Happy New Year!

Yes, I'm still here.  And I promised myself that I would get back to posting, but have just felt so lazy about it.  Other than the book reviews that I am posting on my other blog, I rarely blog at all, either on here or on my private blog.  I am going to work on that for this new year as I like having the ability to go back and see what was happening in my life through the year.

Anyway,  as most of you know, I do not make resolutions.  Resolutions are made to be broken.  A resolution made on New Years sets you up for failure more often than not.  I have never kept a resolution for more than 2-3 months.  Instead, I choose a word to define my year.  An empowering word that will lead the way for what I want to do for the year.

I have thought about this word for a few days, throwing different words out there to see which one was going to stick with me.  I have used "adventure" a couple of times in the past and it just didn't feel right using it again.  I thought about "growth", but I think if you chose the right word that growth is something that will happen regardless.  Last year I used "live" and I think I used it very well, but it wasn't the word that could be recycled for 2013. I thought about "awe", "delight", "presence", "yes", and "selfish" as well. All of them packing a lot of meaning into little words.

I decided on a word that I think is powerful and inspiring.  It is a word that will encompass me physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is a word that I kept coming back to, which became clear is the word I needed to use.

Challenge.

Feel free to ask me through the year, if you so desire, how I am challenging myself.  Feel free as well to challenge me yourself with something.  I will do my best to meet your challenges, though I reserve the right to say no or to tweak it so it will fit my personality/ability.

Season's Readings!

 I'm so thrilled to share with you this fabulous promotion by eight of the most charismatic authors that I know! The couple of books that I haven't read are on my "TBR" list.  If you need further proof that these ladies are adorably fantastic, check out their individual blogs for their answers to some burning holiday questions,  such as Santa: Sexy or not, how to make a snow slut, and which celebrity hottie is on their New Years Eve kiss list.

In the spirit of coming together for the holidays, eight popular Chick Lit authors are "partying it up" with a shared promotion for book lovers! That means eight fun and fizzy e-books, each priced at $3.99 or less, that are packed with plenty of laughs and romance to keep you entertained on those long winter nights! And if you'd like to gift one of these books to a Chick Lit fan, we've got you covered with your choice of paperbacks!

Which books are featured in this festive promo?

Finding Lucas by Samantha StrohBailey - Daytime talk show producer Jamie Ross is beyond fed up with her toxic bad boy turned metrosexual boyfriend. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, she goes on a hilarious, at-times disastrous, and totally life-changing hunt to track down the "one who got away." But are some loves best left behind? E-book and paperback available on Amazon. 

In Need of Therapy by TracieBanister - Handling the problems of hysterical hypochondriacs, lovelorn neurotics, and compulsive man whores is all in a day's work for super-shrink Pilar Alvarez. But can she deal with her crazy Cuban family, a trio of unsuitable suitors, and a threat to her practice without ending up on the couch herself? E-book available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon. 

What the Dog Ate by JackieBouchard - Discovering what her dog ate turns Maggie Baxter’s world upside down. With her chocolate Lab, Kona, as her guide, can Maggie forego her overly analytical ways to find a new life filled with tail-wagging joy? E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

The Girl, the Gold Tooth, & Everything by Francine LaSala - Suburban housewife Mina, beaten-down and struggling with amnesia, starts getting her memory and her mojo back. But she soon learns everything has a price in this fast-paced, richly layered, and darkly humorous satire! E-book and paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie - When Roxy Rule shares a passionate kiss with her lifelong best friend, she must come to terms with her feelings for him while dealing with two sisters in full crisis mode, a boss who makes her want to stab herself with a letter opener and a fiancé who can't wait to walk down the aisle. Can she keep it together--or will she break under the pressure? E-book available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon. 

Fashioning a Romance by Libby Mercer - Devastatingly handsome and deliciously weird, John Harrington is the man of Caitlyn Taylor's dreams… and her nightmares. She has no use for a womanizer like him, and dodges his advances like a pro. But when they end up in Paris together, Caitlyn feels her resolve begin to slip. How will she ever be able to resist the irresistible in the most romantic city in the world? E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. 

