Going Crazy this Summer! #family #noschedule @jsubject

Working from home can be tough. For me, I arrange my work schedule around everything else I have to do. Since my kids are still in school and young enough to still need me for some things, that's just the way it is. Since it's summer, I am needed even more to keep them entertained and from fighting. That means my usual schedule is even more disrupted. And at this point in the summer, the lack of a proper schedule is affecting my work habits, my fitness habits, and my sleep pattern. (I try to get things done when the kids are in bed, but it doesn't always work that way.)

We did go to the Toronto Zoo this summer to see the Pandas before they leave for Calgary.

I've also been listening to a lot of K-Pop, M-Pop, and J-Pop with my daughter. She tried to get me to listen to them last year, but I wasn't a fan of the groups she listened to. Then she found some others whom I really like. Here's one of our favs to sing and dance to - Go Crazy by 2PM - if you want to see what K-Pop is like.

BOOK NEWS! 

* Love in  New World New Adult Romance box set (print & ebook) released July 31, 2017.

   You can find all of the buy links here.

* Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 releases October 10, 2017.

   Pre-order links can be found here.

   Get a sampler from Instafreebie here.

   Get a FREE Embrace the Romance Coloring Book here.

   

Until next time...

http://jessicasubject.com

How many days till summer?

I detest winter... cold, short days, more cold, snow. Blech. Man, do I hate being cold.

But, there are times with the sun comes out, reflects off the pristine layer of fluffy snow and the world glistens.
It can be beautiful,
                looking out from inside,
                          when it's a snow day and I don't have to go to work
                                      and I can stay in leggings and a t-shirt all day and write.

But, this year has been much warmer than normal...meaning no snow and lots of rain. The short days feel even shorter because I swear we have been under a thick layer of clouds for weeks now. Everything is grey. and I can feel my body and mind getting more and more sluggish.

That's when know I have to fight back. My brain is not a happy place right now, which means a trip to the Fake'n'Bake  (tanning bed). Laying there nice and toasty warm with bright lights all around me while I imagine I'm laying on a beach somewhere really helps my mood.

I also bake because try to stay in a bad mood when you munching on a warm brownie fresh from the oven. You can't do it. :)

One of my favourite recipes is my Banga's Lemon Bars.  If you ever wondered what sunshine tastes like, here's your chance.  I've made these so many times and they're perfect for this time of year.

My recipe card is starting to show it's age. LoL I wrote this out in my late teens.

Yes, I called my grandmother Banga. It's not a cultural thing, it's a name I made up while I was learning how to talk. She loved it, so it stuck. LoL Eccentricity is  genetic ;)

If you have a favourite recipie and are willing to share, please put it in the comments. I'd love to try it :)

Banga's Lemon Bars

2cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup soft margerine (or butter)
1/2 cup fine white sugar

