I am ridiculously depressed, and I'm stepping back on a lot of things to try and get my stress levels under control. I'll be calling my psychiatrist on Monday to address this, don't worry, and I have a support system. But I'm having ideation, and I need to hunker down and stick this out.
Truity Enneagram Test
I took the Truity Enneagram Test, which you can find here: https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test I came out type 4 Individualistic as my main. I even paid for the results. o.O I'd say they were pretty accurate for mine, and my husband's to my eye were very accurate. I mean, I'm a creative and bipolar, so it was … Continue reading Truity Enneagram Test
Sourdough!
I'm getting better at baking sourdough, and I have a healthy starter. Here is this week's loaf!
The Eggening Has Begun!
I found my very first chicken egg - a bantam egg so far as I can tell, and as of last night I was up to 17 eggs! Which is fantastic. And then I had a back spasm while putting them away after taking a photo and dropped the smaller carton. So I had an … Continue reading The Eggening Has Begun!
Puppy Vet Appointment
We took Tundra in to see the vet this last week, and we had collected some information from the rescue group I'm on as for what options he had. One was an injection that could be given monthly to ease arthritis pain. And when we arrived the vet was excited to tell us a bout … Continue reading Puppy Vet Appointment
Wilder by Chelsea Chira
Last guy in Stella's harem, Wilder is from Summer Court. Chelsea did an amazing job!
Birch by Chelsea Chira
More artwork for my advertising! Birch is from 'Orphan Lost', Spring Court.
FREE Audiobook or WIP Tier on Ream!
Ya'll, I'm excited! I'm part of a group of #whychoose, menage, and poly romance authors that got together for a Valentine's day giveaway! Each one of us is offering one month free on our Ream at our lowest tier. In my case, I chose to offer my $5 tier for free - that means you … Continue reading FREE Audiobook or WIP Tier on Ream!
Stiff Old Guy – Our Puppy Is 13 – Advice?
So, Tundra is 13, and he's starting to get weak around the back legs. We had already reached out to the vet and had an appointment to address pain. Next week we have his yearly physical and all that entails and we'll be talking to them about his hind end weakening. I'm looking at Walkin' … Continue reading Stiff Old Guy – Our Puppy Is 13 – Advice?
Oakley by Chelsea Chira
Another art drop! From "Orphan Lost" we have Oakley of the Winter Court.
Rhodes Art by Chelsea Chira
Just a shiny art drop! Here's Rhodes from "Orphan Lost", Prince of the Fall Court.
Storytime: Times Renee Was Oblivious
I went camping with the Girl Scouts as a kid, several times. One time we were camping by the Rainbow River, I think, and we flooded out like crazy and had to evacuate at 2 in the morning with none of our stuff, literally wading through shin deep fast running water to get to the … Continue reading Storytime: Times Renee Was Oblivious
Got Passport Photos!
My husband and I went and got passport photos done because my god daughter is turning 18 and graduating high school. My best friend lives in Montreal, so it'll be a hike. I realized our passports had expired sometime in the last five years, so have to apply again!
HARD Freeze and Chickie Fears!
We got down to -15 F which caused some advance panicking. It is my chickens' first winter Some of them are itty bitty bantams. Their coops are sheltered but not heated, and the doors don't close. *flail* So I made a rush order at Tractor Supply for two radiant heaters, two heated dog dishes, and … Continue reading HARD Freeze and Chickie Fears!
Art Commission and Page Updates
I commissioned some art, and the first piece is done! I'm super stoked, and I'll be sharing that. I also need to update my webpage because... there IS no page for Her Star-Bound Court, much less a character page. **facepalm** Yeah. I need to work on that. But while I do, here's the pretty, pretty … Continue reading Art Commission and Page Updates
Mark Cuban Cost Plus
I'm in the process of switching some of my more expensive medications over to Mark Cuban's Cost Plus pharmacy website. Usually I hit the donut hole in roughly late April or early May, but I'm hoping to avoid hitting it at all this year, especially since I'm pretty sure I'll drop out of the MAPP … Continue reading Mark Cuban Cost Plus
Hydroponics
No photos yet, because there's nothing to show, but I have six of my eleven hydroponics kits up and running, plus two trays of microgreens. The microgreens are for the chickens primarily. The hydroponics are a mix - three are lettuce, one is all basil, one is all mix herbs, and one has tomatoes. It's … Continue reading Hydroponics
Running NaNoWriMo Edits in January!
I'm working on edits for Fae Alchemy in January, and NaNoWriMo's website allows me to do that, so I'm stoked. I'm hoping to have this book ready for the editor in March. So exciting!
Winner Has Been Picked!
Winner for my giveaway has been picked, and I've emailed them. We had a few problems with sending the books, so now I'm just waiting to hear back. Art by Midjourney AI
Happy New Year!
It's 2024! Let's do our best! Love all of y'all. Art by Midjourney AI, but I have some commissioned lovelies coming up!
No Posts Until the New Year
I'm busy, busy, busy doing Christmas things and running around, and frankly Christmas Eve (when we start our celebrations) fell on the day I write out my blog posts for the week. So, there will be now new posts until the first week in January. THAT SAID. I am still running a giveaway, which ends … Continue reading No Posts Until the New Year
I HIT ONE THOUSAND POSTS! Giveaway
Ya'll, I hit ONE THOUSAND POSTS Wednesday, so I'm doing a giveaway! I've been writing blog posts since the beginning of 2017, and I've kept at it this whole time. I'm proud of me, no lie. So, for the giveaway, here's the link: https://kingsumo.com/g/iaqh0s/one-series-by-auryn-hadley With Auryn Hadley's permission, I'm celebrating by giving away a ebook … Continue reading I HIT ONE THOUSAND POSTS! Giveaway
Working on Character Art
This is just an art dump so you can see the character art I have finished. I have two done, but only one has been scanned, so that's what you get. I included space on the right for putting quotes from the book.
Fae Fatale Delayed
It looks like Fae Fatale won't be out before January. This is a combination of my formatter going on Christmas break and my editor having books on her plate. Not the end of the world, just giving you a head's up!
