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

 

Once Upon a Cowboy @MaddieJames #RomanceGems

Once upon a time there was a teacher, and one hot August summer, she and her teacher friend went off to a conference in the cool Colorado mountains. The conference was great--what they saw of it, anyway. The trail ride they skipped the afternoon sessions for was a lot more exciting.

You see, there were cowboys.

And this teacher, even though she'd not ridden a horse since she was a kid, made the commitment for a four-hour trail ride into the Colorado mountains--two hours up and two hours back. All was well heading up the mountainside, the scenery was great, the horse was a dream, the cowboys were... well, cowboys.

Coming down the mountain, however, was a different story. The teacher had a difficult time handling her horse on the downward slopes, crossing a little stream, and keeping up with the other horses. She mixed up her signals to her mount. When she thought she was telling the horse to slow down, she was really telling the horse to back up. Consequently, they lost their space in the horse line. So, the horse galloped. And the teacher held on for dear life. And when the teacher was finally finished with this nightmare, she could only think of one thing--

At least there were cowboys.

Now, this story does have a happily-ever-after ending. You see, the teacher turned her adventure into a book. The opening scene--probably elaborated upon a bit--mimicked the teacher's chaotic ride down the mountain. She sold that book--her first published novel--and then the teacher wasn't a teacher any longer. She was a romance author who wrote about cowboys (and other things).

True story. I swear. I have the book covers to prove it! The original book is on the left, the revised/rebranded and re-authored book, is on the right!

Now, twenty-some years later, the sequel to this first cowboy book, is finally written. 

Readers have been asking for Mack and Jillie's story for years. Years! But other stories and different cowboys got in the way. Until now. 

The Cowboy's Secret Baby releases August 25, and I (Maddie James / the teacher) am ready to share it with the world! Here's the blurb: 

She’s the maid of honor. He’s the best man. 

Both are keeping secrets from the other.

The long-requested sequel to Maddie James’ first published novel, Roses & Rawhide is now available!

Readers wanted to know...
What happened to Jillie and Mack’s relationship at the end of Roses & Rawhide?
Why did Jillie go back to Kentucky?
Will they get back together?
What’s their story?

While Kim Martin and Thad Winchester find their happily-ever-after in Roses & Rawhide, their best friends, Jillie Abernathy and Mack Montgomery, end their sleeping-bag-sharing relationship during the rugged, two-week pack trip into the Colorado San Juan mountains.

But when Kim and Thad host their wedding at Thad’s Colorado ranch a few months later, Mack and Jillie must come face-to-face with reality—and with each other. She’s the maid of honor. He’s the best man. Both are harboring secrets—secrets that could break a potential future relationship if they both avoid telling the truth.

Can they reveal those secrets to each other? And if so, can they get past the withheld truths to plan a future together?

PREORDER TODAY!

DON'T FORGET! A NEW BOX SET AND A FREE COCKTAILS BOOK!

Some of the Romance Gems have teamed together to release a new box set with all-new summer beach stories, and their favorite summer cocktail recipe in a free book! See the details below!

GET THE $0.99 BOX SET! | GRAB YOUR FREE COCKTAILS BOOK!  

And last, I'd love it if you would comment below to win our monthly giveaway prize. Details are here.

COMMENT & WIN QUESTION: My chaotic ride down the mountain on the trail horse was not my most glamorous moment of all time. In fact, it was quite embarrassing. What's your most embarrassing moment? Comment below & (maybe) win!

****

Maddie James writes romance – but don’t try to pin her down to one genre. From edgy suspense to flirty contemporary romance to darker erotic titles, she writes to silence the people in her head. Affaire de Coeur says, “James shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claims, “James deftly combines romance and suspense.” Learn more at www.maddiejames.com.

The Summer Solstice and Special Deals by Jan Scarbrough

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac:

In 2020, the June solstice is Saturday, June 20, at 5:44 p.m. EDT. This date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight.) At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.

Okay, it’s not technically summer yet (in the Northern Hemisphere), but it feels like it in Kentucky! It’s HOT! On these almost-summer nights, I’ve spent my time reading. And if you like reading like I do, I happen to have a few specials just for you.

My writing buddy Maddie James and I have a series of contemporary Western romances called The Montana Ranchers.

We’ve put them into a Five-Book Box Set called the Montana McKennas and it’s on sale for 99 cents for a limited time! Here’s where you can find the set at all of the familiar ebook retailers.

I’m also about to release my mystery-romance trilogy called The Ghost Mountain Ranch. The first book is already available for 99 cents. I call it Hank: Ghost Mountain Ranch Book 1. Here are the digital buy links.

