Category: Uncategorized

Do you read the trashy tabloids while you wait in line at the grocery store? What headlines grab your attention and why?

It’s been a long time since I’ve perused the headlines of one of those tabloids that used to grace every checkout stand in every  grocery store. I remember the days when Elvis sightings seemed to be the main headline each and every week, followed closely by alien abductions. But now I gravitate towards self-checkout (I’m faster than most of the cashiers!) so I don’t stay caught up on the “news.”

So, I decided to make a visit to the website of one of the more famous of the tabloids. With a certain royal wedding in the news, I picked a good week for it. The top headline screamed “Meghan Markle’s Secret First Husband Found.” (We all knew she’d been married before, right?)

Then we get a story about William Shatner hitting on his co-stars. Yawn. Move along.

Ah, another story inspired by the royal wedding. Decades of dirt! Bizarre lost sex secrets of the royal family! Let’s find out about what sex toys they use. Because sex sells.

 There’s about five more stories tied to the wedding, neatly interspersed with the sordid stories of other celebrities. To my disappointment, not a single Elvis or alien in site. So here’s my headline-“Elvis attends the royal wedding in disguise!”

Let’s try another one. “Meghan Markle’s first husband was an alien!” Or “Is Prince Harry a virgin?” How about “Did the ghost of Princess Diana walked Meghan Markle up the aisle?”

I could keep going- “Harry and Meghan’s marriage doomed” but I don’t want to have all the fun. Make up your own headline and share it in the comments. In the meantime, I’m going to check out and see what the other authors favorite tabloid headlines are.

May 21, 2018
Do you read the trashy tabloids while you wait in line at the grocery store? What headlines grab your attention and why?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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Do you read the trashy tabloids while you wait in line at the grocery store? What headlines grab your attention and why?

It’s been a long time since I’ve perused the headlines of one of those tabloids that used to grace every checkout stand in every  grocery store. I remember the days when Elvis sightings seemed to be the main headline each and every week, followed closely by alien abductions. But now I gravitate towards self-checkout (I’m faster than most of the cashiers!) so I don’t stay caught up on the “news.”

So, I decided to make a visit to the website of one of the more famous of the tabloids. With a certain royal wedding in the news, I picked a good week for it. The top headline screamed “Meghan Markle’s Secret First Husband Found.” (We all knew she’d been married before, right?)

Then we get a story about William Shatner hitting on his co-stars. Yawn. Move along.

Ah, another story inspired by the royal wedding. Decades of dirt! Bizarre lost sex secrets of the royal family! Let’s find out about what sex toys they use. Because sex sells.

 There’s about five more stories tied to the wedding, neatly interspersed with the sordid stories of other celebrities. To my disappointment, not a single Elvis or alien in site. So here’s my headline-“Elvis attends the royal wedding in disguise!”

Let’s try another one. “Meghan Markle’s first husband was an alien!” Or “Is Prince Harry a virgin?” How about “Did the ghost of Princess Diana walked Meghan Markle up the aisle?”

I could keep going- “Harry and Meghan’s marriage doomed” but I don’t want to have all the fun. Make up your own headline and share it in the comments. In the meantime, I’m going to check out and see what the other authors favorite tabloid headlines are.

May 21, 2018
Do you read the trashy tabloids while you wait in line at the grocery store? What headlines grab your attention and why?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

For Blogger

For WordPress

Self-hosted wordpress

[inlinkz_linkup id=781265 mode=1]

Widget

Tell us about your top five junk foods or your top five healthy snacks.

I happen to like chocolate. A lot. It’s my “stress” food.
And I’m not terribly picky about what shape or form chocolate comes in. But I do love a good brownie.A good gooey but not raw brownie.

Unfortunately, I can’t make good brownies. I blame it on the oven cooking unevenly or not keeping the temperature consistent. Or maybe I don’t have a good recipe. And boxed mixes never have quite the right flavor. So when someone who is a better cook than I am offers me a brownie, I won’t turn it down. Heck, I won’t turn it down even if it’s no better than mine!

We’re not done with chocolate yet. Second on my list are chocolate chip cookies. I like mine a bit on the thicker side so the middle are soft. I’m good with throwing in nuts and chunks of chocolate, something a bit more tasty than normal chocolate chips. I’m even good with white chocolate in my cookies.

I could go on with the chocolate theme but it’s time for a little variety. How about ice cream? As a teenager, I worked for a short time in an independent ice cream shop. I  got to order the different flavors of ice cream from an small dairy and make all sorts of goodies With no corporate rules to follow, the customers could mix and match whatever flavors and toppings they wanted. Some of the creations were works of art. And of course, peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top were standard. But I got spoiled and it’s hard to find ice cream that matches the flavor from that dairy (that doesn’t exist anymore.)

Moving along and avoiding chocolate…jelly beans! Even the black ones! All year long, not just as Easter. I know they aren’t calorie free, but somehow they seem “healthier” than most other candies.

