Bathroom Makeover ~ From 90s Mauve to #FarmHouse Coastal! #FixerUpper Style Cape Cod #Remodel

So thrilled with how it all came together!  Wall color is Hale Navy.

After months of delays, the glass for our master bathroom shower was just installed, which means the entire remodel is officially DONE!  I couldn't wait to post the pics of the bedroom, so they're already up, but now I can share the bathroom pics as well.

One of the things I asked to have to
remind me of my grandparents...for
reason I always like this painting, and
if the medium was right, so did my
Grandma Renie.

I can't find any before pics, which is a relief...it was just as bad as the master bedroom in both decor and design.  For one thing, I still had the ratty (but frequently washed) shower curtain from our first house...I couldn't seem to part with it because it matched this watercolor painting I'd brought from my grandparent's house after my grandmother passed away.  And I was so attached to the painting...not just because I liked it enough to ask my uncle, when they were cleaning out the house, if I could have it.  But also because it reminded me of my grandparents, and even more compelling, because one time when I was at a psychic medium show (researching my main character's abilities for Gull Harbor), a medium picked me out of the crowd and told me my grandmother "was happy I had the painting."  My mind was blown...I'd never seen this medium, I hadn't signed up for anything, it was cash at the door and an auditorium full of people.  And I don't think it was a lucky guess, as she also talked about the charm bracelet of my grandmother's that I held on to as well.  

So, the shower curtain and painting matched, although they were both a somewhat dated combination of mauve and green.  Our vanity was small, one sink, and my husband had long since relinquished all the counter space to me and moved his things into the hall bathroom, sharing space with our teen boys.  As the only female in the house, this struck me as fair.  But our bathroom sink didn't work very well, and the shower itself was a nightmare that I can't bear to elaborate on.

As I mentioned when posting about the bedroom, decorating doesn't come easily to me, but researching things does.  Again, I relied a lot on Pinterest!  Here's a link to the specific board for the bathroom.  Pics below...thanks for coming by and let me know what you think in the comments section!

I'm proud of the tobacco basket/wreath design...I found the
metal tobacco basket at a vintage re-sale shop, and the
wreath came from Luckett's in Virginia.

Bottles collected from flea markets and antique shops.
Terrarium and faux plant from Marshall's.

To view the bedroom pics, click here.

And I should not forget the closet space...the before closet and after is below!

A photo from demo-day. 
That narrow space under the eves was the closet...sloped ceilings and
a hidden window, with folding doors that took up space.

New closet area in a different part of the room!
So much more storage, better use of space, and a little
bench and window <3  Color is Lakeshore Green.

Bedroom Makeover ~ From 90s Mauve to #Farmhouse! #FixerUpper Cape Cod #Remodel #Design

Jinx likes the new duvet

This blog is usually dedicated to book-related things, as writing and reading are my passions.  But I also post about some of my other hobbies and interests, like exploring new places, fitness, and gardening, and for the past six months, my main focus has been on remodeling our master bedroom, a space that hasn't been updated since the early 1990s when we moved in.  Decorating doesn't come easy to me, but research does...so I've been combing the internet for inspiration and pinning pictures to imitate for what seems like forever.  Like many people, we're big fans of the HGTV show Fixer Upper, and we wanted to shed our stale mauve and floral decor and do a sort of farmhouse/cottage design in its place, complete with a few interior renovations to enlarge the tiny master bathroom and move the closet from beneath a cramped sloped dormer.  

I studied the images I pinned for what it was that appealed to me, and what made certain combinations "work".  Then I tried to come up with variations that would give the design a personal flair, especially since we don't actually live in a farmhouse.  But Cape Cod has a great deal of farming history, due in part to the area being one of the first places settled by the English in the 1600s (and I happened to research a lot about that for my latest book The Haunting of Hillwood Farm!).  This means there are tons of flea market finds from old houses and barns to be found around here!  And with the entire peninsula surrounded by water, a cottage coastal theme fits right in.  So I set about combining the two sources of inspiration, and I'm excited about how it came out.

I spent a lot of time on the sites of talented bloggers who are actually good at this sort of thing, and the links they provided to products really helped me.  So I've linked the sources for some of the items in the pictures.  The majority of decor was found at those local flea markets, or at HomeGoods/Marshalls/T.J. Maxx. 

