Jennifer Anderson's Blog, page 2

Over My Shoulder by Wendi Zwaduk

I want to thank Jennifer for having me on the blog today. It’s always fun to hang out with one of my favorite people. I love working with her and hope we continue to do so for a long, long time.(ditto, babe!)
I titled this post Over My Shoulder for a reason. I recently wrote a New Adult series, the Complicated series for Resplendence Publishing. New Adult, if you don’t know what it is, is a category of books featuring new to adulthood characters. Millenials. First real romance, first stab at life on their own, the ache of the real world imposing on their realities...stuff like that. All of my stories in this series are hot stories. Okay, they’re erotic. Great for readers, not so great when the kid is visiting and reading over my shoulder.
( attribution: By Adam Jones, Ph.D. (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)], via Wikimedia Commons)

For the pictures in this post, I intentionally chose images of people I don’t know rather than my own kid. Why? I’m funny that way and a tad overprotective.

( attribution: By Irving Rusinow, Photographer (NARA record: 5307166) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

But this was about the tot, as I refer to him, reading over my shoulder.  Here’s the story. I’m writing away, typing at a furious pace because the story is flowing. It’s going great! Lots of word count, lots of typing...then I hear a noise. Now I’m in the middle of a hot scene. I won’t get into details, but yeah, it was steamy. The noise is back. What the heck...? I didn’t see anyone coming when I turned around. Focus on my work? Keep looking? It’s only the tot and me at the house.That’s when I heard giggling. Aw crap. I’ve not only been spotted, but I’ve been caught. “Mom, what does that word mean?” Tot trots into the room and plops onto the couch beside me. “Huh?”I forgot to mention I’m a tad unorthodox in my writing venue. I’m not a coffee house writer or a book store writer. I sit on the couch and listen to white noise from the television. Yeah, I’m accessible that way, too. “Uh... which word?” I asked him.“That one.” He points to a word for men’s reproductive organs. You’ve probably guessed which word. Now, I could’ve said, it’s none of your business or shoo. I could’ve chewed him out for showing up right when things were getting good in the story. What did I do? I said, “it’s a word for man bits. It’s not one I want you to repeat, but you’ve got one.”He laughed, rolled his eyes, then wandered away to play video games. I thought I was out of the woods. Cool. I can start the story back up and keep going.Nope.That’s when I found out he’d trotted upstairs and informed DH. “Mom said this word.”I hadn’t actually. I thought I’d been pretty eloquent considering. What response did I get? “Don’t write that stuff when he’s awake...”I’ve been writing erotic stories for the last six years. This was the first time I got into trouble, but I’m sure it won’t be the last. I’m not worried about what happened. He’s a kid and asks questions. I’m betting he stunned DH with his revelation that he’d read over my shoulder. Have you ever gotten into a situation like mine? How’d you handle it? I’d love to know. JHere’s a little bit about that book I was working on, Stealing Home. Check it out. It might be your next favorite read.


Stealing Home by Wendi ZwadukBook 3 in the Complicated SeriesM/F, New Adult Romance, ContemporaryNovellaFrom Resplendence Publishing
The last person she expected to fall for her just might be the one she’s been looking for all along.

Bliss McMahon isn’t looking for love. She’s got a degree to complete and a life she wants to live. Besides, love isn’t looking for her. The last and only time she’d tried dating, the whole situation had ended in disaster. Being twenty-one and never going beyond second base doesn’t exactly endear her to the guys, but the one guy she never expected to notice her has. Will she give him a shot or run the other way?

Evan Phillips has a way with the ladies. He can charm them just as easily as he hits homeruns, but this ballplayer has a problem. He won’t be able to pass art history without help. Enter Bliss. Sure, he’s dated her roommate, and yes, Bliss can’t stand him, but he’s not about to back down from the challenge of getting her help. She’s spunky, out of his league and just who he wants. Can the ballplayer convince Bliss he’s up for more than one inning or will she forfeit before the game begins?

He’s ready to steal home in order to win the woman of his dreams.

Warning: Contains a dangerous combination of fragile new love, bone-deep angst and desperate rivalry that will consume you with throbbing, out-of-control passion.Available from Resplendence Publishing: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/740-978-1-60735-861-9--stealing-home-complicated-book-three-by-wendi-zwaduk.htmlAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Home-Complicated-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00UW1VCDQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1427238260&sr=8-7&keywords=stealing+homeAllRomance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stealinghome-1765610-149.html
And here’s a little bit about Wendi:I’ve always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line.  I love playing with words and letting the characters run wild.

