Category: Holidays (Page 7 of 12)

Happy Holidays From My Family to Yours

December 16, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

It’s a busy time of year for everyone, and that’s no exception for this gal! Between the decorating, cookie making, and holiday activities, a minute of spare time is just not to be found.

This past weekend we took a holiday train ride with Santa (and other fun characters) on the Essex Steam Train. And tomorrow we’re taking The Boy on his first ever trip to NYC. So that means another train ride (this time on the train we see from the cafe all of the time), seeing the big tree at Rockefeller Center, and probably a trip to the toy store.

I’ve also got some really exciting things going on with the writing career, but I’ll be gabbing about all that in the New Year. If you’re local, don’t forget to check out the launch party for The Great Connecticut Caper at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford on January 7, 2015. The countdown has already begun for the first chapter release on January 4, 2015. The official site for reading the chapters as they release is http://ctcaper.cthumanities.org/.

I’ve got one last guest post scheduled for Thursday (a cover reveal!) and then I’ll be taking next week off from blogging for Christmas. The Observation Desk will be back strong in the New Year with lots of guest posts from The Great Connecticut Caper contributors and the usual writing, parenting, blathering posts from me. 😉

With that, I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year!

Feeling Like Mary Poppins in My New Office

December 1, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. As you probably noticed, I took last week off from blogging, and from writing too, which was kind of a bummer because I had an awesomely productive writing week prior to Thanksgiving. Getting back on track this week, though, and thought I’d give you an update on the office attic space.

It has been coming along nicely (a bit slowly as well, but that’s life, I suppose) and I’ve been enjoying my new writing space. In fact, I’m there right now writing this blog post. The Prince is on his baby play mat behind me, and The Boy is outside playing with his grandma. I even have tea and leftover pumpkin pie to enjoy (devour!). All in all a pretty good deal.

The office isn’t finished finished…there are still boxes that need to be put away, storage units that need to be built, molding to be finished, a few doors to be installed, and we need to figure out where exactly we’re going to put my ficus tree, which I bought when I was 9 years old and has grown considerably larger since then. But it’s turning out to be a very functional space even with all the clutter.

My view isn’t the prettiest, but it kind of makes me feel like a suburban Mary Poppins. No chimney sweeps and certainly not as picturesque as London at twilight, but it’s mine and I love it all the same.

One of these days when the room is organized and clean (which may never happen with the kiddos playing up here), I’ll post some good before, during, and after photos. In the meantime, I’ll keep writing my WIP in my WIP of an office. 🙂

A Sweet Valentine’s Post from Penny Estelle Author of A Float Down the Canal

February 14, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

A sweet treat for all of you on Valentine’s Day from Penny Estelle, author of the MG short A Float Down the Canal. Leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win a copy. Welcome, Penny!

Since Katie was nice enough to let me visit her blog on Valentine’s Day, I though I would talk about what some folks have done for their sweethearts on this special day. I put out a request for some of my blog followers and friends as to what they have actually done. I received many stories of going to dinner, receiving candy and jewelry, going to a favorite Bed and Breakfast, etc…..all wonderful stories. I did receive three that I thought were quite unique.

1. Mr. X happened to be off work on this particular Valentine’s Day and flipped the TV to the Oprah Show. She suggested having her favorite dinner ready, spreading rose petals from the front door to the couch where a new nightie would be spread out. Run a bubble bath for her just before she gets home and have chilled champagne waiting for her at the door. He ran out and bought all the above and completely set this scenario. He had just finished the bubble bath when Mrs. X drove into the driveway. He grabbed the two glasses of champagne and waited at the door. The door opened and in walked his wife, with their neighbor’s twelve year old son. (The neighbor’s other son had broken his wrist at school and asked Mrs. X to pick up her other son.) Now this is why men should NEVER go off track with a proven, first class, plan), He decided to be naked…with a rose tied to his….uhm…best friend. After Mr. X ran to the bedroom, the neighbor’s son said, “Somebody’s planning on getting lucky tonight!”

2. This time Mrs. X went to where her husband works and completely decorated his car. She painted all the windows with “Happy Valentines Day” “Hurry home for a big surprise”. She put helium filled balloons inside the car with messages about what her plans for him were when he got home. Pairs of sexy panties were laying in the front seat complete with a picture of Mrs. X in a bubble bath holding a glass of champagne and blowing him a kiss. Well he was hurrying home when he got pulled over by a policeman, because he felt his car was a distraction. With a penlight, the policeman, saw the panties and read some of the balloons. He looked at Mr. X and said, “You are one lucky man. Drive safe!”

