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Cover Reveal!

Thank you so much to everyone around the net who have helped with my cover reveal! I realized I was a dork and forgot to post it here.

But on October 20th, 2014, Eventide (Iron Falls, Book 1) will release!

The driver in a tragic
car accident that killed her best friend, Devon Greer is consumed by guilt.
When powerful hallucinations convince her that she’s seeing Rachael everywhere,
Devon thinks she’s going crazy. But her friend isn’t truly gone.

 

To save Rachael from the faeries who stole her, Devon must pit herself against
the Court of the Sidhe. Once she witnesses the true form of the fey, Devon’s
life is in danger—and so are the lives of everyone she loves.

 

Now, Devon must not only protect herself, but also Jonah Seafort, Rachael’s
cousin and the only person Devon can trust to help her. While the Sidhe walk
among them, no one is safe…

 

 

The Garden of Tasteless Statuary

I've been a terrible blogger, but I am trying to be better at it. In show of good faith, I'll share some pics of things that have happened lately. Like say, this ill conceived trip to The Garden of Tasteless Statuary.

This is the creepy guy who welcomed us to to the creepy garden.

I don't even have words for this particular horror. What the hell, man!?!?!?

You can't have a tasteless statuary collection without a heard of pastel unicorns.

This is an incredibly petulant angel.

Baby Weeping Angel?

My sister and Judgmental Chicken...judging.

Me, daring the mouth of the hippo.

My sister running away (and rightfully so) from the creepyass donkey.

The Beach - or at least as close as you're going to get to a beach in the Upper Peninsula in winter...

Once upon a time...my husband (then boyfriend) went to college at Michigan Technological University. For those unfamiliar with the vagaries of Michigan, Tech (as it's affectionately known) is waaaaaaaaaaay up near the top of the Upper Peninsula. It's covered with snow and ice from pretty much November until May-ish. It's not unlike the snow planet of Hoth.

So anyway, when he was at school there, he lived with a bunch of other techie/engineer-y/nerdy type guys in a rundown copper mining era house that was once gorgeous and now smelled and looked like decades upon decades of college boys had lived there. That house had been ridden hard and put away wet. Repeatedly.

But there was a room in this house. A special room. A room like no other. It was called The Beach. In a former life, it was probably a closet or a super tiny nursery or maid's room. But when these guys moved in, it became The Beach.

They blocked off the threshold of the room with a couple 2 x 4s, filled the room with sand, taped beach posters and Tropicana tanning oil ads to the wall, mounted an old school carcinogenic sun lamp to the wall and hung a hammock from corner to corner. There was also a bamboo beaded curtain that hung in the doorway. I thought I had a picture of it in an old photo album, but unfortunately, I can't find it.

They loved this room. There was even a beach schedule taped to the hallway wall. If one of the guys wasn't using it, their friends would come and use it in return for beer. People at this school were so desperate for warmth and sunlight that they'd pay for it with booze.

Never have I missed The Beach like I do this winter. I am so sick of snow that I would cheerfully fill a room with sand and sunlamps and just *wallow* for hours. I'm not even a "beach person," but I have to admit. It sounds good right now. Of course, the cats would probably like it, too. But for entirely different reasons.

The Kindness Project

I'm guessing that most people in the States can agree that this winter has suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked hard. I know I'm sick of the endless snow. I'm especially tired of getting stuck on my street that rarely gets plowed and if it does, it's the most half-assed plow job ever. Needless to say, I've been a frustrated and more than a little bummed out at the endless snow and gray skies.

I know tons of other people have been, too, so I'm trying to make a point to spread a little love and kindness. Some acts are random and impulsive like smiling at strangers, holding doors, paying for the person behind me at Starbucks or paying a genuine compliment to someone I'm interacting with.

Others are less random - some friends and family members will be receiving little pick-me-ups in the mail. It might be something knitted or drawn or baked - or maybe even a book. I believe kindness begets kindness, and I also believe it's something everyone could use more of in their lives.

My goal for 2014 is at least 100 random and not so random acts of kindness. My hope is that it will spread all around like much needed sunshine. I invite you to smile more - you could change someone's day.

A visual guide to why I've been a bad blogger

Before I get into the visual explanation of why I've been a terrible blogger, let me preface it by saying I have been writing. I just haven't been blogging. And the holidays are why. These are some of the gifts I've made.

For those keeping track at home, that's:

3 pillows
11 starbabies
4 Weeping Angels (one tree topper)
8 writers retreat keepsake bottles
1 fishing pole/grandchildren picture hanger
7 stone frames
1 stocking
28 photo ornaments
4 Sharpie mugs
3 holiday wreath banners (but all I did was sew those - the nieces and nephew did the painting)
45 pair of knitting fingerless mitts (I still have 5 to go, plus 5 pair of slippers)

Now...let the blogging resume!

Summer's Over Already!?

I have no freaking clue where August went. All I know is that my oldest started his second year of college this week, and my youngest has tenth grade orientation tonight.

Seriously, August...what happened?

I'll admit that I'm more than ready for the cooler weather of fall. It's, by far, my favorite season. I'm looking forward to wearing sweaters and cups of hot tea.  Well, not wearing cups of hot tea, though given my super graceful track record, wearing the tea is just as likely as drinking it.

I'm ready for the changing leaves and that almost painful shade of blue the sky gets in late autumn. It's so beautiful and bright, it practically hurts your eyes to look at it. I'm ready for pumpkins and crock pot suppers and mulled wine and homemade bread. I'm ready to sit in the hammock swing in the backyard and read. And I'll definitely be reading - after all Maggie Stiefvater and Alexandra Bracken's new books will be out soon. *obsessively checks release dates again*

One thing I'll miss about summer is having my kids home. I like hanging out with them. They make me laugh every day. And they surprise me every day, too. I enjoy having their friends over and listening to their maniacal laughter. I've even been teaching one of my oldest son's friends to cook. He's trying to impress a girl. Of course. But we've had fun playing lab rats for his kitchen experiments.

But the school year is well on its way, and so are all of the great things that go along with it. I can't wait to see what this autumn brings.