tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76188993257202877512024-02-21T02:38:57.280-06:00Romance GemsWe write...we read...we laugh...we talk—about the same things you talk about! Come join the conversation.Joan Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17622809465767116747noreply@blogger.comBlogger789125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-50236114265233860272021-07-31T01:00:00.004-05:002021-07-31T01:00:00.278-05:00Life Is Change by @JoanReeves #RomanceGems<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKu0Yh4QwKdPzsK-vrxlrsYGq-3I9nkyHsepJtp-9r9kkpL2FUGEMY9Nxvcq3A-FzhmvFbVK99pjLDL6OIdGKYSfO-ibOLgUuz6a4e8G10uf4hNspTfYLH_J7gZXQxYxR9xKCdTcCgMQh/s1280/CHANGE_direction-255294_1280_Gerd+Altman_pixabay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1280" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKu0Yh4QwKdPzsK-vrxlrsYGq-3I9nkyHsepJtp-9r9kkpL2FUGEMY9Nxvcq3A-FzhmvFbVK99pjLDL6OIdGKYSfO-ibOLgUuz6a4e8G10uf4hNspTfYLH_J7gZXQxYxR9xKCdTcCgMQh/w400-h235/CHANGE_direction-255294_1280_Gerd+Altman_pixabay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Life is all about change. From the time we're born, our lives change every single day.<p></p><p>We grow. We learn. We become teens then adults. We marry and most of us have children.</p><p>We move into different houses as our lives change. From no children to kids to empty nests, life is constantly changing.</p><p>If we're smart, we develop hobbies or passions that enrich our lives. Authors are passionate about writing the stories in their heads. Readers are passionate about books, and romance readers are especially invested in the books they love.</p><p><b>My Journey to Change</b></p><p>Darling Hubby and I made the decision to replace our two-story house with a one-story because of my increasing vision problems that may lead to blindness. We decided it wouldn't be smart to be living in a two-story if that occurred.</p><p>From January through April, we "polished" our home until it sparkled like a diamond. It went up for sale on May 2. Within a week, we had sold it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi-BUxMqEU8QF41APREqEkfW8F548fTpWLmsUwJWfzVUnaoO650GCVxA8wtVxC2jvKVJX57ISsNIhi3bNxKwu2HC_GH68-LVe-QlUczCq26AMEERAyFe-isnrDlaW2rdJW1mdiu16N_vT/s1280/house-for-sale-2845213_1280_pixabay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi-BUxMqEU8QF41APREqEkfW8F548fTpWLmsUwJWfzVUnaoO650GCVxA8wtVxC2jvKVJX57ISsNIhi3bNxKwu2HC_GH68-LVe-QlUczCq26AMEERAyFe-isnrDlaW2rdJW1mdiu16N_vT/s320/house-for-sale-2845213_1280_pixabay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We spent the rest of May and June shopping for a one-story house, but had no luck. Found only 2 and both needed extensive renovation from top to bottom. Found hundreds of two-story houses. *LOL*<p>We were frantic since we had to move out by mid-July. The night of July 1, I saw a new one-story house listing pop up on the real estate website. </p><p>I texted our realtor immediately. The next morning, we saw the house and immediately put a contract on it.</p><p><b>Our Chance Arrived</b></p><p>At last. Our chance to make the change came about. We began to pack. Ten days later on July 12, we closed on that house. The morning of July 13, remodeling began. The new hardwood floors were finished July 15, and movers bbrought our furniture the next day.</p><p>The rest of July has been overseeing the remodeling, waiting for contractors to show up, and staring at the mountains of boxes stacked in every room. We won't unpack until the electricians are finished and the painters have done their thing. It was difficult to leave our perfect home and take on another remodeling project, but sometimes, you have to take a leap—even though you know it means a lot of work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiIrnXu8CNWbgjCBeI3Rc7PJZNjK4F1Y3JWqkYnSh43dhDuXKaXJsnAUzl6zN2yf5yGj9DYos0S0cquCoDQfGDp_z6p4jRBhZGJ4Jw_gob7wjI57bv6mEguuILvI30MacHmmtAxUgU8XZ/s1280/%2523+JUNE_DREAM_scrabble-931988_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiIrnXu8CNWbgjCBeI3Rc7PJZNjK4F1Y3JWqkYnSh43dhDuXKaXJsnAUzl6zN2yf5yGj9DYos0S0cquCoDQfGDp_z6p4jRBhZGJ4Jw_gob7wjI57bv6mEguuILvI30MacHmmtAxUgU8XZ/s320/%2523+JUNE_DREAM_scrabble-931988_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><b>Only Constant in Life</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2019, my friends and I wanted to change how we connected with readers. The result was this wonderful <b>Romance Gems</b> blog.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Romance Gems debuted February 1, 2019. Now, we have 789 blog posts in the <b>Archives</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two and a half years have passed, and we are once again on a quest for a better way to connect and interact with readers. That means it's time to change again. It's really true that the only constant in life is change.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Taking a Chance on Change</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I posed the question to the <b>Romance Gems Authors</b> about how we should go forward, and the majority opionion was to change from a blog to social media, i.e., our <b>Readers Facebook Page</b>—<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075/" target="_blank">Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet</a></b>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8DMo-qNM-R3LBYOSigHal5BWwZUngiYzZrHh1VZ5JByOU2XV6W7ACV2xwPnqVw5lqCC0xX-uxs1wD8PJqlC7UtOMarX2eSkHNi4iS5DCoHGwF_-H77ivvfTI4y6IUhw0jK-H17IxPwT1/s1280/farewell-3258939_1280_GerdAltman_pixabay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="1280" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8DMo-qNM-R3LBYOSigHal5BWwZUngiYzZrHh1VZ5JByOU2XV6W7ACV2xwPnqVw5lqCC0xX-uxs1wD8PJqlC7UtOMarX2eSkHNi4iS5DCoHGwF_-H77ivvfTI4y6IUhw0jK-H17IxPwT1/s320/farewell-3258939_1280_GerdAltman_pixabay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>That means, it's time to say goodbye to our beloved blog. We've had a good time with the blog. We ran giveaways every month for the first year and a half.</div><div><br /></div><div>We've got to know many of you, and you have followed us to our <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075/" target="_blank">Readers Facebook Page</a></b>, to our personal blogs, to BookBub, and other online destinations.<br /><div><br /></div><div><b>Stay With Us</b></div><div><br /></div><div>We may not be writing the blog any longer, but it will remain in place with all of the posts and the current pages. You can still use the <b><a href="https://romancegems.blogspot.com/p/our-library.html" target="_blank">Bookstore</a></b> page to visit your favorite Romance Gems Authors by clicking their respective links to all of their books.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Even Better</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Come join us on <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075/" target="_blank">Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet</a></b>. We want to chat with readers—with you—every day of the week. Each author will have a short post on her usual "blog day" each month, and there will also be daily topics for discussion and entertainment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, subscribe to each author's newsletter so you'll know when she publishes new books or has sales or giveaways. <b><a href="https://www.subscribepage.com/z8x3r9" target="_blank">My Newsletter</a></b> wants you!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkIvgKBaeZNKAfa-921HV20SRAVUUinqsuRuqGBQ5dg8nBPoN8VFBOT79RCnxIKjXfBpylDtS-cvE3Uc0R35J-N3kXSdvt3L2Z6BtzbpnMVBTANNwvMHy27Ecg_2YxZML8rmNIZY81Vm0/s640/%2523+JUNE_stones-451329_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="640" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkIvgKBaeZNKAfa-921HV20SRAVUUinqsuRuqGBQ5dg8nBPoN8VFBOT79RCnxIKjXfBpylDtS-cvE3Uc0R35J-N3kXSdvt3L2Z6BtzbpnMVBTANNwvMHy27Ecg_2YxZML8rmNIZY81Vm0/s320/%2523+JUNE_stones-451329_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Personally...</b></div><div><br /></div><div>With everything I write, and everything I say and do, I always want to encourage others to have the courage to dream and go after their dreams.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Romance Gems Blog</b> has been a lot of work, but it's been rewarding in so many ways.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to take this moment to thank the other <b>Romance Gems Authors</b> for their posts, their support, and their time in making this blog a success.</div><div><br /></div><div>I thank all of you <b>Readers</b> for taking the time to visit us and to leave a comment which always encouraged us. Thanks for reading our books and a special thanks to those who left reviews.</div><div><br /></div><div>We're all still <b>Romance Gems Authors</b>. Only our venue is changing. We're moving on and hoping you'll move on with us. So join <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075/" target="_blank">Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet</a> </b>and bring your friends to meet us too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you for the last two and a half years. I wish you good health, happiness, prosperity, and peace. See you on our <b></b><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075/" target="_blank">Readers Facebook Page</a></b>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>It's time to move on. Let's enjoy the Journey.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFPUwVkYtx8qB12yNosyaS09okinS9zS9L89UHjYd6pna1vscYF1HySJn49Sl-wLoUjFGlX2JWcXXUe3IFRp7gykn_4DCvYyovBDktSMBBzBbLWp_xlyDRNORvFFZf2mKjXRUczhE7Da2/s770/suitcase-1412996_1280_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="770" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFPUwVkYtx8qB12yNosyaS09okinS9zS9L89UHjYd6pna1vscYF1HySJn49Sl-wLoUjFGlX2JWcXXUe3IFRp7gykn_4DCvYyovBDktSMBBzBbLWp_xlyDRNORvFFZf2mKjXRUczhE7Da2/w400-h376/suitcase-1412996_1280_web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><b><a href="https://www.subscribepage.com/z8x3r9" target="_blank">Sign up for Joan's Free Readers Newsletter.</a></b></div></div>Joan Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17622809465767116747noreply@blogger.com3Texas, USA31.9685988 -99.90181313.6583649638211533 -135.0580631 60.278832636178848 -64.7455631tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-43735747559508875012021-07-30T00:30:00.150-05:002021-07-30T00:54:52.867-05:00Beach Ya You Could Use A Good Read! ~ #RomanceGems M.J. Schiller<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />There's not a lot of beach reading for this fair-skinned Irish girl. Most of my summer reads take place from about 40,000 feet up. When I'm strapped into a seat with no other demands placed on me, that's when I get to read. But after I reach my destination, I'm more likely to have my laptop out so I can write and keep on top of social media. And if I'm really on a roll with writing, or if I'm really behind, (much more likely the case these days), I'll have my laptop out while flying too. Unfortunately, this means I don't have a lot of time to read. That's something I hope to change in the future.<br /><br />When I think of the beach, though, I think about taking walks with my hubby, hand in hand, during the twilight hours of the day, or jumping waves with my family, oftentimes extended family, as we all enjoy getting together on beach vacations.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqysUKlk2_vRMess6-Z0wUk2s-Q0m6rpRxEEK3zca6hHfb4A-B-nQhSZ3qB2Sf9fcfGjpXH3wR1la7V698dGQDpz77uHUAZBo9LHC50Mi03zP9iNt1Cm2cjnhRXBXMw0dyYKw5v1HSN8s/s2048/632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqysUKlk2_vRMess6-Z0wUk2s-Q0m6rpRxEEK3zca6hHfb4A-B-nQhSZ3qB2Sf9fcfGjpXH3wR1la7V698dGQDpz77uHUAZBo9LHC50Mi03zP9iNt1Cm2cjnhRXBXMw0dyYKw5v1HSN8s/w640-h480/632.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a vacation to Door County.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I also have a rather terrifying memory from one year when we visited the Gulf Shores area. We noticed pretty quickly that we were getting pulled far down the beach while we were playing in the waves, and we were continually having to make our way back up to where we started. But when the water began pulling us <i>out</i>, away from the beach, we panicked. If you've ever been caught in a riptide, you'll understand the strange feeling. Even knee-deep in water, you can struggle against this invisible attacker. I was able to get a few of the kids to safety, but my husband had to go out to rescue our son Ryan. I was so scared. And I had a right to be, as it was difficult to get back in. At one point, my husband threw Ryan ahead of him, hoping to get him out of the tow, and he did. Then, luckily, he was able to make it back himself. Just a reminder to you, if you should be beaching it this year, be aware of your surroundings and where your loved ones are, so you know if they're in trouble.<br /><br />I don't want to end on an unhappy note though. I do love traveling to warm climates, hunting up seashells, and drinking boat drinks, along with all the other things that go with relaxing and getting away from the demands of everyday life. We also like to learn about the history of the area when we visit places, and I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy going out to eat.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGJiIDa-LHErQH8_kAWYfZnb0yL32zXftxyB41u-U2pNHP-pF8Q2o-XcxZs0gUYuN8rpoOPSRP_2k1WLsOuPgcyNVq1yZJ4adWm56JKw96moPB7YN_g5OEGpXqSgAOlz5nPm9PKR5XYk/s2048/739.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGJiIDa-LHErQH8_kAWYfZnb0yL32zXftxyB41u-U2pNHP-pF8Q2o-XcxZs0gUYuN8rpoOPSRP_2k1WLsOuPgcyNVq1yZJ4adWm56JKw96moPB7YN_g5OEGpXqSgAOlz5nPm9PKR5XYk/w640-h480/739.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From same vaca.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br />I would leave you with a little sneak peek from my upcoming Last Chance Beach Romance, but it isn't due out until January of 2023, so I haven't written it yet, which would make that hard. ;) Instead, I'll share a beach scene from <a href="http://mybook.to/TheHeartTeachesBest">THE HEART TEACHES BEST</a>. Here's a blurb to set it up:<br /><br /><b><i>He’s the cop.<br /></i></b><br />Cooper Sullivan is the cop in charge of investigating a murder outside of a Los Angeles nightclub. The famous romance author, Sydney Essex, has been found strangled in the parking lot. When the young officer returns to the scene of the crime the night after the murder, he gets involved in a fight in order to protect a woman, who he realizes afterward, is the victim’s sister. Soon he finds himself torn by his attraction to the irresistible brunette teacher, and his need to maintain a professional distance.<br /><br /><b><i>She’s the teacher. </i></b><br /><br />Laney Essex is distraught over her sister’s death, so the high school English teacher returns to the bar where the crime occurred to find answers. To her dismay, she is only left with more questions, many centered on her developing relationship with Cooper Sullivan. Is the pull she’s feeling towards him reciprocated? Or is the handsome detective only showing her professional courtesy, or perhaps even pity?<br /><br /><b><i>But he’s the one teaching her lessons of the heart.<br /></i></b><br />When Laney receives a threatening phone call from Sydney’s murderer, it quickly becomes evident that the man who killed her sister is after her, too. Can Cooper figure out who the killer is before it’s too late? And if he does solve the case, will it be just another file stamped “CLOSED” in red, and locked away in a drawer? Or will the sparks that have been flying between the two finally ignite?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mybook.to/TheHeartTeachesBest" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="1652" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9e2-msMtuIPP83LW5p04J4Udu2VzWDu-4IuZX2ia1NAfH74GejzlqhYgncWL4_EMUzs36H3ucp1BIk-vAzFdEPepCf7MiF_ytQmV_ZqiD5J14kUax3gU-rNyeUgLX78XzR7a5T8SuAq8/w640-h540/THE+HEART+TEACHES+BEST+teaser+at+beach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />Excerpt ~ <br /><br />This scene takes place when Laney is still in shock after the killer breaks into her hotel room. Cooper, his partner Aidan, and Aidan's girlfriend Jenna take Laney to the beach to distract her and break through the fog of fear muddling her brain...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />When they got to the beach, they found a spot in some light shade and spread out. As late as it was in the afternoon, the beach was fairly deserted. Aidan and Jenna took off to play in the waves, leaving Cooper and Laney alone. She sat with her hands around her knees in a relaxed position, staring out at the waves without speaking. At first, Cooper talked about this and that, ignoring that it was virtually a one-way conversation. After a while, he fell silent, trying to come up with something else to say. He stared out over the waves like she did. <br /><br />“Laney. When I went to talk to the chief, I asked him to take me off your case.”<br /><br />Her head spun in surprise, then she seemed to swallow the information with resignation. “I understand. It’s a good decision. It’s not safe to be around me.”<br /><br />“No! Oh, no, Laney, you don’t understand.” He turned her head so he could look into her eyes and make sure he had her full attention. “I asked him to take me off the case because--I tried to explain before, but I guess I didn’t do a very good job.” He sighed, then started over. “I didn’t ask to be taken off the case because I’m worried about the danger. I asked to be removed because… Laney, when I’m with you, my thoughts aren’t very...professional.” He saw a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. “In fact...” he took a couple strands of her hair between his fingers, sliding down their length, all the way out to the ends. Then he released them to touch her face, his gaze flickering back and forth between her eyes. “...my thoughts when you’re close like this are about as far from professional as you can get.” His heart was in his throat. He leaned in and softly kissed her lips, meaning to stop there, but he felt himself falling deeper and deeper.<br /><br />There was a point at which Cooper knew the kiss would explode into something else—something so intense it wouldn’t have mattered if every man, woman, and child on the beach had been watching them, he would have had no choice but to lean her back onto the sand so he could tear off her borrowed swimming suit—and that point was approaching like an express train. With difficulty, the gentleman in him overcame the pure animal lust, and he pulled back. As he did, he opened his eyes to take in her reaction. He saw, to his great pleasure, that she was having trouble resurfacing from the dark place within </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">where</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> her </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">desire swam.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mybook.to/TheHeartTeachesBest" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1138" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU69Y5mPNibSxum3MNk3bHyWV7TpKMwdt-i3GqHcycYz9BNZtmjrH9jzHIAlNNNrfp7k_jc1QRFEU9IrJf3Kcql7AuKs7y575wVtzrQBysHefevmgHrDLhtMiwc1vmJyoJ8GX_UyFOUeY/w640-h554/THE+HEART+TEACHES+BEST+sillhouette+teaser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Hopefully, that makes you want to run to the beach with some hunky policeman with broad shoulders. <span>In the meantime, share with us what the perfect vacation would be for you. Would you want to escape to a mountain cabin? Take in a Broadway show? Hit the sand? Or do something else altogether? </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">If you'd like to read the rest of Cooper and Laney's story, you can find it here: <br /><br /><br />Amazon: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">mybook.to/TheHeartTeachesBest</a> <br /><br /> Barnes and Noble: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-heart-teaches-best-mj-schiller/1118627507</a> <br /><br /> Kobo: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-heart-teaches-best-1</a> <br /><br /> iTunes: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/heart-teaches-best-real-romance/id825996257</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks for reading! I guess this will be my last blog post here, (look for an announcement tomorrow), but you'll be able to find all your favorite Gems on Facebook on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075" target="_blank">Romance Gems: Where Authors and Readers Meet</a> page. And you can always catch me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075" target="_blank">M.J. Schiller, Romance Author</a>. Until next time, enjoy your summer!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <br /></div>MJ Schillerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08921672646433078203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-24336786551992553282021-07-29T02:00:00.001-05:002021-07-29T02:00:00.262-05:00Tangled Memories—Even books have history by Jan Scarbrough<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsrdmOwPaQ3JfqNHp94L6ceCHKt3DzCr-xKJdcnR6Ntzk25lmBlth10RKROCnxHg5KRv6SUDblR09QD_ok8gVxEM-KSaGkJugapRAUW1ztCtvtSo4RRxIkiqMsteyDv8nkJql-T57quKA/s300/JanScarbrough_TangledMemories_200px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsrdmOwPaQ3JfqNHp94L6ceCHKt3DzCr-xKJdcnR6Ntzk25lmBlth10RKROCnxHg5KRv6SUDblR09QD_ok8gVxEM-KSaGkJugapRAUW1ztCtvtSo4RRxIkiqMsteyDv8nkJql-T57quKA/s0/JanScarbrough_TangledMemories_200px.jpg" /></a></div><br />We all have a history, don’t we? Good times and bad times. Happy times and sad. Well, books have a history too. Updates, new names, re-edits, new covers are some of the ways self-published authors can change their books. But before the advent of self-publishing, we had to go the traditional route (as some authors still prefer). <br /><br /><b>Tangled Memories</b>, a book of my heart, was originally called Window of My Heart. It had a good run in RWA’s contest circuit in the 90’s, culminating as a 1994 Golden Heart finalist in Romantic Suspense/Gothic. Before that happened, a fellow author pulled me aside after I failed so terribly in 1993 and taught me about plotting. (This was one of my first books, after all. I was still learning.) I swear after I got into the groove of this book, it wrote itself. <br /><br />After being a finalist in the Golden Heart, I couldn’t sell the book to a traditional publisher. You know, the dreaded rejection letters. I did “sell” it to a brand-new e-book publisher. What? In 1999, there weren’t any e-book readers to speak of. So, of course, my book, now called T<b>angled Memories</b>, didn’t go far.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Over the years, <b>Tangled Memories</b> hopped from publisher to publisher: Imajinn, Wild Rose Press, Turquoise Morning Press. By this time, e-books were in style and readers could read e-books on their phones! Finally, in 2016, I got my rights back and self-published <b>Tangled Memories </b>after a re-edit, update, new blurb, and new cover.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Tangled Memories</b> remains one of my favorites. In it, I switched my heroine from present day to Medieval times. Today, I see this done by many writers—the dual-timeline novels. I don’t know if I was ahead of my time, or if it simply worked for the story I had to tell.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Nd2NDilRB6_bCJ9uMGxDJwVADzmMdk-MaR11NlgMNLV4UoA4L8CDlbDeQ2rJRll_R3NXRyLqV1ccrcDsOQuFL0CSyDMc0Om5zS3DpLxSW_jK9f3qOre5cVg0mBlzMpNSnDayTN3qbNk/s960/AllAuthorTM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Nd2NDilRB6_bCJ9uMGxDJwVADzmMdk-MaR11NlgMNLV4UoA4L8CDlbDeQ2rJRll_R3NXRyLqV1ccrcDsOQuFL0CSyDMc0Om5zS3DpLxSW_jK9f3qOre5cVg0mBlzMpNSnDayTN3qbNk/s320/AllAuthorTM2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">You can grab a copy for your summer reading pleasure for 99 cents at most e-book stores. Sadly, the paperback is not on sale.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2W2kj6z" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tangled-Memories-Romance-Jan-Scarbrough-ebook/dp/B017I3NU76" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3zqtWKQ" target="_blank">Paperback</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/tangled-memories/id1054842861" target="_blank">Apple Books</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/tangled-memories-7" target="_blank">Kobo</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tangled-memories-jan-scarbrough/1003927743" target="_blank">B&N Nook</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>After losing his wife, Dr. Alexander Dominican is determined his infant daughter will not grow up motherless as he did. Offering sensible, kind kindergarten teacher Mary Adams a marriage of convenience seems like the perfect solution. The widow’s husband left her with a mountain of debt. For Alex, paying it off is a small price to pay for his daughter’s happiness. Until his sensible new wife begins to lose her mind.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>On the day of their marriage, Mary starts having frightening hallucinations of medieval England—visions that feel more like the memories of woman who lived centuries before. More terrifying, someone—or something—is stalking the new mistress of Marchbrook Manor. Could it be one of the sinister servants? Or Alex himself? Alex is reawakening hidden desires and longings in Mary, but until she can untangle the web of nightmares and secrets, she can trust no one. Not even Alex.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Alex has no idea he’s unleashing a destiny that’s taken him seven hundred years to fulfill.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>If Alex and Mary are to salvage their future, they must first unravel centuries of…Tangled Memories.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div>Jan Scarbroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485602579241881149noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-82703490577939248862021-07-28T00:30:00.015-05:002021-07-28T07:25:45.950-05:00The Deputy's Damsel by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m thrilled
to introduce y’all to Joe Lonnigan and Katia Stefanski, the hero and heroine of
my newest release, <b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/boa7wa" target="_blank">THE DEPUTY’S DAMSEL</a></b>. This story takes us to Austin where
Katia is wrongly of accused of murder, and Joe, a deputy, believes she’s
innocent. Joe hides Katia, protecting her from being arrested, which is at
great cost to himself. He’s risking his livelihood and perhaps his life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But his
actions caused an even stickier problem that was quite interesting and heart
wrenching to write.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joe’s
cousin, Conner, happens to be the sheriff. So, not only is Joe deceiving his
boss, he’s also lying to a member of his family. The scenes between Conner and
Joe were just as fraught with tension as the moments of fear and despair Katia
experiences being wrongly accused of murder.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
family elements in my books are strong and add so much depth to the characters.
