UPDATE: The winner is…Anna Marie Flamini!
*~*~*

Just a reminder before I blast you with Sunday’s post! I have a novella arriving early Tuesday morning! Have you pre-ordered your copy?

Once Upon a Legend is sexy fun set in the Wild, Wild West with a lawman who doesn’t know quite what to think about the woman who falls into his arms from the stagecoach and starts telling him of the danger coming his way… Enjoy!

Report Card

Last week…

1. I guess it’s supposed to be traumatic, but on Monday morning, I showered and, as I was washing my hair, my fingers dragged away clumps of hair. It was time. My dd and the 20-year-old shaved me bald.
2. Last week was ridiculously busy with appointments. On Monday, I saw my oncologist. He didn’t like my white cell blood count, so he gave me another WBC booster shot. On Tuesday, it was another trip to the city to have tests run at the hospital where the port installation surgery would take place. Then, I had the surgery on Thursday. I now have my “borg” port.
3. On Wednesday, my SIL drove me to the nearest military installation an hour and a half away to get me a new ID card. I was a little bummed that my hair didn’t last long enough for the photo. LOL
4. I worked on edits for one author. I also took care of a lot of administrivia—you know, stuff that has to be done but doesn’t move the goalposts or pay the bills.
5. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL continue to be amazing. All four girls in the house were there for me on surgery day even though we had to begin the drive at 4 AM. I really am the luckiest Nina in the world.

This next week…

1. This week is “Hell Week.” Um, by that I mean I have another chemo treatment on Monday. What follows for the rest of the week will not be pleasant.
2. Once Upon a Legend releases on September 17th! I hope you get your copy!
3. I want to wrap up Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st. I’m not sure I’ll have the energy to create, so I might have to push off finishing until the week after.
4. I’m working on editing projects for two authors this week. Two that I have to finish. So, I’ll be hoping for an hour or two of lucidity every morning to putter away.

Open Contests

Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs!

1. Word Search: Signs Fall is coming… (Contest) — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Movie Night! — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Tell me a story: Sweet dreams are made of these… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Katherine Eddinger Smits: Cassadaga, Florida: Spirits, Ghosts, and Mediums (Contest + FREE Read) — Win an Amazon gift card. Plus, pick up a FREE Read!

Puzzle-Contest!

Because I had a guest yesterday, I didn’t run my Saturday Puzzle-Contest! So, let’s do it today!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle… It’s a photo of a ridiculously, aesthetically pleasing woman hanging laundry. I can’t seem to resist these “cottagecore” photos. Anyway, solve the puzzle then tell me whether you still hang laundry to dry outside. 

UPDATE: The winner is…Amy Fendley!
*~*~*

Do you believe the spirit continues after death
and can communicate with the living?

This is a different question than asking if you believe in ghosts. Ghosts are often considered lingering echoes of a personality or energy tied to a place. Spiritualists, on the other hand, believe that when we die, our personalities transition to another plane of existence and can sometimes communicate with the living. Mediums claim they can contact these spirits and pass on messages to loved ones.

One town in central Florida that has become a hub for such beliefs is Cassadaga. Known by some as the “Psychic Capital of the World,” it’s a fascinating place for those curious about the paranormal. In Cassadaga, you can book a session with a psychic or medium, get your tarot cards read, have your astrological chart cast, or even try palm or tea leaf readings. The town also offers healing services and spiritual messages. Cassadaga was founded in 1894 by George Colby, a spiritualist from Lily Dale, New York, who said he was led to the spot by his spirit guide, Seneca.

My fascination with the occult drew me to Cassadaga years ago. During my college years, a friend and I spontaneously decided to visit and get a reading. However, with limited walk-in options for mediums, we took what we could get. I don’t remember much about the reading—it was pretty generic, and I felt a bit let down. Despite that, my interest in the town never faded.

Years later, after retiring from my career as a VA social worker and working on my fifth book, Witch Trial Legacy, which is set in the town, I decided it was time to revisit Cassadaga for research. I shared my plans with fellow writers from my local Romance Writers of America chapter, and two friends asked to join me. We set up a date and planned our trip.

The day of our visit finally came. My husband drove, while Adele, her husband, and Donna (names changed for privacy) rode along with us. We took the scenic route, adding an extra hour to our drive, and stopped for lunch around noon, thinking we’d reach Cassadaga shortly after.

