Chloe Holiday's Blog, page 5
November 30, 2022
Chloe Holiday’s Advent Calendar: Something New Each Day!
Hey, gang!
I’ve put together an advent calendar, starting today! Check back every day to open another door for something new!
You can get it here and bookmark!
The post Chloe Holiday’s Advent Calendar: Something New Each Day! first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 28, 2022
The last of the giants…
One of the wonderful things about fall is the colors, in addition to the crisp, cool air and the crunch of leaves underfoot. But now, this Big Leaf Maple and the rest are about to be covered in snow.
Still, snow is beautiful, and I’m looking forward to seeing Kodi’s first snow!
Here’s wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season!
The post The last of the giants… first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 27, 2022
Hard Truths on sale thru 11/30!
Hard Truths is on sale thru 11/30!
It was fun to write the story of how Konstantinos went off the rails, from the viewpoint of Theresa, his hardworking admin assistant, and how her world was upended when Jason entered the picture. Hard Truths has action and adventure, in addition to romance, as well as snippets from Blizzard Bliss.
The post Hard Truths on sale thru 11/30! first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 24, 2022
A Magical Realism Thanksgiving Nightmare
Photo by Alison Marras, Unsplash
Rules are Rules
Jimmy tried to get along with his new stepmom. He really did. But he was SO hungry, and the roasting turkey smelled fantastic. “How much longer?”
Surely the timer was on the blink. It was counting UP, not down.
“I told you not to nag, dear.” His stepmother smiled sweetly, and the timer jumped by two minutes.
“I wasn’t nagging—”
Four minutes.
She shook her head, projecting regret. “Did you take out the trash like I asked?”
“Uh, I was just about to.”
Red numbers jumped by three minutes.
“Right. Better get to it, hmm?” She opened the oven and the appetizing aroma made him faint. Did she do that on purpose?
Jimmy grabbed the trash and fled. Outside, he breathed lungfuls of decaying garbage to try to calm his raging stomach. The timer couldn’t be counting UP, but it was. He’d privately complained to his friend that his stepmother was a witch, but… what if she really was?
That’s crazy. The timer must be broken. And if it is, she won’t let the turkey burn, right? It’ll be fine. I bet dinner’s only twenty minutes away. Jimmy nodded, sniffed in a little more rotting trash to fortify himself, and went back inside.
“Did you wash your hands?”
“I just got in. I was about to—”
She tsked sadly, and behind her, baleful red digits tripled. “What did we say, about making excuses?”
“I’m not making excuses!”
“Don’t argue.” She crossed her arms.
Crap! The timer now read 67 minutes. Behind her, in the lit oven, the turkey’s skin began to darken.
“Yes, ma’am.” Jimmy rushed into the bathroom, sudsed his hands, and scrubbed furiously, frantically. I can reverse it—
Too late, he realized.
He’d used the guest towel.
From the kitchen came the acrid scent of smoke.
* * * *
The prompt was to write a Kafka-eque magical realism horror story for kids, and I recall my son sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring into the oven, asking when it would be done.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it!
The post A Magical Realism Thanksgiving Nightmare first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 23, 2022
Eeeee! I’m on YouTube, reading Fly Boy!
Eeeee! I’m on YouTube! As part of Indie Reads Aloud! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwQ6Uq8egWM I hope folks will drop by to comment, “like” her video, etc.
You can check it out at all these places, too:
Indie Reads Aloud 11/23: Direct Link to Chloe’s episode on Anchor.fm
https://anchor.fm/diana-kathryn-plopa/episodes/Episode-66-Chloe-Holiday-with-Fly-Boy-e1r5nb5
Direct Link to Chloe’s episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MwQ6Uq8egWM
Direct link to the episode’s show notes on her blog:
https://www.pagespromotions.com/blog/indie-reads-aloud-with-chloe-holiday-and-fly-boy#/
Link to the show page on her website: http://www.dkpwriter.com/indie-reads-aloud-podcast.html
Link to the show page on Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/diana-kathryn-plopa
Link to the show page on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2wQh283HTcDxN5xnO8StQw
Link to the show page on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoZ0lgMR0NL0y1D3yDNDLpg
You can get the audio for Fly Boy “wide” and the ebook and paperback on Amazon.
The post Eeeee! I’m on YouTube, reading Fly Boy! first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 21, 2022
Free Holiday Recipe Book from Wild Rose Press!
Includes my recipe for non-PITA pita bread! Get it here.
