Gratitude
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Wednesday, Okay, Thursday Check-in
I didn’t think it was possible for life to get busier, but it has as we draw nearer to closing on the house and moving. So much to do and so many things to think about! However, all that stuff doesn’t mean I’m excused from my copy-editing gigs or writing. I have deadlines on both, so I’m still deep into Aidan and Holly’s story and the work that I’m contracted to do for my clients. Yesterday, though, I did some work in the yard and it was lovely to be completely mindless for just a couple of hours. Be sure to grab my pal, Liz Flaherty’s holiday novella, The Dark…
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Wednesday Quick Check-in
We’re in the throes of house-selling stuff, so today, it’s a quickie! But I want to let you know about some fun stuff going on with some of my author buds. First of all, my friend Liz Kelly’s new Heroes of Henderson novel came out April 1 and Mr. Wright Now is just as fab as all the other hunky heroes from this fun, fun series. Don’t miss this one. And if you want to just start at the beginning of the series, head to Liz’s website to check out the rest of the Heroes of Henderson. While you’re there, sign up for her newsletter to stay up-to-date with all…
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Wednesday Check-in
This will be a quick check-in because today my list is longer than usual. We’re finishing up the house in preparation for our realtor to take photos, so cleaning, then cleaning, than after than some cleaning. We’re both a little bit in overwhelm, but the house is looking good. I’m writing, but it’s going slow because the rest of my life is getting in the way. I’m hoping I can get a lot of words in this weekend. I guess we’ll see. Also working on editing gigs, so my plate overflows. How about a little Grandboy to make your life just a little brighter? Always works for me! Gratitude for…
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Wednesday Check-in
It’s been a long week. We’ve spent nearly every day working on some aspect of getting the house ready to put on the market. Our dear brother-in-law came by to help us put down new mulch in all the gardens–fun because the dang mulch was frozen! Made for interesting raking, I’ll tell you. Husband is busy scrubbing the outside of the house and I’m inside packing up the last of the stuff that needs to disappear before we clean and stage. Painters come in next week to freshen up the bathroom and then the realtor will be here to move stuff around and make the place as appealing as possible.…
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Cover Wars!
Happy Wednesday, everyone! The cover for A Small Town Christmas is currently in a cover war over Author Shout. We’re firmly in third place, but here’s the great news, you can vote every 24 hours! So I’d love it if you clicked over and voted for my gorgeous cover all week long! Merci, mes amies. We lost our dear lake buddy, Rich, on Tuesday and we are heartbroken and bereft. He was a kind, generous, and charming man, who always had a smile. Cancer is so evil, and it has taken so many people from my life in the last few years. I know that, years ago, Rich would have…
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I Can Do This
I’m writing this on Fat Tuesday–we’ve been running moving-type errands today, getting ready for the movers to come tomorrow to pick up what Fred, our mover, (he rocks!) calls “the declutter load.” We’ve emptied closets, packed box after box, bin after bin, taken down photographs, and packed away tchotchkes and beloved knickknacks in an attempt to depersonalize our home in preparation for staging it and putting it up for sale. It’s been…freeing in many ways but also bittersweet, and I’ve discovered that there is no way to neutralize this house. It’s been too lived in, too loved in. Our rooms are cozy and warm and inviting, so I’m counting on…
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Wine, Writing & Romance
What’s more fun that doing a book-signing at a winery? Not much. My writing BFF Liz Flaherty and I did just that on Saturday and we had a ball. The good folks at Whyte Horse Winery, in the little lake town where Husband and I have our cottage, opened their doors to us and our readers. We had wine and snacks and books and wine and lemonade and wine and did I mention we had wine? It was wonderful getting to meet readers and answering their questions about writing. Our husbands acted as cashiers while we sold and signed books. Good buddy Maureen was a lovely hostess for us, setting…
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Cover Reveal!
Wow, am I in love with this cover for my new novel, A SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS, coming October 29 from Tule Publishing! Isn’t this gorgeous? Here is final version of the back cover blurb: Four Irish Brothers Winery A romantic new series by USA Today bestselling author Nan Reinhardt Winemaker and single father Conor Flaherty is determined to make this Christmas holiday special for his daughter even though his family’s winery, Four Irish Brothers, is facing some challenges. High-octane Chicago attorney Samantha Hayes is looking forward to some delicious food, fine wine, small town charm, and a break from her hectic big city life when she agrees to do a favor for her boss…
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Getting Older or Better?
Seems like this year, June is going to start out with an emotions overload. Yesterday was sister Kate’s birthday. She’d have been 67 and we lost her way too soon. I was so counting on becoming feisty senior citizens with my sisters, like my Nana and her sister Alice. They were so funny and got on one another’s nerves and loved each other with all their hearts. I thank God I still have PJ to make those kinds of memories with–we’ve promised each other we’ll live to an old age and drive each other crazy. I’m counting on you, PJ! Today is the celebration of life service for my friend…
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Staying in the Moment
On Wednesday, I posted this to the Word Wranglers blog–take a minute and read it. I’ll wait here. Oh, good, you’re back! Then today I read this article on a phenomenon called “phubbing,” which is the habit of snubbing someone in favor of a mobile phone. We’ve all done it. Some of us do it. I tend to do it most at breakfast because I’m tracking my food on my WW app or checking points for food or… okay checking to see what’s coming in the mail and yes, okay, checking Twitter and Instagram. I don’t have Facebook on my phone because I was spending too much time there. Starting…