Check out my new Etsy treasury...Happy New Year 2014! It's filled with inspirational prints, jewelry, and reminders to be joyful, courageous, amazing, and a little bit different.

The print above is from emilymcdowelldraws, and it's a quote from JANE EYRE, one of my all-time favorite romances. I recommend looking at the rest of her adorable shop...she has many cute items!

Happy New Year's Eve! Here's hoping all of you have the celebration of your dreams...loud and noisy, or quiet and curled up with the weenie dog on the sofa. :^)

Penny

Review for GEEK WITH THE CAT TATTOO by Theresa Weir


I did three things this week that made me super excited for the new year. (Bear with me a second. I'll get to the book review in a moment.)


1. I watched The Secret Life of Water Mitty. It's the story of a schlumpy, hopeless, quiet man who has to live his life in daydreams because his reality is such a disappointment. And then something happens...he finds courage. He finds the courage to take risks, to open up himself to new experiences, to open up his heart to the greatest risk we all face...loving another person. I ADORED this film. And it is the perfect movie to watch to get pumped for 2014. Ready for adventure and risk and love.

Excellent.

2. I got an idea. A kernel of an idea. And it grew and blossomed and became a bigger idea. And it involves risk and trying new things and adventure--in a professional sense--and I have a really good feeling about it. It involves another collaboration with brilliant artist Sara Pulver, a weenie dog named Lucy, and Santa Claus.

Wait for it.

3. I read a book. Not just any book. A book that is willing to take risks. Geek with the Cat Tattoo. It has a cat with a POV--and he is a real smart-ass. He has a very strong personality, and he doesn't always do the right thing. This book has a nerdy young man, who is brilliant at creating musical instruments, and sucks at interacting with people. It has an adorable young woman who creates beautiful music, but she is still living in the shadow of her successful father, and she is afraid to fall in love. This little book has all of my favorite things...laugh-out-loud humor, gorgeously-written prose, characters who are real and flawed and lovely in their own way, and old-fashioned romantic moments I forgot still existed. The kind that happened in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The kind that evidently still happen in romance novels, but rarely do.

A man who is afraid to speak to the woman he loves, so he pours all of his heart and soul into one perfect instrument.

The woman who is frustrated and afraid, and pours all of her fears and love into one perfect song.

This book is actually a series of incredibly romantic moments strung together with beautiful writing and sassy cats and funny bits and music.

It isn't your typical romance novel. It is different and special and funny and sweet. And romantic.

That's how I want to start 2014. Finishing a book in the waiting room of a beauty salon while my daughter gets her hair dyed blue, and smiling a huge, gigantic smile because evidently some romance novels do still remember what romance is supposed to be.

If you haven't got the idea yet, I really liked this book.

PENELOPE'S HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION: GEEK WITH THE CAT TATTOO by Theresa Weir.

Grade: A+++++++

(And if you haven't read the first one, Girl with the Cat Tattoo, I highly recommend that adorable story as well).

It's a great way to start the new year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR,
Penelope

1. Indie Print Basket goes to Joan Varner. Congrats!

2. The digital package goes to Juju! Yippeeeee!

3. The "Lumberjack" package goes to KJ. Yay!

4. And the Motley Crew package goes to Amy Rickman. WTG! (AMY-I NEED YOUR EMAIL!)

Also, I had a give-away on my Facebook page for a print copy of SWEET MAGIK with some holiday lip balm, and Kari Lemor won. If you haven't "friended" me at FB, here's my link. I don't have a page, just a regular account. And I often post books I recommend and rants about books I'm reading.

Just a reminder...SWEET INSPIRATION and SWEET MAGIK are still on sale--for only 99 cents--through the holidays. And I finally got my print version for SWEET MAGIK, and it looks fabulous. It's reduced to $9.56 at Amazon for the paperback.



Since lots of folks have been asking me about The Klaus Brothers Series, when the next book is coming out, if Gregor is getting his own book, etc...I thought I would add this update!

It's tough finding gifts that are fun, unique, functional and won't break the bank. Between October and December we have two adoption days to celebrate, plus two birthdays and Christmas. Ack!

Let's just say that I am always looking for cute gifts. Here are some that are affordable, a few that are super special and a bit more expensive. And of course, lots of Etsy finds since I'm an Esty Shopping Ho! The best thing about Etsy...you never need to leave your house, and the Etsy folks are fabulous.