Living Life in July -- it's all about Costco

It's a been a busy week in July for me, so I thought I'd jump right in with a visit to Costco!  COSTCO I get paid every 2 weeks on Wednesday. Payday! I LOVE  payday! So every payday I go to Costco. They got everything you need in bulk. Shopping patterns have changed a bit. When the boys were young-lings, I bought diapers. Now, I need a meat aka steak, water, paper towels and toilet paper. I am MYSTIFIED at how they sell out of toilet paper and paper towels every day. How does that happen? And then don't get me going on Lysol and Wipes. I can't find them at Costco. I can find Wipes at Smart N Final and I have to pay my co-worker to get Lysol aka like the black market or the Hob in District 12. I guess I should troll Amazon more often for the Lysol. I just saw that I can get a 2 pack for 33.00 and have it delivered by 28 JUL. haha. HOWEVER, I just broke down and bought a portable UV light off of Amazon. It's suppose to arrive today when I get home.  I like to troll the book section in Costco because you can always find a gem there. And I like to get my work jeans there. They sell Gloria Vanderbilt pants there which I find fit me well. I like the shrimp packs, and the vitamins section. They have good dips there, too. I like to get my raspberries there, too.  Of course, I'm a sucker for free samples which I  have been lacking thanks to COVID.  And we've gotten some nice TVs and printers from there.  I pay for the Executive Membership because I usually buy enough through the year to pay itself off.  Any Costco fans out there? What do you like to buy at Costco? WRITING I was able to update one of my short stories, "Young Witchcraft," which I'm thankful, for. Since I have extra time since I'm not scouting. I'm hoping to update my writing. I'm trying to find a home for a couple of stories/novels that lost homes when Victory Tales Press and Desert Breeze went out of business. My progress has been slow since I've got a bunch of other stuff to do, but it's nice to find time here and there to work on it.  THE HOUSE & THE LATEST HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECT  The other "big" thing I did this week was coordinate with All Bright Painting to get the exterior of our house painted. We've owned our house for 20 years and it's time. The paint job is looking a little haggard. A lot of other houses in the neighborhood have painted and they look fresh. We look old. So... we got our estimate (5995.00) and saw the color lady who updated our colors and took the "pink" out of the paint. Not sure what happens next. I'll sure I'll find out next week. But it is exciting to think the house will look fresh again. We got an estimate to stain our patio cover which was 6700.00 (more than to paint the house!!) so Mr. Bee decided to do it himself. Him and big boy Bee are sanding today.   Well, that's my week. How was yours?  **** Check out my summer romance, "Journey of the Heart:" James returns to his home in California after World War II only to find out he's lost his farm. His way of life gone, James becomes a journeyman, selling Bibles, looking for a sense of purpose.   Rachel Santori's winery is in trouble. She's looking for someone to trust. When Rachel meets James, she can't deny how he penetrates her soul with his long, lonely looks. Can James find a sense of belonging at Rachel's winery? Can love mend both their weary hearts?    EXCERPT: The bells over the door jingled as a customer left. A young woman in her early twenties walked in escorted by an elderly gentleman dressed in brown slacks, a white shirt, suspenders, and a polka dot bowtie.  She glanced at James, her eyes widening a little, and a spark passed between them. Slender and tanned, the lady possessed a mane of thick ebony hair and soft moss green eyes that pierced his heart. She had high, exotic cheekbones, yet worry etched the lines of her face. Had she known hardship recently? She approached the older man behind the counter, her stride resonating with purpose, her expression full of determination.  "Good day, Mr. Smith." "Miss Rachel. How are you today?" He folded his hands in front of him, offering her a smile.  "I have a business proposal for you." "Go ahead." The elderly man remained at her side. James walked toward the counter, his sandwich and soda in hand. Something in his gut told him she needed help – really needed it. The sound of her voice? The way she avoided the man's question? The hint of desperation in her expressive eyes? He wasn't sure.  "I'd like to sell you three cases of my best wine." He raised a bushy eyebrow. "The 1928 Chardonnay?" "Yes." "Why, I shared a bottle with your father before he died. He was very proud of that vintage – wanted to save it for special occasions." "The harvest is coming and I need to be able to pay my workers." James slowly inched closer, listening intently. "I can offer you five hundred dollars." "Now, now, Mr. Smith." The elderly gentleman tapped his gnarled finger on the counter. "You know the wine is worth much more than that. Five hundred is not a fair price." Journey of the Heart is part of the Kindle Unlimited program.  Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Heart-Stephanie-Burkhart-ebook/dp/B07S1VL7JZ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Stephanie+burkhart&qid=1595187253&sr=8-1

Welcome Guest Author - Linda McMaken

STEPH: I'd like to welcome fellow Desert Breeze Author, Linda McMaken to the blog today. She's penned an "ancient" historical with a Roman setting called "Granite Rose." I love historicals and Linda's story sounds very intriguing. Linda, What is "Granite Rose" about?

LINDA: The Granite Rose is about two people caught up the web of politics beyond their control. They are from two different cultures, two peoples that hate each other, and two countries that have been entangled for years, each striving to advance their own political agenda.


STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

LINDA: Gosh, I started years ago, put it on the back shelf as other projects needed to be finished. It is also set in ancient Rome, which is not exactly an era many publishers, particularly romance publishers are eager to publish.

STEPH: What was the inspiration behind the story?

LINDA: I am a book nerd and while reading a book on ancient Rome, I came across an interesting article about Dacia. I had never really heard of the country before except that it was defeated by Rome. Dacia is modern day Romania (hence the country being called Romania) and they were a very proud, advanced and cultured people. As I researched more on the Dacian people, I became more fascinated by the events that surrounded the war between them and Rome. Then one day Sianna strolled into the picture and the Granite Rose was born.

