damon seemed like a sweet guy, and he was definitely the type of guy she could probably fall in love with, but that was not what she needed right now. Her focus was still the same it was before the accident, she wanted to make a place for herself in the horse training world. She wanted to eventually be successful enough, to buy this entire ranch from her parents, and at a fair price, not the daughter price. She had wanted this ranch to be hers, since she was six. It is really all she had ever wanted. To own this ranch, and her father's business, just as it was for her father, it was her passion.

She had already managed to accomplish quite a bit of her goals, and once she was back to her normal self, she would race to finish line, and accomplish the rest. Her thoughts were all over the place, she finished her cup of coffee, and rinsed her cup out. She would try to have another cup before Damon arrived, but considering her discombobulated state of mind, that may not happen. This was proof she definitely did not need Damon in her life more than he was. He was keeping her from being able to drink copious amounts of coffee, simply due to all the daydreaming he seemed to inspire her mind to do. 

She gathered up her towels, and returned them to their hooks in her bathroom, and brushed her hair and teeth. She went into her garage, opening the door, and busied herself doing stuff to get everything party ready. She had gotten lost in her work, and was startled by Damon's arrival.

"Hey, Layne," Damon's sultry voice had interrupted her thoughts, and caused her to jump. "I see you got a start without us."

She turned and smiled at the two guys walking towards her. Her heart began to race. Just from seeing him. Yes, she was definitely in trouble. This man may not be what she wanted, but based on her body's reaction to him, he may be what she needed, and that was a problem. A complication. "Oh, hey! You guys scared me. Is it ten already?"

Damon laughed, and pulled her into a brief hug, releasing her and stepping aside to give her a direct view of his roommate. "It is actually five after. We got held up at the store. I am glad you didn't notice. Layne, meet Marcus. Marcus, meet Layne."

Layne went through the motions of the introduction, and shook Marcus' hand. She made proper small talk, and noted how friendly the guy before her seemed. The entire time her mind was on one thing. That hug. How it felt. The electricity she had felt. Wondering if Damon had felt it too. Wondering what it all meant, and trying to figure out how she was going to do it. It really did not matter how she was going to do it. She definitely had to do it. What you are wondering? Well, marry this man obviously. Her mind didn't want to know it. Her heart did not want to know it. Her plans did not want it to be a reality, but there was no denying what her soul obviously knew. 

Damon was the man she had been looking for, since she first thought about getting married when she turned ten, and her cousin Tristyn had gotten married. This is what Tristyn had meant, when she said Layne would just know, when she met the man of her dreams. She did know. 

(to be continued....)

In case you are wondering, Gigi is back to her normal self. She recovered from her surgery well, and her ear is completely healed. She is such a resilient, awesome kid. I am so blessed to be her mom.

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Stable Layne. I promise to give you more of the Layne and Damon story soon. Now, go see what words my fellow bloggers received, and just how they used them!! 

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Blinded by Lyz Kelley #BookReview

It is that time again. What time? Time for me to tell you about a book I have recently read. I am happy to say, I have nothing but good to say about this book. Actually I had one thing negative I was going to say, as I read a book, that I am going to be writing a review of, I make mental note of things to say. So, I had planned on telling you that I wish the ending hadn't come so abruptly. I wanted more information. Well, you see, I like to try to go into books I review blindly. I don't read any blurbs or comments about the books. I want to form my own opinions and feelings about the book. Well, once I was done, I realized this is the first book in a series. *does happy dance*

I fell so in love with the characters and plot, that I definitely need more. Lyz Kelley is not going to disappoint me (or you), as this is book one in the SIX book Elkridge series. So, do yourself a favor, and get this book now, and read it, so you will be ready when book two is released. 

I loved this book because it was unique. The characters were unique, the storyline was unique, and it was well written. It has excellent character development and plot development. It will keep you turning the page. It is a very interesting murder-mystery, crime drama, with plenty of romance and passion mixed in. It will appeal to all types of readers. If you love romance, this book is for you. If you like mystery, this book is for you. If you like whodunit crime stories, this book is for you.

You will find yourself falling for the characters, and cheering them on. Their romance feels genuine and real. Their passion is hot, but not so hot it is annoying. It is just a very well written book. I absolutely recommend you read this. 

