Hey, y'all! Life has sure been busy the last few days, let me tell you. Yesterday, I had wonderful intentions to write all day. Didn't happen. First, there was the emergency trip to Sherwin Williams to buy paint samples. Then there was the curtain lady from JCP who came to try and sell me custom curtains (this is what happens when you go to a home show and sign up for stuff without thinking about it too much). The curtain appointment took 3 hours — and we were only talking about TWO windows!
After she left, it was back to Sherwin Williams for more samples. Then I had to wait at home in case the painter came by to see what I'd chosen (but I still hadn't chosen!). Once my hubby got home, it was back to Sherwin Williams a third time for more paint. I bought 7 samples yesterday, and finally made a decision. The painter is relieved, I'm sure. Tomorrow, he starts painting. Whew, who knew choosing paint was so hard?
This morning, as if yesterday wasn't busy enough, another guy from the Home Show came by. This was for a yard service and termite control. Since Hubby and I suck at yard care (weeds, fertilizing, etc), we really wanted to see what this would cost. Totally reasonable, so I signed us up. And for the termite control too.
(I didn't buy the curtains, however, if you were wondering. Though the fabric was beautiful, I have a hard time with $2500 for curtains for two windows — tall windows, to be sure, but still.)
This afternoon, I have to go pick up the paint that the painter is ordering this morning. And somewhere in all this mess, I have a book to finish. I'm seriously getting cranky about it too. Because I figured out a plot problem and fixed it, and now it's time to move forward. But my motion was on hold for household things, which has really frustrated me.
The best part of yesterday, however, was getting my North American author copies of The Prince's Royal Concubine. I wasn't expecting them so early, but when I saw the UPS man, I knew that's what it had to be because I hadn't ordered anything recently. So you know what this means! To celebrate, I'm giving away a copy today on the blog. Leave a comment and tell me about the best book you read recently. (Does not have to be mine, btw.) Or you can tell me about how life got in the way of something you were doing. 🙂
Update: using the handy dandy Random Number Generator, the winner is Jayme! Jayme, please email me your contact info and I'll get the book out to you ASAP! Thanks for all the comments, y'all! I enjoyed hearing about the books you like, and about your little life detours. 🙂
I loved your last book and would love a copy of the new one.
Great books I have read lately are an ARC of Jaci Burton’s Bound, Branded & Brazen, Nauti Deceptions by Lora Leigh and I’m getting ready to start an ARC of Maya Bank’s Sweet Temptation.
Thanks, Heather! Sounds like you’re a busy reader!
Well, I’m always reading, and I just got through with Carol Marinelli’s Sheikh from Royal House of Karedes.
As for interruptions…On Sunday (weekend, my writing day.) I was going to write ALL day. But when my 3yo woke up he was sick, and so between coddling him and writing I was getting a little bit done, until he started having trouble breathing. So I took him to the ER, which is always an all-day affair and spent the entire afternoon there for essentially on nebulizer treatment (he’s fine) and then got home at 8pm. Had to do dinner. Tried to write. Since 3yo slept on the couch half the day he was up until 2am wanting my attention. Yeah. There was no writing.
Aw, hugs to your baby! So glad he’s okay. I know what you mean about the ER being an all day affair. 🙁 But when you can’t avoid it, what are you gonna do?
Actually a couple of minutes I just finished Susan Stephens wonderful sheikh, Master of the Desert. What a fabulous love story, full of fantasy and passion. It was the final book in her Al Maktabi Brother’s series. Two half-brothers, very strong but this sheikh was darker than his brother and the woman thrown into his life, let’s just say determined.
Hi Lynn,
I think that the last book was even better than the first book. 😉 Liked the first book too.
Congrats on your next book. One of my guilty secrets is that I love Sheik type Harlequins. (under the covers with the flashlight secret) lol
Cyn
Thanks, Cyn! I hope each book is better than the last. That’s what I strive for anyway! It’s all a learning process, and I think I’m growing with each book. 🙂
Hi, Marilyn! I love sheikhs! My first sheikh is only a novella, but I can report he will be out in November in a 2-in-1 with Kim Lawrence!
Oh your day sounds like something that would happen to me. lol Looks at this way you did get the paint color figured out so that’s something.
The best book i recently read would have to be Nalini Singh’s new book Archangel’s Kiss. It is a follow up to Angel’s Blood and the series i quite different from anything i’d read before so that’s cool.
Have a great day!
Lisa 😀
I love Nalini’s books! She’s so talented.
Of course I loved ALL of your books! Can’t wait for the next one!
BTW, I’m seriously thinking about cancelling my appointment with the curtain lady; I mean really 2 windows, 3 hours, and $2500 big ones (almost sounds like a book title 😉 I can only imagine what 7 windows would be!
Hey, you made me suffer through this thing! 😉
I absolutely love to read. I cant even think of just one favorite book…I read so many… I just bought Public Affair, Secretly Expecting by Hiedi Rice…. Cant wait to get off work and get home to read this book and enjoy the beautiful weather we are having…. My biggest dream in life (besides being a mommy and wife to my 3 kids and husband) is to write books.. I would love to be an author… I have all these characters steadily running around in my head… I would love to get them out and on paper….. Thanks for your time that you put into your books to give us the enjoyment we get from reading them…. 🙂
Hi, Jayme! Thanks so much for your kind words. 🙂 That’s how it starts when you want to be a writer — characters running around in your head. And then you start putting them on paper, and you fall in love with the process. It’s a lot of work, but if you love it, you won’t care.
You can do it! Don’t be afraid to start. Just do it. 🙂
Hi
I had to leave a comment and congratulate you on Cavelli’s Lost Heir.
