My "Big Idea" Lady by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

My mother can sing. Really, really well. She has a voice like Kathryn Grayson. They have similar looks, too. My mother is timeless and classic. She reminds me a lot of Jackie Kennedy. And, well, she was raised in that era, so....

She's good at a lot of things. Cooking, sewing, gardening, leading, directing, caring for others....

The list is endless. She worked for the American Heart Association for 20 years in Houston. Which means she worked with some VERY smart doctors, and they ended up nicknaming her the "velvet hammer". (I think I know why, but I've never actually asked.)

I call her the "Big Idea" lady because she was always making me do things. Sometimes these things were actually worthy, but other times.....UGH. Piano lessons? Really? No. (But I had to take them for FIVE years.)

Before my mother graduated from college, she was invited to attend the conservatory in Paris. I'm not really sure what that is, but she chose not to because she wanted a family.

She's been an amazing mother. There's no way I could tell y'all everything, but I have one example of her commitment.

My brother had seizures as a baby, and there were many appointments as doctors tried to figure out what was wrong. And, of course, there were many scary moments. One of those occurred either right before or right after church -- I can't remember because I was six. They had to take my brother to the hospital, and the only way my brother would sleep was on my mother's chest. So she stretched out on a gurney in her dress, slip, and hose and laid there for several hours so my brother could get a decent sleep. She couldn't move or she'd wake him.

"Mother" means so much that I doubt Webster accurately defines the word. "Father" means just as much, but this month is for the mothers. And they deserve ALL the roses.

It's quite fitting for me as my current release, MAGGIE'S SONG, which is available for pre-order, is about a mother who's risking so much to save her child. And not only that, the heroine can sing. Maybe not as well as my mother, but certainly well enough! Ha!

MAGGIE'S SONG

Pike’s Run, Texas, 1883

In the dead of night, Maggie Nelson flees New Orleans with her five-year old daughter, Iris. Maggie can’t live with her abusive husband any longer and seeks safety in the home and arms of her aunt, Aletta Williamson in Bordersville, near Pike’s Run, Texas. When she arrives, surprise her dear aunt, Maggie tells her Haywood died. She is too ashamed to tell the truth about her marriage.

Pete Jerkin, the town blacksmith and livery operator, is a leader in Bordersville. He is taken by Maggie and Iris, especially since the child doesn’t fear him. With his large stature, he usually puts off females and children. As Iris tugs on his heartstrings, his gaze strays to the lovely Maggie. But he’s promised himself he wouldn’t ever court a woman. Not again.

However, love is sneaky, and Pete can’t help himself. Neither can Maggie. As the weeks pass, she grows more scared each day that Pete will learn the truth about her husband, that Haywood will come knocking. And ruin everything.

BUY MAGGIE'S SONG

I was able to write this story because I had the best inspiration and role model for it. I've learned so much from my mom, and there isn't a way to properly thank her. Perhaps this blog post will do it. (I bet she's crying. Should I see that as success?)

I love you, Mama. Thank you.

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Mischief Makers by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

I love the boys who make mischief. The ones who try to make you laugh, who smile with a twinkle in their eye. I love it when they look at life as something to be enjoyed instead of endured. 

But best of all, I love it when they treat you like a lady, when they protect you with their broad shoulders and don't ask for anything in return.

Texas boys are often like this. Always ready with a quip, a wink, and a wildflower they picked just for you.

Let me tell you, chivalry is not dead. And even better, it comes with jokes and dimples.

My latest release, DESTINY'S SECRETS, has heroes who make mischief and hold the world on their shoulders. They are brothers, twins, who set out to return long-lost sisters to their rightful place.

The inspiration for Andrew and Ben's personalities came from pretty much all the men I've ever known. I dedicated this book to the ones who were closest to me, who were true to themselves and became gentlemen with kind hearts and strong hands.

And so...an excerpt for you...

“I can hear you thinking,” a deep voice called out.

She gasped and opened her eyes. “Ben?”

He laughed. “Who else?”

Oh, dear. How had he known she couldn’t sleep? “I’m sorry. I’m just having a little trouble.”

“Like last night.”

It wasn’t a question. He’d realized she hadn’t slept then, either? “You’re very observant.”