A few "Before" pics to compare to the new look:

A mauve carpet, faux finish wall paint I did myself, heavy floral drapes,
and a worn comforter from years of washing and 3 pets who love to snuggle.
Although that's just a black cat pillow in this pic--
but one of the real cats made it into the top pic above!

What a change!  The window on the back wall was removed to create a statement
wall of just shiplap, but the window in the old closet was revealed so no loss in
total windows.  Kept the bed and nightstands but got a bed frame and new lamps. 

One of two dormers in the room...the other one was in the very small closet.

This is the dormer that was hidden in the old closet.  Kept
the table but new decor and shades.

For renovations, we moved the closet to reveal a window, lifted the ceiling into the unused attic space, and enlarged the master bathroom (those pics coming soon-still a work in progress!)

More of the new look: 

Almost all of this came from flea markets except the table

The wall color is Sherwin-Williams Silver Strand

I had a line from our wedding song made into wall art via
Etsy...it's the Romance Author in me!  Tying those curtain
tabs was a little challenging, but I found a YouTube video.

Mirror and table from flea market, chair, pillow, and vase
from Marshalls and HomeGoods.

A few specific links from things I bought online if anyone likes something in the pics (I'm not an affiliate, I don't receive anything for clicks or purchases, I just know it helped me to be able to quickly find something I liked while trying to design the room!)  I'm always happy to answer questions in comments or via email too if there's something I'm forgetting!

Also, aside from Amazon which usually tries to price match all the time, most of these sites will have sale codes on a regular basis.  If there's not one advertised, I check places like RetailMeNot to find the current codes.

wreath above the bed

table lamps  (note - I don't love the shades, they look a bit yellow to me, especially up close.  But the sale price on these was great and I can replace the shades eventually)

bed frame

bed skirt

duvet cover (light gray, button style)

rug (this site had a price $100 less than others with same rug)

ceiling fan (wait for sale offers!)

console table (I got it on a half price sale!)

long white curtains  (note--these are sold per panel, not in a set.  I purchased one and then realized I had just one curtain lol)

white Roman shades

More products I looked at and the pics I used for inspiration on my Pinterest Board - Bedroom, and check back soon for the bathroom reveal!  It should be finished by this Friday, officially ending a project that took 6 months overall.  Hopefully now I can get back to writing!  Thanks for stopping by :)

Holiday Nut Mix ~ #recipes Homemade Gift idea #Christmas

I am not a crafty person.  I'm creative, in terms of dreaming up plot twists and developing characters, but the closest I usually get to designing gorgeous gifts or beautiful centerpieces is adding pictures I love with instructions I know I can't follow to my Pinterest boards.  I'm in awe of people who have that kind of talent.

But I *can* follow simple recipes, and a few years ago, my sister-in-law, who always hosts Christmas with a dazzling display of gourmet food and stunning displays, served a nut mix that I just couldn't get enough of.  And hey, it's nuts--a good for you food, packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  Even with the seasoning, it's a better choice than baked goods filled with refined flour and sugar.

So I asked her for the recipe, and now, around the holidays, I make huge batches to send to friends and family.  It's both spicy and sweet, and--warning--highly addictive.  I buy cute jars with chalkboard labels to package them in, and I send them out to the people I won't be able to see over the holidays and to the people I want to thank for making my life easier throughout the year.  Here's her recipe, in case you want to try it:

Love these cute
chalkboard jars!

2 1/2 cups of assorted unsalted nuts - I used cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pecans

2 T fresh coarsely chopped rosemary - luckily, I have a rosemary plant on my patio!

1/2 t cayenne pepper - use less or leave out if you're adverse to spicy

2 t dark brown sugar

2 t sea salt

1 T melted (unsalted) butter

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Mix the remaining ingredients.  Toss the nuts with the mixture in a large bowl.

Yes, that easy!  Enjoy :)

And remember - reading is the ultimate stress-reliever, so if you need a good book to help de-stress during the holiday rush, try one of my romance/ghost mystery mixes...many of them have been #1 Kindle Bestsellers, and they offer hours of page-turning relaxation and entertainment.  Gull Harbor is everyone's favorite--arriving in Cape Cod, psychic medium Claire Linden is ready to try to rid her temporary home of a dangerous poltergeist...but she's stunned to find her ex-boyfriend, the man who once promised to love her forever, hiding out in the same small town.