3. THIS WAS MY FAVORITE – This Mr. and Mrs. X lived off the PacificBeach. Mr. X loved steamed clams. The day before Valentines Day, at night, Mrs. X and a friend went to the beach and buried a bottle of champagne, plastic glasses, clams (in Ziploc bags) a deep sauce pan, two gallons of water and lighter fluid. She also had wood that she hid up against a cliff wall. Now it’s not warm in February, so as the sun was just starting to rise, Mrs. X got Mr. X up and headed to the beach, with a blanket. She drew a huge sigh of relief when nothing was bothered. So as the sun rose into the sky Mr. and Mrs. X had a fire going, clams steaming and toasting champagne. Now that’s love!!!

A Float Down the Canal blurb:

Not a Valentine’s Day story, but a sweet story of puppy love

and one where the underdog finally wins!!!

Twelve-year old Pam Simpson gets dumped on when her mother is called into work. She must cancel her plans for the mall to babysit her younger brother and his friend and take them to the public pool. To make matters worse her cousin, Candy, is also coming over for the day. She doesn’t even like Candy!

Much to Candy’s dismay, transportation to the pool is on inner tubes, floating down the canal. One thing leads to another and it is Pam who, once again, must save the day.

When things couldn’t seem worse, the day takes a drastic turn for the better and it is Candy, and the float down the canal, that makes this the best day of Pam’s life!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CUQEZYE

About the Author:

I write stories for the young and for the young at heart. More about my stores and myself can be found at the following links. Stop by anytime. I love visitors!

http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBY

www.pennystales.com

www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/Pennystales

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820078.Penny_Estelle

http://www.facebook.com/pennystales

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=82

Thanks to Katie for having me today. I would love to offer a PDF copy of A Float Down the Canal to one commenter who stops by and leaves an email address!

Blog in Review 2013

January 6, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I hope the New Year is treating everyone well. I’m coming back to the blog feeling energized and excited about 2014. It’s shaping up to be a busy year and I’ll be sharing why at a later date (nothing like starting the year with a teaser 🙂 ). I’m keeping my writing in the bubble for a little while longer (it seems to be working), but I can tell you I’m making progress on several manuscripts. Yay!

You’re probably sick of all the best of 2013 lists and this is what happened in 2013, but I had a great year on the blog and wanted to share a few tidbits with you. As much as I enjoy my space here on the Observation Desk to share my thoughts, it’s even better when you share as well, whether with a guest post, in the comments, or by helping spread the word on social media. So thanks to all of you, my blog readers, for coming by and joining in the shenanigans.

I was tickled to see the most active day on the blog was April 16th, the anniversary of my sister’s death. It’s always a hard day and I find comfort in sharing a little piece of her with as many people as I can. On that day, I posted Thinking of Kylene and it was among the top view getters in 2014.

The announcement of Elixir Bound coming out in paperback received the most views of all the posts. It has been such a joy to have so many supporters share with me in the good news and milestone mark in my writing career. BTW…Elixir Bound is now out in paperback and ready for purchase (gotta plug my own work here) at the MuseItUp bookstore, IndieBound, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I’ll hopefully be setting up some local signings in 2014 and will keep you all posted. For you non-locals, I can send personalized bookplates to put in your copies. Just send me a note with the contact me page.

One of the reasons why this year was so successful was because I was more consistent posting content than in any other year, with two posts most weeks. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without guest bloggers. Thanks to all the wonderful guests who shared their stories and wisdom. Among the most viewed guest posts were Scott R. Caseley’s Twice in A Millennium Inspiration post, Anna Staniszewski’s post on writing middle grade, and an interview of Erin Albert on her debut YA fantasy The Prophecy. I’ve already got some great guest posts lined up for this year and am always open to hosting others (contact me here).

I always get a kick out of seeing some of the stranger things people have searched to come up with my site, so I’ll end with my favorites: “am i crazy or in love? how to stay grounded?”, “sweatpants say i’ve given up on life”, “i’m sorry i kicked you lilo and stitch”, “how dare you bind and gag me?”, and “stardust blowing at you”.

Happy writing and living in 2014!

Happy New Year!

December 26, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season and spreading the love. Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year, from my family to yours!

Looking ahead to 2014, I’ve got a wrap-up of 2013 coming your way, more for the Females in YA series, several guest posts already lined up, and probably more cuteness from The Boy. I’ll be back blogging on January 6th. Hope you too see all then!