Summer Reading

One of my favorite aspects of summer has become the summer reading list. I know, I know, as a kid the thought of summer reading lists would make me roll my eyes and shake my fists at the sky. "Why, oh why, do I have to read over the summer?" I would ask petulantly.

But, just like naps, summer reading switched from a punishment to a reward somewhere along the line. And I'm fortunate enough that my youngest kiddo started out thinking of it as a challenge. For the last couple of years he finds these lists and challenges himself to read all the books on the list.

Last year he read the entire Bluebonnet Books list. This year it's the Lone Star reading list. I think part of the reason I love him reading these lists is because inevitably I read the books as well. His reading level is about two or three grade levels above his actual grade level so I read the books to see if he'll be able to emotionally handle the subject matter. If there are areas I think that will trouble him, I make a note to talk to him about them when he gets there. There has yet to be a book I've refused to allow him to read.

But he's not the only one who benefits from this arrangement. I don't hide the fact that I'm an avid romance reader. I joke that I write so I can have money to buy more books. But I do enjoy other genres of literature as well. I'm not as deeply invested in them as I am romance, however. So it's hard for me to decide what to buy in the other genres. The lists give me a starting point. There are times I love the book and decided to continue on with the series and/or author, but other times I'm not so crazy about it so I move on to the next one on the list.

The first book of this summer was Undertow by Michael Buckley. And, I have to say, I loved it! I read it in one day and can't wait to read the second book in the series. So this summer's reading list has started off with a bang for me.

What about you? Do you have any books you're looking forward to reading this summer?

Wild Wicked Weekend

I don't go to many conferences. I have social anxiety issues and being in crowds of people I don't know kind of freaks me out. But there is one conference that I go to and I have a great time at. It's Wild Wicked Weekend.

Held during the end of February in San Antonio, this conference is laid back but boy is it decadent. It's readers, writers, and cover models getting together for a couple days of fun. There are cover pictures (where you get to pretend you're on a romance cover) taken by the very talented Taria R. Reed. That's mine right over there. There are costume contests. There's a trip to a BDSM dungeon. This year there was also body painting and Sex Position Gumby. Yeah, that last one you have to see to actually understand :)

The beauty of the conference, for me at least, is I can do the things I want to do but there's no pressure for me to do things I'm not interested in.

But my favorite part of the conference is I get to see my author friends. Writing can be an isolating profession. And this year has been kind of rough. It's nice to get away from the business of writing and just hang out with your friends. And, by the end of the weekend, everybody there was a friend.

So if you're free in February of 2017 you should check it out.

http://wildwickedweekend.com/

Living Life Out Loud #SurpriseMeSaturday

Over the last several months, I've encountered a great many sources of stress in my personal life. I can say, unequivocally, most ended quite happily. However, as anyone who reads romance knows, the happy ending doesn't detract from the obstacles and challenges faced along the way.

For me, it began last year with the passing of my uncle. I've always understood the grieving process is different for everyone, but knowing and experiencing it are two different things. Attending the funeral and memorial service offered me a mixed bag of emotions--I loved seeing my family and reconnecting, but a great gaping hole stood there with us. The tear in the fabric my uncle once occupied.

He always had a laugh. He always used to tease me and adored to be teased in return. He had this larger than life laugh. One that invited you to join in the fun. It was infectious and delightful. There were moments during his service where a wholly inappropriate thought cropped up, a snatch of laughter and I imagined it was he whispering in my ear.

Returning to Normalcy

Coming home, we returned to our lives. Yet I couldn't shake the sense of loss in everything, it seemed to make the sky a little less brighter, the days a smidgen less joyful. I miss ed my uncle and yet intellectually I couldn't reconcile the emotion with the fact that my uncle and I didn't see each other that often. But I'd always taken such comfort in knowing he was out there, and of thinking bout the next time I would see him.

Mini went into her freshman year at high school and got crazy busy, and the holidays came and though I don't share deeply personal stuff that often, my husband and I reconciled last year and it remains a work in progress as we repair and rebuild our relationship. Fortunately, we remain the best of friends and we care so we have a good foundation. We took a family vacation, had a blast and I was writing like the wind--or as fast as I could.

Still, through all of this, I am missing my uncle. Mini auditioned for a role in Shrek the Musical and earned it, thus began a several month odyssey of rehearsals and crazy schedules. Leap forward to January, I'm on a number of deadlines and trying to say ahead while juggling the kiddo's schedule and more. My mother-in-law turned up at my home, somewhat delirious and running a 104 temperature. Long story short, she was gravely ill and out of it. She came to us for help. It took a couple of days to convince her she had to go to the hospital, they admitted her with pneumonia and sepsis.

