This is the first post of what I plan to be a handful more about each port that my husband Christian and I had the pleasure of sailing to a few weeks ago during our Mediterranean cruise. It was our first cruise ever and a smashing hit!

Having backpacked Europe back in college, I actually had more European cities under my belt than my own European husband! I’d been itching for years to let him see for himself the splendor that Barcelona, Venice, Rome, and many more European cities have to offer. Pair that with wanting to whet the “what is the hubbub about cruising, anyway?” appetite, we decided that Norwegian Cruise Line’s Spirit, touring all around the Mediterranean in April, would be a grand idea.

And boy was it! We started in Barcelona, then made our way all around France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, until we disembarked in Venice. It was 12 nights and 13 days of a great cruise experience, but not before 5 glorious days in Barcelona, the “Port Post”, if you will, of today.

Barcelona. One of the most surprising things I found in Barcelona the very first day we arrived was the flying of their flag. Not the Barcelona flag nor that of Spain, but of Catalonia. Perhaps the shock was only…shocking…because I’m coming a very flag-shy country. But I hadn’t seen so many flags of a nation fly about since the hubs and I drove through Texas. ;)

And a nation Catalonia is, in fact. Well, the Barcelona people tend to refer to their home as a nation without a state. No longer under the iron-fisted rule of Franco, the Catalan people can finally teach, learn, and speak (that’s right, speak) their own language. For forty-plus years, until 1975, Franco fought for one Spain, one religion, and one language, so that meant three of the four main languages and in essence cultures of Spain were outlawed (Basque, Galatian, and Catalan).

Now that Franco’s gone and since Spain is a part of the EU, the Catalan culture (and other regional cultures, too) is alive and vibrant! No wonder they’re flying their flag so proudly. Everywhere you look in Barcelona you’ve got the Catalan flag, two-three Spanish languages offered, and even the ritual Sardana dances!

These dances are held on Sundays at noon, after mass, in the courtyard of the Cathedral of Barcelona. Catalans gather together—and tourists are invited, too—and place their purses and bags in a pile on the ground. Then everyone holds hands, forming a circle around their belongings, and do a Greek-style dance as the band strikes up at the foot of the Cathedral’s steps. The dance is a soft sway, then a hop with a little flip of the toes, then sway and hop! It’s absolutely delightful and a must-see when in Barcelona. It took about 10 minutes to find and another 5 to watch and it’s one of the most quick, fun, and simple pleasures we got to enjoy there.

What’s the point of these dances? The Sardana dance is done to represent Catalan unity and pride, and that there’s a general sense of trust among your fellow man as your belongings are all piled together, unattended. (Though this might be the only place where you don’t feel you need to keep your eyes peeled for pickpocketers. Sadly, Barcelona is one of the hottest pickpocketing spots in Europe, but I’ll be honest with you. So long as you don’t have your head in the clouds and your bag hanging open, or your wallet in your back pocket, you should feel fine. I felt very safe and returned home with everything intact (plus a handful of souvenirs).

Barcelona is one of the trendiest European destinations these days and its refreshed waterfront glimmers and shines with obvious appeal as you fly overhead or pull into the harbor. The waterfront has been all jazzed up and is much more people-friendly, thanks to the 1992 Olympics that really rejuvenated this Franco-hit, industrial-looking harbor town. Today it offers sandy and sun-kissed beaches, a promenade of shops and eateries, and plenty of places for you to zip along on your bicycle, park it, and soak up some rays.

Christian and I rented bicycles one afternoon and rode up and down this crowded and happening promenade. I was worried about the crowds and them becoming my roadkill because I’m not the best with a rented bike. I’ve got ridiculously short legs so renting any adult bike that can accommodate this physical inconvenience is nearly impossible. (I’ve asked to ride a child’s cycle before in Germany and I was given a long, blank stare, then the final, “Nein.” Oh well.) Not being able to touch the ground with even the teensiest of tiptoes when stopped made my bike riding a little uncomfortable in Barcelona, but oh well.

