Tag Archives: free book

Fun facts and a gift for Saint Patrick’s Day! ☘️

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Happy Saint Paddy’s Day! ☘️

Saint Patrick’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world, with millions of people donning green and taking to the streets to celebrate the Irish culture. But how much do you really know about the holiday? Here are the top 5 fun facts about Saint Patrick’s Day that you may not have known:

  1. Saint Patrick wasn’t even Irish

Although Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, he was actually born in Britain around AD 390. His parents were Roman citizens living in Britain and were not Irish. Saint Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning home.

  1. The original color associated with Saint Patrick was blue, not green

The color green only became associated with Saint Patrick’s Day in the 17th century. Before that, the official color of the holiday was blue. The reason for the switch is unclear, but it may be due to the fact that green is the color of Ireland’s flag and its lush landscape.

  1. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York City

While Saint Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in Ireland for centuries, the first parade in honor of the holiday was actually held in New York City in 1762. Today, the New York City parade is the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the world, with over two million spectators.

  1. Corned beef and cabbage isn’t really an Irish dish

While corned beef and cabbage is often associated with Irish cuisine, it’s not actually an Irish dish. It’s more of an Irish-American tradition that evolved from the Irish tradition of eating bacon and cabbage. Irish immigrants in America found that beef was more affordable than bacon, so they started using corned beef instead.

  1. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national holiday

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national holiday in the world. It’s not just celebrated in Ireland and the United States, but also in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries with significant Irish populations.

So there you have it – five fun facts about Saint Patrick’s Day that you may not have known. Whether you’re Irish or not, Saint Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday to celebrate, so have a pint of green beer and join in the festivities! And to make your holiday complete, here’s a collection of mystery books that take place in Ireland and that will surely make your weekend even better, whether you choose to try them separately:

Or in a box set:

The first FREE story is on me!

Cheers,

Melinda

Get out! Perfect heroes who cook? 🥘🦐

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Hello, friends!

I’ll start this post with a fun fact: did you know that today is National Men-Make-Dinner Day? Yep, you read that right! Today is the perfect excuse to get your man cooking, and although the rules say that no BBQ is allowed, I say you should take what you can get. 😉

I am lucky and blessed that my husband actually enjoys cooking, and in the little free time he has, he spoils me with dishes from great chefs like Gordon Ramsay. I don’t even care if he makes a little mess, if I get a delicious dinner (but he does clean up afterward!).

I know what you must be thinking: some guys sound too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not like us, women, are perfect, so I figure men are allowed to get away with a few flaws here and there. Even in fiction.

But if you do like romance with heroes that are too good to be true, I have a treat for you this weekend. My romantic comedy, Unabridged, is FREE! So if you’re in the mood for some romance, steam, and lots of laughter, take advantage of this limited offer and grab your copy from Amazon.

Whoever thought Cinderella had it easy didn’t stick around for the alternate ending…

Everyone believed I was an idiot to leave Blade Spencer—rich, handsome, and head-over-heels in love with me. But I did it for his own good, determined to take the secret to my grave.

I moved to Seattle, pursued my career as a journalist at Unabridged magazine, and almost convinced myself I didn’t need a man. I had enough virtual admirers, and my email was jam-packed with marriage proposals and X-rated pictures—not to mention hysterically funny letters from a clever fan.

Imagine my surprise when I show up at work, and Blade is my new boss. Did I mention he has no idea why I left him and thinks I’m a cold-hearted bitch?

Just as I decide to prove him wrong, I discover Blade’s life has changed in ways I never imagined. Having to work with him is the least of our problems…

 

If you prefer audiobooks, you can find Unabridged on many retailers, including SCRIBD, audiobooks.com, Kobo, etc.

