Sunday Post – 22 September 2019 @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality @Tynga

Posted September 22, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Sunday Post / 45 Comments

 

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly  @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Stacking The Shelves is also a weekly meme hosted by  Tynga’s Reviews and Marlene from Reading Reality.  It’s all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

 

Don’t forget to look at my giveaways on the right sidebar.

I feel like I’ve been rambling this week. Of course, I have been doing things, working on things but I’ve also been tired and trying to catch up on reading, blog visiting and posts.  I started out well last Sunday.  I did a bunch of setups for reviews. I also worked on getting more of the last boxes out of the family room and kitchen, and hung some of the art work.  I seem to have slowed down since then. I am fitting in more reading, though.

Tuesday, I did more cooking after my daughter’s medical appointment in the morning.  She also got her flu and TDap shots.  The weather was much nicer – for part of the week – mid to upper 70s and a wind from the north.  I couldn’t seem to manage any yard work though.  Wednesday, I took peanut butter cookies to contribute to quilting.  We went back to a baby quilt (45″x 60″); I had some confusion on it,  but we got it layered and quilted. Now we just have to do the binding and hand sewing.  I also had some quilt kits I got on clearance from Joanns, like 10 years ago, and we are starting those. They were really inexpensive and each block teaches some techniques.

                       

Thursday was a more relaxing day at home.  I did more reading and some planning for 2020 as far as challenges and our Read-Along (Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs). Friday was a whirlwind.  The upholsterer called and the chair and loveseat were complete.  So I could pick them up and take the sofa and chair to be done next. She made pillows to go with them without me asking! Who could I get to help get the sofa in a U-haul van and could I rent one in the next hour?  Well my neighbor works at home and he was happy to help.  The U-haul was available and off I went.  The sofa and big chair will be in a gray herringbone.

Saturday morning when Lulu came in she just looked at me like “Where did my spot on the sofa go?” It cracked me up.  I left the pile of her blankets on the floor so I pointed to them and she laid down there.  We went to dog training, then got manicures and groceries.  I made my daughter’s favorite soup for dinner and that ate up the whole day.

 


What book conferences have you attended and did you like them?  Can you tell me anything about the ones I am considering for 2020? Are there any you think I would like and should consider?

I have so many questions. So I am asking questions here and see if you have any suggestions to help me. Also if you have any questions, ask in the comments and I will try to answer or ask your questions.

I have attended NOLAStorycon in 2016, RT in 2017,  DragonCon in 2017, Apollycon in 2018,  Book Bonanza in 2019. NOLAStorycon was my favorite. It was small and filled with Urban Fantasy, PNR  authors like Ilona Andrews, Jeaniene Frost, Kelley Armstrong, Chloe Neill, Molly Harper, Kevin Hearne, Lara Adrian, Rachel Vincent, and many more.   RT was huge and I only was there for the Saturday events.  I met many romance authors and others like Jennifer Estep,  Amanda Bouchet, and Amanda Bonilla who also write UF / PNR type books. Ilona Andrews was there; I glimpsed them but didn’t meet them there.   DragonCon was also huge and I loved the panels.  I met a whole slew of Ace authors I enjoy including Faith Hunter, Patricia Briggs, Jack Campbell, Jim Butcher, Chloe Neill.  I also met EJ Stevens and Larry Niven.  It was huge so I couldn’t get to everything and there were long lines for some things.  But I want to go again.  They have an amazing phone app which really has an up-to-date schedule. Apollycon also had a big lineup at the start of the signings.  There were were more romance authors and I was excited to meet Penny Reid, Andi Arndt, Christina Lauren, and many more.  Book Bonanza was a great time with other bloggers and a few authors I really wanted to meet including Elizabeth Hunter and Kylie Scott.    I will say I think Jill Shalvis was supposed to be at 2 or 3 of these events and she cancelled so I am still trying to meet her.  I also have yet to meet Rachel Caine and Jaye Wells who missed one of these events.

I seem to enjoy the panels VERY much and a heavier mix of UF / PNR/ scifi authors, so I am considering  these for 2020:

Coastal Magic (Feb)  – it seems a bit smaller, great location for me and some authors I want to meet this year like Hailey Edwards.

Emerald City Comic Con (Mar)- This one is harder for travel but I LOVE Seattle.  There’s a chance to meet west coast authors like Patricia Briggs, Anne Bishop, Robin Hobb, Katherine Arden, etc who don’t always come east. I think Devon Monk has been to this one, although not recently, and I’d love to meet her too.