Hiatus for the Week
Having a rough series of mood swings and panic attacks. No posts for the week while I step back and take a break to try and get things under control.
Audiobook Went to Proof… Listener?
I have THE MOST AMAZING FRIEND... who is currently proofing my audiobook. As soon as she gives me the okay and any areas that need to be regenerated, it'll be going live on my website. Much excite! Image is Midjourney AI.
Giveaway Complete!
My giveaway was inundated with bots, but I spent over an hour weeding them out and then generated a winner. They chose the gift card, and it's sent and received! I'm going to have to think of a different way to do this for the future. Congratulates to Amber P.! Graphic by Midjourney AI.
Audiobook Delayed
I goofed generating the audiobook and it's at 160k instead of 192k so BookFunnel won't take it. I can fix this, but it'll take a little time, and the book hasn't been proofed all the way yet, so it'll be a few days yet before it's live! Sorry if you were waiting on this! It's … Continue reading Audiobook Delayed
Bots Crashed My Giveaway
So I'm doing a giveaway for my niche market in their facebook group, and it was going along nicely. Then in a matter of two hours I went from ~100 entries to over 3000, all of the unconfirmed emails that end in icloud with EXACTLY 27 items done off of the way to get extra … Continue reading Bots Crashed My Giveaway
Turning Orphan Lost into an Audiobook
So, I'm using ElevenLabs and a training of my voice to turn Orphan Lost into an audiobook. I tested this for them before, and now I tried their project function which was... a disaster with strange mispronunciations and all sorts of weird. So, now I'm doing it the hard way by hand, but it's coming … Continue reading Turning Orphan Lost into an Audiobook
Old Dog Indeed – Bad for My Heart!
So on Friday, we brought Tundra to the vet because he wasn't doing great, and I'm like 'he's an old boy' and was feeling bad for him. They started him on a new pain med. And then this jerk proved he still has plenty of vinegar and spite inside of him and that he feels … Continue reading Old Dog Indeed – Bad for My Heart!
A Little Behind on NaNoWriMo
I'm participating (AGAIN!) in NaNoWriMo, and I'm running a little behind, but not more than two day's words or so. This is my 13th NaNoWriMo, believe it or not, and I've only lost 2 since I started. What am I writing? Captured Pawn! Why am I behind? My outline wasn't good enough! Do I think … Continue reading A Little Behind on NaNoWriMo
I’m Mentioned in this Article!
They found me on reddit on a thread about medications and Mark Cuban's pharmacy - my main psych medication used to be $15,000 out of pocket for a three month supply. The same medication, as a generic, at Mark Cuban's is $39 for a three month supply. Here's the article in question: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-doctor-lowering-drug-prices-for-1-million-patients-with-help-from-mark-cuban-sam-altman-and-martin-shkreli-5e72d77a And for … Continue reading I’m Mentioned in this Article!
My Chickens Are Idiots
I went out to change the water for the chickens at dusk, and they'd already gone to bed. And what did I find? FOUR CHICKENS SLEEPING ON TOP OF THEIR COOP. Not IN their coop like intended. On top of it. **facepalm** Image from Midjourney AI because I couldn't get a clear photo of the … Continue reading My Chickens Are Idiots
“Orphan Lost” Is Live, But There Is a Problem
First of all, here's the blurb. See if you can spot what's getting my ads rejected. She's forgotten them, but they haven't forgotten her.Stella married four fae boys as a child, thinking only to solve their arranged marriage issue, and then moved away, a military brat to the core.Now, dropped off in a small town … Continue reading “Orphan Lost” Is Live, But There Is a Problem
My Husband Has THE Best Sense of Humor
I got a vinyl sticker this week of a hedgehog with a note that says 'free hugs!'. I find this hilarious because my husband teases that I'm a hedgehog, and I LOVE hugs. So I left it on his computer keyboard. When I came back to my computer I found this: I cracked up. Hedgehog … Continue reading My Husband Has THE Best Sense of Humor
Doing Artwork for Advertising
I'd like to do some Facebook advertising for my books, and while the course advises using AI art, I'm uncomfortable with that. So I used AI art to get the pieces I needed to put together so I could do my own art pieces with the AI art as reference. I used alcohol markers and … Continue reading Doing Artwork for Advertising
How to Report Errors and Typos
Orphan Lost is going live, RIGHT NOW. If you're reading and you need to report an error or typo, there are two possible channels to reach me. I ask that you do NOT use Amazon's reporting function and instead reach out to me directly. One is to use my pinned post on my Facebook Page … Continue reading How to Report Errors and Typos
Official Deadline
Orphan Lost is due to Amazon RIGHT NOW. Busy, busy, busy, on the back end. The book in question.
Today Is My Personal Deadline
Today is my personal deadline for turning in Orphan Lost on time! I'm busy, busy, busy in the background. Seven days until release! Fluff posts this week! The book in question is available for preorder here.
Going to Have to Hire Pest Control
We've gotten the chickens out of the basement and treated, but the basement is crawling with either chicken lice or chicken mites. It's REVOLTING. I put in a request for a consult with a local Pest Control company. Ya'll, I"ve never sprayed for ANYTHING before, but this is too much. Advice?
Count Down to ‘Orphan Lost’ Release!
She's forgotten them, but they haven't forgotten herStella married four fae boys as a child, thinking only to solve their arranged marriage issue, and then moved away, a military brat to the core.Now, dropped off in a small town by the orphan bus with other military orphans, she finds them again. Only, she doesn't remember … Continue reading Count Down to ‘Orphan Lost’ Release!
