Literary Friday, ya’ll…

Happy Literary ~~Friday~~ (err……. Sunday!) Well 2 days late with this post- but whatever- we are making and breaking rules in these trying times.

Speaking of… how are you handling shelter at home day 1 million and 1? ( I joke about the number of days- but I really want to know!) I would love to tell you that I am handling it like a badass woman- take no prisoners, kick butt, etc- but some days I’m so bored I would almost break my pinky finger to just break up the monotony of the day. What is saving my sanity: Walking, reading, Chicago PD, The Practice ( re-runs for hours on Ovation TV on Wed and Thursday!) and my Erin Condren planner. Also, the geese (more on that later!)

1. ICYMI at Traveling With T: Giveaway of The Gringa, Excerpt of Secrets of Love Story Bridge, and reviews of Not That Kind of Guy, The Girl He Used to Know, The Lying Game and Strike Me Down.

2. Have you read Strike Me Down?

View this post on Instagram

Thanks @atriabooks { partner} for the review copy of Strike Me Down by @mindymejia. . . This book packs a punch- and I loved the character of Nora. . . Have you picked up Strike Me Down? . . #mississippibookstagrammers #msbookstagrammers #genxbookstagrammers #travelingwithtreads #travelingwithtbookreviews #strikemedown #mindymejia #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 20, 2020 at 6:03pm PDT

3. My nieces came over last weekend and this was my cry All. Weekend. Long.

View this post on Instagram

Current mood: Is it wine 🍷 o’clock yet? . . #mississippibookstagrammers #msbookstagrammers #genxbookstagrammers #winetime

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 24, 2020 at 3:02pm PDT

4. Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey published this week and it is the perfect book for that feel good feeling as we shelter at home more.

View this post on Instagram

I am so excited about Feels Like Falling releasing tomorrow! Thanks @gallerybooks { partner} for the early copy! . . @kristywharvey just writes good books. I mean really. Seriously. Filled with characters that stick with me long after the pages are finished turning- I just adore her books. They will forever make me think of beach days, warm breezes, & the smell of sunscreen. . . Have you read Feels Like Falling yet? There is still time to pre-order if you need a book that will give you a good feeling during quarantine reading! . . #feelslikefalling #travelingwithtreads #genxbookstagrammers #bookish #bookworm #readersofinstagram #alwaysreading #readersofig #booksofig #bookishgirl #bookphotography #bookwormlife #bookrecommendations #bookrecommendation #booknerdssharelove #whatiread #readreadread #instabooks #bookblogger #booknerdigans #happywhenreading #readeveryday #readersofinsta #readinglist #msbookstagrammers #mississippibookstagrammers

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 27, 2020 at 12:23pm PDT

5. I’ve been sent some great sounding Netgalley widgets the past couple of weeks- see any you want to read?

6. Happy Pub Week to The Sweeney Sisters, The Night Before and Feels Like Falling!

View this post on Instagram

Happy Pub Day to The Night Before by @wendywalkerauthor { I read this in hardcover so treat yourself to the new paperback!}, The Sweeney Sisters by @liandolan { which @writerrhiannon says is a 5 ⭐️ read!} & Feels Like Falling by @kristywharvey { one of my hands down fave authors!} . . Thanks @stmartinspress @williammorrowbooks & @gallerybooks { partner} for the review copies! . . Which one will you be reading first? . . #travelingwithtreads #msbookstagrammers #mississippibookstagrammers #genxbookstagrammers #readreadread📚 #booksofig #booksofinsta

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 28, 2020 at 9:33am PDT

7. Callie is my office mate. She thinks that my computer is her personal grooming device. And, if I had a nickel for every time she climbed up on the table after I told her “no” and that “tables are NOT for cats”- I could pay for the extravagant vacation that I deserve after the Corona Virus is over.

