Tangled Memories—Even books have history by Jan Scarbrough

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). 

Tangled Memories, 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.

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 Tangled Memories, didn’t go far.

Over the years, Tangled Memories 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 Tangled Memories after a re-edit, update, new blurb, and new cover.

Tangled Memories 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.

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.

Amazon Kindle

Amazon UK

Paperback

Apple Books

Kobo

B&N Nook

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.

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.

Alex has no idea he’s unleashing a destiny that’s taken him seven hundred years to fulfill.

If Alex and Mary are to salvage their future, they must first unravel centuries of…Tangled Memories.

For summer reading take advantage of Kindle Unlimited by Jan Scarbrough

The theme for July is Beach Read Mania. To me this not only means reading books with beach settings but reading for summer fun.

 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 Kindle Unlimited. 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.

Most readers who enjoy ebooks and buy them from Amazon know about Kindle Unlimited.

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.”

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.

Recently, I’ve added a few of my books to Kindle Unlimited. 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.

Ghost Mountain Ranch: 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.”

Betting on Love: A romantic virgin and matchmaking aunt threaten the bachelor days of a Bluegrass chef.  

 Dawsons of Montana: 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.

 

99 cents sale! Such a deal! by Jan Scarbrough

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?

The idea behind my Bluegrass Reunion Series, 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.

In my March blog, I mentioned The Top 12 Most Powerful Tropes in Romance Novels. Second chance romance is one of the twelve. The Bluegrass Reunion Series gives you second chances and other familiar tropes.

Kentucky Woman
What is Jack willing to do to win the heart of this spirited Kentucky woman? (Marriage of Convenience)

Kentucky Blue Bloods
When Kentucky blue blood tangles with British blue blood, are they willing to take a gamble on love? (Enemies to Lovers)

Kentucky Cowboy
Will Mandy take a second chance with her Kentucky cowboy and risk her heart a second time? (Friends to Lovers)

Kentucky Rain
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)

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. Kentucky Cowboy takes advantage of the research I did into professional bull riding. Yes, a professional bull rider can come from Kentucky. Kentucky Rain carries on some of the characters from Kentucky Cowboy.

Interested? You might be more so when you discover the box set is on sale for a limited time for 99 cents! Such a deal, such a deal!

Run on over to your favorite ebook retailer for your copy. Go here for links to Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Apple, Google and more.

And as can be expected…my heroines end up as brides even if not in June!

June Brides: Happily Ever After by Jan Scarbrough

The RWA website: Two basic elements comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.

So, to have an optimistic ending, hero and heroine need to “come together” at the end of the book. Maybe it’s a declaration of undying love. Maybe it’s a proposal. Romance writers don’t often write about what happens AFTER the wedding. Those are stories for another day.

I’ve included actual brides in my books. In Heart to Heart, I simply indicated the bride-to-be by an engagement announcement in the newspaper.

Legend Post-Dispatch

Six months later in the society section:

Martha Fields, a professional animal communicator, is to be married to Jeremy Hamilton, owner of Hamilton Staffing located in Louisville, Kentucky. Ms. Fields is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nate Fields of Legend, Tennessee. Mr. Hamilton is the son of the late David Hamilton of Louisville, Kentucky. A June wedding is planned.

One of my books I actually used “bride” in the title. In Kentucky Bride, I included a newspaper announcement of the wedding.

The Chicago Tribune Online

Aimee Elliott and Camden Brennan were recently married at St. Peter Catholic Church in Skokie with a reception following at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The bride is the daughter of Ray and Martha Elliott of Skokie. Mr. Elliott is the president and CEO of Elliott Construction Company of Chicago. The groom is the son of Henry and Virginia Brennan of Louisville, Kentucky. The bride, 25, received a BS in animal sciences and is the program director for The Hope Therapeutic Riding Center, Shelbyville, Kentucky. The groom, 30, graduated from the University of Kentucky with a MS degree in business. He is president and CEO of Brennan Equipment Company. The couple honeymooned in Ireland, Scotland, London, and Paris and reside in Louisville.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OeizPx 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2M5fT8q

Nook: https://bit.ly/2A3TpzP

iBooks: https://apple.co/2O7PSmr

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2MbaZ9U

In Mercer, Stef and Brody (hero and heroine from book 1) get married. Mercer attends the ceremony.

Stef was a beautiful bride, relaxed and happy and dressed in an off-white, lace-lined, floor-length dress with a short train. It had a corset style bodice with drawstring laced-up back. With her natural-colored boots, she looked pure Montana, ready to ride off into the sunset with her man.

