Disposal Release Blog Tour

The Lazy Housewife on Garage Grunge

In my home, there are several dumping grounds: a junk drawer or two, the kids' closets, my dining room, and the garage. Junk and stuff is so hard to keep up with. I don't want to just throw it away, but I don't have time to put it away properly, so I'll just put it here for a while till I can get to it... Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Well, this post is focused on the garage. It's a different kind of clutter. It's mostly filled with car stuff, yard stuff, miscellaneous machinery and tools, and toys/sporting goods. So here are my suggestions on having a clean garage:

• The key to having a clean garage is a timely PURGE. We try to get to it twice a year, as the seasons change between warm and cold. Every year more toys are donated or dumped as my kids get older. It only makes sense.
• The Fall brings lots of leaves and usually half a tree's worth ends up blowing into our garage. A BLOWER is a great tool for cleaning them out.
• I love organization. Most people have shelving units, tool racks, and bins for toys and shoes in their garage, but my hubs went a step above and built HIGH SHELVES over the garage doors for off-season storage. (We recently did a major purge as we are moving soon, that's why they look empty)
• HOOKS are also great for hoisting ladders, bikes and other stuff that's only used for part of the year, up and out of the way.

• Lastly, Christine asked about oil stains... I had to ask the hubs about that, the garage is his turf after all... He said de-greasers are good, but POWDER LAUNDRY DETERGENT and a scrub brush work pretty well too. For fresh spills, absorb as much as possible before cleaning.
• A fresh coat of PAINT is also a nice touch for sprucing up banged up walls and doors--like where our garbage cans sit.

Thanks so much for having me here and helping me shout out my new release, Christine.
Hope this was helpful!

DISPOSAL by Tara Tyler
Pop Travel, Book Three

Cooper and Geri are finally in a good place, but their bliss is short-lived when Cooper's rebellious nephew Jimmy moves in with them for a summer internship. He hits the town hard and thinks he's found the girl of his dreams in an fiery, exotic beauty. Against all words of warning, he pursues her and ends up getting kidnapped by her powerful Drug Lord father. Geri tracks him down, but gets herself kidnapped as well.

Now it's up to Cooper to use all his resources to save them, including the hot homicide detective Geri secretly despises, and the latest sketchy gadgets his genius friend Hasan offers him to field-test. Sure, why not? Cooper will do anything to get his family back.

KINDLE <=> Paperback (coming soon)

About the Author:
Tara Tyler is a math teacher who writes to share her passion for reading with others. She loves dogs, coffee, and is the lazy housewife, living in a world of boys with three sons and a coach husband. Join her for an adventure!

Pop Travel <=> Simulation

Book One           Book Two

@TaraTylerTalks <=> TaraTylerAuthor on FB <=> Tara Tyler Talks

To join in the celebration, take Tara Tyler's SURVEY- which will automatically enter you for a PRIZE! Drawing and winners announced on December 15th.

Review for Murder & Obsession

Blurb:

Detective Steven Quaid is ready for the new challenges as Anchorage’s top detective, but not until he marries the woman of his dreams on New Year’s Eve. Determined to give Sarah the wilderness honeymoon she desires, he turns his grandfather’s cabin into the perfect honeymoon retreat.

After the final details are complete, Steven treks into the mountains to hunt. On his return to the cottage, he’s greeted by several police officers and a bloody crime scene.

Accusations fly and Stephen flees into the wilderness. His heart racing and his thoughts No, not Sarah, etching onto his soul.

The wilderness is unforgiving, but Steven faces it head on, in the forms of a massive Grizzly and a black bear. Caught between the two, he barely survives their ‘tug of war.’

Found on death’s door by his uncle, Steven continues his investigation as he heals from multiple injuries. The answers don’t come quick or easy.

Enlisting the aid of his number one suspect, Steven’s led into yet another dangerous situation…

A sniper, who’s made a promise, he intends to keep.

The struggle this time is more than personal…

This one just may cost him his heart.

 

My review:

Detective Steven Quaid wants to give his fiancee, Sarah the Alaskan honeymoon she has longed for at his grandfather's mountain cabin. He returns one October day from hunting and finds several police officers at the cabin. Plus a horrifying crime scene that tears his heart from his chest. Steven flees into the wilderness when he's accused of killing Sarah. Between the bears and the harsh elements, Steven barely survives to start his own investigation. With the help of friends who believe in him, they peel back the layers of the crime to discover something even more frightening. Will he be able to find out what happened to Sarah or will the bears be the least of his worries as he digs deeper into this nightmare?

