What's Luck Got To Do With It by Laura Hunsaker

Lucky In Love 

If you saw my comment on the Coffee Chat, you'll see that someone was unlucky enough to have me as his Valentine's Day date (click here to read it). But while that was unlucky for him, I guess it was lucky for me. I met my husband shortly after that disastrous date.

My husband and I will have been married for 19 years this summer. For a man who doesn't believe in love at first sight, he says he took one look at me and knew I was the one. Our almost 20 years together seem to have a pretty solid basis for the fact the he at the very least believes in love at first sight with me ;)

Our story is a fun one. We met on the Las Vegas Strip one night and the rest is history. I was in the back of a Jeep with my friend and a boy she liked. Some cute boys in a red car kept hollering at us (we ignored them). 

At a red light, one of them yelled, "Hey! Is that your boyfriend up there?" I rolled my eyes at him and said, "If he were my boyfriend, he'd be sitting next to me right here." I patted my seat. That cute boy hopped out of the car and climbed in next to me!

I was like, "Uhh...do this a lot?" as I pressed myself against the side of the seat away from the weirdo who had just jumped in. "No, first time. So what are you doing tonight?" I was sassy, and told him, "Dropping you off at the next corner." "He laughed and said, "Okay, but you should let me buy you dinner sometime." 

I wound up staying out until 4am with him (not alone, in our group!), and luckily he had absolutely no other creeper tendencies. I kept thinking I'd just gotten out of a relationship (See bad Valentine's Day Coffee Chat again) and I didn't really want a boyfriend...but he was pretty awesome and here we are almost 20 years later. We have our own Happily Ever After ending right now, and I thank my lucky stars he was bold enough to hop into the back of that Jeep with me. 

If you'd like to read a happy story where the characters are lucky in love, grab my short story DREAMS OF THE PAST for $.99.

 

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She needs rest, he needs relaxation… 

Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs. 

What she doesn’t need is a man. 

Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal. 

He never expected to find a woman in his bed. 

A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months. 

Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Hygge by Laura Hunsaker

I love being cozy. I mean who doesn't, right? Well the other day I saw a post on Instagram by my local library talking about swinging by and picking up a Hygge Pack. A what pack? That's what I said too! Some of you may be ahead of the game and know all about "Hygge Life" (my sister knew! I guess I'm not cool lol). 

Hyggye is "Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment." Well shoot, a mood that is all about being cozy? I am in.

I'd already bought a soft throw blanket, and some very soft slipper-socks now that I'm working from home, and I think I'm ready to level-up to Hygge. I started with fluffy socks, my soft throw blanket, my comfiest yoga pants, a cardigan since my upper half needs to be presentable on Google Meets, my writing gloves, and grabbed a scarf. Not just any scarf...but the softest merino wool scarf ever! It's lovely and warm and I was so cozy it was ridiculous! I grabbed my coffee and dogs and went to work.

I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I don't even care. Coziness for all!

I think I'm going to really enjoy living the Hygge Life...

So what do you think? Hygge for Life? Do you have a cozy fave? A blanket? A candle? Fuzzy socks? What's your cozy must have?

In January, my story from the Last Chance Beach box set will go live. I've added a scene and freshened up the covers in the series...stay tuned for the new cover!

Dreams of the Past

Pre-Order now!

The story Alexandra Ivy called,"A story filled with charm, heartache and the promise of love that will bring a smile your face. Jenny and Scott are the perfect couple."

She needs rest, he needs relaxation… 

 Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs. 

What she doesn’t need is a man. 

 Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal. 

 He never expected to find a woman in his bed. 

 A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months. 

 Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Life Cycle of a Work In Progress by Laura Hunsaker

I did something amazing this past weekend. I wrote the words THE END on my latest book! This has to be one of a writer's favorite things.

The life cycle of a rough draft is nuts, I mean, you start out thinking that you have the best idea! You can't wait to write all the ideas down. You want them out of your head as fast as your fingers can type them. You know you can fix it when you edit, I mean Nora Roberts said, "You can't edit a blank page." So you write.

In your mind you see Henry Cavill as the Witcher! But on the page is...Ross in leather pants. 

Even worse, then you get stuck. And you procrastinate, and then you go back to it, then you poke around online a bit, then you go back to it, and throughout it all, your idea that you loved so much is still bright and shiny! You just need to climb out of this plothole over here, or jump over that speedbump in your story.