I so enjoyed it, and you have certainly become a must read author for me. I loved the whole book, it was so balanced I couldn’t fault it. I’m also mid way through the Prince’s Royal Concubine, I adore linked books, and this is proving to be as good as CLH.
Best wishes from the UK.
xx Karen
Thank you so much, Karen! Very glad you’re enjoying TPRC! I loved writing that story!
I’ve got two excellent books on the go at the moment – one is for reading pleasure and the other is to help me with the latest wip. They are “Good Girl or Golddigger” by Kate Hardy and “Manuscript Makeover (as recommended by Michelle Styles in her blogs recently) by Elizabeth Lyon. Both books are excellent btw! *Your* book is next on the TBR pile! Caroline x 😆
Hi Caroline! Those sound like good books — I’ll have to check them out sometime!
Lynn,
$2500 for curtains is a bit excessive IMO.
A great book I recently read is Ruthless Billionaire, Forbidden Baby by Emma Darcy. A really good read! 😀
Hi, Maurine! I enjoy Emma’s books too! Yeah, $2500 for curtains is a bit shocking, isn’t it? It’s almost as bad as the fact it took 3 hours to figure the price. 🙁
Thanks for the comments, everyone! I’m loving the conversation! Of course I had to go get the paint — and now I have some words to write before the hubby gets home and I have to fix dinner!
Be back later….
i have to ask, what color did you choose? We bought a house back in Oct and the Kitchen and both bathrooms have awful wallpaper on the walls (3 different patterns). The whole house is painted a vanilla color with a lighter trim that almost blends into it.
We just spent a huge chunck of money putting new doors in and now we have to paint. I’m wanting something warmer like a coffee color or something for the main living area and bathrooms.
The princess (granddaughter) will have her room painted princess pink and don’t know what color dtr wants yet.
We still have to hire a painter cause I refuse to paint trim in areas where there is carpet!!!!
Have fun with the painter and let us know how it goes.
I chose Lyndhurst Gallery Beige. It’s a National Trust color. You can see it here, if you scroll down to the Lyndhurst section:
That’s a Valspar color, but Sherwin-Williams has just about any color you want on file. I took the sample chip from Lowe’s and asked — and they said of course they had it! I was pleased.
The painter and his helper are here now. I’ve just been kicked out of my great room, LOL.
thanks for the link. I like that color you chose and I like the Lyndhurst castle sand. We have to go to Lowe’s tonight for handles for the french doors we had put in hubs office (to shut out his video games while we try to watch tv). I will have to look for these.
The best book I read recently must have been FRAGILE by Shiloh Walker! It was my first 10/10 book of 2010.
I loved Cavelli’s Lost Heir and am eagerly waiting for The Prince’s Royal Concubine. Can’t wait to read about Antonella!
Hi, Pearl! Wow, a 10/10, huh? I’ll have to check that out! Thanks for your kind words about CLH! 🙂
I just finished Michele Scott’s Happy Hour. It was great. I can’t wait to read more of her books.
I would love to have your book.
Another author to try! Thanks!
Lynne,
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you. I simply loved Cavelli’s Lost Heir. I would love a copy of your newest release 😉 The Prince’s Royal Concubine.
😉
Mary Ann Derbin
Hi, Mary Ann! So happy you loved CLH! Thanks so much for commenting!
Oh, I bet it’s like Christmas when you get your first copies of the newest book. Looking forward to reading The Prince’s Royal Concumbine, Lynn! 😀
It is like Christmas, Kathy!
The best book I have read recently is Lynne Graham’s latest: Greek Tycoon, Inexperienced Mistress.
I am reading Chantelle Shaw’s Proud Greek, Ruthless Revenge which is a good book so far.
I really have enjoyed your books and I can’t wait to read The Prince’s Royal Concubine.
Amanda, Proud Greek, Ruthless Revenge is a great book! I almost didn’t get it because I did not like the cover art. IMO the woman on the cover is not at all attractive, but Chantelle wrote a winner!
Thank you, Amanda! I really enjoy Chantelle’s books too! 🙂 Her last sheikh was delicious.
Hey there Lynn
I always have the best of intentions to finish ms #3 but I start my Master’s program this Monday so I’m busy trying to get everything else done so I don’t do poorly in school. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to school.
BTW, I teach design at an art school and know just how expensive window treatments can be. That’s why I taught myself how to sew and did all our treatments myself.
Good luck with your book!
Gibb
Good luck, Gibb! Starting back to school is hard, but rewarding. I’m so glad I finished my master’s! I thought about continuing on for a PhD, but I’m happy where I am.
Wish I could sew my own curtains, sigh.
Nice post 🙂
The last book I read was Runaway Vegas Bride by Teresa Hill, and that was a very good one. 😛
Anything with Vegas sounds fun anyway! My friend, Kimberly Lang, has a Vegas book coming out next year I believe. I can’t wait to read it! 🙂
Best Book I’ve read lately? American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It’s kinda cheating since i’m still reading it at the moment, but it is so amazing nothing short of it ending too soon could ruin it!
Hmm, another book to look for! What a rousing endorsement!
Right now the best I’ve read was Nick Hornby’s Juliet Naked. A very strange book, but if you like music a lot it makes a whole lot of sense 🙂
That’s an intriguing title, isn’t it? I’ll put this one on the list as well — though who knows when I’ll ever get around to this list, LOL!
As you know my home away from home seems to Sherwin-Williams, Home Depot or Lowes.
We used to budget for going out to dinner, movies, trips & etc. Now we budget for lumber, tools, bathroom remodels, decks, pergolas and on and on.
Sure the house will be exceptionally pretty when we are done but. . . . .
Home improvement is fun. It’s so rewarding to see the results of your hard work. 🙂