Here’s a sample for your enjoyment! Click to play: 

Fondly,

 

 

 

 

Glass Gems in a Teacup – Memory Aids

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For all of us, there are certain things you need to do each day. As you get old, or just really busy, and the days start melding together, some things become so automatic that you can’t remember if you did them or not. One of these things is getting enough water to drink. If you don’t have enough water in you to hydrate your body, you get deep wrinkles and dehydrate. It’s one of the reason old people look so old. Coffee and tea actually rob the body of water, so you can’t count cups of tea as water. Even fruit juice doesn’t hydrate as well as plain water.

I found that when I got to the end of a day, I didn’t know if I had drunk more than two or three glasses of water. When I didn’t drink enough, I’d get terrible cramps in my legs during the night. I tried a checklist, but would forget to check it off. Finally I devised a system that worked well for me. See if you like it. I use it to keep track of other things too. You might want to show this idea to your elderly relatives, who tend to forget things that have become routine.

I bought clear flat glass gems from the craft store, the kind used in flower arrangements. Depending upon the size of your water glass, you will want 6 or 8 of these. I prefer the flat gems to regular round marbles, as they don’t roll off the counter. Also the clear gems remind me of water, so I know what they are for.

Next get a small container, like a teacup, and something to put under it, like a candy tray, small basket, or a large saucer. Since this is going to sit out on your counter, you want something pretty that looks like a work of art. Here are some sample containers.

When you finish drinking a glass of water, toss a gem into the cup and refill your glass with water. Set the full glass beside your counting display. When you’ve drunk that water, you toss in another clear glass gem.

I have other glass gems that are colored that I use to indicate when I’ve taken my vitamins or done some exercise.

A small slip of paper in the cup reminds me of what color I use for each thing.

The next morning, dump out all the gems and start over again. This is fun and easy to do and keeps you from looking around for a pencil every time something needs to be checked off. A full cup of gems in the early morning means you haven’t had any water so far that day, and is a better reminder than a piece of paper with a checklist on it.

Let me know if this idea works for you.

In one of my pioneer Trahern books, Ruth Trahern knew she wasn’t “The Prettiest Girl in the Land,” but she wanted a husband, and set out with her rifle and a stray dog to find one. Ruth could take numbers and make them dance. She figured there must be some jobs for a woman who could calculate in her head, so left the Tennessee mountains to find a job which would take her to California, where she hoped to find her a man. This book is free on Friday, May 31. .

Precious and Free

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Just because something is free doesn’t mean it has more value than an item that cost hundreds of dollars (or more).
Is that heavy diamond ring you received from that *#!% ex-husband more precious than the beach glass and copper wire ring your now departed daughter made you for Mothers’ Day, years ago?
Is a mass-signed hardcover copy of the current NY Times best-seller more dear than your great-grandfather’s journal of his trek across the Plains with a handcart in 1863? (I really have this!)
I believe value is rated by the heart and not the calculator.
One of a person’s greatest blessings is to know this and to realize that the dearest in life isn’t always tangible.
Savor and recall those tender or giddy moments: the view of sunsets and rainbows of grandeur with that special someone, the excitement of helping that little tyke ride her bicycle by herself for the first time, the birth of that puppy that is now gray-nosed but still full of love for you.
These are most precious and dear and can never be purchased, at any price.
And be generous to yourself and others. Keep a journal and record these events that mean so much to you. Plus, you can relive them when you’re feeling blue and give yourself an attitude adjustment!
And who knows? Maybe your great-great-granddaughter will find your journal and enjoy those moments with you, long after you’re gone.

In the meantime, though, here are a few freebies (good until February 14th, at least): http://bit.ly/2kiByrI  DatePromo.com runs lots of events where folks can win or simply click and acquire (you’re not buying if it’s free, right?) e-books.

He’s not what she thinks he is.

My book, Aye, I am a Fairy is part of this promo and free until February 14, but you can read it at no cost after that on #KindleUnlimited. It may be 2nd in the series, but The Fairies Saga is written so you can read in any order. Just think of it as released in Star Wars order. ; )