Then you're back to writing and you have a big moment coming up! It's amazing, it's brilliant, it...stinks. It really stinks. But-but the shiny! The best idea! All the words! Nope, they all stink, every last one of 'em. But you've got a deadline and you've gotten this far, so lets finish up the words.

Then something miraculous happens. You finish, you type the words THE END, and things make sense, they tie together, they work! Your book really is the best! The shine is back on it, and you think to yourself, "Huh, that doesn't stink after all." And that elation is the best. Then you celebrate! For me, it's a nap and some wine.

This got me thinking, what do other people do once they've reached a goal, or a milestone? So I ask you, what do you do when you've hit a milestone?

Join my Newsletter for a chance to get all my amazing milestones straight to your inbox! ;) Seriously, though, I only email you when I have something exciting to announce like a new cover or a new release. 

Sign up here

Meanwhile my latest release is called Dreams of the Past and you can get it for $.99 in the Last Chance Beach box set (also free in Kindle Unlimited)

There are 14 amazing stories in this box set all taking place on the tourist island of Last Chance Beach. Grab it now and escape the world for a bit! With second chance romance, love at first sight, mature romance, and enemies to lovers, there's a story for everyone!

Dreams of the Past

She needs rest, he needs relaxation…

Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs.

What she doesn’t need is a man.

Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal. 

He never expected to find a woman in his bed.

A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months. 

Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Interview with a Vampire by @karilemor #RomanceGems

We’re here at GEMs headquarters waiting to speak with none other than Darcy Marx, from the new release, BROKEN DREAMS. We’ve heard Ms. Marx is quite the character and are so pleased she agreed to this interview.

Darcy struts into the room and shakes her head, causing the short black spikes to rustle like grass in a field. The half dozen earrings in each ear sparkle when hit by the sun shining in the window.

“Darcy, thank you so much for meeting us today.”

Darcy plops into a seat and one side of her mouth lifts, “Yeah, whatevs. I had a few minutes since Tanner’s in school right now.”

“Of course. Let’s start with Tanner since you mentioned him. Why don’t you tell us how you came to be his nanny? I mean, you aren’t exactly the Mary Poppins type.”

Her darkly made up eyes narrow as she smirks. “I don’t carry an umbrella or a carpet bag. But I know kids, especially ones who have special needs. And I know how to provide what they need.”

“Your brother is disabled, correct?”

“No, he’s perfectly abled. He does have some developmental delays. But Zane isn’t on today’s menu, understand?” Her voice gets lower with her words.

“Yes, that’s fine. So, Tanner Storm?”

“Tanner and his needs are private, too, but I can tell you how I got the job. I was paired with the kid’s pretentious father in my friend Sara’s wedding. I got to hang out with the kid then, and he’s pretty cool. I started getting calls to help out whenever GQ needed a hand.”

“GQ?”

Darcy shrugs her delicate shoulders and the cut-out neckline of her black t-shirt slips off one.

“Nathaniel Storm, Esquire.  Corporate attorney to a number of New Hampshire’s big businesses. He looks like a GQ ad most of the time.” She lowers her head and mumbles, “Smells like one, too.”

“Ah, we also understand he has a nickname for you?”

Darcy rolls her eyes and grins. “Elvira. Mistress of the dark. I kinda like it.”

“Why does he call you that?”

“It might have had something to do with the all black ensemble I wore to the wedding rehearsal. Though when he first called me that I was draped in a pastel pink bridesmaid dress, so it really didn’t apply. Except maybe the dark lipstick I had on. Probably gave him the idea.”

“What color was it?”

“Blood Moon.” She makes a duck face to emphasize her dark red lips.

“We’d like to ask you about the small part you played in the earlier story, TRUE DREAMS. You set a lot of tongues wagging.”

Darcy laughs and her eyes light up. “Yeah, the boss wasn’t too happy when I kept sticking my nose into a bunch of scenes I hadn’t been scripted for. But let’s face it, every book needs a little comic relief and some good advice. TJ spent so much time organizing coffee cups and sh…stuff that he and Sara never would have gotten together if I didn’t give him a little kick in the pants every now and then.”

“We didn’t see any vampire jokes in True Dreams. Why not?”

Her face scrunches up. “I don’t give out all my secrets. Especially when the limelight needed to be on TJ and Sara.”

“Secrets? Are there any more you’d like to share with us?”

Her eyes grow sad and glisten with tears. After shaking her head, she clears her throat. “I’ve got to get the kid from school. It’s been real. But not real fun.”

