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I can't predict when I have the time to post a new blog, but check occasionally. I'm going to try at least weekly.

Friday, April 27, 2018

April already. Where does the time go?


Song of the day: “Paradise” by George Ezra. A very strange song to have stuck in your head due to the beat that seems to ever increase throughout, and yet doesn’t. Give it a listen when you get the chance, it’s a cute song regardless of the earworm qualities.

Right. It’s been a month and a half, or so since my last blog. I know, bad Sammi, but as I am sure you can guess, life has been so busy that a lot of basic stuff like blogging…and grocery shopping time has eluded me. Hah.

So let’s get you updated in Samaya’s world, eh? You know you want to, considering my famously boring way of life. Have you noticed that the blog of a work-aholic can be a tad boring? I have, but I’ll try to keep things entertaining at least, okay?

First, let’s get the book stuff out of the way, shall we? Things have been quieting down a little, respectively, thank gawd! Although, I was up until the wee hours of morning the other night due to an exciting take-over at Entangled Publishing, together with a group of my fellow authors, allowing us a chance to chat with each other and any readers that felt comfortable to join in. It was fun. Not incredibly busy, but that was good considering it was my first time at such an event. Popped my cherry gently, so to speak. Hah.

Did a few guest spots at different websites. Some serious, going into the hows and whens and whys of Girl in the Mist’s main theme, which was nice to describe. At the end of today’s blog I’ll post some links so you can go check it out, if you’re so inclined. There was another guest spot about an Author’s life, which was more fun than informative since it had to be done mostly in GIFs. Another spot was an excerpt of the book. A different one, no less, just to keep things interesting.

I did an interview with a fellow author too. As in me interviewing her, which you can check out here: www.samayatyoung.com it was a lovely book, too, so be sure to check out the review for it in the Review section. Such a nice writer, too, all the way from Australia. I love getting to know so many people all over the world.

Had a splendid review of a big reviewing sight, yay! Not that it beats the ones from readers on Goodreads, mind you, it’s just that the extra exposure from such a big website is bound to help some with the sales…I hope.

The proposal for book 2 of the No Escape From Rising Sun series gained some interest from our publisher, but there were some changes. Regretfully, due to the too big amounts of work lately, applying those very changes took embarrassingly long. Seriously, the changes were positively minor, but we both were so tired in the evenings that we could get very little done. Did manage to finally finish those changes in the first 3 chapters, which we sent back to the editor last night. Keep yer fingers crossed that she likes what we did and that it will be a “go” for book two, now dubbed “Woman with a Past” so it’ll match “Girl in the Mist” a little better.

What with work having been somewhat demanding lately (I too have been doing close to full time due to vacations of colleagues) tension between big brother and me has been high. Not surprising of course. Too little sleep and too much work can have that effect on everyone. It gives tempers short fuses, makes toes long and patience a myth. Hah. Nothing too serious, I assure you,  but let’s just say that I am looking forward when my hours go down a little again. It hasn’t been easy the last few weeks, especially since I was sick as a dog a couple of weeks ago.

Seriously, I thought I came through winter without any serious illness, and wham! It hit me. I was out for the count, and even had to call in sick for almost a week…even Big Brother had to, who got hit about a day after me. There were chills, there was massive fever, followed by a cough that is  now finally going away with the return of better weather.

Which reminds me, Spring Is Here!!!! At long last. The country side is turning green again. Most of the trees have their canopy bursting out of the seams, and there’re flower absolutely everywhere!!! I love it. Especially the four-day string of sunshine that we enjoyed just recently, and the much milder temperatures. We’ve had a barbeque with friends out on the terrace, which was lovely, and definitely worth a repeat in the near future.

Getting better at work, thankfully. Lots to learn about the whole official catering business for sure. Am also being allowed to experiment a little, which is what keeps things interesting. Also being taught about banqueting, which is exhausting in a building that size. Seriously, the amount of food your have to bring away on food is daunting sometimes. Will make my feet hurt like heck at the end of the day, but thankfully not in the old “plantars faciitis” way, just in the “gawd, get off us now” way instead. I’m fine the next day.

