August is My Favorite Month by #LucindaRace

Hello again,  

I think the month of August is almost perfect. The dog days of summer have arrived and we’ve gotten through the normal heat wave of July and the sweltering nights. Living in the Northeast we don’t have central air conditioning so we do suffer for about a week, well not really suffer. It’s the January freeze in reverse. But back to the perfect month. The days of August are warm, the nights are cooling down and the garden is fulfilling its promise of a plentiful harvest. If I could slow down time I think August would be the month I’d choose. 

During August hubby and I take at least one week of vacation in our small, but super convenient, motorhome. In past years we’ve taken two consecutive weeks. So far this year we went away for a few days and plan to go camping to the coast of Maine in early September. But what does that mean for writing and reading? 

I always tuck my kindle, filled with new titles, in my briefcase bag and at least one paperback. Hey you never know if you can’t charge it. You e-reader fans understand I’m sure.  I’m currently reading one novel from every #RomanceGem and if you’ve haven’t stretched beyond your usual genre, you should. Before joining this amazing group of romance authors I’ve never really read western romance, vampire romance or time travel romance. Check out my Goodreadspage and you can follow along with my reviews of my reading list. The downfall of this plan? After I complete a book, I’m buying the next in the authors series and veering from my reading plan. I have to get back on track.

Now what about my writing. Am I writing my next book, is all this reading slowing me down? Not in the least. I’ve just finished the first draft of a new book and waiting for my editor to send me back another novel. My critique partner recently asked me how can I read, write and of course still do the day job. I had to confess, everything about the written word is my obsession. Some people love shopping, gardening, cooking or a host of other things. My adrenaline. Words. 

Jasper

Griffen

Confession time. I have a three-season porch and ever since I moved in I’ve longed to have a reading chair and footstool. About three weeks ago, hubby and I were out and about and I started looking at chairs. What was I waiting for, I’ve lived in this home for almost fifteen years. Timing was right. There was a good sale, I signed up for their friends and family program and I even got free shipping to the store. I’ve been enjoying the dog days of summer in my new comfy chair. There’s room for my little Jasper next to me and Griffen has claimed part of the foot stool as his own. 

Below I’ve added a little snip from Old and New book 1 in the MacLellan Sisters Trilogy. I hope you enjoy it. 

Thud. Jamie slammed the door behind her, shutting out the biting cold. The silence embraced her as she entered the quaint cottage. A familiar ache wrapped around her heart, this was home but she was alone. Kicking off black high-heeled boots she walked in stocking feet to the mantle, flipping a switch the gas fireplace whooshed to life. She held her hands out towards the fire and rubbed them together absorbing the warmth. Welcome home, Jamie. 

She wandered into her bedroom and changed into yoga pants, a well-worn fisherman-knit sweater and plush heavy socks, perfect for hanging out in the house. The back door chimed. Must be the girls.

“Come in,” she called down the hallway. 

“Jamie, where are you hiding?” Kenzie shouted.

“In the bedroom. Be right out. Is Grace with you?” 

“She’s right behind me.” 

Jamie walked into the hallway, her smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. 

“What’s going on?” Grace came bopping through the door, clear blue eyes dancing. 

Jamie tugged at a curl that had escaped from Grace’s bun. “I’m happy to see my sisters.”

The sisters were exactly eleven months apart, Scottish triplets. Each sister was born on the eleventh of the month, Jamie in May, Kenzie in April and Grace in March. They had the same crystal-blue eyes and chestnut hair, but that was where the similarity ended. Jamie was tall and willowy, and her long hair fell in thick waves around her shoulders. Kenzie was vertically challenged and athletic,her short, spiky hair suiting an active life. Grace, the baby, was average height and her figure was curvy like her bouncy curls.

“It’s about time you got here, Grace, I’m starving.” Kenzie grabbed two paper bags out of Grace’s arms and hurried into the kitchen. Over her shoulder, she said, “Hey, I thought Jamie was buying tonight.”

Grace shrugged off her long tailored black coat and tucked the butter-soft pink leather gloves and pink beret into a side pocket, and hung it next to Kenzie’s deep blue pea coat. She tugged on the bobby pins holding her hair secured in a bun, letting her curls bounce free. Closing her eyes, she sighed, “Oh that feels so good.” She tousled the curls into place. “I volunteered to pick it up.” Glancing at the counter, and then at Jamie she smirked, “Is there wine?”

Jamie’s eyebrow arched. She smiled in response—“But of course”—and pointed to the kitchen. “Help yourself, there’s white in the fridge.” 

Kenzie rummaged through the wine rack. Victoriously, she thrust the bottle in the air. “I’m opening the merlot.” 

“Pour me a glass too?” Jamie asked, and Grace echoed the request.

Jamie sniffed appreciatively. “My gosh, the lo mein’s making my mouth water.” She rummaged in the second bag. “I hope you got extra dumplings.”

The sisters quickly filled their plates and the wineglasses. Settling into the deep cushions in front of the crackling fire, plates resting on the square wooden coffee table, the girls held up their glasses—cheers!

Kenzie twirled noodles around her fork and shifted her gaze to Jamie. “Your text said a box from Scotland arrived?” 

Jamie’s shoulders slumped and she munched on a slice of bread. “I got an email from Mom. She and Dad are cleaning out some of Gran’s things and found it. I guess it was addressed to us. I thought it would be better to open it together.”

Kenzie looked between her sisters, her smile pained. “It’s hard to believe she’s gone.” 

Jamie wiped away a lone tear. “I keep expecting the phone to ring and hear Gran asking when we’re hopping on the next plane.” 

“Guys”—fighting back tears, Grace’s face sagged—“can we concentrate on what’s in the box? It hurts too much to talk about Gran’s death.”

Kenzie wiped away the tears that had slipped down her cheeks. “Grace is right. Let’s open the box and see what’s inside, after we finish this amazing lo mein.” 

I hope you continue to enjoy what is left of the summer season and don’t forget to enter our August Rafflecopter Giveaway. We are celebrating The Dog Days of Summer with great prizes as well as free books. Check out our Giveaway Tab above for complete information.  

You can also reach the entry form by clicking HERE.

Until next time, 

I wish you happiness. 

Lucinda