My Dream Vacation= Meet the Author Open Book Blog Hop

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Hello everyone! IF you got here by way of  Stephany Tuliss’ blog, glad you survived the hop Did you check out her books while you were there? .No? Well, you should! You can tahe a peek at Stephany Tullis. And it’s great how well her cover fits in with my post this week!





Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.
This week’s topic :What’s my dream vacation?


I’m lucky enough to live within a few hours drive of several different mountain ranges, parts of the Rocky Mountain change. I spend as much time as I can in the mountains, but always in places you can get to by road. 

So it may seem strange, but what I’d like to do for my vacation is spend even more time in the mountains. Not in one of the spots I normally go to, however. What I’d like is to have a outfitter take me by horseback to some high mountain lake where very few people get to go.






I know they are used to taking people fishing on those trips, but my goal is not to catch fish.
It’s to sit by the lake and write, at least during the day. Go for a walk if I felt like it, maybe even read a book. At night I want to sit and stare at the campfire, watch meteors flash through the night sky, and listen to the night sounds. The logs popping in the fire, the fish jumping in the lake, the bugs chirping, maybe even a wolf howling in the distance.





Sure, I’d be without a computer or internet access, but that would be okay. I’ve written entire books by hand before. I’d have to be sure to take plenty of paper with me. Not that I’d expect to get an entire book written in a week, but it sure would be nice to have the opportunity to write without worrying about the household chores. The outfitter would be responsible for the meals, even if was just canned chili and some plain old white bread. Hush, I know it’s not nutritional balanced. I’ll have some fruit for desert, all right?


I might not be as productive as I planned in those dreamy days high above the timberline. I might spend too much time staring at the water, watching the water skippers float across the surface and the dragonflies bouncing from plant to plant along the shoreline, but that’s okay. I’d be refreshing my soul.






You say spending my time writing doesn’t sound like a vacation? For me, it would be. I’d get to mix two of my most favorite things to do. Now that’s a dream vacation.


Do you want to find out what author Kelly Williams would do for vacation? Check it out here:
Kelly Willliams. Make sure you check out her books while you’re there. Hope to see you again next week!





#OpenBook #Vacation  #Mountains

Crafty Things – Meet the Author Open Book Blog

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Welcome everyone! If you came here by way of Lela Markham’s   blog, thanks for making the hop.  Hope you took a minute to check out her books. If not, it’s not to late. You can check out her author page on Amazon HERE.




Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.’
This week’s topic: Topic: Are you crafty? Do you like DIY projects? Would you like to be? Share some projects you’ve done.  It could be gardening, crafts, home repairs/remodels, turning a door into a headboard, creating a light fixture out of a crate (I know a stretch), anything.



I think you can already see where I’m going with this post. I’m into needlecraft. Everything on this post is my work. (Except the book covers!) Sure, most of the ones I’ve posted are from kits, but that’s because I’ve given away a lot of things I’ve made to special people in my life that were not kit-based. And I didn’t keep pictures of them.


Oh, you thought those were paintings? Nope. They are all done with yarn. Well, the ones you’ve seen so far are.If you zoom in you can see the individual stitches.Several different techniques were used in these samples of my work.


The lion is done with a technique known as longstitch. It’s done on a fabric canvas, and one stitch can cover several squares. It’s done in a vertical fashion, unlike the next project. That’s traditional needlepoint, and the stitches are made in a diagonal pattern. (Continental stitch) It’s also done on a fabric canvas, and each stitch covers one of the “intersections” of the canvas threads. Yes, folks, that’s a lot of stitching in that project. Also a lot of variations of the colors used. I had to make sure I worked that one in good lighting so I didn’t mess up the shading.

The unicorn pillow is a combination of needlepoint techniques. It uses the standard stitch (continental) like the pansy picture, but it also uses satin stitch and french knots.If I recall correctly, it also uses a stem stitch and an outline stitch, It was inspired by a kit I made for someone else, but I liked the design so much I copied it and made on for myself.

