Life brings challenges. We all know that, right? As we find ourselves doing battle with a terrible virus that has swept the globe, it’s caused many of us to wake up and realize what’s truly important in life. Family and friends top that list. Without them, we struggle. I know that too well. A few years ago, I found myself floundering. Some big life things hit me, and I lost my love of writing. I even lost my passion for reading. I’ve always been a reader, and yet, I didn’t care about those fictional worlds anymore. Then the dreaded menopause monster kicked me while I was down, sucking the life right out of me. I honestly thought my writing days were over and that sent me into a downward spiral. After all, without writing, what am I? All those story ideas in my head, those characters talking to me every day had suddenly gone silent.

Writer’s block is the official term. Honestly, it was so much more than that.

I felt as if I had nothing that I could call my own. It’s a terribly dark place to be. The people in my life tried to help, but it’s a solitary journey, to tell the truth. It wasn’t until my health started to suffer, that I realized I needed to take control. I started with exercise, which inevitably led to eating better. My mood improved, and the mental fog began to clear. The story ideas started trickling in. Yes! Before I knew it, I was writing and reading again. I’m thankful for authors like Shannon McKenna, Laurann Dohner, Delilah Devlin, Nalini Singh, and Lucy Monroe for getting me through the darkest days. Their stories kept me sane.

And since August of last year, I’ve managed to release six brand new books. I’m proud of that accomplishment, but it’s only a drop in the bucket. My writer’s brain never sleeps now. And you won’t hear me complaining, lol. I’ve started a new steamy contemporary romance series titled, Men of Silverlake. The first three books are available for purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086XCR45Z And I’ve dipped my toes into the paranormal romance genre. I’m having such fun, too! The first two books in my Zenarian series can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084VLYQKT

Dyre: Zenarians, Book 3 (Coming Soon)

She will test his allegiance…

As the leader of the red guard, Dyre is aware that most Zenarians fear him. He’s often been forced to use that fear to uphold the six laws and protect the Zenarian race. With the rebel faction increasing their numbers every day, all his focus is centered on securing the mountain they call home from any and all threat. When he spots a human female much too close to their border, Dyre quickly captures her. His intention to interrogate the pretty brunette goes up in smoke the instant his wings encircle her small, curvy body. She stirs his creature. When Dyre notices the cuts and bruises littering her fair skin, he breaks protocol and brings her home.

Jade is on the run from the law. Or more accurately, the law according to Granger Wasser. As sheriff of Macone County, Granger has appointed himself judge and jury and everyone in town is too afraid to oppose him. When Jade turns down his marriage proposal, it sets off a chain reaction that forces her to flee to parts unknown. Imagine her surprise when she runs smack into a crimson-winged alien! His gentle touches ignite her blood and Jade wants nothing more than to surrender to the wildfire brewing between them. Still, Dyre is a man. And trusting a man is how she ended up falling down the rabbit hole to begin with.

Read more about the Zenarian race here: https://www.annerainey.com/zenarians-series

Find me and say hi:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annerainey
Rainey’s Readers Private Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/785284435328066/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annerainey49/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annerainey15
Website: https://www.annerainey.com/ –download the first chapter *free* of all my books!

Happy reading,
Anne Rainey

UPDATE: The winner is…Elaine Mulder!
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I checked the calendar this morning and had to do a double-take. We’re at July 31st! July 31st! Has this year flown by for you like it has me? Sure, it’s been a very strange year. One for the history books in so many ways. A year where we’re living from one disaster to another. Plus, we’re stuck at home.

I had to think back to my childhood where we stayed glued to the TV through JFK’s assassination, the moon landing, the Viet Nam war. (An aside, one of my most vivid memories was watching a reporter get shot and having a South Vietnamese medic wrapping his leg with a tourniquet—while he continued his report!) Now, we (maybe just I?) can watch news 24/7. I’m listening to the news while I’m typing this! It’s crazy. Not healthy, I’m sure, but I feel like I have to know the second when the zombie apocalypse starts! Because that’s next, right?

In the meantime, it’s the end of July. I did plenty of work this month but don’t yet have a new book to share. That happens in August.  Check out Cage, if you’re ready for another sexy bounty hunter. I did a s*$t-ton of editing for other folks. I painted my ass off. I spent a lot of pool time with the kids. So, I wasn’t lazy. I just wasn’t writing fast enough. I realize I’ve been using my family’s self-isolation as an excuse to…watch more movies with the family, participate in meal preparation, playing with the little ones, playing with a new hobby that provides me joy… Maybe that makes me a bad writer, but I’m not caring. 🙂

These contests are still open!

1. Susan Saxx: Nathan Unwrapped (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
2. Storytime — A Puzzle Contest — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: Why gay romance? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

The Puzzle-Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me the story that goes along with this picture! 

UPDATE: The winner is…Eileen Airey!
*~*~*

Does it feel as though the days are just blending together? I had to check the calendar to figure out what day of the week it was. There’s a sameness that’s just a bit numbing to my days now.

