Interview with Donna Fasano author of The Merry-Go-Round, Mountain Laurel, and An Accidental Family Plus a GIVEAWAY!

I'm pleased to welcome back Donna Fasano to Cookie's Book Club. Donna is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty romance and women's fiction novels. Today I'm talking to her about three of her books: The Merry-Go-Round, Mountain Laurel, and An Accidental Family.

Visit Cookie's Book Club for the full interview.

While you're there, be sure to enter the contest at the end of the interview to win a copy of Donna's most recent Kindle release, His Wife for a While.

His Wife for a While

Product Description (Source: Amazon.com) 

Desperate Bachelor

Ben Danvers was about to lose everything―unless he found a woman willing to become his wife. The terms of his grandfather's will were outrageous, but they were iron clad. Just when Ben was about to give up al

l hope, the last woman he ever expected to wed made a startling proposal.

Bargaining Bride

Chelsea Carson offered Ben a deal he couldn't refuse. He could keep the family fruit orchard if he would make her one and only dream come true. But there were to be no strings attached, no messy emotions when it was over. Their makeshift marriage would be perfect―unless Chelsea allowed love to bungle the plan.

Rated 4/5 stars on 2 reviews

Visit Cookie's Book Club to read the full interview and to enter to win a copy of His Wife for a While.

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Ten Reasons You Haven't Seen Much of Me Lately

It's time once again for Monday Listicles with NorthWest Mommy.

This week, the sweet and loveable Jennifer of Just Jennifer asks us to list 10 reasons why we do or do not want more children. While I hate to disappoint the sweet and loveable Jennifer, I can't come up with 10 reasons. There's just one that matters. We are very fortunate to have the beautiful family that we have. More kids are not part of our story. And besides, why mess with perfection?

Instead, I will list the 10 reasons I have not been around much this week (e.g. tweeting, linking and so on), in no sensical order.

1) Life has gotten ultra busy of late. Not that I was low-maintenance before, but since beginning this new detox/cleanse/self-torture regime, I have had to find a whack more time to look after my own needs. What's a whack, you ask? It's a butt-load. What's a butt-load, you ask? My son did, and here is what I told him. "Oh, did I say butt-load? Ha ha. That's funny. I meant to say boat-load. It's a LOT. As in, as much as you can fit in a boat!" I guess I managed my way out of that one. Then I wondered, why DO I use the phrase 'butt-load'? It's sounds pretty rude. But then I looked it up, and a 'butt' is a legitimate unit of measure equal to 126 gallons or two hogs heads. But I digress... significantly!

2) My son needs me. Sure he needs to learn independence, and no it's not necessary that I entertain him every minute of the day. Then again, he's only home with me like this for another year and a bit, so I'd like to be available as much as I can.

3) And besides, some of the stuff he's interested in now is pretty fun. We've been doing a lot of crafting, which I have missed terribly these last few busy years!

4) Snow! We have a whack of it. What's a whack, you ask? See #1. All of that shoveling, footprint making, snowball throwing, dressing in extra layers (and then undressing to go pee and pulling it all back on again) takes a butt-load of time. But we're having fun!

5) I've been trying to make more time for our little family in general. Little things like eating a leisurely breakfast together on a Saturday, instead of me wolfing down my food and then retiring to the computer to blog, sure go a long way to restore a sense of unity around here!

6) Jack had a VIP day at his preschool this past week. That meant I had the pleasure and priviledge of bringing a snack for 24 kids! Really, it's a pretty sweet deal. Lots of work the day before his VIP day, and then I get to kick back and let someone else feed my kid for the next 23 days. I also get to go and hang out at the school, see what my son is actually doing there, and laugh when he answers the teacher's question about the weather with, "Miss Laurie, you need to put the cap back on the marker or it will dry out!"

7) I'm trying to find new and exciting ways to meet the requirements of my ridiculously restricted diet. Okay, exciting is overly optimistic. I'm just happy if it tastes good and is not the same thing I have eaten for six days in a row. The good news is that I have discovered a number of recipes that are so tasty, I will fold them into my diet going forward.

8) I dyed my hair. I may be scraping the bottom of the barrel with #8, but I knew you'd all want to know. I'm now a brunette. In case that offends anyone, not to worry. I will, as is my natural tendency, become bored of this eventually and highlight my way back to blondness! Speaking of hair, I met a woman yesterday who claims to be on the same diet that I am. Not possible. She was far too jovial. Anyway, she said, "I feel so great! My hair and my skin look fabulous!" I said, flipping my hair back, "Ya, great hair, fabulous skin. Blah, blah, blah! Give me some cheesecake!" And then I laughed, as if kidding, and she laughed along with me. But I'm not. Kidding, that is. Sorry to digress... again.

9) How to say this delicately... You know how when your diet changes, other... er... bodily functions change too? Well, I have been spending a bit more time in that place where those things happen. Nuff said, I most desperately hope. I love that we moms can talk about ANYTHING. By the way, this list item was suggested by my loving husband. He's such a romantic.

10) Hubby bought The Bourne Trilogy on Blu-Ray, and I have to say, those are some mighty-fine flicks! That Matt Damon is one talented actor. That and a full PVR and you can see why I have no spare time. What time I do have beyond all of this goes to reading - it's an obsession - and maintaining my book blog. Speaking of which - sorry to both digress and shamelessly plug - be sure to check out Cookie's Book Club for my new interview with Donna Fasano. Donna is giving away three copies of her newest release, His Wife for a While!

