www.ginabriganti.com

Desert Sunrise Has A New Cover!

~ Gina Briganti ~ Leave a comment

A hot one night stand after her best friend’s wedding could not turn into her wildest fantasy come true. Could it? Their best friends haven’t been hiding a connection to a parallel world or the fact that they’re sharing a psychic bond that will change everything they know is true and real. Right?

Restaurant critic Lucy Shannon’s ex-fiancé put her heart in a blender and punched the puree button. A couple years of therapy later she knows how to enjoy herself for a night when the right ranch foreman asks.

Stan Spellman has seen one or two happily married couples but his heart has never been stolen. Lucy’s a safe bet since she lives hours away from the ranch.

They’ll find out what they unlocked the moment they were introduced; a soulmate bond and their own set of extraordinary gifts.

The bond will bring them together however it has to.

Buy Desert Sunrise today and immerse yourself in this twisty, sexy fantasy romance.

Thanks for celebrating Lucy and Stan’s news! Many, many thanks to Victoria Cooper Art for bringing them to life.

What’s your good news today?

Gina

It’s Fall, Y’all. Have Some Avocado Pumpkin Ginger Pudding.

~ Gina Briganti ~ 2 Comments

C.D. Hersh, authors of The Promised One (Turning Stone Chronicles, Book 1) join me in my virtual kitchen today with a creamy, dreamy treat.

from the kitchen of C.D. Hersh

Catherine has recently discovered avocado puddings. Never heard of them? Well, apparently they are full of good fats, loads of fiber, have a low glycemic index (which is important for those watching their carbs, and they can be made without dairy products, if you are vegan or lactose intolerant). They have the creaminess of instant puddings without the unnatural ingredients that come in that box. The extra bonus of avocado puddings–they taste good. The kiddos will never know they are eating something good for them. So far she’s experimented with chocolate, which was super chocolatey and not as sweet as it could have been since she skipped a lot of the sugar. She likes to see how low-sugar she can go.

Catherine loves pumpkin. Donald not so much. The other day she got a pumpkin craving so she decided to play with avocadoes and pumpkin. Her newest culinary invention is a Ginger Pumpkin pudding. She likes it, so she decided to share the recipe. She won’t guarantee this recipe that makes 4 servings is low calorie, but there is quite a bit of fiber in it to help offset some of the carbs.

Avocado Ginger Pumpkin Pudding
1 ripe avocado
¾ cup canned pumpkin
1 ½ – 2 cups vanilla flavored yogurt, divided.
½ tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
8 small gingerbread cookies, crushed, with 4 tsp. reserved
Canned whipped cream or make your own
4 tbsp. shaved chocolate, from a candy bar

Cut avocado in half, discarding pit and skin. Put flesh in a food processer and blend until smooth.

Add pumpkin, and ½ of yogurt, lemon juice and spices to avocado and blend until well mixed.

Spoon remaining yogurt into small glass dessert cups, filling cups about ½ full. Spread evenly in cup.

Spoon pumpkin mixture over the yogurt, spreading evenly.

Cover dishes with plastic wrap, gently pressing the wrap onto the top of the pudding.

Chill.

When ready to serve, top the pudding with the crushed gingerbread cookies, sprinkling evenly on top of pudding.

Add a dollop of whipped cream to top the pudding. Sprinkle reserved cookies and shaved chocolate on whipped cream.

Enjoy!

While you’re waiting for the dessert to chill, check out The Promised One, the first book in our Turning Stone Chronicle series.

When month and day are the age that is the time
When day and month are the time that is the age
When time and age agree, trinity becomes unity

If a mark didn’t come out of the bar soon, he’d have to change his hunting spot.

Danny Shaw glanced at his watch. In the past hour, only two men—too big for him to handle—had staggered out of the Dew Drop Inn Bar and Grill. He needed someone rich and easy to take down. And soon. If he arrived late again, he’d get canned. And if he lost one more job, he’d lose Lulu.

The door opened, spilling crowd noise and blue haze onto the dimly lit street. He moved back into the shadow of the building. Waiting.

