iPad case with Keyboard on Sale!!!

I love to write and you never know when you will hear something or think of something that inspires you. That's why I love my iPad. I take it everywhere and I have several stories that I am working on so it allows me to work from anywhere. The single best accessory is my case with removable keyboard from Belkin. I have kids and even though they have their own iPads, they always end up borrowing mine when theirs is dead. Today I found a great Living Social coupon for a case with keyboard for only $29 (plus $5.95 shipping)!!! That is a huge savings. These easily run near $100. This one does not have the removable keyboard but for $35...I can manage!




https://www.livingsocial.com/cities/859-st-charles-county/deals/746348-ipad-2-3-4-case-with-bluetooth-keyboard?afsrc=1&utm_campaign=digest_daily&utm_content=859&utm_medium=email&utm_source=blast

New Year...New Books!

My dear mother got me started on yet another new series (new to us) and naturally, I love it! I went online to Barnes and Noble to find a few of these books and it got me to thinking. How many books did I read last year? Of course it is easier to keep track if I read them on my iPad through my Nook, Kindle, iBooks, or from the Library but what about all those hard copy books. I tried to recall but I know I am missing a few which leads me to my New Year's Goal. No, I am not into the New Year's resolution thing since I always end up with crushing disappointment on Jan 4...see why I don't get on board with that nonsense? What I can do is set a goal and see that through. I just joined Goodreads and started a reading goal. My reading goal is to read 75 books in 2013. The great thing is that I can keep track through GoodReads and then there is no guessing! You can see I added the counter in my sidebar so my readers will also know my progress. I have already finished my first book....1 down 74 to go! Happy New Year!

The Books of Elsewhere - The Second Spy

I just finished reading the third installment of The Books of Elsewhere - The Second Spy. If you have not discovered Jacqueline West and her incredibly creative books then you need to! Olive Dunwoody is a very funny and quirky little girl that has just moved into a unique house. The former owners, the McMartins, are still trying to reclaim their home. However, all the McMartins are dead. Olive stumbles onto a pair of spectacles that allows her to go into the magical paintings that Mr. McMartin painted. This leads to an amazing adventure that Olive finds herself getting into. She must protect the home from the McMartins. These books give fresh life to the subject of magic and the hilarious situations (and sometimes scary) that Olive, the cats, and her new friend Rutherford gets themselves into. It is a must read for your young reader and for any adult!

New Book App Coming!!!

Howdy folks! I am so excited!!! I hired my first illustrator (Korey Scott) to help me with my next book. Instead of doing a traditional paperback book, I have decided to give the world of book apps a try! So, I will keep ya posted and give you any tips I learn along the way. Feel free to ask questions! More to come!

Any Jane Austen Fans?

If you love Jane Austen, like me, then you will enjoy this book I just finished. I borrowed it on my iPad from my local library and it was a good read. Definitely Not Mr. Darcy is a story about a divorced single mom, Chloe Parker, with a failing business and one last hope to save her home, business, and love life. She wins a trip to England to take part in what she thinks is a documentary set in Regency (19th century) England. What she quickly learns is that she has signed a contract to be on a reality show and compete with other women to win the heart of Mr.Wrightman. Now, I was able to very quickly guess the twist but I was still eager to see how it would unfold. I will say, I am not a fan of books or movies ending the way this one did (I want to know exactly how they rode off into the sunset) but I still very much enjoyed it. Karen Doornebos did a great job capturing my attention, engaging my love of Jane Austen, and writing a love story that I want more from. I am certainly hoping Ms. Doornebos is working on the sequel!

So many shades, so little time!

I just finished reading the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy...can you say nonstop steaminess?! I have heard so many things about the books and I had them on my reading list for a while now. I finally got around to them and boy am I glad I did! Now, I have heard things like...filthy, what's all the fuss about, mommy porn, etc. I agree with everyone except the "what's all the fuss about" comment. Yes, it gets good and dirty, yes it is nonstop sexcapades, yes, yes, yes...oh sorry. Anyway, E.L. James (click on her name for link) did a great job of introducing two intriguing characters that could not be more opposite if you tried, added A LOT of steamy bedroom (or playroom) scenes, and still managed to tell a very romantic love story. Personally, I loved it. If you get uncomfortable with reading steamy (or kinky in a lot of cases) encounters then these books may not be for you. Erotica novels can be difficult but I think Ms. James told a different love story with out a lot of cursing or raunchy language. It stayed seductive enough to hold your interest without being over the top and making you feel more like a voyeur than just a reader. I did catch myself a few times wondering if Hollywood could turn these into a film without the XXX rating. Maybe like a Two Moon Junction or even 9 1/2 Weeks? You can find out more about the author, E.L. James at her website or just head over to your local book store and pick up a copy. You can also download a digital copy on your Nook, eReader, or iPad. I purchased two of the three on my iPad and downloaded one from my local library. Happy Reading!

Book Event Today!