STEPH: Marcus is the hero. What are his strengths? Weaknesses?



LINDA: Marcus is an alpha male, a Roman general. He has been in battles, he has been at the right hand of the Emperor, and he has lost family. He cares deeply for his family, he is patriotic, he believes Rome is right and mighty, and all the is good in the world.

He is conflicted, however particularly after meeting Sianna. She changes his mind on many things. In Rome during this era, marriage for love was unheard of. Marriage was a legal contract with specific entitlements, nothing more. If you married for love you were considered a weakling. He had to overcome a lot of cultural indoctrination to finally go after Sianna for love.

He also discovered that Rome wasn't always right, and the emperor could be his worst enemy.


STEPH: What does Sianna find appealing about Marcus.

LINDA: Sianna finds that at his core, Marcus is a stand-up guy. He has taken in his niece and nephew to raise, and he loves his family. Even though in the beginning, she is his hostage, he doesn't abuse her, other than verbal threats, she understands he is a warrior, but would never injure an unarmed opponent.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research regarding the setting?

LINDA: I did do quite a bit of research to get things just right. Still, it is a fiction novel, so there are some liberties I took. LOL

STEPH: What's the theme of the story?

LINDA: Sometimes your enemy can turn into your greatest ally, and that inside all of us, I think, lurks a soul of "granite".


STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

LINDA: Oh, a panster!


STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

LINDA: No I don't.

STEPH: Fun question: Do you have any Easter customs/traditions you'd like to share?

LINDA: We always color Easter Eggs. My mom always made pickled eggs and even though they aren't my favorite thing, I make a few of them because it reminds me of her.



EXCERPT:
They entered the villa, finding Trajan and Hadrian engaged in a heated argument, ending with Trajan throwing a goblet across the room.

Marcus entered first, keeping Sianna behind him.

"You," Trajan yelled, pointing as he walked toward her. "Dacian, I want to talk to you now."

"What has happened Trajan?" Marcus asked, keeping himself between the raging emperor and Sianna.

"That barbarian Decebalus killed Longius." He grabbed her arm, jerking her out from behind Marcus. "Why Dacian?"

With Hadrian's help, Marcus wrenched Trajan's hand off her arm. The small struggle seemed to relax Trajan's temper. He stomped across the room. Sianna shuddered. Gods, could her father have betrayed her again? Could he have forfeited her life by killing the Roman?

"She was here, she had nothing to do with his murder," Hadrian pleaded.

"When did you receive word?" Marcus asked, helping Sianna to a chair. "Stay quiet, say nothing, understand?" he whispered to her.

"Tonight." Hadrian handed a rolled parchment to him. "Decebalus states he had him executed seven days ago when negotiations broke down."

"May I read it?" Sianna meekly asked.

"You have no right to read it, Dacian," Trajan yelled across the room.

Sianna stood up, scared and angry. "If my father is being accused of murder, I have every right to find out why." Her temper soared. If her life was already forfeit, she had no reason to hold her tongue.

She took the parchment from Marcus and read it carefully. "This was written by a Roman," she quietly announced.

"It was written by your father," Hadrian corrected her.

"No, a Roman wrote this. The name of our capitol city, Sarmizegetusae, is spelled the way it would appear in Latin, not Dacian." She laid the parchment on a table, pointing out the Latin word to Trajan

"It excuses nothing. Your father is a murderer." Trajan pointed a finger at her, inches from her face. The man who had kissed her hand and thanked her for saving his wife only just weeks ago was gone. In his place was a Roman warrior, a general, an emperor that was about to decimate her country.

"Why would he tell you he killed him? Don't you think he would let you believe he was still alive to get me back? He had no reason to murder this man. Someone is trying to slander his name by falsely accusing him." She was not willing to believe her father would actually jeopardize her life, not this way, not this easily. "Someone with much to gain by a war between our nations is responsible for this." The Dacian traitor, she thought.

"No, Dacian, for this Decebalus and Dacia will pay and will pay dearly." Trajan slammed a fist against a table.

Sianna pulled the dagger from Hadrian's sheath and charged across the room. "Here," she stabbed it into the wooden table, almost piercing Trajan's hand. "If you need a Dacian life to make things equal, take mine." She fell to her knees offering her life.
In an instant, Trajan ripped the dagger from the table, grabbing her hair at the nape of the neck, bending her head backwards, and held the blade tight against her throat.

"Trajan, no." Marcus unsheathed his dagger. Hadrian grabbed his arm. Marcus slung him against the wall. "Trajan."

"Are you scared to die, Dacian?" Trajan was cold, cruel.

Sianna was more terrified than she'd ever been in her life. This was where she would die. Nineteen years was all the gods had given her. She was not meant to die in her beloved Dacian mountains. She prayed the emperor would be mercifully quick.
"Yes, very afraid," she whispered.


REVIEW
I became a fan of this author from her first book, "Baer Truth" which was a romantic comedy that was a good fun read. I saw that this book had been published and bought it based on the previous book. I'm glad to say that it didn't disappoint. It has non-stop action with many twists and turns, the characters are well developed and her history was well researched. From the ranches of Wyoming to the halls of Rome, I'm looking forward to where Ms. McMaken takes me next. - T. Walker - Amazon Reviewer

Find Me Here:
Website: www.linda-mcmaken.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lindamcmaken
Twitter: http://twitter.com/makenwords
Blog: www.makenwords.blogspot.com

My books can be found at: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok


Giveaway: I have a lovely Rose Pendant and a copy of the book that I am giving to one commentor.