It's Spooky Time for This Author! by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

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.

First up GHOSTS OF NEW ENGLAND: SKULLERY BAY - Releasing August 16, 2021

An anthology unlike any other, it features...

4 Different Centuries

4 To-Die-For Romances

The Same 2 Ghosts! 

Widow’s Walk (1737)

RITA nominee & Best Selling Author, Lisa A. Olech

He’s the infamous pirate, Captain John Jacob Wilder.

She’s the daughter of his fiercest enemy.

Their love is the beginning of the legend.

Cast to the Wind and Waves (1837)

Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Kathryn Hills

She’s the heiress determined to restore Fairwinds to its former glory.

He’s the solicitor working as a caretaker because of the deadly curse.

Their love will rebuild the legend.

The Bootlegger’s Daughter (1924)

Best Selling & Award Winning Author, Nancy Fraser

She’s the daughter of one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals.

He’s her bodyguard, and not at all what he seems.

Their love will return dignity to the legend.

Jilly’s Dilemma (Present Day)

Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Nancy Fraser

She’s the new owner of Fairwinds, a flaky artist who talks to ghosts. Repeatedly.

He’s the staid, young professor there to document Fairwinds' history.

Their love will make you believe in the legend.

Watch the Trailer for Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay

Next, I'm headed back to the beach with SAND, SALT, AND SPIRITS - A LAST CHANCE BEACH ROMANCE - Releasing November 2, 2021

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!

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.

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.

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!”

Or will the island’s magic prove too powerful for them to resist?

***

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!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page ~ BookBub

THANK YOU for reading!

~ Kathryn

Here We Go Again! by Hannah Rowan #RomanceGems

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Easy, right?

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.

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.  It all sounded so simple in theory.

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.

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.

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.

FATHER'S DAY AND WEDDINGS! #RomanceGems @CarolinClemmons

By Caroline Clemmons

Happy Father’s Day--Late! Although our theme this month is about June weddings, because of the special day, I’ll mention the two most important men in my life: my father and my husband. This is still about weddings and happily-ever-after.

Daddy was a remarkable man (says most women). He valued education and started his adult life teaching school. His brothers repeatedly urged him to work with them at the cotton gin, where he could make more money. (He regretted this change later.) He was a widower with four children when he met my mom, who was twenty-three years his junior. Don’t you know that caused a lot of raised eyebrows and speculation? Almost four years later, I was born.

As my mother told me, the two of them met when she accompanied her mother and stepfather to the grocery store late one afternoon. She saw a group of friends plus Daddy talking in front of the store. One friend asked her if she was going to a certain party that evening. She told him she couldn’t because she didn’t have transportation. The friend offered to take her and take her home, so she told my grandmother where she was going.

When they were ready to get into the friend’s car, Daddy said, “I believe I’ll ride along with you.”

Mother said he didn’t ask her to dance at the party, but stood at the edge of the room and talked to some of the men.

When they got to her house, he held the car door open for her and said, “Now that I know where you live, I’ll be coming to call.”

And, he did. They were married several months later. Their marriage lasted thirty-five years before Daddy died of a stroke brought on from emphysema.

Five weeks shy of thirteen, I helped my friend plan and give her birthday party. We were sort of location friends since we were the only two girls in our church youth group who lived on our side (the wrong side) of town. Plus, we were in Girl Scouts and school choir together. I knew she had a brother who was a twin. Whenever she said “my brother”, I thought she meant the twin. At the party, I was passing her gifts to open when an older male appeared carrying a camera. My future husband, who I call Hero, had come home from work early to take photos of his sister’s thirteenth birthday party. He was fifteen, and I thought he was the most suave and handsome male I’d ever seen. I still think he’s handsome.

He made honor roll grades, worked several jobs, and participated in ham radio activities. We dated for a while when I was seventeen and eighteen but parted ways over something silly. When I was twenty-three, we reconnected and were married several months later. Sometimes I actually get something right, and our marriage is the best example of that and the best thing that has happened to me! After a gazillion years that seem like only a decade, we are still married and have two loving daughters. I couldn’t love Hero more than I do today! 

She did the best she could, by Peggy Jaeger

 Strange title for a blog post, I know. 

This month's topic is supposed to be about romance and roses for mom since...Mother's Day. I'm gonna skip the roses and romance part for a bit and just discuss the mom part, so please, bear with me.