Combine ingredients and press into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan.
Bake for 20 min at 350deg
~~~~

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups fine white sugar
dash of salt
5 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon  juice and zest from two lemons

Wisk together eggs, sugar, salt, lemon juice and zest

Combine 1/4 cup of flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.

Pour combined mixture over the warm base

Return to the oven for 25 minutes

Allow to cool, cut into squares and dust with icing sugar

Enjoy!

Author Life & Summer Loving (@KaceyHammell) #Summer #Canada #Writing #Fun

Good morning!

It's been a great summer already -- or at least June.  What's been happening around here? Well, look for sequels to come your way, readers! I've been busy on Canadian Muscle 2, and have an outline of Stirred by Love 2 as well. There are some other books in the works, I received rights back from a publisher, plus another story I want to revamp and share with everyone. It has been a crazy eight months for me -- health wise, personally and professionally -- but all is good. 

With Haidee, a "Hammell's Heroine"

In May I enjoyed a fun-filled few days in our nation's capital at the RTC 2016 Book Signing. I loved visiting with readers I'd met at the 2015 one, and new readers this year! Of course it was fantabulous seeing some of my street team/reader group there as well. These ladies are so inspiring and I can't wait to share all the exclusive excerpts and goodies with them as I write new stories.

With Shirley & Sharon, 2 "Hammell's Heroine" Members

And of course, my author pals who are just too amazing for mere words.

3 of the best authors I know and adore:
(L to R: Me, Jessica E Subject, Layna Pimental, Kali Willows)

With my college grad!

June has been a bit of bat-shit crazy!! LOL It really has. A lot of birthdays, my oldest child just turned 20 AND finished her Nursing course in college! Time has flown by. I have another graduation in a couple of weeks, my youngest son/child graduates from grade 8 as well. It boggles the mind how old THEY are. Not me, no not in the least, they get older not their mothers! *g*  The years have flown by so quickly, I'm not sure how to keep up...or hold that empty nest feeling away in the coming years. Locking them in their rooms would be too much right? Sigh. What's a mom to do? *g*

We don't have any huge plans for this summer. My older 2 kids are of course working, so will be a lot of days with the youngest and writing! That's all I hope to do, but I promised him some day trips here and there. We haven't figured out an itinerary yet but we'll see. We really enjoy leaving the "school days routine" out the window during the summer and fly by the seat of our pants. 

But lots to look forward to. New books, fun summer days and some great reading as well! Been too long since I spent a few days just pleasure reading. Time to get back to that as well.


Be sure to check out the "Author's Appearances" page. I have another book signing in September in London, Ontario. More info on that HERE.



Until next month,
Live, Love, Laugh.

Some days you can't be prouder of your kids

For anyone who knows or loves a child with special needs, you know how special it is to have them get up and do something out of their comfort zone. Then to watch then watch them excel at it...it's one of those heart swelling moments.

My daughter is what we lovingly call an "Aspie", meaning she has Asperger Syndrome. (It's a high functioning form of autism) Many of you might recognize recent stories about Odin, the young man in Peterborough who didn't have anyone rsvp to his birthday party and his mom asked for help to make it a special 13th for him. He too is an Aspie and I can't read enough about how wonderful the world made his special day. Tee is a bit older than him, she'll be 18 in a couple months. Like many mom's the idea of her going to college makes me want to wrap her in bubble wrap.  

Seneca College has an amazing behaviour science program at the King Campus. One of the courses offered focuses completely con Autism and other spectrum disorders. We met the instructor at a Ride for Autism event in the fall and she contacted me to ask if Tee would be willing to be a guest speaker in her class. (The majority of their interaction with kids are non-verbal elementary students.)

Dad gets camera credits, I'm behind the artwork. lol

In short it was an amazing couple of hours. Tee was so nervous and I wasn't certain if she would get overwhelmed and "shut down" but the students in the class made us all so comfortable. Our entire family went  because the class was excited to learn the perspective of not only Tee but her parents and sister. 

Tee did an incredible job. She answered all their questions and talked about her art work and her plans for the future. It was a moment when I realized how much she has matured and capable of doing things completely out of her normal routine. Ry is incredibly good at public speaking and between the both of them I think they showed that our family is just as (slightly) normal as everyone elses. Or as normal as any other family with a sense of humor as twisted as ours. 

That doesn't mean I'm not still going to fight to wrap her in bubble wrap before college but maybe I'll limit the amount to 2 or 3 layers. :) 

Available for Pre-Order!
    Release Date: April 14th, 2015

Unconditional Devotion (Peacock Terrace Apartments 1)

A devastating battle with depression destroyed Hannah Robinson’s once-victorious career as a defense attorney. The relentless dark cloud of despair that shrouds her brings Hannah to question whether she can fight to go on any longer. That is until what had been an unexpected request from her neighbors leads to new-found joy that breathes new life into her dreary existence. 

Passion and seduction sizzles for Hannah and her dynamic neighbors, but as fate would have it, they will need far more than erotic satisfaction from her, despite her struggle with mental illness. 

As close as brothers since their days in the same neglectful foster home, Craig Ledet and Daniel Mire’s friendship stood the test of time. Their bond was fortified upon the arrival of a child neither of them knew about before. Blissful with the creation of an instant family, they are soon scourged by a vicious trail of events that leads them to court, extortion and kidnapping. 
Unconditional Devotion (Peacock Terrace Apartments Book 1)

Do you have plans for April 17 & 18th? Don't miss out on the first annual Romancing the Capital Conference in Ottawa, Ontario. There are only a handful of tickets left for what is going to be an amazing weekend!!

http://orc.evelanglais.com/

  

Melting Pots Are The Best Pots