It was fun, still, but stressful on top of a tad uncomfortable. The masses of people moving like slugs on the promenade, all of whom I was about to plow over because they were much slower than myself, the fact that I always seemed to be gaining speed somehow and there was never a hill in sight, and because I couldn’t stop thanks to being so dang elevated from the ground (and my rear brake was so loose it may have well not even existed), all added some stress to the ride and turned the difficult into the overtly complicated. Rest assured, no one got injured and I only nearly (nearly, I emphasize) hit a fellow biker head-on. He seemed to be a local because he quickly leapt off his bike and walked it briskly around me once he saw my worried expression and rickey advancement.

Our afternoon of cycling ended up being a forty-five minute adventure, but you know? I’d do it again. Although I’d make sure my brake worked and I’d use the toilet beforehand. Riding bumpy roads on a full bladder is what happens when you brushed off for years Mom’s warnings to use the facilities before you leave.

Barcelona’s artistic offerings, both inside and outside of the museums and churches, are really big attractions. Three names most everyone knows from the artists’ phone book when venturing to Barcelona are Gaudí, Dalí, and Picasso. Gaudí and Picasso, in particular, were top on our list when we were there.

Picasso’s museum is located in the happening Ribera district, the wealthier strip of town where merchants and shippers used to live, hence all of the fancy mansions. This museum is a spectacular collection of what this genius was capable of—from Picasso’s prodigious works as a boy (age 12) and all the way through his Blue and Rose periods, to his French Riviera days, where he passed away in 1973. There isn’t any of his Cubist work here, for which he’s most renowned, but what I really like about this museum is that you get to see Picasso in the early days. He was a true master and anyone who may write off his Cubism art as too obscure and not “masterful” (although the man is the father of invention when it comes to Cubism), his talents are evident in this museum. Think the man is too obscure and can’t run with the big and classic guys? Think again.

Picasso imitated Impressionist works, could whip out Cézanne- and Matisse-like masterpieces, and embraced Art Nouveau and the avant-garde style beautifully. Like Michelangelo, anyone would be bowled over to discover that such masterpieces were created by a wet-eared twenty-four-year-old!

There’s a lovely quote of Picasso: That as a child he was forced to paint like an adult, but as an adult he was able to paint like a child. That couldn’t be more true as this museum shows his artistic life from beginning to end, each decade becoming more and more true to himself and free. His colorful and almost childlike paintings of birds and the French Riviera in his twilight years are fabulous proof.

From Picasso to Gaudí. I first discovered and fell in love with Antoni Gaudí’s work in 2005 when I stumbled upon La Pedrera (or Casa Milà) and the Block of Discord when wandering the Eixample district. Pedrera is the Modernista (from Modernisme, Catalonia’s Art Nouveau) building in the city, with its melty-looking eaves and balconies. It was Gaudí’s last main project before he headed off to spend the rest of his life working on the Sagrada Família, his cathedral and ultimate masterpiece.

The melting look of Pedrera is just a visual feast, and getting to tour inside and on the roof was a dream finally come true! I’d wanted to tour the interior and take a look at the unique roof in 2005, but was on a shoestring budget so that wasn’t going to happen.

When touring this architectural beauty you get to see the attic, the rooftop, and an apartment, which is furnished as it was when residents lived in this swanky home at the onset of the twentieth century. The most stunning part of the tour is the rooftop. There are 30 chimneys and vents, one set of five or so that are topped with broken pieces of champagne bottles. Love this random artistic detail! The chimneys remind me of masked and protected knights in shining armor. Something of a renaissance era, perhaps.

I can’t recall everything from the audio guide, but I do remember that the chimneys and ventilation system of the building were top-notch, especially back then and considering how this building seemed to prioritize art rather than functionality. But that’s Gaudí for you. It’s functional art that you just can’t draw your eyes away from! He wanted to create a visually appealing and entertaining piece that was comfortable and functional, and you know what? I wouldn’t mind taking up residence in this masterpiece, although I’m sure the UNESCO World Heritage committee would be none too pleased with me.

By the way, did you know that Antoni Gaudí’s last name is where the English work for gaudy comes from? Fabulous!

The Block of Discord just across the way houses more Gaudí masterpieces and is filled with Modernisme architecture. At the close of the 19^th century artists and architects, like Gaudí, blended elements of nature (like roots, leaves, flower blooms, trees) with the modern styles and functionality, hence Modernisme—practical and decorative art.

