Guest Post: Rhiannon @ Ivory Owl Reviews discusses her ideas about New Year Resolutions

Back in 2013 (gosh that SOUNDS like a long time ago- but it really wasn’t!) Rhiannon @ Ivory Owl Reviews was featured as a Blogger Made of AWESOME. So when I asked her to consider guest posting about New Year Resolutions, I knew it would be good. I knew I would like it. I just didn’t realize how much I was going to wish me and Rhiannon could be in real life friends because her resolutions sound amazingly fun!

Rhiannon @ Ivory Owl Reviews discusses New Year Resolutions

A couple of years ago I figured out that if you make a resolution for something you WANT to do instead of something you NEED to do, you are much more likely to stay on track. Putting big demands on yourself to dramatically alter your lifestyle generally leads to a crash and burn scenario. So why not set yourself up to succeed with your resolutions? For 2013, I made a list of a three or four things I WANTED to get in the habit of doing more often: reading, time with friends, massages, date nights. Then I asked myself how often I wanted to do these things? I wanted to read two hours per day, have date night and go to coffee/ lunch / drinks with my friends every 1-2 weeks, and get a massage once a month. I made mental notes and plugged my “appointments” into my planner. Now when I find myself straying from these resolutions, it is easy to jump back in line instead of totally giving up.

For 2014, I will be sticking with my resolutions from last year (because I love them,) but I also want to try more recipes and walk more often at the park. I collect recipes on my Pinterest boards and try a new recipe occassionally but I’m going to try to make one new recipe per week. My neighborhood park has a wonderful 2.5 mile loop trail that I can walk in about 45 minutes. That means that even factoring in driving to and from the park, it would only take an hour out of my day. Plus, I’m so much happier after I go. Granted the first months of the year are pretty chilly (even in Georgia) so weather permitting I would like to go 4 times per week.

Making resolutions to do things you WANT will make you happier throughout the year and shouldn’t we all resolve to be happier?

Don’t forget to check out Rhiannon’s blog- Ivory Owl Reviews!

Tuesday Mashup

Tuesday Mashup: Crafty, Bloggy, Giveaways and more!

Giveaways:

Always With A Book is giving away The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers.

Luxury Reading is giving away The Comfort of Lies, as well.

Bookfan is also giving away a copy of The Comfort of Lies!

* The Comfort of Lies is a really good book- and with it’s recent paperback release, if you missed out on during it’s hardcover phase- I urge you to get a PB copy (or maybe you’ll win a copy!) Continue reading →

Starter House by Sonja Condit

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Starter House

Lacey and Eric, a young married couple, are looking for a house. Their 2 will becoming 3 in a short few months and both Lacey and Eric desire a place of their own to raise their child, in a neighborhood that has good schools and a nice look. Lacey, though, wants a house with character- not a square cookie-cutter house- a house with character. When Lacey sees this 1 house and finds out that it is for sale- she falls in love with the house. Eric is happy because it’s in the neighborhood they want, is in their price range, and makes Lacey happy. Too bad neither of them really listened to the real estate agent when she tried to discourage them from buying the house.

Shortly after moving in, Lacey begins having difficulty with her pregnancy- and is concerned. She and Eric begin making alternative arrangements- Lacey sleeping downstairs, her mother moving in temporarily and Lacey trying to keep stress to a minimum. Still, Lacey feels uneasy. The house, at times, has a different feel to it- not warm and welcoming; but dark and mysterious. There is a little boy who Lacey keeps seeing… in her house. This boy, Drew, appeals to Lacey and her teacher/maternal instincts. But, slowly, she begins to pick up on things- that Drew is not what he seems. That Drew is a jealous child and quick to anger- which Lacey finds out the hard way.

Determined to get to the bottom of what has happened in this house and the story of Drew- Lacey begins to look for clues. What she finds is dark and chilling. Will Lacey be able to put an end to evil in the house- before she and her baby pay the ultimate price?

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

This is Sonja Condit’s first book and while I enjoyed it- I was a bit conflicted at times. Sonja’s characters- Lacey and Eric, I did not completely connect with either. Lacey, at times, seemed like she was cracking up and Eric, was an obsessive workaholic.

The story is compared to The Thirteenth Tale and since I have not read that book, I can’t accurately say if Starter House is like that book. I was a bit worried that it would be too scary- similar to the movie, The Conjuring, but it was not super-scary. Starter House has more of a creepy vibe- and Sonja Condit does that very well.