Went to visit dad down south for littlest Brother’s birthday, along with the birthdays of Aunt R and Grandma J (stepmom’s mother and sister) who’re all celebrating their day of birth in the same week. Had a lovely dinner at a restaurant. Wonderful food, especially for Germany. Hadn’t expected that at all, but it was probably due to the fact that they often cater to vegetarians…which we all basically are, except for Aunt R. Hah. Also had the chance to admire dad’s new place, which is finally finished and looking grand, despite it being a relatively small house.

Did bake a massive chocolate cake to celebrate all the birthdays, but regretfully everyone was way too stuffed from all the food to have more than a taste. Hah

As for other stuff, I diligently do my qigong on every free day that I have, along with a couple of times during the work week when I can muster the energy for it, so in that regard I’ve been a good Sammi. Haven’t managed to eat a lot of red meat (bad Sammi) , but chicken has been a relatively frequent occurrence in my diet for the past few weeks at least. Not perfect yet, but working on it.

Have only managed a little of experimenting with my own food lately. After having worked in the kitchen for several hours in the mornings, and then the afternoon clean up, I often don’t really feel like diving into the kitchen and making another mess that I have to clean. So most of the meals consist of oven dishes that need little work and is easy to consume.

Only two real grocery trips since the last blog. Keep postponing because neither Big Brother nor I feel like making that effort, but it’s not like we’re starving or anything. Just lazy.

At the moment I am enjoying a three day weekend. It’s the King’s day here, meaning that most anything (except, of course, Big Brother’s workplace kind of establishments) is closed for the day so people can celebrate. There’s a lot of orange all over the place with people partying, drinking, eating and doing the traditional flea market/garage sale kind of thing throughout the country. Very cozy, but I am giving it a pass this year in favor of relaxing at home. Yay.

Well, that about sums it all up. Do check out the links below…such a time consuming thing to gather them all. Hehehe

Gotta go. More to do today yet. I want to make every minute of my weekend count!



Just Romantic Suspense Excerpt

Behind the Book "Entangled"

#AuthorLife Entangled in Romance

And, finally, we are on Fantastic Fiction!!! Which has been a long-lasting dream. Yay!!!!

Fantastic Fiction Page

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

A March Update


Song of the day: “Shut up and dance with me” by Walk the Moon. Awesome song. Always thought it was a cover from some song from the 80s, only to discover last night that it’s from 2014. Hah. Anyway, not that it matters. Still a great 80s song. * wink *

So, yeah. Life’s been busy as usual. Not particularly exciting, or anything, but busy regardless.  I’ve been working too much, naturally. There were some seriously unexpected expenses last month, so when the extra hours popped up it wasn’t in me to say now, despite everything that needed doing outside work hours…you can imagine what the house looked like after a couple of weeks of that. * sigh*

But anyway, it wasn’t bad, or anything. Learned a lot more about the business, about general catering, all the stuff you have to keep track of, banqueting and general customer service, so it was all good…especially for my bank-account, which was rapidly depleting.

My temporary doggie is gone again * sob *. It was so cozy to have a four-legged one around constantly again, but his owners found him a new home with a couple that lives near the beach, loves to go for hikes and jogs, so it would seem that he is all set for the future. I have said that if it doesn’t work out, he can come right back here, sweet baby, but I doubt I’ll see him again.
Luckily in May we’ll be dog sitting Puk (the Labradoodle) again, so the quiet won’t be for too long.

Cooking has been going on as usual, duh. Can’t really do without that, can ya? Anyways. Had some successful experiments that included a Bundt cake quiche, Italian style, a nice veggie and chicken satay, a sweet potato, arugula mix, and a variety of oven dishes…which reminds me, going to do the latter tonight, I think. Hmmm

The book. Yeah. Been doing the promo thing a lot lately. Which isn’t necessarily hard, just time consuming, meaning that I’d come home from work, do the absolute necessary, maybe a 30-minute powernap, and then dive behind the computer for the remainder of the evening until way too late in the evening. I am aware that you can schedule posts and such, saving on the “I have to get on there every day” thing when we’re talking Social Media and such, at this point in my life that still sorta feels like cheating, ya know? I mean, the way I figure, social media presence is all about actually being present, so… I’m sure that I’ll think about that differently in the future, but for now it just takes up a lot of time.

