by Sarah | Sep 3, 2015 | All About Family, All About Kennedy, All of Us, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect
Kennedy had never been to a theme park before.
Ever.
No roller coasters. No thrill rides of any sort.
Day one at Universal – she rode ALL the roller coasters.
We started with Escape from Gringotts and from there…IT WAS ON.
Every possible thrill ride she could go on, she did. She got MAD when she wasn’t tall enough. She wanted to ride them ALL!
Flight of the Hippogriff? Check. Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall? CHECK! If it spun, flipped, soared, fell, or raced, Kennedy was on it.
The thrills continued at Disney World. First day, first ride – Space Mountain. Kennedy and I rode it twice. The Rockin’ Roller Coaster was another huge hit.
By the time we left Disney we’d bought Kennedy a shirt that declared her a “Thrillseeker” because holy cow was she ever! This child LOVES being scared.
When it came to the Dragon Challenge at Universal – she was not tall enough. She was SO MAD. She actually forbade Erik & I from riding it (we did anyway, because DUH)…and has since insisted on regular measurements to see if she’s tall enough yet for the ride. Even though she’s going to be 14 the next time she’s aware she’ll be going again, she wants to know the minute she’s tall enough for that ride (for the record, she broke the height requirement in August).
So watch out…our little thrillseeker is ready to take over the world and every single theme park ride you can throw her way…because she’s ready to take them all on.
by Sarah | Sep 2, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect
Today was supposed to be the gleeful announcement of my newest release in the Holidays in Lake Point series.
I was going to show you the gorgeous cover (see? Isn’t it pretty?), and tell you to go buy this sexy delight RIGHT NOW!
But alas, my publisher closed its doors yesterday. The book is no longer listed for sale, and the rest of my books will slowly be pulled off all retailers most likely by the weekend.
So…what now?
Well, believe it or not, in the chaos I’ve already begun to make plans.
Soon as rights are reverted (again, soon), I will be re-publishing every single book but one (Masked Hearts) on Amazon. That way nothing will be gone for long, hopefully. It will take a little longer to get back to the other retailers, and even longer for print, but those are in the works.
Beyond that, my last two Lake Point books of the year, Haunted Hearts and Mistletoe Mixup, will not be published this year as planned. I have many other things on the fire to keep busy with, so never fear.
I am, fortunately, going to be keeping my editor in place (I chained her to my manuscripts…there’s so many she can’t get far).
The Dominion Falls revisions are moving forward much faster than originally planned, and the first book is already in my editors hands. And I can now officially resume working on the fourth book in The Tribe series (which had been on hold to work on Lake Point).
So, I’m not going anywhere. Some of my books are for a few days, but I’ve already begun the process to do as much as I can on my end so I can hit publish as soon as the rights are officially mine again.
At that time, you’ll be able to find all of my currently published books back at Amazon, some with lower prices. And then I will be able to tell you all about Love for Hire.
by Sarah | Aug 31, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
This hummingbird glass sculpture was purchased to be my cake-topper at my wedding to match the light hints of hummingbird throughout my wedding (like the hummingbirds mom embroidered on my dress). Less than a year after the wedding my cat skidded across my dresser, knocked it to the ground and shattered it. I refuse to throw it away. It sits there, sealed in a plastic bag, for eternity. The symbol of the hummingbird means too much to give up. I dream of finding someone to fix this cake-topper, even though I know it’s not possible.
*~*
My grandparents used to take an annual trip to see my Grampa’s brother. They’d go out to Massachusetts and spend time with family, and then return home to Buffalo.
One of their favorite parts of the trip was sitting outside and watching the hummingbirds buzz around.
Then, my great-uncle passed away, and my grandparents went out for the funeral. On their last night there, in the cool evening air they spoke of my uncle. As he sat there talking, a hummingbird flew up near my Grampa’s shoulder and hovered. It lingered near his face for several minutes, flitting back and forth before flying off.
They all decided that had been my great-uncle stopping by for one last visit.
Almost nineteen years ago, after a year’s fight against cancer, my Grampa passed away.
It was September in Buffalo. Cold air had begun to move in. All summer things were fading. I returned to New York with the funeral, and then went right back to NC to return to school.
Three weeks later the family grapevine lit up with the story.
At the end of September, Gramma was out on her porch to bring in all the chairs, etc. for winter. It was a yearly ritual when it just became too cold to sit on the porch. Since it was sunny, she decided to sit outside for one last afternoon. Wrapped in her sweater she sat, watching the cars go by as she always did.
There.
In the cold end of September.
Hovering near a hanging plant.
Buzzed a hummingbird.
It flew under the porch roof.
Hovered near Grandma.
And then took off.
*
Every September for the past sixteen years.
Even if I have not seen one all year.
A hummingbird shows up.
Every year.
*~*
I won’t let go of the cake topper.
The hummingbird is still in one piece.
And Grampa still visits.
by Sarah | Aug 30, 2015 | All About Indiana, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Indianapolis Zoo, Photography, Redefining Perfect, Snapshot Sunday
One of my absolute favorite things to do is to head to the zoo with my camera. I love photographing animals (when they’re cooperative. My dog, for example, is not). Some of my favorite photographs of mine are of animals.
