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 The Amazon links below are affiliate links. Heated Mattress Cover This mattress cover is HIGH on my favorite's list! If you follow my newsletter, you'll know I get cold easily. I love that this mattress cover allows each side of the bed its own temperature control. I can sleep warm while my husband can sleep cold. Sanders Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels I try to avoid these at Costco, because they are SO addicting. They'd make a great gift, or a reward to yourself. Perk Energy Drink Mix - Caffeine-Free Vanilla Caramel Steamer I had a few friends recommend this to me before I caved and tried it. I LOVE hot chocolate, but I have had to cut back for heartburn/reflux reasons. I can't do the caffeine version because of a pesky heart issue, but there are lots of caffeine options too. This feels like a warm treat, but it's better for you than hot chocolate. It's great as is, but I like to add an extra half cup of water and a half scoop of my plain collagen peptides (just to get a little more protein in). Pavoi Gold Hoop Earrings
My favorite staple earrings. I wear them almost daily. Play Nine Card Game This is our most played game in our ginormous game collection. It's easy to learn, quick to play, and my entire family loves it. Just for reference: my youngest is eight, but she could play it at six with a little help, and my oldest is seventeen. Glocusent Book Light This is our favorite book light. I bought it for my husband's birthday, and I've already bought two more to gift for Christmas because it's been so great. The Adventurer's Guide to Dragonwatch If you're a Fablehaven lover, then you you will understand why The Adventurer's Guide to Dragonwatch is on our Christmas list this year. We're big Brandon Mull fans, and we've been waiting for this one! The series is middle-grade fantasy, some violence but not graphic, otherwise clean. I have not read this one yet. Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio Small Steps is my favorite read aloud to my kids ever! It's about a twelve-year-old girl and her hospital stay with Polio. It kept all of our attention and is so inspiring! My daughter thought it was strange that I added it to a Christmas guide, but it might be one you at least write down to read to your kids next year. NYX Butter Gloss Sometimes you just want a basic lipgloss that's inexpensive and feels good on your lips. NYX butter gloss is the one that stays in my purse at all times. I have the shade BLG14 Madeleine.
Three weeks into The Lady Glass's launch, and I am happy to report it has a 4.8-star rating on Amazon. Thank you, friends!! Today, I want to highlight a few key people on my personal team who helped make this launch successful. Meet My Assistants: MANDY BIESINGER:  Short Bio: Mandy has been an avid reader since she was a little girl. She’s addicted to happily ever afters and peanut butter M&Ms. She still pinches herself that she has been lucky to meet so many of her favorite authors in real life and feels so blessed to call them her friends. She beta reads for multiple authors, offering feedback on early drafts of their books. She works as a PA for Anneka as well as assists a few other authors in running their launch teams on Bookstagram. She can be found on Instagram as @probablybookinit  From Me: Mandy has been my assistant for a couple of years now. She runs my ARC team/review team, helps with communication/giveaways/marketing, and is an alpha reader for new stories. Basically, we’re besties now, and I can’t function without her. MELYNNE VICK  Short Bio: Melynne or Mel as known in the book world is a stay-at-home mom of 4, ages 9, 6, 3 and two months. She was a teacher for 5 years and taught kindergarten and first grade before staying home with kids. She has loved reading for as long as she can remember and being an author assistant has been a dream come true. She is an assistant for 3 authors. She loves all genres of books and reads a large variety. Her other hobbies include baking and spending time with family. You can find her on Instagram as @mels_booknook  From Me: Melynne is newer to the team, and now I don’t know how I ever managed without her. She sets up all my Newsletters for me, swapping book shares with other authors, and uploading book images and links--all while reminding me to actually write said newsletters. We finally met in person earlier this month, and our friendship was made official.
I absolutely love these two women! My seventeen-year-old daughter has jumped in quite a bit lately to update my website, read drafts, and brainstorm ideas with me. I might have a third assistant in the making. Of course, others play a huge role in the development of each book too. I have two amazing publishers, editors, artists, cover designers, narrators, critique groups, beta-readers, and review teams that do so much to support each book. It started out with just little ol’ me and my laptop, but I am so happy it didn’t stay that way. I am better because of them, and my books are so much better too! You know you’re a nerd when you look at a Christmas stocking or tree and instead of just enjoying the beauty, you want to know the history behind it too. The more I learn about the past, the more I see the incredible influence of our ancestors, and how important our own decisions are. Like, who thought it would be a good idea to light candles and hang them in a highly flammable tree? House fires, anyone?   I mean, look how close that tinsel is to the flame?
Because I know you’re all dying to know the history, I’ll satisfy your curiosity. Martin Luther, the 16th century Protestant reformer, is credited for it. He was walking home one evening and saw the beautiful stars twinkling from the branches of an evergreen. He went home and tried to recreate the scene in his living room with a tree of his own. He wired candles to the branches, the lights symbolic of the star that led the Wisemen. I can’t think it’s silly anymore for someone to put candles in a tree. What a sweet and inspiring idea. Although, I won’t complain about my less hazardous string of twinkle lights.  I had an amazing trip this weekend to Provo, Utah for a signing. Amanda Taylor was my signing table buddy. I met so many fun readers! One reader and I had a moment that could have been embarrassing. It wasn’t, but only because we were both able to laugh about it. Good job, us!
