tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58217138598821325552024-02-07T03:03:37.671-05:00Of Ice and MenThe blog of Jaymee Jacobs, USA Today best-selling authorJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-83860716720729583362020-02-08T22:37:00.002-05:002020-02-08T22:37:39.736-05:00My 2020 VisionWhat am I doing writing about <b>2020</b> when we’re already one week into February?<br />
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Well, y’all, let me tell just how <b>crazy</b> everything has been lately!<br />
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Let me just recap my January for you:<br />
<ul>
<li>On Friday, January 3rd, I had my on-site interview with a company down in Pittsburgh for an open position.</li>
<li>On Tuesday, January 7th, I got the offer from HR that, pending a satisfactory background check and drug test, I was hired.</li>
<li>On Friday, January 10th, I got the call from the hiring manager that I cleared everything, and we scheduled my first day of work.</li>
<li>On Monday, January 13th, I turned in my two-weeks notice at my now former job.</li>
<li>And on Tuesday, January 28th, I began my first day of work in downtown Pittsburgh.</li>
</ul>
As you can see from that list, this all happened <b>so fast</b>. My last two weeks at my prior job were spent trying to get the <b>entire</b> office organized and everyone informed on my responsibilities and what they’d have to take over. After 11 years, 7 months there, the list was long. But on my last day, my coworkers, their families, and my family all came out to dinner to celebrate my new job and all the new opportunities on my horizon. It wasn’t until I got home from that dinner that I realized how much was going to change for me.<br />
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But the reality sunk on my first day, when I showed up to work in a skyscraper and got a whirlwind tour of the floor. I then promptly forgot. But everyone has been <b>so</b> nice and welcoming, offering any help to aid my adjustment to this new corporate lifestyle.<br />
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This "corporate" job feels anything but considering how nice everyone is. So far, I've been treated to lunch twice, attended a trivia game over lunch and helped my team <b>win</b> and earn a reputation for being a millennial smartypants, got another free lunch because I helped organize a lunch meeting for my department, attended a welcome breakfast, and have already gotten praised by my two direct bosses for my effort and insight.<br />
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If I'm being honest, though, it's been quite overwhelming too. It was great at first, when there wasn't much that I could do. But then I've gotten thrown into it all. I have a lot more freedom at this job to get my tasks done, which is both a relief and a weighty responsibility. So it's kinda no wonder that I found myself sick at 3:00PM this past Friday, probably from overextending myself as I continue to learn and adjust.<br />
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But at least being sick gives me a change to finally update everyone!<br />
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As I continue to adjust to the commute and my new job, I will be able to get back into working on what was referred to in my last post as my "top secret project." I was a bit foolish and that that this would be a smoother transition than it's been. The job itself is not hard, but the volume is higher than my last job. The commute is long, and I didn't plan for the motion sickness to interrupt my concentration. And by the time I get home, there's not really time for anything else than dinner, a chore or two, and then snuggling with the kitties until bedtime. I think I'll be looking to move closer over the summer, but that is a decision to make in the coming months as things settle down.<br />
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Anyway, for those of you who are in my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1886909741326861/" target="_blank">FB reader group</a>, you'll know that I've released the titles for what is now <b>The Sweet Nothings Series</b>: <i>Nothing's Forever </i>(book 1), <i>Double or Nothing</i> (book 2), and <i>Nothing Else Matters</i> (book 3). These will be released in quick succession, which means I won't know when that will be until I'm almost done with book 3. It could be awhile, but I think it'll be worth the wait! And then, I return to the Dallas Comets series for book #7.<br />
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I'm also beginning the prep for my first signing of 2020, <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/RockinRomanceReaders/" target="_blank">Rockin' Romance Readers</a></b> in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, April 25 (purchase tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rockin-romance-readers-author-event-tickets-60825876835?fbclid=IwAR3MdIBSYe9p0xVf4DcgVBmAiDQBDwjimi_TorGCpn3ELZpGu5uLVREc1uQ" target="_blank">here</a>; pre-order form <a href="https://forms.gle/gUFdiVaKVGPnEjfm7" target="_blank">here</a>). I'm <b>very</b> excited to be an attending author this year after I went last year as a reader and thought it was such a well-done event. If you have a chance to make it, you should!<br />
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Then, six months down the road from that, you can find me at <b><a href="http://www.tntnyc.net/" target="_blank">Tempted and Tantalizing NYC</a></b> on October 10 (purchase tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tempted-and-tantalizing-in-staten-island-ny-2020-tickets-74530389401" target="_blank">here</a>; pre-order form coming). I am equally excited for this one because this event has such a good reputation!<br />
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Well, I guess that's the outline for my author goals for 2020: my trilogy, maybe the next Dallas Comets book, and two awesome signing events. It didn't quite so ambitious back in the fall when I was planning it out, considering I didn't know I'd be switching jobs and things would be changing so drastically.<br />
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Feel free to share your 2020 plans in the comments! Or let me know if you're planning on attending these two signings!<br />
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Happy reading!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-81366695105384137582019-08-26T22:12:00.000-04:002019-08-26T22:12:38.643-04:00Classy, Crafty, and Super Sassy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After releasing two books in the span of two months, I've been doing a bunch of different things. Some of it is working on what I've been calling my "Top Secret Project." I think it's gonna be a trilogy, taking place on a new team.<br />
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I'm trying to get the entire trilogy ready for a quick release schedule. If I can manage it, I'll have it out by the end of the year, but no guarantees!<br />
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I've also been enjoying my summer! Last year, I felt like I had wasted my summer. I didn't want that to happen this year. So I instituted Pool Day, which was every Wednesday at the community pool (weather permitting, of course).<br />
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I went to see one of my favorite bands, Jimmy Eat World. I went to the zoo with my friend and her little one. I've already been to the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival once, and I'm sure I will be going again.<br />
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What else? I've tackled a huge project that's been sitting on my shelf for far too long. What's that? Scrapbooking my semester abroad in London, England!<br />
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Scrapbooking is my new favorite hobby. It's basically playing with memories and stickers! Here are some of my favorite pages!<br />
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I've had such a great time looking back on these days abroad. I've changed so much since then! Those months were incredible and helped to shape so much of who I am now.</div>
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Next up? I need to scrapbook my Paris trip!</div>
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Another project on my agenda is to go through my closet and donate some old clothes. I have way too many things that I don't wear, and it'll feel good to purge some of that. And just in time to switch the wardrobe from summer to winter! The weather is absolutely beautiful in this corner of PA right now.</div>
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I want to hear how your summer is going! What have you been up to? Tell me in the comments below or tag me on social media!</div>
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Jay</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-41798791109232605182019-06-07T18:20:00.000-04:002019-06-07T18:23:19.891-04:00If April Showers Bring May Flowers, Do May Flowers Bring June Bugs?Y'all. May was a <b>crazy</b> month.<br />
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I had so much fun in Niagara Falls and Gettysburg, attending those two author events (Romancing the Falls and Rockin' Romance Readers, respectively). Mama J came with me, and we had a blast hanging out with <a href="https://www.lisabkamps.com/" target="_blank">Lisa B. Kamps</a> again, meeting Christine and Victoria of <a href="https://sweetnspicyreads.com/" target="_blank">Sweet & Sassy Reads</a>, and loading up our shelves with books by new-to-us authors!<br />
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Oh yeah, and I had a book come out, too. :)<br />
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So even though May was awesome, I'm a little bit glad it's over. I'm still celebrating my latest release, but I'm also getting to work on what's to come.<br />
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Things I'm up to:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Proofing the paperback copy of <i><a href="https://www.jaymeejacobs.com/dump-and-chase" target="_blank">Dump and Chase</a></i> before announcing that paperbacks are for sale!</li>
<li>Working on getting the paperback for <a href="https://www.jaymeejacobs.com/christmas-crosscheck" target="_blank">"Christmas Crosscheck"</a> up and hopefully available for pre-order (I hear it's kind of complicated; for those in the know, Amazon changed their paperback process and I hear some people aren't able to have pre-orders for hard copies).</li>
<li>Getting prepped and ready to celebrate Christmas in July! Stay tuned for details.</li>
<li>Organizing my 2020 schedule! Yes, already.</li>
<li>Working on my <b>top secret project</b> that doesn't have a name because I don't have titles yet. Yes, <b>title<u>s</u></b>, which means more than one book is involved!</li>
<li>Jotting down the ideas that won't stop coming about Dallas Comets book #7 (which does have a title, but I'm not revealing that just yet;) ).</li>
<li>Dreading my upcoming dentist appointment.</li>
<li>Ugh, what am I going to make for dinner tonight?</li>
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Oh, you probably don't care about those last two things!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof copy!</td></tr>
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If you read <i>Dump and Chase</i>, maybe you found a couple Easter eggs in there. One of them has to do with the project I'm working on now. It's not a Dallas Comets book, but it's still gonna be about hockey. So, any guesses on what it might be? I'll be dropping hints in my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1886909741326861/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a> as I work on the project before the big reveal.<br />
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Oh yeah, and maybe I'll be giving away a signed paperback of <i>Dump and Chase</i> in my group in the near future. :)<br />
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And of course, I'm trying to plan something fun this summer. Maybe not a full vacation, but something fun and relaxing. What's everyone else got planned for the coming months? Share some inspiration with me and tell me!<br />
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Meanwhile, I'll be huddled in my office to get some work done.<br />
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As always, happy reading!</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-81699883055859584752019-04-22T15:40:00.001-04:002019-04-22T15:45:17.056-04:00Big Things Are Happening [Finally]!It's been a while since I've blogged, mostly because I had nothing to say. But I'm happy to say that now that I do!<br />
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I've hit a major breakthrough with <i>Dump and Chase, </i>book #5. It's almost done! Just a few more chapters to go, and then it goes out to alpha/beta readers, and then it'll go out for ARCs. (Are you a member of my ARC team? If not, you can still <a href="https://forms.gle/hPpMxZTqwhC6dkhp6" target="_blank">sign up</a>!)<br />