As usual, if you read this, please come back and let's discuss it!! You can comment here or on my Facebook page!! I would absolutely love to hear other opinions on this book, and also, if you want to discuss theories... I am absolutely down for that!! Mostly, I just CANNOT wait for book two!!! 

Continue reading for a synopsis of this book, information on the author, information on how to get this book for yourself, FAQ about this book, and a GIVEAWAY!! 



Blinded by Lyz Kelley
Release Date: 7th February 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
#blinded
Synopsis
A small town murder. A second chance at love.
Somebody killed Joey Gaccione’s brother. After a ten-year absence, the big city detective returns home to Colorado for the funeral knowing he will be pressured to find Sheriff Sam’s killer. Joey’s instincts say whoever murdered his brother is part of something more sinister than the Elkridge deputies can handle.
Mara Dijocomo's dreams died the night a drunk driver killed her parents and sister, and left her permanently wounded. After months of therapy, she’s finally adjusting to her new reality while working to save her mother’s floral business. When the first boy she ever loved walks back into her life, she wonders if she and Joey are getting a second chance to find love. 
As Joey and Mara’s love blooms, the evidence becomes clear the local deputies are either ill-equipped to comprehend what’s happening, or someone’s covering up a crime. Joey and Mara fight to balance between their careers, family, and their renewed love until the FBI contacts Joey ultimately tipping the scales.
************
If you like a steamy romance, deep emotional topics, a thread of mystery, and a cozy happy ending then BLINDED is for you. The first book in the ELKRIDGE SERIES debuts a quirky cast of characters and begins introducing evidence to solve Sheriff Sam murder. 
BLINDED on Sale: Amazon
Meet the Author
Award-winning, contemporary romance author Lyz Kelley lives in a small community in Colorado with her husband and several four-legged family members. Lyz writes about brave women who have faced extraordinary challenges, and the honorable men who have an enormous capacity to love, even if they may not know it. 
A healing love is at the heart of her book series. Creating wounded yet amazing characters—discovering what drives them, frightens them, heals them, makes them laugh—is what gives her joy. Lyz is pleased to share that joy through her masterfully written stories. 
To keep tabs on her award-winning novels, connect with Lyz by signing up for her newsletter at LyzKelley.com. Also visit LyzKelleysHeroes.com to join Kelley's Heroes, Lyz's VIP club. Members receive an exclusive copy of A Soldier’s Wife, learn about thoughtful giveaways, and get a sneak peek at upcoming releases. Members may even get the opportunity to receive advanced reader copies. Check out LyzKelley.com for more information.
Newsletter Sign Up: www.LyzKelley.com
Kelley’s Heroes (VIP Club) Sign Up: www.LyzKelleysHeroes.com

Why would readers enjoy this book? 
My Elkridge Series is a puzzle. In book 1, BLINDED, Sheriff Sam is murdered. It will take 6-books to solve the crime. Word of caution: There are some red herrings throughout the series. Solving the crime will not be easy, and you don’t have to wait long. All books will be launched in 2017. If you like sensual romances, with deep emotional topics, threads of suspense, and a happy-ever-after then BLINDED, a stand-alone love story in the Elkridge Series, is for you. Let the mystery begin. ~Lyz Kelley~

Giveaway
https://romancedevoured.com/giveaways/win-a-10-amazon-gift-card-from-author-lyz-kelley/?lucky=313347




BLINDED: Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQ)

Why did you develop Elkridge, your small-town series?
Both my mom and dad grew up in small towns and I loved the idea of a microenvironment for the setting of my series. Since childhood, I heard many fun stories about small-town life. I lived in a fairly small town growing up, so I figured why not create a town in Colorado? Elkridge was pulled from many different elements of nearby mountain towns to create a unique place. Don’t go looking for Elkridge, it doesn’t exist, but have fun visiting through my new series.

You mention in your author notes working with an FBI Special Agent.
Yes, Special Agent Michael Bantner came to speak to our writing group when I lived in Philadelphia. Years later, when I started plotting the Elkridge series, he helped with the technical aspects of the plot. He loved my story idea, and said it was one of the most realistic plots he’d heard. I was very excited. To get some of the local details correct, I also interviewed one of my high school friends, who worked in the local sheriff’s department. I love research, so it was a lot of fun.

