Task it Tuesday - Nov 24

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.

Well, Thanksgiving week is here. The Christmas tree has been pulled out of the basement. I vainly am attempting to get the house in order despite a work schedule that seems to fill my days. I keep trying to take days off, but it's not happening. As of this morning, I've added four client meetings to my schedule. Here is what I need to accomplish this week

• Daily Bible reading
• Walking five days
• Meetings Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Blog Wednesday
• Cleaning Wednesday
• Cooking Thursday 
• Review Around the World in More Than 80 Days on Friday
• Come up with marketing plan for the new edition of A Christmas Kindness--since the book is now out, I'm a bit late on this one
• Mail out a copy of A Christmas Kindness 
• Look into a new publisher for my GAP books--moving to January 2021
• Look into getting a small dumpster--moving to January 2021
• Prepare for new listing 
• Put up Christmas decorations Saturday
• Take Sunday off

I am probably forgetting something, but let's see how it goes. What is one thing you want to get done this week?

Mailbox Monday - Nov 23

 

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.

We are almost at the end of November. How do that happen? Is your Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush up yet? My husband dragged our main tree out of the basement this weekend. I'm sure we won't decorate until Thanksgiving night or the next day, but it is upstairs. Then there are four or five other trees to set up. My winter and Christmas Decocrated shipments arrived, but I haven't unloaded them yet because I want to clean first. 

So, what did my mailbox look like last week? Joy, oh joy, the second edition of my book, A Christmas Kindness, arrived on Saturday. I am so excited. Only the softcovers arrived. The hardcovers are still pending shipment.

I also downloaded these Kindle freebies... which I really need to stop doing.

That's it from my neck of the woods. Hope you'll share your new books. Wishing my friends in the States have a lovely Thanksgiving. 

A Christmas Kindness, Second Edition, by Cheryl C. Malandrinos Now Available

 

The second edition of my children's book, A Christmas Kindness, was released by 4RV Publishing. This new edition includes discussion questions, activities, crafts, and more. Here is the synopsis:

Eight-year-old Robert is eager to share his wish list with Santa at the mall on Christmas Eve. When he meets Glenn, who only has one request for Santa, Robert is confused over what he should do. Should he ask for himself or for his new friend?

Page count: 48 pages

Published (1st ed): Dec 2012

Published (2nd ed): Aug 2020

Language: English 

HC (2nd ed) ISBN-13: 978--1-950074-12-9

PB (1st ed) ISBN-10: 0985266147

PB (1st ed) ISBN-13: 978-0-9852661-4-1

PB (2nd ed) ISBN-13: 978--1-950074-11-2

Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces

Available at 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas

 

Benjamin "Mr. Christmas" Bradley works with his team of elves to help families transform their homes for the holidays in this new Netflix series. Produced by Stephen David Entertainment (shout out to my nephew, Randy Counsman who is Senior VP of Development), this series features interior designer William Benjamin Bradley, a huge Christmas enthusiast. 

Here are some articles about the show and its star:

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/netflix-mr-christmas-benjamin-bradley

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a34714348/netflix-holiday-home-makeover-benjamin-bradley-mr-christmas-facts/

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/benjamin-bradley-mr-christmas-holiday-home-makeover-netflix-instagram-job-everything-to-know

What I really love about this series is that the families are totally involved in the transformation at the beginning. Then on Day 2 the elves move in and take over. Day 3 is Reveal Day. 

I am so excited to watch more episodes. I want Mr. Christmas to visit my house.

Task it Tuesday - Nov 17

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.

I can't believe half of November is already done. Part of me is happy that 2020 is almost over. The other part of me says time is moving too fast. 

This will be a week of lots of computer time, since the NAR Conference went virtual this year. I will be sitting at my computer through tomorrow. Here is what else is on tap:

• Daily Bible reading
• Walking five days
• Showing Tuesday
• Blog Wednesday
• Reading Around the World in More Than 80 Days 
• Meetings Thursday and Friday
• Come up with marketing plan for the new edition of A Christmas Kindness
• Look into a new publisher for my GAP books--probably won't happen, but want to keep it on the list
• Look into getting a small dumpster--won't happen, but want to keep it on the list
• Prepare for new listing 
• Take Sunday off

That's it for me. What does your week look like?

Mailbox Monday - Nov 16

 

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.

Welcome back to Monday. Hope you had a nice week. I wish I could say real estate was slowing down a bit, but not yet. I am guessing the week of Thanksgiving will be quieter. 

Speaking of Thanksgiving, a few of my fellow Realtors and I coordinated a food drive for one of our local survival centers Saturday. The weather was great, and we filled three SUVs with food. It was nice to meet the executive director when we dropped it off.

I am gearing up for my smaller than usual Thanksgiving. All the holidays are tough this year, considering the loss of my father-in-law. The monument company called me to tell me his monument was finally installed at the cemetery. I couldn't believe the cemetery took so long to prepare the site. Because of restrictions, we still haven't had a full family memorial service. Maybe in April at his one-year anniversary things will be better.

Let's talk about something more pleasant--books. A local author I know dropped off a book to me this week. 

I also ordered the second book in the series, which was just released, for my Kindle.

Also in my digital mailbox appeared a copy of this one that I had pre-ordered.

That's it for me this week. What did your mailbox look like? Any good reads you're looking forward to diving into?

Book Review: Selling Christmas by Angelina Goode

 

If you're in the mood for a sweet seasonal romance, you can't choose a better one than Selling Christmas by Angelina Goode. 

As a real estate agent, Caroline is used to helping people find their dream home. When she is tasked by her broker with overseeing the first annual Christmas Tour of Homes, however, she might be in over her head. She doesn't even decorate her own house, so how can she bring the Christmas spirit to others?

Luke is a local police office and all around nice guy. His daughter Ella means the world to him. So, when Ella asks for a house of their own with a fireplace for Santa to fit through, he knows he has to try his hardest.

As Christmas fate brings Caroline and Luke together, they might just be exactly what the other needs... unless they let their pasts stand in the way.

Everyone knows I am a sucker for a great Christmas romance in book or television form. That's part of why I requested to review Selling Christmas. Another reason is that lovely cover. It is even prettier up close. Of course, I tend to like books with real estate agents as main characters these days since I am one. 

Goode created the perfect seasonal romance: two people who meet by chance, obstacles that could prevent them from getting together, a small town setting, a great cast of supporting characters, and a happy ending. What more can you ask for in this genre? While you know how it is going to end, you still read every page because you don't want to miss a thing. 

You even fall in love with some of the secondary characters in this one. Sarah, Caroline's assistant who insisted upon decorating her office and pretty much acted like a kid on Christmas morning; Luke's partner Andrea who nudged him in the right direction; the shelter director, Lauren, who unknowingly played a role in helping both Caroline and Luke; and the antics of Caroline's co-workers added a fun element to the story. 

Christmas, romance, holiday fun, and a small town feel make Selling Christmas a story you will want to read over again. I hope Goode releases another seasonal story next year. 

ISBN-10 : 0996176934

ISBN-13 : 978-0996176934

Paperback : 324 pages 

Publisher : Beach Blanket Publishing (October 2, 2020)

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.