Thank you for all of the cheering up in the comments. Yay! I am feeling better today. I also have something for you.
Ta-da! Give away ARCs. The giveaway post will go up later today so be ready.
The comments about weight loss reminded me of this tweet, which I thought was hilarious.
That’s me, except I am a Russian peasant. Well, a quarter Ukrainian peasant. Possibly more than a quarter.
Regarding Eugene the turtle: we know about salmonella, we have gloves, we have a lamp and a water filter. He is in good hands.
I got stuck at the gym by myself today, because Gordon’s garbage removal dudes showed up early and he had to abandon his work out and rush back home. There is a big field next to the gym. We’ve been having a lot of rain, and Texas has been particularly pretty lately. I decided to take some pictures while I waited for Kid 1 to pick me up.
It’s hot and windy, and I’m covered with sweat from the gym, so I keep wiping it out of my eyes while trying to work against the wind to get the best shot. As I am bending over, a big white truck pulls out of the gym parking lot and stops next to me. A window rolls down. There is an elderly couple in the car. The lady calls out to me, obviously alarmed.
She: Ma’am, ma’am!
Me: Yes?
She: Do you need a ride? You don’t have to cry in the weeds, we’ll be happy to take you.
Texas. Made my day.
I feel like a seal, barking, “ARC, ARC, ARC!”
Glad you’re feeling better!
+1 to infinity and beyond! 🙂
+1 brilliant.
Sadly i don’t qualify as an ARC reader. Ib get to caught up in the story and don’t spot issues etc.
I’ll just have to look forward to reading the book for fun 🙂
Kristi, your reply made my day!
🙂
Yay. So glad you’re feeling better. The flowers are lovely.
+1 love the people I got to know while living there.
Haha that was funny. Book looks rather shiny! Mines on pre-order ?
Are the giveaway ARCs restricted to American readers or can those of us who live in the UK or Europe still get one?
We always reserve some copies for international readers. 🙂
+1 You are the bestest! (not that I can get an ARC, but I like that you think of your international readers/fans)
Ditto +7
Haha “cry in the weeds” you have made my day with that line! Also the books look so pretty!!!
Glad you are feeling better and Texas is nice? Flower pictures are so pretty!
Yay for giveaways! Will keep my eyes peeled.
Yay, you’re feeling better! So happy the turtle is still trucking as well!
So glad you’re feeling better! I guess you don’t need this.
https://life.gomcgill.com/crochet-shorts-men-tassels-weird-fashion-denim-jeans-hand-made-summer-beach-holiday-recycled-bizarre
Dear God. Why…
Can’t unsee that
+1
Argh…my eyes! My eyes!
Wouldn’t that be itchy?
At least you could advertise it as “breathable”.
LOL! Thanks for that LW. I needed that laugh!
Pretty colors!!
Who are these people and where are they? I need to know so I can avoid them.
Ps. Love the do you need a ride.
YIKES!!!!!
crochet trunks…Excellent white elephant gift. ?
BTW… unexpected kind folks makes a heart warm…glad you received that gift.
? I thought that was an April Fool’s joke, but saw the date of May. That would have been a great (extremely involved) joke! ???
$68 bucks for THOSE??? Why oh why?
LOL glad to hear someone was willing to help you when they thought you were crying over weeds! So nice to hear you’re feeling better and those physical ARCs look so shiny and exciting.
Every time I see it, I’m struck by how gorgeous the cover is. ? And I’m glad you’re feeling better!
Whaa hi Jessie!
“No need to cry in the weeds” is my new motto.
I love Texans and love that you’re making the gym happen despite your peasant heritage.
Warmly,
A 54.5% Irish/English and 21.7% French/German Peasant
At war with yourself a lot, are ya?
bwahahahaha! Tink is hilarious. This also reminded me to finish watching Reign (France/Scotland/England)
Thank you for the recommendation on the moonlight drawn by clouds series. Love it. Really hating America shows. Y’all are great , your stories have help me through a lot of bad times when getting away from reality was all that kept me sane .❤️
Got to love true Texans. They are some of the best.
