Revisiting December Past!

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Marcia King-Gamble

Be warned this is a repost with a few updates. The first edition was written in 2021 when we were coming out of COVID. Not that we actually ever did. Today we've learned to live with it. So, as we wrap up the year, I want to wish all my readers, happiness, health and good cheer .

Greetings from The Big Easy!

Yes, you guessed it. I’m in New Orleans, and it’s beginning to feel a whole lot like Christmas up here.

A great start to the day was breakfast at The Ruby Slipper. Gotta love that name. Shrimp and French toast never tasted so good and washing it down with a Bellini and a custom made latte, added more than a  spot of joy.

Next stop, the French Market for gifts you’d never find in Florida. Of course NOLA  being Nola I had to experience a fun parade. This one came complete with a marching band, a stilt walker, and several of Santa’s elves. Music always makes it easy to get into a holiday mood.  

So, what’s new with me?  By Design has a new cover. Doesn’t any romantic, holiday story need a festive dress.  Take  a peek here  https://amzn.to/3EpwYBP and tell me if the artist did it justice.

Another brand new holiday story is Kwanzaa ‘pon A Time. You can find both at Amazon and Barnes and Noble at these links: https://amzn.to/3CdcSZP and here https://bit.ly/3InpnWK.

Here’s an excerpt from Kwanzaa ‘pon A time.

Mac pushed up his sleeve, showing Elan the tattoo that matched.

“You already have a best man,” Fergie quickly interjected. She and Jen exchanged looks.

“Oh, Cory won’t mind. He didn’t want to be in the wedding party anyway. This solves two issues and now Fergie has a date.”

She was going to strangle her brother. Punch him in his good eye.  Last Christmas, as the lyrics in the background said, she’d given him her heart. This year he’d given it away to a stranger. The ingrate had just made her sound like some desperate loser who couldn’t find a date on her own. Elan more than anyone should know she’d been too busy breathing life back into him to cultivate a relationship. She’d been so intent on taking care of him that she couldn’t make anyone she met work. She’d buried herself in him.

“But I do mind,” Fergie said, “You’re palming me off on your friend without consulting either of us.”

“This is perfect,” her traitorous brother said, “You need an escort. Cory would rather be with his girlfriend at the ceremony, and Mac here is single. Besides, we promised each other. A promise is a promise.”

“Bradley escorting me isn’t part of that promise.”

Could it get an any worse? Elan was making her sound like a hard-up spinster. She wanted to crawl under the newly decorated tree and shrivel up.

Jen tossed Fergie a sympathetic look and attempted to shush up Elan, but Elan would not be shushed.

“I’ve got another idea,” Elan said, obliviously. “No need to be holed up in your excuse for a hotel. Move in with Fergie. She’s got plenty of space. Jen and I will come over and help you move.”

New this year are my Kindle Vella efforts. The first three episodes are free. Find HotShot Doc here: ASIN: B0CB1TWHCY

 Also writing as Sari Smith on Kindle Vella. Estate of Mine found here: ASIN:B0CC8HWQ52 

Happy Holidays All!

Phobias I have a few!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

 October is the month of ghosts, goblins, and all things spooky. My phobia fits right in with this theme. Want to guess what it is?

I’ll tell you. I have the most incredible fear of anything that is dead. Not in the sense of ghosts coming alive, more like a paralyzing fear of anything with blood no longer running through its veins. I simply cannot look at the dead, much less touch them. It’s creepy and scary to me, regardless of how much I loved that person or animal.

How did this all get started?

If you’ve been following me, you know I grew up on a tiny Caribbean Island where superstition and folklore was rampant. After sunset, old wives tales of Rounces, Jumbies and half human creatures were said to come alive. It didn’t help that back then I lived in the main town, and not the country, though truth be told, many of the roads and streets were poorly lit.

It also didn’t help that at the age of eleven, my grandfather died in the home. He had been ailing for a long time and bedridden. I knew immediately something was wrong when I came home and found all the windows wide open, something we seldom did because of the bugs.

Back then, dead bodies were seldom sent to funeral homes. The one existing that I knew of, catered to the very wealthy. Average Joe/Josephine had  the embalmer come in; minimal as his job was and certainly an antiquated process. I will spare you the graphic details.

