New Year Blues

It happens to all of us...


The New Year rolls around and we all make goals for ourselves...whether it be losing weight, reading a certain amount of books, going on vacation, eating healthier, discovering a new hobby...I mean the list really goes on. The problem with the end of January?

The list suddenly just...stalls.

Suddenly waking up at five thirty doesn't sound so fun...and eating healthy? Theres a realllllly nice looking pizza sitting in the freezer and you don't feel like cooking.

And five hundred books?!?! Who has that much free time?!

I think it's safe to say almost all of us hit a slump, so this post is here to encourage you guys to jump out of it. For me, the easiest way is to read! So here are a few of my New Years Picks! They are SURE to change your life and also take the calories out of all chocolate.

HAH kidding but I totally got you there. Right??!

The Mad Duke leaned in closer, his lips gently brushing her ear, and whispered, "I dare you."
She Can't Resist the Dare
Lillian Phillips could not imagine how her quiet, simple life had come to this. Blackmailed by the Mad Duke of Thornwood into accepting one wild dare after another...all because of a pocket watch. Desperate to recover her beloved father's pawned timepiece, Lily did something reckless and dangerous and delicious--something that led to a night she'd never forget.
He has a Reputation for Scandal
When Devon Grey, Duke of Thornwood, runs into a mesmerizing, intoxicating, thieving woman who literally stole from his bedchamber--with his new pocket watch--Devon plots his revenge. If the daring wench likes to play games, he's happy to oblige. After all, what's the ruse of being the Mad Duke if you can't have some fun? But the last laugh might just be on him...

Okay true story...I rarely read debut authors..but this girl? Holy crap. Let's just say she knows how to write a regency. The whole time I was reading all I kept thinking was PRAISE THE LORD Julia Quinn has a sister! Thats what her writing reminded me of, it will make you laugh out loud, gasp a little bit, and sigh ;) 

A New Adult novel from Erin McCarthy, the USA Today bestselling author of True.

Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents’ constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can’t go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann’s house. 

Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grin and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she’s hiding herself. 

Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing—the best guy—to ever happen to her… 

What started off as a typical NA book turned into something pretty amazing...I loved this book--heck I loved this series. If NA is your thing then look no further! 

So I'm curious what are your goals this year? 

Mine is to have a vacation...I have a really hard time taking time off...I don't really know what that is...my husband resorts to hiding my computer which I guess is fine, but i still sneak in my phone. At some point something has to give.

SO I encourage you readers/authors/bloggers keep at least one of the goals you made this year and see it through! You'll be happier that you did!

Until next time!
<3 RVD

Discovering New Authors

I confess: reading time has been limited for me lately. So when I do get a chance to indulge, I often find myself reaching for something by one of my "must buy" authors. Jill Shalvis, Julie James, and Lori Wilde, to name a few. But I also love to discover new authors, and I want to make it a priority in 2014, especially since I will also be joining the ranks as a debut author this year.

Here were a few of my new discoveries in 2013:

Debut Author: Shannon Richard

Yes, my fellow Ever After Shannon! I just loved this book. Shannon's voice is so fresh and fun! I can't wait to return to Mirabelle, Florida, for the rest of the series.

New-To-Me Author: Roxanne St. Claire

Wow, how have I not read Roxanne St. Claire before? This book was sexy and fun and full of emotional punch. If only I had time to sit down and devour the whole series right now!

New Genre: Historical Romance

Yes, it's true. This was my first ever historical! And I really enjoyed it. This is also the first in a series, and I can't wait to read the rest!

This year, I'd like to break out of my comfort zone even more. I want to expand my horizons. Debut authors, new to me authors, new genres. Bring it on!

I've already got Julie Brannagh's debut all loaded up and ready to go on my Kindle (now if only I had time to read).

And I've been told I need to add Robyn Carr to my repertoire ASAP.

Contemporary romance and romantic suspense are my usual poison. Who wants to recommend a new genre for me to try? A new author? What have you read recently and loved?

Rachel Lacey writes contemporary romance that tugs at your heartstrings. Her debut, Unleashed, will be out this October. She blogs on this site on rotation with the other Ever After Foxes. You can find her online at www.rachellacey.com, or connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

New Year, New Focus

Is it still January?

