Hello, 2017!!

I have some different things to cover in this post – the best books released in 2016, updates on my current writing project, and what else I have planned for the year – so please stick with me!

First, I know I said last month that my next post would be about what gifts to buy your husband for the holidays, but I couldn’t do it. I didn’t even know the answer myself! Besides mentioning the obvious PS4 Pro, Xbox One S, or the elusive NES Classic, I couldn’t think of anything else good to write a whole post about. For us, I had to think of things that’d fit within our budget, so I ended up hand-making my husband’s gifts: a twine bracelet and ceramic jar (I love “throwing” clay on the pottery wheel!), and some warm, comfy, winter clothes. Everything was simple and from the heart – and that’s what matters most, isn’t it?

What about you? What did you end up getting for your significant other? Let me know in the comments!

Along with your…

BEST BOOKS OF 2016

Did you gobble up all the books released last year? (I still can’t believe I’m calling 2016 LAST YEAR already!) Have any favorites?

For me (and most everyone else I know), it was such a crazy year – I moved across the country not once, but twice. I started a 3rd business and then a 4th business. I wrote a novel several times over, but kept changing things to where I’ve now decided to go back and restart again. So it basically feels like I’ve written 4 or 5 novels!! Of course, none fit enough to release. But I’m getting there.

Best of all, I had my first Barnes & Noble book signing event, and two of our friends from Florida moved in with us here in Colorado…just to mention a few.

It hardly left time for me to read books. Which is such a tragedy! There should always be time to read, am I right? A writer cannot write without reading. Since everyone is posting about their top books of 2016, I thought I’d do a short list of the ones I just knew I had to find time for:

• WEEDS OF DETROIT by Misty Paquette
  A NOVEL, BASED ON TRUE EVENTS.  I turned seventeen less than two months ago. A week ago, I ran away from home, in the country outskirts of suburbia. Now, I’m living at a hotel in downtown Detroit. At home, you could walk to the corner store when it was dark outside and hear frogs croaking in the ditches on either side of the dirt road. At the hotel, you don’t go out at night. All you hear is squealing tires and curses shouted from broken windows. At home, we didn’t lock our front doors at night. There are three locks on my hotel room door. One in the knob, a chain, and a dead bolt. I’m not sure it’s enough to keep everyone out. At home, I’d be starting my Senior year in high school. Here, I’m learning what it takes to survive. I hope I make it to eighteen.

• THE COACH AND THE SECRET by Mary Smith
  Dear Reader – This is not your typical synopsis you normally read. In this section, you would see a short overview of the book you may want to purchase. This time I’m speaking directly to you and warning you of this book. Most of my books have a lot of romance, sex, sometimes funny, and a lot of hot hockey players. This book is different. You see, The Coach and the Secret is loosely based off a real man’s story. At first his story was so outrageous I almost didn’t believe it, but after seeing an abundance of evidence my heart broke for him and his daughter. This book has extreme adult topics, so please keep in mind while you read this that you don’t know unless you’ve been in their situation. Thank you — Mary Smith
  ***All money will be given to the family of domestic violence***

• BEHOLDEN by Lila Felix
  Bayou Bear Chronicles, Book 4 – Aspen has done the unthinkable-the unforgivable. He was the last one she wanted. And now he has to earn a place in her heart. In the final installment of The Bayou Bear Chronicles, hearts are shattered, alliances are tested, and the strength of the mating bond between Acacia and Aspen is on shaky ground.

• CROWN OF CINDERS by Rebecca Ethington
  Imdalind Series, Book 7 - For centuries the war that has raged within magic has ripped the world apart. Fought between Skȓítek and Trpaslík; killing father and son, and destroying a fragile balance between mortal and magic. For centuries everyone has been awaiting the Silnỳ, searching for the girl who was prophesized. The girl with power strong enough to defeat the evil that plagued the world, and bring the war to an end. For centuries, everyone was wrong. The Silnỳ was not what they had been told, the promises of future distorted by a sight that was tarnished. The evil was not what they had expected, not what they had been fighting against. Instead it was hidden amongst them; plotting, waiting for their time to strike. And it did. With fire and blade the hidden evil took it’s place upon a throne of blood. The evil has shown itself and now only one person can save them all. But with Sights that are no longer infallible and armies that are abandoning their king – it is no longer clear who that person is, or even if they have the courage to stand up to the evil and face their end.