A slender woman walked by, her legs wobbling on spiked heels as the hem of her blue slinky dress swished around her thighs. Whiskey and perfume wafted on the air. As she reached to smooth back her blond hair, a prism flashed on her ring finger.

As his gut tightened, adrenalin pumped through him. Perfect. Tipsy and a rock too. A big haul could make this his last job this week, allowing him more time to spend with Lulu.

He pulled his ski mask down then took his gun from his coat.

Withdrawing a silencer from his left pocket, he screwed it onto the barrel, and stepped out. The woman didn’t notice him, so he scanned the street for witnesses. No one around. Closing the gap, he made his move.

Shaw jammed the gun barrel in her back and hooked her arm. “Don’t scream,” he whispered, “and I might let you live.”

Under his hold, she stiffened. Her high heels tapped rapidly on the pavement as he steered her into the dark, littered alley. When they were well into the shadows, hidden from passersby, he shoved her against the graffiti-covered building. “Gimme your purse and jewelry.”

The woman raised perfectly manicured hands above her head, her shoulder angling toward him as she started to twist around.

“Keep your face to the wall,” he ordered.

She mumbled something into the bricks and then lowered her left hand, dangling a bejeweled handbag behind her head.

“Now the jewelry.” He snatched the purse.

She unhooked her necklace, slipped off her watch and diamond ring, then held them out.

He stuffed them into his pocket. “The other ring, too.”

“That ring has no value. It’s costume jewelry my niece gave me.”

“Take it off.”

“You’ve got my cash and credit cards, and my diamond. Isn’t that enough?”

Damn. He hated when they resisted. “Give me the ring.”

She gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “No.”

He jerked her around to face him. “Dammit, woman. Give me the freaking ring or I’ll blow your head off.” He yanked on the band.

Without warning, she swung her hand up, connecting with his jaw. Stunned, he stumbled backward, still clutching the hand with the ring. They fell to the pavement. Her hands clawed at his, and her feet kicked his shins, scrabbling their legs together.

Fighting for control. Fighting for the gun.

Wrapping his legs around hers, he rolled her over and pinned her beneath him with his body. Freeing his hand from her grasp, he slammed her skull on the ground. Her head rolled to the side and she lay still.

Certain he’d knocked her out, he tried to remove the ring from her finger. Suddenly she bolted up, head-banged him, and grabbed his gun hand.

As he struggled to keep control of the weapon, the barrel twisted toward him. Heart pounding, he watched his life flash in front of him.

Abusive childhood. Lousy job. Lulu. The elaborate wedding plans she’d made. He didn’t want to die. Not now.

He wrenched the gun toward the woman. The metallic pfft startled him. Round-eyed shock reflected in the woman’s face.

Shaw’s heart stopped racing as she relaxed in his grip, then amped back up, pounding against his ribs. Shit. Assault, battery, and now . . . murder. Quick and easy money to pay for the wedding. That’s all he’d been after. They’ll put me away for life if I get caught. Lulu’s gonna be pissed if I screw up her wedding plans.

Pushing into a squat, he stared at the dark stain spreading across the dress front. He removed the ring from the woman’s finger. She should have just given it to him.

The woman stared at him, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. “Return the ring, or you’ll be sorry.”

With a short laugh he stood. “Big words for someone bleeding to death.” After dropping the ring into his pocket, he gathered the scattered contents of her purse, and started to leave.

“Wait.” The words sounded thick and slurred . . . two octaves deeper . . . with a Scottish lilt.

Shaw frowned and spun back toward her. The pounding in his chest increased. On the ground, where the woman had fallen, lay a man.

He wore the same slinky blue dress she had—the seams ripped, the dress top collapsed over hard chest muscles, instead of smoothed over soft, rounded curves. The hem skimmed across a pair of hairy, thick thighs. Muscled male thighs. Spiked heels hung at an odd angle, toes jutting through the shoe straps. The same shoes she’d been wearing.

The alley tipped. Shaw leaned against the dumpster to steady himself. He shook his head to clear the vision, then slowly moved his gaze over the body.

A pair of steel-blue eyes stared out of a chiseled face edged with a trim salt-and-pepper beard. Shaw whirled around scanning the alley.

Where was the woman? And who the hell was this guy?

