June Bugs!

Bugs, bugs, ewwwww, bugs!

Welcome to my June IWSG report. Summer is here! I love the writing time, and I'm getting a lot done already! But I hate the bugs...

WARNING - THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET GROSS!

One of the reasons I didn't want to move back to Florida was the exorbitant amount of bugs! 

For fun, I made a list of frequent flyers (haha) and crawlers:

Ants - oh so many varieties and big biters

Beetles just creepy

Bees & Wasps - I leave them alone, they leave me alone, right? 

Butterflies - the prettiest bugs =) 

Loud Cicadas lend to the tropical vibe. 

Love Bugs - tons this year, all over my car!

Leggy Bugs - centipedes, millipedes, eww!

Hoppers & Crickets - typical, no harm. 

Dragonflies - which are actually my favorite, they're pretty cool

Then there are the smaller and most annoying creepies: Mosquitos, Flies, Gnats, and No-See-Ums... I do like spiders and lizards who eat lots of buggies. Yay!

Back in Ohio, we could tell the month by the bugs:

May Flies, June Bugs, July Fireflies (some prefer Lightning Bugs) ooo pretty!, August Horseflies, September Ladybugs & Stinkbugs, October Spiders -- Then we were free from bugs for a good six months, as it should be.

All in all, it's not that bad down here, as long as we stay inside and keep up with the monthly pest control. We also have to be careful on our nightly walks. We find that sliver of time just before dusk when the sun is still in the sky, but the temp and humidity are going down. Too soon and we run into clouds of gnats, too late and beware the mosquitos!

Oh, but wasn't this supposed to be a WRITING post? Well, you know I'm going to tie it all together. I've been in a book club and so far, only one of the books has wow'ed me. I don't know about you, but as a writer, I tend to judge published writers more harshly. I've always been a picky reader, but I know good writing, and I have some really awesome writer friends. So when I read sub-par books from published authors, it's very annoying! 

So here are some things that BUG me about my recent reads and book club:

• predictability - I've always been good at this, but when I know who's going to die and who dun it in the first chapter, it's pretty sad
• too many tropes - sleepwalking, fake amnesia, hidden items in the floorboard, bratty kids
• characters I can't root for - hardly any of the characters have any redeeming qualities anymore. if I was in the book, I'd shoot all of them, but then I'd feel bad about it (redeeming quality, haha)
• everyone sleeps around - seriously, no one has any fidelity? at all?
• slow starts - where's the initial incident/hook?
• repetition - how many times are you going to say you don't remember what happened that night?

It's hard to pick a book for a group of friends to agree on, and I'm usually outbid... But if they pick another book about writers, I'm done! Egadz!

Well, I've gone over my time, so I'll wrap it up with the only book I enjoyed so far: It's Not Her by Mary Kubica - great twists and surprises - hard to predict! Did not disappoint. I recommend it.

Would love to hear any recos from you!!

On my own, I also read Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. If you like sci-fi, this is a fantastic book - an amazing story, endearing characters, and brilliant imagination! (now a movie, of course. can't wait to see what they do with it)

Happy June! Happy Reading & Writing!

via GIPHY

Anyone else HOT?!

Well, it's full-on summer, and you know what that means...

Hot fun in the sun! And we get to go back out and enjoy it. At least I hope you can where you are. I'm going to ignore all the nastiness in the world because I don't like to get into that here. This is a place for  encouraging each other, spreading good news, and ranting about writing ONLY. So Happy July IWSG Day!

Summer is my time to WRITE. I don't get to devote much time to writing while I'm teaching, planning, and grading papers during the school year, so I go nuts in the summer. I'm very happy that I got to finish a couple of rounds of edits on CONDUCTION, Pop Travel #4 with a super devious cliff hanger at the end. I've sent it to my go-to CP, but I could use a couple more sets of eyes, so if you're interested in BETA READING it, let me know. So excited! 