When the minister proclaimed, “You may kiss the bride,” Brody swept her into his arms and bent her backward in a long, drawn-out kiss. The audience broke into cheers and applause. Mercer didn’t think she would ever stop clapping. It was so darn romantic she wanted to cry.

Writers are often told to start a story where it begins. In Tangled Memories, I realized the story started when my characters married, so the beginning of the story describes the wedding.

His eyes were gray. I had never noticed before. They weren’t the color of slate but smoky and mysterious.

Swallowing a hard knot of dread that surfaced in my throat, I walked down the silent aisle toward him. Chin held high, very lady-like in posture and demeanor, a trace of smile upon my lips—I was the picture of confidence.

Inside, I trembled.

I stopped in front of the altar. A cloying scent of gardenias assaulted my senses. How curious the delicate white flowers in my bouquet should be so overpowering. Just like the man beside me. Just like the deep, heady gray of his eyes.

I extended my hand. He took it, and I drew a breath and held it. The firmness of his fingers surprised me.

“Friends.” The minister glanced up at us and smiled. “We are gathered together in the sight of God to witness and bless the joining together of Mary and Alexander in Christian marriage.”

Kindle: http://bit.ly/TM_Amazon

iBooks: http://bit.ly/TM_iBooks

Kobo: http://bit.ly/TM_Kobo

B&N: http://bit.ly/1P8RfzW 

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/TM_AmazonUK

Romance Gems authors honor June Brides this month. Please take time to add some of our brides to your summer reading list.

Write what you know by Jan Scarbrough

My parents were married for fifty-three years. I wasn’t so lucky. I spent many years as a “single mother.” Of course, that experience found its way in many of my books.

The Bluegrass Reunion series has several things in common: Kentucky setting, horses, reunions, and single moms. It wasn’t until twenty years after my divorce that I wrote about a divorced single mom in Kentucky Rain. Kate Lawrence’s rose-colored glasses are rudely yanked off when her divorce leaves her without her home, her friends, and her identity as the perfect stay-at-home wife and mother.

In other series books, my single moms were without the fathers of their children for various reasons. In Kentucky Woman, ex-jockey Alexis Marsden is raising her son by herself until her son’s older brother intervenes by offering her a marriage of convenience.

 Life isn’t easy for the widowed Carrie Mercer in Kentucky Groom. Jay Preston has always wanted to be loved for himself, not his millions, but when the shy widow and her little daughter need him, he offers a marriage of convenience.

Horse trainer Melody O’Shea in Kentucky Flame has given up her daughter for adoption. Ten years later she returns to the Kentucky horse farm where her secret daughter lives, and so does the unsuspecting father. 

Veterinarian Mandy Sullivan doesn’t have room in her life for dangerous risk-takers. She’s too busy being both mother and father to the daughter her sister abandoned in Kentucky Cowboy. When professional bull rider Judd Romeo returns home, Mandy’s perfect and safe life is disrupted big time.

Darby, in the Ghost Mountain Ranch series, is the widowed mother of two adult children, Slade and Kelsey. They both have a story in the series.

The same goes for Liz in the Dawsons of Montana. When a handsome stranger arrives at the ranch, Liz—divorced and widowed—fears her daughter-in-law is playing matchmaker. Her children, Brody and Mercer, are also featured in the series. (This series is on Kindle Unlimited.)

Novelists are always instructed to “write what you know.” I haven’t lived in Medieval England, but I’ve set a story there (after doing tons of research). I once heard an argument by a woman who said she was psychic. She claimed unless you were psychic you couldn’t write about one. But I have. I do suppose putting your experiences into books is only natural. That doesn’t mean I can’t write about a bull rider or a horse trainer if I haven’t been one.

But I have been a single mother.

My mother and I were at odds for many years. I was an only child, and of course, much loved. But I had my growing pains as we all do during our teenage years. By the time my mother died, we were friends. I miss her every day and often want to tell her things that have happened in my life. Most of all, I’d love to share my grandchildren with her. I can hope she's watching from heaven and knows about them, and about how much I still love her.

Showers of Riches by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

A week or so ago, when I said, Sure, I'll write a post for a vacant day, I threw that title up there at the top to save my place. "Showers of Riches." Because, you know, showers for April. Riches because...well, because no one had used it yet. And because, when I went to adding them up, April does indeed offer an abundance of them.

Both of my parents were born in April, as were my oldest son and two of my grandkids. That same son married my beloved daughter-in-law 31 years ago on the 30th. I am grateful beyond measure.

