Thursday, December 29, 2016

Radio Guest Spot: Speculative Fiction Cantina





Join me tomorrow, December 30th, at 3 pm PST / 6 pm EST for my guest spot on the Speculative Fiction Cantina online radio show. I will be reading one of my science fiction short stories and discussing my other science fiction works. Should be a fun time:


K. J. Gillenwater on the Speculative Fiction Cantina

Looking forward to 2017 and all it will bring. Happy New Year to all!

UPDATE 1/10/17: I very much enjoyed the interview on the Speculative Fiction Cantina. If you listened, you heard that I disappeared in the middle of my reading. My landline phone died, and I had no idea until it was too late! LOL. I rarely use my landline, so I had no idea it wouldn't last more than 40 minutes with a fully charged battery!?  Embarrassing, to say the least!

If you did not get a chance to listen to the interview, it is still available at the link provided above. The first 30 minutes are interview questions posed to me and the other author guest: J.P. Robinson. The 2nd half is dedicated to our readings. My reading was first. 

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

First NEMESIS Review! 4 out of 5 stars!

NEMESIS has received its first Amazon review. 4 out of 5 stars. Here is a short quote from the review:

"Nemesis is a good buy for the money. The book starts slowly but better stories keep showing up so keep reading. I really enjoyed Polarity and Stagnant."

Thank you so much to the reader who took the time to write about our anthology. We appreciate honesty. 

Pick up a copy today:

Buy NEMESIS!

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

NEMESIS Now Availlable

Today is the release date for my newest book, NEMESIS. This is a science fiction anthology of 10 different authors that I organized and edited myself. We all wrote a 4,000 to 5,000 word story based around the one-word prompt: Nemesis.



In celebration of that release, I am offering my book of sci-fi flash fiction for free for a limited time.

Click here to download: http://amzn.to/1U4Hn9T

Monday, September 12, 2016

NEMESIS - a Science Fiction Anthology Available for Pre-Order


My latest book is now available for pre-order on Amazon in Kindle-only format. The release date is September 27, 2016.

ORDER HERE

I not only came up with the idea for the anthology, I served as the main editor for the project. It was a ton of fun, and I got to work with some great up-and-coming science fiction writers.

All of the stories included in this anthology used the same prompt: Write a short story between 4,000 and 5,000 words using the word ‘nemesis’ as your inspiration

Story Synopses

Star Log (K. J. Gillenwater)
Stranded on a desolate planet far outside the interstellar shipping lanes, a solitary man struggles to survive and to overcome the disturbing memories that haunt him.

Guardian (Louis F. Williams)
Reid Cade leaves New York and his badge behind when his wife dies of cancer. He settles in Montreal and quickly becomes a small-time bounty hunter. But, when Reid tries to collect on his latest bounty, he’s drawn into an ultimate hunt he can't refuse.

Disciple (Kristin Jacques)
Moll's street rat family is betrayed by one of their own and slain by the unyielding enforcers of law. Left for dead, Moll's pleas for vengeance are answered by a forgotten goddess.

Stagnant (Dave Cardwell)
In a world where nobody dies, society endures until a single death threatens it all. On the run, Skyla must follow the thread left for her where a devastating discovery awaits.

Polarity (Holly Gonzalez)
Decades after a genocidal war with human colonists, a lonely alien priestess hides to survive, believing she is the last of her kind. Taken prisoner by enemies who may be friends, she discovers the sacred ways of her people have been profaned by a mysterious usurper—and only destruction can restore the balance.

Superhero Comic Girl vs. the Litterbox (Steven R. Brandt)
Anastasia Starcaller believes she's an ordinary comic book artist. When the supervillain, Shapetwister, attacks her city, however, she discovers she has a superhero identity so secret, even she didn't know about it.

Last Walk (Jinn Tiole)
In need of a job, Rhône joins a mission to find a planet worth terraforming. As a geologist, she delves into the study of the young target planet's tectonic activity. Xenobiologist, Shea, is happy to find a possible alien life form. But then things start to go terribly wrong…

Three Shades of Black (Matthew Thrush)
Chaos rules the day and Fear the night. Humanity has lost its morality as the surviving humans resort to acts they never thought they could commit just to stay alive. Tray is the last human on the planet not inflicted with the curse. Hope still burns within him. That is, until the ones from the sky come back for the rest of them. When Tray loses all connection to the world he’s ever known, he must choose a new path.