Last Minute Edits
My beta reader came back with some things that absolutely HAD to be fixed, so I pulled Orphan Lost from the proofreader and spent several days with my most awesomest of PAs frantically editing. We added a total of 8,600 words to the manuscript. We changed the heat so it is now 🌶️🌶️ out of … Continue reading Last Minute Edits
Sorting Chickens
So apparently Sena chickie's beautiful tail feathers were just toooooo tempting for the other chickens, because they've torn them all out. So. I had to switch the two bantams from the first group to join the others, so I grabbed Sena too and threw her in with the bantams to recover. I snuck in after … Continue reading Sorting Chickens
Quite the Timing
BOTH TIMES I've brought chicks outside it poured. No rain all summer. Put out baby chickens who have never seen weather before and it pours and lightning and thunder. I went out last night to check on my three littles, and the poor girls were in a little huddle staring at the sky in the … Continue reading Quite the Timing
Chicken Run is 99% Complete!
My husband finished the door, and now it's ready to move in the bantams! I'll move them on Wednesday because the weather is supposed to be milder, and I'll treat them heavily for the lice before I bring them out. All that is left is to tack up the flooring so nothing can chew between … Continue reading Chicken Run is 99% Complete!
Whoops! Help or Advice?
I'm taking a Facebook Ads class, and it had me create a Facebook Author Page. I already have a Facebook Author Page. It just didn't show up because of the new FB formating. **facepalm** Keep the old or keep the new? Ideas? One looks decidedly more polished than the other, but the other is old … Continue reading Whoops! Help or Advice?
Meet the Chickies!
These are our outdoor chickens, and while we'll be treating them for lice to be sure, they appear clean. Anyway, introductions! Poppy! Blue Andelusian. You can't see it well from this angle, but her butt is steel grey. She disapproves of cameras and made many disgruntled noises. Mio! Bantam Porcelain Belgian Bearded d'Uccle. She had … Continue reading Meet the Chickies!
Our Basement Chicks Have Mites
My husband found tiiiiiny white crawlies on his headphones in the basement. I checked his head, and while there's a few, there are no eggs, and it doesn't look like any lice I've seen before. So then I looked at the chickens in their enclosure in the basement... and it's crawling with them. I looked … Continue reading Our Basement Chicks Have Mites
Pretty Sure One of Our Hens Is a Rooster
Hatcheries are pretty good a sexing their chicks; it's kind of what they do. And out of the 11 adult chicks we have, 10 of them are probably hens. Except for Sena, our most beautiful chicken. We're pretty sure Sena is a boy. This is the best photo I have of Sena currently. He's the … Continue reading Pretty Sure One of Our Hens Is a Rooster
Sourdough Bread Success!
My sourdough is named Jerry. Jerry from Rick and Morty because he's impossible to keep alive, but I'm succeeding! I baked it in a a dutch oven. Last ten minutes were uncovered. It's a lovely loaf, cooked all the way through!
Chicken Run Photos!
Half the chicken run is done, and it is FULL fo chickens! Nice big chicken coop for the girls. Not a good photo but the gold and black chicken is a boy. 🙁 One of the bantams. In the end ALL of the bantams will be on the other side of the coop. What do … Continue reading Chicken Run Photos!
Expect Pictures on Wednesday!
We spent all of Saturday, most of Sunday and most of Monday finishing out half the chicken run. Then the first batch of chickens went out! It's halfway finished, but the half that is done is done, done. They're a bit confused by rain. We had to drop them all IN the coop to stay … Continue reading Expect Pictures on Wednesday!
Newest Chapter of Still Water up on YouTube!
If you want to listen to my audiobook, I've updated with the next chapter on YouTube. You can find it here.
Reworked Covers for Fae Fatale and Fae Alchemy
I asked my cover artist to rework the covers for 'Fae Fatale' and 'Fae Alchemy' just a little, and here are the results! And the second: If you like these covers, they were done by the amazing Natasha at Dazed Designs.
Orphan Lost Is Off to the Proofreader
Edits are done on 'Orphan Lost', so I've kicked it to the proofreader early. It isn't scheduled to be worked on until the second week in October, but I'd like to turn it in early rather than ride the deadline and be stressed. I'll keep ya'll updated on how it's going! I absolutely love my … Continue reading Orphan Lost Is Off to the Proofreader
Garden Isn’t Going Well
It's been ridiculously hot and dry, and as much as I'm watering, my garden is both struggling and getting out of hand. It's too hot to weed most of the time, so that's getting crazy. And some plants have died because of the heat, despite watering. On top of that, some of the heavier plants … Continue reading Garden Isn’t Going Well
Chicken Photos!
I got my first batch of chicks on July 24th, and they're getting so big! I had a chicken getting pecked, and they had to be separated into two enclosures because she was bleeding, one with the injured chicken and two bantams, one with the rest of the hooligans. This chicken debacle ended up with … Continue reading Chicken Photos!
Chicken Run Update
I'm overwhelmed, and I'm struggling, but I buckled down to take some photos for posts this week. Our chicken run is still in progress, but here's an update photo!
Chickie Photo Dump!
Our chickens are getting SO BIG! They're impatient to get out of their enclosure, so we're hurrying to build their run. Just a little longer and they'll be fully feathered and safe to acclimate to the outside world. The big girls: LOOK AT SENA'S HEAD POOF. It's ridiculously cute and looks like a mohawk! A … Continue reading Chickie Photo Dump!
Snowblower!
Our electric snowblower's cord frayed, and then it hit a rock or something and deformed, and it was going to be expensive to fix. Plus, it never really worked well since it didn't have enough weight to dig down into the snow. One of my friends sold me her old one, so we're set for … Continue reading Snowblower!
Chicken Run in Progress
The run will be split in half, and the two coops will go inside it. There's going to be hardware cloth covering EVERYTHING. The large one for the standard sized hens: The small one for the bantams:: And the run that came with the bantam coop will be used to contain chickens while cleaning their … Continue reading Chicken Run in Progress
Taking the Week Off
My book is in edits, and I'm taking the week off. I'm having a downswing and struggling, so I'm taking as many tasks off my to do list as possible. See you in a week, lovelies!
Lost a Second Chickie
When we lost Pyra, there were too few bantams left for the bantam coop. So I had to order bantams. They came in a minimum of three, and when they arrived there were four. Bringing us to six bantams. Then one of them managed to soak themself in the waterer, and we saved it, everything … Continue reading Lost a Second Chickie
We Lost the Crossbeak Chick
I'm upset, my husband's upset, but I can't change it. Her beak by the end was at a 90 degree angle with itself, and I couldn't keep enough water and soaked feed in her. ;_; She's buried under one of our flowering bushes.
