Saturday, December 31, 2016

New Year

It's that time of year. You know what I'm talking about, right? The time of year when you decide to make all these New Year's Resolutions and swear you'll stick to them, and most likely will for the first month or so, before you slowly just forget about your resolutions all together. Yup, it's that time of year! Though, I will admit I've been pretty good in the last couple of years about keeping mine, surprisingly enough. 

So here we go. My New Year's Resolutions for 2017:
  1. Be happy 
That's it. I could make a list of 25+ which I have, but I noticed every item on that list all goes back to number one. It's simple. If I want to read more then I will. If I want to hit 10k steps a day and eat better then I'm going to do that because it'll make me happy. Not because I wrote it down in a notebook one night when I decided I wanted to make a million changes in my life.

There's no point in making a list of resolutions if something on that list won't make you happy. All resolutions should bring you back to number one and if they don't then they shouldn't be on your list. Your own happiness should always be the foundation for everything you do. If you are happy then you are unstoppable and nothing can keep you from achieving everything on your own list.

So for this new year, 2017, my ultimate resolution is to be happy.

Happy New Year! I hope 2017 treats you great! 

Monday, December 12, 2016

Coming Home to You is now Available!

Finally, after the long wait, Coming Home to You is available on Amazon and is free for those of you who have Kindle Unlimited!

Coming Home to You is the second book in the Home series and follows Katie, Anna's best friend from Home is Where You Are, and Seth, Anna's brother. Katie is a character I fell in love with while writing Home is Where You Are and I am so happy to finally bring you her story!

Blurb:

After getting evicted, Seth finally decides to grant his sister's wish and return home. Filled with bad memories, and holding the burden of a secret that's not even his, he goes back to the place he swore he never would.

His first night home a loud thump awakens him. When he goes to investigate he finds Katie, the one girl who was always off-limits, falling through his living room window.

Katie spends her days cutting class and her nights getting wasted so she can forget reality. On the outside, everyone thinks she’s happy being the life of the party, but on the inside she’s lonely and broken. She’s about to flunk out of school and become a nobody when her best friend's brother, and boy she has loved for years, comes back home.

Two broken souls burned by those who were supposed to love them most find solace in each other. Will they be able to help one another heal before the past destroys them both?

~Exclusive Excerpt~ 
(One of my favorite scenes)



“I wasn’t trying to make you jealous.” The blue of her eyes melts into the gray, creating a dark storm. Her lip curls back, but instead of saying anything, she pivots on her heel and walks away. 
I run after her and jump in her path. “Then what the fuck do you call it?”
“What do I call it? I call it having fun. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
Her eyes narrow, and I know she’s referring to the night when she tried to kiss me. She just doesn’t get it. She thinks I’m just going to kiss her like every other fucking guy out there. Doesn’t she realize I want it to be more? That I don’t want to treat her like something I can have. She’s too precious to just be given to me. I want to work for her, prove to her she’s more to me than a means to an end.
“Maybe I don’t want fun.”
“God forbid.” She goes to push past me, but I grab her waist and pull her back.
There are so many thoughts running through my head, and I can’t focus on just one. Words bounce around just out of reach and before I can grab hold of some she shoves at my shoulders.  “Maybe it has nothing to do with fun and just has to do with who you have fun with.”
A disappointed sadness crosses through her dark stare. Does she honestly believe that?
“You’re reading it all wrong.
“Then what the fuck do you want, Seth?”
I tighten my hold on her waist and pull her against me. She stumbles slightly and places her hands on my chest. Her eyelashes flutter as she peeks up at me, her teeth slide over her bottom lip, and it takes everything I have not to kiss her right then and there.
“I want you.”
She sucks in a surprised breath, and the storm in her eyes simmers down. “Then why won’t you kiss me?”
“Not like this. When I kiss you, I want you completely sober. I want to make sure you will remember every touch of my lips against yours. Every ragged breath you inhale and every sensation that runs through you when our tongues meet for the first time. I want you to know that when I kiss you it’s because there is nothing I want more in this world. That I’m not doing it because I can, but because I feel like I earned the right.”
I run a finger down the skin of her neck, savoring every soft inch. She shivers against me.
“I want you to forget every other kiss you’ve ever had and know the only kiss that has ever mattered to me is the one with you.”
 