Are any characters in BLINDED based on real people in your life?
The character that is most real to me is Sam. My brother, Sam, was always going head first into life. Always wanting to be the hero, he often didn’t listen to other people’s advice. Don’t get me wrong—we were best friends, and I loved him dearly. When he died just before I graduated high school, I was devastated. I can relate to how both Mara and Joey feel about people they love being snatched from their lives. Those feelings are real, and even after all this time, I still can feel the chasm my brother’s absence has left on my heart. 

When Joey first shows up in Elkridge, he has no intention of searching for his brother’s killer. Why?
My technical experts suggested a brother wanting to investigate his brother’s murder, in another jurisdiction, would not be feasible. Sure, romance books are based on fantasy, and there is nothing better than an alpha male charging in to save the day. However, I wanted to write a more emotional book. When my brother died, we were very close. While writing the book,  I started asking myself , what if Joey wasn’t close with his brother? What if he had regrets? What if he could investigate the most horrific crimes, but couldn’t stomach investigating his brother’s homicide?

Mara is such an unusual heroine. How did you develop her character?
Mara was developed out of an exercise at a writing retreat. C.J. Lyons, a New York Times best-selling author, was giving a lecture on the use of senses in writing. Most authors use sight as the primary go-to sense, and we were exploring the use of other senses to add flavor to our writing. I really struggled with the exercise. Like anything, I knew that conquering a problem takes practice. So, I wrote a novella. Then a friend talked me into writing a full-length book—thus BLINDED was created.

Where did you get the idea for Kym’s quirky character?
Kym, Mara’s best friend, was a lot of fun to write. Mara, the heroine, is so serious and a bit like me that I thought she needed someone who tilted her world a bit. There were times when writing Kym, I had to laugh. The humorous funeral scene actually happened to a friend of mine. She and her family were at a funeral and her uncle started cracking jokes to lighten the heaviness of the situation. Since I couldn’t find any way around excluding a funeral scene from the book, I decided to adopt the idea to make the scene a bit lighter.

There are so many fun characters in Elkridge. Are you planning to write more books?
Yes, book two is Kym’s book. It’s a 85-page novella. If you want a quick weekend or airplane read, SPURNED is a good book to pick up. The eBook will be available in March.  ABANDONED is a full-length book that introduces new characters and includes characters you met in BLINDED, will be available in April. All books in the 6-book series should be out in 2017. 

What I need you to know: I was not paid to write this review. I received an ARC of the book for free, and was asked to give an honest review of the book, which I have done. I value honesty. If I love a book, I will tell you. If I don't like a book, I will tell you. I will say this... Read it and decide for yourself. Everyone interprets and enjoys books differently.

Friday, February 3, 2017

Habitually Jules Feb 2017 #SecretSubjectSwap

Welcome to February's Secret Subject Swap. This week fourteen brave bloggers submitted a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 



My “Secret Subject” is:
Do you have a bad habit you need to kick? What is it? What’s keeping you from quitting?
It was submitted by: http://thelieberfamily.com

So, I read this prompt a few times, and thought it over for a few days. I came up with several answers. My first one, was that I really don't have any bad habits. None that I need to kick, at least. Then I began to really think about it, because I know I am FAR from perfect, so I definitely had to have an actual answer. That is when it got complicated. I began thinking of bad habit after bad habit. Did I mention I am far from perfect?!

So, then I tried to rank them in order of badness, and that ended quickly, as I was struggling. So, then I began to ponder them one by one, and decided which I really need to quit, and what is stopping me from quitting. That is when it became really interesting, because I struggled to figure out why I could not kick any of them. 

So, then I tried to pick just one to use for this post, and I could not pick just one. So, I have decided to share them all. All of my bad habits, at least the ones I could think of. I am sure if you asked other people, the list would grow even longer. Outside looking in, right?!

Well, here we go...

1. Cussing. Sailors have nothing on me.
2. Plucking my eyebrows. Daily.
3. Procrastinating.
4. Trusting so completely. Ugh.
5. Being far too loyal. Ugh.
6. Washing my hands too much. My OCD definitely has way too much control.

So, there they are. I am sure there are many more. I think the overwhelming answer to what prevents me from quitting... I don't want to. Also, lacking the skills to quit. As for procrastinating, I think  at times it is a strength. The pressure motivates me to do better, than I would have, doing things leisurely. As for my eyebrows... well, it is an obsession, and I love great brows.

What about you? What are your bad habits? 


Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

Skin

Welcome to June's Blog with Friends!! Each month a theme is chosen and then participating bloggers use the theme, to create their own un...