These books, all released in 2016, are must-reads!! WARNING: some of these books are part of a series, so be sure to start with BOOK ONE before reading the others!

Next up…

WRITING PROJECT: Untying Knots – UPDATE

You might’ve seen me mention a few times over the years that I’m writing a contemporary romance novel titled “Untying Knots”. This is the project that I’ve written over and over again, but can’t seem to get it exactly how I want it. So I keep trying. I realize it’s taking forever to finish and publish for you guys, but obviously, by now you know I will never publish a book that I don’t think is good enough yet.

I will, however, provide you a little snippet! It’s 2017, and my goal is to have this baby completed and released within the year. I don’t have the synopsis hammered down yet, but it’s basically about falling in love young – a love that seems to hold on to you forever – and learning to let it go.

Here’s a short excerpt to give you an idea of what the story will be like:

(Please note, this is raw, unedited material, straight from my working manuscript and subject to change. All Rights Reserved and owned by Bailey Ardisone)

I’d come to learn that the things in life that haunt you the most were what you didn’t do, not what you did. What you should’ve said, but were too afraid to let leave your lips. Those little actions that, had you taken them, would’ve changed everything. But instead, you’re left with that toxic regret that feeds on your sanity — always there in the back of your mind, wishing things were different, if only you had been braver.

My only regret in life was him.

And I was certain he’d haunt me forever.

I should’ve felt the warmth of the sun on my skin, but I didn’t. I should’ve appreciated the cool grass against my back on the hottest day this summer, but it didn’t even cross my mind. The tall, windswept brush of the field that I lay in remained ignored by my senses, though on a normal day I would’ve enjoyed it. Crickets chirped loudly, but I couldn’t hear them.

And that fly cleaning its antennae on my knee? Invisible to me.

I was numb.

Cold, and empty. A shell, waiting to crack against the pressure of wind and disintegrate back into the earth.

I had to let him go. And if I succeeded, it’d be the hardest thing I would’ve ever done.

Because Dylan was everything to me.

But I was nothing to him.

 
And that’s it for now! I’ll keep you updated as I progress closer to completion, and once I have a concrete release date, synopsis, and cover, I’ll make another announcement. If you have any questions, please give me a shout in the comments below, or you can email me through the contact section of this site.

PLANS FOR 2017

Giveaways, project news, and more – 2017 is going to be great. I know it is. But most important, I’ll be doing a second Barnes & Noble book signing on February 11th! Since the first one went so well, they invited me back, and I’m more excited than ever. It’s only ONE MONTH AWAY!! *happy dance*

If you’re in the Colorado Springs area, or know of someone who is and might be interested, please keep this date in mind! I’d love to see you at the event, where we can chat about books, munch on some yummy desserts, and hopefully win some prizes!

Mark it down on your calendar:

February 11th, 10 am

Barnes & Noble
795 Citadel Drive East
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
719-637-8282

I’m also confirmed to be an attending author at Penned Con this year, in St. Louis, MO. The dates are September 29th & 30th, so be sure to mark this down on your calendars as well! A huge lineup of amazing authors will be there signing books, and all proceeds from the event are given to a wonderful charity – Action for Autism. I hope to see you there!

I’d also like to give a special thank you to all the fabulous readers out there – I appreciate you more than I could ever explain. I’m forever humbled and grateful for the incredible support you’ve shown me, and I know 2017 is going to be a blast. Thanks again, and I’m looking forward to us meeting within the pages many more times to come.

“What should I buy my wife for Christmas?”

I hear that question uttered a lot when I’m out and about for some reason, and it got me thinking. When you have anniversaries, birthdays, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas presents (plus extra just-because gifts, am I right?!) to shop for, it can become more and more daunting to find something new and exciting each year.

