My first week after turning in Justice Delivered to my editor has been hectic catching up on everything I let slide…like entering my checks into my computer and the Scavenger Hunt last week and cleaning house. I really did mean to clean house…and I did take a stab at my office. (so I could get in it) Anyway, on to this week’s book — Beneath The Surface by Lynn Blackburn.
Here’s the back cover copy:
After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she’d left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.
Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff’s Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer–one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.
Beneath the Surface grabbed me from the get-go and didn’t let go until the end. Blackburn created characters I cared about and then she put them in all kinds of precarious situations. I wasn’t sure how the story would turn out—great for keeping me reading way too late into the night!
Blackburn is a new-to-me author and I look forward to more of her books! She kept me turning the page with her tight writing, and she knows how to create interesting characters.
Last month’s winner of a book from my library is actually 3! I took one look at all the books I’ve accumulated and decided I HAD to do something. So I’m giving away 3 of them. And the winners are: Jan Ballard, Heidi, and Deb.
The winner of the $10 gift card is: Dana Michael!
Now for this Month’s Drawing, I’m giving away more of my books! Leave a comment telling me your best housekeeping tip!
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Beneath the Surface grabbed me from the get-go and didn’t let go until the end. Check out Reader Friday and leave a comment to be entered for a #bookgiveaway![/tweet_box]
You can purchase Beneath the Surface at Amazon, B&N, and CBD and at your local bookstores.
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Comments 58
When I clean or do laundry I need to have coffee or hot tea near by. Music or audio book is a plus 🙂
Author
Yep, we do need something to fortify ourselves with, don’t we Jessica. The problem with an audio book–I’d probably get so caught up in the story and forget what I was doing. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
One of the best tips would be to break it down room by room, or to do one thing like dusting and bathrooms one day, floors the next etc.
Author
Absolutely, Phyllis. If I would do that, I could stay on top of things even when I’m on deadline. Thanks for stopping by.
Cleaning will be easier if you first downsize and get rid of everything you don’t really need — to charity or friends or to trash depending on the items. Then organize what’s left. Then clean.
Author
Christine, I actually plan to go through my closets in the near future (when I have my bathrooms redone) and anything I haven’t worn in 2 years goes! I.Cannot.Buy.One.More.Piece of clothing until I do this!
I recently acquired a Roomba. I love the fact that while it is vacuuming I can be doing other chores. Multi-tasking at its finest!
Author
Must invest in a Roomba! Now if they could just make something that dusts…Thanks for joining us, Michele!
Play music or watch Tv while cleaning to make it fun.
Or make it a “race” to beat the clock and try to finish the chore within a certain time.
Author
Great tips, Brittany! I am always competing against myself and this is a constructive way to do it. 🙂
I have found the best motivator for cleaning is to invite someone over. 🙂
Author
Dawn, that is when I clean–when company is coming. So glad you joined us today!
A place for everything and everything in its place! Old addage but if you put away as soon as you use it— you can find it and things will be neater.
I agree with music or how about an audible book!
I like the idea of breaking it up into rooms or similar categories such as vacuum, then dust, all bathrooms together , or room by room. Especially if you do a room , then shut the door afterwards, if there is one .
Author
Paula, I’m afraid I shut the door BEFORE I clean…so I won’t have to see the mess. lol. Not really. 😉 I’m trying to make room for all my stuff so I can put the other things away. And I do play music–classical. Thanks for stopping by!
I live in a big family and we clean every Friday. We have a cleaning chart and we each pick a room and get it done. It goes by pretty quick I’d say in about an hour or less. 😀
Author
Tori, when I was a kid, we lived in a house that faced west and every afternoon the dustmotes showed up, so guess what my job was? And that’s probably why I don’t dust as often as I should. lol
I’m no expert, but when my grandkids were small they LOVED some of the treasures in my house and they eagerly cooperated with a “dusting contest”. The girl carefully polished fragile porcelain. The boy dusted and rubbed my sturdier large seashells to a high shine. Sadly they don’t love that game as much as they used to. I want to read the book you just reviewed!
Author
That sounds like Tom Sawyer, Delores! And Beneath The Surface is a great book. Thanks for stopping by!
I try not to do heavy cleaning ( scrubbing floors, bathrooms, etc) when someone else is in the house. I work better when I’m not interrupted! Having a place for “things ” and keeping them there also helps!
Author
Mary, I don’t know why that is, but I’m the say way about cleaning when I’m alone. And I have a place for everything, but sometimes I’m too tired to remember where it is and so the item ends up on my bar…
I often do deep cleaning when I change seasonal decorations. As I put them away and put up others, I clean baseboards, etc. Thanks for a chance to win a book!
Author
That’s a great idea, Connie. I’ll have to remember that. And thanks for stopping by.
I keep the cleaning products simple. Vinegar, water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and blue Dawn are just about the only things I use to clean! They are effective, inexpensive, non-toxic, and readily available. Easy-to-use cleaning products and a cleaning schedule are what makes keeping the house clean a breeze for me!
Author
Love those products! Diane, I’ll have to try that since I have all of them. Thanks for stopping by.
Ideas by other commenters are what I do, too. It is so easy to get behind though when you love to read! lol Thanks for your giveaway!
Author
I have a calendar that you flip over each day and I use that to show when I last dusted…hmmm. I’m not telling what date that calendar is on. Thanks for stopping by, Jackie.
