Calling All Readers! Wicked Wednesday #giveaway #readingcommunity

Calling all readers! I've got two wicked fantastic events to tell you about, and you do not want to miss out on either one.

Win! Win! Win! Fill your library with N. N. Light’s Book Heaven Snuggle Up With These Books Readathon picks. 56 books from multiple genres featured plus a chance to win one of the following:

Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $25 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $15 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $10 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, The Power of Love and Murder, will be featured on November 25. I even talk about what I’m thankful for this year. You won’t want to miss it.

Bookmark this bookish party and tell your friends:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/snuggle-up-readathon

And the second is N. N. Lights Holiday Gift Guide. So grab a cup of something warm, choose a comfy chair, and settle back to browse. Take your time and discover some great books to treat yourself to this holiday season, or for a friend or family member. Books are the perfect gift! 

Your ticket to browse is right here: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/holiday-gift-guide

This Christmas, Penny Spark’s desire to reconnect with family causes her to expose her true identity—a secret she’s hidden for thirteen years from the political powers who murdered her family.

Jake Winters is out of rehab and coming to grips with his demons. When he meets Penny, he believes this holiday season could be the start of life after rock star status…until her secrets blow up his world.

With a government agent turned hit man closing in on her, Penny and Jake race to expose the presidential contender behind the murders of her family. Even if they win the race with death, the murder that stands between them could end their hope for a new life.

N N Light Reviews

If you’re a fan of romantic suspense, this is a must read. If you’re a fan of suspense and/or political thrillers, you’ll love it!

Still Moments Magazine, Between the Pages

A fast-paced romance packed with action and suspense

.

InD'tale Magazine

“The Power of Love and Murder” is utterly addictive!

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What Awaits YOU in 2018 #Gifts #Prizes #Suspense

MUSE MONDAY

It's the start of another grrrreat year. I've got so much planned that I'm already running 50 miles an hour with ten goals dangling a carrot to keep me on the treadmill.

I've got several new promotions planned, joined a couple of great groups, and I'll write about those in upcoming posts.

I've began writing a new series, yet to be named. The books are inspired by Jerome, Arizona. In fact, I'm writing two books at the same time for that series. I jump between 1970 and 2018 on any given day. This series has me so excited. It's romantic suspense with a mystical twist.

It's also a new year for my Quarterly Newsletter Group. And like the last couple of years, I'm giving a gift each month to someone from the group. All that's required is you remain a loyal newsletter member. Not only are do my members have a chance at a monthly gift, but they receive a quarterly report on what's new in my writing world, what's might be new in the reader world at large, and other interesting tidbits. Four times a year...and if you want to hear from me more often, all you have to do is give me a holler via email.

Hurry on over and click here to join my Quarterly Newsletter Group.

Here are this year's prizes:

Jan       $10 AMC Movie Gift Certificate

Feb      Costume Jewelry

Mar      Shell Spreading Knives

Apr      $5 Amazon Gift Card

May     Costume Jewelry

Jun       Southwest Style Bathroom Set

Jul        $5 Amazon Gift Card

Aug     Bug in a Bag with Knife

Sep      Costume Jewelry

Oct      $5 Amazon Gift Card

Nov     Holiday themed

Dec      $10 Amazon Gift Card

Authors Are Jugglers

MUSE MONDAY
I don't know any authors who, when they decided to become writers, dropped everything else in their lives to follow the dream. Most of us work full time jobs, have children, usually a husband and continue with other commitments. In order to write, we juggle it all in the middle of our own life circus. While driving kids to baseball practice or shuttling grandkids around, we have characters in our heads plotting the next scene. Part of our mind is on the phone call we take at work, while the rest of our head is visualizing our hero's eyes and accent.The second book I published was written almost entirely in fifteen minute segments before work and on my half hour lunch break.

When my day job went away and my husband retired, we moved to the Arizona prairie. Although I no longer punch a clock, I'm still juggling. The big difference now is I can call my own time - most of the time.

All that juggling for years while I worked, was good training for a different type of juggling this year: two blog posts a week, sporadic guest posts, writing the second book of my mystery/suspense series and writing a novella. I also have the third book in my mystery/suspense series started. That may get my attention occasionally. Normally, only one of the books gets my attention in any day, but there are days I'm working on two posts and a book.

At any given time, farm news, writing thoughts, book promo, Phoebe and Mason making love or finding murder victims, Amanda writing letters and possibly an Austrian cop that resembles 007 are passing from my right hand to my left hand to floating around in my head and starting the cycle all over again.