Before I go any farther, let me apologize.  A photographer I am not. And it’s difficult to get a good shot when the object is hanging on the wall in an odd spot. But I did the best I could.





The eagle and the two pillows are a different style of needlecraft known as crewel embroidery. It’s done with yarn on a special cotton fabric. You can create different effects by using different of kinds of stitches. The eagle only used about four kinds of stitches, but the pillow below used about a dozen. There are many different kinds of stitches you can use—there are entire books filled with the instructions for how do the numerous variations.

Let’s move on to another category, one that perhaps people are more familiar with. Embroidery. It’s done with special thread (floss) on cloth. You’ve all seen items that are machine embroidered, but I do my stitching by hand. What you see below is one corner of a very large tablecloth. Large enough that if I tried to fit it into a picture, you’d lose the sense of detail. It took me five years to complete this project. Yes, five. Granted, I did some smaller projects during that five years when I got tired of this one, but I never gave up on it.


This is my most recent project—a baby quilt I embroidered for my grandson. It’s done in cross-stitch—stamped, not counted. The request for the quilt was the second thing out of my daughter’s mouth when she told me she was pregnant. I’d made one for each of my kids, as well as several nieces and nephews, and there was no way possible she wasn’t going to get one for her baby.She didn’t even need to ask. It only took me about five months to do. I’d allowed myself more time than that, but he came early and I put aside my writing to get it done before he came home from the hospital.



I’m not working on anything right now so I can’t show you any works in progress. I’ve been concentrating on my writing as my creative outlet. But if you want to know more about these crafts, there are lots of books available.If you know how to thread a needle, you can buy a basic kit and start there. The kit will include instructions.

Find out what author T.L. Clark does besides write. Check out her post at T.L. Clark.  Don’t forget to check out her books while you’re there!

Cooking with the Authors- Open Book Blog Hop

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

 If you came by way of Stephany Tullis’s blog, glad you survived the hop over here! Did you check out her books while you were there? If not here’s your chance..Stephany’s books  But don’t forget to come back when you’ve had a look-see!

This week’s top is food: share a recipe or two and why you love it. Where did you get the recipe or from whom?

I’m not a fancy cook. I like to keep things simple and easy.I also don’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I have other things to do—like write my next book. (Hint: The Free Wolves are back!) But I’m a fan of comfort food, and this recipe will do the trick. I actually forget where this recipe came from—no, it’s not an old family recipe, I think I found it in the Intranet.

Preheat oven to 350°
Ingredients:
1½ lbs hamburger
1 egg
1 pkg dried beefy
mushroom soup
1 cup bread crumbs (or
substitute crushed saltine crackers)
1/3 cup water
2 cans condensed Golden
Mushroom soup
Mix the above
ingredients. If you want to make a slightly smaller amount, use 1 lb
meat, and use only about ¾ cup breadcrumbs while leaving everything
else the same. I usually don’t change the amount of water. If you want a little extra zing, add about 1/2 of a green bell  pepper.
Put the mixture into an
8×13 pan (or smaller if you want) and form into a loaf. Use one can
of the condensed soup to coat the loaf. The original recipe I had
said to do this halfway through cooking, but I do it before I put the
meat in the oven and it works out great.
Total cook time for the
meat is 1 hr. Ten minutes before the meat is done, it’s time to
make the gravy with the other can of soup. Put the condensed soup in
a saucepan and add about ½ can of water. Take the meatloaf out of
the oven and add the drippings from the pan to the soup mixture. (if you’re using lean burger there won’t be much in the way of drippings. That’s okay.) Return the meatloaf to the oven and finish cooking.
Heat the
soup/water/drippings mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
This will be your gravy.
Serve with garden
salad, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable of your choice, and you’ve
got an easy meal. You’ll notice it uses no tomato, which is great
for folks with “delicate” stomachs, but you don’t lose any
flavor.
Fair warning: the hardest part of this recipe is finding the Golden Mushroom soup. Not everyone carries it. So plan ahead and keep your eyes peeled when you’re in the soup section of your favorite grocery store.