Processing Peppers
We have ALL the peppers coming in from my garden! This is two weeks of harvest, and I'm cutting up the older ones and freezing them. I didn't get to all of them, so some went back in the fridge while I wait for the first batch to freeze. I'm so happy with how my … Continue reading Processing Peppers
We Built a Chicken Coop!
Last night we built a chicken coop for our little chickies. And by 'we' I mean my husband did most of the work. There is still a run to construct around it, and there's a second coop for the bantams because they're getting picked on. Photo dump because I love this coop and how straightforward … Continue reading We Built a Chicken Coop!
Cover Reveal and Preorder!
The first book in my series, 'Her Star-Bound Court' is up for preorder! You can preorder 'Orphan Lost' at Amazon, and it will be on Kindle Unlimited when it releases, per usual. I needed to put it up to take part in a promotion scheduled in December, so it's up sooner than expected. I gave … Continue reading Cover Reveal and Preorder!
Cross Beak Chick
One of my chicks has cross beak or scissor beak. I'm researching to figure out what I can do to help her! Ideas?
All the Birthdays!
It is once again birthday season in our family. Me, my mom, my father-in-law, my FIL's dad. The last person has passed so we don't celebrate, but the rest of us had fun this weekend and today! So happy birthday to all of us! Graphic from Deposit Photos.
Garden Update
Just a photo dump garden update. Lots of weeds, so ignore those. Dill: Chives and buckwheat. One year old grapes on the left, with bunches! New grapes buried in the weeds, so I need to clear that out. Perpetual spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, peppers. Blackberries. Overview from the outside.
CHICKENS!
Ya'll, the time is here. My baby chicks have arrived! They hatched on Monday and arrived Tuesday. First, their temporary enclosure: A close up of the heater/water/food. And the thing you've been waiting for. I took TONS of video, but that's a pain to upload here, so here are some stills. Nine chickens! And of … Continue reading CHICKENS!
Last of the Peas Stir Fry!
It's getting too warm out for the peas, but I gathered the last of the good ones and had a stir fry with them.
Infographic for My Two Series
I've seen several authors do infographics for their series so that readers know what might appeal to them. I thought I'd give it a try! What do you think? Should there be other information?
Release Schedule
This is just me setting up a reader guide infographic for those who might be interested and providing a publishing schedule so you all know what's what. I have two books releasing this year. .'His Starbound Court' will come out (cross your fingers!) in September 2023.The rerelease of 'Still Water', now called 'Fae Fatale' will be … Continue reading Release Schedule
Camp NaNoWriMo Win!
I'm obviously not done because I'm revising the ENTIRE book, but the first 50,000 words of revision are DONE!
Plushies from South Dakota!
I have... a terrible weakness for plushies. I love getting them when we travel and giving them out as souvenirs to people. Here are the ones we got. Coyote: Look at that sweet face! My parents' dogs were interested as you can see, but he was a gift to my brother. We got him at … Continue reading Plushies from South Dakota!
SD Attractions: Journey Museum and Learning Center
This museum started with space, went to geology of the region, fossils, early peoples, Sioux, and then finally pioneer life, finished out with a doll art display that I didn't take photos of because there was a sign asking for no photos. You can find their website HERE if you want to visit. I found … Continue reading SD Attractions: Journey Museum and Learning Center
SD Attractions: The Badlands
The bad lands were way more impressive than I imagined they'd be. We saw buffalo (no photos, sorry, they were at the gate with cars between us) a prong horn deer (too fast for a photo), prairie dogs by the millions (don't show up well), and a big horned sheep which... I got a photo … Continue reading SD Attractions: The Badlands
SD Attractions: Press Start Bar/Arcade/Pizza Parlor/Dance Club
After we visited the Mammoth Site, we took a break and then spent the evening at Press Start. This place was so much fun. My husband LOVED it. It's a bar AND an arcade with a wide variety of games over two levels. AND a pizza parlor with a wood stove you can watch them … Continue reading SD Attractions: Press Start Bar/Arcade/Pizza Parlor/Dance Club
SD Attractions: Mammoth Site
This is, flat out, the best place we visited during the entire trip. There was a sinkhole that, well, trapped and killed a bunch a mammoths. And now they're excavating them, but the cool thing is you WALK THROUGH THE EXCAVATION. Some of the mammoths removed and put together. I think one is an actual … Continue reading SD Attractions: Mammoth Site
SD Attractions: Crazy Horse
Now, Crazy Horse isn't complete. All that's done right now is his head and part of the hand and arm. But this is what it's planned to look like: The inscription: And the gate:
SD Attractions: Mount Rushmore
So, if you go to Rapid City, South Dakota, you REALLY need to see Mount Rushmore, so you can say you've seen it. Or so I'm told. So I went. It was... a whole thing? I mean, the carving is nice, but the hordes of people were stressful, and I was happy to leave. Very … Continue reading SD Attractions: Mount Rushmore
SD Attraction: Museum of Geology
The next place we went after the gold tour was the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. It had both minerals AND fossils, and I took a million photos, but here's a few. We LOVED it, would absolutely recommend going there, but they're only open during the week. Wish … Continue reading SD Attraction: Museum of Geology
SD Attraction: Black Hills Gold Jewelry Tour
Our first day going out and about in South Dakota, we went on a Black Hills Gold Jewelry Tour at Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold Factory. Do I have any pictures? No. Pictures were not allowed due to security. BUT, it took us through the whole process from designing the jewelry on one end all … Continue reading SD Attraction: Black Hills Gold Jewelry Tour
The Dulcet Sounds of a Wheel Bearing
For the last 100 miles back from South Dakota, we got to listen to the dulcet sounds of a wheel bearing failing. So, we brought that in to the shop yesterday. They trusted our assessment of what the problem was enough to order the parts without seeing the car. It was, in fact, a wheel … Continue reading The Dulcet Sounds of a Wheel Bearing
Replanted Hydroponics
I cleaned and replanted 7 of my 8 hydroponics kits. Yes. I have 8 of them. On with the photos! The last hydroponic has a still fruiting tomato plant, so I'm leaving it for now.
