As per always, I had some fun clipart but I can’t figure out how to make it do what I want it to do and I’m out of time. Enjoy Santa floating in the clouds.
I’m going to be offline for a few days. Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone.
Enjoy your holidays.
Here are critter tracks across the back deck. They all look like kitties except for one. We have no pets. We do have raccoons and opossums wandering through our yard.
The big news of the week is that Heartbeat Braves received a *Recommended Read* review from Jayne at Dear Author.
I knew there was a reason I still hadn’t worked on my best of list for this year and this book is it. Yep, it’s going on it for a number of reasons but I’ll cut to the chase and say it’s one of the best overall books I’ve read this year.
–Jayne at Dear Author.
Self-publishing is personally satisfying but it’s tough to find readers and I appreciate Jayne giving the book a chance. I am thrilled that she liked it.
Now look at this cute kitty print, all clean and delicate.
Meanwhile, I am hammering away on Book 2. I also have a prequel story about Arnie and Linda in college that’s going to be a freebie with the newsletter. Luckily, I have a little extra time off for the holidays so in between family time and cookie time, I hope to get a bunch of work done.
Last weekend I finally watched a movie my husband recommended to me months ago. I’m not going to say the title due to potential spoilers. The movie wasn’t marketed as a romance but there is a super adorable romance as part of the story. The male lead was incredibly charming. We will call this character Peeta. (It’s not the Hunger Games.)
Husband had mentioned the story was a tear jerker, which is one reason I took so long to get around to watching it, so now I started fretting about Peeta. Then there are story developments and a love triangle happens. We’ll call this guy, Gale.
There were some valid reasons to root for Gale who was sweet and unsure of himself, but I was all team Peeta. I’m watching all these story developments: PeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeeta
Maybe I was supposed to feel tear jerky for Gale? Because there were story elements about that situation that were sad.
Meanwhile me: PeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeetaPeeta
Luckily, she picked Peeta. No tears were jerked.
Once I get invested in a romance in a story, that is all I can focus on. It doesn’t matter what else is going on with the story, my brain wants to see where the romance goes.
This is a very short list of some romance movies I love:
I love this movie. I was explaining the plot to a friend and his incredulity almost broke his face in half. “They’re in different times?” Yes. And I’m not even sure Sandra and Keanu have the greatest chemistry but I love the way they get to know each other through their letters. And I love the way Keanu drops in on her before she knows who he is. One of my go-to movies when I need to sit on the couch with fuzzy blanket and a glass of wine.
Last time I watched this I had to pause and rewind when I realized Lord Grantham is the one who asks Anna if she’s successful at acting in the dinner party scene. I love Hugh Grant in this movie. I made a Horse & Hound joke to a colleague not long ago and he did not get it.
During my last annual re-watch of this movie, I noticed it only had 2 stars. Only 2 stars!?!?! Who stars these things? This movie is so sweet. The performances, including Carroll O’Connor’s in his last film, are terrific. I love the old Italian guys at the restaurant. Four stars from me.
Jennifer Garner makes this movie work. I love the Thriller scene which by all rights should be cringe-worthy but I love it every time. Actually there are a lot of bits in this movie that are potentially creepy if you think about it too hard. Mark Ruffalo is good, too, as the confused, friend from 13.
Non-thematically linked photo of my dinner rolls before baking.
As a general rule I try to avoid comment sections, but recently I found myself in a comment section where a commenter was scolding the poster for using the term, American Indian.
I’m not in charge of what people are or are not supposed to say, but in my experience, Indians refer to themselves and other Indians, as Indians.
What is my experience? Tribal citizenship with lifelong social and cultural contact with my Tribe. I’ve been a legal professional involved with tribes and tribal organizations for over twenty years.
Personally, I don’t like the term Native American and avoid using it most of the time. I use a person’s nation if I know it. Otherwise, I use tribal, indigenous, or native. I refer to myself as Karuk.
What do others say about the issue? (I keep updating this since the links keep disappearing).
Native Times published an editorial that strongly supports referring to ourselves as Indians.
In an article updated Sep 13, 2018, Amanda Blackhorse interviewed a number of Native people. No consensus.
