Chris Keniston's Blog, page 3

And another week bites the dust

I'll tell you - writing Sweet Temptation is proving to be a bit of a challenge as I near the end - I decided to go for one of my more humorous big moments and it is giving me fits. Y'all might have to settle for snickers instead of guffaws! 

I am however thrilled to have gotten to spend a lovely working dinner with a friend and her niece - the reason the niece is a big deal is that she's a social worker and I needed help with Rachel Sweet in Sweet Deal - the next book I'm starting as soon as Temptation is done - which I'm hoping is sooner than later - sigh. 

I didn't bother taking a photo of my chocolate martini because you've all seen so many pictures of pretty glasses with chocolate swirls LOL - but I did photograph the escargot. I'm a huge seafood fan. I love escargot when it's well prepared. This one was a tad too garlicy for me - but the interesting thing was the biscuit puffs on top - aren't they cute? I actually didn't eat them because I just love the escargot and butter sauce, though this time there was one missing. I popped the puff while the waiter was still there and told him one had escaped.  I also said it was no big deal, but a few moments later they brought me out a whole other serving of six - and ha - we found the missing little sucker - there were two in one of the spots!  As you can see I took plenty of notes - that was page one of several pages! the poor waiter had to keep waiting for us because we were so busy yaking and taking notes we'd forget to look at the menu - especially because I have learned to say - Hang on a minute - while I write down what people are saying, otherwise if I try to keep up with the talking, I can't read my notes the next day! 

A nice perk - is we even came up with the 'emotional' big moment near the end of Sweet Deal - and this time it will not be a comedy - I may have lost my funny bone! 

Did I mention I'm in Houston for this dinner? The nice part is I get free accommodations at my daughter's house! Unfortunately, I still need to work. While I was out on the back porch having a business conversation without the kids running about being kids, I happened to look up at the ceiling fan and thought - is that a bird's tail? And a real nest? - I walked around and saw a bird's head -- no idea what kind-- but she sat SO still, I wasn't even sure if it was real or if it was a fake deterrent to other birds. 

My daughter said that the bird comes every year. Sadly the first year they moved in they didn't realize there was a bird's nest and while they were playing with the switches to figure out what was what - the fan obviously kicked on and the next day they found the nest and eggs on the ground. What they don't know is if the eggs ever hatch.  The first photo is that bird's tail that I was unsure of - the second photo is mama bird's head. she was SO still. But I have no idea what kind of bird she is. 

That's all the news I have for this week!  Hopefully next week I'll have finished Sweet Temptation - Oh - and do y'all remember that tomorrow is the release of Quinn?  I hope everyone loves Quinn as much as my review team has! 

Okay, signing off - talk to y'all later - and feel free to leave comments to let me know y'all are liking what I write! Ta ta! 

​

I'm Back! LOL

Home sweet home! 

We had a lovely time visiting friends and family after the week at Disney.  While visiting my cousin we had the most interesting and delicious pizza. The corner crusts of the star were stuffed with ricotta cheese! I have never heard of ice tea in blue - but that's what the Greek restaurant served! and of course, a casual ocean front lunch of fresh shrimp and lobster bisque - Yum! 
We did have to replace a broken suitcase - with the small blue one - but there was so much STUFF that got bought or that my daughter didn't have room for, that we had to buy a second little blue suitcase! Of course, part of the problem is my hubbies big shoes! Mine flatten pretty good, but hubby doesn't like sandals so his size thirteen shoes can take up a suitcase all by themselves!  If you're wondering - the small black one is my laptop bag. Though I've figured out I can fit a long weekends worth of clothes in there no problem too - it's pretty big! So - for a two week trip I'm not sure if all that luggage is good or bad LOL 

of course hubby had to try on the hat for his new life status. Thankfully, he seems to be enjoying not having to go to work first thing in the morning. He mentioned that he was concerned it would be a shock to his system - nope - he seems to be enjoying it quite a bit! and might as well post a photo of us - this was the last lunch in Florida!  You're probably wondering about work - well I did indeed get more writing done on the airplane home - I love flying because I get so much work done - now this week I'm catching up on all the things that went wrong while I was gone - son's car broke down, pool pump broke down, son's plumbing is backing up, and - well - you get the picture! LOL.  Regardless of all the demands - I'm still working on finishing Sweet Temptation. So no worries there. 