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What does that mean as far as a release date? End of May, early June. I'll know more once the chapters are done and I get back the initial feedback.<br />
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You guys have <b>no idea</b> how good it finally feels to have a more concrete idea of when this book will be out (I've only been writing it since... 2017!) I've fought through a lot of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome" target="_blank">impostor syndrome</a> along the way; it's hard to feel like a writer when the writing isn't happening like you want it to. I've barely been on social media as a result.<br />
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And just in time! Because "Christmas Crosscheck" is releasing on its own on July 25 for a Christmas in July celebration! "Christmas Crosscheck" was my contribution to the <i>USA TODAY </i>bestseller, <i>Hockey Holidays</i>. On July 25, the story will be available again as book #6 of the Dallas Comets series—including some additional chapters. Want to know how Christmas Day unfolds for Bryan and Georgiana? You'll have to read it to find out!<br />
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Buy links will be coming soon, in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out on social media so you can preorder! Also, links will go out via my newsletter, so you can <a href="https://jaymeejacobs.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=1ec3fc2ffeb90029f4f2d5879&id=a13a176841" target="_blank">sign up</a> for that as well if you aren't already.<br />
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After that, I'm taking a mini-break from the Comets to work on a top-secret trilogy set. Anticipated release will be in fall/winter 2019. I still have <b>a lot</b> of kinks to work out there though, so that's all you'll be getting from me on that subject for a while.<br />
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I hope y'all can sit tight just a little while longer, because I'm very close to sharing Ben and Lennox's story. There's something different about this one, something special, and I hope you'll think the wait was worth it.<br />
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Hang tight,<br />
<br />
JaymeeJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-40964172527978277502018-12-31T15:31:00.000-05:002019-01-02T11:40:05.257-05:00Kissing 2018 Goodbye / Bring It On, 2019!Listen. New Years <b>always</b> freaks me out. Any occasion that encourages me to look back at the past while simultaneously looking toward the future is just... super stressful. I've said it before (I say it at the end of every year!) that December is crazy between work and the holidays and social engagements.<br />
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My natural tendency is to think about all the things I <b>didn't</b> do and chalk it up as failing to accomplish my goals. As I reflected on my 2018, I went back to read last year's <a href="https://jaymeejacobs.blogspot.com/2018/01/bang-bang.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> about my 2018 resolutions, and I kept it simple last year: rein in my spending. And, in some aspects, I accomplished that. I cut down on ordering pizza when I felt too lazy to cook, I didn't add (very much) to my TBR pile by buying books I knew I wouldn't immediately start reading, and I only saw a handful of movies in the theatre (of course I made exceptions for Marvel movies, and my mom and I went to see <i>Book Club</i> because it looked too good).<br />
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But I totally fell flat on the writing front. While I didn't publish my goals, because I didn't want to embarrass myself if I didn't accomplish them, I definitely planned to release at least <b>one</b> full-length novel in 2018. I've been working on <i><a href="http://www.jaymeejacobs.com/dump-and-chase.html" target="_blank">Dump and Chase</a></i> for over a year now, and it's nowhere near finished. My current goal is to get it released in early 2019, but the goalposts change every day, when I fail to hit my daily word count.<br />
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That's not say I didn't do some awesome author things this year. I attended three signing events all across my home state of Pennsylvania, during which I got to meet my writer friends and new readers. I was in two successful anthologies which raised a ton of money for charities. And of course the biggie was becoming a <i>USA TODAY</i> best-selling author.<br />
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And—personally—I got to do some fun new things. I visited two new-to-me cities (Dallas and DC), saw two NWHL games, and went to Pens games with <a href="https://www.jenniferlazaris.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Lazaris</a>, one of my fave writing buddies and all-around awesome person. We've had some writing sessions while she's been visiting Pittsburgh, and she helps me focus!<br />
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Plus, I finally found out one of triggers that caused my stomach issues. To me, that was just as big as hitting the <i>USA TODAY</i> list! Getting my gallbladder out wasn't enough; turns out, I have <b>dietary fructose intolerance</b>. And as long as I don't ingest fructose, I feel great! It's a pain in the butt sometimes—do you know how many things have <b>high fructose corn syrup</b> in them?!—but it's no different than a person with Celiac Disease saying no to gluten. I just have to say no to highly processed foods (I'm going to miss my Sour Patch Kids!) and certain fruits and veggies. And honey. And molasses.<br />
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Flynn got the rest of his teeth removed, and he's been happy and healthy ever since. No issues with him not eating! He plays more, chases his sister and annoys her, and cuddles with his momma.<br />
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So, was 2018 epic like I had predicted? ...Kinda? I don't know, to be honest. It had its ups and downs. But I'm accepting it and rolling forward.<br />
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Okay, so I looked back. Now it's time to predict the future! <b>Just kidding</b>. I'm not predicting anything, or making promises. In fact, I'd argue that I'm not even making resolutions. I am, however, stating my intentions for 2019.<br />
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I seem to do things in threes, and my intentions are no different. For the first one, I had played around with a couple different ideas. Now that I'm <b>fructose free</b>, I have to pay attention to ingredients—which means it's a lot easier to prepare my own food with natural, whole ingredients than it is to examine food lists for pre-made foods or restaurant fare. Of course, I have a list of some go-to's when I need a quick bite: Panera, Chipotle, Five Guys, and my favorite local pizza place. But everything else can be iffy.<br />
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Plus, eating out is my biggest budget buster. Whether it's getting out of the office on my lunch break or grabbing something quick on my way home from work or errands, to optimize my precious personal time, I eat <b>way</b> too much pre-made food.<br />
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And the thing is, I love to cook. I just don't have the time for it.<br />
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Well, not anymore. Because in 2019, I'm gonna <b>cook more!</b> It'll save me money, make me feel better because I'll be sure to avoid that pesky fructose, and I'll enjoy finding new recipes and tweaking them to make my own master cookbook. Oh yeah, and bragging rights every time I get a compliment!<br />
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Number two was easy. <b>Be nicer to myself.</b> I have a tendency to be hard on myself when I miss my deadlines. But you know what? It's hard to work full time, run a household, write stories, and maintain a social life while not getting burnt out. Because once I burn out, I have a harder time getting back into my groove after I recuperate.<br />
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If I'm being honest with myself, I think I spent a lot of 2018 feeling burnt out, but trying to push forward anyway. Which really felt more like dragging a screaming toddler through a toy store than anything actually productive. So maybe I should not do that anymore, right?<br />
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So if I don't hit my word count, it's not the end of the world. I'll just try again the next day. And note I didn't say "try <i>harder</i> the next day," because that's how you get burnt out!<br />
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I really, really wish I could be the type of writer who could write thousands of words a day after spending eight hours at work, and write out chapters as fast as I can read them. But... that's just not who I am. I have tried to be that kind of author, but I couldn't make it happen—and when I try too hard, I burn out and lose my flow.<br />
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So if I don't finish my chapter on time? I'm not gonna kick myself. If I cave and grab a burrito bowl from Chipotle instead of making a dinner from scratch, I'm not going to get angry at myself for not sticking to my resolution. Because it's not about making sure every day is a success; it's about keeping the focus on the overarching goal. When I lose sight of that... well, then I struggle and don't release full-length novels. I want that to change in 2019.<br />
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Lastly, it's always a goal of mine every year to <b>travel somewhere new</b>. As I mentioned before, I went to Dallas for five-ish days last January and then DC with my cousins in August. The year before was Nashville. The year before that was Myrtle Beach. Where will 2019 lead me? Not sure; I haven't decided yet. I have plenty of time to decide. But no matter where it is, it'll be somewhere I haven't been before!<br />
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Okay, so, that's it I think. I reflected a lot, and I projected even more. Tonight, I'm going to celebrate making it through one more calendar year and kiss 2018 goodbye. Feel free to share your plans and your intentions for 2019!<br />
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Ya girl,<br />
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JaymeeJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-86865710101354138322018-11-05T18:00:00.000-05:002018-11-05T18:00:06.696-05:00Get Ready for Hockey Holidays!It's November! And while I usually refuse to celebrate the holidays until <b>after</b> Thanksgiving (which is my favorite of the US holidays, and I think it's truly underappreciated!)—but this year is different. Why? Because 'this the season for <b><a href="https://amzn.to/2Oo2PZ3" target="_blank">Hockey Holidays</a>!</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's sooo pretttyyyy...</td></tr>
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I've joined a team of hockey romance authors to bring you this epic anthology. And my contribution is "Christmas Crosscheck," which tells the tale of <a href="https://amzn.to/2JDcKZZ" target="_blank">Georgiana and Bryan</a>'s first Christmas together. And—spoiler alert!—there's a proposal. You'll have to read it find out the rest!<br />
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The anthology, for which all proceeds will be donated to a hockey charity, will release on November 13, so there's still plenty of time to pre-order to make sure you get this book on your eReader ASAP on release day!<br />
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And we'll be celebrating like crazy next week. First up, on the 13th, we'll be in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheRomanceRoom/" target="_blank">the L. Woods PR Romance Room</a> starting at 7. And then the party continues on the 14th in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sweetspicyreads/" target="_blank">the Reader's Lounge</a>. If you're not already in these Facebook groups, you're gonna wanna join so you can party with us!<br />
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It's been a hard week here in Pittsburgh. I was in Squirrel Hill Saturday morning at the time of the Tree of Life congregation shooting, and I've been taking it especially hard. I've had different friends living in the area throughout the years, and my days and nights there were always fun. The best part about Squirrel Hill is the diversity and open-mindedness. I hope we never lose that.<br />
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It's not easy choosing to set aside the heartbreak and look toward the good. But it is a choice to celebrate all the good coming down the pipeline, including this anthology.<br />
