Back to school giveaway!!

When I was at RWA, the annual conference for romance writers, last month, a bunch of us had some leftover books from our signing, so I collected a few extras with the intention of putting together a giveaway for all of you! I've been hanging on to them since then, and I'm so glad to finally clear some of the stuff out of my office!

Being in NYC was definitely a highlight of my summer. So many fun things to see and do. I was especially excited to see the Statue of Liberty, which I hadn't been to see since I was a child. While so many things have changed since then, it was nice to see it again.

I had enough items to make three different prizes. I'll draw a winner from each of them. To enter, simply leave a comment telling me the best part of your summer. And, for a bonus entry, share this post with your friends. I'll give you an entry for every place you share it. Just tag me when you share so I know you shared.

The prizes:

Lots of fun things in each prize pack, so hopefully, it will give you lots of great reading for back to school!

About Danica Favorite:

A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/7HCXj
Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Instagram: https://instagram.com/danicafavorite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor   
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Danica-Favorite/e/B00KRP0IFU
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/danica-favorite

Danica's most recent release:

His secret past. His second chance.

Three Sisters Ranch could be his way home…

When inexperienced rancher Nicole Bell starts training her troubled mare, Fernando Montoya has just the expertise she needs. But helping Nicole brings Fernando dangerously close to revealing the secret he’d rather keep hidden: he learned the skill in prison. While the horse draws them together, can Fernando find a way to tell her the truth…and keep it from pulling them apart? 

Summer Critters (Warning--Pictures!)

by Jill Kemerer

All summer I've been taking walks whenever possible, and I've encountered a LOT of critters! Now, I'll be the first to admit I'm a big baby when it comes to the creepy-crawlies. Spiders make me scream; snakes give me heart attacks. And since I'm a drama queen, I took lots of pictures to prove I had reasons to be afraid.

First up, I was just walking along, minding my own business when I almost stepped on this little guy. Yes, it took ten minutes for my pulse to return to normal!

This spider? HUGE. And in the bathroom at the park I was visiting. Yikes! In my mind, this is one step away from a tarantula.

In June, my girlfriend joined me on a research trip to the nearby Lake Erie islands, and we were both shocked at how late the Mayflies appeared this year. Here they are on my leg and covering a pole (they are harmless but icky!).

Also on this trip, we got to see what was under the black mats on one of the islands--it wasn't a pleasant surprise! To be fair, scientists research these snakes, so there's that.

I came across this adorable toad sunning himself while I was walking the other day. I don't mind frogs and toads. I like his pose.

Finally, in July we spent a week in Florida. We saw all three of these on the same night. The tiny crab was my favorite!

Not pictured? The raccoon that climbed the tree right outside the deck! The little guy was too fast for me...

What critters have you encountered recently? Which ones do you like more than others?

Enjoy your Monday!

*

Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of inspirational romance novels for Harlequin Love Inspired. She loves coffee, M&Ms, a stack of books, and long walks outdoors. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children. Please visit her website, jillkemerer.com, and sign up for her newsletter.

Released May 2019:

She’s pregnant on his doorstep…

Saddle up for this Wyoming Cowboys novel

When his childhood friend Kit McAllistor shows up, widowed and pregnant, rancher Wade Croft offers her a place to stay…but he can’t offer her his heart. As old feelings begin to surface, past tragedies force Wade to ignore them. But on the brink of losing his ranch, will he also risk losing the woman he’s beginning to love…or can he cowboy up in time?

FOR PURCHASE LINKS CLICK HERE!

Summer Movie Report by Belle Calhoune

Happy Summer everyone! One of my favorite things about summer are the blockbuster movies. I've always loved going to the movies! I remember we had a blizzard when I was a kid and my sister and I were out from school for weeks. Many times my Dad took us to the movies and I vividly recall seeing Ice Castles and Pippi Longstocking. I still love watching Ice Castles whenever it's on.

When we go to Cape Cod we're able to travel to Wellfleet where there's an old-fashioned drive-in. It's a lot of fun and my kids always loved it when they were little. Not sure they'd still get a thrill out of it but I'm game for it. Two movies for the price of one, as well as the ability to sit in the back of the car with the back hatch up, feeling the cool Cape Cod air brush against my face. And since we arrive in our own cars we can bring as many snacks and drinks as we please. I've been going to drive-ins since I was a little kid and it never gets old.

           

I'm really excited to see The Farewell, a movie about a woman who travels to China because her grandmother is dying. Problem is, her entire family is hiding the truth about her terminal illness from the grandmother.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before. This is a great romantic film on Netflix. It's geared to the Young Adult crowd but I found it really charming. It's about a girl who enters into a fake relationship with a cute boy at her school....and then sparks fly. A very sweet romance. And not just for young adults.

