Sweet for Summer by Author Nancy Fraser

 

Spring cleaning, winterizing in the fall, hibernating in the dead of winter. What does that leave for summer?

Relaxation, reading and reivention, of course. Whether it's a much needed vacation ... away from work, away from isolation, away from the contraints we've all experienced these past two years... we all need some form of relaxation.

What better to way to relax than with a great book... whether you're on the beach (I wish), or just curled up in a chair with the air conditioning blowing around you. A great way to relax, is to read.

Then, there's reinvention. The task I've set myself for the brunt of the summer. Why? Because it keeps me inside and away from the heat and the sun (I'm allergic). But, mostly, because my writer's soul needed it. I've been in a loop --  Write, Edit, Publish, Repeat --- for a few years now, and always in the romance sub-genres I'm accustomed to.

Those of you who know me may not believe this ... but I was burned out on writing steamy lovescenes. 

Don't get me wrong... I'm still planning to finish series I've begun, still intending to write across multiple genres, but I've also added a new sub-genre I never expected to write. Sweet, inspirational (although not necessarily religious), short novella length books.

Enter the world of MAPs (multi-author projects) -- the place where all those Mail-Order Brides, Proxy Brides, Western Historical series were born! Out of curiosity, and the need for a change, I took a look at one, and then another, and then another. And, suddenly, I was hooked. My only concern was that they're all KDP/Kindle Unlimited exclusive. However, I'm always willing to expand my horizons. Plus... a huge bonus ... the readers who follow these MAP books are the most devoted I've ever seen. And that's saying a lot given how long I've been doing this.

My first MAP comes out in mid-August. I really fast turnaround given I only signed up at the beginning of July. However, they had an unexpected opening, so I took it. And, I'm so glad I did. I learned a lot (not easy for an 'old dog') about not only the most efficient writing proccess, but also about myself.

Here's a quick peek at the first product of my writing reinvention ...

Seth's Secretive Bride ~ part of the Matchmaker Mix-Up Series!

When Hannah McGibbon is forced out of her family home, she has nowhere to go. In a moment of desperation, she responds to an advertisement for a matchmaking service.

Widower Seth Temple needs a wife. Not for himself, but as a mother for his 7-year-old, emotionally challenged son. At the urging of his housekeeper, he sends in his application to be matched to a like-minded woman.

Unfortunately, what they both want is not what they get. Due to an unforeseeable mix-up with the usually stellar matchmaking service, Hannah is sent to Colorado rather than California. And, Seth is sent a young, red-headed spitfire, rather than the mature woman with a background in education he’d requested.

What will happen when he explains to Hannah that love and romance are low on his priority list and not part of his plan for a wife? And, once the matching service offers to set things right, will Hannah want to leave?

Available exclusively on Kindle Unlimited

And, of course, there's a trailer...

Wishing everyone a wonderful summer and great reading! And, don't forget to feed your Romance Gems' social media fix by following our Facebook Reader Page.

Nancy

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Who's Your Beachbunny? by Nancy Fraser

 

Silly me. I thought doing a column on the history of swimsuits would be fun ... and easy. Boy was I wrong! I discovered far more weird facts than this brain can hold. Here are just a few:

Through the "classical" and "middle" ages ... swimming was done in the nude. No shame or embarrassment allowed. However, if sports were involved, women were expected to wear suits that held their bouncing assest in place and looked very similar to today's styles.

It was close to the end of the 17th century when the "bathing gown" was created, a floor-length chemise style dress that covered the wearer from neck to ankle with full sleeves. However, these gowns were only required of women. Men still got to swim in buff, if they so chose.

It wasn't until the beginning of the 19th century that men were required to wear clothing when appearing in public. Fortunately for women, by the middle of the century, designers in Paris had shortened the length of the gown, removed the sleeves, and even added pantaloons for comfort.

Sunbathing, whether you swam or not, became popular in the 1920s, with far more revealing swimwear and the first commercial production of what is now known as sunscreen. By the 1930s, men started taking it off again and swimming bare chested with tighter swim trunks.