Also got my paperback stack from the publisher in, so I now have physical copies of the books. Yay!

Future book. Been putting together a book proposal pitch for the publisher (around all the “real life” stuff that just keeps popping up. Like, I still gotta do my taxes, Aaaaaargh! I don’t want to alienate ALL my friends for disappearing for long stretches of time. You know what I mean, right? So hard to balance everything.) and the package is coming together nicely, I think. Been going through the first few chapters, doing some editing and tweaking because that is something that would need doing if we want to get the prequel for “Girl in the Mist” out there. But I’m liking what I’m reading so far. The pacing is different from GitM. Heavier, I think, than the action-packed bit in the debut. Leaning more toward psychological drama, rather than the high paced thrill of GitM. That doesn’t mean there’s no action in it, mind you. There is. Loads, it’s just that the characters are more enduring, rather that explosive, if that makes any sense. Like the heroine, Morgan, is a strategist, someone who will got through the most awful of horrors if that serves the purpose of her plan. It’ll be a marvelous challenge to make that work fully, you know…but it will also make it necessary to explore something lighter, more positive in the next project, because my mind-set can become rather moody when I work on dark drama a lot. We’ll see how it goes, and I’ll keep you posted.

Been a bit under the weather for the past four days or so. On Friday my whole mid-section started hurting really bad. Think I caught some sort of bug, or infection, which has been slow in recovering. By now, thankfully, I am having moments where the pain is gone, but it got pretty bad at times. Almost like constipation (I know, TMI, sorry) and yet not that. Hah. I still have occasional twinges, which made work yesterday more than a little uncomfortable (which was why I asked to do dishwash duty in the back, rather than having to face customers) and had me deflating with relief when it was finally time to go home where I collapsed on the couch and slept for an hour or two, feeling much better afterward. Had I been in Spain, I would have been popping buscapina, but this is the Netherlands, and getting medication without an actual prescription here is practically impossible.

As for the aforementioned unexpected expenses: The care needed a big check-up. It was just that time, but jeez that hurt the wallet. First off the check-up which cost more than 300 bucks, the back breaks which did need replacing this time, the handbrake and some bits and pieces which depleted a lot of my savings. * sobs * I am so hoping that some money will be coming in from the book. Need my savings back!!! Hah

The weather. Well, it’s been interesting. We had some lovely spring weather for about a week…you know, after the icy Siberian wind that raged across the entirety of Europe for about a week. Eeeewww that was cold. The change was sudden, and absolutely lovely with bright sunshine and wonderful temperatures. I was thinking that finally winter was over, but then the cold returned, and with it my stomach ache for a solid four days, right up until now when the air is still crisp, but the sky wonderfully blue and the sun warm! So gonna go outside in a bit and work on repotting some of my houseplants.

As for the fun parts. My bestest friend T (Tiina) came over for a wedding, so I got to spend an afternoon, evening and morning with her, which was lovely. Though her last visit wasn’t all that long ago, it was so nice to chat the evening away, have dinner together. But then had to drop her off at the airport, of course, and say our goodbyes again. Darn it! Gotta do the whole real visiting again soon. That was way too short.

Once she was on her way, big brother and I drove on to visit our dad, down south. Had planned it before, but since we were both having a cold two weeks ago, we had to cancel again. Last week, big brother was working in the weekend, so we finally decided on last Sunday. Had a very nice afternoon with our dad and stepmom, admiring the new house, talking about the book, life in general, and then going out to eat, along with littlest brother, as a really, really late celebration of my birthday at a rather nice German restaurant. They served some GOOD food. Definitely combinations there that I’ll be playing around with in the kitchen in the near future.

Had a friend coming over for coffee a few weeks back. Partly to celebrate the book being out, and of course to catch up on everything, which meant one coffee turned into three and it was already dark when she finally went home. Hah. Am fully up to date on the previous job-site where things went from bad to worse since I quit. Not surprised.