We Went to South Dakota!
We got back yesterday and I missed my Sunday write-my-blog-posts period! Did I think to write these blog posts the week before? No, not at all! Did I write one frantically last minute after driving for 10 hours? Not a chance. I'm downloading photos now, so I'll try to have blog posts up later this … Continue reading We Went to South Dakota!
Friday Garden Update!
Everything is greening up and most of it is doing well, so I'm super stoked! I really need to weed.
Peach Tree Might Not Make It
One of my peach trees isn't doing so well. There are the same number of leaves since I planted it in April, and they're the same size with no sign of growth. This is NOT promising. Any advice?
Editing His Starbound Court
I'm using Holly Lisle's 'How to Revise Your Novel' class again for revisions because it works SO well for how I think and sort data. This book goes to an editor in two weeks, so pushing hard!
Seems Legit
From my email today. Looks suuuuuper convincing. I just had a goof up in my taxes where I had failed to include one of the quarterly payments I made. They corrected my taxes but then stated I had to pay in full NOW instead of paying on it on my payment plan. So, that sucked. … Continue reading Seems Legit
Mermaid or Siren, you pick?
Just this week's piece of artwork. I had painted it originally in only gouache and watercolor, but it turned out kind of terrible, so I reworked with colored penciles.
Strawberry Season Has Begun!
I got home from my inlaws this Sunday to discover that a full handful of strawberries were ripe in my garden! Delightful. You'd better believe I ate those up, still warm from the sun! Lettuce is ready to harvest, and I have a variety of green peppers growing. It's getting exciting out there! Photos is … Continue reading Strawberry Season Has Begun!
Vertigo
I have discovered the joy that is vertigo. Had an appointment because it was alarming and new, appears to be benign. But for five or so days, it felt like the world was tilting beneath my feet complete with being off balance and nausea. I only felt okay laying down with my head to the … Continue reading Vertigo
Garden Update Picture Dump!
We have been busy, busy, busy in the garden, and I've had a LOT of help, so thank you to those people! So here's some photos. Buckwheat and sorghum Chives I planted way back in 2013! Some weeds, but mostly dill. Raspberries and celery on the right bed. Grapes and volunteer onions on the left. … Continue reading Garden Update Picture Dump!
His Starbound Court
Working title of this series is 'Girlie' or 'Anything for a home' or jokingly 'Fae aren't real and neither is this marriage', but I expect it to be three books. The first book is officially titled 'His Starbound Court', and I've done a blurb for it using Theodora Taylor's butter method in her class. Traveling … Continue reading His Starbound Court
In Case of Chipping Sparrow
We have a chipping sparrow that has been fighting his reflection in our windows all week, and he was starting to look a bit beat up. So my husband came up with a solution! I found this on my desk when I woke up: Which, not going to lie, I was little confused until I … Continue reading In Case of Chipping Sparrow
I Have Joined the Modern World
After dragging my feet and refusing to get a new phone, I was finally forced to this last fall. And the phone options were SO bad for flip phones. The one I got infuriated me from the start, and in the last month I've been popping the battery out THREE TIMES A DAY because it … Continue reading I Have Joined the Modern World
Ream Subscription
I've been looking for a way to help pay for editing and covers on my books, and I dislike Patreon because they censor authors with erotic or 'too dark' of content. You need to have the author's direct link to their Patreon or you won't be able to find it to join! Note that I … Continue reading Ream Subscription
Still Water Audio Going Up on YouTube
The Still Water audiobook is going up on YouTube! I'm trying to do a chapter a week, but a reader found some errors in Chapter 4 so I have to redo that before I can put it up. That said, here it is!
I Missed My 900 Posts Milestone!
So, yeah, I have made over NINE HUNDRED posts to this blog since I started it in 2017! I'm creeping up on ONE THOUSAND POSTS. Should I do a giveaway then? I should totally do a giveaway. What should I giveaway? Thoughts? Photo Credit kchungtw on Deposit Photos. Text was added in Canva.
I Made a Meme
This is Joe! We had homemade pizza for a birthday party, and he was SO into it. I couldn't resist.
Garden Update
All of my GreenStalks are up and filled, and we laid down ground tarp for where I'm going to put raised beds. Greenhouse has a new cover. This weekend it's time to fill beds!
Camp NaNoWriMo Win!
I revised the existing text for Girlie, now titled 'His Starbound Court' during NaNo this time. I actually finished on the 25th so early for once! Go me! I still have to write the last few scenes, but it's almost ready for the editor.
Booksweeps Giveaway!
So here's what I've been up to. I teamed up with a whole bunch (25+) of other authors to do another Booksweeps Giveaway. All of the books are YA Sci-Fi or YA Fantasy, and there are two winners. Grand prize winner gets a new eReader! You can win a copy of Still Water (I prefer … Continue reading Booksweeps Giveaway!
‘Still Water’ Audiobook is Permafree! (Text-to-Voice AI)
I've been working with ElevenLabs' text-to-voice AI, and I've created an audiobook version of 'Still Water', narrated by me! Per my agreement with them, my book would remain permafree for everyone who is interested to see how well it works. This was intended for authors and advertising, but I see no reason it can't mean … Continue reading ‘Still Water’ Audiobook is Permafree! (Text-to-Voice AI)
First Tomato of the Season!
No photo 'cuz I ate it. I have two tomato plants in my hydroponics kits, and the very first ripe tomato came out of them! I cut it in half, and half went to my puppers and half went to me. So good! That is all.
Putting a DogShell into My Outback
My husband's Subaru Legacy Sedan has had a DogShell in it for years, but we just put one in the back of my Outback. Tundra LOVES it. Looking it over before he settles in. Happy puppy! KODAK Digital Still Camera
And There Will Be NO Apricots or Cherries This Year
Because my trees are idiots. The apricots: The cherries. In FULL bloom, ready to go aaaaand... it snowed today and will be in the 20s tonight. **tears**
Planting Trees!