My mother was divorced in a time when the national average wasn't 1 in 2 marriages heading to court. In the very early 1960's, a divorced woman was an anomaly and a  divorced Catholic woman, a pariah. My mom's legal unpairing from my biological father occurred before Vatican II, so mom was looked upon as a fallen woman by the Church, stripped of her ability to receive Communion ( which, if you are a Catholic you know is a BIG thing) and because a child was conceived from the now-defunct union, I was considered a bastard child in the eyes of the Church.

Hurtful? Definitely. Archaic and misogynistic? You betcha. Accepted by society? Unfortunately.

So, my mother became a single mom at the age of 24 in a time when women weren't even allowed to have credit cards if they weren't married.

The term misogynistic comes to mind again.

My father was an immature baby of a man and a gambler to boot, so child care and alimony were never something she received on a regular basis. If a horse came in on a trifecta in Belmont or OTB, then he paid. If not, he didn't. So my mother was forced to work at menial jobs just to put food on the table for her and I and a roof over our heads. Since she never finished high school, the jobs truly were menial, low-paying, and often backbreaking.

There were many times in my childhood I truly resented the fact we didn't live in a nice home but an apartment building with cockroaches the size of chihuahuas, my clothes mostly came from Goodwill shops or the Salvation Army because she couldn't afford brand name store-bought ones, and the food we ate was all generic and store-specific brands and not name brands. Trust me when I tell you there is a real difference between cow's milk and powdered - not only in price, and that mayonnaise on white bread is not a nutritious sandwich for a child's lunch. Potatoes were our only "vegetable" and "chop meat" was our only protein. 

As an adult, I realize that blaming my mother for our misfortune was misplaced anger on my part. It should have been directed at the man who put us in the tenuous position of poverty, and not my mother. Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20 and I've got perfect vision now.

We may not have lived in a palace, but we weren't homeless. 

My clothes may have been a little faded and tattered, but I wasn't running around naked in the streets. 

And we may not have had all the material things I so desperately wanted as a child, but my mother kept us together, never took a dime in government relief ( not that there was much at that time), and taught me the value of hard work. She could have walked away from the life she was forced to live and sent me to live with my grandmother or aunt. 

She didn't. 

She stuck, kept me with her, and worked like a proverbial dog to make sure we were safe, healthy, and that I knew I was loved. We may not have had much, but we had that love and she showed it to me every single day.

In essence, she did the best she could with a bad situation she didn't create.

And despite being a rebellious kid with a mouthy attitude and a chip on my shoulder,  I turned out just fine.

I think the true essence of being a mother is this kind of fortitude, stick-with-it-ness, and resolve to do the best you can for your family no matter what the circumstances. And I tend to think the reason I write characters who are such strong women and devoted mothers is because of what I was shown as a child. My mother defines the term backbone of steel. 

Speaking of writing strong women and devoted mothers ( how's that for a segue, hee hee) in my upcoming Holiday Novella SANTA BABY which is releasing into the book reading world on June 7, Amy Dorrit is a single woman who becomes an instant-mom when she finds a baby on her doorstep on a cold Christmas Eve morning.

Here's a quick peek at the blurb:

It’s Christmas Eve morning in the tiny New England town of Dickens.

Santa’s arrival is imminent, and a hint of snow is in the air.

Amy Dorrit is just about to open her popular diner for the breakfast rush when she discovers an abandoned baby on her back doorstep.

Amy knows she should call the authorities and turn the infant over to them, but she just can’t. Thoughts of her own abandonment as a baby flood through her and she wants to keep the little one out of the hands of the authorities until the mother – hopefully –returns.

But will the mom come back? And if she doesn’t, what is Amy prepared to do about the baby who has, already, claimed her heart?


Intrigued? Here's where you can preorder your copy: UNIVERSAL LINK

Looking for me? Here's where I hang out: 

Blog me // Tweet me // Buy my books // Friend me // Pin me // read me //picture me // watch me // review me

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Until next month, peeps ~Peg

Prom Night Palooza by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

May…It’s the prelude to summer, PLUS the month we celebrate all things MOM here in the USA! As I see many great posts on social media about moms, kids, grandkids, even pet moms, it got me thinking…What could I share today about motherhood that might make you smile? After all, it’s not all pretty cards, flowers, and smiling faces in shared pictures. It can be rough. But it can also be funny. Sit back, and let me tell you a story…

It was a balmy May evening almost a decade ago when Darling Daughter went to her first prom. (Hard to believe, it was that long ago!) A dear friend volunteered to host an “After Prom Party” at the high school, so our local kids that wanted a fun place to go and celebrate could be safe. Dusk to Dawn, everything from copious amounts of food to a bonfire, crafts, photo booth, movies, a live band, plus a DJ. My friend went all out, soliciting donations and recruiting volunteers from all around the community. Hats off to her!

