Losing and Loving it, and a Tattoo

Last year, the company I work for during the day moved into a new set of buildings and one of the rooms was turned into a gym. They outfitted it with everything you can imagine. Treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines, circuit training, etc. They even hired a personal trainer that you can either attend the free classes that they pay her to have, or you can pay her for personalized classes. I managed to lose quite a bit, around 50 pounds. I spent most of the year having personalized classes, but ended up having to quit because I kept getting severe migraines. Terrible migraines. They got so bad, I lost all of my motivation and just stopped going to the gym all together, started eating terrible again, and just fell off the wagon. I gained some of the weight back, but thankfully not all of it.

After seeing a chiropractor, a pain management specialist, attending physical therapy, and eventually a neurologist, I finally started getting the migraines under control. Since May 31st of this year, I have been able to get back into the gym regularly. I go four to five times a week and walk on the treadmill. I started at thirty minutes and am now up to an hour a day.  I also watch what I eat. I do around 1200 calories a day for food and about 200 for Gatorade. I drink G2, not the regular which is loaded with sugar. Over the course of almost three months, I have lost 27 pounds, perhaps more, but I am only weighing myself once a month if I can help it. I know my mind and if I weigh myself every week and don't see a change, I'll lose the motivation, so once a month is all I am allowing myself. It's worked though. 27 pounds is a lot. 

If anyone asked me what I am using for motivation now, I'd have to answer several things. One, my body. I'm getting older and my knees and feet are hurting more often now. I am tired of always aching. Two, I know it's going to get harder to lose it the older I get. Three, I'm tired of being alone. I won't go into the sad story of my life the last eleven years, but I want someone special in my life. And I know I won't feel comfortable enough to seek that out with being the weight I am. So this is definitely a motivating factor, as well. 

During my trek to find a relief from the migraines, I ended up having to endure some very painful shots in my skull. They were extremely unpleasant, but they showed that I could sit through them. While they didn't last long and may be a different story from a tattoo, it gave me the motivation to want to sit through getting one. After thinking about it, I know what I want. I want one that I won't regret, something that means something to me, and I can wear with pride. Knowing that it's going to be something I will have on me for the rest of my life, I decided to make it something intimately connected to me and the one I came up with is the same as the one Kasey has in Chasing Seth. I have always had a love for wolves. Even when I was younger, I loved them. They're beautiful, majestic, magical creatures, and with Kasey being one of my own characters, it makes sense to have it be something connected to me in such a way. So I am going to have the image from Kasey's back done on my inner forearm/wrist. I intended to have it done in September when I went to visit a friend, but the trip fell through and it isn't going to happen now, but that's okay. I'll see about having it done here at home. A friend recommended a local shop that has some amazing artists and I have already seen some of their work. I have to contact him and see when I can make the appointment. 

Gotta run. Have more edits to finish on Love & Snowball Fights, a gym session to attend, and work to do! Hopefully more writing to do as well. Love to you all! 

Kisses, 

~J.R.~

Chasing Seth e-Book on Sale for $1 over at Dreamspinner Press!

Chasing Seth eBook along with 11 other GREAT reads are on Sale over at Dreamspinner Press from August 8th until August 12th for $1.00! Hurry on over to take advantage of the sale! :) 

Dreamspinner Press Red Hot Reads $1 Sale!

I swear I'm still alive! And I have good news...

Hey, all. So I know it's been a while, again, since I posted on here. For those who only follow me here, I'm not dead nor have I stopped writing. I have been working as much as I can on my projects in progress. I post a lot more on Facebook than on here which I am going to make an effort to change. I'm really sorry to have neglected my blog.

Well to give those an update for anyone who may be wondering, I have good news for my readers. I have two novellas slated for release in the upcoming months. I don't have definite dates yet nor covers, but I should have something for you soon. One is almost completely through the edit process and the other has just entered the editing process. I hope to have a completed blurbs to share with you as well. 

I have six WIPs in progress, including the next in the True Mates series, Protecting Kai. I also have the first book in a three book series almost finished, about twenty five thousand words left, though I don't intend on submitting that until all three books are finished. But I think you'll like it. I also have a vampire story in progress, another shifter novella, and a couple of others that have hit me over time. 

Lane Freeman (don't own the picture!)

 The first novella: Due out Nov/Dec this year is called Love and Snowball Fights. It's a story set around the holidays about a young man named Lane Freeman who has been kicked around through foster homes and has learned to rely on only himself to get by in life. Since his release from the foster care system, Lane's been a wanderer, moving from place to place, never setting down roots, until one day he ends up left behind by a trucker he was hitchhiking with in a place called Christmas Valley. Over the next six months, he begins to find himself believing he may have finally found a place to call home, taking up a job at Tal's Bar and Restaurant, an apartment, and even a three-legged cat named Chloe. Until Trey Jenkins comes home for the holidays, disturbing his peace and reminding him just why he's never stayed in one place longer than a few months.

Trey Jenkins (Don't own the picture!)

          Trey Jenkins, a Dallas firefighter home to visit his family for the holidays, immediately believes Lane is just like all the other drifters who've taken advantage of his brother Tal over the years and takes a disliking to him at first. When Trey finally acknowledges Lane's genuine kindness, their attraction to one another begins to grow, despite the many reasons it shouldn't. Trey wants nothing more than to give Lane a family again while Lane attempts to push him away, believing he's better off alone rather than relying on someone who is only going to end up hurting him again.

Scott (I don't own the pic)

The 2nd novella: Due out Feb/March of 2017 is called You Belong With Me.

Scott has been in love with his best friend Craig for years, but watching Craig with his manipulative boyfriend has worn Scott down, and he knows he needs a break from the pain and maybe a change of scenery and perspective. His twin sister, Karen, convinces him to spend a summer in Paris.

Craig (I don't own the pic)

Karen is sick and tired of seeing Scott suffer, and she’s not going to stand for it anymore. She confronts Craig and tells him what he’s been missing by spurning Scott’s affection in favor of a jerk who mistreats him.

When Craig unknowingly breaks Scott's heart, Craig opens his eyes--and his own heart--to the possibility of a future with Scott. Either way, he plans to use the time while Scott’s abroad to orchestrate a romantic surprise that will show Scott that they belong together. But when he sees Scott with another man at the airport, Craig fears he’s too late.

Obviously those photos are only an idea of what the characters look like in my head. The actual cover photos will look different, unless by some miracle the cover designer can get these specific models! I am excited to see the covers and hope that I get the cover artist I want since I never have any trouble working with her. She sees inside my head, lol. 

Anyway, I am going to leave some stuff for the next post, so with a see ya later, signing off! 

Kisses, 

~ J.R. ~