The ground was finally workable sooooo... A peach tree. Another peach tree. A Honeycrisp Apple! SPRING WHY YOU NO HERE YET?!?!
Friday Repotting Update!
My plants are getting out of hand, and I still have almost a month until last frost. *facepalm* So I spent some time repotting my biggest plants. And here's the photo dump! They've moved around a bit too as I shifted them to let shorter plants get light. Lettuces, blackberries,grapes. Peppers! They're blooming now, so … Continue reading Friday Repotting Update!
Have I Been Trained?
As I've learned more about art AI, I've become more and more disenchanted with it, culminating in me canceling my MidJourney AI account. There have been many other people posting about the legalities and moralities, and they can say it better than I can, so I'm not going to rehash that here. What I am … Continue reading Have I Been Trained?
Friday Plants Post!
And some quick photos so you can see how well my plants are doing! This one shows my lavender just barely growing! The new plant on the left is a lemon tree. Lots of tomatoes growing! Two peach trees and a Honeycrisp! Spring can't come soon enough!
Putting Myself Out There
I submitted 'Still Water' to a group making a book list for National Disability Awareness Month, not because Dani is disabled, but because I am disabled and still making a go of it. Unfortunately, one of the readers needs it to be an audio copy. No worries! This month's push will be to produce it … Continue reading Putting Myself Out There
April: Camp NaNo and a Teaser
I'm taking part in Camp Nano this month to revise Girlie a bit! Working title is 'Anything for a Home' and I've purchased some stock art already for the main character's face. There's not much to say on that subject, so here's a teaser: The Texas summer sun was harsh and high, but tucked into … Continue reading April: Camp NaNo and a Teaser
Friday Plant Update!
Just a photo dump of how my plants are doing. I actually got some lavender started! I had to use TWEEZERS to move the starts into their dirt, they were that small! But I followed the instructions and it was a success! LOTS of tomatoes on my hydroponic tomatoes! I use a little vibrating bee … Continue reading Friday Plant Update!
Storage for Cookbooks?
I ran out of room for storing my cookbooks, so I got some organizers that stick to the side of the fridge with magnets. What do you think?
Stark Bros Shipments Arrived!
Stark Bros shipped EARLY this year, so I have a bunch of plants hiding in the house. Three temporarily potted trees: Grapes and blackberries: And a bunch I had to shove in the fridge to keep them dormant. Strawberries, asparagus, horseradish. Hurry up and spring, Wisconsin!
Seed Start Updates
This is a photo dump of all the seed starts and plants I have going right now. Started a variety of lettuces in the new hydroponics kits. The old hydroponics kits will be reworked in about two weeks to stagger the lettuce growing. The majority of my seed starts. Tomatoes, vanilla orchid, bay laurel, and … Continue reading Seed Start Updates
Cambell’s Bean and Bacon
I tried a copycat recipe for Campbell's Bean and Bacon soup, and now I must shout to the skies that it's both amazing and world's cheaper The original recipe is here at Comfort and Yum. You should give it a try!
What are YOU looking for in an Author Subscription?
Okay, I have a question for you, the reader. And I have my email fixed now so I'll be sure to get your answer promptly and not in a month when I get suspicious and check!A group of authors are setting up an author service similar to Patreon called Ream. It'll go live in May, and they're … Continue reading What are YOU looking for in an Author Subscription?
Friday Seedling Update!
This is a photo dump of how my seed starts are doing. Grapes on the right, peppers on the left: Peppers on the right, asparagus, egg plant, and celery on the left. Mostly tomatoes. Basil and thyme. My vanilla orchid is getting out of control. Tomatoes are blooming! And onions. Lots of white mold in … Continue reading Friday Seedling Update!
ALL the Soda Syrups!
I posted a while back that we got a Spärkel carbonator. It's like a Soda Stream, but instead of a million canisters of CO2 that you have to keep replacing, it uses baking soda and citric acid. Anyway, we bought a variety of soda syrups for it, some of which I had shipped from Canada … Continue reading ALL the Soda Syrups!
Testing the Vacuum Sealer
I bought a vacuum sealer for more effective freezer storage, so of course I had to try it today. The result? Looks like it works! *smile*
Teriyaki Steak
When we first moved into our house, one of our housewarming gifts was a cookbook from Better Homes and Gardens. Lately my husband has been experimenting and learning new recipes, and he picked out a Teriyaki steak recipe from the cookbook, and it was absolutely amazing on the grill. The official recipe was 'Steak Teriyaki … Continue reading Teriyaki Steak
Purging Old Hobbies
I've started on cleaning the basement which is absolutely chock full of stuff. The majority of it is supplies for things I used to enjoy doing but haven't done in a decade. My husband has stuff in there too - he moved directly from his parents' house into the house we purchased. His mom was … Continue reading Purging Old Hobbies
Cleaning House
I discovered the world of vacuum sealed laundry and am packaging up all of my big linens that have been taking up space so I can store them in the basement. The bags came with a pump, but I have a vacuum cleaner that worked much better and much faster. I tried to initially use … Continue reading Cleaning House
Need to Add ‘Butter’ to My Writing
I found a writing book that blindsided me. And reading it, I'm thinking back over books I've read going, "Yes, THAT'S why it sold so well. THAT'S why I loved it." The author calls it' butter' because butter is what makes so much in cooking amazing. On top of this, it makes marketing blindingly obvious. … Continue reading Need to Add ‘Butter’ to My Writing
Seed Starts Update
Just a photo dump of how things growing in my house are doing. The lettuce: A single grape start! Celery and eggplant. Peppers! Tomatoes. Onions and Leeks.
Valentine’s Day Whoops!
I love getting gifts for my husband, and he likes flowers and cards, so Valentine's Day is perfect for this. But I'm always afraid I'll forget, so I get a card for him, seal it, and tell him to open it on Valentine's. This year... I forgot that I'd gotten a card. Four times. My … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Whoops!