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I'll still need time to grieve and get over this, but we are Pittsburgh Strong, and steel is stronger than hate.<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-88424208891449088212018-10-14T21:16:00.000-04:002018-10-14T21:16:02.420-04:00Catching UpIt's been months since I've blogged, and I'm not really sure why. It's not like I haven't started any posts; I have. And it's not like I don't have things to say, either.<br />
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I spent the summer working hard on a novella and a short story. The novella is included in the <i><a href="http://www.jaymeejacobs.com/" target="_blank">Holiday Hockey Romance Anthology</a></i> (releases November 13; pre-order now!), and the short story one of the 33 in<i> <a href="https://shadesofpinkanthol.wixsite.com/pink" target="_blank">Shades of Pink</a></i>, a breast cancer charity anthology, available until the end of the month with a donation. We're so close to hitting our goal! Please consider contributing.<br />
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And although I worked hard to meet my deadlines for the anthologies, I had some fun too. In August, I went to D.C. with my cousins for a long weekend, and it was an amazing time. I'd never been before, and I had fun checking out all the monuments, eating so many different (and new to me) things, and had a general blast with my cousins.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supreme Court</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating Alligator... tastes like chicken</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXMIXzAk3vEV6lq7sgp4vU_ZVWsFPYA1MOFnOOTqRNmCFqh1I_YjLGWuE8nwI5R_7d3dYOY4viwg4cgj_bqlw3HsdyFiUdYWoHUsfdTM4HUiGcCvg3STYOYUcX0l8k5RcTyO_ecB8SBg/s1600/O556tUI%2525QiyWCJ6Icj1j%252Bg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXMIXzAk3vEV6lq7sgp4vU_ZVWsFPYA1MOFnOOTqRNmCFqh1I_YjLGWuE8nwI5R_7d3dYOY4viwg4cgj_bqlw3HsdyFiUdYWoHUsfdTM4HUiGcCvg3STYOYUcX0l8k5RcTyO_ecB8SBg/s200/O556tUI%2525QiyWCJ6Icj1j%252Bg.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shakespeare's First Folio</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMlAAaVIDUWSPJngz67WGRBkBqZjyI-fhvCEdlQ6vrGVCJC00Ruh1_26HRW-ceiVc4HC1boa9xQqsTLwNEDxIUDUa3NQC8SnxiAzSXUw0TwEmN0jY6FuUFWR215e1eN9QGSQ-RC8VKUc/s200/IMG_5880.JPG" width="150" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fave pic with a fave cuz!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vRQO0MEquYxaz9tbhu2izBW0LW7qiRKyB2aAe9Wu1fy1MJLspBFq2fiqr2ixrPUHAfYBcTa92gHaPr1W328qCuRHjsSZa-n588lSbV_I-rFuH4isk2pMo6_SK0JvATL7nJsyoGASRZM/s200/YcWErjFZRuWadjvt0fi%2525Rg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating Rabbit.. tastes like chicken</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWw3vWPXWwjN_yZ7Pt4b-_43X7wejEcmLbagFcMZqyp1ExF1vOCuvEoZTevQePY-UmGwqckKg-mjlh1yf0eOebgWdaKoh_N4iBMbnZ5suk_k6pwf0RlRiMOvUd4oQkLkGj_z7NbmNHQc/s1600/npvg%2525vIBSASpBEdCDzFuZw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWw3vWPXWwjN_yZ7Pt4b-_43X7wejEcmLbagFcMZqyp1ExF1vOCuvEoZTevQePY-UmGwqckKg-mjlh1yf0eOebgWdaKoh_N4iBMbnZ5suk_k6pwf0RlRiMOvUd4oQkLkGj_z7NbmNHQc/s200/npvg%2525vIBSASpBEdCDzFuZw.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Int'l Spy Museum</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And in September, I went to Authors in the Steel City with some fellow hockey romance authors. Melody and I have been at several events together, and it was great to meet Kat Mizera and Tiffani Lynn, too. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELp0u_t-mJhwqJeqq94FysUlrXi70mrVWcv_P2jnOmrtwme0ySsGzJr9WwG5PTEcE3LgIhjOQOOfvEngqpcwMD8JIIt6IifgOMXQvEZvEFJj-5ESzCDI9NnHQEPhz25iymvcMofJTF-4/s1600/XwgZPjvLQGeziU1ouzDnTw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELp0u_t-mJhwqJeqq94FysUlrXi70mrVWcv_P2jnOmrtwme0ySsGzJr9WwG5PTEcE3LgIhjOQOOfvEngqpcwMD8JIIt6IifgOMXQvEZvEFJj-5ESzCDI9NnHQEPhz25iymvcMofJTF-4/s320/XwgZPjvLQGeziU1ouzDnTw.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Authors in the Steel City</td></tr>
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And, after stomach issues that still wouldn't stop (even after I had my gallbladder out last year), I had some more tests run and found out that I have dietary fructose intolerance. It's like lactose intolerance, but with fructose instead of lactose. I feel great when I'm #FructoseFree! However, sometimes I forget to read ingredient labels and end up eating some of the bad stuff—and I suffer for it. I'm learning to be diligent, to always ask what's in something and to pass on it if I'm not sure, and that I'm much better off cooking my own meals than gambling on convenience foods.<br />
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And now, after all that stuff, it's October, and the season has officially changed. It's time for hockey, hoodies, pumpkin spice lattes, and going back to work on my infinity scarf. Oh, and a baby blanket for a friend's impending bundle of joy! I have plenty of projects on the horizon, as well as (of course) writing <i>Dump and Chase</i>. I trying out a new writing schedule, and today was Day Number One—and I'm chalking it up to a success. I'll be writing and hanging out on social media more. So I'll be seeing you around.<br />
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As always, happy reading,<br />
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JayJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-86527369041612859392018-05-09T21:16:00.002-04:002018-05-09T21:16:49.835-04:00Dude. May. WTF.May has been... an interesting month so far (and we're only one-third of the way through. <b>Phew!</b>).<br />
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If you're friends with some authors on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jaymee.jacobs" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/JaymeeJacobs" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, you've probably seen the insanity and the accompanying hashtags. It's not my intention here to go into the matter; there are plenty of places online to get the details. And while I did a little rage-venting on my own profile, I don't want to publicly feed into this riotous frenzy while the courts and attorneys are working toward a resolution. I <b>do,</b> however, want to take a moment to say that the indie author community is a supportive, close-knit group that I'm proud to be a part of. And it's because of readers like <b>you</b>, who choose to support not only myself but so many authors who work hard and try to give you the best possible books.<br />
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Okay, moving on. <br />
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So, what have I been up to? Well, I've been buzzing around, prepping for my trip to Philly this weekend. I'll be at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/352519651805633/" target="_blank">Unmask the Romance</a> in Phoenixville on Saturday!<br />
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<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unmask-the-romance-author-event-tickets-28399183723" target="_blank">Tickets</a> are still available for any of you latecomers!<br />
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What else? I've been enjoying my time with Flynn. Now that he's essentially toothless, he's blossoming into a whole new cat! He's feistier, chasing Anna around in a total role reversal for those two. He's scarfing down his kibble with an appetite I didn't know he had. And while he's filled out and gained back the weight he'd lost when it hurt too bad to eat, I'm not exactly sure where he's putting it all.<br />
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I'd wondered how his personality would "change" after his teeth were removed and the pain was gone (or at least mostly gone). I expected him to come out of his shell and become more playful and perhaps more cuddly too. He's not as cuddly as I would have hoped, but he's still my sweet boy—even if he's got a bit of an attitude now!<br />
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And <b>of course</b> I've been writing too. I'll be honest and admit I've gotten sidetracked and am way behind on my schedule (I should be writing right now! Doh!), but I'm still in love with this story. Is too soon, and maybe bad luck, to admit that <i>Dump and Chase</i> is my favorite book I've written so far? Because it totally is. And that's just more motivation for me to get back to work and get it out to y'all as soon as possible.<br />
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In the meantime, I have to get back to packing. Why does it feel like short trips are so much harder to pack for? I wonder what I'll forget to bring with me....Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-51165045767764266262018-04-13T07:00:00.000-04:002018-04-13T09:10:57.259-04:00Autism Awareness Month Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><b>Autism Fact:</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">People from all nationalities and cultural, religious and social backgrounds can be autistic, although it appears to affect more men than women.</span></span><br />
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I figured I’d be doing a good thing by participating in <a href="http://rjscott.co.uk/autism-awareness-month-2018" target="_blank">RJ Scott</a>'s Autism blog hop and raising awareness about autism and living with the disability. But then I realized I didn’t know much about autism at all; I’ve never personally encountered someone who I knew was autistic or even on the spectrum. So how could I help raise awareness when I myself was barely aware of the stats and facts about autism?<br />
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Realizing my ignorance, I reached out to a friend of mine who has a Masters in special education and has worked hands-on with autistic children—and she had tons to say about the developmental disability and how we approach it.
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Autistic individuals often are judged and even pitied. Adults blame meltdowns and tantrums on bad parenting. They are teased by their peers and ridiculed. Strangers stare at them.
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During April, autism is brought to the forefront and we are confronted with the reality that autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world. We are presented with “success stories” of folks who have learned to function in our world despite their (as we see it) shortcomings. We are reminded that we must react with compassion, not pity or irritation.<br />
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But unless we personally cope with or encounter autistic people in our daily lives, we forget to be patient and kind. We revert to our ignorance. We begin to look at those with autism as people who are “less than” or “difficult.” However, if you have autism or have a loved one who does, you know that’s not true, and there’s no forgetting or ignoring. People who have autism live with it twelve months of the year—not just one—and they deserve much more from us every single day.
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My friend who teaches autistic children taught me that I must always be compassionate toward those who have or live with autism, and <b>it is my hope that everyone with autism encounters nothing but kindness and patience as they live each day in every month.
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<b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Giveaway </span></b></b></div>
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Thanks for stopping by my blog for the hop! I'm giving away winner's choice of any eBook in my <a href="http://www.jaymeejacobs.com/dallas-comets.html" target="_blank">Dallas Comets series</a> (excluding <i>Dump and Chase</i>, since it's not out yet). </div>
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Just comment below with your e-mail address (so I can contact you if you're the winner). Comments are moderated, so they will not be published or made public. Your e-mail address will be kept confidential, and will <b>not</b> be used beyond entry into this contest. </div>
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I will pick a random winner on May 1st, after Autism Awareness Month is over. </div>
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Good luck to all! And be sure to check out all the blogs on schedule for the blog hop! </div>
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Happy reading, </div>
