Birth's Birthday and a very Merry Christmas!

Hello, friends! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and will have a wonderful upcoming new year! 2016!! WOOT!

Deek and I had a fabulous Christmas! It was full of love, laughter, fun, and family! Pictures to come at the end of the blog (you knew there would be). I got to FaceTime with my Southern family!! My mom took the phone around to different groups of family, and Deek and I were able to chat with them for a while. It was the next best thing to being there. And I got to see my PaPa and tell him I love him. After his illness, it did my heart good to see him smiling, surrounded by my loving family. Later on Christmas Day, we spent time with Deek's family. I learned how to play a new game and received a special message from Deek's dad that choked me up, in the best possible way. I am truly blessed to have amazing family on both sides of the country!

My PaPa is up and walking around!

Now that Christmas is done, Deek and I are looking toward 2016. And you know what happens then?? The birth of Deek's novella "Birth!"

Deek will be on blog tour from January 19-January 25. If you're interested in hosting his tour, please sign up using this Google Form. He'll do interviews, guest blogs, character posts, Top 10s, and author spotlights. If you do interviews or guest posts, give him hard questions. LOL!! He's been waiting for this moment for a long time, so please do me a solid and sign up to help spread the word. I am SO proud of my husband and SO excited for him! <jumps up and down while clapping>

Here are some pics from Christmas:

I already showed you pictures from the ZooLights, but I forgot this one in the MAX (public transportation) tunnels. It looks like that scene from the second Matrix, where Neo is stuck in the train station. So we always do a Matrix themed pic there. A group of people looked at us funny for having sunglasses on underground, but when we explained the Matrix connection, they loved it! Haha! Nerds unite everywhere! 

Deek had the whole week off, but we ended up running around doing errands and stuff nearly the whole time. On this particular day, Deek and I got up really early for a meeting about his book and had appointments the rest of the day. It was certainly a multiple cup of coffee day!

People, I found honest-to-goodness hushpuppies in the Pacific Northwest. As a Southerner, I miss this food item a great deal. We had to travel across the bridge into another state to get them, but I found some! WOOT! 

Out looking at Christmas lights.

These lights blinked and looked like the house was being electrocuted. It was kinda amazing.

The Christmas Eve tradition of making gingerbread houses continues... Creepily, at the moment we took this picture, Gingey from Shrek The Halls loomed behind us! 

Yea yea! How'dya like my house?

And we traveled to Peacock Lane (a Portland tradition) with Deek's parents again this year. We had a lovely dinner with them and then headed over to see the lights. Such a great night!

Peacock Lane decoration--fitting

Star Wars was well represented! 

Christmas Morning kisses

Every author needs a mug with their book cover on it!

Deek knows me so well! He got me a beautiful scarf with Shakespeare on it, and the color matches my eye color! 

LOL! Deek's dad trips me out!

I know you'll be shocked, but Deek and I got selfie sticks for Christmas. LOL!!

And, of course, we *had* to test it out...

Christmas Day full moon--the first one since 1977 and the last one until 2034. Glad I got to stand there and gaze up at it with my love.

I hope love, laughter, fun, and family filled your holiday season. And now, we have a brand new year to celebrate and embrace. It's full of unknown adventures and untold stories! Can't wait to explore it with my best friend/husband by my side. I know one thing that will grow in 2016 as it did in 2015...my love for Deek. I'm blessed beyond measure. Truly! <3

Things Change

A week ago today, I got the call that my grandfather was being rushed to the hospital for complications from pneumonia. I'd heard the day before that he'd come down with pneumonia but seemed to be doing fine, so the news shocked me. I know my grandfather is 83, but he's always been such a rock to me. More tests revealed he'd suffered a mild heart attack and may have a heart condition. He spent nearly a week in the hospital and has to go back to see a cardiac specialist after Christmas. But he's home and alive. I'm grateful.

It's so crazy to think you can just be living you life one day and then have something snatch the rug out from under you. For those that don't know, my mom was a single mom for quite some time. She met my stepdad (whom I call my dad) when I was little, but they didn't marry for a while. So, my grandfather, PaPa, has always been one of the most important men in my life. He's generous, loving, and hysterical. From the time I could walk, I followed him around, and he proudly took me places and bragged about his "Babydoll." 

And now he's sick, and I'm 3,000 miles away. I can't really describe how that makes me feel. Heartbroken. Terrified. Like I might cry at the drop of a hat. Like I'm willing to overcome my fear of flying for the chance to wrap my arms around his neck one more time. 

But I'm beyond thankful for modern technology. When my parents visited him yesterday, I got the chance to FaceTime. My gaze darted all over his face for evidence of injury, yet he looked fine. He told me he felt weak and tired, but he still made jokes and made me laugh. 

I know people don't live forever (much to my chagrin), but the world needs my PaPa's light a little longer. My family needs his light a little longer. I need his light a little longer. So, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate if you'd send up a prayer or good vibe or whatever you believe in for my PaPa. He's an incredibly special man who'd give you the shirt off his back. Thank you!