Scary times. They had trouble getting her pulse ox up as well as getting her temp under control. While we coped with MIL's hospitalization and related worries. I got a call from my mother--she told me she had cancer.

Omega Team Kindle Worlds

I think the whole world just sorta stopped, my head ached and it pivoted hard. I had almost nothing I could say to that, my stress registered too high to process, so I simply asked her what she needed, what could I do and made plans to be there with her. Over the next two weeks, we brought my MIL home to stay with us while she continued to recover, Mini's show went off and it was a smashing success, everyone in the family came to see her and it was awesome. Then I took my mom to her appointment to remove the cancer mass--it turned out to be a carcinoma on her skin, it hadn't spread anywhere else and they were able to remove it all, clean margins.

Southern Shifters Kindle Worlds

My mother-in-law continued to improve and I put out a couple of novellas while preparing for the Wild Wicked Weekend, the awesome party in San Antonio hosted by the Belle Femme authors. I was also all geared up for a release I am so over the moon about doing. Royals & Rogues is a project I got to work on with my beloved Carole Mortimer, an author I grew up reading and whom I totally adore.



It's available now, by the way (*wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*)

Kindle | Nook |  Kobo |  iBooks | ARe

As I drove to pick up my friend Kim and make our trek to San Antonio, I felt the months of stress melting away from me and a soft voice whispered in my ear--"Don't forget to laugh, luv. Don't forget to laugh."

Love my Kim!

My uncle had been with me the whole time, so I laughed all week. I played. I relaxed and I embraced my joy. Living life out loud can be a colorful, wild and sometimes tempestuous experience, but inevitably it's worth it. So from me to you...live life out loud! Don't forget to laugh! Laugh loud! Laugh long!

Kiss Kiss!

Let the Countdown Begin

I don't go to many conferences. Don't get me wrong, I love going to them. They are tons of fun. But it's hard for me to get away for a weekend. This year, however, I am going to spend the last weekend of February in San Antonio at one of the best conferences ever (in my humble opinion). I'm going to be at Wild Wicked Weekend.

I've been to this conference once before and it was a blast. I get to see a lot of my friends. It's close to home so I don't have to fly. I don't mind flying but it can get expensive. And they always have very good looking male hosts in attendance.

The whole weekend is just about having fun. There aren't any writerly seminars. Or panels on the publishing industry. At least, there weren't any that I can remember. Instead we have lap dance lessons, play Sex Position Gumby, there's a book signing, and there is even going to be a BDSM demo. That's just to name a few of the fun things going on this year. It's a great time. And, I believe, a lot of the Decadent Divas will be in attendance this year! Yay!

Let me know if you're going to be there. I'd love to say hi. That's me at the top of the blog. And, if you'd like more information, here's the link to Wild Wicked Weekend's website. It's a yearly thing so if you aren't going this year, keep it in mind for next year. It really is a blast.

http://wildwickedweekend.com/schedule/

When craftiness goes beyond the pages

Some of you who follow me (Lia Davis) on Facebook and my author blog know I'm about to be a grandmother again. Hayden Thomas is due to arrive November 21. Although I'm predicting he comes a little earlier.

Saturday was my daughter's baby shower so I took Friday off from my authorly duties to be crafty in another way. Below are the items I made.

A diaper cake. This was my first one. And I think it turned out pretty cute. 

Purse charms to go with the party favors. 

Hair bow for the mom-to-be

My friend, who helped host the shower at her house, made the cake (we were up until pass midnight on Friday playing with the fondant to get the bow right). 

And the blue velvet cupcakes, which my friends daughter decorated.

We had fun and it was nice taking the weekend off to spend with friends and family. But it's Monday and time to get back to work. i'm refreshed and ready to lit up my keyboard. Have an amazing week!

Lia

Love at First Bite

No, this isn't a vampire post. And it isn't a werewolf post (though I would expect one here soon if I were you). It's actually a cooking post. Sometimes, in interviews, I'm asked what it is I like to do when not writing. It's a pretty good sized list. I enjoy a lot of things. But one of my favorites is cooking. It's something I have in common with my husband. We both enjoy being in the kitchen. Sometimes so much so that we actually fight about who is going to cook that night and what we're going to make.

I'm not a gourmet chef. I don't wander too far out of my comfort zone. If I can't pronounce and have never tried a dish, chances are I'm not going to attempt it. But I do really enjoy cooking. Especially this time of year. So after we'd eaten the stuffing, green bean casserole, brownies, and pumpkin pie, I started craving something with a little tartness to it. More than anything else, I wanted cherry crumble! Which was kind of crazy because I hadn't had it since I was a child. And I quickly realized that, as much as I loved eating cherry crumble, I'd never actually made it. Not even with my mom when I was a kid. Which was a shame given how easy it is to make. So this was my first attempt. And it was pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Even our guest who dislikes cherry pie filling liked it. She had two servings.

