Serials and Scenarios ~ Books, Books, and Life

Part of me feels a little guilty for just moving forward and not acknowledging the stuff happening in our world. Train wrecks, shootings, racial tension, politics. 

But then what do we do with this upheaval and angst and fear and horror? If we are praying people, we pray, and hope for mercy and cling to our faith. If we are not, we attempt to escape. 

My heart and my prayers are turned not only toward the victims but toward the only hope I have, we have, and I just can't join the discussions over these tragedies and hairpin societal turns and plunges. Because then my focus shifts to the darkness and the seeming hopelessness.

I would hope this silly little book would give someone a break from the world around them. And maybe a sense of hope that though darkness hovers over us, light does break through, and the fat lady hasn't sung yet. No matter how loudly she's rehearsing. Does that make sense?  

I just sent out another free e-book. 

Here's a chance to win a signed copy from Michelle. And a little more about Michelle, and the book.  Yes, I signed it too at our book signing event last weekend! http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2016/09/michelle-griep-writer-wednesday.html

Serials and Scenarios ~ Crickets

This is strange. I don't know what to do with a quiet moment. I currently don't have a blog post to promote except ones I've already posted. Of course the Goodreads giveaway is still open one more day and Fiction, Faith and Fun is still live with a giveaway. And I'll have another guest blog post tomorrow to promote but right now it's all quiet. I haven't checked our sales ranking. Our reviews have remained at 7 on Amazon. Most of them are 5 star. Michelle hasn't unloaded anything to promote. I'm answering questions for a huge interview for The Book Fun Magazine that reaches thousands of book club members. And will have a smattering of other Q & A's and stuff here and there throughout the next few months while we continue to promote our novel. 

But the huge amount of energy and time that has gone into this book launch the past couple of weeks has created a kind of a momentum. So I guess I write without anything to say. Probably we could just call this normal for Scrambled Dregs, because I often seem to not have a point, right? 

How about I just tell you how much I appreciate all any of you have done. If you've encouraged me, read me, traveled through this process with me, or read my book, thank you. And maybe go to Zu-fer because Zula has a story. 

Thanks and I'll see you tomorrow. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Where Are We Today?

I'm nowhere but here, kids. I know. This book tour flurry is now down to a manageable soft smattering of appearances. However, I do have a few things. 

Michelle dissects how to do a book launch party, here. 
Zula's POV regarding the book launch party is here. 

What can I add? Oh, that it was a blessing in so many different ways. The best part might have been when the party was almost over, aka safe for curious hands to be touching food and stuff, my grandkiddoes showed up. Of course it was all they could do not to scatter and search for the coolest stuff but fortunately the mocktail table with the bright colors and cherries on toothpicks caught their eyes. I happened to be standing there signing a book. When I passed the book over their heads little boy saw the back cover and my picture. He started pointing at it and his eyes grew huge. 

"Yeah, buddy, that's what this is all about, why we are in Minnesota for the weekend. Grandma and Aunt Michelle wrote this book." He was impressed. Til he saw the food table anyway. 

Enough warm fuzzies to still be keeping me smiling though. Once Upon a Crime was incredible to work with and their store is just pretty perfect. If you are ever in the area and you love a good mystery you should pop in. The poster they made for their front window that publicized our book will be hanging permanently in the store because Michelle is one of their locals. Good people. Great store. 

Michelle is here, today, sharing a bit about her side of the Out of the Frying Pan journey.  

Our Goodreads giveaway is still live. Relz Reviews and Fiction, Faith and Fun are running ones, too. 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Out of the Frying Pan

by Michelle Griep

Giveaway ends September 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Serials and Scenarios ~ Who's My Favorite?

I guess you'll just have to go here for the answer!!! 

Okay. I'll give you a little more to go on. It's one of the characters in Out of the Frying Pan! 

And Sarah Ruut is running an e-book giveaway, too. So you should probably go. 

And Michelle visited there when promoting her last novel, so check it out as well. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Oh You Wanna Know, Doncha???

I'm in much cooler (this is good right now) Minnesota getting ready for my first book signing! Woot! Woot! This is tomorrow at 6:30 should you be passing through the twin cities. We are doing three gift giveaways. Two will contain original art work by Fern. Yes. True story. 