 My PaPa

Despite everything, Deek and I have been trying to get into the Christmas spirit (though I must admit I'm still not quite there yet). Here are some pics of our latest adventures...

We celebrated Deek's birthday earlier this month!

We went to the tree lighting ceremony in our little town.

Had a date to finish up the last bit of Christmas shopping. We got it ALL done the first week of December (and came in under budget--Yay, Dave Ramsey!), so we're just chillin' the rest of the month. 

Got a free Christmas tree thanks to our old realtor and got our "ornament of the year" to go on it. It says "Best Friends" because that's truly at the core of our marriage. 

Deek snuck a kiss while we waited for a Christmas performance to begin.

We had some of Deek's college friends over for dinner, and they brought 15 (!!) books for me to sign. SO thrilled and so thankful to have supportive friends!

I also sold out of all the copies I have at home of The Fulfillment Series, so THANK YOU to everyone who bought signed copies for Christmas!! 

Even though our trip to San Francisco got cancelled, I still decided to go with the silver and black hair! Experimenting with hair color is so fun!

Surprised my hubby at work with his favorite blend of coffee. People, I am truly married to the greatest man alive, and I always want him to know how much I love and value him.

Found this little princess under the tree. Awwww!

Went to see Star Wars The Force Awakens the night BEFORE its official release. Deek and I braved the torrential rain and flooded roads to behold the greatness of the force.

Since we don't have the stress of shopping hanging over our heads, we can take our time and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. Here's Deek with these creepy mannequins. LOL!

Fa-la-la-llama socks...just what every girl needs. 

It started snowing...IN the mall! 

We went to see the ZooLights with Deek's family. They rode the public transit with us--their first time! Such a fun-filled, memorable family night! I love my family, and boy do I love my husband. #LuckyWoman

Trippy!! The lights display transported us to Star Trek's warp speed AND gifted me with creepy vampire eyes. Winning! LOL!

This post may be my last before Christmas, so let me take the time to say Happy Holidays to all my readers, friends, and family. I hope your holiday is filled with laughter and love. I'm thankful that my grandfather will celebrate this Christmas at home with the rest of the family, and I'm excited to start another new year with Deek by my side. 

The Love Square by Jess Calla -- Cover Reveal

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting someone very special to me. She's not only a BookFish Books author, but she's also my intern--Jess Calla! WOOT! I know you're all waiting with bated breath for her BookFish NA romance novel, She Laughs In Pink, to release, but you can enjoy Jess' amazing storytelling skills in January with the release of her adult romance novel, The Love Square, from Limitless Publishing! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! WOOT! 

Title: The Love Square

Author: Jessica Calla

Genre: Adult Romance

Release Date: January 12, 2016 Publisher: Limitless Publishing 

Clare Davis hates everything about L.A. Well, almost everything…

Accustomed to a small town life in Nebraska, Clare is miserable in her new role as manager of an L.A. bookstore. She yearns to return to the simple life on her family’s farm. That is until she literally runs into up-and-coming movie star Dylan Barnes.

Dylan resents the Hollywood limelight. Awaiting the premiere of his first feature film, it would be nice to meet someone real—just not someone who rear-ends his BMW with her oversized truck. Dylan is instantly attracted to Clare and her Midwestern charm. And as he shows her the wonders of California, Clare can’t resist falling in love with the Golden State and its newest star.

From West Coast to East, friendship and love are equally complicated…

On the East Coast, Dylan’s childhood friend, Alex Popovich, loves his carefree life as a minor league ballplayer. He’s the man-whore of Brooklyn, playing the field in more ways than one. So when real feelings for his best friend erupt, Alex isn’t interested.

A gorgeous ballroom dancer-slash-office worker, Jenna Stecco wants her best friend, Alex, to take a leap from friends to more. Busy having one night stands, Alex is quick to let Jenna go, telling her it’s time to give up lost hopes and move on with life.

Complicated turns full on crazy with a tangled love square…

When Dylan returns to New York City, he meets up with Alex and is introduced to the stunning Jenna. Believing Clare is unavailable and Alex isn’t interested, Dylan and Jenna share a night of passion and embark on a long-distance relationship.

Everyone is thrown by this love square, as Dylan, Jenna, Alex, and Clare struggle with their feelings for each other. When Jenna reveals a secret that will change their lives, all hell breaks loose. 

As the love square crumbles, the four friends must find a way to rebuild or risk losing love forever.

Jessica Calla is a lawyer by day, romance writer by night. Her favorite time is the kids’ "bedtime," when she's free to open the laptop, battle with the blinking cursor, and pour out the contents of her heart. Jessica is a member of Romance Writers of America, involved in the Contemporary, Young Adult, and New Jersey Chapters, and is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband, two sons, and her dog. Besides reading and writing, she enjoys movies, coffee, and chocolate and considers herself addicted to Diet Coke and Netflix (in a good way).

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