A #1 Bestseller, a Top 10 Read at MyShelf Reviews, a Reader's Crown Finalist

Claire was such a popular character, she returns for a cameo in Haunted Souls, my most recent release...but the main characters have their own story that revolves around a soldier returning from combat to discover he has a son, and a desperate single mom trying to make things right as she confronts a haunting mystery.  

A #1 Bestseller, a Reader's Crown Finalist, an Amazon Encore selection

Silver Lake brings a group of former friends back together to try to solve the mystery of their friend's disappearance, after they begin to suspect she's trying to communicate from beyond the grave.  What really happened to Brandy?  (Read for free if you're a Kindle Unlimited member!)

And if you enjoy Young Adult novels and/or more traditional paranormal romance, try Divine Fall, a story about the world's last Nephilim...as an outcast from both worlds, he'll risk his life to seek his revenge...but will he risk hers?  Relive first love and lose yourself in supernatural secrets and suspense! (Only 99c on Kindle!)

Winner of the Reader's Choice Award in Young Adult and a Reader's Crown Finalist

Look for the "Give as
a Gift" button on the left!

If you have readers on your list, you can also send an e-book as a thoughtful holiday gift for less than a card!  Happy reading and happy holidays!

Homemade #Christmas Gifts - Rosemary Nut Mix #Recipe

I am not a crafty person.  I'm creative, in terms of dreaming up intricate plots and developing characters, but the closest I get to designing gorgeous gifts or beautiful centerpieces is adding pictures I love with instructions I know I can't follow to my Pinterest boards.  I'm in awe of people who have that kind of talent.

But I *can* follow simple recipes, and last year my sister-in-law, who always hosts Christmas with a dazzling display of gourmet food and stunning displays, served a nut mix that I just couldn't get enough of.  And hey, it's nuts--a good for you food, packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  Even with the seasoning, it's a better choice than baked goods filled with refined flour and sugar.

So this year, I asked her for the recipe, and I made huge batches to send to friends and family.  It's both spicy and sweet, and--warning--highly addictive.  I bought cute jars with chalkboard labels to package them in, and I sent them out to the people I won't be able to see over the holidays.  Here's her recipe, in case you want to try it:

Love these cute
chalkboard jars!

2 1/2 cups of assorted unsalted nuts - I used cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pecans

2 T fresh coarsely chopped rosemary - luckily, I have a rosemary plant on my patio!

1/2 t cayenne pepper - use less or leave out if you're adverse to spicy

2 t dark brown sugar

2 t sea salt

1 T melted (unsalted) butter

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Mix the remaining ingredients.  Toss the nuts with the mixture in a large bowl.

Yes, that easy!  Enjoy :)

And remember - reading is the ultimate stress-reliever, so if you need a good book (at a great price) to help de-stress during the holiday rush, try my new Young Adult Paranormal Romance for 99 cents - relive first love and lose yourself in supernatural secrets and suspense!

DIVINE FALL KINDLE

DIVINE FALL NOOK

#GhostInsideMyChild - #Paranormal Posts #GhostInside

I'm fascinated by ghosts, so when I saw the title of this show airing on LMN, I knew I had to tune in.  I was immediately hooked and a little bit creeped out!  The ghosts I write about are separate entities, lingering forlornly among familiar places until their unfinished business can be completed--usually, this involves my characters unraveling the mysteries behind the restless spirits' deaths and locating their earthly remains.  The Ghost Inside My Child involves a different type of ghost...one that resides within a new body: i.e., a reincarnated spirit who suffered a violent or sudden death.

Chills, right?  If you've watched the show, you'll see that the memories, facts, and details of past lives surfacing in these children's minds are incredibly accurate.  While there may be other explanations, mere coincidence or active imaginations don't seem likely. 

I maintain a Pinterest board specifically for spooky stories and photos to use as inspiration, and one mystery I found there reminds me of this LMN show: the story of the Pollock twins.  These identical twin girls were born a year after their older sisters died in a 1957 car accident.  One of the twin girls (who should have had identical markings) had two birthmarks that matched one of their deceased sisters'.  Both girls had memories that seemed to belong to their sisters...for example, they asked for toys they'd never seen that had belonged to their sisters.  The parents moved the family after the accident, but when they returned to visit the English town, the girls were able to request a visit to a park they had never been to...and describe it in detail.

The word "reincarnation" is derived from Latin and means "entering the flesh again".  There are, of course, a lot of religious beliefs surrounding the existence of this phenomenon, but that's way beyond the scope of this blog.  I'm a fan of anything paranormal, and even non-believers will find the show an interesting source of historical periods and events. 