But this is a writing blog, isn't it, and my writing life hasn't been quite so enriched in past years. While I'm happy for those who've had great years and who are embracing the changes I can't quite keep up with--actually, there's no "quite" to it; I can't keep up, period--I've spend most of the past several years wondering about my place in publishing. In the inimitable words of Clash, "Should I stay or should I go?"

Of course, it was never a real tossup. I'm staying. Probably until they withdraw the mouse from my cold, dead hand. But I've talked about quitting so much my friend Nan rolls her eyes and my husband completely ignores me. (He does that on other occasions, too, but we're not talking about that today.)

So I did what writers always do. I asked my friends what it was like for them.

Kari Lemor said, "Every time I look at my dashboard and see days and weeks of no sales, I think 'what's the point?' But then the stories in my head nag at me to write them. I'm not really given a choice."

Well, yes, there is that...and Nancy Fraser agreed. "Like Kari, the stories that pop into my head keep me going. I'd hate think how crowded it would get in there if I didn't get them out."

Marcia King-Gamble said, "After writing as many as five books a year, and managing a demanding full time job, traditional publishing underwent a change.  Publishers began buying  a different kind of book. Sex really does sell. My income took a hit, but I couldn't not write. There's still a market out there for readers who want good stories with a slower sensual build."

From Bonnie Edwards: "I'm not sure what my mind would be full of. Without writing I envision a huge black void, like the deepest reaches of space...infinite, cold and alone. What would I fill that with if not characters and stories?

The whole idea is terrifying."

M. J. Schiller said, "I've never thought of quitting, but scaling back on marketing, yes! I have a few more books I want to get out and aggressively market and the others I will take more time with and make it more of a hobby than a job."

From Jan Scarbrough: "Writing is part of my identity. When I was getting chemo last summer, I couldn’t volunteer, I couldn’t go horseback riding, but I could write."

Kara Watson says: "I keep publishing so I can make my characters real. If they stayed in a manuscript on a laptop, no one else would ever get to know them. And that's so sad to me."

From Amie Denman: "Writing makes me happy, and I need a place for all the stories in my head!"

For myself, once I asked this question, I thought over and over about how many 1000s of words I've written since the beginning of the pandemic. Did it make my voice different? Uh-huh. But it gave writers an endless and bottomless place to put our frustration. It reminded us every day that even masked and distanced, we could still laugh, love, and work. 

Quit? Oh, no. Not going to happen.

Thanks to everyone for their answers to my "help me with this!" question. Both the variety and the sameness in the answers reflect back to the blog title, don't they? Whether we are traditionally, indie, or hybrid published, our voices and the methods in which we use them are indeed showers of riches. 

Of course, that prose is a little purple: showers of riches, indeed. Hmph. Obviously, I need an editor. 

April Showers—when it rains it pours by Jan Scarbrough

When I heard the theme for April, I immediately thought of my book Kentucky Rain. After all, showers are on the cover!

I-64 between Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky

Sheets of rain pummeled the windshield, the steady flap-flap-flap of the wiper blades filling the silence of the SUV. Kate Lawrence gripped the steering wheel, unsure whether her blurred vision came from the glare of oncoming headlights reflecting off the rain or from the tears welling in her eyes.

It had been a month since her divorce was final, and tonight was the first time Jerry had taken their daughter. Visitation was an ugly, ugly word.

For the first time since my divorce years earlier, I was ready to write about it in Kentucky Rain. “Exchanging children” had been a staple of many Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Kentucky Rain is the last book in an eight-book series called Bluegrass Reunions. Each book is set in Kentucky and most stories deal with a reunion or second chance at love. Most books have a single mom, but she is a mom for various reasons. Not until Kentucky Rain did, I write about the aftermath of divorce.

When I received my rights back from the initial publisher of the series, I was able to revise each book. My editor looked at each one. I bought new covers to consistently rebrand them. Then my husband published the series on eBook sites for me. Being able to publish these books myself allowed me great freedom. They were better books after another review and edit.

That’s the joy of self-publishing. It’s plenty of work, but it’s worth it because I can write what I want to write. And when something doesn’t work out, I can make a change.

That’s what’s happening to another series of mine. My first three western romances are getting a new series title. I’ve revised each one of the three books. My editor has done her redlining. I have new covers. I’m ready to rebrand the stories of Brody, Mercer, and Liz into The Dawsons of Montana. Who knows? There may be a fourth book in the works. Big happy face.

All three books are on Kindle Unlimited for a limited time.

Grab a FREE copy of My Lord Raven by Jan Scarbrough

The 12th annual Smashwords Read an Ebook Week sale takes place Sunday March 7 through Saturday, March 13, 2021.

