UPDATE: The winner is…MARG!
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Puzzle-Contest

I chose this image for you to “un-puzzle” because I’m a very, very mean person. Kidding. (Using my Kristen Wiig voice there!) However, I wanted a challenging puzzle today, so I’m inflicting my desire upon you. So…mean. 🙂

So, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle and tell me your time, then let me know what image you think is missing from this illustration!

UPDATE: The winner is…Lori Sisson.
*~*~*

I’m groggy today. I spent a good portion of the day trying to watch the inauguration while I was editing. Then, because I was obsessed with the TV, I turned everything off last night and painted. By the time I actually looked at a clock, it was past midnight! And of course, this a.m., I still had to be up to help get kids ready for online school and testing. So…groggy.

Today, I have tons more editing to do. Plus, I have to spend some time either writing or thinking about Hardman’s story. I almost have the opening scene done, and it’s a very fun takedown. On a cold-ass river. Guess who gets soaked to the bone by the skip? Yeah, you’ll have to wait.

But here’s a picture of a Montana river. Something to tide you over. I’ve used this landscape background before on a cover. I love it so much!

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what “thing” you have to do today. Big or small. 

 Open Contests

Enter while you still can!

1. My day, so far… (Contest–2 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
2. Tell me a story… (Puzzle-Contest) — Win a FREE book!
3. Cover Reveal! (Contest) — Win a FREE book!

UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Todd!
*~*~*

It’s Saturday! I’m catching up on email and administrivia! I finished and uploaded Preacher a couple of days ago. I can’t wait for you to read it! The book releases on Tuesday, January 19th! I hope you already have it pre-ordered. 🙂

In the meantime, let’s have some fun!

Puzzle-Contest

For a chance to win a download of any of my currently available Montana Bounty Hunters, tell me what awaits her at the bottom! Have fun with this challenge!

UPDATE: The winner is…Debbie Caswell!
*~*~*

I’m a collector of odd objects. My daughter says I’m a hoarder, but I’m slowly sharing my obsessive nature with her. She’s now collecting vintage Pyrex mixing bowls and refrigerator dishes and hunts them down on eBay and at flea markets with zeal. 🙂

I have many collections. A few of them include fortune-telling teacups, Russian lacquer boxes, McDonald’s kids toys (I have all the How to Train Your Dragon figures!), superhero Funko Pop figures (I have an RGB one—she was a superhero to me!), Strangling ornaments, weird and funny pens, to name a few…. And I also collect antique depression glass vanity powder jars from the 40s and 50s. I have five of them now. They aren’t expensive at all, but they are “collectible”. Most are glass with an animal on top. The puzzle is a picture of my latest acquisition. You can even rest a lipstick between its wings!

Puzzle-Contest

Solve the puzzle then share something about collecting, whether it’s something you collect or your mother/sister/dad/whoever collected. Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

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

It’s simple. And I’ll start the preparations at the end of February because it takes weeks! Hopefully by the end of March, all will be ready because there have been years when I could start enjoying “it” by mid-April. That’s the plan, anyway!

Solve the puzzle so you know what I’m looking forward to. Then, share what you’re looking forward to for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Damaris Schuler!
*~*~*

I won’t be raising a glass tonight. I’m not much of a drinker. However, I will be burning sage and a handwritten note wishing only good things for the New Year. 2020 has been such a powerful mix of horror and happiness that I’m ambivalent about its ending. Let me explain.

The year started with the death of my mother in January. That was bad enough and required a lot of adjustment. My dd and her family moved into our family home, and we’ve been unpacking and decorating, and making this place into OUR home.

The pandemic has, of course, dominated the year. Like many, many people, our family hunkered down, starting in March, unsure of what the future held. When the initial lockdown ended, we enrolled all four kids in online instruction. We’ve masked, done no traveling, and ordered our groceries for curbside pickups. We’ve watched the news for every bit of new guidance regarding safety and shared what we learned. We’ve done our part and kept our loved ones safe. We’re crossing our fingers that we’ll be able to do the same in the new year.

All those things could have hung like a dark cloud over us. Instead, we’ve managed to find ways to make this time very special as a family. We make everything an event. We’ve learned to FaceTime with those we love. For example, a couple of nights ago, we “met” with my son and he participated while we went through destashing bags of old jewelry that I’ve collected from flea markets and eBay. We spent three hours online, laughing and trying things on.

My dd has thrown herself into new hobbies—like sign-making with her Cricut and creating book graphics for me for use on Instagram and Facebook. I threw myself into painting. We’re looking forward to re-opening my Etsy store in January with all-new offerings of art and jewelry. She’s experimented with new recipes for the fabulous meals she’s cooks.

We have movie nights, family game nights. In the summer, we spent many, many hours in the pool. We’ve all grown closer. Even the teenagers aren’t dark and gloomy about the prospect of another year of restrictions because we’ve put in the work to make this work.

So, we’re now a glass-half-full family. I hope that you’ve found your silver linings, too!

New Year’s Eve Puzzle Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me how, or if, you’ll be celebrating tonight! Enjoy the puzzle!

I’ve been up since O-dark-thirty! Had to beat the kids out of bed to get ready for the big day! Presents have been opened, and everyone was thrilled with their gifts. Watching the youngest kid open her gifts was so much fun! She’s still into Cabbage Patch dolls and Barbies, and her face lit up with every gift. I got her a fancy karaoke microphone. Her mom gave me a “you’re so dead” look before telling the wee one how cool the present was. (I love this part of being a grandma!)

My dd has already started preparations for our meal. We’ll have it early so one of her daughters can spend the rest of the day with her dad’s family, so we’re having a very early meal. A Christmas tradition we began three years ago (because, after Thanksgiving, we get pretty sick of turkey and ham), is to serve an international meal. So far, we’ve done Mexican, Senagalese, and today, we’ll have a German meal, complete with jaeger schnitzel, brats, sauerkraut, etc. And of course, lots of German cookies for snacking while we watch Wonder Woman 1984!

Here’s hoping you are enjoying your day, too.
I wish you all the merriest of Christmases!

Merry Christmas Puzzle!

When you have some time for yourself, enjoy the puzzle version of the ornament! My Christmas gift to you!