Anna Sugg's Blog, page 7

Authors in Bloom

10 Days of Daily Giveaways, Gardening Tips, Recipes and One Amazing Grand Prize!
Plus a GRAND PRIZE you'll be digging to win!

You will have 10 days to enter each individual author contest and then submit your entry for the grand prize!!  To win the grand prize, you must visit each and every author on the hop.  CLICK HERE for the list of authors to visit and enter to win lots of prizes.


Grand prize entrants will be entered via a Rafflecopter giveaway widget, available on the initial and final landing page of this hop, located on BloominThyme.  All entries (and actions) will be verified to deem winners.

Winners will be announced on the landing page, BloominThyme
To celebrate Spring during the Authors in Bloom blog hop, I’ll be giving away a signed book of the first Silver Sage Creek Novels, Better She Die. All you have to do is leave a comment and I’ll put your name in a hat to be drawn and announce on April 18. And, in addition I’ll add your name to the hat a second time if you sign up to receive my blog.


Do you have a garden? What kind? There was a time in my life that I was too busy to even think about planting flowers much less harvesting vegetables. Twenty years ago, when I had a kid in college and 2 in high school, we moved into a new house that needed a yard. Out of the blue, I decided that one corner of the backyard would be my wildflower garden. I figured if I didn’t enjoy a garden, I’d just plow over it and plant grass. Well, that was twenty years ago. I love my garden and enjoy gardening. Here’s a few pictures.


  Morning coffee in 
Judy's garden






















Several years ago I started growing herbs. I’m now hooked on peppers. The long hot red chili peppers are so pretty in the garden along with sweet red peppers, and yellow peppers. I also grow my favorite, dill and many other herbs that I use in cooking. I can’t believe how fun it is to cook with fresh herbs right from my garden. I’m going to try growing some cucumbers and radishes for salads. Can’t wait for our planting season.



Here’s my favorite summer salad that’s quick and easy. It’s up to you the amount you need and how many people you’re serving.

Diced Cucumbers
Vine Ripe Tomatoes Diced Red Onions
Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
Toss cucumber, tomato, olive oil, Italian dressing, and red onion together in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until slightly chilled, 10 to 15 minutes.

Garden Tip:  Plant Lavender around your patio and garden to keep mosquitoes away. During hot summer days, did you know that placing pots of Basil around your deck and patio will keep flies away? Try it. It works.
Now hurry and enter for a chance to win several prizes from all the authors listed above during the Authors in Bloom blog hop.

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Western Romance in a Box

Now available in a boxed set, the Silver Sage Creek Novels: Better She Die, Better She Live, Better She Love.
In 1858, three women discover how far they are willing to go when it comes to surviving the crude, harsh desert town of Silver Sage Creek, Texas.

Clare Rose Coulson returns to the white man society with her half-breed son and her abdomen growing with child; Ruby Thornton, a saloon woman is surrounded by murder, deceit, and love; Millie Thornton’s well-planned out life is disrupted when she compares the Comanche half-breed’s kisses to the man she’s going to marry.


Three different women living three different storiesAMAZON

If you reviewed one of my books, send me a link to the review (judybakersugg@gmail.com) and I’ll send you a “Thank you” gift.

St. Paddy’s Day Giveaway

Starting March 13 – March 20, take a chance and enter our contest to win the Leprechaun gold. These amazing authors are giving away a $100 Amazon Gift card.





DON’T MISS OUT





Go to Mary Martinez’s website to enter. Many of the authors are putting their book on sale for $.99 during the St. Paddy’s Day contest. So hurry over to Mary’s site and enter to win the $100 Amazon Gift card. Go to
http://www.marymartinez.com/st-paddys-day-giveaway.html

February Specials

Come one, come all.

If you're in the area on Friday, February 26, 2016, please stop by and say Hi to all the local authors that will be there.
Here's what's going on at the 100 year Library Celebration in Magna, Utah.



I'll be there dress in leathers, like Sarah in Secret Past when she rode her bike. Stop by and say hi, and if you ever thought about writing, enter the contest. I'll be giving away a signed autographed book and a keychain to the lucky winner that stops by to visit with us.
Amazon Amazon

I have a SPECIAL going on to celebrate the bursting of Spring!  $.99 Amazon special for two of my books:  Spirit Catcher and Better She Love. Click on Amazon.

 If you're like me, you're looking forward to Spring.

Cyber Attack

Has your computer been hacked? Or, crashed because you opened an attachment?

I think we’ve all been there.

I ran across an article from the Department of Homeland Security the other day discussing How to Protect Myself from a Cyber Attack.
The department talked about how important their role is in the threats to our cyber system. Their purpose is to secure the infrastructure of our cyberspace network which has become essential to our lives.