MY LORD RAVEN is one of my most popular books. During the Smashwords sale, it is FREE but only on Smashwords.

To protect what little family she has left, Lady Catrin Fitzalan switches places with her cousin when King Edward orders the pious girl to wed his royal champion, a vicious knight called the King’s Raven. Rumors abound that this savage is responsible for the deaths of Lady Catrin’s father and brother. How can she allow her sweet cousin to wed a murderer?

Bran ap Madog, bastard son of a Welsh prince, has devoted his life to serving the English king. His badge is the raven, a creature that feeds off rotting spoils, just as Bran feeds off the spoils of war. Now he wants a reward for his service: a wealthy wife and the land and power she can bring him.

But there’s another side to the rapacious black birds Bran has chosen for his badge. Social and family-oriented, ravens mate for life. Which gives them something Bran never had—a family, a sense of belonging, and a rightful place in the world. Bran has fought for everything he’s ever had. But his last battle, with his new wife, may cost him the one thing he isn’t prepared to lose: his heart.

Grab your FREE book here.

****

In my February blog I wrote:

Romance novels (and Hallmark Channel movies) are about the conflicts leading up to true love. We love reading about whatever keeps the hero and heroine apart, but we always know they will end up happily-ever-after (HEA). Let’s face it, life is not always HEA. Because of that, we often need to escape into the world of books.

We like HEA endings if we read romance. We all want to be lucky in love, don't you think?

Lucky in Love – You Bet! By Jan Scarbrough

When I was a young woman, I didn’t feel so lucky in love. I was head-over-heels in love with my first husband, the father of my children. You guessed it. The marriage didn’t last.

Fortunately for me, I was eventually lucky in love. My husband Bill and I have been married twenty-one years.

The years in between were hard: raising two children by myself, dealing with the ex, working a day job. However, I never gave up hope of finding true love.

That’s probably why I like to write second chance romances.

Second chance romance is a romance trope.


Sophie Pembroke in a blog called The Top 12 Most Powerful Tropes in Romance Novels listed it as one of the popular twelve.

• Friends to Lovers

• Forced Proximity

• Fake Relationship

• Enemies to Lovers

• Marriage of Convenience

• Accidental Pregnancy/Secret Baby/Suddenly Parents

• Second Chance Romance

• Best Friend’s Brother/Sister

• Workplace Romance

• Royalty, Sheikhs, Celebrities and Billionaires

• Amnesia/Mistaken Identity

• Runaway Brides, Best Men and Wedding Planners

She defined a trope like this: “Trope: (in a romantic novel) a plot, theme, device or character used so often that it has become a convention within the genre.”

There’s a debate about what constitutes a “second chance.” 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?

The idea behind my Bluegrass Reunion Series, for the most part, is about the same couple coming together again after a period of time. Sometimes I throw in a “secret baby” or a single mom—and of course, a horse or two.

In other books, my heroine will find her lucky in love partner with a new guy, someone she’s just met.


If you like second chance romances, you’re in luck! Today, I have a fun surprise to share with you...


I’ve teamed up with 50+ fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Second Chance Contemporary Romance novels to 2 lucky winners! 

The Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader!

You can win my novel DARBY: Ghost Mountain Ranch, plus books from authors like Shirleen Davies and Piper Rayne.

 

Enter the giveaway by until March 10 by clicking here bit.ly/SecondChanceRom-Mar21

 

Good luck and enjoy!

 

Romancing Cupid by Jan Scarbrough #RomanceGems

When I saw the blog theme for February, I wondered what to write. So, first thing I did was to look up the definition of Cupid.

Cupid, ancient Roman god of love in all its varieties, the counterpart of the Greek god Eros and the equivalent of Amor in Latin poetry. According to myth, Cupid was the son of Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods, and Venus, the goddess of love. He often appeared as a winged infant carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows whose wounds inspired love or passion in his every victim. He was sometimes portrayed wearing armour like that of Mars, the god of war, perhaps to suggest ironic parallels between warfare and romance or to symbolize the invincibility of love.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Cupid”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Feb. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cupid. Accessed 25 January 2021.

Wow! I love the idea of the invincibility of love. As psychic medium Blair Robertson says, love never dies.

Romance novels (and Hallmark Channel movies) are about the conflicts leading up to true love. We love reading about whatever keeps the hero and heroine apart, but we always know they will end up happily-ever-after (HEA). Let’s face it, life is not always HEA. Because of that, we often need to escape into the world of books.

