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…

At the End of the Day... by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

I wrote this a long time ago and have used it several times. My apologies if you're seeing it again, but my parents' wedding anniversary would have been this week and they've been on my mind. 

 

In 2013. I had a book out called A Soft Place to Fall, about a marriage gone wrong and how two people found ways to make it right. I still have a soft spot for that book and for long marriages. I regret that I sometimes get a little too glib when I talk about it--I make it all sound easy when it's not at all. At the end of the day, though, marriage is private and what goes on within it is not to be shared. No one really understands anyone else's. Looking back on this, my feelings toward my parents' marriage haven't changed, but I have come to realize that--at the end of that day I just mentioned--it wasn't really any of my business.

“A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” ― Dave Meurer

On September 28, 1935, my parents went to a minister’s house and got married. My dad wore a double-breasted suit and my mom had on a hat. They stayed married through the rest of the Great Depression and three wars, through the births of six children and the death of one at the age of three, through failing health and the loss of all their parents and some of my father’s siblings. Dad died in 1981, Mom in 1982. They were still married.

From the viewpoint of their youngest child, who was born in their early 40s when they thought they were finished with all that, it was the marriage from hell. I never saw them as a loving couple, never saw them laugh together or show affection or even hold hands. They didn’t buy each other gifts, sit on the couch together, or bring each other cups of coffee. The only thing I was sure they shared was that—unlike my husband and me—they didn’t cancel out each other’s vote on Election Day.

“Why on earth,” I asked my sister once, “did they stay together all those years? Mom could have gone home to her family, even if she did have to take a whole litter of kids. Heaven knows Dad could have.” (He was the adored youngest son and brother—he could do no wrong.)

Nancy gave me the look all youngest siblings know, the one that says, “Are you stupid?” When you’re grown up, it replaces the look that says, “You’re a nasty little brat.” But I regress.

“Don’t you get it?” my sister asked. Her blue eyes softened. So did her voice. “They loved each other. Always. They just didn’t do it the way you wanted them to.”

Oh.

I remembered then. When they stopped for ice cream because Mom loved ice cream. How they sat at the kitchen table across from each other drinking coffee. How thin my dad got during Mom’s long illness because “I can’t eat if she can’t.” When they watched Lawrence Welk reruns together and loud because—although neither would admit it—their hearing was seriously compromised.

And the letters. The account of their courtship. We found them after Mom’s death, kept in neat stacks. They wrote each other, in those days of multiple daily mail deliveries, at least once a day and sometimes twice. When I read those letters, I cried because I’d never known the people who wrote them.

I have to admit, my parents’ lives had nothing to do with why I chose to write romantic fiction. I got my staunch belief in Happily Ever After from my own marriage, not theirs. But how you feel about things and what you know—those change over the years.

As much as I hated my parents’ marriage—and I truly did hate it—I admire how they stuck with it. I’ve never appreciated the love they had for each other, but I’ve come to understand that it never ended. I still feel sorry sometimes for the little girl I was, whose childhood was so far from storybook that she wrote her own, but I’m so grateful to have become the adult I am. The one who still writes her own stories.

But—and this is the good part—these are the things I know.

Saying “I love you” doesn’t always require words. Sometimes it’s being unable to eat because someone else isn’t. Sometimes it’s stopping for ice cream. Sometimes—and I realized this the other day when my husband and I were bellowing “Footloose” in the car—it’s hearing music the same way, regardless of how it sounds to anyone else.

Marriage is different for different people. So is love. So is Happily Ever After.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad.

If you don't have it yet, run by Amazon and order Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. It may be the best 99 cents you'll spend this week! 

TV Shows That Were Canceled Before Their Time by Laura Hunsaker

 Recently I was chatting with a friend about my new obsession: Lucifer on Netflix. Why oh why didn't I start this sooner! Which reminded me that's exactly what I said about Galavant, I mean seriously, why didn't I start that show sooner?