Attention readers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area ...Saturday, September 24th, y'all are invited to the book launch of Out of the Frying Pan. Join me and my co-author, Krazy Kelly Klepfer, for a night of mystery and mocktails at the Once Upon a Crime bookstore in Minneapolis at 6:30 p.m.
604 West 26th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55405

Today Michelle appears at the cute/fun Animals & Authors blog with Ada Clare her crazy boxer babe. You should go check this out because Ada's real cute, especially in the picture where the next frame would show Michelle upside down and Ada on top of her. 

Tonight we will be doing an author interview via Skype...so www will be talking and recorded. There are a list of questions for us to ponder so we hopefully sound slightly less than idiots. 

Giveaways still alive and kicking. 

Relz
Elaine Stock's 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Recap, Recoup, Release

Since our book release on September 6th we have been all over the internet. Just in case you want a place to find all those links easy-peasy, I've got one right here! 

Meet Gladys and Gertrude, my writing companions! Michelle and Ada will appear on the 23rd and big reveal with a drumbeat please, in October our book will be the focus and again in January Daisy and Daffodil the crazy hedgehogs will be in the spotlight!

Getting to know me, and Getting to know Michelle much to Zula's annoyance because #OutoftheFryingPan should be all about her. 

Another all about me and story backgrounds. 

All about my dark season of insecurity almost derailing Out of the Frying Pan. (one more day to enter that drawing!!!!)

My surrender story. 

Background and Building Blocks - Out of the Frying Pan

Zula's Recipes!!!

Reclaiming your peace from chaotic clutter 

All about Zula and Fern 

Trish Perry   (free giveaway still kicking!!! Hurry!) 

Rel Mollet (Free giveaway still ticking down...tick, tock, tick) 

I'm headed up north for a book signing. My first. Woot! Woot! Where we will serve some of Zula's recipes. And we will do a phone interview while we are together too. I will definitely be sharing bits and pieces about both of those events!!!! 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Who Won? Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner...w/o chicken please.

Go to Michelle's Blog to see the winners or the drawing for the autographed copies of Out of the Frying Pan!

And if your name is not on the winner list. Well, here you go!!!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Out of the Frying Pan

by Michelle Griep

Giveaway ends September 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Serials and Scenarios ~ And There's More....

Trish Perry is hosting us today.

 http://trishperry.blogspot.com/2016/09/kelly-klepfer-and-free-books.html

And this is another chance to grab a free copy.  Plus I got to cast the movie and add some sound track, so that was fun. 

Here is what happened yesterday. I bought and held my literal first copy of my book. It was suggested I provide an office copy for the girls to read. So that's where it went. It's going to be interesting to get their feedback. 

One of my daughter's friends who has become one of my friends posted the cutest picture of her holding a kindle with my book on it and saying her day off was going to be spent with me! Okay, maybe third cutest cuz the other two were my babies! Ya know!

My brother shouted out that he had downloaded a copy and his wife's aunt said she didn't want to read it on the computer so he posted the link to the paper back. And a blogger tweeted that I had come up with the most clever blog guest Retweet ever. 

1. Elaine Stock ‏@ElaineStock  4h4 hours ago

   @KellyKlepfer You win the award for most blog guest clever RT ever

   0 retweets0 likes

    

    

    
2. 4h4 hours ago

   Elaine Stock and Michelle Griep liked your Tweet

   11h: 

   @ElaineStock Is an edit by @MichelleGriep a lot like walking the plank? Find out and try for a copy of OOTFP http://bit.ly/2cFLgAW  pic.twitter.com/l0cQQ9nj8G

   1. 
   2. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Hornswoggle Away!

Get a chance to hornswoggle a copy here and here!!!! 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Another Day, Another Blog Tour!

Goodness. Things will slow down a little. I had four right on top of each other. 

Stitches Thru Time asked for an article so I provided a foodie bent one. Zula is claiming the recipes as hers and that's just fine and dandy. 

Highlights of the weekend bookwise? 

Finding out we were in the Top 100 Amazon inspirational e-books. Now, I don't want to brag but being number 28 and currently beating TWO of Karen Kingsbury's books is pretty exciting for me...