Many authors have several projects going at a time so I'm not unique. Until recently, I didn't think I could do it. Now I find it's rather addictive. At some point, one of my juggled items will be free to fly away on its own, but there's always another to take its place.

Working titles of what I'm juggling:
The Love and Murder Series, Book Two: Southwest of Love and Murder
The Love and Murder Series, Book Three: A Legacy of Love and Murder
Tortuga Thursday (farm happenings blog)
Muse Monday (writing thoughts blog)
Amanda in the Summer (a novella)

If you still haven't signed up for my Quarterly Newsletter to be eligible for a $15 Amazon Gift Card at the end of this month and a $25 Amazon Gift Card at the end of April, then hop on over to my web page and just do it! www.brendawhiteside.com

Good News/Abundance-Bad News/A Flood

Christie geared to fight allergies in the garden

Harvesting continues. With lots of sneezes and wheezing. Neither Christie or I were bothered during the typical spring allergy season that plagued us in Phoenix. But August and September have been miserable if we work too long in the garden. I've started taking allergy meds again,  but Christie can't because of her motherly state. She gears up but still can't last too long. We're seeing the last of the peppers and tomatoes, yet they just keep coming! We still have potatoes and musk mellon. And some carrots. Always forget about them because they can stay in the ground for a while.

We're canning more and freezing less. The freezers are topped out. We sat on the corner out on the main street for a couple of hours a weekend ago - made a big $3. Won't do that again. We gave some of our overflow to a farmers market in Scottsdale and made considerably more. Was even sweeter because we didn't have to man the booth. Maybe next season we'll designate some of our crops just for the valley market. We've also given bags to the food shelter. They loved that.

Xena is fearless

A couple of nights ago we had a thunder storm. Not abnormal but Lance and Christie were gone so poor Gabby felt really insecure. Gabby always shakes when she hears thunder. Christie is her security during those rough times. Between her shaking and drooling, I felt sorry for her but she was inconsolable. Rusty used to pant and fret. Now he just follows me around to keep me within sight. Xena could care less. Nothing shakes Xena.

This morning I woke up to a flooded laundry room spilling over into my bathroom and kitchen. You're not going to believe me, but the washer turned itself on. Actually, I forgot to close the lid. Not usually a problem because it shuts off and sits there. And I'm sure it did because some time in the night or early morning I got up to use the bathroom, and there was no water under my feet. But at 6:00 this morning there was, and it was still running. It had to have turned on or overrode the auto shut off some time in the wee hours. What a mess. Sure hope there's no damage where it ran into the floor vent.

Lance and Christie are on the first part of their mini-honeymoon staying two nights in Laughlin. Hope their having fun - and it's not so bad having the house to ourselves either!

That's What On My Carpet? Post #4

Rusty and I left my sister's before the sun showed any inclination to rise. Rusty tried to rebel. Apparently he does not share the same enthusiasm for the drive that I do. He hunkered down and refused to jump into the back of the Explorer until I became cross and woke up half of Sun City.

The sunrise was gorgeous but I had no time to stop and take pictures. I had to meet the carpet cleaner at 8:30 and after a stop to get coffee and another stop to buy Rusty a water dish (I'd forgotten to bring his from my sister's), I had no time left over. I called the guy to let him know I would be there and his response rattled me. "I'm not scheduled for today - that's tomorrow."

Rusty's new yard. "before picture"

I know without a doubt he was scheduled - I remembered the conversation - and after some debate, he decided he could get to me but would be a couple of hours late. That actually worked better for me since I could get the ceiling fans and window sills cleaned that were in the carpeted areas.

After Rusty ran around outside for a while, he plopped down in the middle of the living room and gave me the evil eye. He might be having a rough time figuring out where he should call home. He's a spooky dog anyway so all the back and forth has him rattled.

Our 'orchard'

I could have planted indoor gardens on the fan blades. Then I moved on to baseboards. All I can say is they're clean . And that will be the story for the walls too. I've told Lance and Christie that since they are missing out on all this heavy duty cleaning they will be doing a LOT of painting. I hate to paint. We had to paint every room in our last house so I'm not keen on it.

Laundry room looking into master bath.

At last the carpet guys showed up and started setting up. His first discovery - no water outside. What? How can that be? Luckily he could hook up in the laundry room. He then walked the house and informed me I had multiple doggie spots in several rooms. What? He was a bit perplexed because of the lack of odor. Believe me, if the house had smelled bad I would not have wanted it. I have had dogs and cats and cannot stand the smell of their messes. But I sure as heck don't let my animals use my carpet for their relief. So he pre-treated and made several passes over most of the carpet. I can only hope the spots don't come back but I have my doubts. I'm figuring I need to start a savings for new carpet in two years. What brilliant mind chose white carpet in dusty horse country anyway??! And then let their dogs use it??!