When I was young & healthy & had toddlers, I used to steam clean my carpet in my 2 story home every Friday! Those two are now 22 & 25 & thankfully we only have carpet in one room downstairs now. (I detest carpet!) I deal with chronic pain issues so my cleaning skills have greatly diminished. My best plan is “Divide & Conquer” – one room at a time. Except for laundry – I do believe our washer/dryer runs 24/7! My husband & son are General Contractors & son does Landscaping, too. Try to stay ahead of those dirty clothes in the rainy season or a hot, humid MS Summer!
Author
I’m with you, Lisa–I don’t have carpet anywhere in my house other than a couple of small throw rugs. And I’m sure there is NO way to stay ahead of laundry at your house! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
I clean room by room. Once all is cleaned I reward myself by reading. 😉
Author
Caryl, I’d never get to read! 🙂 thanks for stopping by.
Usually room by room. Also, tryvto keep the clutter down
Author
That’s a good way to do it, Lisa. WHEN I clean I like to take a room a day. 🙂 thanks for stopping by.
This may sounds funny but my best tip is to have your hubby do it…lol. I have arthritis in both hands as well as asthma, so dust and things done with my hands are very tough. When we first go married 29 years ago, he said he would vacuum, dust and clean the bathroom. The rest is up to me…laundry, etc. He does the cooking as well, since he is a chef 🙂
Author
That’s a great idea, Betti! You married a peach! Thanks so much for stopping by.
I try to keep up on a daily basis, but with four kids and a husband living here that is a huge challenge!! LOL
Author
There is no way I could keep a house clean with four kids and a husband, Jackie. In fact, the guy I date once said that he’d heard people who could stand clutter were well-adjusted and that I was very well-adjusted. lol Thanks for stopping by.
I am not a cleaning expert. I can’t keep up with dust in certain rooms. I have been cleaning out a lot this year….utility room (we got a new fridge in there, so I cleaned out crafts, etc.), my clothes closet, jewelry, bath/body stuff, and linen closet. Yay! Bullet journaling has helped me by writing down tasks/goals and checking them off. I really enjoyed Beneath The Surface and look forward to reading more of her books as she is new to me as well.
Author
Gloria, lists are so good for getting things done. Thanks for stopping by.
I close the door so I don’t have to look at the mess or dust. Then I read a book. Since I live alone and don’t have much company, it works for me. I have a dog that has apparently watched too much HGTV. She thinks “bring the outside in” means to bring in sticks and other stuff in from outside and chew them up on the floor. I vacuum when it gets too much. Otherwise, I let it go. I never met anyone who says at the end of their life that they wished they had cleaned more.
Author
AMEN, Sue! We think alike. 😉
Move! LOL!
Author
Johnnie, yes!!
I usually put on some upbeat music and clean one room at a time. I am also slowly decluttering dad room. Getting rid of stuff that I don’t use or collects dust.
Author
Jan, one room at a time is a good idea but I’m one of those people who do several rooms at the same time.
Part of our solution was to pay someone to come in once a week to take care of the bigger things, like vacuuming, dusting, and mopping floors. Another suggestion, which I need to practice myself, is to dispose of things when no longer needed rather than putting them away somewhere “in case I ever need it again”.
Author
Edward, if I could but dispose of things instead of putting them back just in case…thanks so much for stopping by!
I try to do a seasonal clothing cleanout. I donate the items to a local thrift shop.
Author
Erika, I mean to do that every spring and fall but at most manage to do it about every other year. I do not need to buy one more piece of clothing until I get rid of some! Thanks for stopping by.
My tip is to start. 🙂 There’s always ‘writing’ that needs to be done, so today I decided to brainstorm while cleaning. I wasn’t terribly productive at brainstorming, but I fully “spring cleaned” my kitchen. Hoping spring will get the message! 🙂
Author
Oh, Sandra, I think that’s the best suggestion I’ve heard. 😉 Wish you could come spring clean my kitchen! Thanks for stopping by.
I’d much rather read than clean any day! My husband would rather my priorities be reversed, but it is what it is!
Author
So agree, Suzanne! Thanks so much for dropping in!
I don’t really have any tips. The older I get the harder it is to clean. I clean the kitchen first, then the bathrooms, then dust and mop and finally vacuum. Have always done it in that order. It just helps me to keep it in order and do things little at a time.
Author
Faith, I know. I know. I do clean my kitchen and bathroom most days…at least my kitchen…thanks so much for stopping by!
Cleaning tips? Hmmmm…..I have a wireless speaker that I place in whatever room I’m in to clean (kitchen, living room/dining room, etc) that I put on Pandora and play my worship music. It helps keep my mind on the Lord and makes the cleaning go faster 🙂 I guess I do a circle when I clean my house with the way it’s laid out….kitchen, dining room, living room. I usually don’t do our bedroom every week and since we each have our own bathroom (3), I only clean mine….lol! My son is 21 and has his own space in the back of the house that he’s responsible for keeping up…and he does a great job! 🙂 I just usually keep things neat so for the most part, I don’t have to clean too often. Not like when my kids were little.
I also throw out stuff I no longer use or is broken or whatnot, so it keeps things pretty organized around here.
I don’t really have any tips per say, I just keep up on stuff and then it doesn’t become such a chore 🙂
Lynn’s book is on my massive want-to-read list! Thanks for sharing your thoughts Patricia 🙂
Author
Trixi, if I could just learn to throw away stuff my life would be so much simpler. But…I might need it one day. And, as soon as I throw something away, I need it the next day. lol Thanks for stopping by.
Something simple but I keep basic cleaning supplies in each bathroom instead of just the kitchen. This way I can do quick touch ups as I notice the need, or whenever I have an extra few minutes.
Author
That’s a great idea, Pam. I’m about to redo my bathrooms and I’ll have a cabinet in each bath so I’ll incorporate your idea! Thanks or stopping by.