And as I wrote <b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/boa7wa" target="_blank">THE DEPUTY’S DAMSEL</a></b>, I found the characters having some very
real, very gut-wrenching conversations. My heart pounded hard through the last
ten chapters!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reading
this romance will give you <b>ALL</b> the feels, I promise!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://books2read.com/u/boa7wa" target="_blank"></a></u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e8_b6yExtLm_wviXM67OU2L0bfPeOCG7tg2H2TEoW6xqLapNqt7IpsDNVWL3egZukqSIx5VJEX6mZrJ8YcehDaKNSuObLu8Ojz_3WidJgjjY4uCBS4LUHEinF20Ijr6m3XN8VdFglP5W/s2048/The+Deputy%2527s+Damsel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e8_b6yExtLm_wviXM67OU2L0bfPeOCG7tg2H2TEoW6xqLapNqt7IpsDNVWL3egZukqSIx5VJEX6mZrJ8YcehDaKNSuObLu8Ojz_3WidJgjjY4uCBS4LUHEinF20Ijr6m3XN8VdFglP5W/s320/The+Deputy%2527s+Damsel.jpg" /></a></u></b></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>The Deputy's Damsel</u></b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pike’s Run, Texas, 1887<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Katia Stefanski is stunned when
she learns her recently deceased step-father has arranged a marriage for her.
Even worse, her step-brother intends to honor it. Despite numerous attempts to
convince her brother to let her make the choice, she fails. She flees during
the party intended to cement her engagement.<br />
<br />
Deputy Joe Lonnigan crosses paths with Katia Stefanski and is struck by her
beauty and fighting spirit. When he learns she's been accused of the murder of
her not-wanted fiancé, he can't believe it. With her step-brother's help, Joe risks
everything to keep her hidden and prove her innocence.<br />
<br /><br /><br />
But Katia can't let Joe destroy his future. She’s determined to take matters
into her own hands, even if it means the noose.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><a href="https://books2read.com/u/boa7wa" target="_blank">The Deputy's Damsel</a>: An Excerpt</u></b></div><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deputy Lonnigan sat tall in the saddle, his front dark as the
moon shone from behind him. He put her in mind of a mysterious night rider,
capable of taking what he wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She remembered how strong his chest was, how long his arms. She
refrained from gulping and strengthened her resolve. “I’m not going home. I
refuse. My friend is just up this road, and I intend to stay with her for a few
days.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A moment of silence passed then the deputy said, “Well, I’m not
taking you home. But you <i>are</i> coming
with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Confused, she couldn’t think of a reply.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“It’ll be the safest option.” He dismounted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh!” she gasped and back pedaled. “Don’t you dare,” she
warned. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I’ve got no time to argue.” He advanced on her quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She spun on a heel, preparing to run, but he grabbed her around
the waist and lifted her off her feet. She bucked and kicked, dropping her bag
in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Get your hands off me!” she screamed, terror fueling her jabs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He gave slight grunts then flipped her over his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her breath whooshed out of her, and blood rushed to her head.
“Put me down! How dare you!” She pounded her fists on his back.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He bent easily and picked up her bag with his free hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frantic, she hit him harder, squirming against his hold, but
his arm was a vise on the back of her legs. Tears gathered. She had no control.
No power. She bit her lip to keep from sobbing in frustration and tasted blood.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After putting her bag on the back of the animal, he righted her
and dumped her in the saddle. She knew the moon shone enough to reveal the
silver tracks of wetness on her face, but she didn’t care. Panting from the
exertion of pummeling him, she surged forward to grab the reins. But he was
faster and gathered them before she could reach them. He climbed up behind her,
just like yesterday, enveloping her in the cage of his arms.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A handkerchief appeared in her line of sight. Her chin wobbled,
and she refused to take it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Please don’t cry,” he said softly, as he withdrew his offering.
“I don’t have time to explain things to you. We’ve got to get off the road.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She didn’t understand what he meant, but it wouldn’t matter if
she asked. The men surrounding her weren’t listening to her anyway. She kept
her mouth shut.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He clucked to the horse then kicked him into a gallop.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She tried to pay attention to her surroundings, noting that he
passed the lane that led to the Cummings’ farm. They went through a shallow
creek then over a rolling meadow until the shadow of a log cabin loomed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“This belongs to a friend of mine who’s a Ranger. He’s in west
Texas fighting cattle rustlers.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She didn’t care. This man was abducting her. Her heart pounded
hard, and her stomach churned with fear. If she couldn’t get away from him on
the road, how would she manage to escape him once he had her tied up somewhere?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When they reached the yard, he dismounted first then lifted her
at the waist. He kept his arm around her as he led her into the dwelling.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I’m not gonna tie you up, Miss Stefanski. You’re not my
prisoner. I’m trying to help you, so…” He gently disengaged from her. “Don’t
run, all right? I’m gonna light a lantern, and then we’ll talk.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He’d left the door open. The horse was still saddled. She
curled her hands into fists as an insane plan developed like a lightning
strike. She nodded slowly, not trusting herself to form a verbal reply since
she was no good at lying.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As soon as he stepped away, she dashed out into the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Don’t,” he called.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She clutched the pommel and put her foot in the stirrup, but
before she could pull herself up, he circled her waist with an arm and wrenched
her back. Using all her strength, she spun and pounded on his shoulders. “Let
me go!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He switched his grip to her wrists, stopping her hits. “Stop.
Please, ma’am.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His hold wasn’t too strong, and she tried to yank away from
him, but he tightened his grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Miss Stefanski, please, I don’t want to hurt you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Then let me go,” she wailed, choking on her fear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
</p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I can’t, damn it!” he thundered. “You’re wanted for murder.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="RPText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="RPText" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/boa7wa" target="_blank">BUY THE DEPUTY'S DAMSEL</a></b></span></p><p class="RPText" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Kara O'Nealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04450345368460001990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-60421664951631355132021-07-26T23:00:00.002-05:002021-07-26T23:00:00.261-05:00Take a good book to the beach with you by Peggy Jaeger<p> <i><b>"Hot time, summer in the city. Back of my neck getting burnt and pretty.</b></i>"</p><p>Any body else remember that old Lovin' Spoonful song?? Hee hee. I'm showing my age, I know.</p><p>When I was younger and a sun worshiper, I lived for the summer days I could take a few hours at my local beach, soak up some rays, and read without any interruptions or worries. Back then, my beach reads were mostly comprised of the newest Jackie Collins, Kathleen Woodiwiss, or Nora Roberts book that happened to release in the summer season.</p><p>The hours of escapism while sitting in the sun were marvelous and made me truly know the definition of BEACH READ; fabulous heroines meeting hunky heroes and engaging in adult behavior ( read :SEX) while escaping from danger, or trying to solve the world's problems.</p><p>Hey, it's not called escapist fiction for nothing.😉</p><p>Nowadays I shun the sun like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110148/" target="_blank">Lestat</a> because...wrinkles.</p><p>But I still enjoy a great book that can be classified as a beach read. And hey - I even write them now. LOL.</p><p>One of my favorites that I've penned has just gone on sale for only 99cents. </p><p><a href="https://books2read.com/u/3LY2QM" target="_blank">IT'S A TRUST THING </a>tells the tale of Nell Newbury, one time Park Avenue darling, whose father - a Madoff devotee - bilked people out of billions. The notoriety almost killed Nell's mother and made the young girl grow up fast. Nell runs her own company now, keeps out of the public eye, and isn't looking for love.</p><p>And then she meets a handsome economics professor who knows nothing about her and who makes her toes go numb with just a glance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3NkFIBoKW8LwF-tGLEEWrgvfJNAOSvZ2zK2gQPeBwjl4gc9zhnE5xUChQ7fR0RRTQ8azwlL5qGSZwpvAeT5HQBpD-ejEfKjhKdchc53Dd8ikTkrPIsDYfyroK19vqxD5HqJsE6Irbsc/s1500/1626767287.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3NkFIBoKW8LwF-tGLEEWrgvfJNAOSvZ2zK2gQPeBwjl4gc9zhnE5xUChQ7fR0RRTQ8azwlL5qGSZwpvAeT5HQBpD-ejEfKjhKdchc53Dd8ikTkrPIsDYfyroK19vqxD5HqJsE6Irbsc/s320/1626767287.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Do you like to read at the beach? Or on a boat? Or sitting in the park on a lovely summer day?</p><p>Take IT'S A TRUST THING with you the next time you go. You'll have a fun time reading it. One of my reviewers called it a "RomCom with angst, a klutzy heroine you can't help rooting for, and redemption."</p><p>That about says it all. Hee Hee</p><p>Looking for me? Here I am: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBw_EeV7ktyqnvdr1hTYO4YQZlCTvih83xrKj3NeL0V48AUVM_1Ivzz2yVdfOf3zRttKNn5up4WK_t277rzqdN6VHQwLM6Wx3mV1B3Q-x0XXQiXHqzqy89CiclPQOh2WuazEBae4SK-0/s768/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBw_EeV7ktyqnvdr1hTYO4YQZlCTvih83xrKj3NeL0V48AUVM_1Ivzz2yVdfOf3zRttKNn5up4WK_t277rzqdN6VHQwLM6Wx3mV1B3Q-x0XXQiXHqzqy89CiclPQOh2WuazEBae4SK-0/s320/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://peggyjaeger.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1c9bdc; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; 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margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>peggy jaegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767089116387597036noreply@blogger.com1New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972812.402541463821152 -109.1622228 69.023009136178842 -38.849722799999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-8558272888336358132021-07-25T02:00:00.022-05:002021-07-25T06:48:06.699-05:00Sweet for Summer by Author Nancy Fraser<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEhaIvmfu99morMxoMh9JBLjTjZDyPyqH3B5-FInV68RIr_OyJ7f_qMAGdkCD5yqE8JKHuhS5vX7x1Gd-v7pI-tH2tzL__zQiDxELbJOtfU-VITWHSTrVHXjFb-GvWohZHmdc-NX8XP1Q/s1200/Gems+725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="1200" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEhaIvmfu99morMxoMh9JBLjTjZDyPyqH3B5-FInV68RIr_OyJ7f_qMAGdkCD5yqE8JKHuhS5vX7x1Gd-v7pI-tH2tzL__zQiDxELbJOtfU-VITWHSTrVHXjFb-GvWohZHmdc-NX8XP1Q/w640-h244/Gems+725.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Spring cleaning, winterizing in the fall, hibernating in the dead of winter. What does that leave for summer?</p><p>Relaxation, reading and reivention, of course. Whether it's a much needed vacation ... away from work, away from isolation, away from the contraints we've all experienced these past two years... we all need some form of relaxation.</p><p>What better to way to relax than with a great book... whether you're on the beach (I wish), or just curled up in a chair with the air conditioning blowing around you. A great way to relax, is to read.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeLUG86tyqb8p1q2fzoCaMUU29tH0pU4IHPtgzmn_Afg26scb-UKeiyhXsa-Nsk5-OP9jw40HMGSDJAC1uP1nkwfIdNS1l05rrEwaOrFhh34vqdRNjhyK7xNR47C8M2cl_MFl1K44TrQR/s1080/Write+Edit+Publish+Repeat.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeLUG86tyqb8p1q2fzoCaMUU29tH0pU4IHPtgzmn_Afg26scb-UKeiyhXsa-Nsk5-OP9jw40HMGSDJAC1uP1nkwfIdNS1l05rrEwaOrFhh34vqdRNjhyK7xNR47C8M2cl_MFl1K44TrQR/w200-h200/Write+Edit+Publish+Repeat.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Then, there's reinvention. The task I've set myself for the brunt of the summer. Why? Because it keeps me inside and away from the heat and the sun (I'm allergic). But, mostly, because my writer's soul needed it. I've been in a loop -- Write, Edit, Publish, Repeat --- for a few years now, and always in the romance sub-genres I'm accustomed to.<div><br /></div><div>Those of you who know me may not believe this ... but I was burned out on writing steamy lovescenes. <br /><p></p><p>Don't get me wrong... I'm still planning to finish series I've begun, still intending to write across multiple genres, but I've also added a new sub-genre I never expected to write. Sweet, inspirational (although not necessarily religious), short novella length books.</p><p>Enter the world of MAPs (multi-author projects) -- the place where all those Mail-Order Brides, Proxy Brides, Western Historical series were born! Out of curiosity, and the need for a change, I took a look at one, and then another, and then another. And, suddenly, I was hooked. My only concern was that they're all KDP/Kindle Unlimited exclusive. However, I'm always willing to expand my horizons. Plus... a huge bonus ... the readers who follow these MAP books are the most devoted I've ever seen. And that's saying a lot given how long I've been doing this.</p><p>My first MAP comes out in mid-August. I really fast turnaround given I only signed up at the beginning of July. However, they had an unexpected opening, so I took it. And, I'm so glad I did. I learned a lot (not easy for an 'old dog') about not only the most efficient writing proccess, but also about myself.</p><p>Here's a quick peek at the first product of my writing reinvention ...</p><p><b><i>Seth's Secretive Bride</i> ~ part of the Matchmaker Mix-Up Series!</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 125%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmn3s6oTG1ubNG5GVAogdWdN2Mp-Zm68VvD551SOYLZivrhhpoUPKIcPUR0ENhznZAkMwvcz9H68Pc1Iy2Kh1sY6JWLm8-No2tzxMj4dauSqqQysNgtLYDcAN9YCqjqHbbkDxUdoV6R2sM/s2048/Seth%2527s+Secretive+Bride-FINAL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmn3s6oTG1ubNG5GVAogdWdN2Mp-Zm68VvD551SOYLZivrhhpoUPKIcPUR0ENhznZAkMwvcz9H68Pc1Iy2Kh1sY6JWLm8-No2tzxMj4dauSqqQysNgtLYDcAN9YCqjqHbbkDxUdoV6R2sM/w213-h320/Seth%2527s+Secretive+Bride-FINAL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>When Hannah McGibbon is forced
out of her family home, she has nowhere to go. In a moment of desperation, she
responds to an advertisement for a matchmaking service.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Widower Seth Temple needs a
wife. Not for himself, but as a mother for his 7-year-old, emotionally
challenged son. At the urging of his housekeeper, he sends in his application
to be matched to a like-minded woman.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Unfortunately, what they both
want is not what they get. Due to an unforeseeable mix-up with the usually
stellar matchmaking service, Hannah is sent to Colorado rather than California.
