Roni Loren's Blog

I have made it a mission to get back into reading novels this fall. It’s been the year of non-fiction, and I’m ready to return to my reader roots. So a few days ago, I picked up a book that’s been on my shelf for a literal year, and I had the pleasure of getting completely lost in the story and binge-reading it over a few days.

I did triple threat reading (I’m not sure if that’s a thing. I made up the term.) I own the hardcover but checked out the ebook and the audiobook from the library as well, so that wherever I was (driving, doing dishes, in a dark room), I could read. Yay for libraries! (And my apologies to anyone in my area who wanted to read this book last week, lol. I promptly returned the copies as soon as I was done.)

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The Title Made Me Do It The September House by Carissa Orlando

(Bookshop.org | Libro.fm | Amazon)*

How could I not read a book called The September House at the start of September? I love a seasonal read, and I feel like September gets a little bit ignored (it’s my birthday month, so I’m biased.) Fall reading seems all about the October/November vibes, but meteorological fall starts September 1 (different than the equinox start), and inevitably, even though it’s still hot here in Dallas, I get in the mood for some spooky reads.

The concept of this book was what caught my eye originally. What if someone moves into their dream house, discovers it’s haunted by some not-all-friendly ghosts, but decides to stay anyway because, dammit, it’s their dream house and they can work around anything?

As someone who has moved many times and gone through the house-hunting process, you know, I kind of get it. Like, hey, we did a helluva lot to get here, if I have to occasionally call the priest over for an exorcism or the walls bleed every September, so be it. :)

Here’s the back cover summary:

A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare in this compulsively readable, twisty, and layered debut novel.

When Margaret and her husband Hal bought the large Victorian house on Hawthorn Street—for sale at a surprisingly reasonable price—they couldn’t believe they finally had a home of their own. Then they discovered the hauntings. Every September, the walls drip blood. The ghosts of former inhabitants appear, and all of them are terrified of something that lurks in the basement. Most people would flee.

Margaret is not most people.

Margaret is staying. It’s her house. But after four years, Hal can’t take it anymore, and he leaves abruptly. Now, he’s not returning calls, and their daughter Katherine—who knows nothing about the hauntings—arrives, intent on looking for her missing father. To make things worse, September has just begun, and with every attempt Margaret and Katherine make at finding Hal, the hauntings grow more harrowing, because there are some secrets the house needs to keep.

My thoughts:

I’m calling this cozy-ish horror because I didn’t find it scary, but there is legitimate gore and such, so it may depend on your feelings about horror. I loved the combo of humor, family drama, and some really troublesome (and one nice!) ghosts.

Margaret is a fun character to follow, and her whole “keep calm and carry on” vibe is both endearing and maddening (especially to her grown daughter who can’t figure out what’s going on.) There were some genuine twists that I didn’t see coming, and I appreciated the metaphor about the house and abusive relationships that was worked into the book.

I found this to be a page-turner and a great way to kick off the spooky season. Since I tried it in all three formats, I can confidently recommend it both in print and in audio. Both experiences were enjoyable.

So, if you want some spookiness without absolute terror, this is a great one to reach for!

I kept imagining the HGTV House Hunters episode for this. “Well, there’s one ghost that bites and the walls bleed in September, but that’s only one month of the year, and look at this beautiful wraparound porch and genuine hardwood floors!”

What are you reading this week? Have you shifted into fall reading or are you riding out the end of summer with beach reads?

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Hi there!

I hope you’ve all had a great summer. I’m sorry that I’ve been quiet over here on the newsletter front. Like I mentioned back in April, I had started a course to add health and wellness coaching to my coaching credentials, and it was taking up the space in my week where I’d normally have time for writing newsletters.

I’m happy to report that I graduated from the course (yay!) and can now get back to some sort of regular schedule. :) I’ve missed connecting with y’all here!

So let’s get to it. What’s been making me happy this summer?

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Audiobooks have been saving me

I have this quirk that when I’m deep into learning, like when I was in college or during this summer being in a course, I have a really, really hard time concentrating on fiction.

I think it’s a downside of being able to deeply focus on things. I get blinders on and just want to dive deeply into that thing. I can’t seem to break away from it and let myself get lost in a story. So this summer, I’ve spent a lot of time reading non-fiction, mostly in the form of audiobooks. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, my reading has consisted of me on my treadmill with non-fiction audiobooks in my ears.

There were two exceptions that I wanted to share.

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

This is the lone book on this that that I read in print. I had started it when it first came out and then got pulled away for some reason and forgot to go back. This time, when I picked it up, I read it one day.

Mallory is a recovering addict who gets a summer babysitting job as the live-in nanny for 5-year-old Teddy. She gets to stay in a little cabin outside of the main house that’s adjacent to the woods. (That seems fine, right? Yeah, no.) Teddy seems great but then he starts drawing creepy pictures that get increasingly sophisticated. The fun of reading this in print is that the drawings are included. And yes, they get super creepy.

This is supernatural horror with a mystery woven in, so the pages turn quickly. In my book journal, I gave this 4.25 stars for the journey and 4 overall. That discrepancy is because the resolution went a little off the rails for me, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the ride.

I have his next book already on my shelf, The Last One at the Wedding, and I’m looking forward to it.

Also, looks like as of right now, this one is included in Kindle Unlimited.

Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza (Libro.fm | Amazon)

I listened to this one on audio as an advanced listening copy from Libro.fm (my fave place to get audiobooks because you can support indie bookstores through them) and enjoyed it in that format.

I think what drew me to this one was the setup. Lizzie, a struggling magazine writer, gets a call from her estranged college friend, Rebecca/Becs, who has become a big trad wife influencer in Utah. Becs want to reconnect with her at an influencer conference and potentially give her a story. Lizzie is intrigued and agrees, but shortly after she arrives and they briefly hang out, Rebecca disappears and Rebecca’s husband, Gray, is murdered. Lizzie has to figure out what's happening.

I can’t help but be drawn to stories about influencer culture and the problems within it, and this one delivered on that front. I found myself seeking out more chores to do so I could keep listening to the audio. That was a big win since I’ve had so much trouble focusing on fiction. I will say this one fizzled a bit at the end for me. It got a little bonkers for my taste and took away some agency from the main character actually solving anything.

But I think that’s more of a me problem. I’m really hard on endings to thrillers and horror. The good news is that it doesn’t mean I didn’t have a good time reading the book. I’d rather have a great journey with a so-so ending then a so-so book with a great ending.

If You Don’t Like This, I Will Die by Lee Tilghman (Libro.fm | Amazon )

If you want a non-fiction pairing to go with Everyone Is Lying to You, this was an interesting memoir to listen to afterward.

Lee Tilghman was one of the first wellness influencers and grew a huge following online. But while she was promoting health and wellness to the public, she was in crisis behind the scenes, her whole life bearing the crushing weight of always being on and everything being content. This eventually developed into some mental health issues and orthorexia. So trigger warnings for that.

This was a compelling listen, and the behind-the-scenes view of being an influencer was fascinating, but I feel like this could’ve been better with more time between the events and the writing. The “now I’m through it and all is well” at the end felt rushed. Time would’ve allowed for more perspective on her part. The insights felt not quite fully baked. But it was still a worthwhile listen, and if you aren’t already questioning every shiny influencer online, this will definitely help you start.

A Change of Habit: Leaving Behind My Husband, Career, and Everything I Owned to Become a Nun by Sister Monica Clare (Libro.fm | Amazon)

And now for something completely different… :) I heard this recommended by a listener on the Currently Reading podcast, and I was intrigued.

This is the memoir of Sister Monica Clare, a woman who knew from early on that she wanted to be a nun but took a few detours along the way—including being an improv actor with The Groundlings (during the Cheri Oteri era).

I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school, so I was surrounded by nuns growing up, but the whole thing was always such a mystery to me. I mean, basically what I knew of the behind-the-scenes nun life came from the movie Sister Act. I’m guessing, not so accurate. So I think that’s what first drew me to this book. Behind the scenes at the convent!

But I think what ended up being the most compelling part of this book was the journey before she was a nun, starting with her childhood. I really enjoyed her storytelling and watching someone who was just an everyday person, not someone who came across as particularly serene, head into this lifestyle. I also learned that there were Episcopalian nuns (she chooses not to become a Catholic nun because she had more liberal views on certain issues.)

The book got a little slow once she actually starts training to become a nun, but overall, I really enjoyed the book and getting an inside look at something that’s usually shrouded in secrecy.

Delightful TV Shows

The Four Seasons (Netflix)

My husband and I went to Portland, Maine for our summer vacation. (Gorgeous, great food, fantastic place.) Wild couple that we are, we ended up working our way through all four episodes of this TV show in the evenings during the trip.

This is about three middle-aged couples who have been the best of friends for years and who take four vacations together each year, one for every season. But when one of the couples gets divorced, everyone is thrown into disarray. The show takes place over one year, and each long episode covers a season.

I loved this whole experience so much. It was a 5-star watch for me (and the hubby.) Laugh-out-loud funny, great acting, and some gravitas mixed in. Also, the contrast of a Gen Zer with these Gen X couples was hilarious.

I’m guessing your mileage will vary depending on which stage of life you’re currently in, but if you’ve reached middle age or beyond, add this one to your list. (I’ve verified with my boomer parents that they loved it too.) I can’t wait for another season.

Also, if the title sounds familiar, this is a remake of a movie from 1981 by the same name. I hadn’t seen the movie but did go back and watch it afterward. I liked the show better than the movie.

A Man on the Inside (Netflix)

I think I would watch Ten Danson in anything, but this was still an unexpected gem.

Charles is a retired widow and feeling a little lost. When he sees an ad for a private investigator to go undercover at a nursing home to investigate a theft, he applies. He moves into the nursing home, posing as a resident, and gets to know the people there while also investigating them.

There’s a cozy mystery element to this, but really, it’s about the relationships he forms while he’s there. Of course, there is some sadness, but at its heart, this is a sweet comedy. I binged this and can’t wait for another season (coming in November.)

Bonus, if you’re a fan of The Good Place, you’ll see a few actors from that show make cameos. And if you haven’t watched The Good Place, go fix that immediately! :)

Oatmeal in the Summer

Although it’s been a mild summer for Dallas (hardly any 100+ degree days!), I’m still ready for fall. So a few weeks ago, I decided that I wasn’t waiting for cool weather to start channeling my fall vibes.