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<i>Jay</i></div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-76893843050256994762018-03-27T15:04:00.002-04:002018-04-13T09:03:19.968-04:00My Kind of March Madness<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This month has been insane! I can't even believe we've got only a week or so left in March.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We started off with a bang at the Angels & Sirens event. I got to hang out with some amazing hockey romance authors! Sometimes writing can feel very solitary, so it's always a great experience to hang out with other writers. And these ladies are AWESOME! It's been a long time since I'd laughed so hard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://4c3056f8-3f8f-46a4-afe0-303a00f8500b/imagejpeg" /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqkLag2H3B7ZwXGA5Kn5lRVpcG0ALY19sxxL7-0HVLEplVpeNxcRISvPqUlYbojtRhW3jSEkRjzFti1fkz_KdHakEZpT4HP2jsNOV6OETrwUmZb2_Rstfg3K7xoZU_MdOugIBYqgWs1o/s1600/A%2526S+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqkLag2H3B7ZwXGA5Kn5lRVpcG0ALY19sxxL7-0HVLEplVpeNxcRISvPqUlYbojtRhW3jSEkRjzFti1fkz_KdHakEZpT4HP2jsNOV6OETrwUmZb2_Rstfg3K7xoZU_MdOugIBYqgWs1o/s320/A%2526S+group.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From L to R: Melody Heck Gatto, RJ Scott, Lisa B. Kamps, Katie Kenyhercz, me, V.L. Locey, and Stephanie Julian.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWWi29QcrRDt3VpLyK8PTHa9tKN_HH2UE1uGoFXZ0q5tV63AdUbG2dUjbn3WauZF02CEy05ZwBK0HyjSXscqfEDqAULB3MO5XSBMF3OkR4RObUUbjztpXk9t1ONfy0oqH1FrVzE-IXWc/s1600/A%2526S+solo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWWi29QcrRDt3VpLyK8PTHa9tKN_HH2UE1uGoFXZ0q5tV63AdUbG2dUjbn3WauZF02CEy05ZwBK0HyjSXscqfEDqAULB3MO5XSBMF3OkR4RObUUbjztpXk9t1ONfy0oqH1FrVzE-IXWc/s320/A%2526S+solo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sitting at my humble table, awaiting the readers!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The next weekend was St. Paddy's Day<span style="font-size: 12pt;">—and my cousin's wedding day! I had a great time with family, and helping my beautiful cousin get ready for her big day.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgRGatvbvBIpE0sF5HzLfKf2auM1fmYYb2iBlYktAb0ellX2kl3pV7IM0tcLJlBkma1KxGhe_2zTlR-36ECROtpHAaZlYc7Of9BvjnuAp7o33ng8rdvemhB6tL8WydgS-lQMp_5cyLrU/s1600/Shamrock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgRGatvbvBIpE0sF5HzLfKf2auM1fmYYb2iBlYktAb0ellX2kl3pV7IM0tcLJlBkma1KxGhe_2zTlR-36ECROtpHAaZlYc7Of9BvjnuAp7o33ng8rdvemhB6tL8WydgS-lQMp_5cyLrU/s320/Shamrock.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I hosted an out-of-town cousin for the weekend, and we had such a blast catching up and growing closer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course, not everything in March was all gold and rainbows. Flynn had another flare-up of his stomatitis, meaning an emergency vet visit and making an appointment for the second round of extractions. Not only were his gums inflamed around his remaining teeth, but his toothless gums were red too. This probably means that he'll have mouth issues for the rest of his life, and we'll have to find ways to manage a lifetime of pain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now that he only has two teeth left (his bottom canines), he's acting much happier. He's even trying to eat kibble again already! He's my sweetheart, and I hope that he continues to improve as the days go by.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7Yql8ApVvqHrwM_hsLsJNbNqKCBC_oAQhS_D6hEX1umc2t3M90sW90U129cOy2qmHWFMcbtAYtD7E-1mIpNnGXsvWpG4d8ZrmA7u0RvJ-cPLC1yOWKVDk9UnhE0hJaqP4onMrFnyKgY/s1600/toothless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7Yql8ApVvqHrwM_hsLsJNbNqKCBC_oAQhS_D6hEX1umc2t3M90sW90U129cOy2qmHWFMcbtAYtD7E-1mIpNnGXsvWpG4d8ZrmA7u0RvJ-cPLC1yOWKVDk9UnhE0hJaqP4onMrFnyKgY/s320/toothless.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm not having much luck getting pics of his toothlessness.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All the while, my day job is crazy busy right now. It makes writing a little more </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">difficult, but I still have tons of ideas brewing! Be sure to stay tuned for updates, which I'll announce as I have them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With any spare time I have, I'm burying my nose into my laptop. The writing is slow going, but I am determined to get the best possible story out to you as soon as possible! Stick with me, guys; I'm gonna make sure it's worth the wait!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-60962062859544779852018-02-05T22:19:00.001-05:002018-02-05T22:19:10.314-05:00Dallas DaysI've run out of adjectives to describe my recent trip to Dallas. Amazing. Delicious. Incredible. Fun. Educational. Beautiful.<br />
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I'd never been to Texas before—surprising, considering my series is set there, right? But that was a happy accident, that the Comets became a whole unto its own. While I researched locations and vocabulary online, I knew that I needed to experience it in person so my books could be as authentic as possible. I'd thought many times about going, but it never seemed like the time was right.</div>
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So when my cousin was getting married outside of Dallas, I knew that the universe was telling me to go!</div>
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I bought my plane ticket, booked an Airbnb, and started planning. <b>Of course</b> I had to go see a Stars game! Then I did my research to see what Texas and the south had to offer.</div>
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<b><u>Sightseeing</u></b><br />
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One of the very first things I knew I needed to do was to hit the Texas
School Book Depository, the Sixth Floor Museum, Elm Street, Dealey
Plaza, and the grassy knoll: in other words, all the places related to
JFK's assassination. I'm not really a history buff, but these particular
places were must see on my Dallas bucket list.<b><u> </u></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">X's mark the fatal shots</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dealey Plaza and Book Depository</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where the Zapruder film was shot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKRX8m7axxdiWdYI00Qy_yYPY3g2GlssJgUtS0QCuQH4eTSgll2ZiDMi2-OJDlG-uuT4hYCnZtr5NpF8pmH9dUK_NvZBW_G-PY-KInU5hBv46k9i0uRIc2TO_LWKD23ZjgZ0roebTPEw/s1600/IMG_4534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKRX8m7axxdiWdYI00Qy_yYPY3g2GlssJgUtS0QCuQH4eTSgll2ZiDMi2-OJDlG-uuT4hYCnZtr5NpF8pmH9dUK_NvZBW_G-PY-KInU5hBv46k9i0uRIc2TO_LWKD23ZjgZ0roebTPEw/s320/IMG_4534.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Depository plaque</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuI1bBz19kgShX2PsWR7uqsSP5WqMVeFppT2cjYLOv4GX2fk7Ya7w51TMtGubaI3qCaqF7rKRphpjhpNkmW4noxqxV3UZ8ytWn2X8Ka2jvHKzrZdkQmmMSUKaeYwitHWXe8WQ-66igxvw/s1600/IMG_4379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inscription and map<br />
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Next up was the Geo Deck on Reunion Tower. The Tower itself is a fun, funky building, but the 360-degree view of Dallas was just as fun. Even better, you could go outside and feel the wind in your hair—and boy, was it windy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimb1V3MW65ouY4c0ojdstZo6qL33nIFj_nE2-RPRJABNKt3jdqbS4V8NSr5XZ8maHSTx22H7UR_j5q_w3yX1W8bisQe5oDPwHwmocM839u48g69s2-Mwk2WYky30_bwCuXFtl1Qg0kf2E/s1600/IMG_4287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimb1V3MW65ouY4c0ojdstZo6qL33nIFj_nE2-RPRJABNKt3jdqbS4V8NSr5XZ8maHSTx22H7UR_j5q_w3yX1W8bisQe5oDPwHwmocM839u48g69s2-Mwk2WYky30_bwCuXFtl1Qg0kf2E/s200/IMG_4287.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reunion Tower</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FELJZTHL65guaiOUF7ebLQ0JNbXKgBtclU78KS5tmXVW43_qNJyqSBHX11UBYWsiJWSiK3TkgE29nRbd2FQrX4S7zX9ZFw2QS8lYjOI-RI8pBMTZe9Tl8AUUy2mgOZZ8JYXVcKI5osc/s1600/IMG_4290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FELJZTHL65guaiOUF7ebLQ0JNbXKgBtclU78KS5tmXVW43_qNJyqSBHX11UBYWsiJWSiK3TkgE29nRbd2FQrX4S7zX9ZFw2QS8lYjOI-RI8pBMTZe9Tl8AUUy2mgOZZ8JYXVcKI5osc/s200/IMG_4290.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dallas behind me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUhC9evuFguDQUO3G0RoFWd_ziakR4wlG1Mv3L7ZHaUuLxTTBIksZvWvfdPYgWusjwZATx7Z73n12LIulsCrbosE6wO3NsU8anIBd1tWziUhsPG1d2QKXUbJtcU3vBSKmbGrZdpmUOiw/s1600/IMG_4300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUhC9evuFguDQUO3G0RoFWd_ziakR4wlG1Mv3L7ZHaUuLxTTBIksZvWvfdPYgWusjwZATx7Z73n12LIulsCrbosE6wO3NsU8anIBd1tWziUhsPG1d2QKXUbJtcU3vBSKmbGrZdpmUOiw/s200/IMG_4300.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooo windy!</td></tr>
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I walked around downtown, seeing some of the sights I'd looked at on Google Maps when setting scenes in my series. I stopped by the Dallas World Aquarium before heading toward the day's big feature, the Stars against the Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8V5haFtq8oYwEw1BBQ7-nAllDwOJdAVVAJQ9T5cDnydWZuxd8mSILOWw_4SDHAG8w2mjLaK_Aoqf-p7qhyxhikUn843vgrxYZd_PD3eJjEXD2GQekXUt7YEIXSqvm7wCUP0C3VCuLz_U/s1600/IMG_4307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8V5haFtq8oYwEw1BBQ7-nAllDwOJdAVVAJQ9T5cDnydWZuxd8mSILOWw_4SDHAG8w2mjLaK_Aoqf-p7qhyxhikUn843vgrxYZd_PD3eJjEXD2GQekXUt7YEIXSqvm7wCUP0C3VCuLz_U/s200/IMG_4307.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Rail Lofts</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIW_AmhAQ0G7pFGknz72any1vv-JAhjt3ak1OjGHMC2rjBYW5t2j7gLmWdfo9T9PYvLDJ-7qzqktOUdIH4aSq-i1r3AnUo-AxR9LIUaXj8PiBVoy-a4GLFNhBxnNl0HGaFtWIoOC-oco/s1600/IMG_4309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIW_AmhAQ0G7pFGknz72any1vv-JAhjt3ak1OjGHMC2rjBYW5t2j7gLmWdfo9T9PYvLDJ-7qzqktOUdIH4aSq-i1r3AnUo-AxR9LIUaXj8PiBVoy-a4GLFNhBxnNl0HGaFtWIoOC-oco/s200/IMG_4309.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Joule</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penguins at the Aquarium</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Eyeball</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwRP8vRBXoD3dW20Z-0URnCXsvcA4Tk9ons9-pewKGq7VoHB6L_EFHxmVG-Q-DaOdkc3F1idVPtNpazL_hw7MWi9iA9lcGMJ1V_E2u7zfcBlUY_iwPEBepe8UlPSRThjy8cuY4xDciFc/s1600/IMG_4355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwRP8vRBXoD3dW20Z-0URnCXsvcA4Tk9ons9-pewKGq7VoHB6L_EFHxmVG-Q-DaOdkc3F1idVPtNpazL_hw7MWi9iA9lcGMJ1V_E2u7zfcBlUY_iwPEBepe8UlPSRThjy8cuY4xDciFc/s320/IMG_4355.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The American Airlines Center</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm ups</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fight!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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The next day was spent at the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the uptown neighborhood of Deep Ellum, and back downtown to have dinner and drinks with cousins!<br />
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The following day, Saturday, was my cousin's wedding, so I strolled the nearby Bishop Arts District before glamming it up for the evening.<br />
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On my last full day in the city, I hit some favorites I'd made along my trip as well as checking out Trinity Groves, the Historic West End, and the Dallas Holocaust Museum (on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.<br />
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<u><b>Food</b></u> </div>
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I couldn't talk about Texas without talking about the food. <b>This</b> is where America gets its stereotype about huge portions. Even though the food was so good, I could hardly finish my meals. From chicken fried steak at Jonathon's Diner (with <a href="http://www.katewilloughbyauthor.com/p/welcome.html" target="_blank">Kate Willoughby</a>), pancakes as big as my head at Cafe Brazil, the best pizza at Neo Olivella's (with <a href="https://www.stephkaybooks.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie Kay</a> and <a href="https://www.samanthawayland.com/" target="_blank">Samantha Wayland</a>; recommendation from <a href="http://avenellis.com/" target="_blank">Aven Ellis</a>), the best steak I've ever eaten from Kenny's Wood Fired Grill, hummingbird cake from the Cake Bar, and even the cookies baked for me by my wonderful Airbnb hostess, Jill—I was in heaven from meal one to my last sandwich before boarding the plane for home.<br />
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Pizza, burgers, steaks, pancakes, beer, cake, British food, German food... it was all incredibly delicious!<br />
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So much of what I was able to experience is going to make it into the next book, <a href="http://www.jaymeejacobs.com/dump-and-chase.html" target="_blank"><i>Dump and Chase</i></a>, as well as books to come<i>. </i>In fact, Ben's house is going to be in the Bishop Arts District, where my Airbnb was located. I have perfect settings for the upcoming Christmas novella I have planned for the end of 2018, and a great plot brewing for book #6—all because of the experiences I had those five days in Dallas.<br />
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I wish I could add more pictures, but I think I'm about to make Blogger explode with everything I've uploaded!<br />
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Once I got home, I hit the ground running. I had a freelance project to finish up, taxes to start, and I still haven't even finished unpacking!<br />