Also by the 1930s, two-piece swimsuits--the precursor to the bikini--were the norm for women, especially among the models and actresses in Hollywood.

The first bikinis appears shortly after the end of World War II. The name "bikini" came from "Bikini Atol" (the site of several nuclear tests) because of their explosive effect on the viewer.

The first Speedo (heaven help us) came about in the 1950s, but were made of wool. They changed to nylon in the 1960s. Then, in 1970, elastane was added to standard suits to create a more efficient garment for the Olympics.

**Weird Alert** In 1985, a designer by the name of Gernreich invented the 'pubikini' to--you guessed it--show off pubic hair. Gross!

**More Weird** In 2005, there was backlash against designer Ondade Mar and Victoria's Secret for decorating their tankinis with Buddhist iconography.

Thankfully, by the end of the first decade of the 21st century most designs had returned to some semblance of normal (as long as you don't count that gosh awful sling-looking thing men are wearing). I mean ... really ... where is the loose end attached anyway???

Personally, I'm quite attached to my one piece swimsuit and terry cover up, thank you. And, of course a good book to entertain me!

Speak of which...

Available Everywhere!

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Bathing suit or not.

Nancy

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WARMING UP TO 'CHRISTMAS IN JULY' WITH A DICKENS HOLIDAY SEQUEL by Nancy Fraser

What better way to kick off those inevitable 'Christmas in July' promotions than with a holiday prequel in June? My Dickens Holiday Romance Prequel, Making Christmas, releases today! The novelette features the lovestory of the parents of my hero from last year's Millie's Awesome Holiday Miracle, from the Dickens Holiday Romance Anthology.

This story was so much fun to write, especially since I remember the 1980s fondly (and, unfortunately, easily).

Here's a bit about the book:

A 1980s Vintage Romance ...

It’s been five years since William Barrett returned to Dickens to take over as CEO of Wil-Bar Toys. He’s spent these past years helping build Wil-Bar into a leader in creative, handmade toys. His work ethic and drive has left him little time for a personal life. Or, perhaps he’s still pining for the one who got away.

Catherine Gates moved away from Dickens six years earlier. Now a staff reporter for a woman’s magazine, she’s returning to Dickens to do a story on Wil-Bar Toys new production methods and get the scoop on their upcoming holiday line.

When Will and Cat meet up again for the first time in years, it’s as if they’ve never been apart. Rekindling their friendship, and attraction, becomes more important than Cat’s article, or even the secrecy of the new toy lines.

Can these two childhood friends make up for lost time and pursue the romance they missed out on years earlier? Or, will Cat’s story expose too much and put them at odds with one another?

And, an excerpt:

Catherine made her way through the front doors of Wil-Bar Toys and toward the reception desk. “I’m here to see Mr. Barrett. I have a ten o’clock appointment.”

“I’ll buzz Margaret and she’ll come to get you,” the young woman said.

Catherine waited for Margaret, obviously a new edition to the staff since she didn’t recognize the name.

Moments later, a woman who looked to be in her late twenties entered the lobby. “Hello, I’m Margaret Weatherby. If you’ll follow me, please.”

She fell in step behind the woman, going through the heavy oak double doors she remembered from her childhood. They continued down the hallway leading to the main offices, coming to a stop in front of the desk outside the large corner suite.

“How long have you worked at Wil-Bar?” Catherine asked.

“Two years now. I was originally hired to work for Mr. Wilfred Barrett but when the younger Mr. Barrett’s secretary left to get married, I took over for her as well.”

“That must keep you very busy.”

The woman nodded. “It does, especially this time of year. However, it’s such a wonderful place to work, I couldn’t see myself going anywhere else.” She paused, then added, “I’ll let Mr. Barrett know you’re here.”

“I’d appreciate—”

Her words of appreciation were interrupted by a man’s booming voice. “Margaret, do you have the report I left for photocopying earlier?” The voice was followed by the man’s appearance outside the office door, his footsteps coming to a halt when he saw her standing there.

She lifted her head, meeting Will Barrett’s intense gaze head-on.

“Cat? Cat Gates. I’ll be dam...darned.”

“Hello, Will.”