I love a yogurt bowl or cold overnight oats in the summer, but I found myself suddenly craving warm oatmeal. Even though it’s still hot outside, I’ve found that when topped with summer fruit, it can still be an unexpected summer delight.

Here’s my favorite way to make it…

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 TB chunky natural peanut butter (I prefer unsweetened)

1 banana, sliced

1 handful of blueberries (or chopped nectarine or peaches)

1/2 TB cacao nibs (or mini chocolate chips if you’re feeling indulgent) - optional

A sprinkling of chopped walnuts (I like to keep them almost whole and just break them up with my hands)

A drizzle of maple syrup

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Bring 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt to a boil.

Stir in oats and turn the heat down to medium.

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Use your spoon to get a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter and put it in the empty bowl while you wait for the oats to cook.

Pour your finished oats into the bowl and over the spoon.

Stir until the peanut butter melts into it.

Top with fruit, nuts, and cacao.

Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with a little salt if you like

Enjoy!

Alright, that’s what I have for you today and what’s been making me happy lately.

I’d love to hear what’s been brightening your summer! Let me know in the comments or hit reply on this email.

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Are you a writer who needs a reset? I have a new class starting Sept. 7th and this one includes three coaching sessions! Find out more here.

*All book links are affiliate links, which means I get a small payout if you purchase through my links.

Hey, y’all! I’m sorry that I went dark for a while.

I had the book release for The One for You and then started a health and wellness coaching certification course. I overestimated how much I could get done while taking a three-morning-a-week class, coaching authors in the afternoons, and then doing life and other work stuff in between. The newsletter had to hang out on the back burner for a few weeks. But I do have some things that are making me happy for now to share!

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Being a lifelong learner

My number one strength on the Clifton Strengthsfinder assessment is Learner. Nothing brings me more joy than learning something new and feeling like I’m growing. So joining the mindbodygreen Health Coach Certification course has been giving me so much fresh energy. (Random, but for those curious, mindbodygreen gave me a referral code for $750 off if you or someone you know might be interested. Click the link above and use code: HCCSTUDENT575 for the discount.*)

I know it’s a weird side quest for an author to go on, but health and wellness have been deep areas of interest for me for a long time, particularly healthy cooking. Plus, I already coach authors as a Gallup Strengths coach, and health/wellness is an area a lot of writers struggle with (ask me how I know! lol) because it’s such a sedentary and deadline-driven career that’s prone to burnout, so this extra training will help me help my coaching clients even more.

But the reason I’m sharing this is because if you’re looking for a boost, consider signing up for a class or learning a new craft or picking up a new hobby. It really can be a huge happiness booster to learn something new.

Sidenote: This course also has a very in-depth functional nutrition class included. My poor husband has now stopped asking what else I’ve added to his cold brew coffee this week (collagen and creatine if you’re wondering, lol.)

True Crime Documentaries for Anxiety Reduction (feel free to judge me)

The world is a crazy place right now. I’ve talked before about how horror movies can soothe me when I’m anxious. (There’s science behind why that works for some people—processing anxious feelings through the movie while knowing you’re safe and not actually in the movie.)

Well, I think true crime documentaries, for some reason, have a similar effect on me. I think part of it is seeing bad guys/girls get caught. It reminds me that sometimes there is justice in the world, that not all villains get away with their crimes.

I went on an absolute true crime binge in March. So here are some of the ones that stood out for me.

Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke (Hulu)

This one is both scary and sad. It really speaks to the dark side of internet influencing and where things can go when someone with dark intentions meets a susceptible mind (hey there, cult leader.) I read and reviewed daughter Shari Franke’s memoir a few months ago, so that’s what made me want to watch this doc. I thought it was well done and put faces to the names of the people in the book.

Check trigger warnings if you’re concerned. That’s a blanket warning for all of these docs.

Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix)

This one is two seasons long and has one unbelievable occurrence after another. It spoke to the power of money and influence to keep things quiet, but also how you can’t hide forever.

Anatomy of Lies (Peacock)

I went on a bender of documentaries/shows about people lying about having cancer. How are there so many of these??? This is the first one that set off the marathon.

This doc follows the story of Grey’s Anatomy writer Elisabeth Finch who lied about having cancer for a LONG ASS TIME and leveraged it to get prime writing opportunities on Grey’s, awards, and accolades.

This one was fascinating because this woman would have to LIVE the thing she was going to write about on the show or straight up steal someone else’s life experience without their consent. I’m a writer. I understand needing inspiration or writing about things you’ve personally experienced. But Finch couldn’t seem to create any stories without faking it in her own life or finding out someone else’s story of trauma and then using it for an episode. She literally checks herself into a mental hospital and…well, you need to watch. It’s unbelievable where this story goes.

The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist (Netflix) & Apple Cider Vinegar (Netflix)

This is the story of Belle Gibson, a young Australian influencer, who pretended she had cured her (fake) cancer with a healthy eating diet. She ran this con so effectively that at one point, her app was going to be one of the few launched on the first Apple Watch.

I think one of the things that I never realized until watching these documentaries is how easy it is to lie about a medical diagnosis. People can’t fact-check you because of medical record privacy laws. Plus, who wants to question someone who says they’re dying of cancer?

Follow this one up with the Netflix show based on this case…

This show was bananas and dramatic, but I couldn’t stop watching. I think watching this one after the documentary was a good order to view them in.