The most stunning piece to come out of the Modernisme is, undeniably, Gaudí’s Sagrada Família. This is that massive gothic-esque church that has been under construction for decades upon decades. Inspired by nature, as is signature Gaudí, Sagrada Família was his baby for more than forty years. After his death in 1926, construction has slowly but surely continued. Rumor has it that with all of the donations and admission charges (hence its steep admittance price), Sagrada Família should stand tall, proud, and finished in 2026.

A few years ago it was estimated to be completed in 2040, so who knows. I sure hope I get to see it completed! Architects sign on to help complete this massive project, knowing full well they may never see it completed; but the goal to have this masterpiece unlike any other stand high above Barcelona is a shared dream of everyone who spends a cent or donates an ounce of time to help it get on its way.

Christian and I toured the interior of the Sagrada first, after we smartly bought our tickets online the night before to escape the long line (highly recommended!). That is an overwhelming church interior, ladies and gentlemen. Gaudí wanted its visitors to feel connected to nature when in the church, since he strongly believed that nothing is invented in art or life, but exists already in nature. So in come the tree-trunk-like columns and the large amounts of stained glass to reflect light and make you feel like you’re under a canopy. Light spills in and casts its radiant glow about the interior, which can hold up to 8,000 people.

There are three facades—Nativity to show Christ’s birth, Passion to show the crucifixion, and Glory to show, in the future when it’s constructed, how the soul passes through death, judgement, and on to heaven. We took the lift up inside the Nativity spire (4 spires have been built, but 18 are planned, I believe) and we got a spectacular view over the city. When you’re up there you can see up close the spires and architectural detail that have been built and are still being worked on. There are some really gorgeous mosaics done and, I’ll tell you, I couldn’t help but think of Trix, the cereal, with how the little orange and yellow and green globes look like cereal fruits. I suppose that’s the fruit and nature aspect that Gaudí was shooting for. Some pieces on the spires look like lavender and hay stalks, even asparagus heads. It’s nature-here and nature-there when you tour anything by Gaudí, not least of all the Sagrada Família! Oh, this man’s art excites me!

Let’s venture to La Rambla. This is one long (and very famous) street that runs from the Plaça de Catalunya, Barcelona’s Times Square, to the Waterfront, where the column of Christopher Columbus greets the ships at the harbor. It is the pedestrian promenade with tons of fabulous shops, eateries, and stops to make along the way, one of which is La Boqueria.

La Boqueria is a rip-roaring market that has everything you could imagine you’d want to tickle your tastebuds. From succulent fruits, nuts, and piles of candy, to sea urchins, tripe, and large slabs of the Spanish meat, jamón serrano (dry-cured Iberian ham). I enjoyed this market because it had a similar feel of Berlin’s Türkenmarkt that I love so much. Lots of people, lots of food, and always noise-noise and action-action!

The food of Barcelona is fabulous! I love tapas, so getting accustomed to this way of eating was no problem for me. For Christian, however, who’s not the keenest on tapas or pintxos (small open-faced sandwiches that are the tapas-like food in the Basque country), got used to it and enjoyed. With a cool glass of homemade sangria and tasty treats like salted and grilled pimentos, Spanish tortilla (cold egg and potato omelet), seasoned olives, marinated baby octopus, and fresh salmon with a cream cheese spread on hearty bread, all to be enjoyed outdoors as you listen to a violinist serenade you in the very square where Picasso and his friends used to take their dinners and drinks, how could anyone not enjoy? Eating like this every single night, and during some afternoons, was our idea of vacation!

By the end of our time in Barcelona we were stuffed and felt like we’d been on a big journey, but the adventure had only just begun! We still had a nearly two-week-long cruise and some post-cruise recovery time in Venice ahead of us. We did both agree, however, that if our trip were to conclude in Barcelona we still would have been very happy travelers.

In other words, if you have a chance to go to Barcelona, do it! It will not disappoint. If a combination of warm sunshine and coolish sea air, coastal views, the kindest people, a lively culture, tasty food and drink, a plethora of things to do and see, and stunning art at every corner is on your list of vacation-to-dos, then Barcelona has your name on it!

I loved the city in 2005, loved it even more in 2013, and can’t wait to return. We didn’t get to do any Salvador Dalí sightseeing, nor did we get a chance to go up to the mountaintop with the monastery, Montserrat, and I’d love to take a peek inside Gaudí’s Casa Batllo, and of course take in more tapas, pintxos, and sangria, so naturally we must head back to Barcelona some day! Have to leave something for next time, right?