Now, because of the cook time, I usually only make this recipe during cold weather, which means I haven’t made it for awhile. But just remembering how good it tastes has my mouth watering. Happy eating!

To find out was PJ Fiala is cooking, head over to her blog at PJ Fiala, Don’t forget to check out her book page while you’re there. And maybe we’ll see you back next week.

Open Book Blog Hop – Music to Live By

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.






If you’ve come this way from PJ Fiala’s blog, hi! Did you have a chance to check out her books while you were there? If not, head over to her Amazon page PJ Fiala and then come back here! Please and thank you! 
And if you come from somewhere else, nice to see you!




Now for this weeks question:
Let’s talk music. What do you like? What are your favorite songs? Band? 


I may have mentioned this before, but some people might consider me an old fart. I actually remember when the Beatles first hit it big. I didn’t quite understand why the older girls on the school bus got so excited just talking about them, but I did enjoy their songs. 



I was introduced to a lot of other music from various sources as well. My mother enjoyed Frank Sinatra and Big Band Era musicians. My father liked country and western (And it was Country and Western back then, not just Country) My older brothers were into some of the early rock bands. 

Later my awakening to the singer-songwriter movement and anti-war protest songs happened. At the same time, my school was teaching us the basics of classical symphonies. Quite a heady mix.

When I went off to college and met my soon-to-be-husband, he opened my eyes to yet another genre of music. I like to say he courted me to the music of John Denver, The Wings That Fly Us Home Elton John, and Pink Floyd. And that pretty much describes the interesting mix of music I still listen too—an eclectic mix of just about anything. I’ve even been  know to listen to rap on occasion, although  it’s rarely my first choice.

I like to listen to music while I write. Or while I clean house, or read, or drive or just about anything else else you can think of. It helps me to concentrate.I’m always discovering new artists and new songs to add to my list of favorites.

So if you ask me my favorite band or singer or song, it’s going to change depending upon my mood.But  my go-to answer for who’s my favorite singer is John Denver. I’ve got a large collection of his albums., everything from vinyl to DVD’s and everything in between. And my favorite song I’d name as Funeral for a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding) by Elton John.Love Lies Bleeding


I have to mention my love for various female singers. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Running For The DrunJoan Baez, Joni Mitchell  and Janis Joplin to name some of them. There are plenty more—Adele, Amy McDonald, Stevie Nicks and The Cranberries. I appreciate women who don’t feel like they have to flaunt their bodies to get people to listen to their songs.

Want to know what Traci Wooden-Carlisle listens to? Head on over to her blog at here: Traci  Don’t forget to check out her books while you’re there.

New Release-Doctors in Hell

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I’m please to welcome to welcome Janet Morris and the newest release in her Heroes In Hell Series, Doctors in Hell.

Damned souls wail as plagues wreak havoc, doctors up their fees, snake-oil salesmen make a killing, and Satan turns his hit-man loose. Be there when Erra, the Babylonian plague god, and his 

seven personified weapons, spread terror throughout the underverse! 

Rookie authors write prescriptions for perdition, while veteran hellions diagnose the damned: Deborah Koren, Andrew P. Weston, Janet Morris, Joe Bonadonna, Matthew Kirshenblatt, Chris Morris, Michael H. Hanson, Rob Hinkle, Jack William Finley, Bill Snider, Richard Groller, Paul Freeman, Nancy Asire. 


Victor Frankenstein and Quasimodo develop a vaccine — with diabolical results… 


Satan looses Daemon Grim, the Devil’s personal hit man, and damned souls cower… 


Bat Masterson finds himself caught between plague victims and Wyatt Earp… 


Judas learns you can’t teach an old dog new sins… 


Calamity Jane and her Sinchester carbine defend hell’s last uninfected outpost… 


Nietzsche and Lilith, Adam’s first wife, face the Beast and come to fiendish accord… 


Doc Holliday tries one last gambit, and unleashes all hell’s fury… 


And there’s worse to come, even an excerpt from bestselling author Andrew P. Weston’s forthcoming Heroes in Hell novel! If you think life is tough, try the afterlife, where the doctor is always wrong, sinners never win, misery runs amok, and all hell’s damned get their just deserts — eternally.