Would I recommend? Yes. Was it perfect? No. But, Starter House kept me flipping pages because I had to know what happened in that house- and if or when it would ever end.

*Thanks to William-Morrow for sending Traveling With T STARTER HOUSE. Above thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Cover Reveal: Paris, Rue des Martyrs by Adria J. Cimino

Today, today, TODAY…. It’s a Cover Reveal day! Yes, readers of Traveling With T- we are the first to see the cover of Paris, Rue des Martyrs by Adria J. Cimino!

How did we get so lucky?

The details: Adria contacted me a few weeks ago after hearing about my love of cover reveals (seriously- cover reveals are like the sweetest candy to me- nothing but love for a cover reveal!) I’ve taken part in them in a group effort- but this was a first to be asked to be the blogger who gets to reveal the cover. I wasted no time in telling Adria I was in- and we started the process of emailing and working out logistics. Continue reading →

Literary Friday ya’ll…..

I know. I know. I KNOW. It’s Sunday. Don’t worry, T is not confused about the day of the week. But I did not get to mention #literaryfriday on Friday because…..Little Baby Owl and I were spending the day together- and she only takes kindly to technology when it’s being used to take pictures & Tweet about visiting her- Baby Owl ain’t got no time for blogging.

So, I’m going to catch ya’ll up on some #literaryfriday with 2 mentions from Deep South Magazine since I missed the week before #literaryfriday because I was in Granbury, TX (more on that later and probably a pic of my fetch hat. And yes, I use the word fetch (“Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen. It’s not going to happen!”) Continue reading →

Guest Post: Allison from The Book Wheel reveals her 2014 Resolutions

Today, I have Allison from The Book Wheel guest posting about her New Year Resolutions. Allison is a great blogger- always on the cutting edge and she runs her blog like an efficient business. I could just sit and listen to Miss A talk for hours about her plans!

Read on for her New Year Resolutions (maybe you’ll be inspired- I was!)

Allison at The Book Wheel- New Year Resolutions

Hi Travelers! My name is Allison and I blog over at The Book Wheel about books, politics, and other shenanigans. I’m so excited that Tamara has asked me over to share with you my New Year’s Resolutions. This year is the first time “get healthier” and “lose weight” isn’t on my list because, frankly, I never follow through with them. And if I do, it’s by accident and not because of any direct efforts on my part. Plus, I already gave up soda! So, this year my resolutions are as follow:

Read more award winning books. This isn’t an official challenge or anything, but I find that I often miss out on the award winners because I’m bogged down with other books I need to read. This year, I’m going to try to read the nominees before the winners are announced and, if I miss one or two, read them once they do win.
Take less author requests. I know, I know. This one sounds so callous. But I get roughly 5-10 author requests per day and, as much as I’d like to read them all, I simply can’t. This past year I learned that saying yes to everyone also means that I rarely have time to read the books already on my shelf, like the award winners.
Spend less time online by focusing on the task at hand. This is going to be hard because I run a website, but I really need to streamline my online time. I have a bad habit of blogging while watching television, which then takes 10x longer, and I can easily waste a day on something that should have taken me an hour. That wasted times mean less time for studying, hanging with my husband, and reading.
Put down the iPhone when I’m at home. This one goes hand-in-hand with my previous resolution. I also have a nasty habit of keeping my phone on and near my at all times and it needs to stop. When I’m spending time with my husband (even if it’s just watching TV), I am going to put my phone on silent and in the other room. Maybe I’ll get a home phone for emergencies, but I really need to stop relying on my phone when I already have an iPad and MacBook. I’m *considering* removing my social media apps from my phone, but that sounds so scary!

Did you pick up any resolution ideas from Allison? I hope so! Tell me in the comments if you did!

Guest Post: Alison Law talks how 2014 is the year to be “Imperfect”

Alison Law is a force to be reckoned with. Alison is a marketing genius. Smart as a whip- and kind! Alison, besides being you know busy with school, Alison Law Communications, and other things- also finds time to be a member of She Reads (where she lovingly made a master list of She Reads bloggers for Twitter- there is that marketing mind!) I asked Alison if she had time to write a guest post- and she agreed. And her post, about permission to be imperfect, is honest and heartwarming.

