Tag Archives: Candlelight

Friday the 13th, December

We are dangerously close to some major holidays and even my puppies are feeling the strain. My human boys are busy with Highschool and college exams, and my daughter is feeling the pre-holiday shopping frenzy at her job as orders get filled, possibly some for Santa himself. This leaves the two crazy canines starved for attention.

They bring me piles of toys to play with and prefer rough play to fetch. Every room has some of their toys and I’ve taken to using a grabber stick to pick them up instead of spending my day bending(clever girl).

It’s not hard to love them even though they act like toddlers, constantly needy for attention while awake. I brush them out, go through their treat fueled tricks (while trying to add new ones), and we enjoy playing and long walks together. What more could a girl want?

Butler has fully adjusted to having a little brother, and lets the tyke get away with a lot. He will drop a toy Mooshu wants, and play with another rather than fight for a toy. He is a wise and benevolent teacher and Mooshu has learned some tricks quickly, by watching Butler.

Butler’s grey hairs can’t stop his inner puppy and he outruns Mooshu and other dogs at the park, but pauses long enough to let them catch up.

Mooshu(left) Butler(right)

Mooshu is still recovering from his medical mishap. We are still sans diagnosis, but everything you can imagine has been ruled out which leaves me with the prospect that his bleeding is autoimmune. Before I subject him to another battery of tests, I’ll conduct some research. Unarmed with information as I was last time he had an emergency, I blindly agreed to do everything necessary and we were lucky to make it out of there.

With my autoimmune illness it took 14 years for a diagnosis, and every now and again I have my doubts that we hit the right one. I’m not a textbook case. The medication should have gotten me into remission in 6 months, but I’m still on it some fourteen years or so later.

We have already gotten one surprise on 23&me, and found genetic markers for a second autoimmune disease, which may be why my treatment is not having the desired results after hella more than 6 months.

Mooshu has similarly been tested. Every big genetic disease has been ruled out, but maybe he’s like me and not a textbook case for anything despite his frightening lab results and the spontaneous symptoms.

For now, I’m content to just support him and love him until we find out more or don’t find out anything at all- someone supported me through 14 years of medical failures, so it’s fair I do the same. I don’t see the need to run another battery of tests as we have ruled out all the colon stuff and would be looking for a needle in a haystack, with whatever is causing his issues. I’m not going to devote 14 years of his life to a diagnosis when he may not have that long, so here we are, ready to treat each event but no closer to knowing what the problem is.

Mooshu enjoying the outdoors

This situation brings me back to preparation for my wedding. Our church ran some pre-marriage classes and they asked us what was most important. We both said “love” and have stuck with that with everything we approach.

Embarking on writing, running three businesses, five children, and dealing with these two crazy pooches has been lessons in love everyday. I may lack a little practicality, free time, and money, but if all dogs go to Heaven I know I have two beautiful souls willing to sneak me in.

Butler smiling at me-

In the meantime, there are dog treats to bake, presents to wrap, and maybe even some pictures with Santa for the canids.

I’ll have some human and canid cookie recipes up next week, so stock up on goodies and check back.

What are your holidays plans? How do you manage having pets and people in a shared space for the holidays?

LIQUID FRIDAY with Stacy McWilliams

Today we will feature a new recipe from YA, Horror and Romance  Author Stacy McWilliams . We’ll call it “Dirty Sex on the Beach.”

“My favorite cocktail recipe is Vodka, Peach Schnapps, a splash of Malibu,  orange juice, cranberry juice and crushed ice. It’s very yummy. LOL.”

While indulging in this on the aforementioned cocktail, let’s read a blurb from her first release, Candlelight (An Ember Saga Novella).

“Life was full of nothing but darkness for Nathan Stevenson until Jasmine appeared in his life. She brought his innermost desires to the surface. She burned her way through to his heart to become embedded in his soul. He knew she was dangerous but would she break down his wall as he dreamed of her touch and fought against the impulse to protect her?Would their love be enough to defeat his demons? Was he strong enough to resist her or would her light burn irrevocably?”

Candlelight excerpt:

Wanna go back and get shitfaced?” he asked. “Hell fucking yeah I do…” We blew the candle out, covered it with the rocks and walked towards the edge of the cave. candlelightLooking out we could still see James on the path and I turned to Joe, “it would be so easy to push him off here and make it look like an accident.” “Haha, yeah it would, but knowing that fucker, he’d probably survive and grass you up…” “Yeah you’re probably right… Joe, thanks.” “For what mate?” “Listening.” “Aww are we turning into mortal girls now? Next you wanna braid my hair and go see the backstreet boys?” “Who the fuck are they?” “A boyband my sister likes.” “Burnt Ashes are more my speed but thanks.” “Eh, I haven’t heard of them, who the fuck are they?” “They’re a rock band. The lead singer has some set of pipes on him and the guitarist is shit hot. You should check them out on YouTube.” “Sometimes I wonder about you…” I shook my head in despair, “Is the coast clear?” “Yeah, I think so, we should probably head back quietly though, just incase that assholes hovering about.”

Candlelight was my first release and is about a demon battling against his humanity which surfaces after a dream about a random girl. He dreams of this girl constantly until one day she arrives on his doorstep. It’s dark, edgy and has funny and romantic moments.

 

candlelight 2

And the blurb for Luminosity is

“Jasmine Johnstone’s life was relatively normal until she was forced to live with the Stevenson family. As she stayed she found she had no choice but to battle mythical creatures. Strengths she never knew she possessed began to surface, surprising those around her. Her only chance of surviving the rising tide of evil was Nathan Stevenson. Could she really trust him as he fought against his love for her? With the world against them and time running out, would their love be enough to defeat demons?”

luminosityLuminosity is the novel told from the female leads point of view. It’s dark, romantic and at times sweet. It’s also a little scary and sometimes, so I’ve been told, you want to scream at the book and at times throttle Nathan.

Luminosity excerpt:

“Come on Jas, you need to wake up,” he purred seductively. His breath tickled my ear and I groaned as my eyes fought to open. “Come on baby, that’s it. Open your eyes for me.”  I froze unsure I heard him right, Nathan just called me baby.  I opened my eyes slowly and my senses returned. I shivered and Nathan wrapped me his arms rubbing my arms and holding me to his chest. I turned slightly in his arms and his face was a mixture of confusion and something else.  “Thank you,” I managed to croak out. My heart thundered in chest as he turned me towards him and leaned down towards me. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered before leaning in and kissing me gently on the lips. He then pulled back and kissed me on the forehead, “I’m not sure what I would have done if I had lost you.” He pulled me close for a moment and kissed the top of my head. He paused there for a moment then pulled back and stood up. He smiled down at me, still sitting there stunned.

luminosity 2

About me:

StacyI am a mum of two boys, a student nurse and I’m happily married. I love writing and reading and have a million ideas that I want to get out. You can contact me via email: authorstacemcwilliams@gmail.com

Via Facebook

https://m.facebook.com/authorstacymcwilliams/?ref=bookmarks

Or Via twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/@stacemcw

Candlelight will be free every Saturday from the 19th of March until the 2nd of April and Luminosity will be at a special rate of 99c until Sunday the 3rd of April.

 

Stacy xx