Outwitting Alexa (Jesse Sprague)
Seb is a simple man. He wants simple things: to live out his contract and to buy his freedom. But between a worldwide catastrophe and his mistress’s state-of-the-art home security system, Alexa, both living and freedom may be far more complicated than anticipated.

Mordecai (Hannah Ansley)
After the sudden death of his lover, Mordecai is left with only the burning desire to avenge her. With his loyal companion by his side, an injured dog whose life he saved, he traverses the desolate wasteland hunting down the man who murdered his soul mate.

If you like science fiction, check it out. You are sure to find some new favorite authors in the bunch. 


Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Fix #19 from Stitch Fix - August 1, 2016



In the hottest days of summer, I am back again with another Stitch Fix review. This time we are on number nineteen! Hard to believe I've had almost 20 Stitch Fix boxes arrive at my door over the last 2+ years (Since 2014).

If you are entirely new to Stitch Fix, please read up on the service here:

My Very First Stitch Delivery and Stitch Fix Explanation - Fix #1

You can also check out a whole bunch of Stitch Fix reviews below. I've been writing them since May 2014:

Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014
Fix #6 - October 1, 2014
Fix #7 - October 29, 2014
Fix #8 - November 2014
Fix #9 - December 2014 
Fix #10 - January 2015
Fix #11 - February 2015
Fix #12 - March 2015 
Fix #13 - June 2015 
Fix #14 - September 2015
Fix #15 - December 2015
Fix #16 - March 2016
Fix #17 - June 2016
Fix #18 - July 2016 

As you can see, During 2015 I cut back considerably on my Stitch Fix deliveries. That first year I added so many new clothing pieces that I really didn't need a monthly delivery any more. I went to a quarterly delivery until I had a bomb of a box this June. Disappointed, I immediately scheduled a new box, knowing that if I didn't I would miss out on any new Stitch Fix summer options.

Then, once I got my July box, Stitch Fix still had me on the monthly option. I went for it. And received my 19th fix last week. I was so busy with work, I didn't have time to write up a review until today.

The theme of this box will be: Unexpected Surprises. Why? Well, I wasn't really planning on getting another summer delivery from Stitch Fix. So this 3rd summer box was going to be a bonus. And was it a good box with lots of keepers or a sad box with lots of returned items?  To the review we go!

Here is a look at the stack of clothes that was in my box:
I see a good mix of colors and patterns there. Now to hang everything up and follow my Stitch Fix motto: TRY EVERYTHING ON!

1) The first thing I hung up was the Indianan Graphic Print Mix Material Tee by Pixley for $44.00. I loved the colorfulness of this shirt. I don't know if I was 100% in love with it, but I liked it from the outset.

 Hard to tell, but the main fabric is a navy blue. Very soft material. The pattern is a lighter rayon-type fabric. The back of the shirt is slightly longer than the front, which is something I like. I thought this one might be all right. I put on a pair of jeans and went to the mirror.
 Cute. I will admit, I wasn't fawning over this top, but I definitely liked it. Love the lack of a shoulder seam, with my wide shoulder issues. So that was good. I put it in the MAYBE pile to see what else was in the box.

2) The next item I hung up was the Main Button Back Mixed Media Knit Top by Loveappella for $58.00. I have kept two other Loveappella items in previous fixes (see July 2016 for the gorgeous maxi dress I kept). I was a little surprised to see a long-sleeved top in an August fix, but we are getting into fall soon, and I'm in North Idaho, so I wasn't that sad by such an item in my summery box.

This shirt also had an interesting back with a gray, sheer fabric and some fun buttons. Navy blue is a good color for me, so I thought this might be a winner.
At first, this looks all right.

But then you get to the very sheer back...

And the odd uneven neckline...
Okay, so if you look at the top photo, it seems to fit pretty well and look cute. But something was weird about the fit around my arms and the neckline appeared crooked for some reason. As you can see in the bottom photo, there is a bit of an uneveness that, at first, I thought was the style. Then, I looked at the shirt on the hanger again and realized, no, that was not intentional. It bothered me.

Plus, the bit of tightness around my arms/shoulders (yes, the dreaded mega-shoulder was impacting the comfort levels) didn't help. The final straw was the VERY sheer back. I just didn't know what to do with such a shirt. I was thinking it would be a fall item, but the sheer back would be too cool. Was I supposed to wear this with a tank? The correct colored bra? I just didn't know. It was a confusing shirt overall that was not as comfortable as I hoped with a bizarre neckline.

Into the NO pile it went.

