Holiday Reads...Part 2 .... Delsora Lowe

Holiday books aren’t just for the late fall. I read them on into January and beyond. In fact, we’ve all heard of Christmas in July, right? This list is long, but they are all on my Kindle, so I will eventually read each one of them. The books with a quick summary are the books I’ve read, so far. These are added to my list posted in November.

Take your time. Enjoy the holiday throughout the year. And please jot down your favorite holiday romances in the comments area, so we can all check them out.

I hope everyone has a great holiday season, no matter what holidays they celebrate. Happy New Year. And here is to a great 2023, with many more new books to choose from.

ENJOY!!!!!

Share your favorite holiday titles…

 BOOKS I READ IN DECEMBER:

The Wolf of Christmas Present by Kristen Strassel (December 2022)

Rediscovering her roots, finding the perfect mate at Christmas, and finding family (pack.)

The Oak King and the Holly King by N. W. Moors (December 2015)

A quick, short story read about the Solstice celebration, with a sweet surprise.

Merry Little Christmas Spritz by Cherie Colyer (November 2021)

A charmed bookstore, the woman who wants to save it, and the man who is intent on tearing it down and turning the historical store into condos. Some cute and magical twists and turns, and a fun cast of characters.

Christmas at Holly Hill Inn by Maddie James (November 2022)

3 books in one set. Can’t wait to read the other two stories. The first is about a wedding and reunion of college friends.

Sakar: A Sci-Fi Holiday Tail by Ella Blake (November 2022)

An inter-planetary romance at Christmas, with great kids, a blizzard, and a barnful of animals

Frost: A Sci-Fi Holiday Tail by Ava Ross (November 2022)

On the run and across the border between the humans and the planetary enemies, can two who are meant to be together find home?

Lights of Love by Morgan Malone (November 2022)

Settling into a new town and knowing few, Judy immerses herself in preparing for Hannukah. A sweet, later-in-life, second chance love story with plenty of amusing secondary characters to push two town newcomers together for the holidays.

Holly Berry Inn by Nancy Fraser (December 2022)

Friends in college gather together for a wedding, all members of the wedding party. A reunion, second-chance romance for the first book.

Country Snow and Mistletoe by Anne Carrole (November 2022)

Second chances at both love and starting over in life’s journey. Big family and friend’s Christmas celebration.

Charming the Prince: A Dickens Holiday Romance by Maddie James (Oct 2022)

A reunion story during the holidays with the backdrop of a diner in Dickens and a bigger than life dog.

The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery (2021)

Two sisters work together to organize their parent’s renewal of vows ceremony. But each finds their own love in a second chance for one and an opposites attract romance for the other. Warning: cute kids, pets, and plenty of small-town Christmas spirit.

Sasha’s Secret Santa: A Dicken’s Holiday Romance (A Dickens Christmas, Book 11) Dorrit’s Diner by Peggy Jaeger (Oct 2022)

Finally home and burying herself in work at the diner to forget the past, Abra finally opens up to a customer. Will he help fix Christmas for her?

Meringue Snowflake Magic by Tena Stetler (Nov 2022)

A sweet love story about merging families—were wolves of Alaska with witches of Colorado. The couple run a preserve for injured animals near Bar Harbor, Maine. Many interesting secondary characters, including a dog, a wolf, and an Albatross.

The Eve of Love (New Year Anthology) by Elf Ahearn, Eliza Carter, Kathy Crouch, Heather Hallman, Cynthia Anne Hurt, Joan Koster, Claudine Lamarr, Julia Masters, Annie R. McEwen, Zia Westfield (Oct 2022)

Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve holiday stories. I’ve read a few of the Christmas books and can’t wait to go back and read the others.

BOOKS TO READ: 

Christmas Wedding Cookies by Jeanne Kern (November 2022)

Wedding Bells on Victory Street by Pam Howes (October 2020)

A Princess by Christmas by Julia London (October 2020)

Cowboys and Angels by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Oct 2022)

Shine a Light by Rebecca Crowley (Nov 2021)

Operation Snowball by Kathryn Hills (Oct 2022)

Naughty or Nice: A Holiday Regency Anthology (Oct 2022) by Bree Wolf, Sydney Jane Baily, Tracy Sumner, et. al. 

Eight Kisses by Mindy Klasky, Lori Ann Bailey, Rose Grey, et. al. (November 2019)

Greek Snowball Surprise Cookies by M.J. Golias (December 2022)

Snowbound Christmas by Jo Ann Brown

The Family You Make by Jill Shalvis

Merry EX-Mas by Courtney Walsh

Wrapped Up in You by Lori DiAnni

A Lucky Texas Christmas by Liz Alvin

A Cowboy for Christmas by Lori Wild

Rancher Family Christmas by Leslie Nor

Once Upon a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas) by Erica Ridley

Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major

Her First Christmas Cowboy by Maisey Yates

Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery

The Cowboy Prince Charming by Maisey Yates

Heartwarming Christmas (12 Story Collection from Heartwarming Christmas Town) (Oct 2015) by Melinda Curtis, Anna Adams, Anna J. Stewart, et. al.  

Let’s Get Naughty: A Limited Edition Romance Anthology (Let's Get Naughty Book 1) by Ashley Zakrzewski, et. al.