And rounding out the lying-about-cancer scammers…

Scamanda (Hulu)

This is a story of yet another woman faking cancer and getting loads of attention and donation money because of it. This story started out as a podcast, and I actually liked the podcast more than the doc because it went more in-depth, but the two together were a good pairing.

Watching these women get caught was very satisfying. I’ve lost people in my family to cancer (as I would guess most of us have.) Thinking that someone would fake it to milk sympathy or money out of people pushes all of my buttons.

Something a little lighter: A musical and some stand-up!

Waitress: The Musical

To cleanse your palate after all that true crime, I wanted to share what a delight it was to finally see Sara Bareilles’s Broadway performance in Waitress: The Musical. I’ve had the song “She Used to Be Mine” on repeat for years, but I’d never gotten the chance to see the musical.

So I was thrilled when I saw that Max was streaming the recording of it. The show was fantastic and the music is great. If you’re looking for something to make you smile, check this one out!

Iliza Shlesinger: A Different Animal

I have enjoyed all of Iliza’s stand-up specials, so when my friend Dawn let me know that there was a new one out, I watched it immediately.

Iliza is smart and feminist and a just an overall badass. This isn’t one to watch with the kids in the room and her outfit is distracting, but I had a great time watching it. I particularly love her humor about the differences in the generations. (She’s an “elder millennial”.)

Here’s a sample if you want an idea of her humor:

Alright, that was a lot today! I’ve been storing it up, lol. Hope you found something that might make you a little happier this week.

I’d love to hear what’s been making you happy for now. Let me know in the comments or hit reply if you got this in your inbox. :)

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Hey y’all, good news! The final book of the new editions of The Ones Who Got Away series is out today! Kincaid and Ash are ready to break your heart and then put it back together again. 😊

Get your copy

About The One For You

Twelve years ago, tragedy struck a sleepy Texas town. Only a small number of those impacted survived―a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away. This is their story.

HER SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE: After spending years struggling to move on, Kincaid Breslin has put all of her energy into making life full and interesting. She may have lost her soulmate, but she doesn't have to let that young tragedy shape who she is now...or continue to complicate her relationship with former best friend turned near-stranger, Ash.

HIS CHANCE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT: Ashton Isaacs has spent his life running―from his past, from the best friend he's always secretly loved, and from the truth of how he failed her when she needed him most. Now, over a decade later, it's time to stop running and finally face the girl his heart never forgot.

But Kincaid doesn't know about everything that happened that night. She doesn't know what he did, or why Ash is so certain she'll never be able to forgive him. All she knows is that she's missed having him in her life, and she's willing to fight―for them, for the kids they used to be, and for this one final chance to let the past go forever. With Ash, her heart may finally be ready to heal…or shatter completely once and for all.

By turns heart-wrenching and deeply romantic, this award-winning spicy contemporary romance will challenge the way you see life, love, and happily ever after.

Buy the book: Bookshop.org | Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play

Audiobook: Libro.fm | Audible

Want a sample?

CHAPTER ONE

Kincaid Breslin was the girl who was supposed to die first in the horror movie. In high school, it had been a running joke among her friends during their annual Halloween marathon of scary movies that she’d be the first character topless, screaming, and running for her life.

She was the dance team captain. The girl with the superstar boyfriend. The non-virgin. All those things spelled dead in those classic eighties horror movies. Her character probably wouldn’t have been on screen long enough to even get a name. In the credits, she’d be listed as Blond Cheerleader #1 or Hysterical Girl #2. But her friends had been wrong. When Kincaid’s life had turned into an actual horror movie, she’d somehow managed to get out alive. Most of those friends hadn’t. Real life didn’t follow movie rules.

So you would think after actually surviving what she had, she’d be extra vigilant about putting herself in any situation that resembled a scary movie ever again. But as she stared up at the rambling farmhouse that could star in the next teen slasher film, she fell head over heels in love.

“Holy shit,” her friend Liv said next to her, camera clutched in her hands. “Are we supposed to go inside that thing?”

Kincaid frowned. “Well, yeah. I need photos of the inside. There are none online yet, and Bethany wanted pictures ASAP. And what Bethany wants, she gets. Otherwise, I’ll get sixteen thousand demanding texts and voicemails by the end of the day. I need this sale. Please make this place look gorgeous.”

Liv gave her a wary look, as if she were now regretting offering her photography skills for Kincaid’s demanding real estate client. “Has it been opened and aired out recently? Maybe had some sage burned and a spirit guide cleanse the thing?”

Kincaid snorted, surprised at her normally unflappable friend’s reaction. “Honey, I didn’t take you for the superstitious sort. That’s usually my job. It’s just an old farmhouse.”

Liv gave her a pointed look, dark eyes holding her gaze, as she very deliberately made the sign of the cross and recited something in Spanish. “Chica, that thing for sure houses the angry spirits of serial killers or maybe vampires. I bet there are bones in the attic. Or portals to hell in the basement. I am not playing Willow to your Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Kincaid laughed. “You wouldn’t be Willow. Too mouthy. You’d be Xander. And there are no basements here.” She put her hands on her hips and looked at the house again. “I think it’s…quaint.”

Liv gave her a girl, please look. “Quaint? You’re using your real estate agent words. Cozy means small. Fixer upper means money pit. Quaint means…portals of hell demons ready to eat your soul for the mere price of—what’s this thing cost anyway?”