3) The next item was the Belissa Ribbed Detail Knit Top by Market & Spruce for $54.00. I liked this item right off the bat. The color was lovely...a very pale pink. It was not a color I had in my wardrobe. I thought of many matching possibilities in my closet for this item and how I could wear it with some of my cardigans going into the fall. It also was made out of a stretchy, heartier fabric that I knew would stand the test of time. So it would be a long-term keeper in the closet.
It also had some really exquisite detail on the neckline and shoulders going all the way around to the back. Loved it right away.
And it turned out to be very cute when on! The color was great, the fit was comfortable and flattering, and it would fit right into my wardrobe. KEEPER!

4) My next item to hang was the Kerrigan Dress by Hailey 23 for $78.00. I really liked it upon first viewing, but I was worried the length might be a little too short. The wrap effect (which you can't really see in the photo) on the top part was sure to be flattering, though.
This is also navy, if you can't tell.
I tried it on, and the miracle happened: even though the length was slightly shorter than I like, the dress was so incredibly flattering it had to be KEPT.
I mean, my goodness? How cute is this dress? Love the lace on the bottom, the wrap effect of the top. The fabric is almost like a leotard, light and stretchy. LOVED IT. I also knew I could take this into fall with leggings, a couple of different cardigan sweaters I owned, etc. KEEPER!

 
These look very wide in the waist. Hm.
5) The last item in my box was the Freddy Printed Capri Jean by Liverpool for $78.00. I really liked these. I've been wanting to add some capri-length pants to my closet for a long time, and haven't been able to get a pair from Stitch Fix that work for me. The pattern was also very interesting and would match a lot of items I already had.

Below is the picture of the pattern, sort of blues and greens. I thought this might work for me. I also had a pair of Liverpool pants I got about 2 years ago that I LOVE with a passion. They are very comfortable, very flattering, so I thought these might end up being just as supremely awesome as those.
I tried them on with the navy top from earlier (my chance for a 2nd look at that shirt). At first, I thought, hey, these are working. They are comfortable and stretchy. See?
Sadly, there was a problem. The waist was too large...much as I had feared when I saw them on the hanger. Or possibly, you could say the shape of the pants was not correct in order to accommodate my oft-told 'ample backside' in sufficient fashion.

Argh! I wanted to get some new capri pants so badly. These seemed to be working. Everything else about them was dandy. But NO! They had to go and do this:
Waist gap of the most unflattering kind
So the precious capri pants that I have been seeking since 2014 had to go back into the return envelope as a NO.

After reflecting a bit about whether or not I wanted to keep the Indianan Graphic Print Mixed Material Tee, I tried it on for a second time, decided I loved it and wore it the same day! LOL.

So all-in-all a successful haul. 3 out of 5 is a GREAT box. I am very very pleased with what showed up this month. It's almost like my June dud box didn't even happen.

I also received a nice style card showing me all the fun ways I can style my new pieces (I forget to post these from time to time...sorry about that).


If you have not yet tried out Stitch Fix, you can use my little code below to sign up:

stitchfix.com/referral/3587901

I will get a $25 credit when you make your first order, just to give full transparency. Even though I've been doing these reviews for over 2 years, I haven't gotten much in the way of credit (not a complaint, just honesty...I write these reviews for the fun of it...not for the $$).

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear your comments on what I kept and what I sent back.

Also, if you are a reader, I just published a small collection of science fiction short stories on Amazon called SKYFALL. Check it out!

Friday, July 1, 2016

Fix #18 from Stitch Fix - July 1, 2016

What? Back again so soon with another review?

I know. It's crazy. A new Stitch Fix Review only a couple of weeks after my last one.

If you didn't read my June 14th review to find out why I have another Fix only 2 weeks later, please take the time to read about that here:

Fix #17 - June 2016

If you are entirely new to Stitch Fix, please read up on the service here:

My Very First Stitch Delivery and Stitch Fix Explanation - Fix #1

You can also check out a whole bunch of Stitch Fix reviews below. I've been writing them since May 2014:

Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014
Fix #6 - October 1, 2014
Fix #7 - October 29, 2014
Fix #8 - November 2014
Fix #9 - December 2014 
Fix #10 - January 2015
Fix #11 - February 2015
Fix #12 - March 2015 
Fix #13 - June 2015 
Fix #14 - September 2015
Fix #15 - December 2015
Fix #16 - March 2016

Now that you understand where this Fix is coming from, let's delve in, shall we?


