by Sarah | Mar 2, 2016 | All About Denver, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
Way back in the spring of last year, Denver asked me to take him to Half Price books.
I thought maybe he wanted to pick up some more comic books, as that had become something he was into. Still, I was deep in the depths of a book-buying obsession so I was always too happy to go, plus he had a gift card so I wouldn’t have to cover the cost.
Then he told me what he really wanted to get.
1984 by George Orwell.
I asked him if he had to read it for school.
He said nope.
He just wanted to read it.
Mind you, this is the boy that had always despised reading. Now and then he’d latch onto something he enjoyed, but there was never something voluntary.
Certainly not a classic.
Surprised by his initiative, I told him I’d pay for it, and he could use his gift card for his comic books.
That $3 payout has paid off in spades.
I believe this is the only book that my son has read – and re-read – and re-read again, and then yet again. I’m pretty sure in the past year he’s read it five times. Voluntarily.
I’ve always wanted him to find a love of reading.
I never expected it to happen with, of all books, 1984.
What about you? What inspired your kids to read? Was it Harry Potter? Little House? Something totally off the wall?
by Sarah | Oct 7, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
A month ago I was blindsided by the news of my publishers closing. Shock and confusion took over for a while. The stress of the situation was compounded by the fact that my day job blew up and I’ve been working full time instead of part time.
I knew I’d regather and reissue and move forward, but I was so overwhelmed by all the tasks ahead of me.
One month later and I’m definitely in a different place. I have put all of my books back on Amazon with lower prices and some on Kindle Unlimited.
I sat down with my editor and we worked out a schedule so that I will still be publishing my Halloween book. I have set dates for the editing process for my upcoming releases next year. It’s good to have deadlines, even if they are flexible.
I’ve put up for pre-order a box-set of my original Dominion Falls Trilogy, because I’ve been wanting to do it for a while anyway.
And, best of all, I’ve been writing again. Despite the entire world blowing up around here lately (seriously, it’s been insane. ‘Stop the world, I want to get off’ type of insane), despite me not being able to talk to my bestie as much (seriously, woman, get back on the damn computer), despite the pressure of getting things done and done well…I have returned.
It feels really good to be putting words on the page. New words. Lots of words. Not daily, but nearly daily and with good word counts.
I’m feeling good about the coming year. My first month completely Indie has been successful enough to have me hopeful for what’s coming in the future.
So nice to be back.
by Sarah | Sep 16, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
This piece was written during a brief stint in a weekly meme where you had a word cap limit. It was multiples of threes, 33 or 300 if I remember correctly were the options. I don’t even remember the name of the challenge.
I called this one “A Love Story in 33 Words”.
I want him.
I love him.
How dare he!
I miss him.
I love him.
Yes I will!
I do forever.
No time alone –
Kids, home, life.
I miss him.
I’m joining him.
And that’s it for this week. Short and sweet. 🙂
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.
by Sarah | Aug 19, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
Well, since the last time I’ve posted on what I’m reading, I surpassed my Goodread’s goal of 50 books. On top of what I’ve been writing (which makes my head spin)…that’s quite a bit. I’ve had a few memorable reads, and a few not so much. Despite my earlier claims of what I was reading next, I only read one of the two books. I haven’t managed to read The Glass Magician yet, but I really need to ASAP. It’s bugging me. Unfortunately I have a handful out from the library, too.
Anyway, onto what I’ve been reading, what I’ve read, and what I will be reading next.
What I’ve Read
Texts from Jane Eyre – This hilarious book had me rolling and reading aloud or showing it to my husband, who has found it as funny as me (that never happens). I’ve been ordered to “buy a copy” for us to have (I borrowed it from the library). So in my next Amazon order this book will be coming home for good. The Harry Potter one was funny, but the Jane Eyre, Gilgamesh and Achilles really had me going. Totally awesome.