Which led us to the topic of TV shows that were cancelled before I even got into them. I'm behind the times I guess! 

So, which TV shows were canceled before their time?
I've heard a lot of people are still salty about Firefly, Sleepy Hollow, and Veronica Mars.

For me I only have a couple: 

Moonlight- A Vampire and an investigative journalist...how did this show not get more seasons?

Pitch- I'm not even a baseball fan and I loved this show! 

and Galavant. Oh Galavant. How I love thee. It's a musical comedy show with the Amazing Alan Menkin as the songwriter! My goodness what a fun show!

Lucifer lives on still ;) And I'm binge-watching this weekend! 

So how about you? Which shows are you still sad about not getting another season?

And if you want to see what is getting another "season"...it's my Fatal Instinct series. I'm almost finished with my third story, but you can grab the latest in the Last Chance Beach: Summer's End box set on Amazon.

Amazon

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…

Coffee and Conversation with the #RomanceGems

It's time for Coffee and Conversation with the Romance Gems! So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join us for some fun. This month's topic is: Do you have a favorite book boyfriend?

I know you have at least one. That dreamy hero straight from the pages of a book you love. Perhaps even from a book you’ve written! He’s that guy you think about long after the story is done. Is he a tall, dark, and handsome super-spy or ex-Navy Seal? Maybe he’s a ginger-haired warrior from the Highlands? Or a rancher, firefighter, doctor, or single-dad next door? Could be he’s not a man at all, because he lives on a mythical planet, or he’s a vampire! Tell me… Who is your FAVORITE book boyfriend? Let’s talk!

"My favorite book boyfriend is Lucas Ross from PRINCE CHARMING by Julie Garwood. He is (like my husband who I call Hero) a man who encompasses fine qualities: selfless, protective, compassionate, kind, and competent at a wide variety of things. He is versatile and can function in English society, in criminal-riddled Chicago, or in the rough and rowdy Old West. He accomplishes his goals even at heavy personal cost. This is also one of my all-time favorite books and I re-read it about once a year." ~ Carolyn Clemmons

“Of the more than 40 books I've written, I get lots of fan mail for my book now titled The Wedding Bargain because women???including me???fall in love with its hero, Nick Birmingham. What's not to love? This guy is the richest man in England, and he's tall, dark, and handsome. Add to that he's super sexy, tender hearted, and a great patriot during the Napoleonic Wars. In this marriage-of-convenience story, he marries Lady Fiona, who was jilted in the previous Brazen Brides book. Readers tell me she's much better off with Nick than in the hero of Counterfeit Countess!"
~ Cheryl Bolen

"My favorite book boyfriend is Ilona Andrews' Mad Rogan. He's protective and fierce when it comes to what's his, and he's strong, knowing when to fight versus when to walk away. A true alpha male without being an alphahole ;) He's a good leader, and his men would follow him anywhere. I have re-read the Hidden Legacy series so many times, that I'd say he qualifies as my book boyfriend." ~ Laura Hunsaker

“I might be old, but I’m not dead. I like my book boyfriends intelligent, considerate, and sexy as hell! Professor Joshua Cain, from my Egyptian-themed time travel, Eye of the Pharaoh, ticks all those boxes. He’s a great combination of absent-minded professor and modern-day Indiana Jones all wrapped up in one uber-sexy package! My publicist heroine knows exactly how to handle him—if only the spirit of an Egyptian Queen-Pharaoh would leave them alone so they could get down to the business of falling in love!” ~ Nancy Fraser
(Eye of the Pharaoh is currently on sale for 99¢!)