This time around I had a single bundle in my box. No purses or jackets in this Fix. And look at all the pretty colors and patterns!


I had a little bit of everything in this box. And no gray or black! I hoped that my beloved stylist, Sari, had found me some good pieces after the fiasco of my last box.

For those who don't know my methods, I hang up everything first and then TRY EVERYTHING ON. Yes, even the things that I believe I won't like or are 'ugly' from first appearance. I have been surprised numerous times by the clothes in the box looking different on my body than on the hanger.

Here we go, people. Keeping my fingers crossed for success!

1) The first item I hung up was the Jessica Printed Flare Skirt from Renee C for $58. I really liked the funky, boho pattern. I'd pinned a similar looking skirt to my Pinterest board, so give Sari an A+ for effort! I had high hopes for this one. The waistband was soft, which is good for aging waistlines with a bit of extra pudge on the sides. Tight waistbands make for pretty ugly silhouettes in the over-40 set.


I tried this on with a blouse I'd also received in my fix.

Not bad. But I remember feeling like the skirt made me look very wide. In the picture on the left, I look a little waistless. I am not sure why. The length was good, but in order for this to be flattering at all, I'd have to pair it with a more form fitting top, and I really didn't have one that matched the skirt. Hm, not so sure about this one.

I put it in the MAYBE pile.

2) The next item I tried was the Plato Lace Inset Blouse by Creative Commune for $54. I thought this was lovely in color and style.

A very pretty pale blue with gorgeous lace detail and a nice pearl button in the back at the neck. Very feminine. Not something I would pick out for myself. I had no idea how this would look on me.

I really did love the pretty lace on this blouse. But as you can see from the straight-on photo, it turned me into a boxy blob. I wanted to have the top half of this blouse, but a different bottom half. Also, in the side photo you can see a low armhole that reveals underclothing. Not my favorite look.

Sadly, this went in the NO pile. On a narrower figure this really would've been pretty. Or, if I was a tuck-it-in kind of person or someone who wanted to layer this under a sweater or jacket.

3) Moving on, I decided to try the next top - the Semani Drape Front Blouse by 41Hawthorn for $58.

This had a lot going for it. I love the color. This kind of vibrant, electric blue looks very good on me. I also like drapey tops, as they seem to be flattering for me. I didn't take a picture of the back, but I should have. It had a pretty split back with an interesting detail near the top. Just trust me, it was neat.


But the trying on revealed this was way too big for me. I needed a size smaller. I was lost in a puddle of blue fabric, which somehow reminded me of Violet turning into a blueberry in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the 1971 original). The sides puffed out in an unflattering blob-like way. So sad!

This was dumped into the NO pile, and I never looked back.

 4) The next item I hung up was the Carlita Knit Maxi Dress by Loveappella for $78. I just recently received a Loveappella item in my March 2016 fix that I loved, so I was hopeful this would be another winner.
Fabulous Loveappela floral top from March 2016 Fix!
This dress was hard to get a full photo of because of its length, but here we go!
 Fabulous, colorful pattern. Wide straps. I really hope this fits well...



People, I have found the clothing MOTHER LODE! This dress was incredibly flattering, fit like a glove, and was just all over awesome. The waistline hit me perfectly (hard for me because not only am I tall, I'm short-waisted) and the straps and neckline hid the bra perfectly. Hello new favorite dress, welcome to my wardrobe.

A definite KEEP!

5) Last item in the box was the Emer Printed Straight Leg Pant from Margaret M for $98. I have received two other pairs of Margaret M pants, both of which went back to Stitch Fix. One for pattern problems (the 'clown pants' of July 2014) and one for fit (green pants were a tad too tight in the rear/hip area).

I had wanted a pastel pair of cropped pants, if possible. This hit both marks. However, I have my reservations about any pants labeled "straight leg," as I have anything but straight legs, plus I've got an ample backside to boot. But, hey, stretch fabrics are miraculous, right? I tried them on....
Be glad you are only seeing the front of these pants!

You are so lucky I'm sharing the best photo with you. The other two, oh holy heck, the pantylines were just atrocious. I couldn't do that to you, my audience. This front pic is bad enough. Yes, I could get them on. Yes, they were actually comfortable. But they were TOO tight and the fabric TOO thin for me to wear these in public. Which is such a shame, because if they had fit me well, I could've used a pair of pants like this.

This was a big NO. I even wrote in the comments for this particular designer that if she sends me anything else in the future, to give me a size larger. Clearly, I am not fitting into the sizes I usually have success with when trying on Margaret M pants. This is a zero-out-of-three for Margaret M!