Kincaid checked her notes from her earlier chat with her fellow agent, Ferris. “Owner’s asking five-hundred.”

“Wow,” Liv said, lifting her camera and taking a shot of the wide sagging porch. “Someone’s proud of their creepy-ass haunted house.”

“That price includes a decent chunk of land. Plus, the home was owned by one of the founding families of Long Acre. It’s historic,” Kincaid countered, not sure why she was trying to defend the house. Maybe because if she didn’t make a big sale soon, the agency was going to start questioning if they needed three full-time agents.

“Ha. Another real estate agent word. Historic not old.” Liv stepped a little to the left and aimed her camera at the second story and all its peeling white paint glory. “I have faith in you, though. You could sell hair products to a bald guy. I’m sure you’ll find someone who finds it…quaint.”

“I think Bethany will love it.” Bethany Winterbourne was moving from Austin and wanted the perfect fixer-upper house to create her “super adorable, glam dream palace away from the city” after her divorce. Bethany Winterbourne had also watched too many home design shows and thought small town Texas would be chock full of big houses that would be cheap and fall in her lap.

Kincaid had been on the hunt for Bethany for six months now with countless smaller houses in Wilder discarded out of hand. Now finally, she’d come across this prospect in Long Acre, which had the square footage Bethany wanted. Plus, it hadn’t come onto the market officially, so no one had seen the house yet. Maybe she could get a good price without competition.

Ferris had given her a heads up because he knew Kincaid was more than ready to get Bethany out of her hair. Plus, after a particularly dry year where Kincaid had barely made a sale, Ferris knew she needed a win. This could be the answer.

However, now that Kincaid was looking at the old house, she got a spoiled milk taste in her mouth at the thought of it being filled with Bethany’s style, which given the decor of Bethany’s current condo, would be white lacquer furniture and pink sequined pillows that had things like Shine Bright on them.

Kincaid could appreciate unique tastes. She was currently wearing underwear with purple llamas on them, so who was she to judge? You do you, girl. But this house had old, beautiful bones—hopefully not the attic kind like Liv was talking about—and was begging to be restored to its former glory. She could almost feel it shudder at the thought of a sequin passing its threshold.

Kincaid let her gaze travel over the facade, her mind smoothing over the peeling paint and the warped windows, imagining what the grand house must’ve looked like when it was first built right outside of town. Nothing for miles around, the Texas wine country not yet rolling with grapevines and tourists, and the land rich with possibility. It was the kind of house she’d dreamt of living in when she’d walk home from school through the nicer neighborhoods on her way back to the broken down rental house she’d shared with her mom. Houses with warmth and laughter and good smells coming from the kitchen. Houses that didn’t have a dry-rotted hole in the floor of the bathroom, dingy tan walls, and nothing but boxed macaroni and cheese and Vienna sausage in the cabinets—food her mom knew a kid could cook for herself since her mother was rarely home at night.

Read the rest of chapter one

I love that all four of these have gotten such gorgeous new covers and are now available in trade paperback size. (I also loved the old covers even though they were very different, but I know lots of you don’t love the smaller mass-market-sized books.)

And if you’re new to these stories, welcome!

If you collect all four, they do make a very pretty complete picture. :) But you don’t have to start at the beginning if you don’t want to. Each book is about a different couple and can stand alone.

Also, if you’ve already read these, I’d love help spreading the word! Please share with your readerly friends and you’ll get my undying appreciation.

Hope you have a great week!

Roni

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Hey there! It’s been a bit of a stressful week at our household. Early in the week, we had 75mph winds that took off numerous chunks of our roof. There’s nothing like sitting in your living room at 5am with your terrified dog and worried kid, listening to your house howl and make weird banging sounds, and then hearing water dripping…inside.

My teen turned to me and was like, “Well, that can’t be good…”

It was not. A piece of the roof had come up (that was the banging sound) and was letting rain in—rain that then proceeded to run down rafters and drip through our attic door into our hallway. My husband spent the rest of the storm in the attic, strategically placing buckets. Sigh.

We got lucky compared to others. Our roof is temporarily patched for now, and there doesn’t seem to be any permanent water damage inside, so that’s good. But all that to say…I really needed a happy-for-now mindset this week!

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There’s always the sunset

After the storm blew through, the wild winds continued all day (ripping off more shingles) and brought in dust from West Texas. It had been a crazy stressful day, and I was just spent by the end of it.

However, right before I started cooking dinner, I remembered that our local weather guy once said that dust storms can make beautiful sunsets.

So, I hurried to my office window to see if I could catch the sunset in time. I did and it did not disappoint. This was the view through my window. No filter. (You can see how dusty the air still is.)

Life gives us metaphors if we pay attention. Something beautiful can come out of something stressful, but we need to remember to look for it.

A big chunky book to get lost in

I haven’t posted about what I’ve been reading recently because I was making my way through this 500+ page chonker.

I often shy away from grabbing a doorstop book because I have so much to read on my TBR, and I know it’s going to take some time to get through a big one. But then, inevitably, when I find a long book that I can truly get immersed in, I remember that the wonderfulness of a big book is that you really feel like you’ve BEEN THROUGH something with the characters. This is why even though I don’t read a ton of super long books, they often land on my favorites-of-the-year list.