Hey everyone! I will be at Hastings in San Marcos from 1-3 for my book What Kind of a Name is That? Please come out and see me! 917 Texas 80 San Marcos, TX

New Yahoo Article Published

As a new author there have been several exciting milestones. Of course the best was when I received the acceptance letter from my publisher! Knowing that your first book was going to be published is an amazing feeling. Once you come down off that high, there are several exciting moments along the way. Your first book event, getting the first copy of your book, etc. One thing that seems to keep haunting me is the title, Author. I feel awkward and unworthy of the title...kinda like at any moment someone is going to jump out at me like that scene from the Princess Bride when Buttercup is dreaming and the old lady starts booing her. Although instead of calling me "slime, filth, muck" she would be saying, "fake, phoney, untalented". Geesh! Anyway, in a more positive direction, I did get some very exciting news last week! I have already published two articles on Yahoo as one of their Yahoo Contributors and now they have actually accepted an article that they...drum roll please...prepaid me for! Holy Mackerel! I couldn't believe it, money up front. Now that is the big time, huh? LOL. Well I would love for you to read my article so take a look. Please share it with all your friends and family.

Good Summmer Reads and How to save some Cash!

My mother and I love to read. So essentially we have our own book club. We may get my sister Heather to read (or listen to the audio book version) some of the books too but the best part is talking about what happened in the books. What I would like to do here is share some of my favorite reads (so far) and also share some ways to save costs while still getting to read all the books you want!
My Favorites

• The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West- There are two books in the series that are currently released (Book 1 – The Shadows; and Book 2 – Spellbound; Book 3 – The Second Spy is released July 5, 2012). These books are great chapter books for kids that love creative story telling.
• The House of Night Series by P.C. & Kristin Cast- I can thank my teenage niece, Tabatha, for getting me hooked on these books! These are a great series for teenagers and adults. I started reading the first book in the series, Marked, because I wanted to make certain what she was reading was appropriate. It was ADDICTIVE! There are currently 10 books published with book 11 due out in October 2012. There are also 2 Novellas that go with the series and are a must read! This mother-daughter team have done a great job of taking a vampire story and putting a whole new twist on it.
• The Sookie Stackhouse Series (TrueBlood on HBO) by Charlaine Harris- If you have seen True Blood then you know what I am talking about here! The books are way better than the series simply because you can get more Sookie and Bill, or Sookie and Eric, or Sookie and Alcide, or Sookie and…. you catch my drift. The latest book, Deadlocked, was released May 1 and is book 12 in the series. There are so many companion books and short stories that will keep your Sookie appetite satiated for a long time. There is also a book that has a collection of short stories from 4 different authors. Charlaine Harris has one short story in this book, Must Love Hellhounds, as does Ilona Andrews.
• Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews – Thank you Megan (my hair stylist) for this recommendation! If you love the world of the paranormal, then you have come to the right place! The Kate Daniels series collides the worlds of magic, weres, vampires, and Ilona only knows what else! You will quickly get caught up in the battles Kate faces as a Merc and the passion between Kate and Curran. Currently, there are 5 books released in the series and 2 novellas (one is in the author compilation, Must Love Hellhounds). The next book is due July 2012, however, this book will have Kate’s best Friend Andrea as the main character. The next Kate book is expected to be released in February 2013.
• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins – I am sure you have read the Hunger Games trilogy, right? If you haven’t… you should! Suzanne Collins teaches our youth the perils, sacrifices, and importance of war through her Hunger Games Trilogy. In Gregor the Overlander, she has created an amazing underland in which Gregor has “fallen” into with his 2 year old sister Boots. He quickly gets caught up in a Prophecy and a war. In the Underland, Gregor must go on a quest to find his dad with humans, roaches, a rat, bats, and spiders as his companions. There are 5 books in this series and all are available now.

There are of course so many amazing stories out there so if you have read one you think I may like, please let me know!!!
Saving some Cash!
So, I love to buy a hard copy of a book, turn the pages, and use my beautiful Brighton bookmarks my hubby got me for my birthday! But this can be expensive. Here are some great ways to save on your books this summer.

• Hard Copy Books – Start with Half Price Books for all books that have already been released. I was able to get the House of Night books for less than $5 each. If you are in a book club or have a friend that likes to read the same kind of books, share books! Don’t forget to check your local library!! If you have finished your book and want to share it with others, donate it to the library. Most libraries have a Friends of the Library component that you can donate your paperback books to and check out others you haven’t read. Great way to save money.
• eBooks – If you have an eReader of some sort (iPad, Kindle, Nook, etc) then you know the joy have getting your books instantaneously! Here is a little tip that I did not know until about 2-3 months ago. I bought my mother a Nook Color for Christmas and did you know you can “Loan” your Nook books to friends? This is another great way to save money! I have an iPad but got the Nook app so now I can purchase Nook books, borrow, and loan books out to my friends and family! Don’t forget your local library! At most libraries you can now check out books to your eReader! Visit your local library for more information. Prefer to listen to the audio book? There are loads of books available in audio format too.

Whether you purchase a hard copy or on your eReader, I hope you enjoy these books I have recommended and have a wonderful summer!!! Happy Reading!