Sale at Smashwords's Annual eBook Week!

Exciting Sale At Smashwords this entire week!

Sunday begins Smashwords annual eBook week where tons of Smashwords authors have major sales on all of their books. I'm also participating! Champagne Kisses will be free and all others will be at least 50% off! Click the link below to follow to my page to check out the sale.

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/thejrloveless

#smashwords #ebookweek19

Breaking News: Protecting Kai Update!

Hello, lovely readers! I know you've all been anxiously awaiting any news on the third book in the True Mate series. I am sorry for how long I've been "silent". Life has a way of getting in the way of things when  you have an every day job and can't focus your entire energy where you'd love to.

At the beginning of this year, I made a resolution to finish Protecting Kai by the end of February. The end of the first week of February, I knew if I didn't give my entire focus to PK, I'd end up breaking my resolution and still have no progress to share with you all.

So I took the end last week of February off and spent every day writing as much as possible. The great break news I mentioned? I wrote THE END! I'm super stoked and excited! I am working on edits now then it's time for submission.

I'll keep you all posted as the process moves along, but I wanted to give you the great news and let you know I haven't quit!

~J.R. Loveless~

New Journey, New Website, New Resolutions

Hey, all. It's the inconsistent poster. Never really sure what to post, honestly, aside from promoting new books or talking about things that are related to something to do with my books. But today I want to post some things related to me as an author and a person.

New Website

Last year I had briefly mentioned I would have a new website. The person I had building the site bailed on me and I didn't get the site I wanted. At the end of last year, beginning of this year, I decided to see if there was another way to make my site. I now have my new site up and running. It's a lot more dynamic, more options regarding layouts and the ability to make it look more like a site and less like a blog. I even updated it with all my recent releases, too. So stop by J.R. Loveless and let me know what you think. :) 

There are pages for about me, how to contact me, and also pages with links to my books and the latest information about them. I still have a lot more I want to add to it, make it even prettier and packed with more information. I'm also going to be migrating my blog over there over time, so if you're still reading these posts, you may want to start following me over there instead. I may maintain this just to say, NEW POST, or something, but I would like to get all of my stuff in one place to make it easier for everyone looking for information on me or my books.

New Journey

I started working out and eating healthy again, this time with the very real intention of remaining on that journey. My knees ache all the time, my ankles hurt from walking long periods of time, my lower back is always an issue, and I just overall feel so much better when I'm eating healthier and working out. I gained back a good portion of what I lost two years ago and I am deeply saddened with myself for doing that. But I've already lost 13 of those found pounds and steamrolling ahead to shed the last of what I have gained back and keep going. I would like to be down eighty pounds by the end of the year. 

Eating healthier isn't difficult, just time consuming, because you have to prep your own food in order to make sure it's healthy. I bought myself an Instant Pot last year and I LOVE it. Everything comes out tasty and done just right. I've used it so much lately. I'm always on the lookout for healthy, great tasting recipes, so if you have something you'd like to share, please post it in the comments or shoot me an email from my site. :) 

New Resolutions

I know I've slacked in the writing category the last couple of years and the only excuses I can offer is life. New house, previously a new relationship (that's over), and major migraines. But I also have to admit to being lazy and not taking the bull by the horns and just writing every day. Part of that was due to a foster dog we were caring for who didn't know the meaning of personal space when she wanted attention. We couldn't mix her with our dogs because our dogs didn't like her so we had to play a round robin game of who was out and running free in the house every couple of hours to make it okay on the furbabies. By the time our dogs were out for the night and she was in her crate for bedtime, I was exhausted and passing out on the couch. 

But she has since been adopted and after a few days break to catch up on some sleep, I am going to be writing every day until Protecting Kai is finished. My goal, and I can't say I swear by all that is holy it'll be met, is end of February. That's 34 days. There's only about 30 to 40k words left to be written. I can do it! Fifteen hundred words a day is easy! 

I know many of us make resolutions at the beginning of the year that don't stick. Weight loss, working out, pursuing whatever it is you think you want. We all end up making those resolutions, but this year I am determined to make them stick. I love to write, but age and work has affected my ability to sit up til all hours of the night and still go to work the next day. My best writing was always done that way. Now I just have to make it during the evening hours instead. I can do it! 

I guess that was a lot to read. 

TLDR: To sum it all up, I have a new website, on a new journey to finally lose the weight and keep it off, and my goal is to finish Protecting Kai by end of February! 