“All my heroes in all my 13 books are my book boyfriend because I created them to be the way I want a book boyfriend to be. However, my most favorite book boyfriend superhero is Chris Jamisen in Book of Love, a release I had in December 2014. He’s Native American, has four children, runs an auto repair business, and is active in his community. He does his best to keep Janice’s “car from hell” running for her. In the beginning he thought of her as a gold digger looking for a rich husband. Boy was he proven wrong!” ~ Constance Bretes

“I like my hero Slade from the Ghost Mountain Ranch series. A fraternal twin with an over-achieving twin sister, he doesn’t know what he wants to do to his life. Of course, he meets his true love in the book, but learns about himself in the process. He saves the heroine from a grizzly bear, and helps find answers to a mystery.” ~ Jan Scarbrough

“This was so hard. I can’t even tell you. But I am going to make myself choose, and I’m not picking someone from a Jane Austen novel for once. My book boyfriend is Wulfric Bedwyn from Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh. He is the oldest of six children, and he has to take care of all of them. He does his duty well, and, as a result, takes no happiness for himself. He is strong. Steady. Calm. Patient. And SMART. There’s one scene where he fixes all the troubles for the woman he loves, and it’s perfect. The perfect hero.” ~ Kara O’Neal

“As I type this, the song, "Love the One You're With" floats through my subconscious. Can't help it. I'm a child of the 60s/70s. Why? Because I can't keep a book boyfriend. It's true. I hop from one book boyfriend to another. Fickle girl. Truth is, I'm always in love with the hero I'm writing right now. The one I'm with. And currently, that guy is Ethan MacKay. I mean, how could you not fall in love with a Navy SEAL cowboy returned home, injured and flawed, his body broken…but oh, so irresistible?” ~ Maddie James

“I love reading romance books but can't say I ever imagined myself with one of the heroes. If I had to choose one who made me truly swoon, it would be Colin Bridgerton of the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. We see this younger brother as a bit of a rake throughout the first three books, but when it’s time for his turn, Colin goes and falls for the chubby little wallflower who’s been made fun of for years. And he falls hard and fast and can’t figure out how he hadn’t seen her beauty all these years. Yup, swoon!” ~ Kari Lemor

“I spent way too much time trying to figure out who my favorite book boyfriend is. I've come to the conclusion that I'm book boyfriend...capricious. Yeah, that's the word. I always tell whichever of my grandkids is around at the moment that s/he's my favorite, so that's the path I'm taking with book boyfriends, too. Right now, and often since I first met him in 2012's One More Summer, Dr. Steven Elliot, hero of The Healing Summer is my between-the-covers love.” ~ Liz Flaherty

“I must admit I have had many book boyfriends during my lifetime. However, the one I remain true to is Lynx Maddox, champion rodeo bull rider and hero of my first published contemporary romance. Tall, handsome, with a deep voice and a sexy Texas drawl. What woman cannot resist a man with a dangerous reputation for taking chances and tempting fate? Lynx Maddox comment, the ‘Wild-Cat” of the rodeo circuit is determined to win the heart of the woman he loves.” ~ Connie Vines

“My personal book boyfriend has got to be Steele Hardt in my contemporary cowboy romance, UNDERCOVER. He is the Alpha male of my heart, a self-made man not afraid of taking chances. Especially when it comes to a certain “black widow” he has been sent to report on. Steele is special to me because when my own hero and I started to correspond on-line, I learned his name is Steel. Swoon! Write it and he will come! Even though he still bugs me about spelling his name wrong in the book!” ~ Kathleen Lawless

“I’m of a certain age and don’t necessarily have a book boyfriend. But my I pick for the man I’d like to spend eternity with who sprang from the pages of a novel is ROARKE from the JDRobb IN DEATH novels. Described as having a face sculpted from the Gods and a poet’s mouth, Roarke is a gazillionaire, Irish-born, has a shady and violent past and loves his woman more than life itself. Who wouldn’t want a man like that, I ask ya?? Le swoon….” ~ Peggy Jaeger

"Such a tough choice. I love all my own heroes. Of course, Robert Pennington from Haunting Highland House is my personal favorite because he's my first. BUT there is one book I've read repeatedly since I adore the hero – Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. Her leading man, Derek Craven, is rough and tough, wonderfully wicked, and runs a gambling house. Yet he loves and admires the heroine beyond all else. A sassy, mischievous writer who dares enter his shadowy world. Need I say more? I met Lisa Kleypas some years back, and we totally girl-gushed over Derek Craven. 😊”
~ Kathryn Hills

Okay, it's your turn to join the conversation! Add your comments below or send via email through the "contact us” link on the bottom of the left sidebar. You can also make suggestions on what you'd like to discuss here in the future.