And, Seth is sent a young, red-headed spitfire, rather than the mature woman
with a background in education he’d requested.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;">What will happen when he
explains to Hannah that love and romance are low on his priority list and not
part of his plan for a wife? And, once the matching service offers to set
things right, will Hannah want to leave?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b>Available exclusively on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099CQV156 " target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Kindle Unlimited</span></a></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><i>And, of course, there's a trailer...</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YiJkM_9scWQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">Wishing everyone a wonderful summer and great reading! And, don't forget to feed your Romance Gems' social media fix by following our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Facebook Reader Page</b></span></a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;"><b><i>Nancy</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a name="_Hlk76982676"></a><a href="http://www.nancyfraser.ca/"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Website</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="https://notesfromaromanticsheart.blogspot.com/"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Blog</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="https://romancesweetreads.blogspot.com/"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Sweet Reads Blog</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Facebook</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Twitter</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Bookbub</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Amazon Author Page</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Goodreads</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">YouTube</span></b></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"> ~ </span></b></span><a href="http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;">Newsletter</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #c00000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10New Brunswick, Canada46.5653163 -66.46191639999999318.255082463821154 -101.61816639999999 74.875550136178845 -31.305666399999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-92199043983479850482021-07-23T01:30:00.177-05:002021-07-23T06:34:30.031-05:00It's Spooky Time for This Author! by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNCKVg3ODfQvo1xmFF6cKLjyUXSCUXHKdEcLuuPTx2zBVP03mZEwnAOJ5z6P_Qv0AQQwsVaWE6tacS2-5n-v3lYcOBeXRorE2ubr3JS7sAKn4xCtJm8ghHyglbGoxAi2TG2sF01UmtGw/s1200/Kathryn+Hills+-+Romance+Gems+-+New+Releases.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNCKVg3ODfQvo1xmFF6cKLjyUXSCUXHKdEcLuuPTx2zBVP03mZEwnAOJ5z6P_Qv0AQQwsVaWE6tacS2-5n-v3lYcOBeXRorE2ubr3JS7sAKn4xCtJm8ghHyglbGoxAi2TG2sF01UmtGw/w640-h334/Kathryn+Hills+-+Romance+Gems+-+New+Releases.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />It may be the heart of summer,
but it sure feels like Halloween to me! Great, since I LOVE all things
mysterious and spooky. This year I’m getting back to my paranormal romance
roots with two new releases.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First up <b><a href="https://books2read.com/Skullery" target="_blank">GHOSTS OF NEW ENGLAND: SKULLERY BAY</a></b><b> -</b> Releasing
August 16, 2021<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An anthology unlike any other, it features...<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>4 Different Centuries<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>4 To-Die-For Romances<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Same 2 Ghosts! </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KX47DIV_Y8RcmFBUM-oqDGaEJvWHQkimPFN9zd-_KqNc-BjnHIuC0CEDrW18THc_3m5EtI55OPuktKiDpZVtsbAUk_HGixOJYdgtknkpx7hONxzY_8Crj17mw4XnILJLJpjEXgVcDWs/s500/1+Widows+Walk+Final+%2528313x500%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KX47DIV_Y8RcmFBUM-oqDGaEJvWHQkimPFN9zd-_KqNc-BjnHIuC0CEDrW18THc_3m5EtI55OPuktKiDpZVtsbAUk_HGixOJYdgtknkpx7hONxzY_8Crj17mw4XnILJLJpjEXgVcDWs/w125-h200/1+Widows+Walk+Final+%2528313x500%2529.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><b><u><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u>Widow’s Walk (1737)</u></b></div></u></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RITA nominee & Best Selling Author, <b><a href="http://www.lisaolech.com/" target="_blank">Lisa A. Olech</a></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He’s the infamous pirate, Captain John Jacob Wilder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She’s the daughter of his fiercest enemy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their love is the beginning of the legend.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB13DP77O0hjDwLlae9RmT1jj2kwScDQxyCGMYVLuaOeHD8DEeDYd2D-VY-o0ZSYfVm7yANcqHBWkkGTVRgj9Ya_bIfoMJ8gjKC49hiOcXZfWgReKfTshskNmK6JZe6vdjCZA4gTpVmqY/s2048/Cast+to+the+Wind+and+Waves+by+Kathryn+Hills.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB13DP77O0hjDwLlae9RmT1jj2kwScDQxyCGMYVLuaOeHD8DEeDYd2D-VY-o0ZSYfVm7yANcqHBWkkGTVRgj9Ya_bIfoMJ8gjKC49hiOcXZfWgReKfTshskNmK6JZe6vdjCZA4gTpVmqY/w125-h200/Cast+to+the+Wind+and+Waves+by+Kathryn+Hills.jpg" width="125" /></a></u></b></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><b><u>Cast to the Wind and Waves (1837)</u></b></u></b></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, <b><a href="https://www.kathrynhills.com/" target="_blank">Kathryn Hills</a></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She’s the heiress determined to restore Fairwinds to its
former glory.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He’s the solicitor working as a caretaker because of the
deadly curse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their love will rebuild the legend.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uj-R2k6SdFnbelij0iMdiXWpVsZTHOFx1-gUoYh9_8jaSho93gGquJHD24-1UbJ64Bei6Op1hwm-5cW8CvP2aOKenb2ilMrN8zsr4zC7wd8mmqB7uZX8JzTNg44E4sqh-igJVoRo-ws/s500/3+Bootlegger+Daughter+Final+%2528313x500%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uj-R2k6SdFnbelij0iMdiXWpVsZTHOFx1-gUoYh9_8jaSho93gGquJHD24-1UbJ64Bei6Op1hwm-5cW8CvP2aOKenb2ilMrN8zsr4zC7wd8mmqB7uZX8JzTNg44E4sqh-igJVoRo-ws/w125-h200/3+Bootlegger+Daughter+Final+%2528313x500%2529.jpg" width="125" /></a></u></b></div><b><u>The Bootlegger’s Daughter (1924)</u></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best Selling & Award Winning Author, <a href="https://nancyfraser.ca/" target="_blank"><b>Nancy Fraser</b></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She’s the daughter of one of the FBI’s most wanted
criminals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He’s her bodyguard, and not at all what he seems.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their love will return dignity to the legend.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPK8olLUa3NEW6qMDqe4n7Pgj96bgRWAlSZoyhWZJOx0QYbTwx9lzgoBGFqLpbcoLoVr5TLydVS5hYVt4YtgC5bRTTmMRZthxgFXo8zg3HSLrqdFIc-M9lZcyTuctCnl-SRomy-fQQV7Q/s500/4+Jilly%2527s+Dilemma+%2528313x500%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPK8olLUa3NEW6qMDqe4n7Pgj96bgRWAlSZoyhWZJOx0QYbTwx9lzgoBGFqLpbcoLoVr5TLydVS5hYVt4YtgC5bRTTmMRZthxgFXo8zg3HSLrqdFIc-M9lZcyTuctCnl-SRomy-fQQV7Q/w125-h200/4+Jilly%2527s+Dilemma+%2528313x500%2529.jpg" width="125" /></a></u></b></div><b><u>Jilly’s Dilemma (Present Day)</u></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, <b><a href="https://nancyfraser.ca/" target="_blank">Nancy Fraser</a></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She’s the new owner of Fairwinds, a flaky artist who talks
to ghosts. Repeatedly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He’s the staid, young professor there to document Fairwinds'
history.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their love will make you believe in the legend. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Watch the Trailer for Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AKrSd0U0ggY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeS-PEEWyBg03I8YpXLktUUs0J4Yw6Wi73OSQhTpM6X07Em1xD6t8HNDsf27gML-Np5_HhJbDLhNAp9UWZ3cNuySy3ljEhNDuFUobebG8J1e05M9dgcHmVHBDskcu0lOMLRXcTC3OgBR0/s891/sandsaltandspiritssmall.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeS-PEEWyBg03I8YpXLktUUs0J4Yw6Wi73OSQhTpM6X07Em1xD6t8HNDsf27gML-Np5_HhJbDLhNAp9UWZ3cNuySy3ljEhNDuFUobebG8J1e05M9dgcHmVHBDskcu0lOMLRXcTC3OgBR0/s320/sandsaltandspiritssmall.jpg" /></a></div>Next, I'm headed back to the beach with <b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/bQJo5Z" target="_blank">SAND, SALT, AND SPIRITS - A LAST CHANCE BEACH ROMANCE</a></b> - Releasing November 2, 2021<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Can a weekend visit to Last Chance Beach undo decades of
brokenhearted memories? Conjuring up some island magic might just be the trick.
Or treat!</b></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Kyle Worthington hasn’t returned to Last Chance Beach in
years. He’s worked hard to prove himself to his overbearing father and the rest
of the world. Now it’s October, and the vacation island paradise is celebrating
the season with an island-wide Fall Festival. Family obligation demands he
participate. Everyone will be there, including the ghost that haunts his
grandparents’ B&B. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The running joke that Kyle never sticks with anything—not a
career or a woman—will continue to plague him. Unless he brings a knockout of a
date to the weekend-long event. Cassandra Corwin fits the bill perfectly.
Kyle’s had his eye on his brilliant, beautiful coworker since day one. But
Cassie is an enigma, a loner. There’s no room in her life for anyone except
Odin, her goofball of a Great Dane. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Will this woman of mystery agree to Kyle’s scheme to impress
his family? Can two near strangers from opposite worlds survive family
gatherings and back-to-back Halloween events while pretending to be a couple?
Kyle’s father seems hell-bent on derailing everything before they even shout
“Boo!”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Or will the island’s magic prove too powerful for them to
resist?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***</p><p class="MsoNormal">I hope you'll join me for some sexy, spooky fun later this summer and autumn. You can find all my book news at the links below!</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><a href="https://www.kathrynhills.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKathrynHills" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorKathrynH" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Hills/e/B01LBDCVVU" target="_blank">Amazon Author Page</a></span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> ~<u> </u></span><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathryn-hills" target="_blank">BookBub</a></span><u><span style="color: #2f5496; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">THANK YOU for reading!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>~ Kathryn</b></p>Kathryn Hillshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210913950491846725noreply@blogger.com15Boston, MA, USA42.3600825 -71.058880114.049848663821152 -106.2151301 70.670316336178843 -35.902630099999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-56405740049549870882021-07-22T02:00:00.001-05:002021-07-22T02:00:00.237-05:00Summer in the Cities!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekbCTCdzMF-5bFly3dZsUHbc8lHCJ5Sx7WwcuGOhcfe5np6DhRTzjjnZP7YE3v-s4kAFUfifxGKO80tjJdWydT9B_YQ4r3l9jkQyPAklKnUNSWRBAkoRSAiIcOewfPPP4SRwAHY88ZTem/s412/marcia_2021_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekbCTCdzMF-5bFly3dZsUHbc8lHCJ5Sx7WwcuGOhcfe5np6DhRTzjjnZP7YE3v-s4kAFUfifxGKO80tjJdWydT9B_YQ4r3l9jkQyPAklKnUNSWRBAkoRSAiIcOewfPPP4SRwAHY88ZTem/s320/marcia_2021_350.jpg" /></a></p><p>By: Marcia King-Gamble</p><p>www.lovemarcia.com</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This July, I thought I’d take my reader
friends for a trip around the world to experience the events many cities offer.
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s summer after all, and fter a year
of lockdown, people are looking forward to getting out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">First up is Wimbledon. The<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> Grand Slam of all grand slams. This
much awaited tennis tournament took place at the </span>All England Lawn
and Tennis Croquet Club</span>. After being canceled in 2020, Wimbledon kicked off
on June 28<sup>th</sup> and ended on July11th.<span style="background: white; color: #202122;"> For those of us who
couldn’t be there in person, we cheered in front of the television.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCzQgFB6InVKjO2eKrP2c6UadKshOn7vr3wFspMN4BT6n-KK-0F16YnVxr3cdq_U9R0V9NLF3gbU1uplNB5gSfM1HQxPCYB_VQzf9Gl012FgzT32-G_8ERjnLMXodgM-0Fc5Nn03TJY0p/s4032/IMG_7070.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCzQgFB6InVKjO2eKrP2c6UadKshOn7vr3wFspMN4BT6n-KK-0F16YnVxr3cdq_U9R0V9NLF3gbU1uplNB5gSfM1HQxPCYB_VQzf9Gl012FgzT32-G_8ERjnLMXodgM-0Fc5Nn03TJY0p/s320/IMG_7070.HEIC" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Second up is a national holiday every
red-blooded American celebrates. It’s 4</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> of July or Independence Day;
the day America declared its independence from Great Britain. Fire up the
barbecue, get out those pool floats and, fireworks and parades.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 22.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">France has its <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Bastille
Day (July 14<sup>th</sup>), probably its biggest national holiday. It's a celebration of the event that triggered the French Revolution when an
angry mob stormed the Bastille. Today, fireworks, festivals and food are the
order of the day.<u1:p></u1:p></span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 22.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
</p><p style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 22.5pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Heading for Japan? Put Marine Day on your
calendar. Usually celebrated</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> the third Monday in July, this year
it was changed to July 22nd to coincide with the day before the opening
ceremony of the Tokyo Olympicsct</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">d the annual Celebration of Light. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Billed as one of the city's signature summer events, the festival of
lights literally lights up Vancouver’s English Bay for three nights at the end of July. Historically, three
countries compete to wow the crowds with their musical fireworks launched off a
floating barge in the bay.</span> </p><p style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 22.5pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOsc7soU2yt8JSZmNsohA1fDrhtCr6qkCgjkr2UWWJMQVfBTJvgncTFRmKR7y4t0gjhxhcUvjigCBq1wtSKwdvmqtr83iod0yiXjfqQOsDW98HVdod8hgmVI6vuTbRvp56M-uMdY4lApF/s720/Santorini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOsc7soU2yt8JSZmNsohA1fDrhtCr6qkCgjkr2UWWJMQVfBTJvgncTFRmKR7y4t0gjhxhcUvjigCBq1wtSKwdvmqtr83iod0yiXjfqQOsDW98HVdod8hgmVI6vuTbRvp56M-uMdY4lApF/s320/Santorini.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And even if
the festivities in your part of the world were postponed until next year, you
now have something to look forward to. In 2022 you can head for London;s Hyde
Park and celebrate <b>British Summer Time</b>. The likes of</span><span style="background: white;"> Duran Duran and Pearl Jam will provide entertainment. Why not party
with London’s finest?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;">Coming in October 2021.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnRrEyelC1hr1td-I5cu6RbQTggcW8UCOWn50Yjclv5mSFLFaWu7GEhVyVFqJIcixWZ7Fb6jmwRdGO0h9GAkKE7BGNHlJ3GJuDb64uhI7uXtmr2wsPqNAbbKIweNIGRcvkJJlLQjF9RCv/s1782/Holiday+Fakeout%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1782" data-original-width="1172" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnRrEyelC1hr1td-I5cu6RbQTggcW8UCOWn50Yjclv5mSFLFaWu7GEhVyVFqJIcixWZ7Fb6jmwRdGO0h9GAkKE7BGNHlJ3GJuDb64uhI7uXtmr2wsPqNAbbKIweNIGRcvkJJlLQjF9RCv/s320/Holiday+Fakeout%2521.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="background: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About Marcia King-Gamble</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Romance writer,
Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean Island where the sky
and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry
executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling
author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to
Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony
advice boards. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having witnessed the bad,
the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about
happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Visit Marcia at
www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook:</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <a href="http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be sure to join