As a woman with a loving husband of over 11 years, we enjoy celebrating two anniversaries in addition to everything else. We celebrate the day we first started dating, which also became the day of our engagement three years later, and our wedding anniversary. Then when you add birthdays and holidays to the mix, I honestly struggle with finding the right gifts for my special guy for every occasion, and I know he experiences the same dilemma as well. So I tried to think about some of my favorite gifts, and hopefully, if you’re a husband in a similar situation, you’ll find these suggestions helpful.

1. A Kindle (or dedicated e-reading device)
2. Kindle Unlimited
3. LipSense
4. Make it personal with a hand-made gift
5. Personalized, signed books
6. Amazon Echo Dot
7. Polaroid ZIP Instant Photo Printer
8. DxO One Miniaturized Pro Quality Camera
9. Cecilia Fine Leather Envelope Purse
10. Initial Ring

Any one of these would be wonderful as gifts, but let’s discuss what they are and why they’d be so good:

1. Kindle Paperwhite (or dedicated e-reading device)

If your wife, spouse, or significant other doesn’t already own a dedicated e-reading device, then I highly recommend getting one. They’re great to have around the house, and because they’re so light, you can easily carry it with you everywhere you go. They’re perfect for those long waits at the salon, or a late night cuddled at home with a blanket when you don’t feel like driving out to pick up a newly released paperback. With just a touch of a finger, you have unlimited amounts of reading material at your disposal, including tons and tons of amazing free books. Even better, if there’s a book you’ve been looking forward to and you’re able to pre-order it, it gets automatically sent to your device the instant it’s released (midnight or whatever the time may be) without any effort on your part. I absolutely love my Kindle Paperwhite, given to me by my best friend for my birthday. I can read it anywhere – at the beach, lying scrawled out by the pool, in the car, or in bed – it doesn’t matter, because whether there’s direct sunlight or a darkened room, you can read the screen perfectly as if it were a real, physical piece of paper. No glare, no messy screens, it’s the perfect reading companion.

2. Kindle Unlimited

If you own a Kindle or plan on getting one, then you absolutely need Amazon Kindle Unlimited. It’s a huge cost-reducer when it comes to books. For only $9.99 a month, you get to read all the books available in Kindle Unlimited, and there are a lot of fantastic books in the program. It’s the exact same concept as Netflix or Hulu, but for books. Here’s an example of how much money you could save: For the four books in my Sweet Series, it would cost $12 to own them individually. Just those 4 ebooks cost more than 1 month of Kindle Unlimited, which has an abundance of books at your disposal. But let’s say you’re not a big reader and only got around to reading those 4 books of mine. If you read them through Kindle Unlimited, it would’ve only cost you $9.99 (the cost of the KU subscription) to read them for free instead of $12, plus all the other books in KU that you could’ve read if you had wanted to, as well. Or share it with someone else in your household. You can cancel at any time right online – it’s incredibly quick and easy to do – and Amazon gives you your first month free with no obligation to continue after the trial is over.

3. LipSense

I’m not one for wearing makeup, but the new LipSense line has me intrigued. I think it’d be a great gift for any woman – teachers, girlfriend, teenage daughters, and of course, wives. It’s a patented formula that provides incredibly long-lasting lip color. It doesn’t smudge, it’s waterproof, kiss-proof, eat-proof, drink-proof, you name it. It doesn’t come off until you want it to. One of the main reasons I don’t wear lipstick is because of how easily it comes off. I hate the idea of it getting on my teeth or having to wipe the leftovers off my coffee mugs, water glasses, or straws, and then having to reapply constantly. The sticky feeling and mess is a huge deterrent for me. I just can’t be bothered with the hassle. But LipSense fixes all of those things, so I definitely recommend it to makeup-lovers.

4. Make it personal

I absolutely love handmade gifts, and I’m sure your wife/spouse/significant other feels the same way. It might not seem like much, but if you’re strapped for cash, how sweet would it be if you braided a friendship-style bracelet for your special someone? It’s incredibly simple. All you need is cord or twine that you think your partner would love, cut 3 pieces the same length (about double the circumference of the wrist it’s going on), braid them together, and then tie into a knot. Super cheap, but holds a lot of meaning because 1. you made it with your own two hands so it’s extra special 2. he/she will always be reminded of you every time their wrist is in sight 3. he/she never has to take it off. It can be worn in the shower, exercising, or whatever it may be, because the material (if you pick one made of cotton or hemp) is safe to wash.

