Hey there.
Long time no blog.
Yep.
Been kinda quiet around here.
So I guess its time for true confessions of the blogger for the close out of 2016.

First, Happy New Years Eve

Yep.

Pretty much over self thrashing now.  I mean it is what it is.  I didn't meet my personal goals for keeping up with blogging last year. You can tell from the side bar. Three posts.  Granted they were for charity - so bonus points on the positive sharing.  The year before of the reinventing of me - 23.  I'd say I fell down on the job.

So what happened?

On the serious side, I did take some time off in January and February to have elective surgery that I am happy to say went beautifully and so happy I took care of.  But if I was being honest, it's the excuse.  I had two 'overdue' blog posts not done prior to my surgery.  When I thought about blogging, well...two turned into three...and so on...and so on.  Kinda of a snowball effect.  I felt overwhelmed by my pastdue unwritten blog entries.

Where do I start?
Do I do the most recent past due one?
Or the oldest past due one?
Or the one I've been thinking about?
Or the one that I think is the most interesting?

I just didn't start.  That didn't solve the problem. I just choose to ignore it. All year long.

Just so you know.  It wasn't just blogging that I fell apart on commitment. That effort to write reviews for everything I read?  Yeah, that got overwhelming too.  I read a shit ton of books while recuperating but the reviews just didn't happen.  That added to the anxiety- do I catch up the blog or the reviews first?  Sheesh...as Elisa says I let it go.

Okay fine there you have the reasons.  Why am I writing this now?  I got inspired by a friend. See she's started her own blog.  (Link on the side bar) And her blog is everything I wanted this blog to be.  Not a promo blog.  Not a strictly review blog.  Just a blog of her reading and random thoughts on life. So, its what I want my blog to grow up to be someday where I talking about the reading world and what is on my mind on a fairly consistent basis.  Not for anyone else but me.

Okay - LETS DO THIS (again).  I've got a plan.

And the plan is:  Just blog whatever is on my mind and whenever I feel like it. I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get my Tuesday night entry done.  When it happens, I will be basking in the awesomeness of getting it done.  And rather than taking the approach where I am fair and unbiased.  I'm going to be biased as hell.  Yep, I'm going to fangirl all over your face about something that I absolutely love.  You'll see - in my head - there is an epic blog entry tomorrow.  Baring any hangovers.

Now, what about my past blog entries.  Those will come.  You see, I have some really great pictures to share and awesome adventure tales to tell.  Which means this blog entry will become somewhat out of whack because -yes, I'm admitting to cheating- backdating the entries to when they occurred.  So you'll see 2016 go from 3 to unknown number. It's kinda OCD of me.  But hey, my blog and my rules.

In the mean time, grab a cocktail of your choice, be with your favorite people and usher in 2017 with a big smile.  I will with a great book in my hands.

Since you asked so nicely. It's an ARC of Dirty Secret by Chelle Bliss and Brenda Rothert.

Fangirl Activated: Little Rock Author Event November 2016

I'm going to apologize ahead but this is going to be a LOOONNNGGG ass post.   Besides going to a hosted author event in Arkansas (never been), I had adventures galore to share that fellow bookworms maybe able to appreciate.

Before I get to the ACTUAL book signing, I have to give you a bit of background on the how and why. Here goes...

Fellow admin in Darlene & Dexter's Book Nook was FINALLY going to go to her first signing event. YIPEE!  Besides that the talented and lovely Sawyer Bennett (a mutual fan favorite) would be in attendance.  Double YIPEE!! So, let's plan a trip to ala Pittsburgh.  And a secret plan was underway.

Since I had never seen this part of the country, I decided to do a weekend crazy road trip from North Carolina to Arkansas.  I flew into Raleigh and visited with fellow bookworm from Chicago event, Barbara.  The next morning I drove to Greensboro to see this lovely lady and darling young man.

Beth is a fellow book blogger at Panda & Boodle.  I highly recommend you follow her.  Where did we meet up? A bookstore of course!  Where I picked up a copy of Sugar Free for Sawyer Bennett to sign that weekend.  Parting is always sad, but I'm so glad I got to hug and see these faces for a few hours.  Off I drive through the gorgeous Smokey Mountains to Jonesboro.  Where I stop for gas here:

Next I stayed with Darlene and her accommodating husband to visit for a few before we headed to Little Rock.  Another book lover, Danielle, joined the caravan for the weekend.

Once we got there, mission Surprise Sawyer Bennett was underway.  Fellow roommate/booklover/LuLaRoe supplier Hannah joined in the mission of surprise. 

We had our map ready and I was safely tucked behind in line for operation Surprise.  We let Darlene go first to get hugs and kisses out of the way.  

However, Lisa, Sawyer's PA not in on Surprise, kept wandering. I couldn't wait.  So I barge in and shout:

"Break it up.  There is a line here."  

Yes, I shocked the shit once again out of Sawyer Bennett. High Five me!

Yes, fans the picture on the right is Sawyer looking at me with her mouth open as Darlene is laughing her butt off.  Don't you just love when a plan comes together?  Once the cat was safely out, picture taking commenced! 

Now, besides Sawyer, there were other authors and vendors in attendance that made it an awesome event.  Too many to say, such as H.K. Szczesaik, that took generous amount of time to discuss their stories. However shout outs to:

Hilary Storm - I met her the first time in Chicago and TOTALLY forgot she'd be in Little Rock.  Since I failed to get a picture in ChiTown that was quickly remedied.  If you haven't read her Pay for Play series with Victoria Ashley, it's a HOT recommend from me. 

Now, this lady is the BOMB.  Funny as hell.  And will on occasions have Facebook takeovers/wine time that you CANNOT miss.  If you love contemporary romance, she's a definite recommend.  I had first met her in Chicago.  If you have the opportunity, attend an event where she is at and get to know this rockin' author, JD Hollyfield! 

And what is a trip to the South without proper fried foods for dinner.  I met a new book friend, Amber, who I found we were in a lot of the same groups.  It's so cool to attend these events and meet people who are just as passionate as you are about reading.

After a impromptu LuLaRoe pop up in our hotel room, it was back driving to Raleigh to spend dinner with friends and of course...talk books. 

I encourage anyone and everyone to attend a book signing once.  It's amazing the people you meet and future books for your TBR.