The Official website of the Department of Homeland Security listed several steps, we as private and public individuals, should take.

Here's a few:
Never click on links in emails or open an attachment unless you know it’s legitimate. If you’re not sure, go to the site and log on directly.

Turn off the option to automatically download attachments in your email.
Do not give out personal information over the phone or in email unless you’re sure. Remember social malicious actors will seem trustworthy, even if they have some of your information. Good ideal to ask them for their name so you can have a call back number.

Set secure passwords. Don’t Share.

Keep your software up to date – security updates are free from major software companies.

Contact companies or individuals directly to verify their authenticity of requests.

Don’t use passwords based on personal information, this makes it easier for attackers.

Intentionally misspell a word (for date, use daytt), or mnemonics, for example, “hoops” us “IlTpbb” for "[I] [l]ike [T]o [p]lay [b]asket[b]all." (I think this is a great idea)
Stop. Think. Connect.   Is a national public awareness campaign to increase the understanding of cyber threats to help the American public to be safer and more secure online.  

Let me throw out something else. EMP. Fiction? Or, Real?
What would happen if an EMP struck our nation? 
Is our government ready? 
Or, would we be thrown back into the dark ages? Hmmm

New Year!

Did you know this is a Leap Year, 2016? The Leap Day is February 29, an extra day added to the modern calendar, making the year 366 days longer.

Leap Year occurs every four years in our Gregorian calendar. Why is there a Leap Year?
The extra day is needed to keep our calendar in alignment with our Earth’s rotations around the Sun. The Earth takes 365.242199 days to rotate once around the sun, a standard year for us. If a day isn’t added on February 29 every four years, we’d lose six hours every year. So, after 100 years, 24 days would be lost from our calendar!   Okay, this information I could grasp. It makes sense to me. But then, I had to go further into my research about how Leap Year came about. I have to admit after reading the history, my brain became scrambled!!!
Here’s a smidgen of history:An extra month was added to the ancient Roman Calendar in order to correct this. In 45 BCE, Julius Caesar executed a new calendar and added an extra day every 4 years. February at that time was the last month of the year and Leap Day was February 24th. Pope Gregory XIII perfected the Julian calendar in 1582. A new rule stating that a century year is not a Leap Year unless it is evenly divisible by 400 (hmm, sure, you got this…if you’re a math person!). This transition to the Gregorian Calendar was observed by many, but took longer in other countries. Then, there’s the ancient Egyptians using the heliacal rising of Sirius, and there’s the lunisolar Hebrew calendar, Adar  Aleph, a 13th lunar month, which added seven times every 19 years to the twelve lunar months. Want to read more? Click Here.

Were you born on February 29? How do you celebrate your birthday?  Are you called a “Leapling” or a “Leaper”? Do you celebrate your birthday on February 28 or March 1? If someone asked how old are you, which age do you give? Your Leapling year? 

Happy New Year. I hope your Leap Year is filled with all your dreams and all that make you happy.

Happy Solstice and a Merry Christmas

Today is the official start of the winter solstice when the Northern Hemisphere tilts farthest from the sun causing the longest night of the year. If you’re in Wiltshire, England, there’ll be a celebration at the ancient Stonehenge ruins to celebrate the event. The solstice is the beginning of the coldest three months in the Northern Hemisphere! Ugh!!
Let’s talk about something more enjoyable than the cold weather (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere) – Star Wars.
Have you seen the movie, yet? I have…twice. I know, it just came out last weekend. Loved it. That’s all I’ll say. Don’t want to give anything away for those of you that haven’t seen it yet.

The Night Before Christmas
by Clement Moore
Christmas week…I’m excited. I love the season, probably because I have so many memories from childhood and when my children were little. I’m a firm believer that we celebrate the birth of our savor Jesus Christ, and through His love, my family and I enjoy the spiritual meaning, as well as the magical effects that fills our imagination. One great memory is the story of ’Twas The Night Before Christmas that I read to my kids. I still have one of their books – the sticker price on it is $1.24!

The poem, written by Clement Clarke Moore, was published in 1823 in a New York newspaper, The Sentinel. Moore remained anonymous when it was first published in the paper because he was a Baptist Minister. He was concerned that his church might think it was too light-hearted and secular. But, the poem became so popular that he admitted he wrote the poem, and later, published it in a book of poetry in 1844.

Moore wrote the poem on Christmas Eve in 1822 while sleigh riding home from Greenwich Village after purchasing the holiday turkey for his family. This was the first time that St. Nicholas pulled his sleigh with reindeer, calling them Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen. Sorry…Rudolph didn’t come around for another hundred years. This was the beginning of the magical traditions for American homes with the Santa Claus that we know today, the one he referred to as a jolly old elf and his workshop where elves built the toys for children.