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I wish you all had a great a January as I've had. Happy reading!<br /><i></i>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-40939476638560694052018-01-09T11:37:00.000-05:002018-01-09T11:37:01.935-05:00Bang Bang!So 2017 is done and gone—for better or worse, depending on how your year went. Time to stop dwelling on any perceived failures or reveling in the successes.<br />
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2018 is a blank slate, a fresh start, and there's nothing but potential in front of me.<br />
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As is tradition, I've made a New Year's resolution. This year, I'm focusing on my spending. Flynn will have another oral surgery to remove more teeth, and I want to rebuild my savings that were used for medical costs. So I will try my best to <b>stop spending money on things I don't need.</b> No more splurges on lunch at the office or impulse buys when I stop at a store for necessities. I allowed myself to indulge too much in 2017, because I was dealing with a lot of stress, and I will rein that in this year.<br />
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That being said, I have some big plans for the whole year, and I'll be starting off January with a bang. This Sunday, I'm going to my first ever <a href="http://www.nwhl.zone/" target="_blank">NWHL</a> hockey game! The Connecticut Whale are playing the Buffalo Beauts at the Lemieux Sports Complex here in Pittsburgh. That's any item I can cross off my bucket list, because I've been wanting to attend a game since the NWHL's inception.<br />
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Then, at the end of the month I'm setting off for Dallas, Texas!<br />
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I'm finally gonna explore the setting for my series, and I'll get a firsthand experience of the city. (If any readers are from the area, I'd love some suggestions of places I just <b>have</b> to visit.) I've been wanting to take a research trip since the series took off, and this is the year it's happening.<br />
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While there, I'll be taking in a Dallas Stars game—with three fantastic hockey romance writers and friends: <a href="http://avenellis.com/" target="_blank">Aven Ellis</a>, <a href="https://www.samanthawayland.com/" target="_blank">Samantha Wayland</a>, and <a href="https://www.stephkaybooks.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie Kay</a>. Seriously, I cannot wait to hang with these ladies and have an awesome time!<br />
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The stress of the holidays is over, and life is thankfully returning to normal. In fact, today will be Flynn's first day back on just kibble instead of a wet food/kibble combo, since he seems to be favoring it. Flynn is a total carby kibble junkie—just like his cat mom, who can't get enough carby treats of her own. This also means poor Anna will be limited to just kibble as well, since she's used to scarfing up whatever canned food Flynn leaves behind.<br />
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Of course, I'm planning to write so much this month, too, despite all the hockey fun planned. And I have a <b>ton</b> of author stuff planned over the coming months, like chances to win free tickets to my upcoming signings and signed books. Members of my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1886909741326861/" target="_blank">Reader Group</a> will get first crack, so you'll want to make sure you join so you can get in on the action!<br />
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Follow me on any of my social media accounts to get regular updates about what I'm up to and all things about my Comets.<br />
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Happy reading!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-7358285157314225802017-12-15T12:00:00.000-05:002017-12-15T12:00:34.167-05:00End-of-the-Year Stress Fest (and a Cover Reveal!)Uh, how is it the middle of December already? Seriously, I'm not sure how it happened! I took one week off from writing, to deal with a myriad of stressful things that had popped up (the end of the year is always the <b>most</b> stressful time for me, because of work and personal obligations), and now all of a sudden, Christmas is less than two weeks away and the end of 2017 is just around the corner!<br />
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The biggest thing that's happened is poor Flynn, yet again. He stopped eating, of course due to ongoing mouth issues. He has stomatitis/gingivitis. Stop me if I've explained this before, but basically his body is rejecting his teeth. He had his teeth cleaned in June, but he had a flare-up at the end of September and then at the very end of November.<br />
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What do you do when your body is rejecting your own teeth? You remove them from the equation.<br />
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So earlier this month, we began the process of extracting his teeth. My vet recommended removing them in stages. We started with his left side, since it appeared to be the most inflamed. He had them taken out last week, and his appetite appears to waver.<br />
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Which means not only was I worried about the procedure itself, but I'm still worried about him as he recuperates.<br />
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What can I say? I fully admit to being a crazy cat lady; my cats are my babies, and I am obsessed with them. In fact, I can't wait til Christmas because they are getting some great new toys.<br />
<br />
Besides that, though, the end of the year is <b>always</b> a crazy time. The office I work in is so busy, since our clients are trying to get a lot of things done before the end of year. So that's 40 hours out of my week that's spent working pretty hard. For me, it's tough to get into a good mental space to write when all my brainpower is spent at work. Between work and Flynn, I took last week off from writing, as I mentioned, to give myself a bit of a break. But that doesn't mean I've stopped working.<br />
<br />
In fact, I've got a <b>COVER REVEAL</b> for you! Below is the newly designed cover for Comets book #5, <i><a href="http://www.jaymeejacobs.com/dump-and-chase.html" target="_blank">Dump and Chase</a>:</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNwhrfZMYPfKufgIcksxEjpNjUdrRuQFi-R8P-UxG8SNo74-Tic_f0VUnPGD4a7uss_-TD_tGS_nhYoN8ETCWyesn2icR5don3r5rKqYj8m_7bOxxbKnvr_8SXT_i_CVav2Bb9NHTO7U/s1600/2017-1145+Jaymee+Jacobs+B05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNwhrfZMYPfKufgIcksxEjpNjUdrRuQFi-R8P-UxG8SNo74-Tic_f0VUnPGD4a7uss_-TD_tGS_nhYoN8ETCWyesn2icR5don3r5rKqYj8m_7bOxxbKnvr_8SXT_i_CVav2Bb9NHTO7U/s320/2017-1145+Jaymee+Jacobs+B05.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Tell me what you think! Personally, I love the yellow.<br />
<i> </i><br />
As I continue with the story, I'll be sure to give updates on its status and when it'll release. Members of my Facebook reader group, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1886909741326861/" target="_blank">the Jay Birds</a>, have been getting snippets and tidbits before I've made them public, so it's a great place to be. Join in on the fun!<br />
<br /><i></i>
Meanwhile, it's time for me to get back to work. I'm attending a fun sci-fi event at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History tonight that I'm really looking forward to. I hope you all have great weekends, too!<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
<i> </i>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-67839575120817415282017-11-06T16:39:00.002-05:002017-11-06T16:39:46.667-05:00Life Is [Hopefully] Finally Settling Down<div class="tr_bq">
I like November. It means [American] Thanksgiving is coming—which is one of my absolute favorite holidays ever. And one of my favorite bands has a great lyric: <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1mQOiIECt8" target="_blank">I always believe in futures / I hope for better in November</a>.</i></div>
<i><br /></i>
I've been waiting for November to roll around this year because it finally means a <b>break</b> in activity. September and October were especially busy for me, and it looks like all my medical business is winding down after I had my gallbladder removed in July.<br />
<br />
So what does November have in store for me then? <b>Nothing.</b> And I can't tell you how excited that makes me. Instead of being bogged down with social events and obligations, I'm staying home!<br />
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In all honestly, I do have two major tasks on my agenda for November, which is to thoroughly clean my apartment and organize it, and to really sink my teeth into <i>Dump and Chase.</i> I have so many ideas, and I don't seem to have the time to get them all out.<br />
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That should all change, starting tonight! I did a lot of cleaning and organizing this past weekend, so that should free up my nights for writing in my office.<br />
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For those of you who aren't in my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1886909741326861/" target="_blank">Facebook reading group</a>, here's your first look at the blurb for Dump and Chase:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What happens when a dating pro meets a dating dud?</em></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 16px;">Ben Holmes has never had much success with the ladies, but that’s okay with him. As a forward for the Dallas Comets hockey team, he has a great life—and an awesome bachelor pad and sweet ride. Finding a girlfriend isn’t high on Ben’s list of priorities until his meddling, match-making teammates finally persuade him into signing up for an online dating site.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 16px;">Lennox Jones has everything she could possibly want—except a fulfilling, serious relationship. She is the queen of worst first dates and horrible hookups. Her horror stories have been making her friends laugh and cringe for years, and now she’s telling all as the anonymous author of <i>Chronically Single</i>, a blog detailing all of her dating disasters and rocky relationships. But as the number of hits to her blog skyrockets, her romantic hopes plummet.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 16px;">When Lennox gets a late-night message from a new match with no profile picture or description, she’s tempted to swipe left. However, his admitted inexperience with online dating makes her agree to meet him in real life. Ben is attracted to Lennox’s feisty spirit and relentless drive, and he can’t believe that an accomplished woman like her is still single.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 16px;">One bad date won’t stop Ben from pursuing the beautiful blogger who, unbeknownst to him, uses their interactions to entertain her followers. He’s ready to ditch his dating profile and get off-line until he finds out that he’s become a popular figure in Lennox’s blog. Can Ben handle having his private love life publicly disclosed on<i> Chronically Single?</i> If so, maybe he has taken Lennox on her last first date!</span></blockquote>
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And I can't wait to share the cover, too. I hope to make huge progress this month so I can share this story with y'all ASAP.<br />
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I have a Chinese order placed to pick up after work, so I can get home, dig into some lo mein, and get right into my manuscript. Hopefully that'll mean that I will have some good news for you come December. ;)<br />
<br />
Happy reading!<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-63735311377471854642017-10-17T21:46:00.002-04:002017-10-17T21:46:42.628-04:00Falling into FallOctober is one of my favorite months, and it's almost over! It's going by so fast. <i>Too</i> fast.<br />
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Last weekend, I was celebrating my friend's big day: her wedding!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpQUXQzPYwd8raMRR1MhLryHf7J_hyphenhyphenCgxXFrGsg-uIg6IoV72eGIuCDKhv4zscKLOrGEsUo7yCAkqHFsVZe3Dl__MfpS4-amZpKutXNDcVWnQX81crYqifISfTq9kxoYQ047-MHRtFto/s1600/fullsizeoutput_629.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpQUXQzPYwd8raMRR1MhLryHf7J_hyphenhyphenCgxXFrGsg-uIg6IoV72eGIuCDKhv4zscKLOrGEsUo7yCAkqHFsVZe3Dl__MfpS4-amZpKutXNDcVWnQX81crYqifISfTq9kxoYQ047-MHRtFto/s320/fullsizeoutput_629.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend and I with the beautiful bride.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That was the first big event of the month. Next up is my Halloween party. I <i>love</i> Halloween, and I'm going all out for my costume this year. I'll post pics in my Facebook readers' group, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1886909741326861/" target="_blank">Jay Birds</a>, for you to see.<br />