People like that always makes me renew my faith in humanity. The flowers are beautiful. Another reminder that all it’s not stark and desolate in this world. I am so glad that you are feeling better about things. You should always feel good about yourself.
Hooray for feeling better, and looking forward to the ARC post.
Here in SW Idaho we also have had much rain, so much that eight months into the water year we’ve had more than we usually see in the entire 12. It’s low by Houston standards, but we are supposed to be the high desert! I am enjoying the wildflowers while I can, and not needing to water my yard.
What sweeties! It’s a hug to my heart that they offered you a ride.
My German and Irish peasant side is always saying “ not to worry we’ve got you covered for the next famine” Gym and diets are merely busy time to make me feel I have some control over my life!!!
My Irish side agrees, there could be another famine so eat those potatoes while you can!!
FYI “Don’t Mess with Texas” started as a campaign by Lady Byrd Johnson to stop the mowing and spraying of the Texas wildflowers and was extended to keeping the highways clean of trash. Not quite the current usage.
I’m glad you are feeling better.
That photo of the box of ARCs literally made me have heart-eyes. 🙂
Glad to hear you are feeling better. Thanks for sharing the lovely wildflower photographs and giving me a laugh along with them!
Lovely pictures of the flowers. I was able to identify bee balm (monarda – top flower) and blanketflower (gaillardia – middle flower) but cannot figure out the yellow one. Can anyone help? And – yippeee! ARCs!
I’m not sure, but that might actually be the Yellow Rose Of Texas immortalized in song. Called Harrison’s Rose, it’s often found growing wild along the Oregon trail.
I take it back, after looking at the leaves and stems, it’s not a rose. might be a Four-Nerve Daisy.
I’m so glad to hear you’re feeling better! The flowers are beautiful and your making me wish for hot and sweaty! Im in Western Michigan and I’m suffering from cold, wet, and miserable. As for, “Crying in the weeds”, I love it! It’s now on my list of famous quotes. As Ilona Andrews once said, “Quit crying in the weeds and do something!” See? You’ve already been misquoted! ?
One day, I’m whining to my Dad about all the weeds in the front yard that I have to clear before Pima County puts the hammer down and gives me a fine. He says “Of course you can do it! You are from sturdy peasant stock!”
Oye, Polish hillbilly peasant stock (Dad’s parents were cousins), no less.
Yay!! I’m so glad you are feeling better!! Those ARC books look real pretty! I can’t wait for that post, I so would love one!! As always you guys are AWESOME!!
This is going to be the longest months of my life. Need this book asap. This is my favorite books.
First of all, I’m glad you’re feeling better and I wish you the best outcome on your procedure. =) The flowers are beautiful, I love Spring for that.
Second, I see the box of ARCs. If brains could drool, mine would be dripping… =)
Really happy that you’re feeling better!
Cheers,
Laurence
Darn! My English/Celtic peasant genes feel bad … but we did have to run from the Vikings, so that’s something. Love the flower photos.
When I lived in Houston a friend of mine stopped and intervened when she saw a couple on the side of the road in an argument and the man was acting threateningly toward the woman. She wasn’t a native Texan, but she seemed to pick it up after she moved there.
And I really do miss Texas wildflowers since I moved to Maryland 22 years ago.
Love the cover. It’s so fresh and intriguing.Happy you are feeling better. Love all the flower pictures. And the nice Texas couple who wanted to stop you from crying.
I used to work for Sak’s Fifth Avenue and I loved the Texas tourists . They were so gracious and they always wanted to fly me home to meet their son or grandson. Or go to a Texas barbecue.They loved that I was a real New Yorker and that I was so happy to make their stay in New York” authentic .”
With recommendations for restaurants and bookstores and shopping.
They made my sales job so much more fun.
I had a turtle for years and never got salmonella. But my mom was very strict about washing hands.
I’m so glad you’re feeling better! That was so sweet of that couple to stop and check on you. It’s good to know that amidst all the lousy news we hear everyday that there are still good people doing good thing! ?
Hi i am so Glad you feel better!
Aaaaaand i am Looking so much forward to the Next Book !
I am Reading magic Gifts just Now.