As the carpet guy left, Bob showed up at my back door. Bob is a neighbor. In his ball cap, jean jacket, boots and close-cropped, salt and pepper beard, slow-talking Bob fit my image of the horse owner neighbor. Nice guy too. He was just driving by and thought he'd let me know 'she' has my extra keys and I can get them from 'her'. He pointed to his house as he told me.

Christie and Lance

Back inside, Lance texted me to tell me he and Christie would be there in an hour or two. I jumped in the car and made a run into Chino Valley for a McD salad. I no sooner got in the house when 'she' knocked on my door. Turns out 'she' is his wife Jeannette. As quiet as Bob is, Jeannette is a talker. We walked around in the chilly wind, her dark hair dancing around her shoulders, while she explained the irrigation system of the well. I learned all about the well workings and enough about the neighbors behind me to know there's something unlikeable about them. I do have water outside. The carpet guy didn't give it enough time to start flowing.

I was famished by then, but Jeannette had so much to tell me. It looked like she was winding down when Lance and Christie pulled up. Christie had not seen our place yet so Lance walked her around the two and half acres while Jeannette waited to talk to Lance. Then we went through the well system again. As much as I enjoyed her, I had to finally beg off and go inside to eat before I fainted.

Down the hall is Lance & Christie's space.

Christie was so cute as she checked out the inside, thanking me profusely for doing the cleaning. She and Lance measured and planned how their half of the house would lay out. Then I found out it will be March before they can get out of their current lease in Flagstaff and move to Paulden. On one level, it'll be fun for Frank and I to have the time alone but on another level, I was hoping to begin the communal living adventure. I love Lance and Christie.

Lance, whose idea it was to live under one roof, is nervous. He said he hopes I don't end up hating him! Christie said, "Lance,there's no way your mom would hate you." His reply: "no, but she could hate you." LOL

By the way, my interview is up all week at TBR, and I'm giving away a night at the movies, 1945 style to a commenter. Please hop over there, too! Click here: To Be Read Blog

2012 Here We Go

Started the year with a hike on a gloriously sunny day, mild temp and good company. Then I sleepily arrived back in my temporary home to tackle a mountain of work to kick start my book promotion. I've got two contests beginning today, an article in the January edition of Cocktails Fiction and Gossip Magazine and ten blog appearances in front of me this month. I'll list the links at the bottom for the contests and magazine.

Once our house in Arizona closes mid-month, my plan is to blog about this city lady becoming a country lady at a unique time in my life. And under unique circumstances. I expect this new chapter in my life will be filled with surprises, amusing and otherwise. Author and farmer - that will be me!

I expect 2012 to be tumultuous, both world-wide and personally. Contrary to the fears of some, I think the changes and challenges ahead will signal a positive, new world. I'm okay with out with the old and in with the new as we seek a new age of humanity, a back to basics. Personally, that new chapter on the prairie will help me focus on my writing too. I have so many books in my head, and I plan to dig in and get them all on paper.

So...Happy New Year!

CONTESTS:
Coffee Time Romance and More

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/ContestPage.html

Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway?sort=recently_listed&tab=recently_listed

Cocktails Fiction and Gossip Magazine (page 24)

http://www.wix.com/cocktailsmagazine/fictionandgossip#!issue10

Christmas - Really?!

I know, I know, we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet. I practically boo any neighbors who put up their lights before Thanksgiving. I don't care if they're trying to get the job done before the snows fly. And department stores are the worst offenders.

But I did think about Christmas and decided since it's a great time of year (one of my favorites) that I should do some planning on my gift giving right now. So I decided to have a drawing, a gift giving, on my web site:

I Love Christmas Drawing

My favorite time of year is filled with one of my favorite activities – gift giving. So from me to you – a Virtual Basket of Goodies will be given to one person from my Announce Only Newsletter Group and one person from my Author Facebook Page. I’ll have the drawing for both on December 22, the first day of winter. And like all good gifts, you won’t know what’s in your Virtual Basket of Goodies until you open it, but there will be several great items.

Double your chances of winning – make sure you’re part of both my Announce Only Newsletter Group and my Author Facebook Page.

Go to my Author Page and click on like
Join my Announce Only Newsletter

You can contact me at brenda@brendawhiteside.com if you have questions. Have fun and good luck!