“You two know each other?” Margaret asked. When they both nodded at the same time, Margaret added, “Well, that certainly saves time on introductions.”

Will motioned for her to follow him into the office. “You’re the journalist they’ve sent to write a story on Wil-Bar?”

“Yes,” she said, taking the seat he offered. “I assume they thought I’d have an inside track on the place since I’m from Dickens.”

His chuckle sent a flurry of butterflies rushing her stomach.

“Inside track. I’d say so. You know every nook and cranny of this place—or at least you did before we remodeled.”

“Some I knew all too well, given I spent more time hiding than you and Tommy did seeking.”

“Sorry about that,” he said with a broad grin. “We were pretty mean to you back then.”

Available on Your Favorite eBook Platform

Of course, there's a trailer...

In addition, fellow Lady of Dickens, Peggy Jaeger and I are doing a joint tour for our Dickens prequels. You can find the entire list of tour stops at Goddess Fish Promotions.

Until next month, please stay happy, healthy, and well read.

Nancy

What Do We Aspire To (Or Not) by Nancy Fraser

I got into a discussion a month or so ago on Facebook with a new author about what it means to be "aspiring". She claimed she was an "aspiring writer". She'd just self-published her first book. After some harsh criticism, she unpublished the book and was thinking about quitting right out of the gate.

I asked her if the one book was all she'd written. Because, once you write something, you're truly no longer "aspiring" to write. Once you've published something, you're not longer an "apiring" author. You're an author. That, what you should aspire to, is getting better at your craft.

She wrote me back a week or two later to thank me. She'd taken the criticism on her book to heart, made some revisions and (as I'd suggested privately) she'd had it professonally edited. Then, she'd uploaded the book again.

The whole thing got me to thinking about other things we "aspire" to do. Personally, I aspire to drink less coffee (not going to happen); I aspire to be a better person, a better parent, grandparent, and better pet grandparent (probably, not happening either since I'm allergic to most things with fur). I do love visiting with pets ... from a distance.

I think about all the things in life (in general) that would be different/better, if everyone found one thing per week to "aspire" to. Perhaps, you need to aspire to be a better driver; a more proficient cook; maybe even aspire to read more. That would make us writers/authors happy for sure.

I'd love to know one thing you'd "aspire" to do. Please share in the comments below.

For me (given "drink less coffee" is off the table), I'd aspire to learn to not kill plants and cut flowers. Surely, somewhere out there someone has published a "Plant Maintenance for Dummies" book. My granddaughter gave me four plants for my birthday in late April. My youngest son had to "rescue" them by mid-May. Only one survived. My brain is not wired for remembering to garden.

Right now, I'm aspiring to improve my promotional skills. I've got the meme and trailer making down pat (I think). I write a mean media kit, and can tweet with the best of them. The aspiring part comes with choosing how and when to share things. I sometime get that wrong.

However, today is a perfect day to share my new release, a revised and re-released version of my Last Chance Beach novella from a previous box set. Adding a couple of love scenes was fun.

Here's a bit about I Do ... Again:

Thirty-five years earlier, Lily Abbott and Mitch Colby exchanged wedding vows in a quaint ceremony attended by a small crowd consisting of four Micronauts, a one-eyed pet rock, two special-edition Barbies, and an assortment of stuffed animals. Officiated by Stretch Armstrong, it was the social event of their 8^th summer.

Lily never forgot the childhood ceremony. Or the fact her best friend and first love had left her behind and relocated to Boston to pursue an Ivy-League education. Now a divorcee, with college-bound twin daughters, Lily’s moved on and put the foolishness of first crushes and the childish dream of true love behind her.

At eighteen, Mitch had never wanted the expensive education his father mapped out for him. He’d have been perfectly happy to stay in Summerville, marry the love of his life, and settle down. However, when push came to shove, he’d not wanted to upset his ailing mother, and had left everything...and everyone...that he’d wanted behind.

The 25^th reunion of the graduating class of Summerville High has brought Lily and Mitch back together at The Sands, a seaside resort on Last Chance Beach. Will one weekend together be enough? Or, is there a possibility for more?