That’s what Texas is about we might be Rednecks to the rest of the country but we are very helpful!
I have been enjoying the rain I’m in the very corner of the backwards L of Texas so I’m in the High Plains/ Desert area. We have had more rain this year and it had been wonderful, last month we looked out into our pasture and it was covered in a blanket of purple flowers something we haven’t seen in a long time. My kids love running through the wild flowers that are growing and picking them for me (even though they make me sneeze and my eyes water I still love when they bring them too me).
I’m glad your feeling better and you took beautiful pictures even with the sweat going in your eyes!
FYI – Thought I’d mention this regarding sore gym muscles and your nose. My son sent me some Hemp Cream 1500 mg and it works in 5 minutes! I’ve been rubbing down my client with Parkinsons at bedtime and she sleeps a solid two hours or more, after that we are both awake nearly hourly. I lift her all day and my leg muscles get twitchy after a while, been a very useful Mom Day gift! A little white 2 oz jar off Amazon, ordered 2 more so I won’t run out!
The tweet about losing weight cracks me up. I used to have a bailiff in my courtroom who always bragged about how much he could eat without gaining a pound. I told him that was too bad because the first good famine to come along and he’d be outta here. I always say I’m not fat, I’m famine-proof.
It is wonderful that people think they see a woman in distress and will help. Since we always hear the negative it is wonderful to hear the flip side. After working out it would be me with the sweat pouring down this peasant english, irish, dutch, german face.
Yay! Glad you are feeling better. Gotta try and work ‘crying into the weeds’ into one of you next books – hilarious set up ?
I’m just laughing right now….. This is why you are able to write such hilarious crazy into your books, you write from life! Lol. Glad you’re feeling better!!!
Glad you’re feeling better! We’re visiting relatives in Leander, and the wildflowers are FABulous!
I’m a sweater so I appreciate this story!! I carry something to wipe my face when walking in humid weather.
Got my hair cut yesterday and my gal turned me onto her latest obsession of a Turkish serial called Early Bird. Thought of you though it won’t be your jam b/c each weekly epi is 2 freaking hours and there are already like 40+. Has anyone else seen this?
Really the only reason to check it out is for Can Yaman. Whoo-boy is he one good looking man. Can’t decide if he’d make a better Curran or Rogan…
“I am a sweater” took me a minute. I gotta take a nap or something. Sigh….
Glad you are feeling better! I laughed way too hard at that last bit. I’m from Texas & have seen the kindness & can totally agree that most Texans are great like that. Crying in the weeds got me though.
Just got to love those peasant genes – mine are mostly British. So glad you are feeling better and wildflowers always make me feel better too. The sunshine doesn’t hurt either. Love the picture of your new books. Impatiently wishing my life away waiting for it.
I’m glad you’re feeling better!
hugs if you want them, and I’m glad you weren’t actually crying in the bushes, but yay for that nice couple!
“Do you need a ride? You don’t have to cry in the weeds, we’ll be happy to take you.“
Why I love my Country ☀️
My husband is a Master Gardener here in Georgia. 6 weeks ago he had lower back surgery with a 6-7 month recovery estimate. Luckily we have an water system so nothing will die but the weeds also love the water. The medication and inactivity have been hard on him but today 8 other MGs came to the house for almost 2 hours and weeded all the beds in almost 90 degree. heat. Like the elderly couple, this little act of kindness means a great deal.
Glad you are feeling better. And also congrats on making it to he gym by yourself. I have a tendency to quit when my company quits.
I feel so much better this week, which is week 5 of my recovery. My five year old has been singing for me ?I feel better so much better ? from Doc Mc Stuffins. But I can now go to the beach and pool and slowly begin working out again. Hope the rest of the week goes well for you too.
Glad you’re feeling better and let’s hear it for elderly Good Samaritans.
Glad today was a better day!
The problem is that we peasant stock are living in the wrong era. I am built for the times when a man wanted a woman who could pull the plow when the horse gets sick. Yep, back then I would have been hot!
Also for the times when plump and pale were symbols of prosperity. Check out Reubens. Poor people were tan and skinny. Times sure have changed.
