My Thoughts on “Paused to Prolific”

Good evening, bloggers! Today was my day off from work. While I didn’t mind a lazy day, I knew it wouldn’t help my mood, so I packed my current read—I always have to have a book with me—a notebook, and a book that’s been sitting in my to be read pile for over a year: K Webster’s Paused to Prolific. I went to one of my favorite coffee spots, ordered an horchata latte, and then I set up in one of the outdoor tables and started reading Paused to Prolific. What I like about the book is that it guides you on how to develop a writing routine, no matter how busy your everyday life is. The book also contains “coffee break” writing activities, so I’m glad I brought my notebook along because even though the book has some lined pages to jot ideas down, I really don’t like writing in books. Anyhow, this book is a quick read, and I recommend it. One of the best pieces of advice from Webster is to not announce a work in progress to the world because all it does is put immense pressure on the writer, causing them to burn out and never finish the project. Only make announcements when the book is done, that way your readers will have something to be excited about. I knew that that’s where I’d gone wrong in the past. I thought I was motivating myself by talking about my writing, only to end up stressing, getting stuck, and then backing off the projects for a long time. I didn’t realize how much pressure I was putting on myself. See? Lesson learned. Now I can figure out how to set a proper routine and improve my writing.

Another thing I realized is that writing messages from phone calls at work and other work-related notes are the only types of writing I’ve been doing lately. The long hours and stress stopped me from making my own passion projects a priority. Life happens, but we can find ways to set a proper routine, so I thought I’d share this book with other writers who need that little push.

I had a good day just writing down ideas from these activities, getting back into the process.

Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: K Webster is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her titles have claimed many bestseller tags in numerous categories, are translated in multiple languages, and have been adapted into audiobooks. She lives in “Tornado Alley” with her husband, two children, and her baby dog named Blue. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and researching aliens. For more info, click here.

“The Writing Retreat”–Review

After a year of dealing with writer’s block and on the verge of throwing in the towel, Alex receives an opportunity to attend a month-long writing retreat, hosted by the famous feminist horror writer, Roza Vallo. Even though she’s not written anything, Alex can’t turn down this big chance; Roza Vallo has been her favorite author since her childhood. A writing retreat could be the answer to her problem. Despite her lack of confidence, including the fact that Alex’s former best friend and current rival, Wren, is attending the retreat, Alex packs her bags.

When Alex and the rest of the attendees arrive at Roza’s mansion and get settled in—full of hope and excitement, ready to get started on their own works in progress—Roza Vallo makes an announcement: the attendees aren’t there to work on their current projects. They each are required to write a new novel from scratch. And they have one month to complete their novels. There will be only one winner. The grand prize? A seven-figure publishing contract. It all seems impossible, yet each woman is determined to win. While Alex does her best to focus on her new story, she can’t help feeling distracted by the unusual presence that may be haunting the mansion. Roza’s unpredictable behaviors each day aren’t helping the attendees, either. Suspicion eventually happens after one of the attendees disappears during a snowstorm, and Alex starts to feel that there’s more of a bad history to the mansion, something sinister. When time starts running out, Alex is determined to get to the bottom of it all.

During the first half of the book, I wasn’t sure how to feel. I liked the story idea, even if it felt a bit slow. But, then, once I got to the second half, it got better. It was almost like Stephen King’s Misery, in my opinion. This was a good, locked room mystery about friendship, fame, and competition and how far people are willing to go to win. I still have my fingers crossed that I’ll have the opportunity to attend a writing retreat. Anyone here ever attended one? I’d love to know all about your experiences. Feel free to post your comments on the book, as well. Happy reading!

About the author: Julia Bartz is a bestselling author, therapist, and creative coach. The Writing Retreat was an instant New York Times bestseller and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist. LibraryReads chose The Writing Retreat as their Top Pick of February 2023, and the American Booksellers Association chose it for their March 2023 IndieNext list. For more info, click here.

“Notice”–Review

I didn’t notice her before…but now I do.

T-minus fourteen days…

Violet Simmons has worked for Maxwell Subsidiaries for six years. Six years of making coffee not only for all the sexist jerks in the office, but also for Grayson Maxwell, the owner, who has never once looked in her direction since she’s been there. That is, until Violet one day steps into his office and slaps him with a two-week notice. That ought to show the arrogant Grayson Maxwell for never acknowledging and appreciating her hard work. Right?

Maxwell has always been an attention-to-detail type of man, thanks to his previously being a military sniper. He knew how to focus on a target. So how could he never have noticed Violet for six years? But he suddenly noticed her when she announced her resignation. Now he can’t stop thinking about her. She’s beautiful, mysterious, and sexy, and he’s going to do everything in his power to convince her to stay. The only way he’s going to do that is to learn everything about her. And that he does by accessing her work computer and emails, sitting in his car outside her apartment building, rifling through her organized possessions in her apartment while she sleeps, and listening to the sounds of her breathing as he lies under her bed. But he cares for her, after all. He means well because “Violet is mine; she just doesn’t know it yet.”