Cherishing Christmas Love
Boxset: Bumper Christmas Mail-Order Bride Historical Western Romance - 32 Book Box Set by Callie Gardner, Rosalee Adams, et al.

Find all Books in various formats under Delsora Lowe 

on Amazon and Draft2Digital

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. Her newest novella is The Love Left Behind. Look for both a Christmas novel (The Inn at Gooseneck Lane) and novella (Holiday Hitchhiker) later this fall.

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

Book Covers: Attributed to each author. 
Free Clip Art Credits:  
Free Free December Cliparts, Download Free Free December Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
Free Solstice Cliparts, Download Free Solstice Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)

Will we get back to normal in 2022?

2021 was a turbulent year for many, and I'm personally hoping for a much more even-keel 2022.

Unable to Write

I've been writing obsessively since childhood. It's my passion. But I was taken by surprise by how my emotions so vehemently affected my output last year. I'm usually juggling multiple book projects and felt a day without writing was a day wasted. 

I just didn't feel in the mood to write. 

I tried, believe me. But my creativity had other ideas. My brain wouldn't let me grasp onto a thought long enough to turn it into a sentence, let alone a paragraph. It wasn't for a lack of ideas. I have more than a few partially-finished books that just need a few more chapters written to get them ready for the editing. I just couldn't summon enthusiasm to tackle any of them.

2021 was an emotional roller coaster ride of a year. Grief encased my brain like a vice and the only respite was when I opened my sketchbook. I was able to lose myself in the simplicity of an inked line, and wallow in the myriad of watercolours swimming in my palette.

So I put my computer aside and embraced the comfort of my art materials. Sometimes you just have to stop fighting against the tide and go with the flow.

Tonkin's Model of Grief

I've seen it mentioned multiple times online, that grief doesn't shrink (click to view a wonderful depiction of this), your life just grows around it. And less than half a year after my loss, I think this concept, originally defined by Tonkin, is the most palatable.

So as my life continues to expand around my grief, I'm hoping there's room enough in it to return to writing.

About Jay Artale

Jay Artale abandoned her corporate career to become a digital nomad and full-time writer. She’s an avid blogger, podcaster, and nonfiction author helping travel writers and travel bloggers achieve their self-publishing goals. She shares tips, advice, and inspiration to writers with an independent spirit at her website Birds of a Feather Press, and documents her travels and artistic endeavours at her blog Roving Jay. Follow her on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter.

Jay is the author of A Turbulent Mind: A Poetry Collection of a Mother's Journey with Alzheimer's.

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Everything Old is New Again!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

Happy 2022! I can’t help but wonder where the years went to? Just 24 years ago, I signed my first book contract with Kensington Publishing. Memory fades as to whether it was a two- or three-year contract, but I do know it was for multiple books and that trend continued for many years. Even today, I still remember that feeling of elation when I got that very first call from an editor. Months of visualization had actually paid off.

My very first published book. The cover has since changed and so has the title.  You can find the updated version here: https://amzn.to/3FbjcT1

Back then I used to go to stores like Walden’s (now out of business), Barnes and Noble, and Borders (also out of business,) and imagine my books being on that prime shelf space. I could see, smell, and feel that print book. I also didn’t realize that shelf space is paid for by the publishing house and positioning is everything. That eye-opening information came later.

Although Indie books were around for ages, the authors were seldom respected. However, with the advent of the Kindle, the Indie Market took off and traditionally published authors slowly migrated over.

This was for many reasons. Some wanted complete control of their business, others were dropped by their publishers, and others came out of pure curiosity. Mid-listers were more willing to take a chance on this market, and after witnessing the success of some established authors, the New York Times and USA Bestsellers made their way over.

Of course, there were always naysayers. It wouldn’t last, some said, no one reads substandard books. It’s a market for those who can’t write. The list went on. Change can be hard for both the reader and author. Change is hard for most people, anyway. But regardless, it looks like the Indie Market is here to stay, and many talented authors have released some very fine work.

For me, after careful reflection, I’ve decided to return to world of traditional publishing, although this is not necessarily an exclusive move. While there are certainly pluses to the Indie World, there are negatives to. There’s something about the freedom to write what you want, when you want, but I need the structure and discipline of a defined delivery time.

As an Indie it’s easy to procrastinate. We have no pressure to deliver on any date, regardless of whether said date was published on social media. A handful of fans might reach out inquiring as to where your book is, but you don’t have a cover artist or editor breathing down your neck because you’re holding up someone elses's release. If you don’t deliver, there is no fear of losing your slot and having your release delayed another year.

Being Traditionally published means putting your butt in a chair and getting the writing done. It means delivering on time and working with an editor that requires you to get edits back to her and at a specified time.

I'm not saying being an Indie writer  hasn’t been a nice run, and I wouldn’t continue to write for the market, but I miss the worldwide distribution possibilities, and I miss working with editors who have my back.  So, my plan is to come back as a hybrid. This way I get the best of both worlds.

More from my backlist. 

About Marcia King-Gamble

USA bestselling romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean Island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over thirty-four books and eight novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards. Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Be sure to join her newsletter mailing list.

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