“You don’t have to cry in the weeds, we’ll take you.” That is so sweet and made me smile.
Glad you are feeling better.
I would love to be in House Harrison as an animal mage. I love animals and think that would be so wonderful. I loved reading about their connection with animals. It was so interesting and intriguing.
Glad you’re feeling better and can’t wait for my copy of Sapphire Flames – I pre-ordered it.
Pleased you are feeling better. Remember – you my well not lose weight when you are exercising because you are losing fat and gaining muscle which weighs more- but if you measure yourself you should see a difference.
If I could be in any house, I think it’d be House Latimer. I am unsure what their powers are, but any house that includes primes willing to begin a feud because they believe another prime is a domestic abuser is a house I’d be proud of. I assume they are a combat house, since they do some security work of some kind. The ease with which they distracted Augustine and approached Nevada shows, in my opinion, that it is well practiced and used frequently.
I’m sorry. I dont know why my stupid phone posted that here. I think it may be possessed.
Whaa House Latimer! I’m still as mesmerized and curious about it!
I thought it might be a set-up. He (Latimer) was telling the truth, but what is his version of ‘safe’. Why not send one of the women to talk to Nevada.
My thought is that someone in House Latimer could be Bern or Leon’s dad. Just a thought.
Hey .. Hope you are feeling better now, all the love from Pakistan.
If i had to pick from one house it will probably be house Harrison. And if i could make up my own power, it would be making my familiars (animals!) stronger like warrior animals.
There ARE good people in Texas… my brother is one of them!
So sweet that they would offer to help, not really knowing what was going on! <3
Workouts stink but persistence pays off! Good luck, Ilona!
Sometimes;
Life is just grand!
My favorite Texas story: I was in Odessa, and asked a woman at my supplier why Texans don’t use their turn signals. And she raised her penciled eyebrows even higher and said, “why, honey, you don’t tell the enemy what you’re plannin’ before you do it!” Me: oh. Of course.
Makes me think of a post I saw: God moves in mysterious ways. You should use your turn signals.
If I could be in any house, I think it’d be House Latimer. I am unsure what their powers are, but any house that includes primes willing to begin a feud because they believe another prime is a domestic abuser is a house I’d be proud of. I assume they are a combat house, since they do some security work of some kind. The ease with which they distracted Augustine and approached Nevada shows, in my opinion, that it is well practiced and used frequently.
I would be a Therionologist in House Harrison. I love animals and I would love to be with them.
House Marcus, I think. I would like to be a telekinetic for those days when i’m Just worn out. I could lift things to me without having to get up. Lol
I miss home, and your experience reminds me of why. Texans can be many things, and “You don’t have to cry in the weeds…” is the essence of all that I miss. Helpful. Funny. Home.
Weight loss only happens for me when I count calories. My latest choice involves using a company that prepares and delivers all three meals and snacks. 1300 calories. So far so good, and while it is far more costly than what I usually spend, it is AWESOME not to have to decide what we are having for dinner. Mind-boggling, phenomenally awesome. I detest the “What’s for dinner?” dilemma. We signed up for the work week, so hopefully we can keep our mouths off the Pringles over the weekend.
Kudos on pulling yourself out of the dumps. Never easy.
Pretty sunflowers!
Fun story, it made me Giggle. And I love prairie wild flowers. You got anshot of one of my favorites, Indian Blanket (Gallardia)
I’m sorry you had a shit week. I hope the rest results come back with good news. *hugs* and a dozen *virtual malaigou and Macau/Portuguese egg tarts*
A book rec: The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang
I just started it and am hooked. It’s a historical fiction set in NYC during the 1800’s. The heroine is a grave/corpse robber with two hearts who… DUNDUNDUN… specializes in anatomical anomalies! She receives a list of conditions her client wants procured and at the top of the list is, “a girl with two hearts”. I’m shit at this, the GR synopsis is much better.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45894594-the-impossible-girl
“You don’t have to cry in the weeds.”
Thanks for the giggle. That was very sweet of them to offer you a ride.