Getting a copy in the mail, finally. So I was able to hold my book. 

My cute baby grandson holding the kindle version!!! 

First autograph!! Autographing my mom's copy. That seems only right since a) birthed me b) supported the crap outta me in my early writing years! 

Getting a "YOU DID IT" proud of you card from my brother and his lovely family!

Having a friend order her copy on her phone right in front of me after church and teasing me about being famous the whole time. 

Highlights of the weekend? Family dinner last night! I love my famtastics!!!! Laughter is the song of my people and it does a soul good! 

Electrical being placed in my new bedroom. All rooms but my current bedroom's content moved to my current bedroom and I have plenty of room to walk. That's huge. We had three bedrooms full of stuff. Now it's manageable and most of it has places to go in our new "Wing" I'm going to call our section of the house the Lower East Wing. LEW for short. Ha. Ha. Ha. And we purchased the flooring and the new windows and a bit of drywall was nailed into place. Reconfiguring a doorway so that other things can happen. Hopefully cleaning a two-story house for next to the last time. I now will be fully responsible for three rooms and halfway responsible for two. I LIKE IT! 

Giving tours of LEW. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Saturday Shock and Surrender!

Shock! A post on a Saturday? 

I told you I'd be a posting like a beast. 

I got real vulnerable with two bloggers on my #OutoftheFryingPan blog tour. 

Here is the cleaned up, but still pretty raw story of surrendering my marriage to God's plan. I don't know if you'll need tissue but you might. I was a stubborn woman and God is a good, good God!

And then I shared my season of doubt, insecurities, and basically poo-poo crybaby pity party during the writing of Out of the Frying Pan! 

There is still a chance to win a copy of #OutoftheFryingPan.

Serials and Scenarios ~ And Where Did this Idea Come From????

Oh so many places you can go to see me this weekend! Tomorrow I'll share links to two of my hardest moments in writing and life. A surrender story and how insecurity about derailed Out of the Frying Pan! But here is enough reading for today. 

I have written a piece about decluttering work areas and the freeing that does of the old gray matter at Novel Rocket. 

And I'm interviewed at the lovely Debra Butterfield's blog. Where I tell about the birth of Zula. Well kind of. 

Please visit all these great Out of the Frying Pan supporters. And don't forget to try to win that free copy. If you've already purchased it as so many of you have...thank you! Win it for a friend or family member or donate it to your local library. 

You can do this HERE. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Blog Tour Bonus!

Out of the Frying Pan freebies. Going. Going. Gone! Unless you get going, going, going to sign up!

Two more blogs on the tour! 

What I'm loving is that I've forgotten what bits of information land where. We did some serious Q and A's and article writing and sharing bits and pieces over a two or three month period. Now it's kinda like Christmas when we get to officially unwrap the gifts we rewrapped after peeking under the tree. 

Actually. I never did that. I always loved surprises so much I didn't even want to risk ruining the anticipation. 

However, some surprises. Yikes. Like in the interview where I discover a typo that was made by ME! 

Yesterday, Jodie Wolfe posted my Q&A and Michelle appears on Whispers in Purple bright and early this morning. 

For all the things you never knew you wanted to know about me. Go visit! 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Epic Stumbling

I've reached the portion in this blog tour and book marketing mayhem where I feel like I am on an extended stumble. Not that I would ever attempt to wear those shoes or be invited on the cat walk. But the losing it, attempting to regain my balance and bam! I get that. I also get losing it like the anchors. Been there, done that, just never on television! 

After you are through laughing at this snippet, brace yourselves. I'm going to be posting two and three places a day where you can find us on our blog tour. Watch your step!

Serials and Scenarios ~ Yeah. Flapping Duck Feet and Tossing Things out There

You know how ducks just float serenely across the top of the water? That is unless they are heinie-up-face-down. And the only propelling is from their frantic little feet whipping the water under the glassy surface? 

Yeah. That's how this book tour feels to me. 

Disclaimer: I kinda don't have a clue. 

But, I do have someone who has a few clues in opposite areas so we may be appearing as graceful swans floating on a ripple-less pond. Har. Har. Har.