Thank you for taking this journey with me to Barcelona. If you’ve been and want to share your own thoughts on this exciting Catalan city, or if you have questions, drop me a comment. I love talking travel and love swapping travel stories!

I’ll be back again soon with another “Port Post,” although I just may do a “Ship Post” because the Norwegian Spirit certainly deserves some love. :)

As the Catalans would say, Adiós.

And Happy Reading!

I’m dropping by to let all you lovely readers know of some special ebook bargains.

First, Shannon and Gina over at Writing4Two.com invited me to their blog’s Feature Friday last week. A fun little Q&A is over there, and it includes a giveaway! Enter to win a Kindle copy of When Girlfriends Chase Dreams, my latest release, over at their blog. It’s super easy and there are only 2 days left to enter, so pop on over if you like and give them some love!

Second, I’ve joined up with over 100 indie authors who are giving away copies of their books. Ebooks for Kindle, NOOK, Kobo, iPad, and more, and even some paperbacks. If you want another shot at winning a copy of When Girlfriends Chase Dreams, I’m giving away more Kindle copies right HERE at fellow indie author Elle Casey’s site.

Myself and all of these indie authors have come together to spread the word about one another’s books and give our readers a chance to find a ton of great reads and new authors for free! So if you’re looking to fill your e-reader or bookshelf with some new adventures, then definitely check out Elle Casey’s Springtime Indie Book Giveaway.

The books are organized by genre, then you can click on each book link to take a look at the synopsis to see if it’s something you’re interested in. Like what you see? Maybe a handful of books? Then just fill out Elle’s nifty online form and you’ll be entered to win! The giveaway closes on May 15th so be sure to head on over there soon.

Hope everyone’s having a delightful May. I’m finally getting back into the full swing of things after our brilliant Mediterranean cruise, including hopping on the workload for Jackie’s book, the 6^th When Girlfriends… novel! I’ll be back soon to blog about my time in Barcelona recently, too, since I’ve just gotten some photos sorted. Woo-hoo! I promise I’ll share very soon.

Happy Reading!

I hope everyone’s having a delightful spring so far. I’m in the midst of planning an exciting vacation (first cruise ever!) and I’m hard at work on When Girlfriends Take Chances, Emily’s story.

As it often happens, the characters have taken on stories and minds of their ownand I’m really loving how it’s coming along. It’s so much fun when even the writer can get surprised by loops and twists and turns. I hope you will like the book, too, when I have it ready for you this summer!

A couple updates… Last month I went on tour with Chick Lit Plus for When Girlfriends Step Up and I had a blast! I received some glowing reviews and found fun, new, chick-lit-loving blogs (and bloggers!). I also ran a successful promo of the novel with BookBub. It’s always super duper exciting to see via downloads, reviews, Facebook comments, etc that my stories are entertaining. I love my readers and thank you for reading!

If you don’t know about BookBub, head on over to their site. It’s a simple and convenient way to find books you crave, and for a bargain. The site allows you to target specific genre(s) of books that you’d like to be notified of via a daily email when there’s a freebie or sale going on. I’ve found loads of great recommendations for Women’s Fiction and have loaded up my Kindle for some cruise ship reading!

Last update before I get back to work on the novel-in-progress: I’m currently on tour, again!, with the lovely ladies over at Chick Lit Plus. I’m touring with When Girlfriends Make Choices and there’s a giveaway, too! You can find the tour page with all the blog stops throughout the month, and the giveaway details HERE. Be sure to enter to win the $20 Amazon gift card!

Have a great week and fabulous spring!

Happy Reading!

I had so much fun writing When Girlfriends Chase Dreams. Claire Linley is one of the girlfriends who has really stolen my heart over the series; and seeing how my day job is working in the wedding floral biz, the theme and storyline for Claire’s book just came so naturally.

It was one of those books where I really lost myself in the writing process for many consecutive days and hours and hours on end. It was the perfect book to tackle in November because…I set out to do NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for the first time in 2012 and this book, from start to finish, is my NaNo baby. 123,000-ish words in less than 4 weeks (plus several months of proofreading, editing, and fine-tuning), and When Girlfriends Chase Dreams is finally here for all you dear readers who have been patiently waiting. I hope you enjoy it!