My husband and I were talking the other night about what to have for dinner. Neither of us wanted to cook so the argument started..What do you feel like? Thai, Vietnamese, Italian, Lebanese, Perogies, BBQ, Indian, Chinese... We have excellent restaurants for all of these and that's when we started to wonder what exactly is considered Canadian cuisine? Other than Poutine (fries and cheese curds smothered in really hot gravy so the cheese starts to melt) mmmmmmpoutine.

We live in such a multi cultural area, that we take for granted all the incredible things that Southern Ontario has to offer. A quick trip on the GoTrain and I can be in Toronto and a brief subway ride away from almost every cultural community you can imagine.

That is what I had in mind when the idea for Ecstasy Lake came into my brain. I was hiking though Algonquin Park and started imagining a town of shapeshifters tucked away in the bush. My goal was to have a melting pot of were-creatures all living in a close community for protection and kinship. Polyfamilies are the norm there, which is why some smartass keeps spraying 3x on the welcome sign. LOL

 Oh, and that night we went to "Sammies" (Lebanese) for donairs and chichen schwarma. :) I love that place and he's been going there since he was 16. LOL What's your favourite food? Do you cook traditional dishes (what's traditional for you) or head out to a restaurant?

My 3xtasy Lake series can be found here:

Surrounded By Sharks

Canadian Romance, Eh?

Blog Post by: Kali Willows

Surrounded By Sharks

The word from many readers, fellow authors, and even family abroad, is that there seems to be a limited idea of what Canada has to offer, by way of tourism and adventure. I know, I know, we are renowned for maple syrup, poutine, beaver tails, and hockey, lots of snow and frost-bite temperatures. 

There are the famous attractions of Niagara Falls, Montreal/Quebec, CN Tower, the Dome, and Maple Leaf Gardens, or maybe even Pioneer Village, for the more traditional tourists.

Living in rural Eastern Ontario, in the cold winter, sub-zero months, it is easy to find ourselves feeling secluded from civilization. Especially me, given I grew up in Toronto and had endless adventures just at my doorstep. I’m partial to cozying up by my wood burning stove now, with a nice hot cup of tea and typing away to my heart’s desire. Not so much, the hiking in snow shoes, skating or vast array of winter sports-to my husband’s dismay. I’m not a big fan of being cold.

What about the curious minds of our Canadian-born children? Shirley, they need more life experience than that? Don’t get me wrong, tobogganing, bond fires and building snowman is an every day favourite along with hot chocolate and marsh mellows. It’s a great foundation with lots of tradition, and knowing their roots, but they crave more. Quite frankly, so do I!

To blow off the winter blues this month, I took my son and daughter on the adventure of a lifetime…(well, in their opinion, lol) We drove to Toronto and plunged into the latest-great attraction in the heart of downtown.

After a four hour drive, we arrived at the hotel, small, quaint and just the right price. We checked in with the intention of dropping the bags off and a quick pit-stop before we hit the big attraction. Unbeknownst to me, jumping on the hotel beds and free, unlimited wi-fi proved to be just as exciting for the little minions then going to Ripley’s Aquarium; although, for the record, I don’t condone jumping on the bed. ;-) It took some convincing to get them out of the room and into a cab! Even the elevator and the cab ride proved highly impressive to my impressionable little ones.

Once we pulled up, their jaws dropped and the excitement began. Eager to keep up with my overzealous children, I traipsed after them, where we found ourselves in awe of the exquisite aquatic creatures and displays, geared for learning and experience.

It wasn’t until I found myself in a tunnel, on a small conveyor belt, surrounded by swimming sharks, sting rays and a vast variety of other unique fish, that the moment struck me as sensational. The serene, yet surreal experience of witnessing the beauty of creatures both feared and admired in motion, left me awestruck and so thankful I had the opportunity to share this with my kids. We loved petting the sting rays, sharks, and the up close neon colours of the jelly fish. The “ray-dive,” consists of a wall sized window, where you watch as a diver feeds the sting-rays while an MC gives the animated tutorial. A favourite, I must say.

We had such a wonderful time; we went through the whole thing for a second round of awe-inspiring enjoyment. By the end, we were tired and starving. Although they had a mini-restaurant there, my minions biggest wish to complete the adventure was to go back to the hotel, order pizza and have a swim and hot tub at the hotel, which I’m happy to say, on a Thursday night, we had all to ourselves!

Canadian living, at it’s best.

Cheers and happy reading!

Were you subjected to the "Sunday Drive"? Post by Jessica E. Subject #authorlife #giveaway

Were you subjected to the Sunday Drive?

by Jessica E. Subject

I don’t know about you, but growing up, I was often subjected to the “Sunday Drive”. This was back when gas prices weren’t so outrageous, and most stores remained closed on Sundays. After going to church then having lunch, my dad would load us all into the family vehicle. He’d start driving with no destination in mind. He’d just drive. Sometimes we’d get lost, and other times, my brother and I would fight so much, he’d turn around and vow never to take us anywhere again. Until the next Sunday Drive...

The Underground Complex is in this hill. You can see the
blue CFB North Bay sign. Unfortunately, one cannot take
pictures much closer than this without getting their
camera confiscated.

I have family living up in North Bay, Ontario (a six hour drive from where I grew up), and he even continued the tradition while on holidays up there. He drove us to the base (22 Wing CFB North Bay) where he used to live, or even farther north to the Highway Book Shop in Cobalt (now closed). Occasionally, we even crossed the Quebec border, taking note of the red roofs and more.

I’m not sure if my dad thought I ever paid attention, but it was those drives up to the air force base and him telling us about the underground complex that inspired the first story I wrote (as an adult). It remains unpublished, but it was my start, the story that gave me the itch to write and keep writing.

And now I’m celebrating three years published, Celestial Seduction having been released July 1, 2011. Have you entered my giveaway yet?

Author Bio:

Jessica E. Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. And if you’re looking for something really steamy, check out her erotica stories written as Paisley Brown.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

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