I consider us friends now because embarrassing moments either repel you or bring about an instant kinship. I felt all kindred spirit vibes. Why? Because no one is more awkward than I am! I had to tell her one of my very favorite aspects of romance stories are the awkward/embarrassing moments that bring the couple together. Friends can come together the same way! In An Unwitting Alliance, it’s no surprise that some of the most mentioned chapters are where one of the main characters does or says something awkward. If you’ve read it, the egg scene might come to mind. She scratched the bridge of her nose, partly to hide behind her hand, and partly because she was not sure what to do. Mr. Harwood blinked as if such action would remove the scrambled bits of white and yellow from his cheeks. Not to mention the piece by his . . . mouth. This would be a good time to run from the room before Mr. Harwood’s shock dissipated. Resisting the pull toward the door, however, she let her manners take over, and she picked up her napkin. No matter how mortified she was, she could not leave with her chewed up egg splattered all over Mr. Harwood. The painful circumstance for Cassandra leads to a “moment” thanks to close proximity, Tom’s skill for honest flirtation, and Cassandra’s inability to escape her manners. A painful happenstance creates a vulnerable moment for Tom and Cassandra to grow together. I love breaking down walls with humor! Can you tell how much I love writing these parts? I live for them, haha!  Whether your summer is overbooked or under booked, I have some ideas for you!
Streaming tip! Stream Clean is a free google extension you can add to your Chrome browser. It filters profanity on many of the streaming services using closed captions. Enjoy your summer binging without all the language! A few fun shows/movies to stream… 1. Crash Landing on You (Netflix). It’s a Kdrama full of action, romance, and incredible characters. It does have some violence (pg-13) but I’ve found it’s a great fit for husbands and wives because it has elements that will appeal to both. 2. Enola Holmes (Netflix). If you like historicals with strong female lead, mystery, clean YA romance, and humor, you’ll love this! (pg, but I would preview before showing kids. It does have some violence and a few scary scenes). My teenage daughter and I watched these for girls’ nights. 3. Mysterious Benedict Society (Disney). My whole family enjoyed this series. Smart, quirky characters and super intriguing plot. Summer Reading for kids 1. Bookit program is not just for schools now. They have a summer reading program! 2. Local library summer reading program (usually has prizes!) 3. Buddy reading! Kids love taking turns reading with an adult or older sibling. It helps with reader comprehension and is a great way to spend time together! 4. Get a free book from Barnes and Nobles summer reading program 5. Pick a new place to read in every day (forts and flashlights are always fun!) 6. Start your own neighborhood kid program Favorite Sunscreens
An Unwitting Alliance releases in a few short weeks! You knew that I was going to put my new book at the top of the list! A few of my early reviewers say it’s my best book yet! Classic read: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas Contemporary Read: I am not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton Historical Fiction: The Slow March of Light by Heather Moore Fantasy: Esperance by Heather Frost Middle Grade: The Land of Stories (it does have a little language but it helped turn a few reluctant readers into bookworms at my house) Picture Book: Bark George by Jules Fieffer I’d love to hear your ideas and summer tips! Enjoy the warm days and sunshine.  I I have the actual certificate now, but this picture captures impatient, humbled me so perfectly! I am so grateful for the wonderful team behind the creation of this book, and that the award acknowledges all of them. I hope to write many, many books that share uplifting messages and themes.   The Dreaming Beautyhttps://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-dreaming-beauty/ When Tansy White is betrayed by her intended, she fears she is fated to be alone. Encouraged by her three aunts, she visits Rose Cottage, the home of her late mother. Tansy has dreamed of this cottage her whole life and wonders if it can provide the answers she seeks. But after getting caught in a storm and waking up in a strange house, she meets a man with secrets of his own. Marcus Taylor, the brother of a duke, also has troubling dreams. Working together, can they find out hidden secrets and piece together fragments of dreams? This second book in the Enchanted Regency Romance series is such a delight. What a treat to read a Regency Romance with a bit of magical realism that is also a Sleeping Beauty retelling! With many nods to the timeless legend running through it, this is a fresh, original, and intriguing romance. Tansy’s ability to dream her future is just the right touch that adds an extra layer to this well-woven story. Readers will become enchanted themselves while piecing together a tapestry made out of dreams, secrets, magic, and lies. Fans of romance and magical realism will enjoy this book.  https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-holly-and-the-ivy/
The Holly and the IvyRAY THOMPSON An anthology of four Christmas novellas, set in the Georgian and Regency eras. In “The Holly and the Ivy,” Eden explores, through the sympathetic eyes of his nursemaid, the pressures on an eight-year-old who inherits a dukedom. In “Hiding Christmas,” Hatch sends her protagonists on a long coach ride to England so they can celebrate a traditional Christmas away from persecution by the dour Scottish kirk. In LeCheminant’s “A Twist of Christmas,” two jaded aristocrats both switch places with ironic results (she with her companion, he with his younger brother) in an effort to avoid a match-making introduction. And in Walker’s “A Season to Love,” Alice’s anxious search for a husband turns up an unexpected prospect. Although a romantic relationship does develop in Eden’s Georgian novella, it involves two members of the lower class and is subordinate to the focus on the young duke’s struggle to cope with a burden he is too young to shoulder. The three Regencies offer more familiar situations, and in each the opportunity for the protagonists to spend time together allows romance to bloom. Those looking for inspirational Christian romances, in which the virtues of patience, kindness, and understanding are amply rewarded, will be satisfied. |
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