I'm not sure why, but I already feel like January is over...or should be. Maybe it's the side effect of being in an author. We talk in terms of our next book release, so I've been living in March (Hard to Handle's paperback release) and June (simultaneous e/paperback release of The Millionaire Affair).

While I didn't make any new year's resolutions for 2014 per se, I did pick a few themes for the year. One of them is to simplify. After living in a house for the last decade, the hubs and I have amassed A LOT of stuff. Too much stuff. In an effort to pare down, Mr. Lemmony and I spent Saturday afternoon cleaning out an ENTIRE CLOSET filled with items that had value, but no longer were needed. Rather than spend the next six months photographing, cataloging, and shipping said items after selling them on eBay, we decided to load the car donate all the beautiful things from my previous PartyLite business to Goodwill in exchange for a hefty tax write off.

Oh, yeah, giving those things up? It nearly killed me.

About four years ago, I ended my last year as a PartyLite sales consultant. Not only did I sell various candle holders and home decor, I romanced it. I wasn't simply selling a decorative hurricane to hold a pillar candle, no, no. I was offering the chance to own a globe with hundreds of hand-cut, hand-painted iridescent glass squares that, when they caught the sunlight just right, exploded light across your living room ceiling like a disco ball.

This is about a fifth of how much stuff I had.

And now that I'm thinking about it, I just had a pang of loss for that hurricane now in a pile of discarded things at Goodwill.

Why is that?

Most of my beautiful, precious candle holders had been in that closet, stored, not collecting dust or being enjoyed since I left my business behind in 2010 to pursue writing. Many, many, many boxes took up up space in my house and in my brain, never getting any use. Yet parting with them was one of the most difficult things I've ever done.

It got me thinking yesterday about perceived value. Sure, that gorgeous hurricane was "worth" $80 retail at to someone at some point. And for me, that piece represented hours upon hours of hard work in a business I'd managed to turn into a full-time career for nearly six years.

But my keeping it (and the 50 other boxes we loaded into the car yesterday) meant I had to clear out space for it. Pack and unpack it. Rearrange it when I needed something.

What is the cost of keeping something you don't need?

I'm not sure I have the answer to that yet. And it's a great theme to explore in my books. Letting go. Clearing out the past. That's what I'll be taking from this experience. That and the courage to continue in another room. Because, I'm not done! I'm on a rampage this year to get rid of "stuff" that doesn't serve me any longer.

I want my life filled with what matters instead of things that are no longer a part of who I am. Does that mean I can buy more books? 

What about you? Do you have a hard time getting rid of things you no longer need?

Jessica Lemmon writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance with a squeeze of humor. She blogs on this site on rotation with the other Ever After Foxes. You can find out more at www.jessicalemmon.com, LIKE her at www.facebook.com/authorjessicalemmon, and tweet her in 140-character bursts on Twitter: @lemmony

Bad New Year's Resolutions

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. Like, ever. Mostly because I totally suck at it.

And I don't mean I suck at following through. Because, yeah. That too.

I mean I make terribly unrealistic and stupid resolutions that stick with me for about 24 hours.

And then I go, "What was I thinking with that?"

Most people set goals such as:

Eat healthier
Travel to a new place
and so on and so forth

And those are good resolutions. And I think would be pretty easy to keep and maintain throughout the year.

Such is not the case with me. And here's why:

One year I made a resolution to buy a new pair of shoes every month. And not only is that fiscally irresponsible, but I don't have the closet space.

Another year, I said I wanted to stop cutting my hair. I know. Really stupid.

And then there was the year I promised to get my filing cabinet organized. And while this isn't really that dumb, or unrealistic, it didn't work. At least not as a resolution. That's more of a weekend chore when I have nothing else to do except stick bamboo shoots under my nails.

So there, you have it. Just some examples why I shouldn't be allowed to make resolutions. I'm horrible at it, and I don't have the self discipline to make it last longer than January 2nd.

Are you one of those who makes resolutions? And if so, do you stick with it?