And, the trailer:

At the moment, I'm aspiring to write a second "pirate ghost" book. Not that the first one wasn't challenging enough. Fellow Gem, Kathryn Hills, and good friend Lisa Olech, are so excited to share this unusal project with everyone as soon as we can!

In the meantime, I believe we should all aspire to be better human beings. Oh, and aspire to write and read more. Until later this month, stay happy, stay healthy, and say well read.

Nancy

D*mn This Snuck Up on Me ! by Nancy Fraser

I look up from my current work-in-progress and .... all of sudden ... it's the 4th of the month and I have a column due tomorrow. D*mn!

Hmm, what to write??? Do I just recycle an older column? Or, do I try and be brilliant and write something new? Decisions, decisions.

My calendars (yes, I have three) look like war zones. I'm editing two books while writing two more. My brain is surviving on coffee and (self-proclaimed) stupidity.

How did I get myself into this mess anyway??? I blame the pandemic. Why not? We're blaming it for everything else, aren't we? Isolation has given me a really distorted sense of time. It's provided me with so much "alone" time that I have a hard time judging if I'm taking on too much.

Obviously, I am, or I wouldn't have forgotten to write this column until the last minute. Perhaps, I need a vacation. Not that I can stop the stories in my head, or the deadlines, or the need for promotion just by going on vacation -- even if I could travel.

Instead of a vacation away from home, I've decided to take a vacation IN my home. So, I ...

Break out the fancy foot spa my daughter-in-law gave me two or three Christmases ago that I've never taken the time to use. It's a wonderful contraption with not just a huge, vibrating (already, I'm excited) foot massager, but it also has a hot wax tub for my weary, winter-dry feet. This should be fun!

Heck, while I'm at it, I'll make use of the equally fancy manicure kit she gave me last Christmas (I think). Quickly, I get the entire thing set up in my wide-open living area, and I'm ready to go.

First off, I spill hot, soapy water all over the now-slippery bathroom floor. Which, then, splashes out onto the carpeted hallway. Not a great start, given it takes me thirty minutes of my "stay-cation" to clean up the mess. Finally, though, everything's in place and the spa tub filled to the right level.

Feet in, I reach for the switch to turn on the vibrating base. I get a shock. I guess my hands weren't as dry as I thought. I'm suddenly having second thoughts about a foot bath and electricity. Maybe no vibrator for me (now, I'm far less excited).

Oh, and I forgot a towel! I'll have to slowly duck-walk my wet feet back to the bathroom. Or, I could just take off my T-shirt and use it to dry my feet.

Problem solved. 😁

Now, it's time for the hot wax treatment. I'm getting excited again. I read the directions carefully (okay, maybe I glanced at them). I put the appropriate number of blocks of wax into the machine and turned it on. This sucker works fast. It's ready before my feet are dry from their soak.

I carefully check the gauge on the side to make sure I've reached the correct temperature. Success! In goes the first foot. Ouch...that's hot. I'm tough, I can take it. First foot done, second foot in.

The phone...which I left in the office...rings. Loudly. It's a good thing my writing is more organized than my mini-vacation. I ignore the phone. Hopefully, it's not important.

Both feet covered in wax, I go to move the little tub out of the way and splash wax on the floor and--unfortunately--on my T-shirtless chest. Thank heaven for my sturdy, old-lady bra. Staying at home must have altered my depth perception as well, because I'm spilling stuff everywhere. Another thing to blame on isolation.

Just for the record, it hurts to peel this waxy stuff off when you haven't shaved your lower legs in forever (isolation, remember). Soak tub put aside, wax machine set aside, it's time for the manicure. I open the first bottle of polish and promptly manage to spill it on the chair-side table.

That's it ... I'm done. Screw it!

I'm going back to writing books. Lots and lots of books! As frazzled as I am, being verklempt over my screwy schedule beats having to clean up water, soap, wax and nail polish any day! Not to mention, being reminded I should shave my legs!

As for that phone call? It was my son who happened to be in town and wondered if I'd like for him to drop off some lunch from my favorite fast food place. Snooze (or not answer) and you lose, apparently.