A State of Jane by MeredithSchorr - Jane Frank is newly single after nine years and looking for a second chance at love. But when she dives head first into the NYC dating scene and finds it infested with flakes who are interested today and gone tomorrow, it may be time for Jane to turn the tables! E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone - Lauren Tate's perfectly planned life quickly unravels at the seams when a smear campaign threatens her career as a top TV executive, but she learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who's stolen her heart goes missing. E-book available on Amazon; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Happy Publication Day, Meredith Schorr!

Another lovely author friend of mine is releasing her second novel today!

Congratulations, Meredith Schorr, on the release of "A STATE OF JANE"!!! I can't wait to read this one and will be starting tonight!

"Jane Frank is ready to fall in love.  It's been a year since her long term relationship ended and far too long since the last time she was kissed.  With the LSAT coming up she needs to find a long term boyfriend (or husband) before acing law school and becoming a partner at her father's law firm.  There's just one problem: all the guys in New York are flakes.  They seemingly drop off the face of the earth with no warning and no explanation.  Should she join her best friend Marissa in singlehood, making cupcakes and watching True Blood?  Or should she follow her co-worker Andrew's advice and turn the game back on those who scorned her?  As Jane attempts to juggle her own responsibilities and put up with the problems of everyone around her, she starts to realize that the dating life isn't as easy as she originally thought."

Happy Publication Day, Jen Tucker!!!

Why yes, I am still alive and I do plan to get some updating and blogging going on over here.

But today is something else…today is a big day for my darling friend, Jen Tucker!

Today is the day that her second book, The Day I Lost My Shaker Of Salt, comes out!!

Yes, she checked to make sure her panties were not inside out when her day began heading south. Jen Tucker returns with her latest memoir, The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt. Her dogs sample ant trap delicacies, a dentist appointment goes awry, and she battles her own version of animal road rage on one thorny day. Tender at times, funny as always, one of your favorite girlfriends returns to show you there are silver linings in the midst of bad days.

Jen’s debut memoir, The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out, was a 2011 Goodreads Semifinalist in the humor category. She is a regular contributor at Survival for Blondes, where she marries humor with preparedness. Jen lives in Indiana with her husband and three children.

Do yourself a favor and head over to Amazon and buy, buy, buy!!!

I'm moved!

I had hoped to have pictures to share today, but I am still unpacking and settling in.  It has to be perfect before I can share pictures.

Saturday was a chaotic and long day, culminating in me getting dehydrated and getting sick, but we were done moving things to the apartment by 12:30.  Not too bad. Now I just have to go over to my parents and clean out the closet, which is full of my junk.

Tyson has been moved over and is adjusting pretty well. He is like a little stalker, though.  He follows me everywhere I go and watches me.  If a door is shut in his face he yowls loudly until the situation has been rectified in his favor.  I always tell him that he is lucky he is cute. I continue to stay this.

I have to cover my couch up while he is sitting on it or it would have his cat hair all over it.  But look at him! Cute sleepy kitty! I envy the positions that boy can get himself into and sleep so comfortably.






This past weekend, after getting moved in, I did haul myself off to the movies....it was time to assemble with The Avengers, which broke records for their opening weekend.  BEST movie I have seen so far this summer. I urge everyone to see it...you are not going to regret it!

Almost there!

Bear with me, folks!  Just a couple more days.  I will be back on Wednesday of next week with an update on everything that has been going on.

This week, however, is crunch time for the move!  EEEP!!

Excuse me while I freak out!

First up, let me pass on the link for week 4 of the Dancing With The Stars blog. This week we took on Rock & Roll week.

It hit me yesterday while I was settling in to my new work station at work that I am moving in 3 weeks!! April 30th I sign the lease and get the keys to my new place. This thought fills me with extreme happiness and equally extreme dread. Why dread, you may wonder? I have a storage shed full of furniture from the last apartment. I have packrat tendencies and I need to go clean that sucker out and throw almost everything away that is in there. (I am going to yard sale a lot of it, I hope!) I have made a vow to myself that this time around I am NOT going to hoard things, simpler is better, and all that jazz.

Regardless, you will need to forgive me if I am in the middle of mild freak outs and melt downs over the next couple of weeks. I have packing and purging to do and procrastination is my first thought process. (Oh and if you are in Phoenix on May 5th, you can come assist in the moving process. I know you want to!)