Lindsay Emory's Blog, page 6
June 21, 2019
Let's Talk Skin Care - Part 2 - Sun Protection
The second part in my skin care essential series! For part one go here: Skin Care Essentials.
Let’s just start with the obvious, shall we?
1. I’m not a dermatologist or any kind of doctor or a person who is qualified to work on your face.
2. I am a woman who has read umpteen-dozen articles and reports and whatnot (and who goes to a very beautiful, perfect dermatologist).
3. I am a natural blond w/ freckles and I am of a certain age (I like to say I’m between 35 and 80. Guess.)
4. Sunscreen is the #1 MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR SKIN.
5. EVER.
Basically, I’m not going to get into the whys and hows and benefits of sunscreen usage. It’s like telling you that you have to drink water. And that you shouldn’t lick paint in old houses. Y’all, please. We’re smart enough to advance to the next stage.
A very beautiful Hillary Duff from Younger saying, “Sunscreen Sunscreen Sunscreen”
You know you should be wearing sunscreen. Hopefully, you’re already wearing it on at least an as-needed basis (days at the beach, by the pool, etc.)
Now you need to upgrade.
Do It Every Day.
Yes, this is hard. For those of us who work in the North of the Northern Hemisphere (or South of the Southern Hemisphere) we may feel that sun is not always dangerous. We may work inside 95% of the day. But there are windows and… whatever. I’m not explaining it. My very beautiful dermatologist says to do it.
Now which ones should you wear?
I should say, whatever works for you. And that’s mostly true. But you really do need a separate product from whatever is in your moisturizer/ foundation.
Here are the ones that are in my current rotation:
My most favorite sunscreens are these Japanese Biore ones. If you hate the way sunscreen feels on your face, try these. Also, the Japanese REALLY know sunscreen and are able to use ingredients that we don’t use in the US.
Biore UV Perfect Milk
Biore UV Watery Essence
My very-close-second favorite right now (and only because I just got it and haven’t bought, like, five tubes of it) is this La Roche Posay Cooling Water Sunscreen. It comes closest to the Biore Perfect Milk, in my opinion. This is the one I just took on a cruise and it worked awesomely.
The Elta MD UV Clear is a very highly recommended product. I know my dermatologist’s office sells the whole line so I bought it this spring to see how it was. It’s my least favorite right now, but I’m not sure if that’s because I’ve been spoiled by the Japanese products. Possibly, my skin also went a little weird in the last few months as the weather changed so it could have been that. A lot of people love it, so I thought I’d still include it.
If you don’t want to order sunscreen, my best drugstore recommendations are Neutrogena ones with Helioplex. My husband got this one for a trip and I’m about to steal it from him. I think “Sport Face” is a funny name but it feels really nice - as nice as some of the ones I have pictured. Also, you can find the La Roche Posay and the Elta MD in a lot of stores.
And then of course, you need sunscreen for your body.
My sunscreen lineup by the pool.
I’m not as picky about this stuff, except I like a lot of it, and I prefer it is not applied by my children because then I get sunburned on my back in an artistic swirl pattern. (Yes, we just got back from vacation. My back itches for some reason.)
So that’s the long and short of it.
TL; DR. Wear high SPF sunscreen as much as possible so you look fabulous when you’re an indeterminate advanced age.
Next month, I’ll be discussing exfoliants, Vitamin C and other juicy topics!
June 4, 2019
Women With Books - 2019 Summer Reading Challenge!
Women With Books - a curated collection of conversations about your favorite books, media, and other fabulous things.
Get excited! The popular Women With Books Summer Reading Challenge is Back!
For last year’s challenge and the books I read, click here and here.
Happy Summer!
It’s time for the 2019 WWB Summer Reading Challenge!
This was one of my most popular episodes of last year – this one and the round up episode – so I’m really excited to do it again.
What I do for this challenge is give you broad themes and you find the book that best fits that for you. After all, at Women With Books, we only want you to read what you love.
So I’m giving you some suggestions, some of them off MY TBR list and some of them I’ve already read, but please feel free to insert whatever you’ve got burning up on your bookshelf.
Pretty Dress Cover
Suggestions: Rebel by Beverly Jenkins or The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams
Debut Author
Suggestions: Mia Vincy, Casey McQuiston or Hafsah Faisal
Beach Cover
Suggestions: the latest from Kristy Woodson Harvey or The Lieutenant’s Nurse by Sara Ackerman
Diverse/ Inclusive Read
Suggestions: (A lot from the other suggestions + a few that don’t fit under the other categories?) Alisha Rai’s The Right Swipe or Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev or The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo
TBR List
Suggestions: I don’t know! It’s your TBR Pile!