In my book Liz, the hero Chaz thinks: Novels gave the reader the opportunity to experience the possibility of other choices without actually making those choices. In a book, the reader lived a life outside his normal existence, helping him learn about himself—or herself, as the case might be.

I often let my characters say the truths that I’ve learned from a few years of living. Here are a few quotes from my different books:

The big world beyond was scary.

“C’mon, Mel. Make an old man’s dream come true.”

“That’s just it, dreams don’t come true.” She sounded as if she had voiced an inner conviction.
“Sure, they do, Mel. If you make them come true.”

Stef had also said it was dumb to love a man who didn’t love you back. 

“I guess a person can love more than once.”
“Yes, your dad and I are proof of that.” Liz gave a small laugh, her gaze faraway as if she envisioned someone standing across the floor. “And when that happens, you’re blessed.”

What have you learned anything about yourself from reading a romance novel?

Do you believe that love never dies?

 

Good Luck for 2021 by Jan Scarbrough

Winter Wonderland is our January theme. I’m not into winter, probably because the days are so short and it’s dark and gloomy. We rarely have snow in Kentucky, so the winter sports are not very common here.

In my book Timeless, a contemporary Gothic romance, my heroine Beth does go sledding.

“Want to go sledding?”

His question came out of the blue, completely unexpected. “Sledding?” I asked in a stunned tone.

“A bunch of us are going to Dog Hill this afternoon. It will probably be crowded, but it is a lot of fun.”

“Sledding?” I repeated myself. It sounded fun, but going with Eric? I wasn’t sure about that….

Dog Hill in Louisville’s Cherokee Park never lost that name even after the city built a fenced dog area in another part of the park. Eric told me its history during our ride through streets now blackened with snowy slush. Baringer Hill, as it’s officially called, isn’t for the faint of heart on a snowy day. I stood at the top of it, looking down its long and steep incline wondering if I would chicken out.

“You’ll be in for a wild ride,” Eric said. “Are you up to it?”

If I’d wanted adventure, I was going to get it. The hill was crowded with teenagers and adults. A few children were sprinkled here and there, but this was definitely not a beginner’s hill….

Determined not to let my courage fail me, I took the sled, walked down the hill a little ways to where snow remained packed, dropped the plastic vehicle to the ground, and sat down cross-legged. I paddled with my gloved hands, digging my fingers into the snow, which had basically turned to ice.

The ride started slowly but picked up speed until I was soon flying down the bumpy slope. Cold wind stung my face. My blood rushed with exhilaration as I held on for dear life. All too soon, I was at the bottom, swerving to avoid a tree, and then toppled sideways as I skidded to a stop. After picking myself up and brushing myself off, I trekked up the hill.

The sled was surprisingly lightweight and easy to pull during my hike. Panting hard, I wondered about my sanity. It wasn’t often that I saw my life flash by me like I’d seen during that ride. Exciting, yes. Smart, no….

My own winter includes much calmer pursuits. One of the things I do is feed birds and watch them. This December a special bird showed up at my feeder. It was little and white. I’d never seen such a bird! My neighborhood FB group identified the little guy as a white zebra finch. 

Zebra finches are not native to Kentucky and are kept in captivity. A white one is a mutation. The neighborhood group reported someone’s birds had escaped. My little white guest must have been one of them.

I felt that the little white finch must be good luck.

Beth from Nature’s Portraits by Beth came over to try to capture a photo of the little white bird. She visited my back yard for several days and captured some beautiful pictures. But she had no luck spotting the little white bird.

I do have some special wild birds that do look festive in the winter. The shrub is a winterberry bush, enjoyed by the cardinals, mockingbirds, and especially flocks of robins.

Cardinals are believed to be good luck. “Native American lore states if a cardinal is seen, it is believed that individual will have good luck within 12 days of the sighting.”

I must say I have plenty of good luck around my house with the little white bird and my yard full of cardinals. I look forward to 2021 being better than 2020!

You can follow Beth on FB at Nature’s Portraits by Beth. She sells her photographs, and you can find her email address on her page if you want to purchase a winter bird.

The Gift of Romance Novels by Jan Scarbrough

A romance novel or romantic novel is a type of novel and genre fiction which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.” Wikipedia

A Central Love Story: The main plot centers around individuals falling in love and struggling to make the relationship work. A writer can include as many subplots as he/she wants as long as the love story is the main focus of the novel. Romance Writers of America

I don’t want to concentrate on the plot of a romance novel, but an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. We all know how the novel will end—the guy gets the gal. We feel good about their struggles when they end “happily ever after.” My first editor told me to make my ending more emotionally satisfying. I went back and wrote another ending.