her newsletter mailing list.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/marciakinggamble" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> * </span><a href="http://amazon.com/author/marciaking-gamble" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Amazon</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> * </span><a href="http://www.lovemarcia.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Website</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> * </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Marcia-King-Gamble-12364168212/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> * </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Soflamuse" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Marcia King-Gamblehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13678950827449893074noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-82323526273779823482021-07-19T02:00:00.003-05:002021-07-19T02:00:00.318-05:00Can you believe it’s July! And a special below...#RomanceGems @LucindaRace <p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Can you believe it’s July! Like wow… the year is zooming. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I love the beach and summer. I think it’s my favorite season but… if you read my blog posts you might discover I say that about each month. I find something wonderful each month all year long. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">But let’s talk beach. Hubs and I won’t be taking a real vacation until September when we’ll head to Cape Cod for a week. It’s not for the lack of time off but I enjoy going to the beach when kiddos are back in school and it’s not quite as hectic out there. I’ve given a passing thought to living next to the ocean but the traffic would do me in. I’ll settle for my yearly vacations. Who knows maybe next year we’ll get out there in June too or maybe even head to Maine, ah the way life should be...</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Life has been hectic in our house. We had a stay-cation where we had a few dinners out and I broke down and bought a new "smart" television. What had I been waiting for? It’s been a game changer for watching the shows I love like The Crown, Virgin River and movies. I'm still figuring it out but wow, easy set up and bam there's Netflix and Prime Video. Not that I'm a huge tv watcher but when I want to watch a something I hate having to use three different remotes, yes that was a real thing. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">In book news I’ve been busy. I sent book 4, Vintage to the editor and finished my first round of edits on Bouquet which is book 5 in the Crescent Lake Winery series. In audio book news, Crush went live in early July. Blends and Breathe are being discovered by audio books fans so if audio’s your go-to check out Audible for these three titles. I’d love to know if you listen to audio books. Drop me an email and I might just have a surprise in store for a couple of lucky listeners. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I’m also hard at work drafting a new series and adding a new book to Crescent Lake Winery which will pick up after Bouquet with some secondary characters. I’m affectionately calling this CLW 2.0 💗 . More on that in the coming months and the new series too. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Did you see my newsletter on July 1? I have a very special sale running right now and it’s almost over. Breathe is just 0.99. Click the link and download this very special price today. Trust me when I say when it’s over, it’s over, click here for your <a href="https://books2read.com/Breathe-book-1" target="_blank">e-book retailers .</a></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiB74hG_mUNi_YjjV0iExvL7whhwBZkbRfteYdYGfR0QpUugAHtWQUKV2O05n1qx_BacfjL9icxSKjYzhrdvHseQw7xseXCpJ2PCo1r1iMTRlkW6k_nsqtwAEm2LKDWoiuQQjeeDCGl6k/s2048/Race_Breathe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiB74hG_mUNi_YjjV0iExvL7whhwBZkbRfteYdYGfR0QpUugAHtWQUKV2O05n1qx_BacfjL9icxSKjYzhrdvHseQw7xseXCpJ2PCo1r1iMTRlkW6k_nsqtwAEm2LKDWoiuQQjeeDCGl6k/w96-h154/Race_Breathe.png" width="96" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Do you love reading paperbacks? Did you know can buy signed copies from my website. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Just a little tidbit: they’re also at a very special price. Make sure you go to <a href="http://Lucindarace.com">Lucindarace.com</a> and check it out. They make awesome gifts too. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I hope the second half of the year slows down. I’d like to enjoy summer and fall, being outside more and just relaxing. As usual there’s a lot going on behind the scenes so sign up for <a href="https://lucindarace.com/newsletter/" target="_blank">my newsletter</a> for details, and don’t forget if you haven’t downloaded Breathe don’t hesitate, this very special price won’t last long. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I love to hear from readers so feel free to drop me a line, send me pictures of you reading a Lucinda Race book or tag me on social media. If you haven’t joined my Lucinda’s Heart Racers Reader group on Facebook why wait? I’d really love to start getting to know you better. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Until next time, </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">I wish you good healthy, happiness and love. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Lucinda </span></span></p><p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12053726832954514327noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-36532850528271594152021-07-18T02:00:00.004-05:002021-07-18T02:00:00.275-05:00A Stormy Summer by @karilemor #RomanceGems<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo2eRo806EfXUbiAehZOOJBmaop9mUHUcxvXPrS6iBDj7GKzWKzEl7nd_NxvPjrpHFWtDYX85s9KDVNUlIyG6ZlJX6NjAUKyY8g5cbhe5azT4gqmzjIuikVUMh9u-sPFl-yhY8WBnuEfB/s1280/Gems+July+Twit+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo2eRo806EfXUbiAehZOOJBmaop9mUHUcxvXPrS6iBDj7GKzWKzEl7nd_NxvPjrpHFWtDYX85s9KDVNUlIyG6ZlJX6NjAUKyY8g5cbhe5azT4gqmzjIuikVUMh9u-sPFl-yhY8WBnuEfB/w463-h260/Gems+July+Twit+2.jpg" width="463" /></a></div><br /> July is all about Beach Reads! There’re so many great books out there and I
am hoping to find time to read some. Lately, I’ve been working on writing more
than reading. My Storms of New England series is the perfect series of books to
take to the beach with you! The covers are all summery, New England scenes, and
the family, the Storms, are the perfect family you’d want along!<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here’s a little something about each book and where you can
find links for them. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Elusive Dreams</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Creating a family might be the only way to heal two scarred
souls.</b></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Marine Erik Storm intends to keep the promise he made to a
dying mother. Protect her two young children, survivors of the bombing that
left him barely able to walk. He moves into his grandparents' house in coastal
Maine next door to a childhood friend.<br />
<br />
Tessa Porter is no longer the shy little girl from his youth, but a life in
foster care has left her leery of people. When his custody of the children is
questioned, she offers to enter into a marriage of convenience to boost his
case.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They don't expect the sparks that fly or their growing desire. When their
marriage becomes real, they have to find ways to heal together or risk losing
their perfectly imperfect family for good.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/elusive-dreams">https://www.karilemor.com/elusive-dreams</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>True Dreams</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Can she see beyond his past to heal his damaged soul?</i></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>True “TJ” Bannister, haunted by his past, abandons the world
of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to live a peaceful life as a bookstore owner
on Cape Cod. The reformed bad boy thinks no “nice” girl will ever see beyond
his tormented soul.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Innocent Sara Storm barges into his shop, and his life, with
her sunshine personality. She looks beyond TJ’s past and helps heal his damaged
heart. But her goal to be a singer is one TJ can’t support. Her dreams take
place in the shattered world he left behind. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Can he choose between his newfound serenity and a life that
nearly destroyed him, or is their romance doomed before the last note is sung?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/true-dreams">https://www.karilemor.com/true-dreams</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Stolen Dreams</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Can he loosen up enough to let her in?</b></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Control is Alex Storm’s middle name. Every aspect of his
life is scheduled down to the minute. His routines are part of him, and he
cannot deviate. Finding a woman who can put up with his strict organization has
been difficult... until Gina blows back into town. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A nomadic life spent with her bohemian mother made Gina
Mazelli the definition of a free spirit. Inheriting her grandmother’s house
requires her to put down temporary roots right next door to the sexiest control
freak she’s ever known. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alex hopes helping Gina fix up the house will lead to a
quick sale and an end to the explosive chemistry between them. But every day
they’re together, Gina realizes she wants to create a home, especially if she
can convince a certain uptight perfectionist that he’s the key to making her
dreams come true.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/stolen-dreams">https://www.karilemor.com/stolen-dreams</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l_uebZf7jRfH2Kmw2Yk98Sv0hyphenhyphenUbDSIp4KpUDxaQhnhN29MiOTrwoxXQr1TXkBnu9OOxoHJJxUdi7TD2Vnrp5fbTb2f91o3SHcriLAq5Ac1cUuywm3ViOnUygYUnsfie5nKSXGWk1pDv/s1280/Storms+Dreams+beach+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l_uebZf7jRfH2Kmw2Yk98Sv0hyphenhyphenUbDSIp4KpUDxaQhnhN29MiOTrwoxXQr1TXkBnu9OOxoHJJxUdi7TD2Vnrp5fbTb2f91o3SHcriLAq5Ac1cUuywm3ViOnUygYUnsfie5nKSXGWk1pDv/w515-h290/Storms+Dreams+beach+chair.jpg" width="515" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Broken Dreams</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Can she show him true family is more than an image?</i></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Corporate attorney Nathaniel Storm’s exclusive world is thrown into a tailspin
when his cheating ex drops off the son he didn't know he had. Being an instant
dad and handling the care of a special needs child, isn’t something he’s
comfortable with. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Under the dark makeup and piercings, Darcy Marx has a heart
of gold, but she’s spent her life trying to dig herself out of one misfortune
after another. Bad decisions and heartbreaking choices in the past won’t stop
her from creating a better life.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When the two are paired together in a wedding, Darcy
connects with Nathaniel’s son in a way he can only hope for. Yet this bold as
brass sprite with the saucy mouth taunts him at every turn. When Nathaniel
looks past Darcy’s non-traditional ways, he finds a determined woman who can
work miracles, but he wonders if she’s strong enough to jump start his
disconnected heart.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/broken-dreams">https://www.karilemor.com/broken-dreams</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Lost Dreams</b> (arriving 8/10/2021)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><b>Can they learn to trust again?</b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">For the past decade, fire captain, Greg Storm, has wanted no
part of another relationship all thanks to a faithless wife who handed over
their infant son and fled. He and his son have done just fine by themselves.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Teacher Alandra Cabrera and abandonment go together all too
well. She and her daughter were left in the cold by a controlling husband who
really only wanted a personal servant and perfect wife. Once a mother, she fit
neither of those roles. His dismissal shattered her already limited
self-esteem. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With Greg’s son in Ali’s class, the two get to know each
other better beyond school and town committees. They both have extreme trust
issues and taking that first step toward something more requires courage.
Especially with the trauma and rejection left in the wake of their past. Unless
they find their way beyond the barriers, a future together seems out of
reach... <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/lost-dreams" target="_blank"> https://www.karilemor.com/lost-dreams</a></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>And if you’re looking for a little <i>Christmas in July</i>, here’s
a sweet Hallmark style novella.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Forgotten Dreams</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Wanted: Christmas Magic</i><i> </i></b>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ten years ago, Mark Campbell broke Kristan Donahue’s heart
when he joined the navy and left her behind in their small New England town.
Now he's back home for the holidays and wants to pick up where they left off. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Can the magic of Christmas help Kristan open up her heart
enough to trust again? And can this same magic convince Mark that next to
Kristan is where he belongs?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/forgotten-dreams">https://www.karilemor.com/forgotten-dreams</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2edNLunbDFXSGylpbECRSluE75gTR_w54GmxkzQ2IlgpN7TOOyBFeNBI1u0qOUzArKsKf0imxa1-3jz4vjjR4KfaPkMp-lLPzHHSthLTjEzgX9MFuiHgbcJtUMNw0GjeXcvm51Ufyumwi/s1280/Forgotten+Dreams+magic+skate+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2edNLunbDFXSGylpbECRSluE75gTR_w54GmxkzQ2IlgpN7TOOyBFeNBI1u0qOUzArKsKf0imxa1-3jz4vjjR4KfaPkMp-lLPzHHSthLTjEzgX9MFuiHgbcJtUMNw0GjeXcvm51Ufyumwi/w447-h251/Forgotten+Dreams+magic+skate+.jpg" width="447" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Join us on Face Book at Romance Gems...Where authors and readers meet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075">https://www.facebook.com/groups/332592250930075</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>kari lemorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836561395137916595noreply@blogger.com3New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972815.7495998484533 -109.1622228 65.6759507515467 -38.849722799999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-13714843980805719802021-07-16T00:05:00.008-05:002021-07-16T00:05:00.279-05:00Dog Days of Summer @ConstanceBretes #romancegems<p> What does the dog days of summer mean to you? For me, it means endless summer days spent along the shorelines of Lake Michigan.</p><p>I was born and raised in Michigan. My favorite hunting grounds? The shorelines of Lake Michigan. As a child, I loved going to the beach and playing in the sand. I spent hours building sand castles. When I got a little older, I spent my time in the water with my brothers and sisters. As a teenager, I didn't want to be seen with my family. I was trying to be too cool and hang with the "in" crowd, wear bikinis and play volleyball. I never stayed at just one place. My whole family loved the shorelines of Lake Michigan, and would go anywhere from Grand Haven, all the way up to Traverse City, and St. Ignace. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1ahiT37btKkZ5Vymdy8uZ3hycuoPrmBX5srQwY2da-UGAHZs_hHRaKHgWWoy2z2hXln07vbNFeCl98YwvO63WlPFlUX4hQA3XZEd4vlHLq4Y7FNlbfz9ozrT7s8T93cMoFL01mK8178/s1920/lake-michigan-1234286_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1920" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1ahiT37btKkZ5Vymdy8uZ3hycuoPrmBX5srQwY2da-UGAHZs_hHRaKHgWWoy2z2hXln07vbNFeCl98YwvO63WlPFlUX4hQA3XZEd4vlHLq4Y7FNlbfz9ozrT7s8T93cMoFL01mK8178/w640-h424/lake-michigan-1234286_1920.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>As I got older, my love for Lake Michigan never waivered, but the fun activities changed over time. I'd much rather spend my time on a cruiser, drinking pina coladas, under the umbrella, or lay on the beach, under an umbrella, reading. My reading genres change over time. I have spent time dabbling in thrillers, murder mysteries, historical romance, and now, my taste in reading is mafia or dark romance. If I'm not busy reading, I'm busy writing!<br /></p><p>If you're one of those who, like me, love to dabble in different genres. Why not make this summer's reading contemporary romance? I can start you out with a whole list of titles all listed below. You can go to my website at <a href="https://constancebretes.com">https://constancebretes.com</a> to read the blurb and catch the buy link. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5xp8iwO8hVF8PTeVpj2sfZYdERoVr02v87-f9hB5-ALjUK6evzgr047MWTr3EZaSYwu7lJrJcw4CPYLxULD03dJkIxOPnxzh48N-rpppKE9k8eh7kKjyKUj98UvPQTQ0Es04qHdkhiQ/s2500/Romances+from+the+Heart+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="2500" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5xp8iwO8hVF8PTeVpj2sfZYdERoVr02v87-f9hB5-ALjUK6evzgr047MWTr3EZaSYwu7lJrJcw4CPYLxULD03dJkIxOPnxzh48N-rpppKE9k8eh7kKjyKUj98UvPQTQ0Es04qHdkhiQ/w640-h309/Romances+from+the+Heart+%25286%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Hope you have a fabulous summer 2021!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Connie Breteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02688996584220088739noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-20012563689922287762021-07-15T02:30:00.007-05:002021-07-15T02:30:00.268-05:00Beach Reads are the Best by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems<p>The whole idea of summer reading or beach reads is...comfort. We want to relax, to take it easy, to follow a story without struggling to remember who's doing what when if we have to close the book and go for a walk. Or play with our family, or swim with dolphins. We want to pick up the book and fall right back into the story.</p><p>Beach reads are, at heart, comfort reads. But then, I write romance so may be biased. I know some people like thrillers or horror, but a good vacation needs something, I don't know, kinder? Gentler?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe3sHPQHoZryuSFkDu9Tk31YAa_abuYkGJ8BQnPuCVRAK8vP8QKMbnqFUEpd0P_M9i3EGCaqEgTFHNEmUmu5-5A58Ld2GhBb7rme3peV_4fbhDvGbLq3WRNs4mYKHIbFh_R2cLndmJkEr/s488/Gems%252BJuly%252BInst%252B4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe3sHPQHoZryuSFkDu9Tk31YAa_abuYkGJ8BQnPuCVRAK8vP8QKMbnqFUEpd0P_M9i3EGCaqEgTFHNEmUmu5-5A58Ld2GhBb7rme3peV_4fbhDvGbLq3WRNs4mYKHIbFh_R2cLndmJkEr/s320/Gems%252BJuly%252BInst%252B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>What do you take on vacation to read? Do you settle in at a campsite and read while the rest of your group is out for a walk and you have 10 minutes to yourself? Or do you laze by a pool and while away an afternoon? Or are you too busy to read while you're touring a foreign country? There are too many ways to take a break from the day-to-day of our home lives to count.</p><p>And after the time the world has had...maybe a vacation is the last thing we want. Maybe the "break" is to get back to work in a place with other people!</p><p>To celebrate all things beachy, I've joined a group of authors at Last Chance Beach, a fictional island filled with now-familiar businesses, characters, and landmarks with my next release <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097ND7V15" target="_blank">FAKE ME.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDgsyVnOZUMkhZxpov5EC17yS8wdeZC6sQu03VP2atPlp5uNY3CBDX3l2BEduKiusKqvgNB5N8iSgtPuq2lJIDw8_6MKabGXskhtZ0xzLBaM86rrQNDz8O2Qg969NIuOb2AiqWrUZFORU/s1500/FAKE+ME+-+ipad.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDgsyVnOZUMkhZxpov5EC17yS8wdeZC6sQu03VP2atPlp5uNY3CBDX3l2BEduKiusKqvgNB5N8iSgtPuq2lJIDw8_6MKabGXskhtZ0xzLBaM86rrQNDz8O2Qg969NIuOb2AiqWrUZFORU/s320/FAKE+ME+-+ipad.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097ND7V15">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097ND7V15</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097ND7V15">https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097ND7V15</a><div><p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B097ND7V15">https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B097ND7V15</a></p><p>This book will also be available for ibooks, Kobo, Nook and more. Links will be available first through my newsletter. Subscribe here: <a href="https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t6w3o6" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Bonnie’s
Newsy Bits</span></a></p><p>Pre-orders are now being taken for only <span style="color: red;">99c</span>. FAKE ME will land in e-readers on August 15! </p></div>International real estate broker Grady O’Hara, unkempt, miserable, and nursing his battered heart, is holed up in the Landseer Motel in Last Chance Beach. <div><br /></div><div>A first-class grump, Grady’s appalled that enthusiastic sprite, Farren Parks wants him to open his motel to single parents looking for love. He suspects his sister has sent Farren to lure him into a romance. Again. The last one ended in disaster.</div><div><br /></div><div>Farren expects him to tolerate children laughing. No! Crowds of happy families? No! </div><div><br /></div><div>He does not want a second chance at life. Or love.