So that is my entire box. I thought about the skirt. I just wasn't rah-rah-rah about the skirt. The price was reasonable, but I just didn't think I'd wear it very often. The skirt turned into a "NO," and I ended up with a 1-out-of-5 box. But a VERY VERY awesome 1 item it is!

I decided to get another fix at the end of July. Then I will be back on the once-a-quarter plan. Hoping I can still end up with some capri pants. This is the 3rd summer in a row I've wanted some. We'll see what my stylist can come up with!

If you have yet to try Stitch Fix, consider using my referral link below. I will get a $25 credit when you make your first order, just to give full transparency. Even though I've been doing these reviews for over 2 years, I haven't gotten much in the way of credit (not a complaint, just honesty...I write these reviews for the fun of it...not for the $$).

stitchfix.com/referral/3587901

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear your comments on what I kept and what I sent back.

Also, if you are a reader, I just published a small collection of science fiction short stories on Amazon called SKYFALL. Check it out!

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Fix #17 From Stitch Fix - June 14, 2016

My quarterly Stitch Fix delivery arrived one day early yesterday! Since I've cut back on my Stitch Fix boxes to once every 3 months, the arrival of a new box is even more exciting. I had been looking forward to maybe getting a pair of pastel pants (all the rage) or a fun colorful top to add to my wardrobe.

If you are new to Stitch Fix, please read up on the service here:

My Very First Stitch Delivery and Stitch Fix Explanation - Fix #1

You can also check out a whole bunch of Stitch Fix reviews below. I've been writing them since May 2014:

Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014
Fix #6 - October 1, 2014
Fix #7 - October 29, 2014
Fix #8 - November 2014
Fix #9 - December 2014 
Fix #10 - January 2015
Fix #11 - February 2015
Fix #12 - March 2015 
Fix #13 - June 2015 
Fix #14 - September 2015
Fix #15 - December 2015
Fix #16 - March 2016

Let's open the box and see what I received, shall we?

 I had two bundles inside my box. That's always interesting! Separate bundles usually indicate a bulkier item, like a coat or purse.

Through the paper, I could see color and pattern on the right. Feeling good about this one.
Unwrapped, I was happy to see the variety of color and pattern in the clothes. The purse was a lovely bright pink color, but I'm not really that into purses. So this one was a bit of a shrug for me. I probably could use a good beach bag, but another purse? Probably not.

But instead of focusing on the negatives, let's hang up the clothes, try them on, and see what we have!
1) First, we have the Florence Dress by Pixley for $68.00. I did love the patterned material of this dress. However, the style was not good. Typically, these kinds of gathered waist dresses look best on narrower frames with fewer curves. The gathered waist creates the effect of shape when maybe you don't have a lot of shape (apple body, slim hipped, etc.).

This is kind of the exact opposite of me. However, I didn't want to be a party pooper before I even tried it on. Those who have read my reviews for a long time know my rule: TRY EVERYTHING ON. I never toss something aside by looks alone.

So, I girded my loins for the expected result. My fears were not unwarranted. Behold, the dress on a curvier, more hour-glassy figure:

Yeah, about as expected. Wide shoulders, wide hips, I turn into a big box of a woman. My waist is lost in this dress. And the shapeless, loose top hides the bust area completely. That might have saved such a dress for someone with a body type like mine. Instead, what could've been a fun summer dress, turns into a very unflattering pile of cloth. Not to mention what goes unphotographed, which are the very open arm holes that would make any bra of mine visible to the world.

Big old NO.

2) Next on the list was the Kate Distressed Boyfriend Jean by Kut From The Kloth for $88.00. I thought these had potential. Kut From The Kloth pants have worked for me in the past. I think I have 3 pairs of pants from this designer.

However, the ripped up legs seemed a little young for 40-something mom. Hmm. Not so sure if this will fit into my wardrobe. I did need another pair of jeans, as I have some Levi's on their last legs.

I was a little disappointed I did not get a pair of pastel pants as requested. I mean, I know everyone can use another pair of well-fitting jeans, but I really wanted to see some summery pants in my box. Sigh...

I tried to be positive, hoped for the best and slipped them on. As you can see from the try-on pics they did fit just fine. They were comfortable, although I got my toe caught in one of the ripped up areas when putting them on. I decided to wear them while I tried on the two tops that came in my box to get a feel for the pants over time.



