Talk like a pirate and eat donuts day

Mark your calendars for next year--September 19th is talk like a pirate day! And if you also dress like a pirate and go to Krispy Kreme donuts, you can have a dozen donuts free!
5 dozen donuts is a lot of donuts.

Anika Fair

It's been such a long time since I blogged. My children are complaining.  There is so much to catch up on that it seems overwhelming to start.
I've decided to do a post on each of my children, summarizing a few things that have happened to each lately.
This is a mommy blog.

Anika turned 16! She dates, she drives, she went to Homecoming.

 She borrowed the dress from a friend and her aunt Rebekah did her hair and makeup.  Low stress,  unlike the rest of her life.

Her backpack contains her entire course load for each day--her locker is in a back hallway and is too far away for her to get to between classes.  Her back hurts. She leaves before the sun comes up and stays after school to practice for pit orchestra for the school musical.  She needs more sunlight in her life.  She is tired.

BUT! She is a straight-arrow, straight-A student,  a good friend (who wishes her friends would stop dating each other, breaking up, and ruining the group dynamic), a great help, and all around awesome person. 

Before the end of the year she hopes to: take the PSAT and kill it, be the best flautist West Side Story has ever heard,  get her braces off (fingers crossed, but not her bite, not anymore).

The Magic Wakes--Blog Tour

I clearly remember how and when I met Charity Bradford, author of The Magic Wakes. It was fifteen years ago and I was sitting in my basement apartment, barely recovered from postpartum depression and still feeling fragile as a new mom.  I heard my upstairs neighbor saying hello to a new couple that had just moved in to the house next door to us.  They were on their way back from the hospital with their first baby.  I was so excited to know there was another new mom nearby!

Charity must have forgiven me for inviting myself over as soon as I did, because we are still friends today.  We had several things in common--we both like to sew, though I make clothes and she sews elaborate, beautiful quilts.  We both like to cook, though she makes elaborate, beautiful cakes and I just eat them. And we both like to read--a lot--especially science fiction and fantasy.  But somehow I didn't know then that she wanted to be a writer.  I only learned this in the last few years when she was already well on her way. I was lucky enough to be an early reader of what has now become her first novel--

I've been so impressed with Charity as she moved forward with her goal of getting her book published. She's worked so hard and it has paid off!  I really enjoyed reading The Magic Wakes, even the third time through. The world she created is different, but still feels comfortable enough that it never takes you out of the story to learn about it. The pace of the book is fast and doesn't get bogged down in description.  I liked that the invading enemy has a legitimate grudge against the people of her planet. I don't want to give away any more of the plot so I'll just say that I recommend you read this book.  Right now you can get it on Kindle for $1.99!

And now for some links:

Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/CharityBradford.SendekSaga

Twitter—https://twitter.com/charitybradford

Blog—http://charitywrites.blogspot.com

Website—http://charitybradford.com

And here she is:

Author Bio

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Charity Bradford has been a voracious reader ever since her 5th grade teacher introduced her to the world of books with Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of the Monkeys. She’s the mother of four kids that keep her on her toes, constantly reminding her that imagination still makes the world go round. She lives in Arkansas with her hubby and children, and firmly believes that a smile can solve most problems. The Magic Wakes is her first novel.