Terrified, Shaw fled.

The dying man called out, “You’re cursed. Forever.”

BUY LINKSAmazon e-book – Amazon Paperback

Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after.

The first four books of their paranormal romance series entitled The Turning Stone Chronicles are available on Amazon. They have a short Christmas story, Kissing Santa, in a Christmas anthology titled Sizzle in the Snow: Soul Mate Christmas Collection, with seven other authors. Also a novella, Can’t Stop The Music, with twelve other authors from various genres.

They look forward to many years of co-authoring and book sales, and a lifetime of happily-ever-after endings on the page and in real life.

Learn more about C.D. Hersh on their website and their Amazon Author Page.

Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Wow! That is one talented couple! I’m so lucky they stopped by to share a book and a snack with us!

Have you tried avocado puddings?

Thanks for reading,

Gina

Immoral By Brian Freeman (Jonathan Stride, #1, 2005) – Recommended Book Review

~ Gina Briganti ~ Leave a comment

In case you thought I read romance exclusively, I thought I should show you one of my favorite thriller authors and his stunning debut, Immoral. This book was recommended to me by my book buddy, Lynn. She has amazing taste.

It took a few pages for me to adjust to Freeman’s writing voice. That was before I spent every spare moment with this book. And stole time from the rest of my life to read. The book clearly lived up to the buzz I heard about it.

The most gripping part for me was the trial. I would cover the opposite page as I read so I wouldn’t have even a tiny hint at what was coming next.

I’ll give fair warning that this story is not for the faint of heart. It is gritty and disturbing. The twisty tale is told in circles that lead back to the place where it will blindside Stride the hardest.

Falling a little bit in love with Stride was inevitable for me, just like the blurbs said I would. He’s flawed, determined, and passionate. Maybe that’s his charm?

It’s amazing how a kind author like Freeman can craft gut-wrenching tales like this one. Lucky for me, he keeps doing it. There are currently eleven books in the Jonathan Stride series.

Blurb

In a riveting debut thriller that has drawn comparisons to masters of the genre like Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly, Brian Freeman weaves obsession, sex, and revenge into a story that grips the reader with vivid characters and shocking plot twists from the first page to the last.

Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is suffering from an ugly case of déjà vu. For the second time in a year, a beautiful teenage girl has disappeared off the streets of Duluth, Minnesota—gone without a trace, like a bitter gust off Lake Superior. The two victims couldn’t be more different.  First it was Kerry McGrath, bubbly, sweet sixteen.  And now Rachel Deese, strange, sexually charged, a wild child.  The media hounds Stride to catch a serial killer, and as the search carries him from the icy stillness of the northern woods to the erotic heat of Las Vegas, he must decide which facts are real and which are illusions.  And Stride finds his own life changed forever by the secrets he uncovers.  Secrets that stretch across time in a web of lies, death, and illicit desire.  Secrets that are chillingly…immoral.

Click here to go to the Immoral page on Brian Freeman’s website.

Do you have reading plans for the weekend?

Thanks for the time we spend together!

Gina


An Unusual Garden Quiz By Catherine Castle

~ Gina Briganti ~ 6 Comments

Catherine is sharing a fun garden quiz with us today! I loved playing with these questions and answers. Tell me how many answers you know and what you think of this quiz.

An Unusual Garden Quiz

I’ve been on a binge to clean out my office files. Unfortunately, or fortunately for this blog, I can’t throw anything out until I’ve read it. I found this gem in one of the long-forgotten garden files I came across. I thought it would be fun to share. I have no idea where I got it because it was written in longhand on a yellowed piece of tablet paper in a hand writing that sort of resembles mine, but isn’t. I put the answers way, way at the bottom of the post so you won’t be tempted to cheat.

I was able to come up with 3 answers, and two of those were not the ones listed on the quiz paper. Number 1 and 11 have two possible answers. And I hadn’t heard of the flower reference in number 15, so I looked it up on the internet when I finally gave up guessing. I learned a new gardening tidbit today. Yeah!

Take the quiz and see how well you can figure out the answers. I’ll give you a hint: None of them are depicted in the cartoon flower at the top of the blog.