So when the family finally made a trip to the zoo recently, I was all too happy to take along my camera for the ride.
As always I took way too many pictures, so I’m splitting it up into a couple of weeks. I’ve got a lot of weeks of pictures to catch up on, actually as I’ve been way active with the camera, much like I’d planned. And trust me, I’m not complaining about that.
Now, onto the photos from the zoo!
Stag Beetle.
Hiss
Orangutan in the sky.
Timon.
Kiss-Crossing SeaHorse
Soaring.
And that’s it for this week! More to come next week…considering I get my camera back out 😀
by Sarah | Aug 27, 2015 | All About Family, All About Molly, All of Us, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect
For a few years now, Molly has insisted from her back-seated position that she can drive. There is no doubt, no quiver, no way to dispute her surety that she can drive. She’s ready to beat Denver to the punch (although he’s just finally signed up for Driver’s Ed, so she won’t).
So imagine her consummate joy when partway through Tomorrowland she discovered there were CARS she could DRIVE!!!
Oh my heavens, we absolutely HAD to go and do it.
And go we did.
Molly wasn’t too far off. She can drive. Yes, there were rails to follow which surely helped her out some, but overall she was a pro.
She was so happy, so thrilled, to be driving.
When we got out on that road she would have been happy had it never ended.
And so would have I.
The joy on her face was incomparable.
Indescribable.
And no one dares tell her she can’t drive anymore (well, except for that legal issues of age).
by Sarah | Aug 26, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
My Holidays in Lake Point series is set in the quaint small town of Lake Point, NY – located right outside of Rochester. The town is small, but not overly so. Everyone seems to know everyone, and the holidays are always filled with romance.
The series started as a standalone, one book written for a holiday submission call.
By the time I’d finished writing Alan and Ivy’s story I was hooked. At the end of this year the town will have 13 lovely little stories set in it. Tales of love lost, found, avoided and gained.
In Lake Point you’ll find such delights as a thoroughbred horse farm, a restaurant simply called “The Diner” run by the ever-wise and motherly Myrtle. An auto shop run by the genius cowboy, Clay Rylee; as well as a motorcycle shop run by the pink-haired Autumn Trask. A fun restaurant called “The Midway” that serves only fair-themed foods and candies – where you can play skee ball and balloon darts for prizes – run by Michaela O’Keefe and her sexy assistant manager and boyfriend, Tag. There’s a Witch House, a dance studio, and a beach on the lake.
There are so many other wonderful places to discover, but i want you to meet some of the people there and their stories. We’ll start at the beginning – and it may be a few posts before you meet them all.
| Amazon| SCP | BN | Smashwords | ARe |
Alan Richards returns to Lake Point for the holidays, counting the minutes until he can accomplish the dreaded goal of dealing with his aging parents and get back to the city. Finding his former soul mate living in the town they left together and swore they’d never return to tosses his ordered plans right on their head.
Ivy Nowell has never looked back since she left the city and her ballet career to raise her daughter in Lake Point. Alan’s homecoming dredges up old hurts and the love she never quite let go, but he hasn’t changed, with his relentless commitment to goals that differ completely from hers.
The attraction and instant understanding between them lingers, but neither are who they used to be. Alan wants to give it a chance, but Ivy is worried he’ll change his mind and won’t risk hurting her daughter.
It’ll take Santa and all his magic to keep them from walking away from each other again, maybe for forever this time.
| Amazon | SCP | BN | ARe | iTunes |
Michaela O’Keefe is in over her head with her restaurant, The Midway. Her ad for an assistant manager brings Owen “Tag” Montague to her doorstep. With an impeccable resume and dozens of letters of recommendation, she has little choice but to give him a chance. Ten years her junior, Tag sets her long-dead libido humming, but she gave up on love and her instincts on men years ago.
Tag has had a crush on his new boss since his youth, but he’s determined to prove he can do the job. Still, he can’t resist the urge to make her blush down to her toes as often as possible. He knows her rough past in life and love makes it hard to trust, and he’s wary of crossing the line he so desperately wants to.
Just when they manage to figure out how to work and play together, Michaela’s ex does all he can to destroy their budding love. When push comes to shove Michaela’s inability to give Tag the benefit of the doubt might destroy everything.
Learning to trust herself again is the hardest lesson Michaela will ever have to learn – and by the time she does, it may be too late for love.
| Amazon | SCP | BN | Smashwords | ARe | Kobo | iTunes |
Regan Croft is running as far away as she can get from her past when her car dies outside of Lake Point. While she’d said she’d stop wherever her car died and start a new life, she isn’t so prepared when it finally happens. Starting over isn’t so easy, especially with a sexy cowboy trying to learn all he can about her.
Clay Ryley doesn’t know what to think of the beautiful young woman he rescues from the side of the road, all he knows is she makes him interested in dating again after a painful break up years ago. Unfortunately, every bit of his effort to get close to her is thwarted by her fear of her own past. He wants to help her, and love her, but she makes it difficult for him.
When Regan’s past comes back to haunt her, she could lose everything. When the cards are on the table, Clay has to figure out if he’s willing to listen, or walk away. If he makes the wrong choice, Regan will lose not only her newfound independence, she’ll lose her last hope for love.
Kennedy had never been to a theme park before.