So, I’m here, learning that lesson again, with Stephanie Dray’s Becoming Madame Secretary (Bookshop. org | Libro.fm | Amazon). I don’t read a ton of historical fiction, but I was drawn to this one because a) I know Stephanie is a good writer and b) I had this desire to read about another troubled time in American history and how we came through it.

I was not disappointed. This story swept me into a different time and had me rooting hard for these characters. It was also a bonus that FDR played a big role in the book because my family went to visit his house in Hyde Park, NY last summer. That helped me picture things even more clearly.

This is the story of Frances Perkins, the Secretary of Labor for FDR and the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. That sounds dry, but I promise it’s not. The story follows Frances from her early days in New York, fighting for child labor laws and championing workers’ rights, through her falling in love, moving her way up in politics, becoming a mother, and eventually going to Washington.

She was such a great character to follow along with—tough, principled, funny, and not afraid to go toe to toe over what she believed in. But she was also a wife and mother and living in a time where women were supposed to stay at home. You couldn’t help but root for her.

Here’s the official back cover copy:

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.

But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.

Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation.

So, if you’re looking for something to get immersed in for a while and maybe to give you a little hope that we can go through hard things and come out better for it, give this one a try. (Sidenote: looks like the hardcover is half off on Amazon as I’m writing this.)

Quick Pickled Onions

I love an acidic hit to foods, so I love pickled things. Plus, if you’re trying to eat healthy, it’s a big bang of flavor for your buck.

One of my go-to moves is keeping a jar of pickled red onions in my fridge to throw on top of whatever—burgers, salads, tacos, sandwiches. They work in so many places that I end up getting through the jar in a week.

They’re super easy to make—no need to even turn on the stove.

Quick-Pickled Onions

1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup water

4 tsp kosher salt

4 tsp white sugar

1 big (or 2 small) red onions, sliced into thin slices (or thicker if that’s your jam)

Put the first four ingredients in a quart-size mason jar. Cover and shake it up until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Then drop in the onions. Shake again. Refrigerate.

They’re ready to eat in an hour or two but get even better with more time. You can keep them in the fridge and they’ll stay good for about two weeks.

Yesterday I used them to top nachos and they were perfect!

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you had a great weekend!

Roni

What’s making you happy for now? I’d love to hear!

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This week the 48th (48th!!) season of Survivor started. I can still remember the first one in 2000, which makes me feel old, and the way it rocked what we thought of as TV. I watched the show for many years with my husband. We met in 1999, so Survivor feels inextricably tied to being an “us” show.

We lost track of it for a few years when parenthood took up more of our time, but during the pandemic, we chose it as our family binge-watch and worked our way through all the seasons we’d missed, introducing the kidlet to it and reality TV.

We’re now dedicated viewers, and this show, along with Big Brother (my personal favorite) and The Amazing Race, are things we look forward to as a family each year. Reality TV, for all it’s pitfalls, really does hold a special place in my heart for the family time and the discussions it’s created.

So when I saw there was a book coming out about the history of reality TV, I knew I needed it in my life, especially when it was by Emily Nussbaum, who wrote I Like to Watch, a book of essays about TV that I really enjoyed.

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Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum

Buy the book: Libro.fm | Bookshop.org | Amazon

Depending on when you were born, you may have a different idea of when “reality TV” started. Before this book, if asked, I probably would’ve said The Real World on MTV. But I would’ve been wrong. The Real World did usher in a number of things that changed TV, but it was far from first.

Nussbaum goes way back, starting with Candid Microphone in 1947, which was a reality show on the radio that eventually led to Candid Camera once TVs were a thing. From there, she tracks reality TV in all its different forms through the decades—dating shows, game shows, An American Family in the 70s (the first to follow a real family), competition shows like American Idol and The Bachelor, celebrity shows like The Obsbournes, Cops, and all the way through today where reality TV has directly influenced our politics. She also gives the juicy behind-the-scenes stuff.

I listened to this on audio (I highly recommend it in that format) and gobbled it up. I found this all so fascinating! It’s hard to imagine the TV landscape without reality now, but it truly was a strange thing for most people to wrap their heads around when it started. Also, I felt Nussbaum did a great job of showing how it has shaped culture for better and worse.

So, if you are a fan of pop culture histories or reality TV or just want to reminisce about the shows you’ve watched over the years, this was a great listen. I gave it five stars.

And if you want to pair it with a movie to watch tonight…

The Truman Show (1998)

Somehow, I had never seen this movie. So, after finishing Cue the Sun, which got its title from a line in this movie, I knew I had to watch it.

This movie came out in 1998, two years before Survivor and Big Brother premiered (and just as the internet was starting to become a thing), but it predicted where we were going.

Truman (Jim Carrey) has grown up his whole life in a town that he can’t leave (though he doesn’t realize that.) He has no idea that, since birth, he’s been on a 24/7 reality show and that the people in his world—his mother, his wife, his friends—are all actors. When his “father” whom he thought was dead shows up, Truman begins to question what’s going on and tries to escape. But the producers can’t lose their star and are going to do everything to stop him.

This movie has a sad tone despite it having Jim Carrey as the star. It’s labeled as a psychological comedy/drama, and I think that’s about as accurate a genre description as you’re going to get. But it’s a movie that makes you think. It made me think about kids who have grown up on their parents’ YouTube channel (like the memoir I reviewed here) and what it means that we’re drawn to watching other people’s lives on TV and the internet.

