Yep, that’s me. Old. And cranky. I used to love going shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. I’ve never done the crazy get up before dawn and wait in the cold for the stores to open, but we used to have a nice breakfast and all pile in the car afterward for a trip to the mall. I used to love the sights and sounds and the festive spirit.

No more. I do 80-90% of my holiday shopping online. I don’t have to deal with the crowds. I shop on Cyber Monday and it all depends on what I’m looking for. My kids want video games, movies, and T-shirts I can only find online. Event tickets, too.

Every now and then, I’ll venture out on Black Friday, but not at the butt-ass crack of dawn. There is no deal worth it and not enough coffee. I’ll sleep in, fix a nice breakfast, then head to the nearest Starbucks for a Venti Gingerbread Latte before I tackle any store. This year, my brother and his family are coming for Thanksgiving. They want to do the butt-ass crack of dawn shopping and that is fine with me. Without me.

I don’t have the patience for the crowds anymore. Hence the large coffee. It keeps my mouth occupied so I don’t end up telling some poor idiot off who stops in the middle the mall to have a conversation or simply stand there. I don’t want to stand in line to buy something I’m not even sure anyone is going to want. I don’t want to have to break out the Excedrine every hour because the screaming kids and their screaming parents won’t stop…screaming.

Oddly enough, y’all, I do love Christmas. I love all the trappings of it… I want to see the lights and decorations. I want to go shopping and be out among people. I just don’t care to do it on Black Friday anymore. However, in the spirit though of the blog hop, I’ll leave you with a tradition we now have on Black Friday which does require us to go out for a bit. It’s Charlotte Motor Speedway. You’re surprised, huh? LOL… It’s the end of NASCAR season and every year the day after Thanksgiving, souvenir haulers line up inside the walls of the track with discounted merchandise from the racing season. Spend $50, which for our household isn’t difficult, and you can take your personal car and drive the racetrack for 3 laps. My son love its. You get right up against the wall or down low on the apron. You can go up to 70mph and it really is a fun time. It’s a treat and though there’s a crowd, and a long line to wait in, it’s different than the normal Black Friday day at the mall, or Walmart, or Target, or any other traditional shopping place.

What do YOU do on Black Friday?

Now you all know you’re stopping here as part of a blog hop so what are the rules? Simple: visit as many of the blogs as you can and leave a comment for the blog owner. For every comment, you’ll get one entry into the grand-prize drawing. Be sure to leave your e-mail address with every comment so we can find you if you win! And don’t forget that several blog owners are giving away prizes specific to their blog, too!Comment, leave an email address, and move on to the next blog. All the participants chipped in to give away a Kindle Fire and we’re all giving other prizes as well. Check out the list below if you haven’t already seen it…

Prizes:

– Cassandra Carr: copy of either of my two current releases, Talk to Me or Head Games
– Kristabel Reed: back list copy of one of her stories and then on her own blog a $10 GC plus a copy of her newest release, Risque, a Regency Menage Tale
– Lucy Felthouse: back list copy of any of her single-title books
– Cari Quinn: back list copy of one of her books
– Leigh Elwood: two back list copies of her books
– Natasha Blackthorne: copies of her two Regency era novellas: Grey’s Lady and Waltz of Seduction
– Amber Kallyn: e-copy of Dragos 1
– Camryn Rhys: Kindle copies of The Barn Dance and Off the Record – Foodie Erotic Romances
– Lissa Matthews: two of her back list books
– Misa Buckley: an e-copy of Ironhaven and To Reach the Dawn
– Lacey Wolfe: a copy of Ambers Muse
– Courtney Sheets: a $25 GC to Ravenous Romance and a copy of Kona Warrior – PDF
– Sara Brookes: an e-copy of one of my back list books
– Cynthia Arsuaga: a copy of an e-book, and on her own blog five book charm book tethers
– Louisa Bacio: .pdf copy of my first book in The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf series, and on her own blog a $10 certificate to Ravenous Romance, and each commenter will also be entered to win a Goody Bag of new Orleans treats
– Malia Mallory: one copy each of The ABC’s of Erotica and Santa’s Back Door Baby
– Cynthia Eden: a copy of Angel of Darkness (either print or digital)
– Carrie Ann Ryan: an e-copy of The Alpha’s Path
– Jacquie Rogers: a Smashwords coupon for Faery Merry Christmas, plus on her own blog, a free copy of Much Ado About Marshals

One winner will be chosen on Saturday morning using random.org. I will contact that person about the Kindle Fire and then each blog owner with a prize will contact the winner themselves to arrange delivery of said prize. Questions? Contact our blog hop coordinator at AuthorCassandraCarr AT gmail DOT com.

That’s it. Easy Peasy! Go have some fun!

 

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