Unless Farren agrees to fake date him to fake out his matchmaking sister… </div><div><br /></div><div>Grady soon plays handyman, painter, and business advisor to Farren’s fledgling business, Singles Fest.</div><div><br /></div><div>The happy squeals of children in the pool doesn’t grate on his nerves as he expected. He sees parents making romantic connections that stir his heart. </div><div><br /></div><div>But an old flame of Farren’s has arrived and Grady wakes up to another looming loss if Farren gives her first love a second chance. The rival has brought his adorable kids to the motel. A rival who’s clearly looking for a new wife…
</div><div><br /></div><div>Join me at Last Chance Beach for this brand new romance! </div>Bonnie Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15191962387359643936noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-83878637608625508502021-07-12T02:00:00.001-05:002021-07-12T02:00:00.247-05:00Weddings Are So Last Month by Laura Hunsaker<p> I know June is typically known for weddings, but with my own wedding anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks, I wanted to share anyway!</p><p>My husband and I were married on the hottest day of the year...in Las Vegas. You realize that means it was like 122 that day, right? We had the craziest day! Not just the wedding, but weird little things that went wrong...</p><p>So we were young. He was underage. Someone replaced his champagne flute with a sippy cup. The flowers were delivered to the wrong place. The groomsmen...AND THE GROOM all left before the wedding. Someone had broken down and they went to the rescue. But they all had two-seater cars and were picking up a van-ful of guests. One groomsman got stuck out of town, so we had an emergency replacement. I mean...it was wild how many random things went wrong. But by the end, we had a lovely wedding, everyone was on time, the bride certainly didn't have a panic attack watching the groom leave the church before the wedding (oh wait, I really did). And they lived happily ever after.</p><p>With my characters getting married in one of my books, I decided to write a short bonus scene for my readers and while I was starting it, the first thing that popped onto my page was that the flowers had been delivered to the wrong place. Well, it looks like I will be writing my first non-fiction book ever ;) </p><p>But seriously, all the things that happened to me, will probably make it into this short story, because wow, it really does read as if it were a Rom Com.</p><p>This will be a bonus for Kate and Kyle's wedding, and will fit after Dark Past, and Dreams of the Past, but before Dangerous Past which I'm finishing up right now.</p><p>Enjoy a small excerpt from the beginning of the story:</p><br /><i>The weather was gorgeous. A light fog wrapped around the gazebo, sneaking its fingers in between the leaves and flowers that were woven into the slats that decorated it. One last cool foggy touch before the morning sun burned it off. <br /><br />The warm, buttery yellow sunlight hitting the tall trees of the Sierra Nevadas was the most beautiful backdrop she could think of for the day she married her love. She could marry him inside an old shed, and she wouldn’t care. She just wanted to start her new life. <br /><br />And after the year she had had? She deserved something nice. They all did. She wanted the day to go smoothly, not so much for herself, but for her fiance Kyle. He had risked his life for her, he knew all her secrets and skeletons in her closet, and miracle of miracles, he loved her. She wanted today to be perfect. <br /><br />She glanced up at the picturesque view once more. By the looks of it, today would be perfect. <br /><br />Kate took one more look before turning back inside. She trusted that her family and friends had a handle on things. She could breathe. With a deep breath, she released the stress of the day and went to join her bridesmaids. Today was going to be fine. <br /><br />***<br /><br />Nothing was fine.<br /><br /></i><div><i>The flowers had been delivered to the wrong location. How on earth had the flowers been delivered to the wrong place? The town had 2,000 people on a good day, so how had they been delivered to the wrong location?</i><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>And don't forget to check out Dark Past and Dreams of the Past which are both on sale now!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYx6JR_yDthy9vomOSJ0sTvTloryM9ZzLsZKkbluLNqnUlXsQPGUicJtbbto0V7emEjnogysnviI7jsnenA0hYTN4Hi8dBt0ynyEItU_wqdR9xWU5466WRFEbSg-I6idP4Yz6kxHFhb_B/s2048/DarkPastfresh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYx6JR_yDthy9vomOSJ0sTvTloryM9ZzLsZKkbluLNqnUlXsQPGUicJtbbto0V7emEjnogysnviI7jsnenA0hYTN4Hi8dBt0ynyEItU_wqdR9xWU5466WRFEbSg-I6idP4Yz6kxHFhb_B/s320/DarkPastfresh.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZdDhwaPNrGhMyDekHw4BkEz4yO9ngd8TyIdpM2uowVYKQzrfP77Wzuao8RrASK4n7n2iLgsxS6EhHUGoSP9y-iZnIGDQ5fZ1GVo0l_LuuC1YTp9zrusk1fO5T97QkQDKPBwPH6W_uyzJ/s2048/132045973_3657926374289273_6795832451233940141_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZdDhwaPNrGhMyDekHw4BkEz4yO9ngd8TyIdpM2uowVYKQzrfP77Wzuao8RrASK4n7n2iLgsxS6EhHUGoSP9y-iZnIGDQ5fZ1GVo0l_LuuC1YTp9zrusk1fO5T97QkQDKPBwPH6W_uyzJ/s320/132045973_3657926374289273_6795832451233940141_n.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Dark Past: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DTy23L" style="background-color: white; color: #13293f; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 17.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> | </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131285326?ean=2940161265802" style="background-color: white; color: #13293f; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 17.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Barnes & Noble</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> | </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-past-3" style="background-color: white; color: #13293f; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 17.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Kobo </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">| </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Laura_Hunsaker_Dark_Past?id=QNuSDwAAQBAJ" style="background-color: white; color: #13293f; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 17.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Google Play Books</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> | </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/934534" style="background-color: white; color: #13293f; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 17.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Smashwords</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Dreams of the Past: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08QF9KXG5/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=laurahunsaker-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B08QF9KXG5&linkId=a36f42c659fa46c15417e9975ad0ab03" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;">Amazon</a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> |</span><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dreams-of-the-past-1" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;"> Kobo</a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreams-of-the-past-laura-hunsaker/1138551579?ean=2940162854579" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;">Barnes & Noble</a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Laura_Hunsaker_Dreams_of_the_Past?id=haAREAAAQBAJ" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;">Google Play</a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1058155" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;">Smashwords</a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-5157983864000102652021-07-11T04:00:00.018-05:002021-07-11T04:00:00.291-05:00SOUNDS OF SUMMERS PAST By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zDWM-FCqOnhQISZXoc2Hh-wxf4eX5WxZLjeNCXk_HIh12Gt3YHLCmmhCBpjDhQkjUowuw2TfePaIdrsP3s42PlblcvQvPQ4dTBn45MwFneKKLyVoB1ovDuBXO3Ljx8DjO1Jr3OAm4z2N/s275/record.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zDWM-FCqOnhQISZXoc2Hh-wxf4eX5WxZLjeNCXk_HIh12Gt3YHLCmmhCBpjDhQkjUowuw2TfePaIdrsP3s42PlblcvQvPQ4dTBn45MwFneKKLyVoB1ovDuBXO3Ljx8DjO1Jr3OAm4z2N/s0/record.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">One thing I always
remember about summers past is the music and the mood those songs evoke of the
times whenever I revisit them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the
serious risk of dating myself, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite
summer songs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think my earliest
summer music memories is thanks to my parents, who moved some clunky wooden speaker
outside so they could listen to “Theme From A Summer Place”.</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I still see my sunny, childhood front yard
whenever I hear that song, of which there are many different versions.</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In no particular order,
some of my favorites include:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Summer in the City” by
the Lovin’ Spoonful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“School’s Out” by Alice
Cooper.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Hot Fun in the
Summertime” by Sly and the Family Stone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“In the Summertime” by
Mungo Jerry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Summer Breeze” by
Seals and Croft.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Here Comes the Sun” by
The Beatles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“All Summer Long” by
Kid Rock.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Crimson and Clover” by
Tommy James and the Shondells.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Steal My Sunshine” by
Len.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Summer of ‘69” by
Bryan Adams.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Boys of Summer,” by
Don Henley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WlqJjSbopcTg2uP089qlzTjdnEAINs95W54FMoY5ghNfi8mpGLp3B_rRKHDV4NGjc_B0sDDmrWY1tBK-onSkFqA3MEcRxBuTOCyra-iUraREFIWYHXoDb3aC9Y4VDJKhpQI0t6422S-U/s2304/rings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="1120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WlqJjSbopcTg2uP089qlzTjdnEAINs95W54FMoY5ghNfi8mpGLp3B_rRKHDV4NGjc_B0sDDmrWY1tBK-onSkFqA3MEcRxBuTOCyra-iUraREFIWYHXoDb3aC9Y4VDJKhpQI0t6422S-U/w98-h200/rings.jpg" width="98" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">July is a special month for romance as 2021 marks 10 years since the day Steel and I first met.</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We’re celebrating with a trip to a decadent
wine country spa that has been on my bucket list for years, and will include
luxury spa treatments, wine tastings, plus the early addition of some sparkly bling
to fancy up my pinkie finger.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Because summer beach
reads are an important part of the season, I’m putting UNMASKED, my steamy
historical with its eye-catching new cover, on sale today and tomorrow only for
.99 cents. </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZBL5271" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZBL5271</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvoKZ7XdkhJyr06B0wm2STeSMSMzPBWyfiaS0fC34RCVlwwJW6eC_tdTvB_7Of0D9VwkPMQw74Cg0H-NSR6ZiqWESBTsXmfsAgxmdLdvU5gFa_il6bdAGojXzKBAdr3mH1mDj3c-PjeVS/s2048/UNMASKED+final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvoKZ7XdkhJyr06B0wm2STeSMSMzPBWyfiaS0fC34RCVlwwJW6eC_tdTvB_7Of0D9VwkPMQw74Cg0H-NSR6ZiqWESBTsXmfsAgxmdLdvU5gFa_il6bdAGojXzKBAdr3mH1mDj3c-PjeVS/s320/UNMASKED+final.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Aurora awoke at dusk, totally disoriented. In
the west she could see the last fading pink fingers of the sunset, backlit by a
faint golden glow.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.4in;">How odd. She didn’t recall there being a blanket
here when she first lay down, but she was cozily warm beneath one now. She touched
it and discovered it was not a blanket at all, but a black velvet cloak. And
lying on the pillow, next to the faint indentation from her head, was a
matching velvet mask.</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Aurora looked around wondering if she was alone,
for the summerhouse’s corners were deeply shadowed, dark enough to keep secret
the presence of another. Her heart crashed loudly beneath her ribs as she swung
her legs over the side of the settee and stroked the black velvet mask.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Would all the guests be wearing them? Somehow
she suspected that they would. And no one would know who anyone else was. Such
an intriguing thought—total freedom to be whoever, whatever she wanted. A
queen. A pharaoh. A courtesan. A powerful woman capable of driving a man to
distraction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">She fondled the plush texture, rasped her nail
across the eye cutouts, twined the satin ties around her forefinger. Finally,
she gave in to temptation. She stood and positioned the mask across her
features.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Allow me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Aurora gasped as strong, capable hands took over
for hers, securing the ties behind her head. Where had he come from? Had a
stranger lingered in the shadows, watching her sleep, influencing her dreams?
For she’d woken with a heavy throbbing need between her legs. Her skin prickled
all over with supersensitivity, nerve endings tingling with exposure to
something new and exciting in the air.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Like the man who stood behind her. His warm
breath stirred her hair and pinpricks of awareness licked across her scalp,
heightened by the brush of his fingers. He pushed her hair aside and touched
his lips to her sensitive nape. Aurora trembled in reaction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Grayson?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Silently he moved to stand before her, a dark
phantom in a matching mask and cloak. “No names,” he said, his voice as muffled
and indistinguishable as the dusk as he settled the garment across her
shoulders. When he secured the toggle fastenings, the backs of his knuckles
brushed her breasts in delicious slow motion. Throbbing heat simmered through
her and she bit her lower lip, awash in the flood of sensation. If the
accidental brush of his hands could stir her so, what would happen if he
touched her with deliberate, knowing intent?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> *****</span><br /></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So which of the above
songs are now stuck in your head?</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Comment
below to share some songs with us that trigger your summertime memories.</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><br /><p></p>kathleen Lawlesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17791153368022534856noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-1860881165995334122021-07-09T03:30:00.003-05:002021-07-09T03:30:00.290-05:00Here We Go Again! by Hannah Rowan #RomanceGems<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s July and it’s time to frolic in the ocean, cavort in
the pool, or loll in the lake. Or simply sit by the water where negative ions
theoretically give off relaxing vibes while simultaneously boosting energy and
alleviating depression.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, that makes perfect sense. And while I crave the feel
of sand between my toes and the sounds of waves lapping at the shore, what I’m
getting this summer is the sound of shopping cart wheels rolling over pavement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqDmmCySg9bf2XfIYGhJtRgPvT_r40enahWqGSIIyIqisbuEiaxGCEpyuqU56Exs3BYcrE1BwhZeD6P4DTudebmm1VK95cnxrX5l7_fGyI3vhSAoL-9jsX9n_nWXCf4RJ5rjeAO1_Xb0/s2048/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqDmmCySg9bf2XfIYGhJtRgPvT_r40enahWqGSIIyIqisbuEiaxGCEpyuqU56Exs3BYcrE1BwhZeD6P4DTudebmm1VK95cnxrX5l7_fGyI3vhSAoL-9jsX9n_nWXCf4RJ5rjeAO1_Xb0/w200-h150/beach.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Moving is supposed to be one of the most stressful activities
a person can experience. After living in ten different places during the first
20 years of my life, I was lulled into complacency by settling in a house where
we stayed for almost 40 years.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But who needs to take care of a big old house when the kids
have flown the nest and there’s always something to fix, clean or replace?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Oh, how delightful to move to a condo community where
someone else shovels the snow and mows the grass! How lovely to wander off to a
pool someone else cleans. Like the pain of childbirth, the horrendous
experience of disposing of 40 years’ worth of accumulated possessions and moving
the remainders into a new place fades after settling in.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Or it did, until with very little warning, our landlord
decided to sell the place out from under us. Lucky for us, we were able to find
a new place right across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Easy, right?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxwdlb2Jr-1QyJwqDZTpILVjUhRidzMRhWQyGwSRztcNpB6uApqTJ6wXnnokyMTMJ8BRmzcxeZyTvUhdUvWs6K7WHAMLFBgAbeAWFvx9v7U23TaePmQ-MTzdD8m51XB3amnCKMimQktQ/s284/moving+van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="284" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxwdlb2Jr-1QyJwqDZTpILVjUhRidzMRhWQyGwSRztcNpB6uApqTJ6wXnnokyMTMJ8BRmzcxeZyTvUhdUvWs6K7WHAMLFBgAbeAWFvx9v7U23TaePmQ-MTzdD8m51XB3amnCKMimQktQ/w240-h150/moving+van.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You’d think that after the first round of downsizing moving
would be smoother. But no. Right now I’m marveling at the amount of junk we
managed to squeeze into a little two bedroom condo. It doesn’t seem to matter
if we’re moving across the street or across the country.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The timing is the saving grace. Instead of the usually frantic
move-it-all-in-one-day process we’ve done in the past, this time there’s a week
between the time we own the new place and the time we have to vacate the current
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all sounded so simple in theory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So here we are, loading the shopping carts so kindly provided
so people can transport their goods from the garage to their door, and making
endless trips across the street to deposit boxes as we pack them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What we’ve got here is a prolonged period of not knowing where
anything went when we need it and not agreeing where anything goes when it gets
there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Looking back, childbirth was a breeze compared to this. I
can only hope that amnesia will set in once we’re finally settled, and we’ll
have time to find a body of water where we can soak up some of those negative