On Christmas Eve, Hank accepts the job of ranch foreman over the mountains in the Gallatin Canyon, Montana. But something dark is happening at the Ghost Mountain Ranch, where the past is reaching out in dangerous ways to haunt the living.

One thing you might want to know about Hank is that it was published in 2017 as Home for the Holidays, so you may have read it. When I wrote it, I wanted it to be Hank’s transition from the McKenna Ranch to the ranch across the mountain. Hank becomes the hero in the book to be released June 19 – Darby: Ghost Mountain Ranch Book 2.

Now, if you’d like to get a free copy of Hank, I’m giving it away to my newsletter subscribers on Wednesday. All you have to do is go to my website and sign up for my newsletter! https://janscarbrough.com/contact/

The authors of the Romance Gems are giving away Amazon Gift Cards again this month. Go to our Monthly Giveaway page for all the details.

October 3rd by Karen Whiddon

So much is going on in the world, sometimes it's difficult to concentrate.  I have to walk to find my quiet space, and then lose myself in the world I've created inside my books.  I just turned in a Harlequin Romantic Suspense that will be out in 2020 and started my next one that's due 12-15-19.  I adore writing for this line.

I'm also slowly getting up books for which the rights have reverted to me.  I just had covers made for The Wolf Prince as well as The Wolf Princess.  Look for them on Amazon soon.

I love October.  Halloween decorations, fall colors, and lower temperatures (soon, please, soon!)  It's the last quarter of the year, which happens to include my favorite holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!  Decorations, parties to attend, lots of good food.  Yumm!  There's little I like better than curling up in my recliner next to the fireplace, with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book!  I can't wait.  But first, summer has to let loose of Texas!

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO -- https://youtu.be/-H1auoGa30A -

I'm giving away a paperback copy of my Harlequin Romantic Suspense book - Texas Ranch Justice. (Unless winner is outside of the continental United States, in which case I'll send an ebook)  The deadline for entering this Giveaway is Sunday, October 5th.

NO TRICKS—JUST TREATS

Every Day is Treat Day in October. Each author will give away a prize of her choice on her posting day. That's 31 days of prizes! 

To be entered in the random drawing for a paperback copy of  Texas Ranch Justice, leave a comment with your email address written out (not as a hot link) on this post.

The deadline for doing this is Sunday night at 8:00pm Central time. I’ll draw the winner's name Monday, October 7, and notify the winner by email and by leaving a comment on this post.

By the way, in case you wonder why Authors give away books, it’s simple. We want to introduce new Readers to our writing.

If you want to say thanks to the Author, please post a review of the book. Just a few sentences saying why you liked the book is all that is needed! Do this, and Authors will adore you!

But Wait, There's More

Yes, indeedy! We're not just doing a daily random drawing for a prize. We're also doing a Rafflecopter with 4 Amazon Gift Card Prizes. Whoop! Big money! Visit our Monthly Giveaways Page for all the details.  

My Summer Reading List by Lucinda Race #RomanceGems

Hello again.

It’s Summer and it’s HOT!

So, for the months of June, July and August I’ve embarked on a personal reading challenge. To read at least one book from every author in the #RomanceGems group. Prior to deciding to make this a short-term goal I did have a reading goal on Good Reads. But I’ve gone from twenty-four books as my goal to adding twenty more. But where to begin.

As an author of ten books I have a favorite and I was sure the other amazing authors in our group did too, so I asked. Where do I begin? 

So far, I’ve read Joan Reeves, Bonnie Edwards, Kathy Lawless, Elsa Kurt, Karen Kelly, Connie Vines, Jan Scarbrough and Kathryn Hills. Each novel or series of books I’ve read has been a wonderful diversion in the long wonderful days of summer.

I’ve been diligent to post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookbub to support this amazing and talented group of authors is very important to do. Writers supporting writers is critical as writing and editing is such a solitary pursuit.

My kindle is full of books to be read and up next is anyone’s guess. But I see some amazing books in my future. If you’re interested in my reviews check out my Goodreads page. Every word is honest and comes from the love of reading. 

When I was telling a friend what I was doing she said it reminded her of the reading list she got from her teachers each summer. I had to laugh at the comparison but this is much better than the assignments of old. I know that as a romance novel junkie I’m going to spend the summer falling in love again and again.

Don’t forget to sign up for this month’s contest. 

BEACHES and BOOK BOYFRIENDS is the Romance Gems Julytheme. Enter our drawing for a chance to win 1 of 3 Amazon Gift Cards and fun beach books too! Read the post, leave a comment, and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway.

Until next time, 

I wish you happiness. 

Lucinda