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Heh. No one who’s read my blog believes that title. It’s obvious I think I’m a jinx at times, especially when it comes to the companies I work for or write about. There’s another curse that’s hung over my head for most of my life, but I’m happy to report it did not strike this year. That, my friends, is the dreaded birthday curse. There is enough evidence to support this might be a real…thing. First, my mom claims the very same birthday curse, so there’s the possibility this thing is hereditary. Thanks, Mom. Second, my past is littered with job loss, car accidents, pet death, emergency room visits, illness… You name it; it’s probably happened to me on my birthday.

This all held true until a few years ago, when I visited Ireland for the first time. We just happened to be there over my birthday, which was the most amazing gift in and of itself. Somehow, that trip erased the birthday curse. The year before that, I’d lost my job on my birthday. Before that, I had a blinding migraine on September 20th. Before that, a double ear infection. Before that…well, you see where this is going. I am thrilled to announce that nothing horrifying or even slightly irritating has happened on my birthday since that amazing first trip to Ireland, but I can promise you I’m knocking on wood so hard it’s hurting my knuckles.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making yesterday so very special. In return, I want to give you this little video by some friends of mine – the band Yours Truly. You’ll recognize the first line of the song. I stole it for my blog title.

In the Barry House, the buzz is coming from a saw. Things have been super nuts around here because…WE’RE BUYING A HOUSE! I know, I know. We’re serial renters. What’s the world coming to? We love our house so much, we pounced on the opportunity to buy it. Before everything closes, we had to have some stuff fixed. I thought I’d share some of the progress with you, perhaps as an apology for being so absent lately. Enjoy the mess!

 

There used to be a closet here…

But not anymore!

Now the closet is on this side of the wall.

New floor-to-ceiling closet in the back bedroom.

A corner of the new deck and a pile of the old one.

Posts in place for our new fence.

Keep fingers crossed for us, please. I could jinx the whole deal by telling everyone we’re buying a house. Anything could go wrong, and we all know my history…

The winners for SUBURBAN HUSTLER and MALIGNED have been chosen!

Carol Fletcher and Anna Campbell win SUBURBAN HUSTLER!

Robin Boren and Jennifer Lawrence win MALIGNED!

Please contact me at the email address listed on the contact page to receive your prizes!

Robin Boren is giving away a copy of her book, Suburban Hustler, and you can win it right here. All you need to do is leave a comment. I’ll choose a random winner tomorrow at noon. Good luck!

 

Chris was born with a silver spoon in his mouth while Veronica struggled her entire life just to make ends meet. It was love at first sight. Veronica becomes the ideal loving wife and mother, as a financially frustrated Chris builds the most successful trucking company in Orange County, practically overnight.

 

Together, as the seemingly perfect couple, they throw the most lavish parties and keep only the very best friends. Soon, they are the envy of everyone in town. The new money doesn’t go unnoticed, especially when the local Mob leader begins to see his own profits dwindle to almost nothing. The young couple’s shiny smiles soon disappear when they’re faced with losing everything, even their lives.

To round out the Blogger Book Fair, Kathleen Papajohn is giving away a few copies of her dystopian novel, MALIGNED. Two winners will be selected from right here. All you have to do is leave a comment. Winners will be randomly selected by that old pull-a-name-out-of-a-hat method. Take a look at the book, get excited, and then leave some words for Ms. Papajohn right here.

 

Phoenix is simmering in the heat of a lazy July morning in 2195 when the execution-style murder of a young boy shatters the complacency of a population that hasn’t seen anyone die from natural causes for almost two centuries.

Enter Malcolm Godfrey, a darkly brilliant alpha-male with an axe to grind. Malcolm’s insatiable appetite for power, money and women have made him a highly intelligent monster who is plotting the ultimate corporate take-over, a coup d’état. He believes that he is the chosen one, but there is just one more loose end to tie up before the final stage of his sinister plan can be put into motion. When Malcolm frames the beautiful wife of an ex-black ops specialist for murder, he finds that he has created an inescapable web of corporate deceit, danger and intrigue that culminates finally in a battle for mankind itself.

Kathleen Papajohn is the author of Maligned. Visit her website atwww.kathleenpapajohn.com.