Book Expo (Jun) – I don’t know too much about this. My impression is I’d meet more publishers than authors?

DragonCon (Sep)-  Many of my favorites attend this one so I’d love to go again and it is close by in Atlanta. The panels are REALLY good.

 

 

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality.  These are the exciting ARCs I received this week (If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Goodreads entry):

         

                             

I am so excited – can I start this one now!  Thank you so much Penguin Random Audio.

 

(If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Goodreads entry)

 

I’ve been enjoying the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy and only have The Goal left which is not at any of my libraries, so when a deal came up for $0.99 I bought it.

       

I read Through a Window probably 10 years ago and it was amazing so I decided to get the audiobook since it was only $0.99 at Chirp. Lessons from a One Night Stand was also just $0.99.

Chirp has about 200 deals going at any time. Each deal lasts 30 days and is less than $5, many are $0.99!  You don’t have to have a membership or anything.   There are several great deals right now.  Polaris Rising, The Life We Bury, The Ruin, The Knowledge (Steve West!), White Gold, Angel’s Blood, Keystone, Ice Planet Barbarians, A Promise of Fire, Unforgettable You, Maybe Someday,  Silent Scream, Eternal Kiss of Darkness, Legal Affairs,

 

Now the really scary one. This is all the Kindle and Audible freebies I grabbed this past week. You can see why I need to do Thrifty Thursday to be sure I read a few at least one each month.

               

 

 

I really meant to cut back on freebies BUT  they are free so I guess that won’t be happening.

 

I’m not including things like reviews posted or upcoming as they are always in the right sidebar. And, my challenge status is also there.

If you like this and want to see me do the Sunday post, as often as I can manage, leave me a comment and let me know. I love to hear your thoughts.

Anne

 

 

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Posted September 22, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Sunday Post / 45 Comments


45 responses to “Sunday Post – 22 September 2019

  1. I really want to go to a book event. I struggle in crowds though, and would never go to somewhere like NYC. :-/ DragonCon had Patricia Briggs and Jim Butcher this year, which would have been AWESOME. But friends who have been said it is a madhouse. 🙁

    Lizzy recently posted: Sunday Post #18 – Continuing On
    • Yes DragonCon is huge and it’s impossible to do everything even if you only choose 1-2 tracks. I think every con feels that way – a madhouse. I survive with careful planning so I do what I want and not as much extra. I don’t have to do everything, see everyone. Since I do almost all digital I have very little to be autographed or haul around.

      Anne recently posted: Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti
  2. I am planning on four conferences as well!! This will be my first time doing them. I am doing Book Lovers Con in D.C., Avon Kiss Con in Chicago, RWA and the Buns and Roses event hosted by Lorraine Heath in Dallas.

    I hope you have fun at yours and have a great experience. I am an introvert so this is going to be torture lol but I want to do more networking and meeting up with people more.

    Love the pictures you shared. Looks like you are getting settled in.

      • These are all romance featured ones. Want to meet romance readers. Avon Kiss Con–well I love everything Avon so I want to do that. Plus I have lots of friends in Chicago and around there so great way to network. RWA–is pretty big —a week long conference and they have done great things. Its more author focused, but many readers and romance podcasters attend. And then Book Lovers Con—is what is replacing the RT book convention, so its specifically for romance readers. And I have so many pod family on the east coast so that will be a big trip for me. I do the Buns and Roses regularly—its just one afternoon where you get to sit and eat a meal with your favorite author, most of them are historical authors. This year they have Alisha Rai as the featured author.

        • I think for this year I am going for more Comic con type things which have more science fiction, fantasy and urban fantasy PNR. Where do mystery / thriller authors go? I think some year I want to go to RWA. though. Thanks for the added information.

          Anne recently posted: Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti
  3. Glad you had an easier week to rest and recharge. Your furniture covering looks fantastic. Good to know that you have a nice neighbor who helped load the couch. Nice to get some books and posts done, too.

    I have never been to a con so I can’t help there. Shari goes to the JR Ward Readers on the River con in Sept each year because its got an intimate crowd and doesn’t hit the pocket book too hard.

    Have a great week, Anne!

    Sophia Rose recently posted: Review: Dev1at3 by Jay Kristoff
    • Thanks Sophia! The ROR con looks good. Another friend went this year. It had an impressive set of authors this year. But I’d feel a little weird since I don’t read JR Ward; she is not for me. But it looks like a great event and pretty close to my area. My idea of pretty close is probably broader than most people. Happy reading and have a lovely week!