“That’s why I’m an investigator.”

Of course. She cleared her throat. “But you can’t really hear my thoughts.”

“Are you telling me or asking me?”

She considered his query. “I’m not sure.”

Some shuffling happened on his side, and she imagined he’d rolled over. “I promise I don’t know what’s going through your head.”

How absurd it would be if she truly believed he could read minds, but she definitely saw him as someone who could accomplish just about anything.

“Want me to tell you another story?”

If it didn’t help her sleep, it would certainly distract her. “I’d appreciate it, thank you.”

“All right.” The wind blew, then his voice rose above the lonely sound. “Andrew and I spent some time in boarding school.”

The revelation made her frown, but before she could ask about it, he continued.

“Our housemaster was hard of hearing. Not sure why they employed him to watch over twenty-five fourteen-year-olds at night, but it made it easy when we wanted to sneak out. And one night we decided it would be fun to create a scavenger hunt for our classmates.”

She anticipated the outcome and smiled at the darkness.

“We got into the classroom without a problem, I’d learned how to pick locks by then, and we moved our supplies, like our books and slates, and left clues on how to find them.

“The next morning, no one noticed right off, and we were a little disappointed. But when Mr. Pederson tried to give us a lesson in mathematics and he realized the shelf was empty, he turned beet red. The other fellows snickered.”

“The poor man,” Charlotte interjected. “How could y’all torment him so?”

“You forget we left hints on how to get everything back,” he reminded her.

“And did that make him feel better?”

“I’m not sure, but we had fun helping him search.”

She sucked air through her teeth. “You hid them.”

“But we were real good at pretending we didn’t know where they were, and we spent the rest of the day picking apart Andrew’s clues.”

Ben and his twin must have given their mother all kinds of fits. She couldn’t imagine having to discipline mischief-makers like them. “Y’all were little imps. And you know, just like you could hear me thinking, I can feel you grinning.”

DESTINY'S SECRETS

Andrew and Ben Lonnigan, brothers and private investigators, have accepted an important case—to reunite the long-lost DuBois daughters with their rightful inheritance. Abducted from their childhood home in New Orleans when they were three and two-years-old, Jo and Charlotte were adopted by separate families.

Andrew heads north to find Josephine Tatum—a pants-wearing, spitfire veterinarian who challenges his mind and captures his heart. Ben travels south to find Charlotte Ryan—the financial mind behind her father’s ranch, with a sweet disposition and, unfortunately, a fiancé.

As the sisters journey toward destiny, Charlotte must guard her heart against Ben, a man too daring to ever return her love. And Andrew must hide his feelings from Jo, a woman determined to carve her own path. While the foursome battle feelings, they must also war with a villain from the sisters’ past, one with the will and the means to destroy everything the DuBois daughters hold dear.

BUY DESTINY'S SECRETS

Take a bit of Little House on the Prairie, a dash of Anne of Green Gables, add a touch of romance, and you've got the TEXAS BRIDES OF PIKE'S RUN series!

And as a special offer to celebrate Spring, WELCOME HOME, book 1 in the series is on sale for $0.99! I hope y'all enjoy it!

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My Favorite True Love Moments by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

One of my favorite moments in a story is when the hero or heroine kisses his or her true love and the curse breaks. It's such a wonderful thought, that love is strong enough to cure any ill.

For me, it's more than a thought, though. It's a belief. Love has the ability to soothe any villain, comfort the grieving, and liberate the oppressed.

And, of course, I have a few favorite true love moments....

1) When Emma Swan kisses Henry, her son, and wakes him from the sleeping curse in Once Upon A Time.

2) When Prince Philip kisses Sleeping Beauty and wakes her from the sleeping curse.

3) When Wesley and Buttercup kiss at the end of The Princess Bride.

4) When Emma Swan and Captain Killian "Hook" Jones triumph in the ultimate true love test in Once Upon A Time.

5) When Stephen Dawson kisses Constance Forrester for the first time in The Editor's Kisses. (Unfortunately, I don't have a video clip of this. Because this is from one of my books!)