Breakthrough was an amazing, inspirational movie about one woman's tremendous love for her son as he wages the fight of his life after a tragic accident. Speaks to miracles and the power of love. It's not in the theaters any longer but is available through Redbox.  You won't be disappointed in this one.

Although I saw Black Panther when it released in the movie theaters, I couldn't help but rewatch it on DVD. It's so good. I can't really keep up with all the interrelated Marvel movies so it was refreshing to be able to watch a single action hero movie and feel that it wasn't attached to a dozen other films. This movie is innovative and action-packed, along with having a lot of heart and a great diverse cast.

I was really looking forward to seeing Booksmart, along with my 23-year-old daughter. We finally were able to see it last weekend. Although parts of the movie were cute and it's a great premise of two high achieving students who want one night of fun before they graduate, there were many risque and sexual situations that detracted from the overall movie and message. *Disclaimer. Adult content.  If this is on your movie list, beware of adult content and numerous sexual situations.

The movie that I really loved was Little starring a very talented young actress, Marsai Martin. It's very sweet with a great message of being kind and appreciating one's life. It reminded me a little bit of the movie, Big, starring Tom Hanks.                                                                                               

The BIG one I'm looking forward to seeing is the live-action of LION KING. I'm so excited since the Disney one is an all-time favorite. And I love Beyonce so I can't wait to see her rendition of Nala. My girls are also excited about seeing it so we're all on the same page. Movie night! My husband isn't a   big movie goer, but even he's excited about revisiting the world of Simba and the ensemble cast.        

What's on your summer movie list? What movies have you seen this summer? Netflix or movie theater? Raisinets or M & M's?                                                                                                  

                                                 

                                                                          

Confessions of a Foodie by Belle Calhoune

Okay! I'm about to come clean. My family loves to eat out at restaurants. In good times and in bad, we tend to seek comfort in a nice restaurant where we can eat and talk and bond. There's something about eating at a new venue that feels particularly exciting to us. Will the food be good? So-so? Do they serve Sangria? Are those Yelp reviews truthful? Will it become a family favorite?

Chicken and waffles seem to be all the rage at the moment and we've enjoyed some all around the world. The best had to be Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles in California.

For me, food is a joyful thing. And I've come to realize it's something to celebrate. When my brother was terminally ill he lost his appetite. For the first time in his life he didn't want to eat and the smell of food made him sick. I think it reinforced to me the idea that life is short and one never knows when things in your life will change. SAVOR the moments...as well as the food.

These are some pictures from our Paris trip. I smile when I look at the earthy looking dish with the potatoes. It was really exciting to enjoy different cuisine.

Earthy French food..it was delicious.

My daughter and I at a cafe on the Champs Elysees! We enjoyed the best mussels. 

Sometimes I decide not to post all my dining pics on my author page because I don't want to give the impression that we eat out all the time. It's usually for celebration purposes, and since life has been good lately, we've had a lot to celebrate. Praise the Lord! But in the future, I'm going to share more, because enjoying food is a wonderful thing. Recently we celebrated Fourth of July at my sister Karen's house and she brought out a dessert my mother used to serve us. It brought back all those wonderful childhood memories and it felt like my mother was sitting right there with us even though we lost her back in 2000.

When I was growing up in a family of seven we rarely ate out. I totally understand why. I wouldn't eat out if I had to pay the tab for five kids either! But when we did it was usually while on vacation or the occasional seafood outing in Cape Cod where we had a summer house. We recently took my dad out for father's day at a seafood place on the South Shore of Boston. There's nothing better than fried clams and scallops!

Fried Scallops. Sheer perfection. No one does seafood better than Massachusetts.

I still believe dining out as a family is a celebratory thing. Graduations! Honor roll! My daughter's first big job in New York City! A film deal! We celebrate it all! And I love it.


A different take on chicken and waffles at my niece's graduation celebration.

Spicy fish taco wrapped in lettuce.

Italian food. Lasagna, one of my all-time favorites.

Who among us doesn't love a churro? With chocolate sauce?

Calamari, one of our favorite dishes. 

French toast with flair!

Apple crumble with vanilla ice cream.

Bolognese...my all time favorite meal. I've eaten it in more restaurants than I can recall.

Edamame. It's so good...and good for you.

Dining out is enjoyable for my family. It allows us relaxing time during which we can catch up on the day to day stuff and talk about goals and dreams. Recently we went out for Mexican food and I spotted this sign. It still cracks me up!!!