At least we are giving a book away and having some fun over at Zu-fer. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Two-Fer Friday

Today Michelle is hanging out at Sandra Robbins blog and I'm sharing my pups at QuidProQuills. 

Come on over and say, "Hi!" Michelle's craziest thing she's ever done is a doozy. I was there. It was very awkward. And you know you want a helping of Gladys and Gertrude. Ha.Ha. 

Have a fabulous weekend. We are watching hot air balloons, babysitting our little bambino and remodeling all weekend!  

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Day 4 of Out of the Frying Pan Epic Adventure

1.  We have two five star reviews on Amazon!!!!

2.  People are letting me know they are receiving their copies!!!!

3.  I missed an article deadline that I forgot I had. Oh my goodness. RelzReviews is the best. She's going to plug it in sometime soon. Somehow it got lost in my inbox...sweet mercy. Worst nightmare!!!!

4.  Michelle is at Seriously Write today. 

5.  Kathryn is interviewed by Fern and Zula at Zu-fer.
And. Well. I think that is enough for today!!!! 

Wham! Out of the Frying Pan is Here!

For anyone wanting a copy and willing to try for a twist of fate, here you go. A giveaway. One of two signed copies could become yours with just a lil luck.

Go to Michelle's blog to join. Writer off the Leash or click on this bad boy, a Rafflecopter giveaway

I've heard from early orderers that the book has shipped. Oh my! I personally have yet to hold a copy in my hand. So I'm looking forward to that. 

Did I mention we'll be doing two book signing events in the Twin Cities in just a few weeks? We have to do a reading and I'm hard at work on what that's going to look like. Michelle gave me an assignment. I've almost figured out how to pull it off. Almost. And we've been invited to speak at a writer's tea in November. Ha. Ha. Ha. Not sure they know what they've done there. 

I'll be posting more and more about Fern and Zula as the interviews and the guest posts happen on the blog tour and well, etc. Like the one on Friday where I talk about my writing life with beagles. Yeah. That's one to look forward to. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Tuesday Monday

What did you do over Labor Day weekend? 

I worked like a beast! 

We finished hauling stuff out of two of the three rooms we are turning into our new space so the kids can take over our upstairs. Drywall, studs, old insulation, carpet, disintegrating carpet stick on pads, it all had to go. 

I pounded through the walls with a fire ax. It might be a construction ax but fire ax sound so much more powerful doncha think? 

We then had to clean up of course. Jules and the kiddos helped tremendously. Those little buggars can get some clean up done when motivated.


Oh, and after we had loaded more stuff into our sons car for his Service Learning Group garage sale fundraiser, we had some furniture we wanted to get rid of. Before just taking it down the road to the Goodwill just to get rid of it, a friend texted me that a friend of her's son was just getting an apartment after rehab and needed everything. Uh, we had a futon, a queen size bed that we were going to probably put in the landfill because who's going to buy a used mattress from Goodwill ya know? 

He wanted those and brought a buddy with a trailer over to get it. While we were waiting we decided to just go ahead and purge more furniture. We will have very limited space. My bedroom is so small we can only have a bed, a dresser and two nightstands or it's going to feel overwhelming. Our little sitting area will be plenty full with our armoire, couch and recliner. Everything else has to go. This guy took almost all of it.  It feels real good that our stuff can bless someone who needs a little extra help. 

After we hauled it down so they could load it up, after we got the last bit of drywall torn off the wall we all collapsed into hot, filthy messes but were all so satisfied with what we got done! 

Sunday we got a bit more cracked out. 

Monday. Wham! We killed it again. I even cut up some branches into logs for fire pit fires when the big remodel is done. Rob wouldn't let me use the chain saw for obvious reasons all of which would involve pain and blood. So I used his saws-all. Ha.Ha. Which he hurt himself with later. I'm lucky to be alive. 

Oh, and today, Out of the Frying Pan RELEASES! Fern shares a bit about herself here.  

Serials and Scenarios ~ My First Author Interview

Pssst. Hey!!!!!

Drum roll. Please.

In my first author interview you can read about my shopping shame and my dream travel idea here. 

Did I mention this was my FIRST author interview in my FIRST book promotion/marketing tour for my FIRST BOOK?!?!?!