On prom night, when our kids were at the actual event, parent volunteers went to work…decorating, cooking, prepping everything. It was a mini army of do-gooders, excited to help. Pretty fun, if I may say. Maybe it was that I got to take over a BIG cafeteria kitchen? Those giant refrigerators, stoves, and cooking utensils…OMG, I missed my calling! Hahaha

Then my friend handed me a list of things we were missing or still needed.

Like any good volunteer with a list, I left that kitchen and headed to Walmart. At midnight. That was something new. I’m in bed by ten o’clock, people, let’s be serious! But I grabbed my cart and began tackling the list. It wasn’t until checkout that I realized how crazy I looked.

Here was my list…Extra Large Trash Bags, Bleach, Clorox Wipes, Latex Gloves, Duct Tape…and "ALL the Whipped Cream you can find." *blink*blink*

Just imagine the looks I got in that checkout line. At midnight! That’s a heck of a party, unless you’re the one gettin’ murdered. Writer’s brain…I know…we’re weird sometimes. Okay, all the time.

So, here’s to all those wonderful moms out there! We couldn’t host a Prom Night Palooza, or do much of anything else, without you!

***

This is a silly story from my life. But honestly, I love writing about families and family dynamics. Keep an eye out for these two books from me COMING THIS SUMMER! Secondhand Hearts – A Last Chance Beach Novella and Sand, Salt, and Spirits – A Last Chance Beach Romance. There’s a hefty dose of family mayhem in both books!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kathryn

Shower me with Diamonds! by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

There's an old song called Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend written by L. Robin and J. Styne. At its heart the song is a cautionary tale to young women about providing for themselves as they age. The idea is that men move on and leave you flat, or go back to their wives, or find a new model. However you slice it, diamonds will always take care of you so you need to grab them while you can.

This is the antithesis of romantic love. The idea that love and commitment are for sale and the currency is diamonds (the hardest stone) is sad. Don't you think?

My romance Diamond at Heart explores different kinds of love: familial, twisted, and the forever kind that flows from one generation to the next. 

The book starts with a murder and a terrible bargain between victim and murderer. I know, I know...I always say I don't write murder. But I did and that murder is solved decades later. 

And today Diamond at Heart is free to read. Here's a little more to whet your interest...

Someone’s watching her…and Tawny James is sick of it. There’s only one person she can turn to for help: her ex-boss, the last man on earth she wants to see again.

Private security consultant Stack Hamilton gets the call he’s wanted for months from ex-employee Tawny James. But it isn’t the “sorry I ran out on you” call he deserves. The beauty who hides her assets under the ugliest clothes he’s ever seen has a stalker and needs his help.

There’s nothing Stack won’t do for the woman he misses. Every. Single. Day. 

Together, and on fire for each other, they learn Tawny’s current problem is connected to a mob murder from the past. Possessive violence has damaged the James women for generations and Tawny is determined not to make the same mistakes with men her mother and showgirl grandmother made.

But she can’t keep her hands off Stack Hamilton and knows she won’t survive this stalking episode with her heart intact.

And Stack will do anything to keep Tawny safe. Everything but let her go again.

I am in the throes of moving this book from being a Kindle exclusive title to making it available on Apple, Nook and Kobo. (and more) This means nothing if you grab your copy now, but once the move is made the book will not be free again. (no pressure, but ...)

Bonnie Edwards has been writing all her life, starting with a poem about Santa suffering with gout. She was seven, Santa was a thousandteen years old. Delighted with writing, she went on to write family sagas, humorous contemporary romance, romantic suspense, erotic paranormal ghost romances and more. She may jump around within romance, but all her stories come with a tear, a laugh, and a happy ending. Published by Kensington Books, Harlequin Books, Carina Press, and Robinson (UK) Bonnie’s stories stretch from short stories to novellas and novels. Now, she's happy to be publishing her work herself. With over 30 titles to her credit, she has been translated into several languages and sold books worldwide. Aside from standalone romances, she has 4 ongoing romance series, Tales of Perdition, The Brantons, and Love at Christmas. Contemporary family sagas find a home in Return to Welcome. She's hard at work on a brand new series coming in summer 2021. Learn about more exciting releases and get a free romance by subscribing to her newsletter, Bonnie’s Newsy Bits

 Website BookBub Amazon Facebook Twitter

Cheers and happy reading!

