Sweet September by Susan Sands

Georgia's weather is a mixed bag for sure. It gets super hot in summer with high humidity from May

until late September. So, when cooler weather comes, it is a blessed relief.

With COVID-19, fall festivals and book conferences will be limited, but getting outdoors comfortably will be nice for everyone. Here's hoping the world keeps spinning and the virus is flattened and cold and flu season will be mild this year.

My daughter is back at college where they are quarantining in waves as the students gather, as students do. 

In book news: I've finalized a three-book contract with Tule Publishing for my upcoming Lousiana series, with the first story due out next summer. And I've signed with literary agent Elaine Spencer at the Knight Agency. 

So, September moving forward is going to a busy time for me. My new book, Noel, Alabama comes out October 19th, so the promotion begins now!

I hope this finds you well and healthy. I'll be hosting a big, fun, online event on October 19th which will include Eloisa James, Vanessa Riley, Karen White, Kristina McMorris, Kimberly Belle, and Emily Carpenter!!

Check out my website for more details coming soon! https://susansands.com

Take care!!

Susan Sands

Wait! Summer's Over?

 

How did that happen? 

I confess, I've been inside a lot since March so I barely notice the change of seasons from spring to summer and now getting ready for fall. And, added onto that is that whatever is growing outside bothers my allergies, so, I'm indoors most of the time. 

And, of course, this is no UCR (usual-customary-reasonable) fall either. Staples and other stores selling school supplies should be packed. Beaches should be filled to capacity in that last effort to relax before the real world comes back. I should be on my way to Scotland for a 3-week tour/reseach/writing trip. But no, we're all trying to make our way from an unexpected summer to an unconventional fall. 

 The one thing that usually means summer to me is a visit to a beach - I love sitting on a beach and watching and listening to the waves. But mostly I like people-watching AND reading. I remember when my family rented a place on Long Beach Island and I began packing books first! The best part of that trip (since I had 3 boys at the time) was the long afternoon when my hubby took them back to the house and let me read uninterrupted on the beach for 4 hours! Bliss, sheer bliss! I may yet try to get down there for a couple of hours of beach reading....

Now (literally today!) the temps will shift a tiny bit cooler, forewarning us of the change of seasons coming. Personally, I love the fall - the cooler temps, the crispness in the air, the colors changing around me, the coming holidays. The smells of fireplaces and more baking will fill the air. Ahhhhhh. 

How about you? Are you mourning summer's departure or cheering fall's arrival? Was there a high point to your summer? Or expecting something fabulous this autumn? Let me know by commenting and I'll choose a summer and a fall person to receive a copy of my latest release - An Outlaw's Honor - or my rereleased - A Highlander's Hope. I'll choose on September 5.

 

Terri is working on her next Harlequin Historical romance while waiting for the release of TEMPTED BY HER VIKING ENEMY in November. The final book in the #SonsofSigurd series, it arrives on October 27(print) and November 1(ebook). Visit Terri's website for all the info! 

 

What I Love About My #Reading #Journal ~ @AuthorKristina Knight

For the past couple of years, I've been on a bit of an organization kick. I've blogged - probably too many times - about my love for my Happy Planner, and talked about goal setting, and shared my motivation/goal-inspired Words of the Year.

For the past two years I've added to those things a reader's journal. Initially, I used the journal because I was part of two different reading challenges (because when I decide to do something I usually go 'two' far). The first was a 50 books in 50 weeks challenge and the other a read/watch challenge in which I read a book and watched a movie/documentary/tv show all with the same theme -- themes like 'New Beginnings' and 'Retro' and 'Unusual'. 

I didn't do too badly on the reading challenges but quickly into it I realized I needed a way to keep track of what I'd read and what I still wanted to read and, since I "test" new authors by trying their books at the library first, a place to decide which books I wanted to add to my personal collection. Also, I wanted to think about what I was reading - what I liked/didn't like, how what I'm reading is changing my thoughts about...oh, everything and anything. That's when I found the Well Read Woman reading journal.

I found this little goodie at our local BooksAMillion, thumbed through it a little and realized this is exactly what I was looking for - a reader's journal with just enough direction. There is a place for the title and author (naturally) along with follow-up
books (assuming it's a series book) or just more books by that author that seem interesting. But, the journal also prompts for favorite quotes from the books, plot things I liked/didn't, and character things I liked/didn't.

But what I like best about this journal is the pictures. Samantha Hahn is the journal 'author' and along with the journaling part, she included her watercolors of famous literary women - Wendy from the Peter Pan books, Emma Bovary, Hester Prynne, Ophelia, and even little Mary Lennox from "The Secret Garden". There is also a quote from each book (y'all know how I love a favorite quote)...which led me to another reading challenge: re-reading books I loved as a child.

Do you like keeping track of favorite books/authors? How do you keep track of books that you've read?

Kristina Knight is a contemporary romance author, part-time swim-kid wrangler, and full-time Thin Mints enthusiast. You can find out more the book and Kristina on her website, and feel free to stalk follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

Kristina Knight’s newest release, Perfect on Paper, is out now. Daisy MacIntosh needs a man, and any man will do. After being jilted by her ex - who is also her boss - she needs a date to the company retreat in Mexico. The only problem? Daisy doesn't have time to find a guy, and her ex is hinting that he'd like this work trip to become a reunion romance. Stepping in to become Daisy's pretend boyfriend isn't the best idea Nick Vega has had, but it's the only one he's got. But are they willing to risk their life-long friendship for a romance that might fizzle once they're back home?

Summer Reading

When I was in school I have to say I never minded those summer reading lists that some of my teacher's used to furnish us.  Actually, I loved it when my kids got them to.  It was an excuse to read, which is sometimes what I need.  I love reading but somehow sitting quietly in the corner lost in my own little world sometimes needed and needs justification.

When I was in school I read so much that my mom really feared I'd never leave her house.  She used to come up with challenges to get my nose out of a book.  She loved that I read, I don't want you to think that she was discouraging me to read, but I used to set my alarm early so I could read and then I'd read at the breakfast table, in the car to school, while I was waiting for classes to start, between classes (ok, I'll admit I even used to read with the book on my lap during some classes, which might explain why I still don't really get science!) and then I'd read on the way to swim practice, read on the way home and read after dinner.  Her concern was real!

So when I had the summer reading list I didn't have to justify to mom that I was reading.  She took my sisters and to the store and she used to buy all the books on the list and then as a family we'd read them over the summer.  It was great.

What I really loved about the summer reading list was that it had books that I wouldn't have normally chosen to read.  So this summer I'm making a reading list for myself that's not as romance heavy.

Here are a few of the books on my list:

Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe  
This is a series of letters written by a young woman who went to London to nanny in the 80s.  The BBC made a TV series out of it that was really good so now I want to read the book.

Midnight Crossroad (Midnight Texas #1) by Charlaine Harris
I love the Sookie Sackhouse series and heard that this series has cameos from some of her characters so I thought I'd give it a try.

The Trials of Apollo The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
My son is a huge Rick Riordan fan and we have always both read the books and then discussed them, which I love!

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child parts 1 & 2 by J.K. Rowling
My daughter loves Harry Potter.  It was the book that made her into a voracious reader.  She has been dying to see what happened in the play and frankly, I have too.  We all pre-ordered a copy because we don't like to wait to read it!

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
I read about this book around Christmas last year but haven't had a chance to read it.  I like Mindy Kaling so I think I'll enjoy her book. :)

I'd love to have some recommendations from you! What's on your summer reading list?  Have you read any of the books on my list?