Moving, Part 2: Dirty Laundry and Other Dastardly Duties

It's moving day, AGAIN, but today's move is a happy one. Today I'm moving here:

Yippee!!!

(Isn't it pretty?) 

I'm a little apprehensive about what my new cleaning schedule will be like, and I'm happy to take on a slave live-in tourist who will help care for the property. Any takers? I'll be listening to/watching fireworks every night from Disney World. Awesome, right? So that's the reason I'm somewhat absent today, but I'll be back this weekend to answer comments and say hi to everyone.

And why not some cleaning funnies to celebrate:

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Quick aside, I just have to say it, reviewers are AWESOME! This last week Barb Taub was kind enough to review MOONLESS. Pop over to see what she had to say.

Any big things happening for you this week/month/year?

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, C.M. Keller shared SCREWING UP BABYLON with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win two of her eBooks.  

C.M.'s game: 

1. C.M. kissed a gargoyle on Notre Dame cathedral. 
2. When she was a teenager, she drove the car with her eyes closed several times.
3. She has a rare auto-immune disease that makes her hair fall out. 

And the lie is:

#1. She apparently hasn't snogged a stone monument. 

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Suzi!

Congrats Suzi! 

And now to today's feature:
 

“The Boathouse collects misfits. Strange solitary creatures that yearn for contact with the outside world, but not too much. They sit, glass in hand, either staring at the table in front of them, or at some distant point on the horizon.” 

… so says the narrator of Our Beautiful Child. And he’s been around long enough to know.

People end up in this town almost by accident. Ella is running away from her nightmares, Sally is running away from the memories of previous boyfriends and Rona is running away from university. Each of them seek sanctuary in the 18th century pub, The Boathouse; but in fact, that’s where their troubles begin.

Ella finds love, a moment too late; Rona discovers a beautiful ability which needs refining before she gets hurt; and Sally meets the captivating Murray, who threatens to ruin everything.

Three women. Three stories. One pub.

Get your copy HERE.

Annalisa Crawford lives in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of beaches and moorland right on her doorstep to keep her inspired. She lives with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat.

Despite her location, she neither surfs nor sails, and has never had any inclination t;po try. She much prefers walking along a deserted beach and listening to the waves crashing over rocks. For this reason, she really love the beach in the winter! 

Annalisa says she's a boring cheddar eater (no such thing!) and rediscovered the joy of a cheese and onion sandwich the other day.  

She gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of OUR BEAUTIFUL CHILD. How awesome is that?

You have until Tuesday, September 16, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on September 17.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Annalisa went abroad for the first time when she was 29 and heavily pregnant.
2. She's very accident prone – this year alone she's torn something in her hip, broken her big toe and had her dog land on her head.
3. She's watched The Sound of Music more than 200 times.

Which is the lie? Have you moved recently? Any big news happening for you? One of your own? Do you love time travel stories? Do you like stories that reach deep, emotionally? 

Don't Move My Cheese IWSG

IT'S MOVING DAY!!!
(Or it was two days ago and I may or may not have a functional internet connection.)

So how about some moving funnies, eh?

Is it just me, or is this guy moving a wedge of stinky cheese?

This is about how I feel right now. (Like the dog.) My insecurity this month is simple: will I lose my mind around this move? And will I be able to make any writing progress while wrangling the kids at our two month "vacation rental" while the new house is being built? Send some virtual love to keep me going, eh?

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, the amazing Tara Tyler shared BROKEN BRANCH FALLS with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her ebook.

Tara's game:

1. When Tara was young, she and her classmates would have recess in the snow and once made a dragon as long as the school.
2. When she was growing up, she and her family were the victims of burglars two times in two different houses.

3. When she was young, a huge St Bernard tackled her, causing her to be afraid of dogs.

And the lie is: 

#1. The dragon they made was only half as long as the school, but it was huge!  In Massachusetts, they had blizzard days rather than snow days and had to wear heavy layers to school and leave them in a big walk-in coat closet. Additional truth - Tara was once sent to the coat closet at school for laughing too loudly! She's always had a big mouth.

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Hilary Melon-Butcher!

Congrats Hilary!

And now to today's feature:

When Colin Leventhal leaned out his bedroom window on the night of May 12th and said goodbye to his girlfriend, he never expected it would be forever. But when Sarah Evans goes missing that night, Colin's world unravels as he transforms from the boyfriend next door to the main police suspect. Then one year later, at her memorial service, Colin makes a phone call that could change everything. Is it possible that Sarah is still alive? And if so, how far will he go to bring her back?  

As Colin struggles with this possibility, across the street, Sarah’s little sister, Claire learns how to navigate the strange new landscape of life without her sister. While her parents fall apart, Claire remains determined to keep going, even if it kills her.

THIS IS SARAH serves as a meditation on loss, love, and what it means to say goodbye.

Get your copy NOW.

Ally Malinenko is the author of the poetry collection, The Wanting Bone (Six Gallery Press) and the children’s fantasy Lizzy Speare and the CursedTomb (Antenna Books). She lives in Brooklyn with her husband.

Her favorite cheese is camembert and her favorite place to eat it is the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris - which is also the only place she's eaten it. She's also cool with extra sharp cheddar and would even break her "no eating food on the subway" rule for it.

Ally gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of THIS IS SARAH. 

You have until Tuesday, July 8, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on July 9.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Ally fell off a waterfall in high school and cracked her skull open.

2. She was kicked out of the country of Monaco when she was 16 for "trespassing."

3. She's stepped foot on nearly every continent in the world.

Which is the lie? What's your favorite/least favorite part about moving? What's the best place you've ever lived? Have you ever made a snow dragon? Do you read tear-jerkers?