Garden Flower Quiz

1. Plant a kitten and what will come up?

2. What flower is a very precise lady?

3. Plant a bag of flour and what will come up?

4. What is lost by men when they marry?

5. Plant a sunrise and what will come up?

6. Plant one of Cupid’s arrows and what will come up?

7. What flowers are fragrant letters?

8. Plant a kiss and what will come up?

9. Plant a preacher and what will come up?

10. What flower tells the time of day?

11. Plant grief and what will come up?

12. What flower is a well-dressed, ferocious animal?

13. Plant a tin horn and what will come up?

14. Plant a gilded cane and what will come up?

15. What flower is a tattered bird?

So, how many did you figure out without looking? I’d love to know what your answers were. Leave me a note in the comments, please.

About the Author: Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog

Catherine, and her book heroines love flowers. In Catherine’s inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, the heroine, Sister Margaret Mary, has the job of gardener in the convent. Check out the blurb below, or go to Amazon and pick up a copy of this multi-award-winning book.

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and

opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

Quiz Answers:

1. Pussywillow/cat tails

2. Primrose

3. Dusty miller

4. Bachelor buttons

5. Sunflower

6. Bleeding heart

7. Sweet peas

8. Tulips

9. Jack-in-the-pulpit

10. Four-o’clocks

11. Weeping willow/morning glory

12. Dandelion

13. Trumpet flowers

14. Golden rod

15. Ragged robin

Those curious souls, the cartoon plant depicts: Blue bells, bat plant, hen and chicks, lady slippers, snake plant, spider wort and snapdragons.

Was that unusual enough for you? :p

Gina

Sharon Ledwith’s #authorlife Experiment: Making the Unfamiliar, Familiar

~ Gina Briganti ~ 2 Comments

Last month I followed Sharon’s #authorlife experiment on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Her challenge was to post a new photo and tell us how it illustrated her life as an author.

Post after post revealed parts of her life that I recognized in my own and inspired me with new ideas. By the end of the month I was really glad she took the challenge because I felt a new, deeper connection with her.

Now you get to read how the challenge effected her and what might be in it for you if you tried to do the same. She’s already warmed up the hashtag for you.

Last Photo Of Sharon With Her Buddy

I’m sure you’ve heard that getting out of your comfort zone can be a painful, often scary experience, but the end results usually end in transformation and growth. Right? Well, I recently watched a YouTube video done by Canadian entrepreneur Evan Carmichael about trying to share an image of yourself on your social media accounts for 30 days straight, and then seeing what happens after the month has ended. The thought of doing that made me squirm inside. You see, I’m an introvert at heart, and like to keep my personal life…well, personal. Sharing an image of myself—with all my winkles and flaws—a day for an entire month seemed downright weird and just a little egostical. Besides, what kind of image would I post, and what would I talk about? Then, I approached my publisher, Justine with this idea, and she suggested that I share an image of a day in the life of an author, and call it #authorlife. My eyes widened, and I resonated with her suggestion immediately.


So, choosing the month of September 2019 for my #authorlife experiment, I decided to take a shot and put myself out there for 30 days sharing what it’s like to live in my ‘author’ shoes. And yes, it was scary, and yes it was painful, but I managed to complete this task, not missing a day, but one—September 10th, the day after we put our 12-year-old Labrador down. I dedicated that #authorlife spot to my yellow fellow, who went peacefully in my arms the day before. I was a mess and grieving for weeks after that, but plodded on, taking selfies and sharing what I was up to each day. It was awkward and hard, but I managed to make the unfamiliar, familiar, and I found it got easier to find things to share and talk about.

I’ll Miss You, Lorri Carpenter

Using my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, I shared book marketing ideas, books I’m reading, a dedication to my dear author friend, Lorri Carpenter who passed away the same week as my dog, my morning exercise regime, took you grocery shopping, for a walk, paying bills, researching for my work-in-progress, flashed shameless plugs, and the list went on. After all, life if full of mundane routines too. And a writer’s life is no exception. I’m sure Stephen King still takes out the trash or puts away the dishes. Makes us human, and more relatable.