And that about sums up the update for the today. I would promise to be back soon, but I hate promising and then not being able to, so I will just promise to post another blog when I can and hope that y’all will bear with me until then…

If you want to keep up to date via different sources, here are my links:

The new website, which is awesome!!! Please share and like if you can.

Social media for the useless bits of info, and chatting if you feel like it.

Goodreads, if ya wanna check out the awesome reviews (give the reviewers some love while you’re there, please).

And, very importantly, the buy links, hah. (How is that for shameless self-promo, huh?)





Sunday, February 25, 2018

Buy now!!!


The moment is there, the book…is…available!!!

So let’s get this over with all the necessary links for the where to buy, where to read reviews, the picture, the promotional stuff and of course the address for my new website where I will be blogging as well, so if you want to sign up for a newsletter, where in the future you’ll be able to get sneak peaks into the world of Girl in the Mist, read deleted scenes and  anything I fun I can think of.
For a more personal blog, the way you’re used to over here, with stuff about my life, work, hobbies, writing, ya know, just stick around. Here nothing is going to change in that regard.
Do try out the book. I would love to hear all your thoughts on it
Here we go:


Social media:

For the reviews: Goodreads

Buy links:





So, that dealt with, let’s get down to the regular stuff...

Song of the day: “Ophelia” by the Lumineers. Not the most pleasant earworm, considering it is mostly the Ophelia bit that keeps tumbling in my head, rather than what is otherwise a very nice song.

On the most part it has been work for the past few weeks. And when I mean work I mean that in the broadest of sense. Been doing full days at the catering company, partly due to people calling in sick, family leave for someone, and a colleague up for vacation. It makes for plenty of work for me, despite the fact that at the moment I don’t really have time for it.

There is just so much to do for the whole promotion bit of the book. It means that I am out at work for at least 7 hours, and then come home to do the necessary stuff at home, and get behind the computer to do the proverbial homework that involves networking, writing to people about the book, asking for reviews and interviews, guest spots and anything else possible, and all the while checking up on reviews that are done of the book, and seeing what folks think. Scary stuff, ya know. Hearing what folks say about your headchild. But so far I have been able to handle it. In fact, readers have been absolutely brilliant in their reception of the story. They’re calling it a twisty plot, a story that messes with your head, amazing unique characters…simply said, it is wonderful to hear.

The weather here has been icy, albeit sunny. Some Siberian wind blowing in, apparently. Icy. Which isn’t nice at all, considering I actually have to go out in the cold several times a day. Because, for the moment, I have a dog. Yes, a dog! A foster dog, you understand. He was in need of a temporary home, while a new family was looked for, which means that I’m having some wonderful company while at home. He’s a 6 year old Border collie, well trained, and absolutely adorable. Am so tempted to keep him. But of course, I can’t. Just not smart, living the way I do. If the decision comes that I have to move out, and the new place does not allow for pets, I’d have to find a new home for him again, and that would simply be heartbreaking…for the dog and me.

Kitten is not at all happy with present company, naturally. Poor baby has exiled herself to the pantry, where they spend their time staring at each other through the cat door. Hah

Which basically brings us to the end of today’s blog, because, let’s face it, nothing really exciting happened since the last post, if for no other reason than the fact that I simply haven’t had time to do anything but work on all ends.

So we’re going to leave it at this, and see if I have something a little more exciting to share the next time. I’ll be back.



Friday, February 9, 2018

Ready for pre-order at long last

Song of the day…okay, screw that. Let’s do it different today. I’ve got news! Haha

I got THE news!

We have a DATE!

 A PUBLISHING date! I kid you not.

Remember that teaser pic I had a little while ago? Well, here it is for real, along with links and everything where you can pre-order the actual book…if you were to be so inclined. * wink *

I’m excited, I am jubilant, as you might expect. It is finally happening. All the hard work coming to a long awaited conclusion. Gawd, I can hardly believe it. How long have y’all who’ve been reading my blog, been hearing about me and big brother editing and rewriting the book formerly known as Saving Nina? Hmmm? Many a years past with me writing, it, then joining forces with big brother and rewriting it time and again until finally, finally we came in the quarter finals of the ABNA competition, and then, bolstered by the publisher’s weekly review started sending it out for real, and getting all those big publisher’s interested enough to have a look at it, only to hear the dreaded “no” again and again, until finally FINALLY last year Entangle LCC took it.