Downright creepy, I know. As it is, Violet had to conceal as much of her life as possible to keep her psychotic ex-boyfriend—a guy who abused her, drugged her, and pimped her out for money—from finding her, and now her soon-to-be former boss is a stalker? A lot of scenes had me thinking that Grayson was just too much, especially with his constantly thinking below the belt. One of his perks is his attention on his targets and when to take action. But the obsessive stalking? Scary. But that’s what makes for a good story. I liked this book. K. Webster writes great, dark fiction. Violet’s backstory caught my attention, as well as her struggle to survive every day with fear that she’d never be safe again. I actually would have liked more of her backstory in the book. A prequel, perhaps? If not, it’s still okay. Notice is a dark stalker romance that also contains themes of trauma, workplace harassment, and sexual violence. It may not be for the sensitive reader, but give it a try if it catches your interest. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: K Webster is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her titles have claimed many bestseller tags in numerous categories, are translated in multiple languages, and have been adapted into audiobooks. She lives in “Tornado Alley” with her husband, two children, and her baby dog named Blue. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and researching aliens. For more info, click here.

“Christmas Presents”–Review

Happy Holidays, bloggers! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope you all are enjoying this day. Only this morning did I finish reading Christmas Presents, by Lisa Unger. Here’s the description:

Years following a near-death experience, Madeline Martin is moving forward. She’s the owner of an indie bookshop, all the while caring for her father after he’d suffered a stroke. Christmas is approaching, and not only does it help keep her busy in her shop, but it’s also the time of year that she’s reminded of what happened all those years ago. Then in comes Harley Granger, a famous true crime writer and podcaster who’s been trying to convince her to tell her story. But she wants no part in it.

It all started when she’d met Evan Handy, the new, mysterious boy who came to her small town. Madeline was young, naive, and knew nothing. She was drawn to Evan, no matter how many times her father and her best friend, Badger, warned her to keep away from him. Surely, they were wrong about him?

Set in the present time, Evan Handy is in prison, convicted of murdering Madeline’s best friend and suspected of other disappearances. Since Handy has been in prison, though, other young women have disappeared, with the assumption that there might be a copycat or that the wrong man was put away. As the holidays get closer, Madeline no longer feels safe, and she and Badger have to work together to uncover what they may have missed during that tragic event years ago.

Awhile back, I’d read the author’s previous book, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six. I wanted to like that book, but it seemed as if it had too many conflicts. When I saw the cover of Christmas Presents, I figured this one would do a good job. And it did. It was a good, suspenseful holiday read. I feel this book also is based more on the reality of what can happen when you fall hard for the wrong person. Sometimes we can’t help how we feel about someone, either. Madeline was young and, of course, it had taken her years to finally own up to past decisions. Throughout most of this book, I was thinking, “When your loved ones and best friends tell you hundreds of times that the new guy is scrum, listen to them!” Moral of the story’s conflict, in my opinion: the bad boy is going to ruin your life.

Good job to the author for this story. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading and Happy Holidays!

About the author: Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few authors, including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family. For more info, click here.

“The Store”–Review

No refunds.

No exchanges.

No exit.

In Juniper, Arizona, a retail chain called The Store plants its flag, selling just about everything residents could possibly need and want. Not only is it all so convenient, but the prices are also amazing. Residents are ecstatic about The Store’s deals, including job opportunities.

Of course, not everyone is thrilled about The Store. Bill Davis, a technical writer for a software firm, feels that there is something off ever since the construction of The Store. Even when The Store finally opens, everything seems too good to be true. Why did a chain retailer have to open up in a small town, he wonders? It wouldn’t be good for long-time, small businesses. Sure enough, The Store’s success gradually shuts down mom-and-pop stores, with the owners mysteriously disappearing. To make matters worse, Bill’s two teenage daughters get jobs at The Store, where customers suddenly become nothing but loyal to the retail giant. Behind closed doors, employees are forced into rituals and rules by the orders of their sadistic manager.

When Bill starts sensing evil in his town, including the fact that his daughters are no longer themselves since working for The Store, he knows it’s time that he and other concerned citizens take a stand. When he tries to find a way to get his daughters away from The Store, he is left with having to make a choice where there is no going back.

Whoa, is what I have to say about this book. While the story shows society’s obsession with consumerism, it revolves more around big corporations and the amount of money and power they desire, and that they’ll stomp on anyone who gets in the way. This book was downright disturbing and creepy. I need more books by this author. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Bentley Little is the author of numerous novels, short stories, articles, essays, and reviews. After earning a BA in communications and an MA in English, Little sold his soul and abandoned all artistic integrity, working for eight years as a bureaucrat for a midsized city in Orange County, California. His first novel, The Revelation, won the 1990 Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Award for best first novel.