Yes, #5 is one of my own, and while there isn't anything literally magical about it, it does wake up Stephen and he's able to unchain himself from the toxic control another woman had over him. It was absolutely beautiful how it worked out, and even though you can't watch it happen, you can read it...

Scene: The parlor of the Talbut home

Problem #1: An embarrassing parlor game – being locked in a broom closet with a member of the opposite sex

Problem #2: Stephen and Constance are in a fake courtship – Stephen is trying to make someone jealous and Constance gets to be a reporter for his paper

Madeline’s spinning of Constance was a little rough, but Stephen held his tongue. When their hostess let go, Constance fumbled for a moment before Stephen raised himself up and yanked her into his lap.

The shouts of excitement and delight that went around the room nearly deafened him. People playfully called out “cheater”, but Stephen didn’t care, especially when Constance whisked off her mask and looked immensely relieved to see he’d successfully caught her.

They headed to the closet without fuss. Constance almost looked as if she was dying to climb inside. She probably wanted to get the farce over with.

Once they were squeezed into the confining space, with their chests pressed together in a way Stephen had only fantasized about, she said, “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done—”

He covered her mouth with his hand, having dislodged it from his side. Then he leaned near her ear. “They might be able to hear us,” he whispered.

She flinched.

He lowered his arm, and she let out a slow breath. He wished he could see her face. For more reasons than to satisfy his worry she was all right.

He did everything he could to ignore the touch of her body along his front. He tried not to remember how she looked, how her eyes lit up, how her expression sharpened when she was interested in something. Why had he watched her all night?

But he knew. He knew very well. She was captivating. Intriguing. And so damned lovely.

Why was he having feelings for her? Wasn’t his love for Madeline strong enough to withstand attraction for another woman? But if it was, he would be in the closet with his hostess and not the lady he pretended to the world held his fancy.

He had to kiss her. He had to discover if this attachment was real. Besides, if he didn’t kiss her, everyone would wonder why. And for some strange reason, he needed every fellow out there to understand Constance Forrester was his. He closed his eyes and realized his attitude was no better than a caveman’s. But the need to possess and brand raced through him without pause, and he couldn’t fathom how to check it. Except to kiss her and get her out of his system once and for all.

“Constance,” he uttered. “I’m gonna kiss you.”

She flinched again.

“I won’t hurt you, I swear it. But if I don’t kiss you…they’ll all question us and our…attachment.” He was an ass. He was using their agreement to coax her into acquiescence, and while he knew it, and was ashamed of it, he continued. “It will only be for a second. I’ll just brush my lips with yours.”

In the darkness, he felt her slight nod against his chin. His heart pounded at her quiet surrender.

When she pulled back as far as the space would allow and lifted her head to his, heat slashed through him. He’d never needed a kiss as much as he needed hers.

 Madeline had kissed him. Once. Behind the schoolhouse when they were sixteen. And that moment hadn’t caused nearly the anticipation this one did.

He lowered his head and swallowed her gasp. It wasn’t a brush, even though he only set his lips on hers. It was a fire. A shot of whiskey that whipped through him and pooled in his gut. He deepened the connection, and she let him, sighing and sinking into him despite already being as close to him as he could get her.

He melted. He needed to move to the ground and cover her, press her down and make her his. He used his tongue, tasting her. She capitulated instantly and opened her mouth under his. He took what she allowed without hesitation as his free hand came up to grip her waist.

The damn closet was too small. His left hand was wedged between her side and the slender door. But though he couldn’t get his arms around her, he didn’t stop the kiss. It went on and on, stealing his breath, tightening his chest and making him doubt everything he’d ever known about his heart.

Rapid footsteps had him surging backward, and he knocked his head on the wall.

The door flew open, and cool air blasted his cheeks. He and Constance fell out of the space, their limbs tangling as they tried to right themselves.

Peals of laughter rung around them as Stephen reached out a hand to balance her. She latched on as if she didn’t want to let go, and his muscles vibrated with hope she had enjoyed the moment as he had.

It had taken less than a few seconds for him to realize kissing her had been the wrong thing to do. But also the most right, most perfect, most sound judgement he’d ever made in his life.

As those who’d crowded around the entrance to the kitchen went roaring with laughter back into the parlor, he gazed at Constance. And his world tilted.