One of the most cherished #authorlife images was taken on Labor Day with my dog just before I took him for his walk. It was the last photo I have of him before he passed on a week later. You can’t get moments like that back. Ever. So I would like to think that this little experiment was a success. Personally and professionally. I managed to get way out of my comfort zone, build up my social media platforms, engaged with people who seemed quite interested in my journey, had fun, got creative, and shared a piece of myself that I would have never shared before. Did this result in more book sales? Not sure, but I really don’t care. This was about growing as a person, getting more self-confident, and seeing how much I changed throughout the month. Especially when I wasn’t wearing any makeup! LOL! How brave was that? Wink.

One Of The Most Commented On Posts!

Would I do it again? Not for 30 days straight, but I’ve decided to keep posting my #authorlife images at least once or twice a week. It’s an investment in my self-worth, and hopefully will help other writers by giving them ideas or letting them know that they’re not alone in this crazy publishing business. Plus, you put yourself out there, and connect with people on a different level where you’re not pandering to them, but giving them a smile or helping hand instead. And that’s what I call success in any vocation. I want to thank all those who traveled this #authorlife journey with me, and commented on, liked, or shared what I’d been doing that day. Your kindness and support are so appreciated.

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.Connect with Sharon Ledwith:

Sharon’s Website: www.sharonledwith.com

Sharon’s Blog: http://sharonledwith.blogspot.com/

Sharon’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/seledwithThe Last Timekeepers Series Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Last-Timekeepers-Time-Travel-Series/373953795955372

Twitter: @sharonledwith: https://twitter.com/?iid=am-82952056813386643146889016&nid=23+following_user&uid=525750371&utm_content=profile#!/sharonledwithGoodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5821744.Sharon_Ledwith

What’s your favorite part of this post? I’d love to know!

Thanks for reading!

Gina

Tami Cowden Presents Fallen Heroes Workshop In Richardson, Texas October 12th, 2019

~ Gina Briganti ~ Leave a comment

October 12, 2019: Tami Cowden presents Fallen Heroes: Sixteen Master Villian Archetypes

This workshop has a fee & attendees must be a member of RWA.

A workshop based on Ms. Cowden’s latest book. Sixteen literary villain archetypes are identified and their motivations examined. Reveals and shows what happens when heroes and heroines turn to the dark side.

Tami Cowden lives and writes in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her first novel, Cruising for Love, won a Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America, and was published initially by Avalon. It is now available from Montlake Romance.

Tami is also the coauthor of The Complete Writers Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes, a guide to characterization for writers. Tami has presented writing programs on characterization, plotting and scene building at more than 100 writing conferences and retreats, as well as online. Due to popular demand, she also authored a follow up book, Fallen Heroes: Sixteen Villain Archetypes.

A lawyer by day, she is now working on a mystery series about a divorce lawyer who inherits a Las Vegas wedding chapel. Tami lives in Las Vegas with her husband, two basset hounds, and four cats. Visit her website by clicking here.

Click here for details and registration.

Do you use The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines:Sixteen Master Archetypes when you’re building a character?

If you’re coming to the workshop, be sure to tell me so we can say hi!

Thanks for reading!

Gina


Recommended Book Review: Invitation To Scandal (Lady Quin’s Houseparty Book 1) By Legne Hardt

~ Gina Briganti ~ Leave a comment

I have a new (book) boyfriend. It’s shameful, really, because he’s married. I don’t think I want his wife to find out about my crush, either, because she’s unpredictable and not afraid of a scandal. She’ll cause one if it’s what needs to happen. He’s pretty dishy, though, so I might have to risk it.

The couple I’m referring to are Allan and Rosamund in Invitation To Scandal.

This book stands out for a few reasons that I think are admirable.

  1. It’s a debut novel! This author has done the work of learning how to tell a story, how to build characters, and how to delight a reader.
  2. I was grabbed from the beginning and was never let go or let down. There aren’t many books I can say that about. This book seduced me and I loved every moment of it. This is exactly the experience I’m looking for when I read.
  3. Historical is a genre I grew up with, but have been pulled away from by fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal. The last historical I gave five stars to was My Highland Lord by Tarah Scott in 2014.
  4. My favorite moment in this book is when Rosamund realizes she’s in love with my crush, er, her husband.
  5. The character of Allan. Yummy, yum, yum, yum. He’s intelligent, handsome, sexy, manly, and a good man.
  6. Learning about the Georgian era has been an unexpected bonus. As you see from number three, I’m typically drawn to highland lairds.
  7. There are a lot of other interesting character’s stories told in the book, which means I can continue reading the series to see what happens with the characters I connected to most.
  8. It is naughty!