So without further ado here’s the synopsis for When Girlfriends Chase Dreams.

A novel about chasing dreams, for better or worse, and living your love story.

Claire Linley is finally a bride! After nearly ten years with her college freshman sweetheart, Claire is going to become Mrs. Conner Whitley. She’s got her bridal magazines, is the biggest Martha Stewart fan, and subscribes to all the major wedding blogs. She’s been dreaming of this moment for years! How could planning her dream wedding be anything but perfect?

The easy-going and bubbly type, Claire will obviously have a blast planning, and with her fantastic group of girlfriends-made-bridesmaids she just can’t go wrong. Whether it’s wedding gown shopping, makeup trials, or cake-tasting, Claire’s friends are there in a pinch.

But how big does the pinch get? All Claire wants to do is get married, but at every turn something seems to go awry and she’s starting to lose it. How is a girl supposed to remain cool and collected when the pricey dream wedding planner isn’t turning out to be so dreamy? When DIY projects and the perfect venue are going up in smoke? How is Claire supposed to marry Conner when the special day that’s supposed to join them together, forever, is slowly tearing them apart?

This is the charming story about how sometimes the biggest events in life are defined by the smallest acts of kindness and love. It’s a love story about dreaming large, loving deeply, and, in the end, truly having the happiest day of your life, no matter what happens (or doesn’t). About what happens when girlfriends chase dreams. 

 ***

How about this cover? My husband (and fab cover artist) did a perfect job on this cover. It’s 100% how I envisioned it. Love-love! What do you think?

Next week I’m going to be blog-touring with When Girlfriends Step Up with the awesome ladies over at Chick Lit Plus. If you like you can check out my tour page HERE and that way you can keep up with all my stops throughout the week.

Happy Reading! And Happy Spring!!

The alarm clock is set to buzz a bit earlier than usual, the checklists are quite lengthy, the calendar is jam-packed. It’s a particularly busy time right now because so much is going on and some very exciting things are coming up!

I’m working on the final edits for the next When Girlfriends… novel, and things are looking very nice, I’m happy to report! I got some very helpful information from my editor over the weekend, as well as some really glowing things he had to say about the book, the characters, and the series as a whole. So right-on with that!

Also in regards to When Girlfriends Chase Dreams news, my husband finished the ebook cover and, ladies and gents, it looks FAB! I’m working on the synopsis right now and when that’s complete I’ll do a reveal. Very soon!! I think you’re going to love it… Put it this way, if you’re a big fan of wedding-themed books then you’ll love it!

It’s always a bit challenging working on two books at the same time, especially when they’re part of the same collection, so sometimes I think my brain’s going to burst, if not my goal calendar! But I really want to share my stories with you and I’ve got so many I just have to sit down, type them all out, and get those books going!

I’ve crossed the 20,000 word mark for the fifth book in the collection today, and soon it will be getting some very helpful, real-life inspiration. The fifth book is Emily’s book, and as you may know, she’s the world-traveling junkie. From Seattle to Singapore, this girl lives most of her life on the road. Needless to say, keeping her to sit still long enough for me to write her story, or trying to keep up with her intrepid ways is a challenge. Luckily, I’ll be jetting out for a lengthy vaca of my own soon, supplying me with a little R&R and tons of inspiration for Emily’s story! And when the desk looks like this…

and the patio looks like this…

that means two things: 1) Writing’s going very well, and 2) It’s time for a change of scenery and pace to refresh a bit.

I’m so excited I just have to share! The hubs and I are setting off on a two-week Mediterranean cruise, with an extra week of fun in the sun in Barcelona and Venice. I’m absolutely ecstatic about getting to revisit some favorite European cities like Rome, Pisa, and Barcelona, and getting to trek about new places like Athens, Istanbul, Mykonos, and Toulon, and getting to share them with my husband. It’s going to be awesome! Here’s a fun little map of the cities our ship will be journeying.

In preparation for our first cruise I’ve been devouring Rick Steves’s guidebook, Mediterranean Cruise Ports. It’s an excellent read and provides tons of information that will definitely help save us time when in port. I’ve read that a lot of people disembark, stare at the pile of hot, white Grecian stones, and go, “Hmmm. Do we take a cab? Sign up for an excursion with the cruise? Where do we buy Acropolis tickets? Where is the Acropolis?” With Rick Steves, not only have I been entertained for years by his free podcasts (I’m evangelical about them; check them out here or on iTunes), but I’m becoming very informed about what to do when our ship drops us in port. We’re in great hands!

