Birthdays and Holidays and Books (Oh My!)

July 12, 2023 Jaycee Weaver9 Comments

July is always a little crazy. Not as chaotic as December or May, mind you, but close. We have several birthdays (including mine tomorrow), Independence Day, and loads of summer activities for starters. Since becoming an author, I’ve had fun adding bookish events such the FaithBooks Free Book Blast and Christmas in July to the already jam-packed month too.

As I write this, my youngest daughter is having a birthday party with the youth group from our church. I’m listening to the soundtrack of teenage laughter as they play crazy games and eat chicken nuggets like they’re going out of style (spoiler alert—they aren’t and never will LOL). While the introverts in the house are struggling with the invasion, I’m in my happy place. I love having people in my home enjoying themselves, eating well, and lifting one another up in unconventional ways. Birthdays aren’t an over-the-top occasion for us, but we always try to find personal ways to make the honoree feel special.

A week and a half ago, our home was filled with extended family celebrating my in-laws’ 50th wedding anniversary. It was such a blessing to celebrate their marriage and the impact they’ve had on so many people over the years. And then, in between those two parties, we had family here for the night of Independence Day. Each event was different in terms of the work put in, stress level, guests, menu, and even the overall vibe. And yet all three had one thing in common: love of family. (Okay, and we ate too much. Every. Single. Time.)

In my youth, we didn’t often have a big extended family to celebrate these not-so-everyday occasions with. Our relations were spread across the US and none of us had the financial freedom to travel except every few years for a centrally located reunion (which was always a great time). When I married into a family with locally based roots branching out as deep and wide as the city itself, those first few years were overwhelming. We found ourselves setting boundaries and becoming protective of our nuclear family when it came to celebrating both big holidays and smaller ones. Finding balance between the extremes was a key part of those early marriage and parenting years.

Now, we’ve established our traditions. We’ve gained some experience. And we’ve grown more comfortable opening our home (at least, I have. My poor introvert hubby doesn’t always handle it so well). Our house has become the landing pad, the gathering place, the holiday zone. Maybe not for every event, but for a lot of them. It’s a blessing, this home of ours, which is less about the walls and what fills them and more about how we love, how we come together, how we pour into one another. Like I said, it’s my happy place.

You know, until the pandemic, I never really liked Christmas in July. Back then, Christmas was more than a little overwhelming. Demanding. A season of stress. Yes, we did what we could to keep Christ at the forefront, but inevitably with our massive extended family, three children, school/church/extracurricular activities, work, donations, projects, programs, blah blah blah, there was a lot going on in December. I thought, why would I want to taint my summer with that kind of insanity and stress? It’s better now, as we’ve gotten older and come through the pandemic with a greater appreciation for slowing down. But Christmastime can still be… well, a lot.

Now in July (though as I’ve established is still a little crazy) we don’t have quite so many demands. It’s summer where we live. I can catch up on sleep (praise God for the ability to stay home with my kids, I know not everyone is able to or wants to do so). I can move at a slower pace than during the school year (maybe not this year, but usually LOL). I can read more (yay!) and write more (double yay!). And I can finally carve out a little more time to celebrate my Christmas books. And READ Christmas books. It’s hot here right now, so reading about snow and chilly winter air is an escape. And I have a friend Down Under who’s said she enjoys Christmas books in July because that’s when it’s winter for her. So either way, it makes sense!

Plus, I mean, who doesn’t love sprinkling a little more Christmas love throughout the year? It’s like attending a midweek service or Bible study—sometimes we need a reminder of what God has done for us to keep us going through the second half. This year, I am all in for Christmas in July. Let’s make it a real thing!

Let’s share the love of Christ. Do nice things for people we forget to do other times of year. Revel in the beauty of the season we’re in. Think about others more than we think of ourselves. Do all the things we want to do and try to do in December!

And buy more books. LOL! Because it’s fun. And there are, like, a gazillion book sales happening right now.

Including SEVEN of my books offered for 99¢ or less. WHY did I put 7 books on sale? I’m glad you asked. 1) Because it’s Christmas in July; and 2) Because tomorrow is my birthday and I like giving people things; and 3) Because today we’re talking BIRTHDAYS and HOLIDAYS and BOOKS (oh my)!

If you haven’t yet joined my reader community, be sure to head over to https://jayceeweaver.com/newsletter and sign up. You’ll receive a lovely little book for free right away and then be among the first to know when I have crazy sales like this or new books available.

