Wednesday, December 5th, 2018
That’s how I feel anyway. Hot, cold, nauseous. I’m going to let my dd pamper me today…
Blog
Tuesday, December 4th, 2018
What is that, you ask?
That’s my pie-in-the-sky plan for December. I keep a calendar like this every month to keep track of what I have to accomplish. Always, always, something drops off because I’m always too ambitious. But I’m a dreamer.
If it’s not too tiny on your screen, you’ll see I plan to have three releases this month: Wolf, this Friday; Stepbrothers Stepping Out — With His Client, on the 18th; and maybe, if I finish it in time, the last of the Stepbrothers Stepping Out —With His SEAL Team stories (just in time for the holiday!) on December 24th.
Days 1-3, you’ll note there’s a lot of light blue. That denotes what I’ve already accomplished. The red numbers? Words I wrote. See the bright green? That’s a FREE class I’ll be teaching for authors, called “Write 50 Books a Year!” So, yes, amid all the writing, I’ll be teaching. And I don’t have any editing tasks reflected here, but I expect two books in this month to edit—two long ones! And when they get here, my plan will likely have to be rejiggered again.
Why am I sharing? Because, sometimes, I wonder if folks think I sit eating bon-bons all the time. Not reflected in this schedule are the following: blogging, organizing critique rounds, reading-answering a gazillion emails a month, organizing promo for releases, sending out newsletters, etc.
I work. And it’s more than a full-time job…
Monday, December 3rd, 2018
I have two major traditions that we count on this time of year. One is seeing The Nutcrackerwith my two daughters. We usually see the ballet, but every now and then, we mix it up. A couple of times we saw The Nutcrackeron horseback (the performers all ride horses and do tricks). Yes, it’s as weird as it sounds. This year, we’re going to see a hip-hop version. I’m not sure how well that’s going to go over with my youngest, who dances ballet, but she’s willing to check it out.
While seeing The Nutcracker is a tradition for my daughters, the other tradition is all mine. Every year, my best friend and I get together and bake Christmas cookies that we then give away to everyone we know. We started doing this when we were teenagers, and now, more than 30 years later, we’re still going strong. Through college, dating, first jobs, marriages, babies, divorce—you name it, we experienced it and still got together for cookie baking. It’s quite the production. We usually bake about 25 different kinds of cookie. I’m not sure how many batches total, but it’s a lot.
Over the years, our kids have all had a hand in cookie day. Unwrapping Hershey’s Kisses, rolling dough, sprinkling or decorating, and of course, sampling everything. They count on cookie day as part of their traditions, but it’s a special day for me and my best friend. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without it.
Because of my own fractured family experiences, I’ve always been drawn to big, rambunctious families. That’s why I write what I do. I believe family gives us grounding and connection in life. Found family is as real as born family and I think my books reflect that.
I am currently re-releasing my O’Learys series about a big, Irish-American family in Chicago. Next month, the beginning of my Daring Divorcees series will launch about friends who all met in a divorce support group and are now ready for the next phase in their lives.
For a chance to win a digital copy of More Than This (O’Learys #1), leave a comment sharing your favorite tradition or your favorite cookie.
I will draw a random winner from the comments by the end of the week.
Social media links:
Web site — https://www.shannynschroeder.com
Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6575201.Shannyn_Schroeder
Twitter — https://twitter.com/SSchroeder_
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/shannyn.schroeder
Book and Main Bites — https://bookandmainbites.com/Shannyn
More Than This
A sexy bartender stirs up a daily lesson plan for an adventurous teacher…
When she discovers her ex-husband is about to be a father, Quinn Adams is on a mission. Determined to get pregnant without the commitment of a man, Quinn sets out for her own adventure. But everyone seems to think she need to focus on herself first. With a list of challenges compiled but her sister and their friend, Quinn embarks on some life-altering fun.
Her first challenge is to go on five dates within two weeks. After a few disastrous attempts, Quinn’s ready to give up—until sexy bartender Ryan O’Leary offers his assistance. Ryan is the go-to person for everyone in his large family, so it’s natural for him to want to help Quinn. However, as they get to know each other better, friendship with Quinn isn’t enough for him. Now, it’s time for him to show her how serious the Irish can be. Will the bartender quench Quinn’s thirst by mixing up more than she ever imagined?
Buy links:
Sunday, December 2nd, 2018
The past few days have been sooooooo stressful! I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote, but I finally got to THE END!
And none too soon! Wolf releases this Friday! I shouldn’t admit this, but I wasn’t sure I’d get there. The main reason? I didn’t know where the story was going. Most times, I have notes jotted, a plan of some sort, but for Wolf I just had no idea!!!!!