Glad you’re feeling better. 🙂
Texans are a hoot and kind at the same time. We all have tough periods. Glad you recovered quickly. Being a writer and having to be on and positive can’t be easy. I’m sure there are days you’d like to really let the world of readers and publishers have it with both barrels. Appreciate that you like us well enough to share.
Please, please, PLEASE Authorlords I am BEGGING you to put, ‘You don’t have to cry in the weeds’ somewhere in your future writing… there is just something so poetic and evocative about it!
Wonderful! That makes me want to live in Texas too 🙂 Thank you for these wonderful pictures that you ‘cried in the weeds’ to take, they’re lovely 🙂
? omg, “crying in the weeds” So kind of them. Love the flower pictures- thanks for battling sweat/tears to take photos after your workout!
House Harrison so I could ask the cat to please gack on the tile instead of the carpet.
I would take the cat gacking on the carpet, if he would stop gacking on the freshly changed bed. Two weeks in a row…freshly. Changed. Bed.
Forsberg- hopper. Great way to travel the world and still be home for dinner.
Like several magical abilities, I wonder how they make a living at it. Short hops, unless they are carrying stolen valuable objects through walls does not seem to be a lucrative ability on its own. We already have cabs for that. LOL I can think of several interesting abilities that don’t sound lucrative. Maybe when they learn the finer details of controlling the gift, it becomes more lucrative. Unless their gifts abet the family business somehow. Are some houses not houses just because its not worth it no matter how good you are at something useless to anyone else. Don’t give up on college too soon if your magic won’t support you.
I think I want the ability to work with DNA to restructure a persons’ magic into a more useful/lucrative gift than the one they were born with. I suppose it could also make it possible to create hybrid beasts for various uses. Fix birth defects etc… House Harrison could do a lot with this.
Forsberg-hopper. Great way to travel the world and still be home for dinner.
House Tremaine- Victoria is scary but she cares, in her own way, and she is SUPER Bad-ass. I’m not great with understanding people’s motivations so I’d LOVE to understand when they’re lying. Plus then I’d be related to Navada et al. 😀
Your comment gave me a sensation of peace to know people still have empathy. Oftentimes, the news, commentary create an environment where you believe we have forgotten to show love. Joy.
How sweet of the couple in the truck to offer you a ride, and that you don’t have to cry in the weeds. That’s Texas for you. Glad you’re feeling better.
I took a look of how many of the BDH are vying for an ARC of Sapphire Flames. When I saw the number, I thought “holy moly”! No offense, I am not going to enter. The chances are slim of getting an ARC. I hear it now….you don’t win if you don’t enter. I know. However, the biostatistician me is saying “you have a 9 out of over 2,000 entries to be chosen. Very slim probability of getting an ARC.”
Ah yes, but as my PSU statistics professor said –
You should enter! Someone has to win!
Life is full of ups and downs. When my life seems like it’s all downs I look for the tiny ups – like flowers in a field or kindness in the wilds. It’s always helped me, so glad you are feeling a little better today.
I didn’t post this in your sad post because no one wants to hear that sappy pollyanna stuff when they’re really down!
My story of the week — Guy Gavriel Kay recently released a new book (A Brightness Long Ago). For those not familiar with him, he writes historical fantasy — real places, real time periods, real people but change all the names and have your narrator be a sort of above-ordinary-but-not-IMPORTANT fictional observer. He really makes you feel what it would be like to live in that almost-real time.
This recent one is set in Renaissance Italy, 1450-1453. The dates are incredibly easy to pin down, because while everything is going on in Italy and the whole focus of the story is in Italy, in the background the entire time is an awareness of the Siege of Constantinople. I get to the part of the story where Constantinople falls and the effect it’s having on those in Italy, and I’m openly weeping (this happens a lot with his books).
I happened to be running my errands at the time, reading and walking. And so I walk into the Turkish-run tobacco shop to buy my cigarettes, and I’m standing there with tears running down my cheeks, hoping like hell he wouldn’t ask me about it (he didn’t).
Because here’s how that conversation would have gone:
Turkish dude: why are you crying?
Me: THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE!!
Turkish dude: uhm…
I know yall like Korean Dramas. Have yall checked out Dae Jang Geum? It is a very good show 🙂
Awww! That was so sweet of that couple to pull over for you. 🙂 .