The post Free Holiday Recipe Book from Wild Rose Press! first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 20, 2022
❄️🎁🎄WINTER WONDERLAND BOOK BOX G!VE@WAY!
What’s better than sitting by an open fire, sipping spiked hot cocoa and reading a book?
How about WINNING a Book Box full of 16 signed contemporary romance books, swag, PLUS a $80 Amazon gift card!
16 authors have contributed their books to this hot and spicy romance gift away. Books included from the following authors:
Hot Shot’s Mistake – Gina AzziKiss to Belong – Anna B. DoeCampus Hearthrob – Jennifer SucevicGame Changer – Sierra HillRomantically Perfect – S.E. RoseBoy on a Train – Leslie McAdamA Sweet Christmas – Nicole RichardFly Boy – Chloe HolidayBroken Player – R.C. StephensRyker – Samantha LindStolen Desire – Lauren RunowThe Right Cowboy – Megan RyderSomething Good – Evey LyonWishing for Champagne Kisses – Brittanee NicoleBrutal Play – Alison RhymesRustic Hearts – Amber Kelly
Simply enter using the link below between November 18th and December 11th. A random winner will be selected and notified by a valid email provided.
Good luck and Happy Holidays!
ENTER HERE →→→http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9214f38a22/?
Rules:
All entrants provide email addresses that will be shared with contributing authors for the purposes of email subscriptions. May unsubscribe at any later time.
Open Internationally (if Intl winner selected, ebooks to replace physical books – and 2nd US winner will be selected for book box).
Winner must be able to receive Amazon.com gift cards.
Winner must be 18 years or older.
The post ❄️🎁🎄WINTER WONDERLAND BOOK BOX G!VE@WAY! first appeared on Chloe Holiday.
November 10, 2022
Chloe’s K9 Academy: Pedicures
Photo by Ruby Schmank, Unsplash
A friend asked how I could possibly clip the nails of four dogs—including one 5-month-old puppy—in fifteen minutes, all by myself. Here’s what worked for training ours, whether raised from puppyhood or adopted-as-feral canines. The goal is for them to not only trust their human with the task, but to be eager to comply.
Early on, develop tolerance to paw manipulation by touching their toes, top and bottom, while praising them and offering a Cheerio or other tiny snack. With puppies or wilder dogs, it’s easier to start after a long walk or play session, when they’re tired. Over time, work toward grasping the toes and bringing a finger up underneath each claw. Don’t let go of the paw until the dog relaxes; the idea is to train them that YOU decide when it’s over, and that jerking the paw away isn’t the answer.
The first time you clip, show the dog the clippers, tell them to lie down, and reward with a Cheerio and praise. I’m assuming you know where to clip; if not, there are videos of this online. However, for the first few attempts, the goals are to 1) familiarize the dog with the sensation of vibration from the cut, and 2) to avoid nipping them, so instead of a “real” nail job, you’ll barely snip off the most miniscule portion of the very end of each claw. If you have multiple dogs, clip your best-behaved one first, allowing each of the others to see that clipping means snacks. You may wish to start with one Cheerio per toe, and gradually work toward one per paw. Do not permit the unclipped dogs to share; it’s a treat for good pedicure behavior, and teaches them to wait their turn.
Practice a couple of times a week at first, gradually working up to a true trimming, ideally scheduled right before a walk, both as reward and to file down the edges of the clipped claws. When each dog’s paws are completed, tell it, “Good dog. All done” and reward with half a dozen Cheerios, then invite the next dog. With time, they will be eager for their turn, yet polite about waiting. At the very end, when everyone is clipped, give them a “party” with a few extra snacks for each, lots of praise, and then go straight into a walk, tug-of-war, or fetch session. It won’t take long before they are thrilled with the sight of the clippers.
October 22, 2022
September 19, 2022
It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Ahoy, ye hearties! Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day! So belay yer fancy grammar and shoot the breeze with yer crewmates!
The holiday started in 1995 during a fiercely contested racquetball game between John Baur and Mark Summers in Oregon. Injured, Mark cried, “Aaaar!” and they spent the rest of the game speaking pirate lingo, and decided everyone should talk like a pirate one day a year. That fateful game was on D Day, but out of respect, they chose another date. The faux holiday got a boost from Dave Barry in 2002, and the rest is history.
Here’s a link to the website of the founders, for fun! It has a fine list of translators and glossaries, so you, too, can speak like a pirate, and even a piratical Insult Generator!
I’ll be back sometime this fall with some piratical lore, being as how my work in progress takes place in a former pirate haven.