Her flushed cheeks and bright eyes made his heart constrict with an emotion he was too afraid to name at the moment. But he knew what it was. He knew.

How in the devil had it happened? Was he a fool? A fickle man?

He swallowed. “Do you want to leave?”

And before his eyes, he witnessed a transformation that set his blood on fire. Determination changed her expression, and she lifted her chin.

“Certainly not. I’m quite all right, I assure you.” She gave a shake to her skirts. “We’ve a job to do, Stephen Dawson, and I’ll not let you down.”

She exited the kitchen with a swirl of satin, and he followed with less sure steps. She wouldn’t let him down, he knew it. But he feared he might disappoint her, for if she knew the direction of his thoughts, she would never forgive him. Constance Forrester had no time for any man. She had plans. Plans that didn’t include caring for the heart of the newspaper editor.

Pre-Order THE EDITOR'S KISSES

The Editor's Kisses

Constance Forrester has no intention of getting married. She is a suffragette and determined to change society. When Stephen Dawson, her school chum, starts a newspaper in their sleepy little town, Constance discovers an opportunity. With confidence and an unflinching will, she asks Stephen to take a risk and employ her as a journalist.

Stephen is stunned by Constance's impossible proposal and immediately turns her down. But the small moments he's spent with Constance have peeked someone's curiosity, and Stephen finds himself sought after by the town princess, Madeline Talbut. Stephen has loved Madeline for years, and when the young lady finally shows an interest in him, he concocts a plan: enter into a fake courtship with Constance in order to make Madeline love him, and in return, Constance can be a journalist for his newspaper. Anonymously, of course.

It’s a chance Constance can't pass up. So what if she has to attend parties and withstand Stephen's heart-melting kisses? A suffragette must forge through barriers, break down walls and risk all for the sake of freedom. But Stephen changes the game, and Constance finds herself the object of the editor's desire…

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Those Little Tidbits by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

I was in high school when I read my first historical romance. While I enjoyed the love story VERY much, I was also drawn to the details and facts the author shared about the characters' daily lives. There were duties and objects and fashions that I had never heard of until I started reading historical romance.

For example, it was Mary Balogh who taught me what a "forlorn hope" was. And I learned from Maggie Osborne that if you wanted to get over Chilkoot Pass during the Alaskan Gold Rush, you had to keep walking or you might just go sliding right back down. And no one was going to help you.

I found that I loved those little nuggets of information. They were so interesting and made the story better. They pulled you into the time period and made the setting richer and easier to connect with.

Many years ago, I took a tour of a Victorian home in Galveston, Texas. It was there where I learned what carpenter's lace was. So many of those houses had all that intricate and beautiful woodwork. What I didn't realize, probably because I was born when suburbs became the norm and every fifth home was the same, was that these carved pieces of artwork were all different. And they didn't always have to be on the outside of the house.

The docent called it "carpenter's lace", which was each carpenter's trademark, and became his signature. Isn't that cool? A carpenter would sign the houses he built, just like an artist signs a painting. Once the builder created his signature, he would put it in a spot in the house, making it possible for people to identify his work.

I loved that soooo much, and I knew I had to put this little tidbit in a book.

Love's Promise releases on November 7th. It is the sixth book in the Texas Brides of Pike's Run series. One of the main characters, Jonas Boswell, is a carpenter, and I wrote a wonderful scene where he shows the woman he loves his handiwork. I love that scene so much and a snippet of it is below.

Is there something interesting that you learned from a romance? Please share below and you could win a book from my series!

Love's Promise: An Excerpt

She shook her head then turned toward the house.

When he would have hurried her up the steps, she stopped to take in the view. He was so ready to get her inside and show her his woodworking abilities, he’d forgotten she might want to admire the outside first.

He looked at it through her eyes, wondering what she would think. The house was yellow with white trim. The front had two bay windows, one on either side of the wide porch, set under twin gables that had barge board, carved with a leaf design, running along the edge. The trim under the roof overhang had been shaped into waves and went from one end to the other.

“How beautiful,” she breathed. “It’s like a fairytale.”