Comfort Read
Suggestions: the Kat Holloway mystery series by Jennifer Ashley or Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher
New Genre
Suggestions: Spec-fic/ mystery The Psychology of Time Travel or fantasy romance Radiance.
Former WWB Guest
Suggestions: Go to WomenWithBooks.com
Remember to use hashtag: #WWBReadingChallenge so we can all see what everyone’s reading this summer! And drop me a line over email or through social media if you have any great books to recommend this summer!
May 29, 2019
Women With Books - Introducing Mia Vincy
A new episode of the Women With Books podcast is up!
Women With Books Podcast featuring debut historical romance author Mia Vincy.
If you haven’t heard me recommend Mia Vincy’s novel, A Wicked Kind of Husband, we obviously haven’t chatted in a while. I love this book and I loved this chat with a fantastically talented Australian author.
Press play to listen or download from your favorite podcast app.
Mia Vincy and I chat about historical romance, kangaroos in Regency England and her very best fantasy novel recommendations!
May 21, 2019
Best Books to Read Now - May 2019
Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.
The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!
It’s so interesting to look at these every month and look for patterns. This month on the list I have 2 new releases that are both contemporary romantic comedies and two older books that are historical romance.
The Unhoneymooners - Christina Lauren
Amazon || Apple Books
This is a true romantic comedy and it’s a perfect release for vacation reading lists everywhere. Light, breezy, sexy in Maui!
Passion on Park Avenue - Lauren Layne
Amazon || Apple Books
The first in a new series, this book hooked me from the very start with its voice and sense of humor. I CANNOT WAIT for the next two books in the series and neither will you. Another perfect beach read - think Sex and the City but for the Hallmark Channel (read: not quite as spicy.)
The King’s Man - Elizabeth Kingston
Amazon || Apple Books
I’ve been seeing recommendations for this author all over the freaking place and then last month, after I included Alyssa Cole’s medieval romance on my list, I went looking for more… and found this one had been praised all over social media. I really enjoyed it, partially because, again, it’s a new -ish historical time period for me and also because the heroine is a F*CKING BAD ASS. Think Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones.
Mr. Impossible - Loretta Chase
Amazon || Apple Books
Loretta Chase wrote one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE ROMANCES, Lord of Scoundrels, so when I saw this one recommended for fans of The Mummy, I thought, um, YES PLEASE. And it now is my second favorite Loretta Chase book and it could be a re-read, along with my other favorite Egypt-set historical romance (and Swooniest Romance), As You Desire by Connie Brockway. (One thinks that perhaps I should write a book about two archeologists or something given my love for all things set in Egypt…)
And yes, there were some books I did not love this month…. I’ll be talking more about those and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.
Do you like books on sale?
Make sure you’re following me on Facebook because that’s where I post great books on sale!
And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next! If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2019!
May 15, 2019
Women With Books - Alexis Anne and Superhero Storytelling
A new episode of the Women With Books podcast is up!
Women With Books Podcast featuring Alexis Anne; Why Thor, Deadpool, & Black Panther are going to affect the books you read at book club.
We tried hard to make this spoiler free - but Alexis and I had to talk about all sorts of superheroes and why readers love these stories, how they’re similar to books we already read, and what is coming next in the Marvel universe.
Press play to listen or download from your favorite podcast app.
What fanfiction would we write in the Marvel Universe? I answer in the Women With Books Podcast featuring superheroes and villains with superstar author Alexis Anne.
May 14, 2019
My favorite (fun) (feminine) (fabulous) mystery series...
As I continue with my Deep Thoughts on Books (c), I’ve noticed that I have a definite preference for the types of mystery series I read… and by read, I mean, devour and swallow up all the books in one go.
If you’ve looked at my list of why I love the books I do, you’ll see instantly that all these books I’m about to recommend pretty much tick all of my boxes: female-focused, mystery, humor/ great voice, and with a fair share of romantic interest.
So here are my most beloved mystery series… (in no particular order.) I’ve helpfully included the link to book 1 in each series. You’re very welcome.
The Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen
Amazon || Apple Books
This is one of the few that I have NOT read all the books in the series, but I still feel confident recommending it. I’m savoring each of the adventures of Lady Georgianna, 34th in line to the throne.