How Is My Orchid Even Alive?
I have not been the best plant parent for my orchid. When I don't have seed starts in the closet, I forget to go in there and water it. I leave the grow lights on 16 or more hours a day. I don't fertilize it. And my vanilla orchid just keeps growing and sprawling out … Continue reading How Is My Orchid Even Alive?
I Might Have Played a Lot of Guild Wars This Week
I've been depressed. And when I'm depressed all I do is sleep and play World vs. World in Guild Wars so that I can alternately troll and murder other players. My normal kills in a week is between 30 and 50, usually done Friday night with the whole guild. This last week I made 263 … Continue reading I Might Have Played a Lot of Guild Wars This Week
Midwinter Lettuce
Hydroponics kits are the best! Yes, I had a salad for dinner.
Chicken Planning
Since I pulled the trigger on chickens, I've been planning how to take care of them. I'd had chickens before, briefly, but only four and everything was cobbled together. I want to do better this time. Fortunately, after having worked with a coop, I have a fair idea of what I want out of one, … Continue reading Chicken Planning
Seed Starts – Grapes
It's that magical time of year when the earliest seed starts are due. 12 weeks out from last frost! There's a few different varieties I started, but the biggest one was the grapes. Last year, my neighbor gave me a huge bag of delicious grapes that I made jelly out of. The next day I … Continue reading Seed Starts – Grapes
I’m NOT Growing Pot, Honest
So, I ordered a humidity controlled seed starting kit. It comes with built in grow lights, which was amazing because I'm going to be tight on room once my starts are all started. It arrived, and it was way bigger and taller than I expected. And it came with a booklet on How to Grow … Continue reading I’m NOT Growing Pot, Honest
Moar Gouache
I have already resketched this one, but I tried painting the old sketch as practice. The sketch. Painted.
I Draw Men too, Honest
Gouache work! Here's the original sketch: Painted over. Yes, the original photo IS that desaturated. I'm not real happy with it, but I'm learning. His eyes are crooked. 🙁
I Might Have Pulled the Trigger on Chickens
Hatching date, July 24th. Gotta start hustling! Also, I deleted the meal maker chick repeatedly, but the site kept adding it. It's a 'give back to your community' chick I guess, which I was intending to do anyway, but there's no telling what type of chicken it will be!
Spring Fever!
Now, I've had all of my seeds purchased for a looooooong time, so I've been restricting myself on those. I mean, I ordered a lemon tree and bareroot strawberries, but those aren't seeds. I did order some Micro Dwarf tomatoes for my hydroponics kits though. Anyway, I'd like to start my grape seeds soon, so … Continue reading Spring Fever!
Gouache Practice – Forgot the Post It
More practice! I forgot to drop a post it to cover her chest in the photo though. The original sketch: And then the painted version: So, ignore the itty bitty amount of underboob there. The lighting on this one was hard, and the eye really fought me.
Gouache Practice
Still at it! The sketch: And then, the painting with flash on the camera: The painting without flash: Skin tones aren't perfect, but I'm happy with this one.
Gouache Practice
I am SO bad at this, but I keep trying. I enjoy learning to do things that are hard for me, so this definitely qualifies. And gouache has an 'ugly' stage like I've never seen that you have to just push through and trust it will fall together. So, here's the original sketch. Reference is … Continue reading Gouache Practice
More Sketching Practice
This is an art dump. I've been practicing drawing more realistically, from reference, and it's going pretty well. This one I wasn't very happy with. So I redrew it. And I'm trying to draw guys too. My favorite from this batch. And the last one is just the start of a sketch, not even close … Continue reading More Sketching Practice
Hydroponics Update
Just some update photos on my hydroponics kits. My oldest planting, where I tried peas and a bunch of things. Only the lettuce really took off, and that's ready for cutting! The other two were planted in romaine lettuce, one with the covers, and one without. And the one without covers. With the price lettuce … Continue reading Hydroponics Update
We Bought a Spärkel Carbonator!
I've wanted a soda stream for a while, but I really hated the idea of having to buy and dispose of canisters all the time. Fortunately, there is now a competitor on the market that doesn't use canisters! Instead, they use a mix of baking soda and citric acid. Introducing Spärkel! You can find them … Continue reading We Bought a Spärkel Carbonator!
Guys Should Get Flowers Too
Roses were super on sale at ALDI this last Thursday, so I bought a bouquet for my husband. Yes, my husband, because he loves getting flowers, just like I do.
Swatching Out Gouache
I got some new gouache for Christmas, and I had some older gouache that I had swatched, so here are some photos! The Arrtx jelly gouache and two SUI skintones. This is the cheapest gouache I got, and you can kind of tell. The Holbein gouache set I got for my birthday. This is my … Continue reading Swatching Out Gouache
A Sketch that Turned Out Well
I did some sketching over Christmas week, and I had one that turned out surprisingly well. Something about this one turned much better than my usual efforts. Something about the eyes maybe? Anyway, I'm proud of my efforts on this one, and I'll be painting it in gouache at some point along the way. *smile*
Bread Fail
This post is entirely for your amusement. I found that I had taken photos of the worst bread fail - the craggy mountain bread. I didn't think to take photos of the dripping bread, but this one looks worse at least. And the bottom: We had to cut out the paddle. So not only did … Continue reading Bread Fail
Year End Thoughts
This is my seventh year blogging we're going into, and I'm sitting at 860 and change posts thus far. I haven't gotten much traction, but I don't focus on any particular topic. Instead I just do life updates, which I'll admit are not that exciting. But I enjoy having this record of my life. It's … Continue reading Year End Thoughts
Some Days Are a 3 Loaf Day
This bread machine does not like Gluten Free bread. I spent ALL DAY baking bread. 3 loaves. The first, the paddle wasn't nested right, so it didn't mix and just scorched the flour until I caught it. The second came out looking like Mt. Rushmore... craggy, rounded boulders in that type of terrain. The third … Continue reading Some Days Are a 3 Loaf Day
Got My Edits Back!