5. Personalized, Signed Books

This is a perfect gift for readers. My husband surprised me with signed books for our anniversary one time, and it was such an exciting and refreshing idea, I loved it. I don’t know what it is about getting something signed, but it’s so fun! And so many authors offer signed books that you can order right online. I’m currently offering them, and it’s easy to add a personalized note that’ll have anyone swooning. You can order signed books here.

6. Echo Dot

The Amazon Echo Dot is on a lot of people’s wishlists. It’s a hands-free, voice-controlled device that plays music, controls smart home devices, provides information, reads the news, sets alarms, and much more. I’ve seen a lot of my friends asking for this, so I don’t think you could go wrong with this one! And currently, Amazon is having a promotion where you save $20 if you buy 3.

7. Polaroid ZIP Instant Photo Printer

This is another gift my hubby bought me for an anniversary, and I love it so much! It takes me back to being a kid with a Polaroid camera again. There are several different ones to choose from, ones that are just like those clunky Polaroids where you put in the film, snap the photo, and then wait for it to appear after printing. But the one I got I personally feel is better, because if you’re like us, we already have several cameras between our digital camera, our Nikon DSLR, iPods & iPads, and cell phone cameras. Honestly, I really didn’t want to have to carry around another camera. And, you encounter the same issues in the past where if you take a bad photo, you won’t know until it prints out, and you might have to keep taking the photo over and over again, wasting film. But with this Instant Photo Printer, you can print out any picture (old or new) from any device with Bluetooth. I love it! I’m able to print out instantly my favorite photo of my puppy that I took using my cell phone 5 years ago, and then go and print out a picture I took using my iPad 2 seconds ago. It’s so simple, and it comes with awesome photo-editing apps. This is a great gift for those in your life both young and old(er) alike.

8. DxO One Miniaturized Pro Quality Camera

As I’ve just mentioned, I don’t need a new camera, but if I were to get a new one, it’d be this one. It’s so tiny and convenient, it’s the perfect thing to throw in your purse or pocket without the bulkiness of a regular, high quality camera. I never use our Nikon DSLR, despite how much I love it, due to the fact that it’s such a hassle to carry around. But with something as small as the DxO, I could totally see myself taking it with me everywhere I go, and I’d never have to miss a beautiful moment again.

9. The Cecilia Fine Leather Envelope Purse

I know, I know…this might seem strange to include on the list, but I love this little purse so much. It’s great for quick, on-the-go trips when you don’t want to be weighed down with your regular purse. I hate carrying a ton of things with me, so this is a cute, fashionable alternative to keeping it simple and light. It’s unique enough that you probably won’t see anyone else with it, and it’s sure to incite a bunch of compliments and envy from friends. The best part? It’s completely handmade.

10. Initial Ring

This is a must-buy for anyone looking for something special and unique. You can’t go wrong with this one, no matter who the recipient is. It’s special, beautiful, and totally unique with its 100% handcrafted and hand stamped setting of initials. The concept is, a letter is stamped on each side of the split band. You could choose your main squeeze’s initials, such as mine would be “B” on one side and “A” on the other for Bailey Ardisone. But why not a combo of yours and hers/his? Example, if your name is Sam and hers is Rose, then it’d say “R” on one side and “S” on the other. How sweet is that?

These are just a few suggestions that I hope get your creative juices flowing. Remember, it’s not about how much you spend or how big the gift. What’s most important is that you truly think about what would make her or him happy. What would bring a smile to their face? It could be something as simple as cleaning the kitchen or cooking a nice dinner, or picking a wildflower from the side of the road (when it’s not the dead of winter). Honestly, it doesn’t have to be incredibly complicated.