You can buy the ebook now on Amazon or read it for Free if you have Kindle Unlimited!
The paperback is coming soon! 
Make sure to add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!

~Happy Reading!~

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Unanswered Questions

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead. If you haven't watched the Gilmore Girls Revival then stop reading and step away!  
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

From the minute the Gilmore Girls Revival was announced, I couldn't contain my excitement. Seriously, it was marked on my calendar and my day was cleared. The anticipation was killing me. I loved watching the trailer and trying to figure out what journey Amy and Daniel would send my beloved characters on. I analyzed every second of that trailer, every Instagram picture that was posted, every Facebook post, and every interview. I was more excited for this revival than Thanksgiving, my second favorite holiday, and Black Friday.
The morning came and I plopped down in front of my laptop with my big cup of coffee, of course, and began the journey. I cried far more than I expected and went through an entire roll of toilet paper as the tears wouldn't stop rolling down my cheeks. I had to pause and step away several times because it was making me very emotional. Every time Richard was brought up I bawled. Not just for what the characters were going through or for the loss of a beloved character, but because it hit so close to home. My grandfather passed away in 2008 and those emotions are still raw. I watched my grandmother go through exactly what Emily is going through and it ripped me apart. She still sleeps with a picture of him and you can still see the pain she harbors with his loss. It was hard to go through that again. 

Another thing that hit close to home for me was Rory herself. I will be 32 just like Rory in a week and there are days when I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. Days where I feel like I'm floating by and hoping something will happen that will steer me in a direction. Some moment that will let me know I'm on the right path for my career and things will work out. I'm surrounded by friends who have kids and are successful yet I feel like I'll never get there. I'll always be that girl who can't find her underwear. 

At least I'm not someone's side piece though. I found my soulmate and that makes the rest easier to bear. I wanted that for Rory in this four part series. I wanted her to find her soulmate. Team Logan, Jess and Dean have been rooting for their pick for so long and we were all let down. I was Team Logan from the day he appeared on the show, but now I'm not so sure... But it makes me wonder. Maybe Rory already has her soulmate and it's not a guy. Maybe her soulmate is and always will be Lorelei. 

I was hoping the revival would help bring things to a close that I felt were missing from the original series finale, but unfortunately I'm just left with a million more questions. At least in the original I had a sense of closure. A sense of where everybody was headed. Now, I'm not so sure. 

