Must Haves for Camping #OpenBook Blog Hop

With the Memorial Day holiday marking the unofficial beginning of summer in the United States, the season of cookouts and camping has arrives. What are your "must haves" for these events?


I started camping when I was a Girl Scout, eons ago, and learned the basic skills. As I got older, we moved on to more advanced knowledge. I even took a forest survival course one summer (not with the Girl Scouts.)

But camping as an adult, I like to keep it simple. I don't want to spend hours tending a fire or making sure the charcoal is at the perfect heat. I have better things to do.

There are a few things I'm willing to splurge on. Really good chocolate for S'mores and Banana Boats. Real butter for roasted corn on the cob. Better quality burger.

But food is only one part of camping. I found out, through experience, that it makes sense to buy quality equipment. A foam cooler won't do the same job as a high quality one. A good  tent will keep you drier in a rainstorm than a cheap one. And don't skimp on safety equipment. (Yes, a bucket and shovel are necessities for camp fire safety.)

Speaking of safety, first aid supplies need to be checked each year, expired items thrown away and new ones bought. If they have been stored in hot or cold conditions, they may expire faster than they would in a climate controlled environment. A good practice is to start fresh with everything each year just in case.

There's one more must-have. Or two. Peace and quiet. When I go camping, I like to be in an out-of-the-way spot with as few people around as possible. I'm constantly in search of a spot that only a few people know about. Those spots are disappearing as more and more people discover the joys of camping. I think I spotted a new one this past weekend, so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Now, even though I'm a day late, I'm off to find out what the others in this hop consider as their must-haves.





May 28, 2018
With the Memorial Day holiday marking the unofficial beginning of summer in the United States, the season of cookouts and camping has arrives. What are your "must haves" for these events?





Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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What's in a Headline? #OpenBook Blog Hop

Do you read the trashy tabloids while you wait in line at the grocery store? What headlines grab your attention and why?

It's been a long time since I've perused the headlines of one of those tabloids that used to grace every checkout stand in every  grocery store. I remember the days when Elvis sightings seemed to be the main headline each and every week, followed closely by alien abductions. But now I gravitate towards self-checkout (I'm faster than most of the cashiers!) so I don't stay caught up on the "news."

So, I decided to make a visit to the website of one of the more famous of the tabloids. With a certain royal wedding in the news, I picked a good week for it. The top headline screamed "Meghan Markle's Secret First Husband Found." (We all knew she'd been married before, right?)

Then we get a story about William Shatner hitting on his co-stars. Yawn. Move along.

Ah, another story inspired by the royal wedding. Decades of dirt! Bizarre lost sex secrets of the royal family! Let's find out about what sex toys they use. Because sex sells.

 There's about five more stories tied to the wedding, neatly interspersed with the sordid stories of other celebrities. To my disappointment, not a single Elvis or alien in site. So here's my headline-"Elvis attends the royal wedding in disguise!"

Let's try another one. "Meghan Markle's first husband was an alien!" Or "Is Prince Harry a virgin?" How about "Did the ghost of Princess Diana walked Meghan Markle up the aisle?"

I could keep going- "Harry and Meghan's marriage doomed" but I don't want to have all the fun. Make up your own headline and share it in the comments. In the meantime, I'm going to check out and see what the other authors favorite tabloid headlines are.



May 21, 2018
Do you read the trashy tabloids while you wait in line at the grocery store? What headlines grab your attention and why?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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Top 5 junk foods #OpenBook Blog Hop

Tell us about your top five junk foods or your top five healthy snacks.

I happen to like chocolate. A lot. It's my "stress" food.
And I'm not terribly picky about what shape or form chocolate comes in. But I do love a good brownie.A good gooey but not raw brownie.

Unfortunately, I can't make good brownies. I blame it on the oven cooking unevenly or not keeping the temperature consistent. Or maybe I don't have a good recipe. And boxed mixes never have quite the right flavor. So when someone who is a better cook than I am offers me a brownie, I won't turn it down. Heck, I won't turn it down even if it's no better than mine!

We're not done with chocolate yet. Second on my list are chocolate chip cookies. I like mine a bit on the thicker side so the middle are soft. I'm good with throwing in nuts and chunks of chocolate, something a bit more tasty than normal chocolate chips. I'm even good with white chocolate in my cookies.

