January's Winter Wonderland by @JoanReeves #RomanceGems

Happy New Year!

I've never been so happy to see an old year end—hopefully taking with it CoVid19, unemployment, ill health,  depression, hopelessness, and unhappiness.

CORRECTION: If you read my post before 1pm today, you probably noticed I mentioned Giveaway Alert and then the sentence fragmented. I was very tired last night after midnight (go figure) and didn't go to the top of my draft post to eliminate that sentence. I decided just to giveaway books instead of having anyone jump through hoops on a day when we're probably all a bit, uh, tired. *g* Happy New Year!

Hello, 2021!

You are already loved by just about everyone in our world.

In space, Earth looks like a glorious blue and  white planet, a beautiful blending of our oceans and ice caps. Since it's winter, most of us get to see some of that ice and snow.

Winter Wonderland, Our January Theme

I'd like to share some images of Texas in winter. Texas is such a big state that we have everything from winter Plains weather to sunny Gulf Coast winters with mostly mild temperatures. The picture above are trees on a Texas hillside.

If you ever think about moving to Texas, you can pick the climate you want. At right, you can see the Chisos, a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. It may seem odd to you to see snow on cactus, but that's the way we roll. 

As I write this, Darling Hubby and I are at our house in the country, located at the foot of the Texas Hill Country. 

The day is sunny and in the high 60s, but the wind is blowing hard. Clouds scud across the robin's egg blue sky, and it's pleasant sitting on the porch.Here at the ranch, we often have ice and snow in January or February.

In Houston, there have been winters so mild that we heated the pool all of December to take the chill from the water so we could swim. The kids loved that! 

The snow scene on the cover of LuvU4Ever, free at most Kindle shops, is actually downtown Houston. It doesn't snow often so it's really fun when it does.

From the Panhandle to South Texas, from El Paso to the piney woods of east Texas, there's every variety of land and climate. If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait an hour, and it'll probably change.

January Author Spotlight

The talented Karen Whiddon is our spotlight author this month.

Karen, a longtime author for Harlequin, has had a remarkable career, and that career is in full bloom. Be sure and visit the Author Spotlight Page and read more about Karen and see her new release.

My 2021 Goals

1. Worry less.

2. Workout more.

3. Spend less time working.

4. Use my work time more effectively.

5. Spend less time on social media relationships.

6. Spend more time on real life relationships.

7. Focus less on my imperfections.

8. Focus more on what I can contribute.

9. Write with Joy.

10. Live each day with Joy.

LAST CHANCE NEW YEAR, Free Until Jan. 4!

This is Book 2, A Moment in Time Short Story Romance Series, and it's FREE, Jan. 1 until Jan. 4, midnight CST. 

Make sure the price shows as free because some retailers are slow to reprice. Find it at these booksellers:

Apple

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Scribd

Smashwords

You can get it at Amazon, but it will cost you 99¢ because they refused to discount it!

On Sale until January 4, THE KEY TO KRISTINA

This book is getting rave reviews. Be sure and get it for only 99¢ before it returns to regular price.

"The Key to Kristina is a simmering, not-until-it’s-ready, slow-burn romance, one of my favorite kinds. No “insta-love” here. Thankfully. It helps that the main characters Kristina and Wyatt are relatable, worth getting to know as a reader, as they get to know each other. Add to that a clever and intriguing mystery, and you’ve got the whole package." —CRich Review

"Brilliant!! Fantastic book. Very hard to put down." —Janine Reviews

Wishing all of you a 2021 SO much better than the CoVid year. Let's all wallow in optimism and read romance, the hopeful genre. What do you think? Leave a comment and let's talk about our hopes and dreams for the New Year.

JOAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER

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