There are four of us at home now, and it has been such a time of ups and downs, laughter and sharp words, ease and struggle. Especially the adults in our household are subject to cycling between emotions. The kids too, but in different ways. Just like on summer break, they shift between loving and hating each other, often several times in a single day. We are lucky enough to live on 5 acres in a rural community, so ALL of us are spending more time outdoors—working in the garden, exploring up in the hills, or just being easy and soaking up the spring sunshine. 

Last weekend the parks were open, and my oldest daughter and I ventured out to explore a magical woodland that's less than a 10-minute drive from our home. Because it's a city park in a very small town, we never even realized it was there. So glad we finally discovered it. 

Also this month I participated in a Twitter hashtag, #AuthorsTakeAction, to remind folks of the importance of sheltering in place to slow the spread and protect the most vulnerable among us. That resulted in lots of fun selfies with authors and their books!

Now that we can't visit theaters, coffee shops, museums, clubs, or restaurants (SIGH), we also spend quite a bit of time wrapped up in fleece blankets watching comforting old favorites (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Pride and Prejudice). And of course we're also READING BOOKS. One way I'm trying to support indie bookstores during this time is by ordering from them. I can't afford to buy everything I want to read in print, so I buy the ones with covers I really like. Most recently: Gideon the Ninth and A Secret History of Witches. I'll be sure to give mini-reviews later! 

And speaking of reading materials, if you find your TBR depleted, I'm participating in a giveaway of 30 historical romances and an e-reader right now. (The Absinthe Earl is part of the giveaway.) You can click the graphic below to enter. Don't delay, as I'm late getting this out and today is the last day to enter!  

Whatcha reading?

Have any good recs for me? Drop me a line! You can just reply to this email. I'm current reading Leia, by Claudia Gray. This YA book reveals the story of Leia’s upbringing and discloses the events in her life leading up to Star Wars episode IV. I'm really enjoying it—definitely worthwhile if you enjoy YA and are a Star Wars fan!