NASCAR, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, animals and second chance romance  all feature prominently in my books.  I also write under the pen name of Megan Slayer. I’m published with Totally Bound, Resplendence Publishing, Changeling Press, Liquid Silver Books, Turquoise Morning Press, Decadent Publishing and Ellora’s Cave. Come join me for this fantastic journey!  

If you like my work, tell your friends and email me. I love hearing from readers!Email: theauthorwendizwaduk (AT) gmail (DOT) comSite: http://wendizwaduk.com/Blog:  http://www.wendizwaduk.net/Wordpress blog: http://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/Twit... https://twitter.com/WendiZwadukFan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendi-...  https://www.amazon.com/author/wendizwadukGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3495446.Wendi_ZwadukOn Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/wendizwaduk/On Google+ : https://plus.google.com/115637543946745656739/postsOn Romance Novel Center: http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/wendizwaduk
Newsletter sign up:  http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj 

Dark Love Boxed Set **SALE**

**ABSOLUTE LAST WEEK AT 99 CENTS!**
Sometimes love is perfume and chocolates. Sometimes it’s cuffs and control. The five novels in the DARK LOVE: Nothing Grey About It boxed set, explore the darkest kind of love – Domination and submission. From cowboys to quarterbacks, demon hunters to Gothic romance, experience the DARK side of LOVE.
Available at these retailers and more: AMAZON http://bit.ly/DarkLove[image error]
IBOOKS http://apple.co/1EQMX5n[image error]

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*Please feel free to share!*

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Writing Outside the Box by Linda Rettstatt

Renting To Own – Writing Outside the Box

Somewhere along the way in this writing gig, I heard the directive: Write what you know. Not being one to adhere to rules and directives but, rather, finding it much more fun to go against that flow, I like to push the boundaries. Never more so than when I wrote Renting To Own. The story is that of twenty-three year old Lily Champion who became a single mother at the age of nineteen. Her mother died when Lily was seven and she and her brother were raised (loosely translated) by her father who turned to alcohol to stave off his grief. Lily had to grow up faster than others her age and pretty much on her own. There is nothing thus far in Lily’s story that matches my own life experience. Well, with the exception of two things: I know about loss and I know about the struggle to claim one’s own life. But certainly not with a child in tow.
I started this book the way I start many stories—with a title that can provide a metaphor for something else in the story. I love metaphor. Perhaps that goes back to my days of working as a psychotherapist and using metaphor as a way to help clients gain clarity about their lives. In any case, Renting To Own relates to the house Lily is finally able to obtain on a rent-to-own basis and that is symbolic of her struggle to create a stable life for herself and Chelsea. It also refers to the way Lily has lived her life, as if she doesn’t quite own it, but has to work to own it.
When you write outside of that box of ‘what you know,’ how do you know you got it right? When readers say, “You nailed the whole single-parent thing.” “Lily’s story gave me hope that I’ll have the same strength and wisdom when my baby’s born in two months. I’ll be on my own, too.” “I could have sworn you were writing about me and my son.”
I was fortunate to have friends who have ‘been there’ in Lily’s shoes and who agreed to read sections of the book and give me feedback. What I learned was that, basically, when you are a single parent, your child is also your permanent appendage. He or she goes where you go. He or she is always the first consideration when faced with a decision. This is, to some extent true when there are two parents, I realize. But Lily can’t make plans to do anything without first considering Chelsea. Parenting is an awesome task. Single-parenting doubly so.
Since romance is a very strong sub-plot to Renting To Own, I had to ask what a woman in this position would look for in a guy. After all, she and Chelsea are a packaged deal. Lily meets both Rick and Beau. As her relationship with each man progresses, she has to consider which man is right for her and for her daughter. (You’ll have to read the book to see who wins her heart and why.)
I fell in love with the characters in this story. I hope you will, too.








Blurb:  Renting To Own not only describes Lily Champion’s rental arrangement, it describes her life. But Lily’s learned that sometimes when the ground shifts beneath you, it moves you to where you need to be.


Linda Rettstatt is an award-winning author who discovered her passion for writing after years of working in the human services field. When she’s not writing, Linda loves travel, nature photography, and figuring out what makes people tick. Her fantasy is to win the lottery, buy an old Victorian home on the eastern shore and open a writer’s retreat. While she waits for that fantasy to materialize, she continues to live and work in NW Mississippi and to write under the constant observation of her tuxedo cat, Binky.Website:  www.lindarettstatt.com Facebook page: Linda Rettstatt, Writing for WomenTwitter: @linda_rettstatt


Book links:
Amazon  /  B&N  /  Kobo  /  Smashwords   /  All Romance eBooks 

Diabetic Troubles

First, let me say, I know other people have things worse than me, especially children suffering from Type I. I know this but I also know others out there are like me. Type II and stuck trying to figure out what works. Or doing what they think is good only to check your blood sugar and realizing your number is still high.