So here is a list of questions that ran through my head during the revival:
  • Why don't we get to meet Michele's husband?
  • Does Michel leave? Did Lorelei offer him more? What is the Dragonfly Inn without Michel? 
  • Who left that letter for Emily and what did it say? Why did they leave this letter?
  • How did Petals wind up at Lorelei's and Luke's at the end when Kirk points out earlier she's not there?
  • If Rory is jobless and broke, how can she afford to fly back and forth to London?
  • How is Rory broke? Didn't she have a trust fund? Wouldn't Richard have left her even more after his passing? I mean he left money to Luke for crying out loud.
  • How can Jess just sit there and read while Kirk is having a meltdown?
  • Why was the town musical scene so long? I love Sutton Foster but my god...
  • Why wasn't Miss Patty involved in the town musical? She's their resident expert on performances. 
  • Why does Lane still look like she's a teenager? Seriously, I hate her!
  • What happens to Paris and Doyle? Do they go through with the divorce? Say it ain't so! They're the perfect couple. I wanted to see an explosive reunion maybe even with the help of Rory like in the college years.
  • What was Lorelei talking about in therapy when she continued to go?
  • Is her therapist the one who made her want to pull a Wild? 
  • How in four episodes did you manage to make me rethink my stance on team Logan when I have been team Logan from the beginning????? HOW???? WHY!?!?!?! 
  • Why would Rory agree to a no strings attached relationship with Logan when she's not that girl? 
  • Why didn't Jess and Rory hug when he stops by to see her at the Gazette? They state they haven't seen each other in four years. FOUR! I think that deserves a hug, don't you? 
  • Was Luke's hair real or fake?  
  • Why do we never get to see Odette? 
  • Rory is obviously still in love with Logan, and by the way he looks at her, he's clearly still in love with her, so it begs the question, why wasn't there ever a conversation? A moment where feelings were put out there? The conversation they do have is a bit half-assed and it felt like there were so many things left unsaid. Why not say them? If it was goodbye what did either have to lose? 
  • Was Lorelei always so selfish? I never noticed as much as I did in these four episodes. I started to get annoyed with her.
  • What was Lorelei's reaction to Rory's confession? I imagine she gets very upset and makes it about herself... 
  • Why the hell did Rory choose Lorelei's big day to tell her? Lorelei has been waiting for this moment for nine years and you just dropped a bombshell. You couldn't give her the day? 
  • Why didn't we get to see the wedding with all of their friends? The final episode of the series all the cast members were there to see Rory off and that's what I expected again. A celebration of these people and the town. Of all the things we love so much about Stars Hollow. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled they're finally married and the way they did it is more Luke and Lorelei, but I wanted to see the party. 
  • Who runs the secret bar? 
  • How did the old editor deliver all the papers? 
  • If Rory is working at the Gazette for free where is she getting money from? 
  • Writing a book doesn't guarantee a paycheck and even if it does, it is months if not years before you see any money. How is she going to survive in the meantime? 
  • What language is Berta actually speaking? 
  • Why was Emily letting that creepy guy come around? 
Other questions: 
  • Did the Lorelei and Sookie reunion fall flat for you? I wanted more excitement from Sookie. I wanted the bubbly over the top Sookie who was excited about everything. I felt like the Sookie I got is the Melissa McCarthy character she seems to play in every movie lately.
  • Is it me, or is Rory and all of her friends turning into their parents? Paris, Lane, Logan and Rory are all reminiscent of what we know about their parents. 
  • When did Milo V get so hot?
  • Why make Sutton Foster's character a smoker if she didn't inhale once and it just looked so awkward and unnatural?
  • Rory joined the DAR so wouldn't the women gathered at Emily's know her? Why didn't a single one say hi?  
I really do hope they make more episodes to bring this to a close. The last four words might have held more meaning ten years ago when they were meant to be said, but now it leaves too many doors open. They do bring the story full circle which seemed to be a theme throughout, but like everyone else, I want more.  I need more!

Hit me with it. Thoughts, feelings, tell me everything!

Monday, November 21, 2016

Christmas Movie List!!!!



I LOVE Christmas movies. ALL Christmas movies, including those cheesy Lifetime and Hallmark movies because let's face it they are the best! Every Christmas season...okay every November I start watching Christmas movies and I have a must watch list every year. It is not Christmas until I have watched every single one of them at least once! Because trust me when I say there is multiple viewings of these classics! The list is long, but if you're a Christmas freak like me I'm sure you'll be able to appreciate my crazy!
  1.  Elf 
  2. Home Alone
  3. Home Along 2: Lost in New York
  4. The Santa Clause
  5. The Grinch
  6. The Grinch Cartoon 
  7. A Charlie Brown Christmas
  8. Rudolph 
  9. Holiday in Handcuffs (You know the one with Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez. Christmas Gold!)
  10. A Christmas Story
  11. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation 
  12.  Scrooged
  13. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
  14. Frosty the Snowman
  15. The Christmas Ornament (Hallmark baby!) 
  16. A Princess for Christmas (Though I wasn't a huge fan the first time, but it has Sam Heughan in it so now it's a must watch and I have to admit it has grown on me!) 
  17. Trading Christmas (Another Hallmark movie brought to us by Debbie Macomber!) 
  18. Christmas with the Kranks 
  19. Any Hallmark movie with Candace Cameron Bure and Lacey Chabert
  20. A Very Merry Mix-up (Hallmark again!) 
  21. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (That's right! Another Hallmark winner!) 
  22.  The Holiday 
  23. The Family Stone (Even though I cry EVERY time) 
  24. A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (Don't judge me) 
  25. It's A Wonderful Life (So I haven't exactly watched this before, but every year I make a promise to myself that I will. This is the year I will finally stop promising myself and actually watch it!) 
What are some of your must watch Christmas Movies?