“Las Madres”–Review

Good evening, bloggers! Here’s one of my latest fiction reads.

Las Madres is a novel that alternates from 1970s Puerto Rico to present-day Bronx, New York. The main characters refer to themselves as “las madres,” along with their daughters, las nenas, who have been a family to one another based on friendship. In 1975, in Puerto Rico, 15-year-old Luz was the tallest girl in her dance academy, as well as the only Black girl in a group of light-skinned dancers in her school. Luz had the potential and the advantage to make it as a dancer in her future. But her future forever changed when she and her parents were in a car accident that killed her parents and left her with a brain injury, erasing her memory of the car crash, and leaving her with episodes she can’t control.

In 2017 in the Bronx, Luz’s adult daughter, Marysol, looks after her. For years, Marysol has wanted to understand her mother’s life, but her mother’s brain injury has made it impossible. Luz barely has any recollection of her own life. When Marysol’s friend, Graciela, suggests they and las madres fly to Puerto Rico as an opportunity for Luz to regain some of her memory, they jump at the chance. Although they were aware of the news of a deadly hurricane approaching Puerto Rico, las madres and las nenas still make the trip. During their stay, two back-to-back hurricanes hit Puerto Rico, destroying everything in its path, leaving communities in devastation. While las madres and las nenas are barely surviving, they start learning more about one another and learn of a big secret that may change everything forever.

What a great story. I learned that this book is based on Hurricane Maria, which left communities in Puerto Rico devasted. Thousands of people died, homes were destroyed, electricity was out, and resources were scarce. The author described the aftermath of the hurricane really well. I can’t even imagine what residents had gone through. What actually caught my interest in this book was the cover, which I came across on Instagram, so I borrowed a copy. It’s also my first novel by Esmeralda Santiago. I’ll definitely read more of her work. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Esmeralda Santiago is the author of the historical novel Conquistadora, and the memoirs When I Was Puerto Rican and Almost a Woman. Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, she lives with her husband, documentary filmmaker Frank Cantor, in Westchester County, New York. For more info, click here.

“Permission to Screw Up”–Review

Good evening, bloggers! Awhile back, I read another non-fiction book that’s been sitting on my bookshelf, so I wanted to share it with you. I’ll do my best to keep up with more nonfiction books.

In Permission to Screw Up, Kristen Hadeed is the founder of Student Maid, a cleaning company that hires students. The author started her company in 2007 while she, too, was a student at the University of Florida. In a certain amount of time, she had been able to hire enough students to clean apartments. A few months into the business, while Kristen was sitting in her air-conditioned office, ready to eat her lunch, 45 staff members marched into her office. The grimy, sweaty staff members looked at her without uttering a word, until one of them decided to speak on their behalf: they were quitting. The staff walked out, leaving Kristen in complete shock. Panic set in when she realized the approaching deadlines to get all that cleaning done, but what was she supposed to do now that her staff just walked out on her? And why? And could she get her staff back? Everything had been going well in the beginning, after all. It didn’t take her long, though, to see how wrong she had been.

Ever since that humiliating moment with her staff quitting on her, Kristen had been determined not just to be a better boss, but a better leader. Of course, she was going to have to make tons of mistakes in order to improve. And she made plenty of mistakes. Not only did she truly care about Student Maid, but she also cared even more about her team, the ones who were the foundation of the business. Her mission was to inspire, to lead, to allow her team to make mistakes in order to succeed. At some point, she had been willing to own up to plenty of mistakes, and she knew she had to be willing to offer constructive feedback, enforce accountability, and help her team form meaningful relationships with one another—no matter how scary it was to even approach her team with those concerns.

This was another non-fiction book I enjoyed. One of the things I definitely respect is a boss—even a leader—who can own up to mistakes, one who doesn’t demand perfection. I’ve probably mentioned that I’ve had my share of bosses who practically frowned upon mistakes. Everything must be perfect, and everyone must be happy; no complaining about anything. Something to that extent. While I was reading this book, I was applying a lot of the information to my current job and how I felt more confident as I learned more. But I had to make mistakes, every now and then, too. I’d get tongue-tied. I’d type in something wrong on the computer. There had been many occasions where I had to figure some things out on my own, while there had been other times where I had to swallow my pride and admit I needed help with something. Yes, I admit I’m often too stubborn to ask for help. I’m still going to make mistakes, but I can work on owning up to them—embracing them, even—which is exactly what Kristen Hadeed teaches in her book.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ll do my best to post more reviews for non-fiction. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Kristen Hadeed is the founder and CEO of Student Maid, a cleaning company that hires students. She spends much of her time helping organizations across the country improve their own workplace cultures. She lives in Gainesville, Florida. For more info, click here.