I could go on with the chocolate theme but it's time for a little variety. How about ice cream? As a teenager, I worked for a short time in an independent ice cream shop. I  got to order the different flavors of ice cream from an small dairy and make all sorts of goodies With no corporate rules to follow, the customers could mix and match whatever flavors and toppings they wanted. Some of the creations were works of art. And of course, peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top were standard. But I got spoiled and it's hard to find ice cream that matches the flavor from that dairy (that doesn't exist anymore.)

Moving along and avoiding chocolate...jelly beans! Even the black ones! All year long, not just as Easter. I know they aren't calorie free, but somehow they seem "healthier" than most other candies.

And we're down to number five, and I can't resist. More chocolate. Dark chocolate, specifically. give me a chunk of good, rich, dark chocolate. I won't name any brands, but you can sure tell me your favorite brand of chocolate in the comments! Maybe there's one out there I haven't tried yet.

While I'm waiting, let's check out the other authors top five.

Tell us about your top five junk foods or your top five healthy snacks.

Wolves' Gambit #MFRWHooks

Wolves' Gambit is my new release. Although it's the third book in the Free Wolves series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In this scene, Lori Grenville, the main character, is confronted by Hyrum, the pack enforcer.

      Hyrum studied her, his probing gaze another intimidation tactic. “I can’t read you and I don’t like it. I don’t trust you.”

     “You mean that whole ‘thinking at each other’ thing you guys do? You’re not the only one who can’t tell what’s on my mind. I can’t explain why. Maybe it’s because I’m human and my brain works differently than yours does.” Or the months of training that taught her how to close her mind to all but the most powerful alphas.

     “You make me nervous. I'm not good to be around when I'm nervous.”

     “You make it sound like I’m some kind of threat. Little ol’ me? That’s almost funny.”

      His growl reverberated in the office. “I take my job seriously.”

      Not the most opportune time, but Lori grabbed the opening. “Why?”

      He blinked several times at the unexpected change of direction. “Why what?”

     “Why are you so committed to the Jaegers? I’ve watched how they treat you. They don’t abuse you as far as can see, but they don’t respect you either. Why do you stay here? Haven’t you ever considered returning to your pack?”

     He reacted as if she’d slapped him, taking a step backward. “Who said I’m not respected?”

     “No one has to say anything. Jaeger is using you. It’s clear by the way he treats you. You’re disposable.”

     “This pack raised me. I owe them.”

     “This pack ripped you from your family. You are an adult now. You’re free to make decisions for yourself. If you want to leave, you can.”

     Lori didn’t expect to see a shadow of sadness cross his face. “There’s no place for me to go. My pack of birth doesn’t want me. They believe I’ll be a spy for the Jaeger’s.”

     “I’m sorry, Hyrum.” She meant it sincerely. “Have you ever considered going packless?” 

     “And go where? I don't have the skills to hold a human job. How would I live?”

     “You must be good at something.”

     “I’m an enforcer. That’s who I am and I’m proud of it.”

     She didn’t want to make him angrier. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I overstepped. I’ve never heard anyone say you weren’t good at your job.”

     “As long as you understand that and don’t get in my way, Grenville. I still think you’re hiding something. If you remember anything else about the stranger, you’ll tell me, right?”

     “Absolutely.” Not. “Can I get back to work now?”

     He jerked his head towards the door. “Go.”

     As she squeezed past him, he grabbed her arm. “One more thing. I may only be the pack’s enforcer, but you’re nothing but a bartender. Understand?”

     She pulled away, ignoring the pain. She'd have a bruise in the morning. “I may be a bartender, but at least I respect myself. Do you?”

Blurb:

Wolf-shifter Lori Grenville was rescued from near-slavery and a brutal pack leader by the Free Wolves. To pay back the favor, she's dedicated her life to helping others in the same situation, leading shifters to safety and a new start, risking her life in the process. She's faced down alphas and has no qualms in undermining pack structure. 

Now she's challenged with the task of restoring an alpha to his rightful place. If she gets it right, she can stop a war from ripping apart two packs and spreading across an entire state. If she fails, she'll be among the first to die.

There's still the option of walking away and letting the Jaeger and Destin packs destroy each other. That means she'll fail in her original mission of rescuing the daughter of the Jaeger alpha before the girl is forced into marriage for political gain.

Lori hasn't failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

Buy Links

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1368542376

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wolves-gambit-1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZLFCPV

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1128396666?ean=2940159062932