There weren’t any other words she could have said that would have pleased him more. He’d almost abandoned the project when his wife died. She’d passed when the structure was only a shell, and the frames had stood almost as another marker for her departed soul. Eventually, he’d needed something to do and had been surprised when completing the house had provided solace for his grief. When he looked at it now, he always saw Mary’s proud expression in his mind’s eye. “Let’s go inside,” he urged.

She said nothing but allowed him to take her by the hand then up the steps. When she entered, she gasped at the high ceiling. He’d left the entry open to the top floor. There was a window intricately placed above the door to allow the setting sun to shine through.

“Oh, Jonas! How beautiful.”

The wonder on her face gripped him as nothing ever had before. She treated his home as if it were some kind of priceless painting. To him it was. To others…well, he’d never expected such a reaction.

“The shine is gorgeous. The beams are so rich.” She turned in a circle, running her enraptured gaze over every inch of the ceiling.

“Thank you,” he murmured. Inadequate words, but they were all he could think of. “They’re mahogany.”

When she finally took her gaze from above and looked at the entry, he waited with bated breath. Would she think the rest as beautiful?

She assessed the curving staircase and reached out a shaky hand to touch the newel post. “You carved this.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of amazed wonder. He said nothing and swallowed past the lump in the base of his throat.

Then she found the floor with its snowflake shadows made by his woodworking skills. “Jonas!” she gasped. “It’s lace!”

While she stared with wide eyes, he cleared his throat and explained. “Carpenter’s lace. It’s my signature.”

Her gaze switched to him. “Your signature?”

He pointed to the edge of the ceiling where the stairs disappeared onto the second floor. “See the design here?”

She tipped her head up. “Oh, I do,” she breathed. “It’s a carved detail you added, and when the setting sun shines through, it makes lace shadows on the ground.” She reached a hand up. “I’m too short.”

She didn’t need to ask twice. He stepped forward then lifted her at the waist, her soft feminine curves making his gut clench with desire. She giggled but didn’t tell him to put her down. Gingerly, as if it were precious, she touched the grooves of his signature, running her finger along the carvings.

When he set her down, she gazed at him. “A carpenter signs his work? Like a painter signs a painting?”

He nodded. “It’s usually called carpenter’s lace. When you begin your business, you develop one and put it in a spot in each house you build.”

“This is fascinating. I knew you were talented, but I underestimated how much.”

Heat climbed into his cheeks. “Thanks,” he said sheepishly.

“Are you embarrassed?” she asked, her mouth curving upward in pleased surprise. “Or modest? That’s it. You’re modest.”

He shrugged then held out his hand. “Wanna see the rest?”

Her gaze lowered to his outstretched palm, and he waited with his breath held for her to accept his touch again. When she slid her fingers through his, tingles shot up his arm and sent warmth to areas that had been dormant for too long. He tugged and she followed.

Love's Promise

Historical Romance

Texas Brides of Pike's Run

When Eliska Spencer opens a bakery in Pike’s Run with her friends, Cora Ann Carter and Sugar Fremont, no one suspects the women aren't what they seem.

Jonas Boswell is enchanted by Sugar Fremont. He fights the attraction, not wanting to risk his heart after experiencing the death of his first wife. Falling in love again has never seemed possible or safe. But then Sugar appears with her bouncing, red curls and shining, blue eyes, and he is lost.

Thomas Miller gives females a wide berth. After living with three sisters, he finds women frustrating and irritating. And Cora Ann Carter is no exception. However, her feisty nature and bold curves draw him in until he doesn't recognize himself. It's all he can do not to drag her down the aisle.

Reverend Aidan Black had his heart broken many years ago. He swore off women and made his flock his priority. Then Eliska Spencer crosses his path. She is kind. And gentle. And giving. His heart melts, and he is powerless against her. He vows to make her his own.

But the ladies’ past looms, invading their future and stealing their happiness. All the women want is to love and be loved. Can they achieve their dreams, or will the men in their lives prove too stubborn to forgive their past?

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Top Five Favorite Friendships by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

While I write romance novels, I find that I love good friendships as much as I adore true love. When the hero and heroine are best friends, that's even better.

There's something about the care, humor and truth in a solid, lasting friendship. They are hard to come by and hard to discern. What makes a good friend?