Totally sucks.

If you are doing all the right things, then consult your doctor first. Maybe your meds need to change. But if your sort of doing the right things, or you did, but fell off the wagon (that dark Valentine and Easter candy).

I'm hear to offer some encouragement and tips that might help you get back into the swing of things because I, too, need a boost. We went on vacation last week and my numbers have not been great since.

1. Exercise. If you were on a plan and fell off, get back on it. If you need to start out slow, try a 15-20 minute walk everyday and work up to 30 minutes. Exercise helps keep those BSs low.

2. Drink that water. I know this sounds easy but it can be difficult if you don't set you mind to. I suggest starting the day with one of those refillable bottles of cups and keep it handy. Actually, start out in the morning and drink one cup before you start the day. If you're not a fan of plain water, add one of those flavored liquids. They are generally calorie and carb free.

3. Don't start your day with carbs. And yes, I mean fruit. I know, it is good but eat a hard-boiled egg. Or if you must do something with carbs, make sure they are the good ones, but try to avoid the fruit. This was a tip I learned from a dietitian when I was pregnant. Have that fruit during the day.

4. Try a vegetable soup. There are great soups on Pinterest, some are labeled as detox soups, but they are filling and a great way to get those veggies in. Make a huge batch over the weekend, store in mason jars or containers and eat it all week. I've done this 2 different times and really saw some results in both weight loss and carb control.

5. Find a friend to lean on. This is a hard diagnosis and can be a big change to your life and sometimes, you just need a shoulder. I find myself getting sad about this all the time. But if I talk to a friend who helps put things into perspective, I have the courage to keep pushing on. Because this disease will not go away, no matter how much I want it to.

I'm not a doctor or a dietician. I'm a stay-at-home mom and author who is struggling with diabetes. I'm here if you need to leave a comment or a suggestion. I have a board on Pinterest with recipes and ideas.

Good luck.

Finding You trailer

I am over the moon thrilled with how my book trailer turned out. Let me know what you think.




Thank you!

A Not-So Typical Day

A typical weekday looks like this: get up, lay in bed until the last minute, rush out, dress the baby, snag the kids and take them to school. From here I either run to the grocery store, Target, grab a Starbucks, head straight home or take the baby to the park for a walk. If I come back home, I’m usually pulling into the driveway by 7:45 AM.
 This morning, it was raining so while I still did the lazy butt mom thing in bed before I dashed off in the rain, I avoided further outings because of the weather only to find that my day was about to take on a new persona. The Internet and phone kind of personality.
Let me back up by stating that I’m a stay-at-home mom/part-time worker/author. I allow 12-15 hours per week for my part-time gig, 10 hours a week for my editing work and 10 plus hours (depending on deadlines) for my writing. All of these battle with my time as a mom (3 kids: 2, 10 and 13), wife and domestic goddess (I’m trying to get his nickname to stick).
So when I’m finally home, I set up shop in front of my computer, put a movie or 100 in the DVD player and get ‘er done. But today I was sucked into a Twilight Zone. My internet was down and the phone wouldn’t work and for a second, as I clutched my cell phone in my sweaty hand, afraid to release the only lifeline I thought I had, I was about to freak out. Was I stuck at home without any contact with the outside world? If I died, would they find me still holding my cell? Then I looked at the baby and I swear she smirked. She knew I was stuck with her all day and not paying attention to my computer. She could smell the fear and it stank worse than a day old poopie diaper.
But then I woke up and dialed my husband, because duh, my cell phone still worked! Just not the internet on it.
I emailed my boss (once I turned off the wifi on my phone, again, duh) and told her this was a blessing because I was feeling rather scattered lately and maybe this would give me a second to gather my thoughts, plan out my schedule and get those darn bills paid. I was going to cherish this small gift I was given. Turn what I thought was a negative into a positive. End the day feeling good. And then the most unexpected thing happened. An hour later, my service was restored and all I have to show for it is a rather lengthy text conversation with husband about bills (no sexting here), I tried green tea and honey yogurt (not a fan), baby ate a banana, I created two lists (one for home and one for work) and I wrote this blog post all before I had a chance to brew a cup of coffee.