Bonnie Edwards

Excuse Me…Someone Is Gettin’ Busy Over Here! By Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

It can be challenging to work from home. Trying to get everything accomplished, sticking to a schedule, meeting your deadlines with everyone and every distraction imaginable around you. Now imagine you’re a romance author that writes SPICY.

I begin each morning before dawn. Up early so I can get my wordcount in. Pour my coffee, sit down with my laptop… Hang on, a dog needs to go out. That’s okay, I haven’t started writing yet. Wait, it’s snowing again. Now the dog is stuck somewhere in the yard. Boots on, coat. Can’t find my gloves. Sorry neighbors for the scary writer lady in the robe, carrying a Dachshund through the snowstorm. What a visual, right?

Phew… *deep breath*typing, and more typing* Until everyone is awake.

Have you ever read a HOT romance in a crowded place? Maybe a plane, a train, or in a coffee shop? Things are really going great until someone asks you a question. But what if you’re the author attempting to craft that wonderfully romantic, super-sexy love scene with others around you?

…He smiled. That crocked smile she knew and loved. Leaning down, he swept his tongue across her… 

“Has anyone seen my phone?”

“Excuse me…someone is gettin’ busy over here!”

Hahaha.

So, tell me…what’s it like working from your home? I’d love to hear your stories. You know…because we all adore those Zoom crashing kids or the guy with the cat filter stuck on. 😊

Thanks for joining me today!

~ Kathryn

 

We've Come a Long Way, Maybe by Hannah Rowan

In the process of cleaning out her mother’s house, my friend was astounded and maybe even horrified to come across three books giving advice about sex.  “I can’t imagine my prim mother reading these books,” she said.

(Seriously, who wants to think about their mother reading sex books? The only proper use of a mother’s sex books is for pre-adolescent girls to sneak and read under the covers while Mom thinks she’s sleeping.)

Anyway, knowing I write romance, she offered them to me.

Had her mother still been alive, she would have been near 100 years old.  What kind of advice, I wondered, were women getting way back in the day? I gleefully accepted her offer.

What better time to learn the secrets of blissful love than February, the month of Valentine’s Day?

I’m now traumatized by the whole thing.

In my formative years I learned a lot from True Confession magazine or True Story, and later, much more seriously, such books as The Feminine Mystique (1963) by Betty Friedan, The Women’s Room (1977) by Marilyn French, or Our Bodies, Ourselves (1969) by the Boston Women’s Health Collective, and so many more. I can’t even remember the titles of the many books I read in college when minoring in Human Sexuality.  (Don’t tell my children.)

Probably one of the unifying themes in all of this reading was that they portrayed women as…well…actual people.

Now I come upon such intriguing titles as Married Love, by Marie C. Stopes (1918) dedicated “to young husbands and all those who are betrothed in love.” Banned in the United States, this book, though the language was stilted and many of the ideas about the roles of men and women, husbands and wives are extremely stereotyped, was groundbreaking in that the author not only proposed that women (or wives, since unmarried woman apparently didn’t have sex) were entitled to enjoy sex, and their husbands had very well better learn how to make that happen.

Then along came The Sexual Side of Marriage (1939) by M.J. Exner M.D. Although it reads like a textbook in a lot of ways, this book offers many constructive and practical suggestions for couples to enjoy a healthy love life. Married couples, of course.

The highlight of my delving into the past is The Ideal Sex-Life, How to Attain and Practice (1940) by Dr. J. Rutgers, which comes with the warning that it’s “intended for circulation among mature persons only.”

Do I dare read it?

 Oh, I wish I hadn’t, because among other things it explores the sex lives of chickens as a way to explain mating to children, explores antiquated biological theories, and expounds on the virtues of self-control.  Possibly not very helpful to the newly married person in the early 20^th century who’s just trying to figure out what’s what.

While some of the ideas about women’s sexuality could be considered revolutionary in these books, they all carried an underlying theme that the pleasure of women, specifically married women, was simply another way to make their men happy.

I don’t know what value my friend’s mother found in her reading material, but my friend does have two brothers, so I hope she put some of it to good use.