Alison Law resolves to be Imperfect in 2014

This Year I Resolve to be Imperfect

I am an achievement and self-improvement junkie, so the approach of a New Year sends my already-active brain into overdrive. As I write this—on December 31—my dining room table has become a cluttered command center of “let’s do everything bigger and better in 2014!” Business and personal finance books, goals worksheets and planning materials intermingle with new health insurance cards and New Year’s greeting cards. I hover on the cusp of greatness and I love it.

I can ignore my crime scene of an office and chores today because I’ll be reborn as a meticulous cleaning machine in less than 12 hours. I can eat these Totino’s pizza rolls (with real pepperoni seasoning!), corn chips and French onion dip until I pop today, because when that smartphone strikes midnight, a virtuous and health-conscious Alison will take the keys from me, and my calorie record will be expunged.

The reason that we stay up way past our bedtimes, wearing cardboard party hats and tiaras that leave glitter rashes on our foreheads, is that we (the collective pronoun) love change within our control. We’re in love with the idea of a clean slate, a fresh start and all the other clichés for tidy beginnings. Possibility is intoxicating. Potential is out there, just waiting for us to sidle up next to it and give it a scratch behind the ear.

That’s why I wasn’t a bit surprised to learn in this New York Times article that human beings get a bigger jolt of happiness from planning their vacations than actually going on the trips. Anticipation is a lusty bedfellow to the inner control freak who thinks she can plan everything terrific that can possibly happen in the next twelve months until it’s impossible for the mundane or bad stuff to coexist. This myth appeals to every part of my borderline-OCD personality, but it is just a horrible lie. Because if there’s anything I’ve learned (earned) in my almost 40 years of living on this planet, it’s this: when you resolve to be perfect—at cleaning, eating, exercising, etc.—you’re setting yourself up for utter failure.

Therefore, in terms of resolutions, I’m going to relish the reading and planning that always accompanies my greeting a New Year; I always learn a lot and appreciate those embers that keep my intellectual fires stoked. 2013 was a wonderful year in a lot of ways, but it had its painful moments, too. Enough moments to remind me that I need to leave room in my crazy life for the unexpected crazy. No planning can defeat the uninvited crazy, so I’m just going to make up the guest room and put out the nice towels for it. There’s still plenty of room for dreams and goals, but my aspirations have a better shot when I evict perfectionism and let the unplanned have run of the house.

If you liked Alison’s post, here is bio, here is Alison Law Communications, and Alison’s other website, Southern Spines (which is a treat to read!)

Guest Post: Erin Bass from Deep South Magazine shares her resolutions & learns the power of “no”

Erin Bass. Southern Lit. Supporter of blogs. Amazing writer. Smart and savvy. Erin’s mind is always ticking away- and her features on Deep South Magazine are incredible. She has her finger on the pulse of Southern Lit.

A tweet from Erin while I was at my first Sweet Potato Queen weekend back in 2011 started our friendship- and it has grown beyond just a Twitter friendship. I trust Erin with my thoughts about blogging and books and more.

Erin Bass of Deep South Magazine talks about saying “no”

“Saying No in 2014”

I’ve been thinking a lot this past year about resolutions and changes I’d like to make in 2014. I know, why wait until the end of the year to try and do better when I could have been making changes all along? Because some of us (me) need that extra push and the excuse of a holiday to get motivated. As I get older, I find it helps to spend time reflecting on the past year and setting goals for things I want to accomplish in the future. Resolutions in my thirties have become about getting things done (but not just for the sake of crossing them off a list), having no regrets and living life to the fullest.

Since an online magazine doesn’t run itself, work is always a priority. I’m thankful that my work is something I enjoy, but I’m always trying to improve. In 2014, I want to be more focused on what I’d like to accomplish for Deep South. It’s easy to get sidetracked by the vast amount of emails, story pitches and ideas we receive. Again, I’m thankful that readers are enthusiastic enough to send an email and make suggestions for stories, but we can’t accept all of them. I need to really consider what fits with our mission and what will help us grow in the coming year.

Accomplishing this and sticking with it will take some forethought and planning, something I’m spending the first week of January doing. As most Southerners know — especially Southern women — it’s hard to say “no.” We are people pleasers and were raised to be polite and agreeable. The word “no” isn’t really in our vocabulary, and it’s difficult for me to risk disappointing someone by saying it. Heck, it was difficult just to turn on my “out of office” the week of New Year’s, but I needed some time to regroup.

What I’ve been conscious of this past year is that by saying “yes” all the time, I’ve become overcommitted and not able to enjoy anything. While doing one of the many things I’ve said yes to, I’m thinking about my next commitment and how many tasks are still left undone. I’m not present in the moment, and I’m resentful toward the person I’ve said yes to. The only person to blame for this is myself.