I also hope to work on the next BEAST WORLD book 4. To keep it MG, Gabe's little sister is starring in the next three books. What do you think of the title: TWINKLE STINKLE?? hahaha. Plus, I'd like to go back to my Christian YA novel - inspiration comes in spurts for that one and I really have to feel it to get back into it...

What are you working on? 

Are you staying MOTIVATED in this HEAT??

I also get to READ more in the summer -- YAY! Here are two stories I was able to finish and review lickety split when summer hit:

LOVE AND OTHER LIES

by M.J. Fifield

For too long, Lavinia Kelly has been going through the motions. Her family knows why, but it’s nothing she wants to discuss.

Then in strolls Llewellyn Weiss who has a few secrets of his own. Though she can’t deny the attraction, she’s determined to do just that, and it’ll take a lot more than witty banter and a flawless set of abs to change her mind.

But when the secrets are inevitably exposed, Lavinia is forced to deal with the catastrophe that ensues, including her own devastating past. Nothing will ever be the same again...

My Review:

This is not your typical romance novel. It delves deeper into all the complex relationships involved when two people connect--and though things start with hot attraction, there's always history to deal with. It's full of emotion and exciting twists!

LIFT OFF

by Tyrean Martinson

A spaceship in disguise,

an Earth girl searching for a sense of home,

and a Thousand Years’ War between alien races

all collide on a summer afternoon.

My Review: This was a great teenage space adventure with vivid world building and tons of action. Logical Amaya Is thrust into a conflict between antagonistic aliens who have to find a way to work together if they all want to survive. And Amaya is the key to it all.

Lastly, I have some good news to share...

I had the opportunity to offer my take on RESEARCH for Gail Baugniet's blog (Mon 7/5) -- and offered to review POP TRAVEL for me (Wed 7/7). Always great to share advice and get a solid review! Yay!

And another fun project I had time for... To spread the word about DARK MATTER's exciting stories, we put together a book trailer. Check it out!

Personally, I love how each author has such a different take on Dark Matter. And you can see some of their styles shine through in their video/audio contributions.

(WHAT A DEAL: If anyone would like me to crank out a book trailer for you, we might be able to work out a trade!)

DARK MATTER Purchase info:

Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble

Looking to reboot a regular WRITERS CHAT - Fill out this FORM to let me know if you're interested.

I miss you guys!

AND DON'T FORGET - If you can whip up a fun first romance story for the next IWSG Anthology Contest, you should give it a go!

Stay Cool!

Sailing...takes me away!

How's your SUMMER READING going? Love having a little extra reading time! And today, I'm excited to share another review with you...

I give you the first novel in a fun cozy mystery series...

MURDER AT THE MARINA

by Ellen Jacobson

Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her clueless hubby presents her with a rundown boat. She's not impressed.

When she discovers someone murdered on board, things get even worse. Mollie hopes it will convince her husband to rethink his hare-brained scheme of sailing off into the sunset. Instead, he's more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set off to sea.

Poking her nose in where it doesn't belong, Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring dealing in stolen marine equipment, eats way too many chocolate bars, adopts a cat, and learns far more about sailing than she ever wanted to.

Will Mollie be able to discover who the murderer is before her nosiness gets her killed?

Amazon ~~~ Goodreads

My Review...

Sailing, Murder, and Chocolate!

Murder at the Marina was a fun, quirky mystery set in a cozy sailing community where Mollie never expected to find herself. With a pocketbook full of sweets and an intuitive feline helper, Mollie leads us on a hilarious hunt for a killer with a motive and more chocolate. I was left guessing who the murderer could be right up to the end. Looking forward to Mollie's next mysterious misadventure!

Do you Want to Read More?

As a student, I did not like to read. **Gasp!**

This was mostly because books were forced upon me, and I like to do things my own way--I'm such a rebel.

But when I saw some cool fantasy covers in the store, I picked them up and read the backs. Imagine my mom's surprise and delight when I chose a couple of books to buy and read over the summer. Piers Anthony and his Split Infinity series got me hooked on reading.