I’m really looking forward to taking some time to adventure about with my husband, and I know we’ll just have a blast exploring ancient sites, visiting rugged corners of lively cities, and feasting our through each of the five countries we’ll be visiting (and at the cruise’s 24-hour restaurant, naturally).

I’m also looking forward to getting to think about Emily and her own adventures as I cruise and wander. How would she have ended up on a beach in the south of France? What piece of art would grip her most in the Uffizi Gallery? What would she have focused her camera on when wandering about the Roman Forum? Where would she pick up a tasty souvlaki in Greece or a juicy kebab in Turkey? What would her first impressions of Naples be?

Oh, all this talk is making me so excited! I’m looking forward to journeying out of town for a bit and to I’m inspired right now to get back to work on Emily’s story. So, off I go!

Happy Reading!

Boy was I going through the worst plotter’s block ever these past few weeks! Add that on top of feeling rather under the weather and sheesh…I started to think, When am I ever going to get back to work?

Over the past few weeks I tweaked the next When Girlfriends… novel, getting that prepared for the editor, and currently he’s working his magic on it so I’m super jazzed about that! I did finally manage to get my long-awaited revisions of Bumped to Berlin complete, so that was another to-do marked off the list. I even played around with a few sketches for the cover of my next book, lightly tiptoed on some ideas for its synopsis, and then, that’s right, I stared up at that grey cloud of plotter’s block doom and went, “Hmph. I have about 5% of my next book plotted and…yikes! That’s not going to cut it!”

With Bumped done and When Girlfriends Chase Dreams almost here, all signs point to work needing to be done on book number five in the collection and I have squat. Correction: I had squat.

I had squat up until today when I really got the ball rolling with the whole plotting thing. Am I ever so elated—I mean elated—to share that book five has been plotted! Not 5% plotted. Not 20%. It’s as plotted as a story gets for me before I sit down and madly type. And let me say (as I do with every book it seems), this plot is FUN! It totally went in a direction I didn’t foresee. Oh, to think how interesting the writing process will be!

I love it when the muse strikes and I just scrawl away the ideas in my notebook, then on tons of Post-Its, and the story gels and characters tell me what they want me to write. Then I feel like my head’s about to burst and I jump up and down and shout out that this is going to be such an awesome story and…I’m all alone in the apartment, making a racket, and probably looking like a crazy person to the smoking neighbor looking in across the view way. But the story has been plotted, and I am really excited to get to writing.

Now for all you lovely readers who have asked about the next book, When Girlfriends Chase Dreams, Claire’s book, that will be released mid-/late March. This story is very girly, very “classic chick lit,” it’s all about a wedding and the drama and the fun and craziness that can come with it, and, well, I really hope you enjoy it. Like with each book in the collection, I wanted to play around with POV, tense, depth of subject matter, chick lit vs. contemporary women’s fiction, etc.

Before I shut down for the day and go out for a yummy dinner with the hubs and my mother-in-law (I’m thinking Asian fusion…a ginger+lime leaf+honey tea sounds really tasty right about now), I’ll close with some updates.

The Post delivered two beauties recently. Bumped to Berlin 2nd edition and When Girlfriends Make Choices are both available in paperback now on Amazon. Oooo they look so pretty in print. I get goose pimples every time a paperback proof comes in.

I’m going on tour with When Girlfriends Step Up next month for a week with the awesome ladies over at Chick Lit Plus. You can find the details HERE.

I’ll be going on another tour, this one for three weeks and for When Girlfriends Make Choices, starting April 1^st, also with Chick Lit Plus, and those details are HERE. With this tour you can WIN a $20 Amazon gift card simply by emailing the tour coordinators a receipt of your purchase of …Make Choices. Cool, huh?

Well I’m going to make sure my plotting notes are all organized for tomorrow’s busy day of writing, but I wish you a fantastic day!

Happy Reading!

Guess what I’ve been up to for the past few months? Well, technically since last summer? I’ve been giving Bumped to Berlin, my first book and personal narrative/travelogue about the expat life in Berlin, a makeover! I hired an editor, tinkered around with the story’s structure, added and omitted scenes and anecdotes, and just all-around polished it up.