But don’t use the “It’s the thought that counts” mentality and give her something you know for certain she won’t like or care for, just to say you gave her a present. In that situation the “thought” doesn’t actually count. You were thinking of yourself and not your spouse, choosing convenience over quality. Rather, a special, handmade card (wouldn’t cost more than a couple bucks) would make a bigger impact than an item the recipient has no use for or ties to.

For instance, personally, I’d much rather a small, cheap item if it made my husband think of me instead of him spending hundreds of dollars on something that I’d hate and never use, like a random object I had no desire of owning, only to end up stuffed in a darkened closet forever. What’s the point in that?

If you keep his/her feelings in mind, then you can’t go wrong.

Next up, I’ll be going over a list on what to buy your husband for Christmas! Stay tuned…

Do you have a love of reading, but not the budget to back up just how much so? You are not alone. So many now read books online for free. Do you know how? If not, I’m going to tell you.

Almost everyone I talk to or see discussing this subject online, say the same things – “I can’t afford all the books I want to read.”

And I get it. I truly do. I’m one of those persons, as well. Today, times are tough. At least in my country, the majority of families don’t make enough money to “splurge” on books, especially since there are more books than ever before. And who doesn’t want ALL THE BOOKS?

But, pirating is not the answer

You still with me so far? Don’t get me wrong, though. It is incredibly expensive to write and publish books, and it is only right (and really should go without saying) that authors be paid for their hard work – blood, sweat, and tears are shed for these stories you love so much. No one likes to work for free, so why should authors be any different?

Even more important, if writers cannot make a living by providing you stories, then guess what? They’ll be forced to stop. And then no more books. See how crucial it is to support your favorite authors?

Writers truly do pour everything they have into their stories, so please don’t take advantage by downloading illegal, pirated copies of books. Instead, there are other ways to get free books.

How to read online for FREE

There are many, many ways to do this. It all depends on how you want to go about it.

First, there are thousands of books that are completely free for you to read and is 100% legal to do so. Have you checked just how many your favorite online retailer(s) has for free? That’s right – Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo….every bookstore online has a whole section dedicated to these free ebooks. I know, you’re probably thinking: “Yeah, duh, Bailey. Everyone knows this. But how can you tell which is a good free book and a bad free book?”

I suppose…you can’t. I can promise you, though, that there ARE a ton of amazing books out there – especially in the free section. This is because many fabulous writers choose to not go with a traditional publisher, and so in order to entice you to give their work a try, they offer a free book – usually the first one in a series, or maybe a standalone of their earlier works – so that you’ll give them a chance. It could take some weeding through what’s out there, but I promise you. It’ll be worth it. Here’s a couple of my favorite free books:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – Yes, many of you have probably read this classic, but if not, I highly recommend it. It’s one of my all-time favorites. The way the creature is portrayed in Hollywood movies is not at all who and how he really is in the book. So give it a try, and you might be surprised just how much of an emotional read this one is.

Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher – I haven’t actually read this one yet, but it’s high on my TBR list. It has over 1,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars. And it’s free. Why not give it a shot? I’m willing to bet you’ll become life-long fans of these two authors if you do.

Cornerstone by Misty Provencher – Excellent writer, amazing person. Her books are a must-read, so definitely give them a try.

Sweet Oblivion by Bailey Ardisone – Nari gets intertwined with a dark, mysterious guy. She thought he was the devil, or maybe an angel. But she was wrong. He’s something completely different. —Okay, fine, this one is mine. Just in case you didn’t know it was free, I couldn’t NOT include it, could I? This is the first book in a series of four.

If you’re not interested in those, then take a look at Amazon’s TOP 100 FREE Books. You never know, you might find your next favorite read in there.

Libraries

I know, libraries don’t always have the books you want. They’re extremely limited. But did you know that there are THOUSANDS of incredible authors with exceptional books that are available to libraries despite them not being on the shelves? It’s true. All of my books, for instance, can be rented through your local library. All you have to do is ask.

The same is true for many authors, so next time you go perusing through those dusty shelves and come up empty-handed, try giving their online search a try, or talk to the friendly staff for recommendations. Anything you don’t see physically there, they can get it for you, or you most likely can read it online for FREE, just like any of their hard copies.