Who knew that our grandmas were up to such shenanigans? And what will our children find when they clean out our bookshelves?

I think perhaps it’s time to purge my library.

Wanderlust! It’s A Writer Thing by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

Okay, I admit it. I’ve had a serious case of Wanderlust. If you don’t know what that means, the definition, according to urbandictionary.com, is… “A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.”

As a self-proclaimed road warrior, I miss what I fondly call “adventuring.” Visiting all sorts of historic and unique locations. Yet in the absence of safe travel during the pandemic, I’ve opted to journey in my writer’s mind. Once I’d come to grips with staying home, endless new possibilities opened up to me.

I’ve been told I’m a very descriptive writer. Something I consider a compliment, since I work hard at it, taking up extended residence in all my book settings. You see…that’s the other side of me. I’m a big-time homebody. Whether it’s a haunted mansion or a charming seaside B&B, I move in and make myself right at home. Sights, sounds, scents…Everything surrounds me in my imagination to become part of the story.

A reader once asked me how I do it, describe a fictitious place as if it’s real. “I can’t even tell you what’s happening around me most days. Forget about making something up,” she said with a chuckle.

I explained to her, “Trust me, that’s me too. Ask my family just how well I tune out the real world when a story is brewing in my head."

Yet sometimes, at special times, my writer’s brain takes over and slows me down. Bits and pieces from past experiences and memories of real places come together to create a setting. Sunlight becomes more than just nice weather. The fire in the hearth transforms into something other than warmth. Old wood makes sounds and has a different scent depending on the weather. (Have you ever been in a centuries-old building during a thunderstorm? I highly recommend it!) Fabric, and even a gust of wind, can hold a mesmerizing fragrance. Life becomes more than just day-to-day “stuff.” It transforms into an adventure as words create worlds for my characters. And THAT is very cool!

My mother—an avid reader when she was on this earth—is likely smiling at me now, considering my third-grade teacher told her I was “prone to daydreaming.” 😊

These musings inspire and excited me as I plan out my busy writing schedule for the upcoming year. A year that will likely mean MANY more hours in this old chair, surrounded by three sleepy dogs, and countless empty coffee mugs. As a teaser, I’ll share that there will be more haunted mansions to occupy my days and a return to both Sandpiper Cottage and Dickens. Plus, some special new destinations to explore. Forests and waves, townsfolk, and caves – you name it! I’m going places, and I’m thrilled! I’ll be adventuring again, though I don’t need to leave the warm spot of this worn leather seat.

Until we can ALL go adventuring together again, pick up a book and explore a new place. How about a pirate ship, or maybe the old west? A city on the moon or a quaint New England town? Take your pick! Or write your own journey. There is no limit to how far you can travel when your imagination is set free to wander.

Tell me… Do you have a favorite book setting? A fictitious place that sparks your sense of Wanderlust? Has an author written a setting so well that you feel like you were actually there? I'd LOVE to hear about it!

Thanks for reading. Until next time...Stay safe, be well, and have some fun adventuring. Even if it is from the comfort of your own home.

~ Kathryn

You can find my books HERE, or visit any major online book retailer.

 

Beauty Sleep or Sleeping Beauty? by Connie Vines

Beauty Sleep, what I wouldn't give for a good night's sleep.  How many times have we uttered those very words during our adult life?

Rodeo Romance

Remember the luxury of childhood, when you could fall into a deep sleep--any time, any place?

What we learned as children from the Sleeping Beauty Fairytale:

Filled with jealousy, the evil witch Maleficent curses Princess Aurora to die on her 16th birthday. Thanks to Aurora's guardian fairies, she only falls into a deep sleep that can be ended with a true-love's kiss (from her betrothed, Prince Phillip ). To prevent Phillip from rescuing Aurora, Maleficent kidnaps and imprisons him. The good fairies are the last hope to free Phillip so that he can awaken Aurora.

This is not restorative sleep. Nor does it hold the key to longevity that woman (and people in general)  strive to attain. For most of my adult life I've managed to function on six-or-less hours of sleep each night.

Was it a subconscious fear (Sleep Beauty Syndrome)? Naw.  It was just reality and obligations crowding out the remints of a childhood sleep pattern.

I found myself reading articles and even interviews given by famous and not-so-famous people. Why? because my doctor help harping, "you need to have 7 - 9 hours of sleep each night."

I promised I'd try.  