Also - if anyone is interested in purchasing Quinn early - he's available right now from my web store in ebook format.  If you prefer to wait for your favorite vendor, you can start counting down - 8 more days! 
Okay,  uncle is having cataract surgery today and I'm his wheels so I'm off!  Oh - and if you're wondering- Sweet Beginnings and Sweet Surprise will be available about a month early on my webstore so I'll keep you posted when that happens! 

​Take care everyone! 

I Survived Disney LOL

More importantly - my feet survived Disney LOL. 

We walked 15-18k steps a day - well I did - and that's because Oma got to sit a lot and watch the stroller while folks walked to and rode some rides.  I do the easy ones - you know - It's a small world or little mermaid - the ones you ride along like a leisurely Sunday stroll LOL. The roller coasters it turns out is my grandson's favorite!  I'm pretty sure he rode the Seven Dwarfs runaway train ride at least a dozen times - he loved it so much and the photos Disney takes capture the smiles every time! 

I did indulge in soft serve ice cream, and big breakfasts and more than one fried food and thankfully only gained one pound - it would have been nice to lose with all those steps and the sweltering ninety degree heat all week, but I consider only gaining a pound a win!

Here are a few photos - not very clear and a bit far but hey, Oma isn't a professional photographer and her cell phone isn't noted for it's camera quality!  We have - the Dumbo Ride, and the Magic Carpet ride, and the carousel. Though this was the first try - my granddaughter didn't want to stay on the carousel so we took her off - which is why my hubby's back is to the camera. Second try she rode but I could not get a decent photo of them on my camera with the thing moving round and round. sigh. You might see hubby's head peeking out from the carpet ride and I keep finding my daughter by her white baseball cap LOL. Of course there were lots more rides that I simply didn't get photos of. There was also lots of shopping. My granddaughter made out like a bandit. Her mom was fully into providing the Disney experience so she got an Ana  and an Elsa doll from frozen, she of course got Mickey Mouse ears (grandson didn't want much) though hers were colorful with a veil, and both kids got bubble makers, my granddaughter got little mermaid and the grandson got buzz light year - those got the most mileage and a friend took me to the store to buy a new suitcase (one of mine the handle snapped off) and so I bought bubble refills for a fraction of what disney charges.  And I'll be nice and not rant about what Disney charges for everything - those people have to be rolling in money because IMHO it is the greatest rip off on the planet - but millions of people don't agree with me. Though I will mention that we took our kids to the park and stayed at the same hotel and our experience was much more, shall we say attentive, than now.  There's no real customer service and I honestly felt like a cow in a cattle drive - but the kids loved it and my daughter enjoyed it - so there you have it. 

So - here we have a moving shot of the mickey ears with the colored veil lol, as well as the night time castle and fireworks - I will give Disney this, they do a great fireworks display! 
Now - as y'all know, any author gets ideas from real life. This trip was no exception.  I bumped into a bachelorette party wearing sashes. I snapped photos - here are just a couple - and you KNOW this has to go into a book somewhere. Don't know which one or where - but it will happen!  

I also hope to have a new collaboration with a fabulous musician who writes lovely songs - he's going to go through his collection and we're going to find some wonderfully romantic original music to use in my books - I hate that I can't use lyrics to some of the songs I reference, but this way I will be able to use lyrics and if anyone wants, they can listen to the songs online or even buy them maybe - we'll see how it works out, but I'm quite excited about the possibilities.  The last photo is the two of us and my hubby after out lunch meeting! 
okay - I think this about covers my work week at Disney! This week is off to visit friends and family and hopefully find more material for more books!

Day One Starting at Disney

Well - technically - it's day two since we arrived yesterday afternoon but all we did was explore the hotel.  Today is the beginning of the vacation - so I will have much more to share with y'all next wee. 

for now know that I moved the storyline forward on Sweet Temptation. I got lots of words on the airplane ride - always do!  And this story will be coming to you as planned in July. 