Cherry Crumble

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granola (I used a vanilla/almond granola but I can’t wait to try it with coconut/chocolate)

6 tablespoons packed brown sugar

a pinch of salt

1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Melt butter or margarine in a large saucepan (I melted mine in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl).

3. In a large bowl, combine the granola, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Pour melted butter over the mix and stir in until a dry, crumbly dough forms. Press about 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of 9 inch square pan, making a firm even layer.

4. Spread cherry pie filling in the crust, and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any left overs.

Happy holiday! 

Happy Halloween!

Every year, Halloween kind of takes me by surprise. I'm not sure why. I know it's there. It's not like Easter. It doesn't move around on the calendar. But, still, it kind of comes out of nowhere. This year is no exception. Would you think I'm the world's worst mother if I tell you we don't have costumes for our kids yet? We don't. We're going to go get them tonight, however. I know, I know, that's really waiting for the last minute.

This comes as even more of a surprise to me because of how much I love Halloween. It's the one holiday that's all about candy, dressing up, and having fun. I can't think of another holiday that's more of a party than Halloween. Thanksgiving is all about food. Christmas is all about gifts (even in the religious terms, Jesus was a gift to us). Easter is all about family and redemption. They're all fun, but none are actually built around having fun.

So, this year for Halloween, I've decided I'm going to go all out for fun. Kind of my way of saying sorry to the holiday for pushing it off to the last minute. I'm going to go to my friend's house for pizza, take the kiddos trick or treating, and then (when everybody's gone off to sleep) I'm going to stay up and read an erotic horror! Because really, does it get any more fun than sexy-scary? There are a ton of them out there to pick from as well. I went to the Ellora Cave's Shivers page and found one that looks good....

Here's the blurb that sold me:

“He who makes wishes of the damned must accept the consequences of releasing them.”

Returning home from the Great War, Graham longs for something he fears he no longer deserves—Anna, the love he left behind three years ago. When a mysterious old woman begs him to retrieve a trinket, then disappears, Graham is compelled to rub the tinderbox and make a wish. He wishes to have Anna by his side…and she suddenly appears! They want the night to explore and pleasure each other.

But the tinderbox’s black magic is powerful and brings a price—a horde of walking corpses that will stop at nothing to sate their craving for flesh.

Additional wishes can’t drive the ravenous dead back into their graves. They only succeed in raising an army of zombies that will destroy everyone in their path—starting with Graham and Anna.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic horror romance from Ellora’s Cave

If you want to read this spooky read on your Halloween as well, you can find it on:

Ellora's Cave

And

Amazon

Reader Conferences Are Always The Best

Writing can be a solitary life. Most of my colleagues are hundreds if not thousands of miles away. Our water cooler talks take place on Facebook, Twitter, and email. Which is why conferences are always the highlight of my year. It's the one time I get to see so many of my on-line friends face to face. And writers have tons of conventions to choose from.

There are the mega industry conferences, publishing house conferences, smaller more local industry conference, special interest conferences, author sponsored conferences... The list goes on and on. And I've been to enough of them to know which ones are my favorite.

So which is it? I know, the title of this blog is one huge spoiler. But...

The reader focused conferences!

Authors love readers. And maybe not for the reason most people think. We love readers because we are readers. They're our type of people. They get us. All of my royalties (and then a little extra) go to my book addiction. I've gone days without showering because I couldn't tear myself away from a book long enough to shampoo and rinse. Don't judge me. Sometimes you just have to know how the story ends. I've sobbed hysterically in public places because a book I'm reading has captured me so completely that I forget I'm in the doctor's office. And I've laughed so hard that my kids have actually expressed concern. So when we get into a room with other readers, we know we're going to get to talk about our favorite subject: books!

That's the reason I'm so excited to let you all know about a brand new reader focused convention coming to my neck of the woods. This coming May, An Austin Author Experience kicks off for the first time ever! And some of my favorite authors are going to be there. I'm probably going to have a couple fan girl moments and I don't even care who notices.

If you're over eighteen years old and are going to be in the Austin area from May 22-24th, I encourage you to check this event out. The signing is free. But a VIP pass includes a VIP reader book bag, and access to the AAA Karaoke Party and open bar. Food, drinks, and music are all included. And there is a Friday night Meet and Mingle with attending authors which is open to attendees and readers.

Want to know more? I've got you covered. Here's a link to the event's website http://austinauthoraffair.blogspot.com

And a list of the authors who are going to be there: http://austinauthoraffair.blogspot.com/p/authors-list.html

And a link to the hotel if you wanted to book a room: Hotel!