Phew, I’m exhausted. I think I might crawl back into bed, put on a kid movie and toss the baby in with me and try to grab a few winks before I have to pick the kids back up from school. My domestic goddess body needs a rest!
I mean, look at this kitchen. Doesn't it make you feel sleepy looking at it!

Eat Your Breakfast by Arlene Hittle, author of Breaking All The Rules

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Allyson Cunningham, the heroine of my new romantic comedy, Breaking All the Rules, certainly believes it. Her standard breakfast — Cheerios, strawberries and skim milk — comes up more than once.You see, Allyson is rather particular and very much rules-oriented. She eats her cereal, fruit and milk every morning before work and has brunch with her friend Nikki at IHOP every Saturday. She only eats red meat once a week and avoids carbs whenever possible. (Can’t tell I was doing Atkins when I drafted this story, can you?) She and hero Donovan Marshall clash over her stubborn insistence on sticking to her food rules.That’s not their only point of disagreement, of course. Van’s relaxed approach to work — and life in general — rankles Allyson. At the same time, it intrigues her — as it does me. I’ve always been a bit like Allyson — set in my habits and resistant to change. (Except with food. I love trying new restaurants and dishes I’ve never tried before. Among the strangest: alligator and escargot. I’m more likely to try a new flavor combination than a really weird food.)My boyfriend is more like Van — always ready for adventure, even if it has “DISASTER” flashing on it in 10-foot-tall neon letters. One time, we took off for Phoenix without a hotel reservation and ended up driving home in a snowstorm because all the hotels were booked — even the $28 a night rat-trap motel. I believe it was both the opening weekend for spring training and NASCAR race weekend. Plus, there was a dart or pool tourney in town. We didn’t stand a chance.The uncertainty stressed me out, and my headache worsened every time we struck out at a new hotel. I ended up lying down on the backseat to sleep it off. That left the Cali boy to drive up the mountain in the snow, and he ended up pulling off at a truck safety pullout to wait it out. Fun times.Back to the book: Allyson is desperate to get Donovan to do his job (translating Klingon at the mental health facility she runs) right — the first time — and Van makes it his mission to prove to Ally that some rules, including food rules, are meant to be broken.
Do you follow any specific food rules?

Breaking all the Rules blurb:
Faced with compliance of a ridiculous new Arizona law, by-the-book mental health care facility administrator Allyson Cunningham must find an interpreter who speaks a made-for-TV language. Prime candidate Donovan Marshall has the language skills she so desperately needs, but shows a disturbing disregard for all rules and restrictions. While Allyson struggles to seAMAZON  /   BARNES&NOBLE  /   KOBO  /   iBOOKS 

About Arlene: Arlene Hittle is a Midwestern transplant who now makes her home in northern Arizona. She has her father to thank for her love of all things sci-fi. He took her to see Star Warswhen she was six. She immediately fell in love with R2-D2, C3PO and Luke Skywalker. (Only with the Star Warsre-release in the ’90s did she succumb to the bad-boy appeal of Han Solo.) Find her at arlenehittle.com, on Twitter or on Facebook.

Forgive Mom and Dad day!

I have to say, all of these goofy days, this might be one of my faves (although Pi Day was pretty yummy).

So, kids, on March 18th, you must forgive your mom and dad. Because no matter what, they will always love you and they mean well.

Aw, who am I kidding!

Happy Buzzards' Day

Happy Buzzards' Day! These lovely birds used to circle above, signally to cowboys that something that once was alive is now dead. 
But apparently, Ohio residents look to the skies on March 15th because they feel the birds are a sigh of birth!
Huh, who knew. I think it's kind of weird that a bird who circles dead things is also celebrated on the Ides of March....

OMG! Green Smoothie

I recently read an article listing the top 10 greens that you should be eating. Well, I'm not a rabbit so I thought I'd try to find smoothie recipes to include these ingredients. Besides, one of them, chard, was listed as one to help fight diabetes.

Score!

So what does a girl do when she needs a recipe? She does a search on Pinterest! There I found a recipe and I happened to have all the ingredients (shocker!). Here is the original recipe link for the Peanut Butter and Jelly Green Smoothie.

And here are is my version:

1 container of Yoplait Light in vanilla
1 TBSP of chia seeds
1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
1/2 cup of frozen bananas
1 TBSP of Peanut Butter
Handful of spinach
1/2 cup of skim milk

Blend and enjoy!

Sorry, I'll work on the pictures but I just couldn't stop drinking this. It honestly tastes like a PB&J!