That prolonged squealing noise you hear is me. No need for alarm. I got 'Still Water' back from the editor! SO HAPPY! And, yes, I'm a weirdo who enjoys getting feedback so long as it's WRITTEN. In person is hard. On paper is fun.
Gluten Free Breadmaker?
I finally folded and bought myself a breadmaker, and I picked one that has a gluten free setting. KODAK Digital Still Camera Now, the reviews say the recipes are good but to bake it under white bread because the gluten free setting doesn't have enough time to rise set into it. I tested the breadmaker … Continue reading Gluten Free Breadmaker?
RIP Sequoia Tree
I moved my plants indoors for the winter, and I didn't notice soon enough that the sequoia was too tall for the grow lights and not getting enough light. I switched things around, but it was too late. So, I moved the dead tree to the deck where the cold will kill the fungus gnats. … Continue reading RIP Sequoia Tree
Updated Kanban Board
Now that I've completed HB90 again, and I've laid out my goals, I updated my Kanban Board. I moved all the old post its down since the quarter isn't done. And I put the new goals in on sticky tabs since I didn't like stacking the post its so much. And a close up of … Continue reading Updated Kanban Board
Card Captor Sakura Decks
So, I've decided that after the Girlie series, I want to write something with a card master as the main character. To do this, I've ordered some books on tarot, and a set of tarot cards. (Actually two sets.) BUT, I also bought the Card Captor cards. I used to have one of these sets, … Continue reading Card Captor Sakura Decks
Time for the Quarterly Reset!
In September, I took Sarra Cannon's HB90 course for managing time and realistic expectations, and I feel like it was a huge success for me. So, yes, this post is focused on her HB90 system, but there is no affiliate for me, and her course JUST closed today. That said, it's an amazing course and … Continue reading Time for the Quarterly Reset!
Practicing Gouache
So, a while back I did this sketch: And now I've tried painting over it in gouache! What do you think?
There’s a Gnome Hidden in Each if You Look Closely
At this time, Still Water is at an editor, after which it will be expanded by at least 20% and rebranded. Flat out, I ADORE my cover for this book, but the cover and title missed genre. So I have commissioned new covers from the AMAZING Natasha at DAZED Designs. The first, 'Still Water' will … Continue reading There’s a Gnome Hidden in Each if You Look Closely
In Which I Bake a Cake Badly and the Actual Star Is Tundra
It was my husband's birthday on Friday, so I baked him a cake and something went horribly, horribly wrong. Going back over my steps, I THINK I got distracted and didn't put enough water in. And then I didn't know how to set the stove alarm correctly, so I THOUGHT I set it. It never … Continue reading In Which I Bake a Cake Badly and the Actual Star Is Tundra
How Many Books Have I Drafted?
Since this came up in another post, I thought I'd make a list for you. Kaler Born - written when I was 14, this is my biggest dumpster fire of a book! 75,000 words. Shields of Magic - mostly written in notes passed back and forth with a friend, age 15. 30,000 words. Familiar - … Continue reading How Many Books Have I Drafted?
Sketch Dump
I'm practicing painting gouache over existing drawings, but to do that I have to first have existing drawings! So, here are a few sketches I've done while working on how I want to sketch with these tools. Hamrib Art on YouTube gave me the inspiration. She does amazing gouache work over her pen sketches, and … Continue reading Sketch Dump
Cute Tundra After a Couch Tantrum – Photos Within
First of all, I tried to make a cute picture in Midjourney AI, and the wolf/couch mix you see above is the hilarious result that I just HAD to share. Tundra tends to have tantrums and destroy our couch. This time he made his best cute face after. And then to show more of the … Continue reading Cute Tundra After a Couch Tantrum – Photos Within
Free Copy of My Book for Reviewers on Booksprout!
If you're interested in reading my novel, Still Water, I have a review campaign going on at Booksprout. FOR READERS: this is FREE to join website and only requires that you leave a review in return for reading whatever books you choose from the website. This is great for folks who don't have a lot … Continue reading Free Copy of My Book for Reviewers on Booksprout!
FEMA Does What Now?
A few of the preparedness types that I follow have been aggravated by a study done through Cornell University and FEMA. A study on preppers. First of all, here is the study in full. And here is a break down of interesting data from a prepper site. They point out some differences between the standard … Continue reading FEMA Does What Now?
What Should I Bring to the Food Pantry? 9 Essential Items You Wouldn’t Expect
I haven't always been financially stable. At my sickest, I was living off of the kindness of friends and the food pantry, and I remember vividly how hard that was. I also remember the ridiculous number of can of green beans I got every week. (Green beans have very few calories, and I can't eat … Continue reading What Should I Bring to the Food Pantry? 9 Essential Items You Wouldn’t Expect
Take ALL the Classes!
I am taking a RIDICULOUS number of online classes right now related to publishing and advertising, and they're going well. A bit further down I'll break down which ones I'm taking. I mean, they're a huge time sink, but I'm liking them so far. Which is kind of funny because I hated college. I love … Continue reading Take ALL the Classes!
Featured on a YouTube Channel!
My garden was featured on Provident Prepper on YouTube! I saw that they covered several handicap accessible gardens that solved things differently than I did, so I messaged them with photos of my garden and an explanation of how I work around my disabilities to keep gardening. They asked for film. I sent them film. … Continue reading Featured on a YouTube Channel!
In the Cherry Pitting Trenches
Pitted a pound and a quarter of cherries. I put them to freeze until I have enough to make a sauce. Then I wiped down everything that had been splattered with cherry juice. ... or at least I thought I did. My husband took this photo to show I missed a few spots. *smile* And … Continue reading In the Cherry Pitting Trenches
First Attempt at Gouache
My kindle was out of juice, so I didn't have my reference photos and ended up snagging a photo off the shelves to paint. I turned out all right, but something went horribly wrong with mom's face, as evidenced by my husband saying 'is that supposed to be your mom?'. *facepalm* Plus the gouache is … Continue reading First Attempt at Gouache
NaNo Complete!
I'm only halfway through edits of Fae Alchemy, but I hit word count! *dies* Going to run it again in February I think.