Now, I have wax speckles on my chest, my hallway carpet is still wet, I have nail polish to scrape off my end table, and no lunch.

I hope your day is going or went better than mine!

Nancy

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. 

Fun Research Finds & a New Book! by Nancy Fraser

One of the most interesting aspects of writing a book in a timeframe other than current, is the opportunity to do research. Some authors--admittedly--hate research. Not me. I love it.

Last Tuesday, I released the third book in my Love's a Gamble series. Set in the post-Civil War era, it was a joy to delve into all sorts of research. One of the things that always pleases me is finding the speech patterns, and favorite sayings, of the era.

I thought I'd share a few of my favorites--some of which made it in to at least one of the three books. A few made it in to all of them.

Acknowledge the Corn - To confess the truth

Airin’ the Lungs - To use profanity; cursing

Bag of Nails - Chaos; confusion

Bee In Your Bonnet - A idea (good or bad)

Calamity Jane - Reference to the Queen of Spades card

Cockamamie - Nonsensical, crazy

Crawl His Hump - To pick a fight

Coffee Boiler - A lazy person

Eatin’ Irons - Flatware; eating utensils

Galoot - A strong, soft-hearted man

Give The Mitten - When a woman rejects a man

Hair In The Butter - To be stuck in a tricky situation

Mollycoddle - To coddle, spoil 

Nailed To The Counter - When you catch someone in a lie

Plug - A worn-out horse 

Pull - A draw on a pipe, cigarette, etc

Roostered - To be or to get drunk

Salty - Risqué, bawdy

Scadoodle - Heap, large amount

Shebang - A set of facts or things

Skeedaddle - Leave, go way quickly

Taradiddles - Lies, myths, or tall tales

Will Die Standin’ Up - To be or act brave

~ ~ ~

The Engagement Gamble ~ Love's a Gamble, Book 3

Marshal Zack McAlister has made it his mission to protect the good citizens of Greenville, MS. In particular, one very opinionated and independent lady doctor. The only hinderance to his professional obligations are the dozen or so single women vying for his attention.

Suzanne Martindale, M.D., has quickly become a fixture in Greenville since taking over for her semi-retired predecessor. And, like Marshal McAlister, she’s been inundated with unwanted suitors.

When Zack proposes a fake engagement, Suzanne is reluctant at first and claims in order for anyone to believe they’re actually courting and in love, there has to be chemistry between them.

Zack sets out to prove they can easily fool the people of Greenville into believing their ruse. Will his smooth Cajun charm and steamy-hot kisses do the trick? Or, are they destined to be victims of their own charade?

When outside forces threaten the entire McAlister clan, can Zack keep his family, and his faux fiancé, safe? And, will a life-threatening accident show them anything, even love, is possible if you have trust?

~ ~ ~

And, of course, there's a Trailer:

And, a Jigsaw Puzzle:

353 TEG Final

Until my regular day next month, stay safe, stay health, stay happy, and stay well read!

Nancy

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Fickle Readers? Fickle Authors? Far Too Many Hunky Heroes! by Nancy Fraser

Time and again I've heard readers say how easy it was to fall in love with their latest book boyfriend. The same goes for the author as well.

I'm just not sure if that makes us fickle, or just easily persuaded by an intelligent, handsome, sometimes perfect, sometimes flawed man. Either way, I'm all for reading about, or creating, a man who every woman will fall in love with.

Later this month, the third book in my Love's a Gamble series comes out ... with another hunky hero. This one a bit more stubborn than the first two, but still perfect!

One of the bloggers who has been a constant on tours for both of the first two books -- giving them 5-star reviews -- just finished reading the third book in preparation for that upcoming tour. She sent me an email that said (and I quote) -- "I feel like such a three-timer. First I was in love with Matt, then head-over-heels for Jake. Now, it's Zack who's stolen my heart. You're either killing me, or turning me into a wanton woman reader!"

Can an author get any higher praise than turning her reader into a wanton woman?? I really hopes she shares that quote when she posts her review of the third book. LOL

I've often wondered if readers have a "type" that they gravitate to before they fall in love with the character. A favorite personality trait? A certain profession? A physical trait perhaps?