View this post on Instagram

Working from home… and the cat thinks that my computer is her personal grooming device… and I won’t even say how many conversations we’ve had about how tables are not for cats to sit on. . . In other words… just another day of staying at home & trying to deal with the ‘New’ normal. Day 1 million. 🤣 . . In other news, my reading game is still going strong- I recently finished Double Agent by @gretchenarcherauthor & am now reading This Is How I Lied by @heathergudenkauf ( around 60% into it). . . Tell me what is giving you a smile today! 😀 . . #genxbookstagrammers #travelingwithtreads #msbookstagrammers #mississippibookstagrammers #catsofinstagram #catsofinsta #tortiesofinstagram

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 29, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

8. My reading stats for the year are looking GOOD…

9. The other week, I hit 10k steps for first time ever. Since then, I’ve been chasing that 10k high 🙂

10. Talking about country life & the geese..

View this post on Instagram

Last night, I was chatting with @orangecountyreads for a bit- she was asking me to come to a Zoom chat & I was telling her that because of the internet at the house- Zoom doesn’t work so well for me. Anyway, we were back & forth on this a bit & then she said something about if she had to choose between a pretty place vs good internet- she would probably prefer a pretty place. . . That got me thinking- because honestly- some days I’d break my own pinky finger for internet that was faster than what I deal with. Don’t get me wrong- there are some benefits to living in the country, on the outskirts of the city- I’ve got lots of room, the closest neighbor is half a mile away, I don’t have to deal with a ridiculous home owners association, there is green EVERYWHERE ( which is what I desperately miss when I visit NYC), and probably a few other things I cannot think of right now. . . Of course, I give up a lot living where I live. The nearest Target, Starbucks, Kroger is 60 miles away. The internet is a step or 2 above dial up speeds ( no Netflix binging for me). There are not a lot of young-ish unmarried men to date ( actually I don’t know of any- which probably explains why my dating life is nothing to write about). . . I have a little vision sometimes of a townhouse- in a neighborhood type area- but with decent sized lots so we’re not on top of each other. A patio with cute wicker furniture & all the flower pots I can fit. Internet that I can use to stream tv or music, shopping nearby & perhaps the opportunity of running into a prospective date at an event or something. . . Then the geese come to visit & the sky is pretty & all the green is soothing & I’m torn between a city vs country life. . . #genxbookstagrammers #msbookstagrammers #mississippibookstagrammers #countrylife

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 30, 2020 at 9:01am PDT

11. The GEESE!

View this post on Instagram

The GEESE! As promised in my earlier video- here are the geese! . . Which one is your fave photo? . . #geeseofinstagram #geesephotography

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on Apr 30, 2020 at 10:51am PDT

12. Have you entered to win The Gringa?

View this post on Instagram

My drift roses are showing out today- and I was so glad for a sunny day. Over at my blog, I’ve got a giveaway for The Gringa to make a Fri-yay a bit more yay! . . What are you doing tonight? I just finished my second walk of the day & I’m 105 steps from hitting 10k for the day… so guess I’ll do a couple quick laps around the pool! . . #genxbookstagrammers #travelingwithtreads #thegringa #bookgiveaway #msbookstagrammers #mississippibookstagrammers

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on May 1, 2020 at 5:24pm PDT

13. Kristy Woodson Harvey is running a Feels Like Falling photo contest- snap a photo of the book by May 25th, tag it #FeelsLikeFalling, post to Instagram or Facebook and you could win a $100 gift card to Target. 5 runners up will get Feels Like Falling candles!

View this post on Instagram

Did you hear? @kristywharvey is hosting a #feelslikefalling photo challenge! Snap a pic of FLF, tag it with the FLF hashtag I used, post to Instagram or Facebook by May 25th & you could win a $100 gift card to Target! 5 runner ups will receive a FLF candle from her! . . I don’t know about you, but as we’re entering day 1 million & 1 of shelter at home orders- I sure could use some happy stuff to look forward to! . . #travelingwithtreads #kristywoodsonharvey #genxbookstagrammers #msbookstagrammers #mississippibookstagrammers #readreadread📚 #booksofinsta #booksofinstagram #beachread

A post shared by Tamara Welch (@rockstar1023) on May 2, 2020 at 7:42am PDT