The 5-Minute Newsletter – July

I have slightly large and kinda important news:

It’s my birthday on the 11th (yep, 7-11. Free slurpees for life, baby), and in honor of my day, I wanted to give you a gift. 

I’ve moved my novels over to Kindle Unlimited.  So if you are a KU subscriber, or are using a free trial, and you haven’t read Lost in the Right Direction, or Lost and Found, yet, you can read them for free starting today.

If you aren’t a subscriber to KU yet, and you want to be, you can click here to sign up.

Here are three reasons why I would suggest signing up:

1. If you are an avid reader, for less than the cost of one paperback per month you can read as many books as you like.
2. If you use your Kindle or phone or tablet to read, KU is the easiest way to download books. You just click on the book and it appears in your Kindle library. When you’re finished you can choose to return the book, or you can keep it in your library. If you don’t want a lot of clutter on your device, this is a great housekeeping option.
3. The books on KU are good. This isn’t a sale table at the bookstore or bargain basement on old, outdated novels. There are current, mainstream authors using Kindle Unlimited, so rest assured you will have a great selection.

Now, if you are not interested in Kindle Unlimited and don’t have plans to sign up anytime soon, fear not because I have also placed my ebook on sale for .99. The paperbacks, however, have to stay at the same price since they are much costlier to produce. 

So once again, ebook is on sale for 99 pennies and KU version is free. Happy Birthday to YOU!

BOOK REVIEWS

I read The Bride Test by Helen Hoang an it was an instant favorite. For my review of both of Helen’s novels, please click here. If you haven’t read either of her novels, just stop reading this right now and pick up one of her books. I promise you will not be disappointed. And if, for some reason, you don’t like the books, call me and I’ll buy you a cocktail. 

I mean, call me anyway. I could use an excuse to have a drink. 

So, a friend loaned me her copy of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, by Christina Lauren and it was adorable. It made me chuckle out loud, giggle, and re-read lines that were wonderfully obscure and appealed to my 12-year-old sense of humor in the bestest way.

Hazel is a slightly neurotic, potty mouth teacher who is introduced to her best friend’s straight-laced brother (whom she knew in college), and the two become friends who attempt not to acknowledge the sexual chemistry brewing between them.  

Synopsis – Most men can’t handle Hazel. But her best friend Josh isn’t most men. Don’t miss New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren’s new novel about two people who are definitely not dating…no matter how often they end up in bed together.

The character development was amazing. I started out sort of annoyed by Hazel’s wacky antics (as many people who meet her in the story are) but by the middle of the book she’d grown on me and I came to love her wild, unruly behavior. She’s someone I’d love to be friends with in real life. And Josh…his character was quietly sexy in the most incredible way. I love him. You will love him. And you’ll love this book.

I’d recommend it to fans of light-hearted chic-lit who also like a few F bombs and sexy scenes thrown in. 

CURRENT WRITING PROJECT (aka The Book That Drained the Life from Me)

I am still editing and rewriting and trying like hell to finish Definitely, Maybe so I can move on to the next book idea that has been kicking around inside my head for the last several months. It’s hard not to pay attention to the new idea when it’s so fresh and exciting, but I really want to finish the old idea just so I can put it out into the world. I’m convinced that the editing process is definitely not my favorite part of the job. But that’s okay because after editing comes one of my most favorite parts: the cover!  

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAMMING FOR AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT 

Have you seen my dog Henry? He’s an 8-year-old mini Australian Labradoodle, and as you can no doubt tell, he’s very smart.  

He’s also my constant companion. He follows me literally everywhere I go in the house. Yes, even into the bathroom.

Sometimes I feel guilty because he’s snoring away at my feet, and I get up to get a cup of coffee and he jumps up like he’s ready for battle. How does he have that much energy? 

Here’s another little know fact: I absolutely love the smell of the inside of his ears. 

I know.  It’s gross and probably a 10 on the “how weird are you” scale, but I don’t care. When I’m sick or not feeling well, he lays down next to me and snuggles his head next to my head. So the smell of his ears reminds me of a canine that comforts and loves me unconditionally. 

Do you have a pet?

I’d love to see pictures.

No really, I want to see them! You can post them in the comments below, or you can post them on my author Facebook page. Let’s start a gala of our furry friends.

Okay, back to the show.

QUICKIE RECIPE

Rainbow Fruit Salad

I recently made this for a Father’s Day / Birthday BBQ last month and it was sooo tasty. I actually forgot to add the bananas but that was okay because they tend to turn brown so fast, and leaving them out preserved the gorgeous color overnight.

MUSIC I LOVE

Fader – The Temper Trap (my new favorite song for summer)

You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away – The Beatles 

I Don’t Care – Ed Sheeran 

PRODUCTS I’D GIVE UP COFFEE FOR

Babe Lash lash serum

This is a game changer. Period. I’ll just skip all the descriptive hub-bub and say it bluntly: this shit works.

Bonus: it’s less expensive ($52.00) than other brands. 

Revlon Color Stay Creme Eyeshadow

Need an inexpensive ($6.00) eyeshadow that won’t crease and actually stays put on your lid for at least 12 hours? Then this is the product you need. It’s smooth as silk, you can use your finger to put it on, and if you don’t feel like putting on a bunch of eyeshadow, this gives just enough color to make you look like you got 8 hours of sleep last night, which if you’re like me, you certainly did not. 

Turmeric / Curcumin capsules

 

Since my back injury in March I have tried a lot of different methods of pain relief, including enough Advil, Tylenol and Aleve to last me for the rest of my life. But nothing was really making a big difference. Then my sister told me how taking Turmeric every day has helped her back pain.

And she should know: two years ago she underwent a massive spinal fusion surgery that left her with a permanent steel rod in her back. It’s been a positive recovery for her but she still deals with daily tightness, aches and pains, for which she takes Turmeric.

I’ve been taking it too now for about two weeks, and I have to say, while it doesn’t cut my pain down to zero, it does make a noticeable difference in my aches and I love that it’s not damaging to my health, and doesn’t require a doctor visit. I think it takes a while to build up in your system, but after that I’ve read it is very effective. 

Combine Turmeric with a daily dose of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides and you will be a modern day Terminator before you know it. 

As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleaning Conditioner

If you have naturally curly hair, or even just naturally wavy hair, you may have heard about this life-changing trend rocking the internet right now. I’m late to every game so I am only learning about it now. It’s called the curly girl method (CGM) and it’s a brand new, totally transformative way of taking care of your natural curls. Here’s a website dedicated to the whole thing.

And this is the CGM Bible that started the whole cult. And guess what? It’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited!!

There is an entire detailed process that is the CGM, and many, many blog posts and YouTube videos that explain how to do it. But in the interest of brevity, here are the basics:

1. Stop washing your hair with anything that contains sulfates. Why? Because it strips your hair, makes it dry and frizzy, and ruins your curls.
2. Stop using hair products that contain silicones, or glycerin. Why? Because they weigh down your scalp with build up, which flattens your hair and ruins your curls. They are also not water soluble, so you have to use sulfates to get them out of your hair.
3. Stop using a towel to dry your hair. Why? Because the cotton fibers in regular towels break your hair apart, frizz your hair follicle and, you guessed it: ruin your curls.
4. Stop using brushes, fine tooth combs, and any kind of heat styler (flat iron, curling iron, curling wand, etc. etc.) on your hair. Why? Brushes and combs break your curls patterns and pull out the curl, and heat stylers, especially those with super HOT settings will wreck your hair faster than being three months postpartum (i.e. the time I was nearly bald).
5. Start cowashing (conditioner + washing) your hair. Try to only use a non-sulfate shampoo once a week or so. On the other days, use a cowash product, like the one above, and detangle your hair with your fingers while you work the conditioner through. 
6. Start using gel that does not contain silicone or glycerin. This Aussie gel is a CGM favorite.
7. Start using a t-shirt to dry your hair (but still, don’t rub your hair, just scrunch it)
8. Learn how to create, and break, a gel cast. Here’s a video that explains it.
9. Don’t give up! The transition period from overheated, overstyled hair, to natural, bouncy, non-frizzy curls takes time. But the results are worth it. I’m on day 7 and already I can tell a huge difference. And I was someone that washed my hair EVERY day, without fail.

Oh, and don’t forget to take before, during, and after pictures. You won’t believe the difference.   

THE BEST MEN’S T-SHIRT EVER

Here’s something for the dudes out there. The crew neck version of this t-shirt has started wars between wives.

These puppies sold out faster than the 1996 Walmart Christmas release of the Buzz Lightyear toy. So it’s no doubt that the v-neck version of this sexy tee is sure to be just as hot.  

And for good reason.

This shirt is incredibly suede-y soft and retains its shape no matter how many times you wash it. Plus, it’s friggin’ cheap. I mean, it’s like less than $10.00. (psst: regularly priced over $45.00). So if you’re married to Simon Cowell and your man’s closet features only black clothing, order this and see if he can tell a difference. I can guarantee you he’ll be asking where his “good” black shirt is in no time.  

SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION || JULY 4TH

If you have little people around the house, or maybe you work with them, or maybe you just like crafting and cooking, and you need inspiration for easy, fun, and cute ideas to help celebrate the 4th of July, please feel free to check out my Pinterest board. Personally, it’s my favorite holiday so I tend to go a little crazy with this one. 

Here are some of the Pins you’ll find on my board.

DEALS & STEALS CORNER

Who doesn’t love a free book? I know I do. So I searched the internet for a few free, or very inexpensive, books and thought I would share them with you. I don’t know how long they will remain at these prices so check them out before they’re gone. 

The Club, by Lauren Rowe. Free with Kindle Unlimited, or .99 to download to Kindle. 

Pretty Reckless, by L.J. Shen (similar cover, eh?) is supposed to be really, really good. It already has over 1200 reviews, and it’s free with KU. It’s only $3.99 if you download it directly to Kindle.

Happy Reading, my friend.

May all your kisses be long ones.

x. Megan