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
Amazon || Apple Books
This is pretty much the book that inspired a thousand authors to try to be half as funny and half as engaging as the mishaps of a bounty hunter in Trenton, NJ.
Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
This is the series that got me back to reading after I had my youngest child. I read the first eight of these books in a week, I think. They were so addictive and original and, this may be an unpopular opinion, but I enjoyed the books far more than the show. Which was good, too! For reasons.
Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley
Amazon || Apple Books
Now this series is still ongoing, but I’ve recommended it to so many people (and on this blog!). I just love the heroine and all the Downton Abbey-esque details of her Below Stairs life.
Lady Julia Grey Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn
Amazon || Apple Books
Now Ms. Raybourn has two wonderful historical mystery series out, this one and her Veronica Speedwell series and I did hesitate about which one to recommend. After all, the Lady Julia Grey series has concluded and Veronica Speedwell is still continuing, to the best of my knowledge. In the end, I picked Lady Julia Grey because I’ve actually re-read them (is that weird? Even though I’ve already read the resolution?) and because if you start with Julia, you can keep going all the way through Veronica.
And of course, I have to recommend my own fun, fabulous, feminine mystery series. If you like Sookie Stackhouse and Stephanie Plum all rolled up in a Elle Woods package, check out Margot Blythe.
What are your favorite mystery series? I know there are so many more that I need to dive into… like JD Robb. I KNOW I KNOW. But the sheer number of books in the series just intimidates me. I fear I won’t be able to read anything else and then a year will go by and I’ll come out of my cave not knowing what has happened in the world.
So. Any recommendations for me? ;-)
May 7, 2019
Let's Talk Skin Care - Part 1 - The Essentials
Before you judge me for that photo ^^… well. I just liked it. And then it felt right to me. Like, all of us who care about our skin are probably trying to undo too much of the laying out and sun damage and partying and lack of sleep and… all of the bad stuff we’ve done to our precious, delicate epidermis.
For whatever reason, people have been asking me about skin care lately. I hope that means that I have the dewy, porcelain complexion of a twelve year old novice nun but I suspect it means that I’ve educated myself on skin care products and I like to share that knowledge with unsuspecting friends.
But whatever the reason why I am being asked for these opinions, summer is upon us, and I thought it might be a good time to do a series on skin care, including my basics, tips and recommendations.
Ready?
The List of Must Have Essentials
Cleaner
Vitamin C
Retinoid
Exfoliant
Sunscreen
I’ve done a lot of research into French, American and Asian skin care routines and brands, serums and lotions and whatnot. I’ve analyzed organic versus chemicals and I know the difference between emollients, peptides and collagen. And I will bring more information to you about all this in the coming weeks but for now, check your medicine cabinet to see if you have all these things.
These are the five essential items that I will not go on a trip without (if the trip is longer than two days). These five things are really ALL YOU NEED for good tone, texture, resiliency, wrinkle prevention. I can maybe - MAYBE - knock one thing off this list, but I’m not going to. Because, I really think you need all five.
Question: Do you apply all five at once?
Please, NO.
Here’s the routine.
Day 1: AM
clean, Vitamin C, sunscreen
Day 1: PM
clean, retinoid
Day 2: AM
clean, Vitamin C, sunscreen
Day 2: PM
clean, exfoliate
That’s it. Do it every day.
Question: BUT WHAT FIVE THINGS DO I BUY??
I already told you to check your medicine cabinet. If you have a face wash, a Vitamin C product, a retinoid, an exfoliant and a sunscreen, just use what you have for now. The most important thing is the ROUTINE. Use up what you already own while you’re waiting on all my fabulous product recommendations. There may be some trial and error, anyway, so why waste money before you have to?
Question: BUT I DON’T HAVE ONE OF THE THINGS AND YOU REALLY NEED TO TELL ME SOMETHING TO GET STARTED WITH.
Okay, that wasn’t a question, but I get your point. Here are the cheapest, most effective essentials you can get started with before we go on a deeper dive through SkinCareLand.
Cleaner - I’m not judging if you don’t have a face wash.
But if you REALLY do not, start with something very gentle like one of the Aveeno foaming cleansers or I love the Hado Labo cleansers with hyaluronic acid.
2. Vitamin C serum - I’m going to direct you straight to my number 1 recommendation. Basic, not fancy but highly effective.
3. Retinoid - If you’ve never used one before, any drugstore retinoid should be a good starting point. And maybe don’t use it every other day like I recommended above. Start twice a week and USE sunscreen!!!