Because of my grandfather’s death, my usually cool, calm, and collected grandmother,  had many things to do. I was dispatched to run errands. One of my chores was to purchase as much ice as there was. Few people had central air conditioning, not sure if such a thing existed in our world. The ice would be used in combination with fans to keep the home cool. The body would be  displayed in the living room so that friends and family could say their goodbyes.

My grandfather laid in state for exactly three days. For a child my age, nights were agony. Neighbors and friends would gather to sing hymns and say prayers. They would exchange stories of seeing the dead live or hearing his footsteps come down the long hallway. I was scared to death every time I had to walk by the coffin on the way to my bedroom. I made sure to keep my eyes straight ahead. At one point, a cousin fell asleep. They wheeled the coffin next to him so that when he woke up, he was staring into my grandfather’s face. His screams are something I will never forget. It’s a   memory I still live with today.  This is where my phobia of the dead began.

Today, I will attend a wake or a funeral, but sit in the back row. It is with difficulty I walk to the front to pay my respects. I’m not being rude or uncaring, more like paralyzed. That embalmed face will haunt me for weeks.

Flash forward, five months ago, I stepped out of my house with my twelve-pound dog on a leash. Out of nowhere comes a pit bull who attacked my dog and killed him. To make a long story short, it was hours before the police would allow me to remove the body from my neighbor’s lawn. By then, I could not look at my dog much less touch him. I had to have someone else remove him.

While some might think of me as selfish, I cannot hold a favorite household pet while they are being euthanized. The thought of Fido going limp in my arms has me breaking out in hives. Believe m,e I want to do the right thing, but if the right thing involves a dead body, I just can’t.

What’s your phobia? What keeps you up at night? How do you deal with your heart-pounding source of fright?

 Try my stories On Kindle Vella  HotShot Doc first three episodes free. Also writing as Sari Smith. Estate of Mine is also on Kindle Vella 

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Marcia King-Gamble

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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 34 books and 8 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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Shop Till You Drop!

 

By:  Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

Browsing through stores has always been therapeutic for me.  In fact, I enjoy doing so when times are good, and times are not so good. I find peace and a certain tranquility from wandering through aisles, sniffing perfumes, and touching fabrics.  It’s not about the buying of things, it’s more about sensory overload.  The smells, the sights, the sounds, the people around me can jumpstart me into a good mood.

Strolling through stores is a relaxing endeavor. There are times I buy absolutely nothing, and there are times I leave like Baa, Baa, Black Sheep with three bags full. This may sound like an expensive proposition, but the truth of the matter is I’m a bargain shopper.

I’m fortunate enough to have a body type that fits into one-of-a kind items. Those items are often on the clearance racks of the more expensive stores. What I pay for these finds is far less than those shopping in Walmart would. Shoppers Tip - First search the clearance racks of the Upmarket stores. Go the evening before the sale is advertised, this way you miss the crowds and things are not picked through.

There’s a secret to bargain shopping. Time, energy, and knowing where and when to shop. A dress size that’s not the norm helps, as does a willingness to search for the rare gem with the unbelievable price tag. Don’t let distance be an obstacle. And don't go shopping with anything particular in mind.

Speaking of distance, I have been known to rent an SUV, (comes with a full tank of gas and puts less wear and tear and mileage on my car), and drive to an outlet over 200 miles away. Why? Because when I can buy a beautiful dress at a Sak’s outlet for under $25, or a pair of leather, designer boots for a few cents more, why not?

I am happy to make a fun day of it. Laden down with bags, tired feet, or not, at the beginning or end of an outlet there is always a restaurant where I can put my feet up. It offers a meal, wine, and a relaxing place to look at my bargains.

What are some of your favorite places to shop? You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.

About Marcia King-Gamble

On Kindle Vella as Sari Smith  and Marcia King-Gamble read her Estate of Mine, First three episodes free ASIN: B0CC8HWQ52 and HotShot Doc ASIN: B0CB1TWHCY amazon.com/kindle-vella

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 34 books and 8 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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Those Goals of Mine!

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia:com

Visit me on Kindle Vella amazon.com/kindle-vella writing as Sari Smith and Marcia King-Gamble.

When I heard that August was supposed to be the mid-year check-in for all those goals I never set, my initial reaction was to go off topic. I felt I would have little to offer in this area.  Frankly, I am just not one to write down goals on an excel spreadsheet, and hold myself to a deadline. I do not check off  accomplishments. I’m just not wired that way. This girl has  never played by the rules.