Thanks for joining us!

~ The Romance Gems ~

Have you picked up your copy of Last Chance Beach: Summer's End?

14 all new short stories from best-selling and award winning 
Romance Gems authors. 

This is a limited-time-only collection. Only 99 cents on Amazon

Did I mention there's a FREE companion book?

Cocktails on Last Chance Beach!
Download a copy from your favorite digital bookseller HERE

Our Comment and Win GIVEAWAY is back!

If you wish to enter, just leave a comment that includes your email
(write your addy out, so spammers don’t grab it)
Enter every day for more chances to win!

Pumpkin Patch Wars by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

Like many this summer, I’m spending a lot of time outdoors, and our vegetable garden is bigger than ever. Each day I’m proud of the bounty we harvest – an array of squashes, cucumbers, string beans, tomatoes, and herbs. But there’s one part of our garden I’m particularly proud of. My pumpkin patch!

I was that kid growing up. Running home after trick-or-treating to watch Linus in the most sincere pumpkin patch. Heck, there was even a Beagle. What’s not to love?!

Almost every year since I’ve purchased pumpkins—loads of 'em, in all shapes, sizes, and varieties—starting just after Labor Day. But this is 2020, and I’m staying home as much as possible. So…what can a dedicated pumpkin aficionado do if she can’t scour the farm stands, markets, and garden centers for pumpkins? She grows them!

Everything has gone better than expected in my personal pumpkin patch. Seeds, growing into great hunking, thriving plants. I chose bush variety pumpkins – small, multi-colored ones (named Kandy Korn – Cute!) and big, jack-o-lantern carving types. They’re fantastic! Promising an abundant crop in just a few short weeks.

That was until the other morning when IT happened. *GASP* I was out watering when I saw it. Little orange, yellow, and green chunks on the dark brown earth. Someone, or rather something, was EATING my pumpkins!

Okay…no big deal you might say. What did you expect? You live in the north woods of New England. There are bound to be many creatures, checking out what’s good to eat in your garden. But this is MY PUMPKIN PATCH! The one I’ve tended and nurtured for months now. The one with special flowers to attract the bees, and bunny fencing, and scarecrows. I’m sorry Mr. Squirrel and Mrs. Chipmunk, but with harvest time just around the corner, this means war!

Mr. H and Darling Daughter discovered me, out of sorts and grumbling, hunched over my laptop doing research. More fencing, special netting, garden cloches… Okay, maybe. Scarecrows. I’ve got those. Plus beady-eyed, black cat decoys that supposedly frighten the marauding munchers away. Total waste of money. They’ll be Halloween decorations after this. Maybe I need an owl scarecrow?!! Could work. Or hot pepper spray? What could possibly go wrong with Jalapeno Pepper spray combined with three crazy hounds? No way will I kill our little forest friends, so… *sigh* and *bigger sigh*

After much hemming and hawing, an ultrasonic, solar-powered animal repeller is on its way from Amazon. I feel giddy. Like Harry Potter when he received his Nimbus 2000. My techno-toy, rodent repeller will arrive any day now. I’ll keep you posted on how well it works. Or, if I simply horrify the neighbors. TOTALLY could happen! 😊

As of today, the woodland creatures are winning the war. BUT we’ll see when that brown package arrives on my doorstep. MUAHAHAHAH

If you have any sage advice for stopping pilfering pumpkin poachers, please share.