ions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKmAgafnUt2wzqFwDSZJrxUEs89Cc-u9j1W2uo5ABdu5JYAqupgS6KHeUzpXkrhdRH2nXZKGFDOSNb93DCRKQLgoS33eZZtsNvRksdo6ZlpqGJvjXbGQlUoYdOwHl_K2q161f1i5vhXg/s488/Gems%252BJuly%252BInst%252B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKmAgafnUt2wzqFwDSZJrxUEs89Cc-u9j1W2uo5ABdu5JYAqupgS6KHeUzpXkrhdRH2nXZKGFDOSNb93DCRKQLgoS33eZZtsNvRksdo6ZlpqGJvjXbGQlUoYdOwHl_K2q161f1i5vhXg/s320/Gems%252BJuly%252BInst%252B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Hannah Rowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03585576526345438345noreply@blogger.com8New Jersey, USA40.0583238 -74.405661211.748089963821151 -109.5619112 68.368557636178849 -39.2494112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-10514344930143304462021-07-07T02:00:00.001-05:002021-07-07T02:00:00.253-05:00For summer reading take advantage of Kindle Unlimited by Jan Scarbrough<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohdZ6OuOPY_MmVt5Sq2rNr6hfSS8XwqnXhf_PtKGgtWHILmhKxP_PA-Zp8K34YYR5XumkX_s05lkJiBMkYJI286rNvuoiuu47Qx2i5_BSyiU94e-gkq2QxY3YPdJLwp5yEzG3-A7hD0n_/s488/Gems%252BJuly%252BInst%252B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohdZ6OuOPY_MmVt5Sq2rNr6hfSS8XwqnXhf_PtKGgtWHILmhKxP_PA-Zp8K34YYR5XumkX_s05lkJiBMkYJI286rNvuoiuu47Qx2i5_BSyiU94e-gkq2QxY3YPdJLwp5yEzG3-A7hD0n_/s320/Gems%252BJuly%252BInst%252B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The theme for July is <i><b>Beach Read Mania</b></i>. To me this not only means reading books with beach settings but reading for summer fun. </div></blockquote><p> At Sunday school yesterday, a friend came up to me to talk about books. It’s widely known in the class that I write novels. This friend said she’d joined <b>Kindle Unlimited</b>. She thought it was a good deal, and she said, “There are some really good books in it.” She wanted to know how to find my books. I told her to simply look for my name.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Most readers who enjoy ebooks and buy them from Amazon know about <a href="https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-kindle-unlimited-4178136" target="_blank">Kindle Unlimited</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Kindle Unlimited is sort of like Netflix for Amazon's digital e-books, called Kindle books. You pay a monthly subscription fee for access to the full Kindle Unlimited library where you can read and enjoy as many Kindle books as you want. That's exactly why it's called “Unlimited.”</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Publishers don’t have to put their books into this program. In fact, many prefer to go “wide” and take advantage of other ebook platforms such as those on Apple or GooglePlay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Recently, I’ve added a few of my books to <b>Kindle Unlimited</b>. Take a look at them during the hot, humid days of summer whether you’re at the beach or in the cool of your living room.</div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEuO8R6OHDhTD09tyE7E3PtDa-mAXJyVYz5ivwluUZ4XuQqVKz7xT4iHvBDBit0D2GT6EFwtzavqLQncq8wVMKF3mOBRSC-x_RXJ_s7J7vicdgIsHx99huBLel-H0oC8JD7yGgaExqaFd/s1080/AABeachReads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEuO8R6OHDhTD09tyE7E3PtDa-mAXJyVYz5ivwluUZ4XuQqVKz7xT4iHvBDBit0D2GT6EFwtzavqLQncq8wVMKF3mOBRSC-x_RXJ_s7J7vicdgIsHx99huBLel-H0oC8JD7yGgaExqaFd/s320/AABeachReads.jpg" /></a></div><p><a href="https://amzn.to/2OWiodc" target="_blank">Ghost Mountain Ranch</a>: The secrets of the past still haunt the living… “Kudos to Jan Scarbrough for keeping the characters interesting and the plot twists intriguing from the first book to the last.”</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLP5vlfujMrP0voV2JbuTNWUzbXC3zLTnbzVlthYIGaWps0mfTjJ0h6Z8Y8RW-bo0cfycY_ADxuXvGCJ5wtw2AeAztk67R0nAbEeiUlZ8vWbphyni_C3pOF5QI1VCRQSbLXETdLFGSHvZ3/s1200/BettingBeachRead.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLP5vlfujMrP0voV2JbuTNWUzbXC3zLTnbzVlthYIGaWps0mfTjJ0h6Z8Y8RW-bo0cfycY_ADxuXvGCJ5wtw2AeAztk67R0nAbEeiUlZ8vWbphyni_C3pOF5QI1VCRQSbLXETdLFGSHvZ3/s320/BettingBeachRead.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><a href="http://amzn.to/15R1xvM" target="_blank">Betting on Love</a>: A romantic virgin and matchmaking aunt threaten the bachelor days of a Bluegrass chef. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m4TTzI17nrdSECGNb-MxLsxV4g_kxsvlb-AON7nbu-sTvM12UIPgzRrnMlTRhM49otlmGqmlnwjZJJt-4nGEZzTO_tNLXjKPDu-ZuFSQ0-RJlMKKib7VIT_0uVEKwx_EFvyL7HowVjeM/s1080/AABeachReads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m4TTzI17nrdSECGNb-MxLsxV4g_kxsvlb-AON7nbu-sTvM12UIPgzRrnMlTRhM49otlmGqmlnwjZJJt-4nGEZzTO_tNLXjKPDu-ZuFSQ0-RJlMKKib7VIT_0uVEKwx_EFvyL7HowVjeM/s320/AABeachReads.jpg" /></a></div></div></blockquote><p> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZM6V8H8" target="_blank">Dawsons of Montana</a>: Growing up on the ranch was a great life for Ben until his mother passed away, leaving his father Jim a widower. It wasn’t long, however, before Jim remarried, bringing Liz into their lives, along with her son, Brody. Soon, Jim and Liz added a new Dawson to the family when daughter Mercer was born. Jim’s untimely death changes the family's life and future.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></blockquote><p> </p>Jan Scarbroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485602579241881149noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-13310139956046686812021-07-05T02:00:00.107-05:002021-07-05T02:00:00.191-05:00Who's Your Beachbunny? by Nancy Fraser<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJy37uvAsZIHwVOHdh8g3L7dVNU6EGMq8PmCC0VO4m16zxZN19k97SoVoBj67Ilm5IKph2EcX7fJGmjqoUkl8cv0062WQHzmDu3Ml1byeEW6bDEEAxrhkhyphenhyphenF0wgHChLQz1sG8qqYiY-jC/s488/Beach+Read+Graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="488" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJy37uvAsZIHwVOHdh8g3L7dVNU6EGMq8PmCC0VO4m16zxZN19k97SoVoBj67Ilm5IKph2EcX7fJGmjqoUkl8cv0062WQHzmDu3Ml1byeEW6bDEEAxrhkhyphenhyphenF0wgHChLQz1sG8qqYiY-jC/w640-h360/Beach+Read+Graphic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Silly me. I thought doing a column on the history of swimsuits would be fun ... and easy. Boy was I wrong! I discovered far more <i>weird</i> facts than this brain can hold. Here are just a few:</p><p>Through the "classical" and "middle" ages ... swimming was done in the nude. No shame or embarrassment allowed. However, if sports were involved, women were expected to wear suits that held their bouncing assest in place and looked very similar to today's styles.</p><p>It was close to the end of the 17th century when the "bathing gown" was created, a floor-length chemise style dress that covered the wearer from neck to ankle with full sleeves. However, these gowns were only required of women. Men still got to swim in buff, if they so chose.</p><p>It wasn't until the beginning of the 19th century that men were required to wear clothing when appearing in public. Fortunately for women, by the middle of the century, designers in Paris had shortened the length of the gown, removed the sleeves, and even added pantaloons for comfort.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmLnTcBB6VQf3cz-cRjx2AoYZpxOGiQjajjxWQFxiBJ3hXs7mrKZlxY7liAlc03wwnmcB_xexpuDXU1SEUTM-RoeHFX7aPoKW2mhSyJpofnxBDys4kAuxkfVeVuLcgp0mQ8Bac3xgxc8j/s768/BathingSuit1920s.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmLnTcBB6VQf3cz-cRjx2AoYZpxOGiQjajjxWQFxiBJ3hXs7mrKZlxY7liAlc03wwnmcB_xexpuDXU1SEUTM-RoeHFX7aPoKW2mhSyJpofnxBDys4kAuxkfVeVuLcgp0mQ8Bac3xgxc8j/s320/BathingSuit1920s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Sunbathing, whether you swam or not, became popular in the 1920s, with far more revealing swimwear and the first commercial production of what is now known as sunscreen. By the 1930s, men started taking it off again and swimming bare chested with tighter swim trunks.<p></p><p>Also by the 1930s, two-piece swimsuits--the precursor to the bikini--were the norm for women, especially among the models and actresses in Hollywood.</p><p>The first bikinis appears shortly after the end of World War II. The name "bikini" came from "Bikini Atol" (the site of several nuclear tests) because of their explosive effect on the viewer.</p><p>The first Speedo (heaven help us) came about in the 1950s, but were made of wool. They changed to nylon in the 1960s. Then, in 1970, <i>elastane</i> was added to standard suits to create a more efficient garment for the Olympics.</p><p>**Weird Alert** In 1985, a designer by the name of Gernreich invented the 'pubikini' to--you guessed it--show off pubic hair. Gross!</p><p>**More Weird** In 2005, there was backlash against designer Ondade Mar and Victoria's Secret for decorating their tankinis with Buddhist iconography.</p><p>Thankfully, by the end of the first decade of the 21st century most designs had returned to some semblance of normal (as long as you don't count that gosh awful sling-looking thing men are wearing). I mean ... really ... where is the loose end attached anyway???</p><p>Personally, I'm quite attached to my one piece swimsuit and terry cover up, thank you. And, of course a good book to entertain me!</p><p>Speak of which...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOk93OIZCTVe_LwQgYHvql2N9jRI31ENpOMjx-pKHKznJlegS8lnNbkPb95u3Pw5d7cnmPCku6Q-0_hcCe9oiMkNiFrzOltVQqfvyEHlsdCviCWOw7Ri1OV4XL2oSiJFdnxR0YnM065gB/s1087/New+From+Author+Nancy+Fraser.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="1087" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOk93OIZCTVe_LwQgYHvql2N9jRI31ENpOMjx-pKHKznJlegS8lnNbkPb95u3Pw5d7cnmPCku6Q-0_hcCe9oiMkNiFrzOltVQqfvyEHlsdCviCWOw7Ri1OV4XL2oSiJFdnxR0YnM065gB/w640-h344/New+From+Author+Nancy+Fraser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://books2read.com/RunBride" target="_blank"><b>Available Everywhere!</b></a><br /></p><p>Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Bathing suit or not.</p><p><i><b>Nancy</b></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="http://www.nancyfraser.ca/"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Website</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="https://notesfromaromanticsheart.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Blog</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Facebook</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Twitter</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Bookbub</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Amazon Author Page</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Goodreads</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">YouTube</span></a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> ~ </span></span><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-themecolor: accent5;">Newsletter</span></a></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-themecolor: accent5;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9New Brunswick, Canada46.5653163 -66.46191639999999318.255082463821154 -101.61816639999999 74.875550136178845 -31.305666399999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-31175432583235829012021-07-03T02:00:00.012-05:002021-07-03T02:00:00.319-05:00July is Here by Karen Whiddon<p> It's officially July and almost Independence Day. I'm not going to lie - 2021 has been a rough year for me. But in the end, the good always outweighs the bad. I can't ask for more than that. </p><p>One of the constants in my life is writing. I've cut back my production a bit to three books per year instead of four and that's made my job less stressful. And this month - THIS MONTH - my next Harlequin Romantic Suspense Texas Sheriff's Deadly Mission comes out! July 27th for Kindle, though you can pre-order it if you're so inclined. </p><p><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Sheriffs-Mission-Harlequin-Romantic-Suspense-ebook/dp/B08SBXXQ9B/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=karen+whiddon&qid=1625238552&sr=8-6" target="_blank">Pre-order or Buy Here</a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItazKAdlafbVIUDj8sZGEWCVtwAoQa08drNl4N3-j_iVuMjz0ch21kGC2uK3TcaeDvGGsQht9Xag7x1sf6FXSYAaBnKX33pl6sYN7kafJHkAEtf69lcH7lZUVwggw7-IJcd0-9Na-Ndo/s320/IMG_3366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItazKAdlafbVIUDj8sZGEWCVtwAoQa08drNl4N3-j_iVuMjz0ch21kGC2uK3TcaeDvGGsQht9Xag7x1sf6FXSYAaBnKX33pl6sYN7kafJHkAEtf69lcH7lZUVwggw7-IJcd0-9Na-Ndo/s0/IMG_3366.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm excited about this book, as its the first of several set in the fiction town of Getaway, Texas! </p><p>I really enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it too!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Karen Whiddonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10669628257477406166noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-34298805209670699942021-07-01T00:30:00.017-05:002021-07-01T00:30:00.265-05:00Beach Read Mania With Free Book by @JoanReeves #RomanceGems<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZZjJ4D_rL3FzXp5hf42SMgp-q93TnUTjOsyigJIfSWitvpT-MqRGK9wytBp4I22pEDmSvricXZIuKPuu107j76mK6oQoS7tjt0FSVOIXHKqmndVFmNDCb48Xi7Srq3xnovuOPNJ1rqWt/s2048/An-E-reader-On-The-Beach-For-Y-292783591_BSP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZZjJ4D_rL3FzXp5hf42SMgp-q93TnUTjOsyigJIfSWitvpT-MqRGK9wytBp4I22pEDmSvricXZIuKPuu107j76mK6oQoS7tjt0FSVOIXHKqmndVFmNDCb48Xi7Srq3xnovuOPNJ1rqWt/w400-h266/An-E-reader-On-The-Beach-For-Y-292783591_BSP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Looking for great romance novels to read at the beach?<p></p><p>You've come to the right place. Our theme for July is <b>Beach Read Mania</b>!</p><p>Whee! I need a whole bag of books to help me escape the mania of moving!</p><p>Luckily, I've been stocking up because the wonderful authors of Romance Gems have been publishing non-stop this year. I think the majority of us all have at least one new book.</p><p>I've published 3 books since January, and several of my friends have published even more. Whether you like it hot and steamy or sweet and mild, we have books to make you smile.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxEqLPbgUp38q6aqD1uff52nY_7ugAdZUtSjprja4hMELh9wFvpH-dHZnvIYETGhsacMFbbGL7FHtGlDirV73H3nNjuRGMjz9JBhnZCZNbyX6n5GjMn9XqSncYZH6hw96Wm-SooxSt1ha/s2048/BEACH_Long-Legs-Of-A-Beautiful-Girl--151007738_BSP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxEqLPbgUp38q6aqD1uff52nY_7ugAdZUtSjprja4hMELh9wFvpH-dHZnvIYETGhsacMFbbGL7FHtGlDirV73H3nNjuRGMjz9JBhnZCZNbyX6n5GjMn9XqSncYZH6hw96Wm-SooxSt1ha/s320/BEACH_Long-Legs-Of-A-Beautiful-Girl--151007738_BSP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Who Invented Beach Books?</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Believe it or not, there is actually a history of the Beach Read. I found a good resource at <b><a href="https://medium.com/literature-lust/the-interesting-history-of-the-ever-popular-beach-read-f8ebd06736f8" target="_blank">Literature Lust</a></b>. <br /><p><b>Katy Waldman</b> in a <i>New Yorker</i> article, <b><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-invention-of-the-beach-read" target="_blank">The Invention of the Beach Read</a></b>, wrote that railroads and steamships made travel easy and those who worked in the city had enough income to abandon the city and escape to coastal towns during the summer.</p>Book publishers jumped on the band wagon and created special lists of summer reads for affluent vacationers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Publishers promoted their backlist books as summer reads. One might say they were milking the cash cow since those books probably had already earned out. They also created a series of beach reads for an entire summer season at the shore.<br /><br />What is interesting is that publishers targeted the monied society-folk. They succeeded and changed the perception of reading fiction which was previously considered vulgar and tasteless.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Donna Harrington-Lueker</b> wrote an in-depth study of this phenomenon in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Books-Idle-Hours-Nineteenth-Century-Publishing/dp/1625343833/" target="_blank">Books for Idle Hours: Nineteenth-Century Publishing and the Rise of Summer Reading</a>. She also discusses the backlash against beach reads.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXJbPgeiaM7sABc7duXsggaJ6A8UUHwKQ_4NCeCainfWtkYYlboSYDAM0I5p1geJ8H1Tu6yS6QZcqbjp0md5jUujT0WX2XKnESlLMkZLdiWGHGYx9x9FiVmATzcX41QYNlkNChYVkgtKv/s1920/BEACH_ebook-3544077_1920_Image+by+Perfecto_Capucine+from+Pixabay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXJbPgeiaM7sABc7duXsggaJ6A8UUHwKQ_4NCeCainfWtkYYlboSYDAM0I5p1geJ8H1Tu6yS6QZcqbjp0md5jUujT0WX2XKnESlLMkZLdiWGHGYx9x9FiVmATzcX41QYNlkNChYVkgtKv/s320/BEACH_ebook-3544077_1920_Image+by+Perfecto_Capucine+from+Pixabay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>What Backlash?</b><div><br /></div><div>Isn't it odd that fiction was considered tasteless until the wealthy class started enjoying it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, it seems to have come full circle with many using the phrase <b>beach book</b> or<b> beach read</b> as a pejorative.</div><div><br /></div><div>For my money, I'll take a wonderful romance with a happily ever after any day of the year and be glad to read it. <b>What do you think?</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Romance Gem Blog Updates</b></div><div><p>For July, I have a couple of notices for you.</p><p>(1) The Feedburner gadget, Follow By Email, has been discontinued by Google. If you previously received notice of new posts by email, that will cease in July.</p><p>In the left sidebar, scroll down until you see Subscribe to Romance Gems. Below that, you will see Posts and Comments. Click Posts and/or Comments to subscribe to our feed.</p><p>(2) No Author Spotlight because I've been sick since last weekend after receiving my 2nd CoVid immunization. I'm still feeling wiped out so am slow to getting things done.</p><p>(3) At the top of my list of things to get done is packing to move. We have to be out of here in 2 weeks, and I'm woefully behind.</p><p>(4) Quotes and Graphics have changed so check out the new ones scattered on the Home Page.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xk63H-SylfU068r1WRBODAdFTlbWgxP39_qPBzDfzyMW6QzZxjghh6Jd1iAugKB1Q0SJLI-JcCaiiPsiIJ4xZl_QP8fPiJSP0wgvuPX6P4pgPJIOyMUPjiUg1ZYd_aaHy-8gyYDXoB2y/s1200/Deceptively+Yours_Best+Heroes_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xk63H-SylfU068r1WRBODAdFTlbWgxP39_qPBzDfzyMW6QzZxjghh6Jd1iAugKB1Q0SJLI-JcCaiiPsiIJ4xZl_QP8fPiJSP0wgvuPX6P4pgPJIOyMUPjiUg1ZYd_aaHy-8gyYDXoB2y/w400-h209/Deceptively+Yours_Best+Heroes_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>For Your Consideration</b><br /><p><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093KHHCMC/" target="_blank">Deceptively Yours</a></b>, my beach book, set on Last Chance Beach, is still only 99cents until July 4. Price rises then to $4.99. </p><i><b>Deceptively Yours, a passionate Romantic Suspense about a woman and a man destined to be together—if their love can survive lies and deception.</b></i><p><b>Free Book for You</b></p><p>Remember above when I asked, "<b>What do you think?" </b>The subject was your opinion of beach books. Fun, wonderful, or embarrassing to be caught reading one. You don't have to post a comment to receive a free book, but I really would like to know <b>what you think about beach books</b>.</p><p>Normally when I give away a book, I select a winner by random draw. This month though, I'm giving away free copies of <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Romantic-Comedy-Texas-Stands-ebook/dp/B004WSQ94W" target="_blank">The Trouble With Love</a></b>. The story begins in a small Texas town and travels to a Gulf Coast beach resort.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPJJxkICyFLFEdzeVci4vct60J01NXkV5iAgsQBhLOUXL8MUkBvcH1JFkC8mo6nVPsuVsmVpAtjC-D4YGeyJl3US8ONF5JwEXw6KDTYMtylvnw4JtT8JWcM15iJcp3T5ijCyF3Jwd5UPi/s2048/The+Trouble+With+Love_Lapse_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPJJxkICyFLFEdzeVci4vct60J01NXkV5iAgsQBhLOUXL8MUkBvcH1JFkC8mo6nVPsuVsmVpAtjC-D4YGeyJl3US8ONF5JwEXw6KDTYMtylvnw4JtT8JWcM15iJcp3T5ijCyF3Jwd5UPi/w400-h275/The+Trouble+With+Love_Lapse_05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Hang on to your Stetson as the fun and games begin in a sexy romantic comedy hotter than a bowl of Texas chili!</i></b></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Review</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><b><i>HOT, HOT, HOT with a side of funny.</i></b><br /><br /><div>I enjoyed this book for quite a few reasons. First, I loved the characters and how there were multiple relationships showcased.</div><div><br /></div><div>Susannah and her mother Rory both have issues when it comes to love and they may both be wrong. Then there is that little almost one night stand Susannah had with the man standing in the little town's police station, where she just happens to work. Hogan is a hot as can be 'consultant' or is he? There is heat, passion, forgiveness, trust issues, and lots of fun. —Southern Yankee<div><p><b>Yep, Totally Free</b></p><p>No hoops to jump through. You don't have to do anything to get your free Kindle copy except go to <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Romantic-Comedy-Texas-Stands-ebook/dp/B004WSQ94W" target="_blank">The Trouble With Love</a></b> on Amazon.</p><p><b>This free book offer starts Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 12:00 AM PDT and ends Friday, July 2, 2021, at 11:59 PM PDT.</b></p><p>Get your free copy today! Oh, and please, if you like my book, please leave a review. Even a couple of sentences help others find my books, and that helps me as an author.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoPtAVD0KF4SinAeRRfk1efE6VhUUH82P3_vMEaIRR0gxM9w1YyAtk0ZZQzx1jfVH7lduyBdxqAbFU7OWjJK6PwwdI2D_5zDzdT0eN1O1QHVNMbv02mIFOmjZed87bgmgI46KQvK2Mv-Z/s2800/Romantic-couple-on-a-tropical--74271325_BSP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #074c5b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="2800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoPtAVD0KF4SinAeRRfk1efE6VhUUH82P3_vMEaIRR0gxM9w1YyAtk0ZZQzx1jfVH7lduyBdxqAbFU7OWjJK6PwwdI2D_5zDzdT0eN1O1QHVNMbv02mIFOmjZed87bgmgI46KQvK2Mv-Z/s320/Romantic-couple-on-a-tropical--74271325_BSP.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.subscribepage.com/z8x3r9" style="color: #074c5b; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b>SIGN UP FOR JOAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER</b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Subscribers are the first to know about New Books and Giveaways.</div><div style="text-align: center;">When you confirm your subscription, you'll receive a link for a free ebook.