Before I sign off, I’d like to hear from you! How can YOU celebrate Christmas this month, despite the official holiday being nearly half a year away? (I mean, does it really matter when the official holiday is, since Christ was not actually born in December, but sometime in March or April?) What’s one way you can bring a little Christmas joy to those around you right now? I can’t wait to read your answers and chat in the comments.

Until next time,

PS — If you’re looking for a LOT of clean, inspirational Christmas books without having to spend a fortune, you can click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for some fantastic no-signup-required promos! Disclaimer: I haven’t read every single author in these lists, so please read descriptions and choose at your own discretion. They all do claim to have only clean/wholesome/sweet/inspirational/Christian content.

Summer Reading List + an apology

June 28, 2022 Jaycee Weaver27 Comments

Things have been weird in JayceeLand the past several months. I’m still trying to find my groove again, and what mojo I do find comes in small snippets that disappear soon after. So rather than force myself to write, I’m taking the summer off to focus on my family, my home, side projects I’ve set aside too long, and OF COURSE, reading. How better to beat the heat? (Or cold, if you’re in the southern hemisphere!)

I’ve been enjoying quite a bit of sweet-and-clean romance and romantic comedy the past few months. It’s been hard to focus on anything of much depth, but there have been a few titles I’ve been delighted to read that have both the lighthearted humor I’ve needed as well as character growth. So while the topics haven’t been exactly hard or complicated, the titles I’m sharing have plenty of substance. And since I adore novellas and shorter titles, I’ll include a few of those as well. Those of you who enjoy longer works can share your suggestions in the comments!

First, though, I owe an apology. I put a giveaway into my post last month and then completely forgot to draw a name and announce a winner. Let me rectify that now. Naomi M is the winner of a copy of Braver With You! I’ve sent you an email with the details for claiming your prize. I’m sorry I neglected to draw and announce last month!

Now, back to our summer reading list. I would love to hear what’s on YOUR summer reading list (or winter for those of you on the other side of the globe)!

A few of the books I’ve read and LOVED this month:

Betsy by Sarah Monzon – A delightful conclusion to a refreshingly different and thoroughly wonderful series!

The Bluff by Emma St. Clair – I literally laughed out loud through the whole book.

Maybe I Will by Melanie Jacobson – This series makes me want to visit New Orleans.

How to Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor – My favorite trope, friends-to-more, handled so well!

The Next Worst Thing by Sara Jane Woodley – an unexpected delight!

The Hate Zone by Gigi Blume – I got Messy Love and its related freebie, and now I’m hooked on the whole Precio family!

And ones I’m looking forward to in the next month:

Love at Second Sight by Liwen Y. Ho – I LOVE her Fab Forties series!!

Battleshipped by Savannah Scott – Friendshipped and Courtshipped (a freebie short) were really good!

Complex by Kortney Keisel – Compared was SO STINKING GOOD, I’m excited about this one.

The Billionaire’s Best Friend by Elizabeth Maddrey – I LOVE Beth’s unusual takes on common tropes, so I cannot wait to see how she did a billionaire bestie book!

An Unlikely Alliance by Toni Shiloh – this one came out TODAY! Congrats, T!

To Believe in You by Emily Conrad – I added this just because the cover is so stunning, and now the whole series is on my TBR.

PLEASE be sure to leave your comments with some suggestions for my TBR on can’t miss reads coming out the next month or two or that recently came out. I’m especially looking for books that either aren’t heavy or handle heavy topics with a light and gentle hand, books that are funny but romantic, cute and sweet, silly, fun, and/or short. If they’re in Kindle Unlimited, I’ll be extra appreciative!! Thanks for hanging out with me today on the blog, I can’t wait to see what you’re reading. 🙂 And while I’m taking a break on social media, I’m still blogging here every month and sending newsletters. So if you want to keep in touch, be sure to subscribe at https://jayceeweaver.com/newsletter. See ya soon!

Giveaway · Real Life

Plan Your Summer Book-cation

May 22, 2019 Jaycee Weaver26 Comments

May is nearly over, people! Can you believe it? The second most jam-packed month of the year is almost done. School will be out soon, vacations are being planned, and the weather is finally warming up after the eternal winter we had this year. Can you tell I’m excited?!