Until next time... Stay safe and be well. Thanks for reading!

~ Kathryn

***

Have you picked up your copy of Last Chance Beach: Summer's End? 

My story - Secondhand Hearts - is just one of the 14 all new short stories from best-selling and award winning Romance Gems authors.

This is a limited-time-only collection.

Only 99 cents on Amazon

Did I mention there's a FREE companion book?

Cocktails on Last Chance Beach!

Download a copy from your favorite digital bookseller HERE

Our Comment to Win GIVEAWAY is back!

If you wish to enter, just leave a comment that includes your email

(write your addy out, so spammers don’t grab it)

Enter every day for more chances to win!

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

It Was Just the Best Day by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

I switched days this month. Usually I post on the 31st. (What that means is that I, being the lazy Gem, only have to blog five times a year.) But I was so happy to write today because July 30, 1990, was one of the Best Days. It was exciting and so much fun and one of the most emotional experiences of my entire life--which is quite a while by now.

Aren't we lucky to have Best Days? I've accumulated a lot of them, but this day 30 years ago was the day Tahne, my beautiful and brave daughter-in-law, called me upon leaving her doctor's appointment and said they told her to come home, but she wasn't sure about driving. Because, you know, pains. I told her I'd be right there.

Mari Flaherty Gridley

Looking back, I'm sorry our son couldn't be there--he was in the army most of the way across the country--but mostly I'm glad I could. Mari Elizabeth Flaherty, our first grandchild, was born that evening. My daughter and I stood in for Mari's dad (admirably, we thought) and I still remember the excitement, the overwhelming rush of love, and how proud I was of Mari's mom.

It was, oh, yes, the best day ever. My husband was on a business trip, but when he got home in the middle of that night, we still went to the hospital.

Tahne and Mari stayed with us until after training, when they could be together as a family again, and it was a precious time. My eyes are leaking a little even now as I remember it.

Some of the other Gems and I have had some Best Days lately, too, writing and promoting Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. We've learned things, made mistakes, sent Joan Reeves and the rest of the production team over the edge more than once, and produced 14 stories we are proud of, excited about, and--at the risk of sounding truly sappy--in love with. If you haven't ordered yours yet, go ahead and do it now--I'll wait. It's truly a wonderful way to spend 99 cents!

Speaking of Best Days, share one of yours with us in comments below. We'll celebrate with you and I'll send out a goody bag to a commenter on the post, chosen at random. No picture of it because I don't have it assembled yet, but I'll try to make it fun and I'm sure some of it will taste like chocolate!

Don't forget to enter for the monthly giveaway, too, and take a look at the Last Chance Beach page here on the blog site.

I hope this is a Best Day for you. Happy birthday, Mari. Papaw and I love you thiiiiiiissss much!

Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

I’m so excited about all the shares this month, as some of our Romance Gems authors kick off the first-ever boxed set, Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End!

I grew up near the ocean, and I LOVE a beautiful beach. Trust me, Last Chance Beach is a unique island paradise you'll want to visit. And why not? It was imagined into eBook existence by fourteen best selling and award winning romance authors. Sun, sand, sea and salty kisses. *sigh* What's not to love? So, without further ado, here’s my cover reveal for Secondhand Hearts, my contribution to this debut short story set!

Ready for a teaser?

Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Tasked with convincing her beloved grandmother to move back to the mainland, Kat Worthington returns to Last Chance Beach. This vacation island paradise is filled with cherished memories, and the thought of relocating her loved one weighs heavy on Kat’s heart. Is the alternative to uproot her life, stay on the island, and help run Gran’s charming B&B and antique shop?

Handsome neighbor, Ben Hadley, sure hopes it is. He and his playful pup are doing their best to upend Kat’s plans. Will their efforts convince her to stay?

Or will it require some of Gran’s special island magic?