Blurb

Revenge. Scandal. And falling in love…

Rosamund was only waiting on her childhood sweetheart to make his proposal, for her future to begin. When instead he announces his betrothal to another, she turns to a man quite beneath her for comfort, and is surprised to find herself content with Mr. Allan Barre. Some hurts cannot be healed however, and when the new Lady Quin includes Mr. and Mrs. Barre in her first houseparty, Rosamund is determined to have her revenge.

She’ll make sure the prim Lady Quin’s houseparty is wracked by scandal. And enjoy herself doing it, for Allan has introduced her to the pleasures of passion. But will those pleasures be made greater by love, or will Rosamund’s temper destroy her happiness?

Invitation to Scandal is the first book in Lady Quin’s Houseparty. A naughty little romp, it follows Rosamund and Allan through the first challenge of their married life and introduces the setting of the most exciting houseparty Wiltshire has ever seen. Set in the Georgian era and filled with amorous adventures, it will whet your appetite for this collection of tantalizing tales.

Invitation to Scandal is a complete story on its own, but it does mention characters found in the rest of the series.

Find Invitation To Scandal on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Are you familiar with this series? I’d love to chat about it.

Thanks for reading,

Gina

My Accidental Low Buy Year – Guest Post By Chris Pavesic

~ Gina Briganti ~ 2 Comments

I’ve been reading Chris’ posts about skincare and conscious purchasing for a while now and I am thrilled to bring the topic to my blog today to share with you. There’s a lot to be learned here. Thank you for sharing this with us, Chris!

This is a difficult blog post to start writing. I’ve actually begun several times and scrapped the ideas because it didn’t seem right. I couldn’t get the correct words down on the screen. But here it goes. I hope it makes sense.

I’m a makeup and skin care enthusiast. I enjoy using products and comparing them. I enjoy researching ingredients and formulas. I enjoy reading about new products, watching YouTube videos about new releases, and talking about them with my friends. What I didn’t do last year was write about them very much.

It is true that I cut down the amount of posts I created in 2018. (I wrote a lot more in 2017). But that wasn’t the only reason. I didn’t write about makeup or skincare in 2018 because I simply didn’t buy much starting in March, 2018. (My birthday month.)

I was on a low-buy year without actually planning to be on one.

There were three reasons for this accidental low-buy year: One: I purchased quite a few products in 2017 that I was excited to use. I had multiple products that filled the same purpose in my skincare and beauty regimen. So many that I started to feel uncomfortable with the number of items I owned.

It’s been a full year and, yeah, I still have items to get through. I had more than a year’s worth of “backups” for some products.

*Takes a deep breath.*

I had to let that sink in for a minute. A full year. I had too many.

I’m not a minimalist, but I am striving to consume less. I did go through the KonMarie method for decluttering clothing, household items, and so forth. (If you followed her method: I still need to do sentimental items.) I even (gasp) got rid of some books. (Textbooks from my college days. They needed to go.) And I feel better having a more minimal wardrobe and less boxes of stuff stored in my spare bedroom and basement. I kept the items that “sparked joy” in those categories and haven’t looked back.

Two: Products don’t last forever. They expire. It’s a use-it-or-lose-it situation. I decided that I would use the products I had—ones that I was excited to use—before I purchased any more in that category. I did purchase a few items that I had panned (used up completely.)  Lip balm made it into my cart because I have dry skin and live in the Midwest. (The struggle to have well-hydrated skin, especially on my lips, is real!) I also bought skin cleanser and shampoo because I developed an allergy to sodium lauryl sulfate and had switch to sulfate free versions.