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>If you have any difficulty with the Free Book Link</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>please email me.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>JoanReeves @ outlook dot com</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>FOLLOW JOAN ONLINE</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://slingwords.blogspot.com/" style="color: #074c5b; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">SlingWords Blog</a> | </b><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/joanreeves" style="color: #074c5b; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/joan-reeves" style="color: #074c5b; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">BookBub</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JoanReevesWrites" style="color: #074c5b; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.twitter.com/JoanReeves" style="color: #074c5b; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Joan Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17622809465767116747noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-5815923764756045292021-06-30T00:30:00.013-05:002021-06-30T00:30:00.292-05:00Wedding Whoopsies in the Month of June ~ by M.J. Schiller #RomanceGems<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ahh, June. The fairer month. June for me means two things which can seem contradictory, freedom and commitment.<br /><br /><br />Freedom because the school year's over. To celebrate, on the last day of school, I would always blast Alice Cooper's "School's Out" (for the summer) in our carpool on the way home. There I'd have waiting my Peanut Buster Parfait Ice Cream dessert to make things even more festive. After the daily grind of the school year, a much-deserved break was welcome.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdjCHEvaCgwAkLcUxcr4W20XRbPmksJ4WDlOAsGswymLQLY7JGy6TKnBu2qnk3h8kqlUGH-BOumh8-ioZRfAynS8Yq2Q6mVGx1ENPOiKxGGFwbW9-9PvRVjWfa0xSVrGNzYrdd5-e55w/s848/June+quote+purple+flowers+at+McGurks+patio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="825" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdjCHEvaCgwAkLcUxcr4W20XRbPmksJ4WDlOAsGswymLQLY7JGy6TKnBu2qnk3h8kqlUGH-BOumh8-ioZRfAynS8Yq2Q6mVGx1ENPOiKxGGFwbW9-9PvRVjWfa0xSVrGNzYrdd5-e55w/w622-h640/June+quote+purple+flowers+at+McGurks+patio.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><br />June also means commitment to me. The commitment I made to my husband on our wedding day. On June 3rd we celebrated our 33rd anniversary. (Man it feels weird to say that!) I wanted to share a few memories with you of that day...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">All weddings are going to have their glitches. Some big, some not so big. We had our fair share. The first thing was the fact that, through miscommunication, one of the bridesmaids showed up having not altered her dress to tea-length as the others had. She was distraught, believing she'd "ruined" the wedding. Luckily a quick-thinking florist provided floral tape to adjust the dress to the proper length and save the day.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52-Us2TazEXBxWPSkCvpMklZUEeSyBZcxMDUE-tzm6pEX-DJtXWRSfrrbbHg_eY2-atWKsR9OnmtctPwzaYmebuEDepBhgbLehBrTjm4JwkT7ulexraCdp6m7bqju_0nzIs6HQtgwuD0/s2048/quote+wildflowers+by+side+of+barn+jon-flobrant-34820-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="2048" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52-Us2TazEXBxWPSkCvpMklZUEeSyBZcxMDUE-tzm6pEX-DJtXWRSfrrbbHg_eY2-atWKsR9OnmtctPwzaYmebuEDepBhgbLehBrTjm4JwkT7ulexraCdp6m7bqju_0nzIs6HQtgwuD0/w640-h436/quote+wildflowers+by+side+of+barn+jon-flobrant-34820-unsplash.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was walked down the aisle by my stepfather on one side, my dad on the other. During the rehearsal we'd worked out that I would turn to my stepdad first, he would lift the veil and give me a kiss and then I would turn to my dad. But I was so nervous--shaking with more fervor than a Latin dancer--that I blanked out and turned to my dad first. He just said, "Honey, you're supposed to have RJ lift the veil." Minor mistake. I was counting the fact that I'd even made it down the aisle as a win.</div><br />Our next little hiccup was sort of just that. One of my bridesmaids was extremely pregnant and felt so nauseous she had to step away. But she did it so discretely I barely noticed that. (Although she also cried and said she'd ruined the wedding. Weddings are very emotional days all around.)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFabxU_p4A4De10shljLoXWoC3NzQpSfxTbOpY0vNUh9od8hKprCY7VNilTF2jNCwkX5vY0OerERmBp7S0g75G9gBlwuTLxeR5Vmvq9C2aPt9Ofy6Ml5yNsy9qg6d5T8GEvIa73ilEbw/s410/Scan+pic+two+for+TEC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="265" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFabxU_p4A4De10shljLoXWoC3NzQpSfxTbOpY0vNUh9od8hKprCY7VNilTF2jNCwkX5vY0OerERmBp7S0g75G9gBlwuTLxeR5Vmvq9C2aPt9Ofy6Ml5yNsy9qg6d5T8GEvIa73ilEbw/w414-h640/Scan+pic+two+for+TEC.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I didn't notice Lori's exit, but I certainly did notice the moment my nightmare came true. I had a dream the night before that our best man, Tate, dropped the ring and it rolled under the pews and for some reason, I had to get down in my dress and crawl around searching for it. "Umm...excuse me. Excuse me. Pardon me. Just searching for a ring..."<br /><br />I have to explain that the best man's real name is Jerry, but everyone calls him Tater, or Tate for short. The name Tater does not inspire a lot of confidence or call to mind someone who is the portrait of responsibility. And our boy is a true Tater. I have never seen him serious a day in his life. So, as you can see, I had reason to be worried about him. During our real ceremony, the priest asked for the rings and I heard a ding. Unbelievably, Tate had dropped the ring, but he scooped it up on the first bounce and in one fluid movement put it on the plate provided for blessing it. I've gotta tell you, though, my heart stopped beating for a moment there.</span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRzfCOpTaAxa0EJpG8KYj-YouJ-4psq4gLnaLNcCftUXIGX9wvt96z8GOwDCH3hpM4fZxdc7bJYtpL6ftW_sKB4ZhCS3XBmB3x_Tb-HVBBN4PdzP2qdZS7pyiumSSu5231xR5yvik3-I/s291/Scan+pic+three+for+TEC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="261" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRzfCOpTaAxa0EJpG8KYj-YouJ-4psq4gLnaLNcCftUXIGX9wvt96z8GOwDCH3hpM4fZxdc7bJYtpL6ftW_sKB4ZhCS3XBmB3x_Tb-HVBBN4PdzP2qdZS7pyiumSSu5231xR5yvik3-I/w574-h640/Scan+pic+three+for+TEC.jpg" width="574" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">The rest of the ceremony went fairly well, but I had made a fatal error. I should have worried about more than Tater dropping the rings. Like the fact that they were in his possession and had a very personal message engraved inside them. The cat was pretty much out of the bag, though, when we went out to our car and it was covered in shaving cream reading "D-bear (my husband) and Bubba (you're right, I have no right to question the name Tater) forever." What a schmuck I was!<br /><br />But, I was married to my best friend, so nothing could phase me...until I searched for the car keys. My mom, in an effort to help, had taken my purse to the reception venue. (And remember, these were the days before cellphones.) I remember thinking, "There's a party going on for us. Too bad we're not there." I don't remember how we worked things out, but we eventually did.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7LULUzQSppo1ysy4X6X5P2gNyzfAHuQI5v5YauAnr4THa5waZ0G-gs8VAQLk7qbV0mEJ6eIwL43mtDpRtSik0A9OJbCVx4Hwrs0aYqOuLlfTjD8dfajo7KcSs7eCjoT9as6Ns7tM4NY/s872/The+Best+Man+and+Maid+of+Honor+picmonkeyed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="872" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7LULUzQSppo1ysy4X6X5P2gNyzfAHuQI5v5YauAnr4THa5waZ0G-gs8VAQLk7qbV0mEJ6eIwL43mtDpRtSik0A9OJbCVx4Hwrs0aYqOuLlfTjD8dfajo7KcSs7eCjoT9as6Ns7tM4NY/w640-h528/The+Best+Man+and+Maid+of+Honor+picmonkeyed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">At the end of the night, one of our dear friends (come to think of it, his name is Jerry, too) locked his keys in the car. We spent part of our wedding night sitting on the curb with Jerry until a locksmith came. But Jerry was and is hysterical, so that wasn't a problem.<br /><br />Shoo! What a day to remember! If I had to do it over again, I would be more than happy to rush down that aisle to my handsome groom. However, I would probably rethink my inscription on the ring. <br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBn9q5GJuNmqOUg1plBiyS71Vu8Rvrr0InKGDJBijRIpoz8_OW4m6xmaHszI3IKrcJjVEbeZmcsWUfJhd2WXnDBe3HffuKNi-8z6oMuOYdYeMWKkfV7m42pizj9Kbe-ZIttETZiQfJhsc/s2048/chandana-ban-JisqEXYsey8-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1401" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBn9q5GJuNmqOUg1plBiyS71Vu8Rvrr0InKGDJBijRIpoz8_OW4m6xmaHszI3IKrcJjVEbeZmcsWUfJhd2WXnDBe3HffuKNi-8z6oMuOYdYeMWKkfV7m42pizj9Kbe-ZIttETZiQfJhsc/w438-h640/chandana-ban-JisqEXYsey8-unsplash.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, thanks for listening to me reminisce. What wedding snafus have you been witness to? Come on! I know I'm not the only one.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hope the rest of your June rocks! -mj</span></div></div></div>MJ Schillerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08921672646433078203noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-6930247175239963602021-06-29T00:00:00.226-05:002021-06-29T00:00:00.264-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">A Few of My Favorite Things</div><div style="text-align: center;">by Nora LeDuc</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaswVvBoKF3MH4hnCalN4rowWHakBKyaVCurfS9ZRd-VoaIRl6BI-X0UwLQt79TZFqBcsQ0qwfq5zKLBUCiaaSSJnzM6Fnj2WRU8ac2InVbhathvDjWs0nKhyphenhyphen-5LsztmLPTD3eOZBtREA/s2048/DSCN7619.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaswVvBoKF3MH4hnCalN4rowWHakBKyaVCurfS9ZRd-VoaIRl6BI-X0UwLQt79TZFqBcsQ0qwfq5zKLBUCiaaSSJnzM6Fnj2WRU8ac2InVbhathvDjWs0nKhyphenhyphen-5LsztmLPTD3eOZBtREA/w320-h240/DSCN7619.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach Roses</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It's June and romance month. Today, I'll tell you how I discovered some of my best-loved romances. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few years ago, before I started writing, I heard that a women who volunteered at my children's school, was a huge reader. I happened to run into her and introduced myself. Soon, the conversation turned to books. She told me how she loved to read and how she set up her shelves of keepers in alphabetical order. What surprised me the most about her? She only bought romances. To be truthful, I'd never met anyone who loved and admitted they were a romance reader. Most likely, if you confessed you were a fan of the genre, people wouldn't take you seriously. My new friend asked if I'd like to borrow a book, and of course, I agreed. And that was how I discovered one my favorite authors, Jude Deveraux.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHkdt-ZdzR_Dalu-5lcmH5WaICi_qxyqjlSE-LKcl2m2W1mQCSRxwLu3fUzaWvr_Wfk3o926twV9hU9_R9hv5JPDwokg1d-z8wyUMbV3Iq4zFMsLFxr-fVr7QR0zNjnh0wa5xmzVnm90/s346/51UJnXKC0%252BL._SY346_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="212" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHkdt-ZdzR_Dalu-5lcmH5WaICi_qxyqjlSE-LKcl2m2W1mQCSRxwLu3fUzaWvr_Wfk3o926twV9hU9_R9hv5JPDwokg1d-z8wyUMbV3Iq4zFMsLFxr-fVr7QR0zNjnh0wa5xmzVnm90/w123-h200/51UJnXKC0%252BL._SY346_.jpg" width="123" /></a></div><br />I devoured every release Miss Deveraux published in those olden days. Like many fans, I could not put down Jude's <i>A Knight in Shining Armor</i>. "New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux will capture your heart with a signature classic novel, a time-travel featuring a present-day heroine and a dashing hero from the sixteenth century!" I still have my hard cover on my shelf that is not in alphabetical order.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtSe86FhojlilWS7GCJ0jAPsZDQZii-Z72nwL53lPVVIy1h7rel5Ln6wBlaFWRt9PHdGXQ53juUs5ulvh3KJ5lKnJ6wjNqESWqxlcO-7OLyWgqy1tb32uNq18e3XPRTP7XYXqEA4AMWI/s346/51L87gvV5tS._SY346_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtSe86FhojlilWS7GCJ0jAPsZDQZii-Z72nwL53lPVVIy1h7rel5Ln6wBlaFWRt9PHdGXQ53juUs5ulvh3KJ5lKnJ6wjNqESWqxlcO-7OLyWgqy1tb32uNq18e3XPRTP7XYXqEA4AMWI/w133-h200/51L87gvV5tS._SY346_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div> </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Another author who hits the top of my favorites is Robyn Carr, who wrote<i> </i><i>Virgin River.</i> Recently, I came across this writer while on a FB thread recommending Netflix shows. <i>Virgin River </i>was on the list. In the first few minutes of watching Episode 1, I excitedly realized I was watching a love story! Yes, I bought the first book of the series and admired how much of the dialog was used in the film production. And now I’m hooked and waiting to find out who shot Jack, the cliffhanger from last season. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div><br />Another oldie I'd recommend is <i>Cry Wolf </i>by Tami Hoag. I found this author while rummaging around at Annie's Book Store. "In the rural parishes of Louisiana, young women are disappearing one by one, only to turn up on the banks of the bayou, strangled and cast aside where they are sure to be found." Yes, this story has it all. I loved the setting of the book. Picture the Spanish Moss hanging from trees. Listen to the voices of the night creatures as you glide through the swamp water with the hero on a hot steamy evening. The hero just happens to be the local rogue who plays the piano in the bar at night and writes thrillers by day. The heroine is a disgraced lawyer who lost her most important case and is seeking to be left alone. Mix the mystery with a strong romance and you're hooked.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZtreRQbovzIuti8V5Fp1qskCnyHaPkqSFnlZzk0yVis-1UqXJDPagDZQgjH9wXuc_tiYsaCWlTFvNZ2YaMFs0bWSB6s5G7mw9wGgPpFsdRjRC9CQ9a76mBq13a3kEJi_7UBxargKhqg/s500/41AReBIX5NL.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="279" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZtreRQbovzIuti8V5Fp1qskCnyHaPkqSFnlZzk0yVis-1UqXJDPagDZQgjH9wXuc_tiYsaCWlTFvNZ2YaMFs0bWSB6s5G7mw9wGgPpFsdRjRC9CQ9a76mBq13a3kEJi_7UBxargKhqg/w101-h145/41AReBIX5NL.jpeg" width="101" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div><br />I’m sure you have plenty of favorites on your shelf at home. Let me know their titles. I may fall in love with them too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Don't forget to follow me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nora.leduc" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/57070.Nora_LeDuc" target="_blank">Goodreads,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nleduc" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nora-LeDuc/e/B001KI084O%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div><br /></div><div>And it's almost Christmas in July! Don't miss my book <i>Christmas at the Easy Breezy, </i>only .99. "From the moment Darcy stomps snow from her boots in Leo's restaurant you are rooting for them to get a HEA. And this book delivers BIG TIME." </div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bFvJun0SlUAc6Lfz7_M0q6HT9KKkvzcpJ8Rq6qdufclPpSE5UGn6OONnyorvURgpQPQXHXTF0-Rdsl5qd54GOdPozy52brqU120CfkC7r-P-2qSdOJHl61CDrIaRe3eoJvog_mNG7fM/s500/51v7yeyVwiL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bFvJun0SlUAc6Lfz7_M0q6HT9KKkvzcpJ8Rq6qdufclPpSE5UGn6OONnyorvURgpQPQXHXTF0-Rdsl5qd54GOdPozy52brqU120CfkC7r-P-2qSdOJHl61CDrIaRe3eoJvog_mNG7fM/s320/51v7yeyVwiL.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> ❤️ Take Care, My Friends 📖</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-26686272782434575182021-06-28T00:30:00.123-05:002021-06-28T00:30:00.415-05:00A Book For Julia by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems<p><b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/3n7oqo" target="_blank">THE INVENTOR'S HEART</a></b> is up for pre-order, and while I'm very excited about this, I'm more excited about the conflict in this story.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuX5MMZr3Oyp9JnGt2DrrXSewh08c1bJMO5gVfKzIdDDijvYX_oLIfTjw8Cb1X7nMrnQQ_KQVeHHaDiiGPZWNr-tlNhJ9gRO3vYtWFd9v6hnwXnmkNCSMjO3dzUF5Pg8rkoMsKLdet8Dm/s1920/Music.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuX5MMZr3Oyp9JnGt2DrrXSewh08c1bJMO5gVfKzIdDDijvYX_oLIfTjw8Cb1X7nMrnQQ_KQVeHHaDiiGPZWNr-tlNhJ9gRO3vYtWFd9v6hnwXnmkNCSMjO3dzUF5Pg8rkoMsKLdet8Dm/s320/Music.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My heroine, Julia Forrester, is dyslexic. Now, the book takes place in 1885, so they didn't call it that back then. A doctor in Germany termed it "word blindness". <p></p><p>I'm a special education teacher, and Julia's story is very dear to my heart. Her feelings of uselessness, of embarrassment, etc., are what my students battle every day. I shed tears while writing this book, let me tell you.</p><p>As luck would have it, sweet Julia is in love with the town genius, Alex Davis. But when she realizes he loves her in return, she gets scared. She feels her academic weaknesses would be a burden to him and rejects his proposal. Which causes Alex to take on the fight of his life, proving to Julia that she is, in fact, quite brilliant.</p><p>This was the book I was writing when my publisher went out of business a year ago.</p><p>You can imagine the sadness I felt, as Alex and Julia's story is <b>VERY</b> important to me. I wanted this one in the hands of readers so badly. But now, I didn't know what to do...</p><p>I wondered if I should keep writing.</p><p>I agonized over it, because I wasn't sure if I could publish a book on my own. And, quite frankly, I wasn't sure if I was even doing the right thing. Writing takes time. As does publishing. Then marketing...well...that job never stops. I also had my day job to contend with, which can be pretty demanding. And writing takes time away from my family.</p><p>So, I wondered if it was all worth it.</p><p>And then, about one month after my publisher went out of business, something happened...</p><p>My fabulous editor sent me the following message:</p><p>"I wanted to thank you. I've struggled with reading all my life and your book got me to thinking about color again. I discovered I can actually change the color of the page in Word. I finally figured out a way to make editing easier for me. But it helps with my writing, as well. I actually look forward to writing now!"</p><p>My joy was immense, let me tell you. I mean, I have tears now reading this. Goodness! So...her message sealed it for me. I was going to figure out how to self-publish come Hell or high water.</p><p>And now, <b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/3n7oqo" target="_blank">THE INVENTOR'S HEART</a></b> is ready and available for pre-order. It releases on the July 7th.</p><p><br /></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kvGsKFDYZ9C5XUvBo8A1iNXTQTiv1jHL2jxenn9cuirYlaZVIFuL3N23V0cKYi7-V5ahX1P1N48RCjw_Zd7AuVVP_dLzQnkf2gJztomjM54jiVocKuP0PMsaO0_mWb9ZDj9Dpc51kTlc/s1280/piano-1239729_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kvGsKFDYZ9C5XUvBo8A1iNXTQTiv1jHL2jxenn9cuirYlaZVIFuL3N23V0cKYi7-V5ahX1P1N48RCjw_Zd7AuVVP_dLzQnkf2gJztomjM54jiVocKuP0PMsaO0_mWb9ZDj9Dpc51kTlc/w320-h181/piano-1239729_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/3n7oqo" target="_blank">THE INVENTOR'S HEART</a></b><p></p><p><em style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>Pike's Run, Texas, 1885</strong></em></p><p>Alex Davis has just returned to Pike's Run, Texas, from Yale with a fabulous invention that could revolutionize the use of electricity. He can't wait to show his work to his family and his dearest friend in the world, Julia Forrester. But from the first day he arrives home, Julia avoids him. He doesn't understand and tries everything he can think of to spend time with her, but he fails.</p><p>Julia Forrester has loved Alex Davis since their school days. He was her confidante and her champion whenever she struggled with her studies. She helped him with his inventions, spending as many of her free hours as possible with him. She'd thought he'd loved her, but when he went off to college without her, her heart broke. And the infrequency of his letters proved his feelings didn't match hers. Now that he has returned, she is determined to move on with her life. She has written a symphony, and she won't let past hopes and dreams overtake her again.</p><p>But Alex won't give up, and when Julia confesses the reason for her distant attitude, the "Genius of Pike's Run" realizes his stupidity. He is in love with Julia and will now move Heaven and Earth to have her. But he is battling more than her distrust. Julia has another reason to keep away from Alex, and he sets out to fix it. Will the "genius" be able to prove his theory?