In Kentucky Flame, Mel and Jake reunite after ten years. During the story, Jake learns Cory is his daughter.

“We need to tell Vanessa. Cory is her responsibility.”

Jake frowned. “Isn’t that a cop-out?”

“It may be,” Mel said with a shrug. She climbed down from the fence. “But maybe we can’t make a happy ending out of this.”

Looking thoughtful, Jake put a fingertip under her chin and lifted it. “I don’t know about that. I’m all for happy endings, remember? Dreams do come true.”

“If you make them come true,” Mel finished for him and walked away from him toward the barn.

He hurried to catch up. “I think we can begin to make this turn into a happy ending if you’ll say you’ll marry me.”

She stopped and turned to face him. “This is not time for one of your jokes, Mr. Hendricks.”

“I’m not joking.”

“You can't say that to me in the middle of the driveway.”

“I can ask you to marry me anywhere I please. Remember, I love you.” Jake laughed and cupped her face into his hands. His lips descended upon hers in a liquefying kiss. “I love you, you stubborn woman.”

“Oh,” Mel sputtered, hardly able to think.

Jake lifted his head. “I’m assuming you love me too.”

Mel’s response was breathless. “Of course.”

“And I'm assuming you’ll finally marry me.”

Mel threw her arms around his neck. “Of course, I will.”

“Terrific!” Laughing, Jake scooped her off her feet in a powerful embrace and performed an awkward pirouette.

Her blood rushing in her ears, Mel savored his exhilaration, the safety of his arms, the very thrill of the moment. When she came down to earth, she pushed away ever so slightly and turned her gaze up to touch his face.

“We still haven’t solved our problem,” she told him seriously.

Jake took a deep breath. “Yes, I know. You’re right about talking with Vanessa first, but I think someday Cory has to be told the truth. Besides, whatever happens from now on is our problem, one we work on together.” He hugged her. “Bargain?”

Mel nodded her head. “Bargain.”

With his arm around her shoulder, Jake drew Mel toward the wide entrance of the barn only for them both to be brought up short. High above them in the hay loft with her legs dangling over the side of the opening and an irrepressible smile on her face sat Cory. Had she heard them talking?

Jake squeezed her shoulder and grinned up at Cory. “What are you doing up there, kiddo?”

“Watching you guys.”

Mel’s breathing quickened. “Did you hear what we said?”

Cory’s face fell. “No. You all were too far away. But I saw you kissing.” She brightened. “Are you going to get married?”

Mel and Jake exchanged guilty glances. “Yes.”

“It’s about time,” Cory said with a matter-of-fact little nod.

Mel’s shoulders sagged with relief. “So, why would do you want us to get married?”

“Because you’re my family,” she told them.

Mel’s mouth went dry, and she really thought her heart would crumble. Once more Jake squeezed her shoulder for support.

“How do you figure that?”

“You’re part of my barn family. You know, Vanessa and Pop and Major.”

“I see.” Jake nodded his head.

Her blue eyes were serious. “Besides, if you get married, you’ll stick around.”

“You’d like that?”

“Yep.”

His gaze rested on Mel like a blessing. “We’d like that too, wouldn’t we, Mel?”

She looked up at him. “Yes, we would.”

Jake turned back to Cory. “Well, kiddo, if you plan to show in Kansas City this November, you’ve got a lot of work to do. Hop down and the two of us will give you a riding lesson.”

As Cory scrambled down from the hayloft, Jake kissed the top of Mel’s hair. “It’s going to work out,” he said in a hushed voice, so Cory wouldn't hear. “Thank you so much for giving me my daughter.”

Tears clouded Mel’s eyes and joy caressed her heart. Whispering close to his ear, her response was like a kiss. “You were right. Sometimes dreams do come true.”

I contend that romance novels give us hope.

Hope: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope

If you have hope, you think everything will turn out okay—something good is going to happen.

Without hope, we’d have despair.

Despair: utter loss of hope

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despair

I argue that without hope, we humans are lost. We’d be unable to survive the trials and tribulations of life. Sure, our earthly problems teach us lessons. There’s probably a reason for them in the long run, but without hope that life will get better, we’d be bogged down in our troubles. We’d have no optimism.

Right now, I’m optimistic Christmas holidays will be better than Thanksgiving. My husband and I ate dinner alone without our family. I have hope I’ll be able to see my grandchildren at the end of December. 

After all, my online shopping needs to be delivered!

 

Can We Be Thankful for 2020? By Jan Scarbrough

Every year, I write a Christmas letter to family. The tradition started with my father’s letters to his family and friends. I simply carry it on. My husband maintains a family website where he’s collected PDFs of all these letters. It makes for a grand family history.