Speaking of hard copies, have you seen those adorable – completely free – tiny libraries around your town? They’re called Little Free Library, and I adore them. I wonder what gems could be awaiting you in there….

Kindle Unlimited

This isn’t technically free, as it does cost a low monthly subscription fee, however, this is probably your BEST option if you want to read as many books as you want for a nominal price. Think about it…do you enjoy Netflix and Hulu? Then you’d love Amazon Kindle Unlimited.

I’m sure you’ve heard of it before, and if you already are a subscriber, then fantastic!

My entire series – all four books – are on there in a box set bundle. With these four books alone, you’d already make back the subscription fee, plus more! It’d cost you $12 to own all four of my books individually, but with Kindle Unlimited, you’d only pay $9.99 for the whole month, opening up an entire world of books to read with no limit to it. Just think of how much money you’d save! Honestly, this is the best value for your money if you want to read ALL THE BOOKS but can’t afford to. And, even better, you can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial to test out how you like it! How awesome is that? Join Amazon Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial

Here’s just SOME of the books available to you on Kindle Unlimited:

The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson – An absolute MUST-READ. Rachel is not only a friend of mine, but my FAVORITE (modern day) author EVER. If you’re looking for an emotional, heart-gripping read, look no further with this one.

Slow Dance in Purgatory by Amy Harmon – New York Times Bestselling author, this is a great way to introduce yourself to this fabulous writer’s work.

Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol – With over 1,000 reviews online and an average rating of 4.6 stars, I highly recommend giving this a try if you haven’t already.

Always Forever by Mary Smith – This woman does it all. Get acquainted with her work, because if you like hot, steamy guys, then this author is for you.

The Sweet Series by Bailey Ardisone – Of course, I had to include my own series. I HAD TO!!! I’m sorry.

In order to see all the books available in Kindle Unlimited, you must have a subscription. It’s totally worth it, and I truly do hope you consider how much money you’d save + how much awesomeness would be available to you. Give the risk-free, 30-day trial a chance, and you might wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Already a Kindle Unlimited subscriber? Already a free-ebook guru? Please, comment below with your top favorite books to read for free! I’d love to see what you’ve got!

My intention with Sweet Oblivion is to make you think. If you take the time to contemplate deeper than the surface, you will see that the answers are in fact there from the very beginning like bread crumbs sprinkled throughout the book. The answers are not obvious – they’re not meant to be. I feel a good book should be mysterious and shouldn’t tell you everything about the story from the get-go. A good book should have small clues that you might not pick out until the end, but are there nonetheless. I want you to discover the answers on your own without having to tell you flat out. If you give this series a chance, I think you’ll find that an emotional, intricate journey awaits you.

If you know of someone, or see someone say that they don’t want to finish the book for the reasons stated above, please do me a favor and educate them. With respect and politeness, of course. People tend to not give things a chance once they make their mind up about something, and in doing so, they miss out on what they might’ve otherwise enjoyed. Now, the Sweet Series is by no means going to be liked by everyone – and that’s completely, 100% okay! I just want people to not like it for the right reasons – simply because they hated my writing style, found it boring, wasn’t their taste, or whatever the case may be. But it honestly breaks my heart when people don’t finish because they don’t have all the answers right away. That’s not a good reason to give up on a book. The best things come to those who wait, do they not?

If you’re currently reading Sweet Oblivion and have any questions for me, I’d be happy to answer them the best that I can without any spoilers.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this, and if you do end up helping me out by spreading the word to those that need encouragement to continue reading the series to the end, please know that you have my utmost respect and gratitude.

As always, Happy Reading! <3

Don’t you just love….

FREE BOOKS!

Tell a friend or two

Sweet Escape by Bailey Ardisone (Book one is FREE!)

The Illusions of Eventide by Sarah M. Cradit

Scornful Sadie by Felicia Tatum

Nights Embrace by Brandy L. Rivers

Dark Spirits by Rebekkah Ford

A Dark Faerie Tale: Books 1 and 2 by Alexia Purdy

Burden by Lila Felix

Muse by Erin McFadden

It was incredible and amazing and….a complete accident. We were looking for an easy trail – the plan was just to do a bit of hiking – but instead, we ended up rock climbing allll the way up Siphon Draw Trail at the Lost Dutchman State Park (Superstition Mountains) in Mesa, Arizona.