4. Exfoliation - I might have a whole blog post about this and why this is important to all of your skin care concerns. Most basic exfoliant? Gently rub a washcloth over your face in the shower.
5. Sunscreen - BY FAR SO IMPORTANT. Especially as we head into summer, friends. Again, I’ll have another bunch of recommendations for this but for now, find yourself an SPF 30 or higher at the drugstore and start using it all the time. You can generally find a good Neutrogena sunscreen everywhere. Look for the helioplex ones: Neutrogena Dry Touch.
And that is where I’ll leave you.
Yes, I can actually hear all your questions, like, “um, did you forget moisturizer?” No, I did not. Stay tuned, I have at least two (or three) more blog posts on this very timely subject! And have a Happy SUMMER!!!
If you have any specific questions or concerns, hit me up!
April 29, 2019
Women With Books - Royally Good Reads
A new episode of the Women With Books podcast is up!
Women With Books Podcast featuring Royal Book chat with the founders of Royally Good Reads book club.
For a list of all the books discussed in the podcast, you have to get the newsletter but trust me, this is a GREAT list.
If you listen, I can’t wait to hear what you think about the books, fashion, and royals we discuss. Also - ROYAL BABY TALK!
Press play to listen or download from your favorite podcast app.
What books would Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton read? We answer in the Women With Books Podcast featuring Royal Book chat with the founders of Royally Good Reads book club.
April 23, 2019
How to Write A Book (With Songs!)
If you follow me on social media (especially Instagram!) you’ll have seen me posting about songs that are inspiring me or are somehow applicable to the books I’m writing. I’ve also shared with my newsletter a few of the songs that I had on my playlist for The Royal Runaway.
Making a playlist of songs is a part of my book-writing process and I’m so glad my husband insisted on getting a family Spotify account a few years ago (yes, insisted - I fought it. It’s a long story - I love my Spotify now!) because I listen to music all the time and I LOVE having all sorts of songs to stream anytime I want to.
I was in the car recently and some random Spotify playlist was on shuffle and all of a sudden, I realized that the songs that were playing - and the order they were in - actually corresponded to parts of a book.
So I decided to sit down and show you - through music - how to plot a book. No, I won’t be singing… but you might be!
(Before we get started, please note that I pretty much learned plotting from Save The Cat by Blake Snyder. I had read other books about plotting and book structure before that but when I read this one, it all finally clicked and made sense for me. Since then, I also implement other pieces that I’ve picked up, such as ideas from Jenny Cruisie’s workshop at RWA Nationals, some of which can be found here. Two other good genre specific resources for plotting are Writing the Cozy Mystery by Nancy Cohen and Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes.)
Act I -
A story starts off with the main character in their ordinary, day-to-day life. And for better or for worse, they’re okay with that.
But then…. SOMETHING HAPPENS.
They discover they have magical powers.
They get laid off from their factory job.
The President of the United States calls them in and gives them a Top Secret Mission.
The hot guy at the bakery accidentally gives them a cupcake with gluten in it.
Whatever it is… life changes.
Act II -
This is the part of the story where the “fun & games” happen. It’s also a part where a lot of authors start to run into trouble. “Like, we just have them do stuff?”
Well yes, but it’s stuff that’s going to get them in trouble. Stuff that’s going to keep making their quest/ mission/ dating life more difficult and more complicated.
Midpoint -
But the characters can’t just keep running around having fun and flirting. Something has to happen that makes everything more difficult. Radio communications go out. The dog is kidnapped. The heroine realizes she just might be having feelings for the bakery guy, which will totally complicate her job of eradicating gluten from the planet.
And so the characters have to dig a little deeper and be a little wiser and craftier and come up with new plans to fight the foe, whether it is a terrorist or a arch-nemesis pop singer.
The main characters fight/ strive/ sleuth and finally! They get to a spot where everything seems great. A murder suspect is in jail. The Soviet submarine has been captured. There’s (really good) sex.
This false high can be placed in several places in the story (and of course there can be multiple happy parts of a book) but I like it right before…
Act III -
OH NOES. Everything our characters believed was a lie. The serial killer wasn’t in jail because he has killed again. There was a double agent on board the submarine. That hot Australian guy was already married!
This is… the BLACK MOMENT….
Well, that’s it. Story is over.
RIGHT?
Um, I don’t know about you but I don’t want to read a story like that. And most stories don’t end with the heroine crumpled on the floor seriously contemplating a slow death by Ice Cream Pint. At least mine don’t.