After much consideration (and then after a lot of editing and more contemplation), I decided to release a revised, new-and-improved, second edition of my very first book. I think I’ve kept to the original voice and feel of the book, but with some fine-tuning and sprucing up where I felt it needed it. So now I am very proud to present to you Bumped to Berlin, the 2nd edition!

For those of you who have read the original and are interested in reading the new version, or for those of you who have the original version on your ereader and are about to dive in to it, wait just a sec! You can snag the new version for zero buckaroos and I have some helpful hints on how to get it. And, naturally, for you newcomers, you can also get in on the fun for FREE!!

There are 2 ways to get the new version for free that I’ve figured out. If anyone knows any other ways please share in the Comments section.

1) Go to the “Manage Your Kindle” page on Amazon. Where’s that at? (It took me several months of owning my Kindle until I realized I could manage it through Amazon—silly me.) Just go to Amazon, then on the top right section where it says: “Hello, [NAME] Your Account” hover over it and a drop-down menu will appear. Nearly half-way down the menu you’ll see “Manage Your Kindle.” Click that. Then you can search for Bumped to Berlin and there just might be an “update available” thingy by the title, in blue. You can then click on this option to update the book to the “corrected version.” That should get you the brand-spankin’ new read for free. Mind you, this only works if you have the original book on your Kindle library.

2) February 12-16 I’ll be promoting the new edition by making it FREE on Amazon. If you already have the original version and want the new one (and step 1 doesn’t work or isn’t available), then you’ll have to delete the original from your library before Amazon will let you buy the new one. Reason being, you can’t buy the same product twice on Amazon, even if it’s a freebie, so it’s super easy to just follow the instructions in step 1 to get to the “Manage Your Kindle” section. Then when you get to Bumped hover over the “Actions” tab on the far right. Click on the “Delete from Library” option. (Deleting the book from your Kindle won’t do the trick. You’ll have to delete the whole kit and caboodle from the library here.) Once this original version is deleted, then you will be able to pick up the new edition, and for free. Just be sure to “buy” it anytime during these dates when it will be free: 12 − 16 February

And you may notice that there’s a shiny new cover too? Yuppers! My husband wanted to give it a little extra somethin’. I think the pink touch and the extra cute items give it a nice sparkle, but at the same time keeps with the original look. What do you think?

Well it’s off to work I go on getting the 2nd edition paperback formatted. That should be available in the next week or so…I’m hoping.

Many thanks to everyone who has been so supportive and encouraging with Bumped to Berlin! From the publication of the original version, through this new release. Thank you!

Have a great Sunday and Happy Reading!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Girly Book Blog Hop: Location, Location, Location. I loved all of the comments. Thank you – thank you! There were a lot of great blog posts, some awesome activity from you guys, and prizes galore!

So who won the $10 Starbucks gift card? The winner is……..Kimberly Holgate! Congratulations, Kimberly! Your e-gift-card will be on its way!

And the winner of the Grand Prize Girly Goodie Package can be found on the host, Libby Mercer’s, Blog. That prize package also includes some German chocolate from me, sent right from Germany, so hang tight because shipping can take a while.

It’s been a delight getting to hop around with you; I can’t wait to do it again!

Many thanks to the awesome-possum coordinator of this Hop, Libby Mercer. These Hops require a lot of coordination and work and I really appreciate the job well done, Libby.

Have a great week, everyone, and a big, warm welcome to all you new Twitter, Facebook, and Blog friends!

Happy Reading!!

Seattle, Washington. I first fell in love with this city on the big screen. One of my favorite films is the beautifully B-rated Assassins, an early film of hottie-hot-hot Antonio Banderas’s, and it’s set in Seattle. I saw the film, definitely saw the hunky Spaniard, saw the big city of Seattle, and then I kind of saw myself in the film’s setting, minus the whole shooting thing. Somehow, from that, a desire to visit Seattle had been born.

And when I became a fan of Frasier, my desire to visit this coastal city went through the roof! I can’t really explain what it was about Seattle, or at least how it was portrayed on screen, but something about it just captured me. It immediately found its way on my bucket list.