I don’t know if you have kids at home or not, but I have three girls all in the throes of tween and teen hormonal chaos. Add in all the family birthdays and Mother’s Day, graduations, baby showers and weddings, field trips and finals…whew! It’s enough to make a girl long for her cozy corner, some coffee, and an invisibility cloak so she can just read until everything settles back down.

Even if that’s not likely to happen anytime soon, you’ve still got all summer to get in some quality reading time. Whether you’re staying home, playing hometown tourist, or gearing up for a big vacation, I have some suggestions for enjoying a nice summer bookcation. It’s the perfect time to change up your reading habits and discover something new.

I’d like to challenge you, dear Inspy Romance reader, to spend some time outside this summer–outside of your comfort zone, that is! There’s a whole bookish world out there, just waiting to be explored and enjoyed. Here’s my list of ideas to get you going:

Pick up a novella. Novellas are often overlooked by serious readers. I’ve heard all the reasons, believe me. But I have to tell you, novellas have come a long way. Most of our Inspy authors here and quite a number of other authors have put out some excellent titles with well-developed characters and storylines. Roughly 20-40,000 words or 75-140 pages, give or take, novellas are perfect for a summer afternoon when you want to finish a book in one sitting without taking all day (or all night!) to do it.
Try a new trope. What is a trope? It’s that basic story idea that sucks you in every time. Think friends-to-more, second chances, secret baby, or marriage-of-convenience for example. Whatever your reason for avoiding a specific kind (I get it, secret babies are so not my thing), give one a chance this summer! You might just enjoy the frivolity of that handsome undercover billionaire who falls for his old sweetheart again after she shows up in their small town with a kid he never knew about. (I’m totally winking here.)
Discover a new-to-you author. This should be a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get comfortable with the handful of favorites you usually reach for. And I get it. It’s a scary world out there with a whole lot of unfamiliar names–taking a chance when time and budgets are limited is a risk. But here at Inspy Romance, we’ve got over two dozen authors and I’m sure you haven’t read everyone just yet (we’ve had a lot of new faces come since April, including me!). To find some other good options, check out the many Inspirational or Christian Romance reader groups on social media (like ours HERE).
Explore a slightly different genre. Clearly, if you’re here, you enjoy contemporary romance. But did you know some of our authors also write historical? Or romantic suspense? Have you considered cozy mysteries? What about exploring young adult fiction? And with that one, if you find a clean, inspirational YA fiction you really enjoyed, please, PLEASE send me a message. I’ve got three readers with a long summer ahead of me and I’d love to recommend books that are *safe* and worthwhile.
Read in a different format. If you just LOVE paper, give an eBook a chance. If that’s your usual, pick up a paper copy! It’s a little odd at first, getting used to the nuances of a different format, but in doing so you might just re-discover why you fell in love with reading in the first place. Maybe the paper satisfies your nostalgia. Or you’ll find the e-reader makes packing books for your next trip a whole lot lighter (more room for souvenirs!).
Give Kindle Unlimited a free trial. No one here is officially endorsing KU or receiving a kickback for mentioning it. I discovered it a few years ago and haven’t looked back. Nearly all of my favorite authors have at least one book enrolled. With an internet connection and your device, getting books is easy (up to 10 at a time). It’s not for everyone, but it’s all the perks of a library card with even more choices. And free 30-day trial? Yes, please!
Revisit your local library. You might practically live there, but I, for one, have trouble getting over to the library during the school year. It’s always a special treat to take the kids and let them choose books or participate in summer activities there while I get to look around, too!
Make reading a social thing. Join a book club or start one with some girlfriends. Or go on social media and join some avid reader groups. Swap books with a friend, your teenager, or grown child. Even introverts enjoy talking books with other people sometimes.
Cozy up in a new spot. Yeah, I know. That chair you love is so snuggly and the light is just right. But what about those summer days as a kid, leaned up against a tree? Or next to the pool while the kiddies are watched by a lifeguard? And the backyard sounds pretty nice for a morning retreat, listening to the birdies, right? The world’s a great big place, which means the possibilities are endless. Ah, sigh. I can’t wait!

Have more ideas for enjoying your summer bookcation this year? Comment below! I’d love to hear them, and I’m sure our other readers would, too.

And to help you get started with a new-to-you author, I’d like to offer a free eBook of my latest novel, What Makes a Home. One winner will be chosen at random and announced during the next Sunday edition!