Available on Amazon 

http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Hell-Heroes-Book-18-ebook/dp/B00Z753EX8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434849983&sr=1-1&keywords=doctors+in+h

Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 40 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. Her debut novel, written as Janet E. Morris, was High Couch of Silistra, the first in a quartet of character-driven novels with a female protagonist. According to original publisher Bantam Books, the Silistra quartet had over four million copies in print when the fourth volume, The Carnelian Throne was published. Charles N. Brown,Locus Magazine, is quoted on the Baen Books reissues of the series as saying, “Engrossing characters in a marvelous adventure.”
.
She created, orchestrated, and edited the Bangsian fantasy series Heroes in Hell, writing stories for the series as well as co-writing the related novel, The Little Helliad, with Chris Morris.


Open Book Blog Hop- Diet & Exercise

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.


If you came here from PJ Fiala’s blog, hello! And if you came via Facebook or Twitter or somewhere else, welcome! If you haven’t checked out Patti’s books yet, you should. Her amazon page is here: PJ Fiala. Pt if you didn’t take the time to explore her blog, it’s Here.
This week’s question is:
Do you diet? Do you exercise? Tell us what you do to stay healthy.

Quick discloser: I work for an organization that stresses giving its employees the skills they need to live  a healthy lifestyle. We are even given “health coaches” to encourage us in our path to wellness as well discounts to health clubs. Our cafeteria offers foods for a nutritious diet, including a salad bar, along with more “traditional” cafeteria-type foods. I know what I should be doing.

So how much do I do? Not enough. I don’t smoke, I’ve given up soda and I’ve never been a coffee drinker, so I can check those bad habits off my list.

And I’m lucky. For many years, I was more than moderately athletic, and that has helped me stay in good shape even now that I’ve slowed down. I hate calisthenics, always have, but I walk whenever I get the chance. I’m in pretty good shape for an old fart.

I don’t “diet” but I do watch what I eat. My biggest problem is that I love to snack. And there isn’t much in the way of “healthy” foods that I like  to eat.

But I make an exception for blueberries.

It may be because I grew up in an area where, every August, my friends and I would go pick wild huckleberries. Even better, we knew of an abandoned farm with a few domestic blueberry bushes. Although we tried to take enough berries home to share with our families, we’d eat a good portion of our find as we were picking. So eating blueberries now reminds me of those happy summer days.

But I know my downfall. Like so many others, I love chocolate. Dark chocolate especially. Hey, it’s good for your heart, right?

So yes, there are still things I need to change to meet the standards that the health industry wants us to follow. But my motivation to do them is slim. And maybe someday I’ll regret not doing more. Or not.

To find out what Traci Wooden-Carlisle does to stay healthy, drop by her blog Traci’s blog. You can find her books on Amazon at Traci’s Amazon Author Page.

Open Book Blog Hop- Exclusive on Amazon?

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

For those of you who “hopped” here from Kelly Williams’ blog, thanks for coming. Did you check out her books while you were there? If not, you can find her author page on Amazon at Kelly on Amazon.






And howdy to everyone! 


This weeks question:is:

As an author, do you sell your books exclusively on Amazon or do you sell your books on  all platforms? Why or why not? Which platforms do you like best?


Before I started into the publishing game, I spent quite some time on authors’ loops on Yahoo, and this question came up—a lot. And I thought about it when I was ready to release my first book and gave it a try. As a new author, I hoped to get some traction from Amazon’s Kindle program,


Well, it didn’t work. I released Wolves’ Pawn in January, and in May (after a quick edit for some typos my early readers caught) I put it up on Nook, Kobo, and  iTunes. First day I had it on Nook, someone bought a copy. That cemented in my mind that I would never be exclusive again.