    • Thank you! I’m all about the deals so good for you. Smart to get the extras, since they were such a great price. I was lucky she could do the upholstery now instead of December. She’s got the sofa and big chair now. Then all my stuff will be up-to-date.

      Anne recently posted: Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti
  4. Oh wow – doesn’t the furniture look wonderful? You must be so pleased… I sense that you are fraying slightly around the edges… Can I just urge you to take a bit of time out to be kind to yourself? You’ve coped with a lot this year and while it’s lovely to get straight, you seem to be trying to do it all in some crazily hot temperatures… Maybe accept that it will take a bit longer and ensure you don’t make yourself ill in the process. You’ve achieved so much! Maybe try to have a less hectic week…

    • Thank you! It’s something to work on myself not wanting everything done. It’s a process. Luckily, most of the work is inside now in the air conditioning. It all works my brain though in trying to figure out how to make things organized to be most functional. No stuffing things away wherever for me. lol.

  5. Your chair and couch look wonderful! Emerald City Comic Con sounds perfect! I love Seattle, too. To meet Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop would be amazing. I like the smaller book expos myself. The bigger ones are overwhelming.

    I had no clue about Chirp, but I plan on checking the site out asap! I love audio books, it’s probably the way I read at least 50% of my books.

    • The smaller cons are definitely easier and I think more fun. I actually try to read at least one book by each author attending at the small ones.

      You should definitely look at Chirp. While I dislike having my audios at multiple sites, the deals are great. And one doesn’t have to have a membership or anything. I also get a huge amount of audios from my library.

    • Thank you. I guess I love to keep busy. Although I want to spend a bit more time reading to get caught up. And since I have to get up earlier these days I just have to go to bed earlier if I am going to read at night.

      Anne recently posted: Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti
  6. The furniture looks great and that’s so snappy on getting it all done. What a great job. Again it sounds like you got a lot done. I love Mercy Thompson but do need to read the last three or four.

  7. i have only went to one book conference and it was romance in vegas. just happened to be going on when we got there, so mr wonderful and i ran around the hall for a day. my biggest thrill was getting heather graham’s autograph and a photo with her. i have my sights on thrillerfest in nyc in july. i couldn’t quite put it together this year. and i keep seeing the one in nola. have fun no matter which you choose.

    • OMG Thrillerfest looks awesome!!! It has so many authors I love. Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni, Heather Graham, Tosca Lee and more so many were there last year and even narrator Therese Plummer. It looks like it is spendy with each day $305 for Friday and Saturday. But it is THE event for this genre. Thanks for sharing the info.

  8. I’m enjoying the cooling trend as well. What beautiful quilts Anne! I love when I can have a relaxing day at homeland have really been wanting to check out the Mercy Thompson Series. I hope you have a wonderful week Anne 🙂

  9. Your chair and loveseat are lovely, Anne! You have been so busy. I can’t even wrap my head around how much work would be involved in moving. I love your quilts. I wish my hands would cooperate with crafts but carpel tunnel just won’t allow it anymore. I hope you have a great week and enjoy your new books!

    • Thank you Carole! I am happy as each item gets in place. I loved the fabrics and I think they look good. It’s hard to tell since the photo didn’t get the rug but I’ll do another photo once the big sofa and chair are finished, too. I am excited about the quilts because we work together and we don’t do that many hobbies together.

    • Thank you. I’m actually excited about the quilts because we are progressing very well. I’ve been considering projects to reduce the amount of flannel I have ( and fabric overall). I think we will make some receiving blankets. I didn’t intend to upholster any of the furniture but it’s going to all be finished soon. Sometimes you just have to take an opportunity when it happens.

  10. Jen

    Sounds like another good week. Loving the glimpses of your home! Mercy next year… I will have to try. I do love that series. Will you integrate the Alpha Omega books? At first it’s not important, but I do feel that they rely on one another in later books. I LOVE Coastal Magic and hope to make it this Feb. That would be great to see you again!

    • Thank you. Well I survived so it was a good week. lol. I need to take a better picture later so you can see how it matches the rug and the other sofa and chair when all 4 pieces are completed.

      I really hope you can do the Mercy Thompson read-along with us. I don’t think we will do Alpha & Omega because it is 13 books without them, so every 4 weeks. But I may give some of those as prizes. If you have read some, let me know if you want to do one of the reviews. I try to get people to join in on those.

      It looks like a great lineup at Coastal Magic and a great resort. I just need to figure out the schedule. It would be great if my daughter could go just to enjoy the hotel, beach and cable tv. I’d love to see you again too!