But most excitingly is the author event I'm doing on the 28th. I'll be one of many authors at the Glass City Author Event (check it out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/578350142311458/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and get tickets <a href="https://m.ticketmaster.com/ticket/search.do?articles=tmus&query=glass+city+author+event" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
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<br />
If you're from the Toledo area, I'd love to meet you!<br />
<br />
And in between all that, I'm working on the next book in the Dallas Comets series. I've got a <i>great</i> title for this one: <i>Dump and Chase.</i> Is that not awesome? I'm working on the blurb, and I'll post it as soon as I've perfected it.<br />
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As always, stay tuned for updates and more info!<br />
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Happy reading!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-5347568540759907892017-09-05T15:58:00.001-04:002017-09-05T15:58:28.691-04:00FALSE START Releases September 28!Eight months are in the bag for 2017. It's September, which means hockey starts this month! Players are starting to come back to their NHL towns. Training camp starts soon, which means preseason soon after, which means regular season after that!<br />
<br />
Plus, fall is starting to emerge in my corner of Pennsylvania, with temperatures cooling and nights slowly getting longer. I love fall!<br />
<br />
But I've got more reason to celebrate. I've finally pinned down a release date for <i>False Start</i>, Comets book #4. Right now, the only retailer up is <a href="http://amzn.to/2x8igjL" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, but I'll post the others via social media as soon as they go live.<br />
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I'm really excited to get Chris and Helene's story out to y'all. This is a different kind of story for me—more in the new adult genre. I hope you'll enjoy!<br />
<br />
Each time I share a story, it's like sharing a part of me. And I've worked for a long time on this story, off and on, through bouts of illness. Even when I couldn't write, this story stayed with me. One of the main issues in it is vulnerability, and writers often feel very vulnerable. I guess that's one reason why this story is close to my heart.<br />
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Anywho, I have to get back to work. There's a lot that needs to be done yet to get this book out on the 28th!<br />
<br />
Happy reading!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-11418855910367114492017-08-09T11:35:00.000-04:002017-08-09T11:35:16.553-04:00Rediscovering Normal.I know "normal" is a relative word. What's normal to me isn't normal to someone else. And what <i>used to be</i> normal for me has gone flying out the window. So now I begin the search for my <b>new normal</b>.<br />
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On July 21, I had my gallbladder out. Within a week, I was feeling great! I was off the pain meds, could stand up and sit down as good as ever, and was starting to experiment with what foods to eat. I've been able to to eat pizza and fries again! No more nausea and vomiting! Even better, I've gotten back some of my lost energy; last week, I was able to go grocery shopping and then come home and put everything in its place! And yesterday, I did laundry and put it all away in the same evening. Yes, I'm definitely feeling more energized.</div>
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So I'd chalk the surgery up as a <b>major success</b>.</div>
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I will continue to experiment with my diet to see what works for me and what doesn't. I still have IBS, so I have to learn what foods to avoid, what foods to limit, and what I can go hog-wild on! Oh, JK. Those days are over! Moderation is essential from here on out.<br />
<br />
I'm loving the extra energy most of all. I didn't realize that my poor digestion was affecting me as much as it was. What a reminder to <b>keep your body in its best shape to maximize what you can get out of life</b>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM1zEonNHR5d9cTLVbclUm2lWlpUk68Wc1ESaqYxAQe507o4Dx2R1MRoGPLJcNRBW_0Xh1ImMAycbGDbXm9Y6xIB9X8437oNJQ5_E0bR0pNCGNwhNqvVm9QoOVjkIRDIwf-UUnAF_pzw/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM1zEonNHR5d9cTLVbclUm2lWlpUk68Wc1ESaqYxAQe507o4Dx2R1MRoGPLJcNRBW_0Xh1ImMAycbGDbXm9Y6xIB9X8437oNJQ5_E0bR0pNCGNwhNqvVm9QoOVjkIRDIwf-UUnAF_pzw/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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I have a lot of chores to take care of around my apartment; so much went by the waysides while I was recuperating from surgery. My mountains of dirty laundry are eroding into hills. I can see the surface of my dining room table again! My fridge and freezer are stocked with fresh foods and homemade, prepped meals instead of Lean Cuisines and nutrition drinks.<br />
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And this also means I can spend more brain power on <i>False Start</i>. Although I can't make any release-date promises, I'm hoping it'll be as soon as next month. Updates will follow as soon as I have them.<br />
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As as I work toward finding/establishing my new normal, I'm trying to establish good writing habits again. Getting my butt in that seat and spending time with my fingers fluttering over the keyboard. Wish me luck!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-85859663986611148712017-07-08T16:23:00.001-04:002017-07-08T16:23:50.478-04:00Nashville Antics In June, I met up with <a href="http://www.lisabkamps.com/" target="_blank">Lisa B. Kamps</a>, <a href="http://www.michellemonkou.com/" target="_blank">Michelle Monkou</a> (and her daughter), and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/julia.canchola" target="_blank">Julia Canchola</a> for a writer's retreat in <b>Nashville, Tennessee</b>. That week turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life!<br />
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Get ready for my virtual slideshow! <br />
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<ul>
<li>We ate delicious <b>food</b> and had some amazing <b>drinks</b>:</li>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Bavarian Bierhaus, in Opry Mills Mall)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Jack's BBQ, on Broadway)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-Uukfzka45x1KE3DA3mys_i04-4a4Fc2ucBvwrNLWFCTavD_-hYeHw4gA3UUFJNzR8Om00mzYNhoA-WTOU6alLmUDHKHzRbI4dZ4Bs4KMH6qvx88bfdzoWkbFO6eR2OrCSNjYuZz5YI/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-Uukfzka45x1KE3DA3mys_i04-4a4Fc2ucBvwrNLWFCTavD_-hYeHw4gA3UUFJNzR8Om00mzYNhoA-WTOU6alLmUDHKHzRbI4dZ4Bs4KMH6qvx88bfdzoWkbFO6eR2OrCSNjYuZz5YI/s200/IMG_1265.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Sangria at Rock Bottom on Broadway)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Happy Gilmore at Nelson's Green Brier Distillery)</td></tr>
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We had a great time sightseeing, visiting a lot of the places that make Nashville, well, Nashville.<br />
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<li>We went honky-tonking, my favorite place being <b>Nashville Palace</b>. The grilled cheese with ham was to die for, as were the apple pie moonshine margaritas that Lisa insisted we try! Josh, our server, was the more adorable introduction to the great Tennesseans we encountered.</li>
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<ul>
<li>On Friday, June 23rd, we went to the <b>Grand Ole Opry</b> to for the radio show.</li>
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<li> On Saturday, we hit some of the big attractions in the city. We saw <b>Bridgestone Arena</b>, where the Pens got to lift the Stanley Cup this year as back-to-back champs! We walked along <b>Broadway</b>, where all the honky tonks are. It was busy, even before noon—and it was packed before 5:00pm! We toured <b>Nelson's Green Brier Distillery</b> and tried some bourbon during at a tasting. We hung out at the <b>Parthenon</b>, a one-to-one replica of the one in Athens. And we toured Music Row, where recording artists lay down the tracks for their albums. We saw the famous <b>RCA Studio B</b>, where some of the biggest musicians have recorded their hits.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pEnILttnb8Fqxu4dXOUc4Be-4lROB_lWCCNUCKcwcG1N0K1le31ts0YR2iJjThITnLQrj4f5fCmSSm6QPXrxH0fvJODlQ9FGRJSpi1F5n1GaNnjee7RHJlK1J_yV_HeEyapS7I4MoqI/s1600/IMG_1297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pEnILttnb8Fqxu4dXOUc4Be-4lROB_lWCCNUCKcwcG1N0K1le31ts0YR2iJjThITnLQrj4f5fCmSSm6QPXrxH0fvJODlQ9FGRJSpi1F5n1GaNnjee7RHJlK1J_yV_HeEyapS7I4MoqI/s320/IMG_1297.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<li> And I got some great pictures of travel on the way back:</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPB2ePNIy30XMdza3_d30Gk5p2-sq1Be1YsqYbe442W3uuD3qHQHxg6qYw2edvtLBW4_YESaH7g58486fj3ZrcpvsGpou4jV4L6vmKezlZRF2QSt1uzd1rvK9hhBOON4YXM-BniW2Uj8/s1600/IMG_1324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPB2ePNIy30XMdza3_d30Gk5p2-sq1Be1YsqYbe442W3uuD3qHQHxg6qYw2edvtLBW4_YESaH7g58486fj3ZrcpvsGpou4jV4L6vmKezlZRF2QSt1uzd1rvK9hhBOON4YXM-BniW2Uj8/s200/IMG_1324.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Statue of Liberty)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM-EfosdNlIR-_pq83RK4668kQZbKE9ZfIt6EBv5Vhw1ahpAA7R1VtkPjKqgU4CDepwLYWofalS-buriFRoarcLJpfmUR__HliQfxY1TMsLcvb_BxOfgPO5VvdPk0nYHEMqqConwu8tY/s1600/IMG_1325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM-EfosdNlIR-_pq83RK4668kQZbKE9ZfIt6EBv5Vhw1ahpAA7R1VtkPjKqgU4CDepwLYWofalS-buriFRoarcLJpfmUR__HliQfxY1TMsLcvb_BxOfgPO5VvdPk0nYHEMqqConwu8tY/s200/IMG_1325.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Manhattan)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX90DI9Ws-tcFjEOQrW2Ub_4TYKQddSFifqbUGRZt5KVRw5oL4jpW0adp9sxUEDaqI4VLhEW0MlX1OBT_JhuaW6V7B7TVdMJsdR8Jmtpzca-E1XQbPRFekz5-oLNNJmU-_wHRGgKkvvw/s1600/IMG_1326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX90DI9Ws-tcFjEOQrW2Ub_4TYKQddSFifqbUGRZt5KVRw5oL4jpW0adp9sxUEDaqI4VLhEW0MlX1OBT_JhuaW6V7B7TVdMJsdR8Jmtpzca-E1XQbPRFekz5-oLNNJmU-_wHRGgKkvvw/s200/IMG_1326.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Downtown Pittsburgh)</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li> We went shopping at the Opry Mills Mall, and I bought the <b>cutest boots</b> that I've been wanting forever! They're classic-looking cowboy boots with some great accessories. I had almost given up my search when Lisa showed me these. Even better, they're comfortable! I love these boots! </li>
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There's more, of course, but this trip to Nashville was more than a chance to relax and visit Music City (although I did feel completely refreshed after a week away from my everyday life). It was a <b>writer's retreat</b>, which meant this was a working vacation. </div>
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I made some major headway with <b><i>False Start</i></b>, and I got a lot of other stuff done too. All my books are now available via <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Jaymee+Jacobs" target="_blank">Google Play</a>. I have a production schedule in place through 2018 and new covers in the works for next year's planned releases.<br />
I learned so much from my fellow writers. They were encouraging, supportive, and always ready to help with their insightful anecdotes and advice. Above all, I learned a lot about myself and my process as a writer. That week was invaluable to me, and I can't thank <b><a href="http://amzn.to/2uWQ662" target="_blank">Lisa</a></b> enough for inviting me and including me!<br />
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Nashville was a great way to end the first half of 2017; there's still so much yet to come this year, and I feel ready for it all! July itself is shaping up to be a busy month, and I'm trying to ride the wave of productivity from Nashville while back home in PA.<br />
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Here's hoping y'all are enjoying your summers! If you want to tell me about your vacations, feel free to do so in the comments. Otherwise, happy reading!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-67080089856184506222017-06-02T14:39:00.002-04:002017-06-02T14:39:21.199-04:00(Finally) An AnswerI got a call from gastroenterologist's office yesterday with news about my latest test, a <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hida-scan/home/ovc-20200578" target="_blank">HIDA scan with CCK</a>: my gallbladder is functioning at <b>18%</b>. They have recommended removal and are in the process of referring me to a general surgeon.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finally</i></b>, an answer as to the culprit of my ailments!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir0-OzBV3hj_W58SQlL8-3o8n-VbHLn-gYD3-OSe2cRPhWfmstnaaL2u1c1LWp2cZkXVzSQIXyZJSYSnoLe7s88dsmxLXR-VSfdKuu4BEu0kUBjpuAwpsy9Coy8pUMvkt2YjbIK1xQpQ/s1600/gallbladder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="646" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir0-OzBV3hj_W58SQlL8-3o8n-VbHLn-gYD3-OSe2cRPhWfmstnaaL2u1c1LWp2cZkXVzSQIXyZJSYSnoLe7s88dsmxLXR-VSfdKuu4BEu0kUBjpuAwpsy9Coy8pUMvkt2YjbIK1xQpQ/s320/gallbladder.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The offending organ!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm very relieved to have been told there is a cause for my ongoing symptoms. I'm excited to think that <i>maybe</i> this treatment will cure some (if not all, fingers crossed!) of my digestive problems.<br />
