WHAT'S YOUR OBSESSION?

ob·ses·sion

noun \äb-ˈse-shən, əb-\

: a state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal

: someone or something that a person thinks about constantly or frequently

: an activity that someone is very interested in or spends a lot of time doing

Most of us are obsessed with something. It could be a place, a song, a food, a pastime, a hobby, etc. For me, I think writing is an obsession. But I have other obsessions, as well, like collecting scented lotions and sprays from Bath and Body Works. LOL. I didn't realize I had an obsession there until I lined them up in my bathroom and didn't have enough room for all the bottles.

 I'm also obsessed with Hello Kitty and I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Hello Kitty is amazing! I have several stuffed animals and trinkets and my collection is still growing. I imagine I'll be the only ninety-year old at the nursing home wearing Hello Kitty clothes and pajamas—and I'm totally fine with that!

I'm probably obsessed with chocolate. However, after learning I've developed an allergy to it—I know!—my obsession has turned into a deep yearning for something I can't have. Waaaa!

Recently, I learned I have a friend who is obsessed with wrapping paper and bows--has a plethora of it in a closet. Another friend of mine is obsessed with all things sparkly—jewelry, clothes, makeup.

So tell me, what is your obsession?

Don’t be shy, peeps. I shared mine. Oh, and pics of your obsession are most welcome in the comments!

HOLIDAY DIY GIFTS FOR READERS AND WRITERS

I came across this "how to" video and thought it was too cute of a gift not to share. It also looks easy to make and I love personalized gifts made from the heart. Plus they're easy on the wallet. ;)

There are several great gifts you can buy for a reader or writer. Gift card to bookstore or Amazon. New release novels. A Kindle or Nook (if you have that kind of extra cash)

But, there are also great things you can make. This Martha Stewart video shows an easy way to make beautiful bookmarks.

http://www.marthastewart.com/918009/how-make-homemade-bookmarks#918009

I love the idea of bookmarks as gifts but think you could go one step further and really personalize them.  For example, you could make a cardboard bookmark and add a quote from their favorite novel on it, or copy and print the cover of their favorite novel. If the gift is for an author, you could put one of their novel covers on the bookmark.

 But why stop there?  You could do the same thing with ornaments, personalizing them with book covers or quotes from popular or favorite novels. I even saw a "how to" post on doing this same thing but on coffee mugs with sharpies. I'm not that artistic so that idea wouldn't work for me but the others would.

Here are some links to getting crafty and creative with your gifts. Enjoy and if you have any DIY gift ideas, please add them in the comments as I'd love to know.

Imagine printing colored copies of favorite book covers and quotes and using them instead of pictures or printed paper for the crafts below.

http://tipnut.com/make-bookmarks/

http://thebudgetsavvybride.com/diy-laminated-bookmarks/

http://thecraftingchicks.com/2012/11/homemade-photo-ornaments-2012.html

http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/21-tips-for-diy-sharpie-marker-mugs

I'm going to make a few of my own this weekend then share the steps and results next week, so check back!

Thanks all and happy gifting!!!!!

Win Amazon e-gift card for SILVERN by Christina Farley!!!!

Today Christina Farley's novel SILVERN (the prequel to GILDED) comes out! 

Fantasy. Mythology. Exotic location. Romance. These novels have it all!

In honor of my talented friend's second novel launch, I'm giving away a $25.00 Amazon e-gift card to a lucky winner so you can get yourself a copy, and if you don't have the prequel, GILDED, you can get that too! Giveaway starts NOW!

Jae Hwa Lee is ready to forget about immortals and move on with her life. Until the god of darkness, Kud, sends an assassin to kill her. She escapes with the knowledge that Kud is seeking the lost White Tiger Orb, and joins the Guardians of Shinshi to seek out the orb before Kud can find it. But Kud is a stronger and more devious god than Jae ever imagined. Jae is soon painfully reminded that by making an enemy of Kud, she has placed her closest friends in danger, and must decide how much she can bear to sacrifice to defeat one of the most powerful immortals in all of Korea.


Here's a blurp about the prequel, GILDED!

Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting into a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she's next.

But that’s not Jae’s only problem.

There's also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae's heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae's been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she's always been looking for.



http://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Book-1-Christina-Farley-ebook/dp/B00FN2KR3K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=


http://www.amazon.com/Silvern-The-Gilded-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00I309T8S/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MAM7VR6ZXBD1A0HXDRH








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ASTRAY COMES OUT TODAY! And that totally rhymes! Want to win it?!?

Today, Amy Christine Parker's novel ASTRAY, comes out! 

In honor of my talented friend's second novel launch, I'm giving away a $25.00 Amazon e-gift card to a lucky winner so you can get yourself a copy, and if you don't have the prequel you can get that too! Giveaway starts tonight at midnight.

(Love, love, love this cover!)

In ASTRAY, Lyla is caught between two worlds. The isolated Community that she grew up in and the outside world that she's navigating for the very first time. The outsiders call the Community a cult, but Pioneer miraculously survived a shooting that should have killed him. Are the faithful members right to stay true to his message? Is this just a test of faith? One thing is for sure: the Community will do anything to bring Lyla back to the fold. Trapped in a spider's web of deception, will Lyla detect the sticky threads tightening around her before it's too late? She'll have to unravel the mystery of what Pioneer and the Community are truly up to if she wants to survive.

A few quotes from the novel (prepare for chills)

"I have eyes everywhere. You can't run from me."

"If you aren't with us, you are against us, and I will not mourn you one bit when you die." Brian, Member of the Community

"He turns the light out and I close my eyes and try not to listen when he starts to cry." 

"Everything will be okay," Pioneer says. His voice is dreamy. He brings the knife up to his own neck."

ASTRAY, is the sequel to Amy Christine Parker's debut thriller, Gated, about a girl (Lyla) who's grown up in a cult, but begins to question what she's been taught as the "end times" approach, causing Pioneer to alter his plans, which accelerate and grow ever ore dangerous for all involved.

http://amychristineparker.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Astray-Gated-Sequel-Christine-Parker/dp/0449816028

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