This third installment of the Detective Quaid Mysteries blew me away. The story is intense and the investigation goes deep. The reader is taken to amazing settings on this journey, and I felt as though I was there. Great details that are genuinely both beautiful and harsh. The characters match this rugged and lovely environment, and even with the big cast, each individual stands out in their own way. I really loved Sarah in this book, more so than the previous two. She still has her compassionate and mystical nature, but she's so much stronger now. Truly admirable. Steven is equal to her strength, pushing through what sometimes seems impossible. The author does love to torture her characters! Be prepared for a fierce adventure that will make you feel like you've had a run-in with a bear. And it will leave you wanting more.

 

Buy the book!

 

Find Yolanda here!

The Lazy Housewife guest post with Tara Tyler & Kyra Lennon's cover reveal for Everybody Knows

Who likes grocery shopping? Hmm, I don't see many hands. Well, I'm not so crazy about it myself. It's a chore. And if you have little ones with you, it can be downright painful.

Today, I'm offering some Lazy Housewife tips, not just on pain-free grocery shopping, but a couple of other trending mom helpers you might like to try...

1) Online Shopping - I was skeptical at first because I really don't like other people touching my groceries. But now that I'm working all the time, I have no time to grocery shop. My hub did it for a while, but he didn't want to take the time for it either, so this new service popped up at just the right time. A Kroger in my area lets you send them a grocery list and all you have to do is drive-thru to get it. They bag everything and put it all right into your car. It's fabulous! Drawbacks - sometimes things are out of stock (or don't try hard enough to find them...) and you can't pick things you wouldn't have thought of, but that could be a good thing, too.

2) Meal Parties - I'm not sold on this idea. I've been invited to a couple, but haven't gone yet. From what I understand, you have to bring a lot of the food already prepped, then you put everything together and bring it home. I was surprised that I had to make several items for my Tastefully Simple party, nevermind chopping stuff up then bringing it to someone else's kitchen to mix up, then bring it back home to cook it. Sure, cooking with friends sounds fun, but without the cooking part... I'll come and just hang out and watch.

3) College Student Nannies - I guess this isn't really that new, but I seem to know more moms or students who do it lately. It's a great idea for all involved, the moms, the kids, and the students. As long as it's a good fit and they have good references. I've heard stories from both sides...

I don't want to take up too much space, so I'll stop there. For more helpful tips, visit me and my really real housewife friends at The Really Real Housewives of America blog!

Thanks for hosting me, Christine! You're one of those super moms with a super kid to prove it!

SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper's latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

As if the case wasn't frustrating enough, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who's looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more, distinct new characters. Come along for the ride.

Available Now!

Amazon ~~ Barnes & Noble

Goodreads giveaway!

Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up... hence, she's also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.

tara tyler talks and tweets and facebooks

And don't forget the Rafflecopter!

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* * * * *

Cover Reveal

Title: Everybody Knows

Author: Kyra Lennon

Genre: NA Romance

Type: Second in series (Razes Hell Book 2)

Cover Design: Najila Qamber Designs

Photographer: Lindee Robinson Photography

Release Date: November 2nd, 2015

::::SYNOPSIS::::

Lucy Hayes has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to go on tour with the UK’s fastest rising rock band, Razes Hell.

Lucy Hayes has been in love with Razes Hell’s frontman, Jason Brooks, for as long as she can remember. While most women see him only as a rock god, Lucy sees the real Jason. But will that be enough to make him see her as the adult she is, or is she destined to remain the baby sister of his best friend forever?

When Lucy bags an invite to join Razes Hell on their Europe and U.S tour, she is under no illusions about where she fits in Jason’s life. She’s the girl next door, too young to ever catch his attention. However, when Lucy is the first to notice Jason’s struggle to keep his cocaine addiction in check while out on the road, the pair grow closer, and Lucy thinks she might be about to make her dreams come true.

But how can it ever work out? With an age gap against them, not to mention concerned family and friends stating their opinions, and the media turning something beautiful into something sinister, they are fighting an impossible battle.

Everybody Knows there’s something between Lucy and Jason, but will their feelings be enough to keep them afloat, or will their feelings tear apart everything they hold dear?