Three: I didn’t purchase a lot of makeup products (eyeshadow, blush, highlighter) because I have ones that I enjoy. I have one face and can only use so many products in a day. If I bought something new in a category—an eyeshadow palette for instance—I would need to use it in place of something I already owned. And I enjoy the ones I own. The shadows are my favorite colors and formulas. Until I hit pan, or until the products go bad and I need to replace them, why buy something I might not like to replace an item that, in Marie Kondo’s terminology, “sparks joy” when I use it?

In case you are wondering: I currently have 8 eyeshadow palettes. I have tried more, but if something does not work well for me I pass it along to relatives. And in 2018 I didn’t buy any for myself. (I bought gifts for people. I don’t count those as purchases for me–although I keep the free samples that come with the orders.) Last year I completely panned one–the Too Faced Peppermint Mocha (pink) palette from the 2016 Christmas trio collection. It’s the one I used the most and it took me more than 2 years to get through it. Companies give you a lot of product in those palettes!

What did I really over-buy on in 2017? Face and body moisturizing creams, face products, and lipsticks. And I am using them up along with any samples I still have.

For 2019 I will be continuing my “low buy” project. I thought I would write about products that I have panned. Provide thorough reviews about products that are not new but may be undiscovered gems for my readers. Go through the large number of samples I have on hand and try items that way. Discuss new purchases when I eventually do make them and the reason why I switched from a tried-and-true product to something new. And discuss what the low buy year taught me along the way–and what I am (hopefully) still discovering.

I want to complete a second low buy year and write about products mindfully.

I will be interested to see if this type of topic is sustainable. If people will follow me on this journey. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or thoughts on minimalism, low buys, or conscious consumerism. Let me know if you enjoy posts of this kind. Please help to continue the conversation.

Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate your time and attention.

Have you minimized collections the way Chris has? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading,

Gina

A Halloween Party by Tina Nykulak Ruiz – New Release & Book Review

~ Gina Briganti ~ Leave a comment

My Review

I love Halloween, parties, and reading to my granddaughter, so it was a good bet that I would like this story. The character names gave the adults a chuckle as I read the story aloud to my granddaughter. We all loved the illustrations. The story premise was easy to relate to and what happens at the Halloween party was a lot of fun to read about.

Highly recommended. Nykulak-Ruiz is one of our favorite children’s book authors.

New Release Info

Illustrations by Ishika Sharma.

Every character has a name with a double meaning. Such as: Mr. Noah Lott, Mrs. Faye Ding, Mrs. Frieda Livery, Upton O’Goode, Adam Zapel, and Ella Vader, to name but a few.

Here’s a hint to help you solve the puzzle, Ed Zortails is his name really heads or is it tails? You’ll have to buy the book to find out.

Solving the double meaning of the words will be delightful for children and adults alike. On the off chance someone can’t unravel a name, Tina supplied a cheat sheet at the back of the book.

As with all of her children’s stories, there’s a moral at the end.

BUY LINK

Tina Nykulak Ruiz was born in Germany, but her family moved to Canada when she was in grammar school. She began writing children’s stories when her own were little. Through the years Ruiz wrote twenty-seven books. Most of those stories went into readers for the Canada Board of Education. Two did not. Mayor Shadoe Markley is a story about a ten-year-old girl who becomes Mayor for a Day through a contest at school.

Little did Ruiz know that story would “change the world.” The book came out at early January 1988. By the end of that same month, everyone was calling the mayor’s office at City Hall, trying to get the forms to fill out so their children could participate in the contest. Thirty years later that same contest is still runs at full speed. And not only in Calgary, but all across Canada. The Mayor’s Youth Council is now in charge of the celebrated contest and invites Ruiz to attend and meet the lucky winner. It’s usually followed by a hand-written thank you card from the mayor himself. Recently Ruiz was invited to be part of the Grand Opening of Calgary’s New Library where the mayor shook her hand and introduced her to the attendees.

Tina has worked in television and radio as well as being a professional clown at the Children’s Hospital. She lives in Calgary with her husband who encourages her to write her passion be it high-quality children’s books or intriguing romance.

Stay connected with Tina Ruiz on her Facebook group Tina Speaks Out.

Do you have a favorite Halloween story?

Thanks for reading!

Gina