So, if you’re looking for an entertaining movie (I mean, it’s still Jim Carrey) that also has some substance to it, check it out. I watched it on The Criterion Channel app as part of their Surveillance Cinema collection, but it’s available to rent on the other services and is also on Hoopla.

Alirght, that’s all I have for you today. I hope you have a great weekend!

What have you been reading and watching this week? I’d love to hear!

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Welcome to another edition of the Happy for Now list! This is where I share a few things from the week that are making me happy for now…because I don’t need the pressure of something making me happy forever. Except for my husband, who better make me happy forever. He’s just gonna have to live with that burden. ;)

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A Classic/Old School Romance

When I’m looking for a comfort read, I often look to older historical romances. I missed out on the 80s/90s era of romance because I was too young (and my mom was a mystery/horror reader not a romance reader, so I couldn’t even snag one of hers, lol.) So, over the years, I’ve tried to pick up classics that I’ve heard talked about.

One of those is The Bride by Julie Garwood. This one came out in 1989 and is often credited with being one of the first historical romances that added humor to the mix. So when I found a great hardcover copy at a local used bookstore, I grabbed it.

About the book:

By edict of the king, the mighty Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must take an English bride. When he encounters Jamie, the feisty and beautiful daughter of Baron Jamison, he immediately selects her, determined to touch, tame, and possess her forever.

But Jamie has vowed to never surrender to this fierce highland barbarian. He is everything she had been warned against—an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks hint at savage pleasures. And though his scorching kisses fire her blood, she brazenly resists him…until one rapturous moment quells their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatens to conquer her completely.

My thoughts:

This was a fun time. We have a “violet-eyed” heroine, so immediately you get those old-school vibes. Jamie is a smart, feisty heroine who isn’t afraid to speak her mind to the mighty Alec Kincaid. There’s a road trip involved, which is always a treat, and there’s even a bit of a mystery woven in once they arrive at their destination (though admittedly, that wasn’t my favorite part.)

Now, having said all that, remember this was written in 1989. There’s head-hopping (where the point of view jumps around instead of staying in one character’s head.) There’s also a love scene with a consent issue (not violent but starts out when heroine is sleeping.) Also, the resolution of the mystery had an aspect I was not a fan of. You have to go into these older novels understanding that they are of their time.

Overall, I’m glad I read it and it was nice, escapist fun!

Ladies and Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music

I’m sure many of you have seen that Saturday Night Live has been celebrating their 50th anniversary. There were a number of specials surrounding the event, but the ones I enjoyed the most was the one focused on the music: Ladies and Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music and SNL50: The Homecoming Concert.

I’m not a regular watcher of SNL anymore—mainly because I’m asleep before it comes on, lol, but I have grown up watching the different eras. And one aspect that is so integral to the show is their commitment to having great musical acts. They often are ahead of the curve, introducing us to new acts that eventually went on to be huge. Hello, Nirvana.

So, I greatly enjoyed watching both of these specials. The first goes through the history and gives you behind-the-scenes insight. The second is an actual concert. And y’all, there were many great performances at the concert, but the one that had me saying wow was Cher.

She is 78 years old, and she walked out in an outfit and heels reminiscent of her famous “If I Could Turn Back Time” video. She then proceeded to sing the hell out of it. I loved it.

So, if you want to turn back time and reminisce about all the great music of the last 50 years, check out both specials. They’re streaming on Peacock.

Photo by Elina Fairytale: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-be... Learning

I’ve mentioned that this year I’ve been focusing on my physical health. I’m going strong with my exercise-daily (minimum 20 min) goal, alternating yoga/pilates/strength days with treadmill days. I’ve moved into the phase where the habit is now something I’m really enjoying and look forward to each day. Besides the physical effects, I’ve also noticed the mood-boosting effects. It’s been fantastic.

This (along with some other things) inspired me to add to my coaching credentials. I’m currently certified as a Gallup Strengths coach (which, despite the word strengths, has nothing to do with exercise. It’s about personality strengths.) I help people (mostly other writers) align their personality strengths to best serve them in their lives and work.

I love doing this, and I realized that I could enhance this coaching if I could include the physical health aspects (nutrition, movement, sleep, dealing with chronic illness, etc.) with the personality/mental ones I’m already covering with clients. So I’ve decided to get certified as a Health and Wellness Coach through MindBodyGreen to incorporate those aspects into my coaching.

It’s a 5-month course, and then I have to pass a board certification test, but I’m excited! I’m already a nerd about nutrition and have been for decades, but I’m really looking forward to diving deeper into whole-body wellness.

All that to say, this is making me happy for now because it just reminds me that it’s never too late to learn something new and to be a student again. :)

That’s all I have for you today. I’d love to hear what’s been making you happy for now!

Hope y’all have a great week!

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*book links are affiliate links

The Happy for Now list will go out tomorrow, but I wanted to pop in really quickly and let y’all know that there’s a fun contest going on that ends Feb. 28 that I don’t want y’all to miss!

It’s called Blind Date with Your Next Book Crush. The lovely and talented Meghan Ciana Doige is hosting and I’m one of the participating authors. There’s a great list of books you could potentially win. All you need to do is go here and fill out this form.