My first introduction to the concept of reincarnation came about, like most things in my life, via the pages of a novel.  Library trips came once a week when I was a kid, and although I always brought home a huge stack, it was never enough.  I'd reread my favorites, and I often went back to the old standbys lining my bookshelf: Charlotte's Web, Summer Pony, Winter Pony, Benji, The Incredible Journey, and my favorite ghost story, Jane-Emily.  When I needed a fresh, never-before-read story, I raided the bookshelf in my parents' room.  Of course, these choices were rarely age-appropriate, but I was a mature reader and my mom was too busy with my younger siblings to worry about my reading habits.

I went through all the Phyllis A. Whitney and Mary Higgins Clark, and even a few David Morrell.  Even then, I had a passion for gothic and spooky, and there was one paperback with a terrifying cover: Audrey Rose, by Frank De Fellita.  It was about--you got it--reincarnation--specifically a couple with a daughter, Ivy, displaying odd behavior.  This coincides with an alarming visit from a man claiming Ivy is actually his daughter Audrey Rose, who died a horrific death, trapped in a burning vehicle with her mother.



A quick look at the book's Goodreads page shows I am not alone in having been impacted by the frightening cover.  While there were a couple different editions, the cover to the left is what was in our bookshelf at home.  From what I remember, this was actually more of a supernatural drama than a horror book, but I'll never forget that cover...or the ending of the book, even though I read it too many years ago to reveal here!  I'll leave out the spoilers, in case anyone wants to check it out.  For more spooky and suspenseful reads--with romance, which guarantees a happy ending--check out ghost stories SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR, or my new YA release about a dangerous fallen angel, DIVINE FALL (only 99 cents this week on Kindle and Nook!).  After all, it is the perfect month for paranormal!

Shaving Time Off Those Annoying "Must-Do" Tasks

What would I do
without coffee?

Everyone is busier than ever these days.  We’re connected 24/7 to our devices, so we rarely have an opportunity to be blissfully unaware of our obligations.  Plus, we’re all trying to balance busy schedules with family and/or free time, while not letting any of the balls we’re juggling drop.  Personally, I’m trying to manage a family that includes two teenage boys who take challenging classes and participate in multiple sports, plus my husband’s frequent business travels and the needs of our rescue pets.  Then there are my jobs: I teach fitness classes every morning, teach a writing class in the evenings, and somehow find time to write romance novels for a New York publisher.

It’s a lot to balance, and I’m always looking for ways to save time.  I’ve become very efficient through the years—doing two things at once is my specialty!  So I was inspired by the Dollar Shave Club’s "Shave Time/Shave Money" motto to come up with a post dedicated to the ways I shave time off of the stuff I have to do to make time for the things I want to do.

For me, trips to the grocery store are the biggest time suck.  My boys eat a ton, and I always seem to forget something.  That’s where the Dollar Shave Club comes in, because razors are not something on my radar when I’m shopping for lunches and dinners for everyone.  But three out of four of us in this family shave--with the fourth to likely start soon--so it’s a literal pain when new blades are needed and the package is empty.  I’ve linked the website—you can get new razors monthly, or every other month, for as low as $1.00…one less thing to think of!

But, the grocery store is inevitable, and I really try to minimize the amount of time I spend there.  I write my list beforehand, organizing the order in terms of the layout of the store aisles.  I also keep a recipe box of coupons filed in the same order.  That way I can quickly pull out what I need to save money!  I also check the store’s website for the weekly sale items and try to plan meals around those offers.

Making dinners is another task I try to approach with as much efficiency as possible.  I purchase value packs of meat whenever possible and prepare several meals at once.  For example, I’ll cut up chicken breasts into smaller pieces, store them in a ziplock bag, and add a marinade.  I freeze that for a future date, and as it defrosts, it marinates.  Then I do one of my quick go-to meals for that night…one of my family’s favorites involves just putting sliced chicken breasts in a baking dish, smothering with bar-b-que sauce (I use Stubb’s – all natural and no corn syrup), and baking.  Easy!  I can throw some foil wrapped potatoes into the oven a little earlier as well to have everything ready at once.

The crockpot is also my friend.  Another favorite involves putting chicken breasts in along with a jar of salsa in the morning.  By evening, you have Mexican shredded chicken to use in tacos or on nachos.  You can see some of my time-saving (and fairly healthy!) recipes on my Pinterest board.