There are bright spots. The 7-year-old has decided that my bed is the softest, so she comes toodling in at bedtime with a smug smile. She knows I’ll flip back the covers and let her join me. Then we’ll lie side-by-side in the dark and talk about what’s happening with her favorite YouTube personality. The pool is another highlight. I mostly bob around on a noodle, enjoying the giant bathtub (the pool’s temp is right around 90 degrees!). It’s so relaxing if I stick to the side opposite of where the 7-year-old and 11-year-old are trying to drown each other in “sea battles.”

I have a book to finish and two sets of edits to work on. Plenty to keep me busy. And I’m trying to slowly get control over my craft room/office sprawl. So, yes, plenty to do.

The fall will look a lot like the summer, minus pool time. Our school district is offering an online option for students, so we’re opting for that. Gah!

The Puzzle-Contest

Enter these contests while you can!

1. Poll Results! And Tell Me a Story! (Contest–2 winners!) — Win a FREE cowboy book!
2. Susan Saxx: Nathan Unwrapped (Contest) — Win a FREE book!

Yesterday, I took the day off. I turned off my computer. *gasp*

Yes, I was tired after finishing two sets of edits on Wednesday. The thing motivating me to move away from my desk was that my daughter, SIL, and granddaughter pitched in to help me get control of my overflowing office/craft room. Since they moved in, I gave up my office and crammed it into the back of my craft room. Then my mother’s art supplies were also dumped into my craft room for sorting later. I’ve been living like a hoarder (and I know I already was moving in that direction, but I do try to have an orderly hoard). I had to circumvent boxes of mysterious things (I call them undiscovered treasures while my dd refers to them as trash).

It took three hours. We went through an enormous amount of stuff—and surprise! Most of it was actually usable treasure rather than trash. For instance, my mom had a box of still packaged paint brushes, acrylic and oil paints, stamps, and stamp pads, and on and on. Sorting was a matter of putting her things with my things and figuring out what was dried up or just excess packaging. Now, I can walk into my office without breaking toes (I kept stubbing my toes on boxes—and yes, I’ve broken two). It was time.

I still have work to do. My “library” was reduced from three large bookshelves to just two against the back wall of the craft room, and I have to find room for all my collectibles along with the books. I’ mean, doesn’t everyone collect McDonald’s kids meal toys? I have all the dragons from How to Train Your Dragon, all the Hotel Transylvania figures, bobbleheads from Marvel and DC superheroes, a singing bust of King Henry VIII that sings “I’m Hen-er-ree the eighth I am!” All things necessary to keep me happy when I’m writing. Truly. Uh-huh. But I’ll tackle “the library” another day…

Oh, and if you didn’t see this picture before… This is the shelf above my monitor. Yes, it needs organizing, but everything crammed into it is treasure! After all that clearing out, we all jumped into the pool for a well-deserved break.

Ah, life during COVID-19!

Enter while you can!

1. Diana Cosby: Nature’s Beauty – In The Forest (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win a signed book!
2. What would you like to see in the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology? (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Ava Cuvay: What’s in a World? (Contest & Excerpt) — 3 Winners! Win a FREE book!
4. Lizzie Ashworth: Captives of Desire (FREE on KU!) — Everybody, get a FREE book!

In between the rains, we did our own little fireworks thing last night. The little ones love the sparklers and poppers. Here’s the 6-year-old showing off her “technique”. See the streamers? Barely, I know.

We had a few of the bigger fireworks, but after the horses and dogs spooked and this kid declared she was scared by the loud noises, we decided we’d donate our leftovers to someone else. Next year, we’ll stick to the small stuff. We had to bring every dog we own into the house to hide in closets or under the beds. And the poor horses? They hid out in the barn. Not doing that to them, again. It was bad enough the neighbors up and down the road went at it until the wee hours of the morning. Life in the country!

These contests are still open! Enter while you can!

1. Come Play the Puzzle-Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Rochelle Bradley: Summer Goals (Contest) — Too many prizes to list!

2020’s past the midway hump. Can you believe it? It feels like the first six months lasted a decade! Here’s hoping for a better rest of the year!

Weather permitting, we plan to light some fireworks in the front yard, and then sit outside to watch the neighbors’ fireworks from afar as well. With COVID spiking all over the country, please be safe. Please mask/socially distance/wash your hands, if you go out. We will get through this if we all work together to keep each other safe.

Swear to God. I honestly thought I’d never make it to 21. I was that kind of kid. So, every year past that has been a gift. I’ve lived my life to the fullest, traveled, loved. In my 40s, I was fine with aging, because again, I didn’t expect to make it that far. Now, I’m 62. Today. I have come to a reckoning with my age and my expectations. I still have many things I want to accomplish. Now’s the time.

To, again, live my life to the fullest.

To do those things I’ve been promising myself I’d do.

Like learn to paint. Part of me has always wanted to, but my mother was a real artist. Her friends, too. I crafted because I can work my way through a stepped process and produce pretty things. Still, I held back.

This year, I decided to go for it. Learn. Practice. I may never be great at it, but that’s okay with me. Another check on the bucket list.

So, I’ve been experimenting with mediums: watercolor, pastels, and now acrylics. This is my third effort with acrylics, and I know I don’t know a thing about composition, still can’t draw anything that doesn’t look like a stick figure, but I can make something that makes me smile.

Here’s my challenge to you.
Go for it! Whatever it is.