Kisses, 

~J.R.~

Always Forward! Never Straight by Charley Descoteaux

Good day, everyone! I have the privilege of hosting Charley Descoteaux on her blog tour for her newest release Always Forward! Never Straight. Sounds like an amazing read! Can't wait to pick it up and read it myself. :) Continue on with a blurb, excerpt and links where you can pick it up. 

Blurb:

Love isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.

Baxter Bryan is the nerdy half of BaxCo, a start-up in Portland’s Silicon Forest creating cutting-edge high-tech toys. He’s also a hermit. When BaxCo sponsors the Portland Rock and Roll Half Marathon, Bryan decides to break out of his comfort zone and do more than listen to the music with a beer in hand. The race has barely started when he bumps into a fit, handsome man, causing sparks to fly. But the long hours needed to make BaxCo a success aren’t the only reason Bryan spends most of his time alone in his apartment.

Cay Nissen runs every day to stay in shape. He would love to run away from his job in a Silicon Forest cube farm, but keeps returning to support his teenaged daughter. His true love is music. Cay writes songs for the band he helped form in high school but doesn’t see any way to turn music into a career. The half marathon seemed like a decent way to pass a Saturday, make his boss happy, and catch a performance of his old band all at the same time. When he meets a man who sparks his interest, the safety of his cubicle isn’t the only part of his life that’s in jeopardy of changing.

Buy Always Forward! Never Straight or read free on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon Universal Link:  mybook.to/AlwaysForward

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43096991-always-forward-never-straight?from_search=true

Excerpt:

After the serious runners passed me, I began to run. Okay, jog. I intended to make a real effort to participate in the race. I’d trained and psyched myself up for weeks—promotional opportunity aside. I casually scoped all the runners, not actually looking for anyone, content to do some people-watching. I snickered at myself because secretly I hoped to hook up with one of the men blowing past me, to have their slender, muscled bodies pressed against mine, their lung capacity put to good use—

I almost swallowed my tongue when a tall, striking man pulled up alongside me. His arm brushed against mine, and even though skin didn’t touch skin—he wore a long-sleeved shirt, no doubt a technologically advanced fiber meant to wick the sweat away from his skin, probably as it gave him a massage and helped combat climate change—I felt an electric shock at the contact. It actually crackled.

He turned, one eyebrow raised, and smiled. “Did you feel that?”

“Um, yeah.” I tried to keep up, even though men like him—svelte athletic types who can pull off trendy shaved-on-the-side-and-longer-on-top haircuts—didn’t usually notice plain, out-of-shape nerds like me.

His handsome face creasing in concern. “Sorry. If the spark came from me.”

Fuck, he’s hot.

“N-no problem. No harm done. It was probably me.”

I shocked myself all the time—literally, not figuratively. I led the most boring life imaginable and rarely left my apartment unless forced. Pavement doesn’t exactly possess the same properties that make carpet and wool socks generate static electricity, but it still could have been me. Just looking at this man gave me a charge.

He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he smiled instead. His blue eyes held as much flash as the actual static that had passed between us.

“Cay.” He held out his hand, and we shook.

“Bryan.” The breathless quality of my voice had little to do with the running. Or at least that’s what it felt like. “Kay, as in Sir Kay, the knight?” I don’t know how I was able to grin at him, but I did.

“No.” He chuckled. The rich sound of his voice set something alight inside me I hadn’t heard from in years. “C-A-Y. As in Cayman. Like the islands.”

He gave me a look, and it took a moment to realize he was serious. Luckily, that happened before I tripped on anything or ran into anyone. “So, is your sister’s name Aruba?”

“No. That’s my brother.” He turned to face forward for a few paces and then shot me a wink.

That wink made me stumble. I’m in trouble.

BIO:

Charley Descoteaux is the author of the Buchanan House Love Stories. Book One was a USA Today Must-Read Romance.

Charley has always heard voices. She was relieved to learn they were fictional characters, and started writing when they insisted daydreaming just wasn’t good enough. In exchange, they’ve agreed to let her sleep once in a while. Charley has survived earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods, but couldn’t make it through a single day without stories.