He didn't believe me (I could tell). He wrote down the amount of Vitamin D and C I needed to take daily and scheduled me for a return visit.

What did I learn in my research? 

Betty White is a 98 year-old actress and comedian whose career has spanned 80 years. In promoting sleep she says, "Get at least 8 hours of beauty sleep, nine if you're ugly."

Pinterest Meme

"The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time" by Arianna Huffington (Harmony Books, 2017).  Sleep is considered an important part of our routine and is essential for survival, as are food and water. Recent research suggests that sleep has a housekeeping roll by removing toxins in our brain that accumulate when we are awake. For older adults, less than seven hours of sleep a night generally is considered insufficient. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine refers to a study by UCLA researcher who discovered that "just a single night of insufficient sleep can make older adult's cells age quicker.

Betty White was right! (No woman volunteers to become ugly).  

8 hours of sleep?  

Since I hadn't even hit the 7 mark, this was going to be a difficult milestone.

No coffee after dinner. 

No writing until 2:00 AM. 

No late night news programs, or crime shows.

Little by little (15 minutes each week), I was able to almost make 7 hours.

Do I feel better? 

Yes.

Can I inch my way up to 8 hours each night, maybe.

How about you?

Are you sleeping the recommended 8 hours each night?  

If so, what's you secret? 

Or are you making it a goal for 2021?

Do you need a little help?

Here's something I discovered:

Chocolate also contains tryptophan, which stimulates serotonin and melatonin. And serotonin and melatonin are believed to help sleep.

Yay! This is the preverbal carrot at the end of the stick.

And here's an easy recipe: 

Heaven in a Crockpot

Prep time: 20 mins. Cook time: 200 mins. on low

(I use a crockpot liner so this doesn't stick). Thought a non-stick cooking spray may work well.

1 box of Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix

1/2 cup of melted butter

4 eggs

1 pouch of Betty Crocker Chocolate Cookie Mix (also tried Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Mix)

Cream all together  (I added a little water because I thought it was too thick). Scrape the edges of the bowl to make certain it's well combines.  Spoon into crockpot.

The end result is a hot, gooey, lava-cake-like dessert.  

I spooned into individual (small) Mason jars to cool and store in the fridge.

You can top with ice cream, if desired.

And, yes, it does help you sleep.

 

Sleep well. Eat well. 

Indulge in a Romance Novel and Chocolate both soothe the soul and bring that touch of magic back into your life.

Wishing you a Happy and Blessed 2021,

My Books are on sale at Smashwords and Amazon!

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/vinesbwl

https://www.amazon.com/Connie-Vines/e/B004C7W6PE

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/connie-vines

Hibernation Worked Once...Should I Try It Again? by Nancy Fraser

Last January 5th, I wrote my first post of the year and outlined my plan to hibernate for the winter. Because I can't take the flu shot, I'd decided it was the best thing to guarantee my own health.

And, since I was bent on keeping myself well, I also planned to take it a step further and spend the first three months experimenting (against the dietician's wishes) with a keto diet.

Little did I know, before I could even come out of hibernation, I was forced into isolation and social distancing. So much for my plan to emerge in the late Spring to enjoy the beautiful weather!

I did manage to accomplish a lot during my "alone" time, including:

• 
  Completing two of my last three publisher contracts. The last one will finsh next month when my short story, Teach Me, is published as the final part of my Lusty Liaisons erotic romance series from The Wild Rose Press. More on that in next month's post.

• Taking back the publishing rights on ten of my older, out-of-contract books.

• Creating an attainable writing schedule (not that difficult when you're stuck inside).

• Learning to self-publish by working along side two other generous Gems authors (Joan Reeves and Maddie James) to put together the Gems' Last Chance Beach box set.

• Publishing my first three indie books, as well as acting as publisher for our holiday anthology, Christmas Comes to Dickens. Oh, the things I've learned!

And that experiment with a keto diet? I lost 97 pounds. I was hoping to hit 100 pounds gone when I weighed in on January 1st, but I have to admit I self-sabotaged that last few pounds while enjoying a family holiday!

Bottom line: hibernation works! Will I do it all again this year? You bet your sweet bookmarks I will!

I've already got another killer schedule planned, including:

• Publishing a book a month! Some will be revamps of those previously published works, but more than half will be new. The newbies include another trip to Last Chance Beach, a new generational anthology with three other mega-talented authors, another holiday trip to Dickens, and book(s) #2 of both my Cougars & Cubs and Love of the Land series.