I admit it, I've got my favorite types. I have no set personality trait, other than kindness and intelligence. While a certain level of perfection is necessary, it's not required. As a matter of fact, in my current work-in-progress, I've proably created my most flawed hero ever, both emotionally and physically. And, guess what? I'm already in love.

As for my hero's profession, I tend to stick to three or four that I can address with some degree of intelligence. I'm extremely partial to professors, architects, lawyers, and military/lawmen (either historical or in the here and now).

Physical is where I get stuck in a true rut. I have a preference, for both the heroes I read about, and those I write about. Tall (definitely), medium to dark brown hair (sorry, all you blonds and redheads out there), and either chocolate brown eyes or blue (if the hair is really dark). My heroes also have a certain rougish/rough quality about them. Which is probably why I'm not a fan of of the usual Regency era heroes--they're just too foppish for me. I may be the only woman alive who doesn't find the Bridgerton men sexy or emotionally appealing. However...give me a rakish Duke who rolls up his sleeves and talks dirty and I'm a happy woman!

So, who is my next hero ... and which of my favored traits does he possess?

Well, other than the third McAlister man, who you will meet later this month, I also have a short story coming this month from The Wild Rose Press. Teach Me is the third book in my Lusty Liaisons series of quick erotic romance reads. Here's a peek:

Med student Jayne Willis is devastated when she's stood up for a date arranged by hookup service Lusty Liaisons. Really, who stands up someone willing to have sex?

Widowed professor Noah Gallagher's chance encounter at a hotel bar with an alluring young woman is unexpected but might be just what he needs. He's on the last leg of a cross-country trip prior to returning to the university, ready to start a new chapter in his life.

One lonely widower looking to reconnect plus one beautiful, albeit inexperienced, young woman equals one hot night. Will she get an A in lovemaking, and will he get a hall pass back to life?

P.S.: He's also tall, with dark hair peppered with a touch of gray, and very considerate and intelligent. AND, he has those soulful chocolate brown eyes.

And, of course there's a trailer:

I'll be back again on the 17th to share book three in the Love's a Gamble series, along with some hilarious research finds! Until then, stay safe, stay happy, stay well read.

Nancy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~ ~ ~

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

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

Nancy

This is Not a Thanksgiving Post by Nancy Fraser

Don't be silly ... of course it is!

Well, not Thanksgiving itself, but about traditions and the mainstay of all good holidays ... food!

I was born in Detroit, Michigan but married a Canadian and moved just across the international border into Canada. My family was still in Detroit and the surrounding suburbs but I was well on my way to becoming a true Canadian! Complete with off-setting holidays, shared holidays, and sometimes NO holiday.

My family insisted we take part in all the American holidays, which was fine with me. My mother and my aunt were great cooks, so I could always count on an abundance of wonderful treats. My husband never minded taking a day off work to help them celebrate, even though we'd had our Thanksgiving the previous month. After my sons were born, we couldn't have skipped a family holiday if we'd wanted to.

Even grown now, with children of their own, they still go out of their way to celebrate the U.S. Thanksgiving as well. My youngest son has taken it upon himself to carry on the family tradition of way too much food!

As rich and delicious as all those holiday meals were, I find as I get older (and possibly wiser), I often do my best to trim the fat on some of my favorite foods. Although ... my grandchildren have warned me ... don't mess with the banana pudding.

I thought I'd share one of my favorite new Fall/Thanksgiving recipes that will definitely make the table later this month.

Low Carb/Low Calorie Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake Base:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 oz cream cheese

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup blanched almond flour*

2/3 cup artificial sugar substitute (I use Swerve)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
6 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup powdered sugar substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper
Melt cream cheese and coconut oil in microwave-safe bowl until combined (30 seconds)
Mix together pumpkin puree, coconut oil/cream mixture, eggs & vanilla.
Beat with hand mixer until smooth.
In smaller bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
Add to wet mixture and beat with hand mixer on low until just combined.
Transfer batter to baking pan and smooth out the top.
Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Place on rack to cool.