Rattle Charley’s cages:

Newsletter: https://my.sendinblue.com/users/subscribe/js_id/2m34r/id/2

Blog:  http://cdescoteauxwrites.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/charley.descoteaux.3

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/CharleyDescoteauxAuthor/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/CharleyDescote

Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/aqe7g7r

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/charleydescote/

e-mail: c.descoteauxwrites@gmail.com

Publisher: CeeTwo Publications

Release Date: January 1, 2019

Pages:  86

Cover Artist: Rainbow Danger Designs

Blue Christmas Cover Reveal & Excerpt

Happy Holidays, everyone! It’s been an interesting year for me as I am sure it’s been for all of you. Big projects at the EDJ, a stressful break up, migraines, and dealing with the upkeep of my house has kept my attention from being focused on my writing to the extent I would have liked, but I am back on the book scene this year with a novella called Blue Christmas. It is a holiday story about a young man who lost his Christmas spirit after his mother passed away and his need to keep from ever losing anyone ever again causes him to push any attempts to befriend him away. His depression leads him to make a choice which takes him down a path to redemption and learning to love the holiday again as well as allowing himself to let others in once more. 

The story will be available on Smashwords and related retailers on November 30^th. Amazon will have it available for purchase December 3^rd. It is now able to be pre-ordered on both sites. The links are below if you like the sound of the book. 😊

I’m excited to share the cover and an excerpt with you today and hope you enjoy the story!

Blurb

Christmas used to be a time of joy for me, but since my mother's death three years ago the holiday has lost all meaning, becoming nothing but a harsh reminder of what I've lost. I've become bitter and skeptical of everyone around me, and the cold aloofness has kept me from being hurt that deeply again. But this year the thought of yet another blue Christmas alone sends me on a path that will change my life forever. Trigger Warning: Attempted suicide.

Buy Links

Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KY576HC?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420  

Smashwords:     https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/909631

Excerpt

Somehow, I managed to fall into a restless sleep and before I knew it the nurse came in to wake me up and bring me breakfast. I scowled at her as she raised my bed and set the tray on the table before me. I grimaced at the dried out eggs and hard toast. There was no way I'd eat this so I just pushed the table away. "Where are my clothes?" I demanded of her.

"They're in the closet over by the bathroom, dear. Everything you came in with is in there." She made a notation on my chart at the foot of my bed and then left the room.

I wanted to be gone before Carter got there. I slid from the bed, gripping the back of the gown closed. Cold air slipped under the hem and I winced at how chilly the tile felt on my feet. Everything was where she’d said. I bundled my clothes together and headed into the bathroom to get dressed. Maybe I underestimated Carter because when I came back out, he sat in the same chair from last night, a magazine propped open on one knee.

He looked up and smiled. "Ah, good, you're already dressed. I took the liberty of going into your apartment and grabbing a coat for you since you were brought in without one last night. Also the little girl who lives next door to you wanted me to tell you Simba is okay and she'll take care of him until you get home."

I tightened my lips into a flat line. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I'll take a cab home."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm already here and besides we have to stop at the lot and pick out a tree. Oh, I went by my parents' house and snagged some of their decorations. My mom has so much of them she insisted I take some of hers." Carter stood and held out the jacket. It was my favorite one, the one my mom had given me the year before she started to get sick. Though a little worn in some places, it still provided enough warmth against the chilly winds and snow.

"Thank you," I said stiffly. "But I really don't need a tree or decorations."

Once again, he didn't listen to me and waved away my refusal. "You can make me dinner on Christmas Eve and we'll call it even."

I shook my head and started to tell him no once again when the door opened and one of the orderlies came in with a wheelchair. "I can walk," I protested.

"Hospital policy. Please have a seat, Mr. Lords. You'll be out of here in no time." The orderly gestured to the wheelchair.

With a sigh, I gave in and settled into it, embarrassed once again. Carter just silently followed along, a smile on his face. Once the papers were signed and I was outside of the front doors, I got out of the chair. I stepped in the direction of the nearest taxi, but Carter grabbed my arm and led me toward the parking garage. "I can walk on my own," I said, disturbed at his touch and nearness.

"Of course you can. I just wanted to make sure you were heading the right direction," he soothed. He stopped at a red pickup truck, unlocked the passenger door and opened it, waiting for me to get in. I glared at him, but slipped into the front seat. I breathed a sigh of relief to be out of the cold air, huddling deeper into my jacket.

            Carter loped around the front of the truck and slid into the driver's seat. Christmas music played from the speakers when the engine started. I crossed my arms and turned my head to stare out of the window as he drove.

Breakups Suck

It doesn't matter how unhappy or happy you are in a relationship or how maybe it's a good thing or not, Breakups Suck. There's no two ways about it. It sucks. Point Blank. 

I am not the most experienced individual when it comes to relationships. In my life I've had two serious relationships. My first one left me extremely broken. It devastated me to the point that I didn't even try to put myself back out there for over ten years. It fueled my writing career though and led me down the path I am on now. So I wouldn't trade it for the world. And of course, looking at it now, I'm glad it's over and we didn't continue. The guy was a bit of a douche.  