Friday, November 11, 2016

Mark Your Calendars!

Coming Home to You has a release date! 
Mark your calendars for a date with Katie and Seth on Monday December 12th! 

I've marked mine :)

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

It is that time of year!

Halloween has come and gone and with the clock striking midnight NANO season has begun! To everyone taking part in National Novel Writing Month Good luck! I'm hoping to jump in next week once I finish a current book I'm working on.

I once thought writing a book in a month was impossible, but it's not. You can do anything you set your mind to. Stay strong! Stay caffeinated! You got this :)


Thursday, October 27, 2016

2016 Reading List

    At the beginning of the year I started making the below reading list for 2016 for myself and I have added to it over the past couple of months. I have a thing for lists if you haven't already noticed. I was hoping to read most of these books by January and have already read a few (highlighted in red).

    YA and Adult Romance are my favorite types of reads so of course a few made the list, but I'm trying to force myself out of my comfort zone and read something different. If you follow my blog, you have heard about my attempt to read through the classics, and that struggle is a part of this bigger picture of me forcing myself out of my comfy little book world. Also, many of these books have been sitting on my shelf collecting dust, so I figure it's time to finally blow the dust off and crack them open.

    So here it is. My 2016 Reading List: 
    1. Harry Potter
    2. Harry Potter
    3. Harry Potter
    4. Harry Potter
    5. Harry Potter
    6. Harry Potter
    7. Harry Potter (Is there a reason lists always make this series one slot? There are a lot of books and they are not short! I think they each deserve a spot on a list! I should look up all the actual names but then I'll put it off and never post this like I've already done...)
    8. Catcher in the Rye 
    9. Jane Eyre
    10. Sarah's Key 
    11. The Fault in Our Stars
    12. Kitchen Confidential (by Anthony Bourdain)
    13. An Abundance of Katherines
    14. The Beautiful and Damned (by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
    15. Nanny Diaries 
    16. The Devil in the White City 
    17. Ugly Love (by Colleen Hoover)
    18. Wuthering Heights 
    19. Go Set a Watchman 
    20. The Moon and More (by Sarah Dessen)
    21. All the Light We Cannot See 
    22. On the Island 
    23. Daniel's Gift (by Barbara Freethy - So my Mom stops yelling at me for not reading it) 
    24. Middlesex
    25. Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt (Started it!)
    26. The Scarlet Letter 
    27. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    28. Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea (by Chelsea Handler)
    29. Divergent
    30. Across the Universe 
    31. Firefly Lane (by Kristin Hannah) 
    32. Girl Parts (by John Cusick)
    33. Beauty Queens (by Libba Bray) 
    34. My Life Next Door (by Huntley Fitzpatrick) 
      There's my Reading List for 2016! Have you read any? Are any on your reading list? What is on your reading list for this year?

    Friday, October 14, 2016

    Book Blitz: Don't Fall




    Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there with her husband, their four kids, three cats, and a perfectly overweight black lab. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.




    Connect with the Author here: 

    In this modern day retelling of Rapunzel, Anya has her books, her photography, and her daydreams. She doesn’t think she needs anything else.

    She lives in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother, who goes to extreme measures to keep her daughter safe. Anya doesn’t even go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Anya tries not to acknowledge her loneliness; she puts her efforts into pleasing her mom, and gives her heart to her stories, secretly wishing for a story of her own.

    Then one day at the library, the only place she's allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

    Before long she's lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she's ever cared about.