Then the Amazon Kindle program happened. And I was tempted. Very tempted. But other authors were having mixed results so I held off. I held off for several months. Then I put the book on sale over the Christmas holidays, and thought why not. So I pulled it off the other platforms and enrolled it in the lending program. I figured I couldn’t lose.






When I saw the first borrow, I got excited. That didn’t last very long.The book got borrowed 3 times the first month, and 2 times the second and third months. The good part is I earned more from the borrows than I did from the actual book sales per unit. The bad part? I have no idea how many sales I might have made on other platforms that same period if the book had been available elsewhere.


So my second and third books, The Oak Grove Mysteries, haven’t been Amazon-only releases. I won’t say never, but I have no plans to ever make them exclusive on Amazon. I may only sell a few on other sites, but to me every reader counts.Besides, I’m an old hippie, and I don’t believe in monopolies! 


Oh, if you want direct links to any of my books, see the “My Books” page of this blog. 





































So while I think the concept of Amazon’s borrow program is interesting, it didn’t work for me, although I do get most of my sales from there. But to find out if it worked for Stephany Tullis, head over to her blog and get her take on the question.  Stephany Tullis  You can find her Amazon author page at Stephany Amazon.






I hope you’ll come back next week for our next question!

Commencement Address- Open Book Blog Hop

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‘Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.’


 If you came here by way of Stevie Turner’s blog, I’m glad you made it. Did you check out her books while you were there? You can also find them on her Amazon page at Stevie Turner


Now on to this week’s question. If you were asked to give a commencement address for college graduates, what would you say?


Before I begin, I have a confession to make. First, I hate speeches. Most of them, anyway.If you asked me what was said at any of the commencements I’ve attended, I couldn’t tell you. I’m sure there were words tossed around about the wonderful future and the brightest minds, but I’m not 100% sure about that. My selective hearing went into Charlie Brown mode—you know, wah,wah,wah.




My second confession is that I didn’t want to be a speaker at graduation. My older sister was valedictorian of her high school class, and I think she gave herself an ulcer preparing and revising her speech countless times. I was pleased that I didn’t have to do it when I graduated.


So I’m not going to give you a normal speech. In fact, you parents out there might want to cover your ears. I suspect that you aren’t going to like what I’m going to say.


Dear graduates, be ready for life to kick you where it hurts the most. I have no doubt that you’ve worked hard to be out there today, wearing those hot robes and silly hats, and you think you’re ready to face the world. Maybe some of you already have jobs lined up and if so, congratulations. If not, good luck on the search. But remember, whatever you go next, you’re on the bottom of the pile again. You’re starting from scratch. Unless, of course, you’re lucky enough that you’re going to work for your mommy or daddy.






But the majority of you are going to be trying to scratch your way to the top again—or at least to somewhere in the middle. And just when you’re getting somewhere, there’s a chance that life will steamroll you back to the bottom again. But it will be easier the second time around, because of what you’ve already learned.


Also, remember no matter how smart you are, there’s someone smarter than you. Don’t be jealous of them. You’re still smarter than at least 50% of the people around you.


Okay, you parents who are pretending not to listen—you can uncover your ears now.


So I’d like to give you one—no, two pieces of advice. The first one is to be kind. Remember, everyone around you is in the same boat. A little kindness goes a long way. And I’m a firm believer in karma- if you do good for someone else, eventually, that good will come back to you. And hopefully it will be when you need it the most.


And the second piece of advice is well-worn but still relevant.. Life is a journey. If all you’re looking for is the destination, you’ve already lost the game.Take time along the way to look around. You never know who you will find. If you’re lucky you’ll find yourself.

So graduates, go out and do great things. Oh, and put down those cell phones once in a while. Yes, you. You know who you are. And so does everyone else.


To find out what Kelly Williams would say, visit her blog at www.BlueHonor.com/blog/. You can find her books at Kelly’s books.

JU Ephraime- Book Spotlight

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Today I’m pleased to host Ju Ephraime and her new release

Ephraime has written a paranormal love story that will have you rooting for the villain while sympathizing with the heroine and hero.