My recent relationship... It ended in a way that gave me whiplash. I don't even know what happened. I do know the events that led up to it this past Monday were not the real cause. There was an underlying factor here. 

I know I have not been happy for a while. Everything changed in December last year for me because of the way I was treated over what I had given him for Christmas. He hated it all. I'd never been treated in such a disrespectful way in my entire life. The emotions I was feeling for him began to fade because of it. I didn't find myself investing as much of myself in the relationship. The most likely outcome is he sensed it as time went on. 

Fear of being alone, fear of not finding someone else, and a number of other things kept me with him. But how do you know when it's right and when it's not right? Everyone says you'll just know. But what the hell does that mean? Is there just a big truck that's going to hit you when it's right?  How do you know what's going to happen afterward? There are no certainties in life. And I can't help but fear that the whole breakup was a mistake. 

On the other hand, I know it wasn't the right relationship for me. We truly had almost nothing in common. He liked things I didn't care for, like window shopping, going to Disney regularly, walking just to walk, movies that I found dumb, and so many other differences. He never understood my love of animals. I never understood how he couldn't see what he did with the animals as fear tactics rather than good training. 

This Sunday just before we broke up I had to do something that broke my heart because one of my feral colony cats was really sick and I had to make the decision to put her to sleep. I was devastated, but I never once felt like I could call him and ask him to come be with me because he didn't understand and because I knew he was upset and being moody. To him the cat was just a "wild animal", but to me she was more. He only saw the money it took to get her treatment. I don't care about money. It's not fair to leave her suffering because it cost money to help her. 

He spent so much time looking at my care for my animals as making them more important than him that I think he built it up inside his head to be more than it was. Or maybe his past with his father and how much of a bad person his father was made that more of an issue for him and he couldn't see past it. I don't know. But in something he told me recently about his father it makes me think that maybe that's why. He may never admit it, may never realize it, but I believe it's an underlying factor.

Nothing truer than this... (
https://weheartit.com/entry/115664042)

While all of the issues I feel in my heart combined are a really good reason for the break up to stick and not be together, it still hurts. It still has me ready to cry at the drop of a hat. And I can't understand why. I wasn't happy. He wasn't happy. It still doesn't make it better just knowing that. But he was such a large part of my life for so long... how do I go back to it just being me? How do I not send him a text when something funny happens? Or just to say good morning or good night? I already miss that. 

And most people know every time that it happens, insecurities from the previous break ups come back to haunt you. Was I not good enough? What did I do to make it fail? Am I going to be alone for the rest of my life? Am I simply not loveable? What if no one can ever look past my flaws to the real me and love me anyway? They're ugly thoughts. They're ugly insecurities. Yet many people have felt that way. Everyone tells me "it's good he's gone", "he wasn't right for you", "it's his fault not yours", but those people didn't live it. 

How can they possibly know that? Especially when I don't know that. Was it his fault? Was it mine? Did I not try hard enough? Were his good qualities unable to overcome the bad ones? I know he cared about me. He did a lot of things for me during our relationship. Yet it wasn't enough to outweigh the way he made me feel in my heart that we weren't soulmates. I couldn't get past his constant need to be right, his constant need to argue the "devils advocate point" on everything, or the way I never felt like his girlfriend because the usual things weren't there. We didn't date. I always ended up paying for myself. While I don't think a man should always have to pay, I do think there should be some old school chivalry in there sometimes. He always made it a point to make sure I paid him back if he paid for me during a time when I didn't have cash and the bill was combined. Yet I never did that to him in all the times I paid for food to be delivered to the house for dinner or the time I paid for tickets to a broadway musical. I never asked him for the money because that's not who I am. Maybe it makes me naive or easy to take advantage of, but I think in a relationship its a give and take. I treat, you treat, etc. 

This says it all....   (https://weheartit.com/entry/48765935)

There were just so many mountains we couldn't quite climb, we eventually hit rock bottom. 

I know I don't usually post personal things, but I just needed to put that out there, to show others it's not sunshine and rainbows for everyone, that fairy tale romances take work, and Prince Charming or Princess Charming doesn't just find you and wake you up with a kiss. And to say... Breakups Suck. No matter what the situation is at the end. 

I found a site that does have some decent advice and makes some good points:

https://greatist.com/live/upside-of-breaking-up

Maybe some of this will make it easier in the quiet moments. Those are the hardest. Being alone, being without distractions, it's the hardest times of the day.