For makeup and skin care items, I look for items that do double duty.  For example, my foundation is a tinted, mattifying moisturizer that contains sunscreen.  I get coverage, sun protection, and shine control all in one.  I brush on loose mineral power that minimizes lines and absorbs excess oil, sweep some bronzer or blush over cheekbones and eyes, and add lip balm that contains both shimmer color and SPF.  Ready to go in less than 5 minutes!  For my husband, I get the Dr.Carver’s Post Shave, as it serves as an aftershave, a moisturizer, and contains antioxidants to fight aging.  Some of my favorite products are on my Health and Beauty Pinterest board.

I also spend A LOT of my time acting as a chauffeur for my kids.  When they are actually in the car with me, I use the time to get conversations going.  But of course that’s only possible for one direction—otherwise it’s just me in the car, headed to pick them up, or driving back home after dropping them off.  Since I absolutely love to read, I decided to use that time to find another way to enjoy books.  My to-be-read list is enormous, so any book on the list that’s available as an audio download comes with me in the car.  That means I’m reading one book at home and listening to one book in the car, but as I said, I’m used to doing several things at once.  Often I’m reading up to three books at the same time.  Studies have shown that reading is one of the best stress-reducers there is—what busy mom doesn’t need that?

My favorite reading spot...can't
you just feel the stress melting away?

 

 

My goal has always been to write books that people can get lost in…engaging reads that provide suspense, mystery, and romance to keep the pages turning.  Writing is my passion, but it also takes a lot of time to write a quality novel.  Using the tips above help allow me to keep everything running smoothly so I can do what I love.  What are your tips to save time?  Feel free to share below in the comments section – I’m always looking for new ideas!

Building A #Soccer Goal - Friday #Fitness 9

Maybe we shouldn't be doing this, considering this year our older son broke his leg playing soccer, and then six months later, our younger son broke his thumb playing soccer.  Both breaks were bad enough to require surgery--our insurance is all but ready to drop us.  But my kids love soccer, and I'm a big believer in fitness.  And finding fitness you enjoy makes all the difference.  In addition to writing paranormal romance, I teach classes every morning; both jobs combine my passions with a small paycheck, which is fantastic.  My husband competes in triathlons, which is a special form of torture I'm still trying to understand.  But it works for him, and our rescue dog Otis loves the running part of training.

So, inspired by our neighbors, who had built one on their own for their kids, we (and by we, I mostly mean my husband and sons...my role was essentially looking stuff up on Pinterest) took on the challenge.  Sure, we could buy one, but they cost a lot of money.  Plus, where's the fun in that?  My husband and youngest son got to use the Pythagorean theorem as they calculated the measurements!  Who says we never use math anymore?

Lots of math & measurements

It was a cloudy Saturday anyway, so a great time for a big project.  There was PVC pipe, yardsticks, a hack saw, scribbled measurements, PVC primer and glue.  Once they got the base formed, they had to pull out stepladders to hold the final pieces together as the glue dried.  By the end of the day, the PVC frame was complete.







I got to watch my hubby flex
while holding the pieces to dry...
Also note my son's cast...he helped
anyway!

The final piece was locating a net that would fit the rather large frame correctly.  After an internet search, my husband chose one from Net World Sports   Thankfully, it fit just fine, both length and depth-wise as well, and we didn't have to go through returns and more searches.

The total cost after all this came to  than $150.  It would have been less if we used a more narrow PVC pipe, but we wanted it to be as sturdy as possible.

The finished product is a big hit!  Even Otis approves:

We're not a particularly handy group, so
the success of this project was very satisfying!



Forbidden Love & #Supernatural Secrets - New #YA Release

I can't believe it's been over a month since my first Young Adult Paranormal Romance released!  DIVINE FALL is a bit of a departure from my usual ghost story/romance combination--this new novel is about a Nephilim, or a Fallen Angel.  The Nephilim are the offspring of male angels ("Sons of God") and female humans ("daughters of man") mentioned in the Bible's Book of Genesis, as well as in the Book of Enoch.  In Genesis, the passage about this errant race of "mighty men" is directly followed by God's decision to cleanse the earth of the wickedness of humanity with The Great Flood. 

The best thing about writing fiction, especially fiction that deals with fantasy or paranormal, is that the writer can let his or her imagination run wild.  I have a particularly active imagination, so I had fun extrapolating the three long sentences that make up Genesis 6: 1-4 into my character's history.  In my novel, destroying this unnatural race is one of the major goals of The Flood; once the earth is repopulated, biological safeguards are set in place to prevent the conception of another Nephilim.