You think you know, then drama ensues, and you discover you were wrong. The playground and sleepovers can teach you so much. And...so can books.

So, here are my top five friendships.

1. Anne and Marilla from Anne of Green Gables -- There's nothing like a hopeful-eyed child and a stern, older woman trying to live together. These two grabbed my heart from the beginning of the story and did NOT let go. This is an honest relationship that developed beautifully through the series.

2. Captain Woodrow Call and "Gus" McCrae from Lonesome Dove -- Talk about oil and water. One guy is so serious and the other is such an annoying prankster that you wonder how they managed to stick together. Well, they are both highly stubborn, so that probably helped. And I think they were too cranky to find the time to befriend anyone else.

3. Jo March and Beth March from Little Women -- One is adventurous and seems to know how best to live life, while the other is shy and lets the world pass her by. These two taught each other so much and it was done without arguing and without belittling the other's choice. I read this book when I was very young. I think I was seven. Beth and Jo taught me a lot.

4. William Marshal and Isabelle de Clare from The Scarlet Lion -- William and Isabelle are real people. They were married and lived during the time of Richard the Lionheart and his brother, Prince John. These two were a force. They were both fighters -- one on the battlefield and one in the grandest castle in Ireland. They shared everything. When he died, supposedly his last words were, "My bon ami." He said this to Isabelle, which translated means, essentially, "My beautiful friend." I adored their relationship.

5. Anne and Gilbert of Anne of Green Gables -- There is no better story, in my opinion, of friends who become lovers. Of course, Gilbert was always in love. Was Anne always in love? I think so, but she was so gosh-darn stubborn. Their friendship was honest, true, competitive, feisty and so very caring. They are the perfect examples of how a man and woman in love are each other's best friend. Truly beautiful.

I have others, of course, but these are the pinnacle for me.

My fifth book, The Soldier's Love, releases on October 7th. Frank and Jane are the main characters, and they are best friends. They also love each other, but her dreams and his stubborn pride pull them apart. When they find each other again, it is not easy. They fight more than I would have liked them to, but Frank turned out to be really, really stubborn. I didn't see that coming. But he comes by it honestly, because in my fourth book, The Miller Brides, we learn how hard-nosed his mother was.

Of course, Jane and Frank find their way back to each other but it's not without its trials. I loved returning them to what they had always hoped to be. I'm definitely a "happily-ever-after" girl.

I would love to hear your favorite friendships! Please share in the comments!

And be sure to pick up my next book, The Soldier's Love, which is available for pre-order!

The Soldier's Love

When Jane Lonnigan refused to marry him, Frank Dawson got the hell out of Pike’s Run and joined the army. As he took risk after risk, hoping someone would put him out of his misery, he consequently rose in ranks. Now he’s a First Lieutenant stationed at Fort Robertson, a crack shot, and the main communicator to the Chipsa tribe.

Frank broke Jane's heart when he refused to wait for her to complete her education. Still, as she embarked on her journey to becoming a teacher, she couldn't stop loving him. Her first teaching post is for the children of Riley Creek, the town Fort Robertson protects.

When Frank realizes Jane has become a fixture of the settlement he is a part of, he sets out to guard himself from being twice a fool. But as life swirls around them, Frank can't help but return to her again and again.

A mistake causes Frank to hurt Jane and make her believe all hope is lost. She runs home, needing the welcoming arms of her family. When Frank learns what he's done, he realizes he's been a fool. He races after her, intent on winning her back. Can he mend her heart and have her as his wife? Or has he ruined everything?

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Romance, Pirates, and Summer Vacations by @MaddieJames

Have you ever been haunted by something? Felt a pull so strong you had to give into it? 

Years ago, when the children were young, probably about six- and eight-years-old, I insisted we take a family vacation. It was spring break and truly, I needed the departure from my students, and well, just from life. Bonus, the ocean was calling. Haunting me, perhaps. Odd thing because I’d never been to the east coast. That didn’t slow me down though or stop the melancholy feeling about going there.

Credit: digidreamgrafix.com (Deposit Photos) 

I chose Nags Head in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina because the name of the town had always intrigued me. I stumbled across an ad for a reality company in an issue of Southern Living and called for details. Soon, we were set, and off we went.

