Monday, October 8, 2018

Stitch Fix - Update!

Hello, all! I know some of my regular visitors to my blog really enjoyed my Stitch Fix reviews. I have PLENTY of them, if you wish to read some...going all the way back to May 2014 (just look in the sidebar for links). I wrote regular reviews until last summer...and then, well, I guess I lost interest or got busy or something.

I really don't know! LOL.

I wanted to update you all about where I am with Stitch Fix and what's been going on with my latest fixes.

1) Yes, I still am receiving Stitch Fix boxes. I had, at one time, been receiving monthly boxes. Then, I reduced it down to once a quarter once I felt my wardrobe had gotten pretty full. Currently, I am receiving a box every other month.

2) Stitch Fix gave you the option of choosing from a $20 styling fee for each fix or a $49/year option. Since I get six fixes per year, the switch to the one-time $49 fee for a year of fixes was a no brainer.

3) This summer I signed up for my very first cruise. There is a dress-up night that requires a nice cocktail-style outfit. So, I decided to up my dress budget to $150 to $200 and asked for a fancy dress. The first attempt was in August...and wasn't very good. I think they didn't see the changed budget or pay much attention to my request. But I gave them another shot (always give Stitch Fix another try, if you think they didn't do a good job of styling you...) and asked that my October box contain a fancy dress for a special event and again pointed out my increased budget. My October fix was GREAT. The stylist sent me three fantastic dresses to choose from - all designer labels ranging in price from $88 to $239. I ended up picking the least expensive dress but it also led me to point number 4:

4) After the really quality pieces they sent me for my special event, I realized that I was at the point in my wardrobe where I didn't need foundational pieces any more. I'd accumulated enough pants, tops, casual dresses, etc. The designer dresses I'd received were really great quality pieces. I wanted more of that in my regular fixes. So, I increased the budgets for every single category...by one step up...and told Stitch Fix I'd like some designer brands in my future fixes. I am going for high quality over quantity. Because I seem to be only purchasing 1 or 2 items per box most often. So why not buy more expensive, better tailored pieces?

5) I decided to try the Stitch Fix 'exchange' option they added in the last year or so. In my October fix I received a pair of pants that had potential, but were too small. Instead of just a return, I thought I'd see if I could get the next size up. It's been a few days since they received my items back...and I haven't heard about the exchange item yet. Hoping I see an email with a tracking number soon. So that will be something new for me.

Sorry if I am not taking photos and putting together a whole post on my individual fixes. I might do it again. Thanks for stopping by. And if you have any questions for me about Stitch Fix, please leave a comment!

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

I'm Going on a Cruise...

Last month I was lamenting to my husband that we always get depressed in the winter. I live in Idaho, so winters seem to last forever. You just get tired of the cold and snow. So, I suggested that we should try to take a trip in January or February every year to somewhere warm to beat the winter blues.

I remembered there was a writers' conference I'd considered attending in Las Vegas, but couldn't remember the dates. After some research, I, instead, stumbled across a website that tracked all different writers' conference by month. I scrolled to January and February of 2019 and found my event!

The Seymour Agency Writers' Winter Escape Cruise 2019!



Why did this catch my eye?

1) The timeframe - mid-February

2) The location - the caribbean

3) The event - this conference is specifically geared toward romance authors

And then the cost was just unbeatable. I somehow happened to find this cruise ONE day before the early booking rate was going to end. I got a steal for a 4-night, 5-day cruise. Plus, this would be a business trip, so it would be something out of my business account, rather than my personal account. NICE!

Also, the list of attendees is impressive:

Stacey Donovan with Hallmark Publishing and Movies as the Keynote Speaker! 

Deb Werksman, Editorial Director for Sourcebooks

Liz Pelletier, Publisher with Entangled Publishing. 

Rick Bleiweiss, Head of Business Development with Blackstone Publishing

Stacy Boyd, Harlequin

I've never been to any writers' conference before, but had considered going for years. I'm so glad that I took a risk and signed up. There's still space if you're interested, so click on the link to find out more.

My goal is to finish my Alaska romance that I started last summer and have that as my 'pitch' item. I've never done an in-person book pitch before, so that will be new as well. But what the heck!? I am not really believing I will get any deal out of this conference at all. I really just wanted to be with my own 'people' (as we writers are weirdoes) and learn some more about how to improve my writing and make a big sale someday.

Six months to go before the big event. My book should be done in October with plenty of time for editing and perfecting before I pitch.


Wednesday, July 18, 2018

The Little Black Box - Pre-order Now

Hello, everyone!

It's been quite some time since I posted anything. I had a love affair with my blog and then it disappeared. So I will try to post more often. Today's post is about my upcoming release for my latest paranormal suspense, The Little Black Box:


When thoughts can kill.

After the suspicious suicides of several student test subjects, Paula Crenshaw, research assistant in Paranormal Sciences at Blackridge University and budding telekinetic, suspects they may be connected to a little black box designed to read auras. Professor Jonas Pritchard, the head of the department and renowned paranormal expert, doesn't believe his precious experiment could be causing students to drop like flies.

Haunted by memories of a childhood accident, which she believes she caused with her untamed psychic abilities, Paula finds herself lured to the black box and its mysteries. But when her best friend, Lark, comes close to death after her encounter with the black box, Paula realizes her investigation might endanger the people she loves most. As the suicides stack up, she convinces her fellow researcher, Will Littlejohn, to help her solve the conspiracy. The closer they get to the truth behind who might be financially backing the project and why, the more dangerous—and deadly—it becomes.

The release date is August 14, 2018. You can pre-order the Kindle version now. There will also be a paperback version available around the same time (I never know with CreateSpace when it will show up).

This is a fun, fast-paced thriller perfect for that last summer read before September.