Be part of the book!

Olive has made her way into the world, but could use a little help reaching past the usual readers. This is an easy little contest and won't take more than four seconds of your time - I promise. In return, you not only get to name a character who will appear in episode two, you'll also get to read the second installment before release day - for free!

There's no catch.

All you have to do is share the link: getBook.at/Olive1 via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog with the hashtag #OJSunshine before March 10, 2015, and you'll automatically be entered into the draw. The link must appear in the text of your post, not just in an image you share, so don't forget to copy and paste it. (If you do share the link on your blog, please let me know by email, as blogs are harder to track).

"Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is only available on Amazon.

Episode One: The Name of the Game

Today's the day!

Olive is making her appearance on Kindles (and Kindle Apps) everywhere! She's a sassy, snobby, selfish character you will probably love and hate with equal passion. I know I do!

For years, Olive has been whispering in my ear, and I've finally found the best way to let her have her say. Each month, a new story in the series will be posted, and more of Olive's secrets revealed.

If you do decide to meet Olive, in all her snarky glory, don't forget to let me know what you thought on Amazon, Goodreads, or right here, on my blog.

Sunny with a Twist of Olive - the cover is ready!

The magical wizard of the cover designing world has worked her magic and created this masterpiece for "Sunny with a Twist of Olive". 

Those sunglasses hide the eyes of a mischief-maker: a party-girl who is about to realize the festivities are over. It's time to clean up the chaos, sweep away the party favours, and deal with the aftermath of the shattered piñata.

"Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is a serialized novel; a new episode will be published on Kindle each month starting March 1st, 2015. When the story is complete, it will be available on all platforms. 

Decisions, decisions, decisions... cover design for Sunny with a Twist of Olive

For years, I've had a character chittering in my ear about her escapades. She's snarky, ambitious, funny, and determined to have her story told. "Sunny with a Twist of Olive" is chick lit with a dark side. Olive is a 30-year-old divorcee who thinks she hit rock bottom when her marriage fell apart. She likes to party, sleep around, and often forgets she has adult responsibilities. It's time to set Olive free in the literary world and see where her stories take us.

The first installment in the serial is set for publication on March 1st. Each month, a new episode will be published, giving Olive lots of time to express herself. The only thing left to do is select a cover design. Because I couldn't decide between the three concepts Jo Clendening created, she gave me permission to post the raw, unedited versions on social media. 

After doing so, and reading all the fabulous responses, I might be a little closer to a cover design... 

You'll have to watch this space to see which one we decide to perfect. 

February doesn't have to be cold...

Aside from February being the shortest month of the year, it also tends to be the coldest, especially if you live in Canada. There are, however, many ways to keep toasty warm, and feel good about doing it.

1. Read romance stories... of course you had to know this was coming. In time for Valentine's Day, Morning Rain Publishing released it's second compilation of short stories. One of them is mine, the other five are also fantastic.

2. Donate to a special cause! It's cold out there and not everyone has the advantages of warm shelter and food.This year, I'm participating in the "Coldest Night of the Year Walk" to help raise funds and awareness for those who are homeless, hungry, and hurting. It's easy to donate... and if you do, I'll write a flash fiction story, just for you!

3. Bake something... nothing warms you up like a family baking spree. We often save these kinds of activities for the holidays, but when it's this cold outside, nothing warms you up like melty chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate.

4. Create something... being crafty not only takes the edge off of winter boredom, it refuels your energy, and gives you that warm feeling of accomplishment. You don't have to be a great artist to embark on a bit of crafty fun.

5. Go outside. I know, it's freezing cold out there... but, if you live in Canada, it's a simple fact of life. Build a snowman, go tobogganing, check out local winter festivals, find an outdoor skating rink, or just get involved in an old fashioned snowball fight. When you come back inside, your cheeks will be rosy, your toes will be feel toasty, and those cookies you made earlier will taste even better.

Surviving February can actually be fun and before we know it, spring will be knocking at the door, and we'll have the mud and the slush and the rain to contend with... and we might even be wishing for these cold, crisp winter days.

Presents for everyone!

In celebration of my birthday weekend, all my adult fiction books are free on Kindle! Just follow the links below to download the titles that interest you most.

Willow didn't know that spicing up her routine life with small changes could ultimately lead her through a soul-searching experience that would forever change the way she thinks of herself and the people who surround her.

myBook.to/RememberNewvemberbyJMBogart

Roxanne sees a frumpy, dumpy, painfully plain, rundown single mother when she looks in the mirror.  A change of job, an unexpected guest and a fresh look at her teenage daughter give Roxanne new insights into how her life has spiraled into a vortex of nothingness.

myBook.to/ReflectionsbyJMBogart

Raised by unorthodox parents in a secluded cottage, only to be set free in the wilds of Montreal, Tulip Garden is painfully naive and needs to grow up fast. Torn between money, masks, and the sinking feeling she is falling into madness, Tulip struggles to discover who she is, what she needs, and where she's headed in this crazy escapade called life.

myBook.to/MoneyMasksMadnessbyJMBogart 

 Don’t have a Kindle eReader? That’s not a problem. Kindle has a number of free apps you can download to your computer, phone, or tablet!

Happy reading!

Monday = Procrastination Station

Mondays are a lie filled with hope, the prospect of productivity, and the intention to make the week worthwhile. At least, they are until the alarm sounds at 5:30am. Every Sunday night I trick myself into thinking it's a good idea to get up earlier than usual, expecting to get an hour of work done before the kids wake up. The intention is to throw off the blankets, trundle through the hall to my office, and start tapping away at the keyboard. No coffee necessary.

But... the house is freezing that early in the morning, my brain is always foggy, and I usually manage to convince myself that I don't need to get a head start on the day. Not really. What I really need is to be enveloped in the soothing warmth of blankets, to nestle into the half-sleep of dreams that can be remembered, and to be gifted with another ambitious hour of peaceful slumber. 

I don't even know why I do this to myself. The promise of Monday productivity is wrapped in the deceit of procrastination. I know setting the alarm for 5:30am will result in one of two things:

1. Turning off the alarm completely, resulting in a late start to the day

2. Hitting the "snooze" button repeatedly... which is actually worse because I don't even get the extra hour of sleep my brain and body crave. 

I can't be the only person in the world who is tricked by the promise of a brand new week. I can, however, change the vicious cycle, break the bad habits, and accept the inevitable: Monday is all about the procrastination station. On the bright side, my kind of procrastination can be productive. I haven't completed the initial tasks I set out to do, but I have updated all my social media sites, written this blog, answered correspondence, created a priority list, and started on  my actual "to-do" list...  

Monday - you no longer fool me with your false promises and fresh outlook. And that's okay - I've come to terms with it and will use my weakness for you to my advantage.