The FAQ from the National Museum of the American Indian says that Native American, Native, or American Indian are acceptable but generally people prefer to be called by their nation.
I have a Goodreads giveaway going on for a couple more days. Sign up and win. Info is here.
If you like to review books you can join Reading Deals and get a free copy of Heartbeat Braves there. Not sure how long it will be available so grab now.
Also, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! the ebook is on sale at all your favorite ebook sellers. So much sexy urban Indian romance for 99 cents. Don’t miss out.
I think I’ve finally learned my lesson and I’m doing a lot more Thanksgiving meal prep in advance.
Today I processed almost all the pumpkins and I made the pie crust and put it in the fridge. I’m making the pie on Wednesday.
I read a long thread about how it isn’t worth it to make your own pie filling.
I disagree.
One of the steps they talk about is cooking the pumpkin down. I have never done that. I slow roast the pumpkin then scrape it out of the rind and put it in a strainer lined with cheesecloth and let the extra juice drip out. It’s been so long since I’ve had canned filling, I’m not sure if this tastes better. But it’s bright orange so I like to think so.
Keep an eye out. I’m doing a .99 cent promotion on Heartbeat Braves the last week of November.
I’ve already admitted in the book’s endnotes that the models on the cover are not Indigenous. That’s standard stock art.
For my original plan, I envisioned hiring a photographer and taking photos for the first four planned books all at the same time. I had a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and an emergency plan and they all fell through. Most of the problem was finding models.
I had some connections but apparently young people hear “romance novel” and don’t come running forward to get involved.
I figured I could make do with stock photos. If you’ve ever search through stock photography (for example: istockphoto) for Indigenous people the selection is not wonderful. Just checking right now, it looks better than the first time I checked. There are great family type photos but after the first screen or two you start getting non-native people dressed up in headdresses and stereo-typical buckskin garb that makes my head hurt to see that even exists.
I had booked the cover artist months in advance so I had to make a decision so we went with the present photo. Holly did a fantastic job. The final project looks great. I was afraid I would be disappointed with it.
I am actively looking pro-quality photos of cute native couples. I’ve you’ve got something, get in touch via the contact form. I’d love to work with you.
Crooked Rock is finally here! Who needs more sexy Indians in their life?
Here’s the blurb:
There’s never a dull moment at the Crooked Rock Urban Indian Center.
Rayanne Larson knows firsthand the struggles of native people. Working at Crooked Rock gives her the chance to do good work for Indians living in the city. She has high hopes for the Center’s progress until its new leader hands her special project over to his underachieving–and distractingly sexy–nephew.
Henry Grant’s life is going just fine. Though he knows rez life, he’s always been an urban Indian. He has no interest in the Indian Center job his uncle pushes on him. That is, until he meets Rayanne. She’s attractive and smart, and like no woman he has ever met.
Rayanne is determined to keep her distance but when the Center faces a crisis, the two of them are forced to work together and she can no longer ignore the sparks between them.
Purchase links:
Kindle | Nook | Apple | Kobo | Paperback
Enjoy!
Bookmark/stickers are here. We’re getting closer.
The window next to my desk needed to have the caulk fixed.
This has been on my list for months. I set all the stuff I would need on a shelf next to the window to remind me to do it.
I also needed re-caulk a small strip in the bathtub. That one was easy, so when I was finished I was all heady with my ability to caulk and decided to do my window.
I figured it would be quick. One hour and I would be done.
Well, in the process of removing the old caulk, I flaked off a big strip of paint. Trying not to panic, I tried to clean that up and I gouged a chunk out of the drywall.
Then I had a project. It wasn’t dire. I knew how to fix it but it involved finding things like drywall spackle and tools. And I had to find something to cover the floor. Then I had to find the paint. After considering how dangerously I wanted to live I had to find my painting clothes.
It took most of the day but it looks nice now and hopefully I did the caulk right and will enjoy a better seal on my window.
Here’s the update: I have the edited manuscript and am putting the final touches on it. You can read an excerpt from Chapter 1 here.
There has been a delay in the cover, so we don’t have a publication date yet. I’m aiming for the first half of November.