There’s some authorship controversy about Moore being the author of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. (If you’re interested in his findings and others, the internet has several opinions as to the authorship). For now, I stick with the Moore’s version:

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"

May your Christmas be filled with smiles, family, love, food, and magic. Merry Christmas,
Judy

Christmas Time of the Year

MERRY CHRISTMAS


I love December. First of all, it’s the month of Christmas. I love celebrating Jesus’ birth with all the decorations, presents, music, and of course, food. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I’m one of those weird ones that starts listening to Christmas music in September! I hear so many say they get sick of Christmas music before Christmas is over. NOT ME! 
My trees are up and twinkling.  By the way, I have three trees!
This week several of us authors are having a book signing. If you’re in the area, we’d love to have you stop by. We’re doing a panel for Q&A and several of our authors will be dressed as one of their characters. December 3Salt Lake County Library, Magna Branch 2675 S. 8950 W, Magna, UT.
Hope to see you there.
December 17-23, there will be a Christmas Party at The Romance Studio, please stop by and say hi and enter for many prizes that will be given away: The Romance Studio  

“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.” Charles Dickens

Merry Christmas to you and yours.   Judy

Summer's Over!

I'm sad summer is over! Winter is coming to the Rocky Mountain way tooooo fast! So I'm thinking back on some warm, sunny days when I took two trips.I went to Myrtle Beach in August, and then, at the end of September, my husband and I went to Disney World. I LOVE Disney World. My sisters don’t really understand why, but I do. Crazy Sisters
My YaYa Sisters Trip in August to Myrtle Beach was fun. The only downside was one of my sisters broke her arm and was unable to go on the trip with us. While missing her, the rest of us enjoyed the perfect eighty degree weather and ate a lot, laughed a lot, and spent days at the beach. At the right, the three of us are on the steps of the Crazy Sisters (we thought it appropriate place for a pictures. You can’t see the sign above us, but that was the name of the place – for real!) where we took a boat out to watch the dolphins. On another day we went to the winery, La Belle Amie Vineyard and enjoyed tasting. Take a moment and watch the video below.
In October, Brett and I took off for Disney World with our daughter and her family. Oh my gosh! Disney World was a blast. As soon as you walk inside the park, a huge smile spreads over your face and you don’t stop smiling until you’re on the plane heading home. We’ve never played so much and had so much fun. Here’s a couple of pictures from our trip. It did rain a few days, but that didn’t stop us. When the rain pours in 80 degree weather – who cares?  



Yup, that's me,!! Check out my granddaughter behind me! Can't go to Disney World without riding all those rides!

Did you have a fun summer? Do you do something fun too? Thanks for letting me digress and write a little about me.

Who Doesn’t Love Cowboys?

Join me in welcoming Melissa Keir on the release of Cowboy, Mine, a boxed set filled with great cowboy stories by Melissa and five other authors: Kathleen Ball, Krista Ames, Cheryl Gorman, Lyssa Layne, and D’Ann Lindun.
Cowboys… Are They All the Same?