So far the grands are enjoying the hotel, though Oma is having a heck of a time keeping up with her grandson, seems he's learned how to run at top speeds and I never have! 

I also detect staying on a diet here is going to be impossible, I just hope all the walking offsets the calories! 

I hear them in the hall - time to go

See you soon. 

Another Week and Lots of Irish Soda Bread

This has been a very busy and tiring week for me.  As you know, I spent a week in New York at a friend's side in the hospital. I was delighted to help her feel more comfortable and more agreeable to eating, taking her meds, and having some diagnostic tests done. We are still waiting for results, and her future is unknown at this time, but I felt better leaving her in a rehab facility to get her strength that in that hospital she dreaded.  

It does remind me though that everyone needs to have advocates in their corner. Her sons are lovely wonderful men who I am delighted to consider family, but neither was equipped for this degree of medical challenges. Even my daughter, who has my gumption and doesn't let herself get pushed around, even she wouldn't have enough experience to know what to ask or when to ask when it comes to healthcare.  I am the medical power of attorney for a friend of mine here in North Texas with no children of her own. My medical power of attorney (called proxy in some states) is a dear friend who also has had a great deal of hospital experience due to her now passed parents.  It's really important to pray and believe for a peaceful end after a very long life, but it's equally important to have a plan if you become hospitalized in a less than stellar mental state. I am thankful to whoever it was in my life that mentioned setting out chocolates at the rehab facility to encourage nurses and aids to pop in and check on the patient more often!  

I am however very proud of myself for spending a week in New York eating hot italian bread, and pasta, and pizza, and ohhh so good Irish Soda Bread - I talk about it in my Hart Land Series but have never found decent soda bread in Texas. I had to enjoy a piece just about every night I was there, and am thrilled to be home and not have gained any weight. Didn't lose it - but didn't gain is just as satisfying under the circumstances! 

now. book talk!  I am finishing edits on Quinn today so I should have more news on him by the next blog post!  I also have Sweet Surprise, book two of the new series waiting for me to start on those edits!  I am hopeful that I can do all that AND finish book three before the family leaves for Disney World.  I can't believe that our Disney trip is less than a week away! Though I won't have much to report next Monday as that will just be the start! 

Now - below are a few photos- I know it seems weird, but with no 'real' diners in my part of the country, I took a photo of a favorite diner where my friends and I meet up while I'm in NY - my one disappointment, they had no boston cream pie this visit...sniff. The other photo is the tubs of chocolates and candies. I sure hope they do the trick. And lastly - my Irish Soda Bread. I took one last slice and had in my purse to eat on the plane ride home. I am so going to miss that. Will have to have my friend ship me some next St. Patrick's day season! 
Though, I do admit, hubby and I are curious to discover if we're going to find soda bread in Ireland!  Will let you know the answer to that puzzler this summer!  We have our first seven nights of hotels booked and after that, it will be a 'see where we go' trip and hopefully, we won't be sleeping in the car! lol. 

All right - I need to get back to work.  Everyone have a good week! 

What A Week

I am blessed to have several cherished friends since high school who are still a part of my life - even though I live half a country away from where I grew up. 

On Tuesday I received a message from the son of one of those friends telling me she'd been in the hospital and was asking for me - he was completely overwhelmed with how things had escalated in a negative way.  I arrived in NYC Thursday - and it's been insanity - 

Like a bull in a china shop - I pretty much steamrolled over the hospital staff (how's that for a mixed metaphor! LOL) - ticked off a lot of people along the way but bottom line, she'll take her meds and cooperate if I'm around - she wont' if I'm not - so this is short and sweet because I have to drive 30 minutes to get to her - 

Happy St. Patricks Day - and please keep us all in your prayers. 