For the Icing:
Using the hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, powered sugar substitute and vanilla until smooth. If necessary, thin it out with the heavy cream ½ Tbsp at a time.
Make sure the bars are cooled completely before icing and cutting.

What better way than to close out a post about Thanksgiving than to quote one of my favorite writers, Charles Dickens. Until next month, please take time to visit my social media sites and follow -- if you're so inclined. Remember, to stay happy, stay healthy, and stay well read!

Nancy

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Transitioning Between Holidays by Nancy Fraser

Ah...the holidays! The spookiness of Halloween, the good food and family gathered around the Thanksgiving table. Then, there's Christmas and the author's urge to write a story worthy of a Hallmarkesque holiday movie with all the cozy feels?

However, before we get to Christmas, we have to get past my second favorite holiday ... Halloween! Or, we could just mix the two of them together for some awesome entertainment and a take on Tim Burton's wonderful "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

I suppose I should acknowlege Thanksgiving, even though -- as a Canadian resident -- I've already had mine. Not to worry, I'll dig down deep to my American heritage during my column next month and share some of my favorite recipes fit for your holiday table! I promise. 

Now ... to get on with what I believe is a perfect set of holiday tropes all wrapped up in one anthology ... Christmas Comes to Dickens. Ten best selling authors, ten brand-new holiday novellas.

The holiday season is in full swing in the quaint New England town of Dickens. We have all sorts of fun holiday activities to share such as a Christmas tree lighting in the town square, ice skating on Grosvenor’s Pond, sleigh rides, cutting down your own Christmas tree at Gridley Meadows, caroling on the Common. You name it—Dickens has it all!

While some of our stories may interact with one another, others may not. We hope you will do as we did and enjoy the magic that is the holiday season, no matter when it's taking place.

Our storybook setting abounds with romance, children’s wishes, much needed miracles and—maybe even—a touch of magic!

Join us as our best selling and award-winning authors fill your holiday stocking with ten brand new novellas ranging from sweet to sassy, including:

Millie’s Awesome Holiday Miracle by Top 100 Best Selling Author Nancy Fraser - Can one little girl fill the holiday season with enough miracles for everyone? This story will warm your heart.

Miracle at Holly Hill Inn by Top 100 Best Selling Author Maddie James - Ariana is looking for the perfect Christmas. Instead, she finds a Scrooge. Will two days snowbound at Holly Hill Inn bring them together?

Holiday Hearts by Top 100 Best Selling Author Caroline Clemmons - Laura is funny, beautiful, and smart. She’s not about to date her boss. Can Ward convince her he’s not just looking for a holiday fling?

The Tinsel Tango by Best Selling Author Bonnie Edwards - She needs R&R. He teaches Tango. Or does he? Can love survive secrets & hidden agendas when a dance teacher is exposed as a wealthy tycoon?

Wisdom of the Heart by USA Today Best Selling Author Liz Flaherty - Best friends fell in love in high school. But life, families & distance happened along the way. Could they still be in love?

Operation Snowball by Best Selling Author Kathryn Hills - Returning home to Dickens is hard for Army veteran, John Gridley. The last thing he expects to find is love with a pretty widow.

Angel Kisses and Holiday Wishes by Best Selling Author Peggy Jaeger - Sage left years ago, leaving Keith's heart in tatters. She's back as his grandmother’s doctor. Is there hope for them?

Holly’s Wish by Top 100 Best Selling Author Kathleen Lawless - What if the girl who got away is standing right in front of you? Years ago, they shared one magical Christmas Eve. Is it too late for them now?

Holiday Heart Wishes by Best Selling Author Lucinda Race - Vera picks up Tony, a stranded motorist, on her way back to Dickens. Will they discover their heart wishes can come true at Christmas? 

Santa’s Wish by Best Selling Author Jan Scarbrough - Will Christmas magic help them overcome the obstacles of her dashed career ambitions and his grief so they can find a second chance at love?

And don't forget to get your FREE copy of our recipe book It's a Dickens of a Cookie!

Until next month ... stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe and stay well read.

Nancy