***

Ahh...magic. There it is! You knew it would be somewhere in my book. Aside from the romantic magic of the setting, Kat's grandmother seems to possess a special gift for "knowing" what's coming their way. But don't take my word for it. You can read all about it in a few short weeks. Last Chance Beach: Summer's End releases for only 99 cents on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited, August 4th, 2020. Pre-order today for delivery to your device on that day. Psst... There's even a special surprise gift.

Until then, do you know the Legend of Last Chance Beach? Author Joan Reeves shares with us, so don't miss out. I don't know about you, but she had me at, "Many years ago, when travel was done by rails and sails..." My affinity for historic and time travel romances, I suppose.

Here's something else fun until release day, a special video created by our own Maddie James. Ear worm alert! The song sticks with you. 😊

I know I'm heading to Last Chance Beach. I can't wait! Why not join me there?

Thanks for reading!

~ Kathryn

Don't forget to enter our JULY CONTEST HERE!

Or go directly to the RAFFLECOPTER

July Prizes 

1st Prize: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize: $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Best of luck to everyone!

THE MAN IN GULL COTTAGE

I’m excited to tell you about my story, THE MAN IN GULL COTTAGE, which is included in LAST CHANCE BEACH: SUMMER’S END. If you read our blog each day, you know that fourteen of us at Romance Gems have contributed sweet contemporary short stories for your summer reading pleasure. The set is a great bargain for only 99 cents. LAST CHANCE BEACH: SUMMER’S END includes USA Today, NYTimes, Award-Winning, and Bestselling authors.

THE MAN IN GULL COTTAGE is bestselling suspense author C. H. Logan, using his real name of Carter Harte. He values his privacy and anonymity so much that no one on the island knows what he does for a living. He stays in his beach home year around and only visits his condo in the city when he has business there. People on the island consider him "the eccentric man in Gull Cottage."

Zara Webb has come to vacation on the island with her long time best friend. For two weeks, they’ve rented Sea Oats Cottage just up the beach from Gull Cottage. Zara has a difficult decision to make and has two weeks to reach a conclusion. She’s weighing whether to accept the major promotion she’s been offered that would mean losing any chance of a personal life or remaining in her present job knowing the promotion would never be offered again.

Carter believes he’s impervious to tourists—until he meets Zara.

You can preorder now for the August 4th release. Preorders are lovely because on release day - Poof! - the e-book version appears like magic on your reader.

The buy link is https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Reeves-ebook/dp/B08CV3GN3R

Here’s an excerpt from THE MAN IN GULL COTTAGE: 

He cleared his throat. “This part of the beach is private.”

She paused and stared at him. “What part?”

He jerked a thumb in the direction from which she’d come. “See the three round wooden pillars? That’s where my land starts.”

She turned and shielded her eyes with her hand. “Oh, I thought those were to keep people from driving their cars on the sand.”

“That, too, but one has a large sign that says Gull Cottage and Private Beach. That should have been a clue.”

She held up a kid’s plastic sand pail. “Are you saying I should return these shells I’ve collected for my niece?”

“I’m saying you’re on private property. I don’t care if you collect sea shells, but I’d appreciate you not disturbing anything else.”

“Like what? You think I’m coming up to rob your house? Wait, what if I took a clump of sea oats? Or a handful of your sand? Are you patrolling?”

He extended his hand palm out. “Don’t get mad at me when you’re the one trespassing. I meant collecting drift wood and sea glass or destroying sand dunes. I’m simply out here walking on my beach.”

She straightened her shoulders and looked at the barrier. “Well, see that you don’t walk on that side of those posts.”

“Ah, but I will and I can do so legally.” He gestured broadly. “The beach where you’re staying is public. This part is private. See the difference?”

“No, I don’t see the difference. It’s the same sand.”

You've no doubt figured out that Last Chance Beach is an island not far off the mainland. The island can be wherever you wish. I know where my story is set but I won't tell since it might appear as somewhere else to you.

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