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But even more than that, I'm relieved to not have to focus so hard on finding an answer. So much of my mental energy was wrapped up scheduling tests, having tests performed, waiting for test results, and then repeating that cycle over and over and over again. I did so much online research and reading about tests and procedures and drugs for every possible outcome and learning as much as I could.<br />
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Months of this, and years of enduring symptoms, was exhausting. My mind had a hard time thinking about anything else. I'm kind of obsessive that way.<br />
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I'm most comforted by the thought that I can finally stop worrying/thinking so much about my health now. Of course I know I'm not out of the woods, so to speak, since I will be having surgery and the process of finding my new "normal" could took a while. Believe me, I have no notion that going forward will be any easier as far as my physical health is concerned.<br />
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But my mental health will be better, as I can rest assured that my doctors and I finally found a physical cause for at least a partial amount of my symptoms.<br />
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This means focusing on my stories and my characters <b>more</b> and <b>better</b>! Since my mind can relax now, it can wander into the fictional worlds of <b>Chris Lacey</b> and <b>Helene Michaels</b>, the leads in my upcoming Dallas Comets installment, <i><a href="http://www.jaymeejacobs.com/false-start.html" target="_blank">False Start</a>.</i> I get more and more excited as I continue on their journey, both together and separately. It will be a little different than what I usually write, but definitely in a good way, I think. I hope you'll think so too!<br />
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This will be the first weekend in a long time that I'll have an unburdened brain, and I'm looking forward to using it in front of my laptop—not Googling low ejection rates, but writing!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-64649429575661712452017-05-01T14:01:00.000-04:002017-05-01T14:01:07.278-04:00Getting GutsyIt's time for me to talk about something I've been avoiding for a long time.<div>
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I'm not a very open person about certain things in my life. I'll share pics of my cats and bad hair day selfies, but I keep some stuff close to my chest. Like politics, relationships, and... health stuff.</div>
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In a <a href="http://jaymeejacobs.blogspot.com/2016/12/2016-year-in-review.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>, I mentioned that I was going to spend 2017 getting healthy and trying to resolve some ongoing stomach issues, but I didn't divulge anything else. I had no specifics to give out, and I didn't want to discuss anything more than that. I felt the need to let everyone know that I would be taking more time for myself than usual, meaning there would be less writing happening because my focus would be on me and my health/issues.</div>
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Now it's time to be <b>gutsy</b> and talk about my <b>guts</b>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBepoXuZ14zVw_0iY0wZ7R7dlRLrg8kQdfncMSEsOzjXKmjBGgAZvQWtxrUp0BU5voZB3NZQiHi8Ps2nfr2go58EShQHguYioJmhQo6fmBYQqXjfEYP-Qb6-VrgR-gMM0YzpayotSIXVY/s1600/guts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBepoXuZ14zVw_0iY0wZ7R7dlRLrg8kQdfncMSEsOzjXKmjBGgAZvQWtxrUp0BU5voZB3NZQiHi8Ps2nfr2go58EShQHguYioJmhQo6fmBYQqXjfEYP-Qb6-VrgR-gMM0YzpayotSIXVY/s320/guts.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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For the past couple of years, I've felt like a walking Pepto-Bismal commercial (and that's all the detail you're going to get about that!). I went to my doc, and she told me I was lactose intolerant and that I didn't have Celiac's. I tried a bunch of different diets to eliminate possibly problematic foods, but the symptoms never really went away.</div>
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I would miss a day of work here and there due to the stomach issues. I canceled plans because I didn't feel well. I became reluctant to make plans, because I didn't know how I would be feeling at any given point, and I didn't want to get stomach cramps or feel sick while with other people. Going to the gym became difficult because I'd have to stop the machines and run to the women's room in mid-workout.</div>
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When I was at the adult prom—something I had been looking forward to for <b>months</b>—I hoped that I wouldn't get any symptoms and I'd be able to enjoy the whole night. But sure enough, after dinner, I had such bad cramps that I had to get off the dance floor and sit at the table while everyone else kept having fun. I had tried to put on a brave front in front of my friend, since I didn't want to ruin the night for her, but she saw straight through it and let me know that it was okay if I needed to take a break.</div>
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We still had a great time, but these ongoing issues have put a real damper on my social life. I started staying home rather than going out <b>just in case</b> I didn't feel well. I didn't want to get stuck somewhere when my gut began to gurgle and let me know that my body was not happy.</div>
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Months ago, at a follow-up appointment with my doctor, she noticed some abnormal numbers in my yearly blood work. We retested, thinking the results were a fluke, but they weren't. There was something going on in my body that needed further investigations.</div>
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Without going into the nitty gritty details—most of which would bore you to death, if you aren't already (and if you aren't already, thanks for reading! Hi!)—I've been through a litany of tests and we've ruled out a lot of conditions. I can tell you what I <b>don't</b> have, but... I still can't tell you what the true problem is.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjMltyNfxpbWEh352t0zPOGSi5O9JfcwtAxnqphMHjn0yDWqSOUYsP9A8_gidBR_9gvipGeHH3qkUda_scxrzPxFjOQDzprFrsAYL37gjDfIr-UlSeEH40Km6V6Sqh2K-4J_Q-MKw7aE/s1600/AnotherCastle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjMltyNfxpbWEh352t0zPOGSi5O9JfcwtAxnqphMHjn0yDWqSOUYsP9A8_gidBR_9gvipGeHH3qkUda_scxrzPxFjOQDzprFrsAYL37gjDfIr-UlSeEH40Km6V6Sqh2K-4J_Q-MKw7aE/s320/AnotherCastle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just change "princess" to "diagnosis" and you're in my shoes, Mario!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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I was hoping that today would be the magical day for me to get a definitive answer at my appointment, but we're doing some more testing. Right now, the focus is on my gallbladder and if it may be the cause of all these wonderful issues I'm experiencing.</div>
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I probably won't bother with a health update unless I get a concrete answer, because like I said, I'm just not open about these kinds of things. But I do feel a duty to disclose the details of my life when it affects my writing time. I am still writing, but the words are coming out more slowly than ever due to the epic stress I'm under and the lack of time/energy I have. But I <b>am </b>still working on <i>False Start</i>, and I want to finish <i>The Back Up</i> (a standalone) this year as well. That's the plan, and that's what I'm working towards.</div>
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This may have been a bunch of rambling nonsense to you, but it felt good to get off my... chest.</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-4666434474398409042017-04-03T20:46:00.000-04:002017-04-03T20:46:02.673-04:00Small Changes for Big Success<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I'm all about self-care, and if you follow me on any social medium, I'm sure you know that. I'm generally an anxious stress-ball of nerves. And I know I haven't taken enough time for myself in the past. I've trying to change that, so I've been implementing small changes in my life, including:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6KqhErGFV-7qzizC2F7c4w0l6AsbMBeMcAiHDkT-4BZFbQVUdGdCaDWoIgSuMaTWSbxKGxIOuNnQtJPPJGvdC7QnGCVNHuzp8oYH66CXhH58mpuOa8xdUx16a9M_DaemqOU6wPsfXHo/s1600/Meal+Planning.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6KqhErGFV-7qzizC2F7c4w0l6AsbMBeMcAiHDkT-4BZFbQVUdGdCaDWoIgSuMaTWSbxKGxIOuNnQtJPPJGvdC7QnGCVNHuzp8oYH66CXhH58mpuOa8xdUx16a9M_DaemqOU6wPsfXHo/s320/Meal+Planning.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> It seems so simple, right? Know what you're going to eat before you eat it. It's not rocket science. I always had a stocked fridge/freezer/pantry, but I never took the time to plan out meals. To make sure that I had all the ingredients needed for certain meals. So every time it came to make a meal, I was scrounging. That led to a lot of fast food meals, because that was so much more convenient.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Well, at that leads to is light wallet and a heavier weight on the scale.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I wanted to save money and eat better. Eat <b>real</b> food and not processed, frozen meals or stuff handed to me through a window. But there's a reason why meal planning is hard to do: it's the opposite of convenient. It's time intensive and a lot of work and research. It took many steps, which I have outlined below:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 1. Well the first thing I did was to make a colorful chart, because I love to feel organized. It gave me a starting point: I knew I needed three small meals and three snacks a day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 2. Then I hit my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jaymeejacobs/" target="_blank">Pinterest boards</a> to find healthy recipes that I was sure I would want to eat throughout an entire week. Because let's be honest</span></span><style><!--
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-</style><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">—that's one of the hardest parts of meal planning. How am I supposed to know on Sunday what I want to eat on Friday? I don't even know what I want for breakfast when I wake up in the morning.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 3. Once I figured out what meals and snacks would be suitable, I took stock of what I already had and made a list of what ingredients and components I'd need to get me through the week. I divided the list into two categories: things to buy at the beginning of the week, and the fresh fruit and veggies to buy midway through the week (since I knew they would go back before the seven days would be up). I got the <b>good</b> roast beef from the deli, beautiful leaf lettuce, and ripe tomatoes to make sandwiches that rivaled Panera's, because I knew that would be a lunch I'd love to eat.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 4. I took a nap, because this was a lot of work so far!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 5. I did as much prep ahead of time as possible. I made a whole recipe of spinach dip that lasted as a snack for two households for two weeks. I divided up yogurt and granola for breakfasts and cottage cheese and fruit for snacks. That way, in the morning, I could just grab what was already prepped and not have to do any thinking.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 6. I figured out the key to meal planning: leaving myself options, aka planning for more than just the appropriate number of meals. That way, if I want tacos instead of spaghetti, I have that flexibility. Now I never feel trapped into eating something I don't want to eat.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The other small thing I implemented is:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiy70moy5R2bpmAzDv_EA6FCvoDw56JyAmcwfVSK-bFurQNgM6SKXP3MF7vQSBeyd-WDZyAGKGcdbhCejKeHz31TdDe2YlCk15emrcOUlwPCJMqBcjfJtnjxMKAiMNDQSdHh4AgZF_WXM/s1600/Yoga.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiy70moy5R2bpmAzDv_EA6FCvoDw56JyAmcwfVSK-bFurQNgM6SKXP3MF7vQSBeyd-WDZyAGKGcdbhCejKeHz31TdDe2YlCk15emrcOUlwPCJMqBcjfJtnjxMKAiMNDQSdHh4AgZF_WXM/s320/Yoga.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Yes, yoga! I have been wanting to try it for a while, for two reasons. The first is that it's something I can do in my apartment without disrupting my neighbors. The other is that it's also supposed to help lower stress—and, as stated, I'm always stressed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I started off with <a href="http://amzn.to/2nxKF9E" target="_blank">this beginner level DVD</a>. I rolled out a new mat, kept a towel and a yoga block nearby, and went for it. And it felt <b>good</b>. My muscles were stretched in ways they haven't been for a long time. I worked up a bit of a sweat, to my surprise! I've been making my way through the routines in this <a href="http://amzn.to/2ovAYNv" target="_blank">DVD</a>, as recommended to me by fellow hockey romance author and yoga lover, <a href="http://vlloceyauthor.com/" target="_blank">V.L. Locey</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I plan on going to the gym three days a week, and then doing yoga the other four days. I hope to continue to see progress in my strength and flexibility as well as help reducing my stress. As I said, it's seemed to work so far!</span></span><br />