Until the birth of Dothan Reed.  How did it happen?  Well, I don't want to give away too much of the story.  But as DIVINE FALL's blurb notes, he's the only one of his kind; an outcast in both worlds.  His very existence is forbidden.  And he's fine with that, as he has only one goal: revenge.  He's willing to give up his life once he completes his deadly task.

But there's more than a few obstacles in his way, of course.  And Jamie Brandt, the girl unfortunately connected to his plan, is a big one.  Ultimately, he must make a difficult choice...and as Jamie figures out what he's hiding, so will she.

If you enjoy forbidden love and supernatural secrets, why not give DIVINE FALL a try?  At $3.00, it's less than a fancy coffee or a rented movie, and you'll get hours of entertainment!  And I love to connect with readers, so find me on FaceBook, Twitter, or Pinterest.  Here's the Pinterest board for DIVINE FALL so you can get a look at inspiration for the characters and setting...in my mind, Dothan looks like Travis Fimmel from Vikings in his early modeling career.

Enjoy the blurb below, and find links for all formats of DIVINE FALL.  Happy Reading!

After tragedy tears Jamie Brandt’s life apart, her only goal is to finish high school so she can leave her small hometown behind.  In the meantime, riding her horse is her main source of solace, until a mysterious stable hand shows up at the barn.  There’s something not quite right about the handsome new employee, and the more Jamie sees of him, the more determined she becomes to figure out what he’s hiding.

Dothan Reed came to historic Huntsville, Maryland, for one reason—revenge.  But his plan can’t move forward until he finds the missing piece he needs to enhance his powers.  As the only surviving Nephilim, Dothan is not only weaker than full-blooded angels; his forbidden lineage makes him an outcast in both worlds.  When he discovers Jamie is the key to locating an ancient weapon, he’s forced to interact with a vulnerable human girl—a task that becomes more appealing with each encounter.

Jamie soon learns Dothan isn’t the only one with a dark secret.  Each new revelation further threatens her safety, and Dothan’s betrayal shatters her heart.  Forgiving him seems impossible, but the thought of turning her back on him is equally painful.

As their connection deepens, Dothan will have to make his own difficult choice: continue on his path of vengeance, or protect the girl he loves.  And when Dothan’s actions thrust Jamie into an unforeseen danger, he must seek the help of his enemy…or risk losing her forever.   

BUY from Amazon - Kindle or Print

BUY from Barnes and Noble - Nook


BUY from iTunes - iPad

 

Designing the Cover of DIVINE FALL #angels #amwriting

I love the covers of all three of my books.  When I received my first contract for SILVER LAKE, I was absolutely overjoyed, and the whole process was brand new to me.  My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, actually allows the author quite a bit of input in terms of cover art.  A detailed questionnaire was provided, and I filled it out with my ideas and suggestions.  We're encouraged to send in pictures or copies of book covers we like as well, and I had a ball searching the Internet for inspiration.  You can find the pictures I sent in on the Pinterest board for SILVER LAKE, and the one for GULL HARBOR.

However, the final decision on the cover belongs to the publisher, as they've bought the rights to the book.  A cover needs to do a lot of things...in this competitive market, visibility is key, and an eye-catching cover can help with that.  I read a lot of YA books, and I think this is especially important within the Young Adult Romance genre.  There are so many absolutely breathtaking covers!  And yes, I know the old adage about not judging a book by its cover, but gorgeous covers get noticed, and a reader can't consider a book unless they've noticed it among the millions of choices.  The cover, or packaging, is one of the 5 "P"s of Marketing.

Which leads me back to my original degree--I have an MBA in Marketing.  So with my third novel, I decided I'd step up and use it, along with what I've learned about the industry in the past 6 years, and take total control of DIVINE FALL.  Yes, that means publishing the title on my own--a scary process.  There's so much to consider and more things to learn.  But it also meant I could design the cover from start to finish, and while it felt a bit overwhelming at first, I am so, so happy with the results.

Where to start?  If you google "book cover artists", the results are mindboggling.  So I headed back to my favorite place for inspiration, Pinterest.  I searched "beautiful book covers" and went from there.  And then I found her--the artist I knew I needed to have: here is a board of book covers created by Phatpuppyart.  Every single one is stunning, in my opinion.  I sent the initial email, and I described what I was envisioning for my new book's cover.  Claudia and I decided to work together, and things moved very quickly from there.

