Summer 14 MUST READS!

I am fortunate enough to not only get to live my dream of writing cool books. (BTW, have you read my new book, Crazy On Board? You should!)

But, this post is not about me and my cool books. (Again, read them!) This post is about my cool writer friends and their cool books!

First off, my friend Jennifer McMurrain, writes all the time. All. The. Time. So, if you're ever sitting at home wondering what you should read next, check out her Amazon author page because she'll have something new ready for readers like you. I recommend her paranormal romance, Winter Song. I was instrumental in a key part of the book that landed her a four-star review. It would've been a five-star review if she hadn't followed my advice. So, I guess that speaks to my critique skills.

My friend Peyton Price is such a jewel! She writes Suburban Haiku. Her book (by the same name as her blog) is popping up in Barnes and Nobles all across the country. It's a fun read that will make you feel smart and funny while giggling like a school girl. You won't want to miss this read while you're sitting poolside working on your tan.

Last summer, my friend Denise's cat returned from a night out on the town with a hole in his stomach. Really. She had to gently shower the hole. Somehow or another, I got to give him the shower while Denise held him. The cat? He cussed in plain English while we did it. Anyway, the cat survived and so did my friendship with Denise. She wrote about several cat stories in her anthology Kill the Cat. Whehter or not you're a cat person, you'll want to check out this collection of cat stories. You will not, however, want to give a hole-y cat a shower. Trust me on this one.

In a weird twist of fate, I met Sabrina Fish on a blog hop then discovered that we were both members of Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc. Then discovered that we both lived in Oklahoma. Then discovered that she's a kick-a$$ fantasy writer. Sabrina's book, Lost Haven, will let you see first hand just how kick-a$$ her talent is. Word of warning: It'll be hard to go back to the real world we live in once you finish this book!

Through Sabrina giving a shout-out to her friend Angela Christine Archer on her debut novel, I met a new friend. Angela's historical novel, The Woman on the Painted Horse, has consistently stayed in the top 25 on Amazon. It's a perfect summer read for anyone who likes strong historical fiction and who likes to sigh contentedly and smile when the story is over.

Teachers make great authors because they are full of stories and know how to keep an audience's attention. Rita Durrett is not exception to this at all. Rita has several books out, but my favorite it the story of a girl who overcomes the obstacles in her life and blazes herself a new trail. You'll love Keeping Secrets--I know you will.

I don't officially knit (I can loom the holy heck out of a hat, though), but my friend Sarah White is an amazing knitter. She even writes about knitting! The truth is that she writes about all things crafty on her blog, but she's a nationally known knitter. I've even seen her knitting socks with tiny little threads and that makes me feel like I've rubbed elbows with yarn-royalty.

If you like sneaky laughs, you'll like Peggy Chambers. Her debut novel, The Apocolypse Sucks, paints an alarming and funny picture of a post-apocalyptic  world. It's not all doom and gloom ... unless you have to go to the mall, of course. (See? Funny, right?!)

And, of course, my good friend (she doesn't know we're good friends just yet), Celia Rivenbark, has a new etiquette book out, Rude Bitches Make Me Tired. I mean, yeah, they do! There's nothing that Celia writes that doesn't make me shake my head, giggle and darn the luck that she doesn't live next door to me.

So, tell me: What do are you reading this summer? Which of these books from my list peaks your interest the most?

#ThankfulThursdays: Bless The Beasts And The Children

Last week, I said we'd be serving a meal at our local shelter. And we still will be doing that--only we'll do it this week. I just looked at my calendar wrong. When I discovered that, I mentioned to The Daughters that I was off a week and wondered what we could do for #ThankfulThursdays this week.

Daughter 1 quickly piped up and suggested we go to volunteer orientation at the SPCA.  She'd been once before and loved it. Daughter 2 squealed with delight at the thought of getting to play with the kittens all day long. I was less enthused. I love animals. I do. I just love my own animals. And I've got a very soft heart, and I had visions of Brian leaving me and the thirty dogs I brought home with me on the side of a dirt road.

Nonetheless, I signed us up to be trained on Saturday, and we headed out. After training, Daughter 2 had to go to softball practice, but Daughter 1 and I returned to the shelter that afternoon.

What you have to understand about Daughter 1 is this: She's a socially anxious child. Being around people, new situations, different situations, changes in routine--these all make her very anxious. This anxiety results in angry outburst, disrespectful tones and passive aggressive behaviors. But, when she's around animals ... She's a different girl. She knows that when she loves on an animal, that love will be returned. There's security for her in that. During the time we spent at the shelter, the anxiety that is almost ever-present within my child? It was licked off of her face by a very excited doggy.

We decided to each take a dog out to exercise. When I ended up locked in the cage with the leash around my ankle, I decided to just help Daughter 1 with her doggie. We exercised him, we played with him, we loved on him, and he loved on us right back.

As we walked through the very loud kennels selecting which dogs we'd socialize, I'd read their profiles. I was saddened by how many of them read "owner surrender." I know that there are circumstances under which owners can no longer care for animals. But I'm also realistic and know that a lot of times the animals are sad castaways when they are no longer fun or cute or just get in the way. You can't claim to value life if you don't value all life.

So, for #ThankfulThursdays, think about the way you can help the voiceless animals in your society. You don't necessarily have to volunteer your time--but I can tell you this much: You will be changed.

Most shelters run off of grants and donations, receiving very little if any government funding. You could donate money.

Most shelters always have a wants or a needs list. This can include anything from food, paper towels, litter, snacks, plastic Hellmart sacks, sheets ... If you ask them, they'll tell you what they need most.

What can you do on this #ThankfulThursdays to help the voiceless beasts of the world?