And we’re down to number five, and I can’t resist. More chocolate. Dark chocolate, specifically. give me a chunk of good, rich, dark chocolate. I won’t name any brands, but you can sure tell me your favorite brand of chocolate in the comments! Maybe there’s one out there I haven’t tried yet.

While I’m waiting, let’s check out the other authors top five.

Tell us about your top five junk foods or your top five healthy snacks.

Tell us about your top five junk foods or your top five healthy snacks.

I happen to like chocolate. A lot. It’s my “stress” food.
And I’m not terribly picky about what shape or form chocolate comes in. But I do love a good brownie.A good gooey but not raw brownie.

Unfortunately, I can’t make good brownies. I blame it on the oven cooking unevenly or not keeping the temperature consistent. Or maybe I don’t have a good recipe. And boxed mixes never have quite the right flavor. So when someone who is a better cook than I am offers me a brownie, I won’t turn it down. Heck, I won’t turn it down even if it’s no better than mine!

We’re not done with chocolate yet. Second on my list are chocolate chip cookies. I like mine a bit on the thicker side so the middle are soft. I’m good with throwing in nuts and chunks of chocolate, something a bit more tasty than normal chocolate chips. I’m even good with white chocolate in my cookies.

I could go on with the chocolate theme but it’s time for a little variety. How about ice cream? As a teenager, I worked for a short time in an independent ice cream shop. I  got to order the different flavors of ice cream from an small dairy and make all sorts of goodies With no corporate rules to follow, the customers could mix and match whatever flavors and toppings they wanted. Some of the creations were works of art. And of course, peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top were standard. But I got spoiled and it’s hard to find ice cream that matches the flavor from that dairy (that doesn’t exist anymore.)

Moving along and avoiding chocolate…jelly beans! Even the black ones! All year long, not just as Easter. I know they aren’t calorie free, but somehow they seem “healthier” than most other candies.

And we’re down to number five, and I can’t resist. More chocolate. Dark chocolate, specifically. give me a chunk of good, rich, dark chocolate. I won’t name any brands, but you can sure tell me your favorite brand of chocolate in the comments! Maybe there’s one out there I haven’t tried yet.

While I’m waiting, let’s check out the other authors top five.

Tell us about your top five junk foods or your top five healthy snacks.

Wolves’ Gambit is my new release. Although it’s the third book in the Free Wolves series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In this scene, Lori Grenville, the main character, is confronted by Hyrum, the pack enforcer.

     Lori didn’t expect to see a shadow of sadness cross his face. “There’s no place for me to go. My pack of birth doesn’t want me. They believe I’ll be a spy for the Jaeger’s.”

Lori hasn’t failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

Wolves’ Gambit is my new release. Although it’s the third book in the Free Wolves series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In this scene, Lori Grenville, the main character, is confronted by Hyrum, the pack enforcer.

     Lori didn’t expect to see a shadow of sadness cross his face. “There’s no place for me to go. My pack of birth doesn’t want me. They believe I’ll be a spy for the Jaeger’s.”

Lori hasn’t failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

When writing is your profession or hobby, chances are you’ve received all sorts of bookish gifts from friends (or purchased them for yourself)!

I trend towards minimalism when it comes to decorating. Obviously, books and computers don’t count. The more books the merrier. So, I don’t normally ask for “bookish” gifts, I ask for books.

My birthday is easy. That’s about the time of year a new Longmire book comes out. All I have to do is give my darling hubby a gentle reminder, and a new book will show up along with my cake.

For Christmas I often asks for books of poetry or books about the art of writing. Last year I got adventuresome and requested the first book in the Jack Reacher series, Killing Floor. I enjoyed it, but I don’t know if those books will become a tradition.

I have been gifted two “Harry Potter” wands that are also pens. I guess that counts as “writer-ish”?

So what’s on my wish list if you want to buy a book for me? I can always find room for a new book on my already crowded bookshelves.

Introduce me to a new science fiction author. I haven’t read science fiction for too long. Or perhaps a few biographies. I might be hard to please there, because they can’t be of current  political figures or celebrities. I haven’t kept up with the Collegium Chronicles by Mercedes Lackey (and there’s a bunch of her books I  haven’t read) so, that might be an easy place to start.

While I find room a place for that new book (that isn’t piled on my desk!) let’s head over and find out what the other authors suggest.

April 30, 2018 – A list of book-related gift ideas
When writing is your profession or hobby, chances are you’ve received all sorts of bookish gifts from friends (or purchased them for yourself)! Whether it’s a book light that you love, a framed print of your favorite literary quote, or a pair of Hobbit-inspired socks, these accessories can serve as the start to a great blog post. Though this type of content can work all year round, we find the greatest success in December as book lovers start looking for holiday gift ideas.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

When writing is your profession or hobby, chances are you’ve received all sorts of bookish gifts from friends (or purchased them for yourself)!

I trend towards minimalism when it comes to decorating. Obviously, books and computers don’t count. The more books the merrier. So, I don’t normally ask for “bookish” gifts, I ask for books.