Those of you following my posts know I don’t make New Year Resolutions. Instead, I create a vision board. That vision board acts as a reminder and as my map for the year. I apply this same thought process to my writing. Some people find it beneficial to plot out every chapter and detail. They document every high and low, when the middle should sag, and the black moment happen. That’s never worked for me. It takes away from my creative process and my writing simply won’t flow.

Contrary to what every writer has been told, I have never finished a manuscript before submitting. I’m more of a three chapter girl. Back to I never play by the rules.

I proudly own being a seat of the pants writer. There’s something freeing about this writing process.  I like writing what pops into my head. With no structure, I feel less confined. The downside of course is going down several rabbit holes, but what a wonderful feeling to emerge and find light.

Now back to the topic of the progress made on these non-existent goals. For that I  was forced to refer to my 2023 Vision Board and here are the results.  

Normally, travel dominates and I am pleased to say that was an easy one. So far this year, I have made it to San Diego twice, New York for a high school reunion, New Orleans for a writers conference, and in October,  I am off to Barcelona, Tunisia, France and Rome. By year end I should have made another trip to the Caribbean.  Check that one off.

Travel also takes care of my “Happy Place.”

Exercise and staying in shape are also featured on my vision board. I’m proud to say I’ve made it to the gym at least three times a week,  and I walk every chance I get.   I am still striving to get to my personal best, though in my heart I am there. Isn't that what matters? 

In terms of taking total control of my life, and getting my finances where I want it to be, well ummm, double fail. Two air conditioner failures ( sum total $20,000) set me back financially. I have a two zoned home. A leaking pool pump didn’t help either. On the upside, I am not out on the street. 

Putting everything into perspective, at the eight month mark, my ultimate goal has already been realized. I have joy in my life. I can still appreciate the small every day things and not look at setbacks as failures.

    That should be everyone's goal  Life happens and joy is a conscious choice.

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Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

Good news all -  My latest, HotShot Doc is on Kindle Vella. You can read the first three episodes of HotShot Doc free. Two episodes are already published. Find the info below.

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Episode 1

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Now down to  business.

Snow or Sand? Both have their pluses and minuses. Snow we associate with biting cold. Sand we associate with heat. Both snow and sand come with some level of discomfort.

Of course, the optimist in me associates snow with winter sports. Those of us who are skiers, tobogganers and skaters anxiously await the first snow or sign of cold. Not me, unfortunately my three attempts at skiing left me flat on my back, so I much prefer the coziness of the lodge or cabin where I can cuddle up with a good book.

It’s not that I mind the cold. It’s the slipping, sliding, and driving in the snow that comes with it. What I do like about winter (especially up North) are new shows (Ballet, Broadway) and fun things to do in the cold.  A good snowball fight can be invigorating.

I currently live where there is permanent summer and can safely say scalding hot sand is no picnic either. Give me pool life to the ocean on a hot, muggy day. In the Dog Days of Summer, a dip in the ocean can feel like dousing yourself in tepid bath water.  

The good news though, is living in eternal summer forces you to keep your arms and legs toned. We are out of the house more often than in, so shorts and spaghetti straps become a way of life. Music is pretty much everywhere. A downside of that is these events center around alcohol. Not that I don’t enjoy a good glass of wine or beer.

Sand or snow comes with its Pros and Cons. Still, I would take Spring over them both. I like balmy breezes, blooming flowers, and budding trees.  Give me fresh greenery any day. Air conditioners aren’t cranked up yet and people are so much more optimistic. It’s a hopeful time of year and who can’t use a little hope.

As Shakespeare says :  

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date…

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 34 books and 8 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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To Everything There is A Season!

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble

A time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck…

That said, I’ve always loved the change of seasons, a strange phenomenon for someone who grew up on a Caribbean Island with only one season- Summer.  Funny thing is, when you live where there is eternal Summer, one day turns into another, and before you know it a year goes by, and endless paradise can get boring.

Given my life in the islands, the move to an area where there were actually seasons excited me. Snow was something I welcomed, providing I did not have to drive in it.  Cold I could deal with, just add another layer of clothing. Winter brought with it skiing, skating, and the lighting of the tree in Rockefeller Center.  

Come Spring, and I was ready for crocuses and daffodils-the kinds of perennials that never grow on a warm Caribbean Island. Spring was a prelude to summer. Summer meant beaches, boat rides and trips to Fire Island and the Hamptons. That is when the Hamptons were affordable and home to burgeoning musicians and playwrights.