Back then, we didn't have our phones to keep us occupied and connected to our friends 24-7. We didn't have 24-hour TV with thousands of shows and movies to stream. Reading used to be a great escape--it still is! But now with our faster paced, easy-access video entertainment society, reading is very low on the list of options. Even for me.

Source: Washington Post

I believe most people want to read more, but they have lots of excuses why they don't. After doing some research, the number one reason for people not reading is: "I don't have time."

What about you? Do you want to read more? I do!

But it takes self-discipline. Just like any improvement you want to make in your life--healthier eating, exercise more, have a better attitude, achieving your goals--you have to work at it and stick with it. If you do, the results will make you a better person, just not over night.

If you truly want to read more, you will have to make the time to do it. To make time, you will need motivation! Here are some Suggestions to Motivate Yourself to Read:

1. Read With a Friend - surely you have a friend who also wants to read more. Choose a book together. Knowing your friend is reading, you'll be more likely to read so you don't let each other down and will look forward to discussing it together.
2. Join a Book Club - If you are braver, open-minded, and eager for book suggestions, this is a wonderful way to connect with other readers and a great method to motivate you to get reading in time for the next meeting.
3. Set a Goal - Make your reading goal as big or small as you want, just make it reasonable. If you haven't read a complete book for a while, then your goal can be to read at least one book by the end of the summer, or even the end of the year. This will also help you gauge your time and interest when making future goals.
4. Keep Books Visible - Leave your book in a place you will see it frequently--kitchen counter, side table, night stand, bathroom!--and it will serve as a reminder to continue your story. If you ebook, put up a happy post-it or two. (Don't nag yourself!)
5. Set a Timer - use your phone to set a reminder: daily, every other day, weekly... at a time you should have free to take a break and read for a bit. Even if you can't, it will remind you that you want to read... like a chirp of encouragement.
6. Read Out Loud - to yourself, your kids or even your pet! Some people don't like the silence of reading. Reading out loud can help immerse you into the story--change your voice, really get into it! Others can't read unless they have silence, an escape from the chaos of life. Silliness or silence now and then are both great things, and reading can bring out both!

Reading gives you knowledge, inspiration, and entertainment. It exercises your brain in ways just watching videos cannot. I hope you will choose to make it a point to read more. And I'm with you!

BTW, Many of these suggestions can help accomplish other life improvements, too. Give it a try!

Lastly, when you aren't sure what to read, look for reviews!

I'm lucky to have lots of great writer friends that keep me reading with a long TBR list. I recently finished AND THEN YOU FALL by Heather M. Gardner, book 3 of the exciting Maguire's Corner romance series...

AND THEN YOU FALL, Maguire's Corner #3

Heather M. Gardner

Assistant Police Chief Bobby Maguire can handle any challenge. But between his stalker ex-girlfriend and a drug-dealing cult, it could prove too much for him. So it’s real bad timing when he gets propositioned by the intriguing new bartender.

Cassidy is excited to be the brew master of the new local bar in  Maguire’s Corner. Expecting nothing more than a momentary, albeit intoxicating fling with the infamous Bobby Maguire, she finds not only is her heart at risk, but her life as well.

When Bobby is accused of murder, a chain of events play out leaving him broken down, hollow, and raw, and the whole town is now in danger from the cult leader’s wrath. Will Bobby be able to save himself, help his family, and get the chance to prove to Cassidy he’s more than his reputation?

Here's my Review:

Another exciting, enticing love story blooms in Maguire’s Corner. This one stars the young, cassanova Bobby Maguire—handsome, heroic, and hard to catch. Until Cassidy comes to town. She’s opening a new brewery and everyone seems to know her except Bobby, but there is something about her, and there’s no denying the attraction.

Cassidy is excited to be returning to her hometown, as long as she can avoid the dark side of her past. And what a tempting surprise that her old crush has the hots for her. Not surprisingly, he’s still single. She’ll have to keep her emotions in check and be careful not to fall for him.

But fate always makes things difficult! And then you fall!

I wish you happy reading!