Hey all! I hope y’all are having a great weekend! Mine’s been…mostly good! I’m starting this early Saturday evening and right now, I have a massive headache. Except for that, it’s been good. Kind of boring, but that’s nice! (ETA later Friday: head feels much better now!)
New t-shirts, boots, and Bible!
Tomorrow (Sunday) is my 40th birthday (yeah, I went there ;)). It’s a weird one for me. First, I’m getting old. (I know, I know.) I’m no longer in my 30s and feel officially “middle aged.” But for me…it’s more than that. I’m not terribly excited for that reason, but also because, come Thursday, I’ll be older than my mom ever was. She died of cancer three days after her 40th birthday. That means it’ll be 30 years in March. It’s just…weird. I can’t really explain it. I don’t dwell on it. Things in my life are going well. I have four (usually :)) great kids. A wonderful husband. A day job I enjoy. A second job that’s becoming everything I dreamed it would be. My books are taking off, and that’s WONDERFUL! On so many levels, it’s wonderful. The wonderful feeling putting them out there. Watching the sales numbers and pages read increase. The paychecks (those are really nice right now). The release of Winning the Queen’s Heart has gone very well.
So it’s not that…but it’s still…odd…off somehow. That’s all I can come up with to describe it.
The dog’s favorite place to sit…
My older two girls went to a church thing last night – from 530 last night to 8 tonight. So hubby sent the third girl to my sister’s house and the boy to grandma’s. We went to our local independent Christian book store (that’s going out of business – boooooooo!). We put my son’s name on the Bible he got last year because it had been a gift. I also got a new Bible for myself. I haven’t really used it yet, but I have a feeling I’m going to love it!
When I was packing for the ACFW conference, I realized I had ONE writerly shirt. No more! I told Matt that once I got to a certain income level, I wanted to splurge on a few. These are all kind of “print to order” if you will so they’re a bit more expensive than I’d normally like, but they’re a splurge ;). LOVE them. My girls got a pair of brown boots last week and I ordered the black ones :D. It’s been a good mail week!
The dog’s other favorite spot
Besides all that, I had two kids with concerts. The first concert of the night – and the last one :p. We sat through the middle one too rather than lose our good, against the back wall at the top of the bleachers seats ;). God Bless America and an homage to Back to the Future ;). The one scary thing this week? Our sweet doggy had another seizure. They’re apparently common in little dogs, but he was up on the back of the couch and fell upside down onto the couch :(. I was right there and snuggled him close immediately. Then he started to relax (so much that he peed on me :p), but two of my girls who hadn’t seen one before were there and it freaked them out. He still seems a bit off…though better than he was.
So…around InspyRomance land…
As ever, if you’re a winner, contact us at:
prizes at inspyromance dot com
The winner from Lindi Peterson’s Making Up Words post is Jill Weatherholt!
Last Week
Kiddo #3 and her teacher
Monday: Valerie Comer talked about how to handle Santa – and other potential marriage disasters.
Tuesday: Heather Gray shared Part 3 of her serial story, Never Imagined.
Wednesday: Christina Coryell talked about funny moments – and mom dancing.
Thursday: JoAnn Durgin introduced Jessica Alyse – with a giveaway!
Friday: Autumn MacArthur talked Happily Ever Afters and book giveaway!
Saturday: Staci Stallings talked about whether you have to be perfect to be loved.
Coming Up
Kiddo #4 and his teacher (who was also #2’s teacher – and mom of a friend of kid #1… ;))
Monday: Deb Kastner, Scamp the Squirrel (plus giveaway)
Tuesday: Carol Moncado, One Year Indieversary! And #Giveaway!
Wednesday: Cheryl Wyatt, Dolphins, Dogs, and “Don’t Touch That Button!”
Thursday: Narelle Atkins, Book Recommendation – Jaded: A Novel (Mended Hearts Series Book 1) by Varina Denman
Friday: Marion Ueckermann
Saturday: Lee Tobin McClain
News & Notes
As always, all of the latest news, permafree books, and audiobooks can be found on our news page!
November 2015
Yuletide Cowboys by Deb Kastner
Starlight In Her Eyes (Starlight Christmas 4) by JoAnn Durgin
Valor’s Vigor (Virtues and Valors 8) by Hallee Bridgeman
A Dash of Daring (Taste of Romance Book 3) by Elizabeth Maddrey
Christmas Star Sapphire by Hallee Bridgeman
Broken Christmas by Ginger Solomon
An Informal Christmas by Heather Gray
Merry Kisses (Riverbend Romance Novella 5) by Valerie Comer
Operation Mistletoe by Elizabeth Maddrey
A Season to Wed by Cheryl Wyatt
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab!
When she's not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband and four kids in the big yard of their southwest Missouri home, teaching American Government at a community college, reading, or watching NCIS. She's a member of ACFW and RWA, President and founding member for the MozArks ACFW group, and a category coordinator for ACFW's First Impressions.
Wow! So sorry to hear about your mom! Happy Birthday. My birthday is the 17th and I will be 50-something, so don’t feel too old! Are you a Scorpio? Wishing you all the best!
Thank you!!! Happy early birthday to you! I guess I am. I never really paid much attention :).
Happy happy Birthday!
Thanks Kathy!
Happy Birthday! Enjoy the day! :-)
Thanks Melissa!
Happy Birthday, Carol! Each new decade we enter in life is a blessing. Enjoy your 40’s, but I have to say, so far, the 50’s rock! Enjoy your special day.
Thank you Inspy for the prize!
Thanks, Jill! I’m not sure how I feel about the 50s yet ;). I’ll have an empty nest about that time :D.
Carol, I hope you have a fantastic Birthday! Many blessings to you!
Thank you, Marylin!
Hope your birthday is wonderful! Thanks for everything you do around Inspy Romance. You are much appreciated. :)
Thanks Val! One of the best things to come out of IR is my friendship with you! Thank you for everything!
Hope your 40th birthday is filled with many special memories. I will never forget when I turned 53 that I had lived longer than my mother had. She was only 52 when she passed away. I was only 24 at the time.
Enjoy your special day!
Thanks, Nancy! I ‘m still not sure how I feel about all this. Maybe on Thursday I will…
Happy Birthday! My Mom mentioned the same thing about living longer than her mom. My mom was 13 when Grandma died. Will be praying for you this week.
Hugs to your mom Katy! Thank you!
Happy birthday, Carol. I am sure your dear mother is very proud of you and watching over you and your family.
Thanks Sharon! I appreciate it! I actually have a few friends who were my mom’s friends – and they assure me of this regularly :).
Happy Birthday Carol :) I’m sorry turning 40 is a bittersweet milestone for you, and I do hope you have a lovely day.
I did have a lovely day Narelle! Thanks so much! So glad I got to hang out with you a conference!
Sorry about your mom. I’d lost my dad to cancer as well . I’m 41 and I have to tell you I do not like printing it, writing it, and or saying it but it is what it is! I have four kids as well but mine are all boys 10-16 years and a loving husband. Praying for you Carol and Happy Birthday ! Jenny
Thanks, Jennifer! I’m not crazy about it either ;). All boys?! Dunno if I could handle that!
Happy birthday Carol!!! 40 is young yet and I have 5 years ahead of you :-) I feel the best is yet to come & that I’m much wiser than in my 30’s….lol!! I’m thankful for every birthday God blesses me with :-)
Here’s to another great week at Inspy Romance-land :-D
Hi, Trixi! I’m learning 40 is the new 30 ;). I agree with everything you said – still feels a bit odd, but it’s all good. God is good!