Pushing to her combat boot-clad feet, she gives us a nod.

“Well, thank you for meeting with us. Good luck with your nanny position.”

“It’s just until GQ can find someone better. Not that anyone’s better than me.” She pulls keys from her jeans pocket. “My Beamer, courtesy of GQ. Kinda nice perk for the job.”

As she leaves the room, she peeks over her shoulder and gives us a wink.

~

If you could interview one person, fictional or real, living or dead, who would it be? 

COMMENT AND WIN

~~

Darcy's story, BROKEN DREAMS is available at most retailers.  

AND the first few books in the Storms of New England series, are currently on SALE for only 99c.  

But only until Aug 21 so GET THEM NOW!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084QBCGM3

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Kari%20Lemor%22

https://books2read.com/u/49ZqLX

~~

Make sure to check out the stories in our fantastic summer boxed set, LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End. There's something in this collection to suit all readers.   This set is a steal at only 99 cents. 

Plus there’s a free companion cocktail recipe book  Last Chance Cocktail Book

 

To Re-read or Not to Read by Laura Hunsaker

I've noticed that with everything going on in the world, I've had a hard time focusing on new books/TV shows/movies that I typically would love. I took to Twitter and was shocked to see people already talking about that. It's not just me! 

But I was even more shocked to see an article floating around that basically said when people are stressed out, they tend to go for something they've already read or watched because they already know how it ends, therefore the stakes are a bit lower (article is linked here). They go for old favorites because it's comforting (and I definitely love a good comfort read). It's like a warm blanket. 

I have three books on my ereader that I can think of off-hand that I should be devouring. And yet...I keep going back to old faves. Then I feel guilty that I'm spending my precious reading time with something I've already read. I should be reading something new and shiny!

But...my faves are shiny too. I figure since they make me happy, isn't the the important part? I read because it makes me happy. I have a friend however who never re-reads anything. Once the book has been read, that's that. (no judgement! Just different ways of reading!)

Comment to enter our August giveaway

So how about you? Are you a fan of the re-read? Or do you read the book once and move on? There's no right or wrong answer here, it's all about you and what sparks joy for you. For me? I want that warm blanket of a comfort read. 

If you want something happy, comforting, and light, check out our Last Chance Beach box set!

14 happy beach reads and summer romances all for $.99!

My story is Dreams of the Past. In it, Jenny needs some rest, Scott needs some relaxation...but will they get what they want when they both wind up booking the same beach cottage?

And don't forget there's a free companion book called Cocktails on Last Chance Beach

Cover Reveal: Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker

Meet me in Last Chance Beach...

I'm a California Girl at heart. I was born there, my family is there, and my favorite beaches are there. I may not live near the beach anymore, but it's always been a huge part of me. In one of my books Highland Games, my heroine is a surfer. I usually have a "theme song" for each book. And for that one, it was "California Girls" by the Beach Boys.

Well, I've had "The Boys of Summer" by the Ataris (or the Eagles, if you prefer) stuck in my head for the past month or so, and now I can tell you why! I am so excited to share Dreams of the Past with you all! It will be included in the Last Chance Beach: Summer's End box set, and I hope that you hear The Boys of Summer in your head as you read, because I feel it really captures the Summer Romance/End of Summer Vibe this set has. You're going to love it!

Dreams of the Past is part of my Fatal Instincts world, but can be read as a stand-alone story, and I really hope you'll enjoy Scott and Jenny's summer romance.

Pre-Order HERE

Go check out The Legend of Last Chance Beach, and prepare for 14 amazing summer beach reads!

She needs rest, he needs relaxation… 

Jenny Travers wants a fresh start. Leaving the nightmares of her past behind her, she heads to Last Chance Beach. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds peaceful and relaxing, which is exactly what she needs.

What she doesn’t need is a man. 

Lieutenant Commander Scott Gordon was injured by an IED on his last mission, and while his leg has healed, it’ll never be strong enough to stay on his SEAL team. Renting the Sea Glass Cottage sounds like the perfect place to figure out how he’s going to handle his new normal.

He never expected to find a woman in his bed. 

A mix-up at the rental agency means Jenny and Scott are both renting the small cottage. Sharing a space with a stranger should be hard, yet they both feel more at peace than they have in months.

Will their summer romance last, or is the magic of Sea Glass Cottage all they’ll have…

Look for the box set coming soon and check out the amazing authors in this set!

And don't forget to enter the July giveaway to win an Amazon gift card!


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