</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/3n7oqo" target="_blank">BUY THE INVENTOR'S HEART</a></span></b></p>Kara O'Nealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04450345368460001990noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-84389719649664098952021-06-26T23:00:00.012-05:002021-06-26T23:00:00.242-05:00I see brides...everywhere! by @Peggy Jaeger<p> Until recently, I don't think I ever considered just what a social phenomenon the business of being a bride is in today's society.</p><p>Take reality television for instance.</p><p>TLC has SAY YES TO THE DRESS, cataloging various brides-to-be as they shop for the perfect dress for their big day. This show is so popular, it spawned spinoffs SYTTD Atlanta, SYTTD Randy Knows best, not to mention the UK version of the show.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt_bn68guZWZmYzgw4fuzpQtdWML6jAlwWGcyLVZly-moGy8TZo5cumBRqU239Y1A-Jhe7DZGvUDNWWXkjCnYtAfca_YRTRVmMViZH36HhhQ8n5aIKCxM2OBS6sYCrg_DC2byBsrDBG0/s2048/syttd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt_bn68guZWZmYzgw4fuzpQtdWML6jAlwWGcyLVZly-moGy8TZo5cumBRqU239Y1A-Jhe7DZGvUDNWWXkjCnYtAfca_YRTRVmMViZH36HhhQ8n5aIKCxM2OBS6sYCrg_DC2byBsrDBG0/s320/syttd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>BRAVO brought us KANDY'S WEDDING, detailing RHOA star Kandy Burress's wedding prep, TAMRA'S OC WEDDING, I DREAM OF NENE: The Wedding, and DON'T BE TARDY for the Wedding. All feature Real Housewives of various cities as they become brides.</p><p>And don't think other networks are missing out on taking a bite of the lucrative bridal pie. There's My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding, Married at First Sight, My Big Redneck Wedding, Four Weddings, Bridezillas, Bridalplasty, and Wedding SOS just to name a few American bridal-themed shows.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF1EUaD5E_1T_5kAt1jZsFX7RthMTJkj1mkY1F0cJY_cvpa9MogIFxazDhN_ZnnqORvCfnLLhDVqXta3le278zZ5C9Odn0Zigda6Grk53WeUjtZlgLCafSVV4krx0NJ8BjnG4f0b3doo/s2048/mbfagw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF1EUaD5E_1T_5kAt1jZsFX7RthMTJkj1mkY1F0cJY_cvpa9MogIFxazDhN_ZnnqORvCfnLLhDVqXta3le278zZ5C9Odn0Zigda6Grk53WeUjtZlgLCafSVV4krx0NJ8BjnG4f0b3doo/s320/mbfagw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The amazing thing to me is that all these shows bring in <b>huge revenue</b> for their networks which means they are being watched. A lot. More than a lot. And continually. SYTTD is in syndication now.</p><p>The business of being a bride isn't relegated to the small screen only, though. In recent years big blockbuster movies about brides have made their way into our collective consciousness. </p><p>BRIDAL WARS, The Runaway Bride, Bridesmaids, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Made of Honor, 27 Dresses, are just a few of the more popular ones, but there are dozens more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuiX8k-AOluinHTDkTB8E3o1fRA-P8STSVp9WIudt3nNycu0v-ZCEk-18zLkL6z1niz3FQmqfaZLIIJA7W82hebKHgIU77tl0bTLw2urvWWwOuDpdTBzv4eco1rlTj1HjizT5P9bEnQ8/s1500/bridalwars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuiX8k-AOluinHTDkTB8E3o1fRA-P8STSVp9WIudt3nNycu0v-ZCEk-18zLkL6z1niz3FQmqfaZLIIJA7W82hebKHgIU77tl0bTLw2urvWWwOuDpdTBzv4eco1rlTj1HjizT5P9bEnQ8/s320/bridalwars.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Most of the big-screen versions of being a bride are romantic comedies set in the contemporary world, much like the books I write.</p><p>When I decided to write a series about a wedding planner and her sisters who reside in a small town in New England, I never realized what big business the wedding industry is. It's been a looooooong time since I got married. Back in the day, there were no bridal planners unless you were a Rockefeller or a Kenndy and planning a political or family merger shindig where you really did need the help. The bride and her family and friends planned everything. I'm sure there were some brides-to-be who could have been labeled bridezillas, but back then, their behavior was simply referred to as wedding jitters and nerves.</p><p>The research I did on the wedding industry so that I could give Colleen O'Dowd, my wedding planner, a truthful and realistic feel, really opened my eyes to this multibillion-dollar industry and the way it has become a needed entity in the everyday lives of brides everywhere.</p><p>My <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08W1SVM6T" target="_blank">MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN</a> Series along with the 2022 release of my HEAVEN'S MATCHMAKER series, tap into this bridal mania. Using humor and the love of a family to navigate through the craziness of weddings, brides, and inlaws, both series were a labor of love to pen.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08W1SVM6T" target="_blank">A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN </a>is available now in print and ecopy everywhere digital books are sold.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSlR7wYuSUVM1doDs9dNv887p-n18W31edg9aE9K0frMnyDcXwJerzSQXxRR0Az8jfK4UJygI_dokHIrkihpJ3L8_ZgbWUuhykgyddSkPiTGdbmTMzeRzbc6uXj_gbf__Y2yEVBdTxiA/s345/matchmadeinheavenseries.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSlR7wYuSUVM1doDs9dNv887p-n18W31edg9aE9K0frMnyDcXwJerzSQXxRR0Az8jfK4UJygI_dokHIrkihpJ3L8_ZgbWUuhykgyddSkPiTGdbmTMzeRzbc6uXj_gbf__Y2yEVBdTxiA/s320/matchmadeinheavenseries.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> HEAVEN'S MATCHMAKER will release beginning in June 2022 with cover reveals coming soon!</p><p>Are you attending any weddings this June ( or summer?) I've already been to 1 and it was fab. Comment below for a chance to win an ecopy of any of the MMIH books ( 1-3)</p><p>Looking for me?<br />here I am most days:</p><p style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://peggyjaeger.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1c9bdc; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Blog me</a> // T<a href="https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1c9bdc; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">weet me</a> // <a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1c9bdc; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Buy my books</a> // <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072?ref=bookmarks" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; 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color: #1c9bdc; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">watch me</a> // <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peggy-jaeger" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1c9bdc; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">review me</a></p><p style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter here : <a href="https://peggyjaeger.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=a80a79e23d825f3e740c9dc17&id=78ece0064d" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1c9bdc; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBw_EeV7ktyqnvdr1hTYO4YQZlCTvih83xrKj3NeL0V48AUVM_1Ivzz2yVdfOf3zRttKNn5up4WK_t277rzqdN6VHQwLM6Wx3mV1B3Q-x0XXQiXHqzqy89CiclPQOh2WuazEBae4SK-0/s768/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBw_EeV7ktyqnvdr1hTYO4YQZlCTvih83xrKj3NeL0V48AUVM_1Ivzz2yVdfOf3zRttKNn5up4WK_t277rzqdN6VHQwLM6Wx3mV1B3Q-x0XXQiXHqzqy89CiclPQOh2WuazEBae4SK-0/s320/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p>peggy jaegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767089116387597036noreply@blogger.com10New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.0059728-9.2422944490606014 -144.3184728 90 -3.693472799999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-77128359207137856832021-06-26T01:30:00.155-05:002021-06-26T01:30:00.245-05:00Coffee and Conversation with the #RomanceGems<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHQxaJtLIuKiGMiygHFID6lTVKDz7f6KzKwFKIGX97cqcalhGnPpEXrl0QC0xs87PY9f1xBYrjOQLtp9uevzbaXHc_Jk2vGScnev5cXiqx_yq1fnJSbP5Sqczbtq8nWd4n1kMYNzRx_Y/s2048/Depositphotos_20728069_xl-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijHQxaJtLIuKiGMiygHFID6lTVKDz7f6KzKwFKIGX97cqcalhGnPpEXrl0QC0xs87PY9f1xBYrjOQLtp9uevzbaXHc_Jk2vGScnev5cXiqx_yq1fnJSbP5Sqczbtq8nWd4n1kMYNzRx_Y/w266-h400/Depositphotos_20728069_xl-2015.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>It's time for Coffee and Conversation with the Romance Gems!
So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join us for some fun. This month's
topic is: <b>A GAME! Something different this month!</b><p></p><p></p><p>The cast of the
last show you watched is planning your wedding. Tell us who is planning and
what your wedding will be like. Let’s have some fun!</p><p>“I've been watching season 6 of <i><b>Once Upon A Time</b></i>. (For like
the millionth time) And there's actually a wedding in that season. So...if the
characters from this show were planning my wedding, I'm certain it would be a
fairytale ordeal, with a gown made by the fairies, knights as the groomsmen,
and singing!!!” <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1" target="_blank">~ Kara O’Neal</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I haven’t watched TV in years, but I tuned into <i><b>Bridgerton</b></i>
because I’d met Julia Quinn years ago and read and loved the entire series. So
I guess Violet Bridgerton is planning my wedding, and it will be the event of
the century. Live music (no, not the Smythe-Smith quartet!) in the ballroom at
one of the leading homes in London. Everyone will be decked out in their finest
formal wear. Anyone who is anyone in the ton will be in attendance (though I’d
leave Cressida Cowper off the list if I didn’t think it would cause an uproar).”
<b><a href="https://www.karilemor.com/" target="_blank">~ Kari Lemor</a></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x2WmWuJwSP42DDQ3d8U8Em9klo4ymrVf4uMbsGdNSc-NRRkmVbZi8xWOhhfCitII7_xCHPM8oXaLUu6wWG3V87VcH2BNrtl8sY2MgfWe_XFos-f7JiNL843pmZyEV3XCImUsZcOuCdw/s1600/Untitled+design+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4x2WmWuJwSP42DDQ3d8U8Em9klo4ymrVf4uMbsGdNSc-NRRkmVbZi8xWOhhfCitII7_xCHPM8oXaLUu6wWG3V87VcH2BNrtl8sY2MgfWe_XFos-f7JiNL843pmZyEV3XCImUsZcOuCdw/w320-h181/Untitled+design+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liz Flaherty's Wedding</td></tr></tbody></table>“I am watching the <i><b>Kelly Clarkson Show</b></i> right now. I've never
seen it before, but someone else
arranged some beautiful flowers and another gentleman is featuring some
wonderful-looking gumbo. I think my
wedding is going to be a lot of laughs and the food's going to be great, which
sounds like a harbinger of all things good! (I made up the beach part)” <b><a href="http://lizflaherty.net/" target="_blank">~ Liz Flaherty</a></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“The last show I watched was The <i><b>Dead Files</b></i>, so I guess I’ll
have a spooky haunted wedding! The psychics will keep telling me what all my
nosy deceased relatives are saying while the cops will be keeping my current
relatives in line. It’ll be fun for all!”<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Hunsaker/e/B0051HEPQC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank"> <b>~ Laura Hunsaker</b></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGzYO5A5eGAj0HUbLYb58ZbltQHOqZJ4Irk2Vr1tNJbtwKaSGerpbgy6nVvEvNsRwsKG7Y2rdThXpmuHXK8Vu4IuH9NZRL181J4RbpiEH4cP1ECtHWbG0PprFEFaHcSGIv58kN5zNkwc/s1200/Bride%2526+Groom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGzYO5A5eGAj0HUbLYb58ZbltQHOqZJ4Irk2Vr1tNJbtwKaSGerpbgy6nVvEvNsRwsKG7Y2rdThXpmuHXK8Vu4IuH9NZRL181J4RbpiEH4cP1ECtHWbG0PprFEFaHcSGIv58kN5zNkwc/s320/Bride%2526+Groom.jpg" /></a></div>“My wedding would be planned by the cast of <i><b>Jimmy Kimmel
Live</b></i>. Naturally, we’d have the music played by Cleto and the Cletones. That’s
where the “normal” would end. Guillermo would be dressed in a flower girl’s
gown and sprinkle Skittles across the stage. Jimmy would be dressed in a
judge’s black gown with a white curly wig on his head. He’d be standing in
front of a trellis decorated with wilted flowers and be reading from a Marvel
comic. The vows would be to refrain from murdering each other on the honeymoon
to get on a murder porn tv show.” <b><a href="http://www.bonnieedwards.com/" target="_blank">~ Bonnie Edwards </a></b><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“Going to get married to my firefighter, at the firehouse,
among all our firefighting friends from the <i><b>Chicago Fire</b></i> department. The
firefighter’s union rep is walking me down the aisle to my future husband and
the fire department chaplain is waiting at the altar. I am in my white dress,
the groom and the entire fire department are in their firefighting gear. We say
our vows and the chaplain says “you may kiss the bride.” Our kiss is
interrupted by the bells and whistles, everyone heads to the firetruck and
ambulance and they are on their way to the next call.” <b><a href="https://constancebretes.com/" target="_blank">~ Constance Bretes<o:p></o:p></a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZegWMKyd2-EDZ-ax-5SQYL73MIJGrGcG1JAL8eMUfnAWdDLcOFiRHwrHxRmP_oydgnnM0AMqEIsAajDOjBcAk5IIGtbVSqWHhT8TB4FdI_dkz31Wj2aEsp9Uhv_FKvL3k1WgGg2LraE/s2048/Depositphotos_41051423_xl-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZegWMKyd2-EDZ-ax-5SQYL73MIJGrGcG1JAL8eMUfnAWdDLcOFiRHwrHxRmP_oydgnnM0AMqEIsAajDOjBcAk5IIGtbVSqWHhT8TB4FdI_dkz31Wj2aEsp9Uhv_FKvL3k1WgGg2LraE/s320/Depositphotos_41051423_xl-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>“Last night I watched the Hallmark Movie, <i><b>Chasing
Waterfalls</b></i>. Loved it. The leading man,
Christopher Russell is the perfect groom. I'm a cougar and 6ft. 2in, 38year
old, Russell, fits the bill for this 5ft.10 woman. That smile. That voice.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“A waterfall as the setting…tranquil.., private... well for
the most part private. The movie was filmed in Seattle and British Columbia,
two of my favorites for their breathtaking views.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“Wedding planners? The Married at First sight Australia
experts: John Aiken, Mel Schiling and Dr. Trisha Stafford. Their reception
venues are the best.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Yes, I’m all for chasing waterfalls.” <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Marcia-King-Gamble/e/B001K8GB4A">~ Marcia King-Gamble</a></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“I've no doubt my wedding will be one Helluva celebration
since it's being planned by the cast of <i><b>Lucifer</b></i>! My wedding cake will be devils
food, of course, topped with icing so fluffy it must be a Heavenly cloud. We'll
dance to CCR's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeXqtzusIU0&ab" target="_blank">I Put a Spell on You</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVbr37_yPeY&ab" target="_blank">Devil in the Blue Dress</a> and finish off
the night with a downright devil of a honeymoon.” <b><a href="http://nancyfraser.ca/" target="_blank">~ Nancy Fraser</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEHIdl8dx465ph2S5bXOEmBX1MtL0BaRFURRhWQnn-20k_xAuytRLKgnutlTxqnWHFzAlxH8tL79MVPdGsyIiY8B6yjNmpp2uNQK5N3Z7bkOHh1HUcLEA7_Mv8tHOuNkkgLS-NtKAAxg/s2048/Depositphotos_24466793_xl-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEHIdl8dx465ph2S5bXOEmBX1MtL0BaRFURRhWQnn-20k_xAuytRLKgnutlTxqnWHFzAlxH8tL79MVPdGsyIiY8B6yjNmpp2uNQK5N3Z7bkOHh1HUcLEA7_Mv8tHOuNkkgLS-NtKAAxg/s320/Depositphotos_24466793_xl-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>“The last show I watched was <i><b>Loki</b></i>, which is a new Marvel
show. Loki is a shapeshifting prankster and god who is always up to mischief.
Sometimes he’s the villain, but always a sympathetic one. His brother is Thor,
and who wants to live up to that? Loki is played by Tom Hiddleston who seems to
be both a sweetheart and funny in real life, so the wedding would definitely be
unforgettable, fun, and off-beat. Only problem would be, it would be hard to
concentrate on my groom with Tom Hiddleston there! He looks good in anything
and oozes sex appeal.” <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/M-J-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ" target="_blank">~ M.J. Schiller</a></b><p></p><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“I’m binge-watching <i><b>True Blood</b></i> again after all these years
and loving it! BUT it does make for a rather bizarre wedding. Of course, the reception
would be at Merlotte’s – I do enjoy a great local diner/watering hole. Maid of Honor
and Best Man – Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton. Bridesmaids – Tara,
Arlene, and vampire Jessica. Vamp fashionista Pam MUST help me buy my wedding
gown and shoes! Jason Stackhouse is not invited, because he’s nothin’ but
trouble. LaFayette oversees all food, decorations, and music. And…I’m marrying
Eric Northman, the Nordic vampire owner of Fangtasia. Absolutely. No questions
asked. (Sorry Mr. H. hahaha<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">)</span>”<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Hills/e/B01LBDCVVU" target="_blank"> ~ Kathryn Hills</a></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***</p><p class="MsoNormal">Okay, it's your turn to join the conversation! Add your
comments below or send via email through the "contact us” link on the
bottom of the left sidebar. You can also make suggestions on what you'd like to
discuss here in the future.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Thanks for joining us!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><b>~ The Romance Gems ~</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Kathryn Hillshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210913950491846725noreply@blogger.com12Boston, MA, USA42.3600825 -71.058880114.049848663821152 -106.2151301 70.670316336178843 -35.902630099999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7618899325720287751.post-71502590402368790222021-06-25T02:00:00.001-05:002021-06-25T02:00:00.313-05:0099 cents sale! Such a deal! by Jan Scarbrough<p>There’s a debate about what constitutes a second chance romance. Is it when the same couple gets back together probably years later? Or could it be a person, who has lost her first partner, finds love again with a new one?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh582PawnKAz_p2_xlFdrDKiH7PFe0I2svyP_d6tHxWp-pYImhyphenhyphenFX-mDMHqLhl5T8VPSiedr7NaSMhPdJhv9ZQQoiBkEUDY41ZcyQE87ROq9Wzht4fEi01ohwSiGyCfEHSlMYGXILG-fWZT/s1200/Box+Set+One+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh582PawnKAz_p2_xlFdrDKiH7PFe0I2svyP_d6tHxWp-pYImhyphenhyphenFX-mDMHqLhl5T8VPSiedr7NaSMhPdJhv9ZQQoiBkEUDY41ZcyQE87ROq9Wzht4fEi01ohwSiGyCfEHSlMYGXILG-fWZT/s320/Box+Set+One+Cover.png" /></a></div><p>The idea behind my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FRQMZ9R" target="_blank">Bluegrass Reunion Series</a>, for the most part, is that the same couple comes together again—a reunion. Sometimes I throw in a secret baby or a single mom—and of course, a horse or two.</p><p>In my <a href="https://romancegems.blogspot.com/2021/03/lucky-in-love-you-bet-by-jan-scarbrough.html" target="_blank">March blog</a>, I mentioned <i><b>The Top 12 Most Powerful Tropes in Romance Novels</b></i>. Second chance romance is one of the twelve. The Bluegrass Reunion Series gives you second chances and other familiar tropes.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3wtx4Ez" target="_blank">Kentucky Woman</a><br />What is Jack willing to do to win the heart of this spirited Kentucky woman? (Marriage of Convenience)</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3iVIg9l" target="_blank">Kentucky Blue Bloods</a><br />When Kentucky blue blood tangles with British blue blood, are they willing to take a gamble on love? (Enemies to Lovers)</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3vxpVC8" target="_blank">Kentucky Cowboy</a><br />Will Mandy take a second chance with her Kentucky cowboy and risk her heart a second time? (Friends to Lovers)</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/2Tt0Mem" target="_blank">Kentucky Rain</a><br />Carrying a torch is ridiculous. There’s no time like the present to move on. But does Scott really want to? (Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity)</p><p>Recently, I’ve combined four of the eight series romances together into a box set. A couple stories have a thoroughbred horse setting. It’s Kentucky, of course. <b>Kentucky Cowboy</b> takes advantage of the research I did into professional bull riding. Yes, a professional bull rider can come from Kentucky. <b>Kentucky Rain</b> carries on some of the characters from <b>Kentucky Cowboy</b>.</p><p>Interested? You might be more so when you discover the box set is <b>on sale</b> for a limited time for <b>99 cents</b>! Such a deal, such a deal!</p><p>Run on over to your favorite ebook retailer for your copy. <a href="https://books2read.com/u/4Eo2pz" target="_blank">Go here for links to Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Apple, Google and more.</a></p><p>And as can be expected…my heroines end up as brides even if not in June!</p><div><br /></div>Jan Scarbroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485602579241881149noreply@blogger.com5