Happy Fourth of July USA.
Everyone Stay Safe and Responsible.
I call 2020: “The year that wasn’t.”
Image from Pixabay: JRMarketingDesign
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel ~ Contemporary Romance
Sensual western romance. Heartwarming stories. Strong family ties.
Everyone Stay Safe and Responsible.
I call 2020: “The year that wasn’t.”
Image from Pixabay: JRMarketingDesign
Update:
Some of you know I’ve been taking a break to let my eyes rest. I’m happy to say they are showing a bit of improvement. Giving them time away from hours of looking at the computer has helped, but my time at the screen is still limited. I’ve been able to spend a small amount of time each day working on one book while gearing up to format my upcoming book. In a nutshell, I have dry-eyes and macular degeneration, so I won’t take a chance with my eyesight.
As much as I wanted Judy’s book, the fifth book in the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight to be released in May, it isn’t going to happen. Book five takes place three years after book four ends.
By the way, Cowboy Boss and his Destiny, book one in the Double Dutch Ranch Series is $0.99 cents. This is the new and revised edition–shortened A LOT yet combined with what used to be book 1.5. Not a bad deal for a book that begins a series where you’ll get to know the whole family including Judy, the ranch matriarch, who binds them all together. Welcome to the Double Dutch Ranch where no one is a stranger at their table.
I’m grateful for any change for the better to my eyes and for time I can spend working on my books. However, I won’t push it.
Thankfully, my Kindle reads to me, so I’m able to enjoy books written by other authors without having to stare at the screen. It’s a pleasant distraction, indeed.
Thanks for your patience.
On top of dealing with my eyesight and the pressure and stress on myself for NOT publishing a book, I was forced to enter a grocery store because of items I NEEDED and couldn’t get with my pick up order. That isn’t all. I HAD TO OPEN UP MY SAFE SPACE to maintenance when I developed a leak in my bathtub. I figured it would be a one-time thing, but after four visits, he still couldn’t fix the problem. This also means he had to go into my bedroom closet to access the pipes.
As my mom would say, “Things don’t run on an even keel all the time.” Something like that. Well, Mom, you were right!
We’re all in this together.
Enjoy your weekend, my friends.
P.S. I didn’t even mention the fact WordPress is changing its editor on June 1st, so now it’s one more thing I don’t have the time or patience to learn. Even though some of you said the new Block Editor was simple, I don’t agree. I looked at it for five minutes and said screw it. Now, it seems I have no choice. On a positive note, the old editor will still be available, but I rarely use it, instead choosing to go into the dashboard and use the old, old editor. What do I do? Use my limited time on the computer to publish a book or learn something I don’t want to learn? The answer is simple.
Signing off for now…
This post was inspired by a documentary I watched on PBS Wednesday night about Climate Change.
Since I bypassed Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge this week, I thought it fitting to share a couple of quotes for Earth Day since I missed the actual date:
“We each have a role to play in ensuring that we do not pass a world beyond repair on to our children. Everyone must do their part, and as long as we unite to protect the one planet we have, we can leave it in better shape for future generations. On Earth Day, let us all accept our individual responsibilities to care for the world we live in, and let us marshal our best efforts toward building a safer, more stable, and more sustainable world.” ~Barack Obama, 2016 April 21st, quoted from The White House Office of the Press Secretary
“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money.” ~Cree Indian Proverb
Thanks for reading.
#StayHome. #StayWell.
The quotes were found on The Quote Garden.
World Image: Pixabay – 272447
Tree Image ©C. A. McCoy
My daughter-in-law sent me a link to this video last night. I’ll share it with all of you around the world since we’re in this together. Stay in. Stay safe. Keep yourself and everyone else safe.
Created by: Shirley Șerban. She has lyrics on the video page. I don’t think a page translator will translate the words on the video.
Welcome to Week 14 in Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge.