Melissa Keir grew up watching the old television westerns like The Rifleman and Maverick. The heroes were always wearing the white hats (as in being good guys) and protected their town and families with a gun. But these shows point out how each cowboy could be a little different. Let’s take a look at two very similar shows—The Big Valley and Bonanza
Victoria Barkley (The Big Valley) heads up life with her family on a ranch in California's San Joaquin Valley in the 1870s. One of the adult children is the by-product of her husband’s infidelity, but she’s also got two legitimate sons and a headstrong daughter. Family is at the center of their shows even while dealing with bank robbers, escaped convicts and farming.
The Cartright family (Bonanza) lives on the Ponderosa Ranch located near Virginia City, Nevada. Ben is the father of three big strapping sons who were born to three different wives, each now dead. During and after the Civil War, Ben raises his sons to be strong men who defend their neighbors as well as deal with the dynamics of differences of opinions about the Civil War.On the surface, we see two strong families who live on ranches but each is unique to their situations. Both are western shows centered around multi-generational families. They ride horses and are seen working on their ranch in some episodes.
Yet the men of the Big Valley were quite a bit different than the ones on Bonanza. Little Joe, the youngest Cartright lived a life of luxury. His family had the money to afford a Chinese house-boy who took care of the house and cooking. We see Little Joe getting into hot-headed situations where he has to charm or fight to escape. Hardly do we see him working or toiling around the farm, but rather visiting the bar in the nearest city.
Heath is a more somber character due to his upbringing. He was raised by his African American Nanny and snuck off to the Barkley ranch when he learned who his real father was. His father never claimed him and yet Heath becomes a vital and accepted part of the family. He’s hard working and is often seen working on the ranch (with his shirt off). While he does get into fights, it’s usually to protect his sister or step-mom.
Let’s get to why she’s talking about these old shows…My cowboy in Chalkboard Romance is not a typical cowboy. He was raised on a working horse ranch but it was his father’s dream, not his. Mac’s dream was to report on big changes in the world and make a difference. Money wasn’t his goal, it was personal gratification.
In Chalkboard Romance, Mac does take Lauren horseback riding as a way to cool down their romance after the one night stand. He knows he’s in for more than a fling and has to prove it to her. I think of Mac as more of the Rifleman than Maverick. He’ll do anything to protect his son, even while teaching him the tools he needs to become a man.
5 Star Review by Amazon Reader:  "Did somebody say the words Cowboy and boxed set? I haven't read the entire set yet, but I most certainly will...From the very beginning, I was transported right into the books setting, while the characters swept me away along with them, as they fought their internal struggles and dealt with life's sometimes difficult road."
 Texas Haven Kathleen BallCan love shine through the clouds of treachery and misunderstanding?Advertising for a wife seems like the answer to all of Burke Dawson's problems. He wants a wife and kids without emotional attachments, but he has no idea how much havoc one woman can cause. Annie Douglas has her heart set on her hunky cowboy's love and she isn't about to stop until she gets it.
Take Me Home, Cowboy by Krista AmesWhen tragedy strikes, will building tension and pride destroy a growing attraction or show them the way home?Ally Kincaid returns to Rock Creek, Wyoming, to see her father after a two year absence. Anticipating a quiet family reunion, she finds herself butting heads with Matt Gentry—her father’s foreman—instead. The man’s arrogance and sexy drawl push all her buttons, making her wonder what he’s hiding beneath his cowboy swagger. When tragedy strikes, will building tension and pride destroy their growing attraction or show them the way home?
Honeymoon Ranch by Cheryl GormanCan two reluctant partners ride off into their own blissful sunset on Honeymoon Ranch? When wedding planner, Summer Conroy, discovers she has inherited half of Silver Creek Ranch, she is stunned to learn the other half is owned by sexy cowboy, Bryce Jericho. Her idea of turning the ranch into an exclusive wedding and honeymoon destination is met with a wall of resistance from Bryce who doesn’t want his ranch ruined with a bunch of wedding nonsense. He is determined to conceal his vulnerable heart that beats in fear of being betrayed again. Will this woman with dreams of happily-ever-after in her eyes transform his fear into love everlasting?
Chalkboard Romance by Melissa KeirWill a One Night Stand prove to be their disaster or their salvation?Lauren Walsh, a divorcee and elementary teacher, wants to feel sexy again after her ex tosses her aside for a younger woman. Her best friend encourages her to sign up for The Playhouse--a renowned dating agency. Forced to stay away from his young son, Mac Thomas lost the ability to trust. After the death of his wife, he returned to care for his son but his sister wants more for him. She sets him up with The Playhouse. Passion ignites but Mac’s a parent of one of Lauren’s students. A teacher and a parent dating could cost Lauren her job and her chance at happiness. Will Mac be able to convince the school and Lauren, that love is the most important thing?
Until You Fall in Love by Lyssa LayneCan a longtime friendship suddenly blossom into love?Single mom Jordan Glastetter doesn't know how she'd survive without her best friend, Abram Tomko. He's the father her son never knew and he's the rock she's always leaned on. When Abram's father suffers a heart attack, it's Abram's turn to depend on Jordan, finally seeing her as the woman she's become and not the little girl he grew up with. Will they risk their friendship for a chance at love?
The Cowboy’s Baby by D’Ann LindunCat wanted to keep her baby: Tanner insisted she give it up...can they find common ground seventeen years later?Cat O’Brien left her heart in Granite, Colorado, seventeen years ago—her first love, Tanner Burke, and the baby girl she gave birth to at sixteen. Suddenly, both Tanner’s high school sweetheart and the teenage daughter they gave up for adoption are back in his life. Cat is adamant their daughter keep her baby; Tanner isn’t as sure. Just like seventeen years before, he and Cat are butting heads over the fate of an unborn child.
For a limited time offer, Cowboy, Mine is on Amazon for $.99.Ebook ISBN: 978-1-939590-99-2BUY LINKS:Amazon ebook:  http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Mine-Kathleen-Ball-ebook/dp/B016QYF6PM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1445033681&sr=8-2&keywords=Cowboy%2C+MineAmazon print: http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Mine-Kathleen-Ball/dp/1518613810/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1445033994&sr=8-6&keywords=Cowboy%2C+Mine