Springing Forward

Anyone hate the time change as much as I do?  Losing an hour is always tough. Tossed and turned trying to get to sleep at a decent hour because I had things to do this morning which technically was an hour earlier than I'd like so I 'needed' to go to bed earlier than I would have liked.  
I can't help but think, if Arizona and Hawaii don't change time, and everyone there is happy, and no one there complains, why can't the rest of the country do the same? I know I don't want little kids walking to school in the pitch black, and it's hard for parents to get young kids to go to sleep when the sun is still shining at 9pm - I'd like to go to standard time and stay there - 8pm is plenty late in the day to still have daylight. any how - that's my two cents on that one. 

On my weight loss efforts I am delighted to announce I'm down another pound and a half this week.  I'm actually quite pleased with myself because I even went out to dinner Saturday night - ate more parmesan rice than I wanted to (who could resist) and still didn't gain - Yay!  Going with my daughter's family to Disney is a great motivator - I need to lose more weight so I'll have more energy to keep up with the kiddos - at least to not slow them down! 

The book front is chugging along. Sweet Surprise is at the Editor now along with Quinn.  And I'm off to a strong start with Sweet Temptation. 

here's a tiny snippet from Sweet Temptation.

     “Something wrong?” Garret had been studying her.
     In for a penny, in for a pound. He already knew everything about her, what was one more thing. “Your aunt mentioned a board with work opportunities.”
    “Yes. There’s a lot of word of mouth in a small town, but the bulletin board helps folks connect faster.” His eyes softened. “So, does this mean that maybe you’re thinking of looking for a fresh start here? In Honeysuckle?”
        She shrugged. “Bizarre I know.”
     “Not necessarily. Here no one knows anything about you. Not your past. Not your problems. It would be a truly fresh start. No judgments.”
       A smile tugged at her lips. “That does hold a certain appeal.”
      “What did you do in Houston?”
    “Despite having a degree in psychology, I worked as manager for a small family owned insurance business.” She couldn’t stop her smile from growing wider. Just thinking about the sweet job she had put her in a happy place. As long as she didn’t think about how stupidly she threw it all away.
     “Managing a business sounds industry agnostic. There’s probably more than one business in town that could use a good manager.”
     Wouldn’t that be nice. If a little hopeful. “Of course, I’d have to find a place to live. Are there are a lot of apartments in town.”
   His expression grew more serious. “Not really. We’re growing but not enough for an apartment complex. Though some folks have turned attics into apartments. A few have done like the north east and turned larger homes into multifamily units, but not a whole lot. Yet.”
    “That’s what I was afraid of.”
     His gaze drifted off somewhere, his eyes cooling. She could almost see the wheels turning in his mind, but didn’t have the foggiest idea what had him thinking so hard.  Nodding softly, as if trying to convince himself of something, he blew out a soft sigh. “I may have an idea.”
     If anyone else on the planet had said that to her, she might be grabbing her purse and heading for the nearest exit, but from Garret, the honorable man who had rescued her from herself, what could she lose by hearing the man out? 

And that's it for today.  Have a great week! 

Chugging Along

Oh this has been a busy week 

I'm still waiting to get my edits back on Quinn, not sure how early I'll have it up for sale on my webstore, but I'm trying. 

I can say that I'm one chapter away from finishing book two of the new series - Sweet Surprise- and I'm pretty confident that those will be availabe on my storefront at least a month before official release day - won't that be fun.  

As for real life around here - well - I'm puppysitting the grand dog - My son keeps getting swept away on weekend trips and I get the dog.  As you can see from his posture - we treat the poor thing so badly - I mean, who wants to sleep on a comfy sofa like this: 
Then there's the downside to warmer weather in Texas. Outside by the pool looking at the filter - I shifted and looked up to the house and went- oh boy - time to paint!  Well, and repair too - only this time we're using cement board for that trim work!  I just hope no little critters have gotten into my attic through that bald spot! Hard to tell from the ground and I am NOT climbing a ladder. My sense of mortality has become more acute in my old age! LOL. I prefer two feet planted  firmly on the ground! 

okay - I'm heading back to Sweet Surprise, with no sun out today I'm feeling more sleepy than creative and I really want to move on and figure out book three ! 