If you’d like to check out all the adorably wrapped books, check them out on Instagram at @blinddatewithyournextbookcrush

Hope you discover your next book crush! And if you know someone who might want to join in the fun, I’d love it if you’d pass along the link them as well.

Happy dating!

Roni

It’s Sunday, which means it’s time for another Happy for Now list. If you’re new here, this is just a list of the little things this week that are making me happy for now. Also, sorry this is going out later than normal. Substack was glitching for me earlier today.

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Shishito Popper Tacos

There aren’t many tacos I don’t like, but these Shishito Pepper Tacos (gift link), courtesy of the Washington Post’s fantastic recipe section, put a new spin on them that I (and the fam) greatly enjoyed!

Imagine a less spicy cream cheese-filled jalapeno popper and then drop it into a taco. That’s basically what we have here. Shishito peppers are stuffed with cream cheese that’s laced with bits of pickled jalapenos, cilantro, and a touch of garlic. Then the peppers are cooked directly onto corn tortillas and then topped with shredded cheese.

Even my meat-loving teen (who, btw, doesn’t even like roasted peppers) was impressed with these vegetarian tacos. He ate three and was sad there weren’t more. They were the perfect combo of creamy cheese, green pepper, and a hit of heat.

I will say that I made a few modifications that you’re welcome to steal. Instead of stuffing each individual pepper (because who has time for that on a weeknight), I spread the cream cheese mixture directly on the tortilla and then topped with the peppers and shredded cheese.

Also, because I knew my family would want the peppers more cooked than the 10 minutes alloted in the recipe, I did a quick 10-minute roast on just the peppers in a 425 degree oven before putting them on the tortillas. I also topped the tacos with sliced avocado once they were out of the oven, which was a great addition.

Lastly, if you don’t have access to shishito peppers, use whatever kind of green peppers you like. AND if you don’t want any heat, look for mild pickled jalapenos or use less of the spicy kind.

Enjoy!

An organized pantry

There is nothing more soothing for me than organizing something. When the world gets chaotic, I want to bring order where I can. My pantry was in desperate need of a complete overhaul. I spent four hours yesterday pulling everything out, ditching expired things, and then reorganizing what went back in. I had things that had expired in 2022 lurking in there. Ugh.

Now everything is where it needs to be for now. We’ll see how long it lasts!

My parents literally being the cutest

This weekend for Valentine’s Day, my parents drove out to Florida where a place called Lulu’s was hosting a wedding vow renewal event.

They’ve been married 35 years (technically my dad is my stepdad if you’re doing the math on that) so this was the perfect time to do it. They exchanged vows again, had a “first” dance, and then took photos by a wedding cake. Even though it was a light-hearted event, my mom said she still got emotional. ❤️

I love the whole idea of this and love that my parents did it. I only wish I could’ve been there to see it. Also, life goals to look that fantastic in my 60s/70s. I mean, I know I’m biased, but how damn cute are they?

Alright, that’s all I have for you today. I hope you have a great week and I’d love to know what’s been making you happy for now. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment! :)

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Okay, so I know it’s Valentine’s Day and that I’m a romance writer and should probably be giving you a list of romantic movies for this evening. However, since I’m sure you already know which movies would be on that kind of list, I decided to do something a little different this time.

Let’s be a little rebellious and choose a movie that does have a little romance but also shows some characters leaning into their singlehood.

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Somehow, despite having a cast of actresses I really enjoy (Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, and Maggie Gyllenhaal), I had never seen Mona Lisa Smile. I’m not sure why. Maybe the title threw me off? It makes sense for the movie once you see it but doesn’t exactly grab you.

Set in 1953 at Wellesley College, Mona Lisa Smile is about Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts), an art professor with modern ideas, who ends up teaching a class of incredibly bright and talented young women. She’s impressed by how sharp these girls are but soon finds out that they aren’t in college to advance into a career. Instead they are there biding time until they can find a good husband and become a housewife.

Miss Watson is a feminist who wants to show them that they have more options than that, but social norms and the current school rules/culture (plus a very determined Kirsten Dunst) are hard to fight against. Miss Watson bonds with a number of the girls (and deals with some romantic entanglements of her own), but she’s determined to push the women to think beyond what society has prescribed for them (the trad wife life.)

I loved that this was set on a college campus and gave me all the fall/winter vibes. I enjoyed the interplay between Miss Watson and the girls and the peek into the 1950s. I think sometimes the message was heavy-handed, but overall, I really enjoyed the movie. What I particularly liked was that it showed a number of different paths for these women and how all could be valid. The point was that women should have a choice.

So if you want a Valentine’s night movie that has a little romance but also a focus on the joys of singlehood, this might be a good choice!

A book pairing

If you want to pair a book with this, I’d recommend Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm). This story is also set in the 1950s and speaks to the same themes of women trying to gain some independence when society just wants them in the kitchen. I did a full review of the book here.

A bonus TV show

And if you like the book or just want more of that 1950s women-fighting-the-man vibe, there’s also a TV show based on the book, which did a good job translating the book to screen. Random, but I love that her dog (whose name is Six-Thirty and who has a POV in the book) made it into the promo ad above. :)

That’s all I have for you today. Happy Valentine’s Day and I hope you have a great weekend!

What are you doing for the holiday? Are you a stay-in or go-out person? (We are definitely staying in over here.)

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