Love Note - July 13th, 2020

I’m sure I’m not alone, when I say I’m a control freak who needs a routine and life planned out weeks in advance, but at the current moment, no one knows what’s happening in the next month or two (in my case, with school), and it’s driving me bonkers. I keep thinking this lifestyle will break me of my Type A behavior, but I’m not sure a personality trait can change over the course of a year.

However, I will say this … I never understood what it meant to stop and smell the roses. I mean, we live in this time where no one stops running for two seconds a day between the time they wake up and go to sleep, but now there isn’t as much to do, and aside from getting creative, home renovations, gardening, walks, long baths (that’s me lol), we’re left with no option other than to “take it easy” on our time off from work or responsibilities. Maybe I shouldn’t be speaking on behalf of others since I don’t know what everyone does in their free time (if there is free time), but I’ve had to slow down my high-speed lifestyle and it’s been rough, but I’m not sure I’d be able to return to high-speed now.

I’ve had a few people say: Wow, you must write like a madwoman with all this extra time at home … Then I sit there and think about all the time I’ve wasted since March. But in reality, this social distancing time has deprived of the most important part of writing a book which is inspiration outside of the house. I like to people watch and travel so I can log what I see, smell, hear, and feel, but losing that is crushing my soul. However, I have gotten creative, and emerged myself into documentaries, articles, sound scapes, and anything that can offer me some outside resources I’m used to absorbing. If I don’t write, I might explode, so I have to “keep swimming.” I’ve been slower with writing, but my head is full of plot ideas that will last me years at this point haha. So, there’s that!

I love hearing about new hobbies and new enjoyments people have been finding over the last couple of months. I have a desire to find some beaches and dig for sea glass. Totally random, but it sounds fun. What are some new hobbies you have found during this time?

This week, I am uploading the final file for Bourbon Nights, which releases next Monday on July 20th! Also, I might be clicking publish on the paperback a few days early so keep your eyes open.

I’m so excited to release the third book in The Barrel House Series! Brett’s story is unique to Melodie’s since he’s the silent stirring type that you’ll get to see up close.

Have you read the first two books in the series yet? You have one week to get caught up! :)

You can find the first two books on Kindle Unlimited or in the Amazon store here:

Bourbon Love Notes (Book 1)

Bourbon on the Rocks (Book 2)

I don’t know if this if funny or embarrassing, but over the last two months, I wondered why my family was so happily occupied without me. Video games … the thing to do around here. I whined a bit and said I felt left out and the house full of boys/men here begged me to play with them. They’d teach me how to play and I’d love it, and blah blah.

So, backstory … I HATE video games. I don’t have an actual reason. I grew up without a Nintendo. Maybe that’s why haha. I played my share of computer games as a kid but I don’t know; I feel like it’s a time suck and people get so angry over losing a battle, match—whatever. When my husband and I started dating, we were going through that complete list of what we love and hate in life. At the top of my list was video gaming because I wasn’t interested in dating a gamer. He assured me video games weren’t his thing, but um … he could only keep that truth hidden for the first few months of our relationship. He LOVES video games. Thankfully, I fell in love with him before I found out the truth and took that little spoiler along with having a great guy. Fifteen years later, I have two sons just like their dad, so I’ve had to get over my hatred for video games.

Being as cooped up as I’ve been, I gave into their pleas after the millionth time of asking me to join.

Um, I became obsessed in like twenty-four hours. It’s been maybe two months now and I’ve been playing Fortnite every night after work to “unwind” haha. I keep wondering what happened to me. Who am I? But whatever works. It’s quality family bonding time as we mow people down that are dressed up like Christmas trees, and most recently, Jason Momoa!? It’s like the game developers were trying to attract women in their 30s-40s to this game. Sneaky, very sneaky.

So, this is our recent family portrait lol.

I’m rounding the corner into the last third of Bourbon Fireball, book 4 (the final book). Brody is a lot to take in and I’ve been slowly breaking through his humorous personality to find what makes him who he is, but I’m getting there :).

I’ve also started plotting my next big thing, which I’m SO excited about. It will be another series like Last Words but a different place and time. Once I wrap up The Barrel Series, I’ll have more information on what’s this new story will be about.

What’s the best thing that happened to you this week?