When I was in my 20’s I had a coat that transformed me from fat to pregnant and ready to pop. I wore it exactly 3 times before I had to get rid of it. The first time I wore it I was at Costco lifting a box out of the cart when a man jumped out of nowhere, grabbed the box and scolded me for doing too much “in my condition”. The second time I was on a bus and a lady forced her teenage daughter to give up her seat “because she knows how it feels to be pregnant”. The last time I wore it a young child wanted to know “who I was having and when” and then regaled me with stories of when she was little. I did not have the heart to explain to these truly well meaning people I was simply fat and not pregnant.
So glad your feeling better! Looooove the flowers and bless the sweet couple for trying to rescue you. Next to reading, flowers and animals are my to biggest weaknesses. Your first flower looks like Jerusalem Sage. I’ve never seen it in that color! Has a lot of other names. Looks great with the blanket flower.
SO glad you are feeling better!
Absolutely love the exercise quote and the kind Texans who didn’t want to leave you crying in the weeds!
Happy Thursday!
Say what you like about Texans (and I generally do) they are always stopping to help innocent pedestrians. I think the attitude is that if you’re on foot, there must be something wrong.
During my years in Dallas, I once waited for a bus for about an hour in an absolute downpour. I didn’t know when the bus would come, but I wasn’t in a hurry – just waiting in the warm rain at a bus stop while cars rushed past and occasionally sent a wave of water over me. I didn’t have a coat or an umbrella, but the water was warm and I grew up in the Willamette Valley so I’m not afraid to be damp. And then a pickup turned into the parking lot behind me. A guy jumped out and ran into the fast food restaurant. He came out minutes later with a whole paper bag full of paper napkins which he ran over and handed to me so I could “dry off when the bus comes”.
That is SO sweet, except how do I keep the napkins dry?
He also provided a hair dryer and a portable battery to run it, of course. To dry the napkins. And the hair too, I suppose.
Possibly a blotter as well.
The bag was a bit waxy – because it was for food. The napkins were pretty much dry when the bus picked me up. I dried my face and hair so it was nice.
Glade you are feeling better. I think I would be a low rate cousin in house Rogan. I would have weight manipulation. That way I could make things lighter so I could move them easily, or make them too heavy to move. It would give me the advantage when haviging a pillow fights with my husband.?
Honestly I would jump into all of your books!!! I own anything written by you two! Free ARC books!!! Sign me up please. Ohhh autographed??? Been trying online for years to get a signed first edition.
I’m visiting Houston/Texas for the 1st time in 15 years today and the number of chatty conversations I’ve had with total strangers as soon as I’ve gotten off the plane exceeds the most I’ve had in a month. California ain’t got nothing on Texas.
1. Whatever House shoots blue power bolts, or levitates because for years I had dreams I was in a school learning to fly, and learning to control blue energy bolts.
2. Diet. My kid two had emergency surgery, moved in here and kid three, who did all the cooking followed two’s request and we all did the paleo diet.
Lots of weight loss without counting calories, then plateau for over a year after we went off.
My autoimmune stuff lessened and my GERD stopped. But Bread and butter. My grandmother would cook potatoes and use the potato water to make bread. Mmmm. Speaking of peasants.
Just read Magic Triumphs and I literally said “man she really put her foot in this book” I love the Kate Daniel’s series, but this book is at the top of my list! It was the perfect amount or romance,adventure, and at least a glimpse of all my favorite characters. Thank you for doing what you do. I’m glad the turtle was rescued. What did you name him/her?
Awww ? that’s so sweet. Gives me hope for humanity!!
<3
i would LOVE an arc of any book you want to write, don’t care which series or even if it’s a copy of your grandmother’s cookbook/diary/whatever. btw the secret to taking weight off with exercise is to do high repetitions w/low weights DAILY. to build muscle, you do low reps w/high weights, every other day. this is what i learned at a gym i worked for 30+ years ago & it’s true–have managed to drop 200 lbs in the last few years by exercising a couple hours every day. still eat like a 5-year old in a candy shop, so i’m grateful i learned this!