More of Pam's Stitching

Friday the 13th

FRIDAY 13TH:

So far this morning my husband's starter on his truck went out and he had to drive my car to work. My daughter posted that her car battery died and she had to walk from the gym to her job at the law office in 13 degree weather. As for me well I go to turn on the dining room light above my table that my laptop sits on and the chain is stuck and won't budge so i'm half writing this in the dark. It's okay because if I weren't so lazy I would unplug the laptop and move to the living room with it.

Now I'm not blaming all of this on Friday the 13th I'm just saying that my exhusband's birthday is December 13th and I should have paid attention to the number 13.LOLOL No it's all good.....but I wonder if any of you have a Friday the 13th stories to share with us?

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I have nothing special planned for the weekend but in the winter I don't get out of the house very much so this is nothing new for me.

Hugs,

Pam

Stitched by Pamela

It's Monday

It's Monday:

It's Monday (yawn) but the good news is that it's a brand new week and so the possibilties are endless. I plan to make the most of my week.

What will be the best part of your week?

As a reader are you reading a book you would like to share with us today? Do you have a hobby you would like to make or finish some projects this week?

As an author are you close to finishing a book? Are you beginning a new book project? Writers and editors are you busy with the new year and a new crop of authors? What about our author who write series what book in the series are you writing?

Anyone join any new reading or writing groups online/face to face?

How about research and PR who is trying to get the word out and what are you researching?

Most of all what are you looking forward to this week? Are there any new tv shows or movies that are airing this week that you want to see?

"I am looking forward Special Victims this week."

Okay I am off to have something to drink this morning.

Hugs,

Pam

Review - It Takes a Witch

It Takes A Witch by Heather Blake is the first book in the new “Wishcraft” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, January 2012

Until three weeks ago, Darcy and Harper were working dead-end jobs and trying to put their troubles behind them. Then their aunt Velma delivered a bombshell: They’re actually Wishcrafters—witches with the power to grant wishes with a mere spell. Wanting a fresh start, they head to their aunt’s magic-themed tourists town to master their newfound skills.  But their magic fails them when a wannabe witch turns up dead—strangled with Aunt Ve’s scarf—and Ve’s sweetheart, Sylar, is found looming over the body. Ve is standing by her man, but Darcy overheard Sylar wish that the victim would disappear—forever. With Harper distracted by her handsome new crush, Darcy is determined to sleuth her way to the truth. But it’ll take more than a wish to unravel this mystery.

Having recently discovered that they are witches, Darcy and her sister moved back to the family’s homestead to join her Aunt’s business. All was going well until her aunt’s boyfriend was found near the strangled body of a woman he wished dead. Believing in her aunt and trusting her own instincts, Darcy tries her hand at sleuthing to expose a killer. I love this book. This magically delightful mix of mystery and mayhem with a dash of romance is a well-crafted, page-turning tale that left me wishing for more time in Enchanted Village, MA. This entertaining who-dun-it boasts adorable and captivating characters and a place I would love to call home. And the ending, OMG! This is a great start to more adventures with Darcy in this enticingly charming new series.

Dru

Previously post at  dru's book musing

Guest Blogger -Alice Duncan

Happy New Year, everyone!

On the whole, 2011 was kinder to me that the prior several years were. I guess that makes me an exception to the rule. But my independent editing business picked up, three of my books were published (along with a short story I published on Kindle when I got so sick of writing the book I was writing, and decided to stick it in a drawer and do something else).

Then December happened. You know how it goes: if things are going along smoothly something will hit you upside the head to remind you that life isn’t a bowl of cherries. On or about December 8, the retina in my left eyeball detached itself from whatever it was supposed to be attached to. I felt something funny in that eye, but thought I was being sort of hypochondriacal when I called the eye doc for an appointment. However, when I described my symptoms to the appointment lady, she gave me an appointment for far too early on Friday morning.