In preparation for this blog, I looked at the 2019 Christmas letter. It was filled with references to trips to Florida and Chicago and visits to family, attendance at volleyball and football games, and pictures of the grandchildren. When I think about what I have to write about for the 2020 letter, I become a bit depressed. No trips. No ball games. No family gatherings with pictures. I don’t even know if we can host a big crowd for Thanksgiving Dinner.

2020 has been some sort of odd year with the pandemic and quarantines and protests. I’ve been faced with a major health problem. The days seem to run together. The routine is…well…routine.

But I still maintain a sense of humor. I buy a Christmas ornament every year. This is the 2020 one! LOL!

I can be thankful for still having a funny bone. I remain thankful for my husband who takes such good care of me. I’m thankful for my children and stepchildren and all ten grandchildren. That never changes, no matter if we don’t see each other often. I miss my horseback riding lessons and my volunteering but hope to return to those activities in 2021.

I’m also thankful for my Romance Gems writing buddies and my editor Karen. In 2020, I finished the Ghost Mountain Ranch series, and wrote two stories for two anthologies: Last Chance Beach: Summer's End and Christmas Comes to Dickens. Being able to network with a group of like-minded women this year has been valuable.

Several years ago, I researched 1968 and 1969 for a book. I lived through that time, but I was young. My mind was on friends and school and probably in the clouds. The research reminded me how filled with controversy those years were. I look back at my parents’ lives. They survived the Great Depression and WWII. Everyone’s life contains challenges. Ultimately, we learn from them. We can be thankful for the chance to change and learn and make the best of what troubles we face.

If you’d like to see how I managed to create a happily-ever-after ending back in the day, download A Groovy Christmas. It’s only 99 cents!

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Falling in Love – It takes two by Jan Scarbrough

I’ve learned one thing about romantic love in all my years. It takes two people. Those two people must want to make it work. During my first year of college, I asked my mother how you know if a man was the right one to marry. I remember clearly, she said “you never know.”

So, falling in love is always a risk. We romance authors write plenty of stories about heroes and heroines hurt by love. We also strive to make our endings “happily-ever-after.” No such thing in real life, but sometimes we come close to it.

When I opened the door to a blind date after four years single and no dates, I had no clue that five years later, I’d marry the guy and twenty years after that, we’d still be together. Our first conversation around dinner was about his two nearly grown children and mine. Our kids were the same age. Then we talked computers. I was a technical writer and he was a computer programmer. We had something in common.

What do you remember talking about to your significant other when you first met?

In my Ghost Mountain Ranch series, the first FREE book is called Hank. It was originally published as a Christmas novella for the Montana McKennas series written with Maddie James. I had always intended to take Hank away from the McKenna Ranch to work at one across the mountain. The ending of Hank’s story in the book that bears his name is anything but happily after. He had to wait until the next book Darby to get his romantic happy ending. Here’s an excerpt.

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Darby drew a breath before speaking. “What did you say to me that night at the hospital?” She paused. “You know, when I left.”

Hank ran a hand through his thick head of hair and swallowed hard as if he suddenly grew nervous. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Grinning, Darby shook her head. “You know very well what you said, but it was so faint, I was afraid I’d heard you wrong.”

He offered a bemused smile. “Oh.”

Was he sweating? He’d never said he loved her. She’d just gone on the assumption years ago. But as the saying went, assuming something was never wise.

“I think you said the L word,” she teased.

He blushed, turning as red as his red flannel shirt.

“If you meant it, you need to convince me. It’s time to cowboy up, buster.”

Hank’s jaw clinched. He hesitated a moment, then placed his hands on the desktop and pushed to his feet. There was a new determination in his eyes.

“Darby York, you know damn well I love you.”

She tucked her chin, playing coy. “I do?”

He came around the desk and pulled her into his arms, holding her in a great big grizzly bear hug. They stood that way, drawing warmth from each other, feeling each other’s heartbeat, until Darby slipped her arms around his neck.

“I always thought you knew,” Hank whispered, “but I could never say it.”

“I did know, but it’s always nice to hear it said.”

“Biggest mistake I ever made. Not telling you.”

Darby drew back a little to gaze into his eyes. “My biggest mistake was running from the ranch and you.”

“No,” he said firmly. “There are reasons for things. You’ve had a good life. You’ve got your two kids.”

Yes, she had her kids, and she’d had a wonderful life. But her life wasn’t over. A new chapter was just beginning.

“What if I stayed at the ranch, too,” she ventured. “But I won’t stay unless you agree to marry me.”