My birthday is easy. That’s about the time of year a new Longmire book comes out. All I have to do is give my darling hubby a gentle reminder, and a new book will show up along with my cake.

For Christmas I often asks for books of poetry or books about the art of writing. Last year I got adventuresome and requested the first book in the Jack Reacher series, Killing Floor. I enjoyed it, but I don’t know if those books will become a tradition.

I have been gifted two “Harry Potter” wands that are also pens. I guess that counts as “writer-ish”?

So what’s on my wish list if you want to buy a book for me? I can always find room for a new book on my already crowded bookshelves.

Introduce me to a new science fiction author. I haven’t read science fiction for too long. Or perhaps a few biographies. I might be hard to please there, because they can’t be of current  political figures or celebrities. I haven’t kept up with the Collegium Chronicles by Mercedes Lackey (and there’s a bunch of her books I  haven’t read) so, that might be an easy place to start.

While I find room a place for that new book (that isn’t piled on my desk!) let’s head over and find out what the other authors suggest.

April 30, 2018 – A list of book-related gift ideas
When writing is your profession or hobby, chances are you’ve received all sorts of bookish gifts from friends (or purchased them for yourself)! Whether it’s a book light that you love, a framed print of your favorite literary quote, or a pair of Hobbit-inspired socks, these accessories can serve as the start to a great blog post. Though this type of content can work all year round, we find the greatest success in December as book lovers start looking for holiday gift ideas.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

Is there such a thing as a bookworm who doesn’t appreciate photos of cozy reading nooks or gorgeous bookshelves?

I’ve got three full size bookshelves in my writing area. They are pretty well packed, although not necessarily only with books. (There’s also my collection of LP’s. And computer parts.) But the house is in transition now, so no pictures.

To appease the blogging gods, I went looking for a few dream spots for reading. Everyone has a different idea of what that means. (Thanks, Pinterest!)

I love the way this one looks—the combination of light and dark, the wood and the tree. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look all that comfortable. No good back support for long reading sessions.

This one is better. All that space for books, and the fireplace is great. (but where’s the chair to sit in front of the fireplace?) And I love the window seat, but again, if you put your legs up on the seat and lean against the wall, your back will start hurting before long.

What’s the deal with blocking off the bottom shelf in this one? And if you stand on the bed to reach the top shelves, you’d better find something better than than antlers to hang onto.

This looks comfortable, but where’s the bookshelf?

This one isn’t bad, but I’d replace the knickknacks with books. At least there are enough pillows that you should be able to get comfortable.

So I didn’t find the “perfect” reading nook. But what it comes down to is the perfect spot is wherever you can find a place to sit down, open a book, and ignore the rest of the world, even for a few minutes.So find your favorite spot, open up your copy of Wolves’ Gambit, and read away, while I head off to see what the other authors are sharing.

April 23, 2018 – Images of reading nooks or bookshelf designs.
Is there such a thing as a bookworm who doesn’t appreciate photos of cozy reading nooks or gorgeous bookshelves? We think not, and have found success rounding up these types of bookish images. Choosing a particular season or unifying theme helps to keep the content focused and repeatable, like outdoor reading nooks or DIY bookshelves. Pinterest and Instagram are great channels to repurpose this image-based content.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

InLinkz | view linkup

Is there such a thing as a bookworm who doesn’t appreciate photos of cozy reading nooks or gorgeous bookshelves?

I’ve got three full size bookshelves in my writing area. They are pretty well packed, although not necessarily only with books. (There’s also my collection of LP’s. And computer parts.) But the house is in transition now, so no pictures.

To appease the blogging gods, I went looking for a few dream spots for reading. Everyone has a different idea of what that means. (Thanks, Pinterest!)

I love the way this one looks—the combination of light and dark, the wood and the tree. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look all that comfortable. No good back support for long reading sessions.

This one is better. All that space for books, and the fireplace is great. (but where’s the chair to sit in front of the fireplace?) And I love the window seat, but again, if you put your legs up on the seat and lean against the wall, your back will start hurting before long.

What’s the deal with blocking off the bottom shelf in this one? And if you stand on the bed to reach the top shelves, you’d better find something better than than antlers to hang onto.

This looks comfortable, but where’s the bookshelf?

This one isn’t bad, but I’d replace the knickknacks with books. At least there are enough pillows that you should be able to get comfortable.

So I didn’t find the “perfect” reading nook. But what it comes down to is the perfect spot is wherever you can find a place to sit down, open a book, and ignore the rest of the world, even for a few minutes.So find your favorite spot, open up your copy of Wolves’ Gambit, and read away, while I head off to see what the other authors are sharing.

April 23, 2018 – Images of reading nooks or bookshelf designs.
Is there such a thing as a bookworm who doesn’t appreciate photos of cozy reading nooks or gorgeous bookshelves? We think not, and have found success rounding up these types of bookish images. Choosing a particular season or unifying theme helps to keep the content focused and repeatable, like outdoor reading nooks or DIY bookshelves. Pinterest and Instagram are great channels to repurpose this image-based content.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

InLinkz | view linkup