The linked hands

First, I needed to pick out the pair of linked hands from a stock photo site.  That was fun (literally) - I think I viewed every single photo of arms on depositphotos.com.  I was able to compare them in a "lightbox"; I then picked out my two favorites and sent them to the artist so she could choose the one that would work best.  I purchased the rights to use the one Claudia selected.

Claudia's creation...I love the mystical
quality, the vivid colors, and the
juxtaposition of light and darkness

From there, we discussed the background...this book takes place during autumn, and much of the action takes place in the woods.  Plus, there is the paranormal element...a fallen angel, or Nephilim, with a host of dangerous secrets.  Once I described the setting and mood and sent the blurb, Claudia came up with the gorgeous background in record time.  I was absolutely blown away.  It's perfect!





Then one of Claudia's partners, The Font Diva, took over.  Again, I got to look over the portfolio of covers and pick out fonts I liked.  Once I sent in my choices, she designed the font for the title, author name, and added the floating feathers to bring in the Nephilim element.  Again, I was blown away.  So, so beautiful.  Now that the formatting is done, she'll be creating the spine and the back cover, complete with more feathers and beautiful lettering.

The finished product!  The Font Diva added
both the perfect font and the feathers, and I love
the colors and shading she used in the title

I can't say enough about the level of professionalism and the quality of their work.  I'm so happy with the finished product, and I enjoyed the process immensely!  DIVINE FALL has its own Pinterest board, of course, which I sent to Claudia when we began.  Check out the characters, setting, and cover art inspiration - and click here to add to your Goodreads list!  Less than a week until release day--July 25--, and I'll be able to hold the physical book, with the beautiful cover, in my hands!

My Favorite #Ghost Movies - #Paranormal Postings

I have a bit of an obsession with ghosts, as anyone who has read my books knows--I've written two novels featuring a haunting as well as a romance, and more are on the way (HAUNTED SOULS just released as of June 2016!).  I've made lists before of my favorite ghost stories in terms of books, but I do enjoy the movies as well...whenever my sister comes to visit, we usually have a marathon watch of creepy films.  Anything paranormal will do, but the ones with a spooky and convincing ghostly presence get top billing.  Over the years, a few have really resonated with me, and helped inspire my novels.  Keep in mind, I'm no movie critic...I just found these films to have at least the solid backbone of a believable ghost story, with a decent mystery behind the haunting, as well as a lack of the plot holes I find in so many others.  The suspense kept me guessing, and certain scenes gave me serious chills.  I'll try to throw a little blurb out there for each one without revealing too many spoilers, in case you'd like to give one a try!



The Changeling - 1980 - George C. Scott stars as a widower who moves into a spooky old house in Seattle in the beginning of this film.  The ghost of a young boy inhabits the house, and the tragedy that befell him will eventually expose a cruel plot.  Now, the ghost wants justice, and Scott's character, plagued by scary surprises and terrifying noises, begins to investigate the mystery.  Admittedly, it's an oldie...and at the risk of dating myself, it was one of my favorites when I was in middle school.  In fact, my best friend had an upstairs bedroom that opened upon an attic that bore a spine-tingling resemblance to the one in the movie...late at night, we'd scare ourselves silly imagining that ball bouncing down the stairs.

A Stir of Echoes - 1999- a film starring Kevin Bacon, loosely based on a novel by Richard Matheson (also the author of Hell House and I Am Legend, among others).  Bacon's character, Tom, has a son who seems to possess the ability to speak with the dead...and there is something in their house that wants to be heard.  After being hypnotized at a party, Tom begins to experience visions as well, of a violent altercation which is tied to a neighbor's disappearance.  Clearly the desperate spirit wants its body found, but there are others with a vested interest in making sure that doesn't happen.

What Lies Beneath - 2000 - starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford (two of my favorites!)  Claire (Pfeiffer) and Norman (Ford) are a married couple living in Vermont; Claire is suffering from a memory lapse due to an accident.  When strange occurrences begin plaguing Claire, she investigates a possible killing in the neighborhood.  There is a ghost trying to communicate with Claire, but it's not who she first believes it is...and the spirit is not the only one hiding dangerous secrets.  (Update: a reader recently left a review of my debut novel SILVER LAKE, saying if you liked What Lies Beneath, you'd like this book.  I was thrilled with the comparison!)

