Task it Tuesday - Sep 18

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

This year is just flying by, and I swear I accomplish nothing some days. Oh, well. I'll just keep plugging along and see what this week brings. Here is what I want to accomplish:

1. Plant the fall garden - DONE
2. Clean my office - Maybe Friday
3. Listing photos at two houses - Today
4. Meet a friend for lunch - Wednesday
5. Pay bills - Yuck

What's on your to-do list?

Mailbox Monday - Sep 17

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Happy Monday! I hope you had a lovely weekend. My father-in-law turned 88 on Sunday, so we visited him at the Soldiers' Home and had a little party. On Saturday, the whole family had gotten together for dinner, so it was a weekend of celebrations.

I'm hoping to step out to the garden in a few and plant the garlic. Not sure it will happen since things are getting busy with work this morning, but I would love to get it done.

Lots of books this past week. One for review, three books for research, one because I love the time period, and a Kindle freebie (in that order).

So excited about all the new seasonal and holiday titles making their way onto the market right now. 

What was in your mailbox?

New Release: A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson

So much fun to see the Christmas fiction come out this time of year.

When Wendy Harper inherits her family’s beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. Her twelve-year-old son Jackson sees it as an exciting new start in a life that has grown rather gray without his father.

Before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. Wendy and Jackson move in—temporarily, she reminds him—in order to fix the place up before Christmas. But the charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on Wendy. She knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea—and a fresh start—is hard to resist.

Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 4, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 080072271X
ISBN-13: 978-0800722715

Purchase from:

Christian Book
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Baker Book House

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts - Sep 12

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. This is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

There are so many things going on right now, my brainy is a bit fried.

1. My house is filled with things from my in-laws' house just begging to find a permanent home, but my work schedule it crazy.
2. I listed a condo this week and will list two more properties by the end of the month. 
3. I'm desperately trying to find a charity to help an elderly homeowner with some deferred maintenance, so they can stay in their home as long as possible.
4. I ordered fall vegetable plants and need to carve out time to get them in the ground. 
5. The WriteAngles Conference is only two months away and I'm coordinating agent meetings this year in addition to being treasurer. 
6. I rejoined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) because my writing has been ignored too long. 
7. I would love to plan a virtual book tour for November to promote my books, but not sure that will happen.
8. Exciting news that is writing related: I've been contracted as an acquisitions editor intern for 4 RV Publishing. They published my second book, A Christmas Kindness. If all goes well, I'll become a lead editor. 

Hope you have a blessed week. Please say a prayer for everyone down in the Carolinas as they brace for Hurricane Florence. 

May We Never Forget

In remembrance of those whose lives were lost and in gratitude for all those who responded and volunteered, we pause our blogging for the day. May God bless you all and may God bless America.

Photo credit: ShareFaith

Mailbox Monday - Sep 10

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

The cooler weather we have had the past few days has inspired me to post a fall mailbox photo. Thanks to Clipartix for the image.

Life is burbling along lately. The kids are in school. The in-laws' house is sold. I'm in the middle of planting the second season garden (probably a bit late), and this week will bring some new listings for me. I haven't been doing a ton of reading, but two new books made their way into my mailbox.

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Miniaturist Premiers Tonight on PBS Masterpiece

Photo Credit PBS.org

While checking out the fall lineup, I discovered that THE MINIATURIST, adapted from Jessie Burton's internationally best-selling novel of the same name, premiers this Sunday, September 9 at 9/8c.  Here is the description from the PBS Masterpiece website:

"In 1686, 18-year-old Nella Oortman (Anya Taylor-Joy, Split, The Witch) arrives in Amsterdam to meet her wealthy merchant husband Johannes Brandt (Alex Hassell, Genius: Picasso), but is instead met by his sister Marin (Romola Garai, Churchill’s Secret, The Hour). When Johannes appears, he presents her with a wedding gift: a cabinet that is a miniature replica of their home, to be furnished by an elusive Miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror what is happening within the house in unexpected ways and seem to be predicting and unraveling the future with unsettling precision.

As Nella begins to uncover its secrets and those of the Brandt household she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the Miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?"

I haven't read the book, but this sounds fascinating and I'll be recording it to watch later. Did you read the book? Will you be tuning in?