But, as life would have it, Donna received an urgent call about her cat, which was seriously ill. Distraught, she asked to go home, and of course, we did. After eight hours on the road, we returned home without ever reaching our destination. Ironically, Donna’s cat ended up being fine.

A few months later, my husband and I made another attempt—just the two of us this time. The weather was perfect: sunny, with a light breeze, and not too humid for Florida. As soon as we arrived in Cassadaga, I felt a peaceful atmosphere wash over me. The pace of life there seemed slower, and everyone was friendly and welcoming. We explored the town, taking photos of the signs advertising readings and spiritual services. We had a lovely lunch at the Cassadaga Hotel, browsed the gift shop, and checked out the camp bookstore. Though I didn’t get a reading, the day left a lasting impression on me.

Since then, I’ve felt a deep connection to Cassadaga—it’s a place unlike any other. If you’ve been there and read Witch Trial Legacy, I hope the setting feels familiar to you. If you haven’t visited yet, I highly recommend you do!

Witch Trial Legacy
(The Cassadaga Collection Book 1)

Sybilla Sanborn must break a centuries old curse before everything she cares about goes up in smoke.

Sybilla is a nurse gifted with the ability to heal with her touch but cursed with visions of future tragedies she cannot prevent because no one heeds her warnings. With help from the mediums of the spiritualist town of Cassadaga, Florida, she learns she is descended from both the first person executed for witchcraft in this country and the man who accused her.

Conn Ahern is an Iraq war vet dealing with pain and PTSD while working as a paramedic and struggling to save the ranch his grandmother founded. He’s an atheist who wants nothing to do with the people of the town.

When Conn and Sybilla meet, sparks fly, but not always in a good way, and their relationship fans the flames of jealousy and revenge in someone who doesn’t want them to work things out.

During a séance, her ancestor’s spirit reveals how Sybilla can rid herself of the curse and save Conn, but the price may be too high.

Buy Witch Trial Legacy from Amazon

Contest

To win a $5.00 Amazon gift card, please reply to this post with your answer to the question I asked at the beginning: Do you believe the spirit continues after death and can communicate with the living?

About Katherine Eddinger Smits

From an early age, Katherine was captivated by fairy tales. After devouring the Brothers Grimm and similar collections, she eagerly explored mythology, legends, gothic romance, fantasy, and science fiction.

Growing up near Florida’s Weeki Wachee mermaid attraction, Katherine spent countless hours swimming in the springs, pretending to be a mermaid. Although she once considered auditioning as a Weeki Wachee mermaid, her true wish was to be a real one—a dream that, unsurprisingly, didn’t come true.

Since life as a mermaid wasn’t an option, Katherine earned a master’s degree in social work and dedicated her career to helping veterans and their families—a role she cherished.

Now in retirement, she has the time to immerse herself in reading and bring her imagined worlds to life. Spiced with mystery and suspense, her stories of fantasy and romance feature gifted humans overcoming real-life challenges in a contemporary world full of mages, mermaids, and fantastic creatures.

For a free short story, monthly contests, freebies, and fun, join Katherine’s newsletter community. Get Your Free Short Story!

That song by the Eurythmics is playing in my head this morning. I awoke at 4 A.M. but felt refreshed. When I drifted off before 10 last night, I was still floating on a little leftover fentanyl, was lifted a bit by the hydrocodone I took to ease the itchy ache of the new CHEMO PORT sitting just under my skin on the right side of my chest, and was assisted by the kick of the melatonin I took. I was determined my sleep would indeed be sweet and deep.

With sleep, all things feel possible. Without it, I’ve discovered, I can actually dip into depression—something I’ve never really experienced before—and I don’t like it. It changes me. So, I am looking at planning for better sleep come chemo week (next week).

So, with sleep in mind, here’s today’s challenge! See the pretty watercolor below? (Wish it was mine!) For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, what helps you get a great night’s sleep? Or, tell me what she’s dreaming about…

I’m updating plans for the week. I have to cram as much as I can into this week because next week is chemo on Monday, and based on the last round, I know I’ll be toast for the rest of the week. I’m trying to get a little ahead of myself and pre-post some things, so I don’t have to even think about work next week. We’ll see. I’m still not functioning at my pre-chemo level—and I do know how ridiculous that sounds, but I have to have goals!!!