::::ABOUT KYRA LENNON::::

Kyra is a self-confessed book-a-holic, and has been since she first learned to read. When she's not reading, you'll usually find her hanging out in coffee shops with her trusty laptop and/or her friends, or girling it up at the nearest shopping mall.

Kyra grew up on the South Coast of England and refuses to move away from the seaside which provides massive inspiration for her novels. Her debut novel, Game On (New Adult Contemporary Romance), was released in July 2012, and she scored her first Amazon Top 20 listing with her New Adult novella, If I Let You Go in November.

:::::Connect With Links:::::

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads Author Page

Wicked Wednesday - and action!

One of my favorite parts to write in paranormal romances is the action scene. It plays out like a movie in my head and my fingers fly over the keyboard to bring it to life. It's not that easy, though. There are some important factors you have to remember while writing action scenes.

They're fast-paced. Things are going to happen faster than your protagonist can process them, especially with beings who have supernatural speed. Use short sentences and dynamic verbs. They will convey the urgency and intensity of the situation. No big descriptions. Only key details.

Know where all the characters are at all times. Blocking is vital. Don't try to describe everything. Tighten your POV. The action must be mechanically believable and written with precision. Your reader can easily lose track of what's going on if they can't visualize where the characters are in the scene.

There's a lot of witty banter in paranormal romances. Don't let the dialogue take away from the narrative tension. The less the better.

Make sure you use the psychological tension to your full advantage. How is your protagonist feeling? The panic, surprise, and horror. How do they react to the pain? Keep the stakes high. There's also a heightening of senses when the adrenaline starts flowing. Use them to your advantage in crafting a gripping scene.

Remember that every action causes a reaction. (Newton's third law of motion!) There must always be a follow-through on every level.

Not all action scenes need be fights. There's the chase, the challenge, and the infiltration scenes.

How are you with writing action scenes? What do you do to help you write them?

A to Z Challenge - O is for Obscene

This is part of one story through the month of April.

If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.

O IS FOR OBSCENE

Abby couldn't sit at the table any longer. Demetrius had all the subtlety of a rampaging ox. Yet for all his dramatic gestures and cliched lines, Myrtle Burrows was enthralled.

Excusing herself to go to the bathroom, Abby breathed out a sigh of relief when she entered the cafe's empty restroom. One of the lights flickered making a soft sizzling sound. She had expected to do all the questioning of Burrows, but the other woman would barely look her way. The fact her hands had glowed when she first met Burrows threw her off, but she hadn't meant for Demetrius to take it all over.

She sat down first of the two stalls. Abby hated seeing him behaving like that with another woman. She hated herself for feeling that way. She knew he was only acting. Besides, he made it clear he wanted her and she had turned him down. It was her own doing.

When Burrows met them in the cafe, Abby's hands didn't glow. She even shook the author's hand. Nothing.

It didn't make sense. The light flickered again and made her jump when it popped. Dark shadows settled in the stall with her. Only the single light over the entry door remained.

Abby shook her head and stood up. She should get back to the others. She was sure the answer was with Burrows. She walked to the sink and frowned as she saw her hands glow.

Looking up into the mirror, a hideous melted face grinned at her from the darkness in the far corner before it leapt at her. Abby didn't have time to scream as she whirled around, dropped low, and let her blades slide out. She slashed at the monster, but it flew up and over to rebound off the wall and come for her again.

She hissed with the pain in her ankle as she twisted and stood, holding her ground against the thing. It laughed lowly; the sound seemingly coming from all around her. A trick for amateurs.

Abby crossed her blades, and when the monster was near enough, she used them like scissors to cut through its skinny neck. The grotesque face fell to the right, but from within the ragged black robes, a second beast kept coming at her. It was like an obscene version of Russian nesting dolls.

It slammed into her chest and Abby fell back onto the tiled floor. She kicked up, sending it sailing to smack against the wall. She threw one sword pin it there, lancing it through one of the empty eye sockets. Abby was ready for the third monster when it launched itself out of the second's robes.

Standing and slipping on the floor, her swing missed and the thing grabbed her wrist with a bony hand. It smashed her hand against the sink, but couldn't force Abby to drop her sword.

"You're mine now. What a tasty meal you'll make." Its voice was a dry rattle, but its teeth didn't look old and brittle. Its mouth yawned, opening wider to impossible angles. 

The blade disappeared from the wall and emerged from Abby's free hand.

"I'm not on the menu." She jammed the blade up under the monster's chin and out the top of its head. No more came forth as it sank into a black mass onto the floor.