When I got to the top and asked a stranger where we were, and she said…”Flatiron” I hadn’t felt that proud of myself in a long time! Flatiron is the part in the picture above where the arrow is pointing. I made it there!! Can you believe it?

This was my view!!

Gorgeous. And it had me thinking…

Publishing books and being an author is much like climbing a mountain. The thought alone seems scary and difficult, but while you’re doing it, it doesn’t seem that bad at all. You enjoy it, actually. You love it. You crave more. But getting to the top can feel impossible and never-ending. You might even want to give up.

But don’t.

Because once you get there, you’ll never feel more proud of yourself and what you accomplished. And that feeling is the best in the world.

Never give up on yours dreams – it may seem daunting, and even scary as hell, but it’s worth it. In the end, no one regrets climbing a mountain.

Except for when you have to come down….LOL

Now that was the true scary part for me!! And there ended my analogy. I can barely move a muscle as I sit here typing this post – my legs are so sore.

And in case you haven’t heard, I should warn you that the countdown clock is ticking away for the Sweet Series Box Set sale!! Right now it’s dropped from $9.99 to 99¢ – a HUGE bargain – one that I won’t be doing again for YEARS, if ever. And it ends in exactly 9 hours!!! So now is your chance to save yourself $12 if you were ever interested in buying the Sweet Series. Or if you know of any friends that would love the story, what better gift than books?? Spread the love, people! Spread the love.

Oh, yeah…and isn’t it Valentine’s Day? Gift away, people! Gift away! hehehe

Amazon Exclusive!!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon India

My schedule is jammed packed and couldn’t be happier about it. I’m still trying to fit in some writing, however. But in addition to that, I want to squeeze in some reading time. Got any good recommendations lately?

Here’s what I plan to read this month:

Rachel Higginson is my absolute favorite author in the whole wide world. I’m sure you knew that already! And she’s released so many books since my favorite of hers – The Star-Crossed Series. And guess what? I’ve read about two of them. TWWWOOOO. That’s it!!! I’m so ashamed! But in my defense, I’ve had a whole heck of a lot going on….okay, who am I kidding? That’s no excuse!! I’m trying to rectify this problem, as you can see.

So that’s my read for this month!! You can get it here, too: The Five Stages of Falling in Love

Enjoy! And don’t forget to tell me any books that you’re currently reading or recommend! <3

If you’ve been wondering where my time has been spent this month so far, here is the answer.

PUPPY.

My aunt got this little cutie at the end of December and I’ve been training her ever since. Her name is Pixel, born October 18th, 2015. I love her to pieces!! She is the sweetest, most cuddly little thing ever. She follows me around wherever I go and melts my heart!

But it’s been a challenge staying up through the nights, that’s for sure. I’m doing the training because I’ve housebroken dogs before and know how to train them properly, whereas my aunt has never owned a dog before. It’s rough having to take them outside in the freezing cold at 1, 2, and 3am (I get no sleep now!), but it’s worth it. Her training is going VERY well – hardly any accidents. I’m so proud of her!!

My guess is that she’ll be sleeping through the night without potty breaks in just a couple weeks. I’m very excited for that – but at the same time I’m not because she’s getting bigger and bigger with each passing week. I’m going to miss her at this size!!

But here’s the absolutely horrible part…

We found out yesterday that the poor little thing has SCABIES and 2 different parasites!!! D: The Vet was shocked. He said it means she must’ve come from a very bad place before us and that she is extremely lucky to have us as owners now. Our hearts BROKE into pieces. My aunt cried for her right there in the office.

And even worse, the mites transferred to me and so I’ve been extremely itchy!!!! I’m going insane. Thankfully, humans can’t actually host canine scabies, so once it’s resolved in Pixel, they’ll naturally go away for me as well within days. The scary thing, though, is I have a dog of my own who could easily catch any of these 3 parasites that Pixel has, which now means they have to be kept apart. My dog, Nilla, never liked Pixel from the start, so they haven’t had much contact to begin with (thank the stars!!!) so we’re hoping she’s been saved from harm because of that. I just have to keep a close eye on her from now on to be sure.