So, in 2014 — as gracefully and politely as possible — I will be saying no a lot more. No, I can’t bring a dish to yet another dinner or even attend said dinner. No, I won’t be able to attend that charity function, luncheon or networking event. Instead, I’m going to spend time doing things that are meaningful to me and actually enjoy them while I’m doing them.

I’ll take time to finish that short story I started at the beginning of last year and maybe even write another one. I’ll enjoy lunch with an old friend and not be thinking about getting to my next commitment. I’ll crack open that book that just arrived in the mail and take an hour to curl up and read on the couch without the distraction of an email or text. If I do attend that dinner, it will be because I want to and I’ll enjoy the company while I’m there.

It’s hard to not feel selfish about this resolution, but I’ve come to realize that saying no is about extending some of that “yes” to ourselves. I realize that I don’t need to tell myself yes every time I want another piece of chocolate or glass of wine, but I do need to give myself permission to slow down and put work aside sometimes. Often, like in the case of a good book or developing a friendship with someone I’ve interviewed or met through Twitter, work and pleasure intermingle. It’s in these moments that I truly enjoy my life and work.

Hopefully saying no to those empty obligations and yes to those moments that really enrich my life will make 2014 an even better year for myself and Deep South.

If you don’t read Deep South Magazine– check it out!

Audio Books- Yay or Nay?

Oh my.. I have a bit of a confession. A small secret. A thing that I rarely tell anyone.

I really don’t care for audio books.

Wait.. Maybe I should rephrase… I have not cared for the audio books I’ve tried in the past. The characters do not sound right. I can’t get involved in the story, sucked in like normal. I feel like a fish out of water, like a college party night without alcohol. I feel yuck.

Here’s the thing: When I read a book- the character has a voice, the voice that I give them in my head. And, no disrespect to audio books- but the voice I give the character sounds better than the audio version. Now granted, there are times that I may not know what the characters are supposed to sound like- but I prefer the voice I give them.

But I keep reading tweets and reviews from people talking about audio books & I have to say that I’m intrigued at times. Not enough to pay the full price for the audio. Not enough to get an Audible subscription. But…. somewhat. And I feel that sometimes I’m missing out.

Enter Gone Girl. 2012, I bought Gone Girl on Kindle (and then 1 day bought it on sale in hardcover because I freaking loved that book). Buying it on Kindle gave me a much lower price for the Audible version. Still I resisted. I mean how many ways can you own Gone Girl (even though it was a fan-freaking-tastic book)? I finally gave in a few weeks ago. I bought the audible version for 4.99. And I’m enjoying the heck out of it. Do I love it because I already love the book? Maybe. Do I love it because I love the voice of Amy- a character I was never quite sure I was giving an adequate voice to? Perhaps. Is the audio just that good? Possible.

Now am I about to jump on the audio bandwagon? Not quite yet. One time does not make a fan for life. But, I am more intrigued. And open to giving them another fair shake.

So tell me- are you an audio fan or not? And if you are- what are some of the “must try” books in your opinion?

Giveaway: The Swiss Affair by Emyliah Hall

Photo Credit: Harlequin

Thanks to Harlequin Books, Traveling With T has another giveaway! Ya’ll know how I LOVE giveaways- and I’m so excited to be able to offer you, the readers of Traveling With T, another book giveaway!

The details: Just check the Rafflecopter link at bottom of page for your options to entry and then cross your fingers! The giveaway is open to only US/Canada folks (sorry!) The book will be released Jan 28th (so the giveaway starts a few days early on Jan 18th and ends Jan 31st.)

Summary from The Swiss Affair by Emyliah Hall:

For Hadley Dunn, life has been predictable and uneventful. But that is before she spends her second year of college abroad in Lausanne, a glamorous Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is imbued with the boundless sense of freedom Hadley has been seeking, and it is here she meets Kristina, a beautiful but mysterious Danish girl. The two bond quickly, but as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes.

Driven by guilt and haunted by suspicion, Hadley resolves to find the truth about what really happened that night, and so begins a search that will consume her, the city she loves, and the lives of two very different men. Set against the backdrop of a uniquely captivating city, The Swiss Affair is an evocative portrayal of a journey of discovery and a compelling exploration of how our connections—with people, with places—make us who we are.

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Bookish Thoughts, Book Reviews & Tales of Small Town Charms

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