Book Giveaways at Cafe of Dreams & Savvy Verse & Wit Today!

There are two great book giveaways going on today!

C.W. Gortner is giving away a copy of his latest historical fiction novel, The Last Queen! Stop by Cafe of Dreams, leave a comment, and April will pick a winner! Is that the most beautiful cover you've ever seen?

Therese Fowler is giving away a copy of her latest women's fiction novel, Reunion! Stop by Savvy Verse & Wit, leave a comment, and Serena will also pick a winner! Another beautiful cover from such talented authors!

Hurry, all you have to do is stop by and say hi, shoot the breeze, say hi to the authors, anything your heart desires. And, wait, there's more!

Every month Pump Up Your Book Promotion chooses someone who has commented to win a free virtual book tour if you're an author or a $50 gift certificate if you're not! What do you have to lose???

Stop by, leave your comments on the appropriate blogs, and good luck!

Sidebar Blues

I wish for the life of me I could figure out why my right sidebar has disappeared underneath my blog instead of beside it. Usually I can figure it out, but I've tried deleting some things and it doesn't seem to make a lick of difference.

Such is the way my life is going today. On top of that, I have to find a cabin in like...errr...today. We're going on vacation next Monday and I don't have a rental van nor do I have a cabin reserved and it all boils down to really not wanting to go I think.

I love the Smokies and once I get there, I'll be okay (I hope) but we've gone there fifty million times. I'm figuring the only way to make it better would be to change up on something, anything, but what. We've seen all the sights. Haven't seen Dollywood but no one really wants to do that. They have a new waterpark this year but no one really wants to do that.

So what do they want to do? Well, I do know they want to take in some trails, only we've been on all the shorter ones and I really don't think I'm up for 5 mile sprints. Not that I wouldn't have done it years ago, but 5 miles?

Ack.

So, as if I don't have a million things to do today, I'm looking up cabins for something different. Some have indoor pools which is good and some have home theatres which is good. So, I'm doing that now, but not much is available this close to departure.

To get my mind off things, I'm working on tours for next month - got a great lineup as usual so I better go back to working on that.

Of course, my choice for a vacation destination would be California. But, that would so be breaking the bank right now.

Ack again. Tours. Vacation. Tours. Vacation. And why is my sidebar all the way at the bottom of this freaking blog?

My New Toy

I bought myself a new camera. It's just a small digital but I totally love it only I'm not sure about the picture quality just yet so I'm going to post some pictures and see if I love it or hate it.

I saw this camera advertised on TV and since we're going to the mountains in another week, I knew I had to buy one to replace my old one that bit the dust. This one is called a Nikon Coolpix 6400. What I liked about it is that it has 7x zoom where my old one only had 5. And the TV advertisement just SOLD it, but if it doesn't measure up, I was conned by advertising.

My son came over and had dinner with us on the deck, then we decided to catch some sunset pictures on the dock. The thing is the sunset wasn't cooperating. It had been a wonderful sunny and warm day and I just knew we'd have a good sunset, but nooooo.

Anyway, the first picture is my son putting the camera together. Dishes are still on our "table" I think, so ignore the mess. And he needs a hair cut something fierce. The next few pictures are my lame attempt at getting sunset pictures and there's one of my son on the boat fixing something and my daughter is standing on the dock with Skylar, one of our pooches. Now let's see if this thing is better than my old one:


























































































Okay, the verdict is out...crappy or not?

Women's Fiction Author Therese Fowler on Introducing WRITERS Radio Show with Kim Smith Tonight!

Therese Fowler, author of the women’s fiction novel, Reunion (Ballantine Books), will be stopping off at Introducing WRITERS Radio Show with Kim Smith at 8:30 p.m. eastern (adjust to your time zone) tonight!

About the Book:

Celebrity talk show host Blue Reynolds is the queen of daytime television—she is smart, funny, and as down-to-earth as her adoring fans. In the eyes of the world, she has it all. But no one knows about the secret she has harbored for the last twenty years—a secret that could destroy her image, her reputation, and her career. Twenty years ago, she gave birth to a son and put him up for adoption through illegal channels. And every day since, she’s been filled with regret. Now Blue has hired a private investigator to find her son, knowing full well the consequences.