    To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 





    Wednesday, October 12, 2016

    ~COVER REVEAL~

    If you are signed up for my mailing list you had the very first look at the cover for Coming Home to You. For those of you who have not yet seen it, I am excited to show it to you today!

    Coming Home to You begins where Home is Where You Are left off. It is the story of Katie, Anna's best friend and Seth, Anna's brother and I can guarantee plenty of appearances from Anna and Dean as well as other beloved characters from Home is Where You Are.

    Make sure to add it it to your Goodreads TBR

    Coming Home to You (A Home Novel)
    After getting evicted, Seth finally decides to grant his sister's wish and return home. Filled with bad memories, and holding the burden of a secret that's not even his, he goes back to the place he swore he never would.

    His first night home a loud thump awakens him. When he goes to investigate he finds Katie, the one girl who was always off-limits, falling through his living room window.

    Katie spends her days cutting class and her nights getting wasted so she can forget reality. On the outside, everyone thinks she’s happy being the life of the party, but on the inside she’s lonely and broken. She’s about to flunk out of school and become a nobody when her best friend's brother, and boy she has loved for years, comes back home.

    Two broken souls burned by those who were supposed to love them most find solace in each other. Will they be able to help one another heal before the past destroys them both?

    Don't forget to add it to your Goodreads TBR.

    It will be releasing November 2016. Stay tuned for an exact date!

    Are you ready for the cover? I think I've made you wait long enough. Here it is:



    *Cover designed by the super awesome and talented Amanda Walker PA & Design Services - Authors she's amazing to work with if you need a cover!


    Home is Where You Are also had a little bit of a makeover. 
    Let's see them side by side: 


     Eep! I love them so much! Aren't they pretty? :)

    Monday, September 26, 2016

    Broken Records is Live!




    Broken Records is live on Amazon!!! It is also available for free 

    Here's the blurb: 
    Ethan Davis just inherited one of the most successful record labels in the country—a dream come true to any neglected son. If only he didn’t have such a strong hatred toward music.

    Paige Teller is running, dying her hair and changing her name to escape the giant mistake she made back home. The internship at Broken Records was the perfect place to start over, even if the new CEO has a giant stick in his ass.

    As Ethan tries to navigate the waters of running a company, Paige fights her way up the corporate ladder, yearning to prove herself. Using each other as a distraction softens the increasing amount of stress, but when a disgruntled employee starts a media frenzy, Ethan and Paige have to work together to save the label.
    Recommended for 18 and older

     A little teaser:


    Don't forget to add it to your Goodreads TBR! 

    Saturday, September 10, 2016

    The Ultimate Fall Bucket List


    Fall is my favorite season. I look forward to it and dream about pumpkin spice, crisp air and warm cozy sweaters. So of course I try to squeeze in as much fall fun as I possibly can during what I feel is the shortest season. If you're a follower of this blog you know my obsession with lists and how every season I make a new bucket list. This year I have a little more time on my hands and have decided to go big and do as many things as I possibly can. So here it is. My Ultimate Fall Bucket List:

    1. Decorate inside for fall (leaves, scarecrows, leaves, pumpkins and more leaves) 
    2. Go pumpkin picking 
    3. Watch Hocus Pocus 
    4. Read as many R.L. Stine books (Goosebumps, Fear Street) as possible 
    5. Watch a scary movie (Any suggestions)
    6. Get lost in a corn maze 
    7. Try a new winery 
    8. Spend a day on the North Fork of Long Island 
    9. Make mulled wine 
    10. Carve a pumpkin 
    11. Go for a long scenic drive up north 
    12. Cozy up with a blanket and a good book outside 
    13. Have a cup of hot apple cider 
    14. Take daily walks and notice the changes in the trees 
    15. Enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte 
    16. Make pumpkin bread 
    17. Watch Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin 
    18. Eat a caramel apple 
    19. Burn all the pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon candles
    20. Go Hard Apple Cider tasting 
    21. Sit around a bonfire 
    22. Start wearing scarves with every outfit 
    23. Make something with apples (Apple cake, apple pie, apple muffins) 
    24. Enjoy a pumpkin beer 
    25. Eat a caramel apple 
    26. Roast pumpkin seeds 
    27. Try a new Octoberfest beer 
    28. Stay warm in an oversized sweater 
    29. Make homemade soup 
    30. Go apple picking (Even though Eric said absolutely not since I never use all the apples and usually throw them out...) 
    31. Eat a pumpkin cream cheese muffin
    32. Donate to a food drive 
    33. Break out the Uggs! 
    34. Visit the Gillette Castle in Connecticut 
    35. Go for a bike ride 
    36. DIY fall/Halloween craft 
    37. Indulge in a slice (or two) of pumpkin pie 
    38. Eat one too many apple cider donuts 
    39. Watch Casper 
    40. Make Halloween themed food on Halloween
    41. Watch the Addams Family  
    42. Read a Stephen King book 
    43. Overeat at Smorgasburg in Prospect Park, Brooklyn
    44. Go on a nature walk 
    45. Make a scarecrow 
    46. Give out candy to Trick-or-Treaters 
    47. Attempt to make chili (even though I don't eat it...)  
    48. Watch Halloween Wars on Food Network 
    49. Decorate the front porch with mums 
    50. Black Friday Shopping online

    Wednesday, July 27, 2016

    Someone I Used to Know: A novella is live!

    Someone I Used to Know: A novella is live!

    If you missed out on the Get Lucky Anthology now is your chance to meet Charlotte and Hunter.
    http://amzn.to/2a0j3H4

    Excerpt:

    It had been five years since I was forced to spend my Spring Break with my parents at their friends’ lake house. Five years since I had to put up with their annoying son, Hunter Davison, who thought throwing frogs at me and watching me scream was the greatest activity since tubing. 

    Unfortunately for me, this year, the annual Robotics Camp was cancelled because Mrs. Langston had to go and get pregnant. I’d so much rather be working with machines than spending my week in a technology-free zone with a frog thrower. 

    I put my worn copy of Wuthering Heights down, and stretched my legs out as best as I could in the backseat of Dad’s Subaru without kicking my little brother, Joey. It had been a long drive from New York to North Carolina and, while I wasn’t exactly looking forward to our destination, I was looking forward to standing again. 

    Mom rolled down the window, and my dirty blonde waves instantly got sucked into the whirlwind. She inhaled deeply. “Can’t you just smell the fresh air?” she exclaimed. 

    “All I smell is Joey’s feet,” I mumbled. 

    “My feet don’t smell!” Joey yelled and then proceeded to stick both of his oversized feet in my face. I wrestled with his dingy socks, trying to get them as far away from my nose as I possibly could.

    “Mom, tell him to stop!” I called out, and landed a good smack on his leg. 

    “Knock it off, you two,” Mom said and, with one last thrust of his foot toward my nose, he finally retreated to his side of the car. 

    “Real mature,” I groaned. 

    “I’m ten. What’s your excuse?” he said, with his signature smile that could have an old lady pinching his cheeks in seconds. 

    I looked at him, his blond curls a complete disarray on his head, and laughed. I reached over and rustled his hair which won me a few arm smacks before I put my hand back in my lap. My brother could be a royal pain in the butt, although, for some reason, I still loved the little dweeb. 

    “We should be there in a few minutes,” Dad said, and I think it was the first words he uttered since we got in the car. He was a man on a mission, and I doubted we would have even stopped if it wasn’t for Joey whining that he had to pee for twenty minutes straight.

    “Yay!” Joey exclaimed. He had been coming to the Davison’s lake house with my parents for the past five years and had become close to the Davison’s youngest son, Parker, who was only a year older than him. According to Mom, once we pulled into the parking lot of the Davison’s, I would barely see either of them. Which was fine by me. It was bad enough I had to spend my Spring Break in the middle of nowhere. The last thing I wanted was to have to entertain a ten and an eleven-year-old.