“Fail More”–Review

Good evening, bloggers, and happy Saturday! Awhile back, I started perusing some non-fiction titles that have been sitting on my bookshelves. (When you accumulate so many books, it becomes hard to decide what to read; for me, anyhow.) Fail More, by Bill Wooditch, has been staring at me, so I read it.

Fail More is about learning from your failures and asking yourself how you can improve from them. Instead of kicking yourself from making a mistake or two, you can make a list of what needs more work. It’s about learning how to also deal with rejection in healthy ways, as well as examining your personal fears in order to have control over them. The author also talks about the importance of setting goals, large and small. While it’s important to set goals, the author reminds us that we need to “establish one major goal and separate that goal from all the other hobbies that seem like a goal.” That’s something I’ve been thinking about after reading that line. In that particular chapter, the author mentions how common it is that lots of people chase after too many goals, which eventually leads to burnout. With so many goals, the person becomes overwhelmed that they don’t end up accomplishing at least one goal, so that’s why it’s important to set one major goal.

What I also like about the book is that it reminds us that in order to succeed, we have to be prepared to fail. We’re going to make mistakes. We’re going to get rejected. We’re going to have distractions, as well as deal with uncertainties, fears, etc. Failure isn’t the end. It’s okay to feel disappointed during a failure, but as long as you don’t let it define you.

Fail More has been a big help since I’ve taken on more responsibilities at my job. Now that I’m moving up and learning more, this book has knocked a little sense into me. Recently, I nearly kicked myself for falling behind on one of my important, monthly projects because I didn’t properly communicate to my employers what I needed for it. But I reminded myself, later on, that it was going to be fine. My employers didn’t wag their fingers at me, they didn’t get angry at me. Everything was handled properly. My colleague, in fact, reminded me that we all mess up, but we’ll always improve. I made a mental goal to work on proper communication, when necessary, instead of being afraid. I can’t let some things ruin my entire day.

Whether you’re trying to improve in the workplace, start a business, etc., I recommend Fail More. Although I love my novels, I’m also making it a goal to read more non-fiction. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Bill Wooditch is the founder and CEO of The Wooditch Group, a risk-management and corporate insurance firm with annual sales of $100 million. He works with Fortune 500 companies like AIG, Old Republic, Zurich, and Bank of America to improve their sales and leadership. For more info, click here.

Goodreads Reading Challenge ’23

Good afternoon, bloggers! I’m back from my little writing break. I can’t believe it’s already summer, and, so far, my reading goal is to read 50 books, which is usually my annual reading goal. I haven’t reached it in previous challenges, but let’s give it a try. In the meantime, I’m trying to decide on my next read, now that I just finished 17 out of 50 books. Here’s my list from the beginning to the latest:

1. An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good, by Helene Tursten.
2. Women Talking, by Miriam Toews.
3. The Sweet Spot, by Amy Poeppel
4. The Guest House, by Robin Morgan-Bentley.
5. Let It Rain Coffee, by Angie Cruz.
6. The Life and Loves of a She-Devil, by Fay Weldon.
7. Dancing With Butterflies, by Reyna Grande.
8. Big Chicas Don’t Cry, by Annette Chavez Macias.
9. Schooled by a Senior, by K. Webster.
10. The Holiday, by T.M. Logan.
11. VIP (#1), by M. Robinson.
12. Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, by Lisa Unger.
13. One Lavender Ribbon, by Heather Burch.
14. In the Light of the Garden, by Heather Burch.
15. Lawn Boys, by K. Webster.
16. The Finishing School, by Joanna Goodman.
17. Dead Eleven, by Jimmy Juliano.

Have you read any of these titles? Or would you like to? If you’d like to check out my reading challenge, here’s the link. Feel free to follow me, as well. Happy reading!

A Little Change of Scenery

Hello, bloggers! I’m currently enjoying a needed week off in Utah. It’s my first time out here, too. I’m from L.A., and the only time I’ve ever seen snow was a few years back when my family and I were driving to northern California. Those snowball fights we had at the gas station were a lot of fun. Now my boyfriend and I are out here visiting his sister. Normally, I don’t do well in the cold. Any temperature under 70 degrees back home drives me crazy. Here in Draper, however, it’s around 54 degrees, yet I feel fine. This picture is from our quick walk around the area where we’re staying. It’s amazing. I’ve never seen mountains up close. The air was cold, but we were loving the scenery.

Before coming out here, I also promised that I would use this opportunity to write more, like a writing retreat, since I’ve been struggling to jot anything down without distractions. Perhaps this is what I needed: a little change of scenery. My writing this blog post is a start, so I’m happy with it. No pressure to write so many words. No timing my writing sprints. Just small steps.

Anyone here from Utah? Feel free to post your comments.

*This picture is a start to my little writing retreat. I get a nice view of the backyard.