• Mastering the art of promotion. I learned a lot with both the Last Chance Beach and Dickens projects, but there's always more to absorb. Especially when it comes to Amazon and BookBub.

• Honing my formatting skills for print books. I managed to upload my first attempt today and am just waiting for Amazon approval so I can order my proof copies. I have to say, it looked pretty sweet in the "previewer".

• And, back to keto and my Wii Fit to lose another 60-or-so pounds! Not to brag ... but I've become somewhat of an expert on keto cooking!

I will be back later in the month with tour and giveaway news about my first historical romance in ages. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at Her Timeless Gamble, Book 1 of my Love's a Gamble series (releasing on January 19th but up for pre-order now).

When Matthew McAlister pulls a nearly-drowned woman from the mucky waters of the Mississippi, he has no idea what's in store for him. Or, how easily he'll willingly give up his carefree, love-em-and-leave-em lifestyle for a chance at real happiness.

Kathryn (Kate) Lowell can't believe her bad luck. Or the fact she's somehow been transported from the twenty-first century back to the post Civil War south. Worse yet, into the arms of the one man she grew up hating. The man she blames for her father's recent demise.

Can these two off-kilter and infinitely stubborn individuals fight their mutual attraction? Or, will they give in to the inevitable? And, when the time comes, will Kate choose to stay with Matt in the past, or return to her former life?

~ ~ ~

Books 2 & 3 will be release in February and March, followed by two more stories in early 2022.

That's all for now. As I said earlier, I'll be back later in the month with more book news. Until then, stay safe, stay happy, stay well read.

Nancy

Warm Slippers and a Mug of Hot Cocoa By Connie Vines

 It's the holiday season and my house seems a bit empty; some days a bit too quiet.

My sons are grown with children of their own. So, there is no need for me to bake dozens and dozens of cookies and candy goodies.  Nor am I semi-overwhelmed because I'm working full-time, shopping and prepping to entertain a group of twenty on Christmas day.

I do miss the sound of scampering feet and the laughter which filled the house before day-break each Christmas morning.  The general chaos of torn wrapping paper, scattered bows, and then searching through the debris for the missing parts to a brand-new toy. 

A bit of Christmas humor! 

But with time and dedication to family, laurels are gathered and there is time to enjoy a new chapter of ones life.  Time to listen and enjoy the Christmas carols, or the silence of the house.  Time to sit in front of a fireplace and enjoy the crackling of a fire.  Or watch the "Yule Log" the cable station will stream to your television set or computer.

I have discovered that a pair of warm slippers, a mug of hot cocoa, and a warm fleece blanket make me happy.  My two pups cuddle up on my Lazy Boy couch with me to watch a Hallmark movie, and for two hours, there is bliss.  

Slippers from the Grand Canyon (gingerbread boys and candy embroidery) from youngest grandson. 

I have also discovered that when we are able to spend time with loved ones and friends again, I will host a hot cocoa bar.  I will bake my cookies, gingerbread cake, and all the goodies everyone enjoys.  There will be laughter, music, and candid photos being taken and shared via emailed to each other. 

credit: Party City

I have also learned (which was a difficult concept for me to grasp.):

Is anyone able to provide an answer to this question?

I hope you enjoy your winter holidays and your 2021 is filled with joy and good health.

Warm Wishes and Gingerbread Kisses,

Connie

bookbub

My Publisher's Website/buy link

A widowed rancher and his young daughter rediscover the joy of the holidays from an unlikely source.
A beautiful woman with a mysterious past who's gingerbread cookies and kind heart bring
comfort and joy and can melt the most hardened-of-hearts.

 

The Citizens Are Coming! by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

If you’ve followed this Romance Gems blog for any amount of time, you know the inhabitants of Camp Hills often have adventures. So, why would the Thanksgiving holiday be any different? Sit back, and I’ll tell you a story…

It was autumn more than twenty years ago, and we’d recently moved back to New England after living down south. A homecoming we were excited for, as Mr. H comes from a big family, and relatives would be within driving distance again. We were a happy little family unit with Darling Daughter (DD) and a cute Dachshund puppy. How fun to spend the holidays in our new home!

Darling Daughter was a first grader at the time. New school. New Friends. Thrilled by all the build-up to the holidays, since her new teacher had many projects planned for the class. All good things, because moving can be challenging for any child.