His mouth dropped open.

“Because I love you, too, Hank Slade.”

Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips so completely that the past was forgotten. Only the present mattered. They would make a new future together.

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Last Chance Beach: Summer's End is here for only a few more weeks. The box set is still only 99¢ and is available on Amazon.

If you haven't picked up your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach, do that too. Our little recipe book is still in the Top 100 of Bestselling Special Occasion, Beverages, etc. on Kindle.

Do you have a passion? by Jan Scarbrough #RomanceGems

I’ve known people who don’t have a passion for something, and I’m sad for them. I’m not talking about an obsession for ice cream or pizza, but something that colors your life and makes it better.

For me, one of my passions is horses. If you know anything about me, I wouldn’t have to tell you that, would I? My love of horses began in the fourth grade with the Black Stallion Books. A year or so later, my parents gave me riding lessons—hunter jumpers. I fell off a few times and got scared. My passion was hidden for a while until my nine-year-old daughter asked for riding lessons. Six months later, I started riding lessons too, deciding I wouldn’t live my life through my daughter.

That began my obsession with American Saddlebreds. Over the years, I’ve owned three of them, but I don’t own one now. I continue to take riding lessons so I can get a weekly horse fix. My favorite is a big boy named Calloway’s Aspiration—or barn name Dan. I even own 1.5% of a Thoroughbred racehorse named Fire Marshall Bill. He was second in a race at Churchill Downs September 1^st. He’s only three, but no, he didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby.

So, it was only natural that one of my first books was about American Saddlebred horses. Kentucky Flame finds two trainers, the hero and heroine, competing against each other at a big horse show. For another book, I toured Kentucky horse country for the setting of Kentucky Blue Bloods.

Do you have a passion for something? Maybe it’s not a living creature, but something you like to do—playing golf, cooking, ball room dancing, gardening, sewing, fishing. Whatever it is, does it make your life better?

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Don’t forget to grab your copy of LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End, where Dreams go to live again. Find true love at #LastChanceBeach. 14 all-new #Romance #ShortStories from bestselling, award winning authors. 

Which one? Paperback or eBook? by Jan Scarbrough

Ghost Mountain Ranch Series

“Hello. I’m a romance writer. Yes, I have published books. You can find them at Amazon. They are cheaper as ebooks.”

When I tell people, I write romance novels and hand them my card, hoping they will buy a copy of one of my ebooks, I often get the standard “Oh, I don’t read ebooks. I love to feel a real book in my hands.”

How do you come down on this topic? Do you prefer real paperback or hardback books, or can you make do with a digital novel on your tablet or cell phone?

An article written five years ago shows scientists were becoming concerned about the switch to digital. “Research suggests that recall of plot after using an e-reader is poorer than with traditional books." See the article Readers absorb less on Kindles than on paper, study finds in The Guardian.

My bookshelves 

For myself, I have shelves of paperbacks and hardbacks. Mrs. Neff, my ninth-grade teacher, told us we should own books. And of course, my father collected books. My mother read library books all the time.

Over the years, I’ve culled my books, giving them to a charity book sale. But I still have hundreds. I also have hundreds of ebook downloads from Amazon. It's so easy to "Buy with 1-Click."" When I wait at a doctor’s office or when I take my lunch hour at work, it is very convenient to open the Kindle app on my iPhone and start reading. It's easier than carrying a bulky paperback.

Paperback version

However, I like to use paperback when I’m doing research and underlining and taking notes. Yet, I find it’s easier to read an ebook on my iPad in bed. No trouble holding the book and turning pages.

So, I come down on both sides of the fence. Not totally for, but certainly not against. What do you think about ebooks? Do you prefer the feel of paper or are you digital all the way?

Ghost Mountain Ranch Series on Kindle

Ghost Mountain Ranch Series in Paperback

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Have you bought your copy?

LAST CHANCE BEACH is the island paradise where Dreams go to live again and Wishes may come true. It's Summer's End on the island, and the cottages, condos, hotels, and bungalows are filled to capacity.

There's plenty of time left to find summer fun and summer love, new romances and second chances, hot alpha males and heartwarming heroes, love at first sight and romantic delight, enemies to lovers and opposites attract.

Throw a log on the beach bonfire tonight and celebrate LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End, a special romance collection of 14 all-new short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors. These summer stories—created especially for this collection—will thrill the hopeful romantic in you. Some are sweet: some are sizzling! Some are humorous; some are serious. All the stories will make you sigh!

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End will make you want to book a vacation to the island of legend and love, the place where soul mates find each other and love at first sight happens all the time!