The Golden Sky Blogfest: Remembering 'G'

Where are you?

They couldn't find your body, they said.

No closure.

No goodbye.

I imagined that you escaped a life you didn't want to live. Planned your own death.

You thought the world was cruel. Too cruel to bring another human being into.

You lived every moment of your life in the fast lane. As if it would be your last.

Your need for speed is what killed you.

If it killed you.

I imagine you still on a deserted island. Living a life of solitude. Not even attempting to be rescued.

I don't know why.

Perhaps it's easier than accepting that you are gone.

So young. So much life in you when you left us.

Better to imagine you the king of a new world. Finally at peace? Or do you still tempt fate and defy death?

I sometimes wonder how it is that our lives became entwined. Was there some lesson for all of us in you.

My life was - is - richer for having you in it. Even if just a while.

You died too young, but that is how you will always be remembered.

Vital. Unrestrained. Strong. Proud.

A good friend.

I want you to know that your light shines still through those whose lives you touched. None of us as bright as you, but together in us you live on.

Wherever you are, may peace be with you, my dear friend.

Never goodbye, for you are always with me.

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This post was written in support of The Golden Sky Blogfest. Our task was to write about the loss of someone in our lives. I have lost many someones in my life. It felt good to write about 'G'. Not having closure made his death difficult. The other someones would be far more difficult for me to write about, and, though it's now been, in some cases, many years since they have passed, I'm just not ready. I am grateful to Elisabeth (author of The Golden Sky) for bringing us together in this way to remember, perhaps to grieve and to support one another.

I recently reviewed The Golden Sky and hosted a giveaway where two lucky winners each won a copy of Elisabeth's raw and emotional memoir. You can view that post here.

And as of today, you can enter to win an iPad2:

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I'm also linking up with:

Kid History #6: "Health food will make you strong. But candy will make you rich! Or will it?"

In light of my recent dietary restrictions - I'll spare you the gory details - this Kid History episode is especially funny to me. If you've never heard of Kid History, well, you've been missing out on some serious belly laughs.

So, no Wordless(ish) Wednesday photos, just for today. Prepare to giggle and snort along with this video!

--> For more laughs from the Kid History gang, see:
Chidren's Storytelling - Pregnant Pauses and Creative Substitutions

If you're unable to view the above movie, you can link directly to it here: http://youtu.be/fh0NLQJfAYU

You can also visit the Kid History gang at Bored Shorts TV on YouTube.

The Perfect Vacay

It's time again for Monday Listicles!

Before I get to my post, if you haven't already done so, be sure to enter my advance giveaway for a copy of EC Stilson's new book, The Golden Sky, being released November 18th! Click here for details.

The lovely and talented Hopes of Staying Afloat was asked to select this week's Monday Listicles topic, and it's a good one! We're talking vacations today, and I couldn't be happier. I'd much rather think about travelling to some place other than here with snow on the way. Don't get me wrong, winter has a lot to offer, but I'd still sacrifice a large part of it for the chance to go someplace where I don't have to don a parka and chip my way out of my house with an ice scraper.

So, let's dream a little, shall we? Just a sec... Almost ready. Here we are! Margarita in hand, flip flops and body-flattering dress adorned, furnace blasting to create the illusion of summer, and... go!

Ten things that make a perfect vacation.

1. Time. My dream holidays is at least three weeks long - a month would be better. I leave my watch at home and let someone else take care of details like where I need to be and when I need to be there.

2. The Perfect Climate. It takes place somewhere warm (not too hot) and sunny with beautiful scenery. An ocean breeze wouldn't hurt.

3. Adventure! There are opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, biking, canoeing, sailing on a catamaran, snorkeling, exploring caves, zip-lining and the like.

4. Culture. I get to meet the locals and share in their customs, maybe learn a craft or a few new dance moves!

5. Family. My dream holiday involves my husband and my son and lots of fun too! I imagine wherever we go, we'd stop in at DisneyWorld for part of our tour.

6. Food! As source of pleasure, rather than anguish. I don't want to prepare it. Not one meal. I don't want to think about it. I don't even want to make choices about it. My perfect vacation would involve simply showing up and being served something fabulous, whenever I happen to be hungry.

7. Peace. There's an absence of whaaaan! I love my kid - don't get me wrong - but the perfect' vacation would contain NO WHINING. And significantly fewer why questions. And no toys to put away or leave aching scars in the middle of my feet when I step on them. Which brings me to #8

8. Sloth. There is no cleaning of any kind - not the bathroom, not the kitchen, not the clothes, not the kid, not the cat, and definitely not the back of my car.

9. R & R. There is plenty of opportunity to rest, to read, to snap some killer photos and to write.

10. Pampering. Lastly, my dream vacation includes frequent visits to the spa - massages, facials, pedicures, manicures. Ahhhh.

Ah, lovely. I love sightseeing, and I'm surprised not to see more of it in my list, but I guess that's just where I'm at. This tired mama needs the sounds, sights and smells of a tranquil beach!

What do you need to have the perfect vacay?

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BOOK GIVEAWAY! Two advance copies of The Golden Sky by EC Stilson

On November 18th, EC Stilson will release her new memoir, The Golden Sky.

This story is as real as it gets! Elisabeth Stilson tells the story of her journey through the pregnancy, birth and loss of her son Zeke. The text of the book is taken directly from Stilson's journals. We learn of the raw emotions and very real outcomes that follow the tragic loss of a child. It's a fascinating and touching read.

Visit Cookie's Book Club for details of the giveaway! 

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