Every day I sat in front of my computer and thought, What happens now? And somehow, when I placed my fingers on the keys, the story came. I was helped along quite a bit by Reaper. Do you remember him? The hero of the first book in the Montana Bounty Hunters series? He plays a major role in the story. His gruff, cranky, attitude-filled voice was hovering beside my ear. I heard his voice, and he led me forward every time I thought I was empty, without words.
It’s weird to say it, but it’s true. Sometimes, I feel as though I’m not the author at all. And there you have it. Like a lot of authors, I’m sure I have a mental illness or somehow I open an alternate universe where these “characters” slip through and reveal themselves. All I do is sit, let my fingers hover over the keys, and let them come.
I hope you’re looking forward to Wolf! I can’t wait to see what you think!
Saturday, December 1st, 2018
It always seems impossible until it’s done.
~ Nelson Mandela
I’m in the middle of the last chapter of the book I have to finish by tomorrow! So until then—my head’s down and my fingers are poised…over the keys!
Not what you thought this blog would be about reading that subject line, right? Tsk-tsk!
Later! DD
Friday, November 30th, 2018
So, today’s post is shoooorrrrrrt!
I have my head down but have no idea where my story’s going. I need a cup of coffee to clear the sludge from my brain. So, I’m heading to the pot now!
Any encouraging words for me, y’all?
(Told ya this would be short! 🙂 )
Thursday, November 29th, 2018
I want to thank Delilah for hosting me on her blog today. Now that Thanksgiving is over, talking about Christmas is officially fair game, right? 😊
Christmas is always a fun time of year for me. I live in Wisconsin, so the holidays are often accompanied by a beautiful snowfall. And I have two sons, ages ten and seven, so the excitement that goes with decorating, baking, parties, and gift exchanges is ever-present. Not that there isn’t a fair bit of chaos around the holidays as well, but I take the good with the bad!
Last year, my brother and his wife flew in from Singapore and declared that they wanted to make a family Christmas video that would serve as our holiday greeting card to extended family and loved ones that year. My brother had written an entire script, with everyone having speaking and singing roles. It ended up being quite the production and took a good chunk of time to accomplish, but it’s now in our DVD collection and is something I anticipate becoming a Christmas tradition—watching our “Family Christmas Special” on Christmas Eve and sipping hot cocoa while a fire crackles in the fireplace.
My youngest asked me what we were going to do for our Christmas video this year, and I had to laugh. I think that endeavor was a one-time thing, but it’s always fun to make memories, engage in old family traditions or create new ones.
For our family, that means spending a Saturday in December baking cookies all day with my mom, sister and nieces. Eating chocolate chip pancakes on Christmas morning before reading the story of Jesus’ birth and opening presents around the real pine Christmas tree. The kids will play with the “Activity Scene” (what they used to call the VeggieTales Nativity scene we pull out every year). And Christmas is the one day my husband puts on his baggy, bright green Grinch tee shirt—a gift from our youngest a few years ago.
What Christmas traditions do you have? Do the holidays bring you joy, or make you cringe?
Before I go, I want to share about my novella Christmas in Meadow Creek, which is a small town romance that I hope warms your heart. This sweet, uplifting story took only three weeks to write. The relationship between the main characters, Lincoln and Sarah, flowed effortlessly onto the pages. I wanted to keep the subject matter and storyline lighthearted in hopes that this story would bring a sense of love, joy, and belonging this holiday season. And since it’s a novella, it won’t take long to be drawn into the characters’ lives and watch the story unfold in this beautiful, small Wisconsin town.
Christmas in Meadow Creek
Sarah Laughlin left her big-city life and dead-end relationship behind for a fresh start as a fourth-grade teacher in the small, Wisconsin town of Meadow Creek. And it feels like home, too, despite the persistent troublemaker in her class and the lack of familiar faces. But the holidays are going to be lonely this year. Until she meets firefighter Lincoln Thompson. Suddenly, the hope of spending Christmas with someone she cares about is within reach.
Lincoln loves his home town of Meadow Creek, but ever since his long-time girlfriend left him for a better life in the city, he wonders if he’ll ever find love in this small town where everyone knows everyone. Then he meets Sarah during her class’s field trip to his firehouse, and a spark is lit. But when they discover that Sarah’s troublemaking student is none other than Lincoln’s beloved nephew, their newfound relationship is put to the test. Can they navigate through the complexities of family dynamics to find a love that will last.
Order your copy today at https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Meadow-Anaiah-Romance-Novella-ebook/dp/B07K6XLK8B/.
About the Author
Katy Eeten is the wife of a youth pastor and mother of two school-age boys. She works full-time in the business world, but her true passion is writing. She has published Contemporary Christian Romance Blast From Her Past and has another novel, A Heart Held Captive, due out next spring. Her novella Christmas in Meadow Creek just released this month. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found taking walks, baking goodies, dining out, or spending time with her family.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyEeten/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/KatyEeten
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatyEeten/
Website: https://katyeeten.wordpress.com/
