Friday Five for November 21, 2014

1. I'm so close to finishing my third and final D&D novella. I'll get some extra writing time this evening as my son is at a pajama party at preschool. I'll give it that ol' NaNoWriMo push. I have peanut butter cookies ready to be baked in celebration.

2. I had a few short story rejections recently. I have only one left out there in submission. I really need to write some new short fiction to submit. My first project: a Christmas flash piece for my local critique group meeting next month.

3. I don't know if it's old age, but I have developed a habit where I talk to the books I'm reading. Most of the time, I'm alone. I've never done this before. I surprise myself with it sometimes. I always imagined myself as the crazy old book lady. So I guess talking to books is a good start.

4. I ran out of chocolate this week. With all the writing I've been doing, my appetite has soared. My imagination must be getting a major work-out. I wish it translated into actual loss of calories.

5. My son has next week off school and we'll be visiting my in-laws, so it will be a partial vacation from the interwebs for me. Pop on by for an awesome sci-fi book review on Monday and a few D&D teasers on Wednesday. Have a great weekend!

Friday Five for May 16, 2014

1. I've been working hard on more revisions for WIP #1. I might have it done in time to query before the end of the month. My goal day to send out queries is the 28th. It's my son's last day of school. If I don't make the deadline, I'm going to attempt not to be too hard on myself. It's important to send out the best story I can, so if it takes a little more time ... I'll likely scream a bit and pout. Maybe eat chocolate and pout some more. Then I'll get right back to work and finish it.

2. I have a busy weekend ahead. A local writer's group meeting, a 5 year old's birthday party, and a school board end of the year party that involves wine and salad. Neither of which I like. I will go and smile and try not to look too awkward.

3. I've gotten a few great reviews these past few weeks for The 13th Floor Complete Collection and FEARLESS. It's wonderful to hear from my readers, and reviews like those can make a crappy day into a good one. A big thank you to everyone who has left me a review and who reviews other books. You are awesome!

4. Still waiting to hear back on some short stories and my geeky novella submissions. Waiting never gets easier, no matter how many years you've been writing.

5. Finally, here are the winners from my giveaway from the My Book Boyfriend Blog Hop! Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who entered. Have a great weekend!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Super Sweet Blogger Award

Here are the rules for accepting the Super Sweet Blogging Award:

1. Thank the Super Sweet Blogger that nominated you.
2. Answer 5 Super Sweet questions.
3. Include the Super Sweet Blogging Award in your blog post.
4. Nominate a bakers’s dozen (13) other deserving bloggers.
5. Notify your Super Sweet nominees on their blog.

Thank you so much to the super awesome Susanne Drazic for this great award! 

The Super Sweet Questions:
1. Cookies or Cake?   Both? Do I have to pick one? All right, cookies.
2. Chocolate or Vanilla?   Chocolate.
3. Favorite Sweet Treat?   Chocolate chip cookies.
4. When Do You Crave Sweet Things The Most?   At night after the boy is in bed.
5. Sweet Nick Name?    Cookie. (My junior leader name in Brownies.)

I love to share my sweets, so I'm handing out awards thick with frosting to anyone that would like to take it. Let us know what your sweet treat is!

Have a great Saturday!

The 13th Floor collection blog tour with Vetis, Goodreads Giveaway, & Creepy Freebies

The 13th Floor Collection blog tour continues!

Today my keyboard has been snatched by Vetis, the infamous villain from THE MARQUIS. How he convinced me to let him have his own guest post, I don't know. I'm easily tempted by chocolate, though.

Click on over to Elizabeth Arroyo's blog

to find out what Vetis has to say.

Along with the giveaways happening during the tour, I have a Goodreads giveaway going on for the entire month! (Does anyone know how to invite people on Goodreads to enter a giveaway?)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The 13th Floor Complete Collection

by Christine Rains

Giveaway ends October 31, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

 It's the first Friday of October. Yay!

Time for Creepy Freebies with Milo James Fowler.

Today you can get treats from these fantastic authors:

Erin Cole

Stoney Setzer
Rhonda Parrish

Milo James Fowler

What's Your Chocolate? Blogfest

Who doesn't love chocolate? It's one of my favorite things to indulge in. Thank you so much to M. Pax, Laura Eno, Brinda Berry, and Ciara Knight for this awesome blogfest.

The rules are simple: Post about your favorite chocolate – what it means to you, where and when you indulge, a favorite memory – anything chocolate-related.

It's so hard to pick just one thing. I love chocolate. Chocolate has been a part of my life since I can remember. It's a part of all my family holidays and sinful private moments. If we are what we eat, I'm made out of chocolate.

I'm going to go with my favorite treat: chocolate chip cookies. They've always been my favorite cookie. I love fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven. The melty chips nearly too hot to stand. The smell. Oooh, it's the perfume of the gods!

One of my favorite things to do with my Nana as a girl was to make chocolate chip cookies. We made them so often, I knew the recipe by heart by the time I was seven. Those were special times with my Nana in her little kitchen. I'm smiling just thinking about them.

(There's my Nana! And yeah, me too.)

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

Welcome to all my new followers!

And hello to you guys that have been around a while.

Chocolate for everyone!

 

I'm excited to be visiting my family in Canada this holiday.

It's been four years and a baby since I've been back.

I'll be gone for a week, and thus gone from the internet.

Please don't think I've forgotten about you or the Challenge.

I'll make up for it when I get back.

At least you have Abby and Demetrius to keep you company while I'm gone.