Title: Black Magic Man
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 11/14/14
Series: Prequel to White Magic Woman
Publisher: ENVISION Business & Computer School Publishing
Jean Louis is a sorcerer, who practices the Black Arts in a unique way. He lives on the Island of St. Lucia where he is pretty much in retirement from the Arts. When he accidentally spotted a woman who awakens the hunter in him, he did not fight it, but welcome the feeling she evokes in him, she made him feel alive and in charge of his game, as he used to be. That the woman was appeared to be happily married matters one iota to him. He sets out to make her his own, but he was in for the fight of his life, literally, because Solange/Lange was having none of it. Matters came to a head when Jean Louis enters her home and left her body and her mind in total chaos. With the help of her husband, Lange set about to destroy him using her knowledge of the Black Arts and that of her ancestors to bring about his demise in a blaze of fire.
“The Black Magic Man has it all! Suspense, romance, lust and passion, in a beautiful locale. What more could you want?”

Amazon: US / UK / AU / CA
His laughter could be heard on the night air as he found the woman’s house. He could not enter now, but no one could stop him from watching her, getting his fill of her. He would have her. She would be his exclusively, as it was meant to be… Patience, patience!
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Newsletter
Ju Ephraime began writing professionally at age 19; at that time, she wrote short stories for the local radio station in her hometown. She gave up writing to pursue her education and has since earned several degrees, including two Masters and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University in Boston. During the course of her schooling, she wrote and published a working curriculum for a career school, a business manual, and its answer key, as well as other literary work. In 2010, she revisited her first love, writing for fun and enjoyment. She writes high heat, steamy, romance novels. The first was State of Ecstasy in the LaCasse series, which was soon followed by, Temptation to Sin, Loving Therèse, #2 in the LaCasse series. Ju has gone on to write several more books, including, The Odor of Violet, on tour this month, Complete Surrender, #3 in the LaCasse series; as well as, a Christmas Novella, Footsteps in the Sand and her award-winning paranormal, White Magic Woman, Quarterfinalist in Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest, 2013, out of over 10,000 entrants.

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Celebrating the Summer Holidays-Open Book Blog Hop

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.


This week’s question:
How do you celebrate your summer holidays? Who do you celebrate with? Share your rituals, foods, customs and fun.


If you’ve hopped over here from Traci Wooden-Carlisle’s blog, welcome and thanks for coming!  I hoped you took the time to check out here books while you were there. If not, here’s a link to her Amazon page. Traci on Amazon




Now for this week’s question:
How do you celebrate your summer holidays? Who do you celebrate with? Share your rituals, foods, customs and fun.


I had to really think about this question because we don’t have what most people consider a tradition for our summer holidays. For a long time, my husband had a job that required him to work while everyone else celebrated. So I’d spend my days cleaning house, gardening, or working on whatever craft project was my current obsession.




But that’s changed now. With the kids grown and my husband no longer in that job, we have a lot more freedom to do whatever we feel like when we wake up on a holiday morning. Since we like to avoid crowds, we can hop into the Jeep and take off down the road with little or no planning, and go exploring down some side ride on a whim, without even consulting a map. And frequently, that’s what we do.








We do take our maps with us, so that when we hit a fork in the road, we have some idea where we might end up. We don’t always take the road less traveled, because sometimes what we hope to find along the way of the more traveled one is what we’re looking for. It’s amazing the beauty that exists in out-of-the way places.


So here’s some pictures I hope you’ll enjoy of the wild places in the Unites States. Yes, they still exist if you’re willing to take a chance on a back road in hopes of stumbling across them.


By the way, I should mention that these pictures were taken by my husband. He’s got a great eye for capturing what we see on our trips.



So what’s our tradition? Find a new road to explore, a new place to spend time in, a new adventure and maybe make some new friends on the way.





Before I leave you with one last shot, don’t forget to head over to Stevie Turner’s blog and see what her traditions are. You can find her at Stevie Turner. Don’t forget to check out her books while you’re there.