Is it just me? Or is everyone else (and I mean those of us who are single) becoming a little depressed near Christmastime?

For those of you who don't follow my blog, I have suffered from anxiety and depression, though the two have seem to disappear over the last few years. Then around Thanksgiving the old symptoms started to creep back into my life.

I've been trying to keep myself busy with reading, writing, and posting stuff on this blog, as well as putting up a few videos on my YouTube channel. While I know some of my stress has come from writing posts for my blog's Holiday Gift Guide, I believe my depressed mood is mostly due to the little fact that once again I'm spending the holidays alone. Yes, I spend Christmas with my immediate family, but it would be nice if I had a special lady-friend in my life.

Probably the easiest way to feel better about myself is to attempt to find a significant other by puttin myself out there, but I'm not the most sociable person in the world because of my anxiety issues. Naturally, my next obvious step would be online dating! To be honest, I've tried out a couple of dating sites in the past with no luck, but maybe I should give another go at it.

However, my anxiety always kicks into high-drive every time I do a simple internet search for dating websites, as there are too many out there to choose from. Plus, if I do find a site that I like, what are the chances of me actually finding a female friend that is close to where I live? Do I put a profile on a free dating site? Or should I spend money on a premium website?

Kingsman: The Secret Service introduced the world to Kingsman. In Kingsman: The Golden Circle, our heroes face a new challenge when their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage. Their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, and in a new adventure, these two elite, secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy in order to save the world, something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy. Kingsman: The Golden Circle stars Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, with Elton John and Channing Tatum, and Jeff Bridges.

KINGSMAN: INSIDE THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (Multi-chaptered Documentary)

• Distilling The Story: Kingsman Returns
• Trafficker, Tailor, Southerner, Spy
• Poppy’s Special Guest: Elton John
• Nefarious Lairs & High-Falutin’ Headquarters
• Suited And Booted
• Weapons of Choice
• Brothers In Arms
• Doomsday Protocol: Visual Effects
• End Game

Black Cab Chaos: Anatomy of a Killer Chase
Kingsman Archives

• Concept Art: Sets, Costumes (36 Images)
• Stills: Behind The Scenes, Sets, Props, The Cast (52 Images) 

Which book(s) would you like Santa to bring you this year?

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in removal of your link).


3. Visit other blogs in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new follower.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
  

My Answer:

Sleeping Beauties by
Stephen King & Owen King

Gilead Publishing; 270 pages; Buy Link; Blog Tour

Now available from Gilead Publishing is the Amish-romance Seeds of Hope, book one in the Harvest of Hope Series, by Barbara Cameron.

The novel centers on an Amish woman named Miriam Troyer, who receives a blast from the past when her childhood crush, Mark, returns to the Amish community.

Mark isn't Amish, but instead he was raised an Englischer, but spent his summers on his grandfather's farm in Paradise, Pennsylvania. After losing his job as lawyer, he finds himself traveling back to Paradise to help his family's farm with the harvest, which is more of a way for him to distract his mind of his recent failures. He keeps telling himself that's he's only just visiting and not planning on staying, well, that is until he meets and old friend - Miriam.

Author Carol DeMent has taken time out of her busy schedule to talk about her book Saving Nary, which is now available on Amazon!





When did you become interested in storytelling?

I always like to write things down but storytelling didn’t really occur to me until I felt the urge to tell a particular story, that of the refugees who survived the Cambodian genocide.

What was your first book/story published?

“Savng Nary” is my first full-length novel. I’ve had a few articles and stories published in professional journals and cycling newspapers here and there over the last twenty years.

What inspired you to write “Saving Nary”?

In the late 1980’s I was working at a refugee center non-profit in Olympia, Washington, helping to resettle refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. This was right after I had come from two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, so I was very familiar with the cultures and the issues the refugees had lived through and were now facing. Their stories were heartbreaking and planted the seeds for the book I would later write.

What character in "Saving Nary" is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

I would say Gail is most like me because we both taught English to refugees and had a “hook” that enabled us to move quickly and more deeply into friendship with our students. For me, it was having lived in SE Asia; for Gail, it was her handicap and how matter-of-factly the Cambodians accepted her – without pity or embarrassment. Also, we both have a bit of the rebel in us!

What is your favorite part in "Saving Nary"?

Well, my initial try at answering this question gave away a major plot point, so I am going to be a little vague here. But I love the party scene, where the protagonist, Khath, sees a photo of a person he believes may have been Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The ensuing chaos destroys a perfectly wonderful celebration and pulls the plot into darker territory. And just when things were starting to go so well for our protagonist!!

What was the hardest part to write?

Brick siding is a nice-looking choice generally as it is deliberated to last a lifetime. This together with its elegant, rustic, and attractive aesthetic have many homeowners coming back to brick exterior siding. You can find buildings and houses around 100 years ago with the brick siding still in good form.

Brick siding originates in regular brick masonry (solid brick) plus as brick veneer which is a completed exterior that assembles on the house as contrasting to solid brick that holds up the house! Brick veneer is typically a thinner coat on the exterior of the home like old-style siding. Below are the cons and pros of brick siding:

• Brick can effortlessly last a lifetime, 100 plus years, with just a over-all wash every now and then.
• Brick siding is extremely fire resilient.
• No wood ants  or termites will be recovered inside of brick siding.
• Brick never requires to be finished or repainted, weathers gorgeously, and will not decay or fade.
• Since it’s durable, termite proof, and fire resistant, home insurance is generally lower for brick siding homes permitting you to recuperate your investment faster.

• Brick siding is certainly one of the more costly choices for siding, fluctuating from $10 – $15 per square foot.
• Color option is set once you choose on the kind of brick, no renovating allowed.
• Ultimately the mortar joints can depreciate and require to be substituted.
• Long fitting period if you are getting the job done by yourself.

Author Kimberly Love has taken a few minutes out of her busy schedule to talk her new book "You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine."




When did you become interested in storytelling?

Probably around the time that I was 18 or 19, so a good almost 20 years ago. I always had stories to tell, but I didn’t know how to tell them. I slowly got interested in how to write a book, though I’ve been reading my whole life.

What was your first book/story published?

I wrote a romance novel in 2009, and it wasn’t my best work I have to admit. Mainly because it wasn’t the genre I should have been in. I published You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine almost ten years later and I’ve grown so much as a writer, that I have to say that it’s certainly a far superior book.

What inspired you to write You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine?

I guess changing my life is what inspired me to write, You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine. I had gone through some pretty horrendous things in my life, things that I talk about in the book. I could have let those things, like abuse, haunt me but instead, I accepted the fact that it made me the person I am today and to acknowledge that I didn’t deserve those things. I’ve moved on and now I’m just hoping to help others to get rid of their demons.

What character in You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

It’s a memoir, so it’s all like me.😀

What is your favorite part in You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine?

I love the chapter title: Dating is Cool, But Have You Ever Tried Stuffed Crust Pizza! It’s a hilarious take on the ups and downs of dating in today’s society!

What was the hardest part to write?

I experienced familial emotional abuse from an older sister while I was growing up. It certainly impacted a huge part of my life. I’ve moved on from those experiences but digging it all up again was by no means an easy ordeal. I prefer my demons tucked away nicely in a locked closet.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

I can’t imagine being anything else but an author. But if I had to choose something else, it would have to be something in the world of an entrepreneur. I do not function in a 9-5 atmosphere. I need to have flexibility and freedom.

Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?