This is the weekend I always consider the “official” back-to-school weekend. I know a lot of schools have already started–we have here in our homeschool AND in the local public schools (although, that’s new the last two years. It used to be the Tuesday after Labor Day. Period. I’m not sure how people managed to get the schools to change their minds, but they did.) When I was younger, before my family moved to the D.C. area, our schools always started mid-August and got out in early May. It was a hard transition those first years. I didn’t mind the later start (what kid is going to mind putting school off a few weeks?), but going to school through the first half (sometimes 3 weeks!) of June was miserable. For all the schools here are starting earlier, it didn’t seem like they got out any earlier this last year. Not sure what they’re doing with that extra week.
One of the things I loved about school (and still do) are the supplies. Office supply stores are one of my happy places. Turns out, this seems to be common for writers. (We’re a weird bunch.) Even though we homeschool, I still take the boys supply shopping, because there’s something delightful about the untouched possibility contained in a brand new spiral notebook and a box of unsharpened pencils. (You can buy those pre-sharpened now, did you know? I think that’s weird. Sharpening a new pencil is more than half the fun!)
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Melanie Snitker’s winner is IrmaJ!
Liwen Ho’s winner is Emily M. May!
Jackie Castle’s winner is Margaret Nelson!
The Amazon gift card winners from August are Katie Anderson and Missy Tippens!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Specials this Week
Operation Back-to-School by Elizabeth Maddrey is 99 cents through 9/5/2018
Reader Gathering
Did you know InspyRomance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
The Back-to-School Giveaway is Here!
If you’ve been hanging around here at InspyRomance for long, you probably know about (and hopefully look forward to!) our two big giveaways each year. The second of those for 2018, our Back-to-School giveaway, will kick off mid-August. Because we know we have several international commenters and we like to share the wealth of paperbacks as much as we can, there will again be a special paperback prize package just for international readers. This year, however, rather than asking you to tell us in a comment (and then hoping we see it and update our spreadsheet), we’ve created this little form. If you’re an international reader (meaning you don’t live in the United States, just to be 100% clear on that definition from our perspective ;) ), please take two minutes and fill out this form. That way we know who to enter in our international giveaway!
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Marion Ueckermann talked about her upcoming release.
On Tuesday, Heather Gray looked for anniversary ideas.
On Wednesday, Cecelia Dowdy talked about Christian Mingle.
On Thursday, Janet Ferguson brought us a guest post by Sarah Monzon.
On Friday, Julie Arduini shared that being late led her to her future husband.
On Saturday, Ginger Solomon talked about trusting God through life’s storms.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Krista Phillips
Tuesday: Kimberly Rose Johnson
Wednesday: Jolene Navarro
Thursday: Lindi Peterson
Friday: Annalisa Daughety
Saturday: Brenda S. Anderson
New Releases
September 2018
Place Called Home (The Potter’s House Books 11) by Brenda S. Anderson
Flavors of Forever (Urban Farm Fresh Romance 5) by Valerie Comer
His Healing Touch (Sweetapple Falls 2) by Autumn Macarthur (re-release of Love’s Healing Touch)
Love’s Choice by Liwen Y. Ho (re-release)
August 2018
Heart Healed (The Potter’s House Books 10) by Alexa Verde
Marrying Chrissy (Brides of Clearwater 3) by Melanie D. Snitker
Imperfectly Proverbs 31 (Huckleberry Lake Book 2) by Autumn Macarthur (formerly in Picnics & Promises)
Midnight Clear (Huckleberry Lake Book 3) by Autumn Macarthur (formerly in Snowflakes & Snuggles)
Come to the Lake (Huckleberry Lake boxed set) by Autumn Macarthur
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
HAPPY SUNDAY! :D
Back to school for us is always Tuesday after Labor Day. I’ve had so much leftover school supplies from the past years that I hadn’t needed to buy anything yet this year.
Hi Elizabeth, it is always interesting to read/learn about how different we do things between the US and Australia. We have three more weeks (of a ten week term) until term break. It was Father’s Day here today, always a special day:)
Buying sharpened pencils just seems wrong to me- sharpening my pencil was a great way to procrastinate in maths class!!
Blessings:)
I like office supply stores, too! I think it’s because I love colored pens and office supply stores have a huge variety. :-)
I love office supplies too. Maybe I’m a writer in disguise…deep disguise!
Hi Elizabeth! School still starts the Tuesday after Labor Day in some Michigan districts. Our grandkids start on Tuesday. While I am excited that our granddaughter will be starting Young Fives, this is will be adjustment for both us since I have been watching her since she was 3 months old. She is definitely ready for school. I will still see her in the mornings and be able to take her to school. I also enjoy shopping for Back to School supplies, rather a hazard for teachers. Now I purchase items for the grandchildren. As a teacher Wemble, I was well aware of the procrastinator pencil sharpeners in my class, so I purchased presharpened pencils for the grandkids. Oma knows her grandsons. Best wishes to all students and teachers starting a new school year. Enjoy the long weekend.