Four Pounds Down

I am very excited about this last month of weight loss effort - while 4.4 pounds doesn't seem like much - I am thrilled to have lost that over the last four weeks. If I can lose five more pounds over the next five weeks, when walking around Disney with the grands, it will feel like I'm carrying one less bowling ball around!  LOL - sorry if that doesn't make sense - my uncle told me years ago, for every ten pounds overweight we are, it's like carrying around a bowling ball. That image has stuck with me, so now my goals are short - lose one bowling ball. Then when that happens, I'll aim for the next bowling ball! 

I'm also pretty thrilled to have started planning hubby and my first real vacation in ages - though I suppose the five day cruise to Cuba seven years ago does count, but it was twenty years before then that we took a trip together- Now, he's retiring and we're going to Ireland. His family roots are Irish so he's looking forward to meeting second cousins and seeing where his grandparents were born and lived.  I'm just looking forward to seeing the Emerald Isle. Of course the challenge for this pantser is that I have a miserable time planning ahead, it's pretty much lets get in the car see where it takes us and find a hotel. On our list of tourist things is Cliffs of Moher, Dingle, Kerry Ring (?), a little town called Adare, been told to stop there for lunch, of course the Blarney Castle, though I have no intention of hanging upside down to kiss a rock- as many of you know- I already have the gift of gab! LOL. And the odd one is the isle of Man. Apparently the movie Waking Ned Divine was filmed there and hubby and I thought it would be fun to go see.  Instead of flying back to England, we'll ferry to the isle from Dublin then ferry to Liverpool and train wherever we need to go after that.  If anyone has been to Ireland, we're taking suggestions! 

As for Quinn - I am delighted to say I could be finished with him as early as tonight! He's been pretty cooperative, but I had a few challenges here and there, we'll see what my editor thinks! 

Recently, I heard someone somewhere, don't remember if it was on TV or on my computer or what - but it talked about the village idiot and I had to reuse the line - so here it is: 

     “Morgan came over the radio next. “We’ll keep driving toward the interstate, just in case it’s someone else Ned saw. The guy is pretty old. Out.”
​      Eloise turned to Quinn. “Who else could possibly be out on a night like this?”
    “Unfortunately,” Finn leaned closer to the front seat to be heard over the howling wind. “Most villages have more than one idiot.” 

Anyhow, there's always something in every book that I stole from real life, and this book, that's it LOL. 

Because of the horribly cold weather last week, all I did was stay home and hibernate - which probably explains why I'll be finishing Quinn a week early, everyone else hibernated too! 

Well, that's all the real life and book news I have for today - remember to tell all your friends about my books - after this trip it will be time to start saving up for the next one! 

Just curious - does anyone love to travel and see new places besides me? 

And Winter is Back

I don't mean to fuss when so many people in the US are currently being dangerously affected by the weather - but it's cold! 

I moved to texas decades ago to get away from the New York winters (and the potholes lol). When I got here in October it was shorts weather and I was delighted. In August when we were all melting, I wondered if maybe, I'd made a mistake, but then all I needed was one winter visit to NY to decide I would take 100 degree August days over 30 degree NY winters, any day of the week. 

Except now, here in my sunny normally 55 degree winter days in Texas, we're freezing for days on end. I absolutely, totally hate it. I don't mind when the North Wind blows in for a day or two prompting us to bundle up indoors, but this malarchy of freezing weather for a week at a time with only a few days of warmth to break it up is starting to tick me off!  I will - like it or not- get over it - but today I have to bundle up and go outside to take my mother to the doctor for a B12 check up - You have to know how much I love my mother to go out in this freezing weather - 

As for work - all is on track with Quinn - I don't have time this morning to give you another snippet- but maybe next week I won't be so rushed. 

I do have good news on the diet front - was able to drop almost two pounds this week making up for last weeks small gain.  I truly need to drop more weight - my uncle told me once that every ten pounds of extra weight I carry is like carrying around a bowling bowl. I've never forgotten and think no wonder my poor heart isn't happy with me - I'm carrying around three or four extra bowling bowls!  I'll keep y'all posted on how this effort goes - 

Okay, that's it for today or Mom and I will be late. 

​Take care everyone - and check in that you're doing okay in this icky winter.