 I mean, they look pretty cute. Don't they? Hmm... I put them in the MAYBE pile as I continued on.

3) The next item was the Auburndale Tie Sleeve Knit Top from Skies Are Blue for $54.00. I have to be honest. When I unwrapped all the clothes and looked at them, I thought this top had deodorant stains on the front from a previous Stitch Fix customer. You cannot see the weird white stains on the picture I took of the front because not only is my picture horridly blurry, it just didn't show up well. However, the picture of the back gives you an idea of what I'm talking about. The back looked like someone had streaked white paint on it. It wasn't consisting streaking, or it would've been okay. It was rather random and looked accidental, like a stain of some kind.
Sorry it's so blurry and the color is off.
Weird random white streaks.

I actually took a washcloth to the front thinking I could scrub it away. That's when it became clear that no, this was no deodorant, it was intentional. Huh. Okay.

The fabric was also pretty thin and somewhat see through. Not sure I like that. But let's try that puppy on and see what we think!


Okay, when I put it on it was pretty flattering. And I did love the color. This is a good color for my skin tone. But, not only was the v-neck a little low for casual summer wearing, which is what this top would be, it had these ties at the shoulder as you can see in the 2nd picture below.


 I wasn't 100% sure this style was for me. As I said, I'm a mom in my 40s. Is this too 'young'? Possibly. But what really turned me off to the style was where it rested on my shoulder. I have had this problem before...the shoulder sat slightly back off my shoulders. It just didn't look right, and the ties were more visible from the back, which really wasn't the intent of the design.

In the end, it was the shoulder plus the weird white streaks (that aren't visible in the pics) on the front that looked like deodorant stains that put this sucker in the NO pile.

4) This fix was not going well for me. Yes, I was still considering the pants, but I only had 1 item of clothing left! The next item was the Bowie Solid Dolman Sleeve Top by Laila Jayde for $58. I had actually found this top on someone's Pinterest board, loved it and added it to my own Stitch Fix board to let my stylist know. I am a big fan of Dolman sleeve tops...usually because I have wide shoulders and Dolman sleeves always work for me. But also, the shape is flattering on my figure. I was pleased, too, that it was a fun color that was not something I had in my wardrobe.

 I really thought this would be a keeper. Everything about it seemed good. I tried it on:
Now, I have to say, this pic makes it look very cute and flattering. But it really wasn't that great. The material was thin and did not hang correctly, in my opinion. It sort of sagged on the sides. I just thought I could do better for my $58.

At this point, I also started to reassess the pants. They fit, but they had a very low waist. Bending over and kneeling down, there was an 'exposure' problem in the back that I did not like. I have another pair of boyfriend jeans from Stitch Fix that have a higher rise, which I like better.  In addition, the ripped up legs did seem a bit 'teeanger.'

So at this point I gave a thumbs down to both the top and the pants. NO.

 5) After trying on all the clothes and coming up empty handed, I was left with a purse I didn't need--the Lynden Satchel by Urban Expressions for $68.00. But I hung it up anyway:


It was a nice, large bag with a deep interior and both a single side zipped pocket and  double zipped pockets on the other side. It also came with a shoulder strap attachment. The reason I did not reject it from the very beginning is that, in the past, I had ended up with a basically free purse in one of my other fixes because I'd kept everything else in the box. My hope had been when I opened this fix that the same might be true here. I mean, I would've added another purse to my collection if it would be free.

And, looking at the receipt, it would've been!

Sadly, the purse was also a NO, since I was keeping nothing else from this box. I haven't had a complete failure in a LONG time with Stitch Fix. It was much more disappointing this time around because I am only getting a fix once a quarter.

So, I logged into my Stitch Fix account and switched it back to once a month deliveries, so that I could get another box next month. Hopefully, that box would be a better one, and I wouldn't end up with nothing new for summer.

The best part was, for some reason, when I switched to once a month deliveries, they scheduled me for a June 28th fix!  So I am getting another box of clothes in 2 weeks! Thank goodness.

Let's hope that box is a better one.


If you have yet to try Stitch Fix, consider using my referral link below. I will get a $25 credit when you make your first order, just to give full transparency. Even though I've been doing these reviews for over 2 years, I haven't gotten much in the way of credit (not a complaint, just honesty...I write these reviews for the fun of it...not for the $$).

stitchfix.com/referral/3587901

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear your comments on what I kept and what I sent back.

Also, if you are a reader, I just published a small collection of science fiction short stories on Amazon called SKYFALL. Check it out!