After being dilated and poked and prodded and blah, blah, blah, they stuck me in a room, called a place called Eye Associates in Albuquerque, told me to pack a bag and get myself to Albuquerque instantly. As I sat in the little waiting room, waiting and worrying, I called my wonderful neighbors, Ann and Barry Lasky. Ann said she’d be happy to drive me to Albuquerque, Barry said he’d feed my dogs, and we set out.

Unfortunately, neither Ann nor I had any idea what to expect once we got to Eye Associates. All I knew was that a doctor was waiting for me to show up (I honestly didn’t realize a detached retina was considered a medical emergency. I do now). So my eye was dilated again, again examined, Dr. Sidd’s (he’s the Roswell eye doc) diagnosis was confirmed, and I was told to show up at Presbyterian Hospital in Abq. at some ungodly hour on Saturday morning. That’s when we learned that Ann was supposed to stay with me for the entire weekend, and that we’d have to get rooms at a hotel.

Well, what the heck, y’know? I’d been making a tiny bit more money than usual in recent months, thanks to my independent editing work, so I could actually afford to house us at Albuquerque’s Hotel Elegante, a wonderfully misnamed hotel at which the New Mexico Book of the Year Awards banquet was held a few weeks earlier. So I got to spend a lot of time in the Hotel Elegante during the last part of 2011. Ann’s husband Barry brought her some clothes on Saturday (by the way, it’s a 400-mile round trip from Roswell to Albuquerque and back again), and he also brought both of us our laptops, so we were able to communicate with the rest of the world.

Then, on Saturday, December 10, a very nice Dr. Kamalesh Ramaiya reattached my left retina to whatever it’s supposed to be attached to, lasered another weak spot in the same eyeball, installed a gas bubble (which is supposed to dissolve about six weeks from the date of the operation), and I’ve been a one-eyed, extremely bored person ever since. Can’t read. Can’t watch TV. Can’t drive (for the sake of the rest of the world as well as myself). Can’t even go for walks with the dogs. I get to lie face-down on my bed with my head in the holes of a foam-rubber pillow for the duration. If it weren’t for audiobooks, I’d be totally nuts instead of merely partially nuts, as is normal.

The problem is that I am unable to work. I am also unable to fulfill my obligation to the people who have won books in various contests. That, however, doesn’t mean I’ll always be incapacitated. As soon as I can read again, I’ll send books to everybody to whom I owe books!

These folks include winners of November’s contest and this month’s contest wieners, Brenda Williamson and Jacquie Seewald, who each won copies of GENTEEL SPIRITS in my December contest.

Also, anon at book9k@woway.com and Karen Mayers, who were kind enough to leave comments on our Magical Christmas Mystery Book Blog Tour, out of which I had to drop precipitately when my eye done me wrong, also won books. If you two could send me your home addresses at alice@aliceduncan.net I’ll eventually get your books to you. Of course, you’ll need to decide which books you want first. You can choose by looking at my web site: www.aliceduncan.net

Anyone who wants to enter my January contest (I’ll be giving away two copies of ANCIENT SPIRITS, Daisy Gumm Majesty’s sixth [and perhaps last] adventure) please send your name and home address to the same e-mail address: alice@aliceduncan.net

As for 2012: onward and upward! Forward into the unknown! As P.G. Wodehouse wrote: the future lies ahead!

Okay, I’ll quit now. Thank you. And please do have a happy new year!

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS:

I hope all of our friends had a very merry holiday. Do you have plans for New Year's Day? We are still in Kansas City and will come home New Year's Eve Day so New Year's Day I will be having our usual steak, baked potato and salad. I will also be doing laundry.LOL....

Did you get a Christmas book that you would like to read soon?

Our daughter went back to work today and so did our SIL so we have the kids for a full 8-12 hours today. It's been years since we kept them like this so I am sure I will be kept on my toes with the four year old. LOL....

Did anyone catch the new movies at the theatre this past weekend?

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday and will go into the new year with renewed spirits.

Hugs,

Pamela