The Orphanage - 2007 - a Spanish film set in...yes, a closed orphanage...along the Spanish coast in 1975.  My sister and I watched this one with subtitles, but I believe a remake is in the works.  This movie is dark, but full of creepy atmosphere and amazing cinematography.  The basic plot involves a couple and their adopted son returning to the orphanage where the mother once lived.  The family's plan is to reopen the old building as a home for disabled children, but their son soon claims to have befriended a boy named Tomas.  Terrible things happened here, and the truth will come out before the spirits can rest.

In all of these movies, there is a common theme: a desperate spirit who cannot rest because of unfinished business.  The ghost seeks revenge or justice, or wants its story told or its remains found.  Barriers to communication make this difficult, but not impossible.  These are all ideas that inspired my two novels, SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR.  Of course, there are many other ghost movies I've enjoyed that rely more on terrifying imagery to ramp up the screams, but have no real "reason" behind the haunting (like the first Paranormal Activity).  Still fun to watch, but my mind usually can't stop looking for an answer to the question, "Why is this happening?".  Regardless, I'll take a creepy thriller over gunfights and explosions any day!

Who knows, maybe some incredible stroke of luck will land one of my stories on the big screen.  Someone is currently developing a screen play for SILVER LAKE, so a girl can dream, right?  In the meantime, I'll keep looking for the shows, films, and books that fuel my imagination.  Feel free to leave your favorites below, I love comments!

If you'd like to follow my Ghostly Inspiration board or the pictures I'm using to inspire my latest work in progress (now released! Haunted Souls), follow the highlighted links to Pinterest! 

The Importance of Stretching - #Friday #Fitness 8

I've been a fitness instructor for 23 years now--okay, I'm dating myself, but I started young!--and a lot of things have changed about my classes during that time.  One thing, though, has remained sacred: stretching, before and after class.  Many people don't bother, and that's a shame.  There are so many benefits to incorporating stretching into a workout routine.

I utilize both dynamic and static stretches in class, the prior during the first 5 minutes, and the latter in the last 5 minutes.  Dynamic stretches are also known as "active stretches" and are done while in motion.  This is often referred to as the "Warm Up" period, because that's exactly what the movements do: drive blood to the muscles and warm tissue.  This increases elasticity and flexibility, leading to greater range of motion during the intense part of the work out.  Why does that matter?  Two reasons - (1) it reduces the chance of injury; and (2) it increases the effectiveness of your work out.  Those benefits far outweigh the "cost" of spending 5 minutes warming up!

Cold muscles should never be stretched.  Once muscles are warmed up with a bit of light activity (marching, walking, lifting the knees, etc.), a few stretches will loosen the muscles and prepare them for the upcoming demands of your work out.  An example would be dynamic lunges: stepping out with one foot, dropping the back knee down toward the floor, then pushing off from the front foot to return to standing.  As you alternate legs, make sure your forward step is far enough out to prevent the knee from bending out past the front toes.  Another example would be various arm swings to prepare for an upper body work out or a cardio class.  The idea is to mimic the motions you'll be doing during your work out.



Static, or passive, stretching should be reserved for the end of the work out, or the "Cool Down" period.  These are stretches that are held in place, elongating the muscle and releasing tension.  It helps restore proper alignment and prepare for the next work out.  Not to mention it's relaxing!  Why not take a few minutes to recharge mentally and reward your body for its hard work?

One of the perks of being the instructor is that I get to choose the music.  I put on one of my favorite slow songs and lead the class through different stretches.  Sometimes I incorporate some yoga moves as well.  I always remind the class members to modify any stretch that doesn't work for them...it should all feel good.  Bouncing should be avoided, as it could push a muscle beyond the comfortable range of motion.  I emphasize the mind/body connection and remind everyone to think about what muscle group they are stretching, and to let it relax if it's still holding tight.

Obviously, my classes--and tips--are geared toward people in good health looking to improve their general fitness.  People with certain injuries, or elite athletes with specific goals, may have very different instructions.  I should also note, in case it isn't painfully obvious, that I am not a doctor.  I am a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor who loves writing romance novels filled with spooky suspense in her spare time.

I have Pinterest boards for both my passions, so I'll post the links below if anyone wants to connect over there.  Happy Friday!

My Fitness Board


GULL HARBOR Storyboard

SILVER LAKE Storyboard