Then came Fall with its beautiful colors. If you lived in a big city, like I did, Fall meant relief from the humidity. It was also the beginning of the Broadway season, and new Broadway plays. Professional  shows are something I sadly miss. No traveling troupe can make up for a Broadway show, of course this is just my opinion.

So, what is my favorite season? Not Summer, that’s for sure, and certainly not Summer in South Florida. I would have to go with Spring. Why Spring? Because Spring holds promise. In Spring, everything comes alive and I am insanely happy. I look forward to what's ahead. To me it's a rebirth. It gives me purpose.

  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 34 books and 8 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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It’s been A Roller Coaster Ride!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

 www.lovemarcia.com

 I still remember the day clearly when I got the call that an Editor (from a big press) wanted to publish me. All that visualization and anguish had paid off.  After months of going to Barnes & Noble and the now defunct Borders and Walden Books, and visualizing, I was now being offered a contract.

A dream was coming true, and this was in 1998, when I was younger and a lot more optimistic. The editor from Kensington Publishing didn’t want just one book, she wanted two. I sat in my office numb but pinching myself. The funny thing is, my goal was never to be a writer. For years, I freelanced as a reader for Harlequin/Silhouette (the latter also now defunct,) reading so many promising manuscripts, but me a writer?      

Still, I couldn’t turn down an opportunity. Never.  And I’m glad I didn’t. Those first two books led to many, many, more contracts. I had a day job as well – reminder never give that up.

 For a very long time, I had no life. I ate and slept writing. I wrote for Viacom, BET books, St. Martin’s Press and Harlequin. Then a crazy thing happened. I was no longer the flavor of the month, and for a number of reasons, I’ll choose not to go into on a public forum.  

Initially, my feelings were hurt, but I quicky rebounded. I had the day job. I was not relying on writing to pay my bills. There’s freedom in that.

Lucky for me, the Indie market was opening up. And although skeptical, I dipped my toes in it.   The pluses were many, but so were the negatives. The freedom to write what you want and to publish those books that were rejected, “because they would never sell,’ was invigorating. Incidentally, ‘those books that would never sell,’ became some of my best sellers. On the flip side, you are on your own when it comes to marketing.  And even years later, there is still that skepticism about not being good enough to get traditionally published. This myth continues, despite many top NY Times Bestsellers going this route and having much success.    

Now here I am, twenty-five years later, still standing, still writing, and very hopeful that I will be doing so for the next twenty-five years.

Writers write, not for the money, but because they can’t help but write.  They write through thick and thin. They write even when they don’t get paid. They write because the thought of not writing is unthinkable.

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 34 books and 8 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. https://www.lovemarciakinggamble.com/newsletter.htm

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March is Busting Out All Over!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

I love spring, don’t you? The smells, the sights, the sounds. While this may seem odd to you, considering the region of the country I live in, (we do have spring down south). The first sign is the Forsythia in full bloom. Yellow has always made me feel happy.

 March is here, and the first signs of Spring are in the air.  The stores are deep in it. There are bunnies and tulips just about everywhere.

 Beware the Ides of March they say. That would be March 15^th! Known as the day that Julius Cesar was assassinated. Ironic, that in Rome, back then, it was known as the day most debts were settled. I guess Cesar certainly got his.

 While the Ides, though memorable. is not considered a holiday, there are other celebrations in March, that are hard to forget, some more than others, given the below list.

Have you even heard of some of these celebrations?

• Irish American Heritage Month
• Music in Our Schools Month
• National Celery Month
• National Craft Month
• National Frozen Food Month
• National Irish American Heritage Month- designated by Congress in 1995.
• National Nutrition Month
• National Peanut Month
• National Women’s History Month
• Red Cross Month
• Social Workers Month

Where is St. Patrick's Day on this illustrious list? 

In March, most of us look forward to The Oscar's and the outrageous gowns worn. This year it was hosted by Talk Show Host, Jimmy Kimmel. 

It's known as quite the fashion show and some of the gowns are just unbelievable. Who would really wear them out? All I can say about the one below is "OMG!" People are still buzzing, and perhaps that's the point. 

My favorite I call "Lady in Red" worn by the British model, Cara Delevingne. Elegance personified.

 

Whatever your opinion, March is busting out all over! I sure would like to hear your opinion of who wore it best. 

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 34 books and 8 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.