You can visit Therese’s website at www.theresefowler.com.

The Pains of Living in a Resort Area

He stops and pulls up a minnow trap. Man in pink shirt stops, observes, then carries on toward the end of the dock. It's misting; not the perfect vacation day for sure.

The first man heads toward man in pink shirt. They both pause midway the dock, man in pink shirt points toward the north, then they both crouch and peer over the side of the dock as if something caught their eye. It must not have been a fish as both head off the dock instead of the end where I was presuming, like a typical tourist around here, they think they can catch fish there (no. they can't.).

They're talking but I only hear bits and pieces as the gulls are loudly squawking overhead. First man picks up minnow trap and they file one by one off the dock, across the road and head back where they came from.

Another day of blasted rain, they both must have been saying.

The sky is darkening and it promises a great non-fun vacation day here on the island.

It is Sunday and hopefully all the tourists will be going home. It's not that I don't like tourists; actually, without them this island would be awfully boring. Maybe.

But now I'm getting the gist of why the locals dread them all year. They're LOUD. My dogs have not stopped barking since Friday and I know this is going to continue all summer long until they get used to the abnormal sound level.

We've had an interesting group beside us this weekend. Four guys who are obviously on a boys weekend out. All are slightly overweight and all have fishing rods permanently joined at the hip. They went out fishing on the dock yesterday but I would give you a million dollars to bet they didn't catch a thing.

They do have a boat which they so happened to dock at the slip marked with our 911 address. They ought to feel lucky the boat isn't up here yet, or I would have sicked my daughter on them. She's had headaches since they've been here and would love the opportunity to tell them off.

They've not been too noisy considering they didn't carry sound systems with them - thank God - but it's not been the tranquil quiet sound of waves lashing on the shore or the lulling cries of gulls overhead as is the usual sounds we hear when they're not here. No, their laughter drowned all that out. Or was it the dog's barking?

Anyway, it's Sunday and we're hoping we can go back to normal. Until the next time. The pains of living in a resort area.

I am in Nancy Thayer heaven...

A few weeks ago, I had a publicist contact me about sending Nancy Thayer out on virtual book tour. Of course, after I had a mild heart attack picked myself off the floor, I said sure, no problem.

Omg, do you all know who she is? A few years ago, I bought a copy (ordered it from Amazon) of her book, The Hot Flash Club, and absolutely without a doubt take my word for it loved it to pieces. Of course, Nancy had to be a boomer chick to write that book, right?

Well, when the publicist asked me if I'd do this, I knew this was going to be something I'd always remember because not only am I one of her big biggest fans of all time, I was going to have her virtual book tour in the palm of my hand. O.m.g.

BTW, The Hot Flash Club was a national bestseller, if you didn't know.

Her newest book, Summer House, the one I'm supposed to take out on the virtual highway in July, sounds like another winner and something I am so looking forward to reading myself.

Well, anyway, back to my story. After I found out, I took my trembling fingertips and typed her out a hello and welcome email. And...

I never heard back.

Now, it was okay because I had tons of work to do to keep my mind off it and I knew in time, we would talk.

Today...I get this wonderful email:

"... I'm sure I'll have lots of questions as we go along. I haven't done a virtual book tour before, but it sounds like fun and a great way to promote my books."

I am savoring in the moment. Can we have five minutes of silence?

99 Things I Have Done in My Life

Somehow this meme's title got lost in transit, so I'm calling it "99 Things I Have Done in My Life." What you do is copy the whole list on to your blog and highlight the things you have done. While I'm trying to ignore the fact I have the flu - I know, sob, sob - I thought I could handle this one. How many can you say you have done?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (does a trail up one side of a mountain count?)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (Ruby Tuesdays...do..no..go..there)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (It's called a Mental Health Day)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (dinner cruise)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee