Information Overload

 By Maureen Bonatch

Many of us suffer from FOMO, or pride ourselves on our multi-tasking abilities and end up with too many things that you feel like need done ASAP, or overwhelmed with TMI.

So many acronyms! Are we so busy now that we can’t take the time to write things out?

• FOMO: Fear of Missing Out
• ASAP: As Soon as Possible
• TMI: Too Much Information 

Multi-Tasking Machine

I pride myself on being a multi-tasking machine and find it difficult to do just one thing. If I’m stretching, I’m often listening to a podcast. I’ll walk on the treadmill while editing. I’ll check emails on television commercials–or while watching the show. I try to sleep and my mind is spinning with to-do lists which resume as soon as I open my eyes in the morning. 

Many studies now say that multitasking should be reduced because it can cause gaps in our thinking, may make it difficult to perform more than one task successfully, and make us feel tired quicker. 

I can’t say I can give up multitasking all together, but I do know what to do if I start to feel like I’m suffering from information overload. 

Slowing Down

It’s difficult to maintain my full attention on one task, unless I’m reading a book. A good book gets my total focus, and helps me slow the whirring to-do list in my mind, reduce feelings of overwhelm and quiet my thoughts to sleep.

I always have a book. You never know when you might be stuck waiting for a few minutes. 

Have Book, Will…Whatever

I like to read books here and there.

I can read a book anywhere.

I can read a book in the house.

Get so engrossed I might ignore a mouse.

I can read if it starts to rain.

For a long ride on a train.

My kindle lights up to read in the dark.

I can take it to the park.

I can read in a swing hung under a tree. 

It’s how I spend my time with me.

I can read while I wait to see the doc.

It keeps my mind off the clock.

I can read while I wait in a line.

It keeps me from wanting to start to whine.

Books make sure I never feel alone.

I travel the world without ever leaving home.

Try a book! Try a book, I say! You just might like it, anyway.

Looking for some Cozy Mysteries? Click Right Here to check out these Kindle Unlimited Cozies.

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Just a small-town girl, Maureen Bonatch leads a double life. She lives in a magical world as a novelist, and as a nurse leader in reality. Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published when blogs were a new-fangled thing. She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 

While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival.

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what I've been up to

Coven of the Raven

Earlier this year I decided to pull the Coven of the Raven series from wide and put it into Kindle Unlimited. With book 4 coming in August (which isn't that far away) I thought it would be a good idea to start experimenting with a few different things. If it doesn't work I'll make it wide again...that's the advantage of self publishing.

The first 3 books in my Annwyn series are back in my hands, and new covers are being prepared, which will give me a second series to play with. At some point I'll dabble in box sets, but at the moment I need to read through all the books and tweak anything that needs tweaking and get then ready for publication.

And if that wasn't enough on my plate I have a new sci fi series coming out in July as part of the Obsidian Rim shared world. Book 1, Mercenary Royal will be out July 16.

A New Dystopian Fantasy Series

In 2019 I'm indulging in a new series. The Faerene Apocalypse blends apocalyptic fiction with fantasy. The first book, Stray Magic, is just out. Bound Magic will be out in late March (pre-order available, link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N5WY96H/ ). Loyal Magic is out mid-year. Below is the blurb and an excerpt from Stray Magic. The series is available to read in Kindle Unlimited as well as to buy. Enjoy!

Buy link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N5ZVNLY

When magic crashes through the Rift, Earth devolves into an apocalyptic nightmare. Survival becomes the only game in town, and college girl, Amy Carlton, learns she’s a more ruthless player than she ever imagined.

Magistrate Istvan signed up for the Faerene Migration knowing that the price of Earth’s future would be paid for in hellfire and blood. But the black griffin hadn’t anticipated humans accessing magic.

Now, a new and impossible bond must be forged between a Faerene invader and a human familiar. But first Istvan and Amy must survive to form the bond.

***

Note: “Faerene” refers to the many peoples of another world: the griffins, dragons, unicorns, werewolves, elves and ogres who've crossed to Earth. No prepper or survivalist could have been prepared for their arrival.

Excerpt 

I grabbed my own phone from the pocket of my shorts and flicked through messages. Nothing from my parents, but my friends were peppering me with their exclamations of shock and amusement. I glanced toward the living room. I was partly responsible for the children in there innocently watching a movie. Instead of amusing myself with the sightings of fantastic beasts, I called up a reliable news feed. Ramona had opened my eyes. No matter what the perpetrators of this elaborate prank had intended, the consequences were what mattered.

Emma’s parents arrived first. An hour after they departed, the news was reporting a riot in Los Angeles. There was looting. In fact, judging by the determined, organized behavior of the looters, the looting was the point of the riot. A firebird observed everything from the roof of an office tower. Its glowing wings were a fiery point of light that matched cars set on fire on the street.

How were the pranksters covering the globe with their realistic creations?

There were vampires sighted dancing in Rio and turning into bats, a sphinx toured the pyramids of Giza, more ogres tramped through Japan, and a kraken flopped a long-tentacled limb onto the streets of Hong Kong.

More riots broke out, not just in America, and not all with looting as their intent. People demanded government action. Politicians demanded the pranksters reveal themselves and confess and, most of all, stop their criminal stupidity.

The night lived down to Ramona’s expectations. Parents arrived at all hours to collect their children, waking those who’d managed to fall asleep, baffled by why parents of other children were arriving in a flurry of panic and tears.

By midday the next day the camp was empty of children. All the other volunteers had fled, as well, returning to their homes in various cities.

I couldn’t comprehend their illogical behavior. I sat on the porch steps of the main house as the last of the volunteers drove away. “The cities are where the trouble is.”

“And their families, and familiar things.” Ramona walked heavily up the steps and collapsed onto the porch swing.

I swiveled on my butt to face her. Dusty jeans didn’t even rate as a problem. Like Ramona, I’d been awake all night. “They’d be better off waiting here for things to settle down.”

Patti leaned against a railing. “What if they don’t settle down? What if those things are real?”

My mouth dropped open. I’d considered her a sensible person. “They can’t be. Magic isn’t real.”

She looked across the valley, across the open field mowed short for children to play on, to the apple orchard on the far side of the snaking road. “There was a video of that dragon eating a missile. The air force scrambled three jets to take out the dragon. Instead, it ate a missile, then vanished.”

I wanted to say that the video had to be faked, except that lots of people had recorded the action over Washington DC, including television reporters.

“The children are sick.” Ramona stayed on topic, focused on what mattered to her heart. “It makes sense that their parents want them near trusted medical care. Dr. Fayed is good, but he’s a GP. He and his office aren’t set up for long term, specialized treatment.” She put her hands on her knees and pushed herself up. “I’ll cancel next week’s camp. Maybe the one after, just to be safe.”

“The Summer of the Dragons,” I muttered.

“And everything else,” Patti said. “It makes me worry about the creatures we haven’t seen yet.”

Halloween Books in Kindle Unlimited

I asked a popular authors group on Facebook if they wanted to share any of their books that are in Kindle Unlimited and which they think are perfect reading for Halloween. Here are the results, books for you to read and enjoy while eating "leftover" Halloween candy.

Quick note before you dive in. Please check that the books are in Kindle Unlimited before you one-click so that you don't get over-excited and mistakenly buy them when you meant to borrow them (I've done this). I'm not sure what heat and violence level some of the books are, so reviews are your friend for checking that you're comfortable with what the characters may get up to!

I'm pretty sure there's something for everyone in this Lucky Dip. Happy reading!

Purgatory of the Werewolf (The Wolf of Dorian Gray), Brian Ference  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Q1KLPJ

A Haunting of Words, Brian Paone et al https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0712286CR/

Cold Kiss Goodbye, Genevieve Powell https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QSOPPZM

Only Half Alive, Konstanz Silverbow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FG6N37U/

A Ghoul's Kiss, J M Stoneback https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DWQZCL/

Stake-Out (Paranormal Detectives), Lily Luchesi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XUV5FCE/

Of Cinders and Madness, Nicole Zoltack https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B06X1G1DHM/

The Reapers, Ali Winters https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y7I74SW

Graveyard Rose, Ginny Clyde https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQ2EFGE

The Grave Run: Dark Urban Fantasy, Adelaide Walsh https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073ZFCVJF/

Retribution Ridge, Anna Willett https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M73JK71/

Alchemy Shift, Jenny Schwartz  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MF741XY/ 

The Case of the Snow-White Lady: A Sherlock Holmes short story, Liz Hedgecock https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MCZ206Y

Resurrection (Requiem Vampire Knight), Pat Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0IOGVB

Lockdown (AM13 Outbreak series), Samie Sands https://www.amazon.com/dp/1680585932/

Witch or Treat, ReGina Welling et al https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0759XS3JY

Aoife's Destiny, Bethany Strobel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0749D77JJ

Prepared, Courtney Konstantin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074S8Z5HL/

Fall Into Magic, Melissa Baldwin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX3ECQ9/

Cookies, Corpses & the Deadly Haunt, Rachael Stapleton https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TY4ZXD

Orpheum: A Dark Fantasy Romance, D S Murphy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B4Y8034

Lost (A Ghost Story), Patricia Masserman https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071X8K9Z5/

On Wings of Steel (A Halloween Love Story), Steve Statham https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY8HG24

Dark Heirloom: A Vampire Urban Fantasy, JD Brown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011JZ5OFK/

Lizzie Borden, Vampire Hunter, CA Verstraete https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KISRS80

To Catch a Spirit, Carrie Pulkinen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V8B2PJ

When the Black Roses Grow, Angela Christina Archer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017RJWYS2

Salem's Embrace, Sherrie Lea Morgan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XC8WMJH/

Only the Dead Don't Die, A D Popovich https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HW6X5LU

Dearly Departed (Grave Reminders), Rachael Rawlings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GJZH5FS/

Phobic (The Forbidden Doors), Cortney Pearson https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MZNJ3CG/

The Hunted, Jessica Gunn https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072PQ7GFN

Twisted Magic: Raven's Cove, Claire C Riley https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016LJBPP2/

Save Her Soul, Amanda J Evans https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073XTZ2DQ/

Beneath Claire's House (Mount Herod Legends), Corey J Popp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015VLFRO6

Under Your Spell (A Romance Boxed Set of Masked Balls, Haunted Gardens, Magic and More), Elana Johnson et al https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IRYW1O8

Shadow and Lies: A World of Gothic, Raine English https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9BY010

DOTTY and the Dream Catchers (A Magical Fantasy Adventure for 8-12 year olds), Emma Warner-Reed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073Z48ML1

Bump (A Witchlight Novel), Jaime Munn https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TYVQJ3

Veritas, Quinn Coleridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T7Q2GF

Smolder (A Paranormal Romance), Lisa Carlisle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0755L9NBM/

Wrath of the Angel, John R Monteith https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JDAJPCG/

The Ghastly Gizmo, Tilda Hale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MPVLPF6

There are so many gems to discover in this list. I hope you have some spooky, fun reading this Halloween!

If you're looking for yet more Kindle Unlimited reading, I share the books I've read and enjoyed in Kindle Unlimited on my book review Facebook page, Always Another Great Book. I'd love to see you there.

Originally posted at my blog.

Christmas in July

Aussie Christmases are summery and hot, so to enjoy traditional Christmas feasts, we celebrate "Christmas in July". It is awesome! In midwinter we get to enjoy the glorious traditional foods that northern hemisphere people have over Christmas. But life can't be all about food - there are also the great books you read while devouring bowls full of trifle and sipping hot chocolate.

Actually, if there's one food I miss in my not-so-cold corner of the world, it's roasted chestnuts. Buying them from a vendor, cracking open the hot, hot, hot shells and eating the sweet, smoky chestnuts is heaven. But I digress.

I was going to discuss how binge reading while eating yummies is my utter indulgence, and how Kindle Unlimited has rescued me from breaking my book budget. I now binge read with total disregard for cost by selecting books that are in Kindle Unlimited. Amazon's subscription service only opened in Australia in December (yes, in time for our real Christmas - it was awesome!) and for roughly the equivalent of US $10 a month I read, and read, and read.

One of the biggest challenges of Kindle Unlimited is finding the great books in it. Some get hidden away, overwhelmed and lost in the avalanche of new books. So I've started a Facebook page where I share the great books I've discovered in Kindle Unlimited (authors are welcome to share their Kindle Unlimited books in the pinned post at the top of the page): Always Another Great Book.

Consider Always Another Great Book my Christmas in July gift to you - and happy reading!

P.S. All of my independently published books are available in Kindle Unlimited. If you haven't discovered them, my Amazon author page lists them: https://www.amazon.com/Jenny-Schwartz/e/B0042MAD86/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

2017, Bring It On!

I'm feeling feisty. A new year means new opportunities. Of course, every day brings those, but there's something in the turn of a calendar that's special. In 2017 I want to grab all of the opportunities.

One of the things I missed last year was trying new-to-me authors. Thankfully, Amazon finally opened up Kindle Unlimited (its subscription library) to Australians in December and I'm finding that now that I can borrow books rather than break my book budget each month, I'm reading more adventurously.

If you're interested in my Kindle Unlimited discoveries, I share some most weeks in my blog.

I'm shaking up my attitude this year. 2016 rattled most people with its politics and other happenings. This year my goal is to be more resilient.

Resilience fascinates me. It's about having more than one way to reach your objective. What do you want? What can you do to achieve it? How has your life to this point prepared you to reach your goals? As a writer I'm very aware of the power of stories. Now, I just have to make sure that the stories I tell myself are empowering and not self-sabotaging.

*puts on cheerleader costume, begins jumping* Go, me! Go, me! *slumps to the floor, exhausted*

Okay, so maybe being enthusiastic and hopeful and ... goshdarn it ... perky! requires practise. Never mind. I have all year :)

Happy 2017!

P.S. Have you bought or borrowed in Kindle Unlimited by new release, Phoenix Blood? You know you want to! (and yes, that's me resolving to be prouder of my achievements).

Phoenix Blood buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Blood-Old-School-Book-ebook/dp/B01M0DLOKL/