The number one hobby I miss a lot is photography. I’ve taken classes at a local college, but I’ve forgotten much of what I’ve learned. However, sometimes my oldest son will ask me a question and I remember the answer. Both of my boys love photography as well. Self-taught, they’re good at it too.
One of the fun parts of the class were the field trips and learning to take night shots. It’s so easy now to take out a cell phone to snap a shot. I use my point-and-shoot digital occasionally like last fall for the scarecrow, fairy, and skeleton displays at festivals. When I worked, I’d take student photos for the school of kids in various activities like the Halloween parade or Christmas parties. Now, all my fancy equipment sits in my camera bag waiting and calling me sometimes.
My dad loved taking pictures so when he had a camera in his hand, look out! He gave me an old Brownie box camera when I was very young. I think it belonged to my step-grandfather. I loved looking down into the view finder in that old thing.
Since photos are mostly in digital these days, it’s been years since I’ve made a collage. The last one I made was for a boyfriend with pictures of him, us, all of our kids—his and mine not ours—and photos of all the places we had traveled to over a five-year span. He was a photographer, too, and a darn good one with a natural talent.
To construct, I’d use a large frame and situate the photos on poster board, because of the thickness, and glue the images on with a glue stick. I’d cut the photos with random fancy edges and set them in different angles so they weren’t all straight. They turned out nice. I always received compliments on them.
I have a couple more, but these are at the top of the list.
Here is the Link to visit the participating authors.
I’m slow to getting around to visit other blogs because I’m writing one book while getting another ready to publish, and to be honest, I’m distracted with the state of the world and my state. It’s bad here right now in so many ways, and saying “bad” is putting it mildly.
To all of you and your families– Stay Safe and well.
Thank you for coming by today.
All images are from Pixabay.
I almost didn’t participate in Book Hooks this week. Then when I realized it was Tuesday instead of Wednesday, I had plenty of time and no excuse. Do you mix up your days?
Featuring Cade Outlaw and the rest of the family.
That evening at the auction, Cade received a text from Faith. He left the sales barn, reading on his way out: Leftovers tonight? Remember, it’s your favorite. Nadia will eat this again.
Cade replied: Don’t count on me for dinner. I’ll be late. After Nadia’s bedtime if things don’t pick up speed here.
I’ll save you a plate to warm up in case you’re hungry or save it for the ranch?
He sighed. How could he take Faith’s leftovers to the ranch? Ah hell. His dad, sister, and one of his brothers were all in one place. This was his chance to tell part of the family at once. The ride home might be hell, but he had to get it out in the open before Nadia spilled it tomorrow. He answered: Sure. Appreciated.
Cade put his phone in his back pocket and sauntered inside with his hands sweaty and his stomach churning. He could sit no longer than a few minutes. “I’ll be right back,” he said to his dad who hadn’t looked away from observing the goings on with their cow up for bidding. Outside, he headed to his truck, turned on the radio, and did some deep breathing. Chaos sucked life from his soul.
Fear wasn’t what it was that made him doubt telling them. Nothing would change his mind now that it’s come this far. The transformation of the family makeup is what bothered him. The bond with his siblings would disintegrate, and he’d live with the daily bullshit he’d hear all day at work. He’d never let them push him out of the business. Weighing the options again, he knew what he had to do, and do it tonight. He jerked at a knock on the tailgate.
I have no pre-order links or even a blurb written for this book, and a tentative title. It isn’t finished yet. However, book #1 is available. Book one hints at the issue Cade is having with the mother of his child and his family. Cade’s feelings may have never died. Had Faith’s?
Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart, Book #1.
#1
Amazon Review: A very good read.. Loved the characters in the Outlaw family plus the drama within a drama. The details of my birth state was amazing.
Thanks for stopping by on Book Hooks Wednesday. Participating authors can be found HERE.
Keep the ones you love, and yourself, safe and well. Stay Home. Stay Safe.
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week to hook readers on your current WIP or any previously published book.
I took a picture of my photos so I could upload them here.
Of course, this visit wasn’t recent.