Once there, I was entranced by the area, the people, the food, and the laid-back atmosphere. That was our first trip of many. Even after my husband and I divorced, I found ways to get there, be it spring, summer, or fall. The kids and I went one summer when they were teenagers. We had a yard sale to pay for a motel room and pooled all our dollars for other expenses. It was a quick, cheap trip but one of my most memorable. We ate sandwiches out of a cooler all week, swam in the ocean and the motel pool, and just chilled.

There have been other trips. We have stayed up and down the OBX from Corolla to Ocracoke Island and pretty much everywhere in between. A couple of times I went solo, which was fun, but I missed my people; other trips included extended family where we would rent a big beach house oceanside and just play all week. There was always one night of family putt-putt golf competition, and every family took a turn at making dinner for the entire crew. We always reserved at least one evening meal for the local seafood buffet.

Copyright credit: Jorg Hackemann (Deposit Photos)

A few times we went with my parents and my sister’s family. Once, we stayed just down the beach from the infamous Inn at Rodanthe, the house featured in the movie, Nights in Rodanthe. A more recent trip was with my offspring and their significant others and families, and one set of in-laws. My grown children and I also took another trip to OBX about ten years after the first cheap trip—but this time we rented a big old oceanfront Nags Header on the historic register. We had more money to spend, and if I remember correctly, we consumed quite a few rum popsicles. Adult children are fun! We also may or may not have encountered a ghost that week—fodder for a story perhaps?

And yes, this haunting of the ocean, this lure to the sea, and the OBX has been a source of writer inspiration for me and has influenced my stories and my muse. One cannot visit these barrier islands and not leave with a sense of the past, of pirates, of the colonies, of escape and intrigue, and perhaps even treasure hunting….

Cover Art: Jacobs Ink, LLC

I’ve set one romantic suspense novel, A Perfect Escape, in the barrier islands, and a time-travel trilogy, The Forever Trilogy.

Let’s talk about the trilogy. Edward Teach aka Blackbeard called Ocracoke Island in the OBX home for some time. Around 1718 he wreaked havoc over the eastern coastline and then finally was beheaded in a battle at sea. The Governor of Virginia had ordered him stopped. Losing his head was the thing that stopped him. On the islands you can find many references to the infamous pirate and I found the pirate folklore fascinating. I dug in, read and researched a lot, and wrote my own version of the pirates that lived there.

That research turned into a trilogy of stories surrounding some legend and lore of Blackbeard’s missing head after he was decapitated—actually, the lore has more to do with a silver-plated cup that was supposedly created from his skull. Fun, huh?

I began writing this trilogy years ago, not long after my first trip to OBX, and I can say these characters haunted and consumed me for some time. The stories were originally crafted when I was still learning how to write—before I was a published author and nearly two decades before Indie publishing became a thing. A small publisher picked them up years ago, and I’ve since had the rights reverted to me.

Cover Art: Jacobs Ink, LLC; template by Covervault 

Over the years—just as I kept returning to OBX—I have returned to these books and reworked and polished them. They have been reconfigured and retitled. I’m sure they are still not perfect—and that is okay with me. Most of my vacation trips to OBX were not “perfect” either, by some people’s standards, but they were memorable all the same.

I can only hope for that with any of the books I write—that readers think they are memorable.

The Forever Trilogy is this series centered around pirate lore. If you like history, pirates, suspense, time travel, paranormal elements, soul mates, and happily-ever-after endings, you might like these books. They are available at my online bookstore as well as all ebook retail outlets.

And while I have you, Jan Scarbrough and I write a western romance series and for ten days in June, we are offering the box set for 99 cents. I hope you check it out! Click for universal buy links—this one goes off sale on June 17.

Cover Art: Jacobs Ink, LLC; template by Covervault

Lastly, please don’t forget about our Summer Nights Rafflecopter Giveaway! Go HERE for details. Signup and I hope you win!

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Maddie James writes to silence the people in her head—if only they wouldn’t all talk at once! 

Whether writing traditional contemporary romance or building paranormal worlds, bestselling romance author, Maddie James, pens stories that frequently cross a variety of romantic sub-genres. Sweet or spicy, suspense or comedy, western or time-travel, her heroes and heroines are always chasing one thing—the happily-ever-after. 