The editing this last time wasn’t easy by any means either, but we managed, survived the ordeal if you will, and now we’re there. A couple of weeks  before the book is out there for real, but already available for pre-sale HERE, or directly at the publisher HERE and I am psyched, naturally. Also in Goodreads where you've got links to all the retailers

Here are some other links for you to check out like the awesome review by USA Today bestseller, Naima Simone.  CLICK HERE She's awesome, and definitely worth a look if you're looking for suspenseful, hot romances.

And I finally figured out how to open an author Facebook page, which is HERE. Likes and follows will be vastly appreciated. Ha

Other than that, I have been delving into the promotional plan for the book, which is daunting in many ways, but also strangely fascinating.

Next Big brother has been working on our website, which will get its own blog at some point, so keep an eye out HERE. I would love to see y’all there, if you can manage it. Soon there will be a Newsletter where I’ll be sending out news and tidbits, along with teaser scenes that will, in the future wrap the entire “No Escape from Rising Sun” series up in a neat package. These will be scenes that won’t be in any of the books, but rather background happenings that will be referred to in the actual novels. But from different perspectives, explaining mysteries that we couldn't deal with in the stories, but wrote down anyway. It should be vastly interesting, to say that least. I’ll let you know when I set up a proper place for this all and post a link for that too.

So here are some pics, with the most important one being the actual cover!



Gorgeous, right?

Teaser for GitM
 As for life in general? Well, things have been busy. I’m dragging my butt through long days again. Work (finally some shorter days again) takes up 4 to 5 days a week, which can take up to 7 hours in the average day due to commuting…with on Fridays a whopping nine hours away from home because at the moment I am working at the cafeteria of a school up North, which takes more than an hour to get to. It is interesting, though. A solo spot, meaning that you’re nicely busy right up until the final moment of the day when you have to clean the whole mess up and get the heck out.

My other spot in the big town less than 20 mins away from my place is starting to be a lot more fun now that I fully know what all is involved. I’ve stopped making constant mistakes and that makes it all a lot less frustrating. Yay. Who’d have thought, eh, that I could get a job in a branch that I actually enjoy. With the way things go over here, I was very much afraid that cleaning would be my lot until the books become a success…that is the hope anyway, haha

Teaser for GitM
Getting to know more locations in the area, which was what I was hired for, of course.
But anyway, getting back to the point I was making before work distracted me…making long hours. First the day job and then when I get home behind the computer, doing all the necessary stuff like setting up more network stuff, putting up links, writing descriptions, you know, all the promotional stuff that I had so hoped not to have to do…unrealistic of me, I know, right? But I guess I’m old-fashioned that way. I still hoped that writing good stories was the thing that was really the big thing.
Alas there’s more to it than that, so now I’m learning promotion from the pros over at the publisher.

I do need some sleep fast, though. Not getting more than 6-7 hours a night, and although I can manage that quite some time, I need an occasional catch-up.

Cooking…yes, I’ve been doing that, of course, just nothing fancy, but rather quick fixes that are as nutritious as I can. Including loads of pumpkin soup. Yummy.

On the sad note, my aunty died a few weeks ago, meaning there was the whole funeral bit, and sad relatives and people we hadn’t seen in ages, and…well. It was a private affair for most part, so I think I’d best not say too much. Forgot to ask permission and everything. However sad the circumstance, it was lovely to see all the relatives gathered together, and the afternoon spent at our niece’s  place, meeting her kids and husband. And our nephew wife and daughter, a sweet little girl that reminded me of me that age…but without the backtalk. Hahaha.

I did a review for another writer the other day, which I will post here soon. Check her out HERE because I am very pleased to let you know that I am at liberty to offer a free copy of her book of a raffle that I am planning to do really soon. Just send me a quick note with your name and email, and I'll add you to the proverbial hat. I will pick a name sometime next week, and get the copy to the winner ASAP.

And that’s about all…of the interesting stuff, anyway.

I’ll keep you posted.