All I can say is, man’s best friend can sure cause a LOT of drama! lol But honestly, I truly do love this little puppy and I’m so grateful that we unknowingly saved her from a god-awful place. We had thought we were taking over for a family who couldn’t keep her — this is what the man had told us, that she didn’t get along with their other dog — but we’re thinking he lied and WHO KNOWS where she originally came from!! Sniff. But now she’s in a safe, loving home and so that’s what we’re trying to focus on. Yay! However, we’ll be investigating this guy/family where we got her from, just in case action needs to be taken.

Anyway, back to the happy!! What about you? Show me photos of your fur baby/babies! I’d love to see them

I know, I know…it’s been forever since I’ve posted anything. Life had thrown me a curveball last year and I’ve been recovering ever since. To name a few, I had lost my 13-year job to the company’s low-cost center overseas on the same day that my grandmother passed away. Family issues wreaked havoc on my creativity, and my motivation to write or do anything socially online dropped to about zero.

I hate that I’ve neglected my readers and friends, and I want to sincerely apologize for that from the bottom of my heart. I’ve been trying my best to get back into the swing of things. I took a full-time Graphic Design position last year at a local company in addition to starting my own business on the side that pretty much made it impossible for me to get any writing done, however, I DID actually start on a new book that I’ve had in my heart for many years.

The title is “Untying Knots” and will be a New Adult Contemporary Romance read. It’s something that I’ve wanted to write about since even before I started on my Sweet Series, but I’ve kept it on the back burner. Finally early last year I sat down and started it. Actually, it’s been a year since! Wow, that’s hard to believe. I’m not comfortable providing any snippets, or even a synopsis just yet, so I’m just going to leave you with that!! Just know it’s going to be emotional but happy…I hope! My goal is to get it published by the end of the year. *crosses fingers* We’ll see!

Another thing that’s new with me is that I’ve moved out of Florida to temporarily visit with my family in Arizona. My husband and I are moving to Colorado in April, so in the meantime, we’re living in my aunt and uncle’s casita, which is like a small apartment attached to their house. It has a kitchen, bathroom, and separate entrance and everything we need to be self-sufficient. It was built for my grandmother, but she never got to live in it before she died. So far, we are loving the beautiful, dry, cooler weather here in Arizona, but we’re looking forward to living in Colorado when the time comes. As you should know, I’m originally from Illinois, but have been away for 9 years. I’ve been CRAVING the different seasons and cooler weather that I’ve grown up with, and Colorado has the perfect combination that my husband and I desire. Plus, we’re dying to do more outdoorsy stuff that we couldn’t do in Florida because of it being too hot and humid. We love to snowboard, hike, and camp. We’re so excited!

Here’s something that you’ll love….I’m giving away a Kindle Fire through Amazon!! It’s my way of saying THANK YOU for being a reader of mine, and I hope that it’ll reignite in you a passion to keep following my releases in the future. You can see if you’re a winner by clicking this link: Amazon Giveaway

Good luck!!!

And please help spread the word about it, if you can! Thank you!

That’s all for now. Another one of my goals is to make weekly posts here. It might be about something completely random or an update about my books, or just a photo of something that happened in my day that I wanted to share! Either way, there will be a post from me, and I hope that you like it.

If you have any questions for me, please feel free to reach out. Thank you again for all of your loving support!

Peace, love, and book dreams!

Are there any books you’ve been waiting to go on sale? Well, wait no more! Kobo is having a giant 50% off sale on ALL ebooks! And you can use the code an unlimited number of times, so it’s the perfect opportunity to stack up on ebooks!

Here are the code details per country:

Canada
October 28th – October 31st
Promo Code: CA50SALE

United States/Australia/New Zealand
October 27th – October 30th
Promo Code: GET50SALE

United Kingdom
October 30th – November 2nd
Promo Code: UK50SALE

Own the complete Sweet Series now!

Enjoy!!