Affaire de Coeur says, “James shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claims, “James deftly combines romance and suspense.” Visit her at www.maddiejames.com.

Her books are available at ALL RETAILERS and she also sells direct from her own online bookstore, SAND DUNE BOOKS (which is where you can find the deals and discounts!)

The Summer Solstice and Special Deals by Jan Scarbrough

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac:

In 2020, the June solstice is Saturday, June 20, at 5:44 p.m. EDT. This date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight.) At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.

Okay, it’s not technically summer yet (in the Northern Hemisphere), but it feels like it in Kentucky! It’s HOT! On these almost-summer nights, I’ve spent my time reading. And if you like reading like I do, I happen to have a few specials just for you.

My writing buddy Maddie James and I have a series of contemporary Western romances called The Montana Ranchers.

We’ve put them into a Five-Book Box Set called the Montana McKennas and it’s on sale for 99 cents for a limited time! Here’s where you can find the set at all of the familiar ebook retailers.

I’m also about to release my mystery-romance trilogy called The Ghost Mountain Ranch. The first book is already available for 99 cents. I call it Hank: Ghost Mountain Ranch Book 1. Here are the digital buy links.

On Christmas Eve, Hank accepts the job of ranch foreman over the mountains in the Gallatin Canyon, Montana. But something dark is happening at the Ghost Mountain Ranch, where the past is reaching out in dangerous ways to haunt the living.

One thing you might want to know about Hank is that it was published in 2017 as Home for the Holidays, so you may have read it. When I wrote it, I wanted it to be Hank’s transition from the McKenna Ranch to the ranch across the mountain. Hank becomes the hero in the book to be released June 19 – Darby: Ghost Mountain Ranch Book 2.

Now, if you’d like to get a free copy of Hank, I’m giving it away to my newsletter subscribers on Wednesday. All you have to do is go to my website and sign up for my newsletter! https://janscarbrough.com/contact/

The authors of the Romance Gems are giving away Amazon Gift Cards again this month. Go to our Monthly Giveaway page for all the details.

A New Cover For A New Path by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

Y'all...

I love my husband. I married a cross between Jim Halpert, Mr. Darcy and Captain America. And that is quite a mixture, let me tell you. 

Oh, and he's a graphic designer turned art teacher.

He's my prince charming. I would soooo go into a sleeping curse or get locked in a tower just so he could save me. That would not be a hardship. I wouldn't even be scared.

He's my hero, and he's helping me save my books...

I told y'all in my last post that my publisher went out of business and that I've started the process of self-publishing. That means I need to design covers. Oh, joy!

But lucky me, I married an artist!



The prelude, Saving Sarah, has been re-published and is now available. And I couldn't have done it without my husband. He designed the cover.

I'm very excited about this because each book in the series is going to have a similar look. Each of my heroines reminds me of a particular flower and this is going to be featured on the covers.

The Dogwood Tree blooms flowers of a variety of colors, but I prefer the white. The petals are delicate and are a special symbol of the crucifixion of Christ. They grow in many places in the U.S., and they have always been a favorite of mine. I love the legend behind this tree. Its beautiful story is why I chose this flower as the one to represent my brave heroine, Sarah.

And coincidentally, Saving Sarah takes place in North Carolina, and the Dogwood Tree just happens to be their state flower. Weird, huh?

This cover is a beautiful representation of elements of the book. I'm so lucky I have such talented husband.




Here is the PERFECT and LOVELY cover!!!!!

About Saving Sarah:

Sarah Kerry's world is shattered when a man from her past, Liam Devlin, shows up with proof that, if shared, would send her father to the noose. In order to keep Liam quiet, she must break her young courtship with Michael Lonnigan and marry Liam instead.

Michael is crushed and angry when Sarah abruptly ends their courtship, but he knows something isn't right. He's seen the new man hanging around the Kerry family and believes the man is blackmailing the woman Michael loves. Unwilling to let her go, Michael will do whatever it takes to save Sarah and make her his own.

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Don't forget our April giveaway!

Details Here - Monthly Giveaway

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April 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!