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Today we get to host Glynis Astie as she gives us a look at her new book and why Halloween is so darn cool! (I definitely have to agree with her about that 🙂 )

*****

Seven Reasons Halloween Rocks

First and foremost—candy, candy, candy! My birthday is a couple of weeks beforehand and I may overdose on sugar just a bit. I can stretch the cake out for a good week, but then I start to crash, so the prevalence of Halloween treats in my house helps. Birthday hangovers can be brutal, but luckily the variety of candy available in a convenient snack size seems to be limitless! Every year the wizards at the candy companies seem to come up with a new twist on an old favorite. Have you seen those 3 Musketeers with the red filling? Sooooo creepy! One of my boys can’t even eat them because it looks so “disgusting.”
I LOVE to decorate. Seriously, name the major holiday and I have decorations for it. In my house Halloween is second only to Christmas in terms of the splendor of our decorating. Though my oldest son and I argue constantly over the theme of our décor (the gorier the better for him), I think we’ve almost arrived at a happy medium. I grab anything involving the words “creepy,” “boo” and “witch”—especially if there’s glitter involved. I swoon for the candy corn designs, adorable black kitties and pumpkins with gap-toothed smiles. These adorable creations line the walls and tables of my house right alongside the skeletons, weapons and bloody body parts my son has chosen. Let’s call the look “eclectic.” Ooooh! And the plethora of Star Wars themed Halloween items only adds to my giddiness! This year, my pumpkin will be dressed as Yoda, light saber and all! What could be better?
Dressing up is AWESOME! My boys are deliriously happy at the prospect of new costumes. Never mind the fact that they have an entire dresser devoted to costumes which still fit them. Even though most of their choices are Star Wars related, they still haven’t run out of new characters to mimic. It’s unbelievable! On top of the costumes, they want the appropriate weapon, because a Storm Trooper just isn’t a Storm Trooper without a giant gun. Oy vey! This year I plan to retire my devil horns and buy myself a Yoda hat—a hand crafted knit Yoda hat to be exact. I just happen to know where I can have one custom made. Have you heard of Crafty Bitch? Not only is she an amazing person, she’s, well, crafty.
My baking obsession is totally sanctioned. Yes, I’m that person. I’m constantly trying out new dessert recipes and foisting them on my poor, unsuspecting friends. With the number of baking blogs out there, I’m never at a loss for a new recipe. My friends don’t stand a chance! With the arrival of Halloween, I get to add candy to all my creations without anyone batting an eye. Personally, I detest making cut out sugar cookies (the dough gets sticky no matter how long you chill it, making it really difficult to retain the shape of the cookie), but my boys will laugh themselves silly while “dressing up” their Halloween treats, so I don’t mind suffering a bit. There may be a few swear words wafting out of my kitchen along with those heavenly smells, but it’s nothing a few bits of chocolate won’t fix.
Halloween-related events are legendary! They’re fun, filled with people you like AND they encompass every item I’ve mentioned so far. Let’s not forget trick-or-treating!!! A close cousin to parties, you get to roam your neighborhood with your favorite little people, wearing costumes, admiring the awesomeness of everyone’s outdoor decorations, and getting free candy. When I go to the store, I have to limit myself to a certain number of bags of candy (I consider less than ten a win), but trick-or-treating allows you to sample everyone’s favorites. Score!
I get to wear my favorite Halloween t-shirt. It’s so cool! It’s black with a pumpkin made out of orange sequins accented with sparkly green beads for the stem. I bought it at Target at least five years ago and I refuse to get rid of it. I have yet to see one as cute! I start wearing it in September and keep it in rotation through the end of November. That’s pumpkin season, right?
Last, but certainly not least, one of my closest friends was born on Halloween. That means I get to kick 2, 4 & 5 of the list above up to a higher level. Watch out world!

*****

Gamer Girl

by Glynis Astie

Release Date: May 31, 2016

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Struck by tragedy at an early age, Meri Palmer escaped into the only world she understood. Within the virtual realm of online gaming, she lived a life filled with mythical creatures and thrilling adventures, where she was strong, powerful, clever, and beautiful—everything she believed she wasn’t in real life. As the years went by, her desire to cling to her cherished fantasyland only grew stronger.

But when Meri meets Morgan, equal parts gorgeous and goofball, she begins to wonder if the time has finally come to rejoin the so-called real world. Channeling the bravery of her fairy warrior alter ego, Meri slowly lets Morgan beyond the protective walls she’s built around her heart. Just as she finds a comfortable groove in an uncertain world, Morgan succumbs to insecurities of his own, leaving her lost and confused. Through her battle to regain her equilibrium, Meri will discover that even in reality, things aren’t always what they seem.

Will Meri win the battle raging in her heart and summon the will to rescue her knight in shining armor? Or will she give in to the fear and find her game over?

Buy the Book:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

*****

Author Info:

Glynis never expected in her wildest dreams to be a writer. After thirteen years in the Human Resources Industry, she decided to stay at home with her two amazing sons. Ever in search of a project, she was inspired to write the story of how, in only six short months, she met and married her wonderfully romantic French husband, Sebastien. The end result became her first novel, French Twist. As this was just the beginning of their epic love story, Glynis continued to chronicle their adventures in the sequel, French Toast, and the final installment in the series, French Fry. After she finished milking her life story for all it was worth, she decided to write straight-up fiction with Gamer Girl, which infuses her beloved chick lit with a hint of fantasy.

When Glynis is not writing, she is trying to keep the peace amongst the three men and two cats in her life, finding missing body parts (Lego pieces are small!), supervising a myriad of homework assignments and keeping a tenuous hold on her sanity by consuming whatever chocolate is in the vicinity.

Find her here:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

*****