You see we’d left an urban setting for a more rural one, and both DD and the pup were anxious. Everything was different. For starters, it was incredibly dark at night, and there were wild things living in our yard. Deer and fox regularly crossed our lawn, not to mention the flock of wild turkeys and howling coyotes that traumatized the dog.

Fast forward to late November and our first Thanksgiving in the new location. It was an unusually warm afternoon when I picked Darling Daughter up at school the Friday before the holiday. We returned home to play with the dog, her favorite thing to do. Yet DD seemed off, distant, and preoccupied. When I asked what was wrong, her tone and expression turned ominous. “The citizens are coming,” she whispered.

“What?” I asked in confusion. “What ‘citizens’ are coming, and to where?”

“To my school. My teacher said so, and she said we’d better behave, or they’ll be very mad.”

Let me pause here for a moment to explain that I am an avid horror, paranormal, and fantasy reader and movie enthusiast. THIS statement sent chills down my spine.

“Why are they coming?” I prodded.

DD dropped her gaze. “Teacher says we have to serve them.”

Okay. Stop the presses! What the heck is going on here?

Of course, I questioned my daughter further, but it was to no avail. She had no more information to give. Of course, again, it was the weekend before Thanksgiving, so there was no one to call at school to ascertain what was going on.

On Sunday night, Darling Daughter was concerned about going back to school. She told Mr. H the same thing. “The citizens are coming.” He shot me the look.

When I dropped DD off at school the next morning, I assured her I’d find out what was happening. Her answer…with a stoic expression… “It’s too late, Mommy. They’ll be here soon.”

*gasp*

We still laugh about this story each Thanksgiving. Turns out “the citizens” were senior citizens from a nearby nursing facility. The children were hosting them for a Thanksgiving-themed party. Also turns out Darling Daughter’s teacher was a bit wound up about the whole event, and she had warned her students to behave or there would be dire consequences.

The moral of this story? Life with a someday-author—and her imaginative daughter—will be an adventure. Just ask Mr. H. Must be all that excess creativity, flitting about. I’m just glad the movie The Village hadn’t aired yet. 😊

This holiday season, I wish you peace, love, joy, and good health. Share some funny stories with those you love best, even if it is via Zoom or by phone, so everyone can stay safe.

Thanks for reading. Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Kathryn

If you enjoyed my story, please FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK for more of my antics.

Holiday Countdown and Romance is in the Air by Connie Vines

 Is anyone doing the 'holiday countdown'?  

I'm in the habit of allowing every celebration/holiday it's due. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. No holiday blends into the next. I do not shop on Thanksgiving Day, or the mid-night Black Friday Sale. The Christmas tree never appears until the second week of December.

This year, I've tossed the rules out the windows.  

A local FM radio station and a music channel on cable  began playing Christmas music the 1st week in November. I'm listening. I have Christmas candy displayed in my candy dishes and in my Bell jars in the cupboards.  I even purchased a package of Hershey's kisses that are called: Sugar Cookie. White chocolate with colorful sprinkles. They do taste exactly like a sugar cookies, too. 

I scroll though the cable stations on a daily basis, searching for the Yule Log. You know, the fireplace with roaring fire image that fills your television screen, while the chamber music soothes your nerves via your sound-bar. Or the version with the puppies jumping around wearing Santa suites, with the bouncy music that quickly gets on your nerves. 

The fragrance of spices, cookies, hot cocoa fill the home with comfortable and familiar memories.

2020 has been challenging for everyone.  

Perhaps this is why I'm rushing into Christmas this year.

I love 'warm and cuddly' romance novels during the holidays? 

Romance novels with Cowboys, Kisses, Families, and old-fashioned values.

Stories where little girls, and little boys, have a special request for Santa. And there is always, always a happy-ending.

The holidays are a magical time, a time filled with memories and hope for a better future.

Classic holiday music, classic movies, family recipes and classic romantic stories.

What 'new' traditions are you planning for your holiday this year?

If you are looking for a cowboy romance. . . As luck will have it, Lynx (Rodeo Romance Book 1) is specially priced at $1.49 for Kindle!

https://www.amazon.com/Lynx-Rodeo-Romance-Book1-ebook/dp/B00ATSATM2

Brede (Rodeo Romance Book 2) is available at your favorite book retailer: htpts://books2read.com/Brede

Wishing all of my readers a holiday season filled with blessings and joy.

And Warm Wishes and Gingerbread Kisses for 2021!

Connie Vines