Jane – by April Lindner. In a totally ironic turn, I read this right before the Jane Eyre book above. It was sold as a modern retelling of Jane Eyre, though the characters all had slightly different names, etc. I found I enjoyed it myself because I read it more as a book with a nod to the original instead of a strict retelling. It wasn’t my favorite read of the year, but I liked it enough to be looking forward to her other “retelling” Catherine (for Wuthering Heights, of course). I’d been wanting to read both of these books based on the covers alone for a long time and was thrilled to find them both at my Half Price on my birthday…so of course I snatched them up. 🙂
We Were Liars – OMG, if this book wasn’t a whole big lot of What-the-f*@kery, I don’t know what is. It was a quick read and I found myself REALLY wanting to get through it to find out what exactly was going on, and to get it out of my lfie. Worst part is I guessed at least part of the giant twist pretty much two chapters in…but then when the big twist came and I was proved right and then some I could only just sit there going “WTF did I just read? WTF did I just spend 3 hours doing? WTF?” I will never get that time back and I’ve already sold the book back to Half Price Books because I mean…WHAT?
What I’m Reading
Unsweetined – I am not a non-fiction reader, but I’ve taken two out from the library so far, with a third on its way. Sometimes bios interest me, and I’ve been curious about Jodie Sweetin’s for a while. I’m a few chapters in, and I really like her voice. It’s easy and conversational. I think this one I might actually finish. I was a big Full house fan and always liked Stephanie…so some of the little details are fun to read. I think this one’ll be a quick read.
Strange Highways – This is sooooo not my typical book. I’m not even that far in, honestly. Only reason I picked it up was because it’s a book club read. My biggest problem right now is that it’s not exactly pre-bedtime reading material, and that’s pretty much when I read. Period. So it’s tough for me to really get into it because I tend toward nightmares and last thing I want to do is encourage them 😉
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Oh my some days it seems like we will never finish this one! It’ll only get worse as we get on because they get longer and longer, but I’m still so happy to be reading this with Kennedy when we can. Our biggest problem now is going to be finding time to read. Between schoolwork and chores and an earlier bedtime, our joint reading time is getting narrower. I think I know the perfect time, but it’s a matter of getting ourselves on a school year schedule before we can make it a thing.
.
.
.
What I’m Reading Next
The Glass Magician – Oh my goodness I was supposed to have this read and the next book “borrowed” from Amazon already, but I’ve been reading more print than electronic lately. I really, really intend to read this very soon. I just need to sit down and do so. One of these days I’ll pick up my Kindle instead of a print book. I really do want to see what happens next in this series. I really loved the first book and I think I’m a little afraid the series won’t hold up (it’s happened so often). Fingers crossed I get to it soon.
I Don’t Know What You Know Me From – by Judy Greer. Another of the non-fictions and auto-biographies. I like Judy Greer. I think her book sounds fun. It’s a library borrow so I’ve got a time-frame in which I have to finish it. lol. Hopefully that motivates me to do just that.
.
.
.
34 Pieces of You – This one’s been on my TBR for a while. I figured no time like the present to borrow it from the library (LOVE my library’s new system that lets you request books from other branches, about time Hickville Library, about time). Based on the description it seems reminiscent of a book I read a couple years back, Thirteen Reasons Why…although I’m sure it’s totally different. I guess we’ll see. Another library book with a time frame on it. Here’s hoping.
*~*
And that’s where I’m at for now. More books coming in the near-future I’m sure. Here’s hoping I get through them all quick. 😀
by Sarah | Aug 12, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
To be honest, I don’t remember what I wrote this for. I know it involved a word prompt, but that’s all I know for sure.
Of course, that’s half the fun of going through old files and finding these things. You never know what you’re going to find. I like the path this one takes, from one end of the spectrum to the other.
*~*
WORTHLESS
Ripped open
I bled for you
Rivers of tears
There was something so wrong
It was me
It was you
Ashamed within
I tried so hard
Afraid of you
It was nothing close to love
It wasn’t me
It was you
New chance
New, different path
It’s nothing new
Somehow it is always my fault
It wasn’t me
It was you
Torn down
Trod on
Broken hearted ache
Physical pain, emotional destruction
It could be me
It could be them
What is this
A new life
Growing withing
No longer worthless, alone; there’s hope
It wasn’t me
It was him
*~*
More found stories coming soon.
1984 by George Orwell.