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<hr width="80%" />
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What do you do help manage stress? As always, let me know in the comments here or via any of my social media accounts. I'd love to hear from you, and maybe we can swap tips!<br />
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Happy reading,<br />
<br />
Jay Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-59155987160629031752017-03-10T19:29:00.001-05:002017-03-10T19:29:27.889-05:00Marvelous March<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">My fabulous February, coming off the adult prom, is transitioning into a marvelous March!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">One week after I got all dolled up and dressed up in my gorgeous purple
gown, I had another fabulous weekend spent with an amazing group of
fellow hockey romance writers and hockey fans! First, we all went out to the Pens game on Friday night to see Pittsburgh take on Tampa Bay.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nice seats!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tGCzEkm985nTZd0VEB0Kub94ccWTIxWkFoGMI4knFtUPqIYmOtVxt_k3nWf7URjUHjMMw5SoaMegFuEcuFi7xNrnV9wdVhSa0sncbRAoFjOYRAItytEp58JWM5ph5N0ksaHBuzL36zw/s1600/IMG_0650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tGCzEkm985nTZd0VEB0Kub94ccWTIxWkFoGMI4knFtUPqIYmOtVxt_k3nWf7URjUHjMMw5SoaMegFuEcuFi7xNrnV9wdVhSa0sncbRAoFjOYRAItytEp58JWM5ph5N0ksaHBuzL36zw/s320/IMG_0650.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the wonderful Lisa B. Kamps</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hockey romance writers and readers unite!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Pens won, and we all had a good time together.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then on Saturday, I was up early to head to the Meadows Casino in Washington, PA, for the Angels & Sirens 2017 author event. Here I am, at my table, my signing pen ready to go:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXiGF59sgCXEw-LoeKXKCJ4S2wHUT0jo7ZOKyvHoTK11pfJ-eMlGJKis8ILE-YqEIDWvLamHPkkghW27RPBha6OUHVz-KYrA4ZxMmgA-qkBp5epnsTWNCLhPgY8VVfXoDdIjh6E0N8NU/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXiGF59sgCXEw-LoeKXKCJ4S2wHUT0jo7ZOKyvHoTK11pfJ-eMlGJKis8ILE-YqEIDWvLamHPkkghW27RPBha6OUHVz-KYrA4ZxMmgA-qkBp5epnsTWNCLhPgY8VVfXoDdIjh6E0N8NU/s320/IMG_0655.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">And meeting readers:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJDyzkj1P9m8oEzlpEqDhEjLpn-a56jIzM8tb-_EkuSoeZbpsJZpXGL5vlQuCdrRCHBf9wpPRGl8b8LK1dcETJjfewQrKWKeQ9Fv4-qXfIjATdhokyttdgwoCElK7siLMx98CUP8ZfPM/s1600/IMG_0658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJDyzkj1P9m8oEzlpEqDhEjLpn-a56jIzM8tb-_EkuSoeZbpsJZpXGL5vlQuCdrRCHBf9wpPRGl8b8LK1dcETJjfewQrKWKeQ9Fv4-qXfIjATdhokyttdgwoCElK7siLMx98CUP8ZfPM/s320/IMG_0658.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was quite an experience. My first ever signing! I met some great people, including fellow authors, bloggers, and readers. I'll admit that I was nervous about my first event</span></span><style><!--
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--></style><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">—whether anyone would want to stop by to see me or even what the event would be like. But it was better than I could have hoped. I was waiting to see how a local event would go before I decided if I would attend any future signings or events. I had so much fun that I've decided to attend more.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In fact, I've signed on for one in six months: <a href="http://glasscityauthorevent.weebly.com/" target="_blank">The Glass City Author Event</a> in Toledo, Ohio. It takes place on Saturday, October 28, 2017.</span></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even Anna was interested in the goodies I got from Angels & Sirens!</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, being so busy does have its consequences; I fell pretty sick this week. My brain has been so foggy that I can't even read, and I'm too exhausted to move about from room to room. I have advocated a lot for self care, and this is a perfect example of why that's necessary. When you push yourself, you weaken your body's ability to fight off any bugs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hopefully I'm feeling well enough tomorrow to attend my grandmother's 80th birthday party!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I'm off to drink some tea and take some more decongestants. Happy reading!</span></span>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-77816581337357650302017-02-23T19:46:00.000-05:002017-02-23T19:46:12.470-05:00Fabulous FebruaryWow, this month has flown by! I know it's not over yet, but there's only a few days left—and if the rest of February is any indication, those days will pass by just as quickly.<br />
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My birthday was a few days ago, and it was probably my favorite birthday ever! In the words of Ice Cube, <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UqMyldS7Q" target="_blank">it was a good day</a></i>.<br />
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My day in the office went smoothly, and then my friends and I went out to a great new Turkish restaurant. The food and the atmosphere was phenomenal. They even would read your fortune from your coffee grounds! It felt a little like Harry Potter.<br />
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Luckily for us, she did not read the Grim in anyone's cup!<br />
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A few of us then went out for drinks. Even though there was some drunk guy trying to talk politics with us, we had a good time at the bar.<br />
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Good food, good company, and lots of good wishes from you all via social media—I couldn't have asked for a better birthday!<br />
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Meanwhile, I'm impatiently waiting for this coming weekend, since the Adult Prom is on Saturday! I bought a purple gown, and my friend and I are getting our nails and hair done beforehand—just like if we were going to a real prom! Which is great for me, because I didn't go to my prom in high school. I'm so excited for this girls' night out.<br />
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Of course, the following weekend is the Angels & Sirens event! I am so excited to be in attendance with some other awesome hockey romance authors: Melody Heck Gatto, Lisa B. Kamps, V.L. Locey, Lindsay Paige, Samantha Wayland, and more who I know I've forgotten. Some of these ladies I'll be meeting for the first time.<br />
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I've been prepping for the past couple of months for this event. It's my first, so I needed to get a banner made. Next came some swag for myself and the Comets. Then I got a bunch of copies of my paperbacks to bring for anyone interested. I've bundled up my pre-orders. Now I'm making lists to make sure I bring everything I need.<br />
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Kindle? Check.<br />
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Credit card reader? Check.<br />
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iPhone 7 headphone adapter that I put someplace safe and then forgot where so I had to buy a new one? Check.<br />
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And I have a few surprises to put together. With a week and a half left before the event, there's a lot to do between now and then! I hope to get to see some of you readers there.<br />
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Now I'm off to double-check my list and doing some brainstorming.<br />
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Happy reading!Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-71870830323611825082017-01-28T22:06:00.000-05:002017-01-28T22:06:26.289-05:00My Word of the Year: ForwardI noticed something at the beginning of this month, which was a trend of people picking words for the 2017. Like a mantra.<br />
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I didn't pay a lot of attention to it at the time, although it seemed like a good idea; I didn't think I'd be able to pick just <b>one word</b> to encapsulate my hopes for the entirety of the coming year.<br />
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That being said, <b>one word picked me.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>What exactly does that one word mean? It means that I will—and must—constantly keep moving forward. I cannot dwell in the moment, good or bad, because I have to think about the <b>next</b> moment, and what is more important: being caught up in the present or what's to come?<br />
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That also means that I must examine what I am doing in the moment and determine if it's going to help me move forward. Am I writing, working on that next book? Working on the administrative side of things? Engaging in needed self-care? If it's not important, then I shouldn't be spending time on it.<br />
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That means staying off of social media, at least for the most part. I can't afford the distractions—and let's face it, regardless of the side of the political spectrum you fall on—these are very distracting times. I try my best to keep my libertarian views to myself, but it gets harder and harder when you read the news and what everyone posts to their feeds. I think it's best if I just stay out of it and stay in my own, fictional world with my Comets.<br />
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And I do have a lot to look forward to. My first signing event is coming up in March! If you're in the Pittsburgh/Washington, PA area and are interested in coming out on March 4th and don't have your tickets yet, get in contact with me! You can PM me on Facebook, DM me on Twitter, leave a comment below, or e-mail me. I have <b>two pairs of tickets to give away</b>! I want to make sure they go to people who can actually attend.<br />
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And if you are attending and are interested in leaving with one of my paperbacks, then make sure to pre-order them using <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdffcLZgxiY0iThsWzZpVWDw6jQgCulXusp4cutrTrSd0PTgg/viewform?c=0&w=1" target="_blank">this form</a>. I'll only be bring a limited number of books with me to sell, so you have to pre-order to guarantee your copies!<br />
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I hope to see you there!<br />
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<i>Jay</i>Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821713859882132555.post-44753752371827244332017-01-07T19:00:00.000-05:002017-01-28T22:15:15.643-05:002017's To-Do ListIn my last blog post, I reflected on last year's resolutions and settled on this year's.<br />
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But there's a difference between <b>resolutions</b> and<i> </i><b>tasks</b>.<br />
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Resolutions are changes that I want to instill in myself for the coming year and beyond.<br />
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But there are also tons of tasks that I want to accomplish in 2017 to make it the best year yet.<br />
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I want to:<br />
star learning French<br />
get all dressed up for a fancy evening<br />
attend a wine tasting<br />
try yoga<br />
read more<br />
travel somewhere I haven't been before<br />
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Of course, this is just a short list off the top of my head.<br />
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Is there anything you're looking to cross off your bucket list this year? Let me know in the comments! <br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01151397750440574169noreply@blogger.com0