Last summer my husband surprised me with a trip to Seattle and let me tell you, it met all of my expectations and then some! Clean streets, super friendly and easy-going people, quaint indie shops right alongside impressive high-rise offices and lofts, a fetching waterfront, an unparalleled outdoor marketplace, vibrantly green landscapes, picturesque mountains and hills… In love a bit much?

One of my favorite things about Seattle, and perhaps is also a reason as to why I fell in love with it on screen, is the coffee and café culture. In many parts of Seattle you can just smell the aromatic bean straight ahead, wafting from an adorable café.

And the best part? The people of Seattle are big-time readers and bookshop enthusiasts. Quaint bookshops here and there, and, of course, the famous Elliott Bay Book Company. And I don’t know about you, but nothing beats a warm coffee with a good book.

With all of this love for Seattle I just had to set my books there! My chick lit collection—the When Girlfriends… collection—takes place in this fabulous city. Three books later, the girlfriends have proven themselves to be the U-Dub-shirt-wearing, café-opening, park-loving, and bookstore-going kinds of girls I imagined they’d be.

If you want to take a mini trip to Seattle and meet my eclectic group of fun girlfriends, there are some sales and freebies going on in celebration of my latest release (When Girlfriends Make Choices) that just came out today!

When Girlfriends Break Hearts is FREE on Amazon right now through the 19^th!!

When Girlfriends Step Up is 99 cents for a couple of days only!!

Okay. Prize time! Since Seattle is my location topic it only makes sense that I give away a Gift Card to Starbucks—born and bred right on the waterfront in Seattle! (And, if in town, you can even go to the first Starbucks location ever!)

What Can You Win on This Hop?

Grand Prize: An Ultimate Girly Books Goodie Package packed with paperbacks, ebooks, gift cards, fab swag, and even a bit of German chocolate, sent to one lucky winner! 

This Blog Hop Stop Prize: $10 Starbucks Gift Card

Enter to Win a *FREE* $10 gift card to Starbucks!

How to Enter:  Just use the Rafflecopter thingy below, leaving a Blog comment (with your email address) answering the question: What’s Your Favorite Place to Grab a Coffee? And to earn BONUS entries, just “Like” my Facebook Page and/or follow me on Twitter!

Enter to Win the Grand Prize Package!

How to Enter:  Click on the link #35 in the list of hopping Blogs below (or HERE). You can then enter via Rafflecopter and the more tasks you complete, the more bonus entries, and hopefully you’ll win the big prize!!

Thank you so much for stopping by my Blog during the Girly Book Blog Hop: Location, Location, Location. Be sure to keep on hopping as there are a lot of great posts to read, locations to “visit,” and prizes to win. Have a great time and best of luck!

Happy Reading…and Hopping!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Where to Hop to Next? Follow this Handy Linky List!

There’s so much going on right now so I’ll get right to it!

NEW RELEASE!! The third book in the When Girlfriends… collection is coming soon! The official release date is January 17^th, tomorrow. (Although with upload times being unpredictable, it just might already be up on Amazon…) I am so excited about this release. It’s my favorite book so far, which is funny because I started off feeling very unsure about it. With a fantastic and detailed cover, a great group of girls to write about, and an intriguing plot, I send out When Girlfriends Make Choices and hope you enjoy it!

Also in the front page of the news today…in celebration of the release of When Girlfriends Make Choices the second book in the collection, When Girlfriends Step Up, will be a bargain price of 99 cents. It’ll only be on sale for a few days this week so if you haven’t read it yet, be sure to snag it up for cheap on Amazon!

And…When Girlfriends Break Hearts, the first book in the collection, will also be a bargain book. It’ll be FREE on Amazon from January 17^th-19^th.

More front page news is coming! Tomorrow and all the way through the 21^st, author Libby Mercer will be hosting the Girly Book Blog Hop. The topic is Location, Location, Location, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be participating in the hop, chatting about my When Girlfriends… collection location: Seattle!

During the Hop there will be chances for you to win some free ebooks, gift cards, fun swag, and a big Grand Prize Package, not to mention it’s a great way for you to meet new authors and find new books. It’s going to be a blast so I hope you join in.

The Hop officially starts tomorrow, but you can find more details HERE.

I hope you enjoy my new book and enjoy the Blog Hop.

Will be back blogging tomorrow!

Until then…

Happy Reading!