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. 

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.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Sizzle by Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless #romancegems

Summer is taking its time to arrive in my part of the world, and I’m past feeling impatient.  Admittedly, I live in a rain forest and the gardens love the rain, but come July I expect no less than a nice, long stretch of days in the mid-70’s and balmy summer nights.  I’d like to plan a picnic or a hike a few days in advance without worrying about getting rained out.  Rain or shine, at least there’s always the beach.     

I am a self-confessed beach freak.  Despite several moves in my early, married days, I have always lived within walking distance to a beach.  Something about the waves’ mesmerizing movement soothes my soul and smooths away the day’s rough edges. 

It doesn’t matter whether I’m storm watching on the wild west coast of the Pacific or paddling about cooling off on a hot summer’s day, I love it all and miss it terribly if I’m away for long.  A lake shore just doesn’t tug at me the same way.

Given my love of the beach, I jumped at the chance to write a story for LAST CHANCE BEACH, Summer’s End, a collection of new romance stories that will soon be available for that perfect summer reading escape. 

BLUE SKY SUMMER is a sweet, second chance romance, and I can’t wait for you to read it, along with all the LAST CHANCE BEACH stories from our line-up of talented, award-winning authors. 

In my world, LAST CHANCE BEACH is a place where there’s always one last chance to fall in love.  Care to join me?  

Don’t forget to enter our Rafflecopter draw.  Maybe this will be your lucky month and you’ll be one of our winners.  

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/21df08a239/

Happy reading,

Kathleen.

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