No, I want the characters to dig deep down and scrape some courage up and fight one last battle against whatever they’ve been fighting. Maybe their freedom, their love, their nation is at risk. This is the place for the big stand off, the come-back after half-time, the impassioned closing argument in a sweltering, crowded courtroom.
It’s The Final Countdown…
YAY!
Our heroes and heroines are victorious!!! (At least in my books and the books I like to read. If you like books without any winning, then you do you. Enjoy your depressing soul-destroying books.)
Everyone celebrates! There is kissing! There is mead! And ale! A ticker tape is thrown and maybe there’s one last smug I Told You So from someone that makes you feel really good that you were on the right side. And then, if you’re really lucky, sometimes there’s… A Dance Scene…
Yeah. You can see it now, can’t you? You can feel the way a story is supposed to go. If you’re a writer - go forth and make that sh!t happen. If you’re a reader, follow my Best Books to Read Now blog posts, my Women With Books podcast or check out my books for excellent stories that always have a dance scene at the end.***
*** Not valid in every case.
*** Yet.
April 16, 2019
On Faith, Flame & Notre Dame
I had another blog post planned for today but I decided to write about what’s on my mind.
Yesterday, the cathedral of Notre Dame burned in Paris.
The spire fell. The roof collapsed. People from around the world watched, heartbroken, gutted, as fire swept through a house of worship that had stood for nearly a thousand years. All over social media people posted their stories of visiting Paris, loving Paris, being inspired by Paris and this landmark of the city that stood for 700 years before the Eiffel Tower was built.
On my last trip to Paris, I posted my own blog post on my feelings about the city. This was my contribution to yesterday’s grieving on Instagram:
And the more I thought about it, the more my sadness washed away. Because once you realize that it’s the spirit of a place that moves you, not the mortar and stone, then you can’t grieve what was destroyed in a fire. Because fire does not destroy love, faith, worship, community, hope.
Notre Dame was - is - a symbol. Of civilization, of art, of creativity and devotion and, perhaps most importantly, continuity.
It has always been there. My grandparents’ grandparents’ grandparents’ would have seen a very old cathedral in the middle of Paris. Humanity doesn’t have many of these monuments, especially living ones, like Notre Dame was (is.) We have a fair amount of desiccated antiquities and ruins but someplace like Notre Dame, that decorated for Christmas and Easter, held regular services and hosted a continuous parade of guests and tourists is extremely rare.
So I think Parisians, especially, but the rest of us too treasured the life we felt there. If a building as grand and as beautiful as Notre Dame could thrive for centuries, then just maybe we - ourselves, our nations, our communities - could too.
Losing that dream hurts.
Until you remember that we are all dust. And we are all more.
We are bones and skin and failing organs. And we are laughter and passion and dreams.
Notre Dame is a spire and stained glass and stones. And it is faith, memory, and celebration.
For me, I won’t grieve the loss of stone and slate when there is so much to celebrate.
As of the time that I’m writing this, there has been no death associated with this fire. The Paris fire department was able to save part of the structure, all of the surrounding buildings and was able to remove many relics and pieces of art from the cathedral. After I read this thread on Twitter, I was doubly impressed with them. Further, stories are starting to come out about the Chaplain of the Paris firefighters who was the one to save the sacrament and the blessed crown of thorns. (The French word for firefighters is pompiers. That is a really great word, right?)
Le père Fournier, aumônier des @PompiersParis, est allé avec des pompiers dans la cathédrale #NotreDame pour sauver la couronne d’épines et le Saint-Sacrement... pic.twitter.com/4IoLVdoJZW
— Etienne Loraillère ن (@Eloraillere) April 15, 2019
You take all that into account and then you see a photo like this and, well, all I can do is give thanks.
One of the first photos from the interior of #NotreDame from Reuters' Philippe Wojazer shows the altar's cross illuminated by spotlight, with the Coustous' Pietà seemingly unharmed underneath. The statue was one of the few that avoided mutilation during the French Revolution. pic.twitter.com/xffIWXa1ax
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) April 15, 2019
On a total writer-ly note however… I’m just saying… just imagine what ancient secrets and priceless treasures could be revealed by a huge fire at a thousand year old building site. I mean, if Dan Brown doesn’t write that plot bunny, I might take it up.
To my beautiful Parisian and French readers, I’m sending warm healing thoughts your way.
And for all of you who observe Passover and Easter this weekend, have a blessed celebration.
The blog will be back next week with my usual dorkiness.