Thanks, you too!
Oh nice! It’s always grand when you can save some money and use up what’s already around.
Oh that is cool to learn! (And happy belated Father’s day to the men in your life :) )
Pencil sharpening procrastinating is absolutely a fond memory ;)
Colored pens are the best!
Lol. Maybe! :)
I’m glad you’ll still get to see your granddaughter in the morning. That should make the transition a little easier for both of you.
And you made me laugh with the presharpened pencils for your grandsons. Maybe I ought to get them for my kids after all. ;)
I also homeschooled my children, now 28 and 32 and gainfully employed! And also love office supplies! I tried to stay out of the stores when everyone else shopped for school though, which was made possible with our school schedule :)
Hi, Elizabeth! I am like you, I love office supply stores, I get all excited about notebooks and pens, etc!
My hubs actually works at one and brings me home journals and pens as surprises, lol!!
Oh we definitely go when the crowds aren’t there! Now that school is in, we are looking forward to our parks being clear for us to play.
Oh! What fun surprises. He’s a keeper :)
I love office supply stores!
Our high schooler started last Monday, but had Friday and tomorrow off. We get out the first week of June.
When we lived in Upstate NY, we started after Labor Day, and some years were not out until late June. With no air conditioners, it makes for miserable learning conditions. I couldn’t go back to that schedule.
Good morning Elizabeth! At least that is what it is here in Texas.
I just love your columns. There’s always something new and fun to learn.
My husband and I are addicted to office supplies stores. I know we must have every extra drawer in the house full of different sizes and colors and kinds of pens. I think I have enough stationary for me and my children and my grandchildren… you get the picture. lol ?
As far as school, my youngest child is thirty nine. So it’s not something I keep up with as much anymore. Although, I do know when school supplies are out in the stores. ??
I think all the public schools have already started. It used to be the day after Labor Day, but they keep changing it. I’m surprised it’s not year round yet.
My twelve grandchildren are all already going. Let me take that back, two are grown with one that graduated college three weeks ago. They all live too far. ?? I did just last week, get My first great grandchild, a boy, last week. ?proud gran. ?
Thank you for listening to me ramble on.
Blessings
Kathy
The no AC thing would kill me. Heather Gray and I are friends in real life, and she’s teaching at a Christian School this year whose AC went out the first week. The classrooms were 100 degrees. Just. No.
Oh congrats on the great-grandbaby!! That’s exciting.
Your grands (and great-grands) will have lots of fun craft supplies to use when they visit :)
I bought some new colored pencils yesterday and found it thrilling still.
We homeschool and also are part of two different “out of the house” homeschooling groups. One is fine arts focused and the other is a co-op of families. We tend to start our homeschooling at the time the fine arts group gets started, usually late August. It allows us to ease back into school for a week or two before all of the other activities start back up. My kids love back to school shopping. We stock up on the supplies we need at home and also whatever the teachers are suggesting for their other classes.
Colored pencils never get old.
I like easing back in — it makes it so much easier on everyone, I think. :)
I love back to school sales.
I love the composition books. Before Evernote and my Kindle Fire,I used them for everything.
Now I just keep 2 handy.
Love your blog posts and books.
Those composition books are the best. And I love that they have such cool covers now (vs. the black and white marble that used to be the only option.)
And thanks! :)
I still love new school supplies! Even though the schools started earlier, our homeschool always waited until after Labor Day.
Oh fun! I’m not sure I’ve run into homeschoolers who start after public before, but that’s one of the great things about homeschooling — you can do what works best for your life!
School starts Tuesday here. Sigh. I’m not ready. My 3rd grader has been such a help to me this summer over maternity leave with my infant and 1.5 year old. We just got home from Rollag, where they have an annual steam threshers reunion. This year the main focus was homemade tractors. It sure was neat to see them!
I always liked the first day of school to see who was in my class. We didn’t have backpacks so had to carry all our supplies in other ways like pencil boxes or big tote bags.
That sounds like fun.
Big kids are great helpers – I’m sorry you’re losing yours!
Figuring out which friends you were with was always fun!
Love office supply it is always awesome to meet new authors Thank you! and Happy Labor Day weekend!
Thanks for stopping by!
School supplies were the only thing I liked about school, Elizabeth. Unfortunately, our son is the same way. Fortunately, we both always kept our grades up though.
Oh no! I always loved school (and the supplies :) )
I just had fun reading this. I loved school supply stores. We shopped for my two public school children , my daycare kids, my Sunday school kids, my Wednesday night girls class and our later in life homeschooled daughter. There is something exciting about new crayons and markers.
There really is something delightful isn’t there?
I love office supplies, too! It has to be a bookish thing!
My kids went to school in mid August…so sad…they’re robbed of summer lol