Report Card

Last week…

1. Recovery from chemo continued. Insomnia, lack of stamina are lingering issues. I had a blood draw on Thursday and had to rush to Hot Springs to the main clinic for a white blood cell booster shot. My WBC count was in the toilet.
2. Workwise? Progress was uneven. On good days, I powered through edits for myself and one author.
3. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL continue to be awesome. They get me to my appointments, see that I’m fed, and make sure I’m included in some family activities so that I feel “connected.” They keep me grounded and happy.

This next week…

1. This week will be ungodly busy. I have an appointment with my oncologist, an appointment with the surgeon who will install my chemo port, and the port surgery at O-dark-thirty on Thursday.
2. I will complete revising and upload Once Upon a Legend, which releases on September 17th!
3. I want to wrap up, Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st.
4. I’m working on editing projects for three authors this week and am determined to complete two.
5. Hopefully, I’ll get out of the house this week for something fun. I want to stretch my legs at the flea market. I have to start walking since I can’t swim—and it has to be this week because next week is chemo week.

Open Contests

1. Gabbi Grey: A Little Risqué (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE eBook or audio book!
2. Krysten Lindsay Hager: Top 10 Favorite TV Shows to Escape With (Series FREE in KU!) — Be sure to pick up the series for FREE in KU!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Signs of Fall…? — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Happy Labor Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Word Search: Signs Fall is coming… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Movie Night! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Steph!
*~*~*

Did you notice I didn’t post yesterday? Sorry about that. I posted daily without fail for over five years. Now, if I’m tired and I don’t have a guest’s post, I just won’t. Rest has been my priority. Insomnia has been a thing for the past few weeks. I can be plenty tired when I lay down, but the moment my head hits the pillow… Well, at first, it was due to painful muscles and joints. I got into the habit of sucking down a hydro at night, but it doesn’t really help with sleep. Last night, my dd gave me a melatonin gummy, and I slept for 7.5 hours!!!!!  I feel sooooo good. The only other thing that happened this week was I had a blood draw, and the clinic called me a couple of hours later and told me to get to Hot Springs ASAP because my white blood count had dropped into the dumpster, and they needed me to come in for an injection to help with that. So, my poor dd had yet another appointment to take me to. Next week’s calendar is pretty full, too. Multiple appointments, my port surgery, finally. Then, the following week, I’ll be sitting in the chemo chair again. Ugh. I’m still trying to figure out the rhythm of the appointments and how they affect my body so I can try to get to a new normal.

But enough of that!

All the girls are home today, so we plan on having a lazy movie day later this afternoon. Pizza and The Proposal, I think. The 11-year-old’s first celebrity crush is Ryan Reynolds, so we thought that would be fun for her. In the meantime, I have some work I need to get out of the way. The weather has taken a sudden turn. The air is a little nippy outside. It’s almost sweater weather. That’s not nearly as good as swim weather, but we have to enjoy the change of seasons. It’s that or be grumpy throughout the Fall, and that’s not permitted!

I hope you all have a lazy, pleasant day. Solve the puzzle then tell me what you’re planning to do for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Theresa Privette!
*~*~*

Let’s have some fun today!

This morning, while I was enjoying coffee outside with my dd and the girls were getting ready for school, the sky was overcast, and there was the slightest chill in the air. Lately, we’ve been making lots of lists, having the girls thinking about Christmas gifts they’d like and things we’d like to do this Fall to enjoy the season. My dd has already changed out her seasonal decorations in the living room. We’re going to pack as much fun and nostalgia into this coming Fall and Winter as we can—concentrating on happiness.

So, I know it’s still early for some to even think about the Fall—heck, we still have some very warm days ahead of us here in the South—but I was thinking about all the things I do look forward to. My list isn’t all that random. I’m sure you can relate to some of the items I’ve listed. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me about things you look forward to with the change of seasons, your “signs” that Fall is coming…

UPDATE: The winner is…Laura Bowles!
*~*~*

I am just popping in to say Happy Labor Day to all of you U.S. residents! It marks the unofficial end to summer and is a national holiday—so the kids are home for the day! We’re keeping it lowkey. The SIL is cooking burgers on the grill. Perhaps we’ll have a movie night (we’re thinking Fall Guy). We’re sticking close to home and to each other.

If you’re celebrating, what are your plans? If you’re not a U.S. resident, do you have a similar holiday? Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!